Felix Brehmer is Enterprise Sales Manager and Digital Adoption Expert at Software startup Userlane and talks about his favorite reading, journaling and meetings.
Munich Startup: What is your morning routine?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: At 6 a.m. sharp, I'm woken up by my daylight alarm. To rehydrate after a night's sleep, I have a cup of lukewarm water, coffee, and tea—in that order. Energized by this, I journal and read for 30 minutes, usually "Die Zeit." To finish, I do either a round of yoga, bouldering, or road cycling, depending on how early my first appointment is. Afterward, it's off to the shower and either the bike to the office or the five steps to my standing desk at home.
Use digital and analogue tools
Munich Startup: What is your favorite work tool?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: Digitally, I rely entirely on our CRM, Salesforce. It stores all my notes, tasks, and client information. Analogically, I also use a bullet journal to record the day's events and reflect on them at the end of the day.
Munich Startup: Which three apps are indispensable?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: Google Calendar, Google Maps and Meteoblue.
Munich Startup: Which Munich event is a must for founders?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: For regular evening events, I recommend 12.min.me or Munich's Funnelblick. And of course, you have to register at the Bits & Pretzels show off.
A clear agenda for meetings
Munich Startup: Which book do you recommend?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: "Stephen Covey – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." A book you can learn from throughout your life.
Munich Startup: What is your favorite type of meeting?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: The motto “This meeting could have been an email"Unfortunately, this is all too often true. Therefore, I only hold meetings when there's really something to discuss. If a meeting is essential, it should have a clear agenda. For quick coordination, I prefer the telephone; for longer meetings, they should be held via video conference or in person.
Pause mailbox
Munich Startup: What is your biggest stumbling block in your daily business?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: Unplanned calls or emails. Every morning, I fill in the gaps around my scheduled meetings. When something unexpected comes up, other things fall by the wayside, and I notice a drop in productivity. Pausing your email inbox and only opening internal tools like Slack at specific times helps.
Munich Startup: What is your motivation booster in your everyday work life?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: A coffee break with a colleague or a phone call with a client. Alternatively, listening to the rock playlist on Spotify boosts my energy level.
Munich Startup: How do you end your working day?
Felix Brehmer, Userlane: Close all tabs, look through notes in the bullet journal, turn off the laptop, and look forward to the end of the day.
