Michael Ritsema bought a tech business at the worst possible time—right before the industry collapsed.

Three months in, he hadn’t taken a paycheck, had no leads, and had just remortgaged his house to survive.

Most people would’ve walked away. Michael kept showing up.

Then two deals landed. It changed everything.

That persistence didn’t just save the business—it laid the foundation for a thriving IT company, multiple acquisitions, and eventually, full ownership after buying out every partner.

Now, he’s passing on hard-earned lessons from the trenches of entrepreneurship: how to survive downturns, grow through uncertainty, and lead with both strategy and empathy.

This episode is a blueprint for building a durable business. Michael shares:

• What it really feels like to face bankruptcy as an owner

• Why resilience beats perfect timing—every time

• The warning signs of a bad partnership and how to exit with integrity

• The real story behind recurring revenue and how it transformed his business

• Why sales discipline—not talent—is what separates winners

• The DISC framework that helped him build a balanced leadership team

• How peer groups and benchmarking took his growth to another level

Key Lessons

Resilience Over Perfection: Why showing up and staying in the game often wins over strategy alone.

Own the Risk: How betting on himself—and later, buying out partners—gave him full control of his business destiny.

Sell Like a Pro: Why disciplined follow-up and consistent outreach will always outperform the latest sales “hack.”

Recurring Revenue = Freedom: How pivoting from hardware to services gave him stability through volatile markets.

Know Thyself: Why self-awareness and emotional intelligence are must-haves for long-term leadership.

Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business with Tyler Podcast

Ready to stop riding the financial rollercoaster and build a business that lasts?

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