This interview is with Manasvini Krishna, Founder at Boss as a Service.

Manasvini Krishna, Founder, Boss as a Service

Manasvini, welcome to ProductivityAdvice.com! Could you tell our readers a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an expert in productivity and accountability, particularly for startups?

If I were to sum up my career in one sentence, it would be that I started as a lawyer, learned to code, and began launching tech-related products.

I studied law at NLIU and the University of Oxford, but I've always been a creator at heart. My first few products were centered around networking and legal services. But I also identified strongly with the feeling of akrasia—procrastination—in not just individuals but also enterprises as a whole. When a level of comfort sets in, there is a lower drive to grow and face new challenges. I toyed with the idea of using accountability as a way to overcome this inertia.

In 2018, I launched Boss as a Service, an accountability partner platform. What's unique about it is that it mixes virtual accountability and the human touch—we have human accountability and productivity partners who check in with clients all around the world every day, help them set their goals, and also ask for proof that the goals have been completed. So the clients are, in a way, opening themselves to a real boss who keeps an eye on everything they do. The best part is, we're the friendly, approachable kind of bosses—our agenda is to help you get your work done, so you can share what's really holding you back and we'll find a way to help you overcome it!

You mentioned your platform, Boss as a Service, blends technology, strategy, and a human touch. Can you elaborate on how this unique combination addresses productivity challenges in the fast-paced startup environment?

In a typical startup environment, people need to plan a few steps ahead and be ready to change gears and shift focus when needed. But this is often easier said than done. Lots of times, there is so much work to juggle that you're unable to even figure out how to prioritize and make sure all the work that needs to be done is not being delayed or forgotten. That's where we come in. Our bosses are here to help you shape what your entire day—or week, or month—looks like. We talk through your goals to see what should be prioritized, what is being unnecessarily delayed, or what you're simply refusing to get started on. We keep it real and let you know when you're taking on too much and not planning your work in the best possible way—that's the strategy and the human touch. The technology comes in primarily as a means of access. We are your bosses, but you don't have to go out of your way to come to us. We are accessible right through your computer or phone screen, even if we're thousands of miles away. As a bonus, we are also partnered with some virtual-accountability solutions like Beeminder to help provide an extra nudge when you need it.

Many startup founders struggle with wearing multiple hats and managing their time effectively. What's the biggest time management pitfall you've observed, and what advice would you give to avoid it?

The biggest time-management pitfall any founder, entrepreneur, or even a working professional can create for themselves is trying to multitask. It really is the bane of productivity and progress. This is an era of diversification—your skills, incomes, roles, and so on. But most people think this means they need to be doing two or three things at the same time, which, if we're honest, will only lead to half-baked progress all the time. Avoiding this trap is simple—simply time-box your day to give enough time to every task. If you feel productive and creative in the morning, set aside three hours with no interruptions (not even texts) to get all your design and marketing ideas flowing. Keep meetings, calls, and emails for the afternoon. And time yourself to make sure each big block of focused work is followed by 5-10 minutes of free time to relax, stretch your legs, and reset your focus for the next task. Such are the solutions we like to provide.

You've previously highlighted the importance of accountability partners. How can someone in a startup environment, where they might be working independently or with a small team, establish effective accountability structures?

An accountability partner can be anyone you trust to keep you in line—your colleague, your boss, your subordinate, even a friend or family member. There are just a few criteria they need to meet: the ability to check in regularly; a basic understanding of your work to know whether you're planning well enough to make progress; an honest but positive attitude that motivates you; and a capacity to show you tough love when you need it. This kind of accountability structure goes a little beyond normal workplace equations because you need to allow it to get a bit more personal, for your own benefit.

Building a strong team is crucial for any startup's success. What are some key productivity habits you've found essential for building and maintaining a high-performing startup team?

A startup can be dynamic and sometimes a little more volatile, with each day being hectic in a different way. Some people thrive in these situations, but what maintains an overall level of productivity is stability and routine. Keeping standard work timings, with lunch and breaks factored in, helps people get into the groove a lot more every day. Also, don't feel the need to call for meetings every time there's an update. Consistency is key to productivity, and you need people to find their rhythm and just go with it. Motivational factors are also important—acknowledge the little successes and the people who've made them happen, and set periodic challenges to push people to work better and improve their own productivity.

Entrepreneurs often face numerous setbacks. Can you share a specific instance where you faced a significant challenge related to productivity or accountability and how you overcame it?

No one is immune from setbacks and unproductive phases. Every new product I build requires copious amounts of coding, and sometimes it's difficult to get into the right mindset when you already have other ventures to look after and people to answer to. But I tried to resolve this as simply as possible—by setting aside a few hours of uninterrupted coding time and leaving all of the admin work for later or the next day. Compelling myself to focus really helped.

Technology plays a vital role in productivity. Besides your platform, what are some tech tools or apps you find indispensable for staying organized and on track?

Productivity solutions are really taking over the tech spaces today. Take our friends at Beeminder and stickK—they make you put your money where your mouth is and make a financial commitment to a goal, so the consequences feel real. As an organization, we also use Notion, which helps us keep all important information organized in one space that the whole team—which works remotely—can access at their convenience.

Work-life balance is a hot topic, especially for entrepreneurs. How do you personally approach this balance, and what advice would you give to startup founders juggling long hours and demanding schedules?

Most of the answer lies in scheduling—even your socialization and workout times, and time with your family. This may sound weird, but once you get the hang of setting your schedule in a way that you are building time to relax and focus on life, not work, you'll find that it's much easier to make the shift mentally. The rest follows naturally.