MODERN PRIORITIES: MEG & NINA OF ADAY
It's never been as empowering to be a woman – but it's also never been as complicated. The modern, connected woman carries with her plenty of expectations. In this blog series, we take a peek into the digital habits and modern priorities of some of the power women we admire. They show us it's possible to do it all, live well and inspire others everyday.
After Nina Faulhaber and Meg became friends working as VCs at Goldman Sachs in London, they decided to quit their jobs to follow their dreams of starting an activewear brand together. Just over a year later, ADAY, a line of fashionably functional activewear designed to wear from breakfast meetings to pilates and out for cocktails, was launched in London and New York a year later. Both global citizens, high flying graduates, and nominated as Forbes 30 under 30 for retail and e-commerce (together with their good friend Kate Unsworth, our CEO), this mover-shaker duo can teach us a thing or two about bringing our A-game.
What does your morning ritual look like?
Nina: Its starts with a run across Williamsburg Bridge, or yoga, or meditation, and hacking my “time to get dressed” to less than three minutes by wearing ADAY. I grab a Blue Bottle Almond Milk Latte and ride the L-train to Manhattan whilst listening to podcasts and mentally going through my day on the way to our office.
Meg: Checking in with the boyfriend (we're often in different cities), listening to the NYTimes on Audible during an easy run and cooking breakfast.
Which apps or tools do you use to help you be on your A-game?
Nina: Slack, SoundCloud, Runkeeper, and Captio to keep track of ideas,
Meg: Audible, as it’s amazing, especially for multi-tasking. The Outlook app with fingerprint authentication. And I take photos of everything I might need in future.
Three top tips for preparing for a busy day ahead?
Nina: Own your morning and wear ADAY. That’s it :-)
Meg: Plan your outfit ahead of time (that’s easy, wear ADAY), and know where your phone and keys are so you can get out the door ASAP.
How do you make time to switch off from technology?
Nina: I ignore my devices when I’m interacting with people.
Meg: I switch off the majority of my notifications and have fingerprint authorisation on my email, which disincentivises me from checking frequently.
How has social media helped you in your career?
Nina: Twitter helped me a lot when I was a VC. Facebook is useful to help and get help.LinkedIn is mega useful for recruiting.
Meg: I try to use it as little as possible, but I do enjoy a good bout of stalking an interesting person I’ve just met on Facebook or Google. Instagram is also pleasurable for the aesthetics, rather than who follows who.
What does the term 'digital balance' mean to you?
Nina: Minimise time on your devices to focus on human interaction and time in the “real world”.
Meg: Use your devices when it makes sense, don’t otherwise. Focus on what matters, which could mean a Netflix marathon and that’s okay.
