A Day In The Life Of An Events Agency Founder
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@DEBSABABIO
6.30am
I hit snooze multiple times but the alarm on my phone is set for 6.30am. I love my sleep, but I don’t have the best sleep pattern because of work – I’m out five or six times a week, so it’s normally late nights and early mornings. I’m working on becoming that person who gets a full eight hours. In bed, I love to wear an Olivia Von Halle silk pyjama set. They are a real treat – so comfortable and she does colour and print so well.
7am
I take a shower and do a quick skincare routine. The Dr Barbara Sturm enzyme cleanser is so good – it’s a powder and you just add a bit of water, and it foams up. It gets everything off. I alternate between this and S’Able Labs cleanser. That’s followed by The Ordinary The Bright Set serums and La Roche-Posay sunscreen.
I’m not what you would call a morning person. To get myself in the mood, I put on some gospel music – normally a bit of Tasha Cobbs Leonard or Kirk Franklin. Right now, I don’t have time for an exercise regime, but I used to take yoga classes with Adrienne Everett at 180 Studios. She’s amazing but she has moved to Dubai now, so I follow her on Instagram for inspo. When I do have time to work out, it’s yoga, breathwork and meditation on YouTube – I like Yoga with Bird.
TOM FORD; RHODE
7.30am
My mood dictates how I dress. I don't plan what I’m going to wear, I just wake up and see how I feel. Colour is an easy way to lift my mood – my hair is purple, so that’s a good start. If I have an event that evening, I do have to put some thought into it because once I leave the house I won’t be coming back to get changed. I usually pack a pair of heels. My go-to outfit is a pair of Levi's balloon jeans with a nice shirt from Tolu Coker and a blazer from either A.W.A.K.E. Mode or Ganni. I wear On trainers to leave the house, then change into black Jimmy Choo heels when I get into town.
I am all about my accessories. Chunky rings are my thing, and Poche and Soru have a gorgeous selection. I can’t leave the house without a pair of Le Specs or Tom Ford sunglasses and a lip gloss, too. I’ve not got the phone case yet but the Rhode peptide lip treatment in ‘Raspberry’ is always in my bag. As I don’t have an office yet, I don’t leave without my Prada backpack, which has my laptop, notebook, chargers, pens and Ocean bottle in it.
After I have my ginger, lemon and honey tea, I'm out the door. I take two trains, so my total journey time is about 45 minutes. On my commute, I either listen to a podcast, check emails or send voice notes. My top three podcasts are Diary of a CEO, The Ed Mylett Show and The Magnify Conversations. If it's a book, I love anything by Robert Greene. I also check social media for book recommendations – Emma Grede is yet to fail me with anything she suggests.
10am
I only eat breakfast if I’m having a breakfast meeting. I work mostly from The Twenty Two, it’s like my second home. My go-to order is scrambled eggs, smoked salmon with avocado, chilli flakes and a slice of sourdough toast. I make sure that I utilise my time when I’m working in London by having back-to-back meetings. I’m in London at least three days a week – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – and the rest of the week I work from home.
I actually run two businesses. AD Curated is the events side and I also have AD Associates, where I match high-net-worth individuals with PAs and EAs. I have to stay fluid, especially as I’m still growing as a business founder. It’s easy to compare myself to others who are doing the same thing, but I use prayer and affirmations to push through these intrusive thoughts. I also remind myself that I have a proven track record of getting the job done, and failing is not an option.
@GAIA_LDN
1pm
Lunch usually means another meeting. Recently I’ve been going to Gaia in Mayfair. It’s a Greek restaurant with a really nice aesthetic and the food is fantastic. I much prefer taking as many meetings as possible in person, but after lunch the afternoon is spent either on Zoom or replying to emails.
6pm
Networking is the most important part of my job. Now that I am not in the office anymore, I have to make sure I’m seeing and talking to as many people that align with my business as possible. I’m rarely just working on one thing. I recently managed and produced Adwoa Aboah’s first fundraising gala for her charity Gurls Talk. We helped with everything from securing the venue to talking to different donors for the auction and raffle, meeting with the committee to discuss how to shape the event, and curating the room.
My favourite shoes to wear for an event are by Rene Caovilla Heels have the power to instantly elevate any look. Other brands I love for the evening include Philosophy. I have so many style icons, but Rihanna can’t do any wrong in my eyes.
8pm
If I’m not at an event, I’m unwinding on my sofa. I live in a three-bedroom house and my sofa just might be my favourite part. It took me four attempts and 18 months to find it, but I finally got it right and it’s so comfortable. It’s from Made.com and some nights I even fall asleep on it. I love watching old-school shows like Murder, She Wrote. Current shows I can’t get enough of include First Dates and Gogglebox – plus, I’m just about to start Queenie on Channel 4. My friend Cobbie Yates is the costume designer, so I can’t wait to see his work. After dinner – either pasta I’ve cooked or Wagamama on Deliveroo – it’s back to doing some more work.
12am
I am still on Zoom with people in LA and New York until 12am. To decompress before bed, I write at least ten things I’m grateful for that day on a Post It note and put them in a jar on my bedside table – I love watching it fill up. I also have my favourite Byredo candle, Burning Rose, and the books Hey God by Solomon Jordan and Manifest by Roxie Nafousi on there. The last thing I do before bed is fall asleep to Law & Order or have one last scroll on social media.
Follow @DebsAbabio on Instagram
@RIHSUPREME
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