Podcasts about empire building

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Ferdinand wanted to make cars for the people, but the Porsche brand we know is an empire of performance. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is, well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients, so here’s one of those. [ASAP Commercial Doors Ad] Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast. It’s the podcast where we talk about empires that were built, businesses, business empires. You know what we… If you’ve listened before, you know… Stephen Semple: Something like that. I get it. Businesses that have done pretty well over the years. Dave Young: They started small. Stephen Semple: They started small. Dave Young: They started small and then they got big. They got so big to the point that you could call them an empire. Stephen Semple: That’s it. That’s the idea. Dave Young: It’s a pretty simple premise. Stephen Semple: That’s it. Dave Young: So as we counted down, Steve told me the topic today and it’s Porsche. Stephen Semple: Yes, sir. Dave Young: Porsche. I’m assuming this is the car. Stephen Semple: The car, yes, the car. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: The car. Dave Young: And I’m trying to… I know some Porsche jokes, but I probably shouldn’t tell those on this show. I’m trying to think if I’ve ever actually been in a Porsche. Stephen Semple: Oh, well then you’ve got to come up and see me, Dave. Dave Young: You own one. I know you own one. Stephen Semple: Well, I have one. Bernier’s got two. I don’t know how many Steve has. Dave Young: I see how it is. I see how it is. Maybe I will tell my Porsche joke. So you guys that own them, do you call it Porscha? Because some of us just say Porsche. Stephen Semple: Well, if you actually take a look back, that’s the proper German pronunciation as Porsche. Dave Young: Porsche, okay. Stephen Semple: And it’s supposed to not be… It’s not Italian Porsche, right? So it’s Porsche. Dave Young: Porsche, Porsche. Okay, I’ll accept that. I’ll accept that. I’m guessing we’re- Stephen Semple: Well, look, you got to always call a dealership to double check. They’ll tell you. Dave Young: Now, if I had to guess where we’re headed to start this off sometime around the 40s, maybe earlier. Stephen Semple: A little earlier than that, actually. It was founded by Ferdinand Porsche in 1931 in Stuttgart, Germany. You’re not far off. But the interesting thing is where the growth really happened, even though that’s when it was founded, when things really started to happen, was actually post-World War II. Dave Young: That makes sense. Stephen Semple: You’re correct on that. Dave Young: So, it started in 31 and by the time you hit the late 30s and 40s, you’re part of the war machine. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So it was founded in 1931, Stuttgart, Germany by Ferdinand. And when we take a look at the history of the business for a very long time, they were a part of the VW group, although they were recently spun off into their own separate business. And there’s a lot of shared history between VW and Porsche. A lot of people make fun of the fact that it’s basically a VW. There’s so much connection. Now here’s the other thing is, there’s a lot of connection in Nazi Germany here as well. And I mean- Dave Young: That’s what I was intimating but trying not to say, but yes, there was definitely. Stephen Semple: And not one of these ones of, “Oh, I’m a business and I got sucked up into the machine.” I mean, very early on. Very early on. Ferdinand was a member of the SS following the war, both he and his son were charged. Dave Young: No kidding. Stephen Semple: He served two years in jail. His son six months. So we’re not talking loose connections here. He was a buddy of Adolf. Let’s just put it out there. And if you remember, going back to episode 21, VW was founded by Nazi Germany. So episode 21 about The Beetle, and Ferdinand was the guy who designed the Beetle. Dave Young: Right, right. I remember you saying that, Ferdinand Porsche. Stephen Semple: And look, Porsche has not always had the success it has today. It’s become pretty big. They do 40 billion EU in sales. They have 40,000 employees. They make 300,000 cars. There was a time that they’re making cars in the hundreds and thousands. It wasn’t that long ago. But let’s go back to Germany to the early 1900s. And if we think about Germany at that time, pre-World War II, pre-World War I, there was lots of history of engineering and science in Germany. More Nobel Prizes in Science was awarded to Germany than anywhere else in the world at that time. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: Germany was a real leader in science and engineering. And the first commercial automobile was made in Germany by Mercedes-Benz. So it’s 1906 and Daimler recruits Ferdinand because Ferdinand had been the winner of the Pottingham [inaudible 00:06:05] Prize, which is the automotive engineer of the year, which is given to new chief engineers and basically allows the person to have this designated doctor engineer honoris causa, Ferdinand Porsche. And he would go around calling himself all of that. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: And this is an honorary doctorate because he never actually finished college, but he had real engineering chops, Ferdinand. So he moves to Stuttgart, which at the time is a center of car making in Germany, including all the suppliers. And he works for Benz for 20 years. Okay. Now, it’s Germany in the 1930s and 2% of the population own a car in Germany as compared to the United States, which is 30%. Dave Young: In that time? Stephen Semple: In that time. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Ferdinand comes up with this idea of we should make an inexpensive car. We shouldn’t be making car for the wealthy. We should make an inexpensive car. The board rejects the idea. Ferdinand leaves in 1929. And in 1931… Kicks around for a few years, and then 1931 starts a consulting firm. Now, this dude knew how to name things. You’re ready for the name of the company? Dave Young: Of the consulting firm? Stephen Semple: Of the consulting firm. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: I have to read this to get it right. The Doctor Engineer Honoris Causa Ferdinand Porsche Construction and Consulting and Design Services for Motor Vehicles. Dave Young: Now, if I know anything about German, that was all one word that you just said, right? Stephen Semple: Well- Dave Young: No spaces in between any of those words. Stephen Semple: Translated, you’ll see it as Dr. in H period, C period, F period, Porsche, capital G, small M, small B, capital H. Dave Young: It just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? Stephen Semple: Now, here’s the crazy thing. Up until 2009, that remained the official name of the company. You actually can find, if you see Porsche’s older than that, that if you look for that, it’ll be stamped somewhere in the car that that’s the manufacturer. Dave Young: They changed it finally because it was just too expensive to- Stephen Semple: It cost too much- Dave Young: Put that many letters in a dye cast. Stephen Semple: Exactly, exactly. Dave Young: Holy cow. Stephen Semple: So it’s 1934 and they land a contract with Germany to design a small affordable car for the people called the Volkswagen. Dave Young: Volkswagen. Stephen Semple: Beetle. Right, there you go. Now, here’s the thing that’s weird. Post World War II, the allies are in trying to rebuild Germany and no one owns VW. VW was owned by the state. So now it’s in the hands of the British and the British and the allies want to create a strong economy in West Germany because it’s now the Cold War. So the big defense to defending against East Germany and the expansion of communism is to really get the economy going in Germany. And so the British government, as we know from episode 21 about the Beetle, approached Porsche who designed it and said, “Help us get this car built.” And this is where it gets just a little bit weird because the son goes in one direction. Ferdinand’s doing his own thing. They both got arrested for war crimes. Son gets out first because he did six months. And his son’s name’s Ferry and his dad is in jail for two years. So between this time where dad’s still in jail and son’s out, here’s one of the things they did towards the end of the war. We don’t know exactly how many, but it was probably about 20 of their best engineers and they moved them out into the farmland of Austria and basically had them working in a barn because they didn’t want to get them arrested or killed, quite frankly. So Ferry gets out and he goes to this barn in Austria and he’s looking around and he goes, “What the heck are we going to do to make some money? Let’s start fixing up cars.” Now, not a huge business fixing up cars. It’s post-war and there weren’t a lot of cars in Germany anyway, but they had to do something. Then the dad gets out of jail and he ends up doing this work with Volkswagen. Now, here’s what’s interesting. And this is where the really tight ties between Porsche and Volkswagen start. The deal that the German government gives Ferdinand, the deal that the allies give Ferdinand is this. Dave Young: Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories to Sell Ad] Dave Young: Let’s pick up our story where we left off and trust me you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: The deal that the allies give Ferdinand is this. We want your help designing and distributing this car. We will give you a royalty for every VW Beetle sold worldwide. Dave Young: Wow, that’s pretty generous. Stephen Semple: Well, no one knew it was going to be such a huge success and basically go for 50 years that car was being built. Dave Young: Right, right. Stephen Semple: So for a long time, the biggest source of revenue for Porsche was royalties on VW Beetle sales. Dave Young: Wow, okay. So it really- Stephen Semple: Isn’t that crazy? Dave Young: It really wouldn’t exist if that deal hadn’t been made. Stephen Semple: May not have, may not have. Now, meanwhile, Ferry, who has design chops of his own and loves cars, started tinkering around with vehicles. And what he started to do was put big engines in small cars. There was all these Beetle parts lying around. He would build a car, this little car, and he’d put a big engine in it. And if you go back in the time, if you go back and take a look in the late 30s, early 40s, and you take a look at Ferraris and things like that, you take a look at the race cars at the time, they were two-thirds engines. They’re these massive engines. So he went the opposite direction. He said, “Well, let’s take a little car and put a big engine in it.” And he’s driving around and he goes, “This is fun.” Because he’s basing it on parts lying around, which is the VW stuff. It’s an engine in the back. This becomes the Porsche 356, which is basically Porsche’s first car. So they start making this car and they wanted to make it somewhat affordable. So the price was $3,750, which would be $42,000 today. And they also wanted to have it as being a daily driver because again, everybody else making performance cars were not daily drivers, had a trunk, bunch of things, daily driver. And this is an important part of Porsche’s DNA. We’re going to come back to this a little bit later, this idea of it being a daily driver. So coming out of World War II, sports cars, industry’s happening and everybody’s got one. MG and Jag in the UK, there’s Ferrari in Italy, you get the idea. Now, one thing I forgot to mention that’s interesting and still today, the government state of Lower Saxony, which is basically would be the state, they still own 20% of Volkswagen. Dave Young: Really? Okay. Stephen Semple: I forgot to mention that. Dave Young: Who are they now? Stephen Semple: Well, Volkswagen’s still around. Volkswagen’s still- Dave Young: No, who is the Saxony? Stephen Semple: Well, it’d be like saying the state of Texas. It’s a state. Dave Young: Okay, it’s just a part of Germany. Stephen Semple: Part of Germany and that government still owns 20% of the company. Dave Young: What a world. Stephen Semple: Now there’s all this stimulus going on in Germany to try to get the economy going. One of the things that they did, there was a really interesting tax rate. There was an interesting tax structure. There was a very high marginal tax rate. Now, ordinary people were taxed at 15%, but the marginal tax rate could go as high as 95%. And the reason why they wanted to do this was create this incentive for reinvestment. So there’s all this… As they’re making money, there’s this heavy reinvestment. And in the early 50s, racing is really exploding. Automobile racing is really exploding, but the lines between professional and amateur is blurry. If you remember, James Dean and Steve McQueen and other actors, Paul Newman, were all racing. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: They’re all racing vehicles. And Jaguar and Porsche were trying to do the same thing in terms of creating this daily driver that you could race. Now in the end, Porsche won, and I think part of it is because quite frankly, they just built a better vehicle. There was a time where the joke with Jaguars was you had to own two because one would always be in the shop and one… And going back to the early DNA, Ferry Porsche was quoted as saying, “We have the only car that can go from an East African safari to race in the Le Mans to take out to theater and then drive on the streets in New York.” Dave Young: Wow, okay. Stephen Semple: And look, today, Porsche still heavily advertises that. They will advertise a Porsche driving through the snow with ski racks on it. And not their SUVs, the 911. This is very much part of it. And if you think about it, this parallels what Rolex did in the early days. You remember from episode 184 with Rolex. Rolex, the Submariner, the Explorer. Dave Young: Target by niche. Stephen Semple: Target by niche and make it tough and something that you could use and wear day to day. So it’s 1954 and Porsche’s selling 588 cars and about 40% of them is in the US. So really what’s making things hum with them is all those Beetle sales. And it’s the ’60s, the Ford Mustang comes out, the Jag E type comes out, the Austin-Healey comes out, and Porsche decides they need a new vehicle. And they were going to do a sedan, a four door sedan. But what they realized was they didn’t really want to compete with Mercedes and BMW. So they looked around at the other German car manufacturers and they said, “You know what? That’s probably not the place to go.” They had designed it up and that project failed. They had also been working on a six cylinder Boxter engine. So Boxter engine, the cylinders are opposed, so they’re like boxing. And the whole idea is that lowers the center of gravity of the weight of the engine. And they had a project that they were working on that that didn’t go ahead. So they stepped back and they went, “Maybe what we should do is just reduce the size of the sedan and put that engine in it.” That’s what they did. And that became the Porsche 901. Except there’s a problem. Peugeot had the copyright for zero in the middle of a bunch of numbers in France. They couldn’t call it the 901 because of that copyright. Dave Young: So they called it- Stephen Semple: So they called it the 911. And that’s now the iconic Porsche car. 1966, they sell 13,000 of these cars. Now, here’s the thing that I think is very interesting. And Porsche, as far as I could figure out, is the only car manufacturer that does this. First of all, they’ve maintained the 911 forever, but even on top of that, Porsche really understands design language. We can all recognize a Porsche. Dave Young: Right. Stephen Semple: We can recognize one from 2020. We can recognize one from 1999. We can recognize one from 1970. Even though they’ve upgraded the technology, they’ve changed the design of the car. They’ve now come out with the Cayman and the Macan and the Cayenne. They’re all recognizable as that vehicle. They’ve done a great job of doing that. I think that was a lost opportunity, frankly, when Tesla came out because they had a clean design slate. Tesla could have done that. But I think that’s really interesting how they’ve managed to maintain, even though they’ll modernize it. In our minds, we still will see one and go, “That’s a Porsche.” Dave Young: Sure. And the great car brands are able to do that. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Audi is always going to be an Audi. Volvo is always going to look like a Volvo. And in the Portals class at Wizard Academy, one of the videos that I use to demonstrate that, there’s a language. If you combine specific shapes and specific lines, that all adds up to that brand of car. And so I’ve got an old video that I got when I was in the Motor Press Guild from Audi. It was just a video that was made for journalists with an Audi designer explaining all the lines on the car when they came out with the Q7 and how it still maintained the Audi design language. It was fascinating. Stephen Semple: It is. Dave Young: So Porsche could tell you that and the cool thing is those designers can tell you that. It’s hard for you and I to go, “Well, I can look at it and say, “That’s a Porsche.” But to be able to put it into words that describe it to someone else, is a gift. Stephen Semple: What’s really interesting, my nephew, Jeffrey, he loves Audi’s. That’s what he has. And he’ll even make the comment, he doesn’t like the Porsche’s because you feel like you’re in a bubble. Audis are very square. If you look at the back of an Audi and you look at the rear end of a Porsche, it has hips. But again, he’s even, “They’re great cars, but I like the squareness of the Audi.” So that’s interesting. Dave Young: Audi Audi has a fairly, not perpendicular, but an upright grill more so than a … And that’s part of their design language. Stephen Semple: So the whole DNA of Porsche came from this whole idea of a small car. Dave Young: Big engine. Stephen Semple: Big engine, daily driver, that was the whole idea is, it’s supposed to be a car that you can drive every day. That’s the core, core, core, core principle. That’s why they always have decent sized trunks. I remember when Gary bought his Boxter, one of the things he loved about it is you can actually put two sets of golf clubs in that car. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Right? Now, here’s what’s fun. There was a time where when they were really wanting to get things going, they did some great print advertisements. So they had ads like bug killer. Another one was calling it transportation is like calling sex reproduction. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Now, two of my favorites, one was not perfect. It would list 20 or 30 races that Porsche won. And if you actually read it, there was two that it didn’t. Dave Young: That they didn’t, “We didn’t win all the races.” Stephen Semple: So not perfect. Dave Young: That could have been driver error. Stephen Semple: That could have been. But Dave, you were going to make some jokes. Porsche’s able to laugh at itself. It actually had an ad that said, “Small penis? Have I got a car for you? If you’re going to overcompensate, then by all means, overcompensate.” Dave Young: I love it, I love it. Well, and that’s always the thing, the jokes are not about the car. Stephen Semple: But they actually ran that ad and I believe it ran in Car and Driver Magazine. I cannot imagine getting that ad approved. Dave Young: That’s amazing. Stephen Semple: And look, their own drivers are like, “Yeah, whatever.” Dave Young: Sure, compensating all I want. Absolutely. I love that story. Well, thank you, Stephen. I love the story of Porsche. Stephen Semple: There you go. Dave Young: And get out there and enjoy it or just buy me one and send it here. Thank you. Stephen Semple: All right, thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app and leave us a big fat, juicy five-star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute Empire Building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

When two employees of Handy Dan hardware store gave this idea to management, they got fired! So, they started Home Depot. Someone’s kicking themselves now! Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is… well, it’s us. But we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients. So here’s one of those. [No Bull RV Ad] Dave Young: Welcome back to the Empire Builders Podcast. I’m Dave Young. That’s Steve Semple whispering in your other ear. And on today’s episode of the Empire Builders- Stephen Semple: [inaudible 00:01:44] your live stereo. Dave Young: We knew that it would only be a matter of time having so recently discussed the Lowe’s Empire that we would be discussing Home Depot, and today is that day. Stephen Semple: Today is that day because really, there’s a pretty shared DNA there. Dave Young: Sure. And again, I always think, “Well, okay, start as a little hardware store and then somebody grew into a big hardware store and then they made a bunch more.” Stephen Semple: It’s a little bit like that. Dave Young: A little bit? Stephen Semple: Except this is a little different. It’s a little bit different. Dave Young: Okay. I always like a good twist. Stephen Semple: There’s a little bit of a twist in this. So it was founded in February 6th, 1978, Marietta, Georgia by Bernard Marcus, Arthur Blank, Ron Brill, Pat Farrah, and Ken Langone. So these guys basically got it started. Dave Young: So it doesn’t go near as far back as Lowe’s. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Lowe’s is a little bit earlier, but not much. And today they have over 2,300 locations. They do 160 billion in revenue with over 450,000 employees. So it’s a big deal. And we all know who the Home Depot is, right? We’ve all pretty much heard of it. Now, a couple of the guys got basically fired from a hardware store in the West Coast called Handy Dan. Dave Young: Handy Dan. Okay. Stephen Semple: And it wasn’t really all that big and it was one-stop. But here’s why they got fired. They kept pestering management saying, “You need to go larger, then you need to go national.” And basically, management got tired of listening to that and fired them. So I told you there was a little twist. So when they left, they called one of Handy Dan’s investors, Ken Langone, and said, “Here’s what we want to do. We want to make 100,000 square foot hardware store, stock everything, make it cheaper, and make it more like a wholesaler. That’s what we want to do.” And they drew their inspiration from Walmart. They’re looking at what Walmart was doing. They said, “We want to do the Walmart thing for hardware and building.” And Ken was like, “Great, let’s do it.” And they drew up a plan that basically said they needed $25 million to get going, and they had to settle on raising three and a half million. So this is important to keep in mind because it shapes a couple of things that they do. And so the first thing that they needed to do… And they had a guy, Pat Farrah join them for merchandising. The first thing that they needed to do was create a name for the company. Now, I don’t know if you remember Crazy Eddie’s, the guy in New York City? Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: New York City. And he was selling electronics and all this other stuff. Dave Young: But he’s no Handy Dan. Stephen Semple: He’s no Handy Dan, but they were inspired by Crazy Eddie’s. And what I found interesting is in Toronto around the same time, there was a furniture company that started that also was inspired from it because it was Bad Boys. They would dress in the black and white retro, “I’m a prisoner” uniforms. And they’d be like, “Bad Boys. Does anybody have a better price? Nobody.” That was their slogan. But what these guys decided was they were going to call it Bad Bernie’s Buildall. Dave Young: Bad Bernie’s Buildall? Stephen Semple: Bad Bernie’s Buildall. Yes. The investors didn’t like it. That name did not go forth. Dave Young: Of course they didn’t like it. Stephen Semple: Well, because it didn’t have the name Home and all those other things. So they said, “Okay. Well, let’s call it the Home Depot.” Dave Young: Look, Lowe’s doesn’t have the name Home in it either, but it’s not Bad Bernie’s. What was it? Builders? Stephen Semple: Buildall. Dave Young: Buildall? Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: It doesn’t roll off the tongue. It blurts out of your mouth in a not great way. Yeah. I have to side with the investors on this one. Stephen Semple: I have to say, I think even on this one, the investors, they’re often not right, but I think on this one they were right. So they opened in Atlanta, 60,000 square feet. Remember that little bit of a difference in terms of the money that they wanted to raise? Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: They wanted to raise the 25 million and only had three and a half million. So it made a couple of things difficult, such as stocking 60,000 square feet full of merchandise. Dave Young: Sure. That’s a lot of merchandise. Stephen Semple: So to make it look full, they went out and they bought empty paint cans, thousands of empty paint cans and thousands of empty boxes and basically put them on the shelves. Dave Young: Oh, boy. Stephen Semple: And they wanted to make it feel like a working warehouse so they threw sawdust on the floor. So it’s sawdust on the floor, empty boxes, empty paint cans. Dave Young: Just have one guy driving around with a forklift randomly just… Stephen Semple: They couldn’t afford a lit sign, so they had to make it bright to stand out. So that’s why they went with the orange. Now here’s what’s really interesting. Dave Young: Okay. That makes sense. Stephen Semple: Our client in Edmonton who sells used RVs has a location that’s relatively close to the airport, so you can’t do a lit sign. Jay Mistry Art Design. We picked a very specific shade of orange because what we knew is the setting sun would hit it. And when the setting sun hits that sign, it looks like it’s glowing. And then we got Rick to buy a spotlight and Jay even said to him, “Spotlight has to have this specific criteria to it.” And we put the spotlight onto it and it looks like it’s glowing. There’s cheap ways to make a sign look lit without lighting it. But anyway, that’s why it was orange. Dave Young: Shining the light on it is fine. Stephen Semple: Right. But that’s why they went with the orange, is like, “We can’t light it. It’s got to stand out.” So they do launch day. Launch day does not go well. Literally, they had a newspaper ad that was supposed to run that didn’t run. Nobody showed up. They literally sent kids and family into the parking lot, literally to hand out dollar bills, come to the store. First year’s a disaster. They lose a million dollars in the first year. Dave Young: Here’s what we know about hardware. When do we buy hardware? When we need it. Stephen Semple: Yes, when we’re fixing something. Yep. Dave Young: When we’re fixing something, when we need it. I don’t need it today, but I don’t know if I need it tomorrow because nothing’s broken yet and I don’t have a project I’m working on. So you got to be patient in the hardware business, don’t you? Stephen Semple: Well, they also did something interesting to stimulate sales. So the first year they lose a million dollars and then they get this chance to buy fireplace accessories really cheap. Now think about this. It’s the summertime, they’re in the South and there’s these cheap fireplace accessories. They buy 4,000 of them and they plan to sell them at just above the price and advertise it like crazy. They’re selling these things for 37 bucks. And here’s what’s crazy. People travel from miles away to buy this stuff. And when they’re there, they’re walking around and they buy other things. So the original history- Dave Young: Get an empty can of paint. Stephen Semple: Yeah. And to get some paint. Dave Young: A big box. Stephen Semple: So the original history of Home Depot is they did all these flash sales. Flash sale, flash sale, flash sale. Okay. So in 1980, they do more sales. But one of the things they also do is they start hiring professional contractors and start running these clinics inside the store. This whole idea is we’re going to do a flash sale. Dave Young: I remember that. Yeah. Stephen Semple: Right. We’re going to do a flash sale to bring people in and then people will maybe watch the clinic and then they’ll buy other stuff. Dave Young: They’ll learn how to do tiling or all that stuff. Stephen Semple: So it’s 1985, they have 50 stores. Lowe’s has 300 stores and Lowe’s secret shops them. They start copying each other at this point. Now, Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, ends up becoming important in all this because Sam Walton calls them and you’re going to love Sam’s advice. Dave Young: Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell Ad] Dave Young: Let’s pick up our story where we left off and trust me, you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: Sam Walton calls them and says, “Guys, love what you’re doing, but you need to shift your model.” And you’re going to love Sam’s advice because it speaks to what we do from the standpoint of running these sales, there’s a downside to running all these sales. And he said, “Get rid of the flash sales, buy in bulk, keep everything as cheap as possible.” If that’s your dealio, low prices, don’t do flash sales, just do low prices, advertise that you got low prices on everything, go that way, and sales soar. So remember, Home Depot was 50 stores and Lowe’s was 300 stores. So that was ’85. So 1992, seven years later after implementing Sam Walton’s advice, Home Depot was doing seven billion in sales and Lowe’s is doing four billion. They blow past Lowe’s. Blow past them and even started opening locations in the same location. Lowe’s basically never catches up. There was one point where every 53 hours there was a Home Depot open. Dave Young: That’s a lot of cans of empty paint. Empty cans of paint. Stephen Semple: That’s a lot of cans of empty paint. Dave Young: Do you know what I miss about Home Depot? I remember when they did the little seminars and things, I thought it was cool. I didn’t ever take one. From where I lived at the time, you had to drive 100 miles to get to Home Depot. But when you got there, you could always get a sausage. They always had somebody out front cooking- Stephen Semple: Oh, doing food. Dave Young: … smoked sausage or something, right? Stephen Semple: Yeah. I think it’s a mistake that Home Depot has gotten away from that. But I do find interesting that what they recognized was when you do a flash sale, you’re not making money on the flash sale. The flash sale is a loss-leader to get people into the store. Now that I’ve got you in the store, I need to do something. And so running those clinics and those things was a great way to get people further engaged, see them as being professional and buy other things. What I do like was Home Depot wasn’t just flash sale, bring people in. There was a further leg to that stool. But what I also love was Sam Walton saying, “Forget the flash sales. Just do everyday low prices.” Dave Young: Well, it’s an interesting distinction between having a flash sale and a loss-leader that you don’t advertise as a sale. You just say, “Hey, screwdrivers are $1.99.” Stephen Semple: Correct. Dave Young: It’s not a sale price. That’s the price of a screwdriver today. Stephen Semple: Correct. Correct. Dave Young: And then people go, “Oh, well.” And maybe the screwdrivers cost you $4. But you advertise that screwdrivers are $1.99, and people that need screwdrivers also need screws and other size screwdrivers and all kinds of other things. But it gives the impression that everything you buy in there is going to be that kind of a price. But like you said, it’s not a flash sale. Stephen Semple: It’s not a flash sale. Dave Young: It’s just the price of a screwdriver. And that was what Walton was so good at, right? Stephen Semple: Yes. Right. Dave Young: He made Walmart become known for low prices, even though they weren’t always the lowest price. Stephen Semple: Well, that’s exactly it. And that’s what Sam’s advice was. Sam’s advice was the place that you want to occupy in somebody’s mind is, “You’ve got it, you’ve probably got a couple and they’re all a good price for your category,” because then when you do that, you own the mind in that category. Dave Young: Now here’s what’s interesting too. Did Sam Walton just call them up? Stephen Semple: Yeah, he did. Dave Young: And he wasn’t an investor. Stephen Semple: No. Dave Young: He was just like, “Hey guys, here’s how you’re screwing this up.” Stephen Semple: Hey guys, here’s how you- Dave Young: That’s pretty amazing. Stephen Semple: It might be a myth, but that’s the story floating out there according to the folks from Home Depot, is one day, Sam called and said, “Hey guys.” Dave Young: And here’s the other amazing thing is they took his advice because what I’ve found, you’ve found, all of us that do ad consulting work is the advice you give somebody that you don’t charge them for- Stephen Semple: They often don’t take it. Dave Young: … they often don’t do anything with it. Stephen Semple: It’s true. Dave Young: If they do, then you’re like, “Okay, well, I’ve got somebody I can work with.” Because often people look at it and go, “Well, shoot, you didn’t charge me anything for that. So how valuable could that be?” I remember our friend, Jeffrey Eisenberg. This is, shoot, 20 years ago, when someone would contact him for website consulting, he would get on the phone with them and they’d look at the site together and he’d make them two or three recommendations, “Here’s what you need to fix right now and this other thing. These are easy fixes. Just have your web guy do this, this and this, and your website will convert a lot better. And then let me know if you want to talk again.” And if they called him back a few weeks later and are like, “I want to talk again,” he’s like, “Well, have you done the things I told you?” “No. Because we’re not…” And like, “No, dude, I’m not even talking to you if you don’t do those things. Not even doing it, not having another conversation with you.” So I love that Sam just called him up. Stephen Semple: And the other part about taking advice, because look, in marketing and business, everybody wants to give their advice. But when a guy like Sam Walton is giving you advice, you should listen. Dave Young: You should. Stephen Semple: I was joking the other day with a client of mine who’s in Western Canada, one of the self-made billionaires is a guy by the name of Jimmy Pattison. We were talking about advice and I was like, “Yeah, if Jimmy Pattison ever calls and gives you some advice, take it.” Now, if the guy who’s just read a lot of books gives you some advice, maybe not. If Sam Walton calls, take it. Dave Young: This is terrible, but the most frustrating thing is when a business owner takes the advice of their veterinarian’s nephew. Stephen Semple: Well, exactly. Dave Young: Or, “My cousin says that we shouldn’t do it that way.” Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: And I’m like, “Well, you should just hire your cousin.” Stephen Semple: Right. And it happens a lot, as we know, in marketing because we all feel like we have an opinion in it because we’re all exposed to the messages all the time. But here’s the interesting thing, I’ve grown up my entire life with homes with indoor plumbing. Does not make me a plumber. Dave Young: No. Stephen Semple: Right. Miraculously. So to me, the part that I really loved with Home Depot was this audacity of, “Okay, how do we make it look big? How do we make it look real?” And even that first flash sale being this weird thing because it was fireplace accessories in the South in the summer. Even though we’re not big fans of flash sales, they saw something that worked and replicated it and it worked for a period of time. But then we’re still willing to pivot off of that, and so to go, “Okay, you know what? There is limitations to that. Let’s pivot off of that and do this thing.” And not everybody can be successful being low price. You can be successful being low price when you are giving a depot feeling, because let’s face it, you go in there, and the stores are bare bones, they’re buying in high volume. You can win at that game when you do it that way. Dave Young: Yeah. It could have been that the fireplace accessories is when Walton first noticed them. If I was writing this legend- Stephen Semple: Maybe. Dave Young: Because that’s really the tactic that he used, that’s what got started with his story, is buying [inaudible 00:18:53]. Stephen Semple: That’s his origin as well. Yes. Dave Young: There were a whole bunch of lawnmowers. I could get them real cheap and the staff was like, “Okay, so we’re going to store them till next summer,” because this is the end of the summer, right? Somebody else was overstocked. And he’s like, “No, we’re going to line them all up by the road and put a low price on them.” Stephen Semple: Yeah. And just move them. Dave Young: We just move them out, just blow them out. It’s not a lawnmower sale. It’s lawnmowers cost this much right here, right now, and there they are and that’s all there are. Stephen Semple: Right. So that’s a great observation. So their origin is very similar to his, except he didn’t make it a flash sale. He just sold them at a low price. Yeah. Dave Young: Yeah, just like, “No, I got these lawnmowers. Here’s what they cost and there they are. There’s that many of them.” Stephen Semple: That’s probably where it came from. I hadn’t connected those dots. That’s a great observation, Dave. Dave Young: That’s just part of the same DNA. Stephen Semple: It is. Dave Young: I love the story of Home Depot. I wish I could drive over there right now and get a smoked sausage, but alas. That ship has sailed, my friend. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Well, they still got hot dogs at Costco, so there’s still hope. Dave Young: Oh, there is that. All right. I’ll go to Costco instead. Thank you, Stephen. Stephen Semple: All right, thanks. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us, subscribe on your favorite podcast app and leave us a big, fat, juicy five star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute Empire Building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

From negotiating on the phone for some art to generating 10 Billion dollars a year, Pierre Omidyar built an empire out of other peoples stuff. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brand. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor which is, well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients. So here’s one of those. [Travis Crawford Ad] Dave Young: [inaudible 00:01:32] and sold. eBay is the topic today. Oh, by the way, welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast. I’m Dave Young, that’s Steve Semple in your other ear. Is that how this works, are we each in one ear? Stephen Semple: I’m not sure. Dave Young: I don’t think that’s how this works. Stephen Semple: I don’t pay enough attention to things like that. Dave Young: As the countdown timer went down, Stephen told me we’re going to talk about eBay and I went immediately to the sound of the auctioneers of my youth back in my hometown. Stephen Semple: Oh, God. Dave Young: There’s cattle sales and estate sales. On any Saturday morning walking around in a small town, off in the distance you hear somebody with one of those cheap portable PA systems, “Give me five, give me five, give me five, give me five, five, five.” Aren’t you glad that eBay doesn’t have sound effects? Stephen Semple: Maybe it should. It might make it more entertaining. Dave Young: There’s some AI auctioneer going 24/7 for two weeks. Stephen Semple: Oh, my God, Dave, the fact you’ve now said it, you know what meme is going to happen. Oh, no, you put it out there. So when you come across this as a meme- Dave Young: There’s that little mute thing on the screen where if you turn it on, there’s some AI, “We’ve got $12.50. Since Tuesday, we have $12.50. Anyone, anyone?” Stephen Semple: So when this meme is driving us nuts on social media, you can blame Dave Young. Dave Young: I don’t see it happening. Oh, yeah, back. Oh, we’re going to talk about eBay. Stephen Semple: But talking about auctions for a second, here’s what I always find fascinating. Somebody will have something and they’ll go, “Okay, do I have an opening bid of $500?” Nothing. “Okay, do I have an opening bid at $200? Now do I have an opening bid of $100?” Somebody bids for 100 and then the damn thing ends up selling for 750. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: And I’m like, “Wait a minute. It sold for 750 and no one was willing to open at 500. What the heck?” I don’t get it. Dave Young: I know. There’s a … Man, I’m not a big auction person. It stresses me to be in the bidding war. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: I don’t know why. Even on eBay. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: But there’s a psychology of auctions- Stephen Semple: Clearly. Dave Young: … that certain people … I don’t know for sure, I’m not a psychologist, Stephen, but I play one on a podcast. I think there’s a compulsion that’s similar to gambling and I think it’s just there’s a dopamine hit involved when you’re active in an auction. Stephen Semple: There probably is. Dave Young: And I think there’s a bit of a compulsion to it maybe. Stephen Semple: Maybe. Dave Young: Because it also, as long as you have the money to do it, it’s probably a little safer than gambling because if you lose, you don’t lose then. Stephen Semple: Right, right. Dave Young: If you win, hopefully you’ve won and purchased something that’s worth more than you paid. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: That’s the upside. The downside is that you didn’t get the thing that you wanted. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: But you didn’t lose any money. Stephen Semple: Cool. Well, let’s talk about eBay. Dave Young: Let’s do. Wasn’t Musk involved in it, and Thiel and those guys? Stephen Semple: No. Dave Young: Or am I thinking wrong? Stephen Semple: You’re thinking wrong. Dave Young: I get all my American oligarchs confused. Stephen Semple: They were over in the PayPal world. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: But the thing that’s interesting about eBay is it’s still a really important player in online retail. We can kind of forget about it because the growth has been stalled a little bit in the last bunch of years, but they still do $10 billion- Dave Young: That’s amazing. Stephen Semple: … in sales, which- Dave Young: I remember back when, probably in the first five or six years of eBay, you could use eBay, like if you had something you wanted to sell. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Not a garage sale, but just list somewhere to sell. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: You could actually scour eBay and see what it was probably going to get you, what would be a good way to price it. That was always a way to see what are these going for? Stephen Semple: Right, because you could see what things were bidding at. So they are a really important part of the history of online retailing. And they were founded by Pierre Omidyar who was born in France to Iranian parents, and immigrated to the United States as a kid. And the company was founded in March ’96. And he had worked at a startup that he had got bought out from, he did pretty well. And he set up a consulting business called Echo Bay Technology Group, so that was the first thing he had going on. Dave Young: Echo Bay, okay. Stephen Semple: Echo Bay, Echo Bay Technology Group. And one day, a friend noticed that he had bought these bunch of drawings and was like, “Oh, tell me about these drawings.” And he was like, “Well, I saw them listed in the newspaper and I gave the guy a call, and we backed-and-forthed a few times, and I got a really good price on it.” And this was a seed of an idea. He was like, “You know what? There’s lots of stuff listed in newspapers and classified ads.” And if we remember, back in the day, going way back in the mid-’90s. Dave Young: Sure. Stephen Semple: The most profitable part of many, many newspapers was the classified ads. I remember being a portfolio manager and looking at one company called Torstar, it was a big newspaper group here in Canada. And yeah, literally, 25% of their revenue was classified ads. Massive part, massive, massive part of the business. But if you think about a classified ad, you’ve got to call up the newspaper, you’ve got to create the ad, you’ve got to send the ad over, and then somebody’s got to phone you, and then you’ve got to back-and-forth on price. There’s lots of friction there. There’s lots of touchpoints. Dave Young: Well, and you have to go pay the newspaper even before you could pay them online, right? Stephen Semple: Oh, right, you had to go … Yeah. Dave Young: You had to pay for that ad. I think most of those were probably in. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Unless the newspapers take a payment over the phone. Stephen Semple: So he looked at it and he went, “Not only is there all these touchpoints to creating the ad and paying for the ad, there’s all these touchpoints in terms of the selling process.” And he looked at it and he went, “I think there’s a way for technology to eliminate all of that, and it’s clearly a big business because people spend lots of money-“ Dave Young: Sure. Stephen Semple: “… on classified ads.” So this was the seed, this was the seed of the idea. How do I make this easier, frictionless, and all this other stuff for customers? So he decided, “Well, I’ve got this consulting webpage, I’ll just do a page on my consulting site. On Echo Bay Consulting Services, I’m just going to put a page in there and I’m going to play around with it.” Because what he wanted to do was eliminate the need to contact the newspaper, make it easy to write the ad, and then basically make it easier to make the sale, and he really felt the internet could do this. Dave Young: Sure. Stephen Semple: And he also wanted to facilitate the price negotiation because he felt like people don’t really want to do that whole back-and-forth. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: And the model he looked at was auctions. He went, “Wow, what if I could do an online auction site?” Because now, now the buyer and seller don’t have to have this conversation. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: And the marketplace will just set the price. Dave Young: And you know that they’re going to be paying attention as the time wears down. Stephen Semple: Yeah, all sorts of things with that. So he launches it with a really simple design, there’s no pictures or anything like that, which we look at that today. But then I thought about and I went, “Well, wait a minute, that’s not really a disadvantage,” because there was no pictures in the newspaper one either. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So the whole idea of requiring a picture, we were used to doing this stuff without pictures through the newspaper classifieds. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: Yeah. So he sets up the site and he calls it Auction Web. And he launches it on September 3rd, 1995. Dave Young: Okay. Auction Web. Stephen Semple: Sorry, I said the wrong date. I said the wrong date earlier, the date was when it really started making sales. But Auction Web launches September 3rd, 1995, not March ’96. He decides to do a test, and this is people of … This has test has been written up a whole pile of times. He’s looking around, he’s got this broken laser pointer. Dave Young: A broken laser pointer. Stephen Semple: It’s broken. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: And on the ad he even says, “This is broken.” And he puts it up and it sells after a few weeks for $14.83. Dave Young: Sweet. Better than throwing it away. Stephen Semple: He even calls the bidder because he’s like, “I got to make sure this guy know it’s broken. I don’t want to send this to him and have him ticked off.” And he goes, “Yeah, I know it’s broken, but I know how to fix these things and it’s cheaper to fix it.” So he’s like, “All right, I’ll send you my broken laser pointer.” So he starts advertising, he starts going to all these chat rooms because remember, this is back in the mid-’90s and there was these chat rooms all over the place. So he would be going to these chat rooms and he was promoting Auction Web on chat rooms. Now, the other thing he changed was newspapers would charge a fee to list. So the other friction point with people was, “It’s still going to cost me five bucks, whether this sells or not.” Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So he said, “There’s going to be no fee to list. What you’re going to do is you’re going to pay me a commission when it sells.” So he removed the fee, he replaced it with a commission. Now, here’s the crazy thing. Here’s the crazy thing. The commission was collected on the honor system. People mailed in the payments. Dave Young: Really? Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Stay tuned, we’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell Ad] www.UsingStoriesToSell.com Dave Young: Let’s pick up our story where we left off, and trust me, you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: Here’s the crazy thing. Here’s the crazy thing. The commission was collected on the honor system. People mailed in the payments. Dave Young: Really? Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: He was I guess then not coordinating the payment either? Stephen Semple: Not at that point. Dave Young: So you sell something to me on eBay, I just get back with you and pay you, and then you ship it to me? Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: But you found your buyer. You were using the auction site to find your buyer. Stephen Semple: You were using the auction to find the buyer, the buyer paid you directly, you shipped it directly to the buyer, and then you would send me a payment for the commission because you go, “I owe Auction Web four bucks.” And it worked. They found most people paid. Most people paid. Now, I think what they also figured out- Dave Young: I would guess that the ones that didn’t, maybe the sale falls through or something. Stephen Semple: Right. Well, and I think the other thing they figured out is for a lot of people, especially sellers, they probably weren’t one-time sellers, so they also wanted to continue to potentially … Anyway. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: I just found it hurt my brain a little bit when I was like, “Really, that’s how it ran?” Dave Young: Yeah, wow. Stephen Semple: And it worked, and it’s nice to feel like things like this can happen. So in March 1996, they hit $1000 in revenue for the month. By May, it’s 5000. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: By October, they’re doing 1000 auctions a day. This thing when it took off- Dave Young: It took off like wildfire. Stephen Semple: Just took off like fricking wildfire. And Pierre realizes, “Man, I got a real business here and I really didn’t want to run a business. I’m a tech guy.” So he hires Jeffrey Skoll to be the president. He just goes out almost right away and hires him because he’s like, “This thing is going to the Moon.” Now, think about this. This site is hard to find. It’s still a page on Echo Bay Technology Group’s website. Dave Young: Oh, man. And it’s called Auction Web, or something. Stephen Semple: And it’s called Auction Web. So the first thing they realize is, “We got to change that.” And they go to get echobay.com and echobay.com is taken by a Canadian mining company. Dave Young: Oh, okay. Stephen Semple: So they shorten it to eBay. Dave Young: eBay. Stephen Semple: Which I actually think is in a lot of ways- Dave Young: Which is better anyway. Stephen Semple: It is better. It is better. Dave Young: Yeah, it’s four letters. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Try to buy yourself a four-letter domain name these days. Stephen Semple: So in September ’97, it changes from the wonderful name of Auction Web to eBay. Dave Young: And gets its own domain, yeah. Stephen Semple: Yeah, and it gets its own domain. Now at this time, it’s mostly tech nerds looking for parts, that’s really what got it going. If you think about it, that also makes sense because he’s going to those early chat sites on the web. Dave Young: Those are the people that were online early. Stephen Semple: Well, it is. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: It was, and especially where you’re promoting it going to these chat groups. That would be mainly nerds in there. But what they figure out is they do want to make this a little bit more of a mass appeal. So they wanted to find things that were products that people already want, but were hard to get their hands on. And what they figured out was they wanted to do Beanie Babies. Dave Young: Oh, there you go. Stephen Semple: Because what they discovered was there was a community of Beanie Babies, collectors of Beanie Babies. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So they reached out to them and because, let’s face it, they were limited number, they were not sold everywhere, and collectors loved them. So they actually created an auction category for this toy alone. They created a category for Beanie Babies. And very quickly, they sold $500,000 worth of Beanies Babies almost right out of the gate. Dave Young: Man. You know where my brain’s going with this? Stephen Semple: No, I don’t. Dave, I never know where your brain is going. Dave Young: Well, hang on. I rarely do. I know a little bit of the story of Beanie Babies, I think I watched the weird documentary or movie about it. But I’ll bet you this contributed to the demise of the Beanie Baby craze because now you could actually see the value of your Beanie Baby. Stephen Semple: Oh, maybe. Maybe. Dave Young: Right? You put your Beanie Baby on and, “Oh, God, it didn’t sell for as much as I thought it was worth.” And it turns out that you also just found a million other, yeah, you found a million other people that have one. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: And you’re like, “Maybe this isn’t as valuable as I thought it was.” Stephen Semple: Maybe. That’s an interesting … Interesting. Dave Young: Whereas if you’re only going to little craft fairs and get togethers, a whole different deal. I don’t know. Stephen Semple: Maybe. Don’t know. Dave Young: That’s worth studying. Go ahead. Stephen Semple: Yeah, that’s an interesting thought. So they created this category for Beanie Babies and it explodes. So within four months, the whole collectibles part of the site- Dave Young: Oh, sure. Stephen Semple: … is just blowing up. By mid-1998, they have 750,000 users, which is a huge number. They’re rivaling AOL’s numbers in that day. They’re doing 400,000 auctions. Now, here’s the other thing that they discovered, the other innovation that they did, that they were the creators of. They were the first to do this. They would get people calling in complaining. So what they decided to do was create a feedback form that is public. Now, what made this one different, it was ranking the seller and ranking the buyer. Dave Young: Right, right. Stephen Semple: Which no one had done before. Dave Young: Yeah. You go into it and you’re a shitty buyer, so the seller says … Yeah. Stephen Semple: Yeah, “Be careful if you’re selling to this guy, or don’t buy from this person.” Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: And it was less about ranking the product, because everything before was about the product, but this was about the ranking of the buyer and the seller in a public format. Look, that’s one of the cornerstones of our whole review system today, much of it is person-to-person. Much of it is person-to-person. Dave Young: Yeah, yeah. Stephen Semple: And these guys innovated that and were the first to do that. So they’re really growing, they end up hiring Meg Whitman as CEO, and she really brought a strategy to the business which turned it into profitable business. And by fall of 1998, so you think about it, they’re just at it for a couple years, they end up going public at a $2 billion valuation. Dave Young: Amazing. Stephen Semple: The growth on them was really spectacular. And here’s the thing that I loved about this story is he bought something through the traditional manner. Saw it in the newspaper, bought it, and then looked at it and went, “The web is ideal for just making this,” I know we use the word friction, but I just prefer, “making this whole thing easier. I can make it easier to post. I can make it easier to sell because there’s less back-and-forth. I can just make this whole process easier.” Dave Young: Sure. Stephen Semple: “And I already know lots of people are doing it, it’s super profitable for newspapers. So clearly, lots of people are doing it.” I love that thought process. And I also love the fact that he ran an experiment. Let’s just do something and test this out. The other thing I really liked was once it got going and it’s in that niche, they immediately went, “What’s something I can do to expand across it?” And what they recognized was where this fit was with something that lots of people are doing, but is hard to connect people together. Dave Young: Yeah, yeah. Stephen Semple: Right? So what they actually recognized was we are actually a facilitator. Dave Young: Absolutely. Stephen Semple: “And what is something that we can facilitate? Collectibles. Where are we going to start? We’ll start with Beanie Babies. What the heck, that’s where we’ll start.” I thought that that was a really great starting point because their whole thing was, “How do we make things easier?” And I find not enough businesses think about the whole how do I make things easier for my consumer? How do I bundle things so it’s a fixed price? How do I do this? How do I do it? And any time a business makes things easier for the consumer, it wins. And look, eBay went from nothing to a few years being a couple billion-dollar business. Dave Young: Yeah, amazing. Stephen Semple: Yeah, and they’re still doing, as I said, 10 billion in revenue today. Dave Young: I rarely go there. Stephen Semple: Yeah, I don’t use them either. Dave Young: We sold some things on eBay years ago. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Right? We just said, “Oh, we have this stuff and we know that there’s people out there that want it.” I’m thinking of homeschool books that our kids are now grown. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: That was a good place to list things like that. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Because you may not know somebody in town that’s got a kid the right age for it. Stephen Semple: Well, and today there’s more competition. You’ve got Facebook Marketplace. Dave Young: Absolutely. Stephen Semple: And I think Amazon has an auction site as well. There are other options, but clearly there’s still things eBay’s doing really correctly for them- Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: … to still, as I said, to be a $10 billion business. Dave Young: How much of what they do now is true auction versus just true commerce? Stephen Semple: You know what? I did not research the breakdown. I didn’t research the breakdown of that. Dave Young: Because when they put the buy it now button on. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: You could list something and then let people bid on it, but you could also just say, “If it goes below this, I’m not selling it.” Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: Put a buy it now button up there and if it doesn’t sell, maybe relist it down the road. Stephen Semple: Again, and I think it’s more around this collectible space. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: I know there’s certain spaces that they are still pretty big on. Dave Young: It’s the place. Stephen Semple: And one of them oddly enough is auto parts. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Let’s say you’ve got a ’65 Corvette and you’re looking for an old Corvette part, seemingly a pretty popular place to go is eBay. Dave Young: Okay. What if you have a ’65 Dodge Dart? Probably the same. Stephen Semple: Probably the same. Dave Young: Probably the same. Stephen Semple: Just one is really cool. Dave Young: Yeah, right? The parts are going to be a little rusty. Stephen Semple: And I’ll let the audience decide based on their preferences which one is really cool. Dave Young: That’s how the market- Stephen Semple: And let the argument begin. Dave Young: That’s how the market works. That’s how the marketplace works. Well, I’m glad to hear the story of eBay, Stephen. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Thank you for bringing it to the Empire Builders Podcast. Stephen Semple: Yeah, it was kind of fun. And you’re bidding at the beginning was awesome. Dave Young: Oh, thank you. Really, when I was young, I figured out that the way to emulate an auctioneer is just to make noise with your mouth and then rub your finger over your lips while you’re doing it. [inaudible 00:22:44]. That’s it, that’s it. Now you’re an auctioneer. Thanks, Stephen. Stephen Semple: Alright. Thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a big, fat, juicy five-star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute Empire Building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

Your story matters, no matter what other people have to say about it. No one can possibly understand what it is like to be you. No one gets to dictate how you show up. There is no right or wrong— only serve and limit.Collective empathy expands and ripples into impact that generates ethical income when you lean into transformational energy.CLICK HERE to see what that looks like in real time. PS.Want some more insight from the client that I was talking about on the episode?MEET CARRIE 

In this conversation, Charles Becoat II discusses his unique approach to business, emphasizing the importance of balancing people and profits. He shares insights on the psychological effects of business, the significance of morale, and the need for transparency and accountability in building successful ventures. Charles also highlights the importance of creating ecosystems that combine healthcare, real estate, and wellness, while addressing the challenges of raising capital and building relationships in the business world. He draws inspiration from Baltimore's rich history and its influential business leaders, aiming to make a positive impact in his community.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true ‘white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a “mini-mastermind” with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming “Retreat”, either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas “Big H Ranch”? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

Elisa Marshall, co-founder of Maman cafés, shares how she grew a bakery from 1 curated location, to over 40! Plus landing a dream collab with Martha Stewart. Hear her top tips on menu innovation, brand storytelling, customer advocacy, and scaling without losing authenticity. Packed with practical advice for hospitality pros and entrepreneurs in any industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everybody loves a gold star... but do you know what entrepreneurs love even more? Going from 6 to 7 figures at lightning speed. It's no secret that Nicole hit $1M in the first year of her business... but success leaves MF clues and now she has TWO clients who have activated their million dollar run rate, at the SAME TIME, just seven months after VIP days with her. So what IS the secret to slipping into that attractive AF seven figure frequency? If you're willing to pull on your big girl panties, channel your best Elle Woods and say "What? Like it's hard?" - this is for YOU. Press play to get the shifts and clarity to create rapid results and activate YOUR million dollar run rate.  PS. Leverage the power of proximity and amplify your energy to become that seven figure version of you

It's late, I'm tired, and honestly, I almost didn't hit record tonight. But that's exactly what this episode is about—grit and showing up when it's hard. I share the reality of what it takes to build something meaningful: recording hours of course content, juggling real deals with investors and lenders, handling personal struggles, and still pressing forward with no true days off. This isn't about being perfect. It's about committing, pushing through discomfort, and showing up even when you're running on empty. Because the truth is, most people quit right before the breakthrough. If you're tired, stressed, or doubting yourself—this one's for you. You're stronger than you think. Keep swinging.

You want the empire but are you really ready to hold the power that comes with it?In this episode, Elena Cardone strips back the curated success to reveal what it really takes to build legacy-level wealth, navigate power dynamics in love and leadership, and own your voice. She gets raw about the reality of building power as a woman  in marriage, motherhood, money, visibility, and business and the unapologetic standards required to build an empire and hold it.If you've ever felt like you're meant for more, you're done playing small and you're ready to start operating at empire level, this one's for you.We chat about:How Elena built a billion-dollar empire without dimming her lightWhat it takes to lead powerfully in love, business & motherhood (and still own your identity)Why most women shrink and how to stop playing smallThe mindset behind building wealth, legacy and powerCONNECT WITH ELENA CARDONE:Connect with Elena Cardone @elenacardone on  InstagramCONNECT WITH ME:Join 12-month UNSTOPPABLE MASTERMIND Download your 30-day Millionaire Mindset audio trainingCheck out my FREE ResourcesOrder my book “Unstoppable Success” on AmazonApply for 1:1 Business CoachingSend me a DM on Instagram

Cristiano Ronaldo BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Cristiano Ronaldo's last few days have been a whirlwind of history-making goals, heartbreak on the pitch, social media drama, and milestone business maneuvers. The biggest headline—every global wire service from the Associated Press to Hindustan Times is leading with this—is that Ronaldo just became the first player to notch 100 competitive goals for four different clubs after scoring for Al Nassr in the first half of the Saudi Super Cup final against Al Ahli. Despite this personal milestone and a packed Hong Kong Stadium filled with chanting fans, the day ended in frustration as Al Nassr lost on penalties, leaving Ronaldo three years without a trophy in Saudi Arabia. This of course immediately rekindled the endless Messi-versus-Ronaldo debate, with pundits and fans comparing Ronaldo's near-misses to Messi's successes at Inter Miami, and fresh opinions popping up on talk shows and every social feed.But off the pitch, Ronaldo's world is buzzing with action. He and longtime partner Georgina Rodriguez just announced their engagement after eight years, following the end of the third and final season of her Netflix docuseries “I Am Georgina,” where viewers got a candid look at their life and growing real estate empire. Together they've launched Bellhatria Real Estate which promises “exceptional properties”—again a sign that the CR7 brand stretches far beyond football, especially as Ronaldo continues to double down on luxury property investments and his Pestana CR7 hotels. This week industry coverage points out that his approach—modern design fused with sporting heritage—has given the hotel group an identity and reach all its own, and Ronaldo has expanded these entrepreneurial interests to include innovations in CR7-branded gyms and a focus on wellness. Financial analysts in the business press are highlighting his investments as part of a long-term, stable wealth strategy.On social media, Ronaldo remains an unmatched phenomenon, now crossing the eye-popping barrier of 1.02 billion total followers across Instagram, Facebook, and X—the highest of any celebrity on the planet according to Exploding Topics. He marked a year anniversary of his “UR Cristiano” platform on August 14 with a thank-you to fans, while some accounts sparked debate about his playing style. Finally, his charity work—supporting medical causes and educational initiatives—continues, giving the CR7 empire an aura of social responsibility. In short, professionally and personally, Ronaldo refuses to slow down, and every day brings a fresh headline—sometimes glorious, sometimes stinging, but always irresistible.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta

It's window shopping time for all our introverts. We're giving you a peek behind the Wonder Door and breaking down each of the programs inside of Wonder World. No pressure, no sales call... just MF transparency. Mouthy bartender turned mouthy millionaire in her first year, Nicole Cherie Hesse has lots of unpopular unicorn opinions to share…Anything but conventional, Nicole paved a path to seven figures using existing skills from her colorful life as a kick-ass bartender. By repositioning what she already knew into the online coaching industry, she catapulted to the 1% overnight.This podcast details the adventures she's had along the way and is sprinkled with helpful AF unicorn hacks to help you to follow in her unicorn hoof prints.Whether you are a bartender who wants to unlock another revenue stream or an experienced entrepreneur looking to scale to six figure months, Nicole will f*ck you up in all of the best ways. Take off your pants and get your ass to the podcast this and every week to level up and crush your unicorn goals. If any of these programs made your little unicorn heart flutter, you can get even more details below...Attract unicorn clients using energetically aligned social selling strategies

Do you crave a relationship that's fast-paced, full of possibilities, and built on action, ambition, and mutual hustle? If so, you may be the Wheeler Dealer LoveType (ESTJ on the Myers-Briggs personality test)—the bold, pragmatic go-getter who turns dreams into deals and wants a partner who's just as driven. On our Love University podcast, we explored the romantic firepower of the Wheeler Dealer—one of the most dynamic and forward-moving LoveTypes from my book LoveTypes (lovetype.com). Here's what we uncovered: As a Wheeler Dealer, you love to lead, organize, and execute. You thrive on results—whether it's launching a business, planning a major trip, or crushing your goals side-by-side with a partner-in-action. You're the type who thinks love should be useful and exciting—about building something real and lasting together. You believe in fun, excitement, smart risks, and doing what works—especially if it gets you both further, faster. At the same time, your strong personality and focus on achievement can sometimes overshadow emotional nuance. You may struggle with vulnerability or grow impatient with partners who aren't as efficient or goal-oriented as you are. You want passion—but also progress. And if you feel that your time or effort isn't respected, you won't stick around for very long. The good news? When you match with someone who shares your appetite for adventure and appreciates your powerhouse drive, love becomes not just satisfying—it becomes an empire. To help you find and keep your ideal co-creator in life and love, consider these power moves: Pick a Partner Who Plays to Win With You: You don't want a bystander—you want a collaborator. Look for someone who supports your vision, shares your energy, and isn't afraid to dream big and move fast. Make Room for Heart, Not Just Hustle: Your natural strength is action—but don't forget the power of emotional connection. A little softness, presence, and listening can deepen your bond beyond strategy and plans. Celebrate Your Inner CEO of Love: You run things well—whether in business or romance. Just be sure your partner feels like a true equal, not just a team member on your mission. Remember: Shared leadership equals shared joy. Ultimately, your love story will thrive when it's fueled by passion, purpose, and mutual respect. With the right partner by your side, you won't just build a relationship—you'll build a legacy—one thrilling, laughter-filled deal at a time.

Justin Bieber BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Justin Bieber has had a headline-grabbing week underscored by both public appearances and personal developments that are fueling further curiosity about the pop star's next chapter. On June 29, Justin and Hailey Bieber were spotted dancing and looking affectionate in the VIP section at Martin Garrix's Los Angeles show. According to InStyle, the couple's playful moment, with Justin shirtless and Hailey spinning him around, was caught on fan videos and widely shared on social media, serving as a rare display of unity amid ongoing rumors of marital tension. These public displays have only intensified speculation about the state of their relationship, especially as reports from Entertainment Tonight and other outlets suggest a “rough patch” behind the scenes, centering on Justin's supposed lack of motivation and Hailey's frustration with his attitude. Despite the rumors, Hailey was seen wearing her engagement ring during a solo New York weekend, keeping fans guessing about the true nature of their marriage.Instagram has also been buzzing with Justin's recent activity. On June 26, according to People, he posted a carousel featuring his son Jack Blues and simultaneously changed his Instagram username to @lilbieber, departing from his traditional full-name handle. The rebranding has not been officially explained but marks a notable shift in his social media strategy. Alongside the family glimpses, fans have noticed a string of cryptic posts, including reflections on forgiveness and emotional well-being. He's openly shared messages about conflict and mental health, referencing personal struggles and trauma, which have further grabbed the attention of followers and gossip bloggers alike.On the business front, Justin's entrepreneurial reach continues to expand. E! News recently highlighted his presence at night events and his ongoing investment activities while Max Tornow's business coverage and Fintech Wealth's YouTube analysis both spotlighted the massive scale of Bieber's empire. He's moved well beyond music, with ventures like the Drew House fashion line, strategic investments in tech startups like MoonPay and Wave, and reputedly lucrative catalog sales now defining his financial portfolio. Just last week, a Bieber-backed NFT fashion pop-up called InBetweeners debuted in New York, blending digital collectibles and exclusive apparel with a high-profile launch party. These moves are widely seen as a model for artists diversifying and leveraging their personal brand into lasting wealth beyond the charts.Meanwhile, social media reactions to Justin's recent appearances remain mixed, with some fans expressing concern for his emotional state at Rhode events and in public, while others admire his continued resilience and evolving identity as both artist and business mogul. All eyes now remain on the Biebers as fans—and detractors—await the couple's next steps, both personally and professionally.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta

In this engaging conversation, Shanne Carvalho shares his journey from a young boy helping in his father's construction business to becoming a successful real estate entrepreneur. He discusses the importance of hard work, the influence of his immigrant parents, and the pivotal moments that shaped his career. Shanne emphasizes the significance of personal development, the lessons learned from trust and relationships, and the value of giving back to the community. He reflects on the importance of enjoying the journey rather than just focusing on financial success, and he shares insights on how to stay focused and intentional in business. The conversation concludes with Shanne's optimistic outlook on the future and his commitment to continuous growth and giving back.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true ‘white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a “mini-mastermind” with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming “Retreat”, either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas “Big H Ranch”? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

Cary Williams' journey is a true testament to resilience and the power of perseverance. She's not just an entrepreneur and the founder of Tussle Gear—she's someone who has weathered the highs and lows of life and learned the most valuable lessons during the most challenging times. For Cary, success isn't just about hitting milestones—it's about how you rise when things go wrong, how you keep moving forward no matter the hurdles in your path.A pivotal moment from Cary's childhood shaped who she is today. At just eight years old, she wanted to walk to the store alone but was terrified of a group of girls in her neighborhood who often picked on her. Instead of stepping in to protect her, her dad handed her a stick and told her, “You've got this. Take control.” Though it seemed simple at the time, this small but powerful gesture taught Cary that facing her fears was a decision she had to make herself. It was the beginning of her journey toward independence and strength, a foundation that would carry her through life's challenges.Quotes:● "The only way through fear is to face it head-on." – Cary Williams● "It's not about waiting for things to get easier, it's about deciding you're going to keep going, no matter what." – Cary Williams● "I've learned that failure isn't the end—it's just the beginning of something new." – Cary WilliamsTakeaways:● Fear doesn't go away on its own. The only way through it is to face it and keep moving forward.● Life's challenges don't define you. It's your response to them that shapes who you become.● There's power in failure—it's where you learn the most and find your true strength.Conclusion: Cary's story teaches us that success isn't about avoiding failure—it's about how we respond to it. By facing fears, overcoming setbacks, and continuing to push forward, we can take control of our lives and create something meaningful. Cary's journey shows that no matter what life throws at you, you have the strength to rise, rebuild, and make the life you want. With courage and determination, we can all rewrite our stories.

If you're a plumber and want to enter the HVAC arena, or an HVAC company and wants to expand to electrical, or any trade wanting to expand to another trade…how do you do it? My guests, Levi and Cassi Torres, owners of High 5 Plumbing, have expanded successfully into HVAC and electrical. They'll tell you how they did it. Free P&L Statement and Balance Sheet https://tinyurl.com/2rjd6wxu Ruth King Twitter - @RuthKing LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthking1/   Podcast Produced by Nick Uttam https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-uttam-4b33a1147

The new empire is beginning, what resources is it focused on and how will this effect your and your families lives? The Reset is here.  ☕ Support Civilization Cycle Podcast Buy As a Double Espresso

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Sergei Kaminskiy stated his empire by taking jobs that he didn't know how to do and then hiring a professional to learn from. Wow. Dave Young:  Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyteller. I'm Stephen's sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today's episode, a word from our sponsor, which is, well, it's us. But we're highlighting ads we've written and produced for our clients so here's one of those.  [Tapper's Jewelry Ad] Stephen Semple:  Hey, it's Stephen Semple here, and yes, it's unusual, I'm opening the episode. We've given Dave Young the week off because he's been working really hard lately. And I managed to meet Sergei Kaminskiy. We had a bit of a brief conversation and I was immediately, "Dude, I got to get you onto the podcast." There were so many things we talked about that were just really, really great lessons and he's in the home services business. We're going to be talking about handyman, but this is applicable to all sorts of different businesses. But the first thing that fascinated me was really how you got started in the handyman business before creating the franchise model. Tell me about the start, that was just a cool story.  Sergei Kaminskiy:  Yeah, I got married. I was really young, I was just 19 years old.  Stephen Semple:  Right there tells us you're a little nuts, but...  Sergei Kaminskiy:  I look at 19 year olds now and I'm like, "You're not ready to get married." But anyhow, we got married and then about three months into it, we look at the bank account, there's about $70 in the bank account. And here I am, I'm working as a framing contractor, I mean as a framer for a framing contractor and making $17 an hour. I went to the owner of the business and I said, "Hey, Jim, can I get a raise? I bought a truck, I bought the tools." And he goes, "Sergei, you are already making pretty much at the top of what framers make." And he was right, they were already compensating me fairly, but yet, it was not enough for us to make ends meet. My wife brought in a nice BMW into the marriage that we had to make payments on, and by the time we did all the things we had to do, we were running out of money.  So I told my wife, I said, "Listen, what I do know is that I can do a business on a small scale. I can do some handyman work, I can take on some side jobs." Going to my parents and asking them for money was not an option. I said, "I have to figure out a way to make this thing work." And so literally it was raining outside that day, and we went to the club room of our apartment complex. There was a little room with a computer and a printer. We didn't even have a computer or a printer in our apartment, so we started our business with no computer, no printer, nothing. Literally went to the complex and printed out 25 flyers. I designed them on Microsoft Word and I had little palm trees around the piece of paper, and it says San Diego County.  Stephen Semple:  I bet you wish now that you had some old copies of those.  Sergei Kaminskiy:  I have a photo actually.  Stephen Semple:  Do you really?  Sergei Kaminskiy:  Yes.  Stephen Semple:  Oh my God, you've got to send that to me. You have to send that to me.  Sergei Kaminskiy:  It's amazing, so literally printed out these flyers. It's raining outside, we wrapped them real nice with the bow. And I'm running door to door as Elena's driving in the rain, and she's kind of following me as I'm running door to door. I pass out about 25 flyers and I'm like, "Oh, great, we passed out some flyers. Let's wait for the phone to ring." And sure enough, one guy called me. One guy called me and he said, "I need some service done on one of the rental units that I own.

Stay informed about South Carolina Women's Basketball with Gamecocks Talk Captain Will, hosted by Captain Will, for the latest recruiting updates As NCAA Champions, the team is set to defend their title this season. In this episode, we delve into history of South Carolina Women's Basketball, showcasing the program's rise to a dominant force in the sport. This video delves into the team's future prospects, analyzing the key players and strategies that will continue their success. Women's basketball is constantly, with NCAA Basketball and the WNBA being praised their thrilling gameplay. Led Head Coach Dawn Staley, the team features players such as Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, Chloe Kitts, and Ashlyn Watkins, with strong support from the bench including MiLaysia Fulwiley, Tessa Johnson, and Sania Feagin. Newcomers Maryam Dauda, Joyce Edwards, Maddy McDaniel, Sakima Walker, and Adhel Tac are poised to enhance the team's performance this season. Tune in to Gamecocks Talk with Captain Will, broadcasting daily. For comprehensive coverage of South Carolina Women's Basketball, be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel.  Follow every episode by subscribing to Gamecocks Talk with Captain Will on YouTube and clicking the bell icon to receive notifications.

Turkey's Islamist proxies have seized most of Syria. Now it wants an end to U.S. and other international sanctions on an al Qaeda-linked group controlling much of that long-suffering country. Those include a 10 million dollar bounty on its leader, known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, for the murder of Americans, among others. A multi-national delegation is in Damascus today, presumably for that purpose. After all, the Biden administration lavished money and arms on another bunch of Sharia-supremacists with American blood their hands when the Taliban seized Afghanistan. Acceding to the Turks' plans to have jihadists next dominate post-Assad Syria would help them create a neo-Ottoman empire there and far beyond. To that end, Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is preparing to exterminate Syria's Kurds and possibly others. We must stand squarely against, not effectively greenlight, such further crimes against humanity. This is Frank Gaffney.

From Serial Entrepreneur to Venture Studio Pioneer: How John Ghiorso is Reshaping the Agency LandscapeAre you ready to witness the birth of something extraordinary in the agency world? Meet John Ghiorso, a successful entrepreneur who sold his Amazon-focused agency Orca Pacific to Media Monks, only to discover that retirement wasn't his true calling. Now, he's embarking on an ambitious mission to launch five marketing agencies in just two years through his new venture studio.In this enlightening conversation with Mike O'Neill, John shares his unique approach to building multiple agencies simultaneously, drawing from his extensive experience in the digital marketing space. With one agency already operational and another close to launch, John openly discusses his strategy for creating scalable, successful service businesses in the B2B sector.Key Insights to Look Out For:• Why most agencies struggle with growth and profitability, and how systematic operational frameworks can change that• The power of building in public and sharing knowledge, even in a competitive landscape• How consuming high-quality information and making better decisions leads to accelerated business successJohn's practical wisdom extends beyond theory - he's putting his experience to work in real-time, creating a venture studio that aims to transform how agencies are built and scaled. His approach combines proven operational frameworks with innovative growth strategies, all while maintaining complete bootstrap control.Ready to transform your perspective on building and scaling service businesses? Check out this episode to learn from someone who's not just talking about it but actively doing it. Subscribe to get more insights from successful entrepreneurs who are reshaping their industries.Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.unstuck.show/198

Whether you're an entrepreneur building buy-in around what you have to offer, or a corporate climber who is looking to advance to the next level of your career, this episode is packed with gems and takeaways to help you not only become a better business person, but simply a better person. Attorney Jared Silberzahn joins Brian to talk about being a mission-driven business owner and builder of his law firm, Bmore Attorney. Listen to Jared talk about: - Why details matter in everything, even down to your letterhead - How to value your team and prioritize their professional development - Building a mission-driven community and giving back to great causes - How Frank Sinatra and the Universe can be folded into a business strategy - And more! This conversation is eye opening in so many ways, and we can't wait for you to listen! ---- Connect with Jared: https://www.bmoreattorney.com https://www.instagram.com/bmoreattorney_/ https://www.facebook.com/bmoreattorney ----- Shop the ACORN Black Friday Sale: https://www.kristademcher.com/blackfriday Take the "What's Your Sales Style Quiz?": https://www.kristademcher.com/sales-style-quiz Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfQNMxt1N_x6vO_dnizVu2g Follow SHE SELLS HE SELLS on IG:: https://www.instagram.com/shesellshesellspodcast

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War: Empire Building and Race Making in the Civil War–Era Gulf South (University of Georgia Press, 2024) by Dr. Maria Angela Diaz tells the story of several communities, such as Galveston, New Orleans, and Pensacola, as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. Through the wars that are chronicled here, white southern concepts of race became more rigidly fixed. Dr. Maria Angela Diaz covers several conflicts leading up to the Civil War with Mexicans, Cubans, and Native Americans. She places the Civil War within this framework and follows the trajectory of relations with Latin America through the end of the Civil War and ex-Confederates' attempts to emigrate abroad. Gulf Coast communities facilitated both the physical efforts to seize territory and the construction of the highly racialized imperialist ideas that reimagined Latin America as a region that could secure the South's future. Yet the pursuit of that territory created a fluctuating and uncertain situation that shaped the choices of the diverse peoples who lived along the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico in ways they did not expect. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latino-studies

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War: Empire Building and Race Making in the Civil War–Era Gulf South (University of Georgia Press, 2024) by Dr. Maria Angela Diaz tells the story of several communities, such as Galveston, New Orleans, and Pensacola, as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. Through the wars that are chronicled here, white southern concepts of race became more rigidly fixed. Dr. Maria Angela Diaz covers several conflicts leading up to the Civil War with Mexicans, Cubans, and Native Americans. She places the Civil War within this framework and follows the trajectory of relations with Latin America through the end of the Civil War and ex-Confederates' attempts to emigrate abroad. Gulf Coast communities facilitated both the physical efforts to seize territory and the construction of the highly racialized imperialist ideas that reimagined Latin America as a region that could secure the South's future. Yet the pursuit of that territory created a fluctuating and uncertain situation that shaped the choices of the diverse peoples who lived along the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico in ways they did not expect. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War: Empire Building and Race Making in the Civil War–Era Gulf South (University of Georgia Press, 2024) by Dr. Maria Angela Diaz tells the story of several communities, such as Galveston, New Orleans, and Pensacola, as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. Through the wars that are chronicled here, white southern concepts of race became more rigidly fixed. Dr. Maria Angela Diaz covers several conflicts leading up to the Civil War with Mexicans, Cubans, and Native Americans. She places the Civil War within this framework and follows the trajectory of relations with Latin America through the end of the Civil War and ex-Confederates' attempts to emigrate abroad. Gulf Coast communities facilitated both the physical efforts to seize territory and the construction of the highly racialized imperialist ideas that reimagined Latin America as a region that could secure the South's future. Yet the pursuit of that territory created a fluctuating and uncertain situation that shaped the choices of the diverse peoples who lived along the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico in ways they did not expect. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War: Empire Building and Race Making in the Civil War–Era Gulf South (University of Georgia Press, 2024) by Dr. Maria Angela Diaz tells the story of several communities, such as Galveston, New Orleans, and Pensacola, as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. Through the wars that are chronicled here, white southern concepts of race became more rigidly fixed. Dr. Maria Angela Diaz covers several conflicts leading up to the Civil War with Mexicans, Cubans, and Native Americans. She places the Civil War within this framework and follows the trajectory of relations with Latin America through the end of the Civil War and ex-Confederates' attempts to emigrate abroad. Gulf Coast communities facilitated both the physical efforts to seize territory and the construction of the highly racialized imperialist ideas that reimagined Latin America as a region that could secure the South's future. Yet the pursuit of that territory created a fluctuating and uncertain situation that shaped the choices of the diverse peoples who lived along the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico in ways they did not expect. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War: Empire Building and Race Making in the Civil War–Era Gulf South (University of Georgia Press, 2024) by Dr. Maria Angela Diaz tells the story of several communities, such as Galveston, New Orleans, and Pensacola, as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. Through the wars that are chronicled here, white southern concepts of race became more rigidly fixed. Dr. Maria Angela Diaz covers several conflicts leading up to the Civil War with Mexicans, Cubans, and Native Americans. She places the Civil War within this framework and follows the trajectory of relations with Latin America through the end of the Civil War and ex-Confederates' attempts to emigrate abroad. Gulf Coast communities facilitated both the physical efforts to seize territory and the construction of the highly racialized imperialist ideas that reimagined Latin America as a region that could secure the South's future. Yet the pursuit of that territory created a fluctuating and uncertain situation that shaped the choices of the diverse peoples who lived along the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico in ways they did not expect. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War: Empire Building and Race Making in the Civil War–Era Gulf South (University of Georgia Press, 2024) by Dr. Maria Angela Diaz tells the story of several communities, such as Galveston, New Orleans, and Pensacola, as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. Through the wars that are chronicled here, white southern concepts of race became more rigidly fixed. Dr. Maria Angela Diaz covers several conflicts leading up to the Civil War with Mexicans, Cubans, and Native Americans. She places the Civil War within this framework and follows the trajectory of relations with Latin America through the end of the Civil War and ex-Confederates' attempts to emigrate abroad. Gulf Coast communities facilitated both the physical efforts to seize territory and the construction of the highly racialized imperialist ideas that reimagined Latin America as a region that could secure the South's future. Yet the pursuit of that territory created a fluctuating and uncertain situation that shaped the choices of the diverse peoples who lived along the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico in ways they did not expect. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-west

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War: Empire Building and Race Making in the Civil War–Era Gulf South (University of Georgia Press, 2024) by Dr. Maria Angela Diaz tells the story of several communities, such as Galveston, New Orleans, and Pensacola, as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. Through the wars that are chronicled here, white southern concepts of race became more rigidly fixed. Dr. Maria Angela Diaz covers several conflicts leading up to the Civil War with Mexicans, Cubans, and Native Americans. She places the Civil War within this framework and follows the trajectory of relations with Latin America through the end of the Civil War and ex-Confederates' attempts to emigrate abroad. Gulf Coast communities facilitated both the physical efforts to seize territory and the construction of the highly racialized imperialist ideas that reimagined Latin America as a region that could secure the South's future. Yet the pursuit of that territory created a fluctuating and uncertain situation that shaped the choices of the diverse peoples who lived along the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico in ways they did not expect. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-south

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War: Empire Building and Race Making in the Civil War–Era Gulf South (University of Georgia Press, 2024) by Dr. Maria Angela Diaz tells the story of several communities, such as Galveston, New Orleans, and Pensacola, as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. Through the wars that are chronicled here, white southern concepts of race became more rigidly fixed. Dr. Maria Angela Diaz covers several conflicts leading up to the Civil War with Mexicans, Cubans, and Native Americans. She places the Civil War within this framework and follows the trajectory of relations with Latin America through the end of the Civil War and ex-Confederates' attempts to emigrate abroad. Gulf Coast communities facilitated both the physical efforts to seize territory and the construction of the highly racialized imperialist ideas that reimagined Latin America as a region that could secure the South's future. Yet the pursuit of that territory created a fluctuating and uncertain situation that shaped the choices of the diverse peoples who lived along the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico in ways they did not expect. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Close It Now, Sam Wakefield sits down with Clark Manwaring, a true legend in the door-to-door (D2D) sales industry. Clark, who built the largest D2D sales team in history with an astounding 15,000 members, shares his invaluable insights on recruiting, growing high-performing sales teams, and mastering the art of door-to-door sales.Get ready for a deep dive into the strategies that have made Clark a household name in the D2D world. From the keys to attracting top talent to building a culture of excellence and resilience, this episode is packed with actionable tips to help you scale your sales operation like never before.Whether you're just starting out or leading a seasoned team, Clark's expertise will inspire you to think bigger and achieve more. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from the best and take your sales game to the next level!Connect with Clark Manwaring: https://www.instagram.com/clark_salesrecruiter/Close It Now Information:Make sure to get your ticket for Relentless: The Ultimate Sales Transformation event.https://www.eventbrite.com/e/close-it-now-relentless-the-ultimate-sales-transformation-tickets-1083623921319?aff=oddtdtcreatorHost Bio:Sam Wakefield is the host of the "Close It Now" podcast and an expert in sales strategies. With years of experience, Sam is dedicated to helping sales professionals understand the psychological factors at play in sales and achieve greater success in their careers.Connect with Us:Website: https://www.closeitnow.net/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/closeitnowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealcloseitnow/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/closeitnow/Subscribe & Leave a Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to "Close It Now" and leave us a review on Google (Remember to leave a picture), our Facebook profile, or where you listen to this podcast. Your feedback helps us bring you more great content!Google LInk→ https://g.page/r/CbfnnDqTCwQdEAE/review

Today, we're joined by the wonderful ladies of our sister podcast, “Empire Building” Seychelle Van Poole, Sarah Reynolds, Kymber Lovett-Menkiti, and Tiffany Fykes are here to discuss the best way to construct a business plan for the new year.We review the importance of preparation and how to “check yourself before you goal yourself.” We differentiate between leading indicators vs. lagging indicators. We also discuss the importance of progress over perfection. And, of course, we get into the cold, hard numbers.These women are master strategists and tacticians. They share with us the exact tools they use to keep business plans thriving as living, breathing documents throughout the year. Do yourself a favor and listen to this episode as you prepare for your annual business planning meeting.Resources:Listen to the “Empire Building” podcastVisit HerBestLife.comConnect with the Empire Building hosts on Instagram: @seychellevp, @sarahreynoldsoji, @wendypapasan, @kymbermenkiti, @tiffanyfykesRead “The Road to Less Stupid”Read “The Gap and the Gain”Check out the 411 and GPS toolsListen to Episode 34. Living a Life by Design With Tiffany FykesListen to Episode 55. Foolproof Math for Your Business Plan with David HuffakerOrder the Millionaire Real Estate Agent Playbook | Volume 2Connect with Jason:LinkedinProduced by NOVA MediaThis podcast is for general informational purposes only. The guest's views, thoughts, and opinions represent those of the guest and not KWRI and its affiliates and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.WARNING! You must comply with the TCPA and any other federal, state or local laws, including for B2B calls and texts. Never call or text a number on any Do Not Call list, and do not use an autodialer or artificial voice or prerecorded messages without proper consent. Contact your attorney to ensure your compliance.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Season 4, ep 26: Weirding Time! with: Uli, Jams, carla joy, and a Time Talks History segmentIn the season four opener, Uli, carla, and jams introduce some dreams for season 4, ruminate about other projects on the horizon, and reflect on their year off from making the Grounded Futures Show, and more! Plus, we will hear the first Time Talks History segment about the Doctrine of Discovery. Thanks for listening!

One of Oregon's most decorated agents, he's the founder of Opt Real Estate, an elite firm composed of nearly 20 agents that proudly serve the Portland and SW Washington metro. Together, they've closed more than 1,500 transactions, with 325 transactions totaling $175 million completed in 2021 alone. Besides being a peerless professional, Drew is a local and national real estate leader. In 2019, he served as president of the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors®, and, in 2020, he graduated as a member of the National Association of Realtors® Leadership Academy. As the 2021 president of Oregon Realtors®, Drew oversaw the organization's 100+ members of the board of directors, 15-member executive committee, and representatives from 25 boards and associations across Oregon. If that weren't enough, he was named the 2022 Realtor® of the Year by Oregon Realtors®. [PARTNER WITH US] Get instant 1-on-1 access to over 26 of the top agents in the country to help scale your business.

I was planning on May being a BIG month of miracles for me and the building of this empire. How did it go? Here I dove into it including the financials, lessons learned, and my plans for next month. Hope you enjoy this special little bonus episode. :)More From Me:Subscribe to YIELD Deeply - https://dallincandland.substack.com/Podcast YouTube Channel (For Highlights, Cool Shorts, and More!): https://www.youtube.com/@yieldtodaypodcastMy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dallinsyield/Support the Show.

Description:  In this insightful episode, Steven, a seasoned real estate investor, shares his journey from being in debt to building a successful real estate empire. He emphasizes the importance of due diligence, active management, and assessing individual circumstances before investing in properties.  Additionally, Steven discusses creative financing strategies, location considerations, and the potential of distressed properties for wealth building. Paul and Steven delve into the evolving interpretation of the American Dream, highlighting the increasing interest in real estate investments among younger generations.  Throughout the episode, Steven offers valuable insights and announces exciting initiatives, including a monthly $1,000 giveaway and the chance to win $500,000 to kickstart a real estate business. Key Takeaways: Thorough due diligence is crucial before investing in real estate to avoid impulsive purchases and ensure long-term success. Active management and involvement are essential, even with the assistance of property managers, to maintain properties and maximize their value. Location, time efficiency, and creative financing strategies are important factors to consider when investing in real estate. Distressed properties can present opportunities for wealth building through value-added labor and renovation. The American Dream is evolving, with younger generations showing interest in rental properties and Airbnb's as secondary income sources. Authentic relationships and networking can be valuable in the real estate investment process. Steven's initiatives, including a monthly giveaway and the chance to win $500,000, offer opportunities for individuals to enter the real estate business. Diversifying interests and passions, such as Steven's newfound hobby of flying, can complement and enhance real estate investment strategies.   Follow Paul Thompson • LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulthompson-onecallcapital/ • Website | https://pauldavidthompson.com • Tiktok | https://www.tiktok.com/@pauldavidthompson   Resources: https://www.soarxconsulting.com/ - Steven's website The New American Dream: A Simple Roadmap to Purchasing Investment Properties  https://www.amazon.com/New-American-Dream-Purchasing-Investment-ebook/dp/B0CSLZMCCF?ref_=ast_author_mpb   https://pauldavidthompson.com/  - Real estate resources, past episodes, and information on my mastermind   I want to help you achieve financial and personal freedom. Check out THIS link for some valuable resources Click for a FREE WEBINAR to learn about your 12% ROI. If you're ready to take action now, let's hop on a CALL now!   About Today's Guest: Steven Andrews is a real estate investor, business coach, and author with nearly a decade of experience in the rental market. After overcoming initial doubts, he went from buying supplemental properties to pursuing real estate full-time within nine years. Today, Steven owns and manages hundreds of properties through his virtual management company, Realty Management Group. Driven to empower others, Steven founded SOARX Consulting in 2023. His first book "The New American Dream: A Simple Roadmap to Purchasing Investment Properties" outlines his strategies for real estate investing success. With hands-on expertise and an authentic approach, Steven is on a mission to guide others in achieving their real estate goals as a mentor and coach.  

When it comes to building an empire... there's a lot going on behind the scenes that we don't always talk about. Today Em Haas, an entrepreneur with a multiple 6 figure business, is sharing all the tea of what happens when you grow & decide to go after those dreams. We talk about authenticity in business & social media, relationships, judgement from family & friends, how health has been such a foundational building block for us both, & stepping into that powerful "big fucking deal" energy.  Em Haas is an online business coach helping coaches grow & scale their business & never settle on their desires. Find Em on Instagram >>herehere

Ever wondered how someone leaps from the security of a salaried job into the thrill of owning a diverse business portfolio? Joe Wechsler, with his rich background in management consulting, sits down with me to share his captivating transition and the strategic maneuvers that catapulted him from a partner role into the world of business ownership. In our conversation, Joe pulls back the curtain on his decision to forgo the trending real estate investments for business acquisition and explains how he utilized his expertise to craft a career path ripe with financial rewards that surpass traditional employment benchmarks. We also delve into the complex world of negotiating business sales and the triumphs of strategic growth, as seen through Joe's experience with a custom metal fabrication business near Charlotte. Don't miss this opportunity to peek behind the curtain of business acquisition and perhaps, kindle your own entrepreneurial spark. Joe Wechsler is the CEO of VirtuAlly, a rapidly growing telehealth company, and the Managing Director at Blueline Ventures, a middle-market business acquisition company he founded in 2020. His experience includes large organizations and entrepreneurial settings, as well as leading and motivating worldwide teams and driving strategic initiatives at large scales. Joe is an accomplished advisory leader with experience in strategic planning, project management, organizational transformation, and M&A integration planning and management. What we discuss: (00:01) Business Portfolio Acquisition Strategy Discussions (16:17) Journey of Business Education and Acquisition (31:24) Navigating Business Sale Processes and Success (38:54) Business Acquisition Challenges and Opportunities (53:18) Blue Line Ventures Advisory Services Information To learn more about Joe Wechsler: Website: https://blvfund.com/  Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephwechsler/  Find more from Jake Rosenthal: Website: https://www.purelegacies.com/    https://www.jrvacations.com/   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jake.r.rosenthal  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jake.r.rosenthal/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Jake.Rosenthal   Podcast: Life On Your Terms with Jake Rosenthal  

From the comfort of a predictable accounting job to the rollercoaster world of entrepreneurship, Greg Muzzillo's tale is nothing short of extraordinary. This episode peels back the layers of his audacious shift to founding Proforma, revealing the trials and triumphs that have shaped his business acumen. Discover how Greg transformed a straightforward business model into a thriving empire, and how the adoption of a present-focused philosophy has been instrumental in both his personal and professional life.Pointing the spotlight on growth and leadership, we get an intimate look at Greg's strategic approach to expanding Proforma and transitioning from hands-on roles to visionary leadership. The narrative is enriched by the candid discussion of family dynamics within the business, as Greg and his wife share the delicate balance of partnership and delegation. For entrepreneurs grappling with similar challenges, this is a masterclass in team empowerment and the art of letting go.Rounding off our enriching dialogue, Greg shares the importance of mentorship, the decision-making behind relocating to Tampa for its dynamic lifestyle, and the creative journey of transforming his written insights into published wisdom. Join us for a deep dive into the mantra of living each day as a business owner, not just an employee, and how such a mindset can forge a path to legacy and success. If Greg's story has ignited your curiosity, he leaves us with ways to keep the conversation alive and connect with him online.0:00 Successful Business With Greg Muzzillo10:11 Entrepreneurial Success and Delegating Control15:13 Franchising Business and Family Dynamics29:12 Entrepreneurial Mentoring and Growth35:58 Family, Business, and Book Writing40:48 Mastering the Business Owner Mindset45:40 Finding Greg Muzzillo OnlineHow to Reach Greg:Proforma: https://www.proforma.com/greg-muzzillo.htmlProforma Franchise: https://proformafranchise.com/How to Reach Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-muzzillo-ba51ba2/ To Reach Jordan:Email: Jordan@Edwards.Consulting Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ejFXH1_BjdnxG4J8u93Zw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jordan.edwards.7503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanfedwards/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanedwards5/ Hope you find value in this. If so please provide a 5-star and drop a review.Complimentary Edwards Consulting Session: https://calendly.com/jordan-555/intro-call

Here at Empire Building, we're all about building a big business, and more importantly, a bigger life. So today we dive into how to live a big, long, healthy, robust life. We are talking Blue Zones.Blue Zones are parts of the world where people live the longest. Dan Buettner came up with the term while studying the places that have the highest life expectancy or with the highest proportions of people who reach age 100: Barbagia region of Sardinia; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda California; and Okinawa, Japan. In this episode, we review the 9 daily habits that Dan identified across these communities. They are: Move naturally, have purpose, down shift, eat to 80% full, stick to a plant-based diet, drink alcohol moderately, belong to a community, put your family first, and find your circle of support.We dive into the details of each one and talk about how we can find space for them in our own lives as Empire Builders.Resources:Learn more at the Blue Zones Project Listen to Simon Sinek's podcast episode with Dan Buettner Read Peter Attia's book “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity” Connect on Instagram:Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevpSarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsojiWendy Papasan: @wendypapasanKymber Lovett-Menkiti: @kymbermenkitiTiffany Fykes: @tiffanyfykesProduced by NOVA Media

After years of coaching hundreds of clients, I've noticed that different clients have different values, internal motivations, business brilliance zones, and unique brand signatures-- and they lend themselves towards different marketing strategies, ways of messaging for the highest impact, and ideal business and offer structures. Today we're covering the Empire Building Entrepreneur profile, deep diving into their unique gifts and how they can use this approach and grow their business with more ease and flow. To learn your Entrepreneurial Archetype, head to www.kathrynmorrisoncoaching.com/quiz

Welcome to Empire Building! Today's episode unveils a concept even Albert Einstein called the eighth wonder of the world: compound interest. It's not just about finance, but a powerful principle impacting every aspect of life, including personal growth and wealth building.Join us as we simplify compound interest with real-life examples, showing how small, consistent actions lead to significant results over time. Whether you're a financial pro or just starting out, this episode will enlighten and inspire. Discover how to harness the magic of compound interest in all areas of your life. Tune in now for this transformative journey!Resources:Check out investor.govConnect on Instagram:Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevpSarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsojiWendy Papasan: @wendypapasanKymber Lovett-Menkiti: @kymbermenkitiTiffany Fykes: @tiffanyfykesProduced by NOVA Media

We've been there, doing ALL the hard work: generating the lead, making our calls, booking the appointment, ensuring it happens, and meeting with them to serve. But what next? In today's episode of Empire Building, we're diving deep into the crucial phase of getting the service done and taking our customer to the finish line!Resources:Read: The E-Myth RevisitedConnect on Instagram:Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevpSarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsojiWendy Papasan: @wendypapasanKymber Lovett-Menkiti: @kymbermenkitiTiffany Fykes: @tiffanyfykesProduced by NOVA Media

In today's episode of Empire Building, we're continuing our deep dive into the art of the sales funnel. This time, we're focusing on a crucial aspect – how to get potential clients to agree to work with you. We know, it sounds daunting, but worry not! We've distilled it down to 8 practical steps that will guide you through this process.Connect on Instagram:Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevpSarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsojiWendy Papasan: @wendypapasanKymber Lovett-Menkiti: @kymbermenkitiTiffany Fykes: @tiffanyfykesProduced by NOVA Media

Welcome to a very special holiday episode of Empire Building! Today, we're bringing you an episode that's as festive and fun as the Christmas season itself. We know it's not every day that you get to listen to a podcast episode on Christmas, so Merry Christmas, everyone! Consider this episode our gift to you.In this episode, we're sharing our cherished Christmas traditions and the joy they bring to our lives. From the heartfelt to the hilarious, we'll dive into what makes our holidays unique. But that's not all. We're also going to reveal some of the quirky aspects of our traditions. You know, those little things we've always thought were perfectly normal but might just raise a few eyebrows!So, whether you're wrapping gifts, preparing a festive meal, or just enjoying a quiet moment by the tree, we invite you to join us in this lighthearted and merry conversation. It's all about embracing the spirit of Christmas, sharing laughter, and maybe even discovering that some of our 'normal' traditions are not so normal after all. Let's unwrap this fun-filled episode together and celebrate the joy of the season! Connect on Instagram:Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevpSarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsojiWendy Papasan: @wendypapasanKymber Lovett-Menkiti: @kymbermenkitiTiffany Fykes: @tiffanyfykesProduced by NOVA Media

Get ready to dive deep into one of my favorite wealth-building strategies: investments in rental properties. In this episode of Empire Building, we're going to explore the ins and outs of purchasing and accumulating rental properties—a topic I believe many of us have been curious about for years.Here's what we'll cover:Definition of a Buy and Hold Rental Property: We'll start by defining what a buy and hold rental property is and how it differs from other types of investments.The Kinds of Rental Properties You Can Buy: There's a variety of rental properties out there, and we'll look at the different types to help you understand your options.Pros and Cons of Owning Rental Properties: Like any investment, there are upsides and downsides. We'll discuss both so you can make an informed decision.Loan Considerations for Buying a Rental Property: Financing is a crucial part of property investment. We'll delve into the types of loans available and what to consider when securing one.The Costs Associated with This Kind of Investment: Lastly, we'll break down the costs involved in investing in rental properties to give you a clear picture of what to expect.Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting to explore the idea of rental properties, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Don't miss out on this informative discussion that could potentially change the way you approach wealth building through real estate.Connect on Instagram:Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevpSarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsojiWendy Papasan: @wendypapasanKymber Lovett-Menkiti: @kymbermenkitiTiffany Fykes: @tiffanyfykesProduced by NOVA Media

Have you ever felt like you're just faking it, waiting for the moment you're exposed as a fraud? Well, you're definitely not alone. In today's episode of Empire Building, we're putting Imposter Syndrome under the microscope.Despite its prevalence, Imposter Syndrome often remains an unspoken challenge. That's why we're breaking the silence and bringing it into the light. Inspired by Brené Brown's wisdom on vulnerability and shame, we'll delve into this psychological phenomenon and, most importantly, share four practical strategies to turn these feelings into something positive.Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting your journey, these insights are essential. So, join us as we explore the depths of Imposter Syndrome and learn to harness it for your growth. It's time to embrace your achievements and overcome the doubts. Tune in now for an episode that might just change the way you see yourself and your success.Resources:Episode 81 - Five Ways to Hold Yourself AccountableEpisode 102 - One Habit that is Guaranteed to Make You RichEpisode 107 & 108 - The 4-1-1: How to Hold a Weekly Accountability MeetingEpisode 164 - Why You Need a Hype WomanEpisode 178 - The 5 Love Languages: How to Show AppreciationConnect on Instagram:Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevpSarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsojiWendy Papasan: @wendypapasanKymber Lovett-Menkiti: @kymbermenkitiTiffany Fykes: @tiffanyfykesProduced by NOVA Media

Feeling the weight of a declining business? We've all been there. Maybe you've experienced a fantastic month only to be hit with a series of not-so-great ones immediately after. Like us, you've probably seen both the peaks and valleys of the sales rollercoaster. Today, we're diving deep into a lifeline topic: 13 actionable ways to double your sales volume. We've tapped into the wisdom of our Empire Building podcast co-hosts, gathering their top strategies and insights to bring a substantial boost to your business, even when the going gets tough. If you're determined to pivot and tackle the challenging times head-on, this episode is a must-listen. Join us as we share these transformative tactics and get ready to reinvigorate your sales strategy!Resources:If you're new to the Her Best Life family, use code NEWTOHBL at HerBestLife.com and save $700 off registration – and a free room!Connect on Instagram:Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevpSarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsojiWendy Papasan: @wendypapasanKymber Lovett-Menkiti: @kymbermenkitiTiffany Fykes: @tiffanyfykes