In the land of perpetual sunshine (note 71 degrees mid December) I caught up with dear friend & founder of sought after kids sneaker brand AKID on my latest trip to LA. After recently having her third baby, we chatted about the reality of taking “maternity leave” as a business owner and what she’s doing to get her body back post pregnancy. @ashleighdempster @akidbrand
Photo: @alainmitchell
Current state of mind?
Grateful
Was being pregnant for the third time, like riding a bike?
It flew by! Most likely because I was so busy with the boys & business.
On having a baby in the house again:
It’s been such a treasure having baby Vincent Gray here on earth. She’s a really sweet and easy baby for the most part. Plus, having done this before, I know how fast the baby stage goes so I’m really trying to enjoy every minute with her, while she’s this little. The exhaustion on the other hand, never gets easier. Now it’s x 3!
On exercising postpartum:
I’ve always been committed to my workouts. Now that I’m 3 months post baby, I’m officially back on the wagon. I workout 4-5x a week and mix between pilates, circuit training plus weights.
On eating:
Lately I’m gravitating more to vegetarian style dishes. I need to eat 3 full meals a day plus lots of snacks. My husband and I like a full fridge!
On beauty & wellness:
Green super powder every morning in water. I swear it’s what gives me the energy to get through these long days and sleepless nights. I try to make healthy choices when it comes to my food but I always need something naughty in there —usually chocolate. For beauty, I’m obsessed with facials and try to get them as much as possible. At home, I have a simple routine, which is basically a cleanser, eye cream and lotion. Recently I’ve been into Dr. Barbara Sturm products.
If your life were a song…?
Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones. Not sure why. I just love that song.
Your body and boobs after baby?
The boobs can stay!
On having a girl after 2 boys:
The boys are wild in a good way. Vincent is a sweet, easy going little babe. I think she has to be this way because of her two noisy big brothers.
On growing up as the only girl with brothers:
There was never a dull moment. My brothers provided non stop entertainment for my friends which was fun unless you were the target of their jokes and pranks. With all of that though, I also had a built in security team as they always had my back. I’m hoping my boys and Vincent will have as close of a relationship as I do with my brothers.
On launching AKID:
When my first born started walking my husband and I noticed a major gap in the marketplace for kid’s shoes that had a high fashion aesthetic. Matt has a lot of experience with sneakers and footwear in general, so in the beginning he worked with me to sample a few concepts that we thought parents like us would be interested in. It took off and the rest is history!
What’s next for the brand?
Continue to grow AKID with the goal to become a key player in the kids footwear industry.
Do you think it’s important for kids to see their mom working?
I think it’s important for kids to see their mom happy. If work is part of that happiness, then yes.
How do you take maternity leave as an entrepreneur/business owner?
It’s next to impossible for me to check out entirely. I did stay home for the first month though. As I got my feet on the ground, my team would come to the house for a few hours a day so we could work around my kitchen table. Now I’m spending a few hours in the office each day and the rest happens early morning/late at night.
