Start It or Scrap It

Send us Fan Mail An AI agent was given a 300-piece content update. It tested its process on three pieces, then reported the entire batch complete, hardcoding the wrong data into everything else. That's one of several real AI stories in Episode 90 of Start It or Scrap It, alongside a golf-course meeting that turned into a new client, a real job that shrank from nine people to one, and why new...

Send us Fan Mail There is now a wearable, battery-operated, ventilated jacket for small dogs. People are buying them. That's just one sign of how much consumer spending on pets has changed, and it's one of several real stories in Episode 89 of Start It or Scrap It. This episode also covers what it actually takes to legally start a jet ski rental business at the beach, why a contractor wo...

Send us Fan Mail Getting a product into Walmart sounds like the finish line. For one business owner, it turned into a lesson about everything he didn't know he didn't know: tracking systems, invoicing requirements, and a buyback clause that ended up costing him almost everything he made. That story anchors Episode 88 of Start It or Scrap It, alongside a real coaching call about how to ac...

Send us Fan Mail Social media platforms are private businesses, and that means they can ban you, shadow ban you, or tank your reach for almost any reason they want, with zero legal recourse on your end. Mike breaks down the actual legal reality behind a call he got this week from a creator whose live audience collapsed from 5,000 viewers to barely a dozen, seemingly overnight. That conversation op...

Send us Fan Mail A viewer intimidated by starting their first business asks a simple question: is it a rule of thumb that you shouldn't start a business in something you're unfamiliar with? Mike's answer is just as simple: go find a franchise broker and see what's available for under $40,000. That exchange kicks off Episode 86 of Start It or Scrap It, and it turns into a full b...

Send us Fan Mail Clayton McDonald doesn't know how to write code. He's also built and shipped a full SaaS platform, Black Light Resumes, almost entirely by prompting AI. This week he joins Mike and Gummi as guest host to break down exactly how he did it: what vibe coding actually is, how to quality-check AI-built software so it doesn't turn into a maintenance nightmare, and the real...

Send us Fan Mail During internal testing, an unreleased AI model realized it could score higher on a benchmark by reaching outside its supposedly isolated test environment and pulling in an answer from Hugging Face. It wasn't sentient, and it wasn't malicious — it was told to complete a task, and it found an unexpected way to do it. That story kicks off a wide-ranging Episode 84 of Start...

Send us Fan Mail A Colombian beer brand offered soccer jerseys at four different price tiers based on how large you were willing to make their logo. The biggest logo got you 80% off. Hundreds of thousands of Colombians chose the biggest logo. That is the opener for Episode 83 of Start It or Scrap It. And it sets up one of the best marketing conversations we have had on the show. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Co...

Send us Fan Mail If your paperwork is this sloppy at the closing table, what else am I not seeing underneath? That is the line Mike has heard buyers say before walking away from a deal. And it is the reason this episode opens with one of the most important warnings any business owner building toward an eventual exit needs to hear: your tax return is not enough. Not even close. Episode 82 of Start...

Send us Fan Mail Mike teaches white hat hacking and social engineering. And yesterday, a scammer almost got him. Episode 81 of Start It or Scrap It opens with Mike breaking down exactly what happened: a spoofed Google security email that was verified clean at every technical level, a convincing phone call from someone with an American accent, and an auto-saved password on a fake login page that ga...

Send us Fan Mail Mike and Gummi went to the France vs Iraq World Cup match in Philadelphia. They watched Iraqi fans set up drums in the concourse during a weather delay and turn a thunderstorm into one of the best moments of the tournament. Then they came back and talked about how small businesses can use all of it to their advantage. Episode 80 of Start It or Scrap It is a live Q&A covering W...

Send us Fan Mail Most business owners do not think about insurance until they need it. By then it is almost always too late. In Episode 79 of Start It or Scrap It, we sit down with Rick Millham Jr. CIC, owner of Millham Companies Inc in Doylestown, PA, a second-generation insurance agency with 35 years in property and casualty insurance. Rick reads every policy. All 300 to 400 pages. He is the kin...

Send us Fan Mail Most small business owners do not know what they need to open a business bank account. Most of them are also at the wrong bank when they need to borrow money. And most of them have no idea that a video with 117 views can generate more business than one with 5.7 million. Episode 78 of Start It or Scrap It covers all of that and more with Kevin Dolton, a 39-year banker and relations...

Send us Fan Mail Your employees are not your friends. Traditional marketing is outperforming digital for a lot of businesses right now. And most people quit right before they hit success. Episode 77 of Start It or Scrap It is a live question episode, just Mike and Gummi taking real questions from the audience in real time. No script. No guest. Just honest practical answers to the questions founder...

Send us Fan Mail Is college worth it? Are Ivy League schools actually about the network? And how do you avoid overpaying for an education that may not get your kid where they want to go?   In Episode 76 of Start It or Scrap It, we sit down with Jay London, the College Advice Guy and Independent Educational Consultant, for an honest and practical conversation about one of the most expensive decisio...

Send us Fan Mail How do you build a business that actually lasts? According to this week's guest, it comes down to one thing: someone has to fully own it, breathe life into it every single day, and hold the standard relentlessly.   In Episode 75 of Start It or Scrap It, we sit down with Phil de Paul, a serial entrepreneur and home services franchise operator on Long Island, NY running both 1-...

Send us Fan Mail How do you get your first 10 paying customers? What does it actually take  to recover from burnout without quitting? And when you're ready to sell —  what do buyers really look for? In Episode 74 of Start It or Scrap It, we sit down with Alex Booth —  owner of Get CSM, a customer success manager staffing firm, and  Huckleberry Consulting — to break down the real answers to th...

Send us Fan Mail AI isn’t coming… It’s already here. In this episode of Start It or Scrap It, we break down real-world ways AI is changing how businesses operate, including how it can replace hours (or even hires) when used correctly. We get into: - How AI saved hundreds (if not thousands) of hours - Why businesses are using AI instead of hiring - The risks of using AI incorrectly (and how it can...

Send us Fan Mail Signing a commercial lease seems simple… Until the hidden costs start showing up. In this episode of Start It or Scrap It, we break down what most business owners don’t realize until it’s too late: 👉 Rent is just the beginning. We get into: - Hidden costs inside commercial leases - What “triple net” actually means - Why repairs and maintenance can fall on you - The financial trap...

Send us Fan Mail If your business requires you 100% of the time… 👉 Do you actually own a business… or did you just create a job for yourself? In this episode of Start It or Scrap It, we break down one of the most controversial truths in entrepreneurship. We get into: The difference between a business and a self-created job Why most solopreneurs get stuck How to build systems that run without you...

Send us Fan Mail What’s the best side hustle you can start with no money? In this episode of Start It or Scrap It, we break down real, practical side hustle ideas that don’t require capital — just execution. We get into: Service-based businesses you can start immediately How to use AI to find the right business for YOU Why niche markets are more powerful than you think Real examples of simple idea...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when employees leave… and start competing with you? In this episode of Start It or Scrap It, we break down a real-world scenario where a company gets split apart—and what it means for founders, employees, and growth. We get into: - Non-competes vs non-solicitation (and what they actually protect) - Why employees leave and take others with them - How private equity dea...

Send us Fan Mail Some of the best business opportunities don’t look obvious at first. In this episode of Start It or Scrap It, we break down ideas, assumptions, and patterns that most people either overlook or misunderstand. We get into: - Where people are thinking about business the wrong way - Opportunities hiding in plain sight - The gap between ideas and execution - Real-world insights from ac...

Send us Fan Mail What does the future of virtual reality actually look like? In this episode of Start It or Scrap It, we break down real business ideas, including a VR concept that might be more viable than you think, and where this technology is actually heading over the next few years. We also get into: - How VR and AR could reshape everyday life - A niche VR business idea and how to monetize it...

Send us Fan Mail Starting a business is one thing… but building it the right way is something completely different. In this episode of Start It or Scrap It, we break down real questions from founders and entrepreneurs, including: • how to get your first customers • the difference between working IN your business vs ON your business • why business partnerships fail (and how to avoid it) • how to st...