Ep. 61: Michael X. Burns on Grateful Dead and Rasta Inspired Leadership

In this episode, Darren Reinke sits down with Michael Burns, a serial entrepreneur with a diverse background ranging from tech recruiting to cannabis farming. Michael shares his journey to becoming a multifaceted business leader, emphasizing the pivotal role sales has had on his career, the power of showmanship, and how the Grateful Dead's philosophy influences his approach to business.

 
 

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SHOW NOTES

  • How Michael started and continued his diverse entrepreneurial journey [00:37]

  • An overview of Michael's early ventures, from lemonade stands to T-shirt sales [01:05]

  • Lessons learned in tech recruiting and the importance of management [02:17]

  • How Michael broke into cybersecurity and sales enablement for SaaS companies [09:36]

  • The significance of sales skills in entrepreneurship and leadership [13:52]

  • Building operations and the 'tribe' mentality in startups [23:41]

  • How Michael created a strong personal brand [23:57]

  • Why Michael believes operations is the spinal cord of a company [27:28]

  • The concept of 'Candelabra Way' and the essence of showmanship [32:16]

  • Developing greater showmanship and becoming more engaging [35:34]

  • The 'Shield, Diamond, Love' framework explained [43:58]

  • Michael’s Next Steps [49:17]

    Links

  • Michael X. Burns on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mxbcandelabra/

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For additional leadership tips, be sure to check out Darren's book - The Savage Leader: 13 Principles to Become a Better Leader from the Inside Out

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Ep. 62: Mike Kijewski's Journey from High School Physics Teacher to Medcrypt CEO

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Ep. 60: Aaron Fulkerson on Rebuilding Trust in Technology