Running two businesses is no easy task but Anna Forde takes it in her stride. She shares with us what her day-to-day looks like behind the scenes, with some little nuggets of knowledge and advice at the end.
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My day usually starts between 6 and 6:30 a.m. I love to start my day with a little movement so either a workout or a walk first thing in the morning really sets me up for the day. It’s an early win for the day and it's done and dusted before my schedule has the opportunity to derail it. Plus the mood boosting benefits always make the day a lot brighter too.
Breakfast is usually a bowl of porridge or eggs while I'm planning the day, I'll quickly check emails and then I'll join the group chat with Lorna, my brand manager for Haumea, and our product manager Eva in China. As Eva is working seven hours ahead of us it's always an early morning catch up. Working from different time zones means we are in contact right around the clock on our group chat every day - especially when we are finalising projects and signing off on products. Lorna is often ahead of me in the morning chatting to our team, making plans for product design etc. Haumea is a real team effort and is managed by Lorna and I. We both contribute different roles and responsibilities and wear different hats when it comes to getting the job done. Working alongside Lorna, as Brand Manager, has been a dream come true, she's heavily involved in all aspects of the brand and company and I adore our partnership. Not only is Lorna incredibly talented and driven at everything she does, but she has become a really great friend too, getting to know me inside out over the years. So celebrating all the milestones is even better when I'm sharing it with someone like Lorna.
I'm lucky I'm only five minutes from my skin clinic - The Beauty Suite. I usually head into the clinic around 8:30 grabbing coffee from Niche on my way. My day can vary from either a full day of treatments with clients, or sometimes it's broken up with meetings or zoom calls. I like to always have an hour from 8:30 to 9:30 for myself before I begin treatments each day. It's my hour to spend making phone calls, checking emails and prepping my treatment area for my clients that day. I have to be organised, I love to have this time to just plan and strategise for the day.
The clinic is where we run everything for Haumea, alongside treatments, so it's a high energy environment and there's no typical day at the office, each day holds something new and different. The atmosphere that we've created is welcoming and inspiring. It's not just about the treatments but the entire experience when customers walk through my door they should feel at ease and excited about their visit. First impressions matter, my customers should feel valued from the moment they step inside our door, so we have created a space with a blend of comfort style and a personal touch. It’s about staying updated with the latest trends and ensuring every touch point in my client’s salon journey feels special.
I generally bring my lunch as we have a staff kitchen area where we can get together during the day. As any CEO will tell you, it’s the team that make the difference. I surround myself with people that do their job even better than I could. I'm highly aware of my own strengths and weaknesses so surrounding myself with the right leadership team is key. I give myself some leeway in the late afternoon so around five I might head home or visit my mum if I'm finished my clients and my meetings for that day. She lives 20 minutes away and loves if I’m around for dinner and a quick catch up after the day. Unless it’s a Friday evening, I love to fit in a one-to-one Reformer pilates session with my instructor Charlotte. I find it a fantastic way to wind down after my week and it has also dramatically improved my sleep quality, along with all the other usual benefits of pilates. It's a form of exercise that I am totally in love with.
I'm usually home by seven, I might head out for a short walk just to get some fresh air after being inside for the majority of the day. I'll prep some lunch for the next day, I’ll have something to eat and read a little. I go through phases of reading; sometimes I'll read every night for weeks and then I might not read for weeks on end again, but I don't watch TV, only on rare occasions and maybe a documentary. It really has to grip me to grab my attention - if I'm giving a program an hour of my life it needs to give me something in return. I'll make a few phone calls, send a few messages or emails and I'm usually in bed early.
I'm definitely a morning person rather than a night owl. I used to be a 5 AM club girl but the past few months I pushed it out a little. I also have a skincare ritual every night featuring all of my Haumea devices that I will always prioritize as it's my 10 or 15 minutes of self-care every day that I know my skin will thank me for every morning.