Our FOUNDER'S Story

I’ve spent nearly three decades leading businesses through growth, complexity, and inflection points—first as an operator and acquirer inside large organizations, then as a standalone CEO, and now as a Summit OS® Guide working directly with founders and leadership teams.

Earlier in my career at Cubic, I gained hands-on experience in the realities of running and scaling a mid-sized business by acquiring and integrating multiple companies into a larger operating unit. That work went far beyond diligence and deal mechanics. It required aligning teams, integrating systems, rationalizing portfolios, and establishing execution discipline so the combined business could perform and grow as one. It was during this period that I learned how quickly momentum breaks down when growth outpaces structure—and how critical operating cadence and leadership alignment are to value creation.

I later stepped into the CEO role at BT Federal, where those lessons became essential. As a standalone business, BT Federal required a full reset: clarifying strategy, establishing an operating foundation, aligning leadership, and putting a deliberate growth plan in place. Working closely with the team, we stabilized the business, rebuilt execution discipline, and positioned the company for its next chapter—ultimately selling the business as a carve-out to a U.S. entity.

Across both experiences, I worked closely with owners, founders, and leadership teams navigating pivotal moments—growth plateaus, integration challenges, leadership strain, and the pressure of creating long-term value. Those relationships gave me a deep appreciation for the personal weight of ownership and the difference a disciplined operating system can make.

That journey led me to partner with Steve Preda, creator of Summit OS®—a framework that mirrors the operating discipline I spent years building and refining in practice. Today, as a Summit OS Guide, I help CEOs and leadership teams intentionally install that discipline to regain momentum and scale with confidence.

My work begins with a 45-Day Momentum Moment, designed to establish clarity, execution cadence, and measurable traction within the first 45 days. From there, we implement Summit OS to systematically increase enterprise value—targeting a 50% increase within 12 months and 3× value within three years.

This is the convergence of my experience as an operator, acquirer, integrator, and CEO—and my role today as a guide helping leaders turn complexity into clarity and growth into lasting value.   

- Mike Barthlow, Chief Growth Guide