In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, Anthony Sapountzis sits down with Michael Masterson, Principal at Intrinsikafor an enlightening discussion on the art of business growth and scaling. Michael shares his remarkable journey from launching a company that expanded to 8,000 employees to his current role in transforming struggling businesses. Through insightful anecdotes and practical advice, Michael delves into the importance of understanding and leveraging intrinsic assets, and how real-world experience often trumps theoretical knowledge in achieving business success.
Michael talks about his extensive experience in building and scaling businesses. Michael recounts his journey from inadvertently creating a company that expanded to 8,000 employees and became part of the Omnicom Group to his role in turning around struggling businesses. He stresses the significance of understanding and leveraging intrinsic assets for sustainable growth, a principle he applies at Intrinsika. Michael elaborates on how Intrinsika aids businesses by identifying, de-risking, growing, and monetising their core value.
Michael reflects on his diverse background and the importance of having a team with real-world experience. He shares insights into his upbringing and the challenges he faced, emphasising that theoretical advice often falls short in practical scenarios. Michael also discusses how the right team can make a difference, highlighting the balance between growth, risk management, and understanding a business’s intrinsic value. He likens the business growth process to both the trials of new parenthood and the stress of battle, sharing a case study of a company that struggled until it recognised its intrinsic assets’ value.
In the conversation, Michael introduces the framework of the three C’s—Capital, Capability, and Capacity—which he believes are crucial for sustainable growth. He compares these elements to the legs of a stool that must be balanced to stabilize the business. Michael also underscores the importance of protecting intrinsic assets and clearly articulating a company’s unique value to customers and investors. He uses examples like Apple’s branding evolution and Afterpay’s trademark issues to illustrate the importance of safeguarding key assets.
Michael also addresses the challenges of transforming innovative ideas into market successes, emphasising the crucial role of expertise and guidance. He shares a story about helping an entrepreneur secure funding, which eventually led to a $16 billion exit, showcasing the importance of the right support. The discussion highlights that while valuable ideas are important, effective communication and protection of these ideas are essential for success. Michael concludes by discussing ten intrinsic asset categories, such as brand and trade secrets, and the need for a diverse skill set at the board level to drive tangible results and problem-solving capabilities.
Topics Covered
- Michael Masterson’s Journey
- Understanding Intrinsic Assets
- Building a Skilled Team
- Challenges of Business Growth
- The Three C’s Framework
- Protecting Intrinsic Assets
- Transforming Ideas into Market Success
- Communicating and Protecting Ideas
- Intrinsic Asset Categories
- Critique of Overemphasis on Brand Names
Important Time Stamps
- Turning Around Companies in 8 Weeks: The Power of Intrinsic Assets (0:07 – 4: 19)
- From Startup Struggles to Billion-Dollar Exits: Michael Masterson’s Journe (4:20 – 8:42)
- Balancing Growth: The Three C’s Every Entrepreneur Should Know (8:43 – 19:17)
- Protect Your Assets: Michael Masterson’s Blueprint for Business Succes (19:18 – 26:40)
- Why Great Ideas Fail Without the Right Support (26:41 – 30:34)
- From Idea to Exit: Mastering the Art of Protecting Your Startup’s Value (30:35 – 39:04)
- Elon Musk, Apple, and the 10 Business Assets That Drive Success (39:05 – 50:47)
- Ideas Are Just the Seed: Masterson on Turning Concepts into Success (50:48 – 56:03)
