Nathan Hirsch and Daryl Urbanski discussed building and scaling multiple businesses, emphasizing the importance of timing, hiring, and diversifying revenue streams. They also shared their approaches to scaling through strategic hiring and process automation, and discussed strategies for navigating uncertainty in both business and personal life. Additionally, they shared their perspectives on health and wellness strategies, with a focus on small, achievable goals and a balanced approach that includes a combination of exercise and informed choices about diet.
Resources
- Best Business Coach : This is the platform that hosted the enlightening interview between Daryl Urbanski and Nathan Hirsch.
- Follow Nathan Hirsch on LinkedIn
Episode Highlights
Entrepreneurship, scaling businesses, and eliminating oneself from the processes
- Nathan Hirsch started free up with a $5,000 investment and grew it to $12 million in four years without an office or US employees.
- Hirsch built five successful ventures and has guested on over 900 podcasts, sharing daily advice for entrepreneurs.
- Nathan Hirsch and Daryl Urbanski co-founded Free Up, a freelance marketplace for Amazon sellers, and later expanded to other services.
- Hirsch and Urbanski now run multiple businesses, including bookkeeping brands, SEO services, and a media company, and use their personal brands to drive growth.
- Nathan Hirsch and Daryl Urbanski discuss their approach to building a portfolio of businesses, focusing on hiring and supporting operators while growing their personal brand and driving ideal clients to their companies.
- Nathan Hirsch and his business partner Connor brainstorm ideas, network, and find the right operator to start a new business, using their Outdoor School hiring process to support growth and repeat the process.
Finding a problem to solve, building a system, and hiring key personnel for a service-based business
- Daryl Urbanski and Nathan discuss scaling a business by finding a problem to solve and building a system to run it.
Funding and launching businesses with a focus on surveying potential clients to validate the idea
- Hirsch prioritizes finding hardworking people with skin in the game for his businesses.
- Nathan and Daryl Urbanski discuss the importance of conducting market research before starting a business.
- Daryl and Nathan emphasize the value of talking to ideal clients to understand their needs and preferences.
Niching down in business, finding underserved markets, and expanding through multiple brands
- Daryl Urbanski: How do you narrow in on a niche? Research and brainstorming, find underserved category.
- Daryl Urbanski shares a story about a moving company with two brands offering different tiers of service (Frank the Mover and Move for Less)
- The owner of the company was able to expand and grow by offering a premium service under one brand while keeping costs low with the other
Common business mistakes and importance of targeting a specific market
- Daryl Urbanski and Nathan discuss common mistakes entrepreneurs make when it comes to hiring and delegating tasks.
- Nathan emphasizes the importance of trust and delegating tasks to free up time for strategic decision-making and growth.
- Nathan and Daryl Urbanski discuss the importance of identifying a specific target market for a business.
- Urbanski emphasizes the need to understand the problem of the target market and provide a solution tailored to their needs.
Juggling multiple businesses, prioritizing client experience, and focusing on marketing, sales, and support for operators
- Nathan emphasizes the importance of building long-term client relationships by prioritizing their experience and satisfaction.
- Hirsch and his team focus on providing excellent customer service, responding promptly to client inquiries, and going above and beyond to make things right when issues arise.
- Daryl Urbanski asks Nathan about juggling multiple businesses, and Nathan explains how he spends his time between marketing, sales, supporting operators, and looking at opportunities for growth.
- Nathan Hirsch prioritizes his time between onboarding the CEO of his media company, checking in with operators, problem-solving, and networking calls, with a focus on moving the needle for each business.
Managing time and businesses in a rapidly changing world
- Daryl Urbanski loves the poem by Arnold Bennett, which highlights the importance of time management.
- The poem emphasizes that time is a daily miracle that must be used effectively to achieve happiness and fulfillment.
- Daryl Urbanski and Nathan discuss the future of business, focusing on adapting to technological changes and hiring people with AI expertise.
- Nathan prioritizes long-term success by diversifying his portfolio of businesses and focusing on board businesses that apply to many companies.
AI replacing jobs and marketing strategies for businesses
- Daryl Urbanski agrees that AI will not replace human spark of life, and there will always be people who want to drive the bus.
- Urbanski believes that AI will always be a tool, and humans will continue to be the ones in control.
- Nathan emphasizes the importance of onboarding new employees, setting clear expectations, and providing necessary information.
- Daryl Urbanski highlights common mistakes people make when trying to outsource or delegate tasks, including not paying attention and not setting proper expectations.
Hiring and developing employees, with a focus on testing and onboarding
- Nathan emphasizes the importance of onboarding and testing candidates to ensure they're a good fit for the role.
- Hirsch advises against making someone a contractor without proper legal guidance, as it can lead to legal issues in the US.
- Nathan emphasizes the importance of managing people skills in a company's culture.
- Hirsch and Daryl Urbanski discuss the need to identify and develop specific behaviors in staff to improve company culture.
Hiring, training, and outsourcing for business growth
- Nathan emphasizes the importance of setting expectations and holding employees accountable for their work.
- Nathan Hirsch and Daryl Urbanski discuss the use of personality tests in hiring, with Nathan being non-committal and Daryl expressing skepticism.
- Nathan prioritizes hiring and training a dedicated team, investing in regular training and resources to ensure long-term success.
- Hirsch plans to outsource sales in the future, freeing up time for other tasks and scaling the business with an economy of scale.
Building a business with a focus on hiring and training salespeople
- Nathan Hirsch shares his experience with hiring and training sales reps at Free Up, using a structured approach that involves explaining, demonstrating, guiding, and empowering.
- Daryl Urbanski emphasizes the importance of having a clear who and what, and doing the work until a repeatable process is established, in order to stand out in a competitive industry or niche.
- Nathan emphasizes the importance of simplicity, frugality, and having fun in business.
- Nathan believes in setting end goals and working hard at the beginning, but also prioritizing self-care and work-life balance.
Health and fitness tips for overall well-being
- Nathan and Daryl Urbanski share similar health beliefs, emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet and regular exercise.
- Daryl Urbanski and Nathan recommend incorporating a variety of physical activities, such as weightlifting, cardio, and bodyweight exercises, into one's routine.
- Daryl Urbanski and Nathan discuss the harmful effects of certain industries on individuals, with a focus on seed oils and marketing tactics.