The Step One Podcast

Morris Chavin

The Step One Podcast gives young people real tools and practical advice to succeed in business and take step one into entrepreneurship. We bring on founders building companies to break down their process and derive principles listeners can apply in any industry. Hosted by Morris Chavin, a 17 year old building businesses myself, the audience learns alongside me. With honest, direct conversations and shared resources, Step One makes entrepreneurship less lonely and more practical than the vague inspiration dominating online business content.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    The $3 Trillion Opportunity Most People Are Ignoring

    Most people are chasing tech startups, going to college, and working jobs with a salary ceiling. Meanwhile, one of the biggest wealth transfers in American history is happening right now — and almost nobody your age is paying attention.In this episode, we sit down with Leon, a Soviet Union immigrant who arrived in America at 26 years old with $200 in his pocket, no English, and a daughter in his arms. He went on to build and operate over 15 businesses across multiple industries, transfer 24 professional soccer players into the English Premier League and Bundesliga, and become one of the most experienced business transition advisors in the country.What he shares in this episode might completely change how you think about wealth, entrepreneurship, and what you should actually be doing in your 20s and 30s.In this episode:Why $3 trillion in business assets are about to change hands — and how young people can position themselves to buyThe real reason baby boomers are selling their businesses and why most buyers aren't readyWhy Leon thinks buying a small business beats going to college for the right personThe air conditioning distributor doing $100 million a year that nobody talks aboutHow to know when you're ready to leave your job and go all in on a businessThe difference between an educated risk and a reckless oneWhat Leon learned building 15 businesses that Harvard Business School will never teach youWhy Leon came to America with $200 and never once thought about working for someone elseKey Takeaways:The wealth transfer is real. $3 trillion in privately owned businesses will change hands in the next decade.Profitable beats flashy. Home services, distribution, and manufacturing are where real money is being made quietly.Structure matters more than the deal. How you buy or sell a business determines everything.Learn as you go. Leon believes the day you don't learn something new is a wasted day.Don't go halfway. If you're going to buy a business, go all in — but only after the numbers support it.

    49 min
  2. May 31

    02. "Have Two Dollars in Your Pocket" — Dr. Zickmann on Bootstrapping a Global Company

    In this episode of The Step One Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Albert Zickmann: oral surgeon, entrepreneur, and co-founder of one of the world's largest digital dental implant companies. We talk about the reality of entrepreneurship, why most businesses take far longer to succeed than people expect, and the importance of staying patient when progress feels slow.Dr. Zickmann shares how he built his company while still working full-time as a surgeon, why he never raised outside funding, and how being conservative with money helped his business survive and grow. We also discuss the value of education, networking, problem-solving, and learning skills outside your field.Whether you're a student, aspiring entrepreneur, or someone with a business idea, this episode is packed with practical advice on managing risk, building something meaningful, and creating long-term value.⏱️ CHAPTERS AND TIMESTAMPS0:00 - It Will Take Way Longer2:38 - Two Full-Time Jobs Story4:41 - Education Makes You Grow10:51 - Father Called Me Frantic19:45 - A Stranger on a Plane21:43 - Fake Engineering Degree Story22:34 - Implant Costs Only $4!23:30 - Software Became Our Network31:53 - Bread and Oxygen, Same Thing40:15 - Get the Job First45:29 - I Promised My Parents This...48:54 - Educate Yourself, Then Act49:54 - Become a Patent Attorney Yourself!🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who is ready to take their Step One!

    52 min
  3. May 14

    The Real Reason Most Startups Fail, According to a Million Dollar Founder

    What do party games, health insurance, and fixing democracy have in common? More than you'd think. In this debut episode, we sit down with Harry Gottlieb, the serial entrepreneur behind Jackbox Games (You Don't Know Jack, Trivia Murder Party), Jelly Vision, and Unify America, to unpack a career built on one radical idea: boring things don't have to be boring. Harry shares the unfiltered story of how he went from making educational comedy films in his 20s, to building one of the most-played party game franchises on the planet (125 million players a year), to now tackling the most complex problem of all, a broken democracy. We get into the real mechanics of entrepreneurship: how to know when to pivot, why starting small beats studying endlessly, what business school actually gets right (and wrong), and the funding journey from family-and-friends to Series A. Harry also drops the story of the moment Jackbox was literally three months from shutting down, and the $500K personal bet he made to keep it alive. Every episode ends with a real question from a high school or college student. This week: "I have $5,000 and a laptop. What do I do first?" ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS00:00 — The Cage Match vs. The Mountain: Why We Can't Solve Problems 05:05 — Why Learning Is Fun (Until We Make It Not) 09:11 — The Classroom That Changed Everything: "Decisions, Decisions" 09:24 — The Mind's Treasure Chest: Harry's First Educational Film 15:07 — Pivoting to Healthcare: Same Interface, Different Problem 16:33 — Building AI Before AI: Thousands of Recorded Responses by Hand 21:25 — Strong Vision, Big Ears: What the Best Entrepreneurs Have in Common 33:55 — The Game That Turned Everything Around: Fibbage & the Party Pack 39:12 — What Is Unify America and Why Does It Exist? 46:03 — How a Young Person Tackles a Problem That Big 51:11 — Is Entrepreneurship the Best Way to Create Change? Harry's Take 57:37 — Introducing the Student Question Tradition 01:00:33 — Closing & What's Next 🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who’s building something meaningful. #Entrepreneurship#StartupAdvice#BusinessPodcast#FounderStory#HowToStartABusiness#JackboxGames #UnifyAmerica#YouDontKnowJack#HarryGottlieb#YoungEntrepreneurs #CollegeStudents #GenZ #StudentPodcast #FirstGenFounder#HowToPivot#StartupFunding#VentureCapital#BusinessSchool#ProductMarketFit#MinimumViableProduct#EducationReform #Democracy #CivicEngagement #DeliberativeDemocracy #AmericanPolitics#Podcast #PodcastClip #NewPodcast #Interview #BusinessInterview #Motivation #MindsetShift

    1h 1m

About

The Step One Podcast gives young people real tools and practical advice to succeed in business and take step one into entrepreneurship. We bring on founders building companies to break down their process and derive principles listeners can apply in any industry. Hosted by Morris Chavin, a 17 year old building businesses myself, the audience learns alongside me. With honest, direct conversations and shared resources, Step One makes entrepreneurship less lonely and more practical than the vague inspiration dominating online business content.