Breaking Free from Golden Handcuffs: The Founder’s Awakening with Mark Stern

🔗 Growth Capital podcast - Episode 44 🔗

What does it take to walk away from a high-paying, stable career—and step into the uncertainty of entrepreneurship?

In this episode of the Growth Capital Podcast, host Justin Dixon sits down with Mark Stern, Founder & CEO of Custom Box Agency, an experiential marketing firm based in Austin, Texas.

Mark shares how a dream (or premonition) pushed him to leave Deloitte while on the cusp of becoming a partner, the mindset shift required to move from corporate life to entrepreneurship, and why blending physical and digital experiences is the future of customer engagement.

🔑 Topics Covered:

• The “golden handcuffs” dilemma and what it takes to break free
  
• Why corporate and entrepreneurship are like checkers vs. chess
  
• The power of physical + digital touchpoints in building trust and retention
  
• “57 Hats”: A framework for founders to shed the roles holding them back
  
• Why recognition isn’t just a celebration—it’s a retention strategy
  
  

📩 Connect with Mark Stern:
👉 Website: https://customboxagency.com/ (Free consultation available)
👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marustern/

👉 Facebook: ​​https://www.facebook.com/share/19thwK3Ymy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts
💬 Like, subscribe, and comment—would you walk away from corporate security to pursue your vision?