Idea to Startup

The apartment I live in was on the market for a year without a bid, then sold in a bidding war for well above ask in a week. What the heck happened? Today's episode breaks down why people took action (and a framework to create it).  Tacklebox Method Sell The Position (🐐 episode)

People keep telling us they're stuck. The next three pods are stories that'll get your juices flowing. It'll be impossible to be stuck after them. Today's is about Selling The Position - it's probably the most helpful single concept we've ever discussed on the pod. Seth Godin - The Wrong BusTacklebox Method 

Lots of people come into our orbit because they'd like to get their startup to a point where they can quit their full-time job and transition over. Here's what you need to do before you quit - and what'll happen to you and your idea once you do. If you're looking for a kick in the ass, this might be it.Tacklebox MethodThe Artists Way  

We leverage Yu-kai Chou's Octalysis Framework to think through motivating customers. We test it out using a startup idea that's come across Brian's desk recently: a network of Airstream trailers, dropped on people's property, that digital nomads can subscribe to. How would we motivate these people to take action? What can we test? The framework leads the way as we kickstart the business. Tacklebox MethodYu-Kai Chou (Twitter)Yu-Kai Chou (Blog)Actionable Gamification

In part two of our Mailbag series, Brian answers listener questions on how to run lean, inexpensive, fast tests on an idea that seemingly has big up front costs (we launch tests for the pasta startup), how niche is too niche, and a framework to deal with stress as a founder.As always, thank you for the questions, and if you'd like to submit a question, email it to team@gettacklebox.com  Notes:Tacklebox MethodThe roles available at Oar include: VP, Engineering: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/ohVGffwRVP, Product: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/oeUFffwMUI/UX Designer: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/oTUFffwrSoftware Engineer: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/oCUFffwaStrategy, Finance and Operations Director: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/otcRgfwwSocial Media and Outreach Specialist: https://jobs.jobvite.com/newco/job/oebRgfwg 

Brian answers emails from listeners on a startup ethos, examples of great marketing - leveraging behavioral economics to remove friction and The Rent Is Too Damn High guy, nootropics (sort of), and the best inputs for the best outputs. We also start a travel company for couples.   Tacklebox MethodAll the books I mentioned Podcasts How I Built ThisThe Dave Chang ShowNo Stupid QuestionsIndie Hackers

Lots of entrepreneurs spend their time trying to figure out if their startup idea is "good." They wonder if they can raise funding and build a team. But so much of our idea evaluation ignores the most fundamental building block of a startup - the magic moment that will spur organic growth. There is no funding or team or business without that initial magic, so maybe the best route is to reverse engineer a business from that moment?On today's episode, we talk through a startup where people gather together to tread water, comparing it to Peloton and Mirror, and talk about starting with a moment and working backwards.   Tacklebox Method (Podcast Listener Page)How Mirror GrewBooks on why people share:ContagiousMade to StickPredictably Irrational

Are you finding your startup's hidden lottery tickets? What are the opportunities hiding in plain sight that will drastically amplify your output? We talk through Bumble, vertical farms, poker, and derivatives trading, and set up prompts for you to identify hidden lottery tickets that'll catalyze your startup.The Tacklebox MethodFound a ska version of I Want It That Way - looking for something better

We are BACK.We talk through how to approach a startup idea in a space you aren't in expert in, how to build momentum and make decisions fast, and the problem mindset. We also talk through how everyone was wrong about Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken and what that means for Brian's vertical farm startup. The Tacklebox Method - link to discount for ITS listenersFounder Venn Diagram - free, in Foundations -> Founder Venn DiagramThe Growth Mindset Tom Eisenmann interview - Why Startups Fail  

Jeff Sheldon is the founder of Ugmonk, a company I have an enormous amount of admiration for. It's a thoughtful, purposeful, highly effective business that creates and curates beautifully designed products. Jeff has run and grown the business slowly and sustainably (without funding), building an incredibly engaged customer base. This strong customer affinity allows him to launch products through crowdfunding campaigns without a massive marketing budget.We talk through how he built Ugmonk, how he thinks about curation and design, and we go deep on his most recent Kickstarter campaign - a ~half million dollar raise for Analog.  UgmonkAnalogTacklebox Self Serve Accelerator