As the CEO of a New York City-based startup, Shodogg, I know that managing the moving parts of an early-stage company is challenging and often times hectic. Here are the six things I do every week to maintain efficiency, balance and sanity in our offices.
Communicate with Your Employees
Being the CEO of a startup usually means you’re stretched as thin as possible between employee and client management, chasing active leads, doing media interviews and building your company’s reputation. But amidst the chaos, I’m a firm believer in the philosophy that great companies are built with a foundation of great people. You need to be present and have open, honest communication with the team helping you build your company in order to achieve full success as a CEO.
Attend Meetup Groups and Industry Networking Events
The more you get out into the community and network with other industry professionals, the more engagement you’ll see with your company on every level. Networking at CES and SXSW is great, but you don’t have to pay top dollar to spread the word about your company and meet industry veterans. Our company participates in a ton of Meetups and tech groups in the NYC and Philadelphia areas to demo our product, showcase our technology and most importantly, network with other tech professionals to create lasting business relationships.
Recap the Trade Press and Competitor Moves
The tech industry moves at lightening speeds and it’s your job to keep up and stay informed. Recapping the latest industry press is the best way to stay on top of trends and competitor news every day. If you don’t have an agency or dedicated press person to monitor the media, there are tons of tools out there to help. I use the first part of my day to browse through the major headlines on Flipboard, and our PR Manager loves using Google Alerts and Twitter Lists to organize incoming industry and competitor news.
Call Every Officer in the Company
In the hectic day-to-day chaos of a startup, getting everyone together in the same room for a weekly regroup meeting is a dream at best. Emails get lost, meeting makers get forgotten and suddenly your executive team is off in five different directions. Make it a priority to speak – verbally, not just via email – to every officer in your company, every week. Updating each other on projects you’ve been working on, clients you’re talking to and problems you’re facing maintains constructive dialogue and workflow.
Review Financing and Cash Flow
Even if you have a team member in charge of maintaining your company’s finances, it’s important to look at the books every week and be aware of the money flowing in and out. As a CEO, make sure you’re keeping an eye on each moving part of your business to maintain an active role in day-to-day operations.
Do Something that Takes Your Mind Off of Work
Yes, you read that right. We CEOs tend to let our business’s consume us – checking emails all day and night while forgetting that we’re human and need some time to ourselves, our friends and our families. Put down the iPhone, back away from the computer and do something that isn’t on your business plan for a few hours each week.
By staying aware of the industry trends and competitor moves, communicating with your entire team frequently, networking with other startups and industry professionals, and remembering to stay grounded, the week-to-week operations of your startup will run much more efficiently.
Are you a startup CEO? What are some things you do every week to keep your company running efficiently?