Young and Profiting with Hala Taha (Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing)

Ryan Holiday's approach to leadership was shaped through patience and years of unglamorous work. After dropping out of college at 19, he apprenticed under bestselling author Robert Greene, learning writing, research, persuasion, and human nature before becoming the marketing director of American Apparel at just 21. Those experiences laid the foundation for his rise as a bestselling author and one of the world's leading voices on Stoicism. In this episode, Ryan shares how Stoicism can help entrepreneurs strengthen leadership skills, sharpen decision-making, and maintain a resilient mindset during tough times.

In this episode, Hala and Ryan will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:32) Robert Greene’s Influence on Ryan’s Career

(09:52) Provocative Marketing Lessons From American Apparel

(18:18) Ryan’s Path Into Stoic Philosophy

(19:44) The Stoic Approach to Life and Business

(27:13) The Four Stoic Virtues for Personal Development

(32:21) Mastering Clear Decision-Making Under Pressure

(38:18) The Dangers of Ego in Leadership

(40:34) How Stoicism Drives Productivity

(41:52) Building Ethical Habits and Leadership Skills

(50:41) Stoic Habits for Profiting in Life

Ryan Holiday is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, media strategist, and one of the leading modern voices bringing Stoic philosophy to mainstream audiences. He served as director of marketing at American Apparel before founding his creative agency, Brass Check. Ryan’s books, including The Obstacle Is the Way and The Daily Stoic, have sold more than 2 million copies in 30 languages. His work helps leaders and creatives apply Stoic principles to overcome challenges.

Sponsored By:

Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/profiting

Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting.

Northwest Registered Agent - Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree and start using free resources to build something amazing.

Mindstone - Master practical AI skills without the complexity with Mindstone’s AI Competency Programme. Head to experience.mindstone.com/yap and get 10% off.

AT&T - Stay connected with reliable, secure internet built for entrepreneurs. Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com.

Quince - Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/profiting for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Resources Mentioned:

Ryan’s Book, Trust Me, I'm Lying: bit.ly/TrustMeLying

Ryan’s Book, Right Thing, Right Now: bit.ly/RightThingNow

Ryan’s Podcast, The Daily Stoic: bit.ly/DailyStoicPod

Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals

Key YAP Links

Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap

YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting

Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/

Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/

Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com

Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new

Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Networking, Goal Setting, Strategic Planning, Time Management, Team Building

Starting a business was never part of Luna Aziz's plan. After struggling with low milk supply as a new mom, she began experimenting with her own herbal formulations and sharing them on Etsy. She had no investors, no marketing budget, and no plan beyond helping other moms. Then one customer's recommendation in a Facebook breastfeeding group generated dozens of orders overnight, turning her side hustle into Legendairy Milk, a $50 million wellness brand. In this episode, Luna shares how entrepreneurs can build a trusted consumer brand through education and community, choose the right sales channels, and scale without losing customer relationships.

In this episode, Hala and Luna will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:23) Bootstrapping Legendairy Milk With $750

(11:30) Growing a Community Before Selling Products

(14:18) Scaling to $50M Through Organic Marketing

(19:13) The Real Cost of Building a Supplement Company

(34:18) Legendairy Milk’s Sales and Distribution Strategies

(50:45) Building a Leadership Team That Scales

(54:55) Lessons From Luna’s Biggest Business Mistakes

(1:03:58) SWOT Analysis of a $50M Business

(1:09:53) How to Build a Supplement Brand From Scratch

Luna Aziz is the founder and CEO of Legendairy Milk, a women’s wellness supplement brand headquartered in Austin, Texas. She bootstrapped the company from a $750 startup and grew it into a $50 million brand with approximately 70% of the U.S. lactation supplement market. Luna was named one of Inc.’s 2026 Female Founders 500 for expanding the brand from pregnancy and postpartum support into broader women’s wellness.

Sponsored By:

Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/profiting

Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting.

Northwest Registered Agent - Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree and start using free resources to build something amazing.

Mindstone - Master practical AI skills without the complexity with Mindstone’s AI Competency Programme. Head to experience.mindstone.com/yap and get 10% off.

AT&T - Stay connected with reliable, secure internet built for entrepreneurs. Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com.

Quince - Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/profiting for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Resources Mentioned:

Luna’s Company: Legendairy Milk: legendairymilk.com

Luna’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lunaaziz

Luna’s Instagram: instagram.com/itslunaaziz

Luna’s TikTok: tiktok.com/@itslunaaziz

Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals

Key YAP Links

Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap

YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting

Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/

Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/

Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com

Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new

Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Networking

Ryan Hawk learned one of his most important leadership lessons the day his college football coach told him another player gave the team a better chance to win. The moment stung, but it reshaped his mindset about success and taught him that hard work only matters when it creates real value. That truth shaped his career and became the foundation of his latest book, The Price of Becoming. In this episode, Ryan shares leadership skills that help entrepreneurs improve every day, build trust, lead through discomfort, and become leaders others want to follow.

In this episode, Hala and Ryan will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:35) The Price of Becoming Better

(06:20) The Power of Consistency and Value

(13:27) The Best Networking Strategy

(18:22) Why Great Leaders Never Peak

(29:56) The Learn, Work, Lead Framework

(35:49) Using Writing to Think More Clearly

(43:10) Turning Perceived Weaknesses Into Leverage

(50:00) How Curiosity Creates Opportunities

(55:39) Ryan’s Principles for Great Leadership

(01:09:55) The Leadership Mindset for Tough Times

Ryan Hawk is a keynote speaker, author, leadership advisor, and host of The Learning Leader Show. Over the past decade, he has conducted more than 700 interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, athletes, and high performers, distilling their experiences into practical business and leadership lessons. His latest book, The Price of Becoming, is a practical guide to continuous learning, daily improvement, and sustained excellence.

Sponsored By:

Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/profiting

Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting.

Northwest Registered Agent - Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree and start using free resources to build something amazing.

Mindstone - Master practical AI skills without the complexity with Mindstone’s AI Competency Programme. Head to experience.mindstone.com/yap and get 10% off.

AT&T - Stay connected with reliable, secure internet built for entrepreneurs. Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com.

Quince - Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/profiting for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Resources Mentioned:

Ryan’s Book, The Price of Becoming: bit.ly/Price-Becoming

Ryan’s Book, Welcome to Management: bit.ly/RH-Management

Ryan’s Podcast, The Learning Leader Show: bit.ly/LearningLeader-apple

Ryan’s Website: learningleader.com/

Ryan’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ryanhawk12

Ryan’s Instagram: instagram.com/ryanhawk12

Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals

Key YAP Links

Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap

YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting

Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/

Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/

Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com

Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new

Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Goal Setting, Time Management, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Strategic Planning, Team Building

Brandon Dawson scaled his business from zero to $75 million, but behind the success, he was losing control. After taking the company public at 29, he watched investors sell it out from under him and learned that growth is not sustainable without the systems and leadership to support it. He started over with a new playbook and has since built multiple nine-figure businesses, including Cardone Ventures, which he co-founded. In this episode, Brandon reveals why 97% of businesses fail and shares how entrepreneurs can beat the odds to scale massively. He also discusses his core leadership principles and the key traits of a great business partner.

In this episode, Hala and Brandon will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:21) His Early Life and Entrepreneurship Journey

(08:25) Bootstrapping a Startup vs. Venture Capital Funding

(19:04) Why Entrepreneurs Should Prioritize Cash Reserves

(26:14) Scale vs. Scaling for Business Growth

(36:48) Why 92% of Businesses Fail to Scale Past $3M

(40:26) Raising Your Leadership Lid

(45:47) Actionable Steps to Improve Leadership Skills

(55:47) Building Nine-Figure Businesses With Grant Cardone

(01:03:02) The Key Traits to Look for in Business Partners

Brandon Dawson is an entrepreneur, business scaling expert, and co-founder and CEO of Cardone Ventures. He has built and exited multiple businesses, including Audigy Group, which he sold for a reported $151 million at more than 77 times EBITDA. At age 29, he took Sonus Corporation public on the American Stock Exchange. Brandon is also the author of Nine-Figure Mindset and the host of Building Billions with Brandon Dawson.

Sponsored By:

Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/profiting

Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting.

Northwest Registered Agent - Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree and start using free resources to build something amazing.

Mindstone - Master practical AI skills without the complexity with Mindstone’s AI Competency Programme. Head to experience.mindstone.com/yap and get 10% off.

AT&T - Stay connected with reliable, secure internet built for entrepreneurs. Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com.

Quince - Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/profiting for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Resources Mentioned:

Brandon's Website: bdawson.com

Brandon's Book, Nine-Figure Mindset: bit.ly/9FigureMindset

Brandon’s Podcast, Building Billions: bit.ly/BuildingBillions-Apple

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell: bit.ly/21-Laws

Good to Great (6 book series) by Jim Collins: bit.ly/GTG-Series

Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant by Robert T. Kiyosaki: bit.ly/CashQuadrant

Sell or Be Sold by Grant Cardone: bit.ly/Sell-Be-Sold

Start The Work by Natalie Dawson: bit.ly/StartTheWork

Three Feet from Gold by Sharon L. Lechter: bit.ly/3-Feet-Gold

Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals

Key YAP Links

Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap

YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting

Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/

Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/

Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com

Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new

Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Networking

John Paul DeJoria is proof that entrepreneurs can build extraordinary businesses without extraordinary resources. After experiencing poverty, homelessness, rejection, and the collapse of the funding he needed to launch John Paul Mitchell Systems, he kept going with just $700, selling door to door and creating products so good people wanted to reorder them. Those hard-earned lessons helped him build two billion-dollar brands and inspired his new book, Success Unshared Is Failure. In this episode, John Paul shares how entrepreneurs can turn limited resources, rejection, and early setbacks into companies built on exceptional products, customer loyalty, and lasting success.

In this episode, Hala and John Paul will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:00) John Paul’s Rags-to-Riches Story

(04:17) Homelessness and the Power of Words

(13:02) Business Lessons From Door-to-Door Sales

(20:57) Starting Paul Mitchell With $700

(29:45) Why Loyalty Beats Bigger Profits

(35:26) Paul Mitchell’s Product Marketing Secret

(39:22) The Origin Story of Patrón Tequila

(45:24) Positioning Patrón as a Luxury Brand

(54:58) Business Decisions John Paul Wouldn’t Make

(58:07) The Power of Sharing Your Success

John Paul DeJoria is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and co-founder and chairman of John Paul Mitchell Systems, one of the world’s largest privately held professional haircare companies. He later co-founded Patrón Spirits Company, which Bacardi acquired in a deal valuing Patrón at $5.1 billion in 2018. As the author of Success Unshared Is Failure, John Paul explores his life, business philosophy, philanthropy, and the belief that true success means helping others rise too.

Sponsored By:

Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/profiting

Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting.

Northwest Registered Agent - Get a complete business identity with Northwest. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/YAPFree and start using free resources to build something amazing.

Mindstone - Master practical AI skills without the complexity with Mindstone’s AI Competency Programme. Head to experience.mindstone.com/yap and get 10% off.

AT&T - Stay connected with reliable, secure internet built for entrepreneurs. Switch to AT&T Business at business.att.com.

Quince - Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/profiting for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Resources Mentioned:

John Paul’s Book, Success Unshared Is Failure: bit.ly/JP-SuccessUnshared

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason: bit.ly/GSC-RichestMan

Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals

Key YAP Links

Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap

YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting

Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/

Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/

Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com

Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new

Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Networking