The Entrepreneur Experiment

Gary Fox

Discover how world-class entrepreneurs, elite thinkers, and peak performers master success in business, body, and brain. Every week, I sit down with extraordinary people to explore how they build thriving businesses, maintain peak physical health, and cultivate sharp, resilient minds. Together, we’ll discover the habits, systems, and experiments they use to create their unique formulas for success. Join me as you learn how to build like a founder, train like an athlete, and think like an artist—so we can all find our formula for success. This isn’t just a podcast; it’s a blueprint for a new kind of founder—one who balances ambition with wellness, hard work with mental fitness, and success with purpose.

  1. Why 10x Goals Are Easier Than 10% Ones: 5 Scaling Secrets from Google X & Zalando with Sean Mullaney

    2 DAYS AGO

    Why 10x Goals Are Easier Than 10% Ones: 5 Scaling Secrets from Google X & Zalando with Sean Mullaney

    What if the reason your business isn't scaling is that you're aiming 10% higher when you should be aiming 10x? Sean Mullaney has been a founder three times, led engineering at Google X's moonshot factory, scaled Zalando from €1bn to €10bn, and is now building Seapoint - the business bank designed from the ground up for founders. In this episode, he unpacks the systems, mindsets, and decisions behind 25 years in tech, and why he believes we're living through the most exciting moment in business history. You'll learn how to spot a real technology shift vs. a fad, why "thinking in systems" is the single biggest unlock for any founder, how to give and receive the kind of brutal feedback that actually grows people, and why AI is the most optimistic story in tech right now — not the scariest. Whether you're pre-seed or scaling past your first million, this one's packed with frameworks you can use on Monday morning. SHOW NOTES: What you'll learn: Why aiming for 10x better is often easier than 10% better (the Google X philosophy) How to tell a genuine technology shift from a passing fad The "thinking in systems" framework Sean uses to run every part of Seapoint Why most business banks are built for bankers, not founders — and what Seapoint is doing differently How to give and receive brutally honest feedback (and why it's the greatest gift you can get) Sean's contrarian, optimistic take on AI and what it means for founders, workers, and society Why he'd back a 17-to-20-year-old founder over almost anyone else Key moments: Sean's first startup: web-to-SMS restaurant bookings built in a dorm room Lessons from the dot-com boom and how it mirrors today's AI wave Inside Google X: how moonshot thinking actually works in practice Scaling Zalando from €1bn to €10bn — the systems that made it possible Why Sean started Seapoint and what makes it different from every other business bank The books, advice, and mindsets that shaped his journey Recommended book: Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows Connect with Sean: Website: https://www.seapoint.co/ LinkedIn: Sean Mullaney (DMs open - make it interesting!): https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanmullaney/ *Our Sponsors * Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostra26 Azure: https://bit.ly/azure26  Follow The Entrepreneur Experiment: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurexperiment/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneurexperiment

    1hr 46min
  2. EE492 - From Glofox to WellFest: Anthony Kelly on Timing, Scale, and Redefining Success Beyond Business

    17 APR

    EE492 - From Glofox to WellFest: Anthony Kelly on Timing, Scale, and Redefining Success Beyond Business

    In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Anthony Kelly - entrepreneur, co-founder of Glofox, and co-founder of WellFest - for a wide-ranging conversation on building in the health and wellness space long before it became mainstream. From spotting the early signals in boutique fitness and turning that into a global software company, to building one of Ireland’s best-known wellness festivals over a decade, Anthony shares what it really takes to grow in a category that is evolving in real time. He opens up about the importance of timing, niche focus, culture, and hiring, how Glofox scaled internationally and navigated the shock of Covid, and what it was like to eventually join forces with ABC Fitness. But this episode goes beyond business too. Anthony reflects on identity, obsessive founder energy, male health, emotional resilience, and why more honest, conversational spaces are needed for people to figure out what actually works for them. If you’re building a business, navigating growth, or trying to create a life that works beyond just work, this is a thoughtful and deeply valuable episode. Show notes In this episode, we cover: 🔥 How Anthony spotted the shift in boutique fitness before the market fully exploded 🚀 The early Glofox story: from agency work to building a SaaS platform for gyms 💡 Why niche focus gave Glofox an edge in a crowded software market 📈 Growing from early traction to global expansion across Ireland, the US and Australia 🌍 What it takes to build enterprise relationships and win major fitness franchise clients 🧠 The hiring lessons Anthony learned the hard way, and what he now looks for in great people 🏗️ Why culture is built by behaviour, not by slogans or slide decks 🦠 How Glofox and WellFest both survived Covid - and what that period revealed about community 🎟️ The decade-long journey of building WellFest into a major wellness brand 👥 Why Anthony believes men need more spaces built around listening, not lecturing 🪞 The identity trap many founders fall into when business becomes everything ⚖️ Redefining success through business, body and brain - and building a life that works as a whole 🔁 A practical reset exercise for anyone trying to change the story they tell themselves Links and resources Anthony Kelly LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anthonykelly81 Glofox: glofox.com/lp/gym-management-software-revenue/ WellFest: https://www.wellfest.ie/ *Our Sponsors * Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostra26 Azure: https://bit.ly/azure26  Follow The Entrepreneur Experiment: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurexperiment/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneurexperiment

    1hr 39min
  3. EE491 - Nir Eyal: Why Smart People Stay Stuck, And How To Break Out Of It

    9 APR

    EE491 - Nir Eyal: Why Smart People Stay Stuck, And How To Break Out Of It

    In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Nir Eyal — bestselling author of Hooked, Indistractable, and Beyond Belief - for a masterclass on the psychology of belief, persistence, and entrepreneurial thinking. Together, they explore why success is so often less about intelligence, resources, or talent, and more about what you believe is possible. Drawing on psychology, behavioural science, and real-world entrepreneurial examples, Nir explains why some people spot opportunities everywhere while others walk straight past them. This is a fascinating conversation about the beliefs that quietly shape your decisions, your motivation, and your ability to keep going when things get hard. From “entrepreneurial alertness” to limiting beliefs, predictive processing, and the surprising science of persistence, Nir breaks down how founders can train themselves to see differently, act differently, and ultimately build more than they thought possible. If you’ve ever felt stuck, doubted yourself, or wondered why some people seem able to create momentum where others hesitate, this episode is for you. Show Notes In this episode, we cover: 🔥 Why intelligence is not the best predictor of entrepreneurial success 🧠 The difference between facts, faith, and belief 💡 Why beliefs are tools, not truths 👀 The concept of entrepreneurial alertness and why founders literally see opportunities others miss 🍀 What a simple “luck” experiment reveals about attention and opportunity 🐀 The famous rat study that shows how hope can radically increase persistence 📈 Why success in business, body, and brain comes down to persistence more than talent 🚫 The real reason most people fail: they quit or never start 🔺 Nir’s model of motivation: behaviour, benefit, and belief ⛓️ The difference between limiting beliefs and liberating beliefs 🪞 Why it’s easier to spot everyone else’s limiting beliefs than your own 🌍 How past experiences and “priors” shape what you notice in the world 🎯 Why we don’t see reality as it is — we see a prediction of reality 📱 The role of negativity bias, social media, and fear in keeping us passive ⚡ How changing your beliefs can change what you see, feel, and do as a founderLinks & Resources Connect with Nir Eyal Nir Eyal official website: nirandfar.com Beyond Belief: nirandfar.com/beyond-belief/ Indistractable: nirandfar.com/indistractable/ Hooked: nirandfar.com/hooked/ *Our Sponsors * Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostra26 Azure: https://bit.ly/azure26

    1 hr
  4. 2 APR

    EE490 - 1 Product, €3M Revenue, 450 Stores: The Gigi Story with Jennie Haire and Lisa Hughes

    In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Jennie and Lisa, the founders of Gigi, the women’s health brand rethinking hormonal support through premium, evidence-led supplements. From working as registered nutritional therapists to building a fast-growing consumer brand, Jennie and Lisa share how their clinical experience led them to spot a major gap in the market: women being told to take multiple supplements for PMS and hormone balance, with no simple, targeted solution in sight. What followed was a crash course in product development, manufacturing, branding, retail, cashflow, and persistence. They open up about the reality of building a product-based business from scratch — from begging manufacturers to take a chance on them, to selling out their first production run in just two weeks, to learning the hard way how brutal stockouts can be when demand outpaces supply. They also share how social media, education, and bringing customers behind the scenes helped them build trust early and create real momentum. This is a powerful conversation about solving a genuine problem, building in a capital-intensive category, and creating a brand with purpose in a space that has long underserved women. 🎧 Show Notes In this episode, we cover: 🔥 How Jennie and Lisa turned clinical insight into a fast-growing women’s health brand 🚀 The lightbulb moment behind Gigi and why they started with one hero product 🧠 Why the best business ideas come from momentum, frustration, and seeing a real problem up close 💊 The flaw in asking women to take 4–5 different supplements for one issue 🏭 What it really takes to find a manufacturer when you have no track record ✈️ The trip to Paris that changed everything for the business 📦 Minimum order quantities, funding pressure, and the realities of cash-heavy product businesses 💸 How they used grants, personal capital, and negotiation to get their first production run made 📱 Why social media and education were key to winning their first customers 💌 How documenting the journey built an email list and a loyal early audience 🛒 Selling direct-to-consumer while also expanding into pharmacy and retail 📈 The operational stress of selling out — and why “high demand” can still create huge problems 🌊 Why branding mattered, and how they built a women’s health product that didn’t look overly clinical ❤️ Building a business that genuinely improves women’s lives, while also building a commercially viable company 💬 Standout Quote “There has to be a better way.” That simple frustration became the foundation for Gigi — and the catalyst for building a product designed to genuinely improve women’s quality of life. Links & Resources Gigi: https://gigisupplements.com/ Follow Jennie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennie.haire/ Follow Lisa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisahughes_nt/ Follow Gigi Supplements: https://www.instagram.com/gigisupplements/ *Our Sponsors * Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostra26 Azure: https://bit.ly/azure26  Follow The Entrepreneur Experiment: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurexperiment/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneurexperiment

    1hr 30min
  5. EE488 - Ken Rideout: Why Most People Never Find Out What They’re Capable Of

    26 MAR

    EE488 - Ken Rideout: Why Most People Never Find Out What They’re Capable Of

    In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Ken Rideout for a conversation that goes far beyond endurance sport. Yes, they talk about marathons, HYROX, discipline, and what it really feels like to stand on a start line ready to compete — but this episode is really about identity, effort, masculinity, parenting, business ambition, and the mindset required to keep going when life gets hard. Ken opens up about what success actually means to him, why he believes failure is simply not trying, and how he’s learned to reframe adversity — from losing jobs to helping his wife through cancer treatment. He shares his brutally honest view that most people underestimate what they’re capable of, explains why he’s driven more by discipline than motivation, and reveals the internal pressure, imposter syndrome, and dark mental places that often sit beneath elite performance. This is not a polished “morning routine” conversation. It’s a raw, funny, provocative and deeply human episode about competing hard, living truthfully, protecting your energy, and building a life where you do more of what matters - and less of what doesn’t. Show Notes In this episode, we cover: 🔥 Why Ken believes success is rooted in family, friendship, and community — not status 💥 His definition of failure: not trying 🏃 The mindset he brings to marathons, HYROX, and elite competition 🧠 Why discipline matters more than motivation 😬 The imposter syndrome and insecurity behind high performance 📚 How Ken’s story went from “toiling in darkness” to bestselling author and major podcast guest 👊 Why he thinks 99% of people underestimate their own potential 🏠 Parenting, social media boundaries, and raising strong kids in a soft world 💼 His business philosophy: make enough money so you never have to do things you don’t want to do ⌚ The tools he actually uses: Whoop, sauna, cold plunge, and his beloved 8 Sleep setup 😅 Why he hates LinkedIn, protects his relationships, and refuses to be performative online * Our Sponsors * Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostra26 Azure: https://bit.ly/azure26 About Ken Rideout: Ken’s Book: Everything You Want Is On The Other Side of Hard: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ Follow Ken on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ken_rideout/?hl=en Follow Ken on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ken_rideout Ken Rideout on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ken_rideout Follow The Entrepreneur Experiment On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurexperiment/ On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@entrepreneurexperiment

    53 min

About

Discover how world-class entrepreneurs, elite thinkers, and peak performers master success in business, body, and brain. Every week, I sit down with extraordinary people to explore how they build thriving businesses, maintain peak physical health, and cultivate sharp, resilient minds. Together, we’ll discover the habits, systems, and experiments they use to create their unique formulas for success. Join me as you learn how to build like a founder, train like an athlete, and think like an artist—so we can all find our formula for success. This isn’t just a podcast; it’s a blueprint for a new kind of founder—one who balances ambition with wellness, hard work with mental fitness, and success with purpose.

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