We Live to Build

Sean Weisbrot
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We Live to Build is the raw, no-fluff interview series for high-performance founders and CEOs who are scaling 5+ figure businesses and want to grow faster without burning out. Hosted by serial founder and angel investor Sean Weisbrot, each episode delivers tactical conversations with battle-tested operators, unpacking the mental models, systems, and automation strategies that drive sustainable success. If you're obsessed with scaling smart, optimizing for mental resilience, and building teams and products that don’t rely on your constant presence, these interviews were recorded for you. Expect honest talk about leadership, delegation, AI tools, cost reduction, psychology, and how to stop being the bottleneck in your business. We’re not here to inspire, we’re here to equip. Subscribe and upgrade how you build. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Founder vs. Investor: Which Role is Actually Harder? (Mike Lazerow)

    Which is harder: being a founder or being an investor? Mike Lazerow has done both, building and selling companies for nearly $1 billion and now running a $400M VC fund and a PE firm. His answer might surprise you. In this interview, Mike unpacks the "existential dread" of entrepreneurship versus the challenges of deploying capital. He shares why he's most excited about AI transforming "boring" businesses , the reality of feeling lost and purposeless after a massive exit, and the single most important lesson he's learned: your network is your net worth. Check out the company: https://velvetseavc.com 👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 - Founder vs. Investor: Which is Harder? 01:19 - Why I Still Prefer Being an Entrepreneur 02:04 - Scratching Both Itches: VC vs. PE 05:49 - The Best Part of Being an Investor 07:23 - Why AI Will Revolutionize "Boring" Businesses 12:03 - The Post-Exit Depression No One Talks About 14:30 - Feeling Lost After Selling for $1 Billion 16:01 - Why We're the Luckiest People in the World 19:57 - Why I Keep My Anonymity 23:36 - Money Buys Security, Health & Freedom 27:30 - Why Idle Brains Go Dark 31:41 - Your Network IS Your Net Worth 38:45 - Giving GaryVee His First Office Space 40:40 - The #1 Rule in Life & Business 📈 WORK WITH ME ▶ Startup Fundraising: https://welivetobuild.com/fundraising ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/ai-product-testing ▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai 🎧 LISTEN TO THE AUDIO VERSION Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/68lykxIMOyofZNiWSF4vFx iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-live-to-build/id1531994765 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min

  2. 4 NOV

    I Sold My Agency. Here Are The 5 Things I'd Do Differently.

    Jeff Archibald is one of the lucky few who was able to sell his agency, and now he advises other agency owners. In this interview, he reveals what he would do differently if he had to start his agency all over again. We break down the critical mistakes most founders make, starting with the failure to set revenue goals and reverse-engineer a plan to meet them. Jeff explains why being too risk-averse and not reinvesting a portion of revenue into promotion hindered his agency's growth. He also shares the powerful 3-tier proposal method he adopted that transformed his pricing strategy by removing the fear of overpricing , and explains why you must proactively plan for your company's future instead of just reactively hiring when you get busy. This is a masterclass in building a sellable agency the right way. Check out the company: https://www.jeffarchibald.ca Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory 👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 - Thing #1: Reverse-Engineer Your Revenue Goals 02:28 - Why "Making Money" Isn't Enough to Survive 08:17 - Thing #2: Reinvest in Promotion From Day One 10:06 - Thing #3: Build Strategic Partnerships Intentionally 15:10 - Thing #4: Master The 3-Tier Pricing Proposal 21:40 - The Psychology of Price Anchoring 24:01 - Thing #5: Proactively Plan For Growth (Stop Reactive Hiring) 28:18 - The Hard Truth About Your Identity After an Exit 29:53 - Recovering From Founder Burnout 📈 WORK WITH ME ▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate ▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min

  3. 28 OCT

    The "AI-First" Content Strategy is Wrong. Do This Instead.

    Everyone is talking about an "AI-First" content strategy, but it's the wrong mentality, and it's killing your founder authority. In a world drowning in noise, you don't need to be everywhere; you need to be "undeniable where it counts." This interview with Ethan Monkhouse, founder of Naviro, breaks down the new rules for building authority as a founder. We explore why quality content is a hundredfold more important than quantity and how to use AI as a co-pilot for the heavy lifting, not as a replacement for human creativity. You'll learn the fatal flaw in most AI content tools and the framework for a content funnel that attracts your ideal customers without turning you into just another "supplier." Check out the company: https://naviro.ai Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory 👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 - Be Undeniable Where It Counts 01:36 - Quality vs. Quantity in the Age of AI 02:01 - Why The "AI-First" Mentality is Wrong 02:30 - AI is The Co-Pilot, Not The Pilot 04:09 - The Big Flaw in AI Content Tools 05:48 - Building Your Content Funnel Framework 08:36 - Why Your Content Must Be Evergreen 12:24 - The #1 Mistake That Gets You Marked as a "Supplier" 14:19 - Content Attracts, The Funnel Sells 22:51 - Your LinkedIn Profile is a Landing Page, Not a Resume 24:22 - The Most Important Lesson of My Life 📈 WORK WITH ME ▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate ▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min

  4. 24 OCT

    Why Bootstrapping is a Slow Death for Ambitious Founders

    For many ambitious founders, bootstrapping is a slow death. After building a profitable, high seven-figure SaaS company for 10 years, Sameer Narkar realized his self-funded model was no longer enough to win. In this interview, Sameer explains why the AI revolution is forcing successful bootstrapped companies into raising funds to move faster. He breaks down his decision to seek investment after a decade of profitability, why he believes thinking about an exit is a distraction from building a great product, and how he plans to use the new capital to "buy growth" by investing in experienced sales teams and partnerships rather than burning cash on ads. Check out the company: https://konnectinsights.com Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory 👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 - Why I'm Abandoning My 8-Figure Bootstrap Business 00:35 - The AI Arms Race Demands Speed 02:42 - Fundraising With No Plan to Exit? 04:28 - Is a "Lifestyle Business" a Bad Thing? 08:20 - How $15M Changes a Profitable Company 09:50 - The "Spend $110 for every $100 Earned" Growth Model 12:01 - Why We Invest in Partnerships, Not Google Ads 15:20 - Why We're Hiring Expensive, Experienced Sales Vets 18:10 - Our Content Strategy: Case Studies & Industry Reports 23:05 - The Hardest Part of The Bootstrapping Journey 27:57 - The Most Important Lesson After 10 Years as a Founder 📈 WORK WITH ME ▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate ▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  5. 21 OCT

    Never Show Customers Your Underpants (A Guide to AI Pricing)

    Are you making the #1 mistake in AI pricing? Many founders are using their old SaaS pricing model, but for AI, that’s a huge error. As pricing expert Dan Balcauski explains, it’s like showing customers your “underpants”, and it’s killing your sales. In this guide to AI pricing, Dan breaks down why the game has changed. Unlike traditional SaaS, AI products have significant variable costs and unpredictable customer value, creating a new set of challenges for founders. We explore the psychology of value-based pricing, how to choose the right pricing metric, and the strategies companies like Google and OpenAI are using to price their AI tools. Check out the company: https://www.producttranquility.com Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory 👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 - Why Your SaaS Pricing Model is Obsolete 02:05 - The Value vs. Cost Dilemma of AI 03:20 - Foundation Models vs. AI Applications 07:15 - Why AI Product Prices Are So Inconsistent 11:15 - The Power of Long-Tail Distributions in Pricing 17:05 - The Problem with Capped "Unlimited" Plans 19:10 - Why AI Companies Are Hardware Constrained 24:30 - The 2 Axes of a Smart AI Pricing Strategy 28:00 - The #1 AI Pricing Mistake: Showing Your "Underpants" 31:30 - The Psychology of Value-Based Pricing 📈 WORK WITH ME ▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate ▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min

  6. 17 OCT

    How I Get a 70% Reply Rate on LinkedIn DMs (CEO of an 8-Figure Agency)

    How do you get a 70% reply rate on LinkedIn DMs? In this episode, I sit down with Gabe Lullo, CEO of the 8-figure sales development agency Alleyoop, who shares his exact method for filling his sales pipeline every single day. Gabe unpacks the hard truths about modern sales, explaining why most LinkedIn outreach is just noise and how hyper-personalized voice notes can get you a 7x higher response rate. He also breaks down his "calls and content" strategy, why prospecting for one hour daily is more effective than batching it once a week , and the critical difference between being a founder and being a CEO. Check out the company: https://alleyoop.io Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory 👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 - The #1 Rule for a Full Sales Pipeline 01:10 - Why Daily Prospecting Beats Weekly Batching 06:15 - Founder vs. CEO: Why You're Not Who You Think You Are 09:30 - My Secret to a 70% Reply Rate on LinkedIn DMs 11:00 - Why LinkedIn Voice Notes Get 7x More Replies 15:00 - The "Doctor" Method of Selling 23:30 - "Calls & Content": The LinkedIn Growth Strategy 25:15 - How to "Build in Public" When You Have Zero Customers 29:10 - A 3-Step Plan for LinkedIn Prospecting 31:25 - The One Thing I Wish I Started 13 Years Ago 📈 WORK WITH ME ▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate ▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  7. 14 OCT

    Why 80% of Leaders Are Dangerously Behind on AI

    A shocking statistic reveals that 80% of leaders are dangerously behind on AI, and the window to catch up is closing fast. Most are trapped by day-to-day "urgent" tasks, ignoring the "important" work of AI adoption that will determine their company's future. In this episode, executive coach and founder of NewPo, Arielle Lechner, explains why so many leaders are failing to integrate AI and provides a clear roadmap to get started. We discuss how AI is transforming industries like executive coaching with tools like custom GPTs, how to automate workflows to save countless hours, and why you need to start thinking of AI as the most powerful assistant you've never hired. Check out the company: https://newpo.io Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory 👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 - The Shocking Stat: 80% of Leaders Are Ignoring AI 02:25 - The "Urgent vs. Important" Trap Killing Your Business 05:05 - Will a Custom GPT Replace Your Executive Coach? 07:20 - How to Create a "Digital Twin" of Your Favorite Experts 11:00 - The AI Workflow That Saves 20+ Hours of Work 15:00 - A Coach's Secret to Delivering More Value with AI 20:15 - Building Your Personal "Digital Twin" in ChatGPT 28:30 - The "All or Nothing" Mindset 33:05 - The #1 Thing Most People Know They Should Do (But Don't) 📈 WORK WITH ME ▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate ▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min

  8. 10 OCT

    Is Your Work Ethic Secretly Sabotaging Your Business?

    What if your "great" work ethic is secretly sabotaging your business? It's a tough question, but one every founder needs to confront. The toxic hustle culture sold by Silicon Valley isn't just unhealthy, it's often unprofitable. In this episode, Personal Growth Advisor Brad Farris joins me to dismantle the "grind" mindset. We explore why overworking kills the creativity needed for breakthroughs , and how things like sleep, exercise, and hobbies are actually critical tools for productivity and sustainable success. If you're an entrepreneur chasing growth without burning out, this conversation will shift your entire approach to work. Check out the company: https://anchoradvisors.com Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory 👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot Inquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 - The Hustle Culture Lie Pushed By VCs 02:15 - Why Grinding Kills Your Creativity 04:00 - The Biggest Threat to Your Business Is Your Own Health 07:30 - How "Doom Scrolling" Destroys Your Sleep & Productivity 11:25 - A Growth Advisor's 3-Step Calendar Audit 15:10 - The "Who Not How" Principle to Stop Drowning in Work 21:40 - Why Hobbies Like Archery & Golf Are Business Tools 27:00 - Using Meditation to Find Quiet in the Chaos 30:22 - The Most Important Lesson of My Life 📈 WORK WITH ME ▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory ▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate ▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
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About

We Live to Build is the raw, no-fluff interview series for high-performance founders and CEOs who are scaling 5+ figure businesses and want to grow faster without burning out. Hosted by serial founder and angel investor Sean Weisbrot, each episode delivers tactical conversations with battle-tested operators, unpacking the mental models, systems, and automation strategies that drive sustainable success. If you're obsessed with scaling smart, optimizing for mental resilience, and building teams and products that don’t rely on your constant presence, these interviews were recorded for you. Expect honest talk about leadership, delegation, AI tools, cost reduction, psychology, and how to stop being the bottleneck in your business. We’re not here to inspire, we’re here to equip. Subscribe and upgrade how you build. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Sean Weisbrot
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    276
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    We Live to Build