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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
Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters
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®
Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters
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
Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters
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.
In a world where uncertainty is the only constant, how do entrepreneurs stay confident, nimble, and ready for what's next? In our latest episode, Gary sits down with longtime friend and professional EOS Implementer Brett Thompson to explore exactly that. With experience in the corporate world, Strategic Coach, and now EOS, Brett shares how her passion for entrepreneurship and teamwork has shaped her journey - and how the Entrepreneurial Operating System helps businesses find structure, clarity, and traction in times of change.Together, Gary and Brett unpack the power of outside perspective, the importance of vulnerability in leadership, and why entrepreneurs are uniquely equipped to turn challenges into opportunities. From building resilient teams to navigating with courage before confidence, this conversation is a reminder that thriving in uncertainty isn't just possible, it's what entrepreneurs do best.
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.
Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters
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
Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters
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
Zach Oliva truly understands commitment and dedication to growing something you believe in. He practices active recommitting to stay on goal. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I'm Stephen's sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today's episode, a word from our sponsor, which is... Well, it's us, but we're highlighting ads we've written and produced for our clients. So here's one of those. [Oliva Gibbs Ad] Rick: Told you, Brian. Brian: Told me what? Rick: This is part two of last week's episode. Brian: Oh yeah. And it was getting good. Rick: If you missed it, go back and listen to part one first. Take it away, fellas. Stephen Semple: Hey, it's Stephen Semple here, and as the guys just alluded to, this is part two of an amazing podcast on Oliva Gibbs energy law. And not to give too much away, in case you don't want to go back and listen to the first episode, although I think you should. Oliva Gibbs basically in about a 15-year period of time, went from three lawyers to now there are six offices and 60 people. And in this podcast, we are going to go down some really interesting rabbit holes. This has turned out to be one of my favorite podcasts, and I know you're going to enjoy it. Zach Oliva: So I think probably for the five years before COVID, I would take these trips and it would be called a think week or weekend or whatever, and I would get a flip phone and I would go to a cabin in rural Texas. Stephen Semple: Well, you just dated yourself there. You got a flip phone. Zach Oliva: Yeah, I still have a flip phone. I have a flip phone. I use a flip phone every weekend. I've been using a flip phone every weekend for seven years. I would use my flip phone and I would go on these trips and I would take my dog and just hang out at this cabin. I would read a bunch of books about business strategy or investing or whatever, and I would think through issues. And I had really good ideas that would come up during those think weeks. And I think that where I failed in a lot of those was I would come back and I would try and implement those ideas completely on my own. And so I didn't know yet the importance of getting buy-in from the team and all that stuff. And so it caused actually a lot of frustration. The great thing about Strategic Coach is now I have think weeks all the time because I just have free days where I'm taking time off. But I still use a flip phone every weekend since probably the last six or seven years. It's amazing. Stephen Semple: So one of the things I wanted to ask you about, because it's really easy to say the whole thing of, "Okay, I'm going to go and I'm going to hire some professionals, I'm going to hire some experts, but not everybody has success doing that and for a bunch of reasons." And you've had great success doing it. So if you are going to give somebody advice saying, "Look, you're going to grow your business, go out and hire some experts that are great at helping grow the business." What advice would you have for folks in terms of, I guess, finding, selecting, and working with those professionals so that they have the type of success that you and Brad have had? Zach Oliva: I think where I've seen people fail and hiring things like advisors or coaches or things like that is they don't understand the nature of commitment. And so when a few years ago I worked with an awesome performance coach named Christopher Doris, and he coaches professional golfers, NFL players, entrepreneurs, stuff like that. And his big thing is what does all in look like here? And why would you do anything if you're not all in? And Stephen, do you know what the nature of commitment is? Stephen Semple: Well,
André, The Impulsive Thinker™, sits down with serial Entrepreneur Mike Koenigs to tackle a question so many ADHD Entrepreneurs face: what's next when your business just isn't lighting you up anymore? Mike shares his own raw experiences with losing identity after selling businesses and how to break free when you're stuck, bored, or feeling unseen. This episode dives into finding purpose after a business exit, the real risks of staying idle, and Mike's simple framework to figure out your next act. If you're ready to stop drifting and start designing what's next, this one's for you.
“You either grow within or you go without” TIME STAMP SUMMARY01:20 Taking responsibility for one's life and becoming the hero of their own story.05:10 The importance of standing for one's greatness and not clinging to limitations.08:05 Reframing beliefs with positive declarations and taking action to overcome setbacks and achieve greatness.13:00 Personal development and setting goals aligned with our desired identity.17:59 Using words that reflect our desired state and focusing on what we want to achieve. Dianna Kokoszka Top Five Tips For Becoming More1. Identify and Understand Your Current Story2. Define Your Desired Legacy3. Limiting Beliefs are the Invisible Chain Holding you Back from Reaching Your True Potential.4. Implement Strategic Steps for Transformation to a new story, the one you truly desire to live.5. The Words we Speak Help Predict Our Outcome and Our Future Where to find Dianna?Website https://dynamicgrowthcollective.com/community https://becomingmorebook.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannak/ Bio Dianna Kokoszka Dianna Kokoszka is an Entrepreneur, Keynote Speaker, Best Selling Author, Investor, and Mentor. She has established herself as a prominent figure in the business world, developing many leaders during her longevity. Recognized as one of the top 25 business coaches in the U.S. as well as Entrepreneur of the year 4 times and businesswoman of the year 3 times plus nominated as best business Podcast through Women in Podcasting is living proof, she loves to add value to people.Dedicating over 14 years as CEO of Keller Williams Realty International MAPS Coaching and Training, she played a pivotal role in propelling the company to becoming the largest and most profitable coaching enterprise in the real estate industry. Growing gross revenues from losing 1 million per year to over 500 Million dollars. In addition, she helped take the company to the number one training company in the world 5 years straight placing them in the Hall of Fame for Training by T125. She authored the program BOLD: Business Objective a Life by Design in 2009, when the economy and real estate industry were plummeting. Over 175,000 salespeople, mortgage lenders, and leaders attended stating the course saved their careers.Kokoszka is an NLP practitioner, certified John Maxwell Coach, certified E-Myth consultant, a member of Strategic Coach, a board member of John C. Maxwell Leadership Foundation, and owner of Dk Businesses, and Dynamic Growth Collective. Kokoszka has been mentored by Dr. John C. Maxwell for over 28 years and travels alongside John and his team to numerous countries, engaging directly with Presidents and Prime Ministers incorporating value-based training into their educational system. Kokoszka's bestselling book “Becoming More - You Can't Get to Better Until You Get to Different” gives the reader a model to train their brain to a new way of thinking, doing having and giving, taking them from the current story of their life to living a new story. A story of success in business, relationships, and life allowing them to leave a legacy they are proud of.
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.
What separates entrepreneurs who collapse under pressure from those who come back stronger? Sasha Tripp—a real estate entrepreneur who survived financial disaster, market crashes, and personal crises—shares how she transformed adversity into her greatest breakthrough. Discover the mindset shifts that helped her lead with resilience and rebuild her business, and how Strategic Coach® gave her the tools to turn chaos into clarity. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:What made Sasha realize that she had to either improve her skill set or get into sales.Why the sky's the limit in real estate if you have the right work ethic.Why Sasha thinks she might never be employable again.How Sasha's entrepreneurial path and her Strategic Coach journey have always overlapped.The hardest thing Sasha has ever had to go through. Show Notes: True entrepreneurship is tested in the valleys, not just the peaks. You can't tell if someone's a really great entrepreneur in the best of times because they have a lot of supports in place. The 4 C's Formula®—Commitment, Courage, Capability, and Confidence—is the foundation of overcoming any challenge. It requires courage and commitment to gain new capabilities and confidence. Confidence feels good. Courage feels lousy. If there are going to be problems in the marketplace, residential real estate is where it shows up first. When everything falls apart, your mindset determines whether you rebuild or retreat. Entrepreneurship isn't about avoiding risk; it's about managing fear while moving forward. Entrepreneurs have the freedom to pivot and change when it makes the most sense to do so. If you don't have the answer yet, it might be that you haven't thought of the right question. Strategic Coach isn't about tactics; it's about training yourself to ask better questions. Strategic Coach is a community of unbiased people you can talk to about your challenges. You can want what you want. You don't have to justify it. Your business should fit your life, not the other way around. The fastest way to grow isn't working harder, it's thinking differently. Resources: The 4 C's Formula by Dan Sullivan 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy The Gap And The Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy The Positive Focus®
Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters
Just because someone excels in their role doesn't mean they should interview new hires—especially if they're a salesperson. In this episode, Dan Sullivan and Shannon Waller reveal why great salespeople often make the worst hiring decisions, how to spot the right evaluators for your team, and the mindset shift that separates a persuasive seller from a discerning buyer. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:The role of a job seeker in an interview.The role that an interviewer should be playing.Why Dan isn't involved in the hiring process at Strategic Coach®.A secret ingredient in the Strategic Coach hiring process.The powerful question you should ask every prospective customer and team member. Show Notes: Salespeople shouldn't conduct interviews because they'll treat every interaction like a sale—focused on overcoming objections rather than evaluating fit. Great salespeople are wired to close deals, which means they'll prioritize getting a "yes" over finding the right candidate. A sales-driven interviewer risks hiring the wrong person simply because they couldn't resist "winning" the interaction. As the person doing the hiring, you're the buyer, not the seller. It's the job of the applicant to convince you they're the right fit. It's not the interviewer's job to get the applicant excited about the position. Your hiring team should be dispassionate evaluators—think poker players, not persuaders. The best hires are those who sell you on their ability to contribute to your company's future. Confidence in hiring comes from being decisive, not from convincing someone to join. Trust your instincts—if a candidate feels off early on, that feeling rarely improves over time. Resources: Unique Ability® Free Zone Frontier by Dan Sullivan How To Improve Business By Asking Good Questions Always Be The Buyer by Dan Sullivan Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn't Show On The Front Stage
What separates successful entrepreneurs from the rest? It's not just having answers—it's asking the right questions. Dan Sullivan reveals how Strategic Coach® was built on curiosity, resilience, and a relentless focus on the future. Discover why questions drive growth, how to avoid stagnation, and why your next decade could be your most ambitious yet. Show Notes: Most people aren't very good at asking themselves questions—but questions are exponentially more powerful than answers. Strategic Coach provides value, not by giving answers, but by asking the kinds of questions that transform people's thoughts and experiences into strategies for growth. You can only be truly useful to someone if you know what they're trying to achieve. In sales and in entrepreneurship, maybes are the enemy. Yeses move you forward, no's teach you, but maybes drain your energy and resources. The external approval you seek early in life shapes your identity, but lasting fulfillment comes from measuring your own growth and value. Resilience isn't about avoiding setbacks, but about bouncing back stronger. Teamwork and collaboration are the ultimate multipliers. Your ambition can keep expanding at every stage of life when you build with others. Resources: How To Sell Transformation Using This One Question My Plan For Living To 156 by Dan Sullivan First 100 Days The Positive Focus® Exercise Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff Learn more about Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®
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
What if working harder is exactly why your business feels stuck?This week, I'm sitting down with Michael Walsh — a 30-year veteran who's helped hundreds of founders scale service businesses past the invisible walls that trap 98% of owners below $5 million… and keep 99% from ever reaching $10–20 million.He calls them danger zones — predictable trapdoors that snare even the smartest owners. If you've ever wondered why more sales doesn't fix your profit problem… why great people leave… or why your “well-oiled machine” feels more like a mess of people problems — this is for you.Inside this episode, you'll learn exactly why traditional management and “systems thinking” break down — and how to design an intelligent ecosystem instead.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYSThe 96% Trap: Why 96% of businesses stall at $1M–$5M — and how to break through with a simple shift in how you see your people, not just your systems.The Hidden “Danger Zones”: How to recognize — and navigate — the invisible walls at $2M, $5M, $10M, and beyond… before they kill your momentum.The Well-Oiled Machine Lie: Why treating your company like a “machine” turns your people into cogs (and why it backfires).Build an Intelligent Ecosystem: How to create a culture where your best people stay, grow, and solve problems faster than you ever could alone.Freedom by Design: Michael's Freedom Framework for service businesses — the same approach that helped founders triple revenue, exit for millions, and actually enjoy running their business again.The First Step to Escape Burnout: How to know if you're in a danger zone right now — and the exact first step to get unstuck.TIME STAMPS[00:00:00] The Growth TrapWhy “just work harder” stops working — and what most owners get wrong about scaling.[00:03:05] Meet Michael Walsh30+ years, 3 bestselling books, and hundreds of companies rescued from invisible ceilings.[00:05:53] The Real People ProblemWhy process-based consulting fails — and what's really holding your team back.[00:09:54] Danger Zones DefinedThe predictable crisis points at $1M, $2M, $5M, $10M, and the chasm at $12–$20M.[00:13:06] The Compound ProblemHow people + structures multiply complexity — and the hidden cost of “near miss” hires.[00:19:00] Well-Oiled Machine vs. Intelligent EcosystemWhy the industrial model kills creativity — and what real knowledge work needs now.[00:27:04] The Four Human DriversSurvive, thrive, connect, adapt — how to design a business humans want to be part of.[00:38:37] The Freedom FrameworkMichael's process for tying growth and culture together — so people grow as the company grows.[00:46:14] How to Get UnstuckQuestions every founder should ask to know if they have the right people and leaders.[00:50:31] Your Next StepWhere to get Michael's book, start a conversation, and design your path to freedom. If you're ready to break through the “invisible ceiling” — without losing your freedom, your people, or your sanity — this episode is a must-listen. PS – When 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
In Episode 79 of Land to Lots™, Carter talks with Shannon Waller—author, speaker, podcast host, Team Success Coach, and Director at Strategic Coach—about the key ingredients of team success. In this episode, you'll learn: What team success really means The most challenging aspects of developing effective teams The concept of Unique Ability® and Unique Ability® teamwork Multiplication by Subtraction as a growth strategy What a Kolbe Score is—and how it can help you build a stronger team Show Notes Shannon Waller Contact Information: W – www.strategiccoach.com E – Shannon.Waller@strategiccoach.com Books: The Team Success Handbook Multiplication by Subtraction Unique Ability 2.0 Superpowered: The Secret That Helps Every Entrepreneur Eliminate the Suck, 10X Their Impact, and Have More Fun in Work and Life Podcasts: Shannon Waller's Team Success Inside Strategic Coach Plus: Whenever you're ready here are 4 ways Launch can help you with your project: Prepare a Special Tax District Bond Analysis for your Project – If you have a projects in AZ, CA, CO, ID, NC, NM, SC, TX, UT, WA contact Carter Froelich (ADD MY EMAIL LINK) and have Launch prepare an initial bond analysis for your project. Add Favorable Financing Language to Annexation and/or Development Agreements – Create certainty and flexibility related to your project's infrastructure financing by having Launch professionals prepare handcrafted favorable financing language for inclusion in your Annexation and/or Development Agreement. Perform The RED Analysis™ on your Project – We have developed a unique process at Launch called The RED Analysis™ in which we perform a diagnostic review of your project to determine possible ways to Reduce, Eliminate and Defer infrastructure construction costs in order to enhance project returns. Track Your Reimbursable Costs Utilizing The Launch Reimbursement System™ (“LRS”) – Never lose track of your district eligible reimbursable costs and have Launch manage your district's costs reimbursement tracking, preparation of electronic reimbursement submittal packages and processing of your reimbursement requests with the district, jurisdiction and/or agency. Complimentary Offers for Land to Lots™ ListenersComplimentary Land to Lots book: https://www.launch-mpc.com/offer Complimentary Bond Sizing Analysis: https://form.jotform.com/231376408765160 Get all the shownotes here Learn more about Launch Development Finance Advisors Connect with Carter Froelich Connect With Launch Development Finance Advisors Carter Froelich – 480-828-9555 / carter@launch-dfa.com Carter Froelich hosts the Land to Lots™ podcast powered by Launch Development Finance Advisors. Carter shares how he and his team help their clients finance infrastructure, reduce costs, and mitigate risks all with the goal of enhancing project profitability.
Are you feeling trapped by your role? Are you looking for more freedom? Shannon Waller asks, “What if you shift your perspective and adopt a partnership mindset?” Challenge the traditional hierarchical thinking that stifles collaboration and results. Instead, imagine an environment where you, and everyone around you, are liberated to contribute your Unique Ability® and show up as your most evolved self, regardless of status or title. Discover how this mindset fosters collaborative teamwork, amplifies contributions, and leads to results and growth, letting you to focus on creating immense value. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Ditch the hierarchy. Treat yourself and others as partners, not just bosses or subordinates, for true freedom and results. Role-based thinking hinders teamwork and collaboration. Bring your most evolved version of yourself to work. Instead of your authentic self, show your “front stage” best, even internally. Value people who are different from you; they can do what you can't. Alignment on core values keeps the focus on collaboration toward shared goals. Put your ego and authority aside. Partnership means implied equality – focusing on contributing resources, skills, and effort toward shared goals, and sharing risks and rewards. The marketplace only cares if you create value; it doesn't care about your status. Know yourself and your unique contributions. Focus on the situation and the other person, not just yourself, to be a great partner. Don't be trapped by your role or title, even if it's CEO. Redesign your job to match your unique contribution for greater impact and happiness. This partnership mindset allows you to work effectively with people at any status level. The goal is to give people freedom to do what they're best at, play full out, speak up, and contribute fully. Dan Sullivan's solution when team members struggle is to bring in another “Who” that can do that piece of the work effortlessly. The Strategic Coach® core values, or P.A.G.E., are: positive and collaborative teamwork being alert, curious, responsive, and resourceful focusing on growth and results providing an excellent first-class experience for clients Resources: Cy Wakeman's books No Ego: How Leaders Can Cut the Cost of Workplace Drama, End Entitlement, and Drive Big Results The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace: Know What Boosts Your Value, Kills Your Chances, and Will Make You Happier Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, and Turn Excuses into Results Ego, Authority, Failure by Derek Gaunt Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Kolbe CliftonStrengths® PRINT®
What if you could clone your best team member... without ever hiring a new one?This is Part 2 of my live talk at the “Your Best Life” event in Las Vegas — and if you liked Part 1, buckle up.In this episode, I show you exactly how I'm using Ai to automate hiring, build new brands, write entire books, and even create full-blown software platforms in a single weekend.(Yes, really.)You'll hear how I replaced an outgoing integrator in 24 hours with a unicorn hire… then hired her #2 the very next day — using nothing but a ChatGPT prompt and my network.And I'll walk you through the four-part system I'm using to:Build productsWrite booksAutomate contentScale high-ticket offers……with fewer people, more profit, and less BS.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYSThe Ai-Enhanced Hiring Hack Discover how I used ChatGPT to write a “unicorn” job ad in my own voice — and filled a mission-critical integrator role in less than 24 hours (plus her #2 the day after that).Shake-the-Trees Campaigns & High-Ticket Upsells Find out how I help businesses instantly generate high-value offers from their existing clients — including one health biz that went from $2K/year clients to $30K+ in days.Ai-First Content Workflows I show you how to build 10-slide social posts, dynamic presentations, entire books, and even functional software from a single blob of input.NotebookLM: Your Ai Brain-in-a-Box Train your own private AI with your content, and generate summaries, prep docs, legal training, customer research, or even synthetic podcast episodes in minutes.The $1K Cup of Coffee Funnel (Revealed) I break down the full-funnel that turns $1,000 consults into $100K+ clients. (It's not theory. It's working right now.)Synthetic Everything — And What It Means for You From podcast hosts to interactive demos and training tools, AI is cloning creators and coders faster than we can keep up. I'll show you how to ride the wave before it crashes over you.TIME STAMPS[00:00:00] Opening Shares from the RoomBreakthroughs from Part 1 – plus how attendees are already using the tools to build faster and smarter.[00:03:00] Ai for Personal Development, Hiring, and “Leverage Me”How one prompt wrote my integrator job ad, attracted a unicorn hire, and ensured I'll never get caught unprepared again.[00:06:56] Genspark Demo – Instant Content for Any BusinessFrom websites to social carousels and presentations – see how I create client-ready content in real time.[00:11:18] Shake-the-Trees Campaigns & High-Ticket UpsellsThe “Category of One” positioning and ICP framework that helps any business go from $2K to $30K offers with their best existing clients.[00:12:47] Training Your Own Ai with NotebookLMThe step-by-step on building your private Ai assistant – trained on your best sales calls, assets, docs, or books.[00:15:59] Real-Time Summaries and PodcastsHow to prep for meetings, summarize deals, and create conversational synthetic podcasts that talk back to you.[00:19:06] Ethics, Accuracy, and The Speed of TrustSynthetic content vs. real trust – why the winner is whoever builds the fastest connection with the most people.[00:25:42] Ai-Powered Book & Software CreationThe prompt that turned Dr. Steven Poulter's content into a bestselling book AND a prototype software app in under a day.[00:33:25] Building Funnels, Products, and Reports with AiThe full breakdown of my “$1K Cup of Coffee” campaign – including how I use Ai to create 80-page prep dossiers on every lead.[00:52:58] Personality Profiles, Future Visioning & ICPHow we predict ideal outcomes, create client readiness tools, and build conversion funnels with zero homework.[01:02:01] The Ai Accelerator OfferA limited-time package to train your team, build your funnels, and spend time with me solving your biggest business challenges.[01:07:20] Closing ThoughtsFinal call for action. Offers. Open Q&A. The moment that tied it all together.If you're serious about scaling smarter — with fewer people, more automation, and higher profits — you need to hear this.PS – When you're ready, here's how I can help: Get a copy of my New Digital Report, PROJECT SUPERPOWER, here: https://www.SuperpowerAccelerator.com/SuperJoin me for a Cup of Coffee at my Digital Cafe and discover your next big opportunity. This is where we can meet:https://www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kcoffeeSpend a day with me reinventing yourself and experiencing a massive personal and professional breakthrough. Watch this.
What if you could 10x your business output, without hiring a single new team member?In this special episode, I'm sharing a talk I did for the “Your Best Live” community in Las Vegas last month. You'll hear me break down exactly how to make more money, with fewer people – using the most powerful Ai tools available right now.I walk through the real tools, workflows, prompts, and systems I'm using to build brands, automate sales, and compress time for my clients (and my own companies) – without needing a team of 20 to pull it off.Whether you're a founder, operator, consultant, or investor, this episode will open your eyes to what's possible when you treat Ai not as a toy—but as a full-time team member.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYSThe "More Money, Fewer People" FrameworkDiscover how to 10X productivity and output while cutting costs, complexity, and headcount.Ai Tools I Actually Use Every DayGet the exact stack of apps and systems I rely on to write, research, build presentations, automate email, close sales—and run a full business as a one-person marketing team.Agentic AI: The Next EvolutionLearn how multi-agent workflows are changing the game and allowing entrepreneurs to "run ops" without operations people.Real Business ExamplesHear how I used AI to help clients like Nathaniel Ely launch a $1B tax-saving offer, or how I spun up full campaigns, books, funnels, and brand systems in days—not weeks or months.The Death of the Traditional TeamWhy bloated teams are a liability in the AI age—and what lean, agile operators are doing differently to win big.Compression = AccelerationMy system for compressing 6 months of work into a weekend—and how you can apply it, even if you're not “technical.”TIME STAMPS[00:00:00] Introduction Live from Las Vegas—Mike lays the foundation for how AI is changing business forever.[00:03:22] Why “More Money, Fewer People” is the New Model How AI is replacing the need for complex org charts—and what comes next.[00:06:11] The Tools I Use Every Day My personal AI stack for writing, research, outreach, and automation.[00:08:40] Multi-Agent Workflows and Agentic AI The next big leap in AI productivity—and how to set it up right now.[00:11:18] From Idea to Execution in 3 Days How we launched a full brand, books, marketing, and funnels in one weekend using AI.[00:15:30] Why You Must Lead By Example The #1 thing founders and leaders need to understand about getting their teams to use Ai.[00:18:42] The Real Threat of Not Adapting Why sticking with outdated models will kill your momentum (and how to future-proof your business now).If you're even slightly curious about how to use Ai to streamline your operations, grow faster, and do more with less—you don't want to miss this episode.Additional ResourcesGo get a copy of my NEW Digital Report, PROJECT SUPERPOWER, visit: https://www.SuperpowerAccelerator.com/SuperTo book a $1k Cup of Coffee with me, go here: https://www.MikeKoenigs.com/1kcoffee
What does true wealth look like beyond bank accounts and net worth? Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff explore generational wealth, the pitfalls of financial success without purpose, and why relationships, time freedom, and fulfillment matter more than money. Learn how entrepreneurs can build lasting value—without losing themselves in the process. Show Notes: Wealth isn't just net worth—it's the freedom to focus on what matters most, without financial constraints. An entrepreneur can pass on the results of their talent, but they can't pass on their talent itself. The wealthiest 20% rarely stay in that bracket for long. True sustainability requires reinvention, not just inheritance. The distance between "rich" and "poor" isn't a gap—it's a ladder with multiple rungs, and movement happens in both directions. Taxes don't just redistribute wealth; they reveal how fragile financial success can be without strategy. Generational wealth often persists due to lawyers and accountants, not the achievements of descendants. Once you've maxed out what your efforts can bring you, you have to multiply your income by working less. It might seem counterintuitive, but you can spend your time doing only what you love doing and find people who love doing the rest. True confidence in business comes from pricing boldly—charge what scares you, plus 20%—and eliminating "maybes." Wealth without relationships, purpose, or peace is poverty in disguise Resources: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel You Are Not A Computer by Dan Sullivan Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®
Coach Mike and Coach Chris sit down with Eric Herrera from the Kolbe Corporation. They explore the transformative power of Kolbe assessments in understanding your natural strengths and how these insights can lead to a life of multidimensional success, both personally and professionally. Learn how Kolbe Assessments can skyrocket your achievements, both personally and professionally. Key Discussion Points: Coach Chris's Kolbe Journey: Chris shares his early experience with Kolbe through Strategic Coach, highlighting a personal anecdote where the assessment accurately described his aversion to long meetings in confined spaces, leading to an immediate change in his work habits. He emphasizes the tool's accuracy and his decision to become a certified Kolbe consultant. What is Kolbe? Eric Herrera defines Kolbe's mission: to help individuals achieve their goals by identifying their natural modes of action and problem-solving. He explains that Kolbe assesses how people "get things done" through four distinct modes: Kolbe in Action (Personal & Professional): Personal Application: Kolbe applies to all aspects of life, from communicating with a spouse to optimizing personal learning styles. Team Building & Communication: Coach Chris emphasizes Kolbe's value in building effective teams by identifying complementary strengths. He shares how knowing a team member's Kolbe scores improves communication and understanding of their processing styles, reducing friction and increasing efficiency. "Leaning into Your Gifts": Eric clarifies that Kolbe isn't about avoiding tasks you're "bad" at, but finding your unique way to accomplish them. He provides examples of "hacks" for individuals to work within their natural strengths while still fulfilling necessary responsibilities.
What if taking more time off could actually grow your business? Todd Ellis, a financial advisor and Strategic Coach® veteran, shares how a 15-day sailing voyage—completely unplugged—taught him the power of taking time off. Discover why stepping away to develop new skills builds confidence, strengthens your team, and fuels unexpected growth. The secret? A Self-Managing Company® that thrives when you disconnect. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How Todd discovered his passion for financial services—and why helping people drives his business.The surprising ways Todd's company creates real impact for clients and team members.Why taking true time off accelerates success.The importance of making sure you have the capacity to handle a situation (before you're in it).How Strategic Coach helps entrepreneurs and their companies grow. Show Notes: The more free time you take, the more your income will grow. Taking free time flies in the face of workaholic culture, where burnout is worn as a badge of honor. Gaining a new capability gives you a new sense of confidence. To take time off, you must have a company that can develop and grow while you're away. Once you have your own company, you get to decide how you're going to serve the public. Many people measure their success by how many clients they have, but having fewer clients allows you to really invest in yourself. Taking a break from technology allows you to be with your own thoughts and experience what's around you. A Free Day™ is a 24-hour period that's uninterrupted by any work-related activities. When you step inside Strategic Coach, you get to be surrounded by like-minded entrepreneurs who are eager to support your growth. Entrepreneurs share common issues, but every entrepreneur is unique. Resources:How Free Days Keep You On Your Side Of “The Line” What Is A Self-Managing Company®? Unique Ability®
What if the secret to building a vibrant culture starts with redesigning your own life? In this episode of the Build a Vibrant Culture host Nicole Greer sits down with visionary Ryan Rigterink, author of Redesign Life, to explore how purpose, passion, and personal transformation can shape both individual lives and organizational culture. A tech entrepreneur and thought leader in human-centered AI, Ryan shares the powerful framework behind his Redesign Life process and how leaders can tap into their people's potential through reflection, alignment, and intention.Together, Nicole and Ryan unpack the six core habits for redesigning life, discuss how talent ecosystems and AI are reshaping leadership, and offer actionable strategies for helping people move from burnout to brilliance. Whether you're leading a team or redefining your personal mission, this episode is full of inspiring insights and practical takeaways to help you ignite purpose and lead with clarity.Highlights from this episode:[04:49] – From Toxic to Thriving: Ryan's journey through burnout, reinvention, and purpose management.[10:55] – Superhero vs. Zombie Mindset: How imagination and choice impact our life path.[15:00] – The Six-Step Framework: Prepare, Discover, Understand, Fit, Focus, Balance.[22:22] – Turn to Wonder: Cultivating curiosity as a leadership and life skill.[46:59] – Passion Is Strategy: Why igniting passion is the most underutilized success tactic in organizations.Ryan's book: Redesign Life by Ryan Rigterink: https://a.co/d/5lFryDQAlso mentioned in this episode:The Path by Laurie Beth Jones: https://a.co/d/3veka2OThe Ultimate Secret to Getting Absolutely Everything You Want by Mike Hernacki: https://a.co/d/imOE4VNUnique Ability 2.0 by Strategic Coach (created by Dan Sullivan): https://a.co/d/3q6YvT5Good to Great by Jim Collins: https://a.co/d/1nUqFpIBooks by Howard Thurman: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Howard-Thurman/author/B000APVW8Y?ref=ap_rdr&a…Darryl Bellamy's website: https://fearlessinside.com/The Fearless Revolution by Sandy Gledhill: https://a.co/d/bx54yliConnect with Ryan:Website: https://www.leadersops.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rigterink-1596107/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryan.rigterinkListen today at www.vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast platform!Learn more about Nicole Greer, the Vibrant Coach: https://www.vibrantculture.com/
In this episode of Welcome to Cloudlandia, we kick off by reflecting on a recent trip to the UK, where London's unexpected warmth mirrored the friendliness of its black cab drivers. Our visit coincided with the successful launch of the 10 Times program in Mayfair, which attracted participants from various countries, adding a rich diversity to the event. Next, we delve into the advancements in AI technology, particularly those related to Google Flow. We discuss how this technology is democratizing creative tools, making it easier to create films and lifelike interactions. This sparks a conversation about the broader implications of AI, including its potential to transform industries like real estate through AI-driven personas and tools that enhance market operations. We then shift our focus to the political arena, where we explore the Democratic Party's attempt to create their own media influencers to match figures like Joe Rogan. The discussion centers on the challenges of capturing consumer attention in a world overflowing with digital content, and the need for meaningful messaging that resonates with everyday life. Finally, we touch on aging, longevity, and productivity. We emphasize the importance of staying engaged and productive as we age, inspired by remarkable individuals achieving significant milestones beyond 60. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS In our recent trip to the UK, we experienced the unexpected warmth of London and engaged with the local culture, which included charming interactions with black cab drivers. This atmosphere set the tone for a successful event launch in Mayfair with global participants. We discussed the sparse historical records left by past civilizations, such as the Vikings, and how this impacts our understanding of history, drawing a parallel to the rich experiences of our recent travels. AI advancements, particularly Google Flow, are revolutionizing the creative landscape by democratizing filmmaking tools, allowing for lifelike scenes and interactions to be created easily and affordably. The potential of AI in the real estate market was explored, using the example of Lily Madden, an AI-driven persona in Portugal, which highlights the challenge of consumer attention in an ever-saturated digital content environment. We analyzed the Democratic Party's approach to media influencers in the 2024 election, noting the need for genuine engagement with voters' lives amidst fierce competition for attention in today's media landscape. The discussion shifted to aging and longevity, focusing on productivity and engagement in later years. We emphasized the importance of remaining active and contributing meaningfully past the age of 60. We wrapped up the episode with excitement about future projects, including a new workshop and book, highlighting our commitment to staying creatively engaged and inviting listeners to join us in future discussions. Links: WelcomeToCloudlandia.com StrategicCoach.com DeanJackson.com ListingAgentLifestyle.com TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dean: Mr sullivan it has to be recorded because it's uh historic thinking it's historic thinking in a historic time things cannot be historic if they're not recorded, that is true, it's like if, uh, yeah, if a tree falls in the forest yeah, it's a real. Dan: It's a real problem with what happened here in the Americas, because the people who were here over thousands of years didn't have recordings. Dean: They didn't write it down. They didn't write it down. Dan: No recordings, I mean they chipped things. Dean: They didn't write it down. Dan: They didn't write it down no recordings, no recordings. Yeah, I mean, they chip things into rock, but it's, you know, it's not a great process really. Dean: I think that's funny, you know, because that's always been the joke that Christopher Columbus, you know, discovered America in 1492. But meanwhile they've been here. There have been people, the sneaky Vikings, and stuff. How do you explain that in the Spaniards? Dan: Yep. Dean: Yeah. Dan: Yeah Well, writing. You know, writing was an important thing. Dean: Yeah, yeah. Dan: We don't know much. We don't, yeah, we really don't know much about the Vikings either, because they didn't they weren't all that great at taking notes. I mean, all the Vikings put together don't equal your journals. Dean: That's true. All the Viking lore's the not what's happening. So it's been a few weeks yeah I was in the uk, we were in the uk for a couple weekends for uh-huh okay, it was great, wonderful weather, I mean we had the very unusual. Dan: It was great, wonderful weather. Dean: I mean we had the very unusual weather for May. It was, you know, unseasonably warm 75, 80, nice bright oh my goodness. Dan: Yeah, really terrific. And boy is the city packed. London is just packed. Dean: And getting packed dirt, huh. Dan: Yeah, yeah, just so many people on the street. Dean: I always, I always laugh, because one time I was there in June which is typically when I go, and it was. It was very funny because I'd gotten a black cab and just making conversation with the driver and he said so how long are you here? And I said I'm here for a week. He said, oh, for the whole summer, because it was beautifully warm here for the whole summer. Yeah, that's so funny, I hear hear it's not quite. Dan: They're fun to talk to. Dean: Oh man for sure. Dan: Yeah, they know so much. Dean: Yes, I hear Toronto. Not quite that warm yet, but get in there I think today is predicted to be the crossover day we had just a miserable week. Dan: It was nonstop rain for five days. Oh my goodness, Not huge downpour, but just continual, you know, just continual raining. Dean: But it speeded up the greening process because I used to have the impression that there was a day in late May, maybe today like the 25th, when between last evening and this morning, the city workers would put all the leaves on the trees like yesterday there were no leaves, and but actually there were. Dan: We're very green right now because of all the rain. Dean: Oh, that's great yeah. Two weeks I'll be there in. I arrived 17th. Dan: Yeah, yeah, I'm trying to think of the date I'm actually arriving. Dean: I'm arriving on the 6th A strategic coach, you're going to be here, yeah we're doing on Tuesday. This month is Strategic Coach. Dan: Yeah, because of fathers. Dean: Right, right, right right, so we're doing. Yeah, so that Tuesday, that's exciting. Dan: Tuesday, Wednesday, Of course, our week is 19th, 18th, I think it's the 17th 17th is the workshop day and we have a garden party the night before and the day I know we have two parties. Dean: Yeah, I love I can't go wrong yeah and hopefully we'll have our table 10 on the. Uh well, we'll do it at the one, we'll do it at the one, that's great. You've been introduced to the lobster spoons. I hear. Dan: It's been good, that's a great little spot. I didn't overdo it, but I did have my two. I had two lobster spoons Okay, they're perfect. Dean: I took one of my teams there about uh, six weeks ago, and we, everybody got two we got two lobster spoons and it was good, yeah, but the food was great service with service was great. Dan: Yeah, yeah, yeah all right. Dean: Well then, we got something I'm excited about. That's great. So any, uh, anything notable from your trip across the pond no, uh, we um jump things up um. Dan: Last October we introduced the 10 times program in London so uh 25 to 30. I think we have 25 to 30 now and uh, so when I was there um last two weeks, it'll be, um, um two weeks or last week no, it was last week. Um, I'm just trying to get my, I'm just trying to get my bearings straight here. When did I get home? I think I got home just this past Tuesday. Dean: This past Tuesday. Dan: So it would have been the previous Thursday. I had a morning session and afternoon session, and in the morning it was just for 10 times and in the afternoon it was just for 10 times and in the afternoon it was for everybody. So we had about 30 in the morning and we had about 120 in the afternoon. Dean: Oh, very nice yeah. Dan: And you know a lot of different places. We had Finland, estonia, romania, dubai, South Africa quite a mix. Quite a mix of people from. You know all sorts of places and you know great getting together great. You know couple of tools. You know fairly new tools A couple of tools, you know fairly new tools and you know good food good hotel, it's the Barclay, which is in. Mayfair. Okay, and it's a nice hotel, very nice hotel. This is the third year in a row that we've been there and you know we sort of stretched their capacity. Dean: 120 is about the upper limit and what they've been to the the new four seasons at uh, trinity square, at tower bridge. It's beautiful, really, really nice, like one of my favorites no, because the building is iconic. I mean Just because the building is iconic. I mean that's one of the great things about the. Dan: Four Seasons. Dean: Yeah, and about London in specific, but I mean that. Four Seasons at. Dan: Trinity it's beautiful, stunning, love it. Yeah, we had an enjoyable play going week um we did four, four, four musicals, actually four, four different. Uh, musicals we were there one not good at all probably one of the worst musicals I've seen um and uh, but the other three really terrific. And boy, the talent in that city is great. You know just sheer talent. Dean: What's the latest on your Personality? Yeah, personality. Dan: Yeah, the problem is that London's a hot spot right now and there's a queue for people who want to have plays there. Oh okay, Actually they have more theaters than Broadway does Is that right On the West End yeah, west End, but they're all lined up. Problem is it's not a problem, it's just a reality is that you have some plays that go for a decade. You know, like Les Mis has been in the same theater now for 20 years. So there's these perennials that just never move. And then there's hot competition for the other theaters, you know I wonder is Hamilton? Dean: there, I don't think so, I just wonder about that actually, whether it was a big hit in the UK or whether it's too close. Dan: Yeah, I'm not entirely sure why it was a great play in the United States. I went to see it, you know. I mean it bears no historical similarity to what the person actually was. Dean: No. Dan: So you know, I mean, if people are getting their history from going to that play, they don't have much history. Dean: That's funny, yeah, and I'm not a rap. Dan: I'm not a fan of rap, so it's not the oh God. I'm not the target, definitely not the target audience for that particular play. But we saw a really terrific one and. I have to say, in my entire lifetime this may have been one of the best presentations, all told. You know talent, plot, everything. It's cook. It's the curious case of Benjamin Button button, which is okay. Yeah, I've seen the movie which you. You probably saw the movie. Dean: I did. Dan: Yeah, and this is Fitzgerald. It's Fitzgerald. Dean: Yes. Dan: And it is just a remarkable, remarkable presentation. They have about, I would say, 15 actors and they're literally on stage for the entire two and a half hours. And they are literally on stage for the entire two and a half hours and they are the music. So every actor can sing, every actor can dance and every actor can play at least one musical instrument. And they have 30 original songs and then you know the plot. And they pull off the plot quite convincingly with the same actors, starting off at age 70, and he more or less ends up at around age 25, and then they very ingeniously tell the rest of the story. And very gripping, very gripping very moving and very gripping, very gripping very moving, beautiful voices done in. Sort of the style of music is sort of Irish. You know it takes place in Cornwall, which is very close to you know, just across the Irish Sea from Ireland. So it's that kind of music. It's sort of Irish folk music and you know it's sort of violins and flutes and guitars and that sort of thing, but just a beautifully, beautifully done presentation. On its way to New York, I suspect, so you might get a chance to see it there. Dean: Oh wow, that's where it originated, in London. Dan: No, yeah, it's just been. It was voted the number one new musical in London for this year, for 2025. Yeah, but I didn't know what to expect, you know, and I hadn't seen the movie, I knew the plot, I knew somebody's born, old and gets younger. Yeah, just incredibly done. And then there's another one, not quite so gripping. It's called Operation Mincemeat. Do you know the story? Dean: No, I do not. Dan: Yeah, it's a true story, has to do with the Second World War and it's one of those devious plots that the British put together during the Second World War, where to this was probably 1940, 42, 43, when the British had largely defeated the Germans in North Africa, the next step was for them to come across the Mediterranean and invade Europe, the British and Americans. And the question was was it going to be Sicily or was it going to be the island of Sardinia? And so, through a very clever play of Sardinia, and so, through a very clever play, a deception, the British more or less convinced the Germans that it was going to be Sardinia, when in fact it was going to be Sicily. And the way they did this is they got a dead body, a corpse, and dressed him off in a submarine off the coast of spain. The body, floated to shore, was picked up by the spanish police, who were in cahoots, more or less, with the germans, and they gave it to the germans. And the Germans examined everything and sent the message to Berlin, to Hitler, that the invasion was gonna be in Sardinia, and they moved their troops to Sardinia to block it. and the invasion of Sicily was very fast and very successful, but an interesting story. But it's done as a musical with five actors playing 85 different parts. Oh my yeah. Dean: Wow, 85 parts. Dan: Yeah. Dean: It sounds like. Dan: I thought, you were describing Weekend at Bernie's Could be. Dean: Could be if I had seen it If I had seen it. It was funny? Dan: Yeah, it's kind of like Weekend at Bernie's right, right, right, I don't know. I don't know what I'm talking about, but I know you are. And three of them were women who took a lot of male parts, but very, very good comic comic actors, and three of them were women who took a lot of male parts, but very, very good comic actors. It's done in sort of a musical comedy, which is interesting given the subject matter. And then I saw a re-revival of the play Oliver about Oliver Twist, a re-revival of the play Oliver about Oliver Twist and just a sumptuous big musical. Big, you know, big stage, big cast, big music, everything like you know Dickens was a good writer. Dean: Yes, um, dan, have you? Dan? Did you see or hear anything about the new Google Flow release that just came out two or three days ago? I have not. I've been amazed at how fast people adopt these things and how clearly this is going to unlock a new level of advancement in AI. Here thing kind of reminded me of how Steve Jobs used to do the product announcement. You know presentations where you'd be on stage of the big screen and then the. It was such an iconic thing when he released the iPhone into the world and you look back now at what a historically pivotal moment that was. And now you look at what just happened with flow from a prompt. So you say what you describe, what the scene is, and it makes it with what looked like real people having real dialogue, real interactions. And so there's examples of people at a car show talking like being interviewed about their thoughts about the new cars and the whole background. Dan, all the cars are there in the conference. You know the big conference setting with people milling around the background noises of being at a car show. The guy with the microphone interviewing people about their thoughts about the new car, interviewing people about their thoughts about the new car. There's other examples of, you know, college kids out on spring break, you know, talking to doing man-on-the-street interviews with other college kids. Or there's a stand-up comedian doing a stand-up routine in what looks like a comedy club. And I mean these things, dan, you would have no idea that these are not real humans and it's just like the convergence of all of those things like that have been slowly getting better and better in terms of like picture, um, you know, pick, image creation and sound, uh, syncing and all of that things and movies, getting it all together, uh, into one thing. And there, within 48 hours of it being released, someone had released a short feature, a short film, 13 minutes, about the moment that they flipped the switch on color television, and it was like I forget who the, the two, uh in the historic footage, who the people were where they pushed the button and then all of a sudden it switched to color, um broadcasting. But the premise of the story is that they pushed the button and everything turned to color, except the second guy in the thing. He was like it didn't turn him to color and it was. He became worldwide known as the colorless man and the whole story would just unfolded as kind of like a mini documentary and the whole thing was created by one guy, uh in since it was released and it cost about 600 in tokens to create the the whole thing and they were uh in the comments and uh, things are the the description like to create that, whatever that was, would have cost between three to $500,000 to create in tradition, using traditional filmmaking. It would have cost three to 500,000 to create that filmmaking it would have cost three to 500,000 to create that. And you just realize now, dan, that the words like the, the, the um, creativity now is real, like the capability, is what Peter Diamandis would call democratized right. It's democratized, it's at the final pinnacle of it, and you can only imagine what that's going to be like in a year from now, or two years from now, with refinement and all of this stuff. And so I just start to see now how this the generative creative AI I see almost you know two paths on it is the generative creative side of it, the research and compilation or assimilation of information side of AI. And then what people are talking about what we're hearing now is kind of agentic AI, where it's like the agents, where where AIs will do things for you right, like you can train an AI to do a particular job, and you just realize we are really like on the cusp of something I mean like we've never seen. I mean like we've never seen. I just think that's a very interesting it's a very interesting thought right now, you know, of just seeing what is going to be the. You know the vision applied to that capability. You know what is going to be the big unlock for that, and I think that people I can see it already that a lot of people are definitely going down the how path with AI stuff, of learning how to do it. How do I prompt, how do I use these tools, how do I do this, and I've already I've firmly made a decision to I'm not going to spend a minute on learning how to do those things. I think it's going to be much more useful to take a step back and think about what could these be used for. You know what's the best, what's the best way to apply this capability, because there's going to be, you know, there's going to be a lot of people who know how to use these tools, and I really like your idea of keeping Well, what would you use it for? Well, I think what's going to be a better application is like so one of the examples, dan, that they showed was somebody created like a 80s sitcom where they created the whole thing. I mean, imagine if you could create even they had one that was kind of like all in the family, or you know, or uh imagine you could create an entire sitcom environment with a cast of characters and their ai uh actors who can deliver the lines and, you know, do whatever. You could feed a script to them, or it could even write the script I think that what would be more powerful is to think. I I think spending my time observing and thinking about what would be the best application of these things like ideas coming. Dan: I think that somebody's going no no, I'm asking the question specifically. What would you, dean jackson, do with it? That's what. That's what I'm saying oh not what? Not what anybody could do with it, but what? Dean: would you? Dan: do with it um well, I haven't. Dean: I haven't well for one let's let's say using it. I, years ago, I had this thought that as soon as AI was coming and you'd see some of the 11 labs and the HN and you'd see all these video avatars, I had the thought that I wonder what would happen. Could I take an AI and turn this AI into the top real estate agent in a market, even though she doesn't exist? And I went this is something I would have definitely used. I could have used AI Charlotte to help me do, but at the time I used GetMagic. Do you remember Magic, the task service where you could just ask Magic to do? Dan: something, and it was real humans, right. Dean: So I gave magic a task to look up the top 100 female names from the 90s and the top 100 surnames and then to look for interesting combinations that are, you know, three or four syllables maximum and com available so that I could create this persona, one of the ones that I thought, okay, how could I turn Lily Madden Home Services into? How would you use Lily Madden in that way? So I see all of the tools in place right now. So I see all of the tools in place right now. There was an AI realtor in Portugal that did $100 million in generate $100 million in real estate sales. Now that's gross sales volume. That would be about you know, two or $3 million in in revenue. Yeah, commissions for the thing. But you start to see that because it's just data. You know the combinations of all of these things to be able to create. What I saw on the examples of yesterday was a news desk type of news anchor type of thing, with the screen in the background reporting news stories, and I immediately had that was my vision of what Lily Madden could do with all of the homes that have come on the market in Winter Haven, for instance, every day doing a video report of those, and so you start to see setting up. All these things are almost like you know. If you know what I say complications, do you know what? Those are? The little you know? All those magical kind of mechanical things where the marble goes this way and then it drops into the bucket and that lowers it down into the water, which displaces it and causes that to roll over, to this amazing things. I see all these tools as a way to, in combination, create this magical thing. I know how to generate leads for people who are looking for homes in Winter Haven. I know how to automatically set up text and email, and now you can even do AI calling to these people to set them on an email that every single day updates them with all the new homes that come on the market. Does a weekly, you know video. I mean, it's just pretty amazing how you could do that and duplicate that in you know many, many markets. That would be a scale ready algorithm. That's. Dan: That's one thought that I've had with it yeah, you know the the thing that i'm'm thinking here is you know, I've had a lot of conversations with Peter over Peter Diamandis over the years and I said you know, everything really comes down to competition, though. Dean: Everything really comes down to competition though. Dan: The main issue of competition is people's attention, the one thing that's absolutely limited. Everybody talks everything's expanding, but the one thing that's not expanding and can't expand is actually the amount of attention that people have for looking at things you know, engaging with new things. So for example. You asked me the question was I aware of this new thing from Google? From Google and right off the bat, I wouldn't be because I'm not interested in anything that Google does. Period, period, so I wouldn't see it. But I would have no need for this new thing. So this new thing, because what am I going to do with it? Dean: I mean, I don't know. But I recall that that was kind of your take on zoom in two months. Dan: Yeah but, uh. But if the cove, if covet had not happened, I would still not be using zoom yeah, yeah, because there was nobody. There was nobody at the other end that's exactly right. Dean: You didn't have a question that Zoom was the answer to. Dan: Yeah. And I think that that's the thing right now is we don't have a question that the new Google Flow Because this seems to me to be competition with something that already exists, in the sense that there are people who are creating, as you say, $500,000 versions of this and this can be done for $600. Dean: Well, in that particular field, now I can see there's going to be some fierce competition where there will be a few people who take advantage of this and are creating new things advantage of this and are creating new things, and probably a lot of people are put out of work, but not I. I what is so like? Dan: uh, you know, no, and it's not it's not based on their skill and it's it's on their base. There's no increase in the number of amount of attention in the world to look at these things. Dean: There's no increase there's no increase of attention. Yes, the world to look at these things. Dan: There's no increase. There's no increase of attention. Dean: Yes, which it's so eerily funny, but in my journal last night, after watching a lot of this stuff, I like to look at the edges of this and my thought exactly was that this is going to increase by multiples the amount of content that is created. But if I looked at it, that the maximum allowable or available attention for one person is, at the maximum, 16 hours a day, if you add 100% of their available attention bandwidth, you could get 1, 1000 minutes or 100 of those jacksonian units everybody that we only have those. We only have 110 minute units and we're competing. We're competing against the greatest creators ever Like we're creating. We're competing against the people who are making the tippy top shows on Netflix and the tippy top shows on any of these streaming things. I don't think that it's, I think, the novelty of it to everybody's. It's in the wow moment right now that I think everybody's seeing wow, I can't believe you could do this. And it's funny to look at the comments because everybody's commenting oh, this is the end of Hollywood, hollywood's over. I don't think so. Dan: Hollywood's been kind of over for the last five or ten years. I mean it's very interesting. I think this is a related topic. I'm just going to bounce it off you. The Democratic Party has decided that they have to create their own Joe Rogan, because they now feel that Joe Rogan as a person, but also, as you know, a kind of reality out in the communication world tipped the election in 2024. Dean: Who have they nominated? Dan: Yeah, that Trump being on Joe Rogan and a few other big influencers was the reason, and so they're pouring billions of dollars now into creating their own Joe Rogans. But the truth of it is they had a Joe Rogan. He was called Joe Rogan and he was a Democrat. Dean: Yeah, and he was a Democrat. Dan: Yeah, so you got to work out the problem. Why did Joe Rogan Democrat become Joe Rogan Republican is really the real issue question. And they were saying they're going to put an enormous amount of money into influencers because they feel that they have a fundamental messaging problem. Dean: Look how that worked out for them, with Kamala I mean they had all the A-listers. Dan: Well, they had $2 billion I mean Trump spent maybe a quarter of that and they had all the A-listers. They had Oprah. They had, you know, they had just Beyonce, they just had everybody and it didn't make any difference. So I was thinking about it. They think they have a messaging problem. They actually have an existential problem because nobody can nobody can figure out why the democratic party should even exist. This is the fundamental issue why, why, why should a party like this even exist? Dean: I I can't I? Dan: I don't know, I mean, can you answer the question? I can't answer the question I really don't know why this party actually exists. So it's a more fundamental problem to get people's attention. They have no connection, I think, with how the majority of people who show up and vote are actually going about life, are actually going about life. So you have these new mediums of communication and I'm using Google Flow as an example but do you actually have anything to communicate? Dean: Right, it all definitely comes down to the idea. It's capability and ability. I think that that's where we get into the capability column in the VCR formula. That capability is one thing is why I've always said that idea is the most valuable, you know? Dan: um, yeah, because you know, execution of a better idea, a capability paired with a better ability, is going to create a better result but if it's just a way of selling something that people were resisting buying and they were resisting buying in the first place have you really? Dean: made it. Dan: Have you really made a breakthrough? Dean: Have you really made a breakthrough? That was my next journey in my journal was after I realized that. Okay, first of all, everybody is competing for the same 1,000 minutes available each day per human for attention each day per human for attention, and they can't you know, do you can't use all of that time for consuming content there has to be. They're using, you know, eight hours of it for, uh, for working, and you know four hours of it for all the stuff around that, and it's probably, you know, three or four hours a day of available attention. Dan: Boy, that would be a lot. Dean: I think you're right, like I think that's the thing. I'm just assuming that's the, you know, that's the. Well, when you, you know, in the 50s, Dan, what was the? I mean that was kind of the. There was much less competition for attention in the 50s in terms of much less available, right, like you look at, I was thinking that's the people you know, getting up in the morning, having their breakfast, getting to work, coming home, having their dinner and everybody sitting down watching TV for a few hours a night. That's. That seems like that was the american dream, right? Or they were going bowling or going, uh, you know it was the american habit yeah, that's what I meant. That that's it exactly, exactly. The norm, but now, that wasn't there were three channels. Yeah, and now the norm is that people are walking around with their iPhones constantly attached to drip content all day. Dan: Well, I don't know, because I've never Not. Dean: you drip content, all well. Dan: Well, I don't know, because I've never not you and I have never. I've never actually done that, so I don't actually, I don't actually know what, what people are do, I do know that they're doing it because I can? I can observe that when I'm in any situation that I'm watching people doing something that I would never do. In other words, I can be waiting for a plane to leave, I'm in the departure lounge and I'm watching, just watching people. I would say 80 or 90 percent of the people. I'm watching are looking at their phones, yeah, but. Dean: I'm not, but I'm not yes, yes, I'm actually. Dan: I'm actually watching them and uh, wondering what are they? Doing why? Dean: no. Dan: I'm. I'm wondering why they're doing what they're doing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, for example, I never watch the movie when I'm on an airplane, but I notice a lot of people watching the screen. Yeah, so, and you know, if anything, I've got my Kindle and I'm reading my latest novel. Yes, that's basically what I'm doing now, so so, you know, I think we're on a fundamental theme here is that we talk about the constant multiplication of new means to do something. Constant multiplication of new means to do something, but the only value of that is that you've got someone's attention. Yes, and my thing, my thinking, is that google flow will only increase the competition for getting yes, attention, attention that nobody, nobody's getting anyway. Dean: That's exactly right, that's it. And then my next thought is to what end? Dan: Well, they're out competing some other means. Dean: In other words, there's probably an entire industry of creating video content that has just been created, too, based on this new capability. I so I just think, man, these whole, I think that you know, I'm just, I'm just going. Dan: I'm just going ahead a year and we just got on our podcast and it'll be you. It won't be me. Dan did you see what such and such company just brought out? And I'll tell you, no, I didn't. And they say this is the thing that puts the thing I was talking about a year ago completely out of. Dean: Isn't that funny, that's what I'm seeing. It probably was a year ago that we had the conversation about Charlotte. Dan: Well, no, it was about six months ago. I think it was six months ago. Dean: Maybe yeah. Dan: But we were talking about Notebook, we were talking about Google. Dean: Notebook. Dan: I had one of my team members do it for me three or four times and then I found that the two people talking it just wasn't that interesting. It really didn't do it so I stopped't want to be dismissive here and I don't want to be there but what if this new thing actually isn't really new because it hasn't expanded the amount of tension that's available on the planet? Dean: biggest thing you have to, the biggest thing that you have to increase for something to be really new is actually to increase the amount of human attention that there is on the planet, and I don't know how you do that because, right, it seems to be limited yeah, well, I guess I mean you know, one path would be making it so that there it takes less time to do the things that they're spending their time other than it seems to me, the only person who's got a handle on this right now is Donald Trump. Dan: Donald seems to have a greater capacity to get everybody's attention than anyone anyone in my lifetime. Mm-hmm, yeah, he seems to have. Dean: I mean you look at literally like what and the polarizing attention that he gets. Like certainly you'd have to say he doesn't care one way or the other. Dan: He doesn't really care love or love, love or hate. He's kind of got your attention yeah one thing that I'm. He's got Canada's attention yeah. Dean: I mean really. Dan: That and $7 will get you a latte today getting. Canada's attention. Dean: It won't get you an. Americano, but it'll get you a Canadiano, okay. Dan: Yeah, it's so funny because I just I've created a new form and. I do it with perplexity it's called a perplexity search and give you a little background to this. For the last almost 20, 25 years 24, I think it is I've had a discussion group here in Toronto. Dean: It's about a dozen people. Right. Dan: And and every quarter we send in articles and then we create an article book, usually 35, 40 articles, which is really interesting, and it's sort of the articles sort of represent a 90 to 180 day sense of what's going on in the world. You know, you kind of get a sense from the articles what was going on in the world and increasingly, especially since AI came out. I said, you know, these articles aren't very meaty. They don't know it's one person's opinion about something or one person's. You know, they've got it almost like a rant that they put into words about some issues so what I? resorted to is doing perplexity search where, for example, I have one that I've submitted. This was the week when we had to submit our articles and we'll be talking about them in July, the second week of July. So they have to be formatted, they have to be printed. July, so they have to be formatted, they have to be printed, they have to be the book has to be put together and the book has to be sent out. Usually, everybody has about four weeks to read 35 articles. So my articles I have four articles this time and they all took the form, and one of them was 10 reasons why American consumers will always like their gas-fueled cars. Okay, and there were 10 reasons. And then I say, with each of the reasons, give me three bullet point, statistical proof of why this is true. And it comes out to about five pages, and then I have it write an introduction and a conclusion. This is a format that I've created with Propoxy. It takes me about an hour to start, to finish, to do the whole thing, and I read this and I said this is really, really good, this is really good. You know this is very meaty, you know it's got. You know it's just all fact, fact, fact, fact, fact, and it's all put together and it's organized. So I don't know what the response is going to be, because this is the first time I did it, but I'll never get an article from the New York Times or an article from the Wall Street Journal again and submit it, because my research is just incredibly better than their research, you know. And so my sense is that, when it comes to this new AI thing, people who are really good at something are going to get better at something, and that's the only change that's going to take place, and the people who are not good at something are going to become it's going to become more and more revealed of how not good they are. Yeah, yeah, like the schmucks are going to look schmuckier, the schmuckification of America and you can really see this because it's now the passion of the news media in the United States to prove how badly they were taken in by the Biden White House, that basically he, basically he wasn't president for the last four years, for the last four years there were a bunch of aides who had access to the pen, the automatic pen where you could sign things, and now they're in a race of competition how brutally and badly they were taken in by the White House staff during the last four years. But I said, yeah, but you know, nobody was ever seduced who wasn't looking for sex. You were looking to be deceived. Yeah, you know, all you're telling us is what easily bribe-able jerks you actually are right now, and so I think we're. You know. I'm taking this all back to the start of this conversation, where you introduced me to Google Flow. Yeah, and I'll be talking to Mike Koenigs in you know a few days, and I'm sure Mike is on to this and he will have Mike, if there's anybody in our life who will have done something with this. Dean: it's Mike Koenigs that's exactly right. Dan: You're absolutely right. Dean: Yeah. Dan: Mike will have three or four presentations using this. Yes, but the big thing I come down to. What do you have that is worth someone else's attention to pay attention to? Do you have something to communicate? Dean: Do you have something to communicate that? And my sense is it can only be worth their time if it's good for them to pay attention to you for a few minutes. You're exactly right, that is an ability. Do you have the ability to get somebody's attention? Because the capability to create that, content is going to be. Dan: There's's going to be only a few people at the tippy top that have well, that's not going to be the issue that's not going to be the issue that's not going to be the issue, that's the how is taken care of. Yes, that's exactly it. The question is the why? Dean: yes, I put it, you were saying the same thing. I think that that it's the what I just said, the why and the what. Why are we? What? To what end are we doing this? And then, what is it that's going to capture somebody's attention? Uh, for this, and I think that that's yeah, I mean, it's pretty amazing to be able to see this all unfold. Dan: Hmm. Dean: You know, yeah, yeah. But there's always going to be a requirement for thinking about your thinking and the people who think about their thinking. I think that people this is what I see as a big problem is that people are seeing AI as a surrogate for thinking that oh what a relief I don't have to think anymore. Dan: Yeah. Dean: I saw a meme that said your Gen Z doctors are cheating their way through medical school using chat GPT. Probably time to start eating your vegetables, it's probably time to start living healthily. Exactly yes. Dan: It's very interesting. I was interviewed two or three days ago by New Yorker magazine actually. Dean: Really Wow. Dan: Fairly, and it was on longevity. Dean: OK, because you're on the leaderboard right. Dan: The longevity, yeah, and, and they had interviewed Peter Diamandis and they said you ought to talk to Ann Sullivan, nice guy, the interviewer. I said the biggest issue about, first of all, we're up against a barrier that I don't see any progress with, and that is that our cells reproduce about 50 times. That seems to be built in and that most takes us to about 120,. You know, and there's been very few. We only have evidence of one person who got to 120, 121, 122, a woman in France, and she died about 10 years ago. I do think that there can be an increase in the usefulness of 120 years. In other words, I think that I think there's going to be progress in people just deciding well, I got 120 years and I'm going to use them as profitably as I can, and I said that's kind of where I that's kind of where I am right now and, uh, I said, uh, I have this thing called one 56, but the purpose of the one 56 is so that I don't, um, uh, misuse my time right now. Right, that's really, that's really the reason for it. And I said you know, at 81, I'm doing good. I'm as ambitious as I've ever been. I'm as energetically productive as I've ever been. That's pretty good. That's pretty good because when I look around me, I don't see that being true for too many other people and see that being true for too many other people. It was really, really interesting, I said, if we could get half the American population to be more productive from years 60 to 100, a 40-year period. I said it would change the world. It would totally change the world. So I said the question is do you have actually anything to be usefully engaged with once you get to about 60 years old? Do you have something that's even bigger and better than anything you've done before? And I said you know, and my sense is that medicine and science and technology is really supporting you if you're interested in doing that. But whether it's going to extend our lifetime much beyond what's possible right now. I said I don't think we're anywhere near that. Dean: I don't either. Yeah, I think you look at that, but I think you hit it on the head. That of the people who are the centenarians, the people who make it past a hundred. They're typically, they're just hung on. They made it past there but they haven't really had anything productive going on in their life for a long time since 85 years old, very rare to see somebody. Uh, yeah, you know, I mean you think about Charlie Bunger, you know, died at 99. And you look at, norman Lear made it to 101. And George Burns to 100. But you can count on one hand the people who are over 80 that are producing. Yeah, you're in a rare group. Where do you stand on the leaderboard right now? Dan: I was number 12 out of 3,000. That was about four months ago. Dean: That was about four months ago. Dan: I only get the information because David Hasse sends it to me. My numbers were the same. In other words, it's based on your rate of aging. Dean: That's what the number is when I was number one. Dan: the number, was this, and my number is still the same number. And when I was number one, the number was this and my number is still the same number. It just means that I've been out-competed by 11 others, including the person who's paying for the whole thing, brian Johnson. But you know useful information, yeah. Dean: But you know useful information. Dan: Yeah, you know and you know. But the big thing is I'm excited about the next workshop we're doing this quarter. I'm excited about the next book we're writing for this quarter. So so I've always got projects to be excited about. Dean: I love it All righty, I love it Alrighty. Okay, dan, that was a fun discussion. I'll be back next week, me too. I'll see you right here. 1:03:42 - Dan: Yeah, me too. Awesome See you there. Okay, bye, bye,
Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters
Many entrepreneurs use negatives to make a sale. But why sell fear when you can sell opportunity, and why sell pain when you can sell growth? Dan Sullivan reveals why positive messaging attracts the best clients, how ambition fueled by principles keeps you young, and why your community determines your growth. Learn why the most successful entrepreneurs never retire—they just keep reinventing themselves. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How selling is both an intellectual and emotional activity.Why fear isn't something to avoid—but a sign you're growing.The mindset shift that keeps successful entrepreneurs innovating.How Strategic Coach® accelerates growth for already successful entrepreneurs.The surprising link between ambition, aging, and fulfillment (and how to stay "young" at any stage). Show Notes: Most sales pitches use fear—but fear attracts the wrong clients and limits your growth. Selling has two parts to it: intellectually connecting people to a desirable future result, andthen emotionally engaging them to take action to achieve that future result. To be effective, a sales pitch has to be both convincing and compelling. Instead of pitching that you can remove a negative, focus your pitch on amplifying something positive. You're ambitious because of your passion. You'd like to see your passion have an impact out in the world. Who you surround yourself with determines your trajectory: growth-oriented people keep you young, while stagnant people age you. Status entrepreneurs, as opposed to growth entrepreneurs, eventually run out of ambition. Ambition is driven by strategy. Growth is driven by principles. Your principles are your way of being. The moment you retire from fear, you also retire from excitement. Fear and pain go together, as do opportunity and growth. The biggest thing you're putting at risk when you're growing is your own past. In the Strategic Coach community, you're not the exception—you're the norm. Resources: 10xTalk Podcast with Dan Sullivan and Joe Polish Anything And Everything Podcast with Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff The Mindset Scorecard by Dan Sullivan The 4 C's Formula by Dan Sullivan Growing Great Leadership by Dan Sullivan
How did you land your first customers, and how did that shape your entrepreneurial journey? Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff share their origin stories, from life insurance referrals to fashion industry breakthroughs. They explain why longevity in business comes from curiosity, calculated risks, and a relentless focus on making your future bigger than your past. Show Notes: Thinking about your thinking is beneficial no matter who you are or what industry you're in. There's no recipe for creativity. Risk and excitement are two sides of the same coin—you can't have growth without embracing both. The first person you have to sell an idea on is yourself. If you have an advantage in a competitive industry, you won't tell your competitors about it. When experimenting with a new solution, you have to start by making sure it works for one person. Longevity is something to be proud of. If you have a successful approach, you can keep it, and just add more experience to it. There are two types of support: moral and financial. Longevity in business isn't about luck; it's about staying alert, curious, and adaptable to new opportunities. Your number one job is to always make your future bigger than your past. The more committed you are to something, the less you care about the obstacles. Resources: The Impact Filter™ Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®
Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters
What if the solutions you've already created could generate value for decades—without more of your time? In this episode, Dan Sullivan reveals how packaging, naming, and protecting your ideas transforms them into scalable intellectual property. Learn why your “second company” (your multiplier) could soon be worth more than your entire business—and how to make it happen. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:How to make your solutions valuable by protecting them through intellectual property law.The thinking tool that lets you find the right person for the right role.How you can easily turn your ideas into intellectual property.The importance of sticking to your business model.How you can franchise your ideas.The future of Strategic Coach® over the next 20 years. Show Notes: Your first company, your R&D company, creates solutions for people. Your second company, your multiplier company, packages your solutions as your intellectual property. If you record, package, and name a solution you've created, it will have massive ongoing value. Before you put your ideas out into the world, you must protect them. Boredom with your own solutions is a hidden risk—document them before you move on to the next idea. The value of Strategic Coach's patents will soon surpass 55 years of coaching revenue—proof that IP compounds value. Protecting your creativity isn't just a multiplier; it's an accelerator of long-term wealth. A two-company structure makes you immune to market chaos because you control the value of your ideas. Your biggest breakthroughs will come from technology multiplied by teamwork, not from grinding harder. The same business model that built your success can scale infinitely—if you focus on IP, not just execution. Resources: Unique Process Advisors by Dan Sullivan Instant IP Casting Not Hiring by Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff Unique Ability® Perplexity This Tool Will Help You Make Sense Of The Past AND Take Charge Of Your Future Everything Is Created Backward by Dan Sullivan Extraordinary Impact Filter by Dan Sullivan Growing Great Leadership by Dan Sullivan The 4 C's Formula by Dan Sullivan
What if the traits you've been told are disadvantages are actually your “unfair” advantages? In this episode, Dan Sullivan and engineer-turned-ADHD-advocate André Brisson reveal how entrepreneurs thrive by rewriting the rules—not following them. Learn why your unique way of thinking is your greatest asset and how to build a business (and life) that rewards it. Here's some of what you'll learn in this episode:Why entrepreneurs feel like misfits in traditional learning environments.The program that helps high-achieving ADHD entrepreneurs understand themselves better.The surprising truth about who The Strategic Coach® Program was designed for.Why Strategic Coach® members instantly “get” each other (and how this community transforms isolation into confidence).How André built an engineering firm that breaks industry norms.How André's ADHD has fueled his biggest challenges—and his biggest wins.The #1 insight André learned in 14 years at Strategic Coach. Show Notes: Entrepreneurs are shortcut creators—your ability to bypass inefficiencies is what makes you invaluable. The systems that frustrate you exist because most people prioritize rules over results. The real trick for entrepreneurs is to break the rules and get paid for the shortcuts they create. Everything that works in your life is the result of having created a new solution for yourself. If things don't work, it's because you're trying to fit into someone else's system. What you do and the way you do it is the center of your life, and you can keep expanding that throughout your entire career. Your Unique Ability® isn't just what you're good at—it's what energizes you while delivering exponential value. Once you decide that the way you do something is the right way for you to do it, you'll find the customers and clients who appreciate that. If you've been trained to do things a certain way, you might get stuck in that way of solving problems. As long as you're continually hitting a new Ceiling of Complexity™, you know you're growing. Freeing up your time to work at a higher level is a lot of fun. Underutilized and overutilized strengths are actually weaknesses. Resources:The Impulsive Thinker™Kolbe A™ IndexCliftonStrengths®PRINT®Unique Ability®
We made it – 200 episodes!To celebrate, we're sharing one of the most powerful trainings I've ever given:The Ai 4 Quadrants: Upgrade Yourself, Your Business, Your Team, and Your Brand – with Ai.This is the exact framework that's helping business owners compress months of work into days (even minutes), while multiplying revenue, scaling personal brands, and growing real businesses using Ai – not gimmicks.If you want to:Slash 60% of your labor and operating costsBuild brands, offers, and marketing in a single weekendFinally figure out what AI tools you actually need (and what to ignore) ...then this episode is mandatory listening.Inside, I'll walk you through the 4 Ai Quadrants that are completely changing the game for entrepreneurs who are paying attention.Plus, you'll see the real-world frameworks, workflows, and case studies I personally use to build and launch multi-six-figure campaigns every month.
Imagine having an invisible team of experts, researchers, marketers, and creatives working 24/7 to build your business… Without adding a single employee.That's exactly what we just did with my new friend and client, Nathaniel Ely, during a Superpower Accelerator three-day intensive.Nathaniel flew in to work with me personally, and in three days, we created everything he needed to launch a $1 Billion business opportunity around the Augusta Rule – a little-known tax strategy that can put tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars back in the pockets of business owners every year.Using Ai as a true team member, we built an entire brand from scratch:A full 50+ slide masterclassA pitch deck and marketing funnelThree book draftsVideo sales lettersChannel marketing campaignsSizzle reelsAutomated sales workflowsAnd dozens of other revenue-driving assetsThe best part? We didn't just "talk" about ideas – we built them in real-time, workshop-style, using agentic Ai tools that did the work of a 5-person team.If you want to see how Ai can build your brand, amplify your revenue, and compress six months of work into three days, you're going to love this episode.KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:
Welcome to Episode 277 of Monday Morning Pep Talk. This week is about clarity — how to find it faster and use it with purpose. For over a decade, I've been disciplined about planning and goal setting. But even with structure, I sometimes struggled to lock into clarity during my daily and weekly sessions. I was asking good questions — but not the right one.
