Inside the work habits of 3 successful Boston CEOs

by Justine Hofherr
January 27, 2017

Being the CEO of a tech startup can be incredibly rewarding and incredibly stressful. Not only are you in charge of creating a successful business, but you’re taxed with finding the right team of talented, driven employees and growing an innovative and healthy culture.

You’re also the person everyone looks to if things fall apart.

The leadership role certainly isn’t for everyone, but for those who choose it, finding a routine that helps you stay sane and healthy is often key. We caught up with three CEOs from Boston’s tech community to find out how they keep it together.

 

 

Fasten is a ridesharing company that charges drivers a flat fee of $1 per ride, without taking a percentage from the fare.

Responses from CEO Kirill Evdakov

What's the first thing you do when you wake up?

Turn the alarm off and check yesterday’s stats. Or chase my cat if he woke me up before the alarm went off.

What's the last thing you do before you go to bed?

I read for as long as I can.

What do you have for breakfast?

Something. Or nothing. I don’t have breakfast regularly and sometimes I don’t eat until lunch.

During work hours, what  part of your routine do you never sacrifice?

Can’t say that there is anything I never sacrifice but I try to play Lumosity for 20-30 minutes after lunch every single day and I don’t skip without a serious reason.

Slack, Trello, or Gchat? Which is your favorite and why? Any other tools that you rely on?

I like Slack and Trello. Basecamp works better for certain types of projects. The most important tool for me is Things.

How do you unwind?

Playing games. Anything from Chess to World of Warcraft to Dota.

 


 

 

Raizlabs is a tech firm that designs and develops custom apps, web platforms and software for a wide range of organizations, from fast-growing startups to Fortune 500 companies.

Responses from CEO Greg Raiz

What's the first thing you do when you wake up?

I try to plan my day. It's easy to be responsive to daily events. The first thing I try to figure out is what I want to focus on. I use both paper and electronic tools to write down lists of things I want to get done over the course of the day or week. This helps me keep my priorities top of mind. 

What's the last thing you do before you go to bed?

I try to decompress. As a CEO, it's easy to work 24/7 and to always be "On." Before going to bed I try to decompress and unwind, often I read a book or a browse a non-work website. This allows my brain to relax and I find ways to refresh to start my next day.

What do you have for breakfast?

I love making an omelet and a latte.

During work hours, what part of your routine do you never sacrifice?

I try not to sacrifice my time and my plan. It's easy to get pulled in many directions based on the events of the day. It's easy to sacrifice your own time for the time of the team. I try to always keep my office door open so that I can be approachable but I also try to balance that with time for my own priorities.

Slack, Trello, or Gchat? Which is your favorite and why? Any other tools that you rely on?

I don't like Slack and Gchat too much. I find that too much is missed when it's typed. In-person conversations often end up saving time and have much better results.  At Raizlabs, we use Slack and Gchat and iMessage and everything else but my favorite is working with someone in real time.

How do you unwind?

I like to spend time with family and enjoy activities including hiking, snowboarding, biking and sailing.

 


 

 

Pixability is a video adtech company that helps media professionals create marketing campaigns on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Responses from Founder and CEO Bettina Hein

What's the first thing you do when you wake up?

My 3- and 6-year-old typically wake me up, so the first thing I do is make them breakfast.

What's the last thing you do before you go to bed?

Before I hit the hay I always read The Upshot on the New York Times app.

What do you have for breakfast?

I eat breakfast at the office because I don’t have time to eat at home. I usually go with Chobani Greek Yogurt.

During work hours, what part of your routine do you never sacrifice?

I always make time to catch up with my team in the office kitchen. That face-to-face interaction across departments and levels is crucial to building a strong culture and work environment.

Slack, Trello, or Gchat? Which is your favorite and why? Any other tools that you rely on?

Slack. We're active Slack users at Pixability across every department. It's been a great tool for inter- and cross-team communication and knowledge sharing, and saves inbox space as the company rapidly grows. Another tool I use is Samebox to help with email overload. I also use this great journal app called Day One.

How do you unwind?

Boxing with the Pixability team and playing with my kids.

 

 

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