Some people think that the key to success lies within their daily routines. Do you agree with this, and if so, what is your daily routine?
I have a couple of dogs that I adore. I start the day walking them in the city. Two to three times a week I also like to exercise in the morning in order to take advantage of the incredible boost endorphins from working out provide. I am a bit of a coffee addict, and I love my almond latte! With coffee in hand, I enter into all things ZZ and work and start responding to emails and diving into top priorities. Half of the week, I work from home, and then half of the week, I work from the ZZ Driggs office with my team. Splitting the work week between home and office really helps my productivity. Nightly routines are so important as well. I cannot stress the importance of getting a good night’s sleep!
Looking back at your teenage years, did you have any entrepreneurial interests?
Yes! When I was in middle school I was a DJ, so I would DJ during my lunch hour from the cafeteria, which was fun. I forget which year it was exactly, but I loved the World Cup. I couldn’t afford to go, so I thought, “what was the second best way to watch?” I decided it was through an IMAX screen. So I started a petition to get people’s interest on whether they wanted to watch the world cup on an IMAX screen. A number of people said they would, so I reached out to IMAX and FIFA. Funny enough, I did get responses from them but not much more after that. Later I discovered that they actually did start to air the world cup on the IMAX screen! Part of me was like, “okay – I am fine with not getting the recognition for it, but maybe in some way, I made this happen!” I also had a side business of taking vintage furs and repurposing them and making them into muffs like the hand warmer muffs. I also made historically inspired-hats. Those were my offshoots of hobby-making crafting that have stuck with me to this day.
Is there a specific time of day when you feel most productive?
There really isn’t. It fluctuates with what is coming in. Every day is so different when you’re running a business, and a lot of things come your way from all different directions. You are constantly switching between “offense” and “defense.” With that, I can’t pinpoint exactly when I’m most productive. If I had to guess, I would say probably in the morning when I first get going.
Do you think there is one character trait/skill that is important to have in order to become a successful entrepreneur in today’s world?
Yes, I think the most important trait that helps me is genuine curiosity. Remaining curious, open, and aware are vital for me. From there, resilience, patience, and determination are also so important. There are going to be a lot of ways that you will be constantly tested, and it will make you want to give up. Sticking with it is what separates those who do from those who don’t. Stay resilient and know it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Stay curious about what interests you and what brings you joy because ultimately, when you’re running a company and you’re a founder, you’re signing up for a 10-15 year commitment. It will be a lot of hard work and a lot of big struggles. The entrepreneurial environment and startup community receive a lot of fanfare from the media, and make it look so bigtime, sexy, powerful – glorified in a sense and depicted in a way that’s not all that accurate – but it is ultimately one of the hardest things you’ll do, it’s mainly just a ton of heads down work and grinding, and you have to know and be OK with that going in.
Has being a woman in the business world affected you positively or negatively, and how so?
It has affected me positively overall. I think it has made me a stronger person. It has made me more aware and empathetic. It’s been a journey, but I still have a long way to go. There is always progress to be made because it is still largely inequitable in the workforce, so you have to work extra hard to get recognition, funding, etc., but ultimately that work all counts, none of it is in vain, and it only adds to the depth of your capabilities and talents and ultimately what you can achieve.
What is one major goal that you wish to achieve by 2030?
I want to buy my own apartment in New York City.
Who is your biggest influence, and why?
I think it’s the women in my family. Especially seeing the struggles my grandmothers went through. With every new generation, it gets easier for us women, and it’s all because of the work previous women in previous generations put in and the challenges they overcame. It’s so powerful to think of that connection and how that’s resulted in what we women experience today. That was their goal – to make our worlds better and more equitable – which is astoundingly awesome and so moving to think about.
If you could pick one female entrepreneur, who would you say is your biggest inspiration?
If I could have a board of directors made up of Michelle Obama, Dolly Parton, Kris Jenner, Oprah, and Elle Woods, that would be my dream team (in addition to my current board which is already really awesome!). That would be my dream team because they each have their own really unique approach of rising to the occasion, stepping up, overcoming their own fear, and overcoming all the noise and the criticism. If I had to pick one person I have a profound amount of respect for, it would be Michelle Obama. The more I read about the Obamas, the more I see just how along for the ride she was. She is obviously such a smart woman: a trained attorney who put aside a lot of her own career aspirations for the good of her family and for the good of our nation with her husband rising the ranks in politics. As someone who is in a relationship with a really esteemed and revered male entrepreneur, I see how much attention and respect a successful male in a relationship can receive. Their spouse may not get as much attention. The spouse then has to put their ego aside and understand it has nothing to do with them. I have so much respect for just how difficult it must have been for Michelle, in participating in her husband’s both career and political goals.
What has been the most formative advice you have received and why?
It was given to me as a card, and the card said, “everything you want is on the other side of fear.” I think that is it. For me, it’s really all about addressing the fear, which is our own personal thing. I always try to examine what I’m fearful of, and why… It has a lot to do with what we experienced when we were children or any sort of traumatic occurrence. Your ego will try and protect you from the judgment it thinks we might be running up against, or worry about what people are saying about us. Ultimately, it is your life, and no one can impact it except for you. Truly, what you want is on the other side of fear!
What has been the most impressive/memorable question anyone has ever asked you?
“Am I okay?” It is so simple, but “how are you really doing?” It means so much to ask this question and really listen.
If you have siblings, are they also entrepreneurs?
In some ways, they are, and in some ways, all of us are entrepreneurs. The term entrepreneur just gets so emboldened and attached to running your own company, but I think that is a misconception. We can be entrepreneurs even if we’re working in an organization, and entrepreneurship is just an incredible trait regardless. You can bring that trait to anything you do, and that is ultimately what makes you rise to the occasion and rise up in the organization. I employ my brother. He helps me with historic restorations and renovations for some investments I participated in for preserving old historic homes in the Hudson Valley. He is really running the ship, so I would definitely say he is an entrepreneur in his own right.
Do you think the drive to become an entrepreneur is born with or is learned?
If you ask me one day, I would say born with, and if you ask me another day, I would say learned, but I ultimately think my bet would be on learned. It really comes down to what you value and want in life. I still debate about whether I want the life of being an entrepreneur because it takes time away from a lot of other important things. It takes a lot of your focus and a lot of your time. I am constantly trying to balance the needs of growing ZZ Driggs and growing and deepening my personal relationships. But that is beside the point; I became an entrepreneur because I remained curious and then my curiosity kept peaking the more I learned about how deeply unsustainable and unethical mainstream furniture, or fast furniture, was at its core. I became so interested in the subject and that beget my entrepreneurial journey. So, for that reason, I would say there is no reason entrepreneurship cannot be learned, it’s just you have to keep your ears and eyes peeled for what motivates you and you are willing to devote time too.
CONTACT INFORMATION & SOCIAL MEDIA ZZ Driggs Founder and CEO New York, NY website: https://zzdriggs.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneyfrancesfalk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zzdriggs/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zzdriggs email: [email protected] Telephone: +1 646-828-7144