This month I've been thinking a lot about distractions and how easy it is to spend time on things that feel productive while avoiding the one thing that actually matters.

I've been getting distracted by stocks and NBA bets, using AI as a weirdly effective therapist after an argument with my wife, and finally the big focus reset we're making at AppSumo.

If you've been feeling scattered, stuck, or like you're busy but not really moving forward… this one's for you. 🎧

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Distractions usually reveal the real problem.

• What a clear plan feels like under stress.

• How you can kickstart your mid-year reset.

Links & resources mentioned:

• AppSumo https://appsumo.com
• TidyCal https://tidycal.com
• SendFox https://sendfox.com
• FormRobin https://formrobin.com
• Follow Noah on X https://twitter.com/noahkagan
• My book Million Dollar Weekend https://milliondollarweekend.com

I'm feeding my baby while recording this… she's spilling milk, I'm spilling AppSumo updates. Everybody wins.

So we've gone from 140 people down to around 40. Revenue has dropped hard. And for the first time in 16 years, staying in business actually feels uncertain.

So this episode is about what we're doing now. What's working, what's not, and how we're getting things back on track.

I talk about why we're focusing on just 30 great deals instead of hundreds, what AI is actually good for… and where it's total BS. And how I'm thinking about rebuilding the team in a way that actually works long term.

Also sharing a mindset nugget I just heard and loved from an incredibly talented cyclist:

'when it's hard, that's when you're strong'.

Turns out that applies to parenting… and business.

You'll like this one if things feel messy right now and you're trying to figure out your next move.

In this conversation, you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• What to do when your business gets cut in half

• How to rebuild a team after layoffs and uncertainty

• Why hard moments are where you level up

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

I have also been sharing emails on my brutally honest advice on a variety of topics. People have been loving it. Sign up at noahkagan.com and join 350k other people who get juicy insights every month.

• How we saved $32K/year by killing every AI subscription and going all-in on one platform — and the exact 3-day rollout we used to get full adoption
• The real use cases that are changing how AppSumo operates — deal cards in 60 seconds, BD running everything from one screen, and our CMO shipping 6 AI skills in a single week
• Why the Slack channel #ai_daily became our secret weapon and how horizontal learning (not top-down training) is what actually drives AI adoption

I just turned 44, and we just had our second daughter. Double girl dad. Let's go.

This episode is a mix of life lessons, AI experiments, and some questionable investing decisions. I talk about what having a second kid taught me, why self-belief matters way more when revenue is down, and how getting older has made me care less about awards and more about meaning.

I also tested OpenClaw, gave it real access to my life, and asked it to tell me what to say on this podcast. It lied. Then it admitted it lied. Which honestly felt very human.

In this conversation you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• What becoming a dad (again) is teaching me about fear, confidence, and second reps

• Why picking the right partner and calling your parents might be the highest ROI decisions of your life

• How to ignore hype cycles, invest in boring things, and zag when everyone else zigs

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

My book Million Dollar Weekend breaks down how to start a business in simple steps you can do in one weekend.

I also send brutally honest emails about business and life. Join 350k people reading them at noahkagan.com.

I just had lunch with someone who sold a billion-dollar company. What stuck with me wasn't the money, it was how seriously he took standards. Not just in his work but through his entire life.

This month I talk about what standards really mean, why they're just values in action, and how raising them creates clarity instead of chaos. This is about doing better work, even when things feel messy, and coming out stronger on the other side.

In this conversation you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• How to set real standards instead of vague values

• How to rebuild trust when customers check out

• Why higher standards actually make decisions easier

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

My book Million Dollar Weekend breaks down how to start a business in simple steps you can do in one weekend.

I also send brutally honest emails about business and life. Join 350k people reading them at noahkagan.com.

It's New Year's Eve, and I've been taking stock of everything 2025 threw my way and what I want 2026 to look like. There were plenty of ups and downs, but what didn't work has forced me to rethink how I lead.

In this episode, I talk honestly about what's changing at AppSumo, what I've learned by getting closer to the work again, and why leadership right now looks very different than it did.

In this conversation you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• Setting goals that actually change your behavior

• Going easier on yourself when things don't work out

• Resetting direction when you've drifted

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

My book Million Dollar Weekend is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start something without overthinking it. I break the process down into simple steps you can actually do in a weekend.

I also send emails with my unfiltered thoughts on business, money, and life. People seem to like them. You can sign up at noahkagan.com and join 350k+ readers getting the good stuff each month.

So in this episode I break down our simple three part plan to see out 2025, and talk about bundles, new partner offerings, the future of software, and how leadership really works when the scoreboard looks ugly. It's honestly the most exciting I've felt about AppSumo's horizon in a long time.

• How to course-correct when your Black Friday deal flops hard

• What I do when customers stop clicking

• How to avoid repeating the same mistakes next quarter

Enjoy these 3 things plus many nuggets along the way.

My book Million Dollar Weekend is for aspiring entrepreneurs who dream of starting their own business. I break down the process of starting into simple steps that you can do in just one weekend.

I have also been sharing emails on my brutally honest advice on a variety of topics. People have been loving it. Sign up at noahkagan.com and join 350k other people who get juicy insights every month.

The past few months at AppSumo have been brutal. People are voting with their wallets and return buyers are down 40%. We lost some of the trust we spent years building and drifted from what made us great. But the fire in my belly is back and I'm going to war for what we do best.

I'm turning the battleship back towards curating high-quality tools that people actually love and I'm taking you inside the war room. In this episode, I share what's working, what's not and what I'm learning.

If you've ever run a company or have just gone through a tough season, you'll love this one

In this conversation, you'll enjoy 3 BIG things:

• Why simplicity and focus is the best strategy when things get messy.

• How direct conversations with customers and partners can rebuild trust

• Why curating truly great products (not just more of them) is key to winning back customers

Enjoy these 3 things plus plenty of spicy behind-the-scenes stories along the way.

My book Million Dollar Weekend is for aspiring entrepreneurs who dream of starting their own business. I break down the process of starting into simple steps that you can do in just one weekend.

I have also been sharing emails on my brutally honest advice on a variety of topics. People have been loving it. Sign up at noahkagan.com and join 350k other people who get juicy insights every month.