The Truth About Going Viral, Selling Millions, and Burning Out - Jake Karls

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Jake Karls, co-founder of Mid-Day Squares, breaks down how to go viral, build a CPG brand, and scale a snack business from a condo kitchen to thousands of retail stores — all while surviving entrepreneurial burnout. In this episode, we unpack the real story behind viral marketing, authentic brand building, getting into Whole Foods, and what it actually takes to sell millions in physical retail. Jake shares how showing up in person creates opportunity, why authenticity is the secret to standing out, and how he uses LinkedIn content to attract investors and retail partners.

You'll also hear his honest take on burnout recovery, finding purpose, why he's a "rainmaker" not a CEO, and how to play your own game instead of someone else's. Whether you're a young entrepreneur, a founder chasing product-market fit, or building a personal brand, this conversation is packed with hard-won lessons.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Why Showing Up In Person Wins Deals
02:30 – How Mid-Day Squares Started In A Condo
05:00 – How Hard It Is To Sell In Retail Stores
07:30 – Why Getting Into A Store Isn't Enough
10:00 – How To Drive Retail Sales And Trial
12:30 – Why Entrepreneur Burnout Almost Ended It
15:00 – What Burnout Taught Me About Health
17:30 – The Burnout Nobody Talks About: No Clarity
20:00 – Why You Should Go All In When You're Young
22:30 – Why I'm A Rainmaker And Not A CEO
27:30 – How To Raise Capital As A Founder
30:00 – How LinkedIn Content Attracts Investors
32:30 – What Type Of Content Goes Viral
35:00 – The Heartbeat Graph vs The Average Life
37:30 – Why Being Weird Gets You Weird Results
42:30 – How To Find Product-Market Fit In CPG

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