#93: From Startup to Grown-Up: Kass and Mike Lazerow, Serial founders; co-founders of Buddy Media (sold to Salesforce for $750M) - How to survive a failed acquisition, stay married to your co-founder, and enjoy the journey of entrepreneurship.

Kass and Mike Lazerow are serial entrepreneurs, seasoned investors, and co-authors of the upcoming book Shoveling Sh!t: A Love Story About the Entrepreneur’s Messy Path to Success. They join Alisa to share an unfiltered look at what it really takes to build companies, navigate chaos, and stay married through it all.

Known for founding Golf.com and Buddy Media, which they sold to Salesforce for $745 million, Kass and Mike have also backed more than 100 early-stage startups. Their portfolio includes Scopely, acquired for $5 billion, and Liquid Death. In this conversation, they recount the wild highs and lows of startup life, from raising three kids while raising capital to walking away from a higher offer because it came with too much risk.

You’ll hear about:

• The dot-com crash that nearly killed Golf.com and how they raised money to buy it back from bankruptcy
  
  
• The early bet they placed on Facebook that became Buddy Media
  
  
• Why did they choose Salesforce over a larger offer from Google
  
  
• How they built a radically transparent culture that kept employees during a 3-month no-pay period
  
  
• What it's really like to sell a company for hundreds of millions, then stay on as an employee
  
  
• How ego, secrecy, and shiny-object syndrome kill founders
  
  
• What it takes to choose the right co-founder and build a business that lasts
  
  

They also share what it's like to run companies as a married couple, including how they divide responsibilities, handle stress, and maintain date nights through multiple exits and pivots.

Also in this episode:

• The story behind Mike’s near-death health crisis and how it changed his entire mindset
  
  
• Why Kass believes in minivans and Mike believes in showing up for everything
  
  
• The advice they give to every founder they backed
  
  
• How their kids learned more from watching than listening
  
  

Their new book, Shoveling Sh!t, hits shelves on June 3, 2025. It captures 50 hard-earned lessons that can help any founder become a better leader and build a life that actually works.

About Kass & Mike:
 Kass and Mike Lazerow are entrepreneurs and investors best known for building and selling Buddy Media, a leading social media marketing platform, to Salesforce for $745 million. They co-founded Golf.com early in their careers and have since supported more than 100 startups as investors and advisors. Notable investments include Scopely and Liquid Death. They are also sought-after speakers, writers, and podcast guests. Their book Shoveling Sh!t: A Love Story About the Entrepreneur’s Messy Path to Success is out June 3, 2025.

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