What to Wear to Work Michelle Kennedy, CEO and Co-Founder, Peanut
In this bi-weekly series, we interview female executives, founders, CEOs - basically boss ladies - about their "power suits" - the effortless attire they wear every day to beat any job.
I am not expecting a child, wanting to get pregnant, or a mother, but I downloaded the Peanut app (opens in new tab) for research purposes and my own curiosity. This two-year-old social networking platform is designed to connect mothers with other mothers in their area.
Dubbed "Tinder for moms" by the press, the platform (opens in new tab) is much more than that, says CEO and co-founder Michelle Kennedy. The conversations that take place on Peanut are now not just about motherhood," she says. Women are talking about their love lives, their sex lives, their work lives. There is a depth to what these women are talking about, and we are in a fortunate place to facilitate these one-on-one connections"
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Kennedy and her team noticed that one of the most talked about topics on Peanut is infertility, miscarriage, and the emotional toll it takes on people. in November 2019, to better address these issues, Peanut launched a special section in the app called "Trying to Conceive," a special section of the app. Says Kennedy, "Already since November, we've seen twice as much engagement on Peanut Mom as we ever have, and that's because we didn't have a platform like this for women to talk to each other."
Her motherly instincts (Kennedy has two children: a 6-year-old boy, Finlay, and an 8-month-old girl, Nuala), combined with her desire to help others connect and her experience as an entrepreneur, have kept the Peanuts community thriving (now with over 1 million users) and reaching new women every day, including Meghan Markle.
Following Markle's admission (opens in new tab) that no one asked her if she was okay during her pregnancy and postpartum work as senior royalty, the Peanuts team opened on Instagram to let her know she was not alone in her thoughts and feelings Letter (opens in new tab)." (It was one of those moments (when) we all got the shivers (when we heard her say that). We were like, 'No one ever asks that,'" Kennedy said. "Everyone asks how the baby is, if [the mother] is feeling better, when she's going back to work, how she's going to take care of the baby, if she's going to have another baby. Most people say, 'How are you? Do you need anything?'
Markle seems to appreciate the post. 'She was very candid, open and kind,' says Kennedy of her conversation with Markle, who contacted her about the Insta message. 'She felt heard by us and the community. I think it took a lot of courage for her to do what she did and to be so open about it."
In my opinion, Kennedy can happily retire (she started a successful business. She has helped many women. I've even talked to the Duchess), but she is too trapped to quit. Kennedy has plans to launch another section in the app called "Peanut Meno," where women can openly connect and chat about menopause. And since our call time is running low, Kennedy gave us a peek into her personal life, from her daily routine to her bosswoman's work wardrobe. Please read on. [We have two small children and a French bulldog called Matilda. [I get up at 6 or 6:30 in the morning, put their uniforms in order, feed the kids, and send them off to school. When the kids get home from school I am finally ready to go to work. What can I do in and out of the shower, and how can I look my best in the shortest amount of time? I often wear jeans and similar clothes in different colors. I know it sounds boring, but that's my life now. I drive to work and get to the office around 9:00."
"Definitely the calendar is important. If it's a day I'm meeting with my team in the office, I'm more of a stand-up guy, no makeup day. Jeans and pumps, or jeans and a sweater, those are my go-to casual outfits. If it's a more formal day, if I have an event to speak at or a business or partner meeting, I have to be a little more neat. [My strategy is] definitely calendar-driven, but also duration-driven. If I know I'm not getting enough sleep and I have a long day ahead of me, comfort wins out. I can't believe I am saying this. [I love tailored fashion, especially suits. I always look great in suits with flat shoes, suits with heels, suits with masculine cuts, and more laid-back baggy suits. I also love high-waisted jeans. I think French style high-waisted jeans with loafers and a blazer look very elegant. You always look great.
Blazé (Milan) makes great blazers and I have some gorgeous ones. I love the wide, boxy fit without looking too much like my husband's jacket. Victoria Beckham also loves them and makes loose, baggy clothes. Stella McCartney also does great tailoring. It works for me. I also just bought a Gucci jumpsuit with a big belt. It's very comfortable and easy to wear. Reformation has been carrying reconditioned Levi's and 90's style denim lately, which reminds me of what I used to wear as a kid. I often wear a Peanuts t-shirt under my blazer.
I have a Peanuts tote and a small handbag, or a Chanel backpack, because I love the way they look on me.
"Bright, strong, chic."
"Why not you" I see something broken, or a chance to fix it, or someone not doing something, and I wonder why it doesn't happen. Why not you?
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