Grace Clarke

Marketing Consultant based in New York and Paris

Issue #405 March 23, 2024

About

Grace Clarke is a marketing consultant for consumer brands, focusing on efficient community-powered growth.

She also cohosts Founders' Weekend, an annual retreat, and runs Gen Z Board of Directors, a monthly insights session she launched in 2019.

She's based in New York and Paris, where these photos are of her kitchen workspace.

Photos

6 images

Gear

3 items

Computer Macbook Pro 13” 2020 (bought refurbished)

Accessories Splice - the best mobile video editing app Buy

Accessories Reddit - add “reddit” to every Google search.

The census

Grace’s MacBook Pro is on 64% of the desks we’ve published.

Ranked across all 516 setups that list their gear.

MacBook Pro 64%

See top 50 gear items ›

Software

8 apps

Slack — for working with clients, marketing groups, but importantly, my remote assistant. I’m now an absolute pro at SOPs and task delegation. I am happy to share my tips and examples.

Asana — way beyond the professional. I keep track of recurring gifts, doctors appointments, personal events…I love hosting intimate events. Poker class, ceramics, walking tours…way more fun than networking dinners.

Note to Self app — for sending yourself anything with two taps rather than opening an email, etc etc etc.

Spotify (My 2023 Wrapped was upbeat jazz, girlpop, and bird sounds — great for mood and creativity)

Splice — the best mobile video editing app

uiGradients — you’ll look more vibrant if you set your background to orange Citrus Peel. Here’s my before-and-after.

Reddit — add “reddit” to every Google search.

Gmail — create a separate inbox to email yourself links, images, anything, to read later in a focused catch-up rather than context switching (distracting, mentally expensive) or losing track of things (annoying).

Interview

3 questions

› What is the most useful item in your workspace?

You may roll your eyes at this, but breathing! I’ve heard breath described as the remote control of our nervous system, which manages our mental cognition. Deep breaths create physical and mental calm, and this allows for my most useful qualities: a questioning mind, clarity (that’s hard), and fearlessness. It unfurls into other things I value: shrewdness, joy, empathy, self-awareness, integrity. Most people want something tangible, so: whiteboard roll you can tape up anywhere. Just leave the backing on.

› How do you spark creativity?

1. Laughing! It relaxes us, and when we’re less on edge, we’re better antennas for team dynamics better at uniting around an idea, and understanding how to individually motivate people.2. Physically moving. Even standing up and stretching. Anything to break that tech trance from staring at your screen.

› What does your typical day look like?

A good day starts with an early bedtime the night before. My days: blocks for meetings, blocks for silence, and blocks for rest.