This week has been ultra busy behind the scenes - we have so many plans in the mix and our heads are constantly buzzing! Sarah has been busy creating new designs for our washable bags and I have been fully emerged in PR work.
On Friday afternoon, as the sun shone, we decided that for the blog this week we would do something a little bit different and ask each other 10 questions so you can all get to know us better!
We spend so much time talking to each other about work on zoom, whatsapp, text, phone - you name it, we talk approximately 50 times a day in some way or another so it was nice to ask each other (mainly) non work related questions....
So here we go...
DONNA
Who would you call if you were in serious trouble?
My brother, he's been there and done everything, so nothing would shock him!
If you had only a month to live, what is the one thing you would do that you have never had a chance to?
I'd gather all my family up and live in a beach house somewhere fabulous until the end!
Do you think that there is a greater ‘thing’ controlling your destiny?
I think that the universe is always listening and willing to give you anything you ask for, as long as you put ALL your trust into it, which is really hard, because there's usually a 1% of doubt that it will happen. It's got to be 100% or not at all. The times that I have really truly willed something they have appeared.
If money didn’t matter, what would your dream job be?
A mixture of Interiors/makeup/fashion/floristry and travel.....!!!
I would love to have shops all over the world, (not just any old shop, more like big converted barns, with beautiful gardens) where I sell Interiors, Makeup, Fashion & fresh flowers with a gorgeous Cafe attached. Obviously I'd have to travel from country to country to check on all my shops!
Tell me one thing that I don’t know about you?
I played basketball for the U-19 England team!
I hate corn on the cob!!
What was the last thing that you spent over £50 on? Share….
If you could only have one thing in your makeup bag for the rest of your life what would it be??
What song invokes the most memories for you? The one that stops you in your tracks when you hear it?
'Isn't she Lovely' by Stevie Wonder... it was on in the waiting room when my mum gave birth to me, and my dad said he just knew she'd had a little girl! My dad sang it on my 21st birthday too ( he's a great singer) . When I was travelling with my sister for a year, I was really missing my parents and I walked into a shop and this song came on, I burst into tears!
What is the one thing you wish you had more courage to do?
Ummmm...I'm a pretty courageous person, so I think I do most things I want to, I love challenging myself! I constantly say to myself this: When you are lying in your coffin, will you regret doing/ not doing that.... and the answer comes straight to me!
What drives you to work so hard on Donna May London
Whoa...where do I start?!
I made a promise to myself that I would start my own successful business by the time I was 40...simple as that!
I've always worked 100% at anything I put my mind to and always want it to be the best ( I'm super competitive!) , there's no question or doubt that it will be successful, there's no other option.
What is the one thing that frustrates you about me? (Ha! No long lists here please!!!)
I'm curling my lip right now because I can't think of anything! Although I know exactly what you would say about me!!!! You're just bloody perfect!
What has lockdown taught you?
That everything's not going to stop if I slow down and take my time a bit more. I'm such a tick-er off-er that I hate leaving that to-list with anything on it...
What I do now is just move any unfinished takes to the next day...that's a revelation for me!
I have to say that I have really embraced this time at home and love being with my boys, I'm definitely making the most of it.
Now for you Sarah - truth only please!
How would you describe your design style?
Clean and fresh with a girly twist- I cant stand mess and fuss. Minimal colour palettes with sharp fonts.
What Apps do you use daily and why?
I'm always looking at the Shopify app to keep a constant eye on sales and stats (bit of a nerd like that as you know). The other ones that use up my time though are
Instagram,
Pinterest &
Met Office - living on an island means that weather plays a very important part in your day!!
If you had a magic wand and create the perfect job what would it be?
I think that I have already created my own perfect job! I have always been a bit of a risk taker and have reinvented my work life a number of times. I think I have a great balance now as I get to work remotely from home, enjoy island life but also be part of something exciting and challenging. I get my regular London fix with the business and would love to travel more in the future to find new suppliers in wonderful places. I guess a couple of less hours work would be nice during the summer.
Where do you see Donna May London in 5 years time?
I would love to see our products on every high street although weirdly I don't see stand alone DML shops. I would love to see the brand grow as a lifestyle brand and to be trusted, sought after and feature on everybody’s Birthday and Christmas lists. I also see the strong community we are creating developing into something on a much larger scale.
Who Inspires your style and design?
I think I am my own person when it comes to clothes and how I design my home or myself. Unfortunately as I get older, I try and wangle as much comfort as possible into the way I dress without wearing pyjamas!!! I live in Jeans and because of where I live, I struggle with shoes - it always lets me down when in London as I cannot wear nice shoes on the island - its wellies, trainers or flip flops depending on which month it is!! If I really had to stick my neck out and mention one person it would be Stacey Dooley. I love her oversized casual style and the fact she always looks comfy but cool!
What things do you NOT like? tell me 5!
Ok - Lets break it down….
Food : Goats Cheese (UGH!!!,),
Character Trait : Rudeness - there is no place for it in my life,
Smell : Fish - bit tricky to avoid when you live where I do!,
Dancing - prefer to be in the kitchen drinking with the blokes!!,
Type of TV or Film...Horror cos I am a scaredy cat.
What embarrasses you most?
Oh gosh - I'm not a shy person and could easily stand up in front of a crowd of strangers and speak but anything that exposes my insecurities (even on a tiny scale) then I could run a mile.
Whose House would you like to live in?
Hmmmmmm….Being married to a builder, we have been lucky enough to create lots of beautiful houses and the one I am in now is fab. Rather than name a person’s house, I have always wanted a stunning mews house in the city with a gorgeous roof terrace - I can lose myself for hours on
themodernhouse.com just being nosey and getting ideas.
What's your favourite item of clothing?
Sadly it has to be jeans
What's your desert Island makeup product!
Who's your on-screen crush?
Without sounding like a perv as he is about half my age - at the moment it would have to be Paul Mescal from Normal People - the accent and the smile.
What personal challenges are you working on right now?
I gave up sugar the day lockdown came into place and haven’t had ANY or a drop of alcohol the whole time. Although I have lost 11lbs so far, I literally fantasise about rosé wine and may have to give in very soon.
What makes you laugh out loud?
I am always getting my words mixed up, using the wrong words in the wrong context - it usually happens when I am in a strop with Phil (husband) and we usually end up crying laughing or Micky Flanagan.
Who has influenced you the most? ( mentor even)
Got to be my mum! She is a fighter and a strong northern woman. She brought myself and my sister up alone with very little money at a time when divorce was a bit ‘frowned upon’ - She would never let us feel sorry for ourselves, made us believe in ourselves and literally would throw herself under a bus for us. Both myself and my sister are incredibly independent women and definitely no pushovers - Phil would 100% agree with this!!
If you had to choose a reality show to be on what would it be?
Probably I’m a Celeb - I would struggle with the eating stuff but would love the challenge and the bants with the other campers. I am such a competitive person that it would see me through the difficult stuff.
If you could live anywhere in the world for a year where would it be?
New York - I am lucky enough to have been there quite a lot and it is an amazing place as a tourist but would love to actually live there and be ‘part of it’ - Maybe when we 'Crack America' I will be needed over there!!
Is there anything I can do to make your life run smoother and be any happier??
awww - nice question although I think you know the answer to this!! I am a much more methodical person and often need time to think things through.
For those that don't know - Donna is an avid list maker and needs to tick things off there and then - we have a code phrase we use with each other (far too rude to publish) when we need the other to back off...I think I have used it the most so far
😂😂
I love us though and the way we work so well together and how we have such different strengths and weaknesses that just work.
3 comments
Morning Ladies,
I have just subscribed, I know I am going to enjoy,
Donna May your such an inspiration to life, such a joy and privilege for us all to Take part and join in if that’s our choice!💗
I have all these positive thoughts gushing through my 62 year old mind, Fiona,,
Love this blog. Love the keywords! Keep on with the sugar free x
I love this Q and A! You are obviously such great friends as well as building this fab brand. Dream team.