a day in the life

Dec 14 2020

A Day in the Life of Michelle Fno, Founder of Aromeo Diffuser

Running your own business is no easy feat. It takes a healthy dose of passion, discipline, and commitment. Ever wonder what a day in the life of a small business owner and founder is like? We’re here to give you a glimpse!

This week, we’re talking with Michelle Fno, the founder and CEO of Aroma Diffuser, the only sleep aid and stress reliever in the world that uses the combined power aroma, light, and sound therapy. Michelle is running an Indiegogo campaign to bring the Aromeo to an international audience.

But enough with exposition — here are the details of a typical day for Michelle, and as well as a brief Q&A to get to know her better and get inspired!

6 A.M. I wake up just before the sun rises so that I can catch sunrise. I love the tranquility that sunrise gives me, and it really sets the tone for the day.

7 A.M. ‘Me time’, which includes meditation and mindful drinking of warm green tea with some writing.

8 A.M. Mindful walking. Workout at the gym near the office. Mindful eating.

9 A.M. Plan my thoughts about key issues at work. I do this either by writing on the whiteboard or in my journal.

10 A.M. Daily scrum meeting with the team. Each of us talks about the status of what we have been doing, and what we plan to do for the day.

11 A.M. Check product development status and sales status.

12 P.M. Team lunch. It’s part of our company culture to share a meal together and have some warm conversations about what’s been going on in our lives, what new hobbies we’re picking up, or cool ideas we want to try.

1 P.M. Answer emails, engage with backers and followers on social media.

2 P.M – 6 P.M. Focus sessions: each session is centered on one topic at a time with different team members. For example, industrial design focus session, or customer experience focus session.

Aromeo aims to boost productivity through the power of aromatherapy.

7 P.M. Wrap up work, update status and jot down to-dos for the next day.

8 P.M. Travel back home, mindful cooking. Mindful eating the nutritious meal I prepared for myself.

9 P.M. Call home and self-care (read: skincare) time 😉

10 P.M. Get ready for bed, ending the day with a total body relaxation and light reading.

Michelle shows off the Aromeo Diffuser at a trade show earlier this year.

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of what her day is like, get more inspiration in our exclusive Q&A with Michelle Fno below!

INDIEGOGO: How and why did you become an entrepreneur? Was it something you always intended for yourself?

MICHELLE FNO: I grew up in a plastics factory that my grandmother built from scratch; she was an immigrant child who grew up trading scrap plastics, and she created a plastics factory to provide a livelihood for her community. As a kid I looked at how the factory created many products that end up creating value to the customers, and how the workers would come every Saturday, collecting their week’s pay and sharing stories about what’s happening in their lives. This is why I want to become an entrepreneur, because I believe an entrepreneur can really make an impact in this world – by creating better products that create value in the society, and by providing livelihood and a sense of community for its stakeholders.

INDIEGOGO: What makes your Indiegogo project unique?

MICHELLE: Aromeo Sense is unique because it’s the only sleep aid and stress buster in the world that uses aroma, light, and sound therapy. In 2015, I struggled with anxiety and chronic stress. Through natural therapy, I discovered my peace and became a stronger person. Now, I want others to be happier and healthier too, especially in this challenging time. From this, the concept of Aromeo Sense was born. Our team designed this device to have aroma, light, and sound therapy because our sense of smell, vision, and hearing are the main instruments that we use to gather information about the world around us. By affecting these faculties, we can shift our mood into a more desirable state, and promote better sleep.

INDIEGOGO: What’s your biggest piece of advice for women who want to start their own business?

MICHELLE: If you have decided to start a business, then do it as early as possible. Because your business and skills need time to grow. Doing it early will give more time for you to grow a fan base, develop your intuition, and learn from the parts that you may be lacking.

INDIEGOGO: What tools (gadgets, apps, books, podcasts) would you recommend to anyone starting their own business, crowdfunding campaign, or project?

MICHELLE: Gadgets – Aromeo Sense to manage my time and make sure I do one thing at a time and dedicate 100% of my focus onto it.

Apps – For work I use Slack (team communication), Notion (task management), Figma (design), and of course Zoom. For meditation I use the Calm app, and I think it would be cool to integrate it with Aromeo Sense. For writing I use the Bear app.

Books – For work: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, Sprint by Jake Knapp. For life: You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh, What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey.

INDIEGOGO: What’s your favorite Indiegogo campaign, or a campaign you’ve recently supported?

MICHELLE: NeoRhythm – I think it’s a great idea to control your mood using a headband. I think it could be used together with Aromeo Sense for a synergy effect – Aromeo Sense can provide the multi-sensory stimuli using aroma, light and sound, while NeoRhythm can provide stimulation through vibrations.

Form and function blend seamlessly in the Aromeo Diffuser.

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Dec 11 2020

A Day in the Life of Charlene Wang, Author of Model Breakers and Founder of LivingOS

This week, we’re talking with Charlene Wang, the author of Model Breakers, a book that aims to help readers break up with the model minority stereotype and change the immigrant narrative at large. She’s running an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to publish her book. Charlene is also the founder of LivingOS, an online community dedicated to helping high achievers get more out of life.

Read on to learn about a typical day for Charlene, and then scroll down for a brief Q&A to get to know her better and get inspired!

6:30 A.M. I start the day with the most important things: exercise, meditation, oolong tea. When I’m mindful of my body, I take a cold shower and exercise for 15 minutes. Other days, I dive right into my first 15 minute meditation and reward myself with a hot cup of Dong Ding Oolong tea.

7 A.M. Deep writing time. I like to write down all my dreams and meditative thoughts before they go away. This is when most of the Model Breakers stories are done.

8 A.M. I write down how I want this day to unfold, hour by hour, in the past tense (as if it has already happened). I first fill out the most important thing, so that everything, including rest and play, has a time slot in my calendar. Then I will walk through my day with my fiancé over breakfast, and get some quality time as the day unfolds.

9 A.M. I begin to tackle the most brain-intensive task at work. Sometimes it’s making a presentation for an upcoming product review, or writing a strategy document for the next big bets. This is often the time where I get the most output done during the day.

10 A.M. In meetings. Catching up on emails in between.

Charlene’s book *Model Breakers* takes aim at the “model minority” stereotype.

11 A.M. Still in back-to-back meetings. I try to take a five minute bio break in between.

12 P.M. I like to learn something, be it news or skills, while having lunch. My default platforms are Masterclass and Mindvalley.

1 P.M. Team meetings at my standing desk.

2 P.M. 1:1s. This is my favorite type of meeting because I get to build deep relationships with people I care about.

3 P.M. More 1:1s. I try to convert a few of them into walking 1:1s to break away from my desk. I also take my second 15-minute meditation of the day.

4 P.M. Wind down my day job, follow up on quick tasks and send out the last batch of emails.

5 P.M. Coaching time. I specialize in helping high achievers find clarity out of life. My clients include founders, tech execs, product managers, and college students. We are kicking off the LivingOS Fellowship very soon!

6 P.M. Dinner might be chicken legs and jasmine rice. As I take the final sip of my oolong tea, sitting in the family room with the last bit of light coming in, I ask my fiancé, Chris, “What should I write about tonight?” I like to bounce ideas off of Chris and he always responds with the same question, “What’s on your mind?” Talking my ideas out loud helps clarify my focus.

7 P.M. After Chris walks away, I open my laptop to check out my recent drafts on Substack. I ensure that there are at least 30 working drafts at all times. My intuition begets my energy for the next two to three hours.

8 P.M. I put on my favorite Spotify jam and began to write my daily newsletter. I alternate between fleshing out the most recent draft and transcribing my rambling thoughts. Then I wrap up this 50-minute writing session with a cup of oolong tea.

9 P.M. I like to write from the couch because the change of environment gives me a creative boost. When I get stuck, I wander around my second brain to get new inspirations. When I finally finish the draft, I will share the piece with my fiancé, read the piece out loud, and review everything with Grammarly one last time. I stop writing before I am finished so that I can keep my interest and momentum going.

10 P.M. After I send out my Daily Newsletter, I write down 2-3 sentences to capture the most memorable moment of the day. Then I debrief on what worked or didn’t work with Chris. This immediate feedback loop helps me reflect on what I want to keep for the next day.

11 P.M. Winding down. I take a shower and roll into my bed.

“I hope to instill in [readers] the same sort of passion and excitement that I have for the pain and pride of being Chinese in America,” says Charlene.

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of what her day is like, get more inspiration in our exclusive Q&A with Charlene Wang below!

INDIEGOGO: How did you become a writer? Was it something you always intended for yourself?

CHARLENE WANG: I’ve always wanted to improve my writing skills. During my first college writing class, I had to spend many hours at the writing center and bugged my friends to proofread my essays. Given how much I struggle with writing, it still feels like a dream that I wrote 200 articles in 200 days and am now publishing Model Breakers!

INDIEGOGO: What makes your Indiegogo project unique?

CHARLENE: Model Breakers is about the struggle we all experience: the struggle to be fully ourselves.

The most important stories are often left untold in the cultural dialogue. This is certainly the case for Chinese Americans. The insidious model minority stereotype rampant in America has affected the lives of every Chinese person living in the US, who feel vulnerable or invisible.

With this book, I hope to shatter the model minority stereotype, show why our individual stories and histories matter, and start a movement for our generation.

INDIEGOGO: What’s your biggest piece of advice for women who want to start their own business?

CHARLENE: Train yourself to listen to your intuition. No matter what the world says, we know ourselves best. If you feel called to start your own business, just do it.

INDIEGOGO: What tools (gadgets, apps, books, podcasts) would you recommend to anyone starting their own business, crowdfunding campaign, or project?

CHARLENE: I love to optimize my life with productivity apps. I put all my notes in my digital brain Notion, design new creatives in Canva, and put all tasks in Todoist. I also ensure that my Calendar reflects the life I want to live.

INDIEGOGO: What’s your favorite Indiegogo campaign, or a campaign you’ve recently supported?

CHARLENE: BladeX, a slim, on-the-go monitor.

Want to support Model Breakers? Check out the Indiegogo campaign, find Charlene on Instagram and Facebook, and sign up for the LivingOS newsletter. And don’t forget to check out her Instagram Live with Indiegogo!

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Dec 04 2020

A Day in the Life of Entrepreneur Sian Murray, Co-Founder of Pleasant State

This week, we’re featuring Sian Murray, the co-founder of Pleasant State. Pleasant State is a female-owned Australian business that wants to create a sparkling clean world free of single-use plastics. One garbage truck of plastic waste enters our oceans every minute, totaling eight million tons each year. Sian and her co-founder have created a line of all natural, concentrated, just-add-water cleaning products that let users clean their homes without plastic waste and harmful ingredients.

Read on to learn about a typical day for Sian as she runs Pleasant State’s popular crowdfunding campaign. Then scroll down for a brief Q&A to get to know her better and get inspired!

Sian Murray (right) and her co-founder Ami Bateman.

5 A.M. – The sun rises at around 4.30 in summer here in Australia so it’s pretty hard to sleep in. My alarm normally goes off at 5.15 and after a few hits of the snooze button I’ll eventually climb out of bed. The first thing I do every morning is check the Pleasant State Instagram and Facebook for any new messages. I then check in on how our ads are performing and, of course, take a look at the surf cams. Then it’s straight into my swimmers, I throw my board in the back of the ute and go for a surf. There is honestly no better way to start your day.

6 A.M. – Still surfing.

7 A.M. – I normally get home at around 7.30, have a shower, make myself a giant smoothie and have a piece of toast while sitting outside on my phone and catching up on any team comms that may have come through overnight. I’ll also look at what’s going on in the world and check in on other brands we love.

8 A.M. – If I really have my life together, I’ll make time for a 10 min stretch/ light yoga before I head to my desk just to prevent getting sore while I sit at a computer all day. But most of the time, as I work from home, I just turn on the Bluetooth speakers and head straight to my desk. (I love to work with loud music — I’m not sure my housemates love it, though).

9 A.M. – The Pleasant State team all work remotely, so we rely heavily on tools like Slack and Asana to communicate and manage our projects together. Ami Bateman (my fellow co-founder) lives just half an hour away so we catch up a couple of times a week. But most days, we work separately — though I can’t wait until we have our own space to work together. I generally spend the first hour of my day on community management, emails and reviewing our ads in more detail.

10 A.M. – I manage the majority of Marketing here at Pleasant State. We’re a very small team so this means I work on strategy with the team but then have to implement the bulk of those deliverables on my own. I like to put aside an hour each day to create social content, engage with our customers and create Instagram stories as our customers love that ‘face-to-face’ contact.

Pleasant State reduces plastic waste by making super concentrated, just-add-water cleaning products.

11 A.M. – As we’re in the InDemand phase of our Indiegogo campaign and our product is due to arrive in just a couple of months we’re also doing a lot of planning for our product launch. No two days are the same! Today I’m working with our Graphic Design Intern to finalise the design of our mailer boxes and A6 comp cards that will go inside each box.

12 P.M. – As Pleasant State grows, we’ve been lucky enough to receive some awesome opportunities for events, media interviews, and features so I will usually take an hour to write back to inquiries or prepare my responses. Today, for example, I am writing this interview. 🙂

1 P.M. – Lunch time! Yum! (I live for food). Today I’m having honey soy tofu in a vermicelli noodle salad. My housemates have a new puppy so I will normally take 30 minutes to go outside with him, eat my lunch and have a little run around.

2 P.M. – This is usually when I look at my list of things to do and say, “Oh dear.” Which means I often take a minute after lunch to reassess my timings and make sure I’m on track for the rest of the day. Today I’m creating a brief for our Graphic Design Intern that will cover all design elements of our upcoming Christmas campaign. This means I will need to have the strategy mapped out, the copy written and the channels selected, plus give her design guidance for the whole campaign so she can format it nicely and I can then schedule it into all our channels. This includes things like email, social posts, ad content, website updates etc.

3 P.M. – The above job is quite a big one so I’ll still be pulling all this information together for our amazing intern.

4 P.M. It’s been a few hours since I’ve checked in on community management. Our audience is pretty active so it’s important to check it regularly. Part of our current planning phase as we transition from crowdfunding to product launch is ensuring brand consistency throughout all our channels, so today I’ll be looking at our Instagram and Facebook bios to ensure they are aligned with our key messaging.

5 P.M. – I’m very big on work life balance so don’t like to go overtime too much, but today is a big day as we head into the weekend. I like to make sure I’ve ticked off everything on my list before I finish. Pleasant State has been lucky enough to have a Facebook rep providing us with support across our ads lately so after a phone call with them yesterday I’ll make some of the changes they recommended to finish off the day. Conversion ads have been a huge revenue driver for us so it’s important they’re constantly optimised.

6 P.M. – It is so hot here during the day, we don’t have an air conditioner so I’ll usually finish off work by grabbing a beer and quickly running down to the beach for a sunset swim to cool off. We’re very lucky to live walking distance to the beach, even though it can also be a bit distracting.

Sian and Ami, the Pleasant State co-founders, celebrating their Indiegogo campaign.

7 P.M. – Well what do you know, it’s food time again! Today’s Friday which means I’m heading out with my partner and friends. My Friday night classic is a fancy pizza accompanied by a couple of margaritas. Now that’s living.

8 P.M. – On to my second margarita.

9 P.M. – Who knows — depending on my mood, there might be a third, haha! But I have a bit of work to do this weekend so it’s home and an early night for me.

10 P.M. – Last check over socials to make sure all is well in the world of Pleasant State and then I’m off to sleep.

11 P.M. Can’t talk, sleeping. 🙂

How and why did you become an entrepreneur? Was it something you always intended for yourself?

I always said, “I want to own my own business, but I don’t know what it will be.” I suppose that’s the beauty of it: You just have to open yourself up to the possibility. One day the opportunity will present itself and it’s up to you to jump at it. For me, that opportunity was Pleasant State. To be honest, though, it definitely wasn’t a chance encounter that led Ami and Pleasant State to me. I studied Journalism and Professional Communication because I wanted to launch my own magazine, which I ended up doing straight out of university. But once I realised a magazine wasn’t going to do it for me, I put a lot of effort into upskilling in digital marketing. I knew it would be a huge asset when it came to launching my own business again, which it definitely has been. Years of working in a digital agency and building my own personal brand led Ami to me so I wouldn’t have been presented with this opportunity without the ground work.

Sian attacking plastic waste on the beach, and with good reason: 8 trillion tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean every year.

What makes your Indiegogo project unique?

I love this question! There are so many things that make our project unique. I feel that crowdfunding in general isn’t as common in Australia as it is in places like the UK and US, so the fact that we went down this route for funding in Australia is quite unique in itself. More broadly, we’re a female-founded start-up based in a small town on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. We’ve worked really hard to not take on investors and ensure that in all aspects of our business we are putting people and the planet before profits. At the end of the day, Pleasant State is and will be more than just a cleaning brand. We’re here to demonstrate that doing good is good for business. I would also say that our general energy makes our project unique. We have put so much time and effort into building Pleasant State from the ground up — so much research, so much creativity and so much face-to-face contact to build a relatable, honest brand that brings hope to our customers. Oh, and our crowdfunding video is a beauty. 😉

What’s your biggest piece of advice for women who want to start their own business?

Always remember that you are enough and that you’ve 100% got this. Even when you don’t have it, just know that if you believe in the back of your mind you can get it done, you will. Ami and I often laugh about how out of our depth we’ve been with certain elements of launching Pleasant State. We’ve never designed products or worked with manufacturers, and I barely even knew the meaning of most business Jargon (which can feel super embarrassing sometimes). But don’t be hard on yourself and don’t hold back from asking for help. Don’t know the answer? Just ask! It’s something I have really struggled with, but I’m working on.

Sian and Ami packaging up Pleasant State perks.

What tools (gadgets, apps, books, podcasts) would you recommend to anyone starting their own business, crowdfunding campaign, or project?

The most important tool is happiness! The start-up world is filled with people telling you that you need to work all hours of the day to be successful. That’s just not true, nor is it healthy! Make time for you. But as for podcasts, there are a few really interesting ones that I enjoy. I really like some of the interviews they do on Female Startup Club and Business Chicks. As a digital marketer, I spend a crazy amount of time on socials so unfortunately I don’t find the time to read enough. But I would 100% recommend finding brands and businesses that you admire and following them religiously. Stuck for an idea? Why not see how they communicated it? Taking inspiration from other amazing brands and making it your own is a huge help when you have a small team. Just make sure you’re not just copying other brands. The key is to find new ideas and then think about how you can make them your own or even better! In terms of gadgets, Loomly has been great for all our scheduling, Asana for team management and, of course, playing loud music to get me through it all!

What’s your favorite Indiegogo campaign, or a campaign you’ve recently supported?

I’m not sure I have a favourite but there were definitely a few that inspired me in a big way throughout our initial campaign. Like I said in my previous response, I’m big on taking inspiration from those around me and for us that was Hitch. I loved their video and the way they set up their story. It was genius! And, of course, back here in Australia I loved the campaign by Who Gives A Crap, their tone of voice and video just got me. It was definitely the inspiration for the comedic relief in our campaign.

Want to support Pleasant State? Check out the crowdfunding campaign today, or explore their website, Instagram and Facebook to learn more!

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Nov 11 2020

A Day in the Life of Entrepreneur Haby Barry, Founder of Fulaba Jewelry

This week, we’re featuring Haby Barry, the entrepreneur behind Fulaba, a luxury jewelry brand that blends African high culture with modern design to craft elegant wearables. Haby started Fulaba to bring authentic Fulani jewelry, handicrafts made from precious metals, and a centuries-old tradition to the global market.

“Africa has such a rich jewelry tradition from countless ethnic groups representing nobility and royalty, so we are expanding our collections to introduce the world to these beautiful designs and stories. We also aim to uplift women and people of the African diaspora while helping to develop the finished jewelry industry in West Africa. So often we see just raw materials exported out of Africa causing the value to escape and be captured elsewhere.”

5 A.M./6 A.M. Dawn prayer somewhere in this timeframe depending on the sun cycle.

7 A.M. Usually back in bed occasionally checking my messages from overseas (Europe & West Africa).

8 A.M. Reading articles online and checking email.

9 A.M. Go for a morning run or a bike ride or do an at-home app workout.

10 A.M. At my home office working on marketing and communications or whatever is most pressing that day while eating breakfast.

11 A.M. Usually in a Zoom meeting or on a call with my collaborators or freelancers.

12 P.M. Prepare orders for shipment and drop them off at the post office.

1 P.M. Arrive at WeWork to continue working from there. I find getting out of the house even for a few hours helps me to be more productive and focused.

2 P.M. A call with my production manager in Conakry to get updates on the progress of the artisans who are hand making our jewelry. Reflections on what I’d like to power through the rest of the day.

3 P.M. Check-in call with my content producer in Paris…lately we have been spending our time finalizing the design of the Women of the African Diaspora photo book and brainstorming different ways to get people excited about it.

4 P.M. Eat lunch while following up with contacts via email, text, and social media…crowdfunding isn’t for the faint of heart!

5 P.M. Brainstorm content, digital ads, and/or campaign strategy. As a professional marketer turned entrepreneur, I’ve learned that being fluid and adapting is key. I am constantly learning and testing and modifying as I go.

6 P.M. Check-in with my advisor on WhatsApp via messages, audio messages, or a call. I appreciate and value the experience and wisdom of others who have scaled businesses and want to learn from them. My eyes and ears are open, and I am prepared to incorporate feedback not only for better outcomes but also to become the best leader I can be.

7 P.M. Drive home while listening to my favorite songs which usually include some South African house music.

8 P.M. Eat dinner then do a 25-30 minute meditation.

9 P.M. Relax and watch an episode of Girlfriends on Netflix or The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah.

10 P.M. Have some tea and send shipment tracking emails to customers. Dive into whatever I have not gotten to yet but don’t want to push until tomorrow.

11 P.M. Finish up my work commitments and get ready for bed. Before I go to sleep, I read my dream of who I want to become (which is written in the present tense), and visualize it.

*Women of the African Diaspora*, co-written by Haby, tells the story of 10 women from West Africa, California, and Paris, told through the lens of fashion, history, and art.

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of what Haby’s day is like, get more inspiration in our exclusive Q&A with Haby.

How and why did you become an entrepreneur? Was it something you always intended for yourself?

I knew that I wanted to become an entrepreneur since I was a teenager from watching my father’s experiences. Business always excited my dad and when he finally made the transition from teaching full time to becoming a full-time entrepreneur, I saw him truly light up…it was so validating for him.

It was clear to me from a young age that I wanted to create, and I saw very quickly from working in corporate America that I could not realize my potential and serve the world in a meaningful way in that setting. Therefore, my motivation for entrepreneurship continued to grow stronger, but I never thought that I would be in the jewelry business.

I did always know however, that I would be involved in some type of creative business. I happened to start Fulaba because I used to always get compliments from people in San Francisco on an old pair of brass Fulani earrings I got from Harlem and I thought to myself that I could get a better quality version of these earrings made and tell the story as a Fulani woman.

What makes your Indiegogo project unique?

We are not just selling a product, we are making a declaration to celebrate the elegance and culture of African women and women around the world. We are uncovering a rich African jewelry tradition and developing a finished jewelry industry in West Africa. Most of the raw materials for jewelry from the region are exported out causing the value of finished jewelry to be gained outside of Africa. Additionally, we are giving back and committing to donate 5% of all proceeds to benefit youth education in Guinea.

What’s your biggest piece of advice for women who want to start their own business?

Make sure that it is something that you can enjoy because you will be spending a lot of time on it and the results will not come fast or easily. Becoming an entrepreneur is a journey and it is more rewarding when you connect your business with a purpose that is meaningful to you.

What tools (gadgets, apps, books, podcasts) would you recommend to anyone starting their own business, crowdfunding campaign, or project?

Technology and information are all important tools but what trumps all of that is support from other business owners. I recommend finding a group of people that you can connect with whether it is an accelerator or organization that can offer support through your personal and entrepreneurial journey. For example, this year I have been a part of a community called The Fem League, which is focused on helping women step into their power and it has been integral in my development particularly in these unprecedented times.

What’s your favorite Indiegogo campaign or a campaign you’ve recently supported?

I appreciate what Jacqueline Ngo Mpii is doing with Little Africa Paris and learned about her campaign through my advisor. I hope to be able to collaborate with her sometime in the near future.

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Sep 30 2020

A Day in the Life of Entrepreneur Kelly MacPepple, CEO of Scents & Style

Running your own business is no easy feat. It takes a healthy dose of passion, discipline, and commitment. Ever wondered what a day in the life of a business owner and founder is like? We’re here to give you a glimpse! This week, we shine the spotlight on UK-based entrepreneur Kelly MacPepple, an economist-turned-fashion entrepreneur, who recently launched an exciting campaign for her new line of eco-conscious hair perfumes Scents & Style.

Read on to see how she spends an entire day, running her popular crowdfunding campaign, and juggling it with her day-to-day tasks like managing her social media audience on YouTube and Instagram. Then scroll down for a brief Q&A to get to know her better and get inspired!

5 A.M. Usually I wake up 4:45 AM most days. I meditate for 10 minutes, write down 3 things I am grateful for, and journal for 20-30minutes. Then I dress up in my running kit and go for a 3km brisk walk or a 1km run if I am pressed for time. I use this time to set intentions, work on my mindset or listen to some self-motivation.

6 A.M. Drink my lemon + ACV + ginger or green tea unfailingly; I take a shower, dress up + makeup; review my plan for the morning and start my day.

7 A.M. Learn something for the day! I normally have a plethora of things I am learning so each week I focus on one area to strengthen. Send messages to members of my team to remind them of things we need for the day. Wake the kids up to get ready for school. Get the kids breakfast ready

8 A.M. Drop kids off at school and I am back to work.

9 A.M. This is crucial uninterrupted work time for me unplugged from social media and phone calls. Work may vary from Design to Content Strategy to Analytics. No one day is the same.

2 P.M. Respond to emails if I haven’t done so already. Prepare to pick kids up from school.

3 P.M. Pick kids up from school. Prep their meal. Go through their day and check their school bags for homework.

4 P.M. Most of my meetings usually fall around this time. I also take a little time to brainstorm and strategize.

5 P.M. I plan for the next day. I write down 1-3 things that I need to accomplish the next day. I try to be accountable to myself and review what I struggled with earlier in the day.

6 P.M. Time with the kids and husband, relaxing, homework and preparing for the next day.

7 P.M. Dinner and bedtime for the kids.

8 P.M. Watch something fun on YouTube or Hayu if I accomplished the days work. Final wind down for the day. I like to end my day with a positive mindset and let go of any failures, disappointments or challenges of the day. I end my day with gratitude and sometimes inspirational content.

9 P.M. Off to bed. I aim to get 8 hours sleep daily.

10 P.M. Fast asleep in a faraway land….

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of what her day is like, get more inspiration in our exclusive Q&A with her below!

INDIEGOGO: How did you become an entrepreneur?

KELLY MACPEPPLE: I was unfulfilled at work and after going through a low-point in my life on completion of my Ph.D., I decided to explore my creative side which I have ignored for years and only used in my leisure. I wanted to pursue and utilize my creativity in a way that inspires others and changes lives for the better. I stumbled on Perfumery as I was studying Hair and Skin care formulations for different hair and skin types. I thought to myself, this could be an opportunity to create a collection of Perfumes for women that helps set their day up for success.

I never saw myself as an entrepreneur for a long time because I am multi-passionate, very excited to learn new things and I thought I had to stick to one thing to be successful as an entrepreneur. Now I know that I am ideal for Entrepreneurship because my Creativity has an outlet, I am constantly learning which fuels me, and I can use my knowledge and experience of Economics to help me build a Business and Brand.

INDIEGOGO: What makes your Indiegogo project unique?

KELLY: We are the first Hair Perfume crowdfunding campaign to launch on Indiegogo. Our Perfumes have a purpose. They are designed to beautify women’s bodies and mind and created to achieve just that. Most Perfumes are made using alcohols that are drying to the hair and skin and recent Hair Perfumes in the market still use alcohols in them. Our perfumes are 100% alcohol free so you avoid spilt ends, breakage and any damage to your hair and skin. We use a dry oil base that evaporates very quickly into the hair and skin while nourishing it. This means the perfumes last longer than other perfumes and you stay smelling amazing for longer. Our perfumes are also designed using essential oils that have mood-enhancing properties so that the wearer embodies the qualities of each perfume on a daily basis.

INDIEGOGO: What’s your biggest piece of advice for women who want to start their own business?

KELLY: Do it already! There is never a perfect time, there will always be something that requires your attention especially if you are juggling a family but remember ‘why’ you are starting your business. Get the right support system around you because you will need it. You need the right mindset for Entrepreneurship so learn as much as you can, get mentors and remember that you are investing in yourself as much as you are investing in your business. Think about how differently life would be for you and your family when you are doing something you love and are passionate about. It can help you through the difficult days. You are changing the world for the better by the products and services you offer so never belittle your contribution. You can do it! Bet on YOU!

INDIEGOGO: What tools (i.e.gadgets, apps, books, podcasts) would you recommend to anyone starting their own business, crowdfunding campaign, or project?

KELLY: Time management apps like Pomodoro. Scheduling apps like Google Calendar and Asana. Books like Blue Ocean Strategy by Renee Mauborgne and W.Chan Kim, 12 Months to $1 Million by Ryan Daniel Moran, and Three Simple Steps by Trevor Blake. I listen to the Crowdcrux podcast.

INDIEGOGO: What’s your favorite Indiegogo campaign, or a campaign you’ve recently supported?

KELLY: TOOYN – The One Charger for All Apple Devices. I use a lot of Apple products so it was a no brainer to support this campaign.

To support Scents & Style, check out the Indiegogo campaign page.

To learn more about Kelly MacPepple, follow on Instagram and YouTube.

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