Founders' Forum

How to Turn Failure Into a Founder Win with Mary McCorvey

• Marc Bernstein / Mary McCorvey • Episode 193

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0:00 | 28:24

Seven companies, one shutdown, and a lesson she wouldn’t trade. Mary McCorvey says building is a compulsion, and failure is part of the deal.

In this episode of Founders Forum, Marc Bernstein talks with Mary McCorvey, a media producer, author and Army veteran. She shares her path from Armed Services Radio at 18 to novelist, playwright, software co-founder and event producer. She also explains why she welcomes failure and how she used AI as a co-writer for her book, Experience Over Expectation.

Key takeaways:

  • Founding is a compulsion. The motivation stays the same, but AI and the way companies are funded have changed the journey.
  • Use a “five-point seat belt.” Fast-moving markets need more protection around you, like a race car driver.
  • Choose your co-founder carefully. A wrong pick is one of the biggest reasons companies fail.
  • Being early to market can sink a good product. Her software startup had the right idea before customers were ready.
  • Legacy is impact. Mentoring and creating work that reaches people, including people you never meet.

About Mary McCorvey:

Mary McCorvey is a media producer, author and serial founder who has started seven companies. A U.S. Army veteran, she began as a disc jockey and TV producer with Armed Services Radio and Television.

She has built a consulting firm, worked as a novelist and playwright, co-founded a software company, and created the Lincoln 200 bicentennial festival. She also produced the Triumph Games for CBS Sports, featuring military veterans.

Mary is the author of Experience Over Expectation, written with an AI co-writer. She mentors entrepreneurs and is open to collaborations in media development and cross-platform storytelling.

Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by The Satell Institute; the leading CEO organization dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Go to satellinstitute.org to learn more.

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