Meet Tanya Kertsman: a pharmacist taking a creative side project to the next level
She’s a medical affairs pharmacist. A health and beauty writer. A content creator, social media director, and medical reviewer. And she’s only 36.
I recently connected with
through LinkedIn as pharmacists who also write about other life stuff. In addition to being married with three young kids, this Philly mom keeps finding ways of blending her skills into different spaces. Taking a creative side project to the next level, while always staying grounded in herself and family.Tanya’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine when she was two. After a short stay in Brooklyn, they settled in the Jersey suburbs where she grew up, still connected to her family’s Russian-speaking roots. Tanya learned from her mom and grandma that beauty is about confidence and inner strength.
Tanya spent a few years working in community pharmacy after pharmacy school and then transitioned into the pharmaceutical industry. Several years later, with two toddlers at home, the juggling became too much. She took a career pause and became a stay-at-home mom (SAHM). Writing about her decision to leave her pharmacist job in a HuffPost essay, Tanya explains “Every morning I thought to myself, Who will I let down today? I constantly felt like I was sacrificing something.”
In 2020, Tanya’s family grew to five when her third child was born. Since then, she’s been caring for her kids while growing her writing career. She has bylines in Well+Good, Byrdie, Doré, The Zoe Report, and Passerby. She’s also been a medical reviewer for Healthline.
Through it all, Tanya’s fascination with beauty and style that began as a girl has been a constant. Over a decade ago she founded Little Blank Diaries, a lifestyle blog about personal style, travel, skincare, and motherhood. You can also find curated style guides, lifestyle tips, and her own newest product obsessions and looks on Instagram.
Now, with her youngest in preschool, Tanya’s getting ready to go back to work full-time. Last week, I met with Tanya over zoom to discuss her experience growing up in an immigrant family, how she’s toggling between multiple roles as a mom, and her latest fashion recs.
You describe yourself feeling like an outsider as a child. I felt that way at times and tried changing myself to fit in. But it seems like you’re someone who’s always been grounded? Do you feel like you are?
As an immigrant, I felt like I was often navigating between two cultures. I went to a Jewish Day Care in kindergarten and didn’t speak a word of English. My parents, speaking minimal English themselves, asked an older child to look after me. Now as a parent myself, I understand how difficult it was for them to leave me at school not understanding the language everyone spoke. But they needed to go to work and provide for our family.
We immigrated from the Soviet Union and my parents and grandparents were essentially starting from scratch in a new country. I learned English at school but also by watching a lot of American TV. I lived for Friday nights when I could turn on ABC’s TGIF and watch classic sitcoms like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Family Matters, and Full house. At home I spoke Russian with my family and at school, I was trying to assimilate and fit in as kids do, but with the added pressure of being from a different country.
Because of antisemitism in Soviet-controlled Ukraine, my family couldn’t freely practice Judaism and had limited opportunities. They left so much behind in 1989 to start over and have the possibility of a better life. I’m so thankful for their decision to immigrate to America and am constantly in awe of everything they sacrificed for our family. When I think about them in their 20s with a toddler, trying to find work and navigate a new culture while preserving their own, I have the utmost respect and appreciation for their journey.
Later on, my family moved and I was bullied as the new kid in school, which contributed to that outsider feeling. At that point, everyone had their cliques. Although as a kid it’s brutal, I really do think it has taught me to be resilient and rise above cliquey-girl behavior. Can you believe this happens in adult and mom circles too? Even now, if I see someone eating alone at a lunch table or standing by themselves at a party, I want to talk to them.
There’s always a little bit of the “new kid in school” feeling even as an adult after experiencing these things growing up. I can’t believe I'm saying this, but in a strange way, I'm grateful for these experiences because I know how to handle them now and can help guide my kids when similar situations come up.
You wrote a beautiful piece honoring your grandma just after she passed away in 2021. You describe the beauty rituals you shared with her, getting ready for nightclub parties in the 90s, going back to your old Russian immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn where your grandma still lived. I love this sentence:
“Beauty allows us an opportunity to be transported to a more carefree space, an occasion to celebrate and dance all night long.”
Can you talk a little bit about your memories with your grandma?
Thank you for reading this piece! It was one of the most difficult articles I’ve ever written but I'm thankful that I was able to honor my grandmother in this way. Getting ready for those nightclub parties was so fun and has come to be one of my core memories. My parents and I would come to Brooklyn on a Friday night and stay at my grandparents’ apartment until Sunday when we would drive back to New Jersey.
They lived in Brighton Beach, which is also referred to as “Little Odessa,” a Ukrainian city. Brighton Beach has a large population of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union so it’s like walking into a different country. Most people speak Russian, the signs are in Russian, you can easily walk into a store and purchase nesting dolls (Matryoshki), and the food is delicious — pelmeni is my personal favorite.
On Friday evenings, we would celebrate big occasions together in Russian nightclubs. My grandma loved dressing up; she would sometimes even take two outfits and change at the party! She was truly ahead of her time. She also picked my grandpa’s outfit and had his tie match her dress. She was very youthful in that way – getting joy out of dressing up to party on a Friday night. It was all so carefree and exciting for my eight-year-old eyes.
My grandma always built me up and told me all the things she loved about me. I remember telling her often when I was little how beautiful and young I thought she was and she would laugh.
We immigrated from the Soviet Union in 1989. At home I spoke Russian with my family and at school, I was trying to assimilate and fit in as kids do, but with the added pressure of being from a different country.
I think the age you're at is really interesting because it’s so hard to define. After 35 you’re not a young adult anymore. But you’re not middle-aged either. How do you feel about your age right now and what are your thoughts on moving into your 40s?
When I was in high school, I always had a plan and knew what came next. I knew I needed to get good grades to go to pharmacy school and then pursue a fellowship. As a millennial, I grew up thinking I needed to pick one job and do that one thing for the rest of my life. After a series of twists and turns, I’m realizing it’s not necessarily the case anymore.
I took a career pause to be a SAHM and now I’m going back to work full-time. I knew being a SAHM was only a chapter in my life. This long-game view helped me appreciate the time home even more. And I’m excited about what comes next.
I consider moving into my 40s and getting older a privilege. I don’t know if I’ll ever truly know what I want to do when I grow up. I’m quite honestly still figuring it out. I don’t think anyone should be boxed into being just one thing. It’s been freeing to no longer be so concerned about what looks good on paper. And it’s been freeing to release that sense of control, trusting that things will fall into place.
What did your grandma teach you about beauty?
The lesson I take from my memories with her is to bring joy and lightheartedness to everyday moments. I’m often rushing now to get ready to be somewhere quickly. But then I think about my grandmother and my memories with her. I try to leave space to have similar memories with my daughter and truly be in the moment. Sometimes that means starting the process half an hour earlier. But it’s worth it to be able to chat with her as I apply my makeup or get her say in picking out a look for the night. It means a lot to the both of us and she has great ideas on what to wear!
As an adult, how do you stay grounded given the incessant amount of external pressures?
I’m extremely grateful to speak another language and celebrate my cultural differences, though as a child, I didn’t necessarily see it that way. Now that I'm raising kids of my own, my desire to connect with my heritage and pass it down to the next generation has amplified. I’ve had weekly calls with my great-aunt. She has generously been taking the time to tell me stories about life in the Soviet Union and her immigration experience. It has been a gift.
Of course on socials there’s always someone passing judgment on something you’re doing as a parent. Or a wave of thought makes you feel pressured to do things a certain way. I generally try to stay out of it and make decisions with my husband on what we think is best for our family.
So you started Little Blank Diaries before you had kids. But what’s really interesting is that you kept it up after you had kids.
Little Blank Diaries has always been a creative outlet for me, especially when I worked in Pharma and my job was more scientific. During the day, I was writing summaries of clinical trials and reviewing pharmaceutical drug advertisements. In the evenings, my blog gave me the chance to write about fashion and Philadelphia. I felt that having that creative project was a much needed release. I’ve always felt like I needed to have both in my life to be fulfilled.
After I became a mother, it became even more important for me to maintain the blog. Being a mother is a major part of who I am — but it’s not all of who I am. I think it’s important to have hobbies outside of motherhood. For me, writing and working on my blog has always been that common thread. Sometimes, I lose it because so many other things get prioritized, but I always find myself coming back to it when I need it most.
I think the women who read my blog have had a similar experience. Once you’re a mom, so much of your day is spent nurturing your family and being in tune with everyone’s emotions. It’s easy to forget what it was like to take time for yourself! I’m learning as I go. I’ve made many mistakes along the way, but I now see that maintaining other aspects of my identity is how I want to parent.
I’ve never made a career pivot that I’ve regretted because each one ultimately led to the next step. There’s going to be a learning curve and it’s hard to start all over again. But have trust in yourself: you’ll be able to get past it and thrive.
You made a pretty big career pivot going from retail pharmacy to the pharmaceutical industry as a medical information specialist. What advice would you give someone thinking about making a career shift?
If you’re thinking about making a career shift, there’s something in your heart that is telling you that you need a change. Think about what skill sets you can use in your known industry to pivot to something new. The work may be different but there are most likely similarities you can leverage to get in the door at your new position or industry. I’ve never made a career pivot that I’ve regretted because each one has ultimately led me to the next step. There’s going to be a learning curve and it’s hard to start all over again. But have trust in yourself: you’ll be able to get past it and thrive.
I’m thankful to my husband (boyfriend at the time) who believed in me from the very beginning and trusted me when I said I wanted to leave retail pharmacy and fly to Anaheim, California to interview for fellowship positions with all the new pharmacy graduates … and hopefully get a position in the pharmaceutical industry. Having someone by your side who has faith in you can be the difference between going for it or staying stagnant.
When I was younger, I really wanted to be a journalist – I thought it was a meaningful profession that I could make an impact in. And I loved to write. But my parents said I needed to pick a more practical profession. We immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine when I was two years old. They made many sacrifices so we could have more opportunities. They wanted me to have an education that would provide a stable career so I could support myself.
I remember my mom saying, “Become a pharmacist and you can always write on the side and see where that leads you.” Now as an adult, I’m truly grateful. And plot twist, I love being a pharmacist and being able to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives. There are so many paths that pharmacists can take — whether that’s clinical, retail, industry, informatics and so much more. My parents gave that to me and I now understand the significance of it. Over time, I was able to make it work for me.
How do you maintain your own identity and carve out time for yourself as a mom?
To this day, Little Blank Diaries has continued to be a creative outlet for me and a way I carve out space for myself. After my kids fall asleep, I love turning on some music, getting into my pajamas, and working on a new blog post. A blog post takes a lot longer now as I’m juggling more, but it’s an important way I save some quiet time for myself to think about one creative thing. It’s a temporary pause on the never-ending tabs open in my brain — that never seem to actually close.
I also try to carve out time for myself by going out with a friend, which is always good for the soul. I want my kids to see me as a whole person, not just their mom.
Little Blank Diaries has continued to be a creative outlet for me and a way I carve out space for myself. It’s a temporary pause on the never-ending tabs open in my brain — that never seem to actually close.
Back in 2019, you wrote a HuffPost essay about your decision to leave your dream job to stay home with your little ones. Is there any advice you’d give to someone thinking about doing something similar?
I would say to make the decision that is right for your family and be confident with your decision. Try your best to tune out all the outside noise. Taking a career pause to stay home with my kids was one of the best decisions my husband and I made together. And of course, I’m really grateful to have the choice; I know many parents don’t have the option.
At first, I struggled with the thought of being labeled as a SAHM. I had to learn to value myself outside of my career role. I’ve learned a lot about myself since becoming a SAHM and know what’s important to me. When I left, my coworkers were incredibly supportive and nearly everyone I talked to said that I’ll never regret the time I spent at home with my kids. They were right. I’m so appreciative and will always look back on this time with my little kids with happiness and appreciation.
One thing that was helpful to me as I was interviewing these past few weeks was being able to speak to my experiences as a SAHM. There’s so much value that SAHM parents can bring to a company. A lot of it comes down to speaking confidently about your time as a SAHM and connecting this time to a new job opportunity.
Five years later, as you get ready to go back full-time, how are you thinking about the transition?
To be honest, being a SAHM was one of my most difficult jobs – no time off, no sick days, 24/7 counting the sleepless nights when the kids were babies. It was disorienting at first. I was so used to meetings and KPIs and performance reviews. At home, there was always something to be done and I could never check off everything on my to-do list.
As I’m getting ready to go back full-time, I’m looking back at the beautiful chaos and endless things to do and feeling a bit sad to see this time coming to an end. I liked going on adventures to the zoo in the middle of the day and having more time to volunteer at their schools. And being available when my kids were sick was so helpful logistically for our family.
But I also see myself differently. I’m not the same person I was before I left work. In fact, I feel like my time as a SAHM was a resume enhancer. I’m a better version of myself who can take risks and understands what it means to work both inside and outside of the home.
Your confidence is striking. You seem like someone who’d be confident no matter what. Where does your confidence come from?
It’s so surprising to me that you say that because I often don’t feel that way on the inside. I am very self-critical and feel like I can always do better, which has helped me in some ways but it’s also mentally exhausting.
That’s reassuring to know it’s not just me! I’m working on having more self-compassion and changing my thought patterns, but it’s not always easy.
Being a mother has helped. I look at how innocent and carefree my daughter is and try to imagine myself as a child too and talk to myself like I would talk to my daughter. When a stream of negative self-talk begins — “I’ve been out of the workforce for so long” or “I’m not good enough to do this” — I think about what I would tell my daughter if she was in a similar situation. It truly helps me to do a better job at believing in myself.
I also feel like I’ve been thrown into unfamiliar territory so many times over the past few years and had to just figure it out, especially as a mom. I’ve stumbled and failed at things. But it ended up being okay, which gave me the confidence to try other things.
If someone’s wanting to buy a few new pieces of clothing, what investment pieces are worth it? And which ones do you think are overrated?
I think everyone needs a great pair of jeans that fit you well and make you feel a certain way when you put them on. It took me years to find those jeans for myself but now that I have them, I want them in every color. I love this pair: Perfect Vintage Straight Jean in the Ferman Wash from Madewell. I also think a great pair of denim shorts will serve you well all summer long.
As I get older, I buy less into trends and more into classic pieces that will last me a long time. If I’m excited to try out a trend, I turn to stores where I can get a less expensive version like H&M or Zara.
Here are a few capsule wardrobe pieces that I reach for often and can be styled in different ways:
A classic black slip dress
Investment: Vince Satin Slip Dress in coastal blue
More affordable: Free People Slip Dress in black (love the back!)
A white linen dress: Reformation Bucatini Linen Dress
Nude sandals: Schutz Bari Sandal
Leather jacket: All Saints Dalby Jacket
A great everyday bag: Cuyana Small Easy Tote Bag in cappuccino
I don’t like to pay a lot for sunglasses. I’m always either scratching them or losing them so I order cheap ones I’m not precious about.
Your blog captures your life in Philly. So many great pictures and local recs. How long has it been your home? And have had any post-pandemic — or post-kids — thoughts on leaving the city?
We’ve been in Philadelphia since 2011, so twelve years now! I love raising my kids in the city and being in close proximity to so many museums and cultural institutions and a diverse community. We always have a new playground to discover. Plus we have incredible restaurants. Something could certainly change, but for now, we love our neighborhood. Philadelphia is where we started our family and will always hold a special place in my heart.
Whenever I have something to figure out, I turn to a blank page in my journal and write it out. Life moves so quickly but when everything is written down in front of me, I can make sense of how I'm feeling.
Writing seems like a throughline in your life. You’ve mentioned wanting to write a book at some point. Are you still interested in doing that? If so, what would you love to write about? And have you ever considered writing fiction?
Yes! Writing has always been an outlet for me — whether it was when I was the new kid in school, or even now navigating being a mom of three, maintaining a loving marriage, figuring out my career, drinking enough water, remembering to fill out school forms, being a supportive daughter and sister — and all the things!
Whenever I have something to figure out, I turn to a blank page in my journal and write it out. It’s so hard to find the time to make it happen but when I do, I can feel the difference. Getting it all out on paper helps me process and put things into perspective. Life moves so quickly but when everything is written down in front of me, I can make sense of how I'm feeling.
My dream is to write a children’s book and a collection of essays exploring various topics such as immigration, navigating two cultures in childhood and adulthood, teaching your heritage to the next generation and motherhood. I have considered writing fiction but haven’t had the time or discipline to sit down and write. I really hope that changes one day!
Check out Tanya’s Substack newsletter The Glove Compartment!