From Frenzy to Focus: Dvir Ben-Aroya Of Spike On How We Can Cancel Hustle Culture And Create A New Sustainable Work Paradigm

An Interview With Drew Gerber

Taking breaks and allowing for downtime is essential to recharging and avoiding burnout. By setting realistic goals, prioritizing tasks, and taking time to rest and recharge, people can truly focus on the tasks that make a meaningful impact.

“Hustle Culture” is an ethos often propounded by young self-proclaimed internet gurus that centers around the idea that working long hours and sacrificing self-care are required to succeed. This mentality may have gained popularity in the mid-2010s, but it has peaked, and now it has been sardonically renamed “Burnout Culture.” So why exactly is Hustle Culture the wrong path to take? What damage can it cause? What is a viable, sustainable alternative to hustle culture? How can we move from Frenzy To Focus? In this interview series, we are talking to business leaders, mental health leaders, marketing experts, business coaches, authors, and thought leaders who can share stories and insights about “How We Can Cancel Hustle Culture And Create A New Sustainable Work Paradigm.” As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dvir Ben-Aroya.

Dvir Ben-Aroya is the Co-Founder and CEO of Spike, the first collaborative email platform that helps teams of all sizes connect, create and collaborate in order to accomplish more. Dvir has over 2 decades of executive experience in leading tech companies. As a passionate entrepreneur, he is all about creating SaaS businesses, honing, and nurturing them throughout their entire lifecycle.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to know how you got from “there to here.” Inspire us with your backstory!

Hi there, I’m Dvir, the co-founder and CEO of Spike. I’ve been in the technology and internet industry for over 20 years, and I’m deeply passionate about entrepreneurship and building successful SaaS businesses. For me, there’s nothing more exciting than taking an idea from concept to reality and seeing it make a real impact in people’s lives.

We launched Spike with the goal of transforming the way people work by bringing together your team chat, emails, and meetings into a conversational and collaborative experience.

Tell us about your typical day!

When I’m not busy working on improving modern communication, you’ll likely find me out on the waves, surfing with friends, or chasing after my three boys.

What lessons would you share with yourself if you had the opportunity to meet your younger self?

I would probably share two pieces of advice. First; Technologies that will dominate are harder, faster, and stronger than anything else on the market.

Second; Launching and managing a startup is like surfing. It’s impossible to predict what kind of morning you’ll wake up to, and what kind of wave you’ll catch. All you can do is aim to be the best and have the best execution, never give up, timing is everything.

Ok, thank you for sharing your inspired life. Let’s start with a basic definition to make sure that all of us are on the same page. How do you define Hustle Culture?

Hustle culture is this societal pressure that we all feel to constantly work hard, achieve success, and be productive all the time. It’s like this unspoken rule that if you’re not constantly grinding, you’re not doing enough. I personally feel like I’m always on the go, always trying to do more and be more, and it’s exhausting.

The problem with hustle culture is that it can create this sense of urgency and fear of failure that isn’t always healthy. You start to feel like you have to sacrifice everything else in your life to get ahead, and that can take a toll on your mental and physical health. It can also contribute to a culture of burnout, where people are constantly pushing themselves to the brink just to keep up.

Overall, I think it’s important to recognize that hustle culture isn’t sustainable, and that we all need to prioritize our well-being and work-life balance to be truly successful.

Now let’s discuss an alternative to Hustle Culture. To begin, can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority on the problems that come with Hustle Culture?

As someone who’s always been fascinated by the transformative power of technology, it’s essential that we strive to eliminate its negative impacts and focus solely on the benefits it can bring. That’s why I’m incredibly passionate about the work we’re doing at Spike. Our goal is to help people be more productive and achieve their best work, without getting bogged down by the distractions that come with using multiple apps and tools.

At Spike, we’re on a mission to revolutionize the way people work by bringing all of the essential productivity tools directly into their inboxes. By creating a single, unified platform for all of your work, we’re making it easier than ever to stay organized, focused, and efficient.

For me, it’s more than just work — it’s a calling. I truly believe that by empowering people to do their best work and be their most productive selves, we can make a real difference in the world. And that’s something that keeps me inspired and motivated every day.

The specific term “Hustle Culture” may have been popularized in the 2010s, but the concept behind it and the behaviors that come with it can be traced back hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years. From your vantage point, experience, or research, what were the main drivers of Hustle Culture?

I believe that Hustle Culture was driven by several factors. One of the main ones was the glorification of overworking and the belief that success was directly linked to how much work you put in. This created a culture where people felt pressure to work long hours and prioritize work above everything else, even if it meant sacrificing their personal lives.

I work in the marketing industry, and so I’m very cognizant of this question. What role do you see that marketing and advertising has played in creating the frenzy caused by Hustle Culture that many of us feel?

Marketing and advertising have played a huge role in fueling the frenzy around hustle culture that so many of us feel. By glamorizing the idea of working hard and sacrificing personal life, companies and influencers have created this culture of overwork and burnout.

On top of that, social media has made it easier for influencers and communities to promote hustle culture and create a sense of competition and comparison among people.

While marketing and advertising may not be solely to blame for hustle culture, they’ve definitely contributed to the pressure we all feel to constantly work harder and do more.

Can you help articulate the downsides of Hustle Culture? Why is this an unsustainable work paradigm?

As someone who believes in the importance of work-life balance, I think it’s crucial that we recognize the downsides of hustle culture. It’s not sustainable or healthy to constantly push ourselves to work harder and longer hours.

Instead, we need to shift our focus to productivity rather than time spent working. If someone can finish all their work by 2:00 PM, why should we care when they worked? It’s about what they produce, not when they produce it.

Moreover, in our hyper-connected world, it’s essential that we give employees the opportunity to disconnect and recharge. This means leveraging tools and technology to work asynchronously and allowing employees to take breaks without fear of being seen as unproductive.

Employers will still need some overlap for meetings and collaboration, but it’s important to establish boundaries that allow employees to have a healthy work-life balance. Ultimately, by prioritizing productivity and work-life balance over hustle culture, we can create a more sustainable and healthy way of working for everyone.

Let’s now discuss Focus, the opposite of Frenzy. Can you please share one area of your personal or business life where you simplified things and then felt less frenzied and more fulfilled? Can you please explain?

Sure, one area of my life where I simplified things and felt more fulfilled is my approach to work. As someone who loves being at the beach and surfing, I realized that I wasn’t making enough time for the things that bring me joy outside of work.

To simplify my life and reduce the frenzied feeling of constantly working, I made a conscious effort to prioritize my personal life and create a better work-life balance. This meant setting boundaries around my work schedule and carving out time each week for activities that bring me happiness and relaxation, like surfing.

By simplifying my work life and prioritizing the things that matter most to me, I’ve felt less frenzied and more fulfilled. I’m able to approach work with a clearer mind and a more positive attitude, which ultimately leads to better productivity and success.

Overall, simplifying my approach to work and prioritizing my personal life has been a game-changer for me. It’s allowed me to pursue my passions outside of work and find a better balance between my personal and professional life.

What life experiences have you adopted in your business or personal life that have left you more satisfied? Can you please explain?

I have had the privilege of learning from many talented individuals throughout my career, and I have adopted many life experiences that have left me more satisfied in both my personal and business life.

One of the most significant lessons I’ve learned is the importance of empathy and active listening. I believe that being able to understand and connect with others on a deeper level is crucial to building successful and fulfilling relationships, both personally and professionally.

I’ve also learned the value of taking risks and embracing failure. In the high-tech industry, failure is often seen as a necessary step on the path to success, and I believe that embracing this mindset has allowed me to take risks and push beyond my comfort zone.

Finally, I’ve learned the importance of work-life balance and making time for the things that bring me joy, such as being at the beach and surfing. I believe that taking breaks and focusing on self-care is essential to maintaining a healthy and sustainable work-life balance.

Overall, learning from others and adopting these life experiences has left me more satisfied in both my personal and business life, and I’m always looking for new opportunities to continue growing and learning.

Okay, fantastic. Here is the main part of our interview. In your opinion, how can we break the addiction to being busy or trying to find the next big thing? How can people truly focus on tasks that make THE difference to their business and lives giving them satisfaction or life purpose alignment? Based on your experience and your area of expertise, can you please share “Five Ways To Move From Frenzy to Focused”?

I’ll try to wrap all of my answers to that question together. One way to break the addiction to being busy is to focus on big tasks that provide significant value, instead of trying to juggle multiple smaller tasks that may not have as much impact. It’s important to prioritize tasks and focus on the most important ones that will move the needle. I believe that staying focused and avoiding distractions are key to getting things done efficiently. Another strategy that has worked for me is setting specific goals and deadlines to create a sense of urgency and accountability.

Additionally, taking breaks and allowing for downtime is essential to recharging and avoiding burnout. By setting realistic goals, prioritizing tasks, and taking time to rest and recharge, people can truly focus on the tasks that make a meaningful impact.

In fact, one of my favorite features of Spike is the Priority Inbox. Priority Inbox automatically sorts all your less important emails such as newsletters, social alerts, and random invites into another Inbox, called ‘Other’ that you can get to later when you have time.

How would you describe a work paradigm that is a viable alternative to Hustle Culture? What would it look like, and what would you call it?

Probably the best way to define it is by prioritizing productivity over busyness. The focus is on results rather than the number of hours worked. This has allowed me to work smarter, not harder, and has led to a more sustainable work routine. Instead of feeling pressured to work long hours, I am able to take the time I need to produce high-quality work that meets the company’s goals and expectations. This has also led to a more positive work environment, as employees can support each other in achieving common goals rather than competing for who works the most hours. Overall, a work paradigm that emphasizes productivity over busyness has led to a healthier, more productive work environment that benefits both the company and its employees.

Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or resources that have inspired you about working differently?

Of course, these are a few of my favorites…

The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries — This book explores the concept of lean methodology and how it can be applied to startups and businesses. It emphasizes the importance of validated learning, experimentation, and iterative development. This book is perfect for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, product development, or innovation.

“The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg — This book delves into the science of habit formation and how it can be used to make positive changes in your personal and professional life. The book presents real-life examples of people and companies who have successfully changed their habits to achieve their goals. This book is great for anyone looking to improve their productivity, work-life balance, or personal development.

“How I Built This” (podcast) — This podcast features interviews with successful entrepreneurs and business leaders who share their stories of how they built their companies from scratch. Each episode offers insights into the challenges, successes, and failures that these entrepreneurs experienced along the way. This podcast is great for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, business strategy, or innovation.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can inspire.

Email overload and inefficiency are major issues that many businesses face, and they can lead to stress, burnout, and a lack of work-life balance. By using Spike, businesses can streamline their communication and prioritize their workload, leading to increased productivity and a more sustainable work culture.

For example, Spike’s conversational email approach, unified inbox, and powerful search and organizational features can help reduce the time and effort required to manage emails. Additionally, Spike’s collaboration tools can help teams work more efficiently and reduce the need for excessive email threads and meetings.

By adopting Spike, businesses can create a more sustainable and efficient work culture that benefits both employees and the bottom line.

What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?

I’m pretty easy to reach on all major social platforms, all they have to do is search my name Dvir Ben-Aroya and hopefully, I’ll be the first result that comes up.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.

About The Interviewer: For 30 years, Drew Gerber has been inspiring those who want to change the world. Drew is the CEO of Wasabi Publicity, Inc., a full-service PR agency lauded by PR Week and Good Morning America. Wasabi Publicity, Inc. is a global marketing company that supports industry leaders, change agents, unconventional thinkers, companies and organizations that strive to make a difference. Whether it’s branding, traditional PR or social media marketing, every campaign is instilled with passion, creativity and brilliance to powerfully tell their clients’ story and amplify their intentions in the world. Schedule a free consultation at WasabiPublicity.com/Choosing-Publicity.