E75: Michael Girdley (@girdley) needs no introduction. He's a HoldCo legend.

Today, host Yong-Soo (@YongSooChung) sits down with Michael to discuss how he has built a successful HoldCo. We talk about Michael's "Right People, Right Structure, Right Mission" framework, which he uses to build all of his businesses. Michael shares how to find the best people, set up your business the right way, and get everyone excited about the same goal.

On today’s episode, you’ll learn:

- PHC Organization Structure
- How to Propel the Business into Gear
- How to Build Your Own Holdco of Multiple Businesses
- 'Right People, Right Structure, Right Mission' Framework

***
SPONSORS:

Riverside - If you have a podcast, do yourself a favor and check out Riverside. It's 100% free to start. Get 20% off using code FIRSTCLASS.

Spotted by Humphrey - If you have a dog, sniff out the DEAL$ and wag-worthy finds at Spotted by Humphrey. Use code FIRSTCLASS15 to get 15% off your next order.

***
EXCERPTS:

The Journey: "And what I really discovered was that there's this interesting inflection points in people's lives to when they should sign up to be CEOs of different types of businesses." — Michael Girdley (06:24)

Joyful Career: "I think what people should be doing is thinking about the life they wanna live and the things they wanna be doing, and then build companies around that... joy comes from getting to do things that you really love. So build your business around things that give you joy that you get to do." — Michael Girdley (36:40)

***
LINKS:

How to Hire the Best Operators for Your Personal HoldCo

HoldCo Masterclass

JOIN: First Class Founders Premium Membership

DOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)

***
FOLLOW / REVIEW:
- Follow
- Leave 5-star review

***
CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:

- X
- Threads
- LinkedIn
- Newsletter

***
First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc.

Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more.

Episode you might like:

Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at Beehiiv

From Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry

...

E74: Have you ever wondered how a person can flip their life's script from constant struggles to having a multi-million dollar business?

Today, host Yong-Soo (@YongSooChung) has a rich conversation with successful entrepreneur Tim Stoddart (@TimStodz), the proud owner of Copyblogger Media. He discusses his incredible transition from a troubled youth in Philadelphia to a sober entrepreneur with a multi-million dollar Personal HoldCo portfolio.

On today’s episode, you’ll learn:

- How to Find Your Purpose
- How to Effectively Write Online
- Three Criteria for Choosing Businesses
- How to Replicate Models to Build and Scale Businesses

***
SPONSORS:

Riverside - If you have a podcast, do yourself a favor and check out Riverside. It's 100% free to start. Get 20% off using code FIRSTCLASS.

Spotted by Humphrey - If you have a dog, sniff out the DEAL$ and wag-worthy finds at Spotted by Humphrey. Use code FIRSTCLASS15 to get 15% off your next order.

***
EXCERPTS:

Foundation: "I write and I delegate. I write because I think being a good writer is the most valuable skill that you could ever really have. And I delegate because I've learned that as you grow a company, it's the most foundational thing you could ever do." — Tim Stoddart (04:03)

Wealth Creation: "Here's where my head goes. I'm not bored at all. And there's a part of me that thinks you want to get out before you get bored. Right. Because then like you have leverage that you don't need to sell. Like I never want to get in a position where I need to sell something." — Tim Stoddart (21:45)

***
LINKS:

Copyblogger

Timstodz.com

stodzyinternetmarketing.com

JOIN: First Class Founders Premium Membership

DOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)

***
FOLLOW / REVIEW:
- Follow
- Leave 5-star review

***
CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:

- X
- Threads
- LinkedIn
- Newsletter

***
First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc.

Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more.

Episode you might like:

Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at Beehiiv

From Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry

...

E73: Not many know it, but a lot of aspiring business owners run the risk of making expensive mistakes that could put their goals on hold before they ever take off.

So, today, host Yong-Soo Chung (@YongSooChung) shares eight important things he learned over eight years of building three businesses from the ground up. He shares how to have an exponential growth mindset, hire carefully, know when to switch between growth and preservation modes and build a strong environment for your company.

On today’s episode, you’ll learn:

- Growth vs. Preservation
- 8 Truths About Entrepreneurship
- The Impact of Hiring the Right People

This episode distills down many years of entrepreneurial experience into one short episode. Don't miss it!

***
SPONSORS:
Riverside - If you have a podcast, do yourself a favor and check out Riverside. It's 100% free to start. Get 20% off using code FIRSTCLASS.

Spotted by Humphrey - If you have a dog, sniff out the DEAL$ and wag-worthy finds at Spotted by Humphrey. Use code FIRSTCLASS15 to get 15% off your next order.

***
EXCERPTS:

Business Ecosystem: "Your business exists to serve three different stakeholders, vendors, employees, and customers. These there are the critical components of your business ecosystem. And the most ideal scenario is when all three of them win." — Yong-Soo Chung (13:15)

Business Growth Mindsets: "You can think of business growth as either incremental or exponential." — Yong-Soo Chung (14:46)

***
LINKS:

How to Hire the Best Operators for Your Personal HoldCo

I – We – They Framework: How I Scale My Personal HoldCo

JOIN: First Class Founders Premium Membership

DOWNLOAD: Hyper-Visuals For Our Episodes (Free)

***
FOLLOW / REVIEW:
- Follow
- Leave 5-star review

***
CONNECT W/ YONG-SOO:

- X
- Threads
- LinkedIn
- Newsletter

***
First Class Founders is a show for indie hackers, bootstrapped founders, CEOs, solopreneurs, content creators, startup entrepreneurs, and SaaS startups covering topics like build in public, audience growth, product marketing, scaling up, side hustles, holding company, etc.

Past guests include Arvid Kahl, Tyler Denk, Noah Kagan, Clint Murphy, Jay Abraham, Andrew Gazdecki, Matt McGarry, Nick Huber, Khe Hy, and more.

Episode you might like:

Future of Newsletters with Tyler Denk, Founder & CEO at Beehiiv

From Zero to 100K Subscribers: How to Grow Your Newsletter like a Pro with Newsletter Growth Expert Matt McGarry

...