Don't Listen to Comparisons

Don't listen to them. Your business doesn't have to be stressful. You don't have to work insane hours and sacrifice what truly matters to you.

Sometimes you'll see other business owners stand on their digital soapbox and try to talk down to you. They'll say things like:

"You aren't working as hard as me."
"You aren't sacrificing as much as me."
"Your business model isn't as great as mine."
"I'm better at business because I have more employees than you."
"My business is legit because I have a physical location."
"I'm better than you because I do 7-figures, 8-figures, All-the-figures."

In business, all of these lines are bullshit. They are usually sourced from their uncontrolled ego and insecurities.

I know this, because I've used a few of them in the past, when I was seeking external validation and approval. I grew up without money or social status, so I felt I had something to prove.

Back then I also mistakenly linked someone's social status and self-worth with their net worth. If they are more successful, surely they rank higher on the imaginary human status scale, right?

Some of you are thinking "I'd never do that, I'm not like that. I treat everyone as equals." But your subconscious still plays these stacking games, it's how we were taught. It's what we believe.

Need proof? When you meet someone new, there are often general questions asked.

"What's your name?"
"Where are you from?"
"What do you do?"

Although these questions seem harmless (and boring), that last question is our passive attempt to categorize someone based on status. If someone responds they are a brain surgeon, you automatically elevate them in your mind. If they respond with a lower income career, you rank them lower in your status stack-up.

Well, these entrepreneurs that hit social media with their comparison phrases are doing the exact same thing. They are making an attempt to climb to a higher (to themselves) status by downplaying those who they think do less, struggle less, and sacrifice less.

In business, we each have our own desires. No answer is correct, or better than others. Some are fulfilled earning less than six figures, where others believe they require millions.

Struggle is a choice. Sacrifice is a choice. Spending time away from your family is a choice. Feeling stressed and anxious is a choice. Wanting more employees is a choice. Not having time or location freedom is a choice.

I've built online businesses. I've built physical location businesses. I've built teams and staff businesses. I've done retail. I've done services. Each model has its pros and cons. I don't consider any of them "better" than the other. That's because "better" changes, based on what you want your life to be, in this period of your life.

Nowadays I define my idea of a successful business based on a combination of things I value. I value time the most. Minimal time, maximum net profit. Minimal stress, maximum fulfillment.

I don't care about other entrepreneurs with revenue humblebrags, because it doesn't always portray their net profit, time sacrifices, family sacrifices, mental and physical health sacrifices... and more importantly; Their sacrifice of fulfilment and happiness in life.

You don't need to justify your business choice to anyone. You simply need to decide what matters most to you, and build it for yourself.

-Tony


Before I Became a Business Coach

Before I became a business coach:

Corporate Experience

  • I put myself through engineering school while working full-time labor jobs.
  • Led multi-national teams of up to 75 people.
  • Managed up to $200M joint ventures and global projects, with $1M operational daily burn rates.
  • Joined a startup and led the technical bidding strategy which resulted in $1 Billion in awarded contracts in the first year.
  • Utilized legal contracts expertise to successfully reject 96% of unsolicited change orders, protecting my client from $4.8M in one year.
  • I’ve received over $1M in corporate training in leadership, operational development, contracts, processes, risk management, communications, and Human Resources.
  • Worked extended months in UK, France, Italy, Angola, and Rep of Congo.
  • Member of three M&A project teams, resulting in two 8-figure and one 9-figure acquisitions.

Personal Experience

  • Active entrepreneur since my first LLC in 2001.
  • Started 9 companies/ brands, failed at 5, succeeded in 4.
  • Built and led two online communities with hundreds of thousands of registered members.
  • Built a digital marketing creative agency which consisted of website design, logo design, cart implementations, and marketing creative.
  • Built multiple 7-figure companies with zero loans, zero capital raises, zero debt.
  • Sold two brands/ assets for millions net. LS1tech and PerformanceTrucks
  • Nominated to serve on the SEMA marketing advisory team, still active there.
  • Helped/ advised 12 of my former staff members and friends build 7, 8, and 9 figure businesses over the last 20 years.

This is why I’m qualified to do what I do. It’s who I am, and always have been.

-Tony


The Truth About Alex Hormozi


I see a lot of you copying the caption style that Alex Hormozi uses. I hate to inform you, but your caption style isn't why your content isn't trending like his. 😭

It's a combination of several things that have placed the Hormozi's as the fastest growing business influencers in 2022.

First, he and his wife Leila Hormozi have established proven business results. The couple has exited companies in the 8-figures, and built a portfolio of joint ventures and equity partnerships up to over $100M annual revenue. People take advice from those who've achieved things.

They are also very articulate and intelligent, combined with certainty behind their message. Rather than repeating what others say, they both speak from their own personal experience.

Alex' appearance also breaks the traditional "look" of multi-millionaire business owners. He dresses like the gym bro that he's always been. He doesn't try to look like other people in the space. Plaid, muscles, tank tops, Crocs, jean jorts, and a scruffy beard. He just owns who he is, while most try to emulate others.

The other reason you perceive them as "blowing up" is because they both spend nearly $100K per month on their content creation team. They drop several videos daily, on every platform. You don't have the budget to compete at that level.

Lose the copycat captions. If that's the reason you believe your content is struggling, hopefully I saved you some time and money.

Just focus on:
1) Create measurable results and success in what you wish to be known for.
2) Be yourself. The best version of you, not some watered-down version of someone else.
3) Create content with consistency and quality, over long periods of time. This means years, not weeks.

You cannot skip steps!

-Tony


Why You Should Be Using LinkedIn

"LinkedIn Sucks."
"LinkedIn is Boring."

I often hear phrases like this, but I want my 365 Driven family to be better informed than the others.

Yes, the OLD version of LinkedIn sucked. It was a boring cesspool of snooze-fest corporate updates and press releases, and thousands of people job-seeking. It was basically an online resume storage site, where recruiters mostly hung out.

LinkedIn isn't like that any longer. In the last two years, it has dramatically changed.

Some of you may not know that Microsoft owns LinkedIn as of 2016. It now has a huge financial backing.

Microsoft wants to play ball against social media titans like Facebook and Google (YouTube).
They started changing LinkedIn to operate more like a social media platform, rather than an article post dump. Like buttons, share buttons, video upload capability.

There are now thousands of people creating informative content around the topic of business and professional careers.

Think of LinkedIn as becoming the Business Social Media.

But here is why you should be on LinkedIn...

The main advantage on LinkedIn is the tremendous organic reach potential of your posts. This means far more people will see the posts and content that you create. This won't last forever. Social platforms reward us with huge organic reach potential to entice us to participate more. They control this with their algorithm.

Think of these social media sites as crack dealers. They give you some free product to try, and then you get addicted and want more. They start out by charging you a little, and then the price continues to increase over time.

Right now, that crack is basically FREE on LinkedIn. Very similar to how Facebook was, about 5-6 years ago.

I get it, you want some hard data to review...

Now for some split test results. You need to see hard data to fully comprehend why you should be spending more time on LinkedIn, vs other social platforms.

Compare the images attached. I posted the exact same post on the exact same day. These are where they stand this morning.

Facebook Business Page (6K followers) = 484 reach / 33 engage
Facebook Personal Page (7K followers) = unknown reach / 162 engage
Instagram Business Page (9.3K followers) = 2063 reach / 210 engage
LinkedIn Personal Page (4.2K followers) = 2130 reach / 39 engage

Results divided by follower count, shown in percentages:

FB Business = 8% reach / 0.05% engage (super weak!)
FB Personal = unknown reach / 2.3% engage
Instagram = 22% reach / 2.2% engage
LinkedIn = 51% reach / 0.9% engage

If you are a business owner, you really should be putting some effort into building your presence on LinkedIn, especially in 2020. You won't find cheaper attention for your business or personal brand.

While you are there, connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonywhatley/

-Tony


Stop Wasting Time With Meetings

Stop wasting people's time with meetings!
 
Meetings aren't intended to be a social gathering for lonely office workers.
 
Meetings aren't useful for trying to be a public speaker. Find a real stage if you like sharing your message.
 
Meetings don't exist for you to showcase your boring slideshow or report, which only you care about.
 
Meetings aren't meant to be held, just to propose another upcoming meeting.
 
If you would like your company, department, or team to achieve higher performance this year; Let them work.
 
Meetings should only be attended by decision-makers and key stakeholders relevant to the topic, not spectators.
 
Meetings should only be held for these topics:
 
1. To arrive at a decision, once all available information is presented by a team.
 
2. To create a plan, but only if team input is required.
 
3. To solve a problem or emergency, but only if team input is required.
 
Make some rules for meetings:
 
"No agenda, no time management? No meeting."
"No decision to be made? No meeting."
"If this can be communicated via email or phone, no meeting."
 
Make this year more productive. Everyone hates wasting time in unnecessary meetings. Make every meeting count!
-Tony

Seeking New Opportunities

I really dislike the phrase used in the title of this article. I've used it, before.

"Seeking New Opportunities"

This phrase can be found on numerous LinkedIn profile descriptions, on any given day. Corporate roles come and go, as sure as the sunrise and sunset happen each day. Thousands of good people eventually lose their jobs. The reasons are many; Industry downturns, weak corporate leadership, mergers, or poor financial performance.

Many times, the catalyst that leaves you unemployed is something beyond your control. It was someone else's decision. You feel helpless, and cannot do anything about it.

Your response to this unfortunate event is typical. You've been here, before. Driven by desperation and anxiety, you review your resume and update it, in hopes of including some magic that will attract the eye of potential employers. You freshen up your LinkedIn account. You comb through your social media accounts, to be sure no red flags are present. You begin reaching out to people you haven't spoken to in years, feeling awkward about it, asking them for leads or possible jobs.

We hate experiencing this. Yet, so many of us keep placing ourselves into the same situation, time and time again. We keep allowing our livelihood to be controlled by other people. We are always one decision away from being jobless. We are brainwashed by society, and our peers, that this is our only option. We must "find a job" and go work for someone.

I grew up watching my dad getting laid-off a few times, during his oil industry career. I saw the pain and felt the stress levels increase within our household. I've been part of three oil downturns myself, in my 25-year career in oil. It seems that every 5-7 years, another wave of cuts comes around, and employees are forced into survival mode. It is such a terrible mindset to have to exist and operate within.

You need to start betting on yourself. You need to stop allowing your career to be someone else's decision. You've invested in yourself. You've gained experience and skills. The world needs those from you. Invest in yourself, and learn even more skills and knowledge. This is a never-ending process.

In 2001, I started my first LLC company. There were many years that my income from that side business, exceeded that of my corporate salary. In almost 20 years now, I've never had to worry about the downturns. I never had to worry about my bills being paid. I worked corporate roles because I enjoyed many aspects of it. But, I always had a parachute in the form of personal businesses.

You can do this. You need to believe in yourself. Quit focusing on building the dreams of others, and work towards your own. Life is way too short, to just pay bills and die.

Tony


I Used to Dream Too Small

Growing up in the lower middle-class causes people to have some beliefs that can actually limit them from reaching their true potential. I know, because I used to be like this.

When you are surrounded by those with an average mindset, you may adopt average goals. I grew up thinking that success meant getting a high school education, a house, a family, a car, and a "steady job".

I grew up in a 1,000 sq-ft home, in a small suburb of Houston. My parents were hard workers. We were never poor, but we never had luxuries either. Every dollar that came into that house was based on sweat equity. Like most, it was just trading hours for dollars. Marking your calendar for paydays, so that you wouldn't overspend your check.

I learned to value working hard. I also figured my life would be a repeat of how I grew up. That was the norm. You see, people rarely climb out of their financial demographic. The mindset sets in, and they become comfortable when they achieve what everyone around them achieves.

I was always curious about how successful people reached those levels. I'd heard all the excuses before, like "They were born with it."

Hearing stuff like that has a tendency to make some people give up. They lose hope, because they weren't born with it. The average mindset strikes again. You start getting advice from those who never tried, and just repeat the same excuses that their elders told them. When you are young, you have no reason to disbelieve those senior to you.

Here is the real truth. If you are currently setting your goals to be within the middle-class, you will be living a tougher life. The reason is just based on sheer numbers. This group consists of the most people, therefore you are competing against the most people. You are competing for the same jobs, same homes, same resources. Supply vs demand forces your value down, because there is an abundance of supply - the people.

When you can set your goals higher, your mind will now compete for prizes at a higher level. Where there is much less competition. MUCH less. In our digital world, you won't need the large financial backing to compete in those arenas. Attention is like currency, nowadays. The money follows attention. It follows influence. It doesn't matter where you start from, the rules are universal.

When I was young, I used to think that earning six-figures was only a dream. It was so far away from my reality, my world. When I started my first side-jobs, I thought earning $50 was amazing. When I waited tables, I thought earning $100 after working all day long was awesome. When John and I started LS1Tech, we thought earning $500/month to pay for our hotrods would be cool. Yes, we set really low goals back then. That site earned over $30,000/month when we sold it, six years later. That was just a side-business for us. I eventually also earned multiple six-figures in my oil career.

This was all a result of a mindset shift. Surrounding myself with other driven people. Working with mentors. Working on self-improvement daily. Setting goals, and taking action. Stepping out of just settling for average.

This path isn't for everyone. Some will probably read this, and roll their eyes. They will continue to make excuses about why they haven't reached their own goals. They will blame others for their situation.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to you. Your grit. Your willingness to push aside self-limiting beliefs, trusting yourself, and doing the work. There is no easy way. There is no get-rich-quick. There is only work.

Today, I enjoy helping my clients start up their first businesses, and helping existing businesses level-up. It is what I was meant to do. If you want to work with me, please contact me.

I've accomplished much during my career so far, but I feel like I'm just getting started.

I have some BIG dreams, nowadays.


Unlearn Your Childhood Mindset

We are programmed to fail from reaching our potential, as kids.

We are taught to stand in line, fit in with others, be like everyone else, play things safe, follow the rules... if we want to be accepted by others. If we want to avoid criticism.

Dress like your friends. Like what your friends like. Think like your friends. Act like them. Participate in the same things.

The herd mentality. Safety in numbers. Moooo! 🐄🐄🐄

Take a look at yourself today, as an adult. You likely still hold on to these same learned behaviors, and have never given them any thought. It isn't your fault, it is all that you know!

Your uniqueness is what makes you remarkable. Critics offer no remarks, if you blend in with the masses. Being brave enough to stand apart, is the very definition of "outstanding". Owning your vulnerability is a sign of courage. We admire those who are willing to put themselves out there for a good cause, yet we hide in fear about doing it ourselves. Why?

There is no reward for being average. If you don't have any critics, it simply means you aren't doing anything worth noticing. You are merely blending in, avoiding risk and living with the fear of rejection. Just like the masses.

All the famous and influential people we recognize, simply decided to step out of the norm. To show their uniqueness.

You may not be living up to your potential. Be outstanding. 👊

Tony Whatley, Best-Selling Author of Sidehustle Millionaire - visit sidehustlebook.net

 


Destructive Posting on Social Media

As a business owner, always be mindful of the things you type on social media. Before pressing that "submit" button, take a pause to reflect on your customer base. Ask yourself this: "Does this post help my business, or does it potentially harm my business?"

We've literally seen emotions and strong opinions grenade someone's business, before. Sometimes that explosion is something that you cannot recover from. We all have opinions, and sometimes the best option is to keep quiet. We've also seen business owners post things that may cause current and potential customers to reconsider doing business with them. How you choose to portray yourself on social media, is a direct reflection of how you wish to represent your brand.

It takes conscious effort, but if your business or brand is important to you, it is something that needs to be considered with each and every post you share. Be purposeful, think with business strategy in mind.


Reasons You Should Write A Book

Reasons You Should Write A Book 🤓

 
I know that there are several others out there who have a book inside their mind. I've always wanted to write a book, and I've felt that way for years.
 
Because I love books, I've always considered the title of "Author" with admiration. Writing a book shows someone's commitment and dedication to finishing what is typically a very long personal project. Nobody accidentally writes a book, or lucks out into having one created. It must be earned. That is also what makes it respected.
 
Why should you write a book? There are several reasons. Here are only a few.
 
1. A book will help establish your authority in a subject. It takes personal commitment to learn the content, gain the experience, and put it into words. A book is still considered a key tangible item, that people will instantly recognize as a proof of authority. What do you want to be known for?
 
2. If your story, message, or knowledge can help one person - it can also help thousands of people. Changing one life is very powerful. Changing thousands is a real impact. Changing millions? You've then created a legacy. If you have something important to share with the world, consider it your duty to get it out there. Your book will live longer than you will. What do you want to share with the world?
 
3. Hidden opportunities become visible to you. You knew they likely existed before, but you never had access to these opportunities. Getting invited to do interviews on radio, TV, podcasts, magazines, YouTube channels. They all have a similar key to unlock those doors...a book. Before I published the book, most of them wouldn't give me the time of day. Now they seek me out. I also have two speaking engagements this month, because of the book. The flip in attention has been incredible, something I never expected.
 
4. Marketing power. Are you building a personal brand? Are you marketing your business? Having a published book in that segment will serve as a very powerful marketing tool. My competitors might hand you a business card, which will get tossed into a pile of others within some random drawer. I might hand you a book, which will likely sit on your desk until you decide to read it. And then, it will get placed on a shelf, for easy reference later. Think of a book as a business card on steroids. People will remember meeting an author of a book. They won't even remember your name on a business card.
 
5. Passive income. While the book sales are never intended to make you rich, they do have the potential to generate passive income. My book launched in May 2018, and it is averaging about $1,000 in paid royalties per month. I won't receive my first hardcover edition royalty report until later this month, so it will be higher than this. Self-publishing is a healthy profit margin, you earn 70% of the sales through Amazon, and you set your own prices. Advertising through Amazon is also very inexpensive and automated. I am spending about 15% on ads to generate a return on sales, so I'm netting 55% profit.
 
6. Active income. Think of the potential upside that comes with all the added opportunities, exposure, and marketing. There really is no limit, it will depend on how you put it all to good use. Think of all those famous authors out there, who had their lives instantly changed by these opportunities. What would their lives look like today, had they not started typing?
 
I hope this list has provided you with some encouragement. 💚
 
Tony