Being in the C suite is a high-pressure job with long hours, responsibilities to the board and an intensive examination. But what is it to be a top manager when you are out of the clock?
AssetsThe series, the good life, shows how emerging managers spend their time and money outside of work.
Today we meet Eric Chen, the CEO and co -founder of Financial Blockchain Injective foundation.
The hype about cryptocurrency has been growing for years – and the Wall Street is finally hug it. Chen company offers investors a safe platform to reinvent the global markets. He says his blockchain in Layer 1 is one of the largest crypto networks that have ever been built and lead the industry in user activities, transactions and money volume. Since its foundation of 2018, Injective has processed more than 2 billion onkain transactions with over 1.5 million bridles in the system. It has applied 56 million US dollars from great investors, e.g. B. BinancePresent BitgoPresent PanteraPresent Jump– and even ex-Hai tank Billionaire investor Mark Cuban.
“The mission is simple: to create a really free and fair financial system through decentralization,” says Chen Assets. “This happens by giving every building contractor, financial institution and users the tools they need to reinvent global markets in a fully transparent and approved manner.”
In the past seven years, injective has grown to A 1.34 billion US dollars Company – and at the age of 26 Chen is just beginning. He started the company at the age of 19 when he was inscribed at New York University. Chen studied finance and mining Ethereum In his dormitory while he is in a hedge fund desk during the innovation. The teenager at the time was inspired to start an injective after experiencing the inefficiencies of the traditional market-so that he broke off the NYU and started building his billion dollar business.
Injectively, jumps have carried out since then; Deutsche TelekomT-Mobile’s Telecoms Arm, which has joined and brings as a validator Assets 500 quality network infrastructure. CBOE Global Markets-The biggest option exchange in America-Hat also submitted an inquiry to listing the fund, causing a strong institutional interest and injecting potential ETFs in the USA.
Due to the massive growth of his business, Chen says that he cannot remember a time when he fully stayed away from his work. The entertaining luxury devices of the CEO – including a mattress cover of 2,900 US dollars, a ring and racing simulator, keep it healthy in the middle of its full schedule. He never buys food, decides to eat in New York City or to eat his food. He did very few moon acid holidays and this year lives a globetical lifestyle through his business with travel to Seoul, London, Toronto, Abhu Dhabi and Singapore.
Finance
Assets: What was the best investment you ever made?
My eight sleep mattress cover, approx. 2,900 US dollars. It enables me to be maximum efficient with sleep and to minimize the chances of taking productivity due to poor sleep quality.
And the worst?
I would not say that there has been a single “worst” investment so far. Any decision whether it worked or not has something valuable and shaped me, I think. I try to approach everything with a learning setting, which converts even the less successful bets into long -term upward trend.
How do you commute to work?
I live in New York, so my commuting is usually a short walk from home to the office.
How much is in your wallet? Do you have funny credit cards you would recommend?
Fiat (government advertisement, like the US dollar), dies, so I never have cash!
Are you investing in shares?
I mainly buy and keep crypto via apps on injective. I have a $ dollar cost average in my favorite goods and use various programmable AI-controlled bots to automate most shops, because I am usually very careful with work to follow the markets exactly these days.
The best approach is learning through doing and at the same time the risk at the beginning. There are many great resources online, including tutorials, videos and forums that can help you build a strong foundation. Most platforms also offer paper trading so that you can exercise with simulated money and no real financial risk. Use this experience to gain trust before investing actual funds. Make sure you feel prepared to cope with the ups and downs of the market before you step in.
Which personal financial council would you give your 20-year-old yourself?
Invest more in Bitcoin.
What is the only subscription without you can’t live?
My Oura Ring subscription. It is great to pursue and sleep daily calories, which is frankly a stroke of luck.
Where does your wristwatch come from?
I love mine Apple regard. Simple and yet effective.
The necessities
How do you get your daily coffee fix?
When I started to be injected in college, I continued almost exclusively Red Bull. We even had a Red Bull fridge in our first office to keep a steady supply. Nowadays I made the move to Celsius or Double-espresso to keep myself running.
What about eating?
As with my workouts, I try to be quite disciplined when I move away from my desk for lunch when I can. On most days I eat in our community office kitchen. It is a good break and gives me the opportunity to catch up with the team. That means there are definitely days when things are continuous and I end up eating at my desk or on the go.
I used to order a ton because I don’t have time to cook, but recently I started preparing meals. I usually only eat that at my desk while I picked up messages at the same time.
Where do you buy food?
It will sound terrible, but I’m not sure if I will ever really buy food. I live on most days to prepare food and doorash.
How often do you dine against cooking at home in a week?
In the end of about 90% of the cases I eat between working meetings, dinner or just from the selection of being in New York. There is always something new to try and so many great places nearby.
Any restaurants or snack bars near you?
One of my favorites is currently Barlume, a Mediterranean place near our office, to which I go quite regularly.
Where do you buy for your work wardrobe?
Comfort has always been my priority. My style has definitely changed since college – why not? At that time I just applied everything I got from conferences or hackathons. Nowadays I still keep it comfortable, but now I attack something like sporty and rich.
What would be a typical workoutfit for you?
I would not say that I have a set everyday wardrobe. On some days it is fitness shorts, a polo and flip-flops, especially if it is a more casual day. In other cases, when I have an important meeting, I choose a shirt and chinos. It really depends on what the day demands.
Are you the proud owner of futuristic devices?
I am not sure whether it is considered futuristic, but my guilty pleasure is definitely the racing simulator that I have at home. It is the largest device I own and it does an insanely good job to simulate the real thing.
The treats
How do you relax from the top job?
When I have the time, I love playing tennis. It is one of the few things that really help me pull the plug and reconnect. It is physically active, but also mentally appealing, which makes it the perfect combination for me. Even for an hour it clears my head and gives me a second wind.
What is the best bonus pleasure you bought yourself?
After organizing a large injective event in Belgium, I booked a few hours on a real race track with my friends. The simulator practice paid off.
How do you treat yourself when you receive promotion?
I usually buy nothing physical than reward to be honest. To go to a concert with my friends or to check interesting appearances in the city is the closest to a bonus reward that I would say.
Take us on vacation: What will come next on your vacation list?
My next vacation will actually be in northern Macedonia to take part in the wedding of one of our original injection developers. It is a special moment with a whole circle, and I am happy to celebrate with someone who has been part of the trip since the early days.
Usually my “holidays” are only work conferences around the world. This year alone I will have been in Seoul, London, Toronto, Abhu Dhabi and Singapore for discussions that I give.
How many days on annual vacation do you take a year?
What is a free day? Apart from jokes, I can’t remember a time when I was 100% away from work. Even if I am a friend of a friend in a new city or visit a new city, I’m online around the clock.
Fortune wants to hear from managing directors what their “good life” looks like. Get in touch: emma.burleigh@fortune.com
