5 Female CEOs Spend The First Hour Of Their Day Doing This
January 11, 2019 was my last day working at a 9-5.
As I walked out of my dusty old office and said 'bye Felicia' to that boss that I couldn't stand, I just knew that I would be entering into my ultimate girlboss life as a full-time CEO. But then, the unexpected happened.
During the first few months as a full-time entrepreneur, I was a hot mess. My days were all mixed up, I either was working too much or too little, and honestly, I just didn't have a lot of direction in the way I tackled my day.
Because of this, I found myself in those first few months lacking focus, feeling unsure of myself, and struggling more than necessary. During this time, I knew that one of the most important things that I needed to do was learn how to effectively start my day. The start of your day has so much influence and impact on how the rest of your day will flow, so I knew it was critical for me to get that in order so that everything else could fall in place. It wasn't until the end of the spring that I finally got a grip on my new life as a full-time entrepreneur, but once I did, life as an entrepreneur became more fruitful and my business began to blossom.
Fast-forward to today, I'm one year in as a full-time entrepreneur and I'm still learning. Even though I have a pretty great system now, I've been wanting to pick the brain of some of my favorite boss women on how they spend the first hour of their day.
Here's what these leading ladies shared with me:
Kezia Williams
Courtesy of Kezia Williams
CEO of Black upStart
"I can be the wealthiest Black woman in the world, empowered to own any asset at my fingertips. But if I do not have time, my wealth is worthless. I cannot buy one minute of time. I cannot bargain another to own theirs. I cannot trade my minute for the next man's. My minutes are mine alone and every day I wake up, my cup is replenished with 1,440 marvelous, irreplaceable minutes of opportunity. I start my day at 5am because frankly - like Wiz said - it's some real boss shit.
"I can be the wealthiest Black woman in the world, empowered to own any asset at my fingertips. But if I do not have time, my wealth is worthless."
"I invest my minutes in appreciating intangible commodities: prayer, to-do lists, personal notes, #ProfessorKez videos because my first energy is always my best, cardio and finally CNN. My early morning initial investments - I try to multiply during the day - spirituality, organization, responsiveness, values, energy and information. And when late evening comes - and my body acknowledges I can't pour from an empty cup, I take care of me. Rest and repeat."
Isa Watson
Courtesy of Isa Watson
Founder & CEO of Squad
"My early mornings are dedicated to getting my mind and body right for the day. I wake up by 5:30am each day and the first thing I do is look out of my NYC window that overlooks the Hudson River and say the following sentence aloud: 'Today I feel grateful for [insert gratitude].' I do a short 5-10-minute meditation, followed by an 8-minute Tae Bo routine and a 10-12-minute conditioning workout that my younger brother makes for me each week. A shorter, but effective, workout like this in the morning is most conducive to my productivity throughout the day.
"Moving out of my morning self-care practice, I then get dressed, catch up on emails and prepare my lunch. Making and bringing my lunch to work has helped me get a bit healthier and save a ton of money."
Alicia Scott
Courtesy of Alicia Scott
Founder/CEO of Range Beauty
"The first hour of my day is crucial to set my intention for that day. I always begin with prayer, my daily devotional, and meditation for the first 30 minutes. Next, with breakfast, I review my weekly to-do board which is a whiteboard that has the days of the week listed and each day is divided by Morning, Afternoon, and Evening (great Target find!). I set this up every Sunday for the week ahead and then adjust the night prior or throughout the day. This helps me block out when to begin and end tasks and I use it with my weekly planner to stay focused. After this, I typically check emails and respond to any urgent requests."
LaKeasha Brown
Courtesy of LaKeasha Brown
Chief Juicing Officer at 1987 Juices
"I wake up everyday before 7am, I spend time with nature, God, and my priorities for the day. No emails, phone calls or social media. Before I put my feet to the ground, I meditate. In bed, eyes closed but mouth open and upward. 'Thank you God for waking me up this morning. Thank you God for every breath in my body. Thank you God for my peace of mind. Thank you God for an amazing day today, and thank you God for everyone one who experiences you through me today. Give me strength, give me courage, give me wisdom. Amen!' This sets the tone for the entire day.
"I then map out the entire day in the bathroom by order of importance and time. I write out my top 3-5 major tasks/goals for the day and set alarms to them in my phone. Setting an alarm to each goal reminds me to complete it but the time in between each alarm ensures that it's actually completed before moving on to the next. I'm extremely intentional about completing tasks, it's a form of self-care for me to finish what I'm setting out to do. I rarely plan more than 5 major goals a day, this helps me stay on track and makes sure I don't leave items for tomorrow to handle.
"From there, I drink my first cup of warm water, I make my green juice for the day (a Green Mile from 1987 Juices) and have my second cup of water before making breakfast. It's important to start the day off feeding your body with energy. This has done wonders for my digestive tract, mood and keeps my energy up daily.
"Next, I check my bank account. When it comes to money. I plan the big picture and break everything down into daily deposits. For instance, If I want to save $5k for at the end of the month, it starts with daily deposits of $167 daily. Checking my account each morning keeps me mindful about my flow of income and spending. Lastly, I step outside and smile at the sun. I spend a lot of time indoors. Whether it's pressing in the kitchen or at our Grab & Go location. The sun and the air are like charging stations in the morning. I plug in and go."
Yve-Car Momperousse
Courtesy of Yve-Car Momperousse
Founder of Kreyol Essence
"I wake up between 3am-5am, depending on what my intentions are for that day. In the first hour, I try to focus on some aspect of self-care to center myself. I often listen to one of my favorite podcasts such as Jay Shetty's On Purpose Radio, Oprah's Super Soul Sunday, Red Table Talk with Jada, or TD Jakes.
"I try to work out three times a week so when my body needs physicality, I either do CrossFit or go for a good run. For those mornings when I need to be reflective, I turn to journaling, meditation, and prayer. I know this is quite a mix of activity but when I direct my morning, I own the day versus it owning me."
"When I direct my morning, I own the day versus it owning me."
Featured image courtesy of Isa Watson
Originally published on February 17, 2020
Brittani Hunter is a proud PVAMU alumni and the founder of The Mogul Millennial, a business and career platform for Black Millennials. Meet Brittani on Twitter and on the Gram at @BrittaniLHunter and @mogulmillennial.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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8 'It Girl' Podcasts To Help You Level Up And Elevate Your Thinking
Black folk love a good podcast, and the numbers don't lie: A report found that a whopping 43% of the U.S. Black population are monthly podcast listeners. Among those listeners, 55 percent are women, and 75% overall, Black listeners are drawn to shows that focus on our unique stories and perspectives.
Listening to a good podcast can leave you feeling energized, seen, and understood, especially when Black women hosts are at the lead. And if you're a lover of multitasking motivation, they're perfect to enjoy while doing your household chores or driving to your next appointment.
Since xoNecole, in partnership with Hyundai, has launched its inaugural ItGirl 100 List—a celebration of fierce, ultra-creative, Black women, across industries—here are a few podcasts to add to your list for leveling up in all aspects of your life and career:
1.Therapy For Black Girls With Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Addressing mental health issues and redefining wellness in that area is a great first start for leveling up, whether personally or professionally. Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is keeping the momentum going this year, offering insights on subjects including finding "purpose in profit," healing from grief, and more.
2.Healed Girl Era With Gia Peppers
Known for making her own amazing boss moves in media, Gia Peppers is expanding on the impact she had with her previous podcast, "More Than That," with "Healed Girl Era," a show that focuses on topics including self-love cultivation and candid conversations with other successful women we love like author and speaker Luvvie Ajayi, Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), and entrepreneur Jovian Zayne.
3.The Mama's Den
For all the moms holding down the house while loving on their pride and joys, this is a great podcast that talks about issues ranging from pop culture snafus to friendship maintenance. The conversations also affirm Black women's identities that go beyond being "mommy," and how women can truly embrace self-care as parents.
4.The Light Podcast with Michelle Obama
The former U.S. First Lady taps into her network of friends and family to drop jewels on friendship, marriage, relationship building, and some of her own personal experiences of life post-White House. What's great about this is if you loved any of her books, you can get even more elevated inspiration.
5.The Scottie & Sylvia Show
Media personalities and best friends Scottie Beam and Sylvia Obell got rave reviews and built a robust community of supporters with Okay, Now Listen during the pandemic but ended recording episodes of the super-successful show in 2022. They came back strong, launching their latest podcast, The Scottie & Sylvia Show, via Issa Rae's Raedio, addressing topics on romance, colorism, and vulnerability in the engaging way that’s made them a crowd favorite.
6.Money Talk With Tiff
Can't level up with talking about personal finance, and Tiffany Grant, an accredited financial counselor, shares realistic tips on subjects like how to tackle debt and the best approach to having the money talk with your bae. The show also features interviews with entrepreneurs and experts on real estate investing and entrepreneurship.
7.The Thought Card
Danielle Desir Corbette meshes her passion for travel with personal finance advocacy with this podcast. She offers insights on "travel hacking" and content about unique travel experiences that put Black culture and enlightenment at the center of the adventure.
8.Just Us Podcast
This podcast is hosted by besties who are lawyers by training, and co-host Tashira Halyard (who left a career in law to go full-time as a content creator) boldly holds space, offering her very relatable take on social, economic, and personal topics that affect Black women in the workplace and society at large. This podcast particularly showcases the power of connection, understanding, and common ground that is magnified when two powerful millennials from diverse backgrounds actually talk, listen, and respectfully relate with one another in ways that are affirming and truth-seeking.
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Featured image Delmaine Donson/Getty Images