🎙️ From Bankruptcy to $100M: Mike Horvath's Logistics Software Transformation

Mike Horvath, President and CEO of Revenova, shares his extraordinary 30-year journey from nearly losing everything during the 2008 financial crisis to building a logistics software company serving 250+ customers and generating over $100 million in revenue. Through powerful stories about refusing bankruptcy when his partner suggested it, learning the critical skill of saying "no" to wrong-fit customers, and partnering with Viking Global private equity to fuel explosive growth, Mike reveals how focus, integrity, and strategic partnerships transformed his business and life.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• Started career at 22 selling software, learned it's about solving problems not pushing products

• First company (Quintus) grew to $50M but cratered in 2008 from saying yes to everyone

• Lost home, cars, faced bankruptcy but chose to pay back every debt over years

• Rebuilt with Revenova focusing exclusively on sophisticated 3PL and logistics operations

• Learned saying "no" is one of the hardest but most critical entrepreneur skills

• Realized 30% of $100M beats 100% of something small

• Viking Global partnership brought capital plus expertise, network, and acquisition power

• Customer retention north of 95% through keeping promises and transparent pricing

• Not all revenue is good revenue—wrong customers cost money and opportunity

• Relocated Illinois to Florida during COVID, saved six figures annually on taxes alone

• Property taxes were 6-7X higher in Illinois for smaller house and location

• Tax savings paid for daughter's entire college tuition year

• Pat Lencioni's insight: People don't fear change, they fear the transition

• Implementation success depends on managing transition smoothly, not just technology

• Legacy logistics systems creating massive replacement opportunity for modern cloud solutions

• Transparency with employees builds trust—share financials, challenges, and company direction

• Work-life quality matters—Florida move improved leadership effectiveness significantly

• Reading military history provides powerful leadership lessons on decision-making under pressure

🌟 Mike's Key Mentors:

• Pat Lencioni (Five Dysfunctions of a Team): Provided frameworks on team dysfunction, lack of commitment, fear of conflict, and understanding that people fear transition more than change itself

• Dale Carnegie: "How to Win Friends and Influence People" shaped his relationship-building and customer-focused approach throughout his career

• Charles (Business Partner): Partnership through building first company, provided complementary skills and shared the journey through growth and crisis

• Viking Global Partners: Brought not just capital but operational excellence, board expertise, best practices from portfolio companies, and strategic acquisition capabilities

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about rebuilding from total business collapse, learning when to say no to revenue, partnering with private equity while maintaining control, and why doing what you say you're going to do is the foundation of everything in business and life.

🔗 Connect with Mike Horvath:

LinkedIn: Mike Horvath, President & CEO at Revenova 

Revenova Website: revenova.com

📄 Transcript Available: Scaling With Private Equity: Mike Horvath's Viking Global Partnership at Revenova

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📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com

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