460 - Drew Barontini

Drew Barontini has over 17 years of building software as both a designer and engineer. He has worked with agencies, startups, and large corporations. He has built products from scratch and scaled existing ones.

He is now currently the Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Differential, where he partners with companies to deliver product strategy, design, and software development.

Twitter (X) → x.com/drewbarontini
Newsletter → drewbarontini.com/newsletter

Drew's Workspace Tour

Workspace Items

• Elgato Stream Deck
• Elgato Key Light
• Elgato Wave 3 Microphone (+ stand)
• 16” MacBook Pro (M1 Max)
• 10” iPad Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro
• AirPods Pro
• Dygma Raise Keyboard
• Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse
• Apple Magic Trackpad
• Anti-Fatigue Mat
• 72” UPLIFT Desk
• Steelcase Gesture Chair

What is the most recent item you've added to your workspace?

The Elgato Key light. On most days when the sun is cooperative, my lighting was perfectly fine on camera. I ended up picking up this key light and it dramatically improved my on-camera lighting. I love it. And I especially love that I can control the light from the Elgato Stream Deck.

How do you spark creativity?

Get outside and walk. The physical movement creates mental movement, and being outside is always restorative for me. And if I really want to spark creativity, getting out into real nature is always the best remedy. There’s no problem that can withstand a good walk outside in nature while thinking deeply on it.

Set constraints to work within. It feels like a paradox, but setting constraints for yourself (even artificial ones) can force you to think more creatively. It can be a constraint of time, the tools you can use, or which techniques you can leverage. For example, could I redesign my website with two colors and a single font and weight and make it appealing? This is just a thought exercise, but you get the point: Constraints breed creativity.

Follow my energy. Energy is the ultimate compass. It will point you towards the things you’re interested in and, perhaps more importantly, what you’re not interested in. As adults, we gravitate away from being playful and curious like we were as kids, but it’s still vital for creativity. I always try to follow my energy, indulge in playfulness, and keep following the questions I have.

What does your typical day look like?

The morning is focused on getting the kids off to school and going for a morning walk with my wife. I always get 30 minutes of meditation in, which has become a non-negotiable for me.

I start work between 9-9:30 and do my startup routine. This involves going through a specific set of tasks that set the stage for my focus time. I’ll then usually get about 90-120 minutes straight of focus time (on the mornings I don’t have meetings).

I don’t usually eat lunch, so I’ll use that time for extended focus time, writing, or taking a break and doing something that recharges my energy.

I usually have meetings in the afternoon, so I’ll flip between those and admin / focus time. At the end of the workday, I wrap up with my shutdown routine, which is the inverse of my startup routine. The focus is on checking off items that allow me to end the day cleanly.

I come upstairs, eat dinner, and get the kids to bed. After cleaning up the kitchen, I’ll head back to the office to work on any side projects or writing my newsletter. I’ll wrap up the day with exercise, which is something I do in my garage (when I’m not going for a run). I’m a fan of Apple Fitness+, so I’ll do some combination of exercises or ride on the indoor bike.

And then it’s bedtime.

Why do you prefer remote work?

I can build my workday around my natural rhythms, which sets me up to do my best work. Offices are designed to engineer serendipitous in-person connections. They are optimized for building relationships, not doing deep work. And cognitively demanding work is a solo endeavor. It requires putting your head down and focusing. Remote work in the right environment gives you more space to work in that way.

I’m an introvert who enjoys working this way, but I also acknowledge that connecting with others, having conversations, and working collaboratively is key to a healthy working lifestyle. So I make sure to do that through regular video calls, connecting with folks in person, and making sure there’s space for building relationships while working remote.

As with all things, it’s a balance.