This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Loren Castle, the 41-year-old CEO of Sweet Loren's cookies, based in Los Angeles. The following has been edited for clarity.
I started Sweet Loren's cookies in 2011, five years after I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma. The diagnosis came shortly after graduating from college at the age of 22. After overcoming cancer, health and happiness became my top priority.
I wanted a career that could help turn this negative experience into a positive one and to start my own business focused on better-for-you indulgence and making joy more accessible. I spent some time working in restaurants and discovered a passion for baking while working at Levain Bakery in New York City.
My official idea for Sweet Loren's came about in 2010, and the first product debuted in 2011 at a Whole Foods in NYC. The company became a national brand in 2016, when Kroger and Publix began selling Sweet Loren's products.
My team has grown to 35 employees. Here's a day in my life in LA.
I start my day at 6:30 a.m. with my family
Before I open my email or take work calls, I start each day with my daughters and my son. We usually start the day at 6:30 a.m. so I can be fully present for them.
This morning send-off is the most important part of my day. Being there for them before school helps them and me thrive.
Support from family and friends was crucial to me in the early days of my aspirations to become a cookie entrepreneur. There were many times I questioned if starting a vegan and allergen-free cookie company was worth it, but now Sweet Loren's generates millions in annual sales.
For breakfast, I keep things light — usually coffee and fruit.
I start working at 9 a.m.
My workday starts at 9 a.m. I'm based in LA now, but I got my start while living in a small apartment in NYC.
I work from home and have a C-suite that I'm so proud of. My assistant is also based here. My team is distributed across the country, including an R&D center and a large concentration of employees in Colorado.
Other team members are based near key retail partners and operational hubs, such as Bentonville and Minneapolis (Walmart and Target headquarters), as well as near manufacturing facilities.
My go-to productivity tool nowadays is calendar stacking. I try to schedule calls and emails back-to-back (without it being too overwhelming) so I can get as much done as quickly as possible.
The key is addressing time-sensitive issues in the morning, so I have more time to be creative and strategic in the afternoons. I also love taking walking calls. They keep my mind and body engaged.
I wear many different hats in my business — marketer, spokeswoman, CEO, recipe creator. I love that no two days are the same at Sweet Loren's. I prefer it that way.
I pause to work out every day around 10 a.m.
One non-negotiable in my day is a workout. It's one hour to myself where I prioritize my physical and mental well-being. I love Pilates, running, yoga, and anything that keeps my mind and body active for a productive workday.
I try to get my workout in earlier in the day whenever I can, typically at 10 a.m. This gives me the opportunity to spend my mornings with my kids while also checking emails and addressing anything urgent for work.
I eat lunch around 11:30 or noon, after my morning workout
Some of my go-to lunches include egg and avocado tacos in grain-free tortillas or a large, nutrient-dense salad with arugula, chickpeas, tomatoes, quinoa, raw vegetables, crunchy nuts, and a protein such as roast chicken or tuna salad.
Cookies are a family ritual. My kids love the Sweet Loren's Chocolate Chunk cookies. When we want a little variety (or are trying to avoid chocolate closer to bedtime), we opt for seasonal Sweet Loren's cookie flavors — sugar cookies, lemon, and pumpkin spice.
It's a tough business because very few suppliers can meet our standards for allergen-free, gluten-free, and vegan products, but I believe staying dedicated to our brand and mission is so worth it.
I finish working at 5 p.m.
My husband, Greg, works from home, too. Our nanny handles most school drop-offs and pick-ups, but it's important for my husband and me to handle them a few times a week, especially when our kids ask.
Once work ends, I'm back into family mode. I love to cook and bake when I have the time. It results in more nutritious meals, and I get to spend more time with my family.
I love rotating between meals like Asian-marinated steak, barbecue steak, gluten-free lasagna with veggies, and big salads. They're all well-seasoned, and my kids enjoy them, too. Healthy meals go hand in hand with healthy activities with my kids and husband — bike rides, dance parties, and drawing are among my kids' favorite things to do.
I usually go to sleep at 10:30 or 11 p.m.
I wind down with a relaxing bath, realistically, one last email check, and planning my tasks for the next day. Then I let myself unwind and watch some TV with my husband.
I love to relax on the weekends by prioritizing time with family and friends. This includes hikes with girlfriends, brunch by the beach in Malibu, and simple moments like laughter-filled evenings. Greg and I also love having date nights at romantic restaurants.
The post I'm the CEO of a multimillion-dollar cookie company. As a mom of 3, I rely on one key strategy to make my workday as efficient as possible. appeared first on Business Insider
