In the 30th episode of MPods, we welcome Don Hicks, a Ross alum and serial entrepreneur. Don founded, led as CEO, and ultimately sold the supply chain analytics company LLamasoft for $1.5 billion. Today, he is the CEO of Optilogic, a growing supply chain company with over 90 employees, the owner of Ann Arbor’s Blue Llama Jazz Club, and the co-author of children’s book Frankenwalnut.

In this episode, Don takes us through his career journey, from bootstrapping startups to leading major acquisitions, and shares unfiltered insights on leadership, company culture, and the value of people in business. He dives into his philosophy on ethics, his approach to entrepreneurship, and why building companies isn’t just about making money.

He also discusses the importance of creativity, having fun, and staying optimistic through life!