Small Business Owner Morning Rituals
Many of us entrepreneurs have realize that over time we begin creating our own daily rituals, whether it's a certain breakfast every day, going out for a daily run, even waking up just to see the sunrise.
This week I was reading this article which I found interesting from a small business owners perspective because 1. Many of us have to wake up early.... and 2. We need valuable consistency.
Here's and excerpt from Richard Feloni's article, The Morning Rituals of 15 Highly Successful Small-Business Owners,
Jeffrey Zurofsky, CEO and co-founder of 'wichcraft, Riverpark, and Riverpark Farm, is 'an animal' about his rituals.
Zurofsky is a co-founder of the gourmet sandwich chain 'wichcraft, which started in New York City in 2003 and grew to 15 locations spread over New York, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. He and his two business partners, Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar, also opened the restaurant Riverpark and its accompanying urban farm.
Zurofsky is so passionate about his morning ritual that he prepares the night before, when he writes out his to-do list and organizes emails. Before he goes to sleep sometime between midnight and 2 a.m., he eats two scoops of almond butter because he says it helps build energy for the following morning.
After he wakes up at 5:30 a.m. (he makes up for the limited sleep with a nap later in the day), he walks his dog and does some kind of exercise, whether it's running, a workout, or squash. He follows it up with some meditation, and then he's ready for an intense meal. "I have an enormous breakfast: 1,000 calories, 30 grams of protein," he says. "It changes cuisines, but it's always eggs, a cup of legumes, veggies, and typically some meats--whether it's chicken breast or leftover something." He washes it all down with a glass of green juice with ginger.
Jeffrey 'jeffstaple' Ng, founder and owner of Staple Design, starts his day with a Japanese pour-over coffee.
Ng, who goes by jeffstaple, started his cutting edge design brand in New York City with a single T-shirt back in 1997. Staple Design has worked with international clients such as Nike, HBO, Puma, and Uniqlo, and his signature pigeon logo has made Staple Clothing an instantly recognizable brand in streetwear.
Ng brings the same energy to his mornings as he does to his business. He wakes at 8 every day and scans his phone for urgent emails or messages while still in bed. And rather than settling for a cup of Folgers, he hand grinds quality coffee beans and then does a Japanese pour-over, a style of drip brewing that takes five to 10 minutes for a single cup.
In the shower, he uses AquaNotes, a waterproof notepad, to jot down ideas as his mind wanders. Three times a week, he'll work out with his personal trainer after coffee.
And of course, his outfit is a top priority, which he said he starts from the bottom up: "I get dressed by choosing my footwear first, then build my outfit based on which shoes I'm going to be wearing. Luckily, my wardrobe is mostly clothing I've designed...so it's pretty straightforward."
