E097 - The New Way to Make Your First $100,000 Online (Whop)

» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/Website: https://hackyou.media/Cameron Zoub and Steven Zhang, co-founders of Whop join the show to discuss the mechanics of building a high-growth startup from the ground up. Whop has quietly become one of the most efficient digital marketplaces online, doing over $100M in GMV without relying on paid ads or loud marketing.We talk about the early days of building out of hacker houses, the decision to focus deeply on product before anything else, and the operational challenges that came with rapid scale. They also reflect on leadership, team dynamics, and what most founders underestimate when trying to build in public.00:00 Introduction02:00 Meeting at age 13 and bonding over sneaker reselling04:05 Building their first sneaker bot app and selling it on Facebook06:40 Dropping out of school and going all-in on internet startups07:55 Pivoting into websites for Twitch streamers during COVID10:29 Early experiments, failed apps, and lessons in product-market fit14:20 How WAP solved problems they faced as software sellers18:18 Expanding from software to Discord access and digital memberships20:17 Payments infrastructure and why it’s central to their platform25:28 Chasing shiny objects like NFTs and learning to refocus30:42 Co-founder dynamic, intense pressure, and emotional moments36:01 Competitors, cyberattacks, and the cost of success39:31 Staying out of the spotlight despite massive revenue44:30 Taking investment from figures like Peter Thiel and Tinder’s founder49:11 Making WAP the internet’s go-to for work and income54:25 Rethinking creator monetisation beyond courses or content» Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life - https://www.digitalplaybook.net/» Transform your physique - https://www.thrstapp.com/» My clothing brand, THRST - https://thrstofficial.com» Custom Bioniq supplements: https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston• 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO• 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO» Join our newsletter for actionable insights from every episode: https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/» Join WHOOP and get your first month for free - join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst» Follow Whop«Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whop/?hl=enWebsite: https://whop.com/