Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha

David Shands: The Entrepreneurial Mindset, How to Build a Loyal Community and Hone Your Niche for Massive Success | E264

Dec 29, 2023

David Shands, an entrepreneur, shares his journey from being a waiter at the Cheesecake Factory to building a successful business. He talks about life lessons, Steve Jobs' influence, struggling as a young entrepreneur, focusing efforts, starting his own t-shirt brand, teaching entrepreneurship, perfecting his craft on YouTube, earning listeners' trust, and building a niche community.

57:35

Episode guests

David Shands

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Focus and consistency are vital for entrepreneurial success.

Building a niche community requires understanding and addressing the needs of your target audience.

Asking for the sale and creating valuable content are key aspects of monetizing entrepreneurship.

Deep dives

The Journey of Personal Development and Entrepreneurship

David Shans, an entrepreneur, speaker, coach, and fashion mogul, discusses his journey of personal development and entrepreneurship. Growing up in New Jersey, David had a strong entrepreneurial influence from his father, who instilled in him the importance of giving his best in whatever he pursued. He recalls being motivated to make money from a young age and engaging in various side hustles, such as shoveling snow and raking leaves. However, he admits that early on, he struggled with consistency and easily got distracted by new ideas. It was through personal development and a commitment to focusing on the idea in front of him that David overcame this tendency to jump from one venture to another.

Introduction

2min

An Entrepreneur's Journey and Building Communities

3min

Lessons from a Entrepreneurial Father

15min

The Importance of Focus and Long-Term Commitment

6min

From T-Shirts to YouTube: Building an Audience

20min

The Benefits of HelloFresh for Meal Planning and Reducing Food Waste

2min

Personalized Dog Food, Cross-Training, Digital Learning, and Branding

5min

The Power of Direct Sales

8min

Since David quit his job as a waiter at the Cheesecake Factory a decade ago, his successful businesses, compelling story, and unique teaching style have helped him build a large and loyal following. Now, he hosts The Social Proof Podcast and runs the Sleepless Knights Coaching Program to guide entrepreneurs and small business owners to entrepreneurial success. David is empowering a new generation of aspiring business owners and dismissing the myth that entrepreneurship is unattainable for those without social or capital privilege. In today’s episode, David will share some tips on how to build a viable online community and chase your goals on your terms and regardless of your background.

David Shands is an author, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and business coach. In a few short years, his “Sleep is 4 Suckers” concept has evolved from selling t-shirt's out of the back seat of his car, to selling his message on apparel across the globe. He is now the host of the successful entrepreneurial podcast, The Social Proof Podcast.

In this episode, Hala and David will discuss:

- Life lessons learned at the Cheesecake Factory

- What David learned from Steve Jobs

- Struggling as a young entrepreneur

- Learning to focus his efforts

- Starting his own t-shirt brand

- Why he started teaching entrepreneurship

- Perfecting his craft on YouTube

- Knowing what your audience is struggling with

- Earning your listeners’ trust

- How to build a niche community

- And other topics…

David Shands is an author, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and business coach. David worked in various customer-oriented industries by day while building his own apparel business by night. In a few short years, his “Sleep is 4 Suckers” concept has evolved from selling t-shirt's out of the back seat of his car, to selling his message on apparel across the globe. He is now the host of the successful entrepreneurial podcast, The Social Proof Podcast. He is especially focused on helping entrepreneurs launch their own podcasts.

Resources Mentioned:

David’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidshands/

David’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/sleepis4suckers

David’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sleepis4suckers/

David’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreamsarebuiltovernight/

David’s Podcast (The Social Proof Podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-proof-podcast/id1374373035

David’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DavidNeverSleeps

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