In this episode of Redefining Resilience, Chris and Kiley sit down with Michael Kelly.

Michael Kelly is co-founder and CEO at DeveloperTown, an Indianapolis based software agency that focuses on financial services and healthcare digital transformation. In addition to DeveloperTown, Mike is involved in a number of other companies. He’s President and co-founder of FullStack (a regional PEO), the founder of Tenant Tracker (SaaS for CRE), a co-founder of Waterly (SaaS for water and wastewater), a co-founder of OpsStitch (AI for small business governance), a co-founder of 1919 Ventures (a new Carmel-based spirits company), and a co-founder of Start Something Ventures (a Midwest-based angel investment group). Mike is also an advisor and board member for numerous early-stage startups, he is an Operating Partner for Elevate Ventures, is an advisor at the Entrepreneurship Center in Nashville TN, and is a mentor for the Founders Institute program in Chicago IL.

As a leader in digital transformation and an advisor to countless startups, Michael shares his journey through entrepreneurship, highlighting the lessons, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped his path.

Tune in as Michael dives into what excites him about building businesses, the skills that have propelled him forward, and the mistakes that have provided invaluable learning experiences. He also shares his secret to success—kindness—and offers practical advice on staying organized, managing stress, and navigating resilience in both personal and professional life.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a business leader, or someone seeking inspiration for overcoming life’s challenges, this episode is packed with wisdom.

Michael’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldkelly/

Venture Declassified Podcast: https://www.venturedeclassified.com/

The Innovation Series Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/41H2xw2JU3jrGYLLqfUaub

The Innovation Series Podcast (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-innovation-series/id1553772143

🕒 Timestamps:

00:25 Michael’s journey to entrepreneurship

18:39 What excites Michael about starting and running businesses

21:03 What we can learn from Michael’s mistakes

32:09 Skills for success

42:25 Michael’s key to success: Kindness

47:40 Michael’s personal life

01:04:12 How resilience has shown up in Michael’s life

01:10:27 How to manage stress and stay organized

01:16:39 To business looking for investors

To learn more about building a resilient lifestyle, visit odysseyresilience.org or send us an email.