AI Summary
5 min readThe Tools and Habits Behind a $1.8M/Year Solo Business
Pat, founder of Starter Story, walks through nine items that make up his daily workflow—ranging from software tools to personal habits to addictions he's trying to quit. The episode is less about the objects themselves and more about the psychological patterns behind how he works, how he got his first customers, and how he built a seven-figure business while holding a full-time job.
Deep Work as the Foundation
The single most important practice Pat credits for his success is "deep work," a concept he learned from Cal Newport's book of the same name. When he started Starter Story as a side hustle while working 9-to-5, he had only a few hours each day to make progress. He found himself scattered—Twitter open, multiple tabs running, getting nothing done.
His solution was rigid: wake up early, go to a Starbucks, put on headphones, block all sites and distractions, turn off his phone, and do only the hardest, scariest tasks required to launch the business. He coded, wrote, and delegated during these blocks. After 365 days of this routine, he had a business generating enough income to quit his job.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:39) **Intro & Context** - Pat, founder of Starter Story, introduces the episode as a tour of the essential tools and habits he uses to make over $1.8M/year online.
- 2 (01:57) **Loom: The $20,000 Video Tool** - Pat explains how he uses Loom for nearly all communication, replacing emails for feedback, delegation, and teaching.
- 3 (03:07) **Tea Ritual: Replacing a Caffeine Addiction** - Pat describes switching from coffee to tea after experiencing panic attacks and anxiety from five cups of coffee a day.
- 4 (04:37) **Deep Work: The Book That Built a Business** - Pat names "Deep Work" by Cal Newport as the book that changed his life, explaining how it taught him to work distraction-free.
- 5 (06:31) **The 16-Inch MacBook Pro: The Only Setup You Need** - Pat explains why the 16-inch MacBook Pro is his perfect work machine, eliminating the need for external monitors, mice, or keyboards.
- 6 (09:09) **Reddit: The First Customer Strategy** - Pat shares how Reddit was the key to getting Starter Story's first customers after the initial launch failed to gain traction.
- 7 (10:39) **Tennis: The Hobby That Breaks the Online Spell** - Pat explains how tennis became his escape from the online world of metrics and results, especially during COVID.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
9 Things That Make Me $1.8M/Year
These are the 10 essential tools I used (and still use) to make over $1M/year with Starter Story.📌 The FREE Deep Work Checklist → https://www.starterstory.com/checklist?utm_campaign=pat10things&utm_source=youtube
🛠️ The tools that make me millions: https://www.starterstory.com/tools?business_id=39&utm_source=pat10things&utm_campaign=starbucks
🔔 Subscribe - https://www.youtube.com/@starterstory
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/starter_story/🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/thepatwalls
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Disclaimer: This podcast is published by a viewer using content from Starter Story's YouTube channel with the goal of making his valuable insights more accessible to those who prefer audio formats, helping more people discover and learn from the insights shared in his videos. It is not an official production of Starter Story. For any requests from Starter Story, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
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--- Keywords: tech entrepreneur, app monetization, startup success
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