The Money Mondays — “Building a Business When You Don’t Feel Ready”

Episode 139 | Host: Dan Fleyshman | Guests: Yash Daftary (FanBasis CEO), Dr. Jay Feldman (Otter PR, LeadGenJ) | September 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Money Mondays dives into the journey of building businesses, even before you "feel ready." Host Dan Fleyshman chats with two accomplished entrepreneurs:

• Yash Daftary, founder & CEO of FanBasis (“the Shopify for digital creators”)
• Dr. Jay Feldman, medical doctor turned marketing agency founder (Otter PR) and lead generation educator (LeadGenJ)

The conversation covers:

• Modern ways to make money online
• Investing and protecting your capital
• Building unbreakable company culture
• The real impact of omnipresent marketing
• Charity and building success that gives back
• Advice for creators, side hustlers, and future entrepreneurs

Throughout, Dan and his guests blend actionable tactics with insightful, sometimes blunt, wisdom for both new and seasoned entrepreneurs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. FanBasis: Empowering Digital Entrepreneurs

Timestamp: 01:54 – 03:40

• Yash Daftary’s Bio: Serial entrepreneur since age 13, exited his first startup in college, extensive VC and agency background.

• FanBasis Platform:

  • "Shopify for selling anything online."
  • All-in-one tools for digital products, communities, and services
  • Handles payments, integrations with platforms like Discord/Telegram
  • Helps sellers double business size—“Our whole concept and mission is to help digital entrepreneurs make more money and streamline their operations.” ([02:39] Yash)

• Who FanBasis is For:

  • “The creator or internet entrepreneur” running their brand as a business
  • Community-based businesses (e.g., crypto trading, sports picks)
  • Online businesses/marketing agencies—anyone selling digital products or services

2. The New Generation of Online Wealth

Timestamp: 05:02 – 08:00

• Explosion of young earners: “There are 15-year-olds on our platform generating six figures a month.” ([05:43] Yash)

• TikTok & short-form content make building audiences (and monetizing) easier than ever.

• Memorable anecdote:

  • Negotiating merchant rates with a 15-year-old making $60–$70k/month:
    • “2.6, I need 2.44.” ([06:37] Dan, imitating young entrepreneur’s bargaining)

• Peer relatability fuels the education economy:

  • “People that are younger and even older see a 20-year-old succeeding and think, I want to learn and do the same thing.” ([07:25] Yash)

3. Culture: Hiring and Retaining a Winning Team

Timestamp: 08:00 – 09:42

• FanBasis has never had an employee quit—anomaly in tech
• Secret:
  • Ultra-young, driven team (average age 25–26)
  • Only hire people who “want to be here until exit or IPO.”
  • “We don’t like to hire people who just want a job. We want people who want to be a part of what we’re building.” ([09:25] Yash)
• Employees see their own impact on explosive company growth

4. Smart Investing for New Wealth

Timestamp: 09:42 – 16:38 (continues in later segments)

• Mistake: Young earners often hoard cash (“five or six million in a checking account”) out of fear/ignorance

• Advice:

  • “Start learning how to invest that…Compound interest is real. You can make a lot over time.” ([10:07] Yash)
  • “You have to invest to fight with inflation.” ([11:02] Dan)
  • Dan shares his “40/40/20” investing rule:
    • 40% low risk (5–9% annual, just to beat inflation)
    • 40% medium risk (real estate, businesses, S&P 500)
    • 20% high risk (angel investing, crypto, etc.)

• When to invest? “The best time to raise [money] is when you don’t need a raise.” ([18:55] Yash)

• On angel investing: Only do it if you have access to elite deal flow and expertise.

Notable Quote:

“The average person in America has $5,500 saved up. What if your kid lives to 104 and wants to retire at 74? They need 30 years of money saved up. It’s a scary thought.” – Dan ([67:32])

5. Operating a Creator Business—Follower Count vs. Operator Skills

Timestamp: 21:11 – 24:26

• When can you monetize?
  • “If you have 50k–100k followers, the real question is: Am I a good operator? Do I know how to build a business?” ([21:25] Yash)
  • Some with millions of followers make little; some with 6k are millionaires.
  • Secret: Build a team ("put the right people around you"). Partner up if you lack operations skills.
  • JV (Joint Venture) model: Partner with someone who’s built the infrastructure—“Be an extension of their business and split everything 50/50. Eventually, start your own.” ([23:58] Yash)

6. Product Development: Features vs. Innovation

Timestamp: 24:26 – 26:27

• FanBasis moved from ‘must-have’ features to innovating “what people don’t know they need”—mirroring Steve Jobs’ approach.
• They poach clients for their inside knowledge, building executive and advisory teams from industry leaders.

Notable Moment:

“If we can show them ways to get from $100,000 a month to $200,000 a month…they’re never going to leave.” ([25:48] Yash)

7. Charity as Business Practice

Timestamp: 26:27 – 28:08

• Yash’s upbringing: Giving back was family tradition—soup kitchens on birthdays.
• Charity humble founders and gives back karmically:
  • “Anything you put into the world always ends up coming back to you.” ([27:49] Yash)
• FanBasis integrates charity sweepstakes and supports real-world causes.

8. The Legacy Question: How Much Do You Leave to Your Kids?

Timestamp: 28:08 – 29:58 (Yash) & 64:02 – 68:26 (Jay)

• Yash: “If I raise my kids right…I’m happy to give them all of my wealth…If that’s not the case, they’re not getting anything. Everyone needs to earn it.” ([28:41] Yash)
• Jay: “The goal is to make your kids independent…just enough to accomplish their dreams and no more.” ([64:02] Jay)

9. Lead Generation, Marketing, and Agency vs. In-House

Timestamp: 33:35 – 39:34

• Lead generation = awareness for people who don’t know you.
• Agency vs. in-house: Agencies bring wisdom, experience, relationships, and collective learning.
• “Good marketers don’t need to work for you—they’re making a killing on their own.” ([37:06] Dan)
• Alex Hormozi’s model: Learn from an agency, train in-house, but beware: you make those employees ultra-valuable, and they may leave ("I'll invest in them if they do!"). ([38:13] Dan)

10. What Holds People Back from Making More Money?

Timestamp: 41:02 – 42:42

• “You’re the sum of the people you surround yourself with…Change who’s in the room.” ([41:24] Jay)

11. Marketing Playbook: Building Omnipresence

Timestamp: 42:42 – 45:54

• Start with free exposure: Optimize social profiles, make searchable content.
• Paid ads/meta/Google once you have revenue.
• PR is the “halo effect”—enhances all marketing, retargeting ads crucial for omnipresence.
• “People need to see you seven times before buying.” ([44:52] Dan)

12. Personal Investing Philosophies

Timestamp: 45:54 – 54:54

• Jay: Outsourced investments to a trusted financial advisor after losses on Robinhood.
• Dan: “I just buy the same 10 stocks. No plans of selling, ever. Why would I sell Apple?”
• Both emphasize: Invest in products you use and understand.
• “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world.”
  ([49:31] Dan, referencing Einstein/quasi-misattributed)

13. Crypto & High-Risk Assets

Timestamp: 54:54 – 56:46

• Dan: Bitcoin and Ethereum, “The supply is getting less, demand is getting more, that’s why it’s the number one performing asset.”
• Jay: "Gary Cardone literally made me start my bitcoin buy on-air." ([55:18] Jay)

14. Charity & Personal Fulfillment

Timestamp: 57:48 – 63:05

• Dr. Jay’s story: Retired his mom, together are opening an animal rescue.
• “I want people to be a part of it. I’d rather you show up.” ([61:56] Dan)
• Dan’s “building in public”—transparency and involvement create a sense of meaning for supporters.

15. The Future: Financial Longevity and Lifespan

Timestamp: 64:53 – 68:26

• With modern technology, today’s children may live to 104 or more.
• Saving/inheriting enough for 30 years+ of retirement will be crucial.
• “There’s a joke: when you look at your account, you see $1 million, but every year inflation makes it spend like nine-fifty, then eight-thirty…" ([56:46] Dan)

16. Health Advances and Financial Preparedness

Timestamp: 66:16 – 67:32

• New biotech and medicine will radically extend healthspan.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan (on talking about money):

  “We grew up thinking it’s rude to talk about money. I think that’s ridiculous. We have to have discussions for your finances, taxes, FICO score. Should I rent? … There’s nothing rude about it.” ([00:53])

• Yash (on successful creators):

  “You should be generating minimum seven figures a month...It comes down to the ability to be an operator.” ([21:45])

• Jay (on lead generation):

  “Biggest pain point in most companies is: how do you market, how do you get people to know your thing?” ([35:03])

• Dan (on investing):

  “I don’t have rocket science to my investments. I just look at companies I use. I see Tesla everywhere; I’m going to buy some Tesla stock.” ([12:46])

• Jay (on surrounding yourself):

  “If you want to make more money, surround yourself by people who are making more than you.” ([41:24])

• Dan (on charity):

  “I wanted to create charities people could see, feel, and touch. Rather you show up and bring your staff than just send money.” ([61:56])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:54–03:40] Yash Daftary’s bio & FanBasis explained
• [05:02–08:00] The rise of young online millionaires
• [08:00–09:42] Building and retaining a team
• [09:42–16:38] Investing mindsets for new money
• [21:11–24:26] Who can monetize and how
• [24:26–26:27] Innovating in product and building customer loyalty
• [26:27–28:08] Charity and giving back
• [33:35–41:02] Lead generation, agencies vs. in-house
• [41:02–42:42] What holds people back from making more
• [42:42–45:54] Omnipresent marketing & PR’s “halo effect”
• [45:54–56:46] Real-world investment strategies & crypto
• [57:48–63:05] Building personal fulfillment through charity
• [64:02–68:26] Legacy: Inheritance, planning for future generations, and advances in longevity

Final Takeaways

• You don’t need to “feel ready” to build something big—operator skills and the right relationships are more valuable than follower counts or initial resources.
• The online economy is booming with new, young wealth—a radical shift in who can earn, educate, and build businesses.
• Successful businesses and modern entrepreneurship thrive on transparency, team culture, smart investments, continual marketing experimentation, and an emphasis on giving back.
• Invest in what you know, build relationships intentionally, and make your success mean something beyond the numbers.

Where to find the guests:

• FanBasis: fanbasis.com | IG: @fanbasis | Yash Daftary: @yashdaftary
• Dr. Jay Feldman: IG: @dr.j.feldman, @leadgenj | leadgenj.com | otterpr.com

This summary maintains the conversational, candid, and motivational tone of the podcast, bringing to light actionable strategies and timeless principles for listeners at any stage of their wealth journey.