Built Different

A PE guy made gummies. 32 months later, Unilever paid $1.2 billion. Grüns went from 0 to $300M in 3 years while AG1, Ritual, and the rest of the DTC wellness pack burned cash chasing the same customer. The exit multiple? 4x revenue. Most DTC brands sell for 3-5x EBITDA. In this episode of Built Different, we breakdown: • How Grüns won a category everyone else was already crowding • The format choi...

Kenneth sold watch straps to Ed Sheeran. Then John Mayer. Then Russell Crowe. He runs Delugs, an 8-figure Singapore brand he built with his wife Pei. They both quit their government scholar jobs in 2023 to go full-time — by then the "side hustle" was already doing $2-3M a year. In this episode of Built Different, Kenneth breaks down: • The exact 2-week campaign that got Ed Sheeran wearing his stra...

Why does Singapore produce so few founders? Josh and Damon break down the X debate everyone's arguing about — and the real reasons most people who say they'll start a business never will. In this episode of Built Different: • The "salary is a drug" trap (and why earning more makes it harder to quit) • 3 signs someone won't actually become a founder: asking for permission, being the "ideas guy," an...

Sick of AI hype with no real way to make money? Same. We found 5 AI business ideas people are actually executing on right now — and how to build a $100K business in 90 days using them. What's inside: • The AI agent that sends personalized landscaping postcards to homeowners (scanning satellite photos) • Why "preview as a pitch" changes everything • Real ideas, real execution, zero fluff No theory....

Asnawi left Salesforce to join a $0 revenue startup as employee #1 in Singapore. Today, they've raised $15M and are growing 15% QoQ. In this episode of Built Different, he shares: • Why he took a pay cut to start from the bottom • Overcoming Singapore's sales job stigma • The mindset shift from corporate to startup • Whether the risk was worth it If you're debating leaving a "safe" corporate job,...

We missed crypto. We missed the early internet. We're not making that mistake again. In this episode, we break down AI agents, what they actually are, why they're different from ChatGPT, and why 2 million people are already using OpenClaw. We also cover the craziest real-world use cases we've seen (an AI that fought an insurance company and won, one that got someone dates on Hinge, and another tha...

Making million-dollar decisions alone? Second Surface is the vetted founder community built for founders who are ready to stop going it alone. Apply at secondsurface.org . In this episode of Built Different, we sit down with the founder of Jin Kimchi to break down the systems behind building and growing a modern food brand. From central kitchens and menu design to operational efficiency, marketing...

What does it really take to build a $1M brand online? In this episode of Built Different, we sit down with Kevin — the creator behind Radical Kindness — to unpack how he built a following and business by saying the things most people are afraid to say. From controversial moments and viral attention, to authenticity, content strategy, and the mindset behind building an audience that actually conver...

In this episode of Built Different, we unpack the hidden truths of selling a company — the parts founders rarely speak about publicly. From evaluating offers and breaking down term sheets, to negotiation pressure, legal landmines, and the emotional aftermath of exiting — we share what actually happens beyond the headlines. We cover: • The real factors behind deciding to sell • What truly matters i...

At 21 years old, he found himself staring at a $500,000 debt . In this episode of Built Different , we sit down with Gabriel to unpack how he walked into half a million dollars in debt — the decisions that led there, the pressure that came with it, and the mindset shift that helped him climb out. We talk about risk, responsibility, ego, business lessons you only learn the hard way, and why sometim...

We’re constantly told that experience is everything. In this episode of Built Different , we break down why that belief might actually be holding most founders back — and how a 21-year-old built leverage, trust, and scale by not doing things the traditional way. This conversation isn’t about age. It’s about how experience can quietly lock you into bad assumptions, and why fresh perspectives often...

In this episode of Built Different, we break down why a category everyone thought was dead is suddenly winning again. Not because the product is better, but because the business solved a problem most brands ignore. This isn’t really a yogurt story. It’s about owning the “what do we do now?” moment after dinner. If you’re building in a crowded space, this episode will change how you think about dif...

Most people try to win in business by doing what everyone else is already doing. In this episode of Built Different, we talk about how to stand out in crowded industries by doing the one thing most people avoid — breaking a rule your industry takes for granted. We share ideas and patterns across industries like insurance, property, interior design, and F&B, and why the real advantage isn’t bei...

A common New Years resolution is to "Start my own business!" Most people are looking in the wrong places. In this episode of Built Different, Joshua and Damon break down how they think about finding the next million-dollar businesses. This isn’t a step-by-step tutorial. It’s a raw, unfiltered conversation about: - Spotting opportunities early - Understanding who actually pays - Why some “boring” i...

In this reflective podcast episode, Joshua and Damon look back on the year 2025, discussing their best and worst financial decisions, insights on investing, and personal growth experiences. They explore the challenges of parenthood, the importance of community, and the concept of 'Misogi'—a year-defining activity that brings intentionality to life. The conversation emphasizes the balance between a...