Who’s Sam? He’s the founder of Hampton and co-host of My First Million podcast and his new show Moneywise.
He was annoying when I first met him, well sometimes he can still be annoying today 😆
BUT he’s someone I’ve become close friends with and have been regularly admiring him.
Why? Because his ‘annoying’ personality actually translates to being passionate about things that matter.
He’s super present as a father, prioritizes his marriage, and makes a lot of money doing things he loves. No compromises.
So on a recent car drive, I asked him how he’s so aligned with living a fulfilled life.
He mentioned 3 things he considers in his working life:
1- Is it fun?
Sam refuses to create businesses without having personal interest in them. It’s obvious he’s not in it for JUST the money. All his companies show that off.
Sam created Hampton, a community of founders, to connect with and discover successful businesses.
When he wanted to make business and tech news engaging, he created The Hustle newsletter (which he sold for ~$30 million).
With My First Million podcast, he wanted a platform to brainstorm new business ideas and interview cool guests with co-host Shaan Puri.
Why do any business if you don’t get enjoyment out of it?
2- Can I make 7-figures?
Before he starts any project, he thinks “Can I make at least 7-figures from it personally?”
If you’re going to work hard either way, be aware of how big the opportunity is. It’s important to know what piece of the pie you might get from overall market size.
Make it easier on yourself by understanding the basic math upfront.
3- Do I have unique expertise or an advantage?
Nowadays, Sam stays within his Zone of Influence for new business launches. His secret sauce is tech, new business ideas, and building community.
His new project Sam’s List is a mix of those things and with his large audience of customers and partners, he can easily promote this new service.
He once stepped outside of his Zone of Influence by dabbling in Airbnb, but sold his property when he realized he was much better at tech.
Remember to take advantage of your own unique positioning.
I’d also add a few more things I’ve noticed from Sam:
1- Hire CEOs. With every business, Sam finds a CEO to put in place once he gets it going. This frees up his time and he can spend it advising the CEO rather than being one.
2- His partner Sara Parr. This is the ultimate life upgrade. It has been a game-changer for Sam to find a partner who teaches and supports him on a regular basis. (Same for me 🥰)
3- Sam still makes the calls. When starting Hampton and Sam’s List, he filled his days on back-to-back calls with customers to understand their needs. His intensity in getting a business started is unreal, and he gets ahead by doing the work that others won’t do.
4- No fucks given. I love when Sam called out VCs harassing people or when he chose to showcase his mother-in-law’s pillow company. He’s not optimizing for an algorithm. I often find myself thinking – “What will people think?” or “This won’t help me get followers.” But seeing Sam be authentic encourages me to just be me.
Thanks for the inspiration, Sam! 🙇♂️
Who’s a person that’s inspired and helped you on your journey? Take a moment and let them know. 💚
Be Epic,
Noah 🌮
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