Sarah Van Zee On Raising Her Children & Grandchildren To Be Self-Sufficient & Successful
In celebration of National Grandparents Day, we are highlighting several women with their daughters and granddaughters! Sarah Van Zee has been working in the apparel industry for over 20 years. She is an inspiring role model for us at MAUBY with her wisdom and expertise! We had the pleasure of speaking with her about her career, advice on motherhood and being a grandma. We are so excited about this special feature on a Generation of Women. Learn more about Sarah in her profile feature below!
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at MAUBY!
Sarah: “I was born in Hong Kong and have lived in Southern California for almost 40 years. I grew up in a large family with 8 siblings. I am married with four children and one grandchild and spend most of my time away from work with my family. My primary responsibility for MAUBY is to support the division with finance and development for successful growth.”
Q: Can you share with us your career journey? How did you get to where you are today?
Sarah: “I worked in several different industries before starting in apparel over 20 years ago. In apparel I’ve worked in logistics, development, production, as well as supplier support. The exposure of all these different aspects of the apparel industry helps me do what I’m responsible for today.”
Q: You have a beautiful granddaughter! What has becoming a grandma taught you about yourself?
Sarah: “How important family is to me. I typically like to be in control of things happening around me by giving direction, but now I understand my role is one of support and an advisor to help my daughter raise my granddaughter, knowing what she is going through as a first-time mother.”
Q: What does motherhood mean to you?
Sarah: “To provide a safe and loving environment for your children to grow and lead them to be self-sufficient and contributing to their community.”
Q: What are you most proud of?
Sarah: “I’m proud of the job I am doing and the accomplishments my children have achieved.”
Q: Do you have any hobbies?
Sarah: “I enjoy cooking different kinds of cuisine, but I am probably best at Chinese dishes. I also love to travel to new places to see how life is in different parts of the world.”
Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? If you could go back in time, is there anything you would have done differently?
Sarah: “There is no short-cut for hard work. I would have pursued more education in studies I enjoy.”
Q: What do you root your identity in?
Sarah: “As an immigrant arriving in the United States in secondary school, a lot of my teachings and understandings are based on Eastern culture that is still shared by my family and friends. However, learning and adapting to Western culture living and working in Los Angeles has expanded my ability to understand what is needed to be successful in my professional and personal life.”
Thank you so much for being such a strong and wonderful role model Sarah! We are so thankful for you!
Photography by Sarah Van Zee
