Lessons to Scale Your Startup from a Multi-Exit Founder – Michael Smith on The Leader’s Mindset

Описание: Lessons to Scale Your Startup from a Multi-Exit Founder – Michael Smith on The Leader’s Mindset

What actually separates founders who build something real from those who stall out after a promising start?

In this episode of The Leader’s Mindset, host Jason LeDuc sits down with Michael Smith, a multi-exit founder, former GM and Senior Vice President, and a proven builder who has taken companies from idea to scale—and all the way through acquisition by public organizations.

This is not a hype-driven conversation about growth hacks or shortcuts.

It’s a grounded, experience-based discussion about what it actually takes to build and scale a company without losing the fundamentals that keep it alive.

Michael shares lessons from founding multiple startups, leading organizations of 140+ employees, and navigating exits—along with the leadership shifts required at every stage of growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why courage—not intelligence—is the real common trait among successful founders
• How design thinking and empathy create sustainable businesses (not just good products)
• The critical difference between building a product vs. building a company
• Why chasing valuation too early can quietly kill long-term success
• What large organizations must change to innovate without breaking themselves
• How leaders should think differently when scaling from startup teams to enterprise organizations
• Why delivering real customer value ultimately drives revenue, growth, and acquisition interest

Michael also reflects on lessons from the dot-com collapse, explains how weak fundamentals destroy otherwise great ideas, and offers practical insight for leaders operating inside both fast-moving startups and complex enterprise environments.

This conversation is especially valuable for:
✔ Corporate executives and senior leaders
✔ Startup founders and operators
✔ HR, People Ops, and talent leaders
✔ Product, innovation, and strategy teams
✔ Entrepreneurs preparing for scale—or an eventual exit

If you’re serious about leadership, innovation, and building organizations that last, this episode will challenge how you think about growth and success.

👉 Watch the full conversation and hear what most founders don’t realize until it’s too late.

💬 Comment below:
What’s harder in your experience—building the product, or building the company around it?

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Onward and Upward! 🚀


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How to reach Michael:
Website https://www.thegovtechoperator.com/

LinkedIn:   / rastermike  
Instagram:   / michael.j.smith  




How to reach Jason LeDuc:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.leducleadership.com/
LinkedIn:   / jason-leduc-3469823  
Instagram:   / leducleadership