Shaan Goes to LA, The Number 2 Guy Network and Getting Bucked Up
About This Episode
Shaan Puri recaps a high-intensity trip to Los Angeles where he analyzed the city's social hierarchies and the power of 'The Number 2 Guy Network.' The episode also covers the business origin story of the supplement brand Bucked Up and explores how observing small product details can lead to massive success.
Episode Description
Show Notes
- 0:00Intro
- 2:30Sam & Shaan’s Cadence
- 5:00Shaan’s LA trip
- 9:30CEO perplexed by sweaty startups
- 14:45How CEO turned failing company around
- 24:05NBA player’s agreement with his wife
- 26:10LA obnoxious vs. SF obnoxious
- 33:35Rich person who donated +$10M to a high school
- 37:00Shaan's VC friend who only goes all-in
- 42:30Neighborhoods, not cities
- 46:00The best networker Shaan’s ever met
- 49:15The Number 2 Guy Network
- 52:10Bucked Up: $250m / yr supplement company
- 1:00:25The Enhanced Games
- 1:06:00Shaan’s Youtube channel idea
- 1:10:00Shaan’s Erewhon experience
Links
- Little Big Details
- Bucked Up
- Aron D’Souza
- Do you love MFM and want to see Sam and Shaan's smiling faces? Subscribe to our Youtube channel.
Check Out Shaan's Stuff
- Try Shepherd
- Shaan's Personal Assistant System
- Power Writing Course
- Daily Newsletter
- Small Boy Newsletter
Check Out Sam's Stuff
- Hampton
- Ideation Bootcamp
- Copy That
Key Takeaways
Build relationships with 'The Number 2 Guy' because operational partners and assistants often have 98% of the access with significantly fewer gatekeepers and less ego.
Implement the 'Sit and Watch' technique for business turnarounds by physically observing operations for hours to identify basic inefficiencies that metrics often miss.
Focus on 'Little Big Details' in product development, as small, intuitive features—like Slack's color swatch previews—create 'mic drop' moments that build intense user loyalty.
Business Ideas Mentioned
Moral and Ethical Debate Media Brand
Content & Media
Luxury Grocery and DTC Taste Testing
Content & Media