Former Skype Exec: I Nearly Died Mid-Flight, here's The Mistake That Caused It!

Eric Partaker built Skype's early business team into a multi-billion-dollar exit — then had a heart attack at 35,000 feet from years of 80-100 hour weeks. He rebuilt his entire approach to work around one method, and now coaches CEOs on it worldwide.

In this episode, Jessica Neal talks to Eric about his new book Ultra Productive and the science behind doing more by doing less.

In this episode:
1. The heart attack at 35,000 feet and the days leading up to it
2. Building Skype's business team from the ground up
3. The 90-minute method behind 2-10x productivity gains
4. Why the average leader only focuses 23 minutes a day
5. The sleep science behind deep work and recovery
6. Digital sunset and shutdown rituals for better sleep
7. Using the 80/20 rule to filter signal from noise as a CEO
8. Why "what to stop doing" matters more than what to start
9. Growing a LinkedIn following past a million by simplifying complex ideas

Chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Eric's path: McKenzie to Skype to founding a restaurant chain
3. The heart attack story
4. Matching energy to your most important work
5. Becoming a CEO coach
6. The 90-minute method: focus, sleep, stress
7. Sleep science and the digital sunset
8. Eating close to bedtime and sleep quality
9. Helping CEOs cut noise and find leverage
10. Ultra Productive book and preorder bonuses
11. Closing advice

Eric Partaker's book Ultra Productive is available for preorder now at ultraproductive.com — preorder bonuses include a free 5-week Ultra Productive Accelerator with Eric and co-author Christian Poensgen.

This episode is sponsored by Manifest Law — the AI-native immigration law firm handling filings across 40+ countries.

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