Mark, so refreshing to read the perspective of a successful biz-man/entrepreneur/career-driven that not only talks about the importance of work-life balance but also practices it. Throughout my career, I have struggled with finding/creating/keeping that balance, some periods more successfully than others.
I remember when I started my first startup (I had one very young boy), the lead investor told me: “Alon, you can either be a business man OR you can be a family man. You can never be both!”. I couldn’t have disagreed with him more.
As a father of three, with a new startup, first-year post launch with lots of typical challenges, and my own insane self-drive, I know how hard it is to maintain that balance. I know some weeks I lose the battle. My oldest is heading to college (UCSB) and I will see him much less than ever. I know the days I miss my kids don’t come back. I know.
I also know it’s possible to have a great family and have a successful business. It possible and worth it. It’s just really, really hard. But hard things is what we like to do anyway.
