#MakingTime: A Day in the Life of the Founder of a Luxury Childrenswear Service in New York

Women can do anything — but not everything. As the largest online career community for women, we at Fairygodboss realize that balance is a myth, and that picking what to prioritize when everything feels important on a day-to-day basis isn't always easy. In the #MakingTime series, women share with us how, for one day, they chose to spend their most precious resource: time.

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Who: Sandra Makarem

What: Founder and CEO of The Collective Child, a personalized shopping service for luxury childrenswear

Where: New York 

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5:45 a.m.

My alarm goes off. I typically have enough time for one nine-minute snooze. Once I’m awake, I immediately check my phone for any critical emails or messages from my tech team. They’re across the Atlantic, and that +10 hour difference is a killer. I roll out of bed, get into my workout gear (I’m loving Alo Yoga nowadays).

6:30 a.m. 

I arrive at my daily workout class at SLT; a 1.5 mile run to and from adds the extra cardio I need to release those endorphins and find good head space for the day. This is my “thankful” time, where I thank the universe for what I have. I’ve found it shifts my attitude. 

7:45 a.m.

I’m back home. First thing I do is make my boyfriend and myself Nespresso coffees. I’m Latin, so coffee – good coffee – is an essential part of my morning routine. After showering, I get ready for the day to my favorite tunes of the moment, Dance Pop. Dance party with my boyfriend for five minutes? Yes, please.

8:15 a.m.

I head out to my morning commute, a 12 minute walk to the office. This time is spent on setting the tone for my day. I think through what I’d like to accomplish, what I will do if something prevents me from accomplishing those things, and what I need from the team to help me accomplish those goals. Read it in “How to Have a Good Day” – it works. 

8:30 a.m.

I start my call with the tech team. Review the previous day’s accomplishments and errors. Outline goals for the upcoming day.

As a startup, tech is always a point of stress for me. Walking around a few minutes after the call never hurts in refreshing my mind for the day ahead.

9 a.m.

Once my team arrives, we have our daily “stand up” meeting, where each person goes through what they accomplished yesterday, what they have slotted for today, and any “stops” they have in accomplishing their workload. If there are any “stops," we will, as a team, look for solutions to accomplish the workload as a team.

9:15 a.m.

Time to film the next episode of our new style series, “Style Guide." Seventy takes later… and after a lot of encouragement from my team… done.