Why Power Fails and Purpose Wins When Growing a Company

Bring fresh, real-world insights on leadership, culture, and scaling to your podcast audience.

Mike Chaput is the CEO of Endsight, a $35M IT services firm he built from the ground up. With over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, including leading through bankruptcy, scaling through acquisitions, and shaping a values-driven culture, Mike blends Ivy League strategy with hard-won operator grit. He’s been featured on podcasts like MSP Mindset and M&A Unpacked, delivering candid, actionable lessons leaders remember and share.

About Mike Chaput

Mike Chaput didn’t wait around for permission to lead. He bought his first
company at 24 with borrowed money and zero experience. What followed was a crash course in leadership, finance, & failure that ended in bankruptcy and
began a lifelong obsession with learning how businesses really work.

He took those lessons and built a new company from the ground up, scaling it to $35 million in revenue with best-in-class margins and a team of 140. Along the way, Mike discovered what truly drives business success: not control, not hustle, but clarity of vision and a values-driven culture that people want to be part of.

Mike holds degrees from both Columbia Business School and UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and has continued learning long after the diplomas, auditing courses and studying with the intensity of someone who never assumes they know enough. His approach blends top-tier business theory with hard-won experience in the trenches.

Today, he’s the CEO of Endsight, a member of the CEO Advisory Council for a
multi-billion-dollar software company, and a board member for two private
equity roll-ups. He brings a grounded, operator’s perspective to topics like M&A, leadership, team motivation, and sustainable growth.

Mike believes that when leaders trade structural authority for shared purpose,
companies grow faster, teams perform better, and the whole thing becomes
more human and more scalable. That’s the heart of what he brings to the mic.
If your audience is full of founders, CEOs, and executives navigating the challenges of growth, culture, and staying true to what matters, Mike’s the kind of guest who will leave them thinking, quoting, and ready to lead better.

Unconventional wisdom about conventional wisdom

Mike Chaput on the Pull the Chute podcast with Jeff Sesol and Janna Landry

Scaling Up Business Podcast with Bill Gallagher.

Mike's presentation is something that should happen when architects and engineers are in school before they get to the point where they are running a practice! … Mike is a gem whose knowledge and experience should be shared far
and wide in the A/E/C industry

Betsy Nickless, Society for Design Administration, Orange County Chapter

I would highly recommend Mike as a guest on other podcasts. As the editor, I often gauge the quality of an episode by how engaged I am during the editing process and Mike’s episode had my full attention.

What stood out the most was his willingness to be open and honest. He didn’t hold back when sharing his past struggles or successes. I know this interview will resonate with other MSPs because it highlights what’s truly necessary for growth.

As a producer, when I’m evaluating guests, I’m looking for more than just a nice shot and good audio. I want someone who’s willing to be real and share their story, because that’s how we genuinely help others. Mike didn’t disappoint. Honestly, and I promise I’m not just saying this, his episode was one of our best because of that.

Zac Hudson, Producer of the MSP Mindset podcast

Schedule a short intro call to connect with Mike.

Have a quick conversation about your show, audience, and whether it’s a mutual fit.

If it feels right, lock in a date and get your episode on the calendar.

Why Vision & Values Matter

Mike is deeply experienced in helping leaders define and align around a core vision and set of values. He shares how clarity in these areas strengthens culture, streamlines decision-making, and sets the foundation for long-term consistency and service excellence.

The Spirit of Play

Building a Business That Lasts

Lesson from the Brink

Bridging Theory & Reality

How bankruptcy early in his career became a turning point, not an ending

Why failure became Mike’s greatest teacher in leadership and risk.

The mindset shifts that helped Mike rebuild and scale to $35M.

How control-based leadership kills creativity and ownership.

How to implement vision for scaling without losing your culture.

Why strategy often fails when it’s not built for real-world execution.

How to turn vision into systems, habits, and measurable progress.

Practical strategies for sustainable growth and strong margins.

The mindset shifts that drive long-term success, not burnout.

Your Audience Deserves a Guest Who’s Real, Relatable, and Ready With Results

Mike Chaput built a $35M business by leading with purpose, not power. He’s lived through failure, scaled through acquisitions, and built a culture people actually want to be part of. On stage or behind the mic, Mike delivers the kind of stories and strategies that spark real conversations and stick with listeners long after the episode ends.

If your show speaks to founders, CEOs, or leaders navigating the messy middle of growth, Mike will bring a mix of honesty, humor, and hard-won lessons that resonate.

Make your next episode unforgettable.