Episode 45: Steve Divitkos

Are you running on autopilot? Do you know how to turn off the autopilot? Today’s guest says that people spend more time on autopilot than they’d like to think, and it can prevent them from getting on the right path. Listen in to this interview with Steve Divitkos, an entrepreneur and the former CEO of Microdea. In this episode, you’ll hear about how Steve views entrepreneurship, why introspection is so difficult, and what Steve did right and wrong as a new CEO.

Topics Discussed in This Episode

• How Steve was exposed to entrepreneurship
• Why Steve views entrepreneurship through the lens of freedom
• Why Steve decided on his educational path
• What Steve would suggest to people who want to change their path
• Whether everyone has the same ability to remove themselves from autopilot
• What’s difficult about introspection
• An overview of Microdea
• What made Microdea a success
• What rookie mistakes Steve made as a new CEO
• How to recognize and address hiring mistakes
• How the experience of being a CEO compared to what Steve thought it would be
• The importance of focusing on health for the mind and body
• What Steve is interested in doing next

 Four exercises to help create a set of criteria against which to evaluate potential career paths:

1. Codify your personal core values
2. Identify what you're uniquely good at, what you enjoy doing and how you can get paid for it
3. Define your WHY 
4. What do you want people to say at your funeral

Related Links

Steve Divitkos

In The Trenches

Quotes From the Show

“The best definition of entrepreneurship that I’ve ever heard is the relentless pursuit for opportunity without regard or resources currently controlled.” 

“Maybe the better way to put it is I remember the moment where I decided I didn’t want to stay on the path that I was in.” 

“The concept that…was helpful for me, is this entire concept of being deliberate. Don’t just let life happen to you.” 

“I think being an entrepreneur, being a CEO, was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my entire life.”