Travis Makes Money

Travis Chappell and his producer Eric break down one of Jeff Bezos’s biggest business lessons: obsess over the customer experience instead of getting distracted by competitors. From marketing campaigns that miss the point to once-dominant tech companies that failed to evolve, they explore what it takes to build a lasting business. They also discuss why collaboration can be more valuable than compe...

Brandon Willington is an entrepreneur, marketer, and author of Fuck Your Agency, a book that teaches business owners how to generate their own leads instead of relying on marketing agencies. After starting out as a DJ and music producer, Brandon accidentally built a marketing agency before realizing that most small and medium-sized businesses could get better results by learning to run their own a...

Travis Chappell and producer Eric are back for another episode of the Travis Makes Money Podcast, breaking down the internet’s latest controversies and what they reveal about business, branding, and consumer perception. From a debate over whether sports fans should give caught baseballs to kids to OnlyFans’ attempt to attract mainstream creators, Travis and Eric explore why context matters, how au...

What if most relationships don't fail because of a lack of love, but because nobody ever taught us how to love well? In this preview episode of Travis Makes Friends, Travis sits down with Jimmy Knowles, who got to a breaking point seven years into his marriage. Only after hitting that rock bottom did he pick up his first book on relationships. One book turned into two years of studying what a stro...

Travis Chappell and his producer Eric are back in the studio for a conversation about behavioral science, social proof, marketing, and the internet's obsession with outrage. After reacting to a viral clip featuring behavioral scientist and bestselling author Jon Levy, they explore why familiarity can shape what we trust, buy, and believe. From the Mona Lisa's rise to worldwide fame to the importan...

Damon Centola is the Elihu Katz Professor of Communication, Sociology, and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs the Network Dynamics Group. A pioneering researcher in social networks, behavior change, and collective intelligence, Damon is a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow and the award-winning author of How Behavior Spreads and Change. In his forthcoming book, Good Think, he chal...

In this episode of the Travis Makes Money Podcast, Travis and producer Eric break down Crumbl Cookies’ reported sales decline and what entrepreneurs can learn from a brand that once rode the post-pandemic boom. They discuss the company’s oversized, indulgent products, controversial marketing decisions, and the influence of health-focused creators calling out popular food brands. Along the way, Tra...

Larry Coval is a veteran technology and telecommunications executive who spent nearly four decades leading sales organizations, business units, and billion-dollar operations at companies including AT&T, Telligent Telecom, Epoch Internet, Global Crossing, and Cox Business. Throughout his career, he turned around underperforming teams, drove business growth, and helped develop future executives. Now...

In the final segment of this three-part episode, Travis and producer Eric explore the changing ways people socialize, build relationships, and spend their free time. From the decline in alcohol consumption among younger generations to the growing appeal of in-person gatherings, they discuss how the pandemic, remote work, and digital entertainment have reshaped social habits. They also explore busi...

Gerry Rich is a veteran Hollywood marketing executive who has helped bring some of the film industry's most memorable movies to audiences. Named one of America's top 100 marketers by Ad Age, Gerry has held marketing leadership roles at Columbia Pictures, Miramax, Paramount Pictures, MGM, and United Artists, and has consulted for Universal. Throughout his decades-long career, he's worked on films i...

Travis and producer Eric continue to dive into the growing push to unplug from screens and reconnect with real-world experiences. They discuss why younger generations may be pushing back against an increasingly digital world, the downside of endless content consumption, the difference between creating meaningful work and chasing views, and the business opportunities emerging around in-person exper...

Dub Washington is a funding strategist, credit expert, travel hacker, coach, and mentor who teaches entrepreneurs how to strategically leverage the credit system to build wealth and grow their businesses. After leaving his job as a shipping and receiving warehouse supervisor in 2021, Dub launched a credit-focused ebook and made $10,000 in a single day, kicking off his transition into entrepreneurs...

In this episode, Travis and producer Eric take a closer look at the growing appeal of physical experiences in an increasingly digital world. They discuss the resurgence of bookstores, the value of owning physical books and keeping a journal, and why stepping away from screens can create more meaningful memories and better habits. They also explore the tension between consuming and creating, and ho...

Abhijit Bhaduri is a talent and learning expert who has spent more than two decades helping organizations develop people and navigate a rapidly changing world of work. As Microsoft's former global head of learning and development, he helped shape talent strategy for 230,000 employees, and he previously served as Wipro's first chief learning officer. A prolific writer and author of books including...

In this episode of the Travis Makes Money Podcast, Travis and producer Eric break down the growing controversy surrounding prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi, including New York's lawsuit alleging that Polymarket is operating an unlicensed gambling operation. They discuss whether prediction markets are really different from traditional sports betting, how these platforms could introduce...

Rajeev Kapur is a three-time CEO with three exits, the CEO of 1105 Media, a former member of Dell's leadership team, and an AI advisor focused on making artificial intelligence accessible to everyone—not just the tech elite. During his time at Dell, Rajeev helped build a $1 billion-plus U.S. business and led operations across China and South Asia. He's also the bestselling author of AI Made Simple...

In this episode of the Travis Makes Money Podcast, Travis and producer Eric unpack the growing debate around AI and the job market, especially why recent college graduates are struggling to find entry-level work. They discuss whether AI is actually responsible for rising unemployment, how remote work and a low-hire economy are changing the job search, and why sending hundreds of applications may b...

Hariharan Jayakumar is the co-founder of Silo Markets and the creator of Logically Answered, a technology and business media brand with more than 920,000 YouTube subscribers and over 200 million views. Hari started creating YouTube videos at just 10 years old and spent more than a decade consistently building his audience before using that platform as the foundation for a fintech company. In this...

In this episode, Travis and producer Eric discuss Disney’s appointment of former Character. AI CEO Karandeep Anand as its first Chief Technology Officer and what the move could mean for the company’s approach to artificial intelligence. They explore the tension between using AI to increase efficiency and production while preserving the human creativity and craftsmanship that make entertainment mea...

Clayton Tomasino is the CEO of Scorpion Protective Coatings, a family-founded Indiana manufacturer that has grown into a five-time Inc. 5000 company with a dealer network of roughly 2,000 shops nationwide. Clayton has helped expand the company from protective coatings into window film, paint protection film, cutting software, and emerging smart film technologies. In this episode, he shares how he...

Travis and producer Eric continue their conversation about the allegations surrounding Life Surge and the broader questions raised by celebrity endorsements and high-ticket business opportunities. They discuss how much responsibility public figures should take when lending their names and credibility to products, companies, or events they may not fully understand. Travis also explains why he belie...

Ben Meer is a writer, speaker, coach, and the “Systems Guy.” His weekly newsletter, System Sunday, reaches more than 250,000 subscribers, and his social media following has grown to more than two million people. He also coaches founders and CEOs on productivity, systems thinking, and intentional living. A former management consultant with an MBA from Cornell University, Ben is the author of How to...

Travis and producer Eric take a closer look at allegations surrounding Life Surge, a Christian wealth-building seminar company that has faced scrutiny over its sales practices and high-ticket financial education programs. Using reporting and testimony discussed on the show, they break down how low-cost events can lead into increasingly expensive offers, including programs allegedly costing tens of...

Bob Chapman is the CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, a $4 billion global capital equipment company and author of Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family. Over his 50-year leadership journey, Bob transformed a struggling $20 million family business into a multibillion-dollar enterprise using a blend of sound business design, creative acquisitions, and a culture o...

Travis and producer Eric break down a powerful message from filmmaker Ava DuVernay about desperation, mentorship, networking, and the importance of focusing on your own work. They discuss why constantly asking people for coffee, mentorship, introductions, or favors can become a distraction from actually building something—and how consistent action and progress can naturally attract the right peopl...