My $500k Regret
MY $500k REGRET
What do you use as motivation to continue growing your business?
I enjoy what I do every day, and my mindset is that I already get to do what I love—I just want to do more of it. I want to go bigger, 10x what we’re already doing. I want to help and serve more people. I believe we only have one life, and sometimes I think about being 95 years old and asking, "What did I do with my life? Did I use my time well?"
Some people are told to make enough money, retire, and relax, but that doesn’t bring fulfillment. For me, it’s a calling and a purpose to coach and help people realize their potential. That’s my motivation. When your internal drive is stronger than external challenges, you keep going and don’t burn out.
Retirement isn't part of my mindset—I don’t see an endpoint like "make this amount and then I’m done." I’m driven to bring transformation to people’s financial and spiritual futures and to make an impact. Life is short, and my goal is to multiply that impact through others, giving them a vision for the next 60 years of their lives.
Why should business owners invest in themselves to drive growth?
I remember in 2015, I had just started selling and making a bit of extra money. It wasn’t much—around $4,000 to $5,000 a month—but compared to what I was making at the church ($1,500 to $2,000 a month), it felt like winning the lottery. I no longer had to split a burrito or wait for 25-cent wing night at Buffalo Wild Wings.
At that point, I spoke to a mentor, Josh Sharp, and asked for advice on how to grow. He told me, "Everyone I know who went big bet on themselves. You need to decide to bet on yourself. You could put your money in the stock market or real estate, but it's too early for that. Bet on your skill sets, bet on your ability to buy leads and drive more revenue."
That advice stuck with me. When I heard "bet on yourself," I realized everyone is betting on something for the next 10 years. Why not bet on yourself to 10x or 100x your vision and trust that you can make it happen?
Why are the people in your business so important?
In business, it's always about people. The wealth and prosperity of a business come from your people. There's a saying, "People are the promised land," and that’s been true for me. People have been my biggest asset, but they’ve also been my biggest challenge.
You can work with people who seem good or trustworthy, but sometimes things fall apart because you didn’t fully evaluate the situation. You might hire someone, trust them, and later get burned. Are those bad decisions? Not necessarily. When you're younger, you take more risks. As you get older and wiser, you improve your process. You learn to make people earn your trust and their position rather than just giving them the keys.
What metrics should business owners track to ensure leadership alignment?
I like to say we’re in the people business. We're selling happiness and protecting people’s homes. What I track is how many people are aligned with my vision and bought into the leadership track within my company.
I have two offices and two commercial buildings, and I focus on how many leaders I have under my vision and how many leaders they have under theirs. I see my leaders as my chief clients—they’re the people I serve most, spend the most time with, and bring the most value to my company.
The main metric I track is how many leaders are aligned with my vision and values and how many people they have under them doing the same. If I have that in place, my business will continue to grow indefinitely.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
