About this episode
In this episode, I sit down with Mike Truitt to talk about his path from inside sales to business ownership, what it looked like to buy Disney McLane with his business partner, Craig, in 2007, and how they grew and eventually sold the company.
We also get into what the business actually does, how they expanded across multiple states, and what it means to lead a company through a recession.
Mike shares lessons on choosing the right business partner, retaining employees, reinvesting in people, and planning an exit years before you take it. We also talk about the discipline he took from his military family, what real pressure looks like, and the advice from his dad that still guides him today: sharpen your pencil.
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Chapters
- 00:01 Intro and why Mike’s story matters
- 01:42 Early jobs and how he got into Disney McLane
- 03:41 Buying the business in 2007 and selling in 2020
- 04:34 What Disney McLane actually does
- 08:12 Taking over right before the 2008 recession
- 10:55 Growing territory, lines, and offices
- 13:47 Choosing the right business partner
- 17:09 Retention, rewards, and taking care of employees
- 23:06 What he would and wouldn’t do differently
- 24:35 Exit strategy and grooming the next owners
- 29:22 Reinvesting in the business and standing out
- 33:00 Investing, side ventures, and the gas station
- 37:23 Military background and lessons on discipline
- 40:47 What real pressure looks like
- 44:45 Family history and tracing the Truitt tree
- 51:12 Rapid fire round
- 56:05 Final wisdom