How Ozlo’s CMO Dave Goto Stays Rested While Traveling Constantly

When your job takes you from coast to coast and everywhere in between, sleep quickly becomes one of the most important performance tools you have.

Dave Goto, Chief Marketing Officer at Ozlo, spends a large portion of his time traveling for work. Between early flights, hotel stays, time zone changes, and unfamiliar sleep environments, getting consistent, high-quality rest is not always easy. As someone who thinks deeply about performance, recovery, and building products that genuinely improve people’s lives, Dave has learned firsthand how critical sleep is, especially on the road.

We sat down with Dave to talk about his role at Ozlo, why sleep is such a core part of how he shows up professionally and personally, and the travel habits and sleep strategies he relies on to stay rested while traveling often.

1. You travel frequently in your role as CMO at Ozlo. What does a typical travel week look like for you, and how does that impact your sleep?

Travel is a constant rhythm for me. Some weeks it is back to back flights, early mornings, and late hotel check ins. Other weeks it is shorter trips packed into tight windows. The hardest part is not the travel itself, it is the unpredictability. Different beds, different noise levels, different time zones. Sleep becomes the first thing that gets disrupted if you are not intentional about it, and over time that really adds up in how you feel and perform. Ultimately when I get home from travel, I want to be the best version of myself for my kids and wife. 

2. Before joining Ozlo, how did travel affect your sleep, and what made you more intentional about protecting it?

Earlier in my career, I honestly just accepted bad sleep as part of the job. You power through it, drink more coffee or Red Bull and tell yourself you will catch up later. In my mid thirties, I realized that approach was not sustainable. The days after poor sleep were harder, my thinking was slower, and my patience for those who matter most to me was thinner. That was the moment I started treating sleep as a performance tool, not a luxury.

3. What drew you to Ozlo as a brand, and how does the mission resonate with your own experience as a frequent traveler?

What drew me to Ozlo was how deeply personal the problem is. Everyone sleeps, and almost everyone struggles with it at some point. The mission felt very real to me, especially as someone who spends a lot of time sleeping on the road. Helping people quiet the noise around them and in their mind is something I immediately connected with, both professionally and personally.

4. How do you personally use Ozlo Sleepbuds when you are traveling, whether that’s on planes, in hotels, or adjusting to new environments?

Ozlo Sleepbuds come with me on every trip. Hotels are unpredictable. You might have street noise, thin walls, or get stuck near the loud elevator. I use the Sleepbuds to create consistency wherever I am. I usually stick to familiar soundscapes so my brain associates them with winding down, even if everything else feels unfamiliar. That consistency makes a huge difference when you are moving from place to place. It's a signal to my brain that it's time to go to sleep.

5. What are your top sleep tips for travelers who struggle with noise, unfamiliar environments, or jet lag?

The biggest tip is to control what you can. You cannot control the hotel room next door or the street outside, but you can control your sleep environment. Bring tools that make your setup familiar, whether that is sound, light, or a simple bedtime routine. I also try to anchor my sleep schedule as quickly as possible to the local time and avoid overstimulation late at night, especially when traveling across time zones. If you want to engage in content, listen to slow mellow instrumental music or boring news, the Economist works nicely. 

6. For someone who travels often for work, what changes have made the biggest difference in how rested and focused you feel the next day?

When I’m on the road, I always travel with a sleep mask, my Ozlo Sleepbuds, a Momentous Sleep pack, and I make sure the temperature is set to 69 degrees. I also try to stretch for five minutes each night, repeat that when I wake up, and drink as much water as I can in the morning. When I do all of these things, I show up clearer, more patient, and more present.

Working at Ozlo has been a great excuse to really dial in my sleep routine and put the latest sleep advice into practice from experts like Dr. Rebecca Robbins and Dr. Meredith Broderick.

Want to learn more about how Ozlo helps travelers sleep better anywhere? Explore our science-backed Sleepbuds and discover how small changes to your sleep environment can make a big difference on the road and beyond.