What is in store for you today?
An escape to London to meet new retailers, show them the AmaElla collection, and then attend a networking event with other ethical brands! Time for some delicious food, good thoughts and new opportunities…
What does a typical working day look like?
A bike ride to the office (let’s reduce my carbon print on this planet!), one coffee, two coffees, sometimes more… and I’m on my way to a day full of surprises with the AmaElla team. Being a start-up company means that everyday is unique.
Are there any sort of personal rituals or routines that you have to undertake before you start work?
I like starting the day with a green smoothie and a 10min meditation session (I use the app Headspace). This helps me wake up and start the day with a clear and positive mindset. After arriving to the office, I write down all the priorities of the day and I schedule them per hour in my calendar. This helps to stay focused along the day (I’ve the tendency to jump from a topic to another, so staying focused is my main challenge!)
As a team, do you have any group rituals or events per day or week?
Communication is key in a start-up, so we share a lot about our successes and challenges. We keep track of our daily objectives and celebrate our achievements as much as we can! Every small steps count and can have a big impact on the business.
I like the quote from Richard Branson who says: “changing the world begins with a small group of people who simply refuse to accept the unacceptable”.
And not to mention, we like eating lots of cookies and chocolate…
When your team come together, is it in a digital sense, or is there still a physical meeting up?
We make sure to arrange a team meeting every Monday where we are all present in person. In these meetings, we talk about our priorities, challenges and next steps.
Nevertheless, when needed we can always collaborate across digital platforms. We mainly use Slack for instant messaging regarding business matters.
What projects have you currently got on, and what upcoming projects are exciting you?
We are preparing new prototypes and arranging meetings with new retailers. It’s very exciting and rewarding to see the interest that people and shops have in our first collection. We are always working hard to answer the needs of our clients and to increase our brand awareness.
How do you measure impact and successes, and how do you celebrate them?
We measure our brand success with the very low return rate we experience and the positive reviews we get on our website. We are amazed by our clients willingness to share their product feedback. There is nothing more motivating than hearing that “the bra fits perfectly” or “it’s the most comfortable pair of knickers” they’ve ever tried, it fills us with a lot of joy.
What gets you through the day? (Any podcasts, activities, thoughts etc?)
I love listening to podcasts when I’m on my bike, or on the train going to London. I also listen to audio books. At the moment, I’m listening to Daring Greatly from Brené Brown. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially entrepreneurs.
Running and yoga classes are also a good way to relax after work.
What are you currently reading?
At the moment I have No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh, Slow Fashion by Safia Minney and Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg on my nightstand.
A good mix to stay zen while fighting fast fashion and being a female entrepreneur!
What’s your Ethos?
We are two best friends who were frustrated by the lack of options when it came to cotton lingerie. We wanted to launch a brand that combined elegance, organic cotton, and responsible sourcing.
We’re very concerned about the textile industry’s issues in terms of pollution and human exploitation. I was a buyer for a fast fashion company before starting AmaElla, looking back I wish I didn’t contribute to such chaos.
Our purpose is to present more sustainable and ethical options when it comes to fashion choices. We believe there is a better way of doing things, this is why we offer lingerie and nightwear made only from organic cotton, free from toxic chemicals, responsibly sourced and earth-conscious.
Our collection is made from luxury silky organic cotton – Fairtrade & GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified – according to a set of strong ethical principles. We produce in a GOTS factory in Portugal and in a social enterprise in London which trains unemployed women.
And finally, suggest a better title for this feature.
Organic Cotton rocks? ☺
Find out more about AmaElla here: https://www.amaella.com/
