Idea to Startup

A Thing That Always Works: The 5-Minute List Oct 31, 2024

Today, we dive into the Always Work and Never Work Lists to pull out a method that's immeasurably useful for our founders: The 5-Minute List. A system that helps you turn scattered pockets of time into meaningful work - rebranding "Sand" tasks (from the Sand and Stones framework) to "Pebbles." We leverage AI to break intimidating projects down and minimize transition time to remove all friction.

00:33 Intro - The Always Work and Never Work Lists
04:00 XLR8DEV.com
05:22 The Five Minute List Part 1: Sand and Stones
08:29 Revenge of the Sand - a Founder Story
09:25 Pebbles
12:02 Your Subconscious
13:00 Four Steps to Build Your Five Minute List
17:16 The End - Coworking

Three Types of Problems Worth Your Time to Solve Oct 24, 2024

Today we talk through the three types of problems that deserve a solution. We start off with a few higher level thoughts about problems and startups - specifically around achievement incentives and how some bad early decisions usually can't be salvaged by good decisions later on. Then we talk through Hole Problems, Teleporter Problems, and Status Level Jump Problems.

00:40 The Types of Problems Customers Will Solve
01:00 Manhattan in 2007
05:48 Achievement Incentives
06:30 Be Careful What You’re Getting Good At
07:37 Nat Eliason - Getting Too Good at the Wrong Thing
08:21 Bad Early Decisions James Clear
09:53 Tacklebox
10:54 Problem Archetype 1: Hole Problems
14:23 Baby Quip
17:04 Problem Archetype 2: Teleporter Problems
19:19 Problem Archetype 3: Status Level Jump

Another Lesson at 40: Three Shortcuts for Getting Started Oct 17, 2024

Today, we talk through the Silk Sheet Problem - how to do something new and hard when your life is fairly... comfortable. We help a listener get started on their idea - an AI tutor's assistant - with three shortcuts to set their life up in a way that makes it easier to start a startup than to not. We talk through Just-In-Time Prep, Forcing Functions, and life design. This episode is meant to be a blueprint for you to take action and keep momentum.

00:34 Intro
03:30 The Idea: AI for Tutors
07:27 Jazz - Customer Interview Workshop
07:57 Just-In-Time Prep
11:55 Search for Hooks
14:14 The Three Step System
15:40 Forcing Function Examples
18:13 Reinforcing Markers
20:06 The End: Jump in the Ocean

Writing Persuasive Copy That Tests Your Startup Idea Oct 11, 2024

Today, we talk through how to write compelling copy. We go through a few counterintuitive archetypes you can use to dramatically increase the clarity of your messaging, which will allow you to increase your conversion rate and get more people involved earlier in the process. Copywriting is an idea-testing superpower.

Tacklebox Workshops

00:33 When Copy Becomes Important
02:40 Why You’re a Bad Writer
05:40 Is This Anything?
06:50 Byldd
07:55 The Big Misunderstanding
10:45 Reverse Architect Copy
13:45 The Attention Pie
15:48 Cold Emails
17:20 Write to One Person

A Lesson at 40: Happiness and Hard Things Oct 04, 2024

Today, we're going to talk about one of the best things Brian has learned in 40 years of living. We'll talk through why embracing discomfort is crucial for personal growth and happiness, learn how to generate innovative ideas by adopting a "documentary approach" to life, and find out what Taco Bell has to do with prioritizing your day.

Timestamps
00:30 Intro - Discomfort Leads to Happiness
01:33 Discomfort is Front-Loaded + The Happiness Equation
07:43 Observation Number One: The Idea Comes Later
09:26 Pivoting Isn’t Linear
12:32 Observation Number Two: Fiction is Way Harder Than a Documentary
15:37 Observation Number Three: Taco Bell Prioritization
17:39 The End: Execute Through Stories

Are You a Freelancer or an Entrepreneur? Sep 27, 2024

Today, we'll help you think through a deceptively tough question - are you a freelancer or an entrepreneur? Every decision you make needs to nest neatly below this core decision for your business to work, but tons of founders are either trying to do both simultaneously or think they're one when they're really the other.
We clarify the difference between freelancer and entrepreneur, help you decide which will make you happier, and get you started on the path for whichever you choose.

0:30 Why Entrepreneurs are unhappy
01:14 Do you want to be a freelancer or entrepreneur?
04:12 Seth Godin Conversation
04:58 Our definition of a freelancer
07:28 Our definition of entrepreneurs
09:07 Cuban’s Definition of Entrepreneurship
11:24 BYLDD
12:25 The Restaurant Startup
15:15 Rivers and Dams
19:19 No Lunging
22:44 Don’t Pretend
23:10 How do you want to spend your days?

The Exciting Part - Building a Product and The Test (Part 4 of Starting a Startup Live) Sep 20, 2024

Today is the last episode in our four-part series helping a doctor test a business idea live on the pod. We follow as they execute their Concierge MVP - teaching productivity skills to fellow physicians. We dive into the process for building a product from scratch (with no code or experience), and talk through how to navigate the fears that'll naturally pop up. Finally, we help the doctor translate the insights they pulled from the CMVP into their next steps on the business.

Timestamps:

00:30 Intro - Email Team@Gettacklebox.com your concierge MVP ideas
02:30 - Recap of Episodes 1-3 in the series
05:15 - Part 1: What Do You Need, and What Do You Not Need?
06:25 - Remember Scooby Doo
09:10 - Byldd
10:18 Part 2: Your Product Should Be Tailored, Not New
12:45 Part 3: Customer Journey and Tell the Story
16:30 Part 4: How Many Customers and Should You Discount?
18:00 The Superpower: Optimism
20:08 Part 5: How It Went
23:25 The End: What’s Next?

Running a Concierge MVP (Part 3 of Starting a Startup Live On The Pod) Sep 12, 2024

In part three of testing a startup idea live on the pod, we dive into the Concierge MVP - a crucial step in validating a startup idea by manually solving your customer's problem. We break down the four key ingredients of a Concierge MVP and follow our doctor friend as he builds one for his productivity idea, highlighting both the process and the fears that come with it.

Episode 1 in the series: The Idea
Episode 2 in the series: Acquiring Customers
Tacklebox
Idea to Startup Newsletter
One Person Landing Page

Timestamps:

00:30 Intro - The Last 15%
03:41 Episodes 1 + 2 recap
07:02 Smooth Jazz
07:30 The Concierge MVP
08:56 The Four Ingredients of the CMVP
10:17 Ingredient One: Pick Your Frank
13:01 Ingredient Two: Find, and Convince, More Franks
15:30 The Landing Page
16:35 Champions and Risk
18:19 Ingredient Three: The Wedge

Starting a Startup Live On The Pod, Part 2 Sep 05, 2024

Today is Part 2 of starting a startup live on the pod. We focus on finding and engaging potential customers through Brute Force Customer Acquisition and dig in on value creation using the Delta 4 framework. The entrepreneur we're helping experiences an epiphany about what his doctor customers truly need, challenging his initial assumptions and forcing him to pivot his approach.

00:30 Intro - Last Week’s Episode
04:18 Brute Force Customer Acquisition + The Five Startup Steps
09:37 The best brute force acquisition I’ve seen
10:49 Doctor Customer Acquisition
12:44 Hunting Delta 4
16:00 The Hunch

Testing a Healthcare Startup Idea Live On The Pod, Part 1 Aug 28, 2024

Today, we'll start a startup live on the pod. A listener wrote in with an idea in the shifting healthcare space and we pursue it over the next few episodes. We start from square one, digging into what's actually valuable about the idea with the 90% Wrong Principle, using the Four Question framework to pull out assumptions, and finally judging the viability of early customers with the Committed vs. Interested Test. It's a fun start to a series where we'll build a business in real-time.

00:25 Intro - Starting a Startup Idea Live
02:02 The Idea - Healthcare is changing
05:58 Smooth Jazz
06:30 90% Wrong
07:52 Scary and Hard
09:30 Worst First
10:51 The Four Story Questions
15:45 The Two hero’s
18:38 The End: I Hate Both Customers

How to Spot Promising Startup Ideas (feat. the Hard Startup Myth and the Hassle Premium) Aug 22, 2024

Today we'll help you find and choose the right startup idea. We'll use a couple of frameworks to help you evaluate startup ideas you've got and find startup ideas other people miss. We talk through the Hard Startup Myth and The Hassle Premium, two mental models that'll make sure your next idea has legs. We'll also evaluate Tinder for Jobs and learn a lesson from the great Frank Prisinzano.

00:27 Intro
01:35 Are All the Good Ideas Taken?
05:15 Byldd
06:22 Tinder for Jobs
11:30 Execution vs Customer Risk
12:30 Specific Knowledge and Leverage
13:04 The Hard Idea Myth + Frank Prisinzano
17:22 The Hassle Premium

How to Choose The Right Quest Aug 15, 2024

Today, we'll talk through how to identify and pursue the big, consequential ideas - what we'll call Quests. We go through how to identify them, how to wrap our arms around them, and what to do when you (inevitably) feel intimidated. We'll do it with a little help from the 90 Yard Mistake, a ghost kitchen idea, and some chronic pain interviews. Quest (drink).

Timestamps:
00:24 Intro - Becoming a Parent
05:21 The Hard Stuff Is Easier
07:50 Smooth Jazz
08:16 How to Identify a Worthy Quest
12:44 The 90 Yard Mistake
19:06 How to Get Started - People & Success
21:40 How to Not Be Intimidated
24:16 Choose Worthy Quests

How to Find Juicy Problems (ITS Classic) Aug 08, 2024

Hard problems are the only problems worth your time, but they're not always easy to find. Today, we'll talk about how to root them out. We'll dig in on decisions customers avoid and how to use those decisions to anchor early traction. We'll also talk through one of Brian's favorite current businesses - a guy who buys used cars for you.

0:27 Intro - Noticing What People Hate
05:00 The Car Problem
07:52 BYLDD
09:15 Solving Hard Problems
13:42 Decision Hunting
15:30 Chronic Pain
18:30 The End - Problem Hunting

The Daniel Tiger SOP - How to Regularly Do Hard Stuff Aug 01, 2024

Today, we'll talk about my favorite item from the Always Work List from a few weeks back - the Daniel Tiger SOP. Entrepreneurship requires you to do uncomfortable stuff constantly. This gets overwhelming and leads to founders sticking with the well-worn, safe path. That leads to startups with no differentiator and no reason to exist.
The Daniel Tiger SOP helps you turn intimidating tasks into manageable ones. It lets you travel a unique road, which leads to a unique product. It's as good a technique as I've found.

Tacklebox
Idea to Startup Newsletter
Idea to Startup Bot
Always Work and Never Work Lists Pod
Email team@gettacklebox.com with sub “always work never work” to get the lists
An SOP for Testing a Startup Idea
Daniel Tiger Song
Nate Bargatze Dumb Brain

Timestamps
00:35 Intro - Always Work and Never Work Lists
02:55 The Most Useful Item from the Always Work List
03:55 What Makes People Happy
06:15 Smooth Jazz
06:45 You’ll Never Sprint Again
08:12 Repetitive SOPs and Uncomfortable SOPs
09:30 The Daniel Tiger SOP
11:13 Email Scam Detector Startup
16:30 The End: Our Brains Are Dumb

A System to Help You Become Wildly Creative Jul 25, 2024

Today, we'll help you build a system for creativity. We'll start by defining creativity as an equation to make it more accessible. Then, we'll develop a system that focuses on the inputs of the creativity equation. We talk through the Commonplace Book, Commencement Speeches, a sports writer and the movie Sahara. Then, we get into the weeds on how to set up and implement your own personal creativity system.

0:30 Intro - Creativity
2:00 What if you’re not creative?
2:53 Creativity is Mushing
3:39 Creativity Equation
5:15 Summer Internship
6:28 Bill Simmons
7:48 In on the joke
9:20 College Commencement Speeches
10:07 Kenyon Commencement Speech - Two Fish
11:20 Smooth Jazz
11:52 The System
14:00 The Logistics
15:22 Intake
17:29 Reflection
18:30 Output
19:30 Ogilvy on Advertising

How to Use One-Person Landing Page Tests to Find Your Differentiator (ITS Classic) Jul 18, 2024

Today, we'll talk through a landing page system that'll help you find a great initial customer - one that can anchor your business. We'll talk through the circle framework, as well as the One Person Landing Page and the Emotion / Logistics / Urgency flow. This will help you identify the right customer to focus your product building efforts on.

00:51 Intro - Landing Pages
03:21 Circles
10:00 Smooth Jazz
10:32 The One Person Landing Page + ELU
17:45 A Chronic Pain Startup’s One Person Landing Page Test
24:56 System + The End

How to Not Screw Up Pricing For Your Startup Jul 11, 2024

Today, we talk about how to price your startup. We touch on the four places to find margin, the Taco Bell pricing strategy, and using price to attract customers. We talk through pricing an AI assistant, basketball lessons, honey, and pilates. After this pod, you'll (hopefully) think about pricing your startup completely differently.

00:34 Intro
02:00 Taco Bell Pricing
03:16 Forks and The Freakin’ Super Bowl
05:02 Stubbing Your Toe on Reality
09:00 Smooth Jazz
09:34 Four Places to Find Margin
11:19 Margin Comes After Pain
13:09 Margin Comes From Removing the Worst Part of a Painful Process
14:11 Margin Comes From a Status Level Jump
14:50 Margin from Specificity and Problem Language
16:35 Basketball Lesson Pricing
19:08 Pay Yourself First
22:56 The End - My Son Loves to Dance

A Podcast Figuring Out Your Value (ITS Classic) Jul 03, 2024

Today, we'll help you figure out how to find and position your startup idea's value. We'll talk through the Need/Gap/Swap framework, go through a few startups doing the value thing well and poorly, and we'll talk about a Magician on the Upper West Side.

01:25 Intro
02:32 Make as Much Money As You Can In One Week
10:13 Smooth Jazz
10:45 The Magician
14:22 Non-Alcoholic Drinks

How to Prioritize as an Idea-Stage Founder (ITS Classic) Jun 20, 2024

A throwback to the 6th ever episode of Idea to Startup - an episode that’s been listened to thousands of times and has a consumption rate at nearly 100%. Entrepreneurs can do anything, but they can’t do everything. How do you prioritize early on? How do you differentiate? This episode presents a framework that’ll ensure you work on the things that give your startup its best chance at success.

00:00 Intro
03:03 College Basketball
05:49 Ordinary and Extraordinary
06:21 Prioritization, Willpower, Internal Reports
08:00 Stones and Sand
14:00 Humans Overestimate Wownside and Underestimate Upside
14:36 You Have No Willpower
20:27 Tracking

Things That Always Work and Things That Never Work Jun 13, 2024

Today, we dig into the Always Work and Never Work Lists - a method that'll help entrepreneurs make good decisions through the constant second guessing and self-doubt that a startup brings. We talk through examples from the lists and apply them to a moment Brian had to deal with recently. We get a little help from Goodfellas and Taylor Swift.

00:30 Intro
02:54 Is My Idea Actually Good?
04:13 Goodfellas
05:44 Smooth Jazz
06:11 Should I Stop Doing This Podcast?
08:24 The Process
08:55 The Three Prompts
12:20 The Things That Always + Never Work Lists
17:27 The Plan
18:58 You
19:57 People Over 30 Don’t Sprint

How to Create Useful Content (for people who don't think they can create content) Jun 05, 2024

Today, we'll talk about content. Two of the most asked questions we get are "should I create content?" and "if I should... what the heck should I say?" Creating content feels daunting until you realize the best way to create content is to not create content. We go through how to do that, leaning on a few examples and a content generating framework. We also crown the best burrito in NYC.

00:25 Intro
02:56 Why People Order Hot Habanero Sauce
07:45 Byldd
08:52 How to Start
14:25 Content as a System
14:40 Top of Funnel
15:38 Mid-Funnel
16:20 Brand Building
20:00 The Act of Noticing

A Mouse Pod (How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market) May 30, 2024

One of my favorite episodes in a while. Today, we talk about how you can stand out in a crowded market by looking at an exceptionally successful exterminator. We'll pull out four lessons that make a framework to create contrast between your business and your competitors. We'll talk through Customer Journey Mapping, the Feature Fold, how to take yourself seriously through pricing and the things other people stink at. And, we'll get a ton of help from the Mouse Man (and no help from Ruby).

00:30 Intro
02:00 We’ve Got Mice
05:15 The Mouse Man’s Funnel
07:50 Smooth Jazz
08:21 One - Build Your Funnel to Match Customer Emotion
11:45 Good Questions For Your Funnel
12:30 Two - Contrast from the Feature Fold
14:30 Saving your Customers a Decision
15:53 Three - Take Yourself Seriously
19:14 Four - The Things Other People Stink At
22:14 The End
22:50 Recap of the Four Lessons

A Weekly Prioritization and Audit Framework for Entrepreneurs (ITS Classic) May 22, 2024

One of the most listened to episodes in ITS history with an average consumption rate well over 100%. Today, we go through a Weekly Prioritization and Audit Framework for entrepreneurs. We'll hit on three giant shifts you'll likely need to make - ditching a to do list and moving to your calendar, weekly progress reports, and environment design. We get a little help from our friends in Finland along the way.

For more info on the framework, subscribe to the Idea to Startup Insider Newsletter.

Tacklebox ("Build Right" for 50% off month one)
Tom Eisenmann Episode

00:30 Intro
01:09 A Weekly Prioritization Framework
04:13 The Race to Five Pivots
05:49 Smooth Jazz
06:13 Finland has the most gold metals per capita
11:01 Prioritization System
13:27 Calendar
19:53 The Weekly Audit
22:53 Your Environment
25:30 An Overview of the System

Running a Concierge MVP Live (feat. the four-step Concierge MVP framework) May 16, 2024

Today, we'll run through a Concierge MVP example live on the pod. Brian chooses an idea specifically because someone wrote in and said it was "un-Concierageable," which isn't a word but is the reason this podcast exists.
We go through the four-part framework that'll help you build a Concierge MVP - The Three Components of Wild Success, Acquiring Customers, The Test, and Feedback Loops. And we get a little help from an alum helping people get grants and our old friend - the Monkey on the Pedestal.

00:30 The Concierge MVP
02:05 The Grant Concierge MVP Example
04:56 Pushback
06:30 Smooth Jazz
07:00 David’s Idea
09:23 Concierge MVP Step One: The Three Components of Wild Success
10:43 Monkey and the Pedestal
14:08 Concierge MVP Step Two: Acquiring Customers
18:22 Concierge MVP Step Three: The Test
21:03 Concierge MVP Step Four: The Feedback Loop
22:52 The End - 85% of the Way There

How to Start the Business You’re Not Quite Ready to Start May 08, 2024

Today we talk through a system to help you start the business you don't feel ready to start. We do this because that's the only type of business there is. You're never going to feel prepared so you can't let that fear paralyze you.
We talk through the three main gaps that keep founders from starting - the Knowledge Gap, the Network Gap, and the Product Gap - and describe a method that'll help you navigate each. We get a little help from a startup idea Brian's been kicking around, a turtle swimming across the Atlantic Ocean, and the Backstreet Boys.

00:30 The Business You’re Not Quite Ready to Start 01:31 The Three Gaps
03:28 Why Turtles Swim Across the Atlantic Ocean
07:11 Smooth Jazz
07:40 Before You’re Ready
08:16 The Customized Diet Idea
10:20 The Notion Idea Template
12:06 The Knowledge Gap - The Expert Interview
15:51 The Network Gap - The Monthly Newsletter
17:48 The Product Gap - The Marathon Shoe and The Knowledge Spectrum
21:33 The End - Action Reduces Fear

How to Take Yourself Seriously feat. The Entrepreneurship Handbook (ITS Classic) May 01, 2024

Most people's startup approach is haphazard. It's a combination of instincts and reactions and luck or happenstance. People who succeed are far more purposeful. Today, we'll help you take your idea and yourself seriously. We'll build your entrepreneurship handbook - the thing that'll let you make tough decisions at scale.

1:00 Your Entrepreneurial Self
2:35 The Dads
7:00 Byldd
8:04 Why Find Your Lobster Failed
12:40 The Serious Email
14:12 Entrepreneur or Tourist?
15:13 Your Entrepreneurship Handbook
20:30 The End - Implementing

A Startup Storytelling Framework for Non-Storytellers Apr 24, 2024

Today, we'll help all the non-storytellers tell a compelling story about their business. We've got a framework that'll walk you through the ingredients of a compelling story, and a mise en place-inspired approach that'll help you get to story market fit. We've got some rules, some variables, some accelerants, and an example about a service that helps Airbnb hosts launch their own interior design businesses.

00:30 Storytelling for your startup
03:24 The Two Reasons for the Barefoot Son Story
07:09 Smooth Jazz
07:37 The Three Ruls of Good Storytelling for Entrepreneurs
08:45 Rule 1: Good Stories Are About Speed
10:44 Rule 2: You Don’t Matter
11:39 Rule 3: A Good Story is Earned
12:22 Mise En Place
14:10 The Ingredients of Your Story
17:09 The Accelerants
19:24 Airbnb Interior Design
23:23 The End: Montaigne

When to Pivot and When to Stick (aka what to do with all your startup ideas) ITS Classic Apr 10, 2024

Today, we'll talk about one of the most common hurdles entrepreneurs run into - getting tempted by a new idea a few months into working on their main idea. We lay out a framework to identify the first principles of the new idea fast so you can decide if it's worth a pivot. We also dig in on why the urge to pivot shows up, procrastination, and how to win a baking contest. And, English Lords from the 17th century.

00:26 Intro
05:40 Chronic Pain Side Idea
08:30 Smooth Jazz
09:00 All Babies Are Cute
13:00 Internal vs. External Signal
14:01 Why You Have a Lawn
16:50 What to Look For in a New Idea
20:30 How to Win a Baking Competition

How to Pick Your Startup's First Customer Apr 03, 2024

Today, we'll help you pick your startup's first customer segment. This decision dooms a huge percentage of first time entrepreneurs - if you don't understand what the job of your first customer segment is, you'll likely pick a customer incapable of doing it. Your first customer has a unique responsibility that no other customer will have - you need to choose them carefully.
Conversely, if you choose the right first customer, you'll set yourself up for serious growth.
We go through the five characteristics your first customer needs, give a preview of what your successful startup will look like, and help a listener find the first customer for their Myers Briggs startup.

Byldd
Tacklebox
Getting Real (museum curator reference)
Everyman Espresso (☕️ 🐐)

Timestamps
00:27 First Time Entrepreneurs vs. Second Time Entrepreneurs
03:20 The Idea: Personality-Based Management
06:29 Why You, Why At All, Why Now
08:55 Byldd
09:55 The Story of Your Successful Startup
15:35 The Five Necessary First Customer Characteristics
16:41 Characteristic One: Pain
21:51 Characteristic Two: The Knowledge Spectrum
25:43 Characteristic Three: Measurement
28:24 Characteristic Four: Influence
29:48 Characteristic Five: Frequency
31:45 The End

A System to Do Hard Things (ITS Classic) Mar 21, 2024

Today, we help you become the type of founder who relishes uncomfortable things that lead to successful startups. There are no real secrets in the startup world - the hard, proactive, uncomfortable work leads to businesses that matter. This work doesn’t happen without a system.

Today we help you build that system, using The Costanza Swap, The Three Levers of Resilience, and The Failure Case.

Hoo ahh.

00:24 Doing Things You Don’t Want To Do
02:45 Why the Eisenhower Box Doesn’t Work for Entrepreneurs
03:30 The Al Pacino Problem
04:45 Creating Content
08:00 Smooth Jazz
08:30 The Costanza Swap
10:15 One Out, One In
11:20 The Three Levers of Resilience
12:40 Scheduling
13:24 Committing
14:30 Dissecting
17:40 The Failure Case
21:15 Happiness

How to Build the First (Magical) Version Of Your Product This Weekend (ITS Classic) Mar 06, 2024

Today's classic episode will help you get the first version of your product up and out this weekend.
We use a three-part framework to help you focus in on the one core feature you've got to nail that can be built by someone with no technical or product building skills in an afternoon. We also find your customers inertia and ride that wave to make it easier to use your product than not.
We get help from an airbnb for lawn equipment startup and move the ball forward on the chronic pain idea.

0:55 The Two Questions Entrepreneurs Have About Products
2:35 A Great Product Does Two Things
4:26 Entrepreneur Baggage + Airbnb for Lawn Equipment
6:29 A Mindset for Today
8:13 Step One - Process
8:53 Organ Donors
9:55 Inertia
11:35 Chronic Pain
13:07 Frank’s Process
14:50 Harry Potter and Being Chosen
15:43 Step Two - Metrics
17:12 Chronic Pain Ex-College Athlete SOM
18:35 Outcome not Features - The Product is Irrelevant
19:16 The Five Marketing Archetypes - STTC, Pain, Cost, Apparate, Urgency
20:19 Step Three - Delivery (The Product)
20:32 Warby Parker
22:23 The Twelve Forms of Value
25:49 The Venmo Accountability Group

A System to Generate Ideas (aka how to let your brain be a brain) Feb 29, 2024

Today, we talk through a 4-part system to generate ideas - one that'll tap into your brain's natural ability to develop novel solutions rather than just waiting (hoping) inspiration will strike. We'll do it with a little help from a baseball training facility, a corked wine bottle, and an MRI startup.

00:26 Idea People
02:47 A Baseball Training Facility
04:45 Inversion
07:46 Smooth Jazz
9:24 Part 1: Identifying the Problem
12:34 Part 2: Collecting
17:22 Part 3: Chewing
20:14 Part 4: Testing
21:37 The End + How to Start

20-ish Minute Skill: The Concierge MVP (ITS Classic) Feb 21, 2024

Today's classic ITS episode discusses the Concierge MVP, an indispensable tactic early stage entrepreneurs can use to get the feedback of a full product without the money and time required to build one. We go through the 4-step method that'll get you data from customers you can use to raise funding, hire, or recognize the opportunity actually isn't worth your time.

00:00 - Opening and introduction
02:00 - The chicken and egg startup
04:50 - The value of a Concierge MVP
07:20 - The four steps of a Concierge MVP
11:00 - Example story of coaching service Concierge MVP
14:20 - Challenges with selling/positioning the Coaching MVP
18:30 - Learning from Concierge MVP results
22:45 - The End - Momentum

How to Create a Strategy For Your Startup Feb 14, 2024

Today, we'll talk about strategy - what good (and bad) strategy looks like for startups, and how most early-stage companies lack any strategy at all. Using a framework from Good Strategy/Bad Strategy, we'll explore the three core elements: diagnosis, guiding policy, and coherent action. We'll examine strategies from a stand-up comedian and GoPro as examples, before applying the framework to craft a strategy for launching a successful children's book.

00:29 The Skeptical Startup
1:58 Strategies vs Goals
3:58 The Comedian Story
8:50 Smooth Jazz
9:30 Bad Strategy
11:38 Fluff
12:12 Failure to Face the Challenge
13:19 Mistaking Goals for Strategy
14:50 GoPro
17:16 The Kernel of a Successful Children’s Book
19:56 Guiding Policy
20:50 Coherent Action
21:24 The End + You

How to Build a "Skeptical Startup" - 8k per month in 10 hours per week Jan 31, 2024

Today, we'll help you tackle the big question for entrepreneurs with startup ideas and jobs - when's it time to quit the job and focus on the startup full-time? You should think about this question the second you start working on an idea, and you should use the Skeptical Startup framework - a goal of $8k per month in 10 hours per week - as a guide. The Skeptical Startup framework is magical, and Brian will show how it'll help you focus with an example startup.

00:30 When to Quit Your Job
03:25 Life Expenses Excel Sheet
04:05 The Skeptical Startup Framework
06:25 The Idea: Home AV Improvements
07:44 Smooth Jazz
08:22 The Logistics of $8k
11:26 An AV Marketplace
12:46 Reduce the Surface Area
15:27 The Search
16:30 A Lead for the AV Startup
19:16 The End - Your Goals
19:26 A Goal Framework

What if the problem you're solving isn't "painful" or "urgent"? What if it's just something you think people will want? Should you still pursue it? (feat. Linguini) Jan 17, 2024

Today is an ITS classic - an episode that was listened to and shared a ton. It hits on a fundamental question for idea-stage entrepreneurs - what if the problem you're solving isn't an urgent, painful, bleeding neck problem? What if it's just something you think will improve people's lives? Should you still pursue it? How?

The Magic of One-Sentence Marketing Jan 11, 2024

Today’s episode is for everyone who struggles to summarize their startup in a sentence. We lay out a framework to do this well with help from a sticker on the street, a hedge fund, and a Vietnamese coffee shop.

00:33 One Sentence Marketing
01:10 Train to NYC
03:04 The best marketing Brian’s seen in a while
06:42 Smooth Jazz
07:28 Choosing a Customer and the Knowledge Spectrum
08:54 Air Quality Idea
13:07 Inflection Points + The Conference Exercise
14:09 The End - Vietnamese Coffee

Designing a System to Actually Prioritize Your Startup This Year Jan 04, 2024

Today, we dive into a practical, resilient system to help you carve out and hold time for your startup amidst the craziness of your life. Most startups fail because the founders lose momentum when predictable life things pop up - you were supposed to work on your startup but your kid was sick or your job gets busy. You need to build a system that adjusts to this constant "failure state" - one that doesn't require Herculean willpower (wake up every day at 4am) and makes working on your startup easier than ignoring it. Today, we help you do that.

00:26 A System to Make Time for your Startup This year
02:55 Dad Fitness Club Idea
04:59 Smooth Jazz
05:41 Sell the Position
09:13 Life Inventory
10:11 Never Rely on Willpower
10:57 Previously On
12:42 The Five Minute List
13:44 Do The Thing
15:57 The End + The System

Seth Godin and Brian Go Through Startup Ideas (ITS Classic) Dec 27, 2023

Seth Godin (!) and Brian go through startup ideas. Seth gives his opinion on how he’d start everything from a pasta truck to an updated CSA program. We dive into risk, emotion, tension and doing things that matter. Seth talks about the distinction between entrepreneurs and freelancers and the danger of thinking you’re one when you’re really the other. We talk about marketplaces and domain expertise and knowing what it is you’re actually selling.
This is Brian's favorite episode ever.

01:45 How Brian and Seth Met 05:10 Idea #1 - Helping Doctors and Patients get 2nd (and 10th) opinions 10:48 Idea #2 - How to Start a Pasta Truck 13:01 Landlords and Renters 14:45 Bootstrapping the food truck - emotional vs. financial risk 17:13 Can you start a business if you’re not a domain expert? 18:42 Idea #3 - The Scalable Coach 22:50 Entrepreneur Pacs 26:15 - Idea #4 - Update to CSAs 31:20 - How to Pitch Something Uncomfortable - who takes the risk 34:15 - Idea #5 - Cost Transparency 40:37 - Confusing Freelancing and Entrepreneurship 45:08 - The Billboard Question - (outstanding, make sure you get here)

How to Think Bigger (feat. The Problems and Opportunities Method) Dec 20, 2023

Today, we’ll teach you how to avoid sabotaging your startup. Most founders think the best way to build a startup is to mitigate risks - to optimize for worst case scenarios. But the actual way to build a successful startup is to optimize for tasks with the highest ceiling - to do the things that might give you asymmetric gains, if they work. This is unnatural and hard - the Problems and Opportunities Method, the second in our Method series, will help.

00:22 Problems and Opportunities
02:26 Find Your Lobster Story
08:10 Asymmetric Progress
10:00 Smooth Jazz
10:45 The To Do List Monster
14:20 The Obstacle is the Way
15:12 Ambiguity Aversion, Loss Aversion, and Magicians
15:55 Helping Parents Plan Dates
18:22 Scheduling and the Actual Downside

How to be Different, Part 1 (feat. The Personal Venn Diagram Method) Dec 14, 2023

Today, we'll help you build a system to be different. We dive into the Persona Venn Diagram Method - a tool designed to help you identify and capitalize on your unique strengths - and we'll talk through how the path you might think holds the least risk actually guarantees the most. This is the first in a series of episodes on the Methods we use at Tacklebox to help our founders build differentiated businesses.

Tacklebox
Beehiiv (Idea to Startup Newsletter)
Day One Journal

00:25 How to be Different
02:16 Talk at Columbia Business School
02:55 The Path to an Interesting Job
06:35 Status and Happiness
09:45 The Happiness Formula
11:43 Smooth Jazz
12:27 The Personal Venn Diagram Method
13:29 Drawing and Adding Circles
17:53 Implementation
19:26 The End

Testing Another Startup Idea Live Part 1: Picking the Idea, Nudging the Boulder Dec 06, 2023

Today, we'll kick off a new series where we'll start an idea live on the pod. Actually, we'll start two. One in the healthcare space, one in the AI space. The hope is that you've got an idea and can follow along with us. Today we'll cover when your idea is ready to start, how to structure the first couple of weeks, and how to think about the giant boulder sitting in front of you. Also, there's a brief Ruby cameo because she's been absent for a few weeks.

The Quest for an Identity Nov 30, 2023

Today we'll help you find an identity. An identity is something unique that you can organize your business beneath. A north star that can act as a lens for every decision you make. We talk through how to use category shifts and first principles to find and evaluate possible identities and when to stick with an identity vs when to jump ship. We use a bunch of examples - from an Italian restaurant to a skincare company called Jolie to the 1994 Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team.

00:27 An Identity Helps You Move Fast and Keep Momentum
03:30 Black Friday - Lack of Clear Identities
06:22 Smooth Jazz
06:53 Categories
09:11 Jolie
12:12 First Principles
12:42 Arkansas Basketball’s “40 Minutes of Hell” Identity
15:50 Career Coach Identity
17:40 Stay Disciplined
19:42 Changing Too Quck vs. Staying Too Long
20:34 Throw with Conviction

21:11 Tacklebox

How to Find a Differentiator (ITS Classic) Nov 22, 2023

Today we'll outline two frameworks that'll help you find a meaningful differentiator. We'll use a bunch of examples to show how Inversion + Before and After can change your business. A baseball academy, Krispy Kreme, and Nutrisystem help show us the way to a product your customers will happily overpay for.

Tacklebox

Customers Speak Problem, But You’re Speaking Solution Nov 16, 2023

Today, we'll talk about why so many entrepreneurs can't effectively explain what they're doing to their customers. The short answer is they speak the wrong language. Customers speak Problem, entrepreneurs speak Solution. It's like two people trying to have a conversation when one only speaks Latin and the other only speaks Dutch.
We go through how to start speaking Problem, and show the power of Problem Language through a live idea test - two landing pages for an AI bot to help people get out of debt: one with Solution Language, one with Problem Language.

00:00 Tacklebox
00:37 How to Speak Problem
01:21 The Brain Audit
01:55 Farm Stand Problem Language
06:03 The Idea: AI to Get Out of Debt
07:38 Smooth Jazz
08:07 Why You Won’t Use Problem Language
10:31 Signs in NYC
15:00 AI for Debt
17:41 Landing Page Test
19:18 The End: This Is Everywhere - Cold Email Examples

An SOP for Testing a Startup Idea Nov 08, 2023

Today, we'll help you build an SOP for testing startup ideas. We'll use an example from a listener - a startup in the homeschooling space - as a guinea pig. The best way to have a great startup idea this time next year is to test out a bunch of ideas in the interim. This SOP will help you do it, and scale the process.

00:00 Tacklebox
00:30 Pros and Amateurs
02:08 Homeschool Idea
05:47 The Story of Future You
06:16 Entrepreneur Pro Tactic Number One - Working Backwards from Dreams
07:42 BYLDD
08:50 SOPs
14:19 An SOP for a Problem Worth Solving
14:46 Customer Language
15:55 SOP Problem Doc
19:40 The Stakes
23:00 The Startup Journal

Two Ways to Approach Your Startup Idea Like A Pro (ITS Classic) Nov 01, 2023

Today, we'll talk about pros and amateurs. Pros build businesses that have a shot - amateurs never leave the starting gate. Unfortunately, most amateurs don't know they're approaching their idea the wrong way.

We talk through your vision and your internal system - the internal process you'll build, automate, and scale to help you execute that vision. We do it with a little help from the best run solo business I've encountered (an interior designer), and the best tool for your internal system (Zapier).

Writing Persuasive Copy to Test an Idea Oct 25, 2023

Today, we talk through how to write compelling copy. We go through a few counterintuitive archetypes you can use to dramatically increase the clarity of your messaging, which will allow you to increase your conversion rate and get more people involved earlier in the process. Copywriting is an idea-testing superpower.

00:00 AI Brian
00:33 When Copy Becomes Important
02:40 Why You’re a Bad Writer
05:40 Is This Anything?
06:50 Byldd
07:55 The Big Misunderstanding
10:45 Reverse Architect Copy
13:45 The Attention Pie
15:48 Cold Emails
17:20 Write to One Person

How to Embrace Risk, Uncertainty, and Chaos Oct 18, 2023

Today, we'll help you embrace risk, uncertainty, and chaos. The only way to get asymmetric results in life is to spend a lot of time in what we call the "chaos" zone - the uncomfortable place where you're finding things no one else has yet. This type of work (life) is uncomfortable and stressful, so people don't do it. But, it's where all the potential asymmetric value is. So, we go through tactics to make this stage feel safer, allowing you to spend more time in it and increasing the chances you pull a life changing business out of it.

00:00 Tacklebox
00:30 Good Startups are Chaotic
01:08 The Three Phases of Something New: Chaos
01:48 The Three Phases of Something New: Organization
02:40 The Three Phases of Something New: Clarity + Order
03:45 Drop Shipping Cheap Sunglasses
06:12 Last Lecture Series: “How to Live an Asymmetric Life,” Graham Weaver
10:10 Smooth Jazz
10:40 The Scarcity Mindset
11:51Misbelief
14:33 How to Reframe Chaos as Opportunity
16:39 Misogi
20:03 The Magic Comes Later

The Three Types of Problems Worth Your Time to Solve Oct 11, 2023

Today we talk through the three types of problems that deserve a solution. We start off with a few higher level thoughts about problems and startups - specifically around achievement incentives and how some bad early decisions usually can't be salvaged by good decisions later on. Then we talk through Hole Problems, Teleporter Problems, and Status Level Jump Problems.

00:40 The Types of Problems Customers Will Solve
01:00 Manhattan in 2007
05:48 Achievement Incentives
06:30 Be Careful What You’re Getting Good At
07:37 Nat Eliason - Getting Too Good at the Wrong Thing
08:21 Bad Early Decisions
09:53 Byldd
10:54 Problem Archetype 1: Hole Problems
14:23 Baby Quip
17:04 Problem Archetype 2: Teleporter Problems
19:19 Problem Archetype 3: Status Level Jump

How to Find Your Wedge, feat. Bleeding Neck Problems (ITS Classic) Oct 04, 2023

If you can't get traction, you likely need a wedge. Today, we talk through how to find one. We leverage a few frameworks we use at Tacklebox - the Bleeding Neck Problem, Productizing the First Step, and the 100 Character Landing Page. The goal is to solve an immediate, painful problem that'll build trust and allow you to pitch your bigger, North Star vision. Wedges get you started, and life is 100x harder without them.

Tacklebox

Are you a Freelancer or an Entrepreneur? Sep 27, 2023

Today, we'll help you think through a deceptively tough question - are you a freelancer or an entrepreneur? Every decision you make needs to nest neatly below this core decision for your business to work, but tons of founders are either trying to do both simultaneously or think they're one when they're really the other.
We clarify the difference between freelancer and entrepreneur, help you decide which will make you happier, and get you started on the path for whichever you choose.

0:30 Why Entrepreneurs are unhappy
01:14 Do you want to be a freelancer or entrepreneur?
04:12 Seth Godin Conversation
04:58 Our definition of a freelancer
07:28 Our definition of entrepreneurs
09:07 Cuban’s Definition of Entrepreneurship
11:24 BYLDD
12:25 The Restaurant Startup
15:15 Rivers and Dams
19:19 No Lunging
22:44 Don’t Pretend
23:10 How do you want to spend your days?

A System to Relish the Uncomfortable Stuff Sep 20, 2023

Today, we help you become the type of founder who relishes uncomfortable things that lead to successful startups. There are no real secrets in the startup world - the hard, proactive, uncomfortable work leads to businesses that matter. This work doesn’t happen without a system.

Today we help you build that system, using The Costanza Swap, The Three Levers of Resilience, and The Failure Case.

Hoo ahh.

Tacklebox

00:24 Doing Things You Don’t Want To Do
02:45 Why the Eisenhower Box Doesn’t Work for Entrepreneurs
03:30 The Al Pacino Problem
04:45 Creating Content
08:00 Smooth Jazz
08:30 The Costanza Swap
10:15 One Out, One In
11:20 The Three Levers of Resilience
12:40 Scheduling
13:24 Committing
14:30 Dissecting
17:40 The Failure Case
21:15 Happiness

How to Identify and Kill Bad Startup Ideas Masquerading As Good Ones Sep 13, 2023

Today, we'll lay out a framework to help you identify and kill bad ideas. It's hard to objectively evaluate your idea early on - this framework helps you rise above your idea to do it effectively. A side-effect is that the framework will help you find and pursue the good ideas.
We talk through 1) Finding and Evaluating the Real Risk, 2) Predicting Organic Growth Potential, and 3) Predicting the Likelihood of Converting Early Customers, using a startup idea from a listener as an example.

00:25 - Killing Bad Startup Ideas
02:00 - The Three Pillars of the Will Your Idea Fail Framework
02:45 - The Startup Idea - AI Messaging for Plumbers and Electricians
03:15 - Dig out of a Hole Markets link to episode
05:56 - Smooth Jazz
06:24 - Part 1 - How to Find and Evaluate the Real Risk
07:35 - Flipping your biggest risk to your biggest strength
11:00 - Decisions aren’t made in a bubble
13:45 - Part 2 - Predicting the Organic Growth Potential
14:00 - Kunal Shah Delta 4 Scale
17:41 - Part 3 - Predicting whether you’ll actually be able to get first customers to convert
18:49 Managed by Q

A System to Test and Build Your Startup (Part III - Implementing Your System This Weekend) Sep 06, 2023

Today is the last episode in the three-part series on an internal operating system for people working on startup ideas. We talk through the core pillars - Projects, Areas, Inbox - and the multipliers (like Keystone Actions) that'll make sure you're focused on the things that could be differentiators for your business. After today, you'll have everything you need to build your own system.

00:24 Your Startup System
02:18 The Birthday Email
06:34 Email System Prompts
08:26 Smooth Jazz
08:55 Structure - Projects, Areas, Inbox
10:06 Getting Things Done + The PARA Method + Notion Template
11:00 Projects
16:14 Areas
16:46 Inbox
19:55 The Multipliers
20:00 Keystone Species
23:12 Never Agains
24:39 Lottery Tickets
26:44 Doing the Thing
27:31 Reflection

An Operating System to Help You Move Faster By Focusing On Less - Part 2 (feat. a monkey reciting Hamlet) Aug 30, 2023

Today is part 2 of our series helping you build an internal operating system. We identify the four things you'll need to have happen for your startup to gain momentum, then we organize those into a system that'll help you move fast based on inertia.

00:25 - Internal Operating System Part II
03:15 - Monkeys and Shakespeare
07:40 - Smooth Jazz
08: 05 - Reverse Engineering a System
10:45 - Where is the Monkey?
11:33 - The Four Things That Matter for an Early Stage Business
11:40 - Problem
12:01 - Delta 4 Status Level Jump
13:34 - Secret
16:35 - Optimize for Inertia
18:37 - 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think
20:00 - The Thousand Daily Votes
21:43 - The Last 15%
23:30 - Script the Beginning and End
24:30 - Feedback Loop Optimization

A Weekly System to Keep Entrepreneurs With Jobs Moving Fast (Part 1 - Strategy) Aug 23, 2023

Today, we'll kick off a series that'll help people with jobs and startup ideas build an internal system that'll help them track progress and build momentum. Too many founders have no strategy or measurement system around how they pursue and test an idea - this series will help you do it.
In part 1, we go through what a strategy should look like and the three counterintuitive benefits to creating one.

00:00 Jazz
00:25 What should you work on today?
02:29 Golf Clubs in Cities
4:20 The Danger of Unstructured Work
6:58 The Three Ideas, #1 - No One Does This
8:45 Change your Behavior to Change How You Think
10:22 The Magic Happens After You Start
15:55 The Four Questions to Anchor Your Week

The One Thing That Matters - How to Find a Differentiator That'll Support a Business Aug 16, 2023

Today, we'll help you find a differentiator powerful enough that it can support your business. We'll talk through what a differentiator actually allows you to do, five prompts to help you uncover and test one for your business, and Brian's favorite current differentiator - Popup Bagels.

00:00 Beehiiv
00:33 Differentiator intro
04:00 What do you hire a differentiator to do?
05:44 The Attention Pie
09:03 Smooth Jazz
09:28 Popup Bagels
16:30 Five Prompts for Your Differentiator

How to Stop Being Your Startup's Bottleneck Aug 09, 2023

Today, we'll help you get out of your own way. We subscribe to the Charlie Munger school of "instead of trying to be smarter, try to be less dumb," and this episode digs into three ways to simplify your startup so that you can move faster. We talk through how to actually implement jobs to be done, how to build systems to amplify your willpower 100x, and how to be more courageous.
Also, I'll watch Interstellar. Everyone calm down.

00:34 Removing Yourself as the Bottleneck
2:33 Leverage Jobs to be Done to Focus (Fishing Story)
6:23 Elderly Relocation Idea
11:08 Smooth Jazz
11:37 Run Towards the Rain
13:45 Thrashing to find a Secret - The Plant Story
15:25 A System for the Uncomfortable Stuff (fiverr + IG DM’s)
17:13 The Process for Improving Willpower
18:31 What Would You Do if You Knew It Would Work?

A Framework for Building Wildly Useful Startups Aug 02, 2023

Today, we'll talk through a framework that'll help you evaluate whether you're building something useful enough to anchor a business. Most startups fail because the thing they built doesn't make a big enough dent in their customers lives. We'll make sure you don't make this mistake with help from Habit Kangaroo, a startup Brian ran back in 2014, and a GMAT training program his friend ran that helped people get into Harvard.

0:30 Building a Wildly Useful Startup
2:12 Why Measuring Usefulness is Hard
7:00 Byldd
7:53 Habit Kangaroo
12:50 The Usefulness Framework
13:24 What is your Secret?
13:51 Three Categories of Secrets: Customer
14:45 Three Categories of Secrets: Acquisition
15:16 Three Categories of Secrets: Product
17:08 Rivers and Dams
19:00 GMAT over 700 Product
23:02 Hire Yourself

Four Characteristics of Great Startup Ideas Jul 26, 2023

Today, we talk through four characteristics of great startup ideas (with a bonus fifth Brian thought of post-recording). We discuss organic growth, market innovation vs. product innovation, growing markets, product swaps, and happiness. The goal of this episode is to help shape fuzzy ideas and give you new ideas.

1:27 The Personal Venn Diagram
5:18 Smooth Jazz
5:46 The Four Characteristics of Great Startup Ideas
6:48 Characteristic 1: Potential for Organic Growth
9:14 Characteristic 2: Market Innovation > Product Innovation
10:57 Characteristic 3: Prioritizing Around a Growing Market
12:40 Four Buckets of Market Growth
12:45 Hype Markets
13:36 Dig out of a Hole Market (nurses, agriculture, skilled trades)
16:23 Momentum Markets
16:56 Subsidized Growth
17:42 The Swap
21:19 On Happiness

The Organic Growth Equation - Why People Share and How to Pick Ideas that'll Grow Jul 19, 2023

Today we talk about organic growth. Your startup won't be successful if your first customers aren't compelled to tell people about how you've helped them. Luckily, organic growth is straightforward. There are ways to predict it and ideas better suited for it. We talk through an equation for organic growth and dig in on why people share.

00:34 Intro to organic growth
4:24 Why social ads won’t work
5:54 Outline of the Organic Growth Equation
7:08 Smooth Jazz
7:36 Jury Duty
9:27 Jury Duty Shareable Moments
13:49 The Organic Growth Equation deep-dive + The Crime Triangle
15:02 Problem Variables
18:53 Customer Variables
21:41 Why we share horror movies
23:18 Product Variables
25:10 Multipliers

A System to Help You Become Wildly Creative Jul 12, 2023

Today, we'll help you build a system for creativity. We'll start by defining creativity as an equation to make it more accessible. Then, we'll develop a system that focuses on the inputs of the creativity equation. We talk through the Commonplace Book, Commencement Speeches, a sports writer and the movie Sahara. Then, we get into the weeds on how to set up and implement your own personal creativity system.

0:30 Intro - Creativity
2:00 What if you’re not creative?
2:53 Creativity is Mushing
3:39 Creativity Equation
5:15 Summer Internship
6:28 Bill Simmons
7:48 In on the joke
9:20 College Commencement Speeches
10:07 Kenyon Commencement Speech - Two Fish
11:20 Smooth Jazz
11:52 The System
14:00 The Logistics
15:22 Intake
17:29 Reflection
18:30 Output
19:30 Ogilvy on Advertising

Ep. 165 - Should You Niche? Jun 28, 2023

Today, we'll talk about the big question - should you start with a focused niche? There are pros and cons to the approach, but the perceived cons - "what if I get tired of the niche in a few years?" , "what if the niche doesn't lead to a bigger market?" , "isn't a niche just hiding from the bigger problem I want to solve?" have gotten louder lately. So, we'll address them. We'll go over what a good niche looks like, how to get one, and how to grow.

1:00 Kurt Vonnegut - The Shape of Stories
2:38 The Niche Question
4:15 The Jiro Problem
5:20 Act 1 - A Chef's Startup
7:48 Smooth Jazz
8:15 Act 2 - What's a Niche For?
8:44 A Niche is a Shortcut to Trust
11:49 A Niche to Seed Future Growth
13:40 What a Good Niche Looks Like
14:25 The Cook By Smelling Niche
16:38 Act 3 - How to Grow From a Niche
17:29 Grow Vertically or Horizontally?
19:20 Grow through Influential Customers
20:00 Spice Smelling Niche
21:14 Act 4 - The Real Villain, and the Real Hero
22:11 Trust in Future You

Why You Didn't Build a Product Last Weekend (feat. A Framework to Seek Out Discomfort) Jun 21, 2023

Today, we'll talk through why you didn't get a product live last weekend despite an episode that walked you through a step-by-step process to do it. Last week, we ignored the emotional stuff. The inertia and discomfort that keep people from doing something new. Today, we tackle it. We give you a framework to lean into discomfort and answer the questions that nag at you and hold you back from putting stuff live.

0:35 Magical Products
1:51 Story of company that helps restaurants source ingredients
6:27 11 Emails, 0 Products
7:04 Inertia + Discomfort
8:00 BYLDD
9:04 Plan vs. Freestyle (How to Wiggle)
12:35 The Things That Matter and The Things That Don't
13:00 What if your product needs to be professionally designed?
15:00 The Mirror Problem (and the three things to help with it)
16:16 Discomfort = Growth and No One Cares About You
17:12 College Philanthropic Story
18:35 You're going to lose X if you don't > You're going to get Y if you do
20:00 A new lane for the restaurant startup
20:55 How the restaurant startup got their first product out

How to Build the First (Magical) Version of Your Product This Weekend Jun 14, 2023

Today we'll help you get the first version of your product up and out. We use a three-part framework to help you focus in on the one core feature you've got to nail. We also find your customers inertia and ride that wave to make it easier to use your product than not. We get help from an airbnb for lawn equipment startup and move the ball forward on the chronic pain idea.

Subscribe to get Idea to Startup extended info + show notes + frameworks + bonus eps

Episode Details

0:55 The Two Questions Entrepreneurs Have About Products
2:35 A Great Product Does Two Things
4:26 Entrepreneur Baggage + Airbnb for Lawn Equipment
6:29 A Mindset for Today
8:13 Step One - Process
8:53 Organ Donors
9:55 Inertia
11:35 Chronic Pain
13:07 Frank’s Process
14:50 Harry Potter and Being Chosen
15:43 Step Two - Metrics
17:12 Chronic Pain Ex-College Athlete SOM
18:35 Outcome not Features - The Product is Irrelevant
19:16 The Five Marketing Archetypes - STTC, Pain, Cost, Apparate, Urgency
20:19 Step Three - Delivery (The Product)
20:32 Warby Parker
22:23 The Twelve Forms of Value
25:49 The Venmo Accountability Group

Choose The Right Quest Jun 07, 2023

Today, we'll talk through how to identify and pursue the big, consequential ideas - what we'll call Quests. We go through how to identify them, how to wrap our arms around them, and what to do when you (inevitably) feel intimidated. We'll do it with a little help from the 90 Yard Mistake, a ghost kitchen idea, and some chronic pain interviews. Quest (drink).

INTERVIEW: Seth Godin Thinks Through Startup Ideas in Real-Time May 31, 2023

Today, Seth Godin (!!) virtually dropped by to talk through a bunch of startup ideas. He gives his opinion on how he’d start everything from a pasta truck to an updated CSA program. We dive into risk, emotion, tension and doing things that matter. Seth talks about the distinction between entrepreneurs and freelancers and the danger of thinking you’re one when you’re really the other. We talk about marketplaces and domain expertise and knowing what it is you’re actually selling.
This is my favorite episode we’ve ever recorded, and I’m excited for you to listen to it.

01:45 How Brian and Seth Met 05:10 Idea #1 - Helping Doctors and Patients get 2nd (and 10th) opinions 10:48 Idea #2 - How to Start a Pasta Truck 13:01 Landlords and Renters 14:45 Bootstrapping the food truck - emotional vs. financial risk 17:13 Can you start a business if you’re not a domain expert? 18:42 Idea #3 - The Scalable Coach 22:50 Entrepreneur Pacs 26:15 - Idea #4 - Update to CSAs 31:20 - How to Pitch Something Uncomfortable - who takes the risk 34:15 - Idea #5 - Cost Transparency 40:37 - Confusing Freelancing and Entrepreneurship 45:08 - The Billboard Question - (outstanding, make sure you get here)

When to Pivot and When to Stick (aka How Pros Deal w/ Distractions) May 24, 2023

Today, we'll talk about one of the most common hurdles entrepreneurs run into - getting tempted by a new idea a few months into working on a different idea. We lay out a framework to identify the first principles of the new idea fast so you can decide if it's worth a pivot. We also dig in on why the urge to pivot shows up, procrastination, and how to win a baking contest. And, English Lords from the 17th century.

Tacklebox

How to Use Landing Page Tests to Find Your Beachhead Customer (feat. the One Person Landing Page and the ELU Framework) May 17, 2023

Today, we'll talk through a landing page system that'll help you find a great initial customer - one that can anchor your business. We'll talk through the circle framework, as well as the One Person Landing Page and the Emotion / Logistics / Urgency flow. This will help you identify the right customer to focus your product building efforts on.

Ideation, Finding a Wedge, Seeding a Marketplace and How to Scale Yourself with an EA - with Jonathan Swanson, cofounder of Thumbtack, Athena, and Powerset May 10, 2023

Today we chat with Jonathan Swanson, cofounder of Thumbtack, Athena, and Powerset. We cover a ton of ground - starting with the Sunday idea club that led to Thumbtack, how to scale a marketplace, and how to choose ideas you'd happily spent a decade on. Next, we jump into the science of delegation - the idea at the core of Athena. Jonathan talks through how to delegate to an EA, when to start with one, a system of delegation that creates asymmetric upside and what type of founders should consider it.

Athena deal for Idea to Startup listeners (good through 6/30)
Athena / Thumbtack / Powerset
Tacklebox

The Law of The Startup Wedge (feat. circadian rhythms and trust transactions) May 03, 2023

Today, we're going to talk about one of the fundamental laws of startups - The Wedge. It's the best way to build trust when you have a product that's got a longer feedback loop or requires a lot from your early customers. We'll show a few examples and build out a framework to help guide you when you're looking for, and implementing, a wedge.

How to Separate Yourself from Your Idea (feat. the five immutable laws of cold emails) Apr 26, 2023

Today, we'll talk about people. An old boss of Brian's said the best way to see into the future is to see the present in higher resolution than anyone else. Understanding people - yourself and your customer - will let you understand their behavior. This will let you better predict how they'll act than anyone else and build for it.
We talk through a cold email that'll get you customers to speak with and a method to make sure you're unbiased in what you hear.

Testing a Startup Idea Live, Part 2: An Organizing Principle and A Structure to Move Fast Apr 19, 2023

Today is week two of testing out a startup idea live on the show. We're pushing and pulling on the chronic pain idea, setting up the system to get interactions with customers and establishing our organizing principle for the first phase of the business: speed.

Testing a Startup Idea Live, Part 1: The Idea, The Goldfish Cleanse, J.O.A.S. Apr 12, 2023

Today, we'll kick off a series where Brian is going to test out a startup idea live. We begin the way every idea should begin - by figuring out why the thing will fail and building in systems to avoid that fate.

Brian touches on Thrust and Drag, The Goldfish Cleanse, Journal of a Startup, and exactly what you should do to get to first principles for your startup idea.

When to Quit on your Startup Idea, and When to Stick It Out (feat. the systemic vs. solvable checklist and the idea growth curve) Apr 05, 2023

Today, we'll talk through the hardest decision an early-stage entrepreneur has to make - quit on your idea or stick it through? This decision rarely has enough information and the entrepreneur never has enough context to make it. Lots of entreprenuers quit right before their idea was about to get interesting or stick with ideas that never had a chance for years.

This pod lays out a decision framework to help with the quit or stick question.

How to Find and Solve Hard Problems (feat. a used car startup and The Problem Hunters) Mar 29, 2023

Hard problems are the only problems worth your time. Today, we'll talk about how to identify them and build a business around them. We'll dig in on decisions customers avoid and using those decisions to anchor early traction. We'll talk through Brian's favorite current business - a guy who buys used cars for you - and how to approach helping people with chronic pain.

How to Build Trust in Six Seconds (Thrust + Drag Part 2, feat. an elephant and the bus stop exercise) Mar 22, 2023

Today, we'll finish up on Thrust and Drag. This time, we'll talk about building trust with your customer in six seconds - creating thrust that'll buy you another six seconds, and another after that. There's art and science to getting people's attention in such a short period of time, and we'll talk through both.

Thrust and Drag Part 1: A System to Keep Momentum Mar 15, 2023

Today we'll talk about thrust and drag, the components of momentum. Momentum is the lifeblood for startups, but most people leave it to chance. By focusing on the inputs of momentum - thrust and drag - you can build systems to ensure you keep moving forward. Gaps kill startups. This system removes them.

Email team@gettacklebox.com with "Uncomfy" in the subject to be invited to Uncomfy Hour
Tacklebox
Song where Taylor Swift burns Jake Gyllenhall

What if the problem you're solving isn't "painful" or "urgent"? What if it's just something you think people will want? Should you still pursue it? (feat. Linguini) Mar 08, 2023

Today, we'll hit on the most asked question in our now functional podcast question submission list. What if the thing you're building isn't solving a bleeding neck problem? What if it's just something you think people will want? Something that'll improve their life, but not something they loose sleep over? Should you still pursue it? How?
We'll talk through Linguini, Yeti, gross margins and status level jumps and land on the answer - is that type of business worth your time?

Uncomfy hour - email "team@gettacklebox.com" with "uncomfy" in subject
Tacklebox
The Clam

How to Create Useful Content (feat. the "creating content by not creating any content" method) Mar 01, 2023

Today, we'll talk about content. Two of the most asked questions we get are "should I create content?" and "if I should... what the heck should I say?"
Creating content feels daunting until you realize the best way to create content is to not create content. We go through how to do that, leaning on a few examples and a content generating framework. We also crown the best burrito in NYC.

How to stack risk early, tackle the cold start problem, and compete by understanding incentives with Jareau Wadé Feb 22, 2023

Today we speak with Jareau Wadé - currently the founder of Batch Processing, previously the co-founder of Balanced (acquired by Stripe), head of growth at Tilt Pro (acquired by Airbnb), and Chief Growth Officer at Finix.
We spoke with Jareau about the early days of Balanced - how they prioritized, gained trust with initial customers, and competed with companies like Stripe and PayPal. Jareau talks through a bunch of different heuristics and models he uses to evaluate risk (stack it early), tackle the cold start problem, synthesize feedback, figure out the technical side of your business early on, and manage the mental side of starting a business.
It's an awesome conversation and you'll take tactics and methods away from it.

Jareau Wadé
Stripe Can't Lose (article on Stripe referenced in the episode)
Batch Processing
Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Is
Tacklebox

15 Min(ish) Skill: Script the Start and End aka How to Consistently Do Uncomfortable Things Feb 15, 2023

Today, we'll talk about one very specific method you can use to tackle your hardest, most uncomfortable work.

Three More Ways to Approach Your Business Like a Pro (feat. anti-marketing, Frank Sinatra, and an Uber comedian) Feb 08, 2023

Today, we'll dig in on three approaches that separate how pros and amateurs build businesses. We'll talk through how pros leverage existing infrastructure, how they use anti-marketing to build trust with strangers, and how they don't leave luck and serendipity to chance - they orchestrate it. We'll do this with help from stories about Frank Sinatra, a comedian in an Uber, and a founder starting a GMAT course for people looking to score 800 (and for those people only). And, Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms, for some reason.

The Trust to Risk Ratio (feat. Soona + a four-step risk framework) Feb 01, 2023

Today, we'll help you get your first customers. We'll do it by learning how to use the trust to risk ratio - a way to identify the big risks that are holding your customer back and shoulder those risks early on to build trust. We talk through risk and trust with Find Your Lobster, Soona, and a finicky water pump.

Two Ways to Approach Your Startup Idea Like A Pro (feat. an interior designer + Zapier) Jan 25, 2023

Today, we'll talk about pros and amateurs. Pros build businesses that have a shot - amateurs never leave the starting gate. Unfortunately, most amateurs don't know they're approaching their idea the wrong way. We talk through two things entrepreneurs can do to give themselves the best chance to build something that matters.

Testing an AI Coaching Tool in a Month (feat. The 5 Startup Idea Non-Negotiables) Jan 18, 2023

Today, we'll tell the story of an idea a friend of Brian's pursued over the past month. It came about through flashy new tech, but the process shows what's actually valuable.
This is a reps episode. A way to vicariously watch someone else test an early idea so that it's easier for you to do the same.

Tacklebox (Code HOLIDAY until Sunday 1.22 at midnight for 50% off month one)

How to Build a Product People Will Share Jan 11, 2023

Today, we'll talk through a way to ensure people will share what you're building (ideally before you decide to build it). We'll break down a few baby products that've been shared with Brian dozens of times the past few weeks to understand the incentives and drivers that made those products so shareable. Finally, we'll look at three questions that'll ensure you're on the right track.

A Regret Minimization Framework (feat. Alone + The Big Reveal) Jan 04, 2023

Today, we'll talk through a regret minimization framework that'll help you reset for the new year. Then, we'll use the show Alone to show how entrepreneurs need to stack risks early to give themselves the best chance at success.

Tacklebox (50% off month one with code "HOLIDAY")
Regret Minimization interview w/ Bezos
The Pogues - Fairytale of New York
Alone

HOLIDAY CLASSIC: The Three Characteristics of a Startup Idea That's Worth Your Time Dec 28, 2022

Today, we'll revisit another one of the top-listened to episodes of the year. We'll reflect on the three core characteristics our fastest growing startups all share. We'll talk about how to identify these characteristics, test for them, and leave ideas that don't have them. We'll talk through the 4x rule and level jumping. And we'll be back next week with new episodes 🎁🎄

Holiday Classic: Four Questions to Help You Start Your Idea (Feat. Penne Vodka Pete 🐐) Dec 21, 2022

Today's episode is one of the most shared of the year. We start a business using four questions, hit on problems and opportunities, and meet the cult favorite Penne Vodka Pete.

Tacklebox - start your startup right

How to Take Yourself Seriously feat. Your Entrepreneurship Handbook Dec 14, 2022

Most people's startup approach is haphazard. It's a combination of instincts and reactions and luck or happenstance. People who succeed are far more purposeful. Today, we'll help you take your idea and yourself seriously. We'll build your entrepreneurship handbook - the thing that'll let you make tough decisions at scale.

Tacklebox Code "HOLIDAY" for 50% off month one
"I'm a Neuroscientist, and these are 5 things I do every day"

Build a System to be Different in 2023 (feat. pessimistic squirrels and majestic lions) Dec 07, 2022

Today, we'll help you build a system to be different. The well-traveled paths don't get you anywhere interesting and common inputs won't give you uncommon output. But, acting different is difficult. There's external and internal pressure and biases, so we need a system. We talk through the Venn Diagram Method and the cataloging and reflection needed to make decisions that'll help you reach your potential.

Tacklebox - turn your idea into a startup (code HOLIDAY for 50% off month 1)
Tacklebox Rhythm - program for being different in 2023

How to Test the Startup Idea You Had Over Thanksgiving in 7 Minutes Nov 30, 2022

Today, we'll run a 7-minute test on a startup idea I had over Thanksgiving. It's tackling a massive topic - email - but breaking it down into a manageable first customer and use case. You probably had a startup idea over the break, too, and you should use this framework to test it. The secret to startups is that there is no secret - you're more likely to have a successful business if you try out lots of ideas. This pod will help you do that.

Tacklebox (50% off month one with code HOLIDAY)

How to Productize Your Customer's First Step (feat. The Family Operating System and a 3am Pitch) Nov 23, 2022

Today we'll dig in on productizing your customer's first step. This is the best path to building a product that generates revenue immediately so that you've got some runway and flexibility to build. We'll walk through a few examples, including a Family Operating System that came in at 3am last Thanksgiving from a listener.

Tacklebox (Code "Holiday" for 50% off your first month)

Two Frameworks to Help Find Your Differentiator (feat. Inversion and the Before and After Method) Nov 16, 2022

Today, we'll outline two frameworks that'll help you find a meaningful differentiator. We use a bunch of examples to go through Inversion and the Before and After pic method, including a baseball academy, Krispy Kreme, and Nutrisystem. The goal is a product your customers will happily, willingly overpay for.

How to Think Bigger (feat. Mattress Mack and Asymmetric Upside) Nov 09, 2022

Most entrepreneurs spend the majority of their time doing things that, even if they work, won't make a meaningful difference. Our default state is reactive, iterative work. To be a successful founder, you need to do things with the potential for asymmetric upside. Today, we talk about how to identify and incorporate tasks each day that - if they work - will fundamentally change your business. Today, we teach you how to think big.

20(ish) Min Skills: How to Find Your Wedge (feat. Bleeding Neck Problems) Nov 02, 2022

If you can't get traction, you likely need a wedge. Today, we talk through how to find one. We leverage a few frameworks we use at Tacklebox - the Bleeding Neck Problem, Productizing the First Step, and the 100 Character Landing Page. The goal is to solve an immediate, painful problem that'll build trust and allow you to pitch your bigger, North Star vision. Wedges get you started. Life is 100x harder without a wedge.

Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 3 of 3): Taking the System for a Spin (feat. You've Got Mail and Curious Ruby) Oct 26, 2022

Today is the last in our three-part series on how to start a startup in an hour a day. Brian talks through an idea he's working on on the side - VR for chronic pain - and sets up and executes a two-week, hour a day sprint. We dig in on the three pillars of the system - The Big Question, Tactics, and Structure, how to use friction and leverage, and how to organize your startup life around being curious.

If you're interested in a notion doc that'll help you organize the hour-a-day system, sign up here.

Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 2) - Founder Archetypes and a Two-Week Sprint Rhythm Oct 19, 2022

In the second episode of the series, we'll talk through the type of founder you are - Storyteller, Builder, or Manager. We'll then help you build out a two-week sprint cadence to test and grow your idea dependent on which type of founder you are. We get a little help from Brian's grandma and an offsite event startup for businesses trying to get their remote employees to feel some camaraderie.

Tacklebox Rhythm Signup

Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 1 of 3) - Reflection + A Lifestyle Debt Audit + Finding a Free Hour Oct 12, 2022

Today is the first of a three part series on setting up an operating rhythm for building a startup while you've got a full-time job. We lay out a system to help you make serious progress in an hour a day. We focus on reflection - specifically, your lifestyle debt - in an attempt to free up an hour of your time for the startup work. A startup won't be sustainable if it's layered on top of everything you're doing now. So today, we find you a free hour.

Tacklebox - Startup Rhythm Signup
The Rhythm of the Night 🐐
The Laws of Creativity (code "IdeaToStartup" for 20% off)
Rescuetime - track your time automatically
Toggl - track your time manually
Sell the Position - Brian's favorite pod

20(ish) Min Skills: How to Write Direct, Persuasive Copy (feat. The Four Keys to Writing) Oct 05, 2022

Today we'll talk about the biggest gap in most entrepreneurs skillsets - writing compelling copy. We'll go through the Four Keys to Writing which idiot-proof writing compelling copy that'll convert customers from landing pages, ads, and cold emails. Implement this stuff and you'll give your startup a much better chance at success.

How to Start a Community-Based Startup - or Tack a Community Onto Your Existing Business (feat. Monks and Lonely Dads) Sep 28, 2022

Today we'll talk about community. What a good community looks like, the mistakes people make around communities, and how to test an idea for a community fast. We'll test out a community for lonely dads, dive into an example about a freelancer community, and check in on a couple of Monks walking through Central Park at night.

20(ish)-Minute Skills: The Concierge MVP Sep 21, 2022

Today's episode discusses the Concierge MVP, an indispensable tactic early stage entrepreneurs can use to get the feedback of a full product without the money and time required to build one. We go through the 4-step method that'll get you data from customers you can use to raise funding, hire, or recognize the opportunity actually isn't worth your time.

How to Spot Promising Startup Ideas (feat. The Hard Startup Myth and The Hassle Premium) Sep 14, 2022

Today we'll help you find and choose the right startup idea. We'll use a couple of frameworks to help you evaluate startup ideas you've got and find startup ideas other people miss. We talk through the Hard Startup Myth and The Hassle Premium, two mental models that'll make sure your next idea has legs. We'll also evaluate Tinder for Jobs and learn a lesson from the great Frank Prisinzano.

How to Raise Money from Angel Investors with Angela Lee (37 Angels, Columbia Business School) ((And we start a $100mm taco company the last 15 minutes)) Sep 07, 2022

Awesome chat with Angela Lee (37 Angels, Columbia Business School) about angel investing. We talk through what angels are looking for, who should try to raise from them, what'll happen if they do, and what the other options are.

Then, we spend the last 15 minutes starting a $100mm Taco company. Angela walks through the process goals and financial milestones she'd want to hit in a fascinating startup exercise.

How to Get the World to Work For You (feat. pickleball and the greatest marketing campaign of all time) Aug 31, 2022

If you understand how the world works, you can let it do some serious heavy lifting for your business. If you ignore how it works, your business is as good as dead. Today we talk through three universal truths - forces that you can put behind your business to dramatically accelerate it. We'll use three examples - the best marketing campaign Brian's ever seen, the most magical product, and the mind-blowing growth of pickleball.

Maria Maria 🎶
Tacklebox 🎣

Three Ways to Build Trust (feat. parking valets and a cure for baldness) Aug 24, 2022

We spend a bunch of time on business fundamentals. These are important, obviously, but they're only relevant if you can build enough trust with customers to convince them to give you a chance in the first place.

Today we'll talk about why people hand their keys over to random strangers on the street in New York City, how a person selling cures for baldness converts 80% of the people he speaks with, and how you can build a strategy to cultivate trust with your customers, too.

Tacklebox

A 20(ish) Minute Startup: Airbnb Referrals Aug 17, 2022

Today, we'll start a business in 20(ish) minutes. We'll talk through the idea, figure out assumptions, run a test, and make a decision. We leverage a three step process to figure out if the idea is worth our time: Whisper Ideas vs. Rooftop Ideas, Rivers and Dams, and a Hypothesis Test.

Tacklebox

What Kind of Company Do You Want to Build? (feat a 3-part framework to help you figure it out and Shaggy) Aug 10, 2022

I meet far too many unhappy entrepreneurs. The whole point of this thing is to build a business that makes you happy. It needs to work, but it also can't make you miserable. Lots of entrepreneurs set themselves on a bad path from day one by ignoring critical early decisions. We talk through them today. And if you're not happy building what you're building, it's not too late.

Tacklebox

A Podcast Figuring Out Your Value (featuring an aperol spritz startup and a magician) Aug 03, 2022

Today we'll help you sink your teeth into value. We'll help you understand what people will actually pay for, talk through a framework to ensure you're creating enough value to anchor a business, and look at examples of a few startups doing this well and poorly. There's also a magician.

A Mental Model to Reduce Complexity: The River (featuring a papaya) Jul 27, 2022

This episode digs into how to reduce complexity and choose the right path through a mental model we call the river. You identify the dams that stop your customer and break them down, focusing on just them to bring focused, explainable, shareable value. Plus, the papaya. Which you'll have to listen to understand.

How to Start a Startup Accountability Group Jul 20, 2022

We've spent a ton of time recently on tactics and strategies. Today, we talk about how to build a group to make sure you're implementing them. Here's how to build a 4 person startup accountability group that'll meet weekly. We talk through who should be in the group, what you should focus on, and why it'll help. There's absolutely no better way to get started.

Tacklebox

The Three Pillars of a Startup That's Worth Your Time (feat. Markets, The 4x Rule, and Level Jumping) Jul 13, 2022

Today we reflect on the three core characteristics our fastest growing startups shared. We break each down and talk through how to check for them and optimize for them. We also realize that startup ideas without these characteristics aren't worth your time to build.

A 20(ish) Minute Startup: An App That Cures Chronic Pain Jul 06, 2022

Today we think through an idea for an app that treats chronic pain. We'll use the Three Level system to figure out what we know, what we need to learn, and whether the business has enough potential for us to spend our time filling in the gaps.

And, if you're a freelance designer, podcast producer, or in video production, and you're interested in working on and growing ITS, contact team@gettacklebox.com.

A Framework to Get You Unstuck (featuring an Airstream startup) Jun 29, 2022

Today we'll talk about how early-stage entrepreneurs can get themselves unstuck. It's easy to get paralyzed when the things you do don't lead to the outcomes you want. The key is understanding that in the startup world, results and decisions don't always go hand in hand. Separating them and focusing on stacking good decisions while understanding that the results might be a lagging indicator is your best bet. That's hard to do. Today, we talk through it.

20(ish)-Min Skills: Sales 101 For Entrepreneurs That Hate Sales Jun 22, 2022

A 20(ish) minute skills episode on sales 101 for entrepreneurs who hate sales. We go through three tactics and a bunch of examples to help you build a system for sales that'll help you grow without making you feel slimy. We set up sales for a sabbaticals as a service startup. And we talk through why entrepreneurs hate sales and how to reframe the whole thing.

A Weekly Prioritization and Audit Framework to Help Entrepreneurs Make Great Things Jun 15, 2022

Most entrepreneurs struggle with prioritization. When you need to do *everything*, where do you start? Today we lay out a three-part framework to make sure you're spending your time on the most important stuff. It includes a calendar, a weekly audit, and an environment makeover. Best of all, it works. Hat tip to Finland for the inspiration.

How to Test If Your Idea Can Grow Before You Build It (featuring a meeting agenda startup) Jun 08, 2022

Today we talk through testing and getting to an idea that can grow before you invest time and money to build it. We do this through the lens of a meeting agenda startup, plus revisit Brian's basketball lesson business and the NYC speakeasy, Please Don't Tell.

What Makes a Great Product? Jun 01, 2022

Today we break down a tough question: What makes a great product? We look at Brian's two favorite products to tease out themes and characteristics we can leverage to build a great first product at a smaller scale.

Tacklebox Membership (with pod listeners discount / application)

Strategies for a Crowded Market: Breaking Down Three Coffee Startups May 25, 2022

Operating in a crowded market with a ton of potential is tempting - and tough. Today, we evaluate companies taking very different approaches to the coffee market. We go deep on Blank Street, Cometeer, and Nguyen Coffee Supply and pull out everything we can learn that'll help you build your business.

How to Build The Right Thing (Introducing the Product Pyramid Framework) May 18, 2022

Today's episode introduces the Product Pyramid Framework, a tool entrepreneurs who have never built products before can use to make sure they build the right thing. The three part system ensures you're focused on features that'll move the needle and translate into organic growth.

Tacklebox

A Thing To Do This Weekend If You're Working on a Startup May 11, 2022

Lots of people carve out time to work on their startup ideas. Most people spend that time doing things that don't matter. Today, we talk about something you can do this weekend that'll actually matter for your startup. Like, way more than anything else you could do. We get a little help from Martin Scorsese, a golf startup, and a restaurant that only serves French Dip.

Tacklebox

How to Become a Startup Idea Machine May 04, 2022

Getting to a startup idea worth starting is active, not passive. The idea won't just show up - you'll need to find it. And it likely won't be the first idea you've got. The way to get a great startup idea is to get lots of startup ideas so you've got context and practice. The way to get lots of startup ideas... well, that's what the episode is about. The three pillars of getting lots of good startup ideas.

Tacklebox

How to Evaluate and Choose an Idea Worth Pursuing with Alex White Apr 27, 2022

Here at Idea to Startup we're obsessed with the process of filtering through and choosing ideas. Today we're joined by Alex White, previously the founder of The Next Big Sound (acquired by Pandora) and current founder of Subcity, and someone with as thoughtful and rigorous an approach around ideation as you'll find. We dig in on how to think through an idea, how to pursue it, and how to decide if it's worth your time.

How to Write Great Copy for your Startup Apr 20, 2022

Writing copy for a startup is hard, especially when you're thinking it up from scratch. This episode goes through five frameworks that'll help you write copy that converts customers. We've got a bunch of examples in here and Brian has a sore throat so he "sounds pretty cool, actually" - his words.

INTERVIEW: Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, founder @ Oar Health Apr 15, 2022

Today we talk with Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, the founder of Oar Health. Oar Health makes safe, effective medication and convenient care for people who want to drink less or quit drinking altogether. Jonathan went through Tacklebox a few years back and created a path a lot of entrepreneurs with jobs would love to follow - validating, building, and growing before quitting his job to transition to Oar full-time. Since, he's raised funding, grown the team, and is tackling addiction in a unique and highly effective way. He talks through his business, the strategies that allowed him to make this transition, and the most important things he's learned on the journey.

Start a Startup in 7(ish) Minutes: Solving Parking in NYC 🚕 Apr 13, 2022

Today we're going to start yet another startup in 7(ish) minutes. We'll flesh out an idea and figure out how to test it using four key questions. The problem we'll solve is parking in NYC. As always, if anyone wants to run with this - please do. Reach out if you do. This problem needs a solution.

Tacklebox

Episode 100 🔥: How to Design Your Life to Support Building a Startup on the Side Apr 06, 2022

The 100th episode of Idea to Startup dives into the most important thing our entrepreneurs with jobs have done to make progress - purposefully designing their lives so that inertia pulls them towards growth, not inaction. We go through how you can design your life to make progress on your startup the norm with a little help from Brian's grandfather, Poppy.

Tacklebox

How to Stand Out: Differentiate your Startup with Categories Mar 30, 2022

The best entrepreneurs choose what they compete against. They stack the deck so their product is overwhelmingly better than the alternative. The key to this is choosing the category your customer sees you in. Choose the category and you'll be able to dictate your competitors and ensure you have a good chance to win. Today we'll talk about choosing categories with a little help from e-bikes, protein bars, and a mattress.

Tacklebox
RSVP for Entrepreneurs with Jobs Getting Coffee in NYC on April 6
Consulting inquiries: team@gettacklebox.com

How to Guarantee Word of Mouth Growth for Your Startup Mar 23, 2022

Your startup will only grow if you design for and facilitate word of mouth. The big mistake people make is thinking their business will generate that WoM growth - the key is making sure the conversation is already happening before you build a product. We'll talk through strategies for this today, with a little help from a wine investing platform and a product to help a two year old sleep.

The Three Pillars of an Idea That Can Grow Huge Mar 16, 2022

Today we'll talk about finding ideas that are primed to grow fast and grow big. As we dug in, we realized this was a great approach for any sized business. There are three pillars for this type of idea, and we'll go through each with a little help from Coke and Pepsi and my grade school friend, Aaron.

Start a Startup in Ten Days using Four Questions: Kitchen Organizer Edition Mar 09, 2022

Today we'll talk through how to test out and build a startup idea in ~10 days by answering four questions. We'll use an idea that's oddly popped up a bunch lately: Kitchen Organizer. We do this with a little help from a story about a poker player and my good friend, Penne Vodka Pete.

Perfect is the Enemy of the Good: Startup Product Edition Mar 02, 2022

Simple products win. You probably already knew this, but creating a simple product is harder than it should be. The reason is that a simple product has nothing to do with the product itself. Today we'll talk about Customer Deltas - the most important piece of the puzzle for a simple product that you can build fast and is primed for growth.

How to Conquer Irrational Fear as a Startup Founder Feb 23, 2022

Today we'll talk about the irrational fears that keep entrepreneurs from doing the things they need to do to be successful. We've got stories about Barney Greengrass, a six year old pedaling on a Peloton with his hands, and a tourist ending up with the perfect order. And, a system to ensure you don't get caught making irrational decisions that hamstring your startup.

The Most Interesting Startups are Boring (and how to make sure yours is, too) Feb 16, 2022

Building a great startup usually isn't rocket science - it often comes down to just trying more things than anyone else does. The hard part about this is the repetition and the mindset - building a system will push you through. Today we talk about that system with a little help from a prolific writer and a startup idea about sabbaticals.

Tacklebox Membership
Say hi: team@gettacklebox.com

How to Build a Startup in a Crowded Market Feb 09, 2022

Entrepreneurs are told all the time to avoid crowded markets. There's too much competition, there's too much venture funding, you'll get squashed like a bug. I'm not so sure. There's a lot to like about crowded markets - this episode talks through how to carve out your own space and benefit from all the great things crowded markets have to offer.

A Formula for Creating Moments Your Customers Will Share Feb 02, 2022

Creating moments your customers will share is how your startup will grow early on. This episode will teach you how to orchestrate and plan those moments before you've built a product. Your business will rely on these moments for growth, so we need to figure them out early. Featuring bagels, noodles, and a dog training app.

Tacklebox Membership (Pod Listeners Page + Discount)
Xi'an Famous Foods
H&H Bagels

Don't Bail On Your Startup Idea Right When It's Getting Interesting Jan 26, 2022

There's an epidemic of talented entrepreneurs bailing on their startup ideas right before those ideas are about to get interesting. We talk about why and how to avoid it, with a little help from Splash Mountain and a Tacklebox alum.

Tacklebox

Startup Practice Jan 19, 2022

People are too precious with ideas. The idea you've got is probably wrong, but the only way you'll get to the right one is working on the wrong one - not waiting for the right one to magically appear. But how do you do that? This episode is about startup practice - how to find and test ideas on the side that'll eventually lead to the one that'll hopefully change your life.

Storytelling 101 for Entrepreneurs Jan 12, 2022

A storytelling primer for entrepreneurs. Marketing is storytelling, and in this pod we lay out a three step framework for telling exceptional stories that convert customers. This is idiot-proofing - you don't need to be a great marketer or writer or storyteller. You can build effective messaging campaigns if you understand and execute this process.

BONUS STORY: The Monster and The Girl Jan 07, 2022

A bonus short episode for a snowy Friday. A story that might light a bit of a fire under your ass for 2022. Great to listen to over lunch.
And don't worry, we'll get back to our tactical episodes next Wednesday 💪🐐😈.

Tacklebox Membership

The Secret Pod Jan 05, 2022

Startups work best when they're anchored around a secret. A great secret has three characteristics, and Brian goes through those, as well as examples of a few secrets that can anchor a business, in this week's pod.

Sell the Position (Brian's favorite episode of the year) Dec 29, 2021

The last episode of 2021 is Brian's favorite - sell the position. It's rare that a piece of advice truly changes your life. This advice did.

Tacklebox Membership (40% off for life with code "BuildIn2022")

How to Not Waste Your Life (most listened to episode of the year) Dec 22, 2021

How to Not Waste Your Life. This was the most listened to episode of 2022, so we're running it back with a special intro. It's the lesson we all need to hear going into the New Year 💪.

Tacklebox Membership (40% off w/ code "BuildIn2022")
Spirited Away

How to Find Problems Worth Solving (and a request for a startup) Dec 15, 2021

We lay out a framework for finding and evaluating problems and dig into a problem worth solving: single-use plastic from takeout food orders. If you're working on this - reach out.

You need a bouncer Dec 08, 2021

We're all lugging around metaphorical backpacks. These backpacks are filled with tasks, shoulds, and IOUs. The problem isn't that they exist, it's how easily other people are able to lob things in and how hard it is for us to get them out. This episode talks about how to create a bouncer - to ensure that the only things taking up your consciousness are things you've chosen, things that will help you move towards your goals.

How to get counterintuitive startup ideas Dec 01, 2021

If lots of people think your startup idea makes no sense, it's got a much higher likelihood of succeeding. Counterintuitive ideas will buy you time to build, test, and flesh out your product before competitors catch on. Today, we talk through how to come up with and grow counterintuitive ideas while looking at a bonkers business Brian can't get enough of.

Tacklebox Membership (Cyber Monday Code "BuildThings"
Core Walking
List of Mental Models

Three Things Entrepreneurs Should Do Over Thanksgiving Break Nov 24, 2021

Today we talk through three things entrepreneurs can do over Thanksgiving break - and the next six weeks - to differentiate themselves in 2022. Stories about the fireplace delusion, rainfall in Bermuda, and how to tell sexual partners you've got chlamydia will help us out.

How to create your own MBA in entrepreneurship Nov 17, 2021

If you were building an MBA in entrepreneurship from scratch, how would you do it? We built out a framework to design your own program - and just about any other program you'd like - on today's pod.

Tacklebox Method

Story 3: How to sell wood for $10 when everyone else sells it for $5 Nov 10, 2021

Today we'll talk about a guy in the Adirondacks who sells wood for $10 when everyone else around him sells it for $5. He sells 10x more wood than all his competitors and it's all due to being able to answer one question really well. We'll dig into that question and how you can leverage it to build your business on this week's Idea to Startup.

Story 2: How to motivate people Nov 03, 2021

The apartment I live in was on the market for a year without a bid, then sold in a bidding war for well above ask in a week. What the heck happened? Today's episode breaks down why people took action (and a framework to create it).

Tacklebox Method
Sell The Position (🐐 episode)

Three Stories To Get You Unstuck - Story 1: Sell The Position Oct 27, 2021

People keep telling us they're stuck. The next three pods are stories that'll get your juices flowing. It'll be impossible to be stuck after them. Today's is about Selling The Position - it's probably the most helpful single concept we've ever discussed on the pod.

How to Quit Your Job and Pursue Your Startup Idea Oct 20, 2021

Lots of people come into our orbit because they'd like to get their startup to a point where they can quit their full-time job and transition over. Here's what you need to do before you quit - and what'll happen to you and your idea once you do. If you're looking for a kick in the ass, this might be it.

How to Motivate Customers (and People) feat. Airstreams Oct 13, 2021

We leverage Yu-kai Chou's Octalysis Framework to think through motivating customers. We test it out using a startup idea that's come across Brian's desk recently: a network of Airstream trailers, dropped on people's property, that digital nomads can subscribe to. How would we motivate these people to take action? What can we test? The framework leads the way as we kickstart the business.

MAILBAG PART 2: Testing a pasta startup, how niche is too niche, and a structure for dealing with founder stress Oct 06, 2021

In part two of our Mailbag series, Brian answers listener questions on how to run lean, inexpensive, fast tests on an idea that seemingly has big up front costs (we launch tests for the pasta startup), how niche is too niche, and a framework to deal with stress as a founder.
As always, thank you for the questions, and if you'd like to submit a question, email it to team@gettacklebox.com

Notes:

Tacklebox Method

The roles available at Oar include:

VP, Engineering: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/ohVGffwR
VP, Product: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/oeUFffwM
UI/UX Designer: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/oTUFffwr
Software Engineer: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/oCUFffwa
Strategy, Finance and Operations Director: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/otcRgfww
Social Media and Outreach Specialist: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/oebRgfwg

MAILBAG: Listener questions on a startup ethos, great marketing, a travel company for couples, and nootropics (sorta) Sep 29, 2021

Brian answers emails from listeners on a startup ethos, examples of great marketing - leveraging behavioral economics to remove friction and The Rent Is Too Damn High guy, nootropics (sort of), and the best inputs for the best outputs. We also start a travel company for couples.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Tacklebox Cohort 27 starts June 2, Apply by May 1
Pixar's 22 Rules of Storytelling

How to Prioritize and Build a Personal Operating System (ITS classic) Apr 14, 2021

We revisit an episode from the early days of the podcast on an operating system for founders. Not everything I say here has stuck, and not everything I do I recommend. But the bones of this podcast are rock solid. Being thoughtful about how you work and what you work on is the key for building a startup in the margins. And, everyone has more margins now. If you're one of the people who isn't going to have to commute again, this is your chance. Build an internal operating system so you maximize your output without burning out or killing your creativity.

Tacklebox Cohort 28 (Apply by May 1, starts June 2)
Tacklebox Self-Serve (if you want to go through the cohort content at your own pace)

How to lose 1.8 billion dollars in 10 days Apr 07, 2021

Predicting a startup will fail is like betting every number on the roulette wheel except that green double zero and then puffing out your chest when one of your numbers hits. It's just not impressive to predict that something going up against overwhelming odds won't beat those odds.

And yet.... Sometimes people build startups like horses asses. And in that case, they need to be called out.

This podcast originally aired the day Quibi launched back in April of 2020 and gave the company 18 months to survive. It didn't come close. This podcast isn't dancing on the grave of a company that failed. It's pointing out all the completely predictable and avoidable mistakes the company made so you won't make them, too.

Tacklebox Cohort 28 (June 2)

Curiosity and Space Mar 31, 2021

We're told the curious entrepreneurs are the most successful. But we're also told we need to be experts for our startups to work. How do you balance being curious and learning with being seen as an expert?
Today, we explore curiosity through one of the best founders to ever go through Tacklebox, and through another founder just getting started building something in the Space...space.

Tacklebox Accelerator (next program June 2)
Tacklebox Self-Paced Accelerator (next program whenever you'd like)
Ted Lasso Darts Scene

Survivorship Bias, Base Rates, and Librarians Mar 24, 2021

You get startup advice constantly. Your ears probably perk up when it comes from an entrepreneur that's been successful. But what should you listen to? What's still relevant? How can you evaluate if the tactics an entrepreneur suggests are right for you?
Today we talk through survivorship bias, how to take advice, how to check base rates, and how to decide on the right strategies for your startup. Plus, librarians, salespeople, and adultery.

Tacklebox (Cohort starts March 31)
Tacklebox Self-Serve (No cohort, your own pace)
Don't Eat Before Reading This (Anthony Bourdain)

Let It Go Mar 17, 2021

Today we'll talk about how to pick what you work on - we need to ensure you're spending your time on things that'll actually matter. We'll do it through the lens of the greatest company ever built.
We also wrap up Problems + Opportunities and get some guidance from Peter Drucker.

NewCo - Reach out to Marissa@buildwithnewco.com to pitch
Tacklebox - New cohort for idea-stage founders starting March 31
The Effective Executive - Drucker (🐐)

This Too Shall Pasta (Vision + Part II of Problems vs. Opportunities) Mar 10, 2021

Last week, we laid out the Problems vs. Opportunities (PVO) framework. This week, we dive deeper into the "vision" part of the framework, helping you identify and follow your North Star.
We use This Too Shall Pasta, a gluten free DTC pasta company, to dig deeper into the PVO process.

Problems and Opportunities Mar 03, 2021

Today we're talking about problems vs. opportunities. It's easy for entrepreneurs to spend their time putting out fires - they're often the only ones who will. But it's far more important to block off time to identify and pursue opportunities that'll create asymmetric value.
We discuss a framework for identifying, prioritizing, and pursuing opportunities. Also, Steph Curry and how to say "razorblades" with a flawless Australian accent.

The Case For Now Feb 24, 2021

Three numbers and a story show the path for startups during a uniquely difficult but opportunity filled time. The goal of today's podcast is grounding and motivation. And pizza dough.
We talk through opportunities for compound interest, knowledge growth, and the $32 trillion dollars that will change the startup market.

Tacklebox Application (Cohort starts March 31)
Tacklebox Self-Serve
Amazzoni.us- use code "Tacklebox" at checkout for the best craft gin in the world (according to 2018)

What To Do About Competition (The Gift of "Which") Feb 17, 2021

What do you do when you stumble upon, or get smacked in the face by, a competitor? How do you react? What do you focus on? What do you stop doing?
Can you still... exist?
We talk through exactly what to do with competitors and discuss the "Gift of Which."
The goods:

Tacklebox Application (March 31)
Tacklebox Self Serve (whenever you'd like)
Jojo Rabbit

How to Sell A Protein Bar in Seven(ish) Minutes Feb 10, 2021

What if you've got a product and no customer? We go through an email from a listener who makes the world's best protein bars but has absolutely no idea who to sell them to. We use storytelling archetypes to find the best possible customer to catalyze the business.

The goods:

Tacklebox Application (March 31)
Tacklebox Self Serve (whenever you'd like)
Mindset
Whopper Commercial

Mini Series Ep 3: A Bunch of Tests and an Epiphany Feb 03, 2021

The third in our mini-series where we're starting a startup live on the pod. Today, we take what we learned from customer interviews and synthesize it into tests in real life. Step by step on customer, channel, landing page, and call-to-action.
Plus, why atheists don't sell their soul and York Peppermint Patties.
The goods:

Idea Resume
Tacklebox Application (March 31)
The Art of Doing Science & Engineering
Carrd (Landing Page Builder)
The Sasquatch Problem (Are You Passionate Enough)
York Peppermint Patty

Mini Series Ep 2 - We're Starting a Startup - Making Customer Interviews Doable Jan 27, 2021

Episode Two of our miniseries "We're Starting a Startup" details our first seven days after we decided to pursue an idea live. We talk customer interview strategy and stack, get a bunch of lukewarm feedback, and play clips from some of the interviews we ran. We also talk about Baked By Melissa cupcakes an uncomfortable amount.
Big thank you to the customers we interviewed, including:

And a few other things we mention:

The Mom Test
Tacklebox (Cohort starts March 31)
Tacklebox self serve (Get on waitlist)

Mini Series Kickoff - Picking The Startup Idea We'll Start Jan 20, 2021

It was bound to happen. We're starting a startup idea on... Idea to Startup. Someone reached out basically daring us to, and we couldn't say no.
Today, we'll run three startup ideas through our Idea Resume framework that evaluates an idea at the earliest stages. Then, we'll pick the one we'll start over the next set of episodes.

Idea Resume Framework
Follow along on Instagram + Twitter - we'll post the ads, landing pages, etc.
Start a Wine Company in 17 Minutes
Cohort 26 + Self Serve
Business Guy Meme

How To Get Your First 1,000 Customers (feat. Pizza) Jan 13, 2021

Getting your first 1,000 customers is hard, particularly when you're thinking about it wrong.
We talk through how Push for Pizza and Slice took different approaches to growth in the pizza space.
* Tacklebox + Self-Serve Product

The Sasquatch Problem (Are You Passionate Enough About Your Startup Idea?) Jan 06, 2021

We're told we need to be head over heels passionate about our startup for it to succeed. Is that... true?
What if we haven't found something we're that passionate about - does that mean we shouldn't start it?How do you find something you're passionate enough about to build a company around?
Is Sasquatch Real?

The answers to these and more on this week's Idea to Startup Pod.

Tacklebox Self Serve (and regular tacklebox accelerator)
Tacklebox Newsletter (get articles and the full content archive)

Three Stories for People Starting Startups in 2021 Dec 30, 2020

We'll look back on 2021 as the best year to start a startup in the past 50. The world we're returning to will be a lot different from the one we left, and people will start meaningful companies to bridge that gap. Hopefully, one of those people is you.
Here are three stories that'll help you position yourself and your startup to succeed in 2021.
Show Notes
Tacklebox Self Serve
Tacklebox Cohort
Pixar 22 Rules of Storytelling
Madlib “I’m building X to capitalize on the confluence of these three trends - A, B, and C. I’m uniquely positioned to build X because of the perspective I gained from D, E, and F - (where D, E, and F are networks, experience, and skillsets that create a venn diagram very few other people sit in the middle of). The biggest assumption I’m making is G, and I’ve run K tests to start proving to myself that the risk is worth taking. I’m confident this is a problem that needs solving because of Z (where Z is an observed behavior of a specific customer you’ll start with and also the beachhead of a larger market).”

Make A Billion Dollars Dec 23, 2020

That title is even spammier than last week. But it isn’t. Today, we’ll talk about how thinking through how to build a billion dollar business is actually a really useful exercise, too.

Today, we’re going to fix Goodreads and drink a bunch of egg nog. Let’s see how that goes.

Show Notes:

Tacklebox Self Serve (and regular tacklebox accelerator)
Tacklebox Newsletter (get articles and the full content archive)

Make $1,000 Today Dec 16, 2020

That title sure does sound spammy. But it isn’t. Today, we’ll talk about how thinking through how you’d make $1,000 today is the best way to actually start a startup.

This episode is for people who are stuck - people who want to start something but can’t figure out the best way to go about doing it. People who are overwhelmed by what starting a startup might entail.

We make it easy for you.

Show Notes:

Tacklebox Self Serve (and regular tacklebox accelerator)
Tacklebox Newsletter (get articles and the full content archive)

The Holiday Mailbag Dec 09, 2020

Today we take a bunch of questions from ITS listeners. We talk through startup ideas for 2021, founder superpowers, and hutzpah.

Show Notes:

Tacklebox Self Serve (and regular tacklebox accelerator)
Psychology of Money
Upwork + Designhill
The Books: Range, The Passion Economy, Essentialism, Boomtown, Three Body Problem, The Lost Man, Atomic Habits

The Counterintuitive Way To Get Your First Customers Dec 02, 2020

This episode focuses on the 4 best emails written on Black Friday, and the framework each used to break through the clutter.

Show Notes:

How Will I Know? Nov 25, 2020

Entrepreneurs favorite questions all begin with “how will I know..”

The real answer is, you never know anything for sure. This podcast is about the process of entrepreneurship - how to set up and run lightweight tests to get a unique perspective no one else does.
Show Notes:

Do The Thing (Motion vs. Action) Nov 18, 2020

It’s easy to do everything but the thing that matters. Today we talk about how to identify the thing that matters and how to combat all of our instincts that tell us to push back against real reflection.

We go through a few examples, including Ro.co, business school, and writing books, focusing on Motion vs. Action.

Show Notes:

Are You Good Enough? Nov 11, 2020

Imposter syndrome kills more startups than not finding a cofounder, competition, or funding ever could.

Today, we’re talking about whether you’re good enough to compete in the startup world. Can you really turn this into your livelihood? Can you thrive?

What happens if you don’t?
Show Notes:

Tacklebox Self Serve

How to be Resilient (feat. IOUs) Nov 04, 2020

Founders need to be resilient. It’s beaten into our heads over and over. But what resilience is - and how to be resilient - is misunderstood.

Today we’ll talk about all the IOUs you consciously and unconsciously write all day, and how they’re sapping you of your best work. We’ll finish with tactics to combat these IOUs. Go get ‘em.

Tacklebox Self-Serve Program
Atlantic City - Bruce (🐐)

How to Differentiate Your Startup (feat. Crabs + Running Shoes) Oct 28, 2020

Meaningful differentiation is hard to come by. Most startups pay lip service to differentiation and pay the price through higher customer acquisition costs and lower retention rates. A truly differentiated product is necessary for a healthy funnel - acquisition, conversion, retention, referral.

Today we talk through questions that’ll help you differentiate your startup with the help of On, an apparel company that leveraged business model innovation to create a truly differentiated product in a crowded space.

Start a Wine Company in 17 Minutes Oct 21, 2020

Not all ideas start with the level of insight needed to build a differentiated company.

Today, we’ll take a run of the mill idea and show you how to build a differentiated product. Specifically, we’ll launch the Tuesday Wine Company, a D2C wine brand that sells half bottles to people with dogs.

Whisper Ideas Oct 15, 2020

If you ever find yourself whispering your startup idea at a coffee shop, this podcast is for you. We dig in on what a good startup idea actually looks like and how to find the right idea for you.

How to test a startup idea in 7 minutes Oct 08, 2020

You’ve got startup ideas. You want to pursue them. You want to take them seriously. But what, exactly, does that mean?

This episode dives into what it looks like to take your startup idea seriously. How to give it a fair shake and see if it’s worth investing some time into.

We use an example of a Jackfruit company that’s out to make Jackfruit the plant-based alternative for people removing meat from their diet everywhere.

How to get a customer to choose you (and bagels)” Sep 30, 2020

On the first episode of season 3 we talk through the paradox of choice, how to facilitate decisions in your customers, how to build a brand, and bagels. We touch on Dan Ariely’s book Predictably Irrational, digging in on how architecting the environment for your customers will drastically increase your chances at conversion. We also talk about the two bagel shops that were next to each other in NYC, and why each wound up with a far stronger brand because the other existed.

INTERVIEW: Daina Trout on building Health-Ade from a kombucha-making operation in her kitchen to one of the fastest growing beverage brands in the U.S. May 20, 2020

Health Ade

How to lose $1.8 billion dollars in 10 days May 13, 2020

Quibi
Tacklebox Virtual Cohort 23 starts June 15th, apply at www.gettacklebox.com

INTERVIEW: Jennifer Goggin on building Startle, a tech studio that bridges the gap between research and impactful companies. Apr 16, 2020

Startle

INTERVIEW: Marc and Ashley Merrill on building Riot Games and Lunya, the role of a leader during times of uncertainty, and their perspectives on how to build a business. Apr 08, 2020

INTERVIEW: Christoph Bertsch on building Vejo (and multiple other startups) and how to manage the long-game of entrepreneurship. Mar 25, 2020

Christoph Bertsch, founder of Vejo among multiple other startups, stops by in what is one of my favorite conversations yet. He talks through what it really takes to start a company, the differences between b2b and b2c, fundraising vs. not, supply chain management, and team building. This is a wonderful, fun conversation that'll brighten your day. Heads up for some curses - they flow pretty freely from Christoph :)

Ladders and Lobsters Mar 18, 2020

"Chaos isn't a pit, chaos is a ladder." Coronavirus is an inflection point that will change all sorts of behavior and create all sorts of opportunity for startups. This podcast looks at the opportunities that'll be created and how you should approach them within the startup world.

INTERVIEW: Agatha Kulaga on building Ovenly, turning your creative outlet into a scalable business, and baking the best cookies I've ever tasted. Mar 11, 2020

Agatha Kulaga - co-founder of Ovenly, an award-winning retail and wholesale bakery with a global footprint - stops by to talk through the early days. How do you turn your creative outlet into a business? How do you scale high quality? How do you build a distinct brand as a wholesaler? A great conversation with a very smart and talented founder.

How to Evaluate a Startup Idea Mar 04, 2020

What should it look like when you have a startup idea? What do you do first? How do you know if it's a good idea for you? We go through seven archetypes of innovation, then go through a framework to understand if you're uniquely positioned to pursue that idea. We then apply it all to a startup idea Brian has. This is the first of a few episodes testing out an idea Brian has in the food space.

INTERVIEW: Brian Linton on building United By Blue, removing millions of pounds of trash from the ocean, and scaling a purpose-driven brand. Feb 26, 2020

Brian Linton, founder of outdoor apparel and accessory brand United By Blue, stops by to tell the story of how he built a purpose-driven brand that's removed over 2 million pounds of trash from the ocean. He talks through the earliest days - how driving up and down the east coast selling t-shirts gave him the foundation to build an omni-channel brand - and the tradeoffs necessary to build a profitable brand that also has a clear philanthropic North Star.

The Selfish Score: How to build a great customer acquisition funnel Feb 19, 2020

To build a great company, you need to build a healthy customer acquisition funnel. You need a consistent flow of customers coming in the top, tactics to keep them engaged as you build your brand and story, and urgency to get them to pull the trigger. The way to measure how effective your company can be at this is to measure how selfish you can be with your customers. How often can you contact them before they get pissed? The Selfish Score measures the potential for your company to have a solid growth flywheel. So let’s get into it.

INTERVIEW: Rob Petrozzo on building Rally Rd, how to test startup ideas before you quit your job, storytelling, leveraging personas for brand and marketing, raising money, and differentiation. Feb 12, 2020

Rob Petrozzo, co-founder of Rally Rd, stops by for an awesome interview that at it's core is about storytelling. Rally Rd is growing incredibly fast, but the early days were tougher to navigate. Rob talks through how building storytelling into the DNA of the product laid the groundwork for future growth, and how early stage founders can do the same. We touch on personas, customer segmentation, fundraising, growth, team building and composition, design, and more. Enjoy!

Two mental models that'll make or break your startup + a mystery company that can't stop growing because of them Feb 05, 2020

There's a mystery company that is one of the 10 best performing stocks since 2010. You've heard of them. You've eaten (hint) their product. You'd never in a million years guess who they are. They've grown because of two mental models, and we break down how you can leverage them for your startup.

INTERVIEW: Ashley Merrill on building Lunya, the beauty of capital-constrained businesses, true differentiation, and self-doubt Jan 29, 2020

Ashley Merrill, the founder of premium sleepwear brand Lunya, stops by and delivers a masterclass on how to build a brand in the DTC era. She talks about the earliest days, about what differentiation in a crowded space really looks like, about pricing and business model, brick and mortar, focus and prioritization, and self-doubt. If you're a startup founder interested in brand, or trying to start a DTC company, get a notebook ready. This is packed with insight.

The Secret Formula to Hot Ones' Success Jan 22, 2020

Hot Ones is a show on Youtube that you've probably heard of. A host interviews guests while they each eat 10 progressively hotter hot wings. The growth is preposterous - episodes routinely get over 10 million views. Hot Ones structure is brilliant - it creates and drives the growth - and it's something you can (and better) implement in your startup.

INTERVIEW: Marc Merrill on building Riot Games (League of Legends), prioritization frameworks, and focused growth Jan 15, 2020

Marc Merrill, founder of Riot Games, joins the podcast to talk about building League of Legends into a cultural phenomenon (with over $20bn in revenue).

We discuss the early days - how he built a complex product for customers with high expectations, fundraising, managing people, growth, prioritization, and more. It's an amazing conversation with one of the sharpest and most thoughtful people I've met. Enjoy!

You Should Start a Startup in 2020 Jan 08, 2020

Fewer new businesses were started in 2019 than in 1970. That's terrible. We look at the two cognitive biases holding you back, and lay out a framework to help you overcome them and start your startup.

Idea to Startup Season 2: Build Your Startup in 2020 Dec 16, 2019

Fewer companies were started in 2019 than in 1970. That’s preposterous. This is the single best time in human history to start a company - so why aren’t more people doing it? Season Two of Idea to Startup digs into why. Brian speaks with successful founders about how they navigated the tricky early stages, and delivers solo episodes on tactics founders can implement to start something in 2020. This is the year to start your company, and this is the podcast to help you do it. See you January 8th.

INTERVIEW: Dave Idell on building Croissant, a flexible coworking company competing with giants. Aug 22, 2019

Dave Idell is the founder of Croissant, a flexible coworking company beloved by freelancers and entrepreneurs around the world. We talk about the early days - how he tested the idea, how they grew with some counter-intuitive and aggressive decisions, and how he thinks about growth. We also talk through his thoughts on early stage founders and the stuff they should nail down early. Enjoy!

INTERVIEW: Rich Fulop on Building Brooklinen, the Internet’s Favorite Sheets Aug 08, 2019

Rich and Vicki Fulop built Brooklinen after realizing there wasn’t an easy way to find and buy high quality sheets. There were no strong brands, no transparency into manufacturing - nothing they valued in a product.

This interview is about how two founders turned that core insight and little else (no textile background, no knowledge of the bedding industry, etc.) into a global brand and the sheets I happily sleep on every night (and would whether Rich came on the podcast or not). Hope you enjoy!

How to Leverage Storytelling Archetypes for Your Startup Jul 31, 2019

People probably won’t remember your startup, but they’ll remember a story. Today we lean on Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling to help you tell a story that breaks through to your customer and changes behavior.

INTERVIEW: Kim Kaupe on Building Superfan with No Funding Jul 03, 2019

Today, we’re speaking with Kim Kaupe, the founder of Superfan. Superfan was built to give fans unparalleled opportunity for engagement. Superfan works with clients like the Red Sox, Shawn Mendes, Carrie Underwood, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, and way more. Kim has built Superfan over the past eight years with $0 in funding. Additionally, she’s built a powerful personal brand that has her LinkedIn startup videos amassing 10s of thousands of views, and has placed her on all sorts of 30 under 30 lists. She talks about where personal brand is important for founders, how to build a startup without funding, how to make tough decisions, team building, and more.

INTERVIEW: Leo and Oliver Kremer on Building a Burrito Empire at Dos Toros Jun 20, 2019

Today, we’re talking burritos. Leo and Oliver Kremer founded Dos Toros in 2009 because they couldn’t find the Mission-style burritos they grew up with on the west coast anywhere in NYC. However, they weren’t cooks and had never been in the restaurant or food space. We talk to them about the early days - about validating the need, creating the supply chain, getting into brick and mortar, creating a culture, and growth. It’s an awesome, helpful, and inspiring conversation. Enjoy!

How Do You Find Founder/Startup Fit? Jun 12, 2019

You need two things to build a great startup: specific knowledge and a lever to amplify that knowledge. On today’s pod, we’ll start a CBD startup with specific knowledge and leverage mind, and hear how Tejas, founder of Via, (a Tacklebox founder) was able to build a great business on the back of a mental model.

INTERVIEW: Elizabeth Yin, founder & GP @ Hustle Fund, where they invest in “hilariously early founders” Jun 05, 2019

Elizabeth Yin is a founder and general partner at Hustle Fund, where she invests in “hilariously early founders.” Prior to Hustle Fund, she ran the accelerator program at 500 Startups, started Launchbit (acq. 2014), and she writes my favorite VC blog @ http://elizabethyin.com. We cover a lot of ground, including who should and shouldn’t raise funding, how to build a customer base pre-product, how to find angel investors, and how to prioritize during the early stages of your startup.

How to Prioritize as an Early-Stage Startup May 31, 2019

Entrepreneurs can do anything, but they can’t do everything. How do you prioritize early on? How do you differentiate? This episode presents a framework that’ll ensure you work on the things that give your startup its best chance at success.

INTERVIEW: Ben Conniff on Building Luke’s Lobster May 22, 2019

Ben and Luke, the founders of Luke's Lobster, knew how to make a killer lobster roll when they decided to start Luke’s Lobster, a lobster shack in the East Village in 2009. They didn’t know much else. Ben talks through how they were able to build an incredible company with locations all over the globe while keeping sustainability as a top priority. We focus on the early days, discussing tactics and learnings that will be extraordinarily helpful for our early stage founders.

How to Choose the Right Customer May 16, 2019

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.

INTERVIEW: Katherine Krug on Building BetterCo May 08, 2019

We chatted with Katherine Krug, founder of BetterCo. This conversation is packed with insight - you'll need a notebook handy as you listen. Katherine takes us through the tactics and tools she used to ideate and develop BetterBack, a product that raised over $3mm on Kickstarter (first solo female founder to do so). We then touch on validation techniques, not raising funding, life design frameworks, and prioritization. She also gives an amazing answer to the "Taco Truck" question.

Is Your Startup Idea Good? May 02, 2019

A walk down memory lane checking in on Brian's past startups and how you can make sure you're starting a company that has a shot at working out.

INTERVIEW: Joey Cofone on Building Baron Fig Apr 23, 2019

We chatted with Joey Cofone, founder of Baron Fig, about the early days of building the company. He touches on a bunch of helpful topics, from breaking through to your customer with his archetype of the Attention Pie, to how non-designers can prioritize design, to building a company without outside funding.

Start Here Apr 23, 2019

Most startups fail. Entrepreneurs assume there are a bunch of reasons for this, but there's really only one. Your startup will fail because of customer indifference.

This episode explores in detail a few examples of startups that have avoided this fate, and lays out a pragmatic approach to avoiding it with your idea.

Idea to Startup Teaser Apr 05, 2019

Less than 1% of all businesses raise Venture Capital money, and only a small percentage of those (again, less than 1%) end up becoming "unicorns." Yet that's all we hear about. How can you raise money? How can you build something attractive to VCs?

This podcast is for entrepreneurs that want to build real businesses. Businesses that are profitable, businesses that customers love, and businesses that will transform the founder's life.

We'll focus on early tactics that allow you to go from idea to initial product without relying on funding.