.......the business of me.........

ok, so i read this interview in porter magazine with elle macpherson and enjoyed the questions so much that i thought i'd interview myself for you..... 

MY DAY:

wake up time? 6:45am. i love the early start to the day and getting outside for playtime with jack before working out. plus, the smell of the mountains early is perfect.

morning routine? 20 minutes in bed to talk to my man, check emails and upload an instagram. play with jack & then work out for an hour. breakfast is 99% of the time oatmeal with berries & chia seeds, a homemade smoothie & half an english muffin with almond butter. then feed jack & bodhi & run to shower because i am now always running late now that i take the time for this routine...ritual?

working day? high season i am in the store 10-6 monday - saturday so that is working with customers, photos of new merchandise and then uploading to web & social media, working on blog, researching new designers & collections, answering many, MANY emails and texts and avoiding the phone. i am a fan of email. in the off season i am only open wednesday thru friday so that i can knit the other days to start making my inventory for high season. on these 'knitting days' i start at 10am and generally finish at 11pm....yes, it's crazy. but i do take my time in the morning for a hike or run and get outside for a few minutes every hour. plus, i get to indulge in an actual lunch break which doesn't happen while working in the store. 

one activity you do every day without fail? put on lipstick.......

MY ESSENTIALS:

your most overused phrase? .......coolio or hot stuff......

how do you stay in shape? my new life changing addiction is jumping rope. i do it at least 30 minutes everyday but generally 45. i recently started weight lifting to build some muscle as i get older...nobody wants a bony butt! i also love hiking and trail runs.

how do you unwind? getting outdoors with jack will cure any mood. weekends it's a hot tub with a glass of wine or cocktail with my man while just 'being' in the backyard looking at the beauty around us. it really is a magical backyard.

on your desk? ...um, i envision it with some cool mugs with colored pencils in one, pens in the other. a stack of read magazines that i have already put post-it's on for inspiration.....this has yet to happen. usually, piled with post it's of messy sketches of sweater ideas, stacks of unread magazines & art books i had to have..... one day.

guilty pleasures? homemade oatmeal spice cookies....i am addicted to a recipe and make them every week. it really is a problem.... and warm bread with butter & salt........ahhhhh

computer screensaver? sunset over the caldera in santorini...perfect.

how do you cure creative block? get outdoors and go on a hike/run to clear my head. then hit the computer and research something other than fashion to stimulate the brain.... interior design, painters, ceramics, music.... anything that gets me thinking about anything else but what i am blocked on.

MY THINKING:

strengths? i consider myself a driven, hard working, risk taking woman without an ego. ups and downs happen all the time...my business is me but it's not about me.

weaknesses? take on more than time allows for sure. and, personally, i can over analyze with the best of them...

what advice would you giver your 20 year old self? to accept and appreciate your body as it is only going to get lower! i think women are so hard on themselves and it starts at such a young age. truly ridiculous! at 15, 20, 25, 30 (you get the point) i thought i was fat. insane! i think at 40 i realized i need to just shut up and enjoy what my body could do. shift the perspective and you realize how amazing it is. then the fog clears and you realize you're not fat. it's sad and funny. i still hear the beat down every day in the store with women who have beautiful bodies. we need to stop. 

fictional figure you most identify with? i have never thought of this so at the top of my head i'd say pippi longstocking. she was a strong, fearless kid, a bit scrappy, who always figured things out. a bit wacky on style and the red hair and freckles was totally me. loved pippi...

favorite quote? can't remember the book i read it in but, 'i'd rather a life full of mistakes than a life of regrets'. i have often considered this as a tattoo but haven't done it...yet?

what can women learn from men? to say what you mean in as few words as possible. 

what can men learn from women? that sometimes, more words are necessary. and, to choose those words carefully as we will analyze them :)

personal motto? be nice and life will bring you good people and a lot of happiness.

real life figure you most identify with? again, i have never thought about this. oddly, the first person i thought of was diane keaton. she's a success in her field, strong, smart, funny, has a look/style that is consistently her, witty and never been married. but, i don't wear gloves and rarely a turtleneck....

people are surprised that i.... am only 5'2

one thing you would change about your profession? i would make it a criminal offense punishable by a year of working in retail if you walk into a store & decide to purchase something and then ask for a discount or my favorite 'is this the best you can do?'. it's not nice and it's tacky.

MY LIFE:

what was your dream job as a kid and why? flight attendant. i thought it was amazing that you could fly for free anywhere in the world. second, was to be a writer and travel the world living in random places writing stories. i still hope for option 2.

who is your greatest mentor? personally, my grandmother. she was unbelievably kind and generous with a gentle, patient heart. never did i hear her say something negative about someone. and, she was always optimistic and happy. business mentor would be my man....so driven and a problem solver who has the best disposition for calming situations.

what one meeting changed your life? the day i walked down the street for basalt's block party and was introduced to david...... my life is still changing everyday....

biggest risk that has paid off? on a whim i packed up and moved to colorado. it was suppose to be a 6 month escape. but 3 weeks in i knew i was staying. i didn't know anyone and i had only been in aspen once for 24 hours. the BEST decision ever.

proudest moment? ....a tie..... getting a call from nina garcia's office when she was at ELLE saying she'd like to see my spring '99 collection. she was incredible and then put 2 of my pieces in ELLE as 'one to watch'. still can't believe that. the other, getting a call from vogue magazine in the summer of '99 saying they were doing a story on san francisco designers and i was chosen to be featured in the magazine. a stylist and writer would be out the following week.... that article was featured in the september issue 1999. BOTH, still bring a smile to my face....

hardest piece of criticism you've received? i'm not sure this was the 'hardest' but it most certainly was the hardest to take. 'well, you were just lucky....' no, i wasn't lucky.... yes, amazing things have happened but i worked hard for everything and have taken lots of risks and given things up to make them happen. luck doesn't have anything to do with it. luck is winning the lottery. 

XO

suzi