Tropical MBA: Entrepreneurship & Founder Lifestyle

http://www.tropicalmba.com/duckduckgo/ As entrepreneurs, Google has really become a huge part of a lot of our everyday lives. The privacy concerns that have come to light over the last few years are legitimate, and way we think about our internet use is changing. Gabriel Weinberg is the Founder of DuckDuckGo, a search engine that is steadily gaining market share by offering real privacy. He is also an angel investor, and has taken investments from some of the most successful venture capitalists in the world. This week, Gabriel and are going to be talking about what privacy means today and what Google knows about us, along with some really unique strategies for startups.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/travelfish/ This week I was lucky enough to catch up with Stuart McDonald, the founder of Travelfish, which one of the most respected sites on the web for South East Asia travel information. If you peak over the shoulder of a random backpacker in Bangkok cafes, expect to see a "TravelFish" URL along with Facebook blue.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/affiliate/ Bossman is back this week and we are talking about affiliate relationships. How do you get others to promote your products? We'll talk about how to "write the religion" and give potential content publishers a reason to tap into your narrative. We also field several listener questions, including what to look for when hiring your first employee, and the ins and outs of establishing business credit.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/mileage/ Bossman is on vacation this week, so I've invited my friend Erik Paquet from Abroaders.com on to the show to talk all about mileage, point redemption, how to fly business class as often as possible and much more. In the Dynamite Circle, Erik is widely regarded as the go-to guy for travel hacking. We are also going to be discussing how he has been able to use his unique set of skills to launch a productized service business.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/fail/ Will you succeed or fail as a digital nomad? Becoming a successful location-independent entrepreneur isn't guaranteed. Some of the skills it takes to become a successful digital nomad take years to develop. This week, we are talking about the four major differences we have seen between successful digital nomads and those who have failed.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/mastermind/ Having a mastermind group, and perpetuating a mastermind group, is a great way to handle some of the emotional struggles of having your own business. They are just as fun as a poker party, but they can change your life. Masterminds are the reason we started this podcast. We've done a lot of in-person masterminds, and they are a great way to grow a community and connect with your audience. This week, we're talking about the power, the pitfalls, and the process of in-person masterminds.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/ip/ We're talking about protecting our intellectual property and business through copyright, trademarks and patents. This stuff can be expensive for entrepreneurs, but it is incredibly important. There are so many reasons a bootstrapping attitude might differ from a more corporate or startup philosophy regarding these issues. We'll also chat about our upcoming event in Austin, T.X. and why we have decided to sell our cat furniture business.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/freetime/ We're getting into some advanced level stuff this week. As entrepreneurs, many of us have achieved what we've built by putting in insane amounts of hours on the phone or behind the laptop. How can we re-train ourselves to step back and enjoy what we have been working for? This week, we're outlining 5 different ways to go after some meaning with that time that you've been creating.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/quest/ This week, we're talking about the four elements of the "Hero's Quest" that every entrepreneur embarks on. This episode is all about looking back and understanding the first six months of taking off on a new project or a new business, the struggle that it is, and how valuable that can end up being on the narrative of your life. We also answer some listener questions, including one about cold calling a huge corporation to make a sale.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/bedphones/ Bossman and I are celebrating our 250th episode this week. We're also talking to our good friend Eric Dubs, the creator of Bedphones. Eric has found success in the consumer electronics market, despite facing competition from some huge brands. Eric has been able to build a genuine Four Hour Work Week product business through automation. We'll talk about what went into the creation of Eric's product, how he was able to get it featured on platforms like Dr. Oz and Good Morning America, and how his business has evolved to the point where he can operate it remotely.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/churn/ We're talking about Churn rate, and everything we can learn from it. Bossman and I are by no means experts on the topic, but we've dug up a plethora of information to share on Churn rate analysis. We'll discuss how to use this information to provide more value to your clients and keep them around for longer. We also answer some listener questions about the FBAR deadline and how we approach the frequency at which we create podcast content.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/lifestylebusiness/ This week, we're talking about John Reineck's "Steak Dinner Problem", and how we interact with our clients. We had a great discussion with Taylor Pearson about it in the comments of our recent article about The Coconut Cash Conundrum. We're gonna be sharing some advanced level strategies on how to handle this complex situation that entrepreneurs face when their business starts to dictate the orders. We'll also talk about how to identify one thing that benefits your business and maximize your efforts during your most productive hours.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/hire/ We're back this week, answering a bunch of listener questions about when it's the right time to expand your business and hire some new employees. We'll talk about why there's no magic bullet for getting through the hiring process. It's different for everyone, but there are ways to know when it's time to step up and start bringing in some help.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/blogging/ This week, we're digging into the archives and replaying one of our most popular, and controversial episodes. We're going to be talking about the perils of personal blogging and entrepreneurial journey blogging. A lot of people have interpreted this episode as a warning, but we consider it a challenge to bloggers to step up their game.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/sales/ This week, it’s all about making the sale. Bossman and I are exploring twenty random thoughts that we’ve had about sales. We talk about everything from salesmanship, to what that process looks like, what some of the key tactics that we use are, and how you can evolve by using these strategies.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/monies/ This week, we're talking about money. We've had quite a few listeners asking us about what to do when your business starts generating enough money for you to live comfortably. Bossman and I are not financial experts by any means, but we have experienced a lot as entrepreneurs, and we have our own opinions on what to do after you've started making money. Hope you enjoy and happy Thursday!

http://www.tropicalmba.com/knowledge/ Last week, we put out a challenge for listeners to email us there "1000 True Fans" business plan-- what they are going to be doing for their clients, how they are doing it differently than other providers, what they are delivering, and the prices that they are planning to charge. We got a ton of responses! Some were great, and some were problematic in our view. Among those, we tried to determine the most common mistakes being made. Bossman also predicts the collapse of our business somewhere in there! Hope you enjoy and happy Thursday!

http://www.tropicalmba.com/examples/ We got a lot of great feedback from last week's episode, but a lot of people were confused about how the 1,000 True Fans model works in the real world. On this week's episode, we are answering some listener questions about how to build your business to create "passive income" and what the equivalent of the 1,000 True Fans model is in the context of an information product.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/businessmodels/ This week we are going to replay one of our favorite episodes of all time, with a little bit extra thrown in for good measure. This episode has had a great impact on a lot of our listeners. Of all of the episodes we have recorded, this one has probably helped people improve their businesses the most.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/popular/ This week bossman and I discuss being unpopular in the face of pressure from friends, family, team members, and employees. Bossman references his new "entrepreneurmobile" gratuitously and we ponder the distinctions being 'know-how' and 'know-what' knowledge.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/deals/ We've seen a lot of really smart people making dumb deals. It's okay, every entrepreneur has been there. We're not afraid to admit that we've been guilty of some of these mistakes ourselves. On this week's episode we'll be talking about ten ways that you can avoid making a really terrible deal.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/saas/ People have been asking us to open up a little bit more about some of our specific business ventures so this week we’re going to be talking about our new software-as-a-service product, ValetUp.com. We’re 9 months into the company, and we’ve already faced some significant challenges. On this week’s episode we’ll be discussing the 5 things that we’d do differently if we were starting up a SaaS business today.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/locationindependent/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/locationindependent/ This week one of our listeners challenged us to explain the detailed costs of the location independent lifestyle. We’ll talk about how to set up your business so you can become location independent and some general principles we’ve learned over the years about the ‘live and work’ anywhere mindset. Listen to this week’s show...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/chinasourcing/ This week, one of our listeners challenged us to go more in-depth about Chinese manufacturing and how to get your first product manufactured. We're gonna dive right in and talk about where and how you can learn about outsourcing your product to China, and everything that it entails.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/updates/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/updates/ This week, Bossman is back on the scene, and we are going over a host of specific updates about our businesses. In particular, we really get into what kinds of challenges we’ve faced manufacturing our own product, how we’ve been handling our relationships with our Chinese suppliers, some ways that you can save money...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/heyladies/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/heyladies/ This week, Elisa Doucette joins me to talk about women in the location independent entrepreneurship game. Elisa runs the Dynamite Circle business operations. If you’re a lady sitting in your cubicle in the United States, listen closely. We have a fantastic network of women with similar stories that we hope will inspire you to explore these...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/flashbar/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/flashbar/ This week, Ian catches up with us from Mexico to talk about the struggles and successes we’ve experienced with our portable bar company over the last nine months. We’ll talk about our experience displaying our new flash bar at a recent trade show and the pros and cons of drop shipping as a business...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/college/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/college/ In this week’s episode, I’m answering some listener submitted questions. I’ve invited Jimmy Hayes and Josh Weinstein back on the show to add their two cents as well, as we discuss whether or not a college degree is necessary for someone who wants to become a location-independent entrepreneur, among other topics. Listen to this...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/roundtable/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/roundtable/ *** Are you interested in attending our high level mastermind in April or May? If you can fill out this brief survey, we’ll send you more details shortly. *** In this week’s episode, we’re decided to do things a little bit differently. I’ve invited several of my friends from the Dynamite Circle on to...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/fundamentals/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/fundamentals/ *** Are you interested in attending our high level mastermind in April or May? If you can fill out this brief survey, we’ll send you more details shortly. *** In this week’s episode, I’ve been reflecting about how far things have come since I began dreaming about working remotely. Staying true to that, we are...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/why/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/why/ Damian Thompson is back after the last episode with him absolutely blew up! Erik Emsley challenged us to help him explain to his family what this lifestyle choice is all about. Listen to this week’s show and learn: The fundamental belief system behind the entrepreneurial lifestyle. How much we value our time above all...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/table/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/table/ Ian is back on the Tropical MBA Podcast this week to talk about our next big idea, as well as answering some listener questions (thank you to all who’ve called our voicemail: 888-554-8428). Listen to this week’s show and learn: Why having the same amount of “skin the game” can be critical when networking....

http://www.tropicalmba.com/services/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/services/ Damian Thompson from Linchpin is back on the show this week (his first appearance here) talking with me about one of the biggest movements we see in the location independent scene. We talk about what Damian has learned during his first 1,000 days of being a business owner, and how listeners can utilize the lessons...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/cutbait/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/cutbait/ The boss man is back this week after a far too long hiatus and his timing is perfect for a topic we absolutely love. Kiri called in with some concerns about whether it’s time to cut her losses with her current business, or if there’s anything she can do to turn it around. Her...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/asia/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/asia/ Happy New Year! Ian is off celebrating the holidays with his family this week, and Kaiser Soze was here hanging out when a discussion came up that we thought would be good for the show. This show is mostly about lifestyle, but in case you’re looking for the good old fashioned business talk, below...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/1k/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/1k/ Since an angry fish seemed to have cut the internet wire in the ocean, Ian and I are cut off from one another. In his stead, Jesse “The Dominator” Lawler has stepped up to bring value to the masses. The listener questions continue to get better and better, so The Dominator and I are...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/ecommercemistakes/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/ecommercemistakes/ We’ve been looking back a lot to the beginning of The Valet Spot now that we’ve released the info to the public and realized that although we did a lot right, we screwed up a lot too. We figured with some of the big changes and our growth trajectory coming up, it would be...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/valetparking/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/valetparking/ For a variety of reasons, Ian and I have never spoken openly about the first successful B2B business we ever started– TheValetSpot.com. This week we are going to change all that and go into the details of how that business got started, how we won market share, and what we are doing to grow...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/remote/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/remote/ I’ve got Joe “Hot Money” Magnotti on as my co-host this week in the wake of Ian’s much needed romp in Europe. Today, we’re passing the ball back and forth about the direction things are going regarding remote working and team building. We’ve been noticing that the old norms are shifting (some have been...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/email/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/email/ In the process of launching and iterating on Valet Up, our new SaaS app developed for valet companies, Ian and I have been working on refining our email marketing strategies and how we can snag some extra customers and improve our closing average. On top of this, an email came in from Mark from...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/thoughtexperiments/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/thoughtexperiments/ Ian and I are both in the “on the road” mindset this week– we’re both mentally preparing to head out traveling or a little while. In that casual spirit we’ve both been dreaming a bit about what the future might hold. We asked some team members and listeners to help us out with some...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/consulting/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/consulting/ We’ve gotten a few phone calls recently that set us off on a path to the discussion we had this week on the Tropical MBA Podcast. Making location independent income quickly is very doable, especially going the route of the consultant. There are a few keys to making it work the right way and...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/boat/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/boat/ Cam Collins runs a business that helps marinas manage their boat inventory. He recently sold the assets of the company in a strategic merger, and we’re pumped that Cam came by the podcast to share the lessons he learned during the process. Listen to this week’s show and learn: The difference between a strategic...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/carnegie/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/carnegie/ “Look out for the boy who has to plunge into work direct from the common school and who begins by sweeping out the office. He is the probable dark horse that you had better watch.” – Andrew Carnegie Ever dream of changing your life and getting ahead in the world? Andrew Carnegie gave a speech...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/conference/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/conference/ After this weekend’s incredible DCBKK event, Dan and Ian sift through the mountain of helpful information, solid business advice and entrepreneurial savvy to bring you the highlights of the event. This episode’s cup is overflowing with takeaways that the fellas gleaned from each speaker’s presentation. You might want to grab a notepad for this...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/predictions/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/predictions/ As we approach DCBKK, we wanted to have a little chat about our predictions for the future of business as we know it. There’s a shift that’s slowly happening as we progress and we’re starting to see a massive rise in the growth of location independent, professionally run businesses. Kaiser Soze himself is hanging...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/prague/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/prague/ The fellas are switching things up and coming to you from Europe this week. Having just finished speaking at the MicroConf event in Prague, they’ve got insights coming out of their ears and just couldn’t wait to share them with you. You’ll hear about some of the spotlight speakers from the event and the...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/distributed/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/distributed/ Hollywood filmmaker (with an imdb profile!), software programmer, podcaster, and most importantly, The Dominator of all things, Jesse Lawler is on the show this week to discuss a few of my favorite things. Jesse was working in L.A. as a filmmaker when the economy took a nose dive and no one would even think...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/crowdsourcing/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/crowdsourcing/ So many people struggle to get a great idea off the ground because they didn’t validate and ask the market to vote with their wallets. Jimmy and Doug from Minaal have completely turned this on its back. Not only were they meticulously calculated about the launch of their killer travel bag designed for location...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/rich/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/rich/ It’s not hard to see why Michael Covel (here’s my interview on his show) is a mega popular podcaster– he’s a scrappy entrepreneur who made good and isn’t scared to share his opinions. I’ve learned a lot from him through our conversations– about finance, world politics, and trading– but in this episode I really wanted...