Eric Mathews

“The successful leader must be willing to assume responsibility for the mistakes and shortcomings of his followers.” —Napoleon Hill

No one in leadership is too busy to think about the future.

Strong companies are built deliberately. They do not emerge by accident. Start Co. is currently running the **Virtual Entrepreneurship Series 2026**, a six-part leadership and sales program designed to help founders build scalable organizations and repeatable revenue engines. This is a multi-state program funded by Empower California and open to qualified entrepreneurs in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. We kicked off on February 11, but it is not too late to join the remaining sessions. Over the next sessions, founders will learn how to: • Strengthen organizational structure and culture • Establish governance and board discipline • Validate and sharpen their “sell” • Modernize their sales funnel • Scale with financial clarity and operating discipline The program is fully funded. There is no cost for qualified participants. Registration and completion of the intake form are required to determine eligibility. If you know founders in any of these states who are serious about building durable companies, send this to them. Apply here: docsend.com/view/nzezmimqs…

Two months of silence. Two weeks of fire. I took a step back from the Mathews Mindset newsletter at the end of last year. Sometimes the best thing a leader can do is pause, reflect, and come back sharper. That's exactly what happened. Starting this month, I've got a run of essays coming that I'm genuinely excited about on resilient transformation, the real edge in leadership, and what it takes to build something that lasts. Subscribe now so you don't miss any of them: mathews-mindset.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Learn about Morningside Brands, Inc. the creator Alma Del Jaguar Tequila and Duck Club Bourbon straight from the founder, McCauley Williams on this cool podcast, Assorted Crackers: open.spotify.com/episode/1Y5TeH…

If you don’t give your life a direction, the world will give it a distraction.

Are you going to Drift or are your going to Build? Worth remembering, this break is not about rest alone, it is where Builders prepare while others drift. Drifter The Drifter treats the break as an escape hatch. They consume, snack, scroll, and tell themselves January will be different. Momentum is deferred to a resolution instead of built through action. By February, nothing has changed because nothing was prepared. Builder The Builder understands how people behave and plans accordingly. They do not expect deals to close or decisions to happen during the holidays, so they turn inward and work on what does not require permission. They research, think, clarify, and quietly advance the real problem in front of them. When January arrives, they are not starting, they are already in motion and the runway is clear. Made it this far . . . Learn more: mathews-mindset.beehiiv.com #Builders #LongGame

“Friendship based upon business is a good deal better than business based upon friendship.”
— Napoleon Hill

This bodes ill. Readers used to outnumber non-readers 2 to 1. Now non-readers outnumber readers 3 to 1. It's hard to imagine a change of that magnitude not having significant effects.

“Real life is junior high. The world that you're about to enter is filled with junior high adolescent pettiness, pubescent rivalries, the insecurities of 13-year-olds, and the false bravado of 14-year-olds.” — Tom Brokaw via @tferriss

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” ― Benjamin Franklin

Those Who Cannot Take Direction Graciously Should Not Be Giving It -Napoleon Hill

I was recently asked in an interview to talk about my past before entrepreneurship. It brought me back to earlier in my career where I worked in academic research focused on AI, e-learning, cognitive psychology, and human-computer interaction. I collaborated on studies of how people learn in digital environments, how feedback systems shape performance, and how adaptive technologies can support individual growth. I looked back at my Google Scholar profile today and noticed the work has now been cited way more than I would have expected. The long tail of those citations reflects the strength of the team I worked with and the relevance of the questions we explored. It is a small academic footprint, but it represents an important season of intellectual curiosity that influenced the way I think, build, and solve problems today. If you are curious, the profile is here: scholar.google.com/citations?hl=e…

Hope is a business asset grounded in science that creates a measurable performance advantage. Teams with higher hope execute better, adapt faster, and maintain momentum when conditions shift. The engine is will power paired with way power. Will power drives effort. Way power multiplies pathways. Leaders who build both create organizations that keep moving and keep growing. Read the full piece here: mathews-mindset.beehiiv.com/p/will-power-a…

Most people never reach the ceiling of their talent. Not because they can’t, but because they stop before they find where it is. You don’t hit your ceiling. You settle beneath it. My new essay, “Hit the Ceiling of Your Talent on Purpose,” is about how to change that. Growth begins where your talent meets resistance. linkedin.com/pulse/hit-ceil…

Successful people don’t drift; they decide.

Interesting . . . Just got a notice that the following airports are not accepting private charter until further notice. These airports are often used for private aviation if the passengers are connecting to a commercial flight. BOS/ Boston Logan LAX/ Los Angeles OHR/ Chicago O'Hare DFW/ Dallas Fort Worth DEN/ Denver Int'l ATL/ Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson IAH/ George Bush Int'l JFK/ JFK NY EWR / Newark PHX/ Phoenix Sky Harbor DCA/ Reagan/ Washington SEA/ Seattle Tacoma Int'l

Due to overwhelming response, we’re extending the SXSW Pitch application deadline to Sunday, November 9, at 5 PM CT. SXSW Pitch takes place in Austin, TX on March 13–14, 2026, bringing startups together with investors, high-profile media, and industry experts who serve as judges. It’s one of the best opportunities to get your company in front of the people who can accelerate your growth. Since 2009, SXSW Pitch has showcased 732 companies — 80% have secured funding, raising $22B+ 22% have been acquired by global leaders like Google, Apple, Meta, Michelin, and Live Nation Alumni include Siri, ICON, Hipmunk, Klout, Wildfire, Foodspotting, and Tango If you’re considering applying, now’s your chance — the extended deadline won’t last long! sxsw.com/pitch

On human behavior: “People are not rational. They are rationalizing. Once you understand this simple fact, all the oddest human behavior will suddenly make way more sense.” --Billy Markus, Software Engineer

Calling All Startups! ONE WEEK LEFT TO APPLY for SXSW Pitch 2026 — one of the world’s premier showcases for innovative technology and disruptive ideas. This is your chance to: Pitch in front of top-tier investors, media, and industry leaders Gain unmatched visibility on a global stage Join an alumni network of companies that have collectively raised $22B+ Don’t miss it — apply now: sxsw.com/pitch