Good to have him in. Appreciate you. He flew in. He flew in just to just to be available for you guys and and and so we've got an hour here to to catch up and I'll just have him explain to you guys what his career's looked like in the last decade or so and how you got to where you're sitting today. Well, when I was ten years old, my dad came to me one night and said, hey, I need your help. I'm going to go fix the neighbor's air conditioner.

Good to have him in. Appreciate you. He flew in. He flew in just to just to be available for you guys and and and so we've got an hour here to to catch up and I'll just have him explain to you guys what his career's looked like in the last decade or so and how you got to where you're sitting today. Well, when I was ten years old, my dad came to me one night and said, hey, I need your help. I'm going to go fix the neighbor's air conditioner.

And you're now the official flashlight holder. So I started back as a ten year old, ten year old. I was enslaved in the family business and we were in the air conditioning business. And over the course of the years, I had became skilled at that trade. And, you know, in my late teens, I was out doing the work myself, selling jobs, doing that kind of stuff for the family business. And my father passed away when I was 25, and I bought the family business from my mom with a promissory note. In terms of interest and the SEC filing and all that stuff. And I went and became an entrepreneur and started growing the business. Now, my dad was a, you know, kind of an owner operator, so we never had many employees, and I wanted to branch out and start hiring people and such. And so I did it differently. And I went at it and I started hiring people and growing the company. And it didn't take but about two years before the IRS came and shut me down. And so I work through that process and.

And you're now the official flashlight holder. So I started back as a ten year old, ten year old. I was enslaved in the family business and we were in the air conditioning business. And over the course of the years, I had became skilled at that trade. And, you know, in my late teens, I was out doing the work myself, selling jobs, doing that kind of stuff for the family business. And my father passed away when I was 25, and I bought the family business from my mom with a promissory note. In terms of interest and the SEC filing and all that stuff. And I went and became an entrepreneur and started growing the business. Now, my dad was a, you know, kind of an owner operator, so we never had many employees, and I wanted to branch out and start hiring people and such. And so I did it differently. And I went at it and I started hiring people and growing the company. And it didn't take but about two years before the IRS came and shut me down. And so I work through that process and.

Just just put in a record. Remember, we tell you guys why it's so important to get your financials dialed in, and it's the thing you don't know that's going to bite you in the ass. It's the thing you don't know. And then the only way you learn as an entrepreneur is through the continuing continual process of trial and error and having the resilience to pick your shit back up and get going again. Or a lot of people give up. So this was a point when because he went deep into this with me when it happened and it was a painful part of your life, but you had to have the resilience to be like, I'm going to go back. I'm going to learn from it and go back after it. Yeah, I.

Just just put in a record. Remember, we tell you guys why it's so important to get your financials dialed in, and it's the thing you don't know that's going to bite you in the ass. It's the thing you don't know. And then the only way you learn as an entrepreneur is through the continuing continual process of trial and error and having the resilience to pick your shit back up and get going again. Or a lot of people give up. So this was a point when because he went deep into this with me when it happened and it was a painful part of your life, but you had to have the resilience to be like, I'm going to go back. I'm going to learn from it and go back after it. Yeah, I.

Think I was lucky. It was in my 20 late 20s so I could didn't have a family and you know, I can deal with it. But it's interesting when I I'll never forget, I pull up to the office 10:00 because I was a big executive, you know, back then, or I pull up 10:00 with my loafers and there's this guy standing out in front in a suit, a bad suit.

Think I was lucky. It was in my 20 late 20s so I could didn't have a family and you know, I can deal with it. But it's interesting when I I'll never forget, I pull up to the office 10:00 because I was a big executive, you know, back then, or I pull up 10:00 with my loafers and there's this guy standing out in front in a suit, a bad suit.

And I.

And I.

I said, Can I help you? He said, Oh, I'm from the IRS and I'm here to talk about your delinquent payroll taxes. And I said, What's payroll taxes? So that's that's.

I said, Can I help you? He said, Oh, I'm from the IRS and I'm here to talk about your delinquent payroll taxes. And I said, What's payroll taxes? So that's that's.

Where I came from.

Where I came from.

I you know, I knew the trade. I knew the work very well and was skilled at it. And I had no idea how to run a business. Sound familiar? So at that particular time, I mean, they had you know, they had taken about everything. And I got this book. It was called The E-Myth. And Brandon and I both know the author really well, but I took the book and it talked about that a business is not the work of business is a system and overall system made up of different processes. And for some, some reason that really spoke to me, I now I got it. I said, this is what a business is about. And I took a step back and started looking at my business and started to, you know, blueprint it, if you will, on what are the what are the necessary processes I need to have in place. And I'm just reading the book. This is before the Internet, by the way, and I'm reading through the book deciphering it. And I came up the plan and it took me as soon as I started to execute on the plan based on what I read in the book, it took me two years. I paid the IRS back, got my business back, and and went on from there. But because I had that experience of the failure and then the learning of what a business really is, a business is a machine that you build and and you operate the machine. I became a turnaround expert because I had screwed mine up so bad, like I knew how to fix it immediately. And I became I started buying distressed companies. And I really got in the business of buying, fixing and selling distressed companies. So over the course of my career, from there, I've, I don't know, I probably acquired over 100 companies, put them together, shaped in which way? And I've now done six major transactions over the last 20 years, six transactions of building and selling them for significant sales prices. And each time I get a little bit better understanding how the system works.

I you know, I knew the trade. I knew the work very well and was skilled at it. And I had no idea how to run a business. Sound familiar? So at that particular time, I mean, they had you know, they had taken about everything. And I got this book. It was called The E-Myth. And Brandon and I both know the author really well, but I took the book and it talked about that a business is not the work of business is a system and overall system made up of different processes. And for some, some reason that really spoke to me, I now I got it. I said, this is what a business is about. And I took a step back and started looking at my business and started to, you know, blueprint it, if you will, on what are the what are the necessary processes I need to have in place. And I'm just reading the book. This is before the Internet, by the way, and I'm reading through the book deciphering it. And I came up the plan and it took me as soon as I started to execute on the plan based on what I read in the book, it took me two years. I paid the IRS back, got my business back, and and went on from there. But because I had that experience of the failure and then the learning of what a business really is, a business is a machine that you build and and you operate the machine. I became a turnaround expert because I had screwed mine up so bad, like I knew how to fix it immediately. And I became I started buying distressed companies. And I really got in the business of buying, fixing and selling distressed companies. So over the course of my career, from there, I've, I don't know, I probably acquired over 100 companies, put them together, shaped in which way? And I've now done six major transactions over the last 20 years, six transactions of building and selling them for significant sales prices. And each time I get a little bit better understanding how the system works.

And now your last transaction was with a major institution because some of these I have to assume you sold it to other bigger companies and you keep them all.

And now your last transaction was with a major institution because some of these I have to assume you sold it to other bigger companies and you keep them all.

No, I sold. You know, the first few of them I sold to national firms. And then the last three of them I sold to private equity.

No, I sold. You know, the first few of them I sold to national firms. And then the last three of them I sold to private equity.

So you've been because these guys have heard about my experience in private equity, and the experience of taking the check from them is great, right? But then the life after the deal with private equity, how would you kind of describe because this this you're really deep in it now, right? Because you're, what, a year and a half into that relationship. Well that one.

So you've been because these guys have heard about my experience in private equity, and the experience of taking the check from them is great, right? But then the life after the deal with private equity, how would you kind of describe because this this you're really deep in it now, right? Because you're, what, a year and a half into that relationship. Well that one.

Yeah, that my latest one. You know, they all act different. Right. They're all a little bit different. I've had some ones that are really easy, but I find that, you know, the smaller businesses that I had and when I'm smaller, you know, you know, less than 100 million. They left me alone. Now that we're a lot bigger, you know they're on you, right? And, you know, us entrepreneurs, we we. We like our freedom, right? You know, we'd like our time and the things the way we do things. And sometimes you got to understand, you know, you're taking your business, you're entrepreneurial, ran business that you had a lot of liberty to do the do it the way you wanted it and the way and match your particular schedule. Now you're taking it to a pretty serious corporate environment. And that's a rough you know, that's a challenge. Yeah.

Yeah, that my latest one. You know, they all act different. Right. They're all a little bit different. I've had some ones that are really easy, but I find that, you know, the smaller businesses that I had and when I'm smaller, you know, you know, less than 100 million. They left me alone. Now that we're a lot bigger, you know they're on you, right? And, you know, us entrepreneurs, we we. We like our freedom, right? You know, we'd like our time and the things the way we do things. And sometimes you got to understand, you know, you're taking your business, you're entrepreneurial, ran business that you had a lot of liberty to do the do it the way you wanted it and the way and match your particular schedule. Now you're taking it to a pretty serious corporate environment. And that's a rough you know, that's a challenge. Yeah.

Because now now you're having board meetings, now you're out, you're on constant, constant conference calls. You got 19 year olds that graduated with MBAs telling you how to run your business based on what the numbers say. And it gets a little bit frustrating when you hearing things that, you know, you tried 20 years ago. It didn't.

Because now now you're having board meetings, now you're out, you're on constant, constant conference calls. You got 19 year olds that graduated with MBAs telling you how to run your business based on what the numbers say. And it gets a little bit frustrating when you hearing things that, you know, you tried 20 years ago. It didn't.

Work.

Work.

Yeah, I mean.

Yeah, I mean.

I have I've I have great partners now. It's just it's a different way of attacking the business, you know, when you're going to do it on your own and make it up as you go and, you know, willing to. Be innovative and experiment and try things. And, you know, a more corporate environment is a little more less risk averse. They don't try things as much.

I have I've I have great partners now. It's just it's a different way of attacking the business, you know, when you're going to do it on your own and make it up as you go and, you know, willing to. Be innovative and experiment and try things. And, you know, a more corporate environment is a little more less risk averse. They don't try things as much.

So. So you so you did a. Big transaction 18 months ago. And bigger than most people could comprehend. You know, when they think about building their business, getting to 10 million or getting to 20 million or getting to 50 million. And. And you are already well off. You're already wealthy, but now you're kind of moved to the rich category, right? Not rich enough yet, but to the rich cat. What's it like? Like. Like do you. Are you like. Oh, I've arrived, I've done it. I'm just going to go. I'm going to just go on vacation for the rest of my life. Like when you finally hit that ring, that bell that that most people dream of, most people won't get to. What is life after ringing the bell for you bit.

So. So you so you did a. Big transaction 18 months ago. And bigger than most people could comprehend. You know, when they think about building their business, getting to 10 million or getting to 20 million or getting to 50 million. And. And you are already well off. You're already wealthy, but now you're kind of moved to the rich category, right? Not rich enough yet, but to the rich cat. What's it like? Like. Like do you. Are you like. Oh, I've arrived, I've done it. I'm just going to go. I'm going to just go on vacation for the rest of my life. Like when you finally hit that ring, that bell that that most people dream of, most people won't get to. What is life after ringing the bell for you bit.

It's a lonely place, you know? You know? You know, we in us entrepreneurs, small business owners. This sometimes if you're not careful, you make it your life, right? You. You. It's who you are. You identify with the business and and your roles and your leadership roles in the and your people inside the business. It's a big part of you. And you know, you you monetize it, which is really the the goal of every entrepreneur. I think you're kind of lost. You get a little lost. And I got to tell you, and this has happened every time I sold a business like I can remember, the first one I sold was back in 97, 90, 97, and I saw it for 6 million bucks, which I had set a goal to sell it for 1 million. I sold it for 6 million, so I did better. It wasn't like these other ones I've done, but I'll never forget. I was sitting there. I was looking at my Dean Witter statement with the 6 million bucks in it.

It's a lonely place, you know? You know? You know, we in us entrepreneurs, small business owners. This sometimes if you're not careful, you make it your life, right? You. You. It's who you are. You identify with the business and and your roles and your leadership roles in the and your people inside the business. It's a big part of you. And you know, you you monetize it, which is really the the goal of every entrepreneur. I think you're kind of lost. You get a little lost. And I got to tell you, and this has happened every time I sold a business like I can remember, the first one I sold was back in 97, 90, 97, and I saw it for 6 million bucks, which I had set a goal to sell it for 1 million. I sold it for 6 million, so I did better. It wasn't like these other ones I've done, but I'll never forget. I was sitting there. I was looking at my Dean Witter statement with the 6 million bucks in it.

And I felt better.

And I felt better.

I thought I felt better about myself when I was sweating payroll for I sold the business that I do. Looking at that 6 million bucks. And, you know. So there is some psychology, there's some psychological aspects to this whole thing about selling the business to private equity in such the game. You know, for me, the game was always about growing and watching my people grow and, you know, innovating new things and just having that activity go on all the time. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with my financial position and I'm not trading it. I'm not giving it back. But, you know, just just for you to understand as the day that you reach your goal of monetizing the company, you need to really think. We need to do two things you need to think long and hard about before it happens. And how are you going to reinvent your life? Because you will just you understand how much time and energy that this business occupies your life, right? So that's going to change. So you got to be ready for that. And another thing is I think I lost my train of thought.

I thought I felt better about myself when I was sweating payroll for I sold the business that I do. Looking at that 6 million bucks. And, you know. So there is some psychology, there's some psychological aspects to this whole thing about selling the business to private equity in such the game. You know, for me, the game was always about growing and watching my people grow and, you know, innovating new things and just having that activity go on all the time. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with my financial position and I'm not trading it. I'm not giving it back. But, you know, just just for you to understand as the day that you reach your goal of monetizing the company, you need to really think. We need to do two things you need to think long and hard about before it happens. And how are you going to reinvent your life? Because you will just you understand how much time and energy that this business occupies your life, right? So that's going to change. So you got to be ready for that. And another thing is I think I lost my train of thought.

You were talking about the being prepared for the transition. So first, just knowing that when it actually happens and.

You were talking about the being prepared for the transition. So first, just knowing that when it actually happens and.

Then when you're building your business, I want to tell you this. You're in the best place you could possibly be here. And I'm not part of this. I'm just his friend. This is the best place you can be because he's teaching you how to build the system of the business. Right? Which is no different than if you were to build a custom home and sold it right. You got a piece of land, you got a blueprint, you got a plan, budget schedule. You follow the plan, the budget schedule you put up, you sell it, you make your money, you move on. You're not as attached to it because you really just narrowed it down to the basic, the fundamental things you needed to do to build it right. A plan, budget schedule. You got it done. It's no different with the business a plan, a budget and a schedule, and you drive through that and build your process and then you monetize the business or you keep the business to keep laying the golden eggs every month. But you're building a machine, right? You're building a system to make money.

Then when you're building your business, I want to tell you this. You're in the best place you could possibly be here. And I'm not part of this. I'm just his friend. This is the best place you can be because he's teaching you how to build the system of the business. Right? Which is no different than if you were to build a custom home and sold it right. You got a piece of land, you got a blueprint, you got a plan, budget schedule. You follow the plan, the budget schedule you put up, you sell it, you make your money, you move on. You're not as attached to it because you really just narrowed it down to the basic, the fundamental things you needed to do to build it right. A plan, budget schedule. You got it done. It's no different with the business a plan, a budget and a schedule, and you drive through that and build your process and then you monetize the business or you keep the business to keep laying the golden eggs every month. But you're building a machine, right? You're building a system to make money.

When you look back at at the last few transition transactions with private equity and getting bigger and then having your big transition transaction, if you could unwind the private equity guys and just have held the business and built it organically to where you're at right now, would you trade one for the other?

When you look back at at the last few transition transactions with private equity and getting bigger and then having your big transition transaction, if you could unwind the private equity guys and just have held the business and built it organically to where you're at right now, would you trade one for the other?

Oh, yeah, absolutely. Especially now because. We know our business now is $30 million in EBITDA, right? $30 million in cash flow every year. And. I mean, my team did that. But we don't reap all the rewards anymore. Right? It's it's really it's really nice to have a big chunk of money in your Dean Witter account. I realized Dean Winters called something. There's. There's. There's. It's really nice, but that cash flow every month that keeps coming. It's better.

Oh, yeah, absolutely. Especially now because. We know our business now is $30 million in EBITDA, right? $30 million in cash flow every year. And. I mean, my team did that. But we don't reap all the rewards anymore. Right? It's it's really it's really nice to have a big chunk of money in your Dean Witter account. I realized Dean Winters called something. There's. There's. There's. It's really nice, but that cash flow every month that keeps coming. It's better.

Yeah, 100%. In my case, I had a low amount of cash flow and I was able to sell for 77 times. So I traded the future of hoping I can build it bigger for the immediate ability from the leverage in the marketplace. So, you know, and when you have a big cash flow business, I mean, how much money do you actually have to make if you're making $30 million a year in today's marketplace? You'd have to have, I don't know, $500 million of cash sitting there somewhere, paying you 30 million a year. So your business is still worth a half a billion. But to get in the 30 million. Yeah.

Yeah, 100%. In my case, I had a low amount of cash flow and I was able to sell for 77 times. So I traded the future of hoping I can build it bigger for the immediate ability from the leverage in the marketplace. So, you know, and when you have a big cash flow business, I mean, how much money do you actually have to make if you're making $30 million a year in today's marketplace? You'd have to have, I don't know, $500 million of cash sitting there somewhere, paying you 30 million a year. So your business is still worth a half a billion. But to get in the 30 million. Yeah.

And still working for you.

And still working for you.

Still working for you. And you're in control. And you can make it bigger.

Still working for you. And you're in control. And you can make it bigger.

Yeah. And I guess I really want to make sure you hear this is because I struggled at this and I watch other people struggle. You're building a business. It's not your life. It's something that you own. It's something that's to serve a need in your life, a purpose in your life to create wealth for you, to do other things, to build something for your family, legacy, whatever you define. But it's not your life. You're here to build something. And it's pretty easy to get it wrapped up, get yourself wrapped up that it is your life. Because one, we don't know what we're doing when we show up to run the business. So every day is a new learning experience and we're we're just so involved in it. Um, and then I'm going to stop doing this one two thing because I keep forgetting number two. But, but, and, and then, you know, you just, you get off track of the mission. And the mission is I have to have a plan, a budget schedule, put these processes in place and build this machine out. Right. I've got to document the processes. I got to hire the people. I got to get those people trained. I got to put the management team in place. So they will do that for me every day, right? I'm going to get my brand established. All those chunks is what your job is. If you think I'm right 100%.

Yeah. And I guess I really want to make sure you hear this is because I struggled at this and I watch other people struggle. You're building a business. It's not your life. It's something that you own. It's something that's to serve a need in your life, a purpose in your life to create wealth for you, to do other things, to build something for your family, legacy, whatever you define. But it's not your life. You're here to build something. And it's pretty easy to get it wrapped up, get yourself wrapped up that it is your life. Because one, we don't know what we're doing when we show up to run the business. So every day is a new learning experience and we're we're just so involved in it. Um, and then I'm going to stop doing this one two thing because I keep forgetting number two. But, but, and, and then, you know, you just, you get off track of the mission. And the mission is I have to have a plan, a budget schedule, put these processes in place and build this machine out. Right. I've got to document the processes. I got to hire the people. I got to get those people trained. I got to put the management team in place. So they will do that for me every day, right? I'm going to get my brand established. All those chunks is what your job is. If you think I'm right 100%.

I think. I think. I think. Isn't it funny when you listen to two people that have had a successful exit and built multiple things, How consistent? Like if you follow my story, I talk about the the after I sold the business, I was in a worse position than when I lost my first one. I just felt like I was so like, what's next? Like, everything's gone now because I worked so hard to get there and then all of a sudden, poof, it's not mine anymore. It's over. I've got the money. Yes, but the the. What am I supposed to do tomorrow morning when I wake up? That feeling of loss and in connection to people And then what he was saying about what your role and your responsibility. You guys have heard me say that the job of the business. Is to give the courageous founder that had the resilience of starting it and building it. The quality of life the founder demands from the business. It's not the founder supposed to serve the business for life. And then the secondary purpose of the business is to give life to the people who are helping the founders support the building of the business. And then the third is to fulfill the promise and commitment that you've created in the marketplace and the business is supposed to do. But most people get. So as you guys know, tangled up that they are the business and the business is them. It's a it's a mirror and and so everything's emotion high emotion, low intelligence. So this group has really focused on learning these elements. But the reason I wanted to bring some of my really successful friends in front of you guys is to let you know that, you know, you chase something, you spend a lot of time chasing something and you actually get it. And this is the premise behind the rule. Whatever you think you want ten accent because you're going to get there and you're going to be disappointed.

I think. I think. I think. Isn't it funny when you listen to two people that have had a successful exit and built multiple things, How consistent? Like if you follow my story, I talk about the the after I sold the business, I was in a worse position than when I lost my first one. I just felt like I was so like, what's next? Like, everything's gone now because I worked so hard to get there and then all of a sudden, poof, it's not mine anymore. It's over. I've got the money. Yes, but the the. What am I supposed to do tomorrow morning when I wake up? That feeling of loss and in connection to people And then what he was saying about what your role and your responsibility. You guys have heard me say that the job of the business. Is to give the courageous founder that had the resilience of starting it and building it. The quality of life the founder demands from the business. It's not the founder supposed to serve the business for life. And then the secondary purpose of the business is to give life to the people who are helping the founders support the building of the business. And then the third is to fulfill the promise and commitment that you've created in the marketplace and the business is supposed to do. But most people get. So as you guys know, tangled up that they are the business and the business is them. It's a it's a mirror and and so everything's emotion high emotion, low intelligence. So this group has really focused on learning these elements. But the reason I wanted to bring some of my really successful friends in front of you guys is to let you know that, you know, you chase something, you spend a lot of time chasing something and you actually get it. And this is the premise behind the rule. Whatever you think you want ten accent because you're going to get there and you're going to be disappointed.

And so, you know, I kind of got I kind of got in the groove thinking, like, I'm telling you right now. And my last deal, we close our last deal in December of 21. And I brought my team together. We had we had sold a piece to a private equity firm and in July of 18 and I brought my management team together and I said, we are going to execute the 1000 day plan. We're going to lock ourselves in the rooms. We're going to take a look at our business architecture, and we're going to say, okay, what do we need? What things do we need to. What process we need in place? What people do we need in place? What things do we need to ten x the value of the business in 1000 days? Because I like I can only do something for about three years before I get disinterested. So let's get it in that 1000 day period. And so we we got it all laid out. We chart, you know, just laid it out who's going to do what. Here's what we need. We went with our partners and said, okay, here's some capital that we may need in the future and blah, blah, blah. We got it all laid out and we went at it and I and I took 20% of the the sale profit and put it aside for the management team. And we close the transaction and had a world class party at the top of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on day 996. And you know, this is I didn't know him at that time. It wasn't a ten X thing. I just happened to say, well, it's ten X, why not, right? So we ten x the value.

And so, you know, I kind of got I kind of got in the groove thinking, like, I'm telling you right now. And my last deal, we close our last deal in December of 21. And I brought my team together. We had we had sold a piece to a private equity firm and in July of 18 and I brought my management team together and I said, we are going to execute the 1000 day plan. We're going to lock ourselves in the rooms. We're going to take a look at our business architecture, and we're going to say, okay, what do we need? What things do we need to. What process we need in place? What people do we need in place? What things do we need to ten x the value of the business in 1000 days? Because I like I can only do something for about three years before I get disinterested. So let's get it in that 1000 day period. And so we we got it all laid out. We chart, you know, just laid it out who's going to do what. Here's what we need. We went with our partners and said, okay, here's some capital that we may need in the future and blah, blah, blah. We got it all laid out and we went at it and I and I took 20% of the the sale profit and put it aside for the management team. And we close the transaction and had a world class party at the top of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on day 996. And you know, this is I didn't know him at that time. It wasn't a ten X thing. I just happened to say, well, it's ten X, why not, right? So we ten x the value.

So.

So.

I'm sorry. Sorry? Yeah. It's because I went out at the way that I'm describing how to go at. Let's get it down on paper. What do we need to do? And if you don't know exactly what to do, ask him. He'll tell you.

I'm sorry. Sorry? Yeah. It's because I went out at the way that I'm describing how to go at. Let's get it down on paper. What do we need to do? And if you don't know exactly what to do, ask him. He'll tell you.

And and and what this really screams to me is why we're so particular about setting your targets. Because if imagine same person, same team saying, hey, guys, gals. Over the next few years. We want to try to build a business that can be worth ten times more, and we're all going to work hard to try to do it and let's work it together as a team. But there's no target. Then what happens with your team is there's there's no there's no consolidated feeling of a sense of urgency, immediacy and urgency and think we get your guys's businesses in trouble is when you think, you know I'll deal with it next week or hopefully we'll hit our targets next quarter or maybe we'll and being okay with just extending things because it becomes what you're known for within your team. Any time you can drive a sense of urgency. I interviewed some guys that were doing 500 grand a month when they came to the 360 hour two day program. And and we talked about urgency and we talked about daily looking at our cash in every single day against our monthly targets, against our annual targets and and the best month they had ever had in the history of their business was 800,000. It was one time. And then it broke the business because they weren't ready to support it. So for 9 or 10 months when they came, they were running at 550,000 average per month. It's been seven months now. In the last three months they hit a million. 1,000,002, 1,000,005 because all that compound and this is what's happening for many of you. So they went from 550 to 700 to 900 to 1 million to a million. 1 to 1 million, 2,000,005. Just because, first of all, they know what they're doing. They know what they're looking at. They know what their new targets are. But when you listen to what they're into the month, sounds like because he says the last two days of the month, it doesn't matter, even if it's a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, that last window, we're all the whole companies in there with AP are scrambling to find bills that we didn't bill out in money calling clients. We're all as a team, calling clients, and they've been doing that now at the end of every month for the last three days, which then sets the tone for how to engage every day of the month because people are like, Why wait till the end of the month? Let's do it right now.

And and and what this really screams to me is why we're so particular about setting your targets. Because if imagine same person, same team saying, hey, guys, gals. Over the next few years. We want to try to build a business that can be worth ten times more, and we're all going to work hard to try to do it and let's work it together as a team. But there's no target. Then what happens with your team is there's there's no there's no consolidated feeling of a sense of urgency, immediacy and urgency and think we get your guys's businesses in trouble is when you think, you know I'll deal with it next week or hopefully we'll hit our targets next quarter or maybe we'll and being okay with just extending things because it becomes what you're known for within your team. Any time you can drive a sense of urgency. I interviewed some guys that were doing 500 grand a month when they came to the 360 hour two day program. And and we talked about urgency and we talked about daily looking at our cash in every single day against our monthly targets, against our annual targets and and the best month they had ever had in the history of their business was 800,000. It was one time. And then it broke the business because they weren't ready to support it. So for 9 or 10 months when they came, they were running at 550,000 average per month. It's been seven months now. In the last three months they hit a million. 1,000,002, 1,000,005 because all that compound and this is what's happening for many of you. So they went from 550 to 700 to 900 to 1 million to a million. 1 to 1 million, 2,000,005. Just because, first of all, they know what they're doing. They know what they're looking at. They know what their new targets are. But when you listen to what they're into the month, sounds like because he says the last two days of the month, it doesn't matter, even if it's a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, that last window, we're all the whole companies in there with AP are scrambling to find bills that we didn't bill out in money calling clients. We're all as a team, calling clients, and they've been doing that now at the end of every month for the last three days, which then sets the tone for how to engage every day of the month because people are like, Why wait till the end of the month? Let's do it right now.

By the way, on the on the the plan the thousand they planned to your point, I knew what you know, January was going to look like in three years from the day we wrote the plan. Like I've made it a three year plan, January revenue margin overhead and profit is this. And you know, if you kind of steer the business that direction was got you know, looking at it looking at at that three months ahead, six months ahead, you'll get there. And most of the time we surpassed it. But I know this, had we not written it down, we would not have gotten there. And by the way, on the metrics thing, let me throw throw this at you. One of the most powerful things I learned through this, all this this this journey I've been on is is run the business by the numbers, right? So it's in the E-Myth book. It's, you know, build the process, but it's innovation, orchestration and quantification is the way he described it. So you have the innovation, let's document it and make it work, and then let's quantify its performance use metrics, right? And that really worked with me because I'm an air conditioning guy and I was really good at putting meters and thermostats, thermometers and gauges on a piece of equipment and making decisions based on those readings. So it really resonated with me fast. So I had built the the gauges and thermometers and meters for my business. And I just that's what I did is I look at those numbers and now I know what to tell, when to tell people what to do and how to do it. Then I evolved to the place where I taught them how to look at the gauges and meters, and they just did it. So I can't stress t enough. Like that's such an important piece is the metrics of the business that you know them and you know when the machine is getting off so you can diagnose the business that quick. One other thing I'll say is this. Another thing that really, really helped me when I was younger and in the business was I would just take 30 minutes to an hour every night and go in the QuickBooks log in it and just look. I didn't really know accounting, but I could see, well, this doesn't look right. Obviously, we didn't make money on that job, and I started kind of digging through it and making notes. And once you kind of get the understanding of how the money flows and where it goes, you're making better decisions. You know, it's very important to, you know, kind of get into those not the numbers piece of the business and direct from that. And now it's gotten to the point where I understand the processes, I understand the overall business systems, the, you know, the key structures that need to be in the business and the metrics put the people in place and run it. I think I've gotten a place now we can build a business that does not involve me.

By the way, on the on the the plan the thousand they planned to your point, I knew what you know, January was going to look like in three years from the day we wrote the plan. Like I've made it a three year plan, January revenue margin overhead and profit is this. And you know, if you kind of steer the business that direction was got you know, looking at it looking at at that three months ahead, six months ahead, you'll get there. And most of the time we surpassed it. But I know this, had we not written it down, we would not have gotten there. And by the way, on the metrics thing, let me throw throw this at you. One of the most powerful things I learned through this, all this this this journey I've been on is is run the business by the numbers, right? So it's in the E-Myth book. It's, you know, build the process, but it's innovation, orchestration and quantification is the way he described it. So you have the innovation, let's document it and make it work, and then let's quantify its performance use metrics, right? And that really worked with me because I'm an air conditioning guy and I was really good at putting meters and thermostats, thermometers and gauges on a piece of equipment and making decisions based on those readings. So it really resonated with me fast. So I had built the the gauges and thermometers and meters for my business. And I just that's what I did is I look at those numbers and now I know what to tell, when to tell people what to do and how to do it. Then I evolved to the place where I taught them how to look at the gauges and meters, and they just did it. So I can't stress t enough. Like that's such an important piece is the metrics of the business that you know them and you know when the machine is getting off so you can diagnose the business that quick. One other thing I'll say is this. Another thing that really, really helped me when I was younger and in the business was I would just take 30 minutes to an hour every night and go in the QuickBooks log in it and just look. I didn't really know accounting, but I could see, well, this doesn't look right. Obviously, we didn't make money on that job, and I started kind of digging through it and making notes. And once you kind of get the understanding of how the money flows and where it goes, you're making better decisions. You know, it's very important to, you know, kind of get into those not the numbers piece of the business and direct from that. And now it's gotten to the point where I understand the processes, I understand the overall business systems, the, you know, the key structures that need to be in the business and the metrics put the people in place and run it. I think I've gotten a place now we can build a business that does not involve me.

It's quite interesting you guys hearing what the future looks like. It's in store for all of you. This is what you're all so focused on every single day is putting these building blocks. You wouldn't be in a leadership program. You spend all this money for if you weren't serious about leading, and you wouldn't be in this program if you weren't doing our other programs. So now you understand why we constructed the strategic business unit. Who goes through your numbers with you every single month and wants to make sure your numbers are clean? They're accurate, they're precise because we're conditioning you and teaching you to look at the things that matter the most. Because if what you don't measure, you can't impact. Right. And now you're hearing it from him.

It's quite interesting you guys hearing what the future looks like. It's in store for all of you. This is what you're all so focused on every single day is putting these building blocks. You wouldn't be in a leadership program. You spend all this money for if you weren't serious about leading, and you wouldn't be in this program if you weren't doing our other programs. So now you understand why we constructed the strategic business unit. Who goes through your numbers with you every single month and wants to make sure your numbers are clean? They're accurate, they're precise because we're conditioning you and teaching you to look at the things that matter the most. Because if what you don't measure, you can't impact. Right. And now you're hearing it from him.

Yeah. And and one thing that really helped me and I'm talking, you know, 30 years ago, but when I was involved with groups like this so in our industry. There's groups specific to the industry. Air conditioning contracts with America Air time 500, this one, that one. Right. So it was in a couple of those. And that really opened my eyes that me being in the group is really what kind of accelerated my performance. And I have to tell you this. So now that I've gotten to know brand a little bit and and I've stolen some materials off the desk when he wasn't looking like world class compared to what I came up with, the material here is excellent. And so think about this. Your job is take that material, put a schedule, a plan, budget schedule when you're implementing it and just go do that. That's it's really that simple. I know what it's like. You know, you can walk in a business and. You can walk in at 8:00 in the morning and leave at, you know, 6 p.m. and you don't even know what you did all day. You know, sometimes they compare it to you. Remember the game shows where you'd walk in the big plexiglass tube and that it turn off the fan and turn on the money's flying over. You're just trying to catch money and no one can catch any. That's kind of what it's like. And. So. I just want you to understand the work. Your job is to take whatever's in these binders, put a plan, budget schedule, and get it implemented. By the way. It doesn't mean you got to be the boss. It doesn't mean you have to be the president. Maybe you get to the point where you're saying, this is my company, this is how we're going to do it. I'm going to hire a team to put that information in play in my business so I can collect my golden eggs every month. You see the mindset difference? Yeah.

Yeah. And and one thing that really helped me and I'm talking, you know, 30 years ago, but when I was involved with groups like this so in our industry. There's groups specific to the industry. Air conditioning contracts with America Air time 500, this one, that one. Right. So it was in a couple of those. And that really opened my eyes that me being in the group is really what kind of accelerated my performance. And I have to tell you this. So now that I've gotten to know brand a little bit and and I've stolen some materials off the desk when he wasn't looking like world class compared to what I came up with, the material here is excellent. And so think about this. Your job is take that material, put a schedule, a plan, budget schedule when you're implementing it and just go do that. That's it's really that simple. I know what it's like. You know, you can walk in a business and. You can walk in at 8:00 in the morning and leave at, you know, 6 p.m. and you don't even know what you did all day. You know, sometimes they compare it to you. Remember the game shows where you'd walk in the big plexiglass tube and that it turn off the fan and turn on the money's flying over. You're just trying to catch money and no one can catch any. That's kind of what it's like. And. So. I just want you to understand the work. Your job is to take whatever's in these binders, put a plan, budget schedule, and get it implemented. By the way. It doesn't mean you got to be the boss. It doesn't mean you have to be the president. Maybe you get to the point where you're saying, this is my company, this is how we're going to do it. I'm going to hire a team to put that information in play in my business so I can collect my golden eggs every month. You see the mindset difference? Yeah.

You guys, enough. That's a lot of you are moving to that. But thank you, sir. What are your moving in that direction? But you're stuck a little bit with being overwhelmed with things that are going on in the business right now. And I think the the thing I want to tell you is that I know for a fact once you get to a place where you've had the success of both Ken and myself, Michael's here. And so you get to a place where. You, you you recognize the faster you can find other people and move through other people, the faster the business grows and more valuable it is.

You guys, enough. That's a lot of you are moving to that. But thank you, sir. What are your moving in that direction? But you're stuck a little bit with being overwhelmed with things that are going on in the business right now. And I think the the thing I want to tell you is that I know for a fact once you get to a place where you've had the success of both Ken and myself, Michael's here. And so you get to a place where. You, you you recognize the faster you can find other people and move through other people, the faster the business grows and more valuable it is.

I've got to tell you another place where I really, really got set free, where I could excel is you got to get these three things off your back. Lead generation, lead conversion sales and client fulfillment, getting the work done. So whatever you do, those three things, they got to get off your back because you know you cannot have the time to work on the business. When I was coming up and I figured that out, I put in my office, I put a little mirror. Now it's the wall by the door. And I printed out a little sign that said. Did you. Did you. Did you build a business today or. Or just prolong the agony? And I would make myself look in that mirror before I left every day and answer the question. I will scorecard. I would score. Right. And, you know, for the first few weeks, I was prolonging the agony. And then finally I got a win where I could devote some time in implementing that material. And then once you kind of get figured that out, then it became all checkmarks, you know, that I did it.

I've got to tell you another place where I really, really got set free, where I could excel is you got to get these three things off your back. Lead generation, lead conversion sales and client fulfillment, getting the work done. So whatever you do, those three things, they got to get off your back because you know you cannot have the time to work on the business. When I was coming up and I figured that out, I put in my office, I put a little mirror. Now it's the wall by the door. And I printed out a little sign that said. Did you. Did you. Did you build a business today or. Or just prolong the agony? And I would make myself look in that mirror before I left every day and answer the question. I will scorecard. I would score. Right. And, you know, for the first few weeks, I was prolonging the agony. And then finally I got a win where I could devote some time in implementing that material. And then once you kind of get figured that out, then it became all checkmarks, you know, that I did it.

And when the generation lead lead generation.

And when the generation lead lead generation.

Convert lead conversion, which is sales and client fulfillment, which is whatever you sell or do the work.

Convert lead conversion, which is sales and client fulfillment, which is whatever you sell or do the work.

And you guys you guys so, so interestingly enough. Right. Because if you go back to your ten x 360 and the ten elements of scaling, remember the little slides that were crossed, the ten elements that I always talk about and I say slide number one is promotion. Slide number two is conversion. Slide number three is operations, which is whatever your deliverable is. You guys remember that? So, look, we didn't we didn't coordinate here. Didn't even know he was going to say that. What did he just say? He said promotion, conversion and operations. The sooner you can stop doing that, which is why that's that's in all the studies we did in break point one, that's how everyone said this is what they're doing. But by the time you get to break point two and break point three, you got to have people running all that for you or you can't get to two and you can't get to three. So what does your life look like when you hit 15 million of revenue? How many liters positions did you have around you? Do you remember?

And you guys you guys so, so interestingly enough. Right. Because if you go back to your ten x 360 and the ten elements of scaling, remember the little slides that were crossed, the ten elements that I always talk about and I say slide number one is promotion. Slide number two is conversion. Slide number three is operations, which is whatever your deliverable is. You guys remember that? So, look, we didn't we didn't coordinate here. Didn't even know he was going to say that. What did he just say? He said promotion, conversion and operations. The sooner you can stop doing that, which is why that's that's in all the studies we did in break point one, that's how everyone said this is what they're doing. But by the time you get to break point two and break point three, you got to have people running all that for you or you can't get to two and you can't get to three. So what does your life look like when you hit 15 million of revenue? How many liters positions did you have around you? Do you remember?

Oh, let me think about that. You know, I guess at 15 million I had a couple guy, you know, I had a I always once let me say this. I read a book when I was in my 20s by Tom Monaghan, who created Domino's Pizza. And the reason why he called it Domino's is because this was his fourth pizza shop. He'd lost the other three. And like, they're falling like dominoes. That's really the name. Domino's Pizza came up. But in the book, he said.

Oh, let me think about that. You know, I guess at 15 million I had a couple guy, you know, I had a I always once let me say this. I read a book when I was in my 20s by Tom Monaghan, who created Domino's Pizza. And the reason why he called it Domino's is because this was his fourth pizza shop. He'd lost the other three. And like, they're falling like dominoes. That's really the name. Domino's Pizza came up. But in the book, he said.

He he.

He he.

He he didn't make any money in business until he hired three more three times more accountants than he thought he needed. You know, and he talked about having high fidelity on your numbers, really having the reports, the numbers, everything we talked about earlier with the metrics, that's when he started to make money.

He he didn't make any money in business until he hired three more three times more accountants than he thought he needed. You know, and he talked about having high fidelity on your numbers, really having the reports, the numbers, everything we talked about earlier with the metrics, that's when he started to make money.

Good old fashioned rule of three. All right. So I'm going to. I did have one other question. So when you talked about after you sold the business, you ring that bell, you're like, oh, my gosh, we did it in 1000 days. So much to celebrate. You set the target, you hit the target. The whole team got paid out. A big piece of money, big party. Everything's amazing. And then you wake up and then it's like. You feel lost again?

Good old fashioned rule of three. All right. So I'm going to. I did have one other question. So when you talked about after you sold the business, you ring that bell, you're like, oh, my gosh, we did it in 1000 days. So much to celebrate. You set the target, you hit the target. The whole team got paid out. A big piece of money, big party. Everything's amazing. And then you wake up and then it's like. You feel lost again?

Yeah. I mean, I knew that was coming because I'd done it a bunch of times. I knew it was coming.

Yeah. I mean, I knew that was coming because I'd done it a bunch of times. I knew it was coming.

Uh.

Uh.

So I just started thinking I'm going to do next, I guess, in this particular case.

So I just started thinking I'm going to do next, I guess, in this particular case.

The day, the.

The day, the.

Day they closed, the day after the big thousand party, my CFO and chief operating officer quit and took their money and ran. Which happens. And they can do that. So it required me to get in there for the for the first year of 2022 when I was more involved in replacing them and, you know, fill in any holes that may have been caused by that. But then I started thinking about what am I gonna do next? So I'm in the middle of planning my new venture, my new role up.

Day they closed, the day after the big thousand party, my CFO and chief operating officer quit and took their money and ran. Which happens. And they can do that. So it required me to get in there for the for the first year of 2022 when I was more involved in replacing them and, you know, fill in any holes that may have been caused by that. But then I started thinking about what am I gonna do next? So I'm in the middle of planning my new venture, my new role up.

You think, though, right after you take after you take that many chips off the table, that you'd be like, I'm not doing anything. There's another people ask me all the time, Brandon, why are you working so hard? Why are you back at it? And and and it's because of the same thing he just said. I think there's a thing that when you realize you have the talent, you have the skill, you have the ability, and you remember the all those executives that you made wealthy. And you're like. I should be doing that for as many people as I can.

You think, though, right after you take after you take that many chips off the table, that you'd be like, I'm not doing anything. There's another people ask me all the time, Brandon, why are you working so hard? Why are you back at it? And and and it's because of the same thing he just said. I think there's a thing that when you realize you have the talent, you have the skill, you have the ability, and you remember the all those executives that you made wealthy. And you're like. I should be doing that for as many people as I can.

Yeah. And look, we, you know, it's it's just it's just a false narrative to believe that you're going to retire. And most of us are still pretty young, but like, we're going to just, you know, sit in the backyard and watch the birds. What are you going to do? Travel is nice, but, you know, we all have to have a purpose and it doesn't have to be business. You know, I have now kicked off a foundation. I got my charitable initiatives and things I'm working on. But, you know, kind of to your point, I you know. I would just want to I want to perfect the system. You know, I really want to take my thousand day plan to 500.

Yeah. And look, we, you know, it's it's just it's just a false narrative to believe that you're going to retire. And most of us are still pretty young, but like, we're going to just, you know, sit in the backyard and watch the birds. What are you going to do? Travel is nice, but, you know, we all have to have a purpose and it doesn't have to be business. You know, I have now kicked off a foundation. I got my charitable initiatives and things I'm working on. But, you know, kind of to your point, I you know. I would just want to I want to perfect the system. You know, I really want to take my thousand day plan to 500.

Sound familiar? I want to create a unicorn company that's self-funded. And in five years, you know, it's like. It's like. Think what happens when you get to a certain level of success and I do know a lot of people that retired and most of the ones I know that are retired now only. And I will tell you, when we're around them, they're fighting about the dumbest things. They're not really happy. They go out to eat every night. They get they get they get gain weight. They slow down. They're playing golf all the time. They're drinking more. And they sit around and talk about all sorts of shit that's not even stimulating because they've lost that sense of purpose that he was talking to.

Sound familiar? I want to create a unicorn company that's self-funded. And in five years, you know, it's like. It's like. Think what happens when you get to a certain level of success and I do know a lot of people that retired and most of the ones I know that are retired now only. And I will tell you, when we're around them, they're fighting about the dumbest things. They're not really happy. They go out to eat every night. They get they get they get gain weight. They slow down. They're playing golf all the time. They're drinking more. And they sit around and talk about all sorts of shit that's not even stimulating because they've lost that sense of purpose that he was talking to.

That's what I worry about because you start golfing and then drinking earlier every day. Right? To start the course with a Bloody Mary.

That's what I worry about because you start golfing and then drinking earlier every day. Right? To start the course with a Bloody Mary.

And then all of a sudden, you know, you're you're you've got other things. You have to put your attention on making other changes in your life because you feel like you're you're not in control. So you try to control something else. And I watch a lot of people that create their wealth either get sick or die divorced, like like just all sorts of things because they're no longer busy and they've lost that sense of purpose.

And then all of a sudden, you know, you're you're you've got other things. You have to put your attention on making other changes in your life because you feel like you're you're not in control. So you try to control something else. And I watch a lot of people that create their wealth either get sick or die divorced, like like just all sorts of things because they're no longer busy and they've lost that sense of purpose.

So don't get me wrong. Keep your head down and go get that money.

So don't get me wrong. Keep your head down and go get that money.