Noah Kagan Presents

The #1 podcast for entrepreneurs. Learn proven strategies to start and grow a business, improve productivity, and live a happier life. Hear from top performers in all industries. Guests include entrepreneurs, CEOs, consultants, and more.

Suffering

My book Million Dollar Weekend is for aspiring entrepreneurs who dream of starting their own business. I break down the process of starting into simple steps that you can do in just one weekend. Something clicked for me during a grueling bike climb - I wanted to quit. And isn’t that how it feels for everyone sometimes, in business and life? But it’s our ability to push through the right kind of suffering that drives real success.   In this week's episode, I dive into my own personal struggles and professional setbacks, sharing how pushing through those tough moments fueled growth at AppSumo and helped me reach my biggest goals.   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How embracing suffering can lead to long-term rewards? Why voluntary suffering can prepare us for unexpected hardships? How to align pain with our purpose? All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.  

10-29
14:13

Le Pause

Check out my book Million Dollar Weekend, which helps you start businesses in just 48 hours. Check it out at milliondollarweekend.com. In this episode, I share what I’ve been up to during the past few months, including why I haven’t released new content since August. I took time off for paternity leave and embraced the joy (and challenges) of being a new dad. This break gave me a chance to reflect on how important it is to take a step back and pause from work and doing the same thing every day.   In this conversation, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: The benefits of taking time off and how it can bring clarity to your priorities. My new routine as a dad What’s next for my work with AppSumo and social content creation.   All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.  

09-27
16:32

My Ex-CEO Grew AppSumo From $5M to $70M

Check out my book Million Dollar Weekend, which helps you start businesses in just 48 hours. Check it out at milliondollarweekend.com. In this episode, I chat with Ayman Al-Abdullah, My friend and former CEO of AppSumo, who played a pivotal role in scaling the company from $5M to $70M, from 2016 to 2021.  Since stepping down as CEO for AppSumo, he’s now become a growth strategy coach for many other CEOs. Ayman is of the best out there IMO and I wanted him to come on the show and share his insights into what it takes to grow a business from seven to nine figures, obviously drawing from his rich experience building a robust and sustainably growing company AppSumo.    In this conversation, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things:    Why figuring out your ideal customer, even as a coach, is essential Why people get stuck in a product creation loop rather than company creation.  The dangers of shiny object syndrome and why Ayman is the double down king.    All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way. You can find Ayman @aymanalabdul on Instagram or X And if you fall into the 7+ figure camp and need help scaling to 9 figures, Ayman is your guy, you can find him at aymanalabdullah.com

08-21
31:00

What I Learned Working Directly For Mark Zuckerberg

Check out my Million Dollar Weekend at milliondollarweekend.com. If you need help starting a business, this is the book for you Today we’re re-running our awesome episode where I break down the top lessons I learned from working directly under Mark Zuckerberg.  It’s always fun to go down memory lane and remember my time as #30 at Facebook. The lessons I learned there inspire me to this day and are relevant for anyone who is on their own business journey.  In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How to manage and treat employees.  How to focus on just one vision. Why the details matter. All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way. If you dig this episode and want to hear another episode where I break things down behind the scenes, go back and check out the episode where I run through the marketing for my book Million Dollar Weekend, that’s episode 335 in this feed.       

08-14
17:38

From Homeless to Billions with John Paul DeJoria (Classic)

What’s up, you sexy bastards. It’s your boy ‘diapers’ aka Rabbi Can’t Lose aka Noah Kagan.   Today we’re re-running our awesome episode with John Paul DeJoria! John Paul is so INSPIRATIONAL. This was one of our most popular episodes last year (and also one of the most popular videos on my YouTube channel too), so we thought we’d put him in your ears once again.  John Paul went from being homeless to creating two billion dollar companies in completely separate industries, John Paul Mitchell haircare, and Patrón tequila.  In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: Why creating the best products is essential for growing your company. Why forgiveness is important if you want to move forward in life.  What being rich really means. All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.   Go check out John Paul DeJoria and his foundation: https://www.peacelovehappinessfoundation.org/  If you dig this episode and want to hear another wise, successful entrepreneur story, go back and check out the conversation we did with Kevin Kelly, the founder of Wired magazine, that’s episode 298 in this feed.  

08-07
59:00

The $500,000,000 meat stick company

People have been loving my latest emails where I share brutally honest advice on a variety of topics. Sign up at noahkagan.com and join 350k other people who get juicy insights every week.     In this episode, I chat with Pete Maldonado, co-founder of Chomps, about how they built a half-billion-dollar meat stick empire, ultimately becoming the number three meat snack brand in the U.S. Despite facing significant setbacks, including personal bankruptcy and multiple failed businesses, Pete has propelled Chomps to meteoric success, securing shelf space in major chain stores like Trader Joe's and Costco. Today, he shares how he leverages customer feedback, overcomes packaging challenges, and maintains a passionate, high-performing team culture.   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: The importance of focusing on one thing and doing it exceptionally well.  The critical role of strategic partnerships and the creative solutions used to navigate supply chain challenges. How Chomps stays ahead in the competitive meat snack market. All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.   Go buy Chomps at all your favorite retailers and also check out @petemaldonado on Instagram and on X   If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more about half-billion-dollar success stories, be sure to check out our Anonymous $500 Million Man episode – that's episode 357 in this feed.  

07-31
53:08

How to Focus and Think (Cal Newport)

Check out my book Million Dollar Weekend, which helps you start businesses in just 48 hours. Check it out at milliondollarweekend.com.   In today's episode, I caught up with a talented, award-winning author and professor of computer science at Georgetown University, Cal Newport.  Cal’s books are a manifesto for digital minimalism and focus. In this episode he shares his strategies for maintaining efficiency particularly in large organizations where meetings can often be a substitute for poor time management. We also explore how long-term goals can easily be broken down into actionable daily steps and the importance of grabbing control of our digital habits.   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things:   What the difference is between office hours and meetings and why you should avoid the later Why focus is the most in demand resource right in world with short attention span How to balance the content creation algorithms without being on social media at all.   All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way. If you loved this episode and want to hear more about how we approach our content creation, check out an episode we made about Youtube strategy that’s Episode 310 in this feed. Also check out Cal’s books at calnewport.com , his books ‘Deep Work’ and ‘So Good they Can’t Ignore You’ are  classics and he has a new book called ‘Slow Productivity’ out now. Go check his podcast since that’s really his only social media outlet, Deep Questions with Cal Newport  

07-24
57:04

He makes $100M/year but will die with $0 (Bill Perkins)

FiveTaco is the easiest way to find software for solopreneurs, from productivity tools, to the latest AI tech to help run your business. In this week's episode, I sit down with Bill Perkins, a successful hedge fund manager, film producer, author, and high-stakes poker player. Bill has created significant wealth through energy trading and uses his money wisely.  Bill is all about finding values in meaningful experiences over material possessions. He also discusses his philosophy on balancing wealth, health, and time to achieve maximum life fulfillment. This episode is packed with practical advice and thought-provoking concepts that can inspire anyone to rethink their approach to wealth and happiness.   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How to leverage opportunities in your field of work and make millions. How to avoid a cookie cutter life. Why you shouldn’t wait until your retirement to experience your dreams.   All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way. If you loved this episode and want to hear more successful commodity trading stories, check the episode we did with Rafa Martinez, that’s episode 305 in this feed.  Also Check out Bill’s book at diewithzerobook.com and @billperkins on Instagram and @bp22 on X  

07-17
01:07:55

My 3-Step Book Marketing System

My book Million Dollar Weekend is for aspiring entrepreneurs who dream of starting their own business. I break down the process of starting into simple steps that you can do in just one weekend. The e-book version is on sale July 8-14, 2024 on Amazon, check it out.  In this week's episode, I’m going behind the scenes on Charles Duhigg’s marketing strategy  and picking apart what he can do better, comparing what he does with other famous authors and my own experience on Million Dollar Weekend. This will be a book marketing playbook to turn any good book into a bestselling phenomenon. I’m using Charle’s as an example here but everyone can take away some great marketing lessons whether you’re an author or not, you’re going to significantly boost your sales from implementing some of these simple overlooked tricks that can transform your marketing reach and impact.   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How to create seamless, automated marketing funnels  Discover how to leverage social media platforms the right way. Understand the importance of offering incentives and building a community.   All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.   If you loved this episode and want to hear more about my launch of Million Dollar Weekend go back and check out my launch strategy episode, that’s episode 335 in this feed.  Check out Charles Duhigg and his books at charlesduhigg.com and on @charleduhigg on Instagram & @cduhigg on X. You can also check out James Clear and his marketing approach at jamesclear.com and @jamesclear on Instagram & on X.

07-10
18:40

Biggest Lessons From My Newest Startup

BreezeDoc, is a Docusign alternative that we just launched. If you hate paying a monthly subscription just to get documents signed, go to BreezeDoc.com and get a lifetime deal, pay one low price and use it forever.    In this week's episode, I'm chatting with our very own David Kelly, who oversees our Originals Team releases at AppSumo. We’re going into the belly of the beast to see the guts and glory of developing a product we're incredibly proud of, BreezeDoc. David and I discuss the challenges we faced, the strategies we employed, and the excitement of bringing BreezeDoc to life.   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: The obstacles faced during the creation of a competitive product. What a difference incorporating user feedback into the user interface can make How to make a product stand out from the rest   All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more about our favorite tools at Appsumo go back a few weeks ago where we show you all the tools we use to run a $100 million company that’s episode 358 in this feed

07-03
44:33

48 hours with the Tim Ferriss contest winner

If this episode inspires you to start your own business, check out my book Million Dollar Weekend, which helps you start in just one weekend.  Here is your Harvard Business Review hook up with 10% off a subscription for access to business advice articles and their world class case studies. Go to hbr.org/subscriptions and use promo code NOAH for 10% off.  In today’s episode, you’re going to hear about a mad experiment we ran during the Million Dollar Weekend book launch on Tim Ferriss’s show. We put out a 48-hour challenge where the coolest, most interesting startup entrepreneur would win a weekend with me.  Our winner, Eli, raised $65,000 in just 48 hours and blew us away with his dedication and inspiring mission to do good in his community, feeding those in need in Philadelphia. The Community Grocer provides healthy food to underserved areas in Philadelphia. Our weekend together was filled with valuable entrepreneurial lessons, a lot of fun, and insights into staying focused and impactful in business and life.   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How to set clear measurable goals to work backwards from. How to find what's working and double down.  How to get your first budget boner!   All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.   If this episode has inspired you to dream big for your community, don't miss our conversation with John Paul Dejoria, where he shares how he leverages his $5 billion wealth for impactful philanthropic endeavors.   Check out and go support Eli Moraru’s non-profit - https://www.thecommunitygrocer.org/ Also @the.community.grocer on instagram and @tcgfamily on X

06-26
23:27

50+ tools I use to run a $100M/year business

One of the tools I mention in this episode, BreezeDoc, is a Docusign alternative that we just launched. If you hate paying a monthly subscription just to get documents signed, go to BreezeDoc.com and get a lifetime deal, pay one low price and use it forever.  In today's episode, I break down all the essential tools and technology stacks that we use at Appsumo to power a 8 figure a year business. From financial management to email marketing, team collaboration and much more. This is the way we squeeze all that efficiency juice out and get a full cup of organization juice for everyone in the entire company.  I talk about over 50 tools and apps that we use, it’s full to the brim   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: What tools we’ve chosen to significantly enhance efficiency and growth What tools are you missing from your toolbox and how can you implement them?  How to audit and simplify your technology stack and replace multiple tools with new all-in-one tools that are so much simpler .    All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way. Go over to noahkagan.com and check out all these tools. Explore these tools to improve your business operations and check out AppSumo for great deals on essential software. If you enjoyed this episode and want to put these tools to good use and you want to start a business, check out the 1st chapter of my book Million Dollar Weekend, that’s episode 333 in this feed

06-19
17:12

The Anonymous and VERY happy $500 Million Man

Sumo Day is one of the biggest sales of the year at AppSumo. And it’s for entrepreneurs like you, looking for the best software deals to grow their businesses. There are tools for marketers, agencies, content creators, developers and more. The sale goes until June 13, 2024 at noon CT, so if you want those juicy discounts, then get on it now.  Here is your Harvard Business Review hook up with 10% off a subscription for access to business advice articles and their world class case studies. Go to hbr.org/subscriptions and use promo code NOAH for 10% off.    In this week's episode, I sat down with an anonymous entrepreneur who sold his business for $500 million and has since dedicated his life to philanthropy. He shared with me his story from building a business to giving away a significant portion of his buyout and focusing on what truly matters: happiness and giving back.  There’s also a ton of practical advice on how to manage substantial wealth and the balance between work and personal life. It's for anyone aspiring to achieve financial success while making a meaningful difference in the world.   You'll love these 3 lessons: True happiness comes from within and aligning your life with your values. Giving back and focusing on philanthropy can bring immense fulfillment. Managing wealth effectively involves budgeting for what matters most to you and staying grounded.   All these plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way   Also if you loved hearing this episode about a $100m buyout, check out this episode with Gary Levitt who built a company for $50 and sold it for $42 Million, that’s episode 41 in this feed.  

06-12
17:21

He runs 9 businesses (with 0 employees)

My company AppSumo is running an insane giveaway right now, where we are giving away a Cybertruck! Go to http://appsumo.com/sumoday/ to enter until June 14. In this week's episode, I chat with Marc Louvion, the launching machine behind various successful apps like Ship Fast, Zen Voice, and Poop Up. He’s another one in our Solopreneur series. For the last few years Marc has been relentlessly building and shipping apps that solve real life problems in hope of becoming the next Zuckerberg. He shares his path from a struggling entrepreneur to a thriving indie hacker keeping 92% of his profits.  It’s a super interesting journey he’s been on and I love to see how successful he’s been by using a formula that you can copy in your own business..   You'll love these 3 lessons: Showing up daily makes a difference. Embracing failures as learning opportunities Sharing your journey can build a loyal following and amplify your success.   All these plus a bunch more nuggets along the way.   Go give Marc some love: @marclouvion on Instagram & @marc_louvion on X Also check out his companies: ShipFast, IndiePage, LaunchViral, ZenVoice, PoopUp   If you loved this Solopreneur episode and want to listen to another, you’ll enjoy the episode we did with Justin Welsh which is one of our most downloaded episodes ever, check that out as ep 353 in this feed.

06-05
25:28

Top 5 Lessons From 10,000 Hours of My Podcast

My company AppSumo is running an insane giveaway right now, where we are giving away a Cybertruck! Go to http://appsumo.com/sumoday/ to enter In this week's episode, we celebrate an incredible milestone of 355 episodes over the past 7 years. I’m excited to share some of my favorite lessons from the amazing guests I’ve had the privilege of interviewing for this show. Each of these extraordinary guests, many of whom are billionaires, have walked unique paths to their success. In this episode, you’ll discover 5 key insights that inspired their journeys and can inspire you to create your own success.   You'll love these 5 lessons:  Focus on what only you can do.  Double down on where you’re already earning.  Emphasize the importance of service.  Embrace experimentation.  Cultivate resilience to overcome setbacks. All these plus many more things I learned along the way. Go give these guys some love: Kevin Kelly -  kk.org/, @kevin2kelly on Instagram and X Justin Welsh - justinwelsh.me/, @thejustinwelsh on Instagram and X Larry Janesky - larryjanesky.com/, @LarryJanesky on Instagram Paul Orfalea - paulorfalea.com/,  John Paul DeJoria - PeaceLoveHappinessFoundation.org/.   Also if you loved hearing these exceptional people and want to check out their full episodes go back and check out: Ep298 - Kevin Kelly  Ep280 - Justin Welsh  Ep329 - Larry Janesky Ep273 - Paul Orfalea  Ep309 - John Paul DeJoria   That’s all in this feed.  

05-29
15:47

I Made $3.3M, Here’s How

My company AppSumo is running an insane giveaway right now, where we are giving away a Cybertruck! Go to http://appsumo.com/sumoday/ to enter Here is your Harvard Business Review hook up with 10% off a subscription for access to business advice articles and their world class case studies. Go to hbr.org/subscriptions and use promo code NOAH for 10% off.    In today's episode, I break down how I made $3.3 million last year and how I spent it. Now, this isn't about boasting; rather, it's a transparent look into the complexities of managing substantial sums of money. There’s a lot of misconceptions about personal wealth management out there so I wanted to help share some clarity on how I do things.  I’m super proud of where I’ve gotten to in recent years but managing this level of income presents a lot of challenges. I've been striving to streamline my finances, and you can join me on this journey. I hope you can be inspired and get rich as well. It’s a great feeling and I know you can do this too.   In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How to invest back into your business to foster future wealth. How to shield yourself from tax liabilities by using your personal projects as LLC’s. What does having lots of money really mean to life satisfaction? You’ll enjoy these things and a whole lot more.   If you liked this episode about hacking your wealth, you’ll also enjoy an older episode we did with Jeff Rose from Wealth Hacker (YouTube channel) you can find that as episode 194 in this feed. I have also been sharing emails on my brutally honest advice on a variety of topics. People have been loving it. Sign up at noahkagan.com and join 350k other people who get juicy insights every week.   

05-22
38:03

Million-Dollar Solopreneurship with Justin Welsh (Classic)

My company AppSumo is running an insane giveaway right now, where we are giving away a Cybertruck! Go to http://appsumo.com/sumoday/ to enter  Today we’re re-running our awesome episode with Justin Welsh! This guy is so IMPRESSIVE, and was one of our most popular episodes last year so we thought we’d put him in your ears once again. He runs a one-person business that does $1.7 million dollars a year, spends ZERO money on ads, and operates at a 94% margin! That’s right. He keeps most of the money. What’s amazing is that some solopreneurs like to hire freelancers and virtual assistants, but Justin does everything himself. And he still has time to go on vacations frequently. In this episode, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How to turn one idea into multiple pieces of content The importance of being self-aware and accepting who you are How a panic attack influences the way Justin runs his business I had a lot of fun talking to Justin, so go check him out: On Twitter – @thejustinwelsh And his newsletter – justinwelsh.me/ If you’ve ever wanted to learn about running a one-person business and scaling it using systems, then you’ll love this episode…. AGAIN! If you dig this episode and want to hear another successful Solopreneur story, go back and check out the conversation we did with Dan Koe, that’s 288 in this feed.  And if you enjoy listening to the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you left a review on Apple Podcasts to help more people find out about it. I might shout you out in the next episode!

05-16
38:33

Behind Patrick Bet-David’s $500M Net Worth

FiveTaco is the easiest way to find software for solopreneurs, from productivity tools, to the latest AI tech to help run your business.   There's something truly inspiring about immigrants who overcome significant challenges to achieve remarkable success by coming to America. In today's episode, we're speaking with Patrick Bet-David, who is well on his way to becoming a billionaire.  We explore Patrick's remarkable journey, reflecting on growing up in war-torn Iran during the Islamic revolution, spending time in a refugee camp in Germany, and later serving in the US Military. From there, he transitioned to working for Morgan Stanley and TransAmerica before becoming their competitor and revolutionizing the entire insurance industry. Today, he owns 8 companies and recently sold one for a multi 9-figure sum. In this conversation, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How unconditional love and unconditional pain has shaped his unbreaking resilience How identifying your enemy can drive you to succeed How he won in the competitive field of insurance sales Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.   If you dig this episode and want to hear another Refugee turned billionaire story, go back and check out the conversation we did with Andrew Viterb, that’s 296 in this feed.  Check out Patricks podcast PBD and his newest book Choose Your Enimies Wisely. His website is https://www.patrickbetdavid.com/ and you can find him on Instagram and Twitter. I have also been sharing emails on my brutally honest advice on a variety of topics. People have been loving it. Sign up at noahkagan.com and join 350k other people who get juicy insights every week.

05-09
55:14

How a Highschooler Got a $150,000 Job With Me

BreezeDoc is the simple way to sign documents digitally. Pay just $9 once, and get it forever (no expensive subscriptions here). In today's episode it’s all about landing those big-paying jobs by working for free. That’s right, you heard me, that’s no pay today BUT… a huge one down the line, let’s call it ‘Prework’. Roll in the six or seven-figure paydays. I'll share how I snagged jobs and clients I wasn't qualified for; from my experience at mint.com, to how Jay Yang, Mitchel, Jeremy and Cameron all landed incredible opportunities working for me by going the extra mile. I'll break down how you can do the same and make it easy for people to hire you by putting a little extra effort in first. In this conversation, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: How to stand out and why those generic "Can I Help You?" messages fall flat Where to uncover the hidden value your future employer is overlooking Make yourself indispensable by going above and beyond, even without being prompted. Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.   If you dug this episode and you're a fresh-faced job seeker, don't miss out on more career wisdom ‘10 Career Tips For Ambitious People in Their Twenties’ you find that in episode 162 of this feed.   FiveTaco is the easiest way to find software for solopreneurs, from productivity tools, to the latest AI tech to help run your business. I have also been sharing emails on my brutally honest advice on a variety of topics. People have been loving it. Sign up at noahkagan.com and join 350k other people who get juicy insights every week.   

05-01
19:13

My #1 Life Regret Is Relationships

BreezeDoc is the simple way to sign documents digitally. Pay just $9 once, and get it forever (no expensive subscriptions here). We’re back with our 3rd round of our ‘Brutally Honest’ series and this week it’s a deep one. I’m giving advice to my younger self again but this time it’s about relationships, specifically dating– but honestly most of this advice you can apply with adding anyone important in your life.  Now I wish I'd paid more attention to relationships when I was younger, more importantly I wish I’d paid more attention to the relationship I had with myself. My relationships with other people often mirrored how badly I felt about myself. Constructive communication and mutual respect are vital for navigating conflicts and building a strong foundation. Creating your ideal relationship requires effort, honesty, and a willingness to invest in yourself and your partner. So we’re going to explore everything I’ve learned about how to find the right person to share your life with.    In this conversation, you’ll enjoy 3 BIG things: What should you look for in another person How to make yourself feel better How similar making money and developing physical fitness are to dating Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.   Check out Mark Manson’s book Models, it helped me a ton to get over some of my issues, Also check Stephanie Rigg, she’s a certified relationship coach who helped me a lot too.  If you're hungry for more of these ‘Brutally Honest’ episodes, join me as I jump into the time machine to drop some serious wisdom on my younger self. You can hear the first 2 about Careers and Business, that’s episode 346 & episode 348 of this feed! Sign up for my email newsletter at noahkagan.com. People have been loving my brutally honest advice on a variety of topics. Join 350k+ subscribers at noahkagan.com.  

04-25
26:03

Nina Brown

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02-05 Reply

LY Ti

Awesome episode. Absolutely one of the best.

08-04 Reply

Esteban Godoy

Noah is freaking remarkable!! One of the very few podcasts Im not embarrased to admit I've subscribed. Following Noah since his first appearance on the Tim Ferriss show ( back in those early episodes, good memories)

06-20 Reply

Thiago Lusvarghi

love it! Ali is one of the youtubers that encouraged me to start my channel! So i did, I'm a first year medical student and started my channel. @thiagolusvarghi

06-19 Reply

Myuk

Great episode!

01-22 Reply

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