Founder's Story cover art
Podcast · 267 episodes

Founder's Story

by IBH Media · English

"Founder's Story" by IBH Media isn't a business show. It's the conversation founders don't get to have anywhere else. Think 60 Minutes, but for entrepreneurs. We sit down with the most interesting people in business and go past the highlight reel, past the pitch, past the polished version they give every other podcast. We go into the mud with them. The 2 a.m. doubts. The bet that almost ended everything. The moment they wanted to quit and didn't. You'll hear from household names like Gary V, Codie Sanchez, Rob Dyrdek, and Tom Bilyeu, and just as often from founders you've never heard of who are building something the world needs to know about. Either way, the goal is the same: a real conversation that makes you laugh, makes you think, and sometimes catches you off guard with how much it makes you feel. This is where the story behind the success finally gets told. This is "Founder's Story."

Latest episodes

All episodes

Franchise Expert: "I Got Laid Off, Bought ONE Franchise And Became Financially Free" | Ep. 448 with Gregory Mohr Founder of Franchise MavenGregory Mohr (Franchise Maven) explains how he used one franchise to reach financial independence after being laid off, and how to evaluate franchises, territories, and franchisee fit.28 Sep 2026 · 30 min · 18 chapters
Financial Expert: "Owning 5 Tech Stocks Isn't A Portfolio" | Ep. 447 with Christopher Zook Chairman & Chief Investment Officer of CAZ InvestmentsChristopher Zook, Chairman & CIO of CAZ Investments, discusses building an alternative-investment firm, why he’s diversified, and why private markets and sports ownership matter.25 Sep 2026 · 29 min · 15 chapters
The Billion-Dollar Energy Drink No One Saw Coming | Ep. 446 with Scott Frohman Founder and CEO of Odyssey Functional EnergyScott Frohman, founder/CEO of Odyssey Functional Energy, explains how he built a “functional energy” drink brand (Odyssey) using functional mushrooms and sustained energy positioning, pivoting from…21 Sep 2026 · 43 min · 20 chapters
Estate Attorney: "I'm Giving Away What My Industry Charges Thousands For" | Ep. 445 with Atty. William FunkWhy having a will prevents costly, unwanted court-controlled distribution; how to draft one correctly; when to use trusts to control assets across generations; common business-owner mistakes.18 Sep 2026 · 20 min · 12 chapters
Burnout Expert: "I Became A Millionaire At 23 And Felt Nothing" | Ep. 444 with Brent FreemanBrent Freeman, “the burnout expert,” argues that money doesn’t create happiness; chasing an “exit/pot of gold” causes burnout, loneliness, and self-abandonment.16 Sep 2026 · 38 min · 18 chapters
Bitcoin Pioneer: I Was Paid 100 Bitcoin An Hour When It Was $10 | Ep. 443 with Charlie Shrem and Courtney Shrem "Prince of Bitcoin"Early Bitcoin culture, Charlie Shrem and Courtney Shrem’s rise and arrest, and how they rebuilt their lives afterward; includes details on first Bitcoin payments, prison experience, and views on…14 Sep 2026 · 54 min · 19 chapters
The Tax Strategy Billionaires Use That Almost Nobody Talks About | Ep. 442 with George Dimov, CPA and President of Dimov TaxHow ultra-high-net-worth people reduce taxes by avoiding taxable events on stock gains, sometimes borrowing against appreciated assets, and using asset-specific strategies; plus common tax mistakes…7 Sep 2026 · 30 min · 15 chapters
One Airbnb Condo Turned Into $1 Billion In Real Estate | Ep. 441 with Sky Mitchell Founder and CEO of Everwild Nordic Spa & HotelsSky Mitchell recounts how she built Everwild Nordic Spa & Hotels from one Airbnb into a hospitality and wellness real-estate platform, using nontraditional financing and a “branded Airbnb” model…4 Sep 2026 · 39 min · 22 chapters
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: "Money Cannot Buy A Quiet Mind" | Ep. 440 with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Founder of Art of Living FoundationMoney and success don’t prevent mental noise; happiness, emotional resilience, and peace come from within through meditation.2 Sep 2026 · 15 min · 10 chapters
Franchise Expert: How to Successfully Buy and Sell Boring Businesses | Ep. 439 with Cliff Nonnenmacher CEO of FranocityCliff Nonnenmacher (Franocity CEO) explains why most franchises fail and how to buy/turn around businesses for wealth.31 Aug 2026 · 52 min · 29 chapters
He Made the Rich Richer for 20 Years. Then He Walked Away | Ep. 438 with Christopher Mackin WELLTH AdvisorRedefining wealth beyond bank balances, challenging the idea that money is limited, and linking money habits to fear, childhood patterns, and fulfillment.28 Aug 2026 · 28 min · 14 chapters
The Bootstrap Founder Who Turned $1,800 Into Pocket Prep | Ep. 437 with Peter Murphy CEO of Pocket PrepThe episode discusses how AI and automation will affect education and jobs, why human teachers matter, and how Pocket Prep’s CEO built a bootstrapped edtech company from a small investment into a…26 Aug 2026 · 33 min · 14 chapters
The Wall Street Veteran Who Bet on Blockchain Before Wall Street Believed | Ep. 436 with Vince Molinari Founder and CEO of FINTECH.TVVince Molinari (FINTECH.TV) discusses building FinTech TV/FinTech Media Group from Wall Street insights into blockchain education, then expanding into a TAP terminal acquisition to centralize…24 Aug 2026 · 23 min · 12 chapters
Why Most Brands Fail When They Try to Crack the U.S. Market | Ep. 435 with Nicole Eckels Founder of Glasshouse FragranceWhy brands fail entering the U.S. market, and how Nicole Eckels built Glasshouse Fragrance by finding category gaps, moving fast, and understanding U.S. regional consumer differences.21 Aug 2026 · 33 min · 13 chapters
MrBeast's Former Advisor: Social Media Is Brainwashing Millions of Kids | Ep. 434 with Antony Gordon Founder of Lighthouse EdutainmentAntony Gordon argues social media (especially TikTok/likes/comments) is monetized to maximize engagement and is driving anxiety, stress, loneliness, and “external validation” in kids/Gen Z.19 Aug 2026 · 45 min · 19 chapters
Everyone Said It Was Too Niche. Then Julia Louis-Dreyfus Signed On | Ep. 433 with Stephanie Wittels Wachs CEO & Co-Founder of Lemonada MediaStephanie Wittels Wachs (Lemonada Media CEO) explains how grief after her brother’s heroin overdose led her to co-found Lemonada, starting with the opioid-focused podcast Last Day, then expanding…17 Aug 2026 · 31 min · 12 chapters
He Dropped Out in 8th Grade and Built a Viral Street Interview Empire | Ep. 432 with Shanes Ginsberg CEO of Street PollerShane Ginsberg, CEO of Street Poller (Street Poller Media), explains how dropping out in 8th grade led to building a street-interview “empire” that gives everyday people a voice, how they scale to…13 Aug 2026 · 23 min · 15 chapters
Mark Pincus Took Zynga Public Then Named “Worst CEO” in 12 Months Before a $12.7 Billion Acquisition | Ep. 431 with Mark Pincus Founder of ZyngaMark Pincus reflects on founding Zynga, taking it public (Dec 2011), the collapse after Facebook’s May 2012 algorithm change (lost a third of traffic in a day), and how the IPO “false peak” felt amid…10 Aug 2026 · 45 min · 20 chapters
The FUBU Founder Got Rejected By 27 Banks. Then His Mom Bet the House. | Ep. 430 with Daymond John Founder of FUBUDamon John (FUBU founder) discusses the real cost of building a global brand: rejection, financial risk, health, reputation, and why community/advisors matter.7 Aug 2026 · 43 min · 26 chapters
Everyone Said Detroit Was Dead. He Bet Everything It Wasn't. | Ep. 429 with Larry Brinker Jr.Larry Brinker Jr. explains how Detroit’s “dead” reputation was wrong, arguing that long-term belief and reinvestment helped revive the city through major restorations and new economic opportunity.5 Aug 2026 · 8 min · 6 chapters
He Built An $8M Sports Empire With $100 And Zero Funding | Ep. 428 with Suryansh Tibarewal Co-Founder of EssentiallySportsSuryansh Tibarewal, co-founder of EssentiallySports, explains how he and two college friends bootstrapped an American sports media business from India (starting with ~$100 for a domain, no investors)…3 Aug 2026 · 24 min · 11 chapters
The CEO Betting AI Will Never Replace This | Ep. 427 with Vera Quinn CEO of CydcorVera Quinn, CEO of Cydcor (Sidcor), argues that AI won’t replace human-to-human sales for complex decisions; rejection is a skill to monetize and a mindset to survive.31 Jul 2026 · 30 min · 14 chapters
The AI Warning Nobody In Silicon Valley Wants You To Hear | Ep. 426 with Jamarri J. Founder of Klyno AIJamarri J. (Klyno AI) argues most AI products are “wrappers” that charge monthly but don’t solve core problems like memory, privacy, or data ownership.29 Jul 2026 · 21 min · 11 chapters
After Exiting for Billions He Gave $50 Million to His Employees | Tom SosnoffTom Sosnoff (Thinkorswim, Tastytrade) discusses how he built multiple billion-dollar exits, why he refuses “work-life balance,” founder strategy, employee equity/compensation, and his current…27 Jul 2026 · 34 min · 22 chapters