How this guest ran a fashion line from her NYC apartment

Work-life balance is never a given, but things are especially hectic when you’re a busy entrepreneur! Naomie Olindo, who you may recognize from Bravo’s hit TV show Southern Charm, has been busier than ever the past few years running her fashion line L’Abeye. In an interview with Blueprint, Naomie shared how living in one of Blueground’s furnished apartments in NYC helped her balance work and play.

Moving into a completely furnished and outfitted apartment rather than starting from scratch with a blank space let Naomie make the most of her time in the city. Instead of worrying about shopping for a mattress or setting up her Wi-Fi, she was free to focus on L’Abeye, her fashion line.Pronounced luh-bei, the fast growing line includes women’s fashions, shoes, and accessories. The fashion line has been so successful that Naomie was quickly able to expand her business. “We feel so grateful for all of the growth we’ve had, especially recently. We moved into a bigger office/warehouse space, renovated a new building and are adding on more offices in the new year. We are starting to look into designing and cutting our own pieces, which is something we’ve never done before.” Naomie is also looking to expand L’Abeye’s sizing options to be more inclusive.

Over the summer Naomie stayed one of our properties in Lower Manhattan. “It was so comfortable and cozy! You really do feel like you’re at home away from home in Blueground properties,” she said. “I got to see two apartments and though they were both very different from each other, the welcoming vibe was the same. I can’t recommend Blueground enough.”

Part of any entrepreneur’s roadmap to success is flexibility, and renting with Blueground makes it easy to prioritize your business’s needs, since you’re not tied to an annual lease. “It’s incredible because life changes so fast, so your plans need to be able to change as well,” Naomie said. “Having the option of a flexible lease instead of signing your life away for a year is very freeing, and I was very thankful to have had that option with Blueground.”

Naomie’s secret to maintaining balance is preserving a sense of wholeness around everything she does. “My business is so enmeshed with social media that it really is a pretty seamless balance, until it’s not! Of course I drop the ball often, but overall I try to view each part of my life, my business, social media, etc., as one whole entity, so it’s easier to keep up with. However, I do have an amazing partner named Ginny who helps a lot with the balance, and am lucky to be surrounded by a great team.”

Running your own business is also incredibly empowering, and when you start off at home you minimize risk. “Starting small is a great way to not get yourself into trouble and to test whatever market you’re in, without the overhead of paying for an office space outside the home. We started L’Abeye in my kitchen, and then a month or so after moved to an office when we really needed it. I feel like some of the best businesses are started right at home!”

Are you ready to start your own business? Our flexible leases let you live in cities across the world for a month or longer, all on your own terms. Find out more about the Blueground experience.