The Sweaty Startup

In this episode, Austin and I talk about what it really takes to build and scale a business, from hustling to land your first customers to leading a team as your company grows. I share the guerrilla marketing tactics that helped me grow Storage Squad in the early days, why recruiting great people is often more important than finding more customers, and the framework I use to know when it's time to...

In this episode, I share why I've become so passionate about health and longevity, and the habits that have had the biggest impact on my life. We talk about the blood markers I track, my thoughts on fasting, why I believe most fad diets do more harm than good, and the simple changes that can help you stay healthier for the long run. We also get into my struggle with phone addiction, how reducing m...

In this conversation with Harry, I share the real story behind building wealth, from almost quitting during the toughest moments of my entrepreneurial journey to growing a portfolio of businesses worth millions. We also talk about handling the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship, balancing confidence with humility, and why the biggest rewards in life often have nothing to do with money. G...

In this episode, I sit down with Cody Berman to discuss the biggest myths in entrepreneurship and why so many people overcomplicate business. We talk about finding opportunities, choosing the right business, developing sales skills, and why execution matters far more than having a groundbreaking idea. I also share practical frameworks for evaluating opportunities, spotting profitable businesses in...

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Ragland to talk about the ideas behind my new book and why I believe most people have been sold the wrong vision of entrepreneurship. We discuss the difference between flashy startup culture and building real wealth through practical businesses, why sales is one of the most important skills you'll ever develop, and how confidence can be a greater advantage tha...

In this conversation with Justin, I share how building an audience online transformed my business career, from raising capital and finding investors to hiring world class talent and launching entirely new companies. We dive into the opportunities that came from being radically transparent online and why I chose to focus on building businesses instead of becoming a full time media personality. We a...

In this conversation with Craig, I break down the real lessons I've learned building businesses from the ground up. We talk about the early days of Storage Squad, the stress and chaos that came with scaling a hard business, and how those experiences shaped the way I think about entrepreneurship today. We dive into why sales is the most important skill in business, why execution matters more than i...

I break down the philosophy behind Sweaty Startup and why execution beats ideas every time. In this conversation, I also share lessons from building multiple companies, learning sales through repetition, scaling with international talent, and creating systems that allow businesses to grow without depending on the owner. Topics include: • Why most people overvalue business ideas • The real skill ev...

In this conversation with Zuby, we talk about entrepreneurship, confidence, family, modern culture, AI, and why I believe so many people are looking at life the wrong way. I explain why optimism and self belief matter so much in business, how my parents shaped my mindset growing up, and why I think supportive families create an enormous advantage in life. We also get into the strange way modern cu...

Most people think entrepreneurship is about big ideas, venture capital, and building the next tech unicorn. I don't see it that way. In this conversation, I break down why almost every business ends up looking the same at scale and why chasing passion is one of the worst ways to start. I talk about how I think about opportunity, why "boring" businesses win, and how geography can be your biggest ad...

I break down how I think about leverage and why relying on one person or one income source is the fastest way to stay stuck. We get into how I structure my businesses, how I make high impact decisions, and how I use systems, hiring, and global talent to scale faster than competitors. I also share my real thoughts on AI, where it actually adds value and where it's overhyped. And toward the end, I t...

I break down the real way I approach sales, building trust by talking about what can go wrong instead of just selling upside. I share how I went from scrappy, no budget marketing to building businesses that generate serious cash, and why most entrepreneurs move too fast into holding companies without the fundamentals. We get into the three things you actually need to win, cash, network, and operat...

In this episode, I break down the reality behind private jets and why the people who own them aren't who you think. It's not tech founders or venture backed startups. It's operators running simple, "boring" businesses like HVAC, storage, and local services. I share how those businesses create real wealth, and how that wealth translates into true freedom like being with family when it matters and t...

In this episode, I break down why "follow your passion" is some of the worst advice in entrepreneurship and what you should be doing instead if you actually want to make money. I explain how I think about choosing businesses, why boring industries like self storage and service businesses win, and how cash flow gives you leverage to solve bigger problems. I also get into what's happening in real es...

In this episode, I break down exactly how I went from running smaller businesses to acquiring a company at scale without giving up control. I share how I built my audience, why I went all in on Somewhere instead of cashing out, and how I structured a nearly $30M deal where investors got paid first but had zero decision-making power. I talk about the pressure of using other people's money, what I l...

In this episode, I break down how I think about hiring A players, why I move quickly on low performers, and how I build teams that can operate without me. I talk about why most leaders overcomplicate things, how slow decisions and poor standards drive great people away, and why focusing on simple, proven execution is what actually wins in business. Grow your business:   https://sweatystartup.com/e...

Chris and I talked about where real confidence comes from and why you cannot fake it. I shared how doing hard things builds confidence, why networking only works after you create real value, and how most people get this backwards. We also got into leadership, why you cannot delegate too early, and my honest thoughts on AI and where it actually adds value in business today. Grow your business:   ht...

Ryan and I talked about what actually separates people who build successful businesses from those who stay stuck thinking about it. We got into the mindset that drives real entrepreneurs, why urgency and action matter more than perfect planning, and how most people misunderstand networking. I shared the lesson a mentor taught me early in my career about sales being at the center of everything in b...

Austin and I talked about what entrepreneurship actually looks like when you start from nothing. I shared how my first business began by simply trading my time for money and why learning sales is the foundation of building any company. We discussed the early hustle behind Storage Squad, including chalk marketing on college campuses and hiring great people in unexpected places, along with the momen...

In this episode with Peter, I break down what really happened behind the scenes after buying Somewhere and scaling Bolt Storage through one of the most chaotic real estate markets in years. We talk about the pressure that comes with raising outside capital, why discipline in underwriting saved us when rates doubled, and how slowing down in storage led me to double down on building a global talent...

In this conversation with Roohi, I break down why most entrepreneurs are chasing the wrong game. We talk about starting with the end in mind, setting a personal cash flow number, and building boring businesses that actually stack the odds in your favor. I explain why speed is your only real advantage as a founder, how momentum compounds over time, and why making 30K a month in a proven business be...

In this episode with Chris and Chris, I talk about overcoming doubt, building irrational confidence, and using fear setting to make hard decisions less scary. We unpack lessons from chaotic early business seasons, anxiety filled moments, and the mindset shift toward extreme ownership that changed everything for me. We also cover leverage through hiring, auditing your time, focusing on sales and ma...

Jamie and I talked about why struggle is not something to avoid but something to embrace. We got into parenting, confidence, health, balance, and why giving yourself permission matters more than waiting for approval. We discussed what a good life actually looks like, how pressure shapes better people, and why playing the long game across generations is more meaningful than chasing status or shortc...

Nick Aufenkamp and I dug into the real reasons most entrepreneurs end up overwhelmed, broke, or miserable. We talked about delegation, generational wealth, and why the "boring" businesses often lead to the most freedom. I shared how I built leverage through international hiring, what I look for when choosing a game worth playing, and why long-term stress and sacrifice only make sense if you're cha...

Trevor and I talked through how I build real businesses by choosing better odds instead of chasing hype. I shared how I started from zero, tested demand with simple tactics, and why boring proven ideas beat trying to be the one in a thousand startup. We also covered pricing, firing bad customers, using data over ego, and why business never gets easier, you just get stronger. From building companie...