Episode #8 Doug Adlam: The Serial Entrepreneur Inspiring a Life of Exponential Growth Through Setbacks

Doug Adlam is a serial entrepreneur and exponential growth expert whose journey spans the mortgage, fintech, and wealth management sectors. After scaling his parents' mortgage business by 40X and co-founding Finmo, a technology company that fundamentally transformed Canada's mortgage process, Doug discovered his passion for driving exponential growth through innovation and disruption across multiple ventures.

In this episode, Doug opens up about his fascinating transition from high-stakes sports officiating to serial entrepreneurship. Drawing from his experience of nearly 800 games as a hockey official, he shares how early lessons in performing under pressure and managing conflict on the ice shaped his approach to scaling businesses. Doug discusses his pivotal career redirection when his NHL officiating dreams ended, and how this moment became a catalyst for his entrepreneurial journey.

As an active member of Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and graduate of the Global Speakers Academy, Doug brings a unique perspective that combines high-performance sports psychology with business acumen. He shares compelling insights about challenging industry monopolies, navigating near-bankruptcy experiences, and the importance of resilience in entrepreneurship – including a dramatic "22 minutes from bankruptcy" story that showcases the real challenges of scaling ventures.

With an engaging storytelling style and authentic vulnerability, Doug inspires listeners to embrace challenges as opportunities and pursue what he calls an "exponential life" – one that exceeds the limitations we place on ourselves.

Key Takeaways:
- Failure can be a powerful catalyst for growth and redirection
- True disruption requires courage to challenge established industry norms
- Business success often comes from identifying and improving existing solutions rather than reinventing everything
- The entrepreneurial journey involves managing both personal and investor expectations
- Learning from cross-industry experiences can provide valuable insights and solutions

Sound Bites:
- "You don't always need to reinvent the wheel - you can learn from others who have done things before you."
- "Just because an industry has always done something doesn't mean there isn't a better way to do it."
- "You have a choice to live subpar in mediocrity or exponentially."
- "We can unlock levels of fulfillment that we literally can't imagine exist or possible."

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction and Early Career Aspirations
03:15 - The NHL Dream and First Major Redirection
17:40 - Building a Mortgage Business
25:04 - Challenging Industry Status Quo
32:42 - The 22 Minutes from Bankruptcy Story
45:11 - Cross-Industry Innovation and Learning
52:13 - Overcoming Challenges and Imposter Syndrome
57:19 - Lessons Learned and Living Exponentially
01:00:36 - Final Thoughts on Entrepreneurship and Growth