Mike Smerklo’s biggest advice for entrepreneurs… Don’t hire coke addicts!!Join us for Episode 3 of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many business leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from the stumbles and mistakes. This episode of Unlocking Moves features a candid conversation between Kurt and Mike, covering everything from his… failed first sales hire to advice for entrepreneurs seeking investment from venture capital, writing his book Mr. Monkey and Me, and stepping aside as CEO.
Chapters(00:00:01) Opening & Podcast Introduction
(00:00:34) Guest Spotlight: Meet Mike Smerklo – VC & Entrepreneur
(00:00:49) Hiring Lessons: The Coke Addict Story
(00:01:03) Entrepreneurial Beginnings & Early Challenges
(00:02:09) A Tough Call: Firing a Sales Hire Gone Wrong
(00:03:38) From Blue-Collar Roots to Big Business
(00:04:16) Replacing Yourself as CEO: Facing Hard Truths
(00:05:20) Burnout & Leadership: Learning from Failure
(00:07:10) Sponsor – HireBetter: Your Strategic Talent Partner
(00:07:51) Inside “Mr. Monkey and Me”: Confronting Entrepreneurial Doubt
(00:09:07) Mastering Your Mind: The Shape Formula & Imposter Syndrome
(00:10:14) Overcoming the Inner Monkey: Resilience & Persistence
(00:12:01) Raising Capital: Smart Advice for Entrepreneurs
(00:14:01) Entrepreneurial Grit: Embracing the “Glass Eater” Mentality
(00:15:04) Pipeline Paul & the Value of a “Lean In” Mindset
(00:15:29) Capitalism for Good: Using Entrepreneurialism to Solve Big Problems
(00:17:41) The Ultimate Unlocking Move: Taking Risks & Embracing Change
(00:21:08) Timing & Risk: Knowing When to Leap into Entrepreneurship
(00:22:39) The Untold Downsides: Scar Tissue of Entrepreneurship
(00:24:32) Connect with Mike: Website, Book & More Inspiration
(00:25:32) Do You Wanna Know Who's Your Mike? Take the Quiz Here-----------------------------------
About Mike SmerkloMike Smerklo is an experienced entrepreneur, investor, business leader, and author driven by the desire to turn ideas into reality. He bought and scaled a small business into a publicly traded company worth nearly a billion dollars in value. Today he is a champion for a new generation of entrepreneurs building disruptive companies in big markets with his VC firm Next Coast Ventures.
About Kurt Wilkin
Kurt Wilkin is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder and visionary of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He is a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies. -----------------------------------
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