Becoming Self Made – Details, episodes & analysis

Every successful entrepreneur has a messy, unpredictable origin story, and Becoming Self Made brings those stories to life. Hosted by bestselling author and entrepreneur Mike Michalowicz (Profit First), this podcast reveals how real business owners built thriving companies from small beginnings. Hear the unfiltered stories of resilience, rejection, and reinvention that shaped their success, and discover why being “self made” is never a solo journey. If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or startup founder, you’ll find lessons, mindset shifts, and inspiration to help you grow your business—and yourself. A podcast from Relay, built to empower business owners everywhere.

Jesse and Emily Cole, Co-Founders of The Savannah Bananas, have built one of the most inspiring success stories in sports and business.  In this episode of Becoming Self Made, host Mike Michalowicz sits down with Jesse and Emily to uncover how they turned a struggling baseball team into a global entertainment phenomenon, one built not on profit, but on fans. From embracing rejection as their greatest teacher to creating a company culture rooted in joy, creativity, and community, the Coles share the powerful lessons that fueled their journey to one of the most successful teams in baseball, regardless of the league.  You’ll hear how the Savannah Bananas broke every rule in traditional baseball, the impact of applying Mike’s Book Profit First during their lowest moment, and the personal sacrifices behind Jesse and Emily balancing business, purpose, and family.

Brian Scudamore, the founder of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, has had a long and winding  entrepreneurial road. From starting with $700 and an old pickup truck, to building a $700 million junk removal empire, to starring on Canada’s “Dragon Den”, there aren’t many challenges he hasn’t faced. In this episode, host Mike Michalowicz, bestselling author of ‘Profit First’ and ’The Money Habit,’ talks with Brian about the origins of his company, his personal growth through the ups and downs of running a business, and his philosophy of making meaning, not just money, through impactful leadership and fostering a positive company culture.

Donald Miller didn’t set out to build a multi-million-dollar, world-class business, he just wanted to write a book. In this episode of Becoming Self Made, host Mike Michalowicz sits down with the renowned author and entrepreneur to discuss his journey from childhood and academic struggles to achieving success as the bestselling author of Blue Like Jazz and Building a StoryBrand. Donald eventually found his greatest success by founding StoryBrand, a marketing consultancy and training company that helps businesses clarify their message using the power of storytelling so customers listen, engage, and take action. Discover how Donald Miller navigated life’s highs and lows, embraced failure as a learning opportunity, and leveraged his unique talents to build a thriving business.

Yoseph West, CEO and Co-founder of Relay, joins host Mike Michalowicz to share his journey of transformation, moving from an entrepreneur with a chip on his shoulder to a leader focused on learning, growth, and maximum impact. The conversation explores the lessons learned while scaling Relay, emphasizing the critical insight that the ability for the business to grow is a function of how much you grow. Mike and Yoseph get into the power of constantly questioning everything, a mindset Yoseph attributes to his early upbringing that encouraged independent thinking. The episode also details what great partnerships truly require, underscoring the importance of a long-term orientation and human empathy to ensure both sides win.  Finally, Yoseph discusses the continuous personal reinvention necessary for leading a fast-scaling company, sharing how his coaching, including unconventional methods, helps him find the leverage needed for exponential growth.

Online marketing expert, author, and podcast host Amy Porterfield sits down with host Mike Michalowicz to share the unfiltered story of her journey to becoming self-made. Amy went from being a note-taker on Tony Robbins' team to building a digital courses empire. She discusses personal high and low points, like being picked on as a kid, and how those early experiences inevitably shaped her as an entrepreneur. She also reveals a challenging startup phase that led her $40,000 in debt. Amy shares the hard lessons of taking on a silent partner, having to buy back her business, and how she dramatically scaled from $5 million to $16 million in 18 months by learning to bet on and trust herself. A must-listen for all entrepreneurs seeking the courage to grow and the clarity to pivot.

Lauren Makler, co-founder and CEO of Cofertility, joins Mike Michalowicz to share how a life-altering medical diagnosis became the catalyst for building a more human, accessible fertility system with Cofertility. Lauren explains how falling in love with the problem, not just the solution, led her to reimagine egg freezing and donation in a way that removes financial barriers for individuals and couples while preserving dignity and choice.  Along the way, Lauren opens up about trusting gut instinct as accumulated wisdom, navigating leadership through deeply emotional work, and building a mission-driven company that balances empathy, optimism, and scale.

For Tiffany Aliche, better known as The Budgetnista, entrepreneurship began with a simple mission: teach everyday people how to take control of their finances. But after losing her job in 2008 and facing financial hardship herself, Tiffany discovered that financial education alone wasn't enough. People needed support, accountability, and a community they could trust. In the Season 2 premiere  of Becoming Self Made, Tiffany shares how she transformed personal setbacks into a thriving business, built one of the most trusted brands in personal finance, and grew a community that has helped thousands of people improve their financial lives. She and host Mike Michalowicz discuss entrepreneurship, small business growth, building trust, creating loyal communities, and why education became her most powerful marketing strategy. Tiffany shares her perspective on abundance, mindset, making money, and why she believes that when you change your beliefs, you change the opportunities you're able to see. From side hustles and speaking engagements to building scalable programs and a recognizable brand, Tiffany's story offers practical lessons for entrepreneurs, educators, and anyone looking to grow a business by creating genuine value for others.

Becoming Self Made is a video podcast presented by Relay and hosted by entrepreneur and bestselling author, Mike Michalowicz. In Season 2, host Mike Michalowicz sits down with entrepreneurs, founders, creatives, and business leaders, including Tiffany Aliche (The Budgetnista), Tim Milgram (TMilly Studio), Jamie Deering (Deering Banjos), and Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell (Beekman 1802), and more to uncover the moments that changed everything. What is Becoming Self Made about? Every episode uncovers the raw, personal transformation behind the business—the raw moments, the mindset shifts, and the pivotal decisions that shaped who these founders became, not just what they built. Because success isn't just about what you build, it's who you become. Who hosts Becoming Self Made? Mike Michalowicz is one of today's most prolific small business authors. He's founded four multi-million dollar companies and written the frameworks—Profit First, Clockwork, The Pumpkin Plan—that have helped thousands of entrepreneurs get financially fit and operationally sound. What is Relay? Relay is digital banking built to give small business owners the tools and know-how to be great with money. By connecting accounts, cards, bills, invoices, capital, and more together in one place, Relay replaces financial guesswork with real visibility, helping owners turn cash flow from a constant source of stress into a clear signal they can use to run stronger, more resilient businesses.  Learn more at https://relayfi.com/ New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Find every episode at: https://relayfi.com/becoming-self-made Learn more about Mike Michalowicz: https://mikemichalowicz.com/ Becoming Self Made Season 2 Q&A with Mike: https://relayfi.com/blog/becoming-sel... Follow us for more stories, tips, and resources to help grow your business: Blog: https://relayfi.com/blog LinkedIn:   / relayfinancial   Instagram:   / bankwithrelay   Facebook:   / relayfinancial   Twitter: https://x.com/relayfinancial Relay is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through deposit insurance coverage to apply. #BecomingSelfMade #MikeMichalowicz #ProfitFirst #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #Relay #FounderStories