BusinessEntrepreneurship

The Entrepreneur DNA

Justin Colby, Bleav

This podcast is focused on YOU, the entrepreneurs that want more than they have. That have experienced failure, or maybe are too scared to get off the bench because they have no guidance or advice. Maybe you are looking to finally scale your business and create the life you dreamed about. Justin and his guests will advise you in all of the ways they have become successful in business, along with all of the miss steps to avoid. This is not just all about business as these interviews gets personal and can bring just as much value to your personal life as it does to your business. I hope you enjoy, each and every episode as they are guaranteed to deliver.

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Friday · 42 min
Why the Smartest Entrepreneurs Are Choosing Community Over AI | Heather Simpson
Everyone wants to talk about AI, but my guest this week would rather talk about people. Heather Simpson spent years in real estate building brokerages and personal brands for agents before making a hard pivot to build something for women entrepreneurs specifically. Today she runs Her Connection Hub, a coworking and community space in the Pacific Northwest, and she is expanding into Northern California. We got into why she thinks too many people are outsourcing their thinking, the gap she saw between hustle culture and the "make a million from the beach" crowd, and what actually separates the women who win from the ones who stall out. We also had a real conversation about sacrifice, about what it costs a mother to go after something bigger, and about how she is adapting a physical business in a challenging 2026 economy. Heather uses AI for systems, never for her voice, and honestly I think that is where the smart operators are landing. If you are a builder who feels wired for more, this one is for you. About Heather: Heather Simpson is a business strategist, community builder, and the founder of Her Connection Hub, a female-focused coworking community in Bellingham, Washington. Simpson began offering monthly Connection Breakfasts in 2018, and they proved to be the catalyst for something much bigger. The events resonated deeply with attendees, who then voiced their desire for a physical coworking space, and so Simpson turned that dream into a reality with Her Connection Hub, which opened to the public in 2021. Before building for entrepreneurs, Heather spent years in real estate helping agents develop their brands and helping launch brokerages. She is also the founder of She Leads Me, a company devoted to supporting women on their individual journeys in their lives, careers, and businesses. She hosts the podcast Shatter This, a show for leaders, founders, and builders who are done outsourcing their thinking and ready to create what actually lasts. Her first book, Shattering Glass, is coming soon. Connect with Heather Simpson: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weshatterglass/ Website: https://shatteringglass.com Her Connection Hub: http://herconnectionhub.com Her Connection Hub Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herconnectionhub/ Shatter This Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shatter-this-with-heather-simpson/id1866931224 Heather's book, Shattering Glass, is coming soon. Stay updated at https://shatteringglass.com About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Tuesday · 38 min
The Woman Behind Gemini: How AI Is Actually Built and Who It Will Replace | Sneha Shah
AI is all anyone can talk about right now, but most of us are just getting started with it while the giants have been building it for two decades. In this episode I sat down with Sneha Shah, CEO and co-founder of Hazel AI, who spent nearly 20 years at Amazon and Google as the engineer behind the scenes. She was on the team that built Amazon same-day delivery and scaled it to ten countries, then went to Google as a founding engineer on Cloud Spanner, the global database that powers companies like Deutsche Bank and Nintendo, before building Vertex AI and scaling it into Gemini Enterprise. We broke down how AI actually gets built (yes, it is real people writing real code), why Amazon delivery has always been a losing model, why AWS is where the money is, and the difference between knowledge and wisdom in an LLM. Then we got into Hazel AI, the engine she is building underneath the biggest tech consulting firms on the planet, and the honest conversation everyone is avoiding: which jobs AI is going to take, which ones it is going to create, and why the opportunity has never been bigger for the people willing to get uncomfortable and level up. If you want to hear where AI is going from someone who has actually been in the trenches instead of another influencer guessing, this one is for you. About Guest: Sneha Shah is the CEO and co-founder of Hazel AI, an Autonomous AI Modernization OS that powers global system integrators as they take Global 2000 enterprises from cloud native to AI native. Before founding Hazel, Sneha spent nearly two decades building at the largest scale on the planet. She started her career at Amazon straight out of Carnegie Mellon University, where she was part of the team that built same-day delivery and scaled it across ten countries. She then spent almost a decade at Google Cloud as a founding engineer on Cloud Spanner, the globally distributed database used by companies like Deutsche Bank and Nintendo, growing the team from four to hundreds and the product to over 100 million in scale. She went on to build Vertex AI, Google's flagship AI platform, and scale it into Gemini Enterprise. Hazel AI now works with five of the top ten global system integrators and serves over $10 billion in business across retail, manufacturing, and agriculture. Sneha is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Guest Links and Socials: Website: https://www.gethazel.dev Platform sign-up: https://gethazel.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/snehashah/ Contact: sneha@gethazel.ai About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 11 · 40 min
The New Era of Search: AI, SEO, and What You Need to Know | Kevin Roy
In this episode I sit down with Kevin C. Roy, CEO of GreenBanana SEO, who's spent the last 15 years mastering search engine optimization and is now at the forefront of how AI is completely rewriting the rules of how businesses get found online. Kevin walks me through his wild entrepreneurial journey, from getting laid off and going door to door offering free websites, to bringing on a 50/50 business partner that nearly sank everything, to surviving a lawsuit from a sales partner who tried to put him out of business entirely. We get real about why most business partnerships fail and what he'd do differently. Then we dig into the meat of what his agency does today: how AI engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude decide who to cite, why building your author authority and connecting it to your content is now more important than keyword stuffing, and the exact three-block content format businesses need to use to get found by AI instead of just Google. If you run a business and you're not thinking about how customers are finding you through AI search right now, this conversation is your wake-up call. Guest Bio & Social Links Kevin C. Roy is the Founder and CEO of GreenBanana SEO, an Inc. 5000 (3x) digital marketing and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) agency based in Beverly, Massachusetts, that he's built over more than 15 years into a pay-for-performance SEO and AI search visibility firm. He's a frequent podcast guest, author, and media commentator on SEO, AI search, and AEO/GEO, with commentary and work featured in Adweek, SiliconANGLE, Inc., Boston 25 News, and Techstrong TV. Website: greenbananaseo.com LinkedIn (personal): linkedin.com/in/kevincharlesroy LinkedIn (company): linkedin.com/company/greenbanana-seo Instagram: instagram.com/greenbananaseo X/Twitter: twitter.com/greenbananaseo Facebook: facebook.com/GreenBananaSEO YouTube: youtube.com/@GreenBananaSEO About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 9 · 46 min
The Messy Middle: How to Build a Business When Your Life Is Falling Apart | Christina Deering
In this episode, I sit down with Christina Deering, energy and intuition coach and host of the You Unlimited podcast, to talk about something I think about constantly: how the energy you bring to your business matters just as much as the strategy. Christina walks us through the difference between wishing for something and actually being aligned with it, why so many business owners build something they don't even want and end up wanting to burn it down, and how to use your body to tell whether you're in the right lane. She opens up about going through four back-to-back miscarriages while simultaneously doubling her business, and how healing that grief actually expanded her capacity to hold a bigger vision for her life and work. We get into practical tools like the "alter ego" exercise, "trusting the crickets" through the messy middle, and her five-minute energy reset for staying grounded when everything outside of you feels out of control. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right but still stuck, or like your business is exploding while your personal life is falling apart, this conversation gives you real, practical ways to work through it. About Christina: Christina Deering is a Shaman, Business Intuitive, Keynote Speaker and creator of the Calibration Keys Methodology. She helps visionary entrepreneurs become the known expert in their industry, expand their income and impact and have the time of their lives doing it. Her insights have been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Psychology Today, ABC and FOX, and she’s the host of the top 5% podcast You Unlimited. Join Calibration Keys: http://christinadeering.com/keys 5 Minute Energy Reset: https://christinadeering.com/reset Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamchristinadeering/ Podcast (You Unlimited): available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts Website: https://christinadeering.com/ About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 8 · 38 min
How AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Content Creation | Austin Armstrong
In this episode, I sit down with Austin Armstrong, bestselling author of Virality! and founder of Syllaby, to nerd out on everything happening in AI and content right now. We get into how fast AI video and image generation is moving, why it's getting harder to know what's even real online anymore, and what that means for creators and business owners. Austin breaks down his thesis of being a business owner who creates content instead of a content creator chasing views, how to use keyword research tools to find exactly what your audience is searching for, why faceless content is exploding as a way to build a brand without ever being on camera, and how he personally uses AI as a thinking partner trained on his own voice and expertise. We also compare the major AI models out there, talk about how to actually start using AI strategically if you're feeling overwhelmed, and he shares what he's building next with Bullhouse Ventures. If you're trying to build a personal brand or grow your business with content and you feel like you're drowning in options, this episode gives you a real starting point. About Austin: Austin Armstrong is the bestselling author of Virality!, a two-time seven-figure entrepreneur, and a keynote speaker on AI and social media marketing. He's the CEO and co-founder of Syllaby, an AI-powered platform that helps creators and business owners write, generate, and publish video content in minutes, and Managing Partner at Bullhouse Ventures, a startup incubator and coworking space based in Durham, North Carolina. Austin has published over 12,000 videos across social platforms, earning billions of views and millions of followers, and is also co-founder of the AI Marketing World conference. Social Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinarmstrong90/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/socialtypro X (Twitter): https://x.com/SocialtyPro YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@socialtypro Website: https://syllaby.io About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 4 · 43 min
How She Lost Her Voice Climbing the Corporate Ladder (And How She Got It Back) | Ilhiana Rojas
In this episode, I sit down with Ilhiana Rojas, who climbed the corporate ladder to become a senior Fortune 500 executive in just 12 years — often the only woman, and the youngest, in the boardroom. But somewhere along the way, chasing the version of success she thought she was supposed to have, she lost herself so completely that she burned out and fell into deep depression. We talk about what it actually looks like to reconnect with who you are after you've lost your voice, why building the right circles of people around you is one of the most important things you can do for your growth, and why 90% of women deal with imposter syndrome at some point. Ilhiana breaks down her framework for finding the confidence to speak up, owning your own narrative before someone else writes it for you, and why she's now spent her career helping unheard voices — especially women and Latinas — get heard. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right but still not getting where you want to be, this episode is for you. About Ilhiana Rojas: Ilhiana Rojas Saldana is a Human Potential & Culture Expert, Executive & Leadership Coach, DEIB Consultant, keynote speaker, and bestselling author. After more than 20 years of global executive experience across top Fortune 500 companies in Mexico and the U.S., she left the corporate world to found BeLIVE Coaching & Consulting, where she helps leaders and teams reconnect with their voice, purpose, and authentic leadership style. She's a Certified Professional Coach (ICF), holds a Diversity & Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University, and is an advocate for advancing women and Hispanics in leadership. Ilhiana is based in Rhode Island with her husband and two daughters. Social Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilhiana-rojas7/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belivecoaching/ Website: https://www.ilhianarojas.com/ Website: https://www.belivecoach.com/ About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
August 28 · 46 min
Why This 33-Year-Old Built an $80M Business Without Social Media | Chandler Bolt
Want help turning your story into a book? Book a free call with Chandler's team to map out your book: selfpublishing.com/justin I sat down with my friend Chandler Bolt, who built self-publishing.com into an 8-figure company (north of $80 million in sales) by his early thirties, and we got into exactly how he did it. We talked about the mindset that separated him from guys like me in our twenties, why he scaled almost entirely without social media by leaning into SEO, content, and business development partnerships instead, and the "thank you card challenge" and guerrilla marketing tactics that got his first webinars off the ground with zero budget. Chandler broke down the real profit bridge from seven figures to eight, why hiring to your weaknesses eventually stops working, and his "win the day" philosophy for pushing through the brutal stretches every founder hits. We also got into why he thinks a book is the single most powerful lever for a personal brand, and yes, the story of betting Jay Shetty $10K on a pickleball game to get a podcast spot. If you're building anything right now, this one is packed with tactics you can use today. Chandler Bolt is the Founder and CEO of selfpublishing.com (formerly Self-Publishing School), which he built after dropping out of college to over $80 million in sales. He's a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and the author of multiple bestselling books, most recently Published. Over the past decade, his company has helped publish more than 7,000 books and works with clients ranging from first-time authors to names like Dean Graziosi, Tony Robbins, and Pace Morby. Chandler also hosts the 7 Figure Principles Podcast and the Self Publishing School Podcast, and is based in Austin, Texas. Social Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chandler.bolt Website / booking link: https://selfpublishing.com/justin About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
August 25 · 32 min
How Do You Prove You're Not Using AI? This Founder Solved It | Tiffany Ward
In this episode, I sit down with Tiffany Ward, founder and CEO of Human Creative, the company behind Certified Human Content, a service that live-monitors the entire writing and creative process to prove a piece of work was made without generative AI. We get into just how much of what we read today (emails, resumes, social captions, even "motivational" posts) is quietly AI-generated, and why that's eroding trust across education, journalism, hiring, and the creator economy. I share my own story of getting caught plagiarizing my senior year at UCLA, long before AI existed, and we talk about how much easier, and more damaging, that shortcut is today. Tiffany walks me through how schools, publications, and businesses are using her platform instead of unreliable after-the-fact AI detectors, including a wild example of her own company using it to hire a junior developer. We close out talking about where "proof of human" goes next, from graphic design to physical craftsmanship. About Tiffany: Tiffany Ward is Co-Founder and CEO of Human Creative, a company dedicated to certifying original human content in the age of AI. She received her M.A.B.S. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2018 and authored a successful fictional trilogy under a pen name. She lives in Morgantown, WV with her husband and children. Guest Social Links Website: https://humancreative.org X (Twitter): https://x.com/HumanCreativeUS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/human-creative-llc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humancreativeus/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj40OeNmELVc7bJUVJcH3eA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578869820261 Email: tiffany@humancreative.org Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
August 12 · 59 min
Why Your Old Identity Has to Die Before Your New Life Can Begin | Nathaniel Cilley
Book a free 15-minute consultation at manifesttherapy.com. Nathaniel Cilley is a licensed mental health counselor, psychedelic therapist, and manifestation coach based in New York City, and he's joining our School.kol.com community to help entrepreneurs work through fear and mental roadblocks. In this episode we cover: What Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is and how it differs from CBT Why entrepreneurs get stuck in fear of failure and fear of judgment The lies we tell ourselves to avoid taking action How identity, not circumstance, drives most of our limiting beliefs Psychedelic therapy, neuroplasticity, and the healing potential of altered states Doctor Hawkins' scale of consciousness and moving from scarcity to abundance The DCA (Direct Chief Aim) method for reprogramming your subconscious Why the old version of you has to "die" for the new one to emerge If this episode resonated, share it with two friends who need to hear it. About Nathaniel: Nathaniel Cilley is a licensed mental health counselor based in New York City, a psychedelic therapist, and a manifestation coach. He specializes in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), helping clients work through anxiety, phobias, and fear of failure by challenging the beliefs behind them. His work now blends traditional psychotherapy with consciousness work, psychedelic integration, and manifestation coaching to help people reprogram limiting identities and align with what they actually want in life. Connect with Nathaniel: Website: manifesttherapy.com Instagram: @manifest_therapy YouTube: @manifest_therapy About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
August 7 · 50 min
The Disease of Wimpy Goals — Why Your Business Isn't Growing | Brad Sugars
FREE RESOURCE FROM BRAD SUGARS DM Brad on Instagram @BradleySugars the word "PLAYBOOK" and he'll send you his free business playbook on how to succeed in business. --- In this episode, I sit down with Brad Sugars — the Founder and Chairman of ActionCOACH, the world's #1 business coaching firm with over 1,000 offices in 85 countries — to break down exactly what separates the entrepreneurs who scale from the ones who stay stuck. Brad calls out what he sees as the biggest epidemic in business right now: wimpy goals. We dig into the three stages of business growth (0 to $1M, $1M to $10M, $10M to $100M), why the skills that get you to your first million will actually hold you back from your next ten, and why most business owners have built themselves a job with overheads instead of a real business. Brad also gets honest about his own failures — from team members who liked his money more than he did, to reinvesting $4M right before COVID hit — and shares the mindset shifts that let him operate his companies in just one hour a week. We also get into work-life harmony, the epidemic of loneliness among male entrepreneurs, and why Brad believes the most expensive advice in the world is free advice from a poor person. GUEST BIO Brad Sugars is the Founder, Chairman, and President of ActionCOACH — the world's #1 business coaching firm with more than 1,000 offices in 85 countries. Internationally recognized as one of the most influential entrepreneurs alive, Brad is a bestselling author, sought-after keynote speaker, and has been called the Godfather of Business Coaching for over 30 years. He started his entrepreneurial journey at age 7 and founded ActionCOACH in Brisbane, Australia in 1993 — when business coaching as a profession barely existed. He has since become the CEO of 9+ companies and helped hundreds of thousands of business owners across the globe scale, systematize, and ultimately exit their businesses. Brad lives in Las Vegas with his wife Lauren and their five children. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Instagram: @BradSugars Facebook: Brad Sugars ActionCOACH X (Twitter): @BradSugars LinkedIn: Brad Sugars YouTube: Brad Sugars ActionCOACH Website: actioncoach.com About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 30 · 41 min
Scale or Fail: Why Most Founders Get Stuck in the Circus Phase | Allison Maslan
Get your free copy of Allison's book 'Scale or Fail' - https://pinnacleglobalnetwork.com/dna In this episode I sit down with Allison Maslan, founder and CEO of Pinnacle Global Network and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Scale or Fail, who has personally built ten companies and helped her team mentor over 150,000 founders. We talk about why the business owner is so often the thing standing in the way of their own growth, and Allison walks me through her five phases of scaling, from the seeker all the way through what she calls the ringleader phase, the chaotic circus stage where most businesses get stuck for years. We get into how to build a team of what she calls scale multipliers instead of people who just complete tasks, why tracking your return on employee matters as much as any other business metric, and how her own burnout and health scare early in her career led her to build a completely different way of running a business. We also dig into her morning vision crafting practice and how she uses alignment to make faster, clearer decisions as a CEO. If you've ever felt like your business can't run without you, this conversation will change how you think about that. Main Topics Covered Why the founder is often the biggest bottleneck to growth The five phases of scaling a business Building a team of scale multipliers instead of task-doers Tracking return on employee (ROE) How to let go of control without losing quality Vision crafting and morning routines for clarity Using alignment to guide business decisions Why investing in mentors and masterminds speeds up growth About Allison: Allison Maslan is the founder and CEO of Pinnacle Global Network, a global business mentoring company that has helped more than 150,000 founders scale their companies from seven to nine figures. She has built ten successful companies from the ground up starting at age 19, with past clients including Ben & Jerry's, Supercuts, and Charlotte Russe. Allison is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Scale or Fail, endorsed by Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran, and has been featured in Forbes, Success, Fortune, and Entrepreneur Magazine. She was named one of Forbes' Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs to Watch. Website: https://pinnacleglobalnetwork.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmaslan About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 22 · 44 min
The #1 Mistake Early-Stage Entrepreneurs Make | Michael Burcham
Are you ready to stop treating your startup like a side project and start building a scalable business? In this episode, Dr. Michael Burcham shares the hard-earned wisdom of a veteran who has transitioned from a physical therapist to a multi-million dollar private equity investor. We dive deep into the mindset shifts required to go from a day job to a full-time founder, the critical importance of customer discovery, and why most investors won't touch your project until you have skin in the game. Michael breaks down the common mistakes technical founders make and how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of anxiety and frustration that comes with the territory. You will learn how to differentiate your brand in a noisy market, the power of personal touches in networking, and how to align your vision with what investors are actually looking for. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why most early-stage businesses are still just “projects” ● The biggest mistake founders make before launching ● Why investors care about paying customers more than perfect decks ● How to build awareness without wasting money ● Why failure is part of the entrepreneur DNA ● How to avoid chasing every opportunity ● Why your network can become your biggest growth engine ● How anxiety, insecurity, and frustration show up in business ● What investors see that founders often miss ● Why selling your company can trigger an identity crisis About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The Science of Flipping podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby About Michael Burcham Dr. Michael Burcham is an investor, author, business strategist, and private equity operator who has spent decades building, scaling, and advising high-growth companies. After starting his career in healthcare, he went on to build and grow multiple companies before transitioning into venture capital and private equity, where he now helps founders navigate growth, fundraising, leadership, and long-term business strategy. He is also the author of multiple books focused on startups, scaling, failure, and investor relationships. Connect with Dr. Michael Burcham: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelburcham Instagram: instagram.com/dr.michaelburcham Website: www.michaelburcham.com Chapters 0:00 Intro and meeting Dr. Michael Burcham 3:15 The journey from physical therapy to private equity 6:30 Why relationships and local ecosystems matter 9:45 The biggest misconception for early stage founders 13:10 Diversifying your offerings and solving customer pain 16:20 The framework for launching a successful venture 19:40 Building awareness and the sales pipeline 23:05 How to differentiate your brand in a noisy market 26:30 The power of handwritten notes and networking 30:00 Projects vs businesses and getting investor attention 33:50 Learning from failure and the importance of grit 37:20 Managing the seven deadly emotions of entrepreneurship 41:00 Identity shifts and the new book Blood Sweat and Equity 44:49 Final thoughts and where to find Michael #entrepreneurship #startupgrowth #venturecapital #businessstrategy #entrepreneurmindset Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 17 · 42 min
Tackling Toxicity: From Bystander to Upstander | Mauricio Velasquez
Get Mauricio's book 'Tackling Toxicity' on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/08uHkZag In this episode I sit down with Mauricio Velasquez, a worldwide conflict resolution and emotional intelligence consultant who has trained in over seventy five countries, from Guantanamo Bay to the White House to professional sports organizations like the MLS. We get into why most people are conflict averse and what happens when you ignore toxic behavior instead of addressing it. Mauricio breaks down the difference between reacting and responding, how to spot your own triggers before they take over, and the exact language he teaches leaders to use when someone is coming in hot. We talk through real stories from his thirty year career, from coaching a CEO who nearly destroyed his company's culture in fifteen seconds to a moment in the stands at his daughter's basketball game where he chose to stand up instead of stay silent. This conversation is about moving from bystander to upstander, in your business, your family, and your life. Main Topics Covered Why most people avoid conflict instead of resolving it The difference between reacting and responding How to identify your own emotional triggers What to say when someone is coming in hot Moving from bystander to upstander Holding leaders and toxic employees accountable Building psychological safety for honest feedback Standing up for others in the moment About Mauricio: Mauricio Velasquez is the founder and president of Diversity Training Group and the author of Tackling Toxicity: A Skill-Based Guide to Addressing Toxicity. Over his thirty year career, he has worked as a management consultant, workplace investigator, executive coach, trainer, and expert witness specializing in bias, prejudice, and hate, training more than one million employees, managers, and executives. He has worked in nearly every U.S. state and traveled to more than seventy five countries, coaching organizations ranging from the White House and Guantanamo Bay to Native American tribes, law enforcement agencies, and professional sports organizations like the MLS. Mauricio holds a BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of Virginia and an MBA in Human Resource Management from George Washington University. Connect with Mauricio: Website: https://www.diversitydtg.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricio-velasquez-mba/ About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 15 · 46 min
The Hustler Has to Die: How to Finally Become a Real CEO | Brett Gilliland
In this episode I sit down with Brett Gilliland, founder and CEO of Elite Entrepreneurs, who has spent the last fourteen years helping business owners make the leap from hustler to real CEO. We dig into why so many founders get stuck right before the ten million dollar mark, and why it almost always comes down to control. Brett walks me through the four systems his company teaches to build a business that doesn't depend on the founder for everything, what a CEO's real job becomes once a leadership team is in place, and how to know when you're still holding onto something you should have let go of months ago. We also get personal, talking about the daily disciplines that keep us both grounded, including his fourteen "I am" statements that he's repeated every single morning for over a decade, and why taking care of yourself first isn't selfish, it's what makes you capable of showing up for everyone else. If you've built something real but feel like you're the bottleneck holding it back, this conversation is for you. Topics Covered Why founders need to change in order to grow their business Letting go of control as a business owner The difference between a hustler and a real CEO What changes once a business hits $10 million Building a full leadership team The CEO's real job: vision, team, resources The four systems Elite Entrepreneurs teaches to scale a business Why founders unknowingly sabotage their own growth Daily disciplines and morning routines Putting yourself first to show up better for others About Brett Gilliland: Brett Gilliland is the founder and CEO of Elite Entrepreneurs, a company that gives seven figure business owners the knowledge, systems, and coaching to grow to ten million dollars and beyond. For over a decade, Brett helped lead Infusionsoft's growth from seven million to more than one hundred million dollars in revenue, where he was involved in building the company's Purpose, Values, and Mission, co-created the Elite Forum, and served as VP of Leadership Development. He has spent fourteen-plus years coaching founders and executives on how to move from hands-on hustler to confident, capable CEO. Brett has been married to his wife Sharon for thirty years, and together they have eight children. Connect with Brett: Website: https://growwithelite.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/built2lastchamp/ About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 13 · 46 min
From Navy Discipline to $18M Entrepreneur in 3 Years | Eric Winegard
What does it really take to walk away from a seventeen-year corporate career and build an $18 million marketing agency in just three years? In this episode, Eric Winegard shares the mindset, discipline, and relentless commitment that helped him go from a troubled childhood and military structure to becoming the CEO of Rare Blue Moon Marketing. We dive into the realities of entrepreneurship, the difference between paid ads and organic content, and why most businesses fail before marketing even begins. Eric breaks down the importance of networking without an agenda, building a real personal brand online, and why commitment is the trait that separates successful founders from everyone else. You’ll also learn how sales psychology, leadership, and self-belief became the foundation for scaling one of the fastest-growing agencies in the space. What You’ll Learn in This Episode How Eric went from a troubled childhood to military discipline Why sales became the skill that changed his life The difference between networking and selling Why most marketers don’t understand sales How Rare Blue Moon Marketing scaled so quickly Why organic content and paid ads need to work together What business owners get wrong when hiring agencies Why commitment matters more than talent About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The MORE Show podcast and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby About Eric Winegard Eric Winegard is the CEO and cofounder of Rare Blue Moon Marketing, a fast-growing digital marketing agency helping businesses scale through paid advertising, SEO, content strategy, and lead generation. After spending seventeen years in corporate sales leadership, Eric transitioned into entrepreneurship and rapidly built an $18 million agency by combining high-level sales psychology with modern marketing systems. His story spans a difficult upbringing, military discipline, and years of mastering sales, networking, and leadership before becoming a founder. Today, Eric works with businesses across multiple industries to help them grow through strategic marketing, brand positioning, and scalable customer acquisition. Connect with Eric Winegard: Instagram: @ericwinegardofficial YouTube: @ericwinegard8088 Facebook: winegard1 LinkedIn: Eric Winegard Website: rarebluemoon.io Chapters 0:00 The road from W2 to eighteen million dollars 2:45 Is sales a born talent or a learned skill 5:30 Why high level masterminds are worth the investment 9:15 Overcoming a difficult childhood and foster care 13:40 How the military builds a wartime mentality 17:50 Why Eric left a safe CEO track to start over 22:10 The role of faith and grit in business growth 26:45 Burning the boats and making success a necessity 30:15 Paid ads vs organic content strategy 33:50 Humanizing your brand on social media 37:20 Geofencing and targeting for local businesses 41:05 Lessons from the Gold Coast Podcast and Brad Lea 44:30 Why marketing cannot fix a broken business model 46:46 Final advice for aspiring entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #digitalmarketing #salesstrategies #scalingbusiness #mindset Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 10 · 51 min
This Attorney Protected $11 Billion — Here's What Every Entrepreneur Gets Wrong | Hillel Presser
Free consultation / website: www.assetprotectionattorneys.com — Hillel offers to send complimentary copies of his latest books to anyone who mentions The Entrepreneur DNA. In this episode, I sit down with Hillel Presser, a nationally recognized asset protection attorney who's helped protect over $11 billion in client assets and written six books on the subject. We get into why "it's not what you make, it's what you keep," and unpack the exact strategies the ultra-wealthy use to become "uncollectible" — from owning nothing and controlling everything through LLCs and limited partnerships, to the real difference between revocable and irrevocable trusts, to lesser-known free strategies like tenancy by the entirety and Florida's homestead exemption. Hillel also shares jaw-dropping stats (you're seven times more likely to be sued than to be in a car accident, and there are over 100 million lawsuits filed every year) along with real client stories, from a woman selling dolls at a flea market who got sued for millions, to the risks of golf carts, boats, and jet skis sitting unprotected in your name. Whether you're just starting your first business or you've already built serious wealth, this conversation is a masterclass in protecting what you've worked so hard to build. Topics Covered Why protecting what you build matters as much as building it "Own nothing, control everything" — the core principle for entrepreneurs LLCs, trusts, and holding companies explained simply Revocable vs. irrevocable trusts (and the mistake most people make) Why we live in such a litigious society — and the stats to prove it How to settle lawsuits for pennies on the dollar by being "uncollectible" Personal guarantees: why to avoid them, and what to do instead The 3-step framework to start protecting yourself today Structuring real estate, business income, cash, and crypto the right way Why selling a business is a bigger lawsuit risk than most expect Domestic vs. international protection — who actually needs each State-specific protections (Florida homestead, wage protection, and more) About Hillel Presser Hillel L. Presser, Esq., MBA is the Managing Partner and founder of The Presser Law Firm, P.A., a national and international asset protection law firm based in Boca Raton, Florida. Over more than two decades, Hillel has helped protect over $11 billion in client assets and has represented some of the country's most recognizable entrepreneurs, business owners, celebrities, and professional athletes. He is the author of several books on asset protection and financial self-defense, including Asset Protection Secrets and Financial Self-Defense, and has been featured in Forbes, Sports Illustrated, the Robb Report, and on FOX, BRAVO, NBC, ABC, and CBS. Hillel holds a law degree from Nova Southeastern University, an MBA in marketing from Lynn University, and studied entrepreneurship at Syracuse University. Connect with Hillel Presser: Website: www.assetprotectionattorneys.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hillelpresser Facebook: facebook.com/ThePresserLawFirm Instagram: instagram.com/assestprotectionattorneys X/Twitter: twitter.com/AssetAttorneys About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 7 · 43 min
The Real Reason People Quit (It's Not the Money) | Ian Watts
I sat down with Ian Watts, a workforce transformation specialist who's spent two decades helping companies fix what most of them get wrong about their people. Ian's story starts on the east side of Detroit, growing up on welfare, and it's what drove him to chase becoming a millionaire by 30 — which he hit almost four years early, right before his first business completely collapsed in 2006. That season is where he found his real why: building businesses that bless the world by taking care of the humans inside them. We got into why employee engagement is at some of the lowest levels in history, why layoffs are gutting trust even at companies that think they're becoming leaner, and why salary and benefits will get someone in the door but it's culture that keeps them. Ian broke down his ACTS Method for building real engagement, and we talked about the mistakes founders make when they hire reactively instead of designing their team on purpose. If you run a business, manage people, or are wondering why good employees keep walking out the door, this episode is for you. About Ian Watts: Ian Watts helps executives enhance employee engagement, boost team performance, and reduce employee turnover in 90 days or less, guaranteed. He does this through transformative keynotes, hands-on workshops, and his proprietary ACTS Method, a breakthrough system developed from scaling an HR department that grew from 6 to over 60 locations and recruited 350+ team members nationwide. An accomplished author, speaker, business consultant, and breakthrough coach, Ian built his first multi-million-dollar business by age 26. He has raised millions in capital, launched multiple ventures, and guided global clients across 30+ industries and 40+ U.S. states—as well as internationally in China, Hong Kong, Canada, the U.K., Saudi Arabia, and Australia. Ian’s personal mission is simple but powerful: “Build businesses that bless the world.” Connect with Ian Watts: Website: employeesuccesscompany.com LinkedIn: Ian M. Watts About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 1 · 39 min
Semi-Passive, Fully Profitable: Inside the World of Non-Food Franchising | Jon Ostensen
I sat down with Jon Ostenson, a two-time Inc. 5000 founder and the top 1% franchise consultant behind FranBridge Consulting, to break down everything most people get wrong about franchising. We talked about why "non-food franchising" is such an underrated path to business ownership, how to actually evaluate a franchise opportunity instead of just chasing passion, what it really costs and how long it really takes to get one off the ground, and why following the system matters more than being the smartest person in the room. Jon also walked me through what it takes to scale into multiple territories, how private equity is playing in this space right now, and the tax and exit benefits that come with owning a real asset instead of just a job. If you've ever thought about buying into a franchise, or even just wondered what's actually available outside of fast food, this conversation will change how you think about it. Grab Jon's free book: Want the full breakdown on non-food franchising? Jon is giving away a free copy of his book, Non-Food Franchising: The Better Path to Business Ownership. Just drop your email at FranBridgeConsulting.com and it's yours. Book a free consultation: Curious if franchising is right for you? Talk to Jon and his team at FranBridge Consulting. It costs you nothing. Head to FranBridgeConsulting.com to get started. About Jon Ostensen: Jon Ostenson is the Founder and CEO of FranBridge Consulting, a two-time Inc. 5000 company, and a top 1% national franchise consultant. He is the bestselling author of Non-Food Franchising: The Better Path to Business Ownership, and a frequent contributor on franchising for Forbes, Inc., Bloomberg, and The Franchise Journal. Before founding FranBridge, Jon spent 15 years in the corporate world, including a long run as Vice President of Sales for Carter's Inc., where he was responsible for more than $350M in annual sales. He then stepped in as President of ShelfGenie, a national non-food franchise system with 200+ locations, where he supported franchise owners across North America. That experience led him to fall in love with the franchise model — he has since personally invested as a multi-brand franchisee and built FranBridge Consulting into a firm that has helped thousands of people step into business ownership, entirely free to the client. Jon holds BBA and MBA degrees from the University of Georgia and lives in Atlanta with his wife and three children. About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
July 1 · 44 min
Stop Building for Yourself: How to Build What the Market Wants | Michael Burcham
Are you ready to stop treating your startup like a side project and start building a scalable business? In this episode, Dr. Michael Burcham shares the hard-earned wisdom of a veteran who has transitioned from a physical therapist to a multi-million dollar private equity investor. We dive deep into the mindset shifts required to go from a day job to a full-time founder, the critical importance of customer discovery, and why most investors won't touch your project until you have skin in the game. Michael breaks down the common mistakes technical founders make and how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of anxiety and frustration that comes with the territory. You will learn how to differentiate your brand in a noisy market, the power of personal touches in networking, and how to align your vision with what investors are actually looking for. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why most early-stage businesses are still just “projects” ● The biggest mistake founders make before launching ● Why investors care about paying customers more than perfect decks ● How to build awareness without wasting money ● Why failure is part of the entrepreneur DNA ● How to avoid chasing every opportunity ● Why your network can become your biggest growth engine ● How anxiety, insecurity, and frustration show up in business ● What investors see that founders often miss ● Why selling your company can trigger an identity crisis About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The Science of Flipping podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby About Michael Burcham Dr. Michael Burcham is an investor, author, business strategist, and private equity operator who has spent decades building, scaling, and advising high-growth companies. After starting his career in healthcare, he went on to build and grow multiple companies before transitioning into venture capital and private equity, where he now helps founders navigate growth, fundraising, leadership, and long-term business strategy. He is also the author of multiple books focused on startups, scaling, failure, and investor relationships. Connect with Dr. Michael Burcham: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelburcham Instagram: instagram.com/dr.michaelburcham Website: www.michaelburcham.com Chapters 0:00 Intro and meeting Dr. Michael Burcham 3:15 The journey from physical therapy to private equity 6:30 Why relationships and local ecosystems matter 9:45 The biggest misconception for early stage founders 13:10 Diversifying your offerings and solving customer pain 16:20 The framework for launching a successful venture 19:40 Building awareness and the sales pipeline 23:05 How to differentiate your brand in a noisy market 26:30 The power of handwritten notes and networking 30:00 Projects vs businesses and getting investor attention 33:50 Learning from failure and the importance of grit 37:20 Managing the seven deadly emotions of entrepreneurship 41:00 Identity shifts and the new book Blood Sweat and Equity 44:49 Final thoughts and where to find Michael #entrepreneurship #startupgrowth #venturecapital #businessstrategy #entrepreneurmindset Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
June 22 · 50 min
The Disease of Wimpy Goals — Why Your Business Isn't Growing | Brad Sugars
FREE RESOURCE FROM BRAD SUGARS DM Brad on Instagram @BradleySugars the word "PLAYBOOK" and he'll send you his free business playbook on how to succeed in business. --- In this episode, I sit down with Brad Sugars — the Founder and Chairman of ActionCOACH, the world's #1 business coaching firm with over 1,000 offices in 85 countries — to break down exactly what separates the entrepreneurs who scale from the ones who stay stuck. Brad calls out what he sees as the biggest epidemic in business right now: wimpy goals. We dig into the three stages of business growth (0 to $1M, $1M to $10M, $10M to $100M), why the skills that get you to your first million will actually hold you back from your next ten, and why most business owners have built themselves a job with overheads instead of a real business. Brad also gets honest about his own failures — from team members who liked his money more than he did, to reinvesting $4M right before COVID hit — and shares the mindset shifts that let him operate his companies in just one hour a week. We also get into work-life harmony, the epidemic of loneliness among male entrepreneurs, and why Brad believes the most expensive advice in the world is free advice from a poor person. GUEST BIO Brad Sugars is the Founder, Chairman, and President of ActionCOACH — the world's #1 business coaching firm with more than 1,000 offices in 85 countries. Internationally recognized as one of the most influential entrepreneurs alive, Brad is a bestselling author, sought-after keynote speaker, and has been called the Godfather of Business Coaching for over 30 years. He started his entrepreneurial journey at age 7 and founded ActionCOACH in Brisbane, Australia in 1993 — when business coaching as a profession barely existed. He has since become the CEO of 9+ companies and helped hundreds of thousands of business owners across the globe scale, systematize, and ultimately exit their businesses. Brad lives in Las Vegas with his wife Lauren and their five children. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Instagram: @BradSugars Facebook: Brad Sugars ActionCOACH X (Twitter): @BradSugars LinkedIn: Brad Sugars YouTube: Brad Sugars ActionCOACH Website: actioncoach.com About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The M.O.R.E Show podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: Instagram: @thejustincolby YouTube: Justin Colby TikTok: @justincolbytsof LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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