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A Day in the Life of a VC Co‑Founder and Single Mom: How Structure, Tech, and Dance Shape Her Success 💼

Sarah Johnson


Kate McAndrew, a 38‑year‑old co‑founder and general partner at San Francisco’s Baukunst VC, balances a high‑stakes professional life with full‑time parenting. She and her co‑founders launched their $100 million debut fund in 2022 to back early‑stage tech and design startups. Despite launching a venture career in 2012, Kate now leverages routine, technology, and passion to thrive in a demanding dual role .

⏰ Early Morning: Deep Work at Dawn

  • 4 a.m. startup: Kate wakes early, sippers her pour‑over coffee, and begins creative, focused work between 4–7 a.m.—her most productive “deep work” time.

  • Green smoothie ritual: She prepares a daily smoothie packed with functional mushrooms that support mental clarity and brain health.

👩‍👦 Family Time & Fitness

  • Morning with her son: On days her son is with her, mornings are reserved for a 45‑minute reading session in bed followed by getting ready and school drop‑off.

  • Move or dance: If not dancing later, she takes a sunrise walk with a weighted vest. When classes are on, Kate strictly attends dance—at least three times a week, usually at noon—seeing it as essential emotional and physical self‑care.

🚗 Seamless Mobility

  • Commute efficiently: Kate walks to Baukunst’s office, located equidistant from her and a co‑founder, eliminating parking hassles. For dance classes, she relies on Waymo rides, turning travel time into phone‑call productivity.

🧩 Work Blocks & Networking

  • Structured afternoons: Board meetings, founder strategy sessions, and focused work fill Kate’s afternoons. She balances long blocks for deep thinking and networking coffees with shorter transactional 30‑minute Zoom calls.

  • Lunch efficiency: A quick, healthy lunch—like a cup of soup or sushi—keeps her fueled without distractions.

🌇 Evenings & Boundaries

  • Decelerating transition: On parenting days, Kate unwinds with a glass of wine en route to picking up her son, then dedicates the evening to him—no work devices allowed. They dine, bathe, and are in bed by 7:45 p.m., asleep soon after.

  • Alternatives: If her son isn’t with her, evenings are reserved for industry events, dinner with her partner, or additional dance sessions.

✅ Core Principles of Her Success

  1. Intentional scheduling: Quarterly planning and leaning into natural energy rhythms gives Kate structure and ownership over her time.

  2. Tech‑enabled flexibility: From automation in her morning routine to seamless ride‑sharing, technology helps carve out precious minutes.

  3. Passionate self‑care: Dance isn’t a luxury—it’s her emotional release, workout, and community anchor.

  4. Adaptability: In startups, routines evolve. Kate cleans house routinely, dropping what no longer serves her and iterating what does.

🧭 Why This Matters for Aspiring Founders & Parents

  • Design your life, don’t just accept it: Intentional routines allow high-energy contributors to manage both a VC firm and parenting.

  • Mindful transitions: Activities like dance and deliberate buffer zones ease emotional strain between roles.

  • Routine recalibration: Regular reassessment ensures each season of life is met with evolving systems, not stubborn habits.

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