Better Together: Stephanie Mark + Kimmy Scotti

How do you pick your nail color combinations?

Stephanie: This was my first foray into nail art, so I picked something that was in the neutral family I usually gravitate towards but with a pop!

Kimmy: As usual…I picked my nail colors by the names, Like Future and Like Spark!

In one word, how does a manicure make you feel?

Stephanie: Polished 

Kimmy: LikeIcanshootlightningoutofmyfingertips   

What’s your earliest nail memory?

Stephanie: My aunt used to own a nail salon in Toronto where I am from. I used to go and sit with her and watch all of these women in their 20's get their nails done and wanted to be just like them. 

Kimmy: I’m from Queens, which basically means that I don’t have a memory of my nails without paint on them. My favorite days growing up with my mom and my sister, LisaMarie, were when we would go to the salon together and all get our nails done. We would always get little flowers on our thumbs! I remember when they were trying to paint our tiny pinky fingers, and they would basically just do a little dot.

How did you guys originally meet and become friends?

Stephanie: We sat next to each other at a brunch celebrating International Women's Day at DVF's store. The rest was history, and now we are even more thankful for that special day. 

Kimmy: Steph and I met on March 8th, 2018, which is International Women’s Day. We were both invited to a luncheon at Diane von Furstenberg with Sakara Life and the queen, DVF herself! Diane was sitting across from us, but I am not sure she got a word in edgewise after we laid eyes on each other. It was love at first sight.

In one word, how would you describe your BFF?

Stephanie: Rainbows 

Kimmy: Sparkle

What makes you better together?

Stephanie: Kimmy is such a big part of my life. It's crazy to think we haven't been friends since the day we were born. We motivate each other to be our best selves. Whenever I am feeling out of steam, tired, or want to veer away from our plan of being more financially responsible–a conversation with Kimmy sets me on the right track! She will always truly sympathize with whatever my feelings are and help me find a way to turn my frown upside down and come up with a great plan to move forward.

Kimmy is also really great at activities and doing them with her really adds variety and excitement to my life. From making vision boards to multiple fitness challenges–there are things I would never have done had they not been for Kimmy's overall enthusiasm for life in general. Plus, she always comes with me when I want to go shopping uptown. From working out to life goals, we are always there for the other. 

Kimmy: I am so lucky to have a lot of women I consider best friends, so I don’t say this lightly, Steph is the friend I have literally been waiting for my entire life. We share a level of excitement only known to puppies whose owners have been gone for literally one minute and returned because they thought they forgot to turn off their curling iron.

Kidding aside, I think it’s that we encourage each other to be the best versions of ourselves. When we met, Steph had been on a fitness craze, and I wanted to get into it, too. I dropped two dress sizes with her support, but her full partnership in the gym and outside. The amount of texts that we have exchanged about workouts and cheat meal confessions are insane. But I bet if I counted there are more messages of total love and encouragement than pictures of pizzas we wanted to eat but (mostly) didn’t.

From every ingredient in cauli “fried” rice to money, no topics are off limits. Most conversations begin with a text message that says, “I have something to say” and all of them end with a “You can do __________!” And “I’ll help you!”

Also, we each don’t let the other get away with BS-ing ourselves. If I am complaining about something, Steph is there to hold up a mirror to say (gently), “well did you really do your best at that/is that really what’s happening?” and I try to do the same for her…this generally is met with the response, “Waaaaah!”

When do you get your best ideas and from where do you draw your inspiration?

Stephanie: I get my best ideas when my brain can turn off and just wander. The gym, the shower, and vacations are all places where I can brainstorm and think about and see things that inspire me.

Kimmy: I am so lucky that my work as a venture capitalist is to invest in the most innovative companies, so I literally get to talk about ideas and learn about new companies all day. I draw a lot of inspiration from my partners at 8VC and the founders we work with every day. I also love to read and take a creative writing class each week.

Three things you’re into right now?

Stephanie: Fitness, cooking at home, growing the team at work 

Kimmy: Skincare, Forward_Space and planning my Halloween costume(s)!

How do you press reset and relax?

Stephanie: For me, a day spent doing nothing is really the best remedy. I have no shame in staying in bed all day with some good snacks and Netflix. 

Kimmy: My real reset is to get away with my husband, Adam. Somewhere we can drive in the car for a few days and get a change of scenery and away from our phones for a bit. Those opportunities are few and far between, so my more regular destressing tactics are to make things with my hands! It’s the fastest way to calm myself down–cooking, arranging flowers, making jewelry, affixing patches to my favorite jacket or co-creating with talented friends and especially my sister, LisaMarie. What keeps me sane daily is my morning workout with Steph, obviously. There is literally nothing three rounds of  “friendship squats” won’t fix.