Rise Above - Greg Smith - FHR #287

Why Myles Decided to talk to Greg:

Greg Smith is the host the Rise Above Podcast. He is master at mentoring successful entrepreneurs scale their business to new levels. Recently, he helped take a $133,000 ARR business to over $1,850,000 in revenue in the past 11 months. He is a father of three and married to his high school sweetheart of 11 years.

Tips and Tricks for You and Your Business:

• The morning routine (1:00)
• Greg’s Story (9:30)
• Staying Motivated (24:00)

Quotable Moments:

"You have to have somebody teach you the way."

"Go find a mentor, but be coachable and teachable, but most importantly, implement what you learn."

Other Tidbits:

Finding a mentor who’s path you can follow and mirror is important to succeed quicker.

Important Links:

FunnelHackerRadio.com FunnelHackerRadio.com/freetrial FunnelHackerRadio.com/dreamcar

---Transcript---

Speaker 1:     00:00         Welcome to funnel hacker radio podcast, where we go behind the scenes and uncover the tactics and strategies top entrepreneurs are using to make more sales, dominate their markets, and how you can get those same results. Here's your host, Dave Woodward. Hey, what's going on everybody?

Speaker 2:     00:18         And welcome to funnel hacker radio. Today. I have a very special guest on, but you may notice this is a different voice than you're used to today. Dave's voice is very, um, I guess you could say raspy. He was yelling a lot yesterday. We did a funnel hacking live telethon. And so his voice, he's a little under the weather. So I'm taking over today. Hopefully this is close to the standard that he has already set. But today on the show, ladies and Gentlemen, I have Greg Smith. Greg, how you doing man? I'm doing great. Thanks. Miles. So, Greg, I want to start with kind of a different question than you're probably used to getting in that most podcast started off with. So I'm going to come right out the gate. Greg, what is your morning routine?

Speaker 3:     01:02         Oh, you know, uh, it's so funny because this has been something I've, I've really been dialing in. It's so funny you asked this because this has been something for me personally. Uh, growing up, like as a kid, I kid you not, I funny story. I used to sleep in my parents' room because they had TV and no other house, you know, no other room in the house did, but I'd stepped a one or two in the morning like as a five-year-old. Dang. Yeah. I've always been this night house. So for me as an entrepreneur over the past 11, 12 years I've gotten all of my work done primarily from 10:00 on, uh, because that's when my wife goes to bed and then it's just like my time. And as of recently, you know, I have three kids, six, 3:00 AM, you know, 18 months. So I've had to like start becoming a morning person and you know, the biggest thing for me in the morning, number one is, is I have my phone set to where it's on do not disturb mode and I only have like three people, like four.

Speaker 3:     02:05         So I have, you know, my parents, my wife and then uh, a few key business partners and a couple of ventures that I have that can get through to me at all times, but I keep that on do not disturb typically until 10:00 AM. And then I also now with the, the iphone has screen screen limiting like car app limiting and I turned all my apps off except for the ones that I read, um, you know, until 9:00 AM. And that's after I get my stuff done in the morning. I typically read something like I have a rule where I have a non digital morning. I used to just get up, check my emails right away and just like get into the day. And then when I found out is I was, I was always reacting to other people were throwing at me instead of like getting my mind set.

Speaker 3:     02:50         Right. So I typically don't work out in the morning. I'm a Jujitsu guy in the best Jujitsu a simply at nighttime because that's just what other people have the ability to go in. But for me, getting my mind right and reading something a pre Gutenberg like something prior to the printing press, whatever that might be for you is very important to me. So I get that in and I guess some wisdom and then I go on a typically to learn something or read something from, you know, thousands of years ago and then to go into something that I'm kind of hot on a which is marketing or mindset. And then from there I ended up, you know, kind of get thrown into the whirlwind, getting my kids ready for school, getting them off, then coming home. Then I can go into like more of reaction mode. So then my question for you, like when did you really start focusing on the morning routine?

Speaker 3:     03:41         And then there's a second part of this question and I'll ask that as soon as you kind of tell us when you really start focusing. Was it 10 or 11 years ago when you got into entrepreneurship or was it just recently? It's just recently. It was, it was really just within the past year because um, my daughter who's three now, she goes to a pre K and so her and my son Sam, they go to two different schools whereas prior it was just like, it was one school, uh, just for my boy and so my wife was really able to like take him in and kind of do the kid thing by herself and now we kind of both, like she could do it by yourself but it's just easier if we both, like I go to one school, she goes to another and so her doing kinda like Kinda loop.

Speaker 3:     04:24         So just within the past year has been like all about the morning and I don't know if that's just because I'm getting like I don't like mornings. I really don't like I am a night owl. That's, I mean that's just how I am. Like I record my podcasts episodes are typically in between 11 at night midnight. And that's because when, that's when my house is like guaranteed to be quiet because in the morning and you know, you'll find out, you know, being a new dad that in the end you probably have this now asleep. But even if you schedule, you're like, I'm going to wake up at five. Well there's, there's no law that your kid's not going to wake up at 5:15 and just, he's, he's waking up at 4:30 and stayed for two hours. So. Exactly. And then you're just totally thrown off. So it's really been within the past year because my, uh, my wife is asleep wizard.

Speaker 3:     05:09         I mean she has a thing throughout the night, even like at five months, our kids are typically get like five, six hour stints. So now there's your, there's your next funnel right there. Man. I know, I tell her all the time, I'm like, Hey, you know, she's like, ah, I just don't know. Like with the first kid we just thought it was luck. And then with the second kid, we were like, I told her, I was like, if you get the, our daughter Charlotte's asleep the same way you got Sam to sleep and we know like you're good. And then she did it and we're like, Nah, it's just too. And then we had the third one, it happened again and I mean it's literally like she is just, she's so good at it. She has been able to help a lot of our friends do the same thing too. But a lot of it comes down to the mothers, um, personality style and, and, you know, different, different feelings with letting the kid kinda cried out for a little bit. Things like that. So I expect it. I expect to see the funnel pretty. Um, I

Speaker 2:     05:58         did have one question on that. So you said you turn on do not disturb. So for me, I don't do that. I feel like I'm very reactionary even at night and it kind of takes away from, you know, sometimes family time and in the morning it's the first thing I do, I see in like, Oh man, I've got to put out these fires before I go into work. Um, and you mentioned it kind of getting your mind right and getting in that right state of mind. Do you feel by doing the do not disturb that even though like the messages and emails pile up, you're more productive during the day?

Speaker 3:     06:27         One hundred percent. Now let me tell you, because as you're saying that I'm envisioning like your phone in the morning because he's insane. Yeah. It used to be my phone. So let me tell you, the number one productivity hack that I've ever done this in productivity has been. This is actually been something where I'm like, dude, I need to put out a course on this because this has changed my life forever. Um, I have turned off all red notifications on my phone so I don't get my mail APP does not get red badges. My facebook doesn't get red badges. Instagram, my facebook pages app and my email app, they don't, they don't Ding, they don't give me red notifications and what I've also done, which is key because even when you're on do not disturb when you get a text, well I don't know if it's with texts but it will often show on your, on your screen.

Speaker 3:     07:17         You'll see it pop up. Like right now, uh, you know, you and I are talking on a podcast. If I didn't have, do not disturb on and I didn't have what's called banner notifications off, somebody could text me and I could see it and it, it would totally derail my thoughts. And so I also turn that off too. Like just to give a tip. Like you can turn all those things off and go and do not disturb, but you also have to turn off those banner notifications that are popping up on your phone because it's like, it's, it'd be amazing if you couldn't look at it. But like humans, you're just like, Dang, you know, and you look or it pops up and your, your phone, just like, even when your phone's screen just lights up, it's like, you know, Martha, you just look. So,

Speaker 2:     07:59         uh, and then we feel obligated to answer back. Like that's me. I'm like, Oh man, like this came in, I need as entrepreneurs or as employees and is people in general, like we don't want to leave people hanging. So it's like our first thought is I better respond to this. Even if it's 4:00 in the morning while you're feeding the baby or you know, as you're falling asleep, you're like, I better get this done before I hit the sack. So with that, I'm going to try to implement what you just said. I think that's great. Um, I'm going to do it and let you know. And then next time I'm on the podcast with Dave, I'll give an update.

Speaker 3:     08:26         That'd be awesome. I'd love to hear that. And it. And it will. The thing is what you find out. And I found this out, I used to travel a lot and um, we'd go over to Europe and other places where you didn't have the Internet, like legitimately, like 2009, like your cell phone carriers just didn't carry over. If it did, it was expensive and so we had all, like, we're as usually with a bunch of entrepreneurs, you get to the place where you had internet and you'd be like, oh my gosh, you know, I can get to my phone. And then when you find out is there's really not that many important things that happen within a or five hour timeframe that you just can't answer all at once.

Speaker 2:     08:58         I love it, man. I'm going to try to implement that because I agree. I think we overreact like in the instant or in the moment, like when you get back to this right away and in all reality, like people could probably wait a day, two days a week, two weeks. So if everybody out there that's listening, if my response time slows down, it's Greg's fault. Greg, I want to jump into your story. I'm like, you're a two comma club award winner, but we're going to get to that here in a minute. I want to hear about Greg. How'd you get into entrepreneurship? What was kind of that initial push into it and then what has kind of transpired over the last, you know, 10, 11, 12 years?

Speaker 3:     09:39         You know, ironically, I really became like, you know, everybody has a story, like I've always been an entrepreneur and always sold things and you know, that kind of thing. And I did like, you know, I sold like lemon heads and things as a kid, but I really didn't even know what being an entrepreneur was. I just knew like when I was 18 I didn't want to go to college. Yeah, exactly. I did my, my dad. Yeah. My Dad always joked because I always had money for things that I wanted and that was the key. Like I was a bmx or in a rollerblader, like thex games kind of did and I always had money for those things because I would work for it. And frankly I grew up in like kind of a poor middle class family. So I had to pay for my own things and so, you know, I always had that going on, but when I was 18 I had watched my sister go through college and I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life.

Speaker 3:     10:27         And I thought, man, I'm, I just don't feel right spending money on an education where, you know, I watched my sister, not everybody's like this in college. So, um, but my sister, you know, like took bowling class and clay pottery and I'm like, you know, I'm like, this doesn't make any sense, you know, like, this is absolutely insane. And so I didn't go to college. I was in the pizza industry actually for seven years and I went off and did a bunch of odd, odd end things like bought a box truck for 800 bucks. I was going to have like a used tire business. And then I ended up, uh, the box truck was like a total lemon and I parked it in the middle of, well I won't say where, but I parked it and I never like, I don't even know what happened to it because I'm like this, like it was going to cost more to fix it and to keep it or get rid of it. So long story short, I always wanted something, I didn't know what it was. And then I had a friend approach me about network marketing company and this was when I was 22, I was working third shift and I made really good money at the time. I say really good, but you know, it was $45,000 per year without a college education.

Speaker 2:     11:31         Yeah, that's, I think a lot of people out there, you know, employees, that's a good wage right there actually for a note. No degree.

Speaker 3:     11:38         Yeah. Well, and I was watching all my friends, you know, coming out of school, out of college at that time and they couldn't get jobs in their respective fields that they went to school for. And so I was extremely happy with my job, but not my hours. The third shift, the whole, you know, climbing the corporate to where, you know, for me at that time, like I was in the trucking industry and these guys were 60, 70 years old like they were, they were bleeding it out. And so for me to get a pay raise, I needed somebody to retire, die. Yeah, totally. So, and I've always been a competitor. So for me it was like I want to be able to get rewarded for where my effort, the more effort I put in, the more reward I get. And so as somebody approached me with network marketing and I didn't even know what it was like, I had never heard network marketing, Mlm, direct sales, whatever you want to call it.

Speaker 3:     12:24         But what I saw was a product that I liked because I tried it, I loved the product I was into is the supplement space and I was a wrestler and I've always worked out and done those things. But more importantly is there was somebody attached to it that was already successful in it that said that they would mentor and teach me. And that was what I had always been lacking in the other like odd and end things that I had tried in the past with somebody to actually kind of hold my hand and mentor me through the process. And it was amazing because with network marketing, I believe you can get mentorship and training to different ways, you know, right now we're in double Comma Club, a x coaching and we pay for that. And it, my goodness just last week was, was one day of that was worth our tuition for the year.

Speaker 3:     13:09         And it's truly like unbelievable. And then the other way is you can earn favor from somebody, right? You can start to get into their good graces by serving them and providing value to them. And through network marketing, you have the opportunity to really do that by being a producer and actually taking things that people teach you and applying it, um, you gain their favorite because those people genuinely, typically like me. I love to coach and teach people as long as they're applying what you're, you're coaching and teaching and so long story man, you know, over 11, 11 and a half years now. That's what I've done. Network marketing relationships, personal growth, success mindset, strategy, like that's been my bread and butter, but that's ultimately what led me to click funnels, you know, after a long time because network marketing, I always tried to figure out how to, how to do it online, you know, I've built my business, you know, primarily I say offline, but we use funnels and stuff for our webinars and stuff like that.

Speaker 3:     14:07         But no advertising, you know. So then what was like your first initial step into click funnels? You said you were trying to get more of an online presence. What was your goal? And then like how did you find out about click funnels? Yeah, so I had um, since 2008, uh, so I started network marketing 2007, 2008. We started building our own boat called team website, like basically a training portals, right? You would come to it and you would get the documents that we have and systems and strategies on building your business and so forth. And so I started building all that, like html kind of stuff, you know, like just, I had to learn how to build websites and then I actually owned a gym for four years and I did a websites through that, um, you know, wordpress and things like that. And so I was familiar with all these different things.

Speaker 3:     14:55         And what happened was, it was, it would have been maybe a little over two years ago. I had a friend. We're trying many different softwares and we came across clickfunnels and this was like version one point. Oh yeah. And it. But it was still, it was still better than everything else out there, you know. And um, I started getting into it and it was amazing. All the stuff that was inside one piece of software and whereas before, you know, I had like 10 different accounts with different things and trying to implement it. So I saw these ability. But what really came, and I was, what I was trying to do at that time with clickfunnels was I was trying to run some ads and different things to a fitness professionals because that's part of my background with the network marketing thing as well, uh, owning a gym for four years.

Speaker 3:     15:45         But I just couldn't quite figure out like what it is that, that was like greg at that point. Like what, what was I sharing? And then I had an opportunity, uh, through learning all of this stuff. I mean, if you look in my office, there's just books and books and books everywhere. And I, I kinda, I relate it to like I had all the knowledge but I didn't have a playground to like get out there and click funnels gave me that playground. But then through a strategic relationship that I had with a couple of John, Michelle Bishop, uh, I was able to plug myself in to something and truly like show the skills that I had because they had a business idea and they were doing, you know, they're done pretty well with it, but they need somebody with the strategy. And the knowhow through click funnels and facebook advertising, Youtube, pre roll ads in those things and they needed that part.

Speaker 3:     16:38         And so we, uh, we actually formed a business and I just told them I had equity in order to do that just because my network marketing company is very successful. So in order to take time away from that and divert it had to be worthwhile. And so what was cool is through what I've, I've learned and the neat thing with click funnels, you know, going back to the mentoring thing is that you can either, you know, either pay for it or you can earn it. But the neat thing about what Russell has set up with.com secrets, expert secrets. And then you know, the final trilogy here, the final book, traffic secrets, when that comes out, he is truly given you, you know, mentoring from far with those books to show you exactly what to do with the software. And you know, if you can implement that and you learn it, it's amazing what happens.

Speaker 3:     17:25         And that's what's been phenomenal with us for the past 10 years of forming that relationship with John and Michelle is what's trending, what happened from the knowledge that I've learned throughout all the years. And we might have to cut this up and turn it into a promotional video and a testimonial video. It's all through it and it's, it's, it really is amazing. You know, the, the traffic event that we just came back to you, it really liked it. Honestly. I felt like it pulled the last 10 years of my life together and really like, even though I'd heard things and I knew them and I knew like little pieces, but the whole strategy and the overall concept that Russell teaches through that. I mean, if you can't build a business with that, I don't know what you're going to build a business with online. I really don't. I mean it's, it's the, to me, it's the end all be all in terms of like step one, two, three, playbook, and then you have the software to do it with

Speaker 2:     18:19         Mike drop seriously. Mic Drop, man. No, I totally agree at that event was unbelievable, right? Like the.com secrets, hey, how to, what you need a funnel for and how it goes, how to get the most out of your customers and then, you know, expert secrets, how to position yourself as the expert and become like the Goto or the guru and then traffic secrets, you know, how to get more customers

Speaker 3:     18:44         [inaudible]

Speaker 2:     18:45         to your product and a man like you mentioned, Russell was mentoring from afar and I think, you know, as people get into those books, implement, start having success, you know, they start moving up the value ladder and everything and try to get closer to that mentorship, right? Sometimes we have to go out and find that person, um, build a relationship with them and Russell's allowing people to do that through his books, through his courses and through as a higher ticket coaching programs. So I have a question for you, Michelle and John, you met them, have ladies edge. Tell us about the funnel. I mean, just so everybody out there listening knows this is a two comma club award winning funnel. They are crushing it. It's a beautiful funnel and the product and the results speak for themselves. So if you want to give us a little insight to that, that'd be awesome.

Speaker 3:     19:31         Yeah, it's been amazing. We, um, so originally Michelle has a background to where she used to do meal plans, you know, a long time ago prior to we actually met through network marketing. I mentored her in that specific business and then her and John got married and so then it was kinda like this mentoree relationship between me and then the both of them. And so we had a history of working together and what had happened was she had a child and a couple different moves and then she wanted to get back into the fitness industry, like, you know, and really share her message and her heart and help women, not just with meal plans but with the entire package, you know, women empowerment, a self love, all of those things that come along with it because that's a big piece of that whole, you know, world really with, with female specifically. So for us, the, the, we originally started out, um, we, we were at a premier price of $97 per month

Speaker 3:     20:22         and so that was December 17th and we are monthly reoccurring. So prior to, um, the bishops and I as they had just done kind of like a one month promo, they would say, hey, let's do a four week bootcamp. And their biggest one at one point it was like 600 people, you know, at $97. So they had had a phenomenal, phenomenal year. I won't get income for that, but we've more than 10 it since we, since we formed our partnership. And really it's just amazing how well we all work together. It's just a true blessing to be in business with great people. And so, uh, we started with $97 per month and what we did is we just transitioned, instead of trying to collect money, you know, once every month we create a continuity based program, which is the background I came from with my, my physical gym, you know, as, hey, let's get them automated and make them cancel.

Speaker 3:     21:15         And it's the best thing for everybody who holds them accountable and helps them get better results in the end and then just as of recently and, and so then we actually go back, we did that, we promote and promote it, and then we started doing like a front end hook to where we'd say $7 for seven days. We let them try us out for seven bucks. And it was a way that we could pre qualify who came in. So instead of just doing free seven days, we're like, because we're at $97 a month, I mean, you know, free seven days and then 97, that's a large jump. Even $7 for seven days in the [inaudible]. Ninety seven was lard jump. However we had a 72 percent trial to conversion rate. Holy Cow. Yeah. So that. So we knew like, all right, we have a winter. And so we built that up and we now call that the sisterhood.

Speaker 3:     22:01         And so we have the sisterhood. And then we had a lifetime membership open for, for a little while in the beginning with, since shut that off, you can't get a lifetime membership anymore. No longer. And we have now have a, a, I want to say lower tier, but lower priced package because we did have a lot of people with the demographic being in between 20 and 35 even though we have up to 60 and 65 year olds in there is phenomenal. And yeah, it's totally cool to see like the different demographics that are within there, just backgrounds and body types and everything is so amazing. The group of women, it's as crazy miles I run like I'm uh, you know, I'm a hunting, you know, fast car driving like a real man's man. Yeah. Like, you know, and uh, I, you know, I'm an, I'm an owner, you know, a partner in this women's right.

Speaker 3:     22:54         But it's amazing to watch what these women have done and like there's no judgment and it's so cool. Like it's, it's absolutely just changing a women inside out, which I know is, for me, I get passionate because I know that helps change the marriage. Yeah, that's really, that's really important to me. I've been married for 11 years, been with my wife for 17 years and so like to see that I think is like the most fulfilling part for me. But anyways, uh, we now have a lower tier and we do a free trial for seven days and then $27. But uh, we, we have kept the premier package called the sisterhood at 97 as well. So, so I think one of the big takeaways for that and that people need to realize is I'm providing value before asking for money. Right? Like, I know you did the $7 to 97, but you are providing them value where they are going to see results or to learn something. And like once they see

Speaker 2:     23:46         the value or see the results, it's like, you know what, this is what I want and that, you know, that's why we do the books. The free plus shipping, right? They're going to get it. They're going to learn, they're going to see the value and then they're that much more likely to sign up for clickfunnels, for, to join the coaching program because they've already seen how much value has been provided at such a low price point. So that $7 to 97 converting at 72 percent is absolutely insane and incredible. Um, so you guys are listening out there and provide value before the big ask. Um, Greg, I do want to ask a couple of questions. Is going to be a little rapid fire, so just, uh, as you can say as much as you want or as little as you want, but here we go. So I kind of already asked you what your morning routine was and you're already crushing it with ladies edge. We'll get to your podcast here before we get off, but you're killing it in network marketing. How do you stay motivated?

Speaker 3:     24:38         That's a great question. You know, for me it's always, it's always, um, I have journals from all of my past, like I keep journals and I've documented like the most emotional moments in that. And typically for me personally, that's changing people's lives through coaching and mentoring and so I always remember who it is that I'm serving in the end result and the feeling that comes from seeing them get that result and I keep them at the forefront of my mind and I have pictures all around my office, like if you know, you had it live, you would see like me with those people and so I keep keep the people in front of me, which was cool to hear a rustle talk about traffic is really people and when you start looking at traffic as the people and providing that value, like you said, that's what really motivates me is to see change in behavior and changing habits. So

Speaker 2:     25:24         dude, perfect answer. Next question then. What has been one of your biggest challenges? So you say you know, you're motivated by impacting people's lives, changing their lives, helping them out. Um, what has been one of your biggest challenges with doing that?

Speaker 3:     25:39         No, man. I'm gonna get a little vulnerable. I'll try. I'll keep it short though.

Speaker 2:     25:44         We love vulnerability. We think that that's important and kind of really helps people connect, right? We're not all on this pedestal. Uh, we've all been through things, so please go ahead. Well,

Speaker 3:     25:56         for me, so I started in network marketing. I've had great success in that. I love it. Like I'm still very active with my team and, and leaders in our organization and I'm absolutely love that side, but I believe that I have a bigger purpose in that I can help more people than ever, ever before with the Internet, you know, the fact is we're the first humans that have access to this thing called the Internet and we've literally touched the lives of almost every human in the world somehow. And so I've been trying to figure out, and this is what, what's been amazing is like I've been trying to figure all this stuff out, like how do I serve people? Like what do I do? Do I create a coaching program? Do I create a mentoring program? Like I still don't have the answer to that, but what I've done is I've been able to use the skills that I've acquired while trying to figure that out to do the ladies edge and that's what's been so neat is because I see my talent there, but then I also know like, you know, I also have another purpose to, to serve outside of that and I'm still really trying to figure that out.

Speaker 3:     26:53         Like what is Greg's funnel? You know, I don't, I don't necessarily have that. I know what I know what I want to do, but I don't have like the specific program lined out for it is really what it comes down to you. So that is still my biggest struggle. And I think the biggest takeaway from that that like as I as I journal about it is for anybody, because I know the clickfunnels community and I'm around it. And the two comma club thing, it's like even if you don't know exactly what you want to do, go help somebody else fulfill their vision. And that's what I've been able to do with Michelle is like help her fulfill her vision and, and I kind of took a back seat because I'm used to having the front seat, like I've spoken in very large stages and helped a lot of people in that sense, but like I've taken a back seat to, to now serve again in a different way to where I can figure out what it is that I want to do. I still don't know. So that's, that's my, you know, that's, that's still it, you know, I'm trying to figure out like how I'm going to serve the world on a bigger scale.

Speaker 2:     27:53         And I think we know that was perfect answer again. Um, but I think we all struggle with that, right? No matter how successful we are, we're always trying to find like one way or another rising something, whether that's our income or the impact or our reach. And so I'm not as a great answer. And so next, when you kind of talked about the gym, the pizza industry, the box truck, where you going to start the tire business. So I don't know how many of those were failures or how many of them just are learning experience, but how many times did you have to fail before succeeding? And then, you know, what are those experiences teach you?

Speaker 3:     28:24         Uh, yeah, there's, there's so many more stories. Unfortunately. So funny. Yeah. The pizza thing was just like my first, like I come from a very industrious town. So I started working when I was 14. I really started working when I was much younger than that. But the pizza was like my first job job that I stuck to for 77 years. And you know, I was actually one of my best friends. Well previous best friends, you know, almost 20 years ago now, uh, told me I was only ever going to amount to being a pizza boy because I didn't because I didn't choose to go to college and um, so anyways, we're no longer friends but um, you know, that always stuck with me and so I kind of had like this, like try to figure it out mentality. And so there were, there was actually like so many different things that I tried to do because at one point I just like, I just want to make money.

Speaker 3:     29:16         Like that was just like, I was like, God, I just want to make money and not have a job like, or a boss and control my life and I really didn't have clarity. And then, you know, through all of those, what I really learned is that you have to have somebody teach you the way. Like I think having a mentor and you can do this through books, right? Like, like we were talking about with Russell's books. Then Russell has other ways you can do at this even more hands on Double Comma Club coaching. Like that's even more intense. And so I think making sure that you're learning from somebody who's already gone through the experience of whatever it is you're trying to do is so important because it can literally raise like two or five or even 10 years of just regret and failures and struggles when you just say, okay, I'm going to do what they say, like the, you know, uh, Kale and talking about Hashtag do what Russell says, it's so important. So I think finding a mentor is so vital and learning and doing. And so that's like my message of life is like go find a mentor, but be coachable and teachable, but most importantly, implement what you learn. Okay.

Speaker 2:     30:24         Awesome man. Thank you for sharing that. Now. Awesome. Now these last two, we're going to end on a little lighthearted. I appreciate you coming in and getting vulnerable and telling your experiences and not just focusing on the successes, right? You're going back and talking about some of the harder things that you went through. And I think that's what, you know, a lot of us need to hear it right? Like we see these people that are having success. Russell and all those guys were like, ah, it's just so easy for them, but there's a story behind it and that was cool about traffic secrets in the week before we had, um, you know, the dry bar comedy where Russell went through all the stories and you saw the struggles that they went through, the literally the, almost being bankrupt and laying people off and you know, everybody goes through those things and I think people need to hear those so they don't get so discouraged and they were like, okay, they went through this, so can I. So I really appreciate you sharing your story. So we'll finish it off with a little light hearted. I'm a food guy. You've seen me. I'm a little bigger around the waist and everything. I love food. What is your favorite food?

Speaker 3:     31:20         Oh goodness. It's donuts. I can put down like six donuts. No problem.

Speaker 2:     31:28         Any certain type like maple chocolate, Maple Bay,

Speaker 3:     31:31         I'm a glaze with chocolate icing or glaze with chocolate icing with cream filled.

Speaker 2:     31:36         Ooh Man, that sounds good. I said, oh goodness. It's lunchtime right now. That sounds good for you. What would be your dream vacation, like kind of the favorite way or favorite place for you to relax and kind of step away for a minute?

Speaker 3:     31:51         Well, it depends, you know, you kind of have vacations that you take solo, which for me are a little mini vacations down to my property where I go hunting, but I am a very relationship focused kind of guy. So I love taking, going to amazing places like my most favorite vacation I've ever been to has been Bora Bora, hands down. But what made Bora Bora, Bora Bora was I was with about 50 people that were entrepreneurs as well and, and we all, you know, are of the same mind and heading in a direction. And so to have that experience with other people I think is, is as amazing. So for me, I love getting out and traveling really anywhere. It's about the company that I'm with.

Speaker 2:     32:35         Awesome. Man. I, I agree. Like I like to get away and relax, but I'm also a little bit of an extrovert. I talk with people. I like building relationships as well and so a kind of feel the same way. If there's not people there with me on vacation, was I really there? Is it really a vacation? So we're going to close this up, but I want people to know where they can find you. Where can they find you on instagram? Tell us about your podcast real quick and they find you on the other social platforms.

Speaker 3:     33:00         But instagram is just the real Greg Smith. Uh, that's my user. And then facebook, I have facebook page is Greg Smith. Hopefully you can find it. There's a lot of spirits, but the best place to find me is rise above podcast. So just started that, uh, were like episode 17 and uh, that's just, you know, I share a lot of really deep stories about catalyst. We only scratched the surface today on some of my past and the struggles and pains to get to where I am and continue to go through. So a rise podcast. That's, that's, uh, that's kind of what I'm putting out right now.

Speaker 2:     33:33         So where can they find that page? It's just rise above podcast.com. Yes. Awesome. So guys go to rise above podcast.com also. Go on Itunes, subscribe and review the rise of a podcast. Greg. Dude, thank you so much for coming on the show. I know it was kind of a little switcheroo on you instead of having Dave you had me, but I really appreciate you coming on. It was great talking with you. Can't wait to see you at the next event. Everyone out there listening. Go Follow Greg and then also make sure you go subscribe and review this podcast and then let me know how this episode when tell Dave if you want me to ever be back on the show or if you never want me back on the show, let us know. Greg. Thanks man. We will talk to you soon.

Speaker 3:     34:12         See everybody. Thanks miles.

Speaker 4:     34:15         Hey everybody. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to podcasts. If you don't mind, could you please share this with others, rate and review this podcast on itunes. It means the world to me where I'm trying to get to as a million downloads here in the next few months and just crush through over $650,000 and I just want to get the next few $100,000 so we can get to a million downloads and see really what I can do to help improve and and get this out to more people at the same time. If there's a topic, there's something you'd like me to share or someone you'd like me to interview, by all means, just reach out to me on facebook. You can pm me and I'll be more than happy to take any of your feedback as well as if people you'd like me to interview more than happy to reach out and have that conversation with you. So again, go to Itunes, rate and review this, share this podcast with others and let me know how else I can improve this or, and do to make this better for you guys. Thanks.