The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan (Foundr Media)

In 2008, Jeff Rosenthal and his co-founders Elliott Bisnow and Brett Leve convinced 19 people they admired to go on a ski trip with them to Park City, Utah. They wanted to spend one-on-one time with this small group of thought leaders to learn from them and glean some knowledge. Little did they know that this was only the beginning of their long and successful entrepreneurial journey. What started off as a small event production company has morphed into a global behemoth that includes everything from nonprofits to funds to a major ski resort that all fall under the Summit brand. While the company is still primarily known for its famous invitation-only events, its biggest impact is its tight-knit community of innovative, creative individuals from around the world. In this podcast episode, Rosenthal talks about Summit’s explosive growth, what it takes to host a truly extraordinary event, and more entrepreneurial gold. If there’s any other type of content you’d like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out at support@foundr.com. Key Takeaways What inspired Rosenthal and his co-founders to start their event production company Summit in 2008 How Summit expanded into a family of companies, nonprofits, and funds over the last 12 years What makes a spectacular event, according to Rosenthal Why Rosenthal believes “keep it real” is terrible advice when it comes to events, and what he recommends instead The importance of leadership when it comes to event planning The correlation between creativity and capital How Rosenthal manages to lead the multiple entities under Summit The best advice on delegation Rosenthal received from his mentor Why profitability isn’t the only measure of an event’s success What it takes to attract top-notch speakers (and how to set them up for success) The way Rosenthal approaches balancing quality of experience and scaling

If you don't know Kevin Kelly's name, you undoubtedly know his work. Staying mostly behind the scenes, Kelly has quietly influenced the world as we know it, from pop culture to how we interact with digital technology. He launched and built up one of the most influential media brands in the world, with a devoted audience of millions—a brand that's published, and even launched the careers of Pulitzer Prize winners, presidents, filmmakers, and of course, billionaire entrepreneurs. Kelly is co-founder of the one-and-only Wired magazine. In his time as editor-in-chief at Wired, Kelly was a pioneer of helping the world understand and interact with the internet and digital technology at large, as their role in our lives exploded. Since then, he's gone on to publish multiple books and launch multiple successful businesses. Throughout this interview, though, one theme persists: Kelly is a true futurist. Not only have many of his predictions about the future come true, from crowdfunding to wearable technology, but his keen ability to hack into these cultures early on, before they've hit the mainstream, has been the key to his success. Luckily for our listeners, Kelly reveals in this sweeping interview his methodology for culture-hacking and how he's just so darn good at predicting the future. In this episode, you'll learn: Kelly's method for culture-hacking an audience and building a worldwide brand The future of print media, and how digital entrepreneurs can take advantage of it A rare behind-the-scenes look at the history of Wired The true meaning of "a thousand true fans" and what it means for entrepreneurs How to package every product "like a magazine" & much more!

Adrian Grenier was a rebellious artist before he was known for his acting roles in Entourage, Devil Wears Prada, and Clickbait. Now he’s a rebellious entrepreneur, investor, and activist. Learn how Grenier’s disenchantment with fame and wealth led him to start and support social impact businesses through DuContra Ventures and Earth Speed Media with co-founder and co-CEO Bia Carminati.  Listen to Nathan and Adrian discuss: His trajectory from punk rebel artist to movie star How mortality drives our need to keep achieving  How to let go of your business to let it grow  Ba Minuzz, the business mind behind DuContra Ventures  Building trust with business partners  What he learned from his failed beer company Why sometimes you need to let go of a dream The mission of Earth Speed Media And much more social impact business advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Lisa Bilyeu and her husband built Quest Nutrition into a billion-dollar company, but she never expected to be an entrepreneur and business influencer. But, after years of telling herself that she could only be a stay-at-home wife, Lisa found her self-confidence to help create Quest Nutrition and start her media company, Impact Theory. She now hosts a weekly YouTube show, podcast, and released a book called Radical Confidence, focusing on empowering women in business.    Listen to Nathan and Lisa discuss:  The early days of Quest Nutrition and what worked How their PB&J flavored Quest Bar was created by accident  The decision to sell Quest and invest in Impact Theory How she overcame her fear of public speaking Why she dresses for battle like Wonder Woman Building Impact Theory from home  How to create a “no judgment journal" Tools to combat negative self-talk And much more business mindset advice…   Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

This is a short episode of around 20 minutes. In this episode I answer your top 5 most popular questions. As I'm hearing from so many of you in our community, I'm finding a lot of commonalities in the questions that I'm being asked. Since I'm on this journey with you as an entrepreneur working towards building a successful business, I thought it would be fun to share with you what I'm learning and how I can further help you tackle these common problems and mix things up from our regular schedule.   Please let me know if you would like me to do more of these kind of episodes by emailing me at nathan@foundrmag.com   I Need Your Help!    If you haven’t already, I would love if you could be awesome and take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It’s the most amazing way to help the show grow and reach more people! Leave a review for the Foundr Podcast!

When Jim Kwik was in kindergarten, he suffered a terrible fall that resulted in head trauma and a brain injury. This would come to define the rest of Kwik's early life as he grew up suffering from learning difficulties. He constantly struggled to keep up with the rest of his peers and never quite found the ability to focus enough and learn fast enough, all of which was exacerbated by the fact that he didn't even have a fully functioning memory. "I was the boy with the broken brain," Kwik says. And yet, today Kwik is considered an expert on memory, learning, and the brain. He teaches thousands of people how they can hack their brains, just like he has with his own, in order to drastically expand their potential to learn and process new information. Kwik can count some of the most influential people in the world as his students, including Elon Musk, Warren Buffet, Richard Branson, and Oprah Winfrey, just to name a few. "Every single person can also do it, you just weren't taught how. If anything, you were taught a lie, a lie that your intelligence, your potential, your memory, is fixed like your shoe size. And we know from just the past couple of decades of research in the brain sciences that's just not true," Kwik says. So how did the boy with the broken brain become the master of memory? While most people spend their lives being told what to learn, Kwik has spent the majority of his life finding out everything he can about how to learn. Kwik has devoted countless hours over years of study into how exactly the human brain works and all the different ways you can teach yourself to not only have a better memory, but to read faster, learn faster, and in general turn your brain into a superpower. In this week's episode, you will learn: Why the power of your mind is the most important weapon as an entrepreneur How to stop being a passive learner and start being an active learner How to unlock your brain's vast potential for memory How the most influential people in the world use their brains & much more!

The trials of starting a business—even if you forget, for a moment, the typical travails of day-to-day living—often overwhelm entrepreneurs. Late nights, endless work, big choices, and extreme uncertainty can swirl together to form a raging twister that ravages the landscape of life, shredding business hopes and ideas along the way. But the forecast is much better for some, including Andy Puddicombe. Puddicombe is one of the minds behind Headspace, a guided meditation app that’s reaching new users every day. He can also say something that few entrepreneurs can: he’s rarely overwhelmed. In this episode you will learn: What is Mindful Meditation and how to use it effectively The importance of when, and when not, to listen to customer feedback How to improve your product by living in the present How Andy inspires and leads a worldwide movement for meditation and peace Key tips on how to avoid burnout & So much more!

Erik Bergman’s entrepreneurial journey started with trading hockey cards on the playground. When Bergman realized that owning coveted sports memorabilia made him feel valued and won him friends, he became obsessed. As he got older, his focus eventually shifted from trading cards to making cash. After a brief stint as a professional gambler, Bergman co-founded a website consultancy firm called Catena Media in 2012. The affiliate-based marketing company focused on the online gambling industry and eventually IPOd at €160 million. Despite achieving the wealth Bergman had relentlessly chased since his youth, he was still unhappy. So he set out to learn the true path to fulfillment and eventually found deeper meaning in his life through charity work with his latest project, Great.com. Check out this interview to learn more about Bergman’s journey to finding happiness and the most important lessons he learned along the way. Key Takeaways How trading hockey cards instilled a sense of entrepreneurship in Bergman from a young age Bergman’s brief stint as a professional poker player Why Bergman and his best friend Emil Thidell launched a gambling-focused website consultancy agency From making side-hustle money to officially launching Catena Media How strategic website acquisitions helped Catena Media skyrocket The long and difficult road to IPO Why Bergman found himself in a dark place, despite his newfound wealth How Bergman became involved in charity work and discovered his “splash of color” The inspiration behind Great.com

The future of media, if not the present, probably looks a lot like The Next Web, which is odd considering co-founder Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten says it’s not even really a media company. The Next Web instead thinks of itself as a tech company, firing on multiple cylinders at once, including international conferences, ecommerce, online courses, and of course, one of the most influential and trafficked news sites on the web. Soon they’re even opening up a brick and mortar space in Amsterdam that will serve as hub for technology startups. “For some people it’s sort of weird, ‘What, you’ve got a conference and a website and now you’re opening a space? That’s a totally different thing,’” Veldhuijzen van Zanten told Foundr (we’ll just call him Boris from now on). “For us, it’s a logical next step, instead of losing focus or branching out into different areas. They’re all connected by the brand and a curiosity in technology and the future of technology.” The Next Web actually started as a conference host. Its annual event in Amsterdam draws some 20,000 international attendees. However, the company is probably best known for its tech news site. That branch of the business is staggering, drawing up to 8 million visitors a month. But with its conferences expanding, its growing online marketplace, and Boris and his partners always looking for the next opportunity, the most impressive thing about The Next Web is how it merges such a wide range of services to meet the needs of its loyal community. And they do it all with a relatively small staff and a squad of remote contributors. “Everything is part of a circle that is growing stronger over time,” Boris says. “Part of our revenue comes from advertising on the sites with all the traffic we have, an important part is the conference, and now the ecommerce part is growing stronger.” Next could be research, consulting, video, anything within reason that the people who have come to love and trust the company might want. And that’s the secret to The Next Web’s success. It’s not a company that makes a product—it’s a network of people. In this interview you will learn: The subtle details behind what makes a great event that everyone loves How to conduct the best interviews with notable influencers Boris's number one tip on generating amazing content The tools that every startup should start using The key to keeping everyone in your company aligned to the same vision & much more!

Simon Griffiths sat down for what he believed in and, it turned out, parking it on a toilet was an epic marketing win for a good cause. Griffiths and the team behind Who Gives a Crap toilet paper employed a clever stunt in which they livestreamed their co-founder sitting on a toilet until they reached their crowdfunding goal, and it worked. The company gives half of its profits to charity to increase access to toilets and sanitation in developing countries. But it takes more than a good cause and a good marketing ploy to have a successful crowdfunding campaign. The team also relied on thorough preparation and consistent messaging to blow away their goal. Griffiths and his co-founder Jehan Ratnatunga did a first take on their video in January 2012, hoping to launch soon after. But they realized that it wasn’t quite what they wanted, so they went back and tried again, even taking the time to get advice from an ad firm in Melbourne. The video wasn’t the only thing they had to prepare. The team wanted to be sure that their campaign would be a coherent, quality whole, and if that meant delaying the launch so that they would have time to refine things, that was OK. “We thought we’d go live in February or March, and then it just kept on getting continuously pushed back, and then it wasn’t until July that the campaign did go live,” Griffiths says. They were only working on the campaign part-time during the preparation phase, and it ended up taking six months for all of their ideas to come together in a way that they were happy with. Preparing an effective campaign isn’t like heating up a microwave dinner. It’s more like cooking a multi-course feast. It takes time. In this episode you will learn: What makes your campaign newsworthy and why people should care How to make your campaign as shareable as possible Why the first 24 hours are the most important in any crowdfunding campaign Kickstarter or Indiegogo. How to pick the one that works for you How to keep your message consistent across every media channels & much more!

If you don’t know Mike Evans, you’ve probably used his first business when the craving for takeout hits you on a Saturday night. Evans started GrubHub in 2002 as a hobby and built it into one of the largest food delivery companies in the US, going public on the stock exchange in 2014. After exiting GrubHub, Evans took a break until he felt the pull to start a business that could benefit a community and customer base. In 2017, he started, Fixer, a “right now" home repair service that offers superior customer experiences while creating skilled employment paths in the building trades for men and women. Listen to Nathan and Mike discuss:  Starting GrubHub as a hobby website  Quitting his job and cashing out his retirement  How cofounder Matt Maloney helped scale the business Why creating value is more important than profit How delivery turned the business on its head His book Hangry and lessons on greed and empathy  Why quitting is okay Starting and building Fixer And much more founder advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Eight years ago, Charlie Hoehn had no job. He submitted application after application to no avail. Only two companies offered him employment. His choices? “Back-breaking labor and a pyramid scheme,” he says. Today, Charlie turns down work. He is a speaker, an author, and a marketing strategist. His recently-released book is Play It Away: A Workaholic's Cure for Anxiety. At one point, the former unemployed man worked so much that it burned him out – but he triumphed over that, too, and wrote a book about curing stress. The turnaround is dramatic, and Charlie attributes his successful employment to his signature strategy: work for free. He didn't figure it out immediately. Charlie graduated in Colorado State University's Class of 2008 and soon faced a job market mired in recession. Bleak. Job-seeking millennials know it well. “I was just blasting out my resume to all these companies for jobs that I didn't really even want … because that's what everyone was doing,” Charlie says. “All my friends were doing that and that's what I was told would work.” Conventional wisdom wasn't working. Go to school, submit applications, get a job – Charlie rejects that. “We get caught into these dead-end careers, and once we start buying a bunch of stuff with the money that we've earned, we've built ourselves a golden cage … that's surrounded by nice furniture and all these nice things,” Charlie says. “And then after five or ten years we think, 'Well, I can never go back, you know, I can't give all this stuff up.'”   At that point, Charlie says, “you've built your own prison.” He looks back to his days of blasting out job applications and sees a mistake. Life isn't a sprint, he says: it's a marathon. There's no need to rush for a mediocre position that doesn't interest you. He found this out firsthand – his work-for-free strategy required patience, but it took him from being an unemployed college grad to later landing jobs with Tucker Max and Tim Ferriss. In this interview you will learn:   - Tactics and strategies for curing stress and anxiety - Why we work so hard and how to slow down - Ways to connect with highly influential people - What Charlie learnt from working with world re-knowned entrepreneurs like Tim Ferriss & Seth Godin - How to become a recession proof graduate - What Charlie believes it takes to become a successful entrepreneur - & Much more of course!   I Need Your Help!    If you haven’t already, I would love if you could be awesome and take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It’s the most amazing way to help the show grow and reach more people! Leave a review for the Foundr Podcast! 

Dee Deng believes that there's no better time to start a digital agency than now. After a failed startup sent him on a journey of discovery, Dee met his future cofounder in a Neil Patel Facebook group. Together they launched Red Hook, a digital marketing agency that partners with ecommerce brands. Red Hook went from zero to $250,000 in profit in their first year of business, and now it has over 115 employees across the globe.    Listen to Nathan and Dee discuss:  How Dee was able to get 10 clients in his first 6 weeks of business Why charging changes everything  How he got his first speaking gig by posting on an industry Facebook group  Why it's good to tell a client "bad news"  How Right Hook uses "growth clubs" for employee development  How to create "intrinsic motivators" within an organization And much more digital agency advice     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

In this episode, Rachael Wilde, founder of TBH Skincare, shares how she went from a marketing career in the medical devices industry to creating a leading skincare brand. She talks about discovering patented acne-fighting technology, securing licensing rights, and launching TBH Skincare with her mother as a co-founder. Rachael dives deep into how she leveraged influencer marketing, TikTok virality, and retail partnerships with Priceline to scale the business. Entrepreneurs will learn about bootstrapping, brand storytelling, and the power of community in building a product-based business. Listen to Nathan and Rachael discuss: - Rachael’s transition from corporate marketing to co-founding a skincare company - How she secured the licensing rights to a groundbreaking acne technology - The viral TikTok moment that turned TBH Skincare profitable overnight - Her approach to handling funding, from friends and family investments to equity crowdfunding - The process of merging TBH Skincare into York Street Brands and what’s next for the business - And much more business advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

Ever wondered what traits and characteristics Google looks for in a founder? Wonder no more, because in this interview, Nathan Chan sits down with CapitalG Founder, David Lawee, to discuss the journey of finding the next $1B Unicorn Business. David is Google's Lead Investor, and has over 13 years of experience under his belt working for one of the largest companies on the planet.  Prior to joining Google, Lawee has been a serial entrepreneur. His biggest takeaway from the experience was how to successfully scale companies, and during the interview he finally reveals exactly how to do it.  Lawee shares what he believes it takes to create a billion-dollar company. Lawee reveals all the traits and characteristics he looks for in founders when it comes to investing billions of dollars, and exactly what the company needs to look like. Key Takeaways How David Lawee found himself working for Google, CapitalG, and what he learned during his time as a serial entrepreneur The characteristics and traits that he looks for when it comes to investing The difference between an ordinary company, and the billion dollar unicorn Lawee’s advice for those looking to open more doors  The change in the market, and an insider's view into Google investment world Lawee discusses how to align your company with investors’ needs

After multiple near-death experiences, Zeb Evans decided to build a business that was net positive on the world. However, he didn’t realize that a custom internal productivity tool would become the business he was searching for. In 2017, Evans cofounded ClickUp, an all-in-one productivity management tool now valued at $4 billion.    Listen to Nathan and Zeb discuss:  Selling Disney DVDs from his hospital bed How a home invasion motivated him to drop out of school Starting his first company Fast Followerz from customized social tools How an unexpected seizure pushed him to move to Silicon Valley  Building ClickUp as an internal tool and discovering its value The early days of ClickUp and living in a stereotypical startup house Why investors were shocked that ClickUp was profitable  Maintain culture while scaling at a rapid rate  Why Zeb takes a bath every evening And much more tech startup advice…       Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

The latest installment of the Foundr podcast is a landmark—our 300th episode! So to mark the occasion, we’ve got something a little different for you today. Daniel DiPiazza, the founder of Rich20Something, was on the cover of Foundr Magazine last year, and today, he returns to Foundr to “reverse interview” our own CEO, Nathan Chan, ahead of the relaunch of Foundr’s beloved Instagram Domination course. Together, Nathan and Daniel share the details of how they each found success on Instagram for their respective brands. They also explore Instagram’s algorithms, how it compares to other social media platforms, and the right way to use this powerful tool during the Covid-19 pandemic. Plus, they swap stories about their friendly competition, their time in the “Motivation Mafia,” and more! If you want to learn more about our remastered Instagram Domination course when it launches, sign up for the Free VIP waitlist here (Get a FREE Lesson!). Key Takeaways The reason for this special “reverse interview” How Nathan and Daniel got started on Instagram and are still finding success with the platform today Why Instagram is the most powerful tool for both personal branding and ecommerce A glimpse into Instagram’s algorithms and metrics Why Instagram needs to be about more than just follower numbers How Instagram can be a powerful tool through the current pandemic A throwback story about the “Motivation Mafia” Why Nathan would still pick Instagram as his platform of choice if he were to start a new company today A comparison of Instagram vs. YouTube How Daniel’s Instagram account helped him seal a six-figure book deal The question that stumped Nathan (and why he prefers to focus on the present) Why Daniel owes Nathan a trip to San Sebastián

Finding the right startup idea is difficult even for lifelong entrepreneurs. But when it comes down to it, the best approach is to take a long hard look at what you're passionate about and try to figure out a way to share that with the world. By sharing her passion for graphic design to anyone who was interested, Melanie Perkins was able to become a certified tour de force in the entrepreneurial world. Seemingly coming out of nowhere, in just under two years her company has grown to 8 million users, is now valued at $233 million dollars, and has the backing of heavyweight investors like Guy Kawasaki, Bill Tai, and Lars Rasmussen, just to name a few. As the CEO and founder of Canva, Perkins knew that everyone had a little bit of an artist's streak inside them. The trouble was, the tools to bring that out were either too expensive or too clunky to learn. So she did what every good entrepreneur does. She made a product that took the complex and made it simple. Responding to the rapid expansion of social media and the growing importance of being able to communicate visually, Perkins has made it possible for anyone to pick up her product and start making visually striking images. With an eye for even loftier heights along with her keen eye for design, Perkins shares with us her lessons on how to turn your passion into a multi-million dollar success story. In this interview you will learn: The tools that you need to kickstart your own graphics design company The importance of finding and empowering the right people on your team for maximum results Why you need to fundamentally believe in what you're trying to achieve with your startup How to get people to use your platform and software in a crowded market What you need to do develop your team's focus, decision making, and leadership skills so your business works for you & much more.  

Building partnerships and mailing lists as an entrepreneur can be one of the trickiest and most elusive parts of the game. Targetting the right people, understanding brand identity - it’s all a delicate ecosystem to navigate.  The good news is, when it comes to mailing lists and partnerships, we have all the answers you need from the mastermind and guru himself: Colin Darretta.  Co-founder of a number of successful companies including WellPath, a health and wellness plan) and DojoMojo, a software company that helps you build partnerships, Darretta has all the answers.  Not only has Darretta got decades of experience under his belt, but he also has the distinct honor of managing to build a 1million person email list in 1 year, and is the master of monetizing mailing lists.

Well before sunrise each day, Ari Meisel wakes up.   The 30-year-old serial entrepreneur, husband, and father rises at 5:30 each morning to get started on the day's work. Along with business and blogging, he helps to take care of his three young children.   Ari has a lot to juggle. But that doesn't faze him – after starting a series of successful businesses and even battling Crohn's disease, he holds a perspective of relentless optimism and a drive to help others. In an interview, Foundr publisher Nathan Chan asked him, “Do you ever feel overwhelmed?”   “No,” Ari replied. “No, I never feel overwhelmed – ever.”   Balancing his personal and professional lives, Ari is a productivity expert and writes on the subject at his blog, The Art of Less Doing.   “The Art of Less Doing was born of this desire to help people free up as much time as they could possibly free up in order to reclaim their own minds and do the things that they want to do,” Ari says. “So I basically have been helping people optimize, automate, and outsource everything in their lives.”   Ari has a deep understanding of how to put those words into action. Entrepreneurial ambition and medical challenges have fed his knowledge and led him to develop practical productivity strategies for overcoming the obstacles that stand in his way – as well as those that block others.       In this interview you will learn:       - The latest tools Ari uses to automate his life and business   - Life hacks that you need to apply straight away to save massive amounts of time   - How Ari Miesel overcame Crohns disease   - Success mindsets   - Entrepreneurial tips   - & Much more   I Need Your Help! If you haven’t already, I would love if you could be awesome and take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It’s the most amazing way to help the show grow and reach more people! Leave a review for the Foundr Podcast!

At 20 years old, Daniel DiPiazza was comfortable. He wasn't making millions of dollars at his hourly wage job, but he wasn't struggling for money either. Like a lot of people in their early 20s, he just didn't know what he wanted to do. While the life he led was fine, it was a never ending cycle of making enough money to pay the bills, and that was about it. It wasn't exciting, more than anything it was dissatisfying, and after a few years, DiPiazza found himself restless and wanting more out of life. "It got to this point where I showed up at work one day and I was intensely irritated. It wasn't anything specifically that happened that day, it was just a culmination of a few years of doing things that were just ... very annoying. I made a decision that day that I was going to make a change," DiPiazza says. From that point on, it was like a switch had been flipped inside him. Instead of looking at all the things that held him back, DiPiazza began looking for opportunities. If no one was going to give him a job doing what he wanted, the next logical step was to simply find a way to give himself a job where he could follow his passion. It started simply enough, with a little freelancing on the side helping college students prepare for their exams, which soon grew into a self-perpetuating machine that eventually led to owning his own company, Rich20Something. Today DiPiazza is a bestselling author and uses his own experience to inspire others in his generation, teaching them how they too can build their own businesses and start carving that bit of financial freedom and independence for themselves. Not bad for a kid who had no idea what he was doing in his early 20s. In this episode you will learn: The best content marketing tactics to use to promote yourself How to never run out of clients as a freelancer Where to go to start skilling yourself up as an entrepreneur How to come up with and validate your business ideas with a few simple steps Strategies to build up your personal brand and influence & much more!

Becoming one of the world’s most influential people on social media is no small feat. Author and entrepreneur Mari Smith explains that it comes down to a love of technology, and above all, a love of people.   Challenging traditional notions of marketing, author and entrepreneur Mari Smith explains that relationship marketing is based around creating trusting associations with customers that last a lifetime.   It’d be an understatement to say that social media has fundamentally changed how we communicate and ultimately do business around the world. Some people have a natural flair for it, others have to be trained. Mari Smith is one of the former. Widely recognized as the top Facebook marketing expert in the world, Mari Smith is the coauthor of Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day and lead author of The Relationship Age, a collection of strategies from leading social media experts to help users navigate the world of social media. Smith is a relationship marketing specialist among the world’s foremost experts on using Facebook as a marketing channel.  She is a Forbes top 10 Social Media Influencer and travels the world to deliver keynote speeches and trains businesses on how to use social media. Speaking exclusively with Foundr, it’s easy to see how Mari Smith has thrived on social media: her warm personality and her value of people underpins her every sentence.     In this interview you will learn:   - Timeless Facebook tactics that are proven to work - Relationship marketing - How to develop a deep connection with your audience over social - What it takes to build a thriving business via social media marketing - Some of the coolest tools and resources for making your social accounts explode   I Need Your Help! If you haven’t already, I would love if you could be awesome and take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It’s the most amazing way to help the show grow and reach more people! Leave a review for the Foundr Podcast!

When Peter Diamandis was a kid, there were two life-changing moments that shaped him into the person he is today: the launch of the Apollo space program and the release of Star Trek. These two events inspired Diamandis’ love of space and taught him to always keep his eyes on the future. It’s no surprise then that Diamandis went on launch over 20 companies in the areas of space, longevity, venture capital, and education. Diamandis has also dedicated himself to supporting others who make an impact on the world, which is why he founded the venture fund BOLD Capital Partners, the X Prize Foundation, and Singularity University—all organizations focused on promoting technologies that have the potential to improve society. In this interview, he shares his thoughts on what it takes to build a sustainable business, his predictions for industries like education and healthcare, and what he’s most excited about in terms of future innovations. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss! Key Takeaways Why Diamandis ended up going to medical school, despite his love of space How Diamandis carved out his own life path, which led to him starting 20+ companies in the areas of space, longevity, venture capital, and education His predictions on which industries will transition from a scarcity to an abundance mindset The golden rule Diamandis always follows whenever he prioritizes what to work on next Why Diamandis believes a person’s mindset is the most valuable asset they own The inspiration behind Diamandis’ latest book, The Future Is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives What excites Diamandis most about the future, and why he feels optimistic about what’s to come

Raquel and Adam Bouris are the co-founders of Who Is Elijah, an independently owned fragrance house known for its unique scents and innovative marketing strategies. Starting from humble beginnings, they have built a successful business that has made a significant impact in the fragrance industry. In this interview, you’ll learn: How a chance encounter at Coachella inspired a $20M Perfume Brand Breaking into the fragrance industry - from their garage Overcoming significant challenges and setbacks Innovative marketing and influencer partnerships Importance of customer feedback and product development Their marketing strategies and the role of social media Advice and motivational insights for aspiring entrepreneurs And many more valuable entrepreneurial insights... Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

Kamal Ravikant, Author and Founder, Venture Capitalist In this special podcast interview, Nathan Chan sits down with renowned author and founder Kamal Ravikant to discuss his thoughts on mentorship, entrepreneurs, and everything in between.  Ravikant traces his journey back to a point in time most entrepreneurs face: he was doing too much and he was burnt out. In fact, it took losing everything for him to realize what he needed to change: his mindset. Throughout his journey, the ups and downs, the lows and highs, Ravikant is a master of maintaining a balance between persistence and open-mindedness in everything he does.  Listen in as Ravikant discloses the powerful reason he chose to write his bestselling book: 'Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It', and how the book developed from a self-published book to a global success spreading joy and love published in 16 languages.  This podcast is raw, honest, and a deep insight into personal growth. Learn from Ravikant as he discloses the universal importance of loving yourself, being humble, and caring deeply. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss! Key Takeaways Ravikant holds the honor of being the fourth ever podcast interview by Foundr back in 2014 His beginnings riding the wave of the internet boom  Why it took losing everything to realize he needed to change his mindset His ideology that you should build a business by identifying a problem and creating a solution first The power investors hold over entrepreneurs, and what drove him to become a doer Why he believes in having a strong entrepreneur mindset His re-launch of the global bestseller Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It published in 16 languages worldwide Ravikant discusses his upcoming projects and behind-the-scenes of funds Ravikant addresses the changes in Silicon Valley, and what advice he would give to upcoming entrepreneurs Why you need to be humble and care deeply, always.

Sabri Suby returns to the podcast to share what’s working in digital marketing right now and his advice for early-stage ecommerce founders taking the first steps in digital marketing. Suby is the founder of Australia’s fastest-growing digital marketing agency, King Kong, and a featured Shark on Australia’s Shark Tank. In 10 years, King Kong has generated over $7.8 Billion in sales for its clients in 136 different countries.  Listen to Nathan and Sabri discuss: How his humble upbringing gave him the entrepreneur bug The number one problem that all businesses face Why all marketing starts with storytelling Why content marketing is like cold calling  Why founder-led content is fundamental  What’s working in paid advertising for ecommerce  King Kong’s most successful ads Interruption based marketing The power of native content video  AI tools and the future of AI And much more ecommerce marketing advice...  *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

James Chin Moody became an entrepreneur by accident. While on sabbatical from his engineering career, he developed a donate marketplace inspired by trying to donate outgrown baby clothes to those in need. While optimizing local delivery logistics, he unintentionally created a model that rivaled the national post office. In 2014, out of that happy accident, Sendle was born, unlocking the power of big business delivery networks for small businesses to make delivery simple, reliable, and affordable. Moody is an expert and thought leader on the interface between sustainability and innovation and is the co-author of The Sixth Wave: How to Succeed in a Resource-Limited World. Listen to Nathan and James discuss:  The accidental origin story of Sendle Commercializing an untapped logistics solution  Value creation milestones Creating an eco-friendly business  Why Sendles can compete with delivery monopolies  The three levels of product market fit  The philosophy of one-way decisions The 5 “H’s” of Sendle’s virtues  “Hell yeah” recruiting  The competitive advantage of value-driven business And much more business innovation advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Emma Grede is the marketing and business mind behind a global fashion and lifestyle brand empire. She’s the CEO and cofounder of the first fully inclusive fashion brand Good American, founding partner of shapewear brand SKIMS, and cofounder of plant-powered cleaning brand Safely.    Impressive resume, right?    Emma’s story started in East London as a child, where she was inspired to work in the fashion world. By focusing on her unique talents, she honed her skills in business and marketing to develop a career that she dreamed up from the beginning—to work with creative people and empower their collective vision. Listen to Nathan and Emma discuss:   How she first met and started working with Kris Jenner Pitching the Good American business idea to Khloe Kardashian ​​ The key to the Kardashian/Jenner staying power  Why the power of inclusivity led to the success of SKIMS Finding a better plant-based cleaning solution with Safely How she became a shark on ABC’s Shark Tank Her role as chairwoman of Fifteen Percent Pledge And much more marketing and product advice for founders…     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Meet the business behind the name. In 2009, Simon Sinek gave a TED Talk that has since become one of the most-watched videos of all time on TED.com, with 37 million plus views. His talk spurred NY Times best-selling books, speaking engagements, consulting gigs with globally-recognized brands, a podcast, a publishing arm, and viral quotes shared across social media. And it all started with the question–why?  Listen to Nathan and Simon discuss: What he learned from growing up internationally  Why he fell out of love with his first business Finding his why concept and sharing it with others How his time with military leaders inspired Leaders Eat Last Why there’s no such thing as “winning business” Why optimism Building a business around a personal brand What’s the most important thing for an entrepreneur  And much more advice on purpose… To learn more about Sinek’s principles, check out his books, or visit simonsinek.com. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

By now, the story is legend. When Drew Houston boarded a bus from Boston to New York and discovered that he had—yet again—forgotten to bring his thumb drive, he was frustrated. So frustrated that he sat down and began writing the first lines of code of what would eventually become Dropbox. After over a decade of changing the way files are stored, synced, and shared, Houston is changing the way people work, once again. This time, to solve a problem that likely plagues every single knowledge worker today: our fragmented, overcomplicated workspaces. In this episode, you’ll learn more about Houston’s journey—from ideation to launch—with Dropbox Spaces, as well as the most important lessons he’s collected while building a multibillion-dollar company. Listen to Nathan and Drew discuss: The relatable experience that inspired Houston to come up with the idea for Dropbox Why Houston doesn’t believe there’s any “magic” involved in building a multibillion-dollar company The importance of decision making and learning continuously on the job How a conversation with a SpaceX engineer sparked the vision behind Dropbox Spaces Houston’s advice on “harvesting” versus “planting” when it comes to your business Why Houston is such a huge believer in intentionally designing your environment—at work and with your personal relationships Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

Anyone can have a great idea, any entrepreneur can get lucky and make it big, but it takes something really special to turn your startup into something that lasts. For the past 27 years that's exactly what Darrell Wade has done with IntrepidTravel. It all started in 1988 when two friends went on a trip to Africa and came back with an idea, something that would revolutionize the travel industry forever. Despite the lack of confidence from the banks and everyone telling them otherwise, Wade and his cofounder knew that there was a market being underserviced out there. So channeling his own passion for traveling, he created a startup where, for more than four years, his salary was only a third of his previous job. Since then, IntrepidTravel has turned into a $300 million business and has successfully transported 350,000 travelers around the globe in the previous year alone! Despite hardships, Wade vigorously reinvested back into his business, focusing on building the best product he could possibly offer, and creating a company with staying power to support it all. Today IntrepidTravel is one of the premiere travel agencies in the world and it all started with a passion and desire to change. In this episode you will learn: How to start a business in the travel industry How to make your business grow on a tight budget and learn about the risks that you have to take for your startup travelling business The advantages of re-investing to make your business grow Unique ideas and Actions items to get a lot of travellers book with your agency The importance of mutual respect when it comes to leadership and your organization How to identify the leverage points where you can scale up in your business & much more!

The D’Amelio family—Marc, Heidi, Dixie, and Charli — have taken their social media fame and passion for content creation and parlayed it into a lifestyle media empire. The family members have a combined Instagram following of 72.1 million and 228.7 million on TikTok (and counting). They recently launched their own venture and cross-platform company, D’Amelio Brands, with their first brand launch, D’Amelio Footwear, debuting in May with plans to launch a skincare line ZitsAllright soon.  Listen to Nathan and the D’Amelios discuss: Charli and Dixie’s rise to fame through TikTok  Why their family was primed for success on the platform The virality of being authentic   How to build a community on TikTok Being family and business partners Partnering with the right brands  Building their product business  What's next for the family And much more... Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

If it seems like entrepreneurs are getting younger every year, it's because they are. More millennials are turning toward entrepreneurship as a fulfilling career choice, passing on the traditional route of finding employment with some company. As the co-founder of DoorDash, Andy Fang is no different, part of the new school of entrepreneurs getting into the startup world while still in college. In 2013, Fang and his three co-founders were still students in Stanford when they had an idea—to create an on-demand delivery service in their area for restaurants that didn't have their own. It wasn't long after that DoorDash found itself backed by Y Combinator, and has since expanded to several major cities within the US and Canada, recently raising $127 million in funding. Not bad for a student entrepreneur who was once the only delivery driver the company had. DoorDash is but one of many startups in an ever-growing food delivery market. In order to stay one step ahead of the competition at all times, Fang has had to learn how to adapt quickly to challenges thrown his way, and how to prioritize growth at all times. In this week's episode you'll learn: How to put together a team of co-founders based on mutual trust and respect The key to adapting quickly and executing even faster Why it's so important to have a clear vision and the guts to stick to it The logistics behind running a food-based startup Challenges and solutions when it comes to expanding and entering new markets & much more!

Welcome to the final installment of our three-part podcast series that’s shining the spotlight on successful entrepreneurs who hail right from our very own Foundr community! These passionate people are in the trenches daily doing what it takes to make their startup dreams a reality. If you haven’t listened to parts one and two, featuring Gamal Codner and Shannon Willougby, you can check them out right here and here. Today, we talk with Brandon Monaghan and Justin Kemperman, superstar entrepreneurs (one hasn’t graduated high school yet!) who developed a stellar brand and scaled their ecommerce business to half a million in sales in just 10 short weeks. After joining our Start & Scale ecommerce course, they realized they didn’t need to reinvent the wheel to make money in ecommerce. They just needed to improve upon an existing product and build a powerful brand around it. And, that’s exactly what they did. Their company, The Urban Lash, scaled so quickly that they didn’t have enough inventory to supply orders. They kept on growing, and Brandon and Justin recently sold their business for a nice profit and are ready to start the process all over again. In this power-packed interview, we go behind the scenes with Justin and Brandon and learn exactly how they scaled their business so quickly, what principles guided their growth, and what they have planned for the future. We are extremely proud of these guys and how rapidly they grew their ecommerce business. Way to go! Key Takeaways: The steps they took to rebrand an existing product and blow it up to $500k in sales The two strategies that created so much growth in such a short time The advertising strategy that allowed them to scale week after week and remain profitable The influencer marketing tactics they used to catapult their brand

In this episode, Allison Ellsworth, founder of Poppi, takes us through her incredible journey from humble beginnings at farmers markets to achieving national recognition with her modern soda brand. Allison shares the challenges she faced in the early days, including the pivotal decision to appear on Shark Tank, where she secured a deal that helped propel Poppi to success. She discusses the strategic rebranding that transformed her business, the impact of her Super Bowl commercial, and how she’s built a brand that resonates deeply with consumers through authentic, community-first marketing. In this episode, you'll learn: - Allison’s journey from kitchen experiments to a successful Shark Tank pitch - The rebranding process that led to Poppi’s breakthrough - How a last-minute Super Bowl ad tripled Poppi's brand awareness overnight - Leveraging TikTok and social media to build a strong, engaged community - Key strategies for scaling a beverage brand in a competitive market - Allison’s advice for founders on navigating rapid growth and maintaining brand integrity - Many more valuable insights for entrepreneurs Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

Getting rich is for amateurs. A real entrepreneur, one with serious guts and vision, wants to make the world a better place. If that's you, it's time to enter the world of social enterprise—business that seeks to make both a profit and a positive impact, on anything from education to world hunger. This is a tall order, but it's possible and an increasingly popular form of entrepreneurship. So today's podcast is going to show you exactly how to make money, while also making a difference. Unlike your traditional businesses, social enterprises have a much harder time securing funding and even staff. The legal frameworks and business models can also be much trickier. Lucky for us, we were able to sit down with Adam Braun, founder of Pencils of Promise and MissionU. He shared with us how he managed to raise over $50 million in contributions, build hundreds of schools, and grow a worldwide staff of more than 125 employees as a social enterprise. As he turned 25, Braun only had $25 in his bank account, but was still determined to build a school for the less fortunate. Before crowdsourcing was even a thing, Braun turned to strangers to help him fund his first project. He used social media and event marketing to attract people to his cause, relying on influencer and word-of-mouth to secure the funding he needed. "You start scrappy and understand that maybe one day you'll have the resources to hire full-time staff and work with capital at hand, but most people don't start that way, and I certainly didn't," Braun says. Starting with this grassroots marketing strategy and an all-volunteer staff, he built Pencils of Promise into a huge success. Today, more than 400 schools have been built as a result, and Braun's turned his sights to education in the United States with his new project MissionU. In this episode you'll learn: How to use event marketing to build your brand and attract investors What makes a story "newsworthy" and how to use it to build an audience Braun's methodology for attracting A-players to work toward his vision Social media marketing tactics to reach your target audience without paid advertising The right way to go about asking for money, whether it's for crowdfunding or from investors & much more!

Leadership doesn’t have to be complicated. Garie Dooley has over 15 years of experience helping founders and business leaders build phenomenal teams. After a career in education and corporate leadership, Garie discovered his passion for creating environments with high levels of trust and clarity of purpose that deliver sustainable success. He’s worked with Amazon, Redcape, Cricket NSW, AFL clubs, Foxtel, Johnson and Johnson, and our team at foundr. So if you’re looking for strategies to move your business from surviving to thriving, this episode is for you.  Listen to Nathan and Garie discuss:  The early days of his career leading business teams Working with sporting teams and corporations   Are great leaders naturally born?  Where to start if you want to become a leader What a phenomenal team looks like Winning deep, not shallow  How to build a high sense of trust  Identifying talent internally and externally Thinking differently about difficult conversations And much more leadership advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Ten years ago, Nathan Chan started Foundr Magazine to discover what it takes to build a successful business. A decade on, he’s learned the sacrifice, victories, and obstacles that it takes to create a company of value for a global community of students. In this special episode, foundr’s contributing editor, Luke Ferris, puts Chan on the hot seat to reflect on the 10-year anniversary of foundr.  Listen to Luke and Nathan discuss:  Nathan’s childhood and first jobs The origins of foundr Discovering a feeling of euphoria with foundr How he overcame burnout Memorable interviews over the decade What he’s learned from foundr students  How he’s changed as a person and leader What’s next for foundr And more founder advice… This episode is powered by 99designs by Vista, a global creative platform that makes it easy for you to work with professional freelance designers from around the world.  Together with 99designs, we’re offering you a $30 discount on your first design contest. Head to 99designs.com/foundr to learn more or get started on your project today.  Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Joseph Einhorn is no stranger to entrepreneurialism. With almost 25 years of startup experience under his belt, Einhorn knows the ins and the outs of the game.    In this interview with Nathan Chan, Einhorn discusses his incredible journey from becoming a self-taught engineer for Capital IQ, launching and selling the global ecommerce phenomenon Fancy.com, and how his life-long love for comic books evolved into founding Loot.    With a penchant for satiating curiosity and deep respect for creators the world over, Einhorn will leave you inspired to chase your dream and to never give up. Get FREE, actionable advice from legitimate founders on starting and growing ANY Business… https://www.foundr.com/freetraining And… If you ARE enjoying the Foundr Podcast’, please make sure to leave us a 5-star review, and let us know who you want to see next. Website: http://www.foundr.com Success Stories: https://foundr.com/success-stories Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundr/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/2uyvzdt  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/foundr Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/foundr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/ Podcast: http://www.foundr.com/podcast Magazine: http://www.foundr.com/magazine  

Marketing is expensive. But you can get your brand in front of people much cheaper–by giving something away for free. In Neil Patel’s return to the podcast, he’ll share lessons from years of marketing consulting and explain why free products are cheaper for your business in the long run. If you haven’t seen Patel on social media, he’s the co-founder of Crazy Egg and Hello Bar and helps companies like NBC, GM, HP, and Viacom grow their revenue. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to generate leads using referrals  Why Neil believes “growth at all costs” is wrong How to prioritize profitability in your business  That giving away a free product works  How to make marketing financially viable Patel’s AI tools for data and content production  Why AI isn’t a magic solution to business problems What’s difficult about implementing AI And much more marketing and AI advice…  *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023.  Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

In this episode, Anthony Katz, founder of Hyperice, shares his incredible journey from being a high school teacher with a passion for sports to building a global recovery brand used by some of the world’s top athletes. Anthony talks about the inspiration behind Hyperice, his early struggles in product development, and the pivotal moment when Kobe Bryant agreed to test his product. He reveals how he leveraged athlete partnerships to build credibility for Hyperice and how the company’s innovations in recovery technology have set them apart in the industry. Listeners will gain insights into the power of networking, the importance of resilience, and the strategies Anthony used to build a nine-figure company from scratch. In this episode, listen to Anthony & Nathan discuss: - The inspiration and initial development of Hyperice products - Working with top athletes like Kobe Bryant and leveraging partnerships for growth - The challenges of building a hardware startup from scratch - The role of innovation in creating market-leading products - Strategies for building credibility and brand recognition in a competitive market - The importance of storytelling in building a successful brand - Many more valuable insights for entrepreneurs Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

In this episode of the Foundr podcast, Nathan Chan speaks with Jeff Raider and Andy Katz-Mayfield to find out how they scaled Harry’s into a $20 million brand, and how they created other multiple million-dollar brands.    The idea for Harry’s came about after Katz-Mayfield had a disappointing late-night shopping experience at the chemists, and noticed that all the men’s razors were overpriced and overdesigned. Almost 8 years later, Raider and Katz-Mayfield have multiple channels, over 1000 employees, and several multi-million dollar brands.    Listen in as they discuss exactly how they successfully scaled their brands, how they identified potential gaps in the market, the dangers of launching something just to make money, and why they decided to pull the plug on their Harry’s brand of lip balm. Get FREE, actionable advice from legitimate founders on starting and growing ANY Business… https://www.foundr.com/freetraining And… If you ARE enjoying the Foundr Podcast’, please make sure to leave us a 5-star review, and let us know who you want to see next. Website: http://www.foundr.comSuccess Stories: https://foundr.com/success-stories Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundr/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/2uyvzdt  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/foundr Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/foundr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/ Podcast: http://www.foundr.com/podcast Magazine: http://www.foundr.com/magazine

It only took six hours for Asher Tan and Ryan Zhou to put together the incubator pitch for CoinJar, a vision for a next-gen personal finance account that would capitalize on the growing interest in bitcoin and other digital currencies. Five years later, CoinJar is a leading digital currency platform in Australia and the self-proclaimed “fastest way to access your money from anywhere in the world.” CoinJar’s users can spend, send, and trade their bitcoins, dollars, and pounds globally. Despite the major challenges that come with scaling in a global market, the company has been profitable for the past three years. In this insightful interview, these brave founders share how they overcome scaling challenges, their next products to hit the market, and their top tips for entrepreneurs interested in creating fintech startups. Enjoy! Key Takeaways The specific challenges that come with scaling in a volatile market Why prioritizing word-of-mouth marketing wins over other advertising channels in this industry The duo's next products to hit the market Tan and Zhou’s top tips for fintech startups

Scott Jordan is no wall flower. He is a force to be reckoned with – and when he became frustrated with carrying devices and wanted something better than a man bag or a fanny pack he quit his job as a lawyer at a startup and launched SCOTTeVEST– a travel clothier that specializes in multi-pocket clothing specifically built around the tech gear we all carry. That decision, fourteen years ago, was made based on a philosophy that has guided much of his entrepreneurial journey – anything worth doing is worth doing now. Scott Jordan’s first product, the eVest 1.0, has morphed into a full line of clothing for men and women and a company that has landed on Inc.’s Fastest Growing Companies List three consecutive years. With global sales exceeding $10 million and Board of Advisors that includes Steve Wozniak (yes, the Steve Wozniak) and Kenneth “Hap” Klopp (co-founder of North Face), SCOTTeVEST has traversed the startup desert and reached the land milk and money. In this interview you will learn: How to use the power of storytelling to sell a product no one's ever heard of The power of PR and spin, how to make the best out of a bad situation and come out on top What is controversy and why it isn't always a bad thing Answer to the question of whether or not you should bootstrap or go after investors The strategies that Scott used to get his name and his business on the map & much more!

In his lifetime as an entrepreneur, Steve Olsher has crashed, burned, and reinvented himself in the face of tremendous failure. But for Olsher, there was never any other path. If you can relate, he's got some indispensable wisdom to offer. "I've been an entrepreneur pretty much since I've been old enough to pick up a rake and move some leaves around, or grab a shovel and do some snow-shoveling and clear some sidewalks, driveways, that sort of thing. We're all naturally wired to excel in very specific ways, and for me, I've always just been wired to rub a couple of dimes together to make that quarter," Olsher says. Olsher has spent his entire life as an entrepreneur, and with it has experienced all the highs and lows, from starting a widely successful business that was prepared to go public within a year, to losing it all and walking away from a company he spent nine years of his life building. But if success is defined by how well you can bounce back from failure, Olsher is one of the most successful people on the planet. Taking the knocks in stride, and embracing the lessons they taught him, Olsher went on to pursue other entrepreneurial ventures over the next six years, before reclaiming his original business and domain name, Liquor.com, and building his business from the ground up again. In the years since, Olsher has distilled a lifetime of experience and lessons into helping others figure out what their passion and their purpose are. Today, he is now a New York Times-bestselling author, and is all about helping people reinvent themselves into who they truly want to be. In this episode you will learn: Hard truths you need to know when bringing on investors The importance of needing good advisors and mentors you can turn to when you need it When you should and shouldn't listen to your gut as an entrepreneur How to find out what your "what" is, and how to figure out what your purpose is Where to find your winning business idea & much more!

Thomas Tull didn’t know anything about Hollywood when he started Legendary Pictures. However, he did know how to build a financial model and reach the untapped market of comic book fans. Legendary Pictures has produced films such as The Dark Knight, The Hangover, and 300. Under Thomas' leadership, they became a disruptor in the film industry by focusing on a global distribution strategy.    After selling Legendary in 2016, Thomas started Tulco LLC, a holding company that invests in artificial intelligence and technology solutions.    Listen to Nathan Chan chat with Thomas about:  His origin story as a local laundromat owner Raising half a billion dollars to launch Legendary Pictures Working with directors Christopher Nolan, Zack Synder, and Todd Phillips The portfolio theory of building a sustainable production company The feeling of creating a product that becomes part of the lexicon Behind the sale of Legendary Pictures to Chinese-company Wanda Group His strategy for selecting partners to invest in Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Richard Li puts customer service above all when it comes to his luggage company, July. This unfaltering commitment is why he personally makes house calls to address complaints and why he recently hand-delivered packages after realizing that some customers wouldn’t receive the luggage they ordered in time for the holidays. But this high level of service is only a small piece of Li’s success story with July. Li, who has previous entrepreneurial experience from his furniture company Brosa, has also figured out a “magic” formula for manufacturing, marketing, and selling physical products. He used this knowledge to grow July from $0 to $5 million in revenue in just a year. And now he’s looking forward to opening up additional retail stores, introducing more products, allowing for more luggage personalization, and expanding into international markets in 2020. If you want to learn more about what it takes to launch and scale a business that revolves around a physical product, be sure to give our interview a listen! Also be sure to check out our latest online course, Ecommerce Masters, where Richard Li is one of the five instructors teaching advanced ecommerce skills. ATTENTION: We're excited to announce that Richard Li has partnered with Foundr to teach one of the modules in our course, Ecommerce Masters. Get on the Free VIP Waitlist to be notified when we open enrollment! Get a FREE Lesson from Our Course: Ecommerce Masters! Learn the FASTEST Path to a Million-Dollar Store Key Takeaways The opportunity Li saw in Australia’s furniture market that led him to launch Brosa Why he stepped back from Brosa after five years to focus completely on his new direct-to-consumer luggage company, July An overview of July’s funding journey, go-to-market strategy, and first sale The journey from $0 to $5 million in one year How to find a manufacturer that can grow with your company Why Li offers July customers a 100-day trial and lifetime warranty The rules of product development that Li follows Why Li decided to follow the direct-to-consumer trend of opening up a physical store July’s four growth pillars for 2020 Li’s best advice for entrepreneurs building a business around a physical product

Jodie Fox loves her shoes. But unlike your average shoe lover, Fox was able to turn that love first into a living room-based passion project, and then a multimillion-dollar online business. She's the co-founder and CEO of Shoes of Prey, a popular online store that allows customers to design and customize their own shoes. Shoes of Prey recently raised $25 million in funding as part of its Series B round, and while that's impressive enough on its own, Fox managed to validate, launch, and break even on her very first business within two months. That's mind-bogglingly fast, even by startup standards. The former lawyer also skilfully scaled her business with a powerful mix of influencer marketing and deals with wholesale giants like Nordstrom, to the point that over 5 million shoes have been designed on the platform. Not bad for a first-time entrepreneur. "I think a founder's job when you start a business is just to do everything that you haven't hired anyone to do just yet," Fox says. Together with her co-founders, Fox followed her passion, validated her idea, built her first online store, and from there the wins kept on coming. We are very lucky to have the opportunity to interview her and receive step-by-step instructions on how this first-time entrepreneur managed to build herself a worldwide business with million of customers at lightning-fast speeds. In this episode you'll learn: Why you need to tap into the power of micro-influencers to quickly grow your brand How to ink deals with the top brands in your niche Exactly when to look for funding, and when to keep on bootstrapping How to conceive, validate, and launch your idea in as fast as two months What holds most online businesses back from being successful, and how to overcome them & so much more!

Tommie Powers is a legend in digital paid advertising. He's consulted on $100+ million in ad spend, including $30 million on YouTube ads alone.    So when Tommie talks about paid YouTube ad strategies, we listen.    In a recent interview on the Foundr podcast, Tommie talked with us about everything from diversifying ad spend to crafting a powerful message to calculating ROAS (spoiler: most people are calculating ROAS all wrong).    Check out the latest episode of the Foundr podcast as Tommie tells us how he taps into YouTube's 2 billion monthly active users to bring in his downright mind-blowing ROAS. Get FREE, actionable advice from legitimate founders on starting and growing ANY Business… https://www.foundr.com/freetraining And… If you are enjoying the Foundr Podcast’, please leave us a 5-star review and let us know who you want to see next. Website: http://www.foundr.comSuccess Stories: https://foundr.com/success-stories Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundr/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/2uyvzdt  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/foundr Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/foundr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/ Podcast: http://www.foundr.com/podcast Magazine: http://www.foundr.com/magazine

In 2010, only 2% of beauty products were being sold on the internet. When Katia Beauchamp and her Harvard Business School classmate, Hayley Barna, came across this statistic, they were floored. This seemed like a huge missed opportunity—so they decided to dig deeper. What they discovered was that people were overwhelmed by the prospect of shopping for beauty products. With this problem in mind, Birchbox was created as the simple solution. The monthly subscription box contained a wide variety of beauty samples, and customers could buy the full size of whichever product they liked. In short, Birchbox made the beauty shopping experience easy for the casual consumer. Since the brand’s launch in 2010, Birchbox has grown to a nine-figure business that now has access to thousands of products, offers over 100 types of boxes for consumers, and has expanded globally. Listen to this podcast episode to learn more about Beauchamp’s thoughts on scaling relationships, building a trustworthy brand, and appealing to your target customer. If there’s any other type of content you’d like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out at support@foundr.com. Key Takeaways Why people weren’t shopping for beauty products online in the mid-2000s How this problem inspired Beauchamp and co-founder Hayley Barna to launch their beauty subscription box, Birchbox The idea of the “casual consumer” and how this demographic became Birchbox’s target customer Why Beauchamp doesn’t view beauty stores like Sephora or department stores as competitors How Birchbox launched its beta test in 2010, and what it took to grow its customer base Beauchamp’s thoughts on scaling relationships and building a trustworthy brand What Beauchamp is most excited about when it comes to the future of Birchbox

Founder and CEO of ActiveCampaign Jason Vandeboom sits down with Foundr’s Nathan Chan to discuss his journey from launching a small part-time business to running a global SaaS empire. An email marketing, marketing-automation, and sales CRM platform, Jason owes the company’s success to its “customer first” approach and mindful framework. By throwing out the “product-first SaaS playbook” to a more customer-centric model, ActiveCampaign has evolved from an old-school on-premise contact management company to over 90,000 customers in 161 countries. Jason doesn’t believe in a time-box window for creation, and he discusses his belief that you can create innovation over time. He says that when it comes to building a business that is sustainable and long-term, you have to start with the right framework. With many small businesses facing uncertainty due to Covid-19, ActiveCampaign has made it their mission to provide support and security for their customers. Jason discusses how “there’s a former digital transformation that […] has become a necessity.” Above all, business is about trusting your instincts and trying to find a path that is a different shape to others. If there’s any other type of content you’d like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email. Key Takeaways Jason discusses his belief in the importance of staying true to being a small business How ActiveCampaign found its footing as an on-premise contact management businesses Why Jason believes the key to a successful business is customer-first over product-first, and how this can shape creative innovation How ActiveCampaign slowly built its foundations in order to secure 100k paying-active companies and over $100 million in annual recurring revenue Why you should ignore the typical SaaS playbook that insists that in order to obtain growth you will need to upmarket Jason advises that you should always trust your instincts, and allow time for your company to grow. You only need passion, joy, and the strength to find our way through it all.

In this episode, Alicia Scott, founder of Range Beauty, shares her journey from fashion professional to beauty entrepreneur. Alicia reveals how her own skin struggles led to the creation of a brand focused on inclusivity and clean beauty. Discover how Alicia bootstrapped her business with just $150, overcame challenges like a cease-and-desist, and navigated pivotal moments such as appearing on Shark Tank and landing a deal with Emma Grede. Listen to Nathan and Alicia discuss: - Starting Range Beauty with minimal capital and scaling to a multi million-dollar brand - Alicia’s strategy for developing inclusive and clean beauty products - Navigating setbacks like trademark issues and rebranding - The impact of social media and influencer marketing in driving early sales - Insights into retail partnerships with Target and Sephora and the importance of accelerators And much more beauty brand advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

These days, Sabri Suby reigns supreme as the founder of King Kong, Australia’s fastest-growing digital marketing agency. But he’s come a long way since his first job, selling ink cartridges over the phone, which he describes as a “cold, hard slap to the face.” “I sucked incredibly badly at doing that in the beginning,” he says. Soon enough, thanks to mastering the art of sales and persuasion, he became the top producer in that role, went on to travel the world, and eventually, forged his path as an entrepreneur. For all of his companies, he realized he was asking the same fundamental question: “How do we get more customers?” His obsession with answering that question has helped him perfect his selling skills and scale King Kong from zero to $10 million in annual revenue in just four years. In his latest book, Sell Like Crazy, Suby reveals the selling system he’s created and honed over the years, including things like the Magic Lantern Technique and the Halo Strategy. He says he’s deployed this system in more than 167 different niches and markets—and it’s worked every time. With Sell Like Crazy, he shares the steps you need to take, regardless of what stage you’re in, to level up your business. Key Takeaways Where to begin if you want to succeed in selling online Psychology vs. technology and why the traffic channel doesn’t matter The biggest mistake online businesses are making regarding sales Why you shouldn’t start a business by looking only at your interests How to identify a gap in the market that you can fill Using automation and a funnel to convert sales Why skepticism online is at an all-time high—and how to overcome it How to know when to ask for the sale How to get over the fear of selling Why you’re doing the world a disservice by not trying to sell Why paid advertising is key to growth

At 24, Guy Pearson turned down a partnership to start an accounting firm. His early clients were digital companies, and Pearson was jealous that there wasn’t an online commerce system for his industry. So in 2013, he launched a new company called Ignition to simplify and speed up the transaction process for professionals like him. To date, Ignition helped facilitate more than 1M client engagements and over $2B in client payments. Ignition has offices in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, US, and the UK, with over 170 employees globally.   Listen to Nathan and Guy discuss:  How intrapreneurship transformed into entrepreneurship  The challenges of building the original software for Ignition  Expanding to new markets outside of Australia  Why he still sits in on candidate interviews  The heartbreaking moments of raising capital  Starting vs. scaling a business  The balance between an accounting brain and entrepreneurial heart  How to lead with an experimental mindset Transitioning from a founder to CEO And much more business growth advice...       Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Today, we’re excited to share another valuable interview to help you overcome business challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. We had the opportunity to pick the brain of Ashwin Sokke, the founder of WOW Skin Science. His global 8-figure skincare and haircare business is extremely popular in India and across the U.S., and it has been a top-selling brand on Amazon for the last four years in those countries. In this interview, Sokke shares how his company dealt with the impact of Covid-19 which shut down half of his business for several weeks. For businesses who are going through similar pains, he provides incredible insights across many topics—from how to communicate with customers (he believes we should be sending them more emails and texts during this time) to getting creative with your marketing tactics (remember giveaways?). Sokke even digs down into the nitty gritty and breaks down his thoughts on subscription models, ad investments, and SKUs. We believe this conversation will be valuable for any entrepreneur to listen to, especially those with ecommerce businesses. If there’s any other type of content you’d like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out at support@foundr.com to let us know. If you need want some training on ecommerce, check out our Free Masterclasses: Learn How You Can Start a Profitable Online Store (In 12 Weeks or Less)Discover the “5 Core Drivers” Behind Today’s Fastest-Growing 7-Figure Stores Key Takeaways How Sokke got into the health and beauty space The path to growing WOW Skin Science in India and the U.S. and becoming a top-selling brand on Amazon Why Sokke develops all of his products from scratch A glimpse into the company’s incredible numbers: 8-figure revenue and 370% growth in the U.S. last year The impact that Covid-19 had on Sokke’s global company Why Sokke believes companies should be sending more emails during this time (and how to be strategic about it) Why giveaways have been a successful tactic during Covid-19 An overview on a winning stock keeping unit (SKU) Sokke’s thoughts on how to win with subscription models The best advice Sokke can offer to the community during Covid-19

It’s not easy to rebuild an entire company—especially when things are going well. But that’s exactly what Justin McLeod did with his dating app, Hinge. After Hinge first launched in 2012, it saw exponential growth. Despite this, McLeod made the risky decision to rebuild his app from scratch in 2016. Why? He felt that the company had strayed too from its original vision or helping people find and build meaningful connections. So instead of remaining the brand that connects “friends with friends,” it rebranded to become “the dating app designed to be deleted.” McLeod’s decision paid off. Today, Hinge is a subsidiary under Match.com, has seen huge growth on a global scale, and is setting up a date every three seconds globally. In this podcast episode, McLeod shares exactly what it took to get through this challenging transition and what’s in store for this beloved dating app in the near future.  If there’s any other type of content you’d like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out at support@foundr.com.  Key Takeaways McLeod’s own love story, and how it inspired the idea behind Hinge  Why, after years of success, McLeod decided to rebuild his dating app from scratch The reaction of Hinge’s board of directors and team in response to this change  How Hinge fulfills its mission of getting more people out on great dates The type of data that Hinge collects to set itself apart from competitors The power of word-of-mouth when it came to Hinge’s growth  What McLeod thinks are the mistakes he made while building Hinge for the first time (and how he fixed them the second time around)  Why McLeod decided to join forces with Match.com, and how this decision has helped the business scale globally  The type of research that’s happening at Hinge Labs  McLeod’s approach to user testing and product development with Hinge  Why McLeod recommends being firm about your vision but flexible about your tactics

Founder of Fueled and the Fueled Collective, Rameet Chawla, explains what it takes to consistently build the finest mobile apps, defines the Viral Coefficient and reveals how his need to be creative and independent lead him to leave the world of corporate finance to create a job for himself, which started by building his dream company. In this episode you will learn: What goes into making and developing the right MVP The secrets to getting the best kind of user feedback, when to listen, and when not to listen How to develop the right technological triggers needed to click with users The right and wrong way to network and build professional relationships The analytics tools and metrics that Ramee relies on to track the success of his apps & much more!

Scooter Braun is the music-business mind behind the world’s biggest music stars like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato. Now he’s opening up about his entrepreneurial journey and how he’s reclaimed himself.    Scooter's music career started as a party promoter in Atlanta. After dropping out of college, he worked at So So Def Recordings and eventually started SB Projects. He gave himself 12 months to make it, and that year discovered a 13-year-old Canadian artist named Justin Bieber.    Listen to Nathan and Scooter discuss: His decision to leave So So Def because of the power of social media Why Justin Bieber has made him a better man How Asher Roth’s “I Love College” saved his company from going under  Producing Justin Bieber’s My World EP through friendships and favors Why he works with trustworthy people over great people Why identifying talent like falling in love  How to deal with people disappointing you as a leader How a week at The Hoffman Process changed his life What Jeff Bezos told him he wants to do next And much more honest, entrepreneurial advice…       Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Where do you see yourself in ten years? And more importantly, is that where you want to be? Without a doubt, you've spent an unproductive afternoon at your desk staring listlessly out the window, listening to the chatter of co-workers, staring at piles of reports, puzzled on how you ended up there. What happened to the life you dreamed about when you were in high-school? If you’re feeling a little unfulfilled, the good news is, you're not the only one. According to Harvard studies, a whopping 74% of people are unhappy in their work. Job satisfaction in the USA recently fell to its lowest level in 22 years and continues to show a consistent downward trend. There's a reason why three-quarters of employees don’t walk away and cash in their chips, and instead opt to stay unfulfilled. To find out why, we spoke with Matthew Michalewicz.    Michalewicz is an international expert in entrepreneurship, innovation, and success psychology. He has established boards that include former heads of state, Nobel Peace Prize winners, and Fortune 500 CEOs, and has a track record of starting businesses from scratch and selling them for tens of millions of dollars. His work has been featured in numerous television shows and publications, including Time Magazine, Newsweek, and Forbes.    In this interview you will learn:   - How to pitch Rockstars like Bill Gates - Learn the science behind what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur - The secret sauce on the most successful entrepreneurs in the world - How Matthew Has built 4 extremely successful businesses - Key mindsets for becomming a super successful entrepreneur   I Need Your Help! If you haven’t already, I would love if you could be awesome and take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It’s the most amazing way to help the show grow and reach more people! Leave a review for the Foundr Podcast!

Everyone kept telling Phil Hutcheon “that's just how it is” when it comes to the absurd processing fees for concert tickets. That's why Phil started Dice, a platform for fans to see the musicians they love in the most hassle-free way possible. Since its launch in 2013, Dice has raised over $100M in capital, has more than 380 workers, and is expanding its services globally. From testing the business idea with a fake company to phone calls with Kayne West, Hutcheon built Dice into a commerce engine for the music industry.   Listen to Nathan and Phil discuss:  Why he rejected a promotion to start a career in music  Building the Modular Records sound through legendary parties Bootstrapping his music management company Deadly People  Testing a ticketing model with a fake company Scoring the first contracts for Dice Why it took 3.5 years to build out Dice’s discovery feature Working with artists like Adele and Kayne West Raising over $100M in capital after a slow start And much more fundraising advice…       Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Why start from scratch when you replicate what’s already working? Tony Matusiak is the founder of Velocity, an AI ecommerce savant with over a million followers on social media. Since dropping out of college in 2019, he’s built nearly a dozen ecommerce brands selling everything from TikTok lighting to eco-friendly straws. He’s also developed a method for using AI to quickly adapt, launch, and scale ecommerce businesses using AI.  Listen to Nathan and Tony discuss:  Dropping out of school to pursue entrepreneurship Building his first ecommerce business How to spot trends using AI tools  His adoption method with TiKTok creators  How to use short-form video to grow your business  Replicating and combining ideas that have already worked  Validating and researching products through TikTok  How to start a business using AI  Why AI won’t replace creativity And much more ecommerce advice…  *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit from October 2023. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Marco Zappacosta's only professional job has been the cofounder and CEO of Thumbtack. Marco started the home services matchmaking website straight out of university with a dream to find a better solution of hiring a plumber. Since 2009, Thumbtack has raised half a billion dollars in funding and gone from 2 to 1,000 employees. But Thumbtack's success came from years of struggle to discover their perfect market fit.    Listen to Nathan and Marco discuss:  Thumbtack's first users on both sides of the marketplace Enticing pros by creating stylized Craiglist ads The importance of telling the dream and data to investors Why investors are thinking about other investors Why getting a meeting is the easy part of fundraising  The difference between bootstrapped and VC businesses  Seeing values as the best version of your company  Creating "libraries" for their fully-remote workplace And much more VC and remote work advice…     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Some might say Alex Bouaziz, cofounder and CEO of Deel, was simply in the right place at the right time. Deel, an international payroll, compliance, and HR solution, launched in 2019 and, by May 2020, raised $14M in funding. Currently, they have 8000 customers worldwide, including Dropbox, Airtable, and Shopify. But good timing will only get you so far. To launch and grow a company as successful as Deel takes leadership with a clear mission and a solid infrastructure. The idea was simple: Create a company that matched employers and talented workers from anywhere in the world and give them the opportunity to work for the best companies without having to relocate.   Listen to Nathan and Alex discuss:  What Bouaziz learned from his first failed business How his work visa struggles inspired Deel  Taking the idea for Deel to Y Combinator The massive growth from the Covid-19 pandemic  Scaling through infrastructure and the customer Deel’s talent development strategy  A passion for unlocking talent beyond borders And much more talent leadership advice…         Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

After graduating from Harvard Business School alongside future tech giants like Mark Zuckerberg, Magnus Grimeland traveled the world as a consultant for McKinsey. After exploring Southeast Asia, he decided to lay down roots and leverage the region's enormous business potential. From 2013-2017, Grimeland built ZALORA into Southeast Asia's largest fashion ecommerce business. Now, he's supporting fellow founders through his latest business, Antler, a global early-stage venture capital firm that invests in the defining technology companies of tomorrow. In the last 2 years, Antler made 190 portfolio company investments and has opened offices in 14 cities across 6 continents.   Listen to Nathan and Magnus discuss:  The atmosphere at Harvard during the Facebook era His journey to Southeast Asia and seeing its potential  Creating the first cash and delivery system in the region  Building ZALORA from scratch  Why ZALORA was a breeding ground for entrepreneurs His 3 things to look for in good talent  What separates Antler from most VCs Why time is the most valuable resource for startups And much more early-stage founder advice…      Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

In this episode, Matteo Franceschetti, founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, shares his incredible journey of transforming sleep into a science-backed, performance-enhancing tool. Matteo, a former athlete, speaks about the inspiration behind Eight Sleep and the importance of optimizing sleep for peak performance. He takes us through the product development journey, from the first iterations to the game-changing Pod, and discusses how the company achieved product-market fit by listening to customers. Matteo also dives into the challenges of building a hardware startup, the importance of team dynamics, and how Eight Sleep is expanding globally. Listen to Nathan and Matteo discuss: - The journey from athlete to sleep tech pioneer - The development of Eight Sleep’s Pod and its unique features - How customer feedback shaped product innovation - The challenges and rewards of scaling a hardware startup - Navigating the sleep tech industry and global expansion - The future of sleep technology and its impact on wellness and performance - Many more valuable insights for entrepreneurs Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

Suneera Madhani is the CEO and founder of the all-in-platform transaction platform Stax. She’s listed on Fortune’s prestigious 40 Under 40 list, a recipient of EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, and host of CEO School, a top 25 entrepreneur podcast with a 300,000 female-listener community. Last year, Stax became a unicorn startup with a billion-dollar valuation. But for Madhani, it’s not about milestones–it’s the journey. Learn about her incredible journey from the daughter of immigrants to a CEO breaking barriers in a male-dominated fintech startup industry.  Listen to Nathan and Suneera discuss: Her upbringing with entrepreneurial immigrant parents  What she learned from working at her family businesses  Her subscription pitch getting rejected by her bosses  Starting a business with family and friend's capital  Proving out a hypothesis with a scrappy MVP Fundraising in a male-dominated fintech community  Her “3 minds” for decision making  Mentorship and building a trusted team  Starting her podcast and supporting female founders And much more fintech and startup advice… This episode is powered by 99designs by Vista, a global creative platform that makes it easy for you to work with professional freelance designers from around the world.  Together with 99designs, we’re offering you a $30 discount on your first design contest. Head to 99designs.com/foundr to learn more or get started on your project today.  Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

During one of Guy Kawasaki’s first marketing assignments in the early 1980s, he would knock on the doors of startup software companies across Silicon Valley armed with a stack of non-disclosure agreements and a prototype computer in a bag. “We would say, ‘If you sign this, we’ll show you what’s in the bag,’” he says. The prototype, Kawasaki explains, was a top-secret project that, if knowledge of it was widespread, would cannibalize sales of their main computer hardware product. It’s name? Macintosh—a project run by a team of developers at Apple, headed up by Jef Raskin and a then 29-year-old Steve Jobs. As far as marketing a computer is concerned, “it was hand-to-hand combat.” Of course, Kawasaki was successful in his efforts marketing the Macintosh, and the rest is history. Today, Guy Kawasaki is a famed tech startup guru who notoriously spearheaded the marketing cause for Apple in 1984, before going on to work on a number of startups, a venture capital firm, and a stint at Google. It’s a title that stands out because when you think evangelist, the image that often pops into mind is that of a middle-aged man with slick hair, a pink suit and a Texan accent on late-night television, prancing about on a stage and shouting about the bible. In Kawasaki’s case, that couldn’t be further from the mark. At 61, Guy Kawasaki comes off as a truly decent human being, affable, humble and easy-going. The sort of guy you’d be happy chatting with at a friend’s barbecue for hours without having to fake a bathroom visit to get away. In this interview you will learn: How to inspire and convert your audience. Learn the importance of Visual Marketing. The importance of building your brand's social media platform. Techniques on how you can evangelize for your startup without a huge budget. Learn about the Two simple ‘tests’ to apply to any content your company shares on social media to ensure that it has maximum traction online and has the maximum benefit for your business.

Believe it or not, there are many parallels between the world of boxing and the world of entrepreneurship. Tim West is familiar with both. As the founder of the fastest-growing global boxing franchise, 12RND Fitness, West has had his feet squarely planted in both realms for many years. He started his journey working in brick-and-mortar fitness centers before jumping into tech entrepreneurship, and eventually launched 12RND Fitness in 2014, which quickly exploded across Australia and is now expanding globally. In fact, West is in the process of opening up their first locations in New Zealand, Singapore, London, and Los Angeles this year. In this interview, West dives deep into his thoughts on the franchising model, his biggest lessons from working in tech, and his approach to overcoming obstacles. Check out the full conversation below! Key Takeaways How West worked his way up the rungs of the fitness ladder—from aspiring professional athlete to strength and conditioning coach Why he jumped at the opportunity to open up one of the first franchises for Jetts Fitness, the first 24-hour gym in Australia West’s first foray into tech, and the most important lessons he picked up along the way Why West decided to return to brick-and-mortar fitness, and how he came up with the MVP for 12RND Fitness How West pressure-tested his business model across Australia The reason West tested his business for two whole years before opening up to franchisees A sneak peek into West’s data-driven approach to working with franchisees Why West is grateful for his struggles

  A life in the Hamptons, running a picturesque inn perched at the end of Long Island, sharing fine food and drink with visitors from around the world. Sounds like a version of heaven to many.   Without a doubt, Gary Muller — chef and co-owner with his wife Sylvia of the high-end bed and breakfast The Mill House Inn — certainly does enjoy his work. But for Muller, it’s the joy of the business and the people he gets to interact with that truly make him happy. Hearing Muller talk about his work, it’s unmistakable how much he loves taking care of people.   “The reason they’re coming back isn’t the room. It isn’t about the accommodations. It’s because there’s people there who care about them,” Muller says of his guests. That attitude is a necessity in this line of entrepreneurship.   That’s because, as anyone who has worked in hospitality, even as a server or a line cook will tell you, it can be an extremely difficult business, as challenging and chaotic as it is rewarding. It can be a life of wax and wane, feast and famine, fortune and misfortune.   While there are certainly aspects of running an inn in the Hamptons that are unique to that line of work, at the end of the day, the business lessons Muller has learned are universal. He’s navigated the rough waters of entrepreneurship using a mix of confidence in his craft, quick-but-prudent decision-making, and perhaps most of all, good listening. Muller has learned the most important lesson, and it applies to any business.     “I think it’s all people. I don’t think I ever sold food, and I know I certainly don’t sell rooms right now. But I know the one thing that’s for sure — it’s people. It’s all about the people. The only real asset you ever have is your team, your staff. You fail immediately without them and you succeed so well with them.”   In this interview you will learn: - Gary's amazing insights on what he has learnt from some of the most successful business man and women that have stayed at his B&B - His fascinating journey on developing one of the top bed and breakfasts in the hamptons - What it means to truly care - How to provide value - How create an experience that will last with you for ever - Hospitality 101 - What true customer service really means   I Need Your Help! If you haven’t already, I would love if you could be awesome and take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It’s the most amazing way to help the show grow and reach more people! Leave a review for the Foundr Podcast!

One of the best ways for an entrepreneur to come up with a great business idea is by scratching their own itch. If something's giving you trouble, it's likely that other people out there are feeling the same way. That's how it all started for Mike McDerment, back when he created FreshBooks. At the time, McDerment wasn't looking to create a new business, or invent some sort of revolutionary product to sell. He was just trying to solve his own problem—he was tired of using Microsoft Excel as a way to create and send invoices to clients. It originally started off as simple digital product to make his own life easier, but it wasn't long before others started taking an interest in McDerment's new tool. Instead of selling a complete software package, the common approach at the time, McDerment decided to try out a new business model that was relatively unheard of at the time. "The truth is, we were SaaS before there was SaaS. We were cloud before there was cloud," he says. While most people were selling software as licenses, McDerment was determined to build a product that would guarantee a predictable, recurring revenue. It was a new idea, and one that many consultants and others in their space advised against. And it's true that things didn't look great for McDerment and his co-founders after two years of developing and selling the product. "We had only 10 paying customers paying about 10 dollars a month each. To be making a hundred dollars month after that many human years of effort is by all accounts a failure. And we stuck with it because we really loved what we were doing and our customers were telling us that it was great. It was a little more colorful in the early days," McDerment says. Refusing to give up, McDerment and his co-founders pushed on, and in the years since, they've served more than 10 million customers, and grown into a company with over 250 employees. Today, FreshBooks is one of the most widely used and preferred methods of accounting and invoicing for small businesses everywhere, and it all began with a simple idea, the passion to never give up, and some interesting strategies for growth. In this episode you will learn: Why you shouldn't necessarily follow best practices How to grow and adapt as a leader Why the best leaders never need to have all the answers The importance of instilling the right values within your team and company culture What "guardrails" you need in order to have your company grow as fast as possible & much more!

If you’re new to the startup space, Steve Blank is the biggest name in tech you haven’t heard of. A serial entrepreneur turned educator, in entrepreneurial circles he’s referred to as one of the “Godfathers of Silicon Valley.” A master of the startup, he was involved in or founded ’s started eight venture-backed Silicon Valley companies, including software company E.piphany, which alone raised $66 million prior to going public in 1999, before being acquired by a larger corporation for $329 million in 2005. Basically, he’s a Silicon Valley pioneer who was killing it in the startup space when the rest of us were watching Muppet Babies. Drop his name around the offices of Facebook, Apple, Google, et cetera, and you’ll get knowing and approving nods. Follow him around Palo Alto and you’ll see him get asked for autographs. It seems in the way startups operate today, everyone owes a debt to this man. If you’ve heard of the Lean Startup, you’re familiar with his work already. Today, Blank actively lectures at Stanford, UC Berkeley, and the joint Berkeley/Columbia MBA program, NYU and UCSF, as well as the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, through the Innovation Corps program he developed. The Harvard Business Review named him one of 12 Masters of Innovation in 2012. CNBC recognized him as one of the 11 Notable Entrepreneurs Teaching the Next Generation. In 2013, Forbes listed Blank as one of the 30 most influential people in Tech. Blank’s books, blog, and interviews are often featured in world news publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, Inc, TechCrunch, and The Wall Street Journal. His teaching commonly focuses on the Customer Development methodology that he developed throughout his accolade-rich career. His 2003 book The Four Steps to the Epiphany launched the Lean Startup movement. And a decade later, the sequel The Startup’s Owner’s Manual cemented his place on all entrepreneurial required reading lists. Not bad for a man who’s technically been retired for over a decade. In this interview you will learn: What it takes to become an entrepreneur, all without going to business school! The secrets to building a fully-functioning lean startup What it takes to become a leading player in Silicon Valley The unexpected highs and lows of entrepreneurship, the harsh truths, and positive realities What it takes to get ahead, and stay ahead & much more!

In just nine years, Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic built their smile care brand into a category disruptor on track to earn over a billion in annual revenue by next year. Mirkovic and Tomic don’t want shortcuts, so they’ve remained bootstrapped since they started Hismile at ages 19 and 20. Hismile’s teeth-whitening kit has become an internet sensation, making the brand a favorite among influencers and celebrities. But the co-founders aren’t resting on success. They want to make Hismile a category champion and take on businesses with an extra century of experience. Listen to Nathan, Nik, and Alex discuss: Why living on the Gold Coast keeps them focused Growing up together and having a passion for competition Narrowing in on teeth whitening as a problem to solve Formulating their first product and its overnight success Bringing R&D in-house and shifting their business model Why character matters more than experience Taking on category giants like Colgate and Crest Why they have no plans to sell And much more product development advice... Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

Ask yourself, just how many hours have you sunk into that palm-sized rectangle of plastic, metal, and glass known as the smartphone? As the co-founder of Kabam, one of the world's leading companies in mobile games, Holly Liu might be able to provide an answer to that, and it would likely be a huge number. But luckily for us, and our listeners, she's far more interested in talking about how she managed to build a billion-dollar company from scratch by giving away her products for free. If you don't know Kabam already, you've probably heard of the company's hugely popular games, such as Kingdoms of Camelot, The Godfather, and Marvel's Contest of Champions, just to name a few. Each one operates on a "freemium" model, where users can download and play games for free. This might sound crazy, but it's actually a ludicrously lucrative business model, with Kabam making the bulk of their revenue through in-game currency and advertising revenue. Kingdoms of Camelot alone has, to date, grossed over $250 million. The secret behind Liu's success is simple, she just asks herself: "Where are the people?" That question led to Kabam's successful pivot into building a Facebook game and tapping into the power of viral marketing, to even partnering with the major studios in Hollywood to build games for upcoming movies and franchises. For Liu, there's so much more to surviving in the mobile gaming industry than building a successful product, especially when great products exist on almost every corner. It takes an equal amount of dedication to marketing, finding the right partnerships, and, as always, understanding where your customers are. In this episode you'll learn: What opportunities lie within the mobile gaming industry How to take your business where the customers are How to pivot when your first, second, and even third ideas fail What goes into making a product as viral as possible Why you should look to grow your company through the power of partnerships How to make being social your competitive advantage & so much more!

I love a crazy story, and if you’re building a business, these stories will happen all the time. I’ve had a few myself, and it always makes me feel better when I hear from fellow founders who go through a wild experience and end up learning something. That’s why before we record every episode of the podcast, I always ask our guests to share crazy stories from their journeys.  Today, you’re going to hear some of those stories.  In this episode, you’ll learn from:  Guy Kawasaki, chief evangelist at Canva  Daniel Winer, CEO and co-founder of Hexclad Holly Thaggard, founder of Supergoop! Suneera Madhani, founder and CEO of Stax Payments Michelle Zatlyn, co-founder, president, and COO of Cloudflare  Jessica Rolph, co-founder of Lovevery and Happy Family Organics  Cody Ko and Noel Miller, founders of TMG Studios Alight, it’s time to get crazy… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

In 2012 James Beshara and his co-founder officially launched Tilt, a platform that aimed to make crowdfunding not only more personal but to make the process as easy as possible. But if you ask the Y-Combinator alum himself, he'll say that Tilt was created years before it even launched. Originally starting off as an offshoot of an earlier startup that he was working on, he soon found himself working on Tilt more and more. It was then he realised he was onto something. "For every young entrepreneur out there, starting, or building, or founding something. It always sounds like it just starts one day in February or starts one afternoon when you get hit with inspiration. When in truth I think it is the amalgamation of just always starting things, doing things, trying out ideas and one of them just starts to get pulled from you, and you start to spend more time on it." Ever since it's inception Tilt has been on a tear. In just four short years Tilt is now valued at $500 million and has crowdfunded some of the world's most memorable campaigns in recent memory. Like sending the Jamaican bobsled team to the Sochi Olympics to raising over $180 thousand for several campaigns providing relief to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Along the way though James has learnt some very valuable lessons on what it means to be the CEO and co-founder of a fast-growing startup. We chat with James today and he reveals his personal methods and strategies on how to build a startup that not only scales, but scales quick.   In this episode you will learn: The importance of waiting for the right co-founder How to get out of your own head and move fast, all while developing the best product possible Why the smartest people in the room might not necessarily give you the best advice How to design and build a product to grow as fast as possible The two key things every entrepreneurs needs to focus on if they want to succeed & much more!

There are no shortcuts when it comes to good online marketing, something that Dave Hobson knows all too well. As the resident expert on all things marketing at Foundr we give you a very special episode today about Dave from how he came to be at Foundr to his thoughts on successful online marketing. Funnily enough, it is entirely possible that Foundr would not be around if Dave had not cold-called Nathan nearly four years ago. At the time Nathan had only just started Foundr and Dave was at a job where he had to cold-call people and try to make a sale over the phone. Instead of making the sale the founder of Foundr and Dave got to chatting and they eventually became friends. In order to understand why Foundr may have never existed without Dave Hobson you first must understand his role at Foundr. Essentially he's Nathan right-hand man, the go-to guy whenever a discussion needs to be had about marketing, strategy or the future of Foundr. Even before he started officially working at Foundr, Dave has always been in the background helping Foundr out with his advice. Today we're very lucky to count him as one of our own and as Foundr's Business Development and Product manager. In today's episode we show you a little of what's going on behind-the-scenes at Foundr, but more importantly we have Dave divulge the tactics and strategies behind one of our best sale channels: webinars. Webinars are an amazing tool and they've become a staple in the online marketing world and no one knows that better than Dave Hobson, who knows all the ins and out behind what makes a successful webinar. In this episode you will learn: Dave's story and how he came to work at Foundr Why webinars are so powerful and why almost every business in the world can use them All the tools you'll need to start doing a successful webinar The structure every great webinar needs if you want to make sales How to choose the right webinar topic for you and your audience & much more! If you want to learn more about webinars, then check out our FREE guide on webinars at https://foundrmag.com/webinarguide!!

What does it take to create, market, and sell a profitable online course? This question is likely on the minds of many people⁠, especially now that the pandemic is pushing people to turn to online courses as a way to level up their skill sets. Ankur Nagpal has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to this topic, from running his startup Teachable for the past six years to growing his online course platform to host 50,000 creators and reaching over 30 million people since its launch. Nagpal shares insights on everything from how to create a full-time income from an online course to best practices to follow as a beginner course creator. He also predicts what the future of the online course industry looks like. If there’s any other type of content you’d like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out at support@foundr.com. Key Takeaways How Nagpal got started with Teachable, the startup that converts passions into online courses The three factors that are contributing to the growth of the online course market How the pandemic has impacted Teachable What it takes to create a full-time income from an online course business The importance of an NPS, and how it distinguishes the top 1% of courses Nagpal’s best practices for online course creation, especially for first-timers Strategies to drive more sales How to overcome limiting self beliefs Nagpal’s best advice when it comes to niches, tools, and list building A look into the future of the online course industry What Teachable’s recent acquisition means for the future of the business

As someone who always knew they had a passion for fashion, Tamara Mellon has come a long way from working in a PR firm. As founder of luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo, founder of a new direct-to-consumer brand bearing her own name, and author of In My Shoes, Mellon is a game-changer in the fashion industry.    In this interview, Nathan Chan sits down to speak with one of the most influential figures in the fashion industry to discuss every step of her journey in the fashion industry. Not only has Mellon displayed an uncanny knack for marketing and branding, but she’s also redefined the way we think about shopping.    A must-listen for anyone with a love for fashion, shoes, and disrupting the industry, Mellon gives a refreshingly wholesome insight into the world of entrepreneurialism.   Get FREE, actionable advice from legitimate founders on starting and growing ANY Business… https://www.foundr.com/freetraining And… If you ARE enjoying the Foundr Podcast’, please make sure to leave us a 5-star review, and let us know who you want to see next. Website: http://www.foundr.com Success Stories: https://foundr.com/success-stories Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundr/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/2uyvzdt  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/foundr Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/foundr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/ Podcast: http://www.foundr.com/podcast Magazine: http://www.foundr.com/magazine

John Mackey, Co-Founder and CEO, Whole Foods Market Right now, every company needs strong leadership to guide them through these challenging times. Thankfully, Whole Foods Market co-founder and CEO John Mackey is well versed on the principles of leadership and is launching his latest book, Conscious Leadership, this month to help other founders put those ideas into practice.    In addition to the book, people can see Mackey’s approach to leadership in action with Whole Foods. While Mackey is grateful that his stores are still in full operation during Covid-19, he doesn’t try to hide the fact that circumstances have been extremely challenging—from rapidly scaling its supply chain to accommodate the sudden demands of customers to generating almost no revenue as a result of all the sanitation products the business has had to invest in.   But these obstacles don't bother Mackey. As a conscious leader, his priority is making sure that every single one of their 100,000 team members has access to the resources they need to stay safe at work. He has also raised every in-store worker’s pay by $2 per hour, provided two extra weeks of sick pay for those who have to quarantine, and is giving unlimited callouts during this time.    In this conversation, Mackey shares more about what it means to lead with love, how founders can attract and retain great talent in this challenging environment, and so much more. If there’s any other type of content you’d like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out at support@foundr.com.  Key Takeaways An overview of Mackey’s best-selling book, Conscious Capitalism A sneak peek into Mackey’s latest book, Conscious Leadership, and what inspired him to write it The two most important pillars of leadership Why Mackey believes in leading with love  How Mackey is putting conscious leadership into action during the pandemic The challenges Whole Foods has been dealing with from a supply chain and revenue perspective  Why being an Amazon subsidiary adds a layer of complexity to the Whole Foods business How to attract and retain great people during these challenging times  What Mackey has done to support Whole Foods employees during Covid-19 Why Mackey believes in the win-win-win mindset, and how this attitude can guide your business decisions  The importance of leading by example  Key Resources From Our Interview With John Mackey Get your copy of Conscious Leadership here

Andy Rachleff is not just a product expert; he literally coined the term “product-market fit.” Wealthfront CEO, former VC backing companies such as eBay, Uber, and Twitter, and technology entrepreneurship instructor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Rachleff has a wealth of knowledge on creating and scaling powerful companies. I was excited to have the chance to pick his brain on everything from product-market fit, to how he started his company Wealthfront, to how he hires the best of the best to join his team. In this interview, you will gain access to a true master, who has enjoyed a long career of investing in legendary companies and now gives back to today’s entrepreneurs and investors. Rachleff started his company Wealthfront, an automated investment service that manages $11 billion in assets, as a way to perform a social good by democratizing sophisticated financial advice. In our discussion, he was kind enough to divulge some of his wins and losses and top lessons learned in his storied entrepreneurial career. Enjoy! Key Takeaways How to know when you’ve reached product-market fit The process Rachleff follows every time he builds a new product How to know when it’s the right time to launch a new product (or let go of a failing one) How to maintain a close-knit startup culture as the company grows Why perseverance does not lead to success in technology (and what does) What type of people he looks for and the three biggest things that make people to want to join his team Key Resources From Our Interview With Andy Rachleff Follow Andy on Twitter Learn more about Wealthfront here

For ten years, we've interviewed hundreds of elite entrepreneurs who’ve started and grown the world's most successful businesses. The reason we connect with these dynamic founders is to break down their wisdom, experience, and inspirational stories to help accelerate your growth as an entrepreneur. In this episode of The Foundr Podcast, we're instead sharing the stories of everyday founders like you who are students in our foundr+ community. Foundr+ is our comprehensive platform designed to equip founders with everything they need to start and grow successful businesses. Listen to these student stories to learn:  How Maddison Danforth left her full-time job to start a social media agency servicing small businesses. How Mia Dickson used TikTok organically to build a loyal and diverse customer community.  How Mark Boxer's camera rig hack became a coveted product by content creators worldwide.  About Nicole Gaviria, the winner of the 2022 foundr startup challenge. And what Nathan Chan’s learned from a decade of student success stories at foundr. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

In this digital age, music streaming and subscriptions have quickly become the norm. This week at Foundr, we were lucky enough to speak to an entrepreneur who was there for the rise of streaming and the music-tech space: Ola Sars.     Before he was founder and CEO of the fastest growing B2B music streaming service, Soundtrack Your Brand, Ola was co-founder and COO of Beats Music, acquired by Apple and transformed into Apple Music, as well as the co-founder of Pacemaker, the world's first DJ driven music platform.   Foundr’s Nathan Chan sits down with Ola Sars to map out his incredible journey through one of the most complex industries in the modern world: the music industry.

Your relationship with a supplier is one of the most important aspects of running a business. That’s why we’re chatting with Kian Golzari, a sourcing specialist who has designed, developed, sourced, and manufactured over 2,500 products. Kian has manufactured products for the NBA, United Nations, Olympic Games, Ministry of Defense, and top athletes like Neymar Jr.    Listen to Nathan and Kian discuss:  How he sourced products for the 2012 Olympic Games in London  How to source a supplier on Alibaba Using whiskey and WeChat to build a personal relationship with a supplier What you should look for when visiting a factory  Why you should disassemble your product  Canton Fair, China’s international import and export fair Why you should have a universal specification sheet for negotiating with suppliers  How to imitate and innovate products that manufacturers have already made  And much more supplier and manufacturing tips...   Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Ben Horowitz is one of the most widely recognized names in the world of entrepreneurship. Not only is he the co-founder of the famous venture capital fund, Andreessen Horowitz, but he's also a respected author and thinker with some of the most innovative ideas when it comes to the way companies are run. In our conversation with Horowitz, we dive deep into the topic of culture—how to create it, move it, and adhere to it. Horowitz also gives us a glimpse into his book, What You Do Is Who You Are, and shares fascinating stories and case studies from it (such as his learnings from prison gang leader, Shaka Senghor). This isn't a podcast episode you want to miss! Whether you're a fan of Horowitz himself or simply want to learn more about the art of crafting a company culture, you're sure to gain tons of insights in this interview. If there's any other type of content you'd like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don't hesitate to reach out to us via email. Key Takeaways The problem that Andreessen Horowitz set out to solve for technical founders  What compelled Horowitz to publish his book, What You Do Is Who You Are What it takes to move a culture  The importance of cohesion between culture and strategy Why you don’t need to establish your company culture on Day 1 What a prison gang leader taught Horowitz about culture and leadership The creative way that Andreessen Horowitz enforces their value to be respectful to entrepreneurs at the firm Horowitz’s thoughts on the culture of Netflix versus McDonald’s   The elements that go into creating a high-performance culture  Differentiating between high performance versus long hours  Why Horowitz looks for courage in founders  Bonus: Horowitz shares his favorite rap album from 2019

Hiten Shah has a killer track record when comes to creating software products. He and his co-founders have built several multimillion-dollar releases, including Crazy Egg and KISSmetrics, and many of their features were the first of their kind to hit the industry. It might seem like Shah has stumbled onto a secret formula for software-building success. But to him, it’s simply a matter of creating what his audience wants. Solving a problem is the biggest determinant of a software’s success, and Shah builds this methodology into every new piece he creates. In this informative interview, Shah shares the details behind his process, from planning the software build and ensuring a market fit, to hiring the right people to bring it to life. As an avid mentor and advisor, Shah also answers our own, real world questions about future software builds for Foundr. Listen in and get inspired! Key Takeaways Learn about Shah’s newest software products to hit the market The secret to building a profitable software product (it starts long before the first line of code is written) How to avoid building something nobody wants When to hire internally and when to outsource when building a SaaS product Where most product managers go wrong during development How to prevent your software tool from getting too bloated and overcomplicated Key Resources Sign up for Shah's newsletter here

For as long as he can remember, Tenko Nikolov has been obsessed with computers. From his very first computer at the age of 7, he fell in love with the simple green and black screen and was fascinated with all that this technology could offer. Of course, he also got into some trouble, even accidentally hacking into a large US corporation's network with a friend at the age of 13. After a few days of fun messing with their systems and bragging to their friends, the duo eventually sent an email to the company letting them know what they did and how they did it. The next few days were agonizing as they waited for a response, petrified that an FBI agent would be showing up to his doorstep in Bulgaria. To his surprise, however, the company reached out, thanked them for finding a security loophole and even asked them how much they'd like to be paid for finding it in the first place. “I realized that I can actually be paid for the thing that I love to do most," Nikolov says. Instead of asking for payment, Nikolov asked for his own server that he could play around with. After getting his first taste of entrepreneurship, he began seeing how far he could push the limits of computer technology. Looking back at it now, Nikolov pinpoints this as the exact moment that led him to develop SiteGround, a web-hosting server and provider. But what makes SiteGround stand out from the thousands of competitors out there, is Nikolov's dedication to innovating. In this week's episode you will learn: How to build a product that not only learns from its customers, but also continuously improves When to give up on perfection and focus instead on shipping How to survive as a bootstrapped company for 13 years straight How to read the trends and stay one step ahead of your competitors What it takes to go from a company that nobody's ever heard of to a major player in your industry & much more! This podcast episode was brought to you by FreshBooks. When it comes to finding the perfect service to help you manage and track your invoices, time, and expenses, you can’t overlook FreshBooks. Designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs who don’t need full-blown, double-entry programming, but still want to keep their finances in check, you can’t go back once you start using it!

Meet Thor Ernstsson. The founder of global giants such as Alpha, Strata, and lead architect for Zygna responsible for Farmville, Ernstsson knows business and products.  In this interview, Nathan sits down with Ernstsson to discuss his journey from Zynga game developer, to creating a company that serves half of the Fortune 500. Honest and candid, Ernstsson reveals his decision-making processes behind some of the company's largest pivots, changes, and challenges.   While most people would shy away from the idea of launching a business during a global crisis, Ernstsson is perhaps living proof that not only is it a good decision, it’s the best business decision one can make. Key Takeaways Thor Ernstsson discusses how he first began working at Zygna, and how he felt about the global success of Farmville His next business ventures, including Alpha and Strata Why he decided to pivot the company The importance of “now”, and why starting a business during a crisis is a good idea The decision to launch a business that aimed to connect people, while it was the start of the pandemic  How to change the world, and why you should always aim to solve a problem that won’t change The importance of customers and why they need to be invested in your business’ success

Mark Cuban is a very busy man. As one of the star judges of the hit show Shark Tank, Cuban has invested in nearly a hundred different startups that have appeared on the program. That's not even mentioning the investments he makes outside of the show, and the dozens of other businesses he's founded or manages himself. So how does a single person manage to keep so many plates spinning at the same time? His secret: Hiring the right people. Cuban is always making sure he has the best people staffing the hundred-plus businesses he's involved in. And while hiring seems like a pretty basic business practice, finding the right talent is a true art, and one that Cuban has mastered. It's a process of finding the right person, putting them in the right environment, and then continuing to build their personal growth and passion about the job they're doing. And in Cuban's case, multiplying the process for a thousand-plus employees. That may sound hard, but Cuban says the one skill every founder and entrepreneur needs to master if they want to become a billionaire businessman, is knowing how to be a leader. If you don't know how to recruit and manage people, you're just not going to make it very far. It can take decades of trial and error to figure out how to deal with the thousands of different personalities out there, and knowing what to prioritize at any given time. But Cuban has figured it out, and he's sharing his secrets with us here. In this episode you'll learn: The art of finding and nurturing the talent in your team How to deal with problem employees, without just firing them Whether mentors really matter—when you need them, and when you don't How Mark Cuban manages a thousand-plus employees The surprising reason you shouldn't be looking for invesment & so much more!

Ann McFerran met Kevin Gould at a photoshoot in LA and immediately connected on his shared passion to start a brand. Together they launched Glamnetic in 2019, which sells magnetic and fake eyelash extensions. In their second year, they went from $1 million to $50 million in annual revenue.   In this episode of the Foundr podcast, learn how a seemingly “overnight” success was developed through years of commitment to creating an innovative product and a personal brand. Foundr’s CEO Nathan Chan interviews cofounders Ann and Kevin about:   How Ann used her artist background to create a unique product in the market Why it took a year of product development to create a quality magnetic eyelash  ​​How their magnetized liner “blew people’s minds” in the competitive beauty industry Being scrappy with product shots and finding free models on Bumble How Ann used Instagram Stories to share her brand journey and build a loyal customer base How they turned DMs into a sales prospecting channel Creating an ecosystem of marketing channels by testing and scaling  And much more… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Today you might recognize Robert Herjavec as "the nice shark" on ABC's Shark Tank. With a pleasant smile and a reassuring tone of voice, he may seem like an odd fit in the highly competitive world of business and investing. But don't let that fool you, because behind those kind eyes lies a strength of character and iron will that every great entrepreneur needs to achieve success. When Herjavec was a young man, he actually wanted to be a filmmaker. In fact, he was a producer for the Winter Olympics in Canada in 1984 while only 22 years old. It was a promising start to his dream of moving to Hollywood and becoming a big-time director. The trouble was, no one was hiring. With a degree in English literature, a passion for filmmaking, and zero experience or knowledge in computer science, it might seem odd that he would eventually go on to found the Herjavec Group in 2003, one of the top cybersecurity firms in the world. The company grew from $400K to a whopping $140 million in sales annually in just over 12 years. So how did he do it? He literally called up the head of the company and, despite having no background in the field whatsoever, offered to work for them for free. With nothing but grit he managed to work his way up the ladder and, despite some setbacks here and there, become the success story he is today. When not focusing on his own business, Herjavec is all about buying, selling, investing and building great startups, subjects we were very lucky to talk to him about. In this interview you will learn: Tips and advice from the Shark himself on how to pitch to potential investors Different ways to build a company culture that's always striving for greatness How to scale your business quickly without sacrificing quality What goes into selling and how to create a story that will get people hooked Why you need to focus on growth as a business & much more!

Justin Brown says it’s not too late to start and grow YouTube channel. Justin is a video strategist and, alongside his brother, built the YouTube channel Primal Video, which recently broke the 1 million subscriber mark. Justin shares his simple but effective strategies to grow a channel from zero and how framing your channel around solving problems can make a lasting impact on your business.    Listen to Nathan and Justin discuss:  Why YouTube rewards new and updated content  Why comparing metrics to other channels doesn’t matter  Understanding what people are searching for at 2 AM How to use keyword research to validate your video ideas Why you should create videos like nobody knows who you are And much more YouTube tips and strategies     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

In this very special episode of the Foundr Podcast, we answer all the questions you've ever had about building an ecommerce business and more! The first installment in what we're calling the Foundr Incubator series, we recorded a live coaching session between one ambitious Foundr community member and the head of a billion-dollar company. We organized a call with Jake McKeon, the up-and-coming founder of multiple ecommerce businesses, to receive one-on-one coaching from Tom Bilyeu, co-founder of unicorn startup Quest Nutrition. Like so many other entrepreneurs out there, McKeon was doing well, but looking to grow and not sure how. That's where Bilyeu, with his years of experience and wisdom, stepped in. The result is a fascinating and honest conversation in which Jake asks just about every question an entrepreneur might have about how to grow, how to market yourself, and generally how to take an online business to the next level. Tom doesn't hold back and answers all of these questions and more, sharing his insights on what it takes to create a successful ecommerce business and a thriving community around your brand. This is an episode you definitely do not want to miss, with so much gold being shared that you can't help but feel empowered and inspired after listening. In this interview you will learn: How to stay relevant in your market and stay ahead of the competition Why you need influencers on your side and how to find them The metrics you need to focus on to grow your sales Where to find A-players when you're growing your team The three things you need to focus on to build a successful e-commerce business & much more!

Coming from a long line of shoemakers, it seemed only natural that Joe Foster follow in his family’s footsteps, but instead Foster decided to push his horizons even further and create a brand that would become a legacy. Listen in as Foster shares his incredible journey through generations of shoemakers to bring us the global brand we know today: Reebok.    Foster’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of inspiring, as he took the company through ups and downs, broke into competitive markets, and created a niche in the market for his brand. Acquired by Adidas in 2005 for a whopping $3.8 billion, Foster has since retired and authored a book: “Shoemaker: The Untold Story of the British Family Firm that Became a Global Brand”.   In this astounding interview, Nathan Chan and Foster discuss the entrepreneurial journey, and everything Foster has learned along the way when it comes to business and brand.

We’re kicking off 2022 with one of our favorite returning guests, Ankur Nagpal, founder of Teachable and Vibe Capital. After selling Teachable last year for $150 million, Ankur created Vibe Capital, a global early-stage generalist fund. He promises to be the "least painful investor you have to deal with" because he knows how founders feel about investing.    Listen to Nathan and Ankur discuss:  Why founders prefer investing in other founders Defining IRR (internal rate of return) and why it's a key metric for modern-day investors Why he spends less than a week to decide to invest in a company Why speed is so important when it comes to investing The 3 most important things to look for when investing in a startup His “red flags” when reviewing potential companies to invest in And much more funding advice…   Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.    For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

Welcome to our special “Best of Foundr” edition of the podcast! To celebrate Foundr’s 5th birthday, we put together a series of special edition podcast episodes that feature the best snippets from our most popular episodes. We pulled out the gems from each of your favorite interviews and compiled them into a three-week series of pure content gold. This week we are focusing on how to create an online presence with content marketing and Instagram. We are featuring some serious advice from our conversations with Gretta Rose van Riel, queen of Instagram and Influencer marketing; Darren Rowse, the OG of the blogging world; Deonna Monique, Instagram millionaire; and content king Derek Flanzraich, founder of Greatist. Enjoy listening to the best of the best! Key Takeaways The influencer marketing strategies behind Gretta van Riel’s multimillion-dollar ecommerce brands How to build a successful content-based business with Darren Rowse The branding and traffic strategies behind Greatist’s massive success How to use Instagram to generate millions of dollars in your niche with Deonna Monique

Jeff Epstein paid off his law school student loans in an unconventional way. When he and a couple of friends noticed the booming online poker sites in the mid 2000s, they created an affiliate company to refer traffic to them and get paid in return. The business did well enough that Epstein was able to sell his stake to his partners for a nice profit that helped him pay off his debt. Epstein ultimately decided not to pursue law, but his entrepreneurial experience stuck with him. In particular, he recognized the power of referrals to help businesses gain more customers. As a result, Epstein eventually founded Ambassador, a referral marketing software that enables brands to build and scale referral, affiliate, partner, and influencer programs. While the journey to growing Ambassador was far from a smooth ride, Epstein picked up many valuable lessons along the way that helped him grow as both a person and an entrepreneur. Eventually, Ambassador became successful enough that it was acquired by a large corporation. Check out this interview to learn more about Epstein’s journey and hear him open up about his biggest mistakes, regrets, and lessons learned. Key Takeaways How Epstein used his poker affiliate business to pay off law school debt What he learned about the power of referrals in the process Why Epstein regrets acquiring his first SEO company, and what ultimately led to its demise How this failure informed the idea for referral marketing software, Ambassador Why it took six months for Ambassador to get a repeat paying customer What it was like to run a “fat” startup How Ambassador’s acceptance into Techstars helped the company take off The growth of Ambassador and its stressful acquisition by West Corporation

The Foundr community is full of passionate people from all walks of life, in the trenches daily doing what it takes to make their startup dreams a reality. In this week’s podcast, we want to highlight one of these entrepreneurs we’re especially proud of—Gavin Symes of The Foundry Group. In part one of this two-part podcast series, we talked with Consulting Empire student Gavin Symes, who advanced his business growth and management skills to create a profitable consulting business. Symes took all the action steps laid out in the Consulting Empire course—from validating his service to developing a lead-gen machine—and built his consulting business from scratch. Three-and-a-half months into the course, he closed 10 clients and generated over $50,000 of monthly revenue. He plans on scaling to $1 million this year and then to $10 million in three years. In this inspiring interview, you will hear about Symes’ own journey to success, the biggest problems most businesses face when scaling, and how to set up processes to overcome common business growth challenges. We are extremely proud of Gavin’s achievements and we are happy to share his amazing story with you! ATTENTION: If you want to learn how to start and scale a service-based business like Gavin, whether you are a consultant, coach or freelancer, agency founder Sabri Suby reveals all of his golden strategies (the exact ones he used to scale from zero to $10 million) in our Consulting Empire online course. We only open enrollment a couple of times a year for a limited time.  Get on the free VIP waitlist here to be one of the first we notify when we re-open! Key Takeaways The top problems most entrepreneurs face as they scale their businesses The one thing that can derail your business if you let it (it has nothing to do with sales or customers) The very first thing to do if you want to start a freelance or consulting business How to create business playbooks to fast-track your growth

Ezra Firestone’s businesses generated $70M in revenue last year, but he says he’s just “some guy.” He started his first ecommerce store in 2006, selling Marge Simpson wigs. Despite being a high school dropout with no experience or education, he was determined to make his business work. Two decades later, he’s invested and co-founded five successful businesses, including Smart Marketer, an ecom education platform that helps entrepreneurs run stores that generate over $20 million in yearly revenue. In this episode, Firestone leans on his decades of experience to outline the fundamentals of a revenue-generating ecom business. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why you don’t have to be “book smart” to be successful Firestone’s step-by-step sales funnel Why you need a basket-building product at the beginning The benefit of a merchandising strategy The three core aspects of business What conversion-based commerce means A TikTok Shop secret How he almost went broke selling 8,000 Marge Simpson wigs Why having fun helps you win in business And much more ecom strategies and advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders. If you loved this conversation and learned something new, rate and review this episode. Stay in touch with us, follow foundr on your favorite platform: Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook X LinkedIn Magazine

Serial founder and VOIP pioneer Alex Mashinsky has founded eight companies and raised more than a billion dollars in collective funding since his entrepreneurial start in the 1990s—and he is showing no signs of slowing down. Mashinsky is the founder of Celsius, which allows users to earn interest on and borrow dollars against cryptocurrencies. While Mashinsky wants his company to succeed, he sees much more at stake here than just his entrepreneurial resume. Mashinsky is devoting his latest startup to taking on the world’s financial systems and driving the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies. Subverting the “big guys” has been a common theme throughout Mashinsky’s career, starting with helping AT&T develop some of the first international VOIP systems, and now fighting to decentralize the world’s banking systems. According to Mashinsky, “This is the biggest battle that I’ve fought in my life. I fought with the phone companies…in the 90s. This is 10 times worse.” Listen in as Mashinsky reveals the details of his entrepreneurial journey's highs and lows, his dedication to educate the world about cryptocurrencies, and entrepreneurial lessons only an eight-time founder can teach. Key Takeaways How the 2008 recession took down his ride-share company (that was more popular than Uber at the time) Why Mashinsky is so passionate about educating the world on cryptocurrencies 4 entrepreneurial lessons to guide your business journey The mindset shift that led Mashinsky to focus on mass adoption of cryptocurrencies

Kathryn Finney started her first business at age nine, selling friendship bracelets to her older brother’s friends. She’s a Yale graduate and started and exited multiple media companies, including her groundbreaking The Budget Fashionista. Even with her resume of accolades, Finney faced prejudice in the startup world just because of her gender and race. So in 2020, she used her two decades of entrepreneurship experience to start Genius Guild. This venture fund invests in black entrepreneurs building scalable businesses that serve black communities and beyond. Finney is also the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Build the Damn Thing: How to Build a Successful Company When You’re Not a Rich White Guy. In addition, she was the first black woman business author at Portfolio/Penguin Books. Listen to Nathan and Kathryn discuss:  Making $75 per week selling bracelets as a 9-year-old What her rugby career taught her about building teams Building and exiting her fashion blog during web 1.0  How digitalundivided served as the MVP of Genius Guild How the pandemic and George Floyd’s death led to Genius Guild What she looks for in potential founders Building your own rules of entrepreneurship How to go through periods of adversity And much more advice for founders… This episode is powered by 99designs by Vista, a global creative platform that makes it easy for you to work with professional freelance designers from around the world.  Together with 99designs, we’re offering you a $30 discount on your first design contest. Head to 99designs.com/foundr to learn more or get started on your project today.  Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine