A day in the life of an entrepreneur: Meet Tessa Adams
By Kristen Oliveri
Tessa Adams, founder of everle, is on a mission to revolutionize social media—no small feat in today’s digital landscape. Wealth Reimagined’s Kristen Oliveri sat down with Adams to take a look behind the curtain and explore how this trailblazing entrepreneur stays sharp, grounded, and thriving in a fast-paced world.
What does a typical morning look like for you, and how do you set the tone for the day ahead?
I’ve always liked to start my day early and now I do it whether I want to or not. I’m up generally by 5:45/6am and headed to a Soul Cycle or Pilates class. I have to start my day with some sort of a workout, even if it’s just a walk around the neighborhood.
That’s my time to get centered for the day ahead and get my brain moving. Follow that with an injection of caffeine from my favorite local coffee spot (Go Get Em Tiger) and I’m off to the races. I also try not to schedule meetings before 9am, but of course that can be a challenge dealing with so many time zones, but if I can preserve the mornings for me time, I certainly try to.
Are there any non-negotiable rituals or habits that keep you grounded as a founder?
Working out and making space for flying. I’ve been a private pilot for a few years now and I will always make time for what I know is necessary “mental health walk” in the skies.
Entrepreneurship can feel like a 24/7 job. How do you create boundaries between work and personal time?
To be honest, it’s difficult. I think I’m always working in some sense, but I will block of time in my calendar for the things that are important. I try to be vigilant to ensure I’m making time and space for close relationships as well as myself as much as possible, although I’m not as good at that.
When things get especially overwhelming, what's your go-to mental reset or wellness practice?
Flying. The only place I know how to disconnect is when I’m in the cockpit. Nothing else matters other than exactly what you are doing and there is no time to worry about your phone, or anything going on below you.
How do you define balance in your life right now, and has that evolved since starting your company?
I’ve sort of given up on balance to be honest. I’m not sure you can be in the startup life and ever truly find what society says is “balance”. But I think as a founder, you are so passionate about what you are doing (hopefully) that feel a sense of fulfillment from building. Every day isn’t great, but every day you are working towards something that you believe in and that keeps you moving forward regardless of what everyone else is doing.
Social media is both your business and a major part of modern life. How do you protect your own mental health while building in that space?
I’ve learned how to utilize today’s social platforms for strictly business purposes. I don’t allow myself to doom scroll nor fall into the traps set for human consumption. It also helps having built everle, the place where my friends, family and myself truly connect on a real level. Makes it easy to step away from traditional social. And quite frankly, I’d rather spend time laughing with our AI companion blob then wasting away in mainstream social spaces.
Has building your platform taught you anything surprising about your own wellness needs or boundaries?
Absolutely. I have learned I will push myself to the absolute edge of burn out and should probably not. Working on it. But what I have been better at is boundary setting. Now more than ever, I have to really look at the scope of my time and have had to be very discerning on what and with whom I spend it. The people and things you surround yourself with are so important.
What role does community, friends, mentors, or digital connections, play in your well-being as a founder?
The everle community is EVERYTHING. I can’t stress enough how much this community has shown up for the mission and for each other. We built this platform to bring humans together in a safe, authentic way and it’s so amazing to see that happening in real time. We aren’t meant to live life solo. Humans crave and thrive in connectivity, and yet, the current “social” platforms only seem to tear us farther apart. At everle, we’re coming together again building the most human place on the internet.