Paper Napkin Wisdom - Podcast And Blog For Entrepreneurs, Leaders And Difference-makers

In episode 213 of Paper Napkin Wisdom, Govindh Jayaraman welcomes Michelle Songy, a serial entrepreneur who has successfully built and led multiple ventures. Michelle shared a game-changing perspective that every entrepreneur and leader should consider: "Prepare to scale down at some point. It isn't a bad thing." This statement encapsulates her hard-earned wisdom and challenges the conventional belief that relentless growth is the only path to success.  Pressure to Grow  Michelle’s entrepreneurial journey, spanning two companies, has taught her that growth comes with unique challenges. She candidly described how the pressure to grow quickly often led her to measure success by metrics like team size. "People would ask, 'How many employees do you have?' and I’d feel compelled to give a bigger number each time," she shared. But this focus on scale often led to inefficiencies, stress, and a loss of alignment with her core mission.  This episode explores the idea that scaling responsibly and strategically—