The First 10 Podcast

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"The goal of this podcast is to help business builders learn some best practices when they go looking for their first 10, to expose the things worth doing and the things that might be dead ends and ultimately cost time and money. We should all be recycling these days, and when it comes to understanding your customers and how you talk to them, there's a ton of value that my guests have shared that is worth repeating." – Conor McCarthy.

Welcome to the final episode of season 4 of The First 10 Podcast, and what a season it has been! This season, we have heard from an array of inspirational serial entrepreneurs who have created multiple businesses who kindly took the time to openly and honestly share their biggest learnings, challenges and wins with us. 

Helping business builders is at the heart of this podcast, and valuable golden nuggets of advice come with each new episode. So, to close off this season, we will be doing a re-cap with each of our guests to learn their top tips for someone just starting out and hoping to obtain their first ten customers. So, grab a pen and paper and let this refresher masterclass begin with our entrepreneurial experts Andy Mackin, Jakob Greenfeld, Shane Melaugh, Daniel Vassallo, Rob Walling, Dave Parker, Brian Casel, Brennan Dunn and Corey Haines.

Connect with the First 10 season 4 guests: 

Andy Mackin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackinconsultancy 

Jakob Greenfeld: https://jakobgreenfeld.com/ 

Shane Melaugh: https://ikario.com/about/ 

Daniel Vassallo: https://dvassallo.com/ 

Rob Walling: https://robwalling.com/ 

Dave Parker: https://www.dkparker.com/  

Brian Casel: https://briancasel.com/  

Brennan Dunn: https://rightmessage.com/  

Corey Haines: https://www.swipefiles.com/

Nick Loper: https://SideHustleNation.com

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://www.conormccarthy.me/work-with-me 

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Check out my podcast partners!

Buzzsprout:
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Otter:
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Calendly:
https://calendly.grsm.io/ilev18qxpn1e

This podcast was produced in partnership with podlad.com

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‘’In a start-up, you can’t move slowly because your competition is not moving slowly.’’ – Rob Walling. 

On this bonus episode of the First 10 Podcast, I have something a little different for you. I asked Rob Walling, serial entrepreneur, investor, author, and host of the popular podcast ‘Startups for the Rest of Us’ , if I could reshare the audio from a Youtube video he posted entitled "Top 10 Avoidable Mistakes SaaS Startups Make". When I saw this video, I knew I had to share it. Its short, and stuffed with classic (and not so classic) pitfalls to avoid when building your SaaS.  

Rob truly is a wealth of knowledge in building great businesses. Through his widespread books, recordings, articles, and discussions – Rob has guided thousands of start-up founders and continues to do just that through vlogs on his MicroConf  YouTube channel. I'm grateful to Rob for letting me share this content, and of course, subscribe to his YouTube channel (link below!)

Grab a pen and the nearest notebook as Rob shares his no-nonsense, fluff-free guide on successfully building your start-up, revealing the top 10 avoidable mistakes SaaS start-ups make. 

Resources: 

My original episode with Rob: https://www.conormccarthy.me/podcast-episodes/finding-people-who-care-with-rob-walling

The original YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jjb7fPV6PQ

Connect with Rob Walling:

https://robwalling.com/ 

https://www.youtube.com/c/MicroConf 

https://twitter.com/robwalling 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robwalling/ 

https://microconf.com 

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Check out my podcast partners!

Buzzsprout:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1389931

Otter:
https://otter.ai/referrals/ETRNKY16

Calendly:
https://calendly.grsm.io/ilev18qxpn1e

Produced in partnership with podlad.com 

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Welcome back to the final episode of season four, and what a season it has been – but it’s not over just yet! Joining me to wrap up this serial-entrepreneur season is founder and chief side hustler of Side Hustle Nation, Nick Loper. 

Have you ever had the itch to get a side hustle going!? If so, you will love this episode! If you have ever researched how to start your own side business, chances are high that you’ve come across Nick’s go-to website, www.sidehustlenation.com. Through his website and books, Nick guides start-up and seasoned entrepreneurs from all corners of the globe to make extra money, amplify their power and security, and create a business they love. 

In this episode, Nick talks us through his impactful career throughout his college days, how he pivoted through business ventures and what it means to be expert enough when launching a business. Nick also shares his wine-ing road into the virtual assistance world, reveals his take on filtering through business ideas, and discusses whether social media is necessary when kickstarting your entrepreneurial journey. Key points throughout this episode include:

• An introduction to Nick Loper.
• Early pitching days and mastering door-to-door sales.
• Entering the world of internet marketing. 
• Finding inspiration from failures and pivoting into a new career.  
• Standing out in a crowded space. 
• The beginning of Side Hustle Nation. 
• The ups and downs of an entrepreneurial journey.
• How curiosity is key in business and the importance of gathering feedback.
• Why entrepreneurs should focus on niching down.
• Introducing sales and marketing to first-time entrepreneurs. 
• Do you know where your customers hang out?
• Overcoming imposter syndrome sirens and embracing social media.
• Nick’s business book recommendations.
• Nick’s advice for finding your first ten customers.

Connect with Nick Loper:

https://www.sidehustlenation.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickloper/ 

https://twitter.com/nloper 

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Resources:

Nick Loper Books: 

https://www.amazon.com/Nick-Loper/e/B009N31662 

The Go Giver by Bob Berg.

https://thegogiver.com/ 

The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco. 

https://www.themillionairefastlane.com/

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. 

https://www.oliverburkeman.com/books  

Check out my podcast partners!

Buzzsprout:
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Otter:
https://otter.ai/referrals/ETRNKY16

Calendly:
https://calendly.grsm.io/ilev18qxpn1e

Produced in partnership with podlad.com 

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"When people are actively looking for a product like yours, and you're not marketing it, you are actually doing an act of disservice. You are starving them of something that they need, that they could use. By not marketing, you're putting a ceiling on your potential." – Corey Haines. 

Are you currently creating or marketing a product in the SaaS space? If so, you will love and learn so much from this week's episode with SaaS marketing expert Corey Haines. Corey is a marketer, entrepreneur, podcaster, investor, and soon to be an author who is on a mission to help people and their products, services, and content get the recognition that they truly deserve. 

Corey is the mastermind and creator behind the popular Swipe Files and has consulted with numerous start-ups on growth and marketing, including SavvyCal, Evercast and Holloway, to name but a few. Throughout this episode, Corey shares his go-to research methods, the importance of live customer experience feedback, marketing cheat codes, and reveals his three tried and true methods guaranteed to bring your first customers through the door. Key points throughout include:  

• An introduction to Corey Haines. 
• Obtaining Swipe Well's first customers and the creation of Swipe Files. 
• Communicating with potential buyers on social media platforms.
• Dripping marketing: striking the right amount of marketing ahead of product launching. 
• The key to mapping out appropriate marketing methods.
• Overcoming the fear of marketing. 
• How avoiding marketing is an act of disservice. 
• Methods for understanding your customer's needs. 
• The power of asking why and the benefit of running polls.
• Navigating through career challenges and failures. 
• Advertising conversion: does it really work?
• Corey's business book recommendations.
• Lessons to be learned from activating a landing page. 
• Corey's advice on obtaining your first ten customers.

"You do need marketing. You have to treat it as an investment, something that's going to pay dividends later." - Corey Haines. 

COMING SOON! Join the waitlist to get your hands on Corey's forthcoming marketing handbook Founding Marketing  HERE. We do not doubt that this book will feature on many guests’ recommended lists in future First 10 podcast episodes. 

"Without promotion, something terrible happens. Nothing! – PT Barnum. 

Connect with Corey Haines:

https://www.coreyhaines.co/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-haines/ 

https://twitter.com/coreyhainesco 

https://www.swipefiles.com/ 

https://www.defaultalive.fm/ 

https://www.swipefiles.com/foundingmarketing 

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Resources:

The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick

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Wondering how best to grow your audience or perhaps, how to fund your next trip to Ireland? If so, this week's podcast is a must-listen for you! This week, joining Conor on the show is special guest and serial entrepreneur Brennan Dunn. Brennan is the co-founder of RightMessage, a platform for online businesses to enhance their automated segmentation and website personalisation. In this episode, Brennan walks us through his fascinating leap from consulting into SaaS, launching and selling his project management tool Planscope and the accidental beginning of his thriving community, Double Your Freelancing, where he advises 50K + freelancers and agencies across the globe.

Conor and Brennan unpack so much, including the secret to building with your audience, effective communication and truly understanding your customer's needs. Brennan also reveals what worked well when starting a new business from scratch. Main points throughout the discussion include: 

• An introduction to Brennan Dunn.  
• The rise of an accidental business. 
• Being personable and building connections with your customers.
• The practice of creating evergreen content.
• The art of conversational copywriting: write as you speak!
• Utilising the voice of customer data.
• Re-evaluating a career and starting a new venture from scratch.
• What worked well: Brennan's proven business stepping-stone.
• Why you should borrow an audience. 
• The key to real-time product positioning.
• Communicating directly and effectively with customers.
• How to elevate your customer testimonials to new heights. 
• Brennan's advice for obtaining your first ten customers. 

Connect Brennan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennandunn/   

https://doubleyourfreelancing.com/ 

https://twitter.com/brennandunn 

https://rightmessage.com/ 

https://createandsell.co/ 

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Resources:

https://copyhackers.com/ 

Book: The Brain Audit by Sean D'Souza

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brain-Audit-Customers-They-Dont/dp/0473175045 

https://www.robfitz.com/home 

Check out my podcast partners!

Buzzsprout:
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Otter:
https://otter.ai/referrals/ETRNKY16

Calendly:
https://calendly.grsm.io/ilev18qxpn1e

Produced in partnership with podlad.com

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This week, joining the podcast is special guest, serial entrepreneur, and the king of shiny objects, Brian Casel. Brian is the founder of Zip Message, a popular video messaging tool for async conversations, which launched at the beginning of 2021. Brian recently sold and exited some of his earlier businesses, including Audience Ops and ProcessKit. Brian firmly believes that with each business opportunity came great learnings and experiences, which he has carried forward to get him to where he is today. 

Get ready to dive into an episode filled with fascinating insights and advice as Brian brings us on his journey from freelancing to fearlessly launching and running multiple businesses. In this episode, Brian offers brilliant advice for business start-ups as he openly shares how to talk to your customers, tactics on building an audience, how to master sales calls and how to approach the awkward conversation of pricing. Key points throughout the discussion include: 

• The leap from freelancing to building businesses.
• The joy of obtaining your first customer. 
• Building an audience through networking. 
• Mastering sales: how to get the most out of sales calls.
• Customer observation: learning from customer pain points. 
• Curiosity is key: questions to ask your customers. 
• Attracting your ideal customer base. 
• Increasing brand awareness and speaking directly with potential customers. 
• The benefits of asynchronous communication. 
• How to discuss pricing with potential clients. 
• Assessing and filtering through business ideas. 
• Book recommendations for business builders. 
• Brian’s advice for obtaining your first 10 customers. 

 ‘’I went through this long list of businesses. I would never have landed on Zip Message if I didn't learn things from Process Kit. I never would have landed on Process Kit if I didn't learn a ton from Audience Ops and Audience Ops came from what I learned from Restaurant Engine. I wouldn't have landed on those ideas unless I had gone through that experience.’’ – Brian Casel. 

Connect with Brian Casel:

https://briancasel.com/ 

https://briancasel.com/podcasts 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancasel/ 

https://twitter.com/CasJam 

https://zipmessage.com/  

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Resources:

Book: The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick. 
http://momtestbook.com/  

Book: The Cold Start Problem by Andrew Chen.

https://www.coldstart.com/ 

Podcast partners

Buzzsprout:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1389931

Otter:
https://otter.ai/referrals/ETRNKY16

Calendly:
https://calendly.grsm.io/ilev18qxpn1e

Produced in partnership with podlad.com

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’If I don’t understand the cost of selling the product, how to price and how to monetize it, I’m kind of screwed. Right? And that’s why 70 to 90% of startups fail, they start with that first bucket, and they don’t look at the second bucket.’’ – Dave Parker.

Each week on the podcast, we are joined by inspiring business builders who openly discuss their entrepreneurial journey with us, sharing how they obtained their first customers and revealing what worked and what didn’t throughout the growing process. This week, listeners are in for a double treat as joining Conor on the show is tech guru and five-time founder, investor, coach, and author Dave Parker. Dave was formerly the VP of Programs at UP Global (Startup Weekend & Startup America) which Techstars purchased. 

So much ground gets covered in this episode. We learn how to think about value, the importance of understanding your revenue model, and how to perfect your pricing. Dave has helped numerous founders across the globe achieve startup success and is a library of knowledge when it comes to launching a viable business. Not only does Dave offer golden advice for startups, but Dave also gives us the inside scoop of what it is like to reach the finishing line of exiting and selling a company. Key points throughout the discussion include:  

• An introduction to Dave Parker.  
• The first-time founder experience. 
• Leveraging salesforce to grow your business. 
• The reality of striking viral co-efficient. 
• Finding the lifetime value of a product. 
• What is a business model?
• The role of maths in business.
• Understanding revenue models and the importance of keeping your eyes on the numbers.
• Scaling for exit: an insight to selling a business and why you should always seek help when selling.
• The advantages of knowing your market and creating competition. 
• Establishing product market-fit and traction.
• Dave’s advice for obtaining your first 10 customers.

Resources:

https://www.fearless.fund/ 

Book: Trajectory: Startup – Ideation to Product/Market Fit by Dave Parker.  

https://www.dkparker.com/books/ 

Book: Mergers & Acquisitions – From A to Z by Andrew J. Sherman
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mergers-Acquisitions-Andrew-J-Sherman/dp/0814413838 

Connect with Dave Parker:

https://www.dkparker.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveparker/ 

https://twitter.com/daveparkersea 

https://www.facebook.com/DKParkerLLC/ 

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Check out my podcast partners!

Buzzsprout:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1389931

Otter:
https://otter.ai/referrals/ETRNKY16

Calendly:
https://calendly.grsm.io/ilev18qxpn1e

Produced in partnership with

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‘’The biggest risk is not can you build this? The biggest risk is that no one cares. So how do you validate that someone will care? And how do you validate that someone will be willing to pay for what you are selling?’’ – Rob Walling. 

Calling all bootstrap founders! Joining us on today’s masterclass on launching and growing a business is special guest Rob Walling. Rob is an admired serial entrepreneur, investor, author, and host of the popular podcast ‘Startups for the Rest of Us’. Since 2005, Rob has guided thousands of startup founders through his widespread books, recordings, articles, and MicroConf discussions. 

In this episode, Rob kindly lends us his time to openly share his experience of finding people who care when starting and growing a business. Rob also reveals how to communicate with your customers and unpacks the magic within collecting customer feedback. This episode may seem short and sweet but trust us when we say it is stuffed with brilliant insights and actionable nuggets of advice for you to take away straight from the master of startups. Key points throughout the discussion include:  

• An introduction to Rob Walling.  
• When is the right time for building an audience? 
• The art of selling: warm VS cold leads. 
• Business development and the magic of customer feedback.  
• The early day selection process: unlocking product-market fit.
• Smashing sales as an introvert. 
• The key to capturing clients and communicating effectively. 
• Sustainable marketing in a tech-savvy world. 
• How to avoid an unprofitable business. 
• Book recommendations for business builders. 
• Rob’s top two sales techniques for obtaining your first 10 customers. 
• Why a landing page is a must!
• The rhythm of business growth from beginning to take-off.
  
  

Connect with Rob Walling:

https://robwalling.com/ 

https://twitter.com/robwalling 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robwalling/ 

https://microconf.com 

https://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/about 

https://tinyseed.com/ 

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Resources:

Book: The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick. 
http://momtestbook.com/  

Book: Traction by Gabriel Weinberg.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/Traction 

Book: How the World Sees You by Sally Hogshead. 

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-the-world-sees-you

Book: Fascinate by Sally Hogshead. 

https://www.howtofascinate.com/store/books  

Check out my podcast partners!

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Otter:

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Have you ever heard that to grow your business, you must think big? Well, what if we were to tell you that's not always the case. Joining Conor on today's episode is special guest Daniel Vassallo. Daniel is a master of taking small bets and has a fascinating story to share. 

Daniel's professional career was a roaring success as he worked for the globe's largest e-commerce retailer, Amazon. However, despite the promotions, benefits, and attractive six-figure salary, Daniel decided to take the bold plunge from his desirable full-time role into the unknown realm of self-employment on a mission to strike a more sustainable work-life balance. 

In this episode, Daniel reveals his small bets portfolio strategy, openly shares his learnings from failure, and explores the benefits of aiming for low-hanging fruit. Daniel also unpacks the randomness and unpredictability of business and reminds us how success is never a guarantee. Key points throughout the episode include: 

• An introduction to Daniel Vassallo. 
• Developing muscle for uncertainty.
• The journey of self-employment and exploring future opportunities. 
• Daniel's inspiration generator for choosing suitable projects. 
• The key of knowing what to pursue and what to avoid. 
• The importance of making small bets and not over-investing. 
• Finding work-life compatibility.
• Validating ideas and growing through failures. 
• The role of randomness and chance in business. 
• Finding inspiration amongst the wins. 
• Converting a hobby into a stream of income.  
• How small wins can make a massive difference. 
• Why analysing your customers buying patterns is vital.
• The steppingstones to success: why visibility and credibility are essential.  
• Daniel's advice on obtaining your first 10 customers.

Connect with Daniel Vassallo:

https://dvassallo.com/

https://dvassallo.gumroad.com/

https://twitter.com/dvassallo/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielvassallo/

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Resources:

Book: Hollywood Economics by Arthur De Vany.  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hollywood-Economics 

Check out my podcast partners!

Buzzsprout:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1389931

Otter:
https://otter.ai/referrals/ETRNKY16

Calendly:
https://calendly.grsm.io/ilev18qxpn1e

This podcast was produced in partnership with podlad.com

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Are you ready to ignite an idea, fire up your business and transform your life!? If so, you will love soaking up today's episode with entrepreneur expert Shane Melaugh. Shane Melaugh has founded multiple seven-figure companies, including Thrive Themes, and is currently building his cultivating personal development community, ikario.

Shane's personal story is fascinating. His mission via ikario is to share his life experiences with as many people as possible to help them break free and transform their lives into beautiful success stories. In this episode, Shane openly shares how his life transitioned from constraints, struggles, and an overwhelming sense of failure to finding freedom, wonderful success, and ultimately, unlocking a better life. Throughout the discussion, Shane explores the importance of building on what already exists, reveals a brilliant tool for filtering through business ideas, and highlights why we shouldn't overlook self-care and personal development. Key points within this episode include:

• How to organically grow a loyal customer base.
• Understanding marketing techniques to reach new audiences.   
• The power of personal interaction when building a business. 
• How to identify and meet your customers needs. 
• Sell before you make it! The benefits of testing your existing audience. 
• A brilliant tool for filtering new business ideas.
• Napkin Maths – how to determine the feasibility of a business plan.
• Becoming comfortable with saying no.
• The ikario story: unlocking potential through self-development. 
• Why self-care should never be overlooked. 
• A book recommendation for becoming a better entrepreneur. 
• Shane's advice on obtaining your first 10 customers.

"Hustle and grind 24/7 till you make it is the worst way to try and make it. If you don't have rest in your life and you're not strategic about having high-intensity focus and then deep rest, you're just basically cutting yourself off at the knees because you're hampering your own ability to learn and make progress." – Shane Melaugh. 

Connect with Shane Melaugh:

https://activegrowth.com/about/ 

https://activegrowth.com/podcast/

https://ikario.com/about/  

https://twitter.com/actigrow 

https://www.youtube.com/user/imimpact 

https://www.linkedin.com/shane-melaugh 

Connect with First 10 Podcast host Conor McCarthy: 

https://www.first10podcast.com

https://twitter.com/TheFirst10Pod

https://www.linkedin.com/in/comccart/

Resources:

Book: So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport. 

https://www.calnewport.com/books/so-good/ 

Check out my podcast partners!

Buzzsprout:
 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1389931

Otter:
https://otter.ai/referrals/ETRNKY16

Calendly:
 https://calendly.grsm.io/ilev18qxpn1e

This podcast was produced in partnership with podlad.com