A Breakthrough From Being A Toxic Jerk

When things start to crumble, it is human nature to blame others. However, the valuable lessons will only come once you take responsibility for your role in the calamity.

Leaving employment

In 2019, I left an excellent job as Director of Engineering for a growing company. I did not resign but was fired. The reason was that I started another company on the side and took a personal day to speak at a conference.

Ego and anger

Getting fired from a company that I helped grow due to starting a non-competing business made me mad. My ego was hurt, and I was on a quest to outperform my previous employer.

Bitterness

As I focused on the pain of getting fired, my anger grew, and I became impossible to work with. After several months, the team asked me to step down as CEO. At first, I was irate. After a long bike ride, I cooled down and decided that they were right. What is best for the new business is a CEO who is not on a mission to hurt someone else.

Resignation

On an early spring Monday at my favorite coffee shop, I handed my co-founder the binder of checks, an envelope with foundation papers, and a bundle of other documents. “It’s all yours,” I said. Afterwards, I felt a weight lift.

Shutdown

Unknown to me, this was at the beginning of COVID. A few days later, my children no longer had school, and I was trying to find a job. It took months of searching, but an old client from my capital market days asked if I could help his fund. “Yes,” was my response before hearing what he needed.

The lesson

Everyone is replaceable, and to make yourself critical, you first have to let go of pride, ego, and all of the self-righteous baggage. Stay humble and always be willing to ask for help. If you get frustrated or angry at something or someone, go on a run, bike ride, or swim to replace the mental anguish with physical pain. This will clear your mind and help you make better decisions.

Hope this helps

- Todd

I desire to help companies scale with investment, advice, and support. If you need help, have a question, or are seeking funding, email me at [email protected].