Get your creative juices flowing with The Startup Ideas Podcast. Published twice a week, we bring you free startup ideas to inspire your next venture. Hosted by Greg Isenberg, CEO of Late Checkout and former advisor to Reddit and TikTok. Subscribe so you don't miss out.

For more startup ideas, we created a database of 30+ startup ideas you can take at https://gregisenberg.com/30startupideas

Join me as I chat with Hunter Isaacson, a successful mobile app builder who has created apps with hundreds of millions of downloads. Hunter shares his playbook for building million-dollar mobile apps, emphasizing the importance of simple experiences, strong branding, and creating effective growth loops. He discusses how to identify opportunities by adapting existing ideas to new channels and technologies.Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:56 - Examples of Viral Consumer Apps 04:35 - Hallow Deep dive  10:14 - Locket Deep dive 13:51 -  NGL’s Deep Dive 15:08 - Don’t reinvent the wheel 17:27 -  Hunter’s $1M/Month App Playbook 21:28 - Building a Brand People Love 24:44 - Creating a simple experience 25:26 - The importance of core action and North Star Metric 26:33 - How to create growth loops 31:28 - Additional Good Practices  33:13 - Opportunities in AI-enhanced app experiences 36:38 - Future technology trends Hunter is excited aboutKey Points:• Hunter Isaacson shares his framework for building successful mobile apps, including NGL (250M downloads) and Bags • The importance of creating simple experiences with strong branding that people can understand and resonate with • How to identify core metrics and growth loops that drive user engagement and viral sharing • Leveraging new platform features (like widgets, live activities) to create innovative app experiences1) Hunter's framework for building viral, profitable apps is SURPRISINGLY simple:• Build a brand people love • Create a simple experience • Get users on quickly (even just 100) • Select ONE core action • Maximize % of users completing that actionLet's dive deeper...2) On building a BRAND PEOPLE LOVE:"Keep it short and find a slang term" - Hunter's secret sauce for naming apps.NGL = "not gonna lie" (obvious to Gen Z) BAGS = crypto slang for holdingsThe best names are OBVIOUS, resonate with your audience, and set the right vibe.3) Creating a SIMPLE EXPERIENCE is crucial!Hunter designs ALL his apps himself (started with PowerPoint, now Figma)His approach: "What's the bare bones MVP that solves the problem?"Don't overcomplicate. ONE user flow is better than branching journeys.4) The NORTH STAR METRIC changes everything.For each app, Hunter picks ONE metric that matters above all:• Wink: % of users getting a match on day 1 • NGL: % sharing link + replies • BAGS: % funding account + making first tradeAim for 90%+ completion!5) GROWTH HACK: Build sharing into your core experience!"If you drop in 1000 people and 50% share, that's 500 people who've now shared your app"Hunter spent less than $10K marketing NGL to get 250M downloads! The key? Seed it just enough to activate the viral loop.6) You DON'T need to reinvent the wheel!Hunter on NGL: "Anonymous messaging apps have been around forever"The innovation? Using Instagram's new link feature as a growth channel.Look for EXISTING IDEAS that could work in NEW CHANNELS.7) On SEEDING your app:• Test content formats before launch • Work with creators in different niches • Pay small amounts ($50-100) to influencers • Look for that ONE viral video to ignite growth • Build an authentic voice on social8) TRENDS to watch according to Hunter:• Live Activities on iPhone (underutilized) • Lock screen widgets (not fully explored) • AI + consumer apps (CalAI's approach) • Crypto going mainstream • AR glasses (future)Massive opportunities in each!9) For YOUNG FOUNDERS, Hunter recommends:"Take a lot of swings. Have a lot of at-bats."Consumer mobile apps over B2B/SaaS when starting out: • More fun • Reach global audience • Better psychology understanding • Tools getting better every day Notable Quotes:"I think that it's more about looking for frameworks than it is for looking for ideas. The framework, I feel like, is more important because now it's really easy to just framework X with audience Y." - Hunter Isaacson"You don't really need to reinvent the wheel... it's a new channel, right? If anonymous messaging has worked on the internet, it's worked on apps, it's worked on different platforms, why wouldn't it work with Instagram as the growth lever?" - Hunter IsaacsonLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND HUNTER ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://x.com/hunterjisaacson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hunterjisaacson/

The Startup Ideas Podcast

He shares his 5-Step Framework to build $1M/Month Mobile App

Join me as I chat with Niels Klement, CMO of Perspective, we discuss how agencies are building highly profitable productized services using AI. He explains that the most successful approach involves focusing on a specific industry niche, creating a repeatable funnel template that delivers consistent results, and using AI to automate fulfillment. The discussion covers funnel optimization techniques, the importance of mobile-first design, and how interactive elements like quizzes significantly improve conversion rates.Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:44 - Overview of productized services and funnel building 03:21 - How to build a niche-focused service 07:59 - Implementation of funnel templates and ads 11:10 -  Funnel Strategies in 2025 14:43 - How to make a great VSL 18:54 -  Funnel Strategies in 2025 pt2 21:05 - Where to use funnels 23:51 - Demonstration of Perspective funnel building 29:48 - Using funnels to validate startup ideasBuild your next sales funnel: https://try.perspective.co/4i8i3dkviavyKey Points:• Agencies are building highly profitable productized services ($10K-100K/month) by focusing on specific niches and using AI and funnel tools like Perspective • The most successful agencies target industries that aren't tech-savvy and focus on business-critical services like recruiting and lead generation • High-converting funnels use interactive elements, personalization, and quiz formats to achieve 26-28% conversion rates on cold traffic • AI can automate much of the service delivery, allowing small teams or solo founders to scale to significant revenue1) The Productized Service RevolutionAgencies are shifting from service-heavy to product-heavy models using AI + automation.Some are scaling to $1M/MONTH with 80% profit margins by: • Targeting specific niches (bakeries, lawyers, etc) • Delivering business-critical results • Using ONE killer funnel templateThe best part? You can run this with just 1-2 freelancers + AI agents.2) The Two Most Profitable Service ModelsAcross thousands of agencies using Perspective, two business models consistently outperform:A) RECRUITING FUNNELS Help businesses find talent through automated systemsB) LEAD GENERATION FUNNELS Deliver qualified prospects to businesses3) The "One Funnel, Sell Twice" StrategyThe most successful agencies:• Pick ONE industry (preferably not tech-savvy) • Create ONE funnel template that delivers results • Use AI to customize it for each client • Automate fulfillment with AI agentsTop agencies in Perspective convert at 26-28% on COLD traffic! 4) What Makes High-Converting Funnels Work?The best performing funnels focus on:• SPEED: Pages loading less than 1 second convert 2.5X better • INTERACTIVITY: Quiz elements that create engagement • PERSONALIZATION: Tailoring content based on responses • CONSISTENCY: Matching ad messaging to landing pageThese elements create a "dopamine hit" similar to social feeds.5) The VSL (Video Sales Letter) FrameworkFor creating high-converting video content:• Focus intensely on the HOOK (first 5 seconds) • Provide genuine EDUCATION and value • Show PROOF that builds credibility • Create a natural progression to the OFFER6) How To Build Your First FunnelThe process is simpler than you think:1. Start with a mobile-first approach (95% of paid social traffic is mobile) 2. Use quiz elements to qualify leads 3. Personalize follow-up based on responses 4. A/B test continuously (Perspective makes this easy)7) The Startup Validation Strategy1. Build an audience on social 2. Create a funnel to test messaging 3. Send organic traffic to validate 4. Collect quiz data to understand pain points 5. THEN build your productKEY TAKEAWAY:The future of services is PRODUCTIZED.With tools like Perspective + AI, you can build a highly profitable, low-overhead business by: • Focusing on one niche • Delivering one critical result • Using one killer funnel • Automating with AILCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND NIELS ON SOCIALInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nielsklement LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsklement/

He's built multiple $1M+ funnels, Here's What Works In 2025

Join me as I chat with Nick Huber to discusses how "boring" businesses like storage, lawn care, and service companies often create more reliable paths to wealth than tech startups. He shares his personal journey from a college storage business that sold for $1.75 million to purchasing and improving self-storage facilities worth millions. The conversation explores various low-tech business opportunities with high profit potential and minimal competition.00:00 - Intro 02:08 - Nick's Sweaty Startup journey 05:20 - Self-storage facility investments and returns 07:31 - Examples of profitable service businesses 13:13 - Sweaty Startup Idea: Night Nurse Marketplace 18:49 - Value of a Good Domain Names 22:25 - The AI + Sweaty Startups OpportunityKey Points• Nick Huber shares his journey building "boring" but profitable businesses, including Storage Squad and self-storage facilities • Sweaty startups (service-based local businesses) often have less competition and higher success rates than tech startups • Simple marketing tactics like sidewalk chalk, bandit signs, and local networking can be highly effective for service businesses • Domain names are valuable digital real estate worth investing in for business credibility and growth1) The WEALTHY people in your town aren't tech foundersThey own boring businesses: • Underground utilities • Surveying companies • HVAC businesses • Real estate developmentWhile everyone's dreaming of being the next Elon, these folks are quietly building wealth.2) Nick's first million came from... college student storage! He built Storage Squad with: • $1500 Craigslist cargo van • $2200 box truck • SIDEWALK CHALK as his only marketingGrew to $2.2M in revenue, sold for $1.75M in 2020.No tech, no VC money, just hustle.3) Self-storage facilities = GOLD MINES Nick bought a neglected facility for $625K with: • 40,000+ square feet • 180+ units • Only making $4K/monthAnother facility they bought for $1.5M now generates $40K/month and is worth $4.5M!4) "Sweaty startups" are EVERYWHERE making serious money:• Lawn care: $100K+ working 9 months/year • Mobile detailing: $17K revenue/$10K profit PER MONTH • High-end transportation: Consistent 6-figure income • Tree removal: $3K for 4 hours of work (2 people)All with minimal startup costs!5) The DOMAIN NAME lesson that most miss:Nick paid $450K for [Somewhere.com](http://somewhere.com/) and says it's already delivered MORE value than that."People will spend millions on physical real estate but balk at a few thousand for digital real estate - the home of your business."6) The COMPETITION ADVANTAGE of sweaty startups:Would you rather compete against: • Stanford CS grad with $20M in VC funding OR • Local business owner who doesn't answer phones on Monday afternoons?Choose your competition wisely!7) BEST BUSINESS IDEA from the pod: Night Nurse Marketplace• Domain available for $13K (or $1,100/month lease-to-own) • Target new parents needing overnight baby care • Build directory + blog with AI • Charge $1K finder's fee to match families with nurses$20K+ monthly potential!8) The AI + SWEATY STARTUP opportunity:The best AI companies might start as sweaty startups first.Build the customer base and trust with a service business, THEN layer in tech and AI solutions.This is how you build something valuable without competing with 1000 other AI startups.Notable Quotes:"The wealthy people that I know, the ones with giant beach houses in the outer banks and private jets at the local airport, almost all of them did something boring." - Nick Huber"Do you want to compete against LeBron James or a fifth grade girl in basketball? I play against the fifth grade girl every time because my odds of having a win and making money are higher." - Nick HuberLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND NICK ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://x.com/sweatystartup Nick’s New book: https://www.sweatystartupbook.com Sweaty Startup Ideas: http://Sweatystartup.com/ideas Bolt Storage: http://boltstorage.com Somewhere: http://somewhere.com

The $1,000/Day boring business anyone can start tomorrow (Sweaty Startup Playbook)

Use agents https://www.lindy.ai/greg (thanks to Flo for hooking us up with 50% off and you can get started for free)Join me as I chat with Flo Crivello, founder of Lindy AI, where he demonstrates how to build AI agents that can automate various business processes without coding. The conversation showcases practical applications including meeting recording, scheduling, recruitment, competitive analysis, and customer support. Crivello emphasizes that there's currently a significant gap between what's technically possible with AI agents and what most businesses are implementing.Built your first AI Agent with Lindy: <a href="https://www.gregisenberg.com/ai-agents">https://www.gregisenberg.com/ai-agents</a>Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:08 - Demo 1: Meeting Notes 04:41 - Demo 2: YouTube comment scraping 06:49 - Meeting Notes Continued 08:27 - Demo 3: Outbound Phone Calling 10:16 - Demo 4: Meeting Prep 10:25 - Agent Swarms Explained 11:25 - Meeting Prep Continued 13:31 - Demo 5: Meeting Scheduler 15:04 - How to start using Lindy 15:52 - Live Building of a Recruitment Agent 17:57 - When should you loop in a human 18:37 - Building of a Recruitment Agent continued  20:34 - Demo 6: Sales Prospecting  22:44 - Why start using AI Agents 26:00 - Overview of template categories and use cases 28:52 - Demo 7: Elon Lindy 30:12 - Demo 8: Competitive Analysis 32:58 - Demo 9: CRM and Networking Manager 34:50 - Final ThoughtsKey Points:• Lindy is a no-code platform for building AI agents that can automate business processes • Users can create their first agent in 10 minutes and automate significant portions of their business • The platform features "Agent Swarms" that can handle multiple tasks in parallel with greater reliability • Lindy offers thousands of integrations with various platforms and services1) Meeting Assistant AgentsThe most universal use case for AI agents? Meeting management!Lindy can: • Record and transcribe your meetings • Create searchable notes in Google Docs • Organize notes by person (incredible for context)Flo: "I just had to dig up Google Docs and send him everything we've ever talked about with this person."2) The Agent vs Workflow DifferenceUnlike Zapier which connects isolated steps, Lindy creates TRUE AGENTS that:• Understand context between steps • Can recover from mistakes • Let you speak to them in natural language • Don't need every step configuredThe magic? You're basically telling an AI to execute a sequence of connected actions.3)  Agent Swarms = GAME CHANGERThis new feature lets you deploy multiple agents simultaneously!• Send personalized outreach to hundreds of leads • Research multiple people in parallel • Execute tasks reliably without losing coherenceThink Agent Smith in The Matrix - your agent duplicates itself to handle massive workloads FAST.4)  Real-World Examples That Blew My MindFlo's Lindy made a restaurant reservation BY PHONE The hilarious part? The restaurant was using an AI receptionist!"It's already happening - AI agents are working together in the wild"His AI also schedules meetings, preps him for calls, and manages his network.5) Building a Recruiter Agent LIVEIn just 2 minutes, Flo built a recruiting agent that: • Takes job criteria • Searches for matching candidates • Researches them on Perplexity • Sends personalized outreach emailsAll with human approval built in when needed!"There's a huge gap between what's possible and what people are actually doing."6) The "Elon Lindy" = Middle Management KillerThis agent: • Calls every team member weekly • Asks what they accomplished • Compiles everything into a report for the CEOOne customer deployed this to 1000+ employees, essentially "replacing the middle management layer"!7) Competitive Intelligence on AutopilotFlo's competitive tracker: • Wakes up monthly • Monitors competitors from a spreadsheet • Tracks employee count, traffic, funding, etc. • Sends reports on who's pulling ahead8) The MASSIVE Opportunity Right Now"There is a HUGE arbitrage between what's possible and what people are actually doing."Companies exploiting this gap are EXPLODING: • One AI ad generator hit $5M ARR in months with just 8 people • Small teams can now operate like they have 30-50 peopleLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND FLO ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://x.com/Altimor Lindy: https://www.lindy.ai

Greg Isenberg

The Startup Ideas Podcast by Greg Isenberg

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