Do you require ten shots of espresso to get the day rolling? Can co-workers hear the dubstep pumping from your headphones when you are racing to meet a deadline? Are you notorious for cracking open a brewski once the clock strikes 5 p.m.? Inspired by a great blog post by Brad Feld about how he structures his day, BostInno decided to ask people in Boston's startup community a number of questions on their personal working style–no censoring of quirks allowed!
Who: Ben Jabbawy, cofounder and CEO of Privy
BostInno: What's your morning routine?
Ben Jabbawy: I wake up and get organized for the day. I’ll quickly check my calendar of events for the day, make a fresh batch of juice, workout and head to work. Typically I block off the first two hours to actually produce some piece of work. It could be an investor update, sales pitch and some light email. And of course, every day starts by looking at our product performance numbers. I like to be the first in the office.
Do you have any unique work habits?
I typically stand up the entire work day. At our new office we have some great standing desks from Ikea that adjust to any height you want. I find standing keeps me on my feet and energized throughout the day.
What do you do for a work day escape?
Actually, we have a client nearby who owns SA PA, the new Vietnamese restaurant on Bedford St. Some days I’ll hop over there and spend some time with him, other days I’ll sit on the benches out by Chinatown Gate and make a few calls. Fresh air goes a long way.
Do you have any guilty pleasure apps?
I’m not the Candy Crush or Fruit Ninja type, but my wife Emily saw an ad for Lumosity (an app that puzzles and games to improve cognitive function) on TV once, and she now has me hooked. It’s a nice way to clear the mind before bed.
Do you have any favorite music/artists/songs that help you focus at work?
Oddly enough when I plug in headphones at work, I’ll throw on the Native American flute station on Pandora, but most of the time we play music out loud in the office. It ranges from 70’s funk to electronic dance.
What time of the day are you most productive?
I’m most productive From 7:00-11:00 a.m. I’m incredibly task oriented, so as I said, I reserve mornings for major tasks and plan meetings with recruits, customers or investors for the afternoon.
How do you work?
I enjoy using different parts of my mind in any given day. Once I complete my to-dos for that day I like to review our product roadmap and customer data and think about sales and projections and even a little bit of content and marketing. Exercising each component on a regular basis is what I love about startups.
How do you know when the work day is done?
When I feel the urge to open a browser to http://www.fullscreenmario.com/.
When you get off work, what's the first thing that you do?
Balance work and family. I head home to see my wife and maybe cook dinner together, and eat outside on the tables by the children’s museum. Best view in town.
Know someone who would be great for the column? Hit me up at gillis@streetwise-media.com.
