Yancey Strickler, Author and Kickstarter Co-Founder

In this inspiring podcast interview, Nathan Chan sits down with Kickstarter co-founder and author Yancey Strickler to discuss his 'Bento Box' method for making better decisions, how his company Kickstarter found it’s feet, and our unhealthy obsession with “financial maximization”. 

Strickler was working as a music journalist in New York when a chance encounter with future co-founder Perry Chen in a restaurant led to the creation of Kickstarter, and crowdfunding as a category-defining player in a new field. 

A writer at heart, Stickler used his time post-Kickstarter to write the groundbreaking This Could Be Our Future. An in-depth look at our current obsession with financial gain, and how society has conditioned us to always choose whatever will make the most money.

Making the right choices in life is a mission close to Strickler’s heart. As such, he created the revolutionary “Bento Box” framework, an inspiring and humbling process for individuals and businesses alike to frame and structure their decisions.

This podcast is one of our most inspiring insights into human nature and the importance of caring for our future selves and our future business.  Learn from Strickler as he gives you the secret Bento Box method to help you make the right decisions in life. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss!

Key Takeaways

• Strickler discusses how the idea for Kickstarter came about in 2005 while working in the music industry
• Why it took Strickler close to 4 years for the idea to be executed
• The conscious decision to frame Kickstarter as a funding method for passion projects and new ideas rather than a charity platform
• Why Kickstarter was originally called “Kickstartr”
• Pitching the idea of Kickstarter and the initial investors, and getting Andy Baio onboard with the project
• How they went from unpaid developers to profitability in 14 months
• The effect of being a category-defining player in a new field 
• Stepping down from his position at Kickstarter
• Strickler’s new book “This Could Be Our Future” and our current obsession with Financial Maximisation: whatever makes the most money is the right decision
• Strickler’s Bento Framework
• • Now Me: profitability 
  • Future Me: as a business, your values
  • Now Us: stakeholders, employees, suppliers, etc.
  • Future Us: the bigger idea of what you want to be

Key Resources From Our Interview 

https://www.ystrickler.com/book

Kamal Ravikant, Author and Founder, Venture Capitalist

In this special podcast interview, Nathan Chan sits down with renowned author and founder Kamal Ravikant to discuss his thoughts on mentorship, entrepreneurs, and everything in between. 

Ravikant traces his journey back to a point in time most entrepreneurs face: he was doing too much and he was burnt out. In fact, it took losing everything for him to realize what he needed to change: his mindset. Throughout his journey, the ups and downs, the lows and highs, Ravikant is a master of maintaining a balance between persistence and open-mindedness in everything he does. 

Listen in as Ravikant discloses the powerful reason he chose to write his bestselling book: 'Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It', and how the book developed from a self-published book to a global success spreading joy and love published in 16 languages. 

This podcast is raw, honest, and a deep insight into personal growth. Learn from Ravikant as he discloses the universal importance of loving yourself, being humble, and caring deeply. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss!

Key Takeaways

• Ravikant holds the honor of being the fourth ever podcast interview by Foundr back in 2014
• His beginnings riding the wave of the internet boom 
• Why it took losing everything to realize he needed to change his mindset
• His ideology that you should build a business by identifying a problem and creating a solution first
• The power investors hold over entrepreneurs, and what drove him to become a doer
• Why he believes in having a strong entrepreneur mindset
• His re-launch of the global bestseller Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It published in 16 languages worldwide
• Ravikant discusses his upcoming projects and behind-the-scenes of funds
• Ravikant addresses the changes in Silicon Valley, and what advice he would give to upcoming entrepreneurs
• Why you need to be humble and care deeply, always.

Joanna Griffiths CEO Knixwear

CEO of global intimates brand Knixwear Joanna Griffiths sits down with Nathan Chan to reveal how she took $20k to and made $50m in revenue last year. 

In this wonderfully inspiring episode, Griffiths’ discusses how she became an “accidental entrepreneur” with Knixwear. Initially begun as a passion project to create high-quality leak-proof intimates, Griffiths’ put aside her initial goal to run her own media company and instead decided to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. 

In school, her business plan won a competition, and she used the $20k prize to begin chasing her dream of solving a universal problem. After years of trials and errors, including a first-time sample order of 40,000 pairs of underwear, Knixwear quickly found it’s feet and is now a $50m a year company. Knixwear has 85 employees globally, and Griffiths’ still reels at the idea that her company sells an item every 6 seconds. 

Listen in as Griffiths’ discusses the lows and the highs of being a first-time business owner, TV advertising, and why she always chooses the path of risk so she doesn’t look back and wonder “what if”. 

Key Takeaways

• How Griffiths’ original plan to run her own media company led her to pursue her MBA
• How her intimates brand Knixwear began as high-quality leak-proof underwear
• Why Griffiths dedicated her time to solving this universal problem, and why she feels she is an accidental entrepreneur as a result
• Why she chose to take a chance rather than risk looking back with regret
• Griffiths’ discusses her initial business funding: she won a business plan competition at school and received $20k 
• How she used the $20k for product development, launching, and crowd-funding
• Griffiths’ reveals that the first order was the biggest mistake, but she values progress over perfection
• Knixwear has passed $50m annual revenue, and that they sell an item every 6 seconds
• Griffiths’ discusses the early days of wholesale business, and the struggles first-time entrepreneurs face
• How she identified her target market and shaped her product accordingly

Ulrich Boser, CEO, The Learning Agency

Founder and CEO of The Learning Agency, best-selling author, and Foundr course Instructor Ulrich Boser sits down for an in-depth discussion on becoming a better learner, the misinformation surrounding information, and the big secret to mastering any skill (and we mean any skill).  

The ability to absorb and retain information effectively is often thought of as some sort of elusive skill that you’re born with, but Boser seeks to dispel this once and for all. The ability to learn effectively isn’t something assigned at birth, no one has a “set learning” style, and your ability to absorb information ultimately comes down to how you decide to approach everything.

Author of the best-selling Learn Better, Boser reveals to Foundr’s Nathan Chan why he started his company, why feedback is crucial, and why he believes everyone should throw away their highlighters if they want to learn better. 

In this conversation, Boser takes everything you thought you knew about learning and spins it on its head. If you have any questions about Boser’s upcoming course, please don’t hesitate to reach out at support@foundr.com. 

Key Takeaways

• Boser discusses how his childhood sparked his passion to hone and master the ability to pick up skills effectively
• Why Boser began The Learning Agency
• Boser discusses the prevalence of learning myths
• Common learning myths and why they impact learning
• Why active learning will always overshadow passive learning
• How to engage with the material; quiz yourself, and identify gaps in your knowledge 
• Why previous knowledge on a topic will boost your learning
• The importance of feedback on your learning