From Military to CEO: David Mann on Leading by Example

The Dreamfuel Show

What fuels a leader's journey? It's a question many founders and CEOs ponder daily.

The answer might surprise you: it's all about mindset, integrity, and putting people first.

In this episode of The Dreamfuel Show, host Kevin Bailey sits with David Mann, a military veteran, entrepreneur, and investor. David shares his insights on values-driven leadership, emphasizing the importance of genuinely caring about people professionally and personally to create a desirable company culture that leads to great results. He also discusses the challenges and lessons learned from his journey, including overcoming his ego, the impact of his faith, and transitioning leadership experiences from the Navy to the business world.

Key Takeaways:

1. Suffering and Growth – David shares how adversity fueled his personal development, highlighting faith as a guiding force.
2. Humble Leadership – David outlines transitioning from arrogance to humility, stressing that the best leaders empower their teams.
3. Abundance Mindset – Focusing on what you can give rather than what you can get can unlock endless opportunities and build stronger, more sincere connections.

Resources

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:19) From Navy to private equity

(04:59) Navigating high-stakes challenges with integrity

(08:48) Why core values matter more than numbers in private equity

(12:12) Building people-first cultures

(20:09) Faith and abundance mindset

(26:07) Why daily routines matter

(29:01) Importance of humility in leadership