- Susan Levine, the CEO of Career Group Companies in LA, has a non-negotiable morning routine.
- She goes into the office five days a week to mentor her team and maintain client interactions.
- Her days include early mornings, exercise, and balancing work with family involvement.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Susan Levine, the CEO of Career Group Companies in Los Angeles. It's been edited for length and clarity.
Before founding Career Group Companies, a recruitment and advisory firm, in 1981, I worked for another staffing company for 10 months, where I was introduced to the recruiting world.
I self-funded and started Career Group Companies when I was 24. I also worked in retail before recruiting because I'm a fashionista, and I've had stints in advertising.
Career Group Companies has 225 full-time employees and thousands of freelancers, and we're still growing. My two daughters also work for the company, which is amazing for me as a mother.
I never put my clients off because, as I always say, the ride down from a place of success is much faster than the climb up. I'm readily available for my clients and a mentor to my team while balancing my self-care.
Here's a typical day in my life, including my non-negotiable morning routine.
Between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., I wake up
My children would tell you they've never seen me tired, but I'm just a morning person. I get up naturally between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m.
I try to stay relaxed for at least 20 minutes. Then, I have my coffee, which is a must. I'm very particular, so I love only one brand: Graffeo from San Rafael. My breakfast is typically scrambled egg whites.
I'm a list maker, so I immediately write everything I want to accomplish during the day on my scratchpad.
On average, I receive 300 emails while I'm asleep. I start the day by answering initial emails from my home office from clients, candidates, or employees who have questions for me.
I also have morning calls with my New York, Miami, and East Coast offices. I spend an hour and a half to two hours from my home office meeting with my executive vice presidents or clients back east.
Three mornings a week, I walk and do Pilates before heading to the office
My morning routine is non-negotiable. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at 8 a.m., I walk between 2.5 and 3 miles very fast and then do an hour and a half of Pilates.
I'm a type-A perfectionist and highly organized and efficient, but I don't use technology to keep track of my day. I have an extraordinary memory, but I always review my calendar for business appointments.
I go into the office five days a week. I live in Pacific Palisades, and the main office is in Century City. Depending on traffic, it takes me 20 to 25 minutes to get to the office around 10:30 a.m.
When I arrive, we have a morning staff meeting. Then I juggle everything from taking meetings to hiring — I meet every person I hire — to being an educator, leader, and trainer.
I'm the CEO, but my favorite part of my job is interacting with clients and hiring people. Having my kids in the business and mentoring them with the rest of the team has also been fantastic.
There are no two days that are alike in the office, but I'm a mentor every single day
I have a very strong work ethic and like to mentor my team — I think that's important. Whatever you put into your people, you get out of them.
I take a lot of client calls throughout the day because I'm not sitting in an ivory tower, just running a company. I'm interacting with my clients and the talent and matchmaking. I keep an open-door policy.
I usually eat lunch at my desk between meetings. I enjoy a salad with chicken as my protein.
My afternoons are spent taking more client meetings, allotting time for my team members, and hiring more candidates.
I leave the office between 6 and 6:30 p.m., and I'm a homebody when I get home
I like to decompress and have dinner when I get home. I'll go to dinner a few nights during the workweek, but I cook often.
After dinner, I chill with my husband of 38 years. I unwind by enjoying watching television, especially binge-watching my favorite shows. I used to read a lot, especially when I was traveling for work. Now, I mostly read business periodicals and online news to stay updated on current events and business trends.
I'd be lying if I said I don't check my email until I sleep. Yes, I am addicted to my work. I end the night with five hours of sleep on average, wake up, and do it all over again.