old enough to be sensible . . and choose not to be

whowhatwear: The oversized clutch and leather biker jacket is...

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:27:45 +0800

The oversized clutch and leather biker jacket is all kinds of street style perfect.

Response to "Quick thoughts on work/life balance" by Matt Galligan

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:27:10 +0800

Response to "Quick thoughts on work/life balance" by Matt Galligan:

mattgalligan:

This subject has very much been on my mind lately as we gear up for our launch at Circa. I’d love to dive in further on the topic sometime, but right now I’d just like to just kick off a few thoughts on work/life balance.

I recently read something that said that the “best” folks in the industry are the ones without a work/life balance…

…

…Take evenings off, take weekends, holidays off – it’s vital recharge time. The work will still be there when you get back but if all you do is your work, you might not have a life to go back to if it doesn’t work out.

This is a topic I’ve been thinking about as well. In my experience building a company, it’s unfortunately not as simple as Matt puts in his post. Starting a company takes lot of extra work. Like way more than a normal job. Sometimes you need to stay up all night long to prep for a meeting, fix a major bug, or finally finish a set of features you’ve been working on. Sometimes you need to work 16 hour days for a month straight to catch up to your self-imposed deadline. I wish I could just decide to take off evenings and weekends, but it would actually be irresponsible for me to do so given the promises I’ve made to my users, my investors, and my team. That’s startup life. If you’ve found a way around all that, please drop me a note. I’ll buy you a beer next time we’re out.

Starting a company is the very act of creating something from nothing. You’re figuratively giving birth to something that didn’t exist before you created it. Giving birth is a process that entails intense pain and suffering. (My daughter Vivian turns 1 next month.) But when you’re done with all of the pain, you’re looking at something magical that you’ve created through your own hard work (and typically several others’). As a Father (and a business owner), I can tell you that it’s worth it. The hard work and pain are absolutely worth it.

I think the advise to take off evenings and weekends focuses too much on the execution rather than the strategy. I think the bigger piece of advice here is this: Your idea and company are probably going to fail. Don’t ruin your life, relationships, and health in the process because you’ll probably need all three when that happens. It’s up to the entrepreneur in all of us to discern when it’s time to hustle and when it’s time to pull over, recharge the batteries and take in the scenery. Entrepreneurship is a process.

That said, I’ve found that taking care of yourself is a major part of being a quality founder and team leader. The long hours, missed sleep, design debates, investor relations, and customer support issues can add up quick. It’s super important to keep your head in a good place so that you can lead your team with the right attitude and a clear vision. Spending time with family, friends, or even by myself refuels my mental resources and makes me a better CEO.

Building a long-lasting, strong company that makes a difference in people’s life is one of the things I want to do while I’m on this earth. So I’m willing to put in a lot of effort to pursue that life goal. I don’t have the work-life balance thing perfected, but I think the best founders don’t see a clear distinction between the two.

My guess is Matt would agree.

The brand Stubbs and Wootton is known for their cheeky...

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:01:27 +0800

The brand Stubbs and Wootton is known for their cheeky embroidered slippers and we had a good laugh when we spotted these on the street yesterday… The joke might not be as funny for our non-English speaking readers (and there is always the issue of the message you send when you cross your legs…) but […]

I want these shoes!

Getting Stains: Pigilan O Sige lang (by PigilanoSigelang...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:42:22 +0800

Getting Stains: Pigilan O Sige lang (by PigilanoSigelang PH)

It’s time mom’s changed their attitude about their kids getting stains. View this to learn more about what helps to boost your child’s learning and development!

http://bit.ly/gettingstains

Stains= discovery = learning. Agree? :) I agree. Too many...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 21:13:36 +0800

Stains= discovery = learning. Agree? :) I agree. Too many complexes when kids are too….ahem…clean? But seriously, we should let kids be kids.

Watch what kids do when let free in a playroom. #gettingstains...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 21:06:15 +0800

Watch what kids do when let free in a playroom. #gettingstains http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2il9NbnCjy0&feature=share

If you were the moms, what would you do? Pigilan o sige lang? :)

Grammar police

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:48:09 +0800

Grammar police

wantering-blog: Mid-week motivation! Work hard, play hard....

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:37:47 +0800

wantering-blog:

Mid-week motivation! Work hard, play hard. Love, Wantering

Seth Godin on the Art of Noticing, and then Creating. Simply...

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:36:37 +0800

Seth Godin on the Art of Noticing, and then Creating.

Simply inspiring.

Photo

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 11:55:55 +0800

Alexi Murdoch - Orange Sky (Live) (by BaebleVEVO)

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:49:16 +0800

Alexi Murdoch - Orange Sky (Live) (by BaebleVEVO)

I think it’s New Year’s Eve. Shouldn’t watch...

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:25:03 +0800

I think it’s New Year’s Eve. Shouldn’t watch this stuff :/

WHY did I leave the DVD unwatched for months? Loving “The...

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:18:00 +0800

WHY did I leave the DVD unwatched for months? Loving “The Good Wife”!

Out with my brothers, nieces and sis-in-laws for the amazing...

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:01:53 +0800

Out with my brothers, nieces and sis-in-laws for the amazing light show at the Ayala Triangle.

Has it been just 4 months (or less than)? It feels like a year!...

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 22:33:21 +0800

Has it been just 4 months (or less than)? It feels like a year! Excited to plan more stuff for Ladelu in 2013!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ladelu Bespoke Aftershave and Splash for Men. Not shown:...

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 14:59:00 +0800

Ladelu Bespoke Aftershave and Splash for Men. Not shown: Lavender Water, Grapefruit Water and Orange Blossom Water. Available in January 2013!

Merry Christmas from Ladelu!

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 12:02:49 +0800

Merry Christmas from Ladelu!

:)

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:05:47 +0800

Or maybe you just want to watch a video. Sure. Here is...

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:31:11 +0800

Or maybe you just want to watch a video. Sure. Here is “Kind Earth” in visuals. Enjoy!

Music: “Be Prepared to Be Surprised” by Sondre Lerche (from the movie “Dan in Real Life”)

We have #1 perfume out now from the “Fruits of the...

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:25:00 +0800

We have #1 perfume out now from the “Fruits of the Earth” series, I unveil to you “Kind Earth” eau de parfum. We also have two others: “Flower Child” and “Calm Waters”. Learn more about it on www.ladelu.net. Now. As in. Right now.