Ten questions for Carl Goyette, CEO of Guru | A form of freedom from routine

Every Friday, someone from the business community reveals themselves in our section. This week, Carl Goyette, CEO of Guru natural energy drinks, answers our questions.

Who do you admire in the business world?

Entrepreneurs who think big and want to transform industries. I admire Jeff Bezos [Amazon] because it transformed online commerce. He knew how to think big and believe in his vision until it came to fruition. It’s a bit of the characteristic of entrepreneurs to think big, to want to change things and the world. It requires a lot of strength of character and resilience because it’s not easy. I also greatly admire the wisdom, rigor and discipline of Warren Buffett. He is very inspiring. He doesn’t get distracted by the latest fashion and trend.

What is your best habit?

Prioritize my family and my health, which generates a bunch of good habits. I go running regularly. I ride a bike. Despite a fairly intense life, I spend a lot of time with my two daughters and my partner. I maintain this kind of balance which calms the stress I experience every day and which also helps to put many things into perspective. I am a very passionate person and very involved in the business side. It’s lucky that I have this balance provided by family and the health side.

And your worst habit?

My phone addiction. That’s why exercise is important, to get me away from my phone. Emails take up a lot of space. I have always been very involved in social media. We are bombarded with social media. It’s 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. There are a lot of Guru consumers talking about us on social media. It never stops. It’s important to know what’s happening with our consumers. It gives me a direct link with them. This allows us to see who is consuming and on what occasions.

How do you unplug?

I exercise a few times a week (running, cycling). I have better balance on weekends and more time to exercise. During the week, my days are very intense. Sport is a big part of my life. I did a lot of water skiing and I am still very active in this sport, particularly at Brome Lake. Early in the morning on the weekend, I go slalom with my gang of friends. Over time, I competed in the Canadian championships and won medals at the Quebec Games. I ran a half marathon a year for several years. My daughters do a lot of alpine ski racing and I have been president of the Bromont ski club in recent years.

What app could you no longer live without on your phone?

Instagram to see what’s going on with Guru, for sure. And ChatGPT more and more. It’s a fantastic tool for structuring ideas. Also LinkedIn for networking. I am very active on LinkedIn to stay connected with the business community.

Your best investment?

It’s definitely Guru! Without hesitation. I am not one of the founders. I believe enormously in Guru’s potential since I joined the company. So much so that I convinced my partner to remortgage our house and invest almost all of our savings in Guru while the company was still private. You had to believe in it and I believed enormously in what I could bring, but also in the potential of energy and natural drinks. And I think the best is yet to come, naturally.

Do you have a morning ritual?

Morning is a precious time during the week, because once the day starts, it gets very intense until late in the evening. I try to set aside some time when I get up for reflection over coffee. I try not to schedule meetings too early to preserve this precious moment for me.

What is your relationship with routine?

I firmly believe that there is a form of freedom in routine. It’s special because I’m not someone who likes routine. But there is a lot of routine in the way I organize my work. For example, all my Mondays are pretty much the same. It starts with a meeting with the executive team. And all my individual meetings with my team take place on Mondays. This allows you to start the week strong by talking to everyone and establishing a clear plan of priorities for the week. This gives us some freedom for the rest of the week. I’ve been following this for several years and it works very well.

Do you have a special diet or eating habit?

Intermittent fasting. Most mornings, I don’t eat breakfast and I won’t eat until noon. I find that it makes a difference in mental clarity. I only have black coffee in the morning. It helps me stay more focused. And I avoid consuming alcohol during the week.

Do you have a wish, goal or resolution for 2025?

Be firmer in my sports routine to achieve physical exercise every day. I do a lot of it, but it’s not anchored in a daily routine. I would like it to be.