OFFICE HOURS: Ali Labelle, Ali Labelle Creative / À La Carte / Pasta Girlfriend
Name: Ali LaBelle
City of Residence: Los Angeles, CA
How do you spend your days? I am a creative director and the owner of Ali LaBelle Creative, a branding studio here in LA. I also write the newsletter À La Carte, a weekly publication about creativity, design, and beautiful things. Oh, and I run Pasta Girlfriend, a pasta appreciation project through which I host dinner parties and other pasta-related events.
What does a typical work day look like for you? I typically start my work day around 10 AM; I’m at my best mid-day, so I allow myself time each morning to ease into it. I try to do most of my meetings and calls first because I need uninterrupted time to write, build art direction, or do any deep creative thinking, so that stuff usually happens in the afternoons. My brain completely grinds to a halt around 5 PM, so I really try to maximize my output during the work day so I can turn it off in the evenings.
Where is your office located? In my dining room! I try to keep my work stuff tidy so I can put everything away easily when someone’s coming over, but most days my dining room has been taken over by whatever mood board I’m making or piles of inspiration books.
How do you keep track of your to-do list? I use a highly organized Google Sheet. I have columns for different types of to-dos: business admin, the newsletter, client work, Pasta Girlfriend, personal stuff… Being able to see it all at once helps me manage my time and prioritize well. And I assign due dates to everything!
Daily work uniform, head to toe? I have like, 5 pairs of Donni pants that I cycle through each week. I usually just wear those with a white tee and keep a cashmere sweater nearby to throw over my shoulders.
Must-have item in your work bag? I carry an LL Bean tote just about everywhere and I’ve almost always got a bottle of Santa Maria Novella rose water spray rattling around inside. I don’t need much to work on the go, but I always keep my face spritz handy for when I’m running around between meetings and need a quick refresh.
Most productive time of day for you? Between 10 and 4 pm. I’m neither an early riser nor a night owl; I’m a smack in the middle of the day person.
Favorite part of having your own business? Most challenging part? I find it really motivating that the effort I put into my business directly benefits me, not anyone above me. If I land a big project that’s *my* big project, or if I put a bunch of time into outreach then those relationships are *my* relationships. It’s empowering to know that no one else is in charge of what I make or how I grow; that power is in my own hands.
But the reality is that there will always be things out of my control: the economy, the time of year, trend cycles… Inevitably there are times that are slow, no matter how hard I try to avoid them, and they never fail to freak me out. It’s a forever swing from highs to lows and back again, and I think that part is the most challenging aspect of working for myself.
Favorite mid-afternoon pick me up during a day in the office? I love a 2 PM iced matcha latte! 
Name one thing that is always on your desk: Violette_FR Bisou Balm in Sucette. I rarely wear makeup during the work day, but if I have a call I’ll swipe this pigmented balm on my lips and I suddenly look 100 times more alive.
Top 3 tips for entrepreneurs:
- Find people who do what you do and be open with each other. Help each other figure out what to charge, brainstorm with each other, and connect each other with anyone you think could be helpful for them to know. It can be really isolating to start something on your own, so having people to look to for guidance who really get it is hugely important.
- Be organized. And if you aren’t organized, hire someone to help you get there! Be on time with deadlines and payments, stay on top of your invoices, and get good at managing your time. It projects a level of professionalism that instills confidence in who you’re working with and people will take you more seriously.
- Always be planting seeds. Creatives especially can get down on themselves when outreach emails go unanswered or inbound requests are slow, but you never know when an email you sent or a coffee meeting from years ago will pop back up with an opportunity. Patience!
What’s something you do outside of work just for yourself? This is a thing I stole from a friend: I try to do one nice thing for my physical self every day. It could be a walk, a nail appointment, a sit in the sun, a facial, a bang trim, a few minutes with the red light mask… Whatever it is, it just has to be outside of my daily routine. I keep a running list in my phone of the things I’ve done each day to hold myself accountable.
Who are you sending your next card / [love] note to? My childhood best friend is having her first baby this fall, so the first of many, many gifts for that kid is coming her way soon.
Thank you so much, Ali! Follow along with her HERE (& Pasta Girlfriend HERE), work with her HERE, & read her brilliant Substack, À La Carte, HERE.