Emily Bibb is Co-Founder of Breef—a leading workforce platform that connects brands and agencies for all their digital + creative needs. As an elite athlete turned entrepreneur, Emily takes with her the sinew from her time as a competitive swimmer, leading her team and other companies into the future of work.

On what life design means to her

Bringing your best self into all aspects of your life: spiritual, personal, and professional. Setting up the structure to do so, and creating habits that serve as tools for repetition—creating the space for personal growth.

The power of your mind and habits

I've been practicing a pretty structured life design since I was about 12. It’s just my personality! I was a swimmer from the age of 12 to about 24. I would wake up around 4:30 am every morning to go to swim practice, then class, and back to practice again. Of course, my life as an entrepreneur is very different from my life when I was a high-performing athlete. Still, things that have stayed the same are waking up early, working daily towards something bigger than myself, and taking care of my mind and body. What that looks like today is practicing yoga, setting an intention for the day, and being extremely protective of my time.

On her simple pleasures

Coffee, green juice, and a yoga class (either at O2 Aspen or with Melissa Woodhealth) - all before my first 7:30 am meeting. I also love a long walk post-work, a home-cooked meal, and a glass of vino. 

Favorite coffee spot/brand? 

My favorite coffee is Bluestone Lane—a big fan of their coffee capsules! 

Go-to juice recipe/store? 

I make my own green juice each morning. It’s composed of one celery stalk, apple, & lemon, mixed with a bit of ginger and a quarter bunch of kale. It’s not as much of an investment as you’d think but has made a huge difference in how I think and feel. 

The beauty in Covid’s disguise

I’ve always been a believer in remote work—Covid simply accelerated it. For me, remote work allows me the space to live a more balanced life. Working out, cooking my own meals, and focusing on the task at hand with little distraction. It took some time to create a distinction between work and being “off” during the pandemic. Cooking has been a great outlet. Trying new recipes is a great way for me to slow down and almost meditate. I follow the Barbudo Cookbook a lot—best kale salad and potatoes. Takes me back to my time in New York! 

Sunday afternoons

While scaling my business, I’ve found Sunday afternoons to be very crucial to my week ahead. Setting myself up for the week by planning has been a work-changing pattern. This is something I’ve also found to be common in the creative community—a lot of people actually work on Sunday afternoons and wind things down earlier on Friday afternoons.

Journaling on the plane

I've always enjoyed journaling, making lists, and writing my goals. I travel about once a quarter, and I’ll use that time to journal on the plane. It’s a good opportunity to opt-out of Wi-Fi, eliminate distractions, and explore thoughts freely by reflecting on the few months and experiences prior. 

During this time, I usually check in on things like: 

• Status of goals 

• Recent wins and opportunities 

• Areas for improvements 

• Moments to remember 

• Personal, professional & spiritual sentiment

Being able to look back six, seven years of journal entries is really…

Satisfying. I’m exactly where I want to be.

On anchoring yourself

Discipline is more about the repetition of things that fulfill you rather than setting restrictive boundaries. There will always be noise throughout your life that can take you away from the larger goal/vision. Discipline is about how and where you spend your time.

Her daily essentials:

• Melissa Wood Health App

• Five Minute Journal 

• Keep (Google Notes App)

• Eucalyptus Oil (De-stress)

• Fresh flowers on my desk

• Daily Vitamins (Ritual & Sakara Life)

Life in Aspen

Like any city, Aspen definitely has a scene, and a lot is going on, but within the last year, I've been extremely focused on removing unnecessary distractions. Breef has had tremendous growth over the last year, and I think that's a testament to what you can create for yourself by honing in on your goals and removing the noise. 

On her go-tos in Aspen

• Hike: Smuggler Mountain Trail 

• Drink spot: Hotel Jerome 

• Lunch spot: Spring Cafe 

• Meeting spot: The Aspen Office 

• Coffee spot: Bear Den

On her wayfinding journey

I'm obsessed with the idea of evolution. As long as you're waking up, day in and day out, putting your best foot forward, and trying to improve, I think you'll pave the best path for yourself. I’m in a place personally and professionally that I don’t think I could have ever imagined. I believe it’s been the result of discipline and determination, waking up each and every day trying to be the best version of myself. 

Curating authentic relationships

I am a huge believer in mentorship. My experience of camaraderie and success started in junior high with teammates, who were a few years older. From a young age, I would look up to and aspire to be like them. It taught me early on that it is important to have people like that in your career and personal life. People who recognize your potential and can give insightful direction to become the person you want to be.

Side note—I don't believe that mentorship means you have coffee with someone every week. It's more about surrounding yourself with the right people who you admire and can look up to as you're navigating the twists and turns of life.

Embracing mistakes and creating organic growth

There will always be mistakes and miss-focuses—it’s a part of life. With Breef, in the very early stages, we tried and tested several things without yet truly knowing our core customer and message. Those missteps, though, quickly became opportunities. Looking back, if it weren't for making those minor mistakes that slowed us down, we would not be where we are today. If we were successful off the bat, it would have been a completely different business. 

On building a business with her husband

It’s one of the best experiences because there is such a high level of trust. We’re both working towards something bigger than ourselves. The importance of trust in a co-founder relationship also directly impacts our team culture. George and my strengths are exact opposites allowing us to own our own verticals and bring unique POVs to our team, product, and even challenges. It’s been such a gift to build a business alongside my partner, but it’s definitely not for everyone. 

Piece of advice

If you want to build a business that will stand the test of time, you have to be okay not having immediate wins.