Ep 02: Solving a problem or feeding your ego? with Michael Sawitz Fast Start Studio
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Michael Sawitz, CEO FastStart studio, reveals his insights and thoughts on high-tech high-growth entrepreneurship. Michael also shares his secret he wished he’d shared with his younger self on how to be uber-successful.
From years of running his accelerator, Michael shares lots of advice to startup founders on:
- Your startup why? Solving a problem or feeding your ego?
- The value of super mentors
- Value proposition
- Lean Business Canvas
- Startup success and business pivots
- The Valley of despair
- Network marketing
- Build. Test. Learn.
- Don’t fall in love with your product.
- Be a gumby (i.e. flexible) of startup land
- Uber success
About the Guest:
Michael Sawitz is a serial entrepreneur and founder of FastStart.studio, a mixed use business incubator in Irvine. He has held founder or C-level positions for over forty years in the apparel industry, equipment distribution and retail arenas. Mr. Sawitz has been published nationally, spoke as keynote speaker nationally and has been interviewed on numerous occasion in print and radio talk shows. His charity work includes President of the National Alliance of Ship Centers, board of directors Tech Coast Venture Network, board of directors The Center for Entrepreneurship CSUF, Professional Mentors Advisors and Coaches, and Charter Member of TiE the worlds largest entrepreneurial education organization. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor teaching Lean Startup Strategies at CSUF. Most recently Mr. Sawitz began a 4 year term with the California State Bar as Commissioner to the Franchise and Distribution Law Committee.
Personal Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/
About the Host:
Philip Topham is The Savvy Founder and Armchair sociologist. Philip has an inquisitive mind and passion for ideas. He’s impatient to see tomorrow’s today. He focuses on helping technical founders unlock their pragmatic dreamer and develop their business skills and social capital with The Savvy Founder framework.
With more than 25 years across startups and corporate roles, Philip has been everything from janitor to the Founder and Chief Everything Officer. His earliest career was as a network engineer bringing companies into the Internet age. He’s served as the Head of Information Technology (Divisional CIO) as well as startup Chief Technology Officer, building software and solving problems others said couldn’t be solved.
Philip has experienced what happens when a traditional company gets $20M venture capital infusion to become the next big thing. He has also experienced building a business without venture backing. He built a business from zero to profitability, selling more than $5M to big pharma and changed the way the pharmaceutical industry operates. He knows what it means to raise money for your startup, only to have it stop as a key founder steps out of the picture. He currently is an advisor for a global AI (artificial intelligence) clinical care management system startup.
Among his many accomplishments, Philip, is an armchair sociologist with peer-review publications in social network analysis and machine learning. He holds a BS Biological Sciences from UC Irvine and an MBA from Pepperdine University. When not working, he can be found playing billiards, woodworking, travelling or socializing with friends and family.
Words of Wisdom
- Ideas are worthless; revenues are priceless; surround yourself with smart people.
- Life is a journey – mole hills or mountains? it’s your choice.
Connect with Philip at:
E-mail – philip@thesavvyfounder.com
Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/philiptopham
Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/thesavvyfounder
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thesavvyfounder
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/thesavvyfounder
Website – https://philiptopham.com
Clubhouse – @thesavvyfounder
10 Most Fixable Pitch Deck Mistakes – https://www.thesavvyfounder.com
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