We Live to Build

Letting Go of My Failed Startup, My Failed Marriage, and This Podcast. In this final episode, I've decided to end the We Live to Build podcast after four years and 215 other episodes. I feel the show is holding me back, forcing me to stay connected to my past, my failed marriage, and my failed software company. To move on from the anxiety and panic attacks, I have to let it go. I'm also letting go of the startup for good. I still owe my team salaries from two years ago, so I'm flying to Vietnam to face my investor and try to make a deal to finally pay my team and close this chapter of my life for good . Thank you to all the guests and listeners. As painful as it is, it's the right thing to do.

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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

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📈 WORK WITH ME

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▶ 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 - After 4 Years, It's Time to Say Goodbye

00:45 - This Podcast Is Holding Me Back From My Future

01:30 - My Unfinished Business: I Still Owe My Team

02:08 - Waking Up Happy & Finally Letting Go

02:50 - A Final Thank You to Everyone

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Why Your Sales Leads "Disappear" (And Why It's Your Fault) . In this episode, executive coach Jeffrey Klubeck gives a masterclass on a common frustration for entrepreneurs: leads that express interest and then ghost. He explains that you can't be frustrated by someone "disappearing" if they never truly "appeared" in the first place , and argues that the fault often lies in not having a proper pre-qualifying process. Jeffrey also shares his deeply personal and painful 20-year journey trying to hold his parents accountable for their financial and health decisions, and the lessons he learned after losing them both just three weeks apart. Finally, we discuss why people don't hate work; they hate being a "pawn in somebody else's game". Check out the company: https://theintegritygame.com

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

📚 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

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👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

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

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

▶ Inquiries: [email protected]

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🕒 CHAPTERS

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00:00 - Stop Talking About Accountability, Start Talking About Integrity

04:30 - Don't Mistake Activity for Achievement

08:15 - Why You Need a Purpose (Even if It Changes Tomorrow)

12:00 - People Don't Hate Work, They Hate Being a Pawn

17:30 - My 20-Year Struggle to Hold My Parents Accountable

25:00 - The Pain of Losing Both Parents in 3 Weeks

31:00 - Surrendering What I Wanted For Them

38:00 - Why Your Sales Leads "Disappear" (And Why It's Your Fault)

44:15 - A Lead Hasn't "Appeared" Until They're Qualified

49:30 - The Most Important Thing I've Learned About Life & Love

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

My Corporate Job Paid Me to Be a Functioning Alcoholic. In this interview, agency founder Skip Wilson shares his raw story of working in the corporate world, where entertaining clients was a primary responsibility. He explains how, as a quiet and stoic person, he spent a decade "on the verge of tipsy" because drinking was an occupational necessity to be more social and talkative. Skip also details his Stoic-inspired time management philosophy, based on the "Memento Mori" principle of remembering your own mortality to create urgency and focus . Finally, he reveals the single most important sales lesson he ever learned: on a cold call, your goal is not to sell your product, but to get the appointment. Check out the company: https://draftadtech.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - My Love/Hate Relationship with Time

04:30 - "Memento Mori": Remembering Your Death to Stay Focused

08:15 - The Battle Between Confidence and Self-Doubt

11:00 - My Corporate Job Paid Me to Be a Functioning Alcoholic

16:20 - Why Most Americans Are Clueless About the Real World

21:10 - Are You Building a Cathedral or Just Laying Bricks?

26:45 - The Goal Is the Appointment, Not the Sale

32:00 - A Realistic Approach to Setting Quarterly Goals

38:10 - The Most Important Thing I've Learned in Life

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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

The Future of Manufacturing Is a 'Lights Out' Factory. In this interview, Director of Industrial AI Bryan Debois describes the "panacea" for modern manufacturing: a "lights out" factory where raw materials enter and finished goods leave with very little human interaction, powered entirely by AI and autonomy. Bryan also discusses the current crisis facing US manufacturing, including a half-million-person labor shortfall and a wave of retiring Boomers taking critical knowledge with them, a situation he fears could lead to catastrophic failures like plant explosions. Finally, as an AI expert, he gives his blunt take on why ChatGPT is just an "auto-complete on steroids" that doesn't actually "understand anything." Check out the company: https://www.rovisys.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - The Crisis: A 500,000 Worker Shortfall in US Manufacturing

03:30 - Why US Factories Are At Risk of Exploding

07:00 - The Future is a "Lights Out" Factory

10:15 - Why Humans Will Never Stop Working

13:45 - An AI Expert on Why ChatGPT "Doesn't Understand Anything"

17:30 - Is China an "Economic Threat" to the US?

24:10 - The Mindset of a True Entrepreneur

28:00 - Finding a Manufacturing Partner: What to Look For

33:00 - The Most Important Thing I've Learned About Manufacturing

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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

How One Unchecked Spam Folder Almost Cost Me $150,000. In this interview, Forte Consulting co-founder Hope Timberlake shares the "effing scary" wake-up call she received after an unfiled 401k form, lost in her spam folder, triggered a potential IRS penalty of $500 per day. She explains how this one administrative oversight could have cost her nearly $150,000 and the valuable lessons it taught her about the backend of a business. Hope also reveals the liberating "ego lesson" she learned when she realized her clients didn't care if she delegated work, the mistake of hiring people at too low of a rate, and how hiring her first virtual assistant grew her business by 50%. Check out the company: https://fortesf.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - How My Entrepreneur Father Inspired Me

04:24 - Why We Didn't Raise Prices During the Pandemic

08:37 - The Guilt of Prioritizing My Business Over My Kids

12:39 - How I Wrote a Book (But Gained 15 Pounds)

17:00 - The "Ego Lesson": Realizing My Clients Don't Need Me

21:00 - How I Learned to Stop Being a Control Freak

24:56 - The Mistake of Hiring People at Too Low of a Rate

29:25 - How an Unchecked Spam Folder Almost Cost Me $150,000

33:35 - Why I'm Craving a Life Off-Screen

37:39 - How Our First VA Grew Our Business by 50%

41:55 - The Power of a Peer Mastermind

45:57 - To Sell or Not to Sell: Why We Turned Down an Acquisition

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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

I Turned Down a Job That Would Have Made Me $50 Million. In this interview, serial entrepreneur Rom Lakritz shares the story of turning down a co-CEO role at an early-stage startup that is now pre-IPO—a decision that cost him a potential $50 million payday. He discusses the psychology behind making such a high-stakes choice and why he doesn't regret it. Rom, who has sold a company, taken another public , and raised $15 million for his current venture, also details the emotional toll of selling his first "baby", and how the buyer had to triple their offer to get him to say yes. Finally, he explains his powerful distinction between honesty and integrity, and why integrity is the more important virtue for any leader. Check out the company: https://sayanchor.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - The Psychology of a Serial Entrepreneur

02:35 - My First Business Was Selling Flowers at Age 12

05:49 - Why Integrity Is More Important Than Honesty

08:30 - Bootstrapping vs. Raising $15 Million

11:45 - When to Hide Problems From Your Investors

14:50 - The Right Way to Manage Investor Expectations

17:44 - Knowing When to Shut Your Company Down

20:47 - The Agony of Selling Your "Baby"

24:11 - The $50 Million "Mistake" I Don't Regret

27:36 - How We React to Market Chaos

30:41 - My Team Stops Me From Moving Too Fast

33:42 - The Evolution of a CEO: Learning Self-Control

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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

Your Comfort Zone Is a Coffin. In this interview, serial entrepreneur Jason Todd shares his core philosophy that "fear guards the gateway to your growth". He argues that if you're not doing something that scares you, you're not trying hard enough, and that staying comfortable is a recipe for stagnation. Jason, who built and sold a $100 million e-commerce company, also reveals his most expensive, recurring mistake that cost him millions: hiring "safe people" instead of true experts. Finally, he explains his humbling belief that "you are already wrong in some way... you are not yet aware of," and why every founder needs to hear it. Check out the company: https://jasontodd.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - "Fear Guards the Gateway to Your Growth"

05:32 - If It Doesn't Scare You, You're Not Trying Hard Enough

11:04 - How I Conquered My Fear of Heights

16:52 - My Million-Dollar Mistake: Hiring "Safe" People

22:21 - The Hardest Thing: Getting Out of Your Own Way

27:49 - Why You Need a Mentor (And I Was Wrong to Ignore Them)

38:28 - You Are Already Wrong (And You Don't Even Know It)

44:09 - Don't Go Down With The Ship: When to Quit

59:55 - The Most Important Lesson: Be a Student of Yourself

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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

Your Anxiety Is Pointing You in the Right Direction. In this interview, multi-seven-figure entrepreneur Ray Blakney shares his powerful philosophy that stress and anxiety are the best guideposts for growth. He argues that the things that make you scared are the exact things you need to do, and that successful people aren't without fear—they just walk through it anyway. Ray also shares the raw story of the biggest downturn in his business's 15-year history, which led to a crippling bout of anxiety-induced insomnia where he only slept two hours a night for 14 days straight. He explains how this crisis led him to discover Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and why his most expensive mistake was hiring a five-figure-per-month coach who "didn't do crap". Check out the company: https://podcasthawk.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - My Biggest Fear: Having to Get a 9-5 Job

04:40 - The Crisis That Caused My Insomnia (2 Hours of Sleep for 14 Days)

09:29 - Why Skydiving Is the Perfect Metaphor for Entrepreneurship

14:27 - Your Anxiety Is Pointing You in the Right Direction

19:27 - How My Business Failure Led Me to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

28:51 - Why Emotional Intelligence Should Be Taught in Schools

33:43 - The Hardest Part: Admitting Failure to My Peers

38:28 - My 5-Figure/Month Coach Was a Waste of Money

48:11 - From Hustle to Systems: The Path from 7 to 8 Figures

52:48 - Why Most Entrepreneurs Suck at Operations

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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

Your LinkedIn Sales Pitch Makes Me Angry. In this interview, startup agency founder Loretta Markevics gives her unfiltered opinion on the thousands of automated, "cutesy" sales messages flooding executive inboxes. She explains why deceptive lead generation tactics make her "angry," why she's "very, very pro directness," and why your cold outreach is probably a waste of her time. Loretta also shares the raw story of leaving her C-suite job, crying nonstop, and facing the intense fear of financial insecurity. She reveals the moment her executive assistant "fired her" for being a bad boss , and why she turned down an acquisition offer for her fast-growing agency, believing "this cake is not baked" yet. Check out the company: https://sedcommunications.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - Why I Love the "Psychosis" of Startup Founders

04:11 - Leaving My C-Suite Job & Crying Nonstop

08:39 - The Intense Fear of Financial Insecurity

12:51 - Are You a Founder or Just a Control Freak?

16:59 - Why I'll Never Hire a Full-Time Employee

21:00 - "We're Not Saving Lives, We're Just Selling Stuff"

25:11 - Why I Turned Down an Acquisition Offer

29:23 - Your LinkedIn Sales Pitch Makes Me Angry

38:03 - The Time My Executive Assistant Fired Me

42:18 - What Gen Z Doesn't Understand About Startups

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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

My Opioid Addiction Led to a $60 Million/Year Company. In this incredibly raw interview, Jeff Sekinger shares his harrowing six-year battle with opioid addiction that began with a Percocet prescription for a high school football injury. He details hitting rock bottom—racking up over $80,000 in debt, isolating himself from family and friends, and feeling completely hopeless. The turning point came after getting out of rehab, when his cousin tragically died of an overdose just two weeks later. Jeff explains how he channeled his obsessive personality away from destruction and into an obsession for success, turning his own financial problems into a multi-million dollar business that is now on track to do $60 million this year. This is a story about hitting the absolute bottom and building a new life. Check out the company: https://orca.capital

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - How a Football Injury Led to Opioid Addiction

05:15 - The Four Years I Spent Trying to Quit

08:30 - Hitting Rock Bottom: Debt, Lies & Hating Myself

12:45 - The Wake-Up Call: My Cousin's Overdose

17:20 - From an Obsession with Destruction to an Obsession with Success

21:10 - The "Oxygen Mask" Rule: Being Selfish to Be Selfless

25:00 - "You Can't Shoot a Cannon From a Canoe"

28:30 - From a 524 Credit Score to My First Successful Company

33:00 - The Path to a $60 Million/Year Business

38:00 - The #1 Lesson for Success in Business and Life

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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