It’s been a while since I posted regularly. People have been asking me if VC Cafe is still going, so I thought it is about time I updated you on what has been keeping me busy. There’s been a surge in great blogs covering the Israeli startup scene, so I feel less guilty about taking a break from blogging this time around.
So, what has been keeping me busy? I’ve been fortunate to start a new role at Google as the Head of Campus, a unique co-working and event space, that Google set up in East London, in the heart of TechCity (worth repeating the ‘disclaimer’ that all opinions on this blog are my own).
The past few weeks have been very busy, but extremely rewarding. One of the things that I found particularly exhilarating is the diversity of the work. On a given week, I’d be dealing with real estate issues (yes, sometimes even fixing toilets!), product management of the Campus website, partnerships management/biz dev, mentoring, public speaking and much more…
I thought I’d share a few tips that have helped me adjust and keep clarity of mind. Of course it’s very personal, but I’d love to hear if you decide to try any of these:
- don’t look at my phone/check email for at least the first hour in the morning, and make sure it’s not the last thing I see at night
- go for a run in the park in the morning
- meditate for 20 mins if time permits (I can highly recommend taking the ‘Art of living’ course to learn how)
- take a “boris” bike to work (or a bus if i’m in a hurry, but avoid tube at any cost)
- read my kindle instead of the newspaper if I’m commuting (the less clutter, the better)
- apply labels and filters on gmail (you’ll be surprised how many emails don’t require your attention, but get it anyway)
- food: I’ve been doing the ‘cavemen’ diet, so generally healthy food, no processed stuff, drink plenty of water
- go to bed before midnight, wake up before 7 (easier said then done)
- take short breaks (also applies for the weekend)
- stay passionate about what I do, and remind myself of the big picture when s**t happens
I'm a former general partner at google ventures, head of Google for Entrepreneurs in Europe and founding head of Campus London, Google's first physical hub for startups.
I'm also the founder of Techbikers, a non-profit bringing together the startup ecosystem on cycling challenges in support of Room to Read. Since inception in 2012 we've built 11 schools and 50 libraries in the developing world.
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