#305: Making the Cash Register Ring: Hiring Smart People and Scaling Businesses with Mike Bristol, USMA ‘81

Service Academy Business Mastermind

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Mike Bristol is a seasoned innovator with a legacy of excellence in defense, technology, and communications. A West Point graduate, he has held executive roles at organizations like Comtech Command & Control Technologies and Oracle Corporation. As Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Fairwinds Technologies, he built a thriving systems integrator, delivering secure communication solutions for the DoD and emergency management communities. Known for his entrepreneurial vision and expertise in government sales and program management, Mike now invests in and mentors entrepreneurs while enjoying golf, poker, and time with his eight children. His career reflects a relentless drive for growth and meaningful impact.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Mike about:

Mike’s Career Journey: From West Point to Executive Leadership

• Strategic Growth: Scaling a $24M government business unit into a $300M operation in 12 years.
• Entrepreneurial Leap: Founding Fairwinds Technologies and growing it to $144M before a successful exit.
• Leadership Philosophy: Belief in “nothing happens until the cash register rings,” highlighting the importance of sales.
• Team Building: Creating high-performing teams through performance reviews and metrics-driven meetings.
• Smart Hiring: Emphasizing hiring experts smarter than himself and fostering ego-free leadership.
• New Chapter: Transitioning from executive roles to investing and mentoring entrepreneurs.
• Commitment to Growth: Pursuing personal development through golf, poker, and continuous learning.

Timestamps:

• 00:17 Mike's Journey to Retirement
• 01:20 Career Highlights and Achievements
• 04:11 Building a Saleable Company
• 09:24 Transition to Full-Time Investor
• 14:13 Philosophy and Key Insights
• 22:09 Personal Interests and Hobbies

Connect with Michael

• LinkedIn
• [e-mail]

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A special thank you to Mike Bristol for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01