Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mike Lomuto. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Mike, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

The world will continually throw curveballs our way. Especially for those of us operating “outside the box” and committed to building something meaningful. Dao Mastery exists to help leaders—individuals with strong vision and determination—who are facing challenges in certain areas of their lives. Dao Mastery is here to help them navigate those curveballs and live the life they envision.

Our mission is to support leaders in mastering their unique journey, or “Dao,” especially those determined to make a positive impact on the world. My Co-Founder and I believe that when someone aligns with their true path, they can achieve their highest potential. Through a variety of coaching methods, and integrating our extensive experience and networks, we empower leaders to master their Dao.

Rather than focusing on work-life balance, we’re passionate about the holistic integration of a leader’s professional life, personal health, and relationships. We understand the importance of getting the work done, but we know that achieving sustainable success comes from embracing happiness and integrating all aspects of what makes us human. This approach leads to more impactful and meaningful results.

Mike, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When I set out on this path over 20 years ago, it was to create a business that would generate long-term wealth and health for me and my community. My first corporate venture with my business partner, Vernon, was a holistic medical program for corporate workspaces. Through our early failures and being part of business communities, we recognized that the root causes of many failed businesses mirrored those of personal health struggles: a lack of mentorship; limited experience; relationship issues; or a combination. These factors contribute to the stress and poor decisions made by even the strongest leaders.

Twenty-plus years later, Vernon and I credit much of our success to the seamless integration of our personal and professional lives. We take great pride in walking our own paths (Dao) – constantly leveling up and course-correcting with the support of our network of coaches and advisors. This commitment has allowed us to live the lives we envisioned. Much is also owed to our own mentors, so that an “each one, teach one” philosophy drives Dao Mastery. We’re committed to passing on the lessons we’ve learned, believing that helping others helps us all move forward.

What sets Dao Mastery programs apart is our holistic work-life integration approach for mission-driven entrepreneurs, particularly those looking to optimize their flow in a sustainable manner.

With this understanding, we crafted coaching systems to help leaders make better decisions. As business partners for over a decade, we’ve not only built a successful partnership but also maintain thriving, though very different, personal lives. While we don’t specialize in operational coaching, we often help leaders unlock operational efficiencies by tapping into their existing knowledge or resources in new and effective ways.

For the past several years, the bulk of my time has been focused primarily as a volunteer, building infrastructure for a national movement to support the business, regulatory, and legislative changes needed for real impact. This has been in the area of plant medicine and undoing the negative impacts of the war on drugs. Through that time, we kept Dao Mastery running in the background, but now in 2025, we’re excited for a couple of soft launches of new programs, including: a customizable, individualized program for entrepreneurs in need of leveling up; as well as a small group coaching program for newer entrepreneurs; and another group program that will be a surprise this Fall.

How’d you meet your business partner?

That I met my co-founder Vernon Speller at Asian Medicine school was no accident. Although we took different paths to get there, we were both on a journey to create greater wealth in a way that benefited and uplifted the community. We viewed Asian Medicine, a natural medical system with low overhead and rooted in long-term sustainable health, as a scalable solution that could benefit many.

In the beginning, we mostly discussed sports and philosophical matters, especially the dynamics of growing up in cities. This gave us a basic understanding that we saw the world through a similar lens. A couple of years later, Vernon recruited me into a venture he was working on. While it didn’t work out long term, we again were able to gain great insight into how we each operated.

A couple of years after that, we decided to formally partner up on a serious venture, aimed at bringing holistic medicine into the mainstream in the US, in a scalable way. Although we failed in that venture, we also went through the crucible together, came out the other side, and realized the value we could offer to other leaders dealing with similar challenges.

Despite our similar worldviews, we also come from different backgrounds, lifestyles, and family situations, so we bring diverse perspectives to everything we do. This mix of experiences has made our approach more dynamic, effective, and adaptable—allowing us to work with just about anyone, regardless of their background.

I’d actually say that one of our greatest strengths has been in the integration of our unique backgrounds with our entrepreneurial experience to help leaders get on their aligned path and find their Dao, and in doing so helping them achieve health and thriving in life and business. Thus was born Dao Mastery and our unique form of coaching.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the belief that “you should be paid for your time.” To be honest, I never fully bought into it, but it was so ingrained in my upbringing that I had to constantly challenge myself to adopt a different mindset: being paid not for my time, but for the value I bring to the table.

While I understood this concept for years, it took decades of relentless learning to figure out how to apply it in a healthy, sustainable, and scalable manner. That journey was filled with a lot of trial and error and an insatiable drive to master the skills and tools that would help me create real, lasting impact.

Today, I don’t get paid for my time. In fact, most of my time is spent volunteering; with family and friends; or focusing on my own wellness. The time I do spend earning money is highly leveraged, dedicated to delivering transformation and tangible results for my clients.

The lesson I now hold dear is that we should be compensated for what we have of the highest value to offer (and that we’re willing to share) — and for the results we create. The goal is not to trade time for money, but to “rent” out our expertise, in my case that is my strategic thinking, and networks. This shift in mindset allows me to see real outcomes from my efforts.

This is where so many strong, capable leaders get stuck. They work tirelessly, often without seeing the results they’re striving for, because they haven’t yet mastered the holistic integration of their professional, personal, and relational lives. What you do in one area affects all others—your relationships, home life, and health all directly impact your business. It’s the integration of all these pieces that unlocks true success. As someone who’s been on that journey, I can say without hesitation: everyone needs help to move forward. Even the strongest leaders can benefit from guidance. We all can.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikelomuto
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelomuto/

Image Credits

The feature pic should be credited to Reel Mecca Prod. (on IG: @reelmecca)