We had the good fortune of connecting with Bianca Rae and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bianca, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Me and My Girls started as a mother-daughter passion project when my mom was looking for an exciting new project in retirement. My parents retired from Chicago to the Palm Springs area, officially living in paradise, and my mom was looking for her new purpose in this chapter of life. My mom, sister and I have always felt a sparkly accessory can easily elevate any outfit, and that is something attainable to any girl regardless of budget, shape or size. We started working with manufactures early 2022, and officially launched our business on a mother-daughter trip to Dubai in the fall of 2022. None of us are business-women by way of career (our trio includes a mom, a lawyer, and a news anchor) but our varying life experiences and unique styles combined with our love and respect for each other allowed us to create something that many women are loving!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Barbara is a mother who says her greatest accomplishment in life is her two daughters. She has been married for 37 years. She also has been a volunteer religious education teacher for more than 25 years. She is also a volunteer with her daughter’s nonprofit, the Bianca Rae Foundation.

Alexa, the oldest daughter, remains in Chicago, where she is a family law attorney at Dussias Wittenberg Koenigsberger LLP in Chicago. In 2020, Alexa was selected for Law Bulletin Media’s 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch. Alexa is a member of the Hellenic Bar Association and donates her time to her sister’s nonprofit, the Bianca Rae Foundation, speaking to and mentoring young girls.

Bianca is an Emmy winning news anchor in Los Angeles, as well as the founder of the 501c3 nonprofit serving underprivileged middle school children, the Bianca Rae Foundation. She has won multiple LA Press Club Awards for her on-air work. She received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars honoring her activism and philanthropy in Southern California.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely show friends and family to a wonderful day in Newport Beach when they visit!! We would have to start by getting the rosemary honey latte from Herst Coffee, then take some prosecco and cheese and crackers on a duffy boat in the harbor, and then finish the day off with a great dinner at Nobu, Marche Moderne, or Sellane in Laguna Beach. There are so many wonderful places to take in the beautiful sites and sees of this gem of California!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This interview is about our mother-daughter business, Me and My Girls, so I know my sister, Alexa Goutos, and I want to give a shoutout to our mom, Barbara Goutos. Our entire lives, she has always been our guiding light. She sacrificed so much to make sure as young girls passions were fostered within us, and she is the one who empowered and emboldened us to become independent successful women. Now as business partners, we get to work closely and create together, have fun together, and try to make a difference in women’s lives together!

Website: Shopmeandmygirls.com

Instagram: @shopmeandmygirls

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