Beyond A Million

Today, I'm chatting with my friend Jeff Hays, who is an award-winning filmmaker who has been producing films since the early nineties. Between his production company, Jeff Hays Films and his film studio, he pulls in $20M/year with a nimble team of 20. And aside from a few projects early on, all of his work has been self-funded. Jeff first gained national attention in 2004 with Fahrenhype 9/11, a response to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. He's released many other documentaries and multi-part series throughout his career—some acquired by major companies like Lionsgate and NBC. What's fascinating about Jeff is the way he monetizes. Generally, independent films don't make a lot of money. It's just not very lucrative. But Jeff is doing things differently… In this episode, I dig into the unique business model that allows him to make millions off his films—and how he then leverages existing buyers to sell other people's products, generating even more money on the backend. Key Takeaways with Jeff Hays The million-dollar launch strategy Jeff uses to monetize his films—and how he generated $250k in 10 days with a film that people could access for free. How Jeff leverages affiliates to build awareness, grow his email list, and make even more money selling other people's products. How far should you scale? Jeff explains the anticipated risks of growing beyond his current $20M/year revenue. Mapping a path for employee success and happiness. Jeff distills real wealth down to 3 key components—and money has nothing to do with it. Identify your operating values so you can make better decisions. Does true altruism even exist? Consider "rational selfishness" instead. Why all the best films are sales letters. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Gary Nealon took an existing cabinet business online, flipping an antiquated industry on its head by selling direct-to-consumer. Before exiting, RTA Cabinet Store went from $30k/month to $42M/year and became an Inc 500 company due to its 1,504% growth over 3 years. It also made the Inc 5000 list 7 years in a row. It's worth noting that Gary's first business failed miserably, he was swimming in debt, and was told that selling cabinets online wasn't possible. With no plan and no budget, he needed to convince people that there was a better way to buy cabinets. I sat down with Gary to find out how reinvented an entire industry. You'll learn his scrappy approach to building online traffic, his framework for developing a relationship with customers well before they're ready to buy, and the marketing strategy he used to cut customer acquisition costs and boost conversions. We also dig into the tech solutions he created that removed logistical problems for vendors, ultimately leading to a much bigger acquisition deal. Key Takeaways with Gary Nealon Using Craigslist to build awareness and drive sales for a direct-to-consumer cabinet company that nobody knew about. How Gary built tech to remove logistic inefficiencies for his vendors so he could ultimately maximize profits and get acquired for much more. How to reduce customer acquisition costs by selling products around data you own. Tools and tactics for creating SEO-driven content at scale. Landing a deal with HGTV and leveraging it to target new customers. How to use online forums and groups to quickly establish trust with prospects. How to fast-track your business success by knowing your strengths/weaknesses as a company. Why your ads are bombing on certain platforms but performing well on others. How to get in the minds of your consumers well before they're even thinking of buying. Gary's strategy for acquiring small companies that he can add value to and scale. Don't miss how he incentivizes brokers to bring him deals before anyone else. How to effectively use personality tests to make better hiring decisions, identify team strengths, and improve overall communication. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Today, I'm talking with Cole Gordon—an 8-figure sales trainer and the founder of Closers.io. In 2 years, he scaled his own sales team, went from 0 to $2.5M per month, and now helps others do the same. His company is broken into 2 divisions… The first is The Sales Team Accelerator, which helps entrepreneurs—like Tony Robbins, Frank Kern, Dean Graziosi, Jay Abraham, and 400+ others—recruit, hire, train and manage their sales teams. The second division is Remote Closing Academy, a certification program for aspiring salespeople who want to develop the skills needed to get started in an entry-level sales position. In this episode, I talk to Cole about this unique business model and uncover exactly how he builds high-performing sales teams at scale. You'll learn how he sources the top 1% of talent for his clients, interviewing tactics for successful hiring, and how to eliminate objections before the close. Cole also shares a complete breakdown of the sales process he uses to get buy-in from prospects and close sales. Key Takeaways with Cole Gordon How Cole's company attracts and recruits the highest quality sales reps for his B2B clients. Building the biggest distribution of online remote based sales teams for entrepreneurs - about 2k applications and over 400 1-on-1 interviews per month. The social media funnel strategy Cole uses to recruit entry level sales reps into his certification program. How to use group interviews to identify standout performers. 3 key criteria you can use to evaluate quality candidates. 7 beliefs your prospect needs to have before they buy. The step-by-step sales process Cole uses to get prospects to say yes. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Chris "Mr. Moneyfingers" Haddad is an online copywriter and marketer who stakes claim to sales letters and VSLs that have driven over $700M in revenue. After getting fired from every job he ever had, Chris found the world of direct response copy and quickly realized there was money to be made. He was writing copy for all kinds of a-list entrepreneurs. The only problem was that everyone was getting rich but him. So, he decided to build a company of his own under the pen name Michael Fiore. His alter ego went on to become a relationship coach, 3X bestselling author, and legendary copywriter in the relationship advice niche. In today's episode, I'm talking with Chris about his unique approach to writing irresistible copy that converts. You'll learn the storytelling framework he uses to double his clients' conversions, tactics for creating deep connections with buyers, and how he went from getting fired as a greeting card writer to starting and scaling a 9-figure online business. Key Takeaways with Chris Haddad How Chris went from getting fired as a greeting card writer, to building a 9-figure direct response copywriting business. The storytelling framework Chris uses to sell more—including 3 powerful case studies that have driven millions in sales. Tapping into human drivers (like pain and fear) to write copy that connects and converts. Why the phrase "if it's too long, nobody will read it" is complete bullshit. How Chris rapidly took over the relationship advice niche on Clickbank. Launching a $6k copywriting course that made him $700k in 2 weeks. 3 reasons Chris decided to build his copywriting business under a pseudonym. The key to building lasting affiliate relationships that make you more money in the long-term. Why long-form sales letters almost always outperform short-form content. Find out what the consumer wants, then create the product. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Today, I'm speaking to my good friend, Nick Nanton. In addition to being a musician, author, entrepreneur, and recovering attorney, he's a 22-time Emmy award-winning documentary film and Broadway director/producer. He's interviewed a ton of famous people, including Larry King, Jack Nicklaus, Peter Diamandis, Tony Robbins, Richard Branson, will.i.am, Robert Kiyosaki, Dan Sullivan, Jack Canfield, and too many more to list. He's also the co-founder of the Celebrity Branding Agency®, which helps business owners become celebrity experts in their field. They represent more than 3,000 clients in 60 countries around the world. I wanted to explore Nick's approach to entrepreneurship. It's one where business and art intersect to create truly unique experiences—not just for him but for the people who are willing to take a chance on his ideas. You'll hear how he creatively raises money to fund his films and why his investors aren't looking for your typical ROI. We also discuss his creative process for filmmaking, how he operates and manages his agency, company culture, branding, storytelling, and why celebrities are banging down the door to work with him. Key Takeaways with Nick Nanton Getting a seat at the table and networking with the most recognized celebrities in the world. Leaving law to go all-in on entrepreneurship. Hear how Nick went from freelance clown, tennis coach, and screen printer, to celebrity brand builder and agency owner. How to build credibility and attract clients who are the right fit. Creating a unique culture that people are excited to be a part of. Nick's creative approach to getting people to invest in his films. Investing that grants you access. The formula for a life well lived - ⅓ earning, ⅓ learning, and ⅓ serving. How Nick creates an unfair advantage over his competition. Never hire someone you don't admire. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Brad Sumrok owns a bunch of multifamily real estate - and has an 8 figure business teaching others how to invest. He first started his real estate journey with a 32-unit apartment complex in 2002 and has since owned over 7,500 units in 11 US markets. Over 20-years, Brad has helped his students purchase over 3.5 billion dollars in real estate. In this episode, Brad talks about how he leveraged his real estate experience into an 8-figure online education business. That business eventually hit a plateau at the $4.6M mark, but by finding the right mentors, he was able to break through major sticking points and is now growing 30% year-over-year. We also lean into Brad's real estate investing strategy. Why is he so bullish on multifamily? And why does he avoid commercial and residential real estate? You'll hear us talk about the major benefits of multifamily investing, syndication deal structures, tax-saving strategies, and more. Key Takeaways with Brad Sumrok The first real estate deal that led to Brad's success. How Brad's online education business broke through a $4.6M plateau and started growing 33% YoY. Why 2022 is a great time to invest in multifamily real estate. The downsides to investing in commercial real estate. How to pay little to no tax by leveraging accelerated depreciation. The importance of working with a CPA that understands your business. Investing in real estate syndication and understanding the compensation structures. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Chandler Bolt is an investor, advisor, and the founder of Self-Publishing School—a 3-time Inc. 5000 company that has helped over 6,000 people write, market & publish their first book in as little as 90 days. He took the company from $0 to $34M over seven years and currently employs 30+ staff and growing. Chandler is also the author of 6 bestselling books and host of the 7-Figure Principles Podcast. In this episode, we discuss how he went from a college dropout to scaling an 8-figure online business. One of the keys to his success is that he leverages his impact by creating SOPs that teach others the HOW, which frees up his time. This feeds into his belief that effectiveness trumps efficiency, and sometimes you need to slow down to speed up. You'll also hear us talk about content creation, attracting the right kind of traffic, and why writing a book is such a powerful content play for getting more leads, sales, and referrals. Key Takeaways with Chandler Bolt Why Chandler dropped out of college to pursue entrepreneurship. Don't cut corners to make short-term gains. Build a business that lasts. The importance of finding joy in the journey. Creating a strong company culture as a remote team. Learn to leverage your impact with SOPs. How Chandler attracts remote talent to work for his company. A more effective approach to HubSpot, Asana, and Slack. How writing a book can get you more leads, sales, and referrals. Get off the content creation hamster wheel and focus on quality. Using client objections as a foundation for creating content. Stop chasing traffic and start chasing high buyer intent traffic. Free Offer Get a FREE copy of Chandler Bolt's new book, Published: The Proven Path from Blank Page to 10,000 Copies Sold. Limited to the first 50 U.S. residents who apply. Click Here! Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Scott Thompson is an award-winning entrepreneur and Founder of Lifematters—a home care service for seniors that has made the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company list 9 times. He bootstrapped a 1,500 person concierge home care service company. Prior to creating Lifematters, Scott founded a professional employer organization, HR Tech, with $5,000. Six years later, he sold that company when it reached $132 million in revenue. He's also invested in many start-up and early stage companies across various industries throughout his career. I caught up with Scott during our adventure to Antarctica to learn more about how he thinks about building businesses. You'll hear how he disrupted an antiquated industry and scaled Lifematters to 1,500 employees before selling. This was a company Scott bootstrapped with $40k of his own money and developed over the course of 15 years. Key Takeaways with Scott Thompson Bootstrapping and scaling a 1,500 person concierge home care service and scaling it to $25 million in revenue. When building something extraordinary comes at the cost of making less money. Finding a creative outlet inside the walls of entrepreneurship. How hiring W-2 employees (versus contractors) gave Scott a competitive advantage when building his business. How Scott financed his company by billing his clients in advance. Tactics Scott uses to increase employee retention. Developing a set of core values that your company will actually live by. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Brian Will was on the verge of personal bankruptcy when his partner told him he would be investing another $66k into their insurance business. They had already dropped $500k into it and had made zero revenue since they started a year prior. Almost ready to quit, Brian decided to hold on a little longer, and within 18 months, their company was acquired for $50M. Brian went on to become a serial entrepreneur. Over the past 35 years, he has created or co-created six very successful companies in four different industries, had four successful exits, and consulted on projects for both private and public companies in sales and management training. He also owns a growing chain of restaurants in the Atlanta area. In this episode, you'll hear about two online health insurance companies that Brian built from the ground up and eventually sold to venture capital firms. He shares why most successful companies are made up of a progression of ideas that lead to greater success, the importance of being able to adapt as you go, and some simple tactics that your sales team can use to better connect with prospects. Key Takeaways with Brian Will Creating and selling the very first health insurance call center. Why it's so important to be able to roll with the punches and adapt as you go. From nearly bankrupt, to being acquired for $50M 18 months later. Why you will never be an effective entrepreneur if you don't take care of yourself first. The story of Brian's first $100k week as a consultant Why everything should be taught at a 5th grade level when training your staff. Learn how prospects retain information. HINT: your sales team better find out what the "chicken" is! The personal filters that are subconsciously driving every decision you make—and why ego is your enemy when building a business. What is The Dropout Multi-Millionaire all about? Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Cameron Herold, known as the "CEO Whisperer" and "Business Growth Guru," is the mastermind behind hundreds of companies' exponential growth. At age 21, he had 12 employees. By 35, he helped build two $100 million companies. And by 42, he grew 1-800-GOT-JUNK? from $2 million to $106 million in revenue within six years. Cameron later founded the COO Alliance when he realized that there were no peer groups for one of the most crucial company roles—the Chief Operating Officer. COO Alliance has become the leading network for COOs, VPs of Operations, GMs, and Presidents who run company-wide operations. In this episode, I'm talking with Cameron about all things hiring. What can you do to source, screen, recruit, interview, and onboard new people? And how can you grow your team so they are operationally world-class? You'll learn the exact tactics he uses to attract and qualify top talent, his streamlined approach to interviewing, and the proven systems he's used to build 9-figure companies. That, and a whole lot more! Key Takeaways with Guest Name Being born into a life of entrepreneurship. 1-800-GOT-JUNK's secret formula to success. Knowing your strengths as a company and outsourcing the rest. Why most people suck at interviewing—learn how to hire for hypergrowth! The 4-stage learning cycle to hiring, onboarding, and training staff more effectively. Cameron's framework for attracting and qualifying top talent. An extremely effective recruitment incentive to source more candidates. How to treat your hiring process like a sales funnel—and why that process has to start well before you begin hiring! Using "decoys" to draw candidates to your company. Tactics for sourcing candidates. Tips for finding the best recruiters. Don't just take someone's word for it! Train your people how to lead and grow a company. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥