The CEO of the Most Covetable Apron Company Has a Mood-Boosting Morning Routine

What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? A well-rounded morning routine sets the tone for the day and gets you prepped—both mentally and physically—before you dive into a packed schedule filled with emails, chores, happy hours, workouts, and more. Our series Morning Person profiles those who have mastered the art of the morning routine.

Tune in every week here and on our Instagram to learn exactly how the pros get it all done before the sun comes up, from their go-to breakfasts to their a.m. workouts.

Ellen Bennett, founder and CEO of the apron and kitchen gear company Hedley Bennett has a penchant for straying from the ordinary. For instance, she has a beloved 200-pound pet pig named Oliver. Even the rainbow backsplash of her HQ's alleyway is, while offbeat, something to marvel upon. 

As a former line cook, Bennett saw that restaurant and hospitality workers needed durable and well-designed aprons and gear, sparking the idea for this company. And since it launched in 2012, everyone from restaurant professionals to home chefs (and even the occasional celeb) have all joined her #ApronSquad. However, like many other garments makers this year, Bennett and her team have pivoted to developing and producing masks, which has allowed them to donate PPE to numerous essential workers, farmworkers, and more. 

Through her daily wellness rituals and the mood-boosting color palette she injects into her home and work life, Bennett is able to remind herself to find the small joys throughout the day. Keep reading to see how she starts a typical workday at H&B HQ.

7 A.M.

To keep my sanity and offset the many bowls of pasta in my life, I try to do four park workout classes a week. I love working out at Deuce Backlot!

8 A.M.

I’m sweaty as hell, so I hustle home to take a shower and feed my chickens and pet pig, Oliver. Post shower, I'll do my skincare routine, which is important to me and helps me prepare for the rest of the day ahead. I try to stick to a short five minutes.

My favorite products are usually from Drunk Elephant, La Mer, and, for my everyday sunscreen, Coola. I find that these brands have worked the best for my skin. 

After my skincare, I'll do my quick go-to haircare routine with R+Co and DevaCurl. My makeup is also really minimal, just the way I like it. I use Thrive Causemetics' mascara, an eyebrow pencil from Anastasia Beverly Hills, and a Kosas blush. With those on, I'm ready to take on the day!

8:10 A.M.

Afterward, I run downstairs and grab half an apple and breakfast for Oliver the pig and my chickens. I'll also throw on my trusty Hedley Bennett Denver apron and make a quick smoothie for myself before heading out. 

My daily smoothie recipe includes frozen cauliflower, almond butter, almond milk, chia seeds, coconut oil, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, collagen peptides, salt, vanilla extract, and a spoonful of tahini. 

8:30 A.M.

Post smoothie, I feed Oliver, and I’m off to the office! Oliver eats out of his Mud Australia bowl, which is a really fun color.

9 A.M.

Mask and all, I get to our office in DTLA. We have this great rainbow alleyway at our HQ that tends to brighten even the dampest mood.

Since March, we’ve donated over 300,000 masks to essential workers, farmworkers, and more—something that we are so, so proud of. 

This week, we restocked our collab with Vans, which are designed to be stood in all day and are hypercomfy and super cool. They are going fast! 

In between it all, I try to keep up with my water intake and also take my vitamins. I love NOW vitamins and Thorne.

6 P.M.

Post my day at the factory, I head home, throw on an apron, and cook, or sometimes, I just pick up food to go. Eventually, I end up in our backyard to wrap the day and take a deep breath before we jam in more adventures the next day. 

Up next, I Just Launched the Buzziest New Haircare Line—This Is How I Start My Workday