Lessons of Failure and Success from Technologist and Serial Entrepreneur, Tony Gauda

Once again we are joined by another phenomenal guest! Tony Gauda is a serial industry disruptor and entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience in management and strategy, business development and partnerships, full lifecycle product management, complex software and infrastructure, engineering at scale, cybersecurity, and fraud prevention across multiple industries. He has founded consumer and enterprise SaaS companies that have developed cutting-edge technology products used by millions of people worldwide, is a 3x patent holder, and has managed company-wide multi-million dollar P&Ls and forecasting needs based in both start-up and enterprise environments. Currently, he is the CTO of Modern Products; an agency that elegantly designs and builds next-generation hardware and software products for makers, startups, enterprises, and government agencies.   In our conversation together today, Tony shares all about his fascinating background as a successful serial entrepreneur, highlights from his career, key insights into why some startups fail (and how to avoid being one of them), and the leadership behaviors that are most important for scaling a start-up. Tony also offers advice to fellow entrepreneurs on learning from failure, finding your calm amongst the storm, taking courageous action, and staying ahead of the curve. You won’t want to miss out!   Key Takeaways: [:50] About today’s episode with the incredible Tony Gauda! [1:40] Welcoming Tony to the podcast! [2:04] Tony shares how he got into tech and became a successful serial entrepreneur. [10:15] Main highlights and huge lessons from Tony’s career. [14:30] Key leadership behaviors for scaling start-ups. [16:48] Tony’s insights into why some start-ups fail (and how to avoid being one of them!) [18:07] Tony shares some of his own failures and the lessons within them. [21:24] Tony’s take on why there is not more diversity in the tech sector. [25:38] One of the five dimensions of leadership is ‘Activate Mastery.’ What does mastery mean to Tony? [26:40] What Tony sees for himself regarding growth in his career. [28:30] About Tony’s children and how he encourages them to follow their passions. [31:58] How Tony stays active and committed to his community. [32:55] With technology advancing so fast, what should the average consumer be embracing vs. be wary of? [34:50] The one skill that Tony encourages everyone to be good at. [36:26] The power of failure and how to begin to take your first courageous step towards failure. [38:45] Tony’s philosophy for life. [40:24] How Tony finds his inner peace and calmness even in stressful moments. [42:06] Tony’s parting words of wisdom for listeners. [44:52] Thanking Tony for joining the podcast!   Mentioned in this Episode: Tony Gauda’s LinkedIn   About Fifth Dimensional Leadership & Ginny Clarke Fifth-Dimensional Leadership is a podcast about leadership — knowing yourself, speaking your truth, inspiring love, expanding your consciousness and activating your mastery. As an executive recruiter and career expert currently leading executive recruiting at a Fortune 20 tech company, Ginny Clarke is a passionate and authentic thought leader with a unique and deliberate perspective on work and life. She synthesizes aspects of her life as an African-American single mother who has successfully navigated corporate America for over 30 years. She has inspired, uplifted, and changed the lives of thousands and is intentional about bringing conscious awareness to people of all ages and stages.   Every other week, a new edition of Fifth-Dimensional Leadership will include fascinating guests, covering a variety of topics: power, personal branding, self-awareness, networking, fear, and career management.   Stay Connected! To find more episodes or learn more, visit: GinnyClarke.com Connect with her on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Youtube