Greatest struggle or challenge you have ever faced?

Running my business during the first year postpartum. I never really got any time off so I was kinda half in and half out for the first year, physically and mentally. My husband and I had a hard time acclimating to our new small world centered around our beautiful daughter. She is now three and I have finally reached a place that satisfies my needs to be a mom and the requirements to run the biz. My mom passed away when I was 4 so I have no real role model for this. She rocks my world in the best way. 

Describe yourself in three words?

Resourceful, as in some of my best meals are made when there is no food in the house. 

Generally pretty optimistic and curious.

Self sufficient. 

Any tips on getting a good night's sleep?

A bath, preferably alone if you can get it. A handful of salt soak, a book, a special beverage. Sit until the water gets lukewarm, you have successfully completed at least 1 chapter and your family is yelling at you to come out. 

What did your family do on Sundays when you were a little kid.

I spent the first part of my childhood in NYC (until 8 yrs) and the second part in Rome. In NYC my dad would take me and my sister for pancakes at a diner in chelsea that no longer exists and then we would walk all the way to soho to see De Maria's Earth Room, or some other gallery. The room full of dirt was the most memorable, always. When I was in Rome, my dad would play really loud Opera until we woke up and then we would all make food together and have a big lunch with friends and family, Italian style, and then go on an afternoon walk.

How do you feel about the word spiritual?

For me, it mostly speaks to how connected I am feeling to myself and my most important relationships. I feel spiritually fulfilled when I am connected to my body, when I feel in balance with my work and family, enough to feel spacious and expansive with my heart and mind.

It isn't defined by a place but by connection and balance. Although, some of my most spiritual times are when I am challenged by hardship, sadness or pain. 

How do you measure success?

I think I have a hard time measuring it and I am hard on myself. But ultimately, many people validate themselves through other people's versions of success and it really is a very personal consideration. Success for me is balance: work, life, love, play. All of them have to be engaged, which is very hard to do these days. 

What was your first job?

I worked for a lot of nyc artists when I was growing up, Tom Sachs, Joyce Kozloff, Janine Antoni. But I think the job I enjoyed the most was being a  projectionist at an independent movie theatre in Upstate NY. My shift was asking people to turn off their phones, setting up the 35mm film, watching the movie twice and eating all-you-can-eat fresh popcorn. Best job.

Addison founded Mater Soap out of a deep appreciation for the minimalist beauty of a traditional bar soap and its ability to nourish the body and mind by enhancing the ritual of bathing. Find her creations at matersoap.com