We Live to Build

Want to know how to succeed in AI when new tools are released every day? The answer is simpler than you think. My guest, serial entrepreneur and AI venture studio founder Sze Wong, shares his secret: you just have to be less lazy than everyone else. In this deep dive, Sze also tells the story of why he turned down a $50 million acquisition offer and the psychological fear that held him back. This is a must-watch for any entrepreneur navigating the age of AI. Check out the company: https://www.zenithstudio.io

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

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▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

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👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

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▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

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🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - The "150 People" Rule for Finding Business Ideas

01:33 - From Hong Kong to a McDonald's Building

04:53 - The Desire to Lead, Not Follow

07:47 - My First Startup Failed (And I Almost Quit)

09:35 - Why I Shut Down a Profitable Business to Bet on an App

14:03 - The $50 Million Offer I Turned Down

20:48 - My Partners Retired, But I Want to Work Until I'm 90

26:08 - The Secret to Thriving in the Age of AI

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building a seven-figure, fully remote business is the dream for many entrepreneurs. My guest, Matthew Yahes, CEO of Extend Your Team, has actually done it. In this interview, he shares how I built a 7-figure agency with a team in the philippines, leveraging highly skilled, mid-career talent to scale his operations. Before finding this success, Matthew shares the hard lessons he learned from two major business failures: a restaurant chain undone by predatory investors and a multi-million dollar e-commerce business wiped out by COVID. This episode is a masterclass in resilience and remote team building. Check out the company: https://www.extendyourteam.com/

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

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▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

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🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - The Vision for Remote Work

01:25 - How Getting Laid Off Forced Me Into Entrepreneurship

03:32 - My First Two Businesses Failed. Here's Why.

06:18 - The Secret to Building a Great Remote Team in the Philippines

09:10 - Cultural Insights for Managing a Filipino Team

17:45 - My $350 "No Ghosting Fee" That Filters Out Bad Clients

25:08 - The Fatal Flaw of Building a Business With Only AI

29:03 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Miller is the Founder and CEO of Alchemy of Scale, a coaching practice that helps entrepreneurs systematize their operations and unlock true business growth. Imagine hiring a trader with a perfect resume, only to have them go rogue and lose millions of dollars in seconds. In this episode, David shares the full story of How a Rogue Trader Cost My Company $10 Million, including the six-year battle with the SEC that followed. We also discuss the systems he learned from this failure that allowed him to scale his next business to $10M in just 2.5 years. This is a raw, cautionary tale about trust, resilience, and the real cost of leadership. Check out the company: https://alchemyofscale.com

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

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🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - The #1 Rule for Effective Leadership

00:38 - Introduction to David Miller

01:20 - Why Every Entrepreneur Must Embrace Failure

02:19 - Overcoming a Scarcity Mindset

03:04 - From 11 Years to 2.5 Years: The Secret to Scaling to $10M

07:23 - Trust: The Most Valuable Currency in Business

16:54 - The $10M Mistake: My Rogue Trader Story

25:42 - Navigating Banking Shutdowns & High-Risk Industries

31:02 - How to Build Trust and Network Effectively

38:10 - Conclusion and Final Takeaways

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a lawyer helps build an AI that could one day make his own job obsolete? I sat down with Ryaan Ibtisam, a practicing lawyer and the Co-Founder of Symphony AI, to get his candid take. He gives a lawyer's honest opinion on AI replacing him, discussing his initial fear of the technology and his prediction that law firms may hire 80% fewer junior associates in the future. We also cover how their specialized AI can close a funding round in under an hour and the surprising differences between East Coast and West Coast clients. Check out the company: https://cimphony.ai

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

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🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - Introduction: The Future of Junior Lawyers

00:31 - Meet Ryaan Ibtisam, The Lawyer Building a Legal AI

02:10 - Why AI Both Impresses and Scares Me

02:53 - Will AI Fire 80% of Junior Lawyers?

03:55 - How Our AI Closes a Funding Round in 30 Minutes

08:30 - Why You Still Need a "Lawyer in the Loop"

10:23 - The Lawyer Who Got in Big Trouble for Using AI

17:36 - Why a Single Word ("Chicken") Can Void a Contract

28:39 - Final Thoughts: Are You an AI Doomer?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tired of spending weeks sifting through candidates and conducting repetitive first-round interviews? My guest, Vol Goloshuk, CEO of AI Champ, is building the solution. We discuss his company, which has created an AI that conducts 100 interviews so you don't have to, providing a shortlist of the best candidates in minutes, not weeks. We also explore why a human is still essential for making the final hiring decision, especially when it comes to cultural fit. If you're involved in hiring, this is a glimpse into the future of recruiting. Check out the company: https://aichamp.com

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

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🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - Introduction: The Future of AI Recruiting

01:02 - How AI Analyzes Candidates Better Than Humans

03:43 - Overcoming Bias in AI Recruitment

06:58 - Why You Still Need a Human in the Loop

10:34 - Can an AI Interviewer Go Off-Script?

16:39 - The AI That Gives You Feedback After a Rejection

22:18 - The Future of Sales: Your AI Will Buy From My AI

27:36 - The Hardest Part of Building an AI Recruiting Tool

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joshua Hale is the owner of JH Media and Consulting, which leverages cutting-edge AI technology and strategic business insights to help entrepreneurs realize their full potential. Could an AI know you better than you know yourself? In this interview with AI consultant Joshua Hale, we explore the shocking personal and professional uses of artificial intelligence. In a deeply vulnerable moment, Joshua shares the story of when I Asked AI to Find My "Hidden Negative Loops." The Truth Was Brutal. We also discuss how he uses AI to condense six weeks of market research into a single afternoon, helping solopreneurs build businesses faster than ever before. Check out the company: https://joshuahale.io

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

---------------------------

🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - A Shocking AI Revelation

01:19 - The Power of AI in Business Consulting

03:18 - How I Do 6 Weeks of Research In One Call

05:35 - Using AI to Manage Business Expenses

07:25 - How AI Helps Businesses Survive Market Changes

10:02 - The "Work Party" Model for Client Accountability

14:14 - Rebranding an Entire Business Using AI Image Generation

20:28 - Why You Don't Need Investors to Build an MVP Anymore

25:54 - The "Do It For You" Model of Course Creation

27:14 - My "Brutal" AI Therapy Session

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your obsession with high ROI might be secretly harming your company's long term growth. In this interview with Brook Shepard, CEO of Mason Interactive, we discuss the core reason why You're Killing Your Business By Only Focusing on Existing Customers. Brook explains how an over reliance on existing customers leads to a death spiral. He also reveals the number one sign of a sophisticated founder and how to grow your brand during economic uncertainty. This is a must watch for any founder or marketer. Check out the company: https://masoninteractive.com

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

---------------------------

🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - The Mindset of a $30M Agency CEO

01:17 - The Real Satisfaction of Growing Brands

01:36 - Why I Still Work 14-Hour Days at 49

04:00 - "It's Not My Job To Do What a Client Asks"

05:27 - How to Adapt When Your Old Strategies Die

07:18 - Grow 90% in a Downturn (The COVID Lesson)

10:18 - The #1 Sign of a Sophisticated Founder

20:55 - The "Efficiency Death Spiral" That Kills Businesses

21:42 - Final Advice: Pick Yourself Up & Go

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Salim Rennewi is the Founder and CEO of SellAbroad, which helps brands expand into the MENA market (Middle East). You've Chosen the Hardest Business Model on Earth. In this interview, Sell Abroad co-founder Salim Rennewi validates the immense difficulty of e-commerce and explains that the natural progression for an operator often involves learning painful lessons by burning money, losing employees. As a solution for brands struggling with new US tariffs, Salim explains why they must expand to new regions like the Middle East, where ad costs are 50% lower and customer LTV is higher. He also shares critical cultural insights for selling in the region, such as why your dog-related product will likely fail, but your cat product might be a huge success. Check out the company: https://sellabroad.io

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

---------------------------

🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - You've Chosen the Hardest Business Model on Earth

01:57 - The "Crazy" Way E-commerce Aggregators Burned Millions

04:58 - You're Thinking About the Middle East All Wrong

11:15 - Why Your Dog Product Will Fail in the Middle East

14:09 - Why Trump's Tariffs Are Forcing Brands to Go Global

16:44 - How to Get "Tariff Relief" for Your E-com Brand

20:19 - Why Most E-com Brands Are Bad at Managing Money

26:33 - The Most Important Skill an Entrepreneur Can Have

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russell Brand is the Founder & Managing Director of Resonsible, which consults companies on their IT and general strategy, and he says your startup will fail because you don't listen. In this interview, startup advisor Russell Brand gives a brutally honest assessment of why most founders fail. He argues that as many as 19 out of 20 companies fail because their founders don't listen, primarily to their customers. They are too focused on their "solution in search of a problem" and ignore critical feedback until it's too late. Russell also explains why having goals without systems is a recipe for long-term unhappiness, and why co-founder misalignment on what "success" means is a primary reason that three-quarters of businesses with exit opportunities fail to capitalize on them. Check out the company: https://responsible.com

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

---------------------------

🕒 CHAPTERS

---------------------------

00:00 - Why You Should Listen to Your Grandfather

03:30 - The #1 Red Flag in a Founder

06:15 - The Fatal Flaw: "Solutions in Search of Problems"

09:00 - Why Co-Founder Misalignment Will Destroy Your Business

12:30 - Are You Pitching a "Perpetual Motion Machine"?

16:00 - I Don't Care About Your "Wins" or "Losses"

19:45 - Why Your Goals Are a Recipe for Unhappiness

23:00 - The Final Warning: A Startup is a 10-Year Project

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Strippelhoff is the Partner and CEO/CRO of Red Hawk Technologies, which develops game-changing custom software and platform integration solutions for private equity and mid-market clients. AI Can Write Code, But It Can't Do Architecture. In this interview, Matt gives his expert take on the current state of AI in software development. He explains that while AI tools are great for expediting code generation, they can't handle the high-level strategic work of software architecture . He warns that AI won't ask the critical questions about scalability, business logic, or API handling that are necessary to build a sustainable product. Matt also reveals the hidden legal risk of using AI coders: they might use "copyleft" open-source components that could accidentally make your proprietary software free. Finally, he tells the story of how his company broke through a decade-long revenue plateau by making a conscious decision to stop being a lifestyle company and grow as an asset. Check out the company: https://redhawk-tech.com

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📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network

-----------------------------------

📈 WORK WITH ME

-----------------------------------

▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call

▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship

---------------------------------------------

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

---------------------------------------------

▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

---------------------------

🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - From Graphic Designer to Coder in 1994

05:01 - The Evolution From Dreamweaver to AI Assistants

08:07 - AI Can Write Code, But It Can't Do Architecture

12:45 - The Hidden Legal Risk: Your AI Coder Might Make Your Software Free

17:10 - Why the "Source of Truth" Is a Nightmare for Dev Teams

21:13 - How We Broke Our $2M Revenue Plateau After 10+ Years

25:30 - The "Consultant's Dilemma" That Keeps Your Business Small

28:15 - The Hard Decision: Giving Up Equity to a New Partner

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.