4x Founder Tanner Haas on Building Startups, Lessons Learned & the Vision Behind Freedom Chat

Ever wonder what it really takes to build and scale a startup?

Too many entrepreneurs rush into business with passion but no plan—burning money, wasting time, and sometimes walking away defeated. But what if you could learn from someone who’s done it four times—building, selling, and scaling real companies?

Meet Tanner Haas.

At just 18, Tanner launched his first venture—only to discover firsthand why passion alone can’t beat bad economics. Fast forward: he’s built and sold multiple businesses, from nutraceuticals to SEO agencies, and now he’s the founder of Freedom Chat—a privacy-first messaging and social app disrupting a multi-billion-dollar industry.

In this episode, Tanner shares his raw lessons from the trenches—what worked, what failed, and why his startup journey has been defined by bold moves, resilience, and a relentless drive to fix problems others ignore.

Key Takeaways:

• Why businesses fail before they start—and how to avoid the biggest rookie mistake

• The power of moving fast but not too fast when launching products

• How Uber rides and random encounters led to a thriving SEO agency with 10 clients before a website

• Why Freedom Chat could become a billion-dollar disruptor in privacy and messaging

• How to identify problems that “make your blood boil” to find your next big idea

• Tanner’s philosophy on freedom, work, and building meaningful companies

About the Guest:

Tanner Haas is a serial entrepreneur who started his first company at just 18 years old—and sold it two years later. Along the way, he’s experienced the gritty realities of startup life, from eating raw eggs and living off his own protein powder when the power was shut off, to driving for Uber to keep his ventures alive.

Unapologetically committed to the grind, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to build and sustain his companies. Today, he shares the lessons, resilience, and unfiltered truths of entrepreneurship, offering a real-world perspective on what it takes to succeed when building from the ground up.

Links:

https://freedomchat.com/

Fast Five Questions:

1. If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? “I’d first call a friend or connection for a $10–20K loan so I can think and formulate a plan… then build a deck, a website, and raise money for a new company.”

2. What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? “Starting my nutrition company without due diligence. Business doesn’t care about your feelings—it needs to make money. Also, rushing Freedom Chat’s MVP. We launched too quickly and had to relaunch multiple times.”

3. What is a book that you would recommend? “Read the biography of the person you most admire. Don’t pick your mom or grandma—pick a public figure. It’ll show you they’re human, flawed, and yet achieved great things.”

4. What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? “Freedom Chat for team communication, ProtonMail for privacy, Canva for design, QuickBooks for finances. Four to five tools total—keep it lean.”

5. What is your definition of freedom? “Working on what you want, with people you want, saying what you want without repercussions. It’s not about doing nothing—it’s about working on problems you want to solve.”

About Jeff:

Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively working in his community and supporting the growth of small businesses. He is a board member of the Incubator.Edu program at Vista Ridge High School and is on the board of directors of the Leander Educational Excellence Foundation

Connect with the Freedom Nation podcast at https://freedom-nation-podcast.captivate.fm/

Connect with Jeff:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomnationpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffKikel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkikel/

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