School of Hard Knocks Podcast

The School of Hard Knocks
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Sep 25, 2025 • 1h 17min

John Morgan | The Billionaire Lawyer Who Took Down Disney & Coca-Cola

John Morgan is one of America’s most feared lawyers—and for good reason. Founder of Morgan & Morgan, the largest personal injury firm in the U.S., he turned a family tragedy into a $2 billion empire. From taking down Disney after his brother’s accident to battling Coca-Cola, Big Pharma, and Fortune 500 giants, Morgan built a reputation as the lawyer corporations fear the most. In this episode, he shares how he scaled nationwide, spent $400 million a year on ads, created the “Google of law firms,” and turned pain into power. This is the raw story of a man who made billions fighting for the people—and made corporate America pay.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Sep 17, 2025 • 1h 52min

Brent Franklin | Broke at 26, Sued, And Became a Multi-Millionaire. How To Turn Rock Bottom Into Power And Empires

Brant is a ninth-grade dropout who went from sleeping in a garage and mowing lawns for $23 an hour to risking it all on oil wells, losing millions, getting sued, and still refusing to quit. That same obsession and grit turned his failures into fuel, and today he’s built multi-million-dollar companies in oil, real estate, and beyond, chasing a nine-figure future. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Brant reveals how he turned rock-bottom into an empire, why the fastest way to win is putting yourself in the right rooms, and how betting on yourself can change everything.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Sep 11, 2025 • 59min

Abdulla Kudrath | Broke Immigrant to Multi-Industry Mogul: How He Built 14 Businesses From Scratch

Abdulla Kudrath went from broke immigrant to empire builder through sheer discipline, radical self-responsibility, and an unshakable mindset. From poverty to launching 14 companies across multiple industries, Abdulla has become a doctor, actor, world traveler, and founder of his own medical facilities. In this episode, he reveals how extreme ownership transformed his life, why excuses are deadly, and the mindset shifts that turned struggle into unstoppable growth. If you’re ready to stop blaming and start building, this conversation will change how you see success.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Aug 8, 2025 • 1h 16min

Joshua Crisp | $11.3M in a Day Without Finishing High School

Joshua Crisp went from sleeping on an air mattress in his family’s one-bedroom apartment, working for $7.25 an hour, and eating ramen every day to making $11.3 million in a single day. With only a 9th grade education, no degree, no connections, he refused to settle for mediocrity. Through sacrifice, obsession, and an all‑in mindset, he turned bath bombs into a best‑selling product, built a digital marketing empire, and became a sought‑after mentor and speaker. In this episode, Joshua shares how he turned rock bottom into rocket fuel and the strategies that took him from broke felon to multi‑millionaire.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Jul 30, 2025 • 41min

Anne Mahlum | $110M Founder on Betting It All, Turning Trauma Into Power, and Building Solidcore from Scratch

Anne Mahlum risked it all. Her last $175,000, no investors, no backup plan, just pure belief. Before Solidcore, she was broke, alone, and leading a nonprofit for the homeless, fueled by the trauma of growing up with an addicted father. But she turned pain into purpose, and that purpose into a $90 million empire. Today, with a net worth of $110 million, Anne is living proof that excuses don’t build legacies, courage does. In this episode, she opens up about betting on herself, building from zero, and the mindset it takes to win big.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Jul 21, 2025 • 48min

John Devaney | He Lost $200 Million in 2008...Then Made It All Back

John Devaney, a bond trader turned film producer, shares his incredible journey. After losing $200 million in the 2008 crisis, he rebuilt his fortune and launched a $200 million fund with remarkable returns. He emphasizes the resilience needed to recover from financial loss while balancing family values. Devaney also discusses his transition to filmmaking, highlighting projects like 'City of Dreams' that tackle social issues, and 'The Prince,' which explores personal redemption. His commitment to authenticity and mentoring the next generation shines through.
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Jul 11, 2025 • 1h 8min

Alli Webb | Drybar Founder Who Started From $0 and Sold for $255M on Reinvention, Grit, and Building a Beauty Empire

Alli Webb is one of the most unexpected and badass entrepreneurs in the beauty world. What started as a side hustle blowdrying hair for cheap quickly turned into a nationwide movement. With zero outside funding and a deep desire to feel alive again, she launched Drybar—a blowout-only salon that exploded across the U.S. and eventually sold for $255 million. In this raw and powerful episode, Alli opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of building a brand with her ex-husband and brother, what it took to scale Drybar into a household name, and how entrepreneurship helped her find herself again. She also shares the vision behind her new venture, Messy, a product line that embraces imperfection and empowers women to own their real, unfiltered beauty. This is a story of reinvention, resilience, and building something that actually matters.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Jul 4, 2025 • 35min

Eric Adams | Beaten by Cops as a Kid, Now Mayor of NYC - On Using Pain as Fuel to Rise, Lead, and Rewrite the Rules

Eric Adams was beaten by police as a child so badly he peed blood for days. He grew up in fear of eviction, struggled with dyslexia, and felt invisible in a broken system. But instead of running from it, he joined the NYPD to change it from within. Today, he runs America’s largest city. In this raw conversation, Eric shares how trauma shaped his purpose, why he chose discipline over anger, and what it really takes to lead when the odds are stacked against you.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Jun 27, 2025 • 1h 1min

Hugo Sanchez | Latino Entrepreneur on Making $250K/Month Washing T-Shirts, Getting Rejected, and Overcoming Success

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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Jun 21, 2025 • 1h 17min

Khalil Rafati | From a Homeless Crackhead.. To a Multi-Millionaire on Addiction, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Turning Pain Into Purpose

Khalil Rafati is one of the most brutally honest and spiritually grounded entrepreneurs you’ll ever hear from. After surviving heroin addiction, homelessness, and years of childhood abuse, he made a pact with God to become rich and honor his dying mother. Through relentless work and spiritual transformation, he built SunLife Organics into a $34 million smoothie empire rooted in healing and purpose. In this podcast, Khalil opens up about his darkest moments, the faith that kept him going, and how he turned pain into a mission far greater than himself.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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