
Tropical MBA: Entrepreneurship & Founder Lifestyle
With 10M+ downloads and thousands of listener meetups worldwide, the TMBA Podcast is the hub for 7 & 8-figure founders who’ve built life-changing businesses while attaining personal freedom. New episodes every Thursday morning.
Latest episodes

14 snips
May 15, 2025 • 33min
#807 Location is Leverage
Discover how savvy digital nomads leverage geography for business growth. Learn why many miss the real benefits of nomadic life and explore four smart travel strategies to build projects faster. Delve into financial arbitrage and the importance of cultivating meaningful relationships. Find out how to choose locations that align with your goals while minimizing lifestyle overhead. Finally, understand the distinctions between advanced and beginner nomads, and the potential pitfalls of isolation and network limitations.

11 snips
May 8, 2025 • 32min
#806 50/50 Partnerships: Saying the Quiet Part Out Loud
Dive into the complex world of 50/50 partnerships, where shared decision-making can lead to pitfalls. Discover how shifting life goals and money dynamics can cause tension. Learn about the challenges of identity and role confusion among partners. The podcast also offers actionable advice on resetting strained partnerships and emphasizes the power of effective communication. Explore frameworks that help forge stronger collaborations, making one plus one equal even more than two!

23 snips
May 1, 2025 • 18min
#805 What Every Profitable Business Gets Right
Dive into the fundamentals of crafting irresistible business offers that can break through growth plateaus. Explore why many founders shy away from creating compelling offers and how fear of rejection can hinder their progress. Learn about testing in the market, refining your approach, and the importance of iterative improvements for de-risking your business. This discussion underscores the value of mastering these core concepts for entrepreneurs aiming for significant revenue growth.

7 snips
Apr 24, 2025 • 35min
#804 Marketing to High-Dollar Clients
Dan shares a relationship-first strategy for landing bigger deals—no funnels, no ads, just a focused system that’s often more affordable and effective than a social media strategy. He’s joined by agency owner James Feng, who’s using this approach to grow from $300K to $1M.
(Dan's template) The Rolodex Method + Marketing Tracker
CHAPTERS
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:01) The Old School Way to Get Your Dream Clients
(00:04:00) How high-level decision makers make decisions
(00:06:03) Agency Owner $300K to $1M
(00:07:38) Who is James Feng?
(00:11:22) Adjusting Pricing for Better Client Acquisition
(00:13:49) Understanding the Landscape of High-Level Accounts
(00:15:34) Building Relationships with Key Decision Makers
(00:22:36) The Rolodex Hustle: Creating a System for Networking
(00:27:22) Leveraging Cultural Insights for Business Success
CONNECT
Dan “at” tropicalmba dot com
Ian “at” tropicalmba dot com
LINKS
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MORE EPISODES
The Roadmap for Turning a Skill Into a $1M Business (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/7-figure-productized-business)
The Unexpected Downsides of Selling Your Business (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/exit-founders-disappointed)
Success Without Sacrifice? (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/success-without-sacrifice)
Shiny Object Syndrome (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/shiny-object-syndrome)
The Anti-Agency Agency + High ROI Customer Service Strategies (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/anti-agency-high-roi)

Apr 17, 2025 • 17min
#803 I Can’t Stick With It. Should I?
Struggling to stick with an idea? It might not be a discipline issue, but a signal that you're in the ideas phase! Learn how bouncing between concepts is a natural part of entrepreneurship. Discover a framework to identify which ideas are worth pursuing seriously. The discussion includes tips on market signals, the importance of execution after gaining momentum, and the pitfalls of passion projects. Ultimately, stay playful and keep experimenting to find what truly resonates with your audience!

19 snips
Apr 10, 2025 • 42min
#802 The 10 Behaviors Killing Your Business — Masked as Productivity
This discussion uncovers ten behaviors that may seem productive but actually hinder progress. Entrepreneurs are cautioned against premature marketing expansions and the pitfalls of pausing sales during busy times. The hosts emphasize the importance of meaningful relationships in marketing over mere platform switching. They also challenge the myth that great ideas alone lead to success, highlighting the value of execution. Additionally, the conversation critiques unnecessary management layers and advocates for authentic audience engagement.

18 snips
Apr 3, 2025 • 27min
#801 Why Founders Stall at $300K + The Blank Sheet
A deep dive into the challenges entrepreneurs face at the crucial $300K revenue mark reveals roadblocks like marketing systems and hiring woes. Strategies for enhancing personal productivity and protecting creative time are also discussed. Tips on navigating difficult personalities in business provide valuable insights. Books like "Getting Things Done" and "The Courage to Be Disliked" are recommended to boost effectiveness and improve relationships. The conversation emphasizes the importance of organizational design for sustainable growth.

58 snips
Mar 27, 2025 • 44min
#800 Our Lifestyle Business Non-Negotiables
The hosts explore the ideal lifestyle business for 2025, emphasizing a balance between cash flow and location freedom. They discuss the trade-offs between maintaining a laid-back business and scaling up. Essential design principles for success include aligning personal values with customer needs and effective customer acquisition strategies. The importance of creating systems that allow for freedom, even during absences, is highlighted, along with the need to prioritize personal fulfillment and sustainable growth.

36 snips
Mar 20, 2025 • 30min
#799 90-Day Growth Plan in 10 Questions
Explore a powerful 10-question framework to refine your business in just 90 days. Discover how to identify your biggest challenge and align your team's focus for greater impact. Learn to understand your ideal customer and position your brand effectively. Uncover innovative strategies for leveraging your unique advantages and carving out a competitive edge. Plus, delve into the secrets of sharing exclusive content to gain an advantage in your market. Get ready to walk away with actionable insights!

12 snips
Mar 13, 2025 • 33min
#798 Observations From our Trip to Thailand
The hosts share invaluable insights from their Thailand trip, focusing on how successful entrepreneurs blend curiosity with diverse business strategies. They explore the transformative power of AI in cutting costs and enhancing operations. Networking in immersive environments proves essential for community building and deeper connections. Plus, they reflect on the rich culture of Thailand and its lifestyle perks, emphasizing the importance of work-life balance and the lessons learned from a mastermind event that will last a lifetime.