One of the most important things you can do as an entrepreneur is leverage your time -especially when it comes to working out.
Unfortunately, I see a lot of founders fail at using their time effectively when it comes to personal fitness.
Here are four ways people waste their time in the gym (and what to do instead):
1) training for a marathon when your joints sound like a glowstick
This is the classic mistake of "I need a big challenge to motivate myself to work out" when you have no business running in the first place.
You end up with hips worse than a German shepherd with hip dysplasia and have to stop training altogether.
What to do instead: Instead of running, try "rucking"—go for an extended walk with a weighted vest or backpack. Warning: your neighbours are going to think you’re a psycho (in a good way).
2) the ‘hero’ workout that puts you out of commission for weeks
Mistake: You're super motivated to work out and feel "surprisingly good" one day, so you decide to give it 120% that session.
Tragic ending: You're so sore you skip the next 3–5 workouts.
What to do instead: Choose sustainable workouts you can do every day. Small, consistent progress over time beats the occasional try-hard workout every time.
3) skipping legs but calling it a full-body workout
Mistake: Rolling into the gym and starting with arms and abs—then mysteriously you're "out of time" for legs.
Result: Chicken legs, weak glutes, and a back that complains every time you pick up groceries.
What to do instead: Look around and you'll see tons of people hobbling in pain from weak or tight hips—a direct result of how much we sit in our office work culture. Avoid this fate by doing mobility work AND leg strength training.
4) treating the gym like a social club
Mistake: Getting more reps in on your phone than on any exercise, chatting up other gym-goers like you're at a conference cocktail hour.
At this point, you've already done the hardest part—getting to the gym. Don't waste the opportunity.
What to do instead: Make yourself a promise—put in 30–45 minutes of hard work, then get out. You don't need to spend 1–2 hours at the gym to get results. Being consistent and efficient is a superior path, especially for those with limited time.
If you’re super limited on time, make sure to check out these 6 no-excuse workouts for busy entrepreneurs.
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Read the guide to get your CTV campaign live in time for the holiday rush.
idea of the week 💡
credit: ideabrowser.com
Problem: Pop-up cinema operators are mostly limited to ticket revenue and manually pieced-together sponsorships, leaving thousands in potential local sponsorship revenue untapped.
Idea: Build “CinemaConnect,” a digital marketplace that matches pop-up cinema operators with local sponsors, automating proposals, contracts, payments, and post-event reporting for each outdoor movie night.
How it helps: Turns every screening into a repeatable sponsorship opportunity, adds a new revenue stream for operators, gives local businesses targeted hyperlocal exposure, and creates a simple dashboard to manage deals at scale.
Why it might fail: Operators may resist adding new software to their already scrappy workflows, local sponsors might be slow to adopt a new platform, and trust could be hard to build without early proof that the marketplace reliably delivers ROI for both sides.
workouts this week
Try these workouts out this week.
at-home workout (20 minutes)
AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 20 minutes:
10 push-ups
15 squats
10 sit-ups
20 mountain climbers (each leg)
gym workout
5 rounds:
Bench press: 5-8 reps
Goblet squat: 8-10 reps
Dumbbell row: 8-10 reps per arm
Plank: 30-45 seconds
Tips:
Rest 60-90 seconds between rounds.
If you complete all 5 rounds comfortably, add a little weight next week.
outdoor workout
3 rounds for time:
400m run or brisk walk
20 walking lunges (each leg)
15 push-ups
20 jump squats (or regular squats to scale)
tweet of the week
I made a recent linkedin post about changing my life in 12 months. Another reminder: you can just do things.
video of the week
Below is a snippet from the LeanScaper podcast I did with Benji Carlson answering the question, “Why Does Private Equity Keep Buying Landscapers?”
You can watch the full interview on YouTube HERE
my plugs
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