Sam Parr founded The Hustle in 2016. In just 4 years, he grew it to become one of the Internet’s biggest newsletters. He then sold it to HubSpot for tens of millions of dollars. He’s the host of a couple of podcasts, My First Million, and Moneywise. He also collects motorcycles, does lots of road trips, and he once had a hot dog stand.

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The Learning Leader Show

  • Sam’s mantra (which he has tattooed on his thigh): “Bold. Fast. Fun.” It’s really hard to beat someone who moves fast, takes risks, and has fun doing it.
  • Think big, but you have to get started. We see Hustle Con and the 2,500 people and think that’s just how it always was. It started as a small book club, then a small event that made a little money… And YEARS later it’s HustleCon which helped launch The Hustle, which then eventually sold for 10’s of millions. We have to get started and keep going.
  • The most important skill set (according to Sam) is the ability to convince people of something. Persuading others. You have to believe in it yourself, be a clear thinker, and know how to communicate that to others to make them believe in it too. This skill will help you accomplish a lot.
  • Writing – Write like you talk. Writing clarifies your thinking…
  • Think in headlines – Thinking in headlines will make you a clearer thinker. It will help you see how an idea should be framed, identify different ways to tell your story, and show you the soul of your topic.
  • Back against the wall – “I firmly believe in putting my back against the wall.” Deadlines, pressure, and harsh goals will pull out the best from you.
  • Copy by Hand – Sam copied the best sales letters of all time by hand. Let the writing you admire pass through your fingers. This method is called copywork.
  • What Sam learned backstage at his events with rich people/CEOs – “They weren’t smarter than me.” We’re all just figuring it out as we go.: “
  • Cold emails — Work that muscle. AirBnB cold email story:
    • “I cold emailed this guy named Brian. And he had a company called Air Bed and Breakfast. I said, ‘Hey, this sounds like a cool thing. I want to interview. I think I can help make it better by doing a few things.’ And they said, ‘Are you in the Bay Area?’ ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m there.’ And he said, ‘Alright, great. Come to the office on Monday.’ So I booked the flight and I flew out and got an interview there. That’s how I got introduced to startups. And then I eventually moved to San Francisco.” 
  • Sports – Love them because they are objective. The time doesn’t lie. Same with business. The numbers don’t lie.
    • You know you’re going to feel pain (before running a 400m), but you do it anyway and push through it. That’s what makes them great.
  • How to raise tough kids? “I’m scared. I think about this all the time. Will need to remove the things that make my life easy like all the service providers have now.”
  • Hiring – Freaks, weirdos. The others. Want people passionate about something. Anything. Bottom 4th of the resume.
    • Be skilled at something, not a generalist.
    • Writing/communication – No typos. Clear writing = clear thinking. We want clear thinkers. Especially for leadership roles.
  • Fame – “I don’t want that anymore, but I still want to be taken seriously by the big boys. I’m still insecure about building something other than a media company.”
  • Advice: “Be a fucking animal.” Don’t let anything stop you.
  • Excellence – “Like your shit. Enjoy it. Must have endurance. Be like a cockroach and stay alive. Survive. Don’t quit. Don’t be vanilla. Do dope shit.”
  • Apply to be in my Learning Leader Circle
Resources:

Time Stamps

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins — How To Go From Good To Great

Episode #300: AJ & Keith Hawk – How To Instill Work Ethic & Curiosity In Your Children

Episode #303:  General Stanley McChrystal – The New Definition Of Leadership