The Myth of the Self-Made Founder: Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Team

From getting laid off in his first job to navigating decades of corporate change, Brad Wingo shares what it means to keep showing up—even when the “yeah, buts” creep in. His journey is a reminder that growth rarely feels like progress at first.

About Brad WingoBrad Wingo is a classically trained sales rep with a diverse background in consumer packaged goods. His experience includes both external customer and internal HQ sales roles, including national and regional account management, broker account management, sales strategy, and operations. He specializes in National Account Management, Sales Strategy and Operations, and Broker Management .Brad’s career has taken him from Mississippi to Charlotte, to New Jersey, and now to Cincinnati. His first job out of college was put on hold for six months upon graduation, and then the position was eliminated two years in. So, two years into his career, he was back to answering job ads via the newspaper. He found a job in about three months and has been in the industry for the last 25+ years.He has been a part of six mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and most recently a spin-off as a stand-alone company. Through it all, he has learned that you always take the knowledge with you—and that relationships with people and an understanding of systems are what set you apart from failure or success.