First Class Founders: Creators | Solopreneurs | Personal HoldCo

E45: Have you ever wondered what sets successful founders and creators apart from the rest? The reality is, many budding entrepreneurs grapple with uncertainty, indecision, and the fear of failure. It's like navigating a maze blindfolded. Entrepreneurship isn't a walk in the park. It's a rollercoaster ride filled with challenges, doubts, and uncertainties. Today, host Yong-Soo Chung (@YongSooChung) shares his hard-earned insights, drawn from his own experience and other creators he's studied over the past year.On today’s episode, you’ll learn:- Mastering the Entrepreneurial Mindset- The Power of Deliberate Practice and Improvement- Closely Monitoring Distribution Strategies for Content- Clear Strategy for Attracting and Engaging Your Ideal AudienceLet's get down to business!***SPONSOR: Big thanks to Swell AI for sponsoring this episode. Swell AI is like having a production assistant 24/7. If you're a content creator, do yourself a favor and try Swell AI.***EXCERPTS:The Benefit of Deliberate Practice: "Simple practice does help you get better, but deliberate practice is where the true results reveal themselves." — Yong-Soo Chung (06:46)The Importance of Content Distribution: "Create momentum within one platform before expanding onto others. This will make it easier to snowball your audience onto other platforms later. Think about distributing your content through both depth and width. When you're ready to expand, you'll be prepared to boost your distribution even further." — Yong-Soo Chung (22:12)*** TOPICS:- The Power of Consistency- Mastering the Entrepreneurial Mindset- The Art of Building an Audience in Public- How to Create Your Own Luck*** LINKS: Episode 26Episode 32Episode 36Episode 37Episode 42JOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

Matt McGarry, a newsletter growth expert, shares insights on choosing captivating topics and finding the right frequency for newsletters. He also discusses crafting formats that resonate with the audience and strategies for growth. The podcast highlights the potential of newsletters and the impact of deep expertise on their success.

E43: 'X' formerly known as Twitter, has a new rival in town.Led by Mark Zuckerberg, Threads has taken the world by storm, and while the initial rush has died down a bit, its impressive launch is worth a deeper dive.A platform where conversations feel more personal, intimate, and casual, like catching up with an old friend over coffee. That's exactly what Threads brings to the table. And believe me, it's a game-changer!On today’s episode, you’ll learn:Distinguishing Features of ThreadsSimilarities and Differences Between Other PlatformsHow to Leverage Threads to Build Deeper ConnectionsMy Own Predictions on the Future of Meta and ThreadsLet's get down to business!***SPONSOR: Big thanks to Swell AI for sponsoring this episode. Swell AI is like having a production assistant 24/7. If you're a content creator, do yourself a favor and try Swell AI.***EXCERPTS:Simplicity and Culture: "The simplicity of Threads help not only attract people from Twitter, but also ease them onto a new platform. The fact that it was incredibly similar in look and feel to Twitter was especially a genius move in my opinion." — Yong-Soo Chung  (13:45)The Next Big Social Media Platform: "So, if you're looking for a social media platform that offers simplicity and a chill vibe, Threads may just be the next big thing. Embrace this new space, rewrite your content with reduced bragging and increased authenticity, and watch your engagement soar. Let's leave behind the negativity and focus on the good bits as creators and founders. Threads is here to revolutionize the way we connect and communicate. Don't miss out on being a part of this exciting journey." — Yong-Soo Chung  (14:06)*** TOPICS:- Emphasizing the Importance of Building on Existing Successful Platforms- Culture and Authenticity on Threads- How to Focus on Authenticity and Openness on Threads- Growth Strategies and Building an Audience on Threads- Using Threads to Drive Traffic to Other Platforms- Leveraging Popular Creators' AudiencesJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E42: Tyler Denk is the Founder & CEO of Beehiiv, an email service provider that's taking the newsletter industry by storm. If you are a regular listener, you already know that I use Beehiiv for the First Class Founders newsletter and I am incredibly happy with it.Tyler and I spoke about:His thoughts on the future of newslettersHis role as the Growth Engineer at Morning BrewHis first venture during his college days - VentureStormWhat separates the great newsletters from the rest of the packThis is a captivating story you don't want to miss!***SPONSOR: Big thanks to Swell AI for sponsoring this episode. Swell AI is like having a production assistant 24/7. If you're a content creator, do yourself a favor and try Swell AI.***EXCERPTS:Building in Public: "I think fundamentally people align more with an individual person than a brand and kind of like self nominating myself as the face of the brand, being able to talk about the ups and downs of the business, what we're prioritizing, what's working, what's not working, sharing revenue numbers, sharing growth numbers, but also sharing things that we had tried that didn't work out." — Tyler Denk (24:41)Future of Beehiiv: "We're looking to be acquirers. I believe we are the innovators in the space. We have a tremendous nucleus of talent. We have a very, very ambitious roadmap. And if Mailchimp could sell for $12 billion for what they accomplished, I think what we're building is far more ambitious and powerful than what they have built. And so we're looking to be innovators in the space. We're looking to make acquisitions. We're not looking to be acquired." — Tyler Denk (35:49)***TOPICS:[00:05:13] Tyler's Impressive Work Ethic[00:07:24] VentureStorm: Tyler's First Startup[00:09:08] How Tyler Grew Morning Brew to 3.5 Million Subscribers[00:14:46] Beehiiv's Early Days[00:22:36] How Beehiiv Grew So Fast Organically[00:24:41] Why Tyler Builds Beehiiv in Public[00:25:37] What All Successful Newsletters Have in Common[00:31:00] Tyler's Advice For Founders***LINKS:Try Beehiiv For FrJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

Discover how a $20 million business was built through the innovative MAPS Framework, which focuses on Mindset, Audience, Product, and Scaling. Learn why a winning mindset is critical for entrepreneurship and the power of embracing challenges. Dive into strategies for identifying the right audience and engaging with niche communities. Uncover the essentials of sustainable growth and scaling, along with effective e-commerce strategies and the importance of product-market fit. It's a treasure trove of insights for aspiring entrepreneurs!

E40: What would you learn if you had the chance to speak to over 2,000 startup entrepreneurs including the founders of Airbnb, Reddit, and Zapier?We are talking to Andrew Warner, the serial entrepreneur, storyteller, podcast host, and author extraordinaire. After conducting over 2,000 interviews from startup founders, Andrew recently published a book called "Stop Asking Questions!" which I read from cover to cover. I invited him on the podcast so I could… ask him a LOT of questions.During our conversation, Andrew and I spoke about his life as an entrepreneur and went into some amazing details about:All his past ventures - including the one that failedWhy he thinks the current startup ecosystem has matured too muchHis current partial-hiatus and what he plans to do nextHis secret to conducting great interviewsThis is an inspiring conversation that you won't want to miss!***SPONSOR: Big thanks to Swell AI for sponsoring this episode. Swell AI is like having a production assistant 24/7. If you're a content creator, do yourself a favor and try Swell AI. ***EXCERPTS:Affiliate Marketing Growth: "What if we pay people 10¢ every time someone sends out their website?" — Andrew Warner (14:12)How to Succeed as a Founder: "If you could live your contradiction fully and still be aware of the world around you, you win." — Andrew Warner (27:28)***TOPICS:[00:06:31] How Andrew Hacked J. Crew's Return Policy to Launch His Startup[00:07:35] Spending $2-3k on Envelopes for Software-on-a-Disc Business[00:11:04] Building a 'Jokes and Trivia' Newsletter to $30M[00:14:12] How Andrew Boosted Growth via Affiliates[00:20:40] How Andrew Lost $300,000 From His Business[00:22:30] How Andrew Pivoted Mixergy[00:26:54] Lessons Learned From Interviewing Founders[00:29:14] Embrace Your Weirdness to Stand Out***LINKS:Andrew's Mixergy PodcastAndrew's Book: Stop Asking Questions Andrew on Twitter JOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E39: Imagine your work has contributed to a quarter billion dollars in sales. You read that right. Quarter of a billion dollars. That’s $250 million.Today, we’re joined by Colin Chung, a copywriter who not only knows how to write amazing direct response copy, but he knows how to get the largest clients in the business.Over the last 15 years, Colin’s clients include: Agora, Jim Kwik, John Carlton, Brian Tracy, and Ava Jane’s Kitchen. He’s the unsung hero behind many of YOUR favorite brands. So, what are the key ingredients for amazing copywriting? And perhaps more importantly, HOW did he exactly land these big time clients?I speak to Colin about:Getting Into the Right RoomsWhy Funnels Aren’t Great for FreelancersWhy Harnessing a Growth Mindset Is So CriticalHis 3-Step Framework to Write Copy That ConvertsThis episode is a gold mine for not learning to become a better writer, but how to grow your business.***SPONSOR: Big thanks to Growth Tribe for sponsoring this episode! I highly recommend this free weekly newsletter for anyone looking to start, grow, and monetize a one-person business.***EXCERPTS:Funnels for Freelancers: "If you're a direct response copywriter and you're looking to land those 8, 9, 10-figure clients in the direct response world, they're not reading your blog. They're not reading your Twitter. They're not reading your email newsletter. Like, there's no reason for you to be building a funnel." — Colin Chung (18:42)Getting Into the Right Rooms: "It's not who you know. It's who knows you." — Colin Chung (22:37)***TOPICS:[00:05:37] How Colin Got Laid Off and Chose Copywriting[00:12:16] How to Find the 'Right Room' to Grow Your Business[00:18:42] Funnels Aren't Necessary For All Freelancers[00:26:19] 3-Step Framework for Great Copywriting[00:32:23] Why Harnessing a Growth Mindset Is Key***LINKS:Colin Chung's WebsiteFollow Colin on TwitterEpisode 28 - EAR$ Framework and MonetJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

E38: Want to know how the top 0.1% of creators grow their newsletter? Today, we’re joined by Chenell Basilio, the creator behind Growth in Reverse.Growth in Reverse is a newsletter that deep dives into newsletter creators with over 50,000 subscribers. Chenell spends over 40 hours per week researching one creator each week.During my conversation with Chenell, she didn’t hold anything back.On today’s episode, you’ll learn:What Chenell’s Research Process Looks LikeHow to Build Your Tribe of Like-Minded CreatorsHow Chenell Has Built Her Audience Growth Flywheel5 Types of Newsletter Formats That Chenell Recommends Let's get down to business!***SPONSOR: I love using Riverside.fm to record all guest interviews like this one with Chenell Basilio. Try it out 100% free here and when you're ready, use the code FIRSTCLASS to get 20% off any paid plan.***EXCERPTS:Building Connections: "But from the outside looking in, it looks like you had them before or you got lucky or something like that. But it's really just like a consistency of showing up week after week and creating consistently that people will start to notice you and, you know, you create those relationships."— Chenell Basilio (22:22)Growing your Social Channels with Twitter: "The power of spending 2 to 3 hours a day on Twitter, like, constant find these people, engage with them, share their stuff, and then they're gonna return the favor eventually once they see you there enough."— Chenell Basilio (31:51)Maximizing Audience Reach: "Getting in front of those other audiences is really, really important."— Chenell Basilio (34:59)*** TOPICS:[00:05:36] How Chenell Found Her Unique Niche[00:13:04] How Chenell Leverages Popular Creators for Exposure on Twitter[00:18:05] Explanation of Chenell's Deep Dive Research Process[00:22:22] How Newsletter Creators Create Distribution[00:27:11] 5 Categories of Newsletter Formats for Creators[00:29:37] Creators Need: Consistency, Quality, and Niche[00:33:00] Expand Audience with New Verticals*** LINKS:Chenell Basilio on TwitterJOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...

Former investment banker turned entrepreneur, Khe Hy, shares his unconventional entrepreneurial path. Topics include the correlation between material success and happiness, not niching down, establishing authority through consistent writing, and the challenge of converting audience to customers.

E36: What's it like to go from 0 to 300k+ followers in 2 years? Clint Murphy, the host and creator of The Growth Guide podcast and newsletter, did exactly that. Clint is the Chief Financial Officer at Mosaic Homes, a Real Estate Development company. But, what I’m most impressed by is Clint’s audience growth, which has skyrocketed over the past 2-3 years. Clint is a master at audience growth and lucky for you, I invited him on to this podcast to tell us all about it.  This is a masterclass in personal brand growth. This is one episode you don't want to miss.Let's get down to business!***SPONSOR: I love using Riverside.fm to record all guest interviews like this one with Clint Murphy. Try it out 100% free here and when you're ready, use the code FIRSTCLASS to get 20% off any paid plan.***EXCERPTS:Audience Building Flywheel: "And so the flywheel is, as we grow the social media, the access to guests increases. As we have larger and larger guests, the threads that we write on social media to promote the episode get more eyeballs because people wanna learn lessons from those people that you had on the show...Until they're both growing bigger and bigger."— Clint Murphy (8:32)Viral Networking: "And so what you do is you create a network of friends. I'm gonna share your stuff. You're gonna share my stuff. We share each other's stuff. We lift each other up. We get it in front of more eyeballs."— Clint Murphy (12:00)*** TOPICS:[00:05:27] Reverse Engineering Goals for Success[00:08:32] Creating a Flywheel to Grow Your Audience[00:10:52] Mindset: Be Willing to Suck For a While[00:20:11] Differences Between LinkedIn vs. Twitter[00:21:55] How to Choose the Right Platform For Your Content[00:25:33] Focus on the Long Game for Growth[00:26:15] Focus on Process, Not Results - Your Inner Scorecard[00:34:56] 7 Lessons for Successful Content Creation*** LINKS:Jeremy Enns - Episode 28Sam Browne - Episode 32JOIN: First Class Founders Premium MembershipDOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)***FOLLOW / REVIEW:- Follow - Leave 5-star review***CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:- X- Threads- LinkedIn- Newsletter***First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc. Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more. Episode you might like:Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at BeehiivFrom Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry...