The Builders Matt Levenhagen

In this enlightening episode of "The Builders," host Matt Levenhagen welcomes Umar Rana, a pioneering figure in the realm of e-commerce and technology solutions. Umar shares his dynamic journey from working for renowned companies to becoming a successful entrepreneur. His story is filled with strategic experiments, innovative solutions, and an unwavering commitment to solving problems, making it an inspiring listen for anyone interested in entrepreneurship and technology.

Umar's entrepreneurial venture began in 2014 with the founding of Alchemative, and since then, he has made significant strides in the e-commerce industry. This episode delves into Umar's methodologies for nurturing organic growth, his passion for experimentation inspired by his upbringing, and his knack for identifying and solving complex problems ahead of the curve. Key topics include the successful implementation of Shopify in Pakistan, the creation of AI-driven payment solutions, and the development of logistics optimization tools.

The conversation also touches on the impact of AI in eCommerce and how Umar integrates it into his solutions. Umar talks about his practical use cases for AI in enhancing logistics and customer interactions, as well as his optimistic view of AI's role in the future of technology. The episode is a must-listen for those looking to understand how to leverage technology for business growth and innovation.

Key Takeaways:


Experimentation and Organic Growth: Umar emphasizes the importance of a flexible, action-oriented approach to business, driven by constant experimentation and problem-solving.
Focus on Core Competencies: Businesses should focus on their strengths and rely on experts for technology solutions, a principle that guided Umar's success with Alchemative.
AI in eCommerce: The strategic use of AI can significantly optimize logistics, enhance customer interactions through conversational commerce, and improve operational efficiencies.
Market Adaptation: Successful business models are those which can predict future market needs and develop solutions proactively.
Global Expansion: Leveraging word-of-mouth and strategic partnerships can facilitate growth into international markets, as demonstrated by Umar's expansion into UAE and other countries.


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In this episode of "The Builders," we explore the dynamics between makers and managers with executive coach Dave Bates. With a wealth of experience from IBM to venture capital, Dave sheds light on the importance of respecting each team member's deep work and how managing interruptions effectively can lead to better team communication and higher performance.

We discuss the critical balance between focused, uninterrupted work and necessary communication, and how both makers and managers can harmonize their workflows to achieve success. Dave offers practical advice on implementing the Eisenhower Matrix, establishing communication protocols, and protecting strategic planning time for leaders.

Whether you're a maker immersed in creation or a manager juggling multiple responsibilities, this episode provides valuable insights to enhance your team's productivity and cohesion.

Key Takeaways:


Executive coaching should be tailored to the individual, focusing on personal growth and specific business goals rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Makers vs. Managers: Recognizing and valuing different work styles and schedules is crucial for fostering a productive team environment.
Effective communication is the backbone of high-performing teams, requiring clearly defined protocols and mutual respect for each role's contributions.
Strategy work is deep, uninterrupted work that is essential for a founder's success and should be protected from unnecessary interruptions.
Organizational success hinges on valuing all team members and their contributions, ensuring cohesive operations toward shared goals.


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In this enlightening solo episode, Matt Levenhagen dives deep into the topic of business specialization in business; whether that's an agency or any business. He shares his experiences in refining his agency's services, highlighting the importance of finding a niche and sticking to it to achieve greater efficiency and higher quality results. Matt provides practical insights and recounts stories from his daily business operations, underlining the real-world applications of narrowing one's focus.

Throughout the conversation, Matt emphasizes the benefits of specializing, particularly in web design and WordPress development, along with the significance of being clear about what your business does and doesn't do.

He underscores how specialization has allowed his team to improve processes, efficiency, and overall client satisfaction. Matt also explains his strategy in dealing with CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) tasks and shares his thoughts on maintaining passion and enjoyment in one's work. These insights are particularly valuable for agencies and businesses looking to hone their core strengths and deliver superior results to their clients.

Key Takeaways:


Specialization Benefits: Specializing in a particular area, like custom web development, allows a business to build expertise, improve quality, and enhance efficiency.
Passion in Work: Passion and enjoyment in what you do are crucial for long-term success and quality improvement.
Client Relationships: Clear communication of services and limitations is essential in building strong, trust-based client relationships.
Process Improvement: Specializing helps streamline processes, allowing teams to become more productive and proficient over time.
Learning from Experience: Each project, whether successful or not, offers valuable lessons that contribute to refining skills and services.


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In this solo episode of The Builders Podcast, I’m diving deep into my latest ventures and sharing how all my digital projects interconnect. This episode is all about transparency—what I’ve been up to, how I envision the flow of traffic across my various sites, and the overarching strategy that binds them together.

I discuss the intricacies of balancing multiple projects, from agency work to developing WordPress plugins, and how each piece of my digital puzzle complements the others. You’ll hear about my content creation strategies, the challenges of maintaining tech quality, and my personal journey of building a brand around diversified interests.

Join me for an insightful look at the innovative journey of a multifaceted entrepreneur, and learn how you can enhance engagement through compelling content and strategic partnerships.

Key Topics


Technical Challenges: Overcoming podcast audio issues and navigating unscripted episodes.
Unified Toolkit: Enhancing the WordPress admin experience with custom plugins.
Content Strategy: Creating a cohesive content strategy for multiple blogs and websites.
Brand Integration: Building products that align with agency services.
Innovative Solutions: Developing and using custom plugins to solve practical problems.
Affiliate Program: Insights into developing an affiliate program to boost plugin sales.
Personal Insights: Sharing personal experiences and the roller coaster journey I envision my visitors taking. A fun roller coaster! 😀

Tune in to get a firsthand update on what’s been keeping me busy and how I’m strategically navigating the digital landscape to create a unified and engaging experience for my audience.


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In this solo episode, Matt Levenhagen delves into the intricacies of building strong business relationships, focusing on his new lead magnet, "Outsourcing Fit." He kicks off the discussion by sharing the inspiration and process behind creating the guide, emphasizing the importance of developing a lead magnet that aligns with your passion and business vision.

Matt transitions into a thorough exploration of the first pillar of successful outsourcing: Relationship Fit. He outlines the key elements that make a successful business partnership and stresses the significance of shared values, trust, and effective communication in fostering fruitful collaborations. Through various anecdotes and real-life case studies, Matt illustrates how strategic partnerships and strong relationship foundations have propelled his agency to new heights.

Key Takeaways:


Building Trust: Establishing long-term trust with clients and partners is crucial for navigating crises effectively.
Transparency and Communication: Open and honest communication helps in resolving issues and fostering healthy business relationships.
Importance of Alignment: Ensuring cultural and operational alignment is essential for successful outsourcing and collaboration.
Staying Connected: Regular check-ins and personal touchpoints strengthen business relationships and create lasting bonds.
Passion-Driven Success: Aligning your business efforts with your passions can enhance motivation and the likelihood of success.


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In this engaging episode, host Matt sits down with Danny Nathan, the forward-thinking founder of Apollo 21. They delve into the world of product development, customer-centric innovation, and the significance of lean customer development. Danny shares his professional journey from the realm of traditional advertising to becoming a key player in the innovation sector, emphasizing the importance of building products that solve genuine customer problems.

Danny discusses the methodology behind Apollo 21’s success, highlighting the principle of “Crawl Walk Run” in product development. This approach emphasizes starting small, validating ideas through customer feedback, and gradually scaling to meet larger business goals. He also touches on how innovation shouldn’t just be about creating new things but also understanding and embedding meaningful changes within an organization’s culture and operations.

Key Takeaways:


Lean Customer Development: Begin the product development process by talking to customers to understand their pain points before building anything.
Crawl Walk Run: Start with the smallest thing that can be built to create value, then iterate and expand based on customer feedback.
Relentless Collaboration: Build strong trust-based relationships with clients to ensure successful partnerships and product outcomes.
Expect Clients to Outgrow You: Develop a mindset that allows clients to eventually internalize operations, fostering long-term trust and collaboration.
Focus on Solving Real Problems: Ensure that any product or innovation effort is centered around addressing genuine customer needs.


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