DON’T LISTEN TO ME, WATCH ME:
“No, you shouldn’t order that. It’s awful.”
I worked at Applebee’s for 4 years during college. It was one of the most important jobs of my entire life. In fact, it is the foundation of any success I’ve had as an entrepreneur. Customer service focused, fast-paced, managing multiple personalities to get a job done, and grinding hours.
But here is what I really loved about the job.
People would ask me if I recommended foods, and I only sold what I loved. Foods I thought were good. It caught people off guard when I would tell them one of our salads was disgusting, but it’s how I rolled.
The same is true of what I show you. Not even tell you, not even sell you, but show you.
I want you to pull back the curtain — go ahead, pull it back. Sure, you can listen to me, to my words. But instead, watch me….my truths. my actions. Pull back the curtain, please!
I speak at conferences about branding and adding value. So do thousands of others. But ask them for their bank accounts. Ask them for their calendar. See if they are spending THEIR OWN PERSONAL MONEY AND TIME on what they stand up and preach about. For what they get paid lots of money to discuss.
Here is what you’ll see if you open my bank account. I spend tens of thousands of dollars a month on my teams, my offices, my business expenses to bring you FREE VALUE. I don’t ask for your money, or to join my monthly paid mastermind class, or to buy my $100 online courses. NOTHING.
I spend hundreds of hours a month getting great guests for my youtube show, and answering all of your emails and messages, and making Q/A videos answering your questions. My time, my video team’s time, my assistant’s time. All of which I PAY FOR, so you don’t have to.
So when you want to doubt me, or when you ask me “what I do all day,” here is my answer:
I buy my own shit.
I am building a brand that lasts a lifetime. I am adding you exponentially more value than I am asking for in return. I am bringing you the best content I can and writing your articles and sharing your stories. I am not just standing on some stage pontificating about brand while someone else pays my bills or I hide behind some safe corporate job. I am building the exact brand I encourage you to build. With tenacity, and grit, and creativity and love…and without expectation from you.
So if I can’t come to your happy hour, or return your call a few days late, I am sorry. If I hurt your feelings, I am sorry. I am not trying to neglect you or ignore you, but there is something really big happening here.
Because every day, I get an email or call from a life I changed.
And even if that change is the smallest in the world, for me it tastes better than a gin and tonic.
Because in the sacrifice lies the magic.
In the one view per video lies the real dedication and commitment to what I believe.
In the late night hours, you see the moon, and in the early mornings you see the sun.
In the blog post I thought I was too tired to write, lies the life that you save.
So don’t buy my shit, or listen to my word.
Just watch my actions. They have all the answers.
All of them.
