Episode 48: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) is lost. This is something many entrepreneurs will cycle through over the course of their journey. It happens to the best of us. There is a belief that entrepreneurs have unshakable confidence to achieve success but the truth is that there will always be moments where purpose and direction isn’t clear. In this episode, Alex talks about some paths to take when feeling lost. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@m...
Sep 29, 2023•14 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 47: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) dives into one of the most pivotal stages for every entrepreneur: finding product-market fit. There are a lot of definitions on product-market fit and how to achieve it. In this episode, Alex unpacks widely accepted definitions coined by pioneering business leaders but also highlights key issues within those definitions, such as lack of measurability. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com Links: ...
Sep 27, 2023•17 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 46: Ideas can come from anywhere but it doesn’t always mean it’ll be a good idea. Even the most savvy business minds believe they’re solving a problem that ultimately doesn’t lead to a sustained business. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has a simple answer: find the suck. If you’re thinking of building a business, do your research, look into problems that people are consistently having, and see if there’s a business model that can be the solution to that problem. Send us an email and l...
Sep 25, 2023•12 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 45: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) takes a look into what a personal holding company is, why it’s the hottest trend among entrepreneurs, and whether it’s the right move for you. While they may provide you the most freedom to invest and scale businesses that you really enjoy, it takes a certain personality type and understanding of the risk to achieve success. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com #FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrep...
Sep 22, 2023•16 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 44: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) does another temperature check to review and reflect the latest achievements, adversities, and ascertainments. He’s closing in on finding product market fit for Storyarb and a renewed appreciation for coffee chats – something that waned during the pandemic. Then lessons learned about battling boredom throughout the day. Finally, lessons from India’s startup culture and sophisticated payment system that is more advanced than the U.S. Send us an email ...
Sep 20, 2023•30 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 43: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares a harrowing story from an entrepreneur that pierces through at the human level. Scott Weir, aka The Coda Guy, lost his home and job while he had a family. At the brink of despair, Scott became laser focused on securing financial security for this family so they would never have to worry about money again. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com Links: 8 Business Ideas I'm Bullish On #Founder...
Sep 18, 2023•20 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 42: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares 8 businesses that he’s bullish on. He breaks down the idea, the problem that needs solving, the business model, and why he’s bullish. If any of these ideas are interesting, Alex invites you to reach out to start the conversation and help build these ideas into a full company. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com #FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur Listen to Founder’s Journal here: ht...
Sep 15, 2023•19 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 41: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) talks about the Paradox of Success, what it is, and why it’s important. It’s an issue that Alex, and many other successful entrepreneurs grapple with as they continue to find success. In the end, Alex shares his tips on how to stay grounded and avoid the paradox. Timestamps: (00:16): Intro (03:21): My relationship with money (07:01): The paradox of success (10:45): How to stay grounded Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foun...
Sep 13, 2023•16 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast Volatile markets and inflation are top of mind for investors. We kick off season 4 by exploring the current economic and financial landscape and the tools investors can use to navigate it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 12, 2023•29 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 40: Welcome to Edge City. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) reveals his process for generating startup ideas. It’s a combination of how many people will want your idea, basically how big the market is; and how badly people will want your idea, basically what is the demand. Using this framework will determine the viability of your product or service and gauge how you want to approach it. Alex gives an example of how he uses Edge City to come up with an idea for mental health Timestamps: (...
Sep 11, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 39: No pain, no gain. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Growth lies in discomfort. Pressure makes diamonds. You’ve probably heard these phrases multiple times. It’s supposed to capture the relationship between our immediate struggles with future success. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) talks about the psychological effects of pleasure & pain and why we make certain choices. Plus, tips on how to identify these moments to ensure you’re making the right decision for long-term plea...
Sep 08, 2023•20 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 38: Building an audience or following on social media is no longer an influencer-exclusive goal. Entrepreneurs and business builders can leverage a large following to reap benefits to their business. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) breaks down 5 easy, doable steps to build a content strategy to build a better audience in today’s connected world. Timestamps: (00:18): Intro (01:14): Why build an audience (03:46): Define your goals (05:56): Build your content pillars (10:06): Picking your...
Sep 06, 2023•24 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 37: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares 6 musings in the last week that have been the conversation of the Internet-sphere. Learn why demand does not equal product market fit, how we tend to overreact to every trending product, and why entrepreneurs are expected to move at break-neck speeds. In reality, every business is hard, make sure you have the right reference point when hiring, and why discipline is the most important quality to have. Timestamps: (01:37): Why demand doesn’t mea...
Sep 04, 2023•24 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 36: It’s time for another mailbag episode! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) answers some burning questions from our listeners. In this episode, Alex talks about how to balance your long-term brand with short-term profits, how to test a new business idea, why he chose to be a chairman vs. CEO, and ultimate goals and motivation. Timestamps: (02:08): How to balance brand building with profits (09:05): How to test a new business idea? (16:32): Why be chairman from day one of the new busines...
Sep 01, 2023•29 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 35: Codie Sanchez (@Codie_Sanchez) stops by to drop off gems about business building. As someone who’s used to going against the grain, she proudly wears the title of “unemployable,” in that she was meant to be an entrepreneur. Codie walkthrough 6 tips to help make the founder’s journey easier. Timestamps: (01:37): Contrarian thinking (06:02): It gets lonely when building (07:51): Check your bank account (08:25): Waking up at 5AM (09:52): Efficient days vs. effective days (11:22): No is ...
Aug 30, 2023•19 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 34: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) reviews the article “Choose Good Quests” and talks about 4 types of quests every entrepreneur will have to choose from. Knowing which quest you’re on can determine how much effort you should be placing on your current quest. Secondly, Alex reflects on his own journey and evaluates which quest he is undertaking. Which quest are you on? Timestamps: (00:15): Listener feedback (02:39): The 4 types of quests (06:35): Reflections on my quests (10:48): Foun...
Aug 28, 2023•14 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 33: Lace them up! Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) dives into the meteoric rise of Hoka, the popular shoe brand that just crossed the $1 billion mark in revenue. Since the pandemic, it went from having less than 10% of Deckers’ (parent company) revenue to nearly 40%, and a stock that is up 375% over the last 5 years. Learn more about the history of this niche, French brand; and how you can apply it to your business. Timestamps: (01:15): History of Hoka (04:35): Great product for big pro...
Aug 25, 2023•17 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 32: Romeen Sheth (@RomeenSheth) steps in for a guest founder’s journal to share his 3 frameworks related to talent. These simple, but effective frameworks can help any founder hire the right talent to make their organization successful. Not a founder? This also benefits those who are looking for a career change or evaluation by knowing when it's time transition into a new role and how to approach it. Timestamps: (00:52): Intro (01:58): Framework 1 - how to choose where to work (05:28): F...
Aug 23, 2023•15 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 31: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) analyzes a viral tweet by a former director at Twitter where she talked about the moments leading up to Twitter’s sale to Elon Musk and what it was like working with him. While there are numerous articles and think pieces of Elon’s leadership, this gives an intimate look that is nuanced. Timestamps: (00:31): Who was Esther Crawford? (01:50): “You can’t just be a builder, you have to be a politician” (03:28): Waiting for Twitter to sell (04:32): What ...
Aug 21, 2023•14 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 30: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has returned from his vacation in Africa. During his trip, he got to experience rich culture and world-class service. It was the break needed to acquire a new perspective on his company, Storyarb. While most shy away from spending time away from their business, a substantial vacation can reveal any holes or gaps in your processes, or validate the ones that are working. Next time you’re thinking about taking some time off, take it. Timestamps: (00:48)...
Aug 18, 2023•14 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 29: Disagreements and conflicts are bound to happen. They can either make you stronger as a team through resolution and understanding, or become detrimental that can hurt the business. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares this two-part playbook to handle big disagreements at work, making sure the conflicts you have among colleagues help strengthen your relationships, not break them. Timestamps: (00:24): Intro (01:01): The 6 ground rules to a good disagreement (04:52): The 6 steps dis...
Aug 16, 2023•11 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 28: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) runs through 8 biases that affect all business leaders and decision-making. He ties real-life examples during the early days of Morning Brew to each bias and the reflections from those experiences. By acknowledging these potential blindspots, this will help prevent making poor decisions based on feeling and more on tangible evidence. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com Links: https://twitter.co...
Aug 14, 2023•15 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 27: In another edition of a guest entry for Founder’s Journal, Sam Parr (@thesamparr) shares the secrets of how he built The Hustle, a wildly popular newsletter covering business and tech that was acquired by Hubspot in 2021. In this episode, learn all the tools that will provide the necessary data to make informed decisions. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com Links: https://www.ideationbootcamp.co/ https://joinhampton.com/ https:...
Aug 11, 2023•24 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 26: Mistakes happen. But it can be difficult knowing which mistake is the right one or the wrong one. Depending on the type of mistake, they can either help solidify a foundation for your business or create a structure of bad habits. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) talks about an employee’s first mistake and reflects on the mistakes he’s made over the past. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com #FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepren...
Aug 09, 2023•8 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 25: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has hired the first employee for his business. It’s a pivotal moment and crucial time as it can set the tone for future success. If you’re trying to look beyond the resume, your top, early talent should have these 4 key characteristics: critical thinking, obsessive brain, self-awareness, and a force of nature. Timestamps: (00:57): Reflecting on how to hire (02:01): The first employee resignation (03:52): The interview process (07:50): 4 characteristi...
Aug 07, 2023•12 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 24: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) does his temperature for the week where he shares what went well, what didn’t, and what he learned. Multimedia has grown tremendously at Morning Brew and Alex celebrates the big steps it’s taken. Social media is a constant distraction — that’s why Alex is hiring a productivity coach. Alex learns the origins of how the idea of Pokémon turned into a $100 billion business Timestamps: (01:21): Getting over the multimedia hump (04:41): Hitting revenue tar...
Aug 04, 2023•16 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 23: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) has insecurities and he wants to share it with the world. Leaders are often perceived as being impervious to any shortcomings they may have in their business, personalities, or abilities. Here are the reasons why you should consider being more open about your insecurities. Timestamps: (01:14): Should you share your insecurities to investors? (02:52): 4 skill sets of daring leadership (05:09): My own insecurities (08:10): Why share at all? Send us an ...
Aug 02, 2023•12 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 22: Often the most successful people have an inner circle that they trust and can turn to when they need support. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares this quick 9 step exercise to identify, audit, and elevate your inner circle to make sure you are surrounding yourself with the right people to enable your success. Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com #FoundersJournal #Startups #Entrepreneur Listen to Founder’s Journal here: http...
Jul 31, 2023•11 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 21: Did you know that 90% of the world’s data was created in the last two years? There’s an abundance of content out there. Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares his tips on how to cut through the noise and find content that interests you and helps your business. Timestamps: (00:26): The state of content on the Internet (03:56): My curated list of content (07:03): How to cut through the noise Send us an email and let us know what you think of the idea! foundersjournal@morningbrew.com ...
Jul 28, 2023•12 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 20: Alex Lieberman (@businessbarista) shares his takeaways from Bob Iger’s memoir The Ride Of A Lifetime. Considered one of the most prominent CEOs of all-time, his journey is filled with peaks and valleys. While there are multiple lessons every entrepreneur can learn from in his memoir, this episode highlights the skill of compartmentalization for leaders during times of tragedy. Timestamps: (01:18): Intro (02:11): Orlando shooting (06:12): Learn to compartmentalize (09:04): How to mana...
Jul 26, 2023•13 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast 
