Don't Let KPIs Impact Your Mood

It hit me. As a first-time founder and mom, I lost my work-life balance. Completely.

Checking Slack during dinner. Missing soccer matches. All of it.

Yes, the company was growing. But my "hustle" was not sustainable. So I do things differently now.

Here's what changed:

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

1/ Don't let KPIs impact mood

I would check KPIs like Leads/Meetings daily. Sometimes multiple times a day

Trending above target? Hell yeah! Life is good!
Trending below pace? Doubt crept in. I suck. I am a fraud

Yes, this is stupid. But every founder has been there. (Right?)

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

I don't think as CEO I'll ever be able to detach myself fully. A churned customer still sucks.

But I am now able to put it in perspective: It's okay to lose customers. It's normal to have bad months. To struggle. To have things break.

I learned to accept those things.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

2/ Delegate more

Most of '22 was me, 10-15 Growth Assistants and one US hire. Now we have a leadership team of 8 here in the US and over 30 Growth Assistants in PH.

We are still a very lean team. But I finally focus on my CEO role: Working on the business instead of in it.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

No need to worry about "final interviews", kick-off calls with customers and all the other things I was responsible for anymore.

It's not easy to delegate. But it's a must to scale effectively.

BTW - my biased view: the combination of US leadership plus offshore talent is magic

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

3/ Find outlets besides work

The company was absorbing everything.

But sometimes just a quick phone call with my mom would change my perspective and brighten me up.

So, I forced myself (and my EA) to actively create those outlets.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

Now I try to prioritize all those things above work:

> (Uninterrupted) family time
> Dinner with friends
> Walks with my husband
> Working out

It's way too easy to let those things go. There is always another email you have to answer. But let the email wait!

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

4/ Lean on my EA (a lot)

I was so skeptical. Never wanted an EA.

Yeah, I was stupid.

Now I am convinced that every CEO/Leader needs one. The time-saving (scheduling, emails etc.) is nice. But the mental load she takes off my shoulders is the incredible part

What I mean is...

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

... that she makes sure I stay on top of ALL the things.

Follow-ups from meetings. My dentist appointment. My emails. Blocking time in my calendar.

I don't have to worry about any of those things. She'll bring them to my attention at the right moment.

10/10 would recommend!!

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

4/ Stop comparing, everyone is struggling

I would compare myself to other CEOs. They make it seem so easy on Twitter! They came across as confident, had smart takes and were always positive.

Well, spoiler alert: Twitter does not represent real life.

Shocker, right?

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

After meeting more founders, I realized that all are struggling. We are all dealing with self-doubt. I'm not alone

The people I compared myself to? The ones who made it seem effortless?

Even they are struggling

So I simply try to compare myself to others less. It helps!

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

5/ Remember why I am doing it

I just got back from a trip to the Philippines where I met our team for the first time. After working with them for 2+ years, I finally got to see & touch them.

It's cliché - but hearing the impact our work has on their life was the biggest boost. pic.twitter.com/M9kkaXal8v

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

I've never felt more motivated and excited about the business!!

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

6/ Shut-down routine

When I am done with work, I am done with work. I don't check Slack on the phone during dinner. I won't reply to emails in bed.

I am either "on" and working. Or I am off.

When I am done, I tell myself aloud: "I am done for the day."

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

I swear this stupid little sentence makes a difference!

Try it!

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

So what hasn't changed?

- I still work a lot
- Business is still growing & profitable - about to hit $8M ARR (100% bootstrapped)

But I *feel* better. The stress is still here. But I learned to handle it. I am present for my family.

I hope my notes help you achieve the same!

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

PS: It's okay to take vacations. Yes, even as the CEO / founder. pic.twitter.com/ps2NJ2LYim

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

And that's a wrap!

The business that has me working so hard? It's GrowthAssistant.

We embed elite offshore Growth / Marketing talent. Our talent takes on all the manual tasks. The tasks your $100k hire shouldn't do.

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023

100+ companies trust us. Many - like Calm, DoorDash, CTC, Quip, WPP or ClickUp - are well-known brands or agencies.

Interested in seeing how we could support your business? What tasks we can take off your team's shoulders?

Join our waitlist now! https://t.co/hyLpwFDclC

— adriane schwager (@aschwags3) March 22, 2023