By: Hannah Scott
The role of a CEO stands as a pinnacle of aspiration for many. Yet, behind the glamor and prestige of this title lie certain habits that are foundational to this demanding position. These habits not only shape the daily decisions these CEOs make but also drive the trajectory of their organizations. While providing the blueprint for corporate success, they also reveal what it truly means to lead with purpose and distinction.
Take, for instance, Dr. Steven Kaufman, the CEO and founder of Zeus Companies. According to Dr. Kaufman, one reason behind his success is adopting certain habits that make him stand out in the crowded corporate landscape.
For context, Dr. Kaufman is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the US and arguably globally. He is the founder of the 37th fastest-growing private financial service firm, Zeus Lending, and a highly ranked and respected CEO in the real estate community. Steven, an ambitious go-getter, manages a portfolio of approximately $500 million in multifamily, office, retail, and healthcare assets and is also an award-winning philanthropist.
If that’s not a good enough introduction of Steven, wait till you hear this; his net worth was recently reported to exceed $250 million!
How did this Brooklyn boy, who moved to Houston for her cancer-stricken grandmother’s treatment, emerge as a serial entrepreneur and accomplished investor? The simple answer is that he followed his true calling and pursued it until he didn’t achieve his dreams. However, the significant contribution to Steven’s success was the personality he had cultivated with the help of a few habits. We’ll dissect each of those below.
Choosing a smart company
As a Russian proverb goes, “Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are,” Steven is still very wise in choosing his company. According to him, he always tries to surround himself with people who are more intelligent and wealthier than him. That’s how you will see him at parties and different get-togethers – in a huddle of achievers, discussing business, new opportunities, the future and ways to develop oneself. He strongly believes in Tony Robbins’s words, “The quality of your life is a direct reflection of the expectations of your peer group,” and tries to be the ‘dumbest, poorest in the room’ guy to learn from his contemporaries as much as possible.
Humility and confidence
These two traits are increasingly rare among people who make it to the limelight in their specific disciplines. Egoism and narcissism are replacing humility and confidence, and celebrities from almost every background are turning into a largely self-obsessed lot. Steven, however, knows perfection is an illusion. There will always be someone better than you, is what his mom had taught him, and that’s what he staunchly believes in. He doesn’t waste his energies on futile comparisons and lives a confident personal and professional life, knowing his strengths and weaknesses.
Sunday – a ‘bonus’ day
Steven has a unique recipe to stay two steps ahead of his competitors. He has made Sunday a ‘bonus’ day in his professional life. From morning to evening, he spends a fun time with his daughters along with his wife. The family goes shopping, tries a new restaurant in the town, or dedicates the day to the beach, and when dusk falls, they all return home. This is when Steven’s bonus day comes into play.
He starts his week that evening, rather than waiting for Monday. Steven believes that that half day of work has been a huge boost to his productivity that has compounded exponentially over his career. “This way, I get to work one additional month in a year, and if you do the same calculations over my 25 years of career, I have received nearly 3 years of bonus time against my competition!” concludes Steven.
Published by: Martin De Juan
