281: Spartan Race’s Joe De Sena on Being in the Industry of Barbed Wire, Blood, and Bruises

281: Spartan Race’s Joe De Sena on Being in the Industry of Barbed Wire, Blood, and Bruises

Joe De Sena, like many of us, is a fitness fanatic. But his approach to fitness is a bit more...intense than most. De Sena used to participate in countless obstacle course races, Ironman events, and marathons around the world. But even those weren’t challenging enough for this hardcore athlete. That’s why, after wrapping up a decade-long career on Wall Street, De Sena decided to start his own adventure racing company. The first race De Sena hosted was on the British Virgin Islands, and it didn’t go very smoothly. That race cost De Sena half a million dollars and resulted in a participant getting lost at sea for several days. Thankfully, the races have evolved a bit since then—although are no less challenging—and are known today as the Death Race and Spartan Race, which are collectively a $60 million business that has revolutionized the world of obstacle racing. Check out this interview to learn more about De Sena’s financial, mental, and physical journey to popularizing this global franchise. Key Takeaways De Sena’s decade-long stint on Wall Street, and how it helped fund his next venture Why De Sena decided to start his own adventure racing company How the very first race De Sena hosted on the British Virgin Islands went terribly wrong for one participant The birth of Death Race and Spartan Race Why De Sena never gave up on his company, despite losing $8 million in the process over a span of 15 years How the network effect eventually helped the obstacle course races gain traction The expansion of Death Race and Spartan Race to 45 countries De Sena’s honest thoughts on work-life balance and what it takes to be an entrepreneur A sneak peek into his latest book, The Spartan Way

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623: $500K in Debt, 5 Maxed Credit Cards — How Jordan Harper Built an 8-Figure Brand in Year One

623: $500K in Debt, 5 Maxed Credit Cards — How Jordan Harper Built an 8-Figure Brand in Year One

Jordan Harper built an eight-figure skincare brand in its first year by maxing out five credit cards while already $500,000 in debt — and never raised a single dollar from investors. In this inter...

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622: (Solo) The Truth About Founder-Led Content in 2026

622: (Solo) The Truth About Founder-Led Content in 2026

Founder-led branding isn’t dead — but it is evolving fast. Showing your face and posting “day in the life” content is no longer enough to stand out. The bar has risen, audiences have matured, and what...

13 Jan 8min

621: We Bet $200K on Bras Before Making a Single Sale — Sold 400,000 in 2 Years | Nala

621: We Bet $200K on Bras Before Making a Single Sale — Sold 400,000 in 2 Years | Nala

Nala was built by two founders with no fashion background who invested $200,000 before making a single sale and went on to sell over 400,000 pieces in just two years. In this interview, Chloe and ...

8 Jan 49min

620: (Solo) The Secret to Making Bold Business Moves With Confidence

620: (Solo) The Secret to Making Bold Business Moves With Confidence

One of the biggest challenges founders face — especially at the end of the year — is knowing what to do next and feeling confident that the move you're about to make is the right one. Certainty feels ...

6 Jan 11min

619: Airline Charged Me $65 - So I built a $250M Competitor | Adam Ewart

619: Airline Charged Me $65 - So I built a $250M Competitor | Adam Ewart

Adam Ewart turned a £50 excess baggage fee into a global bootstrapped logistics company operating in 145 countries and staying profitable for 15 straight years. In this interview, Adam breaks down ...

1 Jan 47min

618: (Solo) What 5 World-Class Founders Taught Me This Year

618: (Solo) What 5 World-Class Founders Taught Me This Year

Every year I sit down with some of the world’s most fascinating founders — but this year’s interviews hit me harder than most. Reinvention, resilience, copycats, failure, loneliness after exits, scrap...

30 Des 202511min

617: How A Failing Skincare Brand Became An 8-Figure Makeup Empire | Aliett Buttelman

617: How A Failing Skincare Brand Became An 8-Figure Makeup Empire | Aliett Buttelman

Aliett Buttelman spent eight years grinding in the dark before a single viral moment with Taylor Swift turned Fazit into an overnight seven-figure brand. In this interview, Aliett breaks down the ...

25 Des 202552min

616: (Solo) 5 Honest Business Lessons I’m Taking Into 2026

616: (Solo) 5 Honest Business Lessons I’m Taking Into 2026

2025 has been one of the most eye-opening years of my founder journey — personally, professionally, and strategically. Instead of sharing a highlight reel, I want to share the real lessons that moved ...

23 Des 20258min

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