Jon Nastor's Hack the Entrepreneur

My guest today is the CEO and founder of Songfreedom, a music-licensing platform where photographers and cinematographers can come to find the perfect song for their story with the click of a button.

My guest is not afraid to leap down paths others fear to tread. From young manager to music licensing entrepreneur, my guest used a natural inclination for persuasion and sales to become a leading force in the democratization and expansion of music licensing.

He is also the cofounder of UManagement, a unique and dynamic partner and management company for artists.

Now, let’s hack…

Matt Thompson.

My guest today is a serial entrepreneur in the truest sense of the term.

While in college he started importing and selling pool tables online when he cofounded PoolTables.com. For six years he grew the company until selling the business.

He jumped straight back into business by founding Baby.com.br, Brazil’s leading e-commerce retailer of baby products. This company went on to raise $40M+ in venture capital.

He is currently the founder and CEO of Cotopaxi, an innovative outdoor gear brand with a social mission at its core.

He is also on the United Nations Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council, a nine-member strategic advisory council committed to finding innovative solutions to global problems.

Now, let’s hack…

Davis Smith.

My guest today is a speaker, guerrilla marketer, and an entrepreneur.

He founded PlanetIvy.com & ScreenRobot. These two sites combined have received nearly 20 million page views without any paid marketing.

He is currently the founder of Magnific, a company that helps grow early-stage companies through a combination of rapid social media growth, guerrilla community management tactics, and growth hacks.

Magnific also beat out over 1,500 other startups to be accepted into the prestigious accelerator TechStars London.

Now, let’s hack…

Vincent Dignan.

My guest founded and built a drop shipping Amazon business to over $7 million in sales with 60 full time workers.

He gained experience hiring and managing online workers from all over the world. Realizing that so many other businesses struggled with this exact thing, he decided to capitalize on it.

Today, my guest is the founder and CEO of FreeeUp, an online agency that specializes in placing online workers into eCommerce businesses. In just 7 months, they’ve landed over 150 clients and are growing at a rapid pace.

Now, let’s hack…

Nathan Hirsch.

In this 31-minute episode Nathan Hirsch and I discuss:

• Determining what’s important and breaking down tasks into long-term and short-term goals
• The benefits of building customized programs for your business versus using existing software
• Considering the immediate impact of new projects and ideas and further prioritizing from there
• Creating and maintaining written processes of communication to be used company-wide

• FreeeUp.com
• FreeeUp's Referral Program
• Upwork.com
• Freelancer.com
• [email protected]
• FreeeUp on Facebook
• Nathan on LinkedIn
• Nathan on Twitter
• Jon on Twitter
• Show Sponsor: Citi Cards with Android — Download the Android Play app on Google Play or visit Citi.com/AndroidPlay

My guest today is a speaker, traveler, and serial entrepreneur.

He is the co-founder and President at Skinny & Co., a coconut oil company aiming to give families a healthy chemical free lifestyle and household by creating the healthiest products, services, and technologies on the planet.

Previously, he was the founder of OpportunityAddicts.com, and Co-Founder of OriginalBOS (Balls of Steel).

He is an expert in both the domestic and international supply chain, manufacturing, marketing, health, and trade markets.

Now, let’s hack…

Matt Geddie.

My guest today has been writing on the Internet since 1982 and Tim Ferris calls him the Most Interesting Man in the World.

He has spent the past 40+ years living project to project, accomplishing some truly impressive feats in the process without ever attending college or university.

From 1984 to 1990, he was the publisher and editor of the Whole Earth Review. In 1993, he cofounded Wired magazine and served as its Executive Editor for the first seven years. He is now Senior Maverick for Wired.

He is a cofounder and editor of the popular Cool Tools website.

My guest is also a world-renowned bestselling author of countless books, with his latest called The Inevitable. He is also the author of the viral Internet piece called 1,000 True Fans.

Now, let’s hack…

Kevin Kelly.

In this 46-minute episode Kevin Kelly and I discuss:

• The importance of asking the dumb questions and critiquing your own thoughts in writing
• Recognizing knowledge and information as a commodity
• Establishing your voice on the Internet and finding a niche audience
• Honoring the middle-ground between brick & mortar and Amazon.com
• Saying yes to the right ideas and learning to say no to the others
• The catch-22 of being successful and embracing failure

• KK.org
• 1,000 True Fans
• Books by Kevin Kelly
• Kevin on Twitter
• Jon on Twitter
• Show Sponsor: 3D Cart— Go to 3DCart.com/hack to try 3D Cart for free and get started in just seconds! As an HTE listener, you'll get your first month free! That's 3DCart.com/hack to start selling online today 

My guest today is a marketer, lamp maker, and an entrepreneur. She spent the first part of her career in banking & finance, but like many of us, she wanted to do more meaningful work … and move from Australia to New York.

My guest turned a passion for making DIY lamps into a business in 2013, when she started I Like That Lamp.

Using her successes in the lamp business, she also started a marketing company called Bobsled Marketing, where she helps brands launch and optimize their products via the Amazon marketplace.

Now, let’s hack… Kiri Masters.

In this 41-minute episode Kiri Masters and I discuss:

• Why you need to surround yourself with a community
• The value of learning to pull back on new projects
• Using your energy to stay focused and execute

• Bobsled Marketing
• I Like That Lamp
• Tim Conley on Hack the Entrepreneur
• Dynamite Circle
• Kiri Masters on Twitter
• Jon on Twitter Show Sponsors: 

  Citi cards with Android Pay. Download the Android Pay app on Google Play or visit CITI.com/AndroidPay

  Braintree — To learn more about how your company can grow with Braintree, visit BraintreePayments.com/Hack

My guest today is a craft beer enthusiast, WordPress developer, consultant, podcaster, and an entrepreneur.

She developed her first website in 1997 and quickly found the WordPress ecosystem. She has been working with WordPress clients since 1998. My guest has decided to change her business focus in 2016 to education products and training.

She is the host of the live weekly podcast OfficeHours.FM and she is an instructor for Lynda.com.

Now, let’s hack…

Carrie Dils.

In this 42-minute episode Carrie Dils and Jon Nastor discuss:

• The difference between and freelancer and an entrepreneur
• Understanding the importance of networking and being a connector
• The value of letting ideas marinate in your head before acting

Links and resources mentioned:

• CarrieDils.com
• OfficeHours.FM
• Networking is Not Working by Derek Coburn
• Carrie Dils on Twitter
• Jonny on Twitter

My guest today is a songwriter, former Disney artist, and a serial entrepreneur.

Starting in 2006, my guest jumped head first into the tech world when he cofounded XLR8 Media. Since then, he has also founded Dijit, Echotag, and Openboard.

He is currently cofounder and CEO of Inmoji, bringing “powered" clickable icons that enable users to share their favorite brands, products, and experiences directly within messaging apps.

Having signed brands like Walmart and Fandango, Inmoji has a great start to its quest to attract one billion audience members.

Now, let’s hack…

Michael Africk.

In this 36-minute episode Michael Africk and I discuss:

• Ditching preconceived notions and approaching life with a malleable mind
• Coming into entrepreneurship from an artistic/creative background
• The innate desire to create and control your own destiny as an entrepreneur
• Learning to delegate tasks and trusting your team
• Running with new ideas and letting them play out organically

• Inmoji.com
• Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff
• Oren Klaff on HTE
• Michael on Linkedin
• Michael on Twitter
• Jon on Twitter
• Show Sponsor: 3D Cart— Go to 3DCart.com/hack to try 3D Cart for free and get started in just seconds! As an HTE listener, you'll get your first month free! That's 3DCart.com/hack to start selling online today 

My guest today is an organizer, leader, and an executive assistant-turned entrepreneur.

She began her career as an executive assistant to keynote speakers, bestselling authors, and public figures.

Through hard work, determination, and ambition, my guest began getting requests to work with more and more clients, yet there was only one of her to do the work.

So she founded Priority VA and started hiring virtual assistants. Today she has grown a team of 54 VAs working under her. Her husband also joined her full-time in the business, and she shows no sign of slowing down.

Now, let’s hack…

Trivinia Barber.

In this 37-minute episode Trivinia Barber and I discuss:

• Treating every day as if you're still building your business and avoiding complacency
• How Trivinia went from Virtual Assistant to creating a team of VAs working under her
• The struggle of balancing a healthy work/life balance as an entrepreneur
• Removing yourself as the bottleneck that’s preventing your business from growing
• Choosing projects and ideas that fall in line with your time and values

• PriorityVA.com
• Priority VA on Facebook
• Todd Herman's The 90 Day Year
• Trivinia on Twitter
• Jon on Twitter
• Show Sponsor: Hired.com— HTE listeners can try Hired for free by going to hired.com/hack. Enjoy a $2,000 credit on your first hire!
• Show Sponsor: Braintree— To learn more about how your company can grow with Braintree, visit Braintreepayments.com/hack