Top insights for driven-minds

Finding Purpose in the Darkest Places

Perhaps the most compelling lesson from Dr. Fretz's experience comes from his deployment in Iraq. In what he describes as one of his darkest moments—under fire, isolated from his unit, and facing personal struggles—he found purpose through an unexpected opportunity to rebuild a scouting program.

With no budget, limited time, and in a war zone, Dr. Fretz rallied volunteers to create a 5-acre scout camp that transformed the lives of Iraqi children and American service members alike. This project became a healing experience and demonstrated the power of purpose-driven leadership.

The key takeaway? When facing your greatest business challenges, finding a clear purpose can transform not only your own motivation but also inspire unprecedented commitment from your team.

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The "Do Epic" Standard

As the architect of the University of Michigan's entrepreneurship minor core course, Dr. Fretz established an unconventional grading standard: "Do epic." This simple but powerful mandate challenged students to reach beyond ordinary expectations.

"I want to see you do something amazing," Dr. Fretz would tell students. "I know what you're capable of. Show me."

This approach yielded remarkable results, helping launch successful ventures like Valiant Clothing and Management, which now handles NIL deals for Michigan athletes. The lesson for founders is clear: setting extraordinary expectations often leads to extraordinary results.

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Emotional Intelligence as a Leadership Foundation

Dr. Fretz emphasizes emotional intelligence as critical for entrepreneurial success. He breaks it down into four quadrants:

1. Self-awareness
2. Self-control
3. Awareness of others
4. Relationship management

"If you are bringing your best self to the table and nearly 100% of your energy is available to push out to those around you, they will feel it," he explains.

For founders, this means investing in your own emotional development first. When you master the self-awareness and self-control quadrants, you create the capacity to better understand and serve your team, leading to loyalty and commitment that can seem almost "scary" in its intensity.

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Building Without Permission

One of Dr. Fretz's most counterintuitive lessons is about navigating bureaucracy. "If your idea involves getting permission or endorsement from some administrator, it's basically the equivalent of giving your idea cancer," he warns.

This doesn't mean breaking rules, but rather understanding when to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. For founders, especially those working within or alongside large organizations, this means focusing on creating value first and dealing with procedural hurdles second.

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When Things End: Legacy and Transition

Despite the success of his entrepreneurship course, Dr. Fretz recently faced its discontinuation. His response offers a master class in gracefully navigating setbacks while preserving your legacy.

Rather than becoming bitter, he focused on what could be preserved—continuing to teach other courses, mentoring student clubs, and celebrating the program's 12-year impact. For founders facing pivots or shutdowns, this demonstrates how to honor what you've built while moving forward.

The true measure of entrepreneurial success isn't just what you create, but the impact it has on others long after you're gone. As Dr. Fretz puts it: "I get to help people live a better version of their life, and that just means everything to me."