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Empowering Others Through Skill Development
Summary:
The speaker realized the desire to pursue their own path despite the common trend of friends joining prestigious companies.
Feeling a lack of ambition in their earlier pursuits, they decided to empower others by teaching them valuable skills. By helping individuals like Nadine from the Philippines learn graphic design and find jobs, the speaker noticed that talented individuals outside the United States lack access to opportunities due to skill gaps.
They leveraged platforms like Skillshare to provide basic skills training, enabling people to secure well-paying jobs in fields like video editing.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
And all my friends were getting jobs at Palantir and Goldman Sachs, Mackenzie and Google. And I was like, I don't want to do this. I don't want to work in any of these companies.
Speaker 8
I want to do my own thing.
Speaker 1
But none of the things that I had worked on up until that point did I think warranted the level of ambition that I felt towards what I was going to do with my life. Okay.
Speaker 3
So you're not thinking that hell, I can't wait to work on findscholarships.com for the next 10 years.
Speaker 2
So finally scholarships, the beautiful part about it is I got to know all the people who I was working with.
Speaker 4
And so for example, Nadine from the Philippines, she, you know, her day job didn't pay her that much.
Speaker 1
And she really didn't like it, but she's an artist. You know,…
Empowering Through Education and Skills
Summary:
Empowering individuals with skills and knowledge can open up opportunities for them to excel globally.
By providing access to resources like online courses and tools such as Figma, auto layout for iOS, and job scraping, individuals can secure jobs and prosper. The speaker believes that people outside the United States are equally capable but may lack the same opportunities.
Sharing skills through platforms like Skillshare can enable individuals to earn immediately, like $25 an hour as video editors.
Despite managing remote learners being challenging, the potential to help others succeed through education is exciting.
Through personal reflection, studying biographies, and examining S1 filings of companies going public, the speaker envisioned sharing their beliefs and insights to inspire others.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
And she really didn't like it, but she's an artist. You know, she loves painting on a tablet.
Speaker 2
And I was like, well, why don't you learn graphic design? And she's like, oh, I don't know what to do, whatever. So I got her at account for Figma. And I bought her a course on how to do Figma. And she started learning and then I helped her, you know, find some jobs as a graphic designer.
Speaker 1
And there was someone else who I taught him how to do auto layout for iOS and someone else I taught how to scrape a job script.
Speaker 2
And I was like, you know what, all these people outside of the United…
Innovative Value-driven Creation
Summary:
The speaker aimed to build something that did not rely on ad revenue and required innovation.
As a person with dyslexia and ADHD, they sought to create technology using deep learning within artificial intelligence to provide real value to similar individuals. Despite initial processing time limitations, the speaker believed in the advancement of technology, gradually building a product that would be widely used once text-to-speech quality improved significantly.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
And the conclusion I had is I wanted to build something, number one that did not make money off of ads.
Speaker 4
Number two that I could not have built it three years ago.
Speaker 2
So it depended on some sort of innovation, right?
Speaker 4
Because if it was a great idea, somebody else would have built it. I wanted something that was new technology.
Speaker 5
I wanted something that created real value in the world, ideally for people similar to me.
Speaker 2
And I realized that people similar to me were people like me who had dyslexia, ADHD. And the technology I got really excited about was deep learning.
Speaker 1
So within artificial intelligence, there's a subcategory called deep learning inside of neural networks and specifically narrow applications of deep learning. So speech synthesis, optical character recognition, transcription, translation, national language processing, recommendation engines, this is six and a half years ago. 2015…
Progress through Focus
Summary:
The speaker achieved a significant following by focusing on solving a crucial problem, leading to emotional responses from users.
Initially targeting moms with kids like them, the product's appeal expanded to individuals with various needs such as dyslexia, vision issues, ADHD, autism, second language learners, those with concussions, and professionals from different fields. By continually improving the product, it attracted a diverse user base.
Despite early struggles in user acquisition, the speaker learned the importance of focusing efforts in one direction to make substantial progress.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
And I built a big following of moms of kids like me. And it started to be the case to this day, 10 to 15% of our reviews on the app store, are people who say they genuinely started crying when they use speechify because it solves such a big Problem for them.
Speaker 6
And then I started even before that visiting schools for kids with learning differences.
Speaker 4
And so that cohort loved the product.
Speaker 2
And as the product got better, we started having not only people with dyslexia or vision issues or ADHD, but people who had autism or there were a second language learner of English or
Speaker 6
They had a concussion.
Speaker 2
And then we started having normal professionals who didn't have any learning difference whatsoever, doctors, lawyers, accountants, people in the military, executives, people In finance.
Speaker…
Progress through Persistence
Summary:
The success of a product expanded to a diverse range of users as it continuously improved.
Initially catering to individuals with specific needs like dyslexia or ADHD, it later attracted professionals and individuals from various backgrounds. Despite initial struggles in acquiring users, the key lesson learned from building numerous products was to persistently focus on one direction.
Progress is achieved by persistently tackling challenges, even when faced with obstacles like brick walls, which most people are unwilling to overcome.
The journey emphasized the importance of continuous improvement and perseverance.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
And as the product got better, we started having not only people with dyslexia or vision issues or ADHD, but people who had autism or there were a second language learner of English or
Speaker 6
They had a concussion.
Speaker 2
And then we started having normal professionals who didn't have any learning difference whatsoever, doctors, lawyers, accountants, people in the military, executives, people In finance.
Speaker 1
And it's just because the product kept getting better and better and better and better and better and better.
Speaker 2
And so with time, the next step was building the theme. So that was building the product, right?
Speaker 4
And two and a half years in, I still struggled with acquiring users and getting people to use it enough.
Speaker 1
But if you grind in one direction, so…
Learning How to Code and Essential Skills for Founders
Summary:
The speaker highlights the importance of learning how to code for individuals wanting to succeed online, emphasizing the necessity of wanting success enough to dedicate time to learning.
They suggest that learning coding is valuable for founders as technology is fundamental in building a product with exponential growth. Additionally, computer science provides valuable tools for critical thinking, which can benefit individuals in various fields beyond just founding a company.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
So that's probably going to happen in the next like month. And here's when you know that I'm finally going to sit down and sacrifice, not talking to the team, not hiring more people, not spending more on ads, whatever, not learning something
Speaker 1
New that I haven't. It's when I wanted enough.
Speaker 2
And so if you want to make money on the internet and you haven't taken the 30 hours to learn how to code, you just don't want it enough.
Speaker 4
And this is coming from a person who is literally dyslexic. His first language is not English, right? I do not have a high aptitude for programming to begin with.
Speaker 2
You just got to learn how to do it. And so the same thing is true for learning any skill on the internet, using Figma, using Photoshop, whatever it might be.
Speaker 1
You've got to first learn how to use the tool and then implement it to your advantage.
Speaker 3
You mentioned that learning…
Upgrading Your Brain's Software for Better Decision Making
Summary:
Computer science provides a valuable toolkit for thinking by introducing concepts like diminishing marginal returns, PPF curve shifts, and data structures, enabling individuals to explain complex ideas effectively.
By upgrading the brain's software through learning new frameworks, such as algorithms and versioning quotient, decisions can be improved and more information can be processed, ultimately enhancing cognitive abilities beyond innate intelligence levels.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
Computer science is just incredible because it has so many tool sets for how to think. So when I was in high school, I was really interested in economics, right?
Speaker 2
Keynesian economics, Hayek, Mises, Malthus, I was so, I read so many books about it and I read so many books, listened to so many books about philosophy and business and theology and All this kind of stuff. They taught me things like gift and goods, right? Dimitishing marginal returns. What happens when the PPF curve shifts to the right? All this stuff is key to how my brain just operates on a daily basis.
Speaker 4
And it lets me explain things in my head to myself that otherwise I would not be able to explain.
Speaker 1
Computer science gave me like an equal amount of data structures and algorithms for how to think.
Speaker 2
And that is key for making better decisions and being able to use more information. So if you want to think about your brain as…
Early Exposure to Learning
Summary:
The speaker's early exposure to math games, chess, and educational walks with their dad instilled a deep understanding of finance and the world.
This upbringing influenced the speaker to start building things in high school, such as a company, an air cannon, an escape board break, a mini-faraday cage, and an iPhone app before delving into coding with an app called Starter Pack.
Transcript:
Speaker 5
Pre-learning how to code.
Speaker 1
So the first thing that I built in high school was a company called Cliff Scoupons, and then I built a pressurized air cannon. It's like DIY type thing.
Speaker 2
And then I built a three-year print escape board break, and then I built a mini-fairity cage that you iron onto your pocket to block cell phone radiation from affecting reproductive
Speaker 1
Organs. And then I built an iPhone app called Starter Pack, and that's the point where I started using coding.
Speaker 3
What got you into building all the... Because most kids wouldn't be building stuff in high school. Like, what was it about you that made you go down that route?
Speaker 1
So when I was young, my dad would come home after work, and maybe we'd eat dinner or something, but we just like play math games, right? He'd like ask me in Tyler, you know, five plus three times 20 divided by four, whatever.
Speaker 2
And we'd play chess, and he'd say, let's go on a walk. And we'd go on a walk. And on the walks, we'd ask him questions, and he'd…
Nurturing Curiosity, Financial Understanding, and Entrepreneurial Spirit
Summary:
Early exposure to various topics by his father during walks instilled a deep understanding of the financial world and the importance of having a source of income for freedom.
Reading 'The Four Hour Workweek' at a young age sparked the desire to build a successful business generating 300K/year. The book provided mental models and inspired him to create, aligning with his inclination towards inventing things.
The essence of entrepreneurship is interpreted as creating value where none existed previously.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
And on the walks, we'd ask him questions, and he'd just teach us about the world, you know, how does the stock market work? What's the difference between a mutual fund and a hedge fund?
Speaker 5
Why is the sky blue?
Speaker 1
And I really admired my dad growing up, and I still very much admire my dad.
Speaker 2
But I think I got a very deep understanding of how the financial works world operates as a kid.
Speaker 1
And I realized very quickly that if I wanted to have freedom, it's good to have a source of Venkam. And then I read the four hour work, Rick, Bitts and Ferris, I think when I was 17 or 18, and I was like, wow, I would love to build a news company. So my goal is I'm going to build something that makes me 300 K a year with our work or not. And so I was working towards succeeding and doing that. And I started building stuff even before I read that book. So…
Creating Magic through Invention and Implementation
Summary:
The closest thing to magic that humans can create is through inventing technologies and bringing dreams into reality.
This involves two main aspects: inventing a technology and ensuring its widespread use. By learning to code through courses and participating in hackathons, individuals can accelerate their ability to create innovative solutions like a Tech2Speech engine.
This process can lead to the idea of establishing a company, which may require a decision to forgo traditional employment in pursuit of innovation and creation.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
And he applied his thought to matter, rearrange atoms in a certain way and then elevated those resources and multiplies and times of the silence and a million.
Speaker 4
And now you can use the steam engine to like pump water out of wells and create electricity and move trains across the country.
Speaker 1
That's the closest thing humans can do to magic.
Speaker 2
So I like creating magic.
Speaker 1
And so you do that by inventing and then by bringing your dreams into reality.
Speaker 2
And so there's a portion which is like being the technologies technologist and coming up in an idea, making it work.
Speaker 4
And the second one is how do you get people to actually use it?
Speaker 3
So you're at college, you've built a few things in the past and then you decide I need to learn how to code. And then at that point, you take this Udemy course on web…
Continuous Learning and Iteration for Success
Summary:
The key to success as a founder is continuous learning.
This involves learning various skills like coding, design, user interaction, and recruitment. As a CEO, the main roles are to ensure financial stability, define the vision, and assemble an effective team.
By constantly learning and iterating, one can excel in areas such as user acquisition, advertising, and product development.
The approach involves reading extensively on the topic, consulting with experts, and innovating based on gathered insights, like compiling a list of successful companies and meeting with their leaders for learning.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
Because I can always go and try to get that job at Google. Let's say my parents are like super embarrassed, right? I can't sleep at home. Okay. I have probably like 15 friends who let me crash on the couch every once in a while. So I'll circulate between them.
Speaker 4
I would just be sad going directly to take one of these jobs.
Speaker 2
I want to, and so my thing was, okay, I'm either going to find a company where I really admire the management team and I'm going to work there.
Speaker 1
And I applied to a couple of these companies that just didn't get in at the time.
Speaker 7
Or I'm going to do my own thing.
Speaker 1
I said, okay, I'm going to do my own thing. And then I was really excited about narrow applications of deep learning.
Speaker 2
So I was like, cool, I'm going to start building…
Seeking Unconventional Paths to Learning
Summary:
The key insight from the snip is the importance of taking unconventional and proactive approaches to learning and personal growth.
The snip highlights the value of going the extra mile, showing tenacity, and thinking outside the box in order to achieve success. The speaker's determination to learn about ads by reaching out to top companies directly and traveling the world to learn from experts demonstrates a unique and proactive mindset towards acquiring knowledge and skills.
Moreover, the snip underscores the significance of building relationships and seizing opportunities, showcasing how connections and support from others can play a crucial role in personal and professional development.
Transcript:
Speaker 3
And that's it. Down. Okay. So someone listened to this. So like, so the, I've kind of heard bits of your story before and we've talked a bunch of times that I'm always just absolutely floored by just a the tenacity and just the going overboard That you do on everything. Yeah. And be just like how casually you talk about it. And you're like, oh yeah, you know, I wanted to learn about ads. So I just like Googled the top 100 best performing consumer companies and I just emailed them all and said, can I just hang out with you? And I just flew around the world hanging out with them. There are so few people that I know who would be thinking in those kind of ways. They'd be thinking, I need to learn how to get good ads.…
Time Tracking for Productivity
Summary:
In 2019, facing financial struggles, the speaker was supported by Jennifer and Anna Sandell, who allowed him to stay in their guesthouse in Palo Alto rent-free.
Despite efforts to make progress on his company, he felt frustrated with the lack of success. To overcome this, he meticulously tracked his time using Google Sheets, monitoring every hour to see if he was effectively working or not.
This involved commitments like spending five hours daily coding in Xcode and facing consequences like push-ups and pull-ups if he fell short.
Additionally, he had an accountability group to report on his progress.
Despite initial challenges, the speaker's dedication to tracking and improving his productivity continued.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
Let's take us back to 2019 before 2020. 2020 is when I emailed all these people. 2019, I did not have any money. And I met this wonderful woman, Jennifer Sandell, who I love dearly to this day. And her daughter, Anna Sandell, is also the select stick. And Anna started working with us at Speechify. And they offered me that I could live out of their guesthouse. And so I was living in this guesthouse in Palo Alto paying no rent trying to make this company work. And I was using Speechify and she started helping me work on it, et cetera. I started studying SEO, studying ads, taking courses, figuring it out. And I was not making the progress that I wanted. God damn it, Ali.
Speaker 2
I was trying and I was not…
Self-discipline and Resourcefulness for Goal Achievement
Summary:
The speaker demonstrated remarkable self-discipline in tracking his daily activities meticulously and holding himself accountable by imposing consequences if he didn't meet his coding target.
He leveraged tools like Google Sheets, Rescue Time, and external sources like Sensor Tower and virtual assistants to gather data and insights essential for his project. Despite setbacks, he persevered, sought help from knowledgeable individuals, and utilized resources efficiently to achieve his goals.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
So what I ended up doing is I pulled up Google Sheets and I made a calendar of every single hour and every single day.
Speaker 2
And I retroactively and moving forward wrote what I spent my time on.
Speaker 1
Was I sleeping? Was I taking a walk? Was I driving somewhere? Was I eating? Was I studying SEO? Was I implementing SEO?
Speaker 2
Was I coding? Was I doing whatever? And even when I worked on the first versions of the app, I committed that I would spend five hours a day coding an Xcode. And I measured it with rescue time.
Speaker 7
And if I did not spend five hours a day coding in rescue time, by 10 a.m.
Speaker 4
The next day, I had to do 300 push-ups and 200 pull-ups. And I had a group chat with Simmer Mangut, Max Deutsch, Valentin Perez, and Tyler Weizmann.
Speaker 2
And I would tell them if I didn't do it. And if I didn't do the consequence, I had to run 10 miles that weekend.
Speaker…
Continuous Action Yields Results
Summary:
Consistent determination to reach a goal was demonstrated by engaging with a group and setting consequences for task completion.
Despite initially not making progress, the individual sought help from various sources to compile a comprehensive list of key industry contacts and pursued multiple avenues of contacting each person for maximum outreach.
Transcript:
Speaker 4
And I had a group chat with Simmer Mangut, Max Deutsch, Valentin Perez, and Tyler Weizmann.
Speaker 2
And I would tell them if I didn't do it. And if I didn't do the consequence, I had to run 10 miles that weekend.
Speaker 1
And I kept not making progress.
Speaker 2
And so I was like, cool, I've taken the courses. I'm still not where I wanted to be.
Speaker 1
Most people maybe at that point just stop.
Speaker 4
I was like, no, I can't stop. I want it.
Speaker 2
So I messaged people who could help me.
Speaker 7
Sometimes I knew them, sometimes I didn't.
Speaker 1
And so in the case of, okay, well, then how did you like find the, first of all, how did you even find a list cliff of the top 50 consumer subscription companies in the world, the top 100?
Speaker 2
Like I found the scholarships or everything else.
Speaker 1
There's a website called Sensor Tower that ranks iOS apps by the revenue.
Speaker 2
And so I just hired a bunch of Philippine-based virtual assistants to just index it for me.
Speaker 1
And I used maybe seven different sources. And then I…
Effective Cold Email Strategy
Summary:
Being polite, honest, direct, and concise in cold outreach messages increases the chances of a response.
Sending three personalized messages to each recipient ensures a full follow-up. Including specific mentions of shared interests and achievements, alongside a clear request for a meeting, can enhance the effectiveness of cold emails.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
And then for each one of those people, I put three rows, reach out number one, number two, number three, that they respond back.
Speaker 1
And that entire sheet is full.
Speaker 5
Every single person got three messages, at least for me.
Speaker 2
And then eventually they'd respond.
Speaker 5
And I'm okay with people not responding to me because I'm always polite. I'm honest.
Speaker 1
I'm direct. I'm concise. What do you think these messages? What's the last cold email that I sent? Let's say I'm messaging you.
Speaker 2
Sure. Hey, Ali, just watch your podcast on Brandon Sanderson.
Speaker 1
Caledon is my favorite character I've ever read about. Period.
Speaker 4
I really admire the way in which you interview your guests.
Speaker 2
I think you're extremely thoughtful and well researched.
Speaker 1
I'm considering starting a podcast.
Speaker 4
So far I've interviewed the president of the World Bank and seven teal fellows.
Speaker 2
The person I most want to interview is Derek Sivers.
Speaker 4
Could you be free for a 10 minutes?
Speaker 1
You call Friday at 3 p.m. Or 4…
Demonstrating Credibility and Accomplishments in Communication
Summary:
Communicating one's accomplishments and credibility concisely in an email can impress the recipient, showcasing dedication and hard work.
Sharing achievements like winning competitions and leading clubs, while expressing admiration for the recipient and seeking guidance, can create a positive impression. By demonstrating preparedness and diligence in communication, one can leave a lasting impact and open opportunities for meaningful connections.
Transcript:
Speaker 4
It shows what I admire about you genuinely. It's relatively short.
Speaker 2
It still shows that I have credibility and what I'm doing towards it. And when you read the email, you're like, okay, he's not like just some kid on the internet.
Speaker 1
Like he's working hard.
Speaker 2
And if I didn't have those accomplishments, I would say the same thing as I would say at high school.
Speaker 4
Hey, Ali, my name is Cliff Weitzman. I'm a junior at Redwood High School.
Speaker 2
I'm the president of the Speech and Debate team. I recently won the state competition for Sparta Bate. I'm the president of the Jefferson Awards Community Service Club.
Speaker 5
And you changed my life.
Speaker 2
You are the person who made me learn how to edit videos. And I have now made 300 YouTube videos.
Speaker 1
You know, I only have 500 subscribers.
Speaker 4
But I want to be like you when I grew up.
Speaker 1
Would you be free for a 15-minute call…
Implementing Advice and Building Connections
Summary:
Implementing advice diligently can lead to satisfying results and validation.
By actively listening, engaging in meaningful conversations, and showing genuine interest, one can establish valuable connections with influential individuals and learn valuable insights from them.
Transcript:
Speaker 4
And even if he didn't originally believe it, he'll still do it.
Speaker 2
And I can see the work.
Speaker 4
You know how satisfying it is to give someone a piece of advice? You know what you do. To give someone a piece of it. And they follow it.
Speaker 2
Any person who's ever given me advice in my life who I sought their advice, I have implemented what they asked to the letter.
Speaker 1
And then I came back to them a week later and I was like, hey, I did this. Here's the results.
Speaker 5
It's so fun.
Speaker 2
And then they're getting validation. Either it works or actually this is how the world is today. Great.
Speaker 4
It's useful for me that I'm talking to Cliff because he's validating all my ideas in the field. So, okay, so I send these messages and then I get on Zoom call.
Speaker 5
And in the Zoom call, you're in a K where the world will you blow a blah, blah, blah, we get on a call.
Speaker 1
As part of the call, they realize that I've been listening to 100 audiobooks every single year for the last 12 years.
Speaker 5
And they'd be like, oh, have you ever read whatever?
Speaker 2
And they'll mention some…
Building a Support Network
Summary:
By leveraging his network and offering help to others, the speaker managed to gather a team of skilled individuals to assist with building his app.
Starting from a media hack to contacting reporters, he then received assistance for website rebuilding, hiring engineers, obtaining visas, arranging accommodation, and relocating his team to San Francisco.
Transcript:
Speaker 4
So then I went and I'm still working on this. I'm trying to like get the Mac app to work.
Speaker 1
And I came up with this media hack of how I was going to contact a bunch of reporters to write about the app because when my brother Tyler is building iPhone apps in high school, I reached Out to a lot of reporters to have him cover the apps.
Speaker 2
So I posted on my Facebook on Hackathon hackers, Hackathon hackers Europe, a couple of different places.
Speaker 4
It's like, hey, I'm building this app. I need help in this and this.
Speaker 1
This guy from Bulgaria messages me. It's like, Hey, I checked out your website. Looks pretty cool. Would love to help.
Speaker 5
I've messaged, you know, four reporters. And I was like, that's so nice of you. Thank you.
Speaker 2
He's like, anything else I could do to help. And I was like, well, I'm trying to rebuild my website and I'm busy on the Mac app.
Speaker 1
Um, I know you don't know iOS, so maybe you can help me with the website. Here's the file for what I wanted to look like. If I go to sleep, I'll wake up in the…
Continuous Improvement through User Feedback
Summary:
The speaker used interns as a form of rent payment and conducted user experience research by giving the app to Stanford students for feedback.
This research helped in identifying user struggles, leading to continuous improvement of the product. The team actively engages with users to address issues, with 15% of the app's screen dedicated to a button connecting users directly to the founder for assistance.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
Um, and, um, the only times I did pay rent is I would negotiate a three month lease with someone for a house because then I could have interns living in the house with me. And essentially that was their compensation, maybe a little bit towards saving.
Speaker 7
So like, yeah, not, not, not that much.
Speaker 1
Um, but when we lived in Palo Alto, we would go to Stanford every single day and we'd give the app to students and we'd have them like, tear it to shreds.
Speaker 2
And it was so emotionally difficult because you're spending all your time for years trying to make this thing work well.
Speaker 4
And you're like, I can't believe you clicked on that button. I can't believe you can't.
Speaker 2
Don't you see there's a play button right there? Like why are you not clicking the button?
Speaker 7
You're supposed to click.
Speaker 4
Um, and so a lot of it was just user experience research.
Speaker 2
And even today the designers of speechify have so many calls with users just to figure out…
Continuous Growth and Innovation in Audiobook Platform
Summary:
The company is consistently hiring top engineers and expanding its team by bringing in founders like Tyler, Rojampovlori, and Regive.
They have launched audiobooks with various unique features, such as a Chrome extension that has been the number one app in its category, an iOS app leading in its category, and a mobile Safari extension. The company has introduced famous voices like Gwyneth Paltrow, Snoop Dogg, and is planning to add Mr. Beast's voice.
Despite the dominance of Gmail and Google Docs, the company's audiobook platform is gaining popularity and becoming the go-to app for audiobook purchases.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
And all this time, Simon and I are constantly hiring engineers like nonstop. We're looking for like the best people in the world to work with. We had more founders join us. Tyler, my brother joined us earlier this year. Rojampovlori, who founded Upsolve, joined us earlier this year. Regive joined us from Amazon. We had led like a hundred person team. Rehailed very similar story. He joined us to lead the web team.
Speaker 8
And we just kept growing and growing and growing and growing and growing.
Speaker 1
And then we launched audiobooks.
Speaker 3
Hmm. Well, yeah, what's the story there?
Speaker 2
So number one, the number, if you look at how the Chrome extension is used, the Chrome extension has now been the number one app in its category for about two and a half years.
Speaker 1…
Innovative Startup Building Steps
Summary:
Building a successful startup involves steps like constantly identifying problems and thinking of solutions, foreseeing future technology trends to create innovative products with less competition, and focusing on simple ideas that can be efficiently built with a sustainable business model.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
So if you played around with stuff like open AI and chat, TPT, very similar to what they've created, but for speech.
Speaker 1
Um, and so a lot of that innovation will launch towards the end of the year.
Speaker 3
I have lots more questions about this speech by stuff. So we've talked about kind of growing the team from basically zero to now, you're about a hundred people, I guess. For most people listening to this, and actually for me as well, can you just give like, if you were to zoom out and just riff on what are the steps to build a startup? Oh, yeah. I say someone's listening to this and they're like, I love the idea of building a building, I'm a building my own startup. I don't want to work for the man. I want to do my own thing. Yeah. I love the idea of like building a product and like making a difference in people's lives and making decent money while doing it and working with a team in real life that sounds sick. Like, what are the steps? Cool.
Speaker 4
First thing is let's go even more meta.
Speaker 6
How do you find the right idea?
Speaker 2
So the first thing is, while you're walking around the world,…
Build Sales Before Product
Summary:
Prioritize closing sales before building a product by getting companies or individuals to pay for it.
If that's challenging, start by collecting emails to gauge interest. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn to generate engagement and interest in the product.
Share the idea publicly to create buzz and attract potential customers.
Focus on building an email list of interested parties, potentially targeting specific niches for better engagement.
By creating and sharing valuable content regularly, a substantial email list can be cultivated before product launch, ensuring a solid customer base.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
And then, um, before building a product, I recommend closing some sales. So either have some companies pay you or some have some individuals pay you.
Speaker 2
And if that's difficult, start by getting them to give you an email.
Speaker 1
So for example, go on LinkedIn and write about what the idea is and say, I'm going to build this, comment your email if you're into it.
Speaker 2
And the nice thing about LinkedIn is any engagement is like a share. So every time someone comments their email, it gets searched in the network. If you have a good enough idea, people will freak out.
Speaker 1
When I was in college, this was my philosophy. When I had like a good idea, I put it out there and you know what the one that the best was, I took a picture of a cheese spray can and said, I'm building sprayable Nutella. This thing got like…
Build an Email List and Create Valuable Content
Summary:
Building an email list is crucial for success, whether selling to businesses or consumers.
By creating engaging content for a specific audience, such as people with dyslexia, and sending regular emails with valuable resources, one can cultivate a large following. Additionally, starting to build the product concurrently while capturing emails is essential.
It's not necessary to have a website; Google Sheets can suffice for creating most web products.
For instance, find me scholarships.com successfully utilized an API to identify top freelancers on Upwork.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
This thing got like 200 organic shares on Facebook back in the day. And so much engagement. I was like, I will sell it for $15. Comment if you want the first batch.
Speaker 7
Everybody wanted sprayable in the teller.
Speaker 6
So just do that.
Speaker 2
Like write them out at Twitter, write them out on LinkedIn and then get people to sign up for an email list.
Speaker 1
What I should have done, um, we should basically did, but I could have done it more is made an email list for people with dyslexia and like parents of kids with dyslexia and sent out an email
Speaker 2
Every day or every week with all the resources that I had made a video every day or every week. And by the time I started selling my product, I would have had an email list of a hundred thousand people.
Speaker 4
That would have been amazing.
Speaker 1
I basically did…
Start with Content Creation and Build with Google Sheets
Summary:
Begin by creating content to capture email addresses, whether targeting businesses or consumers.
Simultaneously, or shortly after, start building the product using tools like Google Sheets. Products can be efficiently developed, even web-based, using Google Sheets without needing a traditional website.
For instance, 'find me scholarships.com' utilized Google Sheets to generate personalized scholarship suggestions based on user data.
By using Google Sheets to manage tasks, track virtual assistants, and run the entire company, one can avoid wasting time on complex databases.
Payment collection can be simple, such as using Venmo or PayPal requests for American users.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
So, um, whether it's selling to businesses or selling to consumers, start by creating content around it. Email list is the easiest one. You can also do a YouTube channel. You can post about it on LinkedIn regularly, whatever it might be, but capture people's emails.
Speaker 1
That's number one. Once you've done that or concurrently with doing that, but definitely not. This is the second step. This is the first step.
Speaker 5
Start building your product.
Speaker 2
Um, you can build 90% of web products on Google sheets.
Speaker 1
We don't need a website. What do you mean? Um, I'll give you an example.
Speaker 2
So this thing about find me scholarships.com. Um, we use an API to automatically, automatically identify the…
Lead Generation is Key Before Product Development
Summary:
The key advice is that lead generation is crucial before starting to build a product.
It is important to generate leads before investing time in product development. One should consider what the basic version of the product would look like, even suggesting creating it in Google Sheets to get a clearer vision.
The emphasis on continuous improvement and polishing of ideas is highlighted, as demonstrated by the practice of repeatedly rebuilding the app and onboarding process.
It is essential to focus on refining the concept and gathering feedback before investing heavily in product development, as demonstrated by pitching a sketch of the product for feedback before building the actual product.
Transcript:
Speaker 3
Um, it's interesting to say that. So I was in, I was in Pakistan for the last two weeks and I was on a road trip with one of my cousins who's trying to build his own startup. And we were talking about his struggles and he spent two years building the product before reaching out to anyone and doing any kind of conversations or any kind of sales thing or anything Like that. And so the advice I was giving him to him as well was a, everything is downstream with lead generation. Like you've got to generate the leads before you even build a thing. And secondly, I asked him the exact question, what does the Google sheets version of your product look like? And he was like, his mind was blown. He was like, I've…
Focus on Marketing and Feedback
Summary:
Rebuilding and polishing the product multiple times is crucial, not necessarily building on various platforms.
It is essential to focus on marketing strategies and obtaining feedback early on in product development. Dedicate time to lead generation and acquiring users, with YouTube being highlighted as a beneficial customer acquisition funnel.
Transcript:
Speaker 3
And he was like, his mind was blown. He was like, I've just never thought in that way before. He thought he was building an iOS app, he's building an Android app, porting it to web app as well, also that he could then show the people he's trying to pitch the idea to two years later That I will rebuild this thing and it's really good for you. And I think, yeah, just building in Google sheets.
Speaker 1
The other thing that is sad and will blow people's minds negatively is, look, I've rebuilt the app at least 50 times.
Speaker 2
I've rebuilt the onboarding at least a thousand, like, or someone that the team did.
Speaker 1
Um, it's just a matter of like a levels of polish. You got to polish, polish, polish, polish.
Speaker 4
And to show people the idea, he didn't need to build an iOS app. He could have sketched it on a piece of paper with a pencil.
Speaker 1
That's what I did with board break. I would pitch people literally the sketch. And then later after they gave me a lot of feedback, I built the actual product.
Speaker 4
Um, so like you said, everything is…
Building a Successful Business
Summary:
Success in building a business requires more than just creating a good product or service.
It is essential to dedicate time and effort to attracting users to your platform, leveraging tools like YouTube, search engine optimization, and app store optimization. Developing a strong business strategy, creating a competitive advantage, and surrounding yourself with the best talent are crucial aspects.
To succeed as a founder, focus on personal growth by being well-read, working harder than others, and being persuasive to inspire others to buy into your vision.
Transcript:
Speaker 5
And it is not the case that if you build it, they will come. If you build a good website, if you build a good app, people will not come to your app or website, figure out how you're going to make them come.
Speaker 2
Half of your time can go to building the product, but at least half of your time should be figuring out how people will come to use your product. Yeah. Um, by the way, one of the amazing things that YouTube provides is a huge free billboard that if you have videos that convert, i.e.
Speaker 5
They have good retention and they have good click through rates, you will get more users.
Speaker 4
And so YouTube is an amazing customer acquisition funnel.
Speaker 2
Same thing for search engine optimization. Same thing for app store optimization, right?
Speaker 1
Choose which one you are picking and then go down that rabbit hole.
Speaker 4
Um, and…
Build a Strong Founder and Inspiring Leader
Summary:
To succeed in business, focus on specializing in one area such as search engine optimization or app store optimization.
Developing monopolistic tendencies can make it more challenging for competitors to keep up, making it crucial to have a strong business strategy with a unique value proposition. At the core of a successful business are the people involved, with the key takeaway being to surround yourself with the best talent possible.
As a founder, it is essential to continuously improve yourself, be persuasive in sharing your vision, and inspire others to work with you.
Success as a leader comes from being an inspiring figure that people want to collaborate with, even if they may not fully believe in the business idea initially.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
Same thing for search engine optimization. Same thing for app store optimization, right?
Speaker 1
Choose which one you are picking and then go down that rabbit hole.
Speaker 4
Um, and then the next level is strategy. Okay. If you have a business with a moat where you have monopolistic tendencies where the big, you get the more challenging it is to compete with you.
Speaker 1
That's a really good feature to have in the business. And then after that, at the end of the day, a company, the definition of the word is a collection of people.
Speaker 5
The best people in the world should be working with you. That is the most important thing, the most important thing.…
Leadership is Inspiring Collaboration and Delivering on Promises
Summary:
A good leader inspires collaboration by being able to make people believe in them, even if they initially do not believe in the idea.
By consistently delivering on promises and showcasing a track record of accomplishing tasks that seem impossible, a leader can build a reputation that attracts a strong team. The key to effective leadership is also recognizing and nurturing the potential in others before they recognize it themselves, which ultimately leads to success.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
Um, and that's part of what it takes to be a good leader, right? People will need to be inspired to want to collaborate with you. And so a lot of the people who joined speaker for especially in the early days didn't necessarily believe in the idea, but they did believe in me, which I'm very lucky to have people around
Speaker 1
Me who, um, believed in me. Um, but it was also because I built 36 seven products and like I'd say, I'm going to do this and then like a week later, it was done. And I have a lot of people who joined speaker five who told me, look, I didn't join initially, but you told me that you were going to do this.
Speaker 5
And then a week later, it was done.
Speaker 2
And then you told me you were going to do this and then a month later, it was so many times you said you were going to do something that I thought was impossible.
Speaker 4
And then it happened, right? You and I met a while ago.…
Steps to Achieve Success and the Importance of Hard Work
Summary:
To achieve success, focus on innovative technology, target a monopolistic business, become the best, validate market demand, prioritize lead generation, and recognize potential in people.
Successful individuals often sacrifice work-life balance in the early days for extraordinary results, emphasizing the importance of continuous hard work and dedication to attain exceptional outcomes.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
And so I think that, um, to summarize, um, look at a technology that either did not exist or doesn't exist yet, but will in the next three years, find a business that ideally is monopolistic In the long term, make yourself the best person that you can be validate that people will pay for it, figure out how to build lead generation before you build the product and see the greatest Of the people before they see it in themselves. Those are the steps.
Speaker 3
Okay. So everyone I've ever seen interviewed on this podcast about growing the business or their YouTube channel, whatever the thing might be, has had a period of time generally in the early Days where if you ask them, how's your work life balance? They would have said what work life balance. And a lot of these people as they get older and they become more successful and they become multimillionaires at that point, they're like, well, you know, work life balance is important. And it becomes a kind of luxury belief to be like, take care of yourself, et…
Extraordinary Inputs for Extraordinary Results
Summary:
Success is often linked to being more successful than others, whether through attention or financial gains.
Extraordinary results necessitate extraordinary efforts, with exponential returns to additional work hours rather than diminishing returns. By investing more time and effort into research and innovation, one can stay ahead of the competition in customer acquisition, which is a zero-sum game with a finite number of impressions to win.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
Well, if you look at the sentence structure, you used six, what a success mean there, right?
Speaker 1
And so implicitly success means you are hypothetically more successful than other people. Either you have more attention, you make more money, whatever it might be. So extraordinary results require extraordinary inputs. And the thing that people typically glaze over is the fact that if you work 100 hours a week instead of 50, there is not diminishing, but exponential returns to the additional hour. Oh, okay. Tell me more.
Speaker 3
Because my intuition on this would be diminishing returns. Because in some places, that is the case. Yeah. You would think that, oh, you're, you're 99 towers less productive than your 31st hour. Cool.
Speaker 1
Let's talk about ads for a second. I went down the rabbit hole in ads. And I found the arbitrage. I figured out where to run ads, how to run ads in a way that other people did not.
Speaker 6
So while everybody else is…
Success Through Surrounding Yourself with Motivated and High-Performing Individuals
Summary:
Success is achieved by surrounding yourself with highly motivated and high-performing individuals who constantly push themselves to excel in their fields.
By being surrounded by such individuals, one is inspired to match and exceed their efforts, leading to personal growth and success. This environment of continuous improvement and learning is crucial for achieving success in various domains, as demonstrated by the dedication and passion shown by the individuals in the organization described.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
Then you're very unbeatable. Then it's very, very hard because like everything I told you about me and performance marketing, Tyler's doing the same thing for AI. Tyler every day is spending like a hundred hours a week doing math and programming after having skipped four and a half years of math in high school and done a math undergrad and a masters In AI where he got like a 98 percentile and all the assignments.
Speaker 2
And now he hired eight other people like him and tried to just doing the same thing on product and Simon's doing the same thing operations and but how's doing the same thing on finance And we're even we're here doing the same thing on engineering, right? And Roman is doing the same thing on it. Kai on the back end platform.
Speaker 7
So we and you know, Rohan is doing that on SEO and growth.
Speaker 2
And so we've had like there's 20 people in the…
Maximizing Love, Creating Value, and Pursuing Freedom
Summary:
The insights from the snip focus on prioritizing love in family, friends, and significant other relationships, creating value in the world to enhance the quality of life of similar individuals like those with dyslexia or ADHD, using technology for this purpose, ensuring money does not dictate decisions to feel freedom, engaging in hobbies like parkour for happiness, setting goals in music, fitness, and personal development such as body weight and bench press targets.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
Number two is I want to maximize the love in my life, whether it be my family, my friends, significant other.
Speaker 1
Number three is to create as much value in the world as possible and elevate the collective quality of life.
Speaker 2
Ideally from people who are similar to me. People with dyslexia, ADHD, low vision, et cetera. And the biggest way I can do that in the short term is with technology. Those are like the top ones. And then obviously I want to be, I want money to not govern my decision making.
Speaker 1
So feel freedom, right? And freedom is not just that. Like I practice parkour.
Speaker 5
It's like a mix of gymnastics and martial arts.
Speaker 4
Anything that I want to do, like I want to be able to like jump on that and do a front flip, like I can do that. That makes me happy.
Speaker 1
I want to do a round off back hands, bring double back flip. I can do that. That makes me happy. But I can't do a…
Comprehensive Goal Setting Process
Summary:
Success is defined by a set of personal achievements, including having friends play songs one has written at parties, physical fitness goals, and specific benchmarks like body weight and body fat percentage.
The core of this individual's success definition is evolving over time. Their goal-setting process involves a quarterly three-day retreat with a group of friends where they meticulously list goals across seven categories: love, adventure, music, spirituality, intellectual curiosity, business, fitness, and goals for loved ones.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
Like I want to have five songs that I have written that my friends play at parties because they like the songs because I like music and you know, I want that's like a thing on my list.
Speaker 1
And like I'm very much of a student, like I want to be 185 pounds, 13% body fat.
Speaker 5
And I want to have like a bunch of like goals around like how much I want to bench press or whatever.
Speaker 2
But the first three things are what success means to me.
Speaker 1
Yeah. And that has evolved over time.
Speaker 3
What's your process for goal setting? I asked because you sent me a screenshot of one of your Google sheets. I was just blown away by how how intentional and how systematic you seem to be about setting goals. And I've never been particularly systematic about setting goals. So I feel like, yeah, I'd love to learn from you.
Speaker 1
What's your process here? So the first…
Detailed Goal Setting and Planning for the Future
Summary:
The speaker utilizes a detailed goal-setting system by categorizing goals by age up to 200, including milestones like marriage and kids.
They list specific actions and resources needed to achieve each goal, such as buying protein powder, finding coaches, and setting up FaceTime lessons. Financial planning is crucial, with the speaker calculating the costs associated with each goal and targeting income accordingly for future years.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
I just have two notebooks in my backpack and I write out my goals and my thoughts and I process my goals and Google sheets that I save offline.
Speaker 7
So I update them.
Speaker 1
And so like, you know, one month from now, and the way that I typically do it is I'll instead of like one month, three month, if it's like I'm close to being, you know, whatever age I'm next,
Speaker 2
I'll fix it to that age.
Speaker 1
That's one.
Speaker 2
Two, I had a goal system I used in the past.
Speaker 1
I used the same similar categories, but I broke it down by age, like 2726, whatever, all the way up until 200. I think I want to live to be 200. And I even included like when I'm going to get married, what I'm going to have my first second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh kid, when I'll have my grandkids. And I wrote out all my goals and then I wrote, how can I achieve those goals?
Speaker 2
So for example, I wrote, okay, I want to be able to do like a Webster, which is like…
The Importance of Dreaming for Goal Setting
Summary:
Dreaming is a crucial skill for motivation and goal setting.
Setting and committing to a goal involves keeping it on a list until it's accomplished or intentionally removed. Breaking down the goal into smaller increments helps in achieving it.
Dreaming is inspired by various sources, such as fantasy books and admired personalities like Malala's father and Teddy Roosevelt, which shape the desired traits and values one aspires to embody.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
So like I'm trying to figure out how to actually wordsmith that so that it makes sense.
Speaker 4
Um, and so yeah, enough people learn about the goal and then I'm committed to it, but also it's on my sheet. It never goes off my sheet.
Speaker 1
And the only way it gets off my sheet is either I accomplish it or I decided I don't want to do it anymore. And it's almost never the case that I've decided I did not want to do something that I put on my sheet.
Speaker 3
So you break the goal down into it. Is it that you start off with like the 10 year goal and you break it down into the one month and so on? Or is it like, like, well, how are you, how are you doing this? Okay.
Speaker 6
So such a good question.
Speaker 2
So a lot of it is like, where's the goal even coming from to begin with? And so the most important scale in all of this, the most important skill for motivation for goal setting is you need to hone the ability to dream.
Speaker 1
And for me, it came…
Work Hard and Persist with Self-Forgiveness
Summary:
Persistence and hard work can make people stand out, even when others may not recognize it initially.
Setting ambitious goals but being forgiving towards oneself when they are not achieved is crucial. By constantly resetting goals and not internalizing self-punishment, individuals can progress towards their objectives with determination.
Transcript:
Speaker 6
I will be the only person who worked this hard on the song and the solo, the audition happened and I didn't get it.
Speaker 2
But it was so clear to the people who ran the choir that I had outworked everybody else in the room. They just gave me another solo.
Speaker 1
And they realized that my personality was so tenacious that actually there's a certain MC acting role that they just like automatically started to give me to me. And then I started winning some of the solos because I was practicing so hard. And by the way, interestingly enough, that's exactly what we talked about before, when you just are willing to work harder than everybody else, people notice and you collect all the
Speaker 2
Space that there is where no one else is willing to go.
Speaker 1
Right? That arbitrage. And so I literally I picked it up when I was a kid, do inquire.
Speaker 3
How do you think about the balance between like self improvement versus self acceptance?
Speaker 5
Wow.
Speaker 1
Um, okay. I actually have a very strong thesis around this too.
Speaker 2
I said very…
Building Habits and Mechanisms for Success
Summary:
Setting goals is important in life, including in overcoming obstacles and injuries.
Despite facing challenges, it is essential to focus on taking actions that aid in healing and improvement. Acknowledging weaknesses, such as struggling with sleep, and creating habits and mechanisms to address them, like storing technology in a safe before bedtime and setting usage limits, can lead to success, particularly in areas where self-control is lacking.
Transcript:
Speaker 4
You'll have dyslexia, you'll be short, you'll get injured.
Speaker 2
Um, you know, I had a bunch of goals around weightlifting and I injured my shoulder and for a year, I couldn't really lift and I couldn't really train tricking, but that's okay.
Speaker 1
I'm not mad at myself, but did I do my best to heal myself?
Speaker 2
Did I go to every doctor who can help me? Did I ice my shoulder? Did I do the stretches?
Speaker 5
Absolutely.
Speaker 1
Um, but, uh, this is like, uh, uh, it's not fair for me to talk about the things that I'm good at. Let's talk about the things I'm bad at. I'm so bad at going to sleep. I have no desire to go to sleep.
Speaker 2
I'm so excited to wake up and I don't want to go to sleep because there's so many things I'm interested in doing.
Speaker 1
I felt guilty for not doing the things I was supposed to do, specifically go to sleep. So what I did is I got a safe and I locked my phone on my computer in the safe every night…
Creating Habits to Manage ADHD
Summary:
Establishing deliberate habits and mechanisms like using a safe to lock away technology at night, setting restrictions on technology use after midnight, and avoiding indulging in potentially harmful activities like drinking alcohol or smoking weed, can help individuals with ADHD manage challenges related to executive functioning and dopamine regulation in the brain.
Transcript:
Speaker 2
I'm so excited to wake up and I don't want to go to sleep because there's so many things I'm interested in doing.
Speaker 1
I felt guilty for not doing the things I was supposed to do, specifically go to sleep. So what I did is I got a safe and I locked my phone on my computer in the safe every night before I was bed and I put an eight hour timer on it. And then I configured my computer and my phone, just everything locks at midnight, except for Google Maps and Uber.
Speaker 2
And I just can't use technology after midnight. I have no choice. I can either play guitar or journal or go to sleep.
Speaker 9
That's it.
Speaker 2
Um, and so in the places where I'm not good, especially because I have ADHD at self control, I just set up habits and mechanisms that make it so that I can't fail.
Speaker 1
For the same reason I don't drink alcohol, I don't smoke weed.
Speaker 2
I just don't indulge in things that are dangerous to me and my personality.
Speaker 3
What's the deal with ADHD?
Speaker 4
Um, so attention deficit disorder.
Speaker 1
It is…
Optimizing Daily Caloric Intake for Protein Consumption
Summary:
To maintain a daily intake of 2,100 calories, it's important to focus on macronutrients like protein, fat, and carbs.
Fat is not inherently bad and has more calories per gram than protein and carbs. The key formula is grams of protein per day times four plus grams of carbs per day times four plus grams of fat per day times nine equals 2,100 calories.
Consuming around 1.3 grams of protein per pound of body weight is recommended, which equates to approximately 200 grams of protein per day.
It's suggested to include protein shakes and meals rich in protein like chicken breast to meet the daily protein intake goal.
Transcript:
Speaker 5
Uh, someone like me, it'll be like 2,300 calories a day.
Speaker 1
Let's imagine there's 2,100 calories a day, including the type of normal walking, whatever you would do.
Speaker 2
Um, first you want to break down macronutrients. So the macronutrients are protein, fat and carbs. Fat does not make you fat. It's just more calorically dense. So in one gram of protein, there is four calories in, uh, one gram of fat. There is nine calories and in one gram of carbs, there is four calories. Um, so the equation is grams of protein per day times four plus grams of carbs per day times four plus grams of fat per day times nine equals 2,100. Cool. You want to eat roughly 1.3 grams of protein per pound of body weight. That's at least what's worked the best for me.
Speaker 1
So you don't…
Progressive Overload, Nutritional Tracking, and Experimenting with Diet
Summary:
Consistency in weightlifting with progressive overload is crucial for mental health.
Tracking protein intake using apps like MyFitnessPal can provide intuitive insights. Utilizing glucose monitoring apps can track insulin spikes to optimize diet.
Experimenting with an elimination diet can help identify food sensitivities and improve energy levels.
Using apps like Strong Lifts or Sets can assist in tracking workout progress, with recommended exercises like squats, bench press, and pull ups for men.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
I lift every single day because I love it and it's great for my mental health. Um, most important is to progressively overload.
Speaker 2
Uh, so add the weight over time and track your workouts.
Speaker 1
So how do you figure out if you're eating 200 grams of protein per day, download my fitness pal.
Speaker 5
It's an amazing app and track your food at least for two weeks.
Speaker 4
It'll give you an incredible intuitive sense of how you're doing.
Speaker 6
If you really want to be hardcore about it, hardcore about it.
Speaker 2
And if earlier when I talked about like how to dream and motivation and whatever, you were like fitness, fitness, fitness and you read, get a glucose monitor. There's like three apps that are like amazing for this.
Speaker 1
Track your thing there and you'll see when insulin spikes and then just make sure that you're eating the right things.…
Control Your Body with Confidence
Summary:
Understanding your body's needs by following personalized instructions can lead to fat loss and muscle gain.
Establishing accountability with a motivated partner, regardless of their current physical state, can boost your motivation. Simplify meal planning and preparation by batch cooking ahead for the week using tools like an instant pot, making it convenient and effortless to stick to a healthy eating routine.
Transcript:
Speaker 9
Just how it works.
Speaker 4
Um, and you know, even inside the team, just like, like I feel like I can protect people better.
Speaker 2
Like it is good feeling.
Speaker 5
Um, it definitely helps with internal confidence. Um, and like, implicitly it is good. It's, it's good. It feels good.
Speaker 6
Um, it's also very nice to know that you can control what your body does.
Speaker 2
Like a lot of people don't have this part of their life figured out and it causes them a lot of stress and it shouldn't.
Speaker 5
It is legitimately, legitimately.
Speaker 2
Math, you just do a math of what your body needs and then just follow those instructions and you will immediately lose fat and gain muscle.
Speaker 4
That's it.
Speaker 6
That's it.
Speaker 4
And like everything else, get an accountability buddy, live with someone who is as motivated as you. It doesn't matter if they're further along.
Speaker 2
They can be obese. As long as they are motivated, you will be motivated. Go to the gym with them,…
Take Control of Your Body
Summary:
Controlling your body is achievable through understanding its needs, which can lead to losing fat and gaining muscle.
Partnering with a motivated individual can boost your own motivation. Planning and preparing meals in advance can make staying on track easier, like cooking multiple chicken breasts at once and storing them for the week using an instant pot.
Experimenting with different spices can enhance the flavor of your meals while maintaining a healthy diet.
Transcript:
Speaker 6
Um, it's also very nice to know that you can control what your body does.
Speaker 2
Like a lot of people don't have this part of their life figured out and it causes them a lot of stress and it shouldn't.
Speaker 5
It is legitimately, legitimately.
Speaker 2
Math, you just do a math of what your body needs and then just follow those instructions and you will immediately lose fat and gain muscle.
Speaker 4
That's it.
Speaker 6
That's it.
Speaker 4
And like everything else, get an accountability buddy, live with someone who is as motivated as you. It doesn't matter if they're further along.
Speaker 2
They can be obese. As long as they are motivated, you will be motivated. Go to the gym with them, cook with them. Oh, one thing I used to do all the time is I got this thing called an instapot. I got the biggest one. It cost me $60. I went to Trader Joe's and I would buy a pack of chicken, not a pack, three packs of chicken every Sunday and I would just…
Thriving Characteristics
Summary:
The key factors observed in people who thrive include being in long-term committed relationships, taking care of health, actively learning and growing, contributing to the world, maintaining an open mind with childlike wonder, and curiosity.
By thinking about life goals and financial needs with a practical exercise, one can determine the amount of money required to lead a fulfilling life.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
Uh, by the way, uh, I was recently at an event where there was like, Elon Musk was there, like the CEOs of like 30 of the top 500 companies in the world were there.
Speaker 2
Um, you know, a bunch of authors that we know and love.
Speaker 5
Um, the people who were the happiest, almost all con from Khan Academy, who I really admire.
Speaker 1
Um, and by and large, just people who have been in long term, committed relationships, um, and people who take really good care of their health. Um, I think that those are the things that I saw have the highest correlation with human thriving. Um, and then you just got to make sure that you're actively, actively learning, uh, and growing and ideally contributing to the world and keep an open mind and like have childlike wonder And curiosity.
Speaker 2
Um, and so just thinking about money as like literally, this is like the best exercise to do from the four hour work.
Speaker 1
We sit down, write that once you're learning your life.
Speaker 4
Do you want three kids, five kids, seven kids?…
Financial Planning Based on Life Goals
Summary:
Calculate the income needed for monthly expenses by adding up the costs of rent, food, and leisure activities.
Determine the total annual income required by multiplying the monthly expenses by 12. Plan for future financial goals like saving for a house down payment and a ring by setting specific financial targets for each age milestone.
Reflect on personal experiences to realize that happiness doesn't always increase with higher income, as the most happiness was felt when experiencing significant life changes and intellectual stimulation.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
So I need 750 and then I pay about $250 a month for food, let's say, and other I'm going to say, cool, I need $1,500 per month.
Speaker 4
So multiply that times 12 and that's post taxes. That's how much income that I need. Great. Let's imagine that by the age of 30, 26, I want to live on my own and I want to live in like Manhattan.
Speaker 1
So I need $3,500 per rent. Um, and I'm actually going to pay $1,000 a week for food because I'm going to go out with friends a lot and I'm gotten really into guitar and there's like a bunch of guitars I want to buy and I'm going to go to festivals, whatever. Cool. All right. Little by little, that cost grows. And by the time of 30, I want to have enough money for a ring and I want to start saving up for a down payment for a house.
Speaker 6
Cause when I'm 33, I'm going to put 200,000 down on a house and this and this and that.…
True Happiness comes from Growth and Relationships
Summary:
True happiness is not solely linked to financial success, but rather to personal growth, learning, and being pushed outside one's comfort zone.
The speaker recalls the happiest time of their life was during college when they were surrounded by interesting people and new experiences. They emphasize the importance of continuously growing and learning, as well as investing in relationships with loved ones.
Success in life, for the speaker, is measured by the number of meaningful conversations and expressions of love shared, highlighting the significance of building lasting relationships in finding happiness and fulfillment.
Transcript:
Speaker 3
Have you noticed that as you've made more money, you've become happier.
Speaker 5
Great question.
Speaker 2
No, the happiest I've ever was, and I could tell you exactly how this works. Is when I was 18 years old and I for the first time set foot at Brown University.
Speaker 4
And everyone was interesting and interested.
Speaker 1
I got to take classes and things that I was very curious about. And my people from all over the world, the rate of change of my life was massive because I was bored in high school. And every year it was amazing, but it was slightly less exciting. And then now I'm super excited because I live with a lot of people who I love.
Speaker 2
It took a long while to reproduce that college experience in real life. I find that for me, I feel the most…
Measure Success by Love and Relationships
Summary:
Success in life can be measured not by the difficult conversations you have, but by the number of conversations ending with 'I love you'.
Building lasting relationships and investing in people you love is crucial. Regularly reaching out and expressing love to friends, family, and team members increases happiness and security.
Money can provide a sense of security, but the equation for happiness lies in managing expectations versus outcomes.
Transcript:
Speaker 6
That's what makes me happy.
Speaker 1
That in building new and lasting relationships and investing in relationships with people that I love, like, you know, Tim Ferriss is a great line. Your success in life can be measured by the number of difficult conversations you're going to have.
Speaker 2
The version of that that I have is your success in life can be measured by the number of conversations you finish with I love you.
Speaker 1
That's a lot, in my opinion, more important because that's how I define success.
Speaker 4
And so I call people who I love all the time and I check in on them.
Speaker 1
Right? Today, I messaged probably like five, six different people. Hey, man, just wanted to check in. How's it going? Love you. Members of my team, friends, people I haven't seen for like a year or two, family members.
Speaker 2
And I'll call people out at the blue all the time. If I'm in a new where, I'm calling someone unless I'm like really into miss born at…
Self-directed Goals and Growth for Success
Summary:
Setting self-directed goals, such as creating music that friends enjoy, and focusing on personal growth rather than external judgments can lead to greater fulfillment.
Money can contribute to happiness up to a certain point, but true joy comes from personal development and achieving outstanding results through exceptional effort and a strong team.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
And so one important thing, by the way, we phrased one of my goals as a result of Valentin, I had a goal to have a song that I write be in the top 100 charts. It's Spotify.
Speaker 7
And that's shifted.
Speaker 2
So I want to write a song that my friends play at parties because they want to.
Speaker 6
And ideally, I'd want to be like five songs like that.
Speaker 4
Or even like a song that I want to play at parties for my friends. Yeah.
Speaker 2
Like see if you can put your goals and make them self directed and self judged as opposed to externally judged.
Speaker 4
And so that rate of growth is really important.
Speaker 1
And, you know, there's a study that came out that money up until $75,000 a year makes you happier. And then after that, there's dimension, martial returns.
Speaker 5
I see that as relatively true.
Speaker 1
I don't think the number is $75,000 a year now. It's probably like 150, 200, 250.
Speaker 5
That's a lot of money. It's very difficult to make that amount of money.
Speaker 1
Another reason why it's good to learn computer…
Episode AI notes
1. Empower others through skill development and education to provide opportunities for success, especially for individuals lacking access to resources.
2. Innovation and value-driven creation are key to building a product that solves a crucial problem and attracts diverse users.
3. Persistence and continuous improvement are essential for overcoming challenges and achieving success, focusing efforts in one direction to make substantial progress.
4. Learning how to code is valuable for founders, providing essential tools for critical thinking and success in building technology-driven products.
5. Effective leadership inspires collaboration, delivers on promises, and recognizes and nurtures the potential in others for collective success.
6. Goal setting is crucial for success, with a detailed categorization process and planning for the future to achieve personal milestones.
7. Building habits and mechanisms, seeking continuous improvement, and managing ADHD challenges can lead to success in personal growth and overcoming obstacles.
8. Financial planning based on life goals and measuring success by love and relationships rather than solely financial gains leads to true happiness and fulfillment.
