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Coffee With…Brooklyn Decker

Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano

Photography by Photographed by Heather Moore

Ready for a round of rapid-fire questions over a cup of joe? Today’s “Coffee With…” feature is with the multi-talented Brooklyn Decker. The Austin-based mother of two (daughter Stevie, 10 months, and son Hank, turning 3 this weekend) started out as a model in her teens, then transitioned into acting (she’s currently on Netflix’s Grace and Frankie), and now she’s also adding startup co-founder to her résumé, thanks to her work at Finery, a.k.a. “the world’s first automated digital wardrobe platform.” Here, she tells us a little bit more about her life in Texas, caffeine habits, top parenting advice, and favorite way to relax.

How do you take your coffee?
“Creamy, sweet, and occasionally with whipped cream.”

At what hours?
“I drink 2 cups of coffee a day. The first cup I make right when I wake up. It lasts me a few hours because I forget I’ve made it, in the chaos of the morning with my kids and work. So, I end up microwaving it about 6 times. The second cup is usually mid-afternoon when I need a quick pick-me-up.”

What are your favorite coffee shops in Austin?
Josephine House isn’t exactly a coffee shop, but it’s my favorite place to enjoy a coffee in Austin. The space is beautiful and they have house-made hazelnut milk—yum.”

How do you treat yourself?
“I love a good massage.”

What are your favorite massage spots in Austin?
“I really need to work on this self-care thing. I’ve been to Lake Austin Spa several times and it’s lovely, but I find the general spa experience stresses me out more because I’m spending time on all the hoopla. So, there’s a wonderful woman named Sharyon Blackgrove who will come over and give me one of those hurts-so-good massages at home.”

What are your top 5 local Austin spots?
“I love Uchiko, Keith Kreeger Pottery, By George, and Josephine House. And Mattie’s for their boozy English-style punch.”

Flats or heels?
“Flats. Very cool flats.”

BROOKLYN DECKER SLIDE 1

Early bird or night owl?
“Both? I have a baby and a toddler. I need more sleep.”

What time do you wake up each morning?
“5:45 these days. Le sigh.”

Currently on your bedside table?
“I’m reading my friend’s book, Fail Until You Don’t.”

Favorite film?
The Tree of Life, but it changes weekly.”

What’s the best piece of motherhood advice you’ve received?
“Your job is to make sure your kids are loved. That’s it.”

What excites you most about motherhood?
“The fact that I have miniature comedians as roommates.”

What makes you most nervous?
“It’s the most important experiment you’ll ever conduct and I hope I don’t mess it up.”

What’s your go-to family meal recipe?
“Grilled cheese and tomato soup.”

What’s one of your best childhood memories?
“Finding edible underwear—in the box—in my parents’ bathroom and eating them with my brother on the floor. They’re basically fruit roll-ups. That’s a good one.”

BROOKLYN DECKER SLIDE 2

What won’t we find in your closet?
“An item with the brand name visible.”

What’s your biggest flaw?
“I can’t be wrong and I have poor time management.”

Tell us about Finery in a nutshell.
Finery is basically your personal wardrobe concierge. We give you weather tips to dress accordingly, return notifications for your online purchases, styling inspo for your own clothes, the list goes on.”

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned (so far) about running a startup?
“No one person is ever going to have all the answers and if you think you are that person, you might be doing something wrong. Reach out to your team when you need help, provide support when your team needs you. Startup life is too hard otherwise!”

For more on Brooklyn, follow along with her on Instagram. For more “Coffee With…” features, check out our conversations with Jessie Randall of Loeffler Randall, model, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Liya Kebede, designer Margherita Missoni, the multi-talented Karen Elson, and General Store Los Angeles co-owner Hannah Henderson.

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