Idea to Startup
203 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago - ★★★★★ - 134 ratingsA podcast for people working on startup ideas. We have 15-minute tactical episodes and occasional interviews with people who did the early things exceptionally well. We've helped launch hundreds of startups worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and these are the building blocks.
"This is, without a doubt, the best podcast for people trying to build startups out there."
"If you aren't listening to this podcast and you're considering building a business (or you're already building one), what are you doing?"
"Must listen for first-time entrepreneurs - excellent storyteller."
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Episodes
Thrust and Drag Part 1: A System to Keep Momentum
March 15, 2023 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBToday we'll talk about thrust and drag, the components of momentum. Momentum is the lifeblood for startups, but most people leave it to chance. By focusing on the inputs of momentum - thrust and drag - you can build systems to ensure you keep moving forward. Gaps kill startups. This system removes them. Email [email protected] with "Uncomfy" in the subject to be invited to Uncomfy Hour Tacklebox Song where Taylor Swift burns Jake Gyllenhall
What if the problem you're solving isn't "painful" or "urgent"? What if it's just something you think people will want? Should you still pursue it? (feat. Linguini)
March 08, 2023 11:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBToday, we'll hit on the most asked question in our now functional podcast question submission list. What if the thing you're building isn't solving a bleeding neck problem? What if it's just something you think people will want? Something that'll improve their life, but not something they loose sleep over? Should you still pursue it? How? We'll talk through Linguini, Yeti, gross margins and status level jumps and land on the answer - is that type of business worth your time? Uncomfy hour ...
How to Create Useful Content (feat. the "creating content by not creating any content" method)
March 01, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBToday, we'll talk about content. Two of the most asked questions we get are "should I create content?" and "if I should... what the heck should I say?" Creating content feels daunting until you realize the best way to create content is to not create content. We go through how to do that, leaning on a few examples and a content generating framework. We also crown the best burrito in NYC. Tacklebox Dos Toros / El Gallo Bird by Bird
How to stack risk early, tackle the cold start problem, and compete by understanding incentives with Jareau Wadé
February 22, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBToday we speak with Jareau Wadé - currently the founder of Batch Processing, previously the co-founder of Balanced (acquired by Stripe), head of growth at Tilt Pro (acquired by Airbnb), and Chief Growth Officer at Finix. We spoke with Jareau about the early days of Balanced - how they prioritized, gained trust with initial customers, and competed with companies like Stripe and PayPal. Jareau talks through a bunch of different heuristics and models he uses to evaluate risk (stack it early),...
15 Min(ish) Skill: Script the Start and End aka How to Consistently Do Uncomfortable Things
February 15, 2023 11:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBToday, we'll talk about one very specific method you can use to tackle your hardest, most uncomfortable work. Tacklebox Alternate Nostril Breathing Jr Jr - The Speed of Things
Three More Ways to Approach Your Business Like a Pro (feat. anti-marketing, Frank Sinatra, and an Uber comedian)
February 08, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBToday, we'll dig in on three approaches that separate how pros and amateurs build businesses. We'll talk through how pros leverage existing infrastructure, how they use anti-marketing to build trust with strangers, and how they don't leave luck and serendipity to chance - they orchestrate it. We'll do this with help from stories about Frank Sinatra, a comedian in an Uber, and a founder starting a GMAT course for people looking to score 800 (and for those people only). And, Hey Jealousy by th...
The Trust to Risk Ratio (feat. Soona + a four-step risk framework)
February 01, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBToday, we'll help you get your first customers. We'll do it by learning how to use the trust to risk ratio - a way to identify the big risks that are holding your customer back and shoulder those risks early on to build trust. We talk through risk and trust with Find Your Lobster, Soona, and a finicky water pump. Tacklebox Soona
Two Ways to Approach Your Startup Idea Like A Pro (feat. an interior designer + Zapier)
January 25, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBToday, we'll talk about pros and amateurs. Pros build businesses that have a shot - amateurs never leave the starting gate. Unfortunately, most amateurs don't know they're approaching their idea the wrong way. We talk through two things entrepreneurs can do to give themselves the best chance to build something that matters. Tacklebox Fiverr Zapier
Testing an AI Coaching Tool in a Month (feat. The 5 Startup Idea Non-Negotiables)
January 18, 2023 11:00 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBToday, we'll tell the story of an idea a friend of Brian's pursued over the past month. It came about through flashy new tech, but the process shows what's actually valuable. This is a reps episode. A way to vicariously watch someone else test an early idea so that it's easier for you to do the same. Tacklebox (Code HOLIDAY until Sunday 1.22 at midnight for 50% off month one)
How to Build a Product People Will Share
January 11, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBToday, we'll talk through a way to ensure people will share what you're building (ideally before you decide to build it). We'll break down a few baby products that've been shared with Brian dozens of times the past few weeks to understand the incentives and drivers that made those products so shareable. Finally, we'll look at three questions that'll ensure you're on the right track. Tacklebox Byldd Shusher PeePee Teepee Ollie Swaddle
A Regret Minimization Framework (feat. Alone + The Big Reveal)
January 04, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBToday, we'll talk through a regret minimization framework that'll help you reset for the new year. Then, we'll use the show Alone to show how entrepreneurs need to stack risks early to give themselves the best chance at success. Tacklebox (50% off month one with code "HOLIDAY") Regret Minimization interview w/ Bezos The Pogues - Fairytale of New York Alone
HOLIDAY CLASSIC: The Three Characteristics of a Startup Idea That's Worth Your Time
December 28, 2022 11:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBToday, we'll revisit another one of the top-listened to episodes of the year. We'll reflect on the three core characteristics our fastest growing startups all share. We'll talk about how to identify these characteristics, test for them, and leave ideas that don't have them. We'll talk through the 4x rule and level jumping. And we'll be back next week with new episodes 🎁🎄 Tacklebox Kunal Shah: Core Human Motivations
Holiday Classic: Four Questions to Help You Start Your Idea (Feat. Penne Vodka Pete 🐐)
December 21, 2022 11:00 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBToday's episode is one of the most shared of the year. We start a business using four questions, hit on problems and opportunities, and meet the cult favorite Penne Vodka Pete. Tacklebox - start your startup right
How to Take Yourself Seriously feat. Your Entrepreneurship Handbook
December 14, 2022 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBMost people's startup approach is haphazard. It's a combination of instincts and reactions and luck or happenstance. People who succeed are far more purposeful. Today, we'll help you take your idea and yourself seriously. We'll build your entrepreneurship handbook - the thing that'll let you make tough decisions at scale. Tacklebox Code "HOLIDAY" for 50% off month one "I'm a Neuroscientist, and these are 5 things I do every day"
Build a System to be Different in 2023 (feat. pessimistic squirrels and majestic lions)
December 07, 2022 11:00 - 21 minutes - 20 MBToday, we'll help you build a system to be different. The well-traveled paths don't get you anywhere interesting and common inputs won't give you uncommon output. But, acting different is difficult. There's external and internal pressure and biases, so we need a system. We talk through the Venn Diagram Method and the cataloging and reflection needed to make decisions that'll help you reach your potential. Tacklebox - turn your idea into a startup (code HOLIDAY for 50% off month 1) Tackleb...
How to Test the Startup Idea You Had Over Thanksgiving in 7 Minutes
November 30, 2022 11:00 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBToday, we'll run a 7-minute test on a startup idea I had over Thanksgiving. It's tackling a massive topic - email - but breaking it down into a manageable first customer and use case. You probably had a startup idea over the break, too, and you should use this framework to test it. The secret to startups is that there is no secret - you're more likely to have a successful business if you try out lots of ideas. This pod will help you do that. Tacklebox (50% off month one with code HOLIDAY)
How to Productize Your Customer's First Step (feat. The Family Operating System and a 3am Pitch)
November 23, 2022 11:00 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBToday we'll dig in on productizing your customer's first step. This is the best path to building a product that generates revenue immediately so that you've got some runway and flexibility to build. We'll walk through a few examples, including a Family Operating System that came in at 3am last Thanksgiving from a listener. Tacklebox (Code "Holiday" for 50% off your first month)
Two Frameworks to Help Find Your Differentiator (feat. Inversion and the Before and After Method)
November 16, 2022 11:00 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MBToday, we'll outline two frameworks that'll help you find a meaningful differentiator. We use a bunch of examples to go through Inversion and the Before and After pic method, including a baseball academy, Krispy Kreme, and Nutrisystem. The goal is a product your customers will happily, willingly overpay for. Tacklebox Start your Startup in an Hour a Day program list
How to Think Bigger (feat. Mattress Mack and Asymmetric Upside)
November 09, 2022 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.2 MBMost entrepreneurs spend the majority of their time doing things that, even if they work, won't make a meaningful difference. Our default state is reactive, iterative work. To be a successful founder, you need to do things with the potential for asymmetric upside. Today, we talk about how to identify and incorporate tasks each day that - if they work - will fundamentally change your business. Today, we teach you how to think big. Tacklebox Tacklebox Podcast Emails The Tweet
20(ish) Min Skills: How to Find Your Wedge (feat. Bleeding Neck Problems)
November 02, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBIf you can't get traction, you likely need a wedge. Today, we talk through how to find one. We leverage a few frameworks we use at Tacklebox - the Bleeding Neck Problem, Productizing the First Step, and the 100 Character Landing Page. The goal is to solve an immediate, painful problem that'll build trust and allow you to pitch your bigger, North Star vision. Wedges get you started. Life is 100x harder without a wedge. Tacklebox Sign up for the Notion framework
Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 3 of 3): Taking the System for a Spin (feat. You've Got Mail and Curious Ruby)
October 26, 2022 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBToday is the last in our three-part series on how to start a startup in an hour a day. Brian talks through an idea he's working on on the side - VR for chronic pain - and sets up and executes a two-week, hour a day sprint. We dig in on the three pillars of the system - The Big Question, Tactics, and Structure, how to use friction and leverage, and how to organize your startup life around being curious. If you're interested in a notion doc that'll help you organize the hour-a-day system, si...
Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 2) - Founder Archetypes and a Two-Week Sprint Rhythm
October 19, 2022 10:00 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBIn the second episode of the series, we'll talk through the type of founder you are - Storyteller, Builder, or Manager. We'll then help you build out a two-week sprint cadence to test and grow your idea dependent on which type of founder you are. We get a little help from Brian's grandma and an offsite event startup for businesses trying to get their remote employees to feel some camaraderie. Tacklebox Rhythm Signup
Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 1 of 3) - Reflection + A Lifestyle Debt Audit + Finding a Free Hour
October 12, 2022 10:00 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBToday is the first of a three part series on setting up an operating rhythm for building a startup while you've got a full-time job. We lay out a system to help you make serious progress in an hour a day. We focus on reflection - specifically, your lifestyle debt - in an attempt to free up an hour of your time for the startup work. A startup won't be sustainable if it's layered on top of everything you're doing now. So today, we find you a free hour. Tacklebox - Startup Rhythm Signup The ...
20(ish) Min Skills: How to Write Direct, Persuasive Copy (feat. The Four Keys to Writing)
October 05, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBToday we'll talk about the biggest gap in most entrepreneurs skillsets - writing compelling copy. We'll go through the Four Keys to Writing which idiot-proof writing compelling copy that'll convert customers from landing pages, ads, and cold emails. Implement this stuff and you'll give your startup a much better chance at success. Tacklebox How to Write Copy course signup (50% off)
How to Start a Community-Based Startup - or Tack a Community Onto Your Existing Business (feat. Monks and Lonely Dads)
September 28, 2022 10:00 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBToday we'll talk about community. What a good community looks like, the mistakes people make around communities, and how to test an idea for a community fast. We'll test out a community for lonely dads, dive into an example about a freelancer community, and check in on a couple of Monks walking through Central Park at night. Tacklebox Freelance Founders David Spinks on Community
20(ish)-Minute Skills: The Concierge MVP
September 21, 2022 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBToday's episode discusses the Concierge MVP, an indispensable tactic early stage entrepreneurs can use to get the feedback of a full product without the money and time required to build one. We go through the 4-step method that'll get you data from customers you can use to raise funding, hire, or recognize the opportunity actually isn't worth your time. Tacklebox More Concierge MVP Examples
How to Spot Promising Startup Ideas (feat. The Hard Startup Myth and The Hassle Premium)
September 14, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBToday we'll help you find and choose the right startup idea. We'll use a couple of frameworks to help you evaluate startup ideas you've got and find startup ideas other people miss. We talk through the Hard Startup Myth and The Hassle Premium, two mental models that'll make sure your next idea has legs. We'll also evaluate Tinder for Jobs and learn a lesson from the great Frank Prisinzano. Byldd Tacklebox Frank's Crispy Egg video + instagram Personal MBA
How to Raise Money from Angel Investors with Angela Lee (37 Angels, Columbia Business School) ((And we start a $100mm taco company the last 15 minutes))
September 07, 2022 10:00 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MBAwesome chat with Angela Lee (37 Angels, Columbia Business School) about angel investing. We talk through what angels are looking for, who should try to raise from them, what'll happen if they do, and what the other options are. Then, we spend the last 15 minutes starting a $100mm Taco company. Angela walks through the process goals and financial milestones she'd want to hit in a fascinating startup exercise. Angela Lee 37 Angels Should you Bootstrap or Raise VC? Tacklebox
How to Get the World to Work For You (feat. pickleball and the greatest marketing campaign of all time)
August 31, 2022 10:00 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBIf you understand how the world works, you can let it do some serious heavy lifting for your business. If you ignore how it works, your business is as good as dead. Today we talk through three universal truths - forces that you can put behind your business to dramatically accelerate it. We'll use three examples - the best marketing campaign Brian's ever seen, the most magical product, and the mind-blowing growth of pickleball. Maria Maria 🎶 Tacklebox 🎣
Three Ways to Build Trust (feat. parking valets and a cure for baldness)
August 24, 2022 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBWe spend a bunch of time on business fundamentals. These are important, obviously, but they're only relevant if you can build enough trust with customers to convince them to give you a chance in the first place. Today we'll talk about why people hand their keys over to random strangers on the street in New York City, how a person selling cures for baldness converts 80% of the people he speaks with, and how you can build a strategy to cultivate trust with your customers, too. Tacklebox
A 20(ish) Minute Startup: Airbnb Referrals
August 17, 2022 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBToday, we'll start a business in 20(ish) minutes. We'll talk through the idea, figure out assumptions, run a test, and make a decision. We leverage a three step process to figure out if the idea is worth our time: Whisper Ideas vs. Rooftop Ideas, Rivers and Dams, and a Hypothesis Test. Tacklebox
What Kind of Company Do You Want to Build? (feat a 3-part framework to help you figure it out and Shaggy)
August 10, 2022 10:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBI meet far too many unhappy entrepreneurs. The whole point of this thing is to build a business that makes you happy. It needs to work, but it also can't make you miserable. Lots of entrepreneurs set themselves on a bad path from day one by ignoring critical early decisions. We talk through them today. And if you're not happy building what you're building, it's not too late. Tacklebox
A Podcast Figuring Out Your Value (featuring an aperol spritz startup and a magician)
August 03, 2022 10:00 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBToday we'll help you sink your teeth into value. We'll help you understand what people will actually pay for, talk through a framework to ensure you're creating enough value to anchor a business, and look at examples of a few startups doing this well and poorly. There's also a magician. Make $1,000 Today Tacklebox
A Mental Model to Reduce Complexity: The River (featuring a papaya)
July 27, 2022 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBThis episode digs into how to reduce complexity and choose the right path through a mental model we call the river. You identify the dams that stop your customer and break them down, focusing on just them to bring focused, explainable, shareable value. Plus, the papaya. Which you'll have to listen to understand. Tacklebox The River (Bruce Springsteen)
How to Start a Startup Accountability Group
July 20, 2022 10:00 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBWe've spent a ton of time recently on tactics and strategies. Today, we talk about how to build a group to make sure you're implementing them. Here's how to build a 4 person startup accountability group that'll meet weekly. We talk through who should be in the group, what you should focus on, and why it'll help. There's absolutely no better way to get started. Tacklebox
The Three Pillars of a Startup That's Worth Your Time (feat. Markets, The 4x Rule, and Level Jumping)
July 13, 2022 10:00 - 25 minutes - 23.1 MBToday we reflect on the three core characteristics our fastest growing startups shared. We break each down and talk through how to check for them and optimize for them. We also realize that startup ideas without these characteristics aren't worth your time to build. Tacklebox Byldd Kunal Shah on The Knowledge Project
A 20(ish) Minute Startup: An App That Cures Chronic Pain
July 06, 2022 10:00 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBToday we think through an idea for an app that treats chronic pain. We'll use the Three Level system to figure out what we know, what we need to learn, and whether the business has enough potential for us to spend our time filling in the gaps. And, if you're a freelance designer, podcast producer, or in video production, and you're interested in working on and growing ITS, contact [email protected]. Tacklebox Miro
A Framework to Get You Unstuck (featuring an Airstream startup)
June 29, 2022 10:00 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBToday we'll talk about how early-stage entrepreneurs can get themselves unstuck. It's easy to get paralyzed when the things you do don't lead to the outcomes you want. The key is understanding that in the startup world, results and decisions don't always go hand in hand. Separating them and focusing on stacking good decisions while understanding that the results might be a lagging indicator is your best bet. That's hard to do. Today, we talk through it. Tacklebox Alex Honnold Video
20(ish)-Min Skills: Sales 101 For Entrepreneurs That Hate Sales
June 22, 2022 10:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBA 20(ish) minute skills episode on sales 101 for entrepreneurs who hate sales. We go through three tactics and a bunch of examples to help you build a system for sales that'll help you grow without making you feel slimy. We set up sales for a sabbaticals as a service startup. And we talk through why entrepreneurs hate sales and how to reframe the whole thing. Tacklebox Text Expander Streak Pipedrive
A Weekly Prioritization and Audit Framework to Help Entrepreneurs Make Great Things
June 15, 2022 10:00 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBMost entrepreneurs struggle with prioritization. When you need to do *everything*, where do you start? Today we lay out a three-part framework to make sure you're spending your time on the most important stuff. It includes a calendar, a weekly audit, and an environment makeover. Best of all, it works. Hat tip to Finland for the inspiration. Tacklebox Tom Eisenmann Episode
How to Test If Your Idea Can Grow Before You Build It (featuring a meeting agenda startup)
June 08, 2022 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBToday we talk through testing and getting to an idea that can grow before you invest time and money to build it. We do this through the lens of a meeting agenda startup, plus revisit Brian's basketball lesson business and the NYC speakeasy, Please Don't Tell. Immi Please Don't Tell Tacklebox
What Makes a Great Product?
June 01, 2022 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBToday we break down a tough question: What makes a great product? We look at Brian's two favorite products to tease out themes and characteristics we can leverage to build a great first product at a smaller scale. Tacklebox Membership (with pod listeners discount / application)
Strategies for a Crowded Market: Breaking Down Three Coffee Startups
May 25, 2022 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBOperating in a crowded market with a ton of potential is tempting - and tough. Today, we evaluate companies taking very different approaches to the coffee market. We go deep on Blank Street, Cometeer, and Nguyen Coffee Supply and pull out everything we can learn that'll help you build your business. Tacklebox Nguyen Coffee Supply, Cometeer, Blank Street Quibi Episode - How to lose 1.8bn dollars in 10 days Boston Towns Sketch Air Mail article on Blank Street
How to Build The Right Thing (Introducing the Product Pyramid Framework)
May 18, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.3 MBToday's episode introduces the Product Pyramid Framework, a tool entrepreneurs who have never built products before can use to make sure they build the right thing. The three part system ensures you're focused on features that'll move the needle and translate into organic growth. Tacklebox
A Thing To Do This Weekend If You're Working on a Startup
May 11, 2022 10:00 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBLots of people carve out time to work on their startup ideas. Most people spend that time doing things that don't matter. Today, we talk about something you can do this weekend that'll actually matter for your startup. Like, way more than anything else you could do. We get a little help from Martin Scorsese, a golf startup, and a restaurant that only serves French Dip. Tacklebox
How to Become a Startup Idea Machine
May 04, 2022 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBGetting to a startup idea worth starting is active, not passive. The idea won't just show up - you'll need to find it. And it likely won't be the first idea you've got. The way to get a great startup idea is to get lots of startup ideas so you've got context and practice. The way to get lots of startup ideas... well, that's what the episode is about. The three pillars of getting lots of good startup ideas. Tacklebox
How to Evaluate and Choose an Idea Worth Pursuing with Alex White
April 27, 2022 10:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MBHere at Idea to Startup we're obsessed with the process of filtering through and choosing ideas. Today we're joined by Alex White, previously the founder of The Next Big Sound (acquired by Pandora) and current founder of Subcity, and someone with as thoughtful and rigorous an approach around ideation as you'll find. We dig in on how to think through an idea, how to pursue it, and how to decide if it's worth your time. Subcity Tacklebox Four Steps to the Epiphany
How to Write Great Copy for your Startup
April 20, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBWriting copy for a startup is hard, especially when you're thinking it up from scratch. This episode goes through five frameworks that'll help you write copy that converts customers. We've got a bunch of examples in here and Brian has a sore throat so he "sounds pretty cool, actually" - his words. Byldd - MVP development agency Tacklebox - Build your startup with us (join before we move to application only May 2) Inflection Points
INTERVIEW: Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, founder @ Oar Health
April 15, 2022 17:06 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBToday we talk with Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, the founder of Oar Health. Oar Health makes safe, effective medication and convenient care for people who want to drink less or quit drinking altogether. Jonathan went through Tacklebox a few years back and created a path a lot of entrepreneurs with jobs would love to follow - validating, building, and growing before quitting his job to transition to Oar full-time. Since, he's raised funding, grown the team, and is tackling addiction in a unique and...
Start a Startup in 7(ish) Minutes: Solving Parking in NYC 🚕
April 13, 2022 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBToday we're going to start yet another startup in 7(ish) minutes. We'll flesh out an idea and figure out how to test it using four key questions. The problem we'll solve is parking in NYC. As always, if anyone wants to run with this - please do. Reach out if you do. This problem needs a solution. Tacklebox