Passive Income Is A Lie | The Scaling Podcast (EP 4)

In this episode, Aaron Harper sits down with Cole Ruud-Johnson—an entrepreneur who's built call centers, real estate companies, and consulting arms—to break down what really drives business success. They dive into the myth of passive income, the power of ruthless focus, the dangers of burnout, and why most people never see compounding growth.

If you're tired of the fluff around entrepreneurship and want a real conversation about what it takes to win, this one's for you.

👇 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro clip 01:00 – Cole's journey from dropout to business builder 05:15 – Why focus changed everything 10:30 – Sales follow-up failures in home services 14:00 – Franchisees and the lead conversion trap 20:00 – Lyme disease, burnout, and rebuilding from scratch 26:30 – The five types of wealth 29:00 – Closing five businesses to grow one 33:00 – Aaron steps back from sales to focus on content 37:45 – Debunking the passive income fantasy 44:15 – When bad advice ruins good entrepreneurs 50:00 – The compounding power of staying in one lane 52:30 – Finding your "why" in entrepreneurship 59:00 – Building leverage through content 1:05:00 – Final reflections on team, delegation, and long-term thinking