A LIFE IN A DAY: Bill Oldham, CEO From Oldham Global

Mr. Oldham has more than 25 years of experience as an investor, serial entrepreneur, executive, and consultant, building two $100M companies from scratch, and working and managing companies with global reach in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Oldham Global’s model involves building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with strong operational partnerships for long-term excellence and success, while also making a difference by doing good.

Here, in A LIFE IN A DAY, Bill Oldham, CEO From Oldham Global with Melissa Gaviria what life’s like for outside her busy working week?

What’s your morning routine, and what do you think about it in the mornings?

My mornings start with coffee and a brisk walk around the neighborhood to clear my mind and focus my thoughts on the day and any particular challenges to address.  I start with a detailed task list and usually a few brief conversations with my core leadership team.  I’m always thinking about how we build value in each company I get to work with including the non-profits I’m a part of.

In The Blue Ridge Mountains Of Virginia, Virginia

What part of the world do you wake up in the morning, and what is it like where you live?

I’m richly blessed to live in the Virginia countryside just outside Washington, DC in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains and in the heart of horse country.  We live near a number of parks and our neighborhood is rich in walking and riding paths that I get to enjoy with my golden retriever, Nikki.  We have all four seasons and get to enjoy a lot of outdoor time for most of the year.

What’s the first thing you do each day, and what do you eat and drink in the morning?

I wake up with a coffee and have some fruit to start the day.  I generally read for 10-15 minutes to wake up my brain and then go over the day’s list of priorities and meetings.  Then I go for my walk/jog.

What publications do you recommend to read in cannabis? 

Admittedly, I don’t read many.  I like Cannabis Now and a couple of blogs from industry leaders, attorneys focused in the space and various LinkedIn contacts that I follow in the industry.  I feel like things are moving so fast that tracking what key opinion leaders are thinking is the best way to keep abreast of trends.

Cannabis Now Magazine

How do you work and plan your day, what’s your job? 

I plan my day based on a series of priority tasks and meetings I need to lead or attend.  My job is as a lead investor or executive chairman in almost all of my investments.  The primary task is helping my fellow executives meet their goals and build value in their teams and businesses.  I plan my day to help make resources available and build the next series of steps to help each company or project be successful.  Sometimes that’s finding new talent, sometimes its supporting the sales cycle, sometimes its an audit or raising money.   

Do you exercise or meditate, and what do you think about when exercising, meditating?

I exercise (not as much as I’d like to!) primarily either jogging, walking or using my elliptical or free weights.  I generally take the time to enjoy music or videos while exercising.  When I’m walking outside, it is a great time to meditate and I like to contemplate things I can do with my family for fun like travel, hiking vacations, or fishing trips to get my mind off work.

What do you wear these days? 

Now that (like a lot of people) I work from my home office a lot, I like to wear comfortable but smart business casual clothes.  I may still wear a suit when I go to the office of one of my companies but hardly ever do I wear a tie anymore.  I still like to dress up but am happy not to wear a tie everyday like I used to!

What’s for lunch and describe the rest of your day like up to dinner time? 

Lunch is usually something light like a small sandwich or soup if I’m home, a salad or light lunch if I’m traveling or at an office.  I like to do lunches with fellow investors or my executive team colleagues without any set agenda just learning who they are as people and sharing life’s ups and downs together.  After lunch I’m back at it with emails, calls and meetings until 530 or 6 most days and then its either back to a hotel or dinner at home with my family.

What are some thoughts you might have about your cannabis job–compared to previous jobs?

I really have loved getting involved in the cannabis world.  We’re building a very cool luxury business in this chaotic industry which has so much potential to help people.  The enthusiasm of the people I’ve met and their desire to help people with new and innovative products is rare compared to many of the markets I’ve been in before.  I’ve been an early investor and company builder in telehealth, health IT, internet businesses, mobile internet and pharma and it is just very cool to see the energy and devotion a lot of my friends and colleagues in cannabis have.  I’m so excited to see what we can do bringing funds and business skills together with the creative energy in the space – it really is an exciting time!  It’s even more exciting because I feel like we’re coming in at the right time – after a lot of broken dreams and fatigue where a lot of investments lost out because they really weren’t managed well and got ahead of themselves.  We’re seeing a next wave of better, stronger, and more engaged investors who really are excited to be a part of our investment thesis and core value prop. 

What’s your evening routine like after work? What’s your commute like? 

Luckily for me, my evenings start when I leave my home office and turn off the light.  Since I’m right off the kitchen I can walk in and make or help make dinner or use my DoorDash app!  I’m often though at my office in Philadelphia for a couple of days each week or visiting my team in Denver or London.  If I’m traveling, usually there’s an early dinner or drinks with colleagues or partners.   Most evenings I’m done early and can read or watch a show or two with my wife and best friend – we both love Billions and Yellowstone and I’m trying to get her to like The Crown!

London, Uk, Big Ben

What’s your bedtime routine, and what are your thoughts as you drift off to sleep? 

I’m an early to bed person since I like to be up by 7 and I need at least 7 hours to be at my best.  Most of the time, my thoughts at the end of the day are about my family – hoping for the best for them and happiness and peace.