Unlocking Moves

Meghan Watkins got her start hawking wine out of the back of her truck... How did she grow that into a $100 Million business?

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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#UnlockingMoves #HireBetter #podcast #entrepreneurship #leadership #businesslessons #inspiration #UnlockingMoves

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🎧 In this episode of Unlocking Moves, Kurt Wilkin sits down with Adam Contos, former CEO of RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., bestselling author, and former SWAT team leader.

🔑 Adam shares the defining moments of his career, including a period where he legally purchased drugs for two years, which taught him critical business lessons.

💼 As a passionate serial entrepreneur, Adam's leadership philosophy revolves around a strong mindset, breaking the rules, challenging the status quo, and inspiring others to achieve greatness. Click here to watch the full episode

🚀 Join us for this engaging conversation and discover valuable insights from one of the most inspiring entrepreneurs of our time!#podcast #entrepreneurship #leadership #businesslessons #inspiration #UnlockingMoves

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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. 

Are you enjoying the podcast? Consider supporting us by subscribing to our YouTube channel - it's completely free! You can also leave us a glowing review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and help us reach even more listeners.

⁠⁠Apple Podcast⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠YouTube⁠

What convinced Rod Kurtz to take the leap from journalist to entrepreneur?

Join us for Episode 1 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 Rod, covering everything from advice Rod's grandmother gave him all the way to him befriending and working with the legendary Richard Branson.

For over a decade, Rod Kurtz worked as a journalist and advocate on behalf of entrepreneurs—until finally becoming one himself. Today, he oversees a Los Angeles-based media strategy firm, advising startups and Fortune 500 companies alike, on all things content, branding, and marketing. He also serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at UCLA's Anderson School of Management and Editor-at-Large for American Express.

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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Are you enjoying the podcast? Consider supporting us by subscribing to our YouTube channel - it's completely free! You can also leave us a glowing review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and help us reach even more listeners.

⁠Apple Podcast⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠

#UnlockingMoves #HireBetter