Tropical MBA: Entrepreneurship & Founder Lifestyle

http://www.tropicalmba.com/adwords/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/adwords/ Today Ian and I sit down with the one and only Dave Huss to talk about generating paid traffic to your site. With so many recent changes in advertising platforms and capabilities to come, this episode is full of marketing avenues you should be using in your business. On the show this week: Why...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/readingmaterial/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/readingmaterial/ Ian and I have been wanting to bring an updated reading list to move your journey forward. On this episode, we wax a little philosophical about a variety of the best stuff we’ve been reading. On the show this week: How to choose your way forward like Calvin And Hobbes. The key difference between...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/productivity/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/productivity/ Back in the day, becoming productive– for me– meant locking myself in the house and putting the coffee maker on overdrive. We’ve learned since then a lot about the frameworks that empower exceptionally productive entrepreneurs, and in this episode we’ll share which ones we use, which ones we’ve discarded, and of course, which ones...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/passion/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/passion/ This week on the Tropical MBA Podcast we decided to give Mark Manson a call to dig further into his idea that “passion is practical.” Mark walked away from big income to focus on a project he was passionate about, and it ended up working out better in the end. Was it just a fluke? Did he get...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/dreamlines/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/dreamlines/ On Thursday mornings at 8AM EST, we publish the Tropical MBA Podcast (iTunes link). After recording this episode it occurred to me that the moment I became an entrepreneur had nothing to do with sales, product development, or legal structures. I became an entrepreneur the day I sat down and defined precisely what it...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/does-good-website-design-matter/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/does-good-website-design-matter/ On Thursday mornings at 8AM EST, we publish the Tropical MBA Podcast (iTunes link). You might have noticed that as we’ve been combining our two websites into one (we are gradually moving “Lifestyle Business Podcast” content over to this domain), we have been changing some of the design elements of this site. During this process,...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/welcome-lbp-listeners/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/welcome-lbp-listeners/ Every Thursday morning, 8AM EST, we’ll be aiming to publish one podcast at this domain, instead of the LBP and (sometimes) TTR at two. Starting next week we’ll have a little re-design of the podcasts as the Lifestyle Business Podcast and Tropical Talk Radio come together and are reborn into an even more focused,...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/last-traditional-episode/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/last-traditional-episode/ Just to be clear– we aren’t stopping doing a weekly Thursday morning podcast, we are just going to start (primarily) publishing it at TropicalMBA.com (our main domain). You can discuss this post and subscribe to our primary iTunes feed at these links (the old LBP feed will continue to work for some time): ...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/focused-marketing-business-opportunities/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/focused-marketing-business-opportunities/ –>Click here to subscribe to Tropical Talk Radio in iTunes. –>Leave me a message, question, or comment for the show. It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published Friday afternoons (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. This week Dan chats with...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/building-strong-communities/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/building-strong-communities/ Ian is back in the US of A hanging out in California, while Dan’s living the high life in Hong Kong. The guys are looking forward to joining up in Vietnam next week, but for now, it’s time for the LBP. This week’s topic came in from Trevor Pirtle from Real Life English who asked...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/concepts-help-build-wealth/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/concepts-help-build-wealth/ This week, Dan and Ian are talking about some chessmaster stuff. This is an episode all about making strategic moves in your business that you can implement right away and start building wealth. You’ll hear the five concepts that Dan and Ian have used to grow their business and steal their piece of the...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/creating-profitable-events/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/creating-profitable-events/ –>Click here to subscribe to Tropical Talk Radio in iTunes. –>Leave me a message, question, or comment for the show. It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published Friday afternoons (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. This week Dan sits down...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/bootstrappers-guide-business-partnerships/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/bootstrappers-guide-business-partnerships/ Dan and Ian are coming at you today with some insight into what could be the most costly decision you’ll make in your business careers. Many don’t think about it in terms of cost, but in this episode, Dan and Ian will make it abundantly clear why you should, and how to look at...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/21-century-financial-script/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/21-century-financial-script/ After spending some time back in the States, both Dan and Ian have been experiencing some different viewpoints on personal finance. Many of which are based on 20th century circumstances and have survived the turn of the century in our society and our mindsets. This episode is dedicated to showing you some base level...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/sold-a-business-lessons-learned/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/sold-a-business-lessons-learned/ Dan and Ian’s dreamy voices are drifting into your earbuds this week to bring you some insight on a real life experience they’ve just been through… selling a business. You’ll get to hear the fellas 7 points on what they did, and what they will do differently next time they sell a business to...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/a-fireside-chat/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/a-fireside-chat/ Dan and Ian sit down from opposite sides of the USA to bring you a nice, relaxing fireside chat and answer six personal business philosophy questions. This episode is inspired by Joe Magnotti and Justin Cooke from the Empire Flippers and their 50th podcast episode, where they answer the same questions. You’ll get to...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/seo-sabotage-penguin-updates/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/seo-sabotage-penguin-updates/ –>Click here to subscribe to Tropical Talk Radio in iTunes. –>Leave me a message, question, or comment for the show. It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published Friday afternoons (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. This week Dan and Ian...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/philosophical-conversation-get-paid-bank/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/philosophical-conversation-get-paid-bank/ Dan and Ian are joined on the show today by good friend and incredibly gifted entrepreneur Jon Myers. Jon is a customer experience and user interface designer with an impressive client roster including some of the organizations to which you may pay taxes. The fellas dive into the concept of simply running a comfortable...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/tmba-34-a-roadmap-case-study-for-replacing-your-salary-in-less-than-half-a-year/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/tmba-34-a-roadmap-case-study-for-replacing-your-salary-in-less-than-half-a-year/ –>Click here to subscribe to Tropical Talk Radio in iTunes. –>Leave me a message, question, or comment for the show. It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published Friday afternoons (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. This week Dan talks to...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/1000-true-fans-100-true-customers-or-10-true-clients/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/1000-true-fans-100-true-customers-or-10-true-clients/ Dan and Ian dig into some of the most talked about and effective online business models for the bootstrapping entrepreneur. They discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each but it also comes with a healthy dose of why you might not want to use particular business models. This episode is all about getting your...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/how-to-monetize-a-blog-or-podcast/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/how-to-monetize-a-blog-or-podcast/ Dan and Ian dive into a question that has been asked by millions ever since the advent of blogging and more recently podcasting. They also address one of the core issues behind the basic question that separates those looking for a quick buck, and those looking to build a cashflow business. Click play above...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/episode-156george-washington-guide-to-being-boss/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/episode-156george-washington-guide-to-being-boss/ Dan and Ian switch things up a bit this week to present the life principles of an American icon and “The greatest and best of men”, George Washington. The fellas talk you through his principled and altruistic standards and how they can directly apply to both your personal and professional life. Not only did...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/the-power-of-negative-action-optionality-convexity-antifragility/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/the-power-of-negative-action-optionality-convexity-antifragility/ Dan and Ian are coming at you this week after some intense reflection and mindset shifts. This episode is all about the power of negative action and leveraging the inevitable changes in the world as a small business entrepreneur. Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s book, Anti-Fragile inspires the content for today’s show and the fellas mold...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/profitable-niche-selection-rip-pivot-jam-redux/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/profitable-niche-selection-rip-pivot-jam-redux/ This week Dan and Ian are back in Saigon and are pumped to bring you this episode that’s chalked full of actionable methods and business frameworks. The Rip, Pivot and Jam is one of the fellas’ favorite business concepts so this episode is dedicated to helping you get the most from it. Running a...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/potent-quotables-dc-ber-speakers/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/potent-quotables-dc-ber-speakers/ Dan and Ian come at you this week from Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, Vietnam with the highlights from the DC Berlin Meetup last week. There were some absolute rockstar speakers at the event and the energy and excitement were electric. With topics ranging from smart drugs and focus optimization to SEO and...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/episode-152-10-travel-commandments/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/episode-152-10-travel-commandments/ Dan and Ian are drifting into your earbuds this week from Berlin where the DC BER meetup is in full swing. With all the talk of people traveling in for the event, and some recent European adventures between Dan, Ian and both their parents there have been travel tips flying all over the place....

http://www.tropicalmba.com/tmba33-what-is-the-best-place-for-location-independent-families/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/tmba33-what-is-the-best-place-for-location-independent-families/ –>Click here to subscribe to Tropical Talk Radio in iTunes. –>Leave me a message, question, or comment for the show. It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. This week Dan reels...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/episode-151-social-feedback-strategy-adwords-landing-pages/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/episode-151-social-feedback-strategy-adwords-landing-pages/ Dan and Ian are coming at you from Italy this week with inspiration from the stately statues designed in Ian’s likeness. The fellas have chiseled out their incredibly effective strategy for testing and launching physical products and will lay out the simple system for you in this episode. Their method is an upgrade on...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/150-imperfection-getting-on-with-it/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/150-imperfection-getting-on-with-it/ Dan and Ian are back this week after an ill advised April fool’s joke earlier this week. Don’t panic though, according to the fellas, the podcast is the best part of their business so they’re not going anywhere… except Paris where they’re hanging out this week. Rather fitting for this episode, Dan and Ian...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/5-tips-managing-software-development-project/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/5-tips-managing-software-development-project/ The LBP has changed hands as Dan and Ian have decided to “go in another direction” with their businesses and focus on the big picture in life. Taking over are Rob Walling and Mike Taber from the podcast Start Ups for the Rest of Us. This week they’ll take you behind the scenes of...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/subtle-social-media-tactics-change-how-you-generate-leads/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/subtle-social-media-tactics-change-how-you-generate-leads/ –>Click here to subscribe to Tropical Talk Radio in iTunes. –>Leave me a message, question, or comment for the show. It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. This week follows up...

Dan and Ian go deep during this week’s podcast and start talking long term strategy and revitalizing your entrepreneurial drive with a focus on the philosophy that motivates your actions. This isn’t an episode for passive listening so strap on your thinking caps. The fellas discuss the difference between their current drives and motives and what spurred them forward when they were first starting out in entrepreneurship. This combined with talk of narrowing your focus and thinking more strategically about your project involvement makes for a juicy episode. Pop in your earbuds and listen in for an eye opening adventure.

It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. In this week’s episode Dan sits down with James Clark, the digital nomad behind Nomadic Notes. James is rocking the solopreneur lifestyle with no employees and an affiliate marketing business that supports continuous travel.

Dan and Ian hook up from opposite sides of the world this week to bring you some down to earth advice in a cloud based time. Dan is hammering away in Ho Chi Minh City while Ian is getting things done on the ground in Las Vegas. Though we’re not sure what Ian spent his time doing after the show, the day hours were spent representing their portable bar products and doing a little industry research at the trade show. In this week’s episode, Dan interviews Ian on the old fashioned, hittin’ the bricks style of marketing he used at the trade show and why these industry shows can be incredibly profitable ventures for you as an internet entrepreneur.

It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. In this week’s episode Dan runs down David Hehenberger from Shopping Cart Labs in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. The guys talk pros and cons for Ho Chi Minh City as a hotspot for location independent entrepreneurs.

Dan and Ian do a little bit of contemplating this week on their entrepreneurial habits. As humans, we’re all creatures of habit whether that’s hitting the neon lights at 5:01 every day or getting up a little early for some yoga. The fellas talk about the habits they have worked into their current lifestyles which have had the biggest effect on their businesses.

It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). In this week’s episode Dan rounds up some of the crew from Davao and discusses content marketing in depth to help you rev up your content engine. Join Dan Andrews, Justin Cooke, Joe Magnotti and Damian Thompson in going through this ten point checklist that will give your content marketing a boost.

Dan and Ian are breaking out of the usual format to bring you some first hand knowledge on expatriate and lifestyle business taxes. Yep, it’s that time of year again when Uncle Sam starts checking his ledger to make sure you don’t owe. Even if you’re not a US citizen, there are some golden nuggets in this week’s episode. On the show today, the fellas are joined by David McKeegan from Greenback Tax Services. He’s going to lay down the top five tax tips to help you save money on your taxes while abroad. Preserve your bottom line and get straight with Uncle Sam by utilizing some of these lesser known tips.

It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. In this week’s episode Dan has a sit down chat with Joe Magnotti from Adsense Flippers and Outsourcing For Start Ups to talk about taking control of your future with outsourcing

Dan and Ian break out the microphone from Bali this week to run you through their 10 point business diagnostic test. Consider this episode like an oil change and engine check to make sure your business is on the right path and won’t break down along the way. The discussion will give you that quick gut-check we all need every once in a while to ensure our heads are in the right place. Definitely an episode to be taking notes on, these 10 points will help you get back in the fast lane and make significant progress in your business growth.

It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in iTunes if you haven’t already done so. In this week’s episode Dan has a sit down chat with Joe Magnotti from Adsense Flippers about turning your marketing budget into an asset for you, and testing whether or not your product has legs.

Dan and Ian are excited to come to you this week with a discussion on the number one sticking point for entrepreneurs at all stages of the game. From a rainy Bali villa, the fellas are bringing the heat in this episode to pack it full of actionable content for you and your start up. This discussion is a poster child for lifestyle business entrepreneurs everywhere and helps bring to surface the biggest issues and shortcomings of most entrepreneurs in the space. Everybody is working towards independence of some kind and this episode is a perfect example of what is possible if you keep your nose to the grind stone. Stick around for some hard-knocks advice from Dan and Ian in their version of the DEALs system and how you can take your business to the next level.

It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in Itunes if you haven’t already done so. In this week’s episode Dan has a sit down chat with Joe Magnotti from Adsense Flippers about offshore incorporations and when you as a startup entrepreneur need to start bringing on bookkeepers, tax consultants and everything else.

Happy Valentines Day from the fellas at The Lifestyle Business Podcast. Everybody’s back together this week to bring you some love. Ian has determined Tokyo to be his favorite Asian city and Dan has returned from some business (and pleasure) in the Philippines. Dan and Ian discuss hiring, when to use interns vs. VA’s vs. professionals and how this can have a profound impact on your business’ growth. They have also been getting an incredible amount of emails, reviews and feedback from everybody so the fellas take some time to answer your most pressing questions, concerns and confessions.

It’s time for another Tropical Talk Radio podcast, which gets published every Friday afternoon (Hong Kong time). Here’s the link to subscribe in Itunes if you haven’t already done so. In this week’s episode Dan catches up with Sean Cooney, a resort owner with an impressive Youtube presence and some interesting projects on the horizon. Tune in.

Dan and Ian are coming together again this week from across the seas. Ian graces us with his presence while still on his Tokyo trip with Dan getting his hands dirty down in Davao, Philippines. The fellas pull together this episode as the next chapter in the breakdown of the 1,000 Day Principle using the Rockefeller Process. This week’s discussion focuses on the next and perhaps most difficult step of growing your business through hiring employees. You’ll hear why the race to hire your first full time employee is often a crucial step in building a business instead of a job. Dan and Ian will open your eyes to the growth possibilities through hiring talent instead of ‘doing your own thing’. Grab a pad of paper or pull up your preferred note taking device because this episode is chalked full of actionable concepts.

Dan and Ian are dividing and conquering for the next few weeks but don’t shed a tear, the separation is only temporary. Ian’s off to Tokyo for sushi while Dan’s swinging through the Philippines to check up on some business and meet up with entrepreneurs. This shows the beauty of operating location independent businesses which is the main topic of this week’s episode. They boys delve into an interesting conversation on the location independent movement and why it’s not just a fad. You’ll hear some pretty powerful stuff this week from getting inspired by strangeness to cities losing their value in the modern world. Plug in, sit back and grab yourself a cup of coffee since this week will no doubt leave you reflecting on the merits of location independence.

Entrepreneurial integrity and the true drive of a hustler shine through in this week’s episode of the Lifestyle Business Podcast. With a dose of that familiar Dan and Ian banter and a sprinkle of delightful puns, they break it down in a longer than usual episode to bring you the valuable marketing mojo you’re looking for. They pick apart the rip, pivot and jam formula to make sure you’re honing in on the proper pivot and jam methods while telling you why many people get a little off track at this point. You’ll also get Dan and Ian’s riverside hut metaphor to guide you in your quest of setting up shop and getting your first customers.

During this week’s installment of the Lifestyle Business Podcast, Dan and Ian hook up from Jakarta and Bali to provide the weekly dose you crave. When discussions range from medical examinations in South East Asia to announcements for the DC Berlin meetup, you know there’s a little something for everybody in here. The boys share some of the lowest points of their 1,000 day business journey, how they ‘stumbled’ across some of their most profitable products and why the products themselves are only half of the battle. While fielding listener questions, you’ll hear again and again about the top method of building a skillset and launching a business to solve problems in the market. Listen in to hear what this concept of success is and how you can tap into it.

It’s Dan and Ian coming to you from Bali once again this week. They’ve been working on some hot projects coming down the pipeline and getting everything ramped up for the DC Berlin meetup. If you think that’s exciting, wait until you hear what they’ve got in store for you during this week’s episode. Dan and Ian go kamikaze this week with six marketing stunts designed to get you and you’re product or service some eyeballs. They share their first hand accounts of how these tactics have worked for them, and how you can rip, pivot and jam your way to a bump in website traffic.