How Success Happens

In this special episode of How Success Happens, the small business team behind Wood Expressions Games shares how a nearly 20-year partnership with Amazon transformed their tiny company into a booming board game business. Learn about their inspiring journey of growth, perseverance, and the fulfillment that comes with bringing joy to customers and creating jobs in their community. This episode marks...

What if getting fired isn’t the end? What if it’s the beginning? Laura Brown and Kristina O’Neill join Dan to talk about their mission to take the shame out of the F word. In their new book All the Cool Girls Get Fired , they share stories from powerhouses like Oprah Winfrey and Carol Burnett about the times they got fired, what they learned, and how those pink slips turned into rocket fuel for th...

Jack Davis, of Crypt TV, and an early investor in Jomboy Media and Dave’s Hot Chicken, joins the show. On this episode, he breaks down how he finds products people actually want, why organic demand beats throwing money at marketing, and how to know when it’s time to cut your losses. Send Dan your pie pick at howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

Chef Andrew Zimmern swings by to talk about his new book The Blue Food Cookbook , and to make a very hungry Dan seriously regret skipping breakfast. Beyond drooling over recipes, they dive into sustainable seafood, Zimmern’s favorite cookbooks, and why social media is doing more harm than good to the food industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scottish comedian Kevin Bridges adds one more stop to his first-ever U.S. tour and makes a pit stop with Dan (us?) on the How Success Happens podcast. He opens up about recovering from those nights when a joke dies a slow, painful death, shares how he tames pre-show nerves, and reveals why he keeps a tiny recording device tucked in his running shorts. (Yes, really.) Want to see Kevin live? Check o...

This episode takes on Substack from both sides of the keyboard, the company’s own success story and how creators are finding success on the platform. Hamish McKenzie, Substack’s co-founder and Chief Writing Officer (that’s what it says on his substack), joins the show to break down the intentional choices that made Substack such a writer’s haven and why he believes it’s still the best deal in town...

Terry Crews may look like the toughest guy in the room, but as he tells it, real toughness has nothing to do with muscles or touchdowns. In this snack-sized rewind, Terry talks about auditing your life and asking the hard questions. He also shares what he’s learned about team building on and off the field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired four-star general Stanley McChrystal joins the show to celebrate the launch of his new Masterclass and share his approach to empowering teams and cultivating leadership at every level of an organization. He walks us through strategies for encouraging teams to take risks, even when failure carries serious consequences. But he admits that, despite a lifetime in the military, burpees are stil...

Dan revisits his chat with dermatologist-turned-global-sensation Dr. Sandra Lee, better known as Dr. Pimple Popper. She shares how a simple blackhead video blew up the internet, and what it’s really like to build a business on pus and pimples (while still protecting her patients). Plus, she bursts some skin myth bubbles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira, Mistress of the Dark) joins Dan to pull back the coffin lid on her 45-year reign as the queen of Halloween. She shares how The Groundlings and a one-off local TV gig turned into her pop culture empire, why embracing her alter ego became her greatest business decision, and how she spends Halloween. Elvira also talks about her new cookbook Elvira's Cookbook from Hell...

 In this snack-sized episode, Dan revisits his conversation with comedy legend Dan Aykroyd. From managing teams on movie sets to co-founding Crystal Head Vodka , Aykroyd shares what he’s learned about leadership, product design, and sales. Plus, as a lifelong risk-taker, he explains the proper way to eject from a fighter jet. A tip you definitely don’t want to miss. Learn more about your ad choice...

Lucy Guo, the tech founder who unseated Taylor Swift as the youngest self-made female billionaire in the world, joins the show with practical advice and some controversial takes. She breaks down her winning strategy for raising funding, explains why we overestimate risk, and shares her biggest red flag when investing. Plus, she talks numbers on why buying a private jet might be the worst financial...

Just in time for the new season of the Real Housewives franchise, Dan reruns his chat with OG Housewife Bethany Frankel. She shares how she juggles a million things without losing her mind, the secret to keeping her energy sky-high, and why now is prime time for bold new ideas. This episode is sure to have you ready to hit the ground running. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

What happens when the world’s best-selling author teams up with a leadership expert? You get a playbook for thriving in a changing world. James Patterson, drawing on his experience as a former CEO, master marketer, and publishing icon, teamed up with Dr. Patrick Leddin, PhD to write Disrupt Everything—and Win . The book and this discussion is an awesome mashup of Patterson’s real-world lessons and...

How does Michael Strahan juggle it all? From Good Morning America to hosting game shows, running clothing lines, and producing TV, he somehow makes it look easy. In this throwback chat, he talks about the power of compartmentalizing, why trusting your team matters, and how lessons from the NFL still guide him today. Plus, hear his take on Tom Brady, what it really feels like to sack a quarterback,...

WWE Superstar Chelsea Green, recently featured in Netflix’s WWE: Unreal , joins the show to talk about her journey through different wrestling personas, how she made it to the biggest squared circle in the world, and why success is about more than just money. Dan does his best not to cringe as Chelsea shares the injuries that come with life in the ring. Having played both hero and villain, she ope...

In this Snack Break, Dan dusts off his convo with comedy powerhouse Sebastian Maniscalco. You know him from sold-out stand-up tours and roles in  The Irishman  and  Green Book . Maniscalco is about to hit the road again, starting September 12. He talks about how to find your voice, why the “downs” are just as important as the “ups,” and what it feels like to stand on a set with Joe Pesci, Robert D...

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, stops by to talk about his new watch insurance company, Wonder Care, created with the 1916 Company. He fields listener questions, reveals what he loves about watches, and shares his secrets for keeping his energy cranked to 11. Plus, he justifies how he ended up spending $12.932 million on a baseball card. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

Three-time Super Bowl champ Jerry Rice and his daughter, Jaqui Rice Gold, joined the show in 2021 to discuss co-founding G.O.A.T. Fuel energy drink. They share how Jerry's passion and talents on the field (the man holds the record for the most NFL records) have translated to his business endeavors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tahmi DeSchepper found herself in a spot many of us have been before — she had a comfortable job in a stable field that suddenly crashed, forcing her to figure out what comes next. Tahmi took this moment as an opportunity to pursue her lifelong passion for jewelry making and the arts. And her all-in bet on herself paid off. Her jewelry line, called Tahmi, has been sold in over 100 galleries and bo...

TV psychic John Edwards has a new book,  Chasing Evil , about his work with the FBI to track down a serial killer. But that’s just one part of his story. He’s also the founder of the subscription app  Evolve TV Plus  and is on a mission to teach people how to take leaps of faith, trust their instincts, and trade security for the unknown. Even with his spirit team on call, his founder journey hasn’...

Dan revisits his chat with Natalie White, the powerhouse founder of Moola Kicks, the first high-performance basketball sneaker made just for women. Natalie found success by spotting a hole in the market, ignoring the doubters, and staying locked in on what her customers actually needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Mike Hayes, former commanding officer of SEAL Team Two, joins the show to talk about his new book Mission Driven: The Path to a Life of Purpose . He shares hard-won lessons on overcoming doubt, building strong teams, and why serving our communities is one of the highest callings. Even more inspiring - 100% of the book’s profits go to The 1162 Foundation, which has already paid off 11 Gold Star wi...

Dan rewinds to his chat with Nikki Sixx, legendary bassist and songwriter for Mötley Crüe. They dig into how the band was founded, what it feels like to hit that opening chord in front of thousands, and why sticking to your guns (and putting in the work) matters more than chasing record deals. Crank up the volume, roll down the windows, and enjoy this bite-sized blast of inspiration. Learn more ab...

Sam Porter began his career as a sports agent before making the leap to sports team owner. Today, he partners with celebrity investors like Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac, and Eva Longoria to lead Club Necaxa. He joins the show to talk about his new FX/Hulu series  Club Necaxa , his philosophy on building winning teams, and the most emotional moment of ownership he’s experienced so far. Want more success...