Lydia McLaughlin takes the term busy mom to a whole new level. Between managing three successful businesses, raising two young children (and expecting another), keeping her marriage strong and tirelessly giving back to the community, this woman has mastered the art of multi-tasking! She started her first business at the age of 19 and continues to grow as an entrepreneur with SKYLAB Media Group, Inc., an integrated luxury marketing agency she co-founded with her husband, Doug McLaughlin. Lydia McLaughlin: Busy Mom Businesswoman and Philanthropist
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It is hard enough to keep up with just the daily grind of life with two young children under five years old. But Lydia McLaughlin manages three successful businesses, raises two young children (and expecting another), keeps her marriage strong and tirelessly gives back to the community. Together with her husband, Doug, she created SKYLAB Media Group, Inc., a luxury marketing agency. Lydia McLaughlin: Busy Mom Businesswoman and Philanthropist
Bio
She has been married to husband Doug for 17 years. Together they co-founded SKYLAB Media Group, Inc., a luxury marketing agency. Lydia is also the founder of Oyster Magazine, which launched in 2006; she built the company from a two-person start-up to a national publication with over 200 full-time employees. The couple live in Hillsborough Township with their two children.
Family
McLaughlin currently manages three successful businesses as well as raises two young children. In addition to her motherly duties, she is an avid philanthropist who has raised $10 million dollars in the last decade to combat human trafficking. Lydia serves on the board of director for Health Careers Unlimited Foundation and is on the board of The Women’s Center of Orange County.
Physical info
With her son entering kindergarten in the fall of 2016, Lydia has two young children. She married Doug McLaughlin on September 23rd 2010.
Career
I graduated from Pomona College with a degree in Spanish literature, spent four years as an advertising account executive at McKinney in Southern California and then moved back to Dallas to marry my college sweetheart Doug. We created SKYLAB Media Group Inc., a luxury marketing agency that helps clients develop high-value relationships with top tier influencers around the world.
Awards
If Lydia had the time to stop and think about it all – from where she came from to where she is now – the journey would seem almost unbelievable. Raised in poverty in New Jersey by an abusive alcoholic father (who often reminded her that no one cared), McLaughlin’s family was homeless for six months when her father spent his last welfare check on Christmas presents instead of rent.
Net worth
Lydia McLaughlin is a busy mom with two young children. She manages three successful businesses that include the Ritz-Carlton in Tustin (which she started), a luxury marketing agency, SKYLAB Media Group Inc., and an event planning company. Lydia created SKYLAB Media Group Inc., a luxury marketing agency with her husband Doug McClain, as their personal escape from the fast-paced life of hotel management to focus on family time while working on outside business ventures.
sweetest time
Lydia McLaughlin is a well-known star from the hit television show ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’ on Bravo. She also has her own business called SKYLAB Media Group, Inc., which specializes in marketing strategies for luxury brands. Lydia sits on several boards that impact local children’s lives through youth development programming and scholarships. Plus she recently became a proud mom to a baby boy! Here is how she does it all.
secrets of beauty
She typically wakes up at 5 a.m. to workout before the family’s school day starts. She also keeps a date book to keep track of everything on her plate at all times, sticking to a ritual of coffee with cream and using mascara no matter how tired she is. Lydia’s favorite charity is Big Brothers Big Sisters because it empowers young adults in our community by providing positive role models for their lives.
first love
As a high school student, Lydia quickly realized that she wanted to give back to the community that had been so kind to her. She volunteered at the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) in Gaithersburg through grade school, junior high and high school. Working closely with professionals from across the country in the field of autism research gave her invaluable insight into this complex condition and it reaffirmed for her that she wanted to go into social work as a profession.
first success
I think Lydia would attribute her success to hard work and believing in herself, said Doug. It doesn’t matter how much she accomplishes at one time or another because she’s always setting new goals.
dearest person
This is what is important to me. I want my son to grow up understanding that there are no boundaries in life and we can do anything we put our minds to. That’s why I create my own destiny through hard work, resilience, good family values, passion for service and giving back!
The Successful Lydia
Today we take a look at Lydia’s life as an entrepreneur, wife, mother of two young children and philanthropist. With SKYLAB Media Group Inc., a luxury marketing agency she started with her husband Doug in 2004, Lydia has found success. The company employs both remote freelancers and on-site interns to serve clients in need of branding work or web design for their company.
Pregnant Again
We’re very excited. It’s a boy, Lydia says of her third child with husband Doug McLaughlin. I think the reason we have three boys is because I know my daughter will be bossing them around.
Happy Father’s Day
On Father’s Day I want to say thank you to my dad. Thank you for being a good father and teaching me what it means to be a good man. You have always supported me in every decision I’ve made. You have spent your life as a mechanic taking care of us.
Causes That Are Close To Her Heart
Lydia is an active philanthropist with many causes close to her heart. She regularly volunteers with Young Life at the Charlotte Rescue Mission Women’s Center, serves on the board of directors for Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina and was a founding member of Bluford Academy Charter School in Lincoln Heights. She also served as a producer for Dance Get Ready Foundation’s event for the Kennedy Centers A Salute to Stephen Colbert.
How She Connects With Her Customers
She knows the importance of balancing work with family. Lydia’s oldest son is five-years-old and she has a one-year-old son on the way. She attributes her success to having someone there to share the workload. You need that co-parenting type of thing, says Lydia.
Lydia is able to have strong relationships with her clients because she listens and adapts to their needs.
Q.&A.
1. Tell us about yourself. I am a mom of two young children (currently ages 4 and 1), the wife of Doug McLaughlin and the founder of SKYLAB Media Group. I love being in the house with my family when I’m not working or volunteering.
2. How long have you been working in your field? I started my business with Doug just after we got married because I didn’t want to give up on my creative ideas while providing for our family as well.
What happened to Lydia from RHOC?
At age 33, Lydia McLaughlin gave birth to twin girls Kennedy and Bridget. She was determined to maintain her family’s momentum by focusing on work from home as much as possible. To do so, she took SKYLAB Media Group public with her husband Doug in 2011; it became one of the fastest growing marketing firms in California. In 2013, she joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Orange County for its ninth season.
Are Lydia and Doug still married?
Yes. They have been married for 10 years now and they never argue in public. They met in college at Fordham University where they both earned their degrees in business administration with the hopes of one day starting a company together.
How much is Lydia from RHOC worth?
Some people are worth millions of dollars; Lydia is not one of them. However, she still lives a luxurious life with her family in the prestigious Crystal Cove neighborhood in Newport Beach. She has three businesses that allow her to work from home when she wants to and stay at home with her children when she does not.
How old is Lydia McLaughlin?
At the age of 25 Lydia McLaughlin was a single mother to 11-month-old daughter Grace when she appeared on The Real Housewives of Orange County. You would have never guessed it back then! Today her family consists of two children (Grace age 3 and 18-month-old James) a husband who is also in the business world with SKYLAB Media Group, Inc., and a dog named George. Together they are working hard to ensure that their family enjoys everything life has to offer.