Michael Preuss, MBA
Revenue & Category-Creating Growth Leader | Ex-GitLab Marketing Director | Executive MBA
Hi 👋 I’m Michael Preuss—pronounced “Proyce” (rhymes with Royce). I help B2B SaaS companies compound ARR by creating, and then owning, new market categories and by deploying AI-first, high-velocity operating systems that turn data into decisive action.
Snapshot of Impact
40 % lift in trial → paid conversions and 20 % YoY traffic growth over 3 Annual and 14 Quarterly OKR plans at GitLab.
22 % increase in new-account sign-ups through integrated paid, lifecycle, and category-education motions.
Category leadership: repositioned GitLab from “DevOps tool” to “DevSecOps platform,” expanding TAM and pipeline velocity. Defined VRIFY as “the only AI-Assisted Mineral Discovery Platform that puts the power of AI in the hands of geologists.”
Building CRO-level, AI-powered revenue architecture at VRIFY to hit aggressive investor growth targets.
Mission: Turn market whitespace into durable growth by fusing category design, AI-first GTM systems, and a culture where people love both the process and the results.
Headlines
🤙 I'm born and raised on the West Coast.
🇨🇦 I live in North Vancouver, BC.
🔮 A psychic predicted I'd work in Tech.
❤️ I love what I do.
📖 I'm a lifelong learner with a growth mindset.
😀 I'm enthusiastic and persuasive.
🦉 When organizing or planning, I'm both alert and easily distractible.
😋 Life is too short for bad food, bad coffee, or bad wine.
🍔 Cheeseburgers are a way of life to me.
👨👩👦👦 I'm a husband and father.
🐕🦺 I have a Bouvier des Flandres named Sebastian.
🏀 I roll deep with NBA knowledge.
🏎 I support the Scuderia Ferrari.
🚴♂️ I ride my bike as much as I can.
10 Books On My Bookshelf
Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman
Trillion Dollar Coach — Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg & Alan Eagle
The Technological Republic — Alexander C. Karp & Nicholas W. Zamiska
Setting the Table — Danny Meyer
Conscious Business — Fred Kofman
Empowered — Marty Cagan & Chris Jones
The Effective Executive — Peter Drucker
Thanks for the Feedback — Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen
Play Bigger — Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead & Kevin Maney
Principles — Ray Dalio
Personality & Strengths at a Glance
Simpli5
https://www.simpli5.com
My Simpli5 read-out plots four distinct “fuel cells.” Here’s how they pwoer my engine:
Explore: Deliberate +
Spin up a shared digital workspace, align the right players, leave with a launch-ready plan.
Excite: Effortless
Big goals flip my switch; clarity + ambition = instant momentum.
Execute: Abundant
“Action” is my first name; “Energizer” my middle. Deadlines are finish lines I cross early. Ship → learn → ship again.
Examine: Reserved
Deep analysis matters; I delegate prolonged detail work and jump back in once the data says “go.”
Leadership in Motion
People follow because I listen, plan, and move. I delegate cleanly, motivate with optimism, and monitor the tone my drive sets.
In short: align early, ignite fast, drive hard, and recharge with data. That’s the rhythm that keeps teams winning without burning out.
CliftonStrengths Top 5
https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/
Strategic My imagination lights up when collaborating with future-oriented thinkers; I reconfigure facts to reveal trends, issues, and opportunities.
Maximizer I focus on strengths to stimulate personal and group excellence, uncovering people’s unique talents and missions.
Relator Comfortable being candid about myself; I strive to make complex ideas easy to grasp.
Individualization I see how diverse people can work together productively and spot the opportunities that await them.
Achiever I operate best at full throttle; excellence is a blend of hard work and top-quality people.
VIA Strengths Finder
https://www.viacharacter.org
Leadership (Justice) Organizing groups and ensuring things get done while maintaining relationships.
Humour (Transcendence) Infusing work with laughter and light-hearted perspective.
Vitality (Courage) Approaching life and projects with high energy and excitement.
Creativity (Wisdom) Conceiving unique, productive approaches to problems.
Love of Learning (Wisdom) Systematically mastering new skills and knowledge.
Big 5 Personality
https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/IPIP-BFFM/
Factor I: Extroversion
I am outgoing and social.
Factor II: Emotional Stability
I am emotionally stable and calm and do not consistently experience negative feelings.
Factor III: Agreeableness
I'm friendly and optimistic.
Factor IV: Conscientiousness
I am intentional and attentive.
Factor V: Intellect/Imagination
I am open to experiences, adaptable, and do well with ambiguity.
DiSC Profile
Di: Driver
Strengths
I'm quick, independent, and firm when making decisions.
I take a goal-oriented approach to assigning work.
I'm comfortable with responsibility and ownership over results.
Blind spots (I'm working on these, please call me out if you're affected by any!)
I can be impatient when providing detailed instructions.
I can take too much responsibility for results that aren't in my control.
I can give insufficient structure for people who need definition.
Myers-Briggs
“The Protagonist” (ENFJ-A)
Individual traits:
Mind: 51% Extraverted
Energy: 59% Intuitive
Nature: 57% Feeling
Tactics: 54% Judging
Identity: 65% Assertive
Working With Me
Core Principles
Data-informed, performance-driven.
Responsive, independent, and objective + empathetic.
Idealistic about trust, loyalty, and team spirit.
Bayesian mindset: strong opinions, weakly held.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_probability
https://www.saffo.com/02008/07/26/strong-opinions-weakly-held/
Design-Thinking advocate; better is always better.
https://uxdesign.cc/the-business-of-design-thinking-2c73b388e444
Behavioural-economics lens + JTBD framing for insight
https://hbr.org/2016/09/know-your-customers-jobs-to-be-done
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking,_Fast_and_Slow
How I Perform
Listen first; learn by doing.
Solo draft → group refine.
Coach by default; lead teams to breakthroughs.
I produce results as a decision-maker.
Thrive under stress (communication may tighten).
Best in medium/large, well-funded orgs.
My Values
Openness
Accountability
Trust
Collaboration
Results
Where I Belong
A position that enables me to inspire others by:
Leading through influence.
Enabling people to achieve their full potential.
On a team that values clear communication.
Building shared understanding and meaning.
Helping to motivate and deliver impact through clarity.
A company that seeks innovation.
Fostering a climate of discovery, questioning, and exploration.
What I Can Contribute
Self-Development. Relentless learner; personal growth is table stakes.
Corporate Adaptability. Align fast with org goals and culture; commit hard to collective wins.
Social Adaptability. Thrive in change; extend trust easily; stay optimistic under stress.
Social Responsibility. Provide stability in work, family, and community; play the long game.
Detail Versatility. Can go 100 % net-new or follow proven patterns, whichever ships value fastest.
Linear-ish Thinking. Blend systematic methods with flexible problem-solving; I zoom in and out naturally.
Conceptual Firepower. Turn abstract ideas into creative, actionable solutions.
AI-First Leverage. Default reflex: How can AI help with what I’m about to do? then apply human judgment for margin-moving precision.
Revenue Compounder. Category creation + high-velocity operating systems = compounding ARR.
Communication Style
Candid & considerate. I speak plainly while staying attuned to how the message lands.
Decisive synthesizer. Data in, insight out—fast.
Objective honesty. Direct relationships beat politics every time.
Zero rambling. I get to the point; if we need nuance, we’ll book the deep-dive.
Debate-friendly. Constructive friction sharpens ideas; I invite it.
Self-directed, schedule-light. I resist close control and rigid timetables—outcomes over optics.
Signal > noise. Words are force multipliers; imprecision is waste. Clarity statements and JTBD framing keep language lethal.
Leadership Style
Active Coaching and Situational Leader
Lead from the front (Active Leadership). I jump into the work, model the tempo, and earn credibility through micro-interest—diving deep where risk is highest, then surfacing fast.
Explore Energy: Deliberate+
I create shared digital workspaces pre-kick-off, align the right people, and map strategy before momentum starts.
Excite Energy: Effortless
Challenges and competition light the fuse. My direct, high-clarity influence rallies teams; enthusiasm becomes the voltage that keeps velocity high.Execute Energy: Abundant
“Action” is the first name; “Energizer” the middle. Deadlines are finish lines I cross early—ship → learn → ship again.
Examine Energy: Reserved
I respect detail work but don’t camp there; I delegate analytics loops, schedule reality-check pauses, and recharge on data.
Trust = Consistency / Time
I show up predictably, deliver sprint after sprint, and use that banked trust to unlock bigger challenges for the team.
Context by doing
I’ll get into the work; firsthand experience accelerates decision-making.
Motivation hierarchy
Positive momentum beats pressure; I reserve hard-edge directives for mission-critical pivots only.
Protect-Involve-Catalyze loop
I create psychological safety, build authentic connections, and then drive decisive movement toward purpose.
What I Do
Inspire teams with purpose and psychological safety.
Involve teams with authentic relationships.
Protect teams via shared understanding and clarity.
Catalyze teams with decisive confidence and directed movement.
One-on-Ones
Your agenda, my ears. These meetings belong to you; I’m there to listen and unblock.
Cadence. We’ll start weekly at 25 minutes. Once we’re humming, we can switch to bi-weekly—your call.
Prep. Arrive with 4-5 topics or wins / blockers. An agenda in advance is a must.
The Coaching-Habit Seven. Expect some, not all, of these questions each time:
What’s on your mind?
And what else?
What’s the real challenge here for you?
What do you want?
How can I help?
If you’re saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?
What was most valuable in our chat?
Real-time calibration. Tell me what to do more of / less of. I promise thick skin and fast adjustments.
Open door, open calendar. Don’t wait for the slot if something’s burning; drop in or grab time and we’ll tackle it.
Coaching Me
Grant autonomy; keep routine minimal.
Challenge me: stretch goals unlock tireless focus.
Play to strengths; shield known weaknesses.
Be organized; vagueness drains me.
Define success early; show the scoreboard.
Show authentic appreciation (light on sentiment).
Categorize info; mental boxes aid recall.
Critique gently; reassurance speeds iteration.
Final Thought
The way I see it, life is short; we're all trying our best, so let's make awesome sh*t together.
