We Live to Build

How to Get a VC Partner (Without Giving Up Equity). What if you could get the strategic benefits of a top-tier VC partner—access to their network, help with expansion, and introductions to future investors—all without giving up equity in your startup? That's the power of venture debt. In this deep dive, Paul Ong of Innoven Capital explains how this funding model works, who it's for, and how his firm acts as a true VC partner to their portfolio companies. Learn how this alternative funding method can help you avoid dilution while gaining a powerful ally for growth. Check out the company: https://innovencapital.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - The Third Option for Startup Funding02:30 - A Newfound Respect for the Founder's Grind03:52 - What is Venture Debt?05:45 - A Lender That Acts Like a VC Partner07:53 - Are VCs and Venture Lenders Competitors?09:04 - What Venture Lenders Look For in a Startup11:35 - The Value-Add: Gaining Access to a Powerful Ecosystem15:12 - De-Leveraging: How Venture Debt is Repaid16:31 - How to Justify Debt to Your Equity Investors20:42 - Why Every Founder Needs to Understand Credit23:26 - The Responsibility of Being a Good Partner📈 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.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My 10-Year-Old Son is My Customer Success Associate | A Family Business Story. After leaving his role running a $14B business at Cisco, Rajat Mishra decided to build a startup differently. This is the story of his incredible journey building a true family business, where the company is considered the "third child." Learn his brilliant strategy for de-risking a startup and hear how he integrates his children into his work to create "work-life harmony." This interview is a masterclass for any entrepreneur who wants to build an enduring family business without sacrificing their life. Check out the company: https://prezent.aiBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Why I Quit My $14 Billion Corporate Job03:44 - The "De-Risk" Strategy for Starting a Business06:33 - How We Raised an Oversubscribed $4.3M Round09:24 - "Go Slow to Go Fast": Finding Product-Market Fit12:12 - Our Mission to "Codify Empathy" with AI15:00 - Why "Good Design" Depends on Your Audience17:58 - Living the Entrepreneur's "Hero's Journey"20:55 - "I Sleep Like a Baby: Wake Up Every 2 Hours and Cry"23:36 - The Company is Our "Third Child"26:12 - How My 10-Year-Old Became Our "Success Associate"29:01 - Why We Built "Giving Back" Into Our Business Model31:45 - My Life's Purpose: Building an Enduring Company📈 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.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Your Business Needs a Podcast in 2025. If you're a founder or marketer, this is your sign to finally launch that company show. In this masterclass, award-winning CEO and former NPR producer Anthony Frasier breaks down exactly why your business needs a podcast in 2025. Learn why a business podcast is one of the most effective ways to build trust, establish your brand as an expert, and increase customer purchase intent. Before you record anything, watch this guide to understand the massive ROI of podcasting for business. Check out the company: https://abfc.coBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Why Every Business is Now a Media Company03:42 - Beyond Interviews: The Power of Brand Storytelling06:45 - The #1 Reason Most Business Podcasts Fail09:53 - Should Your Business Start a Podcast?12:59 - The "Bobby Flay Effect": Becoming THE Expert in Your Niche15:56 - How to Plan Your First 10 Episodes19:02 - The Social Media Mistake 99% of Podcasters Make22:11 - The "Sample Table" Strategy for Building Trust25:08 - How to Create Content That's Actually Useful28:11 - What Gear Do You REALLY Need for a Business Podcast?31:14 - The Best (and FREE) Editing Software to Use34:25 - Pro Audio Tips to Make Your Business Sound Amazing37:43 - Choosing the Right Podcast Hosting Platform40:52 - The Ultimate Networking Hack for Founders📈 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.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I Couldn't Empathize With Anyone. Then I Tried Microdosing. For CEO Mark Beneke, a lifelong struggle to empathize with others was holding him back as a leader and a person . In this raw, honest interview, he shares the full story of his year-long microdosing experiment with LSD. Discover how microdosing unlocked a state of 100x focus, but more importantly, how it taught him the empathy he needed to transform his leadership and his relationships . This is a deep dive into the incredible benefits, the lasting effects, and the dark side of his experiment that every curious entrepreneur needs to hear. Check out the company: https://markbeneke.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Why Entrepreneurs Are Turning to Microdosing03:55 - My Year-Long Microdosing Experiment Begins07:05 - "I Had a Problem with Authority"09:58 - This Is What 100x Focus Feels Like12:55 - How Microdosing Finally Taught Me Empathy15:55 - The Positive Effects That Lasted for Years18:56 - Can One Trip Heal 20 Years of Trauma?22:17 - How Increased Empathy Made Me a Better CEO25:11 - Fixing My Most Important Relationships28:09 - The Dark Side: When the Experiment Went Wrong31:03 - The Future: Microdosing Without the Risks?34:04 - A Final Warning Before You Try This📈 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.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Drive-Thrus Failed in China (And Other Insane Localization Stories). Ever wonder why drive-thrus failed in China, a country where most people don't own cars? Or how a major airline accidentally translated its "Fly in Leather" campaign to "Fly Naked"? This interview with GoLocalise CEO David Garcia-Gonzalez is packed with insane localization stories that serve as critical lessons for any founder. Learn the key difference between translation and true localization, and discover the costly mistakes even the biggest brands make when going global. These localization stories are a masterclass in how to expand into new markets the right way. Check out the company: https://godavidgg.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - What is Localization? (It's More Than Translation)03:41 - The #1 Question for Successful Localization06:29 - Localization Story: Why 90s Movie Jokes Didn't Land09:26 - Localization Story: The "Fly Naked" Airline Blunder12:22 - Localization Story: The $2 Billion Chicken Feet Trade15:22 - Why You Can Buy Alcohol at McDonald's in Spain18:10 - Why Drive-Thrus Failed in China21:00 - The Secret to Avoiding Costly Localization Mistakes23:55 - Final Advice for Taking Your Business Global📈 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.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Revenue Went to Zero Overnight. This is How We Survived. This founder story is a masterclass in business survival. In this interview, Coding Nomads Co-Founder Kim Desmond shares how they survived after their in-person travel business revenue went to zero overnight due to the pandemic. Learn about the dramatic decision to evacuate their students from Bali and the strategic business pivot to an online model that ultimately saved their company. This is how we survived. Check out the company: https://codingnomads.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - A Founder Story: Building a Dream in Bali03:53 - The Idea That Became a Global Bootcamp07:04 - The Truth About the Digital Nomad Lifestyle10:05 - Finding Your Community on the Road13:10 - How Travel Makes You a Better Entrepreneur16:14 - The Moment Our Revenue Went to Zero19:29 - The Evacuation: A Test of Survival22:51 - How We Survived: The Pivot to Online25:59 - Stronger Than Before: The Future of Coding Nomads📈 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.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you make sure you're building a product people actually want? You need The Founder's UX Playbook to Prevent Product Failure. In this interview, PlaybookUX CEO and former product manager Lindsay Allard shares her complete playbook for user research. Learn how to ask unbiased questions, the secret to getting brutally honest feedback (even when it's scary), and how to turn messy qualitative data into actionable insights that will save you from building the wrong thing. Check out the company: https://playbookux.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - The Founder's #1 Job: User Research02:10 - Step 1: Finding Your True User Persona05:49 - Step 2: How to Ask Unbiased Questions09:40 - Step 3: Getting Brutally Honest Feedback11:42 - Step 4: Turning Messy Feedback into Actionable Insights17:58 - Step 5: How to Find the RIGHT Users for Feedback20:52 - Step 6: How to Compensate Users for Their Time22:38 - Why Founders Are Scared of User Feedback (And Why You Shouldn't Be)📈 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.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barry Levine is the founder and CEO of Sperry West, a 30-year-old manufacturer of body temperature warning cameras, covert cameras to assist in recording criminal activity and related systems. 00:00 - Guest Introduction01:41 - Get to know Barry05:06 - Selling to the government06:56 - How he partnered with the government09:32 - Downside of working with bigger entities12:08 - Keeping an honest face with other people14:04 - Security with the cloud system18:02 - Pitching Veterans Affairs20:00 - Interesting crimes caught by Barry's cameras27:29 - Benefits of working remotely to reduce theft29:52 - How you're being monitored34:46 - Follow up with Barry👀 Check out the company:https://sperrywest.com✅ Subscribe if you liked this interview:https://youtube.com/@seanweisbrot 🤝 Become a podcast sponsor:https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsor📈 To hire Sean to consult your company:https://calendly.com/wltb/strategy#entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #psychology #business #startup #interview #podcast #welivetobuildLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Corinna Bellizzi is the Founder, Host and Producer and Care More, Be Better, a podcast about social impact and sustainability. She also pioneered the techniques to take a natural product company from $1M to $100M in sales in just a few short years. 00:00 - Guest Introduction01:43 - Get to know Corinna03:08 - Using anthropology to generate sales04:16 - Using programs and systems for consumers07:26 - Selling the importance of Omega 3's10:47 - Corinna's thought process when marketing13:42 - Treating other employees with respect19:59 - Timeline on planning and executing23:09 - Corinna's mentality27:39 - Difference between how men and women operate29:03 - Challenges Corinna faced in her programs31:16 - How to secure shelf space for your product34:23 - Developing a relationship within your industry35:53 - Getting better shelf placement37:26 - Corinna's goals in a company41:39 - Follow up with Corinna 👀 Check out the company:https://caremorebebetter.com✅ Subscribe if you liked this interview:https://youtube.com/@seanweisbrot 🤝 Become a podcast sponsor:https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsor📈 To hire Sean to consult your company:https://calendly.com/wltb/strategy#entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #psychology #business #startup #interview #podcast #welivetobuildLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Loretta Markevics is the Founder/Chief Strategist at Sēd Communications, which focuses on helping startups quickly achieve hypergrowth through sharp public relations communications methods. 00:00 - Guest Introduction01:51 - Get to know Loretta06:02 - Good vs Bad PR methods08:51 - Who should take charge of your PR strategies11:42 - When should you develop a PR strategy14:43 - Get a unique name for your company18:25 - Hiring a PR agency vs building PR in-house21:12 - Finding PR firms red flags25:26 - Good and bad tactics to differentiate your brand30:49 - Everyone's watching you33:53 - How much does it cost to hire PR firms38:12 - Things that startups should keep doing40:28 - Follow up with Loretta👀 Check out the company:https://sedcommunications.com✅ Subscribe if you liked this interview:https://youtube.com/@seanweisbrot 🤝 Become a podcast sponsor:https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsor📈 To hire Sean to consult your company:https://calendly.com/wltb/strategy#entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #psychology #business #startup #interview #podcast #welivetobuildLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.