The Startup Ideas Podcast

In this episode, I am joined by Dan Shipper, co-Founder and CEO of Every, as we explore a wide range of AI startup ideas and business opportunitiesTimestamps:00:00 - Intro01:12 - Startup Idea 1: Advanced Voice Notes 08:59 - Startup Idea 2: N of 1: Personalized Data Science Marketplace 16:12 - Startup Idea 3: Great Books Reimagined28:28 - Trend to Watch: Voice-First Products 34:33 - Distribution Strategy for AI Apps1) Advanced Voice Notes Imagine voice notes you can actually talk to!- Record your thoughts while walking• AI creates smart summaries• Team members can "interview" the recording• Get deeper context without endless follow-up questionsThe future of media might be media you can talk to.2) N of 1: Personalized Data Science Marketplace Remember Netflix's $1M algorithm challenge?Now ANYONE can be a data scientist with GPT-4.- Post personal/business datasets• Set bounties for predictions• Perfect for health tracking• New way to do personalized scienceMarket size: Think Kaggle but for everyone.3) Great Books Reimagined Classic literature is valuable but hard to digest.The opportunity:• AI-powered modern translations• Format classics for specific audiences• Create multimedia versions• Add interactive elementsTwo markets:- Students (massive TAM)- Business intellectuals (high willingness to pay)4) The Luxury AI Paradox Key insight: As AI makes things cheaper, human-made becomes luxury.Examples:• Broadway shows• Handmade clothing• Mechanical watchesOpportunity: Look for what AI is making cheap, then create premium human-made alternatives.5) Voice-First Products Huge trend: Kids growing up with voice interfaces (Apple Watch + Siri)Opportunities:• Voice-first travel booking• Conversational commerce• Voice-native discovery enginesTAM: Could capture 1-5% of existing markets just by being voice-first.6) Distribution Strategy for AI Apps Dan's approach:• Build media presence first• Target like-minded audience• Use early adopters for feedback• Start with YouTube → funnel to email• Product-led growth after initial tractionWant more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideasLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenbergInstagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND DAN ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://x.com/danshipperLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danshipper/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EveryInc/videosEvery: https://every.toSpiral: https://spiral.computer/Sparkle: https://makeitsparkle.co

Join me as I chat with Jacky Chou, a serial entrepreneur, as we dive deep into growth hacking opportunities. Jacky shares his strategies and frameworks for how to growth hack businesses using SEO and keyword research.Timestamps00:00 Intro01:46 Most AI companies are leaving money on the table11:04 Paid Ads for InteriorAI15:04 Jacky's million dollar SEO plan with Reddit21:13 Other Neglected Platforms to beat VC-funded startups24:57 Startup Idea 1: NSFW AI O.F. 35:31 Community Building in 20241) Most AI companies are leaving money on the tableCase study: InteriorAI (by Pieter Levels)- Missing out on ~50K/month- Could monetize through affiliate content- Should create blog targeting high-value keywords- Opportunity for "retail rank & rent" ($1-2K/month per placement)2) Jacky's million dollar SEO plan with Reddit:- Find keywords where Reddit ranks #2 (tons right now!)- Share your product as a "user" (no links!)- Target all related long-tail keywords- Look at AI-related terms (massive growth)- Replicate across Quora, Medium, LinkedIn3) Keyword Research Gold:"AI video generator" trends:- Search volume is exploding- Reddit ranking #2 consistently- CBC around $1.50- Huge opportunity for indie hackers- Most big players ignoring UGC platforms4) Dark Horse Opportunity: Adult AI Market- Extremely low keyword difficulty (KD: 2)- High search volume- Most competitors doing poor execution- AI chat + OF management tools needed- Mid 6-7 figures/month potential(Not for everyone, but opportunity exists)5) Community Building in 2024:- @JackieChou hitting $80K/month- Built from 15K YouTube subs- Key: Sell transformation, not just community- Focus on membership benefits- Bundle partnerships/toolsKey Takeaway:To win in 2024: Do what VC-funded startups won't:- Target neglected platforms- Create authentic content- Build real communities- Ignore "brand concerns" early- Focus on actual user valueWant more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideasLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenbergInstagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND JACKY ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://x.com/indexsyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacky-chou/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@indexsy/videosAdvise: https://advise.so/apply/

Join me as I chat with Omar Choudhry, a serial entrepreneur, as we dive deep into how to build and scale directories. Omar shares his strategies and frameworks for how to use AI and SEO to build and scale cash flowing directories.Episode Timestamps00:00 Intro04:26 Overview of GuiltyChef.com06:56 The Power of Schema in SEO14:04 Traffic 18:07 Monetization Potential24:34 Overview of bestdubai.com32:09 Live Cooking Session: Building a Directory35:47 Using Apify for Data Scraping39:54 Using Claude for organizing information and data44:01 Setting Up Zapier for Automation55:26 Formatting data on Claude 1:06:42 Building a Comprehensive Directory1) First directory: GuilteyChef.com- AI-generated recipes from top restaurants- Went from 0 to 100k monthly visitors in 7 months- Built in ONE week as a side project- Already monetizing with $2.99 recipe packsKey insight: People want to recreate restaurant dishes at home2) Second directory: BestDubai.com- Bought domain for $1.2k (incredible deal)- Competing with TripAdvisor in just 30 days- AI-generated reviews & scores- Automated everythingSmart move: Added referral tags to outbound links = restaurants see traffic source3) The Tech Stack - Webflow for website- Zapier for automation- Claude AI for content- Apify for data scraping- Google Sheets as input- Python snippets for formattingNo coding experience needed!4) The Secret Sauce: Schema markupOmar uses AI to generate perfect schema for each pageWhy it matters:- Helps Google understand content- Gets rich snippets in search- Ranks above established sites- Most competitors do this wrong5) The Process:1. Get place ID from Google Maps2. Scrape data using Appify3. Format data for Claude4. Generate content with AI5. Push to Webflow CMS6. Auto-generate everythingOne place ID = complete page with images, content & SEO6) Monetization strategies:- Premium recipe packs- Restaurant partnerships- Ingredient affiliate links- Sponsored listings- Brand partnerships- Custom AI toolsPro tip: Let restaurants find YOU through analytics7) Key Learning:You can now compete with giants like TripAdvisor using:- Smart AI automation- Proper schema markup- Geographic targeting- Language optimization- Clean UX designBudget needed: Under $2k The future of directories is here. Time to build!Want more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideasLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenbergInstagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND OMAR ON SOCIAL5 Day Sprint - Build with AI: https://www.skool.com/5-day-sprint/aboutInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/omarchoudhry/X/Twitter: https://x.com/OmarChoudhryLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarchoudhry/?originalSubdomain=uk

Join me as I chat with Jonathan Courtney, Co-Founder and CEO of AJ&Smart, as we dive deep into Black Friday Campaign strategy. Jonathan shares his strategies and frameworks for leveraging Black Friday regardless of what type of business you run. Episode Timestamps00:00 - Intro01:15 - The Importance of Black Friday for Businesses04:21 - Types of Black Friday Sales05:01 - Case Study: Endel's Renewal Strategy08:49 - Comparing Strategies: MagicMind and AG112:48 - Apple's Unique Approach to Black Friday14:25 - Creative E-commerce Strategies20:12 - Bundling Products for Black Friday22:51 - Startup Idea 1:  Black Friday Agency27:55 - Gamifying Promo Codes29:59 - Our Black Friday Buys31:41 - Live Streaming as a Sales Strategy1) The Store Credit HackInstead of basic "20% off" - tell customers they have $21.63 in store credit expiring soonWhy it works:• Feels like "their money"• Specific numbers boost authenticity• Creates urgency2) The Premium PlayHow luxury brands do Black Friday:• No discounts• Give gift cards with purchase• Example: Apple gives $200 creditKeeps brand prestige while driving sales 3) The Bundle BuilderFour Sigmatic's genius approach:• Interactive bundle builder• Unlocks bigger discounts at $59/$99• Shows real-time savings• Makes shopping funSteal this for your store 4) The Bonus StackMagicMind's approach:• Start with core discount• Add digital product access• Include physical gifts• Stack more bonuses as week progressesPsychology: Value over Discount5) The Subscription PushSaaS playbook:• Offer renewal discounts• Add exclusive bonuses• Example: Endel does 50% off + premium gifts• Works for any subscription business6) The QVC StrategyModern twist:• Run 12-hour livestream sales• Show limited quantities• Create FOMO• Add exclusive bundles• Perfect for influencer brands7) The Campaign TimelineSmart businesses:• Plan 6 months ahead• Start ads 3 days before• Build waiting lists• Layer in bonuses• Peak on Friday8) The Profit RealityTruth bomb:• Could make 1-2 months revenue in 1 week• Some brands make yearly revenue• Even "bad" years saved by Black Friday• Ignoring it = leaving millions on tableRemember: Black Friday isn't just a discount day.It's a strategic revenue event that can make your entire year.Don't flub itWant more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideasLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenbergInstagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND JONATHAN ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JicecreamLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-courtney-4510644b/AJ&Smart: https://ajsmart.com/