We Live to Build

Which is harder: being a founder or being an investor? Mike Lazerow has done both, building and selling companies for nearly $1 billion and now running a $400M VC fund and a PE firm. His answer might surprise you. In this interview, Mike unpacks the "existential dread" of entrepreneurship versus the challenges of deploying capital. He shares why he's most excited about AI transforming "boring" businesses , the reality of feeling lost and purposeless after a massive exit, and the single most important lesson he's learned: your network is your net worth. Check out the company: https://velvetseavc.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

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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 - Founder vs. Investor: Which is Harder?

01:19 - Why I Still Prefer Being an Entrepreneur

02:04 - Scratching Both Itches: VC vs. PE

05:49 - The Best Part of Being an Investor

07:23 - Why AI Will Revolutionize "Boring" Businesses

12:03 - The Post-Exit Depression No One Talks About

14:30 - Feeling Lost After Selling for $1 Billion

16:01 - Why We're the Luckiest People in the World

19:57 - Why I Keep My Anonymity

23:36 - Money Buys Security, Health & Freedom

27:30 - Why Idle Brains Go Dark

31:41 - Your Network IS Your Net Worth

38:45 - Giving GaryVee His First Office Space

40:40 - The #1 Rule in Life & Business

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

Jeff Archibald is one of the lucky few who was able to sell his agency, and now he advises other agency owners. In this interview, he reveals what he would do differently if he had to start his agency all over again. We break down the critical mistakes most founders make, starting with the failure to set revenue goals and reverse-engineer a plan to meet them. Jeff explains why being too risk-averse and not reinvesting a portion of revenue into promotion hindered his agency's growth. He also shares the powerful 3-tier proposal method he adopted that transformed his pricing strategy by removing the fear of overpricing , and explains why you must proactively plan for your company's future instead of just reactively hiring when you get busy. This is a masterclass in building a sellable agency the right way. Check out the company: https://www.jeffarchibald.ca

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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 - Thing #1: Reverse-Engineer Your Revenue Goals

02:28 - Why "Making Money" Isn't Enough to Survive

08:17 - Thing #2: Reinvest in Promotion From Day One

10:06 - Thing #3: Build Strategic Partnerships Intentionally

15:10 - Thing #4: Master The 3-Tier Pricing Proposal

21:40 - The Psychology of Price Anchoring

24:01 - Thing #5: Proactively Plan For Growth (Stop Reactive Hiring)

28:18 - The Hard Truth About Your Identity After an Exit

29:53 - Recovering From Founder Burnout

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

Everyone is talking about an "AI-First" content strategy, but it's the wrong mentality, and it's killing your founder authority. In a world drowning in noise, you don't need to be everywhere; you need to be "undeniable where it counts." This interview with Ethan Monkhouse, founder of Naviro, breaks down the new rules for building authority as a founder. We explore why quality content is a hundredfold more important than quantity and how to use AI as a co-pilot for the heavy lifting, not as a replacement for human creativity. You'll learn the fatal flaw in most AI content tools and the framework for a content funnel that attracts your ideal customers without turning you into just another "supplier." Check out the company: https://naviro.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]

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

🕒 CHAPTERS

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

00:00 - Be Undeniable Where It Counts

01:36 - Quality vs. Quantity in the Age of AI

02:01 - Why The "AI-First" Mentality is Wrong

02:30 - AI is The Co-Pilot, Not The Pilot

04:09 - The Big Flaw in AI Content Tools

05:48 - Building Your Content Funnel Framework

08:36 - Why Your Content Must Be Evergreen

12:24 - The #1 Mistake That Gets You Marked as a "Supplier"

14:19 - Content Attracts, The Funnel Sells

22:51 - Your LinkedIn Profile is a Landing Page, Not a Resume

24:22 - The Most Important Lesson of My Life

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

For many ambitious founders, bootstrapping is a slow death. After building a profitable, high seven-figure SaaS company for 10 years, Sameer Narkar realized his self-funded model was no longer enough to win. In this interview, Sameer explains why the AI revolution is forcing successful bootstrapped companies into raising funds to move faster. He breaks down his decision to seek investment after a decade of profitability, why he believes thinking about an exit is a distraction from building a great product, and how he plans to use the new capital to "buy growth" by investing in experienced sales teams and partnerships rather than burning cash on ads. Check out the company: https://konnectinsights.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 - Why I'm Abandoning My 8-Figure Bootstrap Business

00:35 - The AI Arms Race Demands Speed

02:42 - Fundraising With No Plan to Exit?

04:28 - Is a "Lifestyle Business" a Bad Thing?

08:20 - How $15M Changes a Profitable Company

09:50 - The "Spend $110 for every $100 Earned" Growth Model

12:01 - Why We Invest in Partnerships, Not Google Ads

15:20 - Why We're Hiring Expensive, Experienced Sales Vets

18:10 - Our Content Strategy: Case Studies & Industry Reports

23:05 - The Hardest Part of The Bootstrapping Journey

27:57 - The Most Important Lesson After 10 Years as a Founder

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

Are you making the #1 mistake in AI pricing? Many founders are using their old SaaS pricing model, but for AI, that’s a huge error. As pricing expert Dan Balcauski explains, it’s like showing customers your “underpants”, and it’s killing your sales. In this guide to AI pricing, Dan breaks down why the game has changed. Unlike traditional SaaS, AI products have significant variable costs and unpredictable customer value, creating a new set of challenges for founders. We explore the psychology of value-based pricing, how to choose the right pricing metric, and the strategies companies like Google and OpenAI are using to price their AI tools. Check out the company: https://www.producttranquility.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 Your SaaS Pricing Model is Obsolete

02:05 - The Value vs. Cost Dilemma of AI

03:20 - Foundation Models vs. AI Applications

07:15 - Why AI Product Prices Are So Inconsistent

11:15 - The Power of Long-Tail Distributions in Pricing

17:05 - The Problem with Capped "Unlimited" Plans

19:10 - Why AI Companies Are Hardware Constrained

24:30 - The 2 Axes of a Smart AI Pricing Strategy

28:00 - The #1 AI Pricing Mistake: Showing Your "Underpants"

31:30 - The Psychology of Value-Based Pricing

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

How do you get a 70% reply rate on LinkedIn DMs? In this episode, I sit down with Gabe Lullo, CEO of the 8-figure sales development agency Alleyoop, who shares his exact method for filling his sales pipeline every single day. Gabe unpacks the hard truths about modern sales, explaining why most LinkedIn outreach is just noise and how hyper-personalized voice notes can get you a 7x higher response rate. He also breaks down his "calls and content" strategy, why prospecting for one hour daily is more effective than batching it once a week , and the critical difference between being a founder and being a CEO. Check out the company: https://alleyoop.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 - The #1 Rule for a Full Sales Pipeline

01:10 - Why Daily Prospecting Beats Weekly Batching

06:15 - Founder vs. CEO: Why You're Not Who You Think You Are

09:30 - My Secret to a 70% Reply Rate on LinkedIn DMs

11:00 - Why LinkedIn Voice Notes Get 7x More Replies

15:00 - The "Doctor" Method of Selling

23:30 - "Calls & Content": The LinkedIn Growth Strategy

25:15 - How to "Build in Public" When You Have Zero Customers

29:10 - A 3-Step Plan for LinkedIn Prospecting

31:25 - The One Thing I Wish I Started 13 Years Ago

📈 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.

A shocking statistic reveals that 80% of leaders are dangerously behind on AI, and the window to catch up is closing fast. Most are trapped by day-to-day "urgent" tasks, ignoring the "important" work of AI adoption that will determine their company's future. In this episode, executive coach and founder of NewPo, Arielle Lechner, explains why so many leaders are failing to integrate AI and provides a clear roadmap to get started. We discuss how AI is transforming industries like executive coaching with tools like custom GPTs, how to automate workflows to save countless hours, and why you need to start thinking of AI as the most powerful assistant you've never hired. Check out the company: https://newpo.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

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

00:00 - The Shocking Stat: 80% of Leaders Are Ignoring AI

02:25 - The "Urgent vs. Important" Trap Killing Your Business

05:05 - Will a Custom GPT Replace Your Executive Coach?

07:20 - How to Create a "Digital Twin" of Your Favorite Experts

11:00 - The AI Workflow That Saves 20+ Hours of Work

15:00 - A Coach's Secret to Delivering More Value with AI

20:15 - Building Your Personal "Digital Twin" in ChatGPT

28:30 - The "All or Nothing" Mindset

33:05 - The #1 Thing Most People Know They Should Do (But Don't)

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

What if your "great" work ethic is secretly sabotaging your business? It's a tough question, but one every founder needs to confront. The toxic hustle culture sold by Silicon Valley isn't just unhealthy, it's often unprofitable. In this episode, Personal Growth Advisor Brad Farris joins me to dismantle the "grind" mindset. We explore why overworking kills the creativity needed for breakthroughs , and how things like sleep, exercise, and hobbies are actually critical tools for productivity and sustainable success. If you're an entrepreneur chasing growth without burning out, this conversation will shift your entire approach to work. Check out the company: https://anchoradvisors.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 - The Hustle Culture Lie Pushed By VCs

02:15 - Why Grinding Kills Your Creativity

04:00 - The Biggest Threat to Your Business Is Your Own Health

07:30 - How "Doom Scrolling" Destroys Your Sleep & Productivity

11:25 - A Growth Advisor's 3-Step Calendar Audit

15:10 - The "Who Not How" Principle to Stop Drowning in Work

21:40 - Why Hobbies Like Archery & Golf Are Business Tools

27:00 - Using Meditation to Find Quiet in the Chaos

30:22 - The Most Important Lesson of My Life

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

Why stop building a startup from scratch when you could just buy a profitable business instead? For many entrepreneurs, acquiring an established company is a faster and more direct path to success. In this interview, Neel Bhargava, Founding Partner of the private equity firm NB Group Investors, unpacks his playbook for entrepreneurial investing. He explains the real differences between private equity and the venture capital world , how he raises capital on a deal-by-deal basis , and the unique investment themes he's currently pursuing, from youth enrichment to end-of-life care. If you're a founder tired of the startup grind, this conversation will show you an alternative path to building your empire. Check out the company: https://nbgroup.us

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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 - Is Private Equity the "Smart" Entrepreneurship?

02:20 - Forget a Fund: The Deal-By-Deal Capital Model

04:10 - The REAL Difference Between PE & Venture Capital

06:30 - When The Investor Has To Become The Interim CFO

08:48 - His Investment Thesis: Youth Enrichment & End-of-Life Care

11:20 - How AI is Shaping Modern Investment Strategy

15:00 - Why Building Relationships is 90% of The Job

19:25 - The Hardest Part of Buying a Profitable Business

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

Ever wonder how someone bought an $8M/year company with only $5,000? Gary Shelton did just that, and in this interview, he reveals his exact model. Gary is "The Coaching King," having acquired, scaled, and sold 12 different businesses over the last 50 years, each hitting 8-figures per year. He explains why mindset is the #1 reason most entrepreneurs never hit $1M a year in revenue and shares the lessons he learned from his mentor who built the first black-owned billion-dollar company. If you want to learn how to acquire businesses with little of your own money, build systems that allow them to run without you, and develop the perseverance to succeed, this conversation is for you. Check out the company: https://goshelton.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 - "Life is Quick, Man."

01:34 - The REAL Reason Businesses Fail to Hit $1M/Year

03:42 - The Money Lesson My Grandfather Taught Me at Age 4

06:35 - My First Million-Dollar Business Acquisition

08:29 - The #1 Thing That Gives a Business REAL Value

11:19 - How I Bought an $8M/Year Company With $5,000

14:48 - "I'm Not Betting The Farm Unless The Crops Are On Fire"

17:22 - The 2 Things to Look For When Buying a Business

22:20 - The Hardest Part of Being an Entrepreneur

30:45 - "I Don't Work. I Do What I Love."

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