EO members on the Inc. 5000 list share how they start their day

It’s a new year—but are you stuck in the same old rut? Inspired by host Dave Will’s EO 360 podcast with Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning, we asked some of the 287 EO-member companies on the Inc. 5000 list how they start their day.

Here’s what they shared:

“I start my day with 10 minutes of meditation, 10 minutes of reading something positive, and 10 minutes of writing in a journal, then it’s out the door to exercise. I learned this from Warren Rustand at my first EO chapter learning event almost 10 years ago. I sometimes miss a day due to travel, but I have a goal to never miss two days in a row.”
― Jeff Becker, EO San Diego, Founder and CEO, Pegasus Cleanroom Services, No. 3,901 on 2020 Inc. 5000

“A fellow EO member turned me on to a home boxing app called Fight Camp. Lately, I have been starting every morning with about 20 minutes of punching a bag!”
― Mina Yoo, EO Seattle, Founder and CEO, Lulabop (dba Heroclip), No. 1,124 on 2020 Inc. 5000

“I’m a Hal Elrod/Miracle Morning devotee. I wake up at 4:35 every morning, then meditate, journal, and read my visualizations and affirmations. After that, I lift weights, run or do a yoga practice.”
― Brandon Dempsey, EO St. Louis, Founder and CEO, goBRANDgo!, No. 4,827 on 2020 Inc. 5000

“The gym! Exercise is important for my mental and physical health and mindset for the day. I can tell when I skip exercise in the morning.”
― Gregg Smith, EO St. Louis, Founder and CEO, Pearl Solutions Group, No. 3,467 on 2020 Inc. 5000

“I start each day deliberately thinking about what I’m grateful for. I set my phone alarm to go off twice per day at 10am and 10pm. It reminds me to pause, think and verbalize what I’m grateful for in that moment. I call it ‘My Gratitude Alarm’!”
― Joelle Brock, EO Columbus, founder and CEO, Leading EDJE, No. 4,761 on the 2020 Inc. 5000

“I’ve developed a morning and daily routine that I’ve stuck with for three years and has made all the difference. Meditation, affirmations, reading, exercise, journaling, and taking time to use my imagination daily to envision how things could and will be. One recently added item is spending time each morning with my baby boy before starting that routine.”
― Jacob Baadsgaard, EO Utah, founder and CEO, Disruptive Advertising, No. 2,036 on the 2020 Inc. 5000

“I wake up at 5 am and try to tackle my most difficult task. At 6 am my son wakes up and we watch 15 minutes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the couch before eating breakfast. We’ve been doing this since he was 3 years old and he is now 8. It’s a very joyful way to start our day!”
― Anthony Ramirez, EO Chicago, president and CEO, Lincoln Security Services, No. 2,463 on the 2020 Inc. 5000

“I always try to start my day with something quiet. I like walking outdoors, working out in our garage gym, praying, reading or writing in the mornings.”
― Erin Richardson, EO Nashville, owner and CEO, All-American Pest Control, No. 4,906 on the 2020 Inc. 5000

“I’m an early riser, so I make it a point to surf or go for a walk on the beach. It makes me realize how big the world is and that my problems are very small in scale. This simple step has helped me show up throughout the day in a much better mindset, especially while working from home where I have a tendency to feel a bit isolated and confined.”
― Grayson Lafrenz, EO San Diego, Founder and CEO, Power Digital Marketing, No. 1,610 on 2020 Inc. 5000

“My habit of getting up early and working out. It fuels me with energy and a positive attitude which trickles down throughout my entire day. Before I start work, I do a short yoga routine, meditate and exercise.”
― Liz Dyrsmid, EO Idaho, co-founder, Maverick Media Ventures (Flowster App), No. 622 on the 2020 Inc. 5000

“I spend at least eight minutes in silence, meditating and clearing my mind and being intentional about the energy I want to bring into my day. I also like to write my to-do list, so I go into the day knowing what I need to accomplish. It keeps me from being dragged around by circumstance.”
― David Singer, EO St. Louis, founder and CEO, Warehouse of Fixtures, No. 3,091 on the 2020 Inc. 5000

“I wake up my kids, tell them I love them and then make coffee and sit on my porch. I take a few moments for gratitude, to appreciate the day ahead. I will routinely make a morning phone call to a friend or family member to start my day with connection. Then I do what we entrepreneurs do best: I get to work!”
― Alissa Leinonen, EO Seattle, Founder and CEO, Gourmondo Catering, No. 3,388 on 2020 Inc. 5000