Becoming Self Made Podcast: Stories Of Success and Breakthrough

 We fetishize success in the U.S., which industries have grown up promoting strategies for success. Books, classes, instructional and inspirational videos, gadgets, systems, and even podcasts all promote the avenues to success. I must confess that I am conflicted by podcasts that promote success. These podcasts market an "If they can do it, so can you" mantra. 

What's happened in the U.S. over the last 40 years is that the American Dream has withered away. Income mobility is at an all-time low. The top 0.1% keep getting much richer, while the middle and low-income classes find themselves trapped in a prison of "just enough is good enough." 

I was prepared to dislike the Becoming Self Made Podcast. Blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada, I truly enjoyed the show. 

Hosted by bestselling author and money expert Mike Michalowicz, the podcast dives into the unfiltered stories of founders and entrepreneurs who built their businesses from the ground up and kept pushing as the stakes got higher.

Mike Michalowicz is the best-selling author of Profit First, which, I assumed wrongly, was another in a string of Milton Friedman-type books in which shareholder value is the only thing that matters. 

Mr. Michalowicz's viewpoint is that before you pay your expenses, take your profit first. Run your business based on what you can afford to do today, not what you hope to be able to afford someday. When profit comes first, it is the focus, and it is never forgotten. Most business owners try to grow their way out of their problems, hinging salvation on the next big sale or customer or investor, but the result is simply a bigger monster.

Mike Michalowicz is an American author, entrepreneur, and lecturer and is the author of nine business books published by Penguin Random House, including All In (2023), Get Different (2021), Profit First (2017), The Pumpkin Plan (2012) and Clockwork Revised & Expanded (2022).

His upcoming release, The Money Habit (2026), is the inaugural title from Simplified, a new publishing imprint curated by Michalowicz in partnership with Page Two Books. The Money Habit applies his proven Profit First principles to personal finance, offering a clear path to everyday financial freedom.

Mike Michalowicz would not be the first successful author to become a successful podcaster. There's Malcolm Gladwell, Gretchen Rubin, Stephen Dubner, and Dan Harris. Yet, you can't live off your literary laurels when you host a podcast. You have to be able to connect with listeners and conduct lively interviews.

Mr. Michalowicz is thankfully a strong podcast host and interviewer. He brings enthusiasm and insight into his show and makes sure it doesn't devolve into some Harvard Business Review dryly academic case study. 

"Each episode goes beyond the highlight reel to reveal the raw moments, hard-won lessons, and personal transformations that come with scaling something real—equal parts gritty, insightful, and funny," says Mike Michalowicz in the show's marketing pitch. 

My favorite episode was with Jesse and Emily Cole, Co-Founders of The Savannah Bananas, who have built one of the most inspiring success stories in sports and business. If you haven't seen this unique "baseball" team, watch them on YouTube. 

In this episode, the host uses a technique he has employed n other episodes called the lifeline, where the guest (s) list a timeline of their business journey, detailing the highs and lows. It's a fascinating device that summarizes information for listeners.

In this show, Michalowicz sat down with Jesse and Emily Cole to uncover how they turned a struggling baseball team into a global entertainment phenomenon, one built not on profit, but on fans. From embracing rejection as their greatest teacher to creating a company culture rooted in joy, creativity, and community, the Coles share the powerful lessons that fueled their journey to one of the most successful teams in baseball, regardless of the league.

If you don't know about the team, it is so popular that there is a massive waiting list to get tickets. At this point, the Coles could charge thousands of dollars for tickets. But they don't. Tickets purchased from the team cost between $35 and $125, and the Coles explain why they do not raise ticket prices based on demand.  

You’ll hear how the Savannah Bananas broke every rule in traditional baseball, the impact of applying Mike Michalowicz's book Profit First during their lowest moment, and the personal sacrifices behind Jesse and Emily balancing business, purpose, and family.

Becoming Self Made is produced by Relay, a small business banking and money management platform, with production support from Pod People.

Becoming Self Made dives into the raw, unfiltered stories of entrepreneurs who turned small beginnings into extraordinary success. In this current season, Mike Michalowicz sits down with six powerhouse founders, from viral creators to global business leaders, to explore the pivotal moments that defined their journeys.

I'll end at the beginning.  I'll reiterate that I am conflicted by podcasts that promote success. These podcasts market an "If they can do it, so can you" mantra. Thankfully, Becoming Self Made is much more accessible to a listening audience that may not all be successful entrepreneurs. The show doesn't condemn those who haven't taken an entrepreneurial risk. Instead, it celebrates the qualities of those who tried and succeeded and discusses their struggles and insights.