From 10 to 20: Melody McCloskey, Founder & CEO — StyleSeat
We asked 12 amazing founders and investors to share a look back and predictions for the road ahead. Celebrity photographer Ashley Batz joined in to capture these trailblazers on the cusp between decades & author Alice Berman penned an essay about decade that was. Find the full article here.
Melody McCloskey with daughter Amara by Ashley Batz
What’s one thing you find yourself thinking on a daily basis? How to be an ambitious, great CEO while also balancing being a great mom.
What is the most important part of your routine, the thing that really keeps you on track mentally every day? Exercise, meditation (which can take a lot of different forms), and eating well. For me that means mostly veggies with a little bit of protein
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given? Know what motivates you. Because it will drive you whether or not you’re in touch with it.
Which trend for the coming year is your favorite: sustainability, personalization, or AI? Sustainability. We are not living in a way that our surroundings will tolerate and we need to adopt major change.
What changes have you seen in the past decade when it comes to your field of work? Where do you see those changes continue to apply themselves in the coming decade? At Styleseat we’re seeing new, more inclusive and supportive standards of beauty. Beauty used to be an exhausting, unsustainable and unattainable thing. Now it’s a lifestyle that extends into skincare, fitness, nutrition and mental health. I love this transition and believe it will continue.
Which trends do you think are most important for us to focus on in the next decade? Holistic beauty and well-being. People are exhausted trying to be desirable to a partner. They are not thrilled with the old models of working 9–5, or refreshing newsfeeds we want something more fulfilling. I think companies that can help people be more in tune with themselves and their loved ones will unlock something big that people want.
Also, there has also long been a culture of spend spend spend to grow which we don’t do. I think the handful of high profile businesses proving this is a high risk strategy will change the ecosystem in the next year.
What’s been an obstacle you’ve consistently run up against in this industry, and do you see that changing? The experience as a woman founder is very different than for men. I used to think it was changing, I’m not really sure but I try and keep my head down and run my business. I currently angel invest and I look forward to investing and supporting more women when StyleSeat has a great outcome.
Where should we be looking for inspiration on “what’s next” in investing? There are a lot of communities that the investment world hasn’t paid attention to and they are worth taking a look at. I love founders that are ambitious and have a big chip on their shoulder. I also love founders that have seen success and failure because it makes them stronger and in some cases hungrier to win next time.
What are you personally invested in (on an emotional level) over the next decade? Products that make people happier and healthier.
Read all 12 profiles here.
Special thanks to our supporters: Silicon Valley Bank, Rent the Runway & StyleSeat.