Passion, Planning and Perseverance: One Man’s Story of Surviving Y2K as a Tech Company

My guest today is Scott Schwefel. Scott is a business coach, leadership, and team trainer. He has had a bumpy road during his time as a struggling entrepreneur. We talk about 3 of his businesses and how each one has taught him something about himself and the importance of good team dynamic and communication.

Currently, Scott is a speaker who promotes the Discovery method of business management. He is a facilitator and an enthusiastic trainer of the Discovery system. Discovery is a communication method that he has found to be essential in team communication. We discuss why he so passionate about improving business culture and communication and how you as the listener can find the passion you need to keep a business going.

What you will learn:

• Scott’s early days in college, and a change in career.
• The Pro Net Marketing experience and what it taught Scott.
• The importance of having a good spouse who will support your entrepreneurial dreams.
• Scott’s time in the food industry and what he learned.
• What it is like working with a venture capital investor.
• The mistakes Scott and his partner made in the food business.
• How to measure the value of a business when there was no profit.
• The beginning of Benchmark.
• Why Scott chose to go into a tech business.
• Knowing your team and the role you play within it.
• The 2000 tech crash and how Scott bounced back.
• How the Discovery method changed how Scott does business.
• How Scott rebuilt Benchmark.
• What Discovery can do for your business.
• What Discovery can’t do for your business.
• How to build a company that doesn’t need you.
• Why Scott loves what he does.
• The benefits of CEO peer groups.
• Scott’s advice for the audience.

Takeaways:

Today’s takeaway is all about passion and knowing why you are in your business. Do the work ahead of time and figure out why you want to own a business. When you know why you are running the business you can hire the right people and keep doing the things you enjoy about it. Know what you are passionate about and stick with it.

Links and Resources:

GEXP Collaborative Scott’s Ted Talk Discover Yourself Scott’s website

About Scott:

A serial entrepreneur, Scott founded and grew Minnesota’s largest technology training company to over $12 million in sales, and then sold the company in 2003.  His company was named one of the 50 fastest-growing private companies in Minnesota in 1997 and 1998, and he was named to Minnesota’s 40 under 40 list of successful top executives. Scott then founded and grew Insights Twin Cities to over $3 million in sales and sold it to Insights in Scotland in 2014.

For over a decade Scott Schwefel has been speaking and teaching new communication strategies to companies and associations globally. He has presented in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Geneva and Shanghai and Kuwait, and he has also trained and coached over 1500 CEOs personally. He is a published author, has lived remotely with the Hadza and Maasai tribes in Tanzania, Africa and is a top-rated speaker for Vistage (More on Vistage), the largest membership organization of CEOs in the world.