Episodios

  • #831 How 1 New Feature Can 10x Your Pricing + 4 More Insights From DCBKK

    #831 How 1 New Feature Can 10x Your Pricing + 4 More Insights From DCBKK
    Nov 6 2025
    There’s something magical about being at a 5-star hotel in Bangkok to talk business nerdery with 300+ location- and time-flexible founders. Actually, scratch magical and replace that with “not normal.” We’re back from DCBKK, our annual founder pilgrimage to Thailand. Here are 5 insights that made us go “hmmm” all week long. LINKS Share your thoughts about the podcast (takes 2 mins) (https://getperspective.ai/interview/tmba-feedback) This week’s sponsor: SPP.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) This week’s sponsor: Smash Digital “Scale your organic traffic with future-proof strategies” (https://smashdigital.com/) DCBKK 2025 official photos (https://jakesvisuals.pixieset.com/dcbkk2025/) Connect with 6-, 7- & 8-figure founders in Bangkok and Mexico (https://dynamitecircle.com/) Hang out exclusively with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS (00:00:44) Back from Bangkok with 5 Insights (00:03:27) Why It’s So Hard to Describe the DC (00:07:18) DCBKK: High-Level Overview (00:09:02) Insight #1: Choose Your Hard (00:12:57) Insight #2: Fractional Hiring (00:17:23) Sponsor Break: Smash Digital & SPP.Co (00:18:57) Insight #3: 10x Pricing with 1 Feature (00:22:31) Insight #4: Simple Event ROI System (00:25:25) Insight #5: Our Messaging Kinda Sucks (00:27:00) Rapid Fire Bonus Insights and Upcoming DC Events CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: Dan’s keynote from DCBKK 2024 “The Four Bricks” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZooQo760Ik) The 3 hats of bootstrapping + Insights from DCBKK 2024 (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/3-hats-bootstrapping-dcbkk) From Ex-Special Ops to 6-Figure Performance Coach ft. Itamar Marani (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/from-ex-ops-to-performance-coach)
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    31 m
  • #830 From Ex-Special Ops to 6-Figure Performance Coach ft. Itamar Marani

    #830 From Ex-Special Ops to 6-Figure Performance Coach ft. Itamar Marani
    Oct 23 2025
    Could your biggest strength also be sabotaging your success? This week Itamar Marani, ex-Special Ops turned mindset coach, reveals how he turned resilience into revenue, scaled from $2K clients to 6-figure programs, and used battlefield lessons to transform founder performance. LINKS Itamar’s Book: Elite Performance: The Israeli Special Ops Mindset System to Win the War Within and Achieve Audacious Goals (https://itamarmarani.com/book/) Share your thoughts about the podcast (takes 2 mins) (https://getperspective.ai/interview/tmba-feedback) This week’s sponsor: SPP.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) This week’s sponsor: Smash Digital “Scale your organic traffic with future-proof strategies” (https://smashdigital.com/) Connect with 6-, 7- & 8-figure founders in person and online (https://dynamitecircle.com/) Hang out exclusively with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS (00:00:43) This Week’s Guest: Itamar Marani (00:01:09) Turning Your Niche Expertise into a Business Engine (00:04:43) How a Failed Agency Sparked a Coaching Business (00:09:30) Learning the Coaching Game from the Ground Up (00:11:41) The Truth About Feeling Out of Your Depth (00:13:54) The Evolution from $2K Clients to Six-Figure Engagements (00:19:03) From One-on-One to Scalable Group Coaching (00:27:19) Positioning Yourself When You Feel Unqualified (00:33:27) Building Long-Term Value Beyond the First Program (00:43:03) The ‘Drunk Founder’ Question That Reveals Hidden Truths (00:49:12) How to Sell Coaching Without the Sleaze (00:53:44) The Three Success Killers Holding You Back (00:57:55) Understanding the Performance Traps That Limit Growth CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: TMBA 524: Who Do You Think You Are? ft. Itamar Marani (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/pseudonyms) “Scaling on Steroids” with AI Automation ft. Juan Montero (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/scaling-on-steroids-ai-automation) Numbers Gone Wild: The Hidden Cost of Being Data-Driven (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/numbers-gone-wild-hidden-cost)
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    1 h y 12 m
  • #829 “Scaling on Steroids” with AI Automation ft. Juan Montero

    #829 “Scaling on Steroids” with AI Automation ft. Juan Montero
    Oct 16 2025
    Most founders are saving time with AI, but few are actually making money with it. In this episode, Juan Montero of Flowgrama reveals how bootstrappers can build practical AI agents and automations that actually drive revenue. LINKS Juan’s AI Automation Business: Flowgrama (http://flowgrama.com/) Contact Juan (mailto:juanra@flowgrama.com) Share your thoughts about the podcast (takes 2 mins) (https://getperspective.ai/interview/tmba-feedback) This week’s sponsor: SPP.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) This week’s sponsor: Smash Digital “Scale your organic traffic with future-proof strategies” (https://smashdigital.com/) Connect with 6-, 7- & 8-figure founders in person and online (https://dynamitecircle.com/) Hang out exclusively with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS (00:00:51) This Week’s Guest: Juan Montero of Flowgrama (00:03:07) Discovering the Power of Automation (00:06:32) How LLMs Changed the Game (00:09:35) The Truth About AI and Job Security (00:14:31) Understanding AI Agents vs. LLMs (00:17:42) APIs: The Backbone of Automation (00:19:29) The Founder’s AI Toolkit (00:24:33) Making Money with Social Automation (00:27:00) How to Avoid Getting Banned on LinkedIn (00:35:38) Using AI Agents for Business Intelligence (00:38:28) Building an HR Agent for Your Team (00:45:44) The Future of CRM Is Custom-Built (00:49:42) Founders Who Are Actually Making Money with AI CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: $400K in Points & 100% Vibe Coded Shopify Forecasting App with “SpyGuy” Allen Walton (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/400k-in-points-vibe-coded-app) Why Founders Shouldn’t Delegate AI (Barcelona Recap) (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/why-founders-should-not-delegate-ai) How to Get Rich on X With a Fake Persona (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/get-rich-fake-persona)
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    53 m
  • #828 Numbers Gone Wild: The Hidden Cost of Being Data-Driven

    #828 Numbers Gone Wild: The Hidden Cost of Being Data-Driven
    Oct 9 2025
    Chasing numbers can actually destroy what made your business great. In this episode, Dan and Ian unpack Goodhart’s Law — the idea that once a measure becomes a target, it stops being useful — and how founders accidentally turn smart goals into bad incentives. Plus, you’ll hear six ways to build healthier systems, lead better, and stop metrics from running your company off the rails. LINKS Share your thoughts about the podcast (takes 2 mins) (https://getperspective.ai/interview/tmba-feedback) This week’s sponsor: SPP.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) This week’s sponsor: Smash Digital “Scale your organic traffic with future-proof strategies” (https://smashdigital.com/) Connect with 6-, 7- & 8-figure founders in person and online (https://dynamitecircle.com/) Hang out exclusively with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS (00:01:16) The Hair-Dye Economy & Durable Businesses (00:03:38) The Problem with Metrics (00:07:44) Fix #1: Revisit Your Brand Promise (00:09:12) Fix #2: Determine a Countervailing Metric (00:12:17) Fix #3: Combine Input and Output Metrics (00:13:12) Fix #4: Refresh Metrics Every 90 Days (00:14:39) Fix #5: Pulse Discipline (00:16:05) Fix #6: The Leadership Lens (00:20:00) The Alt Business School (00:25:42) When a Job Post Becomes a Marketing Hack CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: Wealth Without a 7-Figure Exit: 5 Steps (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/wealth-without-7-figure-exit) How to Instantly Improve Your Lead Pipeline by 20-50% (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/improve-your-lead-pipeline) Growth vs. Optimization — 90% of Growth Comes from 10% of Activities? (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/growth-vs-optimization)
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    30 m
  • #827 Wealth Without a 7-Figure Exit: 5 Steps

    #827 Wealth Without a 7-Figure Exit: 5 Steps
    Oct 2 2025
    Dan and Ian share 5 money tips for bootstrappers—from prioritizing personal finance and investing to getting in the company of other entrepreneurs. Follow this playbook and you could build wealth without a 7-figure exit (spoiler: only about 5% of businesses achieve this.) Free resource below! LINKS Share your thoughts on the podcast (takes 2 mins) (https://getperspective.ai/interview/tmba-feedback) This week’s sponsor: SPP.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) This week’s sponsor: Smash Digital “Scale your organic traffic with future-proof strategies” (https://smashdigital.com/) FREE RESOURCE: Personal Financial Dashboard for Bootstrappers (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Li7LuETq2k8tfXSC9WrB-xTwtm_YOkxZOFBOT-bk8CM/edit?gid=1717697031#gid=1717697031) Olly Meaking’s musings on entrepreneurship and crossing 7 figures ARR: (https://x.com/helloitsolly/status/1971549899188580447) Hang out with us at DCBKK this month (https://dynamitecircle.com/dcbkk) Connect with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS Audio: (00:00:50) How Dan Got Fired For Having Too Many Ideas (00:02:07) 5 Money Tips for Bootstrappers (00:03:00) Tip #1: Focus on Your Knowledge, Skillset, and Business Model (00:04:14) Case Study: Olly Meakings, Founder of Senja.io (00:07:13) Tip #2: Be Realistic About Your Liquidity Potential (00:11:42) Tip #3: Keep Your Second Bottom Line Sacred (00:16:47) Sponsor Shout-out: Smash Digital (00:17:43) Sponsor Shout-out: SPP.co (00:18:44) Tip #4: Be a Bull About 1 Non-Business Thing (00:23:47) Tip #5: Surround Yourself With Other Entrepreneurs CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: How to Get Rich on X With a Fake Persona (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/get-rich-fake-persona) How to Instantly Improve Your Lead Pipeline by 20-50% (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/improve-your-lead-pipeline) Why $120K From Your Biz Beats $150K at a Job (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/balancing-wealth-freedom-mindset)
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    30 m
  • #826 How to Get Rich on X With a Fake Persona

    #826 How to Get Rich on X With a Fake Persona
    Sep 25 2025
    This week, Dan and Ian continue the “Get Rich on X” saga with fresh updates, and a reality check. From hiring $4K ghostwriters to creating a new online persona, is X really worth the hype for growing fast—and getting rich—in 2025? LINKS Hang out with us at DCBKK this October (https://dynamitecircle.com/dcbkk) Connect with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) This week’s sponsor: https://spp.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) Remote First Recruiting: Hire Your Next Remote Team Member in 21 Days or Less (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) X’s Head of Product’s projections for the algorithm (https://x.com/nikitabier/status/1969057240578748723) LindyMan: an example of using a character or persona online (https://x.com/PaulSkallas) Moving From A Solopreneur Mindset To An Operator Mindset with Leila Hormozi (https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/moving-from-a-solopreneur-mindset-to-an/id1663834553?i=1000681647344) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS Audio: (00:00:34) Business Lessons from the Lemonade Stand (00:02:41) How to Get Rich on X: New Thoughts
 (00:10:16) Be Yourself… Or Create an Online Character? (00:13:49) The Realistic Cost of Hiring a Ghostwriter for X (00:16:46) Sponsor Shout-out: SPP.co
 (00:17:47) Leila Hormozi’s Simple System for Delegation (00:26:12) Location as Leverage: What if the USA Were More Affordable? CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: X’s Head of Product: How to Get Rich in 6 Months (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/outsourcing-shake-up) How to Instantly Improve Your Lead Pipeline by 20-50% (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/improve-your-lead-pipeline) Location Is Leverage: How Advanced Digital Nomads Build Faster (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/location-is-leverage)
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    32 m
  • #825 How to Instantly Improve Your Lead Pipeline by 20-50%.mp3

    #825 How to Instantly Improve Your Lead Pipeline by 20-50%.mp3
    Sep 18 2025
    Most founders are leaving money on the table without realizing it. Are you one of them? This week, Dan and Ian break down how a tiny shift in how you handle leads can completely change your pipeline. Plus, a counterintuitive approach to networking and why big brands are paying founders to create content. LINKS Hang out with us at DCBKK this October (https://dynamitecircle.com/dcbkk) Connect with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) This week’s sponsor: https://spp.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) “Amp It Up” by Frank Slootman (https://www.amazon.com/Amp-Unlocking-Hypergrowth-Expectations-Intensity/dp/1119836115) Harvard Business Review: “The Short Life of Online Sales Leads” (https://hbr.org/2011/03/the-short-life-of-online-sales-leads) MIT Lead Response Management Study (https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/25649/file-13535879-pdf/docs/mit_study.pdf) “The 4-Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferriss (https://fourhourworkweek.com/) Remote First Recruiting: Hire Your Next Remote Team Member in 21 Days or Less (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) My First Million Podcast (https://www.mfmpod.com/) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:01) Business Idea: “Lifestyle” Services for 7-Figure Businesses
 (00:08:30) How to Improve Your Lead Pipeline 20-50% Overnight (00:11:50) How Responding Faster to Leads Impacts Your Business (00:16:46) Sponsor Shout-out: SPP.co (00:17:47) Conference A or Conference B? (00:19:38) Business Idea: Partner Podcast with Big Bucks Brand CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: The Outsourcing Shake-Up: LATAM vs. Philippines (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/outsourcing-shake-up) Financial Traps, Profit Truths, and What’s Next at TMBA (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/financial-traps-profit-truths) “Build It Like You’re Gonna Sell It” (Dan’s “Amp It Up” Review) (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/build-it-sell-it)
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    29 m
  • #824 The Outsourcing Shake-Up: LATAM vs. Philippines

    #824 The Outsourcing Shake-Up: LATAM vs. Philippines
    Sep 11 2025
    It’s another mixed bag of business topics on this week’s episode of the pod: X’s Head of Product shares the suspiciously simple playbook to getting rich on the platform, Google’s “Photoshop Killer” is officially on the loose, emerging thoughts on pivoting away from the Philippines for outsourcing remote talent, luxury lifestyle for a fraction of the cost in Thailand, and more. Quick reminder that we’ll be in Bangkok next month with Dynamite Circle for a week of sheer business nerdery. Details in the links below! LINKS Hang out with us at DCBKK in Bangkok this October (https://dynamitecircle.com/dcbkk) Connect with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) X’s Head of Product shares how to get rich on X in 6 months (https://x.com/nikitabier/status/1963498520805007470) Google’s “Photoshop killer” Nano Banana (https://gemini.google/overview/image-generation/) Nick Huber’s thoughts on outsourcing to the Philippines in 2025 (https://x.com/sweatystartup/status/1963588036102348943) Dan’s next read (https://www.amazon.com/100M-Money-Models-Make-Acquisition-com-ebook/dp/B0FMXTZ4MH) This week’s sponsor: https://spp.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS Audio: (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:29) How to Get Rich on X in 6 Months (00:04:51) How to Stay Consistent with Content (00:10:14) Google’s “Photoshop Killer”: Nano Banana (00:13:58) PH No Longer a Hotspot for Remote Recruiting?
 (00:18:29) Sponsor Shout-out: SPP.co
 (00:19:47) Luxury Location-Independent Lifestyle in Thailand
 (00:27:22) Hits of the Week: Hormozi, Feldman, DCBKK CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: Why $120K From Your Biz Beats $150K at a Job (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/balancing-wealth-freedom-mindset) The Content Flywheel Behind a 7-Figure Education Business ft. Timothy Moser (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/content-flywheel-behind-7-figure-business) Health Advice That Goes Against Everything You Know ft. Jay Feldman (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/health-advice-against-everything-you-know) The Freedom Line, 7+ Figure Founders, and Extended DCBKK Recap (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/dcbkk-recap-2023)
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    37 m