A Day In The Life Of A Founder And Visionary At To Be Honest Beverage Company
A day in the life for Michelle, Founder & Visionary at To Be Honest Beverage Company, is currently "a little bit of everything," balancing networking ("making connections, having the ask be out there"), operational tasks (warehousing, distribution, manufacturing), and strategic planning ("where are we headed, what do projections look like"). This dynamic reflects the early stage of the company, with the expectation that as it scales, Michelle's focus will shift toward "leadership, strategy, and vision."
Entrepreneurship, Business Strategy, Networking, Financial Management, Marketing
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michelle Houston
Founder & Visionary
To Be Honest Beverage Company
California Polytechnic State University
None
Philosophy
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
Business Strategy
Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. A day in the life of a founder and visionary changes depending on the company stage. Early-stage founders juggle many tasks, while more established ones focus more on leadership and strategy.
2. Networking and building connections are crucial. This includes attending events, seeking investors, and participating in media opportunities.
3. Time management is key. Michelle uses time blocking to dedicate certain days to deep work and creative activities, while others are reserved for meetings and collaborations.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a founder and visionary look like?
It really depends on the stage of the company. We are at a smaller stage, with a local business feel at this particular time. This will change as we grow and scale, get funding, and reach certain levels of distribution.
A day in the life will look different for founders at every level of business. I've had great conversations with other non-alcoholic beverage CPG companies at the $7 to $10 million mark. Their activities and focus look very different from ours, as we are just getting started.
Right now, it's a little bit of everything, and priorities shift daily. My focus is on making connections and putting our "ask" out there as often as possible. This includes attending events, connecting with investors, and seeking opportunities for podcast interviews, publications, and media outlets.
As a responsibility in my day-to-day, this is always top of mind. It can also involve meetings, interviews, or speaking with my social media team. I also do the deep work of strategizing where we're headed, our projections, and our financials.
This includes everything from warehousing, distribution, and manufacturing. We consider how these factors influence ordering a product online, from setting up a loyalty program to a referral program. None of my days are the same.
There may be more consistency again as we scale and grow. Our responsibilities won't necessarily lessen, but they will be different. This will allow me to focus more time and energy on leadership, strategy, and vision. Right now, it can be a little scattered.
What I try to do more realistically is time block. Creative activities are put into a specific chunk of time. I only take meetings Tuesday through Thursday.
Mondays and Fridays are specifically dedicated to deeper work activities and creative pursuits. This allows for connection and collaboration at other times.