Let’s cut the bs. I’m not chasing a rigid schedule – I’m a founder, not a robot.
What I do have is a rhythm: unpredictable and flexible. Here’s a look at how real my days get.
30 Topics by Noon
Some mornings begin before I even hit the office. In the car, I drive from:
- Marketing strategy
- Ad performance updates (yes, even Google Ads)
- Budget and cash-flow review
- Dev escalations
- Client outreach
- Team feedback loops
…And somehow, that’s just the warm-up.
By mid-morning, I’ve already touched on at least 30 different areas. Yet, that’s exactly the point: your “routine” as a founder is really the art of staying present across the chaos.
The Car: My Mobile Call Center
I don’t just take calls in the car by default – I strategically save some conversations for that commute time. Here’s how it works:
- “Curated” call planning
I decide ahead of time which conversations suit transit best – quick alignments, client updates that don’t need shared screens, or brief syncs with the team. - Mental triage on the move
I save the fully immersive tasks for the office. In the car, I handle what I can – reprioritize, delegate, move the needle where possible without full immersion. - Turning transit into tacit productivity
My car isn’t just transportation – it’s a mobile workspace that gets things done. That’s smart leadership in motion 😉.
After-Hours Magic: Where I Get Stuff Done
Once everyone’s gone, that’s when the real work begins:
- Strategy memos get written.
- Foundational decisions take shape.
- I finish tasks no one else can or should.
And yes, I fuel that solitude with sacrilegious quantities of coffee. That quiet hour after sunset? My most productive.
The Founder Shuffle: One Day, a Million Hats
My days ping-pong across worlds:
- One moment I’m in the office, heads buried in code or spreadsheets
- Next? I’m at an event, pitching
- Then a competition, hoping to snag some recognition
- Traveling between client meetings and team roundups
- On stage, delivering a keynote, a workshop or a roundtable
Every day is a different hat, and I keep a fresh one for every moment.
Why this honesty matters – and how you can learn from it
Structure isn’t enough, but presence is everything. You don’t need perfect rituals – but you do need to show up, ready to shift lanes any second.
Use your car, your hallway, your late-evening coffee breaks as your creative offices. Your best moments might happen off calendar.
Guard the post-work hours. That time after staff leave is pure time, your time, to think, create, and build the things only you can.
Modern founder habits that actually work
Real founders don’t just grind – they learn how to be strategically flexible.
For instance, Bill Rice talks about routines that enhance founder efficiency – frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix, time-blocking with flexibility, and daily boundary-setting that still handle curveballs.
Similarly, founders who thrive – not just survive – use small habits to stay sane: grounding rituals, prioritizing learning, staying deeply connected with customers, and leading with authenticity (Agency List).
Conclusion: raw, human, adaptable
So yeah, my days are messy. My “routine” is improvised, fluid. But it’s mine. And it works – because I stay engaged, real, and ready.
Pro-tip from a founder in the trenches: Your quiet moments – and your coffee rituals – are not indulgences. They’re lifelines. Hold them sacred.
I’m not saying a “routine” is useless. But if your day shifts like sand – with thirty subjects before lunch, mobile negotiations, solo strategy sprints, and event-hopping – then your rhythm must be as fluid as your role.
