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TechFitbit

How the Fitbit CEO slept during his company’s IPO

By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
July 29, 2015, 9:00 AM ET
James Parkm, FitBit
pickupPhotograph by Richard Drew—AP

James Park’s heart rate and sleep patterns tell the real story of what it’s like to be the chief executive of a company about to go public. Park wore Fitbit’s (FIT) Surge “super­watch” during the entire process, from the company’s initial SEC filing through the subsequent road show and finally to his IPO-day celebration with a New York–style hot dog. Even Jim Cramer couldn’t get a rise out of him. Here’s a look at the numbers.

FIT-08-01-15

James Park’s Tips for Managing IPO Stress:

  • Stay focused on a specific goal. (Even if it’s a hot dog.)
  • Be prepared. “We had almost 100 meetings with investors.
  • Get a consistentamount of sleep every night. “Data is helpful to maintain discipline.”
  • Stay fit.“Health is an important part of managing the ups and downs of running a company.”

Watch James Park speaking at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech below:

A version of this article appears in the August 1, 2015 issue of Fortune magazine with the headline “The Quantified Self: CEO-at-IPO Edition.”

About the Author
By Jason Cipriani
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