HOW ADAM SCHOENBERG WORKS
Neither father nor entrepreneur is what one would consider a part-time job, so for Adam Schoenberg, founder and co-CEO of the men’s accessory line Hook & Albert a home office is essential. “I don’t want to miss a phone call from Saks Fifth Avenue about an order, but I also don’t want to miss tucking my kids into bed at night” says Schoenberg. “Having a home office allows me to do both.” We spent a recent Wednesday morning with Schoenberg to see how he works.
1. THE ART “The art in my office is very important to me; it inspires me to be creative, as well as successful so I can keep buying more. I have a decent, small collection that I constantly rotate; currently there’s a Damien Hirst print, an original piece by Angel Ortiz, who was a collaborator of Keith Haring, and two prints by Mr. Brainwash. The Mr. Brainwash Class Photo is my favorite, because it features iconic celebrities like Dolly Parton, Darth Vader and Marilyn Monroe. My son Adler knew all of their names by the age of one.”
2. THE BAGS “Our most successful products right now are our work and travel bags. I bring the prototypes home and test drive them before we go into production. This is our newest bag (left); a convertible 3-in-1 that is briefcase, backpack, and shoulder bag all in one. We have found a niche in accessories that are multipurpose. It is really the only bag a guy needs.”
3. THE KIDS “By far the most precious item in my office is my daughter Pierce. I love when I have time to give her a bottle or read her a story between meetings. I always keep some toys on my desk to keep the kids occupied if I get a call while I’m with them. Sometimes, a game of Hungry, Hungry Hippos with Adler is a good way to remind me of what’s important in life.”
4. THE WIFE “My wife, Hayley Romer, is the publisher of The Atlantic, which means she travels a lot for her job. That’s another reason why the home office is so important: it allows one of us to always be with the kids. I give a lot of credit to working moms (and dads) because I know how hard it is, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
5. THE WORK “My business partner Cory Rosenberg and I started Hook & Albert because there was no go-to accessories brand in the market and we could not find the things we wanted to wear. We started with colored shoelaces, lapel flowers, socks and ties, and we now cover over 26 product categories.”
