Four companies, four exits, and one $2.3 million failure that taught him more than any win. TK Herman joins Becoming Superhuman to talk about the head trash we carry, the courage it takes to pull the ripcord, and why real business growth starts with looking in the mirror.
About the Guest
TK Herman got his last paycheck at 26 and has spent nearly 30 years since as a founder, building and exiting four companies, including Aptura, a software firm he grew from 2 to 120 employees before its 2021 acquisition. His most recent venture cost him $2.3 million, which led to a full reset: selling the house, the plane, and the helicopter to find what actually mattered. He's a member of Tiger 21, founder of Halkin Forum, and a longtime pilot.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Knowing when to walk away from a failing business, and why that takes more courage than pushing through
- "Head trash": the subconscious stories that cap what founders and companies believe is possible
- The four minute mile and how belief ceilings limit growth
- Why a company never outperforms its CEO's self-image
- What sitting in rooms with far wealthier people taught him about skill vs. intelligence
- Selling the helicopter and plane to escape the mental load of ownership
- Living below your means as a startup advantage
- Investing $400K+ in personal growth as a bet on generational change
- Building culture around people's dreams, not bonuses
- The physical toll of entrepreneurial stress
- What "superhuman" really means: an honest conversation with yourself
Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tkherman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tkherman/
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