How co-founders Maxine Bédat and Soraya Darabi stay fit and well while running their successful sustainable fashion startup.
Finding time in the day for exercise isn't easy for any of us, but squeezing it in while trying to get a startup off the ground is another challenge entirely. Such was the issue for the women behind Zady, the online shopping destination that is offering an alternative to the modern paradigm of fast-fashion with their thoughtful, artisan-driven business model.
"When Zady first launched [last August], I tried to cram in every meeting, every speaking engagement, every request," says Maxine Bédat, one of the site's co-founders. "I wasn't sleeping and wasn't exercising. I was too tired to be at maximum focus, so tasks that required my full attention took me longer. Finally I broke the cycle and blocked off my calendar to leave room to exercise, and now I sleep better, am more focused and efficient, and just happier." Not surprisingly, it's a sentiment shared by Bédat's co-founder, Soraya Darabi. "The truth is, launching a brand and staying healthy isn't easy, precisely because of a lack of routine," explains Darabi. "So whenever I am home, I try to stick to a routine of running, drinking water, taking my vitamins and remembering to stop and breathe." Both women run and practice yoga, and have the advantage of a wealth of stylish workout wear among Zady's clothing, accessories and home offerings. Here, what keeps them at the top of their game.