Building Businesses Without Losing Yourself | With Reed

What if the hardest moments of your life become the foundation for everything you build afterward?In the very first episode of The Scar Tissue Podcast, Anthony sits down with longtime friend, entrepreneur, investor, and founder Reed, whose career has spanned advertising, real estate, venture investing, cannabis, and technology. Together, they explore the often unseen side of entrepreneurship—the personal losses, painful lessons, and defining moments that shape leaders long before success ever arrives.Reed shares the story behind building Sparrowhawk, an AI-powered platform transforming cannabis sales operations, while reflecting on the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, recognizing your own limitations as a founder, and building teams that complement your strengths.The conversation then shifts into far more personal territory as Reed opens up about losing both of his parents at a young age, heartbreak, traveling the world in search of meaning, the painful collapse of a business built with friends, and the mindset that helped him rebuild. Together, Anthony and Reed discuss resilience, non-attachment, entrepreneurship, healthy habits, and why life's greatest scars often become our greatest teachers.Whether you're building a company, navigating adversity, or simply searching for perspective, this conversation is a reminder that success isn't built by avoiding hardship—it's built by learning from it.Key TakeawaysWhy every entrepreneur must learn to hire people who are better than themselves.The importance of combining industry expertise with fresh outside perspectives.Why founders often struggle to let go—and why doing so is essential for growth.How life's biggest losses can become the catalyst for personal reinvention.The difference between chasing success and creating your own path.Lessons Reed learned from building companies with friends.Why resilience comes from accepting that challenges never truly disappear.The power of non-attachment in business and life.How healthy daily habits create stronger leaders.Why vulnerability is one of the greatest strengths a leader can possess.In This Episode[00:00] Welcome to the first episode of The Scar Tissue Podcast[02:00] Reed's work building Sparrowhawk and modernizing cannabis sales with AI[09:45] Building the right team and why great leaders seek different perspectives[18:30] The biggest hiring mistake Reed ever made: hiring himself[25:10] Why Anthony created The Scar Tissue Podcast[27:00] Losing both parents, heartbreak, and starting over through travel[29:30] Siddhartha, entrepreneurship, and creating your own path[30:00] The painful lessons of building a business with friends[35:00] Hitting rock bottom and discovering resilience through non-attachment[40:00] Why life's challenges never stop—and why that's okay[45:00] Reed's best investment wasn't a company—it was rescuing his dog, Eddie[49:00] Healthy habits, friendship, and closing reflectionsOur GuestReed is an entrepreneur, investor, and technology founder with more than two decades of experience spanning advertising, real estate, venture capital, and the regulated cannabis industry. He is the founder of Sparrowhawk, an AI-powered CRM platform designed to help cannabis brands modernize their sales operations by bringing data, automation, and actionable insights into one intelligent system.Throughout his entrepreneurial journey, Reed has built companies, invested in startups, experienced significant professional success, and navigated profound personal challenges. His thoughtful approach to leadership, resilience, and personal growth has been shaped by both achievement and adversity, making him the perfect first guest for The Scar Tissue Podcast.