In this powerful episode of Servant Leader’s Library, Nicholas Paulukow sits down with Scott Scrogin for a candid and courageous conversation on mental health, leadership, and resilience. Scott shares his personal journey navigating bipolar disorder, career setbacks, and loss—ultimately finding purpose in advocacy and empowering others. Whether you’re a leader, team member, or simply someone trying to show up each day, this episode is a moving reminder that empathy, self-awareness, and support can transform how we lead and live.
Episode Transcript
Nicholas Paulukow
Welcome back to Servant Leader’s Library, the podcast where we dive into the art of leading with purpose, serving with heart, and occasionally laughing through the chaos.
I’m your host, Nicholas Paulukow. And today, we’re tackling a topic that doesn’t always make it to the boardroom agenda—but absolutely should: mental health in the workplace. Joining me is Scott Scrogin, a man with more credentials than a Swiss Army knife.
He’s an advocate, a speaker, a strategist, and a certified peer specialist who’s on a mission to increase awareness, inspire action, and kick the stigma to the curb. With over 30 years of experience navigating bipolar disorder, Scott brings an inside-out perspective to mental health. And that’s as real as it gets.
When he’s not diving into strategic initiatives at ConnectWise or helping leaders refine success after the sale, Scott’s busy collecting stories and delivering insights. So whether you’re a business leader, an IT pro, or just someone trying to keep your sanity intact—you’re in the right place. Let’s get started with Scott, shall we?
So Scott, welcome to Servant Leader’s Library. Tell us a little bit about your story. What drove you to this passion and brought about your connection to both mental health and the IT world? Give us a little insight into who you are.
Scott Scrogin
Yeah, you bet. And first of all, Nick, thank you for having me here. I am passionate about the topic.
I’ve had the pleasure of speaking now to about 1,800 partners over the last two years around the world. It’s really become something that partners want to hear about—and most of them really want to know what they can do. If you’re an owner, you want to help your leaders. If you’re a leader, you want to help your direct reports or your family. So it’s certainly gaining attention.
From my standpoint, just chronologically—I was super fortunate growing up. My mom was a teacher, my dad was an architect, and they were involved in everything I did. I was the kind of kid you love to hate: the 4.0 student, valedictorian, engineering degree, played basketball in college, was the school mascot, dated the cheerleader.
Then I decided I wanted to get my MBA, because of course, getting an engineering degree wasn’t enough. I applied to all the top MBA schools and got into Harvard Business School.
Nicholas Paulukow
Wow, congratulations.
Scott Scrogin
Well, the story continues. I deferred my admission to work for two years—that’s what they encouraged. Just like MSPs want to hire people with real-world experience.
Two months into working, I could tell something was off. I wasn’t sick with the flu, but I was sick with something I didn’t recognize at the time: depression. I left Harvard, moved back in with my parents, and that was a shock to my system.
People often say depression is about regrets of the past and anxiety is fear of the future. In this case, I was dealing with depression.
Eventually, I worked my way out of it. That meant just getting out of bed and seeing a doctor who prescribed medication. I got better—but then I shot up past “normal” into a bipolar episode. For those unfamiliar, bipolar episodes include rapid speech, big ideas, impulsive travel, spending, and disregarding relationships.
That period led to a legal commitment to the state mental hospital in Kansas. Quite the contrast—from Harvard Business School to a hospital room. Afterward, I bounced between jobs while adjusting medications.
Eventually, I was connected to someone from my hometown—a family friend who owned a bar. He was on my church basketball team with my dad. I barely knew him, but he noticed I had an email address on my resume—back then, that was impressive.
He invited me to help with marketing, and that was in 1994. I worked there for 12 years, got married, and during that time, we implemented ConnectWise. Arnie came to do the implementation. We hit it off, and he asked me to come be COO at ConnectWise—when it was still just 75 people.
Nicholas Paulukow
Right, right, right.
Scott Scrogin
So my wife and I moved to Tampa. Unfortunately, I had another bipolar episode. My wife jokingly called it a “vacation with furniture.” We ended up leaving Tampa.
As I exited ConnectWise, Arlen Sorensen called. He had an idea for HTG Peer Groups. He knew me from my VAR days, where we built the first product that integrated with ConnectWise PSA. It was an anti-spam and antivirus email firewall. You could view data right within the PSA tabs—spam, viruses, everything. This was in the Postini and Barracuda days.
Eventually, I left ConnectWise and worked with Arlin for another 12 years growing HTG, which was ironically sold back to ConnectWise. You can’t escape, right?
Returning to ConnectWise wasn’t easy—facing people who remembered me from 12 years prior. But the worst thoughts are often the ones we imagine. People have their own problems. They’re not thinking about yours.
While I was back at ConnectWise, my dad passed away from complications related to diabetes—often a self-care issue. I vowed to stay strong, but shortly after, my mother died by suicide.
Nicholas Paulukow
Oh Lord.
Scott Scrogin
Yeah. That was just over three years ago. I still grieve, like anyone would.
But with Arlin, my team at ConnectWise, my wife, friends, and family—I’m back on an upward path. That’s what drove me to give back, share my story, and help others however I can.
Nicholas Paulukow
Wow. What a journey. That’s a lot for one person to carry.
Your mission sounds God-given—like you’ve been called to this purpose. Personally, I’ve seen family members wrestle with bipolar disorder. It’s hard to separate actions from the illness. I remember my father saying things like, “I don’t care what happens to you—go jump off a bridge.” He wasn’t in his right mind—he was crashing off a high.
Faith helped center me, but it was a lot to deal with. Hearing your story… that’s a heavy load.
Scott Scrogin
I’ve been fortunate to have amazing people around me. I can’t say I handled everything well. I’ve been hospitalized in places from New York City to San Francisco, Tampa to Kansas, and now live in Omaha.
Each time, I learned something. I used to believe I was always the achiever, the “smart” one. But one of my biggest takeaways came during a hospitalization: I was climbing the corporate ladder… only to realize it was leaning against the wrong wall.
Scott Scrogin
One thing I didn’t mention earlier—I went back and got my MBA from Wichita State. It might not sound like a big deal compared to Harvard, but it was a huge personal accomplishment for me.
Nicholas Paulukow
Well, I mean, the empowering part—and the motivating part—just hearing you speak—is that you never gave up. You just kept going. You had every opportunity to stop climbing that ladder, but you didn’t.
You’re giving us all inspiration by showing that perseverance matters. And it sounds like you surrounded yourself with really good people.
Scott Scrogin
Yeah, I’ve been fortunate. Arlen Sorensen and my wife are two of the most important people in my life. Also, the Dean of Engineering at Kansas State—where I went to college—took me back twice after bipolar episodes. He was my hero. He never turned his back on me.
And to be fair, I’ve been on the other side, too. I’ve seen others struggling and didn’t always reach out. So I’m not judging—I’m just observing.
That’s one of the reasons I took a course called Mental Health First Aid. It’s a one-day program, originally from Australia, kind of like CPR but for mental health. Most cities have trainers who can come into businesses and teach it. I think every organization should have at least one person certified.
The next step for me was to complete a licensed program offered nationally: the Certified Peer Support Specialist course.
Nicholas Paulukow
Okay.
Scott Scrogin
It’s kind of ironic, considering we’ve both worked with peer groups for decades. I used to think I already was a peer support specialist—helping companies with margins, marketing, EBITDA, and so on.
But this is different. This certifies you to help people with real mental health challenges.
For me, the danger wasn’t drugs or alcohol. It was the next big idea. That entrepreneurial rush—that was my drug. It came from my engineering degree, business instincts, and relentless motivation.
For years I’d say, “Those people are in recovery. I’m not.” But I had to confront the reality that I am in recovery. And I can fall off the wagon just like anyone else.
I don’t attend AA, but there are programs for people with bipolar disorder. I’m just blessed I’ve been able to do what I’ve done while managing it, because many others can’t.
Nicholas Paulukow
Right—and if they’re alone, it’s even harder. A few things stood out to me, especially around language. Words matter.
When my father and sister were struggling, I remember people saying, “You have a problem.” And that phrase—“you have a problem”—can really isolate someone.
We all have problems, but it’s how we respond that matters. Are we humble enough to work through it? Because we can’t change anyone else—we can only work on ourselves.
So for leaders who are listening—how do you recognize these issues in employees? How do you guide them? Mental health isn’t like vacation policy—it’s personal, emotional.
Scott Scrogin
Yeah, totally. When I give presentations—or when I helped build out the first-ever mental health resources section on the CompTIA website—I usually frame things for two audiences: owners/leaders, and individual contributors.
For leaders, especially, there’s often fear: “I don’t have time. I don’t want to cross boundaries. I don’t know what to say.”
So I give them a simple framework:
Acknowledge. Educate. Care.
Nicholas Paulukow
That third one—“Care”—is really important.
Scott Scrogin
Absolutely. When I speak, I always say:
In your next all-hands meeting or one-on-one, say, “Look, our work can be stressful. Maybe not like a first responder, but still more than average. Let’s not hide from that.”
Then educate your team: What resources are available? What’s the EAP program include? How many visits do you get? Is there an app? Is it confidential? What’s the co-pay?
Finally—care. Truly care. And communicate that. Tell your team: “If you’re struggling with stress, or life at home is affecting work, or you’re not sleeping—come talk to me. I care.”
You don’t need fancy programs to show that. Just build a culture that supports mental wellness.
Nicholas Paulukow
That’s so true. When we rolled out our CAP program—confidential sessions with a mental health agency—we got a standing ovation. We didn’t even realize how impactful that would be.
Just talking about it makes a huge difference. Bringing someone in, hanging up posters, encouraging conversation—it gives people a sense of safety.
And you’re right. If someone doesn’t know CPR, they can’t help in an emergency. Same goes for mental health. Knowing how to respond matters.
People often think, “Well, I don’t want to get too involved.” But isn’t our job to take care of the people we lead?
They spend more time with us than anyone else. If they’re not healthy, they can’t be productive.
Scott Scrogin
Exactly. I had my 90-day check-in with my therapist this week. I debated whether to put it on my calendar as “therapy” or just leave it as “busy.”
If it were a golf lesson, I wouldn’t hesitate to talk about it. But it’s still not normalized.
Some companies have Teams channels where people post mental wellness articles or book recommendations. It’s not about sharing personal issues—it’s about reducing stigma.
And back to our three-part framework:
Acknowledge. Educate. Care.
Even if you’re uncomfortable saying it, send it as an email. I’ve seen leaders do that during Mental Health Awareness Month or Suicide Prevention Month—and they always get meaningful responses like, “Thank you. This meant a lot.”
Ultimately, the message is: You matter. I care.
Nicholas Paulukow
And sometimes it’s just as simple as noticing a change in someone’s behavior and asking, “Hey, are you okay?”
That simple act of kindness can mean the world.
Nicholas Paulukow
You never know what someone might be going through. I once had someone tell me, “You don’t realize how much asking me that question changed my day.” I didn’t even think much of it at the time—but it had an impact.
And it really ties back to purpose, right? Like you’ve said—having purpose matters.
Scott Scrogin
Right. People often ask what I’ve learned through all this. And one thing I always say is: Be kind.
You just never know what someone else is going through. Life has a funny way of bringing things full circle. What you give out comes back.
I also say: Be flexible. You can plan all you want, but when life throws you a curveball, you need to adjust.
And third: Be purposeful. Because when someone lacks purpose, that’s when they really struggle.
There’s a quote I use in every presentation. It’s from Plato:
“The highest form of knowledge is empathy—for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world.”
I reflect on that a lot. I wasn’t always seen as an empathetic person when I was climbing the ladder. But I believe I’ve changed. My wife might say my emotional intelligence still has room to grow—but I know my EQ is higher now than it used to be.
Empathy, kindness—those don’t always show up in business plans. But they should.
Nicholas Paulukow
Especially in MSP leadership, right? A lot of leaders tend to make judgments without asking questions first.
I’m not saying it’s intentional—it’s just human nature. But I’ve learned that the more we understand ourselves, the better we are at helping others.
It’s like the old airplane metaphor: put on your oxygen mask before helping someone else. But that’s not how I grew up. I was raised to help others first, and then take care of myself.
That’s not a sustainable model for self-care. But when we lead with love—when we view situations through that lens—it changes our body language, our tone, our empathy.
As a servant leader, the moment you start putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, your whole perspective shifts. It’s no longer about you—it’s about seeing the full picture.
Speaking of which, you work in the exit planning space too. That’s a huge stress point for business owners. How do you see mental health and anxiety showing up in those situations?
Scott Scrogin
Yeah, that’s a big question. There’s no shortage of self-help books on stress—thousands of them. But I think it’s helpful to frame stress in a practical way.
In the book Unstressable, the author uses a quadrant system—kind of like Eisenhower’s time management grid or Covey’s model. But instead of urgency and importance, he uses internal vs. external and micro vs. macro stressors.
So, for example:
- Macro + External = trauma (a death in the family, a major business loss)
- Macro + Internal = obsession (rumination, depression, anxiety)
- Micro + External = nuisances (email overload, annoying tasks)
- Micro + Internal = noise (mental clutter, racing thoughts)
What we want to do is reduce the sum of those stressors—even if we can’t increase our capacity to handle them.
There’s a stress equation I love:
Stress = Force ÷ Area.
If a force is applied over a wide area, it doesn’t hurt as much. But if the same force is concentrated in one tiny point—like a pen tip pressing into your hand—it’s painful.
It’s the same with life. The challenges we face (force) are divided by our ability to handle them (area). The goal is to increase our capacity or reduce the force—or both.
Nicholas Paulukow
That’s a powerful visual.
Scott Scrogin
Thanks. Another model I like is the “3 Ls”:
Limits. Learn. Listen.
- Limits: Set boundaries. A lot of people are overwhelmed because they don’t know how to say no. You have to protect your time and energy.
- Learn: Educate yourself about stress. Understand what causes it and how it builds up. Learn about burnout, for example, which is often a multiplication equation:
Challenge × Intensity × Duration × Frequency = Burnout Risk.
A task might be annoying, but if it’s intense, frequent, and long-lasting—it becomes a serious risk.
- Listen: This one’s internal. Learn to listen to your own body and mind. No one else is going to do that for you.
Nicholas Paulukow
And that’s especially tough today—with all the stimulation we have. Social media, news, music—constant noise.
Sometimes it’s not even about meditation—it’s just about practicing quiet. Just asking yourself, “Did I have any moments of silence today?”
Most of us only find stillness when we sleep—and even then, our minds are still racing.
So Scott, if someone’s listening right now and thinking, “This is me. I’m struggling, but I don’t know what to do or who to talk to…” what would you recommend?
Scott Scrogin
They’re welcome to reach out to me—I’ve created a mental health toolkit I’ve shared at IT Nation Connect and through CompTIA.
They can also visit the CompTIA website and check out the mental health resource section we built.
But beyond that, I’d encourage them to ask their manager or HR rep: “What resources do we have available if I—or someone I care about—needs support?”
A lot of companies now subscribe to wellness apps like Headspace. These allow employees to talk anonymously with a coach within minutes.
And maybe you don’t feel comfortable going through your workplace. That’s okay too. Just talk to someone—a friend, a mentor, a spouse. Start the conversation.
Of course, if you’re in crisis, call 988 or get medical attention. I’m not a doctor. I just know from experience that people often don’t see the signs. I didn’t with my mom.
People don’t come with flashing red lights. You have to slow down. Listen. And try more than once if you need to.
There’s no one-size-fits-all. But just starting the conversation can be powerful.
Nicholas Paulukow
That’s well said. And you’re right—there’s a difference between medical care and therapy. Hospitals are trained to fix injuries. But they don’t always know how to treat emotional trauma or mental illness.
If one door closes, open another. Keep going.
As we wrap up, Scott—what would you want to leave our listeners with?
Scott Scrogin
Three things:
- Build a culture where it’s okay to talk about mental health. Bring it up in one-on-ones, all-hands meetings, even during recruiting. It matters, especially to younger generations like Gen Z.
- Improve wellness beyond the basics. Don’t just offer an EAP—layer in extras. Host lunch-and-learns with dietitians or financial advisors. Run a steps challenge. Celebrate healthy habits.
- Be proactive. We’ve all moved from reactive to proactive IT services—now it’s time to do that with mental health. Build a plan. Develop an FAQ. Talk with your leadership team. Prepare before you need it.
Nicholas Paulukow
Scott, we appreciate you. You’ve shared an incredible story and given so much to think about.
And just like that, we’ve reached the end of another Servant Leadership Library episode. Today, we unpacked mental health, leadership, and the fine art of staying sane at work.
Huge thanks to Scott for the honesty, the wisdom, and the reminder that caring for your mind isn’t a luxury—it’s essential.
Whether you’re an IT pro staring down a deadline or a leader navigating chaos, remember:
You’re not alone. You’re not broken. There’s always a way forward.
If this episode sparked something in you, share it. Start a conversation. Be the kind of leader who makes a difference.
Until next time, I’m Nicholas Paulukow reminding you that servant leadership starts with taking care of yourself too.
Take care, stay well, and we’ll catch you on the next episode.
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