### Eghosa Aihie - Serial Entrepreneur I first worked with Michael when he joined my first startup – Alumnify – which I started when I was in college. Michael provided strategic advice to hone key skills in productivity, goal-setting and other areas necessary to run multiple successful companies.  This helped bring clarity into my work and see it through it through multiple viewpoints. _**His advice has been foundational to the millions I’ve made in my life so far.**_ As a serial entrepreneur, I want to move forward several projects that will help me achieve even greater success – things like publishing my book, raising a large round of investment for a new startup company, and launching a few side ventures. I want to accomplish these goals without getting pulled in a hundred different directions. I reached back out to Michael to help me be able to execute these big projects, but I wasn't sure whether he had more to offer me. What I found is that Michael adds a lot of value to my thought process. He’s helped me adopt a systematic approach to long-term strategic planning, so that I can achieve these ambitious projects on a specific timeline. We build out scenarios together – including worst-case ones – for each project. This approach helps me identify and anticipate potential obstacles that might pose a risk to achieving my goals. For example, he uncovered a gap that would have delayed one of the projects by three months, which would have derailed our planned PR push. But because of our work together, we were able to anticipate that delay and plan in a way so that the project wouldn’t be negatively affected.   _**Michael has helped me put project-based systems in place – with prioritized goals and tasks with realistic deadlines –  so that I can effectively plan, delegate tasks and maintain reports throughout the different enterprises that I run.**_ What I really appreciate is that Michael acts as a bullshit-free sounding board. He uncovers assumptions, cuts through spin and best-case-scenario thinking, and talks through the details for each project, ensuring no step is being overlooked or underestimated. It’s rare that you come across a standout talent like Michael. I’d highly recommend him. ### Alane Boyd - Executive Vice-President - [Friendemic](http://www.friendemic.com/) I was in the day-to-day so much that I wasn’t taking the time to look at the bigger picture. I have a team of 20 people, so if I'm always in the day-to-day with them, I can’t provide proactive planning and guidance for our clients. Before working with Michael, I was worried whether it would be worth the time. Time is the most valuable thing that I have – I can’t afford to take 30 minutes or an hour to talk with someone if it’s going to be a waste. However, after each session with Michael – even on days where I had no time to spare – I came away thinking, "Wow, I'm so glad that I took the time to do that today.” One of the biggest ways Michael helped was in perfecting client strategy meetings. After walking through the process together, he made recommendations for how to improve and restructure our monthly strategy presentations for our clients. These changes made for stronger meetings and gave clients more confidence in us. _**After my team and I implemented the new strategy and process Michael helped develop, we went from doing barely any sales to doing almost $500,000 in sales.**_ What I appreciate most about Michael is that he backs up his recommendations. After our sessions, he would typically follow up with several articles that supported what we talked about. It wasn't just his opinion or perspective – he could support what he said with independent resources. One of the benefits of working with Michael on a regular basis was that it forced me to make sure I was taking the time to look at the bigger picture and put a plan together. I also appreciated the outside perspective he offered due to his experience with multiple other companies. He was able to offer options of what to do in different situations based on what he’s seen other companies do in similar scenarios, helping guide me through making a better plan. _**I’ve already referred Michael to others**_. If you are facing obstacles that are causing business issues – especially if you're in sales, technology or software – you’re going to get value that you get out of talking with Michael and drawing on his experience for how to overcome them. _**When you talk to someone like him who can help you improve your ideas, the only route to go is up.**_