Alex Schinasi, Co-Founder and President of Hulken, has already built and exited two SAAS companies (Clay & Ivy.co) and is now making waves with Hulken, a brand that's redefining how you schlep your stuff around. From a Supreme collab to the Kardashians, Alex's tote-on-wheels has become a must-have item.

Alex explored with me the often-overlooked intersection of mindfulness and entrepreneurship.

Now, before you roll your eyes thinking this is about hour-long meditation sessions or zen retreats, hear us out. Alex breaks down how she's learned to stay present and grounded as she navigates the challenges of being a founder and mother. We talk about how slowing down can sometimes be the key to moving forward, the importance of building a support system, and finding small moments to take a breath in a busy day.

It's an honest conversation about the ways mindfulness can make you a better entrepreneur - without making you shave your head and become a monk.

Honestly, this was one of my favorite episodes I have done so far and I think you’re going to not only love it, but be better for it.

Give the full episode a listen here:

I picked out some of my favorite moments from the episode, check them out below:

A More Sustainable Hustle

Turns out, the "sleep when you're dead" mantra doesn't hold up so well when you're juggling a startup and a baby. Alex found this out the hard way and forced her to shift her priorities:

I learned to favor work-life balance a lot more. Hustling is healthy up to a point, but we need to be mindful as leaders on how much we push and make sure that it's only to a point that's healthy for everyone.

Back in New York with a one-year-old, Alex was trying to keep everything running smooth. Spoiler alert: it didn't end well. Panic attacks crashed the party, forcing her to hit the pause button and rethink her work-life equation. It's a wake-up call many founders face – when you realize your current pace is leading you straight to burnout city. By dialing back the hustle and dialing up the balance, Alex found a sweet spot. She could still crush it at work without feeling, well, crushed.

A Mindful Approach to.. Mindfulness

Working mindfulness into a busy schedule doesn't have to mean intense meditation sessions and all the other BS productivity gurus say you can’t start your day without:

For me, mindfulness doesn't have to be the 40-minute meditation every morning or the hour-long yoga class. I think there are ways to be mindful that involve some small moments in the day.

Most entrepreneurs aren't swimming in free time, but you don't need to be an earth-crunchy yogi to practice mindfulness. It's about sneaking in those little moments of awareness throughout your day. Maybe it's taking a few deep breaths before diving into that pitch meeting, or actually tasting your coffee instead of just mainlining it for the caffeine. These mini mental breaks might seem small, but they add up.

The Startup-Parent Juggling Act

Having kids is a full-time job in and of itself, so taking care of your little ones AND running a company will inevitably require some sacrifice. Alex keeps it real about the whole parent-founder gig:

Honestly, just getting a ton of help and realizing that you're not going to see your children as much as you wish you did and being okay with that. If you live close to your parents, then great. If you don't, finding the help that you need. Just getting the support system to be able to hustle, work hard, but still feel like an accomplished parent is the goal.

At the end of the day, you just need to do your best and make it work. For founders, especially those far from family, building a support system is crucial. The reality is that you won't be with your kids 24/7. If you’re committed to your company, you’ll have to make peace with that and focus on quality time when you are together. And if that sacrifice feels like too much, that’s perfectly okay, but you HAVE to be real with yourself and what you’re willing to miss out on. It's not perfect, but it's real, and it works.

The Presence of Pivoting

Being able to change direction quickly is often what defines success or failure, and it is based in your awareness of the moment:

We start with one thing, we pivot here, we pivot there, and we end up on something amazing. We build fast, we get something to market, and that's how we learn from those market signals.

You start with an idea, but you're not clinging to it. Instead, you're tuned in to what the market's telling you, ready to adapt when needed. It's mindfulness in action – observing without judgment and responding to what is, not what you wish it would be. By staying attentive to market signals and being willing to pivot, you're setting yourself up to spot opportunities others might miss.

Slow Your Roll to Speed Things Up

Everyone is always saying you have to "move fast and break things," Alex has found sometimes you gotta pump the brakes:

When making these rush decisions, very often I find myself skipping over very important stuff, which ends up biting me back. Taking that step back and slowing things down, I'm actually ensuring that we're on the right track and not just going straight into a wall.

Look, we've all made those snap decisions because, well, isn't that what entrepreneurs do? But taking a beat to think things through isn't being slow, it's being smart. You’re bringing some awareness and intention to your choices. So next time you're about to make a rush decision, maybe take a breath and a quick walk first. You might just end up better for it.

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