Beyond A Million

Bashar Katou is an Amazon FBA seller, mentor and the founder of BJK University, a leading online platform that teaches users how to sell on Amazon. After the restaurant Bashar owned burned to the ground, he found himself $150K in debt. Soon after, a friend introduced him to the concept of making money online. He decided to focus on Amazon sales, bought a course and launched his first products. Fast forward to today, Bashar has launched more than 100 products on Amazon and his BJK University is a multi-8-figure business with more than 35 employees. Bashar grew BJK from $150K to $2.3M in one year primarily through social media, at one point spending $325K/month on Instagram shoutouts. In this episode, you'll hear how Bashar uses social media to drive traffic, how he manages to post 4-6 pieces of content a day, and the social media channels he focuses on in today's environment. You'll also get insights on running a successful Amazon store, adjusting the entrepreneur mindset as your company scales, and the No. 1 tip social media-focused businesses should hear for 2023. Key Takeaways with Bashar Katou How Bashar grew his business from $150K to $2.3M in 12 months by using Instagram shoutouts. The No. 1 tip for driving traffic to a social-media-reliant business in 2023. Should entrepreneurs follow a passion or pursue a business for the sake of the financial upside? The 3 cycles of business from Lex Sisney's book "Organizational Physics" that entrepreneurs can follow to create perpetual growth. How Bashar prioritized product-market fit and building an offer over building a business to create a multi-8-figure company. Why build an Amazon store instead of a traditional eCommerce store through your own URL? The assembly line approach for integrating organic traffic into your existing marketing model. Why Bashar eased up on Instagram marketing after earning 1,200 opt-ins a day – and where he shifted his attention to. The mental change that has to happen for entrepreneurs to avoid burnout and keep pushing forward. How motivation and the pressure to perform can change as your company experiences more success. Adopting a mindset of responsibility and ownership to find solutions and keep problems from compounding. The management lessons Bashar learned from managing a restaurant that burned to the ground and left him $150K in debt. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Kasim Aslam, founder of Solutions 8, talks about negotiating 8-figure exits, traffic secrets, and AI arbitrage. He shares tips for managing M&A deals, achieving high deliverability to cold prospects, and avoiding lackluster ventures after successful exits. He also discusses using AI in agencies and considering analog business models instead of SaaS or agencies.

John Rampton is an entrepreneur, connector, and online influencer who loves building amazing products and services that scale. He's purchased, started, grown and sold several companies online with his latest company quadrupling a 7-figure revenue stream in 6 months. According to John, he has built over 4 unicorns in the past 10 years, with over $18 billion in online revenue directly attributed to his teams. He has written 5,000+ pieces of online content and was recently ranked #2 on the "Top 50 Online Influencers in the World" list by Entrepreneur Magazine. In today's episode, John shares the secrets behind his success when it comes to scaling companies using SEO and content marketing. You'll learn his 2-minute content creation process, his strategy for hiring quality copywriters, how to add verticals to scale beyond 7-figures, and the massive opportunity that exists for businesses who learn how to optimize their content using AI technology. Key Takeaways with John Rampton The BIG opportunity for AI-powered content. The repeatable model entrepreneurs can use to produce articles in 2 minutes or less. Avoid the biggest SEO content mistakes and boost your online visibility. How to add verticals to scale beyond 7-figures The secret behind multimillion-dollar relationships: the "1-in-10," "1-in-100," and "1-in-1,000" philosophies. How to convert readers into "super fans" for increased product sales through compelling content. Leverage your core skills and add "multipliers" to break through plateaus and scale your business. How affiliate marketing-style sales boosted John's sales 70x compared to his colleagues. The three different types of editors John uses for every online post. The Harvard study that shows how families who give money to charity increase their incomes by an average of $375/month within a year. Build successful symbiotic relationships with interns through effective processes. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Ricky Joshi is the co-founder and chief strategy officer of Saatva, a direct-to-consumer luxury mattress and bedroom company that earns more than $400M in revenue and has been named to the Forbes Top 100 Most Promising Companies list. While going mattress shopping for himself one day, Ricky noticed a few shortcomings from mattress retailers. Confusing messaging. Bad customer service. No core values. Ricky thought he could do better, and in 2011, Saatva became one of the world's first DTC brands. In this episode, Ricky shares Saatva's success secrets, including effective marketing strategies, key metrics to focus on, and brand awareness tips for entrepreneurs in the DTC space. You'll also hear about how Saatva created an in-store experience that leads to greater than 50% conversions, how competition helped Saatva 3x its sales in one year, and how companies can decide when it's time to branch out and launch new product offerings. Key Takeaways with Ricky Joshi How increased competition helped Saatva grow from sales of $9.5M to $28.7M in one year. What are the best and worst things Saatva has done in marketing? How Saatva's brick-and-mortar retail stores have a conversion rate higher than 50%. How selling a product with a high AOV can lead to a better customer experience. Two core components to building growth and success. How Saatva has branched out to having more than 42% of its buyers coming from a non-mattress product. The major advantage small companies have over big companies when it comes to marketing. How is AI impacting marketing right now? Why established brands and large companies often struggle in the DTC space. How to weigh investing in brand awareness with the growth trajectory of your company. When do you know if it's time to branch out and start selling new items alongside your flagship product? Balancing your consumer's awareness level when choosing which platform —like TikTok, Facebook or Google Ad Words — to market on. How entrepreneurs can analyze SEO traffic to determine alternative revenue streams. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Aaron Amuchastegui is a real estate investor, fund manager and software CEO who has bought and sold more than 1,000 foreclosed homes and owns 850 single-family rental properties. Aaron made his way into the real estate market in 2005. As he watched the Great Recession gut the industry from 2008-2009, Aaron discovered an opportunity to purchase and flip foreclosed homes, pioneering a business venture that quickly led to delivering millions of dollars for investors. Today, Aaron sits down with me to discuss the ins and outs of his decades-long real estate success story, including nitty-gritty details on the art of buying and flipping foreclosures, how new investors can enter the market, and how he bounced back from going to zero — twice. You'll also hear how Aaron went toe-to-toe with investment management behemoth Blackstone, how he successfully added a software venture to his revenue mix, and which asset class investors with cash on the sidelines should be eyeing right now. Key Takeaways with Aaron Amuchastegui The story behind Aaron's journey beginning in the 2005 housing boom to the depths of the Great Recession to owning 850+ single-family homes in 2023 — and the lessons investors can learn from it. The process of buying and flipping foreclosed homes — and how to enter that market today. The applicable lesson that large-scale real estate investors can learn from Blackstone's model. The secret to quick growth in real estate — and how to do it at scale. How Aaron positioned himself as a "picks and shovels" provider to run a software company that brings in 6-figure months. What asset class should investors with extra cash be looking at in the current environment? How can you determine who's worth learning from in real estate development? The bank-imposed parameters that can hamstring entrepreneurs trying to get a portfolio loan for real estate investing. How do the criteria for buying a single property vary when considered in the context of a total portfolio? How should investors set up the financial structure of a new rental fund? Tips for entrepreneurs who fall victim to shiny object syndrome. How AI is impacting real estate investing. The life event that pushed Aaron from being an employee to an entrepreneur. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Tim Swindle is an entrepreneur and the co-founder of PaddleSmash, a Pickleball and roundnet hybrid that's making waves in the backyard game world. After starting in commercial real estate, Tim pivoted to software where he built and sold a company for 8-figures in 2016. Soon after, Tim moved into the toy and game industry with his card game Utter Nonsense, which he sold to U.S-based PlayMonster for 8x EBITDA. As Pickleball became the fastest-growing sport in North America, Tim rode the momentum, launching PaddleSmash in 2018. In today's episode, you'll hear Tim share lessons from his success with retailers, including tips for negotiating deals, getting your product noticed by decision-makers, and how to stand out on the shelves for shoppers. You'll also get an inside look at the creation of PaddleSmash, the reason Tim chose to license the product, and ideas on how to effectively iterate your product during the design phase. Key Takeaways with Tim Swindle How PaddleSmash went from $0 in sales to getting picked up by large retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods and Scheels. What are the biggest potential pitfalls to look out for when entering into contracts with retailers? Tips, tricks and nuances for designing packaging to both optimize profits and attract customers. How should entrepreneurs who want to break into the retail space structure their pitches to buyers? One of Tim's biggest business takeaways — and how he used it to land the first clients for his software product. How Tim went from commercial real estate to his first 8-figure software exit. How can you build an effective focus group to improve your early-stage product? The practical considerations behind deciding whether or not to license a product. An experienced look at negotiating deals with big box retailers. Why deciding what not to build is just as important as deciding what to build. Tim's first exit in the retail space — an 8x EBITDA sale of his card game Utter Nonsense. The tailwinds and chance connections that led to PaddleSmash's creation. Why most of the innovation in the toy and game space comes from individuals as opposed to corporations. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

This week, we're shaking things up! After 70+ interviews with 8, 9 and even 10-figure entrepreneurs, I wanted to round up the best marketing advice shared on the pod, and deliver it straight to your ear drums. My team went back through the archives and pulled the biggest takeaways from 5 entrepreneurs who are absolutely crushing it in the marketing world. You'll hear SUPER actionable tactics from Ryan Pineda, Keala Kanae, Perry Belcher, Jason Fladlien, and George Bryant. In this episode, you'll learn how to automate your lead generation using instagram reels, strategies for increasing email open rates, what the best marketers do to improve customer LTV, the power of strategic positioning, and much more! Key Takeaways The story behind Jason Fladlien's $57M product launch. Understanding the customer journey and what prevents so many companies from scaling beyond 8 and 9-figures. The content creation playbook Ryan Pineda uses to warm up his audience, generate leads, and make more sales. The process Keala Kanae uses to achieve a 59% email open rate How to cross-sell your existing audience by using the "Randolph Hearst" model. The role that 'belief' plays when it comes to achieving greatness. How to map a better customer journey so you can scale beyond 8 and 9-figures. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Wes Watson is an entrepreneur, author and business coach who founded Watson Fit and created a sales funnel leading to 8-figures in monthly revenue. During his 10 years in a California prison, Wes began building an Instagram presence while behind bars. Once he gained freedom, Wes leveraged his online presence in the fitness community into low, mid, and high-ticket sales, becoming a millionaire within 18 months of being released. Today, Wes joins me to share his success story, including a look into the prison-hardened mindset that he applies to his business to earn 5 and 6-figure paydays. You'll also hear about the five books that changed Wes's life, the importance of tapping into the correct mental frequency states, and how taking too long to take action can cost you money in the long run. Key Takeaways with Wes Watson How Wes went from a decade in prison to making $60,000 in sales a day. The expectation-to-work ratio that creates the highest quality of life. What should entrepreneurs avoid doing during their growth phase? The 5 books that changed Wes's life — and the exercise he used to hone his copywriting skills. How the frequency of your emotional state can manifest success or failure. The 2 key tenets of what a great leader should be. Is it possible for entrepreneurs to succeed if they don't have skin in the game? The link between stress management and reaching your ceiling of potential. How focusing on the right timeline can help your business produce the best results — and got Wes to 8-figure months. Should entrepreneurs prioritize speed or perfection in their day-to-day operations? The necessity of preparation and constant vigilance to seize the opportunities life puts in your path. Building strength for life's challenges through resistance to your weaknesses. Transforming your perception from seeking growth to removing the negatives. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Ryan Niddel is an entrepreneur and the CEO of MIT45, a $70M/year Kratom company on pace to exceed $100M in sales in 2023. In addition to his first exit at age 29 for $12M, Ryan has been involved with the acquisition or exit of nearly a dozen companies whose collective revenues exceed $237M. He has successfully tripled the revenue of more than 5 companies in under 2 1/2 years, adding an extra $950M in valuation to these businesses. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥

Ron Lynch is an infomercial and direct response marketing expert who has helped 70 brands and 300+ products launch, with a track record of generating over $4 billion in sales for his clients. He's helped brands like GoPro, Johnson & Johnson, OxiClean, Samsung, George Foreman Grill, and hundreds of other household names and products. In this episode, Ron shares the story of taking GoPro from a 3-person startup to a worldwide phenomenon and multi-billion dollar brand. Through his agency's leadership, the company scaled from $600k to $600M in sales before its eventual IPO. You'll hear about the risky strategy Ron's team used to get GoPro into major retailers like BestBuy and Target, the inner workings of the infomercial industry and how it's used to sell products, and how to serve multiple customer avatars with a single product so you can broaden your audience and scale your business. Key Takeaways with Ron Lynch The story of scaling GoPro into a multi-billion dollar brand. The risky play that Ron's agency implemented to get GoPro into big box stores like BestBuy and Target. The Super Bowl media buying strategy that landed GoPro $3M worth of advertising slots for the price of $360k The science and structure behind traditional infomercials—and how they are designed to get people to buy. How to broaden the audience you serve by solving different problems for different customers—and how to leverage that strategy to double your revenue, again and again, with a single product. A unique celebrity growth tactic for building brand awareness. This strategy led to Ron visiting Bono's Ireland home in person to deliver a product. Why the gatekeeper is the most valuable relationship you can have. How the infomercial industry has changed over the years. Accelerated AI adoption and Ron's prediction for the future. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM! 💥