My first job was selling vinyl siding door to door. My morning routine was showing up to work at 10 am, hungover, smoking three packs of Kools a day, chugging coffee, and listening to Zig Ziglar tapes. I was salesman of the month twice, bought a brand new 1977 Cutlass Salon with t-roofs and got told no a few thousand times. Which served me well for the adventures my career would then take me on.

Over the years I have put together hundreds of business plans and pitch decks. Many were for my own enterprises, and between all of them, raised several hundred million of equity and/or debt funding. But the one thing you learn quickly in this business is the ability to take no for an answer, and adapt when your well-laid plans meet the reality of day-to-day competition.

In 1982, I co-founded an early AI pioneer alongside computer scientist Dr. Howard “Skip” Roberts. Together, we developed an expert system designed to assist small business owners in selecting the most suitable computer for their needs. We raised $1 million via an R&D limited partnership and $4 million via private placement to fund the system, gained significant attention from investors and the media while simultaneously terrifying and intriguing the traditional consulting industry.

In the late 80’s I was negotiating $100 million power plant piping projects above barbershops in Beijing, while dodging Iranian terrorists. The American State Department advised us of the threat and told us not to congregate where American businessmen congregate. Which wasn’t very helpful because the Sheraton Hotel was the only place where Americans could congregate in Beijing back then. Through a leveraged buyout, I had acquired Associated Piping and Engineering from Johnson Controls and expanded its sales—from $9 million to $100 million—in less than three years.

In 1994, I had the opportunity of being at ground zero for the launch of the internet revolution. Marshall Industries, a $700 million distributor of electronic parts and components, approached my strategy consultancy with a secret project. They wanted to establish a presence on the internet. We were retained by Marshall Industries to advise on the strategy and help execute the campaign to launch the site. This initial experience paved the way for my involvement in the Silicon Valley for the next decade, where I helped launch numerous internet start-ups.

My advisory experience extends beyond internet start-ups, encompassing a diverse range of industries. I have worked with popular retail brands such as Gramicci, Chaco, Petzl, and Weider, as well as large-scale infrastructure companies like Jacobs Engineering and Lockwood Greene. Additionally, I have collaborated with smaller family-owned manufacturers, including Christensen-Boyles and Adams-Rite. I even create the iconic industrial brand “Gatorshield,” as a young product manager for Allied Tube and Conduit, which continues to thrive to this day.

Critically, as an entrepreneurial CEO, I know what it’s like to “sign on the dotted line,” raise millions, miss payrolls, be in the Wall Street Journal, battle creditor committees, manage adverse boards, and negotiate with hostile union activists. For the past 17 years, I’ve been leading a team of warriors to build the best tactical training company in the US from which I recently exited in order to spend more time on what will likely be my final chapter.

I came to Christ several years ago. This experience has had a profound impact on my worldview and business philosophy. The idea of asking, “What would Jesus do?” had never occurred to me. In the past, my priorities were profit, market share, and growth, and I was willing to do whatever it took to achieve them, legally and ethically, but not Biblically.

I have worked mostly with start-ups and turnarounds, businesses that keep you awake at night worrying about challenging decisions that can devastate co-founders, investors, employees, and your own personal financial welfare. I approached these decisions with little regard for the personal impact they might have on those around me.

Now, as a Christian businessman, my decision-making process starts with God. I seek his wisdom and knowledge to guide my efforts. Most importantly, I know that when I “yoke” myself with other Christian businessmen, my potential is limitless.

I wrote a little book along with Mike Winter, the CBMC staff director for Michigan, called 52 Business Adages Considered Biblically. The book has a Substack where you can read excerpts, listen to our podcast, read commentaries, and purchase the book. More on the book directly below.

God bless!!

December 2024

Smock

LinkedIn: smocko2da

Email: advisor@mikesmock.com