Best Connor Tomkies Podcasts (2024)

1
Solving for Joy, The Power of Hustle, and More with Hustle Fund's Eric Bahn 47:25

4d ago47:25

47:25

Eric Bahn, co-founder of Hustle Fund, discusses his journey as an entrepreneur and investor. He shares insights on building genuine communities, identifying true "hustlers", and redefining wealth and success. Eric opens up about his family's story, working with his wife and sister, and the importance of vulnerability in leadership. He also discusse…

1
Ep 445 How Connor Tomkies Led Support Ninja to an 8-Figure Exit 34:19

21d ago34:19

34:19

This week on Built to Sell Radio, we feature Connor Tomkies, founder of Support Ninja, who shares his story of transforming an outsourcing firm into an industry leader. Support Ninja provides outsourced customer support services, handling tasks such as customer experience, social media management, and technical support.…

1
Ep 448 How David Sinkinson Bootstrapped AppArmor to a $40M Exit (Avoiding a Costly Negotiation Mistake) 1:12:47

2h ago1:12:47

1:12:47

In this week’s Built to Sell Radio episode, John Warrillow interviews David Sinkinson, co-founder of AppArmor. David and his brother Chris created a mobile app that allows students to alert campus security by pressing a single button on their phones. Their journey from developing AppArmor to selling their company for $40 million is packed with insi…

1
Ep 447 The Psychology of Entrepreneurship with Bill Hudenko 37:11

8d ago37:11

37:11

Have you considered the psychological toll of building your business? In this week’s Built to Sell Radio episode, John Warrillow sits down with Bill Hudenko, a psychologist, Dartmouth professor, and serial entrepreneur, to discuss the psychological impact of building and exiting a business. Bill shares his personal journey through multiple exits an…

1
The Return of a Legend: Andrew Warner on Podcasts, Communities, and Post-Exit 42:04

11d ago42:04

42:04

Andrew Warner, founder of Mixergy, returns to the pod to share his insights on the post-exit journey of entrepreneurs. The two discuss the importance of finding meaning and purpose after selling a business, the value of shadowing successful entrepreneurs, and the potential of building a community for post-exit founders. With a focus on personal gro…

1
Ep 446 Exiting a Family Business on Top with Tom Deans 50:27

14d ago50:27

50:27

In this week’s episode of Built to Sell Radio, we are joined by Tom Deans, a renowned expert on family business transitions and the author of the trilogy, Every Family's Business, Willing Wisdom, and The Happy Inheritor. Drawing from his extensive experience, Tom shares invaluable strategies to help you navigate the complexities of selling a family…

1
Bouncy Balls, Building Companies, and Big Exits... Dan Reich's Entrepreneurial Journey 44:14

18d ago44:14

44:14

In this episode, serial entrepreneur Dan Reich shares his remarkable journey of building and exiting multiple companies across various industries. From his early ventures in high school to co-founding Spinback, which was acquired by Buddy Media and later Salesforce, Dan's experiences highlight valuable lessons in entrepreneurship, partnerships, and…

1
Find Your Purpose, and Co-Founder Cuddling with Noah Abelson-Gertler 38:18

26d ago38:18

38:18

In this candid interview, Noah Abelson, founder of ShareRoot, shares his entrepreneurial journey from starting up in a garage to taking his company public. He discusses the challenges of pivoting, fundraising, and navigating co-founder relationships, as well as the emotional toll of life after a successful exit. Noah also shares his passion for mak…

1
Ep 444 Inside the Mind of a Venture Capitalist with Stanford’s Ilya Strebulaev 59:02

28d ago59:02

59:02

In this week’s episode of Built to Sell Radio, we are joined by Ilya Strebulaev, a leading expert on venture capital and private equity and author of The Venture Mindset. Drawing from his extensive research and teaching at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, Strebulaev shares strategies to help you think like a venture capitalist and make smart…

1
Morning Brew, Creator Economy, and Plungers with Alex Lieberman 46:01

1M ago46:01

46:01

Alex Lieberman, co-founder of Morning Brew and host of the Founders Journal podcast, takes us on a whirlwind journey through his post-exit adventures. From getting a full-body MRI to launching a quirky backyard game, Alex candidly shares the highs and lows of life after a successful startup. He delves into Morning Brew's evolving content strategy, …

1
Ep 443 Anne Mahlum on selling [solidcore] for $100M 1:10:08

1M ago1:10:08

1:10:08

Today’s episode of Built to Sell Radio features Anne Mahlum, a fearless entrepreneur who redefined the fitness industry. After wandering into a Pilates studio in L.A. and thinking, “I can do this better,” Anne threw all her savings—$175,000—into launching her own version of the company, founding [solidcore], a fitness powerhouse that she later sold…

1
Protect Yourself During M&A with Thunder's Jason Kirby 48:08

1M ago48:08

48:08

Jason Kirby shares hard-earned wisdom with Connor, from exiting his company to Walmart, after a failed acquisition by Samsung. Jason explains key lessons for founders in the acquisition process, like getting your own legal counsel and maintaining multiple options. He also details his new venture Thunder, an investment bank aiming to provide founder…

1
Ep 442 Matt Dixon on Teaching Your Employees to Sell 55:25

1M ago55:25

55:25

This episode of Built to Sell Radio features Matt Dixon, author of the global bestseller, The Challenger Sale. Dixon became the de facto leader of the sales training world when Neil Rackham, author of "SPIN Selling," praised The Challenger Sale as "the most important advance in selling for many years.” If you’re wondering how to get your people to …

1
Revamping the Health Industry, Redox's Luke Bonney 40:05

2M ago40:05

40:05

In this episode, we sit down with Luke Bonney, co-founder of Redox, a healthcare tech company that raised $95 million. Join us as Luke shares his journey from med school dropout to successful entrepreneur, discussing the challenges of building a startup, the importance of strong co-founder relationships, and the future of healthcare technology. Tun…

1
Ep 441 Inside Google’s $3.1 Billion Acquisition of Kevin O’Connor’s DoubleClick 46:15

2M ago46:15

46:15

This episode of Built to Sell Radio, features Kevin O’Connor, a pioneer in digital advertising and founder of DoubleClick. Kevin's vision transformed the online advertising industry, making DoubleClick a dominant force in digital marketing before its $3.1 billion acquisition by Google.By John Warrillow

1
Lil Wayne, Leo DiCaprio, and Influencer Marketing with Gil Eyal 47:45

2M ago47:45

47:45

From celebrity crashes to influencer insights, lessons from a marketing pioneer. Join Connor Tomkies as he sits down with Gil Eyal, a serial entrepreneur who's seen it all in the world of influencer marketing. Discover the ups and downs of Gil's journey, from working with A-listers like Lil Wayne and Leonardo DiCaprio to navigating the ever-changin…

1
Ep 440 Seth Godin: Why Great Businesses Are Bought, Not Sold 37:40

2M ago37:40

37:40

In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Seth Godin, a renowned entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker, shares insights gained from his experience, including selling his company, Yoyodyne, to Yahoo! He has authored 21 best-selling books, including notable titles like Permission Marketing, The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, This Is Market…

1
From Nightclubs to Buying Santa Monica Pier: Shane Neman & EZ Texting 29:57

2M ago29:57

29:57

Entrepreneur Shane Neman shares his incredible journey from founding Junebug, a nightclub software and events company, to building EZ Texting, a pioneering mass texting platform. Discover how Shane spotted opportunities, pivoted when necessary, and bootstrapped his way to success. He also shares insights into his current ventures, including an inve…

1
Ep 439 Selling Your Business? Why Nice Gets You More - with William Ury, Co-Founder of the Harvard Negotiation Program 40:25

2M ago40:25

40:25

In this week's episode of Built to Sell Radio, we are joined by William Ury, the co-founder of the Harvard Program on Negotiation and the International Negotiation Network with former President Jimmy Carter. Drawing from his extensive experience in high-stakes diplomatic negotiations, Ury shares invaluable strategies to help you punch above your we…

1
The Best Businesses are Not Sexy with Adam Spector of Levy 45:51

2M ago45:51

45:51

Serial entrepreneur Adam Spector shares his journey of building and exiting multiple startups, including his current venture, Levy, which revolutionizes back-office support. In this engaging episode, Adam discusses the lessons he's learned from navigating the entrepreneurial rollercoaster, the importance of solving real problems, and his outlook on…

1
Ep 438 Brian Dean, "SEO Genius", on Getting $5 Million for Backlinko, a One Employee Company 53:13

2M ago53:13

53:13

Brian Dean has been called an SEO genius for his search engine optimization courses, so it probably shouldn’t have been a surprise when Semrush, a publicly traded SEO software company, came knocking. What was surprising was that Semrush paid $5 million for Brian’s one-employee company.

1
Beyond the Backpack: Classtag's Vlada Lotkina on Disrupting EdTech 38:15

2M ago38:15

38:15

Join along as I sit down with the incredibly inspiring Vlada Lotkina, the brain behind ClassTag, for a journey filled with dreams, determination, and the drive to make a difference in the world of education. From her early days in Ukraine to creating waves in the U.S. tech scene, Vlada's story isn't just about building a successful platform; it's a…

1
Ep 437 Escaping the Service Business Trap with John Rood 52:39

3M ago52:39

52:39

This week we’re featuring an interview with John Rood, who built Next Step, a test prep business that helped students prepare for the medical school admissions test (MCAT). John Rood built Next Step to almost $10 million in revenue, with EBITDA margins ranging from 20–40% before selling to New Harbour Group, a private equity business doing a roll-u…

1
Sweat Equity to Sauna Sessions: Disrupting Insurance and Beyond with Benji Markoff 55:40

3M ago55:40

55:40

We dive into the journey of Benji Markoff, a visionary entrepreneur who transformed the insurance industry with his startup, Founder Shield. Benji shares his rollercoaster experience from the early days of grueling work and personal challenges to achieving a monumental exit. Listeners will gain insights into the importance of resilience, innovation…

1
Ep 436 Turning Down a Quarter Billion Dollar Offer From State Farm with Payam Zamani 52:46

3M ago52:46

52:46

This week we’re bringing you an extraordinary story of resilience and determination as we delve into the lives of Payam and Frank Zamani. Starting their American dream with a mere $75, the brothers embarked on a venture that led to the founding of Autoweb, a groundbreaking lead generation service in the auto industry. Autoweb’s journey to success r…

1
From Basement to Buyout: Aaron White's Remarkable Dual Exit 40:08

3M ago40:08

40:08

LISTENER NOTE: My Second Million asa title was always intended as a cheeky joke around the fantastic pod "My First Million" but now on April Fools we've decided to pivot as so many founder do, to the "Made It with Connor Tomkies" podcast. We can't wait for the guests we have coming up and we're excited to share more episodes. Stay tuned for more ep…

1
From Swag to Riches: How Jeremy Parker Disrupted the Promo Industry and Beyond 42:55

3M ago42:55

42:55

Connor dives deep with Jeremy Parker, the innovative mind behind Swag.com. They explore Jeremy's dynamic journey from aspiring filmmaker to successful entrepreneur. Jeremy shares the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial path, revealing how he navigated through failures and pivots to build and sell swag.com, transforming the promotional products in…

1
The Evolution of Influence: Mixergy's Andrew Warner on Earning His 2nd Million and Future Trends 33:09

3M ago33:09

33:09

In this episode host Connor Tomkies sits down with the seasoned entrepreneur, podcaster, and founder of Mixergy, Andrew Warner, to explore the intricacies of entrepreneurship in the digital age. They delve into the critical role of becoming a micro-influencer as an entrepreneur, share personal journeys of business successes and lessons learned from…

1
Ep 435 From Freelance Consult to 8-Figure Exit in Seven Years With Ned Macpherson 50:49

3M ago50:49

50:49

Ned MacPherson started helping clients optimize their websites back in 2016. Demand for Ned’s time quickly outpaced supply, so he started building a team. Within seven years, Ned had 70 employees, more than $2 million a year in EBITDA, and multiple acquisition offers.By John Warrillow

1
Ep 434 Sticky: How Jordan Van Schyndel Grew His Service Business to More Than 30 Employees Without Having Anyone Quit Before He Sold It 52:45

3M ago52:45

52:45

Jordan van Schyndel grew his service business to more than 30 employees without having anyone quit. He credits his unique culture for the loyalty of his team. Ultimately it was that team that caught the attention of Spiria, which offered to acquire van Schyndel’s business.By John Warrillow

1
Ep 433 The Million Dollar Call with Alexx Leyva 58:30

4M ago58:30

58:30

In 2015, 25-year-old Alexx Leyva was traveling around Thailand when a shocking phone call brought him back to the United States to take over his father’s $3 million business. Over the next five years, Alexx and his brothers tripled the company and ended up selling it for more than $20 million.By John Warrillow

1
Ep 432 The Acquisition Entrepreneur with Steve Divitkos 1:04:58

4M ago1:04:58

1:04:58

In recent years, "entrepreneurship through acquisition" courses at Ivy League MBA programs have surged in popularity, outshining traditional classes in marketing or corporate finance. This trend reflects a shift in aspirations among students, many of whom now prioritize acquiring a business over roles in consulting or banking. As a business owner, …

1
Ep 431 Dealmaker: Carl Allen on How to Sell Your Business to an Individual Investor 1:01:42

4M ago1:01:42

1:01:42

When it comes to your endgame, what’s your highest priority? Do you want to maximize your personal wealth and walk away? Or do you want to de-risk but keep some chips on the table? Or is your highest priority protecting your culture, your employees, and the legacy you have built? If your goal is to protect your culture, then selling to an individua…

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