My Guest
The point of today’s episode is to give the uninitiated a peak behind the curtains, and to provide but one example of what leadership really looks like at the ground level. My guest today, Rishi Sahel, is a great example of a CEO who has withstood more than his share of punches to the gut: As you’ll hear in our discussion today, these punches included the acquisition of a manufacturing company in the middle of Covid when lockdown orders were in full effect, a post-covid supply chain crisis, post-covid runaway inflation, an abruptly lost warehouse, an attempt to buy their primary manufacturing facility from out underneath them, wire fraud, tariffs impacting a global supply chain and global customer base, and one unforgettable presentation to members of a local city council – all of which is about a million miles away from the comfortable confines of Bain, where Rishi spent many years prior to pursuing his dream of acquiring a small business.
As you’ll hear, despite all of these challenges, the company that he has built has enjoyed incredible growth and success. But hopefully better understanding the details of his journey will give you pause the next time you’re tempted to get too enamoured with what seems to be an unambiguously positive headline.
In presenting Rishi’s story to you, I don’t at all mean to suggest that leadership is all downside and no upside. Quite the contrary, in fact. Instead, I’m providing you with this dose of reality only because I assume you’re much more familiar with the upsides of entrepreneurship and leadership, and much less familiar with the price that you’re likely to have to pay in order to receive those benefits.
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A Peek Behind the Curtain: What Small Business Ownership *Really* Looks Like – In The Trenches
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Episode Summary with Timestamps
- 00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Entrepreneurship
- 07:43 Rishi’s Journey to CEO
- 10:22 Understanding the Business Model
- 13:39 Navigating Challenges as a New CEO
- 16:44 Acquiring a Business During COVID-19
- 19:27 Lessons from Crisis Management
- 25:05 Supply Chain Challenges Post-COVID
- 28:47 Pricing Power and Inflation
- 32:47 Real Estate Challenges and Adaptability
- 35:47 Generalizable Lessons from Unique Challenges
- 45:05 The Rise of AI-Proof Businesses
- 45:55 Navigating Wire Fraud: A Cautionary Tale
- 51:50 The Impact of Tariffs on Global Supply Chains
- 58:25 The Strategy Behind Bolt-On Acquisitions
- 01:05:06 Lessons Learned from Rapid Acquisitions
- 01:13:27 Transforming Challenges into Growth Opportunities
- 01:18:37 Finding Passion in Entrepreneurship
- 01:21:25 Preparing for the Unexpected in Business
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