Tropical MBA: Entrepreneurship & Founder Lifestyle

http://www.tropicalmba.com/tomsawyer/ A few weeks ago, Dan and Ian published an episode of this podcast about The Peter Principle, which is the idea that everyone will more or less rise to the level of their own incompetence. Today, we are talking about a different principle. This one comes from a great 19th century book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. This episode begins with an excerpt from the book, where Tom is forced to paint a fence and convinces others to help him, eventually tricking them into painting the fence themselves. On today's show, we're sharing our thoughts on how entrepreneurs can use this same philosophy to lead a great team without working in their business day-to-day. We'll also be talking about the progress we've made with our new business venture - Dynamite Jobs, and why many entrepreneurs spend so much time focusing on top-line revenue rather than profits.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/businessideasredux/ One of Dan and Ian 's favorite topics to discuss on this show is business ideas. In particular, they love brainstorming new business ideas with the listeners of this podcast. Coming up with a great business idea doesn't come naturally for all of us, though we believe it really is a skill that you can learn and get better at. Today, we are talking about the science behind a great business idea. In particular, we are sharing five techniques that you can use to develop your own business idea. We'll also be revisiting some of the business ideas that we came up with on an earlier episode of this show from 2015.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/riseaudiobooks/ Every week, for over 450 episodes, Dan and Ian talk on this podcast about business, entrepreneurship, and location independence. They do so because they love creating and consuming audio content. It's no wonder then that when Dan finally wrote his first book, Before the Exit, he was naturally very passionate about creating a narrated audiobook version. On today's podcast, we are talking about audiobooks. In particular, we'll be talking about how we recorded our first audiobook, as well as sharing some of the most popular highlighted passages in that book. You'll also hear how audiobooks have made an impression on us, and why we think audiobooks are becoming so popular in 2018. As a special bonus, listen in to find out how you could be the recipient of a very unique gift.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/citywhisper/ Dan and Ian have spent many hours on this show talking about location and in particular the cities that location-independent entrepreneurs choose to live in. A little while ago, Dan read an article called Cities and Ambition by Paul Graham which theorizes that the cities we visit actually send signals to us in a variety of unspoken ways. Afterward, he felt compelled to write a blog post about the ways that certain cities "whisper" to us. On today's episode, you will hear that blog post, as well as some thoughts and reflections on some of our favorite cities. We'll be sharing what we love about those cities, why we can't stop visiting them, and what each of those cities has been "whispering" to us.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/millennialrevolution/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/millennialrevolution/ Podcast 56:28 | Download | Stitcher | iTunes | Comment This week, Dan and Ian are talking about the very first step to creating a lifestyle business. Contrary to popular belief, that is not quitting your job or coming up with a business idea. It begins with your personal finances. We’re talking about treating your bank account,...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/mastermindthoughts/ On today's podcast, Dan and Ian are talking about one of the most critical elements to their own success in business: masterminds. We've talked about the importance of masterminds before on this podcast, but we believe it is an issue worth addressing again because we have seen the benefits that entrepreneurs can achieve from them firsthand. When taken advantage of correctly, the value of a great mastermind cannot be understated, and masterminds have played a vital role in the business journey of this week's guest. Ryan Heneise is the founder of Booster Stage, an agency that does web app development for startups. Ryan was a guest at our recent event in Austin, Texas and took part in his first official mastermind. On this week's episode, you'll hear from Ryan about how that event unfolded, and the benefits that he has seen from attending that mastermind. You'll also hear tips on how to get the most out of a mastermind, and how to create a successful mastermind yourself.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/analysisparalysis/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/analysisparalysis/ Podcast 33:44 | Download | Stitcher | iTunes | Comment Dan and Ian struggled (as many entrepreneurs do) getting on their feet and creating the kind of success that would afford them the freedom in their lives that they were seeking. None of that would have been possible if they had succumbed to the subject of today’s...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/remotelocalbusinesses/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/remotelocalbusinesses/ Podcast 33:26 | Download | Stitcher | iTunes | Comment Dan and Ian love sharing entrepreneurial origins stories on this show. Today, we are bringing you one from someone who has chosen an unusual entrepreneurial path. Neel Parekh is the founder of a cleaning services company called MaidThis, which operates all over Southern California. What makes Neel’s...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/peterprinciple/ On this week's episode, Dan and Ian are going to explore one of the philosophical concepts that they have been talking about increasingly on this show. The Peter Principle was originally published by Laurence J. Peter in 1969. The basic premise is that every employee or member of an organizational hierarchy will tend to rise to their own "level of incompetence". On today's podcast, we are talking about what this concept means for entrepreneurs, how it applies to us, how it applies to our businesses, and what we can learn from it. We'll also share some strategies for what to do if you believe that you've reached your own capacity for growth.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/retirementcult/ Dan and Ian share stories of financial freedom every week on this podcast. On this week's episode, they wanted to explore what that freedom actually means. To some, living a life of frugality can allow yourself to retire early, but does it really bring you freedom? One year ago, Dan wrote an article called The Cult of Early Retirement Meets (Or Strangely, Doesn't Meet) The Cult of Entrepreneurship. This article turned out to be fairly controversial, with many readers of our blog sharing their thoughts on early retirement, financial freedom, and more. Today, we are going to present an audio version of that article, followed by some opinions and reflections on the discussions that arose from it. You'll also hear our thoughts on why the writings of early retirement bloggers don't entirely click with entrepreneurs, why we believe our time is more valuable than money, and a whole lot more.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/spyguy/ Dan and Ian return this week with another unique entrepreneurial origin story. In fact, today's guest has built a business in the last four years that has revenues in the low seven figures and he now employs five employees. Part of the reason we like to share these origin stories on the show is that there's a moment for every one of us when we really truly did not believe that we could achieve this sort of thing. Allen Walton knows that feeling all too well. Allen is the founder of SpyGuy.com, an eCommerce business which sells covert surveillance technology. Allen grew up in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas, and he still lives there today. On today's podcast, you'll hear Allen share the story of how he grew SpyGuy.com to a seven-figure business, what happened when he cold-emailed Mark Cuban, and a whole lot more.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/tomhannon/ As many of you know, Dan and Ian love hearing from the listeners of this show. A listener named Tom Hannon recently wrote in with a question that we really hadn't addressed on this show before. We've talked a lot about selling businesses on this podcast lately, but what happens when you don't have a choice? What happens when you are forced to sell? As we started talking with Tom, we discovered that he has actually sold twelve businesses of his own, and the circumstances of each of those sales were entirely unique. We invited Tom onto today's podcast to share the stories of those exits, as well as the lessons that he has learned along the way.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/maitie/ Today's show is all about seizing opportunities. Last year, Dan and Ian invited Greg Gerber, who is a member of our community The Dynamite Circle, on to the show to talk about how he gifted an up-and-coming entrepreneur an all-expenses-paid trip to our annual event in Barcelona. This idea of "paying it forward" has really taken off in the community since then. At our recent event in Austin, TX, Meryl Johnston offered two free tickets on behalf of her company, Bean Ninjas. Dan and Ian contributed a few free tickets of their own, with others offering free airfare, coaching, and more. On today's podcast, you'll hear from one of the recipients of that gift. Jen Anderson is the founder of Mai-Tie, a company that makes unique, fashionable bowties out of vintage Hawaiian shirts. While her business is still in its infancy, she has a huge amount of experience in the startup world, and some interesting insights into that as well. This is the story of what it takes to find your people.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/hiringhelp/ Dan and Ian are back this week to respond to another listener-submitted question. Chris Cage from GreenbellyBar.com recently reached out to us with a problem that many listeners of this show have been struggling with: when is it the right time to hire somebody? This is a moment in the entrepreneurial journey that every entrepreneur will eventually reach, and it isn't always easy to make the right decision. Hiring can be expensive, from both a financial perspective and an emotional one. Fortunately, Dan and Ian have a rich history of hiring experiences, both good and bad. On today's show, they will be opening up about the mistakes that they have made, as well as the successes they have had when bringing people on to their team.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/knowedgeversusefficiencyrevisited/ A few weeks ago , Dan and Ian published an episode called The Knowledge Gap vs. The Efficiency Gap. In that episode, they tried to make a distinction between businesses that solve "Knowledge Gaps" for their customers and businesses that solve "Efficiency Gaps". "Knowledge Gap" businesses focus on educating their customers on how their business can solve new problems, whereas the businesses that solve "Efficiency gaps" for their customers are intent on providing more efficient solutions to their preexisting needs. A few of our listeners wrote in with some comments about that show. Nate Smith is the founder of AdmitScout, which specialized in paid traffic lead generation for addiction treatment facilities. Eagan Heath is the founder of a digital marketing agency called Get Found Madison, which is mostly aimed at businesses in Madison, Wisconsin. In this week's podcast, we've invited both Nate and Eagan on to the show to share their responses to that episode and to talk about how Knowledge Gaps and Efficiency Gaps have played a role in their own businesses.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/businessrelationships/ Dan and Ian love receiving messages and questions from listeners of this show. A few weeks back, one listener reached out to them about what the ownership structure of a business partnership should look like. This is a critically important issue for many entrepreneurs, and it's an incredibly complicated one to boot. Dan and Ian are business partners themselves, but they have seen many other partnerships evolve and dissolve over the years. On today's show, we are talking about five partnership styles that we've personally witnessed over the years, how those types of partnerships can affect your business, and how you can find the right business partner.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/entrepreneurialscript/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/entrepreneurialscript/ Podcast 34:19| Download | Stitcher | iTunes | Comment One of Dan and Ian‘s favorite parts about creating this podcast is being able to find real entrepreneurial stories that can inspire and inform others. It’s easy to forget sometimes that these real entrepreneurial stories, or “scripts” as we sometimes call them, are rare to come by. These...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/lifestyleladder/ Dan and Ian know that today's episode is about a rather sensitive subject. Not many people in American society feel comfortable talking about money. It's quite taboo in some social circles to share how much money you are making or to open up about your financial position. It's part of the reason so many entrepreneurs don't open up about selling their businesses. They think that nobody wants to hear them complain about how they made a lot of money. We've found that the types of people that are able to speak freely about these topics are often the ones who are the most successful with their money. In this week's podcast, we aren't holding back. Dan and Ian are sharing how they feel about money, how much money they want, and what actual financial freedom looks like.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/austintakeaways/ On today's show, Dan and Ian are going to be sharing some of their thoughts about the event that they recently hosted in Austin, Texas. Approximately 100 internet entrepreneurs got together in Austin last week to attend DC Austin. There, they took part in workshops and mastermind groups with other entrepreneurs and ultimately made the effort to take the next steps forward in their entrepreneurial journey. On this week's episode, Dan and Ian are going to talk about what they learned from that event, what the current entrepreneurial climate looks like, what is changing about it, and what kinds of opportunities exist for listeners of this show.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/knowledgevsefficiency/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/knowledgevsefficiency/ Podcast 34:08| Download | Stitcher | iTunes | Comment On this week’s show, Dan and Ian are revisiting a subject that they haven’t spoken about in four years. Truthfully, it’s the number one recurring topic that listeners of this podcast bring up with them in conversation, so we thought it was high time to take another look...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/twotomatoes/ Dan and Ian are all too familiar with the difficulties of completing projects. A few weeks ago, they spoke at length about how "resistance" can get in the way of achieving success in your entrepreneurial endeavors. Imagine if the solution to your productivity and creative woes could come in the form of two juicy, red pieces of fruit. On today's episode, we are going to be talking about the "Two Tomatoes Strategy" for getting the projects done that are going to make a difference in your career. For those who are just getting started on their entrepreneurial journey, those who are starting a new project, or anyone who is at war with the resistance in their own lives, this strategy is a great way to overcome your distractions and ultimately move forward in a successful and productive way in both your business and your life.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/sherrywalling/ Today Dan and Ian are going to talk about something that every entrepreneur has to deal with. That "something" is the anxiety that comes along with the entrepreneurial way of life and the overall challenge to our mental well-being. Owning and operating a business means responsibility, and those responsibilities can create all kinds of stress and mental fatigue. Very few people are as experienced in this topic as Dr. Sherry Walling. Sherry is a clinical psychologist and the host of the ZenFounder podcast. She also recently released a fantastic book on the topic called "The Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Shit Together". Sherry believes that the success of our businesses is intimately tied to our mental health. She has joined us on today's podcast to talk about why many of us aren't taking enough time to care for ourselves, and what we can do to solve that.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/resistance/ Dan and Ian know that one of the most difficult things about running a business is having the right mindset, especially in the early stages. One of the most powerful concepts about how to improve your creative mindset was presented by author Steven Pressfield in his book The War of Art. Steven poses that there is a force in the universe, which he calls 'resistance', that is manifesting itself in our lives and getting in the way of our forward progress. On today's episode, we will be talking about five ways in which this 'resistance' can appear in our day-to-day lives. Make no mistake, even the most seasoned entrepreneurs experience it. Learning how to identify 'resistance', and to eventually overcome it, is one of the most critical skills that you can learn on your entrepreneurial journey.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/dynamitejobs/ For many years, Dan and Ian have spoken about jobs on this podcast. After all, the TropicalMBA originally started as a job listing on this website. Jobs are an important facet of entrepreneurial life. Remote jobs and distributed teams have been a huge part of the successes that people have found in our community. A remote job can also offer a springboard to a long and prosperous career as an entrepreneur. On this week's episode, Dan and Ian thought it would be fun to talk about their own personal history of remote jobs. This podcast chronicles that history, from the first remote employee that they've hired, all the way to their latest venture, a remote job board that they have recently launched called Dynamite Jobs.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/sethgodin/ Today's guest has been massively influential on Dan and Ian from the very start of their journey. Seth Godin is something of a legend in entrepreneurial circles, and he hardly needs an introduction. His books about marketing, creativity, building companies, and personal development include Purple Cow, Meatball Sundae, The Dip, and Linchpin. These books are frequent recommendations on this podcast and have long been shared among our listeners. In addition to his books, Seth has founded an intensive four-week alternative online MBA called altMBA. He has also created several podcasts including the popular Startup School. Seth's newest project is a brand new podcast called Akimbo. Today's show features a wide-ranging interview, which touches on a variety of topics including Seth's history as a writer and podcaster, what the business world can offer society, and much more.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/finishbig/ Dan and Ian announced on last week's podcast that they are publishing a new book about the things they wished they had considered before they sold their business. In researching the topic, they were shocked to find that there were so few people writing stories about selling businesses and that the majority of those books were simply focused on trying to get a fair price for your business. Today's guest is Bo Burlingham. Bo is the author of several books, including a book called Finish Big, which Dan and Ian both wish they could have read before selling their own business. Bo is also a journalist, with over 30 years of experience as a writer and editor at Inc. Magazine. On today's episode, Bo shares his stories about interviewing entrepreneurs who have exited their businesses and explains why he believes that there is much more to the process of selling a business than a simple monetary transaction.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/book/ Dan and Ian have some very exciting news to share on today's podcast. Longtime listeners know that the two of them spent several years growing a business that they eventually sold. They have also spent countless hours on this show speaking to other entrepreneurs who have changed their lives by growing and selling their own businesses. Because of this, they have decided to share their unique personal experience on this topic in the form of a new book, which Dan has recently completed writing. They didn't choose to write this book as a business venture, though. They were driven by the idea that any entrepreneur can make these kinds of life-changing business deals if they are equipped with the right knowledge. On today's episode, you will hear all about their decision to write this book, what that experience was like, and how you can be one of the first people to read it.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/cryptocurrency/ A few weeks back, Dan and Ian shared an in-depth conversation about cryptocurrency. That podcast featured Greg Gerber, who spoke about the basic things that you need to know about Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital currencies. The response to that podcast was fantastic, and we thought we would follow up on the topic by inviting our longtime friend, and cryptocurrency enthusiast, Taylor Pearson back on to the show. Taylor's recent article "Why Is Bitcoin Valuable" was recently featured on the front page of Hacker News. On today's show, Taylor joins us to talk about that article, and to share his insights on the philosophy behind this new technological movement. This episode isn't all philosophical, though. Taylor also shares some great tips about how you can dip your toes into the crypto space if you are so inclined.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/marketingmethods/ Dan and Ian know better than anyone how important lead generation is to a business. After all, they used to end every episode of this podcast with the phrase "Go make a cold call." Every business needs to make sales to survive, and to make those sales, they need to have leads. Today we are going to speak to two people who specialize in generating leads and making sales. Dan Englander is the founder of SalesSchema, a consulting company that helps larger ad agencies win more business. Dana Lindahl is the CEO and Founder of Legendary LeadGen, a company that helps marketing agencies get in touch with their ideal prospects. We've asked Dan and Dana to join us this week to engage in a bit of a spirited debate about the two dominant methods of lead generation. On one side of the debate, there are people who believe that creating an amazing business that relies on word-of-mouth marketing will ultimately bring in more qualified leads. On the other side, there is the idea that cold email outreach is ultimately the superior way to get new customers and clients. Regardless of what you believe, we hope this episode will inspire you to go out there and take the necessary steps to grow your business.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/4hourworkweekcritique/ A recent episode of Tim Ferriss' podcast caught the attention of Dan and Ian. The title of that episode was "The 4-Hour Workweek Revisited". For those who are unfamiliar, Tim is the author of The 4-Hour-Workweek, which is easily the most influential book in our community of location-independent entrepreneurs. The book is ten years old, and perhaps because of its prominence, it has received quite a few criticisms, many of which Tim addressed in his podcast. In this episode, Dan and Ian discuss their thoughts on Tim's podcast, the themes presented in his book, and why The 4-Hour Workweek is still such an important part of the entrepreneurial zeitgeist a decade after it was released.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/consultingcorner1/ Dan and Ian receive a lot of emails from listeners of this show. They don't always have time to respond to them, but one recent email caught their attention. The message was from a listener named Jay Clouse. Jay wrote that he was struggling with some of the common issues that early-stage entrepreneurs face. Jay recently left his position at a tech startup and has started a new business facilitating mastermind groups. Rather than email him back, Dan and Ian decided it might be helpful to call Jay and talk about these problems. This episode is a great resource for those who are just starting a business. For those of us who are more experienced entrepreneurs, we hope that you will stick around and share your own advice for Jay and the people like him in the comments section of this episode.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/2018-news/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/2018-news/ Podcast 25:00| Download | Stitcher | iTunes | Comment Occasionally we’ll be putting out a ‘Tuesday podcast’ with some news and ways you can get involved beyond the main TMBA show. I’ll make some notes below but, if you’re interested in our new ‘finding your dream job’, attending one of our events, or hearing what’s...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/booksandwriting/ http://www.tropicalmba.com/booksandwriting/ Podcast 40:57| Download | Stitcher | iTunes | Comment It is no secret that Dan and Ian have an affinity for great books, and they know that the listeners of this show appreciate them too. Indeed, many entrepreneurs have built their businesses from the wisdom and insights that they have gained from the written page. Kyla Gardner...

http://www.tropicalmba.com/artofthedeal/ A few months back, Dan and Ian shared a conversation on this show about a failed negotiation that Ian was involved in for a used car. The response we received about that episode was pretty overwhelming, and the results were unanimous: people want to hear more about these types of dealmaking situations. In pursuit of that information, we decided to invite a very special guest on to the show. Corey Reuth is Ian's mentor in the world of wheeling and dealing. Over the past few years, Corey has greatly influenced the deals that Ian has made, and he has helped save Ian thousands of dollars. On this week's episode, Corey shares his stories, tips, and strategies about what it takes to make killer deals. These tips don't just apply to car sales, either. We believe that anyone that's listening to this episode can learn something that can help them make a deal and that learning these techniques can help you make great strides along your entrepreneurial journey.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/threescripts/ Dan and Ian have decided to use today's podcast to talk about a particularly difficult, but common issue in our community. One of the biggest challenges that entrepreneurs face is adhering to the "life scripts" that society has written for us to follow. The cold, hard truth is that people's lives often don't go the way that they think they are going to, and the social scripts that lead us into the corporate rat race can frequently leave us wanting more out of life. Today's guest is someone that Dan and Ian have known for over 8 years. We hired David Hehenberger as a TMBA intern back in 2010. Using the skills he learned during his apprenticeship, he left to become an SEO consultant and ultimately started his own successful productized business called FatCat Apps. David joins us on this week's show to talk about three specific life scripts that are uniquely tailored for entrepreneurs. These scripts will help us to create the kind of financial independence that will ultimately allow us to live the kind of lives that we want, on our own terms.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/parenting1/ Today's podcast is a very special episode. Dan and Ian are taking some time this week to celebrate the birth of Ian's new son. On this episode, you'll hear all about how Ian is transitioning to his new role as a parent. Ian isn't alone in this adventure, though. Many of our listeners and members of our entrepreneurial community are parents as well. Balancing parenting with entrepreneurship can be quite the challenge, and today's guest understands it as well as anyone. Martijn Reintjes is the CEO of a company called Team Croco, which provides done-for-you split testing services. Martijn and his wife Ryanne have a two-year-old son named Milo, who they have brought along with them to several of our events. Martijn shares a great deal of advice with Ian on today's podcast about what it means to be a parent and an entrepreneur.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/crypto/ Happy New Year and welcome back to all of our listeners. We hope that we can help make 2018 your best year in business ever. To kick things off strong, Dan and Ian are going to talk about one of the most popular and controversial topics in the entrepreneurial community today. Of course, we are talking about Cryptocurrency. Digital currencies like Bitcoin and Etherieum have made many members of our audience very wealthy, and have left the rest of us wondering what we are missing out on. Greg Gerber is an internet entrepreneur and cryptocurrency enthusiast. He owns a marketing company that has been accepting Bitcoin as payment since 2013. On this episode, Greg joins us to talk about the world of digital currency, the advantages to accepting these currencies as payment, and the future of money.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/7stages/ Dan and Ian are in a reflective mood this week. 2017 has been a hallmark year for the TropicalMBA, and we thought it would be fun to revisit some of our favorite episodes of the year. We'll be sharing some of our most memorable moments from the show this year, as well as re-examining those conversations in a discussion we like to call the "7 Stages of Entrepreneurship". These 7 stages are bridges that every entrepreneur will eventually cross on their journey. Stick around after the credits for a very special collection of TropicalMBA outtakes and bloopers from 2017. To all of our listeners: We wish you a very happy holiday and a fantastic new year.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/greenbelly2/ In the past, Dan and Ian have spoken on this podcast about specific "epiphanies" that entrepreneurs have had on their journey. You're not going to hear about a lightbulb business idea or an overnight success story on today's show, though. The reality is that even if these epiphanies happen, the day-to-day life of being an entrepreneur has nothing to do with a single moment of insight. In fact, quite often the opposite is true. Entrepreneurs frequently feel like they have no idea what they are doing or what they are supposed to do. Chris Cage first joined us on the TropicalMBA in 2015 to talk to about his company, Greenbelly Meals. Greenbelly manufactures and sells mega-calorie, high-nutrient meal bars for people that participate in activities that require a huge calorie load. When Chris last spoke on this podcast, there were many question marks about his path forward. On this week's episode, Chris talks about what has happened in his journey since we last spoke, what inspired his first book, how it felt to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience, and much, much more.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/nateginsburg/ Dan and Ian have spent many years on this show discussing the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people who share your vision. Today's guest can attest to that philosophy. Nate Ginsburg has built a successful Amazon business over the last two years, which he recently sold for just under a million dollars. He didn't do it alone, though. On this week's show, you'll hear how a chance encounter in the rolling hills of Northern Thailand led Nate down an unbelievable entrepreneurial journey.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/theservicesproblem/ Last week, Dan and Ian spoke to Greg Gerber on this podcast. During that conversation, Greg mentioned that he had recently interacted with many listeners of this show, and that a large portion of them owned services businesses. He also spoke about how he believed that those entrepreneurs were struggling to take the next step in their business. This insight into the audience of the show got our hosts thinking. What if they could help those entrepreneurs take that next step? On this week's episode, Dan and Ian will be talking at great length about what "The Services Problem" is, as well as sharing three strategies that entrepreneurs with these types of businesses can employ in order to solve it.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/gregsgift/ Dan and Ian have shared many stories on this show about luck, serendipity, and being in the right place at the right time. But what if that luck isn't totally random? Today's episode is about entrepreneurs (and specifically listeners of this show) connecting to help each other out on their entrepreneurial journey. It begins with Greg Gerber, who made a post in our private membership forum The Dynamite Circle offering to give one lucky entrepreneur an all-expenses paid trip to our annual conference in Bangkok, DC BKK. The recipient of that gift was Madeleine Lambert. Madeleine started a content marketing business called Content Refined last year. She and Greg have joined us today to share the story of Greg's gift and how Madeline's business has grown to $50,000 in monthly recurring revenue since she received it.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/vincent/ The theme of today's show is navigating the social pressures that so many of us feel from friends, family, and colleagues. Dan and Ian are certainly familiar with these feelings, and today's guest is no stranger to them either. Vincent Nguyen is the founder of Growth Ninja, a performance-based Facebook ads company. You may remember Vincent from an episode we published a few years ago about apprenticeships. Vincent has definitely paid his dues in the world of entrepreneurship, having apprenticed with Empire Flippers before starting Growth Ninja in 2015, all the while hiding the fact that he dropped out of college from his immediate family. This episode is a conversation about the tough decisions that many entrepreneurs are forced to make, what it means to sacrifice relationships, and what it really takes to get started in the world of entrepreneurship.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/amazon2/ This week's episode represents one of the most promising and immediate opportunities for starting a business on the internet. Dan and Ian have spoken at length about Amazon on this show in the past. Time after time, they have heard stories of success from other entrepreneurs. A year ago, they explored some of these same ideas on an episode that was one of the most popular and controversial episodes we've ever done. Kevin Graham joined us for that episode. He runs a portfolio of almost 60 Amazon product review websites, and is the founder of Bulk Buy Hosting. Kevin agreed to speak with us again today, along with Coran Woodmass, whose company TheFBABroker.com brokers Amazon based eCommerce businesses. On today's show, Kevin and Coran speak at great length about the types of successes that people are having on Amazon, the criticisms of Amazon based businesses, and what kind of opportunities exist in this marketplace for entrepreneurs of all types.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/dcbkk2017/ Today Dan and Ian are going to be talking about their biggest weekend of the year. They are fresh off the heels of DCBKK, the annual event that they host in Bangkok for members of The Dynamite Circle. Hundreds of entrepreneurs, many of whom are listeners of this show, migrate to Southeast Asia each year to attend. They do so with the intention of focusing their time and energy on improving their businesses. On this week's episode, our hosts will be sharing their five biggest takeaways from this year's conference. You'll also hear them talk about what makes a profitable event and how they are planning on ramping up their events for 2018.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/municibid/ Dan and Ian have talked to many business owners on this podcast about what it takes to create a highly successful business, but what are we supposed to do once our businesses become successful? Today's guest is Greg Berry. Greg has been a very big contributor to our online community The Dynamite Circle, and has spoken at many of our events. Greg joins us this week to share the story of Municibid, a marketplace company that Greg founded when he was 26 years old. Since then, Municibid has grown to become a completely location-independent seven figure business. On this week's episode, we seek to answer a very high quality problem that many entrepreneurs end up facing: what happens after you actually build the business of your dreams?

http://www.tropicalmba.com/neversplitthedifference/ A few weeks ago on this podcast, Dan and Ian spoke about a failed negotiation that Ian went through when trying to purchase a car. Ian has said many times that believed he could have closed that deal if he just used the right tactics. Today's guest has spent a lifetime working on negotiating tactics, but he has primarily done so in matters of life or death. Chris Voss is a former FBI hostage negotiator and the author of "Never Split the Difference". Since leaving the FBI, Chris has devoted his time to a new business called Black Swan Ltd., which teaches people how to use the skills that he learned during his time as an FBI agent to improve their negotiation skills in business situations. On this week's episode, you'll hear Chris go into great detail about emotional intelligence, how to choose the right language to use while negotiating, and why you should never split the difference.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/tencommandmentsrevisited/ Over the years, Dan and Ian have spent a lot of time on this show talking about travel. One particular episode of this show called The 10 Travel Commandments, has resonated quite a bit with our listeners. We thought it would be fun to revisit some of the concepts from that episode and talk about how their travel philosophies have changed in the five years since that episode was published. You'll also hear tips, tricks, and essential strategies on how to make any trip a successful one.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/linjer/ Dan and Ian love physical product companies. After all, they started their own entrepreneurial journey by selling physical products. On this week's show, they have chosen to showcase the story of a mid-market luxury brand that has found massive success. Jennifer Chong and Roman Khan are the founders of Linjer. Linjer manufactures and sells beautiful leather handbags and watches, which retail between $200 and $500 USD. On today's episode, Jennifer and Roman speak to us about a wide variety of topics, including researching marketplaces, building teams, and making deals with factory owners. This is not just an episode about people who are passionate about selling great products, though. It's also a unique case study on how to use savvy marketing techniques to grow your business.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/amazingseller/ This week, Dan and Ian are going to be talking about one of the most successful platforms for building an online business, and one that has historically been under-represented on this show. That platform is Amazon.com, and the reason that you haven't heard much about it is because Amazon sellers have been pretty secretive about the ways that they have been using it to make money. Today's guest has no problem sharing his knowledge, especially with those who are just getting started on Amazon. Scott Voelker is the host of an established podcast about Amazon called The Amazing Seller, where he offers insight and tips from his experience using the platform. On this episode, Scott talks about how people can start making some side money on Amazon, and eventually grow to earn a full-time income. If you are interested in making money on Amazon, but you're not sure where to begin, this is the episode for you.