Founder | CEO - Archive

In today's episode of The Founder and CEO Podcast, Mike and Patrick tackle one of the most emotional (and common) early‑stage questions: Should I hire my friends?Drawing on real stories from building Carbon Black and beyond, Mike and Patrick unpack both sides of the equation: the incredible upside of working with people you already trust and love, and the very real risk of damaging relationships that extend to spouses, kids, and close-knit social circles.

In this episode, Mike and Patrick unpack the “hub-and-spoke” operating model that quietly burns out founders and slows companies to a crawl. They share real stories from their own journeys as first-time CEOs, the subtle signs you’re the hub of every decision, and why your team keeps lining up outside your door for answers. You’ll learn how fear of failure feeds control, what it does to speed and morale, and the first practical steps to empower your leaders, improve decision-making, and finally get your leverage back

In this episode of the Founder and CEO Podcast, Mike and Patrick are joined by customer success expert Jenny Campbell to explore the full lifecycle of building, expanding, and optimizing customer success and customer experience teams in high-growth companies. Jenny shares actionable insights on when to hire your first customer success leader, how to structure and compensate CS teams, the critical distinctions between customer success and customer experience, and the metrics that matter (GRR, NRR). From early-stage player-coach hires to scaling up with segmentation and executive alignment, learn how to avoid

In today's episode, Mike Patrick dive deep into the often misunderstood world of startup equity compensation. Using personal experiences and industry-tested frameworks, they break down key equity concepts - from options and RSUs to vesting schedules and cliffs. The conversation covers different types of grants (new-hire, promotion, merit, and evergreen), the evolution from flexible early-stage percentages to fair and equitable banding systems as companies scale, and the pivotal role of equity in attracting, retaining, and motivating top talent. Learn practical strategies and math-backed models for structuring offers, communicating value, and leveraging

In this episode of the Founder and CEO Podcast, hosts Mike Viscuso and Patrick Morley dive deep into one of the most impactful, and often misunderstood, aspects of startup scaling: company-wide compensation strategy. Drawing from their real-world experience building and leading teams at Carbon Black, Bit9, and beyond, Mike and Patrick debate the pros and cons of implementing variable compensation for every employee, not just in sales.Listen as they break down classic models like the 50/50 sales comp split, explore alternatives for engineering and other departments, and discuss the importance of

Join Mike Viscuso and Patrick Morley for the kickoff of a new miniseries designed to help founders tackle one of the most confusing hurdles for early-stage companies: creating and managing compensation plans.Whether you’re wondering how to structure OTE, balance base and variable pay, set achievable targets, or avoid common pitfalls, this episode offers proven advice, real-world anecdotes, and actionable insights for sales comp. Discover why simplicity and alignment are crucial, how to handle your first sales hire, and what founders need to know to attract and retain top talent. This episode

In this episode of The Founder and CEO Podcast, Mike and Patrick Morley sit down with veteran CFOs Gordon Pothier and Steve Webber to demystify the CFO role. Discover why hiring the right CFO can be a game-changing decision, what differentiates a CFO from an accountant or VP of Finance, and the essential skills great CFOs bring to growing companies. Also in this episode: Learn when to bring on this key partner, how their responsibilities evolve as a business scales, and actionable advice on building a strong CEO–CFO partnership. If you're

Join Mike Viscuso and Patrick Morley as they explore the world of business development with special guest Tom Barsi, a global ecosystem leader with extensive experience at companies like Carbon Black, Expanse, and Veza. Their conversation dives deep into the strategic art of building powerful tech partnerships, in the early stages and uncovers how startups can leverage resellers, hyperscalers, and tech alliances to drive growth.

Wondering about your channel strategy? Join us on the latest episode of the "Founder & CEO" podcast where Jessica Couto, a channel veteran who's built programs for companies like Carbon Black and LastPass, breaks down everything you need to know about channel partnerships. Learn when to start, how to recruit the right partners, and why channel could be your secret weapon for explosive growth. Whether you're in cybersecurity or any tech industry, this episode is a helpful roadmap to understanding how to leverage channel partnerships effectively.

Join Mike Viscuso and Patrick Morley as they sit down with Zane Lackey, former CISO of Etsy and co-founder of Signal Sciences, to unpack the critical lessons of startup success. Zane shares his candid insights on navigating market challenges, the art of GTM strategy, and how technical founders can transform their innovative ideas into successful businesses. Learn how Signal Sciences went from avoiding the "WAF" label to becoming an $825 million acquisition, and discover the key strategies for building a company that not only creates great technology but also wins in

In this episode of the Founder and CEO podcast, Christopher Ahlberg, founder of Recorded Future, shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey and chats with Mike and Patrick about: the importance of "go slow to go big" philosophy in building a successful company; how Recorded Future created a threat intelligence category with only $25 million in funding; the value of patience and leading by example in startup leadership; and insights on selling to MasterCard for $2.65 billion and the emerging opportunities in private equity.

What does it take to build a ~$300 million company while staying true to your entrepreneurial spirit? Join us as Pedro Bados, founder and CEO of Nexthink, reveals the unconventional wisdom that propelled his company to success. From navigating early-stage challenges to creating a unique approach to leadership, this episode is a masterclass in startup survival and growth. Discover how critical thinking, purposeful prioritization, and genuine employee engagement can transform a startup into an industry leader. Tune in for an unfiltered look at building a tech company that defies traditional playbooks.

Scaling a company isn’t just about growth—it’s about building efficient systems and processes to support that growth. In this episode, Patrick and Mike sit down with Billy Bosworth, experienced tech executive and partner at Vista Equity Partners, to explore how VISTA helps portfolio companies streamline operations and drive efficiency. Billy shares insights on: the evolution of VISTA’s approach from prescriptive tech stacks to best practices; Why having a single source of truth is critical for decision-making; key metrics that diagnose system inefficiencies; the CEO’s role in fostering a culture of operational

In today's episode, Patrick and Mike discuss the ins and outs of hosting an executive offsite, leaning on their experience at Carbon Black. From preparing materials, settling differences, and communicating key decisions to the larger organization, this episode covers the essentials for running a successful offsite.

In their first-ever AMA episode, Patrick and Mike answer listener questions across a variety of topics including: communicating to the board, metrics across the business, channel strategy, sales enablement, brand vs. demand gen, and more. Patrick also reveals his "trick" for remembering everyone's name.

Today's episode delves into the dynamics of inter-departmental conflicts, such as the classic tensions between sales and marketing, and the pivotal role leadership plays in resolving them. Patrick kicks things off with a compelling high school fight story to illustrate how emotions can escalate. He then introduces a practical five-step framework for addressing friction, emphasizing the critical contributions of HR leaders, effective coaching, and CEO involvement—even when tough decisions, like letting go of problematic individuals, are necessary to preserve organizational harmony.

In today's episode of "Founder & CEO," Mike and Patrick discuss the key elements of communication to help alleviate friction, including the RACI and ARCI models, which the duo used at Carbon Black to mixed effect.

In today's Founder and CEO podcast, Mike and Patrick start a miniseries on friction in scaling companies and highlight friction from misalignment of priorities, poor communication, and outdated systems. Today's episode emphasizes addressing friction to maintain growth, using a management by objectives (MBO) process to align goals and priorities. They also stress the importance of tying objectives to incentive models and managing Patrick's shiny object syndrome.

In part two of the "Hiring Great People Fast" series, Michael and Patrick bring in Global Talent Acquisition Leader, Marisa Ianelli, who discusses the ins and outs of recruiting during the early stages, including: readiness for scaling, a clear hiring strategy, how to best use LinkedIn and Glassdoor, internal promotions versus external hires, referrals, brand recognition, applicant tracking systems, and fractional recruiting. This is a great episode if you have any questions relating to hiring and recruitment of top talent!

In part one of the "Hiring Great People Fast" series, Patrick and Mike discuss the process for hiring early-stage executives. The conversation covers the risks of over-hiring, the importance of hiring the right executive, and the need for a supportive board. Mike and Patrick also stress the significance of understanding team dynamics and the challenges of making gut-wrenching hiring decisions.

In today's episode, Mike and Patrick discuss the operating rhythm of a business by exploring decision-making processes and the significance of alignment and communication as a company grows. They also discuss what they did at Carbon Black, emphasizing regular check-ins, strategic discussions, and the role of the assumptions tab in making informed decisions.

In today's flash episode, Mike and Patrick discuss the dichotomy of founder mode vs. manager mode in the context of their Carbon Black experience. They explore how founders' visions drive companies forward, contrasting with managers' operational focus.

In today’s episode, Mike and Patrick tackle the ever-important financial model and discuss how executive alignment, hiring decisions, planning, and forecasting all play into a company’s growth strategy. During their chat, the duo also talks about setting realistic expectations across the business and the importance of having flexibility within the operating plan.

In today's episode, Mike and Patrick explore the relationship between growth strategies and operational planning and stress the importance of alignment - particularly when it comes to navigating financial constraints and making tradeoffs.

On the heels of Episode 21, "What Is Good Growth?" Patrick and Mike discuss how to build an operating plan to support growth goals. The duo reflects on their time at Carbon Black, where they spent two (or was it four?) annual offsites working with the executive team on agreeing to the operating plan.

In today's episode, Mike and Patrick kick off the podcast's growth block by answering a critical question: "What is good growth?" In doing so, the guys discuss T2D3, having ugly babies, and how context is absolutely critical in measuring and communicating growth - especially to investors.

In today's "Founder & CEO" episode, Mike and Patrick discuss one of the most nebulous topics early-stage companies often encounter: Product Market Fit (PMF.) The guys discuss what PMF is, what it might look like, and what to do once a company has it.

In the latest episode of the Founder and CEO podcast, Mike and Patrick discuss the importance of a founding team, including: how many founders are ideal, what type of person you should look for in a founding team member, and the key difference between the founders and the rest of the team in those critical, early stages.

In today's episode, Mike and Patrick discuss what it's like to build out the early go-to-market team and answer some key questions for listeners, including: "How involved will I still be in sales as a founder?" "Should I work with an advisor or hire someone full-time to help?" and "When soliciting help, should I augment my skillsets or hire what I know best?" This is a great episode for any founder who wants to better understand the early days of building sales and marketing.

In today's episode, Patrick and Mike welcome Bill Dedrick, a longtime sales executive who is an expert at building and accelerating sales deals. In the episode, Dedrick reveals how to implement methodologies (MEDDIC & MEDDPIC) that can help understand a prospect's needs and provide insight into the decision making process.

Mike and Patrick demystify a company’s first sales - from the various funnel stages to understanding customers’ purchasing-decision process. Above all, they say, a founder (even those who are super technical) must participate in the sales process during the very beginning in order to validate market fit and learn the language customers are speaking.

On today’s episode of “Founder & CEO,” Mike and Patrick discuss a topic that early-stage founders tend to spend little time on – “Pricing and Packaging,” which, as the guys note, can become a cornerstone artifact for the entire business - from finance to engineering to communication with customers. The guys also chat about the various types of packaging and pricing models and how early-stage founders can decide on which model to use.

Mike and Patrick open the podcast in “vehement disagreement” over which element of positioning and messaging is harder; the guys chat about the deep work required for category creation; and Mike reveals how his family finally decided to buy a new car, what they selected, and why.

Mike and Patrick discuss the early-stage nuances of finding and speaking to the ideal customer and then the duo answers a critical question for first-time founders: "Should I sell to someone outside my ICP as we look to scale to our first $1 million?"

In this episode, Patrick and Mike discuss "The Early Days" and differentiate startups from small businesses. As the duo notes, running a startup can be a messy rollercoaster where rapid expansion forces some hard decisions, especially for first-time founders. Find more, including key episode resources, at founderandceopod.com

In today's episode, Mike and Patrick welcome their first ever guest, leadership coach Sue Salvemini, who discusses: the differences between being a coach versus an advisor; how coaching helps uncover a person's core values; and the two specific questions she asks Mike during their coaching sessions that get him to challenge his assumptions.

Mike and Patrick discuss the importance of creating and communicating values to everyone in the company starting from very early and patrick reveals some of his own key principles to lead by.

Mike and Patrick dig deeper into "management" versus "leadership," the 3-Strike Rule when it comes to managing executives, and how important the social contract between CEO and executive becomes.

In today's episode, Mike and Patrick discuss the difference between "leadership" and "management," the various ways people are motivated, and how creating accountability across the executive team works compared to a hub-and-spoke model.

In today's episode, Mike and Patrick tackle a tough topic - managing RIFs (reductions in force) - and discuss the best procedures for deciding where to cut and how to effectively communicate to the business.

Mike and Patrick talk about how to best communicate goals to the business, how to implement strategies for achieving those goals and what a BHAG is.

Mike and Patrick discuss how founders should be thinking about goals and what investors are looking for when it comes to returns.

Patrick and Mike build on a previous discussion regarding the board of directors and chat about who you might be looking to have on your board and why you want them there.

"Always Be Raising." Mike and Patrick discuss the challenges and frustrations of fundraising and the importance of building relationships with investors.

Patrick and Mike discuss the loneliness experienced by CEOs and the physical impacts of this loneliness as well as the the importance of having a trusted partner for support. Patrick introduces one of his favorite leadership acronyms, "PPOS."

Mike and Patrick discuss their history and partnership at Carbon Black and reveal the top good board management principles.

Welcome to the Founder & CEO Podcast and "Why Are We Doing This?"