Foundr Magazine Podcast | Learn From Successful Founders & Proven Entrepreneurs, The Ultimate Startup Podcast For Business

After multiple near-death experiences, Zeb Evans decided to build a business that was net positive on the world. However, he didn’t realize that a custom internal productivity tool would become the business he was searching for. In 2017, Evans cofounded ClickUp, an all-in-one productivity management tool now valued at $4 billion.    Listen to Nathan and Zeb discuss:  Selling Disney DVDs from his hospital bed How a home invasion motivated him to drop out of school Starting his first company Fast Followerz from customized social tools How an unexpected seizure pushed him to move to Silicon Valley  Building ClickUp as an internal tool and discovering its value The early days of ClickUp and living in a stereotypical startup house Why investors were shocked that ClickUp was profitable  Maintain culture while scaling at a rapid rate  Why Zeb takes a bath every evening And much more tech startup advice…       Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us

Marco Zappacosta's only professional job has been the cofounder and CEO of Thumbtack. Marco started the home services matchmaking website straight out of university with a dream to find a better solution of hiring a plumber. Since 2009, Thumbtack has raised half a billion dollars in funding and gone from 2 to 1,000 employees. But Thumbtack's success came from years of struggle to discover their perfect market fit.    Listen to Nathan and Marco discuss:  Thumbtack's first users on both sides of the marketplace Enticing pros by creating stylized Craiglist ads The importance of telling the dream and data to investors Why investors are thinking about other investors Why getting a meeting is the easy part of fundraising  The difference between bootstrapped and VC businesses  Seeing values as the best version of your company  Creating "libraries" for their fully-remote workplace And much more VC and remote work advice…     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forg

Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez started Back to the Roots by asking the same question in their business class–how can you grow mushrooms from used coffee grounds? So instead of taking their jobs in investment baking, the 2 friends began their journey of building an organic gardening brand for the next generation.    Back to the Roots is America’s #1 organic gardening company and doubled its business 4 years in a row. They offer a wide range of grow kits, seeds, soil, and more to empower people to experience the magic of growing their food from inside their homes.    Listen to Nathan chat with Nikhil and Alejandro about:   Walking into a Whole Foods and pitching their first product  Growing their first mushrooms in a rented office space Hitting their first million in revenue off sources of waste Why going to a farmer’s market is the best lesson for business Transitioning from selling products to empowering growers  Navigating the accelerated growth of the industry during COVID-19 Their relationship as

Toni Ko's first beauty brand, NYX Cosmetics, made $4 million in year 1, and eventually exited to L'Oréal for $500 million. Craving a new purpose, she started a sunglasses business. It failed after 3.5 years—and Ko says it's one of the best things that ever happened to her. Ko's lessons from that "failure" empowered her to launch her third and current venture: Bespoke Beauty Brands, which partners with influencer entrepreneurs on everything from concept creation to product development, marketing, and fulfillment distribution.    Listen to Nathan and Ko discuss:    Being a third-generation entrepreneur of Korean immigrants  The early days of NYX Cosmetics, when she had 6 job titles Raking in $4 million in retail value in NYX's first year Why she's not good at sales  Selling NYX in 2014 for $500 million to L'Oréal Experiencing depression after exiting her business Starting a sunglasses business and failing  Launching Bespoke Beauty Brand  Working with celebrity influencers like Kim Chi and Jason Wu And

Did you know that 74% of Americans say they are more likely to trust someone if they have an established personal brand? If you want to build a personal brand that will influence more people, this episode is for you. So strap in for a step-by-step personal branding crash course from Rory Vaden.    Rory is a speaker, business coach, NY Times best-selling author, and cofounder of Brand Builders Group. He’s worked with clients like Lewis Howes, Luvvie Ajayi, and Rose McGowan to discover what makes them unique and how they can serve others.    Listen to Nathan and Rory discuss: Brand Builders Group national research study on personal branding Why personal branding is the digitization of reputation Why 90% of their clients are people you’ve never heard of The 3 different types of content strategies  Why results x reach = reputation  The 5 ways to monetize a personal brand  How to discover your uniqueness And much more personal branding advice…       Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and

Lisa Bilyeu and her husband built Quest Nutrition into a billion-dollar company, but she never expected to be an entrepreneur and business influencer. But, after years of telling herself that she could only be a stay-at-home wife, Lisa found her self-confidence to help create Quest Nutrition and start her media company, Impact Theory. She now hosts a weekly YouTube show, podcast, and released a book called Radical Confidence, focusing on empowering women in business.    Listen to Nathan and Lisa discuss:  The early days of Quest Nutrition and what worked How their PB&J flavored Quest Bar was created by accident  The decision to sell Quest and invest in Impact Theory How she overcame her fear of public speaking Why she dresses for battle like Wonder Woman Building Impact Theory from home  How to create a “no judgment journal" Tools to combat negative self-talk And much more business mindset advice…   Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a

Daniel Flynn started his mission-driven business with the simple question of “what if?” 13 years later and $13M donated, Thankyou is changing the way suppliers and consumers select products. From the early days of getting “nos” to competing against the world’s biggest consumer brands, Thankyou is now evolving its model to serve more people at a scalable rate.    Listen to Daniel and Nathan discuss: The early days of Thankyou and the naivety of the business world Creating a viral campaign for a pitch meeting with 7/11  The difficulty of running a business that exists to give Launching into competitive product categories  Donating $10M in 2021 from their most profitable year ever Writing his book Chapter One: You Have the Power to Change Stuff  Getting interviewed by President Obama  Visiting Seth Godin’s house And much more mission and business lessons…   Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode.   Wa

Dee Deng, cofounder of Right Hook, returns to the podcast to discuss his new foundr course Ignite Your Digital Agency. In the new course, Dee will share his blueprints on how to serve a small group of high-paying and happy clients while being highly profitable at the same time.   Right Hook is a digital marketing agency that went from zero to $250,000 in profit in its first year of business. Now the agency has over 115 employees across the globe.    Listen to Dee and Nathan discuss:  Step-by-step advice to build your agency from scratch His “sales machine” that attracts quality clients daily His “client delight system” for making your clients love you How to scale your client load and revenue without “breaking” your business How you sign up for a free course taught by Dee And much more agency advice… Want to learn how to turn your 'One Person Shop' into a highly profitable & sustainable digital agency? Sign-up now, to take your business to the next level... https://foundr.com/iyda-fl-varb-sp/?sl=youtub

Scooter Braun is the music-business mind behind the world’s biggest music stars like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato. Now he’s opening up about his entrepreneurial journey and how he’s reclaimed himself.    Scooter's music career started as a party promoter in Atlanta. After dropping out of college, he worked at So So Def Recordings and eventually started SB Projects. He gave himself 12 months to make it, and that year discovered a 13-year-old Canadian artist named Justin Bieber.    Listen to Nathan and Scooter discuss: His decision to leave So So Def because of the power of social media Why Justin Bieber has made him a better man How Asher Roth’s “I Love College” saved his company from going under  Producing Justin Bieber’s My World EP through friendships and favors Why he works with trustworthy people over great people Why identifying talent like falling in love  How to deal with people disappointing you as a leader How a week at The Hoffman Process changed his life What Jeff Bezos to

In a saturated and notoriously competitive industry, Cameron Falloon used his fitness training experience with celebrities and pro sports teams to start Body Fit Training. BFT's program uses the same fitness strategies Cameron used to train Princess Diana and athletes. Instead of “get fit quick” schemes, BFT uses science, technology, and community to drive positive outcomes at all fitness levels.    Within 5 years, BFT became one of Australia's largest franchises. It was recently acquired for $44M by Xponential Fitness, which is bringing Cameron's fitness philosophies worldwide.     Listen to Nathan and Cameron discuss:  His decision to leave professional sports and start his own business The difference between sports training and the commercial fitness industry  Why it took 2 years to build a proven model for BFT 3 areas of focus that differentiate BFT against the competition  How his former AFL players accidentally became the first BFT franchise owners Selling to publicly-traded Xponential Fitness in

Tyler Handley and his brother started Inkbox to discover if they could make temporary tattoos better. After a research trip to Panama, a successful Kickstarter campaign, lots of chemistry, and 7 years of brand-building, Inkbox has become standard for semi-permanent tattoos generating $30M in revenue per year. Recently, Bic acquired the brand for $65M, which will help bring Inkbox to an international market and beyond.    Listen to Tyler and Nathan discuss:  How Inkbox started from $10K that a friend inherited Visiting Panamanian tribes who use fruit die in ceremonial body art Why they hired a chemist to extract a molecule The dynamic of working with his brother Braden How they raised $1.2M through a Kickstarter campaign Adding the tattoo customization and working with 650 different artists to create designs  Collaborations with BTS, Post Malone, and poet Rupi Kaur And much more direct-to-consumer startup advice…     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget

Bobby Hundreds started his entrepreneurial journey by creating a purpose and community through The Hundreds streetwear brand. Now, Bobby is taking his brand culture mindset to the world of NFTs with the project Adam Bomb Squad.    From writing his book This is Not a T-Shirt to building one of the most successful streetwear brands, Bobby continues to have an education-first mindset to his projects. Through Adam Bomb Squad, Bobby invites his community into NFTs with patience, trust, and understanding. So if you're new to (or scared) of crypto and the metaverse, don't worry. Bobby was in your shoes 2 years ago and is ready to bring you along the journey to understanding how NFTs can help elevate your brand.    Listen to Nathan and Bobby discuss:  The validation of seeing his first-ever hoodie worn at the mall Why the best brands act like the best of friends How one confusing Tweet led to an onboarding journey to NFT Why NFTs are the "Trojan Horse" of crypto adoption  Why Adam Bomb Squad launched with a 25,0

After her family's failed business left her in $700K in debt, Mary Ruth Ghiyam used client feedback from her private nutrition practice to develop a liquid morning multivitamin.    8 years and 130 products later, MaryRuth Organics has earned $100M in revenue and employs over 100 people. So, how'd she do it? By creating delicious products, providing excellent customer service, and time blocking.    Listen to Mary Ruth and Nathan discuss:  How MaryRuth Organics has remained profitable since day 1 The relationship decision that made her business possible  Why she's time blocked over 130,000 hours the past 8 years Why she didn't hire additional employees the first 4 years  Creating a negative cash flow conversion cycle  How MaryRuth Organics gained over 100,000 5-star reviews  How to retain employees by rewarding loyalty  And more time blocking advice for founders...     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this epi

Marc Lore has been a successful entrepreneur since he sold baseball cards as a kid. Now he’s tackling society’s biggest challenges using the skill sets and vision forged in his business career.    Previously, Marc founded and sold innovative ecommerce platforms diapers.com and jet.com to Amazon and Walmart, respectively. Last year he launched Wonder, a startup creating an entirely new way to experience restaurant-quality food.    Listen to Nate and Marc discuss: Building diapers.com and selling to Amazon Starting and selling jet.com for $3.3 billion in 2 years Why Walmart gave his team the keys to scaling their ecommerce business Buying the Minnesota Timberwolves with Alex Rodriguez Creating the next generation of restaurants with the Wonder Group How Gwyneth Paltrow joined the Wonder board of directors  Why Marc is building a city from scratch called Telosa And much more business wisdom…     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star re

Ready to learn how email and SMS can grow your business?    Dylan Kelley started his career cold calling and building landing pages for direct-to-consumer brands. Then, in 2016, he saw the changes in the digital advertising industry and jumped on the opportunity to start his digital agency Wavebreak, which specializes in SMS and email marketing.    Wavebreak is now one of the leading agencies in the space, helping ecommerce brands like Casely, CaliWhite, PodSockets, and Ballsy grow their email and SMS programs.    Listen to Nathan and Dylan discuss:    How starting a podcast built momentum and credibility for Wavebreak Why automation is making digital agencies irrelevant  How you can double performance by having SMS and email work together How Wavebreak helped Ballsy increase their open rates by 30-40% Why segmentation doesn’t have to be super granular to be effective Why referrals are still the best mechanism for agency growth And much more SMS and email advice...     Who do you want to see next on t

After 125 failed pitch meetings in 6 months, Jason Wilk was almost out of funding and running on fumes. Then one investor wrote him a $10 million check because he believed Jason's team.    Jason Wilk is the cofounder of Dave, the largest financial wellness platform in the U.S. with over 10M users. After a lifelong career of building businesses, Jason is at the forefront of a company disrupting the traditional banking system.    Listen to Nathan and Jason chat about:  The business Jason started at age 20  Joining the YCombinator accelerator program  How Jason built confidence to take on the banking system  Why Mark Cuban became an initial shareholder in Dave  Dave's 1-for-1 tip model with Feeding America The importance of hiring people that can recruit talent  How Dave became a public company in less than 5 years Why you shouldn't chase ideas but pursue a passion And much more startup advice...     Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-s

After working years as an entrepreneur and consultant, Erik Huberman realized that the entire marketing ecosystem was broken. So he started his agency called Hawke Media with a few of his most trusted marketing colleagues. They focused on providing no barriers for new clients with a month-to-month commitment.     8 years later, Hawke Media manages over 600 brands, has 270 full-time employees, and is one of the fastest-growing agencies in America.    Listen to Nathan and Erik discuss:  How he helped Ellie.com generate half a million in sales in one month Hawke Media’s no-barrier strategy and how they win over clients monthly Why marketers need to do great work and be great salespeople Launching The Hawke Method book featuring their proven strategies  Why audio is the next great engagement tool Why SMS is 10x more effective than an email campaign  Starting Hawke Z with TikTok stars Josh Richards and Griffin Johnson Why AI won’t replace creative people any time soon And much more marketing advice…    

Emma Grede is the marketing and business mind behind a global fashion and lifestyle brand empire. She’s the CEO and cofounder of the first fully inclusive fashion brand Good American, founding partner of shapewear brand SKIMS, and cofounder of plant-powered cleaning brand Safely.    Impressive resume, right?    Emma’s story started in East London as a child, where she was inspired to work in the fashion world. By focusing on her unique talents, she honed her skills in business and marketing to develop a career that she dreamed up from the beginning—to work with creative people and empower their collective vision. Listen to Nathan and Emma discuss:   How she first met and started working with Kris Jenner Pitching the Good American business idea to Khloe Kardashian ​​ The key to the Kardashian/Jenner staying power  Why the power of inclusivity led to the success of SKIMS Finding a better plant-based cleaning solution with Safely How she became a shark on ABC’s Shark Tank Her role as chairwoman of Fiftee

Success seems to follow Karl Alomar wherever he goes. He doesn’t attribute this to magic or luck but to identifying repeatable business patterns that lead to financial growth. After selling his second company, Karl helped build one of the fastest-growing cloud infrastructure companies from the ground up. Now he’s partnering with companies like Lyft, Ring, and SpaceX to help them financially and operationally reach success.    Listen to Nate and Karl discuss:    How he built China Export Finance to 9-figures in 4 years Being underwritten by AIG during the 2008 financial crisis How Digital Ocean went from an “operational disaster” to the “Best Place to Work” in New York City Why M13 works more hands-on with founders Why founder success leads to economic success Why the most valuable hire is a head of talent  Why does he refer to businesses as machines And much more advice for founders… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if

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