cover of episode He Said No to Goldman Sachs. Said Yes to $3B+ — Michael Paulus' Journey from Underdog to Billionaire Builder | Ep. 192

He Said No to Goldman Sachs. Said Yes to $3B+ — Michael Paulus' Journey from Underdog to Billionaire Builder | Ep. 192

2025/3/21
logo of podcast Founder's Story

Founder's Story
AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
M
Mike Paulus
Topics
Mike Paulus: 我从小在蓝莓农场长大，后进入斯坦福大学学习。我曾接受高盛投资银行的offer，但在金融危机期间，我选择与Palantir联合创始人Joe Lonsdale一起创业。起初没有薪水，我们两人挤在旧金山码头区的一间公寓里。我选择创业是因为它相比于银行的等级制度，更能提供自由和创造力。我创办了两家公司，Adapar和Assurance IQ。Adapar至今仍是一家私营公司，价值约35亿美元，管理着超过7万亿美元的资产。我的财富主要来自对公司股权的二次市场交易。Assurance IQ则采取了不同的策略，我们通过最小化可行产品（MVP）迅速进入市场，并在后期寻求大型公司的合作。成功的公司退出需要一个良好的业务基础，以及强大的团队支持。除了直接出售公司，还有其他方式可以实现公司变现，例如二级市场交易、债务融资、以及与经纪人的合作等。在退出Assurance IQ后，我创办了一个家族办公室，继续支持其他创业者。我将时间看得比金钱更重要，所以我愿意全力以赴投入到我认为有价值的事业中。我建议创业者应该像投资者一样思考，选择具有巨大潜力的项目。自力更生的创业方式虽然充满挑战，但也能够磨练创业者的能力，并使其更贴近客户。自力更生的创业者更关注客户需求，而依赖融资的创业者更关注投资者的期望。自力更生的创业方式能够培养创业者的韧性和毅力，使其更有竞争力。我认为人工智能将使单人或小型团队能够创造出更大的价值。未来，产品和工程领导者的重点将更多地放在如何有效地整合各种解决方案和数据流，以及如何满足客户需求。作为投资者，我关注的是人工智能如何改变行业，而非仅仅关注其对成本的影响。技术进步会创造新的价值和机会，而那些能够利用技术进步的公司将会成为赢家。我创立的家族办公室旨在为高净值人群提供个性化和全面的财富管理服务。我建议年轻人去有发展潜力的创业公司工作，学习和积累经验，而不是过分关注职位和薪资。我建议年轻人寻找快速发展的公司，积极学习和贡献价值，不要过分关注职位。我建议年轻人要积极贡献价值，展现自己的能力，而不是过分关注薪资和职位。 Daniel: (访谈过程中的引导性问题和总结性陈述，此处省略具体内容)

Deep Dive

Chapters
Mike Paulus, founder and CEO of PCM Encore, shares his journey from working on a blueberry farm to building multi-billion dollar companies. He discusses his decision to forgo a Goldman Sachs offer, the importance of bootstrapping, and the challenges of building mission-critical systems in his early twenties.
  • Rejection of Goldman Sachs offer for entrepreneurial pursuit
  • Early career focus on solving massive problems
  • Importance of bootstrapping and its impact on company culture

Shownotes Transcript

In this inspiring episode of Founder’s Story, we sit down with self-made billionaire and serial entrepreneur Mike Paulus. From humble beginnings on a blueberry farm to founding multi-billion dollar companies like Adapar and Assurance IQ, Mike shares powerful insights into building businesses that last, navigating liquidity events, and why he still identifies as a gritty operator rather than a yacht-dwelling billionaire.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why saying no early in your career can lead to massive opportunity
  • The underrated power of bootstrapping and how it sharpens your edge
  • How to think like an investor—even as a founder
  • The future of lean teams, AI, and the one-person billion-dollar business
  • Practical advice for young professionals entering the workforce today
  • What it means to build with conviction and stay close to the customer

Quotes to Remember: “I like to think of myself as the underdog, even now.”“Your customer is your real boss—not the VC.”“Put your investor hat on before you commit your time.”“Find a rocket ship. Don’t ask what seat. Just get on.” Follow Mike Paulus:

💼 LinkedIn)

🌐 EncoreInvestment.com) Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out CoinFlip and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://coinflip.tech* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY* Check out Kinsta: https://kinsta.com* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands)Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy)