Welcome to The 6 a.m. CFO, where finance chiefs share how they jump-start their days and engage with the tasks that are in front of them.
Today, Prophix's Aaron Levine shares how he structures his mornings, the importance of strong business relationships, and his love of the beach.
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Prophix
- Global platform for financial performance management. Helps finance teams focus on high-value activities with a financial performance platform that simplifies and transforms processes.
- Founded: 1987
- Number of employees: 500+
- Growth: 33% YoY growth through 2023
MORNING ROUTINE
Walk us through your normal workday morning routine: I typically wake up around 6:30 a.m. and reach for my phone so I can read emails from overnight. After getting the kids out the door, my wife and I take an hour-long walk. This is a great way for us to connect, get some fresh air, and head into the workday with energy and clarity. After our walk, I grab a coffee, skim the Wall Street Journal, and head upstairs to tackle my inbox and morning meetings.
Tell us about a recent morning when things didn’t go according to plan: As much as we strive for structure, sometimes the kids — and the weather — have different plans. Sometimes we have to swap our walk for an app we use to work out. It’s not as relaxing, but it gets the job done.
How do you structure your first few hours after you log on at work? I like to load my mornings up with meetings and leave the afternoons open to focus on specific tasks. I try to informally connect with my team as much as possible and hop on a Teams meeting on an ad hoc basis throughout the day as the need arises.
For me, we can move things along much more efficiently by connecting as needed versus trying to communicate strictly over email or solve problems in large scheduled meetings.
LEADERSHIP
Favorite quote or mantra: “Move fast and with urgency.”
In business, many things are beyond our control. One thing that we can control is how quickly we move. I think it’s important to move quickly, make decisions based on the available data, and adapt as things change.
While wine gets better with time, nothing good comes with sitting on something too long in business.
Favorite leadership lesson: Strong relationships are critical to success in business. You operate more efficiently with people that you know, trust, and can communicate with honestly. Some of my closest friends are former coworkers.
Something important to know about you that you wouldn’t know from your business bio: The beach is my sanctuary and I try to get there as much as possible. Being able to disconnect, soak in the sun, and spend time with family recharges my battery.
The last job you did at your company that fell outside your traditional scope of work: Our all-hands meetings are truly all hands on deck.
I moved tables and stacked chairs at our most recent meeting.
How have you learned to manage work-induced stress: Business is inherently stressful, but it’s important to put everything into perspective — we aren’t running into burning buildings or performing life-saving surgery.
I try to ground myself when times get tough by thinking, “What is truly the worst that could happen?”
Favorite number: 2
I was a big fan of Chris Webber when he was on the Washington Bullets, and it is my daughter’s number in the sports she plays.
One comes to mind as well as it has been a major focal point for us in 2024 with the launch of Prophix One.
What are the most noteworthy items in your workspace? A photo of my family from our trip to Costa Rica and a TV above my desk. I like to have the news on in the background while I work.
Do you have a pet sitting in your office right now? Not in my office, but we do have a goldfish named Speedy in the kitchen.
Favorite phone app that is unrelated to work: ESPN and the Wall Street Journal are my regular go-to's.
The most important book you’ve recently read:
I recently read “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss about the art of negotiating.
Life is a constant negotiation, whether it is with your kids around going to bed, buying a car, or onboarding a new client.