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Seth Dawson is a young CEO we work with at CEO Nation. He started his career in real estate very early as an agent and later on realized that he wasn’t on the right path. Seth is now the CEO of his own real estate investing business and he is here to share his journey with us today.    Listen to this episode to learn about Seth’s story, his journey, and the lessons he learned that helped him become a successful CEO at a very young age!   Key Talking Points of the Episode   [00:00] Introduction [04:49] Who is Seth Dawson? [07:35] What is Seth’s background? [08:20] How did Seth get into real estate? [09:05] How was Seth able to sell 50 houses per year as an agent? [10:24] What made Seth transition to investing? [12:37] How did Seth’s experience as a real estate agent help him build his business? [13:50] What is the market like in Indiana? [15:11] What drove Seth down his path to success early in life? [17:15] What is the importance of clarity and focus in business? [20:59] How did having the right KPIs help Seth achieve his goals? [25:14] Is Seth working on doing more or less to achieve his goals? [28:15] Why is your big why important to your success? [32:02] What is the importance of setting realistic goals? [36:45] What did Seth learn about building a team the right way? [38:42] Why is it important to have a real job description in mind when you start hiring? [41:10] How do you determine who to hire first? [47:51] Why is it important to learn how to ask for help? [51:22] How can having clarity benefit you and the people around you? [52:42] Why do you need to have the right KPIs in your business? [55:45] What does it really mean to have a business? [58:25] How has Seth grown as a business owner? [01:00:50] What helped Seth grow the most? [01:05:55] How do clarity and focus allow you to ask better questions? [01:08:35] What is helping Seth stay on track to achieve his goals?

In today’s episode, my good friend Mike Hambright is joining me to talk about the top 3 things that we see as common traits in successful investors that sets them apart from the rest. Mike is the CEO of Investor Machine and he has been in different areas of the industry for years.   Listen to this episode to learn more about what separates successful investors from the rest and how you can start working on yourself to become one!   Key Talking Points of the Episode   [00:00] Introduction [02:32] Who is Mike Hambright? [04:30] What is Investor Fuel? [06:16] How many deals has Mike done? [08:08] How many markets does Investor Machine operate in? [11:15] Why is it important to invest in your team? [13:53] What makes it hard for most investors to invest in building a team? [15:13] What is the importance of your team to scaling your business? [16:35] Why do you need to know who and when to hire? [17:11] How can you come to terms with the costs of a new team member? [19:55] Why should you invest in marketing and lead generation?  [21:43] What is the importance of consistency in marketing? [24:45] Why do you need to put KPIs in place for marketing? [28:15] What other factors affect your marketing results? [32:21] How can a mastermind help you grow? [35:30] How do you decide if spending on a program is worth it?  [39:05] How do all these factors tie together? [42:07] What is the Amazon effect? [43:55] Why is the right kind of mindset important in growing and succeeding? [46:15] How can you get in touch with Mike Hambright?

Not knowing your goals as an entrepreneur leads you to overpromise and overcommit. You push out too much content and make too many phone calls, leading to a life of burn-out and bad clients.  Most people don’t know what their goals actually are. Their potential has been blocked by mind loops and ‘busy work.’ Are you moving towards your goals or moving goalposts? In this episode, legendary Richard Roop shares how to set goals for unlimited potential in a system that supports you.  Show highlights include: Hidden signs you’ve attracted a dull clientele (and how to get motivated sellers now). (0:30) How the ‘H.AB.E’ system supports your goals and holds you accountable (even to goals you can’t see). (10:00) Why the old ‘fake it till you make it’ line still works in the world of business today. (13:11) Why living the ultimate lifestyle starts with daydreaming (even if if feels like a waste of time). (18:00) To know more about Richard, head over to his website at RichardRoop.com. Access some awesome free resources here: https://roo.podia.com/free. To get the latest updates directly from Steve and discuss business with other entrepreneurs, join The CEO Nation Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/The-CEO-Nation-105412277846610 Ready to take your business to the next level? Let’s see if we’re a good fit for each other. https://theceonation.com

Does it feel like you are running a business or just working for one? Most entrepreneurs hustle day and night just to keep their businesses afloat. Even worse, they’re trapped with limited income (like your business is just another job).  Avoiding the trap starts with adopting the ‘CEO mindset.’ If you don’t know how to spend money like a CEO, you might as well clock into your job as an employee instead. In this episode, we sat down with marketing maven Richard Roop who shares his powerful story of building a business that doesn’t need you so you can do the things you love. Show highlights include: The three tools to get the clients you want and make the money you want (without the cold-calling and sales rejections). (5:12) How personal obstacles clarify your marketing message so you can scale your business instantly. (7:00) Using the 4 levels of entrepreneurship to get paid like a CEO and do more of the things you love. (16:50) What the M.O.R.E model teaches about using your talents, spending money, and attracting clients right now. (21:06) To get the latest updates directly from Steve and discuss business with other entrepreneurs, join The CEO Nation Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/The-CEO-Nation-105412277846610 Ready to take your business to the next level? Let’s see if we’re a good fit for each other. https://theceonation.com

Most people end up ditching the world of Corporate America just to build their own 9-5 instead. They end up stressed, miserable, and overworked, like their last job.  Loosen the grip on your business’s stage five clinger grip and learn how to profit without sacrificing plans. Put money, and opportunities, back in your control. In this episode, you’ll discover ways to treat your business more like an ATM machine and less like the job you hated.  Show highlights include: Why your ‘dream job’ is secretly setting you up to live paycheck-to-paycheck. (3:56) How to use your calendar at home as a tool to make millions in revenue. (11:25) The ‘Three Key’ structure for growing your business from an airport gate. (17:00) Why Steve Jobs wasn’t all that innovative - and how you can design better. (28:45) To get the latest updates directly from Steve and discuss business with other entrepreneurs, join The CEO Nation Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/The-CEO-Nation-105412277846610 Ready to take your business to the next level? Let’s see if we’re a good fit for each other. https://theceonation.com

We see this happen all the time… An entrepreneur gets a brilliant idea then self-sabotages it with their own close-minded thinking. Sometimes without even realizing it. But there has to be a balance between acting with caution and trying new things, right?  Greg Kraios’s take on being open-minded unlocks a world of possibilities in profiting from your mistakes and create the success you really want. If you lay awake at night worried about your business, this is the episode you need now. Show highlights include: Why your greatest success comes from your worst employees. (10:19) How the ‘Conditional Thinking’ theory kidnaps your business from succeeding how it should - and the steps to avoiding this. (15:20) Why thinking less brings your business the most activity. (16:37) Why running a business and experiencing life share the same core value. (22:12) To get the latest updates directly from Steve and discuss business with other entrepreneurs, join The CEO Nation Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/The-CEO-Nation-105412277846610 Ready to take your business to the next level? Let’s see if we’re a good fit for each other. https://theceonation.com

As an entrepreneur, it drains you to constantly doubt your own path and where business is headed. Whether you’re up and coming or looking for something new, hiring the right people and finding clients shouldn’t send you on an emotional rollercoaster.  In this episode, we sat down with legendary Greg Kraios who shares a story of obstacles he never expected to face as an entrepreneur. His lessons shed light on how to get out of your own way and build a business that actually supports you.  Do you own a business or do you own a job? Show highlights include: Hidden signs you’ve created a toxic work environment (and how you and your team can escape it now). (4:25) Why the ‘Conditional Thinking’ theory determines whether your dream clients work with you - or your competitors. (17:00) Why having difficult conversations with your employees makes them happier and more productive people. (24:05) Why real freedom comes from “quitting” your most successful business. (27:32) To get the latest updates directly from Steve and discuss business with other entrepreneurs, join The CEO Nation Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/The-CEO-Nation-105412277846610 Ready to take your business to the next level? Let’s see if we’re a good fit for each other. https://theceonation.com

As an entrepreneur, you’re on the frontlines of grinding and hustling. But then you find you’ve cemented yourself into the day-to-day operations. Now your business owns you. As with any business, there are secrets of the wealthy that put you back in control of your time and money. Isn’t that why you became an entrepreneur in the first place?  In this episode, you’ll learn the luxuries of operating a business that can run without you. Show highlights include: How failure quickly solves your most complicated money problems. (2:40) How to expertly guide your business through any disruption the market can throw at it (9:09) Why being the dumbest person in your business is the key to massive success (18:40) How to avoid the ‘fifteen minutes of fame’ trap and maintain your success over time. (27:32) To get the latest updates directly from Steve and discuss business with other entrepreneurs, join The CEO Nation Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/The-CEO-Nation-105412277846610 Ready to take your business to the next level? Let’s see if we’re a good fit for each other. https://theceonation.com

Mike Hambright has been able to parlay a successful real estate investing career into multiple 7 figure businesses and/or revenue streams, all based around providing value to others. Mike has produced over 1500 podcasts and has created a massive impact on the real estate industry by coaching, mentoring, and serving thousands of people all over the country for well over a decade. In this episode, Steve interviews Mike about getting started as an entrepreneur as a "Corporate World Refugee" during the Great Recession of 2008. After being the first person in his entire extended family to graduate from college, Mike went on to earn more degrees and land what he thought were great jobs in the corporate world - only to have the rug yanked out from under him, leaving him with no choice but to make his own way as an entrepreneur.   Key Takeaways: The beginning: Mike’s gig of Special Assistant to The President of a $5B company How Mike’s thinking of “is this all there is” pushed him back to school to get his MBA Dove headfirst into real estate investing during the crash of 2008   Lean into what you can control  The importance of learning transferable skills (in-demand skills are always changing) How to take your skills and monetize them in a different way How Mike’s coaching led him to start the Investor Fuel Mastermind  Running a coaching business Evolving your life to do more of what you want to do vs. what you have to do The balance between focusing on a few things and spreading yourself too thin How to empower your team to enable them to be part of the business conversation (This frees up your time for innovation)  Passive investing vs. active investing  Creating a business that allows you to live your life the way you want The different revenue sources Mike has built around real estate investing  The reasons Mike shut down his coaching business   I’d rather reallocate my resources to those businesses that bring me joy Rapid Fire Round What Are You Afraid Of?  Looking back and feeling that he was insignificant, as he wants to make a difference in people's lives   An Absolute Truth that Turned Out Not to Be That cheap is not always better; you have to think of some things as an investment, not an expense.   What I Wish I Knew When I Started in Business: The power of collaboration and sharing ideas    What I’m Excited About The ability to impact people in a positive way   What is Your Legacy Being proud of what he has built    Get In Touch with Mike Facebook FlipNerd  

John Martinez is the most introverted sales expert you’ll ever meet, but yet he has taken the sales acumen that made him a highly successful salesperson - and parlayed that into an extremely profitable 7 figure sales training business that only requires a few hours of his time and attention per week.  I’m this episode, Steve talks to John about what it was like to go from selling for a living to training others to sell for a living. John breaks down how he has built out a highly automated, low overhead, and highly systematized business model that works for him - rather than him working for it.  Key Takeaways: Core business takes 1 - 2 hours a week to run and produces $100 to  $150K a month in revenue with margins being close to 90%.  How John transitioned from corporate America and took the leap to business owner (not to be confused with running a profitable business) Took his honed sales skills and started teaching others how to improve their sales  The mental mind shift John had to make  to go from knocking on doors to running a successful business How John cut his self-worth ties which were attached to how many hours he worked Business is growing through referrals, going to events and promoting the business  Revolution: Automated marketing, social media, building funnels, and optimizing the systems along the way.  How John’s various businesses are structured  When to use a 1099 vs. salary route with your employees It’s so much easier to work another hour vs. making the mental shift and thinking why you should not How to get past the guilt of not grinding every day   Sometimes what we should do, is the opposite of what our mind is telling us to do    Managing your social media effectively    Is this adding to my life, or taking away from it?    Why some businesses make it and some don’t: You have to lead with value.  Why John doesn’t have any salespeople and sales are up!  How to detach from your sales career and become a CEO Why you have to focus on a good sales system, not a salesperson Hiring your first employee   You will never be 100% happy with any system, you have to make the choice to just go for it.   Finding what’s right for you  How coaches can help you get to the next level  Rapid Fire Round   What Are You Afraid Of?  Lack of control.    What I’m Most Proud Of:  His children, watching them grow, the decisions they make and the people they are becoming.    What I Wish I Knew When I Started in Business: Thought quotes were dumb until he started his business and learned that the cliches were true.   What I’m Excited About Figuring out the next chapter in his life. The businesses are transitioning and two are being built, with the lesson that he doesn’t want to be the face of the business, but generate autonomous assets.    There is farther up than there is down ▶︎ Contact John: The REI Sales Academy 7-Figure Coach

Roland Frasier has scaled over 100 different seven to ten-figure businesses, with sales ranging from $3 million to $4 billion! He believes that starting a business is very hard, time-consuming, and risky - but buying one is way easier, faster, and much more profitable.   In this episode, Roland breaks down with Steve exactly why scaling your business through acquisitions is something anyone can do, and why it’s easier than most think  Scaling through acquisitions allows you to stay out of the day-to-day, and skip the initial risky start-up phase.   Debunking The eMyth: The mistake that entrepreneurs make is that they’re working in their business instead of on it. Roland believes in the oMyth: CEO’s should be working above their business. How to grow a $500K - $100MM business The fastest way to double your business Using the You-You Chart to establish if you’re working on, in or above your business The benefits of acquiring a company to scale your existing business Understanding what your time is worth  The market of companies that are for sale has multiplied due to COVID19 Looking at Google and Facebook as models for acquisitions  The first steps to take to buy a business  The math behind Fair Market Value  The benefits of approaching motivated business sellers How to pay for a company with no money out of pocket (seller financing) Buying media asset companies Expert tips on how to reach and start a conversation with business owners The law of price and terms Why buying out or investing in your vendors is a good business move 🔥  Rapid Fire Round 🔥   What Are You Afraid Of?  Whatever happens is going to happen, all you can do is position yourself in the best way possible to take advantage of what you can.    What I’m Most Proud Of:  The relationship with his wife and his children. Proud to help thousands of people through his podcast and his business.   What I Wish I Knew When I Started in Business: That’s it's possible to do deals where everyone wins   ▶︎ Contact Roland Roland Frasier Business Lunch Podcast  Social Handle: @rolandfrasier 

What if you could have profit guaranteed? That was the question that Best Selling author Mike Michalowicz asked himself after getting sick of surviving check to check and suffering the ups and downs of managing reactively based on cash flow in his own business.   Listen to Mike breakdown for Steve how to build your business based on profits first, rather than paying the bills first and hoping something is leftover afterward. Mike’s “Profit First” model has helped over 175,000 business owners grow profit and reduce stress.   Building a business based on what you want out of the business not what your clients Lifetime entrepreneur first. Full-time author. Discovered  20 years as an entrepreneur, he was grinding away and not making any progress. Started writing journals to address his own challenges, and turned it into a book. Toilet Paper Entrepreneur: All about bootstrapping The Pumpkin Plan: Organic growth in business Surge: The movement of markets and putting yourself in front of the trend Profit First: The way we've been told to be profitable doesn’t work  Clockwork: The biggest challenge entrepreneurs face is time (operational efficiency) The difference between making money (inflow of money) and taking money (money retained) Discussing entrepreneurial poverty Managing your business from your checking account, not your financial statement The bank-based system that provides clarity into how your business is really doing Mom’s envelope system of managing money and how it’s applicable today Managing your profit account Making the most out of the money you do have (don’t rob Peter to pay Paul)   The more money we have, the more we consume, the less we have, the more innovative we become   Parkinson’s law Key steps to take to create a financially secure cash flow business The level of profitability business owners should be shooting for (link) The easiest and hardest part of implementing profit first for your business   🔥  Rapid Fire Round 🔥   What Are You Afraid Of?  Waking up at the end of my life and meeting the person I could have become   What I’m Most Proud Of:  Making my house a home destination for my grown children    What I Wish I Knew When I Started in Business: That grind and hustle is not the definition of success   What’s The Best Advice He’s Received: Don’t listen to advice, listen to wallets. ▶︎ Contact Mike Mike Michalowicz Free Tools & Resources from Mike

Rob Nickell stumbled upon the concept of virtual assistants accidentally while struggling to escape the day to day grind of his own real estate business.  Now almost ten years later, he has perfected how to hire virtual assistants and built a thriving business around helping others do the same.   Listen as Steve interviews Rob on how his company Rocket Station executes an astonishing 48,000 hours of workforce labor every WEEK for business owners all over the world - all done remotely in a virtual environment while maintaining a strong focus on culture and core values. Research Note: A recent Gartner poll showed that 48% of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after COVID-19 versus 30% before the pandemic. Key Takeaways:    Starting out in real estate, owning a job not a business.  In 2013 when he was wholesaling in Houston, oil business changed and his business plunged. He knew then that he had to understand that he was just hustling. Understanding market cycles  What it takes to make it as a real estate investor Recognizing the signs that you should pivot your business Understanding your PNL and factoring in time as money Starting a new business His first virtual hire was a lead manager, but he freaked out having someone else answering the phone. What he realized quickly, even if the person was 70% as good as he was, he was doubling his volume.  Implementing systems and processes before hiring employees to scale your business  Tips on training your employees (Loom)  Documenting your SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)  How and why you should hire someone to run your calendar expertly (it takes an average of 11 emails to schedule one appointment)  Building trust with your virtual employee Tips on working effectively with your virtual assistant  Book Recommendation: eMyth 🔥  Rapid Fire Round 🔥   What Are You Afraid Of?  That my company isn’t moving fast enough    What I’m Most Proud Of:  Building a community of leaders to enhance lives through better business   ▶︎ Contact Rob Rocket Station  brooks@rocketstation.com (ask for EA workflow for supporting documents) 

Trevor Mauch is the CEO of Carrot, and he has learned how to make a recurring revenue model for any business, while at the same time building a business that serves him, instead of draining all his energy. He has built a company culture that makes it fun, exciting, and most importantly - rewarding to work on the team.    When Steve and Trevor met in 2012 at a high-level mastermind, Carrot wasn’t even started yet. Now, over the last five years - Carrot has generated over 3 Million online leads for clients while at the same time positioning Trevor to generate nearly $1Million a month in revenue!   Founder and owner of Carrot, a software as a service company since 2013, working with 7000 clients. Help people build and streamline their online lead generation working with real estate investors and real estate agents   Your business can fuel your passion, it doesn’t necessarily have to be your passion   Utilizing those tasks that energize you as your creative outlet Make a list of those business tasks that are draining your energy and outsource them The 10/80/10 Rule: Direct employee on the task at hand (10%).  The employee does the work as directed (80%). You review and fine-tune (10%).    Delegate results not tasks You have to give room to people to make a mistake, as it’s the best educator The Entrepreneurs Freedom Formula What are you optimizing for; Profit? Freedom?  Understanding the three parts of your business you need to nail: Purpose, predictability, time and energy Transitioning from an entrepreneur (you can’t take a two-week vacation) to running a business (you can take a two-week vacation and make money)  Why you don’t have to know it all, you just have to have a strong vision of where you want to go and take the next step, which will reveal itself How to make a recurring revenue model for any business  Transitioning from doing it all yourself to building a team you love Trevor shares an almost tragedy that changed his business and life forever  Letting go of limiting beliefs 🔥  Rapid Fire Round 🔥   What Are You Afraid Of?  Waking up at the end of my life and meeting the person I could have become   What I’m Most Proud Of:  My children and how they show up in life   What I Wish I Knew When I Started in Business: That money is not the end goal   What’s Trevor is Most Excited About Right Now: How to lead leaders better   ▶︎ Contact Trevor Carrot Carrot Free Training Instagram: @trevormauch

Kent Clothier knows a thing or two about how to hire up and build a successful team, as he’s done it several times. By age 30, Kent was running a family business that grew from a start-up to $1.8 billion, but lost everything and had to figure out how to rebuild it all over again on his own.   Kent has been a coach and mentor to Steve for years, and now they are also friends and business partners. One of the most impactful lessons Kent has taught Steve is that you can’t hire to where you are, you have to “hire up” in order for your team to propel you forward.     Key Takeaways:    Lessons learned in running a 2 Billion dollar company and largest company in Florida by the age of 30.  Why Kent got run out of his own company (a blessing in disguise) which led him to real estate   Wholesaling since 2003 that started as a side hustle which he turned into a business  From wholesaling to turnkey (flipping 900 properties a year, and managing 6500 properties) Building a diversified sales funnel  The golden handcuffs of hustling  Moving out of an employee mindset and transitioning into entrepreneurship  Creating multiple exit strategies Understanding the difference between owning a job and owning a business You can’t do everything yourself, you have to let go and delegate to scale your business   What got you here, will not get you there.    Every successful CEO started by building a strong team Using video recordings to train people Using Facebook groups as a training website for free Creating impact and changing people's lives How to hire up Gain confidence in yourself and find your tribe: Know your principals, your core values, your reasons for starting your own business, why are you taking the risk, what you stand for, and what you stand against How to deprogram yourself from mediocrity and move towards massive success   You are the average of the people you surround yourself with    Mind Hack: When hiring people, think of them as an investment, not an expense How to invest in the right people to move your business forward Live every day like it’s your last: Be as present as you can every day High-level hires will walk away from a multimillion-dollar corporate job that they hate to work with a company that has a soul, a mission and great leadership Understanding the ROI math of hiring a quality employee   🔥  Rapid Fire Round 🔥   What Keeps You Up at Night?  Regret   What I’m Most Proud Of:  Doing fatherhood right    What I Wish I Knew When I Started in Business Fail more, fail faster, and take the risks to learn quicker   What’s Kent’s Most Excited About Right Now: When COVID19 hit, jumping in and putting online events together to help other people reposition themselves and make money in today’s market   ▶︎ Contact Kent  Kent Clothier Website Social Handle (FB, IG, Twitter) @kentclothier Facebook Group: Kent Clothier Smart Investor Group

The CEO Nation is a tribe, a movement, an agent for change, and a catalyst to CREATE significant, lasting, and positive IMPACT in the lives of entrepreneurs.  Hosted by successful Entrepreneur and Business Coach Steve Richards, this podcast is for those looking to ESCAPE the hustle and grind of being a self-employed entrepreneur stuck working in their business - and TRANSFORM them into a true CEO who owns a real business that works for them. If you’re an entrepreneur who wants more; more time, more profit, more meaning, more fulfillment, and just more out of life in general -- while also SCALING your income and ESCAPING the day to day grind -- then we want to welcome you home to… The CEO Nation. “The CEO Nation is here to CHANGE your trajectory as an Entrepreneur…” -Founder Steve Richards   The types of topics we’ll cover and discuss include:   Interviews with successful people who are at the top of their game, and willing to share how they got there to motivate and inspire you. Help you understand different processes and systems, and how to integrate those into your business right away. The steps to producing consistent, profitable and repeatable revenue.  How to build and sustain a winning team by learning how, who and when to hire.  Breaking down how you manage your business, track metrics, and reach your goals. Understanding the critical alignment between you and your business, so you can live your best life.  Escape the day-to-day grind, and move into another level of being excited about your business.  The CEO Nation will encompass mental, spiritual, relational and physical health tips to keep you at the top of your game. And so much more intended to help you move from hustling entrepreneur to CEO.   The CEO Nation Website The CEO Nation Facebook Group