Five Minutes With...Kate Gallagher
workplace consultant
Tell us about what you do?
I work for CBRE as a workplace consultant - currently my title is APAC Workplace of the Future Program Delivery Lead at Credit Suisse
What does that actually mean? it sounds quite fancy, but what do you actually do?
I help companies (currently Credit Suisse) to optimize their workplaces to reduce real estate costs and enhance the employee experience. I work with clients (and teams of project mangers, architects, designers, IT specialists etc) to figure out how to improve their office designs, technologies, and ways of working. This is especially interesting now Post Covid as the world embraces hybrid working (and Zoom!)
You will be known to lots of people for the small businesses that you have run in Singapore - Floweret, The Assembly Hall and your interior design practice...how did you transition from being a small business owner into being an employee?
The transition back in to full time corporate work was really difficult and it took a long time (and about 159 coffee chats) to figure out the right path for me. I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do when I set out to find a job, but the more people and companies I spoke to, the more possibilities opened up. I had to put myself out there, and the process of finding the right job often felt soul destroying and discouraging. But I had some good friends in my corner who helped keep me going and build up my confidence.
What made you decide to leave the world of small business entrepreneurs?
It was a culmination of a few things. Covid put the breaks on our small business, The Assembly Hall, so in a way that somewhat forced my hand. But it was also timing - my third son, Tom was a little bit older and I felt ready to throw myself in to a new challenge and be part of a something bigger again. Also, Singapore had made things trickier with LOC’s etc and running a small business felt like too much of a headache at the time. My husband and I are building a house in Australia at the moment and a full time wage (without the endless hustle and figuring out where the next pay cheque was going to come from) certainly helps things on that front too.
How difficult was it to make the change?
Finding and getting the job in the first place felt hard, but actually starting the job in a relatively new industry was even harder. Although I had relevant skills and experience, initially I felt really out of my depth and I questioned my ability and value. Working for a big company felt totally overwhelming. Having said that, it only took a couple of “small wins” to build up my confidence and I can say now that I am better at remembering I am part of a much bigger team - the weight of the world is not on my shoulders which is often what it can feel like when you’re running your own show. I still find the balance with family life tricky, and I’m constantly mentally exhausted. But it’s getting easier. Mostly I feel good about learning, growing, challenging myself and moving forward.
What advice would you give others looking to make a career change?
Make sure you talk to the right people - don’t involve everyone in the ups and downs of what you’re going through if you’re in the process of reassessing your career. Everyone will have different advice, opinions and approaches to balancing work and family - it can derail you. Some conversations will leave you feeling confident and inspired while others might make you question or doubt yourself. Pick your key people, and most importantly, keep your eyes in your own boat!
What are the pros and cons of working for yourself vs working for a business?
Pros of working for yourself - absolute control over what you choose to work on. And who you work with. Cons - hustling for business and not always feeling like you’re getting paid enough to justify the blood sweat and tears you put into it. Working for a business pros - having a big team to work with and to share the load. I often reach out to my counterparts in London and the US, there’s so much to learn from them. Cons - If you’re in a global role and live in Singapore, evening calls are hard to avoid.
Talk us through a typical day in your life…
I wake up at 6.30am ish - I don’t set an alarm unless I’m in a phase of running in the mornings. The kids usually wake my husband and I up and my husband will make me a coffee. We organise our older two kids for school together and they’re on the school bus by 8am. Then I quickly get showered and dressed for work if I’m going in to the office and drop my youngest, Tom, at kindy on my way in.
My work is flexible and I work wherever and however I need to get my job done. I choose to go in to the office 2-3 days per week (not always for the whole day though) if I need to have meetings or catch up with someone. I usually eat dinner with the kids around 6pm so I can catch up on their days. Our helper is a wonderful cook and I feel very lucky not to have to tackle the kitchen at the end of a long day at work. Sometimes we go for a walk around the neighborhood as a family after dinner and watch the sunset from the top of the hill. Then it’s the kids bath, book, bed routine - which seems to take forever! My husband often makes me a G&T if we don’t have any night calls and we watch a show together.
What are you doing for health and wellness at the moment?
My exercise slipped a bit when I started full time work, and trying to fit it in around a constantly changing schedule of meetings, night calls and kids is hard but I am trying to prioritise it again now that I’m in more of a rhythm with work. I sign myself up for 10km runs every now and then to keep me motivated and I’m doing the Standard Chartered Bank one next week. I really don’t like going in to the Christmas period feeling unfit and sloppy! For years I was in a good routine of running in the mornings at around 6am with a friend. I need to get back to that as I always feel my best and have more energy for the rest of the day when I start with movement. When I’m in a good routine I like to fast until around 1pm at least a few days a week (if not most days) which means I only have black coffee when I wake up. It gives me more energy later in the day and helps mitigate the afternoon slump. I drink a lot of herbal tea but I’m terrible with water and need to drink way more. I’m increasingly interested in gut health and I’ve been drinking home made chicken broth almost every work day recently. It’s full of proteins and vitamins and apparently does wonders for your overall health. When I’m stressed I struggle with sleep so I take Magnesium before I go to bed which seems to help. I started when the kids were babies and I’ve stuck with them to help with relaxation and sleep. I have a diffuser in my bedroom and I turn it on an hour or so before I go to bed. I use lavender and a sleep oil from Muji and it makes me feel calm and sleepy when I hop in to bed to read my book. I can’t sleep without reading first - even if it’s just a few pages. I’m currently reading the Alchemist again.
You have three young kids, what is your go-to fail safe family outing where everyone will be happy and fulfilled? (Is that even possible?)
Ha! Yes it’s possible - but I can honestly only think of one place where all 5 of us are happy at the same time - Din Tai Fung!
Let's talk beauty - you are looking particularly gorgeous at the moment, what products or beauty procedures are you loving right now?
My skin has always been difficult and sensitive and I’ve tried a lot of things over the years to get the right balance. I have had periods of hormonal dermatitis that flairs up after having babies or with stress. My dermatologist has me on a good regime now and I don’t introduce any new products without asking him first. My cleanser and moisturizer are from my dermatologist and they are really light and simple. I am on a prescription hydroquinone and tretinoin to lighten my dark spots / melasma post babies. In the morning I use a Vitamin C serum (also from my dermatologist) and always use LaRoche Posay sunscreen. In the evenings I apply The Ordinary Hylaronic Acid after my other serums to hydrate before bedtime. I recently tried dermaplaning which removed all the white peach fuzz from my face with a razor. It’s super weird but my makeup goes on so much better as a result! I’m planning on getting laser soon for pigmentation and uneven skin tone. I’m also convinced this LED light system is going to solve all my skin problems forever. My dermatologist however is not entirely convinced and they’re expensive so I’m sitting on this decision for a bit!
For my makeup - I use It cosmetics “Your Skin But Better” CC cream forever because it is SPF 50 and doesn’t feel too heavy in Singapore whilst having the right amount of coverage for me. My eyebrows are wild so I have been getting them laminated every few months or before an event. I use Charlotte Tilbury “eyes to mesmerize” on my eyes and cheeks and sometimes a little Hourglass “Scattered Light” if I’m after a bit of sparkle outside of work. I only wear Tarte “Lights Camera Lashes” mascara as my eyes are super sensitive and go red and watery with most other mascaras. My hairdresser in Singapore is a friend and magician. I use Kevin Murphy shampoo and conditioner but sometimes use a purple shampoo to stop the brassy tones from taking over.
Where is your favourite place for a fun night out with friends?
Any party bus. I could easily not go out to a restaurant or a bar - just stay on the party bus all evening doing laps around the island and shrieking Whitney Houston in to a microphone.
Which fashion brands are you wearing on repeat?
For work I wear shirts and blouses from Sezane paired with a pleated skirt or wide leg trousers form Cos. Outside of work I love anything from Lee Mathews. I find their clothes so easy to wear and I don’t get sick of them quickly. Over the weekend I am mostly on a sports field with the kids wearing active wear or something that disguises the mud. I love my Matteau togs and wear a lot of basic linen pieces from The Assembly Label when I’m running around with the boys.
STEAL KATE’S STYLE
One Piece Swimwear // Tortoiseshell Sunglasses // Gold earrings // Strappy sandal in tan leather // White linen dress // Leggings // Black sandals // Wide leg trousers // Dress // Shirt // Sneakers // Gold necklace