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, Figure’s CFO, Macrina Kgil, shares her morning routine.
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Figure
- Blockchain lender
- Year founded: 2018
- Number of employees: About 700
- Consumer loan marketplace volume: $1.70 billion
MORNING ROUTINE
Weekday wake-up time: I’m an early riser. I’m always up between 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. The big variable is my exercise schedule. Swimming is one of my staple activities in the morning, but it’s obviously not as simple as putting on a pair of running shoes and opening the door. To fit in a full swim, I need to get up earlier. It’s so worthwhile.
Morning beverage choice: That’s an easy one. Coffee. It brings me immediate focus.
Non-work-related morning activities: I have three big non-work-related morning activities. Swimming, Pilates and walking my son to school. Swimming is great exercise. For me, it doubles as a personal form of meditation. I’m also very passionate about Pilates for building and maintaining core strength. Once those activities are done, I walk my son to school.
Workday start time: The boundary is somewhat fluid. I check my email and Slack right when I wake up in order to unblock anything urgent and get things in motion as needed. Otherwise, my physical workday typically begins when I walk into the office between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.
How I usually spend the first hour of my day: I’m very intentional about that first hour. I use it to map out my priorities, check in on our team’s progress for the week and make sure I catch up on all things macro. If you don’t set your agenda in the morning, it has a way of getting set for you in a manner that isn’t nearly as optimal.
Time I send out my first email: From the moment I wake up and onwards. It totally varies. That said, I’m mindful of boundaries. I frequently write and schedule emails late the evening before so they hit inboxes fresh the next morning.
Best advice for writing an effective email: Always think deeply about your audience and the exact message you’re trying to land. Then frame it in a way that is both highly succinct and commercial. Aim for efficiency. Either conclude a topic right then and there over email, or use the note as a definitive, clean source of information. I’m not big on fluff.
First dashboard I review: Our KPI dashboard is literally the pulse of the business. I review it every single morning without fail, to track our marketplace volume and operational efficiency in real-time.
How I structure my morning meetings: Because our team spans multiple time zones, I structure my morning meetings to focus heavily on our East Coast counterparts and relationships first. You have to ride the wave of the day as it goes from east to west.
Mid-morning snack of choice: Pistachios are my favorite. They’re easy, clean and they keep my energy level up.
How do you adjust when a morning does not go to plan? In a company scaling as fast as Figure — almost 100% YoY last quarter — unpredictability as far as each morning not resembling the last one is the baseline status quo. This is an exciting part of my job, too. You don’t really “plan” it.
What I’ve learned from it is that if you don't actively protect pockets of your time, the calendar will swallow you whole. I’ve adjusted by strictly carving out two to three hours of uninterrupted focus time every single day and putting it on my calendar, which the rest of the company can see. That is my sanctuary to catch up, analyze data and think strategically.
INSPIRATION AND LEADERSHIP
Favorite quote or mantra: It’s more so a mantra, or even a standard I hold myself to: Be intensely curious, make sure you really know what you’re talking about. Never be afraid to get your hands dirty with data.
Favorite leadership lesson: People are what make the team and the organization everything that it is. It’s all about people. Respect everyone exactly the way you’d view as fair in your own eyes. That’s where you get real alignment and engagement. Those elements lead to success more often than not.
Something important to know about me that you wouldn’t know from my business bio: My family and I are absolute foodies. We love exploring and trying new restaurants all around New York City. Enjoying great food isn't just a hobby; it’s a central part of our lives and how we connect. I’ve lived in this city for 20 years and I feel so lucky to be here each day.
Favorite number: 8. There are a remarkable number of 8s consistently associated with major milestones throughout my life. The number is also considered a lucky number for success and good fortune in Korea, where I’m from. 8 may have started there, and it’s treated me extremely well. I am a superstitious person. I’m sticking with it.
Most noteworthy items in my workspace: We have an open office plan, so my space is really dominated by the massive widescreen monitor I use to parse our financial models. The only other thing you’ll typically see is a very diverse collection of black and green teas that get me through my day.
Do you have a pet, and are they with you right now? No pets for us, unfortunately. Members of my family are quite allergic to pet hair and dust, so we keep the house completely clean and inhabited solely by humans.
Favorite app on my phone that is not related to business: It’s maybe not the most common answer — but you never know — some other CFOs might be like-minded on this. I keep track of my personal finances using Quicken. Even outside of the office, I'm checking the ledgers. It's my go-to app, and frankly, tracking my own numbers keeps me grounded.
The year, make and model of your first car: This always surprises people, but it really shouldn’t. I don’t drive. I've spent my life navigating major cities, so a car has never been a necessary part of the equation. I don’t even have a license.
Most influential or famous person you’ve ever met: Can I plead the Fifth and skip this one? Let's leave a little mystery.
Most inspirational people in your life: My family and my closest friends are my foundation. Professionally, I am inspired by all the incredible individuals I’ve had the privilege to learn from throughout my career. I look at both the good and the bad traits. You can learn just as much from someone's mistakes as you can from successes.
