Parallel Entrepreneur with Mark Cleveland

What happens when a cybersecurity veteran automates the work his competitors still struggle to deliver? He builds the future—and lets them use it.

Michael Peters is a rare kind of founder: one who leads both with technical depth and creative clarity. In this episode, we dive into the frameworks behind his companies Lazarus Alliance and Continuum GRC, the origin of the HORSE Project, and how he balances operational intensity with deep personal discipline.

If you're building more than one thing—and trying to stay grounded while doing it—this conversation is for you.

In this episode:

• How Michael turned spreadsheet pain into an AI-driven compliance platform
• His decision to turn down a major buyout
• What it means to lead a “family-responsible” company
• How he manages time, noise, and multiple companies with intention
• His upcoming leap from cybersecurity to sci-fi storytelling

Chapters:

00:00:00 Introducing Michael Peters: Venture Catalyst & Cybersecurity Pioneer
00:01:52 Lazarus Alliance: Audits, Compliance & Global Reach
00:04:15 From “Spreadshits” to Automation: Birth of Continuum GRC
00:05:03 The HORSE Project: One Question, Many Frameworks
00:06:21 Automating the Boring Stuff
00:06:45 Pivoting to Continuum GRC and Passing on a Buyout
00:09:41 Navigating Jurisdictions: From FedRAMP to GDPR
00:11:07 Why We Let Competitors White-Label Our Tech
00:12:18 My First Business: Cannons, Cabins & Capitalism at Age 9
00:13:34 Hacking Bell Labs and Exploring the Internet in the 90s
00:14:49 Selling My ISP in 1995 Before the Web Was Cool
00:16:00 Using AI to Transform Compliance & Technical Writing
00:17:30 Time Management, Focus Time, and Email Discipline
00:20:08 Structure, Boundaries, and Protecting Family Time
00:22:45 Creating a Family-Responsible Culture at Work
00:25:50 Managing Auditors vs. Software Creatives
00:27:20 Overcoming Upward Delegation with Great Leadership
00:28:35 Aligning Vision Across Two Very Different Companies
00:30:00 The Traits That Make Parallel Entrepreneurs Thrive
00:31:30 Why I Work in 15-Minute Bursts
00:33:01 Advice to My Younger Self: Be Bolder
00:35:30 The Power of Younger Friends and a Growth Mindset
00:37:21 Books on Our Nightstands
00:38:50 Engineering Meets Creativity in My Daily Workflow
00:40:30 Solving Problems Before They Become Disasters
00:41:42 Biggest Challenge: Bureaucracy vs. Innovation
00:43:29 What’s Next: A Sci-Fi Trilogy at 4 A.M.
00:46:32 The Books I’ve Written and the LifeLock Exit
00:48:19 Togetherness, Legacy, and Mars
00:50:49 What You Didn’t Ask: The Secret Sauce I Won’t Share

Show Notes:

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