Travis Makes Money

PGA Tour veteran Jay Delsing is a nationally syndicated host of Golf with Jay Delsing, a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, and author of You Wouldn’t Believe Me If I Told You: An Unforgettable Memoir of Golf, Grit, and a Blue-Collar Kid on the PGA Tour. From a modest, sports-obsessed upbringing in St. Louis to earning his PGA Tour card and building a hospitality business around pro-ams, Jay brings rare behind-the-scenes stories and practical wisdom on relationships, mindset, and money.​ On this episode we talk about: How a blue-collar kid from St. Louis earned a scholarship to UCLA and eventually a PGA Tour card Why caddying as a teenager became Jay’s masterclass in soft skills, networking, and dealing with high achievers Wild stories from the course with Sean Connery, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus How Jay turned pro-am rounds into a multi-decade hospitality and entertainment business using simple follow-up tactics The mindset, gratitude practices, and “soft skills” he believes will separate winners in the next generation of business Top 3 Takeaways Deep competence in anything (golf, guitar, business, whatever) combined with soft skills and respect will open doors you can’t predict. Small, “old school” touches like handwritten notes, genuine gratitude, and being great at the bottom rung of the ladder still massively differentiate you. You get more of whatever you focus on—shifting from excuses and victimhood to ownership and opportunity is a non‑negotiable money and life skill. Notable Quotes “You get what you think the most about.” “Write handwritten notes to people. Nobody does that now—and that’s exactly why it works.” “You don’t have to be good at golf, just don’t be an ass. People do business with people they enjoy being around.” Connect with Jay Delsing: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-delsing-83142914​ Twitter/X: https://x.com/JayDelsing​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaydelsinggolf​ Other: https://jaydelsinggolf.com​ ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Producer Eric joins Travis for a door-to-door sales deep dive, pulling from years of real-world canvassing experience in security, solar, and church outreach. From getting chased by dogs and dealing with “ostrich” homeowners to dissecting viral sales clips, this episode turns war stories into a practical masterclass on how to sell at the door without being sleazy or burning out.​ On this episode we talk about: Why door-to-door is still one of the fastest skill-building & income-boosting paths for young hustlers The fine line between having fun at the doors and sabotaging your own pitch Why “I know you hate door-to-door guys” is a terrible opener—and what to say instead How to reframe objections (“That’s exactly why I’m here…”) and handle competitors without trash-talking them Ethics and strategy around “No Soliciting” signs, and how being older, a parent, and a homeowner changes the way you see canvassing Why pest control can be a sleeper-hit business model with strong recurring revenue and scalable door-to-door teams​ Top 3 Takeaways Never lead with shame or apology at the door; if you act like you’re a nuisance, the prospect will believe you and treat you that way. Reframe objections as openings: “That’s exactly why I’m here” keeps the conversation going and gives you time to build trust instead of slamming the door on yourself. Long term, the real money in door-to-door is often in owning the recurring-revenue business (like pest control) and building commission-only sales teams to feed it.​ Notable Quotes “Half your job as a door-to-door guy is just to get them to talk to you longer so you have time to earn trust.” “When you start telling people you’re annoying them, you eventually believe it—and you start selling like it.” “There are unlimited doors; you don’t need to win the ones that literally put a sign up saying they don’t want you there.”​ ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Imburg is the founder and CEO of Elfster, the world’s most widely used Secret Santa and gift exchange platform, now serving over 40 million users globally. He bootstrapped the company from a side project in his basement into a profitable, affiliate-driven e‑commerce engine—without taking a dollar of venture capital or angel money. On this episode we talk about: How Peter went from paper routes and grocery bagging to tech consulting and then founding Elfster. The origin story of Elfster and how a frustrating family Secret Santa experience sparked a global platform. Bootstrapping for years without outside funding, including early experiments with sponsorships and brand campaigns. The pivotal shift from seasonal ad deals to an affiliate/e‑commerce model that finally aligned user growth with revenue. What Elfster looks like today: tens of millions of users, hundreds of millions in gross merchandise volume, and a lean global team. Top 3 Takeaways You don’t need VC money to build something big; you do need a real problem, relentless iteration, and patience through years of “keeping the lights on.” Business models matter as much as product—Elfster didn’t really turn the corner until it aligned its product with an evergreen revenue engine (affiliate commerce) instead of one‑off ad experiments. Long-term success often comes from saying yes to “small” opportunities (like a late‑season campaign) and then spotting the bigger strategic insight hidden inside them. Notable Quotes “There’s got to be somebody doing this online…I looked all around, there’s nothing.” “For years we were getting enough money to keep the lights on, but user growth didn’t translate into revenue growth.” “Once we made the shift, as we grew users, our revenue grew too—that was the pivotal moment.” Connect with Elfster: Website: elfster.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric react to a series of viral skits that poke fun at B2B sales reps, door-to-door bros, and MLM stereotypes—and use them to break down what actually makes for good, ethical selling. The conversation hits on empathy, objection handling, long-term thinking, and why trying to “pound” customers for one big commission check is a terrible strategy if you want a real career in sales. On this episode we talk about: Viral comedy skits about B2B sales, breakups with sales bros, and door-to-door stereotypes—and why they’re so accurate. Why great salespeople are genuinely empathetic, listen deeply, and try to understand prospects instead of waiting to talk. How phrases like “totally understand” and “so what I’m hearing is…” can be powerful when they’re rooted in real curiosity, not manipulation. The difference between transactional, burn-and-churn sales (pest control, alarms, etc.) and relational, long-cycle sales where reputation matters. Why treating people well, solving real problems, and playing the long game leads to referrals, repeat business, and an actual book of business. Top 3 Takeaways The best salespeople don’t see selling as “winning” against a customer; they aim for a genuine win–win where the client’s problem is solved and the rep is fairly paid. Simple frameworks like “feel–felt–found,” restating what you’re hearing, and handling objections are ethical and effective when you truly believe in your product and its fit. Burning customers for a slightly bigger commission check destroys long-term opportunity; taking care of people builds referrals, repeat deals, and an actual business instead of just a job. Notable Quotes "Your job as a salesperson is to remove all obstacles to the person making a decision that’s going to help them." "If only you win in the deal, that’s a problem—either your product sucks or you’re actually in a pyramid scheme." "Most salespeople just want to get through the pitch; they forget there’s an actual person on the other side of the call." ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Giancola is the creator of MasterMoney.co and host of The Personal Finance Podcast, a top personal finance show doing over 400,000 downloads every month. He started with no money, no investing knowledge, and the same fears around asking for a raise most people have, and now teaches millions how to build real, lasting wealth through simple systems, smart debt strategies, and increasing income.​ On this episode we talk about: How Andrew went from $30,000-a-year financial analyst to business owner, real estate investor, and top personal finance podcaster.​ Why most people dramatically overcomplicate money—and how automating your finances can free up your time and mental energy.​ The “1–3–6 Method” for building your emergency fund and getting out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.​ Why paying off high-interest credit card debt is a “pants-on-fire” emergency and how credit card APR really works against you.​ The fastest paths to increasing your income: raising your W‑2 salary, smart side hustles, and stacking high-value skills.​ Top 3 Takeaways Build a rock-solid foundation with Andrew’s 1–3–6 Method: save one month of expenses, pay off high-interest debt (6%+), then grow to three and finally six months of essential expenses before going aggressive on investing.​ High-interest credit card debt is compound interest working against you; if you’re carrying balances at 20–30% APR, paying them off should be your top financial priority.​ Long-term wealth is built in “the gap” between your income and expenses—so you must both manage money well and actively increase earnings through negotiating raises, job-hopping strategically, certifications, and scalable side hustles.​ Notable Quotes "Credit card debt is compound interest basically working against you."​ "Once you have your foundation in place, the biggest catalyst for most people is increasing their income."​ "Everything out there is an opportunity—you just have to be able to see it and then take advantage of it."​ Connect with Andrew Giancola: Website: MasterMoney.co​ ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.​ 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.​ 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis teams up with his producer Eric to react to a wild news story about two Dairy Queen franchise owners in Long Island who got hit with a $6 million lawsuit over a technical payroll violation. Using their situation as a springboard, Travis unpacks the often invisible risks of small business ownership, the realities of razor-thin margins, and why the legal and regulatory environment can feel stacked against entrepreneurs. On this episode we talk about: The Dairy Queen “DQ sisters” case—how paying employees every two weeks instead of weekly triggered a multi‑million‑dollar lawsuit under an old New York pay‑frequency law. Why lawyers, not workers or owners, often walk away with the biggest payday from these kinds of class actions. The myth that small business and franchise owners are “rolling in cash” versus the reality of 12–16% profit margins and massive fixed costs. How minimum wage pressures, government regulations, permits, and franchise fees compound the financial strain on brick‑and‑mortar businesses. Why demanding higher pay without building new skills can backfire as automation and robotics become more attractive than hiring entry‑level labor. Top 3 Takeaways Small business owners—especially franchise operators—often operate on thin margins and can be wiped out by unexpected legal or regulatory hits, even when they’re acting in good faith. Many “worker protection” lawsuits end up benefiting attorneys far more than employees, while leaving owners financially devastated and sometimes out of business. The most reliable way to increase your income is not to rely on lawsuits or mandated wage hikes, but to build valuable skills, increase your earning power, and keep extra cash reserves for the inevitable surprises of business and life. Notable Quotes "People think business owners are taking their workers to the cleaners, but a lot of them are barely keeping the lights on." "You might feel like you’re suing ‘McDonald’s,’ but in reality you’re wrecking the local franchisee who leveraged their house to open that one store." "We need a skill‑building mindset, not a ‘demand more money for the same work’ mindset, or we’ll just price ourselves right into being replaced by robots." ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired Navy Senior Chief Travis Winfield is a bestselling author and the CEO of Military Operated Real Estate (MORE), the first national real estate brand built specifically for service members and veterans. He went from growing up with almost nothing to building a powerhouse six‑agent team that has closed over 700 homes and more than $350 million in sales, and his mission now is to fix the financial literacy crisis holding military families back from real wealth. On this episode we talk about: How Travis went from bad credit, 25% car loans, and debt to building a multi‑million‑dollar real estate business. Why so many service members leave the military in a worse financial position than when they joined. The blended retirement system, why it’s dangerous without financial literacy, and what it means for younger service members. How military families can use benefits like the VA loan, GI Bill, and state education programs to build long‑term wealth instead of selling key assets. How MORE and programs like SkillBridge and GI Bill on‑the‑job training help veterans transition into real estate with a real runway instead of starting from zero. Top 3 Takeaways You do not need to start wealthy to build wealth; understanding budgeting, debt payoff, and compound interest is enough to change your financial trajectory. Military benefits like the VA home loan, education benefits, and the new blended retirement plan can be powerful wealth tools—but only if service members actually know they exist and how to use them. Real estate remains one of the strongest paths to long‑term wealth for veterans, especially when combined with VA loan strategies, house hacking, and guided transition programs into the industry. Notable Quotes "Everybody thinks you need to have wealth to build wealth—but you can come from nothing and still build a multi‑million‑dollar business." "Congress basically banked on the lack of financial literacy with the blended retirement; if you don’t understand it, you’ll choose spending today over security tomorrow." "Every service member deserves to own a piece of the land they defend—hard stop." Connect with Travis Winfield: Website & book: traviswinfield.com Military Operated Real Estate: militaryoperatedrealestate.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Austin Armstrong is a 20+ year social media marketing veteran who started on MySpace at 14 and has since built a successful agency and AI-powered software company, Syllaby. He’s also the author of Virality, a book distilling two decades of wins, losses, and experiments into a practical playbook for turning attention into income.​ On this episode we talk about: How Austin stumbled into social media marketing as a teenager on MySpace and turned it into real income.​ Why mentorship, agency life, and eventually software shaped how he thinks about content and business.​ The volume vs. quality debate and how to systematically “test” content topics, formats, and platforms.​ How to use AI to speed up ideation, scripting, and production without creating generic “AI slop.”​ Why entrepreneurs should treat content as a growth channel for their business, not their entire business.​ Top 3 Takeaways Consistent volume matters, but it must be paired with strategic testing—categories, formats, and topics—so you can double down on what actually performs instead of blindly posting.​ AI should be used to buy back time (ideation, drafting, B‑roll, scheduling), not to fully replace your voice or expertise with regurgitated content that audiences and platforms are starting to reject.​ The real money is made when you connect content to a clear backend offer, system, or product—views are leverage, but they only pay if they point to a business.​ Notable Quotes "You’re not going to science the hell out of this—the only way to keep getting hits is to increase volume, maintain quality, and keep publishing."​ "There are seasons of growth and seasons of learning; when what used to work stops working, it’s time to experiment, not quit."​ "AI shouldn’t be an excuse to ship more garbage—it should make you more productive at the parts of the process you already understand."​ Connect with Austin Armstrong: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialtypro Purchase a copy of his book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSTK8QNB ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric react to a call from The Ramsey Show with George Kamel and John Delony, where a 26-year-old caller wrestles with whether to wipe out his $20,000 savings to pay off credit card and truck debt. Using that scenario as a springboard, they dig into the psychology of safety, why cash in the bank feels like a “warm blanket,” and how to make smarter decisions about debt payoff and emergencies—without accidentally rebuilding high-interest debt later. The conversation eventually veers into gambling, new casino tech, and the dangerous allure of hooking your bank account up to slot machines and even Uno tables. On this episode we talk about: Why a $1,000 emergency fund often isn’t enough in real life, even if it sounds good on paper The tradeoff between aggressively attacking debt versus keeping meaningful cash reserves for job loss or life emergencies How gambling debt, sports betting, and new “bank-connected” casino tech can quietly wreck your finances Why having cash while still in debt can be a psychological trap—and why zero cash can be just as dangerous Creative ways to pay down car loans faster (without draining your savings) like extra jobs, lump-sum payments, and clear payoff rules Top 3 Takeaways Credit card debt should go first: if you have the cash to kill high-interest consumer debt—especially from gambling—do it quickly before it snowballs. Staying liquid matters: draining a $20,000 cushion down to $1,000 just to slightly lower a truck balance can backfire if you lose your job or get hit with real emergencies. Systems beat vibes: set clear rules (e.g., “everything above X in savings goes to the loan each quarter”) so you can both protect your downside and make real progress on debt. Notable Quotes "If you have credit card debt that lasts beyond a 30-day cycle, you’re using it wrong." "When you see cash in your account, you think it’s yours—but if you’re in debt, by definition, it’s not; it belongs to your creditors." "Please don’t hook your debit card or bank account up to a slot machine—that’s how you go from ‘just having fun’ to ‘I’m not going home tonight.’" ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis and his producer Eric riff on the wild success of Jesse Cole and the Savannah Bananas, a baseball franchise that exploded by obsessing over fan experience instead of traditional revenue models. Using Jesse’s journey from near-bankruptcy to selling out NFL stadiums, they unpack how “fans first” thinking can transform any business, not just sports. On this episode we talk about: Why Jesse Cole eliminated every ad in the stadium and built a business that doesn’t rely on sponsorships How the Savannah Bananas turned low-level summer league baseball into a sellout national phenomenon The power (and risk) of saying no to traditional TV money and insisting on non‑exclusive broadcast deals Why most owners cling to short‑term cash (fees, sponsors, overpriced concessions) instead of long‑term fan loyalty How to apply “fans first” thinking in your own business by overdelivering value and playing a longer game Top 3 Takeaways When you truly put fans first—removing junk fees, overdelivering on experience, and making the product genuinely fun—you create word-of-mouth growth that no ad budget can buy. Long-term vision requires rejecting easy, short-term money; saying no to ads, exclusive rights, or bad-fit sponsorships can unlock far bigger upside later. Disruptors often look “insane” at first, but building for the next 10–20 years instead of the next 10–20 months is how you end up owning the category. Notable Quotes "Nobody walks into a ballpark saying, ‘I can’t wait to see what billboards they have in the outfield.’" "Most people would rather keep the sponsors and the processing fees than mortgage their house to build the experience they actually believe in." "If you massively overdeliver for the people already willing to part with their hard-earned dollars, it’s going to end up going pretty well for you." ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices