We Live to Build

Why Your One-Person Marketing Team Is Set Up to Fail. In this interview, Kaitlyn Merola, Founder and CEO of Mōve Marketing, breaks down one of the most common mistakes startups make: hiring a single "marketing generalist" and expecting them to be an expert in everything. She explains why this is an unfair strategy that sets both the employee and the company up for failure. Kaitlyn also shares her agency's radically transparent approach to client work (prioritizing SEO results over a client's personal taste) , the counter-intuitive reason she felt more burned out after growing her team to eight people , and her core belief that a business is either growing or dying—there is no such thing as "maintenance mode". Check out the company: https://move-mktg.com

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

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Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - Why I Love Working With "Difficult" Startup Clients

04:10 - Why Your One-Person Marketing Team Is Set Up to Fail

08:23 - How to Build Radical Transparency With Your Clients

12:45 - "I'm Not Concerned If You Like It": An SEO Reality Check

20:55 - How to Fire a Client Who Disrespects Your Time

25:20 - How I Got My First Client by Trolling LinkedIn

29:32 - The Real Reason Scaling My Team Caused Burnout

37:57 - A Business Is Either Growing or Dying (There Is No Maintenance Mode)

45:48 - The Importance of Staying True to Your Vision

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

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The "Anchor Pricing" Trick That Manipulates Your Clients' Choice. In this interview, Jarrod Lopiccolo, an architect-turned-CEO, breaks down the powerful psychological strategy of anchor pricing. He explains how presenting three options—a high "anchor" price, a low price, and a middle price—manipulates customers into almost always choosing the middle option, and how you can apply this to your own business. Jarrod also shares his journey from physical architecture to building "virtual architecture" on the internet , his core question for high-performers ("Do you love to win, or do you hate to lose?") , and the three chapters of every founder's journey: from a hands-on "tradesperson" to a strategic "businessperson" and beyond. Check out the company: https://noblestudios.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 - From Architect to "Virtual Architect"

06:33 - Do You Love to Win, or Do You Hate to Lose?

13:18 - How an Architect's Mindset Builds a Stronger Business

16:35 - Why You Never Put a Park Bench in an Open Field

23:46 - Using Data to Prove Your Irrational Clients Wrong

27:03 - The "Anchor Pricing" Trick That Manipulates Choice

30:28 - The 3 Chapters of Every Founder's Journey

40:06 - The Most Important Lesson After 20 Years in Business

📈 WORK WITH ME

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

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

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Why a Four-Year College Degree Is a Waste of Money. In this interview, Donald Booth, Founder & CEO of the American Institute of Non-Destructive Testing, makes the case for why skilled trades are a smarter path than a traditional four-year degree. He explains why Gen Z is becoming the "tool belt generation" and points out that only 40% of college graduates are even working in their field of study after 10 years. Donald also shares his incredible journey from working in the Arctic Circle at -99°F windchill to starting his own trade school, and the innovative strategy he used to disrupt his competition—by buying a hotel to provide free housing for his students. Check out the company: http://www.trainingndt.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 - From -99°F in Alaska to Building a Trade School

04:26 - My "Golden Rule" for Every New Entrepreneur

09:03 - How We Took Over the First Page of Google

13:25 - The Invisible Industry That Keeps Planes in the Sky

17:54 - The Problem with Traditional Student Loans

22:05 - Why a Four-Year Degree is a Waste of Money

26:25 - My Strategy: Befriend, Then Steal Their Market

35:25 - I Bought a Hotel to Disrupt a $100M Competitor

44:20 - Your Industry's "Experts" Are Clueless About Gen Z

48:44 - The "I'll Be Happy When..." Trap That Kills Entrepreneurs

📈 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

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The Franchise Model That Opened 950 Stores in 13 Years. In this interview, Chief Development Officer Lyle Myers breaks down the exact franchise model his partners used to scale their previous brand, The Joint Chiropractic, to 950 locations in just 13 years. He reveals their "regional developer" strategy, which empowers partners to build and support their own territories in exchange for a share of fees and royalties. Lyle also shares his #1 rule for franchisee success, "Imitate before you innovate" , and explains why franchising makes up only 8% of US retail businesses but generates a massive 40% of the revenue. Finally, he details how an affordable $79/month price point creates a "sticky" subscription business. Check out the company: https://iflexstretchstudios.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 "Super Highway" to Owning a Business

03:08 - How 8% of Businesses Make 40% of All Retail Revenue

06:22 - "Imitate Before You Innovate": The #1 Rule for Success

09:22 - Building a Proactive Support System for Franchisees

15:16 - The Regional Developer Model (And How It Scales Fast)

18:18 - Why Personal Services Are the "New Retail"

24:36 - The Secret to a Sticky Subscription? The $79 Price Point

27:45 - A Huge Untapped Market: The Need for Human Touch

33:43 - My Personal Mission: Finding "Passion with Purpose"

📈 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

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How a Bad CEO Hire at Boeing Led to 300 Deaths. In this interview, Tom Verboven, a senior director who assesses executive talent for Fortune 500 companies, uses the tragic case of Boeing to illustrate the life-or-death stakes of leadership selection. He explains how hiring a CEO who didn't embrace the company's "safety first" culture resulted in catastrophic quality issues, hundreds of deaths, and a collapse in share price. Tom also reveals why hiring a new CEO is statistically a "50/50 gamble," like flipping a coin. We discuss the hidden forces of "bias" and "noise"—like whether an interviewer is hungry, hot, or if their favorite sports team lost—that unconsciously impact critical hiring decisions. Finally, we explore the dangers of using AI in hiring and why, without proper oversight, it will likely reinforce biases to only select "white male, 45 plus" candidates. Check out the company: https://thetalententerprise.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 Accidental Career Assessing Leaders

03:31 - Why Most Companies Use the Wrong "Success Profile"

07:11 - How Do You Assess Creativity and Innovation?

10:41 - Why Hiring a New CEO is a 50/50 Gamble

14:44 - The Boeing Example: A Bad Hire, 300 Deaths

18:30 - "Noise": How Hunger, Heat & Sports Bias Your Decisions

22:16 - The Unseen Dangers of AI in Hiring

29:49 - Why AI Will Only Hire White Men

33:33 - My Job Will Be Replaced By an Algorithm

40:53 - The Most Important Trait in Any Leader

📈 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

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How to Ethically Manipulate Your Users. In this interview, Bryan Farris, President of Goldfish Code, breaks down the framework of "motivation-driven design" rooted in behavioral psychology. We explore the fine line between positive engagement and psychological manipulation, discussing "white hat" techniques (like creating a bigger purpose for your community ) versus "black hat" techniques (like using the fear of loss, which the host argues is central to Slack's business model ). Bryan also explains why every product design is just a "hypothesis" until proven with data , how traveling to 137 countries has shaped his business strategy , and why he believes humans are ultimately motivated by being part of something bigger than themselves. Check out the company: https://goldfishcode.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 - Is Empathy a Tool for Manipulation?

07:20 - Why Your Product Design Is Just a Hypothesis

11:02 - The Framework for "Ethical Manipulation"

14:56 - "Black Hat" vs. "White Hat" Motivation

18:50 - The Slack Example: Motivating with Fear

22:40 - The Waze Example: Motivating with Purpose

30:01 - How Traveling to 137 Countries Made Me a Better Strategist

40:48 - Autonomy vs. Fear of Loss: What's Your Core Motivation?

📈 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

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How I Lost My Purpose After My Company Died. In this solo 200th episode, I'm sharing the story of what happened after my startup of four and a half years was suddenly ripped away from me. I discuss the struggle with depression and the loss of purpose I felt when the company that this podcast was built to support was forced to shut down. I'll also detail the podcast's journey from a failed lead magnet into a monetized, professional media company, why I've decided to stop relying on slow organic growth, and how I plan to reinvest 100% of the show's revenue back into paid ads. Finally, I'll give a raw, personal update on my life in Portugal and what I've learned after 200 episodes. Check out the company: https://welivetobuild.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 - A Look Back at 200 Episodes

01:47 - How My Startup Was Ripped Away From Me

03:38 - Losing My Purpose and Starting Over

05:26 - The Pivot: From Failed Lead Magnet to a Real Business

08:38 - My New Growth Strategy: Why I'm Done With Organic

10:22 - Reinvesting 100% of Revenue into Paid Ads

12:08 - An Honest Update on My Life in Portugal

17:14 - The Surprising Downside of Living in Europe

18:57 - What's Next For The Podcast (And For Me)

📈 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

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My Most Expensive Mistake Was a $6 Million Indecision. In this interview, Dr. Karwanna Irving, CEO of She's Got Goals, reveals how her failure to act on an opportunity cost her an estimated $6 million in potential revenue. For seven years, she struggled as an entrepreneur making $20,000-$30,000 a year, unaware of the "biggest kept secret" in business: government contracting. Dr. Karwanna shares her incredible journey from struggling business owner to landing her first $70,000 contract for only 28 days of work. She also details the single most important sales psychology lesson she learned from a $55,000 coach, which led to a multiple six-figure day. Check out the company: https://shesgotgoals.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 "Biggest Kept Secret" for Entrepreneurs

04:46 - From a Struggling Fashion Brand to Government Contracts

09:41 - The Miseducation of the Entrepreneur

14:41 - From $20k a Year to a $70k Contract in 28 Days

25:23 - My Most Expensive Mistake: A $6 Million Indecision

30:45 - How Hiring a Team Multiplies Your Bottom Line

35:38 - The $55,000 Coach & The Sales Secret That Changed Everything

45:59 - Why I Almost Shut Down My Other Profitable Business

51:21 - Why Business is a "Spiritual Walk"

56:33 - Having a Baby at 46 & Living Without Limits

📈 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

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Google Wiped Out 76% of My Traffic Overnight. In this interview, Vladimir Gendelman, Founder and CEO of the $5M/year brand Company Folders, tells the story of how his only marketing channel was destroyed in a single day. He shares how hiring a cheap SEO company led to a devastating manual penalty from Google for "unnatural links," and the difficult decision he made to not lay off any staff, even as his business was collapsing. Vladimir also details how he faced a similar crisis during COVID, losing 70% of his revenue in one month and again refusing to fire anyone. Instead, he invested in a sales coach to turn things around. This is a masterclass in resilience and long-term thinking for any entrepreneur. Check out the company: https://companyfolders.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 the Soviet Union Inspired My Business

08:14 - The SEO Mistake That Led to Disaster

13:04 - Google Wiped Out 76% of My Traffic

17:35 - Why I Refused to Fire Anyone

22:07 - Crisis #2: Losing 70% of Revenue in 30 Days

27:00 - Why I Hired a Coach When My Business Was Failing

31:03 - "We're Not Rich Enough to Buy Cheap Things"

39:27 - The Power of a Long-Term Vision

48:39 - My Business Is My Identity (And It's Probably Not Healthy)

📈 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

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How a Public Company Sabotaged My 8-Figure Business Sale. In this interview, serial entrepreneur Cecil Robles shares the painful story of how he lost out on a fortune when selling his first eight-figure business. He details how the acquiring public company structured an "earnout" deal that made it impossible for him to hit his targets , essentially forcing him to walk away from millions and locking him into a multi-year non-compete. Cecil also reveals how he found a clever loophole in his non-compete to launch a new, wildly successful venture and explains his current business model of building an equity portfolio with the goal of owning a piece of 100 companies in the next five years.

Check out the company: https://raisecapital.io

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 Goal: Own a Piece of 100 Companies

09:02 - Why a Business Partnership is Like a Marriage

13:28 - The Hardest Part of Entrepreneurship: Learning to Fail

18:14 - How a Public Company Sabotaged My 8-Figure Sale

27:42 - My Comeback: Finding the Loophole in My Non-Compete

36:48 - How to Anticipate Problems Before They Happen

41:49 - My #1 Leadership Rule: Delegate, But Don't Detach

46:45 - My Journey from a 6-Figure a Year to 9-Figure Net Worth Goal

51:45 - The Biggest Change in 20 Years: Checking My Ego

📈 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.