Skip to content
Artwork for Built Different
BusinessEntrepreneurshipMarketing

Built Different

Marcus Chen

Think most business advice is complete garbage? You're probably right. Built Different cuts through the LinkedIn motivational spam to show you what actually works when you're trying to grow a real company. Join Marcus Chen, who burned out so hard running five restaurants that he sold the whole chain and spent two years figuring out where business advice goes wrong. Now he breaks down the unsexy truth about business growth, entrepreneurship, and scaling without venture capital. No feel good fluff, just the strategies that actually move the needle on lead generation and startup survival. Marcus interviews founders who built profitable companies the hard way, plus shares the mistakes that almost killed his own business. You'll get the real story behind successful businesses, not the sanitized version they post on social media. Each episode digs into specific tactics you can actually use, whether you're just starting out or trying to scale past your first few hires. If you're tired of business podcasts that sound like they were written by a marketing team, this one's for you. Follow Built Different now for multiple new episodes daily that'll change how you think about entrepreneurship.


Play
  • 267 episodes
  • daily
  • Avg 17 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • Tuesday · 23 min

    What Elon Musk Gets Dead Wrong About Getting Rich in 2026

    What if everything Elon Musk says about building wealth is completely backwards? Marcus Chen breaks down why the Tesla CEO's advice might actually keep you broke in 2026, plus shares the unsexy strategies that actually create millionaires. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why 87% of wealthy entrepreneurs choose boring service businesses over flashy product companies • The 73/27 rule that separates million-dollar businesses from those stuck at six figures • How charging premium prices (top 20% in your market) increases your survival odds by 40% 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs tired of Silicon Valley fairy tales who want real wealth-building tactics 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen explains why Elon's advice backfires for most people [01:45] The service business secret 87% of millionaires use [03:30] Why premium pricing saves failing businesses [05:15] The 73/27 operations rule nobody talks about [07:00] Why only 23% of $1M companies reach $10M [09:30] The specific moves that actually work in 2026 The difference between Musk's approach and what actually builds wealth comes down to one thing: most successful entrepreneurs get rich through operations mastery, not breakthrough innovation. Marcus walks through the data on what separates businesses that scale from those that flame out. This isn't another motivational episode about thinking bigger. It's the tactical breakdown of how real businesses actually grow past their first million without venture capital or viral moments. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop daily with the business strategies that actually work. 🔍 Topics: entrepreneurship advice, building wealth, service businesses, premium pricing, business operations Listen on your favorite app at Built Different --------------- Keywords: business failures, business mindset, business podcast, real business advice, startup advice, business psychology, business growth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 18 min

    Why 97% of Businesses Fail: The System Tesla Uses That You Don't

    What if I told you that Tesla's secret weapon isn't their cars, but a system so simple that any business can steal it? In this episode, Marcus Chen breaks down why 97% of businesses crash and burn while companies like Tesla print money using one counterintuitive approach most entrepreneurs completely ignore. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The Tesla "systems first" strategy that creates predictable growth (even when everything else goes wrong) • Why businesses with documented processes are 40% more likely to hit $1 million in revenue • The real reason customer acquisition costs jumped 76% and how smart companies are fighting back • How companies with Net Promoter Scores above 50 grow twice as fast as their competition 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs who are tired of playing whack-a-mole with business problems and want to build something that actually lasts. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen reveals the 97% failure stat everyone gets wrong [01:45] Tesla's hidden system that most people never notice [04:15] Why your business feels like constant firefighting [06:30] The documentation mistake that kills scaling [09:00] Customer loyalty secrets from high-growth companies [11:30] Three systems you can build this week 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop daily with the real strategies that move the needle on business growth. 🔍 Topics: business systems, Tesla strategy, customer retention, scaling businesses, entrepreneurship Listen on your favorite app at Built Different --- Keywords: real business advice, practical entrepreneurship, business breakthrough, business success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 21 min

    Why Your 2025 Goals Failed (And How to Fix It in 2026)

    Why did 92% of 2025 goals crash and burn by February? Marcus Chen breaks down the brutal truth about why most people set themselves up to fail, plus the three-pillar framework that actually works for 2026. Most goal-setting advice is complete garbage. You've been sold on vision boards and 30-day challenges when Harvard research shows something totally different: people who write down specific goals are 10x more likely to achieve them, but only if they nail the daily systems part. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The Stanford behavior lab discovery that makes goal achievement 40% more likely (it's not what you think) • Why 73% of successful CEOs credit their wins to just 3-5 key relationships, and how to build yours • The MIT productivity hack that beats time-blocking: batch processing for 25% better results 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs tired of setting the same goals every January and watching them die by March. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen reveals why your 2025 goals never had a chance [01:45] The clarity problem: why vague vision kills motivation [04:15] Daily systems that stick: the 1% rule that compounds [07:30] Strategic relationships: the networking approach that actually works [10:00] Your 2026 action plan: three steps to start today [12:30] The one metric that predicts success better than talent This isn't another "new year, new you" episode. It's the unsexy truth about what separates people who achieve their goals from those who don't. Marcus breaks down the research, shares what worked when he scaled his restaurant chain, and gives you a framework you can start using immediately. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: goal setting, productivity systems, relationship building, entrepreneurship habits, business growth Listen on your favorite app at Built Different ------------ Keywords: business breakthrough, marketing strategies, wealth building, anti-fluff business, business mindset, entrepreneurship, sales tactics, profit strategies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 16 min

    Why 97% of Businesses Fail at Growth (And the 3% That Don't Do THIS)

    Most entrepreneurs think growth is about hustle and grinding harder. But the companies that actually scale fast? They've cracked a simple code that 97% of businesses completely miss. Marcus Chen breaks down exactly what separates the winners from the wannabes in 2026. 🎯 What You'll Discover: • Why 80% of your growth should come from existing customers (and the 3 systems to make it happen) • The lead generation automation that creates 451% more qualified prospects without adding work • How strategic partnerships can jump your revenue by 23% when most businesses only see 8% • The product-market fit signals that predict 2.5x faster growth rates 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs tired of generic growth advice who want the actual playbook successful companies use to scale without burning out. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen reveals the 3% growth secret [02:15] Why your customer acquisition strategy is backwards [04:30] The automation system that runs itself [06:45] Strategic partnerships that actually move the needle [08:30] Product-market fit optimization tactics [10:15] Real numbers from companies doing this right The difference between businesses that plateau and businesses that explode isn't talent or luck. It's knowing which three systems actually matter and how to build them without getting distracted by shiny object syndrome. Marcus walks through each system with specific examples and metrics you can track. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: business growth, lead generation, product market fit, strategic partnerships, customer retention Listen on your favorite app at Built Different --------------- Keywords: productivity tips, startup lessons, decision making, startup advice, business psychology, business breakthrough, business mindset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 21 min

    The Ultimate Sales Training for 2026 [Full Course]

    Episode about The Ultimate Sales Training for 2026 [Full Course] Listen on your favorite app at Built Different ------- Keywords: productivity tips, startup advice, sales tactics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 19 min

    Give Me 47 minutes, And I'll Fix Your Small Business

    Episode about Give Me 47 minutes, And I'll Fix Your Small Business Listen on your favorite app at Built Different --------- Keywords: decision making, marketing strategies, business systems, business growth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 20 min

    What I Learned From 1,000 Failed Businesses (And How To Fix Yours In 47 Minutes)

    What if 80% of small business failures could be prevented with a simple 47-minute diagnostic? In this episode, Marcus Chen reveals the exact framework he uses to identify and fix the core problems that kill businesses before they hit year five. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The 3 critical bottlenecks strangling 90% of small businesses (and how to spot yours in under 10 minutes) • Why most business owners waste 3.2 hours daily on tasks that generate zero revenue (plus what to do instead) • The counterintuitive reason successful entrepreneurs ignore 80% of their problems and focus on just one • How to turn your biggest business weakness into a systematic 47-minute monthly review 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs who are tired of spinning their wheels and want a proven system to diagnose exactly what's holding their business back. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen introduces the 47-minute business fix framework [02:15] The three types of business death (and which one's killing yours) [05:30] Why cash flow problems aren't actually cash flow problems [08:45] The revenue bottleneck diagnostic that changes everything [11:20] Real examples: businesses that went from failing to thriving [13:00] Your 47-minute action plan starts now After studying over 1,000 failed businesses, Marcus discovered that most owners are solving the wrong problems entirely. They're optimizing their website when they should be fixing their sales process. They're hiring more staff when they should be streamlining operations. This episode cuts through the noise and shows you exactly where to focus your energy for maximum impact. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: small business problems, business diagnosis, cash flow, revenue bottlenecks, business failure prevention Listen on your favorite app at Built Different ----------- Keywords: entrepreneur stories, startup survival, business scaling, business success, business systems, marketing strategies, investment advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 18 min

    This Video Should be REQUIRED Viewing For Business Owners

    Episode about This Video Should be REQUIRED Viewing For Business Owners Listen on your favorite app at Built Different ---- Keywords: wealth building, business breakthrough, startup advice, real business advice, profit strategies, startup lessons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 21 min

    Stranger Gave Me 56 Minutes. I Built Him a $1,000,000 Business.

    What if I told you that a complete stranger walked up to Marcus Chen at a networking event, gave him exactly 56 minutes, and walked away with a validated million-dollar business idea? That's exactly what happened, and in this episode, Marcus breaks down the exact framework that made it possible. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The 56-minute timer system that forces rapid market validation (no overthinking allowed) • Why targeting proven markets beats "innovative" ideas 94% of the time • The pre-selling technique that got $50K in commitments before building anything • How to identify recurring revenue opportunities that actually scale to $1M 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs who are tired of spending months on ideas that never work, or anyone curious about how real business validation actually happens in the wild. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen reveals the 56-minute challenge setup [03:15] Phase 1: 15-minute market research that actually works [08:30] Why this stranger's coffee shop idea was doomed from the start [12:45] The pivot that changed everything (and how he got his first customers) [18:20] Pre-selling tactics that brought in $50K before launch [25:10] Scaling from idea to $1M: the recurring revenue blueprint [31:40] Common mistakes that kill million-dollar opportunities [38:15] The follow-up: where this business stands today This isn't theory or feel-good motivation. It's the actual playbook Marcus used to help a stranger build something real in under an hour. The framework works whether you're validating your first idea or your tenth. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: business validation, million dollar business, entrepreneurship, startup ideas, market research Listen on your favorite app at Built Different ---------- Keywords: business success, investment advice, wealth building Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 18 min

    How to Become Ultra Wealthy (4 Methods)

    Episode about How to Become Ultra Wealthy (4 Methods) Listen on your favorite app at Built Different -------- Keywords: business psychology, marketing strategies, entrepreneurship, lead generation, entrepreneur stories, startup survival, decision making, anti-fluff business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Tuesday · 18 min

    Why 99% of People Stay Poor (4 Ultra Wealth Methods They Never Try)

    Why do 99% of people never build serious wealth? Marcus Chen breaks down the four ultra-wealth methods that actually work, backed by data that'll make you rethink everything you know about getting rich. Most people think wealth comes from working harder or getting lucky. That's exactly why they stay broke. The truth is simpler and way more actionable than you think. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why 88% of millionaires are self-made and how they actually did it • The 4 wealth-building methods ultra-rich people use (only 3% of businesses ever hit $1 million annually) • Why the average millionaire has 7 income streams, not one job • The real estate allocation that makes up 28% of wealthy portfolios 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs tired of generic wealth advice who want the actual playbook successful people use. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen reveals why most wealth advice fails [01:45] Method 1: Building scalable businesses that work without you [03:30] Method 2: Investing in assets that appreciate while you sleep [06:00] Method 3: Developing rare skills that command premium pricing [08:30] Method 4: Creating intellectual property for passive income [11:00] Why most people pick the wrong method for their situation The strategies Marcus covers aren't theoretical. They're based on Fidelity's 2023 study of actual wealthy investors, plus real data from businesses that broke the $1 million barrier. No fluff, just the methods that separate the 1% from everyone else. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: wealth building, passive income, real estate investing, scalable business, entrepreneurship Listen on your favorite app at Built Different --------------- Keywords: startup survival, marketing strategies, practical entrepreneurship, business mindset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 16 min

    Breaking down Rihanna’s Company (Real Tactics You Can Use)

    Episode about Breaking down Rihanna’s Company (Real Tactics You Can Use) Listen on your favorite app at Built Different --------------- Keywords: startup lessons, anti-fluff business, business breakthrough, investment advice, marketing strategies, profit strategies, business success, entrepreneur stories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 17 min

    The $5 Million Framework: What I Learned Building Someone Else's Empire

    What if I told you someone built a $5 million business plan for a complete stranger in just 42 minutes? In this episode, Marcus Chen breaks down the exact framework that made it happen and why most business plans are actually holding entrepreneurs back. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The 3-step validation method that gives startups a 70% higher success rate than traditional planning • Why successful entrepreneurs make decisions with only 70% of the information (and how to do it safely) • The 5 core activities that drive 80% of results in million-dollar businesses • How to spot market opportunities in under 10 minutes using this consultant's secret framework 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs tired of spending months on business plans that become obsolete before launch, plus anyone curious about what separates successful businesses from the 90% that fail. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen introduces the stranger who needed a $5M plan [02:15] Why traditional business planning kills more startups than it saves [05:30] The 42-minute framework breakdown (step by step) [08:45] Market validation tricks that most consultants charge $10K to teach [11:00] The 5 activities every million-dollar business shares [13:30] How to apply this framework to your own business today This isn't another feel-good business story. It's the unsexy truth about what actually works when you need results fast. No LinkedIn motivational spam, just the framework that helped build a real $5 million empire. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: business planning, startup validation, entrepreneurship frameworks, market research, business growth strategies Listen on your favorite app at Built Different -------------- Keywords: startup advice, profit strategies, marketing strategies, wealth building, investment advice, startup survival Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 16 min

    I Ranked the Best Superbowl Ads 2026 [TIER LIST]

    Episode about I Ranked the Best Superbowl Ads 2026 [TIER LIST] Listen on your favorite app at Built Different ----------- Keywords: startup survival, business mindset, lead generation, practical entrepreneurship, wealth building, real business advice, investment advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 23 min

    What Jeff Bezos Took 20 Years to Learn About Scaling (In 60 Minutes)

    What if everything you think you know about business scaling is backwards? Most entrepreneurs spend years learning lessons that Jeff Bezos figured out in his first decade at Amazon. Marcus Chen breaks down 20 years of hard-won business wisdom in just one hour, answering the questions that keep entrepreneurs awake at 3 AM. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why 80% of businesses fail at their first scaling attempt (and the 3 warning signs to watch for) • The unit economics framework that separates profitable companies from cash-burning startups • How value-based pricing can boost your profit margins by 12-18% starting next week • The real reason 42% of startups fail (hint: it's not what you think) 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs who want straight answers without the LinkedIn motivational garbage. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen reveals the biggest scaling myth [02:15] Unit economics: the numbers that actually matter [06:30] Value-based pricing secrets most consultants charge $5K to teach [11:45] Why building something people want is harder than it sounds [16:20] The 2-3 year profitability timeline (and how to beat it) [21:00] Hiring decisions that make or break growing companies [25:30] Framework for making better business decisions under pressure This episode cuts through the feel-good business content to give you frameworks you can actually use. No theory, no fluff. Just the strategies that separate businesses that survive from those that scale. Want more episodes that skip the BS and get straight to what works? These insights come from real founders who built profitable companies the hard way, not from people selling courses about businesses they never ran. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: business scaling, unit economics, value-based pricing, startup profitability, entrepreneurship Listen on your favorite app at Built Different -------------- Keywords: startup lessons, entrepreneurship, practical entrepreneurship, investment advice, business failures, startup advice, anti-fluff business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 20 min

    How Ryan Reynolds Built a $1.3 Billion Brand Without Being Famous First

    What if the guy from Deadpool could teach you to build a billion-dollar business? Ryan Reynolds turned two random companies into $1.3 billion in exits using four marketing strategies so simple, you'll kick yourself for not trying them sooner. In this episode, Marcus Chen breaks down exactly how Reynolds did it and why his approach works for any business owner, famous or not. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • The $700 Aviation Gin Super Bowl ad that generated over $1 million in earned media • How Reynolds flipped Mint Mobile for $1.35 billion using "reverse celebrity endorsements" • The Maximum Effort marketing formula with 90% client retention (and how to copy it) • Why being "authentically imperfect" beats polished marketing every single time 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs who think you need a massive budget or celebrity status to create viral marketing campaigns. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen introduces Reynolds' $1.3B marketing blueprint [01:30] The Aviation Gin strategy that cost almost nothing [04:00] How "reverse psychology" marketing actually works [07:00] The Mint Mobile playbook for any service business [10:00] Maximum Effort's secret to keeping 90% of clients [12:00] Four tactics you can steal starting today Reynolds proved you don't need to be famous first to build iconic brands. His companies succeeded because he understood something most marketers miss: people buy from brands that feel real, not perfect. The Aviation Gin sale netted $610 million in 2020, just three years after he bought in. Mint Mobile's T-Mobile deal was worth $1.35 billion in 2023. The best part? Every strategy Marcus covers works whether you're selling phone plans or running a local coffee shop. Reynolds just happened to have cameras following him around. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: marketing strategy, brand building, viral marketing, business growth, entrepreneurship Listen on your favorite app at Built Different ----------- Keywords: decision making, real business advice, investment advice, sales tactics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 17 min

    STEAL Ryan Reynolds' $1.3B Marketing Strategy [NO FAME REQUIRED]

    Episode about STEAL Ryan Reynolds' $1.3B Marketing Strategy [NO FAME REQUIRED] Listen on your favorite app at Built Different --------- Keywords: business success, business podcast, entrepreneur stories, practical entrepreneurship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 17 min

    Building a $3,500,000 Business for a Stranger in 51 Mins

    Episode about Building a $3,500,000 Business for a Stranger in 51 Mins Listen on your favorite app at Built Different ----- Keywords: business psychology, business systems, business breakthrough, business failures, startup lessons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 18 min

    What This $100M Investor Learned That Most Entrepreneurs Never Will

    What if everything you think you know about raising money is keeping you broke? A $100M investor just dropped some brutal truths that'll make most entrepreneurs completely rethink their funding strategy. Marcus Chen sits down with someone who's seen thousands of pitches and watched 98% of them crash and burn. The numbers are wild: only 2% of businesses that apply for VC funding actually get it, and 75% of funded startups never even return their investors' money. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why 98% of funding applications get rejected (and the 2% that don't) • The unit economics mistake that kills 3x more startups than bad products • How to know if you're ready to raise money (spoiler: you probably aren't) • The 18-month runway rule that separates survivors from failures 👤 Perfect for: founders wondering if they should raise money or bootstrap their way to profitability. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus Chen introduces the $100M investor perspective [02:15] Why 98% of funding pitches fail instantly [05:30] Unit economics: the make-or-break numbers [08:45] When to raise vs when to bootstrap [12:00] Red flags investors spot in 5 minutes [15:30] The 18-month survival strategy This isn't your typical "how to pitch investors" fluff. It's the raw truth about what actually gets funded and why most entrepreneurs are wasting their time chasing the wrong money. You'll walk away knowing exactly whether raising capital makes sense for your business or if you should focus on revenue instead. The investor breaks down real examples of companies that succeeded and failed, plus the specific metrics they look for before writing a check. If you're thinking about raising money, this episode might save you months of rejection. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next breakthrough insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: venture capital, startup funding, unit economics, business investment, entrepreneur advice Listen on your favorite app at Built Different -------- Keywords: startup lessons, startup advice, practical entrepreneurship, productivity tips, business mindset, business breakthrough Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 24 min

    Seth Goldman Makes $600M/Year Selling Bacon: The Tea Company Secret Nobody Talks About

    Wait, what? A tea company making $600 million from bacon? Marcus Chen breaks down the wild story of Seth Goldman, who turned Honest Tea from a $40,000 business school experiment into a half-billion-dollar empire that Coca-Cola couldn't resist buying. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • How Goldman spotted the "less sweet" gap in bottled tea and built the first major organic brand • The exact partnership strategy that got Honest Tea into major retailers without massive capital • Why Coca-Cola paid 15x revenue for a tea company (hint: it wasn't just about the tea) • The scaling playbook that took them from $250K to $100M annually in just over a decade 👤 Perfect for: entrepreneurs looking for proof that you can build massive companies by solving simple, everyday problems people actually have. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Marcus introduces the bacon-tea connection mystery [01:45] Seth's $40K business school gamble on unsweetened tea [03:30] First-year sales hit $250K: the early traction signs [05:15] Getting into Whole Foods without venture capital [07:00] Why Coca-Cola started watching in 2008 [09:30] The $600M acquisition: what Coke really bought [11:00] Key lessons you can steal for your own business This isn't your typical "follow your passion" startup story. Goldman found a simple problem (everything's too sweet), built a solution people wanted, and executed smart partnerships that got him noticed by the biggest player in beverages. No fancy tech, no viral marketing stunts, just solid business fundamentals that scaled. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow Built Different on Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite business insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: startup scaling, beverage industry, Coca-Cola acquisition, organic branding, retail partnerships Listen on your favorite app at Built Different -------- Keywords: business podcast, business scaling, real business advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showing 61–80 of 267 episodes