Hey there! Welcome to the Hurwitz.tv “Leaders” interview series, where we chat with the leaders in tech and business to discuss the latest industry trends and developments. In this series, you’ll hear from CEOs, CTOs, and other thought leaders as they share their insights on everything from AI to Investing.
In this interview, we talk to Jason Foodman, President of Rosy Salon Software and an esteemed member of the Forbes Business Council.
What productivity tips have helped you significantly?
I am very serious about maximizing productivity; I have put a lot of thought and effort into this effort. It may sound silly, but I start with the basics: a very good chair and table or desk of proper height, the keyboard at a perfect height and ergonomic position for speed of typing and to minimize the chances of carpal tunnel syndrome. For the laptop, it’s important for me to have a larger screen with a high refresh rate to make it easier on my eyes and give me plenty of screen real estate.
Regarding the hardware, I am a big believer in selecting each item based primarily on how productive it will make me, without favoring any given brand or platform. In some cases, this strategy has limited the interoperability of my devices, but I still think the overall productivity justifies the approach. Similarly, I try to use the absolute best software – from a productivity standpoint – in every category, never just going ‘all in’ for a single provider’s set of solutions and not necessarily jumping to whatever is hot just because it’s hot. This tactic has resulted in my having an unusual mix of business applications driving my day; for example, I use Slack for business communication but Zoom for all my video conferencing, even though Slack has built-in huddles. And for email, believe it or not, I use Thunderbird. It may not be sexy, but it is incredibly fast, robust, and convenient, and it enables me to handle and organize my email faster than every other current email platform. I have easy and quick searchable access to over 20 years of email on my laptop, including when I am offline.
Finally, I minimize notifications on all devices so that I can focus. My phone has been on silent for more than five years now, enabling me to prioritize my work and get things done, rather than working on a lot of things and finishing none due to numerous interruptions.
What are some mindset tips you need to have when running a business?
I would have a different answer if the question were ‘starting a business,’ but when it comes to ‘running a business,’ there are several key principles and approaches I suggest:
- Be team oriented. Build a team of smart, motivated, experienced, and positive people around you. You want and need this at all levels of an organization.
- Be an example. The culture, leadership, values, and goals should be ingrained in the actions of the business leader; others will notice and likely operate in a similar fashion. Empower them to act and operate using those values and goals.
- Be available & responsive. Everyone at the company I run has my cell. They can and do message me on Slack regularly, and I am as responsive as possible to every communication.
- Be transparent. People like to feel part of something, and transparency creates a sense of ownership. On Slack, for example, I keep nearly all channels open – not counting those with sensitive personnel information – so that any employee can view what’s happening in any given area of the business.
- Be honest. It’s obvious and easy to say, but sadly, it’s not always done. Always be honest with your team and your customers.
- Be a mensch (be kind). I’m not saying you have to be everyone’s friend all the time, or be kind in every situation, but generally speaking, kindness and positive feedback and energy create better results than negative energy.
- Be a listener. Yes, you also need to be a decision-maker, but hopefully, you have built a diverse team of competent people around you, so actually listen to them. Be open-minded, and don’t always assume you know the best.
Final tip: Have some fun. Laugh. Life goes fast; make sure you and everyone around you have some fun along the way. Fun and laughter create happiness internally and externally; happy employees are more motivated to work hard for a company and happy customers are more motivated to promote and stay with a company.
What are some of your favorite books or articles that have impacted the way you think?
My answer here, I suspect, is not very traditional. Yes, I’ve read my share of business and leadership books, etc. None of them significantly impacted my thinking; perhaps I just have to learn the hard lessons the hard way.
Regarding the information I have consumed that impacted the way I think, I would point to two favorites. The first is Carl Sagan, the famous American astronomer. Many of his speeches are available on YouTube; for example, check out his famous Pale Blue Dot speech or the short film Wanderers by Erik Wernquist, narrated by Carl Sagan.
Cosmology, in general, and Carl Sagan, in particular, have impacted my thinking about the very big picture of life and what it all means. When you step back from our planet and consider our tiny role and place in the Universe, it really shapes your perspective. From a business standpoint and in terms of a more practical everyday impact, there is one speech in particular that I always come back to. It’s Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Six Rules of Success speech. The rules he gave are: trust yourself, break the rules, don’t be afraid to fail, don’t listen to the naysayers, work your butt off, and give something back. I really related to that list the first time I heard it, and to this day, it’s always in the back of my head.
Who is someone who has really impacted your work? It can be a family member, friend, mentor, public persona, etc.
I have been very lucky in life to have met numerous fascinating, interesting people, each of whom had an impact. If I were to pick one individual, there is only one answer: Ken White (COO for Rosy Salon Software).
I met Ken around 1995 at a software company in Atlanta. I was inspired by his entrepreneurial endeavors in software and e-commerce and essentially followed in his footsteps, doing my best to get involved in some way with everything he was doing. Nearly thirty years and more than ten startups later, Ken and I have created numerous businesses, failed often, and succeeded with a few. Having someone I trust like my own brother, who understands me and how I think, with very different but complementary skills, as a business partner has greatly impacted my career. I am forever grateful to be on this journey with him. Even though most of the time, when I pitch him a new idea, he absolutely destroys it.
What are your thoughts on the future of technology and how it will impact business?
I recently published an article on AI and the future of business. My thoughts about the future of technology are not so much that AI will revolutionize everything, but a number of key advances across numerous fields will create new opportunities and applications that have a dramatic impact. In particular AI and machine learning, quantum computing, robotics and automation, and virtual/augmented reality. Each field is advancing, and many combine in ways that will significantly change how we interact in general as well as how we find, digest, and process information.
Who would you love to have lunch with?
Generally speaking, my favorite person to have lunch with is my amazing wife Julia. It sounds corny, but it’s the truth. If I had the opportunity to pick any guest in the world to join us for lunch, without a doubt, it would be Volodmyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine. From my perspective, President Zelensky has given the world a master class in leadership under the most challenging and complex circumstances. I am sure he would have a few regrets and lessons learned – hindsight is 20/20 – but considering the enormous pressure, complexity, and challenges he and Ukraine have faced, I am deeply impressed by his leadership effectiveness. After Ukraine wins (in the meantime he has more important things obviously to focus on), that would be my ultimate lunch. I would have a million questions, particularly surrounding the myriad of political, economic, military, and strategic challenges along with resulting decisions.
Jason Foodman is an Entrepreneur and CEO with experience operating companies globally. A frequent Board member and advisor, Mr. Foodman also is a writer, author and member of Forbes Business Council. Jason can be reached via LinkedIn or his personal home page.
