Business Athletes: Nadine Choe

Hello and welcome to Business Athletes everyone! 

Each week, we’ll explore the athlete-like habits behind a different business leader. In less than 5-minutes, we aim to provide you with practical tactics that you can quickly apply in your day-to-day.⚡️

In the 5th edition of our newsletter, we sat down with Nadine Choe, the founder of The Stanza, a newsletter media business that discusses investing in hospitality & fashion.

Having previously had a successful career as a real estate private equity investor, Nadine is now a media entrepreneur, having amassed an audience of over 105,000 followers in less than a year.

Read time: 3 minutes 54 seconds

Before starting, we just wanted to give a shoutout to someone very special to the Business Athletes family, Alex Aylin, who has recently launched Elite Team Talks.

If you're currently building a team and want access to the wisdom of the world's best, sign up to their free newsletter below!

Pre-Game Preparation

A Sense Of Urgency

The first thing I do when I wake up is check emails and messages. I live in Milan, and most people I work with are based in NYC, so I like to answer anything urgent received overnight first thing in the morning.

Then I’ll write a to-do list on Loop and I always order that based on priorities. 

I like tackling the most important tasks first thing because it makes the rest of the day easier and that’s when I have the most energy. 

The Right Environment Produces A Clear Mind 

I wish I was someone who could work anywhere, but I do need a lot of natural light and a clean space to be lucid and productive throughout my workday.

My mom always says, “a messy room is a messy mind”, and that really sticks with me.

I also produce my best work when I’m in a beautiful space. I know that isn’t always realistic, but it’s just more inspiring to spend your workdays in a space that’s thoughtfully designed.

Gameday

Intense Focus When Competing

I’ve been fortunate to be able to do a few different sports - golf, tennis, and surfing - because I grew up in Los Angeles where I had easy access to all three.

I grew up as a competitive golfer and while I didn’t enjoy it as a child, the most important thing I learned was consistency and discipline.

Practicing at least 3 -5 times per week consistently for years even if it’s raining or if I didn’t feel like going to practice taught me the value of putting in the work over time to see real results.

Something I learned from playing tennis matches is the value of sportsmanship and elegance, even if you lose a game.

I also love that tennis is a singular sport (versus playing with a whole team), and so, it requires an intense focus for the period you’re on the court. 

Focus On What You Can Control

Surfing has also taught me several important life lessons.

The summer after university graduation, I traveled to Bali for a couple months and while there, grew pretty confident in the water.

One day, I decided to paddle out during a big swell, and was caught in the impact zone for what felt like forever. It was like being in a huge washing machine with a coral reef lining. Another (much more experienced surfer) had to bring me back to the beach and I was covered in reef cuts. 

That experience really humbled me. You can’t mess with the ocean, or anything you don’t have control over.

A Phase Of Execution

I used to be more active in “personal growth” things such as journaling and therapy.

I do think those things are essential to becoming your best self and living a full and satisfying life.

But now I’m in execution mode and building my entrepreneurial career, so I’m less focused on personal reflection right now. It’s all a cycle.

Post-Game

A Reward-Based System

One thing that keeps me focused throughout the day, besides the satisfaction of crossing off my to-do list, is having a rewards-based system.

If I’m working on something that takes a lot of time and deep focus, such as editing a long interview, I’ll set up a reward for myself at the end of it. 

That’s usually when I make time to hit the sauna, or since I live in Milan, have a really nice bowl of pasta for lunch.

I also like setting up walks throughout my day as “rewards” - it keeps my energy levels stable.

Inspiration That Comes From Rest

I don’t think I ever truly “rest”. Even if I’m on holiday, I’m always thinking about the details of a hotel I’m staying at or a restaurant I’m visiting, and brainstorming ideas for content. 

Living in Europe means having access to so much inspiration everywhere - from the architecture, to how people dress, to how people interact in restaurants and bars.

As a foreigner living here, I have a bit of a “newcomer’s perspective”, which helps me quite a bit in my creative output with The Stanza.

The Business Athlete Mindset

What Is A “Win” For the Day For Nadine

The Stanza isn’t about my story - it’s about serving my audience with insights that they can’t get elsewhere. Having that in mind helps me consistently produce content that people come back for.

I appreciate when someone I respect, such as a senior industry leader, supports The Stanza by subscribing, sharing, or reaching out to me to discuss something I’ve published.

I also appreciate when someone in my audience sends a note saying they’ve used insights from my content to help their business.

The goal of The Stanza is to provide value to others, and when I’ve achieved that, it’s quite satisfying.

New interview every week. Never any spam.

🏆 Business Athletes is a newsletter and community focused on studying and celebrating high-performance in business and in life.⚡️