The Root of All Success with The Real Jason Duncan

What if losing your job was the best thing that ever happened to you? In this special episode of The Root of All Success, host Jason Duncan is in the hot seat as a guest on the Live to 100 Podcast with Jason Yarusi. From being unexpectedly let go from his dream teaching job to building a multimillion-dollar company through sheer grit, this conversation is all about trusting the process, acting despite fear, and letting small wins build your confidence. Jason shares the story behind launching his first business, how he used cold calls and clarity to close his first $2M+ deal, and the turning point that taught him indecision is more painful than a wrong decision. It’s a raw and inspiring look at what it really takes to go from stuck to scaling. 🔑 Key Takeaways: How getting fired launched Jason into entrepreneurship Why small wins are the foundation of lasting confidence The danger of indecision (and how to break free from it) The cold call that turned into a multi-million dollar client Why confidence is just a memory of past success What most entrepreneurs misunderstand about risk Lessons from failing forward and trusting your gut Why action beats planning 100x over 👉 Follow Jason Yarusi and the Live to 100 Podcast on all major platforms. 🌟 Stay Connected with Jason Duncan 📖 Learn more: therealjasonduncan.com 🎙 Listen to The Root of All Success: therootofallsuccess.com 🚀 Join the Mastermind: theexiterclub.com 📱 Instagram: @therealjasonduncan 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/therealjasonduncan 💡 About The Real Jason Duncan Jason helps entrepreneurs #ExitWithoutExiting, freeing them from daily operations while keeping ownership and profits. Subscribe for more strategies on achieving true freedom and living with purpose. 👉 Don’t Forget: ✔ Like, comment, and share this video if it resonated with you. ✔ Subscribe to the channel for weekly content on entrepreneurship and success. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the real reason you're stuck isn't your marketing or team... it's you? In this episode of The Root of All Success, Jason Duncan sits down with Austin Netzley, founder of 2X and Atlas Assistants, who has helped generate over $310 million in revenue for high-performing entrepreneurs by helping them scale with clarity, systems, and leverage. Austin left corporate America at 27 after paying off $81K in debt—and burning out. What followed was a global reset and a decade-long mission to help business owners build sustainable, scalable companies without sacrificing their lives. If you're an entrepreneur feeling overwhelmed, overworked, or just ready to grow smarter, this episode delivers breakthrough insights, mindset shifts, and tactical tools to help you exit the day-to-day and operate like a true CEO. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Why most six-figure founders get stuck—and how to break through The mindset shift from “hustler” to “seven-figure CEO” How vision clarity unlocks smarter delegation Systems that actually scale (without adding more chaos) Why your ego is likely keeping you in the weeds How to build a business that runs without you What The Two-Week Vacation Test teaches about true freedom The most overlooked leverage point in scaling: time control 👉 Want to build a business that thrives without you? 📘 Grab Austin’s books: From Six to Seven Figures & The Two-Week Vacation Test 🌐 Learn more at 2x.co and atlasassistants.com 📲 Follow Austin on social: @austinnetzley Who is Austin Netzley? Austin Netzley is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and best-selling author, dedicated to helping business owners scale their companies efficiently and sustainably. As the founder of 2X, he has guided hundreds of entrepreneurs in optimizing their operations, increasing profits, and building businesses that thrive without constant oversight. With a background in engineering and finance, Austin transitioned from corporate life to entrepreneurship, where he discovered the key principles of systemizing and scaling businesses. His proven strategies focus on streamlining processes, improving cash flow, and empowering leaders to achieve long-term success. He is also the author of From 6 to 7 Figures, a practical guide for entrepreneurs looking to break through growth plateaus and scale their businesses to new heights. Through 2X, Austin and his team have helped companies across various industries achieve rapid and sustainable growth. Austin Netzley’s Website Link:  2x.co and atlasassistants.com Austin Netzley’s Social Media Link: Instagram: @netzley Facebook: www.facebook.com/scale2x Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the RV you barely use could make you thousands—and help someone else take the trip of a lifetime? In this episode of The Root of All Success, host Jason Duncan sits down with Garr Russell, founder of Fireside RV Rental, to unpack how he scaled a full-blown franchise business using other people’s RVs. What started as a Craigslist listing turned into a national brand now operating across more than 60 locations. Garr shares how his faith, failures, and full-time RV life shaped his approach to leadership, stewardship, and success—and how he used AI, automation, and Holy Spirit wisdom to build a scalable model in one of the most unlikely industries. If you're looking for a faith-forward, freedom-driven take on entrepreneurship, this one delivers. 🔑 Takeaways from this episode: How Garr turned an unused RV into a franchise model Why he walked away from a 7-figure contract The power of trusting the Holy Spirit in business decisions What most RV owners get wrong about renting How AI chatbots and automation are transforming their systems Why failure, repentance, and purpose go hand-in-hand His “principal pay-down” program and what it solves for owners How living in an RV for 5 years reshaped his view of success 👉 Want to turn your RV into revenue? 📘 Download Garr’s free book at ⁠mywheelestatestory.com⁠ Who is Garr Russell? Garr Russell is an entrepreneur, author, and full-time RVer who has pioneered the RV rental industry. As the Founder and CEO of Fireside RV Rental, he launched the nation’s first RV rental management franchise, growing it to over 40 locations across the U.S. His expertise in systems, processes, sales, and leadership has helped him build, scale, and sell multiple businesses. Passionate about the sharing economy, Garr advocates for using "Other People’s RVs" (OPRV) to create rental businesses with minimal overhead. His approach, which he details in his book My Wheel Estate Story, focuses on outsourcing logistics and maintenance while leveraging key business principles to build sustainable, automated companies. Garr Russells’s Website Link:  ⁠https://firesidervrental.com/⁠ Garr Russell’s Social Media Link: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/garr.russell⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/garrjrussell/⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@garrjrussell⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrrussell/⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/1815688322014439⁠ Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you hit $3 million in revenue—with no sales or marketing team? In this episode of The Root of All Success, host Jason Duncan sits down with Frank Sondors, founder of Salesforge.ai, to unpack how he bootstrapped his AI-powered sales platform to multi-million dollar ARR in just one year. No sales reps. No marketers. Just bold execution, a co-founder match on YC’s platform, and an AI agent named “Frank.” Frank shares how his background in politics, Google, and SaaS leadership collided into a startup built to do sales smarter. They talk about what’s broken in traditional selling, why most AI companies miss the point, and how founder-led growth can scale when paired with smart tech. Whether you’re a startup founder, tech builder, or sales leader, this one is packed with real talk and smart strategy. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Why Salesforge got to $3M ARR with no sales team How “Agent Frank” blends AI + human sales for high output The #1 mistake startup founders make when hiring Why seat-based pricing models are broken The myth that AI will replace salespeople What Frank learned managing 50+ reps—and why he walked away How to use founder-led growth + AI to gain early traction What a “swarm of agents” will look like in the future of sales 👉 Want to see Frank’s AI in action? Visit agentfrank.ai to get a real email from their AI sales rep. 💬 Connect with Frank on LinkedIn or X: @FrankSondors 🔗 Salesforge.ai Who is Frank Sondors? Frank comes with over a decade of experience in B2B Sales, working for companies like Google, SimilarWeb, Black Crow and Whatagraph whether as an individual contributor and all the way leading large sales teams. Currently he's building Salesforge.ai to give companies the ability to to blend their current sales efforts with AI agents to maximize pipeline and drive down cost. In less than a year they've scaled up from $0 to $3M ARR. Frank Sondors’s Website Link:  www.Salesforge.ai Frank Sondors’s Social Media Link: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franksondors/ Threads: https://x.com/franksondors Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

❓What does success really mean after 299 interviews with high-level entrepreneurs? In this special 300th episode of The Root of All Success, host Jason Duncan turns the mic on himself for a rare and raw conversation—with himself. After interviewing 299 guests over four years, Jason shares what he’s learned about success, entrepreneurship, burnout, reinvention, and why chasing freedom, not just money, has become his new definition of success. From his unexpected exit from education to launching the Exiter Club, Jason walks through the five freedoms framework that’s changed his life—and the trap most entrepreneurs fall into that keeps them stuck. Whether you’ve been here since episode 1 or are just discovering the show, this is the perfect moment to reflect on what success really looks like. 🔑 Takeaways from this episode: Why freedom, not money—is the real root of success The five freedoms every entrepreneur should chase The mindset shift that separates stuck owners from scalable leaders Behind the scenes: how the podcast evolved from 1 to 300 Why Jason created the Exiter Club and what it’s doing now The danger of staying the “hero” in your business for too long The episode that changed him the most What he’d tell himself before recording episode 1 👉 Thank you for being part of this 300-episode journey. 🎉 Here’s to the next 300. Jason's Website Link   Jason's Social Media Facebook Instagram Linkedin Youtube Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the best way to fund your investments… was becoming your own bank? In this powerful in-person interview, Jason Duncan sits down with Evan Greathouse, real estate investor turned Bank on Yourself professional, to unpack the misunderstood strategy that wealthy families like the Rockefellers have used for generations. From flipping his first $8,500 property at 23 to building financial independence through smart cash flow and life insurance, Evan shares how the Bank on Yourself concept changed the way he builds legacy—and why most entrepreneurs and financial advisors still get it wrong. If you’ve ever felt trapped by traditional money advice or want a smarter way to control your wealth, this episode will shift your thinking. 🔑 Takeaways from this episode: What “Bank on Yourself” really is—and what it’s not Why Evan walked away from traditional financial planning The biggest myths around whole life insurance (and what’s true) How business owners can use their policy to fund deals The real problem with relying on credit cards or banks Why uninterrupted compounding growth is so powerful Using life insurance as a liquidity tool, not an investment How to prepare the next generation for the wealth you leave behind 👉 Want to break free from the debt cycle and take control of your cash flow? 💡 Subscribe to The Root of All Success and learn more about this strategy at BankOnYourself.com or contact Evan Greathouse for a consultation. Evan Greathouse’s Website Link: https://GreathouseFinancialSolutions.as.me/ Evan Greathouse’s Social Media Link: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-greathouse-6132a326/ Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if going broke chasing your dream was the best thing that ever happened to you? Meet Stephen Blackburn and Stephen Johnson, two music artists who were buried in debt—but instead of quitting, they turned their hustle into a marketing machine. In this high-energy episode, Jason Duncan sits down with the founders of Rich From Anywhere, who share how they scaled their e-commerce brand from $0 to $209K in just 7 months, then turned that success into a coaching business helping thousands of entrepreneurs run ads, automate sales, and scale profitably—without wasting money on shady agencies. They’ve run ads for some of the biggest influencers in the world and have taught thousands of business owners how to stop being the best-kept secret. If you’re tired of marketing that doesn’t work, this episode will show you the truth behind results. 🔑 Takeaways from this episode: How Stephen & Stephen scaled their first e-commerce brand with zero experience Why most businesses fail because no one sees them The real reason hiring agencies too early is a costly mistake How AI and automation can turn your leads into booked calls (without touching a thing) Why “boosting posts” is killing your ad performance The truth about pixels, tracking, and reading your data How to use DM automation + comment triggers to scale organically What makes Rich From Anywhere’s coaching model different from a done-for-you agency The secret to a long-lasting business partnership 👉 Want to stop being invisible online? 💡 Subscribe to The Root of All Success and visit richfromanywhere.com to start scaling smarter today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if selling your business isn’t the only way to exit it? In this special guest episode, Jason Duncan appears on Mr. Biz Radio with Ken Wentworth to explain the power of his Exit Without Exiting strategy. He shares how he went from being a fired schoolteacher to founding 13 businesses, exiting four, and discovering what nearly all entrepreneurs get wrong: building a business that revolves around themselves. Jason breaks down his XOS Framework, the three tiers of entrepreneurship, and how he helps business owners reclaim their time, multiply value, and finally live a life they control. Whether you're running a 7-figure company or grinding in the weeds, this episode offers the blueprint to break free. 🔑 Takeaways from this episode: Why most business owners can’t sell—even when they want to The three tiers of entrepreneurship: operator, manager, investor How Jason exited a multimillion-dollar company without selling it Why chasing opportunity leads to burnout Building the Exiter Club and focusing on legacy The mindset shift required to scale and step away SOPs: Why they matter and how most people overcomplicate them The freedom of building a business that thrives without you 👉 Ready to scale without selling? 💡 Subscribe to The Root of All Success and grab Jason’s book at therealjasonduncan.com Jason's Website Link   Jason's Social Media Facebook Instagram Linkedin Youtube Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the best thing you ever did for your business… was sell it?
In this episode of The Root of All Success, Jason Duncan sits down with Mitch McGinley, a business broker and exit advisor specializing in boutique fitness, wellness, and health brands. Mitch shares his journey from flipping boutique hotels and running a community yoga studio to helping over 60 wellness business owners sell and scale with confidence. Now living in Madrid with his family, Mitch reflects on what it takes to exit successfully—profit, systems, and letting go emotionally. Whether you’re thinking of selling your studio or simply want to stop being the center of it, this conversation is packed with clarity, honesty, and practical insights you won’t hear anywhere else. 🔑 Takeaways from this episode: * Why the best businesses sell without the owner at the center * How Mitch and his wife sold their yoga studio for nearly 5x their investment * What most boutique fitness owners get wrong about exits * The real reason emotional attachment kills deals * Why selling to the first interested buyer is usually a mistake * The 3 things buyers look for in a wellness business * Trends in boutique fitness and wellness M&A * Why being authentic and debt-free fuels long-term success 👉 Want to exit without regret?
💡 Subscribe to The Root of All Success and connect with Mitch at boutiquefitnessbroker.com Who is Mitch McGinley? Mitch is a business broker and exit planning advisor specializing in boutique fitness, health and wellness. He originally worked in hotel management, and then with an investor who was flipping boutique hotels in San Diego. Shortly thereafter, he and his wife Karson found the opportunity to buy their favorite community yoga studio. During that time he began working with mindbody as education faculty, teaching at mindbody universities all over the world. After successfully selling his studio in 2019, he was licensed as a business broker and merged all of his worlds to help other business owners in this industry maximize their exit. He has helped facilitate over 60 transactions in the past five years, with over $10M in transacted value in 2024 alone. He is currently living in Madrid with his family, having an incredible experience.  Mitch McGinley’s Website Link: https://boutiquefitnessbroker.com/ Mitch McGinley’s Social Media Link: Instagram: www.instagram.com/@boutiquefitnessbroker Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would you leave a stable job, live in a school bus, and launch a business on your honeymoon? That’s exactly what Phil Risher did. In this in-person episode of The Root of All Success, Jason Duncan sits down with the founder of Phlash Consulting to uncover how he went from paying off $30K in student loans to building a 7-figure marketing agency serving home service businesses—all within a few years. Phil breaks down how solving a single local business’s problem sparked an entire company, the lead management mistakes most owners make, and how systematizing marketing helped multiple clients scale and exit. If you're a service-based founder ready to grow fast (without burning out), this episode is packed with game-changing insights. 🔑 Takeaways from this episode: Why lead management is more important than lead generation How Phil scaled by “firing himself” from every role The Flash Customer Journey Framework: Visibility, Conversion, Retargeting How to set your business up for a high-value acquisition The two biggest marketing mistakes home service businesses make Why most business owners overspend without tracking ROI How he bootstrapped and scaled with no debt or outside funding Why a calm, debt-free life created the foundation for fast growth 👉 Want to grow your business without guesswork? 💡 Subscribe to The Root of All Success and connect with Phil at phlashconsulting.com Who is Phil Risher? Phil Risher is the founder of Phlash Consulting, a digital marketing firm focused on helping home service businesses like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies grow their sales and maintain full schedules. After paying off $30,000 in student loans and saving $60,000 by age 25, Phil transitioned from working at Enterprise Rent-A-Car to entrepreneurship. He used his skills in SEO, email marketing, and social media to help a local duct cleaning company triple its profits, leading to the creation of Phlash Consulting. Today, Phlash Consulting is a seven-figure business that has helped clients scale their revenue by millions and achieve successful exits at 5-10x multiples. Phil’s insights have been featured in Forbes, CNBC, Business Insider, and Yahoo Finance, and he has appeared on industry-leading podcasts like "Jobber’s Masters of Home Services" and "The Green Industry Podcast." His team now serves businesses across North America and Canada, helping them grow through data-driven digital marketing strategies. Phil Risher’s Website Link:  https://phlashconsulting.com/ Phil Risher’s Social Media Link: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@phlashconsulting/videos Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://therealjasonduncan.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices