Potter, mom of three, actress and entrepreneur, has been busy.
In the past year, in addition to her acting roles, including a final portrayal as Kristina Braverman on NBC’s series finale of “Parenthood,” she opened Monica Potter Home, a natural, local home and beauty store in Garrettsville, along with managing the mrspotter.com website.
The Cleveland native also has come back to the area to renovate her childhood home.
“A lot of us, as we are older now, don’t have as many family parties together because we are scattered,” Potter says about her three sisters and mom, who have been helping with the project. “So I want to have all of our family dinners and holidays there…It’s just going to be a place we can all get together.”
Potter, who also resides in Los Angeles, Calif., with her husband and family, talks about her Cleveland ties, how she juggles motherhood along with her business, and what’s next for her career.
How is the renovation of your childhood home going?
Slow but steady. We are going to tackle that this summer. We have been documenting how we are renovating the house. We are starting with that house and then moving on to other areas. We are doing it house by house, but starting with that one.
It was very emotional for you and your family when you first came back to your childhood house. How has it changed from that moment?
We are remodeling it to how it used to look when we were little. Since I want to have that feel, my mom is going to help design it and it’s going to be a project for all four of us girls and my mom. It’s like going back, reliving memories and creating new ones with our kids now. It’s a real emotional thing, but it will be a lot of hard work.
You have three children — Danny, 24 (who was born at Euclid General Hospital), Liam, 20, and Molly, 9 — what are some fun things you do when you are out in the Cleveland area (or things you plan to do now that you are back more often)?
Danny and Liam are doing their own thing, but Molly will be back and forth with me quite a bit, working and having fun. I think this summer we are going to take her to Cedar Point, the zoo, the art museum and show her Little Italy. I want to show her all the places I love and grew up with. She loves Cleveland and wants to live there full-time.
While you are here, what do you hope to teach her about living in the Cleveland area?
I talk to her about my dad and how he worked hard — and the same with my mom — and to make the most out of what you can. I think she sees what a difference it is from L.A.; it’s just a different lifestyle altogether. She will have the best of both worlds. It teaches her the value of family, diversity and what it means to be grateful for things. When we are (in Cleveland), it’s a much slower pace.
You played a pretty emotional role over the past few seasons with Kristina Braverman in “Parenthood,” portraying a parent caring for a child with special needs and a mother who dealt with breast cancer. With the series over, are there any takeaways you are applying to your own life?
I think the biggest thing I learned from doing that show is to slow down and enjoy the tiny moments because they are fleeting. I look at my 24- and 20-year-old and remember that when they were little, we were constantly on the go. With Molly, I really want to redirect and change that. It’s about taking the time to do the little things they will remember.
Do you think people have gotten to know you through Parenthood and can relate to you after that show?
There were a lot of Monica-isms in Kristina and I talked about certain things to the writers. Believe me, I wanted to put more in. That’s what I want to do with my next role and show, whatever that is. We were working on something with NBC/ Warner Bros. Television (a sitcom portrayal about a mother living under the same roof as her three ex- husbands), but it’s been tabled for now, because it wasn’t right; it didn’t feel right. It’s a huge blessing.
How are you juggling both work and home life as a busy actress and entrepreneur?
Right now, not well — I am just being honest with you. I think with a start- up company and the website, I am learning to delegate and let go, so I am able to scale back and do fun things during the day. At the end of the day, what really matters is your family…if I am overworked or overwhelmed, I am no good for my kids. That has been a huge eye opener and I have to learn to let go and trust. I have a strong faith and I have to make sure I have time for that, as well. In order to focus on certain things that matter, I have to pull back on the things that don’t. We need to scale back on the DIYs (on the website) and some of the things that we are doing. We have a company and store and that has to come first; then I have my other job, which is acting and producing. I have to make sure all these are being fed correctly.
It’s all about connections and making sure the kids are cared for. As far as raising them, you have to set aside time. Just because they are a certain age doesn’t mean they don’t still need you. I think it’s mostly about trusting what they are doing. Also, making sure to set aside time to do things individually and as a family, even if it’s a three-day trip. Doing something where all the electronics are put away. I make it a point to have family dinner every night and still do dinner on Sundays, so the kids come over and we talk about the week. Just doing simple things, having that one-on-one time with them, so you feel you have their full attention. It’s about the quality of things and not the quantity of things.
You mentioned the store, Monica Potter Home, which opened just this year in Garrettsville; how has it been going?
We have been doing well. We have a lot of community support and encouragement. On opening day, I was very humbled by how many people showed up. I feel like every person I met, I made a new friend or family member. It felt more like a family reunion. I invested a lot of money for our customers so they can feel special every day. Every time someone comes in that door, I want them to feel like they are coming home.
What inspired you to open the Monica Potter Home storefront?
It all started with my dad (Paul Ely Brokaw, Jr.) when I was 5; he was an inventor and my mom (Nora Maria Sexton) was a homemaker. I always liked to create and do things on my own. We started our DIY site and our social media platform; my sister said we should do this on a larger scale, so I started working with artisans and craft people in the area and really put this business plan together. I thought why don’t we create a space where we can manufacture, produce, ship and have a storefront. My sister Jessica found the space and we dove right in. That’s really where the idea came from and it’s really been a work in progress since I was 10.
Are there any crafts you love or items you collect?
I love and collect angels because of what they signify. In any form, whether it’s ceramic, metal, wood or textile, I love creating them. I also like to do seasonal crafts with the kids, especially Molly.
Does Molly take after you in your love for crafts and creating things?
Does she ever. She is a little entrepreneur and is imaginative.
When the boys were little, I use to make a green spray — it’s lavender and chamomile essential oils. Molly said, “Mommy, why don’t we put that in our store?” Now we are doing Molly’s Dream Creams, for kids to help them sleep. I use it on Molly every night because it really helps her relax. Kids have stress and anxieties at school, especially nowadays with all the bullying (issues.) I am not saying that Lavender Dream Cream solves it, but it’s a way to connect with your kid at the end of the day.
Why did you choose to have the store in Northeast Ohio?
I went to Memorial School in Cleveland for kindergarten and few years later, it was shut down. I remember being angry about it and I called the Mayor’s office. I wanted to see this structure turned into a place people could live, learn a craft or trade, make money, feed their families and be proud of their work. It’s something I always wanted to do and held onto, so that’s why I am doing it in Cleveland. It was my goal to create some jobs, bring in some money and awareness of the area. I think Cleveland is well on its way — it’s an amazing city; it doesn’t really need my help. It’s my home.
What’s next for your career?
We are getting a lot of interest. (For example,) we put together a presentation for QVC and HSN. I am also working on the unscripted docu- series about the house renovation, the store and my sisterhood, so you will see more of the real me, not just what’s on the website. I am really taking this time to think about what it is we should do next. It’s happening organically and is not feeling forced. I am taking the time to do what I really want to do and let go. It’s still work, but I can also take the time to go to the park, sit on the couch, play the memory game with Molly and bake — just scaling way back on things and focusing on things that have true meaning.
