Steph MacDonald is the director of stores at vitruvi, and she’s part of the original crew. When she started here, she was packing and shipping all our orders by hand. Now, she’s in charge of working with our shipping team in the U.S. to make sure everything arrives safe and sound. She also leads our wholesale partnerships, and she’s really outdone herself.
At HQ, she is one of our go-to arbiters of cool—you can tell just by looking at her desk. We love her for a lot of reasons: she’s easy to talk to, she’s kind and warm, she’s able and willing to quote any episode of The Office, and you can always count on her to have her diffuser on. To show you how awesome she is, we sent some questions her way.
What’s your day-to-day like?
No day is ever the same, but every day begins with a large coffee in my hand. I’m a better person with coffee.
My role has changed a lot in the past year. When I first started, [vitruvi CEO] Sara and I would pack and ship every single order from our office. We would have piles of orders almost blocking the doorway at the end of each day. Needless to say, we became pretty close with our postman.
Now, we work with an amazing shipping team based in the U.S., so I’m in communication with them throughout the day to make sure that everything is running smoothly and orders are shipping out quickly.
Other than that, I’m either chatting with new stores, collaborating with existing stores, or testing out new products with the team. We’ll usually gather in the kitchen at some point and make smoothies. It’s pretty cute.
The best part of being on the team?
I get to go to work and spend the day with great people. To me, being a part of the team is being inspired by the people around me and watching vitruvi grow each day as a result.
Since we each head our own departments, we’re able to work independently and have that degree of flexibility over our own responsibilities. On the other hand, we also have the opportunity to collaborate with one another on different projects, ideas, and overall thoughts. It’s a great balance of both and makes for a great work space.
How do you deal when things get hectic at work?
Working at a startup requires a lot of flexibility and quick thinking. When things move as fast as they do, you’re bound to run into some hiccups along the way.
Any time that I feel like I’m getting stressed about something, I’ve found that the best way to approach it is to talk it out with someone and go over possible solutions. Everyone on our team is happy to stop what they’re doing to help each other, and at the end of the day I think it makes us more productive.
I think that taking a moment to yourself at different points of the day is also really important. Whether it’s going for a walk, sitting down with a cup of tea, or just taking a deep breath—the little things add up.
What are your top three vitruvi products?
I love my diffuser. I had never used an essential oil diffuser before I started at vitruvi, and I quickly became obsessed after my first day of using it. I love experimenting with different blends and catering them to what kind of mood I’m in.
Our Lavender is definitely my favourite essential oil for its calming scent and versatility. It blends well with so many other oils and I use it in my diffuser every night before I go to sleep.
After that, it’s a tie between the Still Roll-On and Still Mist. I love the scent so much that I’ll often sub out my perfume and use the roll-on instead.
What are some of your beauty essentials?
I’m a big Glossier fan and am constantly running out of the priming moisturizer, super serums, and sunscreen.
I’ve also been using the same Lancome Effacernes Concealer to cover up my dark circles since I was 14. I would sneak up to my mom’s bathroom and use hers (thanks, Mom) until I could finally afford to buy my own. I’ve tried a bunch of other ones since then, and have always gone back to this one.
Five things you always have in your bag?
Glossier Balm Dotcom, Mario Badescu rosewater spray, a hair tie, Still Roll-On, and a nude lipstick.
What country is next on your travel bucket list?
I would love to visit Greece and Croatia. They’ve been on my bucket list for years, and I love the idea of a sunny vacation where you have the option to go on an adventure or lay on a beach.
Who’s your girl crush?
I realized how many girl crushes I actually have after thinking about this question. Currently, it’s Mindy Kaling because I think she is hilarious and amazing. But my long-time crush has always been Natalie Portman—I’ve watched Garden State too many times to count.
If you had to get another dog, what kind would it be?
So glad you asked. I’m a big fan of doodles and large dogs (obviously), so I think it would have to be a bernadoodle or sheepadoodle. Basically, anything scruffy and snuggly and cartoon-character resembling.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I can rap every word to most Nelly songs.
Favourite quote?
“I am Beyonce, always.” – Michael Scott
This interview has been edited and condensed.
