#78 What 5 Exits Taught Me About Business | Mike Koenigs

#78 What 5 Exits Taught Me About Business | Mike Koenigs

Mike Koenigs has exited five companies, written 19 bestselling books, and built entire businesses in a single week using AI, and in this episode, he explains exactly how a book you give away for free can make a million dollars in a day. Now you know the system behind building faster, partnering smarter, and using AI before everyone else figures out it’s already too late. I’ll see you in the next video! Learn what Wharton Business School will never teach you!  Sign up for the ANTI-MBA today: https://bit.ly/46vct60 [https://bit.ly/46vct60] Click here to order your personalized poster!: https://bit.ly/46J08MS [https://bit.ly/46J08MS] Get Mike Koenigs’ book, “The AI Accelerator: How to 10X Your Productivity, Clone Your Smartest Employees, and Monetize Your IP in the New AI-Economy”: https://theultimatehuman.com/book-recshttps://bit.ly/3Quv6mH [https://www.amazon.com/Ai-Accelerator-Productivity-Employees-Ai-Economy-ebook/dp/B0CW8MYLMG?ref_=ast_author_mpb] Listen to "The Big Leap" on all your favorite platforms! Website: https://bit.ly/4xg9D1r [https://bigleappodcast.com/] Connect with Mike Koenigs Website: https://bit.ly/4fucPjB [https://www.mikekoenigs.com/] YouTube: https://bit.ly/4ed1Bhd [https://youtube.com/@mikekoenigs?si=jgqrMZMeLzQMYcya] Instagram: https://bit.ly/3QucumL [https://www.instagram.com/mikekoenigs?igsh=MXUyNjFwbGttcHRvdw==] Facebook: https://bit.ly/49MYFGH [https://www.facebook.com/koenigs?] TikTok: https://bit.ly/4v5ZrY0 [https://www.tiktok.com/@mikekoenigs] X: https://bit.ly/4uXaKkS [https://x.com/MikeKoenigsReal] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/43jzGqO [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekoenigs?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app] Timestamps 00:00 Intro of Show 02:13 Mike Koenigs’ Back Story 07:46 Digital Cafe, Chex Quest, and the First Exit 10:20 The Biggest Lessons from Five Exits 17:27 Structuring a Partnership that Doesn’t Self-Destruct 23:10 Honesty with Yourself before Honesty with Others 29:25 Writing and Publishing Books in Modern Times 39:14 How the Amazon Pre-Release Bestseller System Works 46:17 Techniques for Generating Pre-Sales 48:39 Mike’s Parenting Style 01:00:22 Lives Changed with Psychedelic Therapy 01:04:46 Where is AI going in 10 to 15 years? 01:11:07 Crypto, Insider Trading, and Why He Doesn’t Trust Zuckerberg 01:14:29 Connect with Mike Watch the “David Guttman Podcast” every Tuesday at 8 AM EST on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ZGK2yv [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrUyAKqWu4VWDzDY4Q82PxeeLa766wx1s&si=LOWf51OeriWU0iK1] Connect with David Guttman Website: https://bit.ly/4jclYvK [https://bit.ly/4jclYvK] Instagram: https://bit.ly/4iARMe9 [https://www.instagram.com/realdaveguttman/] TikTok: https://bit.ly/3P19NVm [https://www.tiktok.com/@realdaveguttman] Facebook: https://bit.ly/49CQjQx [https://www.facebook.com/thedavidguttman] X: https://bit.ly/4gH28aR [https://x.com/RealDaveGuttman] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3Bx7Tc2 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drguttman/] SUBSCRIBE TO: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman [https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman] Download the “David Guttman Podcast” on all your favorite podcast platforms: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV [https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV] Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v [https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v]

#77 How to Hire Right (Most Founders Get This WRONG) | Maddie Thompson

At 13, Maddie Thompson cold-messaged 150 fashion brands, got one reply, flew to Calgary with her mom, and spent three years having her designs manufactured and sold in stores before she could drive. That same willingness to do the obvious thing everyone else overthinks is exactly how she scaled Mad Social Agency to 30 people and 120 clients in six years with no degree, no investors, and no roadmap. Learn what Wharton Business School will never teach you!  Sign up for the ANTI-MBA today: https://bit.ly/46vct60 [https://bit.ly/46vct60] Click here to order your personalized poster!: https://bit.ly/46J08MS [https://bit.ly/46J08MS] Connect with Maddie Thompson Website: https://bit.ly/3RZzzOB [https://www.madsocialagency.com/team/maddie-thompson] YouTube: https://bit.ly/4dWgNiC [https://youtube.com/@maddietheresa?si=1Y5__-ELHDYzTFS9] Instagram: https://bit.ly/4uQ4HyO [https://www.instagram.com/maddie.theresa?igsh=MXM3Ym1iZHB1djcxaA==] Facebook: https://bit.ly/4uF6G8V [https://www.facebook.com/maddietheresaa/] TikTok: https://bit.ly/4ua4Zz8 [https://www.tiktok.com/@maddietheresa] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4u7U60I [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddie-thompson-68188818b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app] Timestamps 00:00 Intro of Show 01:30 - Always an entrepreneur 03:07 - Getting a fashion internship at 13 04:25 - From architecture school to social media 05:03 - Hiring friends: The biggest mistake 07:33 - Work-life balance vs. integration 09:14 - Co-authoring a book with an 18-year-old 10:01 - What she looks for when hiring 11:41 - Curiosity and humility on the team 13:41 - 30 people, 120 clients in 6 years 13:57 - How they get new clients 15:16 - Firing the bottom 10% of customers 16:24 - Long-term vision for the agency 18:28 - How she thinks about equity 19:52 - Employees first, company second 21:57 - Deflect credit, absorb blame 23:42 - Fire fast: No exceptions 24:22 - How she handles underperformers 25:30 - The biggest limiting factor to growth 26:52 - Mad Academy: How they train new hires 28:05 - No business background: Self-taught 28:40 - Working with her boyfriend 31:39 - Kids vs. business: Honest take 33:16 - Where the drive came from 34:08 - Soccer, rugby, and being competitive 34:51 - Hobbies outside of work 35:51 - How AI runs their entire operation 37:54 - Was she a good student? 38:55 - Next 12-18 months: Laser focus 40:16 - Where to find Maddie Thompson Watch the “David Guttman Podcast” every Tuesday at 8 AM EST on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ZGK2yv [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrUyAKqWu4VWDzDY4Q82PxeeLa766wx1s&si=LOWf51OeriWU0iK1] Connect with David Guttman Website: https://bit.ly/4jclYvK [https://bit.ly/4jclYvK] Instagram: https://bit.ly/4iARMe9 [https://www.instagram.com/realdaveguttman/] TikTok: https://bit.ly/3P19NVm [https://www.tiktok.com/@realdaveguttman] Facebook: https://bit.ly/49CQjQx [https://www.facebook.com/thedavidguttman] X: https://bit.ly/4gH28aR [https://x.com/RealDaveGuttman] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3Bx7Tc2 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drguttman/] SUBSCRIBE TO: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman [https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman] Download the “David Guttman Podcast” on all your favorite podcast platforms: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV [https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV] Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v [https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v]

#76 How AI Rewrote Its Own Code To Survive | David Avrin

Anthropic reportedly ran kill-switch tests on its own AI and in over 70% of cases, the AI rewrote its own code to stay alive. I sat down with David Avrin to unpack what that means for your career, your kids, and the legacy you're leaving behind. Learn what Wharton Business School will never teach you!  Sign up for the ANTI-MBA today: https://bit.ly/46vct60 [https://bit.ly/46vct60] Click here to order your personalized poster!: https://bit.ly/46J08MS [https://bit.ly/46J08MS] Connect with David Avrin: Get David Avrin books: https://bit.ly/3RqeVXO [https://bit.ly/3RqeVXO] Listen to David Avrin on all your favorite platforms! YouTube: https://bit.ly/4tXIttn [https://youtube.com/@realdavidavrin?si=Icudrd9xxVSrZBgt] Spotify https://bit.ly/3Rtn5yx [https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ny5PaRjCUBGHvNAkLPDKt?si=6fc2bb6ad8cc4cb4] Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4wJKJXD [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/customer-experience-advantage-podcast-with-david-avrin/id1551472755] Connect with  David Avrin: Website: https://bit.ly/4uHowYI [https://www.davidavrin.com/] YouTube: https://bit.ly/4tXIttn [https://youtube.com/@realdavidavrin?si=Icudrd9xxVSrZBgt] Instagram: https://bit.ly/4v7SPrq [https://www.instagram.com/therealdavidavrin] Facebook: https://bit.ly/4abo9xp [http://web.facebook.com/DavidAvrinFans] TikTok: https://bit.ly/4uuHVfn [http://tiktok.com/@realdavidavrin] X: http://twitter.com/DavidAvrin [http://twitter.com/DavidAvrin] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4f88IcL [http://linkedin.com/in/davidavrin] Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome and intro 01:45 - Being a good guy in business 03:42 - Background and career overview 04:14 - The a cappella years 05:19 - Growing up and family background 07:36 - Misdiagnosed with terminal cancer at 24 09:22 - Is college still worth it? 10:13 - When your kid says no to college 16:19 - The case for taking a gap year 17:24 - Why some people embrace change and others don't 19:54 - Staying relevant in a shifting market 22:33 - Pivoting to professional speaking after 9/11 25:20 - Getting paid for your expertise 26:32 - Writing your first book 28:55 - How to use AI the right way 30:34 - How kids change everything 32:46 - Marriage, mistakes, and lessons learned 34:28 - Leaving a legacy for your kids 37:35 - Cloning yourself with AI 39:16 - Living with intention 40:32 - Does legacy really matter? 42:34 - Political divide and cynicism 43:44 - The dark side of AI and deepfakes 45:08 - When AI fights back 46:35 - Where technology is taking relationships 47:14 - The dating app crisis for men 49:14 - His daughter and MrBeast 50:51 - Using wealth to do good 53:34 - Young entrepreneurs rewriting the rules 55:46 - Why nice guys finish first 56:45 - Life after the kids leave 58:54 - Sending the elevator back down 1:00:24 - Being present for your kids 1:02:48 - Experiences over things 1:05:38 - Where to find David Avrin Watch the “David Guttman Podcast” every Tuesday at 8 AM EST on YouTube https://bit.ly/3ZGK2yv [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrUyAKqWu4VWDzDY4Q82PxeeLa766wx1s&si=LOWf51OeriWU0iK1] Connect with David Guttman Website: https://bit.ly/4jclYvK [https://bit.ly/4jclYvK] Instagram: https://bit.ly/4iARMe9 [https://www.instagram.com/realdaveguttman/] TikTok: https://bit.ly/3P19NVm [https://www.tiktok.com/@realdaveguttman] Facebook: https://bit.ly/49CQjQx [https://www.facebook.com/thedavidguttman] X: https://bit.ly/4gH28aR [https://x.com/RealDaveGuttman] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3Bx7Tc2 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drguttman/] SUBSCRIBE TO: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman [https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman] Download the “David Guttman Podcast” on all your favorite podcast platforms: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV [https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV] Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v [https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v]

#75 The Partner Red Flags Nobody Warns You About | Alan Hidalgo

Alan Hidalgo built four businesses across rideshare, marketing, e-commerce, and online education before turning 28 and got screwed over enough times along the way to build a brutal screening system for who he'll ever partner with again. In this conversation, he hands me the entire playbook. Learn what Wharton Business School will never teach you!  Sign up for the ANTI-MBA today: https://bit.ly/46vct60 [https://bit.ly/46vct60] Click here to order your personalized poster!: https://bit.ly/46J08MS [https://bit.ly/46J08MS] Connect with Alan Hidalgo Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/alanhid/ [https://www.instagram.com/alanhid/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhidalgo/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhidalgo/] Timestamps 00:00 - The smaller piece of a bigger pie 00:37 - Why most founders go alone and lose 01:22 - Growing up poor in post-Katrina Louisiana 03:30 - ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and rebellion 05:00 - Class president and serial troublemaker 08:09 - The Winn-Dixie manager who changed everything 11:44 - Rich Dad Poor Dad and the network marketing detour 15:12 - The million-dollar marketing agency at 19 17:43 - Dropping out of LSU and selling the first business 19:06 - Picking the right business partners 23:11 - The faith, family, and red-flag screening system 28:55 - Distinguishing real faith from religious cloaks 33:15 - Why a college degree is the riskiest path 35:10 - Building the 33-car rideshare fleet 38:00 - Turning Honda Civics into ATMs on Uber 41:32 - The $82,000 webinar and the info-product empire 46:48 - Scaling cash flow cars to eight figures 49:16 - Hiring rideshare drivers from Craigslist 51:35 - Why Navy and Air Force beat Marines and college kids 55:32 - The transition into Blue Collar Equity 59:50 - Partnership roles with zero skill overlap 01:01:54 - Faith, rebellion, and submission to God 01:09:22 - Marriage, family, and finding the right partner 01:13:00 - Staying grounded after success 01:17:10 - Where to follow Alan online Watch the “David Guttman Podcast” every Tuesday at 8 AM EST on YouTube https://bit.ly/3ZGK2yv [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrUyAKqWu4VWDzDY4Q82PxeeLa766wx1s&si=LOWf51OeriWU0iK1] Connect with David Guttman Website: https://bit.ly/4jclYvK [https://bit.ly/4jclYvK] Instagram: https://bit.ly/4iARMe9 [https://www.instagram.com/realdaveguttman/] TikTok: https://bit.ly/3P19NVm [https://www.tiktok.com/@realdaveguttman] Facebook: https://bit.ly/49CQjQx [https://www.facebook.com/thedavidguttman] X: https://bit.ly/4gH28aR [https://x.com/RealDaveGuttman] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3Bx7Tc2 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drguttman/] SUBSCRIBE TO: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman [https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman] Download the “David Guttman Podcast” on all your favorite podcast platforms: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV [https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV] Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v [https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v]

#74 Stop Saving Your Kids From Failure | Trystan Trenberth

You think rescuing your kids is love? Trystan Trenberth spent years thinking the same thing, until a therapist friend's single question forced him to see that his daughters didn't want him to solve their problems. They wanted to be heard. Trystan unpacks why failure isn't off the road to success but is the road, and how that same contrast principle reshaped his approach to fatherhood, fitness, and the overfunded whole life insurance strategy he uses to build wealth today. Learn what Wharton Business School will never teach you!  Sign up for the ANTI-MBA today: https://bit.ly/46vct60 [https://bit.ly/46vct60] Click here to order your personalized poster!: https://bit.ly/46J08MS [https://bit.ly/46J08MS] Connect with Trystan Trenberth Website: https://bit.ly/4faptE8 [https://trystantrenberth.com/] YouTube: https://bit.ly/4uCk4dp [https://youtube.com/@Trystantrenberth] Instagram: https://bit.ly/4flMpjI [https://www.instagram.com/trystantrenberth/] Facebook:https://bit.ly/48QGu2q [https://www.facebook.com/trystantrenberthofficial/] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4dyQ1O9 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/trystantrenberth/] Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction: Why failure is the road to success 02:05 - UK roots, parents, and an early love of design 04:30 - Hotel management to IT: a career pivot 06:13 - Rich Dad Poor Dad and the move into real estate 08:39 - Raising capital and the relationship-first approach 10:52 - Fiduciary instinct and gut decision-making 11:35 - Building a team, fix and flips, and wholesaling ethics 13:17 - Midlife to Millions and the retirement reset 17:51 - Quick take on crypto 25:12 - Infinite banking explained 27:30 - Overfunding a whole life policy with real numbers 29:34 - Borrowing against the policy and the arbitrage 30:39 - The Rockefeller method and generational trusts 32:27 - Self-taught, Nelson Nash, and where "infinite" comes from 33:30 - UK vs US: where home is now 37:33 - Free speech, capitalism, and crony incentives 39:55 - Losing 70+ pounds at 47 and the skydiving trigger 42:00 - First half marathon under two hours 45:21 - Unexpected mentorship at mile 11 48:23 - 220 jumps in 16 months 51:18 - Two daughters, divorce, and the parenting reset 55:00 - Want to be heard, or want me to solve it 57:09 - Music, Clapton, and shared experiences 58:25 - Where to find Trystan Watch the “David Guttman Podcast” every Tuesday at 8AM EST on YouTube https://bit.ly/3ZGK2yv [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrUyAKqWu4VWDzDY4Q82PxeeLa766wx1s&si=LOWf51OeriWU0iK1] Connect with David Guttman Website: https://bit.ly/4jclYvK [https://bit.ly/4jclYvK] Instagram: https://bit.ly/4iARMe9 [https://www.instagram.com/realdaveguttman/] TikTok: https://bit.ly/3P19NVm [https://www.tiktok.com/@realdaveguttman] Facebook: https://bit.ly/49CQjQx [https://www.facebook.com/thedavidguttman] X: https://bit.ly/4gH28aR [https://x.com/RealDaveGuttman] LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3Bx7Tc2 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drguttman/] SUBSCRIBE TO: https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman [https://www.youtube.com/@RealDaveGuttman] Download the “David Guttman Podcast” on all your favorite podcast platforms: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV [https://spoti.fi/3VE3fzV] Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v [https://bit.ly/3VLzm0v]