Getting Out of the Way: From Hands-On Founder CEO to Non-Exec Chairman with Fred Crosetto

In this episode, Fred Crosetto traces his journey from a scrappy American kid in Asia to chairman of the AMMEX Group, a growing $300M conglomerate. Fred explains how early pivoting during the AIDS crisis, relentless direct-sales hustle, and spin-outs in China and the Philippines unlocked tremendous growth. You’ll learn why ruthless prioritization beats “shiny object syndrome,” and how to empower next-generation leadership teams. He closes with rapid-fire takes on his favorite books, daily routines, and his mantra: “Start—and never give up.”Show Notes[00:00] TeaserFred explains why he could’ve sold at any time—but chose to “evolve out” and keep running AMMEX Group.[00:48] IntroScott welcomes Fred Crosetto, founder & chairman of AMMEX Group.[02:03] Episode FramingWhy focus, delegation, and resilience define entrepreneurial success.[02:11] Meet Fred CrosettoSeattle native, UW alum, founded AMMEX in 1988—$300M+ revenue across North America, China & SE Asia.[03:38] Entrepreneurial OriginsAt 22, Fred reads Megatrends by John Naisbitt and moves to Taiwan.[04:45] Early Crisis & TurnaroundA disastrous launch amid the AIDS awakening teaches pivoting and perseverance.[06:16] First $1 M MilestoneBlock-and-tackle selling: cold calls, mailings, and personal hustle.[07:05] Core Philosophy“Make your strengths productive and your weaknesses irrelevant.”[08:24] Scaling Beyond Solo FounderBuilding a finance, tech & ops A-team around his sales superpower.[11:09] Embracing UncertaintyCycling through seven banks in 12 years; volatility as fertile ground.[14:34] Meeting Verne HarnishEarly mentorship from Verne Harnish, Mastering Business Dynamics, leads to implementing the Scaling Up framework.[15:11] Focus & PrioritizationThe five-priority habit: why saying “no” drives exponential wins.[19:46] Platform MomentShared-services spin-outs in China & the Philippines; empowering independent GMs.[22:44] Evolve OutIdentifying, empowering, then stepping aside for next-gen leaders.[27:01] Future Spin-Out: AI ServicesLeveraging in-house AI experiments into a standalone business.[29:34] Leadership Transition LessonsEnsuring clarity, candor, and autonomy when new leaders take the reins.[31:36] Quick Fire (Entrepreneur Hacks)[31:52] Scott: “What’s one book every entrepreneur should read?”Fred: “AI Driven Leadership by Jeff Woods”—plus classics like Scaling Up, Good to Great, Great by Choice, Shoe Dog, and The AI Factor.[33:14] Scott: “What’s one thing you do every morning?”Fred: “No ritual—just get up and go.”[33:43] Scott: “What’s one tool you can’t live without?”Fred: “My iPhone—I panic if I leave it behind.”[34:53] Scott: “What’s a daily grounding habit?”Fred: “Evening dog walks with my wife, Kristien—a moment to disconnect and reflect.”[35:28] Scott: “What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?”Fred: “Make your strengths productive and your weaknesses irrelevant.”[37:32] Scott: “If you could restart AMMEX from scratch, which lesson would you bring?”Fred: “Start—and never give up. Plans always take twice as long and cost twice as much, but persistence wins.”[38:17] Final LessonPersistence through chaos: expect plans to take twice as long and cost twice as much.[39:48] OutroScott wraps with upcoming guests and a reminder: entrepreneurship is disciplined action.Shout Outs (People)🔹 Verne Harnish – Mentor and Scaling Up architect who reshaped Fred’s focus practice🔹 EO Forum peers (Entrepreneurs’ Organization) – For the candid exit-plan roasting that sparked Fred’s platform epiphanyBooks Mentioned• Megatrends by John Naisbitt• AI Driven Leadership by Jeff Woods• The AI Factor by Astra Saxinas• Scaling Up by Verne Harnish• Good to Great by Jim Collins• Great by Choice by Jim Collins• Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

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