Beyond A Million

Starting a business is hard. Starting a beverage company is almost impossible. With a 95% failure rate in year one and 99% by year five, most founders never make it out alive. That's what makes Aaron Hinde's story so compelling. As the Co-Founder of FITAID, a clean-ingredient beverage brand now valued north of $100M, he's navigated a landscape that destroys nearly everyone who steps into it. In our conversation, Aaron breaks down the truth behind building in one of the harshest categories in consumer goods, from the retail relationships that quietly drain millions to the dozens of moments his company nearly went bust. If you're building a brand, scaling a team, entering a competitive market, or simply trying to figure out how to keep going when the pressure of entrepreneurship hits, this episode will reframe what's possible. Key Takeaways with Aaron Hinde 00:00 Intro 01:40 The Hidden Retail Fees That Kill Beverage Brands 05:09 The Most Important Metric Beverage Founders Should Track 07:56 The Real Differentiator Behind FITAID Energy Drinks 10:34 "Clean" Energy Brands That Aren't Actually Clean 12:16 Deciding When to Launch (or Kill) a Product Line 17:13 Why Entrepreneurship Isn't for Most People 21:12 Dean Jackson's Framework for Defining Success 24:01 Resourcefulness, Persuasion, and Relationships at Work 31:29 How to Save Your Company When the Market Collapses 35:36 How Great Leaders Keep Their Teams Aligned 38:59 Facing Your Blind Spots As a Leader 45:24 The Non-Negotiable That Would Kill a $500M Offer 48:28 What He'd Do Differently If He Started Again 52:06 The Freedom That Comes From Dropping the Mask 53:39 Aaron's Advice for New Entrepreneurs Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wSrXlTixjCc Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

"If Apple CEO Tim Cook needs a board of directors to help him make decisions, what makes you think you can do it all by yourself?" That's the question Brian Will – serial entrepreneur with multiple exits under his belt – poses in this clip from Beyond A Million. Brian explains why letting go of ego makes it easier to grow your business. He talks about how financial stability helps you become less reactive, more collaborative, and why failing without learning is just wasting time. If you've been stuck in perfectionism, control, or thinking you need (or worse – have) all the answers, this one is to remind you that the best leaders listen more than they talk. Enjoyed this clip? Check out our full interview with Brian: https://youtu.be/7e1gid6rMWI

Collin Ship built his YouTube channel for one purpose: drive qualified leads into his business. He wasn't trying to grow an audience or chase viral moments. He wanted a predictable system that pointed people toward his offer. And it proved how effective a small channel can be when it's built the right way. Collin took an "unsexy" niche (blogging) and paired it with a search-driven YouTube strategy built entirely around keywords, intent, and simple videos that matched what people were actually looking for. That combination led to a multi-7-figure business powered by steady, targeted traffic. In this episode, Collin breaks down the framework that fueled early traction, the surprising advantage YouTube gives new creators that Google doesn't, and why staying niche made sponsorships and affiliate deals far more lucrative. Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 01:22 Blogging Isn't Dead - $1.2M in 18 Months 05:23 Why Personal Branding Holds You Accountable 09:56 Using YouTube Strictly for Lead Generation 12:35 YouTube Keyword Strategy That Drove Early Growth 15:17 Does Going Broad on YouTube Hurt Lead Quality? 17:47 YouTube Publishing Frequency – The Sweet Spot 18:18 Why Long YouTube Videos Build Massive Trust 19:11 Make Your Free Content Better Than Paid 19:46 The Four Pillars of YouTube Monetization 21:35 YouTube Channels That Land Affiliates & Sponsors 26:19 Intent vs. Interruption Content Marketing 27:12 Using Paid Ads AND Organic Content to Scale 28:16 How to Run YouTube Ads Without Being Punished 31:20 Getting 6,000+ Leads per Month From YouTube 32:45 The Pros/Cons of Becoming Internet Famous 34:12 Where AI Fits in Your Content System 39:54 The Biggest Mistake People Make with AI 40:49 How He Revived His Offer With an AI Rebrand Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/li6jI6YsT3A Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

In this clip, Brad Sumrok talks about why apartments have turned out to be one of the most dependable ways to invest in real estate. Some properties look good at first, but fall apart when the market shifts. Apartments tend to stick it out. Brad's not hyping anything. He's just explaining what's worked over 20 years of doing deals – and why more investors are starting to take notice. If you've ever wondered where real estate actually holds up long-term, this is a good place to start. Enjoyed this clip? Check out our full interview with Brad: https://youtu.be/l1NP4NWlcLw

As an entrepreneur, once you hit 7-figures, the game changes. Scaling isn't just about more revenue, it's about smarter systems, better people, and the mindset required to lead at the next level. In this special compilation episode of Beyond a Million, I've pulled together powerful clips from past guests — 8- and 9-figure founders who share the unfiltered lessons behind building and scaling successful companies. Whether you're a founder, CEO, or investor scaling your business beyond 7-figures, these are proven tactics that actually move the needle. Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 01:00 Jake Setterlun: If You're Not Getting Leads, Your Offer Sucks 01:38 Michael Erath: Mediocrity Is a Cancer in Business 02:52 Chandler Bolt: Scare Away the Wrong Hires 03:54 Stela Roznovan: The 3 Fundamentals of Sales 07:36 Allan Dib: The Best Marketers Leverage Tech, Not Tools 08:20 Corey Lilburn: How a Singing Telegram Closed a Deal 10:29 Patrick Dillon: Using AI to Conduct 300 Interviews 11:58 Andy Kolodgie: Why Sustainability Beats Growth 14:32 Patrick Riddle: Low-Ticket Offers That Actually Convert 16:22 Mike Koenigs: The $1,000 Cup of Coffee Offer Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QcMHaNedlb0 Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

In this clip, David Hassell, co-founder of 15Five, breaks down why hiring someone who's not aligned with your culture – even if they check every box on the skills side – is a ticking time bomb. He shares how culture shapes behavior more than we think, why execs especially need to embody company values, and how even small misalignments can kill trust inside a team. He also talks about the mistakes they made scaling from 70 to 200 people in a year and how those lessons led to a values-first hiring system every founder should be thinking about. Enjoyed this clip? Check out our full interview with David: https://youtu.be/pcZg3i1o3PI

Tons of entrepreneurs claim to be "scaling" their business, but when you look under the hood, they're actually just growing fast. And there's a big difference. Growth can be exciting, but without structure, systems, and the right leadership in place, it's not sustainable. That's where Allison Maslan comes in. She's built and scaled 10 companies across multiple industries, and as the CEO of Pinnacle Global Network, she's helped more than 150,000 founders and leadership teams do the same—earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies list four years running. In this episode, we dig into why so many founders fail to scale, unpack Allison's 5 Pillars of Scale framework, and explore how to turn big vision into an operational reality your team can rally behind. Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 01:35 Why Scaling is an Overused Word 03:10 Early-Stage vs. Late-Stage Scalability 04:40 Why So Many Founders Fail to Scale 07:13 The SCALEit Framework Explained 10:27 The 5 Pillars of Scale (S.C.A.L.E.) 11:04 Can SCALEit & EOS Work Together? 13:30 Creating a Strategic Vision That Drives Growth 19:49 Balancing Big Vision with Tactical Reality 23:36 Case Study: Vision Turned Into $100M+ Growth 25:40 Balancing Long-Term Vision with Rapid Change 31:39 Delegation vs. Abdication 40:51 Defining Hiring Metrics for Scalable Success 47:32 Mental Shifts That Enable Massive Growth 52:45 Advice for New Entrepreneurs Getting Started Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LFABrEvlf0Q Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

What if you could close high-value clients... without pitching, posturing, or even talking about what you sell? This week's guest, Corey Lilburn, is a senior consultant and shareholder at Acrisure, a $35B global insurance and fintech firm. From selling Cutco knives to advising enterprise clients, Corey's success comes from mastering the timing, psychology, and nuance of complex sales. Corey shares the real sales skills that matter in today's market, the habits that create consistent closers, how to make renewals a non-event, and why self-funding might make sense sooner than you think. He also shares what Mark Cuban is getting right about pharma... and how a Sinatra impersonator helped him close a major deal. Plus, we dig into the evolution of Bay Area Advisors and how their Martinis for Moffitt event has raised over $4 million for cancer research. If you're selling high-ticket services or navigating long sales cycles, this one's packed with real strategies that actually work. Tune in and learn how to sell anything to anyone. — This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark. — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:37 Essential skills for mastering sales 00:05:03 How AI will impact insurance in the next 5 years 00:07:08 The challenges of risk assessment 00:09:17 Sales cycles and client relationships in insurance 00:22:18 Can you make insurance less boring? 00:23:41 Renewal vs. assumptive close 00:28:23 Keeping healthcare costs down 00:40:45 Self-insurance and level funding 00:53:38 Selling insurance companies to bigger insurance companies 01:06:26 Bay Area Advisors and Martinis for Moffitt 01:20:42 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 01:24:35 Outro — Additional Resources: 🔹 Patrick's website: https://patrickriddle.com/ — ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1 — Let's Connect: 🔹 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradweimert 🔹 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondamil 🔹Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradWeimert 🔹 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089061999787 -- Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work. If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU! Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building. Be sure to give us a follow wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode!

What if you could create a marketing funnel that works for you while you sleep? Today's guest, Patrick Riddle, is here to show you how to turn cold traffic into cash with a high-converting funnel. Patrick is a seasoned entrepreneur and the CEO of a multi-million-dollar educational publishing company. After getting his start in real estate, he shifted to the info product space, where he's helped thousands of students grow their businesses using smart marketing strategies. But Patrick's strategy isn't just about driving traffic or having a good offer. It's about owning the customer journey from start to finish. He explains how to create front-end offers that bring in the right leads and then maximize profit with smart back-end partnerships, allowing you to scale without risk. We're talking recurring revenue, software upsells, and affiliate partnerships that pay you long after the first sale. Plus, he reveals why email marketing is still king and how you can take advantage of the most underutilized tool in your marketing arsenal to grow your business. Tune in to learn how to turn your funnels into money-making machines and stop leaving cash on the table. — This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark. — Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 02:22 The impact of AI on the info product space 03:32 Building a marketing funnel that actually works 05:25 Patrick's winning business model 18:17 Building an all-star team 21:58 Order bumps and upsells 28:10 Scam reviews, reputation management, and compliance 38:46 Becoming a CEO 53:08 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 56:56 Outro — Additional Resources: 🔹 Patrick's website: https://patrickriddle.com/ — ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1 — Let's Connect: 🔹 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradweimert 🔹 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondamil 🔹Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradWeimert 🔹 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089061999787 -- Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work. If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU! Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building. Be sure to give us a follow wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode!

He lost $40 million in 2008... and built a real estate empire from the rubble. Today's guest, Levi Benkert, went from running coffee shops to flipping houses, losing $40 million in the 2008 crash, relocating his family to Ethiopia to run an orphanage and start businesses, and then returning to the US to build a thriving Class B industrial real estate empire in Texas. He breaks down the mindset shifts, lessons from failures, and disciplined strategies that turned what looked like a disaster into the comeback story of the century. If you've ever wondered how to recover from a huge setback, this episode gives you the playbook straight from someone who's done it. Tune in to hear Levi's journey from collapse to empire... and why the lessons he learned can help anyone in business or life. — This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark. — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:55 Understanding interest rates and market cycles 00:04:08 The Chatham forward curve 00:11:36 Levi's early business ventures 00:16:42 Fear and feelings in business 00:19:09 Transitioning to property development 00:27:05 Institutional lending 00:32:12 Losing $40M during the 2008 crash 00:41:49 Building an orphanage in Ethiopia 00:49:22 Building a beef farm in Ethiopia 00:57:51 Moving back to the US and starting Harbor Capital 01:03:15 Industrial real estate and fundraising 01:11:16 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 01:13:53 Outro — Additional Resources: 🔹 Levi's Website: https://harborcap.com/ 🔹 Levi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levi-benkert-81a18895 — ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1 — Let's Connect: 🔹 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradweimert 🔹 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondamil 🔹Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradWeimert 🔹 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089061999787 -- Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work. If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU! Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building. Be sure to give us a follow wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode!