Claim OwnershipSchool of Hard Knocks Podcast
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Feauturing the Worlds Top Entrepreneurs and Creators
Brought to you by The School of Hard Knocks
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Brought to you by The School of Hard Knocks
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
36 Episodes
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Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Door, scaled his home-service company to more than $300M in annual revenue and over 1,100 employees. His journey spans two decades of failures, rebuilding, systemizing, and mastering leadership. In this episode, he breaks down talent acquisition, firing top performers, building an owner-mindset workforce, and the philosophy that helped him 10x EBITDA in under two years.A grounded, tactical conversation on scaling, discipline, mentorship, and the mindset required to build a dominant organization.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
In this episode of the School of Hard Knocks Podcast, we sit down with Ken McEelroy, a real estate investor who manages over $2 billion in assets and runs a 300-person company in just 90 minutes a week. He shares how he went from property manager to owner, using distressed properties, billboards, and smart debt to build a massive portfolio. Ken breaks down tax strategies, passive income, hiring challenges, and why most investors misunderstand risk. We also dive into his views on family, legacy, and what real success looks like after the money is made. This is a raw, practical masterclass in real estate, time freedom, and long-term wealth.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
1Butch Hartman — creator of The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, and more — reveals how he turned rejection into one of the most successful runs in Nickelodeon history. From his early days as an animator to running his own studio, Hartman shares the formula behind hit shows, building creative teams, learning business in Hollywood, and how faith shaped his success. A masterclass in creativity, persistence, and purpose.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Neil Patel became a millionaire at 17, lost it all by 20, and came back to build a 9-figure global marketing company. In this episode, he reveals the hard truths about fame, money, and the business of content — why followers don’t pay the bills, how AI will redefine marketing, and what it really takes to build lasting success in the new digital era.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Tony Cuccio is a true American entrepreneur — a kid from Brooklyn who started with just $200 selling beauty products on Venice Beach and built a global empire worth over $2 billion in sales across 90 countries. Known as the man who revolutionized the nail industry, Tony invented gel nails and turned a small street business into one of the most recognizable beauty brands in the world. In this episode, he shares how he failed twice before striking gold, why he never took investor money, and how grit, discipline, and vision built his $2B legacy.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Kendra Scott is a single mom and college dropout who built a billion-dollar brand from her bedroom. With only $500 and a dream, she turned handmade jewelry into one of the most successful fashion empires in America. In this episode, she shares how she went from failure and near bankruptcy to building a company rooted in family, fashion, and philanthropy. From shipping Nordstrom orders out of her kitchen to teaching entrepreneurship at the University of Texas, Kendra reveals how grit, purpose, and authenticity can build an empire from nothing.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Adley Kinsman is one of the most influential creators on the planet, generating over 1.3 billion views every month and proving that virality isn’t luck—it’s a formula. After going bankrupt and starting from scratch, she built an eight-figure media company and became the architect behind some of the internet’s most viral videos. In this episode, Adley reveals how she engineered her success, turned attention into millions, and built a system that any creator can use to win online.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Greg Perlman is one of America’s most successful and generous real estate investors. Founder of multiple ventures and one of the largest affordable housing portfolios in the U.S., he built a $2.5 billion empire with over 25,000 apartments nationwide. After decades of building wealth through Section 8 housing, he made a rare decision — to give away 75% of his fortune. In this episode, Greg shares how he turned government programs into billion-dollar opportunities, stayed grounded while making billions, and why he believes true success isn’t about how much you make, but how much you give.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Tom Healy is the world’s youngest self-made billionaire — a Carnegie Mellon dropout who raised $700M, took his company public at 28, and even dethroned Kylie Jenner. From building startups in his dorm room to ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange, his story is a masterclass in vision, risk-taking, and resilience. In this episode, Tom shares the wild swings of watching his net worth rise and fall by $200M in a single day, the bold pivot that saved his company when the EV market collapsed, and the billion-dollar lessons that shaped his empire before 30.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
John Morgan is one of America’s most feared lawyers—and for good reason. Founder of Morgan & Morgan, the largest personal injury firm in the U.S., he turned a family tragedy into a $2 billion empire. From taking down Disney after his brother’s accident to battling Coca-Cola, Big Pharma, and Fortune 500 giants, Morgan built a reputation as the lawyer corporations fear the most. In this episode, he shares how he scaled nationwide, spent $400 million a year on ads, created the “Google of law firms,” and turned pain into power. This is the raw story of a man who made billions fighting for the people—and made corporate America pay.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Brant is a ninth-grade dropout who went from sleeping in a garage and mowing lawns for $23 an hour to risking it all on oil wells, losing millions, getting sued, and still refusing to quit. That same obsession and grit turned his failures into fuel, and today he’s built multi-million-dollar companies in oil, real estate, and beyond, chasing a nine-figure future. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Brant reveals how he turned rock-bottom into an empire, why the fastest way to win is putting yourself in the right rooms, and how betting on yourself can change everything.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Abdulla Kudrath went from broke immigrant to empire builder through sheer discipline, radical self-responsibility, and an unshakable mindset. From poverty to launching 14 companies across multiple industries, Abdulla has become a doctor, actor, world traveler, and founder of his own medical facilities. In this episode, he reveals how extreme ownership transformed his life, why excuses are deadly, and the mindset shifts that turned struggle into unstoppable growth. If you’re ready to stop blaming and start building, this conversation will change how you see success.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Joshua Crisp went from sleeping on an air mattress in his family’s one-bedroom apartment, working for $7.25 an hour, and eating ramen every day to making $11.3 million in a single day. With only a 9th grade education, no degree, no connections, he refused to settle for mediocrity. Through sacrifice, obsession, and an all‑in mindset, he turned bath bombs into a best‑selling product, built a digital marketing empire, and became a sought‑after mentor and speaker. In this episode, Joshua shares how he turned rock bottom into rocket fuel and the strategies that took him from broke felon to multi‑millionaire.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Anne Mahlum risked it all. Her last $175,000, no investors, no backup plan, just pure belief. Before Solidcore, she was broke, alone, and leading a nonprofit for the homeless, fueled by the trauma of growing up with an addicted father. But she turned pain into purpose, and that purpose into a $90 million empire. Today, with a net worth of $110 million, Anne is living proof that excuses don’t build legacies, courage does. In this episode, she opens up about betting on herself, building from zero, and the mindset it takes to win big.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
He was poor, went broke, and still made $90K on his first deal. By 28, John Devaney bought a brokerage firm and turned it into a money-printing machine: $5M in year one, $25M in year two, $45M in year three. At the peak, his firm was making $110M in pure profit. Then 2008 wiped him out. He lost over $200M… and came back swinging. In this episode, John breaks down how he rebuilt from zero, launched a $200M fund, and pulled off 100%+ returns in the most brutal bond markets. Today, he’s not just killing it in finance, he’s producing films with a mission. This is what happens when you bet big, get crushed, and don’t quit.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Alli Webb is one of the most unexpected and badass entrepreneurs in the beauty world. What started as a side hustle blowdrying hair for cheap quickly turned into a nationwide movement. With zero outside funding and a deep desire to feel alive again, she launched Drybar—a blowout-only salon that exploded across the U.S. and eventually sold for $255 million. In this raw and powerful episode, Alli opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of building a brand with her ex-husband and brother, what it took to scale Drybar into a household name, and how entrepreneurship helped her find herself again. She also shares the vision behind her new venture, Messy, a product line that embraces imperfection and empowers women to own their real, unfiltered beauty. This is a story of reinvention, resilience, and building something that actually matters.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Eric Adams was beaten by police as a child so badly he peed blood for days. He grew up in fear of eviction, struggled with dyslexia, and felt invisible in a broken system. But instead of running from it, he joined the NYPD to change it from within. Today, he runs America’s largest city. In this raw conversation, Eric shares how trauma shaped his purpose, why he chose discipline over anger, and what it really takes to lead when the odds are stacked against you.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Khalil Rafati is one of the most brutally honest and spiritually grounded entrepreneurs you’ll ever hear from. After surviving heroin addiction, homelessness, and years of childhood abuse, he made a pact with God to become rich and honor his dying mother. Through relentless work and spiritual transformation, he built SunLife Organics into a $34 million smoothie empire rooted in healing and purpose. In this podcast, Khalil opens up about his darkest moments, the faith that kept him going, and how he turned pain into a mission far greater than himself.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Edward Connors is one of the most powerful and unpredictable figures the fitness world has ever seen. Before reshaping the industry, he fought in the Vietnam War, where he claims to have killed over 600 enemy soldiers. It’s a dark chapter he rarely speaks about, but it forged the fearless mentality that would later redefine bodybuilding forever.After the war, Ed joined a raw, underground gym in Venice Beach—Gold’s Gym—and turned it into a global empire with over 500 franchises. He revolutionized fitness marketing, brought celebrity culture into the weight room, and made muscle mainstream.But Ed didn’t stop at business. He discovered and mentored future icons like John Cena, Randy Orton, and Jay Cutler, recognizing their greatness before anyone else. In this episode, we explore the wild story of a man shaped by war, driven by vision, and obsessed with building giants.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Amazing content
incredibly insightful and all very much to the point, thank you.