In this episode of Founders Future, with host Olivia Sammons, we dive into the unexpected entrepreneurial journey of Michelle Griffin, Ph.D., the founder and CEO of Griffin Resources. What began as a side venture to support her doctoral studies quickly exploded into a multi-seven-figure business. Michelle shares her candid story of accidental entrepreneurship, from being an independent HR consultant to building a full-scale fractional back-office support system offering HR, payroll, recruiting, and more. She discusses the critical need for flexible, affordable operational support for small to mid-sized businesses and the pivotal lessons learned from navigating rapid growth, high turnover, and economic shifts.

Michelle provides a transparent look at the realities of scaling a service-based business without external funding. She details the company's evolution, the strategic pivot to focus on specific service lines like payroll for targeted marketing, and the challenges of maintaining company culture with a fully remote team. Offering invaluable advice for new founders, Michelle emphasizes resilience, the importance of understanding your financials, and the necessity of continuous adaptation, reminding listeners that the path to success is never passive and often requires persevering through the toughest moments.