Copywriter to CEO, with Mike Giannulis

<img src="https://copywriterspodcast.com/images/banner/copywriterspodcast185.jpg" /> <br />Our guest today, Mike Giannulis, is a serial entrepreneur who understands, and has depended upon, the value of copy to really grow the business.<br /> When I met Mike and we started working together, his main focus was copywriting. But he has built several seven- and eight-figure businesses from scratch. And his the business he runs now, he told me, is currently on track to generate eight figures of revenue.<br /> It’s called Sanetris, with its products and programs focused on health and wellness. He has about 30 people on staff.<br /> Mike also has a personal story you may have heard about. And one time, he weighed 540 pounds, but he has lost and kept off more than 300 pounds.<br /> Today, we’re going to talk about a different transformation in his life, though. The journey from copywriter to CEO.<br /> Here’s what we asked him:<br /> 1. Mike, we were working together when you made the transition from copywriter to CEO. I continued to work with you on copy topics, but as I recall, you hired a different coach for your new role as CEO, which of course was a smart thing to do! ☺<br /> Could you tell us about the new skills you needed to develop, as you transitioned from copywriter to CEO?<br /> 2. A copywriter, if they’re any good, is focused on the copy and the results it needs to get. A CEO has to lead, guide, and keep track of a business. (I hope I got that right!) What mindset changes did you experience as you moved into the CEO slot… and could you give us an example or two of what that looked like?<br /> 3. I’d like to look at the last question from an activity point of view, rather than a mindset point of view. Could you talk about the day-to-differences of managing people and processes, as a CEO, rather than primarily managing words and images, as a copywriter?<br /> 4. What was your biggest challenge as a new CEO? How did you deal with it?<br /> 5. What was your biggest surprise as a new CEO -- what you expected to h