Travis Makes Money

Retired Navy Senior Chief Travis Winfield is a bestselling author and the CEO of Military Operated Real Estate (MORE), the first national real estate brand built specifically for service members and veterans. He went from growing up with almost nothing to building a powerhouse six‑agent team that has closed over 700 homes and more than $350 million in sales, and his mission now is to fix the financial literacy crisis holding military families back from real wealth. On this episode we talk about: How Travis went from bad credit, 25% car loans, and debt to building a multi‑million‑dollar real estate business. Why so many service members leave the military in a worse financial position than when they joined. The blended retirement system, why it’s dangerous without financial literacy, and what it means for younger service members. How military families can use benefits like the VA loan, GI Bill, and state education programs to build long‑term wealth instead of selling key assets. How MORE and programs like SkillBridge and GI Bill on‑the‑job training help veterans transition into real estate with a real runway instead of starting from zero. Top 3 Takeaways You do not need to start wealthy to build wealth; understanding budgeting, debt payoff, and compound interest is enough to change your financial trajectory. Military benefits like the VA home loan, education benefits, and the new blended retirement plan can be powerful wealth tools—but only if service members actually know they exist and how to use them. Real estate remains one of the strongest paths to long‑term wealth for veterans, especially when combined with VA loan strategies, house hacking, and guided transition programs into the industry. Notable Quotes "Everybody thinks you need to have wealth to build wealth—but you can come from nothing and still build a multi‑million‑dollar business." "Congress basically banked on the lack of financial literacy with the blended retirement; if you don’t understand it, you’ll choose spending today over security tomorrow." "Every service member deserves to own a piece of the land they defend—hard stop." Connect with Travis Winfield: Website & book: traviswinfield.com Military Operated Real Estate: militaryoperatedrealestate.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Austin Armstrong is a 20+ year social media marketing veteran who started on MySpace at 14 and has since built a successful agency and AI-powered software company, Syllaby. He’s also the author of Virality, a book distilling two decades of wins, losses, and experiments into a practical playbook for turning attention into income.​ On this episode we talk about: How Austin stumbled into social media marketing as a teenager on MySpace and turned it into real income.​ Why mentorship, agency life, and eventually software shaped how he thinks about content and business.​ The volume vs. quality debate and how to systematically “test” content topics, formats, and platforms.​ How to use AI to speed up ideation, scripting, and production without creating generic “AI slop.”​ Why entrepreneurs should treat content as a growth channel for their business, not their entire business.​ Top 3 Takeaways Consistent volume matters, but it must be paired with strategic testing—categories, formats, and topics—so you can double down on what actually performs instead of blindly posting.​ AI should be used to buy back time (ideation, drafting, B‑roll, scheduling), not to fully replace your voice or expertise with regurgitated content that audiences and platforms are starting to reject.​ The real money is made when you connect content to a clear backend offer, system, or product—views are leverage, but they only pay if they point to a business.​ Notable Quotes "You’re not going to science the hell out of this—the only way to keep getting hits is to increase volume, maintain quality, and keep publishing."​ "There are seasons of growth and seasons of learning; when what used to work stops working, it’s time to experiment, not quit."​ "AI shouldn’t be an excuse to ship more garbage—it should make you more productive at the parts of the process you already understand."​ Connect with Austin Armstrong: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialtypro Purchase a copy of his book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSTK8QNB ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric react to a call from The Ramsey Show with George Kamel and John Delony, where a 26-year-old caller wrestles with whether to wipe out his $20,000 savings to pay off credit card and truck debt. Using that scenario as a springboard, they dig into the psychology of safety, why cash in the bank feels like a “warm blanket,” and how to make smarter decisions about debt payoff and emergencies—without accidentally rebuilding high-interest debt later. The conversation eventually veers into gambling, new casino tech, and the dangerous allure of hooking your bank account up to slot machines and even Uno tables. On this episode we talk about: Why a $1,000 emergency fund often isn’t enough in real life, even if it sounds good on paper The tradeoff between aggressively attacking debt versus keeping meaningful cash reserves for job loss or life emergencies How gambling debt, sports betting, and new “bank-connected” casino tech can quietly wreck your finances Why having cash while still in debt can be a psychological trap—and why zero cash can be just as dangerous Creative ways to pay down car loans faster (without draining your savings) like extra jobs, lump-sum payments, and clear payoff rules Top 3 Takeaways Credit card debt should go first: if you have the cash to kill high-interest consumer debt—especially from gambling—do it quickly before it snowballs. Staying liquid matters: draining a $20,000 cushion down to $1,000 just to slightly lower a truck balance can backfire if you lose your job or get hit with real emergencies. Systems beat vibes: set clear rules (e.g., “everything above X in savings goes to the loan each quarter”) so you can both protect your downside and make real progress on debt. Notable Quotes "If you have credit card debt that lasts beyond a 30-day cycle, you’re using it wrong." "When you see cash in your account, you think it’s yours—but if you’re in debt, by definition, it’s not; it belongs to your creditors." "Please don’t hook your debit card or bank account up to a slot machine—that’s how you go from ‘just having fun’ to ‘I’m not going home tonight.’" ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric riff on the wild success of Jesse Cole and the Savannah Bananas, a baseball franchise that exploded by obsessing over fan experience instead of traditional revenue models. Using Jesse’s journey from near-bankruptcy to selling out NFL stadiums, they unpack how “fans first” thinking can transform any business, not just sports. On this episode we talk about: Why Jesse Cole eliminated every ad in the stadium and built a business that doesn’t rely on sponsorships How the Savannah Bananas turned low-level summer league baseball into a sellout national phenomenon The power (and risk) of saying no to traditional TV money and insisting on non‑exclusive broadcast deals Why most owners cling to short‑term cash (fees, sponsors, overpriced concessions) instead of long‑term fan loyalty How to apply “fans first” thinking in your own business by overdelivering value and playing a longer game Top 3 Takeaways When you truly put fans first—removing junk fees, overdelivering on experience, and making the product genuinely fun—you create word-of-mouth growth that no ad budget can buy. Long-term vision requires rejecting easy, short-term money; saying no to ads, exclusive rights, or bad-fit sponsorships can unlock far bigger upside later. Disruptors often look “insane” at first, but building for the next 10–20 years instead of the next 10–20 months is how you end up owning the category. Notable Quotes "Nobody walks into a ballpark saying, ‘I can’t wait to see what billboards they have in the outfield.’" "Most people would rather keep the sponsors and the processing fees than mortgage their house to build the experience they actually believe in." "If you massively overdeliver for the people already willing to part with their hard-earned dollars, it’s going to end up going pretty well for you." ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bishop Kevin Foreman is a visionary leader, entrepreneur, and wealth strategist who has generated and managed millions through ministry, real estate, coaching, and digital ventures. From pioneering his first business at 12 to building Denver’s largest Black-owned mortgage company and leading Harvest Church, he blends biblical principles with bold execution to help people break cycles of lack and step into abundance. On this episode we talk about: How Bishop Foreman combined a “Bible and briefcase” mindset from childhood into a life of purpose and profit Starting a first business at 12, pioneering a youth business loan program, and learning to “stack” cash early Building a multi-million-dollar mortgage company in his early 20s and navigating the 2000s housing collapse How painful pivots led to planting a debt-free church, Bible college, and a portfolio of M&A-driven businesses Why biographies, constant learning, and seeing yourself as a lifelong student are unfair advantages in life and business Top 3 Takeaways Faith and finances are not enemies: when money is treated as a tool for purpose, wealth-building becomes a spiritual assignment, not a selfish pursuit. Seasons of collapse and reinvention (like the mortgage crash) can be the catalyst that pushes you into your real calling—if you’re willing to pivot instead of panic. One of the most underutilized wealth vehicles is buying existing businesses: M&A lets you acquire cash flow, corporate credit, and teams instead of always starting from scratch. Notable Quotes "Money was a tool. Money was a resource. The purpose of obtaining wealth was what I would do with it, not just getting it for its own sake." "The idiot is the one that thinks they know everything. The smart guy sits there and listens as a student." "Sometimes the best move isn’t to build from nothing—it’s to buy what someone else already built and make it better." Connect with Bishop Kevin Foreman: Twitter/X: https://x.com/bishopforeman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bishopforeman/ Other: https://bishopforeman.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Producer Eric joins Travis in this episode to break down why creators, podcasters, and business owners do not need millions of followers to build a serious income online. Eric is a veteran content producer and host in his own right, bringing a creator’s eye for monetization strategies, niche positioning, and long-term brand building to the conversation.​ On this episode we talk about: Why a massive audience is not required to make a full-time income as a creator How brands are shifting ad dollars toward small and midsize, niche creators Real examples of niche creators making five figures per month with modest audiences Why CPMs/RPMs vary wildly by niche (finance vs comedy vs generic entertainment) How to think about “blue ocean” opportunities and combining niches like Chiefs + Swifties Top 3 Takeaways You can out-earn much bigger creators by going narrow: a small, high-intent, niche audience often monetizes better than a huge, generic one because sponsors know exactly who they’re reaching. Niche, high-ticket categories (brain health gear, vertical farming, audiophile equipment, real estate, finance) command far better ad rates and affiliate payouts than broad entertainment content. The real lever is fit, not fame: if your content solves a specific problem for a clearly defined group—and you either sell something yourself or attract aligned sponsors—you do not need a massive following to build a multi–six or seven-figure business. Notable Quotes "You don't need to have a million subscribers on YouTube to be able to make a full time income from doing YouTube videos." "Some people will have a half a million subscribers and make less than somebody with 15,000 subscribers, because it's in a very broad market that has really low RPMs." "Sometimes niching down means niching up—you can combine two things you care about and create a blue ocean where there’s literally no competition."​ ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.​ 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.​ 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis sits down with long‑time friend and entrepreneur Jason Haugen to unpack the very real, very unsexy side of building and exiting a nine‑location RV dealership group that peaked at $100M a year—then got crushed by a 70% sales drop and exploding interest costs. After taking some time off, walking through his wife’s cancer battle, and licking his wounds, Jason is now co‑founder and CEO of Black Jet Ventures, acquiring and growing brands with a focus on operations, marketing, and sustainable profitability. On this episode we talk about: How Jason scaled from a few RV stores to nine locations and $100M+ in revenue—and what actually triggered his decision to sell The brutal reality of a market swing: going from 350–400 units a month to 100, floorplan interest jumping from ~$107k to ~$700k, and why revenue can hide operational inefficiencies Losing $20M, having an executive team walk out, sleeping at the office, and how he managed his mental health and focus through calls from the bank and constant crises Why he believes in “grow, then stabilize, then grow” (not growth at all costs), and how over‑expansion can kill a business even when top‑line numbers look impressive What Black Jet Ventures and Iconic Marketing do today—acquiring CPG and media brands, running a major golf‑focused content/marketing agency, and helping founders build real systems, not just hype Top 3 Takeaways Big revenue doesn’t equal real success; without tight operations, intentional growth phases, and clear profitability targets, you can “grow” your way straight into a cash‑flow crisis. Mental resilience in entrepreneurship comes from focusing only on what you can control, staying in motion, and building routines (like golf or other outlets) that let you reset even in the middle of chaos. Sustainable businesses are built by going deep, not just wide: simplifying SKUs, optimizing existing locations, and stabilizing systems before expanding again often leads to far better margins than chasing vanity scale. Notable Quotes “The best thing that ever happened to me was losing $20 million—because I get to take those lessons into everything I do now.” “You can’t grow and stabilize at the same time; you grow, then you stabilize, then you earn the right to grow again.” “If you’re not absolutely crushing it with three locations, adding six more isn’t going to save you—it’s just going to multiply your problems.” Connect with Jason Haugen: https://www.iamjasonhaugen.com/ ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aden Bahadori and Brett Granstaff join Travis to unpack how AI is about to change the economics of filmmaking and content creation. Aden is an award‑winning editor, post‑production engineer, and longtime Adobe advisor who has cut music videos, TV, and features; Brett is a veteran producer, writer, and actor, and the president/founder of Ridge Rock Entertainment Group with two decades in independent film. Together, they’re building Tachi‑AI, a human‑centric tool that automates the most tedious parts of editing so creatives can spend more time actually telling stories. On this episode we talk about: How Aden went from working for free on music videos to six figures by year two, and how Brett parlayed ADR gigs and “distressed” studio scripts into a producing career What producers actually do, why there are so many different producer credits, and the real split between creative vs. financial producers The origin of Tachi‑AI: Aden’s 2012 dream of an “auto‑edit” button, an early proof of concept (Fast Track), and why now is the moment to bring AI into post‑production How Tachi‑AI ingests raw footage and a script to generate multiple assembly edits—saving editors from hours of slogging through dailies and freeing them to focus on nuance, performance, and story Why they see AI as a creative utility (like AutoCAD for architects), the democratization of filmmaking, and how lower technical barriers can make story—not budget—the real differentiator Top 3 Takeaways The biggest immediate impact of AI in film will be in post‑production, where automating assembly edits and other technical grunt work gives editors and directors more time and energy for true creative decisions. As tools like Tachi‑AI spread, high‑quality visual storytelling will no longer be reserved for massive studio budgets; independent creators will be able to prototype and finish projects faster and cheaper than ever. AI will not replace filmmakers; it will reward those who learn to wield it—by treating it as an assistant that expands their capacity, not a shortcut that replaces taste, judgment, or original stories. Notable Quotes “Our goal isn’t to replace editors; it’s to give them their time and mojo back by killing the most tedious, technical parts of the job.” “Think of it like AutoCAD for filmmakers—the software doesn’t design the building for you, it just lets you explore way more options, way faster.” “As AI democratizes the creative process, the thing that wins isn’t the biggest budget anymore; it’s the strongest story and the most original point of view.” Connect with Tachi‑AI: Website: https://tachi-ai.com  ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob Phibbs joins Travis to break down why great retail is really about great human connection—and how that truth is even more important in an AI‑driven world. Known globally as “The Retail Doctor,” Bob has spent decades turning around struggling stores, training more than 250,000 associates, and helping brands like LEGO, Seiko, and Yamaha boost sales with people‑first systems that actually work in the real world. On this episode we talk about: How a paper route, cowboy‑boot sales, and a near‑dead coffee shop across from Starbucks led Bob to create “The Retail Doctor” and land a New York Times business feature The turnaround of a Long Beach coffee roaster that was down 10% a year for eight straight years and facing two nearby Starbucks—and how Bob helped it grow 50% in year one, 40% in year two Why so many retailers die: undertrained staff, no standards, commoditized experiences, and leaders who think customers (not employees) are the “greatest asset” The future of brick‑and‑mortar vs. e‑commerce, why online sales have likely capped around 20%, and how physical stores can win by focusing on discovery, experience, and real conversations How retail work “normalizes” young people—teaching responsibility, resilience, and people skills—and why every aspiring entrepreneur should spend time on a sales floor Top 3 Takeaways Products and locations don’t win in retail—people do. Training front‑line associates to make shoppers feel seen, heard, and helped is the most reliable sales lever any store owner has. E‑commerce and AI will keep eating the easy, transactional parts of shopping, but brick‑and‑mortar thrives when it leans into what online can’t replicate: laughter, serendipity, and genuine human connection. If you’re serious about entrepreneurship, you should treat retail or customer‑facing work as a rite of passage; learning to open hearts and make someone else’s day is foundational to making serious money later. Notable Quotes “It doesn’t matter what I sell; it matters how the person feels when I’m standing in front of them.” “You’re known more for your compromises than for your successes—especially in how you treat your people.” “If you can’t get someone to open their heart to another human being, you’re not going to make money, no matter what business you’re in.” Connect with Bob Phibbs (The Retail Doctor): Website: https://www.retaildoc.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis and producer Eric dig into an old clip from 2019 where a 27‑year‑old Travis explains why polarizing beliefs and “true fans” are critical for creators and entrepreneurs. Using that as a jumping‑off point, they talk candidly about content, integrity, legacy, and what it means to build an audience your future kids can look up—and cringe—at. On this episode we talk about: Whether Travis still agrees with his past take that 100 “true fans” can fuel a multi‑seven‑figure business The difference between healthy polarization (clear beliefs and opinions) and cheap outrage or political hot‑takes How becoming a parent changed the way Travis thinks about what he says online and the digital footprint his kids will one day see The pressure and temptation to use extreme hooks (“you’ll never be a millionaire if…”) versus playing the long game with trust and authenticity Why Travis believes entrepreneurs who refuse to create content will be “left in the dust” over the next decade Top 3 Takeaways You don’t need millions of casual followers; a relatively small group of true fans who deeply trust you can support a highly profitable business. Being “polarizing” doesn’t require rage‑bait or politics—it means taking clear, defensible stances on ideas you actually believe, even if others disagree. As an entrepreneur, publishing content is no longer optional; showing up consistently online is becoming a baseline requirement for long‑term relevance and opportunity. Notable Quotes “If you talk to everybody, you’re talking to nobody—lines in the sand are what turn listeners into true fans.” “If I wouldn’t feel in integrity saying it to my kids one day, I’m not going to say it just for clicks.” “If you’re refusing to create content as an entrepreneur, you’re going to be left in the dust in the next ten years." ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices