Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com.

I sat down with Brandon Doyle (x.com/_BrandonDoyle_) again, he was on back in episode #060, and we brainstormed creative ways to grow small service businesses. We bounced around a bunch of low-cost, scrappy business ideas. Some of them sound kinda out there at first, but they’ve got real-world results behind them and they’re super easy to test. If you’re trying to get more customers without spending a ton, this one’s worth a listen.

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

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00:00 Introduction to Growth Hacks for Small Businesses
01:00 Innovative Marketing Strategies: QR Codes and Yard Signs
02:57 Leveraging Local Networks: Neighbor Blitz and Referral Incentives
06:50 Creative Partnerships: Collaborating for Mutual Growth
11:02 Utilizing AI for Business Growth: ChatGPT Insights
13:54 AOL's Viral Marketing Strategy: Lessons for Today
26:55 Conclusion and Future Insights

 I sat down with Stu Heinecke, the bestselling author of How to Get a Meeting with Anyone, and we talked all about creative outreach that actually works. Stu shared some insane stories, like how he gets 100% response rates by mailing personalized cartoons, and how someone landed a $2 million Walmart order from a $28 Facebook ad. I shared my own story of turning a $1,500 order and a few cold emails into a multi-million dollar business. We discussed everything from sending swords to CEOs, to using Venmo to get attention, to sponsoring Little League teams as a way to stand out. This episode is full of ideas that could seriously change your life if you actually use them. You can check out Stu’s book at stuheinecke.com or connect with him on LinkedIn. 

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

---
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Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
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---

00:00 Creative Outreach Strategies for Business Success
03:04 The Power of Personalization in Marketing
05:56 Unique Campaigns with High ROI
09:13 The Art of Follow-Up in Contact Marketing
12:08 Using Humor and Cartoons to Stand Out
14:56 The Role of AI in Modern Marketing
17:52 Auditioning for Relationships in Business
21:13 Innovative Approaches to Getting Meetings
24:05 The Importance of Human Connection in Marketing

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com.

I went deep on ChatGPT in this episode and broke down exactly how I’m using it every single day. I shared a ton of hacks, prompt ideas, workflows, tools, and even real business ideas I’ve actually tested. I explained why you should treat ChatGPT like a business partner, not a search engine, how to build repeatable systems, and why layering your prompts is the secret sauce. We also got into stuff like building SEO blogs from customer reviews, spotting market gaps using one-star reviews, and making all the AI models compete against each other. Plus, I dropped a bunch of my own favorite prompts you can steal and use right now.

Check out the Limitless pendant here: https://www.limitless.ai

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

---
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Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
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---

00:00 Unlocking the Power of ChatGPT
02:51 Strategic Prompting Techniques
06:11 Building Effective Workflows
09:02 Leveraging ChatGPT for Business Ideas
11:48 Creative Writing and Content Generation
15:02 Advanced ChatGPT Hacks and Tips

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com.

I sat down with Robert Scoble and we talked about the future. He’s been around for the first Tesla ride, the early days of Uber, and now he’s deep into AI, smart glasses, and even Neuralink. We covered where tech is heading next, why most people are still sleeping on it, and what happens when AI starts watching you and giving you advice. He also shared his thoughts on China’s rise, virtual beings, and why America better wake up.

You can find Robert on X at https://x.com/scobleizer where he posts his list of 800+ AI tools, aka “The Holodeck.”

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
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---

00:00 The Future of AI: Underhyped or Overhyped?
02:58 The Evolution of Mixed Reality and Wearable Tech
06:08 AI in Everyday Life: Tools and Gadgets
08:58 The Impact of AI on Business and Entrepreneurship
12:05 Neuralink and the Future of Human-Machine Interaction
14:55 Comparing the AI Boom to the Dot-Com Boom
18:10 The Global Race in AI and Robotics
20:51 Innovation and Creativity in a Competitive Landscape

Find my new community at https://www.tkowners.com/

I sat down with Al Doan, founder of the Missouri Star Quilt Company, and the guy is just electric. We talked about how he turned his mom’s love of quilting into a massive business that transformed the tiny town of Hamilton, Missouri. What started as a small quilt shop and some YouTube tutorials eventually became a retail empire with 16 quilt stores, restaurants, a hotel, a magazine, and a whole lot more. Al's vision didn’t just grow the business, he's also bought up nearly the entire downtown district to create what he calls a "Disneyland for quilters."

Toward the end, we bounce around some really creative business ideas, especially ones you could launch in small towns that most people overlook.

You can find Al on Twitter and Instagram as @DrBillNye. Check out his company at missouriquiltco.com and their deals site at quiltersdailydeal.com.

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
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---

00:00 The Quilting Capital of the World
03:00 Building a Quilting Empire
05:49 Creating Unique Shopping Experiences
09:10 The Power of Content and Community
12:00 Navigating Early Challenges
14:51 Inflection Points in Business Growth
17:47 Owning a Town: The Hamilton Story
21:12 The Future of Small Town Businesses
25:25 Transforming Small Towns into Destinations
32:06 Building Unique Experiences Around Hobbies
37:20 Unexpected Successes in Business Ventures
40:14 Innovative Home Services Business Ideas
45:51 Reimagining Small Town Economies

Find my new community at https://www.tkowners.com/

I sat down with my wife Jessie for a really special episode of the podcast. We talked about what it’s actually like being married to a serial entrepreneur, the highs, the lows, and all the uncertainty in between. I asked her how she’s managed to stay supportive through all the pivots, experiments, and tough seasons. We got honest about what it’s really been like building a life together while also building businesses. Whether you're an entrepreneur yourself or you're married to one, I think this one will hit home.

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

---
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Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
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---

00:00 Overcoming Overwhelm in Entrepreneurship
03:02 The Role of a Supportive Spouse
05:56 Navigating Scary Moments in Business
08:49 Trust and Confidence in a Partner
12:12 Advice for Spouses of Entrepreneurs
15:07 Balancing Family and Business
17:56 Reflections on Stability and Sacrifice
20:49 Key Conversations in Marriage
24:08 Parenting as Entrepreneurs
27:01 Compartmentalizing Work and Family Life
29:55 Maintaining a Strong Marriage
32:49 Future Aspirations and Business Dreams

Get 20% off Beehiiv for 3 months with my link: https://beehiiv.com?via=chris-koerner-BH-COLLAB

I sat down with Tyler Denk (@denk_tweets), cofounder and CEO of Beehiiv, to talk about the biggest opportunities to make money with newsletters right now. Tyler shared how small niche newsletters are making serious revenue by focusing on community and creative monetization like design cohorts, recruiting, and smart sponsorships. We talked about growth strategies like Beehiiv Boost, co-registration, and why acquiring the right subscribers matters more than just getting them cheap. We ended with a killer idea: turning a corporate email list into a media business that brings in sponsorship revenue.

You can subscribe to Tyler’s newsletter Big Desk Energy at mail.bigdeskenergy.com, and check out his Spotify playlist of the same name if you're into deep focus work sessions.

---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
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Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
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---

00:00 The Gold Mine of Email Lists
02:58 Monetizing Newsletters: Strategies and Insights
06:13 The Power of Local Newsletters
09:04 Building a Community Through Content
11:53 Experimentation and Growth Strategies
15:06 The Future of Local Newsletters
17:54 Creating Value Beyond Sales
21:10 Referral Programs: The 80/20 Rule
23:58 Transforming Email Lists into Revenue Streams

I sat down with Frey Chu (https://x.com/freychu), who started by building profitable directory websites and later began teaching others how to do the same. We talked about how he went from flipping items at flea markets to pulling in up to $3,000/month in passive income from sites he barely touches. He broke down his process for finding untapped SEO opportunities, how he uses Ahrefs and Reddit for research, and shared a realistic approach to building simple, mostly passive websites that can steadily bring in income over time. 

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
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---

00:00 The Power of Simple Solutions
03:12 Opportunism and Business Growth
06:01 Navigating Online Criticism
09:23 The Nature of Selfishness in Business Relationships
12:16 Stress Management and Decision Making
15:09 The Role of a CEO
18:03 AI in Business Efficiency
21:54 The Impact of AI on Employment
25:18 Navigating Wealth and Parenting
31:53 The Reality of Entrepreneurship
36:15 Business Ideas and Getting Started
42:03 The Book Writing Journey

Link to buy Nick’s book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bLazjW
Link to buy Nick’s book in the UK: https://bit.ly/422njPW
Nick's Offshore Recruiting Company: https://tkopod.co/huber
Nick's Real Estate Cost Segregation business: https://tkopod.co/recostseg

I sat down with Nick Huber and we talked about what it actually takes to build wealth through service businesses. We started with Nick’s framework for opportunity, how being an opportunist isn’t a bad thing if you use it to build momentum, not chase distractions. He walked me through his current companies, explaining how each one fits into a power-law strategy. We also got into his view on AI. Nick shared how he's approaching parenting with wealth, and how to raise humble kids in a privileged environment. Toward the end, we talked about his new book The Sweaty Startup, the brutally hard process of writing it, and why he ultimately partnered with HarperCollins. You can find Nick on X (@sweatystartup) or download his 500+ business ideas at sweatystartup.com/ideas.

Links to all Nick’s social profiles:

www.x.com/sweatystartup
www.instagram.com/sweatystartup
www.linkedin.com/in/sweatystartup
www.youtube.com/sweatystartup
www.tiktok.com/sweatystartup
www.threads.net/@sweatystartup.com

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
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Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all
Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os
---

00:00 The Power of Simple Solutions
03:12 Opportunism and Business Growth
06:01 Navigating Online Criticism
09:23 The Nature of Selfishness in Business Relationships
12:16 Stress Management and Decision Making
15:09 The Role of a CEO
18:03 AI in Business Efficiency
21:54 The Impact of AI on Employment
25:18 Navigating Wealth and Parenting
31:53 The Reality of Entrepreneurship
36:15 Business Ideas and Getting Started
42:03 The Book Writing Journey

---

Links to Nick’s businesses: 
www.sweatystartup.com
www.nickhuber.com
www.sweatystartupbook.com
www.somewhere.com/nick 
www.boltstorage.com
www.recostseg.com
www.adrhino.com
www.spidexx.com
www.boldseo.com
www.webrun.com
www.titanrisk.com
www.recruitjet.com
www.hubermethod.com

In this episode, I'll walk you through the biggest lessons I've learned starting 75+ businesses over the past 15 years. From six to eight figures, I share real stories about making it happen, surviving setbacks, protecting your team, and learning when to say no. I talk about how I navigated some of the toughest moments in both business and life. If you're building or buying a business, these are the lessons I wish I had earlier. 

Timestamps below. Enjoy!

---
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Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
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---

00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:11 The Role of a CE Owner
01:14 Lessons from Starting Businesses
03:04 The MIH Gene: Make It Happen
05:35 Knowing the Weeds
07:07 Insulating Your Employees
09:02 Cover Your Assets
09:42 Inventing a Rival
11:16 Capitalizing the Business
12:04 Taking Advice from the Right People
14:02 Seven to Eight Figure Lessons
15:14 Escaping the Spreadsheet
15:54 Lessons from Past Business Ventures
16:55 The Bitcoin Mining Boom
17:42 Balancing Business and Personal Life
18:35 Dealing with Difficult Customers
20:20 Managing Toxic Employees
21:13 The Importance of Rockstar Employees
23:13 Learning from Mistakes and Moving Forward
26:57 The Role of a CEO
29:25 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts