

We Live to Build
Sean Weisbrot
We Live to Build is the raw, no-fluff interview series for high-performance founders and CEOs who are scaling 5+ figure businesses and want to grow faster without burning out.Hosted by serial founder and angel investor Sean Weisbrot, each episode delivers tactical conversations with battle-tested operators, unpacking the mental models, systems, and automation strategies that drive sustainable success.If you're obsessed with scaling smart, optimizing for mental resilience, and building teams and products that don’t rely on your constant presence, these interviews were recorded for you.Expect honest talk about leadership, delegation, AI tools, cost reduction, psychology, and how to stop being the bottleneck in your business.We’re not here to inspire, we’re here to equip.Subscribe and upgrade how you build. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 8, 2023 • 45min
From Millions in Debt to a $70M Company (My Turnaround Story)
How do you turn a startup that's millions of dollars in debt into a $70 million powerhouse? This is that story. From Millions in Debt to a $70M Company (My Turnaround Story). In this incredibly transparent interview, Influence Mobile CEO Daniel Todd shares the unfiltered story of how his company faced crippling debt, lawsuits, and being cut off by Facebook—and how one creative deal changed everything. This is a masterclass in resilience, creative problem-solving, and the power of persistence. You'll learn how he negotiated with angry creditors, the single pitch that convinced a major partner to prepay $500,000 a month to solve his cash flow crisis, and why he believes the most important thing you can do is hire for culture fit over skills to build a team with a near-zero attrition rate. Check out the company: https://www.influencemobile.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - My Company Was Millions of Dollars in Debt05:48 - The Day Facebook Cut Us Off and Our Revenue Went to Zero11:23 - The "Sliding Doors" Moment That Saved My Business16:40 - My Wife & Investor Told Me to Quit (I Didn't Listen)19:33 - How We Overcame Controversy and a Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit28:12 - How I Convinced a Partner to Prepay Me $500k/Month33:59 - The Power of Asking "Dumb" Questions in a Negotiation36:42 - The Secret to Our 100% Employee Retention Rate42:26 - My #1 Hiring Rule: Culture Fit Over Skills📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 1, 2023 • 40min
Why I Quit Being a Cop to Work in Tech Sales
What would make a decorated federal investigator quit his job to start over at the bottom of the tech sales ladder? This video is the unfiltered story of Why I Quit Being a Cop to Work in Tech Sales. Taft Love shares his journey from working on a federal white-collar crime task force to grinding it out as an entry-level sales rep in San Francisco. He gets real about the financial frustrations and lack of meritocracy that drove him out of law enforcement and the lessons he learned about starting over, finding mentors, and building a new career from scratch. This is a masterclass in professional reinvention and the power of saying "yes" to unexpected opportunities. Check out the company: https://icebergops.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Why I Quit My Job as a Federal Investigator04:28 - From a Cop in a Small Town to a Sales Exec in San Francisco08:59 - The Day the CIA Shut Down My Investigation (A True Story)17:40 - What "Breaking Bad" Gets Right About the Drug Trade22:21 - My Experience Living in Korea vs. China26:33 - The Biggest Lesson from Living Abroad: People Are People35:49 - The #1 Mindset for Success in Sales40:06 - My Advice for Life: Just Say "Yes"📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 25, 2023 • 44min
AI is the New Calculator (And It Won't Steal Your Job)
Is AI coming for your job? According to 25-year product veteran Ben Foster, we've seen this movie before. This video explains why AI is the New Calculator (And It Won't Steal Your Job). Just as the calculator didn't eliminate accountants but instead gave the best ones massive leverage, AI will not replace the most valuable professionals—it will make them worth their weight in platinum. This is a masterclass on the future of product management and knowledge work. You'll learn why AI's greatest strength is in analysis, not true creativity, and why the most critical skill in the next decade will be your human judgment to know when the AI is right and when it's wrong. Check out the company: https://prodify.groupBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - How AI Will Impact Product Teams03:00 - The Historical Precedent: AI is the New Calculator06:06 - Why Human Judgment is Now More Valuable Than Ever09:09 - AI Will Make the Best Performers Worth Their Weight in Platinum15:00 - The True Role of a Modern Product Manager16:20 - AI Can't Create a "Faster Horse," Let Alone a Car24:31 - The Future of Product Management in the Age of AI33:42 - The Critical Limitation of AI's "Creativity"39:37 - My Advice: Embrace Change or Become a Dinosaur📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 18, 2023 • 1h 1min
My First Project Was a Total Disaster (It Launched My Career)
How can your worst professional failure become the catalyst for your greatest success? This video tells that exact story. For Angela Druckman, her first big project out of college was a Total Disaster (It Launched My Career). The project was late, wildly over budget, and left everyone involved miserable. That painful experience sent her on a quest to find a better way, leading her to the Scrum methodology and eventually to founding her own multi-million dollar consulting firm, The Druckman Company. This is a masterclass in turning failure into a mission. You'll learn why she strategically abandoned lucrative markets like New York and San Francisco to dominate her home turf, the importance of not letting small losses derail your long-term vision, and her unique tradition of buying herself a "revenue present" every year—from Costco diamonds to charity donations. Check out the company: https://thedruckmancompany.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00:00 - How a Disaster Project Launched My Career00:03:01 - The Inspiration Behind My Scrum Consulting Business00:07:44 - Why I've Never Regretted Starting My Own Company00:11:26 - The Hard Decision: Why We Abandoned New York & San Francisco00:15:38 - Our Most Expensive Mistake (And What We Learned)00:19:41 - How I Use Quora and Reddit to Anticipate Market Problems00:25:40 - My "Revenue Present": From Costco Diamonds to Charity00:34:57 - How to Handle Losses Without Losing Your Mind00:42:10 - The Productive Power of "Sleepy Time" (My Nightly Ritual)00:53:30 - The #1 Lesson: Trusting Others to Grow Your Business📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 12, 2023 • 1h 21min
The #1 Rule in Our House: No Complaining, Only Solutions.
Is your team stuck in a cycle of complaining instead of problem-solving? For serial entrepreneur Mark Beneke, the solution is simple: The #1 Rule in Our House: No Complaining, Only Solutions. This isn't just a family rule; it's the core philosophy he uses to run his multi-million dollar car dealership and real estate businesses. This is a deep dive into the psychology of a resilient founder. You'll learn why he believes his own brother was the biggest bottleneck in their company, how he uses "tactical empathy" to de-escalate any conflict, and why the most important skill you can learn is to accept your losses and force yourself to keep going. Check out the company: https://www.westlandautosales.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00:00 - Creating a Space for Learning and Entertainment00:02:56 - Building a $6M "We Eat What We Hunt" Business00:05:31 - My Superpower: An Insanely High Risk Tolerance00:06:25 - The Daily Grind of Putting Out Fires as a CEO00:10:59 - My Motivation: The Challenge of Pushing My Own Limits00:13:07 - Why We Teach Our Employees to Be Financially Independent00:16:20 - Our #1 House Rule: No Complaining, Only Solutions00:19:26 - The Hardest Decision: Why Every Bad Hire is My Fault00:29:28 - How I Identified My Co-Founder as The Bottleneck00:32:59 - Data vs. Relationships: Brains vs. The Face of The Company00:39:49 - The Most Important Skill I've Learned: Tactical Empathy00:46:20 - My Self-Care Routine: 3AM Workouts & Video Games00:59:02 - The "F--- You Money" Myth: Why It Doesn't Exist01:01:59 - The #1 Lesson for Entrepreneurs: Learn to Lose📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 5, 2023 • 56min
AI Won't Replace You. A Person Using AI Will.
Is AI coming for your job? The answer is more nuanced than you think. This video breaks down the most important career advice of the decade: AI Won't Replace You. A Person Using AI Will. Josh Fuller, founder of the strategy and branding agency Matic Digital, explains why the real threat isn't the technology itself, but the people who master it. This is a must-watch conversation for any professional looking to future-proof their career. You'll learn why companies are making a "knee-jerk" reaction by laying off staff, the painful lessons from the founders of WhatsApp and Instagram after being acquired by Mark Zuckerberg, and why the most valuable skill in the coming years will be your ability to leverage AI as a tool to enhance your own expertise. Check out the company: https://www.maticdigital.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - The Real Threat of AI in the Job Market03:26 - Why 3,900 People Lost Their Jobs to AI Last Month07:09 - Why Big Tech's Mass Layoffs Were a Mistake10:34 - The Pain of Being Acquired by Mark Zuckerberg17:27 - The Hard Truth You Must Accept When You Sell Your Company24:23 - Overcoming the "Noose" of Payroll Anxiety as a Founder35:01 - If You Don't See the Bottleneck, YOU Are the Bottleneck38:45 - Why We Don't Train New Hires (And What We Do Instead)45:25 - The Rise of the Fractional Economy (CFOs, CEOs, etc.)📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 4, 2023 • 38min
Why I Invest My Family's Money Alongside My Clients
What is the ultimate form of trust in a financial advisor? For Brendan Dunn, a fifth-generation family office CEO, the answer is simple: Why I Invest My Family's Money Alongside My Clients'. This isn't just a business model; it's a core philosophy that has guided his family for over a century. In this interview, Brendan pulls back the curtain on the world of generational wealth and explains how a true alignment of interests is the only way to build lasting value. This is a masterclass in a different kind of investing. You'll learn the key difference between a bank and a family office, how they build customized portfolios based on a client's unique values (not just their risk tolerance), and the crucial role that personal relationships play in a world that is increasingly automated. Check out the company: https://www.holdun.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Inside a 5th Generation Family Office03:01 - The Core Principle: Aligning Our Interests with Clients05:53 - How We Build Portfolios Based on Your Personal Values12:15 - The "Boring" and Stable Approach to Generational Wealth15:08 - Can AI Revolutionize Wealth Management? A CEO's Take20:45 - The Importance of Discretion and Personal Relationships26:22 - Why We Don't Use Traditional Marketing to Find Clients29:41 - The New Challenge: Estate Planning for Crypto32:34 - Why a Computer Can Never Replace Human Trust📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 14, 2023 • 46min
How Our HR Mistakes Cost Us 30% on Our Exit
Could your "people problems" be silently tanking your company's valuation? For founder Matthew Schmidt, they did. This video tells the real-world story of How Our HR Mistakes Cost Us 30% on Our Exit. Matthew, CEO of People Logic, learned the hard way at his last company how burnout, high attrition, and process inefficiencies can directly impact the bottom line, likely decreasing their final exit value by a third and delaying the sale by two years. This is a masterclass in how organizational health translates directly to business value. You'll learn how to spot hidden "people problems" before they become catastrophic, why you should be cautious about using AI in sensitive areas like performance reviews, and how to build a data-driven HR strategy that maximizes both employee well-being and your company's valuation. Check out the company: https://peoplelogic.aiBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - The People Problems That Cost Us 30% on Our Exit03:17 - How This Mistake Inspired My New Company06:49 - How to Streamline Processes to Maximize Your Exit Value10:35 - Why Startups Shouldn't Use AI for Hiring17:43 - How to Push HR Responsibility Down to Your Managers25:29 - The #1 Practical Use Case for AI in HR Right Now32:49 - The Huge Risk of Using AI for Performance Reviews40:46 - How AI Can Free Your Team From Monotonous Work44:51 - Why AI Can't Replace Human Intuition in Leadership📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 6, 2023 • 51min
The Secret to Getting Your Team to Embrace Change
Struggling with resistance every time you try to implement a new process or tool? This video reveals The Secret to Getting Your Team to Embrace Change. Tech consultant Danny Nathan, founder of Apollo 21, breaks down why top-down mandates often fail and shares his number one strategy for success: building a team of "internal advocates". This is a masterclass in change management. You'll learn the step-by-step process of involving your end-users from the very beginning, turning their initial skepticism into powerful support that helps win over even the most resistant senior leaders. Check out the company: https://apollo21.ioBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Why Most Companies Are Blind to Their Biggest Problems06:14 - Case Study: Automating a Financial Firm Drowning in Email12:13 - Why Senior Leaders Are Often the Most Resistant to Change15:08 - The Secret: Build "Internal Advocates" From Day One18:00 - Why You MUST Involve End-Users in the Development Process23:39 - "Stringent Flexibility": Our Process for Repeatable Success37:41 - How a High-Trust Referral Network Can 9x Your Close Rate46:42 - My 4-Tool Stack for Creating Videos With AI📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 30, 2023 • 43min
How I Cloned Myself With AI (A Step-by-Step Guide)
It's no longer science fiction. This video is a practical tutorial on How I Cloned Myself With AI (A Step-by-Step Guide). Global consulting CEO Oleksandr Vysotskyi reveals the exact AI tool stack he uses to create a "digital twin" of himself, allowing him to produce training content and provide client support 24/7, in any language. Learn how he combines ChatGPT for scripting, ElevenLabs for voice cloning, and HeyGen to generate a video avatar of himself, creating a content workflow that's 20x faster and 10x cheaper than his previous method. This is a look into the future of content creation and personal branding. Check out the company: https://visotsky-consulting.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Why I Decided to Clone Myself With AI03:28 - How Predicting the 2008 Crash Launched My Business10:42 - The Future of Client Support: Your Own AI Avatar21:19 - Step 1: Writing Scripts with ChatGPT21:35 - Step 2: Cloning My Voice with ElevenLabs21:45 - Step 3: Creating the Video Avatar with HeyGen25:25 - The Result: Content That's 20x Faster & 10x Cheaper28:43 - The Ethics of Cloning Deceased Relatives With AI35:05 - Why ChatGPT is a Consultant, Not a Coach📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


