School of Hard Knocks Podcast

Эпизоды

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  Blake Johnson | He Had $7,000 Left… Then Sold His Companies for $1.1 Billion 29.07.2026 47мин

  Blake Johnson is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and sold five companies, including a $97 million exit and the sale of Byte for more than $1 billion. After nearly losing his first business during the 2008 financial crisis, he developed a disciplined framework for bootstrapping, scaling and positioning companies for acquisition. In this episode, Blake explains how he evaluates markets, controls customer acquisition costs, builds high-performing teams and creates businesses that strategic buyers and private equity firms want to acquire. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Dr. Jason Wersland | How a Terrible Motorcycle Accident Led to the Invention of Theragun 22.07.2026 1ч 13мин

  Dr. Jason Wersland is the inventor of the Theragun and the founder of Therabody, the global wellness company that transformed percussive therapy and recovery.After a serious motorcycle accident left him in extreme pain, Jason created the first Theragun prototype from a modified power tool and spent years developing the product while facing financial pressure, family doubt and failed business partnerships.In this episode, he explains how he found the right investor, protected the invention, built an entirely new product category and earned adoption from world-class athletes including Cristiano Ronaldo and Aaron Rodgers.The conversation explores invention, resilience, brand building, strategic partnerships and why consistency, persistence and delusion are often required to build something revolutionary.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  David Stout | He Started With a $400 Loan… Now His AI Company Is Worth $2.5 Billion 15.07.2026 1ч 7мин

  David Stout is the founder of WebAI, an artificial intelligence company publicly valued at $2.5 billion. After growing up on a Michigan ranch, he launched a web services company in college that generated more than $750,000 annually before leaving school to pursue AI.In this episode, David explains how a $400 loan, repeated investor rejection, and a relentless focus on on-device intelligence shaped WebAI’s rise. He also discusses AI ownership, data centers, leadership, faith, recruiting elite talent, and the future of specialized artificial intelligence.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Mike Sherbakov | He Came To America With Nothing… Now He Funds $1 Billion Companies 06.07.2026 1ч 23мин

  Mike Sherbakov is a Russian-born immigrant, Marine Corps veteran, entrepreneur, angel investor, and co-founder of The Veteran Fund. After building and selling companies, Mike moved into venture capital and now helps back veteran-led startups across defense, AI, space, energy, robotics, and critical technology.In this episode, Mike breaks down his journey from poverty and military service to entrepreneurship, early-stage investing, 100X returns, and building a 130-company portfolio. He also shares what he looks for in founders, why resilience matters, and how veteran leadership is shaping the future of American innovation.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  John Imah | He Sold 2 Tech Companies At 16… Now His AI Company Is Worth $1.5 Billion 27.06.2026 1ч 2мин

  John Imah is the founder of SpreeAI, a fashion technology company valued at $1.5 billion, and the youngest millionaire in School of Hard Knocks history after selling two tech companies before age 16.In this episode, John shares his journey from growing up poor in an immigrant family to working at Samsung, Twitch, Meta, and Snapchat before returning to entrepreneurship.He breaks down building AI for fashion, attracting elite talent, selling into major brands, overcoming bullying, losing his mother, and using faith, discipline, and execution to build a lasting company.Do you want more options, shorter, more intense, or more viral versions?Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Ronnen Harary | Meet The Billionaire Toymaker Who Turned 5,000 Toys Into $2 Billion 20.06.2026 1ч

  Ronnen Harary is the co-founder of Spin Master, the global toy and entertainment company behind Paw Patrol, Bakugan, Air Hogs, Rubik’s Cube, and more. Starting with a handmade product called Earth Buddies, he helped build the company into a multi-billion-dollar business across toys, entertainment, and digital games.In this episode, Ronnen breaks down the early Kmart deal, passing on Beyblade, building Bakugan, creating Paw Patrol, scaling globally, learning from failure, and why your 20s are the best decade to bet on yourself.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Lynnwood Bibbens | He Sold Cutco Knives In College… Then Built A $2 Billion Empire 12.06.2026 55мин

  Lynnwood Bibbens is the founder of ReachTV and an entrepreneur who has built billions of dollars in business across tech, media, retail, film finance, and distribution. In this episode, he breaks down how he went from selling knives in college to building major companies, creating new rights windows, and acquiring CNN Airport during the pandemic. Lynnwood shares his philosophy on serving customers, building real relationships, finding hidden value in ecosystems, and why distribution is more powerful than content alone.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Peter Tuchman | He Survived Every Stock Market Crash… Now He Trades $1 Billion/Day 06.06.2026 1ч 7мин

  Peter Tuchman, known globally as the “Einstein of Wall Street,” is the longest-standing trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and one of the most recognizable figures in finance. After starting as a $47-a-week runner in 1985, he built a decades-long career through Black Monday, the internet bubble, the 2008 financial crisis, Covid, and today’s AI-driven market boom. In this episode, Peter shares lessons on market crashes, greed, disciplined investing, retail traders, wealth building, and what it really takes to survive on Wall Street.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Greg LaVecchia | He Had a 2.5 GPA… Now He’s Got a $1 Billion Brand 30.05.2026 59мин

  Greg La Vecchia is the founder of Bloom, one of America’s fastest-growing supplement and energy drink brands, now sold across 70,000 retail doors. After bootstrapping the company to $180 million with no investors, mentors, or traditional playbook, Greg helped turn Bloom into a category-defining brand doing $23 million in weekly net sales.In this episode, Greg breaks down the early days of selling fitness products, building with his wife, betting $1 million on Target distribution, influencer marketing, retail strategy, product failures, fatherhood, and the pressure of scaling a brand built from scratch.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Patrick Terry | It’s Never Too Late… He Started At 47 And Beat McDonald’s Out 21.05.2026 1ч 4мин

  Patrick Terry is the co-founder of P. Terry’s, the Texas burger brand that grew from a 527-square-foot Austin stand into 38 locations and 1,800 employees.In this episode, Patrick shares how he built the company with his wife Kathy, competed directly against national fast food giants, protected the brand’s culture, and refused franchising or private equity to preserve quality.We discuss leadership, employee loyalty, pricing with fairness, building customer love, and why showing up every day is still the ultimate business advantage.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Andy Frisella | He Made $58K In 10 Years… Now His Portfolio Is Worth $1B 13.05.2026 1ч 8мин

  Andy Frisella is the founder of 1st Phorm, creator of 75 Hard, and one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the fitness and personal development space. After making only $58,380 total across his first ten years in business, he built a vertically integrated supplement empire and a personal portfolio worth over $1 billion.In this episode, Andy shares the early years of struggle, the mindset behind discipline, how 75 Hard was created, why customer experience changed his business, and what it takes to build culture, standards, and long-term enterprise value.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Eric Spofford | He Was Addicted To Drugs... Now He's Sold A $115 Million Company 07.05.2026 1ч

  Eric Spofford is an entrepreneur, investor, and founder who overcame heroin addiction before building and selling his treatment business for $115 million. After dropping out of high school at 15 and getting sober with almost nothing, he launched his state’s first sober living house and scaled it into a major operation.In this episode, Eric breaks down addiction, entrepreneurship, building a sellable company, private equity, hiring elite teams, relationship building, wealth after exit, and the mindset required to survive the hardest seasons in business.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Lucy Guo | How She Became The World's Youngest Self Made Woman Billionaire 01.05.2026 41мин

  Go try Agent Opus and start making your own videos today! Get 600 free credits using our link: https://agent.opus.pro/home?special_credit=SOHK Lucy Guo is the youngest self-made female billionaire in the world and the co-founder of Scale AI, one of the most important infrastructure companies behind the artificial intelligence boom. After dropping out of college through the Thiel Fellowship, she helped build Scale AI into a company valued around $26 billion.In this episode, Lucy shares how she handled family pressure, why she believes founders must pivot quickly, how Scale AI found product-market fit, and what young entrepreneurs need to understand about AI, talent, risk, and proximity.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  RJ Jain | He Left India, Sold a Startup to Google, Now He’s Building a $200M Company 23.04.2026 46мин

  Go try Agent Opus and start making your own videos today! Get 600 free credits using our link: https://agent.opus.pro/home?special_credit=SOHK RJ Jain is the founder of Price.com, an AI-powered shopping platform valued at around $200 million, and previously sold his last startup to Google for nine figures. In this episode, he shares his journey from growing up in India and studying in Michigan to building and exiting a company, then starting again as a solo founder. He breaks down the reality of startup risk, fundraising, distribution, consumer tech, and how AI is changing execution. This conversation is a sharp look at resilience, ambition, and what it takes to build at scale.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Richard Harpin | He Was $10K From Bankruptcy… Then Built a $4B Company 15.04.2026 33мин

  Richard built HomeServe into a £4.1 billion global company operating in 10 countries, starting with just £50,000 and multiple early failures.In this episode, he breaks down the near-collapse moments, the pivot that changed everything, and the exact business model that scaled globally.He also shares his 9-step framework for building a billion-pound company, insights on bootstrapping vs. raising capital, and why copying proven ideas beats chasing originality.A masterclass in scaling, resilience, and strategic execution.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Simon Squibb | He Was Homeless at 15… Now He’s Worth Hundreds of Millions 08.04.2026 1ч 11мин

  Simon Squibb is a self-made entrepreneur worth hundreds of millions who has invested in over 80 companies. After becoming homeless at 15, he built his first business with just £200 and no formal education in business. In this episode, he shares the raw truth about failure, survival, and building from nothing. He breaks down why traditional education fails, why purpose matters more than money, and what it really takes to succeed. This is a conversation about ownership, resilience, and creating your own path.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Poppi Founders | How They Built Poppi Into A $500 Million A Year Soda Company In 4 Years (Then Sold For $2 Billion) 02.04.2026 56мин

  Alison and Stephen Ellsworth, founders of Poppi, share how they went from early-stage struggles and personal health challenges to building and exiting a $2 billion beverage company. They discuss risking financial stability, validating their product through real customers, leveraging viral content for growth, and navigating the realities of scaling a business as a married couple. This episode explores entrepreneurship, brand building, leadership, and the mindset required to sustain long-term success.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Bill Gurley | Legendary Investor on Missing Google, Backing Uber, and What Makes Billion-Dollar Founders 26.03.2026 57мин

  Bill Gurley, legendary venture capitalist and early investor in Uber and Zillow, shares the principles behind identifying billion-dollar companies. He reflects on missing the Google opportunity, lessons from evaluating thousands of founders, and why execution consistently beats ideas. The conversation explores network effects, founder psychology, venture capital decision-making, and how young investors can build an edge in emerging industries.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  John Caudwell | The British Billionaire Who Lost Everything… Then Built a $2B Empire 20.03.2026 52мин

  John Caudwell, founder of Phones 4u, built a billion-pound empire from scratch and exited for £1.5 billion after two decades of relentless growth. Starting with monthly losses and facing near collapse after losing 95% of his supply, he rebuilt through sharp commercial instincts and strategic hiring.In this episode, he shares lessons on scaling to 10,000 employees, hiring elite talent, navigating ruthless suppliers, and building wealth on thin margins. He also discusses philanthropy, legacy, and why success ultimately goes beyond money.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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  Robert Croak | How the Sillybandz Founder Built a $100M Global Brand and Kept His Millions 12.03.2026 1ч 12мин

  Robert Croak is the founder of Sillybandz, the global toy brand that exploded into one of the biggest product crazes of the 2010s, selling billions of units worldwide. In this episode he shares the story behind discovering the idea in China, scaling from 17 to over 3,000 employees, and building a brand that reached hundreds of thousands of retail stores. Croak also breaks down lessons on entrepreneurship, venture investing, product-market fit, and the wealth habits that separate successful founders from the rest. This conversation dives deep into execution, failure, and building businesses that scale globally.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.