This interview has been almost a year in the making.
I first connected with Clare last October, just before I was heading away to ride off grid on horseback through the Glenorchy High Country in NZ for 5 days, and truthfully, between two mothers, travel, a new school year and a business each, getting it over the line turned out to be a serious work of art.
Her answers arrived from her local bar in Paddington, a martini in front of her, a work dinner in an hour and a flight at the end of the week. Given the difficulty of aligning our diaries until now, her schedule made perfect sense. The martini in hand stopped me though, and I loved her even more for it.
It's a funny thing, running a brand that evokes calm and slowness when your own life allows for so little of it, and it makes the non-negotiables matter more, not less. Without them, the woman at the centre starts to come apart, I have experienced it first hand.
FENN and its cult facials have a following in Sydney that runs on word of mouth. Beyond the treatments, Clare has built a store of hand selected products, and hosts sell-out evenings that take the conversation beyond skin, into the practices that sit next to it.
Even with the success of the business she has kept hold of the truth of what juggling it all actually looks like, and that is exactly why I wanted her on the PALME Journal. A space for real women sharing their rituals and their journeys.
Below, Clare shares what slow living looks like once you take the pursuit out of it, the hour she keeps for herself, and the treatment she would send you to first.
Tami: Where are we finding you as you answer these questions?
Clare: I'm actually sitting at one of my favourite spots in Paddington, Fred's Bar, with a martini in hand while I answer these. (Don't worry, it's after 5pm.)
It's been a slightly chaotic few weeks, so I'm trying to squeeze in as much work as possible before I head off on holidays at the end of the week. I've got a work dinner tonight, so I carved out this little window to tackle your questions. Fair warning though, a martini and rapid-fire questions could make for some interesting answers...
What does slow living actually mean to you right now?
Clare: To me, slow living is about being content with the life you've built for yourself. I'm incredibly guilty of always wanting to achieve more, do more, and have more. But when you really stop and think about what matters most, it always comes back to the same things: health, love, and happiness. And more often than not, those things are found in the slower moments.
Wandering through a farmers market on a Saturday morning, listening to music at home, sharing a quiet drink and conversation with my husband or friends. The simple things that can so easily pass us by if we're always rushing to the next thing.
Of course, a huge part of that perspective has come from becoming a parent. My son is, without question, the heart and soul of our family. Children have this remarkable way of shifting your priorities and changing the lens through which you see the world. He's the reason I crave more calm and less chaos in my life. I have him to thank for so much. He's taught me to slow down, be present, and find joy in the small, everyday moments that make up a beautiful life.
Tami: What was your inspiration for creating FENN, and what keeps you going?
Clare: We wanted to create a space that feels intrinsically warm and welcoming, while still carrying an elevated, luxurious sensibility. Combining clinical and ancient massage techniques into one treatment felt like a natural evolution for us.
Human connection truly sits at the core of what we do and how we operate as therapists, it's what keeps us grounded and inspired. My team are deeply passionate about skin, but just as much about relationships and building a clientele that feel more like friends. It really is a special space, and I feel incredibly grateful for my team and our community. They keep me going, always.
Tami: FENN sells calm. Building it while raising a young child is anything but. How do those two worlds meet, and how do you get fully into one or the other?
Clare: Being organised is absolutely key. I also have an incredibly supportive husband who plays a huge role in FENN's success, he gives me the flexibility to grow the business and pour my heart and soul into it. We make a great team.
FENN and family are very much intertwined and always will be, and I've come to see that as part of the rhythm of it all. I think the sooner you accept that life will always throw things at you, and learn to adapt quickly, the more you set yourself up to succeed. Well, I hope so anyway.
Tami: What are your morning and evening rituals, the things you do to prepare for the day ahead and to properly wind down before sleep?
Clare: Skincare always. No questions asked. Even if it's a two-minute routine, I make it happen. It has to.
I also really enjoy doing Pilates in the morning. A 6am class before my family wakes up gives me a rare moment to myself. Completely uninterrupted. It clears my head and helps me mentally prepare for the day ahead.
Admittedly, I'm not great at winding down at night. I usually end up working right up until I shower, which is really what signals the start of my wind-down. I do like to read if I've got a great book on the go.
Tami: What has been your proudest moment, as a founder and as a mother?
Clare: As a mother, seeing Archie interact with our friends, honestly it makes my heart melt, and watching his little personality come to life. He's pure joy, such a happy kid. I think that makes me feel proud that my husband and I have given him a home where he feels loved and safe and confident enough to forge his own little path.
As a founder, my team. I'm immensely proud of cultivating an environment where they feel supported and can enjoy what they do. Wow, similar to my son haha. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful people in my business, I'm grateful every day. They are the heart and soul of FENN.
Tami: For anyone who has not been to FENN before, which treatment would you start them with?
Clare: Goshhh, hard question. I'd have to say The Classic. It's equal parts results and restoration, such an indulgence and truly an experience. Love, love, love.
Tami: You chose the Filly Set as your PALME piece. What drew you to it?
Clare: The etherealness of the set. Soft, light, super cute but still elevated. The fabric holds its shape as well. I love them, I always feel great when I put them on.
THE NOTES
Everyone in the PALME community is at a different stage, and Clare and I just happen to be at a similar one. Running a business is one thing. Building a brand while building a family is another, and it makes the need for calm louder rather than quieter. When every cylinder is firing, calm is not an abstract idea. It is a lifeline.
I am forever in awe of the women who manage both, because the truth is you cannot be 100% a hands-on mother and 100% a business owner. So we live in the details. Slowing where we can, taking stock where we can, and giving what is left to whatever is asking loudest that week, the work, the children, the husband, or occasionally ourselves.
Clare put it so well, slow living is being content with the life you have built. We only need to pause long enough to take it in.
FENN, 24 Glenmore Road, Paddington. fennstore.com
Clare is wearing the PALME Filly Set.
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