NAME: Annie Stacey
AGE: 31
INSTAGRAM HANDLE: @Anniecstacey
JOB TITLE: CEO and Founder of Reloved & HR Manager (currently on maternity leave)
MOVED TO THE UAE IN: October 2014, - was only expecting to be here for a year!
Annie is a dedicated and dynamic professional, married with a baby, and characterized by her unstoppable energy and focus. With a perpetually busy mind, she thrives on planning and organization, driven by her OCD tendencies. Over the past decade in the UAE, she has built an impressive career as an HR Manager in a risk management consultancy, underpinned by her CIPD qualification.
Passionate about giving back and fostering community connections, Annie channelled her interests into creating Reloved, a platform to facilitate the buying and selling of preloved items which launched in November 2024. Annie wanted this platform herself, she found there was not an easy way to search for secondhand unwanted items and also had a wardrobe full of clothes that were no longer desired.
Annie is a workaholic and as well as being a new mum with a full-time career, a business owner she is also a co-host on the People of Dubai podcast which enables her to meet like-minded people residing in the UAE.
Let's discover a day in Annie's life:
8:00 AM: This hour typically feels like the midpoint of my day. By now, I have usually been awake since 5:00 AM, tending to my morning routine, which includes feeding my baby, walking the dog, and addressing any urgent WhatsApp messages, emails, and social media inquiries. By 8am I am usually strength training in the gym (sometimes I swim), where I focus on a workout that helps me mentally prepare for the busy day ahead.
10:00 AM: By this time, I am fully immersed in work. I like to balance my workspace between the office, home, or a local coffee shop to give variety and help my productivity. Mornings are usually dedicated to initiating new prospects, reviewing social media content, and collaborating with my marketing and tech teams. I aim to schedule meetings and calls in the afternoon. As a small business owner, my to-do list is ever-growing, and I stay hands-on with all aspects of Reloved. I take pride in learning more about areas where my experience is still growing.
2:00 PM: Usually after four - five solid hours of work, I take a much-needed break to spend quality time with my son. Balancing maternity leave and building a start-up can be challenging, and the mum guilt is ever-present. I strive to dedicate one-on-one time with my baby each day, whether before or after work. This time is spent engaging in activities such as visiting the beach, walking, attending baby classes, or meeting other mums.
5:00 PM: I fully transition into mum mode by this time. This includes walking the dog, bathing, feeding, and reading to my son before settling him down for the night at around 6:30 PM.
8:00 PM: After dinner, my husband and I relax in front of the TV. However, my work doesn’t stop there—I typically get my laptop out to continue working on Reloved and prepare for the following day. I also use this time to handle personal admin tasks, such as placing Amazon orders, paying bills, and replying to personal WhatsApp messages.
10:00 PM: Ideally, I aim to be in bed by 9:30 PM, ensuring I get enough rest for another early start. Even on weekends, I strive to wake up at 5:30 AM. My night ends with a consistent skincare routine and a resolution to floss my teeth—a New Year’s resolution I’ve been trying to keep for the past three years!
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