Recruitics

• Lead creative strategy and execution for recruitment marketing and employer brand campaigns across healthcare, tech, QSR, logistics, and aerospace verticals.

• Manage a multidisciplinary team spanning art direction, copywriting, motion graphics, social marketing, experiential and online design solutions.

• Spearheaded rebrand efforts for Recruitics including new branding for their website, collateral, and brand guidelines.

• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Strategy on pitch winning new business and ensure alignment with evolving market trends.

• Championed the use of Al-enhanced tools to mentor and upskill teammates on and future-focused creative processes.

• Lead cross-functional processes to increase operational efficiency and creative output.

• Built a creative team of high-performing within 6 months, achieving a 20% increase in project delivery efficiency utilizing agile methodologies and Al-based collaboration tools.

CLIENTS: CommonSpirit Health, Dignity Health, Catholic Healthcare Initiatives, Baylor Scott & White Health, Loma Linda University Health, Nuance Health, City of Hope, DaVita, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, VCU Health, Seattle Children’s, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Virta Health, Thermo Fisher Scientific, TouchPoint, ABS Kids, CVS, Airbus, Northrop Grumman, RTX Corporation Aerospace, Bosch, UPS, Brother, BMC Software, Quadient, GoTo, CenturyLink, Lumen, LazerLogistics, Pye-Barker, SaveATree, DentWizard, SportClips, Generac, Kimberly-Clark, Western Union, Dollar Tree, Inc., Aristocrat, Dunkin’, Inspire Brands, Chipotle, Texas Roadhouse, DoorDash, Kroger, iHerb, Noom, Chewy, Zillow, CSAA Insurance Group, Kindercare, Cady, Cedar Point, inTulsa Talent

VP, Brand & Creative

• Served as the Creative Director in the Los Angeles office working on national creative for Fortune 500 Brands; managing talent and projects for creative, account, and strategy in NY, ATL, and SF teams.

• Awarded the "Champion of the Year" for 2020.

Creative Director

CareyDesign

• Boutique design consultancy delivering brand, video, and design services for clients in entertainment, automotive, and health sectors.

• Partner with agencies and in-house teams as a freelance creative lead, providing scalable solutions for pitch work, campaign development, and overflow production needs across branding, video, and digital.

• Continuously evolving service offerings to meet market demand, including visual branding, packaging, video editing and Al-enhanced creative using tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Descript, Adobe Firefly, ElevenLabs, Canva and Runway.

CLIENTS: Nissan, Infiniti, Mayo Clinic, UCLA Health, Dignity Health, Enclarity, Magnecomp, Premier Nutrition, Wroten & Associates Law Firm, ChristianAudio, Hovel Audio, One Audio Books, L.A. Avengers Arena Football Team, Ora-Insights, Beacon Coaching & Consulting, Murrieta Chamber of Commerce, White Labs, Corovan, EPIC Doors, Inc.

Creative Director/Owner

J. Walter Thompson Worldwide

• Served as the Creative Director in the LA office working on national creative for Fortune 500 Brands; managing talent and projects for creative, account, strategy & developer teams in New York, Atlanta, Washington DC, Seattle, San Diego and San Francisco offices.

• Creative utilization for 2018 averaged 141.5%; achieved project profit margins of 17.81%.

• Led pitch deck development for new business opportunities and creation of top case studies and marketing materials. Team wins led to 6 of top 10 agency of record clients including: T-Mobile, Samsung, Hulu, Nestlé/Nestlé Purina, Dignity Health, Mayo Clinic.

• Created client proposals, estimates and scope documents; managed partnerships with vendors and suppliers in delivery of creative work; total creative development revenue margin (5 years) averaged 27.3%.

• Created a 3-person video solutions team generating over $1.14M in first 24 months.

• Directly managed multidisciplinary team of 6 direct report creatives with $500K annual budget.

• Developed and implemented JWT INSIDE’s Interactive Delivery Process deployed across organization over last 7 years.

• Won over fifty industry awards over last 10 years – from Webby to Telly.

CLIENTS: T-Mobile, Hulu, Samsung, Microsoft, Bloomberg, ANN INC., Mary Kay, Nestlé, Nestlé Purina, Panda Express, Jack in the Box, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, UCLA Health, Dignity Health, Stanford Health Care. City of Hope, Swedish Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Shell, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Raytheon, General Electric (GE Aviation), Sherwin-Williams, Waste Management, Allstate, Farmers Insurance, MUFG Americas (Union Bank), Pacific Life, Banfield Pet Hospital, Knowledge Universe, Toys”R”Us, Paramount Pictures

SCG Advertising & Public Relations (Success Communications Group)

• Opened and led the West Coast creative team for this national advertising agency.

• Secured two of the agency's highest-revenue clients in under 12 months.

CLIENTS: Best Western Hotels, Public Storage, Real Mex Restaurants (El Torito, Chevy’s, Acapulco), AltaMed, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Mercy Gilbert,  Chandler Hospital, St. Rose, Valley Hospital Medical Center, San Diego State University, Corinthian Colleges, Inc.

Drive Industries Design Group

• Joined boutique firm to help expand business offerings beyond apparel design to corporate communications including corporate identity, marketing materials and interactive.

• Elevated design billings from $4M to $6M in just 24 months.

• Won 2 awards for WGSN’s The World's Trend Authority “Top Global Trends of 2004”- including best boardshort design for Billabong with “Tag-A-Trunk.”

• Concepted apparel design work, textiles and trims – from concept to physical construction – for leading brands across the action sports industry.

• Produced corporate guidelines for merchandising and licensing of global brands; managed and recruited freelance talent in creation of apparel, trims and textile designs.

• Managed client relationships and created cost estimates for corporate design projects.

CLIENTS: Quiksilver, Billabong, Tommy Bahama, Ocean Pacific, Maui & Sons, Rusty, Hobie, Jedidiah Clothing, Razor Scooters, Calavena, Boarding Trybe, CH3, Ænigma,  Ann Taylor, Sessa, Nautica, La Blanca, Rachel Hale, Sumba Foundation, Enclarity, Roll-A-Flex Doors, Inc./Roll Right Industries, Epic Industries

Partner/Creative Director 

Hodes

• Led creative strategy for telecom, aerospace, tech and healthcare clients in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco's recruitment marketing space.

• Played a lead role in the formation of San Diego's High-Tech Consortium branding that included wireless tech, software development, aerospace, cybersecurity, biotech and life sciences companies.

• Won numerous EMA awards for recruitment advertising and collateral design/packaging.

CLIENTS: Nokia, Qualcomm, Ericsson, SAIC, Cymer, Alaris, Legoland, Upper Deck Company, Callaway Golf, Geico, L-3 Communications, Raytheon, Copper Mountain, INS (International Network Services Inc.)

Creative Director/Senior Art Director

Independent News Corp./West Coast Community Newspapers

Responsible for sales collateral communications, editorial cover designs for special sections of publications and creation of display ads for both speculative and production. West Coast Community Newspapers was comprised of 14 community newspapers covering San Diego County. Won numerous editorial and CNAEA design awards.

Advertising & Marketing Designer

The San Diego Community Newspaper Group

As Art Director for The San Diego Community Newspaper Group, I assisted in both concepting the newspaper branding and design then assisting in launching the award-winning the "La Jolla Village News" weekly newspaper. I designed the editorial layout design, the promotional materials for the paper's launch and managing the design and production of all the retail ads in the weekly publication.

I managed a team of 6 graphic designers and production artists in creating weekly retail display and classified ads for the 3 papers (Beach & Bay Press, The Peninsula Beacon, La Jolla Village News) in this San Diego network.

Art Director & Manager

Orange County Register

Was one of a team of sixteen artists responsible for R.O.P. advertising design and layouts for the Orange County Register. Serviced eleven ad reps in my division and finished the years of 1994 and 1995 being recognized as one of the top producing ad designers in the company for work output and winner of numerous editorial and CNAEA design awards.

Advertising Graphic Artist

Created advertising collateral, special editorial covers and ad layouts for 8 weekly publications for coverage in the North Orange County Market owned by The Orange County Register. Serviced 15 account reps as well as the ad manager and publisher in creation of advertising and special promotional editorial and collateral winning numerous CNAEA design awards for creative.

At the heart of every story is an idea. Ideas are about smart thinking. Effective communication. Memorable branding. And inspired design. 

My life is about taking great ideas and expressing them thoughtfully and beautifully. 

In my role, I lead teams of idea makers: art directors, writers, designers, video editors and programmers. With them, I get to go inside and explore some of the world’s leading healthcare, technology, financial services and consumer goods companies. Where we create ideas that shape their cultures and support careers for talented people.

I create ideas that build great brands, Employee Value Propositions, internal communications, digital and video solutions, content strategies, social campaigns and experiential events.

What inspires me the most is the opportunity to create ideas that have great purpose in the lives of people everywhere. Because ideas touch every part of our lives...from the buildings we work in, to the devices that connect us, and the entertainment that inspires and delights. 

Ideas help us solve problems, discover opportunities and create new experiences for the world. Let’s make some ideas today!


Specialties:
-Creative Direction  & Story Making
-Brand Building & Corporate Identity
-Graphic Design & Digital Painting
-Typography & White Space
-Advertising & Social Media
-Video Direction & Editing
-Community Building & Participation

Inspirations:
-Steve Jobs, Joe Gibbs, Steven Spielberg
-Technology & Design
-NFL Football & Mountain Bike Riding
-Family & Cats
-Movie Geek Talk & Fantasy Football

Battle Gear:
-Pencil & Sharpie
-MacBook Pro & iPad Pro w/ Apple Pencil
-Apple Keynote & Adobe Creative Cloud
-Final Cut Pro & ChatGPT Plus
-Adobe InDesign & iBooks Author
-iPhone 13 Pro Max & Apple AirPods
-DJI Osmo Pocket 3 & Insta360 GO 3S Action Pod
-Ray-Ban Meta Glasses & Sony Alpha a6000
-Apple TV & AMC Stubs A-List
-VanMoof S3 Bike & Toyota 86

Bruce Carey

💛🌍 Happy World Kindness Day! 🌍💛 A small act of kindness can change someone’s entire day...a smile, a message, a moment of patience, or a simple “How can I help?”  In a world that can feel loud and fast, kindness is still the most powerful connector we have. Let’s spread it generously today… and every day. 🤝💫 #WorldKindnessDay #SpreadGoodness #BeTheLight #SmallActsBigImpact #Humankindness

li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #design, #creative, #brandingdesign, #employerbranding, and #creativedirection

AI Creative Director | Generative Design & Innovation Leader

Last Fall, while in North Carolina visiting my parents for Thanksgiving, I paused under a sky filled with red, orange and gold leaves 🍁. Being a California resident, seasonal changes are not something you get a lot of...

I snapped a photo...but then I noticed something. Real inspiration rarely comes staring at a blank screen or sitting in another meeting. It usually finds you when you’re least expecting it ✨.

That messy pile of leaves was wild, bright, and a little chaotic...nothing like the usual “best practices” or polished decks. Nature has a way of breaking up sameness, and that’s what real creativity does too 🌳.

If you ever feel stuck, try stepping outside. Sometimes the best creative spark is just beyond your office door 🚪. #AutumnLeaves #InspirationEverywhere

Everywhere I look, there’s fear in the job market. 😨 People are talking about layoffs like it’s the weather. Inbox pings trigger anxiety...not opportunity. It feels like hope is on backorder.

There’s a saying..."Keep Calm and Carry On." But let’s be honest. That advice feels a little hollow when your rent is due in five days.

So why do we still lean on it? Why does it keep showing up on mugs, memes, and motivational posters?

Maybe because deep down, we know something panic tries to hide. Calm isn’t a luxury in a crisis. It’s a weapon. 🛡️

The ones who pause, breathe, and rethink their moves are the ones who make it through. Not because they’re braver. But because they’re balanced enough to see something others can’t...

Opportunity doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it whispers in the middle of chaos. This isn’t just about grit. It’s about perspective.

The market will swing up and down. 📉📈 Layoffs will come and go.

But the value of creative thinking...of people who can see beyond panic...is always in demand.

Think about the brands you respect most.
The leaders you admire.
The campaigns that moved you.
Were any of those born in times of comfort?

Or did they come from moments when someone said, “We have nothing left to lose, so let’s try something bold.”

Maybe “Carry On” isn’t about ignoring the pain. Maybe it’s about refusing to let fear be the loudest voice in the room...

When you’re staring at uncertainty, what do you do?
Do you double down on what you know?
Or do you let yourself imagine something different?

The best ideas are born in adversity.
The best people are forged in fire.
And the best stories are the ones where someone refused to give up, even when everyone else did.

So, as we limp toward the New Year, ask yourself:
Is there a story you’re waiting to write?
A skill you’ve put on hold?
A connection you’ve been scared to make?

Maybe “Keep Calm and Carry On” isn’t outdated.

Maybe it’s a challenge to see what you’re really made of when the world says it’s time to quit. 💪💪

You hear it everywhere this year: “Do more with less.” 💲 For small, nimble creative teams and solo designers, writers, developers, strategists...it’s not a slogan. It’s our daily reality.

We’re producing smart brand campaigns, social content, UX, motion, video, and brand storytelling...with limited time, limited budgets, and limited people. And yet, we still make something meaningful. 💡

The part not seen in this world of urgency? Late nights, fast learning curves, AI platforms being reinvented daily, constant prioritization, and the emotional work of keeping each other encouraged. 🤝

If there’s a silver lining, it’s this: makers, doers and creators have always known how to move fast, make smart decisions, focus on what matters, and stretch every idea into something bigger than its resources. 🚀

So yes, I’ll wear my holiday sweater proudly this year...because “doing more with less” is not a complaint...it’s a craft I’ve mastered.

To every creative person making more with less - I see you, I appreciate you, and I’m cheering you on. 🎄❤️ #DoMoreWithLess #CreativeLife #DesignCommunity #WriterLife #StrategyLife #MondayVibes

Happy birthday Martin Scorsese! 🎂🎉 Today we owe this man a nod for his great film work. Why? He doesn’t just direct movies. He invents entire worlds. 🌍

Scorsese’s films grab you in the first five minutes and don’t let go. They’re sticky. They’re iconic. Here’s the real secret: it’s not just the story. It’s the mood. The grit. The tiny details that add up until you’re living inside the film.

My Top 24 Martin Scorsese Directed Films here: 
https://boxd.it/gcVG

What ties his films together?
- Zero compromise on his vision
- Insane attention to detail 🔎
- Storytelling that’s raw, real, and impossible to ignore

In my world, that’s the gold standard. Every brand campaign should feel like a world someone wants to enter over and over.

Which Scorsese film do you keep coming back to? For me, it’s always Goodfellas. Never gets old. Every time, I find something new.

If you are interested in diving into Scorsese's life and influences- check out "Mr. Scorsese" on AppleTV- a 5-part binge goes down smooth!

Now about that “MS NOW” name rebrand in moving on from MSNBC... 🦚

I've held back on thoughts with this rebrand...I get it...when NBC spins you off, the iconic peacock can’t come with you. But changing the name to MS NOW feels like a downgrade in clarity, tone, and brand equity. 

It sounds less like a news news network and more like “Miss (Mizz) NOW”... which is honestly the first thing I hear when I say it out loud.

And that back-rationalized meaning of “My Source News Opinion World” stretches so far it could qualify for Olympic gymnastics 🤸♂️. If your name requires an acronym explainer video to land, it probably didn’t land...

The identity itself? Predictable red blue 🔴🔵. Clean enough, but homogenous and kind of forgettable. The logo isn’t eye-rolling, but the company name certainly invites it.

In a moment where trust, clarity, and differentiation matter more than ever, MS NOW's identity feels like a shrug when the world is starving for excellence. 
#branding #identitydesign #brandstrategy #corporateidentity #MSNOW

🍹🍻 Happy Happy Hour Day! 🍹🍻 Because some days deserve a toast...and others require one. 😉 Whether it’s craft cocktails, mocktails, or your favorite local brew, today’s the perfect excuse to raise a glass and unwind. 🥂💫
Here’s to good company, great stories, and that magical hour that always seems to last a little longer than it should. 🍸😎 #HappyHourDay #CheersToThat #SipSipHooray #UnwindTime

🎬 Timothee Chalamet is live on YouTube...and what a masterclass in marketing it is.

If you’ve ever sat through a “brainstorming” meeting where someone drops the phrase “synergize the triangle of success” and suddenly everyone nods like they get it...well, here’s the cinematic version.

Our guy Timothée Chalamet strolling into a mock-meeting for "Marty Supreme" (via A24), pitching ideas that seem less “let’s promote a film” and more “let’s launch an existential movement” (corroded orange ping-pong balls = culture, right?).

Find it here in all its glory: https://lnkd.in/gMtSVdur

Wow. And love the YT video file name of: "Timothee_Chalamet_internal_brand_marketing_meeting_MartySupreme_11.08.2025.mp4” Schwwwwepppe!!

As Timmy would say… “Integrate. Culminate. Fruitionize.”
#A24 #FilmPromotion #MartySupreme #TimothéeChalamet #BrandMoments

youtube.com

Timothee_Chalamet_internal_brand_marketing_meeting_MartySupreme_11.08.2025.mp4

Grateful for this community and the work created with my partners. 🙏 Wishing you a Thanksgiving full of comfort, connection, and joy. 🧡🦃

Is being thankful on Thanksgiving just a polite habit, or is it something that actually rewires how we see the world? 🤔

I needed an answer. 
So I treated gratitude as more than a holiday script. 
I made it a daily creative brief.

Here’s what happened.

Every morning, before the barrage of email, meetings, and Slack pings, I wrote down one thing I was truly thankful for... 

A small win. 
A person who inspired me. 🙌 
A wild campaign that actually worked.

At first, it felt odd. Mechanical. 
But after a few weeks, something changed.

Suddenly, tough days felt lighter. 
The pressure to be “brilliant” all the time eased up, and we actually got more creative. 🎨

Turns out, gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is perfect.

It’s about seeing what’s working, even in chaos. 
That little shift? 
It rewired the way I lead, collaborate, and show up for my teams.

Being thankful isn’t a tradition. It’s a strategy for real creative culture. #Gratitude #Thanksgiving

Reputation can change in a single scroll. 🔄 One viral TikTok. One Glassdoor review. One offhand tweet from an ex-employee. 🐦

That’s all it takes to flip a brand’s story upside down...sometimes before lunch.

Employer branding isn’t just about the big claims you make. It’s what people say about you when you’re not in the room. 🗣️

You can’t control every review. But you can listen...and act. 👂

Read the tough feedback. 
Change what’s broken. 
Tell people what you’re doing differently.

In my experience, the brands that admit their mistakes and fix them out in the open build more trust than those who try to sweep problems under the rug. Silence is risky. Honesty and transparency pays off. ✅

Every December, I’m reminded why Corona’s classic “O Tannenpalm” TV spot is one of the smartest pieces of simple, emotional storytelling in advertising. Watch the classic spot here: https://lnkd.in/g3W9vHpN

A quiet beach at dusk, a single palm lighting up, and a soft “Feliz Navidad”...no hard sell, no noise, just a feeling.

That restraint is exactly what shaped Corona’s long-running brand voice: slow down, breathe, enjoy life. "Miles Away From Ordinary." "Find Your Beach." All born from a spot that dared to be still.

And this year, Corona is dropping an hour-long version of this spot...perfectly on-brand invitation to pause in the middle of the holiday chaos. Sometimes the most powerful creative move is saying less. 🌴✨
#Advertising #BrandStorytelling #CreativeInspiration #HolidayAds #Corona #FelizNavidad

P.S. the title "O Tannenbaum" is a traditional German Christmas carol whose title translates to "O Fir Tree," also known in English as "O Christmas Tree."

Open video: Corona Extra Christmas commercial | Corona Extra Feliz Navidad on youtube.com

Corona Extra Christmas commercial | Corona Extra Feliz Navidad

Great ideas don’t come from one genius...they come from teams willing to battle it out ⚡️

Every breakthrough I’ve seen started with smart people clashing over what works and what doesn’t.

You need:
- People who aren’t afraid to throw “bad” ideas in the mix 💡
- Space for real debate, not just nodding along 🗣
- Trust, so anyone can challenge anyone else

It’s not about having all the “rockstars.” 

It’s about building a culture where everyone feels safe to take creative risks...even if it means tossing out the original plan 🚀

The best creative teams don’t just agree...they collide, debate, and turn sparks into ideas that power the world of work!

The best creative leaders know when to break their own rules. 🚦 Sticking with “how it’s always been done” kills fresh thinking fast. 💤

Real progress happens when you encourage curiosity, risk-taking, and wild ideas...even if some flop. 🚀

I’ve seen it over and over: Give people room to experiment, and innovation follows. 🌱 How are you helping your team take more creative risks?

🎲💰 Happy National Play Monopoly Day! 🎲💰 Today's the day to channel your inner real estate mogul, pass Go, collect $200, and try very hard not to flip the board when someone buys Boardwalk first (I'm looking at you Daniel Craig). 😅🏠✨ 

Whether you’re a ruthless tycoon, or just in it for the snacks, today’s all about friendly competition...and maybe a little financial “creativity.” What’s your go-to token? The top hat, the dog, or the race car? 🚗🐶🎩 LMK! #MonopolyDay #GameNightFun #RollTheDice #ClassicGames

📺 Happy World Television Day! 📺 From prestige drama on HBO, classic sitcoms on NBC, Sunday football on YouTube TV 🏈, to reality chaos to binge-worthy streaming on Netflix and Hulu, TV has shaped our stories, our culture... 😄🍿 

And can I  just say how grateful we are that today’s TVs aren’t the back-breaking heavy beasts we had in the 90s? If you ever moved one of those lead weights, you earned a medal. 🏋️‍♂️😂 

Whether you grew up with Saturday morning cartoons or you’re deep into your latest binge, today’s the perfect day to celebrate the screen that brings us a whole lot of escapism... What show are you loving right now? 👀 #WorldTelevisionDay #TVMagic #BingeWorthy #PopCultureLove #StreamOn

How many times have you heard, “Make it bigger, bolder, faster!” in a brainstorm, only for the idea to get watered down by process or silos? 💡

What if, instead, we focused on making it smarter? Over the years, I’ve found that the best creative breakthroughs often come not from louder ideas, but from teams who trust each other enough to push boundaries. 

When you blend creative courage, open dialogue, and the right tech. Like generative AI that removes friction from execution 🤖, a culture of innovation forms naturally. The result isn’t just campaigns that win awards 🏆, but platforms that create real, measurable impact for brands and talent alike.

Are we prioritizing brave thinking as much as bold visuals? In a world obsessed with speed, it’s creativity and culture that set real leaders apart. I’d love to hear: how are you fostering this balance in your teams? 🔥

Thanksgiving isn’t about the turkey. It’s about how people show up for each other around the table 🦃...stories, laughter, little moments that stick.

Teams can work the same way.

The best creative sessions I’ve been part of? Never about who had the loudest voice or the biggest title. They worked because everyone brought something to the table. No ego.

Just ideas, honesty, and space to listen 👂.

Gratitude is rocket fuel for creativity 🚀.

Saying “thanks” for small wins, wild ideas, and even the mistakes—that’s how trust builds.

So before your next project sprint or brainstorm, try this: ask your team what they’re grateful for.

Pause. Let people be real.

You’ll be surprised where it takes you ⭐.

Creative magic happens when every seat at the table matters.

This week, that’s what I’m thankful for—in work and in life.

Who at your table are you grateful for? 🙏

What story is your brand telling...inside? 🧐 Brand growth isn’t just about the campaigns we launch or the products we build....it's deeply rooted in the everyday moments shared by our teams. 

The most magnetic employer brands don’t just talk about culture, they live it through authentic storytelling, creative collaboration, and a relentless curiosity to improve. ✨

If you want your company’s reputation to thrive (not just survive), start by empowering your people to be storytellers. Give them a platform. Celebrate small wins as vigorously as major milestones. 🎉

In an age where every Glassdoor postings can shape public perception overnight, building an employer brand from the inside out isn’t optional...it’s essential. 🚀

In the race 🏁 to deliver innovative campaigns, are we missing the real magic? ✨

It’s easy to get swept up by the power of generative AI or the latest tech stack...faster mockups, dynamic scripts, endless variations at our fingertips. 

But true creative leadership isn’t about chasing every shiny new tool. It’s about knowing when technology should take a backseat so human insight can drive. 🤔

Great storytelling starts with empathy and ends with action. Technology accelerates us, but only vision and connection inspire audiences to care. Are you using AI to elevate your team’s ideas—or just to speed up production? The difference defines creative impact...and future growth. 🚀

Let’s keep experimenting, but never forget 🤔 why we create in the first place.

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MARCOGRUETER.com

Personal platform for advisory, speaking, and entrepreneurial investments.

At marcogrueter.com, I bring together 25+ years of experience in consulting, private equity, entrepreneurship, and investment to help business owners and founders eliminate fragility, strengthen resilience, and increase company value.

This platform connects three core activities:

- Future-Proof Business Advisory – guiding owners and founders to make their companies durable, succession-ready, and transferable at a premium valuation.

- Public Speaking – delivering keynotes and workshops on scaling, resilience, succession, and the future of entrepreneurship.

- Entrepreneurial Investments – partnering with entrepreneurs and executives on curated private deals where capital and expertise accelerate growth.

Across all activities, my mission is the same: to equip ambitious leaders with the clarity, resilience, and strategic edge needed to thrive without dependency – and to leave a legacy that lasts.

Founder

Unita Capital Group AG

Private entrepreneurial investment club connecting seasoned entrepreneurs and senior executives with curated private deal flow.
- 3-5 high-quality private investments per year.
- Active entrepreneurial investors who not only invest but also contribute to portfolio companies.

Co-owner, Board Member

SICTIC

Member of the Swiss ICT Investor Club. SICTIC is the largest angel investor club in Switzerland.

Member, Investor

67's Blockchain Entrepreneurs Club Zug

The 67’s Blockchain Entrepreneurs Club supports a dynamic network of innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs in the blockchain and AI sectors.

I focus on fostering collaboration, driving strategic initiatives, and enabling high-impact connections within the ecosystem. By leveraging my expertise in scaling businesses, strategic investing, and risk management, I help entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of blockchain innovation, ensuring sustainable growth and real-world adoption.

Board Member

Crypto Valley Association

As a member at Crypto Valley Association, I contribute to shaping the future of enterprise blockchain adoption and innovation. I collaborate with industry leaders to explore scalable applications, regulatory frameworks, and strategic use cases that drive real-world impact.
My focus is on integrating traditional business models with blockchain technology, ensuring that enterprises can use decentralized solutions to achieve efficiency, security, and sustainable growth.

Member

Partners Group

As Head Enterprise Risk, I led strategic initiatives to enhance business resilience and scalability. I transformed enterprise risks into opportunities while driving efficiency and sustainable growth.

Managing Director

Credit Suisse

At Credit Suisse, I led change management, risk management, crisis response, and business continuity, ensuring the firm’s resilience, regulatory compliance, and operational stability in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.

As Global Crisis Manager and Head of Business Continuity, I developed and implemented enterprise-wide frameworks to mitigate key non-financial risks, safeguard critical operations, and enhance organizational preparedness.

As head of Governance and Alignment, I drove strategic alignment across business units, ensuring that governance structures supported regulatory requirements and sustainable growth.

Various Senior Management Roles

Advantec Sports AG

As the Founder and CEO, I built up the company in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, distributing high-tech golf simulators and creating luxury sports lounges that redefined the premium sports experience. We established Advantec Sports as a leader in the high-end sports technology sector. 

By merging cutting-edge innovation with exclusive hospitality, I created a scalable business model that transformed how sports enthusiasts engage with technology and luxury entertainment.

Founder and CEO

expert group ag

As Partner and Head of Financial Services Consulting at Expert Group AG, I led strategic advisory initiatives for financial institutions that drove business transformation, risk management, and operational excellence.

I collaborated closely with clients to optimize financial processes, implement regulatory frameworks, and enhance business scalability. By leveraging extensive industry expertise, I assisted financial service providers in navigating complex challenges, improving efficiency, and unlocking new growth opportunities.

Partner, Head Financial Services Consulting 

BFI Holdings

As the Founder and Vice President, I established the company with locations in Libya and Switzerland, facilitating the establishment of large-scale construction projects in Libya. I played a crucial role in securing partnerships and ensuring successful execution in a challenging market. My leadership focused on scalability, operational efficiency, and long-term value creation.

Founder and Vice President

Some businesses grow fast but scale chaos.
Others run profitably for 20 years – yet collapse the moment the owner steps away.
And some look successful on the outside but are quietly fragile on the inside.

I’ve seen all three. And I’ve lived them.

My journey spans 25+ years in consulting, private equity, and building companies of my own – from international construction ventures to sports and consulting firms. I also grew up in a family business, which I watched succeed and later struggle when succession was never planned.

The pattern is always the same: businesses that appear strong often hide fragility. Too dependent on the owner. Too exposed to shocks. Too hard to transfer.

That’s why I created the Future-Proof Business System – the global standard for making companies durable, transferable, and valuable.

I help owners and founders eliminate fragility, protect culture, and design companies that thrive without them – and sell at a premium when the time comes.

The outcome isn’t just growth. It’s independence, valuation uplift, and a legacy that outlives the owner.

👉 Connect if you want to assess how future-proof your business really is.

Marco Grüter

Most founders say they’re not the bottleneck.
I spent years believing the same.

Until life forced me to step out of my own business.

Not by choice.
Not because things were calm.

But because I had pushed myself past what was healthy, thinking “just a bit more effort” would fix everything.

It didn’t.

When I finally stepped back, 

I expected chaos.
I expected systems to jam.
I expected clients to panic.
I expected the whole thing to wobble without me holding it together.

But that didn’t happen.

The surprising part?
The business kept running.

Not perfectly, but it didn’t collapse.
And that’s when it hit me:

The bottleneck wasn’t the business.
The bottleneck was me.

My need to be everywhere.
My habit of overworking instead of delegating.
My belief is that more effort always equals more progress.

Stepping out showed me the truth I couldn’t see from the inside.

I had built a company that relied on my presence…
Mostly because I kept insisting on being present.

Once I saw that, the shift became obvious:
I needed to work on the business, not in it.
From the outside, I could think more clearly.

I could design better systems.
I could trust people to take ownership of their responsibilities.

And the company actually ran better when I wasn’t clogging every decision point.

The irony still makes me smile:
I became more valuable to the business the moment I stopped trying to be indispensable.

♻️ Repost if you believe a business gets stronger when the founder steps back.
🔔 Follow Marco Grüter for daily insights on building a company that can run without you.

Founder | Future-Proof Business | Making Companies Durable, Transferable & Valuable | Global Standard for Resilience & Legacy | Entrepreneur, Advisor, and Investor

Most founders say they're not the bottleneck

Most founders don’t realise their succession plan already exists

It shows up the moment they step away.

That stat alone reveals a hidden truth:
Succession isn’t built in strategy sessions; it’s built in your absence.

A founder I worked with recently told me,
“I haven’t taken a real break in 3 years.”

So, we ran a simple test.
He stepped away for 7 days.

 → No calls
 → No emails
 → No Slack lurking

Just one honest week off.
What happened next was revealing.

Within 48 hours:

 → Small issues stayed small
 → His team started solving problems together
 → A few things slowed down but nothing broke

And when he came back, he said:
“I’m not as indispensable as I thought.

And I’ve been holding them back.”
Everything changed after that.

He shifted decision rights to his senior team.
Built a leadership rhythm that didn’t rely on him.

Focused on mentoring instead of managing.

The result?
The business didn’t just survive; it got stronger.

Here’s what that week proved:

Succession isn’t a theory, it’s a test.

 → You can’t plan your way into independence. You have to practice it.
Absence exposes dependency.
 → What breaks when you step away shows where the system is weak.
Leadership grows in your shadow.
 → Your team can’t rise if you never step aside.

Freedom is the ultimate audit.

 → If you can’t leave, you don’t own a business; you own a job.
Real succession starts early.
 → Waiting until burnout forces you is the costliest path.

If you want to know what would break if you disappeared for 7 days,
Take the Exit & Investment Readiness Scorecard.
Link in the featured section.

Could you start designing succession before succession becomes urgent?

♻️ Repost to remind other founders that freedom is the real stress test.
 ➕ Follow Marco Grüter for frameworks on building a founder-optional, future-proof business.

For years, service firms thrived on expertise, hours, and relationships.

But the ground has shifted quietly at first, and now unmistakably.

I see three forces reshaping service businesses faster than most founders want to admit.

And I’ve watched them hit firms hard because leaders didn’t adapt early enough.

Here’s what I’m seeing up close:
1. AI has made knowledge abundant

The information we once protected as “expertise” is now instantly accessible.
Clients can ask tools like ChatGPT for explanations, ideas, or even first drafts of the work we used to do for them.

They may not replace you completely,
But they can certainly reduce how much they rely on you.

2. Clients are becoming far more sophisticated

They know what things should cost.
They come to conversations already educated.
They compare outputs, delivery models, and technology advantages.

 And with AI in their pocket, they can now do parts of the work themselves.

3. Services are becoming commoditised

The industry is shifting from time-based billing to productized value.
Clients want outcomes, not hours.

They expect to pay a fraction of what traditional service firms charge because they’re comparing you to digital tools and automated alternatives.

These forces aren’t theoretical.
They’re already reshaping margins, relevance, and positioning across the entire service sector.

And together, they create a simple truth:

Your business model will either evolve or become irrelevant.

We’re in a two- to three-year window where founders must decide whether they adapt or get overtaken by the speed of change. 

The ones who understand what’s happening today are the ones whose firms will still matter tomorrow.

Which of these three forces is hitting your business the hardest right now?

♻️ Repost to help other founders see what’s coming
🔔 Follow Marco Grüter for daily insights on building a future-proof, founder-optional business

If you think your team just needs better systems, this might sting a little.

Most founders overbuild processes and underdevelop people.
And here’s the twist it doesn’t feel like a mistake.

It feels like control.

Like efficiency.
Like leadership.

…until it quietly starts capping your company’s growth.
Because scaling a business isn’t about adding structure.

It’s about upgrading how you lead.
Here are 5 myths that keep founders stuck as operators instead of evolving into CEOs:

❌ Myth 1: “No one can do it like me.”
✅ Reality: That’s the problem, not the proof.

• If everything relies on you, you’ve built a job, not a business.
• True leadership is measured by how well things run without you.

❌ Myth 2: “More hours = more impact.”
✅ Reality: Exhaustion isn’t evidence of excellence.

• You can’t think strategically when you’re always in execution mode.
• Rest and reflection are multipliers, not luxuries.

❌ Myth 3: “Hiring solves dependency.”
✅ Reality: Hiring without systems just scales chaos.

• People need clarity more than instruction.
• You delegate outcomes, not tasks.

❌ Myth 4: “Control creates consistency.”
✅ Reality: Control kills creativity.

• The more you micromanage, the less your team thinks.
• Alignment beats control every time.

❌ Myth 5: “I’ll step back when things calm down.”
✅ Reality: Things calm down only after you step back.

• Leadership space isn’t earned. It’s designed.
• Waiting for the perfect moment just delays scale.

You don’t scale a business.
You scale the person leading it.

Start by dropping the myths.
 Then build the habits that make your company run without you.

♻️ REPOST to remind founders that growth starts with how they lead.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for weekly insights on building a founder-optional, future-proof business.

Most Founders overbuild processes and underdevelop people.

The way you think shows up long before you speak.

Every founder walks into a room broadcasting their mindset
Without saying a word.

You can spot it instantly:

• The one whose silence feels like thinking, not distance.
• The founder who listens like they already know the answer.
• The one whose confidence steadies the room instead of filling it.

Your presence tells a story before your words ever do.
It signals:

• Calm or chaos.
• Ego or empathy.
• Clarity or confusion.

Here’s the thing: your company mirrors that energy.
Teams don’t rise to your goals; they reflect your state.

The fastest way to scale your business is to scale your presence.
Start noticing what you project.

Then align it with what you intend.
That’s where leadership begins
Not in what you say, but in how you show up.

♻️ REPOST to remind founders that presence is their first system.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for weekly insights on building a founder-optional, future-proof business.

The most scalable systems in business aren’t built in software. 
They’re built in people.

Most founders obsess over structure before they fix behaviour.

They install CRMs, dashboards, and checklists… 
But never upgrade how they think.

You can’t scale what you don’t embody.
Because every bottleneck in a business is first a bottleneck in its leader.

Here are 9 habits that quietly expand a founder’s capacity:

1) Delegate once. Empower forever.
  ⤷ Ownership grows when trust replaces control.

2) Protect thinking time.
  ⤷ The best CEOs don’t fill calendars — they guard them.

3) Say “no” faster.
  ⤷ Focus is scale’s silent multiplier.

4) Coach instead of correct.
  ⤷ Teaching builds independence. Correcting builds dependency.

5) Let go of being right.
  ⤷ Curiosity scales better than certainty.

6) Ask better questions.
  ⤷ Leaders who inquire, inspire.

7) Document decisions.
  ⤷ Clarity compounds when thinking becomes process.

8) Revisit what’s “normal.”
  ⤷ Growth hides in the routines you stopped questioning.

9) Define what “enough” looks like.
  ⤷ Direction dies without boundaries.

Systems follow psychology.
When a founder evolves, everything else aligns.

Which of these habits feels hardest to practice right now?

♻️ REPOST to remind founders that scaling starts within.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for weekly insights on building a founder-optional, future-proof business.

Harsh truth:
If someone offered to buy your company today, you’d discover the truth about your business in 10 minutes.

Because a business isn’t “ready” when you feel ready.
It’s ready when an investor or successor says so.

Over the last 25 years, I’ve sat on both sides of the table.

And here’s the uncomfortable pattern I keep seeing with small and medium sized companies in Europe:

They grow for years…
They build strong client relationships…
They assume they’ll be “exit-ready” one day and sell for a high price.

But when a buyer finally shows up, reality hits:
The company depends on them far more than they realized.

Most owners don’t have an exit problem.
They have a transferability problem.

Here’s what buyers immediately look for (and where most deals fall apart):

The wrong way:
→ CEO makes too many decisions
→ No real succession plan or leadership bench
→ Processes live “in people’s heads”
→ Revenue tied to key clients who follow the founder
→ Financial resilience not documented and margin leaks everywhere
→ No AI or digital readiness signals
→ Brand looks outdated compared to younger competitors

Now let’s look at what the successful companies do:

The right way to be buyer-ready at any moment:

1. Reduce key-person risk
Create decision rights, governance and a leadership layer that runs the company without you.

2. Strengthen financial resilience
Fix margin leaks, sharpen pricing power, and document financial discipline.

3. Build digital & AI readiness signals
Modernize systems so an investor sees future-proof capability, not technical debt.

4. Create talent continuity
Succession pathways, culture protection, and a team that can operate independently.

5. Shape a next-gen market narrative
Your brand should signal: relevant, valuable, and evolving faster than the market.

Here's the core idea:
Exit readiness is not an event. It’s a mindset.

And the companies that achieve the highest multiples are the ones that operate as if a buyer could appear any day.

If someone offered to buy your company today, are you ready?

👉 If you’re not sure, download my Exit & Investment Readiness Scorecard https://lnkd.in/ehdabTUW

It shows you exactly where your strengths and risks are in under 5 minutes.

♻️ REPOST to help another founder become buyer-ready.

Ready to Build a Business That Runs Without You (Without Losing Control)?

If you’re scaling fast but still saying things like…

❌ “I can’t take a week off.”
❌ “My team’s great, but they still need me.”
❌ “Everything slows down when I’m not there.”

Then it’s not a growth problem.
It’s a dependency problem.

That’s exactly what I help founders fix.

This month, I’m opening 2 private spots for my 1:1 Founder Independence Audit, a focused session where we:

✅ Diagnose where your business still depends on you
✅ Map out your “Founder-Free” systems and delegation rhythm
✅ Design your succession flow so the business grows beyond you

You’ll walk away with a clear, customised plan to make your business:

→ More resilient
→ More valuable
→ Less dependent on your daily involvement

Because your business should reward your leadership, not rely on it.
Let’s make this the month you stop running your business…

And start owning it again.

👇 Full article below

When Growth Starts Working Against You Every founder reaches a stage where growth no longer feels like freedom. Revenue is rising. The team is expandi

Open article: Ready to Build a Business That Runs Without You (Without Losing Control)? by Marco Grüter • 3 min read

Ready to Build a Business That Runs Without You (Without Losing Control)?

The moment you’re too busy to think…

You’ve already started losing control.
Back-to-back meetings.

>Client fires.
>Team questions.
>Urgency everywhere.

But if there’s no space to think,
 There’s no space to lead.

And when that happens,
You’re not running the business anymore
The business is running you.

Strategy requires stillness.
Perspective needs time.
Decisions need bandwidth.

If your calendar is full of tasks
But empty of thinking time,
You’re already drifting off course.

The worst part?
You won’t notice until something breaks.

That’s why I have found block 2 hours per week for deep work.

 No meetings.
 No Slack.
 No decisions.

Just space to think, design, and review direction.
Because the best CEOs don’t work more.

 They think better.
👉 Start with the CEO Time Audit
 And see exactly what to cut first to reclaim your focus and control.

♻️ REPOST to remind another founder that stillness is a strategic approach.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for more secure, modern, and compliant thinking.

95% of founders think succession is a future problem.

It’s not.
It’s a leadership mirror revealing how dependent your business really is on you.

Want a business that runs without you?
You start by leading differently.

Because when pressure rises, your team doesn’t follow processes
They follow your decision patterns.

Here are 10 habits of founder-CEOs building truly transferable businesses:

They design, not just do

 → Step out of operations to architect repeatable systems.
 → If it can’t run without you, it can’t scale.

They delegate outcomes, not tasks

 → Give ownership, not instructions.
 → Accountability compounds faster than checklists.

They document decisions

 → Systems don’t live in memory; they live in a process.
 → Clarity beats charisma every time.

They create redundancy on purpose

 → A business that survives absence is a business that earns valuation.
 → No one is indispensable, not even you.

They mentor their replacements

 → Succession isn’t an exit strategy.
 → It’s a leadership strategy.

They test for resilience

 → Step away intentionally.
 → See what breaks before it matters.

They run rhythm, not chaos

 → Meetings, metrics, and moments, all predictable.
 → Rhythm is what keeps the culture steady when you’re not there.

They value stillness

 → Clarity doesn’t come from speed.
 → It comes from space.

They align time with value

 → The CEO’s job isn’t to do more.
 → It’s to do what matters most.

They build legacy, not dependency

 → Systems create sustainability.
 → Culture carries continuity.

These aren’t “management hacks.”
They’re the foundation of a founder-optional business
The kind that commands freedom and valuation.

♻️ REPOST to remind other founders that succession starts long before the exit.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for frameworks on building a founder-optional, future-proof business.

Exit Isn’t About Selling. It’s About Optionality.

Here’s the brutal truth:
Most founders start thinking about exit when they’re ready to leave 
Not when they start building.

By then, it’s too late.
I recently met a founder who grew his company to $15M ARR in 8 years.

He wanted out.

But every buyer said the same thing:
“The business is too dependent on you.”

That’s not a deal-breaker.
It’s a design flaw.

In the article, I break down:

→ The 5 levers that determine true exit readiness
→ Why 70% of founders exit too late (or not at all)
→ Two real founder stories, one exit that failed, one that got 8.5x revenue

Because exit-readiness isn’t about selling.
It’s about building optionality.

The more your business can succeed without you,
The more valuable it becomes.

👇 Read the full article.

 Then ask yourself:
 How exit-ready is your business right now?

♻️ REPOST to help another founder start building freedom before it’s forced.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for more secure, modern, and compliant thinking.

1. Why Most Founders Exit Too Late – or Not at All I sat across from David, a founder who’d built his SaaS company to $15M ARR over eight years. “Marc

Open article: Exit Isn’t About Selling. It’s About Optionality.
 by Marco Grüter • 6 min read

Exit Isn’t About Selling. It’s About Optionality.

Every founder I work with wants the same three things:
Freedom. Impact. Legacy.

But most are trapped in noise.

Always busy. 
Always reactive.

Here’s the mental operating system I teach to break out:

1️⃣ Stillness — Without space, you can’t think.
2️⃣ Clarity — You start seeing what truly matters. What to stop doing. Where to focus.
3️⃣ Leverage — You build systems, people, and tools that work without you.
4️⃣ Legacy — You shift from being the engine to becoming the architect. You build something that lasts.

Stillness → Clarity → Leverage → Legacy.

That’s the real founder evolution.
And it starts not by filling your calendar 
But by creating space in it.

Start with a CEO Time Audit.
Reclaim 5 hours this week and use them to think again.

♻️ REPOST to help another founder break the cycle of busy.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for more secure, modern, and compliant thinking.

The Founder Evolution No One Talks About

The 20M Million Euro decision that took 10 minutes

Stillness Is a CEO Skill: How to Create the Space to Lead, Not React

While his team debated for months, David saw the pattern in minutes.
“We’re exiting this market segment. It’s consuming 40% of our resources for 8% of profit.”

Six months later: Revenue up 35%, margins up 60%.

The difference? David had created space for strategic thinking while others stayed trapped in reactive mode.

“I don’t have time to think” isn’t a badge of honor–it’s a leadership red flag.

In this weeks newsletter I break down:
 → Why reactive CEOs build businesses that get disrupted
 → The 4-stage framework: Margin → Clarity → Leverage → Vision
 → Daily habits that create strategic space
 → The questions that transform chaos into strategic clarity

Your business doesn’t need you to work harder. It needs you to think better.

👉 Full deep-dive in this week’s newsletter: “Stillness Is a CEO Skill: How to Create the Space to Lead, Not React.”

Subscribe now to read it fresh from the press on Sunday: https://lnkd.in/etiBmFbT

♻️ REPOST to help another CEO create more space for strategic thinking.

The hardest truths are the ones we hide from ourselves.

And sometimes they’re the very thing that unlocks everything.
For years, I believed I had to be involved in everything.

Not because I wanted control…
But because I assumed no one else could match my standard.

I told myself it was temporary.
I told myself it was necessary for growth.
But deep down, I was avoiding something I didn’t want to face.

The real reason was simple:
I didn’t trust my own people.

>I thought clients expected me and only me.
>I thought their reviews weren’t good enough.
>I thought delegating meant lowering the bar.

And as long as I held onto those beliefs, I stayed trapped in the centre of it all.
Then one moment changed everything.

I realised I was the reason they weren’t reaching their potential.
Not their skills.
Not their motivation.

Me.
By shielding them, correcting them, jumping in too early, stepping in too often…

I was preventing the very growth I expected from them.
And once I saw that truth, I couldn’t unsee it.

So I asked myself a different question for the first time:

“What if the problem isn’t their capability… but my inability to let go?”
The moment I shifted that question, things started unfolding in a direction I didn’t expect.

When I stopped solving everything, they started solving things better than I did.
When I gave ownership instead of tasks, they stepped up.
When I gave them the space to lead, they actually led.

And the business became stronger because I became less necessary.

That’s the paradox founders learn too late:
Your people can only grow into the responsibility you’re willing to release.

Letting go didn’t weaken the business.
 It made it more durable, more future-proof, and far less dependent on me.

And ironically…
That’s when I finally became a real CEO.

What was the moment you realised you were in your own way?

Follow Marco Grüter for insights on building a business that thrives without you.

Reactive CEOs don’t fail because they’re not smart.

They fail because they never get the altitude to actually lead.

I’ve seen this pattern repeat across countless founder-led businesses 
And I lived through parts of it myself earlier in my career.

Here are the four reasons reactive leadership quietly destroys a company’s ability to scale:

1. You become the bottleneck

When you’re responding instead of directing, everything funnels back to you.
No time to think.
No space for strategic clarity.

Just decisions, interruptions, and more decisions.
A company can’t scale if the CEO is the busiest operator.

2. You lose the bigger picture

Reactive leaders treat every issue like it has the same weight.
Urgent emails and existential decisions get the same mental bandwidth.
And that’s dangerous.

Because scale comes from spotting inflexion points 
Not from firefighting your way through the week.

3. You build fragile systems

When everything is urgent, nothing gets designed.
You patch… You react… You plug holes.

But you never build the resilient, future-proof systems your business actually needs.
Fragile today means unscalable tomorrow.

4. You can’t develop leaders

If you’re always reacting, you’re never developing.
Your next leadership level doesn’t grow, because you’re too busy playing their role for them.

A CEO who reacts creates followers.
A CEO who thinks creates leaders.

Reactive CEOs don’t struggle because they’re incapable.
They struggle because they’re stuck inside the business, instead of leading from above it.

The moment you shift from reacting to designing, everything changes your clarity, your systems, your team, and ultimately the value of your company.

♻️ Repost to help more founders break out of reactive leadership
🔔 Follow Marco Grüter for daily insights on future-proof leadership and building a company that can scale without you.

Most founders think they’re “almost ready” for an exit.

But when buyers look under the hood, the truth tells a different story.

This week’s article breaks down the 5 levers that decide whether your company is actually sellable or just looks stable on the surface.

If you plan to exit in the next 3–5 years, these levers matter more than timing, market cycles, or negotiation tactics.

Because buyers don’t purchase potential.
They purchase readiness.

👉 Read the full breakdown: The 5 Levers of Exit Readiness Most Founders Overlook
Full article below 👇 

♻️ Repost to help more founders understand what buyers truly value
🔔 Follow Marco Grüter for daily insights on exit readiness, transferability, and building a business that thrives without you

Most founders believe exit readiness is about timing. But here’s the truth very few talk about: Exits don’t fail because of timing. They fail because 

Open article: The 5 Levers of Exit Readiness Most Founders Overlook by Marco Grüter • 3 min read

The 5 Levers of Exit Readiness Most Founders Overlook

Most founders are trying to prove something.

Smart founders? 
They improve instead.

Early in my journey, I had it backwards.
I thought leadership meant proving myself…

↳ Proving I could handle it all
↳ Proving I was the hardest worker in the room
↳ Proving the business couldn’t run without me

But here’s the trap:
Proving is an endless game.

Each solved problem just creates another.
Each long night just resets the expectation.

Because proving keeps you inside the business.
Improving frees you from it.

Proving looks backwards:

“Look how much I do.”
“See how needed I am.”
“Notice how hard I work.”

Improving looks forward:

“How can this run without me?”
“What system replaces this task?”
“Who can own this decision next?”

Proving exhausts.
Improving scales.

Proving asks:
“Am I doing enough?”

Improving asks:
“Is this still mine to do?”

Here’s the reframe that changes everything:

↳ Busyness becomes a signal for redesign
↳ Effort becomes evidence of inefficiency
↳ Control becomes a barrier to growth

The most successful founders I know stopped trying to prove their importance
And started designing their independence.

Your next level isn’t about working harder.
It’s about leading smarter.

♻️ REPOST to remind other founders that freedom starts when proving stops.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for frameworks on building a founder-optional, future-proof business.

Most founders plan to sell.
Few plan to let go.

I worked with a founder who wanted to exit within three years.

Profitable business.
Steady growth.
Loyal clients.

But one big issue everything still revolved around him.
He thought the business was ready.

The buyers disagreed.
So we changed the strategy.

Not to scale but to de-risk.
We built a real succession plan.

Mapped key roles.
Shifted client ownership to senior staff.

Documented critical knowledge.
And installed a leadership team that could run the business without him.

Eighteen months later, he went back to the market.

Same business.
Same revenue.

But this time with structure.

The result?
The valuation offer was 40% higher.

Why?
Because buyers saw a company that could thrive without the founder.

Succession planning isn’t just about retirement.
It’s a value lever.

And the earlier you start, the more upside you create.
Take the Exit Readiness Scorecard
https://lnkd.in/ezVYzBrF

To see how succession-ready your business really is and what’s holding it back.

♻️ REPOST to help another founder protect their value before it’s too late.
➕ Follow Marco Grüter for more secure, modern, and compliant thinking.

The 50M Euro exit that almost didn’t happen

Exit Isn’t About Selling. It’s About Optionality.

Rachel’s fintech company was “unsellable” at EUR 12M revenue.

Six months later? 50M exit.

What changed? She stopped being the business and started building one that could thrive without her.

The brutal truth: 70% of businesses that go to market never sell. Not because they’re unprofitable – because they’re founder-dependent.

This week I break down:
 → The 5 levels of exit readiness (most founders are stuck at Level 2)
 → Why profitable ≠ sellable
 → The 5 levers that determine your exit value
 → Two founder stories: one disaster, one EUR 50M success

Exit readiness isn’t about selling. It’s about building a business that gives you options.

👉 Full deep-dive in this week’s newsletter: “Exit Isn’t About Selling. It’s About Optionality.”

Subscribe now to read it fresh from the press on Sunday: https://lnkd.in/etiBmFbT

♻️ REPOST to help another founder start building a sellable business.

“Stillness Is a CEO Skill: How to Create the Space to Lead, Not React”
“I don’t have time to think.”

Heard this from a CEO yesterday. He said it as if it were a badge of honour.
It’s actually a leadership red flag.

When CEOs don’t have time to think, they’re not leading, they’re reacting.

The brutal truth: Reactive leaders build reactive businesses that get disrupted by leaders who think strategically.

I break down:

 → Why “too busy to think” kills your leadership effectiveness
 → The 4-stage framework: Margin → Clarity → Leverage → Vision
 → Practical habits that create strategic thinking space (beyond meditation)
 → Why one hour of strategic thinking prevents 10 hours of reactive problem-solving

Your business doesn’t need you to work harder. It needs you to think better.

Comment if you want the clarity-building questions I use with founders.
Are you leading or just reacting?

The Myth That’s Killing Your Leadership “I don’t have time to think.” I hear this from CEOs every week. They say it like a badge of honor—proof they’r

Open article: Stillness Is a CEO Skill: How to Create the Space to Lead, Not React by Marco Grüter • 6 min read

Stillness Is a CEO Skill: How to Create the Space to Lead, Not React

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Bruce Carey's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMarco Grüter's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreBruce Carey's LinkedIn Performance