Q&A with Claire Stanbridge

What is your favourite thing about working at Gerry Lewis Inc.?

I know it’s cliché, but every day is different! Working in a small organization means that my job title is sometimes just a suggestion, and my role has been evolving over the past almost five years that I’ve worked here, based on the needs of the company and the things that I love to do.

How do you like to start your day?

Always coffee (expect for that brief stint where I was trying to be an overly healthy pregnant woman and not have caffeine – very brief), and once I’ve settled in, I’ll make a list of what I need to do that day. I try to add every task, no matter how small. First, it clears my head – if it’s written down, I don’t need to stress myself out remembering what I need to do. Second, ending the day with a fully crossed out list is very satisfying!

At the risk of sounding like a lush, it would likely involve a few glasses of wine while hanging out in the backyard with my dog (this dream day takes place in the summer, and when I’m not pregnant).

What was your first job?

My friend Kendra and I got jobs as Saturday and Sunday morning dishwashers at a breakfast place near our houses. I guess we must have been 16, and we did not take our roles very seriously. One Saturday about a month in, we both got fired because we “weren’t very good dishwashers” – fortunately it’s the only time I’ve ever been fired!

If you weren’t an Account Director at Gerry Lewis Inc., what do you think you’d be?

In my next life I’d like to be an event planner. It would combine my love of party planning with my obsession with lists, work back schedules, and organization.