Mike Lloyd’s entrepreneurial story began with a simple childhood side hustle—burning CDs for friends in his small Michigan hometown. That spark of ingenuity set him on a journey from studying at MIT and Harvard to launching and scaling companies that reshaped industries. In this episode of Forward Obsessed, Mike delves into the pivotal moments that defined his path, sharing the highs and lows of his journey.

He opens up about the painful lessons learned from his first failed startup and how he transformed those experiences into a winning formula for success. Mike reveals the critical importance of mastering distribution, his obsession with solving meaningful problems, and how COVID and Bitcoin propelled his cyber insurance company to the forefront of the industry. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or simply love a compelling story of resilience and growth, this conversation is full of inspiration and actionable wisdom.

🔎 Find Out More About Mike Lloyd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelloyd

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeLloyd

Corvus Insurance: https://www.corvusinsurance.com

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction to Mike Lloyd

04:10 - Small-Town Beginnings: Burned CDs & the Hacker Spirit

08:45 - Learning Early Business Lessons

13:00 - From Soccer Dreams to VMI and MIT

19:30 - Why Engineering Shapes Problem-Solvers

24:15 - The Shift from Academia to Startups

29:00 - First-Time Founder Failures and Hard Lessons

35:20 - Obsessing Over Distribution: A Game-Changer

39:40 - Building Corvus Insurance with Phil Edmondson

44:15 - The Role of Brokers in Insurance Distribution

50:00 - Finding Product-Market Fit in Cyber Insurance

55:30 - COVID as a Catalyst for Cyber Insurance Growth

01:03:15 - Bitcoin’s Role in Cybersecurity’s Evolution

01:08:20 - Fundraising Tips for Entrepreneurs

01:14:45 - Partnering with Travelers: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

01:22:30 - Lessons in Failure, Resilience, and Letting Go

01:30:00 - Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Parents

🔗 Other Links & Resources:

Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062292986

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062273205

Measure What Matters by John Doerr: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525536221

🔴 Support & Connect

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/forward-obsessed/

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