Mental Health & Money: Building Hawke Media Against All Odds with Erik Huberman

Deal Playbook with Tom Shipley

In this episode, Erik Huberman, founder and CEO of Hawke Media, shares his entrepreneurial journey, from starting his first business at age six to building a marketing empire that has generated over $2.9 billion in revenue for clients. He opens up about the highs and lows of running a business, including how mental health challenges nearly led him to quit. Erik also breaks down his approach to scaling through acquisitions, managing anxiety, and how he keeps pushing forward despite setbacks. If you want to hear real talk about building a business, managing tough moments, and thriving in the marketing world, this episode is for you.

Chapters

• 00:00 | Igniting Progress: The Power of Forward Momentum
• 00:30 | Meet Erik Huberman: Hawke Media’s Game-Changer
• 00:59 | Erik’s First Steps: From a 6-Year-Old Entrepreneur to Building Empires
• 01:53 | Mountain Peaks and Deep Valleys: Navigating the Highs and Lows of Business
• 04:54 | Mental Health Struggles: How Anxiety Pushed Erik to the Brink
• 10:56 | The Art of Exits: Lessons from Erik’s Early Business Sales
• 12:45 | Scaling Hawke Media: Inside Erik’s Acquisition Strategy
• 15:00 | The Vision: Future Goals and What It Takes to Dominate the Market
• 21:59 | Profit Margins and Growth: Balancing Expansion with Efficiency
• 25:23 | Integrating Teams: The Cultural Challenges of Merging Businesses
• 29:46 | Legal Terms: How Erik Handles Attorneys and Deal Terms
• 31:35 | Unveiling the Fund: What Hawke Ventures Looks for in Investments
• 33:15 | Investment Strategy: From Tools to Success Stories
• 40:31 | Wrapping Up: Final Thoughts and Excitement for DealCon Live in Nashville

Links and Resources:

• Erik Huberman
• Erik on LinkedIn
• Hawke Media
• HawkeTalk Podcast
• Tom Shipley
• Tom on LinkedIn
• Agency Ventures Aggregator

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Deal Playbook? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!