Stef Etow
A brand strategist’s perspective on maintaining a quiet morning routine (no phone calls before 10am), foraging for wild mushrooms, and slowing down for meditative practices.
Words by SARAH MAGIDOFF
Photographs by STEF ETOW
WHAT DOES “SLOW ENTREPRENEURSHIP” MEAN TO YOU?
SE: The practice of quality over quantity. It’s where the creative process is respected, protected, and supported, and where production is grounded in sustainability rather than speed.
WHEN NOT WORKING, HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR FREE TIME?
SE: I live in what essentially feels like a treehouse in Mill Valley, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. Disconnected from the distractions of the city, I can enjoy the peaceful quiet and venture out into the wild. I enjoy painting as a therapeutic practice too. I’ll bring out a canvas and slowly add to it over the course of several days. With each new layer it evolves into something unexpected. I get to test and stretch my creativity, freely experimenting without the constraints of expectations or deadlines.
TO THE SLOW ENTREPRENEUR, MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH ARE NOT OPTIONAL. WE BELIEVE THAT MAINTAINING THESE ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES ALLOWS US TO RUN SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS AT PEAK PERFORMANCE. WHAT DO YOU DO TO MAINTAIN YOUR HEALTH, AND WHAT TIPS CAN YOU GIVE US FOR MAKING IT A PRIORITY?
SE: My advice is to break up your workday with simple and accessible meditative practices, like cooking a delicious meal, creating art, or going for a walk outside. Journal your thoughts and feelings. Sit quietly somewhere and take a few slow, deep breaths. For some people like me, it’s transformative to have an actual meditation practice (there are some really great apps) as a simple yet powerful way to reset your mental and emotional equilibrium.
You may even consider dedicating one day a week to self-care. This is Friday for me. My friend Hien is an angelic bliss fairy who leads the most heavenly mellow flow yoga class on Fridays, so it’s the perfect way to fully ground myself in my mind and body. Join groups and gatherings with other people who are experiencing a journey similar to yours. For me, it’s essential that I get to work with my wonderful leadership coach, Songya Kesler.
LIST 10 THINGS THAT BRING YOU JOY.
SE:
Waking up to natural sunlight.
Sharing a memorable experience with my other half.
Starting my morning with the steam of freshly brewed coffee.
Noticing something simple yet beautiful.
Feeling connected to someone as we lose ourselves in deep conversation.
Disappearing into my imagination as I read a novel or watch a film.
Learning the history of something to develop a deeper understanding of it.
Supporting the work of a talented female artist/maker/craftswoman.
Sitting in a cafe surrounded by the lyricism of a foreign language.
Paying it forward.
WHAT MYTH OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DO WE NEED TO GET OVER?
SE: A common perception of entrepreneurship is that it’s inevitably this fast-paced discipline that requires you to sacrifice your sleep and social life in order to bring your big idea to life. But is this healthy? Or sustainable? And is fast really more efficient? Or is it just fast.
DO YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO GUARD YOUR FREE TIME? WHAT DISCIPLINES DO YOU OBSERVE TO ENSURE YOUR BOUNDARIES ARE MAINTAINED?
SE: I struggle with maintaining boundaries. A game-changer for me was reading Greg McKeown’s Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less . One of my favorite mantras from the book is: "If it isn't a clear yes, then it's a clear no." Whenever I put this into practice, I find that I’m able to actually prioritize the people and projects that align with my vision and core values.
WHAT UNORTHODOX BUSINESS PRACTICE HAVE YOU PUT IN PLACE TO HELP YOU MAINTAIN WORK-LIFE BOUNDARIES?
SE: I honor the quiet solitude of my mornings. This means, no meetings or calls before 10am. In the past, when I allowed meetings to be scheduled in the morning, I’d be stuck in a reactive mode for the rest of the day. Beginning the day responding to other people would often snowball into answering emails and fielding requests, rather than beginning the day with intention and staying focused on the goals I set for myself that day. After listening to my body and reassessing my productivity, I gained greater awareness about my ideal work flow.
DO YOU HAVE A MORNING ROUTINE?
SE: After reading or writing in bed for a little bit, I’ll get up to wash my face and apply some essential oils to my neck, forehead, and arms. Mornings here in Mill Valley are always quiet and calm. We have this beautiful yoga deck up above our home, so I’ll bring up a fresh cup of coffee, my yoga mat, and tarot cards, and I’ll sit up there and listen to the trees come to life with the melodies of birds. And so, my day begins.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU?
Stef is a visual brand strategist and Founder of Ink and Pulp, a zen creative studio in the Bay Area, and recently launched The Earth Collection.