Pitch perfect
ALISON SEIBERT • The James Collective
WORK • Wednesday Routine
ALISON SEIBERT • founder • The James Collective (PR and communications agency)
Neighborhood you live in: Sonoma
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I split my time between our two offices in NYC and the Bay Area. Today I’m with my team at our Sonoma office, where we meet once or twice a week to collaborate in person. We’ve been hybrid for years, especially since we’ve long had teams in different locations, but I still love being in person with our team. We share a loft office with my husband’s business. He owns Gail Wines and is a partner in Faucet and Berkeley & Stuart. My dog Alma is almost always in tow.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Most of our clients have national (and sometimes international) reach, even when they’re based locally, so we’re almost always working across a few time zones. I’m usually up early to get through my inbox when the East Coast is coming online, then I’ll do a workout or walk my dog before truly starting my day. Today, I ran a loop around Carriger Road, a gorgeous street that locals walk daily.
This morning, we’ll put the finishing touches on an activation we’re doing here locally — our long-term client Maille Mustard is doing a series of pop-ups around the country, and we're hosting the next one in partnership with Loveski Deli and chef Christopher Kostow. Before it gets too late on the East Coast, we have an all-team meeting to check in on progress for holiday and gift guide-related media work. We spend months working on creative concepts, pitches, and partnerships, especially for the companies that have products sold DTC or in distribution nationally, including born-and-bred SF companies Brucao Amaro and Guittard Chocolate.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
This Friday, we’re having dinner at Valley Bar + Bottle, our version of Cheers. Since Sonoma is a small town, we always see people we know. Plus, this spot also happens to be owned by some of my closest friends. I never tire of the menu or the vibe.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’m heading back to New York City soon, and am always excited to return to the Brooklyn Museum. They curate the most unbelievable special exhibitions. I was lucky enough to catch the exhibit “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys.” It was so good, I went back twice.
Any weekend getaways?
My husband and I recently went to Yosemite — I hadn’t been in probably 25 years, and he’d somehow never been. There’s nothing quite like seeing Yosemite Valley for the first time, and bonus points for hiking long enough to get away from some of the crowds (we loved the John Muir Trail).
What was your last great vacation?
My mom and I went to Iceland a few weeks ago to celebrate her retirement from 25-plus years as a middle school teacher. We traveled all over the country, and I was impressed by how wildly beautiful and quiet it was. It was truly like very few other places I’ve been, and yet it was such an easy flight from NYC. I was especially enamored by the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, which seemed to be less traveled but was filled with beautiful places to hike along the coast, soak in hot springs, and even see the Northern Lights.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
A 20-class pack to Napa Valley Yoga Center. I’ve been practicing yoga there for years, and Courtney’s class always takes me to the next level.
What store or service do you always recommend?
My brother-in-law is Ugandan, and with my sister he runs an incredible African safari company, Hornbill Treks and Safaris. They also do amazing work with local communities and locally owned businesses and organize the most stunning, personalized trips. They planned our honeymoon in Tanzania during the Wildebeest Migration. As cliché as it is to say, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Photo: Jimmy Hayes