This CEO says working with multiple “healers” is critical to her success
Today’s CEOs face myriad challenges: a global pandemic and a sea-change in how and where employees choose to show up for work, to name a few. The pressure has never been greater for leaders. How do you mitigate it? In our new series, we ask business leaders about their daily wellness habits to gain insight into the tactics they use to minimize stress and maintain their well-being.
Ashley Sumner is CEO and Founder of Quilt, a company that believes technology can help people feel better. Sumner’s startup career began 14 years ago in New York City as a matchmaker. With her intuitive ability to bring people together, she turned her passion into a career as a community developer for brands like NeueHouse, Wanderlust and Breakout, eventually leading to the founding of Quilt. Ashley’s viral LinkedIn post about being a “founder” and her Crying is Cool campaign have been featured in The New York Times and Bustle. Her nickname is dots because she is happiest when connecting them.
Coffee or tea? And what do you put in?
Oat milk latte with cocoa powder on top.
What’s your favorite breakfast?
It depends on the time of year, most consistently I eat a smoothie and try to avoid eating solid food until early lunch.
Tell us about your workout routine.
As a former dancer, movement and flexibility are important to me to feel comfortable. I love yoga, pilates, swimming, long walks, pole or spin classes. My body doesn’t respond well to overly aggressive activity, and it’s taken a decade and a few injuries to accept that. I move my body daily depending on my energy level and schedule.
How many hours do you sleep on a typical night?
I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night to feel good and be fully alert the next day. In my 30s I realized that there is nothing more important than a good night’s sleep.
How do you relieve stress?
I work with different healers: Reiki, massage, acupuncture, psychics, astrologers, tarot readers, you name it.
According to your smartphone, what was your daily average screen time in the last week?
About 5 hours. Oops!
Which app do you use the most?
My App Quilt. We’re an online wellness community with hundreds of live audio conversations a day ranging from casual coffee meetups to astrology chats to conversations about relationships, purpose and health, and it’s easy, simple between meetings or step in after work.
When was the last time you took a day off? What have you done?
Last Friday was a wellness day at my company. We choose a Friday each month to unplug and rest. I spent time with my best friend strolling through Central Park and then spent some time writing alone on a bench and watching people walk by imagining what their stories were.
What is your company doing to prioritize employee wellbeing?
In addition to the wellness days, we offer an annual self-care budget for people to invest in their mental, emotional and physical health.
What’s your favorite treat?
Anything with peanut butter.
Show us a photo of your happy place.
Courtesy of Ashley Sumner
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