Genevieve Rosen founded online linen company Bed Threads with her husband in 2017. In the early days of the business, she worked her day job as a journalist in digital media (often managing up to 10 deadlines a day), then put in a second shift in the evening working on Bed Threads – all while trying to maintain relationships with family and friends.
“We grew very quickly, and I had to put everything aside and ride that wave,” she says. “It was a really intense period. Looking back, I don’t know how I managed it.”
Two years later, she still works seven days a week – but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’m obsessed with our product and the community that we’ve cultivated,” she says. But finding balance and time for self-care amidst the demands of running a business is still a priority. “You can take two hours out of your morning for exercise or meet a friend for dinner at 5pm and get on your laptop later,” she says.
Here, Rosen shares her tried and true tips for making space in a busy week with Broadsheet.
Never compromising on sleep
“Sleep is hugely important to me. I don’t think you could have a bedding brand and not be a sleep evangelist,” says Rosen. “It doesn’t matter how well you eat or how much you exercise, if you’re lacking sleep, your wellbeing is compromised.”
When you run your own business with your life partner, establishing boundaries between work and other parts of life is essential. “There’s never anything work-related in my bedroom,” says Rosen. “There’s no clutter, there’s no laptop; I wouldn’t even put my work bag or shoes or anything associated with work in the bedroom.”
Switching off from technology is just as important. Occasional appointments at the acupuncturist, osteopath, or beauty therapist – Rosen loves Belaméres in Double Bay – offer a rare opportunity to disconnect, even if it’s just for an hour. It “resets you”, says Rosen. “The benefit of doing that is when you do come back to the work, you have rested, and you have clarity on what it is you’re trying to achieve.”
Making exercise a habit
Rosen tries to incorporate low intensity exercise into her schedule at least three times a week, whether it’s at the gym or simply a walk through her Bondi neighbourhood “with coffee in hand, browsing the shops”.
It’s also a chance for her to catch up on the business and psychology podcasts that she loves to listen to. Exercise clears her headspace, she says, and fosters great ideas and clarity.
Dining out with friends
Dining out is one of Rosen’s favourite ways to unwind. “It’s a time to switch off to indulge and chat,” she says. “You always feel really good after a meal out with friends and family.”
A “casual person” who prefers comfort food over fine dining, Rosen loves Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisine. Among her favourite Sydney restaurants are Sefa Kitchen in Bondi, Kepos & Co in Redfern, and The Apollo in Potts Point – “I love everything on the menu there,” she says. The smoky eggplant salad at Stanbuli in Enmore “is amazing”, and their meze is great for sharing with a group of friends, she adds.
Finding inspiration in art galleries
Rosen draws much of her inspiration from art. “I’m useless at art,” she says, laughing, “but I love it – I have a deep appreciation for it.”
She regularly posts images of famous artworks by the likes of Kahlo, Picasso and Matisse to the Bed Threads Instagram account. Many of her millennial customers rent, she says, which means “they might not be able to hang beautiful art on their walls”, so Bed Threads offers them more than just linen – “It’s definitely about expressing yourself at home through your decor.”
In her downtime, she often visits her favourite Sydney galleries: the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Brett Whiteley Studio, Olsen Gallery, White Rabbit Gallery and Thienny Lee Gallery. “I’m always looking at up-and-coming artists, paintings and sculptures that inspire me and trying to apply that to our brand and what we do,” she says.
Antique hunting
Rosen loves to rummage through Sydney’s antique houses (such as Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre, Lunatiques and The Vault) looking for one-off vintage treasures. Not only is it rewarding, but it’s easy to get lost searching for weird and wonderful items and switch off from whatever else you’ve got going on.
One of Rosen’s favourite day trip activities is to head to a regional antique shop and stop for lunch along the way, spending an hour or two travelling and browsing. “I‘ve got a treasured Impressionist piece from [antiques emporium] Dirty Janes in Bowra hanging in my kitchen,” she says. “It was such a lucky find.” The MINI Clubman is the ideal car for these longer journeys, due to its 360 litre luggage capacity and optional comfort access system which can electronically open the boot by just waving your foot under the rear of the vehicle – perfect when your hands are full.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with MINI and is inspired by the MINI Clubman, the ultimate urbane vehicle for work or play.