Mike Lloyd’s entrepreneurial story began with a simple childhood side hustle—burning CDs for friends in his small Michigan hometown. That spark of ingenuity set him on a journey from studying at MIT and Harvard to launching and scaling companies that reshaped industries. In this episode of Forward Obsessed, Mike delves into the pivotal moments that defined his path, sharing the highs and lows of his journey.

He opens up about the painful lessons learned from his first failed startup and how he transformed those experiences into a winning formula for success. Mike reveals the critical importance of mastering distribution, his obsession with solving meaningful problems, and how COVID and Bitcoin propelled his cyber insurance company to the forefront of the industry. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or simply love a compelling story of resilience and growth, this conversation is full of inspiration and actionable wisdom.

🔎 Find Out More About Mike Lloyd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelloyd Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeLloyd Corvus Insurance: https://www.corvusinsurance.com

Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Mike Lloyd 04:10 - Small-Town Beginnings: Burned CDs & the Hacker Spirit 08:45 - Learning Early Business Lessons 13:00 - From Soccer Dreams to VMI and MIT 19:30 - Why Engineering Shapes Problem-Solvers 24:15 - The Shift from Academia to Startups 29:00 - First-Time Founder Failures and Hard Lessons 35:20 - Obsessing Over Distribution: A Game-Changer 39:40 - Building Corvus Insurance with Phil Edmondson 44:15 - The Role of Brokers in Insurance Distribution 50:00 - Finding Product-Market Fit in Cyber Insurance 55:30 - COVID as a Catalyst for Cyber Insurance Growth 01:03:15 - Bitcoin’s Role in Cybersecurity’s Evolution 01:08:20 - Fundraising Tips for Entrepreneurs 01:14:45 - Partnering with Travelers: A Behind-the-Scenes Look 01:22:30 - Lessons in Failure, Resilience, and Letting Go 01:30:00 - Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Parents

🔗 Other Links & Resources:

Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062292986 The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062273205 Measure What Matters by John Doerr: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525536221

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Mike Lloyd: Building Resilience, Distribution, and Cyber Insurance Innovation // #61

Forward Obsessed