Idea to Startup

Latest Episodes:

A Treading Water Startup (feat. Scorpions and Frogs) Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

Lots of entrepreneurs spend their time trying to figure out if their startup idea is "good." They wonder if they can raise funding and build a team. But so much of our idea evaluation ignores the most fundamental building block of a startup - the magic moment that will spur organic growth. There is no funding or team or business without that initial magic, so maybe the best route is to reverse engineer a business from that moment?
On today's episode, we talk through a startup where people gather together to tread water, comparing it to Peloton and Mirror, and talk about starting with a moment and working backwards.

Tacklebox Method (Podcast Listener Page)
How Mirror Grew
Books on why people share:

Hidden Lottery Tickets Sep 15, 2021

Show notes

Are you finding your startup's hidden lottery tickets? What are the opportunities hiding in plain sight that will drastically amplify your output? We talk through Bumble, vertical farms, poker, and derivatives trading, and set up prompts for you to identify hidden lottery tickets that'll catalyze your startup.

The Tacklebox Method
Found a ska version of I Want It That Way - looking for something better

Vertical Farms, Robert Frost, and Growth Sep 08, 2021

Show notes

We are BACK.

We talk through how to approach a startup idea in a space you aren't in expert in, how to build momentum and make decisions fast, and the problem mindset. We also talk through how everyone was wrong about Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken and what that means for Brian's vertical farm startup.

The Tacklebox Method - link to discount for ITS listeners
Founder Venn Diagram - free, in Foundations -> Founder Venn Diagram
The Growth Mindset
Tom Eisenmann interview - Why Startups Fail

INTERVIEW: Jeff Sheldon, Founder @ Ugmonk Jun 30, 2021

Show notes

Jeff Sheldon is the founder of Ugmonk, a company I have an enormous amount of admiration for. It's a thoughtful, purposeful, highly effective business that creates and curates beautifully designed products. Jeff has run and grown the business slowly and sustainably (without funding), building an incredibly engaged customer base. This strong customer affinity allows him to launch products through crowdfunding campaigns without a massive marketing budget.
We talk through how he built Ugmonk, how he thinks about curation and design, and we go deep on his most recent Kickstarter campaign - a ~half million dollar raise for Analog.

How to Not Waste Your Life Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

The past 15 months kicked our butts. We all picked up some terrible habits, and we get a pass for it. But now it's time to dig ourselves out of the hole.
This episode goes through three questions that'll help you refocus, tactics to find your North Star, and a framework to reset your inputs. There's never been a better time to build a startup, and if you haven't got an idea or are deciding between a few - this is the place to start.

Inertia - The Only Thing That Matters Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

Inertia is the tendency to not change. Everyone is on a path driven by inertia, which leads just about everyone to always repeat the same things. Which is a problem if you're starting a startup, since you need people to do something different (buy your thing).

In this episode we talk through inertia and how to build startups that leverage it vs. fight it, with cameos from Javier the Hot Air Balloon Guy, Erin Andrews, and Donald Trump.

SPONSOR: Bluprint + their Indiegogo campaign - the only coffee maker that cares about your entire day
Tacklebox article: Don't Edit Your Deck, Edit Your Investors
Article on Erin Andrews + Donald Trump on social media

INTERVIEW: Tom Eisenmann (HBS) on Why Startups Fail May 12, 2021

Show notes

Today we've got Tom Eisenmann on the pod. He's an entrepreneurship teacher at HBS and the author of the white-hot startup book "Why Startups Fail." We had a blast talking through all the mistakes startups make and the best ways to avoid them. We also talk through how to validate when you've got big up front costs, when domain experts are important (and when they're not), and how to start the gig-economy version of the private chef.

How to Choose the Right Customer (ITS Classic) May 05, 2021

Show notes

There’s one decision that early stage founders make that can drastically tip the tables in their favor. This is a tactical episode, helping you push through the critical question of what customer segment to target first. We delve into a framework to help you identify and evaluate customer segments as your startup evolves.

Tacklebox Cohort 28 starts June 2 - apply by May 15
Tacklebox Self-Serve no cohort, grow at your own pace

Is Your Startup Idea Good? (ITS Classic) Apr 28, 2021

Show notes

This week's ITS Classic covers whether your startup idea is any good. We talk through a failed startup Brian ran called Find Your Lobster, present a framework to ensure you choose the startup idea that best matches your skillset, and how to stay away from the dreaded Whisper Idea.

Byldd is a venture studio that’s democratizing software entrepreneurship.
Tacklebox Accelerator Cohort 28 starts June 2, applications are due May 15th.

How To Be A Great Storyteller (ITS Classic) Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

I recently asked a good investor friend of mine what he thought the most underrated but important skill for entrepreneurs in 2021 was. He responded quickly - storytelling. The amount of compelling copy a startup needs to write in 2021 is astounding - from ads to emails to socials to pitch decks - and the base rate has gotten extremely high. A startup can only be as successful as it's messaging, and that all starts with a founder's ability to tell the story of their customer and their product.

Today's ITS Classic episode talks through storytelling archetypes that'll help you write compelling copy and become a 10x better marketer.