Cuyana Founder Karla Gallardo's best advice and daily routine!
Karla Gallardo is the CEO and co-founder of Cuyana, a women-built, heritage-led company offering collections that embody timeless design, luxury quality, and sustainability. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two sons.
The fewer, the better in all facets of life
Karla loves her fewer, better philosophy so much that it’s now instilled in Cuyana’s brand mission. While it applies to how Cuyana approaches the products they create, Karla also believes it’s a lifestyle. “It means owning less, saying no to things that don’t serve you, and focusing on the things or values that matter most. It’s a way to simplify life and create space for what is most meaningful,” said Karla.
Live by values
Karla’s father introduced her to fewer, better by demonstrating how to live by values. “I have memories of him being so proud of how long his shoes would last him and how many times he took them to the shoe maker to change their soles rather than discard them,” said Karla, who carried this into her brand's ethos.
In everything you do, lead with kindness
Adding more kindness is something else that Karla says has been most powerful for her and her business. “In the last decade of owning a business and building a community, I’ve seen how powerful kindness is time and time again. Within the Cuyana team, in how we engage with customers, in how we treat each other, we are more successful when we are kind, empathetic, and willing to see where one another is coming from, said Karla.
Karla’s Fewer, Better Daily Routine
5.30 AM: Karla’s morning routine is the most important for her. “I wake up before my boys, so that I can have a moment of quiet or squeeze in a Pilates class. I think that waking up early and sticking to a routine at the beginning of the day is imperative because it eliminates chaos and gives us time to start the day from a predictable place. Our kids benefit from this immensely as well.”
7:00 AM: Breakfast with the entire family
8:00 AM: Dives into work after the kids are at school and gets two hours of uninterrupted time
12:00 PM: Lunch, which consists of a plant based meal. Karla works while she eats to optimize her time
6:30 PM: Preps dinner and eats a nutritious and flavorful early meal with her family
8:00 PM: After the kids are asleep, Karla and her husband enjoy some time together (usually watching TV shows) and then work for another hour or two on emails
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Cuyana's limited-edition hair and skincare beauty set, made from clean ingredients by brands founded by women from the Latinx community.
Want to get to know the rituals and routines of other inspiring women? Explore more Covey Real Routines.