Favorite Quote
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
SenecaHello, nice to meet you! I have always enjoyed meeting new people. I have several things I do from nonprofit to protecting packages from theft but the overriding thing I enjoy is helping others build and grow ideas.
- Birthplace:Wichita, Kansas
- Hobbies:Basketball, Biking, Wine Tasting, Travel
- Favorite sports team:Pittsburgh Steelers
- Astrological Sign:Aquarius
- Favorite Food:Thin Crust Pizza
- Secret to Success:Do things you have not done before
- Favorite People:Wife and Peju our cat
My word is Learn. I do it constantly.
By nature, I am a curious leader who has experienced success, failure, and everything in between. (6X founder). I spend the majority of my time helping business owners with revenue of $1M-$10M. That is how I make a living. I have been committed to adding value to people’s lives since I spent nine months in jail 30+ years ago. You can learn more about that story here.
FUN FACT: I once took Ballet lessons for six months while in my mid-twenties, just to say I could.
At age 29, a partner and I bought a struggling magazine for the travel industry. Four years later, after growing revenues by 7X and introducing a disrupting product the company was sold to a larger industry leader.
In 2001, before the smartphone…with a team of smart engineers, we launched a software company that gave real estate agents access to maps, pictures, and MLS info on their phones. We were the first in both Canada and the US to do this on a single wireless device. As the CEO I raised $2M in Angel investment and then sold it to a company in the real estate industry. Had an office in Canada and the US. (My wife is Canadian)
FUN FACT: I once made 1,000 phone calls in one day when I was a stockbroker, that was back when people answered the phone. It was a bet and I won.
In 2006, I was a partner in a services company that grew from $750k to $7M in just 3 years. We grew too fast and made some mistakes. Over the next two years, I managed to keep parts of it alive but by 2011 I had to close it. I learned a few things!
I am a builder of products and a seeker of customer feedback. I have interviewed, learned from, and connected with 200+ technology leaders since 2012, (you can see most of them here) by hosting monthly events (every month!) for founders, funders, and others to learn, network, and get inspired at Seattle Startup Grind. I am constantly asking questions to learn about both the external and internal forces that must align to reach success.
In 2016, I created and patented a consumer product (Package Guard). It is by far the most frustrating journey of any of my companies.
Since 2018, I’ve been dedicated to nurturing a growing business coaching and consulting practice. My mission? Empowering business owners with annual sales ranging from $1M to $10M to unlock their full growth potential. My expertise is honed in on dissecting data to uncover wiser financial and marketing decisions. Out of all my ventures, this journey has delivered the most rewarding outcomes.
My wife and I started a nonprofit called Survive the Streets in 1999 and today it continues to grow and we help more and more people who live in shelters or who are almost living on the streets. Extremely humbling and eye-opening.
I also absolutely love public speaking (check out my speaking page here) in front of audiences of founders, inventors or operation types with a message of “Make Great Decisions and Avoid Unforced Errors” or “Trust your Gut only when you are in the Dark.”
If you would like to have a 1-hour session with me go here. (It costs $200) Or if you would like to learn more about me you can go here, subscribe to my YouTube channel, visit my LinkedIn profile, or follow me on Twitter.
- "Getting off the Couch with Mike Grabham" Go here to listen. Folk Stories by Kevin Lin
- "Creating a Culture of Community with Mike Grabham" Go here to listen.Banzai Pipeline with Joe Davy
- "The Package Guard story with Mike Grabham" Go here to listen. Startup Spotlight™ with Steve Schwartz
My wife and I started this nonprofit to help the homeless in Seattle in 1999. We have helped more than 4500 men and women during our annual pop up retail store to give away winter gear on Thanksgiving day.