Idea to Startup
Episodes
How to Find Your Wedge, feat. Bleeding Neck Problems (ITS Classic)
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you can't get traction, you likely need a wedge. Today, we talk through how to find one. We leverage a few frameworks we use at Tacklebox - the Ble...
Are you a Freelancer or an Entrepreneur?
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll help you think through a deceptively tough question - are you a freelancer or an entrepreneur? Every decision you make needs to nest neat...
A System to Relish the Uncomfortable Stuff
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we help you become the type of founder who relishes uncomfortable things that lead to successful startups. There are no real secrets in the sta...
How to Identify and Kill Bad Startup Ideas Masquerading As Good Ones
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll lay out a framework to help you identify and kill bad ideas. It's hard to objectively evaluate your idea early on - this framework helps ...
A System to Test and Build Your Startup (Part III - Implementing Your System This Weekend)
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today is the last episode in the three-part series on an internal operating system for people working on startup ideas. We talk through the core pilla...
An Operating System to Help You Move Faster By Focusing On Less - Part 2 (feat. a monkey reciting Hamlet)
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today is part 2 of our series helping you build an internal operating system. We identify the four things you'll need to have happen for your startup ...
A Weekly System to Keep Entrepreneurs With Jobs Moving Fast (Part 1 - Strategy)
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll kick off a series that'll help people with jobs and startup ideas build an internal system that'll help them track progress and build mom...
The One Thing That Matters - How to Find a Differentiator That'll Support a Business
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll help you find a differentiator powerful enough that it can support your business. We'll talk through what a differentiator actually allow...
How to Stop Being Your Startup's Bottleneck
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll help you get out of your own way. We subscribe to the Charlie Munger school of "instead of trying to be smarter, try to be less dumb," an...
A Framework for Building Wildly Useful Startups
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk through a framework that'll help you evaluate whether you're building something useful enough to anchor a business. Most startups fa...
Four Characteristics of Great Startup Ideas
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we talk through four characteristics of great startup ideas (with a bonus fifth Brian thought of post-recording). We discuss organic growth, ma...
The Organic Growth Equation - Why People Share and How to Pick Ideas that'll Grow
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we talk about organic growth. Your startup won't be successful if your first customers aren't compelled to tell people about how you've helped t...
A System to Help You Become Wildly Creative
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll help you build a system for creativity. We'll start by defining creativity as an equation to make it more accessible. Then, we'll develop...
Ep. 165 - Should You Niche?
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk about the big question - should you start with a focused niche? There are pros and cons to the approach, but the perceived cons - "w...
Why You Didn't Build a Product Last Weekend (feat. A Framework to Seek Out Discomfort)
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk through why you didn't get a product live last weekend despite an episode that walked you through a step-by-step process to do it. L...
How to Build the First (Magical) Version of Your Product This Weekend
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll help you get the first version of your product up and out. We use a three-part framework to help you focus in on the one core feature you'...
Choose The Right Quest
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk through how to identify and pursue the big, consequential ideas - what we'll call Quests. We go through how to identify them, how to...
INTERVIEW: Seth Godin Thinks Through Startup Ideas in Real-Time
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Seth Godin (!!) virtually dropped by to talk through a bunch of startup ideas. He gives his opinion on how he’d start everything from a pasta...
When to Pivot and When to Stick (aka How Pros Deal w/ Distractions)
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk about one of the most common hurdles entrepreneurs run into - getting tempted by a new idea a few months into working on a different...
How to Use Landing Page Tests to Find Your Beachhead Customer (feat. the One Person Landing Page and the ELU Framework)
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk through a landing page system that'll help you find a great initial customer - one that can anchor your business. We'll talk through...
Ideation, Finding a Wedge, Seeding a Marketplace and How to Scale Yourself with an EA - with Jonathan Swanson, cofounder of Thumbtack, Athena, and Powerset
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we chat with Jonathan Swanson, cofounder of Thumbtack, Athena, and Powerset. We cover a ton of ground - starting with the Sunday idea club that ...
The Law of The Startup Wedge (feat. circadian rhythms and trust transactions)
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we're going to talk about one of the fundamental laws of startups - The Wedge. It's the best way to build trust when you have a product that's ...
How to Separate Yourself from Your Idea (feat. the five immutable laws of cold emails)
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk about people. An old boss of Brian's said the best way to see into the future is to see the present in higher resolution than anyone...
Testing a Startup Idea Live, Part 2: An Organizing Principle and A Structure to Move Fast
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today is week two of testing out a startup idea live on the show. We're pushing and pulling on the chronic pain idea, setting up the system to get int...
Testing a Startup Idea Live, Part 1: The Idea, The Goldfish Cleanse, J.O.A.S.
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll kick off a series where Brian is going to test out a startup idea live. We begin the way every idea should begin - by figuring out why th...
When to Quit on your Startup Idea, and When to Stick It Out (feat. the systemic vs. solvable checklist and the idea growth curve)
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk through the hardest decision an early-stage entrepreneur has to make - quit on your idea or stick it through? This decision rarely h...
How to Find and Solve Hard Problems (feat. a used car startup and The Problem Hunters)
29 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hard problems are the only problems worth your time. Today, we'll talk about how to identify them and build a business around them. We'll dig in on de...
How to Build Trust in Six Seconds (Thrust + Drag Part 2, feat. an elephant and the bus stop exercise)
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll finish up on Thrust and Drag. This time, we'll talk about building trust with your customer in six seconds - creating thrust that'll buy ...
Thrust and Drag Part 1: A System to Keep Momentum
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll talk about thrust and drag, the components of momentum. Momentum is the lifeblood for startups, but most people leave it to chance. By foc...
What if the problem you're solving isn't "painful" or "urgent"? What if it's just something you think people will want? Should you still pursue it? (feat. Linguini)
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll hit on the most asked question in our now functional podcast question submission list. What if the thing you're building isn't solving a ...
How to Create Useful Content (feat. the "creating content by not creating any content" method)
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk about content. Two of the most asked questions we get are "should I create content?" and "if I should... what the heck should I say?...
How to stack risk early, tackle the cold start problem, and compete by understanding incentives with Jareau Wadé
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we speak with Jareau Wadé - currently the founder of Batch Processing, previously the co-founder of Balanced (acquired by Stripe), head of grow...
15 Min(ish) Skill: Script the Start and End aka How to Consistently Do Uncomfortable Things
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk about one very specific method you can use to tackle your hardest, most uncomfortable work. TackleboxAlternate Nostril BreathingJr ...
Three More Ways to Approach Your Business Like a Pro (feat. anti-marketing, Frank Sinatra, and an Uber comedian)
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll dig in on three approaches that separate how pros and amateurs build businesses. We'll talk through how pros leverage existing infrastruc...
The Trust to Risk Ratio (feat. Soona + a four-step risk framework)
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll help you get your first customers. We'll do it by learning how to use the trust to risk ratio - a way to identify the big risks that are ...
Two Ways to Approach Your Startup Idea Like A Pro (feat. an interior designer + Zapier)
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk about pros and amateurs. Pros build businesses that have a shot - amateurs never leave the starting gate. Unfortunately, most amateu...
Testing an AI Coaching Tool in a Month (feat. The 5 Startup Idea Non-Negotiables)
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll tell the story of an idea a friend of Brian's pursued over the past month. It came about through flashy new tech, but the process shows w...
How to Build a Product People Will Share
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk through a way to ensure people will share what you're building (ideally before you decide to build it). We'll break down a few baby ...
A Regret Minimization Framework (feat. Alone + The Big Reveal)
04 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll talk through a regret minimization framework that'll help you reset for the new year. Then, we'll use the show Alone to show how entrepre...
HOLIDAY CLASSIC: The Three Characteristics of a Startup Idea That's Worth Your Time
28 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll revisit another one of the top-listened to episodes of the year. We'll reflect on the three core characteristics our fastest growing star...
Holiday Classic: Four Questions to Help You Start Your Idea (Feat. Penne Vodka Pete 🐐)
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is one of the most shared of the year. We start a business using four questions, hit on problems and opportunities, and meet the cult ...
How to Take Yourself Seriously feat. Your Entrepreneurship Handbook
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most people's startup approach is haphazard. It's a combination of instincts and reactions and luck or happenstance. People who succeed are far more p...
Build a System to be Different in 2023 (feat. pessimistic squirrels and majestic lions)
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll help you build a system to be different. The well-traveled paths don't get you anywhere interesting and common inputs won't give you unco...
How to Test the Startup Idea You Had Over Thanksgiving in 7 Minutes
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll run a 7-minute test on a startup idea I had over Thanksgiving. It's tackling a massive topic - email - but breaking it down into a manage...
How to Productize Your Customer's First Step (feat. The Family Operating System and a 3am Pitch)
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll dig in on productizing your customer's first step. This is the best path to building a product that generates revenue immediately so that ...
Two Frameworks to Help Find Your Differentiator (feat. Inversion and the Before and After Method)
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll outline two frameworks that'll help you find a meaningful differentiator. We use a bunch of examples to go through Inversion and the Befo...
How to Think Bigger (feat. Mattress Mack and Asymmetric Upside)
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most entrepreneurs spend the majority of their time doing things that, even if they work, won't make a meaningful difference. Our default state is rea...
20(ish) Min Skills: How to Find Your Wedge (feat. Bleeding Neck Problems)
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you can't get traction, you likely need a wedge. Today, we talk through how to find one. We leverage a few frameworks we use at Tacklebox - the Ble...
Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 3 of 3): Taking the System for a Spin (feat. You've Got Mail and Curious Ruby)
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today is the last in our three-part series on how to start a startup in an hour a day. Brian talks through an idea he's working on on the side - VR fo...
Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 2) - Founder Archetypes and a Two-Week Sprint Rhythm
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the second episode of the series, we'll talk through the type of founder you are - Storyteller, Builder, or Manager. We'll then help you build out ...
Start a Startup in an Hour a Day (Part 1 of 3) - Reflection + A Lifestyle Debt Audit + Finding a Free Hour
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today is the first of a three part series on setting up an operating rhythm for building a startup while you've got a full-time job. We lay out a syst...
20(ish) Min Skills: How to Write Direct, Persuasive Copy (feat. The Four Keys to Writing)
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll talk about the biggest gap in most entrepreneurs skillsets - writing compelling copy. We'll go through the Four Keys to Writing which idio...
How to Start a Community-Based Startup - or Tack a Community Onto Your Existing Business (feat. Monks and Lonely Dads)
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll talk about community. What a good community looks like, the mistakes people make around communities, and how to test an idea for a communi...
20(ish)-Minute Skills: The Concierge MVP
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode discusses the Concierge MVP, an indispensable tactic early stage entrepreneurs can use to get the feedback of a full product without t...
How to Spot Promising Startup Ideas (feat. The Hard Startup Myth and The Hassle Premium)
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll help you find and choose the right startup idea. We'll use a couple of frameworks to help you evaluate startup ideas you've got and find s...
How to Raise Money from Angel Investors with Angela Lee (37 Angels, Columbia Business School) ((And we start a $100mm taco company the last 15 minutes))
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Awesome chat with Angela Lee (37 Angels, Columbia Business School) about angel investing. We talk through what angels are looking for, who should try ...
How to Get the World to Work For You (feat. pickleball and the greatest marketing campaign of all time)
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you understand how the world works, you can let it do some serious heavy lifting for your business. If you ignore how it works, your business is as...
Three Ways to Build Trust (feat. parking valets and a cure for baldness)
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We spend a bunch of time on business fundamentals. These are important, obviously, but they're only relevant if you can build enough trust with custom...
A 20(ish) Minute Startup: Airbnb Referrals
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we'll start a business in 20(ish) minutes. We'll talk through the idea, figure out assumptions, run a test, and make a decision. We leverage a ...
What Kind of Company Do You Want to Build? (feat a 3-part framework to help you figure it out and Shaggy)
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I meet far too many unhappy entrepreneurs. The whole point of this thing is to build a business that makes you happy. It needs to work, but it also ca...
A Podcast Figuring Out Your Value (featuring an aperol spritz startup and a magician)
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll help you sink your teeth into value. We'll help you understand what people will actually pay for, talk through a framework to ensure you'r...
A Mental Model to Reduce Complexity: The River (featuring a papaya)
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode digs into how to reduce complexity and choose the right path through a mental model we call the river. You identify the dams that stop yo...
How to Start a Startup Accountability Group
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We've spent a ton of time recently on tactics and strategies. Today, we talk about how to build a group to make sure you're implementing them. Here's ...
The Three Pillars of a Startup That's Worth Your Time (feat. Markets, The 4x Rule, and Level Jumping)
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we reflect on the three core characteristics our fastest growing startups shared. We break each down and talk through how to check for them and ...
A 20(ish) Minute Startup: An App That Cures Chronic Pain
06 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we think through an idea for an app that treats chronic pain. We'll use the Three Level system to figure out what we know, what we need to learn...
A Framework to Get You Unstuck (featuring an Airstream startup)
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll talk about how early-stage entrepreneurs can get themselves unstuck. It's easy to get paralyzed when the things you do don't lead to the o...
20(ish)-Min Skills: Sales 101 For Entrepreneurs That Hate Sales
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A 20(ish) minute skills episode on sales 101 for entrepreneurs who hate sales. We go through three tactics and a bunch of examples to help you build a...
A Weekly Prioritization and Audit Framework to Help Entrepreneurs Make Great Things
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most entrepreneurs struggle with prioritization. When you need to do *everything*, where do you start? Today we lay out a three-part framework to make...
How to Test If Your Idea Can Grow Before You Build It (featuring a meeting agenda startup)
08 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we talk through testing and getting to an idea that can grow before you invest time and money to build it. We do this through the lens of a meet...
What Makes a Great Product?
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we break down a tough question: What makes a great product? We look at Brian's two favorite products to tease out themes and characteristics we ...
Strategies for a Crowded Market: Breaking Down Three Coffee Startups
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Operating in a crowded market with a ton of potential is tempting - and tough. Today, we evaluate companies taking very different approaches to the co...
How to Build The Right Thing (Introducing the Product Pyramid Framework)
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode introduces the Product Pyramid Framework, a tool entrepreneurs who have never built products before can use to make sure they build th...
A Thing To Do This Weekend If You're Working on a Startup
11 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lots of people carve out time to work on their startup ideas. Most people spend that time doing things that don't matter. Today, we talk about somethi...
How to Become a Startup Idea Machine
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Getting to a startup idea worth starting is active, not passive. The idea won't just show up - you'll need to find it. And it likely won't be the firs...
How to Evaluate and Choose an Idea Worth Pursuing with Alex White
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Here at Idea to Startup we're obsessed with the process of filtering through and choosing ideas. Today we're joined by Alex White, previously the foun...
How to Write Great Copy for your Startup
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Writing copy for a startup is hard, especially when you're thinking it up from scratch. This episode goes through five frameworks that'll help you wri...
INTERVIEW: Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, founder @ Oar Health
15 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we talk with Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, the founder of Oar Health. Oar Health makes safe, effective medication and convenient care for people who w...
Start a Startup in 7(ish) Minutes: Solving Parking in NYC 🚕
13 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're going to start yet another startup in 7(ish) minutes. We'll flesh out an idea and figure out how to test it using four key questions. The ...
Episode 100 🔥: How to Design Your Life to Support Building a Startup on the Side
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The 100th episode of Idea to Startup dives into the most important thing our entrepreneurs with jobs have done to make progress - purposefully designi...
How to Stand Out: Differentiate your Startup with Categories
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The best entrepreneurs choose what they compete against. They stack the deck so their product is overwhelmingly better than the alternative. The key t...
How to Guarantee Word of Mouth Growth for Your Startup
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Your startup will only grow if you design for and facilitate word of mouth. The big mistake people make is thinking their business will generate that ...
The Three Pillars of an Idea That Can Grow Huge
16 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll talk about finding ideas that are primed to grow fast and grow big. As we dug in, we realized this was a great approach for any sized busi...
Start a Startup in Ten Days using Four Questions: Kitchen Organizer Edition
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll talk through how to test out and build a startup idea in ~10 days by answering four questions. We'll use an idea that's oddly popped up a ...
Perfect is the Enemy of the Good: Startup Product Edition
02 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Simple products win. You probably already knew this, but creating a simple product is harder than it should be. The reason is that a simple product ha...
How to Conquer Irrational Fear as a Startup Founder
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll talk about the irrational fears that keep entrepreneurs from doing the things they need to do to be successful. We've got stories about Ba...
The Most Interesting Startups are Boring (and how to make sure yours is, too)
16 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Building a great startup usually isn't rocket science - it often comes down to just trying more things than anyone else does. The hard part about this...
How to Build a Startup in a Crowded Market
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Entrepreneurs are told all the time to avoid crowded markets. There's too much competition, there's too much venture funding, you'll get squashed like...
A Formula for Creating Moments Your Customers Will Share
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Creating moments your customers will share is how your startup will grow early on. This episode will teach you how to orchestrate and plan those momen...
Don't Bail On Your Startup Idea Right When It's Getting Interesting
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's an epidemic of talented entrepreneurs bailing on their startup ideas right before those ideas are about to get interesting. We talk about why ...
Startup Practice
19 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People are too precious with ideas. The idea you've got is probably wrong, but the only way you'll get to the right one is working on the wrong one - ...
Storytelling 101 for Entrepreneurs
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A storytelling primer for entrepreneurs. Marketing is storytelling, and in this pod we lay out a three step framework for telling exceptional stories ...
BONUS STORY: The Monster and The Girl
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A bonus short episode for a snowy Friday. A story that might light a bit of a fire under your ass for 2022. Great to listen to over lunch.And don't wo...
The Secret Pod
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Startups work best when they're anchored around a secret. A great secret has three characteristics, and Brian goes through those, as well as examples ...
Sell the Position (Brian's favorite episode of the year)
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The last episode of 2021 is Brian's favorite - sell the position. It's rare that a piece of advice truly changes your life. This advice did. Tacklebo...
How to Not Waste Your Life (most listened to episode of the year)
22 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How to Not Waste Your Life. This was the most listened to episode of 2022, so we're running it back with a special intro. It's the lesson we all need ...
How to Find Problems Worth Solving (and a request for a startup)
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We lay out a framework for finding and evaluating problems and dig into a problem worth solving: single-use plastic from takeout food orders. If you'r...
You need a bouncer
08 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're all lugging around metaphorical backpacks. These backpacks are filled with tasks, shoulds, and IOUs. The problem isn't that they exist, it's how...
How to get counterintuitive startup ideas
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If lots of people think your startup idea makes no sense, it's got a much higher likelihood of succeeding. Counterintuitive ideas will buy you time to...
Three Things Entrepreneurs Should Do Over Thanksgiving Break
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today we talk through three things entrepreneurs can do over Thanksgiving break - and the next six weeks - to differentiate themselves in 2022. Storie...
How to create your own MBA in entrepreneurship
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you were building an MBA in entrepreneurship from scratch, how would you do it? We built out a framework to design your own program - and just abou...