The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan

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

Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Nathan Chan

Episode Overview

In this solo episode, Nathan Chan explores a universal challenge for entrepreneurs: how to make bold business moves with unwavering confidence. Drawing from personal experience and high-profile founder stories, Nathan shares actionable mental models and practical tips to “manufacture certainty” in business. Listeners will learn how to move past fear, invest wisely in their growth, use data to validate intuition, and build the muscle of certainty to accelerate their entrepreneurial journey.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Challenge of Certainty for Founders

• Theme: The struggle with uncertainty is a common entrepreneurial experience, especially during pivotal decision-making moments in business.
• Nathan’s Context: Reflects on how the beginning of a new year prompts founders to take stock and consider what bold steps to take next.
• Memorable Quote (03:01):

  "Oftentimes what holds us back when it comes to making that phone call, reaching out to that person, working on that marketing activity, even if you don’t want to do it, is a level of fear and a lack of certainty that is holding you back."
  — Nathan Chan

2. Certainty Is Not Lucky—It’s Manufactured

• Core Insight: Certainty isn’t something you eventually “get”—it’s something you deliberately create.
• Reflection on Foundr’s Journey: Nathan shares personal stories where certainty fueled his biggest wins (e.g., landing Richard Branson for an interview, pivoting the business model with Founder Plus).
• Memorable Quote (04:12):

  “Some of the best moves I’ve made and the best execution have been when I’m operating from a true place of certainty and strength.”
  — Nathan Chan

• Key Lesson: Don’t wait for confidence to appear—make a decision, remove fear, and focus on actionable steps.

3. The Power of Learning From Those Who’ve Done It

• Mentors and Models: Find people who have already achieved what you want, study their frameworks, and learn directly from them.
• Nathan’s Investment:

  “I’ve spent over a million dollars in coaching, consulting, and my own personal growth... Every time I’ve done that, it has paid its weight in absolute gold.” (08:01)

• Actionable Guidance:
  • Invest in yourself
  • Seek out mentors or consultants with a proven track record
  • “Do the due diligence” — ensure your advisors can demonstrate repeatable results

4. “Show Me the Data”—Backing Intuition With Evidence

• Key Model: Use data to test and validate your hunches; don’t rely purely on anecdote or gut.
• Mentor’s Wisdom:

  “I say to them, I don’t care about the story. Show me the data.” (16:10)

• Testing and Iteration:
  • Start small—pilot ideas, measure results
  • Use market feedback to build conviction
  • Data + intuition yields the best business decisions

5. Move Beyond External Validation

• Case Study: Alison Ellsworth, founder of Poppi, built and sold her brand for nearly $2B by believing in her vision and iterating rapidly—without waiting for outside approval.
• Memorable Quote (20:45):

  “She didn’t wait for someone to give her the green light. She created that certainty through testing, iterating. But most importantly, she didn’t wait for approval from others. She just went for it.”
  — Nathan Chan

• Muscle Building: Certainty is cultivated over time—by taking action, trusting your gut, and learning from both wins and setbacks.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Manufacturing Certainty—Decision vs. Waiting:

  “Certainty isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you decide for yourself when you remove the fears, when you remove the anxiety.” (05:20)
  — Nathan Chan

• On Mentorship & Investment:

  “Every time I’ve invested in myself, it’s paid its weight in absolute gold.” (08:01)
  — Nathan Chan

• On Modeling Success:

  “If you want to make the right business moves… you need to find certainty. And the first thing is: find somebody that’s already done it and get them to show you how they’re doing it.” (09:52)
  — Nathan Chan

• On Seeking Data:

  “Don’t tell me the story, show me the data. When it comes to making critical business decisions… a big part of it is data, and then another part is gut intuition.” (16:10)
  — Nathan Chan

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:50 — Nathan introduces the episode’s focus on certainty and bold business moves
• 03:01 — Discussing fear and uncertainty as obstacles for founders
• 04:12 — Nathan’s personal examples: Richard Branson interview, Founder Plus coaching launch
• 05:20 — Certainty is a choice, not luck
• 08:01 — The value of coaches and mentors, investing in yourself
• 09:52 — How to find the right model/mentor and do due diligence
• 14:10 — Data as a tool for validation and informed decision-making
• 20:45 — The Poppi story: Creating certainty through action, not waiting for validation
• 24:00 — Building the "certainty muscle"—mindset shifts headed into the new year

Actionable Takeaways

• Find and Learn From Proven Models: Seek mentors, study the playbooks of those who have succeeded where you’d like to go.
• Test, Measure, Iterate: Use small experiments and data to grow your confidence in new strategies.
• Invest in Yourself: Don’t be afraid to spend time or money on your own growth—it’s one of the highest-ROI investments.
• Cultivate Certainty as a Skill: Treat certainty as a muscle: the more you take bold action, the stronger it grows.

Final Thoughts

Nathan closes by encouraging listeners to manufacture their own certainty in 2026, promising that bold, decisive action grounded in mentorship, data, and self-belief will lead to breakthrough results.

“I can’t stress this enough: look at how you can manufacture certainty in exactly what you’re going to do and I promise you, you’re gonna have an incredible year.” (24:00)
— Nathan Chan

Contact Nathan:
Instagram: @NathanChan
Twitter: @NathanHChan
(DMs and feedback welcome!)