Tara Olson manages about a dozen client projects every day. As the middle (wo)man between client and creative, her job as account manager is to keep everyone happy. After 5, Tara fulfills a similar role: she raises her babe, keeps her country home beautiful and running smoothly, and helps her hubby with farming.
“I’m sure my weeknights resemble any other working mom,” explains Tara. Her nightly routine includes, “pick up daughter, rush home, make dinner, eat, play, clean up, bathe and get ready for bed.” Tara, who lives on the family farm near Leonard, N.D., also tacks on two hours of drive time every day, making her evenings a non-stop flurry of activity. “Weekends I play catch up on anything I didn’t get done that week. I value free, quiet weekends.”
Tara’s passion? Decorating.
Outside of working at Flint Communications and raising daughter Eva, Tara’s favorite hobby is decorating. “We recently remodeled the family farmhouse, so it’s been fun making it our own after months of living with piles of dust, mice and no kitchen,” says Tara. “It’s important to me to have a comfortable and inviting place to come home to at the end of every day.”
Fixing up an old farmhouse isn’t easy, especially when you’re preparing for a new baby. Tara and her husband did just that: they renovated the farmhouse kitchen right up until Eva’s due date.
What Tara started with:
Tara's kitchen - before
Here’s what it looked like when Tara was 36 weeks pregnant last October (can you say stressful?!):
Tara's kitchen - in progress
And the beautiful, finished product:
Tara's kitchen - after!
Tara says she’s always been interested in home design—she’s just never had the space of her own to make a dent with her personal taste until now. “I spend time online in the evenings looking for ideas. I love Pinterest. It’s perfect for collecting photos of things I love for the home.”
Balance is key.
Tara’s life requires balance. At home, she’s wife and mom. At Flint, she’s an account manager. She tries not to mix work and home. Tara explains, “Being able to keep them separate helps me stay productive in all areas of my life.”
Tara strives for balance between work and home.
Get to know a Flintster: Q + A with Tara
What’s your dream job?
Interior designer or wedding planner (if I didn’t have to deal with bridezillas).
Which job would you not want to have?
Anything on Dirty Jobs. I appreciate my clean office job.
What was your first job?
Cashier at a grocery store.
What did it teach you?
Bananas are code 4011.
What is one thing you’d be willing to practice for an hour a day?
I’d love to have an hour each day to try a new recipe. I’m good at quick and easy—not so good at the rest.
What’s the best advice you ever got?
Be true to yourself and you’ll never fail.
What sound do you love?
My daughter’s babbling. It’s a constant reminder of the greatest love on earth.
What scent do you love?
Downy.
Want to know more about Tara? Follow her on Twitter (@tararae12).