Rick Snyder had never run for office. He was a CPA with three degrees by twenty-three, six years spent scaling Gateway from 600 employees to 13,000, and a venture capital career behind him. Then a dinner conversation with his wife in early 2009 ended somewhere neither of them expected.
He entered the race polling low enough that his early supporters joked he could be a negative number. He still calls them the Margin of Error Club.
In this conversation with Dan Loepp, Michigan's 48th governor walks through what followed. Why he spent his first campaign's Super Bowl money on an ad his own supporters hated. What he kept on his corkboard for all eight years in office. Why he published state performance metrics on day one, and what the Lansing establishment warned him he had just done to himself. The standard he set for his team that sounded, on its face, like permission to fail.
Snyder also names the accomplishment he is proudest of, which is something he says he will never actually see. He reflects on knowing from the start that he was on an eight-year clock, why he stayed quiet after leaving office, and the advice he gives every leader approaching the end of a defining role.
Live from the Next Chapter is hosted by Dan Loepp, former President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Learned Insight, Shared Generously.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danloepp.substack.com
Rick SnyderGuest
Dan LoeppHostMichael Patrick ShieldsHost