Tropical MBA: Entrepreneurship & Founder Lifestyle (Dan Andrews; Ian Schoen)

Dan’s bean bag sitting in Bali, intermittently nuking himself off the internet to make sure he gets his book taken care of on time while Ian’s in San Diego taking care of business like a boss. After getting some inspiration from the Adsense Flippers, Dan and Ian decided to go for a knock down drag out four-rounder this week. They asked Taylor, the new guy on the team, to put together 4 unique business premises. Dan and Ian come up with unique solutions to each premise and it’s up to you guys to decide who came out on top.

This week, Dan & Ian talk about the early days of digital nomadism, what it says about the future, and how to spot new opportunities in life and business. They'll also explore new topics like compound startup theory, why focus can steer you in the wrong direction, and whether TikTok is the blue ocean Amazon was in 2014. Stay tuned to learn about the new AI feature, enabling founders to make connections more swiftly than ever. All this and more in today's fully booked episode, so buckle up and charge your earbuds. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show Notes: (00:00:53) Intro (00:02:58) Childhood lessons that helped us succeed in business (00:08:35) The biggest DCBKK in history (00:10:55) Dan & Ian’s travel tips & never agains (00:13:22) The new AI feature that helps you connect with relevant founders instantly (00:16:04) Is TikTok what Amazon was in 2014? (00:20:39) The problem with limiting definitions and the theory of the compound startup (00:28:20) Reacting to Steph Smith’s take on the history of digital nomadism (00:30:20) A brief history of digital nomadism from our perspective (00:45:54) What does the future look like for digital nomadism? (00:48:40) Why understanding key trends ahead of their time can make for a highly successful business Links: The Secret (https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1847370292/ref=asc_df_1847370292/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343187902048&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13419185491195641939&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028277&hvtargid=pla-318206917580&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=66484626902&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343187902048&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13419185491195641939&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028277&hvtargid=pla-318206917580) Dave’s Vice segment about dumpster diving (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR6XFDAfLuk) Dave’s business (https://www.buffalobottlecraft.com/) - Herb Kelleher on Founders (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1gItcgy8FHgOF46TiEjKBL?si=ea68855e8b9c49e0) The Elon Musk biography (https://www.amazon.com/Elon-Musk-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1982181281/ref=asc_df_1982181281/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=658715255517&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17403256148468025508&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028277&hvtargid=pla-2273195873232&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwgsqoBhBNEiwAwe5w0_Gqotj7nmjvYjFfde0GI_2jCNCQNu6co-Q2PCqA8iskrxbNemtf9BoCSvkQAvD_BwE) Steph’s episode (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1zB29YPDEA8GprPU5pRs7Y?si=47981881a9fd4a5a) TMBA History of Digital Nomadism (https://open.spotify.com/episode/5bF2L6M2rTgcZfXhQNyK6O?si=8a9yWNoBSTevLUIHXotYmA) James Clarke’s Full History (https://www.nomadicnotes.com/digital-nomad-history/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber Additional episodes you might enjoy: The History of Digital Nomadism (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/digital-nomadism-history) Digital Nomad Cities for 2023 and Choosing Between ‘Scaling Up’ And ‘Traction’ (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/digital-nomad-cities-2023) Brian Balfour’s $33M Growth Insights: Product-Market Fit, Durability, & Knowing Your Natural Limits (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/33mil-growth-insights)

Mark Brenwall is the founder of WOD Nation, an Amazon FBA business that sells CrossFit products. A few years ago, Mark joined us for one of our favorite conversations we've had on this podcast in an episode called "The Power of Under Optimization". That episode was all about Mark's unconventional business approach, which prioritizes lifestyle and happiness over aggressive growth. Today's episode is the first in a two-part series where we revisit Mark's story. In this first part, we explore some of the personal and professional circumstances that led Mark to leave a seemingly great life in the United States for the unknown.

Today's podcast is all about a business model that sometimes gets a bad rap on this show: "the agency". We recently bumped into our friend Johnathan Solorzano at MicroConf in Austin, and he had quite a bit to say about the subject. Johnathan is the founder of Solo Media Group, a remote agency of web developers that focuses primarily on Shopify and WooCommerce projects. We've invited Johnathan onto the show this week to share his thoughts about the upside of running an agency, specifically how it can provide you with unique insights into your market, improve your professional network, and help you start earning revenue fast.

On today's podcast, we are sharing some personal updates, as well as three specific updates about our core businesses. We are also announcing that for the first time in nearly five years, we are hiring a Community Facilitator for our private membership group The Dynamite Circle. Later on in the episode, we'll be exploring the idea of the moment in a business that Seth Godin refers to as "The Dip". You'll hear why this "middle period" of running a business is so difficult, how it feels to be in that dip, and why so many people just can't get out of it.

Hiya podcast listeners, thanks for dropping by our site. Ian and I are currently on a goal-setting retreat in Krabi province, Thailand. On Saturday we are going to the famous (infamous?) Koh Phi Phi to have a blast, but for now we are busy setting goals and working on some big projects for 2010. Here on the podcast we’ve committed to producing at least 1 new episode every week. We’ll focus a lot more on content and try to step up our level of professionalism and usefulness. On your end, we hope our rapidly growing community will continue to weight in to the conversation by sharing with us your tips, your sticking points, and letting us know the specific ways we can help you grow your businesses (or get them off the ground!). We’d love to get to the 1,000 listener point sometime within the next 8-12 weeks, we hope you’ll continue to share the show with your like-minded friends. In this episode we are sharing 8 business principles we wish we would have known before we got our business off the ground. As we pulled the list together, we realized these principles are all things we need to constantly be reminding ourselves as well, so we hope it can be helpful no matter what stage you are at in the entrepreneurial journey.

It has been nearly two years since we've hosted an event for the members of our private membership forum The Dynamite Circle. DCMEX, our first official event since 2019, is just a few short weeks away, and we couldn't be more excited to see so many listeners of this podcast in Mexico City this October. In-person events are so important to those of us in the entrepreneurial community. From the relationships that we develop to the things that we learn together, there are so many reasons why entrepreneurs can benefit from being together in the same place. We've invited our longtime friend Jeff Pecaro back onto the show this week, to reflect on what the past few years have been like without DC events, how things have changed since the last time we've all been together, and why we've chosen Mexico City for our newest event.

In this episode, Ian and Dan discuss the concept of doing things that don't scale, inspired by Paul Graham's influential article 'Do Things That Don't Scale.' They explore the idea of taking risks and gambling in entrepreneurship, and how it relates to increasing one's locus of control. The conversation covers various strategies for founders, including recruiting users manually, building something fragile, delighting users, focusing on experience, and niche marketing. In this conversation, Ian and Dan discuss Paul Graham's article 'Do Things That Don't Scale' and explore the principal themes and takeaways. They cover topics such as the idea of scaling, fabricating products yourself, consulting and acting as an anchor client, going manual and doing unscalable laborious tasks, the illusion of big launches and partnerships, vectors vs. scalars (ideas and execution), and the temptation to gamble and the importance of locus of control. Our book: Before the Exit (https://www.amazon.com/Before-Exit-Thought-Experiments-Entrepreneurs/dp/1980628823/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E5PMCCM0TDZ0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GnIb36rltn6NgcjHBCs8zg.waeKvE3zKoAbCt6Adoo5o5vv7M4PDyOj9pMXE7dM82A&dib_tag=se&keywords=before+the+exit+dan+andrews&qid=1711510466&s=books&sprefix=before+the+exit+dan+andrews%2Cstripbooks%2C101&sr=1-1) The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Chapters ● (00:00:47) Introduction and Waking Up Early ● (00:01:58) The Concept of Taking Risks and Gambling ● (00:03:52) Introduction to Paul Graham and Y Combinator ● (00:05:37) The Importance of Doing Things That Don't Scale ● (00:10:00) Recruiting Users Manually ● (00:12:48) Building Something Fragile ● (00:20:48) Niche Marketing ● (00:23:02) The Facebook and the Idea of Scaling ● (00:24:53) Consulting and Acting as an Anchor Client ● (00:27:17) Going Manual and Doing Unscalable Laborious Tasks ● (00:30:08) The Illusion of Big Launches and Partnerships ● (00:34:54) Vectors vs. Scalars: Ideas and Execution ● (00:38:36) The Temptation to Gamble and the Importance of Locus of Control Links: - Paul Graham’s Article “Do Things That Don’t Scale” (https://paulgraham.com/ds.html) - Lao Tzu - Philosophy (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/laozi/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: Three Phases to 1 Million in Revenue (https://tropicalmba.squarespace.com/config/) Quiet Crypto, The Demand Question, and Difficult Decisions ft. Jordan Gal (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/quiet-crypto-difficult-decisions) “3 Million in Revenue is a Death Zone" - Financial Strategy with Greg Crabtree (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/3-million-death-zone)

A year ago, we kicked off 2019 with a somewhat self-indulgent podcast full of updates on our ongoing projects as well as some of our business goals for the year. As the decade draws to a close, we’re taking stock of the year and asking ourselves “did we meet those expectations”? In today's episode, we are revisiting what we accomplished (and failed to accomplish) in 2019, as well as showcasing some of our business highlights from the year. Stick around to the end of the episode to hear five specific plans and goals that we have in store for our projects in 2020.

Today’s show challenges bootstrapped entrepreneurs to think about lessons they can draw from high-income private equity funded business, especially about structured forward planning and accountancy. But it also covers what lessons PE funded companies could learn from the other side of the tracks. This week’s guest is Jason Long, a valued member of the DC community, well known for being always open to sharing the highs and lows of his long experience of founding agencies, creating Software as a Service businesses and, most recently, from accepting a job as a ‘turnaround CEO’ for a private equity group. He talks to Dan about how the devastating effects on his agency of the 2008 financial crash caused him to diversify his portfolio, and the pros and cons of that decision. Plus why working with a multimillion PE firm has enhanced his experience both as a leader and entrepreneur: “This is a team that had been passed from CEO to CEO, from leader to leader, who just had failed them over and over and over again .. And so when I came in, I said, ‘I’m not gonna I'm not gonna fire anybody’ .. And I brought in a lot of methods to make sure that there was transparency with the top level all the way down to the frontline workers .. so everybody felt like they were knowledgeable about where the company was going. And I felt like that made a huge difference in the trust”.

When starting a business or advancing your career, or even just seeking to increase your public profile, it’s a savvy move to build momentum through content, and specifically by focusing on a particular channel. Today’s guest is an expert at doing just that. Steph Smith is the author of ‘Doing Content Right’. She’s also the host of the a16z podcast and ‘The Sh*t You Don’t Learn in School’. Steph talks to Dan about the opportunities being a creator opens up, tips on how to choose the right channel for what you’re trying to achieve, and why being data driven is so fundamental to achieving growth: “If you are doing a good job with growth, data should rule the day. You should be able to clearly say, ‘here's an aspect of our funnel that we want to run a test on, because we believe it has this upside’. And you run the test …. I've gone on to other companies that were way less data driven. That's honestly something that I really struggle with because when you are in situations where you are having to kind of say, ‘hey, let's do this project, I think it'll maybe have some impact’. It's just not compelling to me. I think most things at a company should be pretty data driven”.

This week, Dan and Ian talk about some news items and replay one of their most popular classic episodes. Listen to this weeks episode to learn of: A new project that Dan and Ian launched this week. An amazing TropicalMBA-style internship opportunity. One of Dan and Ian’s biggest business failures (it ended them costing $6k and Ian wasted one month in China because of it). Have fun. Leave a comment. Give us a ring. 888-554-8428. Go make it happen! :)

Health and wellness is the ultimate productivity hack, impacting every aspect of life. Adam Gilbert, founder of My Body Tutor, discovered that consistency is key, and accountability, mindset, and personalized plans help clients stay on track. It’s also what sets his business apart. My Body Tutor has been generating demand for their service for 17 years, having a flawless reputation, and obsessively focusing on getting clients results. In this episode Adam shares his strategies for pricing demand, how to handle client churn, and balancing family life with his passion. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: Our book: Before the Exit (https://www.amazon.com/Before-Exit-Thought-Experiments-Entrepreneurs/dp/1980628823/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E5PMCCM0TDZ0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GnIb36rltn6NgcjHBCs8zg.waeKvE3zKoAbCt6Adoo5o5vv7M4PDyOj9pMXE7dM82A&dib_tag=se&keywords=before+the+exit+dan+andrews&qid=1711510466&s=books&sprefix=before+the+exit+dan+andrews%2Cstripbooks%2C101&sr=1-1) The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Accelerator (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-accelerator) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Chapters ● (00:06:29) The Impact of Health and Wellness ● (00:12:10) The Importance of Consistency ● (00:16:57) Evolving Pricing Based on Value ● (00:28:39) Recruiting, Training, and Retaining Coaches ● (00:33:10) The Importance of Regular Meetings ● (00:44:17) Caring and Mission-Driven Approach ● (00:45:30) Starting Small in Entrepreneurship Links: - https://www.mybodytutor.com/ (https://www.mybodytutor.com/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: Lessons From an 18-Month Trip Around the World on $100 a Day (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/18-month-trip) The 1 Million Dollar Question (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/million-dollar-question) “The Death of the follower” + Make 250k in 3 Days a Week (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/death-of-follower)

A housekeeping episode where Ian and I talk about the future of this show and how our business is evolving around it. Its a good one for you folks who have been around a while!

Dan & Ian are back in Austin and have fully recovered from what was the biggest event in DC history: DCBKK 2023. Over 400 entrepreneurs gathered in the world-class city of Bangkok to swap stories, participate in masterminds, and fuel each other to reach new business heights in 2024. In the episode, they covered many topics, including a framework for analyzing locations by their UI versus API, why Thailand's UI beats America, and what’s next for DC Black, a community for 7 & 8-figure founders. Dan & Ian also share their biggest conference takeaways, some of their business strategy for 2024, and three trends happening in the community and the industry at large. Stick around for some of their favorite stories from DCBKK 2023. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show notes: (00:01:42) Intro (00:02:32) The UI vs API of a location (00:15:06) DC Black re-opens (00:19:09) Conference woes and funny stories (00:24:14) Pulling the CEO card backfires (00:32:39) We have a branding problem (00:35:27) We had the horsepower to run an epic event (00:36:40) The space is more competitive than ever (00:39:35) Increased financialization in the bootstrapping space (00:43:58) It’s time for the 3,000 day principle (00:48:15) Favorite DCBKK stories Links: Apply for DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Does the American Dream Still Make Sense? (https://rameerez.com/does-the-american-dream-still-make-sense/) What’s Up With Austin? (https://perell.com/essay/whats-up-with-austin/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber Additional episodes you might enjoy: 4 types of business coaches for 7+ figure founders and reflecting on our 15-year partnership (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/15-year-partnership) Dissecting the American Dream & Business Lessons from the Elon Musk Bio (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/american-dream-lessons) Brian Balfour’s $33M Growth Insights: Product-Market Fit, Durability, & Knowing Your Natural Limits (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/33mil-growth-insights)

Dan and Ian are making plans to rendevous in Bali again. Dan is still there working on his book, while Ian is in Orlando avoiding the M3 service industry guys and spending time with his family. Ian’s recent trip to a race prompted a discussion between the guys about deferred life plans. There’s a built in assumption that retirement is worth 30 years of investment, but is that true?

In this week's conversation, Dan and Ian discuss 10 ideas that provide valuable insights and strategies for entrepreneurs looking to grow their revenue to $1 Million and beyond. From years of experience and countless coaching calls, Dan and Ian cover topics such as finding a product with a tailwind, getting out of delivery, hiring a key badass, understanding your business model, optimizing your marketing funnel, and much more… These strategies can provide a roadmap for entrepreneurs to focus on the most impactful areas of their business and make informed decisions to drive growth. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: Our book: Before the Exit (https://www.amazon.com/Before-Exit-Thought-Experiments-Entrepreneurs/dp/1980628823/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E5PMCCM0TDZ0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GnIb36rltn6NgcjHBCs8zg.waeKvE3zKoAbCt6Adoo5o5vv7M4PDyOj9pMXE7dM82A&dib_tag=se&keywords=before+the+exit+dan+andrews&qid=1711510466&s=books&sprefix=before+the+exit+dan+andrews%2Cstripbooks%2C101&sr=1-1) The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Accelerator (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-accelerator) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Chapters: (00:00:49) Introduction and Setting (00:02:02) 10 Ideas for Reaching $1 Million in Revenue (00:03:46) Finding a Product with a Tailwind (00:11:11) Getting Out of Delivery (00:17:57) Hiring a Key Badass (00:23:48) Knowing Your Numbers (00:25:05) Understanding Your Numbers (00:29:27) Creating a Resident Offer (00:32:46) Optimizing Your Marketing Funnel (00:38:50) Identifying Key Metrics (00:40:51) Patching the Leaky Boat Links: Diagnostic & Goals | Plans | Systems Work sheet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/15eai16-JiRqUDYyKBdG6Za-vIs_xLCnGRcLYYcbrGDE/edit) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: Winning and losing Millions with Nathaniel Eliason (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/winning-and-losing-nathaniel-eliason) Less Than 5% of Businesses Get to 1MIL+ - A Process to Reach the Goal (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/process-to-reach-goal) The 7 Most Common Money Mistakes for Bootstrappers (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/7-money-mistakes)

I gave a ring to my SEO expert and good friend Tom to give us that crash course in article marketing I promised in earlier. If you enjoy Tom’s advice, I’m sure I can hook him into more regular appearances, just let us know your SEO questions! As I said, this guy has 1000’s of dollars locked up in his head! We are not sending out emails for every episode, that means you need to pull our itunes feed or RSS feed (both links on sidebar and header) in order to get immediate updates. Twitter doesn’t hurt either! @TropicalMBA

Today's guest has been on an incredible journey that touches on so many of our favorite entrepreneurial milestones. Derek Pankaew is the co-founder of Mythia, a financial startup that has partnered with banks to create a debit card aimed exclusively at gamers. He has experienced just about every entrepreneurial path, from running a "4-Hour Workweek" business built on passive income, to seeking out more ambitious projects in the San Francisco startup community, and eventually raising roughly 2.2 million dollars in venture capital funding. Derek joins us this week to take us through the steps of his incredible journey, and to share some of the fundamental differences between bootstrapping and running a venture capital-backed business.

Dan raises the question: if you only had to implement one simple framework to improve your business, what would it be? In other words, what’s your minimum effective dose of operational practices? Sometimes–most of the time–one simple change can make a huge difference. Today’s guest represents this line of thinking to a T. Lydia Machova talks about the ROI of spending a month implementing one simple idea, developing an integrator/visionary relationship, and the minimum effective dose of operational practices that improved her business. Lastly, Dan & Lydia talk about how founders often confuse assistance with delegation and how Lydia built an operating system that empowers her team to take ownership, solve problems, and send fewer Slack messages. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHPBISaCA5pVb_U1dq088KA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show Notes: (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:02) Systems are too complicated (00:04:23) Scorecards, scorecards, scorecards (00:07:20) Delegation vs assistance (00:08:32) DCBKK updates (00:13:42) Becoming an entrepreneur (00:21:48) Perfect integrator (00:27:07) ROI of process (00:37:25) Meeting tempos (00:39:09) Accountability chart (00:42:46) The issues list (00:48:05) Get out from under Links: DC Events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Language Mentoring (https://www.languagementoring.com/) Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz (https://www.amazon.com/Clockwork-Design-Your-Business-Itself/dp/0525534016) The Checklist Manifesto (https://www.amazon.com/The-Checklist-Manifesto-audiobook/dp/B0031Q9ZWY/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=241601530794&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9003540&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9562829446745895865&hvtargid=kwd-14787969625&hydadcr=9803_10377300&keywords=the+checklist+manifesto&qid=1692177815&sr=8-1) Scorecards (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/how-to-create-employee-scorecards) Traction (https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Gino-Wickman-audiobook/dp/B00A9Z973M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19A7QTUHDLFXW&keywords=traction&qid=1692178108&s=audible&sprefix=tractio%2Caudible%2C231&sr=1-1) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan Additional episodes you might enjoy: TMBA 688: Mailbag: What Can Scorecards Do For You? And Equity Split Dilemmas (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/how-to-create-employee-scorecards) TMBA 695: The Money Theory of Location And Why Employee Scorecards Are So Helpful (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/money-theory-location-employee-scorecards) TMBA 707: Deceptively simple ways to have a better business (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/simple-ways-to-actually-improve-your-business) TMBA 702: Millions for Podcasts and Jay Clouse on Memberships (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/jay-clouse-on-memberships) TMBA 689: Re-visiting Our Conversation with Seth Godin (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/seth-godin-akimbo)

We've been devoting a lot of time on this podcast recently to SaaS or "Software as a Service" businesses. That's because we love the upside of SaaS, including the potential for generating recurring revenue and creating life-changing exits. But is it possible to create a software business without knowing how to code? Alan VanToai is the founder of CrewFire.com, a brand ambassador and influencer management platform. Alan has very limited technical expertise, but that hasn't stopped him from creating and exiting from multiple software ventures. Alan joins us on today's podcast to discuss how you can start a SaaS business without a technical partner, how to attract a technical partner when the time comes, and some personal feelings about one of our very favorite places in the world: Vietnam.

DISCLAIMER: We do not have appropriate qualifications to be handing out medical advice. Consult with your doctor before you take any supplements or drugs. Please don’t take our advice as anything more than a random person’s opinion. It is intended for your entertainment purposes only. Hopefully this sort of content will inspire you to explore ways to improve your health. Today Ian and I sat down with the SEO expert and body hacker Travis Jamison of SupremacySEO to discuss smart drugs and supplement stacks for brain and body optimization. Travis owns a supplement company and has experimented extensively with a broad range of vitamins, minerals, and other drugs. We’ve long been interested in smart drugs and dietary supplements, but have found that taking the first steps to be extraordinarily confusing. In this episode, Ian and I try to get the best “first steps” for people interested in body and brain optimization through the use of supplements, nootropics, and drugs.

2022 has been the year that we all got on the road again. Dan and Ian spent the summer in Barcelona, Spain and hundreds of members of the Dynamite Circle met up to forge new friendships and partnerships, socialize, swap stories and strategies, and a whole lot more. Through it all, we have been fortunate to talk to some incredibly captivating entrepreneurs on this podcast. In today’s episode, we are revisiting some of our favorite moments and themes from the podcast this year, including thoughts about investing, the challenges of systemizing your business and motivating a team, what bootstrappers can learn from private equity firms (and vice versa), thoughts about the ‘anti-work movement’ and the amazing opportunities offered by living in a place with a lower cost of living than the West but equally great resources.

***Please note this episode is extremely explicit and potentially offensive. The F-bomb is prominently featured. If you don’t like ignorant dudes shooting from the hip, I say man, don’t bother. In this episode of TTR we also get a little negative, which is something we wouldn’t do on the Lifestyle Business Podcast. The LBP is focused on being useful for entrepreneurs. Tropical Talk Radio is more about being fun, and being real. Hopefully we can entertain and inspire for a certain subset of twisted entrepreneurial brethren.

It is a sad day in the LBP world. After a year of pool parties, long nights of discussion and brainstorming on the deck, and countless DCers and LBP listeners visiting and crashing on our couches, the time has come to say good-bye to our Bali House (aka TMBA HQ). It’s been good times on the good old Jl Drupadi in Seminyak. We’re not giving up the compound dream, though. In fact, it’s getting bigger. And Dan & Ian are on the lookout for a resort or 10+ private room compound to turn into TMBA HQ 2.0 for the upcoming year. If you have any leads let us know! This week, after yet another 5-Star iTunes review showers the LBP with love, Dan & Ian decided it was high time to start sharing some of the secrets that has enabled them to become six-figure full-time income bloggers (much to Ian’s mixed elation and dismay). None of this is new stuff – but it will help you to be more effective with content. What’s the most important private label secret? It’s about Social Media and SEO.

Dan’s still in Bali grinding out his first book while Ian’s back in San Diego working on taking the product business to the next level. Inspired by a talk Cal Newport gave, Dan and Ian reveal that the script to success, however you define it. While success is something each person decides on, there is a script that everyone can follow to get themselves there. With all the talk in the blogosphere about “passion,” the true story about achieving success and happiness seems to be a little more complex.

Heya everyone, this is the first episode where we get in to deal-making. We’ve been really busy as I’m sure you can tell if you listen to the episode! We are excited to touch base with everyone who is listening. It’s been so great to hear from everyone who’s contacted us. I really like this kind of content and I’m hoping we can do more high-level deal making stuff in the future. We also talk a lot about outsourcing opportunities in the Philippines.

‘Rip, pivot and jam’ is a recurring theme on this show. It’s a way of overcoming the pressure of needing ‘the best business idea ever’ by taking a model that’s working elsewhere and applying it in another field. And that’s exactly what today’s guest Justin Tan did when he founded his productised video editing service Video Husky. Through his previous freelance career in Facebook advertizing, Justin had seen the growing importance of video creation as a marketing tool. And Russ Perry’s unlimited graphic design offerings at ‘Design Pickle’ inspired him to try that approach for clients who need regular video editing. Justin talks to Dan about the challenges and rewards of building, and recently ‘retiring’ from Video Husky over a four year period: “The key thing is being able to accept when your assumptions are wrong, ideally quickly, and moving on from them versus - I would hold on to certain key assumptions for the longest time, even though they weren't true. And so what I found was really helpful was getting in front of a lot of customers”.

As 2022 draws to a close Dan and Ian are in a reflective mood. In this week’s show they ponder the ‘lifestyle business take’ on ‘The Parable of the Mexican Fisherman’ and come up with an alternative interpretation involving YouTube. They also discuss some the positives and negatives of their own business year including the results of their ambition to scale Dynamite Jobs, the power of reconnecting in person with colleagues, friends and mentors, and why alignment between founders is critical: “I think we can up the leadership game a little bit. And a lot of that is about figuring out these concepts and ideas that scale through the organisation and create alignment. It’s creating empowerment and autonomy in each individual actor to know that they're doing meaningful things on a day to day basis. That level of leadership is a tough nut to crack”.

In this episode, Dan and Ian unveil their private community for entrepreneurs, DynamiteCircle. The “meat and potatoes” section features an interview with Sean Ogle who is launching his product Location Rebel. Check out Location Rebel if you want to quit your job and make the leap into location independence. Sean and Dan discuss 5 mindsets that will break or make your entrepreneurial ventures. They also discuss how Sean ended up becoming one of the top lifestyle design bloggers. In the quick tips section you’ll learn how Dan got 200 new subscribers to his RSS-feed overnight. We just launched DynamiteCircle, our forum for entrepreneurs. Check it out. Have fun. Leave a comment. Give us a ring. 888-554-8428. Go make it happen! :)

Since the start of the year, we've been focusing heavily on stories about starting new businesses as well as what we believe are the "fundamentals" of being an entrepreneur. When we received a video message from today's guest, who was telling us how excited he was to finally join our private membership group The Dynamite Circle, we knew we had to hear more about his story. In just a few short years, Sam Hill has grown his company E Comm CFO to nearly $300,000 in annual revenue, and he was able to do it by straight-up hustling on the freelancing platform Upwork. This week, we've invited Sam onto the podcast to share the origins of his entrepreneurial story, the nuts and bolts of how he was able to grow a business on Upwork, and some of his guiding principles for entrepreneurship.

A few weeks ago, Dan and Ian introduced a new series on this podcast called "The Re-Readables". In that series, we are taking a look back at some of our favorite books with a fresh perspective. This week's book is all about the "Muse", creativity, productivity, and how to get your best work out into the world. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield was published in 2002. Since then, it has inspired countless entrepreneurs, artists, writers, and creatives around the world. On today's show, we are revisiting The War of Art, talking about why it was so influential, and asking whether or not the ideas in that book have withstood the test of time.

Dan and Ian discuss a post by Jason L. Baptiste of Cloudomatic made on Hacker News on how to be a millionaire in three years (or a really short time). They talk extensively about six out of the thirty seven tips from Jason’s post, such as leveraging skills you already know. In this new format, they also answer two reader questions: choosing a niche that makes money, and how to go about purchasing a laptop. (Dan’s Tip: Buy a Mac).

Last week, we spoke to Mark Brenwall about why he left his job in San Francisco to move to Asia and start WOD Nation, an Amazon FBA business that sells CrossFit products. Today's podcast is the conclusion of that interview and in it, we speak specifically about Mark's entrepreneurial "code". In this conversation, Mark shares some of his unorthodox business philosophies, as well as some specific insights into the Amazon FBA platform, and why he almost decided to sell his business last year.

Dan and Ian talk about 5 common myths about internet businesses. Other topics include using video to enhance your online presence, freight forwarders, how to never miss an international conference call again and a new invention that will revolutionize the world.

Dan Andrews (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) talks to Authority Hacker co-founder Mark Webster (https://twitter.com/markwebster1) about successfully transitioning from an agency model to a multimillion-dollar course business. They talk about navigating 50/50 partnerships, why starting a course business isn’t for everyone, and what you can build with a laptop, a dream, and cheap accommodation. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHPBISaCA5pVb_U1dq088KA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show Notes: (00:00:00) Intro (00:11:01) The audience is the hard part (00:18:47) The start of authority sites (00:28:52) Becoming business partners (00:35:38) Outgrowing your agency (00:44:59) Getting to 7-figures quickly (00:50:40) 50/50 partnership pros & cons (00:56:48) You made it, now what? Links: ● Authority Hacker: https://www.authorityhacker.com/ ● The Ultimate Product Launch Plan: https://videofruit.com/blog/product-launch/ ● American Icon: https://www.amazon.com/American-Icon-Mulally-Fight-Company/dp/0307886069 Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan Additional episodes you might enjoy: TMBA 706: 5 Things Founders Often Misunderstand about Exiting Their Business (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/5-things-to-know-when-exiting-your-business) TMBA 702: Millions for Podcasts and Jay Clouse on Memberships (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/jay-clouse-on-memberships) TMBA 695: The Money Theory of Location And Why Employee Scorecards Are So Helpful (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/money-theory-location-employee-scorecards) TMBA 678: Evolving An Agency, With SaaS Mistakes Along The Way (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/evolving-an-agency)

The audio quality of this podcast starts off pretty rough and then improves around the 2:00 mark. Chris Ducker and I got together in Manila last week to talk about a broad range of sweeeet business goings ons, we turned on the tape recorder for some of it. Here I’ve published the parts pertaining to the lifestyle elements of running his business.

This founder started an Upwork agency less than 2 years ago and is making $30K a month… JUST on Upwork alone. We talk about how to take it to $80K a month and beyond in the next year. In this week’s newsletter, we include our ICP exercise. Your next breakthrough in under 30 minutes. TMBA email subscribers can also apply to get business coaching from Dan & Ian live on the pod (it’s free). Subscribe to the TMBA newsletter. (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) Today’s guest is Phil Kuehnen, founder of Rev Gravy (https://hey.revgravy.com/welcome). Connect with us: Dan: @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) or dan@tropicalmba.com Ian: @AnythingIa (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan)n or ian@tropicalmba.com Chapters (00:00:00) Introduction and Overview (00:00:35) Current Revenue and Pricing (00:05:11) Financial Goals and Challenges (00:05:32) Strategies for Revenue Growth (00:05:40) Acquiring and Retaining Customers (00:07:11) Key Value Proposition and Benefits (00:07:33) Identifying Obvious Growth Opportunities (00:10:50) Creating a High-Ticket Front-End Offer (00:12:37) Focusing on the Business Model (00:19:33) The Importance of Sales Calls (00:21:12) Building a Machine for Growth Useful links: Connect with other entrepreneurs (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) Coaching for $250K+ founders (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-accelerator) Community for 1M+ founders (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: “1,000 Customers from One Channel” (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/1000-customers-one-channel) “Lifestyle Business” vs “Real Business” (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/lifestyle-vs-real-business) Only 3 Ways to Grow…What Would Plato Do (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/three-ways-grow-business)

Ian and Dan agree that partnerships can create polarized outcomes, either leading to a successful collaboration or a complete failure, depending on a few essential factors they’ve learned over the years. Find out whether they think business partnerships are a net positive or negative amongst the most successful businesses we've seen, and why every partnership would benefit from a business coach. Stick around for a free business idea ripe for the taking. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show notes: (00:00:43) Intro (00:02:09) Who speaks at DCBKK? (00:02:31) Why getting in the right room can be the best thing you ever do (00:06:36) The highs and lows of business partnerships and if it’s right for you (00:07:29) Pros and cons of 50/50 partnerships (00:07:41) Questions to ask yourself before you get a business partner (00:21:19) Dan’s experience with business coaches takes a positive turn (00:25:46) How business coaches can help your business partnership (00:26:08) Types of business coaches and their roles (00:30:56) Here’s a free business idea (00:31:47) Tell us how you did it on the TMBA podcast (00:32:17) Shout out to DCBKK sponsors Links: Mark Zhang (https://www.linkedin.com/in/markxzhang/) Einar Vollset (https://twitter.com/einarvollset) Lucy Simkins (https://twitter.com/LucyBellaEarl) Patt Flynn (https://twitter.com/PatFlynn) Internet Business Mastery (https://www.internetbusinessmastery.com/) - DCBKK (https://dynamitecircle.com/event-collection/dcbkk-2023) is happening next week - DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) reopens in November Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber Additional episodes you might enjoy: Business Partnerships and 6-Figure Launches: A Conversation with Mark Webster (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/business-partnerships-6-figure-launches) TMBA 693: 5 Things We’ve Learnt From Speaking With 50 Business Owners (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/5-things-from-50-business-owners) Brian Balfour’s $33M Growth Insights: Product-Market Fit, Durability, & Knowing Your Natural Limits (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/33mil-growth-insights)

So many people listening to this podcast are looking for the kind of freedom that allows them to travel the world. It's no wonder then that Recreational Vehicles or "RVs" have become increasingly popular in the entrepreneurial space in recent years. If you recall, last year we spoke to Ian's friend and mentor Corey Reueth on this podcast about his experiences buying and selling cars and recreational vehicles. In today's episode, Corey and Ian are having an in-depth discussion about the RV lifestyle. You'll hear about the different types of RVs on the market, the benefits and drawbacks to each of them, how much it costs to purchase an RV, and what RV living actually looks like.

Today's episode is all about an emotional journey that was born out of this very podcast, and the unique mental health challenges that entrepreneurs face. Bunty SomRoy took a huge risk back in 2015 when he decided to volunteer at one of our Dynamite Circle events in Bangkok. Since then, he has gone through many stages of the entrepreneurial journey; hustling as a freelancer, taking a job at a startup, and finally running a successful business of his own. It wasn't all wine and roses, though. Bunty encountered some harrowing mental health struggles along the way, and he joins us on the podcast this week to share his very personal story. This conversation touches on many of our favorite topics as well, including why it's important to put yourself in the room with seasoned entrepreneurs, how getting a job can be an excellent way to uplevel your business chops, and much more.

Coming to you live from Badladz Resort in the Philippines, complete with patented LBP cafe noise and janky wi-fi upload speeds. This week Dan jumped on the phone with the man, the myth, the Aussie legend in content marketing and helping customers online, James Schramko of Super Fast Business and one of Dan’s new favorite podcasts Freedom Ocean. A super-sized episode that caused Dan to spend the past week to say to Ian “Did I tell you what Schramko told me? Have I told you about my interview with Schramko? James has this baller way of dealing with that.” Needless to say Dan and Ian’s mancrushes run high – after listening to the interview you’ll develop a mind-crush too.

Hello from the good old USA, I believe this is our first 100% USA ‘cast in over a year. Yeowwwza! This is a big long episode where we talk about a wide variety of topics. In particular, we talk about why I believe Virtual Staff Finder is currently the best way to get started hiring virtual assistants in the Philippines. Check out Virtual Staff Finder today and get a free copy of my 44,000 word book The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Outsourcing to the Philippines. It’s Friday night, I’m too tired to type more! Hope you all have a great weekend :)

It’s been a really rough week for Dan and Ian. This is mostly due to the fact that they arrived in the Philippines to meet with 14 bright eyed participants of our August TMBA Session and it was a bit of a challenge. Not because of the participants. Instead they encountered a slight typhoon wreaking havoc on Manila, Batangas City & Pier, Mindoro, Puerto Galera, and Badladz Resort. In other words, they were surrounded by the storm. What should have been a fun 3-hour tour of the Philippines to get to the resort turned in to an adventure of epic proportions. But everyone arrived safe and sound, amped up on the adrenaline of their adventure, with huge grins on their faces and dates with their beds. Which is to say, in true internet meme fashion, sometimes owning a business isn’t all double rainbows and Tiger Blood. Sometimes, you are killin’ it and sometimes you are struggling to get it all done, through some pretty adverse situations and circumstances.

Hey you guys are good for a lot of things but nobody stepped up to tell me getting an office was one big fat stupid idea! JOKE! Kidding…No, I think as entrepreneurs growing a new kind of business, there aren’t any hard and fast rules so we end up testing out a lot of new ideas to see if they stick. One of this year’s big experiements was starting a brick and mortar office here in the Philippines. I learned a TON from doing this but it wasn’t really creating the explosive growth we thought it had the potential to do. We’ve also decided that scaling into more “lifestyle” focused internships is a much more effective way to grow our business in the short term than radically increasing our overhead and support stuff (um… duh?) So its not that the office was outright BAD, its just that everyone made big sacrifices to make it happen, and most of them hit home where it hurt most. We were having less FUN and spending more time on stuff like commutes and pushing ourselves to work outside of our natural rhythms. The key thing here is going to bat. We change our minds about what is working in our business very often, and to me thats a sign that we are pushing in as many ways as possible to look for ways to grow our business and have more fun.

This week's episode is about something that is incredibly near and dear to our hearts: personal blogging and what it means to write on the internet. To help us tell this story, we've invited two of our favorite writers who both have a long and rich experience in the blogging space. Taylor Pearson has been a frequent guest and contributor on this podcast. He is the author of The End of Jobs, and he runs an excellent blog over at TaylorPearson.me that has been required reading for us for quite some time. Amanda Cook is an author, a podcaster, herbalist, and the founder of a business called Wellpreneur. Over the years, she has published online about a wide variety of projects, but the one consistent thing is that she's always had an excellent blog, which you can find at AmandaCook.me. Join us for this round table discussion about the past and future of blogging on the internet, tips for those starting out with a personal blog, some of our favorite blogs to read today, and so much more.

Dan and Ian are well aware that the entrepreneurial journey isn't made up entirely of success stories. Many entrepreneurs listening to this podcast are struggling right now. They might be on the fence about becoming an entrepreneur or reconsidering their decision to become one in the first place. We've talked many times on this podcast about the "1,000 Day Rule"; this idea that it takes roughly 1,000 days of serious hard work to replace the money that you make from your job. Anders Ronnau recently posted in our private community The Dynamite Circle about his own twist on this idea, which he calls "The 4,000 Day Rule". He proposes that after 4,000 days, or roughly ten years, if you haven't had meaningful success building a business for yourself, then you probably need to get a job. We've invited Anders on to the show this week to talk about that rule and to share his own story about how running a business isolated him, and why he ultimately decided he needed to stop being an entrepreneur.

The last time Allen Walton was on the show he talked about the origins of his e-commerce business SpyGuy grew out of a difficult period when he was living in his parents’ basement struggling to make a living. Today Allen talks to Dan about some of the challenges he’s had which, despite the considerable success, has caused him to consider if it’s time to re-orientate what he’s doing and focus more on his new venture FlyGuy: “Spy Guy is a hard business to run. Like a lot of e-commerce businesses we've been facing supply chain problems, shipping shortages, our costs have really gone up … And I think about Tony Hsieh’s book ‘Delivering Happiness’, he talks about poker playing, and how you could sit at a table and you might just keep losing, losing, losing against the people you're playing with. One of the best things you might do is just get up and move over to another table. You might find out that you're playing way better there. And I kind of feel like that might be the case for me”. And, later in the show, Allen gamely agrees to play our favorite fun challenge: ‘Donate A Business Idea’.

This week, Dan is joined by a listener who wrote in with some compelling insights on community, camaraderie, and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Anthony Fosano, founder of Engineering Management Institute, built a 7-figure brand with a coaching business and a YouTube and podcast network that has garnered over 3 million downloads. They cover many topics like how to leverage skills and resources from your full-time job to start your own business, how to build a business around a very niche audience, and why many entrepreneurs might find themselves coming “full circle” in search of community. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show notes (00:01:07) Intro (00:03:43) Start a business using your existing skills (00:08:18) Start the hustle before you quit your day job (00:11:51) Build for scale from the get-go (00:14:41) Playing the podcast long game (00:16:52) Make sure your brand represents the right audience (00:23:00) What playing sports says about us as entrepreneurs (00:33:02) What it takes to be successful Links: Engineering Management Institute (https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/) Engineer your own success (https://www.amazon.com/Engineer-Your-Own-Success-Extraordinary/dp/0578082284) The Good Life (https://www.amazon.com/Good-Life-Lessons-Scientific-Happiness/dp/198216669X) The Score Takes Care of Itself (https://www.amazon.com/Score-Takes-Care-Itself-Philosophy/dp/1591843472) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Anthony Fasano Additional episodes you might enjoy: Hyper Niche Business Ideas with Big End Game Potential (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/hyper-niche-business-ideas) Dissecting the American Dream & Business Lessons from the Elon Musk Bio (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/american-dream-lessons) Brian Balfour’s $33M Growth Insights: Product-Market Fit, Durability, & Knowing Your Natural Limits (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/33mil-growth-insights)

Dan has adopted the Tim Ferriss book writing method and isolated himself from everything except Evernote. Ian on the other hand is tearing it up in San Diego and prepping for a motorcycle race. In this week’s episode, Dan and Ian explore the benefits of being a “sociopath” (it’s not what it sounds like). Inspired by a Ribbonfarm post from Venkat, they discuss the relationship between sociopaths, the clueless, and the losers.

It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. In this week’s episode Dan runs down David Hehenberger from Shopping Cart Labs in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. The guys talk pros and cons for Ho Chi Minh City as a hotspot for location independent entrepreneurs.

It was such a breath of fresh air to see so many entrepreneurs in Mexico City last week at DC MEX, our first in-person event since 2019. We had so much fun catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, exchanging stories, and working together to move forward with our businesses. One of our favorite parts about these events is that we get an up-close-and-personal look as all kinds of exciting trends start to emerge in the community. In today's episode, we are highlighting 10 new trends that we've identified in the location-independent community. You'll hear about business models that becoming popular, how entrepreneurs are moving forward in the wake of the pandemic, and hot locations for digital nomads in 2022.

Dan & Ian talk to a listener who’s running a $1M D2C e-commerce business about the challenges and opportunities he faces as he plans for future growth and a potential exit down the road. They discuss topics like decreasing customer acquisition costs, increasing profit margins, the absolutely essential role of a CFO, and not letting your passion for the product get in the way of your growth. At the end of the call, Dan & Ian will recommend key next steps this founder should take in order to scale their business effectively and aggressively. TMBA email subscribers can submit their business to be reviewed with Dan & Ian on the pod. Subscribe to the TMBA newsletter. (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) Check out the fluora plant (https://fluoraplant.com/) we discuss on today’s show. Connect with us: Dan: @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) or dan@tropicalmba.com Ian: @AnythingIa (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan)n or ian@tropicalmba.com Chapters: (00:00:27) Introduction and Business Overview (00:02:18) Transitioning to D2C E-commerce (00:05:59) Scaling and Future Plans (00:13:11) Becoming a Software Company (00:14:17) Challenges and Future Growth (00:18:06) The Role of a CFO in Financial Management (00:28:28) Developing an Expensive Product for Customers (00:32:48) Improving Profit Margins and Considering Tax Implications Useful links: Connect with other entrepreneurs (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) Coaching for $250K+ founders (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-accelerator) Community for 1M+ founders (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: “3 Million in Revenue is a Death Zone" - Financial Strategy with Greg Crabtree (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/3-million-death-zone) The Anti-Agency Agency + High ROI Customer Acquisition (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/anti-agency-high-roi) The Secret Weapon to Pricing Power (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/secret-weapon-pricing-power)

In this episode, Dan and Ian talk about character traits and principles that self-made millionaires have in common. Dan is currently hanging out with some multi millionaire friends in Subic Bay. These successful entrepreneurs think and act very different than the average working class person. You’ll learn of 9 millionaire principles that you can start implementing today. If you want to support the show, check out our first 50 episodes on sale. Have fun. Leave a comment. Give us a ring. 888-554-8428. Go make it happen! :)

Dan talks to Jordan Gal, founder of Rally and co-host of the Bootsrapped Web podcast about challenges in the ecommerce space, product-market fit and demand, partnerships and veto power, the quietness of crypto, risking other people’s money, and more… There’s one thing that founders tend to really struggle with when it comes to growing their business and that’s getting the right team in place. Listen as Jordan shows Dan how and why he fires unfit team members. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Chapters (00:04:22) News Update (00:05:58) From Player to Coach (00:06:50) Jack Welch (00:12:10) Bootstrapping vs Raising Money (00:15:52) Product-Market Fit and Adjustments (00:18:57) Partnerships and Veto Power (00:20:42) Deciding When to Pivot (00:36:27) Firing and Personnel Decisions (00:43:30) The Quietness of Crypto (00:48:05) Challenges in E-commerce (00:57:30) Impact of Having a Family Links: Bootsrapped Web podcast (https://bootstrappedweb.com/) Jordan on Twitter (https://twitter.com/JordanGal) Rally (https://rallyon.com/) Winning (https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Jack-Welch/dp/0060753943/ref=asc_df_0060753943/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312243616995&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11970474335439880872&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007527&hvtargid=pla-450103671560&psc=1&mcid=a2b7a51b49653a50bccb79bc40fad30e&gclid=CjwKCAjw7-SvBhB6EiwAwYdCAdfAqSQ363qg9bY5hlyYGlv0cq2jEW-yDnybdlYnB8VXaJLA1SiDbBoCpEAQAvD_BwE) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: A Shopify Software Business Success Story (Jordan Gal) (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/jordan-gal-carthook-shopify) How Transparent Should You Be? Thoughts on Queen Bee Roles & a Ticket Giveaway (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/transparent-queen-bee-role) A Podcast About Shiny Object Syndrome (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/shiny-object-syndrome)

Today Dan talks to one of our favorite writers Sam Dogan, the man behind ‘Financial Samurai’. And Sam has recently written a book called ‘Buy This, Not That’, laying out the ideas and strategies he learnt not only from his decade long career at Goldman Sachs but also investing personally and interacting with the many millions of visitors to his blog. This week’s discussion ranges from why the traditional ‘Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE)’ model, of which Sam was an early pioneer, is now outdated; the reasons you can’t just ‘set and forget’ your financial planning but need to think about opitimizing it for the different decades of your life; and what it’s like to be involved in writing a book for a major publisher: “One of the reasons why I don't want to write another book is because it's so painful. A lot of cooks in the kitchen. They're all on your side, they want to make the book amazing, inclusive and a success. But I'm not used to that, I’m used to waking up at 5am writing, and then I'm done. I send it to my dad and he makes some edits. And we’re good.”

This week Dan and Ian were reminded of a great project that you have all helped us to grow in the Lifestyle Business Podcast community. To date you guys have raised over $5000 on Kiva micro-funding businesses and entrepreneurs in developing countries. That’s pretty baller. Check out our Kiva page to pay it forward cause that’s what entrepreneurs do. What else do entrepreneurs do? Well, what an entrepreneur does depends a lot on what type of entrepreneur they are.

We've been receiving a ton of requests recently from listeners who want to hear an "old school" episode, so this week Dan and Ian are jumping on the horn to talk about the progress that they've made with their remote jobs business Dynamite Jobs. Since the start of the summer, we've been building a new software platform designed to make the hiring process a whole lot easier for entrepreneurs. Just a few weeks ago, we finally started onboarding users into the platform. So far the results have been remarkable, but the challenges immense. In today's episode, we're sharing four specific things that we've learned from creating a brand new software product. You'll hear updates about some key figures in our business, how running a SaaS business has differed from a lot of our other ventures, and a whole lot more.

We've shared a lot of stories on this podcast from entrepreneurs who have started their own businesses, but one strategy we've increasingly seen to accelerate the path to wealth is to purchase a business that already exists and to leverage debt to do so. Today's guest is an expert at that. Shakil Prasla has been acquiring businesses through his company SZ Ventures for nearly a decade. He started with a loan from the Small Business Administration and now has a team of roughly 80 people who are managing niche eCommerce companies. They are selling anything from high-end business cards to their most recent acquisition, Gloves.com. In today's podcast, Shakil shares the story of how he purchased his first business, how he has grown to where he is now, strategies for taking advantage of Small Business Administration loans, and much more.

Today’s guest is one of Dan’s favorite people to talk business with. Justin Tan grew his productized video-editing agency to 7 figures in 2 years and “retired” in 4. Now he helps burnt-out mid-6-figure agency owners become 7-figure passive owners without the 60-hour workweek grind. Join Dan and Justin as they geek out on the pumpkin plan, the trouble with blindspots, and some common mistakes business owners make. Justin just so happened to give Dan and Ian some pro bono consulting last summer in Barcelona, so they’ll chat about how that advice is panning out… Plus, we’re hiring an Events Manager to help us take our global community events to the next level. Head to dynamitejobs.com to apply or refer a friend. “You keep on promoting people you are familiar with because you like that dynamic. You are familiar with that dynamic. I am their boss, I tell you what to do. But at some point, you need to make that mentality switch. And this goes back to the operator owner where I tell them what to do. Instead, it needs to be they tell me what to do or what is needed, and I am the one who enables them to do that.”

There is nothing we love more than an entrepreneur who operates outside of convention, and this week's guest is no exception. Tynan is a bestselling author and the creator of CruiseSheet, a website that helps travelers find great deals on cruises. He is also a former Pickup Artist or "PUA", and at one point was a professional gambler. We've been following his terrific blog at Tynan.com for many years, and we're fascinated by his ability to remain ahead of the curve when it comes to social trends on the internet. Tynan joins us this week to discuss his history in the controversial Pickup Artist subculture, his unique philosophies on wealth and personal finance, and what it truly means to live outside of your comfort zone.

All this thinking has led to a higher-than-average consumption of wine and Bintang, a lot of power naps, Ian taking up hot yoga, and some epic brainstorming. Why are some ridiculous people successful? Why do otherwise brilliant ideas fail? Can you really source an entire business set-up buying gigs on Fiverr? The key, as outlined by Steven Pressfield in The Art of War, is resistance. Resistance is rarely obvious in it’s inception and even harder to identify once you are fully entrenched. That’s why it’s so important to keep an eye out for these 8 Lesser Recognized Forms Of The Resistance: 1. Anything that prevents you from having the best product 2. Being smart 3. Rationalizing your job 4. Doing SEO, tech, specialization that you aren’t specialized in 5. Having people sign NDA’s 6. Going to conferences to learn critical information 7. Getting your friends to partner up 8. Hiring interns, VA’s, and other employees without knowing what’s what?

In past episodes, we've talked about "Founder Fit", or the idea that you should be running the type of business that is best suited to your own personality and lifestyle. But what happens if you're not doing that? It turns out that having a bad fit between you and what you're building can potentially lead to a whole lot of pain. Jesse Hanley is all too familiar with this experience. Jesse is the founder of an agency called TalentTree, and he recently made the decision to shift the focus of his agency to a productized service model in order to fund the development and growth of his new software company Bento. Jesse joins us this week to share the emotional toll he experienced running that agency, why he decided to make drastic changes to his business to improve his quality of life, and how he has been able to find a large portion of his clientele on a rather unexpected platform.

Christopher Gimmer is the Co-Founder and CEO of Snappa, a SaaS (Software as a Service) business that allows users to create online graphics quickly and easily. Christopher caught our attention recently when he opened up with a post on Twitter about the emotional cost of being an entrepreneur. We invited Christopher onto the podcast this week to discuss his own journey as an entrepreneur, how difficult it can be for entrepreneurs to find and maintain what he calls "a healthy equilibrium", and how he works to achieve his own balance. You'll also hear why Christopher feels that having a business partner has been key to Snappa’s eventual success and what he sees as the pros and cons of SaaS businesses.

A few weeks ago, Dan and Ian hosted their annual Dynamite Circle event in Austin, Texas. They met many listeners of this show who traveled from all around the world to attend that event. Those entrepreneurs shared some incredible stories, insights, advice, and feedback with us, and we can't wait to talk about them. On today's podcast, we're discussing some of our biggest takeaways from DC Austin 2019, including one of the most common recurring themes that we've heard from entrepreneurs there that we like to refer to as "The Six-Figure Slump". Stick around after the credits to hear some bonus reflections from our friend Shayna Oliveira, who spoke about the event on her own podcast, Entrepreneurs in Motion.

The hard part shouldn’t be how to implement an OS in your organization. The hard part is answering the question: Are the right people in the right roles at your company? In this episode, Dan and Ian share their own OS that’s extremely simple. It’s called GPS. They’ll explain how GPS helps you put a plan in place to meet your goals, and deliver on that plan. That’s it. Also, hiring for specific tasks, the impact of remote work on hiring, and more. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: Our book: Before the Exit (https://www.amazon.com/Before-Exit-Thought-Experiments-Entrepreneurs/dp/1980628823/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E5PMCCM0TDZ0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GnIb36rltn6NgcjHBCs8zg.waeKvE3zKoAbCt6Adoo5o5vv7M4PDyOj9pMXE7dM82A&dib_tag=se&keywords=before+the+exit+dan+andrews&qid=1711510466&s=books&sprefix=before+the+exit+dan+andrews%2Cstripbooks%2C101&sr=1-1) The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Chapters ● (00:00:41) Introduction and 'Meaty Shorts' Format ● (00:06:48) Hiring for Specific Tasks in a Business ● (00:15:55) Minimum Viable EOS (GPS) Implementation ● (00:16:27) Implementing the EOS System: The GPS Framework ● (00:18:54) Using Scorecards for Clarity and Accountability ● (00:25:06) The Importance of Regular Check-ins and Standing Meetings Links: - Dan Martell - Who to Hire Next (https://www.danmartell.com/who-to-hire-next/) - The EOS Business Model (https://www.eosworldwide.com/eos-model) - Scorecard template (G doc) (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vJdgiTXIrtnGJB-ywe4goraLyQhp3oHMOCeKHbBOuAY/edit?usp=sharing) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: Do Things That Don’t Scale (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/things-dont-scale) Three Phases to 1 Million in Revenue (https://tropicalmba.squarespace.com/config/) Quiet Crypto, The Demand Question, and Difficult Decisions ft. Jordan Gal (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/quiet-crypto-difficult-decisions)

Even though Dan & Ian’s travel adventures in the Philippines are winding down for now, they’ll be back. The folks they’ve been able to hang out with the past few weeks are straight ballin’, entrepreneurs and business owners with at least six figures kicking around in an account or five. Whether they’re hobnobbing with the Vice President of the Philippines or dirt biking through the jungle, they’ve been absorbing all the advice these guys have to offer. It isn’t all yachts and big payout investments though. In this episode learn the 6 Financial Secrets that Dan & Ian have gathered from their conversations and observations. Things like:  How To Handle Your Mindset Like a Poker Player  Avoiding Itchy Feet and “I Finally Have Money” Euphoria  Having a Solid Fall Back Position  Supply, Demand, and Running Out of Stock  What Should You Borrow Against?  Dinari, Florida Swampland, and Other “No-Fail” Investments

Longtime listeners of this show know that Dan and Ian spent the early part of their entrepreneurial career building product businesses online. What you might not know is that Search Engine Optimization, commonly referred to as SEO, was one of the first skillsets that they learned when building those businesses. A lot has changed in the last decade when it comes to SEO, and this week's guest seems to be at the forefront of that progress. Tim Soulo is the Chief Marketing Officer and Product Adviser for Ahrefs. Ahrefs is a Software-as-a-Service company that provides a suite of incredibly useful SEO research tools. Their website is also host to one of the best SEO blogs on the internet. On this week's episode, Tim shares some keen insight on the evolution of SEO and how you can make SEO work for your business. We'll also be exploring some of the darker sides of SEO and content marketing.

A few weeks ago, we hosted hundreds of listeners of this podcast in Bangkok for our eighth annual DC BKK event. Every year we learn more about the entrepreneurs that join us in Thailand. We get to have conversations with some extraordinary people, hear about their successes and their struggles, and get an inside look at the way that internet businesses are being run. On this week's episode, we are sharing five specific insights that we took away from our experience in Bangkok this year, and discussing what those insights mean about the entrepreneurial community at large in 2019.

The stories we tell ourselves shape our businesses—but how much of it is true? External validation, from market response to honest feedback, is key. Dan & Jeff break down common entrepreneurial mistakes, business strategy, product-market fit, sales, opportunity assessment, and why knowing your numbers (even without a finance background) matters. P.S. Still taking all the sales calls for your business? You need a wingman (https://meetwingman.com/). CHAPTERS (00:02:43) Building entrepreneurial endurance (00:03:35) It's easy to be dishonest with yourself (00:06:49) Tailwind index helps assess market needs (00:15:43) Focus on solving immediate pain points (00:18:38) Communicate effectively with your target market (00:23:39) Monthly business reviews (MBR) (00:25:18) Basic financial hygiene is crucial (00:27:08) Having the courage to be disliked (00:31:52) Contribution vs validation (00:34:22) Tasks vs responsibilities CONNECT Dan “at” tropicalmba dot com Ian “at” tropicalmba dot com LINKS Join the DC (http://dynamitecircle.com/) Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) PLAYLIST Niche B2B Content = Big Revenue on YouTube (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/b2b-content-youtube) The Unexpected Downsides of Selling Your Business (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/exit-founders-disappointed) Is Your Biggest Expense Helping or Hurting? (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/your-biggest-expense) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal

This week’s episode is for the business finance and idea nerds. We’re joined this week in a business breakdown session with Alexej Pikovsky of Alphawellbrands.com. Alexej raised 4MIL to build a CBD marketplace. They were forced to pivot and have currently acquired an Amazon FBA brand and started up a success agency in the process, the combined revenue of both is on track to be over 4MIL this year. We’ll dig into the Peter Paul problem– how to choose where to focus your energy when you have multiple businesses? We’ll also cover his perspective on what happened in the Amazon aggregator space. How did so much capital implode so quickly? (Thrasio raised 3 Billion dollars and provided exits to many TMBA listeners). Is there room for smaller roll-ups that work in 2024? Takeaways ● ● Transition from a CBD marketplace to an SEO agency and FBA brand. ● The aggregator model faced significant challenges post-COVID. ● Many D2C brands are struggling with profitability and valuation. ● Acquiring the scented candles brand was a strategic move in a declining market. ● The agency provides valuable insights but distracts from brand focus. ● Investor relations are crucial for long-term success and exit strategies. ● The e-commerce landscape is evolving, requiring new strategies for success. ● The agency's role in the overall business strategy is under review. ● Future growth may depend on focusing solely on the brand. Useful links: Access our free business resources (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) Connect with other entrepreneurs (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) Coaching for $250K+ founders (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-accelerator) Community for 1M+ founders (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: “The 4 Most Eye-Opening Lessons I’ve Learned From My Coaching Clients” (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/4-eye-opening-lessons) “You’re Gonna Mess It Up The Way Everybody Messes It Up” (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/everybody-messes-it-up) “When is my LTV good enough?” + Founder Mode for Bootstrappers (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/ltv-good-enough) $100K MRR in 12 Months… Can They Do It? (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/100k-mrr-12-months)

We had a blast at the DCBKK conference over the weekend, but we’ve got more big plans lined up. The CEO-yeah is heading back to the good ole’ U.S. of A. and I’m heading up to Chiang Mai to do a little scouting and see if it could be worthy of being the next TMBA compound. Starting this week, I’m holding my feet to the fire and saying that all you weekend warriors will be getting a brand new episode of Tropical Talk Radio in your earbuds every Friday to keep you jammin’ on your business all weekend long. In this weeks episode, we get called out on our Modern Cat Furniture business by listener Shayna and invoke the “do as we say, not as we do” maxim. We reveal our 3 step process on how to know when it’s time to hire and the differences between what we do, small businesses, and startups.

Last time Dustin Overbeck came on the show he talked about why he chose to live in Transylvania, Romania with his family whilst growing an agency and ‘Town Web’ which helps local governments in the US build and re-design their websites. Today he tells Dan about why he felt it was vital to institute structural changes to the way he worked and hire a General Manager, and about his new software business ‘Hey Gov’: “I realised Dustin is now an arsonist. But he's also a firefighter. He's creating problems that only he can solve … And sometimes you just have to step back and realise that smart people will figure out the solutions. And that's what I did.”

Dan is all about the public peer pressure on Ian. Getting him to sign up for email lists. Getting him to go to NYC with him in September. Getting him to divulge his espionage trade secrets in a future episode. What else is this podcast gonna get Ian into?! This week the guys are slowly making their way to meeting up with each other in Saigon for a couple weeks before the next Tropical MBA session in the Philippines in August. As they work on getting back in the same space, they discuss the various niches and products they have pursued over the years (they edited out the 30 minutes of feisty heated discussion in circles) and how they decided to pursue them.

Dan and Ian deep dive into the high-conflict personalities that could derail your business and how the role of finance changes as you grow out of one phase of your business and into the next. Lastly, in a throwback to the early days, Dan shares his latest “travel tips” as he prepares for summer in Europe. “...a lot of what having a good life is, from my perspective, is not wasting your time, not getting caught up in problems, and avoiding people who could derail your ambitions. Sometimes it's a little bit harder than advertised, because it can be subtle. So having a framework for anticipating it and avoiding it in advance before you get into any kind of problems, I think is extremely powerful.”

Dan flies solo this week in a 3-part episode where he circles back to a few hot topics that caught some listener’s attention over the last few months. Back in May, Dan shared insights from a book he read called the 5 Types of People Who Will Ruin Your Life. Today he’s sharing a recent story where this came into play. He also shares lessons from the best business book he’s read in the past 6 months (of which he reads about 3 each week). And last but not least, he reaches into the mailbag to share a story from a listener about their Mexican Fisherman Moment. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show Notes: (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:44) Too old for basketball (00:04:33) Personality disorders (00:11:07) Leadership (00:24:30) Mexican Fisherman Links: DC Events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Language Mentoring (https://www.languagementoring.com/) Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz (https://www.amazon.com/Clockwork-Design-Your-Business-Itself/dp/0525534016) The Checklist Manifesto (https://www.amazon.com/The-Checklist-Manifesto-audiobook/dp/B0031Q9ZWY/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=241601530794&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9003540&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9562829446745895865&hvtargid=kwd-14787969625&hydadcr=9803_10377300&keywords=the+checklist+manifesto&qid=1692177815&sr=8-1) Scorecards (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/how-to-create-employee-scorecards) Traction (https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Gino-Wickman-audiobook/dp/B00A9Z973M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19A7QTUHDLFXW&keywords=traction&qid=1692178108&s=audible&sprefix=tractio%2Caudible%2C231&sr=1-1) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan Additional episodes you might enjoy: TMBA 688: Mailbag: What Can Scorecards Do For You? And Equity Split Dilemmas (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/how-to-create-employee-scorecards) TMBA 695: The Money Theory of Location And Why Employee Scorecards Are So Helpful (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/money-theory-location-employee-scorecards) TMBA 707: Deceptively simple ways to have a better business (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/simple-ways-to-actually-improve-your-business) TMBA 702: Millions for Podcasts and Jay Clouse on Memberships (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/jay-clouse-on-memberships) TMBA 689: Re-visiting Our Conversation with Seth Godin (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/seth-godin-akimbo)

Dan and Ian have shared many stories on this podcast of people who have escaped from the cubicle in search of location-independence. This week's episode is a little different, as today's guest left his 9-to-5 job in pursuit of entrepreneurial freedom, only to find that it wasn't what it was cracked up to be. Coran Woodmass left his job in Australia and moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand. He started building, buying and selling small web properties, but ultimately realized that it didn't make him happy. These days, Coran has moved into a field he is incredibly passionate about, advising and brokering quality deals for Amazon FBA owners through his new business, TheFBABroker.com. This conversation is about buying and selling Amazon businesses, but it's about a lot more than that too, specifically, what makes you feel satisfied and fulfilled.

Here at the TropicalMBA podcast we have been inspired and motivated by the stories of resilience and adaptation that you’ve been sending us. One such story that we received recently resonated strongly with us, in part because it was about an industry that we have been working in for years. William Griggs created Virtual Reality Rental just over four years ago. He built a ten-person team that brought VR experiences to conferences, parties, and other corporate events across the United States. Then COVID-19 struck and it all collapsed literally overnight, forcing him to reduce his staff by more than half. William joins us today to share his strategy for waiting out the current uncertainty in the events industry, and how he's challenging his remaining team to grow into the new roles that are necessary for these times.

So Ian (the CEOh-yeah!) and I sat down tonight to talk about a bunch of stuff, but ended up instead telling the story of the Tropical MBA internships and how we plan to scale it through our new [UPDATE (1/2015): now retired] job site, TropicalWorkForce.com. The purpose of the TWF is to connect location independent entrepreneurs with freelancers providing services or aspiring digital nomades. Right now there are a lot of services posted on there– all services are pre-qualified by yours truly. I know these people, so we aren’t dealing with complete strangers here. Our hope is to inspire our fellow location independent entrepreneurs to post about 1 internship opportunity a week– that would be about 50 next year. If we can’t meet that goal, I think Ian and I can help pad that stats by offering our own internship opportunities! We’ll also be posting our internships at TWF going forward. If you have any questions about the site, or suggestions as to how we can make it better, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Speaking of awesome– Tropical Talk Radio has been featured on iTunes and has already received 10 5-star reviews. I really appreciate you taking the time to review the show and help us grow our listenership! Ian and I love doing the show, and getting great reviews from you guys (plus critical suggestions via email!) keeps us motivated and pumped up to do the show.

Do you know where you were and what you were doing five years ago this week? Five years ago (October 2nd, 2007 to be exact) Dan and Ian were sitting at brunch when Dan got a notification on his original iPhone that they had gotten paid for their first product sale. Sure, there were some problems. Like the fact that they didn’t actually have a manufactured product to ship out at the time of the sale. But that email was the confirmation they needed. Starting that day they set their sights on a business trajectory that has taken them five years, multiple product lines, 10+ employees, world-wide travel destinations, a publishing venture, private mastermind community, and top iTunes podcast into the future.

Last night I sat down with Ian, Travis, and Simon before we went out on the town to discuss some cutting edge SEO techniques that are working for some highly competitive key terms (all a bit naughty, of course!). We also got an inside look on how Simon created his ecommerce store from scratch in less than a year, and how he is out-maneuvering the big guys with some clever tactics

Today's episode is particularly insightful for entrepreneurs who are looking to improve their social media or content marketing game, and for those of us who are interested in the property investment space. Moses Kagan is the co-founder of Adaptive Realty, a boutique real estate private equity firm based in Los Angeles, which has about $200 Million in assets under management. He is also an extremely savvy Twitter user and has successfully leveraged that platform to build meaningful relationships, many of which have led to massive investment deals. Moses joins us this week to talk about his strategies for social media and content marketing, the principles he has used to drive the success of his real estate business, and so much more.

Today, Dan and Ian talk about 7 ways how you (and your business) can profit from going location independent. Thanks to the Internet, globalization and tools that weren’t available a couple of years ago (e.g. Skype), it’s easier than ever before to go location independent. Not only is it fun to be location independent, it also has the potential to make you a bunch of cash. Have fun. Leave a comment. Give us a ring. 888-554-8428. Go make it happen! :)

We here at the Tropical MBA are always fascinated with people who raise questions that challenge the social narratives that most people follow. It's no wonder then that Christoper Ryan caught our attention. Christopher is a New York Times bestselling author, the host of a brilliant podcast called Tangentially Speaking, and is perhaps best known for his 2010 book Sex at Dawn. Christopher recently published a new book called Civilized to Death, which argues that so-called "progress" has actually adversely affected the way we live. He joins us today to talk about his unconventional path to becoming a published author, and why civilization might not represent progress.

Dan and Ian do a little bit of contemplating this week on their entrepreneurial habits. As humans, we’re all creatures of habit whether that’s hitting the neon lights at 5:01 every day or getting up a little early for some yoga. The fellas talk about the habits they have worked into their current lifestyles which have had the biggest effect on their businesses.

This week, Dan and Ian are joined by a special guest: Brendan Tully from the Search Engine Shop (Dynamite Circle member, SEO, e-commerce and conversion optimization specialist). Brendan, Dan and Ian discuss the concept of Critical Non-Essentials (CNEs). CNEs are small changes that you can make to your business that bring huge results. The results that CNEs bring are super effective – changing a couple of small things could account for 99% of your improvements (thus 99/1 principle – forget the 80/20 principle). This Episode is features 8 useful CNEs that you can implement immediately, no matter if you run a consulting, e-commerce, software or more traditional business. Do you want to take your business to the next level? Learn from other successful entrepreneurs and check out DynamiteCircle, our community for entrepreneurs. Have fun. Leave a comment. Give us a ring. 888-554-8428. Go make it happen! :)

A listener of this podcast recently reached out to Dan and Ian to let them know what he was up to. They were so inspired by his story of "old-school" entrepreneurship that they knew they needed to invite him on to the show to share it. Nick Huber is one of the founders of Storage Squad, a storage company that he started with his business partner Dan in 2011 and has grown to nearly 3 million dollars in sales. Recently, they have begun diversifying into self-storage as well. Nick joins us this week to share the story of Storage Squad, how he and Dan got it off the ground while they were still in college, how they have expanded it to other colleges throughout the United States, and the advantages of running a location-dependent business remotely.

One of the promises of entrepreneurship is that there are opportunities to make money all around us if we can learn how to recognize them. Laurence Taylor has recognized some of them himself. Laurence and his wife are the founders of HipTen, a SwaS (Software with a Service) consultancy that works exclusively on the Salesforce platform for the insurance industry. Prior to getting into that niche, they were struggling, as many small startups do, to find their place in the market. Laurence joins us today to talk about the pros and cons of SwaS startups, what it's like working with your spouse, how they saw an opportunity work in the insurance industry, and much more.

Dan sits down with Neel Parekh (CEO of MaidThis Franchise) to talk about the shifts that drive real business growth—why decision-making matters more than productivity, how time compression accelerates success, and why bigger businesses can create more freedom. They dive into the power of accountability, hiring smarter, and using personal branding to attract the right opportunities. Plus, Neel shares how he scaled through franchising—an unconventional path for a lifestyle business—balancing hustle, risk, and long-term rewards. What’s missing in your business that’s keeping you stuck? Connect with 1000+ global founders running profitable online businesses without sacrificing their unique lifestyles @ dynamitecircle.com (http://dynamitecircle.com/). CHAPTERS (00:02:02) Compressing Time for Success (00:04:17) The Law of a Thousand Hours (00:07:43) Staying Motivated Through Accountability (00:11:28) Building Confidence in Your Business Model (00:17:25) The Paradox of Growth and Lifestyle (00:24:35) Understanding the Franchise Model and Its Costs (00:26:16) The Challenges of Running a Franchise (00:26:31) The Decision to Franchise vs. Self-Expansion (00:30:44) Vetting Franchisees: Finding the Right Fit (00:31:22) Success Rates and Expectations in Franchising (00:37:01) The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Risk and Reward (00:39:51) The Durability of the Cleaning Business Model (00:43:51) Finding Excitement in Business and Life (00:44:09) Expanding Business Opportunities (00:44:50) The Hustle-Life Balance (00:46:49) The Power of Decision Making CONNECT Dan “at” tropicalmba dot com Ian “at” tropicalmba dot com LINKS Join the DC (http://dynamitecircle.com/) Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) PLAYLIST "The Tailwind Index" & Dodging Business Blindspots (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/tailwind-index-dodging-business) The Unexpected Downsides of Selling Your Business (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/exit-founders-disappointed) Success Without Sacrifice? (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/success-without-sacrifice) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal

Today's guest has been massively influential on Dan and Ian from the very start of their journey. Seth Godin is something of a legend in entrepreneurial circles, and he hardly needs an introduction.His books about marketing, creativity, building companies and personal development include Purple Cow, Meatball Sundae, The Dip, and Linchpin. They are frequent recommendations on this podcast and have long been shared among our listeners. In addition, Seth has founded an intensive four-week alternative online MBA called altMBA. He has also created several podcasts including the popular Startup School and Akimbo. Today's show features a wide-ranging interview, which touches on a variety of topics including Seth's history as a writer and podcaster, what the business world can offer society and much more.

It’s getting late in the year and we all know what that means: Buck season. While Ian is stalking the big bucks back in San Diego, Dan’s writing binge in Bali continues. Content Marketing is a hot topic in the internet marketing world right now, but what does content marketing really mean? Dan and Ian define what great content really is and show how you can use the Rule of 6 to spring load your content marketing efforts.

To say that the last twelve months were unpredictable would be a massive understatement. For ourselves and so many other entrepreneurs, the COVID outbreak not only threw a wrench into our plans for 2020, it completely changed the way that we did business this year. Many of us were operating in industries that were adversely affected by the pandemic on a profound scale. Others, particularly those in eCommerce, experienced one of the most successful years of their entrepreneurial careers. In today's episode, we are revisiting some of the highs and lows of a wild and unforgettable year. You'll hear our opinions on how the year has played out on a broader scale, some insights into how our own businesses have fared over the year, and some highlights from our favorite moments on the podcast in 2020.

This week's episode is full of so many recurring themes that we've seen over the years on this podcast, from the unique struggles that SaaS businesses face, to the decision between bootstrapping and funding, and much more. Derrick Reimer has had a long and storied career as a software entrepreneur, but he is perhaps best known as the technical co-founder of Drip, which he built alongside our good friend and former guest Rob Walling. Since exiting Drip three years ago, Derrick jumped headfirst into his next project: a team-chat software named Level, which he ultimately chose to walk away from in 2019. Today, Derrick joins us to talk about why he made the decision to shut down the product that he has spent a year building, as well as the details of his newest project, a sophisticated scheduling tool named SavvyCal.

As the dog days of summer are coming to a close, we've decided to address several interesting topics that have come across our desk throughout the month of August. One such topic came in the form of an article by entrepreneur and author James Altucher, who discussed why he thinks ‘NYC is dead forever’. He argues that COVID-19’s effects on the business and social dynamics of New York are so far-reaching that the city will never recover. But we see it a bit differently - less as a terminal decline and more as an opportunity for reinvention. We'll also be discussing some fundamental issues that we are seeing some remote job seekers face now that so-called ‘digital nomads’ have had their wings clipped. Finally, you'll hear some of our thoughts on the "new normal" and what the future might look like for digital nomads in the wake of COVID-19.

Dan and Ian talk about common traps and mistakes that people make when building an information marketing business. They also reveal the architecture of their upcoming membership sites. In the quick-tips, you’ll learn of a potentially life-changing read. Enjoy!

This week's podcast is a little bit out of the ordinary. While we have been busier than ever this month over at Dynamite Jobs, we still can't help but find things on the internet to get worked up about. We thought it would be fun to take a look at five specific news items and ideas that have recently come across our desk that we just can't stop thinking about. These topics range from how to deal with FOMO, why it's important to get powerbrokers involved in your business, the "muddy middle" of freelancing, and so much more. We hope that these five topics can help inspire you to make the next great move in your location-independent business.

Crafting your value proposition into an irresistible offer is not an easy task. Andrew Jacoby, entrepreneur and visionary behind Growth Era, a thriving outbound sales company, knows this all too well. Andrew shares his journey, highlighting the pivotal role of Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) in driving business success. Discover the power of focusing on what you know best and building a business around recurring services as Andrew unveils the concept of risk reversal and its impact on skyrocketing conversion rates. From navigating the challenges of educating a market to the transition from CEO to operator, Andrew offers practical strategies for building a robust team and fostering deep community connections amidst a nomadic lifestyle. Tune in as Andrew delves into the core values of moral fiber and virtue in business, underscoring the true essence of freedom and happiness. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or seasoned business leader, this episode promises a wealth of wisdom to elevate your sales game. Dan & Ian’s Stuff: Our book: Before the Exit (https://www.amazon.com/Before-Exit-Thought-Experiments-Entrepreneurs/dp/1980628823/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E5PMCCM0TDZ0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GnIb36rltn6NgcjHBCs8zg.waeKvE3zKoAbCt6Adoo5o5vv7M4PDyOj9pMXE7dM82A&dib_tag=se&keywords=before+the+exit+dan+andrews&qid=1711510466&s=books&sprefix=before+the+exit+dan+andrews%2Cstripbooks%2C101&sr=1-1) The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Chapters ● (00:00:47) Introduction and Background ● (00:04:19) Growth Era: Company Overview ● (00:04:47) Andrew's Sales Background ● (00:07:29) Challenges and Successes in Outbound Sales ● (00:10:29) Understanding SDRs and Their Role ● (00:12:14) Types of Businesses that Benefit from SDRs ● (00:16:59) Developing an Attractive Offer ● (00:18:15) Growth Era's Business Model ● (00:19:37) Finding Success in Familiar Territory ● (00:23:55) The Importance of Serving People ● (00:25:04) Pricing and Confidence ● (00:25:44) Choosing Between Being an Operator and a CEO ● (00:26:43) Knowing When a Company is Ready for Adults ● (00:29:45) Deep Work and Problem Solving ● (00:32:49) The Nomad Lifestyle ● (00:35:34) The Importance of Community ● (00:38:18) The Pursuit of Virtue and Love ● (00:39:42) The True Meaning of Freedom and Happiness Links: - Andrew Jacoby - Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-jacoby-b2131a16a/) - Nick Huber Twitter (https://twitter.com/sweatystartup?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) - firstfishermenmedia.com/ (https://firstfishermenmedia.com/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal Additional episodes you might enjoy: “The Death of the follower” + Make 250k in 3 Days a Week (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/death-of-follower) What is the Most Simple OS for <$5M? (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/most-simple-os) Do Things That Don’t Scale (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/things-dont-scale)

Dan and Ian have talked a lot about business strategy on this show, but there are some business techniques that are so powerful, you have to learn them from a true master. Jason Cohen, the founder of WP Engine, recently wrote a piece on his blog ASmartBear.com titled Kung Fu. In that blog, Jason proposes that all entrepreneurs are essentially fighters. We are fighting to make a living, fighting to survive, and fighting to change marketplaces. Any good fighter needs to have a plan, and in that blog post, Jason shared his own "secret moves" for running a business. On today's episode, we are talking about some of Jason's secret business moves, and sharing a few of our own as well.

Dan and Ian talk about how they built a site that generates $6000 in revenue in five months and some great tips on niche selection. They also discuss why it’s important to have a phone number on your site, a great service to sell products, and a rant on the limitations of Quickbooks.