How Digital Strategist and Former NASA Contractor Brandi Bernoskie Spends Her Mornings
Morning Rituals is an ongoing interview series exploring the way artists and entrepreneurs spend their mornings.
Our guest today is Brandi Bernoskie, a digital strategist, business strategic consultant, and founder of Alchemy + Aim and North Star Sites.
A former contractor with NASA, Brandi uses her unique background in technology and communications to not only develop compelling brands and websites but to also humanize, connect and serve people. A natural networker and strategic thinker, Brandi has a true passion for elevating the lives of entrepreneurs and helping them alchemize their ideas into thriving and purposeful businesses.
We asked Brandi to walk us through a typical morning.
What time do you wake up?
On a weekday, I typically wake up at around 4:30am.
What’s the first thing you reach for?
The very first thing I reach for after waking up is clothing for the gym.
Walk us through the rest of your morning.
I like to spend some time at the gym before my day starts. Three days a week, I have an hour-long session with a trainer, which is really the accountability I need to make sure I'm pushing myself in my workouts.
After training sessions and on "off" days, I get on the elliptical for some cardio and time reading. I've never seen anyone else read while they exercise, but it's essential for me and I've often found that with my mind and body both engaged I have ideas and insights about my work or life.
When done, I head home and have a protein shake -- there's a vegan one from a company called Purium that I really like and I've found that starting my day clean on plant protein is really good for my body.
I make breakfast and start to create a list of everything I know that needs to be done in my bullet journal. This list is more of a brain dump than a hard to-do list for the day, but it helps to get all the ideas and tasks out of my head so I can think clearly. I also prioritize the 2-3 most important tasks for the day, which either help me support something big a client is doing (like a podcast launch) or push towards one of my business or personal goals. I might check emails for a few minutes then, but typically I like to try and get in the shower before I go down the rabbit hole that is work.
How does your morning ritual influence your work?
My morning rituals really set the tone for the day and always remind me that self-care is crucial to how I feel all day and my overall success.
Speaking of work – what are you working on right now?
The biggest things I've been working on with clients currently are supporting Brené Brown's team as they launch her new podcast and helping one of my new clients organize and promote webinars as a way to start to grow her business and newsletter list. Personally for my business, I've been looking at different ways to scale a service-based business and improve our current model to allow me and all my team members to really have the lives we want, while allowing our natural talents to shine in what we do.
Brandi Bernoskie, Digital Strategist
Brandi Bernoskie is a digital strategist, business strategic consultant, and founder of Alchemy+Aim and North Star Sites, companies that help entrepreneurs and business owners elevate their online web presence and enhance their digital experience. She is an advocate for using technology in ways that humanize, connect and serve people as well as for asking deeper philosophical questions and teaching others to think more broadly about impact when they create. Brandi is a natural connector and business matchmaker, who is always working to help others step into their genius work and leverage the genius work of those around them to achieve new levels of success and community along the way.
How do you spend your mornings?
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