Growing Up: Five Years of Building with Intention
Five Years In
Every once in a while, I like to write about business. Those posts always seem to resonate the most with our followers.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the business and where we’re headed. Now that we’re five years in, it feels like we’ve grown up.
Sometimes I get so caught up in perfecting systems, planning every detail, and making sure everything aligns that I forget to stop and smell the roses. It’s something I’m constantly working on—the balance between being productive and actually enjoying the process.
The Power of Planning
One question I get asked all the time is how I manage to get a 40-hour workweek done in about 25 hours.
The truth is, I spend about an hour and a half each week planning. Sounds a little intense, right? Well, yes, I am a little intense. But those 90 minutes spent mapping out meetings, checking off to-do lists, and forecasting what our team has coming up probably save me 10 hours of figuring things out as I go.
I walk into each day knowing exactly what needs my attention. It’s all preparation and planning.
Working with Your Energy
Another trick is knowing when to work on certain tasks. I pay close attention to when my brain works best and lean into it.
For example, redlining drawings and tackling heavy brainpower tasks happen first thing in the morning. By about 3 p.m., my brain is ready to clock out, so I save creative work and actual design tasks for later in the evening.
Since my energy naturally dips in the afternoon, that’s also when I schedule site visits and client or vendor meetings. It’s a great way to break up the day while still being productive, since those activities require more talking, presenting, and collaborating—and a little less deep thinking.
A New Chapter
All of this focus on efficiency has become even more important recently because we just opened our new studio, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.
A new space has me thinking a lot about where we’re headed and what we’re building. If I’m honest, every new chapter scares me a little. We had a wonderfully flexible lease in a coworking space, and now we have a real grown-up lease—full terms and all. It feels like a big step.
There’s something about signing a lease like that that makes everything feel a little more real. It’s exciting, but it also comes with a greater sense of responsibility and commitment to the future we’re creating.
Designing a Space That Works
Designing the studio has been so much fun, but it has also challenged us to create a space that works just as hard as we do. I wanted it to be beautiful, of course, but also efficient. Every inch needed to support how our team functions day to day.
When it’s all said and done, I can’t wait to share it with you. One of my favorite details is the wallpaper. Our office voted, and we landed on a gorgeous pattern from Coordonné.
I love the drama it brings while still feeling sophisticated and timeless. It’s going to make a glorious backdrop for our Zoom meetings and, more importantly, create a space that feels distinctly us.
XOXO,
Eden