Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode, Adam sits down with Darrell Lerner, a serial tech entrepreneur who co-founded Snap Interactive, scaling a garage startup to over 120 million users and $100 million in revenue without traditional venture capital. Darrell shares the real story behind Snap’s explosive growth, including the early pivot onto Facebook’s platform, how his team implemented swiping before Tinder, and why success often comes down to timing, testing, and the willingness to scrap months of work in pursuit of a better outcome.
Rather than chasing hacks, Darrell breaks down his proven growth loop: test, learn, iterate, then double down on what works. The conversation explores how to validate ideas before building, decide when to pivot versus persevere, avoid ego-driven decisions, and why execution matters more than ideas. Darrell also reflects on selling his pet adoption startup AllPaws to PetSmart, lessons from failure, and why real impact comes from building products that genuinely improve people’s lives.
📺 Loved this episode? Here’s some of our other favourites:
youtube.com/watch?v=Eqx00oiLLOQ&t=569s
youtube.com/watch?v=6S2wEWQKNag&t=3240s
youtube.com/watch?v=EfuCaISs7-s&t=1s
youtube.com/watch?v=dxXGqIL_AxA&t=9s
🔗 FOLLOW DARRELL:
darrelllerner.com
instagram.com/dlerner2112/?hl=en
linkedin.com/in/darrelllerner
https://x.com/DarrellLerner
🕒 TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
1:17 Garage Startup into $100m Revenue and 120M Users
8:37 Bootstrapping a Startup in 2026
13:49 Darrell's Early Years
17:41 Frameworks Around Viral Customer Aquisition
21:11 Inventing The Swipe Function (Before Tinder)
29:36 The Facebook Opportunity
35:37 The Power of Networking
47:30 Co-Founding With Family Members
52:21 Philosophical Questions
✌🏼 SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY PURCHASING PRODUCTS WE LOVE:
💧 Vitadrop — Healthy Hydration & Vitamins (Sleep / Hydration / Focus & Collagen) — Use the code 'TOT' to get 25% off your purchase @ https://www.vitadrop.com.au/TOT
👟 Vivobarefoot — My favourite barefoot shoes that I wear everyday — Use the code ‘TOT’ for 20% off @ www.[vivobarefoot.com/](https://vivobarefoot.com/)
🥗 Blueprint — Longevity supplements and meal solutions by Bryan Johnson — Use the code ‘TOT’ for 10% off your purchase @ [friends.bryanjohnson.com/TOT](https://friends.bryanjohnson.com/TOT)
📖 5 Minute Journal — My favourite daily gratitude journal — Use the code ‘TOT10’ for 10% off @ intelligentchange.com/?rfsn=4732871.491170e&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=4732871.491170e
📝 Notion — My favourite note taking app I use for my business and personal life everyday — Use the code ‘TOT’ to support the podcast @ https://affiliate.notion.so/TOT
😴 Hostage Tape — A sleep mouth tape I use every night — Use code for 10% off @ hostagetape.com/products/buy?snowball=ADAM90598
🐄 Carnivore Aurelius Collagen — Collagen I use daily — Use code ‘TOT’ for 10% off @ carnivoreaurelius.com/TOT
👓 Blue Light Glasses — Glasses I wear every night — Use code ‘TOT’ for 10% off @ [www.blockbluelight.com.au/?ref=TOT](https://www.blockbluelight.com.au/?ref=TOT)
📵 Opal — Blocking iPhone app app I use daily - Follow the link to support the podcast @ www.[applink.opal.so/invite-friend?rc=EA66X&rId=AIriLLeGL0Nofh8MOpdNLEwgEF53&rNme=Admet](https://applink.opal.so/invite-friend?rc=EA66X&rId=AIriLLeGL0Nofh8MOpdNLEwgEF53&rNme=Admet)
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💭 ABOUT US:
Each week I’ll be deep diving into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world - teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day-to-day life.
The podcast focusses on the pillars of health, wealth, and wisdom - and each episode is an in-depth, vulnerable conversation with a unique individual taking on the world in their unique way.
Expect episodes on business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more!
Hosted by Adam Metwally - (instagram.com/meetwally/)
Produced by Joe Fowler (instagram.com/joeefowler/).
🎶 Music:
By — HNNY
youtube.com/watch?v=3r3Paw23_eQ
In this episode, Adam sits down with Darrell Lerner, a serial tech entrepreneur who co-founded Snap Interactive, scaling a garage startup to over 120 million users and $100 million in revenue without traditional venture capital. Darrell shares the real story behind Snap’s explosive growth, including the early pivot onto Facebook’s platform, how his team implemented swiping before Tinder, and why success often comes down to timing, testing, and the willingness to scrap months of work in pursuit of a better outcome.
Rather than chasing hacks, Darrell breaks down his proven growth loop: test, learn, iterate, then double down on what works. The conversation explores how to validate ideas before building, decide when to pivot versus persevere, avoid ego-driven decisions, and why execution matters more than ideas. Darrell also reflects on selling his pet adoption startup AllPaws to PetSmart, lessons from failure, and why real impact comes from building products that genuinely improve people’s lives.
📺 Loved this episode? Here’s some of our other favourites:
youtube.com/watch?v=Eqx00oiLLOQ&t=569s
youtube.com/watch?v=6S2wEWQKNag&t=3240s
youtube.com/watch?v=EfuCaISs7-s&t=1s
youtube.com/watch?v=dxXGqIL_AxA&t=9s
🔗 FOLLOW DARRELL:
darrelllerner.com
instagram.com/dlerner2112/?hl=en
linkedin.com/in/darrelllerner
https://x.com/DarrellLerner
🕒 TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
1:17 Garage Startup into $100m Revenue and 120M Users
8:37 Bootstrapping a Startup in 2026
13:49 Darrell's Early Years
17:41 Frameworks Around Viral Customer Aquisition
21:11 Inventing The Swipe Function (Before Tinder)
29:36 The Facebook Opportunity
35:37 The Power of Networking
47:30 Co-Founding With Family Members
52:21 Philosophical Questions
✌🏼 SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY PURCHASING PRODUCTS WE LOVE:
💧 Vitadrop — Healthy Hydration & Vitamins (Sleep / Hydration / Focus & Collagen) — Use the code 'TOT' to get 25% off your purchase @ https://www.vitadrop.com.au/TOT
👟 Vivobarefoot — My favourite barefoot shoes that I wear everyday — Use the code ‘TOT’ for 20% off @ www.[vivobarefoot.com/](https://vivobarefoot.com/)
🥗 Blueprint — Longevity supplements and meal solutions by Bryan Johnson — Use the code ‘TOT’ for 10% off your purchase @ [friends.bryanjohnson.com/TOT](https://friends.bryanjohnson.com/TOT)
📖 5 Minute Journal — My favourite daily gratitude journal — Use the code ‘TOT10’ for 10% off @ intelligentchange.com/?rfsn=4732871.491170e&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=4732871.491170e
📝 Notion — My favourite note taking app I use for my business and personal life everyday — Use the code ‘TOT’ to support the podcast @ https://affiliate.notion.so/TOT
😴 Hostage Tape — A sleep mouth tape I use every night — Use code for 10% off @ hostagetape.com/products/buy?snowball=ADAM90598
🐄 Carnivore Aurelius Collagen — Collagen I use daily — Use code ‘TOT’ for 10% off @ carnivoreaurelius.com/TOT
👓 Blue Light Glasses — Glasses I wear every night — Use code ‘TOT’ for 10% off @ [www.blockbluelight.com.au/?ref=TOT](https://www.blockbluelight.com.au/?ref=TOT)
📵 Opal — Blocking iPhone app app I use daily - Follow the link to support the podcast @ www.[applink.opal.so/invite-friend?rc=EA66X&rId=AIriLLeGL0Nofh8MOpdNLEwgEF53&rNme=Admet](https://applink.opal.so/invite-friend?rc=EA66X&rId=AIriLLeGL0Nofh8MOpdNLEwgEF53&rNme=Admet)
GET IN TOUCH:
🌍 Our website: thatonetimepodcast.com
🌍 Advertise with us:
partnerships@thatonetimepodcast.com
🌍 Book us:
bookings@thatonetimepodcast.com
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:
🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCP62dkT4JUozGGlk7zT1afQ?sub_confirmation=1
🗣️ Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2CDS3KOgOSwmKCvK6BWS8B?si=e5916dc892c84387
🍎 Apple: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/that-one-time-with-adam-metwally/id1657317674
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thatonetime_podcast
🐦 X / Twitter: https://x.com/itsadammetwally
🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thatonetime_podcast
💭 ABOUT US:
Each week I’ll be deep diving into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world - teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day-to-day life.
The podcast focusses on the pillars of health, wealth, and wisdom - and each episode is an in-depth, vulnerable conversation with a unique individual taking on the world in their unique way.
Expect episodes on business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more!
Hosted by Adam Metwally - (instagram.com/meetwally/)
Produced by Joe Fowler (instagram.com/joeefowler/).
🎶 Music:
By — HNNY
youtube.com/watch?v=3r3Paw23_eQ
