I sat down with Daniel Astleford, a CPA and the owner of a unique fireworks business. In this episode, Daniel shares how he manages both a remote CPA firm and a fireworks stand business in Texas. We discuss the unexpected opportunities and the hurdles that come with acquiring and scaling seasonal businesses, the challenges of working with silent partners, and the ins and outs of running a fireworks business legally. Links and Actions:Learn more about Daniel's Fireworks Business: https://...

Become a Certified Sleep Consultant: https://tkopod.co/sleepI sat down with Jayne Havens, the founder of The Snoozefest.com. In this episode, Jayne shares her journey from being a stay-at-home mom to becoming a certified sleep consultant, running a highly successful business that helps parents get their children to sleep better. We talk about how she turned her skills into a successful business. She also shares the details of her sleep consulting services and how she is training others to fol...

HoldCo Bros are back! Nik and I sit down to continue our discussion from last week (check out Part 1 - Episode #92 if you missed it!). In this episode, we continue brainstorming cool business ideas, like how to capitalize on website change monitoring for arbitrage and creating a tax Sherpa concept for entrepreneurs. We also do our "marry, date, or kill" segment to assess which of these ideas are worth pursuing, testing, or dropping.Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnikTime...

I sat down with Alex Nelson (https://x.com/weddingvenueguy), the owner of The Midnight Gem, a successful wedding venue in Swisher, Iowa. In this episode, we talk about how he went from concept to pre-booking $300,000 in weddings before construction was even completed. We also discuss how he achieved his $800,000+ annual revenue, how he differentiated his venue from the typical Iowa barns, and his approach to scaling profits with events beyond weddings. Timestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch th...

I sat down with Connor Gross (https://x.com/c_gro), for Part 2 of our discussion on creative business ideas. If you haven't listened to Part 1 (Episode #90), go check it out to get the full context!In this episode, we talk about a "hole in one" challenge business in New Zealand that makes use of a lakeside setup to bring in around $650,000 in annual revenue. We also talk about how games of skill can be turned into sustainable business models, including franchise opportunities. Lastly, we came...

HoldCo Bros are back! Nik and I discuss four exciting ideas, but in this first part, we talk about two main ideas: growing a subreddit as a powerful business tool and a creative business-in-a-box solution for wantrepreneurs. We talk about how to effectively use Reddit as a growth hack, including automation tools like Zapier and AI, and also brainstorm a comprehensive package for those starting side hustles, but this is only Part 1 - stay tuned for the Part 2 next week!Learn more about Nik her...

I sat down with Korey McDavid, founder of Juiced Fuel (https://juicedfuel.com/), to discuss the ins and outs of the mobile fuel delivery business. Korey shares how he came up with the idea, how he launched with under $100,000, and what it takes to manage a business that's breaking new ground in personal and marine fuel delivery. We also talk about the challenges of building a custom app, securing the first customers, and scaling.Timestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch this on YouTube instead here: t...

I sat down with Connor Gross (https://x.com/c_gro), a familiar face on the podcast, to dive into some exciting new ideas and business strategies. We talked about productivity and how to truly gauge an employee's work speed, the challenges of the candle industry (since Connor’s dad owns a big candle business in New Jersey), and some innovative concepts for tackling these markets. This conversation was so packed with insights that we had to split it into two episodes! Make sure to tune in next ...

HoldCo Bros are back! Nik and I talk about three ideas in this episode, following up from Episode #86. We cover GPT for Google Sheets, a creative dating idea, and Water Finds. Plus, we play our 'marry, date, or kill' game to decide which idea we’d pursue, test, or drop. It's a fun, insightful episode, so be sure to share, like, and subscribe!Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnikTimestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-ytAsk me a question o...

This is part four - THE FINAL PART of 'Every Business I've Ever Started'If you want even more business ideas, check out the previous episodes to hear about every business in episode #14, 21 and 79.Timestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-ytAsk me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-askLearn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjkLearn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cofFollow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-xFree weekly busi...

I sat down with Shannon Houchin, the founder of Roadside Republic. In this episode, we discuss the incredible business model of roadside produce stands, which Shannon scaled to over 100 locations in her first summer, generating impressive revenue with minimal overhead. We highlight why this business works so well, including its low startup costs (around $200), high margins (up to 70%), and lack of lease requirements or heavy regulation. Shannon shares the tactics she used, from finding the pe...

HoldCo Bros are back! Nik and I talk about three topics today. First, an update on our perfume vending machine business, now called Side Vending, as we expand to new vending machine concepts. It’s been a wild journey, and we’ve got some crazy stories to share.Then, we break down the recent shutdown of a company called The Pro’s Closet and discuss how you can monetize other companies’ email lists - 300,000 email addresses that are going to waste! Finally, we talk about Negotiations as a Servic...

I sat down with Henry O'Brien, founder of SUSO Skate Co., who launched a mobile roller skating business during the COVID pandemic and saw it explode in popularity. In his first three months, Henry made $120k at 30-40% margins, which eventually grew to 70% net margins. Henry sets up mobile roller rinks in malls, parking lots, or any available space, making roller skating accessible to communities everywhere.We talked about his launch strategy, the numbers, user-generated content, PR and market...

I sat down with Sam Unkart, an entrepreneur who’s done it all. From building fences to installing stock tank pools and even launching a sauna and cold plunge facility. In this episode we do three deep dives into each of Sam’s business ventures and learn how he’s tackled different markets and industries.We talked about the fencing and pergola business Sam launched after quitting his corporate job, the booming industry of stock tank pools perfect for millennial backyard parties, and his unique ...

HoldCo Bros are back! Nik and I sat down to share some fun and actionable business ideas. We talk about job board ideas, one funny business idea, AI-generated family photos, and launching an automation agency using Zapier vs Make.com. We also discuss how we’d approach launching a seasonal home service business.Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnikTimestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-ytAsk me a question on or off the show here: http://t...

I sat down with Jason Feller, who went from managing private clubs for 20 years to running his own trash bin cleaning business. Tired of missing his kids' activities, Jason decided to make a change. He invested $48,000 into a trash bin cleaning trailer and now serves 300 recurring customers. We talked about customer acquisition tactics, from leveraging Facebook groups to direct marketing, and the challenges Jason faced transitioning from a career in club management to running his own business...

I sat down with Edward Sturm, a viral growth marketing expert who's known for his Fake Celebrity prank in New York City that went viral with hundreds of millions of views. In this episode, Edward shares a brilliant idea to take over abandoned meetup groups for just $50-$100, giving you access to thousands of free leads and potential customers. We also discuss curious learner bias, unbundling large SaaS tools using AI, and creative ways to grow your business.Learn more about Edward here: https...

HoldCo Bros are back! Nik and I are talking about business ideas and what's happening in our companies. In this episode, we discuss the business potential of Instagram's Close Friends feature, how influencers can use it to boost engagement, and how you could help.We also cover the concept of Negative COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) - acquiring products for free or how you can get paid to acquire products and then sell them- with examples like EcoScraps. We talk about a lake weed removal business st...

This is part three of 'Every Business I've Ever Started' Today, I’m doing something a little different. In this episode, I'm taking each business I've ever started and giving you actionable ideas on how you could start a similar business today. I believe that almost any business idea can be executed at any time, with a bias for action being key. Some ideas work in certain contexts, sure, but most of them are timeless if you put your spin on it. If you want even more business ideas, check out ...

I sat down with my good friend Sam Thompson (https://x.com/ImSamThompson) and in this episode we talk about using AI to clone yourself, clone others, and make money by offering access to those clones. We also cover some cool new digital product opportunities and new tech business ideas. Sam lives in the digital startup world, and he's the perfect balance to our usual guests who focus on physical products or service businesses.Timestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkop...

HoldCo Bros are back! Nik and I talk about electronics recycling and how it's possible to enjoy 100% gross margins in this industry. We also break down the fascinating treasure hunt business, featuring Project Skydrop - a real-world treasure hunt with $27,000 in gold at stake. Plus, we discuss some hacky, kitschy ideas involving guerrilla marketing and Chrome extensions-type ideas that anyone can try.Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnikTimestamps below. Enjoy!---Watc...

I sat down with my good friend and office mate, Stephen Olmon (https://x.com/stephenolmon). Stephen owns a holding company (https://www.severalventures.com) and, like me, is addicted to startups. We talked through a bunch of business ideas, but kept circling back to one in particular: a meeting listening software that detects inappropriate behavior. Imagine a note-taking tool, but one that also identifies issues in real time - turning them into profit opportunities. We also discussed ideas li...

I sat down to discuss an incredible niche business, J&D Lake Services - a pond cleaning company started by college students Declan & Joe. They literally went to Home Depot, bought a garden rake, and began scraping the bottoms of ponds for wealthy homeowners, "raking" in an incredible 75% net margin. Before their entry, pond cleaning companies relied on dumping chemicals, which would harm fish and plants. J&D Lake Services took a different approach: manually removing weeds. It’s ha...

HoldCo Bros are back! Nik and I break down why print shops, despite being capex heavy and often ignored, are actually goldmines. We also talk about starting a GPO (Group Purchasing Organization) for niche industries and how to make money selling pricey widgets to airline manufacturers because you have to be FAA registered.Learn more about Nik here:http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnikTimestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-ytAsk me a question on or off the show her...