Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com Today I talk about the most controversial question in entrepreneurship: should you quit your job to start a business? It’s something I’ve wrestled with for years, and in this episode I share the frameworks, personal stories, and mindset shifts that have helped me figure out when to go all in and when to hold back. Then I bring on my friend Steven Hale, who actually did it. He walked away from a high-paying job at a publicly traded company and launched Oak Bridge, which went from zero to 25 employees and nearly $6 million in revenue in just one year. We talk about the fear, the clarity, the hard choices, and why sometimes you need your options taken away in order to move forward. If you’re stuck at the edge of the leap, this one’s for you. You can reach out to Steven on LinkedIn or by email at steven@oakbridgeas.com Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os --- 00:00 The Great Boat Burning Debate 02:46 Understanding the Risks of Entrepreneurship 06:00 Personal Stories of Burning the Boats 08:52 Strategic Planning for Business Success 12:08 The Journey of Stephen Hale 13:20 Navigating Career Transitions 14:47 The Journey to Ownership and Entrepreneurship 16:40 Navigating the Early Days of a Startup 19:16 Balancing Confidence and Insecurity 20:08 The Joy of Building and Creating 24:09 Overcoming Fear and Taking Risks 26:44 Lessons Learned and Moving Forward

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com HoldCo Bros are back! In this episode, Nik and I talk about a bunch of AI wrapper ideas you could build today without needing to invent anything new. We talk about using ChatGPT to create personalized trivia games for parents and kids, then turn that into a full-blown business idea, just package it as a niche mobile app. We also brainstorm an AI handyman mentor, where ChatGPT walks you through fixing stuff around the house via voice and video. Later, we go deep on how image generation tools can power things like AI-powered postcards that show homeowners what their house would look like with new paint, windows, or landscaping. All real tools. All working today. You just need to package the use case.  Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnik Share your ideas with us: Nik@cofounders.com Chris@cofounders.com Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os --- 00:00 - Highlights 01:00 - Trivia Game Idea with ChatGPT 05:34 - Build a Family Trivia App 07:45 - AI Captures Family Stories 12:27 - HandymanMentors.com Idea 19:37 - DIY Kits for Learning Home Repairs 23:56 - ChatGPT as a Virtual Handyman 28:46 - Free Gifts Hack: Mailing Wedding Invites 31:07 - Personalized Postcards with AI 33:31 - Live Remodel Previews Using AI

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com I sat down with Sam Thompson again and we talked about how starting a business really isn't that complicated. We broke down why perfect logos, pricing models, or websites don’t matter early on, and how getting on sales calls with nothing to sell is often the best place to begin. We shared an example of a guy who launched a Google Maps optimization service from scratch (no prior experience) and closed clients in under 30 days. We also talked about pricing strategies, paid ads, building confidence through customer conversations,  and even how AI tools like Replit and ChatGPT can be packaged into customizable templates and sold as one-time products. If you’ve been thinking about launching something simple but powerful, this idea might be exactly what you need.  You can find Sam on X/Twitter (https://x.com/ImSamThompson) and check out what he’s building at https://www.unlimitedcontent.com/ Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os --- 00:00 Impatience with Action, Patience with Results 03:02 The Power of First Party Customer Research 06:00 Adapting to Customer Needs 08:55 Understanding Willingness to Pay 11:47 The Importance of Action Over Research 15:05 Pricing Strategies for Success 17:59 Creating Value for Customers 19:58 Navigating Idea Hopping 23:44 Innovative Product Ideas and Market Fit 30:45 Replit Wrapper Idea

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com I sat down to break down one of the most overlooked service business ideas out there: mailbox installation and repair. This is the kind of high-margin local business that’s hiding in plain sight, with real entrepreneurs pulling in over $9K a week just by fixing what’s already broken. We talked about how to start with almost no money, how to land HOA contracts, and why this is a goldmine for offline lead generation and local SEO. I also got into ways to turn this into a real ecommerce play using custom products, AI-driven mockups, and smart Facebook ad targeting. If you’ve been looking for a simple scalable service business that can actually make money, this one’s for you. Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os --- 00:00 Unlocking Hidden Business Opportunities 03:04 The Mailbox Repair Market: An Untapped Goldmine 05:49 Diverse Business Approaches: From Handyman to Custom Designs 08:42 Marketing Strategies for Success 12:01 Scaling Your Mailbox Business 15:09 The Path to Starting Your Business 18:04 Understanding Your Market Potential 20:59 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com HoldCo Bros are back! In this episode, Nik and I talk about why starting a business has never been easier—and how to actually take advantage of that. We go deep on AI-powered outreach and automation, including a guy closing $7K/month deals with in-person pitches and guarantees, and a 24-year-old automating CPA services with 140 clients at $50/month. We also got into selling custom GPTs, why friction kills momentum, and the idea of a local handyman “fantasy camp” for guys like us who never learned how to fix a sprinkler. Finally, we brainstormed more B2B piggyback businesses like pool digging and fence post augering—ideas you can copy and launch fast.  Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnik Share your ideas with us: Nik@cofounders.com Chris@cofounders.com Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os --- 00:00 Highlights 00:45 Intro for New Listeners 02:48 Start of The Episode 06:02 Cold Outreach and Sales Strategies 08:55 Piggybacking on Existing Businesses 11:59 Emerging Opportunities in Home Services 17:43 Leveraging AI for Business Growth 23:56 The Importance of Reducing Friction in Entrepreneurship 29:46 Hands-On Learning and DIY Business Ideas

👋 Welcome to The Koerner Office! If you're here from my MFM appearance, thank you! You're gonna love this show. BUT this episode is better on YouTube because it's super visual and tactical. ▶️  Watch it here → https://youtu.be/uUlU5G1Nda0 This one covers Facebook Ads for Beginners, but if you want my best episodes start here:  🔥 Ep 164: The Most Overlooked Way to Make Money Online (Directory Biz)  🔥 Ep 161: Missed Every Gold Rush  🔥 Ep 163: You're Overthinking It. Here’s the Simple Way to Start (ft. Nick Huber)  🔥 Ep 169: How to Actually Make Money with ChatGPT  🔥 Ep 162: I’ve Started 75+ Businesses — Here’s What Matters  💎 Bonus Bangers: Ep 73, 123, 156, 167, 171, 173 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com. I sat down to record this five-part crash course for anyone struggling to make Facebook ads actually work. Whether you're running a local business, selling an online product, or just trying to get more leads or sales, this series walks you through everything from the ground up. I cover how to build winning campaigns in Meta Ads Manager, write high-converting ad copy, test ads without wasting money, and scale from $10 to $500/day. I also share my favorite low-budget hacks, ad examples, and shortcuts for getting cheap leads and better ROAS. If you're trying to grow with digital marketing, this is the step-by-step blueprint you need. 🚀 Get 30 days of powerful AI tools for free with HighLevel. Automate your funnels, follow-ups, and more, all in one platform. 👉 Try it here:  https://www.gohighlevel.com/ Timestamps below. Enjoy! --- Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os --- 00:00 Introduction to Facebook Ads for Noobs 11:07 Building Your First Facebook Campaign 18:24 Writing High-Performing Facebook Ad Copy 23:32 Crafting Compelling Visuals for Ads 26:16 Writing Like a Human: The Key to Engagement 29:49 Testing and Optimization: The Science of Ads 35:28 Scaling and Automation: Growing Your Ad Strategy 42:14 Expert Shortcuts: Accelerating Your Ad Success