12 COO Principles for Running Our Busy Household Like a Startup

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Managing a busy household can often feel as overwhelming as running a startup. With 16 years of experience as a founder and COO, leading startups through growth and acquisition, I’ve learned a thing or two about effective operations. The same principles that help startups thrive can be applied to running a household—whether it’s ensuring smooth communication, balancing schedules, or managing finances.

Here’s how I bring my COO expertise into our home, keeping things running smoothly while juggling the demands of everyday family life.

1. Establish & Communicate Core Values

Just as core values drive decision-making in a startup, they are the foundation for guiding behavior at home. In our household, our core values are laminated and placed on the kitchen table to guide daily decisions. Whether it’s keeping promises or showing kindness, these values keep us aligned and focused.

2. Right People, Right Seats

Assigning tasks based on strengths is essential for efficiency. My wife excels at detail-oriented tasks like paying bills, so she manages that aspect of the household. Meanwhile, I handle bigger projects like planning vacations and major purchases. The key is to delegate tasks based on individual strengths.

3. Prioritize One-on-One Time

In startups, one-on-one meetings build strong relationships and minimize conflicts. At home, bi-weekly 1:1 dates with each of my kids help strengthen our bond and reduce sibling arguments. These moments of connection make a big difference in family harmony.

4. Unplug to Gain Clarity

In both startups and households, stepping away from the grind is necessary to recharge. My wife and I make it a point to go on a date every Saturday night, away from the kids. This gives us time to reconnect, recharge, and start the new week with a clear head.

5. Awareness of Strengths and Weaknesses

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your team—or in this case, your family—is critical to success. We use personality assessments to understand each family member’s natural tendencies and assign household tasks accordingly, ensuring that everyone contributes in the best way possible.

6. Centralized Workload Management

Just as centralized task management keeps a company organized, we use Asana to assign tasks, track goals, and manage household duties. This system keeps everyone on the same page, drives accountability, and prevents duplicated efforts.

7. Deliberate Time Management

Time is a precious resource. I protect mine by scheduling important tasks, like writing, early in the morning before the kids are awake. This ensures I’m able to balance both work and family without sacrificing quality in either area.

8. Hold Meeting Times Sacred

Regular check-ins keep everyone aligned in a business, and the same goes for family life. Morning walks with my wife and weekly family meetings on Sundays help us stay organized and plan for the busy week ahead.

9. Planning & Goal-Setting

Setting both long-term and short-term goals keeps everyone focused. At home, we establish north stars, quarterly objectives, and monthly goals for each aspect of our lives, much like a business sets its vision and strategies. This prevents us from drifting aimlessly.

10. Measure, Reflect, and Adapt

Regularly assessing progress is key to staying on track. Every 90 days, I check in on different areas of life, rating them 1-10 to identify areas for improvement. This helps me set new goals and ensures we’re always moving forward.

11. Financial Literacy is Crucial

Financial illiteracy is one of the top reasons businesses fail. At home, we teach our kids financial literacy using tools like GreenLight, which helps them manage their own money and make smart financial decisions. This has boosted their understanding of budgeting and spending.

12. Someone Has to Watch the Money

Managing household finances closely is crucial to avoid unnecessary spending. We use Rocket Money to track our spending, cancel unwanted subscriptions, and ensure we stay within budget.

Running a family is much like running a business—it requires a clear vision, strategy, and effective execution. By applying these COO principles to your household, you can create a smoother, more organized environment that benefits everyone.