# The Importance of Founder Time Management

> A NachoTuesday interview — the C-Suite Insights series from NachoNacho, the B2B SaaS and AI
> marketplace. In conversation with Tony Zheng, Founder, Ops Army.

- **Page:** https://nachonacho.com/nachotuesday/video/The-Importance-of-Founder-Time-Management
- **Guest:** Tony Zheng, Founder, Ops Army
- **Guest on LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/imtonyzheng/
- **Recorded:** 2023-09-26
- **Watch:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlVvD-ZrPvo

## Summary

In this NachoTuesday Andy Karuza interviews Tony Zheng, Founder of Operations Army. In this interview, they covered how to manage your time effectively as a Founder, tips for building your team and scaling your operations, and finally growth hacks that any startup can use to power their revenue growth.

## Full transcript

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to another NachoTuesday! Today, we have Tony Zeng here with Operations Army. Without further ado, Tony, could you please introduce your company and tell us more about what you do? Tony Zeng: Perfect, thanks so much, Andy, and thank you for having me. Happy NachoTuesday to everyone tuning in today. In a nutshell, I’m the CEO and founder of a company called Operations Army. What we do is help businesses and startups hire top international talent across various roles, including sales, operations, accounting, and growth marketing. The value proposition for companies is threefold. First, we handle the entire recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and training process, so you get the right talent ready to go from the start. Second, we offer flexible hours, allowing you to hire someone for as few as 20 hours or as many as 40, 50, or 60 hours a week. Lastly, and this is my favorite part, we help companies save 50% or more on headcount costs. Those are the key benefits of what we offer at Operations Army. Andy: That’s great. Where do most of these freelancers come from? Do you have a solid base in Europe, or is there a specific distribution for that? Tony Zeng: It’s a good question. We’re pretty agnostic at this point. When I first started the business, I spent a lot of time developing sourcing pipelines and strategic partnerships in various countries around the world. What we found is that there’s no one singular place for top talent. Our talent comes from various parts of Latin and South America, Europe, and Asia. It really depends on the types of roles you're looking for and the time zones you need them to work in. We then find the best candidates based on those requirements. Andy: I heard you traveled a lot and met many people in different countries. Could you tell us more about those journeys and how they contributed to your career? Tony Zeng: Absolutely. I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel extensively. I’m a big believer in experiences over material things, and traveling has been a significant part of that. My personal story ties into my professional background. My parents immigrated here in the early 1990s when they were just teenagers. They arrived with very little—just a backpack and a suitcase. My parents worked various odd jobs and eventually managed to start a small business of their own. Growing up, I saw them work long hours, often 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week. Spending time with my parents meant sitting at the family business. Witnessing their dedication and hard work provided me with a unique perspective on the effort required to succeed. It showed me that hard work could lead to achieving goals, and it provided me with stability and a sense of purpose. Andy: That’s a remarkable story. How did these experiences shape your career path? Tony Zeng: They played a significant role. After college, I worked in various fields including startups, investment banking, and venture capital. However, nothing resonated with me as much as the business environment I grew up in. Eventually, I joined McKinsey in San Francisco, which allowed me to work with growth-stage and early-stage startups on various aspects like go-to-market strategies, talent acquisition, culture building, and product development. I loved the experience, and it eventually led me to launch an insurance company during a time when companies like Metromile and Oscar Health were going public. Although building an insurance company was challenging, it was an invaluable experience. Later, I worked as the first product hire at a healthcare startup, which was sold earlier this year. These experiences helped shape my career and led me to focus on building Operations Army. Tony Zeng: For the past two years, I've been building Operations Army, and after the healthcare startup sold, I decided to go full-time with this venture. It's great to hear that you're familiar with putting in long hours, which is often necessary for startup success. Having experience at McKinsey, and running my own agency, has allowed me to work with various startups and companies at different stages of growth. This exposure has been invaluable in teaching me a lot about building and managing a company. One key topic we’re discussing today is founder time management. Indeed, while you need to invest a lot of hours to be successful in a startup, efficiency is also crucial. Many founders overlook how to balance their time effectively and the importance of delegation as a leadership skill. What tips do you have for founders who are looking to scale their business without burning out? Tony Zeng: That’s a great question, Andy. I completely agree that there's no substitute for hard work. If you plot the number of hours you put in against the success of your company, there’s often a direct correlation. However, while long hours are necessary, there are a few strategies I've learned from working with high-functioning, fast-growth startups and executive leadership teams at McKinsey and elsewhere. Firstly, you need to separate the personal from the professional. On the professional side, I break it down into three main components: leverage, prioritization, and constant auditing of how you're spending your time. Leverage involves focusing on activities that maximize your impact. You can’t be involved in every detail of your company, such as customer support. While it's important to understand customer feedback, you need to focus on tasks that give you leverage. This includes hiring the right talent—whether that’s an executive assistant or a chief of staff—to support your daily workflow. Delegation is also crucial. There are only three things a founder or CEO should be deeply involved in: setting the strategy, hiring, and ensuring adequate capital. Everything else should be delegated. Creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) and systems is also key. If you find yourself doing a task repeatedly, document the process. This allows you to hand off these tasks effectively to others, saving time and creating more leverage. Prioritization is about being ruthless with how you spend your time. I plan my day in advance, color-coding my schedule to track how much time is spent on meetings, focused work, training, and onboarding. Each day, focus on the two or three most critical tasks that will move your business forward. Delegate or avoid everything else. Finally, constant auditing involves regularly reflecting on how you’re spending your time. Every Saturday, I spend about an hour reviewing what went well, what didn’t, and how I can improve. This quiet time is incredibly powerful for aligning myself and improving efficiency. In the chaos of daily operations, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds, so taking time to reflect helps me stay focused. Andy: I agree with that approach. Many founders and executives don’t give themselves enough time to reflect. The best strategies often come from these moments of deep thinking. It’s easy to get caught up in constant meetings and daily tasks, which leaves little room for strategic thinking and problem-solving. Tony Zeng: Absolutely, and that’s why it’s so important to block out time for deep, focused work. You might find this amusing, but if you look at my calendar, it looks like a chaotic Picasso painting. I block out time for every activity, and while meetings sometimes run over, I am incredibly disciplined about protecting my scheduled time for focused work. Tony Zeng: To make the most of your time, it's crucial to block out time for deep focus work. This goes beyond just setting aside time for deep work; it's also essential to allocate time for self-learning. This includes staying updated on your industry, speaking with experts, and continuously pushing your business forward. If you don’t dedicate time to learn and stay informed, you, as the leader of your company, won’t know how to steer your business effectively. Andy: That’s a great point. I also make sure to block out time in my calendar for tasks like busy work and deep thinking. It’s easy to spend an entire day in meetings without actually accomplishing substantial work. Having dedicated time to think, learn, or focus on critical tasks is essential for productivity. Tony Zeng: Absolutely. Everyone has their own working style, and it’s important to identify what works best for you. Personally, I find that some of my most productive deep work happens late at night, past 10 p.m. I tell my team not to respond to my late-night emails until the morning, and I often schedule them to send at 8 a.m. This system works for me, but others might find their peak productivity in the morning. The key is to understand your own working style and optimize your schedule accordingly. Andy: That’s a great approach. I want to delve into delegation. Building a team is critical for growing your company. I’m a big advocate for working yourself out of a job. It’s important for a CEO or founder to understand every aspect of the business, even if you’re not an expert in every area. You need to have a comprehensive understanding to hire the right specialists and manage effectively. Tony Zeng: Exactly. Some of the best leaders are what I call “expert generalists.” They excel in multiple areas but aren’t necessarily experts in one. This makes them versatile and effective. To find and retain the right team members, you need to focus on attracting high-caliber talent. In today’s high-interest rate environment, startups need to be cost-conscious and leverage international talent. Tools like Zoom and Slack, and the acceptance of remote work, make it easier to collaborate across time zones. This has opened up opportunities to hire top talent globally, beyond the traditional biases or misconceptions. Andy: Do you have any additional tips for managing a team spread across different time zones? Tony Zeng: One of the key aspects of managing an international team is setting clear expectations from the start. When onboarding new team members, it’s crucial to communicate your expectations and working style. For example, I let my team know that I work late at night and prefer them to respond to emails during regular business hours. Building a culture of ownership and empowerment is also vital. International talent should be treated the same as domestic talent, with regular check-ins, one-on-ones, and performance reviews. This helps them feel connected to the company’s mission and culture. Andy: I’ve noticed that companies that struggle with remote work often don’t delegate enough or fail to maintain regular check-ins. This can lead to employees feeling disconnected from the company’s culture and mission. Tony Zeng: Absolutely. Regular touchpoints are essential for maintaining connection and ensuring that remote employees feel integrated into the company. Effective delegation and consistent communication help create a cohesive and motivated team. Tony Zeng: When working with international teams, it’s essential to understand cultural differences. For instance, one of my clients hired several individuals from the Philippines, where communication often tends to be implicit. In contrast to the more explicit communication styles of Western companies, the Filipino team members might assume that their work is understood without needing to ask many questions. It’s crucial to recognize these differences and invest in cultural onboarding to ensure effective collaboration. Andy: I agree. Having worked internationally for years, I've learned a lot about different cultures. When you're new to this, it can be challenging to interpret communication correctly, but with experience, you gain a better understanding of how to work effectively across cultures. It’s a learning process that helps you adapt and improve over time. Tony Zeng: That’s right. There are several common operational mistakes companies make that they should avoid. Firstly, many startups focus solely on growth at all costs without considering financial margins. This approach, which might have worked in the past, is not sustainable today. Understanding your financials, including gross margins and production costs, is essential for building a sound business model. Tony Zeng: Another mistake is founders doing too much themselves. While it's tempting to get involved in every aspect, it’s crucial to delegate tasks effectively. Over-involvement can prevent you from building a strong company culture and empowering your team. As a founder, it’s important to balance your workload and focus on tasks that align with your strategic goals. Tony Zeng: Hiring the wrong people and not setting them up for success is also a common issue. Hiring is not just about finding the right talent; it’s also about providing the necessary support and tools for them to succeed. Without proper onboarding and resources, even the best hires can struggle. Just as you wouldn’t drop someone in the jungle without tools, you shouldn’t expect new hires to succeed without adequate support. Tony Zeng: Finally, maintaining high energy and morale as a founder is vital. Building a company is incredibly challenging, and keeping your spirits high is essential for long-term success. This involves taking care of yourself, celebrating small victories, and focusing on the positives rather than just the weaknesses. Regular celebrations of milestones, even small ones, can help maintain high morale and drive. Andy: Those are excellent points. Now, let’s talk about your company. What should people know about why they should choose your company over competitors? Tony Zeng: We stand out for a few reasons. Firstly, we have access to the top 1% of global talent, and our geographical agnosticism allows us to hire the best talent from anywhere in the world. This flexibility avoids issues related to time zones and ensures high-quality candidates from diverse regions. Tony Zeng: Secondly, we prioritize superior customer and user experience. I personally engage with clients to build trust and establish relationships. We provide comprehensive support, including onboarding, performance management, and training. For instance, if a data analyst needs to learn a new tool like Salesforce, we offer coaching to ensure they can perform effectively. Tony Zeng: Lastly, we offer flexible engagements and rates. Our goal is to be a trusted partner, working with clients over the long term to support their growth. We aim to build lasting relationships and provide the necessary support to help them succeed. Andy: It sounds like your company focuses on quality and the onboarding experience, which is great. We appreciate having you as a partner and are excited about our collaboration. I recommend everyone check out Operations Army in the B2B SaaS Marketplace for some excellent software solutions. Tony Zeng: Thanks for having me, Andy. I appreciate the partnership and look forward to growing our companies together.

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