The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan

By Foundr Media

Hear the stories, learn the proven methods, and accelerate your growth and future through entrepreneurship. Welcome to The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan.

About the show:

For over ... more

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The podcast currently has 621 episodes available.

The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan episodes:

January 06, 2026 620: (Solo) The Secret to Making Bold Business Moves With Confidence
One of the biggest challenges founders face — especially at the end of the year — is knowing what to do next and feeling confident that the move you're about to make is the right one. Certainty feels elusive, but the truth is: certainty is something you can manufacture.

In this episode, I break down exactly how I’ve built certainty in my own business decisions, from landing interviews with icons like Richard Branson to reinventing Foundr’s business model during tough times, to launching Foundr+ and new product lines with conviction. Certainty isn’t magic — it’s created through mentorship, evidence, testing, and belief.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
• Why certainty comes from seeing someone else do it — and how to leverage mentors, coaches, and proven frameworks
• How to combine data + gut intuition for confident decision making
• Why most founders act from fear instead of conviction — and how to flip that bias
• The “small test” method for validating ideas before you go all in
• The example of Poppi: how Allison Ellsworth built a $2B brand by trusting her conviction, not waiting for permission

If you’ve been hesitating on a big move, second-guessing your decisions, or waiting for the perfect moment to take action, this episode will show you how to build real certainty — so you can move decisively and create the outcomes you want.

This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠
...more
12min
January 01, 2026 619: Airline Charged Me $65 - So I built a $250M Competitor | Adam Ewart
Adam Ewart turned a £50 excess baggage fee into a global bootstrapped
logistics company operating in 145 countries and staying profitable for 15 straight years.
In this interview, Adam breaks down how he built Send My Bag, the
international luggage shipping service moving more than 250,000 bags
annually with only 32 staff, all through ruthless automation, scrappy
PR, and a customer-first obsession that outperformed airlines and
traditional freight companies.
What you’ll learn in this interview:
• How a £50 baggage fee inspired a $250M global logistics company
• The exact PR strategy that landed national TV coverage for free
• How Send My Bag scaled to 145 countries without VC funding
• Adam’s automation systems that enabled 250,000 shipments with 32 staff
• How he navigated Brexit, Covid, surcharges, and international
disruptions
• Why customer referrals became their biggest growth engine
• How he negotiated airport media, TV placements, and global
partnerships
• The economics behind luggage shipping and global freight networks
• How to survive catastrophic industry shifts without layoffs
• The mindset, execution, and resilience behind 15 years of profitable
growth
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how to build a lean,
global service business, protect margins, automate at scale, and turn
painful customer frustrations into a nine-figure opportunity.
SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠ to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH ADAM EWART
Website → https://www.sendmybag.com
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast
...more
48min
December 30, 2025 618: (Solo) What 5 World-Class Founders Taught Me This Year
Every year I sit down with some of the world’s most fascinating founders — but this year’s interviews hit me harder than most. Reinvention, resilience, copycats, failure, loneliness after exits, scrappy launches, identity crises… these conversations changed the way I think about leadership and what it means to keep building when things get tough.

In this episode, I break down the five interviews that had the biggest personal impact on me — from Christina Karlsson losing Kikki K twice and rebuilding anyway, to Phoebe Gates earning credibility outside her last name, to Jake Kassan facing an identity crisis after selling MVMT, to Tori Gill launching a regulated sunscreen brand from scratch, to Amy Smilovic doubling down on community and originality when PrettyLittleThing copied her.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
• Why failure is often the beginning of clarity — not the end
• Why your credibility comes from what you build, not your background
• The surprising emotional cost of a big exit (and what founders don’t talk about)
• How scrappy execution beats credentials every time
• Why copycats can steal your product but never your community or conviction

If you listen closely, these five interviews can act as a roadmap for 2026 — a reminder that resilience, originality, and belief matter more than luck, timing, or even resources.

This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠
...more
12min
December 25, 2025 617: How A Failing Skincare Brand Became An 8-Figure Makeup Empire | Aliett Buttelman
Aliett Buttelman spent eight years grinding in the dark before a single
viral moment with Taylor Swift turned Fazit into an overnight
seven-figure brand.
In this interview, Aliett breaks down the exact pivot that saved the
company, how she identified product-market fit after years of plateauing
at $20K per month, and the organic social strategy that now generates
over half a million views every day.
From bootstrapping with $13K to navigating 100+ investor rejections and
finally securing mass retail with Target, this is the blueprint for
building a breakout CPG brand in one of the most competitive beauty
markets.
What you’ll learn in this interview:
• How a single Taylor Swift appearance drove seven-figure sales in 48
hours
• How Aliett pivoted from slow-growth acne patches to viral makeup
patches
• The social content framework that produces daily 500K+ view videos
• Why aspirational products can outperform problem-solving products
• How to bootstrap a CPG brand with limited capital and no agency
support
• The exact moment Fazit discovered true product-market fit
• Why Fazit chose Amazon as a primary channel (and how it paid off)
• The dangers of taking bad retail deals and why most founders miss this
• Lessons from 100+ VC rejections and how to know when not to raise
• The behind-the-scenes strategy that secured a 1,000-store Target
rollout
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how to build a lean,
viral-ready brand, validate demand fast, and prepare for the “overnight”
moment that can change everything — even if it takes years of grit and
persistence to get there.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend
with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠ to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here →
⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here →
⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH ALIETT BUTTELMAN
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/fazitbeauty/?hl=en
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliett-buttelman-9a662312b/
Fazit Website → https://fazitbeauty.com/
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast
...more
53min
December 23, 2025 616: (Solo) 5 Honest Business Lessons I’m Taking Into 2026
2025 has been one of the most eye-opening years of my founder journey — personally, professionally, and strategically. Instead of sharing a highlight reel, I want to share the real lessons that moved the needle for me. Some changed how I think about business. Others changed how I think about myself.

In this episode, I break down the five biggest lessons I learned this year, and how they’re shaping everything I’m doing heading into 2026. These aren’t theories. They’re lived experiences — conversations with billion-dollar founders, tough decisions inside Foundr, personal growth work, and some hard realities about what actually drives results.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
• “If you don’t have repeat customers, you don’t have a business.” Why retention is the real engine of profit — and how John Paul DeJoria reframed the entire way I think about growth
• Why AI and automation are now a non-negotiable competitive advantage, and how we used them internally this year to compress months of work into weeks
• The mindset shift that got me unstuck: When you’re stuck, ask what you’re avoiding — not what you should do
• How to negotiate from power, not panic — and why being willing to walk away changes everything
• The truth about growth: nothing great works instantly, and why patience, pressure, and data-backed iteration are the real superpowers going into 2026

If you want a clearer lens to evaluate your own business next year — what to double down on, what to avoid, and what to rethink — this episode will give you the frameworks and perspective to build with intention instead of chaos.
This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠
...more
9min
December 18, 2025 615: Stop Chasing Sexy Businesses - This Boring One Made Me $500M+ | David Royce
David Royce went from a broke college kid in a door-to-door pest control
job to building and selling four service businesses for nine-figure
exits by applying Silicon Valley systems to an unsexy blue-collar
industry.
In this interview, he breaks down exactly how he scaled Aptive
Environmental to over $500M in revenue, created a training engine that
produced top-1% sales performers, and built a culture that became a
recruiting magnet in a commodity market.
For founders interested in recurring revenue, service businesses,
systems, or operational excellence, this episode is a blueprint for
building a scalable, sellable company from scratch.
What you’ll learn in this interview:
• How David turned a “crappy summer job” into four nine-figure exits
• The sales framework that took him from total failure to top 1% in one
week
• Why following your passion is overrated and unsexy industries create
the biggest opportunities
• The systemised sales engine and training playbook that scaled
nationwide
• How he built a white-collar culture inside a blue-collar business
• Why paranoia is a competitive advantage and how to avoid the “screw-up phase”
• How to structure a company for maximum exit value
• The strategy behind selling three companies to the same buyer
• How software, gamification, and AI supercharged efficiency and sales
• What founders must understand about recurring revenue and
private-equity rollups
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand the exact principles David
used to build scalable operations, dominate an overlooked market, and
turn recurring revenue into generational wealth — giving you the roadmap to build a company buyers compete for.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠ to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here →
⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here →
⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH DAVID ROYCE
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425/
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/thedavidroyce/
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast
...more
59min
December 16, 2025 614: (Solo) Running on Fumes? Reset Your Mindset Before The Year Ends
If you’re dragging yourself toward the end of the year feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and mentally drained, you’re not alone.
This is one of the toughest stretches for founders — you’re still running the business while everyone else is winding down, and the pressure can quietly compound into burnout.
In this episode, I share the exact reset strategies I use whenever I feel my energy dipping or my mindset slipping. These are the practical things that help me slow down, recalibrate, and get back to operating from clarity instead of exhaustion — especially during the chaotic final months of the year.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
• How to recognise the early signs of founder burnout before they hit hard
• The practical reset routine I use: float tanks, steps, saunas, journaling, grounding, and more
• Why taking weekends off, booking holidays, and creating downtime actually improves your performance
• How to say no more often without guilt (and why doing less is often the answer)
• Why founders can’t build great things when they’re running on fumes — and how to avoid it

If you’re tired, discouraged, or feeling the weight of the year, this episode will help you reset your mind, rebuild your energy, and enter the new year from a grounded, healthy place — not burnout.

This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠
...more
10min
December 11, 2025 613: Why Most Beauty Brands Fail - and How to Beat The Rest | DIBS Beauty Founder
DIBS Beauty went from zero to one of America’s fastest-growing makeup
brands in just four years, with founder Jeff Lee scaling the business
into the mid–8 figures and landing a top spot on the Inc. 5000.
In this interview, Jeff breaks down the strategy behind their explosive
growth, the creator-led launch that built a 20,000-person waitlist, and
how DIBS is winning in one of the most competitive categories in
ecommerce.
You’ll hear exactly how Jeff built a 50-state beauty brand, expanded
into retail with precision, and created a customer base with a 60%+
90-day repurchase rate — all while keeping a founder-led obsession with
product, community, and customers.
What you’ll learn in this interview:
• The exact social strategy that built a 20,000-person waitlist
pre-launch
• Why creator-led distribution outranked traditional paid marketing
• How DIBS achieved a 60%+ 90-day repurchase rate
• The retail playbook behind their breakout performance in Ulta and
Revolve
• How Jeff validates product–market fit using creator metrics and
in-store behaviour
• Why “comfortable inauthenticity” beats the current social media
playbook
• What founders get wrong about community building
• How to hire, structure, and scale a team at hypergrowth speed
• The real dark side of entrepreneurship that nobody talks about
• Jeff’s approach to AI, product discovery, and future-proofing your
brand
This episode is a masterclass for founders building in ecommerce,
beauty, or any saturated category. You’ll walk away with a clear
understanding of how to launch, differentiate, and scale a brand using
content, retail expansion, and customer-obsessed execution.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend
with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH JEFF LEE
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jefflee108/
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefflee108/
DIBS Beauty → https://dibsbeauty.com/
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast
...more
53min
December 09, 2025 612: (Solo) Funding vs Bootstrapping - The Real Tradeoffs EVERY Founders Needs To Know
Should you raise money or bootstrap your business? It’s one of the biggest questions every founder faces — and the wrong decision can shape the entire future of your company.
In this episode, I share the lessons I’ve learned from speaking with hundreds of founders about funding, and what I’ve personally applied in building Foundr and my ecommerce brand, Healthish.

You’ll learn when it makes sense to take on capital, when to stay independent, and how to make this decision from a position of strength — not pressure.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
• The real trade-offs between funding and bootstrapping (speed vs. control)
• Why money amplifies what already exists — and can’t fix bad unit economics
• What investors actually look for: traction, margins, and market size
• 5 questions to ask before raising: Do I need funding to scale or survive? Is this a $1B opportunity? Do I have product-market fit?
• Real founder stories — including Toy Guru’s Shark Tank collapse and BigCommerce’s billion-dollar exit — that show both paths in action
• Creative alternatives to equity funding: Kickstarter, grants, partnerships, and strategic capital

If you’re stuck wondering which path to take, this episode will help you make a clear, confident decision based on your goals — not hype.
This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.
SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠
...more
13min
December 04, 2025 611: From Homeless to Multi-Billionaire - His Success Habits | John Paul DeJoria
John Paul DeJoria went from being homeless twice to building two global
billion-dollar brands, Paul Mitchell and Patrón Tequila, using nothing
but resilience, sales mastery, and a refusal to quit.
This interview breaks down how he launched Paul Mitchell with just $700
while living in his car, created the ultra-premium tequila category from
scratch, and built companies that now operate in 130 countries.
For any entrepreneur, ecommerce founder, or business builder searching
for lessons in persistence, sales, brand building, and navigating
adversity, this conversation is a masterclass in turning nothing into
something extraordinary.
What you’ll learn:
• How John Paul DeJoria survived homelessness and built Paul Mitchell
from a $700 investment
• How he mastered door-to-door sales and used it as the foundation for
building lasting companies
• His “reorder business” philosophy and how it drove global distribution
and long-term growth
• The exact strategy behind creating Patrón’s ultra-premium tequila
category
• How he convinced suppliers, salons, and distributors to take a chance
on an unknown brand
• Why kindness, culture, and loyalty became the backbone of his
leadership philosophy
• How he scaled without email or a computer and why thinking time is his
greatest advantage
• The mindset tools he uses for stress, pressure, rejection, and
forgiveness
• How he evaluates people, partners, and investments with clarity and
intuition
• His approach to philanthropy, legacy, and why success means nothing
unless it’s shared
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how an entrepreneur with
no resources created two iconic global brands, built teams that stay for
decades, and turned rejection into momentum—giving you the mindset,
grit, and practical strategies to scale your own business with absolute
conviction.

SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend
with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠ to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠
→ Already have a store? Apply here →
⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠
CONNECT WITH JOHN PAUL DEJORIA
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-paul-dejoria-35b2a460/
Patron → https://www.patrontequila.com/
JPSM → https://www.paulmitchell.com/
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠
Website → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠
Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠
Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠
Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠
LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠
Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast
...more
1h

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