Morning Brew - 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 It takes a village

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

Keep your charging cables in check with this magnetic cord wrangler, because spaghetti is better on a plate than under your desk.

Become a digital Kerouac and type your train of thought directly into your calendar with the Agenda app.

Just when you think you’ve mastered Zoom, a new update drops and you have to relearn the app. Navigate some of Zoom’s latest and greatest features in this thread.

“I’m really motivated to do right by my community and my family, because I’m the daughter of refugees.”

Vanessa Pham is the CEO and cofounder, with her sister Kim, of food brand Omsom, which creates starter sauce packs inspired by traditional Asian flavors. Pham talked with Sidekick about entrepreneurship, community, and finding joy in cooking all things fermented, caramelized, and braised. Last year she was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 and Adweek’s Young Influentials.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Kickoff: “When I open my eyes, I like to put on a song…it helps me transition into my day…So it really softens the blow of a morning meeting.”

The not-so average, average day: “As a founder of an early-stage brand, I feel like there’s no typical day. I try to meditate and journal at some point…Then I go into the office and will sample some products. We’re always working on improving our products or creating new ones. So we’ll be cooking and eating. I’ll be running between calls with investors and team members. Then I’ll meet with my sister, who’s my cofounder, on long-term brand and mission thinking.”

Setting goals: “Omsom is a really mission-driven company…[Our mission is] reclaiming Asian flavors and stories, doing right by the Asian American community, and honoring and celebrating our communities and cuisines. Our long-term strategy doc has tangible business goals, and then an impact goals map. It really helps us stay connected to our North Star, and feel energized to tackle a business goal that we know has a real cultural impact.”

Finding balance: “I’m over-indexed on being a very productive person. I actually have to work on creating balance for myself so I don’t just run myself into the ground…In the late afternoon, if I’m working from home, I actually light candles when the sun starts to set and make sure I block off some flow time. Every Friday, I block off 30 minutes to reflect on the week and reflect on what I’m doing that I’m proud of.”

Building a network: “I am adamant about actively creating a really robust support network for myself…I have my sister and my cofounder, Kim, and an executive coach, which I think is really important for founders to have. I have a therapist…I have an advisor for the company. And then I also have a group of five Asian women founders that I meet with every two months. It’s such a healing space, because we have so many shared experiences that we can really understand where we’re coming from.”

Room for improvement: “The biggest thing is consistency. I feel like I have a good formula. And when I can do it, I really love it. But I do slip from it. And the biggest thing is finding a way to make it sustainable. And, not get caught up in things, but understand that the journey is a huge part of it...At the end of the day, building a company is an experience. I want to look back on it and be like, I savored that.”—MW

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Read: If you’ve been feeling like our reality resembles the scariest of Black Mirror episodes, you’re not alone. The Atlantic recently published an explainer on the word that describes the current state of the world: Hellscape.

Listen: Up-and-coming R&B artist Lucky Daye is a long way away from his American Idol days. The singer’s second album, Candydrip, is gonna be on our playlist all summer long.

Drink: Rival your favorite bartenders with this refreshing (and colorful) frozen pineapple dragonfruit margarita recipe. Take it from cocktail to mocktail or smoothie by skipping the tequila.

Subscribe: Money with Katie is Morning Brew’s newest weekly newsletter. Join Katie Gatti as she dives deep into the psychology of money and shows you how to upgrade your lifestyle regardless of your income bracket. It’s a fresh (and spicy) take on personal finance. Subscribe here.

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Burning questions of our time.

Your thoughts on fixed working hours:

I think all schedules should be flexible, as it allows for more productivity and work-life balance. The evening is when I’m at my peak creatively and mood-wise, and the afternoon is when I’m at my worst, so a flexible schedule would work wonders!—Anna

I recently learned about companies that require meeting availability for a few hours in the middle of the day, and it sounds like a game changer. For example, everyone (who’s not OOO) is expected to schedule and attend meetings between 10am and 2pm, but outside those hours, you’re free to work whenever is best for you. I love this idea to maximize schedule flexibility without completely eliminating real-time collaboration. Plus, I’m guessing it makes a few people think twice about scheduling that meeting if they only have a small window to do so.—Katie

The gift-giving dilemma

When celebrating a friend’s joy and accomplishments, it seems natural to commemorate the occasion with a gift. If you’ve struck up a friendship with a colleague, you may want to do the same. But under some circumstances, gift-giving may send the wrong message—the recipient may feel uncomfortable, or other colleagues may feel left out. Business etiquette also suggests you should steer clear of giving gifts to your boss. So, is it ever appropriate to get your colleagues gifts? How should you celebrate them? Hit Reply and let us know in the Inbox!—SS