Meet Marly

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Say hello to Marly! The quiet architect behind the scenes, the keeper of the schedule, the one who makes complexity feel oddly calm. If ENC ever looks effortless from the outside, it’s because Marly has already matched every moving piece behind the curtain, down to the color of the chip clip and the cadence of the day.

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In this interview, Marly opens the door to her inner world: the rituals, the discipline, the joy found in small details, and the grounding force of horses, movement, and showing up ready for whatever pivot comes next. This is a look at operations as art, preparation as power, and the kind of presence that holds everything together without ever needing to announce itself.

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What’s a small, ordinary thing that brings you a disproportionate amount of joy?

‍Many people may know this, but color matching is something that brings so much joy on the day to day. I wouldn't say that I am OCD, just more aware of things I'm pairing together, and if it's possible to match one another, then I absolutely will. So yes, my chip clips will match the color of the bag it's clipped to, my coffee cup will coincide with my outfit, etc. Small details are important, and it just makes my mind happy!

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Morning person or night owl? And how does that show up in your work?

I am a morning person through and through. If I could be in bed by 8pm every night, I would. I like to be the most productive, or work on projects that require the maximum brain power, first thing in the AM. The days start strong, and fade slowly. If I'm online at night, it's a leisurely  search for inspiration, reading articles, etc. I've only pulled one all nighter in college, and I just won't do it again!

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What’s your current hyper-fixation?

‍Protein. I am really working to fuel my day from beginning to end with nourishing and high protein foods! That and figuring out snacks to align with this goal, but still taste like a yummy snack. Ya feel?

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What does your perfect “no work allowed” day look like?

‍I would wake up, give myself a good minute to depuff, caffinate, and create something for myself (usually a TikTok). Then, I'd put on a matching set and go to an intense workout of some kind. After that, I'm all about rewarding with a treat, probably a good bagel. Big breakfast gal, I NEVER skip. Once we are refueled, I would refresh and head to the farm I volunteer at. Spend some hours with the horses, and working with the group of kids. And once the soul is fullfilled, I'd freshen up for an evening of good eats and drinks. Preferably a quick HH moment at one spot, and a full dinner following! Ending the evening with plenty of time to cozy up and watch an episode of Grey's Anatomy (yes, I've restarted the series)!

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Coffee order, tea ritual, or something else entirely?

‍Coffee is always the move. My sweet little espresso machine at home gets so much lovin' from me. It just tastes better when it's handmade. (Almost) always an iced latte with cold foam and a flavor. Lately I've been shaving (chocolate) or sprinkling a little somethin' (cinnamon) on top for garnish.

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What’s a belief or mindset that’s quietly changed the way you work or live?

‍As Ellyse (thee Ellyse of ENC Agency) always says "We aren't doing brain surgery" and it just really helps get you out of your head, to take a pause, to stand up for a minute, and know that I am in fact not doing any kind of surgery, and it likely isn't that big of a deal.

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What’s something you’ve intentionally unlearned in the last few years?

‍That you don't have to have it all figured out before starting, or responding. Sometimes, the best work actually comes when you just jump right in, figure out what needs to be done and go from there. I try to prepare for any and every outcome with A, B, C, D plans in mind. And most often that isn't the best use of time!

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How do you think about time; as a system, a puzzle, or a living thing?

‍I think all three! It's a living thing in that it's always functioning, continuing to breathe on beat. However, it can be a bit of a puzzle to organize and make the most of. Once that puzzle is solved, it creates the system!

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What’s one detail you always triple-check before a shoot or launch? ‍

The schedule! Ensuring it makes sense for all moving parts of the campaign.

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What does “being prepared” actually mean to you beyond checklists?

‍I think it's having those A, B, C, D plans in the back of the mind should they ever need to be used. Anticipating a pivot before one is needed allows you to have authority over what happens next.

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What do you notice first when something isn’t fully thought through?

‍The feeling. You can feel if the puzzle piece isn't perfectly placed. It might look like the right fit at first, but when you go back and check (or you look around the room and sense the energy shift), that's when it's evident you've forced it into the space.

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How do you balance flexibility with structure when things inevitably shift?

‍Just knowing and reminding myself that there will almost always be a povit. That and not being married to just one idea. Execution isn't just about bringing the original vision to life. It's more about how you face the inevitable challenges that aren't seen at the start of the project.

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What kind of chaos actually excites you?

‍The ultimate campaign schedule tetris! When team members, models, photographers, videographers, on set creative team, and hair + makeup need to be morphed into one, big, beautiful filming day. That's when it gets fun to figure out!

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We know you love a matching set. What makes one chef’s kiss?

‍When it's not forced. While I love full blocks of color (a matching workout set), it's most satisfying when it's not extremely obvious, and remains in the details. Maybe my nails match my top, theres a seam of the same color on a hat, and then the shoes have a moment with the same color. From there, you coordinate the bag hardware to your jewelry and shoes (if they have) + always love the phone case or cup (an accessory) to coincide!

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Tell us about movement and where you take these matching sets. Pilates, strength, or “depends on the mood”?

‍It changes every day! depending on the fit and style, I wear each for different classes. The more cutesy low impact tops get the Solidcore and lagree classes. The compressed high-impact options are coming with me to Groundwrk LIFT and RIDE classes. The middle ground group comes to the apartment gym or EOS with me!

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Also, we can't skip over the fact that you are from Iowa and love horses. So this is a two in one question. How did growing up in Iowa, and your connection to horses, shape your sense of responsibility, work ethic, and the way you understand power, presence, and listening?

‍I think being the eldest daughter truly lead me through responsibility, work ethic and poise. However, I do remember my first time riding at a family farm with my sister. I loved every minute of my life, taking in their beauty and strength. My sister on the other hand was terrified of the entire experience. My sweet little self was so worried and just wanted her to enjoy it as much as I did, so I held onto her and let her ride with me. I think my empathetic energy resides with both horses and those around me, especially when someone is in need. Taking in my surroundings, always understanding if an action plan is needed. So there's always been this unspoken connection that I hadn't put together until recently when I started working with them weekly.

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How do you decide what to wear on a big day? Are you a rocking minimal jewelry or intentional accessories? Neutrals or a pop of color?

‍I like to be dressed in the brand's color palette (if there's a campaign or a big meeting). Otherwise on the day to day I'm wearing minimal accessories, maybe a fun pop of pattern or color and the rest being neutral.

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Coordinated drink moment: intentional or instinctual?

‍At this point, I think it’s instinctual, but there are a handful of times where it is truly unintentional. That’s when I know it really is meant to be.

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RAPID FIRE:

• Early mornings or structured evenings? Early morn
• Color-coded or clean minimal? Color-coded
• Sneakers or elevated athleisure? Sneakers for work mode - weekend is elevated athleisure!
• Paper planner or digital calendar? Paper!
• Horses or humans? Humans, but horses are a very close second place
• Iowa calm or city pace? City pace, with a healthy couple of trips back to the calm
• Clear inbox or full notes app? Full notes app. My inbox is my to-do list (which I'm working on fixing)
• Gym bag always packed or packed the night before? Packed the night before, it's always changing

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