What drives success? It’s a question every founder ponders. And the answer might be simpler than you think: Self-awareness and authenticity.

In this episode, Kevin Bailey sits down with Matt Tait, CEO and founder of Decimal. Together, they discuss Matt’s journey—his triumphs, rough failures, and the invaluable lessons learned from launching three companies.

Matt’s story is full of insights that remind us that while business can break us, it also builds us into the best version of ourselves.

Tune in for a conversation that’s as inspiring as it is heartfelt.

Key Takeaways:

1. Retracing Steps — Matt emphasizes the importance of founders taking a deep dive into self-reflection before starting a company. He shares how understanding who you are today and who you aspire to be can significantly impact the growth and success of your business.
2. Embracing Failure — Decoupling your identity from your business provides a solid foundation for controlling your reactions and, ultimately, emerging resilience and even more drive. Matt shares his experience with failure at Füdē, highlighting its brutal impact but also the invaluable lessons it brings.
3. Values Over Ego — Matt explores how prioritizing moral decisions over ego boosts long-term trust and loyalty within a team and why doing the right thing—even when it’s difficult—matters deeply in creating a lasting legacy.

Resources

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:50 Meet Matt Tait, Founder and CEO

01:44 Lessons from founding Füdē and Decimal

04:17 The pitfalls of following your ego

06:31 The importance of self-honesty

08:23 Decoupling identity from business

10:46 The competitive advantage of self-understanding

13:05 A story from the trenches

17:52 Personal growth through entrepreneurship

19:01 Leading through the pandemic