Founder's Blog

Raising a ton of money is great, but it's not the end goal.

The real measure of success is building a sustainable and profitable business.

Don't get caught up in the hype of raising capital, focus on building something real and delivering value to your customers.

Creating companies that are truly...

OH ... I can remember reaching out to Super-Successful Christians for mentorship — who wouldn't give me the time of day. That feeling of rejection still stings.

Do you know how I've grown so close to Jesus?

For so many years He was the only one who would take my call. Ha!

As a young...

My three levels of PRIORITY for growing a startup.

For me, it's no longer Low, Medium and High.

A few years back this really helped me set a new standard for assigning priority levels to my tasks and projects.

Setting priority is something most startup founders struggle with.

My problem with Low,...

Would you rather sell your company at $60 million or $120 million?

$120 million, right?

Let me ask it this way ... would you rather own 100% of the $60 million company or 30% of the $120 million company?

It's a calculus every founder raising VC has to think through.

The VC's often encourage founders...

Why your first employees in Year 1 often become your worst managers.

As your company transitions from 6 or 7 employees to 15 or 40 ... this happens.

In the early days everyone takes on a variety of roles and projects. They become jacks-of-all-trades.

But as you grow to more and more employees, you...

When I'm creating an entirely new marketplace, there are few cheerleaders.

All disrupters can expect the same treatment IF you're slightly early ... on purpose.

When I begin to disrupt an industry, the so-called industry elites will think I'm chasing an impossible pipe dream.

Yet I don't care.

WHY?

...

When a founder misses their goals, 99% of the time, this is why.

They are not controlling their priority and focus.

Like you, I've set my vision for what I want to accomplish in 2023.

I've got 7 major pieces of the puzzle. All are complex with moving parts.

When I look at everything I want to...

Have you ever been stuck just trying to keep your head above water?

Here's the problem with being focused on survival.

What you focus on actually frames your future. So if your focus is on survival, you'll get more of the same.

I know firsthand what it's like to struggle to survive. And if we're...

Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys.

That quote from Billy Graham is so true.

One of the lessons I've learned over the past 38 years building and investing in a variety of ventures is there is very little learning on the mountaintops.

When things are going...

What would you do IF you had the same quantity and quality of faith as Jesus?

You do.

- You have the same measure of faith as Peter
- You have the same measure of faith as Paul
- And you have the same measure of faith as Jesus

And you are probably thinking, "well Gerald, you could of fooled me!"

Romans...

The storm you are facing isn't what you think!

It's a birthing canal.

And the winds of the storm will position perfectly for what God has planned.

- But you'll never make it though by sight.
- You'll have to make it through by faith.

Your unbelief must go.

Trust totally in God's how and His when.

Trust...

Is your future BESPOKE?

Mine is, and yours can be too!

EVERY year I take the time to ASK and ANSWER what I want out of life.

It's bespoke to my desires. Custom fit.

I decide what I want.

My wife Leslie and I ask ourselves these two questions EVERY year.

#1 - IF I had a magic wand, WHAT would I change...