In this episode, I sit down with Michael Ceely, a high-performance coach for executives, entrepreneurs, and athletes, to talk about why founders get stuck in fear, anxiety spirals, and self-sabotage. He brings a rare perspective to the founder mindset because he knows when someone needs coaching and when they actually need therapy.

Michael reframes imposter syndrome as a normal response to new situations, explains why anxiety is often an action signal rather than a problem, and shares how getting the focus off yourself and onto your customer can quiet a lot of the noise. We also talk about Madison’s startup ecosystem, what he learned from StartingBlock’s Level Set program, and his ambitious goal to scale into a $10M/year business.

Tune in to learn:

Why imposter syndrome is a normal insecurity and what to do with it
Why anxiety is often an “action signal,” and the simple habit that breaks the spiral
How the 80% rule + real delegation help founders regain momentum

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(00:37) Meet Michael Ceely

(01:41) A Wisconsin story of becoming a coach

(05:04) How Michael balances psychotherapy and coaching work

(10:39) Why coaching’s lack of regulation matters

(18:13) Common patterns founders struggle with

(27:24) Where does anxiety come from

(29:43) The 80% rule for decision making

(31:58) How self-sabotage shows up

(33:28) Madison’s impact on founder mindset

(36:14) Inside Madison’s StartingBlock experience

(38:48) What makes Madison a good place to build

(44:10) Why accountability beats another workshop

(48:21) Scaling with intention, not shortcuts

Connect with Michael Ceely: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ceely/

Follow Michael Ceely on Instagram: http://instagram.com/michael_ceely/

Check out Michael Ceely’s official website: https://www.michaelceely.com/

Podcast Sponsor

Valency Fund

Flexible funding solutions designed for sustainable growth of Wisconsin companies.

Learn more at https://www.valencyfund.com/

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Interested in being a guest? Reach out!

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Startup Wisconsin's mission is to connect, educate, inspire, and grow tech startup communities across the state, not just during events, but year-round. This podcast is part of that vision, creating deeper connections and sharing the knowledge that helps Wisconsin's startup ecosystem thrive.

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Helping Founders Get Out of Their Own Way with Michael Ceely