Scott Petinga is the consummate entrepreneur.
Scott owns 10 businesses, (one of which is a condom business), so I was particularly interested to hear some of Scott’s entrepreneurial stories, and then explore how he’s evolved both personally, and professionally over the years.
How does someone grow to manage not just one or two, but, 10 full-time businesses?
What has me even more intrigued about Scott is what he said “A bout with testicular cancer in my 30s is what really kicked my ass into gear. Before that, I’d been successful, in advertising and marketing, but I lacked a meaningful direction and focus.”
Strangely enough, when I asked Scott about his biggest challenge, it isn’t even business-related, or cancer, but rather, here’s what Scott said: “My biggest challenge is still on-going. It’s on a personal front and it’s very frustrating because, unlike with my businesses, so much is out of my control.”
Scott continued “I’m busy fighting for my civil rights as a father to get the full amount of time the courts have appointed for me to see my kids”
How does someone deal with their health issues, legal and custody problems, and yet manage 10 businesses?
And that’s where the magic of successful entrepreneurship begins because it’s not how much you, as an entrepreneur can do yourself, or frankly, how good you are at your job, but rather, how well you can manage and motivate others.
Scott understands that. And he seems to be doing it well.
Scott says “My company enjoys tremendous success because I don’t micro-manage every minute of my employees’ day — I am a “hands-free” boss. I hire brilliant people to do exceptional work and then I do something really revolutionary … I let them alone to do it.”
So what’s Scott’s word of advice to entrepreneurs? “Many entrepreneurs treat their business like their babies. But it’s important to be able to let go and let the baby walk on its own, so you can attend to other matters. “
Let’s hear from Scott how’s he’s building his business, and what makes Scott, Scott.
What’s your story? Tell us about yourself
A bout with testicular cancer in my 30s is what really kicked my ass into gear. Before that, I’d been successful, in advertising and marketing, but I lacked a meaningful direction and focus.
Well, there’s nothing like a good health scare to get your priorities in order.
Surviving cancer caused me to take serious stock in my life. What was my life’s work going to mean in the end?
I became what’s known as a serial entrepreneur… launching new businesses but based on a totally new business model.
All my start-ups have a societal give-back component, mostly centered on causes that support men’s health issues. After cancer, I was going to make sure that my success was tied intimately with helping others in life succeed as well.
As for hobbies, I just took up golf with my wife and three young daughters. It’s a great way for us to bond. And of course the first thing I discover out on the fairway was that there’s no real decent line of kids golf apparel available that matched my daughter’s personality – so inspired by this problem, we launched our own golfing fashion line, Wynnr, especially tailored to make young people look good and feel comfortable on the links.
I have over ten businesses.
I have everything from a marketing analytics agency to men’s underwear to philanthropic condoms to Italian menswear.
I’ve also launched several non-for-profit ventures, including The Fairy Foundation, which is dedicated to forging lasting memories for adults with life-threatening medical conditions
Then, there’s CACTI, the Center for Advocacy of Cancer of the Testes International, where we support revolutionary changes in the way testicular cancer patients are treated and cared for, globally. I learned, first-hand, that the medical community is not doing enough – not nearly as much as they’re doing for other cancers – and our goal is to change that by securing testicular cancer patients qualified care and better treatment options.
We believe business—the most powerful man-made force on the planet—must create value for society, not just shareholders. As a socially-minded company, we not only manage and work with several charitable organizations, we also donate half our profits to causes that positively impact the world around us.
Well as an entrepreneur, you never want to get too comfortable or complacent in any role. There’s always something new to pique your interest on the horizon, so once my start-ups are established and running, I tend to move on to the next big thing.
For me, the newest project is the launch of my new consulting business, Revitally. We’ll be consulting the medical community on how to develop and deploy new and viable business strategies for the healthcare industry. Revitally will bring cutting-edge tactics, like predictive analysis and customer experience marketing, to a healthcare ecosystem known for its conservative and steadfast adherence to traditional ways of doing business.
And one more thing … I recently earned my certification as a Strategic Healthcare Advisor from Cornell University, which qualifies me to lead teams, initiatives, and changes within the healthcare community.
Each of my start-ups has several full-time employees, then we resize as needed. My company enjoys tremendous success because I don’t micro-manage every minute of my employees’ day — I am a “hands-free” boss.
I hire brilliant people to do exceptional work and then I do something really revolutionary … I let them alone to do it. It’s just that simple, just that smart, just that revolutionary and just that effective. Not to mention their compensation/benefits are superior to their peers at other organizations.
My biggest challenge is still on-going. It’s on a personal front and it’s very frustrating because, unlike with my businesses, so much is out of my control.
I’m busy fighting for my civil rights as a father to get the full amount of time the courts have appointed for me to see my kids. I have written documents that some judges refuse to honor.
It’s a travesty of justice.
The amount of red tape and lawyer’s meetings is costly and slow-moving. If anything, it’s given me a much better appreciation of the stream-lined methods I use as an entrepreneur, and if I wasn’t so busy working on behalf of men’s health issues, fixing the family court system would certainly be next on my list!
My biggest success has been being put in the position to be able to put my money where my mouth is.
Back in 2014, I personally donated $500,000 for testicular cancer and adolescent/young adult (AYA) research programs at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles, where they’re doing groundbreaking work. Then, at this beginning of this year, I donated another $500,000 to the University of Minnesota for their men’s cancer survivorship research. They’re doing the most advanced research being done in regard to cancer survivorship in men, starting with the cognitive effects of cancer therapy. It’s incredibly important work and it’s my greatest success.
Hiring extraordinary people so I can stay out of the weeds is what affords me a good work/life balance.
It’s important to maintain that view from 30,000 feet and not get bogged down in the daily workings of a business.
I know that’s tough for many entrepreneurs. They treat their business like their babies. But it’s important to be able to let go and let the baby walk on its own, so you can attend to other matters.
I wish I had an answer for that!
Stress is a great motivator for me.
I never want to get too comfortable. But where I’ve found the most relief with stress is in my Fairy Foundation. It forces me to realize that tomorrow is never guaranteed and as difficult life gets sometimes, there are some facing more crucial hurdles while others are fighting for their lives.
No, there’s no real exit strategy in the works here, because my main goal with these start-ups is not to make a killing, per se. The businesses are built on a non-traditional business model. They exist to educate people and fund initiatives that will help humanity. No one wants an exit strategy from that!
I’m not a spender or a saver. I’m a recirculator. I save funds so that I can give them away to causes I believe in and know I can have an impact with. I used to be a spender. But then I realized money is a powerful tool when it can be put to use for the betterment of others. I saw where too many for-profit ventures dropped the ball when it comes to supporting the communities that make their markets possible. With these start-ups I’ve established, I’m trying to show, by example, it can all work a totally different way.
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I’m looking to chronicle the lives of entrepreneurs who are at any stage in their entrepreneurial journey, whether you’ve just started, or, have had multiple exits. If you would like to be considered for an interview, please contact me.
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Also, I published a book during the summer of 2018, “The Kickass Entrepreneur’s Guide to Investing, Three Simple Steps to Create Massive Wealth with Your Business’s Profits.” It was number 1 on Amazon in both the business and non-fiction sections. You can get a free copy here.
