Founder's Journal: Recent Episodes
Morning Brew
Alex Lieberman, the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Morning Brew, gives you an insider’s look into building businesses. Alex explores the founder’s journey, from the painful challenges of 0-to-1 to the powerful frameworks that help you scale to millions in revenue as well as the emotional rollercoaster that is present throughout.
Episode 41: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) talks about the Paradox of Success, what it is, and why it’s important. It’s an issue that Alex, and many other successful entrepreneurs grapple with as they continue to find success. In the end, Alex shares his tips on how to stay grounded and avoid the paradox.
Timestamps: (00:16): Intro (03:21): My relationship with money (07:01): The paradox of success (10:45): How to stay grounded
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
Links:
Be The Idiot In The Room
Why Successful Business Minds Have Paranoid Brains
Why 'Standard Operating Procedures' Suck
10 Valuable Lessons From a Successful Show
4 Takeaway From Threads
Prof G Markets: How Scott Manages His Money
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Volatile markets and inflation are top of mind for investors. We kick off season 4 by exploring the current economic and financial landscape and the tools investors can use to navigate it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 38: Building an audience or following on social media is no longer an influencer-exclusive goal. Entrepreneurs and business builders can leverage a large following to reap benefits to their business. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) breaks down 5 easy, doable steps to build a content strategy to build a better audience in today’s connected world.
Timestamps: (00:18): Intro (01:14): Why build an audience (03:46): Define your goals (05:56): Build your content pillars (10:06): Picking your audience (12:49): Choose your platform (15:33): Content that sings (16:04): 2 buckets for content
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Links:
Nick Huber episode
https://twitter.com/businessbarista/status/1352277955460915200?s=20
How to Make Viral Content: Tips for Creating & Writing Content That Goes Viral
Shaan Puri on X: "most people's writing is boring, or too complicated. here's 7 things that will make you a better writer. Let's start with the most non-obvious tip:" / X
https://twitter.com/AlexAndBooks_/status/1427332625061093383?s=20
https://twitter.com/WrongsToWrite/status/1553693728958824448?s=20
Justin Welsh on Twitter: "Here's what you'll learn by reading this: 1. Avoiding the biggest thread mistakes 2. How to write a great thread body 3. Using headers and white space 4. Writing a great CTA for the end 5. Establishing your "hook Tweet" 6. 3 killer openers Let's dive in ↓" / X
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 35: Codie Sanchez (@Codie_Sanchez) stops by to drop off gems about business building. As someone who’s used to going against the grain, she proudly wears the title of “unemployable,” in that she was meant to be an entrepreneur. Codie walkthrough 6 tips to help make the founder’s journey easier.
Timestamps: (01:37): Contrarian thinking (06:02): It gets lonely when building (07:51): Check your bank account (08:25): Waking up at 5AM (09:52): Efficient days vs. effective days (11:22): No is a full sentence (14:04): Addressing the peanut gallery
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Links: Codie Sanchez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 34: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) reviews the article “Choose Good Quests” and talks about 4 types of quests every entrepreneur will have to choose from. Knowing which quest you’re on can determine how much effort you should be placing on your current quest. Secondly, Alex reflects on his own journey and evaluates which quest he is undertaking. Which quest are you on?
Timestamps: (00:15): Listener feedback (02:39): The 4 types of quests (06:35): Reflections on my quests (10:48): Founders who are on good quests
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
Links:
Choose Good Quests - by Trae Stephens and Markie Wagner
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 33: Lace them up! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) dives into the meteoric rise of Hoka, the popular shoe brand that just crossed the $1 billion mark in revenue. Since the pandemic, it went from having less than 10% of Deckers’ (parent company) revenue to nearly 40%, and a stock that is up 375% over the last 5 years. Learn more about the history of this niche, French brand; and how you can apply it to your business.
Timestamps: (01:15): History of Hoka (04:35): Great product for big problem (05:48): Obsessive focus on a core audience (09:38): How did Hoka rise so quickly? (12:58): The shift in marketing
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com Links:
Fly Human Fly | HOKA®
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 32: Romeen Sheth (@RomeenSheth) steps in for a guest founder’s journal to share his 3 frameworks related to talent. These simple, but effective frameworks can help any founder hire the right talent to make their organization successful. Not a founder? This also benefits those who are looking for a career change or evaluation by knowing when it's time transition into a new role and how to approach it.
Timestamps: (00:52): Intro (01:58): Framework 1 - how to choose where to work (05:28): Framework 2 - develop a personal working guide (08:08): Framework 3 - how do you switch roles?
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
Links: Romeen Sheth website
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 31: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) analyzes a viral tweet by a former director at Twitter where she talked about the moments leading up to Twitter’s sale to Elon Musk and what it was like working with him. While there are numerous articles and think pieces of Elon’s leadership, this gives an intimate look that is nuanced.
Timestamps: (00:31): Who was Esther Crawford? (01:50): “You can’t just be a builder, you have to be a politician” (03:28): Waiting for Twitter to sell (04:32): What it was like working with Elon (06:55): The higher you climb, the lonelier it gets
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
Links: Full Esther Crawford tweet
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 30: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has returned from his vacation in Africa. During his trip, he got to experience rich culture and world-class service. It was the break needed to acquire a new perspective on his company, Storyarb. While most shy away from spending time away from their business, a substantial vacation can reveal any holes or gaps in your processes, or validate the ones that are working. Next time you’re thinking about taking some time off, take it.
Timestamps: (00:48): Reflections from Africa (02:15): Breaking social media addiction (05:38): Work like a lion, not a cow (09:30): How traveling can help your business
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 29: Disagreements and conflicts are bound to happen. They can either make you stronger as a team through resolution and understanding, or become detrimental that can hurt the business. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares this two-part playbook to handle big disagreements at work, making sure the conflicts you have among colleagues help strengthen your relationships, not break them.
Timestamps: (00:24): Intro (01:01): The 6 ground rules to a good disagreement (04:52): The 6 steps disagreeing in the moment
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
Links:
https://twitter.com/MnkeDaniel/status/1683814657474134017?s=20
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 28: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) runs through 8 biases that affect all business leaders and decision-making. He ties real-life examples during the early days of Morning Brew to each bias and the reflections from those experiences. By acknowledging these potential blindspots, this will help prevent making poor decisions based on feeling and more on tangible evidence. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
Links:
https://twitter.com/MnkeDaniel/status/1683814657474134017?s=20
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 27: In another edition of a guest entry for Founder’s Journal, Sam Parr (@thesamparr) shares the secrets of how he built The Hustle, a wildly popular newsletter covering business and tech that was acquired by Hubspot in 2021. In this episode, learn all the tools that will provide the necessary data to make informed decisions.
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
Links:
https://www.ideationbootcamp.co/
https://joinhampton.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/fatFIRE/
https://www.comparitech.com/
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house
https://www.oracle.com/cx/advertising/measurement/
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode Type (Full/Bonus/Trailer): Full
Episode Rating (Clean/Explicit/Unspecified): Clean [unless REALLLY not clean]
Season Number: 1
Ep Number (same as prev pubbed ep for Bonus/Trailer): 027 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 26: Mistakes happen. But it can be difficult knowing which mistake is the right one or the wrong one. Depending on the type of mistake, they can either help solidify a foundation for your business or create a structure of bad habits. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) talks about an employee’s first mistake and reflects on the mistakes he’s made over the past.
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 25: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has hired the first employee for his business. It’s a pivotal moment and crucial time as it can set the tone for future success. If you’re trying to look beyond the resume, your top, early talent should have these 4 key characteristics: critical thinking, obsessive brain, self-awareness, and a force of nature.
Timestamps: (00:57): Reflecting on how to hire (02:01): The first employee resignation (03:52): The interview process (07:50): 4 characteristics of great talent
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 24: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) does his temperature for the week where he shares what went well, what didn’t, and what he learned. Multimedia has grown tremendously at Morning Brew and Alex celebrates the big steps it’s taken. Social media is a constant distraction — that’s why Alex is hiring a productivity coach. Alex learns the origins of how the idea of Pokémon turned into a $100 billion business
Timestamps: (01:21): Getting over the multimedia hump (04:41): Hitting revenue target at Storyarb (09:02): Social media distracts (10:10): Pokemon’s origins (12:16): The halo effect
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 23: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has insecurities and he wants to share it with the world. Leaders are often perceived as being impervious to any shortcomings they may have in their business, personalities, or abilities. Here are the reasons why you should consider being more open about your insecurities.
Timestamps: (01:14): Should you share your insecurities to investors? (02:52): 4 skill sets of daring leadership (05:09): My own insecurities (08:10): Why share at all?
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 22: Often the most successful people have an inner circle that they trust and can turn to when they need support. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares this quick 9 step exercise to identify, audit, and elevate your inner circle to make sure you are surrounding yourself with the right people to enable your success.
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 21: Did you know that 90% of the world’s data was created in the last two years? There’s an abundance of content out there. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares his tips on how to cut through the noise and find content that interests you and helps your business.
Timestamps: (00:26): The state of content on the Internet (03:56): My curated list of content (07:03): How to cut through the noise
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 20: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares his takeaways from Bob Iger’s memoir The Ride Of A Lifetime. Considered one of the most prominent CEOs of all-time, his journey is filled with peaks and valleys. While there are multiple lessons every entrepreneur can learn from in his memoir, this episode highlights the skill of compartmentalization for leaders during times of tragedy.
Timestamps: (01:18): Intro (02:11): Orlando shooting (06:12): Learn to compartmentalize (09:04): How to manage a business during grief
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 19: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) was never trained in sales, yet forced to become a salesperson through the journey of his business building. Why? Because it’s the skill that will ultimately grow your business. Here are 8 strategies that any person can use regardless of your sales level.
Timestamps: (01:55): Tip #1 - Do your homework (03:08): Tip #2 - Offense vs. defense (04:07): Tip #3 - Use weaknesses to your advantage (05:22): Tip #4 - Anticipate questions or concern (07:02): Tip #5 - Treat customers as humans (08:15): Tip #6 - Reflect back your understandings (09:14): Tip #7 - Focus on strengths over competitors (10:23): Tip #8 - Set clear expectations
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 18: When it comes to an idea, we naturally try to identify the solution to any problems we inevitably encounter. In the world of Chess, amateur players tend to resort to this solution-centric thought process. However, grandmasters spend time falsifying their idea before they make their next move. This is called the falsification ratio. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) breaks down what the ratio is and how it can relate to the world of business, but also why it can be impractical in reality.
Timestamps: (01:01): Intro (01:30): The falsification ratio (03:53): Why falsification ratio is harder than you think
Links:
Notes on Puzzles - Nabeel S. Qureshi
Think Like a Super-GM: Adams, Michael, Hurtado, Philip
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 17: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) runs through 10 startup ideas and determines why he would (or wouldn’t) take an investor meeting. These are real ideas that’s been pitched to him, and while some seem like viable businesses, he has to consider if they are solving a problem and have a substantial market. This is a great exercise to get into the minds of investors…it’s Startup Crossfit!
Timestamps: (01:14): Idea #1 - 1 million kids climbing (02:21): Idea #2 - Business coaching firm by vets (06:25): Idea #3 - Catch up with friends app (08:32): Idea #4 - Retro tech your digital playlist (10:28): Idea #5 - Ice cream truck franchise (12:57): Idea #6 - End of life planning platform (13:29): Idea #7 - Tutoring marketplace (14:46): Idea #8 - Liquid Death of conversation starters (17:12): Idea #9 - Semi luxury bus company (18:38): Idea #10 - Marketplace for semi-private student coaching
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 16: Michael Sikand (@michaelsikand) and Simran Sandhu (@_simmy_) share the story of how they started Our Future, the #1 source of business for GenZ. After building a massive following on TikTok and garnering millions of views on their short-form explainers, they were acquired by Morning Brew. But post-acquisition life only brought a new set of challenges. Learn about the considerations and consequences of selling your business from these young and talented entrepreneurs.
Timestamps: (03:01): Intro (09:58): Attracting investors (13:55): Managing expectations (17:32): Unlocking synergies with your new partner
Links:
Our Future Podcast
Our Future IG
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 15: It’s our first ever mailbag episode! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) answers questions that cover whether you should be worried about someone stealing your idea, what to do in the first 90 days of starting a business, how to leverage your network whether big or small, and knowing when to pivot.
Timestamps: (01:01): Intro (02:21): How quickly should you have investor convos? (09:25): Do you have a playbook in your first 90 days? (16:42): Can you build a business without a big network? (20:35): What is your framework on when to pivot?
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 14: So you’ve just hired your first employee. You’re excited. It’s a big milestone for your business. Now what? Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares his tips to making sure your first (and future) employee is bought-in from day one. He’ll be sharing how you can establish the “why” and solidifying the “how” in your onboarding process so that they can hit the ground running.
Timestamps: (01:01): What’s wrong with onboarding today (04:21): What does good onboarding look like (06:15): Establishing the WHY (07:52): Establishing the HOW
Links:
Onboarding Video Script
Why “SOP” sucks
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 13: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) gives an update on his ghostwriting content agency business, Storyarb. Perhaps the biggest step in any business is hiring its first employee and Storyarb will have a new content strategist. The most important next step is onboarding – which is the stage that can set the standard for both the employee and company. Next, Alex shares some of the initial numbers of Storyarb to give you a clear picture of the progress he’s making.
Timestamps: (01:30): The story behind Storyarb (03:00): Numbers behind the business (06:15): The biggest wins so far (10:52): The biggest losses so far (13:01): My top priorities at this stage
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 12: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) breaks down the biggest news of the Internet: Threads. It’s been dubbed the “Twitter-killer”, but did you know Threads existed and failed the first time? Here are the 4 takeaways you can think about when you’re building your business.
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 11: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares the inevitable throughout your career: getting advice. Whether you’re starting your journey or a seasoned veteran, you’ll likely be receiving advice from other professionals along your career path. And while seeking advice is generally a good thing, not all advice can be helpful. Here are the 4 types of advice you’ll get and how to identify them.
Timestamps: (01:30): Advice coming in from everywhere (03:11): Getting advice about Morning Brew (08:06): Type 1 - Selfish, uninformed advice (09:15): Type 2 - Selfish, informed advice (10:04): Type 3 - Unselfish, uninformed advice (10:46): Type 4 - Unselfish, informed advice
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Learn more about Shopify here: https://shopify.com/crazyones
Episode 10: It’s a Founder’s Journal takeover! Bolt Storage founder Nick Huber (@sweatystartup) talks about how he built his business and the biggest lessons to take home for entrepreneurs. The biggest mistake founders make is trying to do everything when they should be reframing their minds to trying to find people to do the necessary tasks for your business.
Timestamps: (01:30): Intro (04:01): Reframing your mind (06:06): Take small steps (09:15): Surround yourself with the right people
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
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Episode 09: Ryan Seacrest has been named the new host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’. If you haven’t been paying attention, Ryan Seacrest is an example of the entrepreneur who stops at nothing to achieve success. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares 3 lessons founders can learn from his career, but also the costs it takes.
Timestamps: (01:30): Ryan Seacrest’s career (05:56): Lesson 1 - Focus on one thing (08:33): Lesson 2 - Prepare for the trade-offs (11:02): Lesson 3 - Be smart about diversifying
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode Type (Full/Bonus/Trailer): Full
Episode Rating (Clean/Explicit/Unspecified): Clean [unless REALLLY not clean]
Season Number: 1
Ep Number (same as prev pubbed ep for Bonus/Trailer): 009
Episode 08: When you’re ready to hire an employee for your business, you might feel accomplished that you’ve reached the level to build a team. However, that means hiring the wrong person could potentially set your business back. Evaluating talent is one of the hardest functions of a business at every size. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares 5 little known tips to interviewing to find the right person for the job. Timestamps: (02:30): Rule #1 - send questions in advance (03:56): Rule #2 - immediately reflect (05:43): Rule #3 - record interviews (06:59): Rule #4 - no JD, no interview process (08:14): Rule #5 - prioritize 1099s over W-2s
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Learn more about Shopify here: https://shopify.com/crazyones
Episode 07: Clock it. It’s time to lay The Plunge to rest. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) closes the books on the backyard plunger game. Any entrepreneur knows, it’s not easy making the tough decision to end a business. You end up questioning your ability, your confidence, and your vision. But Alex is here to walk you through all of it and why it shouldn’t discourage you from your next venture.
Timestamps: (01:54): When is it the right time to quit? (05:20): Why didn’t The Plunge work (09:52: What are the next moves? (13:59): Lessons learned from this experience
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 06: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares a free business idea. Yes, that means it’s up for grabs for you to take it and make it your own. It’s a deep dive into European Wax Center. Chances are, you’ve passed by one as they have 850+ locations across the US. It’s quietly growing and a very successful chain, which means there’s an opportunity to take its business model and apply it to another service.
Timestamps: (02:00): Free business idea (03:30): A look at European Wax Center (09:52): Biggest takeaways from EWC (12:18): What didn’t go well this week (14:16): 4 potential business ideas
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 05: For this week’s temperature check, Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) talks about how great business operators have to be incredibly disciplined in every aspect of their lives. Then, a realization where business minds have paranoid brains because they’re constantly analyzing for every potential crack or gap in their business. Lastly, what didn’t go well for the week. As Storyarb picks up, Alex has concerns about his ability to meet his obligations in his personal life.
Timestamps: (01:57): A conversation with a disciplined entrepreneur (04:40): Takeaways from lunch with my co-founder (09:50): What golf can do for you (12:18): What didn’t go well this week (15:16): Biggest learnings this week
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 04: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) is disgusted at the phrase “standard operating procedure”. Yet, for lack of a better phrase, SOP is crucial for documenting the necessary steps to completing a process or running a business. Let’s be real, creating SOPs can be tedious. Luckily, Alex has some tips and templates that can help you get started.
Links:
A Step-By-Step Guide to Making Sops
230523 SOP Template
Twitter List Curation SOP - Founders Journal
Timestamps: (00:57): Don’t be the sole expert of your business (04:05): A playbook for winning plays (07:50): Resources
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 03: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) admits he’s not the smartest person in the room…and that’s the point. This episode is about not being ashamed to raise your hand to say, “I don’t understand.” Because the truth is, there’s a high probability that someone else in the room doesn’t quite understand too.
Links:
How great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek
The Truth about Being the "Stupidest" in the Room | Simon Sinek
Timestamps: (00:56): It’s ok to raise your hand (06:53): The irony of it all
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 02: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) announces the name of his content agency business, Storyarb. While sharing updates on the new startup, he admits his latest troubles being distracted by social media. Then he talks about a pivot for The Plunge that should save the business.
Timestamps: (01:17): What’s feeling good this week (06:24): What’s not feeling so good (09:03): Plunge pivot
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
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Episode 01: Have you heard from Morning Brew Daily? It’s like the living, breathing version of the newsletter. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) analyzes why the show has been successful and breaks down lessons any business-builder or content-creator can take home.
Timestamps: (03:36): Lesson 1 - Chemistry is everything (04:13): Lesson 2 - Only change one variable when moving audience (05:18): Lesson 3 - Build product as if you have no distribution (06:13): Lesson 4 - Customize content for every platform (07:30): Lesson 5 - Daily, timely content is a blessing and a curse (08:44): Lesson 6 - Come for the content, stay for the characters (10:36): Lesson 7 - Shows can serve many purposes (11:54): Lesson 8 - Growth is linear, maybe exponential (13:42): Lesson 9 - Find content-market fit (14:55): Lesson 10 - Show how much you care
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersJournal/
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Follow Alex! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista)
Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has a special announcement: Founder’s Journal is back. If you’re a long-time listener, you’ll know FJ is one of Alex’s earlier shows that served as an audio journal during his time as CEO of Morning Brew. Now, in this returned version, Alex has a new sense of identity and purpose, ready to share a plethora of perspectives to share for founders. We're back, yall.
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCrazyOnesPod
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Follow Alex! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista)
Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) walks through his thought process of hiring a CEO for his content agency business. The issue is, is it too early to bring on a CEO? Hiring a CEO early on gives the opportunity to shape the mission and vision of the business. But hiring a CEO before product-market fit can put the business in a precarious situation.
Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com
FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to Founder’s Journal here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch Founder’s Journal here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCrazyOnesPod
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Follow Alex! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista)
Learn more about Validated here: http://bit.ly/ValidatedPodcast
Episode 54: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) gives the latest update on his content agency that started with a tweet that resonated with so many founders. As the business is in its infancy, he shares his top priorities at this stage, taking lessons he’s learned from Morning Brew and other ventures. If you’re in the early stages of your startup, this is for you. Links:
Alex's first content agency tweet
Timestamps: (00:45): Intro (06:09): Priority #1 - Create scalability (08:03): Priority #2 - Build a team of ghost writers (08:33): Priority #3 - Find a CEO (10:30): Biggest hurdles
TheCrazyOnes #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to The Crazy Ones here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Watch The Crazy Ones here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCrazyOnesPod
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Follow Our Hosts! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) Jesse Pujji (@jspujji)
Learn more about Shopify here: shopify.com/crazyones Learn more about Validated here: http://bit.ly/ValidatedPodcast Learn more about Think! here: https://strongerthanyouthink.info/thecrazyones Learn more about Mercury here: https://mercury.com/
Episode 8: Today, host Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) is solo again for another special episode of The Crazy Ones, this time featuring founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK and 02E Brands, Brian Scudamore (@BrianScudamore). Brian bought a used truck and started 1-800-GOT-JUNK in 1989 as a college dropout. Today, 1-800-GOT-JUNK makes $600 million in revenue, and Brian has also created the parent company 02E Brands which brings in an addition $100 million with its other businesses. Listen to hear Brian explain how he grew 1-800-GOT-JUNK from the ground up with a mixture of brilliant publicity tactics and smart hiring, as well as how Brian thinks about his role as a leader as his company grows.
TheCrazyOnes #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to The Crazy Ones here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Follow Our Hosts! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso) Jesse Pujji (@jspujji)
00:43 - Intro 03:12 - How Brian started 1-800-GOT-JUNK 05:37 - 02E Brands’ reach and annual revenue 06:40 - Brian’s passion and what keeps him motivated 10:50 - How Brian got onto the Ellen Degeneres Show 14:37 - Brian’s opinion on PR to promote your business 16:20 - Brian’s decision to lay off his whole team in 1994 19:23 - Why Brian places a high importance on hiring for culture fit 21:44 - The most important decisions Brian made to allow his business to grow 25:54 - How 02E’s brand franchising works 29:53 - How Brian determined the price of services for 1-800-GOT-JUNK 32:07 - The systems Brian implements so that his ADD doesn’t derail him 34:48 - How Brian’s management of the business has changed as the company has grown 41:13 - Brian’s transition to being less hands-on with the day-to-day operations as his company grew 42:48 - Startup AMA: How do you think about what to do with the cashflow of your business?
Links:
WTF book
BYOB: Build Your Own Business, Be Your Own Boss
The E-Myth Revisited
Episode 8: Today, host Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) is flying solo for a very special episode of The Crazy Ones featuring founder and private equity investor Codie Sanchez (@codie_sanchez). Codie has made millions from buying boring businesses (think laundromats, carwashes, and AirBnBs), and has also amassed an audience of over 3 million followers with her media company, Contrarian Thinking. Listen to hear Codie tell Alex about how to determine which boring businesses are actually worth investing in, how to hire good operators, and the art of deal structuring and negotiation.
TheCrazyOnes #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to The Crazy Ones here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Follow Our Hosts! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso) Jesse Pujji (@jspujji)
00:44 - Intro 01:40 - The Rundown 03:13 - How Codie got to where she is today 06:08 - The first boring business Codie bought 10:30 - What lessons Codie has learned around deal-structuring and negotiation 18:09 - The best negotiations Codie has ever done 21:45 - What makes a great operator for your boring business 23:52 - How Codie scares away a bad hire 26:05 - What boring businesses are catching Codie’s eye right now 33:22 - Why Codie is fascinated with Reese Witherspoon’s business model 36:59 - Why Codie decided to dive deep into content creation 46:10 - How Codie’s boring businesses compare with her media business 48:15 - What Codie has learned about leadership 50:38 - Codie’s hot takes and spiky opinions
Links:
Contrarian Thinking Newsletter
Codie Sanchez YouTube Channel
Episode 7: Today, hosts Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista), Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso), and Jesse Pujji (@jspujji) recount the wild story of how the digital media company Red Ventures bootstrapped its way to becoming a business with an $11 billion valuation. Then, the crew dives into fundraising—when to do it, how to set your goals, and their best advice for how to raise most successfully. And finally, the crew answers a Startup AMA question around how find the most attractive benefits packages at the best rates as a small company.
TheCrazyOnes #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to The Crazy Ones here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
00:33 - Intro 02:02 - The Rundown 03:15 - The story of Ric Elias and Red Ventures 08:09 - Ric’s life-changing experience 08:51 - How Red Ventures’ growth started to take off 12:10 - Red Ventures’ great work culture 13:29 - Jesse’s biggest takeaways from working with Red Ventures 15:38 - How Ric Elias spends his time 24:16 - Sophia’s experience of fundraising and her biggest lessons learned 30:51 - What kind of businesses should raise money vs shouldn’t? 36:29 - Sophia’s advice for founders looking to raise capital right now 37:05 - Jesse’s advice for founders looking to raise capital right now 37:37 - Alex’s advice for founders looking to raise capital right now 37:58 - Startup AMA - How do startups get attractive benefits packages at competitive rates before they get a large headcount?
Links:
Ric Elias TED Talk
You’ve Never Heard of the Biggest Digital Media Company in America
Episode 6: Today, hosts Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista), Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso), and Jesse Pujji (@jspujji) break down the hype behind Generative AI—what is it, how it’s being used right now, and how to think about it as a business builder. Then, the team discusses their personal experiences with using executive coaches and why it is or isn’t worth the money. And finally, we finish the episode with a game of Product Hunt Roulette, where the team picks their favorite new companies featured on Product Hunt, a startup curation site.
TheCrazyOnes #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to The Crazy Ones here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Follow Our Hosts! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso) Jesse Pujji (@jspujji)
00:00 - Cold Open 00:45 - Intro 02:05 - The Rundown 02:54 - Why is Generative AI a GOLD RUSH? 12:47 - Jasper AI & Copy AI LIVE TESTS 16:18 - Takeaways & Ideas from Generative AI 22:46 - Is Executive Coaching Worth It? 13:35 - Jesse’s on what he’d do as CEO of Twitter 17:06 - Sophia on never wanting to be Elon Musk 21:29 - Alex on the 6 Steps to turn Twitter around 23:17 - How the crew would monetize Twitter 26:23 - Lessons for entrepreneurs watching
Links:
Sequoia Capital definition of Generative AI
The Timeline of Generative AI
Open AI’s $1B Funding From Microsoft
Jasper AI’s $1.5B Valuation
Product Hunt’s Website
Episode 5: EMERGENCY POD – Today, hosts Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista), Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso), and Jesse Pujji (@jspujji) had to spontaneously hop on the mic to talk about Elon’s $44 Billion takeover of the world’s most topical social app, Twitter, and the steps he’s already taken to monetize the company. Then, the crew plays “what would you do as Elon Musk” and give their own ideas into how to turn the Twitter ship around.
TheCrazyOnes #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to The Crazy Ones here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W
Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew
Follow Our Hosts! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso) Jesse Pujji (@jspujji)
00:00 - Cold Open 00:58 - Intro 01:11 - The Rundown 01:41 - Chronology of Elon’s story acquiring Twitter 06:41 - Elon announcing Twitter Blue 10:38 - Elon’s new Twitter Cohort 12:37 - Advertisers hinting to pull money out of Twitter 13:35 - Jesse’s on what he’d do as CEO of Twitter 17:06 - Sophia on never wanting to be Elon Musk 21:29 - Alex on the 6 Steps to turn Twitter around 23:17 - How the crew would monetize Twitter 26:23 - Lessons for entrepreneurs watching
Links:
Elon’s Tweet about “Twitter Blue”
Stephen King hating on Elon
Advertisers leaving Twitter
Episode 4: Today, hosts Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista), Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso), and Jesse Pujji (@jspujji) breakdown MrBeast’s $1.5 billion valuation and exactly what factors have allowed MrBeast to be so successful. Then, the team shares their strategies for coming up with ideas for new businesses, and Alex shares his most recent startup pitches. And finally, for Startup AMA we answer a listener question about the best and worst hiring practices.
TheCrazyOnes #Startups #Entrepreneur
Listen to The Crazy Ones here: https://link.chtbl.com/OV4W93_W Subscribe to Morning Brew! Sign up for free today: https://bit.ly/morningbrewyt Follow The Brew! Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morningbrew/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MorningBrew Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@morningbrew Follow Our Hosts! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso) Jesse Pujji (@jspujji)
Links:
Paul Graham’s How to Get Startup Ideas
How to get startup ideas in 10 diagrams
Alex’s 7 strategies to brainstorm startup ideas
Hiring Decision Template
Episode 3: Today, hosts Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista), Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso), and Jesse Pujji (@jspujji) get into the MADNESS of the Gas app - a new social networking platform that has surpassed Instagram, TikTok and Twitter for daily downloads. Then, they get into how to & how NOT to conduct a layoff, whether it’s for one person or a company-wide one. And finally, the trio gets real about the secrets of QSBS and how understanding it can save you MILLIONS.
00:01 - Cold Open: Jesse speaking to Zuckerberg about the highschool version of Facebook 00:32 - Intro 01:35 - The Rundown 02:27 - How the “Gas” app works and how it stays positive 03:50 - Sophia on the Founder of Gas being a “master” of testing & iterating 05:45 - Alex on Highschoolers being the “best demographic” to build an app for 07:40 - Jesse on the difficulty of building consumer businesses 07:57 - Jesse’s highschool version of Facebook 10:00 - Jesse speaking to Mark Zuckerberg 12:44 - Where does the Gas app go from here? 13:35 - The “Gas” app’s ‘money printing machine’ 15:40 - The second & third gen of Social Apps 17:50 - The Takeaways from Gas 21:48 - The “Hub & Spoke” Model of building your business 23:10 - Microsoft & the trend of Tech Industry Layoffs 24:32 - Sophia on layoffs needing more clarity & planning 28:50 - Jesse on Founders needing to be passionate about people & leadership 30:35 - The HORRIBLE Better.com Zoom layoff & reaction 34:30 - What is QSBS & how it saves founders MILLIONS
Links:
WSJ article on the Gas app
Nikita Bier’s tweet on Gas’s success
Allegations on China faltering the Gas app’s growth
Microsoft lays off 1,000
Chart of all Tech Industry Layoffs since COVID
How To Rally A Company Through a Round of Layoffs
Netflix on building a “team not a family”
Episode 2: Today, hosts Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista), Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso), and Jesse Pujji (@jspujji) kick off with a discussion of Jamie Dimon’s recent economic predictions and how a possible recession will impact startup founders. Then, we jump into the aspects of Spirit Halloween’s business model that have helped it become wildly successful, the team’s own experience of going from founder to CEO, and finally, for Startup AMA we answer a listener question about how to pay yourself as a founder.
00:27 - Jamie Dimon’s prediction about the markets 06:06 - Intro 06:41 - The Rundown 09:58 - Discussion of Spirit Halloween’s wildly successful business model 14:02 - Businesses that have capitalized on under-used inventory/resources 18:28 - How Spirit Halloween uses licensing to their advantage 20:15 - The team discusses their own experiences of going from founder to CEO as their businesses grew 20:53 - Jesse’s experience as CEO over the course of his career 23:48 - Sophia’s experience as a CEO over the course of her career 28:33 - Alex’s experience as CEO 32:40 - Startup AMA - How should you pay yourself as a founder? 33:08 - Sophia’s bank statement in 2010, 3 years into starting Nasty Gal
Links:
Jamie Dimon says the economy is on the verge of a recession
Morning Brew Shakes Up Leadership Structure
The Role of the CEO: Managing Yourself
Trung Phan newsletter
What’s The Most Difficult CEO Skill? Managing Your Own Psychology
Episode 1: Welcome to the FIRST EPISODE of The Crazy Ones, hosted by fellow friends, founders, and builders, Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista), Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso), and Jesse Pujji (@jspujji). Today, we talk about the rise and the insane $700M evaluation of Liquid Death, then we get into how to make your pitch deck UNDENIABLE to investors, and finally the truths that you need to know as a tech entrepreneur.
1:03 - Liquid Death’s $700M Valuation 8:15 - Sophia Amoruso on Nasty Gal, her $100 Revenue Business, Girlboss & Business Class 8:53 - Jesse Pujji on building the biggest FaceBook marketing business, his venture studio Gateway X 11:57 - Bootstrapping as a state of mind vs. Raising money from Venture 15:03 - Jesse’s pitch on his e-commerce business Kahani 24:38 - Jeff Bezos’ Flywheels on how to make a “defensible” business 26:25 - The #1 Question Entrepreneurs need to Ask In A Pitch 32:35 - Jesse on the idea of “unfair advantage” for entrepreneurs 39:10 - Executive Coaching as a ‘pyramid scheme’ to make $1M in a year 41:20 - Startup AMA
Links Referenced:
Liquid Death’s Valuation | Bloomberg
Martha Stewart’s Liquid Death Collab
Jesse Pujji’s Tweet Thread on Kahani’s Deck
Sophia Amoruso’s Business Class
Announcing the launch of Morning Brew's newest podcast, The Crazy Ones! Hosts Alex Lieberman, Sophia Amoruso, and Jesse Pujji, will be delivering the sharpest insights and unfiltered opinions about the issues affecting founders today, and the information you need to know to build a better business. Episodes release every Tuesday, starting October 11th.
After more than 300 episodes, Founder’s Journal is taking a little hiatus. We are making some changes to level the show up to create the best possible podcast for business builders. There are really exciting things in the works and I cannot wait to share it with you all. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I break down the different types of leverage you need to understand to make smart career decisions. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
This week’s miniseries theme is Mental Models. In this episode, I break down why every great entrepreneur, investor, or employee must learn how to become a great second order thinker. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I talk about why it is essential to understand the mental model known as Inversion Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I talk about why it is essential to understand mimetic theory and how it impacts the choices you make every single day. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I'm discussing the steps you should take to properly set yourself up at work before taking time off. As mentioned in the episode, check out two of my previous episodes, How to Unplug From Work and How To Get Your Shit Together, for more helpful tools related to PTO. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I talk about a concept that I call Builder’s Block, what I do to remedy it, and why I think Builder’s Block is a good thing. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode I talk about the skills an entrepreneur must adapt over the life of their business. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I’m talking about the mental toolkit of successful entrepreneurs. If you're interested in learning more about thinking independently, check out my previous episode, Think for Yourself. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I talk about how to think of startup ideas and cultivating the mindset of a business brainstormer. And if you're interested in hearing more about the formation and growth of Notarize, check out my previous episode, What to Learn from a Business That 10x'd in 5 Quarters. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I talk about a concept that I call Builder’s Block, what I do to remedy it, and why I think Builder’s Block is a good thing. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I discuss why companies should maintain relationships with all-star candidates, even if they aren't a fit for a specific role. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I break down a four-step process for efficiently learning about any new topic personally or professionally. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In a world where we expect immediacy and efficiency, there’s still a need for repeating the importance of doing the work. In this episode, I’m talking about why we’ve become obsessed with life hacks and why they're all a load of crap. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
How much time should you spend worrying about "the other guy?" In this classic episode, I’m talking about competition and how much you should focus on it as a founder or an employee. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I talk to David Perell, AKA The Writing Guy, about why online writing is one of the most important skills you can have and how you can do it more effectively. David has his own online writing school, called Write of Passage, and shares many of his insights on Twitter. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I discuss a foundational skill that if mastered can drive long-term professional success & personal happiness. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I talk about why following your passion is bad, anxiety-provoking advice & how thinking about the concept of "passion" differently can open you to greater freedom and success. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
If you’re a professional, you’re going to be dealing with meetings for the next several decades, so it’s worth taking the time to get good at them. In this classic episode, I offer up six tips for taking control of meetings in your professional life. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
The media landscape has shifted dramatically in the past two decades, making it easier than ever for individuals to create their own content and build an audience just like big media companies do. In this classic episode, I discuss how you can leverage this opportunity to accelerate your career or business. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I reflect on the ways in which I’ve built deep, meaningful relationships as an entrepreneur Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I talk about how to climb the ladder at your company faster and you through best practices to set yourself up for success when the time comes for a promotion. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In today's classic episode, I'm discussing feeling stuck at your job and walking through some strategies to help get unstuck and continue moving forward in your career. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In this classic episode, I discuss the foundational traits that all top performers have in common, with an emphasis on what it means to be a quality thinker. As I mentioned in the episode, for more information on effective prioritization, check out one of my earlier episodes, How To Prioritize Time & Tasks To Enhance Your Work. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I’m spending this month evolving Founder’s Journal so that we can make this show as good as humanly possible for the next generation of builders. While I dream up the future of this show, the team is serving up a whole bunch of classic episodes that you may not have heard before. In this classic episode, I talk about why your company isn’t your family. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I explain why the market is the most important thing for startup founders to get right. As mentioned in the episode, you can check out Marc Andreessen’s blog post here. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Entrepreneur and investor, Codie Sanchez, joins the pod to offer tips, tricks and principles for negotiating that every business builder needs to hear. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Fellow entrepreneur and friend of the pod, Codie Sanchez, joins me to discuss and debate our respective angel investing philosophies. As mentioned in this ep, you may want to check out a previous Founder’s Journal episode, 9 Principles for Angel Investing Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I have a theory that there is an opportunity to build a multi-billion dollar company by creating a holding company that helps creators build businesses. It’s part of why I’m trying to launch my first creator brand this year. In this episode, I put my ideas for creator focused businesses through the ringer with fellow entrepreneur and friend of the pod, Codie Sanchez. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I share my thoughts on some of the mental models from Charlie Munger’s book, Poor Charlie’s Almanack, as analyzed by Marc Andreesan, co-founder of one of the most successful VCs in the world. As mentioned in this ep, you may want to check out a previous Founder’s Journal episode Two Dangerous Human Behaviors Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I break down what business builders need to know about network effects, inspired by Andrew Chen and his book, The Cold Start Problem. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Understanding human behavior is so important when running a business. In this episode, I share with you lessons from Charlie Munger’s book, Poor Charlie’s Almanack, as analyzed by Marc Andreessen, co-founder of one of the most successful VCs in the world. As mentioned in this ep, you may want to check out a previous Founder’s Journal episode, How Incentives Can Make or Break Your Business. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Today’s episode is a convo between me and entrepreneur, Codie Sanchez about the now dead checkout startup, Fast. We break down what went wrong and what other business builders can learn from Fast’s mistakes. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Entrepreneur Codie Sanchez.pulls in 8 figures of passive income from small businesses. I walk Codie through my own mini-golf empire business plan, and Codie gives me a rundown on everything you need to think about before investing in a “boring” business. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Have you ever found yourself falling down a Slime ASMR rabbit hole on YouTube? You’re not alone. This video alone has over 97 million views. Companies like PeachyBbies Slime Shop sell out of their products in minutes and have made a splash on social media. That got the attention of my good friend and fellow entrepreneur, Codie Sanchez. Codie joins me on this special edition of Founder’s Journal to talk about slime and investing in really weird businesses. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Earlier this week Elon Musk became Twitter’s largest shareholder. Now, he’s officially joined the company’s board. I break down Elon and Twitter’s long history and offer my thoughts on what might happen next. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
The model I use to think about growing businesses, including Morning Brew. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Morning Brew has a new creator in its family. I break down why we decided to acqui-hire Excel Dictionary and the business opportunities behind the decision. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Mailchimp sold for $12 billion to Intuit, the small business powerhouse that owns Quickbooks, Turbotax, Credit Karma, and Mint. This deal is the largest ever acquisition of a privately-held bootstrapped business. In this classic episode, I walk you through the history of the company and lessons we can all learn from its meteoric rise. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I’m taking over the world, one mini golf course at a time. In this episode, I explain why I’m working with a group of friends to buy mini golf courses, the opportunity we see in the space and you’ll even hear me cold call a course and make my pitch. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
It's a $200 billion behemoth and a place I loved frequenting for free food samples growing up. In this episode, I'm talking about Costco and what we can learn from it as business minds. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I discuss how you should think about Uber’s partnership with taxi companies in New York City. Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
We’re serving up another miniseries, full of business case studies. In this classic episode, I talk about Allbirds, the sustainable lifestyle brand that filed for an IPO in 2021. I’m discuss their growth journey and touch on a few major lessons we can learn from it. [Allbirds is not a sponsor of this content in any way, just an interesting company case study] Check out full episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode I tell the story of Ryan Cohen, a college dropout who became a hometown hero on Wall Street. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Welcome to Startup Hotline! A segment where I take any and all questions about building & scaling businesses directly from the Founder’s Journal community. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
How do you know whether to invest in a new hire or give a current employee a promotion? I breakdown how to think about one of the toughest decisions you can make in a business. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I’m sharing two of my favorite lessons from my current Founder’s Book Club Book, “How Will You Measure Your Life?” by Clayton Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I sent out a tweet asking my followers: "what’s a startup idea that sounds great in theory but would be a shitty business?” 1,600 likes and 700 responses later, I'm running some of your ideas through the gauntlet and walking you through how I analyze and form business ideas. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Failure needs a rebrand. Without failure, we cannot grow as builders, searchers, and starters. Without failure, we can’t learn what works & what doesn’t. In this classic episode, I distinguish good failure from bad failure, and how to approach good failure thoughtfully to accelerate your career. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I break down 8 characteristics that make people super unpleasant and dangerous to work with.
I break down five big ideas to think about and five tactical tips to practice ahead of your next big presentation.
Individual creators now have the tools and distribution to earn a massive audience. But it isn’t easy. It’s a physical grind that can take years to pay off. Morning Brew wants to help our own creators accelerate their growth by leveraging Morning Brew’s audience. In this episode, I’m joined by Katie Gatti (better known as Money With Katie) to discuss her journey to full time creator and joining the Brew family. Click here to check out Katie's podcast on your favorite pod platform.
I talk about the different things that motivate all of us and why we all need to think really hard about it.
Building a personal moat isn’t just about accumulating knowledge or building skills. It’s all about finding a mixture that creates a massive unlock in your career. In this episode, I give you a guide to building your own personal moat. For more on personal moats, check out Erik Torenberg’s tweet thread here. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista. More info on our presenting sponsor at https://attentivemobile.com
It really really sucks to feel stuck in a job you don’t love. In this episode I go through five questions to ask yourself if you're feeling stuck in your job.
Firing an employee is every leader’s least favorite job and it will always suck. In this episode I give you a checklist to help you do it the right way.
In this classic episode, I share some of the insights I've gained by studying the philosophy of stoicism and how it has helped me find direction.
Giving constructive criticism is tough. In this episode, I give you 6 rules for sucking less at giving feedback. As mentioned, you may want to check out previous Founder’s Journal episode, How to Speak with Radical Candor Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
We’re serving up another miniseries this week all about dealing with conflict. In this classic episode, I break down principles Navy Seals picked up while fighting for our country.
We’re serving up another miniseries this week all about dealing with conflict. In this episode, I’m giving you a playbook on how to handle big disagreements at work. Some links from the episode: How to disagree well: https://tinyurl.com/muc8vvh8 My thread on disagreement: https://tinyurl.com/yckjjaxa
We’re serving up another miniseries this week all about dealing with conflict. Imagine how well companies would be run if everyone understood what people thought of them and how they could be doing their job better to help the business grow. In this classic episode, I lay out the challenges and benefits of radical candor. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Ray Dalio is truly one of the greatest thinkers of our generation. In this episode I outline how his philosophies can be applied to hiring new staff members, managing employees and more. Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Ray Dalio is truly one of the greatest thinkers of our generation. In this episode I outline how his philosophies can be applied to any area of work or life, without having to learn things the hard way. Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Welcome to the first episode of Imposters, the newest podcast from Morning Brew, hosted by none other than Alex Lieberman! Drinking and alcohol are well-documented in the world of tech/startup culture, and for Twitch cofounder Justin Kan it was no different. Justin tells Alex about his unhealthy relationship with alcohol, and how after 23 years, getting sober was the best thing for him personally, as well as his career. To hear another episode of Imposters with TV's Carson Daly RIGHT NOW, click here to follow/subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. Full transcripts for all Imposters episodes available at https://imposters.morningbrew.com
I break down how the Pareto principle drives results in life, work, investing, and business. Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I think people who say hard work is overrated are full of sh*t. I don't know a single successful professional that didn't work hard. But I also think for most professionals, the way to improve the fastest is by getting smarter at how you work. In this episode, I explain how to work smarter. Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I invested thousands of dollars in a chocolate bar. In this episode, I talk about my decision to invest in Feastables, the company launched by Mr. Beast, that wants to change the way you snack. As mentioned, you may want to check out previous Founder’s Journal episode, How to Maximize Your Own Evolution Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
“Pain plus reflection equals progress.” That’s a quote from Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, the largest hedge fund firm in the world. In this episode, I break down one of the principles from his best-selling book. Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I share lessons from the life of one of the greatest entertainers of our generation, Will Smith, including my favorite quotes from the audiobook for his new memoir Will. As mentioned, you may want to check out previous Founder’s Journal episode Lessons from Starting a Book Club Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I break down why gossip is a poison that can kill a company from the inside. Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Today Morning Brew is a 9-figure business with 200 employees. Six years ago it was a 0-figure business with 0 employees. In this episode, I share 8 of my greatest lessons as a bootstrapped entrepreneur. Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
We’re closing out this week’s miniseries with a brand edition of Startup Crossfit. I take a business idea and run it through the gauntlet to see if it is poised for success or primed for failure.
Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I reflect on my first executive coaching session. Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Enjoy a special sneak peek of Morning Brew's new show Imposters, where host Alex Lieberman talks to Kat Cole, President and COO of Athletic Greens, about how having a difficult childhood and an alcoholic father propelled her career success. Rather than being hindered by having to help raise her sisters in a single-parent household, Kat tells Alex why having to grow up so quickly boosted her confidence in the workplace. If you have any thoughts or reactions to this preview of Imposters, go ahead send an email to alex@morningbrew.com or DM on Twitter @businessbarista. Your feedback means EVERYTHING to us as we refine this show leading up to it's full launch with two special episodes on Tuesday Feb 15, and don't forget to CLICK HERE to follow the show on your favorite podcast platform.
We’re serving up another miniseries this week all about mental health. In this classic episode, I share my experiences with imposter syndrome and some techniques I use to cope with it. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode I talk about how avoid doom scrolling, comparing myself to others and making sure social media benefits my mental health Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
We’re serving up another miniseries this week all about mental health. In this classic episode, I share my approach to living with anxiety in a productive and healthy way. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I sent out an ask on Twitter, asking Founder’s Journal listeners to hit me with some of their buring career questions that I would answer on the pod. I’m joined by one of those listener’s in today’s episode. Landon Campbell, joins me to discuss juggling a side gig while working a full time job. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Creativity is a skill not an art. In this episode, I break down why it’s worth taking the time to practice up. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
The greatest leaders ask the best questions. In this episode, I help you understand why questions matter so much & why it’s worth your time to get better at asking questions. You interested? Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
We all procrastinate. And it sucks. We scroll through social media instead of doing work. We watch TV instead of working out, and then we feel bad about it. In this episode, I discuss why we behave in irrational ways & how we can combat it so we don’t screw over our future selves. As mentioned, you may want to check out previous Founder’s Journal episodes: My Favorite Productivity Method, The Spotlight Effect and Lessons from Starting a Book Club Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
From the outside it looks like I have it altogether. Nothing can be further from the truth. I have made countless mistakes & on this episode, I talk about my top 4. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Maximizing your compensation in your career is part-art, part-science. 90% is based on performance. 10% is based on self-advocacy. I give you a framework for both, so you can confidently maximize your value in your career. As mentioned, you may want to check out a previous episode: The Power of Storytelling Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Resumes have barely changed since 1482, when Leonardo da Vinci wrote a letter to the Duke of Milan. That is freakin wild. Today, I explore the purpose of the resume and predict how it may evolve in the future. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I’m reading a book right now that absolutely blew my mind. It predicted cryptocurrency, the metaverse, a viral pandemic, and so much more. And get this, it was written in 1997. In this episode, I talk about some of the book’s predictions, and more importantly, a framework we can all use to make informed guesses about where the world is going. As mentioned in the episode, you might want to check out previous episodes: How Incentives Can Make or Break Your Business and Lessons From Starting a Book Club. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
I share a letter I wrote to myself in an effort to bring intention and aspiration to the five pillars of my life and hold myself accountable in 2022 and beyond. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I talk about the power of gratitude as a daily practice. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I talk about feeling lost and share how I'm working to find direction as I settle into a new role at Morning Brew. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I discuss cognitive bias and why being aware of the spotlight effect could lead to a happier you in 2022. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I talk about a framework I use to map out my life for the next 90 days all the way to the next 10 years. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode I share the lessons I learned from starting my own founder book club. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
This month’s miniseries focused on being your best self. I’m giving you mental models, strategies and tips to get you in the right mindset before the new year. In this classic episode, I provide strategies to unplug from work when it seems like an impossible task.
In this episode, I breakdown lessons I shares the biggest lessons I learned over the course of the last year. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I discuss how to use the Pomodoro Technique to conquer procrastination. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
One of the cool parts about building a media franchise and community with hundreds of thousands of listeners is the ability to make an impact on so many peoples’ lives and careers as well as an opportunity to build deep relationships with many of you. In this episode, I go through the listener’s mailbox and answer some of your career questions. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I breakdown how you should navigate poor performers. As I mentioned in the episode, if you want to learn more about extreme overship, check out 5 Leadership Lessons To Learn From Navy Seals. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I talk about the Navy Seals and how we can learn to lead from the principles they picked up while fighting for their lives and our country. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I break down recommendations for critical thinking. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I share 8 non-obvious traits that made the best managers and leaders I’ve worked with so special. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I detail 6 non-obvious traits of the best professionals I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I discuss the importance of being a painkiller, not a vitamin in business. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I discuss why implementing the right amount of transparency in a company builds trust and maximizes employees’ impact on customers.
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Some of the greatest performers of modern society also have the greatest range. In this episode, I breakdown why possessing a broad skill set can help boost your career development. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Imagine how well companies would be run if everyone understood what people thought of them and how they could be doing their job better to help the business grow. In this episode, I lay out the challenges and benefits of radical candor. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Let this classic episode serve as a reminder to us all to prioritize friends, family and the power of perspective. Without perspective, you can get lost in the day-to-day grind without a reminder of what it is that you’re grinding for. I have found one of the healthiest ways to strive is through experiences that create perspective. You can hear more about how the loss of my dad changed my life in Episode #157 "Losing My Dad" Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
It’s one of the only times in a week where you have the undivided attention of your boss or direct report. In this episode, I breakdown why 1:1’s are key to a successful career. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
To be a successful careerist, you need to keep your finger on the pulse of technologies that are changing the world. In this episode, I breakdown the biggest takeaways from ConstitutionDAO and what it could mean for the future.
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I break down the different types of leverage you need to understand to make smart career decisions. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I’ve always been fascinated by great workers and their ability to prioritize their work effectively. Today, I take you though the prioritization strategies of a myriad of professionals that you can test and add to your professional toolkit.
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
This week’s miniseries theme is Mental Models. In this episode, I break down why every great entrepreneur, investor, or employee must learn how to become a great second order thinker.
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this classic episode, I celebrate the birthday of Elon Musk by breaking the second powerful mental model that he uses to run his businesses: First Principles Thinking
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
This week’s miniseries theme is Mental Models. We’re going to talk about some of the most powerful tools you can use to sharpen your thinking, prioritizing, and decision-making. Many of these tools have been made famous by leaders like Elon Musk & Dwight Eisenhower. In this episode, I’m talking about a mental model known as Inversion.
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
We’re dropping our third Founder's Journal miniseries this week! That means double the episodes today, Wednesday and Friday. This week’s theme is Mental Models. In this classic episode I break down a powerful mental model Elon Musk uses to build his businesses: Sum Product Thinking. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
A record number of Americans have quit their jobs in recent months. In this episode, I break down what’s driving the great resignation and what employers can learn from it.
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
This episode marks the return of Startup Crossfit! I take a business idea and run it through the gauntlet to see if it is poised for success or primed for failure. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I explain why market is the most important part of building a startup. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
The differences between a family and a company should be obvious yet, employees in companies like to refer to their coworkers as a family and founders like to call their team a family. In this episode, I explain how this thought process can set a dangerous expectation. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In this episode, I discuss why open and honest disagreement is one of the most important vehicles for society and companies to progress. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In this episode, I talk about why it is essential to understand mimetic theory and how it impacts the choices you make every single day. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Welcome to the 6th and final installment of our How to Start Building miniseries. In this episode I breakdown the skills entrepreneurs must adapt over the life of their business. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In this classic episode, I talk about how we raised money for Morning Brew and how you should think about funding your business. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In this episode, I’m talking about the mental toolkit of successful entrepreneurs. If you're interested in learning more about thinking independently, check out my previous episode, Think for Yourself. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In this classic episode, I examine our perception of sales and discuss why any modern business professional needs to take the skill seriously. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In this episode, I talk about how to think of startup ideas and cultivating the mindset of a business brainstormer. And if you're interested in hearing more about the formation and growth of Notarize, check out my previous episode, What to Learn from a Business That 10x'd in 5 Quarters. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
This week we're dropping a new miniseries here on Founder's Journal called How to Start Building. We'll be bringing back some classic episodes you loved—or if you're a new listener, maybe you haven't heard before—and some new episodes you won't want to miss. In this classic episode, I talk about a concept that I call Builder’s Block, what I do to remedy it, and why I think Builder’s Block is a good thing. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In October of 2020, Morning Brew sold a majority stake of our business for 8-figures. As I reflect on our sale and the 5-year journey that preceded it, there are a handful of key decisions we made and characteristics we exhibited that made this outcome possible. I share them on today’s Founder’s Journal. As mentioned in this edition, check out my previous episode, Why a Sales Skillset is a Business Superpower and Paul Graham's blog post, How to Think For Yourself. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Failure needs a rebrand. Without failure, we cannot grow as builders, searchers, and starters. Without failure, we can’t learn what works & what doesn’t. In today’s Episode, I distinguish good failure from bad failure, and how to approach good failure thoughtfully to accelerate your career. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I’m breaking down the formula for creating and keeping momentum in business, in your career and in building a startup.
In this episode, I share some of the insights I've gained by studying the philosophy of stoicism and how it has helped me find direction. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
Welcome to the very first Founder's Journal Shower Thought, a quick mini episode aimed at making you think harder about your career or your business. In this edition, I talk about how to build informed conviction. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I talk about feeling lost and share how I'm working to find direction as I settle into a new role at Morning Brew. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I discuss my experience with anxiety, how it impacts me at work, and my routine for managing my mental health. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
I describe 4 leadership lessons we can learn from season 1 of the hit Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso, and how they can apply to any team–on the field or in business. Also I reference two past episode of Founder's Journal, check those out: How your boss can make or break your professional experience How we try to be nice versus trying to be honest Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I discuss the lessons we can learn from Notarize, one of the fastest growing startups I've ever seen. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.
In this episode, I discuss five profound mistakes leaders have made in business and what we can learn from them. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Welcome to part 6 of Founder’s Journal's Building Your Team miniseries. In this episode, Morning Brew’s VP, Head of People Operations, Kate Noel, joins me to discuss how to attract and nurture great talent in a business. This episode was recorded for an audience of VIPs from Morning Brew's SHARE THE BREW referral program. For more info subscribe at https://morningbrew.com. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Welcome to part 5 of Founder’s Journal's Building Your Team miniseries. Today's episode is all about how to make reference checks actually useful to the hiring process. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Welcome to part 4 Founder’s Journal's Building Your Team miniseries. Today, I’m talking about what it looks like for an interviewer to nail an interview process. In this episode, I break down 5 specific strategies that are crucial to hiring great talent. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Welcome to part 3 of Founder’s Journal's Building Your Team miniseries. I'n this episode, I'm discussing the importance of building relationships with potential employees. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Interviewing for a new job can be an arduous & anxiety-provoking process. In this episode, I share a few stories of the best interviews I’ve ever witnessed, so that you can walk away with 5 specific strategies for standing out in the interview process. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
This week we're dropping our second miniseries here on Founder's Journal called Building Your Team. We'll be bringing back some classic episodes you loved—or if you're a new listener, maybe you haven't heard before—and some new episodes you won't want to miss. Today's classic episode is about whether you should work with friends or family in business. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Social media should be serve as a friend, not a foe in your life. In this episode, I'm talking about using social media from the perspective of a founder and manager. To learn how to think about social media on a personal level, check out How to Make Social Media Work for You Part I. Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
The internet was one of the greatest inventions in human history. It shifted society from being geographically fragmented to globally connected. It led to the advent of social media and platform businesses. It made the supply of connection and knowledge effectively endless. But it also created a whole new set of challenges from social comparison to employee anxiety and procrastination. In this first of this two part series, I talk about how we can have the internet work for us vs. against us. Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Mailchimp recently sold for $12 billion to Intuit, the small business powerhouse that owns Quickbooks, Turbotax, Credit Karma, and Mint. This deal is the largest ever acquisition of a privately-held bootstrapped business. In this episode, I walk you through the history of the company and lessons we can all learn from its meteoric rise. Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
It's a $200 billion behemoth and a place I loved frequenting for free food samples growing up. In this episode, I'm talking about Costco and what we can learn from it as business minds. Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In a world where we expect immediacy and efficiency, there’s still a need for repeating the importance of doing the work. In this episode, I’m talking about why we’ve become obsessed with life hacks and why they're all a load of crap. Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
How much time should you spend worrying about "the other guy?" In this episode, I’m talking about competition and how much you should focus on it as a founder or an employee. Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
The 20th anniversary of 9/11 serves as reminder to us all prioritize friends, family and the power of perspective. Without perspective, you can get lost in the day-to-day grind without a reminder of what it is that you’re grinding for. I have found one of the healthiest ways to strive is through experiences that create perspective. You can hear more about how the loss of my dad changed my life in Episode #157 "Losing My Dad" Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
"What is your biggest weakness? " One of the most cliche interview questions has an equally cliche answer: "I'm a perfectionist." In this episode, I'm talking about how being a being a perfectionist can be a legitimate career weakness if not understood properly. Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
On this episode, I'm talking about the unfortunate, but very real experience of losing great workers. Every founder, leader, and manager goes through it and it never gets easier, so I want to give some perspective to help you think about it. As I mentioned in the episode, check out these two Founder's Journal episodes on Elon Musk: How Elon Musk Thinks Part I How Elon Musk Thinks Part II Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Today, I’m talking about Allbirds, the sustainable lifestyle brand that just filed for an IPO. I’m discussing their growth journey and touching on a few major lessons we can learn from it. [Allbirds is not a sponsor of this content in any way, just an interesting company case study] Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Today, I'm talking with David Perell, AKA The Writing Guy, about why online writing is one of the most important skills you can have in 2021 and how you can do it more effectively. David has his own online writing school, called Write of Passage, and shares many of his insights on Twitter. This episode was recorded live in front of an audience of Morning Brew VIPs, who received an invitation as part of our Morning Brew Referral Program. Check out episode transcripts at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In this episode, I'm discussing the steps you should take to properly set yourself up at work before taking time off. As mentioned in the episode, check out two of my previous episodes, How to Unplug From Work and How To Get Your Shit Together, for more helpful tools related to PTO.
This episode is the final part of Founder's Journal's first-ever miniseries, Accelerate Your Career. I'm explaining my 7 rules of connecting and networking in a post-COVID, internet world.
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
This episode is part five of Founder's Journal's first-ever miniseries, Accelerate Your Career. Today, I'm talking about how to climb the ladder at your company faster. I'm walking you through best practices to set yourself up for success when the time comes for a promotion. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Today’s episode is part 4 of Founder’s Journal's first-ever miniseries, Accelerate Your Career. I’m walking you through the process I use to have a productive day. I'm also discussing how I think about the tasks I'm unable to get to by the end of the day. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Today’s episode is part 3 of Founder’s Journal's first-ever miniseries, Accelerate Your Career. I’m discussing the foundational traits that all top performers have in common, with an emphasis on what it means to be a quality thinker. As I mentioned in the episode, for more information on effective prioritization, check out one of my earlier episodes, How To Prioritize Time & Tasks To Enhance Your Work. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
In today's world of information overload and limited time, it is more important than ever to understand how to learn in an effective way. Today, I'm breaking down a four-step process for efficiently learning about any new topic personally or professionally. As I mentioned in the episode, here are some great resources for learning more about effective note-taking:
David Perell on Twitter
Tiago Forte on Twitter
Tiago Forte's online course, Building a Second Brain
Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
This week, we're dropping our first ever miniseries here on Founder's Journal called Accelerate Your Career, where we'll be bringing back some classic episodes you loved—or if you're a new listener, maybe you haven't heard before—and some new episodes you won't want to miss. In today's episode, I'm discussing feeling stuck at your job and walking through some strategies to help get unstuck and continue moving forward in your career. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Today’s episode is a continuation of Wednesday’s episode on fundraising for a business. I’m talking more broadly about how you should think about funding your business or someone else’s and when it makes sense to take VC money. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
Today, I’m talking about our journey raising money to launch Morning Brew as a business. I dive into why we needed funding, the resources we tapped, and our decision not to pursue VC funding. Check out the full transcript at https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com to learn more, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista
I’ve always been fascinated by great workers and their ability to prioritize their work effectively. Today, I take you though the prioritization strategies of a myriad of professionals that you can test and add to your professional toolkit. More info here on:
The Eisenhower Matrix
HFEL (Hard First, Easy Last)
Core versus Non-Core (Business As Usual v/s Shiny Objects)
Sunday Sessions
What are you prioritization strategies? Let me know via email Alex@morningbrew.com, DM me on Twitter @businessbarista or leave a voice message on our website https://foundersjournal.morningbrew.com/
The media landscape has shifted drastically in the past two decades, making it easier than ever for individuals to create their own content and build an audience just like big media companies do. Today, I discuss how you can leverage this opportunity to accelerate your career or business.
Sales is the most important skill that an entrepreneur has in their toolkit. Yet it is dismissed and downplayed in school and by other professions. I examine our perception of sales and why any modern business professional needs to take the skill seriously.
As I’ve spent more time in and around business, I have realized that few things are more important than incentives. The right incentives can accelerate a business. The wrong incentives can literally sink a business. This episode shares a few stories of incentives gone wrong and how we can think about setting the right incentives in our careers.
Ethereum is a blockchain based software platform that has the potential to revolutionize industries from Finance to Music & act as the foundation for a new digital economy. To be a modern professional is to understand the basics of potentially game-changing technology. Listen to my overview of AWS here: https://link.chtbl.com/fj-aws Got a question about business, media, or just want to say hi? Send an email to alex@morningbrew.com.
Being a high-performer is a double-edged sword. You aim for perfection, which drives you to work tirelessly and never settle. But if not kept in check, this way of working can lead to burnout and unhappiness. Today, I provide strategies to unplug from work when it seems like an impossible task. Got a question about business, media, or just want to say hi? Send an email to alex@morningbrew.com
We've got some reader questions to answer:
How do I deal with anxiety?
What's the future of Social Media Food Influencers?
What does an Executive Chairman even do?
Today I answer these questions and more from our listeners. Do you have a question about business, media, or just want to say hi? Send an email to alex@morningbrew.com, or my DMs are open @businessbarista on Twitter.
Today, I reflect on the business of the Olympics & what we can learn from the exorbitant costs & historical unprofitability of the games.
Today, I reflect on the ways in which I’ve built deep, meaningful relationships as an entrepreneur
Today, I talk about my current strategy for investing in startups & the principles that guide my decision to say GO or NO GO on a potential investment.
Today, I talk about my introduction to angel investing & how I approached writing my first three checks in very different early-stage businesses.
Today, I’m breaking down the eight trends that have led to a golden age in Entrepreneurship. There has never been a better time in history to start a business.
Today, we’re introducing a new segment: “Startup CrossFit,” where I put my ideas & the ideas of others through the business analysis gauntlet.
Recorded live in front of Morning Brew referral program VIPs, I ask Shopify president Harley Finkelstein about his journey from teenage DJ to Employee #20 at Shopify, and now to president of a company with 10,000 employees.
Today, I’ll be talking about a foundational skill that if mastered can drive long-term professional success & personal happiness.
Today, I’ll be talking about Amazon Web Services, an oft-forgotten but massive money-making machine living inside of Amazon.
Today, I’m talking about Jeff Bezos’ successor as CEO of Amazon and the lessons we can learn from his 24-year ascent at the giant tech company.
Today, I celebrate the 50th birthday of Elon Musk by breaking the second powerful mental model that he uses to run his businesses: First Principles Thinking
Today, I celebrate the 50th birthday of Elon Musk by breaking down a powerful mental model he uses to build his businesses: Sum Product Thinking
Today, I talk about my process for deciding to quit my cushy job in Finance for the uncertainty of building a media business full-time
Today, I talk about why following your passion is bad, anxiety-provoking advice & how thinking about the concept of "passion" differently can open you to greater freedom and success.
Today I ask Morning Brew CEO Austin Rief about his greatest joy, biggest challenge and worst screw-up while we were building the Brew.
Today, I talk about the power of switching costs and how companies like Apple, Twitter, and Slack create long-term advantages through them. Past episodes where we covered Helmer’s first two powers: Economies of Scale https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/winning-with-scale/id1509276485?i=1000515105956
Network Effects https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/network-effects/id1509276485?i=1000516069108
Today I talk about 6 of the steps I've learned over thousands of meetings. How, when, and why you should call them.
Today I talk about 4 timeless lessons from Amazon’s 1997 letter to shareholders that established the principles for building an empire.
Today I’m talking about a supercharged strategy for note-taking, because as a builder your lifeblood is information. It's heavily inspired by David Perell who developed a method for note-taking called The Information Capture Process. Also big thanks to Tiago Forte and his amazing Progressive Summarization technique.
Today I’ll explain how we found the Entrepreneurial Operating System and used it to grow Morning Brew.
Today's episode is about saving money and why that can be a really bad thing in business.
Today’s episode is about how you actually go about building a tribe that aligns with your values.
Today, I’m talking about what it means to be part of a tribe and what goes into building your tribe.
Today I talk about my decision to buy bitcoin, why I bought it, and the considerations I made along the way.
Today I’m talking about fighting for every single customer no matter how big your company is.
Today I explain what a learning group is and why I think it can accelerate learning & creative thinking.
Today I share how to be short term selfish in conversations in order to be long term selfish...in a good way.
For today’s journal, I want to help you make the right choices when picking senior people at your company.
Today I’m talking about peoples’ opinions and how to help you think through the best way to make them work for you in your career.
Today I’m talking about my anxiety and how I approach living with it in a productive and healthy way.
Todays episode breaks down a business framework that explains why some businesses are so powerful, so defensible, and only get more powerful & defensible with each day that passes.
Listen to my episode on Network Effects here.
Today I give you a tool for taking an honest & repeatable approach to how you evaluate major decisions you make.
On today’s guest journal, Amanda Goetz, Founder of House of Wise, gives us insight into building intentionally.
Today, I break down a four-step process for efficiently learning about any new topic personally or professionally.
Liston to The Power of Curation on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Today I share one of the things I have been perpetually unconfident about…the way I work.
Today I give you a mental model that you can add to your toolkit when making big decisions in business or life.
On today’s guest journal, Darren Rovell shares how carving out his niche in sports allowed him to build a 2,000,000 follower audience on Twitter.
Today, I talk about the importance of delivering frequent, quality feedback in business & how you can level of your feedback-giving abilities.
Today I share the superpower of storytelling, how I’ve used it as a builder, and how you can level-up your storytelling.
In today’s journal, I speak about my transition from CEO to Executive Chairman of Morning Brew.
Today I talk about why curation is a superpower, why it’s misunderstood, and why it’s more important than ever.
Today I tell the founding story of Salesforce, its disruption to computing, and the lessons all builders can learn from its success.
Nik guides us through the importance of building in public & the impact it’s had on his career.
Today’s journal is about what it means to be an independent thinker & what you can do to start thinking for yourself rather than in accordance with others.
Today I talk network effects. What they are, why they matter, and how to identify them in your industry.
Today I break down Scale Economies and how Netflix is winning with this powerful business strategy.
Today I talk about what it means to stay focused and resist the temptation to always say yes to new opportunities.
Today I define business strategy and unpack why we as builders want so badly to be considered strategic.
Today I discuss how we secured our first advertising partners in the early days of Morning Brew.
Today I discuss the Peter Principle and the influence it can have on employees, managers, and businesses.
Today I talk more about how I (unnecessarily) personalized the resignations of our first 2 employees and how we kept from losing momentum.
Today I reflect on my experience being on one of the largest business podcasts in the world.
Today I breakdown Twitter's new products and reflect on how I can apply their strategies at Morning Brew.
Today I share my experiences with imposter syndrome and some techniques I use to cope with it.
Today I share four timeless lessons from the app that everyone's talking about: Clubhouse
Today I tell the story of how we raised money for Morning Brew, and share tips on how to get someone to invest in you.
Today I take you back to my college days to tell the story of how I found my cofounder.
Today I present things you should consider before working with a friend or family member.
Today I explain why an internal communication strategy is so important and go behind-the-scenes of our strategy at Morning Brew.
Today I breakdown the four principles we use for hiring great talent through the story of hiring Morning Brew's Managing Editor.
Today I reflect on the biggest loss in my life and how it made me the professional and man I am today.
Today I reflect on the thought process that convinced me to leave my cushy job at Morgan Stanley and go full-time at Morning Brew.
Today I break down the tactics Morning Brew used to grow from 0 to 2.5, including the ambassador program, referral program, and paid acquisition.
Today I reflect on my productive weekend and think about ways to clear distractions from my weekdays.
Today I discuss four lessons that I've learned about leading a company through tumultuous times.
Today I explain how New Year's Resolutions set you up to fail, and present a better framework for reaching your goals.
Today I explain my annual review process and why I'm rewriting my job description as CEO of Morning Brew.
Today I breakdown what business builders can learn from strategies and fundamentals of poker.
Today, as people start logging off for the holidays, I discuss the anxiety of doing nothing.
Today I walk through my decision making process while pondering whether I should invest in Bitcoin.
Today I discuss how to make less with more by utilizing the processes, waste, and unused ideas in your business.
Today I reflect on my expectations going into my first board meeting, and how things actually went down.
Today I discuss the importance of being "on brand" in all the little touch-points your business has with its customers.
Today I talk about the importance of creating processes that turn employees into project managers.
Today I discuss a recent experience that reminded me that our problems are not unique to us.
Today I answer listener questions on the safety of startups, how to stay innovative, and a missed opportunity I'm grateful for.
Today I go behind-the-scenes of our company off-site and discuss how businesses should think about prioritization and data.
Today I explain why you should pay attention to the most obvious decisions, and discuss the media channel that I am most bullish on.
Today I reflect on my archery session and discuss the importance of iterative repetition.
Today I talk about the importance of taking time off, and why it's difficult to unplug as a founder.
Today I reflect on the mental readjustments I've had to make while growing Morning Brew.
Today I breakdown the benefits I've seen from joining the 30 for 30 writing program, and share why I want to bring the program to the Morning Brew team.
Hiring is hard. Today I brainstorm ideas on how we can attract great content creators to Morning Brew
Today I discuss surprising and delighting your customers and the art of the product drop
Today I talk about why you should focus on your best customers, and how our ambassador program has provided benefits beyond acquisition.
Today I discuss how we keep our core values and competencies in mind when evaluating new opportunities
Today I discuss finding your company's purpose, being a part of societal issues, and growing people.
I'm joining a 30 day writing challenge. Today I discuss why I joined this challenge and what I plan on writing about.
Today I explain what the Brewsletter is and the importance of having internal employee communication.
Today I discuss the funnel for how ideas can be captured, evaluated and executed within an organization.
Today I set up my new work environment and it got me thinking about the tools we use in our work stack.
Today I discuss why companies should maintain relationships with all-star candidates, even if they aren't a fit for a specific role.
No Founder's Journal today. Just want to thank @MorningBrew's creators for their incredible work always, but especially now.
Today I discuss my favorite interview question to ask candidates and the importance of communication with all employees (especially hiring managers).
Today I ask my audience what they want to see as move towards the next phase for The Founder's Journal. Email me at alex@morningbrew.com with your thoughts!
Today I discuss Morning Brew's acquisition, reflect on the journey, and discuss what the process is like for a founder.
Today I reflect on the 3 things I learned from my discussion with Rishad Tobaccowala
Data is tablestakes
Student Mindset
The importance of storytelling
Today I demystify the benefits and challenges of community, and contrast community vs. fandom.
10/28 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss the mechanisms for capturing signals and how to distinguish between signals and noise when making decisions for your business.
10/26 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss relevancy and how to balance creativity and structure to keep your business relevant for decades.
10/22 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I explain the difference between being a problem solver and a problem identifier.
10/22 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
10/21 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss how passive curiosity enables brands to guide their audience with trust and attention.
10/14 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss reading between the lines of questions that interviewees ask you.
10/09 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I answer listener questions on personal branding, remote work, and how the internet has changed content.
10/07 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss my experience acting as a moderator for a personalized marketing panel, and what I learned about facilitating a conversation between subject matter experts.
🔉 Subscribe to The Founder’s Journal YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6xplRRnW2TbZZMtejJIGow?sub_confirmation=1 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founders-journal/id1509276485 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7v0bSXLudQ4m58rIcevedx
10/07 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman Today I discuss what it means to me to be featured in Ad Age's 40 Under 40, and how I believe this award can be leveraged. 🔉 Subscribe to The Founder’s Journal YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6xplRRnW2TbZZMtejJIGow?sub_confirmation=1 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founders-journal/id1509276485 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7v0bSXLudQ4m58rIcevedx
10/06 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I reflect on my Q3 goals and how I'm thinking about setting my rocks for Q4.
10/05 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I talk about the value of talking to people outside of your industry, age group, and interests.
10/02 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I reflect after delivering the State of the Brewnion. What went well and what can we improve for next time?
10/01 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss how it feels to lose an early employee, both personally and from the perspective of the business.
09/30 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss the time commitment and opportunity cost that comes with being a manager.
09/29 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss my thinking as I prepare for our Q3 all-hands, State of the Brewnion.
09/28 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss the difference between scarcity and exclusivity, and how both can be used as strategies for your business.
09/25 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss trade-offs and opportunity cost. How do you determine whether something is worth your time?
09/24 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I talk about the lessons I learned about discipline and processes from my golf lesson.
09/23 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss how to identify and deal with cracks that form in your business as you move fast.
09/22 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I talk about how unsexy my work today was an what the day-to-day of running a media organization is really like.
09/18 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman Today I discuss how you can be open-minded but also hold strong opinions (and how your level of each can affect you in your career)
09/17 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I reflect on my conversation with Lewis Howes about podcasting (and how hard it is to grow a podcast).
09/16 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I talk about hiring and why you need all hands on deck to make effective hires.
09/15 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today I discuss remote work tools and their adoption in organizations.
09/12 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman Today I discuss why most startups fail to plan, and as the saying goes "If you fail to plan, you can plan to fail."
09/11 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman Today I discuss how and when to ask for help. When I ask questions: - When I have many questions to answer - When the questions aren't easily accessible - When the price for wrong answers is high
09/10 The Founder's Journal with Alex Lieberman
Today, Josh and I brainstorm how we can grow this podcast through proactive and reactive marketing.
Today I discuss why I go to therapy and how a therapist can be an emotional sparring partner who helps me reflect on life's greatest questions.
Today I reflect on the anxiety of finding my purpose and identity once I'm done with my career at Morning Brew. How do you deal with ambiguity? What is fulfillment and purpose for you?
Today I talk about what 1 million opens of the Morning Brew newsletter means to me and what I've learned on this journey.
Today I discuss what I've learned about running a business during the first recession in Morning Brew's history.
Today I talk about "Special S's" and the impact of giving special surprises and treats (even if it's small or FREE!) to your team for no reason.
Today I reflect on the question "what are you most excited about _____?" and my list of non-negotiables for my career
Today I discuss how individuals can lean into their various interests to become a multi-branded asset.
Today I reflect on my conversation with Kipp Bodnar, and discuss finding less popular items for your content diet and the skill-sets that help a startup employee to grow.
Today we're discussing how to manage senior employees and what a senior employee should expect from a founder or co-founder.
Today I discuss two places you can look for inspiration: things that are new and unproven for your audience and things that are new and unimpressive. This includes:
Unscaled businesses
Other geographic markets
Other demographics
Today I discuss what we're doing well, not doing well, and what we can improve with The Founder's Journal going forward.
Today I discuss how social media is more than just a tool to build a brand or kill time.
Today I reflect on the words I used to describe myself in a conversation, and how the things I consistently repeat shape my identity.
Today I discuss productivity (again). Specifically, what activities that you do are actually productive?
Today I breakdown AT&Ts 10-K and go through my takeaways after dissecting their financial documents.
Today I go through Morning Brew's organization structure and explain why every employee should understand their org structure.
Today I reflect on reflecting. I discuss why you need to find out why you had a success and how you can replicate successes in the future.
Today I remind myself what to keep in mind during the hiring process to make sure we find unicorns and avoid mistakes when hiring quickly.
Today I discuss strategic likability: How do build up the skills you need to be liked and trusted across your organization?
Today I answer questions submitted on our LinkedIn Live, including:
What does Morning Brew look like in 2 years?
What changes and challenges have we faced due to COVID-19?
What is Morning Brew's culture like?
Today I discuss how chaos within the structures of an organization can lead to innovation.
Today I discuss BrewU: Morning Brew's brand ambassador program. We discuss our history in brand ambassadors and how things have changed as we relaunch the program.
Today we talk about "stealing" or taking inspiration from things that already exist (and putting your own spin on it).
Today is the second part of our media diet discussion. We discuss the differences between depth and breadth in learning.
Today I reflect on my interview with Alicia Tillman, CMO of SAP. The three main takeaways:
All marketing is B2C marketing
Communicate the balance between autonomy and authority
Understand history to set strategy
Today I discuss how Morning Brew has been able to scale our sales organization, why you need specialists as you grow, and where we aim to go with our advertising business.
Today I talk about tough conversations:
what they are
why they're so important
how to have them
Today we do a strategy breakdown of Substack and see how they can become the front and back office for creators.
Today I discuss why I'm doing the CMO Series and how to make yourself a top-of-the-funnel asset for your business.
Today I discuss how I had a productive day, but couldn't find enough time to accomplish everything I wanted.
Today I discuss diets... content diets. What are the things you're consuming and how does it affect your outputs?
Today I discuss the reasons behind why I'm joining David Perell's Write of Passage Course and how I believe it will help in our mission to create an education product at Morning Brew.
Today I discuss employee onboarding and how we are working to improve our process at Morning Brew
Today I give a behind-the-scenes look at the State of the Brewnion (Morning Brew's town hall) and 12 things I've learned from presenting during these quarterly meetings.
Today I reflect on the conversation I had with Shane Parrish and what I've learned from Farnam Street Learning Community
Today I discuss advice for interns, how repetition influences truth, and how your business is like a factory.
Today we discuss Hey.com and how they are combing big, audacious goals with the collision of creativity and analytics.
Today I discuss the importance of talking to people outside of your specific area of work. I explore the quandary behind creating an investing community.
Today I discuss what Morning Brew is doing for Pride Month and how I'm learning to navigate hiring for a role I've never hired for before.
Today I discuss Fandom and Communities, including the potential benefits and pitfalls of each.
Today I share how Morning Brew is responding to the current unrest surrounding police brutality, systemic racism, and injustice. I read the remarks I gave to the entire team this morning , which details how our company plans to take action in creating a more inclusive workplace.
Today I go through the three types of brand architecture and how Morning Brew is figuring out which model is best for our business.
Producer Josh and I dissect a few podcast ideas that came in from a Brew reader. We discuss our current views on podcasting, as well as why discoverability is so difficult.
Yesterday was nonstop and felt particularly long. I was mentally and physically exhausted and finally sat down to record The Founder's Journal at 9:30 PM EST. I go through my calendar and a few learnings about my day's experiences.
Morning Brew had its first off-site today via Zoom. I share seven takeaways from this eight hour meeting and ways to make meetings more effective. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
Small, unexpected gestures go a long way. Today I share how someone's hustle to go an extra step became the most impactful moment of my day. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
Partnerships require a lot of time and energy. Today I discuss what to consider when deciding who your business should work with and why Peloton's partnership with ESPN checks all the boxes. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
My divergent way of thinking became apparent to me while I spent five hours of my day writing an email to sum up the months of research I've been doing around Morning Brew's educational product. Producer Josh and I discuss why you should figure out if you're a divergent or convergent thinker, and why it's sometimes beneficial to use both methods.
Our second live Founder's Journal recording was a success. Producer Josh and I continue to discuss what I learned from Nir Eyal's book "Indistractable" and I answer a listener question about the hardest pitched I've ever had to make. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
Today's discussion: consultants as insurance policies, hiring efficiently, and tapping into your superpowers.
Today I share a breakthrough I had in developing the foundation of Morning Brew's educational product. I also discuss the importance of IP and what MBA candidates often describe as the most beneficial aspects of their experience. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
It's no secret that I'm the worst at avoiding distractions. But today, I share how Nir Eyal's book "Indistractable" is teaching me practical tips to stay focused, as well as shaping Morning Brew's next educational product.
Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
Not all productivity is created equal. I share how you can make your schedule work for you by figuring out how to prioritize your daily tasks and goals. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
The Founder's Journal took place on LinkedIn Live today. Here's my conversation with Producer Josh where I explain the importance of checking in with your employees during this time. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
I've always been someone who learns through discussions, which means I never skipped class in college. Today I explain how I'm figuring out how to apply my learning style in the work place, and how this could inform Morning Brew's educational products. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
I reflect on how it felt to watch Morning Brew put on a giant initiative where I played a minimal part in making it happen. I also share why it's important to be empathetic in your hiring process. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
Today I go through three notes I wrote down that have me thinking about how to engage audiences and be more original. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
My schedule was packed back to back today with calls, and I realized I never took a chance to process anything. I share how I'm going to change this moving forward and how to make meetings more meaningful.
I detail how founders can better manage their time by figuring out where their strengths are best suited in their companies.
Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
Today I'm talking about dealing with anxiety and asking the right questions as you become less involved in the weeds of your business. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
I reflect on my conversation with Noah Kagan, someone I've always looked up to in the business world. Our conversation got me thinking about the qualities I look for in people and how I want to be spending my time moving forward.
Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com/ @dcuttermusic
We're going meta today. I share why Morning Brew is doing this podcast, what it means to me, and what I hope entrepreneurs of all types get out of it.
Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
I had a great LinkedIn Live, and a long time coming, conversation with Arianna Huffington to break the news about her company's new partnership with Audible. It got me thinking about how brands can leverage products by aligning with thought leaders. Music: http://www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic
Today we posted a new job description and I'm thinking more about the description, perfect applicant, and how to go about finding the best possible person.