Billion Dollar Journey - with Alex Hormozi - EP 292

 

If there is a skill you want to learn or knowledge you want to acquire, the information is out there, whether that be through books, podcasts, or online. While consuming content and learning from others can teach you a great deal, the best way to learn is by actually playing the part and diving into whatever it is you want to do. Once you have the foundation, the information will be more likely to stick because it becomes applicable. Oftentimes, people get stuck in a consumption cycle and never actually apply it, but today’s guest is here to urge you to get started as he shares his billion-dollar journey.

Alex Hormozi is an entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. In 2013, he started his first brick & mortar business, and within three years, he successfully scaled his business to six locations. He then sold his locations and spent two years turning 32+ brick & mortar businesses around using that same model. He then packaged his process into a licensing model which scaled to over 4000+ locations in 4 years and he also founded and scaled three other companies to $120M+ in cumulative sales in that same time frame. Alex scaled and exited 7 companies and transitioned from CEO to the owner/shareholder position in these companies in 2020, and founded Acquisition.com as a way to invest in other businesses. Alex is known for his expertise in customer acquisition and monetization.

In this episode, Alex shares what he has learned from being who he wants to be online, and why he thinks so many people struggle to make content that converts. Alex explains how he learned some of the skills he applies in his businesses today, and why people fail to take action despite knowing what do to. He shares how he develops habits without having the “perfect” morning routine. Alex also dives into the 4 things you need to start a business, and the question everyone wants to know: What does content creation look like in the Hormozi household? Tune in for more.

Key highlights:

  • The problem with a lot of content
  • Who Alex has looked to as a mentor or teacher
  • Alex’s views on college - is it necessary?
  • Alex’s advice to start a habit
  • Thoughts on morning routines
  • What Alex learned from having a brick-and-mortar business
  • The 4 things you need to start a business
  • What Alex likes about brick-and-mortar vs. online space type of businesses
  • What content creation looks like in the Hormozi house
  • How often Alex and Leila release content online
  • What does their content team look like?
  • What is the deal with the Hormozi font?
  • Sneak peek of Alex’s next book

Connect with Alex Hormozi:
Instagram: @hormozi
LinkedIn: Alexander Hormozi
Twitter: @AlexHormozi

Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley


My First Million - with Tony Whatley - EP 291

 

 

Tony’s journey to his first million involved a combination of an engineering career, a couple of side hustle businesses, and long hours of putting in the work to get to where he is today. Through this journey, there have been countless important lessons that all business owners need to know. Although your business may be totally different in terms of your services or products, the takeaways remain the same and apply across the board to all types of businesses.

From humble beginnings, Tony learned early on the value of working hard for what he wanted. Having started working at 15 years old, each job along the way revealed a valuable lesson that would carry into life and entrepreneurship. One theme remains the same: relationships are incredibly valuable and can reap rewards for decades, so make sure to do right by others. Your first million is possible, but you need to invest in the skills that will get you there and learn from all the lessons along the way.

Key highlights:

  • Tony shares his upbringing, lessons from his parents, and his first job
  • How Tony got into the entrepreneur world
  • Tony’s tips for getting more people into your group or website
  • The difference between a community leader and an influencer
  • The importance of building relationships with integrity
  • Being proactive and not reactive when dealing with common customer complaints
  • How do you get recognized in your industry?
  • What is vertical integration?

Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley


Forged Through Adversity - with Marcus Aurelius Anderson - EP 290

 

Adversity is the catalyst or litmus test of why we do what we do because it makes us question whether we are doing things for the right reasons. We know that adversity and hardship make us better, but some people hope it doesn’t have to be that way because they want to take the easy or quick route to their goals. If you feel like you haven’t faced much adversity in your life, the hard truth is that chances are, you have been living in mediocrity and need to seek adversity or else you will continue to stay stuck. Marcus Aurelius Anderson viewed his adversity as a gift and used it to inspire and teach others how to use hardships to create a meaningful and fulfilled life.

Marcus Aurelius Anderson is back on the 365 Driven podcast, and you can check out episode 23 with Marcus in the episode resources. Marcus is a proud veteran, author of “The Gift of Adversity”, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker, and High-Performance Mindset Coach. He is the creator of the Acta Non Verba movement and host of the Acta Non Verba podcast. While preparing to deploy with the U.S. Army, Marcus suffered a severe spinal injury that left him paralyzed, and his life was turned upside down. In an instant, he went from preparing for war on the battlefield to a war within his own body and mind. After dying on the operating table twice, the surgeons saved his life but told him he’d never walk again. Having no other option, Marcus started doing some in-depth soul-searching, looking for the lesson to be learned from his injury. Once he started seeing his adversity as a gift instead of a curse, everything changed.

In this episode, Marcus is real and honest about why people fail to move toward their goals and purpose in life. We are either moving closer to our goals, or moving further away, so it becomes essential to put ourselves in situations in which we are uncomfortable and lean into that feeling because that is where growth happens. Creating adversity can look like pushing yourself in the gym, or hiring a coach that will call you out on your excuses and push you to do what needs to be done to get the results you want. 

Quote from the episode: 

“Be careful that what you're doing right now to escape your adversity isn't creating more down the line, because it will be waiting for you.” - Marcus Aurelius Anderson 

Key highlights:

  • What keeps people stuck?
  • The concept of aggressive patience
  • The difference between stupidity and ignorance 
  • How do we get people to break the cycle of thinking they need to just get to the finish line instead see that it needs to be an acceleration through the finish line? 
  • How can we create adversity for ourselves?
  • The importance of boundaries and saying “no” to what isn’t aligned with your goals
  • Why you need to put yourself first above everyone else 
  • The problem with the “must be nice” mentality
  • Why you shouldn’t overshare on social media
  • The 2 ways to deal with adversity: correctly or again

Episode resources:

Listen to episode 23 with Marcus: Gain Gratitude for Your Adversity 

Connect with Marcus:
Website: marcusaureliusanderson.com
Instagram: @marcusaureliusanderson
LinkedIn: Marcus Aurelius Anderson
Facebook: Marcus Aurelius Anderson

Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley


You Were Better Before Your Success

You were probably better before you reached success.😮

This is a painful observation I've held for a couple decades now. Several of you also have witnessed it or lived it, but nobody wants to admit it.

Yes, a better version of you existed before you achieved financial comfort.

Remember when you were younger how you were fighting to make a name and build a reputation for yourself? You put in tremendous hours of labor, marked with tears, sweat, and sometimes even blood.

You were dedicated to seeking new skills and consistently studied new knowledge. You couldn't wait to try out new things, testing your new skills, and learning from certain failure.

Remember taking bigger risks? Whether this was at your job or startup, you clearly understood the path to climb that corporate ladder on the organization chart was to establish decisiveness, leadership, and responsibility. You were willing to bet your job on some big moves to hit bigger rewards for the company.

You were hungry back then. You played a more aggressive game. You invested into yourself to create separation from the pack.

So, what happened to that version of you?

Back when I was a hiring manager in corporate, I saw this cycle repeat itself over and over with people that I'd hire. I used to think it was random, but after a decade of seeing it, I knew it was the norm.

I'd hire a young engineer, someone who aced the interview and had the right attitude and showed great potential. They were a cultural fit for the organization.

They'd come in and work hard. They absorbed knowledge and skills like a dry sponge. They were eager, determined, and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and the company to win. They dressed well and took care of themselves. They'd get promoted from those entry level roles. So far, so good.

Around the six-figure income mark, things changed drastically. Most of these people were solid employees, but they lost their drive and hunger for more. They stopped taking risks and betting their name on results they knew they could achieve, but didn't.

They upgraded their lifestyles. New home, new car, fun hobbies for the weekend. I'm big on rewarding yourself, but have never wanted to settle. I see these rewards as milestones on the journey up the mountain, not stopping points or end goals.

They let their physical health fade. They no longer cared about how they dressed or their own appearance. They no longer invested in new skills or knowledge. They just blended in with the rest of the pack. Nobody wanted to stand out. Life became status quo and on cruise control.

Has your success damaged you? Do you still have that drive? Do you still take care of yourself? Do you still learn new skills and knowledge?

Do you still bet on yourself? Do you still believe in your potential?

What does your momentum say? What does your mirror say?

I challenge you to keep climbing in all areas of life. This is what it means to become "365 Driven."

-Tony


Build Unconventional Wealth - with Pejman Ghadimi - EP 289

In today’s world of social media and instant gratification, people are looking for shortcuts to wealth and want that influence and the ability to buy fancy cars. They see people on social media with flashy cars and expensive watches, but oftentimes, they are not thinking of what it took to get there. Maybe that person is just faking the influence and wealth as we have discussed in other episodes, or maybe they truly have built the wealth to get there, but it is probably a longer, more challenging path than people realize. Pejman Ghadimi is back on the 365 Driven podcast to demystify what it takes to get on the path to wealth, how that can be done by unconventional means, and since Tony and Pejman are both car guys, they also dive into a little about exotic cars.

Pejman Ghadimi is a self-made entrepreneur, philosopher, author, and the creator of the wealth transfer methodology. Over the last 20 years, Pejman has built several businesses ranging from a one-of-a-kind investment firm that focuses on alternative asset management known as 1 OFF Investments, to a series of online education businesses including Secret Entourage, Exotic Car Hacks, and Watch Trading Academy. These platforms have forced people to rethink their understanding of business, luxury assets, and money management. Pejman's companies have grossed well over $420,000,000.00 in combined revenue. Pejman is an example of how resourcefulness and self-education are the two most powerful keys to success. He was also featured on Netflix’s Fastest Car Season 2.

In this episode, Pejman explains that having a path to wealth comes from having a path as a human and acquiring skills along the way no matter what types of jobs you start out in. Very successful people rarely share about their first job and the 10-20 years of struggling and lessons that it took to get them to where they are because oftentimes people don’t want to hear about that. It’s a very important piece of the journey that people need to realize and research for themselves. Listening and talking to people that have what you want can help shortcut the learning, but not the result, so starting to build that wealth now is going to be key.

Key highlights:

  • For someone that thinks that they do not have a path to wealth, how do they start?
  • People don’t understand the path to success and they think it’s not possible due to having a fixed mindset around it
  • Acquiring skills and knowledge to get to that next level
  • What do you need to know to buy an exotic car? What do you need to assess?
  • As a society, we focus on the wrong things: fear and negativity
  • Greatness will always be in demand because it is in short supply
  • If you find someone that will share how they got there, pay attention to what they say
  • Real success is having a choice and living life through your own value system

Connect with Pejman Ghadimi:
Website: pejmanghadimi.com | learnfrompj.com
Instagram: @icreatemillionaires

Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley