The First Million Is Always The Hardest
The First Million Is Always The Hardest podcast is your introduction to the mindset and mechanics behind success. In this podcast, host Bo Kemp breaks down why the first million —whether in dollars, impact, or purpose — is always the hardest milestone to achieve.
Episodes
28 episodes
Fireside with Seth Ferguson: Building Wealth & Canada’s #1 Business Conference
Video Version: https://youtu.be/UDCGs52FzaIIn this special live fireside chat recorded at ACHIEVE Summit 2025, host Bo Kemp sits down with powerhouse investor and real estate developer Seth Ferguson, the founder of Canada’s #1 Business C...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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40:28
Don’t Build It. Buy It. The Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Opportunity
Video Version: In this special solo episode, Bo Kemp introduces Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) — the strategy of buying existing businesses instead of starting from scratch.Drawing from his own experience a...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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17:53
From Trucks to 8(a): Acquiring Growth in Government Contracting
Video Version: https://youtu.be/3ikH0TMq98sIn this episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Ricky O’Neal and Mirion Green, the mother-son leadership team behind GWO, Inc., a family-owned business that has undergone a powerful strategic trans...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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48:01
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The Physical Constraint Thesis: Chris Gaughan on AI, Infrastructure & Durable Venture Returns
Video Version: https://youtu.be/TnWbCve-DXUIn this high-conviction episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Chris Gaughan, Founder and Managing Partner of Caelum Ventures, to challenge one of the biggest narratives in today’s economy: that A...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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51:16
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Building the First Mile — Michael Smith on ETA, Cold Infrastructure & Legacy
Video Version: https://youtu.be/YSUEcvFF96EThis episode continues our Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) series, moving from the buyer’s search into the broader ecosystem of operators, investors, and sector specialists who...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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55:51
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Inside the Search — Warren (Last Name Withheld) on ETA, Ownership & Building the Right Way
video version: https://youtu.be/P0FzyLwwZF8This episode marks the official beginning of our Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) series — a four-month deep dive into one of the most practical, misunderstood, and p...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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50:52
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Best of Season Two — From the Inside Out: Discipline, Ownership & the Long Road to Legacy
Video Version: https://youtu.be/wmHs0LL8tGYSeason Two of The First Million Is Always the Hardest wasn’t about shortcuts, hacks, or overnight success. It was about something far more fundamental — and far more difficult: who you ...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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21:57
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Best of Season One — Designing Wealth, Agency & Legacy in a Changing World
Video Version: https://youtu.be/De4Kpj2I-z0Season One of The First Million Is Always the Hardest was never about chasing a number — it was about redesigning how we think about wealth, success, and control in a rapidly changing w...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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15:45
From Real Estate to the Showroom: Nate Sutton on Franchising, Family Legacy & Generational Wealth
Video version: https://youtu.be/Rlc-mWmKLtAIn this episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Nate Sutton, a multi-sector entrepreneur and the driving force behind Sutton Auto, one of the most respected automotive d...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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1:01:56
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Modular Mindset: Tim Swanson on Rebuilding Communities, One Inherent Home at a Time
Video Version: https://youtu.be/kROn6MD5P78In this episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Tim Swanson, a visionary at the crossroads of design, construction, and community transformation. As the Founder and CEO of I...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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1:14:13
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The Five Objections That Stop Your Progress — A Year-End Reset for the Goals Ahead
Video Version: https://youtu.be/avwW87UDQoYIn this reflective and forward-looking episode, host Bo Kemp closes out the year by addressing the real reasons most people fail to achieve the goals they set — not because of ...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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43:20
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Building Legacy, Not Just Value: Divya Behl on Redefining ETA & Generational Value
Video Version: https://youtu.be/GgH9oDkyRmIIn this episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Divya Behl, a rising star in the world of entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA), who’s breaking the mold — and building a 100-year business, not...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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1:16:33
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Bitcoin & The Future of Money
Video Version: https://youtu.be/yvX6b318nukIn this forward-looking and deeply practical episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Bitcoin lawyer and digital-asset expert Joe Carlasare to unpack one of the most important shifts happenin...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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1:07:06
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Building Tomorrow: Workforce, Innovation & the Industries Shaping Our Future
Video Version: https://youtu.be/PqDVKP7KbJYBuilding tomorrow’s industries starts with rebuilding today’s workforce. In this dynamic dinner-table episode, host Bo Kemp brings together three leaders from engineering, construc...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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1:27:42
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The Power Behind the Future: Dr. Francis Wang on Energy Storage, Innovation & Legacy
Video Version: https://youtu.be/ZBcyHdEpSSsIn this electrifying episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Dr. Francis Wang, former Chair of Nano Graf, a Graf’s silicon oxide anode manufacturer, to explore the unseen but essential force poweri...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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46:15
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Built From Within: Jeff McCall on Intrapreneurship, Turnarounds & Purpose-Driven Leadership
Video version: https://youtu.be/i5EHQjIcHwIIn this inspiring and refreshingly honest episode, host Bo Kemp interviews Jeff McCall, a rare kind of entrepreneur — one who has built thriving businesses inside some of the world’s ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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44:48
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From the Marines to the Mats: Marcos Estrada on Veterans, Valor & the Power of Ownership
Video version: https://youtu.be/W3gIhch8_LcIn this powerful and purpose-driven episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Marcos Estrada Sr., U.S. Marine veteran and co-founder of Valor Jiu-Jitsu, to shine a spotlight on one of ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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1:27:52
The AI Shift: Bo Kemp on What AI Means for the Future of Wealth, Work, and the World
Video Version: https://youtu.be/MkPdnv-LkqcIn this thought-provoking and timely episode, guest host Arian Quinn flips the script and interviews The First Million is Always the Hardest creator Bo Kemp for a deep dive into one of ...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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51:35
Rebuilding Community & Legacy: Bonita Harrison’s Path to Purpose
Video Format https://youtu.be/-zrbQImTaykIn this episode, host Bo Kemp interviews trailblazing developer Bonita Harrison, the powerhouse behind Sunshine Management, whose mission-driven work is transforming communities, restor...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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36:54
The Breakout Blueprint: From Side Hustle to Full-Time Fulfillment
Video version: https://youtu.be/vgOmJxeVI2MIn The Breakout Blueprint, host Bo Kemp offers a powerful roadmap for those ready to turn their side hustle into a full-time career — not just in pursuit of financial gain, but in searc...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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27:21
From Scout to Scale: Chris Cooks on Building Businesses and Empowering Others
Video Version: https://youtu.be/AzyeSHwZansIn this episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Chris Cooks, a hospitality-driven entrepreneur turned ecosystem builder, whose journey from small-town business owner to regional economic...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:05:30
Are You Ready for Capital? - Are you building an empire — or chasing a payday?
Video Format https://youtu.be/iL8a_yWqdnMIn this thought-provoking episode, host Bo Kemp explores a question every founder must eventually face: Are you building an empire — or chasing a payday?This conversation dives dee...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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30:16
From Side Hustle to Construction Powerhouse: Edith de la Cruz’s Journey
Video Format https://youtu.be/e1CslzLMMCQIn this powerful and deeply personal episode, host Bo Kemp speaks with Edith de la Cruz, the visionary CEO of Antigua Construction, one of the fastest-growing Latina-owned construction firms in th...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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54:22
Always Be Closing – Recruiting Talent Is the Key to Execution & Financing
Video Format: https://youtu.be/yqLRInaVuhkIn this episode, Bo Kemp dives into one of the most critical — and often overlooked — drivers of long-term business success: talent. In Alway...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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36:07
From Corner Store to AI: Ramzey Nassar’s Entrepreneurial Journey
Video Link: https://youtu.be/zW7rEKvqRq8In this dynamic episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Ramzey Nassar, a true serial entrepreneur whose journey spans childhood hustles, consumer products, media strategy, and now — the cutting edge o...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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1:20:36
