The point of today’s episode is to give the uninitiated a peak behind the curtains, and to provide but one example of what small business leadership *really* feels like at the ground level. My guest today, Rishi Sahel, is a great example of a CEO who has withstood more than his share of punches to the gut: As you’ll hear in our discussion today, these punches included (but were not limited to) the acquisition of a manufacturing company in the middle of COVID-19 when lockdown orders were in full effect, a post-COVID supply chain crisis, post-COVID runaway inflation, a lost warehouse, an attempt to buy their primary manufacturing facility from out underneath them, wire fraud, tariffs impacting a global supply chain and global customer base, and one unforgettable presentation to the town council of Winslow, Maine – all of which felt about a million miles away from the comfortable confines of Bain, where Rishi spent many years prior to pursuing his dream of acquiring a small business. As you’ll hear, despite all of these challenges, the company that he has built has enjoyed incredible growth and success. But hopefully better understanding the details of his journey will give you pause the next time you’re tempted to get too enamoured with what seems to be an unambiguously positive headline. In presenting Rishi’s story to you, I don’t at all mean to suggest that leadership is all downside and no upside (quite the contrary, in fact). Instead, I’m providing you with this dose of reality only because I assume you’re much more familiar with the upsides of entrepreneurship and leadership, and much less familiar with the price that you’re likely to have to pay in order to receive those benefits. Thanks to our sponsors, Boulay, Oberle Risk Strategies, and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP for making today's episode possible. redacted