Founder Coach · Advisor · Operator
Every startup is different, but founders tend to run into many of the same problems. I've founded (and exited) three companies, led product teams at Airbnb, and spent the past 5 years advising CEOs. I've worked with hundreds of startups — as have my partners at ETW. We've seen this movie before, and we're here to help founders avoid the errors that have doomed so many others.
Speaking
With a founder
Speaking
Most of my work falls into four areas. The specific problem changes, but these tend to overlap.
Most founders get pretty far by being the person who can solve every problem. Eventually, that becomes the problem. I help founders build a stronger team, delegate real ownership, and look at the habits that keep pulling everything back toward them.
A fundraise, profitability, an acquisition, or the next stage of growth usually requires the company to change. We clarify what has to be true, work backward from there, and focus the team on the few things that will materially affect the outcome.
When growth stalls (or doesn't bend), founders often respond by trying more things. We step back and look at the whole system: the customer, positioning, sales motion, pricing, product, and funnel. Then we figure out what is working, what isn't, and where to place your next bet.
Your company will become a reflection of the people you hire and what you allow from them. I help founders define what good looks like, hire more deliberately, deal with performance problems earlier, and build a leadership team that can operate without everything running through the CEO.
From a client
"Mike Lewis is by far and away the person you want in your corner during this fight. Best executive coach I have worked with by a long shot."
Benjamin Lazarov · Founder & CEO · AnyCreek
Background
The companies I've built and the work that shaped how I advise founders.
Working together
How my coaching and advisory relationships work.
Founders
A few founders I've worked with, in their own words.
Writing
Things I've learned, noticed, or changed my mind about.