What the co-founder of a snack bar company packs when he travels | Canada Voices

Jake Karls has already taken 72 flights so far this year. Only six of them were for pleasure.

The other 60-plus flights were related to Mid-Day Squares, the snack bar company Karls co-created seven years ago. With headquarters, a factory and a team of 55 in Montreal, Mid-Day Squares sold its 60 millionth bar last month and can be found in more than 10,000 stores across North America.

Born and raised in Montreal, Karls travels across the U.S. and Canada to meet investors, pitch the brand to retailers and deliver keynote speeches at universities, colleges and corporate retreats.

“I’m a huge believer in showing up physically,” he said. “I started getting on planes, even for a five-minute meeting.”

At first, the constant travel gave him a boost of adrenalin. But eventually, once Karls reached around 150 flights a year a couple of years ago, the trips became draining.

To avoid burnout, he now optimizes his time by setting up meetings near his speaking engagements. This month, he’ll attend PacificWest, a real estate industry trade show, to speak about entrepreneurship and strategy.

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Karls also streamlines the packing process by bringing the same items on every trip, such as a mini ab roller, Nike Air Force 1 trainers and travel-friendly Alo shorts. “By packing the same things every time, I’m able to just grab it and pack it,” he said.

For West Coast trips, Karls prefers red-eye return flights: Landing in Montreal at the start of the day energizes him. He avoids nighttime travel to his destinations, opting for early flights so he’s ready to work as soon as he lands.

“That way, I don’t leave the airport exhausted,” he said. “I usually work out right before my flight, which puts me in the right headspace to get to work once I land.”

By keeping a packed schedule, Karls has been able to limit his trips to a maximum of two days. That helps with the loneliness he often feels when travelling solo for business.

“It doesn’t matter how nice the hotel is – it gets lonely and it feels like it’s not your home,” he said.

Karls has found that working out helps stave off some of that homesickness, so he always packs gym gear such as shorts and wide-fit running shoes from Altra in his carry-on.