In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Scott Smeester, founder of CIO Mastermind, a peer-powered leadership accelerator transforming tech executives into strategic business leaders. Scott shares his journey from civil engineer to serial entrepreneur, detailing how his own frustrations as a fractional CTO led him to create a vendor-free, confidential space for CIOs and tech leaders to solve real-world challenges. He breaks down his high-value offerings—from peer advisory groups ($6,500/year) to team training packages ($20,000+)—and reveals how a recent sales framework overhaul skyrocketed average client value by 40%.

Scott also dives into the "engineer’s mindset" behind scaling his business, emphasizing infrastructure and automation to hit 7 figures without traditional employees. He candidly discusses the pivotal decision to reinvest personal funds into revamping marketing and sales—a move inspired by a financial advisor’s blunt advice: "A 100X return is possible in your business, not the stock market." For tech leaders navigating C-suite politics or consultants hesitant to bet on themselves, this episode is a masterclass in strategic pivots and systems-driven growth.