What if the secret to being a successful entrepreneur had nothing to do with your business plan, resources, market size, or strategy? If your success or failure weren’t dependent on how much money you have, where you grew up, or the level of education you received?

Here’s the truth: the difference between success and failure is right between your ears.

A big, hairy beast stands between you and success. Your fears, your doubts, and every negative thought you have about yourself manifest as Mr. Monkey—and he’ll exploit them ruthlessly to sabotage you and destroy your dreams.

In Mr. Monkey and Me, business leader, Mike Smerklo, lays bare his broad range of experiences and mistakes, as well as lessons he’s learned from renowned entrepreneurs. Using the SHAPE formula—Self, Help, Authenticity, Persistence, and Expectations—this smart and irreverent anti-memoir gives listeners an actionable approach to mental toughness that will help any entrepreneur start, grow, and run a successful business.