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

When Alex Elias started Qloo, “artificial intelligence” was a dirty word. A decade later, Qloo is a pioneer in AI. Qloo is an AI decision-making platform that helps corporate clients predict audience tastes and preferences. Elias says that we’re still in “the Napster era of AI” and that the hype will eventually become a subtle integration into our lives. In this episode, Elias shares about being an early adopter of AI and how he’s endured the hype to build a trusted business that Twitter once rejected. In this interview, you’ll learn: Why AI brings more problems for entrepreneurs to solve The advantages and disadvantages of being an early adopter When Qloo landed and lost Twitter as a client How not to lose your identity in your business How to develop long-term stamina as a founder Why Elias biked commuted in NYC for years How to use AI for your business beyond generative tools Why AI will become more subtle in the future And much more AI and founder mindset advice… Click here to start your bus

Shay Mitchell loves it when people approach her in public and ask about her luggage instead of a selfie. The multi-hyphenate founder never wanted her brand to be BÉIS by Shay Mitchell; she wanted her business to stand alone as a solution for customers. Mitchell is an actress, producer, entrepreneur, activist, mother, and author. She’s best known for her work on the hit show "Pretty Little Liars,” but has transitioned the Hollywood glitz for the boardroom blitz. Since 2017, she’s founded three companies: Amore & Vita Productions, BÉIS travel wear, and Onda canned sparkling tequila. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the name play a huge part in BÉIS development Mitchell’s philosophy of learning Why she’s still a consumer first About the lengthy sampling and design process for BÉIS How BÉIS turned negative publicity into a viral pop-up event Four ways to partner with talent for your business. How Drake became Onda’s first and best customer About Mitchell’s new upcoming travel show Thirst If she’s

Ezra Firestone’s businesses generated $70M in revenue last year, but he says he’s just “some guy.” He started his first ecommerce store in 2006, selling Marge Simpson wigs. Despite being a high school dropout with no experience or education, he was determined to make his business work. Two decades later, he’s invested and co-founded five successful businesses, including Smart Marketer, an ecom education platform that helps entrepreneurs run stores that generate over $20 million in yearly revenue. In this episode, Firestone leans on his decades of experience to outline the fundamentals of a revenue-generating ecom business. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why you don’t have to be “book smart” to be successful Firestone’s step-by-step sales funnel Why you need a basket-building product at the beginning The benefit of a merchandising strategy The three core aspects of business What conversion-based commerce means A TikTok Shop secret How he almost went broke selling 8,000 Marge Simpson wigs Why havin

At 67, Guy Kawasaki is still evangelizing about products. After building a tech career at Apple under Steve Jobs, Kawasaki set out on a winding career path, including founding startups, giving viral Ted Talks, investing in unicorns like Canva, and writing 16 books. Eight years after his last podcast appearance, Nathan Chan catches up with Kawasaki to distill his decades of wisdom down to the essential functions of creating a painkiller product that people love. In this interview you’ll learn: The two key functions of entrepreneurs Why remarkable people have a growth mindset When Steve Jobs tricked Guy while working at Apple Getting mistaken for Jackie Chan What makes a mission-led a**hole worth working for How to create painkiller products for customers To build confidence in small successes Why failure is okay, but you should try and prevent it What is evangelism marketing and how to use it for business And much more founder advice and stories… Click here to start your business for $1. You’l

A year after filming, Alicia Scott anxiously watched her appearance on Shark Tank surrounded by friends and family. Her pitch was first on the episode, and she nailed it by securing a deal from Emma Grede, the business mind behind Kardashian brands like SKIMS and Good American. Scott then pulled up her Shopify store. The numbers were shocking. In one weekend, she made six months' worth of revenue. Two years after the air date, Scott's built Range Beauty into a million-dollar ecommerce beauty brand that’s inclusive of all skin shades and types.  In this episode, you'll learn: To start your business by social listening How Range Beauty 10x sales after Scott quit her job Why you should date your manufacturers What Shark Tank is like for an indie brand What it's like to have Emma Grede as a mentor and investor Why losing her first brand name was a blessing in disguise How to differentiate your brand in the beauty industry You need to love sharing your pitch Challenges as a Black founder in the beauty sp

When Gordon Ramsay follows your Instagram account, you take notice. That’s how Daniel Winer, co-founder of Hexclad, started his business relationship with the superstar TV chef, which has become a full-fledged partnership. Winer launched Hexclad in 2016 by maxing out credit cards and emptying his savings. Today, the $400 million business is a DTC darling in the cookware industry, endorsed by celebrities and Michelin star chefs.  In this interview, you’ll learn:  How Winer lost hundreds of thousands in his first business The hostile reaction he got from investors while pitching Hexclad Risking everything he had for Hexclad’s breakthrough  How to deliver the right message for your business  Why Costco was a cheat code for Hexclad  How to make a compelling value proposition The steps to develop a unique product  How he got Gordon Ramsay as a partner  Advice on monetized relationships with celebrities   And much more DTC business advice…   Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-acce

If you want to build a website for your business that stands out, Avishai Abrahami believes that you need to care about what your customers are trying to do. Avishai is the CEO and co-founder of the website platform Wix. Founded in 2006, under Abrahami's leadership, Wix has grown to 254M users in 191 countries and 22 languages and went public in 2013 with a $800M valuation. In this episode, Chan and Abrahami break down the fundamentals of business websites and how AI speeds up development for founders with limited resources. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to bring your personal story into your website Why great products focus on what the customer wants Why Abrahami doesn’t think a 12-hour working day is difficult His takes on AI and what it looks like in five years Why he only makes four decisions a quarter How AI makes a first version website better Why founders need to be obsessed What makes a great website for founders And much more founder and web design advice… Click here to start your

An investor told Joe Thomas and his co-founders that they could exit to Salesforce for millions if they made their video recording software for sales teams. Thomas and his co-founder said no. Instead, they built Loom into a globally used tool with five million users in 230+ countries. In November of 2023, Atlassian acquired Loom for $975 million. Learn how Thomas trusted his gut and made Loom a must-have for the digital workforce.  In this episode, you’ll learn:  The 8-year overnight success story of building Loom   Loom’s key differentiator in the market  How to not bury the lede of your product market fit  Why early-stage founders need to maximize their learnings The value of a weekly Sunday dinner About making a product customers will like and pay for The product-led growth trap  Why every 90 days are different as an entrepreneur  How Thomas monetization Loom  To create a max diff survey for product upselling Choosing the uncertain path  And much more product development advice… Who do you w

How do you go from dead last to the No. 1 restaurant in the world? By channeling your anger. Listen to Nathan Chan and restaurateur-founder Will Guidara discuss the strategy behind making Eleven Madison Park into an icon and the stories that inspired the hit television show The Bear.  In this episode, you’ll learn:  How Guidara went from restaurateur to consultant founder Why he gamified everything for his team About the fueling power of anger Why coming in last changed everything for Guidara To invest in unscalable things  The story that inspired an iconic TV scene Off-brand ideas will bring your customers joy Why hospitality is competition-proof  About an online business with impeccable hospitality The value of spending time with your customers About the “one push-up” mentality  And much more customer service advice… Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advi

Email is still the highest converting and cheapest marketing channel for ecommerce. But how can you scale your program, protect against unsubs, and stay engaged with your audience? Ecommerce email marketer Chase Dimond returns to the podcast for a state of email marketing in 2024, including what AI tools are helping brands reach their audience efficiently. Dimond is an ecommerce email marketer and partner at Structured. Since launching in June 2018, Structured has helped clients send over a billion emails, resulting in over $150 million in email-attributable revenue.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why email accounts for up to half of ecommerce revenue  7 steps to set up your email marketing program  Why email only converts if you have good leads coming through How frequently you should send emails  Why a preference page will save unsubscribes  Frequency vs variety  Why you should allow people to self-select  About AI email tools  Dimond’s AI hacks for scaling content  What is predictive analytics 

From the age of two, Justin Flom has performed magic tricks. But the trick he never expected to do was turn a performance career into a social entertainment empire. In 2020, the pandemic forced Flom to go all-in on the internet, and within three months, he hit six figures in revenue. In this episode, Flom reveals how he approaches his content creation, which has amassed 30 billion views on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. Surprisingly, his success started by making himself disappear.   In this interview, you’ll learn: Why Flom’s real job is a data analyst  How to make swipe-feed algorithm content  Why everything is about the opening shot  What does “barrier to exit” mean for social Why Flom is the #2 creator on YouTube behind Mr. Beast Why anonymity is Flom’s strategy  Views vs. reach  TikTok’s secret creator test  The importance of watch time percentage  How he lost his TikTok account twice  And much more short-form content strategy… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us

Including thank you cards in your packaging could hurt your business. Find out why from Hero Packaging’s Anaita Sarkar as she discusses the myths around sustainable and eco-friendly packaging with Nathan Chan. Plus, she’ll share advice from starting two companies from scratch, covering TikTok marketing, packaging, demand generation, and more. Sarkar is the CEO and co-founder of Hero Packaging, author of Sell Anything Online, and ecommerce advisor.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Anaita’s backstory from accountant to eBay seller to founder  About her book, Sell Anything Online Anaita’s sales formula  Why TikTok is the best way to get brand awareness  Her 15-minute TikTok creation strategy  Why your bio link needs multiple pathways That you don’t need to show your face in content Why sustainable packaging is easier than it seems About the thank you card debate The importance of demand and cash flow How to not get overwhelmed with AI tools And much more small business advice…  Who do you want to

Marketing is expensive. But you can get your brand in front of people much cheaper–by giving something away for free. In Neil Patel’s return to the podcast, he’ll share lessons from years of marketing consulting and explain why free products are cheaper for your business in the long run. If you haven’t seen Patel on social media, he’s the co-founder of Crazy Egg and Hello Bar and helps companies like NBC, GM, HP, and Viacom grow their revenue. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to generate leads using referrals  Why Neil believes “growth at all costs” is wrong How to prioritize profitability in your business  That giving away a free product works  How to make marketing financially viable Patel’s AI tools for data and content production  Why AI isn’t a magic solution to business problems What’s difficult about implementing AI And much more marketing and AI advice…  *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023.  Who do you want to see next on the podc

Forgetting to hit record, the power going out, meeting heroes, and gaining friends. 500 episodes in, and Nathan Chan is still hungry for the next open-book conversation. In a special 500th episode of the Foundr Podcast, Chan lays everything on the table for a special AMA (ask me anything) from his favorite founders–YOU!  In this episode, you’ll learn:  The workplace horror story that shaped Nathan The origin of the podcast  What makes the best and worst interview guest  About successful founders who’ve started from nothing  Awkward and funny moments from 500 podcast episodes The most common advice from guests  How Nathan got comfortable in front of the camera Nathan’s daily routine and habits  Ecommerce advice from Nathan And much more behind the scenes of the podcast… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get ex

If Noah Kagan hadn’t gotten fired at Facebook, his stock would be worth millions. But he wouldn’t have it any other way. In his return to the podcast, Kagan and Nathan Chan commiserate over shared founder struggles, hot takes on entrepreneurship, and how to get out of the way of your own success.  Noah Kagan founded AppSumo, a digital marketplace where you can discover, buy, and sell the products you need to grow your business. He’s also the author of the book Million Dollar Weekend and runs a popular YouTube channel with a million subscribers.  In this interview you’ll learn:  Kagan’s notorious firing from Facebook Overcoming his fears as a CEO How to get a connection with anyone Why Kagan and Chan are jealous of Alex Hormozi How to make a business on a weekend Why sticking with a business is so hard The importance of three customers in 48 hours Examples of ripe industries to start a business And many more entrepreneurship hot takes… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us

How do you go from zero to 100,000 followers in 30 days? By removing ego. After multiple failed business ideas, Domenic Ashburn ran an AI experiment to gain 100K social followers in 30 days. He did it in 22 days. By sharing his learnings, Ashburn developed a cult following and placed himself as an influencer in AI implementation. He is also the founder of Grateful Labs, an AI teaching platform. Nathan Chan talks with Ashburn, AKA Mr. Grateful, about embracing AI and using it to change your life.  In this interview, you’ll learn:  Why Domenic doesn’t think he has a job How he used AI to get 100,000 followers in 30 days His steps to build a million-dollar business using AI Why AI is the co-founder of his business Making $100,000 from FounderGPT Why humans are the problem with AI  The suite of AI tools Domenic uses Why listening to your own AI voice is better for learning Domenic’s takes on AI advancements  Why you should be grateful for this era  And much more AI advice… Who do you want to see ne

Whether you like it or not, your competitors use AI to sell on Amazon. Melisa Fong says don’t get left behind. Vong is a founder, mentor, and investor in multiple 6-figure and 7-figure ecommerce brands. She’s also the instructor of our Infinite Amazon course. Vong returns to the podcast to teach how to incorporate AI into your Amazon strategy.  In this interview, you’ll learn: The state of Amazon selling in 2024  Why you have to build a brand to make money How to do a photoshoot for super cheap with AI Why being a small business is an advantage  AI tools to maximize your Amazon listings Why it will be easier than ever to launch a business Amazon AI prompts to help your business Why Bing is underrated  And many more Amazon tips and tricks… *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you

Ronnie Teja has a strong personality, and he knows it. That’s why he’s not afraid to give his opinions on the state of SEO. Teja returns to the podcast to break down how to use SEO to gain traffic and the AI tools to scale at speeds. He is a self-taught digital marketer, entrepreneur, and founder of Branzio watches, with a portfolio of 14 other brands. In this interview, you’ll learn:  The state of SEO marketing  Why Google is valuing old-school forums  To use Bing and ChatGPT to create SEO content  How to use a test site to learn what Google likes Ranking locally using pillar pages Why TikTok Shop is significantly cheaper than Amazon About Facebook’s Advantage+ shopping campaigns The basic AI tools you should be using And much more…  *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enj

How did two former co-workers turned content creators find themselves partying at Elon Musk’s house? Listen to find out. ​​ Cody Ko and Noel Miller are the creators of the Tiny Meat Gang Podcast as well as the production company TMG Studios. The duo first rose to internet fame on Vine. They’re now some of the most successful YouTubers in the world, with close to 12 million subscribers across their channels. We chatted with the content creators to learn how they navigated the past decade of internet entertainment to build a business on laughs.  In this interview, you’ll learn: How Cody and Noel started making videos on their lunch breaks The financial strategies to become a full-time content creator What brand partnerships are the best fit Why Cody and Noel started a podcast network  The technical challenges and benefits of a network  The business behind entertainment content  How Cody and Noel view data and trends  One crazy fan’s unusual gift  And much more content creator talk… Who do you wan

Phoenix Ha says media buying is like dating because there’s so much noise. So, how can you create an ad that makes the audience feel like they’ve found the one? Get ready for a media buying crash course. Phoenix Ha is the CEO of Ad Beacon, a leading data company that helps founders stop burning ad spend and start scaling faster in a post-iOS 14 environment. She’s also one of the new instructors of our updated course, How to Run Facebook Ads 2.0.  Listen to Nathan and Phoenix discuss: The trend of deep discounting  How to win in media buying Building up valuable first-party data  The differences in attribution and tracking tools  Find the quiet with ad creative  Why static is on the comeback  Ad variations and A/B testing  How to make ads outside the box  AI tools for paid media  Why we’ll never go back to ads before iOS 14 And much more media buying advice… *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023. Who do you want to see next on the podcast?