PIECE OF MIND is a quick plunge into the worlds, thoughts, and details that are front-of-mind for women who inspire us.
In 2017, Sierra Tishgart invited her old friend Maddy Moelis over for dinner (they’d met over 20 years earlier at summer camp in Maine). As they cooked, the conversation turned into a question: Why is there no interesting, well-designed, accessibly priced cookware? Cut to the present, with Sierra and Maddy as co-founders of Great Jones, a modern cookware line grounded in getting people to cook. Particularly in small kitchens where everything you own is on display and on your countertop, the line — its name an homage to cookbook editor Judith Jones — starts with five functional and beautifully-designed pieces of staple kitchenware. (The duo also raised $3.35 million in funding less than a year after launching and landed spots on the 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 list...) Below, in between sampling peaches at the farmer's market, they answered a few quick fire questions from us.
Photos by Lucy Laucht
Photos by Lucy Laucht
We have all had curvy paths. Please tell us all of the jobs you've held, starting at age 16.
Sierra: High school hostess at small restaurant in Philly
- Covered local news at City Paper
- ...I was also Student Council President — does that count as a job?
- Super Intern in college: Teen Vogue, big Vogue, Rolling Stone, and ELLE. I was once tasked with transcribing the over 30 hours of audio from Kate Moss’s wedding.
- Talked Teen Vogue into hiring me as their first digital features editor.
- Left to pursue my love of food at New York Magazine’s Grub Street, where I worked as an editor for over five years.
- I also hosted a show interviewing chefs for CBS This Morning.
- And then, Maddy and I started Great Jones!
- Talked Teen Vogue into hiring me as their first digital features editor.
- Left to pursue my love of food at New York Magazine’s Grub Street, where I worked as an editor for over five years.
- I also hosted a show interviewing chefs for CBS This Morning.
- And then, Maddy and I started Great Jones!
Maddy: - Summer camp counselor for a non-profit supporting youth enrichment through sports.
- Intern at Ralph Lauren
- Worked at a retail trend forecasting company called the Doneger Group
- Went to Credit Suisse in their biotech Equity Research department.
- Worked in the early days of Warby Parker
- First Product Manager at Zola
- Joined an even smaller startup (sense a theme here?) called Jopwell, focused on diversity recruiting.
- Great Jones co-founder!
- Joined an even smaller startup (sense a theme here?) called Jopwell, focused on diversity recruiting.
- Great Jones co-founder!
Something that is absurd that I love anyway is:
Sierra: White sofas.
Maddy: The Bachelor franchise.
What would you set out to do if you had no constraints?
Maddy: Ceramics. I love making things with my own hands...
Maddy: Ceramics. I love making things with my own hands...
Sierra: I’d grow more of my own food.
Something I’ve learned to say no to is:
Maddy: Weeknight plans.
Sierra: Takeout and delivery food!
When you feel overwhelmed, unfocused, or uncreative what do you do to get out of your head?
Sierra: I go look at art! I recently visited the Judd Foundation in Soho. I felt like my brain went to a spa...
Maddy: Exercise. Going for a run helps me clear my head, re-center, and approach a long to-do list or a challenging situation with a fresh perspective.
Sierra: I go look at art! I recently visited the Judd Foundation in Soho. I felt like my brain went to a spa...
Maddy: Exercise. Going for a run helps me clear my head, re-center, and approach a long to-do list or a challenging situation with a fresh perspective.