Travis Makes Money

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/XSt1XdCWoFY Welcome to The Travis Makes Friends Podcast, where we dive into building better relationships and uncovering the truth about human connections. In this episode, we’re joined by Emmy-winning TV producer and podcast host Johnathan Walton, who shares his chilling personal story of being scammed out of nearly $100,000 by a professional con artist. From his hit podcast Queen of the Con to his new book, Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves, Johnathan reveals the tactics con artists use, how to spot them, and why they’re more common than you think—especially in the age of AI. Buckle up for a wild ride as we explore how to protect yourself and your loved ones from these soulless predators. Let’s get started! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Matthew Le Merle — CEO & Co-Founder of Blockchain Coinvestors, global blockchain VC, early investor in 1200+ startups (Coinbase, Kraken, OpenSea), author, and Silicon Valley board veteran. Background & Early Lessons: Matthew began his working life delivering newspapers as a child in rainy London, developing a lasting sense of responsibility and the importance of “seeing things through.” Earned a scholarship to Oxford for his academic and athletic excellence, then completed an MBA at Stanford. Built a career as a global advisor, executive, private equity leader, and later immersed himself in blockchain innovation. Blockchain Thesis: With 30+ years in Silicon Valley, Matthew saw the digital transformation of communication and content, but recognized a “missing link” for moving value securely over the internet. Blockchain/distributed ledger technology solved foundational challenges for digitizing finance — enabling secure, trustless, peer-to-peer transactions globally, overcoming flaws in traditional banking rails. Co-founded Blockchain Coinvestors, which invests via a fund-of-funds model across hundreds of VC funds and directly into more than 1,200 blockchain startups worldwide, spanning over 110 unicorns. Bitcoin’s Future & Role: While he acknowledges that Bitcoin was a catalyst, Le Merle stresses it’s the underlying technology’s impact on payments, finance, and commerce that’s world-changing. Believes Bitcoin (BTC) has enduring value as a store of value and “sovereign alternative” for people in unstable economies — sees it as “inevitable” that native digital finance will continue to grow globally. However, he notes BTC’s long-term future depends on further technical evolution to enable faster, lower-cost, mass payments — real innovation will be when it is also digital money at global scale, not just a store of value. AI and the Arms Race: Sees both risk and opportunity in the intersection of blockchain, AI, and quantum computing: as threats emerge (e.g., AI-powered codebreaking), blockchain protocols must evolve, and the most secure blockchains—especially Bitcoin—will continue to improve. AI/quantum also unlocks new use cases (micro-payments, automated value flows) that legacy finance simply cannot address, making blockchain infrastructure and security ever more valuable. Venture Landscape & Defensibility: Le Merle’s strategy: back the best VC fund managers, who in turn back top founders at the earliest stages, spreading risk and betting on the mavericks who build breakthrough companies. Warns that in AI (and other tech cycles), even groundbreaking startups can be displaced instantly by a new feature from a giant (e.g., OpenAI, Apple), so founders should build beyond “just a feature”—focus on defensible, deeply integrated solutions. Big Picture & What’s Next: Digital assets, payments, and financial systems will become natively digital—blockchain is still in “early innings.” The best investment opportunities are at the convergence of Web3 and new agent/AI toolkits. Massive tech incumbents (Apple, Google, Microsoft) will keep acquiring—so both quick exits and rare breakout “escape velocity” stories are possible for top startups. 🚀 Travis Makes Money is brought to you by High Level — the all-in-one sales & marketing platform for modern agencies and entrepreneurs.🎁 Get your extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lulu Ge, the Founder & CEO of Elix Healing, champions women's hormone health through a blend of Traditional Chinese Medicine and clinical research. She recounts her early entrepreneurial spirit, selling Snickers bars door-to-door, before climbing the corporate ladder only to face burnout from traditional healthcare. Inspired by her family's roots in TCM, she launched a digital wellness platform to address root causes of menstrual health issues. The conversation emphasizes holistic healing, gratitude, and the connection between physical health and financial success.

Guests: Rob & Melissa Stephenson — Founders of Flea Market Flipper, full-time eBay resellers and educators Getting Started in Flipping: Rob began flipping nearly 30 years ago, inspired by his parents selling yard sale finds in the newspaper classifieds—long before eBay existed. Melissa joined the business 17 years ago after marrying Rob, initially unsure but quickly realizing the side hustle’s earning potential as Rob “always found a way to pay for everything.” What began as a part-time venture became their full-time business in 2016, jumping from ~$42,000/year (part-time) to $133,000 in their first year full-time. Making the Leap to Full-Time: A turning point came when a change in Rob’s day job benefits forced them to decide whether to search for another job or go “all in” on flipping. Committed to scaling, they switched from low-value, high-volume items to a high-profit, low-volume model—focusing on big-ticket items with $1,000–$2,000 profit per sale. How They Source and Sell: They look for high-retail-value used goods—commercial appliances, gym equipment, cooktops, and other hard-to-find, high-end items—that are undervalued in local markets but sell quickly on eBay to a national/global audience. Classic finds include a $5,000 parking lot security tower bought at auction and flipped for $25,000, and a $500 bus wash resold for $14,500. They source from Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, local auctions, garage sales, and thrift stores, then leverage eBay (global reach) for sales. Education & Flea Market Flipper: In 2015, Rob & Melissa launched their blog and eventually the Flipper University course to teach others their system. Their community has grown to over 1,500 students; many members have built part-time or even full-time incomes through flipping. Top Advice for Beginners: Start by flipping unused items around your house to get a feel for platforms and shipping without any risk. Build 50+ positive feedbacks on eBay with smaller items before jumping into high-ticket sales. The “secret weapon”: Learn to fix/repair items with YouTube or local help—often a simple repair makes an item much more valuable. “The money is made in the buy”—always look for great deals, not just selling skills. Industry & Business Model Insights: COVID and Gary Vee’s embrace of flipping brought a surge in public interest, but the space is much more competitive and “noisier” now. Rob & Melissa focus on high-touch, high-value flipping to keep their business defensible against both AI/digital disruption and cheaper/lower-value competitors. Flipping teaches valuable life skills: negotiation, logistics, shipping, sales, research, and business management. Connect with Rob & Melissa: https://fleamarketflipper.com/ 🚀 This episode is brought to you by High Level — the all-in-one sales & marketing platform for agencies and entrepreneurs.🎁 Get your extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Scott Leese — Fractional CRO, 12 unicorns, 13 exits, six-time sales leader, five-time founder, three-time author, major LinkedIn community builder, newsletter publisher, and creator of multiple businesses. Early Days & First Hustles Grew up in a non-entrepreneurial household; sold baseball cards as a kid, had entrepreneurial “side hustles” in college. Spent much of his 20s battling and recovering from a life-threatening illness. Four years hospitalized, nine surgeries, struggled with painkiller addiction, read hundreds of books — which planted the seeds for future business curiosity. How He Got Into Sales & Startups First tech sales job at 27, encouraged by a friend who noticed Scott’s resilience, competitiveness, and leadership. Sales led to VP/CRO roles at high-growth startups, where Scott built and scaled revenue teams, eventually leading to multiple exits and unicorn valuations. Lessons on Sales as a Career Sales is a pure meritocracy: “If you produce, you get paid. If you don’t, you’re cut — just like athletics.” Outproducing others shouldn’t just lead to the same pay — sales rewards top performers more than most fields. Why Just Being a High-Paid Employee Isn’t Enough Even top execs at successful startups rarely see transformational wealth (example: after a $500M+ exit, the founder gets $20M+, a C-suite leader gets $500K). True wealth comes from moving from “employed” to “owner” — writing books, building communities, conferences, consulting, investing in real estate, launching multiple income streams. The Coming Disruption & Opportunity from AI The rise of AI means most entry-level sales/tech/white-collar jobs will disappear or change radically. The era of corporate security is ending; individuals must think entrepreneurially, diversify income, own their brand, and quickly adapt. Future sales: Only high-level, complex, relationship-driven roles will survive; all “boiler room”/transactional sales will be automated or handled by agents. As commerce increasingly digitizes, the most acute personal/professional needs will be (1) “inner work” (purpose, mental/spiritual health) and (2) experiences/community. Optimism & The New Wave Exponential growth in personalized medicine & health/longevity businesses (AI-powered diagnostics, genetic-driven treatment, biohacking). Massive new opportunities for anything that promotes genuine human connection or personal growth (retreats, mastermind events, experiential learning, spiritual/purpose-driven work). In an automated world, experiences and community will be more valuable (and defensible) than ever. Scott’s Personal Projects & Where to Connect https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level — the all-in-one sales & marketing platform built for agencies, by agencies.🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Dr. Jeff Gross — Board-certified neurological surgeon, biochemist, biohacker, founder of Celebrate Regenerative Medicine, and longevity/biohacking consultant based in Las Vegas & Southern California. Medical & Health Longevity Background: Dr. Gross trained at UC Berkeley (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology), George Washington University School of Medicine, UC Irvine (Neurosurgery), and UNM (Spinal Biomechanics). He has decades of frontline experience in spine surgery, sports injuries, regenerative medicine, and now consults on biohacking and longevity. Biohacking & Longevity: Biohacking is essentially circles back to ancient wellness wisdom (eat well, sleep, exercise)—but enhanced by modern science (measuring phytonutrients, leveraging tech like red light, hyperbaric therapy, protein timing, etc). Emphasizes that “prevention” is still the number one defense against the four top causes of death in Western countries; early proactive screening and lifestyle habits remain critical. There is increasing crossover between “traditional medicine” and “naturopathic”/“functional” approaches—Dr. Gross sees this convergence as positive and overdue, but notes resistance still exists in mainstream medicine. Emerging Business Opportunities in the Wellness Space: IV centers, cryotherapy, and retail biohacking clinics (hyperbaric O2, red light therapy, peptides, weight loss clinics, etc.) are booming, especially in health-conscious cities. Low-barrier options: health coaching, nutrition consulting, affiliate/online influencer businesses—Dr. Gross notes people he knows personally earning seven figures as wellness affiliates. Innovations: Short-form EMS (electro-muscular stimulation) workouts, “blood flow restriction” exercise systems, and more. Cancer screening clinics: Now possible with advanced genomics and blood-testing—these are in demand but not widely available through traditional doctors/insurance, opening more avenues for direct-to-consumer providers. Supplementation & Biohacking Basics: “Non-negotiables” for almost everyone: Vitamin D3 (& often K2): Most people are deficient; optimal blood levels promote longevity, reduce inflammation, and lower all-cause mortality. Magnesium: Especially at night for recovery and cellular repair. Creatine: Improves muscle mass, heart health, and brain health; well correlated with longevity. Probiotics: Modern lifestyles make gut health challenging—good probiotic support is important. Nicotine: Can be a cognitive enhancer in low doses and proper delivery (gum/patch, NOT smoking)—but is highly addictive. Other Business/Money Ideas: Successful affiliate and influencer businesses for those passionate about health and wellness. Emphasizes supplement sales (with high trust and real value), personalized coaching, and education are evergreen opportunities. Industry Critique: Criticizes health insurance as a “legal mafia,” noting it often adds cost and hassle while limiting real preventive care. Encourages listeners to be their “own best advocate” for health—don’t rely only on five-minute mainstream doctor visits. Connect with Dr. Jeff Gross: https://recellebrate.com/ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is brought to you by High Level — the all-in-one sales & marketing platform for agencies, by agencies.🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld – the only person to serve as CEO of two Fortune 500 companies on different continents (Alcoa in the US, Siemens in Germany), global advisor, founder of K2 Elevation, angel investor, and author of Leading to Thrive. First Dollars & Early Hustle: At 12, worked illegally at a supermarket in Germany, later launched a Santa Claus business delivering gifts (and family messages!) on Christmas Eve. Early work taught the value of money, the realities of management at all levels, and why people must create and be paid for value. Mindset Developed by Adversity: Father died at age 10, grew up with a strong sense of self-reliance and urgency to earn. Immigrant family background; learned that “money is freedom” and that every dollar earned created options. Time spent with East German relatives instilled the lesson that money only matters if it can actually buy value. Spiritual & Emotional Energy: Foundation in faith (Protestant roots) was a crucial “anchor” through hard times and later in life. Dr. Kleinfeld’s new book, Leading to Thrive, stresses the four types of energy: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Advocates for not shying away from love, gratitude, and faith even in the corporate world—even if those topics are often taboo at the boardroom level. Career Guidance & Advancement: Career wasn’t about status, but about maximizing freedom and value creation. The path to more money: “Money comes in exchange for creating value—become indispensable and you’ll gain negotiating power.” Focus less on salary and more on skill acquisition; become a self-starter and continually improve. Key mantra: “Love it, change it, or leave it.” Life is too short to waste in situations without progress or fulfillment. Overcoming Fear and Stagnation: Don’t let fear (False Expectations Appearing Real) keep you “stuck”—analyze the true risks, and realize that most bad outcomes never materialize. Lessons from high performers: It’s about energy management (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual), not mere time management. Embrace continuous experimentation and agile adjustments—failure is just feedback and learning (Edison paradigm: every failed attempt is progress). Legacy and Regret: Biggest regrets from those at the end of life: not being truer to themselves and not choosing happiness sooner. See happiness as a daily, conscious choice, not something to seek only at the end. Dr. Kleinfeld’s Actionable Advice: Focus on increasing your value to others—money follows value. Regularly reassess: “Love it, change it, or leave it.” Invest in managing your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy. Don’t let fear dictate your story—break it down and act despite uncertainty. Read and learn from others (“Books condense a lifetime into a few hours—take the shortcut!”). Connect with Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld: https://www.leading-to-thrive.com/ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level — the all-in-one sales & marketing platform built for agencies, by an agency.🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you ready to take control of your health and uncover the truth about what’s holding you back? In this powerful episode of the Travis Makes Friends podcast, host Travis Chappell sits down with health and science journalist Max Lugavere, New York Times bestselling author of Genius Foods, Genius Life, and Genius Kitchen. Together, they dive deep into the four major killers threatening your future—heart disease, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and cancer—and reveal practical, science-backed strategies to prevent them. From debunking nutrition myths to exposing fraudulent research, Max shares eye-opening insights on brain health, insulin sensitivity, and the real impact of diet on your longevity. Plus, learn why creatine might be the game-changer you’ve overlooked and how to cut through the noise of diet culture. Don’t miss this life-changing conversation—hit play now and start majoring in the majors for a healthier, stronger you! Full episode: https://youtu.be/lfpe01LDqAo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Stefanou – First-generation Greek-American, Forbes “Best in State” Next Gen Wealth Advisor (2023, 2024), author of Two Comma Wealth, and founder of the financial planning firm Two Comma Wealth. Early Hustle: Grew up working flea markets, managing a coffee stand by 14, learning firsthand about hard work and margins (selling hundreds of cups from a single bulk bag of beans). Family stress on work ethic over formal education (first in his family to finish high school/college). Mindset & Upbringing: Dad: 4th grade education, Greek immigrant roots, championed U.S. for its opportunity. Education wasn’t pressured but encouraged as a path out of manual labor — “you can make a lot more money owning the business than swinging the hammer.” Professional Beginnings: Started at CVS (Florida): progressed from cashier to store management, realized the corporate grind wasn’t for him. Discovered financial advising, took the risk, and built a book of clients from scratch despite early financial hardship. Career in Financial Planning: Earned numerous certifications (to build trust while young). Stresses need for lifelong learning and combining IQ and EQ for real success with clients. About Two Comma Wealth (the book): Written for both consumers and industry peers. Focuses on actionable strategies for surpassing $1M net worth, but especially on what changes after you cross that threshold: Complexity, emotional swings with market volatility, nuances around distributions, withdrawal rates, taxes, and estate planning. Challenges of first-generation wealth (scarcity mindset, fear of spending, finding balance between living now and preserving legacy). Aims to demystify wealth management for “everyday millionaires.” Certified Financial Planner Career Path: Entry routes: Broker/dealer, fee-only/RIAs, or hybrid. Education/licensing: Can get entry-level securities licenses in months; advanced credentials (CFP, CFA) take years but build a valuable career “moat.” Highly front-loaded: Most start with low/no pay, lots of cold prospecting, high attrition/turnover. Significant success and six/seven figures possible for those that break through. Modern firms now offer more support, salary, and training versus the old eat-what-you-kill model. The Power of Having a Moat: High difficulty of becoming a trusted CFP means fewer competitors once you succeed, and deeper, more meaningful client relationships. Final Takeaways: CFPs and financial planners can have massive, positive multigenerational impact—if they combine technical skill with empathy and true service. The field is very challenging at first but extremely rewarding. Barriers to entry and trust are a signal that the opportunity is real. Connect with George Stefanou: Book: Two Comma Wealth Contact: Find George on all major social media or email directly (contact in show notes) 🚀 Travis Makes Money is brought to you by High Level — the all-in-one sales & marketing platform built for agencies, by an agency.🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trent Lee — #1 ranked business broker in the U.S. seven years in a row, with 600+ closed sales totaling over $200M in deals and more than $15M in personal commission. Early hustle: Painted address numbers on neighborhood curbs and mowed lawns — learned value creation early. Current role: Licensed business broker & appraiser. Specializes in small to mid-sized businesses, valuations, and finding qualified buyers through cash, SBA loans, or seller financing. How he got here: Inspired watching his father sell his 700-employee company (private equity deal). Learned firsthand how CPAs, attorneys, and buyers operate in M&A. Started and sold businesses (financing consulting & medical alert response center). Frustrated with brokers he worked with → became one himself. How to become a business broker: Licensing depends on the state (some require real estate + broker permit, others none). Associations like IBBA help standardize training/education. Strong background in accounting, contracts, negotiations, and marketing is essential. Challenge: takes 12+ months before first commissions hit; most fail because they run out of money before their first big close. Earnings potential: Smaller deals: 8–15% commission. Larger/private equity deals: lower %. First year = expect $0 while building pipeline. Year 2+, even a few deals ($500K–$2M businesses) → six figures+. Industry is older (often second careers), but huge opportunity for those who survive the ramp-up. Why brokerage over ownership? Trent opts not to buy businesses himself. Brokerage gives income without employees, leases, or headaches. He’s built wealth through business sales commissions, investing proceeds into 24 fully paid rental properties. Why so few business brokers? Most owners don’t even know brokers exist (unlike real estate). Lack of awareness & high skill bar keeps supply small — which means big opportunity for specialists. For Buyers: Buying an existing business = easier path to cash flow than startups. Zero-money-down deals are rare clickbait; you’ll usually need ~10% down. Can come from: personal cash/savings, self-directed retirement accounts, equity partner, or combination of buyer + seller financing. Buying with 0% down = 100% leverage → dangerous if market fluctuates. Better: leverage smartly so downturns = inconvenient, not devastating. Brokerage is a lucrative but long game; plan financially for the first year with no income. For buyers, don’t chase unicorn “zero down” structures — get creative but realistic with 10% in. Buying an existing cash-flowing business is almost always better than starting from scratch. Email: trent@fcbblv.com  🚀 This podcast is powered by High Level — the all-in-one sales & marketing platform for entrepreneurs and agencies.🎁 Grab a free 30-day trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices