Mindset, Doing Over Reading, and Big VC Bets

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Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire In this episode of Marketing School, Eric Siu and Neil Patel talk about why building a business can feel “better than Netflix,” the trap of over-reading versus doing, and how to balance philosophy with action. They break down “bet-the-fund” venture capital moments (Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia, GV, Founders Fund, etc.) and explain how LP co-invest sidecars work. The conversation then shifts to recession odds vs. stock market crash probability, Buffett-style investing and Berkshire’s record cash, and why fundamentals matter more than headlines. Finally, they cover new data showing ChatGPT’s traffic referrals decelerating versus Google, and how that shapes SEO strategy—more bottom-of-funnel, revenue-focused content, especially for enterprise B2B. Not financial advice. Key takeaways Action beats consumption: books and podcasts are useful, but skills compound in the trenches. Use philosophy to stay grounded, then execute. Concentrated bets win: top VCs sometimes allocate 15–70% to a single conviction play; founders should also swing when the odds are in their favor and understand LP co-invest dynamics. SEO reality check: Google still dwarfs AI referral traffic. Prioritize bottom-of-funnel content and measure by revenue/conversions, not month-to-month traffic swings. TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Business vs Netflix: Entrepreneurship as a Game
(01:58) Book Trap: Why Reading Might Keep You Broke
(02:29) Execution Beats Theory: Tennis & BJJ Analogy
(04:31) Stoicism in Business: Lessons from Marcus Aurelius
(05:03) B2B ABM Tactics: Personalized Ads + Landing Pages
(05:33) VC Risk Bets: Skype, Stripe, Uber, Cognition & More
(07:05) Behind the Scenes: LP Co-Investments & Sidecars
(08:35) Will a Recession Hit? Crash Probabilities Unpacked
(09:20) Buffett-Style Investing: Valuations & P/E in 2025
(11:31) Berkshire’s Record Cash While Markets Peak
(12:09) Tech vs Non-Tech: Target's Tough Lesson
(13:35) ChatGPT vs Google: AI Traffic Trends from Ahrefs
(14:36) Traffic ≠ Conversions: The Shift to Revenue Metrics
(15:02) Bottom-of-Funnel Is Back: MoM Traffic ≠ Value
(15:26) Enterprise GTM Shift: Attribution & RFPs Rewired
(16:20) Blog Leads in Decline: What Works Now
(16:47) High-Stakes Deals: Final Thoughts & Takeaways ABOUT THE CHANNEL Welcome to Marketing School, a top business podcast with 61 million downloads! Each episode features marketing tips and strategies from entrepreneurs who practice what they preach and live what they teach. Hosted by: Eric Siu (Founder of Leveling Up & Single Grain) Neil Patel (Co-founder of Neil Patel Digital, named a Top 10 Marketer by Forbes) 👉 Learn more about the hosts: Leveling Up with Eric Siu: https://www.youtube.com/@LevelingUpOfficial Neil Patel: https://www.youtube.com/@neilpatel Other Free Resources from Eric & Neil Growth Newsletter for top marketers: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Ubersuggest: https://www.ubersuggest.com/ Answer The Public: https://www.answerthepublic.com/ ✅ Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE for daily marketing insights! OTHER FREE RESOURCES FROM ERIC AND NEIL👇 Growth Newsletter for top marketers: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Ubersuggest: https://www.ubersuggest.com/ Answer The Public: https://www.answerthepublic.com/ DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE :)