E029 - Build Your Personal Brand From SCRATCH | Matt Gray

<strong>Matt Gray</strong> is a serial entrepreneur who’s built three successful companies, scaled teams of 50+, and grown an audience of over 14 million people. He’s best known as the founder of <em>Herb</em>, the world’s largest cannabis wellness platform, backed by investors like Joe Montana and the CEO of Shopify. He’s also the founder of <strong>Founder OS</strong>, a system and community helping founders scale their online businesses through proven frameworks, lead engines, and organic content. In this episode, Matt shares battle-tested insights on scaling startups, creating content, legalising cannabis, and living with purpose.<br /><br /><strong>00:00</strong> Matt’s entrepreneurial background & the start of Herb<br /><strong>03:58</strong> Learning to code & building practical skills<br /><strong>05:40</strong> Facing a $1M fine & potential jail time<br /><strong>10:50</strong> Navigating fear & uncertainty in business<br /><strong>14:30</strong> Nature, travel & the joy of simplicity<br /><strong>17:40</strong> The pros & cons of personal brand building<br /><strong>20:45</strong> Long-term planning & using deadlines<br /><strong>22:40</strong> Medicinal cannabis & advocating for alternatives<br /><strong>27:50</strong> The case for legalisation & addressing side effects<br /><strong>32:50</strong> Chat with Andrew Huberman: cannabis & testosterone<br /><strong>34:34</strong> How cannabis affects mood, energy & creativity<br /><strong>35:55</strong> Discovering purpose through Ikigai<br /><strong>43:36</strong> Embracing failure & repetition<br /><strong>47:20</strong> Common founder pitfalls & how to overcome them<br /><strong>51:20</strong> Scaling your business into a passive system<br /><strong>54:10</strong> Best marketing platforms & power of long-form<br /><strong>1:00:30</strong> Content strategy & team building<br /><strong>1:07:15</strong> Essential tools to streamline growth<br /><strong>1:11:27</strong> 2024 goal setting & planning<br /><strong>1:18:31</strong> Do you need a morning routine to succeed?<br /><strong>1:22:40</strong> Japan, India & moving to Dubai<br /><strong>1:26:02</strong> Gut instinct & advice for those feeling stuck<br /><strong>1:30:44</strong> Staying productive while travelling<br /><strong>1:34:36</strong> Enjoying youth & reflecting on your 20s<br /><strong>1:39:50</strong> How to spend wisely & raise your hourly rate<br /><strong>1:47:02</strong> Health, habits & working with your partner<br /><strong>1:52:04</strong> Planning for 2024 & achieving balance<br /><br />&raquo; Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life – <a href="https://www.digitalplaybook.net/">https://www.digitalplaybook.net/</a><br />&raquo; Transform your physique – <a href="https://www.thrstapp.com/">https://www.thrstapp.com/</a><br />&raquo; My clothing brand, THRST – <a href="https://thrstofficial.com">https://thrstofficial.com</a><br />&raquo; Custom Bioniq supplements – <a href="https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston">https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston</a><br />&raquo; Join <strong>@Whoop</strong> and get your first month for free – <a href="https://join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst">join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst</a><br /><br /><strong>Follow Matt:</strong><br />YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@realmattgray">/ @realmattgray</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/matthgray">/ matthgray</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@realmattgray">/ realmattgray</a><br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/matt_gray_">/ matt_gray_</a><br />Founder OS: <a href="https://www.founderos.com/">https://www.founderos.com/</a><br />Listen on Spotify: <a href="https://bit.ly/3JQWR1u">https://bit.ly/3JQWR1u</a>