Mike Harvath

“Owner independence” isn’t about more time off. It’s about what happens when you’re not in the room. Most LMM businesses are founder-kept, not founder-led. The difference? The founder is still the central nervous system. Sales decisions. Hiring calls. Vendor changes. No one moves until they check in. Looks like leadership from the outside. Feels like jail on the inside. Here’s the unspoken rule: if your business can’t run as well—or better—without you for 30 days, it’s not entrepreneur-led. It’s founder-dependent. That’s a value drag, not a value driver. Want to know how buyers test this? They ask your team questions… without you in the room. They check how decisions get made. They see what stalls when you’re out of town. Enterprise value isn’t just about what your business makes. It’s who it runs for. If it always runs for you, you’ve built a job with overhead—not a company with options. Send this to the founder who needs a wake-up call.

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🚫We didn’t have a strategic plan. 🚫 We didn’t have a clear niche. 🚫 We didn’t even fully know who we were yet. We just saw an opportunity… and went for it. In this clip from Beyond the Startup podcast, Lliam Holmes shares what MIS Solutions, Inc. looked like in the early days: • No family background in entrepreneurship experience to draw from • No deep knowledge of finance or taxes • No perfectly defined “unique value proposition” • Just an IT technician who knew how to solve problems Even though he had managed $10–20 million projects before, starting MIS was completely different. Running enterprise projects ≠ building a small business from scratch. And in the beginning? “We were doing everything for anyone who would write us a check.” Not exactly strategic. But it was real. If you're an early-stage founder, this might encourage you: Clarity often comes after action. Focus is usually learned, not born. And strategy is sometimes built through trial, error, and humility. 🎥 Watch the full podcast here: https://hubs.li/Q0440xbt0 #BeyondTheStartup #Entrepreneurship #FounderJourney #SmallBusiness #LeadershipLessons #AtlantaBusiness

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The Real Barrier Most people want to start a business. But they can’t risk: Their savings Their time Their stability So they wait. And wait. And never start. What if the barrier isn’t the person… but the model they’ve been shown? That’s the problem Direct Sales Advantages addresses head-on. bit.ly/41CGYoC

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Deals aren’t lost on price, they’re lost on assumptions. In this episode, I sit down with Steve Gielda, co-founder of Ignite Selling, to unpack the dangerous assumptions that sabotage your pipeline. We’ll explore how misplaced confidence, past experience, and even tools like ChatGPT can create blind spots in your sales process. If you're ready to stop guessing and start closing, this episode is for you. Let’s elevate your sales strategy—together. #SalesStrategy #B2BSales #SalesLeadership #TheSalesHunter #SalesPodcast #PipelineManagement

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What can you eliminate off your weekly tasks in your business that are not providing any value? I love this tip we got from Matt Doud yesterday as he shared his 3 part system to thrive with productive action.

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The most underrated law in business isn’t strategy. It isn’t capital. It’s reciprocity. Most professionals chase business. The best ones attract it. The difference comes down to one principle most people misread as “soft.” 👉 The Blind Spot We’re trained to believe deal flow comes from pitching harder, networking wider, selling smarter. It doesn’t. The market mirrors what you bring. Vague intent attracts vague interest. Loose scope attracts loose partners. Sloppy contracts attract sloppy clients. You receive the energy you transmit. 👉 A Lesson from 1976 When a 28-year-old VC named Bob Swanson cold-called UCSF biochemist Herbert Boyer to propose a company around recombinant DNA, he had no lab, no product, no proof. What he had was clarity. A defined ask. A clear commercial frame. A specific request: ten minutes. Boyer gave him three hours. That conversation became Genentech — and launched the biotech industry. Swanson didn’t win Boyer with charisma. He won him by giving exactly what serious people want: a precise problem, a clean structure, and a relationship worth contracting around. Reciprocity in action. 👉 Today’s Parallel Founders ask why their pipeline is quiet. Investors ask why deal flow is weak. Operators ask why partners ghost. The answer is almost always the same: The frame is muddy. When you can’t articulate what you want, what’s in scope, and how the relationship is structured — you signal you’re not yet a serious counterparty. Serious counterparties respond accordingly. Want better business? Become a better business partner first. 👉 Munger said it best: “The best way to get what you want is to deserve what you want.” That’s reciprocity stripped to bone. 👉 A Practical Framework Before your next pitch, partnership, or term sheet: 🔹 Define what you want. In one sentence. If you can’t, neither can they. 🔹 Scope the work. Inputs, outputs, timelines. Ambiguity is friction. 🔹 Frame it commercially. Why does this trade make sense for both sides? 🔹 Clarify the contract. Not paranoia — respect. Clear terms attract clear partners. 👉 The Reveal As Luis Pareras MD, PhD writes in Fast Forward Thinking: “We tend to interact with people in the same manner they interact with us; therefore, we should give what we hope to receive.” This isn’t a soft skill. It’s a hard mechanic of how capital, trust, and opportunity actually flow. You don’t attract the business you want. You attract the business you’ve made yourself worthy of. The market is a mirror. Polish your side first. What’s one moment in your career when clarity — not charisma — won you the deal?

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Yes. Engage analysts early. Rachel Dines on The Transaction I posted Rachel Dines take on how to engage with analysts yesterday. Ill try to capture it the comments. I should have posted this clip first...but hey.

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It’s crazy how often CROs can’t answer these basics… 🟥🟥🟥 THE BASICS 🟥🟥🟥 1️⃣ What’s the math to success?       How many [X product] sales       at your [Y average deal size]       with your [Z deal velocity]       do you need to hit quota? 2️⃣ What % of reps are qualifying deals?       And what framework are they using? 3️⃣ How many deals projected for this quarter       have actual close plans in place? These aren’t “nice to haves”. They’re foundational. 🟨🟨🟨 THE REFRAME 🟨🟨🟨 If you’re winning without this: You’re lucky. If you’re missing targets? Maybe you need to get these set up. And no tech stack or sales training will save you from a broken engine. You need is: ▶️ Clear math. ▶️ Consistent qualification. ▶️ Rigor in the final miles of every deal. 🟩🟩🟩 ACTION 🟩🟩🟩 We help B2B companies build revenue engines that actually scale. If you’re a #CEO or #CRO ready to install discipline, clarity, & performance ▶️ REACH OUT ◀️ Let’s upgrade your growth engine.

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Kevin Costner said at my event. Not all CEOs are entrepreneurs. And a lot of people don’t want to hear that. Today, everyone wants to blur the lines. They say: “I ran a big company.” “I was the CEO.” “I had a billion dollar exit” But here’s the uncomfortable truth: That doesn’t automatically make you an entrepreneur. If it wasn’t your company… If you didn’t build it from zero… If you didn’t take the risk when there was no safety net… Then you operated a business. You didn’t create one. Big difference. A real entrepreneur knows what this feels like: No guarantees No salary No certainty No safety Just pressure, decisions, and responsibility. Kevin said it best in his own way: The moment you’re lying in bed wondering how everyone else gets paid… while you don’t… That’s when you find out who you really are. That’s entrepreneurship. Not stepping into a machine that already works. Not managing teams built by someone else. Not taking credit for momentum you didn’t create. There’s nothing wrong with being a CEO. But let’s stop pretending it’s the same game. Because it’s not. I’ll take someone who built and exited a $20M company they started from nothing… Over someone who managed a 500 million a year company they were hired into. Every single time. One understands survival. The other understands structure. Both matter. But only one knows how to build something out of nothing. So the real question is: Did you inherit it… or did you build it? Thoughts? #CEO #privateEquity #Exits #Entrepreneur #KevinCostner

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The right process with a programatic approach learning from each deal, experienced execution powered by AI is the way to change the odds. Atul Tiwary’s book is a great history lesson of failed dreams and a manifesto of how to change that.

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When you only have a few minutes to make an impression, clarity becomes your most valuable asset. In this conversation, Brant Pinvidic breaks down why the best leaders don’t just communicate ideas—they simplify them. His framework shifted how Hollywood sold TV concepts…and now it’s reshaping how executives pitch products, initiatives, and even themselves. New episode is live now. 🎙️ @legendsofthearena_podcast 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ejhYTzQK #Leadership #Communication #ExecutivePresence #DecisionMaking #Storytelling #BusinessStrategy #ProfessionalGrowth #BrantPinvidic #LegendsOfTheArena

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If you want an advisor who plays nice at your expense—that’s not us. This is your exit. Not a fire sale. I’ve advised on a wide range of deal structures—buyouts, recapitalizations, strategic exits, you name it. But here’s what sets my process apart: You’re going to get the God’s honest truth. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just straight answers, clear advice, and a commitment to doing what’s necessary to close the deal—not what’s easy. If you’re thinking about selling your business, don’t waste time with yes-men. You need someone who knows how to get it done—and isn’t afraid to tell you what you need to hear. After all, this is one of the biggest decisions you might make in your entire life. #Graystone

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“We are bigger so we need more rules, processes, approvals” The average lifespan of a S&P 500 company used to be 60+ years. Today’s, it’s 15 years Bureaucracy & the stifling of innovation is almost always one of the root causes During the early days, things move fast. Ideas are entertained and executed at speed. Mistakes are made, but stuff gets done But then as time goes by, layers and layers of processes and people are added. “We can’t afford mistakes” “We need to protect ourselves” All true, except the cost of doing anything new, or even improving the status quo, gets higher and higher The intentions of these layers are good, but to do anything different gets excruciating. So it’s simply easier to fall in line, do what’s expected Why propose something new when you need to get through 7 committees and 12 approvals? Just clock-in-clock-out for the same paycheck Those who once found joy in experimenting, innovating and building move on Those who stay perpetuate the “lay low, don’t stand out, business as usual” That’s why there will always be startups who rise and succeed in taking over incumbents. But once they become incumbents, they fall into the same trap and inevitably, make room for the next generation

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F‑Reorgs can be brilliant. They can also blow up in your face.   Used correctly, they solve a common M&A tension: → The seller wants stock treatment (QSBS, cap gains) → The buyer wants an asset deal (step-up, liability buffer)   With an F‑reorg, both sides can win.   But here's what gets glossed over:   𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴. Not even a strong LOI.   Sure, there's no line in the tax code banning strong LOIs before a reorg. But if you end up litigating the point, the tax savings won't feel like a win.   If the IRS sees it as part of a single, prearranged transaction, you lose the tax benefits and potentially trigger gain.   That creates a structural problem: • The seller must reorganize 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 there's legal protection • The buyer must commit 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 the structure is locked in   You're both exposed. And documents can't protect you.   So if you're going to use an F‑reorg, you better be sure of one thing:   𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿.   Someone who won't change terms when your guard is down. Someone who won't use timing as leverage. Someone who honors the deal, without needing a contract to enforce it.   Because once the reorg is done, there's no going back.   F‑Reorgs aren't standard. They're situational.   They require tax precision, clean execution, and real trust.   In the right deal, they can unlock serious value. But they're not for the faint of heart.   Seen an F‑reorg structure misfire? Or pull off something special? Drop a lesson for the rest of us. #MegersAndAcquisitions #SMB #QSBS #FReorg

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The 40 jobs most at risk from AI…and those most likely to benefit | From Dorms to Desks Podcast | ep78 Artificial intelligence, whether you love or hate it, is already changing how people get their work done, and even whether that work is still available to people. But certain jobs are more at risk from the impact of AI than others, and some of those others stand to benefit. In this episode of the From Dorms to Desks Podcast, we dive into the “Wild West” of the AI workplace, drawing on data published in October 2025 that ranked the top 40 jobs at risk from AI exposure based on analysis from Microsoft Research. This research assessed 200,000 US user conversations on Copilot in 2024, measuring how well AI performed tasks and the task’s applicability to specific occupations, assigning an overall score where a higher score means higher exposure. The job title with the highest overall exposure was Interpreters and Translators with a score of 0.49, reflecting that 98% of its work functions corresponded with Copilot conversations showing relatively strong completion rates. Other highly exposed knowledge occupations include Historians with a 0.48 score, Writers and Authors with 0.45, and News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists with 0.39. High-volume service roles are also impacted, with Customer Service Representatives, a job category representing nearly three million jobs in the US, ranking high at 0.44, along with Passenger Attendants at 0.47 and Sales Representatives of Services at 0.46. Other significant roles showing overlap include Data Scientists, Management Analysts, and Personal Financial Advisors, all scoring 0.35 or 0.36. We also explore the growth opportunity in the digital infrastructure powering this revolution, as data centers serve as the backbone of the digital economy by storing, managing, and processing the world’s data. As of November 2025, the US leads the world with 4,165 data centers, accounting for nearly 38% of all facilities worldwide. This leadership is fueled by major tech companies and the historic build-out driven by companies like OpenAI to support AI workloads, involving projected spending commitments of $1.4 trillion between now and 2035. Europe is another major digital infrastructure force, hosting nearly 3,500 data centers, concentrated in the UK, Germany, and France, partly driven by the regulatory requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation. Beyond infrastructure, we examine the global cryptocurrency market, which stands at almost $3 trillion. Listen to today's episode at https://lnkd.in/gUkcZh8c .

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There is an easy way to fix that that no one seems to look at. I call it piepline segmentation. Teh three segments are: Top of funnel : Anyone that has shown curiosity or interest) MId Funell (Anyone htat has shown interest and curiosity and hwo defined a timeframe and funding or the need to get funding) bottom of funnel : These are your investment account that are forecasted for clsoe in quarter or in the next quarter. Tehy can even be further out so long as you are committing resources beyond your salesperson. (legal, executives, Se's product mgmt. executive team etd) These are known as your investment accounts. This is the only segment of the pipeline win rate should be measured against. Why would you measure win rate against accounts where you have made liittle to no investment? You don't expect to win those do you? By the way if your sin rate is not above 90% you do not ahve a good deal strategy and review process. Give e a ping and I will help you get your win rate over 90%.

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