

Idea to Startup
Brian Scordato | Tacklebox
A podcast for people working on startup ideas. We have 15-minute tactical episodes and occasional interviews with people who did the early things exceptionally well. We've helped launch hundreds of startups worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and these are the building blocks.
"This is, without a doubt, the best podcast for people trying to build startups out there."
"If you aren't listening to this podcast and you're considering building a business (or you're already building one), what are you doing?"
"Must listen for first-time entrepreneurs - excellent storyteller."
"This is, without a doubt, the best podcast for people trying to build startups out there."
"If you aren't listening to this podcast and you're considering building a business (or you're already building one), what are you doing?"
"Must listen for first-time entrepreneurs - excellent storyteller."
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 2, 2025 • 24min
An SOP for Testing a Startup Idea (ITS top 1%)
Today, we'll help you build an SOP for testing startup ideas. We'll use an example from a listener - a startup in the homeschooling space - as a guinea pig. The best way to have a great startup idea this time next year is to test out a bunch of ideas in the interim. This SOP will help you do it, and scale the process.Tacklebox00:00 Tacklebox00:30 Pros and Amateurs02:08 Homeschool Idea05:47 The Story of Future You06:16 Entrepreneur Pro Tactic Number One - Working Backwards from Dreams07:42 Tacklebox08:50 SOPs14:19 An SOP for a Problem Worth Solving14:46 Customer Language15:55 SOP Problem Doc19:40 The Stakes23:00 The Startup Journal

Sep 25, 2025 • 22min
Customers Speak Problem, But You’re Speaking Solution (ITS Top 1%)
Today, we'll talk about why so many entrepreneurs can't effectively explain what they're doing to their customers. The short answer is they speak the wrong language. Customers speak Problem, entrepreneurs speak Solution. It's like two people trying to have a conversation when one only speaks Latin and the other only speaks Dutch.We go through how to start speaking Problem, and show the power of Problem Language through a live idea test - two landing pages for an AI bot to help people get out of debt: one with Solution Language, one with Problem Language. TackleboxThe Brain Audit00:00 Tacklebox00:37 How to Speak Problem01:21 The Brain Audit01:55 Farm Stand Problem Language06:03 The Idea: AI to Get Out of Debt07:38 Smooth Jazz08:07 Why You Won’t Use Problem Language10:31 Signs in NYC15:00 AI for Debt17:41 Landing Page Test19:18 The End: This Is Everywhere - Cold Email Examples

Sep 18, 2025 • 16min
How to Nail One-Sentence Marketing (ITS Classic)
Today’s episode is for everyone who struggles to summarize their startup in a sentence. We lay out a framework to do this well with help from a sticker on the street, a hedge fund, and a Vietnamese coffee shop.TackleboxIdea to Startup Newsletter00:33 One Sentence Marketing01:10 Train to NYC03:04 The best marketing Brian’s seen in a while06:42 Smooth Jazz07:28 Choosing a Customer and the Knowledge Spectrum08:54 Air Quality Idea13:07 Inflection Points + The Conference Exercise14:09 The End - Vietnamese Coffee

Sep 11, 2025 • 8min
How to Name Your Startup (a No Whisper Ideas pod)
Discover the secrets to naming your startup effectively! Explore strategies that focus on problem description and desired outcomes to fuel organic growth. Learn why aligning your name with customer needs is crucial, steering clear of personal biases. Unpack common naming pitfalls and understand the vital role clarity and relevance play in customer engagement and searchability. This insightful discussion offers practical tips to help ensure your startup stands out in a crowded market!

5 snips
Sep 3, 2025 • 25min
How to Run Customer Interviews with AI (Part 1)
Discover how AI can transform customer interviews into a more efficient and insightful experience. The discussion highlights overcoming common challenges like accountability and effective outreach. Uncover the concept of 'whisper ideas' to spark genuine founder-customer dialogue. Learn how tools like granola.ai can enhance interview recording and insight synthesis. Plus, get tips on navigating the uncomfortable aspects of interviews to achieve meaningful feedback.

Aug 28, 2025 • 23min
A Four Part System to Generate Ideas (aka how to let your brain be a brain) - ITS Classic
Discover a four-part system designed to unlock your brain's creativity! The discussion uses engaging analogies, like a baseball training facility and a corked wine bottle, to illustrate how to identify problems and gather information. Learn how reflection and testing can elevate your brainstorming game. With a mix of structured techniques and spontaneous thinking, this guide equips listeners with actionable steps to generate innovative ideas and tackle challenges head-on.

Aug 21, 2025 • 21min
How to Build a "Skeptical Startup" - $8k per month in 10 hours per week (ITS Classic)
Today, we'll help you tackle the big question for entrepreneurs with startup ideas and jobs - when's it time to quit the job and focus on the startup full-time? You should think about this question the second you start working on an idea, and you should use the Skeptical Startup framework - a goal of $8k per month in 10 hours per week - as a guide. The Skeptical Startup framework is magical, and Brian will show how it'll help you focus with an example startup. TackleboxIdea to Startup NewsletterIdea to Startup BotFarnam Street - Surface AreaThe AlchemistNatalie Imbruglia - Torn00:30 When to Quit Your Job03:25 Life Expenses Excel Sheet04:05 The Skeptical Startup Framework06:25 The Idea: Home AV Improvements07:44 Smooth Jazz08:22 The Logistics of $8k11:26 An AV Marketplace12:46 Reduce the Surface Area15:27 The Search16:30 A Lead for the AV Startup19:16 The End - Your Goals19:26 A Goal Framework

12 snips
Aug 14, 2025 • 20min
Normal Brain vs. Entrepreneur Brain
Discover the fascinating contrast between the entrepreneur mindset and a conventional one. Learn how Normal Brain can hinder your startup, while Entrepreneur Brain empowers resilience and adaptability. The podcast dives into transforming overwhelming to-do lists into impactful actions and emphasizes the significance of customer feedback. It addresses the challenges of being underprepared and low on resources, showcasing strategies to navigate these hurdles effectively. Embrace creativity and calculated risks to foster growth!

9 snips
Aug 7, 2025 • 21min
How to Get Two Months of Work Done in One Weekend
Unlock the secret to supercharging your productivity by harnessing a weekend sprint framework! Discover how to effectively tackle two months of work in just one weekend. The discussion dives into goal-setting, preparation, and the need for urgency through 'hooks.' Plus, learn from the successful launch of Habit Kangaroo and the vital role of collaboration in achieving success. Whether you're balancing work and family or pursuing side projects, this framework is designed for busy lives!

Jul 31, 2025 • 25min
A Startup Storytelling Framework for Non-Storytellers (top 1% classic)
Today, we'll help all the non-storytellers tell a compelling story about their business. We've got a framework that'll walk you through the ingredients of a compelling story, and a mise en place-inspired approach that'll help you get to story market fit. We've got some rules, some variables, some accelerants, and an example about a service that helps Airbnb hosts launch their own interior design businesses. TackleboxIdea to Startup NewsletterBuilding a Story BrandYour New Life Will Cost You Your Old OneWork Clean - The Life-Changing Power of Mise en PlaceHow to Write Essays that Spread00:30 Storytelling for your startup03:24 The Two Reasons for the Barefoot Son Story07:09 Smooth Jazz07:37 The Three Ruls of Good Storytelling for Entrepreneurs08:45 Rule 1: Good Stories Are About Speed10:44 Rule 2: You Don’t Matter11:39 Rule 3: A Good Story is Earned12:22 Mise En Place14:10 The Ingredients of Your Story17:09 The Accelerants19:24 Airbnb Interior Design23:23 The End: Montaigne