Last Wednesday we had a lot to get done — a few public holidays in a row, some changes internally, some client work needed a review — and rather than pushing to the following week, we decided to get it all in. It was a good day. No balls dropped. Everything that needed to be done was done.
Which is what got me to write this.
I see a lot of people not getting the balance right — working too hard on the wrong things.
It is possible to do this, if you have the right team, the right preparation, and the right follow-up.
Why Do We Still Default to 1-Hour Meetings?
I always come back to the comparison of a doctor. Most spend up to 15 minutes with you, if you’re lucky — and they do a great job.
Why are we stuck with 1-hour meetings and the generally inefficient support and structure of our work world?
Why can we not be as effective with our time as a doctor is?
My Love Affair With Time
I’ve always seen time as an asset. It’s limited. We can only be effective for so long in a day. Waste it, and you won’t get it back.
The epiphany came 14 years ago, in a doctor’s surgery — regular check-ups while we were expecting Cori. I started observing how the doctor’s time was structured. Supported by an admin, two nurses, and a clear system, I saw that 15 minutes was enough — if you use it well.
At the time, I was in financial services, trying to get all my work done in two days. Why not? I also wanted to be an elite amateur triathlete, spend time with my young kids, and be successful.
Why did something have to give?
The doctor had what I wanted: a system, a team, and clear expectations.
So I built it.
How My Week Is Structured
- Monday
Team day. Manager meetings, data review, internal coaching.
No content creation. No distractions. - Tuesday
Europe and USA day. I start at 2 p.m., finish at 10 p.m.
Ride in the morning. No meetings until 2 p.m. - Wednesday
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a 2-hour lunch and one 30-minute break.
This week: 16 meetings, finished by 5:30. - Thursday
Similar to Wednesday, but with fewer meetings.
I Break Meetings Into Three Types:
- Client meetings
- Sales meetings
- Team meetings
Client Meetings
15–50 minutes. I join when there’s escalation or key account input needed.
Our 40-strong team handles almost everything. Clients prefer it that way.
Sales Meetings
15, 25, or 50 minutes. Always well-prepped. I get a brief before every meeting.
My targets: 4–5 intros/week, 1–2 discoveries, 1 proposal.
Team Meetings
Up to 2 hours/day. Mix of group check-ins, 15-min problem solving, 30-min reviews.
We use Zoom as the main room. Always on. Always accessible.
The goal is autonomy — training reduces reliance, and that’s the secret.
The Structure Behind Me
Our team:
- EA
- Co-founder and Operations Director
- Sales Director
- Client Services Director
- Assistant Client Services Director
- HR Director
Each has clear ownership.
If the business relies on me, it can’t scale. The key is recruiting the right people and giving them support, training, and data.
Building My Support System
Throughout my career, I’ve always focused on doing the right things — the ones that grow the business and use my skills fully.
That means building support around me.
Sometimes creatively — part-time, flexible, remote, whatever worked.
Take Monica in Thailand.
When we met, she was a digital nomad from the U.S. She started as my EA nine years ago.
Now she’s my co-founder and Head of Operations.
I’ve always known my weaknesses.
Even at 22, selling life insurance, I knew I needed help with admin.
Over the years, I’ve worked with amazing people like Elaine, Kerry, and Lyn — people who balanced my flaws.
So How Did That Wednesday Go?
- 13 client meetings
- 3 internal meetings
- 2 sales meetings
Most client sessions were 15-minute check-ins. Sharp. Structured.
Prepped in advance: Word doc summaries, key talking points, LinkedIn links, dashboards.
The team joins, listens, records, handles follow-up.
I don’t do it — they do. That’s how we scale.
Want to run 15 meetings in a day without losing the thread?
The right CRM setup makes this possible — not just tracking contacts, but prepping, briefing, and handing off efficiently across your team.
👉 Explore how CRM actually supports better time use
Team Meetings That Day
- Review with EA
- Weekly catch-up
- Manager problem-solving session
That last one is key. We go through a central list of challenges only I can solve. Everyone joins. They learn from each other. We decide:
- Should they already know the answer?
- Is this a training issue?
- Is it something I genuinely need to solve?
People like Devi and Carter are getting stronger every week. Managers too.
When there’s a real blocker — Will or I jump in.
The Secret: I Don’t Follow Up
Meetings are recorded. The team reviews.
They own it. They learn.
And they solve the problem before it reaches me next time.
How to Build a Team Like This
- Read The 4-Hour Work Week (I’m not a fan of the man, but the message is brilliant.)
- Throw out what you think you know about time.
- Audit your week. Where are you spending time?
- Accept that scaling costs money. Even when I had none, I still had team.
- Look at what needs doing — and who can do it.
- Build a group of advisors.
- Make time management a daily habit.
- Cut out social media.
- Cut out the news — I read one paper, everything else is blocked.
What I Know Now
I genuinely love time.
It’s a skill I’ve developed, and it’s paying off.
We’ve grown from 10 to nearly 50 people in a year.
We might hit 100 by year’s end.
That means:
1. Sales
I’m still closing at a high level — 22 new clients this year.
That’s 40% of our revenue.
But that has to change. The model has to evolve.
2. Client Services
I’ve stepped back. We have an amazing team.
Now the goal is to make them better than me.
Then make me redundant in that part of the business.
3. Finance
Fully delegated. Running smoothly.
How I Got Here
It’s been a process of:
- Delegation
- Mastery
- Documentation
- Training
- Letting go
Once I’m no longer involved in something — we scale.
Delegation only works when the process supports it.
If your sales effort still relies on you to step in at every stage, it’s not a system — it’s a bottleneck.
👉 See how we build repeatable sales processes that scale
The Driver?
- Books
- YouTube
- Mentors
- Data
- And if I’m honest, fear.
Fear of failure. I saw it in my dad — he strived, but didn’t quite make it.
That pushes me.
Summary
- Skills
- Data
- Team
- Delegation
- Relentless improvement
That’s what allowed me to do 18 meetings on Wednesday — with structure, follow-up, and zero stress.
I didn’t work Friday. I took Monday off. I wasn’t stressed.
But this didn’t happen by accident.
When I’m stretched, when I feel it’s not sustainable, I push back.
Bad time management is usually the issue.
P.S.
I got to my son’s event. Early, actually.
They gave the wrong directions — and I was still 30 minutes late.
Ironic, after the effort of the day.
If your calendar is driving you — instead of the other way around — we can help you build structure, delegate better, and scale sustainably.
👉 Book a Strategy Call with 1000Steps
FAQ about time management in B2B leadership
How can founders manage more meetings without burnout?
By structuring your week intentionally, delegating effectively, and training your team to take ownership, you can increase output without working longer hours.
What’s the ideal meeting length for B2B sales and delivery?
For updates and alignment, 15–25 minutes is often enough. Short, structured sessions supported by briefs and follow-up systems can outperform hour-long calls.
What roles are essential to support a founder’s time?
An EA, operations lead, client services director, and sales manager can drastically reduce decision fatigue — especially when supported by smart CRM workflows.