A podcast for people working on startup ideas. We have 15-minute tactical episodes and occasional interviews with people who did the early things exceptionally well. We've helped launch hundreds of startups worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and these are the building blocks. "This is, without a doubt, the best podcast for people trying to build startups out there." "If you aren't listening to this podcast and you're considering building a business (or you're already building one), what are you doing?" "Must listen for first-time entrepreneurs - excellent storyteller."
How to Use Landing Page Tests to Find Your Beachhead Customer (feat. the One Person Landing Page and the ELU Framework)
Today, we'll talk through a landing page system that'll help you find a great initial customer - one that can anchor your business. We'll talk through the circle framework, as well as the One Person Landing Page and the Emotion / Logistics / Urgency flow. This will help you identify the right customer to focus your product building efforts on. TackleboxOwl City - FirefliesDaniel PriestleyUnbounceScore
Ideation, Finding a Wedge, Seeding a Marketplace and How to Scale Yourself with an EA - with Jonathan Swanson, cofounder of Thumbtack, Athena, and Powerset
Today we chat with Jonathan Swanson, cofounder of Thumbtack, Athena, and Powerset. We cover a ton of ground - starting with the Sunday idea club that led to Thumbtack, how to scale a marketplace, and how to choose ideas you'd happily spent a decade on. Next, we jump into the science of delegation - the idea at the core of Athena. Jonathan talks through how to delegate to an EA, when to start with one, a system of delegation that creates asymmetric upside and what type of founders should consider it. Athena deal for Idea to Startup listeners (good through 6/30)Athena / Thumbtack / PowersetTacklebox
The Law of The Startup Wedge (feat. circadian rhythms and trust transactions)
Today, we're going to talk about one of the fundamental laws of startups - The Wedge. It's the best way to build trust when you have a product that's got a longer feedback loop or requires a lot from your early customers. We'll show a few examples and build out a framework to help guide you when you're looking for, and implementing, a wedge. BylddTackleboxSix Easy Pieces
How to Separate Yourself from Your Idea (feat. the five immutable laws of cold emails)
Today, we'll talk about people. An old boss of Brian's said the best way to see into the future is to see the present in higher resolution than anyone else. Understanding people - yourself and your customer - will let you understand their behavior. This will let you better predict how they'll act than anyone else and build for it.We talk through a cold email that'll get you customers to speak with and a method to make sure you're unbiased in what you hear. TackleboxStutz PyramidWes KaoAll Eyez On Me
Testing a Startup Idea Live, Part 2: An Organizing Principle and A Structure to Move Fast
Today is week two of testing out a startup idea live on the show. We're pushing and pulling on the chronic pain idea, setting up the system to get interactions with customers and establishing our organizing principle for the first phase of the business: speed.TackleboxChartr
Testing a Startup Idea Live, Part 1: The Idea, The Goldfish Cleanse, J.O.A.S.
Today, we'll kick off a series where Brian is going to test out a startup idea live. We begin the way every idea should begin - by figuring out why the thing will fail and building in systems to avoid that fate.Brian touches on Thrust and Drag, The Goldfish Cleanse, Journal of a Startup, and exactly what you should do to get to first principles for your startup idea. TackleboxThrust and Drag
When to Quit on your Startup Idea, and When to Stick It Out (feat. the systemic vs. solvable checklist and the idea growth curve)
Today, we'll talk through the hardest decision an early-stage entrepreneur has to make - quit on your idea or stick it through? This decision rarely has enough information and the entrepreneur never has enough context to make it. Lots of entreprenuers quit right before their idea was about to get interesting or stick with ideas that never had a chance for years.This pod lays out a decision framework to help with the quit or stick question. TackleboxSell the Position podcast
How to Find and Solve Hard Problems (feat. a used car startup and The Problem Hunters)
Hard problems are the only problems worth your time. Today, we'll talk about how to identify them and build a business around them. We'll dig in on decisions customers avoid and using those decisions to anchor early traction. We'll talk through Brian's favorite current business - a guy who buys used cars for you - and how to approach helping people with chronic pain. BylddTacklebox
How to Build Trust in Six Seconds (Thrust + Drag Part 2, feat. an elephant and the bus stop exercise)
Today, we'll finish up on Thrust and Drag. This time, we'll talk about building trust with your customer in six seconds - creating thrust that'll buy you another six seconds, and another after that. There's art and science to getting people's attention in such a short period of time, and we'll talk through both. TackleboxThe Million Dollar One Person BusinessBuilding A Second BrainClickdrobe
Thrust and Drag Part 1: A System to Keep Momentum
Today we'll talk about thrust and drag, the components of momentum. Momentum is the lifeblood for startups, but most people leave it to chance. By focusing on the inputs of momentum - thrust and drag - you can build systems to ensure you keep moving forward. Gaps kill startups. This system removes them. Email team@gettacklebox.com with "Uncomfy" in the subject to be invited to Uncomfy HourTackleboxSong where Taylor Swift burns Jake Gyllenhall
What if the problem you're solving isn't "painful" or "urgent"? What if it's just something you think people will want? Should you still pursue it? (feat. Linguini)
Today, we'll hit on the most asked question in our now functional podcast question submission list. What if the thing you're building isn't solving a bleeding neck problem? What if it's just something you think people will want? Something that'll improve their life, but not something they loose sleep over? Should you still pursue it? How?We'll talk through Linguini, Yeti, gross margins and status level jumps and land on the answer - is that type of business worth your time? Uncomfy hour - email "team@gettacklebox.com" with "uncomfy" in subjectTackleboxThe Clam
How to Create Useful Content (feat. the "creating content by not creating any content" method)
Today, we'll talk about content. Two of the most asked questions we get are "should I create content?" and "if I should... what the heck should I say?"Creating content feels daunting until you realize the best way to create content is to not create content. We go through how to do that, leaning on a few examples and a content generating framework. We also crown the best burrito in NYC.TackleboxDos Toros / El GalloBird by Bird
How to stack risk early, tackle the cold start problem, and compete by understanding incentives with Jareau Wadé
Today we speak with Jareau Wadé - currently the founder of Batch Processing, previously the co-founder of Balanced (acquired by Stripe), head of growth at Tilt Pro (acquired by Airbnb), and Chief Growth Officer at Finix. We spoke with Jareau about the early days of Balanced - how they prioritized, gained trust with initial customers, and competed with companies like Stripe and PayPal. Jareau talks through a bunch of different heuristics and models he uses to evaluate risk (stack it early), tackle the cold start problem, synthesize feedback, figure out the technical side of your business early on, and manage the mental side of starting a business.It's an awesome conversation and you'll take tactics and methods away from it. Jareau WadéStripe Can't Lose (article on Stripe referenced in the episode)Batch Processing Put Your Ass Where Your Heart IsTacklebox
15 Min(ish) Skill: Script the Start and End aka How to Consistently Do Uncomfortable Things
Today, we'll talk about one very specific method you can use to tackle your hardest, most uncomfortable work. TackleboxAlternate Nostril BreathingJr Jr - The Speed of Things
Three More Ways to Approach Your Business Like a Pro (feat. anti-marketing, Frank Sinatra, and an Uber comedian)
Today, we'll dig in on three approaches that separate how pros and amateurs build businesses. We'll talk through how pros leverage existing infrastructure, how they use anti-marketing to build trust with strangers, and how they don't leave luck and serendipity to chance - they orchestrate it. We'll do this with help from stories about Frank Sinatra, a comedian in an Uber, and a founder starting a GMAT course for people looking to score 800 (and for those people only). And, Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms, for some reason. TackleboxHey Jealousy