Spotlight on Liz Mumford
We have some pretty amazing folks on our team, each with different backgrounds and personalities who have a real passion for what they do. So, we thought what better way to show who Mabble is than by highlighting our talented team? Today we’re kicking off our interview series by sittings down with talented Mabble owner and lead designer Liz Mumford to learn a little more about her.
How do you start your day?
Pushing the Snooze button.
How do you end your day?
Playing a Tower Defense game.
What’s a book that changed your mind?
Intuitive Eating. So much energy goes into thinking about what we eat. This book and way of thinking has freed up my brain to think about other things rather than being stuck on this one topic in my head. This is a great book for Americans to read, especially women.
What’s a book you always recommend?
The Gift of Being Yourself. Before Mabble I worked at a vocational ministry as an artist, musician and leader. A lot of my influences come from wanting to create art not just for art’s sake but art for meaning to impact the soul. This book is a spiritual book that aligns with this.
What’s a strategy to keep focused?
Not going to the bathroom or eating until the job is done (kidding). I am a very intentional list maker and I stick to my lists, prioritize them and categorize them. I really like lists.
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was nine years old writing in my journal, I wanted to be a florist, zoologist, veterinarian, marine biologist, nail stylist. I also wanted to live on a ranch and have two horses and four dogs.
What’s a trip that changed you?
My trip to Peru in 2014 helped me start to embrace the differences in other people’s cultures and helped me to really fall in love with learning about cultures other than my own.
What was your first business idea and what did you do with it?
When I was nine I started a house cleaning business. I made really colorful flyers with my services and prices and passed them out in the neighborhood. I made a lot of money that summer. They were damn good flyers.
What was an early job that taught you something important or useful?
Piano teaching taught me to create a policy about pricing to protect both me and my clients. Being a yes man is not good for any party. Contracts are actually very helpful for everyone’s expectations.
What’s the best advice you ever took?
Someone once told me to make things right, not perfect. As a perfectionist, living by this has really helped me. You can get something to 90 percent there but spending the time getting it to that 100 percent is usually more costly than valuable. If the client is happy, then the design is right even if I don’t think it’s absolutely perfect. Most things just need to be right, and in a way, when it’s right, it’s perfect.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
Write everything down. If a detail seems remotely important, write it down. A deadline, an idea, a plan, a meeting to schedule, an email to return, the list goes on and on. Truth is we can be swamped with urgent and important thoughts and happenings all day long. You will inevitably lose some important details in the tumult if you don’t write it all down.
What does work-life balance mean to you?
I have a very clear list of priorities. My health and family come before my work. But with that, when they are in a good spot they support my work. I make decisions that are informed by both worlds. I don’t work on Mabble when with family and I don’t let work slide because of them either. The different areas of my life need to inform each other rather than overpower one another.
How do you prevent burnout?
I slow down to see how I feel. I am not afraid to ask myself the question “What do I need right now?” I pray, think, and ask myself things like, “Do I need food? Do I need to use the restroom?” Basic stuff. Having a steady rhythm of checking in with what I need helps me to have the resources I need to press on, instead of just putting my nose to the grind until I’m ground to powder.