Becoming Self Made

Falling in Love With the Problem: How Lauren Makler Built Cofertility

Lauren Makler, co-founder and CEO of Cofertility, joins Mike Michalowicz to share how a life-altering medical diagnosis became the catalyst for building a more human, accessible fertility system with Cofertility. Lauren explains how falling in love with the problem, not just the solution, led her to reimagine egg freezing and donation in a way that removes financial barriers for individuals and couples while preserving dignity and choice.  Along the way, Lauren opens up about trusting gut instinct as accumulated wisdom, navigating leadership through deeply emotional work, and building a mission-driven company that balances empathy, optimism, and scale.

Question Everything: Independent Thinking, Hard Lessons & Scaling Smart with Relay’s Yoseph West

Yoseph West, CEO and Co-founder of Relay, joins host Mike Michalowicz to share his journey of transformation, moving from an entrepreneur with a chip on his shoulder to a leader focused on learning, growth, and maximum impact. The conversation explores the lessons learned while scaling Relay, emphasizing the critical insight that the ability for the business to grow is a function of how much you grow. Mike and Yoseph get into the power of constantly questioning everything, a mindset Yoseph attributes to his early upbringing that encouraged independent thinking. The episode also details what great partnerships truly require, underscoring the importance of a long-term orientation and human empathy to ensure both sides win.  Finally, Yoseph discusses the continuous personal reinvention necessary for leading a fast-scaling company, sharing how his coaching, including unconventional methods, helps him find the leverage needed for exponential growth.

Amy Porterfield's Path to Entrepreneurial Confidence: "Trust Yourself & Go All In”

Online marketing expert, author, and podcast host Amy Porterfield sits down with host Mike Michalowicz to share the unfiltered story of her journey to becoming self-made. Amy went from being a note-taker on Tony Robbins' team to building a digital courses empire. She discusses personal high and low points, like being picked on as a kid, and how those early experiences inevitably shaped her as an entrepreneur. She also reveals a challenging startup phase that led her $40,000 in debt. Amy shares the hard lessons of taking on a silent partner, having to buy back her business, and how she dramatically scaled from $5 million to $16 million in 18 months by learning to bet on and trust herself. A must-listen for all entrepreneurs seeking the courage to grow and the clarity to pivot.

Becoming Self Made: Real Stories of Entrepreneurs and Business Growth

Every successful entrepreneur has a messy, unpredictable origin story, and Becoming Self Made brings those stories to life. Hosted by bestselling author and entrepreneur Mike Michalowicz (Profit First), this podcast reveals how real business owners built thriving companies from small beginnings. Hear the unfiltered stories of resilience, rejection, and reinvention that shaped their success, and discover why being “self made” is never a solo journey. If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or startup founder, you’ll find lessons, mindset shifts, and inspiration to help you grow your business—and yourself. A podcast from Relay [https://relayfi.com/], built to empower business owners everywhere.

How Bestselling Author Donald Miller Turned Storytelling into a Framework for Business Success With StoryBrand

Donald Miller didn’t set out to build a multi-million-dollar, world-class business, he just wanted to write a book. In this episode of Becoming Self Made, host Mike Michalowicz sits down with the renowned author and entrepreneur to discuss his journey from childhood and academic struggles to achieving success as the bestselling author of Blue Like Jazz and Building a StoryBrand. Donald eventually found his greatest success by founding StoryBrand, a marketing consultancy and training company that helps businesses clarify their message using the power of storytelling so customers listen, engage, and take action. Discover how Donald Miller navigated life’s highs and lows, embraced failure as a learning opportunity, and leveraged his unique talents to build a thriving business.