OFFICE HOURS: Natalie Borton, Natalie Borton Designs
Name: Natalie Borton
City of Residence: San Diego, California
How do you spend your days? (aka what do you do for work?) I own and run Natalie Borton Designs, where I design elevated, effortless, everyday accessories for women, including jewelry, hair pins, sunglasses and belts. 
What does a typical work day look like for you? Every day is different, and I really love that about my job. From designing new products to team meetings to order fulfillment to product photography to content creation to keeping our website looking fresh, there are a lot of facets of my day-to-day that range from creative to logistical. I enjoy the variety!
Where is your office located? We just moved into the cutest little studio space by the coast in Encinitas, California. After over a decade of working from home and 9 years of fulfilling orders from my house, it’s really nice to have our own space. 
How do you keep track of your to-do list? On my Notepad No. 1, of course! Truly my favorite thing. It is SO beautiful and I love the thick, unlined paper. 
Favorite app on your phone or favorite app / tool used for business? Shopify, all the way.
Daily work uniform, head to toe? Impossible to say — picking my outfit is a highlight of my day and it’s always a little different. I’d say my style is comfortable, effortless & cool and I definitely love to wear denim, tanks and blazers.
Must-have item in your work bag? Laptop and charger are probably the only two things I really need. My travel coffee cup would be a close runner-up, too because I’ve developed quite a habit of frequenting the two local coffee shops closest to my office.
Most productive time of day for you? I tend to get the most done between the hours of 9-12pm. 
Favorite part of having your own business? Most challenging part? My favorite parts are the autonomy I have with my time and my role, and the freedom to make decisions that directly impact the direction of the company. The most challenging part is that I’m ultimately responsible for everything, and sometimes that is a lot of pressure.
Favorite mid-afternoon pick me up during a day in the office? A coffee and a little sweet treat.
Biggest challenge juggling motherhood & work? The interruptions & unpredictability of my schedule. Whether there’s a school break or a kid home sick or even just a simple question in the middle of a focused moment of working at home, it can be so hard to get into a flow and it often feels like I’m working with scraps of time, just trying to make it all work and do a decent job.
Name one thing that is always on your desk: Cups! One for water, one for coffee, and maybe another one for an iced tea. Every time I leave the office, there are so many cups I need to put away — it’s a problem, haha.
Top tip(s) for entrepreneurs: Don’t underestimate the power of resourcefulness. Most of us face several problems a day that we have no clue how to solve, but anything can be figured out. Also, never be afraid to ask questions; hire people who are better or smarter than you; and do not make assumptions when it comes to partnerships and deals — make sure everything is crystal clear from the start and get it in writing!
What’s something you do outside of work just for yourself? Reading, walking on the beach, meeting friends for coffee. Those three things are consistently part of my off-hours and are always so life-giving.
