Meet Elena Epstein | Co-owner and Creative Director of L.A. Parent

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

Hi Elena, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
As a mom and a business owner, I realize that there is no such thing as “balance.” Being a parent and running a business means you are constantly juggling different responsibilities. When my kids were younger, I would work a lot of late nights and early mornings, as well as working in my car while waiting for soccer or softball practice to end. Now that my kids are older, I do work more “normal” hours. But I have an aging parent now that I’m taking care of, so I’m back to the late nights.

What should our readers know about your business?
L.A. Parent has been a wonderful companion for parents in Los Angeles for 44 years. My husband and I bought the magazine 11 years ago. I used to be an avid L.A. Parent reader long before I became the co-owner. We started our careers as newspaper reporters and to have the opportunity to own this wonderful publication and be able to work together is a blessing. I’m most proud of our L.A. Parent team. They are not only the best in their fields, but they are genuinely kind and caring individuals who believe in community and understand that being a parent is the most important job we will ever have. We are here to support families, provide resources and inspiration.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First to Malibu to hike Point Dume. Then shaved iced at Malibu Yogurt and Ice Cream, followed by the best dolmeh at Taverna Tony. Malibu and Zuma are two of my favorite places. I would also take a friend to Fryman Canyon for a hike with great views of the valley. Then to Pinkberry in Studio City for my favorite duo of pomegranate and original. I also love Aroma Cafe in Studio City. It’s a great spot for post hike. I would also take a friend to the Grove and the Culver Steps. I would grab some coffee and a book from the Village Well Books and Coffee in Culver city. Another favorite spot is Stonehaus in Westlake. Love to grab a salad, a pizza and a glass of wine and sit under the twinkling lights and just chat.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely! I’ve been so blessed to have a lot of wonderful mentors in my life and career. L.A. Parent is a success thanks to the best partner in life and in business. My husband, Ron, is my everything and I can’t imagine doing this work without him. I do want to give a special shoutout to my mom, who passed away 6 years ago. She was my biggest cheerleader. As a woman born in Iran, she dreamed for her daughter to grow up in American, to go to college and have the opportunities she couldn’t have. I have often wished I could see myself through her eyes. She was always so proud of me, my family, my work. I can still see the smile on her facing as soon as she held a new issue of L.A. Parent in her hands and she would read and re-read every single page. I thank her every day for leaving everything behind to come to America with a singular purpose–a better life for her kids. I thank her for believing in me, loving me and showing me every day what strength, integrity and devotion to family looks and feels like.

Website: www.laparent.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laparentmag/

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Image Credits
Caption: Left-Right, Elena Epstein with L.A. Parent Editor Cassandra Lane and Digital Editor Nina Harada at The Getty. Second image is the cover of our current March issue.