E-commerce

Q&A with Zanerobe’s Jonathon Yeo and Leith Testoni

We chat with the duo behind edgy fashion brand Zanerobe about the insights they’ve gathered about themselves and their business since the pandemic.

What are your top tips for working from home successfully?

JY: Stick to your normal day as much as possible. Get your exercise out of the way early – do not skip this step. Plan out your day so you retain structure, tick as many boxes as possible. Think about others during the day, staying in regular contact so they also keep on track. A comfortable chair, plenty of water, regular quick breaks to recharge and refocus.

LT: Structure and goal setting. I still go through my normal routine if I am working from home – get up, exercise, shower, spend time with my son, get dressed as I would a normal day, get breakfast and coffee. I am fortunate to have a separate home office so I like to make the transition to the office space, like I would going to our actual office. 

I also like to make a few calls first to get me into work mode. It’s good to make any tough calls you need to make early – get them out of the way. Then, I write myself a list of tasks that need to be achieved for the day and break them up into achievable timeframes during the day. eg. I need to get these three things done before I go to lunch. That way I set myself rewards for completing certain tasks.

What is one piece of clothing in your wardrobe that you can’t live without right now?

JY: Adidas Ultra Boost [sneakers] for the morning run or dog-hike, Sureshot lightweight shorts while we can still enjoy this amazing Sydney autumn weather, Flintlock tee and a Lowgo hood as the evenings start to cool down.

LT: I’m living in our Lowgo crew fleece. It’s super comfy and cosy for those cool mornings. I find it looks a bit cleaner and sharper than a hoodie for those surprise Facetime calls or Zoom meetings.

If you could invite five people to dinner right now, who would they be?

JY: Chef Dan Hong to cook, Kendrick Lamar on dinner tunes. And Elon Musk, Michael Jordan and Dave Chappelle. We won’t be talking too much business.

LT: Bill Gates, Elon Musk; Michael Jordan; Harry Styles; Emily Ratajkowski.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?

JY: Go with your gut. Have a crack. Listen to feedback.

LT: Designer Jeff Staple once said to me at a trade show in New York, “The more hate you are getting, the more money you are making.”

Here’s what podcasts I’m listening to right now:

JY: Making sense with Sam Harris.

LT: How I built this with Guy Raz. 

Name three things that are helping you get through isolife right now:

JY: Push-ups, podcasts and pinot noir.

LT: My bike, my dog and the amazing team we have at work.

This story is from the May 2020 issue of Inside Retail magazine. Subscribe here.