It’s been a while since we checked in on former Deloitte CEO Cathy Engelbert, the woman who will forever hold the title of first female CEO of a US Big 4 firm. Apologies to any WNBA fans out there, it’s not really a priority on our editorial calendar (we’re too busy with more important things).
When she left the Green Dot at the end of FY19, Engelbert made the transition to commissioner of the WNBA where she remains to this day, taking flak from fans for being too businesslike and speaking in PR. Those years of Deloitte training are really paying off for her. At the same time, the WNBA is stronger than ever with 2024 its most-watched regular season in 24 years, game attendance at 22-year highs, and merchandise sales up 601% from 2023.
With WNBA playoffs underway, Fortune decided to see what she’s up to and asked what her average day looks like.
8:30 a.m.: Engelbert arrives at the office, often a bit earlier than her colleagues. After spending the majority of her career in the corporate world, Engelbert says she had to adjust when she entered the sports industry.
“You got in really early when you were in the corporate world, you were trying to beat the traffic that commute and you had meetings, sports, because there’s so many games and so many things that night and weekends,” Engelbert said.
“My first day, I got in at 7:30, but no one else arrived until about nine,” she said. “Now I aim to get in around 8:30 or 9.”
Oh and she still practices SMOR, a recharging technique she learned in her public accounting days. “I learned this at Deloitte because when you’re running a firm of that size, you have to find time,” she told TIME in 2022. “We dubbed them smors. My EA used to put them on my calendar: Small moments of recovery. You need moments during the day.”
Yep, still taking those small moments of recovery and still under the same acronym.
12 p.m.: Engelbert adheres to a time-saving regime she refers to as “SMORE,” an acronym for “small moments of recovery.” She adds these to her calendar, seeing lunch as a networking opportunity or a chance to take a break and get outside.
“Usually over the lunch hour, I need to get out. If I’m working from home, I go for a walk and then have lunch when I get back,” she said.
Good reminder to all of us to go get a little sun on our cheeks in the middle of the work day. Especially now that daylight is quickly slipping away.
From Deloitte CEO to WNBA commissioner: Inside Cathy Engelbert’s daily routine [Fortune]
