Diana Walcott is a stay-at-home mom and the owner of online boutique Wind + Root. She is also a Lake Nona resident. Read our interview with her below!

Nonahood News: What is your job?

Diana Walcott: I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom. About this time last year, I created the online boutique Wind + Root. I was looking for something that I could do while the girls were in gymnastics, or in that little bit of free time that moms have. I thought an online boutique would be fun. When I looked into it, I realized I didn’t want to just be selling typical goods available for resale. I didn’t like where those things were coming from, how the people making them were being treated, so I started looking into fair trade products and came across some amazing brands that are doing great things with fair wages, helping women come out of trafficking situations, or helping prevent orphaning. I fell in love with some of the products I was seeing and the mission behind the brand.

I have jewelry and accessories all made by women in developing countries. Most of my products are a more simplistic, modern style. I wanted things that any woman could throw on and it adds a little something to any outfit. It’s amazing with each product because they’re handmade and they have a story behind them. When you pick them up and you feel them, you feel like someone put their love and effort into it.

NHN: What does your day-to-day schedule look like?

DW: Homeschooling in the morning. I have two girls who are five and seven years old. Afternoons are usually gymnastics or whatever the kids’ activities are and a little bit of work on my business.

NHN: What would you say are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of balancing everything?

DW: The most challenging thing is probably finding enough time for each one of them and making sure that I’m giving 100% to each one of them. The most rewarding is probably … I mean, it’s all rewarding. I’m getting to a point with the girls and their homeschooling that I’m seeing a lot of the work that I’ve put into it in the last three years come to fruition. With the business, being able to continue ordering from the brands that I carry, knowing that the more sales I receive, the more I can order from the women making these products, and they’re able to then feed their families, send their kids to school, and provide food and shelter.

NHN: What got you interested in doing your current job here?

DW: I was getting to the point where the girls weren’t babies anymore, so they didn’t need my attention constantly. They were getting into gymnastics and I had more free time during that time, so I thought why not do something. Once I came across how I could make a difference using some of the skills and knowledge I already had from my previous career, it seemed like a great fit.

NHN: Do you have any interesting hobbies, collections, or interests?

DW: We like to be around Lake Nona. Bike riding, walking, fitness in general, hanging out with friends here. We do some traveling around Florida. Some for leisure, some for the girls’ gymnastics. We love the trails and being with nature. It’s an adventure for the little ones and for me, quiet time.

NHN: What brought you to Lake Nona, and when did you move here?

DW: We moved here about six years ago for my husband’s job. We’re from Connecticut, and I was researching the best places to live in Florida. Lake Nona was one of them. We visited a few other areas around Orlando, but in Lake Nona, you just get a sense of the community here and how different it was from anywhere else. The aspect of knowing your neighbors and the community events – there’s a certain pride in living here. Also, the growth of it is exciting to us, too.

NHN: What would you say is your favorite part about Lake Nona?

DW: How easy it is to make friends, be social, and always have events or activities to go to. Also, what’s available to do outdoors here and how it’s so easy to spend time outside. There are days that I can take the girls out on their bikes, go on the swings, ride to Foxtail or somewhere else, go to another playground, and come home hours later. Where else can you do that?

NHN: What would you say to anyone who is considering a move to Lake Nona?

DW: It is very family-oriented, a great place to raise your family and enjoy the amenities and the development.

Photos Courtesy of Diana Walcott