Gregory Lowe isn’t the kind of guy who’s content with “pretty good.” He's a striver. Admired in both business and tech circles, he's an award-winning entrepreneur and CEO of Lowekey—a start-up studio focused on scaling independent businesses with innovation and bold ideas. The self-made businessman taught himself code to kickstart his career—developing and launching several mobile apps. That led to other ventures and opportunities with multiple Fortune 500 companies. His latest project is 100 Coconuts, a stylish coconut water that's making waves thanks to its all-natural, pure formula. Not only is it packed with nutrition and electrolytes (without any added sugar), but it's also available with tequila or CBD when you're looking for a little something more. What I really appreciate about Lowe is how down-to-earth the guy is. He's willing to put in the work, but understands the benefit of taking time off to refresh (you can find him on the golf course when not working). And he knows that quality doesn't always have to cost a lot. We caught up with the always on-the-go Lowe to see how he starts his day and stays motivated to keep dreaming up new ideas.

I’m a natural early bird.

I'm usually up by 6 am, but some days I'll by on the phone by three with my Vietnam factories planning production runs for my coconut water brand, 100 Coconuts. I like to work out in the morning and meditate early as well.

So that means I get to bed as early as possible too.

If at all possible, I aim to get a full seven to eight hours of sleep. It makes a big difference in your productivity during the day.

But I rarely use an alarm clock.

I actually have a pretty reliable natural alarm clock that wakes me up every time without fail.

I’ve got only the essentials on my nightstand.

My eye mask and my nightly read. Currently it's two—Principles by Ray Dalio and Undaunted by Kara Goldin. I used to keep my phone there on the charger as well, but now at night I put my phone on “do not disturb” and leave it in my office.

I always make the bed.

Yes, every morning. You have to. I don't feel like my day has started properly without the bed made.

Before I do anything, I drink a vitamin C cocktail and take my vitamins.

Then I'm in a deep meditation to map out my day for the next 30 minutes until it's workout time.

I’ve gotten much more deliberate about my meditation practice.

The pandemic allowed everyone, I feel, a chance to slow down and take everything in stride. My meditation practice is the most important part of my morning. It allows me to focus on the day's task and analyze the mistakes and successes of the day before.