Creator Lab

Mikael Cho is the co-founder and CEO of Unsplash. The world's leading image asset platform that boasts 100 million image downloads & 20 billion views per month. Unsplash is used more than Flickr, Getty, and Shutterstock combined. Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi and @mikaelcho Watch the full convo on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vtIGAEKxC0w In this conversation, you'll learn: how Mikael built Unsplash from a series of failed experiments balancing focus with experimentation how to create a growth flywheel why good ideas are still undervalued how to create a "superpower org chart" & find undiscovered talent how to get a large scale advertising business off the ground TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:32 What is Unsplash? 00:06:17 Scale 00:09:24 Failed Experiments + A Side Project 00:10:15 Starting Crew 00:13:46 When Side, Becomes Main 00:17:20 Selling Crew to Andrew Wilkinson (Dribbble) 00:18:42 Balancing Experimentation + Focus 00:21:03 Competing With Adobe + Shutterstock 00:22:55 Creator

Gagan is the co-founder & former President of Udemy, an online education company that's worth more than $2bil. He later co-founded Sprig, a food delivery startup & went on to become the interim head of growth marketing at Lyft. Gagan recently announced a new education startup with Wes Kao. They've raised $4.3mil from investors like First Round Capital, Naval Ravikant & Li Jin. Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi @gaganbiyani Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IifuGSaEkkU In this conversation, we discuss: lessons in building Udemy + Sprig, from high-highs to low-lows why cohort-based courses will play a major role in the future of online education what it was like being fired by a co-founder the impact of financial struggles & the unique pressure of being the child of immigrants perspective gained from traveling to all 7 continents Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:47 Who is Gagan Biyani? 00:05:20 Udemy Origin Story 00:10:54 Starting Up a Business When You Have A

Andrew Wilkinson is the co-founder of Tiny. He owns 30+ companies, including Dribbble, Metalab, Girlboss & Castro. Collectively, these businesses bring in $100mil+ in annual revenue. Andrew took WeCommerce public the week of this interview, with the most recent market cap hitting $800mil Canadian dollars (Jan 2021) He's a leading expert in buying, starting & growing online businesses. Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi & @awilkinson Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QRIl2aGmzMc In this conversation, you'll learn: why Warren Buffet + Charlie Munger's approach inspired Andrew to create the Berkshire Hathaway of the internet how mental models like "inversion" can help you think more effectively the 4 types of entrepreneurs + understanding which type you are how to hire key employees + a CEO to replace you the importance of incentives + how to align employees around a shared vision Timestamps: 00:00:00 Snippet 00:03:32 Who is Andrew? Buying, Building + Growing Companies 00:07:41 Mental

Polina Marinova Pompliano is the author of The Profile, a newsletter that profiles the world's most successful people. She spent five years at FORTUNE, where she was the author + editor of Term Sheet, an industry-leading newsletter on dealmaking. Polina has interviewed some of the most influential dealmakers in the world, including: Melinda Gates, Steve Case, Chamath Palihapitiya and others. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XFIPkG0rbvU Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi @polina_marinova Full show notes on creatorlab.fm In the conversation, you'll learn about: the rise of independent writers + the creator economy evolution of the media landscape future of media monetization her writing process + the art of the edit actionable lessons from The Profile, featuring: Malcolm Gladwell, Charlie Munger, Anthony Bourdain, Ira Glass, Elon Musk + more Timestamps: 2:47 Intro 5:03 "Oprah is not JUST Oprah" 9:54 Leaving Fortune Magazine 15:44 Background On The Profile 19:09 Expectations vs R

Courtland founded Indie Hackers, one of the leading entrepreneurship communities on the internet. Indie Hackers was acquired by Stripe in 2017. He's a Y Combinator alum & graduated from MIT. This conversation is broken up into two parts. In part one, we discuss: the indiehacker philosophy optimizing for freedom + becoming a time billionaire capitalism + the american dream diversity, race + culture equality of opportunity vs outcome Part Two - Business Idea Framework (starts at 1hr mark): a four-step framework for brainstorming business ideas difference between product ideas + business ideas how to think about distribution from day one finding a door before making a key how to create an innovative solution Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:52 Who is Courtland + what is Indie Hackers 00:04:24 Background + Getting Acquired By Stripe 00:09:51 Differentiating 00:12:47 Unbundling Platforms + Creating Alternatives 00:16:03 Experience at Y Combinator 00:21:49 The Indiehacker Philosophy 00:25:02 "The Time Bill

Tim Urban is one of the internet's most popular writers. His blog, Wait But Why, attracts millions of visitors including famous fans like Elon Musk. His talk on procrastination is the #1 TED talk on YouTube with 33mil+ views. Subscribe + Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tl2a6H1E7DU Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi @waitbutwhy FIVE THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: his writing + research process first principles thinking + lessons learned from Elon Musk + Tony Hseih (Zappos) techniques to overcome low confidence + find your authentic voice how he'd start from scratch today how to explain complex topics like AI + Neuralink through storytelling SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPT: https://www.creatorlab.fm/tim-urban-wait-but-why-podcast/ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Preview 00:02:05 Intro + Tim’s Cuddly Toys 00:04:38 How Elon Musk Became A Fan 00:05:33 11yr Old Tim Meets The Internet 00:07:17 Trip Down Internet Memory Lane 00:09:39 “Underneath The Turban” + Finding A Creative Path 00:14:07 Micro + Macro Happiness 00:15:22 Fin

Let me know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi Subscribe + watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jWYhsGaK3Qk Chris Kuenne started Rosetta & grew it to become the largest independent digital agency in the world before selling to Publicis for $575mil. Now he runs Rosemark Capital, investing in companies with revenues of $30–60mil. Chris teaches high-tech entrepreneurship at Princeton University. In this conversation, we discuss: how Chris pre-sold $1mil of contracts before launching his agency four personality types of builders the opportunity to solve expensive problems + merge software with services how acquisitions fueled growth before selling for $575mil lessons in hiring 1200+ people breaking down implications of money raised + liquidation in his sale TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:23 Behind A $575M Deal 00:07:08 What Would You Do Differently? 00:11:01 Turning Down A Larger $600M Offer 00:13:49 How Much Does A Founder Keep After A Huge Sale? 00:19:18 Venture Waterfall + Preference Stack 00:22:13 What

Matteo Franceschetti is the founder of Eight Sleep, the sleep fitness company at the forefront of sleep tech. They’ve raised more than $70mil, came out of Y Combinator and are one of the leading companies at the forefront of sleep technology. Time magazine named their product one of the best inventions of 2018 + 2019. Watch + subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vd3wXxYaAxc Let us know what you think on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bzaidi https://twitter.com/m_franceschetti In this conversation, you'll learn: how they’re using AI + machine learning to improve sleep the challenges of building hardware + software (smart mattress) unit economics you should think about when launching a DTC brand future plans to control oxygen levels, humidity + light to improve sleep balancing organic growth vs paid acquisition successfully partnering with influencers actionable ways to improve deep + REM sleep TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:07 What Is Eight Sleep? 00:04:34 Coming To America 00:08:01 4 Factors To Improve H

Shaan Puri is an entrepreneur, investor & top 50 podcast host. He was the CEO of Bebo when they sold to Twitch (Amazon) where he's now a senior director of product. He invests in startups + recently raised $2.5mil for his "rolling fund" in 11 days, just from a tweet. Watch + subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6Hoo38Fr07g Let us know what you think on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bzaidi https://twitter.com/ShaanVP In this conversation we discuss: solopreneurship vs high growth startups ideas + blueprints for solopreneurs creating a life vision + the 3 stages of "becoming" selling your company by creating your "Amazon buy button" lessons in building trust, persuasion + social dynamics how to get unstuck + the A, B, Z framework why you should work like a lion, not a cow how Shaan makes $50k/month by "working in public" Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:51 Shaan's Background 00:05:58 Startups vs Big Company 00:10:38 Babies, Teenagers + Startups 00:13:13 "Stay Hungry, Not Thirsty" 00:16:02 How To Correctl

Steph Smith leads Trends at The Hustle. She’s a serial indie maker, writer + marketer. She’s been a nomad since 2016 & has traveled to 50+ countries while working, learning to code + creating. Watch + subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qQtciVUeOMU Let us know what you think on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bzaidi https://twitter.com/stephsmithio What You'll Learn: how to pre-sell + validate your idea economics of self-publishing vs traditional book deals what you can learn from games like chess defining your personal monopoly finding your first 1000 users writing for humans vs google leveraging communities + viral platforms Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:00 What You Can Learn From Chess 00:07:39 Chess vs Real Life 00:13:33 Pre-Selling An Idea 00:17:51 Economics of Book Deals vs Self-Publishing 00:19:23 “Steph is an animal…in a good way” 00:21:19 Healthy Competiton + Sibling Rivalry 00:25:38 Lifestyle Creep + Golden Handcuffs 00:27:14 Steph’s Book: “Doing Content Right” 00:29:09 Avoiding Scammy “Onl

Mubashar Iqbal aka Mubs is a prolific creator. He was Product Hunt’s “maker of the year” + has built 90+ products including Pod Hunt + Founderpath Watch + subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CHYNoO6jRiY Let us know what you think on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bzaidi https://twitter.com/mubashariqbal   Five Things You'll Learn: knowing when to take on a new project vs calling it quits why “founder-product-fit” is as important as “product-market-fit" example business ideas + how to validate their potential how NoCode tools can get your idea off the ground how to avoid procrastination, stay motivated + deal with fear Time Stamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:43 Who is Mubs? 00:07:48 90+ Projects 00:17:18 Most Important Factor When Taking On A New Project 00:19:13 Founder-Product Fit 00:23:55 Knowing When To Move Onto The Next Project? 00:27:31 Dealing With A Lack of Energy + Enthusiasm 00:29:12 How to Sell Your Projects 00:31:29 How To Value A Business 00:35:23 Business Idea Examples 00:39:54 Our Business

Pomp is a partner + co-founder of Morgan Creek Digital. He hosts a top 10 podcast, has an audience of ~400k followers on Twitter + writes a daily letter to 80,000 investors. Watch + subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/stlcZjTawvs Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi @creatorlabfm @apompliano Five Things You'll Learn: actionable ways to grow a Twitter, YouTube & e-mail audience subscriptions, ads + the future of media monetization “digital art” + emerging trends to invest in the pros, cons + innovation of "rolling funds” staying motivated + perspective gained from serving in the army Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:12 Who is Pomp? 00:04:13 “Having an Audience is the New Currency” 00:06:08 Building an Audience is Hard Work 00:07:32 One Platform At A Time 00:11:48 Pomp’s Daily Routine + Staying Consistent 00:15:30 How To Get Twitter Followers 00:16:58 “Twitter Is What Linkedin Should’ve Been” 00:18:01 Links Hurt Virality 00:20:53 Behind The YouTube Algorithm 00:23:47 Editing For Social Medi

Dr. Emily Anhalt is a psychologist, co-founder + chief-clinical officer of Coa, a mental fitness platform + community. She’s conducted research with prominent psychologists + entrepreneurs on how leaders can improve their emotional fitness. She's collaborated with companies like Google, Asana, TEDx, NASDAQ, Bloomberg, + True Ventures Watch + Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8n4F_mS79gs Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi @creatorlabfm @dremilyanhalt @joincoa FIVE THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: (1) how to be proactive about your mental health + emotional fitness (2) identifying + dealing with anxiety (3) actionable tips to deal with imposter syndrome (4) dealing with co-founder breakups (5) survivor guilt, sublimation + other psychological concepts that may impact your life TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:02:09 About Emily + Coa 00:06:41 About Anxiety 00:10:04 Difference Between Depression + Anxiety 00:11:45 Where to Start with Therapy 00:14:19 Where to Find Therapy 00:16:59 Dealing with Anxiety 00:19:21 Tru

Sam Parr is the founder & CEO of The Hustle, an 8 figure media business. They have 1.5mil people subscribed to their daily email newsletter + are on track to hit 8 figures in revenue with their paid newsletter, trends. Sign up for trends here: https://trends.co/?ref=11694 Five Things You'll Learn: how he’d build an audience differently today starting a paid newsletter business + finding talented writers copywriting + persuading people through the written word incentives + the future of media being emotionally stable while having a chip on your shoulder Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi @creatorlabfm @thesamparr Timestamps: 00:01:58 Intro 00:03:10 Sam’s Hot Dog Stand 00:07:53 The Hustle + Trends 00:11:01 Finding Great Employees + Writers 00:14:19 “The Dumbest Millionaires are in Real Estate” 00:15:50 Equity Splits In His Business 00:18:06 “Buzzfeed + Vox are Horrible Companies” 00:20:24 Subscriptions + Ads 00:24:23 Ad Incentives + Fake News 00:25:42 Free vs Paid Products 00:27:52 Example: S

Jack Butcher is the founder of @VisualizeValue, a Twitter/Instagram account he's grown to 100k+ followers in less than 2yrs. His business brings in $100k+ month with 99% profit margins. Five Things You'll Learn: building an audience from scratch transitioning from selling services (time) to products (value) how to tell better stories leverage, compounding + other ideas that changed his world view naval’s tweetstorm on building wealth Let us know what you think on Twitter: @bzaidi @creatorlabfm @jackbutcher @visualizevalue Timestamps (YouTube) https://youtu.be/bwBYNQGiOXo 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:49 Jack's Background 00:05:08 Naval's Tweetstorm 00:09:23 $100k/mo + 99% Profit Margins 00:11:27 Starting Visualize Value 00:15:16 Communicating Complex Ideas 00:17:37 Building an Audience from Scratch 00:22:09 Difference Between Twitter + Instagram Audiences 00:27:28 Constraints + Creating Consistently 00:29:49 Keeping A Brand Fresh 00:30:49 "Good Advertising Wears In, Not Out" 00:34:00 Finding Your Own Voice 00:36:54

Who is Josh? Josh Clemente is the founder of Levels. He’s a mechanical engineer, CrossFit L2 trainer + previously leads teams at Hyperloop + SpaceX where he developed life support systems for astronauts going into space. In this conversation, we discuss the importance of optimizing your metabolic health, how software can drive behavior change + the future of health tech. Full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3B1RJvlff74 Topics We Discuss what is metabolic health + why is it important? stories from working with Elon Musk at SpaceX & Hyperloop why you should monitor your glucose the myth of the “balanced diet” know who to trust when it comes to nutrition science actionable advice on improving nutrition, exercise, sleep + stress how software can help drive behavior change Full Time Stamps (YouTube) 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:21 Welcome 00:02:26 What is Metabolic Health? 00:03:54 SpaceX 00:06:28 Hyperloop 00:08:21 Inspiration for Levels 00:17:17 The Myth of a Balanced Diet 00:21:29 Why You Should Monitor Glu

Subscribe + watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/42U2VfWp2Go Let me know what you think on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bzaidi Who is Jim? Jim McKelvey is an entrepreneur, glass-blowing artist + philanthropist. He’s most well known as the co-founder of Square, the financial payments company he started with Jack Dorsey (founder of Twitter). Jim also co-founded the non-profit “Launch Code” and he’s an independent Director of the St. Louis Federal Reserve Jim’s book, The Innovation Stack, is available for purchase. Or sign up to the email list at the bottom of this post to win 1 of 5 copies we’re giving away to listeners Topics We Discuss: the origin story of Square Square's 14 part "innovation stack" that allowed them to win in this tough market reducing the cost of a card reader from $1000 to $0.97 going up against Amazon + winning examples of innovation stacks from other companies the unbanked + underbanked his thoughts on digital currencies invention vs innovation entrepreneurship vs owning a business if "bi

Subscribe + Watch on YouTube:https://youtu.be/JcJIvhXdbt0 Let me know what you think on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bzaidi Who Is Kat Cole?   Kat is one of the most impressive business leaders in America. Fortune magazine named her on their 40 under 40 list & her story is often cited as an example of the “American Dream”.   She worked her way up from being a waitress at Hooters aged 17, to an exec at 26 and a president at 31.   Today, she’s the president of a parent company doing $4-5bil in sales in 60+ countries, across 6500+ locations. Their 7 brands including Cinnabon, Carvel & Jamba Juice.   In this conversation you’ll learn how she thinks about growth, adapting products to emerging trends, using brand partnerships to grow & the factors that go into expanding internationally.     Five Things You’ll Learn Lessons In Leadership – how to establish credibility, even as a young leader, to lead a team through any situation. Emerging Trends + The Innovation Adoption Curve – how she thinks

Who Is Ryan? Ryan Begelman co-founded Summit Series, described as “TED meets Burning Man” & “The Davos of Gen Y” by Forbes They’ve become known for hosting incredible events with thousands of leading creators like Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos & Jessica Alba. Summit acquired Powder Mountain, America’s largest ski resort after pre-selling the opportunity to their community. Ryan also bought into Bisnow Media, became CEO & sold for a reported $50mil+, all without venture capital. What You’ll Learn Part 1: Business Frameworks + Backstory Framework For Business Ideas – a technique to generate ideas: marketing, monetization + markets Bootstrapping + Buying A Mountain – how they pre-sold an idea to their community to buy a mountain for $50mil + why you should consider bootstrapping too Joint Venture Waterfalls – applying a concept from private equity to real estate + businesses Dealflow – four ways to think about generating deal flow: hunting, trapping, farming, trading Replacing Yourself – how to fin

SUMMARY: In this episode, we discuss the world of micro private equity, buying existing companies with little money down & the philosophy of becoming an owner. Ryan has a growing portfolio of 7 products, including fomo.com, a popular SaaS Shopify app. He’s doing 7-figures in revenue, all while living a nomadic life traveling the world, coding on-the-go & making music. SHOW NOTES:https://www.creatorlab.fm/ryan-kulp-fork-equity/ WATCH + SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/yEaKaxRgjlQ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: importance of ownership of your actions + becoming an owner in a business building from scratch vs buying an existing company thinking through career transitions + knowing when to leave your job how to work with a romantic partner partnering with investors to buy companies his opinion on self-funding vs raising investment why job security isn’t about the company you work for breakdown of his first 6 figure acquisition why someone would sell a business in the first place, and what to look out for