Scaling to 8-Figures with Ruthless Focus and Unconventional Principles

Podcast 38:27 | Download | Spotify| Stitcher | iTunes

Dan talks to Matthew Newton, CEO of Leatherback Travel, about his radically unconventional approach to scaling an 8-figure business. They dive into why it’s crucial to ruthlessly select your opportunities, along with key lessons learned—including when to pivot, balancing flexibility with structure, and ensuring that running a business is always engaging and fun. Lean into some of these insights as you work on your goals for 2025.

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Links:

Leatherback Trave

Connect with us:

Dan: @TropicalMBA or dan@tropicalmba.com

Ian: @AnythingIan or ian@tropicalmba.com

CHAPTERS:

  • (00:00:30) Introduction to Leatherback Travel

  • (00:04:05) Building a House of Brands

  • (00:05:44) Operational Philosophy and Team Dynamics

  • (00:07:27) Scaling Challenges and Growth Management

  • (00:10:39) The Importance of Operating Principles

  • (00:13:23) Special Feeling: The Core Operating Principle

  • (00:16:55) Vision and Decision-Making Frameworks

  • (00:19:05) Navigating Political Opinions in the Workplace

  • (00:20:39) Industry Standards and Guest Expectations

  • (00:22:31) The K Principle: Balancing Flexibility and Policy

  • (00:23:58) Operational Rhythm and Continuous Improvement

  • (00:26:42) The CEO's Role: Captain of the Ship

  • (00:31:31) Top of Funnel Strategies for Customer Acquisition

  • (00:32:18) Finding Your Unique Selling Proposition

  • (00:34:07) Lessons from Struggles: The Importance of Quitting

  • (00:35:35) The Animal Zoo Principle: Making Business Fun

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Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber, Mike Michalowicz, Greg Crabtree, Jordan Gal

Additional episodes you might enjoy:

“$1.5 Million from LinkedIn: Strategies for Building Influence and Consistent Revenue”
“It’s easier to 10X than to 2X” + 8 Lessons from CEO Bootcamp
Building ‘Brick by Brick’: Goals, Plans, Scorecards, Cadence

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Have comments about the show?

Do you have ideas for things you’d like Dan and Ian to discuss in future episodes?

You can email our producer Morgan at morgan@tropicalmba.com.

Thanks for listening to our show! We’ll be back next Thursday morning 8AM EST.

Cheers,

Dan & Ian

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Jay Clouse - Mastering Top-of-Funnel Growth in 2025

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“$1.5 Million from LinkedIn: Strategies for Building Influence and Consistent Revenue”