Million Dollar Relationships

Have you ever been introduced to a person that completely changed the course of your business or your life… so much so, that much of what you have today wouldn't be possible, if not for this person? Each week on The Million Dollar Relationships Podcast, your host Kevin Thompson interviews successful entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs as they share their personal stories and experience around this very question. Your invitation is to have a seat at the head of the table as they honor and introduce you to the most valuable people in their lives and remind us that relationship capital is the most valuable asset we possess. Each week you'll be inspired and motivated to intentionally create more meaningful, rewarding and profitable relationships in your life so that together we can make a far bigger impact in this world.

Million Dollar Relationships is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 424 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Million Dollar Relationships, a business show with 424 episodes published.

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  Episode #424

  Rooms I Had No Business Being In with Ethan Giffin

  Sep 29, 202634 min

  What if the people who change your life are the ones who put you somewhere you have not earned yet? In this episode, Ethan Giffin, founder and CEO of the B2B eCommerce Agency, shares how losing every penny on a failed nightclub in his early twenties led to a chance encounter at a bar that relocated him, employed him, and changed his career trajectory entirely. Ethan now helps mid-market manufacturers and distributors build private buyer portals and open digital revenue channels that did not exist before. This conversation covers why customers quietly quit rather than slam the door, why he reports back to everyone who gives him advice, and what happened when he realized he had let himself get stuck. [00:05:54] What He Does and Who He Serves Founder and CEO of the B2B eCommerce Agency Helps manufacturers and distributors build private buyer portals Clients arrive either not knowing where to start or frustrated their portal underperforms Moves organizations off spreadsheets, Post-it notes, phone calls, and text message orders [00:08:01] You Cannot Be Amazon, But You Must Think Like Them Amazon has more innovation in an hour than a $100 million manufacturer may have in a decade The average 23-year-old graduate was five years old when the iPhone launched Soon that person becomes the director of purchasing Roughly 80% of B2B buyers want a direct-to-consumer style buying experience [00:09:30] What Inspires Him Started as a DJ in the 80s and 90s and learned desktop publishing to make flyers That led to building websites and eventually falling in love with ecommerce Loved being able to buy a penny ad, drive the click, and watch the transaction fire The mix of technology, psychology, and direct response is what hooked him [00:10:27] The Pivot into Manufacturing Existing direct-to-consumer clients kept asking for wholesale ordering systems Those projects blend CRM, technology, psychology, and sales The agency was already well set up to deliver them Pivoted significantly into that focus over the last 18 months [00:11:29] The Backstory His father brought home an Apple computer when he was in fourth or fifth grade Fell in love with computers, graphic design, and marketing An uncle in the Sears executive training program flew around the country in suits Ran yard sales for his grandmother and learned to negotiate over 25 cent items [00:13:30] Client Impact: Opening a Revenue Channel That Did Not Exist Pushes organizations to run 10 to 15% of top line revenue through the digital channel A call center order can cost $50 to $70 once every manual touch is counted An ecommerce order might cost around five dollars Some clients hit five or six million dollars in orders very quickly [00:15:00] Why Activation Matters More Than Building Has heard horror stories of million dollar builds that sold only $150,000 to $200,000 Pilots the system with a small set of customers first Then activates the entire customer base to place first orders The target is 10% of revenue flowing through within 18 months of launch [00:15:53] Quiet Quitting by Customers Longtime clients rarely slam the door; they drift Friction builds slowly until buying elsewhere becomes easier Ethan has watched it happen inside his own business with vendors Buyers now expect transparency on stock, warehouse location, and shipping [00:17:02] The Five Cent Bag Story A Baltimore grocery store carries the specific pepperoni he wants for homemade pizza Their self-checkout cannot process the five cent bag surcharge without staff intervention An employee has to scan a card and unlock a cabinet just to hand over a bag A joyful purchase became something he now dreads [00:20:08] The Relationship That Changed Everything: Neil Grew up in a small town about 70 miles outside Baltimore Opened a nightclub in his early twenties, lost every penny when it closed Ran into an old friend at a bar the night before Thanksgiving Neil got him hired, moved him to Baltimore, and put him up in corporate apartments [00:21:17] Ron Germack and the Rooms He Should Not Have Been In Ron was Neil's boss and a VP at Aerotek, a multibillion dollar company He was the fifth employee hired there many years earlier Took Ethan on trips during the early internet heyday Brought him into conversations at 24 and 25 that he had no business being in [00:22:28] Why He Always Reports Back He is not needy when he asks for someone's time He wants a sounding board and an answer to what he might be missing He always circles back to tell them how the advice played out People appreciate knowing the impact their time actually had [00:23:00] Gary Salzman and the First $100 Steak Dinner Met Gary at a random DJ convention as a young man Gary was one of the top agents in music production and DJing at the time He invited Ethan into a cab to keep the conversation going That led to a steak dinner and a room he never expected to be in [00:25:16] Client Impact: The Hard Conversation Recently met an entrepreneur stuck for three or four years Told him directly he did not have a viable business as it stood Either move it forward or move on to something else Gave him specific gaps to fix and a book to read before coming back [00:26:23] Admitting He Got Stuck Transitioning from an in-person office to fully remote left him isolated post-COVID He stopped talking to people and meeting people Joined Entrepreneurs' Organization about 18 months ago Realized he had let himself get stuck in a room [00:27:20] Traveling for the Company Versus Traveling for Yourself Attended industry events as a thought leader or in a sales capacity Those trips were for the company, not for him COVID ended many of the events he used to recharge with annually Joined EO specifically because it exists for the entrepreneur, not the business [00:28:30] Building the Room He Wanted Runs a flagship event each spring called the B2B eCommerce Summit Invite only, 30 people, for heads of marketing and IT at manufacturers and distributors Built it because trust is eroding in an all online, all AI world You have to create spaces for learning and for trust [00:30:08] Where AI Helps and Where It Does Not As an entrepreneur with ADHD, AI helps him organize thoughts and communicate clearly It acted as a sounding board for the themes in his book The agency uses it to analyze data and enrich online catalogs But you should not be writing your wedding vows with ChatGPT [00:32:04] Where to Find Him His book is Closing the Digital Revenue Gap It covers 10 revenue blind spots costing companies more than they think Free copies available at b2becommerceagency.com Also active on LinkedIn under Ethan Giffin KEY QUOTES "Quiet quitting basically is the concept. There wasn't some big slamming of the door. Over time we just slowly started buying from other people where it was easier." - Ethan Giffin "When somebody gives me time of theirs, I like to report back. Let me tell you how this advice you've given me has helped me to evolve and grow." - Ethan Giffin "People are generous with those that are generous with them." - Ethan Giffin CONNECT WITH ETHAN GIFFIN Website: https://www.b2becommerceagency.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethangiffin Email: ethan@groovecommerce.com Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe! Find me on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Stitcher

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  Episode #423

  The Night Prince Said Yes with John Petrocelli

  Sep 25, 202631 min

  What if one unsolicited demo, sent to an artist you had never met, set the direction of your entire career? In this episode, John Petrocelli, founder and CEO of Bulldog DM, shares how encrypting a copy of Purple Rain and sending it to Prince's organization led to building the first direct-to-consumer music service for a major artist, and eventually to one of the most experienced livestream studios in the world. John has powered livestreams for Coachella, the Masters, the Royal Wedding, the Grammys, and the Oscars. He has been in the industry for 20 years, almost as long as it has existed. This conversation covers the mentors who shaped that path, including Prince and Mark Cuban, and why he believes there has never been a better time to enter the space. [00:04:13] What He Does and Who He Serves Founder of Bulldog DM, the world's most experienced livestream studio Provides turnkey services and strategy for clients mastering live video Clients range from AT&T and Coca-Cola to ad agencies, social platforms, and sports teams Just celebrated 14 years in business [00:05:39] Why Live Video Exploded The pandemic made live video a globally adopted behavior almost overnight Grandparents used Zoom, students took distance learning, trade shows went virtual The market corrected coming out of the pandemic Netflix has since gone heavily into live with NFL games, the Home Run Derby, and WWE [00:07:12] Where the Industry Is Now Netflix reports roughly 250 million people consuming ad-based video Amazon, YouTube, and Hulu are all cranking out live content Paramount announced a seven-year, seven billion dollar UFC deal days after the Skydance acquisition Every major platform now has live capability built in [00:08:43] The AEG and YouTube Years Sold his boutique livestreaming company into AEG AEG owns Coachella, a third of the Lakers, the Kings, and venues worldwide Pitched YouTube on entering live and ran a proof of concept with Alicia Keys in Times Square American Express sponsored it and the results opened the door [00:10:00] Starting Bulldog DM Too Early Powered Coachella, Bonnaroo, Rock in Rio, product launches, and movie premieres on YouTube Spun out believing this was clearly the future Without the AEG and YouTube anchors he had to start over Realizes now he started the business a little early [00:10:21] What Being Early Actually Gave Him Sat down with brands and agencies on Madison Avenue and just listened Kept hearing the same challenges: cord-cutting, brand safety, and ad blocking Brands also needed to reach a generation that values experiences over possessions He built the business specifically to address those problems [00:11:00] Why Watch Time Matters So Much Advertising is one of the most disintermediated industries there is Done properly, they can unlock 5 to 30 minutes of watch time for a brand Human attention span has fallen from about 12 seconds to below eight this century Live, collaborative, participatory experience is what counteracts that [00:12:22] How He Got Into Streaming Entered during the format wars between Windows Media, QuickTime, and RealPlayer Worked in content delivery, supporting every format as neutral ground His LA clients were broadcasters, studios, record labels, and sports entities That vantage point gave him an early look at where things were headed [00:13:00] The Call from Apple Apple approached him about their happiness with his QuickTime work in music An artist wanted to do direct distribution themselves That artist was Prince, and John was a massive fan He was already thinking about how content would need to be monetized and protected [00:13:45] The Purple Rain Demo Pulled a copy of Purple Rain off a file sharing network Had an engineer encrypt it so playback required authorization Non-members paid 99 cents; fan club members paid 77 cents Prince replied in the middle of the night: this is exactly what I want to do [00:14:27] Building for Prince Built the first direct-to-consumer music service for a major artist Prince filled it with audio, video, unreleased material, and live footage He then asked for a ticketing platform so fan club members got the best seats Fans signed up for both the content and premium access to the comeback tour [00:15:15] The Night the Light Bulb Went On Saw two back-to-back warm-up shows at the House of Blues in Las Vegas at 2am Both nights had completely different set lists Realized there would come a day when this became a shared experience An amplified audience tuning in together alongside the people in the room [00:16:04] Surviving the Industry's Early Failures The industry was remembered more for failures than successes early on The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show famously crashed the internet An Oprah livestream faced the same problem The industry only rose once bandwidth became ubiquitous [00:17:39] The First Mentors: Rob Hale and Tim Leiweke Worked for Rob Hale at a Boston telecommunications company in his twenties Hale is now a self-made billionaire and minority owner of the Boston Celtics He famously gives graduates two stacks of cash, one to keep and one to give away Tim Leiweke at AEG was the other major leadership influence [00:18:33] What Prince Taught Him Fearless in trying, always wanting something new and different Wrote two songs a day and left a vault of roughly 4,000 unreleased pieces Played 23 instruments and produced hits for many other artists Was a major philanthropist who deliberately kept it private [00:19:30] Why Mark Cuban Is the Godfather of Streaming Wanted to hear his college basketball games from out of market in Dallas Friends would hold phones up to radios on speakerphone so he could listen He worked out how to encode and distribute that audio feed AudioNet became Broadcast.com, which Yahoo bought for $5.7 billion [00:20:38] The Lessons He Took from Cuban Read everything Cuban wrote and followed every interview Sales cures all, whether you are starting a company or running one No customers means no company Watched a Delta in-flight masterclass twice and emailed him afterwards [00:22:38] Client Impact: Winning AT&T Called on AT&T repeatedly before finally getting a meeting Won the chance to livestream the Masters through AT&T's sponsorship Delivered multiple camera feeds including Amen Corner plus a layered leaderboard Persistence was the Mark Cuban voice in his head [00:24:00] Assertive, Not Aggressive Aggressive puts people off and passive gets you put off Assertive sits in the middle and leads with value and information AT&T came back asking how to tell their 5G story away from market noise [00:24:30] The 5G Fan Zone AT&T signed major partnerships with the NBA and NCAA Tentpole events have multiple brand nights leading up to the main event Built a 5G fan zone streaming performances over a pop-up network at the venue Viewers could switch camera perspectives, including cams that were Samsung Galaxy phones [00:26:20] Twenty-Two Executions and Counting Deployed across NBA All-Star concerts, the Final Four, and college football playoffs Streamed audio in stereo when most social platforms were mono The digital audience was far larger than the in-room audience Roughly 22 executions across the AT&T portfolio with strong results [00:28:30] Final Word: There Has Never Been a Better Time Livestream e-commerce is roughly a $500 billion business in China TikTok Shop launched in the US in September 2023 It is predicted to do about $26 billion this year, more than Target, Lowe's, and Best Buy combined Live shopping has lowered return rates by about 40% because buyers can ask questions KEY QUOTES "The general human attention span at the beginning of the century was about 12 seconds, and now it's fallen to below eight." - John Petrocelli "If you're aggressive, you're gonna put people off. If you're passive, they're gonna put you off. But if you're assertive, and you're providing value, that can lead to success." - John Petrocelli CONNECT WITH JOHN PETROCELLI Website: https://www.bulldogdm.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpetrocelli Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjpetrocelli Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe! Find me on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Stitcher

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  Episode #422

  Funding the Dream Nobody Else Would with Christie Garton

  Sep 22, 202631 min

  What if talent was never the problem, and the only thing missing was someone willing to fund it? In this episode, Christie Garton, former attorney and founder of 1,000 Dreams Fund, shares how a bestselling college guidebook series turned into a national nonprofit that has now granted close to $2 million to students chasing dreams they could not otherwise afford. Christie started her first nonprofit at 19 after reading a magazine article about an opera singer. Ten years into running 1,000 Dreams Fund, the model has grown from microgrants into mentorship and direct employment pipelines with companies like Riot Games and Harman. But none of it would exist without a Kansas City businessman named Bob Cutler. [00:03:52] What She Does and Who She Serves Former law student who practiced at a firm in the Washington DC area Now runs 1,000 Dreams Fund, a nonprofit that turned 10 this year Supports young people who have a dream but lack access to one specific resource Has granted close to $2 million since launching [00:05:12] The Three Ways They Serve Students Microgrants for things like study abroad, devices, or training A virtual one-on-one mentoring program that has served thousands globally An apprenticeship program connecting students directly to employment Beneficiaries range from high school through graduate school and early career [00:05:56] How Students Actually Find Them Funding opportunities are hard to find and often require the right database or school That access barrier is what they set out to remove They meet students where they are, on their phones and online A student advisory board works with them weekly through the academic year [00:07:44] Where the Funding Comes From Most support comes from corporations investing in next generation talent Partners include Harman, Colgate-Palmolive, and TIAA Each partnership creates a targeted scholarship, mentorship, and employment program Programs usually launch as a pilot focused on one industry [00:09:30] The Board Built by Former Beneficiaries Grants, individual donations, and year-round fundraising fill out the model An active board of directors is supported by a junior board That junior board is made up of previous beneficiaries now working They came back specifically to make a difference [00:10:00] What Inspires Her: Stories Stories have always motivated her to get up and do something At university she read an article about opera singer Denise Graves Graves described how music had literally saved her life That article sparked her first nonprofit at 19 [00:11:04] Music Mentors and the Olympic Ski Jumper She recruited fellow symphony students to give free private music lessons The organization continued after she graduated 1,000 Dreams Fund now publishes the stories of every student it supports One student was a top ski jumper who competed at the Sochi Olympics with 1DF as her only sponsor [00:13:22] Full Circle: The Junior Board Two high school students supported in 2016 emailed to ask how to pay it forward Those conversations became the idea for a junior training board It is now an annual program for early career professionals The group is highly engaged and has raised significant funds [00:16:39] The Personal Inspiration: Her Grandmother Deeply involved in the community outside Kansas City where Christie grew up Taught herself to sign because Christie's aunt is deaf Went to college around 35 and taught at the state school for the deaf After retirement she helped create a museum [00:17:30] From Guidebooks to a Nonprofit Published a bestselling college guidebook series across five editions The books reached major bookstores and checkout counters nationwide By the fifth edition she wanted to do something bigger than content and advice That is where the idea for 1,000 Dreams Fund started to take shape [00:18:28] The Relationship That Changed Everything: Bob Cutler Her Marketing to Millennials co-author Jeff Fromm made the introduction Bob Cutler runs a successful marketing agency in the Kansas City community He made a significant investment in Christie and her idea She credits that investment as the reason 1,000 Dreams Fund exists [00:19:39] Why That Kind of Belief Matters Someone saying they see you and believe in you drives you forward Community programs that back entrepreneurs make a real difference That support matters especially for women in venture and startups Fewer women are in those rooms, which makes the commitment more consequential [00:21:30] The Olympian She Met in Park City Was touring to meet board members in person and visited the Olympic training facility Met ski jumper Abby Ringquist, who was struggling to fund her training Recognized immediately that Abby was exactly who the organization was built for Got her board on board to make a special sponsorship commitment [00:23:29] The Riot Games Apprenticeship Gaming and esports offer great careers but are difficult to break into There is no on-ramp available to everyone; connections matter 1DF handles recruitment to reach communities outside existing hiring channels Riot pays, relocates, and trains selected candidates for three months before hiring [00:24:30] Going Global The first year of the program was based in Dublin, Ireland 1,000 Dreams Fund launched in 2016 focused only on the US Recruitment was targeted across Europe and the Middle East Both delivered candidates received full-time jobs [00:26:12] The Vision Going Forward Sees this as a moment of transition driven largely by AI Focused on preparing next generation talent and workers who need retraining Many high-demand roles do not require a four-year degree Manufacturing technician roles represent a decade-long need for many companies KEY QUOTES "When someone says, hey, I see you, and I think what you're doing is outstanding in some way, and we're gonna make an investment in you, that stays with the individual." - Christie Garton "I have always been inspired by stories. And that has motivated me to literally get up and do something." - Christie Garton "Reaching where you should be in life isn't always the easiest journey, and if our organization can be any inspiration and kickstart in some way, that to me is why I do this." - Christie Garton CONNECT WITH CHRISTIE GARTON Website: https://www.1000dreamsfund.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiegarton Email: christie@1000dreamsfund.org Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe! Find me on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Stitcher

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  Episode #421

  Success Without Losing Your Sanity with Ariana Hall

  Sep 18, 202640 min

  What if you could reach the top without leaving your health, your relationships, and yourself behind to get there? In this episode, Ariana Hall, executive coach to CEO founders, shares how a three-year-old asking for violin lessons led to a professional singing career in front of a million audience members, and eventually to coaching leaders of billion dollar companies. Ariana's path ran from art school to a conservatory program to world tours backing Rod Stewart and Adam Lambert. Then a career she never planned started chasing her. This conversation traces the long line of teachers who made that possible, beginning with a violin teacher who told her mother never to interrupt her daydreaming. [00:04:02] What She Does and Who She Serves Executive coach for CEO founders Believes you do not have to lose your sanity, health, and relationships to succeed Learned that lesson experientially before turning it into her work [00:05:02] The Unexpected Route Here Studied performing arts, theater, and music at an art school as a kid Went on to a conservatory program in college and became a songwriter Sang for roughly one million audience members over her professional career Backed Rod Stewart, Adam Lambert, and Engelbert Humperdinck [00:06:59] The Hospital Room in Laughlin Ended up in an emergency room at 24 with a kidney infection from touring dehydration Was given morphine without explanation and lost an entire day Missed a show and assumed she had lost her touring job A boyfriend broke up with her by phone in the same window [00:08:29] The Voice She Heard Reached deep to figure out where she had miscalculated Heard a clear voice say she was here to empower the voices of others It scared her because as a singer she did not want to empower her competition She later learned the phenomenon is called clairaudience [00:09:03] Standing at the Piano Years later, between voice students, she realized the words had come true Understood that focusing fully on this could become something significant The very next session was not a voice lesson but a voice activation She began working underneath the vocal problems rather than only on technique [00:10:17] From Voice Lessons to Executive Coaching Built an internal almanac of how self-expression works across people Moved into public speaking coaching in her thirties Clients were CEO founders who needed to speak well about their businesses They started asking for help with dating, marriage, kids, and direct reports [00:11:30] The Career That Chased Her She kept insisting she was just a singer while people kept hiring her Eventually turned toward it and accepted this was her career Realized she had amassed enough material that it was no longer public speaking [00:12:00] What Her Coaching Actually Covers Focuses on emotional intelligence rather than strictly business coaching Works on how leaders navigate their primary and key relationships Most clients are eight and nine figure business owners, some ten figure Currently works with a founder running a billion dollar company [00:13:30] The Inside and the Outside High-Fiving Her orientation is making sure a person's inner and outer life line up Much harder to achieve than it sounds She experienced the opposite while touring, successful but depressed Clients often arrive stuck despite appearing to have everything [00:15:50] What Impact Really Means to Her Defines impact as understanding your effect on others and being responsible for it Discovered that music could shift the emotional and physical state of thousands Realized that effect is powerful but short-lived, often gone within 24 hours Wanted to find something more lasting to do with the same skills [00:17:29] Giving the Tools to the Person With the Biggest Reach Asked who is positioned to make the biggest impact imaginable Took ten years to identify exactly what she is doing now Developed the underlying skills over roughly 20,000 hours Modern CEOs cannot wing it; messaging, culture, and hires all have to align [00:20:01] Client Impact: Craig Clemens Co-founder of Golden Hippo, a billion dollar company Came to her before that success as a single guy wanting to be more interesting They worked together about five and a half years and transformed every key area He told her he would tell his future children they would not exist without her [00:22:45] The First Relationship: Mrs. McClung At three years old Ariana asked her mother for violin lessons Mrs. McClung taught her the Suzuki method and how to make sense of vibration When her mother mentioned constant daydreaming, Mrs. McClung called it a sign of genius She told her mother never to interrupt it, which changed how Ariana was raised [00:24:44] The Teacher Who Spotted the Singing At about 11, a teacher told her mother she had real vocal talent Her mother started looking at art schools Ariana auditioned and got into the Palm Beach County School of the Arts She credits her mother for being available to hear all of it [00:25:32] Rachel LeBon and the First Day of Class Rachel had toured professionally before becoming a professor at University of Miami She opened the very first class by asking who would like to sing a song Ariana volunteered while the rest of the room stayed silent Rachel then told them a singer must be able to sing any time, anywhere, in front of anyone [00:27:42] The Call That Sounded Like a Prank A music director called offering her a world tour with Engelbert Humperdinck She thought it was fake and waited days before calling back They were leaving in six days and asked her to pick the other backup singer She gave the job to her best friend and toured about 250 shows a year for two and a half years [00:28:37] Lise Maria and Learning Who She Really Is Went to a small apartment in Santa Monica every week for a year and a half Never missed a single week and cried through nearly all of them Learned there are different parts of the self and how they connect Says the work went further to the core than therapy could reach [00:29:45] Joel and Moving Through the World Powerfully Worked with a mentor named Joel for about a decade Learned how humans think and operate across emotions, psyche, and personality Gained the ability to handle herself in any situation She credits him with the poise she carries now [00:34:36] You Make Your Teachers Proud Someone once told her that phrase and she asked where it came from She understands it as a Native American expression Whoever showed you how to do something well, you are making them proud There is only so far an ego can carry itself; guidance is necessary [00:35:30] Dawn Cartwright and Human Intimacy Dawn is an expert in human intimacy who is still alive and teaching Her work closed the remaining gaps in Ariana's understanding Ariana now coaches couples and individuals through intimacy issues Every one of her teachers loved her in a way that left a beautiful mark [00:37:44] Final Word: Highlighting the People Behind the Superstar She gives a great deal and is often not glorified for it She is the behind-the-scenes person who helps the superstar get there She was the superstar in her former career and understands the pressure She appreciates a show that highlights people who helped others KEY QUOTES "I believe that you don't have to lose your sanity, your health, and your relationships in order to be successful." - Ariana Hall "Impact is understanding the effect you have on another, or many others, and being responsible for that, and that's not something a lot of people pay attention to." - Ariana Hall "I would not be the person that I am and help these leaders at the level I'm helping them if I hadn't been touched by each of those people along my path." - Ariana Hall CONNECT WITH ARIANA HALL Website: https://www.arianahall.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arianahall Email: ariana@arianahall.com Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe! Find me on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Stitcher

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  Episode #420

  Who You Are Is Not What You Do with Michael Fineman

  Sep 15, 202634 min

  What if the empire you built became the thing you got lost inside? In this episode, Michael Fineman, author of The Authority Drift and co-founder of the Les Brown Prodigy Program, shares how a kid who was on his own at 15 taught himself to be an adult by listening to Les Brown cassettes in a beat-up car, and later found himself sitting across the table inking a deal with the man himself. Michael's work centers on one idea: high achievers build remarkable things and then mistake those things for their identity. When the business sells or the market shifts, they go down with it. This conversation is about catching that drift before it costs you everything. [00:05:27] What He Does and Who He Serves Spent years in corporate marketing and sales before breaking out Co-founded a supplement company helping brands create innovative products Launched clean, ethical consumer brands and later stepped back from daily operations Now focused on speaking, coaching, and his new book The Authority Drift [00:06:49] What Inspires Him Loves watching people find their true identity Many professionals do something remarkable and then become it When you are attached to a product, you go down with it if it fails Helping someone take the mask off produces joy, peace, and freedom [00:08:34] Why Masterminds Can Make It Worse Best-practice rooms create pressure to always be crushing it People feel they must show up performing rather than asking for help Entrepreneurship is ebbs and flows and every solved problem invites the next Michael jokes that constant whining is the real tell [00:09:44] What Authority Drift Actually Means People build a mask based on other people's expectations They construct an amazing life that does not agree with their center They build an empire and then get lost within its walls Founders who exit after 20 years often end up completely lost [00:11:58] The Working Dog Analogy His daughter has a highly trained Belgian Malinois that needs work to survive Without a job to do, the dog becomes agitated and directionless Remove the work entirely and a dog like that would not make it People are the same, but purpose cannot be attached to what you do [00:13:00] Where Real Identity Comes From Michael is faith-based and describes himself as a completed Jew For him identity came down to whose he was, not what he did Without that anchor, the path is stillness and returning to childhood dreams At six he wanted to make TV commercials and today he makes ads [00:14:53] Walking His Son Through It His son was on a serious basketball track before an injury ended it Performance anxiety had already been building beforehand Michael brought him back to his faith and to the difference between doing and being His son found Christian rap and is now writing again in a new form [00:15:52] The Question Most People Cannot Answer He asks people what they would do if money did not matter Most cannot answer because they buried that dream years ago The answer requires being genuinely alone and undistracted Make it a practice for a couple of weeks and it surfaces [00:18:30] The Tactical Way to Show You Are Not Taking On a first Zoom, ask the person how you can serve them People physically pull back because nobody has ever asked It immediately signals you are there to give, not extract [00:19:00] Client Impact: Jose G. Lopez Met Jose pre-COVID when he was 16 or 17 and nobody took him seriously Jose had met Les Brown but could not close anything with him Michael re-engaged the conversation and they started a company with Les together It catapulted Jose's career [00:20:03] Connecting for the Sake of It Currently connecting a hip hop producer with a triple platinum credit to a major clothing industry contact Has never charged for making introductions Feels like he participated even when he makes nothing from it The end users will never know he was there, and that is fine [00:22:58] The Relationship That Changed Everything: Les Brown Was on his own at 15 teaching himself how to be an adult Listened to Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Les Brown on cassettes in his old car Years later got Les on the phone and told him directly he was the guy to build his program They launched the Les Brown Prodigy Program together pre-COVID [00:24:49] The Compliment That Changed What He Thought Was Possible Coached side by side with Les through COVID to thousands of people online The day they inked the deal in Miami, Les said the meeting was for Michael, not himself Les's son told him what he liked was that Michael was not trying to be Les Brown Those words sent him to the moon and he never looked back [00:26:20] What Came Next Found the guts to quit corporate and take off the golden handcuffs Started the supplement companies that funded the next stage That funded the speaking, the courses, the funnels, and the book Now building high-level coaching around The Authority Reset program [00:27:03] The Cohorts and the Experiential Events Six men come through a nine-week online program together Between weeks three and four they meet Michael for something outside their norm Options include flying a fighter jet or following the Iditarod by helicopter The point is to break the pattern and then go deep on identity [00:28:49] Blake's Story Blake was building a concierge wellness practice for high achievers He was snapping at his kids, his wife, and his employees from constant stress The cohort helped him separate who he is from what he is building He became more loving at home and more present with his team [00:30:18] Impact That Runs Generationally One participant was 65 and another mentor figure was 70 The 70-year-old is a high-achieving minister who shifted his life direction The program is a relatively new launch and still early Michael wants to make an impact that helps others make generational impact KEY QUOTES "My identity is not rooted in what I've achieved or what I've done. My identity is rooted in who I am and whose I am." - Michael Fineman "They find out that they've built this amazing empire, but they get lost within its walls because it doesn't really align with who they actually are." - Michael Fineman "We all have the drive that we're headed towards this place, this destination, and at the end, guess who's there with you? You are." - Michael Fineman CONNECT WITH MICHAEL FINEMAN Website: https://www.authoritydrift.com Book: https://www.authoritydriftbook.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-n-fineman-the-dot-connector-2a844b13 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.fineman.7 Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe! Find me on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Stitcher

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