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Brandon Dawson: 97% of Startups Fail! How to Beat the Odds and Scale to 9 Figures | Entrepreneurship | E364

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Aug 18, 2025

Guest

Brandon Dawson

Brandon Dawson, an entrepreneur and co-founder of Cardone Ventures, shares his journey from being voted 'least likely to succeed' to scaling multiple nine-figure businesses. He highlights the shocking 97% failure rate of startups and emphasizes the importance of cash reserves for business stability. Brandon discusses the difference between bootstrapping and VC funding, the significance of effective leadership, and key traits to look for in business partners. His insights on overcoming growth plateaus and actionable leadership strategies are invaluable for aspiring entrepreneurs.

01:13:35

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ANECDOTE

Early Exit From Family Business

Brandon left his family hearing-aid business after a messy situation and became an entrepreneur at 26.
He raised capital, consolidated 130 businesses, and rang the American Stock Exchange bell at 29 before the firm sold his company out from under him.

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INSIGHT

Market Opportunity In High Failure Rates

Brandon identifies a massive structural opportunity because 97% of businesses fail and most stay under $3M.
That failure rate created his mission to reinvent how small businesses scale.

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ADVICE

When To Use VC Or Private Equity

Use VC or private equity only when you need massive horsepower, networks, and speed to exploit timing-sensitive opportunities.
Avoid outside capital if you want control, patience to learn leadership, and to prevent others from firing or diluting you.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Scaling Beyond Stagnation

01:39 • 19min

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The Crucial Role of Cash Reserves in Business Success

20:13 • 6min

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Scaling Success: Leadership and Financial Discipline in Entrepreneurship

26:07 • 17min

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Navigating Business Challenges and Securing Your Future

43:14 • 4min

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Breaking Through the Plateau: Strategies for Business Growth

46:59 • 4min

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Understanding Leadership Through the Law of the Lid

51:03 • 5min

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Elevating Entrepreneurial Success

56:24 • 24min

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Three Feet from Gold

Turn Your Obstacles into Opportunities!

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This book tells the story of a young entrepreneur who, through encounters with influential leaders, learns to persevere and find success. It emphasizes the importance of combining passion, talent, and the right associations to achieve goals. The title is inspired by the story of R.U. Darby, who gave up on his gold mine just three feet from a major discovery, highlighting the need for perseverance.

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Good to Great

Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

Jim Collins

In 'Good to Great,' Jim Collins and his research team investigate why some companies achieve long-term greatness while others do not. The book identifies key concepts such as Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, a Culture of Discipline, and the Flywheel Effect. These principles are derived from a comprehensive study comparing companies that made the leap to greatness with those that did not. The research highlights that greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance but rather a result of conscious choice and discipline. The book provides practical insights and case studies to help businesses and leaders understand and apply these principles to achieve sustained greatness.

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21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

John C. Maxwell

In this book, John C. Maxwell distills his 30-plus years of leadership experience into 21 irrefutable laws. Each law is illustrated with real-life examples and stories from Maxwell’s personal experiences and those of other great leaders. The laws cover a wide range of leadership aspects, including influence, intuition, vision, and legacy. The book provides practical advice and actionable steps for implementing each law in everyday leadership situations, making it highly practical and relatable. It also includes self-assessment questions to help readers reflect on their own leadership abilities and identify areas for improvement.

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Rich dad's cashflow quadrant

Robert Kiyosaki

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Sell or Be Sold

Grant Cardone

In 'Sell or Be Sold', Grant Cardone provides insights and strategies for mastering the art of selling. He emphasizes that selling is not just about transactions but about influencing and persuading others. The book covers techniques for handling rejection, selling in challenging economies, and building a strong sales mindset.

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Start the Work

Natalie Dawson

In 'Start the Work', Natalie Dawson provides a proven playbook for business owners to break free from daily operations and build a scalable business. The book is structured into four sections: Time, You, Your Culture, and Your Team, offering practical tools for optimizing time, cultivating habits, designing a scalable culture, and structuring teams for maximum effectiveness.

#29797

Nine-Figure Mindset

Brandon Dawson

A few years after being voted 'least likely to succeed' in high school, Brandon Dawson defied expectations by scaling his first company from zero to $75 million. Since then, he has built and sold multiple nine-figure businesses. As the co-founder of Cardone Ventures, he helps entrepreneurs build wealth, scale effectively, and lead with purpose. In this episode, Brandon reveals why 97% of businesses fail and shares how to beat the odds and achieve business growth. He also discusses his core leadership principles and the key traits of a great business partner.

In this episode, Hala and Brandon will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:21) His Early Life and Entrepreneurship Journey

(09:27) Bootstrapping a Startup vs. VC Funding

(19:10) Why Entrepreneurs Should Prioritize Cash Reserves

(26:14) Scale vs. Scaling: Redefining Business Growth

(36:48) Why 92% of Businesses Fail to Scale Past $3M

(40:25) The ‘Law of the Lid’ in Leadership

(45:47) Actionable Steps to Improving Leadership Skills

(55:46) Building 9-Figure Businesses with Grant Cardone

(01:03:01) The Key Traits to Look for in Business Partners

Brandon Dawson is an entrepreneur, scaling expert, and co-founder of Cardone Ventures. As CEO of Sonus Corporation, he grew it to over 1,400 locations and raised $58 million. He later founded Audigy Group, scaling it from $500,000 to $35 million before selling it for $151 million. With over 30 years of experience, Brandon helps businesses scale using data-driven strategies, navigate breakpoints, and avoid common pitfalls.

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Resources Mentioned:

Brandon's Website: bdawson.com

Brandon's Book, Nine-Figure Mindset: bit.ly/9FigureMindset

Brandon’s Podcast, Building Billions: bit.ly/BuildingBillions-Apple

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell: bit.ly/21-Laws

Good to Great (6 book series) by Jim Collins: bit.ly/GTG-Series

Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant by Robert T. Kiyosaki: bit.ly/CashQuadrant

Sell or Be Sold by Grant Cardone: bit.ly/Sell-Be-Sold

Start The Work by Natalie Dawson: bit.ly/StartTheWork

Three Feet from Gold by Sharon L. Lechter: bit.ly/3-Feet-Gold

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Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Founder, Networking

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