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School of Hard Knocks Podcast cover
School of Hard Knocks Podcast cover

School of Hard Knocks Podcast

School of Hard Knocks Podcast

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School of Hard Knocks Podcast cover
School of Hard Knocks Podcast cover

School of Hard Knocks Podcast

School of Hard Knocks Podcast

Subscribe

Description

Feauturing the Worlds Top Entrepreneurs and Creators

Brought to you by The School of Hard Knocks


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

Feauturing the Worlds Top Entrepreneurs and Creators

Brought to you by The School of Hard Knocks


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

26 episodes

  • Brent Franklin | Broke at 26, Sued, And Became a Multi-Millionaire. How To Turn Rock Bottom Into Power And Empires cover
    Brent Franklin | Broke at 26, Sued, And Became a Multi-Millionaire. How To Turn Rock Bottom Into Power And Empires cover
    Brent Franklin | Broke at 26, Sued, And Became a Multi-Millionaire. How To Turn Rock Bottom Into Power And Empires

    Brant is a ninth-grade dropout who went from sleeping in a garage and mowing lawns for $23 an hour to risking it all on oil wells, losing millions, getting sued, and still refusing to quit. That same obsession and grit turned his failures into fuel, and today he’s built multi-million-dollar companies in oil, real estate, and beyond, chasing a nine-figure future. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Brant reveals how he turned rock-bottom into an empire, why the fastest way to win is putting yourself in the right rooms, and how betting on yourself can change everything. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    1h51 | Published on September 17, 2025

  • Abdulla Kudrath | Broke Immigrant to Multi-Industry Mogul: How He Built 14 Businesses From Scratch cover
    Abdulla Kudrath | Broke Immigrant to Multi-Industry Mogul: How He Built 14 Businesses From Scratch cover
    Abdulla Kudrath | Broke Immigrant to Multi-Industry Mogul: How He Built 14 Businesses From Scratch

    Abdulla Kudrath went from broke immigrant to empire builder through sheer discipline, radical self-responsibility, and an unshakable mindset. From poverty to launching 14 companies across multiple industries, Abdulla has become a doctor, actor, world traveler, and founder of his own medical facilities. In this episode, he reveals how extreme ownership transformed his life, why excuses are deadly, and the mindset shifts that turned struggle into unstoppable growth. If you’re ready to stop blaming and start building, this conversation will change how you see success. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    58min | Published on September 11, 2025

  • Joshua Crisp | $11.3M in a Day Without Finishing High School cover
    Joshua Crisp | $11.3M in a Day Without Finishing High School cover
    Joshua Crisp | $11.3M in a Day Without Finishing High School

    Joshua Crisp went from sleeping on an air mattress in his family’s one-bedroom apartment, working for $7.25 an hour, and eating ramen every day to making $11.3 million in a single day. With only a 9th grade education, no degree, no connections, he refused to settle for mediocrity. Through sacrifice, obsession, and an all‑in mindset, he turned bath bombs into a best‑selling product, built a digital marketing empire, and became a sought‑after mentor and speaker. In this episode, Joshua shares how he turned rock bottom into rocket fuel and the strategies that took him from broke felon to multi‑millionaire. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    1h15 | Published on August 8, 2025

  • Anne Mahlum | $110M Founder on Betting It All, Turning Trauma Into Power, and Building Solidcore from Scratch cover
    Anne Mahlum | $110M Founder on Betting It All, Turning Trauma Into Power, and Building Solidcore from Scratch cover
    Anne Mahlum | $110M Founder on Betting It All, Turning Trauma Into Power, and Building Solidcore from Scratch

    Anne Mahlum risked it all. Her last $175,000, no investors, no backup plan, just pure belief. Before Solidcore, she was broke, alone, and leading a nonprofit for the homeless, fueled by the trauma of growing up with an addicted father. But she turned pain into purpose, and that purpose into a $90 million empire. Today, with a net worth of $110 million, Anne is living proof that excuses don’t build legacies, courage does. In this episode, she opens up about betting on herself, building from zero, and the mindset it takes to win big. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    41min | Published on July 30, 2025

  • John Devaney | He Lost $200 Million in 2008...Then Made It All Back cover
    John Devaney | He Lost $200 Million in 2008...Then Made It All Back cover
    John Devaney | He Lost $200 Million in 2008...Then Made It All Back

    He was poor, went broke, and still made $90K on his first deal. By 28, John Devaney bought a brokerage firm and turned it into a money-printing machine: $5M in year one, $25M in year two, $45M in year three. At the peak, his firm was making $110M in pure profit. Then 2008 wiped him out. He lost over $200M… and came back swinging. In this episode, John breaks down how he rebuilt from zero, launched a $200M fund, and pulled off 100%+ returns in the most brutal bond markets. Today, he’s not just killing it in finance, he’s producing films with a mission. This is what happens when you bet big, get crushed, and don’t quit. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    47min | Published on July 21, 2025

  • Alli Webb | Drybar Founder Who Started From $0 and Sold for $255M on Reinvention, Grit, and Building a Beauty Empire cover
    Alli Webb | Drybar Founder Who Started From $0 and Sold for $255M on Reinvention, Grit, and Building a Beauty Empire cover
    Alli Webb | Drybar Founder Who Started From $0 and Sold for $255M on Reinvention, Grit, and Building a Beauty Empire

    Alli Webb is one of the most unexpected and badass entrepreneurs in the beauty world. What started as a side hustle blowdrying hair for cheap quickly turned into a nationwide movement. With zero outside funding and a deep desire to feel alive again, she launched Drybar—a blowout-only salon that exploded across the U.S. and eventually sold for $255 million. In this raw and powerful episode, Alli opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of building a brand with her ex-husband and brother, what it took to scale Drybar into a household name, and how entrepreneurship helped her find herself again. She also shares the vision behind her new venture, Messy, a product line that embraces imperfection and empowers women to own their real, unfiltered beauty. This is a story of reinvention, resilience, and building something that actually matters. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    1h08 | Published on July 11, 2025

  • Eric Adams | Beaten by Cops as a Kid, Now Mayor of NYC - On Using Pain as Fuel to Rise, Lead, and Rewrite the Rules cover
    Eric Adams | Beaten by Cops as a Kid, Now Mayor of NYC - On Using Pain as Fuel to Rise, Lead, and Rewrite the Rules cover
    Eric Adams | Beaten by Cops as a Kid, Now Mayor of NYC - On Using Pain as Fuel to Rise, Lead, and Rewrite the Rules

    Eric Adams was beaten by police as a child so badly he peed blood for days. He grew up in fear of eviction, struggled with dyslexia, and felt invisible in a broken system. But instead of running from it, he joined the NYPD to change it from within. Today, he runs America’s largest city. In this raw conversation, Eric shares how trauma shaped his purpose, why he chose discipline over anger, and what it really takes to lead when the odds are stacked against you. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    35min | Published on July 4, 2025

  • Hugo Sanchez | Latino Entrepreneur on Making $250K/Month Washing T-Shirts, Getting Rejected, and Overcoming Success cover
    Hugo Sanchez | Latino Entrepreneur on Making $250K/Month Washing T-Shirts, Getting Rejected, and Overcoming Success cover

    1h01 | Published on June 27, 2025

  • Khalil Rafati | From a Homeless Crackhead.. To a Multi-Millionaire on Addiction, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Turning Pain Into Purpose cover
    Khalil Rafati | From a Homeless Crackhead.. To a Multi-Millionaire on Addiction, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Turning Pain Into Purpose cover
    Khalil Rafati | From a Homeless Crackhead.. To a Multi-Millionaire on Addiction, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Turning Pain Into Purpose

    Khalil Rafati is one of the most brutally honest and spiritually grounded entrepreneurs you’ll ever hear from. After surviving heroin addiction, homelessness, and years of childhood abuse, he made a pact with God to become rich and honor his dying mother. Through relentless work and spiritual transformation, he built SunLife Organics into a $34 million smoothie empire rooted in healing and purpose. In this podcast, Khalil opens up about his darkest moments, the faith that kept him going, and how he turned pain into a mission far greater than himself. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    1h17 | Published on June 21, 2025

  • Edward Connors | He Killed 600 Men in Vietnam & Built Gold's Gym Empire, on Turning Pain into Power and Dreams into Reality cover
    Edward Connors | He Killed 600 Men in Vietnam & Built Gold's Gym Empire, on Turning Pain into Power and Dreams into Reality cover
    Edward Connors | He Killed 600 Men in Vietnam & Built Gold's Gym Empire, on Turning Pain into Power and Dreams into Reality

    Edward Connors is one of the most powerful and unpredictable figures the fitness world has ever seen. Before reshaping the industry, he fought in the Vietnam War, where he claims to have killed over 600 enemy soldiers. It’s a dark chapter he rarely speaks about, but it forged the fearless mentality that would later redefine bodybuilding forever. After the war, Ed joined a raw, underground gym in Venice Beach—Gold’s Gym—and turned it into a global empire with over 500 franchises. He revolutionized fitness marketing, brought celebrity culture into the weight room, and made muscle mainstream. But Ed didn’t stop at business. He discovered and mentored future icons like John Cena, Randy Orton, and Jay Cutler, recognizing their greatness before anyone else. In this episode, we explore the wild story of a man shaped by war, driven by vision, and obsessed with building giants. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    58min | Published on June 11, 2025

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Description

Feauturing the Worlds Top Entrepreneurs and Creators

Brought to you by The School of Hard Knocks


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

Feauturing the Worlds Top Entrepreneurs and Creators

Brought to you by The School of Hard Knocks


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

26 episodes

  • Brent Franklin | Broke at 26, Sued, And Became a Multi-Millionaire. How To Turn Rock Bottom Into Power And Empires cover
    Brent Franklin | Broke at 26, Sued, And Became a Multi-Millionaire. How To Turn Rock Bottom Into Power And Empires cover
    Brent Franklin | Broke at 26, Sued, And Became a Multi-Millionaire. How To Turn Rock Bottom Into Power And Empires

    Brant is a ninth-grade dropout who went from sleeping in a garage and mowing lawns for $23 an hour to risking it all on oil wells, losing millions, getting sued, and still refusing to quit. That same obsession and grit turned his failures into fuel, and today he’s built multi-million-dollar companies in oil, real estate, and beyond, chasing a nine-figure future. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Brant reveals how he turned rock-bottom into an empire, why the fastest way to win is putting yourself in the right rooms, and how betting on yourself can change everything. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    1h51 | Published on September 17, 2025

  • Abdulla Kudrath | Broke Immigrant to Multi-Industry Mogul: How He Built 14 Businesses From Scratch cover
    Abdulla Kudrath | Broke Immigrant to Multi-Industry Mogul: How He Built 14 Businesses From Scratch cover
    Abdulla Kudrath | Broke Immigrant to Multi-Industry Mogul: How He Built 14 Businesses From Scratch

    Abdulla Kudrath went from broke immigrant to empire builder through sheer discipline, radical self-responsibility, and an unshakable mindset. From poverty to launching 14 companies across multiple industries, Abdulla has become a doctor, actor, world traveler, and founder of his own medical facilities. In this episode, he reveals how extreme ownership transformed his life, why excuses are deadly, and the mindset shifts that turned struggle into unstoppable growth. If you’re ready to stop blaming and start building, this conversation will change how you see success. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    58min | Published on September 11, 2025

  • Joshua Crisp | $11.3M in a Day Without Finishing High School cover
    Joshua Crisp | $11.3M in a Day Without Finishing High School cover
    Joshua Crisp | $11.3M in a Day Without Finishing High School

    Joshua Crisp went from sleeping on an air mattress in his family’s one-bedroom apartment, working for $7.25 an hour, and eating ramen every day to making $11.3 million in a single day. With only a 9th grade education, no degree, no connections, he refused to settle for mediocrity. Through sacrifice, obsession, and an all‑in mindset, he turned bath bombs into a best‑selling product, built a digital marketing empire, and became a sought‑after mentor and speaker. In this episode, Joshua shares how he turned rock bottom into rocket fuel and the strategies that took him from broke felon to multi‑millionaire. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    1h15 | Published on August 8, 2025

  • Anne Mahlum | $110M Founder on Betting It All, Turning Trauma Into Power, and Building Solidcore from Scratch cover
    Anne Mahlum | $110M Founder on Betting It All, Turning Trauma Into Power, and Building Solidcore from Scratch cover
    Anne Mahlum | $110M Founder on Betting It All, Turning Trauma Into Power, and Building Solidcore from Scratch

    Anne Mahlum risked it all. Her last $175,000, no investors, no backup plan, just pure belief. Before Solidcore, she was broke, alone, and leading a nonprofit for the homeless, fueled by the trauma of growing up with an addicted father. But she turned pain into purpose, and that purpose into a $90 million empire. Today, with a net worth of $110 million, Anne is living proof that excuses don’t build legacies, courage does. In this episode, she opens up about betting on herself, building from zero, and the mindset it takes to win big. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    41min | Published on July 30, 2025

  • John Devaney | He Lost $200 Million in 2008...Then Made It All Back cover
    John Devaney | He Lost $200 Million in 2008...Then Made It All Back cover
    John Devaney | He Lost $200 Million in 2008...Then Made It All Back

    He was poor, went broke, and still made $90K on his first deal. By 28, John Devaney bought a brokerage firm and turned it into a money-printing machine: $5M in year one, $25M in year two, $45M in year three. At the peak, his firm was making $110M in pure profit. Then 2008 wiped him out. He lost over $200M… and came back swinging. In this episode, John breaks down how he rebuilt from zero, launched a $200M fund, and pulled off 100%+ returns in the most brutal bond markets. Today, he’s not just killing it in finance, he’s producing films with a mission. This is what happens when you bet big, get crushed, and don’t quit. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    47min | Published on July 21, 2025

  • Alli Webb | Drybar Founder Who Started From $0 and Sold for $255M on Reinvention, Grit, and Building a Beauty Empire cover
    Alli Webb | Drybar Founder Who Started From $0 and Sold for $255M on Reinvention, Grit, and Building a Beauty Empire cover
    Alli Webb | Drybar Founder Who Started From $0 and Sold for $255M on Reinvention, Grit, and Building a Beauty Empire

    Alli Webb is one of the most unexpected and badass entrepreneurs in the beauty world. What started as a side hustle blowdrying hair for cheap quickly turned into a nationwide movement. With zero outside funding and a deep desire to feel alive again, she launched Drybar—a blowout-only salon that exploded across the U.S. and eventually sold for $255 million. In this raw and powerful episode, Alli opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of building a brand with her ex-husband and brother, what it took to scale Drybar into a household name, and how entrepreneurship helped her find herself again. She also shares the vision behind her new venture, Messy, a product line that embraces imperfection and empowers women to own their real, unfiltered beauty. This is a story of reinvention, resilience, and building something that actually matters. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    1h08 | Published on July 11, 2025

  • Eric Adams | Beaten by Cops as a Kid, Now Mayor of NYC - On Using Pain as Fuel to Rise, Lead, and Rewrite the Rules cover
    Eric Adams | Beaten by Cops as a Kid, Now Mayor of NYC - On Using Pain as Fuel to Rise, Lead, and Rewrite the Rules cover
    Eric Adams | Beaten by Cops as a Kid, Now Mayor of NYC - On Using Pain as Fuel to Rise, Lead, and Rewrite the Rules

    Eric Adams was beaten by police as a child so badly he peed blood for days. He grew up in fear of eviction, struggled with dyslexia, and felt invisible in a broken system. But instead of running from it, he joined the NYPD to change it from within. Today, he runs America’s largest city. In this raw conversation, Eric shares how trauma shaped his purpose, why he chose discipline over anger, and what it really takes to lead when the odds are stacked against you. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    35min | Published on July 4, 2025

  • Hugo Sanchez | Latino Entrepreneur on Making $250K/Month Washing T-Shirts, Getting Rejected, and Overcoming Success cover
    Hugo Sanchez | Latino Entrepreneur on Making $250K/Month Washing T-Shirts, Getting Rejected, and Overcoming Success cover

    1h01 | Published on June 27, 2025

  • Khalil Rafati | From a Homeless Crackhead.. To a Multi-Millionaire on Addiction, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Turning Pain Into Purpose cover
    Khalil Rafati | From a Homeless Crackhead.. To a Multi-Millionaire on Addiction, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Turning Pain Into Purpose cover
    Khalil Rafati | From a Homeless Crackhead.. To a Multi-Millionaire on Addiction, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Turning Pain Into Purpose

    Khalil Rafati is one of the most brutally honest and spiritually grounded entrepreneurs you’ll ever hear from. After surviving heroin addiction, homelessness, and years of childhood abuse, he made a pact with God to become rich and honor his dying mother. Through relentless work and spiritual transformation, he built SunLife Organics into a $34 million smoothie empire rooted in healing and purpose. In this podcast, Khalil opens up about his darkest moments, the faith that kept him going, and how he turned pain into a mission far greater than himself. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    1h17 | Published on June 21, 2025

  • Edward Connors | He Killed 600 Men in Vietnam & Built Gold's Gym Empire, on Turning Pain into Power and Dreams into Reality cover
    Edward Connors | He Killed 600 Men in Vietnam & Built Gold's Gym Empire, on Turning Pain into Power and Dreams into Reality cover
    Edward Connors | He Killed 600 Men in Vietnam & Built Gold's Gym Empire, on Turning Pain into Power and Dreams into Reality

    Edward Connors is one of the most powerful and unpredictable figures the fitness world has ever seen. Before reshaping the industry, he fought in the Vietnam War, where he claims to have killed over 600 enemy soldiers. It’s a dark chapter he rarely speaks about, but it forged the fearless mentality that would later redefine bodybuilding forever. After the war, Ed joined a raw, underground gym in Venice Beach—Gold’s Gym—and turned it into a global empire with over 500 franchises. He revolutionized fitness marketing, brought celebrity culture into the weight room, and made muscle mainstream. But Ed didn’t stop at business. He discovered and mentored future icons like John Cena, Randy Orton, and Jay Cutler, recognizing their greatness before anyone else. In this episode, we explore the wild story of a man shaped by war, driven by vision, and obsessed with building giants. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    58min | Published on June 11, 2025

  • 1
    2
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