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190. If You Want to Gain 1 Million Followers in 2026, Listen to This Episode

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Jan 15, 2026

Guest

Michael Lim

Michael Lim, a mastermind behind elite content systems, previously led Alex Hormozi's media team and helped build MrBeast's philanthropy channel. In this discussion, he emphasizes treating content launches like high-stakes NASA missions. Lim shares insights on the importance of follower metrics, the significance of the final 48 hours of sales, and how successful content teams operate like NBA franchises. He also explores creative strategies, personal growth through silent retreats, and why understanding your ideal customer is essential for creators.

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ANECDOTE

Launch Day Was A NASA Mission

Michael Lim compares the $100M launch prep to a NASA mission with rehearsals, redundancies, and technical backups.
He recounts fixing Zoom, stacking gigabit links and Starlink, and rehearsing Alex to eliminate single points of failure.

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ADVICE

Ramp Ads, Then Blitz Final 48 Hours

Ramp ad spend progressively: test early, scale before launch, then blow the budget in final days where most conversions occur.
Compress testing and fixes into focused sprints to reveal infrastructure and conversion issues early.

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ADVICE

Use 72-Hour Sprints To Compress Work

Use time compression (e.g., locked 72-hour sprints) to produce focused deliverables and expose hidden problems.
Timebox work with timers to ensure concentrated, high-quality output without prolonged burnout.

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What $100M Launchs Look Like Behind the Scenes

01:01 • 4min

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Preparing Infrastructure: Internet, Power, and Rehearsal

04:59 • 57sec

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Timeline, Urgency and Time Compression for Launches

05:56 • 4min

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Ad Ramp Strategy and Why Most Sales Happen Late

Parkinson's Law, Deadlines, and Focused Sprints

14:32 • 2min

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Engineering Hooks: Studying Proven Ads and Kaleidoscoping

16:41 • 3min

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Creative Stunts: The Green Suits & Branding

19:38 • 5min

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Who Should Make Content and Supply–Demand Reality

24:24 • 3min

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If Not Creating, Where to Invest Your Time

27:51 • 4min

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Know Your ICP: Continuous Customer Obsession

31:36 • 2min

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Lessons from MrBeast and Winning at Scale

33:10 • 2min

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Content Teams Are Like NBA Franchises

34:50 • 5min

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Team Happiness and Building Media Infrastructure

40:07 • 5min

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Silent Retreats, Equanimity, and Creative Longevity

45:23 • 5min

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You Are Not Your Thoughts: Stoic Practices for Creators

50:22 • 6min

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Short Form vs Long Form: Betting on YouTube and Variance

56:13 • 3min

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Clip Infrastructure: Live Transcription and Moment Selection

59:03 • 2min

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Building the Core Media Roster and Hiring Strategy

01:01:21 • 4min

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Growth Model: Followers Over Impressions

01:05:04 • 2min

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Constraints, Rotations and Content Calendars

01:07:03 • 3min

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Documenting Culture: Internal Media Playbook

01:09:58 • 5min

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Why Followers Are the Most Valuable Metric

01:14:30 • 5min

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Personalization Through Media and Attribution Goals

01:19:59 • 58sec

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Media Maturity Levels for Businesses

01:20:57 • 2min

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Choosing Platforms and Using Agencies Wisely

01:23:08 • 3min

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Measure, Hypothesize, and Run Weekly Game Tape

01:26:09 • 2min

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Michael's Origin Story: From Consulting to MrBeast

01:28:29 • 5min

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Beast Philanthropy: Packaging, Stakes, and Virality for Good

01:33:12 • 6min

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YouTube Packaging and Visual Congruence

• Mentioned in 329 episodes

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, follows the journey of Harry Potter, an orphan boy who discovers he is a wizard. The series spans seven novels, each corresponding to one year of Harry's life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry, along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, navigates the magical world, confronts various challenges, and ultimately faces off against the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who murdered Harry's parents and seeks to dominate the wizarding world. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil.

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What’s up Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Michael Lim, the architect behind some of the most elite content systems on the internet.

Michael led Alex Hormozi’s media team during the $100M launch and helped build the foundation for MrBeast’s Philanthropy channel. In this episode, we break down how world-class content teams actually operate, why followers aren’t a vanity metric (but not for the reason you think), and why most creators are playing the wrong game entirely.

We also get into building something worth talking about, optimizing for the right metrics, and what it really takes to win in today’s creator economy.

Check out Michael here:

https://www.instagram.com/mikawl/

https://www.youtube.com/@mikawl

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Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

1:01 – What a $100M Launch Actually Looks Like Behind the Scenes

4:49 – Treating a Content Launch Like a NASA Mission

5:55 – Why Redundancy Wins (And Failure Isn’t an Option)

8:09 – Compressing Months of Work Into Days

10:16 – How Ad Spend Really Ramps Before a Massive Launch

12:15 – Why Most Sales Happen in the Final 48 Hours

13:24 – Win $100k with Stan

14:32 – Parkinson’s Law: Why Deadlines Create Speed

16:31 – How Alex Hormozi Engineers High-Performing Hooks

19:35 – The Kaleidoscope Method for Infinite Ad Variations

24:15 – Why Most People Shouldn’t Be Making Content

27:50 – Build Something Worth Talking About First

31:06 – Finding Product–Market–Message Fit

33:06 – Lessons From Working With MrBeast

34:12 – How Elite Content Teams Think Like NBA Franchises

40:04 – Is the Founder the Coach or the Star Player?

41:48 – The Non-Negotiable Roles on a Billion-Dollar Media Team

42:56 – Why Team Happiness Is a Competitive Advantage

45:39 – Silent Retreats, Burnout, and Creative Longevity

48:39 – Detaching From Outcomes as a Creator

50:11 – You Are Not Your Thoughts

51:47 – Stoicism, Spirituality, and Long-Term Thinking

53:40 – Why Desire Is the Root of Stress

55:14 – Playing the Long Game in Media and Business

58:33 – How to Stay Consistent Without Losing Yourself

1:01:17 – The Mental Skill Every Creator Needs

1:05:00 – Creating Without Needing Validation

1:07:16 – Why Most Creators Quit Too Early

1:08:16 – Building Media That Doesn’t Break You

1:14:48 – What Winning Actually Means at the Highest Level

1:16:04 – The Cost of Chasing the Algorithm

1:19:53 – Designing a Career You Can Sustain

1:23:22 – The Real Goal Behind Building an Audience

1:27:04 – Final Lessons From a $100M Media Machine

1:27:54 – What Michael Would Do If He Started Today

1:33:50 – Advice for Creators Playing the Wrong Game

1:36:17 – How to Know If You’re Building the Right Thing

1:38:15 – Redefining Success Beyond Numbers

1:42:02 – Post Pod Debrief

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