Best Leanstartup Podcasts (2025)

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EE432 - Mentor Moment: Why E-Commerce Didn’t Kill the Supermarket 7:33

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2d ago7:33

7:33

In this Mentor Moment from Episode 372, David O’Meara, CEO of Greenman Group, unpacks the surprising reality of post-COVID retail: traditional supermarkets aren’t just surviving—they’re evolving. While many predicted the death of brick-and-mortar retail with the rise of e-commerce, David explains why food retail continues to thrive, especially in G…

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Why Investors Don’t Care About Your Business 10:20

5d ago10:20

10:20

I’ve been having coffee with lots of frustrated founders (my students and others) bemoaning most VCs won’t even meet with them unless they have AI in their fundraising pitch. And the AI startups they see are getting valuations that appear nonsensical. These conversations brought back a sense of Déjà vu from the Dot Com bubble (at the turn of this c…

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EE431 - €0->€4 Million in 4 Years 2:07:47

5d ago2:07:47

2:07:47

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Cait and Cillian, the powerhouse duo behind Luxury Exchange - the Irish-born fashion resale platform that’s redefining pre-loved luxury. From humble beginnings selling designer pieces on Instagram between her shifts at Brown Thomas, Cat grew her side project into a business pro…

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EE430 - Mentor Moment: Luke Joyce: Disrupting a Traditional Industry Through Smart Systems 6:16

9d ago6:16

6:16

In this Mentor Moment from The Entrepreneur Experiment Episode 378, Luke Joyce shares how he’s transformed the traditional window cleaning business using technology, subscriptions, and automation. Luke reveals his vision to scale nationwide, break into the UK, and ultimately build systems that could apply to any home service — all while solving pai…

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EE429: The Future of Food: How Gousto Delivers 100 Million Meals a Year 1:08:17

12d ago1:08:17

1:08:17

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Timo Boldt, the visionary founder and CEO of Gousto, the UK’s leading homegrown meal-kit company. From humble beginnings hand-delivering recipe boxes and knocking on doors, to building a data-powered food business that serves millions of dinners annually, Timo shares his 13-yea…

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Lean Launchpad at Stanford – 2025 9:09

12d ago9:09

9:09

We just finished the 15th<>annual Lean LaunchPad class at Stanford. The class had gotten so popular that in 2021 we started teaching it in both the winter and spring sessions.During the 2025 spring quarter the eight teams spoke to 935 potential customers, beneficiaries and regulators. Most students spent 15-20 hours a week on the class, about doubl…

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EE428 – Mentor Moment: Stephen Kinsella on How and When the Next Economic Crisis Will Hit 9:01

16d ago9:01

9:01

In this Mentor Moment, economist Stephen Kinsella joins Gary Fox to break down the patterns behind economic booms and busts - and why the seeds of the next crisis are often sown during the good times. Stephen explains the theory of financial instability, the role of credit, and how euphoria can quickly turn to fear. He also explores what could trig…

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EE427: 100,000 Customers with Zero Marketing Budget: The Story of Seed Golf 1:31:30

19d ago1:31:30

1:31:30

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Dean Klatt, the Australian founder of Seed Golf, who built a global direct-to-consumer golf brand… from Carlow. Dean shares the story of how he reverse-engineered premium golf balls, bootstrapped his way to international markets, and took on billion-dollar brands without a cent…

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Hacking for Defense @ Stanford 2025 – Lessons Learned Presentations 12:58

20d ago12:58

12:58

We just finished our 10th annual Hacking for Defense class at Stanford.What a year.Hacking for Defense, now in 70 universities, has teams of students working to understand and help solve national security problems. At Stanford this quarter the 8 teams of 41 students collectively interviewed 1106 beneficiaries, stakeholders, requirements writers, pr…

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EE426 - Mentor Moment: Working With Your Brain, Not Against It: DC Cahalane on ADHD & Entrepreneurship 7:14

23d ago7:14

7:14

In this bite-sized Mentor Moment, DC Cahalane shares how a late diagnosis of ADHD transformed his understanding of himself — and his work. From battling procrastination to embracing what he once saw as flaws, DC opens up about the mental health rollercoaster that led to a powerful realization: ADHD wasn’t a limitation, it was a lens. He unpacks why…

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Teaching National Security Policy with AI 14:47

25d ago14:47

14:47

International Policy students will be spending their careers in an AI-enabled world. We wanted our students to be prepared for it. This is why we’ve adopted and integrated AI in our Stanford national security policy class – Technology, Innovation and Great Power Competition.Here’s what we did, how the students used it, and what they (and we) learne…

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EE425 - Fetching €40 Million: How Anthony Gallagher Started & Scaled Petstop 1:31:37

26d ago1:31:37

1:31:37

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox meets Anthony Gallagher - the man behind Petstop, Ireland’s most successful independent pet retailer. From sweeping floors at Penneys to nearly selling his dot-com startup for $42 million (before it all collapsed), Anthony’s story is packed with lessons on grit, resilience, and building somet…

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EE424 - Mentor Moment: The Power of Relentless Selling with Gary Lavin, Founder of VITHIT 7:37

29d ago7:37

7:37

What do you do when your business is on the brink of collapse? For Gary Lavin, it meant getting in his car and personally selling into 3,500 stores in 18 months. In this raw and honest moment, Gary shares how fear became his biggest motivator, why most people skip the hard (but essential) work of selling, and how doubling your store count can doubl…

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EE423 - From 25-Seater Café to National Brand: The Gourmet Food Parlour Story 1:36:30

1M ago1:36:30

1:36:30

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Lorraine Heskin, the trailblazing founder of Gourmet Food Parlour, one of Ireland’s most successful independent hospitality groups. Lorraine shares her journey from selling Irish foods on the streets of Manhattan to opening a tiny 25-seater café off a side street in Dun Laoghai…

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EE422 - Mentor Moment: Mental Fitness, Therapy & Legacy - Laura Bonner’s Reset Rituals 5:19

1M ago5:19

5:19

In this Mentor Moment from Episode 365 with Laura Bonner, founder of The Muff Liquor Company, she opens up about the mental practices that keep her grounded in business and life. Laura shares her unapologetic belief in therapy, the importance of taking time to reset, and why legacy isn’t about being a great business person—but a great person. It’s …

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EE421 - Email is King: How Rory’s Travel Club Hit 200K Members with a €12 Email Subscription 1:46:22

1M ago1:46:22

1:46:22

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary sits down with Rory King, the founder of Rory’s Travel Club- a radically simple subscription business that’s quietly revolutionising travel in Ireland and beyond. With no investors, no fancy app, and no startup playbook, Rory turned a €10 Facebook idea into a thriving travel club with over 200,00…

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EE420 - Mentor Moment: From Stockbroker to Showroom - Nadia Adan’s Leap of Faith 9:38

1M ago9:38

9:38

In this Mentor Moment from episode 370, Nadia Adan shares how she left a high-paying corporate job in finance to launch her own car dealership, Ashford Motors, just before the pandemic. With grit, intuition, and a flair for social media, Nadia built a thriving business from scratch—even as others called her a "backstreet garage." This short episode…

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EE419 - The Painter That Became a Powerhouse: Sean Brett’s Accidental Empire 1:42:35

2M ago1:42:35

1:42:35

In this powerful episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox meets Sean Brett – the unstoppable founder behind Steeltech Sheds. From painting houses with no experience to dominating Galway’s coal market and eventually building Ireland’s leading steel shed business, Sean shares a rollercoaster entrepreneurial journey packed with grit, hustle, a…

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How the United States Gave Up Being a Science Superpower 14:34

2M ago14:34

14:34

US global dominance in science was no accident, but a product of a far-seeing partnership between public and private sectors to boost innovation and economic growth.By Steve Blank

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EE418 - Mentor Moment: David Jelly on the €150 Billion Sitting Still In Irish Bank Accounts 11:48

2M ago11:48

11:48

In this bite-sized Mentor Moment from Episode 384, David Jelly, founder of Property Bridges, joins Gary Fox to dissect two of Ireland’s biggest challenges: why people aren’t investing — despite sitting on billions in cash — and why startups struggle to retain talent in a post-COVID world. From cultural mindsets to broken incentives, David gets hone…

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EE417 - Skin in the Game: How Ella & Jo Went from 1 Idea to Selling in 50 Countries 1:54:23

2M ago1:54:23

1:54:23

In this inspiring episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Charlene Flanagan and Niamh Ryan—the powerhouse duo behind Ella & Jo, one of Ireland’s fastest-growing beauty brands. From a single product and two simultaneous pregnancies to a global business stocked in Boots, Dunnes Stores and over 400 pharmacies, their story is an…

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EE416 - Mentor Moment: Barry Napier on Leadership, Accountability & Evolving as a Founder 11:13

2M ago11:13

11:13

In this Mentor Moment from Episode 355 of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Barry Napier shares hard-won wisdom on how founders need to evolve as their companies scale. From letting go of control to building a culture of trust and accountability, Barry reflects on how he went from “hard work and chaos” to leading with clarity and self-awareness. If you'…

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The Endless Frontier: U.S. Science and National Industrial Policy: Part 6a The Secret History of Silicon Valley 10:35

2M ago10:35

10:35

The U.S. has spent the last 70 years making massive investments in basic and applied research. Government funding of research started in World War II driven by the needs of the military for weapon systems to defeat Germany and Japan. Post WWII the responsibility for investing in research split between agencies focused on weapons development and spa…

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EE 415 - Inside the €1B+ Business Empire of John Purdy 1:54:35

2M ago1:54:35

1:54:35

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with John Purdy, co-founder of Ergo and a seasoned leader who has helped shape the Irish tech landscape over the past three decades. From launching Ergo in 1993 with just a handful of people to scaling it into one of Ireland’s top IT services companies, John shares the highs, the ha…

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How the U.S. Became A Science Superpower 15:33

2M ago15:33

15:33

Prior to WWII the U.S was a distant second in science and engineering. By the time the war was over, U.S. science and engineering had blown past the British, and led the world for 85 years.By Steve Blank

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EE 414 - Building a Global Brand With Millions Watching: Keilidh Cashell's Story 1:42:21

2M ago1:42:21

1:42:21

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Keilidh Cashell — one of Ireland’s most recognisable beauty creators turned entrepreneur and founder of Kash Beauty. With over 2 million followers on TikTok and a loyal global audience, Keilidh opens up about what it really takes to build a brand in the public eye. From creatin…

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An MVP is not a Cheaper Product, It’s about Smart Learning 6:05

2M ago6:05

6:05

A minimum viable product (MVP) is not always a smaller/cheaper version of your final product. Defining the goal for a MVP can save you tons of time, money and grief.By Steve Blank

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EE 413 - “WIN”: Gerry Hussey’s Formula for Mastering Life, Business & the Mind 1:44:25

2M ago1:44:25

1:44:25

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox is joined by Gerry Hussey - performance psychologist, author, and founder of Soul Space- for a raw, profound conversation on mindset, mastery, and meaning. From coaching Olympic athletes to filling the National Concert Hall with nothing but belief and vision, Gerry shares the ignition moments…

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The Elves Leave Middle Earth – Sodas Are No Longer Free 5:10

3M ago5:10

5:10

Sometimes financial decisions that are seemingly rational on their face can precipitate mass exodus of your best engineers.By Steve Blank

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How to get meetings with people too busy to see you 4:33

3M ago4:33

4:33

Asking, “Can I have coffee with you to pick your brain?” is probably the worst possible way to get a meeting with someone with a busy schedule. Here’s a better approach.By Steve Blank

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EE 412 - No Plan B: The Unfiltered Truth About Starting Over in Dubai 1:12:33

3M ago1:12:33

1:12:33

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, we dive into Conor McHugh's remarkable journey from finance to founding Alchemy Search in Dubai. Drawn by tax-free incentives and sun-soaked opportunities, Conor shares how he navigated the cultural complexities and business challenges of the Middle East over seven years. His story weaves through pers…

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Lying on your resume 6:33

3M ago6:33

6:33

It’s not the crime that gets you, it’s the coverup.By Steve Blank

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EE 411 - Scarcity, Strategy & Secrets: How Trevor Built an Elite CEO Network 1:23:55

3M ago1:23:55

1:23:55

In this special Dubai-recorded edition of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Trevor McFarlane—CEO and founder of EMIR, the ultra-exclusive intelligence and advisory network serving the region’s top CEOs, ministers, and government officials. Trevor shares the incredible story behind building EMIR from scratch—starting with a borrow…

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Careers Start by Peeling Potatoes 6:44

3M ago6:44

6:44

Listening to my the family talk about dividing up the cooking chores for this Thanksgiving dinner, including who would peel the potatoes, reminded me that most careers start by peeling potatoes.By Steve Blank

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Nuke’em ‘Till They Glow – Quitting My First Job 9:39

3M ago9:39

9:39

I started working when I was 14 (I lied about my age) and counting four years in the Air Force I’ve worked in 12 jobs. I left each one of them when I was bored, ready to move on, got fired, or learned as much as I can. There was only one job that I quit when I feared for my life.By Steve Blank

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EE 410 - How This Irish Founder Took On the Opioid Crisis—and rang the NASDAQ Bell - Gareth Sheridan Story 1:40:12

3M ago1:40:12

1:40:12

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Gareth Sheridan, the relentless founder and CEO of Nutriband Inc — a pharmaceutical company tackling one of the most controversial issues in modern medicine: opioid misuse. What started as a college thesis and a dining room stacked with questionable Chinese vitamin patches has …

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Agile Opportunism – Entrepreneurial DNA 7:39

3M ago7:39

7:39

Entrepreneurs tend to view adversity as opportunity.By Steve Blank

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EE 409 - Building a Team of Owners: Founding Fitt Meals’ The Unorthodox Way 1:35:39

3M ago1:35:39

1:35:39

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox meets with Eoin Cantwell, founder of Fitt Meals. Eoin shares his remarkable journey from running a busy sports club to creating one of the UAE’s most innovative meal prep businesses. Eoin candidly discusses how he bootstrapped Fitt Meals, his approach to radical transparency with open book ma…

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You’ll Be Dead Soon – Carpe Diem 7:03

4M ago7:03

7:03

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. - Steve Jobs…

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Lies Entrepreneurs Tell Themselves 6:00

4M ago6:00

6:00

When I was in my 20’s I worked at Convergent Technologies, a company that was proud to be known as the “Marine Corps of Silicon Valley.” It was a brawling “take no prisoners,” work hard, party hard, type of company. The founders coming out of the DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) and Intel culture of the 1960’s and ‘70’s. As an early employee I w…

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EE 408 - From Teacher to Airline Tycoon: The Story of Pádraig Ó Céidigh & Aer Arann 1:24:23

4M ago1:24:23

1:24:23

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Pádraig Ó Céidigh, a name synonymous with Irish entrepreneurship and business leadership. Best known for founding and scaling Aer Arann, one of Ireland’s leading regional airlines, Pádraig shares his journey from humble beginnings to building an airline—despite having no aviati…

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Entrepreneurship is hard but you can’t die 6:56

4M ago6:56

6:56

We Sleep Peaceably In Our Beds At Night Only Because Rough Men Stand Ready To Do Violence On Our Behalf.Everyone has events that shape the rest of their lives. This was one of mine.By Steve Blank

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EE 407 - How I Built a $15M Media Empire in the Middle East – Richard Fitzgerald’s Story 1:30:11

4M ago1:30:11

1:30:11

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Richard Fitzgerald, the founder of Augustus Media, an award-winning modern media company in the UAE and KSA, publishers of Lovin Dubai, Lovin Saudi, and Smashi TV. With a background in media and advertising since 2006, Richard worked at agencies in Ireland, England, and the UAE…

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Balloon Wars: Part 16 of the Secret History of Silicon Valley 9:03

4M ago9:03

9:03

In 2023 China flying a “spy balloon” over the U.S. created an international incident. It turns out the U.S. did the same to the Soviet Union in the 1950’s.By Steve Blank

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Vertical Markets 3: Reducing Risk in Startups 4:02

4M ago4:02

4:02

Reducing Risk – Simulation versus Customer DevelopmentIf you remember the first part of this discussion, startups face two types of risk; invention risk and/or customer/market risk. In either type of startup you want to put in place processes in place to reduce risk.By Steve Blank

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Faith-Based versus Fact-Based Decision Making 2:38

4M ago2:38

2:38

I’ve screwed up a lot of startups on faith. One of the key tenets of entrepreneurship is that you start your company with insufficient resources and knowledge.By Steve Blank

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EE 406 - The Gym Equipment Empire Used by 75% of Premier League Teams - BLK BOX 1:26:24

4M ago1:26:24

1:26:24

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Greg Bradley, founder of BLK BOX, one of the leading gym equipment manufacturers in Europe. Greg shares his journey from bootstrapping a startup with no engineering background to building a business that supplies some of the world’s top sports teams—including Irish Rugby and 75…

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Going to Trade Shows Like it Matters – Part 2 9:48

4M ago9:48

9:48

I wrote this “Going to Trade Shows Like it Matters” memo as a board member after I saw our company at a trade show. Part 1 of this post offered some suggestions on going to trade shows to generate awareness. This post offers suggestions if you are going to a trade show to generate leads.By Steve Blank

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Founders and dysfunctional families 9:51

4M ago9:51

9:51

I was having lunch with a friend who is a retired venture capitalist and we drifted into a discussion of the startups she funded. We agreed that all her founding CEOs seemed to have the same set of personality traits – tenacious, passionate, relentless, resilient, agile, and comfortable operating in chaos. I said, “well for me you’d have to add com…

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Vertical Markets 2: Customer/Market Risk versus Invention Risk 3:36

4M ago3:36

3:36

One day I was having lunch with a VC sharing what I learned from my students. “Steve,” he said, “you’re missing the most interesting part of vertical markets. Our firm has a portfolio of companies across a broad range of markets and the way we look at it is pretty simple – the deals fall into two types: those with customer/market risk and those wit…