Founder's Journal

Episode 24: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) does his temperature for the week where he shares what went well, what didn’t, and what he learned. Multimedia has grown tremendously at Morning Brew and Alex celebrates the big steps it’s taken. Social media is a constant distraction — that’s why Alex is hiring a productivity coach. Alex learns the origins of how the idea of Pokémon turned into a $100...

Episode 23: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has insecurities and he wants to share it with the world. Leaders are often perceived as being impervious to any shortcomings they may have in their business, personalities, or abilities. Here are the reasons why you should consider being more open about your insecurities. Timestamps: (01:14): Should you share your insecurities to investors? (02:52): 4...

Episode 22: Often the most successful people have an inner circle that they trust and can turn to when they need support. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares this quick 9 step exercise to identify, audit, and elevate your inner circle to make sure you are surrounding yourself with the right people to enable your success.  Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjo...

Episode 21: Did you know that 90% of the world’s data was created in the last two years? There’s an abundance of content out there. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares his tips on how to cut through the noise and find content that interests you and helps your business.  Timestamps: (00:26): The state of content on the Internet (03:56): My curated list of content (07:03): How to cut through th...

Episode 20: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares his takeaways from Bob Iger’s memoir The Ride Of A Lifetime. Considered one of the most prominent CEOs of all-time, his journey is filled with peaks and valleys. While there are multiple lessons every entrepreneur can learn from in his memoir, this episode highlights the skill of compartmentalization for leaders during times of tragedy.  Timesta...

Episode 19: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) was never trained in sales, yet forced to become a salesperson through the journey of his business building. Why? Because it’s the skill that will ultimately grow your business. Here are 8 strategies that any person can use regardless of your sales level.  Timestamps: (01:55): Tip #1 - Do your homework (03:08): Tip #2 - Offense vs. defense (04:07): Tip...

Episode 18: When it comes to an idea, we naturally try to identify the solution to any problems we inevitably encounter. In the world of Chess, amateur players tend to resort to this solution-centric thought process. However, grandmasters spend time falsifying their idea before they make their next move. This is called the falsification ratio. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) breaks down what the...

Episode 17: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) runs through 10 startup ideas and determines why he would (or wouldn’t) take an investor meeting. These are real ideas that’s been pitched to him, and while some seem like viable businesses, he has to consider if they are solving a problem and have a substantial market. This is a great exercise to get into the minds of investors…it’s Startup Crossfit! ...

Episode 16: Michael Sikand (@michaelsikand) and Simran Sandhu (@_simmy_) share the story of how they started Our Future, the #1 source of business for GenZ. After building a massive following on TikTok and garnering millions of views on their short-form explainers, they were acquired by Morning Brew. But post-acquisition life only brought a new set of challenges. Learn about the considerations and...

Episode 15: It’s our first ever mailbag episode! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) answers questions that cover whether you should be worried about someone stealing your idea, what to do in the first 90 days of starting a business, how to leverage your network whether big or small, and knowing when to pivot.  Timestamps: (01:01): Intro (02:21): How quickly should you have investor convos? (09:25):...

Episode 14: So you’ve just hired your first employee. You’re excited. It’s a big milestone for your business. Now what? Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares his tips to making sure your first (and future) employee is bought-in from day one. He’ll be sharing how you can establish the “why” and solidifying the “how” in your onboarding process so that they can hit the ground running.  Timestamps:...

Episode 13: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) gives an update on his ghostwriting content agency business, Storyarb. Perhaps the biggest step in any business is hiring its first employee and Storyarb will have a new content strategist. The most important next step is onboarding – which is the stage that can set the standard for both the employee and company. Next, Alex shares some of the initial n...

Episode 12: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) breaks down the biggest news of the Internet: Threads. It’s been dubbed the “Twitter-killer”, but did you know Threads existed and failed the first time? Here are the 4 takeaways you can think about when you’re building your business.  Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com #FoundersJournal #Startup...

Episode 11: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares the inevitable throughout your career: getting advice. Whether you’re starting your journey or a seasoned veteran, you’ll likely be receiving advice from other professionals along your career path. And while seeking advice is generally a good thing, not all advice can be helpful. Here are the 4 types of advice you’ll get and how to identify them...

Episode 10: It’s a Founder’s Journal takeover! Bolt Storage founder Nick Huber (@sweatystartup) talks about how he built his business and the biggest lessons to take home for entrepreneurs. The biggest mistake founders make is trying to do everything when they should be reframing their minds to trying to find people to do the necessary tasks for your business.  Timestamps: (01:30): Intro (04:01):...

Episode 09: Ryan Seacrest has been named the new host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’. If you haven’t been paying attention, Ryan Seacrest is an example of the entrepreneur who stops at nothing to achieve success. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares 3 lessons founders can learn from his career, but also the costs it takes.  Timestamps: (01:30): Ryan Seacrest’s career (05:56): Lesson 1 - Focus on one th...

Episode 08: When you’re ready to hire an employee for your business, you might feel accomplished that you’ve reached the level to build a team. However, that means hiring the wrong person could potentially set your business back. Evaluating talent is one of the hardest functions of a business at every size. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares 5 little known tips to interviewing to find the ri...

Episode 07: Clock it. It’s time to lay The Plunge to rest. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) closes the books on the backyard plunger game. Any entrepreneur knows, it’s not easy making the tough decision to end a business. You end up questioning your ability, your confidence, and your vision. But Alex is here to walk you through all of it and why it shouldn’t discourage you from your next venture....

Episode 06: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares a free business idea. Yes, that means it’s up for grabs for you to take it and make it your own. It’s a deep dive into European Wax Center. Chances are, you’ve passed by one as they have 850+ locations across the US. It’s quietly growing and a very successful chain, which means there’s an opportunity to take its business model and apply it to an...

Episode 05: For this week’s temperature check, Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) talks about how great business operators have to be incredibly disciplined in every aspect of their lives. Then, a realization where business minds have paranoid brains because they’re constantly analyzing for every potential crack or gap in their business. Lastly, what didn’t go well for the week. As Storyarb picks u...

Episode 04: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) is disgusted at the phrase “standard operating procedure”. Yet, for lack of a better phrase, SOP is crucial for documenting the necessary steps to completing a process or running a business. Let’s be real, creating SOPs can be tedious. Luckily, Alex has some tips and templates that can help you get started.  Links: A Step-By-Step Guide to Making Sops ...

Episode 03: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) admits he’s not the smartest person in the room…and that’s the point. This episode is about not being ashamed to raise your hand to say, “I don’t understand.” Because the truth is, there’s a high probability that someone else in the room doesn’t quite understand too.  Links: How great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek The Truth about Being the "Stup...

Episode 02: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) announces the name of his content agency business, Storyarb. While sharing updates on the new startup, he admits his latest troubles being distracted by social media. Then he talks about a pivot for The Plunge that should save the business.  Timestamps: (01:17): What’s feeling good this week (06:24): What’s not feeling so good (09:03): Plunge pivot Sen...

Episode 01: Have you heard about the Morning Brew Daily? It’s like the living, breathing version of the newsletter. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) analyzes why the show has been successful and breaks down lessons any business-builder or content-creator can take home.  Link: Listen to the Morning Brew Daily podcast here Timestamps: (03:36): Lesson 1 - Chemistry is everything (04:13): Lesson 2 -...

Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has a special announcement: Founder’s Journal is back. If you’re a long-time listener, you’ll know FJ is one of Alex’s earlier shows that served as an audio journal during his time as CEO of Morning Brew. Now, in this returned version, Alex has a new sense of identity and purpose, ready to share a plethora of perspectives to share for founders. We're back, yall. S...