Leveling Up with Eric Siu

Latest Episodes:

Free Marketing: How Firstbase Generated 80M Twitter Impressions That Led To Mega Customers and Financing From a16z Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

Today’s guest is Chris Herd, the CEO and founder of Firstbase which is an all-in-one SaaS platform for the supply and management of assets and equipment to remote workers. After founding a remote financial technology company, Chris discovered the challenges of having a remote team which led him to found Firstbase. Since late 2019, the company has now raised over $15 million, a lot of which can be attributed to Chris’s presence on Twitter. Today he explains how he managed to generate 80 million Twitter impressions in the space of a year and how he has used the platform as his primary acquisition channel, as well as a great tool for building relationships with key decision-makers at some of the biggest investment companies and venture capital firms in the world. Tuning in you’ll hear Chris’s advice on what type of content to share, the importance of consistency, the role of spontaneity, and how to inspire conversation through the platform. Chris also shares some profound insight into the future of remote work or ‘remote living’. Hear some practical advice on remote work that most people wouldn’t know about and find out which companies are doing it really well.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:14] An introduction to today’s guest Chris Herd, CEO and founder of Firstbase.
[01:09] Some of Firstbase’s marquee clients.
[02:04] Chris’s background and what makes him different from other founders.
[02:59] How the challenges he faced having a remote team led him to found Firstbase.
[03:59] How Firstbase is making money.
[04:34] How quickly the company has grown and how much money it has raised.
[05:20] Some of the core challenges they faced scaling the company.
[06:13] The role of Twitter in building distribution.
[07:54] How Chris achieved 80 million impressions through his tweets in the last year.
[08:54] Chris’s advice on how to market your business through Twitter.
[09:51] How Twitter has benefited Firstbase.
[11:21] What Chris’s cadence is like on Twitter and the role of spontaneity.
[12:28] The two most important data points to Chris and what they say about the future of work.
[14:25] The role of in-person connection in the remote work playbook post-pandemic.
[15:51] How Chris is recruiting the best people right now through Twitter and Flocknet.
[18:09] Practical remote work advice that most people wouldn’t know about.
[19:08] Companies that are doing remote work really well.
[20:12] Remote work playbooks available online.
[20:56] A business tool Chris’s recommends: Figma.
[21:38] Insight into the size of Chris’s sales team and thoughts on whether or not they should be co-located.
[22:47] Chris’s must-read book: No Rules Rules.
[23:35] The most compelling thing that he’s watched, read or listened to: Loki.
[23:55] How to get in contact with Chris.

Resources From The Interview:

Darren Murph

Figma

Miro

Mural

Must read book: No Rules Rules

Project Hail Mary

Loki

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Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

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The Dentist that Built a 32,000 Member Community Which he Leveraged into Scalable Revenue Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

The Dentist that Built a 32,000 Member Community Which he Leveraged into Scalable Revenue

Today’s guest is Dr. Glenn Vo. Not only is he a practicing dentist who used his dentistry and entrepreneurial skills to build a multimillion-dollar practice, but he is also the founder and CEO of Nifty Thrifty Dentists, a dental company that connects dental professionals with other dental companies through discounts and deals. In this episode, he explains how he built a 32,000 member community on Facebook and leveraged it into scalable revenue. Find out how Glenn only works two days a week, why all of his other revenue streams have much more potential than his practice, and the importance of having the right ‘why’. As the author of the book Industry Influencer, Glenn is passionate about helping people to become industry influencers in their fields and build their own empires. Tune in to find out discover the importance of creating a platform, how to go about building a community, and what mistakes to avoid. Find out how to go about pursuing other revenue streams that may be available to you, and level up from being a practitioner to becoming an entrepreneur in your field!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:15] An introduction to Glenn Vo as founder of Nifty Thrifty Dentists.
[01:08] Glenn explains how he enjoyed Leveling Up and how his life mirrors Eric’s.
[01:45] Why Glenn wanted to do more than just be a dentist.
[02:28] What Glenn has in terms of assets and what his empire looks like.
[03:05] Glenn’s passion project of helping people level up in their fields and why he wrote his book Industry Influencer.
[03:55] How to level up from being a just practitioner to being an entrepreneur.
[05:26] The importance of having the right ‘why’.
[06:05] Why all of Glenn’s other revenue streams have much more potential than his practice.
[07:26] How Nifty Thrifty Dentists makes money, and the importance of having a platform.
[09:18] How he created the Facebook group and the importance of community and networking.
[11:06] How long it took him to grow the Facebook group membership.
[12:22] The number one flaw that people make when they’re trying to create a side gig: doing everything themselves.
[13:32] Glenn’s long-term plan for his practice and his other businesses.
[15:22] Why Glenn hires community managers or moderators based on their personalities and not their experience.
[16:56] Glenn’s favorite business book: Atomic Habits.
[17:27] What habit-stacking is and how it has changed Glenn’s life.
[20:50] Glenn’s favorite business tool: Voxer
[21:49] How to connect with Dr. Glenn Vo.

Resources From The Interview:

Leveling Up

Industry Influencer

Must read book: Atomic Habits

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Growth Everywhere

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How Finimize Founder Max Rofagha Quickly Built An Email Community of Over 1M Subscribers Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

Today, Eric talks to Max Rofagha, the founder of Finimize, a newsletter that makes news from the world of finance so simple that anyone can understand it and become their own financial advisor. Max shares how he came up with the idea, how he originally started a website, and why he adapted it to a newsletter. In this episode, he provides some insight into the timeline of the business, how the company makes money, and how, in a short space of time, this email community has grown to over one million subscribers. Tuning in, you’ll hear his thoughts on paid ads, how he goes about finding the best writing talent, and why he hires analysts, not journalists. Find out Max’s thoughts on the creator economy and where he sees it going, as well as the trends he’s excited about in this space. To hear some tips on helpful books and resources Max uses to level up his own skills, and insight into where he sees opportunities in the creator economy and the world of business in general, tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:15] Intro to Max Rofagha and Finimize
[01:06] Some background into Max’s career before Finimize.
[01:54] Where the Finimize headquarters are and how Max works remotely.
[02:51] Max explains what led him to start a newsletter and how he came up with the idea.
[05:26] How Finimize makes money: brand stories, premium subscriptions, licensing of content.
[07:19] How much subscriptions cost.
[07:32] The timeline of the business from when it started until now.
[07:52] Insight into how Max has grown the business and his thoughts on paid ads.
[09:52] How he finds the best writing talent and why he hires analysts not journalists.
[11:57] How Max’s career led him from e-commerce to finance, and insight into his future plans.
[14:12] Max’s thoughts on the creator economy and where he sees it going: a surge in tools to empower the creator.
[16:40] Tools or trends he’s excited about in this space.
[18:13] Max’s favorite business books.
[20:55] Max’s favorite business tool: Notion.

Resources From The Interview:

Bloomberg by Bloomberg

Who Is Michael Ovitz?

Deep Work

The Snowball

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Connect with Eric Siu:

Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

Leveling Up

Eric Siu on Twitter

Eric Siu on Instagram

How LitePink CEO Lori Harder Is Building A Rosé Seltzer Empire Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

Today’s guest is Lori Harder, a self-made millionaire, bestselling author of A Tribe Called Bliss, and the top-rated podcast host of Earn Your Happy and co-host of Girlfriends & Business. She is also in the process of building a new empire as the founder and CEO of LitePink which is the best tasting low-calorie, low-sugar premium rosé wine seltzer, created to help you drink and connect better. Lori sheds some light on how growing up in a conservative religious community influenced her career path and helped her to realize that “Your environment is stronger than your willpower.” She explains how her career in the fitness industry, and then personal development, led her to her current venture. Discover how LitePink works and makes money, why they’re selling direct to the consumer, and how Lori has uniquely found investors that have something to offer beyond just money. Lori explains the company’s marketing strategy, the value of surveys, and why they are contracting out instead of hiring in. Hear about her continued work in retreats and masterminds, and her new podcast Girlfriends & Business. Tune in today for helpful advice on how to work with a spouse or partner, and create the right environment for your business to level up!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:13] An Introduction to Lori Harder.
[01:00] Lori’s career and background. How growing up in a small religious community led her to realize that environment is stronger than willpower.
[03:53] Lori’s background in the fitness world and how her desire to help people change led her to personal development.
[05:52] How LitePink came about: How she wanted to help women connect with each other and create meaningful experiences.
[08:13] How Lori raised $2 million, completely female funded.
[08:31] The process of creating an “obsession-worthy” product.
[10:19] How LitePink works and makes money: Selling direct to consumer, cutting out the distributor, going the e-commerce route, and using their investors’ own platforms.
[12:49] The value of smaller influencers with smaller audiences.
[14:08] Insight into LitePink’s strategy and marketing avenues.
[15:48] Lori discusses her new podcast: Girlfriends in Business.
[18:22] Lori’s role in hosting retreats and masterminds, and how she is shifting her career under the LitePink umbrella.
[19:28] How Lori’s team is structured and why she has contracted a marketing company instead of hiring in-house.
[21:45] Importance of explaining your communication style, and being clear about your needs in business.
[22:45] Mistakes to avoid when working with a partner or spouse.
[26:57] The best business advice Lori can give: to have a specific conversation about how to communicate.
[28:36] Lori’s take on peer groups / Masterminds: They are the fastest ways to accelerate your business trajectory.
[32:02] Lori’s favorite book and business tool.

Resources From The Interview:

Lori Harder's Busy Girl Healthy Life Cookbook

Must read book: Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

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Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

Eric Siu on Twitter

He Went From E-commerce & Course Creator to 8 Figure Software Entrepreneur + Millions of Followers Jul 12, 2021

Show notes

Today’s guest is Kevin David a software entrepreneur and content creator who started off in e-commerce and now owns multiple eight-figure businesses. He made his first YouTube video just over four years ago and has now been viewed more than a billion times across different social media platforms, where he shares his expertise on e-commerce and gaining financial freedom. Tuning in today, you’ll hear how he first achieved success in e-commerce, transitioned into e-commerce software, and how he started all three of his software companies from the ground up. He explains how he was able to shift his mindset by surrounding himself with good people and filling his head with great books, of which he provides a number of examples. In this episode, find out why Kevin pays his CEOs so much, how he developed his social media content strategy, and how he built up his email list. As someone who has perfected the art of leveling up, Kevin is full of profound advice, so tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:43] Kevin share’s his journey as an entrepreneur and the concept of ‘the second mountain’.
[02:30] How Kevin consolidated his e-commerce businesses so he could focus on software.
[03:39] He talks about how he started all three of his software companies from the ground up.
[05:14] How he made the transition from e-commerce to teaching, to software.
[06:59] The books that helped him on his journey: The Lean Start Up, Measure What Matters.
[08:41] Why he pays his CEOs so well and the importance of incentivizing.
[10:52] How he adjusted his mindset through what he reads and surrounds himself with.
[12:33] The importance of having a thick skin when it comes to creating online content.
[13:47] A breakdown of his social media following across the different platforms, and the importance of a big email list.
[15:07] Some insight into his content strategy and how he formulated it.
[16:17] How he has built his email list: Spending money on ads.
[17:14] Thoughts on Miami vs Vegas for business: you want to live somewhere that makes you happy.
[19:04] Kevin’s favorite business book and business tool.
[22:15] How you can contact Kevin and information about his podcast.

Resources From The Interview:

The Second Mountain

JungleScout

The Lean Start Up

Must read book: Measure What Matters

Shoe Dog

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.
Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here
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What to look for in an M&A Deal Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

Today we are going to talk about what to look for in an M&A deal!

Fanduel for Esports - How Esports One Is Growing Rapidly at 20-40% MoM In A Hot Industry Jul 05, 2021

Show notes

Today’s guest is Matt Gunnin, the CEO and Co-Founder of Esports One which is the first real-time fantasy platform that makes watching esports competitive. He explains how he came up with the ingenious idea to gamify watching esports, how Esports One works, and how it’s different from traditional fantasy platforms. Tuning in, you’ll hear how it makes money, why retention is high, and why the concept seems to be working so well. Find out how Matt is growing the business, the role SEO plays in this, and how Matt is using Clubhouse to open up new ways of innovation and help level up the industry. Matt also shares his views on NFTs, and how he sees them being incorporated into the arena of esports. For all this as well as a sneak peek into the future of the platform and its upcoming games, tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:36] Some background into the games Matt has played and is still playing.
[01:12] What Esports One does, how it’s different from traditional fantasy platforms, and how it makes money.
[03:03] How users put together their own lineups and the types of additional predictions they can make.
[05:53] How the business is growing with the trend of esports.
[08:52] Current and upcoming games on the platform.
[09:10] What they’re using to grow the business apart from word of mouth and Discord.
[10:35] Matt’s experience of being an early user of Clubhouse.
[14:30] How Matt is using Clubhouse to connect with people outside of esports and help the industry grow.
[16:43] Matt’s views on NFTs and the importance of their utility.
[20:26] Where people can go to find out more about NFTs.
[21:23] Thoughts on buying CryptoPunks.
[22:42] Matt’s favorite business books and business tools.
[25:21] How to find Matt online.

Resources From The Interview:

Must read book: The Infinite Game

The Hard Thing About Hard Things

American Kingpin

Leave Some Feedback:

What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.
Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here
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Connect with Eric Siu:

Growth Everywhere

Single Grain

Leveling Up

Eric Siu on Twitter

Eric Siu on Instagram

Questions You Should Be Asking The Other Team Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

Today we are going to talk about the questions you should be asking the other team!

Simple 5-Step Mergers & Acquisitions Checklist Jun 30, 2021

Show notes

Today we are going to talk about Simple 5-Step Mergers & Acquisitions Checklist!

How Creator-Investor Garry Tan Leveled Up His Fund From $7M AUM to $770M AUM Jun 28, 2021

Show notes

Today’s guest is Garry Tan from Initialized, a company that focuses on investing in high potential software startups at the seed stage and earlier. From starting with $7 million in assets under management, his company has grown to the point where it currently has over $770 million, and they're starting to create over $100 billion in market value. He's invested in companies such as Coinbase, Opendoor, Flexport, Rippling, Patreon, Ro, and more. Even though Garry has established a name for himself as one of the world’s best venture capitalists, today on Leveling Up, he explains why he still thinks of himself as an engineer and designer first. As an investor and partner at Y Combinator, he discusses the influence of Paul Graham on his career and how he learned to be a founder. Tuning in, you’ll find out what questions Garry asks before he invests, how people who want to grow venture capital funds find him, and why angel investors should have a portfolio of at least 20 to 30 companies. Hear about how he chooses which companies to invest in, how he helps those companies level up, what the greatest achievements and failures of his career have been, and the importance of taking chances on things that are not ‘hot’!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:15] An introduction to Garry Tan and his background in investing.
[01:10] Why Garry sees himself as a creator first, not an investor.
[02:45] Garry explains how he gets deal flow: Go after communities of people who are builders.
[04:25] The influence of Paul Graham and Y Combinator on Garry and how he learned to be a founder.
[07:21] What the typical breakdown is of the exits of Initialized’s standard funds.
[09:58] How Garry chooses which companies to invest in: taking chances on things that are not ‘hot’.
[12:28] Garry talks about one of Initialized’s biggest wins.
[13:25] The top questions Garry asks when deciding which companies to invest in.
[14:22] How the company progressed from a fund of $7 million to a fund of $230 million.
[15:47] Garry explains how people who want to grow venture capital funds find him.
[18:33] How he looks at high valuations and why angel investors should have a portfolio of at least 20 - 30 companies.
[23:14] What his job as an investor looks like and how he helps the companies he’s invested in get to the next stage.
[25:12] How he creates content for his youtube channel.
[27:26] Eric talks about his YouTube video creation process.
[28:07] How Garry gained 30,000 YouTube subscribers in November.
[29:06] How he structures his content and how often he posts.
[30:00] How much time he spends on Clubhouse.
[30:59] Insight into how his brand team works.
[32:04] What Garry is currently reading and his favorite business book: Paul Graham: Hackers & Painters.
[33:40] Garry’s favorite business tool: Frame and Around