The CEO of David’s Bridal buys clothes from Goodwill and eBay—but swears by private chefs on vacation

Success·Fortune The Good LifeThe CEO of David’s Bridal buys clothes from Goodwill and eBay—but swears by private chefs on vacationBY Emma BurleighBY Emma BurleighReporter, SuccessEmma BurleighReporter, SuccessEmma Burleigh is a reporter at Fortune, covering success, careers, entrepreneurship, and personal finance

Before joining the Success desk, she co-authored Fortune’s CHRO Daily, extensively covering the workplace and the future of jobs

SEE FULL BIO Kelly Cook, the CEO turning around at David’s Bridal, says her job is “ being a wedding therapist, crisis negotiator and fairy godmother all rolled into one. ”Courtesy of David's BridalBeing in the C-suite is a high-pressure job with long hours, responsibilities to the board, and intense scrutiny

But what is it to be a top executive when you’re off the clock

Fortune’s series, The Good Life, shows how up-and-coming leaders spend their time and money outside of work

Today we meet Kelly Cook, the CEO of wedding chain David’s Bridal

Chances are if you’ve been in the market for an affordable wedding dress sometime over the past seven decades, David’s Bridal was a contender to find your dream outfit

Two years after declaring bankruptcy, the has made headway in its turnaround, including bringing veteran retail executive Cook on as CEO in April this year

Cook took the helm of David’s Bridal after working her way up through marketing and nology roles for more than five years

But long before rising to be CEO of the, Cook was amassing an impressive rolodex of brand expertise

People are her calling, so she took on employee and customer management at Waste Management for three years

When I was one of the very few female execs at Waste Management we said, ‘We’re women of trash but don’t call us trashy women. ’” Now, the 58-year-old serial executive is a key ingredient in the revamp at the largest bridal retailer in America

I adore men’s jackets/blazers—I only get them at Goodwill

When Cook isn’t spearheading the AI-led future of the wedding, the Houston-based mom of five loves a good deal

She makes her own lunch everyday and buys men’s jackets at Goodwill

But she also craves the finer things in life, splurging on at least one big purchase yearly and “fab” custom-made suits from designers

I have five children (including triplets), three of whom are married, and we have our first grandbaby

We had four children under two, and a six-year-old

We couldn’t afford childcare, we d paycheck to paycheck

My husband, Damon, moved to night shifts and I worked day shifts managing a call center

I only saw him long enough to get pregnant with baby number five (wink wink)

Because he moved to nights and I was days, we had a four-hour layover of childcare, and we were blessed to have an awesome nanny who had them for three hours a day until my mother-in-law got off work, then she had them for the last hour

When all five children hit their teens, my husband resigned from his position so we had one parent at

Less than one month after he resigned, I was furloughed from my job

Prayers, prayers, prayers

I was blessed to find a job within 90 days which bridged severance

What are your living arrangements : Swanky apartment in the city or suburban sprawling

We have a in Houston, a ranch outside of Lufkin, and an apartment in King of Prussia

It’s the best of all worlds

Do you carry a wallet

We only have one credit card, and no debt

My Scooby Snack of a husband is very good with money

I’ve been giving them away for 20 years—to recognize great talent

Again, in people is everything

What personal finance advice would you give your 20-year-old self

What’s the one subscription you can’t without

I don’t have any, but I can answer my favorite apps: TaskRabbit, Shipt, Akira, X, and Poshmark

Where’s your go-to wristwatch from

Rolex (a gift from my husband)

From now on, I will always hire a cook or chef on vacations

Last year, it was awesome not to be in the kitchen most of the day cooking for 12 people

The necessities How do you get your daily coffee fix

Two must-haves every single day: STOK Cold Brew, and Gaggia Milano, our coffee machine

I drink a large bottle of STOK every 2 days

Gaggia cappuccinos and jasmine hot teas are afternoon pleasures

What eating on the go

Always eat lunch at my desk

I usually skip breakfast during the week, but brunch-baby-brunch on the weekends

I make my own lunches—ginger salads are a fave

DoorDash s my life at least five times a week

Usually, cafe lattes in the mornings and dinners at the end of busy weeks

My favorite things to eat out: all Asian and Vietnamese food

I love it so much—and I’m so bad at cooking food Where do you buy groceries

Walmart app and the H-E-B app

Where do you shop for your work wardrobe

I adore men’s jackets/blazers—I only get them at Goodwill

For crazy fun pieces to add flair and drama to a work outfit—AKIRA

And every winter, I buy every fur coat they offer

They are the best at fur coats

Such a fab, quality suit

Shoes—anywhere and everywhere

For tulle and sequins—David’s Bridal

I’ve bought at least 12 gowns and cut them off for crop tops, flare skirts, silk overlays, etc

It’s so fun and creative

Faded, old Levi’s (which I wear at least once a week)—only eBay

There’s an eBay seller who has the best selection for the price

And for men’s leather bomber jackets, which I love, Buffalo Exchange

Being CEO of David’s is being a wedding therapist, crisis negotiator, and fairy godmother all rolled into one

Are you the ud owner of any futuristic gadgets

My bluetooth Ray Bans

I love music—and it’s awesome when I’m buzzing around the ranch in our Kubota

The treats How do you unwind from the top job

Answer: What’s one amazing thing I did today

What did I learn today from my mistakes

What’s something I’m grateful for that happened today

A nice meal with Damon

What’s the best bonus treat you’ve bought yourself

Extra dark tint for my truck windows

How do you treat yourself when you get a motion

When I became CEO, Scooby Snack bought me a new wedding ring

The CEO ring was more, but I cherish them both the same

I bought a custom red leather jacket with small silver spikes on it, all handmade from this incredible Etsy seller

I can’t wait to wear it with a delicate, frilly cotton dress or ripped Levi’s and [Louboutins]

Take us on holiday with you, what’s next on your vacation list

I take three a year: two with our whole family, and one with just Damon

Our family tradition is to rent a huge AirBnb at the beach

Such amazing fond memories

It’s a splurge but definitely worth it

Last year, it was in Cozumel [Mexico], and the owners/host company were outstanding

From now on, I will always hire a cook or chef on vacations

Last year, it was awesome not to be in the kitchen most of the day cooking for 12 people

Fortune wants to hear from leaders on what their “Good Life” looks

Explore this year's list.