What It Really Costs to Build Something New, with Sam Berman

About this episode

Sam Berman discusses how pursuing 'unsexy' business ideas in overlooked industries can lead to significant opportunities and success.

ost founders are chasing “sexy” ideas, AI, apps, and hype markets. But the real money? It’s often hiding in industries no one wants to touch. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sam Berman breaks down how he built a global company by going after one of the most overlooked spaces: industrial packaging. From a napkin sketch to working with some of the largest companies in the world, this conversation unpacks why “boring” businesses are often the most lucrative, and what founders get wrong when choosing what to build. But this isn’t just about picking the right market. It’s about what it actually takes to stay in the game long enough to win: The internal war founders don’t talk about The obsession required to push through zero traction knowing when to validate vs. when to pivot And why most people quit before the opportunity pays off What you’ll learn: Why “unsexy” industries create massive opportunities How to validate a business idea before going all-in What founders miss when chasing trendy markets The role of obsession, grit, and endurance in building How to break into large companies (even without connections) If you’re building, or trying to figure out what’s actually…

People in this episode

Host: Sonia Couto

Guest: Sam Berman

Topics covered

• business opportunities
• founder challenges
• industrial packaging
• validating business ideas
• grit and endurance
• overlooked industries

Keywords

• business ideas
• founders
• opportunity
• traction
• pivot
• grit
• endurance
• validation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: industrial packaging

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