Burnout, Bad Deals & Building Culture: Lessons from the Entrepreneurial Frontlines with Steve Van Diest

In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark sits down with Steve Van Diest, President of Acumen’s Front Range region, to unpack the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey. From founding a thriving mattress business to launching a customizable pillow company, Steve’s path has been anything but linear.

Steve candidly shares his experiences with burnout, making costly business decisions, and the challenges of building a healthy company culture. He opens up about the turning points that led him to give away a profitable business and the lessons he now imparts to other business owners through his work at Acumen.

Key Takeaways:

1. Burnout Isn’t Just a Buzzword: Steve reflects on how ignoring signs of burnout led to poor decisions and how he’s learned to identify and address it earlier.
2. Trust, But Verify: The consequences of partnering without proper agreements and how a lack of structure nearly cost Steve his business.
3. Building a Culture of Transparency: Why Steve prioritized hiring people with strong values over sales experience and how that shaped his company’s identity.
4. The Power of Community: How being part of a peer advisory group transformed Steve’s approach to business – and why every entrepreneur should seek out similar connections.

Connect with Steve:

1. Website: Acumen Impact
2. LinkedIn: Steve Van Diest

Learn More:

Visit TheFridayHabit.com for show notes, resources, and to download the guide on working on your business rather than in it.

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