As part of our Stork Spotlight series, we had the opportunity to sit down with Rachel Maul, one of Pink Stork’s packaging designers, to find out what a day in her life looks like -- and how PS products help her be her best.
What do you do at Pink Stork?
I’m a Packaging Designer. I assist Ana, our Packaging Design Director, with packaging design, including retail, making sure things are set up for print, reaching out to manufacturers, making sure we get the best deals, and always looking for better packaging options. I always strive for ingenuity and innovation, and try to find the next best thing for our company. I also help the rest of our creative team with other graphic design projects, like social.
What’s your favorite part of what you do?
Seeing my work reflected in the business. Working on a big project and then seeing the end result is always super satisfying. That’s how art is: When you put a lot of yourself into something and then you see the end result, it makes you feel like a proud mom. I also love collaborating with other members of the creative team. It’s nice to see different creative and smart people come together for a big project. And the community! It’s a community of women -- and men, but mostly women -- who just like supporting each other, are there for each other, and want to help each other build their future success (which I love).
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
It might be the most challenging, but it’s a good thing: showing your designs and having to come up with new ones. You have to swallow your pride for a second and realize that everything you produce isn’t always going to be good. Every day is a learning experience to produce something that in the end will be beneficial for the company. Something you fall in love with might not be the be-all-and-end-all. And that has always been a little difficult but a great learning process. As a designer, you have to be flexible. You can’t be a perfectionist, which I am. That’s definitely my weakness.
Tell us your background. What did you do before your current role?
Before Pink Stork, I went to college at Flagler, and I was a Fine Arts major with a minor in Marketing. I wanted to do something creative coming out of college, but I couldn’t find anything right away. I asked my old roommate, Pink Stork’s Amazon Account Director, if they had any positions at Pink Stork. I started out in the warehouse in logistics and eventually transitioned into graphics.
What do you do for fun outside of work?
I like a big array of stuff: being outside, going to the beach, kayaking, hiking, just not being stuck inside because that’s what I do most of my day. Doing anything creative, crafty, artsy. I also love thrifting; I love a good sale, finding that perfect item in a rack, and being able to know that you saved a lot of money.
What inspires you?
Honestly, seeing other people thrive in life. When I see someone else is doing great and is happy and successful, it makes me strive to do the same. It’s really encouraging to see others like that. It’s very powerful.
Walk us through a day in your life.
My little dog Tucker wakes me up every morning (he’s basically my alarm clock), and I’ll take him for a little walk. I’ll play some LoFi to get ready for my morning on the way to work. Once I get to work, I’m not the biggest coffee drinker, so I’ll drink our greens mix or I’ll do the Pink Lemonade Collagen. I’ll check on my emails, chat the first five minutes to see how everyone’s days are going, and then ask Ana what’s on the agenda for the day. Throughout the day, I’ll grab some snacks from the kitchen, or walk through our warehouse and grab a PS product. Around lunchtime, I’ll grab lunch at a local restaurant with a group of friends. My favorite place is the Funkadelic Food Truck. They have different bold flavors, and I love spicy foods.
When I go home, I’ll take my dog out, and spend time with him because he’s my little buddy. I’ll call my mom, catch up on TV, and do some laundry because I like to multitask. I’m a pretty late gym-goer; I’ll usually hit the gym at 8 or 9 for an hour or more. That’s my way to de-stress. It feels nice to work on yourself and your health, and I’ve definitely seen a change lately by focusing on that part of my life. After the gym, I use our StrongHer Protein Powder. I have my own little recipe for it with bananas, peanut butter, a little bit of ice, and chocolate cashew milk. I’m a late person, so I usually stay up pretty late, watch a movie, eat dinner, maybe have a glass of wine, and then wake up to do it all over again!
What do you love about living in St. Augustine?
I like how tight-knit and laid-back it is -- how it’s a beach town. I’ve never really been a city person. Being in a more laid-back area where you see more nature than buildings is refreshing to me. It also just feels like St. A is a nice little community. Being around the culture here makes life a lot more interesting. There’s so much history. Anywhere you go, there’s a story behind it. I feel like I always learn something new about where I live every day, and I always love learning new things.
Favorite PS Product?
Pink Lemonade Collagen. It tastes like Country Time Lemonade. When I’m consistent with it, I’ve seen results for my skin. Taking it every day has created a nice routine for me; it’s a good kick-starter for the day. Plus, it’s cute.
