What I learned about leadership in 2024

This year, I had the privilege of sitting down with some of the most inspiring entrepreneurs and leaders on After the First Million. Together, we explored the messy middle of entrepreneurship. Every conversation left me with a new perspective, a deeper understanding, and a reminder that we’re never truly alone in this journey. As I reflect on a year of incredible insights, I’m excited to take these lessons into the new year—and I hope they inspire you, too.

December 31, 2024

Minutes Long

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The journey to building and scaling a successful business is messy, challenging, and full of lessons.

In this special episode of After the First Million, we reflect on the most impactful conversations from the past year, highlighting the key themes that define the entrepreneurial journey.

A special thanks to our guests who joined us this year:

Tiffany Sauder, CEO of Element Three
Dagan Xavier, founder of Label Insight
Devin Bramhall, former CEO of Animalz
Rich Hagberg, founder of Hagberg Consulting Group
Adam Weber, co-founder of Bluebridge and Emplify
Sims Foster, co-founder of Foster Supply Hospitality
Kevin Bailey, co-founder of Dreamfuel
Lindsay Roselle, COO of BossBabe
Jeremy Reymer, founder of DriverReach
Lindsay Tjepkema, co-founder of Casted
Nick Smarrelli, former CEO of GadellNet
Lee Rubin, founder of Confetti,
Michael King, founder of KFE Solutions and The CFO Accelerator
Brian Powers, founder of PactSafe (now Ironclad)
Mark Caswell, former CEO of Resultant
Sharon Rechter, co-founder of First Media
Steven Plappert, co-founder of Forecastr
Chad Peterman, president and CEO of Peterman Brothers

Join us as we reflect on these lessons and carry them into the year ahead.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Risk and resilience in entrepreneurship: Success comes from embracing failure as part of the journey. Building resilience allows entrepreneurs to push through challenges and keep their vision alive.
Leadership and personal growth: Great leadership starts with personal growth. By understanding their strengths and areas for improvement, leaders can evolve alongside their businesses.
Balancing work with personal life and mental health: Sustainable success requires balance. Prioritizing wellness enables leaders to show up more effectively for their teams and families.
Building and maintaining company culture: Culture is what makes a business thrive. Align your team with core values to create stronger connections and long-term success.
Navigating growth and scaling challenges: Scaling is about adaptability. Leaders who stay agile and focus on repeatable processes are better prepared to overcome the complexities of growth.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Reflecting on a year of business lessons

(04:38) Risk and resilience in entrepreneurship

(07:29) Leadership and personal growth

(11:03) Balancing work, personal life, and mental health

(16:28) Building and maintaining company culture

(21:34) Navigating growth and scaling challenges

(25:45) Here’s to the next million

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