Libsyn Directory

Why Sales and Simple Service Businesses Still Win in Entrepreneurship

Release Date: 05/19/2026

The Truth About Private Jets (Built on “Boring” Businesses)

The Sweaty Startup

In this episode, I break down the reality behind private jets and why the people who own them aren’t who you think. It’s not tech founders or venture backed startups. It’s operators running simple, “boring” businesses like HVAC, storage, and local services. I share how those businesses create real wealth, and how that wealth translates into true freedom like being with family when it matters and turning full day trips into a few productive hours. I also walk through exactly what it costs to own a jet, how I structured the deal, and how the management works behind the scenes. And I...

Stop Following Your Passion (Do This If You Actually Want to Get Rich)

The Sweaty Startup

In this episode, I break down why “follow your passion” is some of the worst advice in entrepreneurship and what you should be doing instead if you actually want to make money. I explain how I think about choosing businesses, why boring industries like self storage and service businesses win, and how cash flow gives you leverage to solve bigger problems. I also get into what’s happening in real estate right now, why most new investors are getting it wrong, and where real opportunities are opening up as weaker players get pushed out. I share the story behind acquiring Somewhere, raising...

I Raised $30M Without Giving Up Control (How I Bought a Massive Business)

The Sweaty Startup

In this episode, I break down exactly how I went from running smaller businesses to acquiring a company at scale without giving up control. I share how I built my audience, why I went all in on Somewhere instead of cashing out, and how I structured a nearly $30M deal where investors got paid first but had zero decision-making power. I talk about the pressure of using other people’s money, what I look for in massive opportunities, and why global hiring completely changed how I think about building companies. I also give my honest take on AI, where it’s overhyped, where it’s actually...

Why A Players Leave and How Great Leaders Actually Build Teams

The Sweaty Startup

In this episode, I break down how I think about hiring A players, why I move quickly on low performers, and how I build teams that can operate without me. I talk about why most leaders overcomplicate things, how slow decisions and poor standards drive great people away, and why focusing on simple, proven execution is what actually wins in business. Grow your business: Book: Newsletter: My Companies: Offshore recruiting – Cost segregation – Self storage – RE development –...

Why Confidence Comes From Doing Hard Things Not Thinking About Them

The Sweaty Startup

Chris and I talked about where real confidence comes from and why you cannot fake it. I shared how doing hard things builds confidence, why networking only works after you create real value, and how most people get this backwards. We also got into leadership, why you cannot delegate too early, and my honest thoughts on AI and where it actually adds value in business today. Grow your business: Book: Newsletter: My Companies: Offshore recruiting – Cost segregation – Self storage – ...

Why Taking Action Beats Networking and Overthinking in Business

The Sweaty Startup

Ryan and I talked about what actually separates people who build successful businesses from those who stay stuck thinking about it. We got into the mindset that drives real entrepreneurs, why urgency and action matter more than perfect planning, and how most people misunderstand networking. I shared the lesson a mentor taught me early in my career about sales being at the center of everything in business and in life. We also discussed how real opportunities come from doing the work first, building real skills, and creating value that makes people want to work with you. The conversation also...

Why Sales and Simple Service Businesses Still Win in Entrepreneurship

The Sweaty Startup

Austin and I talked about what entrepreneurship actually looks like when you start from nothing. I shared how my first business began by simply trading my time for money and why learning sales is the foundation of building any company. We discussed the early hustle behind Storage Squad, including chalk marketing on college campuses and hiring great people in unexpected places, along with the moment founders need to start delegating so they can focus on growth. We also got into leadership, decision making, and why removing low performers is critical to building strong teams, along with how...

Building Through Chaos: Raising Capital, Buying Somewhere, and Betting on Global Talent

The Sweaty Startup

In this episode with Peter, I break down what really happened behind the scenes after buying Somewhere and scaling Bolt Storage through one of the most chaotic real estate markets in years. We talk about the pressure that comes with raising outside capital, why discipline in underwriting saved us when rates doubled, and how slowing down in storage led me to double down on building a global talent machine. I share the hard lessons from rebranding, losing SEO overnight, restructuring an entire leadership team, and rebuilding the company around South African executives and performance driven...

The Cash Flow Game: Playing the Odds in Business and Life

The Sweaty Startup

In this conversation with Roohi, I break down why most entrepreneurs are chasing the wrong game. We talk about starting with the end in mind, setting a personal cash flow number, and building boring businesses that actually stack the odds in your favor. I explain why speed is your only real advantage as a founder, how momentum compounds over time, and why making 30K a month in a proven business beats swinging for a billion dollar moonshot most people will never hit. We also dive into confidence, communication, college, and how practicing discomfort early in life builds the muscle you need to...

Irrational Confidence, Extreme Ownership and Building Real Leverage

The Sweaty Startup

In this episode with Chris and Chris, I talk about overcoming doubt, building irrational confidence, and using fear setting to make hard decisions less scary. We unpack lessons from chaotic early business seasons, anxiety filled moments, and the mindset shift toward extreme ownership that changed everything for me. We also cover leverage through hiring, auditing your time, focusing on sales and marketing, raising resilient kids, and why success means watering every garden in your life not just business. Grow your business: Book: ...

More Episodes

Austin and I talked about what entrepreneurship actually looks like when you start from nothing. I shared how my first business began by simply trading my time for money and why learning sales is the foundation of building any company.

We discussed the early hustle behind Storage Squad, including chalk marketing on college campuses and hiring great people in unexpected places, along with the moment founders need to start delegating so they can focus on growth.

We also got into leadership, decision making, and why removing low performers is critical to building strong teams, along with how global hiring has become one of the biggest advantages across the companies I run today.

Grow your business:

https://sweatystartup.com/events

Book:

https://www.amazon.com/Sweaty-Startup-Doing-Boring-Things/dp/006338762X

Newsletter:

https://www.nickhuber.com/newsletter

My Companies:

Offshore recruiting – https://somewhere.com

Cost segregation – https://recostseg.com

Self storage – https://boltstorage.com

RE development – http://www.boltbuilders.com

Brokerage – https://nickhuber.com