"In business, like in the military, it's all about planning for the worst and having backup plans."
Men of Action teaches men how to build an abundant lifestyle of high-status friends, and incredible women. You will learn how to network with elites, attend exclusive events, become a “local celebrity”, and become the man that other men want to be.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Michael Sartain: I embarked on my educational journey at the University of Texas at Austin, where from 1996 to 2000, I pursued and earned a BBA in Management Information Systems.
Graduating amidst the DotCom Bubble’s collapse and facing a dire job market, I found an unexpected path as a DJ, and later as a manager, at a gentlemen’s club in Austin. This period taught me the critical skills of clear communication, strong vocal presence, and adept people management under challenging conditions.
The seismic events of 9/11 in 2004 propelled me towards serving in the United States Air Force as a KC-135 navigator. Over seven years, I rose to the rank of Captain, was honored as Navigator of the Year in 2008, and received an Air Force Achievement Medal in 2009 among other accolades for my 400+ combat flight hours over Iraq and Afghanistan. The military instilled in me the values of leadership, integrity, and the perils of poor leadership.
In 2011, life took me to Las Vegas where I transitioned into event hosting and eventually into a self-help coach role. Starting with small pageants, I gradually moved to hosting large-scale events, learning the art of networking, trust-building, and the importance of an abundance mindset.
By 2013, I delved into finance, studying under Tom Sosnoff and making a name for myself on the TastyWorks platform and managing a proprietary fund. This journey underscored the value of statistical analysis and versatility in financial markets.
My diverse interests led me to guest appearances and instructing roles in various self-help programs since 2008, covering topics from evolutionary psychology to finance. Launching the Michael Sartain Show podcast, I engaged with notable personalities, which honed my public speaking and emphasized intellectual curiosity, humility, and the power of education and charity.
In 2019, I created the Men Of Action program, a synthesis of all my experiences, focusing on social networking, leadership, entrepreneurship, mindset, and finance. This program encapsulates my journey towards fostering a well-rounded, abundant lifestyle.
Can you share a time when your business faced a significant challenge? How did you navigate through it?
Michael Sartain: We were partnered up with someone who lacked integrity. He was keeping commissions for himself and making promises that he wasn’t able to keep.
We eventually stopped working with him but we also put stop gaps in our company to make sure that no one is ever allowed to behave like that.
How has a failure or apparent failure set you up for later success?
Michael Sartain: Often we would try to build systems in house in our company. (Paid ads, metrics etc) Later we would find experts who understood these ideas better than us and at every opportunity we would hire them.
How do you build a resilient team? What qualities do you look for in your team members?
Michael Sartain: In our case the three of us had been ripped off previously by someone in our industry. It made us very wise to seeing red flags with people we work with. Having a commitment to integrity first is the first thing I look for in a team member.
How do you maintain your personal resilience during tough times?
Michael Sartain: First I have gratitude for the fact that I am even in this situation. I have the freedom and ability to create my destiny.
Second, I focus on present-moment awareness to reduce stress and anxiety. I don’t try to interpret the past or predict the future. I only focus on the present moment and taking the right action.
Third, it is the complete acceptance of the fact that I and everyone I know are going to die. And in recognizing that, realizing that living life to the fullest and taking risks when necessary is the best strategy.
What strategies do you use to manage stress and maintain focus during a crisis?
Michael Sartain: Again, present moment awareness is probably the best way of managing stress. I also like spending time in the gym and a cold plunge. Another thing I found is paying close attention to the quality of sleep I’m getting.
How do you communicate with your team during a crisis?
Michael Sartain: I communicate with my team like a US military officer, with very direct communication. Everyone on my team is open to constructive criticism.
What advice would you give to other CEOs on building resilience in their organizations?
Michael Sartain: Just like when I was a military aviator we would always plan for emergency situations, I do the same thing with with my team. We frequently go over worst-case scenarios and we go over Plan B scenarios when things go wrong.
How do you prepare your business for potential future crises?
Michael Sartain: We frequently discuss worst case scenarios and what we would do in those scenarios. We do so dispassionately, without emotion. When the crisis does arise, we are mentally prepared.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about leadership in times of crisis?
Michael Sartain: Good leaders take accountability, they realize that even though something isn’t their fault it’s still their problem. They realize that no one is coming to save them and the only way the problem is going to get solved is if they take direct action.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Michael Sartain for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Michael Sartain or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
