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#794September 3, 20251:12:23

Giving founders brutally honest feedback

About This Episode

Shaan and Sam discuss common traps that prevent founders from scaling, such as neglecting obvious growth channels and failing to 'dogfood' their own products. They explore the resurgence of physical media through high-ticket newsletters and brainstorm the future of education using AI-driven personalized learning and specialized sports-prep schools.

Episode Description

Want to start your business the right way (with less than $1k)? Get the guide: https://clickhubspot.com/wsu Episode 741: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk about the most common mistakes founders make and how to fix them PLUS old school businesses that are making a comeback.

Show Notes

  • 0:00Business Traps
  • 21:21The Onion selling print papers again
  • 31:36Oberweis milk delivery
  • 39:31Joe Lemandt and Alpha School
  • 1:00:05Grind Academy home schooling facility

Check Out Shaan's Stuff

  • Shaan's weekly email
  • Visit
  • Mercury - Need a bank for your company? Go check out Mercury (mercury.com). Shaan uses it for all of his companies!
  • Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Column, N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC

Key Takeaways

1

Be skeptical of the phrase 'it didn't work' regarding growth channels; often the attempt lacked proper data tracking, sufficient iterations, or a refined value proposition.

2

Practice 'dogfooding' by mystery shopping your own product to experience user friction points firsthand, focusing on making the core flow clearer and more compelling.

3

Leverage the 'Socratic Method' of writing—asking yourself hard questions in a document—to expose gaps in your strategy and move beyond impulsive, emotion-driven decision-making.

Business Ideas Mentioned

High-Ticket Physical Wealth Strategy Newsletter

Content & Media

Premium Heritage Milk Delivery Service

Boring Business

AI-Powered Personalized Micro-School Franchise

AI & Automation

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Quick Stats

Duration1:12:23
Guests0
Ideas Discussed3
Topics0