Daniel Lubetzky built Kind Snacks from a small startup into a company he eventually sold for $5 billion in 2020, but the journey came at a personal cost. The Shark Tank investor recently opened up about how his relentless work habits nearly broke him — and what he now tells other founders about protecting their limits.
Sleepless Nights Behind a Multibillion-Dollar Deal
During Kind’s growth years, Lubetzky often ran on just four to five hours of sleep a night, sacrificing time in the sun and at the gym to keep the business moving forward. He told Business Insider that the pace eventually caught up with him, joking that he began to resemble a “phantom raccoon” from exhaustion. Despite the toll, he stressed that entrepreneurship still demands intensity — the key is remembering that building a company is a long-term effort rather than a short burst of overwork.
How Founders Can Protect Their Energy
Lubetzky now urges entrepreneurs to build deliberate recovery into their weeks, even if it’s as small as taking a single morning off after an intense stretch. He also recommends setting aside regular blocks of time to fully unplug from both work and technology, rather than simply checking messages less often. Simple, screen-free moments — a walk, quiet meditation, or an unplugged shower — give the brain space to process everything it absorbs, he said, rather than constantly taking in more.
He also pointed to notifications as a hidden drain on founders’ time and focus, noting that apps are designed to pull people back again and again throughout the day. His advice: turn off unnecessary alerts and decide intentionally when to check in, instead of reacting to every ping.
As AI tools make it easier than ever to stay “always on,” Lubetzky’s experience is a reminder that sustainable ambition requires boundaries, not just hustle.