Sam Parr: Founder Of The Hustle, Hampton And My First Million Podcast

Forward Obsessed

Sam Parr, the founder of The Hustle and the host of the My First Million podcast, shares his entrepreneurial journey from his humble beginnings in St. Louis, Missouri, to building and selling successful companies. Parr's early hustles, including selling whiskey online and running a hot dog stand, laid the foundation for his future endeavors. Despite a setback with Airbnb, Parr persevered and started a roommate matching business, which he eventually sold to Apartment List.

Parr's success with The Hustle, growing the company's newsletter to over 1.5 million subscribers, is a testament to his skills in hiring passionate people and his ability to "brute force" a company to success. He offers valuable insights on the emotional challenges of selling a company and the importance of focus and perseverance in building a successful business.

This episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs, founders, MBA students, and managers, as it provides practical advice and inspiration from someone who has successfully navigated the ups and downs of the startup world. Parr's candid discussion of his experiences, from cold calling to angel investing and growing a podcast, offers a wealth of knowledge for those looking to build and scale their own ventures.

Episode Outline

(00:00:00) Introduction of Sam Parr

(00:01:28) Sam Parr's background and early entrepreneurial ventures

(00:10:00) Building and selling a roommate matching company

(00:14:02) Starting The Hustle and growing the newsletter

(00:22:36) Hiring strategies and building a strong company culture

(00:29:00) The emotional journey of selling The Hustle to HubSpot

(00:35:00) Life after the acquisition and starting a new company, Hampton

(00:40:45) Branding, positioning, and pricing strategies

(00:44:49) The art of the cold call and its importance in business

(00:50:00) Angel investing experiences and lessons learned

(00:55:00) Building a community with Hampton and differentiating from competitors

(01:02:04) The power of personal branding and visibility

(01:07:31) Hiring and working with CEOs

(01:13:57) The impact of fatherhood on entrepreneurship and personal growth

(01:17:31) Strategies for growing a successful podcast

Episode Links

The Hustle (company): https://thehustle.co/
My First Million (podcast): https://www.mfmpod.com/
Hampton (company): https://joinhampton.com/
Sam's List (website) - https://samslist.co/
The Game (book) - https://www.amazon.com/Game-Penetrating-Secret-Society-Artists/dp/0060554738
Glengarry Glen Ross (movie): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glengarry_Glen_Ross_(film)

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