We Live to Build

How One Unchecked Spam Folder Almost Cost Me $150,000. In this interview, Forte Consulting co-founder Hope Timberlake shares the "effing scary" wake-up call she received after an unfiled 401k form, lost in her spam folder, triggered a potential IRS penalty of $500 per day. She explains how this one administrative oversight could have cost her nearly $150,000 and the valuable lessons it taught her about the backend of a business. Hope also reveals the liberating "ego lesson" she learned when she realized her clients didn't care if she delegated work, the mistake of hiring people at too low of a rate, and how hiring her first virtual assistant grew her business by 50%. Check out the company: https://fortesf.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - How My Entrepreneur Father Inspired Me04:24 - Why We Didn't Raise Prices During the Pandemic08:37 - The Guilt of Prioritizing My Business Over My Kids12:39 - How I Wrote a Book (But Gained 15 Pounds)17:00 - The "Ego Lesson": Realizing My Clients Don't Need Me21:00 - How I Learned to Stop Being a Control Freak24:56 - The Mistake of Hiring People at Too Low of a Rate29:25 - How an Unchecked Spam Folder Almost Cost Me $150,00033:35 - Why I'm Craving a Life Off-Screen37:39 - How Our First VA Grew Our Business by 50%41:55 - The Power of a Peer Mastermind45:57 - To Sell or Not to Sell: Why We Turned Down an Acquisition📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I Turned Down a Job That Would Have Made Me $50 Million. In this interview, serial entrepreneur Rom Lakritz shares the story of turning down a co-CEO role at an early-stage startup that is now pre-IPO—a decision that cost him a potential $50 million payday. He discusses the psychology behind making such a high-stakes choice and why he doesn't regret it. Rom, who has sold a company, taken another public , and raised $15 million for his current venture, also details the emotional toll of selling his first "baby", and how the buyer had to triple their offer to get him to say yes. Finally, he explains his powerful distinction between honesty and integrity, and why integrity is the more important virtue for any leader. Check out the company: https://sayanchor.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - The Psychology of a Serial Entrepreneur02:35 - My First Business Was Selling Flowers at Age 1205:49 - Why Integrity Is More Important Than Honesty08:30 - Bootstrapping vs. Raising $15 Million11:45 - When to Hide Problems From Your Investors14:50 - The Right Way to Manage Investor Expectations17:44 - Knowing When to Shut Your Company Down20:47 - The Agony of Selling Your "Baby"24:11 - The $50 Million "Mistake" I Don't Regret27:36 - How We React to Market Chaos30:41 - My Team Stops Me From Moving Too Fast33:42 - The Evolution of a CEO: Learning Self-Control📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Comfort Zone Is a Coffin. In this interview, serial entrepreneur Jason Todd shares his core philosophy that "fear guards the gateway to your growth". He argues that if you're not doing something that scares you, you're not trying hard enough, and that staying comfortable is a recipe for stagnation. Jason, who built and sold a $100 million e-commerce company, also reveals his most expensive, recurring mistake that cost him millions: hiring "safe people" instead of true experts. Finally, he explains his humbling belief that "you are already wrong in some way... you are not yet aware of," and why every founder needs to hear it. Check out the company: https://jasontodd.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - "Fear Guards the Gateway to Your Growth" 05:32 - If It Doesn't Scare You, You're Not Trying Hard Enough 11:04 - How I Conquered My Fear of Heights 16:52 - My Million-Dollar Mistake: Hiring "Safe" People 22:21 - The Hardest Thing: Getting Out of Your Own Way 27:49 - Why You Need a Mentor (And I Was Wrong to Ignore Them) 38:28 - You Are Already Wrong (And You Don't Even Know It) 44:09 - Don't Go Down With The Ship: When to Quit 59:55 - The Most Important Lesson: Be a Student of Yourself 📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Anxiety Is Pointing You in the Right Direction. In this interview, multi-seven-figure entrepreneur Ray Blakney shares his powerful philosophy that stress and anxiety are the best guideposts for growth. He argues that the things that make you scared are the exact things you need to do, and that successful people aren't without fear—they just walk through it anyway. Ray also shares the raw story of the biggest downturn in his business's 15-year history, which led to a crippling bout of anxiety-induced insomnia where he only slept two hours a night for 14 days straight. He explains how this crisis led him to discover Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and why his most expensive mistake was hiring a five-figure-per-month coach who "didn't do crap". Check out the company: https://podcasthawk.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - My Biggest Fear: Having to Get a 9-5 Job04:40 - The Crisis That Caused My Insomnia (2 Hours of Sleep for 14 Days)09:29 - Why Skydiving Is the Perfect Metaphor for Entrepreneurship14:27 - Your Anxiety Is Pointing You in the Right Direction19:27 - How My Business Failure Led Me to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)28:51 - Why Emotional Intelligence Should Be Taught in Schools33:43 - The Hardest Part: Admitting Failure to My Peers38:28 - My 5-Figure/Month Coach Was a Waste of Money48:11 - From Hustle to Systems: The Path from 7 to 8 Figures52:48 - Why Most Entrepreneurs Suck at Operations📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your LinkedIn Sales Pitch Makes Me Angry. In this interview, startup agency founder Loretta Markevics gives her unfiltered opinion on the thousands of automated, "cutesy" sales messages flooding executive inboxes. She explains why deceptive lead generation tactics make her "angry," why she's "very, very pro directness," and why your cold outreach is probably a waste of her time. Loretta also shares the raw story of leaving her C-suite job, crying nonstop, and facing the intense fear of financial insecurity. She reveals the moment her executive assistant "fired her" for being a bad boss , and why she turned down an acquisition offer for her fast-growing agency, believing "this cake is not baked" yet. Check out the company: https://sedcommunications.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Why I Love the "Psychosis" of Startup Founders04:11 - Leaving My C-Suite Job & Crying Nonstop08:39 - The Intense Fear of Financial Insecurity12:51 - Are You a Founder or Just a Control Freak?16:59 - Why I'll Never Hire a Full-Time Employee21:00 - "We're Not Saving Lives, We're Just Selling Stuff"25:11 - Why I Turned Down an Acquisition Offer29:23 - Your LinkedIn Sales Pitch Makes Me Angry38:03 - The Time My Executive Assistant Fired Me42:18 - What Gen Z Doesn't Understand About Startups📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My Opioid Addiction Led to a $60 Million/Year Company. In this incredibly raw interview, Jeff Sekinger shares his harrowing six-year battle with opioid addiction that began with a Percocet prescription for a high school football injury. He details hitting rock bottom—racking up over $80,000 in debt, isolating himself from family and friends, and feeling completely hopeless. The turning point came after getting out of rehab, when his cousin tragically died of an overdose just two weeks later. Jeff explains how he channeled his obsessive personality away from destruction and into an obsession for success, turning his own financial problems into a multi-million dollar business that is now on track to do $60 million this year. This is a story about hitting the absolute bottom and building a new life. Check out the company: https://orca.capitalBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - How a Football Injury Led to Opioid Addiction05:15 - The Four Years I Spent Trying to Quit08:30 - Hitting Rock Bottom: Debt, Lies & Hating Myself12:45 - The Wake-Up Call: My Cousin's Overdose17:20 - From an Obsession with Destruction to an Obsession with Success21:10 - The "Oxygen Mask" Rule: Being Selfish to Be Selfless25:00 - "You Can't Shoot a Cannon From a Canoe"28:30 - From a 524 Credit Score to My First Successful Company33:00 - The Path to a $60 Million/Year Business38:00 - The #1 Lesson for Success in Business and Life📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Your One-Person Marketing Team Is Set Up to Fail. In this interview, Kaitlyn Merola, Founder and CEO of Mōve Marketing, breaks down one of the most common mistakes startups make: hiring a single "marketing generalist" and expecting them to be an expert in everything. She explains why this is an unfair strategy that sets both the employee and the company up for failure. Kaitlyn also shares her agency's radically transparent approach to client work (prioritizing SEO results over a client's personal taste) , the counter-intuitive reason she felt more burned out after growing her team to eight people , and her core belief that a business is either growing or dying—there is no such thing as "maintenance mode". Check out the company: https://move-mktg.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - Why I Love Working With "Difficult" Startup Clients04:10 - Why Your One-Person Marketing Team Is Set Up to Fail08:23 - How to Build Radical Transparency With Your Clients12:45 - "I'm Not Concerned If You Like It": An SEO Reality Check20:55 - How to Fire a Client Who Disrespects Your Time25:20 - How I Got My First Client by Trolling LinkedIn29:32 - The Real Reason Scaling My Team Caused Burnout37:57 - A Business Is Either Growing or Dying (There Is No Maintenance Mode)45:48 - The Importance of Staying True to Your Vision📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The "Anchor Pricing" Trick That Manipulates Your Clients' Choice. In this interview, Jarrod Lopiccolo, an architect-turned-CEO, breaks down the powerful psychological strategy of anchor pricing. He explains how presenting three options—a high "anchor" price, a low price, and a middle price—manipulates customers into almost always choosing the middle option, and how you can apply this to your own business. Jarrod also shares his journey from physical architecture to building "virtual architecture" on the internet , his core question for high-performers ("Do you love to win, or do you hate to lose?") , and the three chapters of every founder's journey: from a hands-on "tradesperson" to a strategic "businessperson" and beyond. Check out the company: https://noblestudios.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - From Architect to "Virtual Architect"06:33 - Do You Love to Win, or Do You Hate to Lose?13:18 - How an Architect's Mindset Builds a Stronger Business16:35 - Why You Never Put a Park Bench in an Open Field23:46 - Using Data to Prove Your Irrational Clients Wrong27:03 - The "Anchor Pricing" Trick That Manipulates Choice30:28 - The 3 Chapters of Every Founder's Journey40:06 - The Most Important Lesson After 20 Years in Business📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why a Four-Year College Degree Is a Waste of Money. In this interview, Donald Booth, Founder & CEO of the American Institute of Non-Destructive Testing, makes the case for why skilled trades are a smarter path than a traditional four-year degree. He explains why Gen Z is becoming the "tool belt generation" and points out that only 40% of college graduates are even working in their field of study after 10 years. Donald also shares his incredible journey from working in the Arctic Circle at -99°F windchill to starting his own trade school, and the innovative strategy he used to disrupt his competition—by buying a hotel to provide free housing for his students. Check out the company: http://www.trainingndt.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - From -99°F in Alaska to Building a Trade School04:26 - My "Golden Rule" for Every New Entrepreneur09:03 - How We Took Over the First Page of Google13:25 - The Invisible Industry That Keeps Planes in the Sky17:54 - The Problem with Traditional Student Loans22:05 - Why a Four-Year Degree is a Waste of Money26:25 - My Strategy: Befriend, Then Steal Their Market35:25 - I Bought a Hotel to Disrupt a $100M Competitor44:20 - Your Industry's "Experts" Are Clueless About Gen Z48:44 - The "I'll Be Happy When..." Trap That Kills Entrepreneurs📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Franchise Model That Opened 950 Stores in 13 Years. In this interview, Chief Development Officer Lyle Myers breaks down the exact franchise model his partners used to scale their previous brand, The Joint Chiropractic, to 950 locations in just 13 years. He reveals their "regional developer" strategy, which empowers partners to build and support their own territories in exchange for a share of fees and royalties. Lyle also shares his #1 rule for franchisee success, "Imitate before you innovate" , and explains why franchising makes up only 8% of US retail businesses but generates a massive 40% of the revenue. Finally, he details how an affordable $79/month price point creates a "sticky" subscription business. Check out the company: https://iflexstretchstudios.comBook a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory👀 CONNECT WITH SEANSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrotLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrotInquiries: welivetobuild@gmail.com🕒 CHAPTERS00:00 - The "Super Highway" to Owning a Business03:08 - How 8% of Businesses Make 40% of All Retail Revenue06:22 - "Imitate Before You Innovate": The #1 Rule for Success09:22 - Building a Proactive Support System for Franchisees15:16 - The Regional Developer Model (And How It Scales Fast)18:18 - Why Personal Services Are the "New Retail"24:36 - The Secret to a Sticky Subscription? The $79 Price Point27:45 - A Huge Untapped Market: The Need for Human Touch33:43 - My Personal Mission: Finding "Passion with Purpose"📈 WORK WITH ME▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.aiLeave a Review (it truly helps us grow): https://welivetobuild.com/review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.