295: $30M to $2M in 18 Months: How to Lead When Everything Falls Apart

What does it actually feel like when the company you built starts falling apart? In 2021, Aedan Fida’s company, Blade Air, was on top of the world. They had a $20 million school board contract, 25,000 square feet of manufacturing space, and revenue hitting $30 million. Then, the pandemic ended, and revenue dropped off a cliff—falling to just $2 million by 2024. In this episode, Aedan (a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and EY Entrepreneur of the Year) gives one of the most candid accounts of founder life we’ve ever hosted. From sleeping in cars to build prototypes to the brutal reality of a 93% revenue drop, Aedan shares the "deep learning" that comes when you stop chasing goalposts and start leading with purpose. 🔥 What we cover in this episode: The Pivot that Paid Off (and then didn't): How Aedan went from building carbon filters for cannabis growers in a Toronto basement to massive government contracts. The "Deep Learning" Period: The truth about managing a $30M company with a management structure that wasn't ready for it. Slow Down to Speed Up: Why the instinct to "go harder" during a collapse is often wrong, and how coaching, therapy, and systems actually turned the tide. The "Right" Team: The remarkable story of Aedan’s brother, Kieran, who recognized he was becoming a bottleneck and went out to find his own replacement. Purpose Balance over Work-Life Balance: The heart-wrenching lesson Aedan learned after losing his father about being present for the life you’re already living. 👤 About Aedan Fida Aedan is the CEO of Blade Air, a Canadian clean air technology company. He is focused on the "triple bottom line" of people, planet, and profit, driving energy efficiency in HVAC systems through disruptive technology. Connect with Aedan: – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedanfidastriplebottomline/ – Website: https://www.bladeair.com/ 📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: [email protected] – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com