Ryan Rouse

MALK Organics

President

Self Employed

Growth Advisor

HighKey 

Chief Executive Officer (acquired)

Board Member

Chief Marketing & Ecommerce Officer

Tasseo Consumer Ecosystem

Operating Partner

Serenity Kids

Head of Growth

Factor_

Co-Founder (Acquired by Hello Fresh)

Chief Marketing Officer

Chief Operating Officer

Merrill Lynch

Vice President of Sales

Growth advisor to consumer businesses with a focus on every line of the P&L | Previously, Co-Founder at Factor Meals (acquired), CEO at Highkey

Growth-minded CPG leader with deep experience across finance, brand building, and operational leadership.

After more than a decade in finance—culminating in an eight-year tenure at Merrill Lynch—I co-founded Factor_, a ready-to-eat meal delivery company that went on to be acquired by HelloFresh for $277M in 2020.

I joined HighKey Snacks as Chief Marketing Officer and later CEO, guiding the low-sugar snack brand through rapid expansion and an acquisition in 2024.

I'm currently the President of MALK Organics, a fast-growing, near nine-figure brand redefining the plant-based milk category with its commitment to clean, organic ingredients and uncompromising quality.

And I write a newsletter about what it really takes to grow—your company, your mindset, your tolerance for chaos:
​
​• The unfiltered truth about building a brand
• Why “strategy” isn’t always strategic
• What to do when everything feels on fire
• Mindset shifts that keep you sane(ish)​
• Founder mistakes, market moves, and lessons I’m still learning​
​
​Part playbook, part perspective shift.
For anyone trying to grow something—and keep their head on straight.

Sign up using the link here (or below my profile pic above): https://ryanrouse.me/

Vice President | Partner

Data driven investors in early stage consumer brands. 

I don't know a single truly successful person with a scarcity mindset.

Not one.

The ones who make it big? They're cheering everyone on, even their competitors. 

Sounds backwards. 

But the pie's not fixed. When the category grows, everyone grows. So their success doesn't shrink yours.

And when you operate from that place, you stop playing defense and start playing offense.

That's when you really win.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Never Been on a Forbes List | President at MALK Organics | Daddy at Rouse House | Previously: Co-Founder & CMO at Factor_, CEO at Highkey

The most expensive person in your company isn't your highest-paid employee.

It's the one who loses their shit when things don't go their way.

The person who stays calm when shit hits the fan doesn't just solve problems faster.

They become the anchor everyone else holds onto.

When you're the one not freaking out, something magical happens.

People think clearer around you.
They bring solutions instead of panic.
They match your energy, not your emotions.

Being offended is a choice.
Getting emotional is a choice.
Losing your cool is a choice.

And every time you make that choice, you're choosing to make your team weaker.

The competitive advantage isn't in being right when everyone's wrong.

It's in being calm when everyone's not.

Because emotions are contagious.

Choose which ones you're spreading.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Everyone thinks they're ready for their boss's job.

Until they get promoted.

And realize the job they thought they understood was maybe 30% of it.

The other 70%? 

Managing up while managing down.
Making decisions with incomplete data.
Taking heat for choices they didn't make.
Navigating politics they didn't know existed.

As well as the additional context. 

Board dynamics.
Investor relationships.
Internal politics.
Historical baggage.

All the shit you can't see from one level down.

Instead of assuming you know the role, assume you don't and seek to understand. 

Ask questions.
- Why'd you phrase it that way?
- What aren't you saying in this email?
- Who are you really managing here?

Not just in meetings - in the prep. In the follow-ups. In the calls that "weren't important enough to mention."

The real education isn't in the meetings you're invited to.

It's in the ones you're not.

Want that next role? Stop assuming you're ready for it.

Start learning what it actually is.

Because the gap between where you are and where you want to be isn't about skills.

It's about context you don't have yet.

And, likely, soft skills you need to refine. 

Get curious about what you can't see.

That's how you get ready.

Not by waiting.

By studying.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Stop trying to motivate people.

You can't.

I wasted years at Factor_ thinking I could inspire people to care about our mission. Gave passionate speeches. Shared the vision until I was blue in the face.

Know what I learned?

Everyone's already motivated. Just not by what you think.

So your job isn't to motivate them.

It's to figure out what already drives them.

Then connect the dots.

I thought I was a shitty motivator at Factor_.

Turns out I was just a shitty listener.

Once I started asking "What matters to you?" instead of assuming everyone wanted what I wanted?

Everything changed.

People started crushing goals. Not because I motivated them.

Because I finally understood what motivated them.

And showed them how to get it.

Stop pushing your agenda.

Start pulling theirs.



~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you'll love my emails. No BS observations and advice from 12+ years in the trenches building brands. 

Link in the comments 👇

The best deals happen when you're willing to lose them.

The best partnerships form when you're not desperate for them.

The best opportunities find you when you're not frantically searching.

I can't explain the mechanics of it.

But I've lived it.

The tighter you squeeze, the less you hold.

The more you relax, the more flows to you.

Sounds backwards.

Works forwards.

The difference between good leaders and great ones?

Good leaders hit their numbers.

Great leaders make everyone believe they can hit theirs.

Leadership isn't about being the hero of your own story.

It's about making everyone else the hero of theirs.

Your job isn't to cross the finish line first.

It's to make sure everyone believes they belong in the race.

Don't create followers.

Create more leaders.

Do it by making every single person feel like they're writing the story, not just reading it.

Your victories should feel like their victories.

Because they are.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Nobody wants your advice.

They want to know what you did when you were in their shoes.

Huge difference. Took me years to learn it.

When I was at Merrill Lynch, an employee came to me. Struggling with a toxic coworker. Asked what to do.

I launched into this whole speech about "professional communication" and "setting boundaries."

Watched their eyes glaze over.

Know why?

Because I was talking like a management textbook. Not like someone who'd actually been there.

So I stopped. Started over.

"Had the same thing happen to me years ago. Guy constantly undermined me in meetings. Here's what I did: Started documenting everything. Every interaction. Every slight. Not to be petty - to see the pattern. After two weeks, I realized he only did it when the CEO was around. Insecurity. So I started praising his ideas publicly before meetings. Killed him with recognition. Stopped within a month."

Their whole posture changed.

Not because my story was brilliant.

Because it was real.

When someone asks for advice, they're not asking for wisdom.

They're asking for proof that someone survived what they're facing.

Your theoretical framework means nothing.
Your "5 steps to success" means nothing.
Your generic best practices mean nothing.

But that time you royally screwed up a product launch and recovered?
That matters.

That time you had to resolve an issue with your co-founder?
That matters.

That time you lost your biggest client and rebuilt?
That matters.

Stop playing guru.

Start sharing scars.

People don't need another expert.

They need someone who's been in the mud and made it out.

Next time someone asks for advice, skip the lecture.

Tell them about the time you faced the same shit.

What you tried. What failed. What finally worked.

That's the only advice worth giving.

Everything else is just noise.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Stop writing novels before you get to the point.

• Slack messages with 2 paragraphs of context before asking if you can move a meeting.
• Emails that bury the budget approval request in paragraph 4.
• A "quick update" that takes 5 minutes to find the actual update.

You think you're being thorough. But you're burying the lead. 

Every second someone spends hunting for your point increases the chances that they miss it. 

Always. Lead. With. The. Ask. 

"Need budget approval for X. Details below."

"Meeting conflict - can we move to 3pm? Here's why..."

"Update: We're 2 weeks behind. Here's what happened..."

When you do that, speed of decision making increases.

People actually read the context because they know why they are reading it. 

Your high school English teacher was wrong.

Don't build to the conclusion. Start with it.

Don't provide context first. Give them the point, then explain.

People aren't reading your messages like novels. They're scanning for what you need.

Make it easy for them.

Or watch them start ignoring you.

I've never met a successful founder who was in a hurry to be happy.

But I've met plenty who were in a hurry to be successful.

And most were miserable.

Here's the thing about hurrying... 

Every time you rush through now to get to later, you're telling yourself this moment doesn't count.

That happiness is waiting for you somewhere else.

Spoiler: It's not.

The disease isn't being busy.

The disease is believing that busy gets you somewhere better than here.

Your next meeting isn't more important than this moment.
Your next milestone won't make you happier than you can be right now.
Your future success won't fix your current inability to be present.

Happiness isn't waiting at your next revenue or income threshold. Or an exit. 

It's sitting right here. Right now.

Even if here isn't where you thought you'd be.

Especially if it isn't.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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One of the biggest turning points in an early stage business is when you stop thinking it's cute that the business "flies by the seat of its pants."

And start realizing that it's limiting growth.

"We're scrappy."
"We move fast."
"We figure it out as we go."

All code for: We don't have our shit together.

And it works. Until it doesn't.

Process is not about control. It's about freedom.

Freedom from:
- Solving the same problem 47 times
- Having every decision escalate to you
- Losing your best people to preventable burnout
- Watching quality tank because "everyone does it differently"

There's a fine line between startup energy and startup chaos.

But one you have to be on the lookout for. 

Because chaos doesn't scale.

Doing things that are hard will change how you see yourself.

They don't just build skills. They rebuild identity.

When you do the shit that scares you, you stop being the person who's scared of it.

When you tackle what you suck at, you stop being the person who sucks at it.

Each hard thing I've tackled in business changed the story I tell myself.

From "I'm not a numbers guy" to "I can figure this out."

From "I don't do operations" to "I'll handle it."

From "That's not my strength" to "Not yet."

The hard things you're avoiding?

They're not obstacles.

They're identity upgrades waiting to happen.

You think you know who you are.

But you're just who you've been so far.

Do the hard thing.

Meet who you could be.

This is cliche as hell. 

It's also true.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

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There are two types of people at startups.

The ones waiting for their manager to tell them what to do.

And the ones who've already done it.

Take two employees side by side. 
Same title. 
Same experience. 
Completely different trajectories.

One keeps asking "What should I work on next?"

The other is already shipping solutions to problems nobody had assigned yet.

Guess which one has a steeper trajectory?

At early stage companies, your task list is a suggestion.

The real work? It's everything that's not on it yet.

The stuff nobody's noticed is broken.
The process that takes 10 steps but could take 2.
The customer complaint that "isn't your department."

Everyone's busy at startups. That's not special.

What's special is being busy with the right shit.

The ones who wait for permission to level up never do.
The ones who just start fixing things become indispensable.

I used to think initiative was about working harder.

Wrong.

It's about working on what matters before someone tells you it matters.

Your boss isn't your career GPS.

Stop waiting for directions.

Start building the map.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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The biggest sales job you'll ever make isn't to your customers.

It's to yourself.

Because it's the stories in your head determine the stories you tell the world.

If you're telling yourself you're an imposter, that's exactly what you'll project in every meeting.

If you're telling yourself you're not a "numbers person," guess what? You won't be.

If you're telling yourself you need one more certification, one more mentor, one more anything before you're ready...

You're right. You'll never be ready.

Because readiness isn't something you acquire.

It's something you decide.

The most successful people I know aren't the ones with the best credentials or the smoothest pitch.

They're the ones who changed their internal narrative first.

From "I'm figuring it out" to "I know my shit."
From "I hope this works" to "Watch me make this work."
From "I'm not that type of person" to "I'm becoming that type of person right now."

Your business can only grow as fast as your self-concept allows.

Change the story. Change everything.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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When emotions run high, intellect runs low.

Your IQ literally drops when you're heated. The part of your brain that handles logic? It checks out. 

Leaves you with the part that wants to fight or flee.

That's when we make our worst decisions.

Break trust with a team member.
Send the relationship-ending text.
Make the deal-killing move.

Now when I feel that heat rising, I do nothing.

No emails. No calls. No Slack messages. No decisions.

Just breathe. Stand up. Walk away.

The problem will still be there in the morning.

But I'll have my full brain back to solve it.

Because I now know that the most expensive words are the ones you say when you're emotional.

In those times, the most powerful thing you can do is absolutely nothing.

At least not until tomorrow.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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You can't be friends with people who work for you. 

I don't buy into this philosophy. 

I think you can. And believe it can an advantage in leadership. 

You just have to be willing to piss off your friends (who are also team members) more often then you do with people who are just friends.

We all want to be in good standing with our friends at all times. There's a weight that comes with being in conflict with people we care about that we'd rather not carry. 

But if you are going to be friends with people you lead, you have to get comfortable with that weight. 

Because you won't be in good standing with them all the time. 

Not if you're doing it right.

The best operators aren't the ones who can take the most punishment.

They're the ones who refuse to.

I used to pride myself on being the guy who could handle anything. Any timeline. Any ask. Any amount of chaos.

Until I realized I wasn't scaling the business.

I was enabling its dysfunction.

Real scaling happens when you make heroes unnecessary.

When you build processes that work without someone sacrificing their weekends.
When you invest in infrastructure before you're drowning.
When you say "this timeline isn't realistic" instead of "I'll figure it out."

Being irreplaceable isn't job security.

It's a trap.

The constraint of limited capital forces clarity.

When you can't throw money at problems, you have to actually solve them.

When you can't hire your way out, you have to execute your way through.

When every dollar matters, bullshit dies fast.

But at some point that constraint is a net negative on the business.

Because the "bootstrappers mindset" is established but company growth is stunted by a lack of cash.

When you can't invest in proper infrastructure, you pay in time.
When you can't hire the right people, you pay in mistakes.
When you can't test at scale, you pay in missed opportunities.

This is why experienced operators raise money differently. 

Not because they're greedy. Because they've lived through the hidden cost of being too lean.

They know when to be scrappy and when to invest.
They know which constraints sharpen you and which ones slow you down.
They know that sometimes the most expensive thing is being cheap.

Investors get this. That's why experienced operators raise bigger rounds sooner and often times operate in the red for longer.

Not because they have better pitch decks.

Because they've already paid the tuition on when capital constraint stops being an asset and starts being a liability.

The impact of your ability to connect with other human beings cannot be understated.

That skill alone unlocks more opportunities than everything else combined. 

This has nothing to do with the number of social media followers you have. Follower count is a terrible measure of the skill. 

I'm talking about your ability to find common ground with other people below all the surface level shit.

Which lives and dies with how early in a conversation you're willing to take off your mask and be honest about things. 

When I am real with people, I can literally see their face and body relax.  

The type of relief that only comes with the realization that you're in a conversation with someone you don't have to fake it with. 

Because faking it is exhausting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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When it comes to brand, positioning matters the most.

There are many positioning frameworks out there. 

I personally like one from McKinsey consultant Victor Cheng.

Cheng says that the best positioning makes a “Unique Compelling Credible Promise to a potential buyer”.


1. Your promise must be unique. 

The first step in winning a customer is being unique in a field of sameness. 

To achieve uniqueness, riff on the Who / What / Where / Why / When / How of your offering:

- Who do you serve?
- What do you offer?
- Where are your sales happening?
- Why do you do what you do?
- When do you fulfill?
- How do you do what you do?

All can be unique and differentiators in the market relative to your competition.


2. Your promise must be compelling.

Whatever you are promising has to solve a customer problem in an overwhelmingly compelling way. 

Review your customer feedback. What are their searing problems? 

Not their surface level problems.

Do they want to be healthier? (Surface level)

Or are they disgusted by how they feel and can't play with their kids because they are low on energy. (Searing problem)

Make your promise compelling. Address the searing problem head-on. 

Use the language your customers use. Mirror your solution back at them. 

Take this approach in all your sales copy, your ads, and your site.


3. Your promise must be credible. 

A unique and compelling offer means nothing if your potential customer doesn't believe you. 

It is asking a lot for a brand-spanking new visitor to take out her credit card and buy from you on the first visit to your site. 

This lack-of-trust is a big reason why conversion rates are so low.

You have to build credibility around your brand, fast. Here are some ways to do it:

- Customer testimonials
- Specificity
- Guarantees
- Research reports / Trials

Credibility is king. Without it, the first two don’t go very far.


You're gonna have a really tough time building and scaling a business without solid positioning. 

I love the approach above, but there are others. 

Pick one and do the thinking involved to carve out your own positioning. 

Every other aspect of running your business will become easier.

Action is the great equalizer.

It doesn’t care about your background, where you went to school, or how old you are. 

While everyone has things they want to do, significantly fewer people take action on them. 

Which presents an opportunity for those who do. 

Here's a simple formula for taking action on something new:

1/  Determine what the absolute smallest first step you can take looks like. 

2/  Take that step.

That’s it.

That one baby step will do a few important things for you. 

First, it will reveal the next step. There’s value in mapping out a step by step plan, but the step you actually take is the only thing will bring the next one into focus.

It will also help you decide if you want to take the next step. You don't have to.

Lastly, it will build momentum and internal belief. 

There’s nothing more powerful in the universe than the combination of these two things. 

This works for everything from a new business idea to a new hobby. 

Taking action, as imperfect as it may be, wins every time.

Greg Moran

Evergreen Mountain Equity Partners

Evergreen Mountain Equity Partners is an early stage (seed and series A) venture firm focused exclusively on future of work and HR related technologies. Our mission is to be an active partner to great founders trying to find a way to achieve their vision.

Serve as board member or board observer to Truvelop, Ceipal, Conquer, Chatterworks, Hitch and Spacebands.

Managing Partner & Founder Coach

Conquer

At Conquer we are making selling smarter through our enterprise sales enablement platform. Our comprehensive solution combines automation, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights to empower sales teams and drive revenue growth. 

By leveraging our platform, sales professionals can optimize their strategies, enhance customer engagement, and close deals more efficiently.

Chief Executive Officer (Interim)

Conquer provides sales enablement software to large sales teams.

Interim Chief Revenue Officer

Outsorcy

Outsorcy connects businesses with top-tier global talent to drive efficiency and growth. Specializing in outsourcing solutions, we help companies build dedicated teams, find world-class professionals, and streamline operations across marketing, technology, and business support. With a focus on flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and quality, Outsorcy empowers organizations to access diverse, skilled professionals worldwide, enabling them to scale efficiently and achieve their goals.

Camden Partners

Serve as an Operating Partner to Camden Partners. Since our founding in 1995, Camden Partners has focused on investing growth equity in lower middle market companies. We actively partner with strong management teams leveraging our domain expertise, operating experience and extended network of resources to help growth companies reach their full potential.

Outmatch (now Harver)

Harver (formerly OutMatch) is a leading HR technology company that is transforming the way organizations hire and assess talent. 

Our innovative platform combines advanced data science, AI-powered assessments, and interactive pre-employment tools to help companies make smarter, data-driven hiring decisions. 

With Harver, companies can streamline their recruitment process, identify top candidates efficiently, and reduce bias in the hiring process. Our mission is to revolutionize talent acquisition by providing organizations with the tools they need to build high-performing teams and drive business success.

OutMatch makes people decisions more scalable, predictable, and personal with an end-to-end talent decision platform. The world’s most recognized brands rely on OutMatch to scale recruitment, understand their talent, and personalize candidate and employee experiences. Over 1,000 global companies trust OutMatch technology to process millions of candidates annually, and to achieve 25X return on investment through better people outcomes.

OutMatch is a portfolio company of Rubicon Technology Partners (headquartered in Boulder, Colorado) and Camden Partners (headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland).

President and CEO

Chequed.com

Oversight of all aspects of this emerging growth technology company. Provided vision and direction to the initial and ongoing product development. Raised outside equity based capital. Negotiated strategic partnership with major academic institution for R&amp;D. Initiated, negotiated and completed the acquisition of leading industry player to incorporate into Chequed. Ongoing responsibility for capital raising, recruitment of management and board level hires, acquisition integration as well as general management responsibilities.

Founder / President & CEO

Talent Management Group / W Business Books

Author of two books on recruitment strategy for the field hiring manager:

1.) Hire, Fire & The Walking Dead, W Business Books, May 2006 (http://www.amazon.com/Hire-Fire-Walking-Dead-Recruiting/dp/0832950017/ref=sr_1_1/105-7883773-0736465?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181612256&sr=8-1)

2.) Building the TalentEdge: A Manager's Guide to Recruiting the Best, AuthorHouse, October 2005

Consultant, Author and Speaker

Talent Technology Corporation

Created a channel sales/partnership program and oversaw the initial phases of execution for this provider of human resource component technology. Responsibilities included partner identification, outreach, screening, contract negotiation and initial marketing of new partner relationships. Served as front line for acquisition identification culminating in successful completion of PeopleFilter Technologies in April 2008. In addition, oversaw the Industry Sales group focused on sales of the Resume Mirror product line to the top 500 staffing firms worldwide.

Director, Industry Sales and Partnerships

Better People, LLC

Better People provides technology-driven recruitment process outsourcing to emerging growth and established companies throughout North America.

Chairman

PeopleAnswers America, LLC

Acquired the rights to build the sales distribution channel for this web based behavioral assessment one-demand software company. Created and executed upon direct, partner and dealership strategy throughout North America resulting in multi-million dollar sales growth within 3 year period.  Provided direct enterprise sales (quota carrying) as well as sales executive support. Utilized full-time dealership and direct strategies as well as a traditional reseller relationship as primary methods of growth. Responsible for the creation of all channel start-up and ongoing training and development programs as well as internal communication and marketing initiatives. Created recruitment, evaluation and performance appraisal process used for management and development. Successfully sold distribution channel back to PeopleAnswers, Inc. of Dallas, Texas.

Vice President of Sales/Founder

Multi-Exit Founder & CEO, Advisor, Investor, Board Member | Posting daily insights to help you scale to $100m+. Host - The Founder’s Journey Podcast

Founders often face isolation, burnout, and the “now what?” stage after their first taste of success. I’ve been there—and I’m here to help you scale smarter and faster.

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve launched and exited multiple companies with valuations exceeding $100M, completed a dozen global acquisitions, raised nearly $500M in capital, and advised dozens of high-growth founders to do the same.

Now, I’m focused on “Scaling Together” through The Founder’s Collective—a curated membership community for ambitious entrepreneurs seeking strategic coaching, actionable resources, and meaningful peer connections. Through monthly coaching sessions, playbooks, live Q&As, and in-person events, members gain a powerful ecosystem to overcome isolation, lead effectively, and accelerate growth. If this resonates, apply today:
https://www.thefounderscollective.com/apply-to-join

I also take on a limited number of personalized coaching clients who want to supercharge their trajectory. If that’s you, DM me.

Beyond business, investing, and coaching, I’m a dedicated traveler, an avid home cook (inspired by Julia Child!), and a lover of the outdoors—especially fly fishing, hiking, and skiing in Colorado and Montana. Most importantly, I’m a proud husband and father of two amazing kids, each on their own unique journey.

At Conquer we are making selling smarter through our enterprise sales enablement platform. Our comprehensive solution combines automation, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights to empower sales teams and drive revenue growth. 

By leveraging our platform, sales professionals can optimize their strategies, enhance customer engagement, and close deals more efficiently. 

Everyone looks for the next tech hub.
Nobody thinks of the Balkan’s. 
That’s a mistake.

This place is exploding with talent, energy, and grit … the kind you only find where people are still fighting to prove what’s possible.

Blendrit Elezaj, co-founder of Tactica and Outsorcy is one of those founders rewriting the playbook. He’s betting on Kosovo to become the next global startup hub, and he’s building the proof.

This is exactly what Scaling Across Borders is about.
Real founders. Real stories. From places the world rarely looks.

🎬 Watch Blendrit’s full story on Scaling Across Borders.
Only on YouTube.
(Link in comments)

Kosovo. Small country. Massive potential.

Everywhere in the world, life looks familiar.

Traffic. Coffee before work. Laughing with friends.
People pursuing their lives.

What I’ve noticed more than anything while filming Scaling Across Borders, and in my travels, is that while we may not always understand the history of a place, the people are all the same.

Go there. Walk the streets. Talk to the people. Eat in their homes.
The details change, but the human drive doesn’t.

That’s the point of this whole project.
To show that normal life… extraordinary life… and extraordinary founders… exist everywhere.

Innovation isn’t limited by geography.
Neither is the human spirit.

Scaling Across Borders premieres November 6th

📍 Subscribe on YouTube (link in comments)

As the world is sanitized through AI, differentiate with your humanity. 

Be the one commenting without a bot. 

Be the one writing the authentic, non AI generated story. 

Put your humanity out front. 

We don’t need more AI generated content, we need more human authenticity. 

Happy Sunday. 

This week I’m in Colombia scouting for Scaling Across Borders Season 2. Season One - Kosovo launches on November 6th. 

Trailer coming tomorrow. 

In Scaling Across Borders, we celebrate human stories of entrepreneurs building in some of the world’s least known or misunderstood places.

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The toughest decision I’ve ever had to make: knowing when the company needed someone else to lead. I had to quit.

Founders have a maturity curve ... and I was the bottleneck.

I’ve seen this in many other founders too. We reach the peak of where we want to be. I’m not saying one isn’t capable, but there’s a point where personal ambition and competence intersect. Without ambition and motivation, we won’t build the competence.

Here’s the maturity curve as I usually see it, and have personally lived it:

0 → $1M – The Scrappy Doer
You’re the whole company. Sales, product, ops. Gut calls and late nights.
The trap: thinking you can just grind harder.

$1M → $10M – The Reluctant Manager
You hire, but you don’t really let go. You micromanage under the disguise of “quality control.”
The trap: being the bottleneck for every decision.

$10M → $50M – The Strategic Leader
Now it’s about systems, not hustle. You manage managers. You focus on frameworks, alignment, culture.
The trap: thinking you still need to control the details.
I bowed out at the later stages of this curve. It just felt corporate.

$50M+ – The Visionary Architect
The business runs without you. Your role is architecting culture, future-proofing, and staying tied to the customer.
The trap: drifting too far from the front lines.

The lesson?
The best founders scale themselves as fast as they scale their companies.
Even better founders have the self-awareness to know where they want to call it a day.

The founder maturity curve

The more I travel, the more I realize I am certain about nothing.

Business, politics, religion, you name it.

People simply want to live free, create, protect their families, love.

The only thing I can do is hear their stories, one human to another.

That’s why launching the Scaling Across Borders docuseries is such a special project for me. 

It is stories of founders building in places the world overlooks or just doesn’t understand. 

It is stories of grit, and creativity and creating their own rules when none exist. 

It is stories of humans, just like every one of us, defining freedom on their terms. 

I’ve never been more excited to work on something. I’ll keep featuring some of those stories right here as we prepare to launch season 1 on November 6, 2025.

I’ve wasted millions of dollars on innovation. Then I realized the truth. 

Innovation should not have been the main focus. 
Competitive parity should be the goal. 

I know, most posts and books tell you the opposite. Innovate or die they say. Well, they don’t tell you that the dying part is easier than true innovation. 

If you have millions in pure growth capital, have at it for sure. 

But, for the rest of us, the reality is more nuanced than the books. 

Being first mover is massively expensive and hard. 

Being second or later is cheaper and easier. 

If you’re constantly trying to build the new revolutionary product, stop. 

Here’s the playbook:
1. Watch for popular competitive functionality, 
2. Copy the concept with your slightly differentiated spin 
3. Start selling 

Do this for a while while running small, revolutionary experiments. When you get strong signal from one of the experiments, build. 

This balanced approach isn’t as exciting … I know. But it does allow you to build and grow without the “all in” decisions that can kill a company. 

You’ll see great examples of this in the Scaling Across Borders docuseries where we follow incredible founders building in little known parts of the world. 
We release on November 6th. 
Follow me for the behind the scenes.

taplio

The Battle

Ryan Rouse

Greg Moran

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taplio

The Battle

Ryan Rouse

Greg Moran

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Engagements

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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);}Ryan Rouse's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGreg Moran's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreRyan Rouse's LinkedIn Performance