Marissa Montgomery is the founder of Rotten Roach, a brand known for cheeky, luxe, and brilliant slogans and a whole host of celebrity fans including Kate Moss and Heidi Klum. Building a successful brand up is no easy feat, and Marissa’s day-to-day is always hectic. When she’s not run off her feet, working out, and prioritizing self-care, she can be found at her desk. We wanted to find out just how she balances it all and if there’s anything she swears by to create #deskgoals.
I can honestly say that there isn’t an average day in my life—each day is different, so I take it as it comes. The majority of my time I’m in the office at my desk, other days I’m filming or looking for inspiration at museums and art exhibits. Every week, I try to visit my stores that stock Rotten Roach. Currently, I have been spending a lot of time at Selfridges on the 3rd floor in the denim lab where my new tees have just launched. Other days, I’m shooting friends in my tees and meeting artists working on new concepts. I also like to prioritize proper self-care, so I try to squeeze in a workout a couple of times a week at 8 am at my favorite gym in London, KX Gym.
For me, there are three key elements that ensure my productivity: sleep, lists, and healthy food. I make sure I’m productive every day by getting a good night’s sleep—sleep is key for me because when you’re tired, you make mistakes. I also believe in making lists—I’m a big list maker and it helps me keep on top of things. Although cookies and sweets are my guilty pleasure, a healthy breakfast sets you up for the day. As they say, junk food leads to junk thoughts so I usually eat a light breakfast of yogurt, muesli or eggs to fuel me.
When I first sit down at my desk I make a list of everything I’d like to get done that day so that over the course of the day I can cross things off my list. Being able to cross things off one by one is the best feeling ever!
I’m a huge fan of twisty pencils! I write everything in pencil since my plans and ideas are constantly changing and I need to be able to rub anything out. Other essentials include my paper diary (because I’m old-school and need to write everything down) and of course my Apple laptop and iPhone.
My desk is currently a mess littered with sketches, images pulled from magazines, art books, DHL forms, colored pencils, pens and lots of fabric swatches. It’s organized chaos, but I know where everything is. That being said, first on my to-do list is a massive clear out.
If I know I need to answer a bunch of emails or send out a lot of orders; I will sit at my desk and not get up until my work is done. I do think it is important for me to sit behind a desk it gives me structure and symbolizes order—I never seem to get the same amount done when I’m sitting anywhere else. I get easily distracted, so working from a coffee shop is a nightmare for me. I usually spend the morning in the office getting on top of things then go out for meetings in the afternoon. I like a balance of being both in and out of the office. For me, it’s super important to get out and people-watch to see what they’re wearing and how they’re feeling.
Environment is everything! I work from my father’s old photography studio which has the best energy and vibes— it’s where he shot the Rolling Stones, Duran Duran, and countless other great people. The entire building buzzes with creative energy, which always helps me get my creative juices flowing. I love listening to classical and jazz music while I work, as long as the music doesn’t have lyrics it helps me focus and get into the rhythm of working. Sometimes I even light a fresh-scented candle from L’Occitane to further set the mood.
My favorite task to get done is sending out all outstanding Rotten Roach orders to customers. It genuinely makes me so happy that people wear my tees and share in the love. To me, success is all about feeling proud of what I do. I wake up every morning excited for what the day will bring, who I work with, the product I get to create, and the amazing people I meet along the way. I think what success means to me is always changing and the older you get the more you realize it’s fleeting so you have to always appreciate the process and small victories along the way.
GOOD THINGS
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