Pocket Prep: Peter Murphy episode artwork

EPISODE · May 8, 2026 · 28 MIN

Pocket Prep: Peter Murphy

from Starting Small · host Cameron Nagle

Working full-time while studying for a professional certification, Peter realized the real problem wasn’t intelligence — it was the format. Most working adults were trying to study late at night, squeezed between jobs, bills, and family responsibilities, using outdated materials built for people with unlimited time. So in 2012, before “edtech” became a category everyone chased, Peter and his co-founders built a simple mobile study app to solve their own problem. None of them were developers. None were designers. They mocked up the first version in PowerPoint, pooled together less than $2,000, and launched an app that sold just two copies on day one. That app became Pocket Prep. Today, the company has helped more than 8 million learners prepare for over 140 certification exams across healthcare, IT, cybersecurity, finance, and the skilled trades — quietly becoming one of the most widely used study platforms for working professionals. In this episode, Peter breaks down the early years of building Pocket Prep, why consistency beats cramming, and how mobile learning changed the way adults prepare for high-stakes exams. Make sure to check them out at: https://www.pocketprep.com    Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX  Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO  Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/  Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup    Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour  LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle   Thank you to this episodes mid-break sponsor, Eclife Premier.  I recently installed their 30-inch Canyon vanity, and it completely changed the look of the bathroom. The fluted wood finish, the clean design, the storage — it honestly looks way more high-end than what you’d expect at the price point. What I liked most was that it showed up ready to go. No complicated setup, no hunting for separate pieces that hopefully match. Eclife has vanities in all different sizes and styles, whether you’re redoing a powder room or a full primary bath. Use code STARTINGSMALL50 for $50 off your next purchase: https://www.eclifeusa.com/discount/STARTINGSMALL50   Starting Small is powered by Riverside.fm, the AI-powered platform that lets you record, edit, repurpose,and distribute studio-quality content as easily as if you had a crew behind you. Check them out now at https://creators.riverside.com/CameronNagle  

Working full-time while studying for a professional certification, Peter realized the real problem wasn’t intelligence — it was the format. Most working adults were trying to study late at night, squeezed between jobs, bills, and family responsibilities, using outdated materials built for people with unlimited time. So in 2012, before “edtech” became a category everyone chased, Peter and his co-founders built a simple mobile study app to solve their own problem. None of them were developers. None were designers. They mocked up the first version in PowerPoint, pooled together less than $2,000, and launched an app that sold just two copies on day one. That app became Pocket Prep. Today, the company has helped more than 8 million learners prepare for over 140 certification exams across healthcare, IT, cybersecurity, finance, and the skilled trades — quietly becoming one of the most widely used study platforms for working professionals. In this episode, Peter breaks down the early years of building Pocket Prep, why consistency beats cramming, and how mobile learning changed the way adults prepare for high-stakes exams. Make sure to check them out at: https://www.pocketprep.com    Check out my new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kRKGTX  Watch our mini-doc - Starting Small: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship and the American Dream: https://youtu.be/eHuq93wIxs0?si=eDB-ycngvWNapRLO  Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/  Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup    Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour  LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle   Thank you to this episodes mid-break sponsor, Eclife Premier.  I recently installed their 30-inch Canyon vanity, and it completely changed the look of the bathroom. The fluted wood finish, the clean design, the storage — it honestly looks way more high-end than what you’d expect at the price point. What I liked most was that it showed up ready to go. No complicated setup, no hunting for separate pieces that hopefully match. Eclife has vanities in all different sizes and styles, whether you’re redoing a powder room or a full primary bath. Use code STARTINGSMALL50 for $50 off your next purchase: https://www.eclifeusa.com/discount/STARTINGSMALL50   Starting Small is powered by Riverside.fm, the AI-powered platform that lets you record, edit, repurpose,and distribute studio-quality content as easily as if you had a crew behind you. Check them out now at https://creators.riverside.com/CameronNagle

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This episode was published on May 8, 2026.

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Working full-time while studying for a professional certification, Peter realized the real problem wasn’t intelligence — it was the format. Most working adults were trying to study late at night, squeezed between jobs, bills, and family...

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