Security Confidential S13 E7 Matt Brown

Manoj Tandon: Hello everyone, this is your host, Manoj Tandon. Welcome to another episode of Dark Rhiino Security – Security Confidential. We’re going to have an amazing conversation today. We are very fortunate to have Matt Brown on the show. Matt is the host of The Matt Brown Show, a serial entrepreneur, and the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller Your Inner Game. Matt, honored to have you here. Thanks for being on the show.

Matt Brown: Thanks, Manoj. Great to be here.

Manoj Tandon: So, Matt, give us a little bit about your background. Our audience loves origin stories—what’s yours?

Matt Brown: Sure. You can probably hear I’m not from America. I was born in South Africa and recently moved to the States. In my early years, I had two passions: music and business. At 19, I moved to London and started my first company—a record label called Voodoo Vinyl. It was right when Napster and digital music were disrupting the industry. Everyone was downloading Metallica songs, Lars Ulrich was furious on TV, and the whole business model of music changed overnight.

We began doing digital album releases instead of traditional records, which were expensive to produce. I created the Voodoo Vinyl Remix Network—artists from around the world could submit music, and our network would remix it. We’d pick the best versions and release them. We were producing around 120 digital albums a year. I was DJing around Europe and Ibiza—it was a dream life. But eventually, I got tired of the industry and sold the company when I was 26.

Of course, selling a company that young made me think I could walk on water. My next venture quickly failed, and that failure made me deeply curious about why one business succeeded while another didn’t. That curiosity drove everything I did afterward.

A few years later, I started The Matt Brown Show to have real conversations with business leaders about success and failure—mainly to learn for myself. Within a year, the show had listeners in over 100 countries. Podcasting wasn’t huge back then, especially in Africa, so I became an early mover. Fast forward 10 years—over 850 episodes later—I’ve written three bestselling books and built a global media platform to help entrepreneurs and leaders make a positive difference. That’s my “why.”

Manoj Tandon: That’s fantastic. You’ve had world-class leaders on your show—any that stand out as particularly memorable?

Matt Brown: That’s a tough one—it’s like asking Dana White who the greatest UFC fighter of all time is. I’ve had New York Times bestselling authors, billionaires from six continents, and incredible thinkers. The stories are what really matter. Those stories became the foundation for my books. Each guest brought something unique, so I honestly can’t pick just one.

Manoj Tandon: Fair enough. Let’s talk about those stories and unlocking human potential. After all these conversations, what have you learned about how people reach their true potential?

Matt Brown: Great question. I think it comes down to persistence and curiosity. There were many times I wanted to quit my show, but my producer always said, “Just do one more.” Every time, that “one more” led to a breakthrough conversation.

People often fail to reach their potential because they’re not willing to start small—they stare at the mountain instead of moving the small stones that make up the mountain. They focus on the outcome instead of the process. Many podcasters, for instance, quit after 3 or 10 episodes because it’s “too hard.” Success takes consistency and a willingness to suffer a bit for what you want.

Manoj Tandon: Do people realize they’re limiting themselves like that?

Matt Brown: Deep down, yes—but most live in denial. I’ve interviewed over 150 founders about failure, and the number one reason startups die is because founders quit. Not because of funding or the market—because they give up. The ones who succeed are the ones who persevere. The ability to suffer and keep going is the real differentiator.

A mentor once told me a story. He’d taken a million-dollar investment, lost it all, and promised to pay it back. The investor stopped him and said, “Did I back the business or did I back you?” That stuck with me. Businesses die—but if you walk away, that’s when you truly fail. Perseverance is the ultimate superpower.

Manoj Tandon: That’s so true. It’s like world-class athletes—the mindset is everything.

Matt Brown: Exactly. That’s why I wrote Your Inner Game. It’s about mastering your psychology. I’ve heard incredible stories—people who survived horrific things: wrongful imprisonment, near-death experiences, paralysis—and came out stronger. Those stories remind us that someone always has it worse, and if they can survive and grow, so can we. Life is mostly suffering, but meaning comes from how we handle it.

Manoj Tandon: Incredible perspective. Do the most successful people—like Elon Musk or Mandela—have other “superpowers” beyond persistence?

Matt Brown: Yes—hunger. They stay hungry no matter how successful they become. And they focus on contribution. True influence isn’t about self-promotion—it’s about elevating others.

When I moved to the U.S., I sent 1,000 cold emails to startup founders offering free exposure on my show. Overnight, 190 booked interviews. I realized that was influence. Real influence isn’t about followers or marketing; it’s about creating value that lifts others. Elon, Mandela, Oprah—they all used their influence to elevate humanity, not themselves. That’s why their impact endures.

Manoj Tandon: That’s a powerful insight. Any other traits these high achievers share?

Matt Brown: They ask better questions. Elon Musk didn’t ask, “Can we go to Mars?” He asked, “How can we?” Questions shape everything. Most people stay at surface-level questions—like “What do you do?” instead of “Why do you do it?” The deeper your “why,” the stronger your purpose and clarity.

Manoj Tandon: Most people never dig that deep—they just want the quick exchange.

Matt Brown: Right, and that’s why they blend in. The best business card isn’t paper—it’s a book, a story, or a mission that represents who you are.

Manoj Tandon: That takes insight and effort.

Matt Brown: It does—but AI is changing that too. You can now create a quality book in a fraction of the time. My last one, Secrets of Influence, took eight hours to generate a manuscript. Technology is making it easier than ever to share your story and ideas. Instead of handing out business cards, imagine giving someone your book—it instantly sets you apart.

Manoj Tandon: That’s fascinating. Has anyone on your show linked success in life with formal education?

Matt Brown: Not really. Formal education isn’t the key—real-world experience is. I call it being “QBE”—Qualified by Experience. Many of the most successful people I’ve met never finished college. They learned by doing, failing, and adapting. That kind of learning can’t be taught in a classroom.

Manoj Tandon: What about concepts like the “law of attraction”? Is success really about mindset?

Matt Brown: I think so—but not in a mystical way. You create your own luck by showing up, taking risks, and staying open to opportunity. Bill Gross, one of the most successful entrepreneurs ever, analyzed why startups succeed or fail. The biggest factor wasn’t funding or the team—it was timing. You can’t wait for the perfect time. You create opportunity by being in motion.

Manoj Tandon: That’s exactly what I wanted our audience to hear. Are there practical ways for the average person to build that mindset—to start “moving the pebbles”?

Matt Brown: Start by thinking differently. Your thoughts shape your reality. Stop seeing obstacles as barriers and start seeing them as chances to innovate. For example, with AI, I turned 850 podcast interviews into Matt Brown AI—a knowledge engine trained on my content. It lets anyone access the wisdom of hundreds of successful leaders instantly. That happened because I kept asking, “How can I think differently about value?”

Manoj Tandon: Brilliant. That alone was worth the price of admission—which, thankfully, is free. Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to leave our audience with?

Matt Brown: Just a quote from Plato: “Any man who fails to cultivate his own influence will eventually be ruled by lesser men.” Start today. Take one action, no matter how small, to build your influence. If we can create a generation of influential leaders—not just influencers—the world will be a far better place.

Manoj Tandon: Absolutely. That might inspire people who don’t yet believe in themselves to realize their potential. Matt, this has been phenomenal—thank you for your time, your wisdom, and your energy.

Matt Brown: Thanks, Manoj. Anytime.

Manoj Tandon: And thank you to our audience for tuning in. Remember—in cybersecurity and in life, thinking differently is how you stay ahead.