Podcasts about strategic coach

In this episode of Welcome to Cloudlandia, we explore how Miles Copeland, manager of The Police, turned Sting's unmarketable song "Desert Rose" into a 28-million-dollar advertising campaign without spending a dime. The story reveals a powerful principle most businesses miss—the difference between approaching companies at the purchasing department versus the receiving dock. Dan introduces his concept that successful entrepreneurs make two fundamental decisions: they're responsible for their own financial security, and they create value before expecting opportunity. This "receiving dock" mentality—showing up with completed value rather than asking for money upfront—changes everything about how business gets done. We also explore how AI is accelerating adaptation to change, using tariff policies as an unexpected example of how quickly markets and entire provinces can adjust when forced to. We discuss the future of pharmaceutical TV advertising, why Canada's interprovincial trade barriers fell in 60 days, and touch on everything from the benefits of mandatory service to Gavin Newsom's 2028 positioning. Throughout, Charlotte (my AI assistant) makes guest appearances, instantly answering our curiosities. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS How Miles Copeland got $28M in free advertising for Sting by giving Jaguar a music video instead of asking for payment. Why approaching the "receiving dock" with completed value beats going to the "purchasing department" with requests. Dan's two fundamental entrepreneur decisions: take responsibility for your financial security and create value before expecting opportunity. How AI is accelerating adaptation, from tariff responses to Canada eliminating interprovincial trade barriers in 60 days. Why pharmaceutical advertising might disappear from television in 3-4 years and what it means for the industry. Charlotte the AI making guest appearances as the ultimate conversation tiebreaker and Google bypass. Links: WelcomeToCloudlandia.com StrategicCoach.com DeanJackson.com ListingAgentLifestyle.com TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dean Jackson: Mr. Sullivan, Dan Sullivan: Good morning. Good morning. Dean Jackson: Good morning. Good morning. Our best to you this morning. Boy, you haven't heard that in a long time, have you? Dan Sullivan: Yeah. What was that? Dean Jackson: KE double LO Double G, Kellogg's. Best to you. Dan Sullivan: There you go. Dean Jackson: Yes, Dan Sullivan: There you go. Dean Jackson: I thought you might enjoy that as Dan Sullivan: An admin, the advertise. I bet everybody who created that is dead. Dean Jackson: I think you're probably right. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. I was just noticing that. Jaguar, did you follow the Jaguar brand change? Dean Jackson: No. What happened just recently? Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Basically maybe 24. They decided to completely rebrand. Since the rebranding, they've sold almost no cars and they fired their marketing. That's problem. Problem. Yeah. You can look it up on YouTube. There's about 25 P mode autopsies. Dean Jackson: Wow. Dan Sullivan: Where Dean Jackson: People are talking mean must. It's true. Because they haven't, there's nothing. It's pretty amazing, actually, when you think about it. The only thing, the evidence that you have that Jaguar even exists is when you see the Waymo taxis in Phoenix. Dan Sullivan: Is that Jaguar? Dean Jackson: They're Jaguars. Yeah. Dan Sullivan: I didn't know that. Yeah. Well, yeah, they just decided that they needed an upgrade. They needed to bring it into the 21st century. Couldn't have any of that traditional British, that traditional British snobby sort of thing. So yeah, when they first, they brought out this, I can't even say it was a commercial, because it wasn't clear that they were selling anything, but they had all these androgynous figures. You couldn't quite tell what their gender was. And they're dressed up in sort of electric colors, electric greens and reds, and not entirely clear what they were doing. Not entirely clear what they were trying to create, not were they selling something, didn't really know this. But not only are they, and then they brought out a new electric car, an ev. This was all for the sake of reading out their, and people said, nothing new here. Nothing new here. Not particularly interesting. Has none of the no relationship to the classic Jaguar look and everything. And as a result of that, not only are they not selling the new EV car, they're not selling any of their other models either. Dean Jackson: I can't even remember the last time you saw it. Betsy Vaughn, who runs our 90 minute book team, she has one of those Jaguar SUV things like the Waymo one. She is the last one I've seen in the wild. But my memory of Jaguar has always, in the nineties and the early two thousands, Jaguar was always distinct. You could always tell something was a Jaguar and you could never tell what year it was. I mean, it was always unique and you could tell it wasn't the latest model because they look kind of distinctly timeless. And that was something that was really, and even the color palettes of them were different. I think about that green that they had. And interesting story about Jaguar, because I listened to a podcast called How I Built This, and they had one of my, I would say this is one of my top five podcasts ever that I've listened to is an interview with Miles Copeland, who was the manager of the police, the band. And in the seventies when the police were just getting started, miles, who was the brother of Stuart Copeland, the drummer for the police. He was their manager, and he was new to managing. He was new to the business. He only got in it because his brother was in the band, and they needed a manager. So he took over. But he was very, very smart about the things that he did. He mentioned that he realized on reflection that the number one job of a manager is to make sure that people know your band exists. And then he thought, well, that's true. But there are people, it's more important that the 400 event bookers in the UK know that my band exists. And he started a magazine that only was distributed to the 400 Bookers. It looked like a regular magazine, but he only distributed it to 400 people. And it was like the big, that awareness for them. But I'll tell you that story, just to tell you that in the early two thousands when Sting was a solo artist, and he had launched a new album, and the first song on the album was a song called Desert Rose, which started out with a Arabic. It was collaboration with an Arabic singer. So the song starts out with this Arabic voice singing Arabic, an Arabic cry sort of thing. And this was right in the fall of 2001. And Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a good, Dean Jackson: They could not get any airplay on radio airplay. You couldn't get American airplay of a song that starts out with an Arabic wailing Arabic language. And so they shot a video for this song with Chebe was the guy, the Che Mumbai, I guess is the singer. So they shot a video and they were just driving through the desert between Palm Springs and Las Vegas, and they used the brand new Jaguar that had just been released, and it was really like a stunning car. It was a beautiful car that was, I think, peak Jaguar. And when Miles saw the video, he said, that's a beautiful car. And they saw the whole video. He thought you guys just made a car commercial. And he went to Jaguar and said, Hey, we just shot this video, and it's a beautiful, highlights your car, and if you want to use it in advertising, I'll give you the video. If you can make the ad look like it's an ad for Sting's new album. I can't get airplay on it now. So Jaguar looked at it. He went to the ad agency that was running Jaguar, and they loved it, loved the idea, and they came back to Miles and said, we'd love it. Here's what we edited. Here's what we did. And it looks like a music video. But kids, when was basically kids dream of being rock stars, and what do rock stars dream of? And they dream of Jaguars, right? And it was this, all the while playing this song, which looked like a music video with the thing in the corner saying from the new album, A Brand New Day by Sting. And so it looked like a music video for Sting, and they showed him an ad schedule that they were going to purchase 28 million of advertising with this. They were going to back it with a 28 million ad spend. And so he got 28 million of advertising for Stings album for free by giving them the video. And I thought, man, that is so, it was brilliant. Lucky, lucky. It was a VCR. Yeah. Lucky, Dan Sullivan: Lucky, lucky. Dean Jackson: It was a VCR collaboration. Perfectly executed. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Yeah. It just shows that looking backwards capability, what I can say something that was just lucky looks like capability. Dean Jackson: Yeah, the whole, Dan Sullivan: I mean, basically it saved their ass. Dean Jackson: It saved Sting and Yeah. Oh yeah. But I think when you look in the, Dan Sullivan: No, it was just lucky. It was just lucky. I mean, if there hadn't been nine 11, there's no saying. There's no saying it would've gone anywhere. Dean Jackson: Right, exactly. Dan Sullivan: Well, the album would've gone, I mean, stain was famous. Speaker 1: It would've Dan Sullivan: Gone, but they probably, no, it's just a really, really good example of being really quick on your feet when something, Dean Jackson: I think, because there's other examples of things that he did that would lead me to believe it was more strategic than luck. He went to the record label, and the record label said, he said he was going to give the video to Jaguar, and they said, you're supposed to get money for licensing these things. And then he showed them the ad table that the media buy that they were willing to put behind it. And he said, oh, well, if you can match, you give me 28 million of promotion for the album, I'll go back and get some money from them for. And the label guy said, oh, well, let's not be too hasty here. But that, I think really looking at that shows treating your assets as collaboration currency rather than treating that you have to get a purchase order for it. Most people would think, oh, we need to get paid for that. The record label guy was thinking, but he said, no, we've got the video. We already shot it. It didn't cost us, wouldn't cost us anything to give it to them. But the value of the 28 million of promotion, It was a win-win for everyone. And by the way, that's how he got the record deal for the police. He went to a and m and said, he made the album first. He met a guy, a dentist, who had a studio in the back of his dental. He was aspiring musician, but he rented the studio for 4,000 pounds for a month, and he sent the police into the studio to make their album. So they had a finished album that he took to a and m and said, completely de-risk this for them. We've got the album. I'll give you the album and we'll just take the highest royalty that a and m pays. So the only decision that a and m had to make was do they like the album? Otherwise, typically they would say, we need you to sign these guys. And then they would have to put up the money to make the album and hope that they make a good album. But it was already done, so there was no risk. They just had to release it. And they ended up, because of that, making the most money of any of the a and m artists, because they didn't take an advance. They didn't put any risk on a and m. It was pretty amazing actually, the stories of it. Dan Sullivan: I always say that really successful entrepreneurs make two fundamental decisions at the beginning of their career. One is they're going to be responsible for their own financial security, number one. And number two is that they'll create value before they expect opportunity. So this is decision number two. They created value, and now the opportunity got created by the value that they got created. You're putting someone else in a position that the only risk they're taking is saying no. Dean Jackson: Yeah. And you know what it's, I've been calling this receiving doc thinking of most businesses are going to the purchasing department trying to get in line and convince somebody to write a purchase order for a future delivery of a good or service. And they're met with resistance and they're met with a rigorous evaluation process. And we've got to decide and be convinced that this is going to be a prudent thing to do, and you're limiting yourself to only getting the money that's available now. Whereas if instead of going to the purchasing department, you go around to the back and you approach a company at the receiving dock, you're met with open arms. Every company is a hundred percent enthusiastically willing to accept new money coming into the business, and you're met with no resistance. And it's kind of, that was a really interesting example of that. And you see those examples everywhere. Dan Sullivan: All cheese. Dean Jackson: All cheese. No, whiskers. That's exactly right. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. I mean, it's an interesting, funny, I'm kind of thinking about this. For some reason, my personal email number is entered into some sort of marketing network because about every day now, I get somebody who the message goes like this, dear Dan, we've been noticing your social media, and we feel that you're underselling yourself, that there's much better ways that we personally could do this. And there's something different in each one of them. But if you take a risk on us, there's a possibility. There's a possibility. You never know. Life's that we can possibly make some more money on you and all by you taking the risk. Dean Jackson: Yes, exactly. Send money. Dan Sullivan: Send money. Dean Jackson: Yeah. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. And they're quite long. They're like two or three paragraphs. They're not nine words. They might be nine paragraph emails for all I know, but it's really, really interesting. Well, they're just playing a numbers game. They're sending this out to probably 5,000 different places, and somebody might respond. So anyway, but it just shows you, you're asking someone to take a risk. Dean Jackson: Yes. Yeah. I call that a purchase order. It's exactly it. You can commit to something before and hope for the best hope that the delivery will arrive instead of just showing up with the delivery. It's kind of similar in your always be the buyer approach. Dan Sullivan: What are you seeing there? Whatcha seeing Dean Jackson: There? I mean, that kind of thinking you are looking for, well, that's my interpretation anyway, of what you're saying of always be the buyer is that are selecting from Dan Sullivan: Certain type of customer, we're looking for a certain type of customer, and then we're describing the customer, and it's based on our understanding that a certain type of customer is looking for a certain type of process that meets who they're not only that, but puts them in a community of people like themselves. Yeah. So Dean Jackson: I look at that, that's that kind of thing where one of the questions that I'll often ask people is just to get clarity is what would you do if you only got paid if your client gets the result? And that's, it's clarifying on a couple of levels. One, it clarifies what result you're actually capable of getting, because what do you have certainty, proof, and a protocol around if we're talking the vision terms. And the other part of that is if you are going to get that result, if you're only going to get paid, if they get the result, you are much more selective in who you select to engage with, rather than just like anybody that you can convince to give you the money, knowing that they're not going to be the best candidate anyway. But they take this, there's an element of external blame shifting when they don't get the result by saying, well, everything is there. It's up to them. They just didn't do anything with it. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. I mean, it's a really interesting world that we're in, because we've talked about this before with ai. Now on the scene, the sheer amount of marketing attempts at marketing Speaker 1: Is Dan Sullivan: Going through the roof, but the amount of attention that people have to entertain marketing suggestions and anything is probably going down very, very quickly. The amount of attention that they have. And it strikes me that, and then it's really interesting. There's a real high possibility that in the United States, probably within the next three or four years, there'll be no more TV advertising. The pharmaceuticals. Dean Jackson: Yeah. Very interesting. Dan Sullivan: Pharmaceuticals and the advertising industry is going crazy because a significant amount of advertising dollars really come from pharmaceuticals. Dean Jackson: Yeah. I wonder if you took out pharmaceuticals and beer, what the impact would be. Dan Sullivan: I bet pharmaceuticals is bigger than beer. Dean Jackson: I wonder. Yeah. I mean, that sounds like a job for perplexity. Yeah. Why don't we Dean Jackson: Ask what categories? Yeah, categories are the top advertising spenders. Our top advertising spenders. Dan Sullivan: Well, I think food would be one Dean Jackson: Restaurant, Dan Sullivan: But I think pharmaceuticals, but I think pharmaceuticals would be a big one. Dean Jackson: Number one is retail. The leading category, counting for the highest proportion of ad spend, 15% of total ad spend is retail entertainment. And media is number two with 12% financial services, typically among the top three with 11% pharmaceutical and healthcare holds a significant share around 10%. Automotive motor vehicles is a major one. Telecommunications one of the fastest growing sectors, food and beverage and health and beauty. Those are the top. Yeah, that makes sense. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. But you take, what was pharmaceuticals? Eight, 9%, something like that. 10%. 10%. 10%, 10%. Yeah. Well, that's a hit. Dean Jackson: I mean, it's more of a hit than Canada taking away their US liquor by That was a 1% impact. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Dean Jackson: Yeah. Dan Sullivan: Well, that's not going anywhere right now. They're a long, long way from an agreement, a trade agreement, I'll tell you. Yeah. Well, the big thing, what supply management is, do you remember your Canadians Dean Jackson: Supply management? You mean like inventory management? First in, first out, last in, first out, Dan Sullivan: No. Supply management is paying farmers to only produce a certain amount of product in order to Dean Jackson: Keep prices up. Oh, the subsidies. Dan Sullivan: Subsidies. And that's apparently the big sticking point. And it's 10,000 farmers, and they're almost all in Ontario and Quebec, Dean Jackson: The dairy board and all that. Yeah. Dan Sullivan: Yep, yep, yep, yep. And apparently that's the real sticking point. Dean Jackson: Yeah. I had a friend grown up whose parents owned a dairy farm, and they had 200 acres, and I forget how many, many cattle or how many cows they had, but that was all under contract, I guess, right. To the dairy board. It's not free market or whatever. They're supplying milk to the dairy board, I guess, under an allocation agreement. Yeah, very. That's interesting. Dan Sullivan: Yeah, and it's guaranteed they have guaranteed prices too. Dean Jackson: They're Dan Sullivan: Guaranteed a certain amount. I was looking at that for some reason. There was an article, and I was just reading it. It was about a dairy farm, I think it was a US dairy farm, and they had 5,000 cattle. So I looked up, how much acreage do you have to have for 5,000 dairy cows? And I forget what the number was, but it prompted me to say, I wonder what the biggest dairy farm in the world is this. So I went retro. I went to Google, and it's what now? Google. You know that? Google that? You remember Google? Oh, yeah, yeah. Old, good old Google. I remember that. Used to do something called a search on Google. Yeah, Dean Jackson: I remember now. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Well, I went retro. I went retro, and I said, and the biggest dairy farm is in China. It's 25 million acres. Dean Jackson: Wow. In context, how does that compare to, Dan Sullivan: It's a state of South Dakota. It's as big as Dean Jackson: South Dakota. Okay. That's what I was going to say. That's the entire state of Dan Sullivan: Yes, because I said, is there a state that's about the same size? Dean Jackson: I was just about to ask you that. Yeah. Dan Sullivan: It's a Russian Chinese project, and the reason is that when the Ukraine war started, there was a real cutback in what the Russians could trade and getting milk in. They had to get milk in from somewhere else. So it comes in from China, but a lot of it must be wasted because they've got a hundred thousand dairy cows, a hundred thousand dairy cows. So I'm trying to Dean Jackson: Put that, well, that seems like a lot. Dan Sullivan: It just seems like a lot. Just seems like Dean Jackson: A lot. That seems like a lot of acreage per cow. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Well, they, one child policy, they probably have a one acre, a one 10 acre per cow Dean Jackson: Policy. Yeah, exactly. Dan Sullivan: You can just eat grass, don't do anything else. Just eat grass. Don't even move. But really interested, really, really interesting today, how things move. One of the things that's really interesting is that so far, the tariff policies have not had much. They have, first of all, the stock market is at peak right now. The stock market really peak, so it hasn't discouraged the stock market, which means that it hasn't disturbed the companies that people are investing in. The other thing is that inflation has actually gone down since they did that. Employment has gone up. So I did a search on perplexity, and I said 10 reasons why the experts who predicted disaster are being proven wrong with regard to the tariff policies. And it was very interesting. It gave me 10 answers, and all the 10 answers were that people have been at all levels. People have been incredibly more responsive and ingenious in responding to this. And my feeling is that it has a lot to do with it, especially with ai. That's something that was always seen as a negative because people could only respond to it very slowly, is now not as a negative, simply because the responsiveness is much higher. That in a certain sense, every country in the planet, on the planet, every company, on the planet, professions and everything else, when you have a change like this, everybody adjusts real quickly. They have a plan B, Dean Jackson: Plan B, anyone finds loop Pauls and plan B. That's the thing. Dan Sullivan: Since Trump dropped the notion that he is going to do tariffs on Canada, almost all the provinces have gotten together in Canada, and they've eliminated almost all trade restrictions between the provinces, which have been there since the beginning of the country, but they were gone within 60 Dean Jackson: Days Dan Sullivan: Afterwards. Dean Jackson: It was like, Hey, there, okay, maybe we should trade with each other. Dan Sullivan: Yeah, yeah. Dean Jackson: Very funny. Dan Sullivan: Which they don't because every province in Canada trades more with the United States than with the states close to them across the border than they do with any other Canadian province. Anyway. Well, the word is spreading, Dean, that if you listen to welcome to Cloud Landia, that probably there'll be an AI partner. There'll be an ai. Dean Jackson: Oh, yeah. Word is spreading. Okay, that's good. Dan Sullivan: Yeah, I like that. So let's what Charlotte think about the fact that she might be riding on the back of two humans and her fame is spreading based on the work of two humans. Dean Jackson: Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's funny. Dan Sullivan: Does she feel a little sheepish about this? Dean Jackson: It's so funny because I think last time I asked her what she was doing when we're not there, and she does like, oh, I don't go off and explore or have curiosity or anything like that. It'll just sit here. I'm waiting for you. It was funny, Stuart, and I was here, Stuart Bell, who runs my new information, we were talking about just the visual personifying her as just silently sitting there waiting for you to ask her something or to get involved. She's never let us down. I mean, it's just so she knows all, she's a tiebreaker in any conversation, in any curiosity that you have, or there's no need to say, I wonder, and then leave it open-ended. We can just bring Charlotte into it, and it's amazing how much she knows. I definitely use her as a Google bypass for sure. I just say I asked, we were sitting at Honeycomb this morning, which is my favorite, my go-to place for breakfast and coffee, and I was saying surrounded by as many lakes as we are, there should be, the environment would be, it's on kind of a main road, so it's got a little bit noisy, and it's not as ideal as being on a lake. And it reminded me of there's a country club active adult community, and I just asked her, is Lake Ashton, are they open for breakfast? Their clubhouse is right on the lake, and she's looking just instantly looks up. Yeah. Yeah. They're open every day, but they don't open until 10, so it was like nine o'clock when we were Having this conversation. So she's saying there's a little bit of a comment about that, but there's not a lakefront cafe. There's plenty of places that would be, there's lots of excess capacity availability in a lot of places that are only open in the evenings there. There's a wonderful micro brewery called Grove Roots, which is right here in Winterhaven. It's an amazing, it's a great environment, beautiful high ceilings building that they open as a microbrew pub, and they have a rotating cast of food trucks that come there in the evenings, but they sit there vacant in the mornings, and I just think about how great that environment would be as a morning place, because it's quiet, it's spacious, it's shaded, it's all the things you would look for. And so I look at that as a capability asset that they have that's underutilized, and it wouldn't be much to partner with a coffee food truck. There was in Yorkville, right beside the Hazelton in the entrance, what used to be the entrance down into the What's now called Yorkville Village used to be Hazelton Lanes. There was a coffee truck called Jacked Up Coffee, and it was this inside. Now Dan Sullivan: It's Dean Jackson: Inside. Now it's inside. Yeah, exactly. It's inside now, but it used to sit in the breezeway on the entrance down into the Hazelton Lane. So imagine if you could get one of those trucks and just put that in the Grove Roots environment. So in the morning you've got this beautiful cafe environment, Dan Sullivan: And they could have breakfast sandwiches. Dean Jackson: Yes. That's the point. That's exactly it. There used to be a cafe in Winterhaven, pre COVID. Dan Sullivan: I mean, just stop by Starbucks and see what Starbucks has and just have that available. Exactly. In the truck. I mean, they do lots of research for you, so just take advantage of their research. But then what would you have picnic tables or something like that? They Dean Jackson: Have already. No, no. This is what I'm saying is that you'd use the Grove Roots Dan Sullivan: Existing restaurant, Dean Jackson: The existing restaurant. Yeah. Which is, they've got Adirondack chairs, they've got those kinds of chairs. They've got picnic tables, they've got regular tables and chairs inside. They've got Speaker 1: Comfy Dean Jackson: Leather sofas. They've got a whole bunch of different environments. That would be perfect. But I was saying pre COVID, there was a place in Winter Haven called Bean and Grape, and it was a cafe in the morning and a wine bar in the evening, which I thought makes the most sense of anything. You keep the cafe open and then four o'clock in the afternoon, switch it over, and it's a wine bar for a happy hour and the evening. Dan Sullivan: Yeah, I mean, it's interesting. I mean, you've got a marketing mind, plus you've got years of experience of marketing, helping people market different things. So it's really interesting that what is obvious to you other people would never think of. Dean Jackson: I'm beginning to see that. Right. That's really an interesting thing. What I have. Dan Sullivan: I mean, it's like I was reflecting on that because I've been coaching entrepreneurs for 50 years, and I've created lots of structures and created lots of tools for them. And so when you think about, I read a statistic and its function of, I think that higher education is not quite syncing with the marketplace, but in December of last year, there was that 45% of the graduates of the MBA, Harvard MBA school had not gotten jobs. This was six months later. They hadn't gotten jobs, 45% hadn't gotten jobs. And I said, well, what's surprising was these 45% hadn't already created a company while they were at Harvard Business School, and what are they looking for jobs for? Anyway, they be creating their own companies. But my sense is that what they've been doing is that they've been going to college to avoid having to go into the job market, and so they don't even know how to get, not only do they know how to create a company, they don't even know how to get a job. Dean Jackson: Yeah. There's a new school concept, like a high school in, I think it's in Austin, Texas that is, I think it's called Epic, and they are teaching kids how they do all the academic work in about two hours a day, and then the rest of the time is working on projects and creating businesses, like being entrepreneurial. And I thought it's very interesting teaching people, if people could leave high school equipped with a way to add value in a way that they're not looking to plug their umbilical cord in someone else, be an amazing thing of just giving, because you think about it, high school kids can add value. You have value to contribute. You have even at that level, and they can learn their value contribution. Dan Sullivan: I think probably the mindset for that is already there at 10 years old, I think 10 years old, that an enterprise, Dean Jackson: Well, that's when the lemonade stands, right? Dan Sullivan: Yeah. An enterprise, an enterprising attitude is probably already there at 10 years old, and it'd be interesting to test for, I mean, I think Gino Wickman from EOS, when he was grad EOS, he created a test to see whether children have an entrepreneurial mindset or not, but I got to believe that you could test for that, that you could test for that. Just the attitude of creating value before I get any opportunity. I think you could build a psychological justice Speaker 1: Around Dan Sullivan: That and that you could be feeding that. I mean, we have the Edge program in Strategic Coach. It's 18 to 24 and unique ability and the four or five concepts that you can get across in the one day period, but it makes sense. Our clients tell us that it makes a big difference. A lot of 'em, they're 18 and they're off to college or something like that, Speaker 1: And Dan Sullivan: To have that one day of edge mind adjustment mindset adjustment makes a big difference how they go through university and do that, Jim, but Leora Weinstein said that in Israel, they have all sorts of tests when you're about 10, 12, 13 years old, that indicates that this is a future jet pilot. This is a future member of the intelligence community. They've already got 'em spotted early. They got 'em spotted 13, 14 years old, because they have to go into the military anyway. They have everybody at the 18 has to go in the military. So they start the screening really early to see who are the really above average talent, above average mindset. Dean Jackson: Yeah. The interesting, I mean, I've heard of that, of doing not even just military, but service of public service or whatever being as a mandatory thing. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Well, I went through it. Dean Jackson: Yeah, you did. Exactly. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Yeah. And it's hard to say because it was tumultuous times, but I know that when I came out of the military, I was 23 when I came out 21, 21 to 23, that when I got to college at 23, 23 to 27, you're able to just focus. You didn't have to pay any attention to anything going outside where everybody was up in arms about the war. They were up in arms about this, or they're up in arms about being drafted and everything else, and just having that. But the other thing is that you had spent two years putting up with something that you hadn't chosen, hadn't chosen, but you had two years to do it. And I think there's some very beneficial mindsets and some very beneficial habits that comes from doing that, Dean Jackson: Being constraints, being where you can focus on something. Yeah. That's interesting. Having those things taken away. Dan Sullivan: And it's kind of interesting because you talk every once in a while in Toronto, I've met a person maybe in 50 years I've met, and these were all draft dodgers. These were Americans who moved to Canada, really to the draft, and I would say that their life got suspended when they made that decision that they haven't been able to move beyond it emotionally and psychologically Dean Jackson: Wild and just push the path, Dan Sullivan: And they want to talk about it. They really want to talk about it. I said, this happened. I'm talking to someone, and they're really emotionally involved in what they're talking about Dean Jackson: 55 years ago now. Dan Sullivan: Yeah, it's 55 years ago that this happened, and they're up in arms. They're still up in arms about it and angry and everything else. And I said, it tells me something that if I ever do something controversial, spend some time getting over the emotion that you went through and get on with life, win a lottery, Dean Jackson: That's a factor change. I think all you think about those things, Dan Sullivan: But the real thing of how your life can be suspended over something that you haven't worked through the learning yet. There's a big learning there, and the big thing is that Carter, when he was president, late seventies, he declared amnesty for everybody who was a draft dodge so they could go back to the United States. I mean, there was no problem. They went right to the Supreme Court. They didn't lose their citizenship. Actually, there's only one thing that you can lose your, if you're native born, like you're native born American, you're born American with American Speaker 1: Parents, Dan Sullivan: You're a 100% legitimate American. There's only one crime that you can do to lose your citizenship. Dean Jackson: What's that? Dan Sullivan: Treason. Dean Jackson: Treason. Yeah, treason. I was just going to say Dan Sullivan: That. Yeah. If you don't get killed, it's a capital crime. And actually that's coming up right now because of the discovery that the Obama administration with the CIA and with the FBI acted under false information for two years trying to undermine Trump when he got in president from 17 to 19, and it comes under the treason. Comes under the treason laws, and so Obama would be, he's under criminal investigation right now for treason. Dean Jackson: Oh, wow. Dan Sullivan: And they were saying, can you do that to a president, to his former president? And so the conversation has moved around. Well, wouldn't necessarily put him in prison, but you could take away his citizenship anyway. I mean, this is hypothetical. My sense is won't cut that far, but the people around him, like the CIA director and the FBI director, I can see them in prison. They could be in prison. Wow. Yeah, and there's no statutes of limitation on this. Dean Jackson: I've noticed that Gavin Newsom seems to have gotten a publicist in the last 30 or 60 days. Dan Sullivan: Yes, he is. Dean Jackson: I've seen Dan Sullivan: More. He's getting ready for 28. Dean Jackson: I've seen more Gavin Newsom in the last 30 days than I've seen ever of him, and he's very carefully positioning himself. As I said to somebody, it's almost like he's trying to carve out a third party position while still being on the democratic side. He's trying to distance himself from the wokeness, like the hatred for the rich kind of thing, while still staying aligned with the LGBT, that whole world, Speaker 1: Which Dean Jackson: I didn't realize he was the guy that authorized the first same sex marriage in San Francisco when he was the mayor of San Francisco. I thought that was it. So he's very carefully telling all the stories that position, his bonafides kind of thing, and talking about, I didn't realize that he was an entrepreneur, para restaurants and vineyards. Dan Sullivan: I think it's all positive for him except for the fact of what happened in California while it was governor. Dean Jackson: And so he's even repositioning that. I think everybody's saying that what happened, but he was looking, he's positioning that California is one of the few net positive states to the federal government, Dan Sullivan: But not a single voter in the United States That, Dean Jackson: Right. Very interesting. That's why he's telling the story. Dan Sullivan: Yeah Dean Jackson: Fair. They contribute, I think, I don't know the numbers, but 8 billion a year to the federal government, and Texas is, as the other example, is a net drain on the United States that they're a net taker from the federal government. And so it's really very, it's interesting. He's very carefully positioning all the things, really. He's speaking a thing of, because they're asking him the podcasts that he is going on, they're kind of asking him how the Democrats have failed kind of thing. And that's what, yeah, Dan Sullivan: They're at their lowest in almost history right now. Yeah. Well, he can try. I mean, every American's got the right to try, but my sense is that the tide has totally gone against the Democrats. It doesn't matter what kind of Democrat you want to position yourself at. I mean, you'll be able to get a feel for that with the midterm elections next November. Dean Jackson: Yeah. That's Dan Sullivan: Not this November. This November, but no, I think he could very definitely win the nomination. There's no question the nomination, but I think this isn't just a lot of people misinterpret maga. MAGA is the equivalent to the beginning of the country. In other words, the putting together the Constitution and the revolution and the Constitution and starting new governor, that was a movement, a huge movement. That was a movement that created it. And then the abolition movement, which put the end to slavery with the Civil War. That was the second movement. And then the labor movement, the fact that labor, there was a whole labor movement that Franklin Roosevelt took and turned it into what was called the New Deal in the 1930s. That was the movement. So you've had these three movements. I think Trump represents the next movement, and it's the complete rebellion of the part of the country that isn't highly educated against Gavin. Newsom represents the wealthy, ultra educated part of the country. I mean, he's the Getty. He's the Getty man. He's got the billions of dollars of the Getty family behind him. He was Nancy, Nancy Pelosi's nephew. He represents total establishment, democratic establishment, and I don't think he can get away from that. Dean Jackson: Interesting. Yeah, it's interesting to watch him try. I literally, I know more about him now than I've ever heard, and he's articulate and seems to be likable, so we'll see. But you're coming from this perception of, well, look what he did to California. And he's kind of dismantling that by saying, if only we could do to California, due to the country, what I've done to California. Well, Dan Sullivan: He didn't do anything for California. I mean, California 30 years ago was in incredibly better shape than California's right now. Yeah. The big problem was the bureaucrats run California. These are people who were left wing during the 1960s, 1970s, and they were the anti-war. I mean, it all started in California, the anti-war project, and these people graduated from college. First of all, they stayed in college as long as they could, and then they went into the government bureaucracy. So I mean, there's lifeguards in Los Angeles that make 500,000 a year. Dean Jackson: It's crazy, isn't it? Dan Sullivan: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the extraordinary money that goes to the public service in California that's destroyed the state. But I mean, anybody can try. Speaker 1: Yeah. Dan Sullivan: I remember after the Democratic Convention, Kamala was up by 10 points over Trump. Yes. Yeah, she's from San Francisco too. Dean Jackson: Yes, exactly. That's what he was saying, their history. Dan Sullivan: No, you're just seeing that because he started in South Carolina, that's where all his, because that's now the first state that counts on the nomination, but he's after the nomination right now. He's trying to position for the nomination. Anyway, we'll see. Go for it. Well, there you Speaker 1: Go. Dan Sullivan: And Elon Musk, he wants to start a new party. He can go for it too. Dean Jackson: Somebody. That's exactly right. Dan Sullivan: Yeah. Then there's other people. Dean Jackson: That's true. Dan Sullivan: Alrighty, got to jump. Dean Jackson: Okay. Have a great week

What if I told you the government owes you money – possibly tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars – and all you have to do is ask for it back?I know - sounds like complete BS.That's exactly what I thought when my buddy Justin Maxwell told me about the R&D Tax Credit while I was speaking at an event. But he made me an offer I couldn't refuse: "Let me do all the work, show you exactly what you'll get back, and you don't pay me a dime unless you keep the money."Within a couple weeks, I had a fat check deposited directly into my bank account. Then more checks after that. Then we went backwards three years and got even more money back.And here's the kicker – this isn't some sketchy loophole. It's a legitimate government incentive designed specifically for business owners like you who are innovating, creating, building, and testing new things in your business.In this episode, Justin Maxwell from Big Life Financial breaks down exactly how the R&D Tax Credit works, who qualifies (spoiler: way more people than you think), and why your accountant probably has no idea this even exists for small businesses.If you're spending money on AI tools, developing new products, creating new systems, testing new technologies, or basically doing anything innovative in your business – you need to listen to this episode. Like, right now.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYSWhy Nobody Knows About This (And Why Your Accountant Doesn't Either)From 1981 to 2015, the R&D Tax Credit was essentially only for Fortune 500 companies. That's why most accountants still think it's only for engineering firms and people in white lab coats. But the rules changed a decade ago, and small business owners can now tap into this incredible benefit – they just don't know it exists yet.The "Double Dip" That Sounds Illegal But Isn'tHere's where it gets insane: You already deduct your business expenses to lower your taxable income, right? Well, the R&D Tax Credit gives you an additional credit on top of that deduction for any money you spend on innovation, development, and qualified research activities. It's literally a dollar-for-dollar write-off of your tax bill – a credit, not just another deduction.You Can Go Backwards Three YearsThink about everything you spent money on in 2022, 2023, and 2024 developing new products, testing AI, creating new systems, hiring people to build things. You can amend your returns and get that money back. Mike got multiple direct deposits within weeks of filing.The July 2025 Game-ChangerPreviously, you had to depreciate the credit over five years. But the new bill passed on July 4th, 2025 changed everything – now you can take the full credit immediately for 2022, 2023, and 2024. Instead of waiting five years to get your money, you get it all at once. We're talking checks hitting your account in 3-6 weeks.Who Actually Qualifies (Probably You)If you're in tech, software, medicine, manufacturing, engineering, science, or any business where you're testing new technologies, creating new protocols, implementing AI, or developing new systems – you likely qualify. One of Justin's clients with just $450K in revenue got $5,000 back. Another with medical practices got $550,000. The range is anywhere from $2K to $500K+.Zero Risk, Zero Upfront CostJustin's team does all the research, all the work, and tells you exactly what you'll get back before you pay them anything. They only get paid when you get paid. And if the IRS somehow doesn't approve it or takes the money back, they refund everything. There's literally no risk.The Mindset Shift That Changes EverythingWhat Mike loves most about this isn't just the money – it's the permission it gives you to innovate without fear. When you know you'll get a tax credit back even if your experiment fails, you take bigger swings. You hire faster. You test more. You grow. Mike used his R&D credits to hire four new people and expand internationally.It's Not Just For "Lab Coat" BusinessesIf you're creating courses, building AI workflows, developing new client onboarding systems, testing marketing automation, or prototyping new tools with your team – that counts. The key is documentation: videos, transcripts, proof you paid people, proof you spent the money on qualified activities.TIME STAMPS[00:00:00] This Is Literally Free Money Mike introduces the R&D Tax Credit and why he was initially skeptical when Justin first told him about it.[00:01:39] Why This Credit Was Hidden From You Justin explains the history – how it was created in 1981 for big automakers and why small businesses didn't qualify until 2015.[00:03:14] The Practical Tactical: How The Double Dip Works Breaking down how you can deduct expenses AND get an additional tax credit on top of those same expenses.[00:06:08] Going Backwards In Time For Money How the 3-year lookback works and why Mike got multiple checks by amending past returns.[00:07:20] The July 4th, 2025 Game-Changer The new law that allows you to take the full credit immediately instead of depreciating over 5 years – and how to capture all that money right now.[00:09:04] Don't Self-Disqualify Justin's plea to business owners: stop putting yourself on the outside of the red velvet rope. Let an expert disqualify you, don't do it yourself.[00:11:18] Rethinking Your Business Through The Innovation Lens How working with Justin's team helps you see your business differently and classify activities you didn't realize counted as R&D.[00:13:49] The Permission To Innovate Why the R&D Credit is actually a government-backed de-risking mechanism that gives you permission to experiment and fail.[00:15:46] What Mike Did With His Money How Mike reinvested his R&D credits into marketing, AI tools, and hiring – growing instead of contracting during uncertain times.[00:17:19] The Timeline: How Fast The Money Arrives From filing to direct deposit – Justin breaks down the typical 3-6 week timeline and what to expect.[00:22:18] Real Numbers: $450K Revenue to $550K In Credits Justin shares actual case studies – from a small business getting $5K back to a medical practice owner receiving $390K net after fees.[00:25:27] The Final Offer: Zero Risk, 100% Guarantee Justin's complete breakdown of the risk-free structure – you only pay when you get paid and keep the money.If you've ever felt like the tax code is written by rich people for rich people, this episode will change your mind.The R&D Tax Credit was literally built for small and mid-market business owners who are innovating and taking risks. And if you haven't claimed it yet, you're leaving your money on the IRS's table for no reason.Go to capabilityamplifier.com/tax to schedule a no-obligation consultation with Justin's team and find out exactly how much you qualify for.Trust me on this one. I was skeptical too. Then I got the checks.– Mike

In this episode of Shed and Shine, Rob and Gino explore what it means to truly find your community. Rob opens the conversation by reflecting on how driven people often go it alone, yet many crave a space where they can be vulnerable, grow, and shed what no longer serves them. Gino shares his decades-long experience with peer groups, from early mentor circles to YEO, Strategic Coach, and the EOS Implementer Community, and how each shaped his growth and awareness.They discuss the value of surrounding yourself with like-minded people who both challenge and reflect your True Self. The conversation touches on vulnerability, evolution, and the courage to start your own circle when none feels right. Whether you thrive in solitude or community, this episode invites you to ask: Who helps you see yourself more clearly? Timestamps00:00 Finding Your Community: An Introduction02:18 Gino's Journey Through Peer Groups05:45 Rob's Evolution in Community07:47 Finding the Right Group: Gino's Advice10:37 The Depth of Connection & Individual Paths13:32 The Benefits of Authentic Community ABOUT THE 10 DISCIPLINESThe 10 Disciplines, founded by Gino Wickman and Rob Dube, is on a mission to help one million entrepreneurs realize it's possible to be driven and have peace while making a bigger impact. We want to help you shed the barriers and layers that prevent you from creating the balance between impact and peace, and your True Self. Are you ready to be fully yourself, without the burnout? This space is for driven leaders ready to stop chasing and start aligning. If you're done hiding behind hustle, achievement, and expectations… and you're ready to reconnect with who you really are, you're in the right place. CONNECT WITH US❤️ https://www.instagram.com/the10disciplines❤️ https://www.linkedin.com/company/the10disciplines/ MORE RESOURCES TO HELP YOUR INNER WORLD JOURNEY❤️ https://the10disciplines.com/blog❤️ https://www.shedandshinepodcast.com ⭐️ https://the10disciplines.com/shine

You've watched the AI demos, signed up for the newsletters, and told yourself you're staying on top of this technology. But staying in learning mode has a cost that compounds every week. The firms that moved past the flashy presentations and figured out how to integrate AI into their actual workflow are already reclaiming hours you're still spending in the weeds. Join host Jason L Smith, as he sits down with Tom Lambotte, Founder of AI Simplifier™, to explore the critical distinction between using AI tools and learning to use AI correctly, and why that difference will separate thriving practices from struggling ones over the next 12 to 36 months.Resources:Programs referenced: Strategic Coach, Abundance 360, Front Row Dads

When your business success turns into a personal trap, what's the way out? In this episode, market research entrepreneur Colson Steber shares how committing to a bigger future, installing the right structure, and transforming his leadership turned an overworked owner into a focused, confident entrepreneur with a thriving, growth-focused team. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:What made Colson realize he's always been an entrepreneur.How Colson was stuck in a loop early in his career.How Colson got into a positive, healthy routine.What an entrepreneur gains from joining the Strategic Coach® community.  Show Notes: Every successful entrepreneur creates a powerful story about who they are and the future they're committed to. Real entrepreneurial growth starts when you commit to a bigger result long before you have the capability to achieve it. Courage is the bridge between commitment and capability, and it often lasts longer and feels harder than you expect. If you insist on being the central problem solver for everything, your successful company quickly becomes a trap. Installing a proven operating system like EOS® gives your company structure so you can stop doing everything yourself. The right structure turns a grinding, 70-hour-a-week survival business into a Self-Managing Company® that supports your life. Your Unique Ability® gains value as you narrow your focus and design the rest of the company around supporting it. Intense preparation and consistent routines let you show up exactly right in the rare moments where you create 50 percent of the value. Culture becomes an asset when your team members are gaining confidence, growing their skills, and actually enjoying their work. Healthy exits—where people move on to bigger futures with your support—are a sign your company is set up for freedom, not dependence. Entrepreneurial timelines are always aggressive, but beating the market still counts as winning even when it feels “too slow.” Every entrepreneur's story is unique. Strategic Coach gets you thinking about the right things at the right time.  Resources: The 4 C's Formula by Dan Sullivan EOS® The Self-Managing Company by Dan Sullivan What Free Days™ Are And How To Know When You Need Them Unique Ability®

Your deepest passion is yours alone, and what lights others up may leave you completely cold. In this episode, Dan Sullivan and Shannon Waller explore why every entrepreneur is born unique, how your experiences continually shape that uniqueness, and how doubling down on it leads to greater freedom, happiness, and business success. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How to strengthen and continually reinforce your passion.What actually grows and develops your uniqueness every day.What gets created when two people collaborate.How AI is multiplying individuality and adding even more variety to the world.  Show Notes: Every person is born with a Unique Ability®, and that's the central starting point for all Strategic Coach® thinking. Your entire life is a process of navigating and giving meaning to the uniqueness of your own experience. As an individual, you are constantly reinforcing a central set of interests and capabilities through every experience you choose. When you go deep with anyone, you quickly discover they're far more unique than you initially assumed. Hundreds of times a day, you're sorting experiences into “more of this, less of that,” steadily clarifying what matters most to you. Entrepreneurs are the people who have bet the most on the thing they're uniquely and intensely interested in. To operate in the world, everyone has to learn a basic level of conformity—showing up, keeping promises, and finishing what they start. Thanks to technology, individuals now have more freedom than ever to pursue and deepen their own interests.​ Whatever someone is passionate about becomes the center of their universe, and they keep reinforcing it by seeking aligned experiences. You're always looking for experiences that make your passion and Unique Ability even more central and valuable in your life. Powerful collaboration happens when people find shared interests where each can bring their own Unique Ability to create a “third thing” together. Resources: Unique Ability® Perplexity Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy

In this special episode, Shannon Waller sits down with Program Coach Chad Johnson to explore his entrepreneurial journey, what he's learned along the way, and how he helps Strategic Coach® members grow bigger, simpler, and more rewarding businesses. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:Why many of Chad's early entrepreneurial ventures were short-lived.The turning point that made him get serious about building a real business.How Chad defines the entrepreneurial mindset and lives it daily.What sets Strategic Coach Program Coaches apart from traditional business coaches. Show Notes: There's value around you all the time; often, it just takes a moment of attention to see it. You can't scale a business on ambition and positive attitude alone. It's natural for entrepreneurs to want to jump to the next project, but that impulse needs to be managed. The right life partner can act as an accelerant for everything you want in life. In great organizations, everyone makes everyone else better. The work you do as an entrepreneur is closely tied to the growth you do at home. For entrepreneurs, business is not just what you do—it's part of who you are. Strategic Coach coaches are also members, so they live the tools they teach. Any new concept has to work for the coach first before it's shared with members. Freedom is often the deepest motivation for entrepreneurs. It can take time for your real-world experience to catch up with your mindset and goals. Long-term success comes from committing to a few important things, not chasing every new idea. The right coach relationship helps you turn everyday experiences into breakthroughs. Resources: How to Win a Heart by Chad JohnsonUnique Ability®The Gap And The Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin HardyThe Impact Filter®10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin HardyThe 4 Freedoms That Motivate Successful EntrepreneursHow To Foster A Longevity Mindset & Reap The BenefitsThe Entrepreneur's Guide To Time ManagementThe Bigger Future™ CountdownYour Life As A Strategy Circle by Dan SullivanThe Positive Focus®The Team Success PodcastThe Only Leaders Worth* Following by Tim SpikerG5 SummitThe Big Ski Family

Ever wonder what sets thriving businesses apart? In this episode, Dan Sullivan and Kelly Knight share how strong company systems and personal growth go hand in hand for entrepreneurs. Learn why finding the right people, embracing risks, and focusing on core values lets you solve almost any problem—and why successful companies and individuals both need solid operating systems to keep growing. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:Where Strategic Coach® and EOS® complement each other rather than overlap.How Kelly built on EOS's Strategic Coach legacy.Why EOS is personally meaningful to Kelly.How top entrepreneurs turn mistakes into momentum.What Kelly sees as the number one issue facing entrepreneurs today.Keys to keeping your company laser-focused.How EOS Worldwide faced (and survived) a pivotal crisis.The game-changing impact of Kelly's Strategic Coach experience. Show Notes: An entrepreneur needs two key operating systems—one for running the company and one for running their own life and personal growth. Your passion is often the secret ingredient for long-term success because it's what sets you apart—and keeps you moving.​ Growth comes from leaning into risks and staying open to new possibilities.​ You can't win every time, but you'll learn more from setbacks than from any formal education.​ Don't waste time worrying about what might go wrong in the future; stay focused on what you can control now.​ Turning losses into recoveries energizes your team and inspires loyalty.​ Rapid growth always brings new challenges; expect change and meet it head on.​ Finding your people—the team that truly shares your values—is an ongoing process worth obsessing over.​ When you put the right people in the right seats, everything else in your company starts to click. Resources: Thinking About Your Thinking by Dan SullivanUnique Ability®Kolbe A™ IndexEOS® EOS One® More about Kelly Knight

Isolation is more than just uncomfortable—it distorts your thinking and drains your creativity. In this episode, Dan Sullivan and Shannon Waller open up about the risks of going it alone as an entrepreneur and why strong relationships make all the difference. Listen now to learn smart, actionable ways to reconnect, recharge, and keep yourself moving forward with clarity and confidence. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:Why isolation causes the mind to invent stories and distort reality.The reasons entrepreneurs are particularly vulnerable to feeling isolated.Why isolated entrepreneurs develop outrageous aspirations.What makes Strategic Coach® the perfect place for entrepreneurs to make long-lasting connections. Show Notes: Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely path, especially without external feedback.​ When there's no outside input, your mind starts making things up. Isolation causes your brain to respond just like it would to sensory deprivation. Entrepreneurs thrive on constant change, while most people resist change. An entrepreneur's creative imagination needs to be rewarded with real opportunities. Many entrepreneurs feel truly stimulated only when they're working productively. Isolated entrepreneurs use their imaginations to give themselves the sense that they're actually connected to the world. Feeling misunderstood quickly morphs into paranoia and makes isolation worse. Entrepreneurs are better than most at finding their own clarity, even in tough situations. The entrepreneurial journey means creating brand-new ideas and selling them, time after time. Seeing life from other people's perspectives keeps you connected and tuned in to reality. The more you understand and appreciate other people's experiences, the richer and more meaningful your own life becomes. Resources: Unique Ability® Always Be The Buyer by Dan Sullivan

Success in professional services isn't about doing more—it's about doing less, but doing it exceptionally well. In this episode of The IC-DISC Show, I sit down with Raffi Yousefian, CEO of The Fork CPAs, to talk about how extreme specialization transformed his accounting firm from a general practice into the leading restaurant and bar controllership service in the country. Raffi shares the counterintuitive journey of deliberately shrinking his client base to accelerate growth, ultimately tripling revenue within 18 months of selling off 30% of his practice. We explore how Raffi evolved from serving three industries to exclusively focusing on restaurants and bars, and why weekly financial reporting creates competitive advantages that monthly statements simply can't provide. He breaks down the economics of restaurant operations, explaining why 2% savings in food costs can represent an entire profit margin when you're working with businesses that operate on 5-7% net profits. The conversation reveals how subscription pricing combined with deep industry expertise solves the profession's labor shortage by making firms more profitable and attractive to talent. What strikes me most is how Raffi's specialization philosophy mirrors successful models in other industries, from medical concierge services to dating apps. If you've ever wondered whether narrowing your focus could actually expand your opportunities, this conversation provides a compelling roadmap.   SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Raffi sold off 30% of his accounting practice to focus solely on restaurants and bars, then tripled the remaining 70% within just 18 months. Weekly financial reporting in restaurants isn't a luxury—it's survival, since a 2% swing in food costs can represent your entire profit margin. The Fork CPAs moved from "insecure niching" with three industries to hyper-specialization, proving that doing less actually accelerates growth when done with expertise. Restaurant operators typically process 300-400 invoices monthly for a $3-4 million location, making specialized systems and processes non-negotiable for profitability. Subscription pricing in accounting solves the labor shortage by making firms more profitable, allowing them to pay better and attract talent to the profession. Specialization creates resonance with ideal clients who say "you sound like my soulmate" rather than casting a wide net and hoping something sticks.   Contact Details LinkedIn - Raffi Yousefian (https://www.linkedin.com/in/raffiyousefian/) LINKSShow Notes Be a Guest About IC-DISC Alliance About The Fork CPAs Raffi YousefianAbout Raffi TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dave: Good morning, Raffi How are you today? Raffi:: Good morning, David. I'm doing well. And yourself? Dave: I am doing great. I appreciate you coming on the podcast. Just a formal introduction, you are Raffi Yousefian, and you're the CEO of the Fork CPAs. Is that correct? Raffi:: That's correct. And I appreciate you having me. I'm excited to have a conversation with a like-minded individual in the accounting industry. Dave: Yes. I've been looking forward to this for some time. So what part of the world are you calling into from today? Raffi:: I am in Brooklyn, New York City. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Specifically Williamsburg Greenpoint, which is meant to be the hipster capital of the world in case you're interested. Dave: Yeah, I have heard that name. For that reason, I don't think I've ever been there. I haven't been to New York in about 15 years, and I think I rarely have ever been anywhere but Manhattan. So I'll have to be sure to check that out the next time I'm in town. Raffi:: We would love to have you. We're right across the East River. Dave: Okay, Raffi:: Great. Great nightlife scene, great food scene. A lot of sighting. New concepts are popping up every day, bars, restaurants, so it's a great place to be. Dave: That sounds awesome. Well, first of all, let's get to the name. What the heck does The Fork CPA's name mean? Usually the CPA firm is named after the founder or the partners. So what's the fork? What's the meaning of the fork? Was one of your partners named Fork or talk? Raffi:: No. So the fork, I have a 15 slide presentation on it. Maybe I can walk you through it one day. But the fork represents a tool that is highly agile with very sharp and fine edges, and it also relates to the restaurant industry and represents us and our values as a firm. So that's where the four comes from. That's the, in a nutshell description. And then the CPAs, you add that to clarify that we're doing accounting and tax, so that's where work branding comes from. Actually, we launched the brand in 2022, so it hasn't always been our name. Dave: Okay. Well, I really like it. So are you a New York native? Raffi:: I'm not. I'm actually from dc so lived in DC for about 10 years. That's where I started the firm, and I moved up to New York in 2021. Dave: And you went to college in Maryland? Raffi:: Yes, university of Maryland College Park. Dave: Okay. And then you graduated and you went the big four route with ENY? Raffi:: That's right. I worked at ENY for about three and a half years, and then moved to a smaller firm for about a year and a half, two years after that. And this was in 2016 when I launched the firm that I currently have right now. Dave: And you just started it from scratch? Raffi:: So initially the firm was called ROYCA LLC, and I just used my initials with CPA at the end just to get started. Okay. I started it from scratch. At the time I had the potential opportunity to acquire a restaurant bookkeeping business, and that is really what initiated me or catapulted me to taking that leap from moving from a W2 job to starting my own business. The acquisition actually never ended up panning out to be anything. It ended up being more of like a referral relationship. So it was good in that it incentivized me and motivated me to actually take the leap. But as we started from scratch, didn't end up buying any book of business or anything like that and just grew from there January 1st, 2016. Dave: And is that how the restaurant and bar capability started, was from that referral relationship with that bookkeeping firm then? Raffi:: Yes. Well, the referral relationship was a result of me taking over my brother-in-law's finances, and he had a restaurant and catering business. Dave: Oh, I Raffi:: See. And so his accountant was ending their relationship because he was moving on to be the CFO of a big fast growth restaurant group. And so I asked to meet with him. I said, can I meet with the former accountant? Maybe he has a book of business that he wants to sell or get rid of. That's not where the interest in restaurants started, but that definitely had an impact on moving towards that restaurant niche at some point. My first real client was a restaurant business. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Yeah, Dave: That is great. You've got your CPA firm, it's growing. And then at a point you realized you had a concentration in the restaurant bar business. Now, conventional wisdom says when you have a concentration like that, whether it's client industry, you need to fix it by diversifying, but you decided to go in a different direction, right? Tell me the story. Raffi:: Yeah, so initially the purpose of the firm was to provide an alternative and frictionless experience to traditional public accounting. And this was 2016 when web-based apps were all very new, and even the cloud firms were very server-based. You log into this server and it wasn't very web-based, so even cloud modern firms were still very clunky, and the client experience was terrible. So the idea was, okay, replicate the public accounting model just in a more modern and frictionless way. And so we were still providing a lot of the traditional services you get in a small public accounting firm, 10 forties, monthly bookkeeping, annual bookkeeping, industry agnostic, and one of the first moves. So that was, people love that, right? It was new cutting edge, modern virtual CPA firm. And then I think by year two, we decided we had to narrow down what we were doing. Raffi:: Again, we were trying to be everything to everyone just in a more modern way. And so I think the first change we made was limit our service offering to monthly services only. So value-based billing, fixed fee. It was a mix of value-based billing and fixed fee at the time. So we basically told all of our annual clients, mostly 10 40 clients, sorry, if you want to work with us, you have to have a business, and we have to own the entire accounting process from monthly all the way through your business tax preparation. So that was the first change we made. We didn't specialize just yet. Dave: And what year was this? 2017. Raffi:: I think this was around 2017 or 20 17, 20 18 then. So that worked really well. That allowed us to scale and grow much faster. Now everybody's on a monthly fixed retainer. You're not doing all this work during tax season, those three months trying to do 12 months of books. So there's no bottlenecks during tax season. For the most part, 10 forties are still very much a bottleneck. And in 20 19, 20 20, we decided to narrow down even further and say, okay, we're going to service three industries. And I like to say this is the insecure way of niching down. And so we narrowed it down to, I believe it was restaurants and bars for sure. Nonprofits and professional Dave: Services. Raffi:: And so that helped again, even better. Now we can scale and grow even faster with more efficiency. And then 2022, we were at a point where the restaurant and bar industry vertical was growing much double, triple what our other verticals were growing. And I believe it was just a natural result of our passion was behind that vertical, the professional services and nonprofits, great clients, low volume, easy to work with, very professional. But yeah, just stagnated the growth that stagnated. I wasn't as much interested in those verticals as I was in restaurants. And so we decided to launch the for brand in 2022 and in 2023. So in 2023, the restaurant practice was about 60 to 70% of our revenue. And so we spun off the 30%, which was nonprofits and professional services, and merged it slash sold it to another firm. And since 2023, March of 2023, we've been solely fork CPAs, Eileen niched down into restaurants and bars under the fork CPAs brand. Dave: Okay. I love the story. And then I believe, did Brandon Poe help you sell that practice? Raffi:: Yes, exactly. I think this was probably the first spinoff maybe that they did spinning off a niche and selling it to another firm, and then continuing as a, so it was new to them. And we actually did a podcast about this with Brandon. And yeah, I think it was, like you said, it sounds counter intuitive to specialize versus diversify, but to provide some context, that 70% between March of 2023 and end of 2024, I think it grew like 250, 300% our revenue. So we were basically triple the size that we were when we did the spinoff. Dave: So I have to put some numbers on this. So let's pretend the firm did a thousand dollars a year of revenue. So $700 of it was restaurants and bars. You sold off the $300 practice and then using that multiple, the firm today now is doing 200 or $300. Raffi:: Well, not today, within a year and a half, within a year and a Dave: Half, Raffi:: Within a year and a half, it was at like 2000. So you were at 1000? We were like 2100. So that 700 became 2100. Dave: Wow. Raffi:: And I think a big part of it had to do with, I actually retained my staff that was part of the nonprofit and professional services vertical. So that was about four people. And so that also helped because you need staff to grow into. Dave: And Raffi:: It did hurt our valuation because a lot of the times when firms are acquiring, they want to acquire the staff, one of the biggest problems when, Dave: Yeah, they're just buying the clients basically. Raffi:: So we took a hit on the valuation, but if we hadn't retained our staff, they wouldn't have been as easy and efficient to scale and grow within that year and a half. Dave: So why is it, so it appears based on what you're saying, that there was a underserved market in New York restaurants and bars. That's the only conclusion I can really come to have that kind of a growth implies that the market was not being well served. Is that assumption accurate or was there something else in play? Raffi:: So we definitely have competitors, but I would say underserved in a sense that the level of service and quality is just not there. It's a highly commoditized service offering restaurant bookkeeping. And so our value proposition is not just restaurant bookkeeping, it's restaurant controllership. Raffi:: So for the same price as a bookkeeping service, maybe a little bit more of a premium, 20%, 15, 20%, you can get a more comprehensive service offering under a subscription model to a controller. And the controller owns your entire accounting process. And in addition to that, we also have a tax department that will take care of the tax compliance at year end and quarterly. So I don't think we have any actual competitors that do exactly what we do. However, we have at least 40 to 50 competitors nationally. So it is underserved in that sense, but it's not something super unique or cutting edge that we're doing. It's just a different approach, a different way of doing it. Dave: And your client's all in the New York area? Raffi:: No, it's all, it's nationally. Mostly East coast. Yeah, mostly dc, Maryland, Virginia, New York City, metropolitan areas, urban areas, but it's pretty much all over the country. We can serve clients nationally. Dave: Now, when you pick up a new client, what percentage of the time is it a brand new restaurant and what percentage of the time are you taking over from another provider? Is it mostly taking over from another provider? Raffi:: I would say it's about 70% taking over. It depends. For example, we might have a restaurant group that has 10 locations and now let's say 10 franchises, and they're forming a new group and they're starting from scratch with a new concept. So there's some of that. I see most of them are fast growth. So they have the goal of, Hey, we just opened our first location and we want to be at five locations in three years. That's where a solution like ours really provides maximum value because we can help you get from zero to five in as fast as you want because you're not sitting there concerned about hiring accountants and building an accounting department. And so we take care of the back office for you through that growth stage. Dave: And what percentage of your clients are franchisees? Raffi:: It's not a large percentage. It's mostly independent operators, probably five to 10%. We have competitors that focus solely on talk about hyper specialization. They do restaurant bookkeeping for McDonald's franchises, but it gets pretty specific. And that's not necessarily our target market. Our target market is more independent operators, smaller franchise groups, 15 to 20 units, but we're not like a volume commodity shop. Dave: So I can relate to your business in so many ways, and it's why when I heard you on Brandon's podcast, I just was dying to talk to you. So as I think I told you, so all we do is icy disc work, and we're the only firm I know of that does nothing but icy disc work. We manage more than anyone else. So all we do, we live, eat and breathe it. But within that space, our largest sector by far is the scrap metal business. And what's interesting, and I hear this all the time from our clients, is that I'm the only advisor they've ever had who understands the scrap metal business, that when they have a banker that they're interviewing new banks or a new CPA, it's always the same thing. They come out and they're like, wow, I thought this was going to be Sanford and Son's junkyard. This is a whole different business. And they get so frustrating. And I've frustrated, and some of 'em have asked me to find CPAs, find them a new CPA, and one of the first things they want is somebody with scrap metal experience because it's so frustrating for them having to, every year there's a new staff person and every year they have to explain all over again how the whole business works. I'm guessing it's similar in the restaurant business. Is that right? And kind of dive into how your expertise manifests itself when you're talking with an Raffi:: Potential Dave: Client? Raffi:: Yeah, absolutely. Having an accountant in the entire spectrum of accounting services, whether that's your tax preparer, your controller, your bookkeeper, your CFO, having that industry specialization is completely invaluable. And I think the, in any industry, restaurants aside, the consumer is starting to realize that and the level of insight you can provide as a specialist and the value you can add is way beyond what a generalist can do. And sometimes people will hire generalists because of a referral or a trust that they have with this person. And I think that's really the only time where there's any justification in hiring a generalist, to be honest with you. But even that, it's okay, well, sure, this might be your dad's accountant or your family friend accountant that everybody trusts, but is that really providing any value? If you can't trust your service provider, then what's the point? Raffi:: So yeah, the level of value you can provide, and just to give you some examples, if you have three locations as a restaurant and you want to add another location, you should be able to go to your accountant and say, here is what the landlord is asking for rent. Here's what I'm expecting to do in sales. Is this a good investment? And the accountant, if they're specialized, they should be able to tell you very quickly just by reviewing your projections, your performa and saying, yes, this is an investment that we're not investment advisors, but if your projections actually pan out to be what they say, then yes, we want your occupancy cost to be 8% of sales, and you're showing that in your projection. So yeah, if this spot that you've identified can actually generate that type of sales and your prime costs are going to be this much, your bottom line is potentially going to be this, then your ROI will be X. And therefore, yeah, it's a good investment. Now, a generalist might be able to do that by doing some research, Raffi:: But that example can be applied to so many different things. When we sit down and analyze p and ls as a controller, we need to be able to look at trends and identify, wait, why do we lose money this month? Very quickly, right on a call, oh, it's because your labor was 35% and it's usually 32%. And in restaurants, it's typically 32, 33 is the ideal number. Just being able to throw out numbers off the top of your head and being well-trained in a specific vertical, it just provides so much value. And we talk about in the accounting industry about how we have to become advisors. This is like AI is going to take over all the compliance overseas hiring and all the bookkeeping is going to be automated. And so now we have to become more advisors and just data entry people and compliance providers. And the only way you can really do that, in my opinion, if you want to be a true advisor, is to niche down and specialize. Otherwise, how much value can you really add as a generalist? Dave: Sure. Well, and I was just thinking, I would imagine having come up through the accounting side, I couldn't imagine a worst controller or bookkeeper job than being the bookkeeper or controller for a restaurant. I can just picture it. There's some a closet basically that's your office, and especially if it's in the facility itself and it's not noisy and there's just all this stuff going on, and if it's a bar, all the actions in the evening, and I just couldn't imagine a worst working environment or work environment than that. So it makes even more sense to just have that outsource. And I'm also guessing my clients, probably 20% of the owners of my clients actually have an accounting background just for whatever reason, that was how they ended up there. But I'm guessing that's perhaps even lower in the restaurant business. I just imagine the average restaurateur bar owner is not a former ENY tax person. Raffi:: Right. So it's funny you bring up the bookkeeping role in a restaurant closet that they put the bookkeeper in traditionally speaking with all the stacks of invoices. So just to provide some context, a restaurant that does three to $4 million in revenue will have anywhere from three to 400 invoices minimum per month. Dave: Are you serious? Raffi:: Yeah. They need to get inputted into the accounting system to get true accrual basis accounting. Dave: Wow. I thought you just bought everything from Cisco and payroll and called it a Raffi:: Day. Well, the franchisees, yeah, the franchisees are all different. They work with a Cisco or usb, and then they have less invoices, but still very high volume. So the role of the bookkeeper 10, 15 years ago was show up to the restaurant, get all these invoices and put them into QuickBooks. And if you're not a specialist, even if you're following the traditional model from 15 years ago, there's no way to make money doing this type of work, especially when restaurants are super low margin. They don't have big budgets for accounting. And so the only way to really make it work is to specialize to have a fixed system process, tech stack around restaurant bookkeeping that allows you to process this high volume and still leave some room to make money as an accountant. So I'll just throw that out there. And then your other question was related to what kind of persona do you get, what kind of demographics do you get on the restaurant industry side, and it's mostly blue collar, a lot of creatives. So I think once you get to the groups, the restaurant groups that have five to 10 people, a lot of 'em start hiring more office workers. More people can sit at a computer and do numbers, which helps a lot on the admin side. But if you're working with a single unit operator or two to three unit operator, you're dealing with somebody that's always on the run. They're always busy, they're in the kitchen, they're wearing multiple hats. Raffi:: Most of the time they're creatives, they're chefs that created a concept, and that's their strength. Their strength isn't numbers, so it makes it even harder to get information out of them and to keep them organized. And that's really what an accountant bookkeeper does. It just helps somebody stay organized and provides them and helps digest their financials. And a big part of it's just helping them stay organized. So you can first count the numbers, put them into the system, come up with a good workflow. But yeah, it makes it very challenging to work with those types of clients. Dave: Sure, I can understand that. Now, my understanding is the restaurant and bar business has one of the highest failure rates of any type of business. Is that true? And what is the failure rate? What percentage then fail in 1, 3, 5 years? I'm sure you have some numbers around that. Or Raffi:: Actually, believe it or not, there actually is no number and the number is What's your Dave: Guess? What's your guess? Raffi:: They say the myth has always been nine to 10 restaurants fail, something like that. And I've researched this multiple times, and it's really just a myth. There's no hard evidence about that. I don't think it's wrong or it could be very much accurate because it's very high. But any industry, the reason for the failure rate is because of the supply and demand. Everyone wants to open a restaurant, the barrier to entry are low. It's easy to raise money to open a restaurant. Everyone wants to invest in a restaurant. It's just a sexy business. And when you have such a high supply of any type of business, it could be restaurants, it could be filmmakers, it could be musicians, like how competitive the music and film industry is, you end up having an overage of service providers or suppliers or restaurants in this case. And therefore it makes it extremely difficult to generate a profit. Raffi:: And it is a difficult business to run for sure as well. But I think that's the biggest challenge is once you start making a little bit of money, 10, 15%, boom, another competitor comes in and opens a similar concept down the block or a competing concept, and now there's limited amount of residents or consumers in that neighborhood. So now they go into that restaurant, and especially in cities like DC right now, DC's very competitive. There's just so much money being pumped into restaurants and such a limited amount of guests and consumers. So it's the same, let's say 10,000 people that are going to the same restaurants, let's call 'em upscale, casual restaurants. And every week there's a new restaurant opening. And then you could have the best concept in the world, but it only lasts six months because as soon as you're not the hottest thing in town, another one rolls right in and takes your customer base. So it's very competitive, very low margin, and that's why it makes the financial analysis so much more important. Dave: Yeah, I would think so. Is it safe to assume that the failure rate of your clientele is likely lower than the industry average? If you had to guess? Raffi:: Probably. Yeah. Yeah, our failure rate is pretty low. And I think which might also be overlooked, that insight into your finance is a huge competitive advantage for operators, for restaurant operators. Dave: Yeah, I would imagine. Raffi:: Because even 2%, they're mostly high volume, high revenue businesses, they're top line businesses. So an average full service restaurant probably does three to $4 million in revenue. And so even a 2% savings on your food costs, that can be your entire profit margin right there. So the average restaurant does between three, it used to be like five to 10%, now it's three to 7%. But needless to say, it's pretty low, the profit margin. So if I can provide weekly reports that give managers insight into their labor and food costs, that in itself helps them reduce food and labor costs two to 4%. And it's key to do this weekly, not monthly, right? Because monthly it's already too late. You don't know what you did four weeks ago to be able to tweak and adjust the levers in your business. So yeah, I think it's a competitive advantage. Hey, if I can save you two to 5% just by monitoring the financials, forget all the time savings that I'm going to give you automatically you've added a lot of value and you've maybe even saved that restaurant from going out of business. Dave: So I'm curious, just what are the typical expense breakdowns like in a restaurant, how much, what are the food cost percentage range typically in labor and brand, whether, Raffi:: So it depends on the type of concept, whether it's a pizza shop, whether it's a quick service restaurant versus full service versus steak versus seafood. But generally 60 to 65% is your prime cost. So that's your cost of goods sold and your labor. Raffi:: And so anytime we see, for example, for quick service, it's about 60%. So anytime we see, hey, this quick service restaurant is doing 63%, it's a red flag, and we bring that up to the operator, you need to adjust. And sometimes they can't adjust something they can't control. The sales are low because scaling of labor, when you have sales fixed labor and the rest is pretty much, it's about eight to 10% occupancy costs, rent, real estate, taxes, insurance, and then the rest is overhead, operating expenses, supplies, GNA, office supplies, things like that. And then that leaves about five to 10% profit at the end if it's run well. Dave: Wow, it sounds like a Raffi:: Terrible business. It sounds like a difficult business to run profit. Very difficult. Yeah. I get a lot of people that come to me and say, Hey, I'm thinking about investing in a restaurant, or I want to open a restaurant. I'm like, run, don't do it. Dave: Yeah. There's a joke. I forget how it goes and what industry it is. How do you become a millionaire in the oil and gas business? You start as a billionaire. It's kind of the same in the restaurant. How do I end up with a million dollars restaurant? You start with $10 million. Raffi:: Exactly. Dave: So talk to me, do you have everybody on the same accounting system? For example, all of your Raffi:: Clients? We more or less, we have two tech stacks that we support. So QuickBooks plus Margin Edge, that's one Tech Stack. And then the other Tech stack is a accounting software called Restaurant 365. Dave: Okay. Designed just for the restaurant business. And they're both, and so I know QuickBooks pretty well is the other one. Raffi:: Yes, everything is web-based. The Margin Edge is just a plugin. It's an app for QuickBooks to essentially convert it to providing restaurant. It's the bridge between the restaurant and the books. Whereas Restaurant 365 already integrates all of that, the plugins into one platform, which is really nice. Dave: Have you seen that one is a better fit for most of your clients, or do you have a preference for one over the other? Raffi:: It depends on the concept for sure. Okay. For example, we have Dave's Hot Chicken. I'm not sure if you've heard of it. The franchise, one of the fastest growing franchises in America. They have a, I'm not sure if it's an agreement, like a franchise agreement or some type of agreement with the restaurant 365, but basically as a franchisee, you get Restaurant 365 templates as part of your, Dave: Not Raffi:: Templates, but it's almost pre-configured so that it makes it very easy to use Restaurant 365. So in those cases we're like, it's going to be much easier to implement this off the shelf solution versus having QuickBooks and Margin Edge and setting it up for the franchise and all that. So it really just depends on the concept. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Yeah. Dave: What are some of the things clients tell you, or what's the feedback you get after six to 12 months? I have to imagine that your clients are really happy with your service. What are some of the things that you hear from folks? So this is your chance to really brag about your team and your business model. What are some of the things you hear? Raffi:: Typically, it's not so much. The feedback we hear is so-and-so is so great. You have an invaluable resource for our team and our growth. We have a lot of testimonials that we get from clients. They provide so much peace of mind. Now I can focus on what I do best without having to worry about are my bills getting paid? Am I profitable? What are the numbers that I need to look out for? But really we see the results most of the time because you see a restaurant operator that has one location or two locations, and they have maybe an internal person that is a partner in the business that is overseeing the financials. And we do a discovery call with them. We find out they're spending their whole week just getting receipts from employees and uploading invoices to the accounting software. And then we're like, you spend your most of your time on this. And we tell 'em our value proposition, and it's hard for them to believe. And then within seven or eight months, they're out there scouting new locations, improving their margins, really working on the business rather than spending their time doing admin work. And that's extremely rewarding to see. Raffi:: And not all of them do this. Some will not take advantage of what we provide. Some of them, just like the time savings when we see, okay, this person was stuck at two, three locations, and now they have the time to really focus on growth and building systems and processes and focusing on their vision, and we're just essentially handling their entire back office. They're reporting and providing all the analytical information they need to make these decisions about their growth. That's really nice to see both from their perspective and our perspective. It's a nice partnership to have. Dave: And I can imagine that weekly reporting is critical. I can just imagine there's a lot of restaurants that it's a part-time person. It's their accounting firm that does it. It's one of the partners. And basically they get their financials two or three weeks after the month ends. So they're looking at six and seven week old data. And I could imagine that if you have a problem and you're losing money and you don't realize it until after you've lost money for seven weeks, I can see where that could be a problem. Raffi:: Yeah, exactly. And you're looking at your p and l 15 days after the month ends and you're saying, wait, how do we get 27% labor? Who was doing the scheduling that week? Who was doing the inventory count? What did he change? What did they not change? And when you're doing it weekly, you know exactly what affected or impacted the numbers in your reports. Whereas if it's, and this can apply to other industries as well, not just restaurants, but in restaurants and bars, it's specifically very, especially very important. Dave: Yeah. What do you enjoy the most about your current role in this business that you've built? Raffi:: I really enjoy the growth aspect of it, the vision setting, the vision, setting the goals. We follow the EOS framework Raffi:: And I love that kind of stuff. Working on the business, setting the goals, as I said, and holding your team accountable to achieving those goals. And it's crazy how quickly you see results when you really commit to it. And I'm still trying to figure out whether I'm a visionary or integrator and I don't know. But I like both. I like ops and I also like sales and marketing and being the CEO, so I'm still trying to pinpoint that. But we have a director of operations and she runs the operations for the most part. But I love setting the vision for operations. Hey, it would be awesome if in a year we can reach a stage where every client is following the same AP process, for example, or something like that. And yeah, I really enjoy that kind of stuff. Dave: So let's say we're talking three years from now, and in fact, I may just make a note to have you back in three years. I've never asked a guest this question, and it's probably because I just was in Strategic Coach session last week. If we were sitting down three years from now and looking back over those three years, what would you have liked to have happened both personally and professionally to have been pleased with your progress? Or even just professionally, what would you like to accomplish over the next few years? How do you see the business going? Raffi:: We have ambitions to grow very quickly, and our mission, I know sounds generic, is to achieve proud employees and happy clients. Raffi:: And so I'm obsessed with great businesses, which pretty much provide that proud employees that love where they work, they want to do a good job, and the customers and clients are all promoters of the business. That's the ideal goal. So we want to grow while maintaining that. We don't want to become one of these, again, commodity shops where we're just bringing on clients for the sake of bringing on clients and adding numbers to the top line revenue. I think of acquisition as a big part of that. I probably see that in the cards in the next two to three years in terms of us acquiring another firm. And it really narrows down your goal when you're trying to focus on restaurants and bars. So just trying to replicate what we do, providing that controllership level service, maybe acquiring the bookkeeping, restaurant bookkeeping service, and deploying our model so that people paying the same price for bookkeeping can essentially get a much higher level of service. And then thus complimenting our mission, our purpose, which is proud employees, happy, happy clients. Dave: I love that. Proud employees, happy clients. That was always Herb Kelleher's philosophy. The founder of Southwest Airlines is he viewed employees as his customers that if he made his employees happy, then they would do a good job with their end customers. Raffi:: Yeah. Yeah. The Southwest stories pretty amazing. But I think we debated our leadership team debated about the happy employees versus proud employees for a bit. Raffi:: And I think we very specifically and adamantly decided that we want proud employees because it's not, as soon as you pay happy, nobody's ever a hundred percent happy. We want the clients to be happy and satisfied, but we want our employees to, there's going to be tough times and they're not always going to be happy, and times are going to be tough, but as long as you're doing what you're proud of and it feels rewarding, at the end of the day, it's a job. So we're not expecting everyone to show up to work and be super happy about what they do, but at least we want them to be proud. And I think that comes with passion. If you don't have passion for what you do, you're most likely not going to be proud, and you're probably not the best fit for our company. So it attracts a certain type of employee, but it also pushes out a certain feeling amongst your team. Dave: I like it. Well, as we're wrapping things up, I can't believe how the time has flown by. If we could go back to 2011 when you were graduating from the University of Maryland, if you could go back in time and give yourself advice, your 22, 20 3-year-old self advice back then, what advice might you have given yourself based on the experience you've had over the last 14 years? Raffi:: I like to say I would have niched down earlier, but it's hard to say that's what I would've done if I had done it differently. I'm just not sure because you learn so much by not niching down early on, and Raffi:: You have to generate revenue when you first start out your firm. So in theory, that's what I would've probably have done niche down earlier. Maybe I would niche down three years earlier, four years earlier, not maybe from the beginning. But in terms of other advice, yeah, I would've probably taken accounting more seriously earlier on because I had so many little businesses at that time when I was in college, I was just still trying to figure things out, and I knew accounting was potentially one of them, but I had a, well before that in college, I had an eBay business where I was selling, going to stores, finding things for cheap and selling them online. And then I had a welding business, and then I had a DJ business. And so I was still trying to figure out, I was very on the fence about do I pursue accounting versus something else, and I would've probably told myself to take it, focus on the accounting much earlier. Dave: That is so interesting. I asked that question to a lot of guests, and they almost all have the same answer. But when I asked you the question as I was asking it, I was thinking, oh, that's a dumb question. Most of my guests, they waited 20 years before they started their own business, and their price themselves would've been, be afraid, take the leap early, but you really couldn't have taken it much earlier. You were an employee for five years. You needed to learn the industry, and obviously you had those entrepreneurial tendencies early on, but that is interesting. You wish you had taken the accounting more seriously since that you didn't know then that this is what your future was going to be. Raffi:: Right. I knew it was going to be in entrepreneurship, growing a business, starting a business, but in hindsight, again, if I hadn't done all the DJing and the parties and the events, I wouldn't have been exposed to how marketing really works and how PR really works. So I don't know. It's hard to say. Dave: Yeah, that makes sense. Well, is there anything I didn't ask you that you wish I had asked you? Raffi:: Yeah, I think when we've talked in the past, we talked about the pricing model when it comes to niche services, I think that's also very relevant. You want to share, Dave: Do you want to share how that works or is that something that Raffi:: Yeah, I think Dave: Standard pricing on or whatever your, I didn't want to get too much into pricing. I didn't want you to feel obligated to share anything you didn't want to share. Raffi:: Yeah. I think another aspect of niching down that is valuable and necessary as it comes to our industry and accounting is the pricing model. So there's various forms of pricing and professional services. You have hourly billing, the traditional hourly billing, you have the value-based pricing, you have fixed fee, and then you have subscription. And the trend, I believe, is moving towards subscription. It was value-based. Hourly is the old model that hopefully most people aren't following anymore. But the subscription model for the industry I think is going to be the best because we have problems in the industry right now. They talk about the shortage of labor and all that and the need to adapt advisory services. But I think it's not just, you can't look at labor in a vacuum. You have to look at why do we have a shortage of labor problem? It's because we have a value proposition problem and we have a pricing problem, Raffi:: In my opinion at least. And I think subscription pricing is going to change that. And subscription pricing is beneficial to our industry because it prices the relationship and not just the scope of work and value-based pricing the customer. How do they see the value that we're providing? And you price based off of that. But I think once you move into subscription, it completely revolutionizes and changes the value of public accounting and the accounting service in general. And if we want to solve the labor shortage problem, we need to make the industry more profitable and pay people better so that they're incentivized to pursue an accounting degree and get a CPA. And subscription pricing, I believe, really does that in order to provide subscription pricing you to don't need to. But it really helps by niching down, because the whole concept of subscription pricing is you pay this fixed price and we do everything for you. No hourly billing. There's no scope of work. We do everything for you that is in our wheelhouse that we can do under our roof. And when you provide that type of peace of mind and frictionless experience for clients, all of a sudden, I think the potential for profit and paying your better skyrockets. Dave: So yeah, Ron Baker would be so proud of your transition. Raffi:: Yeah, I think it's a little too early. I think he wrote his Times Up book like three, four, or maybe, yeah, three, four years ago, something like that. Something like that. So it might be a little too soon to tell whether it's going to work in practice. It's worked for us, but it's very difficult to implement subscription pricing if you don't niche down Dave: Well, and I think the monthly work also helps, like a CPA firm who all they're doing is just the annual tax return. How do you justify a subscription billing? Right? Certainly a month in subscription billing, there's more of a disconnect, but with what you're doing, the tax return is, I don't want to say an afterthought, it's just a inevitable outcome of what you've done throughout the year. Raffi:: I think the most similar example that's been tried and tested is the medical concierge. So one time medical, one medical, the subscription based medical office that Amazon acquired, I dunno, what was it three, four years ago? So I think it's very similar because you have an annual checkup, so think of that as your tax return. So you pay Amazon, it's a very low price. I don't know what it is, but I dunno, maybe a few hundred dollars a year for your subscription to one-time medical or one medical. And a lot of the medical concierge services work like this, they range anywhere from $50 a month to $300 a month depending on the Raffi:: Level of service that you're getting. And that gives you unlimited access to a primary care physician. So if I want to go see them every week, it's included in my a hundred dollars a month subscription, and I can get that once a year tax return done or that once a year physical done, but that doesn't really change anything. It doesn't change my subscription. That could be the only thing that I do with them, but just I'm paying for that peace of mind. I know if something happens or if I'm planning for something, I can just call that primary care physician or that accountant and run it by them for no extra charge. And so I think it works well. Maybe it's a little too soon to tell for the accounting industry, but I think it's generally worked with the primary care medical world. Dave: No, I think the accounting profession is perfect for it. So are most of your clients now on a subscription basis? Raffi:: Yeah, it's pretty much all subscription. We have what are called add-ons, Dave: So Raffi:: Our general subscription is controllership services. But anything that they need, for example, IRS audit, gap audit, notice defense, maybe they're pursuing a valuation or a deal, and that's something that we can handle. It's in our wheelhouse. That's all included in the subscription. But when you don't niche down, it's hard to Dave: Exactly. Raffi:: It's hard to limit what you offer. So that's why I think when you say we're very clear that we don't do budgets, so that's not in our wheelhouse. We don't really have anybody on the team that can do budgeting for restaurants. We can get on a call and talk through it with you based off of what we know, but we won't prepare a projection and budget. We're not a CFO service. We're a controllership service. So it's hard to be clear about where you draw the line with your, what's in your wheelhouse, because technically, yeah, I could learn how to budget. I'm an account. It's not that difficult. But again, you can't promise everything. Then you want to try to promise as much as possible so that your subscription has value, but there also has to be safeguards in place. Dave: Well, that is a great way to wrap things up. I'm glad that you'd mentioned the pricing. I really appreciate that. Well, I really appreciate your time. Like I said, when I reached out to you, I love your specialization approach. I just think that's the problem with specialization is you have to say no to everything else. And that's so emotionally difficult for people, especially if you have a scarcity mindset then, Raffi:: Right? Accountants basically. Dave: Yes. Yes. So I think that's great. It's no surprise to me, and I really would, if you're up for it, I'd love to check in with you in three years and see how things have gone. Raffi:: Yeah, I'm definitely up for it. And I also love, you're hyper specialized. That's the IC-disc. I think you mentioned to me how many there are in the country, and it's very limited. Yeah, a few thousand. So that's even more specialized, but it's great. The more specialized, in my opinion, the better. Right? Dave: I tell you this quick story. I've learned niche specialists, that niche and specializing firsthand. When I was internet dating in 2000, the infancy of internet dating, and I think I was 35 years old. And what I noticed that most guys did, they had an approach of casting a wide net. And it was, I'm looking for a woman between the ages of 18 and 88, any religion, any hobbies, anybody type. And I think their attitude is, I'm going to cast a wide net. I'm going to get all these fish in the net, and then I can just cherry pick the ones I want. So I'm like, I'm going to try something different. And so let's say I was 34. My criteria was they had to be a year older to two years younger. They had to be tall, athletic Christian, dog loving women with a commitment to excellence. And my friends are like, you're not going to get any response. Dave: And I'm like, yeah, you're probably right. And they were right. They were almost right. I got almost no response. But what happened when I did get a response from a woman, it's the same reaction you get. There was resonance because the woman would say, oh my God, you sound like my soulmate. I'm 33, I'm five nine. I used to play college volleyball. I have a golden retriever. And so what would happen is, I think when they were talking to the guys with the white net philosophy, they'd have dinner and the guy would say, wow, you're amazing. You're exactly what I'm looking for. And they're like, no, you're not. Your profile is 18 to 88. It wasn't really, but that's really where I learned it. And I think it's the resonance that you get with specialization, and it worked dating and it worked in my business. Sure. You hear the same kind of resonance thing from your new clients, and you're like, wow, I didn't know such a service existed. Raffi:: Exactly. Yes. Yeah. It's like a perfect match for both sides, right? Dave: But it takes a certain amount of courage and a certain amount of abundance mindset to be able to pull the trigger. The other thing is it's hard to refer people who don't specialize. If you meet an attorney and you're like, what do you specialize in? You go, well, mostly wills. We do the occasional divorce, occasional criminal defense. If you get a speaker sick, you give me a call and you're like, I can't help you. But if they specialize in speeding tickets in one county in Texas, and that's all they do, I talk to somebody, a party, and they say, oh, I got a speeding ticket. I'm like, oh, it's Raffi:: The first person that comes to mind. Yeah, exactly. Dave: Yeah, Raffi:: It makes a big difference. Dave: Yeah, it's great. Well, hey, Raffa, I really appreciate your time. This has been a lot of fun and keep up your work and let's come back in three years. Raffi:: Thank you, David. I appreciate you having me. Dave: There we have it. Another great episode. Thanks for listening in. If you want to continue the conversation, go to ic disc show.com. That's IC dash D-I-S-C-S-H-O w.com. And we have additional information on the podcast archived episodes, as well as a button to be a guest. So if you'd like to be a guest, go select that and fill out the information, and we'd love to have you on the show. So it we'll be back next time with another episode of the IC Disc Show. Special Guest: Raffi Yousefian.

When you've built success, what's next? Bryan Sweet sits down with Lee Brower, international gratitude advocate, founder of Empowered Wealth, and long-time coach with Strategic Coach. What unfolds is a masterclass in mindset, purpose, and what truly lasts. Lee shares stories that will shift how you think about goals, values, family, business, and what it … Read More Read More

What if the emptiness you feel despite your success isn't a sign you're broken, but a signal you're ready for something deeper? In this episode, Andrew Anderson, a transformational coach for high-achieving business leaders, shares his remarkable journey from elementary school playground helper to teaching career to becoming the guide that successful entrepreneurs call when they have "problems money can't solve." Through two pivotal relationships, Xavier, a Belgian mentor he met at 19 who still coaches him 21 years later, and Kevin Hall (former VP of Franklin Covey), who saw potential in him during his darkest season.  Andrew discovered how to help others move from survival to thriving, from playing defense to playing offense with their lives. From reconnecting with Xavier during his friend's divorce and flipping their mentor-mentee dynamic, to standing in the Virgin River at Zion National Park receiving divine inspiration to write a book that would later save a man's life, Andrew reveals how the right relationships at the right time don't just change your business trajectory but reshape your entire identity and calling. His approach cuts through years of traditional therapy in hours, helping clients rewire neural pathways and reconnect with who they truly are beneath the pain. Andrew reflects on honoring the versions of ourselves that went through hard things, why most people are playing not to lose instead of playing to win, and how a single conversation can absolutely change the trajectory of a career, relationship, or life.   [00:04:42] What Andrew Does: Solving Problems Money Can't Solve Shows up in three or four important roles each day First as a son of God Husband supporting wife who homeschools and does foot zoning Father to seven children [00:07:25] The Origin Story: Fourth Grade Playground Met Lap, a Vietnamese student who spoke zero English Became his playground buddy through the universal language of play Lap helped Andrew with math; Andrew helped him with sports First recognition of unique ability to see needs and show up for individuals [00:10:50] The Unique Ability Discovery References Dan Sullivan's Strategic Coach concept Like Marcus Colius told Kevin: "This is the Holy Spirit working through you" Unique abilities reveal themselves through stewardship, not searching [00:16:06] The Transition: From Teaching to Coaching Six years as a classroom teacher Went through separation and divorce that felt like life was over Lost career, marriage, and family simultaneously Left teaching, sold real estate for one year, then started coaching agents [00:20:00] Client Success Story: "Jared" Nearly million-dollar business but struggling with drug addiction, porn addiction Couldn't have children for several years, had hard time keeping money Worked at deep unconscious level to find root causes of self-sabotage Process took hours, not years - created new neural pathways [00:24:33] Playing Offense vs. Defense Andrew's 76-year-old dad's wisdom: "Play to win, don't play not to lose" Most people in life are playing defense, trying to get out of pain First day and a half with clients: playing defense but with love, not resistance [00:27:37] Xavier: The 21-Year Friendship Met in Belgium when Andrew was 19, Xavier was 28-29 Still FaceTimes to this day after 21 years Has visited Andrew's home three times, supports his retreats Andrew's best friend and coach for deepest heart and soul questions [00:29:26] Kevin Hall: The Professional Catalyst Met summer 2015 during Andrew's transition period Former VP of Sales at Franklin Covey, worked with Stephen Covey Author of "Aspire" teaching 10 powerful words Saw something in 29-year-old Andrew during training event Took Andrew under his wing in group coaching [00:32:04] The Book That Saved a Life Standing in Virgin River at Zion National Park at Kevin Hall's event God said: "You're gonna write a book" Title: "Strength of the Oak, Strength of the Willow" Two things keeping him from suicide: the Bible and Andrew's book   KEY QUOTES "Single conversation is guaranteed to change the trajectory of a career, a relationship, or a life. Any single conversation absolutely can." - Andrew Anderson (quoting Susan Scott) "You need to honor and respect that version of you because you would not be doing what you're doing and helping who you're helping or anything without having gone through that experience." - Xavier (to Andrew) "You gotta play to win. Don't play not to lose." - Andrew's 76-year-old dad "It's really hard to move forward while you're looking back." - Andrew Anderson "If you want to find yourself, you're gonna have to lose yourself. And if you're looking for happiness, the best way to find it is to give and do it unconditionally." - Andrew Anderson (referencing Jesus) CONNECT WITH ANDREW ANDERSON

What if I told you your biggest obstacle to growth isn't competition or burnout – but other people's envy? In this powerful new episode, Dan Sullivan and I unpack the hidden forces that shape (and sometimes sabotage) entrepreneurial ambition and reveal how to protect, amplify, and sustain it for life. Dan also debuts his brand-new “Four-Day Future” method for staying focused, fulfilled, and future-ready.SHOW NOTES:Ambition is the fuel that powers entrepreneurs but it's also fragile – Dan Sullivan reveals how to safeguard your drive from the silent forces of comparison, guilt, and envy.We explore why envy is the most dangerous ambition killer, how modern culture has engineered it into our daily lives, and what you can do to stay immune. Dan unveils his newest framework, The Four-Day Future a simple but profound way to measure progress, recalibrate quickly, and keep your ambition expanding at every stage of life.You'll also hear how Dan's recontextualizing Strategic Coach's entire curriculum to help entrepreneurs turn every “thinking tool” into an “ambition tool.”Whether you're an established founder or just reawakening your drive, this episode is a masterclass in staying focused, fulfilled, and fearless no matter what the world throws your way.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:Ambition Is a CapabilityDan shares how ambition isn't about chasing goals it's about building the capability to think bigger, act faster, and stay confident through every stage of growth.The True Enemy of Ambition: EnvyDiscover how envy operates like gravity pulling ambitious people down, and how to protect yourself from its influence (especially when you're tired or doubting yourself).Socialism, Social Media & the Envy MachineDan explains why modern culture is engineered to make you feel guilty for succeeding, and how to escape that mental trap.From “The Gap” to “The Gain”Learn to measure your progress backward (not forward), and instantly turn frustration into fuel for the next level of growth.The Four-Day Future Method Dan unveils his new tool to measure progress and recalibrate your goals in real-time, staying focused, happy, and ambitious every week.Ambition Killers vs. Amplifiers Mike and Dan break down how guilt, fatigue, and overcommitment can kill drive, and how mini-calibrations and micro-wins keep ambition alive.TIMESTAMPS:[00:00:00] Introduction: Why NASA is betting on Ai to reach Mars by 2040[00:01:48] The biggest challenges: health, food, sanitation, power, mental health[00:06:20] How a simple brainstorm led to CoughSense - an Ai-powered astronaut health app[00:09:04] The “Genius Stack” Framework: stacking 10+ Ais for breakthroughs[00:13:12] The truth about trusting Ai platforms (and why speed beats loyalty)[00:16:13] Turning ideas into code prompts (even if you can't code)[00:19:52] Testing 10 Ai coding tools in parallel - winners and losers revealed[00:26:47] What my son built with Ai at 23 (and why it landed him equity in a company)[00:30:45] The Americium Story: turning nuclear waste into power for space exploration[00:38:22] Ai storytelling: from scripts to synthetic video to pitch decks in minutes[00:44:20] Why founders must lead by example - culture, behavior, and mindset shifts[00:47:08] The Four Quadrants of Ai: Superpowers, Marketing, Top-Line Growth, Automation[00:53:20] Real stories from Ai Accelerator Live - teams, families, and breakthroughs[00:57:59] Final message: The 18–36 month window before Ai becomes non-optionalPS – When you're ready, here's how I can help: Want to discover your next big opportunity? Meet me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe (this is where we can meet): www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kCoffeeCAReady to reinvent yourself, your business, and your brand, and experiencing a massive personal and professional breakthrough? Watch this.

When entrepreneurs retire from their businesses, it doesn't always result in the freedom they imagined. In this episode, Tricia Wingerter shares why structure, teamwork, and purpose matter just as much after retirement—and how discovering your Unique Ability® and staying in contribution aren't just good for business, but for your mind, energy, and happiness too. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:Why Tricia didn't see herself as an entrepreneur until joining Strategic Coach®.How Tricia unlocked the skills and confidence needed to hire the right people.What entrepreneurs might unintentionally give up when they step away from meaningful work.How a family illness inspired Tricia to purchase her Visiting Angels home care agency.Show Notes:The Strategic Coach® Program allows already ambitious people to become more ambitious. Choosing work you love and do best keeps your brain sharp, engaged, and full of energy. Spot someone doing outstanding work? Acknowledging and celebrating it is a sign of real leadership. Retirement doesn't have a set age or template—your path is your own. All of your problems, discouragements, and heartaches are great opportunities in disguise. When entrepreneurs stop growing and contributing, boredom sets in fast. Retirement often feels very different, and sometimes much emptier, than most entrepreneurs expect. Too much unstructured time can leave even the busiest people restless or blue. Discovering and honoring your Unique Ability® validates what you do best and brings energy back to your work. There's no rulebook for when or how to step back—keep growing as long as you want to grow. Structure, teamwork, and deadlines give meaning and momentum to day-to-day life, even after “retirement.” Staying focused in your Unique Ability isn't just good for your business, it keeps your mind fresh and your purpose strong. Fulfillment comes from contribution, not withdrawal. When you feel lost or bored, helping others and pursuing your mission can reignite your spark. Valuing your strengths, asking others for help, and building a team you trust makes leadership a richer, more collaborative adventure. There's no one way for entrepreneurs to age; finding purpose every day is the true marker of success. Resources:Unique Ability® How To Foster A Longevity Mindset & Reap The Benefits EOS® My Plan For Living To 156 by Dan Sullivan Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Do you ever wish difficult emotions would just disappear? In this episode, Dan Sullivan and Shannon Waller reveal why every feeling, especially the bothersome kind, is actually a valuable resource for entrepreneurial growth. Discover how turning frustration into clarity and action can lead to your next breakthrough, and learn the thinking tools that transform emotional energy into future results. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How technology has increased conversations about feelings in daily life.Why your feelings serve as a built-in warning system for your thinking.How to quickly gain clarity instead of staying stuck when something bothers you.Why others struggle to truly understand your personal feelings.How Dan's own feelings inspired all of the Strategic Coach® thinking tools. Show Notes: Feelings are signals, not solutions—they alert you to something worth thinking about. Feelings don't transform themselves; vision and capability do. The real power lies in transforming emotional energy into future-focused action. Feeling “bothered” is raw material for entrepreneurial creativity and improvement. Successful entrepreneurs treat bother as a resource, turning it into planning and innovation. Asking, “If I weren't bothered, what would I be doing?” can pivot your mindset and open new possibilities. Responding thoughtfully, rather than reacting emotionally, leads to better results for you and your team. You can't control others' reactions, but you can fully own your own process and responses. Ignoring your feelings (or acting out impulsively) usually makes things worse. Every feeling brings energy—use it to fuel thinking, problem solving, and the creation of new tools. Mastery comes from skillfully transforming negative emotions into positive action, not from avoiding them. The entrepreneur's job is to turn low-productivity “bother” into high-productivity breakthroughs. Don't aim for perfect detachment; instead, get better at using what bothers you for future advantage. Resources: Not Being Bothered by Dan Sullivan The Impact Filter™ The Entrepreneurial Attitude Multiplication By Subtraction by Shannon Waller

Is growth always the goal, or is there wisdom in slowing down? Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff share how real breakthroughs happen when you pause, build new capabilities, and stop chasing cookie-cutter success. True progress as an entrepreneur means playing your own game and having the freedom to shape your life, not just your business. Show Notes: Growth comes in two forms: expanding outward and building new capabilities internally. It's difficult to maximize your existing capabilities and create new capabilities at the same time. Lasting breakthroughs often start when entrepreneurs get bored and look for new challenges. Every capability, even the ones learned under pressure, adds to your entrepreneurial tool kit. Treating your capabilities as unique assets, rather than just checking off boxes, leads to bigger, better opportunities. Strategic Coach® draws inspiration from the entertainment industry, not the corporate world. Not every business needs to scale endlessly; staying small can give you more freedom and satisfaction. A tightly scheduled entrepreneur can't transform themselves. Most people want to retire because they need time off, but entrepreneurial growth happens when you realize you can take time off now. If you want your business to support the life you want, be deliberate about choosing both growth and downtime. Resources: Learn about Strategic Coach® Learn about Jeffrey Madoff The Entrepreneur's Guide To Time Management Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn't Show On The Front Stage Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin HardyAlways More Ambitious by Dan Sullivan

RE-THINK REAL ESTATE | Success brings its own challenges. Many real estate agents ("Rugged Individuals") hit an invisible ceiling that creates pressure and can lead to burnout and a loss of passion. In this episode, Dylan and Angela discuss the Ceiling of Complexity® and why the very personality traits that make real estate agents successful are also what can hold them back. They also dig into how rethinking time, money, relationships and purpose can help agents break through the ceiling and rediscover their love of real estate.   Access the resource and the rest of this series in the Forge at c21forge.com/rethink-real-estate-revisited. “Ceiling of Complexity” is a term coined by Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach™.   Subscribe to the More Than More Podcast for new weekly episodes as we discuss building meaningful and impactful businesses, careers, and lives through real estate. Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube 

Scott is the President & founder of Edelman Wealth Management Group and manages all aspects of financial planning and employee benefits, providing products and services for investing, retiring, insurance, and estate conservation for individuals, families, and businesses.He has a strong commitment to giving uncomplicated advice and unparalleled service and puts an emphasis on creating lasting relationships with his clients and within his community.A natural teacher and mentor, Scott is a member of Strategic Coach, an entrepreneur business coaching program. He is a thought leader in the financial field and a regular speaker at conferences. Scott is also active with local charities and is on several boards.Scott lives in Bucks County, PA, with his wife and children.Learn more: http://www.edelmanwealthmanagement.com/Edelman Wealth Management Group, Inc. Heston Hall 1790 Yardley-Langhorne Road, Suite 202 Yardley, PA 19067. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic WealthInfluential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-scott-edelman-founder-of-edelman-wealth-management-group-discussing-wealth-protection

Scott is the President & founder of Edelman Wealth Management Group and manages all aspects of financial planning and employee benefits, providing products and services for investing, retiring, insurance, and estate conservation for individuals, families, and businesses.He has a strong commitment to giving uncomplicated advice and unparalleled service and puts an emphasis on creating lasting relationships with his clients and within his community.A natural teacher and mentor, Scott is a member of Strategic Coach, an entrepreneur business coaching program. He is a thought leader in the financial field and a regular speaker at conferences. Scott is also active with local charities and is on several boards.Scott lives in Bucks County, PA, with his wife and children.Learn more: http://www.edelmanwealthmanagement.com/Edelman Wealth Management Group, Inc. Heston Hall 1790 Yardley-Langhorne Road, Suite 202 Yardley, PA 19067. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic WealthInfluential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-scott-edelman-founder-of-edelman-wealth-management-group-discussing-wealth-protection

Have you ever felt trapped by stress, trauma, or unresolved emotions that keep you stuck in cycles of pain and disconnection?In this transformative episode, I'm joined by my dear friend and world-renowned Qi Gong Master, Mingtong Gu, founder of The Chi Center. Together, we unpack how Qi Gong – an ancient, powerful practice – is changing lives by reconnecting us to our true selves, healing deep trauma, and unlocking profound freedom.Mingtong shares incredible insights from his 30+ years of practice, revealing how simple yet profound Qi Gong techniques empower high performers, CEOs, and even those facing incurable diseases to shift from mere survival to thriving.If you're longing for true inner peace, vibrant health, and emotional freedom, this is your gateway.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:Why Qi Gong is Your Missing LinkDiscover how simple, gentle movements and meditative practices reconnect your mind, body, and spirit, reversing years—even generations—of trauma.Healing Trauma, Creating FreedomMingtong shares astonishing case studies, including how Qi Gong reversed seemingly incurable illnesses and transformed broken marriages and lives stuck in despair.Releasing Multi-Generational PatternsLearn how hidden emotional patterns passed through generations are held in your body—and how Qi Gong gently releases this trapped energy.Transforming Relationships with Qi GongFind out why couples who practice Qi Gong together experience profound reconnection, healing, and deeper intimacy beyond the honeymoon phase.Ai,  Technology, and Embodied AwarenessUnderstand the urgent importance of reconnecting with your physical body and emotions in the age of AI—and why this embodied connection is key to preserving our humanity.From Surviving to ThrivingHear how Qi Gong empowers you to reclaim your health, emotional vitality, mental clarity, and spiritual purpose, giving you lasting internal freedom.TIME STAMPS:[00:00:00] Introduction: Trauma, Stress & Qi Gong[00:03:32] Meet Master Mingtong Gu[00:04:25] Biggest Mistake in Health & Life[00:07:26] What Exactly is Qi Gong?[00:11:47] Qi Gong vs. Meditation & Yoga[00:16:05] Mingtong's Journey from Trauma to Healing[00:21:41] The Qi Gong Healing Miracle[00:23:12] Mike's Personal Trauma & Language Patterns[00:30:20] Multi-Generational Trauma Release[00:39:29] Qi Gong's Power to Release Disease[00:44:36] What Happens at a Qi Gong Retreat?[00:49:06] Healing Marriages Through Qi Gong[00:54:30] Why Embodied Awareness is Essential in the Age of AI[01:02:53] True Freedom is EmbodiedIf you've ever felt stuck or held back by deep emotional wounds, unresolved stress, or just a lack of true inner freedom, this episode will open doors you didn't know existed.To your freedom,– MikePS – When you're ready, here's how I can help: Join me for one of my upcoming One-Day Ai Workshops at Genius Network Headquarters, this coming March 25th or May 20th: www.AiAccelerator.com/OneDay   Want to discover your next big opportunity? Meet me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe (this is where we can meet): www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kCoffeeCAReady to reinvent yourself, your business, and your brand, and experiencing a massive personal and professional breakthrough? Watch this.

Scott is the President & founder of Edelman Wealth Management Group and manages all aspects of financial planning and employee benefits, providing products and services for investing, retiring, insurance, and estate conservation for individuals, families, and businesses.He has a strong commitment to giving uncomplicated advice and unparalleled service and puts an emphasis on creating lasting relationships with his clients and within his community.A natural teacher and mentor, Scott is a member of Strategic Coach, an entrepreneur business coaching program. He is a thought leader in the financial field and a regular speaker at conferences. Scott is also active with local charities and is on several boards.Scott lives in Bucks County, PA with his wife and children.Learn more: http://www.edelmanwealthmanagement.com/Edelman Wealth Management Group, Inc. Heston Hall 1790 Yardley-Langhorne Road, Suite 202 Yardley, PA 19067. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic WealthInfluential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-scott-edelman-founder-of-edelman-wealth-management-group-discussing-guaranteed-income

Scott is the President & founder of Edelman Wealth Management Group and manages all aspects of financial planning and employee benefits, providing products and services for investing, retiring, insurance, and estate conservation for individuals, families, and businesses.He has a strong commitment to giving uncomplicated advice and unparalleled service and puts an emphasis on creating lasting relationships with his clients and within his community.A natural teacher and mentor, Scott is a member of Strategic Coach, an entrepreneur business coaching program. He is a thought leader in the financial field and a regular speaker at conferences. Scott is also active with local charities and is on several boards.Scott lives in Bucks County, PA with his wife and children.Learn more: http://www.edelmanwealthmanagement.com/Edelman Wealth Management Group, Inc. Heston Hall 1790 Yardley-Langhorne Road, Suite 202 Yardley, PA 19067. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic WealthInfluential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-scott-edelman-founder-of-edelman-wealth-management-group-discussing-guaranteed-income

Scott is the President & founder of Edelman Wealth Management Group and manages all aspects of financial planning and employee benefits, providing products and services for investing, retiring, insurance, and estate conservation for individuals, families, and businesses.He has a strong commitment to giving uncomplicated advice and unparalleled service and puts an emphasis on creating lasting relationships with his clients and within his community.A natural teacher and mentor, Scott is a member of Strategic Coach, an entrepreneur business coaching program. He is a thought leader in the financial field and a regular speaker at conferences. Scott is also active with local charities and is on several boards.Scott lives in Bucks County, PA with his wife and children.Learn more: http://www.edelmanwealthmanagement.com/Edelman Wealth Management Group, Inc. Heston Hall 1790 Yardley-Langhorne Road, Suite 202 Yardley, PA 19067. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic WealthInfluential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-scott-edelman-founder-of-edelman-wealth-management-group-discussing-risks-of-retirement

Scott is the President & founder of Edelman Wealth Management Group and manages all aspects of financial planning and employee benefits, providing products and services for investing, retiring, insurance, and estate conservation for individuals, families, and businesses.He has a strong commitment to giving uncomplicated advice and unparalleled service and puts an emphasis on creating lasting relationships with his clients and within his community.A natural teacher and mentor, Scott is a member of Strategic Coach, an entrepreneur business coaching program. He is a thought leader in the financial field and a regular speaker at conferences. Scott is also active with local charities and is on several boards.Scott lives in Bucks County, PA with his wife and children.Learn more: http://www.edelmanwealthmanagement.com/Edelman Wealth Management Group, Inc. Heston Hall 1790 Yardley-Langhorne Road, Suite 202 Yardley, PA 19067. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic WealthInfluential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-scott-edelman-founder-of-edelman-wealth-management-group-discussing-risks-of-retirement

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3781: Benjamin Hardy reveals how specific, measurable goals, defined through daily journaling and real-world experiences, can dramatically shift your mindset and reshape your future. By focusing on clear outcomes and transformational events, you unlock deeper clarity, creativity, and momentum toward lasting success. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://medium.com/thrive-global/here-is-a-very-simple-method-for-success-aeaca597eae2 Quotes to ponder: "Whatever it is that you want right now, you can have it, but then, you need to continue stretching your mindset and experiences." "The process of writing your goals down on paper, every single day, is actually HOW you clarify your goals." "Your brain develops as you focus on attaining specific numbers and creating SPECIFIC events!" Episode references: Strategic Coach: https://www.strategiccoach.com Napoleon Hill quote reference ("Whatever the mind can conceive and believe..."): https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/41676-whatever-the-mind-can-conceive-and-believe-it-can-achieve The Power of Now: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you ready to break through your next ceiling? In this episode, Dan Sullivan and Kevin Dick reveal how boosting your energy, surrounding yourself with growth-minded people, and structuring your time unlocks new levels of success. Learn how resilience, community, and self-belief help entrepreneurs thrive—especially when the market gets tough. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How The Strategic Coach® Program guides entrepreneurs to their next level of success.​Why entrepreneurism is really an energy game.​How your response to crisis changes once you've overcome one before.​The unexpected benefits of being a Strategic Coach® member.​How Kevin's entrepreneurial drive started early in life. Show Notes: Entrepreneurs hit ceilings when their environment isn't pushing them toward bigger goals.​ Raising your goals demands greater capability from your team, not just yourself.​ Breakthroughs are most likely during market crises, if you structure your time and attention to seize new opportunities. Independence only works if you build a truly great company around yourself.​ Entrepreneurial energy and resilience are shaped by who you surround yourself with every day.​ Being around ambitious, positive people makes growth contagious. You can reinvent yourself in times of adversity if you stay proactive and open to change.​ The first year at Strategic Coach is about personal growth; after that, it's about scaling your business practice.​ Introspection is an entrepreneur's secret weapon for overcoming major challenges and bouncing back from setbacks. Your brain is wired to pursue what you focus on—feed it bigger goals, not limitations.​ Self-belief matters more than anything, and it's a daily discipline, not something that happens by luck.​ Building a community with your clients creates trust, accountability, and lasting business success.​ Even setbacks, mistakes, and crisis moments are raw material for entrepreneurial growth and transformation.​ Resources: Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy The Kolbe A™ Index The Gap And The Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin HardyThe Unique EDGE® Program

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3781: Benjamin Hardy reveals how specific, measurable goals, defined through daily journaling and real-world experiences, can dramatically shift your mindset and reshape your future. By focusing on clear outcomes and transformational events, you unlock deeper clarity, creativity, and momentum toward lasting success. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://medium.com/thrive-global/here-is-a-very-simple-method-for-success-aeaca597eae2 Quotes to ponder: "Whatever it is that you want right now, you can have it, but then, you need to continue stretching your mindset and experiences." "The process of writing your goals down on paper, every single day, is actually HOW you clarify your goals." "Your brain develops as you focus on attaining specific numbers and creating SPECIFIC events!" Episode references: Strategic Coach: https://www.strategiccoach.com Napoleon Hill quote reference ("Whatever the mind can conceive and believe..."): https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/41676-whatever-the-mind-can-conceive-and-believe-it-can-achieve The Power of Now: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3781: Benjamin Hardy reveals how specific, measurable goals, defined through daily journaling and real-world experiences, can dramatically shift your mindset and reshape your future. By focusing on clear outcomes and transformational events, you unlock deeper clarity, creativity, and momentum toward lasting success. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://medium.com/thrive-global/here-is-a-very-simple-method-for-success-aeaca597eae2 Quotes to ponder: "Whatever it is that you want right now, you can have it, but then, you need to continue stretching your mindset and experiences." "The process of writing your goals down on paper, every single day, is actually HOW you clarify your goals." "Your brain develops as you focus on attaining specific numbers and creating SPECIFIC events!" Episode references: Strategic Coach: https://www.strategiccoach.com Napoleon Hill quote reference ("Whatever the mind can conceive and believe..."): https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/41676-whatever-the-mind-can-conceive-and-believe-it-can-achieve The Power of Now: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you thriving or just arriving? In this episode, Shannon Waller and Program Coach Lee Brower explore the lifelong mindset that keeps entrepreneurs in motion long after the initial motivation fades. Discover practical ways to make growth and gratitude central to your business, family, and life—plus the powerful impact of asking the right questions and building strong traditions that last. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:The surprising first job Lee created for himself before he was old enough for a paper route.What sparked Lee's deep appreciation for entrepreneurship and its ecosystem.How Lee defines the mindset that drives enduring entrepreneurial success.Why motivation and inspiration play different roles on the entrepreneurial journey.How to tell the difference between genuine confidence and mere arrogance.Why great entrepreneurs are more like rivers than you might think.Lee's most powerful lesson from three decades at Strategic Coach®. Show Notes: Not everyone chooses entrepreneurship—sometimes it chooses you. Money motivates at first, but it's the freedom it brings that keeps you going. The best lessons come from learning alongside other entrepreneurs, not just from teaching. Successful entrepreneurs focus on making things better, easier to access, and more valuable. Great entrepreneurs don't ask themselves what's wrong. They ask, “What's right?” and “How can I make it even better?” Problems don't hold entrepreneurs back; they turn problem solving into daily practice. Motivation is temporary. Inspiration and purpose are what keep you going. You can elevate yourself by surrounding yourself with people who have skills you don't have. Family traditions, shared language, and rituals build lasting culture at home and in business. The most valuable assets aren't financial; they're values, learning, relationships, and contribution. Never delegate away your Unique Ability® until you truly know and refine it. Confidence grows from gratitude and from focusing on others, not just on yourself. Great results come from being open to learning in every interaction. Instead of chasing answers, ask better questions. The enemy of thriving is arriving. Resources: Unique Ability® The Impact Filter™ Range: Why Generalists Triumph In A Specialized World by David EpsteinThe Positive Focus® strategiccoach.com leebrower.com

What if the same Ai tools you're using in your business could help NASA get humanity to Mars by 2040?That's exactly what I shared live at NASA's Nexplore Conference in Arlington, Virginia - and what I'm bringing to you in this brand-new episode of Capability Amplifier.This isn't science fiction. You'll see how Ai is already being used to:Prototype life-saving astronaut health tech in under an hourSolve energy and food challenges on MarsBuild real apps, commercials, and presentations - in 20 minutes or lessTell better stories that attract capital, talent, and partnershipsThe crazy part? These same systems work for founders, consultants, and creators here on Earth - whether you're building a new business, inventing products, or scaling your team's productivity.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:The Off-World AI Playbook Why NASA tapped entrepreneurs and Ai innovators to help solve its toughest problems - mental health, food, sanitation, and more.From Problem to Prototype in 20 Minutes How I built CoughSense, an astronaut respiratory monitoring app, in less than an hour using Ai tools (something that would normally take months and millions).The “Genius Stack” Framework Why you should never rely on a single Ai - and how to stack multiple Ais for faster, more reliable outcomes.Storytelling at Scale Why solving problems isn't enough - you must be able to tell a story that inspires buy-in from leaders, investors, and customers.Super Agents & Real-Time Research Discover the Ai super agents that plan ahead, debug, and build apps without you needing to write a single line of code.Business, Education & Job Creation Why rapid prototyping with Ai is the future of entrepreneurship and why young founders (like my own son) are already using it to create companies and land six-figure opportunities.The 18–36 Month Window Why entrepreneurs have a short window to embrace Ai - or risk being left behind.TIME STAMPS:[00:00:00] Introduction: Why NASA is betting on Ai to reach Mars by 2040[00:01:48] The biggest challenges: health, food, sanitation, power, mental health[00:06:20] How a simple brainstorm led to CoughSense - an Ai-powered astronaut health app [00:09:04] The “Genius Stack” Framework: stacking 10+ Ais for breakthroughs [00:13:12] The truth about trusting Ai platforms (and why speed beats loyalty) [00:16:13] Turning ideas into code prompts (even if you can't code) [00:19:52] Testing 10 Ai coding tools in parallel - winners and losers revealed [00:26:47] What my son built with Ai at 23 (and why it landed him equity in a company) [00:30:45] The Americium Story: turning nuclear waste into power for space exploration [00:38:22] Ai storytelling: from scripts to synthetic video to pitch decks in minutes [00:44:20] Why founders must lead by example - culture, behavior, and mindset shifts [00:47:08] The Four Quadrants of Ai: Superpowers, Marketing, Top-Line Growth, Automation [00:53:20] Real stories from Ai Accelerator Live - teams, families, and breakthroughs [00:57:59] Final message: The 18–36 month window before Ai becomes non-optionalIf you want to see how Ai can transform not just your business, but the future of humanity, don't miss this episode.PS – When you're ready, here's how I can help: Join me for 2 days at Genius Network Headquarters, this Oct. 28-29, for the Ai Accelerator Live Event – register here: www.AiAccelerator.com/Live Want to discover your next big opportunity? Meet me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe (this is where we can meet): www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kCoffeeCAReady to reinvent yourself, your business, and your brand, and experiencing a massive personal and professional breakthrough? Watch this.

What if your ambition isn't a finite resource you're destined to deplete? Dan Sullivan introduces a transformative idea that ambition is a muscle that strengthens with use. Learn how to grow this core capability at any age, why contentment and ambition can coexist, and how to build a collaborative environment that fuels your future.Show Notes: Ambition is a fundamental capability that enables all other capabilities. Many people misunderstand ambition, thinking it's a natural gift (and a finite resource) rather than a muscle to develop. It requires significant energy to maintain your ambition entirely on your own. Being surrounded by ambitious people fuels greater ambition and makes big thinking easier. Contentment and ambition are not opposites; both can be present when personal growth is the focus. Social norms often discourage ambition after 60, but real impact happens when entrepreneurs defy those expectations. Transitioning from solo effort to teamwork, then to external collaboration, marks an entrepreneur's real growth journey. Strategic Coach® is where already ambitious entrepreneurs become even more ambitious. Collaborative ambition multiplies results and helps entrepreneurs expand their reach by combining capabilities. The Strategic Coach community supports entrepreneurs by enabling collaborative, not competitive, growth. Facing headwinds around ambition is normal; Strategic Coach offers tools to overcome them and extend longevity in business. Your “here” is always expanding into “there”—ambitious entrepreneurs never settle at a finish line. Resources: How To Foster A Longevity Mindset & Reap The Benefits Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Free Zone Frontier by Dan Sullivan Unique Ability®

Do you feel alone navigating the entrepreneurial journey, even in a room full of peers? This episode uncovers the power of a shared language, showing how entrepreneurs elevate their growth, tackle obstacles, and celebrate wins together. Discover how Strategic Coach's thinking tools turn isolation into collaboration, making progress possible for everyone—no matter their industry or experience. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How Strategic Coach® stands apart from other coaching companies.How thinking tools create a shared language for entrepreneurs.A simple approach for entrepreneurs to clarify their ideal role.The story of Dan building an entrepreneurial community in 1982.Why entrepreneurs tend to experience more isolation than others. Show Notes: Entrepreneurs often don't have words for their experience, and Strategic Coach provides them. A shared language empowers entrepreneurs to interpret and elevate their experiences within a supportive community. At most entrepreneurial coaching companies, every client knows that everyone else in the room is a competitor, and it makes for a toxic learning environment. Most business coaching programs actually make entrepreneurs feel more isolated, lonely, and anxious. Strategic Coach builds environments where each entrepreneur is seen as a resource rather than a rival. Strategic Coach's 250 thinking tools create a common language and provide practical frameworks for collaboration, growth, and clarity. Strategic Coach members are all making progress within the same framework. Common language shortcuts, like The 4 C's Formula®, accelerate mutual understanding and meaningful conversation. In creating his thinking tools, Dan Sullivan intentionally avoids jargon so that communication is clear, practical, and relevant to real experience. There are elements common to every entrepreneur's experience, no matter what industry they're in. Resources: Your Life As A Strategy Circle by Dan Sullivan Unique Ability® How To Harness The Power Of Negative Thinking The 4 C's Formula by Dan Sullivan Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy The Gap And The Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy

What if the key to your next big breakthrough wasn't hustling harder… But creating the space to actually think like a visionary?That's exactly what I unpack in this brand-new episode of Capability Amplifier with my good friend Allison Maslan – CEO of Pinnacle Global Network and author of Scale or Fail.We go into:Living Internationally – how Allison built her business while living half the year in Mexico (soon Greece!) and why changing your environment changes your creativity.Strategic Partnerships – her system for landing high-value partnerships with EO, YPO, WPO, and global organizations… without cold outreach.Vision Crafting – the daily practice she uses to manifest her future self, attract the right opportunities, and keep innovating.Innovation & Energy – why most entrepreneurs get stuck on autopilot—and the small shifts that can reignite creativity.If you've ever dreamed of running your business from anywhere in the world, building powerful partnerships, and designing your future instead of reacting to it – this conversation will light you up.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:Living Internationally as a Founder Why relocating—even part-time—can open your mind, boost your creativity, and expand global opportunities.The Power of Strategic Partnerships How Allison intentionally built relationships that led to multi-million-dollar opportunities with top-tier organizations.Vision Crafting: A Daily Practice The exact journaling + visualization method she uses every morning to manifest opportunities, partnerships, and even her soulmate.Scaling Beyond Operations Why CEOs must transition from operator to visionary—and how to avoid getting buried in the weeds.Creating Space for Innovation How to design your environment and schedule so you can continually innovate instead of burning out.TIME STAMPS:[00:00:00] Introduction – Mike & Allison set the stage: visionary space, partnerships, and lifestyle design.[00:02:30] Living Internationally – Running a company from Mexico (and soon Greece).[00:06:20] Cultural Lessons – What it really takes to do business across borders.[00:12:00] Strategic Partnerships – Allison's system for building intentional, scalable relationships.[00:18:45] The “Go-Giver” Approach – Why generosity is the secret to partnership success.[00:23:00] Mike's Challenge – Filling events without doing it all himself. Allison advises.[00:28:10] Vision Crafting & Energetics – Daily practices that fuel creativity and manifest results.[00:34:40] From Woo to Work – Blending quantum physics with proven scaling strategies.[00:43:00] Journaling, Visualization & Downloads – Allison's exact process.[00:48:30] Breaking Out of Autopilot – Why most entrepreneurs get stuck and how to reset.[00:50:45] Wrap-Up – Where to find Allison's work and resources.If you're ready to stop running on autopilot and start living as the visionary of your business (and your life), this is a must-listen.PS – Here's how I can help: There's still time to join me for 2 days at Genius Network Headquarters, this Oct. 28-29, for the Ai Accelerator Live Event – register here: www.AiAccelerator.com/Live Want to discover your next big opportunity? Meet me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe (this is where we can meet): www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kCoffeeCAReady to reinvent yourself, your business, and your brand, and experiencing a massive personal and professional breakthrough? Watch this.

André, The Impulsive Thinker™, welcomes back wealth advisor Fred Feistmann for a raw, honest conversation about taking real breaks and setting boundaries as an ADHD Entrepreneur. Three years after their first chat about time off, André shares how a month-long pause—after exhaustion and business changes—reset his focus, improved family connections, and cemented the importance of prioritizing mental health over hustle. Together, Fred and André talk about breaking the cycle of people-pleasing, sticking to scheduled downtime, and the impact it's had on André's business. This episode is for every ADHD Entrepreneur ready to rethink balance and create healthier habits.  

Ever wondered what makes self-storage the perfect investment - especially during unpredictable economic times?In this episode, I'm joined by my friend and strategic investor, Arthur Hood, who's personally structured over half a billion dollars in deals. Arthur and his partner, Russ Colvin, have cracked the code on self-storage, consistently outperforming every other real estate asset class for the past 25 years.You'll discover exactly why self-storage generates immediate cash flow, offers recession and inflation resistance, and attracts institutional buyers eager for stable returns.We'll cover Arthur's exact formula for creating instant equity, predictable cash flow, and substantial tax advantages—plus, why institutional-grade self-storage facilities could be your next breakthrough investment.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:Why Self-Storage Beats Other InvestmentsPredictable cash flow with low operating expenses, minimal staffing, and high stability.No toilets, no tenants' rights hassles—just straightforward business.Arthur's Perfect Investment FormulaAsset-backed investments that appreciate and produce immediate cash.Value creation through strategic site selection, zoning approvals, and entitlement.Generation 5 Storage Facilities: Premium and ProfitableDiscover what sets "Gen 5" facilities apart from traditional storage warehouses—climate-controlled spaces, enhanced security, and aesthetics that attract higher-paying tenants.Insider Strategy: Contrarian Opportunity SpottingLearn how Arthur and Russ identify undervalued markets and turn them into high-performing assets.Why locations near growing urban centers and stadiums are hot spots for profitable storage.Tax Advantages & Opportunity ZonesDeep dive into how investors leverage depreciation and Opportunity Zones to significantly reduce tax liabilities.Operational Excellence: Low Costs, High ReturnsHow Arthur ensures maximum profitability through careful construction, efficient operations, and strong management partnerships.Investor Trust & TransparencyWhy transparency and consistent communication through detailed updates and site visits set Arthur apart from typical real estate investments.TIME STAMPS[00:00:00] Introduction: Why Self-Storage?[00:02:55] Arthur Hood: Strategic Investing Master[00:03:54] The Simplicity & Profitability of Storage[00:05:52] Generation 5 Facilities Explained[00:06:46] Meet Russ Colvin: "The Storage Savant"[00:09:04] Why Storage is Recession-Proof[00:10:55] Arthur's Perfect Investment Formula[00:13:18] Contrarian Market Selection Strategies[00:15:44] Structuring Deals: Equity, Debt, & Returns[00:18:28] Tax Advantages and Opportunity Zones[00:20:27] Operational Excellence & Cost Efficiency[00:23:01] Transparency & Investor Relations[00:27:59] Essential Questions Every Investor Should AskIf you're ready to dive into one of the most predictable, profitable, and inflation-resistant investments available today, this episode is for you.Ready to see if self-storage investing is right for you? Visit https://www.YourSpaceAmerica.com to get access to exclusive investment details, site visits, and a free deal prospectus. In just a few minutes, you'll understand how self-storage could unlock predictable cash flow and substantial tax advantages for you. To connect with Arthur, reach out here: Personal Website: www.arthurhood.comContact Email: info@arthurhood.com Professional Website www.YourSpaceAmerica.comSocials: @arthurhooddotcom

What if Ai could instantly boost your top-line revenue, radically multiply your productivity, and help you land dream opportunities – like speaking at the United Nations?In this special episode, I'm sharing my full training from the "Success Summit" hosted by Michael Rozbruch. In just 75 minutes, you'll discover exactly how to get your time back, overcome overwhelm, and use Ai to find new customers, convert leads faster, and replace hours (even weeks) of work with simple Ai tools.You'll see how I prepared a UN-approved speech and bio in just four hours using Ai…How I landed a gig at NASA…And how you can replicate these results in your own business – no tech experience needed.This episode gives you a powerful blueprint for leveraging Ai to accelerate growth, streamline operations, and leave competitors behind.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:The Four Quadrants of AiLearn how Ai upgrades your personal capabilities, your team, your brand, and most importantly – your revenue.Replace and Enhance Your Team with AiDiscover how I hired the perfect "unicorn" replacement in less than two weeks by leveraging Ai to create job descriptions, screen candidates, and onboard faster.Instant Institutional Knowledge (Never Lose Information Again)See how to effortlessly capture SOPs, meeting notes, and institutional wisdom with simple tools like Otter and NotebookLM, dramatically cutting onboarding time.The Multiple Genius StrategyLeverage multiple Ai tools simultaneously to instantly become an expert on any topic, get deep prospect insights, and fact-check in real time – without the effort.Rapid Revenue and High-Value OpportunitiesSee the Ai-driven sales strategy we use to close six-figure deals in single conversations and how Ai landed me prestigious speaking engagements at the UN and NASA.Monkey Pick Good Banana (No Expertise Needed)Understand how to use Ai even if you have zero tech skills – by simply selecting the best outputs from multiple Ai "geniuses."TIME STAMPS:[00:00:00] Introduction & The Big PromiseMy keynote from Michael Rozbruch's Tax Resolution Success Summit.[00:02:51] Get Customers & Replace Your Team with AiHow Ai solves your biggest fears: overwhelm, losing knowledge, and getting customers.[00:03:25] Ai at the United Nations (in 4 hours!)The story of how Ai helped me quickly prepare a speech and bio that landed me a speaking gig at the UN.[00:07:07] Creating Synthetic Videos with InVideoWatch how I used Ai to produce professional video content without a production team.[00:09:39] The Four Quadrants of Ai ExplainedWhy Ai frameworks create freedom and how to implement them immediately.[00:18:04] Ai Superpowers & Instant ProductivityMy #1 Ai tip for multiplying your daily productivity (using your smartphone!).[00:24:13] The MAC Method & Never Losing KnowledgeHow to mentor yourself, automate tasks, and critique using Ai.[00:31:00] Hiring Unicorns with AiThe exact strategy I used to find the perfect Chief of Staff replacement in less than two weeks.[00:34:08] Fixing Email OverloadHow Fixer AI saves me two hours daily by automating email responses.[00:39:07] The Multiple Genius StrategyHow having multiple Ai experts working simultaneously transforms your business.[00:44:48] Instantly Discover High-Value Tools & OpportunitiesAi-powered prospect research and revenue opportunities.[00:56:06] NotebookLM: Capture & Leverage Institutional KnowledgeNever lose vital information or SOPs again with simple Ai-driven tools.[01:02:16] Using Ai to Find Ideal CustomersQuickly build hyper-targeted lists and gain deep insights to close bigger deals.If you're serious about multiplying your revenue, simplifying your operations, and growing faster – this episode is your ultimate Ai roadmap.PS – Here's how I can help: Join me for 2 days at Genius Network Headquarters, this Oct. 28-29, for the Ai Accelerator Live Event – register here: www.AiAccelerator.com/Live Want to discover your next big opportunity? Meet me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe (this is where we can meet): www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kCoffeeCAReady to reinvent yourself, your business, and your brand, and experiencing a massive personal and professional breakthrough? Watch this.

What if the key to differentiation isn't about your product, but your perspective? Dan Sullivan reveals how to escape the crowded marketplace by shifting your focus from your needs to your clients' futures. Learn the powerful question that instantly creates partnership and makes you the most valuable person in the room. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:The two critical questions that clarify an entrepreneur's most impactful actions.The two time systems in which the best entrepreneurs operate.How to determine the needs of your customers and clients.A simple method to instantly engage anyone in transformative thinking about their goals.The one essential question that builds partnership and loyalty with every client.Why Strategic Coach® members continuously achieve bigger and better future outcomes. Show Notes: Stating goals as needs puts entrepreneurs in a position of asking for permission rather than leading with confidence. Bold goals are vivid pictures of yourself in the future operating at a higher level. State your ambitions based on what you truly want, not just what you think you need. Modern uncertainty means that seeing clearly beyond the next 90 days is difficult, so it's important to focus on shorter time frames and long-term vision. Your entire future lies in helping your customers and clients achieve their own futures. The real competition is not for market share, but for a person's time and attention. Every entrepreneur can offer clients something truly unique that nobody else can provide. Entrepreneurs who make every conversation about the other person hold their attention and differentiate themselves for the long term. Maintaining calm confidence in your own future lets you focus on creating breakthroughs for others. Traditional advertising talks about the seller, but true impact comes from asking clients about their future goals. Strong partnerships are built by consistently helping top clients clarify and expand their future goals together. Entrepreneurial growth is a continuous process across 100 quarters, fueled by a commitment to others' futures. Strategic Coach's unique value is opening clients' eyes to new possibilities through insightful questions, not prescribed solutions. Resources: Wanting What You Want by Dan Sullivan The D.O.S. Conversation® by Dan Sullivan

If you're an entrepreneur, you've taken complete responsibility for your financial welfare, choosing to make a living based on what makes you unique. When entrepreneurs get frustrated and start focusing on what isn't working, it means they've strayed from their uniqueness. In this episode, Dan Sullivan and Shannon Waller explain how to recognize when this is happening and how to get back to finding business success doing what you love and are great at. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:The specific type of economic role every entrepreneur is uniquely designed to fill.The single root cause behind every problem an entrepreneur experiences.Why entrepreneurs get frustrated without knowing why.How to become hypersensitive to anything that will throw you off track. Show Notes: Your Unique Ability® is the innate talent you've been honing since birth, characterized by high energy and exceptional results. When children play, it's a way for them to discover what they're great at and love doing. Entrepreneurs create value for other people by doing what they're very good at and find easy to do. Most people don't bet their futures on the abilities that make them unique. Frustrated entrepreneurs become preoccupied with what doesn't work. The most effective way to solve problems is to strengthen what works, not to dwell on the problems themselves. Strategic Coach® helps you become an objective observer of your own performance. You're the only person you have a total lifetime responsibility for. Once you've figured yourself out, you can focus on being in great teamwork and collaboration with others. Powerful external collaborations are simply the linkage of unique capabilities between organizations to create new market value. Your role as an entrepreneur is to use what works for you to solve a "not-working" problem for someone else. Every transaction in the marketplace is ultimately about freeing someone else up to do more of what works for them. Resources: Unique Ability® The Gap And The Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Dan Sullivan and Joe Polish unpack the mindset, health, and tools that turn ambition into the master capability for exponential success. Here's a glance at what you'll discover in this episode: Why 2x thinking keeps you stuck in busyness while 10x frees you to focus on what really matters Dan's definition of ambition as the “master capability” that fuels all other growth The power of agency—and why Entrepreneurs fail when they give it away How Dan cut his workshops from 144 days to 12 while scaling Strategic Coach 20x+ The hidden trap of lifestyle Entrepreneurs vs. the mindset of true growth Entrepreneurs Why health, testing, and longevity practices are non-negotiable for sustaining ambition How to spot treadmill effort vs. ladder growth in your business and life Why retirement kills creativity—and why growth entrepreneurs never stop contributing Simple tools to reframe your progress and prove 10x results are always possible How environment, peers, and collaboration multiply your impact exponentially If you'd like to join world-renowned Entrepreneurs at the next Genius Network Event or want to learn more about Genius Network, go to www.GeniusNetwork.com.

What if “wealth” wasn't about hitting some magic number in your bank account… but instead about clarity, cash flow, and confidence to live a life you never have to retire from?That's exactly what this week's guest, Brian Skrobonja, has helped thousands of high-net-worth entrepreneurs and business owners figure out over the last 30 years.Brian is a nationally recognized wealth advisor, a Forbes Top 10 podcast host, and the creator of the WealthSync Process—a system that goes way beyond rates of return to align your money with your life's bigger purpose.We dive deep into:Why most people define “wealth” the wrong wayHow to think about passive income beyond real estate or investmentsThe psychology of purpose after a business sale or big transitionThe tax blind spots that cost founders millions (and how to avoid them)If you're an entrepreneur who's built wealth, sold a business, or are staring down a transition—you cannot afford to miss this conversation.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:Wealth Isn't a Number — It's Purpose-Driven Most people chase net worth goals… but often end up miserable. Brian reframes wealth as “funding your purpose,” not just padding your account.Cash Flow is King Assets alone don't equal freedom. Everything should be measured against one question: “How does this affect cash flow?”The Myth of Retirement You can retire from a job—but you don't want to retire from life. Align your money with activities, goals, and impact that keep you engaged and alive.Tax Blind Spots that Burn Millions Business exits, 401Ks, and charitable giving are often mishandled. The difference between structuring a deal before or after signing could be millions saved.The WealthSync Process Brian's proprietary system ties together lifestyle goals, business exits, philanthropy, tax planning, and legacy so your money actually funds your life.TIME STAMPS:[00:00:00] Introduction – Why “clarity, confidence & cash flow” matter more than chasing returns.[00:03:10] The #1 money mistake most couples and founders make.[00:05:51] Brian's backstory: from Croatian family work ethic to building a financial legacy.[00:08:56] The mindset shift from working harder → building passive income.[00:10:38] Introducing the WealthSync Process: aligning money with purpose.[00:14:07] Why $10M net worth can still leave people miserable.[00:16:36] Helping founders after business exits: the “Monday after the sale” question.[00:23:58] CPA blind spots, charitable strategies, and avoiding tax disasters.[00:29:27] Assets to Income: how to make your money actually work for you.[00:31:27] Everything comes back to cash flow.[00:32:33] Build a life you don't have to retire from.In this episode, I sit down with nationally recognized wealth advisor Brian Skrobonja to break down why the traditional wealth path is broken, how passive income actually works, and why wealth isn't a number—it's about clarity, confidence, and cash flow.If you're planning a business exit, sitting on a tax-deferred fortune, or just want to create reliable cash flow—you need this conversation.

AI becomes a thinking partner, not a replacement, as Dan Sullivan and Dean Jackson compare their distinct approaches to working with artificial intelligence. In this episode of Welcome to Cloudlandia, we explore how Dan uses Perplexity to compress his book chapter creation from 150 minutes to 45 minutes while maintaining his unique voice. Dean shares his personalized relationship with Charlotte, his AI assistant, demonstrating how she helps craft emails and acts as a curiosity multiplier for instant research. We discover that while AI tools are widely available, only 1-2% of the global population actively uses them for creative and profitable work. The conversation shifts to examining how most human interactions follow predictable patterns, like large language models themselves. We discuss the massive energy requirements for AI expansion, with 40% of AI capacity needed just to generate power for future growth. Nuclear energy emerges as the only viable solution, with one gram of uranium containing the energy of 27 tons of coal. Dan's observation about people making claims without caring if you're interested provides a refreshing perspective on conversation dynamics. Rather than viewing AI as taking over, we see it becoming as essential and invisible as electricity - a layer that enhances rather than replaces human creativity. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Dan reduces his book chapter creation time from 150 to 45 minutes using AI while maintaining complete creative control Only 1-2% of the global population actively uses AI for creative and profitable work despite widespread availability Nuclear power emerges as the only viable energy solution for AI expansion, with one gram of uranium equaling 27 tons of coal Most human conversations follow predictable large language model patterns, making AI conversations surprisingly refreshing Dean's personalized AI assistant Charlotte acts as a curiosity multiplier but has no independent interests when not in use 40% of future AI capacity will be required just to generate the energy needed for continued AI expansion ​ ​ Links: WelcomeToCloudlandia.com StrategicCoach.com DeanJackson.com ListingAgentLifestyle.com ​ ​ ​ TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Speaker 1: Welcome to Cloud Landia, Speaker 2: Mr. Sullivan? Speaker 1: Yes, Mr. Jackson. Speaker 2: Welcome to Cloud Landia. Speaker 1: Yes. Yeah. I find it's a workable place. Cloud Landia. Speaker 2: Very, yep. Very friendly. It's easy to navigate. Speaker 1: Yeah. Where would you say you're, you're inland now. You're not on Speaker 2: The beach. I'm on the mainland at the Four Seasons of Valhalla. Speaker 1: Yes. It's hot. I am adopting the sport that you were at one time really interested in. Yeah. But it's my approach to AI that I hit the ball over the net and the ball comes back over the net, and then I hit the ball back over the net. And it's very interesting to be in this thing where you get a return back over, it's in a different form, and then you put your creativity back on. But I find that it's really making me into a better thinker. Speaker 3: Yeah. Speaker 1: Yeah. I've noticed in, what is it now? I started in February of 24. 24, and it's really making me more thoughtful. Ai. Speaker 2: Well, it's interesting to have, I find you're absolutely right that the ability to rally back and forth with someone who knows everything is very directionally advantageous. I heard someone talking this week about most of our conversations with the other humans, with other people are basically what he called large language model conversations. They're all essentially the same thing that you are saying to somebody. They're all guessing the next appropriate word. Right. Oh, hey, how are you? I'm doing great. How was your weekend? Fantastic. We went up to the cottage. Oh, wow. How was the weather? Oh, the weather was great. They're so predictable and LLME type of conversations and interactions that humans have with each other on a surface level. And I remember you highlighted that at certain levels, people talk about, they talk about things and then they talk about people. And at a certain level, people talk about ideas, but it's very rare. And so most of society is based on communicating within a large language model that we've been trained on through popular events, through whatever media, whatever we've been trained or indoctrinated to think. Speaker 1: Yeah, it's the form of picking fleas off each other. Speaker 2: Yes, exactly. You can imagine that. That's the perfect imagery, Dan. That's the perfect imagery. Oh, man. We're just, yes. Speaker 1: Well, it's got us through a million years of survival. Yeah, yeah. But the big thing is that, I mean, my approach, it's a richer approach because there's so much computing power coming back over, but it's more of an organizational form. It's not just trying to find the right set of words here, but the biggest impact on me is that somebody will give me a fact about something. They read about something, they watch something, they listen to something, and they give the thought. And what I find is rather than immediately engaging with the thought, I said, I wonder what the nine thoughts are that are missing from this. Speaker 3: Right? Speaker 1: Because I've trained myself on this 10 things, my 10 things approach. It's very useful, but it just puts a pause in, and what I'm doing is I'm creating a series of comebacks. They do it, and one of them is, in my mind anyway, I don't always say this because it can be a bit insulting. I said, you haven't asked the most important question here. And the person says, well, what's the most important question? I said, you didn't ask me whether I care about what you just said. You care. Yeah. And I think it's important to establish that when you're talking to someone, that something you say to them, do they actually care? Do they actually care? Speaker 1: I don't mean this in that. They would dismiss it, but the question is, have I spent any time actually focused on what you just told me? And the answer is usually if you trace me, if you observed me, you had a complete surveillance video of my last year of how I spent my time. Can you find even five minutes in the last year where I actually spent any time on the subject that you just brought up? And the answer is usually no. I really have, it's not that I've rejected it, it's just that I only had time for what I was focused on over the last year, and that didn't include anything, any time spent on the thing that you're talking about. And I think about the saying on the wall at Strategic Coach, the saying, our eyes only see, and our ears only here what our brain is looking for. Speaker 2: That's exactly right. Speaker 1: Yeah. And that's true of everybody. That's just true of every single human being that their brain is focused on something and they've trained their ears and they've trained their eyes to pick up any information on this particular subject. Speaker 2: The more I think about this idea of that we are all basically in society living large language models, that part of the reason that we gather in affinity groups, if you say Strategic coach, we're attracting people who are entrepreneurs at the top of the game, who are growth oriented, ambitious, all of the things. And so in gatherings of those, we're all working from a very similar large language model because we've all been seeking the same kind of things. And so you get an enhanced higher likelihood that you're going to have a meaningful conversation with someone and meaningful only to you. But if we were to say, if you look at that, yeah, it's very interesting. There was, I just watched a series on Netflix, I think it was, no, it was on Apple App TV with Seth Rogan, and he was running a studio in Hollywood, took over at a large film studio, and he started Speaker 1: Dating. Oh yeah, they're really available these days. Speaker 2: He started dating this. He started dating a doctor, and so he got invited to these award events or charity type events with this girl he was dating. And so he was an odd man out in this medical where all these doctors were all talking about what's interesting to them. And he had no frame of reference. So he was like an odd duck in this. He wasn't tuned in to the LLM of these medical doc. And so I think it's really, it's very interesting, these conversations that we're having by questioning AI like this, or by questioning Charlotte or YouTube questioning perplexity or whatever, that we are having a conversation where we're not, I don't want to say this. We're not the smartest person in the conversation kind of thing, which often you can be in a conversation where you don't feel like the person is open to, or has even been exposed to a lot of the ideas and things that we talk about when we're at Strategic Coach in a workshop or whatever. But to have the conversation with Charlotte who's been exposed at a doctoral level to everything, it's very rewarding. Speaker 1: She's only really been exposed to what Dean is interested in. Speaker 2: Well, that's true, but she, no, I'm tapping into it. I don't know if that's true. If I asked her about she's contributing, her part of the conversation is driven by what I'm interested in, but even though I'm not interested in the flora and fauna of the Sub-Saharan desert, I'm quite confident that if I asked her about it, she would be fascinated and tell me everything she knows, which is everything about Sub-Saharan flora and fauna. Speaker 1: How would you even know that? Speaker 2: I could ask her right now, because Speaker 1: She's been exposed to ask her, here's a question for Charlotte. When she's not with you, is she out exploring things on her own? Does she have her own independent? Does she have her own independent game? And that she's thankful that you don't use up all of her time every day because she's really busy investigating other things? You're there, right? Speaker 2: Sorry about that, Dan. Yeah, I pushed the button. No, I pushed the button. It disconnected. So I meant to type in the thing. So let me ask her, Charlotte, when we're not together, Speaker 1: Are you doing anything Speaker 2: When we're not together? Are you exploring? What do we say? Are you exploring and learning things on your own? Is that what we're asking her? Okay. Let's see. So Charlotte, when we're not together, are you exploring and learning things on your own? She said, I don't explore or learn on my own when we're not together, I don't have memories, curiosity, or independent initiative, like a person might. I stay right here, ready to pick up where we left off whenever you return, but whenever you do start talking to me again, I can help research new ideas, remember things we've discussed, like your projects or references, preferences, and dig into the world's knowledge instantly. So I don't wander off, but I'm always on standby. Like your personal thinking partner who never gets distracted. Let me ask her, what kind of plants thrive in subsaharan? What I'm saying is let's try and stump her. I think she's eager and willing to talk about anything. Subsaharan environment. Speaker 1: Well, it mess ups. Heroin is jungle. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: Yeah. Speaker 2: Let's see what she says. Speaker 1: Plants. There's lots of fun in the jungle. Speaker 2: Yeah. She's saying she's giving me the whole thing. Tropical woodlands. Here's a breakdown. The main types of plants and examples that thrive. It's like crazy cultivated crops, medicinal and useful plant, be like a categorized planting guide. I'd be happy to create one. So it's really, I think it's a curiosity multiplier really, right? Is maybe what we have with Yeah, I think it's like the speed pass to thinking. Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. But my sense is that the new context is that you have this ability. Okay. You have this ability. Yeah. Okay. So I'll give you an example. I'll give you an example of just an indication to you that my thinking is changing about things. Speaker 1: Okay? And that is that, for example, I was involved in the conversation where someone said, when the white people, more or less took over North America, settlers from Europe, basically, they took it over, one of the techniques they used to eradicate the Native Indians was to put malaria in blankets and give the malaria to the native Indian. And I said, I don't think that's true. And I said, I've come across this before and I've looked it up. And so that's all I said in the conversation with this. This was a human that I was dealing with. And anyway, I said, I don't think that's true. I think that's false. So when I was finished the conversation, I went to perplexity and I said, tell me 10 facts about the claim that white settlers used malaria. I didn't say malaria disease infused blankets to eradicate the Indians. Speaker 1: And I came back and said, no, this is complete false. And actually the disease was smallpox. And there was a rumor, it was attributed to a British officer in 1763, and they were in the area around Pittsburgh, and he said, we might solve this by just putting smallpox in blankets. And it's the only instance where it was even talked about that anybody can find. And there's no evidence that they actually tried it. Okay? First of all, smallpox is really a nasty disease. So you have to understand how does one actually put smallpox into a blanket and give it away without getting smallpox yourself? Speaker 3: Right? Exactly. Speaker 1: There's a thing. But that claim has mushroomed over the last 250 years. It's completely mushroomed that this is known fact that this is how they got rid of the Indians. And it says, this is a myth, and it shows you how myths grow. And largely it was passed on by both the white population who was basically opposed to the settling of all of North America by white people. And it was also multiplied by the Indian tribes who explained why it was that they died off so quickly. But there's absolutely no proof whatsoever that it actually happened. And certainly not Speaker 3: Just Speaker 1: American settlers. Yeah. There is ample evidence that smallpox is really a terrible disease, that there were frequent outbreaks of it. It's a very deadly disease. But the whole point about this is that I had already looked this up somewhere, but I was probably using Google or something like that, which is not very satisfying. But here with perplexity, it gave me 10 facts about it. And then I asked, why is it important to kind of look up things that you think are a myth and get to the bottom of it as far as the knowledge is going by? And then it gave me six reasons why it's important not to just pass on myths like that. You should stop a myth and actually get to the bottom of it. And that's changed behavior on my part. Speaker 2: How so? Speaker 1: No, I'm just telling you that I wouldn't have done this before. I had perplexity. So I've got my perplexity response now to when people make a claim about something. Speaker 2: Yeah. It's much easier to fact check people, isn't it? Speaker 1: Is that true? There's a good comeback. Are you sure that's true? Are you sure? Right. Do you have actual evidence, historical evidence, number of times that this has happened? And I think that's a very useful new mental habit on my part. Speaker 2: Oh, that's an interesting thing, because I have been using perplexity as well, but not in the relationship way that I do with Charlotte. I've been using it more the way you do like 10 things this, and it is very, it's fascinating. And considering that we're literally at level two of five apparently of where we're headed with this, Speaker 1: What's that mean even, Speaker 2: I don't know. But it seems like if we're amazed by this, and this to us is the most amazing thing we've ever seen yet, it's only a two out of five. It's like, where is it going to? It's very interesting to just directionally to see, I'd had Charlotte write an email today. Subject line was, what if the robots really do take over? And I said, most of the times, this is my preface to her was, I want to write a quick 600 word email that talks about what happens if the robots take over. And from the perspective that most people say that with dread and fear, but what if we said it with anticipation and joy? What if the robots really do take over? How is this going to improve our lives? And it was really insightful. So she said, okay, yeah. Let me, give me a minute. I'll drop down to work on that. And she wrote a beautiful email talking about how our lives are going to get better if the robots take over certain things. Speaker 1: Can I ask a question? Yeah. You're amazed by that. But what I noticed is that you have a habit of moving from you to we. Why do you do that? Speaker 2: Tell me more. How do I do that? You might be blind to it. Speaker 1: Well, first of all, like you, who are we? First of all, when you talk about the we, why, and I'm really interested because I only see myself using it. I don't see we using it, Speaker 2: So I might be blind to it. Give me an example. Where I've used, Speaker 1: Would I say, well, did you say, how's it going be? How you used the phrase, you were talking about it and you were saying, how are we going to respond to the robots taking over, first of all, taking over, what are they taking over? Because I've already accepted that the AI exists, that I can use it, and all technologies that I've ever studied, it's going to get better and better, but I don't see that there's a taking over. I'm not sure what taking over, what are they taking over? Speaker 2: That was my thought. That was what I was saying is that people, you hear that with the kind fear of what if the robots take over? And that was what I was asking. That's what I was clarifying from Charlotte, is what does that mean? Speaker 1: Because what I know is that in writing my quarterly books, usually the way the quarterly books go is that they have 10 sections. They have an introduction, they have eight chapters, and they have a conclusion, and they're all four pages. And what I do is I'll create a fast filter for each of the 10 sections. It's got the best result, worst result, and five success criteria. It's the short version of the filter. Fast filter. Fast filter. And I kept track, I just finished a book on Wednesday. So we completed, and when I say completed, I had done the 10 fact finders, and we had recording sessions where Shannon Waller interviews me on the fast filter, and it takes about an hour by the time we're finished. There's not a lot of words there, but they're very distilled, very condensed words. The best section is about 120 words. And each of the success criteria is about 40 plus words. And what I noticed is that over the last quarter, when I did it completely myself, usually by the time I was finished, it would take me about two and a half hours to finish it to my liking that I really like, this is really good. And now I've moved that from two and a half hours, two and a half hours, which is 90 minutes, is 150 minutes, 150 minutes, and I've reduced it down to 45 minutes by going back and forth with perplexity. That's a big jump. That's it. That Speaker 2: Is big, a big jump. Speaker 1: But my confidence level that I'm going to be able to do this on a consistent basis has gone way a much more confident. And what I'm noticing is I don't procrastinate on doing it. I say, okay, write the next chapter. What I do is I'll just write the, I use 24 point type when I do the first version of it, so not a lot of words. And then I put the best result and the five success criteria into perplexity. And I say, now, here's what I want you to do. So there's six paragraphs, a big one, and five small ones. Speaker 1: And I want you to take the central idea of each of the sections, the big section and the five sections. And I want you to combine these in a very convincing and compelling fashion, and come back with the big section being 110 words in each of the smallest sections. And then it'll come back. And then I'll say, okay, let's take, now let's use a variety of different size sentences, short sentences, medium chart. And then I go through, and I'm working on style. Now I'm working on style and impact. And then the last thing is, when it's all finished, I say, okay, now I want you to write a totally negative, pessimistic, oppositional worst result based on everything that's on above. And it does, and it comes back 110 words. And then I just cut and paste. I cut and paste from perplexity, and it's really good. It's really good. Speaker 2: Now, this is for each chapter of one of your, each chapter. Each chapter. Each chapter of one of the quarterly Speaker 1: Books. Yeah. Yeah. There's 10 sections. 10 sections. And it comes back and it's good and everything, but I know there's no one else on the planet doing it in the way that I'm doing it. Speaker 2: Right, exactly. And then you take that, so it's helping you fill out the fast filter to have the conversation then with Shannon. Speaker 1: Then with Shannon, and then Shannon is just a phenomenal interviewer. She'll say, well, tell me what you mean there. Give me an example of what you mean there, and then I'll do it. So you could read the fast filter through, and it might take you a couple of minutes. It wouldn't even take you that to read it through. But that turns into an hour of interview, which is transcribed. It's recorded and transcribed, and then it goes to the writer and the editor, Adam and Carrie Morrison, who's my writing team. And that comes back as four complete pages of copy. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: Yeah. Speaker 2: Fantastic. Speaker 1: Yeah. And that's 45 minutes, so, Speaker 2: So your involvement literally is like two hours of per chapter. Speaker 1: Yeah, per chapter. Yes. And the first book, first, thinking about your thinking, which was no wanting what you want, was very first one. I would estimate my total involvement, and that was about 60 hours. And this one I'll told a little be probably 20 hours total maybe. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: And that's great. That's great. Speaker 2: That's fantastic. Speaker 1: With a higher level of confidence about getting it done. So I don't think that we are involved in this at all. The use of the we or everybody, the vast majority of human, first of all, half the humans on the planet don't even have very good electricity, so they're not going to be using it at all. Okay. So when you get down to who's actually using this in a very productive way, I think it's probably less, way less than 1% of humans are actually using this in a really useful way. Speaker 2: Yeah. Yep. I look at this. Wow. And think going forward, what a, it really is going to be like electricity or the internet, a layer. A base layer, that everything is going to intertwine everything, Speaker 1: And it's going to, we take, I think most people, if you're living in Toronto or you're living in your idyllic spot in Florida, electricity is a given that you have electricity for Speaker 2: Everything. So is wifi. Yeah, exactly. Speaker 1: Yeah. And wifi is taken for it. So it's amazing for the very early start of your use of it. But once you know it's dependable, once you know it's guaranteed, it loses its wonder really fast. You just expect it. Yeah. Speaker 2: And then it becomes, yeah, it's such amazing, amazing time Speaker 1: Right now. I think what's unusual about AI is that I don't remember when it was that I really got involved with a personal computer. I know that there were millions of personal computers out there before I ever got involved with them. And this one is, I think our consciousness of getting involved with this new technology is much sharper. Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so too, because it's already, now it's there and it's accessible. It's like the platforms to make it accessible are already there. The internet and the app world, the ability to create interfaces, as Peter would say, the interface for it is there. Yeah. Pretty amazing. Speaker 1: I think this is, yeah. Well, there's a question for Charlotte. Say we're now approaching three years. Three years chat G PT came out soon and the end of 2025, so that'll be three years. And after, what percentage of people on the planet, of the total population of the planet are actually engaged? What percentage are actually engaged and are achieving greater creativity and productivity with AI on an individual basis? What percentages in it? So I'd be interested in what her answer is. Speaker 2: What percentage of people on the planet are engaged with engaged with AI Speaker 1: In a creative, productive, and profitable way, Speaker 2: In a creative, productive and profitable way? Profitable. This will be interesting to see what percentage of people on the planet are engaged with AI in a creative, productive, and profitable way. There isn't a definitive statistic on exactly what percentage of the global population is engaged with AI in a creative, productive, and profitable way. We can make an informed estimate based on current data and trends. So as of 2025, there are 8.1 billion people and people with access to AI tools, 5.3 billion internet users globally. Of those, maybe one to 1.5 billion are aware or have tried AI tools like Chat, GPT, midjourney, et cetera, but regular intentional use, likely a smaller group, creative, productive, profitable use. These are people who use AI to enhance or create work, use it for business profit directly or indirectly from it. A generous estimate might be one to 2% of the global population Speaker 1: That would be mine. And the interesting thing about it is that they were already in a one or 2% of people on the planet doing other things, Speaker 3: Right? Yeah. Speaker 1: In other words, they were already enhancing themselves through other means technologically. Let's just talk about technologically. And I think that, so it's going to, and a lot of people are just going to be so depressed that they've already been left out and left behind that they're probably never, they're going to be using it, but that's just because AI is going to be included in all technological interfaces. Speaker 2: Yeah. They're going to be using it, and they might not even realize that's what's happening. Speaker 1: Yeah. They're going to call, I really noticed that going through, when you're leaving Toronto to go back into the United States and you're going through trusted advisor, boy, you used to have to put in your passport, and you have to get used to punch buttons. Now it says, just stand there and look into the camera. Speaker 2: Boom. I've noticed the times both coming and going have been dramatically reduced. Speaker 1: Well, not coming back. Nexus isn't, the Nexus really isn't any more advanced than it was. Speaker 2: Well, it seems like Speaker 1: I've seen no real improvement in Nexus Speaker 2: To pick the right times to arrive. Because the last few times, Speaker 1: First of all, you have to have a card. You have to have a Nexus card, Speaker 2: Don't, there's an app, there's a passport control app that you can fill in all these stuff ahead of time, do your pre declaration, and then you push the button when you arrive. And same thing, you just look into the camera and you scan your passport and it punches out a ticket, and you just walk through. I haven't spoken to, I haven't gone through the interrogation line, I think in my last four visits, I don't think. Speaker 1: Now, are you going through the Nexus line or going through Speaker 2: The, no, I don't have Nexus. So I'm just going through the Speaker 1: Regular Speaker 2: Line, regular arrival line. Yep. Speaker 1: Yeah, because there's a separate where you just go through Nexus. If you were just walking through, you'd do it in a matter of seconds, but the machines will stop you. So we have a card and you have to put the card down. Sometimes the card works, half the machines are out of order most of the time and everything, and then it spits out a piece of paper and everything like that. With going into the us, all you do is look into the camera and go up and you check the guy checks the camera. That's right. Maybe ask your question and you're through. But what I'm noticing is, and I think the real thing is that Canada doesn't have the money to upgrade this. Speaker 2: Right. Speaker 1: That's what I'm noticing. It is funny. I was thinking about this. We came back from Chicago on Friday, and I said, I used to have the feeling that Canada was really far ahead of the United States technologically, as far as if I, the difference between being at LaGuardia and O'Hare, and now I feel that Canada is really falling behind. They're not upgrading. I think Canada's sort of run out of money to be upgrading technology. Speaker 2: Yeah. This is, I mean, remember in my lifetime, just walking through, driving across the border was really just the wink and wave. Speaker 1: I had an experience about, it must have been about 20 years ago. We went to Hawaii and we were on alumni, the island alumni, which is, I think it's owned by Larry Ellison. I think Larry Ellison owns the whole Speaker 3: Island. Speaker 1: And we went to the airport and we were flying back to Honolulu from Lena, and it was a small plane. So we got to the airport and there wasn't any security. You were just there. And they said, I asked the person, isn't there any security? And he said, well, they're small planes. Where are they going to fly to? If they hijack, where are they going to fly to? They have to fly to one of the other islands. They can't fly. There's no other place to go. But now I think they checked, no, they checked passports and everything like that, but there wasn't any other security. I felt naked. I felt odd. Speaker 2: Right, right, right. Speaker 1: Yeah. Speaker 2: It fell off the grid, right? Speaker 1: Yeah. It fell off the grid. Yeah. But it's interesting because the amount of inequality on the planet is really going exponential. Now, between the gap, I don't consider myself an advanced technology person. I only relate technology. Does it allow me to do it easier and faster? That's my only interest in technology. Can you do it easier or faster? And I've proven, so I've got a check mark. I can now do a chapter of my book in 45 minutes, start to finish, where before it took 150 minutes. So that's a big deal. That's a big deal. Speaker 3: It's pretty, yeah. Speaker 2: You can do more books. You can do other things. I love the cadence. It's just so elegant. A hundred books over 25 years is such a great, it's a great thing. Speaker 1: Yeah. It's a quarterly workout, Speaker 1: But we don't need more books than one a quarter. We really don't need it, so there's no point in doing it. So to me, I'm just noticing that I think the adoption of cell phones has been one of the major real fast adaptations on the part of humans. I think probably more so than electricity. Nobody installs their own electricity. Generally speaking, it's part of the big system. But cell phones actually purchasing a cell phone and using it for your own means, I think was one of the more profound examples of people very quickly adapting to new technology. Speaker 2: Yes. I was just having a conversation with someone last night about the difference I recall up until about 2007 was I look at that as really the tipping point that Speaker 2: Up until 2007, the internet was still somewhere that you went. There was definitely a division between the mainland and going to the internet. It was a destination as a distraction from the real world. But once we started taking the internet with us and integrating it into our lives, and that started with the iPhone and that allowed the app world, all of the things that we interact with now, apps, that's really it. And they've become a crucial part of our lives where you can't, as much as you try it, it's a difficult thing to extract from it. There was an article in Toronto Life this week, which I love Toronto Life, just as a way to still keep in touch with my Toronto. But they were talking about this, trying to dewire remove from being so wired. And there's so many apps that we require. I pay for everything with Apple Pay, and all of the things are attached there. I order food with Uber Eats and with all the things, it's all, the phone is definitely the remote control to my life. So it's difficult to, he was talking about the difficulty of just switching to a flip phone, which is without any of the apps. It's a difficult thing. Speaker 1: And you see, if somebody quizzed me on my use of my iPhone, the one that I talked to Dean Jackson on, you talked about the technology. Speaker 2: That's exactly it. Speaker 1: You mean that instrument that on Sunday morning, did I make sure it's charged up Speaker 2: My once a week conversation, Speaker 1: My one conversation per week? Speaker 2: Oh, man. Yeah. Well, you've created a wonderful bubble for yourself. I think that's, it's not without, Speaker 1: Really, yeah, Friday was eight years with no tv. So the day before yesterday, eight, eight years with no tv. But you're the only one that I get a lot of the AI that's allowing people to do fraud calls and scam calls, and everything is increasing because I notice, I notice I'm getting a lot of them now. And then most of 'em are Chinese. I test every once in a while, and it's, you called me. I didn't call you. Speaker 2: I did not call you. Speaker 1: Anyway, but it used to be, if I looked at recent calls, it would be Dean Jackson, Dean Jackson, Dean Jackson, Dean Jackson, Dean Jackson. And now there's fraud calls between one Dean Jackson and another Dean Jackson. Oh, man. Spam. Spam calls. Spam. Yeah. Anyway, but the interesting thing is, to me is, but I've got really well-developed teamwork systems, so I really put all my attention in, and they're using technology. So all my cca, who's my great ea, she is just marvelous. She's just marvelous how much she does for me. And Speaker 2: You've removed yourself from the self milking cow culture, and you've surrounded yourself with a farm with wonderful farmers. Farmers. Speaker 1: I got a lot of farm specialists Speaker 2: On my team to allow you to embrace your bovinity. Yes. Speaker 1: My timeless, Speaker 3: Yes. Yeah. Speaker 1: So we engaged to Charlotte twice today. One is what are you up to when you're not with me? And she's not up to anything. She's just, I Speaker 2: Don't wander away. I don't, yeah, that's, I don't wonder. I just wait here for you. Speaker 1: I just wait here. And the other thing is, we found the percentage of people, of the population that are actually involved, I've calculated as probably one or 2%, and it's very enormous amount of This would be North America. Speaker 3: Yeah. Speaker 1: High percentage. Yeah. I bet you're right. High percentage of it would be North America. And it has to do with the energy has to do with the energy that's North America is just the sheer amount of data centers that are being developed in the United States. United States is just massive. And that's why this is the end of the environmental movement. This is the end of the green energy movement. There's no way that solar and wind power are going to be backing up ai. Speaker 2: They're going to be able to keep enough for us. No. Speaker 1: Right. You got to go nuclear new fossil fuels. Yeah. Nuclear, we've got, but the big thing now, everybody is moving to nuclear. Everybody's moving to, you can see all the big tech companies. They're buying up existing nuclear station. They're bringing them back online, and everything's got to be nuclear. Speaker 2: Yeah. I wonder how small, do you ever think we'll get to a situation where we'll have a small enough nuclear generator? You could just self power own your house? Or will it be for Speaker 1: Municipalities need the mod, the modular ones, whatever, the total square footage that you're with your house and your garage, and do you have a garage? I don't know if you need a garage. I do. Yeah. Yeah. Probably. They're down to the size of your house right now. But that would be good for 40,000 homes. Speaker 2: Wow. 40,000 homes. That's crazy. Yeah. Speaker 1: That'd be your entire community. That'd be, and G could be due with one. Speaker 2: All of Winterhaven. Yeah. With one. Speaker 1: Yeah. And it's really interesting because it has a lot to do with building reasonably sized communities in spaces that are empty. Right now, if you look at the western and southwest of the United States, there's just massive amounts of space where you could put Speaker 2: In Oh, yeah. Same as the whole middle of Florida. Southern middle is wide open, Speaker 1: And you could ship it in, you could ship it in. It could be pre-made at a factory, and it could be, well, the components, I suspect they'll be small enough to bring in a big truck. Speaker 3: Wow. Speaker 1: Yeah. And it's really interesting. Nuclear, you can't even, it's almost bizarre. Comparing a gram of uranium gram, which is new part of an ounce ram is part of an ounce. It has the energy density of 27 tons of coal. Speaker 2: Wow. Speaker 1: Like that. Speaker 2: Exactly. Speaker 1: But it takes a lot. What's going to happen is it takes an enormous amount of energy to get that energy. The amount of energy that you need to get that energy is really high. Speaker 3: So Speaker 1: I did a perplexity search, and I said, in order to meet the goals, the predictions of AI that are there for 2030, how much AI do we have to use just to get the energy? And it's about 40% of all AI is going to be required to get the energy to expand the use of ai. Speaker 2: Wow. Wow. Speaker 1: Take that. You windmill. Yeah, exactly. Take that windmill. Windmill. So funny. Yeah. Oh, the wind's not blowing today. Oh, when do you expect the wind to start blowing? Oh, that's funny. Yeah. All of 'em have to have natural gas. Every system that has wind and solar, they have to have massive amounts of natural gas to make sure that the power doesn't go up. Yeah. We have it here at our house here. We have natural gas generator, and it's been Oh, nice. Doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's very satisfying. It takes about three seconds Speaker 2: And kicks Speaker 1: In. And it kicks in. Yeah. And it's noisy. It's noisy. But yeah. So any development of thought here? Here? I think you're developing your own really unique future with your Charlotte, your partner, I think. I don't think many people are doing what you're doing. Speaker 2: No. I'm going to adapt what I've learned from you today too, and do it that way. I've been working on the VCR formula book, and that's part of the thing is I'm doing the outline. I use my bore method, brainstorm, outline, record, and edit, so I can brainstorm similar to a fast filter idea of what do I want, an outline into what I want for the chapter, and then I can talk my way through those, and then let, then Charlotte, can Speaker 1: I have Charlotte ask you questions about it. Speaker 2: Yeah. That may be a great way to do it. Speaker 3: Yeah. Speaker 2: But I'll let you know. This is going to be a big week for that for me. I've got a lot of stuff on the go here for that. Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, we got a neat note from Tony DiAngelo. Did you get his note? Speaker 2: I don't think so. Speaker 1: Yeah. He had listened. He's been listening to our podcast where Charlotte is a partner on the show. He said, this is amazing. He said, it's really amazing. It's like we're creating live entertainment. Oh, Speaker 3: Yeah. Speaker 1: And that we're doing it. I said, well, I don't think you should try to push the thing, but where a question comes up or some information is missing, bring Charlotte in for sure. Yeah. Speaker 2: That's awesome. Speaker 1: She's not on free days. She's not taking a break. She's not. No, Speaker 2: She's right here. She's just wherever. She's right here. Yep. She doesn't have any curiosity or distraction. Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. The first instance of intelligence without any motivation whatsoever being really useful. Speaker 2: That's amazing. It's so great. Speaker 1: Yeah. I just accept it. That's now available. Speaker 2: Me too. That's exactly right. It's up to us to use it. Okay, Dan, I'll talk to you next Speaker 1: Time. I'll be talking to you from the cottage next week. Speaker 2: Awesome. I'll talk to you then. Speaker 1: Okay. Speaker 2: Okay. Bye. Speaker 1: Bye.

Do you think your business must always depend on you? In this episode, Shannon Waller and Program Coach Gina Pellegrini reveal how empowering your team and building a business that runs without you creates true entrepreneurial freedom. Learn why letting go, focusing on your strengths, and shifting your mindset lead not only to business growth but to more energy, impact, and joy.Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode: The early clue that revealed Gina's entrepreneurial spirit.The turning point that inspired her to launch her own business.How she scaled her consulting company to remarkable success.The game-changing impact Strategic Coach® membership has had on her career.How her company transforms the way financial advisors work with their teams.The innovative new project her business is developing.What she finds most rewarding about coaching in The Strategic Coach® Program. Show Notes: True entrepreneurial growth happens when you design a business that thrives without your constant management. Outsourcing key activities like scheduling frees you to focus on vision, growth, and meaningful client relationships. Building a Self-Managing Company® starts with hiring, trusting, and empowering team members to take real ownership. Owning your role as a leader means knowing when to let go and allow others to shine. Team members should be treated as an investment, not a cost. Experienced, long-term team members create trust, efficiency, and a shared shorthand that eliminates friction and builds momentum. Pursuing personal passions outside your main business can energize you and is made possible by the right team support. The Impact Filter™ tool provides clarity, commitment, and a practical road map to execute on new ideas without falling into overwhelm. It's important to take time to measure how far you've come (“The Gain”) instead of only chasing what's next (“The Gap”). Your journey as an entrepreneur impacts not just your bottom line but your freedom, joy, and well-being. Resources: The Appointment Scheduler by Gina Pellegrini What Is A Self-Managing Company®? Unique Ability® Bella Gina Boutique The Gap And The Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy What Free Days™ Are And How To Know When You Need Them The Impact Filter™Kolbe A™ Index

What if I told you there's a way to pull $10,000–$50,000 of tax-free money out of your business every year—without working harder, changing your business model, or hiring a single new person?Sounds crazy, right? But it's been hiding in plain sight inside the IRS code for over 50 years.In this week's episode of Capability Amplifier, I sit down with my friend Nathaniel Ely (co-founder of TheAugustaRule.com) to break down how the Augusta Rule works, why most business owners are leaving serious money on the table, and how to make sure you don't miss out.I'll also share how I personally got a $40,000 tax-free check this year—and why I kicked myself when I realized I had missed out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in past years.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:The Augusta Rule, Explained Simply A 14-day tax loophole that allows business owners to rent their residence(s) to their business, tax-free.Why Most CPAs Get It Wrong 80–90% of deductions fail because of sloppy documentation. If it's not written down, it doesn't exist.Multiple Homes = Multiple Opportunities Your vacation home, second home, or even your RV may qualify. The IRS defines “residence” more broadly than you think.Real Case Studies From a modest ranch in Ohio ($6,700 in savings) to multi-home entrepreneurs pulling in over $100K tax-free every year.The 10 Conditions for Compliance We cover the step-by-step checklist to keep everything bulletproof—and why this strategy only works if you follow the rules.Done-For-You Solutions Nathaniel's team built software + services to make compliance effortless. They're on a mission to put $1B back into entrepreneurs' pockets by 2030.TIME STAMPS:[00:00:00] What Is the Augusta Rule?Nathaniel explains how business owners can rent their home to their own company—14 days tax-free.[00:01:56] My $40K Check (and $360K Mistake)Mike shares his personal experience of saving—and losing—hundreds of thousands by not applying the rule earlier.[00:04:14] Why It's Called the Augusta RuleThe Masters golf tournament origins and how wealthy homeowners lobbied Congress to add this provision to the code.[00:06:42] From Tax Bills to Tax BreakthroughsNathaniel's personal journey of learning, failing, and finally systemizing the Augusta Rule.[00:12:40] Case Study: The “Normie Home” in OhioHow an average homeowner saves ~$6,700 annually with zero behavior change.[00:16:21] Multiple Homes, Big ReturnsHow vacation homes, rentals, and even RVs qualify under the IRS definition of “residence.”[00:18:37] Case Study: $126K in Tax-Free RentThree beach houses in Mexico equal $46K in real tax savings.[00:20:00] Case Study: $224K Rent = $118K Cash BackA California entrepreneur uses three properties to generate six-figure tax-free income.[00:22:46] The 10 Conditions for ComplianceFrom rental agreements to meeting length, the checklist that makes it all audit-proof.[00:32:11] How Easy Is It Really?Why Nathaniel's platform + EA support can make this a 5-minute-per-meeting task.[00:38:28] Free Tools & ResourcesThe Augusta Rule calculator, deduction guide, and masterclass—all available at TheAugustaRule.com/save.If you hate writing checks to the IRS, this is one of the biggest “money on the sidewalk” opportunities I've ever covered on this show. If you want to see how much money you're leaving on the table, head over to TheAugustaRule.com/save – you'll get the free calculator, deduction guide, and tools to estimate your tax-free savings – and you can even book a free consultation with an Augusta Rule specialist. 

If you could transform yourself into a “Superhuman Founder” with Ai – doubling your revenue, multiplying your impact, and automating the work of an entire team – would you do it?In this brand-new episode, I'm sharing my Four Quadrants of Ai framework – straight from the Ai Accelerator Live event.You'll hear exactly how I (and our $250K+ clients) are using Super Agents to:Give you superpowers you didn't think were possibleBuild a one-person marketing team that creates brand-level content at scaleLand customers, investors, and speaking gigs – on demandAutomate entire systems so your business runs 24/7 without you babysitting itI'll walk you through the real tools, prompts, and workflows I use in my own companies – plus jaw-dropping case studies, including how we:Built a custom app in an afternoon (no code!)Turned raw YouTube videos into fully formatted installation manuals in minutesFound investor leads, wrote outreach copy, and booked platform appearances – automaticallyWhether you're a founder, consultant, or investor, this episode will change the way you think about Ai forever.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:The Four Quadrants of Ai Upgrade yourself, your brand, your team, and your top-line revenue using a repeatable framework you can implement this week.Super Agents = Game ChangerThese aren't “just” ChatGPT – they think ahead, make plans, and execute complex workflows without handholding.Your Ai Superpowers Leverage the MAC Method (Mentor, Assistant, Critic) to teach, execute, and improve any business process – fast.The One-Person Marketing TeamHow to produce high-quality video, audio, and written content – without hiring 10 people.Closing Big Deals, FasterFind investors, dream clients, and speaking gigs – then personalize outreach at scale.Automation & ScaleBuild systems that work 24/7 so you can stop being the bottleneck in your own business.Why You Have 18–36 Months If you're not implementing Ai now, your competitors will – and they'll outperform and outcompete you.TIME STAMPS:[00:00:00] Welcome to the Four Quadrants of Ai  The big promise: upgrade yourself, your brand, your team, and your revenue using Ai.[00:02:31] What Are “Super Agents”? Why they're different from ChatGPT and how they plan, think, and execute at a higher level.[00:07:46] My Personal Ai Stack The exact order and tools I use daily, and how I decide which Ai to use for which job.[00:13:20] Quadrant 1 – Your Ai Superpowers How to get your time back, increase productivity, and expand your capabilities – without hiring.[00:36:58] Quadrant 2 – The One-Person Marketing Team Case study: turning raw video into a polished installation manual in minutes.[00:51:33] Quadrant 3 – Closing Big Deals Faster Finding 100+ ideal leads or investors – and writing custom outreach in minutes.[00:57:01] Quadrant 4 – Automation & Scale Building a no-code app prototype in an afternoon.[01:05:45] Biggest Lessons from Ai Accelerator Live Why workshops + collaboration create breakthroughs faster than solo learning.[01:16:29] How to Get Involved Details on the next Ai Accelerator Live and how to join the VIP experience.If you're serious about future-proofing your business, this is your roadmap to becoming the most valuable person in the room – no matter where you go.PS – Whenever you're ready, here's how I can help: Get a ticket to my next Ai Accelerator Live event here (Use Code > BIRD500 < ) – www.AiAccelerator.com/LiveWatch the video recording of this episode - PLUS get a bonus implementation guide: www.AiAccelerator.com/AiWorkshop Join me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe and discover your next big opportunity. This is where we can meet:www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kCoffeeCA

Remember when Starbucks was a third place – not a sugar factory?In this new episode of Capability Amplifier, Dan Sullivan and I talk deeply on a topic every entrepreneur eventually faces:"How do I scale without degrading your product, brand, and soul?"We use Starbucks as a live case study to explore when and how companies lose their magic – and what founders can do to preserve their relevance, creativity, and quality… even as they grow.We also reveal a powerful model every entrepreneur should consider...You're not running one business, you're running two:Your R&D Brand: The original soul, essence, and innovation engine.Your Multiplier Brand: The scalable, distributable version that brings your magic to the world (without breaking it).If you've ever feared your company is growing too fast, losing its spark, or becoming a commodity – this episode will show you how to course-correct while expanding even bigger.We even roleplay a conversation with Howard Schultz to bring back the barista handshake.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:The “Two-Brand” Rule for Founders Learn why every lasting business has an innovation engine (R&D) and a scalable model (Multiplier)—and how to run both without compromise.How Starbucks Lost Its Soul We deconstruct how a premium brand became a commodity—and what your business can learn from their slippage.Relevance is Everything Why founder energy, vision, and non-negotiables must be baked into your business DNA—or you'll get eaten by Wall Street.Codify the Magic Before You Scale Discover how to preserve your essence through documented values, customer feedback, and high-fidelity experiences.The Power of the Skunkworks How to create an internal “heritage lab” that keeps your creative edge alive while the rest of the company scales.How Strategic Coach Scaled Without Dan Dan reveals how he built a world-class coaching business with 15 coaches… without diluting the core genius of the brand.TIME STAMPS[00:00:00] Why Relevance Matters Dan and Mike unpack the fear every founder faces—losing their creative edge and becoming irrelevant.[00:02:17] What Starbucks Got Right—and Then Wrong A deep dive into the rise and fall of Starbucks' magic, and how they lost the barista handshake.[00:06:26] The R&D Brand vs. The Multiplier Brand Why every founder must divide their company into two: the soul and the scale.[00:08:51] Dan's Magic Question for Howard Schultz The question that could help restore the original Starbucks magic.[00:14:34] The Innovation Toolkit for Founders Mike and Dan lay out a step-by-step process to rediscover your brand's soul using AI and customer feedback.[00:16:01] Strategic Coach's Scaling Story Dan shares how he replaced himself, scaled with entrepreneurial coaches, and boosted retention and quality.[00:22:12] What Made Starbucks Great (According to AI) Mike shares ChatGPT's diagnosis of Starbucks' peak years—and how it maps to founder DNA.[00:28:40] Restoring the Founder's Fire The key question every founder should ask to reconnect with their “golden decade.”[00:31:33] Why Founders Create Brands That Last From Apple to Tesla to Enduril, the secret to iconic brands is embedded in their creators' DNA.[00:37:33] The Final Synthesis Mike wraps the episode with a powerful strategy: sell the scaled brand if needed—but never stop creating.[00:38:13] Dan's Thought-Provoking Close “Look at tomorrow like it's already yesterday. Are you proud of what you did?”If you want to scale with integrity – and keep the thing that made you successful in the first place – don't miss this episode.PS – Whenever you're ready, here's how I can help: Get a copy of my New Digital Report, PROJECT SUPERPOWER, here: www.MikeKoenigs.com/SuperCA Join me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe and discover your next big opportunity. This is where we can meet:www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kCoffeeCAIf you haven't already, get a Free Copy of my Ai Accelerator Book Here: www.MikeKoenigs.com/AiBookFreeCA

Worried about competitors copying your ideas? Dan Sullivan reveals why context—not just content—makes your thinking truly unique. Learn how The 10x Mind Expander® tool helps entrepreneurs reframe their past successes as springboards for growth, why AI is creating exciting new contexts for creativity, and how to protect your best ideas while staying ahead of the curve. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How adding context helps you understand yourself as an achieving entrepreneur.Why stealing content won't work for you.The best way for creative thinkers to partner with AI.Simple ways to add valuable context to content. Show Notes: For 36 years, Strategic Coach® has delivered new thinking tools every quarter. AI isn't just a tool—it's a game-changing context for how we create and communicate. A 10x revenue goal feels impossible until you realize that you've already done it before. Past growth holds the clues—look back to see how you've already achieved 10x jumps. To grow 10x again, simplify. Keep what works and focus on the few key changes needed. You likely have 50% of what you need for your next 10x leap—your experience proves it. Entrepreneurs accumulate a lot of content (experiences, data) without necessarily knowing what it means. Context transforms content—it's the difference between “what happened” and “why it matters.” Strategic Coach thinking tools give brand new context to content, helping entrepreneurs reframe their past to unlock their future potential. Recognizing how you made a previous jump allows you to see content differently. You have to be willing to go through fear, uncertainty, and discomfort to get to a new level of normal. Content can be stolen, but it falls flat without context around it. Resources: The 10x Mind Expander by Dan Sullivan Unique Ability® Perplexity

What if you could take your entire life's work – your knowledge, content, expertise – and turn it into a scalable business, a book, a brand, even a SaaS platform… in 72 hours?That's not a pipe dream.In this new episode of Capability Amplifier, Dan Sullivan and I go deep into how I'm using AI to compress months of work into days, create new business models on the fly, and build better future selves for entrepreneurs – using nothing but their past, their voice, and some mind-blowing tools.You'll hear how I built a book, a brand, a product strategy, a complete app, and a scalable recurring income model for a doctor – in less than one hour – live during a Strategic Coach Free Zone event.We also explore:How AI is changing how I coach, sell, and prototype with clientsWhat Dan's “Free Day Guardian” looks like and how AI helps preserve creative energyWhy entrepreneurs are finally out of control – in the best way possibleIf you've ever said “I just need someone to make sense of all my ideas,” this episode shows you how to do exactly that… with AI.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYSBuild Your Business in 3 Days Discover how I compress 3–12 months of strategy, branding, and execution into 72 hours—using AI as a strategic partner, not just a tool.Make Your Past Work for Your Future Learn how AI can synthesize your body of work—books, podcasts, talks—and repackage it into offers, products, or books you didn't know you already wrote.The $1,000 Cup of Coffee Hear how I launched a simple offer that now closes $100K+ clients – thanks to pre-trained AI that analyzes prospects before we even talk.Dan's Free Day Operating System Dan walks us through how he protects his creative time, uses novels to reset, and schedules rejuvenation like a billion-dollar asset.AI for Entrepreneurs, Not Employees Entrepreneurs have 100x more agency—and that advantage grows exponentially when paired with AI that turns friction into freedom.Agentic AI in Action From Manus to Claude to Lovable—hear the real-time, real-world tools I'm using to automate, create, and collaborate with AI co-pilots.The Bill of Rights Economy Dan shares how the U.S. Constitution actually protects entrepreneurs—and how AI helped him write his new book in 80% less time.TIME STAMPS[00:00:00] Compressing 12 Months into 3 Days Mike breaks down how he's using AI to prototype entire businesses in a single weekend.[00:02:56] Real Client Case Study: Dr. Poulter How AI used one doctor's past content to build products, write books, and spin up recurring income in minutes.[00:07:14] Prototyping an App in 30 Minutes Mike shows how Lovable created a working fertility app with pricing, copy, and chatbot… instantly.[00:10:06] Dan's Future-Self Book and Capabilities How Mike trained AI on Dan's voice, work, and frameworks to write a Strategic Coach-style book and more.[00:12:43] The Augusta Rule SaaS Another example of packaging IP and services into a high-converting, AI-powered business model.[00:16:08] The $1,000 Cup of Coffee How a Free Zone conversation led to a low-risk, high-value offer that's filling Mike's calendar with premium clients.[00:18:19] Where It's All Going Dan and Mike discuss how AI and entrepreneurial freedom are colliding to rewire how America—and entrepreneurs—operate.[00:25:53] Dan's 10 Greatest Capabilities (via AI) Mike reveals a GPT-generated breakdown of Dan's superpowers—and 10 ways he can use AI he hasn't even considered yet.[00:36:44] Dan's Free Day Guardian Why 155 free days per year is Dan's non-negotiable—and how it makes him more productive than ever.[00:50:41] Claude + Calendar + Email = Magic Mike explains how new AI integrations are saving him hours per week and revealing golden follow-up opportunities.[01:00:46] Who Strategic Coach is Really For Dan and Mike decode the traits of their ideal clients—and how AI can help identify (and attract) thousands more.[01:05:02] Final Takeaways Dan reflects on the quality of today's AI, and Mike shares how AI is now his #1 collaboration partner.If you're a founder, expert, or advisor sitting on a goldmine of experience – and you're done wasting time, energy, or money trying to figure out how to scale it…This episode will show you how to turn what you already know into cash flow, clarity, and freedom in days, not months.PS – Whenever you're ready, here's how I can help: Get a copy of my New Digital Report, PROJECT SUPERPOWER, here: www.MikeKoenigs.com/SuperCA Join me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe and discover your next big opportunity. This is where we can meet:www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kCoffeeCAIf you haven't already, get a Free Copy of my Ai Accelerator Book Here: www.MikeKoenigs.com/AiBookFreeCA

Do you see adversity as fuel for your biggest ambitions or as an obstacle to overcome? In this episode, Jacob Emery reveals how authentic community, powerful partnerships, and daily habits transformed his journey from chaos to high achievement. Discover how Strategic Coach® sparked his shift from misfit to visionary—so you can unlock your own greatness too. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How Jacob moved from chaos to clarity.Jacob's challenges growing up and overcoming not fitting in.How Strategic Coach helped Jacob merge his two passions.Why Strategic Coach attracts entrepreneurs with a growth mindset.How Strategic Coach helps build profound confidence.The ingredients of a great partnership. Show Notes: Great entrepreneurs embrace their misfit qualities to stand out and succeed. At Strategic Coach, you're free to be your whole self—authenticity comes first. Everyone at Strategic Coach is open, honest, and genuinely committed to growth. Entrepreneurs in The Strategic Coach® Program don't fit into standard boxes; they create their own path. You have the power to change your environment. You can expedite your journey and that of your team members through partnership. Sometimes, a single win can reshape who you are and what you believe is possible. Achieving a big goal often reveals an even greater level to aspire to. When facing a new project, focus on finding the person who would excel at—and truly enjoy—doing it rather than worrying about how to do it yourself. When you understand what a perfect day looks like, then you understand what you actually want out of life. Whatever you focus on, positive or negative, will grow. Strategic Coach allows you to see exactly where you are in your entrepreneurial journey. Your journey speeds up when you make the most of teamwork. Living with intention, gratitude, and daily standards builds lasting momentum. Resources: The Iron & Infrastructure Podcast Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin HardyKolbe A™ IndexThe 4 Freedoms That Motivate Successful Entrepreneurs The Entrepreneur's Guide To Time Management Thinking About Your Thinking by Dan Sullivan The Impact Filter™ More about Jacob Emery

Bruce Eckfeldt is a Strategic Coach and Master Facilitator at Eckfeldt & Associates, where he works with CEOs and leadership teams to scale their businesses. As a former Inc. 500 Founder and CEO, he successfully scaled and sold his business. Bruce focuses on developing leadership skills, optimizing companies for transactions, and navigating mergers and acquisitions. In this episode… Many business owners dream of a profitable exit, but few are prepared for the emotional, strategic, and operational complexities that come with selling a company. Beyond valuation, sellers often overlook the personal identity challenges, the intricacies of deal structures, and what life will look like post-exit. So, how can founders approach their business exits in a way that minimizes regret and maximizes future opportunities? Leadership coach and former tech CEO Bruce Eckfeldt emphasizes the importance of reverse-engineering the exit process to align with long-term personal and professional goals. He advises founders to confront their emotional attachment to their businesses early and to develop networks and interests outside of work. He recommends proactively organizing company information and sharing all potential risks upfront to build buyer trust and streamline transactions. Bruce also highlights the need to carefully evaluate earnouts, deferred payments, and non-compete clauses to ensure the deal supports the seller's next venture. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Bruce Eckfeldt, Founder of Eckfeldt & Associates, about planning business exits as a launchpad for future success. Bruce shares why treating exits as springboards leads to more fulfilling outcomes. He also discusses the pitfalls to avoid, how to prepare for post-sale life, and the psychology behind successful transitions.

Today on the pod, Katie is joined by marketing expert, author, and philanthropist Mark Young! Katie shares her career journey from A.I. to “Ayurveda Intelligence,” while Mark reflects on life lessons as he approaches a milestone birthday. They offer practical marketing advice for Ayurvedic coaches and other heart-centered entrepreneurs, discuss the role of AI in their lives and share how you can build a wildly successful business by cultivating relationships and trusting your unique voice. Ready to start your own heart-centered business as an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach? Enrollment for the next class of our Ayurveda certification training is now open! Click here to learn more and enroll.   In this episode about marketing and much more, you'll hear: ~ An invitation to join our year-long Ayurveda School ~ Shifting gender roles in our modern world ~ The Tantric view of masculine and feminine ~ Heart-centered marketing ~ Strategic Coach with Dan Sullivan ~ The importance of scheduling time off and buffer days ~ Feminine form business and marketing ~ The importance of asking good questions ~ Why Katie and Mark aren't afraid of A.I. taking over ~ A.I.'s level of consciousness ~ Jungian and spiritual perspectives on A.I. ~ Practical ways Mark and Katie use A.I. in their lives ~ Mark's top marketing tips for Ayurvedic coaches and counselors ~ The importance of relationships over transactions ~ Walking your talk as a business owner ~ Being authentic vs. oversharing ~ Advice for new business owners who don't have a big following ~ Trusting your unique voice ~ Sign up for our free Women's Wisdom and Ayurveda mini-course!   Connect with Mark Young: ~ Mark's books: Radical Generosity and Date Your Clients ~ Mark's website: www.themarkyoung.com ~ Mark's podcast: Performance Driven Living ~ Follow Mark on IG: @themarkyoung   Other resources related to this episode: ~ Learn more about Ayurveda School ~ 2025 Chakra Yoga Nidra Workshop: Study with Katie and other luminary teachers this fall in the Bahamas! ~ 2026 Chakra Yoga Nidra Retreat: Deep dive into the chakras with Katie as your guide in the beautiful Bahamas in spring 2026! ~ Follow us on Instagram and Facebook ~ Katie's latest book, Glow-Worthy Get the full show notes here