Today, I'm giving you part three of the AppSumo saga. Black Friday was rough, targets got missed, and the team felt it. But I zoomed out and the signals actually looked way better than expected. Refunds are dropping, deal quality is rising, customer sentiment is improving, and we're finally stabilizing the business after a horrible year.

So in this episode I break down our simple three part plan to see out 2025, and talk about bundles, new partner offerings, the future of software, and how leadership really works when the scoreboard looks ugly. It's honestly the most exciting I've felt about AppSumo's horizon in a long time.

In this conversation you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• How to course-correct when your Black Friday deal flops hard

• What I do when customers stop clicking

• How to avoid repeating the same mistakes next quarter

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

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.

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 month.

The past few months at AppSumo have been brutal. People are voting with their wallets and return buyers are down 40%. We lost some of the trust we spent years building and drifted from what made us great. But the fire in my belly is back and I'm going to war for what we do best.

I'm turning the battleship back towards curating high-quality tools that people actually love and I'm taking you inside the war room. In this episode, I share what's working, what's not and what I'm learning.

If you've ever run a company or have just gone through a tough season, you'll love this one

In this conversation, you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• Why simplicity and focus is the best strategy when things get messy.

• How direct conversations with customers and partners can rebuild trust

• Why curating truly great products (not just more of them) is key to winning back customers

Enjoy these 3 things plus plenty of spicy behind-the-scenes stories along the way.

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.

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 month.

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.

After a year of paternity leave, I'm back as CEO at AppSumo… and holy moly, it's been challenging.

In this episode, I share a behind-the-scenes of stepping back into my company, where we've gone wrong in my absence, and what I'm doing to fix it.

From running a "listening tour" across the company, to rethinking our deal standards, this is me working in real time to bring AppSumo back stronger than ever. It's been exhausting but humbling. If you've ever faced chaos in your own business, I think you'll get a lot out of this one.

In this conversation, you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• How getting clear on "who owns what" keeps teams from drowning • Why true leadership beats management every time • Why making a call (even if it's not the right one) is always better than sitting on the fence

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

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 month.

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.

As summer wraps up and I pack for Austin, I've been reflecting on my time in Europe. One book I stumbled across in Portugal hit the mood perfectly and got me thinking about craftsmanship, curiosity, and what it really takes to build something you're proud of.

It's Always Summer on the Inside is the biography of Jack O'Neill, the surf pioneer who turned freezing San Francisco waves into a global wetsuit empire. His story is a sharp reminder that the best businesses are born from solving real problems and obsessing over quality.

I also did my first bookstore event and spoke at a local high school. Both reminded me that deep down most of us already know the answers to our big questions. The real challenge is showing up, putting in the reps, and creating work that lasts.

In this episode, you'll hear 3 BIG things:

• Why craftsmanship and quality always beat shortcuts • How to stop waiting for permission and act on your intuition • Why success hides in the boring, unglamorous repetitions

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

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 month.

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.

So this summer was a wild sweaty mess. After a pretty uncomfortable RV trip with my wife and one-year-old across France, I booked one night at a $2,000 luxury resort in Bordeaux, and it blew my mind!

I'm not usually a baller-hotel guy (Bonjour Best Western, merci beaucoup), but this place nailed every little detail.

In this episode, I break down the customer experience lessons and how you can apply them to your own business. No matter what you sell, there's always a way to go that extra mile for your customers.

In this conversation, you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• How small, low cost touches can leave a big impact and wow your customers.

• Why consistency builds trust and long-term loyalty.

• How to turn around those unexpected complications should they arise in your business.

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

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 month.

While watching my 10-month-old daughter sleep on the baby monitor, I found myself feeling something I didn't expect: fear. Not for me, but for her. The world feels messy right now… divided, chaotic, and moving fast.

But instead of letting it get me down, I'm focusing on what I can control. This episode is all about how I'm staying hopeful, making small changes, and how each one of us can choose to build a better future, regardless of global conflict, politics or A.I. layoffs.

3 Takeaways:

• Staying curious is one of the most powerful ways to move forward

• Making even a rough plan brings clarity when life feels directionless

• Filtering the noise protects your peace

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Pat Flynn went from getting laid off in 2008... to building a seven-figure YouTube business, selling out Pokémon conventions, and leading a legacy entrepreneurship brand (Smart Passive Income).

In this episode, we talk about reinvention, raising kids, chasing relevance, and how he built Deep Pocket Monster into a viral brand with 3 billion+ views.

You'll love this one if you've ever pivoted careers, tried to balance family with ambition, or just want to geek out on business and storytelling. 🎧 Enjoy!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Pat says "count uploads, not likes" • How getting laid off changed everything • The difference between "just-in-time" vs. "just-in-case" learning • What he's saying *no* to (even if it could go viral) • Why storytelling and speed-learning are the future's top skills • Pat's exact business breakdown: SPI, YouTube, events, and more • How he handles jealousy and stays relevant • The surprising truth about parenting, pressure, and hot tubs

Links & resources mentioned: • Pat's book: *Lean Learning* – https://leanlearningbook.com • Deep Pocket Monster (YouTube) – https://www.youtube.com/@DeepPocketMonster • Smart Passive Income – https://www.smartpassiveincome.com • Follow Pat on Twitter → @PatFlynn – https://twitter.com/patflynn • My book → Million Dollar Weekend – https://milliondollarweekend.com

Like this episode?

Hit the follow button and leave a review

BreezeDoc is the simple way to sign documents digitally. Pay just $9 once, and get it forever (no expensive subscriptions here).

Today I'm riffing on what's been on my mind this April; from using AI to save on my taxes to pulling weeds, both literally and metaphorically, plus some book reviews and me generally musing on what makes a great life..

So If you want to hear more about how I'm using ChatGPT to get ahead financially, why saying "no" has become my superpower, and what Ryanair can teach you about sticking to your business model, this ones for you!.

You're gonna learn

• What a good gardener has in common with a good entrepreneur

• How AI can save you time and money right now before everyone else catches up.

• Why you need to find your line for saying no to 80% of everything.

Enjoy these things and a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.

Did you check out last week's monster episode, about all I've learned 15 Years Of AppSumo. It was an absolute banger. That episode 374 wherever you get your podcasts. Spotify & iTunes

AppSumo is celebrating its birthday. 15 years old! Hurrah! I started the company with $50 and a dream of never working a real job again. Today, it's a $100m business that's helped thousands of entrepreneurs and creators make millions.

My book Million Dollar Weekend is also a year old and was just released in Spanish. It's 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.

Today I'm reflecting on the biggest lessons from my business journey and sharing 14 tips that will help your business grow to the next level.

3 Takeaways:

• How Tracking scorecards and key metrics will move you closer to your goals

• Why starting is easy but showing up every day and staying in the game is the real challenge.

• Would you bet your life on your business, do you really believe in it? That's conviction baby!

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

What's going on in your Business? Hit me up on noahkagan.com 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 month.

BreezeDoc is the simple way to sign documents digitally. Pay just $9 once, and get it forever (no expensive subscriptions here).

In this episode, I've got one of my best friends, the entrepreneur blueprint, the serial success master and my favorite podcaster Sam Parr to come back on the show.

We talk about ambition, confidence, the reality of building a billion-dollar business and what it's like to hang around with billionaires. Also we discuss his latest projects and how becoming a dad has reshaped his perspective on success.

In this conversation, you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• Why the most successful people in the room aren't always the smartest,

• What are the best and worse things about billionaires.

• How to set up a business in 24 hours and make 1 million dollars without a website.

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

If you dug this episode, you can go back and check out one of our many other episodes with Sam on how content creators become successful. You can find that in episode 292 of this feed.

Check him out on Instagram & Twitter @thesamparr and be sure to check out all what he's doing in all of these many internet places.

Try Rosedale - website for self improvement.

Join Hampton - website high wealth networking and business growth.

Copy That - website for helping writers create better copy.

Sams List - website for finding quality accountants.

My First Million - Podcast.

MoneyWise - Podcast.

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.