Describe yourself in 3 words:
Creative, playful, curious.

How has your career shifted from the 2020 pandemic impact?
I don’t think my career has really shifted from the pandemic much. Though I think my mindset has. I’ve had to make a lot of tough decisions using my instincts. I had to trust myself and my team to be clever and nimble. Today I rely on my instincts much more.

How do you manage stress and self-care?
I surf, hike, run, schedule social time, and make sure I get eight hours of sleep.

What are your favorite virtual tools to use currently in business?
Slack, Dropbox, and Trello.

Did you always want this career track?
I changed career tracks so many times! I started off studying psychology. After that I studied interior architecture. Then I pivoted to architecture. Then I pivoted to interior design. Then I pivoted again to creative direction. I’m not done pivoting yet.

If you could look into a crystal ball, what would you want to know about your future?
At what age I’m going to start getting weird?

What are two of your proudest accomplishments of your career?
Getting into a really good design school. The first day of class, I knew I found my people. It was like starting class at Hogwarts. The other was receiving a Gold Key design award, an international design award. I went to the NYC design gala by myself because I didn’t think we were going to win. I was shocked when they announced The Vanguard Theory was the winner.

Who is your favorite Woman in Business?
One of my favorites was one of my first bosses, Siri Ky, owner of Assaggio’s restaurants. She would greet people at the door, take food orders, pour drinks, and scrub the floors while wearing her beautiful Chanel. She knew every guest’s name and she deeply cared for her employees. She had grit and grace and I think about her often. I learned that I could have my own style and that I didn’t need to have a masculine posture to be respected in business.

Biggest sacrifice for my career.
My health. When I started my company, I worked crazy hours and didn’t sleep or eat well. I skipped exercising, and the wheels started falling off. My body started breaking down. I had to do some major reprioritizing.

If you could tell your younger self some advice, what would it be?
Guurl. You don’t look good with bangs.