From Zero to $700M: The Brutal Truth Behind Startup Life as a Couple | Ep. 224 with Kass & Mike Lazerow founder of Golf.com
From Zero to $700M: The Brutal Truth Behind Startup Life as a Couple | Ep. 224 with Kass & Mike Lazerow founder of Golf.com  
Podcast: Founder's Story
Published On: Mon Jun 02 2025
Description: Kass and Mike Lazerow peel back the curtain on life—and love—as co-founders of multiple breakout ventures. From the early days of building Golf.com to scaling Buddy Media into a $700 million+ Salesforce acquisition, they share the grit, the joy and the “shoveling shit” mentality behind every pivot and payoff. Key Discussion Points: Why “Shoveling Shit”?: The visceral truth of entrepreneurship—every success is paid for in messy, daily hard work. Business + Marriage = Love Story: How dating, co-founding and parenting three kids forged their partnership both in and out of the boardroom. Co-founder Chemistry: Choosing non-overlapping skill sets, setting clear expectations, and having tough conversations early to survive the rough patches. The High-Profile Exit: Celebrating a $700 million sale to Salesforce—and the mixed emotions, burnout and newfound freedom that followed. Who’s an Entrepreneur?: Everyone—from the corner pizza shop owner to the solo‐founder—can embrace the entrepreneurial spirit if they’re willing to shovel shit. Risk, Debt & Scale: Why wanting nothing (minimal burn) + smart leverage of debt + relentless focus on execution define the winners. Takeaways: Real success demands loving the daily grind—embrace the mess, don’t fear it. A co-founder relationship is your most critical asset—invest in alignment on values, work ethic and communication. Money changes the game but doesn’t guarantee happiness; use your windfall to fuel purpose and impact. Everyone can be a founder at their own scale—but only those who master risk tolerance and ruthless prioritization will thrive. Closing Thoughts: Kass and Mike Lazerow prove that the world’s greatest companies—and relationships—are built one shovel of shit at a time. Tune in to find out how they turned daily disasters into billion-dollar exits, and why the love of the hustle is the ultimate driver of both profit and purpose.