What does it really take to be a successful CEO and navigate the challenges of building a company from the ground up?

Co-hosts Bennie Fowler and Ryan Harris sit down with David Mandell, a serial entrepreneur, multiple-time founder, and now co-founder and general partner at Massive VC. David shares his wealth of experience and insights on the realities of being a CEO and the journey of building a successful company. He shares the importance of mentorship, and the true meaning of success in the startup world. David's honest approach sheds light on the often-overlooked aspects of leadership and the personal growth that comes with the role. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs, current CEOs, and anyone interested in the inner workings of the startup ecosystem.

[00:00 - 09:34] The Lonely Journey of Building a Company

• The early beginning of David in the entrepreneurial world
• Why is important to find your support system in your process?

[09:35 - 15:18] How-to Overcome the “I’m not good enough” feeling?

• Storytime when David went to a CEO bootcamp
• It's about the long game, and there's no end to the journey.
• Coaching and Pattern Recognition

[15:19 - 22:26] Ego-Driven Decisions vs. Long Game Decisions

• Ego-driven decisions are usually about how to look good in a situation.
• The real game is the long game.
• When people see you making long game decisions they learn to trust you more.

[22:27 - 26:33] Navigating Exits and the Perception of Success

• Most exits are not what they look like.
• David's story of how he left a company.
• Whether or not the company succeeded doesn't equate to whether the CEO succeeded or failed.

[26:34 - 30:27] Treating People the Right Way as a CEO

• The best way to treat people the right way is to know that you're not there to make friends, you're there to build a business.
• Give people clear objectives.
• What is the role of a CEO from a leadership perspective.

[30:28 - 41:43] The Reality of Being a CEO

• Being a CEO is a very different role than what most people think it is.
• Your job is to make sure everyone else has what they need, not to knock out as much shit as everybody else is knocking out.
• Every single thing in your world relies on you as the CEO, and oftentimes you can't talk to anyone about what you're struggling with.

[41:33 - 43:09] Defining Legacy

• Legacy is about how you show up every day as a person and if you can show up a little better as a human and a little better as an example today than you were yesterday.
• If you can use that to help other people be better at who they are and what they do, that's really all you should be shooting for.

Key quotes:

"The best way to treat people the right way is to know that you're not there to make friends, you're there to build a business." - David Mandell

"As a CEO, you don't have the same role. Your job is to make sure everyone else has what they need." - David Mandell

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Reach out to Bennie Fowler!
Instagram: @benniefowler1
X: @BennieFowler123

Reach out to Ryan Harris!
Instagram: @ryanharris_68
X: @ryanharris_68

Connect with David Mandell!
X: @dgmandell

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