The Launch Box Life with Bill Poston
At The Launch Box, we are entrepreneurs serving entrepreneurs, but we took very different journeys to get here. In this series, learn more about how we each live #thelaunchboxlife every day.
Bill is the founder or principal owner of over twenty companies and nonprofit enterprises. He now focuses his energy, expertise, and experience on turning The Launch Box into a value-creating machine for other entrepreneurs.
Explain your career path – how did you get to The Launch Box?
I went into management consulting—initially—because I didn’t know what I really wanted to do. And I assumed that consulting provided me with the greatest opportunity for a variety of experiences that would keep doors open in the future while I figured out what I really wanted to do with my life.
What was the moment where you knew you wanted to do this?
I was probably three or four years into my consulting career and had just grown addicted to the variety and the challenges and the learning associated with every new client engagement, every new project. Every assignment I had was a new education. And I realized after working with large corporations as a consultant that I could never ever work in one of those places as an employee.
What are you passionate about outside of work and how do you keep it all balanced?
I am an adventurer. An explorer. I live life outside; that’s where I prefer to be. And everything I do is designed to create more opportunities for scuba diving, fishing, backpacking, snow skiing, and exploring more places.
I work every day. I work 365 days a year. I have worked 365 days a year for 27 years plus, and I have no intention of changing that. My work is integrated into my life.
What are your top five personal values?
I believe work ethic is the primary value that has influenced my life and career.
I believe that the pursuit of excellence is a virtue. And I don’t really care what the pursuit of excellence is about, whatever your thing is, I appreciate that you’ve decided to be extraordinary at something. Whatever field you’ve set your sights on, the pursuit of excellence is a key value.
I believe in curiosity and the emphasis that places on continuous learning. Curious people are always pushing new boundaries, learning new things, and are in growth mode. Exploration is the desire to know more about the world, places, people, things. Innovation is how we push boundaries by constantly improving systems and processes. Leaders should be dissatisfied with the status quo.
It is my core belief that there is always a better way.
How do those traits give you an edge in your work?
They allow me to see the world differently than most people. If you think about work ethic, the pursuit of excellence, curiosity, exploration, and innovation, there are very few people who wake up every day with that kind of energy and enthusiasm.
What values do you admire that you have to work at?
Patience. I’m very impatient to learn patience.
Why did you choose to start The Launch Box?
The natural thing to have done after selling Kalypso would be to do it all again, but the rewards from going through and essentially replicating the same experience wouldn’t be nearly as personally gratifying as applying the things I have learned to help other people. So instead of founding one firm, we have created the capacity to found twenty and to support other people in their entrepreneurial journeys.
What about The Launch Box mission most resonated with you?
The mission is pretty simple: helping entrepreneurs accomplish their objectives and make their entrepreneurial dreams come true. At Kalypso we were successful because of a unique set of circumstances, but it took a long time and required an enormous amount of energy. I recognize that it’s not that easy, and there are a lot of people out there who have the desire and ability, but they just lack the resources and the support. And so, we are there to give them that extra edge that allows them to take the leap.
I see myself in my clients and founder partners. In fact, I wish I had The Launch Box back then.
What does a typical day at The Launch Box look like for you?
My role is recruiting and supporting founders. I advise our current entrepreneurs in the portfolio, and I’m on the hunt for the next set of founders every day. So, it’s phone calls and meetings and Q&A sessions.
What is a common misconception you see about consulting?
The most common misperception about consulting is that we get hired to solve problems or figure out solutions, but that is rarely the case.
Most of the time, clients know what the problem is, they know what the solution is, but they lack the capacity to do anything about it. To execute. The vast majority of consultants get hired to make stuff happen, not to figure out what to do.
What’s the most fulfilling part about your role at The Launch Box?
Seeing professional growth in the people that work both at The Launch Box and in the portfolio companies. I’m most excited about providing opportunities for young professionals to grow, develop, and ultimately become partners of their firms.
Anything else you’d like to add?
We’re still learning, which is what makes this fun and exciting.
The thing that attracted me to consulting in the first place was the variety of experiences and the opportunity to learn new things. Six months ago, I knew nothing about cybersecurity, and now I’m the chairman of a cybersecurity firm.
Our next client could have any functional focus. I may not know what that’s going to be, but I’m going to have to learn it. And that’s part of the fun.
