On The Line With... Joe Grondin

Describe what you do for a living and how you’re adjusting to social distancing. 

I manage the partner and product strategy for New Balance’s global collaborations as well as a smaller seasonal collection called Tokyo Design Studio, which is all designed and developed in NB’s Tokyo office.  I am used to being on the move and traveling so this has been quite a change, but I’ve managed to adjust decently well. Workwise, I’ve been able to focus better and spend more time on longer-term planning for 2021 and 2022 so that’s been the silver lining amidst this complicated time. It has been somewhat nice to recharge but I’m ready to get back out there. I am also running out of space in my apartment for all the samples being delivered from the factory directly to me!

During this time of social distancing, people are leaning on things such as streaming services, puzzles, at-home workout classes, to name a few, what activities are you using to take your mind off of things? 

I’ve spent a good amount of time cleaning, re-arranging, and upgrading my apartment. When you’re spending this much time inside, you need to make sure you’re able to feel good in your own space. I randomly bought a Nintendo Switch right before the quarantine went into place so that has served me well. I’ve been living vicariously through my Animal Crossing character wearing designer clothes and buying art for my crib. As for streaming, I’ve been watching Dave, Community, and Sopranos and I’ve been listening to the “A Waste of Time” podcast and the latest playlist Aimé Leon Dore put together.

What is keeping you grounded/balanced at the moment? 

I’d say music is keeping me grounded. I’ve always wanted to play music out loud while at work so I’m taking advantage of that while I can. It’s different than wearing headphones all day. I dusted off my record player and started listening to some of my favorite albums again – In Search Of…, DAMN, and Below the Heavens to name a few. It’s been cool to see a lot of people go back to the classics during this time since there’s no reason or setting to really turn up. 

How have you stayed connected to friends and family during this time?

FaceTime and Zoom chats have made it pretty easy to stay in contact with people. I’ve had some friends from college set up Zoom trivia on the weekends which has been a good way to stay social and laugh about the struggles of quarantine. I’ve also connected with some people I haven’t spoken to in some time which has been really nice. 

How do you typically start your day? What daily rituals are you practicing?

If I don’t have early meetings, I usually spend a half hour or so in bed responding to emails that came in overnight from Asia. Probably not the best habit but helps me ease into the workday. Then, I open the windows surrounding my workspace, make coffee, turn on the oil diffuser, put on a playlist, open my laptop and get to it. I’ve been cooking a lot so planning and preparing meals (and washing dishes with no dishwasher) has taken up a larger chunk of time than usual. I think my diets been a bit healthier, though, which hopefully makes up for my lack of exercise.

How are you staying productive while at home? Any useful tips?

I wasn’t able to stay productive until I set up a dedicated workspace and bought a monitor so I could work off two screens. At first, I was trying to do work on my couch and began feeling lazier than usual. I needed to separate my “get shit done” space and my “chill out” space even if these spaces are in the same room. I’ve also kept the TV off until later in the night which has improved productivity. 

What advice would you give to someone who’s struggling in isolation right now?

Spend some time making your living space comfortable. It could be as easy as re-organizing things you already have. Open your windows when the weather calls for it to get fresh air. Try to cook a new recipe. Re-discover old music and movies. Just take advantage of this time of solitude to spend time on yourself.

What accomplishment are you most proud of while social distancing? 


We’ve launched a lot of collaboration projects during this time, Aimé Leon Dore 827 and Casablanca 327 most recently. Although it’ been disappointing not being able to fully execute the campaigns and activations we had planned, we’re still seeing overwhelming success with instant sell outs everywhere. It’s been very encouraging to see that even a global pandemic couldn’t tarnish all of the hard work put in to make these projects happen. 

What are you most looking forward to once this is over?

I’m looking forward to being outside, of course. I’m hoping that there’s still some summer left to spend on the lake in New Hampshire where my parents’ vacation. I’m also just excited to hang out with friends in-person, not behind a screen. When this is all over, I think everyone is going to have a greater appreciation for the simpler things in life.

IG: @greatgrondino