What is Mike’s blog about? This blog is about things that interest me and, hopefully, a large group of readers as well. I feel most comfortable writing about business topics like growth, leadership, improvement, and innovation. But I’m also interested in many other topics that I’m sure will find there way in here as well. Things like podcasts that are influencing my life and my thinking, Angel Investing – staying engaged in new ideas, technologies and companies, personal health & fitness, private equity, books & other writing and, who knows what else.
I feel like an only a lot. Like I'm the only person feeling the way I feel right now. The only person thinking about the situation I'm in. The only one wondering why I'm wondering about what I'm wondering. The only one expecting something from me. The only me there is. If it wasn't for…
I was doing some quick math recently to calculate how much I've invested in my personal leadership and entrepreneurial development over my lifetime. So far (I’m not done). What made me do that? It was a casual conversation that I overheard in the gym. One guy was telling another about a program he'd spent $2K…
There are so many people writing about Leadership these days that it feels close to impossible to know who’s right about what Leadership really looks like - and who’s not. There are tons of varying opinions, and most sound convincing. It’s everywhere. There’s Leadership advice from Ex-Navy Seals, Corporate CEO’s, Unicorn Start-Up Founders, Shark Tank Celebrities and from…
Continue reading ➞ 10 Leadership Habits that Work, for Me at Least
It was one of those days that reminded me about the things that drive me nuts. Not things, exactly, but words. Specifically, why and how words are used and what it does to me when they are. Turns out that I’m not the only one. I didn’t wake up today expecting to wade into this debate with…
I’m not dead and I’m not dying. I’m not even sick. But I’m thinking about funerals anyway. Sometimes, when I’m in bed, I lie flat on my back with my right hand on top of the left, both resting on my stomach. My wife tells me to stop it because I look like I’m dead and it freaks…
Earlier this week, our Vistage Chair encouraged me and the other CEO’s and Presidents in the room to present our 2018 Reflection and our 2019 Goals to the group. It’s one of those exercises that’s easy to take seriously while also being just as easy to blow off. There’s no reward for doing it well, and no…
In a previous blog post, titled “I Thought I Hired a King,” I describe writing a letter to myself about what I needed to do about a person I’d hired, who I thought would be our sales team leadership savior, and wasn’t. About what I needed to do, because he “wasn’t.” There was no blindside…
There have been times where I’ve wanted something so badly that it’s made me stupid, or cocky, probably both. Which wouldn’t be so bad, and perhaps might even be excusable, if I learned from the experience and then never did it again. But I haven’t, and still don’t, at least not always. Maybe you can…
I was in a funk about myself, and my company, when I wrote this letter to myself on a yellow legal pad while sitting in my car during my daughter’s swim meet in Minnesota (please see the typed version of it below – you’re lucky not to have read my handwriting (Read my story about…
“Wanna Drive?” Michael asked. I did. But I said no, because that’s what I should have said, and because I was 18, had been drinking, never drove a tractor-trailer, didn’t have a license, wasn’t an employee . . . the reasons kept coming. “What the f***, kid. You didn’t come to waste your whole day just…
