We Live to Build

Jeff Sauer is the Co-Founder of MeasureU.com, which helps brands better understand the data which runs their business. The 3-Year Process of Prepping an Agency For a Private Equity Sale. In this interview, agency founder and angel investor Jeff Sauer details the three-year journey of preparing his $7.5M/year marketing agency for an exit . He explains the critical shift from a high-growth, low-profitability mindset (with 2-5% net margins and a "bloated" payroll) to an operations-focused, high-profitability model with 25% net margins, which was necessary to attract a private equity buyer. Jeff also shares his crucial distinction between a "cash business" (that makes you rich in the short term) and a "wealth business" (an asset you build to sell), and why you can't confuse the two . Finally, he explains why founders must evolve from a "hero" on the front lines to a "general on the hill" by investing in systems. Check out the company: https://www.measureu.com----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network-----------------------------------📈 WORK WITH ME-----------------------------------▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship---------------------------------------------👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN---------------------------------------------▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com---------------------------🕒 CHAPTERS---------------------------00:00 - Why I Became an Angel Investor03:15 - The Hard Truth of Angel Investing (Most Startups Fail)06:40 - Why Founders Want Your Money, Not Your Advice09:10 - The Story of My $7.5M/Year Marketing Agency12:25 - How We Grew to $7.5M with Only 2% Profit Margins15:30 - The 3-Year Process of Prepping for a Private Equity Sale20:00 - A "Cash" Business vs. a "Wealth" Business24:10 - The 3 Core Functions: Offers, Products, & Systems27:00 - Are You a Hero on the Front Lines or a General on the Hill?Leave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You Need a CFO Before You've Made a Mess. In this interview, fractional CFO for SaaS Brands, Anthony Nitsos explains why startups should bring in financial expertise early. He warns that waiting until you're bigger means a new CFO will have to "clean up a mess" that has been created, which is always more expensive than setting up your accounting and finance correctly from the beginning. Anthony also shares his joke that CFO can stand for "Chief Flushing Officer," breaks down the fundamental difference between bootstrapped founders (market insiders) and VC-backed founders (product visionaries), and gives his blunt take on the startup lifecycle: "They're either gonna exit or they're gonna die." Check out the company: https://saasgurus.io----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network-----------------------------------📈 WORK WITH ME-----------------------------------▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship---------------------------------------------👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN---------------------------------------------▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com---------------------------🕒 CHAPTERS---------------------------00:00 - From Sci-Fi Fan to Startup CFO03:30 - What is a CFO? (aka The "Chief Flushing Officer")06:15 - You Need a CFO Before You've Made a Mess09:10 - Why Your Company Will Either Exit or Die12:20 - Are You a Bootstrapper or a VC-Backed Founder?18:00 - The Pros and Cons of Using Venture Debt24:00 - The Most Important Thing: Don't Forget Your PeopleLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How We Raised $4.2 Million With No Product. In this interview, Thesys co-founder Rabi Guha explains how he and his co-founder successfully raised a $4.2 million seed round in just three months with only an idea. He reveals the two critical factors for their success: a strong founder-market fit from years of industry experience, and a powerful network that provided the "warm intros" that VCs prioritize. Rabi also shares his advice for aspiring founders on why you should work in a corporate job first to learn how the world works, but remember that "jumping out is going to be the hard part". Finally, he explains the venture capital mindset: VCs would rather have a 10% chance at a billion-dollar company than a 100% chance at a hundred-million-dollar one. Check out the company: https://thesys.dev----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network-----------------------------------📈 WORK WITH ME-----------------------------------▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship---------------------------------------------👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN---------------------------------------------▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com---------------------------🕒 CHAPTERS---------------------------00:00 - Raising a $4.2M Seed Round in 3 Months (With No Product)04:46 - The 2 Things You Need to Raise Money With an Idea08:39 - The "Hint of Hesitation" VCs Have for India-Based Founders12:51 - The VC Mindset: 10% Chance at a Billion vs. 100% at $100M16:59 - Why VCs Will Never Give You Honest Feedback21:00 - Why Conversational AI Is a Bad User ExperienceLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Company's Data Is Garbage (And It Will Kill Your AI). In this interview, Pipeliner CRM's Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, John Golden, gives a stark warning to founders: the biggest challenge for companies implementing AI is data integrity. He argues that "most companies' data is not clean. It's garbage," and that even the best AI will fail if it's fed bad data ("garbage in, garbage out"). John also predicts that AI will make "mid-range or low-range kinda salespeople" obsolete, forcing them to upskill or get left behind . Finally, he explains the number one mistake founders make in sales—approaching it in a "chaotic way" and using an Excel sheet instead of building a real process with a proper CRM. Check out the company: https://pipelinercrm.com----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network-----------------------------------📈 WORK WITH ME-----------------------------------▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship---------------------------------------------👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN---------------------------------------------▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com---------------------------🕒 CHAPTERS---------------------------00:00 - The #1 Mistake Founders Make in Sales02:45 - If You Use Excel as a CRM, You've Already Failed05:10 - The "Build It and They Shall Come" Fallacy07:30 - AI Is Coming For "Mid-Range" Salespeople11:15 - The Future of Software Is Voice, Not Clicks14:05 - Your Company's Data Is Garbage (And It Will Kill Your AI)18:20 - How to Escape the "Feast or Famine" Cycle21:00 - The Liquidity Trap That Kills Young BusinessesLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your 30-Page Pitch Deck Is Getting Deleted Immediately. In this interview, investor Almaz Edilbaev, Founder of chAngels, a Chicago based Angel Syndicate, gives a brutally honest look at how he evaluates startups. He explains why a 30-page deck or a long email is an instant red flag, and reveals that an experienced investor can decide if your company is worth a deeper look in 30 seconds or less by just skimming the first few slides. Almaz also shares the three main reasons he sees startups fail: bad team dynamics, founders losing motivation after raising too much money, and believing a hot market will last forever. He contrasts this with the three key traits of successful founders: deep industry expertise, previous founding experience, and the ability to manage a growing team. Check out the company: https://www.changels.club----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network-----------------------------------📈 WORK WITH ME-----------------------------------▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship---------------------------------------------👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN---------------------------------------------▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com---------------------------🕒 CHAPTERS---------------------------00:00 - From Investing in Russian "Copycats" to Angel Syndicates02:10 - 3 Reasons Why Startups Fail05:05 - The Difference Between VCs and Angel Syndicates08:40 - The 3 Traits of a Successful Founder12:15 - An Investor's First Impression: The 30-Second Deck Review15:00 - Your 30-Page Pitch Deck Is Getting Deleted17:45 - The #1 Red Flag in a Cold Email20:00 - The "Big Name" Bias in Venture CapitalLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You're Building Your Advisory Board All Wrong. In this interview, Breen Sullivan, founder of The Fourth Effect, explains that most early-stage founders don't understand the difference between a governing board and an advisory board, how to compensate advisors, or what they should even be getting from them . She argues that the primary purpose of an advisory board for a pre-seed or seed-stage startup is simple: to help you raise money. Breen also gives her blunt take on why fundraising is 100% not fair and "totally who you know", and breaks down the difference between the 2% of founders who get money based on the jockey and the 98% who have to prove the horse by going through the trough of sorrow. Check out the company: https://thefourtheffect.com Check out the company: https://thefourtheffect.com----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network-----------------------------------📈 WORK WITH ME-----------------------------------▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship---------------------------------------------👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN---------------------------------------------▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com---------------------------🕒 CHAPTERS---------------------------00:00 - Fundraising is 100% Unfair (And It's Who You Know)03:15 - The 2% "Jockey" vs. the 98% "Horse"06:00 - Bootstrapping: A "Secret Weapon" for the 98%08:45 - How to Turn Angel Investors into Active Advisors11:30 - Governing Board vs. Advisory Board: What's the Difference?14:20 - The #1 Reason You Need an Advisory Board (It's to Get Money)18:00 - Why a Founder Who Ignores Advisors is a "Fool"21:10 - My Goal: Convince VCs, Not Just Founders24:00 - The Glaring Inequity of the Startup WorldLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Letting Go of My Failed Startup, My Failed Marriage, and This Podcast. In this final episode, I've decided to end the We Live to Build podcast after four years and 215 other episodes. I feel the show is holding me back, forcing me to stay connected to my past, my failed marriage, and my failed software company. To move on from the anxiety and panic attacks, I have to let it go. I'm also letting go of the startup for good. I still owe my team salaries from two years ago, so I'm flying to Vietnam to face my investor and try to make a deal to finally pay my team and close this chapter of my life for good . Thank you to all the guests and listeners. As painful as it is, it's the right thing to do.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network-----------------------------------📈 WORK WITH ME-----------------------------------▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship---------------------------------------------👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN---------------------------------------------▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com---------------------------🕒 CHAPTERS---------------------------00:00 - After 4 Years, It's Time to Say Goodbye00:45 - This Podcast Is Holding Me Back From My Future01:30 - My Unfinished Business: I Still Owe My Team02:08 - Waking Up Happy & Finally Letting Go02:50 - A Final Thank You to EveryoneLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Your Sales Leads "Disappear" (And Why It's Your Fault) . In this episode, executive coach Jeffrey Klubeck gives a masterclass on a common frustration for entrepreneurs: leads that express interest and then ghost. He explains that you can't be frustrated by someone "disappearing" if they never truly "appeared" in the first place , and argues that the fault often lies in not having a proper pre-qualifying process. Jeffrey also shares his deeply personal and painful 20-year journey trying to hold his parents accountable for their financial and health decisions, and the lessons he learned after losing them both just three weeks apart. Finally, we discuss why people don't hate work; they hate being a "pawn in somebody else's game". Check out the company: https://theintegritygame.com----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 NETWORK BEFORE YOU NEED IT (6 LESSONS THAT MADE SEAN $15M)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▶ Get my eBook free - https://welivetobuild.com/network-----------------------------------📈 WORK WITH ME-----------------------------------▶ Buy 300 Lessons From 300 Founders: https://welivetobuild.com/300-lessons-ebook▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://welivetobuild.com/book-a-call▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/sponsorship---------------------------------------------👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN---------------------------------------------▶ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot▶ Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com---------------------------🕒 CHAPTERS---------------------------00:00 - Stop Talking About Accountability, Start Talking About Integrity04:30 - Don't Mistake Activity for Achievement08:15 - Why You Need a Purpose (Even if It Changes Tomorrow)12:00 - People Don't Hate Work, They Hate Being a Pawn17:30 - My 20-Year Struggle to Hold My Parents Accountable25:00 - The Pain of Losing Both Parents in 3 Weeks31:00 - Surrendering What I Wanted For Them38:00 - Why Your Sales Leads "Disappear" (And Why It's Your Fault)44:15 - A Lead Hasn't "Appeared" Until They're Qualified49:30 - The Most Important Thing I've Learned About Life & LoveLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My Corporate Job Paid Me to Be a Functioning Alcoholic. In this interview, agency founder Skip Wilson shares his raw story of working in the corporate world, where entertaining clients was a primary responsibility. He explains how, as a quiet and stoic person, he spent a decade "on the verge of tipsy" because drinking was an occupational necessity to be more social and talkative. Skip also details his Stoic-inspired time management philosophy, based on the "Memento Mori" principle of remembering your own mortality to create urgency and focus . Finally, he reveals the single most important sales lesson he ever learned: on a cold call, your goal is not to sell your product, but to get the appointment. Check out the company: https://draftadtech.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 - My Love/Hate Relationship with Time04:30 - "Memento Mori": Remembering Your Death to Stay Focused08:15 - The Battle Between Confidence and Self-Doubt11:00 - My Corporate Job Paid Me to Be a Functioning Alcoholic16:20 - Why Most Americans Are Clueless About the Real World21:10 - Are You Building a Cathedral or Just Laying Bricks?26:45 - The Goal Is the Appointment, Not the Sale32:00 - A Realistic Approach to Setting Quarterly Goals38:10 - The Most Important Thing I've Learned in Life📈 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.

The Future of Manufacturing Is a 'Lights Out' Factory. In this interview, Director of Industrial AI Bryan Debois describes the "panacea" for modern manufacturing: a "lights out" factory where raw materials enter and finished goods leave with very little human interaction, powered entirely by AI and autonomy. Bryan also discusses the current crisis facing US manufacturing, including a half-million-person labor shortfall and a wave of retiring Boomers taking critical knowledge with them, a situation he fears could lead to catastrophic failures like plant explosions. Finally, as an AI expert, he gives his blunt take on why ChatGPT is just an "auto-complete on steroids" that doesn't actually "understand anything." Check out the company: https://www.rovisys.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 Crisis: A 500,000 Worker Shortfall in US Manufacturing03:30 - Why US Factories Are At Risk of Exploding07:00 - The Future is a "Lights Out" Factory10:15 - Why Humans Will Never Stop Working13:45 - An AI Expert on Why ChatGPT "Doesn't Understand Anything"17:30 - Is China an "Economic Threat" to the US?24:10 - The Mindset of a True Entrepreneur28:00 - Finding a Manufacturing Partner: What to Look For33:00 - The Most Important Thing I've Learned About Manufacturing📈 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.