Hot Dog Stands & Bodegas

You’re probably asking, “why am I getting an email about hot dog stands and bodegas?”

Two reasons.

First: You subscribed to the Two Dads in Tech newsletter (and we thank you!)

Second: Sam Parr, co-host of My First Million, talked about both in our episode today.

While Sam is best known for his podcast, he got his start slinging hot dogs in Nashville. The stand failed. So he pivoted to newsletters… as you do. 

He launched The Hustle, scaled it, and sold it to Hubspot in a life-changing acquisition.

These days, he’s the founder of Hampton, a private network and community for high-growth founders. 

When he’s not building or podcasting, he’s spending time with his family, skateboarding, or carving out an hour to hang out on Two Dads in Tech. 

We talked about parenting, building companies, quitting alcohol, and New York City Bodegas. 

Our biggest takeaway:

Sometimes, you just need to hustle. 

We discussed a lot more than hot dog stands and bodegas in this episode. Lucky for you, you can listen to the entire podcast here! It just dropped this morning!

Hot Dog Stands

Before The Hustle. Before My First Million.

Sam Parr was running a hot dog stand in a rough part of Nashville.

It didn’t last long. But that chapter shaped him.

He was living fast, drinking heavily, and figuring things out alongside a man named Rydell. 

“People thought he was my bodyguard. He had gold teeth, a huge presence… but he was my guy. One of my best friends.”

Eventually, the drinking stopped. The building didn’t. 

That season of life laid the foundation for his success.

It’s easy to look at Sam now—a successful exit, growing family, thriving business—and forget the messier beginnings. 

But that’s what made this conversation so compelling. He doesn’t have an extra hour in the day or work 24/7. 

“People think I’m doing a ton. But really, I just share everything I do. Most days I’m just consistent. Boring.”

You can still go big. But be intentional. 

Bodegas

Sam dropped one of our favorite takes on this episode. It was about startup founders, but really, it applies to anyone building anything.

“Too many founders act like a VC-backed executive when they should be acting like a bodega owner just trying to eat.”

It might sound extreme, but here’s the point:

Bodega owners aren’t chasing scalable systems, product-market fit, or a perfect pitch deck.

They’re hustling. Talking to customers. Selling what people ask for.

Sam’s advice?

Forget the growth hacks.

Pick up the phone. Knock on doors. Hand out flyers. 

Work like your life depends on it… because sometimes it does.

Wrap Up

Whether you’re building a startup or raising a toddler, the rules are the same:

• Show up

• Do the hard things

• Be intentional

Bonus Rule: Make your friends subscribe to Two Dads in Tech.

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