The Power of the Underdog - Sam Hyde - President of Circle Surrogacy Transitions

My guest today is Sam Hyde, the President of Circle Surrogacy and Egg Donation. Sam and his partner raised a search fund and, in 2017, acquired the United States' largest surrogacy agency, which has since grown significantly. Sam has also spent time as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and, during college, running a home painting franchise. Our conversation covers how he's overcome setbacks, the value of being in environments that have expanded his ability to imagine greater opportunities, and how he's evolved as a manager and leader.

Sam Hyde:
Circle Surrogacy
Sam on LinkedIn

Tim Ludwig:
Tim on X
Podcast website

Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:01:31) - The importance of education
(00:09:51) Changing your relationship with sports
(00:16:15) - Sam’s early career
(00:28:56) - Pursuing a corporate career and whether getting an MBA is worth it
(00:36:55) - Life at Bain & Co., Deloitte, and McKinsey
(00:39:51) - Returning to entrepreneurship
(00:42:37) - Choosing to run a Search with a partner
(00:44:35) Improving partnerships
(00:47:38) - Buying Circle Surrogacy and crucible moments within running the company
(00:56:32) - Defining purpose
(00:58:29) - What do you hope to be doing in 20 years