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This week I sit down with a successful startup founder and professional IRONMAN athlete to discuss the lessons from his 25-year track record in entrepreneurship. Matt Given gives us real-talk on the “healthy” side of obsession, finding patience to make a startup a successful and inevitably, how to reach true domination of your market!  Matt brings a fantastic reminder to all the grinding entrepreneurs out there: success is rarely delivered overnight!

Highlights of This Episode:

  • Obsession: Not just a powerful word, but a process (3:26)
  • The myth of the ‘Overnight Success story’ (6:16)
  • Have Patience: the parallels between Iron Man races and Startups (9:38)
  • Decision Making and Experience: The Rule of the 2% (16:18)
  • DOMINATE: How to do more than just show up to work (21:45)
  • Advice for a Brand New Entrepreneur (30:37)
  • Embrace where you are in the process: Use it to your advantage (40:21)


“Do the easy things RIGHT!”

-Matt Given

Insights from Matt:

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned as an IRONMAN competitor?

  • The little things are the big things.

What’s one word that best describes how you work?

  • Grinding

What are you currently reading?

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

  • Nothing – yet!

What’s your best time-saving trick?

  • Waking up earlier than the competition

 What idea or belief do very few people agree with you on?

  • That waking up at 3:30 am is a good thing!

What’s the best business advice that you’ve received?

  • Embrace the process… embrace the ‘suck’.

Do you have any specific asks or requests of the audience?

Any final thoughts?

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

About Matt Given:

Matt Given is CEO of Intelivideo, the world’s best Video On Demand and Subscription Video On Demand sales and distribution platform. Given has a 25-year track record in entrepreneurship as an operator, founder and investor in technology companies. He has started, grown and exited three technology companies to date, and recently closed a $5.6M funding round for his latest venture, Intelivideo. Given is also an endurance sports junkie, having competed in the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

He regularly speaks to startups, seasoned industry veterans and university students sharing his experiences and tips for success. Given also shares his startup and leadership experience through his weekly column on Inc.com.

“Get out there with what you’ve got… conduct experiments in the market and prove there are people out there that will buy ‘this’.”

 Matt Given

Challenge of the Week: Dominate your current position. If we use this mentality of ‘dominating’ throughout all aspects of our lives, imagine the difference it could make!

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