The Koerner Office - Business Ideas and Small Business Deep Dives with Entrepreneurs

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com [https://www.tkopod.com/] and join my new community at TKOwners.com [https://www.tkowners.com/]  I sat down with Eric Simons, the CEO of Bolt, to talk about how non-technical entrepreneurs are using AI to build real software businesses from scratch. We broke down how Bolt went from zero to 20 million ARR in just 2 months, and how people are using it to launch full SaaS platforms, create AI-powered CRMs, build client dashboards, and even run entire web app agencies. Eric explained how Bolt helps you go from idea to product in minutes with built-in payment integration, full-stack backend, and mobile app deployment. We also talked about the viral tweet that launched it all and why non-coders might have the edge in this new wave of AI automation.   If you want to build something without touching code, try Bolt using my affiliate link [https://bolt.new/?rid=t6x6lf]. And follow Eric at x.com/ericsimons [https://x.com/ericsimons] and Bolt at x.com/boltdotnew [https://x.com/boltdotnew].  Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt [https://www.youtube.com/@thekoerneroffice?sub_confirmation=1] Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask [http://tkopod.co/p-ask] Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk [http://tkopod.co/p-cjk] Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof [http://tkopod.co/p-cof] Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x [http://tkopod.co/p-x] Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl [http://tkopod.co/p-nl] Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all [http://tkopod.co/p-all] Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os [http://tkopod.co/p-os] --- 00:00 The New Era of Entrepreneurship 02:56 Building with Bolt: A Game Changer 05:45 The Impact of AI on Coding and Development 08:58 The Power of Community and Marketing 11:44 The Pivot to AI and Its Success 14:54 Understanding User Adoption and Use Cases 26:42 The Power of ROI in Software Development 29:29 Innovative Applications and Business Models 32:19 The Non-Technical Advantage in Software Creation 35:02 Monetization Strategies with Bolt 37:49 Building with Bolt: Real-World Examples 40:10 Prompting Best Practices for Effective Development 43:30 Overcoming Development Challenges 45:54 Designing with AI: Tips and Tricks 49:36 Building Complex Applications with Bolt

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com [https://www.tkopod.com/] and join my new community at TKOwners.com [https://www.tkowners.com/] I sat down with Sam Thompson again to dive deep into how he’s actually using Veo3 to create viral style AI videos and turn them into real business opportunities. We got tactical on everything from building niche media accounts to running ads for local businesses using short form, hyper specific clips. Sam shared his full prompting framework, how he uses ChatGPT to help write scripts, and even the tricks he’s learned after spending over $1,000 testing different styles. We also talked about how this isn’t just a gimmick. If you’re playing with these tools now, you’re learning skills that’ll be wildly valuable when the tech levels up.  You can find Sam on X/Twitter (https://x.com/ImSamThompson [https://x.com/ImSamThompson]) and check out what he’s building at https://www.unlimitedcontent.com/ [https://www.unlimitedcontent.com/] Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt [https://www.youtube.com/@thekoerneroffice?sub_confirmation=1] Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask [http://tkopod.co/p-ask] Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk [http://tkopod.co/p-cjk] Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof [http://tkopod.co/p-cof] Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x [http://tkopod.co/p-x] Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl [http://tkopod.co/p-nl] Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all [http://tkopod.co/p-all] Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os [http://tkopod.co/p-os] --- 00:00 Exploring VO3: The Future of Video Generation 03:00 Creative Applications of VO3 in Advertising 05:46 Crafting Effective Prompts for VO3 09:10 Innovative Business Ideas with VO3 12:05 The Evolution of Content Creation and Monetization 14:57 The Future of AI in Video Production

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com [https://www.tkopod.com/] and join my new community at TKOwners.com [https://www.tkowners.com/] Today I talk about the most controversial question in entrepreneurship: should you quit your job to start a business? It’s something I’ve wrestled with for years, and in this episode I share the frameworks, personal stories, and mindset shifts that have helped me figure out when to go all in and when to hold back. Then I bring on my friend Steven Hale, who actually did it. He walked away from a high-paying job at a publicly traded company and launched Oak Bridge, which went from zero to 25 employees and nearly $6 million in revenue in just one year. We talk about the fear, the clarity, the hard choices, and why sometimes you need your options taken away in order to move forward. If you’re stuck at the edge of the leap, this one’s for you. You can reach out to Steven on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkhale/] or by email at steven@oakbridgeas.com [steven@oakbridgeas.com] Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt [https://www.youtube.com/@thekoerneroffice?sub_confirmation=1] Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask [http://tkopod.co/p-ask] Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk [http://tkopod.co/p-cjk] Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof [http://tkopod.co/p-cof] Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x [http://tkopod.co/p-x] Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl [http://tkopod.co/p-nl] Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all [http://tkopod.co/p-all] Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os [http://tkopod.co/p-os] --- 00:00 The Great Boat Burning Debate 02:46 Understanding the Risks of Entrepreneurship 06:00 Personal Stories of Burning the Boats 08:52 Strategic Planning for Business Success 12:08 The Journey of Stephen Hale 13:20 Navigating Career Transitions 14:47 The Journey to Ownership and Entrepreneurship 16:40 Navigating the Early Days of a Startup 19:16 Balancing Confidence and Insecurity 20:08 The Joy of Building and Creating 24:09 Overcoming Fear and Taking Risks 26:44 Lessons Learned and Moving Forward

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com [https://www.tkopod.com/] and join my new community at TKOwners.com [https://www.tkowners.com/] HoldCo Bros are back! In this episode, Nik and I talk about a bunch of AI wrapper ideas you could build today without needing to invent anything new. We talk about using ChatGPT to create personalized trivia games for parents and kids, then turn that into a full-blown business idea, just package it as a niche mobile app. We also brainstorm an AI handyman mentor, where ChatGPT walks you through fixing stuff around the house via voice and video. Later, we go deep on how image generation tools can power things like AI-powered postcards that show homeowners what their house would look like with new paint, windows, or landscaping. All real tools. All working today. You just need to package the use case.  Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnik [http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnik] Share your ideas with us: * Nik@cofounders.com * Chris@cofounders.com Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt [https://www.youtube.com/@thekoerneroffice?sub_confirmation=1] Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask [http://tkopod.co/p-ask] Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk [http://tkopod.co/p-cjk] Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof [http://tkopod.co/p-cof] Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x [http://tkopod.co/p-x] Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl [http://tkopod.co/p-nl] Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all [http://tkopod.co/p-all] Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os [http://tkopod.co/p-os] --- 00:00 - Highlights 01:00 - Trivia Game Idea with ChatGPT 05:34 - Build a Family Trivia App 07:45 - AI Captures Family Stories 12:27 - HandymanMentors.com Idea 19:37 - DIY Kits for Learning Home Repairs 23:56 - ChatGPT as a Virtual Handyman 28:46 - Free Gifts Hack: Mailing Wedding Invites 31:07 - Personalized Postcards with AI 33:31 - Live Remodel Previews Using AI

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com [https://www.tkopod.com/] and join my new community at TKOwners.com [https://www.tkowners.com/] I sat down with Sam Thompson again and we talked about how starting a business really isn't that complicated. We broke down why perfect logos, pricing models, or websites don’t matter early on, and how getting on sales calls with nothing to sell is often the best place to begin. We shared an example of a guy who launched a Google Maps optimization service from scratch (no prior experience) and closed clients in under 30 days. We also talked about pricing strategies, paid ads, building confidence through customer conversations,  and even how AI tools like Replit and ChatGPT can be packaged into customizable templates and sold as one-time products. If you’ve been thinking about launching something simple but powerful, this idea might be exactly what you need.  You can find Sam on X/Twitter (https://x.com/ImSamThompson [https://x.com/ImSamThompson]) and check out what he’s building at https://www.unlimitedcontent.com/ [https://www.unlimitedcontent.com/] Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt [https://www.youtube.com/@thekoerneroffice?sub_confirmation=1] Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask [http://tkopod.co/p-ask] Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk [http://tkopod.co/p-cjk] Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof [http://tkopod.co/p-cof] Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x [http://tkopod.co/p-x] Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl [http://tkopod.co/p-nl] Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all [http://tkopod.co/p-all] Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os [http://tkopod.co/p-os] --- 00:00 Impatience with Action, Patience with Results 03:02 The Power of First Party Customer Research 06:00 Adapting to Customer Needs 08:55 Understanding Willingness to Pay 11:47 The Importance of Action Over Research 15:05 Pricing Strategies for Success 17:59 Creating Value for Customers 19:58 Navigating Idea Hopping 23:44 Innovative Product Ideas and Market Fit 30:45 Replit Wrapper Idea