Episodes

In this episode, Neel sits down with Jon Matzner about his entrepreneurial journey and the launch of Sagan Passport. Jon emphasizes the importance of iterative experimentation and finding variations on a theme. He shares his mindset when testing new ideas and the value of being flexible and adaptable. Jon also explains the concept of Sagan Passport, which offers a suite of hard and soft benefits for hiring global talent. Neel and Jon discuss: Iterative experimentation and finding variations...

In this episode Neel and David discuss the stress of running a remote local business. David begins the discussion philosophically by asking what the function of stress is within an evolutionary framework: it's there to give us tools to deal with a threat. While we might not have to deal with a tiger chasing us, sometimes our body can still react as if that's the case, and we need to reframe that thinking. They also discuss: situations that lead to stress in modern businesses, particularly the...

In this episode Neel and David discuss the well-known abundance vs. scarcity dichotomy. Both Neel and David came from immigrant backgrounds which had a certain amount of scarcity baked into their upbringing and have had to unlearn some of that programming. David notes that one of the ways he knew he was embracing an abundance mindset was the willingness to invest in himself. They also discuss: How you can't save your way to financial independence The inability of fear or scarcity to...

In this episode Neel and David talk about how to get started in acquiring a remote local business. While it can feel intimidating to get into the world of "buying a business" the reality is that like anything else, it's a learning curve but isn't nearly as complicated as it looks like from the outside. One of the things David, who has gone through 16 acquisitions at the time of this recording, stresses is the importance of the "investor" mindset when looking at businesses. They also discuss: ...

In this episode Neel and David give the BIG SECRET to taking your business to the next level. That secret is...being less available to your team! This helps: Empower your team Free you up from doing less valuable work so you can add greater value Give you the space to take three month mediation training retreats (like David wants to do next year) Level up your quality of life as a business owner Enjoy the episode!

In this episode Neel and David discuss how to build your marketing strategy when you're just starting out. David sets the stage for the discussion by pointing out that every business wants a consistent, profitable stream of customers without too high of an acquisition cost. How do you do that? Neel and David explain: Different channels (both online and offline) available to businesses Using your competition to reverse engineer a marketing plan The importance of testing and budgeting in diff...

In this episode Neel and David interview Giuseppe Grammatico, the Franchise Guide about all things franchise-related. Giuseppe was once a corporate executive who hated his job and looked for an exit strategy in becoming a business owner. He chose to hire a coach to help him choose a franchise and in the process decided that's exactly what he wanted to do. He runs the Franchise Guide and has a book and podcast to help educate those who, just like he was years ago, want more control of their fina...

In this episode Neel and David discuss how timezones affect your remote local business, whether you are traveling for business or pleasure. David was running his business in Colorado for a few years before deciding to live in Israel for a year, and he was sometimes answering the phone in the middle of the night. Neel wasn’t ever that crazy and brought on someone pretty early to help with calls and even when he did go away, it was to time-compatible Latin America. They also discuss: Stories an...

In this episode Neel and David discuss the impact of where you live in relation to your entrepreneurial growth. Neel begins by stating his own preference for a larger city, where he will get access to more activities and a community that will push him to work harder. He characterizes this as “big city energy.” David’s own preferences are split: he enjoys being out in nature, near the mountains or the beach, but also enjoys the momentum and energy that can come from being in a bustling and busy...

If you're looking to start a local business or expand in your current business, your local market and competition matter a lot. Trying to rank on Google in New York is going to be very different experience than trying to rank in Omaha, and the competition and rewards differ from market to market as well. Neel pulls from his experience with analyzing franchise territories and David pulls from his acquisition experience to provide a play-by-play on how you can analyze any geographic market and se...

In this episode, we have a super special guest - Rohan Gilkes, Founder of Launch27 and MaidsInBlack. After 10 years working in corporate, Rohan got laid off from his banking job and starting a local cleaning company on a whim just to find some extra cash to afford his car payment. After scaling the business to over $20,000 in PROFIT per month within 8 months, Rohan decide to posted his story on a Reddit forum, which inspired thousands of people to start their own local business (including Nee...

Have you ever wondered if a motivated entrepreneur can have zen-like calmness? In today's society, being very calm and highly driven seem to be at odds with each other. Today's episode is about dispelling that myth and discussing how mediation and spirituality can drastically improve your entrepreneurial journey and help you live a more meaningful live. Neel & David discuss: The current “hustle culture” mentality portrayed in social media David's journey in meditation & spirituality How med...

Cam Woodsum left the tech world in Silicon Valley and found himself on the digital nomad path. Within a handful of years, he was able to achieve 'financial retirement' through his affiliate website businesses and other ventures. Cam is obsessed with world impact, freedom, happiness and entrepreneurship, and now runs FreedomIsEverything.com and Nomad Impact Ventures. Before his nomad life, Cam ran the special projects group at DoorDash, a Silicon Valley company backed by ~$1B from the early in...

Dating while traveling can be one of the most exciting experiences of your journey....but can also have some serious drawbacks. In this episode, David & Neel discuss their experiences in finding romance while on the road and how you should be evaluating it yourself. You'll hear about: What types of people you’ll run into while dating and their mentality: travelers, expats, nomads, vacationers, locals Long-term dating difficulties when you have an international romance Cultural di...

Many entrepreneurs start off being "solopreneurs", meaning you're the only one managing everything and work only for yourself. As business owners scale, many want to start adding teammembers and building a team, which is when the shift happens to become the "CEO" of your company. In this episode, David & Neel dissect: Why is it so hard to go from solopreneur to CEO? Is it even worth it? Mindset needed to transition from Solopreneur to CEO Lessons from David’s coaching client about this Curr...

If you've ever struggled to find your tribe of like-minded people, this episode is for you. David recently moved into a coliving community in Boulder and has been experiencing the joys of building his own community at home with new people. In today's episode, David & Neel discuss: What is a coliving community and why you should live in one How to vet & find a coliving community that suits you Types of people who stay in Coliving places

Today's episode is final episode (Part 3 of 3) in what we call the "Acquisition Series". David & Neel dive into two recent acquisition opportunities, one of which closed successfully, and discuss the closed sale, the diligence process, and lessons learned. You'll learn about: An acquisition opportunity for Neel and the plan for how he would immediately increased value overnight What multiples local service businesses sell for How to identify value-adds to immediately improve your bottom-lin...

Often times entrepreneurs think about their business as their career, main source of income, or source of passion. What would happen if we shifted our mentality and thought about our business as simply another asset to manage? In today's episode, Neel & David discuss the pros and cons of thinking about your business as an "Asset", and how that shift in mentality can lead to many positive benefits. We discuss: Why people get an emotional attachment to their business Pros / Cons of thinking a...

Today's episode is Part 2 of 3 in what we call the "Acquisition Series." David is working on an acquisition of another local business right now, and David & Neel dive deep into the potential acquisition so the audience can understand how the entire process works and the thought process behind analyzing the deal. In this episode, you'll learn about: The structure of the acquisition What items to look at with diligence How to increase the value of the company overnight

Have you ever dreamed of quitting your day job and traveling the world? On the show, Neel shares how he started MaidThis.com, and why he quit his lucrative finance job to start a cleaning business..and how he has never looked back since. Neel was traveling the world for the last 5 years while scaling his own business and is now franchising this "remote local" business model to motivated entrepreneurs. What You’ll Learn Where the idea for MaidThis came along How Neel managed his s...

Ever wondered about the pros / cons of BUYING an existing business versus starting your own business FROM SCRATCH? Today's episode is Part 1 of 3 in what we call the "Acquisition Series". David & Neel dive deep into the benefits and risks of both scenarios by comparing their own experiences and go over a live acquisition. In this episode, you'll learn: Basic on how to structure local business acquisition deals How to find businesses to acquire How the entire process works at a hi...

Probably the most common fear for solo travelers is "How will I meet people while traveling?" The answer: its way easier than you think. Through their experiences solo traveling for years, Neel & David discuss the traveler community and break down their best tips for making friends and meeting people while globetrotting. In this episode, Neel & David discuss: Best places to meet like-minded people while traveling What kind of people/communities exist in the traveler world and what to look f...

Ever dreamed of finally quitting your day job? Want to start a side hustle but not sure how to manage your time between your full-time job? In this episode, you'll learn: How to manage your time to run your side hustle while working corporate Timeline to scale and when you should decide to pull the trigger to quit your full-time job Mental hurdles you'll come across and how to overcome them

If you're wondering the true benefits (and drawbacks) of living remotely full-time, this is the episode for you. Neel & David have both lived abroad for extended periods while managing their local business. In this episode, you'll hear about: Cost of living out of country versus in the United States Amenities to think about: Wifi speed, coworking spaces, etc Pros/Cons of living abroad and how it impacts your business