The Founder's Notes
A blog by Scott Hofert.
Welcome to The Founder's Notes.
I will keep this short. This is a place where I write honestly about what building something actually looks like. The good, the hard, and the stuff most people never talk about.
Over the past 20+ years, I've founded and built both for-profit and nonprofit ventures. The journey has humbled me more times than I can count - and it's also given me real joy through the learnings, the surprises, and the moments of hard-won clarity. I'd love to share what I've discovered along the way: the places I've grown up, the lessons that took time to earn, and just as importantly, the failures that shaped me. I don't see those failures as detours - I see them as the curriculum. If you're building something and want a steady, honest partner in the process, I'd be honored to walk alongside you. I'm looking forward to the journey ahead.
Grateful, Scott
Every Person Needs a Quest
I remember my freshman year of college, when different speakers came in to talk to the whole student body about being part of something bigger than ourselves. I sat there...
Entrepreneurship and Pain Tolerance
When I was first starting out, I had to make decisions that felt enormous, even though on paper they were fairly small. These are the ones that followed me around...
Direction Is Everything | Learning to Say No
In the early days of ColsenKeane, we tried to be and do everything. If it led to a sale, we said yes. The thinking was simple: all income is good...
Victim or Owner: The Book That Changed How I See My Own Life
Victim or Owner: The Book That Changed How I See My Own Life Every year there are one or two books that jump off the page at me. Books that...
On the Long Game
Benjamin Franklin said, “If we take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves.” I talk to my boys about this all the time. They're 19 and...
Let the Argument Go
For years I thought I could win people over with facts. If I said something rational and the other person was being irrational, I figured they'd eventually come around. My...
9 - END GAME - What’s Your Future Intent?
What's Your Future Intent? Where do you ultimately want this company to land? And when that day comes, how do you want to hand it off? Most of us never...
