When you have the opportunity to ask some of the most interesting people in the world about their lives, sometimes the most fascinating answers come from the simplest questions. The Thrive Questionnaire is an ongoing series that gives an intimate look inside the lives of some of the world’s most successful people.
Saltwater Luxe — a fashion line founded by Kristy Kalsman and Christa Bischofberger — is where beachwear meets luxury ready-to-wear. And as the name of their brand suggests, the sea has a lot to do with where they find their inspiration. All it takes is a quick scroll through the brand’s website, full of sustainable fabrics and floral prints, to take notice of the founders’ deep appreciation for the outdoors, something that many of us take for granted.
But everyone goes through spells of creative burnout. Their solution? “We like to get out of the office when we get stuck. Sometimes just changing up the work location makes a big difference,” they tell Thrive. In their Thrive Questionnaire, Kalsman and Bischofberger chat with Thrive share about creativity, self-care, are more.
TG: What gives you energy?
Kristy Kalsman and Christa Bischofberger: We try to make time in our busy lives to work out. We love doing Pilates.
TG: Tell us about your relationship with your phone. Does it sleep with you?
KK & CB: As mothers of little ones, we try to do our best to unplug once we are home from a busy day at work.
TG: When was the last time you felt you failed and how did you overcome it?
KK & CB: We have failures every day but whether they are big or small, we try to focus on the end goal and how we can overcome each bump in the road.
TG: What advice would you give your younger self about reducing stress?
KK & CB: That at the end of the day you will be ok — there is no use in stressing over things you have no control over.
TG: How do you manage your inbox/emails?
KK & CB: We set aside our morning to tackle each email rather than read and respond throughout the day.
TG: How do you prioritize when you have an overwhelming about to do?
KK & CB: We love lists! We write everything down and check things off as we go. You feel so accomplished once your check everything off the list.
TG: Tell us about a small change you have made in your life to improve the way you connect with others. What did you do, how long did it take until it became effective, and how you sustain this habit?
KK & CB: Trying to more present in the moment has helped us to connect with others.
TG: What was the biggest turning point in your life?
KK & CB: Quitting our full-time jobs to start our own company.
TG: What’s your evening routine that helps you unwind and go to sleep?
KK & CB: With both of us having small children, an evening routine can be difficult at times. To unwind, sometimes it’s a good show and sometimes it’s a good glass of wine.
TG: How do you practice self-care?
KK & CB: Again, we love to take time to work out; it helps us to keep on track.
TG: What causes you stress? How do you alleviate it?
KK & CB: We like to manage our stress with lists; we jot down everything that needs to be done and then we divide and conquer.
TG: Your brand is appreciates a vintage touch. What about the past inspires you?
KK & CB: We love that women of the past always looked so well put together. Women took the time to get dressed and took pride in that. We like to take that ideal and simplify it so it’s easy for women to look like they spent a lot of time getting dressed when in reality, they threw on their outfit in a matter of minutes.
TG: The design process can be tedious. What helps you stay motivated?
KK & CB: We get so excited every time we start to develop a new line. We love putting together our inspiration boards. We tend to get inspired by a print or fabric and we build the line out from there.
TG: Have you ever faced a creative block? If so, how did you overcome it?
KK & CB: We like to get out of the office when we get stuck. Sometimes just changing up the work location makes a big difference. We may hit up a couple of cute boutiques and then work from a small coffee shop to help from getting burnt out.
TG: Your LA-based brand provides outfit options for every sunny adventure that life has to offer. Is there a specific outdoor activity that helps you thrive?
KK & CB: We have always loved the beach which is partly where Saltwater Luxe gets its name. We love the water and being outside.
TG: What is the most challenging thing about working with a partner? What is the best thing?
KK & CB: We actually work really well together. We like having each other to bounce ideas off of. We have always had the same work ethic and style so it’s a pretty good combination.