Welcome to The Vital Life, where we spotlight Vital Proteins® employees. This week, Vice President Of Design, Amanda Butz, gives us a look inside her day working remote.
Lively: Thanks for sharing your day with us, Amanda! To kick things off, can you tell us about what you do at Vital Proteins and what you enjoy about your role?
Amanda Butz: I am the Vice President of Design here at Vital. I oversee our in-house graphic design team on all product packaging, innovation design development, marketing initiatives, eCommerce & digital/web assets, and sales needs for retailers. I have an architecture/interior design background in addition to my M.A. in Graphic Design so I bring an interdisciplinary design skillset to our company. I manage all of our architectural projects, including the recent buildout of our new headquarters in the Fulton Market district of Chicago. I like to fuse my interior and graphic design backgrounds to create branded interiors and experiences - bringing the Vital brand to life in our office space was a unique and special project for me and I know our staff is looking forward to getting back in there after COVID lets up!
What I’ve enjoyed most about my role is being able to work at a rapidly growing company where I’ve had the opportunity to have a personal stake in the development and growth of the brand from the ground up. I started with Vital in its early days about 4 years ago and have watched as its grown, changed, and expanded as a market leader and innovator. It has been a very inspiring place to work!
L: Walk us through your morning routine – how has it changed (or not) since staying home?
AB: When in Chicago, I usually do a 30-minute ride on my Peloton to start the day. I’m fortunate to have amazing views of the city so its very inspiring to get my exercise in while looking out at the downtown skyline!
During COVID, I’ve been spending time up in Wisconsin at my parent’s house in Green Bay to get away from the city a bit where it's a little safer. I don’t have my Peloton up there but I use their app to do a morning bodyweight or strength workout to get the blood flowing and wake me up. They have such amazing classes on their app, I use it almost daily to get my workouts in at home.
L: Where have you been getting inspiration for projects or tasks you might be working on throughout the day?
AB: I get a lot of my inspiration from my world travels! Obviously, with COVID, I haven’t been able to travel at all lately, so I’ve been reminiscing about my latest trip in February that I took to India. As a designer, it was so inspiring to see the intricate and elaborate patterns and design elements in Indian architecture. I find myself paging back through my photos often to give me a little positive mental boost.
L: Lunchtime! What’s your plan?
AB: I try to eat light for lunch, usually a salad but sometimes I’ll have a sandwich when I want to change it up! I’ve always been the type of person to eat at my desk while continuing to work, but during quarantine, I’ve been trying to consciously step away from my computer and take a break to eat. Working from home can sometimes make it harder to take breaks since your home office is right there 24/7, but I’m trying to step away and give myself a much-needed break mid-day to eat and recharge.
L: You’re hitting your mid-afternoon slump. How do you re-energize your afternoon?
AB: I get stiff sitting in the same position all day, so once the afternoon hits, I need to get up, stretch, and then I often use my Theragun to wake my muscles up. The percussive therapy works great to get the blood flowing and it really loosens me up after sitting all day. Sometimes, if I’m really tired, I’ll whip up a delicious Matcha Latte using our Matcha Collagen, almond milk, honey, and ice for a cool, refreshing treat.
L: How have you been practicing #wellnessfromhome these days?
AB: For me, I’ve found that staying active has really helped me stay grounded during quarantine. It's easy to get in a rut being at home all the time and snacking (my worst habit!) so I’ve tried really hard to resist that urge and instead do something active! When I can’t get outside, I do Peloton bodyweight & strength workouts, but if the weather is nice, I love to get out for a run, bike ride, or even just a couple mile walk. Any bit of exercise helps me clear my head and rejuvenates me.
Rapid Fire Questions:
Favorite Podcast? I’m actually not really into podcasts! I’m more of a music girl. I've been listening to a lot of Yoste, Odesza, and Novo Amor lately.
Favorite Workout? I love 45-minute intervals and arms ride with Cody Rigsby on my Peloton. He really motivates me to push hard! I also love to get out for a long bike ride too when the weather is nice!
Binge-Worthy Show? I’m obsessed with Schitt’s Creek. I’ve watched it all the way through twice already and I'm going to rewatch all of them again once the final season releases on Netflix!
Favorite Vital Proteins Product? I love our Topical Hibiscus Beauty Glow™! I’m not a coffee drinker so I mix it with water and a fruit punch-flavored electrolyte packet in the morning to give me some energy - it transports me to a tropical state of mind! I also use our Marine Collagen and Matcha Collagen as well and grab a Collagen Water™ when I want a refreshment on the go!
