Where are you from and how long have you lived in town? What brought you to the area?
We moved back from NYC a few years ago to live closer to our parents. My dad, Gary Potempa, has been a dentist in Libertyville for years!
Do you have child(ren)? Age(s)
I have 4 kids. Claire (6), Gus (5), Otto (3), Pepper (almost 2)
What are your favorite things to do in the area with and without your kids? Family friendly restaurant? Date night?
Libertyville is such an amazing community with so much to do. It is such a great place for kids and there is always something fun to do. We love to go out to eat with the kids for weekend brunch at Burnsies, donuts at Lee Donuts (get the coconut!), Pizzeria DeVille (always in the basement!), the Liberty (with our huge, wild family, they are always so welcoming). Our kids love all the activities at Cook Library and the Dunn Museum is one of our favorite places to hang out. Some of our best memories have been spent at Main Street Libertyville events, like the Tree Lighting, Parades and Farmers Market, which we get a front row view at B.Bungalow! Whenever we get a chance, Tom and I love to eat at Shakou, Bottaio (always a special place for us as we went there the night before we had Pepper!) or Deerpath Inn. Also, my sisters, mom and I love to go to Tavern for wine and appetizers.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor or in the corporate world? Please share!
My sisters and I founded The Beachwaver Co., a beauty company focused on empowerment, sustainability, innovation and accessibility, and B.Bungalow, our lifestyle division. We develop, manufacture and sell hairstyling tools to help people feel more confident when they walk out the door. Our patented Beachwaver rotating curling irons are so easy to use. You simply press a button to rotate and release the button to stop. After over two years of research and development, we just launched our Make Waves and Reparative hair care lines, which all contain HiX, our proprietary bond multiplier that will make your hair stronger and healthier after every use.
We opened our B.Bungalow store when we moved to Libertyville and sourced a ton of our favorite lines, many of which give back to charitable organizations. We just launched our line of fragrances, which are the first products under the B.Bungalow brand! We are so proud of what we have built and have so many big dreams we are still chasing. While we have won over 45 beauty awards, sponsored the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and the World Surf League Championship, the most rewarding moments are when someone tells us how our products have made them more confident. As women, we are so often told to shrink down, to be quiet or fade into the background. So, in a world that trades on women’s insecurities, we rebel by helping women feel more confident. For whatever they are going to take on that day, if they can start out feeling just a little more confident, then we are doing our part and hopefully making it easier for them to stand up, find their voice and follow their dreams.
Shop for Beachwaver and B.Bungalow items here!
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
We are so grateful to be a part of this incredible community. The support of our friends and family means so much to us. With B.Bungalow, we truly understand the importance of shopping local. We are truly so grateful for every page like, share and purchase. We have put everything we have into growing our brands and hope that our passion shines through everything we do.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
My favorite movie is Hoosiers.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten from another Mom?
You can’t pour from an empty cup. As moms, we are so conditioned to multitask, make it work and put everyone else first. Our kids benefit when their moms are happy, healthy and fulfilled.
What is next for you?
Launching more products and expanding the brand in 2020!
View their information in the LAM Holiday Gift Guide 2019