Heidi Roizen

I put working out on my calendar as if it were a part of my job. It makes exercise as important a priority as brushing my teeth - something I need to do every day.

I know a few CEOs who delegate the understanding of their financials and their business metrics to the CFO, and then stop worrying about all that 'numbers stuff.' Don't do that. You have to know your numbers inside and out - they are your life blood.

You know what kind of companies generally survive? Companies that make more money than they spend. I know, duh, right?

I used to fall into the trap of thinking that taking care of my husband and kids was more important than taking care of myself. Now I have a new attitude: You know when you're on an airplane and the manual tells you to put on your oxygen mask first and then help the person next to you? I feel the same way about my health.

If you have to be a female in business, Silicon Valley is the best place because it's a meritocracy. It's not about who you are, it's about what you can do.

Isn't it interesting that markets are not just perfect? In business school and economic theory, you learn all about those perfect markets, and there's no such thing as a perfect market.

Venture capital is debt. People don't understand that.

I like to make good things happen for other people. It makes me happy, and I believe it's good for my business as well.

I can't tell you how many board meetings I've been in where the CEO is anguished over the impacts on morale that cost cutting or layoffs will bring about. You know what hurts morale even more than cost-cutting and layoffs? Going out of business.

I'm the classic old-school entrepreneur that says let's build companies of lasting value.

The individual dynamics going on within a venture fund are critically important to you. Unfortunately, they're also very opaque.

I bought myself a DVD set of 'Lost' and only allowed myself to watch it while I was strength training. Sometimes I'd exercise longer than I intended to because I didn't want to turn it off. Talk about positive reinforcement!