Daniel Eisenman, entrepreneur and author, says build a business around what you'd do without money. He learns through audiobooks and hiking, warns against copying others' solutions, and believes what's most personal is most universal. His book Breaking Normal celebrates self-expression over conformity.
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Welcome to the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with all the resources you need to become a successful author. You can learn more about Authors Unite and join the free community at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
All right everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast podcast. I have a very special guest on this episode. His name is Daniel Eisenman. He is the author of Breaking Normal and co-founder of International Tribe Design and Raw Bros. So welcome to the show, man.
Yeah, I'm stoked to be here. Thanks, Tyler.
Of course, stoked to have you here. And we'll dive in. The first question I have for you is what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
Wow. Okay, so the first one that comes to mind and heart is watching my daughter being birthed in our living room. That was about 14 months ago. And my lovely queen bee, AKA wife, was really going at it for a really long time. And when the point when she actually quit, she literally said she gave up. That's when the baby was being born. The vino was already— her head was out. I'm like, you're good. Thank you. This is amazing. And it was the point of going all in and maybe to the point of surrendering when it comes to birthing new life and big ideas and human beings. All of it. I think how that experience is indicative of all endeavors. Yes.
And what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
I would say to be very careful of receiving advice, actually.
Oh, okay.
And of people that claim to have the answers, um, because even if they do have the answers for themselves, it's not necessarily the answer for me or for you.
Gotcha, I agree.
And, you know, that just carries over. Like, I think that in this day and age with how business is with the internet and how everything is pretty much at the tip of our fingertips and everything's possible that what's most important is like following our own heartbeat and our own passion and then surrounding ourselves with people that are doing the same, that are like coming from a place of authenticity rather than seeking approval.
And it might tie in, but the next question is, what's your best piece of overall business advice? So it might be very similar, but—
Oh yeah, I would right now, because of how I think obviously possible it is to start a business on pretty much anything, with how connected we are through the interwebs especially, is to find something that you would pay to do or something that you would do regardless of money. Like if money even wasn't a thing, what would you want to spend your time doing and creating and benefiting yourself and humanity with and make that your business. So to kind of cash in from your passion and make your vocation your vacation. To blur those lines.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
You're in. I love that. You are in, emphasizing that in so many different ways.
So I want to just chime in. You got to know Alan Watts pretty well, right?
I do. I love listening to Alan Watts in Shoot, I'm probably under his influence right now.
Yep, oh, me too. So his audiobook is called— one of his audiobooks is called You Are It, and I've listened to that like 6 times. It's like 12 hours, so I don't know.
That's awesome. And then that's also just another great thing to add is like— oh, can you hear me?
Yeah, I can hear you.
I'm good. I'm good. I think I had a little technical challenge there, but I'm here.
No, no worries. What were you gonna add?
Oh, I was gonna say, like, way to choose your peers wisely. Like, once again, with the internet, we can pretty much with a click of a button hear the greatest thought leaders, like, spill their wisdom into, like, a condensed audiobook. And how blessed of an opportunity it is to learn in that fashion. That's, like, one of my rituals for sure is going on hikes and getting epic massages and listening to audiobooks, whether it's from Alan Watts or whatever, the current thought leaders of today. It's such a cool option, so I'm happy you're doing that as well. Yeah, definitely.
I think to even go deeper into that, I think it's finding who you are aligned with. I tried all these, I guess, quote-unquote, personal development types of individuals, and I've learned from all of them some things, but Alan Watts is just one that really stuck with me. Then, I kind of I got tunnel vision in him and I've listened definitely a couple hundred hours of his stuff at least.
Wow. Awesome. That's amazing. Yeah.
So, and like, that's me. And then on the business side, like Gary Vaynerchuk, he's like my guy. Like I feel most aligned with him. So yeah, just test it out and then whatever feels most aligned, I think dive deep into that. And then yeah, I'm curious on your answer to this one. In your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
I think not putting happiness on a pedestal. Not making emotional so hierarchical in a sense that if someone's— I do believe when someone's really attached to getting something, it seems to be running away from them. And when someone's running away from something, it seems like it's chasing them. And there's this fine balance of finding harmony in that. And just for me, it means Feeling good, doing what gets me to feel good, making sure that I'm in the highest and healthiest state possible. That's not only the best for right now, but that it's best for long term. And then being open to not only happiness and aiming for that, but also for awkwardness, maybe for anger. Like if I experience anger, maybe I'm like, oh wow, this is time to really create something big because I'm fucking fired up and frustrated. A big emotion for me. Yeah, I'm channeling that to my creativity is good. And when I'm happy, I love being happy. I'm happy.
And what is the best book that you've read? I know it's tough, or maybe it's not. And what was the number one thing you learned from that?
The best book that I've read and the number one thing— I'm gonna be real bold and be potentially judged as a narcissist here, but I'm gonna say Breaking Normal. Because I wrote it or because I created it, because I was so involved with it. I went all in on that experience. And I've listened to it a few times since then. And I'm saying that to listen back on that and realize like how different I am than I am now. It's so personal for me. It's so personal. And it's inspiring and it's edgy. It's edgy because I think in a culture where people, kind of downplay selffulness or self-celebration or like being easily to be judged as a narcissist. It feels fun, comfortable for me to really praise my own channelings, my own surrenderings, and my own creations. And that's my answer right now. I can't believe it, but that's what I'm gonna say. Yeah.
And what is your favorite quote and why?
Oh, I'm gonna say What's most personal is most universal. Because it reminds me that I have like nothing to remember or nothing to try or nothing to impress upon, like impress people with. But if I ever want to really feel connected and feel centered and harmonious, to be very personal, to get really personal, like look within what's happening to me, share what I would typically avoid with the person that would scare me the most. And be very personal about that. And then I find out that's what really seems to connect me the most with people when I do that, like with an open heart and a flexible mind. So there's something about that, like it carries over. Like when I look at a cell, it starts to look like a planet. And when I look at the— like when I think about all the cells to the same in my body, I start to think of like all the human beings and this one being. And it just gets me a think beyond, to expand my mind and expand my existence. What's most personal is most universal.
Yes, dude. Thank you so much for coming on. The last question I have for you is, where's the best place for people to find or connect with you online?
I would go to breakingnormal.com and see what resonates the most. I definitely think the audiobook for Breaking Normal is a great way to really get a download. My perspectives from the past and from now. They currently— a lot of them hold true. And then I do a lot of stuff on Instagram and making videos on YouTube and stuff. So I think the audiobook's a great place to start. And all that information is on breakingnormal.com. Perfect, brother.
Thanks again for coming on. We appreciate it.
Yeah, thank you, man. Thanks for having me. The podcast you just heard was recorded with Anchor. If you want to make your own, download the Android or iOS app completely free. From anchor.fm/podcast. That's anchor.fm/podcast.
