Nikonomics - The Economics of Small Business

Latest Episodes:

124 - How to Piggyback Your Way to Success: AI, Med Spas, Golf Courses and More with Chris Koerner Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), and my business partner Chris Koerner (https://x.com/mhp_guy) as we explore different cool business ideas: Med Spas and Golf Courses and AI Agents. We kick things off with a lighthearted story about a raisin cane's visit and a "Think You Should Leave" t-shirt. Then, we dive into the booming Med Spa market, driven by millennials obsessed with health and aging. We discuss the potential of integrating Med Spas with golf courses and other membership-based businesses, like tennis clubs. Chris shares an idea about a sauna/cold plunge business inside a gym or country club. We then shift gears to AI agents, discussing how to leverage them for market research and opportunity identification, including how to find and extract insights from interviews. We wrap up with a review of OpenAI’s new tools, GPT Operator and Deep Research, weighing their pros and cons for business applications.

Questions This Episode Answers:

What makes Med Spas such a rapidly growing market, and how can entrepreneurs capitalize on this trend?
How can businesses piggyback on existing establishments like golf courses or gyms to gain a competitive edge and increase revenue?
Are cold plunges and saunas an oversaturated market, or is there still room for growth?
How can AI be leveraged to identify ideal business locations and understand market dynamics?
What are the key advantages and disadvantages of using OpenAI’s GPT Operator and Deep Research for business research and analysis?

Share your ideas with us:

Nik@cofounders.com
Chris@cofounders.com

00:00 Highlights
00:33 Family Outing at Raisin Cane's
01:07 The Iconic '55 Burgers' Shirt
03:11 Med Spas and Their Growing Popularity
04:50 Med Spas in Golf Courses: A New Trend?
06:25 Revenue Models and Business Strategies
10:57 Cold Plunge and Sauna Business Ideas
16:50 Leveraging AI for Business Success
24:13 Practical Tips for Entrepreneurs
27:27 Unveiling Deep Research Capabilities
28:49 Exploring Chris Crone's Profile with Deep Research
29:59 Deep Research: Asking the Right Questions
31:19 Maximizing Deep Research on a Budget
33:05 Introducing GPT Operator and Deep Research
34:43 Impact on Industry Reports and Market Analysis
37:14 Challenges and Limitations of GPT Operator
40:27 The Future of AI and Self-Driving Technology
45:04 Deep Research: Pros and Cons
48:24 Practical Applications and Early Adoption

123 - How I Made $150K in 3 Weeks with Christmas Lights (After a Job Selling Toothpaste) with Anne McGinty Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

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Anne's Podcast: How I Built My Small Business
https://www.annemcginty.com/how-i-built-my-small-business

Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I speak with Anne McGinty, who shares her journey from a demoralizing sales job selling toothpaste to building a successful Christmas light hanging business. Anne discusses her early hustle in the Bay Area, including a greeting card business and real estate investments in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She emphasizes the importance of making connections and getting to know people in sales.

Anne explains how she and her husband stumbled upon the idea for a Christmas lighting business after hearing about others making six figures doing it. She highlights their strategy of targeting price-insensitive neighborhoods like Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights in San Francisco to maximize efficiency and recurring business. Anne also touches on their focus on customer service, communication, and quality to achieve an 85% customer retention rate.

Questions this Episode Answers:

How can you turn a simple side hustle into a thriving seasonal business?
What are the key factors in achieving high customer retention in a service-based business?
How does focusing on high-net-worth areas impact business growth and profitability?
What strategies can you use to effectively market a seasonal service with a limited budget?
How do you decide when it's the right time to sell a successful business and transition to passive income?

This week we covered:

00:00 Highlights
00:40 Introduction and Early Career Struggles
02:00 First Steps into Entrepreneurship
03:16 Real Estate Ventures and Success
06:39 Cultural Influences and Family Background
14:05 The Christmas Lighting Business
21:19 Entrepreneurial Mindset and Philosophy
25:35 Reflecting on the Journey
25:43 Launching the Business
26:20 Early Challenges and Strategies
29:17 Customer Acquisition Tactics
29:59 Unexpected Ventures and Learnings
32:46 Financial Insights and Growth
37:47 Selling the Business
42:44 Reflections and Future Plans

122 - TOP PICK! How to Start a Business in 2025 (Two-Step Guide) with Michael Girdley Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I speak with Michael Girdley (https://x.com/girdley), a serial entrepreneur and investor, about building a business, avoiding common mistakes, and identifying future opportunities. Michael shares insights from his diverse experiences, from Alamo Fireworks to Gertling Media, emphasizing the importance of experience and strategic business choices. We delve into overrated business opportunities and explore unconventional business models.

Questions this Episode Answers:

What two-step process would Michael Girdley follow to build a business in 2025, and how would he make his first million dollars?
Why does Michael Girdley advise against buying a business as your first venture, especially for a young entrepreneur?
What are some overrated business opportunities in today’s market, and what sectors hold promise for the future?
What is Michael Girdley's contrarian belief about business, and how does it influence his perspective on career choices and entrepreneurial paths?
What unconventional business model does Michael find fascinating?

This week we covered:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background
01:00 Business Ventures and Investments
01:44 Current Business Scale and Operations
03:09 Starting Over in 2025: Step-by-Step Guide
05:13 The Value of Experience and Financial Safety
07:11 Starting a Low-Capex Services Business
10:01 The Reality of Online Courses
14:19 The Hold Co Conference and Learning from Failure
19:44 Sympathizing with the Struggles of Entrepreneurs
19:15 The Fine Line Between Faking It and Failing
21:22 Excitement for the Upcoming Conference
22:09 The Concept of an Unconference
23:21 Challenges and Risks in Event Planning
24:28 Innovative Business Models in Event Management
29:22 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
32:24 Contrarian Views on Business Opportunities
35:16 The Importance of Personal Fit in Career Choices
38:32 Different Paths to Entrepreneurship
39:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

121 - Is Dan Peña a Genius or a Fraud? What "The Trillion Dollar Man" Really Teaches with Chris Koerner Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), and my business partner Chris Koerner (https://x.com/mhp_guy) as we discuss the world of self-help gurus, focusing on the controversial Dan Pena. We discuss Pena's background and his claims of building a massive oil company and hosting $30,000 mastermind seminars. We unpack his extreme persona and tactics, while also trying to understand his success. We debate the value of his teachings, and the question of whether his advice is actually helpful. We also explore a real-life negotiation with a group using Pena's brand, and discuss the important difference between motivational speaking and providing a concrete business plan. We finish off by discussing AI, and the possibility of creating businesses that protect consumers from the spam resulting from new technologies.

Questions This Episode Answers:

Is there any real value in Dan Pena’s QLA method, or is it all just hype?
How can you differentiate between a good business guru, like Alex Hormozi, and a bad one, like Dan Pena?
How can we apply the positive aspects of Pena’s extreme self-belief in a reasonable way?
How can you identify emerging business opportunities by thinking of both the "disease" and the "cure," specifically in relation to new technologies like AI?
How can you think of new businesses by productizing the prompts you use in chat GPT or other AI tools?

Share your ideas with us:

Nik@cofounders.com
Chris@cofounders.com

00:00 Introduction to Controversial Gurus
00:58 Meet Dan Pena: The Trillion Dollar Man
02:09 Dan Pena's Predictions and Background
03:59 Dan Pena's Business Ventures
08:32 The QLA Principles Unveiled
13:28 A Personal Encounter with Dan Pena's Team
18:05 Unshakable Belief in Entrepreneurship
18:51 The Fyre Fest and WeWork Examples
20:06 Alex Hormozi's Tactical Approach
20:47 Sales Gurus and Their Strategies
22:11 Dan Pena's Podcast Invitation
25:43 AI and the Future of Outbound Marketing
28:00 AI Tools and Consumer Defense
36:22 PhD-Level Autonomous Agents
37:52 Productizing AI Prompts
40:27 Exploring Custom GPTs

120 - TOP PICK! How to Build a Million Dollar Business with James Camp Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I speak with James Camp (https://x.com/JamesonCamp), a serial entrepreneur who shares his journey from doing SEO as a teen to building and exiting multiple companies. James discusses his strategy of buying "unsexy" internet businesses, emphasizing cash flow, and leveraging distribution. He also delves into his past experiences in affiliate marketing, and his thoughts on the importance of a strong personal brand. We explore his future plans, which include a potential move into investment banking and a greater focus on content creation.

Questions this Episode Answers:

How can early experiences in SEO and affiliate marketing shape an entrepreneurial approach?
What are the advantages of acquiring "unsexy" internet businesses and focusing on cash flow?
How can distribution channels be leveraged to drive growth and find new business opportunities?
What are the key differences between product-focused tech companies and those focused on customer acquisition?
How can personal brand be a competitive advantage when attracting investors and building a business?

This week we covered:

00:00 Highlights
00:29 Introduction and Early Ventures
00:58 Transition to Unsexy Internet Businesses
03:28 Current Portfolio and Investments
06:24 Lessons from Aggregating Small Businesses
10:10 Early Entrepreneurial Journey
13:40 Nightclub Promoter to Entrepreneur
15:58 Challenges and Setbacks
18:22 Focus on Distribution and Customer Acquisition
22:12 Debating Pronunciations and Stock Market Comparisons
23:10 The Value of Distribution and Course Selling
24:56 Personal Branding and Polarizing Marketing
28:07 Financial Goals and Realistic Expectations
35:29 Investment Strategies and Business Models
40:20 The Concept of Wrappers in Business
43:32 Future Plans and Midlife Reflections

119 - How to Find High-Paying Consulting Clients (and What to Do Once You Land Them) with Sean O'Dowd Feb 10, 2025

Show notes

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I speak with Sean O’Dowd (https://x.com/SeanODowd15), who runs the real estate fund Scholastic Capital. Sean shares how he went from consulting to building a fund that buys single-family homes in good school districts. He explains how he used platforms like Catalant to find high-paying consulting clients and emphasized the importance of functional skills and being a business "athlete". Sean also discusses how he leveraged his consulting income to begin building a real estate portfolio and how Twitter became crucial for networking, fundraising, and finding legal help. We also touch on his unique strategy of building a portfolio in the upper Midwest, and targeting a $100 million valuation.

Questions this Episode Answers:

How can you leverage consulting to fund your entrepreneurial ventures?
What strategies can you use to find high-paying consulting clients on platforms like Catalant?
How can Twitter be a surprisingly powerful tool for networking and fundraising?
How to structure a real estate fund including management fees, preferred returns and investor distributions?
What are the long-term financial benefits of growing a fund to over $100 million?

This week we covered:

00:00 Highlights
00:40 Introduction to the Real Estate Fund
01:08 From Consulting to Real Estate
01:48 The Consulting Journey
02:33 Breaking into Entrepreneurship
03:49 The Catalan Experience
04:30 Financial Success and Lifestyle Changes
12:40 Starting the Real Estate Fund
17:40 Understanding the Fund Structure
18:23 Management Fees and Team Building
19:11 GP LP Model Explained
19:39 Preferred Returns and Fund Models
20:10 Hiring and Operational Costs
23:23 Growth Strategy and Future Plans
25:45 Acquisition Strategy and Market Focus
28:23 Twitter as a Fundraising Tool
31:46 Investor Relations and Transparency
32:55 Current Performance and Market Tactics

118 - How to Start a High-Profit "Convenience" Business (That's Not a Scam) with Chris Koerner Feb 07, 2025

Show notes

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), and my business partner Chris Koerner (https://x.com/mhp_guy) as we discuss the world of sales and unexpectedly profitable business models, such as pest control, a field Chris has personal experience in. We examine how high incomes can be achieved through door-to-door sales, as well as the financial dynamics of the pest control industry. We also discuss the compensation structure of sales crews and the potential of renting out specialized licenses. We explore the idea of pest control as a convenience service rather than a necessity, and share the story of an entrepreneur who achieved remarkable success with a Christmas lighting business.

Questions This Episode Answers:

How can door-to-door sales lead to high income, even seven-figure earnings
What are the underlying economics of a high-margin service business like pest control?
What are the less obvious revenue opportunities within established industries, such as renting out licenses?
How can one identify and capitalize on "convenience" businesses?

Share your ideas with us:

Nik@cofounders.com
Chris@cofounders.com

00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdotes
03:36 The Economics of Pest Control
06:45 Insights on Sales Ethics and Practices
12:12 Personal Experiences in Pest Control
15:50 Questioning the Effectiveness of Pest Control
17:15 Revelation: Pest Control is a Scam
18:08 The Convenience Business Model
19:22 Success Story: Christmas Lighting Business
24:46 Entrepreneurial Spectrum: Different Approaches
27:02 Learning from Mistakes: The Importance of Knowledge

117 - How He Used Legacy Media to Build a $100M+ Business Empire with Craig Fuller Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I speak with Craig Fuller (https://x.com/freightAlley), a prolific entrepreneur who has built multiple successful businesses in the transportation and media industries. Craig shares his journey from trying to build a futures market for trucking to discovering the power of media and distribution. He explains how his data business, Sonar, was initially driven by his media company, FreightWaves, and how he later acquired numerous legacy media publications under the Firecrown umbrella. Craig discusses his strategy of buying established media brands with strong brand equity and loyal audiences to leverage them for non-media business opportunities, and emphasizes the value of owning distribution. He also touches on the importance of being malleable as a founder, and how his original ideas often shifted in response to new information. We also discuss his acquisition of a massive model railroad museum and his plans to create a physical experience tied to his media empire.

Questions this Episode Answers:

Why is distribution more important than product development?
How can legacy media properties be used to drive business growth?
How can entrepreneurs leverage print media in a digital world?
How can owning an audience create new business opportunities?
Why is it so important to own distribution when launching a business?

00:00 The Media Empire: Building a Diverse Portfolio
02:53 Navigating the Complexities of Media and Data Businesses
06:10 The Evolution of FreightWaves: From Idea to Execution
09:06 Understanding Market Dynamics: The Role of Data in Freight
11:57 The Importance of Distribution in Business Success
15:11 The Journey of Entrepreneurship: Embracing Flexibility and Adaptation
18:02 The Power of Media: Influencing Perceptions and Driving Sales
20:53 The Role of NDAs and Trust in Business Relationships
24:07 Acquisition Strategy: Building a Media Network through Legacy Brands
30:40 Overview of Nikolas Hulewsky's Podcast and Business Insights
31:09 The Value of Legacy Print Media
32:08 Acquisition Strategies for Traditional Media
34:03 The Lindy Effect and Long-Lasting Brands
35:30 Building Community and Audience Engagement
36:54 Rapid Expansion in Media Acquisitions
39:21 Creating a Transportation Museum Experience
40:18 The Power of Physical Experiences
44:08 Framework for Identifying Media Opportunities
51:15 Leveraging Local Healthcare for Media Opportunities
56:28 The Case for Buying Sports Illustrated

116 - How This Mom Built a 7-Figure Business from Home and How You Can Too with Jayne Havens Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

Click Here to Become a Certified Sleep Consultant

Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I speak with Jayne Havens, who built a 7-figure sleep consulting business from her kitchen. Jayne shares how she transitioned from event planning to helping parents with their children's sleep, initially through Facebook groups. She now runs an online sleep consultant certification program, which is the main source of revenue, and offers two-week virtual consultations using text and email. Jayne emphasizes the power of a strong mindset and her experience with sales, that helped her grow her business. Jayne's success is also a result of recognizing a need, having a good understanding of her customer and her service and ultimately scaling her business by creating an online training program.

Questions this Episode Answers:

How can you start a business from home using social media?
How do you scale a service-based business by creating a training program?
How does having the right mindset influence business growth?
How can a business owner create a training program that provides value for its students?
How can you transition from a side hustle to a 7-figure business?

Enjoy the conversation!
__________________________

Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback.
Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or send me an email at Nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts.
__________________________
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___________________________

00:00 Introduction to Sleep Consulting Business
06:04 Understanding Client Needs
11:52 The Journey to Entrepreneurship
17:54 Service Structure and Client Interaction
26:15 Automating Communication for Efficiency
32:46 Building a Business: Time and Effort Required
39:19 Creating a Comprehensive Training Program
45:21 The Changing Landscape of Parenting and Sleep Training

115 - TOP PICK! The Easiest Way to Make Money with AI (No Code) with Chris Koerner Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), and my business partner Chris Koerner (https://x.com/mhp_guy) as we explore how AI is changing the world and uncover exciting AI business ideas. We discuss the rise of digital detox, the impact of po*nography addiction and phone addiction, and how these growing issues present business opportunities.

We also break down the business of AI prompts, including how to sell prompts on platforms like PromptBase.com - and why a single prompt can be the foundation for an entire SaaS product. Plus, we talk about how prompts are becoming the new SEO, the power of AI wrappers in simplifying complex tools, and an AI-powered tool concept that helps entrepreneurs find great business ideas by analyzing their data and personal experiences.

Questions This Episode Answers:

How can you build a business around AI prompts and sell them profitably?
Why are digital detox and porn addiction recovery becoming big business opportunities?
How do AI wrappers make complex tools easier to use and monetize?
What makes prompts the new SEO, and how can you capitalize on it?
How can AI help entrepreneurs discover their next big business idea?

Links and Resources:

https://promptbase.com - Buy and sell prompts for AI tools.
https://replit.com - Make a chatbot.
https://www.cursor.com - Tool that helps you coding and creating apps.

Share your ideas with us:

Nik@cofounders.com
Chris@cofounders.com

Enjoy the conversation!
__________________________
Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback.
Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or send me an email at Nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts.
__________________________
MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT
___________________________
This week we covered:
00:00 Exploring Business Opportunities in AI
02:52 Digital Addiction and Its Impact
06:08 The Role of po*nography in Modern Society
08:55 Creating Retreats for Digital Detox
11:46 Leveraging AI for Business Ideas
15:08 The Power of Prompts in AI
17:59 Building SaaS Products from Prompts
20:49 The Concept of Wrappers in Business
24:08 Using AI for Personal and Business Growth
26:55 Accountability and Idea Validation with AI

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