Welcome to The 6 a.m. CFO, where finance chiefs share how they jump-start their days and engage with the tasks that are in front of them.
Today, Klaviyo’s CFO, Amanda Whalen, shares her morning routine.
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Klaviyo
- Customer relationship management platform built for consumer brands
- Year founded: 2012
- Revenue: First quarter revenue of $279.8 million (Q1 2025), representing 33% YoY growth
MORNING ROUTINE
Weekday wake-up time: 6:00 a.m.
Morning beverage choice: Latte with an extra shot of espresso.
Non-work-related morning activities: I start off with some NYT games to get my mind going, go for a walk with my husband and, whenever I can, I drive my youngest son to school. He’s about to start driving himself, so there aren’t many drop-offs left. That’s one of the best parts of my day.
Workday start time: I usually check email and Slack before my walk, and then start meetings after school drop off.
How I usually spend the first hour of my day: It depends on the day, but I try to start with one-on-ones with my direct reports or my peers. It’s the best way to get aligned on priorities and help unblock any issues.
Time I send out my first email: Between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Best advice for writing an effective email: Be clear and get to the point. Think about what the person on the other end needs to know, why it matters and how you can make it easy for them to respond or act. The best emails respect people’s time and help move things forward.
First dashboard I review: The very creatively named “metrics pack.” It’s got all of our operational metrics in one place, with the ability to slice it where I want to dive deeper, and visualize where I want to see trends.
How I structure my morning meetings: Like all meetings, we try to have a pre-read on the topic we’re going to cover. If there’s a decision needed, it comes with options, recommendations and rationale. I’m pretty disciplined about reading, commenting and asking questions in the document in advance, so the live meeting is almost all discussion, with minimal review of content.
Mid-morning snack of choice: I’m not much of a breakfast or morning snack person, but if I have one, it’s usually a protein drink.
What was a recent morning that didn’t go as planned, and how did you adjust? Does anyone in this role have mornings that go exactly as planned?! As the day evolves, I reprioritize as needed. Fortunately, my Executive Business Partner, Clancy, is a calendar magician.
INSPIRATION AND LEADERSHIP
Favorite quote or mantra: You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails — you do as much as you can to prepare, but sometimes things don’t go as expected. There’s not a lot of point in getting frustrated — focus on how you react and move forward.
Favorite leadership lesson: Someone I used to work with said that the strongest finance leaders are like dolphins: You need to be up above the surface of the water, scanning the horizon, thinking strategically, making those investments to drive growth and diving deep under the surface, understanding the details of analyses or controls. My best advice to other finance professionals is to get comfortable not only operating across multiple levels, but switching back and forth between the multiple levels as well.
Something important to know about me that you wouldn’t know from my business bio: I love music and try to go to concerts with my kids whenever we can. We are major Swifties and fans of many other artists as well.
Favorite number: 13. It’s the date of multiple birthdays in my family.
Most noteworthy items in my workspace: I have an orchid that’s become a bit of a fixture. It’s been in the background of so many Zoom calls that it actually came up as a trivia question at a team dinner after our IPO, and I think that’s the one question that everyone in the room got right! It’s a small, steady thing that’s somehow made its way into Klaviyo lore.
Do you have a pet, and are they with you right now? Peedy and Stu (short for Sturgeon), our two rescue dogs. I’m on a plane finishing these questions, so they’re not with me, but I’m excited to get back to them!
Favorite app on my phone that is not related to business: Realtor.com. Not planning to move anytime soon, but I like checking in on how the market is trending in our neighborhood.
Year, make and model of your first car: 1983 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, the one with the wood paneling on the sides. Wish I still had that car, they are so classic!
Most influential/famous person you’ve ever met: Most famous is probably Adam Sandler; I met him in college when he came to do a show in our campus gym, before he got really big. Most influential would probably be Doug McMillon; not as well known but hugely influential as the CEO of the largest employer in the U.S. (Walmart). Doug is an incredible leader. I learned so much from him.
Most inspirational people in your life: My kids. They haven’t had it easy — we’ve moved around a lot over the years, but despite (or maybe in some ways because of) the challenges, they have each grown up into such amazing and unique individuals.
