The Founder's Notes
A blog by Scott Hofert.
Welcome to The Founder's Notes.
I will keep this short. This is a place where I write honestly about what building something actually looks like. The good, the hard, and the stuff most people never talk about.
Over the past 20+ years, I've founded and built both for-profit and nonprofit ventures. The journey has humbled me more times than I can count - and it's also given me real joy through the learnings, the surprises, and the moments of hard-won clarity. I'd love to share what I've discovered along the way: the places I've grown up, the lessons that took time to earn, and just as importantly, the failures that shaped me. I don't see those failures as detours - I see them as the curriculum. If you're building something and want a steady, honest partner in the process, I'd be honored to walk alongside you. I'm looking forward to the journey ahead.
Grateful, Scott
5 - DEVELOPMENT - My own personal trajectory plays a key role in future growth of the company
DevelopmentWho you are as a person will either grow your company or hold it back. So what does it look like to keep growing as a person, not just as...
4 - TEAM - Who's coming with you? Who are the people you need by your side for this next stretch of the journey?
What I've Learned About Teams After 30 Years of Building Them People ask me all the time which part of building a company matters most. Honestly, I can never give...
3 - STRUCTURE - What systems do you need to put in place in order for your business to move forward?
Stage Three: Structure What systems and processes do you need so this thing can actually get delivered, again and again, without you holding it together with duct tape every time?...
2 - MASTERY - How good do you have to get before someone is willing to pay you for it?
Stage Two: Mastery You've probably seen the stats floating around. Spend eighteen minutes a day on something for a year and you'll be better than 95 percent of people who...
1 - CONTRIBUTION - What’s the service or widget you want to offer the world?
What Are You Here to Offer? One of the things I run into more than almost anything else when I'm coaching is this: people who deeply want to be entrepreneurs...
My Entrepreneurship Coaching Strategy and “The Why” - The Nine Stages
Several years ago, I sat down and started writing. People had been asking me for a long time how I started businesses, how the nonprofits I had been part of...
Education & Inspiration = Execution
My youngest son just graduated high school and is heading to NC State. I couldn't be prouder of both my boys. There's something really interesting about this season in a...
The Pause Is Everything
We are trained to move fast. Every course, every podcast, every mentor conversation eventually circles back to the same idea: speed is survival. Get more done. Optimize your day. Stack...
