Jordan Greenfield is the founder & CEO of hoo.be, a Boston-based startup helping artists, athletes, celerities, creators, and brands stand out.

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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I’ve worked in startups since leaving my MBA program in 2015. Originally I was working primarily in the biotech space before realizing my true passion lies at the intersection of entertainment and technology.

I am currently the CEO and founder of hoo.be, an invite-only link-in-bio startup created to help the creator community stand out from the increasingly noisey digital world, as well as a founder of an Italian skincare company called Aloe Attiva. 

2) What does a day in your life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

I’m based out of Boston, and my days look a little different lately as I’m a new father to a one-month-old boy. Oftentimes my weekdays start at about 5:30-6:00 AM with a fresh diaper change, feeding my boy, and putting him back to bed. 6:30-9:30 AM are probably my most productive hours of the day.

This is quiet work time for me to catch up on emails and prepare for my team and the rest of the day. 10:00-2:00 PM is normally a time for internal calls with both my marketing and product teams, to really get some work done with the direct, core team.

At 4:30 we have a daily recap call with our entire team to cover what was accomplished that day and to start game planning for the following day. I typically take afternoon calls with people outside the organization, whether it be investors or potential partners as well.

5:00-8:00 PM entails some more quiet work time and finding windows to spend time with my baby boy. At nighttime, I am either hosting talent or some of our hoo.be users at a Celtics or Bruins game or a dinner. If I am not leaving the house, I am doing a late night ride on the Peleton to try to clear the brain. Lastly, I try to get into bed before midnight.

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine? 

Yes, it does. I currently work remotely which allows me to get work done while still being present in the house to help out with my baby boy, Noah James.

With that said, a big part of what I do is relationship building which is something that will always be most effective in person. So I still prioritize finding time to meet in person with potential partners, users, etc., as well as a weekly slot to meet with my team in person.

4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

There hasn’t been too much work-life balance in the last 4-5 years of my life, but now that I have a baby boy I must make this a priority.

For me, it is all about figuring out ways to shut off the business mind and the running thoughts when trying to spend quality time with family and just really being present in the moment.

Even if I only have 10 dedicated hours a week to spend with family without business distractions, it is really important that I try to be as present as possible. 

5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life? 

Yes, at the start of 2021 I began my days with a tall glass of ice water with lemon. I also made a habit of doing at least 30 minutes of cardio a day which I really thought allowed me to refresh my body and clear my mind either before or after the work day.

6) Do you have any favorite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

For podcasts, I would suggest the Tim Ferriss Podcast, How I Built This with Guy Raz, and The Skinny Confidential. For newsletters, I would recommend The Skim and Arlin Moore’s Maxi Newsletter. 

7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?

Apple Watch, Peloton, old fashioned yellow pad of paper and pen.

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?   

Scooter Braun and David Grutman because they are incredible businessmen who although always on the go, also seem to be very good fathers and have their home life together, which I admire a great deal.

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

The concept of work-life balance as an entrepreneur has been an interesting one to navigate. To be honest, it doesn’t always exist, but that’s just part of the entrepreneurial spirit and being passionate.

I am passionate about what I’m building with my team, the friends and family who support me, the small wins, the milestones. My work and life are so intertwined at this point, it’s not always easy to find balance, but it is absolutely necessary as it keeps me grounded yet driven. 

I would just remind people not to be so hard on themselves when it comes to balancing it all. It takes time to find a healthy balance in our lives, especially for entrepreneurs who are building a business from scratch while also building a family, and everyone’s version of balance is different, so it’s important to remember not to compare ourselves and to find our own happy-medium. 

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