- Gen Z often gets flak for starting their days glued to their phones—but GoTo Foods CEO Jim Holthouser similarly begin his 12-hour workdays “meme-hunting” before lifting weights. The chief executive leading a billion-dollar company has 12-hour workdays jam-packed with meetings with his direct-reports, employees, and mentors. Yet to wind down each night, he reads 100 emails to hit “inbox-zero,” just like ex-Shark Tank billionaire Mark Cuban and Squarespace CEO Anthony Casalena.
Many CEOs may swear by morning cold plunges or green juice shots to jump-start their days. But GoTo Foods CEO Jim Holthouser begins his 12-hour workdays with black coffee and reading the news—but also, scouring the internet for jokes to send to his friends, much like Gen Z and millennials might.
“I do something a little ridiculous but very fun: I go meme-hunting. I’ve got friend groups from different chapters of my life, and we send memes to each other 365 days a year,” Holthouser recently revealed to Business Insider. “Some are political, some are just absurd. It’s not about the jokes so much as it’s a way to stay connected to people I care about.”
Holthouser leads a food empire spanning Carvel, Cinnabon, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Auntie Anne’s, and Jamba Juice, with more than 7,000 restaurants worldwide and system-wide sales of more than $4.2 billion since 2020.
To get a handle on all his iconic brands, he starts work at 8:30 a.m.—a bit later than the typical Silicon Valley executives, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, setting 5 a.m. alarms. But like most leaders, his days are often long, extending into the late hours of the night. To get the energy he needs to lead GoTo Foods, he swears by his morning workouts set to the tune of classic oldies.
“I’m pretty religious about my daily workouts. Three days a week are cardio, and three are weights,” Holthouser said. “I’m on the Peloton at least once a week. If I’m not listening to coach Leanne Hainsby to get me through an intense session, I’m listening to 70s music.”
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m: Meetings, mentorship and beers
Once he gets to the office, Holthouser does a sweep of the floor of his Atlanta headquarters. He explains he tries to remember his employees’ names and hobbies to try and nurture a caring work environment.
Then, the meetings come—he checks in with his 10 direct reports each week for an hour each. Holthouser is also keen on making time for those outside of his direct circle, even those who are vying to be mentored by the food mogul.
“I also do regular skip-level meetings with brand heads who don’t report to me directly. We’ll grab a beer, lunch, have a casual chat in my office,” Holthouser said. “It’s not about metrics; it’s about getting to know each other.”
“A lot of people here have asked me to mentor them. If someone has the guts to reach out, I’ll almost always say yes. Most of the time, it’s just a monthly lunch. But it’s meaningful for both of us.”
Fortune reached out to GoTo Foods for comment.
Holthouser’s day doesn’t end at 5 p.m.—and he can’t sleep until his inbox is clear
Holthouser’s five-to-nine after the “typical workday” ends doesn’t look like TV binge-watching or bar hopping with friends. He works late everyday in an effort to “mentor, check in, give recognition, and stay connected”—but also to maintain the right connections to help GoTo Foods succeed.
“My day doesn’t end until 8 or 9 at night, often because I have a lot of entertaining and after-hours meetings and activities to do,” Holthouser continued. “We try to stay dialed into the local political scene to develop those kinds of contacts—you never know when you’re going to need them.”
When he finally gets a minute to himself, he catches up with his wife over a glass of wine, and pursues his childhood passion: playing the piano. The CEO said that he started practicing at the age of 6, and was later invited to study at Julliard when he was just 11. His talent helped him pay his way through undergraduate and graduate school, playing at piano bars and nice restaurants. Now, he sits down for 30 minutes each night to play and “decompress”—it’s a daily habit that helps him not think about work. But there’s one last thing Holthouser has to check off his agenda to be able to sleep.
Like ex-Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban and Squarespace CEO Anthony Casalena, Holthouser reads all his unread emails by his 11 p.m. bedtime. If he doesn’t hit inbox-zero, it’s harder for him to completely relax. The CEO said that answering messages from his more than 2,000 franchises is always his top priority, as “they’re the lifeblood of our company.”
“I’m one of those inbox-zero people. If I don’t clear my email before bed, I won’t sleep well,” Holthouser said. “I probably get around 100 emails a day, but only 30% of them are truly important.”
