How to Run, Scale, and Exit a Professional Services firm with Michael Burton, Stitch

What does it take to become a great CEO? No leader is perfect, but with an exceptional mindset, careful preparation, and the ability to utilize strengths and weaknesses, you can achieve success and inspire others. In this episode, Michael Burton, CEO of Stitch, shares his background in building and scaling professional services businesses. He discusses the importance of being customer-facing and the value of a "Get things done" mentality in project management. Michael also emphasizes the need for a diverse team and the value of finding the right people to complement your weaknesses.  Michael is an entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in building and scaling professional services businesses. Burton describes his first job as a consultant at Baker Hill, where he worked on implementing technology solutions for banks and credit unions, as a valuable experience that gave him great exposure and allowed him to practice essential skills. Our guest also walks us through his journey in transitioning from a project manager to a CEO and the challenges he faced in managing resistance to change. Michael also discusses the acquisition of Lev and the factors that contributed to its high multiple exits. He concludes by talking about Stitch and its focus on helping marketers get the most out of Braze. Show highlights: 1:55 A little background on Michael's life 5:45 Project management experiences that helped him become successful 10:25 The misconception about CEOs 12:49 Camaraderie and your company's uniqueness can draw people to be on the same page as you 16:28 Invest time and resources in college graduates 20:55 Being "right in front of customers" as a driver to success 29:04 Significant wins that led him to the CEO position 34:40 Dealing with people as a newbie CEO 38:27 Know your strengths and weaknesses and find people to fill your gaps 43:33 Focusing on a specific niche is important 55:35 The good in having more competitors 58:07 Recruiting starts with company culture 1:00:54 Why services businesses are harder to get moving 1:06:10 Letting go of the responsibility of owning every decision