From Operator and Acquirer to CEO—and Now a Summit OS® Guide
I’ve spent nearly three decades leading businesses through growth, complexity, and inflection points—beginning in early operating and leadership roles, refined through acquisition and integration work at Cubic, expanded as a standalone CEO, and now applied as a Summit OS® Guide helping founders install the discipline needed to scale with confidence.
My operating discipline sharpened at Cubic, where I acquired and integrated multiple companies into a larger business unit. That work required aligning teams, integrating systems, rationalizing portfolios, and building the execution rhythm needed for the combined business to perform as one. I saw how quickly momentum breaks down when growth outpaces structure—and how essential clarity, cadence, and leadership alignment are to value creation.
I later stepped into the CEO role at BT Federal, where those lessons became mission‑critical. The business needed a full reset: clarifying strategy, rebuilding the operating foundation, aligning the leadership team, and executing a deliberate growth plan. Together, we stabilized the business, restored execution discipline, and positioned the company for its next chapter—ultimately selling the business as a carve‑out to a U.S. entity.
Across these experiences, I developed a deep respect for the personal weight founders carry and the pressure to create long‑term enterprise value while leading through complexity. I also learned that most leadership teams don’t have a talent problem—they have an operating system problem.
That journey led me to partner with Steve Preda, creator of Summit OS®—a framework that mirrors the operating discipline I spent years building in practice. Through Patriot Insights, I guide founder‑led companies using three integrated systems:
• Summit OS® — Install execution discipline and operating cadence that drives traction and enterprise value.
• Strategy OS® — Align the leadership team around a clear, actionable strategy.
• Market & Growth Advisory — Strengthen market position and accelerate external growth.
My work begins by installing the first two Base Camps of Summit OS®—the foundation that creates the 45‑Day Momentum Moment. By Day 45, teams are aligned, executing with focus, and gaining measurable traction. As companies mature, they often graduate into Strategy OS® to sharpen long‑term direction or engage in Market & Growth Advisory to expand into new markets. - Mike Barthlow, Founder Patriot Insights