Burning the Midnight Oil -- Without Burning Out
May 23, 2011 by Kevin Michael Gray
It's 10 p.m. Do you know where small business owners in New York City are?
Chances are, you'll find them in their home offices, at their computers, working away.
It's what Lexy Funk, CEO of Brooklyn Industries, a chain of hip apparel stores, calls the 9 p.m. to midnight shift—the time after the kids are in bed, while she still can think straight and do the work she couldn't finish during the day, or had to put on hold to get home in time to be a mom.
“There's more time to think, and I find many other people are doing the same thing,” said Ms. Funk, whose company has about $20 million in sales.
According to Meredith Haberfeld, an executive coach in Brooklyn, the 9 p.m. to midnight shift may be more of a norm in New York City than just about anywhere else in the country. “It's incredibly common for small business owners,” she said. “The New York culture is so work-focused.”
If you're playing the double role of parent and a small business owner, the late-night shift is practically de rigueur. And, it can be surprisingly fruitful, especially if an entrepreneur is disciplined enough to establish limits. READ THE FULL ARTICLE
