Don’t Commit to a Paved Path: Interview with Megan Gluth-Bohan, CEO of Catalynt
I recently went one-on-one with Megan Gluth-Bohan, CEO of Catalynt.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Megan: I grew up under the poverty line in Iowa, and I wasn’t really surrounded by wealthy or white-collar people until I visited big cities and saw a wider variety of people. Most weren’t experiencing the same levels of generational poverty, trauma, and general stuckness that I had seen a lot of in the hard-working people around me. It was then that my range of view was widened and I saw all the choices laid out in front of me.
The key motivator that lit the spark in me is saying, “I don’t want this.” Whatever I saw of my life, how it would unfold if I stayed in that town and didn’t follow my intuition, I knew I wouldn’t be leaning into my best self if I didn’t just admit to myself I didn’t want it, and go chase something else.
I got into college and flunked out because I couldn’t figure out how to party and study at the same time; I needed to make those mistakes to learn how important prioritization is for my long-term goals. Eventually, I hauled myself up, graduated, and got into law school. A friend’s dad, Craig, saw a spark in me and cosigned on law school loans, which I am eternally grateful for — without him, it would’ve been a long, hard road to get to the same place I am now.
Right after I passed the bar exam, my wife lost her long battle with cancer. This was devastating; if I was an amateur alcoholic before, this is when I went pro. Since I was a very high-functioning alcoholic, I felt it was under control. I wasn’t failing in any traditional sense- but I felt like garbage inside. I knew I wasn’t the woman I wanted to be. In this time, my current wife made me an ultimatum: I kept drinking, or I kept her. Easier said than done, but after many AA meetings and a lot of self-healing, I haven’t touched a drop in 13 years.
Soon after, I was interviewing with law firms, when a friend of mine connected me with the owner of a chemical company. We hit it off and I became his general counsel. A few years later I worked my way up to president, and a few years after that, he decided to step back and make me CEO. A few years after that, he retired fully and sold me the company.
There have been too many challenges to count, but all of them have influenced me today. The initial question is what guides me: “If I don’t want this, what can I do from here?” How can I change my circumstances and lead with intuition?
Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business?
Megan: A common phrase I like to say is, “Give me the baby, not the labor.” It means to cut through the noise and double-talk, work through problems in your own way, come up with solutions, and communicate efficiently without the need for micromanagement or other toxic work habits. You can’t grow or scale a business by talking about how you are going to do it.. You need to DO IT. Move. Make steps. Take risks. Advance.
I also value people’s tomorrow more than their yesterday, meaning that I look for people who possess an innate drive and passion that moves them forward like a current. When you’re too comfortable, you don’t grow. I need people who look at their situation and say, “Where can I go from here?” These kinds of people have the things you can’t teach- tenacity, hustle, drive. I don’t care where they went to school. We grow because of their talent. And I am grateful for my team every day.
This, I believe, is at the core when a business is scaling and growing. Creating a team of tenacious and hungry people, establishing a culture where everyone knows where the goalposts are, and running together.
I speak plainly, emphasize honesty, and embody compassionate capitalism. By modeling the proper behavior and being authentically who I am, employees know I’m not going to move the goalposts around, make them prioritize work over their lives, or create confusion or uncertainty by not being clear on standards and accountability. They are able to put their best foot forward and produce results they are proud of.
Due to this philosophy, revenue last year rose to 120 million, and is climbing — and we have no intention of slowing down!
Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
Megan: The best leaders are curious, tenacious, and intentional. But more than anything, they hone their intuition. They lead themselves toward success before leading others, seeking continuous improvement. Their competence shines through due to their discipline, adaptability, and ability to establish trust and understanding within their teams. It ensures that, despite evolving leadership styles, the steady core remains the same.
A lot of people want to be a leader on day one, but it takes a lot of work to build that rapport and skill. Leaders have a responsibility to manage the changing winds and the urge to jump forward. You must provide equilibrium and cultivate the skills of slowing down and being mindful, leading by example so people have clear expectations.
I will say it again because it bears repeating: a good leader is steady, reliable, and consistent. If you’re not those things in the day-to-day, your teams won’t trust your judgment during a crisis. I’m an effective leader because I always take time out of my day to meditate, exercise, and fuel my body correctly to promote calm and competence to my employees. All these things help me maintain strength internally to withstand outer winds.
Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Megan: Leaders don’t have to be aggressive and intense, especially not during high-stress times. It’s not “if” problems, but “when” problems — a leader's responsibility is to deal with issues as they happen, fix mistakes, and process emotions internally so they don’t bleed into the rest of the organization.
Do your best to curtail that initial burst of emotion when experiencing a change in circumstances and practice calm. Leadership isn’t about satisfying that impulse to throw things around the room when a project doesn’t go your way or kicking someone for a mistake; you must project stability and unity to your organization in order to draw out the best in them and move forward.
Equanimity is wisdom. Steady leadership is success.
No one will be harder on themselves than a person who has committed an error; oftentimes, they’re the ones who understand the intricacies of the problem and can provide a solution. My motto is, “I care that it happened. NOW RECOVER.” Not to say that an error can’t be big or create even more complicated issues, but effective leaders are playing chess, not checkers. Acknowledge when things don’t go right, apologize to the parties harmed, and come up with a solution. There’s no use in wallowing in misery, what-ifs, or negative scenarios.
Your teams look up to you. They observe your every move and reaction, oscillating between meeting and exceeding expectations with every faux pas or short-sighted decision you make. Businesses don’t prove their mettle by not making any mistakes, but by how quickly they recover from them. Be a leader who looks out into the future, follows their intuition, and learns from all mistakes.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Megan: The first and biggest tip is that the best time is now. Quit waiting for things to get lined up; if you have a dream, goal, or calling, it’s for you. Take little steps toward that and listen to your intuition. I couldn’t choose my childhood circumstances, the personal tragedies I’ve been through, or massive supply chain disruptors like COVID-19 — but I can choose to take stock of what’s in front of me now and move forward, sometimes incrementally, with all my past experiences and mistakes.
My second tip is to seek people who are excited to build together and overcome difficulties. Deep calls to deep; the more you flex your intuition muscles, the easier it is to spot those who share your values. Realize you’re not your thoughts, and sometimes 90 percent of them are lies we tell to keep ourselves from discomfort. You have power over your inner critic and can become the driver in the driver’s seat of your life.
Thirdly, be an ally, not a friend. Being a good leader or team member isn’t about acceptance and being liked by everyone, but being consistent. It takes years to create strong trust bonds and keep your focus on the best interest of all employees, not approval or friendship. People will recognize your effort and reciprocate, creating immense potential for growth and progress!
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Megan: My leadership style is, first and foremost, inspiring and direct. I’ve been told this is a very effective method of communicating my standards because no one is confused about where the bar is and how to reach it. As a result, people are more creative, form stronger bonds, and can rely on their gut instincts and internal motivation to move the needle forward. If we specifically bring in driven, enthusiastic team members, we’re halfway there!
Trust is the primary and most stable building block to successful teams. Honoring your intuition instincts, being open, and acting on them is the way many of us become leaders that people look up to. By trusting yourself, you’re communicating to your team that they should also trust their instincts.
It’s tempting to dictate approaches to employees when you want to get something done, but it is more effective to communicate goals instead. Don’t get caught up on the “how” — focus on the “what” instead. We fall into micromanaging and taking away teammates’ inherent ability to bring what they have to you; however, a clearly guided, hands-off approach is best. If you’ve followed your intuition and communicated properly to all employees, their attitude and energy will speak for itself.
“Management” can then become “collaboration,” where all voices are celebrated and people are encouraged to bring their unique gifts into the company.
Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing, and branding?
Megan: My philosophy on sales, marketing, and branding is the same as my philosophy on everyday life: don’t paint yourself into a corner. Look for possibilities anywhere and opportunities everywhere. Don’t commit to a paved path — we all know life has a way of derailing even the most well-thought-out plans.
Underneath that is a very simple return to integrity and intuition: “What do I really see this enterprise being, and how do I get us there?” If your gut is telling you to dive deeper into another market or do a sharp pivot, pay attention to it and ask yourself why your intuition is leading you there. Perhaps your unconscious brain has figured out something the blinders around your eyes haven’t allowed you to see yet!
It’s also imperative to acknowledge where you’re at, as a person and as a business. What’s working well? What’s not working well? What is your wildest dream for your enterprise, and what’s the first step you need to take out of a thousand to get there? Recovery, among other things, has taught me how to build my life one day at a time, one task at a time. Incremental shifts, changes, and evolutions can make massive waves down the line.
Honesty is crucial because it assures all team members understand the reality of the company’s situation and can move forward as an aligned team. Once everyone gets behind a shared mission and vision, great things happen.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Megan: By far the most valuable piece of advice I’ve received comes in the form of this quote: “Measure Twice, Cut Once.” My grandfather used to always say that to me. It’s about really putting in the necessary work in the forefront so you can be proud of the results at the end.
There’s no need to rush anything, whether it be a project deadline, last-minute hiring decisions, or your intuition. Take a deep breath, dot your i’s, cross your t’s, and put in the elbow grease to get it done. No cutting corners!
The journey is just as important — sometimes even more important — than the final product. Listen to your gut, focus on the details, and move forward, always.
Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.
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