✨ Never Not Dancing: Async-First Culture Boom
Why the next wave of great startups won’t be built in Slack replies.
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Hi First-Time CEOs,
In between the podcast seasons, I have some time to reflect, plan, and rest a bit (while moving across the ocean xD). I just came back from a yoga retreat deep in the Portuguese countryside. The days there moved slower—in a good way. The quiet, the stillness, the soft sounds of nature all invited me to pause and be present.
One moment stands out: during a session, my teacher shared a phrase that has stayed with me since: “never not dancing.” The meaning is simple, but profound. Even when we appear still, when we’re quiet, resting, or seemingly waiting, life flows through us. The dance doesn’t stop. We’re always moving, in ways both visible and invisible.
That phrase lingered with me, and as I held it close, I realized how deeply it connects to what it means to lead a startup (or any business, really) today.
New here? Don’t miss what’s next, I’ve only started!
The Startup Dance: Moving with Rhythm, Not Just Hustle
We first-time CEOs often carry the pressure to be always on. The world expects us to respond immediately, juggle a thousand things at once, and push relentlessly toward growth. We mistake motion for progress, and this creates a frantic, exhausting rhythm.
But “never not dancing” reminds me that leadership isn’t about constant, frantic movement. It’s about flow — a rhythm that includes moments of stillness, reflection, and rest, as much as it does bursts of action.
And here’s where a rising movement in startup culture feels like a natural extension of this idea: async-first culture.
What is Async-First Culture — And Why It’s Booming Now
Async-first culture means prioritizing asynchronous communication. It’s a mindset and approach where you don’t expect immediate replies. Instead, you trust that your team members will respond thoughtfully in their own time.
Why is this gaining so much attention? Because in our current reality, with remote teams, hybrid schedules, and a constant barrage of digital noise, the old “always-on” model just isn’t sustainable.
Async-first lets us dance to our own rhythm:
It respects natural cycles of focus and rest.
It guards against burnout by reducing the pressure to respond instantly.
It encourages deep work — the kind of focused, creative effort that true innovation requires.
It builds trust because you believe that work is happening even when you don’t see constant activity.
The Dance of Leadership in an Async World
Imagine leadership like a dance where the tempo shifts. Sometimes it’s fast and urgent; sometimes slow and contemplative. Async-first culture invites us to trust the flow.
You’re not off the dance floor just because you didn’t answer a message immediately. You’re not falling behind because you took a moment to reflect instead of reacting.
Instead, you’re in the rhythm. You’re learning the steps of resilience—moving with grace, adapting to the beat of your company’s unique tempo.
Practical Steps for Bringing Async-First Culture into Your Business
If you’re ready to experiment with async-first, here are some practices that can help:
Set clear expectations. Clarify what kinds of messages require immediate attention and which can wait. This reduces anxiety around response times.
Invest in async-friendly tools. Shared documents, task boards, and messaging platforms that allow for thoughtful, asynchronous responses are your best friends.
Block out deep work time. Protect chunks of your calendar for focused, uninterrupted work. Encourage your team to do the same.
Encourage psychological safety and trust. Make it clear that you trust your team to do great work even when you don’t see them online all the time.
Celebrate “micro wins.” Recognize progress and contributions that happen asynchronously, so your team knows their dance is seen and valued.
Why This Matters Now
The founder journey is a marathon, not a sprint. And the business (especially startup) world is noisier, faster, and more complex than ever. The async-first movement is a way to step into a healthier rhythm, preserve your energy, and keep creating sustainably.
This culture is about honoring the unseen dance — the internal progress, the mental processing, the quiet moments where strategy forms.
The First-Time CEO is Evolving
While my new puppy Leeloo’s been settling into her new home, I’ve been quietly working on Season 2 of The First-Time CEO podcast — and this time, we’re going deeper. The book (yes, that book!) is also coming to life, and will soon be ready for pre-orders. I’m gathering early interest for The First-Time CEO founding membership — a curated space for emerging leaders to learn, connect, and grow together. You’ll get exclusive access, features in the book, a seat at the table as we shape what’s next, and more (check the full benefit list here). Hit reply or sign up here if you'd like to be part of the founding circle.
🎧 Catch up on Season 1 of the podcast — it's full of honest tips and hard-won lessons from modern leaders building through uncertainty:
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🥇 #GoldenFindings
A few deep cuts on async, rest, and the future of work:
📖 The Art of Working Remotely by Scott Dawson — A practical and human guide to thriving in asynchronous environments. Less hype, more grounded wisdom.
🧘♀️ 7 Secrets to Crafting a Stress-Free Async Culture – Crossover — Not just how async works, but how to feel good while doing it. Especially useful for first-time remote leaders.
🏗️ GitLab’s Guide to Asynchronous Work — One of the most detailed, real-world async handbooks from a company that’s walked the talk for years.
📊 Doist’s Async Manifesto (for developers)— A bold (and beautiful) case for why async-first is the future of teamwork — and how it’s rooted in trust and autonomy.
✅ #CEOCheck
Are you defaulting to sync just because it feels faster?
What’s one process or ritual you could redesign this week to work asynchronously?
Have you modeled stillness lately — not just preached balance, but lived it out loud?
If your team only saw your calendar, what would they assume about your values?
Hit reply and tell me all about it!
Chat soon,
Victoria
Let’s Connect!
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