FBC – 318 – The biggest productivity killer I have banned from my company

Today, you are going to learn a bit more about my company and more importantly about the #1 thing I got rid of in order to improve productivity.

This is by far the biggest productivity killer and I make sure to stay as far away from it as humanly possible.

Tune in to discover what it is!

If you are looking for a solution to work less, live more and get more time, then you are in the right place.

Click the link below to discover how we can build you a business that runs without you, using the most advanced productivity and automation hacks ?

CLICK HERE ➡️➡️ Work Less Live More Blueprint

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://anchor.fm/freedom-by-choice/support

I'm speaking at an event in two days, actually. And we had to change the venue two days before the event.

So it's one of the venues that I actually showed last time to the person who was in charge that she actually never called. So I said, look, let's go. I’m pretty sure we can negotiate something because it's a beautiful place, but I don't know what happens with the management. I don't know how it works, but it's always empty. So I said, let's go there and let's negotiate something. And do to be honest, I've never seen someone negotiate like this. You need to see it to believe it.

So we do have a location, it's a beautiful location with a massive swimming pool and it's a really nice resort. It's a lot better than some random bar with bikers and stuff. Right. I don't have anything against bikers. If you're a biker, then please don't show up at my door. I don't have anything against bikers, but it just wasn't the right set up for that kind of event.

So two days before the event, you know, changing plans and stuff like that, it kind of sucks. But you know what? It is better than having people show up at a crappy venue. So we'll see how that goes at the event and the presentation. So after this event, I am going to speak at another event in Thailand. So I'm leaving on Monday to go to Thailand for three days.

It could be quite interesting. I'm not fond of like events and stuff because I need to travel and stuff. I will speak at my buddy's events. You know, Brian and Rhonda, when they have events, they're really good friends of mine.

But usually I limit my public speaking, not because I don't know how to do it. I'm actually pretty comfortable doing it. It's more about my time and you have to be there physically and stuff. Commit, you know, the meetings, the conference calls and stuff like that.

So I'm not saying it's bad. I'm just saying it's just enough for me. My setup is basically no commitments.

The biggest productivity killer I have banned from my company

So I will see the speakers there.

I saw a dude today and it turns out that he's doing something I am actually looking for. So that's pretty cool. I think there are some really good connections that can be done over there. I know there is this guy who has a huge email list, like millions or something. So I need to talk to the guy and see how that goes.

It could be very interesting to do like a Joint Venture or something with someone like that, because they can send you so many things that can be crazy.

So, yeah, events are a very, very good opportunity to go out and mingle with people, you know, make friends and not make friends just because you want something, but actually get to know people. I mean, it’s called the Freedom Summit, right?

So all these people are pretty much in the same vibe and mind-set as I am. They're basically trying to build a business around their lifestyle more than the opposite. So I think we will have a lot in common and stuff.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the single biggest productivity killer Martin Ebongue has banned from his company?

Pointless meetings. Martin removed every recurring meeting that did not produce a clear decision or deliverable. He found that most calls were status updates or social chats that could be replaced by a one-line message, freeing entire days for deep work that actually moved revenue forward each week.

Why do most business meetings waste hours without delivering any real outcome?

Because they get scheduled out of habit rather than need. Martin says the average meeting has no written agenda, no decision required, and no defined next action. Without those three elements, a meeting becomes expensive group conversation that drains energy from the work that actually matters.

How can solopreneurs eliminate unnecessary meetings without offending partners?

Replace them with short async messages and ten-minute call windows when truly needed. Martin suggests sending a quick written update first, and only booking a call if a decision genuinely requires real-time discussion. Most partners welcome the change once they see how much time they reclaim.

What should every business meeting deliver to justify its place on your calendar?

A specific decision, an owner, and a next action. Martin treats any meeting that fails these three tests as a candidate for deletion or replacement. The rule scales well: even teams of fifty find that more than half of their recurring calls vanish once the standard is enforced.

About the Author

Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

Related Reading

• How Can Entrepreneurs Integrate Family And Leisure Time Without Affecting Busine
• How Can Solopreneurs Maintain A Time-efficient Inventory System For Product-base
• How Can Entrepreneurs Leverage Customer Feedback For More Time-efficient Operati
• How Can Entrepreneurs Manage Seasonal Or Cyclical Workload Fluctuations Efficien