Who Are Fitpreneurs?

Fitpreneurs are the fit and energetic entrepreneurs who manage to keep up a six-pack while managing a seven to eight-figure business. These are the leaders who shrug shoulders at the mention of their already packed schedule and say, “If Mark Zuckerberg can fit in a workout, so can I”.

Indeed, it’s no secret that the owner of Facebook is super punctual about his workout sessions and even openly shares them with the world. But outside the framework of Silicon Valley, is fitpreneurship more than a fashionable high-end trend?

What does it take to be a ‘fitpreneur” when you’re running a small business? How does a healthy lifestyle inspire productivity? What does it take to get started and exactly how much time should you be prepared to give your most important business asset — your health?

We asked five small business CEOs who also happen to be fitpreneurs, why exactly fitness makes all the difference in their lives — and how it can change yours.

Meet Our Fitpreneurs

“We spend about 120 hours a week awake. Dedicating 3 of them to fitness isn’t asking a lot.
— Dmitry Lepikhov, CEO,  MightyCall“

In the world of IT, innovation sparks a perpetual race to exceed not only your competitors but your own achievements. Nowhere do things change on such momentary notice as in software development where a sharp mind is more vital than ever.

Dmitry Lepikhov, our very own CEO at MightyCall, knows how to stay ahead of the competition and inspire the whole team by bringing his most productive self to work.

“Sports is what makes my working hours incredibly more productive,” says Dmitry. “When I go for a run after work, it’s a great way to shift gears so I can easily fit another 2-3 hours of work in the evening. Even if I’m not working later on, my body is incredibly refreshed and grateful for that exercise.”

Dmitry likes to keep his fitness training diverse, that’s why he’s particularly enthusiastic about triathlon. “I do triathlon training for one hour, three times a week,” Dmitry shares. “Triathlon is a multisport race made up of running, cycling, and swimming, so you’re doing something different during each workout. I’m not in it for the Ironman race, but for the satisfaction that comes from endurance sport and the fantastic competition drive.”

“Don’t think about what you have to give up, think about what you’ll gain.
— Lauren McManus, co-founder, Create an Go“

For many, the ability to manage a business while traveling the world seems like a dream job. However, when you’re the co-founder of a million-dollar-per year business blog, traveling is also part of the job. In fact, it’s as simple to get glued to a plane seat and laptop as it is for the regular CEO to get glued to their office.

For co-founder of Create and Go Lauren McManus, a healthy lifestyle coincided with becoming an entrepreneur. Or perhaps, that was no accident?

“When I was still in a 9 to 5 work environment, I used to watch people coming back from lunch completely exhausted and unable to do anything for the rest of the day because they ate garbage on their break,” says Lauren. “That’s why when I finally took the leap to start my own business, health and wellness was always at the forefront of my mind…The days I was eating the most healthy foods were the days I got the most work done.”

In addition to healthy nutrition, Lauren prefers exercise that can be flawlessly integrated into her workday. “A few times a week I’ll take a walk through the town or a hike in the wilderness,” Lauren shares. “When that’s not an option though, I’m doing yoga and other similar strength-building exercises.”

“The hour it takes for me to go to the gym saves 2 hours in work time.
— Kean Graham, CEO, Monetize More“

Running an ad tech company with 100+ team members plus traveling for 12 months of the year may seem enough of a workout for a healthy, young leader.

Kean Graham, CEO of Monetize More, thinks differently. Without waiting for tomorrow, he’s making an investment into his future health and feeling the benefits of a fit lifestyle.

“I’ve played sports all my life, so staying active has always been a habit,” Kean shares. “[However], it’s not till later in my life [that I] really started to value the health benefits. I am so much more physically and mentally capable than people my age…because I eat well and stay active.”

Kean’s fitness method combines regular sports activities including squash, tennis, soccer, basketball, beach volleyball and golf. However, he says it’s the simple but intense activity between work that affects his productivity most. “I fit in intense activity 1 – 2 times per day intertwined with my work schedule,” Kean shares. “I only work in 3-hour stints max and take breaks with physical or social activities.”

“Work-out time is non-negotiable.
— Kristin Marquet, owner,  FemFounder”

As the owner of a business consultancy for femalepreneurs, a boutique PR company, and a fashion/lifestyle magazine to boot, NYC-based CEO Kristin Marquet has a lot on her hands at any given moment.

If founding and running three different businesses isn’t enough of a multi-tasking feat, wait till you hear how Kristin gracefully balances her business schedule with en pointe classes.

“I always led an active life from childhood and wanted to maintain those habits as I’ve gotten older,” Kristin explains. “I love working out…[it helps me] think more clearly and be more productive at work.”

Kristin’s favorite activities include running five days per week and en pointe practice twice per week. These ballet classes go back to her childhood immersion in dance. “If I miss workouts for a week or more, then my mind gets foggy and I feel sluggish,” Kristin says, adding that she spends “anywhere from four to ten hours per week” staying active and fit.

“An open attitude towards a healthy lifestyle is contagious.
— Michael Landsberg, CEO, Landsberg Bennett Private Wealth Management”

His name isn’t Elon Musk and he’s not the Tesla CEO and father of five who works up to 100 hours per week, but he’s a father of three and CEO of his own private wealth management company.

Michael Landsberg may well embarrass all business-parents out there who sigh, “You’re kidding, right?” at the mention of sports.

“To fit workouts in, you sometimes need to be creative,” Michael explains. “Like a lot of children, my children play sports, and there are a lot of practices. After dropping [them] off, I see most parents will either be on their phones or talking…I make sure to bring my running clothes and shoes. While my soccer-playing son is practicing on one field, I can run 6-8 miles circling all the soccer fields. It makes complete sense to use the time wisely for something productive.”

Michael also takes care to inspire a healthy lifestyle among his team. “I’m in business to help people,” Michael says, “and to help them, you must be able to work at a high level. [In] the office, we converted one of the storage rooms into a fitness center complete with a treadmill, an elliptical, and a peloton bike. … It dramatically increases morale and workplace satisfaction.”

Become a Fitpreneur

Exercise is beneficial not only for your health but also for your business’s success. Daily physical activity, such as active walking, increases brain cell connections, enhances memory capacity, and cultivates crucial leadership qualities like resilience, courage, and inspiration.

Incorporating regular exercise into your routine is simple and can include activities such as gym workouts, yoga classes, or running with your pet. Prioritizing your physical fitness can help you thrive in the business world by fostering valuable characteristics that are essential for successful leadership.

For on-the-go communication with your clients, you can always use MightyCall’s virtual phone system for small businesses. Stay connected from anywhere and take advantage of our limited-time offer to equip yourself with the tools to tackle any business challenge and become a successful fitpreneur.

The post 5 Fitpreneurs on How a Healthy Lifestyle Fuels Productivity first appeared on MightyCall.

Soft skills make up a whole set of leadership, teamwork and character traits chiseled out to perform under pressure. Among the benefits of soft skills training are increased ROI and a highly productive working environment. According to a study from Boston College, Harvard University, and the University of Michigan, on the job soft skills training delivered a 256 percent return on investment due to boosted productivity and employee retention.

How does a small business get the same kind of ROI and precisely what soft skills are needed to take your business to the next level? We asked several successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, and small business founders to share the top soft skills vital to their daily work. Here are their years of experience gathered in 8 essential points for you to learn from and implement today.

1. Communication

Communication is the chief intersection in your business journey, the daily meeting ground of the business leader, their team, and clients. If there’s a “jam” at any point, it’s bound to create friction throughout the whole business journey.

Mark Webster, Co-Founder of Authority Hacker, notes the importance of cultivating communication in distributed teams. “Even though we’re an online business, we still set aside time slots to chat with our team and discuss what’s going on,” Mark says. “Every morning we have a daily standup call where we can discuss what everyone has planned for the day and the things which may get in their way — that way we can all discuss what each individual can do to help them proceed.”

An open environment doesn’t just communicate ideas better — it leads to better problem-solving. ”When it comes to failures, instead of simply proposing a solution for them, we’ll dig into what exactly caused the failure and how we can work together to fix it,” Mark adds. “This leads to a much more open and communicative dialogue rather than a simple one-way management structure…This has had a huge impact on the business as it gets our team to really think about what they’re contributing to the business.”

Mark notes that it’s the ideas sparked by out of the box thinking that really boost his team’s productivity. To make sure none of those ideas are lost, prioritize communication within your team. To help keep track of all his team’s tasks, ideas, and keep communication flowing, Mark uses a time-management tool like Asana.  The daily reporting feature helps him instantly understand what’s on the team’s agenda.

2. Negotiation

Negotiation may be the least favorite skill a business owner has to learn, but one of the most critical. As Victoria Pynchon writes, “Negotiation is a conversation whose goal is to reach an agreement with someone whose interests are not perfectly aligned with yours.”

Lewis Goldstein, President of Blue Wind Marketing, identifies the importance of negotiation skills that can take any conversation past the paralysis of an initial “no”. “The importance of negotiating can’t be underestimated,” Lewis shares. “It’s all about learning how to communicate effectively so both parties get what they want. In order to be highly effective in negotiating, you need to understand where someone is coming from. To do that, you need to ask calibrated questions and labels.”

Lewis notes that an essential complementary skill to negotiation is understanding both your own and the speaker’s body language. “Body language oftentimes matters more than the words in a conversation,” Lewis says. “When you use positive and open body language you’re portraying yourself as confident and influential. On the flip side, when you can read the body language of others well, it empowers you to understand the variety of signals that people use – both consciously and subconsciously.”

Negotiation skills may look hard to nail, but you’ll quickly catch on by analyzing past experiences. Lewis suggests recording and listening back to business calls to understand ways you can improve customer negotiations. When listening back to recordings, look for what you did well and what you can do better next time. Read all about U.S./Canada recording laws and auto call recorder apps and you’re good to go!

3. Positive mindset

In a tough business environment, few skills are more universally acclaimed than an optimistic and positive mindset. Make no mistake: positivity isn’t about the number of smiley faces you attach to an email. Neither is it the failure to spot problems. It’s about the kind of resilience and character your team brings into solving problems that makes it stand out.

Positivity is the top skill that Kimberly Rath, Co-Founder and President of Talent Plus, an assessment provider with a 30+ year history of success, looks for in new employees. “From the beginning, we have taken the selection of each colleague very seriously,” Kimberly says, “and one of the things we select for is positivity/optimism. This always needs to stay front and center as you build a sustainable culture. Your organization gets better or worse with each hire.”

The reason positivity should be one of the key traits you scan new employees for isn’t just a healthy workplace environment. As Kimberly shares, “Most important for leaders, it’s essential to create a culture where change is embraced, accepted and celebrated.” When such change occurs, it’s the “individuals who have grit along with flexibility, resourcefulness, and optimism” that “can take on change, adapting to what’s happening around them and to them as the workplace changes.”

Positive problem-solving abilities are one of your team’s greatest assets. When hiring new employees, look for both skills that are “mission critical” (e.g. hard skills and knowledge) and the character traits that make for long-time players (e.g. positive attitude towards the job, ability to keep up and change with the times, adaptability to the workplace culture and new tasks).

4. Active listening

Remember how as a kid, you could always tell whether your parents are “ active listeners” (fully involved in the problem you’re communicating to them) or “passive listeners” (murmuring “aha” while staring at the newspaper)?

Stefan Chekanov, CEO and co-founder of Brosix, notes the importance of being the “good parent” to your team and clients. “It takes both skill and discipline to take the time to truly listen to a team member, customer, manager, etc.,” Stefan says. “So often people begin reacting based on partial information or inferences they make, rather than trying to understand what the other side is really saying.”

Active listening is a vital skill for getting constructive feedback from clients. “When a customer calls with an issue, we have a script of questions we ask in order to try to understand all aspects of the situation, and we train our support staff in active listening techniques,” Stefan shares. “In this way, we avoid misunderstandings and mistakes that come when you react to partial information, and our customers feel that they matter to us.”

Free online learning platforms like Coursera can be of great help in honing soft skills, including active listening.  Consider scheduling weekly study sessions or follow-up discussions with your team. These will make it fun to grow your knowledge together whilst helping each other out and bonding the team.

5. Discipline

Just like talent, business isn’t all passion and enthusiasm. The backbone of successful leadership is the unwavering discipline that humbly does its job through both the ups and downs.

Silicon Valley’s longest-serving CEO, entrepreneur and inventor Ray Zinn, has been at the forefront of the tech industry since 1978. His secret? As Ray puts it, “Discipline is doing what you don’t like doing and doing it well—having the determination, no matter how difficult a task is, to do it correctly.”

This disciplined approach, which Ray expanded on in his book, “Tough Things First” allowed him to run a business through times when nearly everyone else would’ve given up. “When Micrel [i.e. Ray’s company] was in the middle of our IPO, I suddenly became legally blind,” Ray shares.  “I had to have the discipline to not only finish the IPO but return home and face my condition; it was not reversible. I went on to convince a skeptical BOD that I could continue to run Micrel without being fully sighted by learning to navigate the world in an entirely new way. Because I was so determined and disciplined, I was able to convince the BOD and went on to run Micrel for 37 years, only one that was not profitable.”

With discipline, you can achieve absolutely anything you want. Every single hard and soft skill gains from a disciplined approach. As Ray suggests, never leave things to take care of themselves. If you can’t be there to talk an issue out in person, use software like video conferencing and/or a virtual phone system to connect to your colleagues without putting problems (however small) on hold.

6. Transparency

For an online business with a distributed team of freelancers, things can get messy and out of control if the leader lacks strong skills in giving clear instructions.

Running his own digital business, Sam Zuo, CEO of PassiveAirbnb, doesn’t waste a second of his (or his teams) time. What helps him is a concise and transparent team management approach.  “Clear instructions [are] really important because most of my freelancers are in different timezones, so the default mode of communication is always in written text. “ Sam says.

To help freelancers understand his management style and expectations, Sam has come up with a “user’s manual” that projects his business mindset in a nutshell. This is an informal two-page text that in transparent terms covers topics like problem-solving, team expectations and preferred methods of communication. For example, instead of complaining about problems, Sam instructs his team, “If there’s a problem and you want me to decide, always come with 2 solutions.”

Outline your business practices and expectations in simple, written form to all new employees. Skip the managerial jargon and simply connect to your team in human terms. Your work is sure to get more organized and mindful. To stay mindful and patient in the midst of a hectic workday, Sam also suggests practicing daily meditation on your own or with a mindfulness app like Headspace.

7. Facing discomfort

You’ve heard it before: if you want to do business, you’ve got to be ready to step out of comfort zones. Handling discomfort teaches entrepreneurs the importance of analytical but fearless decisionmaking. It also helps strong leaders break existing rules in order to create their own.

The ability to put yourself out there and push through discomfort is an acquired skill that any aspiring entrepreneur should cultivate. As Kayla Pendleton, Founder of Women’s co-working space Make Her Mark says, “It’s very tempting to back off the first few times you push yourself out of the comfort zone because it’s uncomfortable. But…every time I do some new, hard thing, it builds my confidence and I get more and more skilled at navigating myself to get past my boundaries of what I think I can do!”

Handling discomfort isn’t just about courageous decisions. It’s also about feeling OK with asking for help and teaching others to do so with your example. “I’ve grown my membership and expanded my services greatly because I’ve learned to ask for help and find great resources such as grants and mentors,” Kayla shares. “[Another] less obvious benefit is that I have become an inspiration for my members…many of whom are in business for the first time and are looking for encouragement and leadership.”

If you’re new to the business journey or need help at any stage, don’t be afraid to ask for guidance from a community of fellow entrepreneurs, femalepreneurs, freelancers, or telecommuters. You’ll gain many a helping hand in the process. Kayla also suggests learning to think on the fly and studying new things to inspire yourself and your team.

8. Integrity

Every entrepreneur is essentially a one-man orchestra that juggles countless tasks throughout the day. When you’re multitasking all the time, it feels easy to slip into “autopilot” mode and have your interactions with colleagues and clients turn generic.

Robyn Flint, an insurance specialist at ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and founding owner of real-estate rehab company Property Wise, LLC, notes the importance of putting other people first in the midst of your busiest workday. “In order to run three businesses while also working as a freelance writer and author, I must employ a set of soft skills to make it all come together,” Robyn says. ”My number one soft skill is my strong work ethic. …I believe in making [my clients’] experience with me the best possible so they walk away feeling like their needs were met and they would refer my services to others.”

For a local business, giving clients special care and treating their business as your top priority can work wonders. ”I receive repeat clients, referrals, and have actually had a client cry when our time together was done,” Robyn shares. “As a full-time real estate agent…treating clients as if their transaction involves the largest financial investment they will likely make in their lifetime has made me a five star professional.”

As a business owner, you may possess lots of inner integrity — but your clients need actions, not words to see that for themselves. For example, Robyn has a 32-touch yearly campaign strategy in place with all clients. That means making contact in one fashion at least 32 times per year via holiday/birthday/anniversary cards and client appreciation events. A warm, human touch such as a card sent via post creates a lasting connection that spreads the caring message of your business.

Final word

Each business success story looks kind of magical and spontaneous from the perspective of time. Behind each success story though, lie a great number of leadership, communication, and other soft skills honed until they become second nature.

With each soft skill you learn and cultivate today, remember that it all goes into shaping your future tomorrow.  In just a couple of months, you’ll be forever grateful for how far you’ve come. As for the technologies essential for every entrepreneur, check out our super simple guide to digital transformation for small business.

The post 8 Top Soft Skills For Successful Entrepreneurs first appeared on MightyCall.