From Near Bankruptcy to a $745M Exit: The Raw Truth Behind Kass & Mike’s Entrepreneurship Journey | E112

Kass and Mike Lazerow’s entrepreneurial journey began with a leap of faith and a lot of grit. They started Golf.com with funding from friends and family, only to be acquired by a company that later went bankrupt. Forced to raise capital and revive their business against all odds, they quickly learned that entrepreneurship means facing setbacks every day and building the resilience to keep going when it feels impossible. In this episode, Kass and Mike join Ilana to dive into their new book, Shoveling $h!t, sharing the struggles behind their wins, the fears they confronted, and how they built successful businesses while balancing parenthood, marriage, and health challenges.

Kass and Mike Lazerow are serial entrepreneurs, investors, and co-founders of Golf.com and Buddy Media. After selling Golf.com to Time Warner, they co-founded Buddy Media, a leading social media marketing platform that was acquired by Salesforce for $745 million.

In this episode, Ilana, Kass, and Mike will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction 

(00:35) Meeting and Collaborating with GaryVee

(03:20) Childhood Challenges and Family Struggles

(09:43) Early Ventures and the Birth of Golf.com

(13:40) Kass and Mike’s Relationship Journey

(18:20) Facing Near Bankruptcy After Acquisition Offers

(23:02) Leading with Transparency in Crisis

(26:08) Fundraising Success and Tiger Woods's Influence

(28:44) Navigating Parenthood While Building a Business

(35:33) Prioritizing Health Amid Career Demands

(39:38) Breaking Gender Bias in Entrepreneurship

(43:57) Building a Thick Skin as an Entrepreneur

(47:31) Overcoming Fear and Taking Action

Kass and Mike Lazerow are serial entrepreneurs, investors, and co-founders of Golf.com and Buddy Media. After selling Golf.com to Time Warner, they co-founded Buddy Media, a leading social media marketing platform that was acquired by Salesforce for $745 million. Together, Mike and Kass have supported nearly 100 early-stage startup founders and have received multiple awards recognizing their leadership and impact in entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Connect with Kass and Mike:

Kass and Mike’s Website: www.kassandmike.com 

Kass and Mike’s Email: info@kassandmike.com 

 

Resources Mentioned:

Kass and Mike Book, Shoveling $H!t: A Love Story about the Entrepreneur's Messy Path to Success: https://www.amazon.in/Shoveling-Story-about-Entrepreneurs-Success/dp/B0DY21NS7W 

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