Episode 047: Andy Frisella - The MFCEO & 1st Phorm

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This is the Rise of the Young.

Podcast bringing you insights from the most innovative entrepreneurs and influencers of this era. Hosted by 17 year old entrepreneur, author, public speaker and branding expert Casey Adams. Now let's get right into the show.

Casey Adams here. Welcome to the Rise of the Young podcast. Super excited about this episode. We have the man, Andy Frisella with us today. Really appreciate you coming on, Andy.

Of course, brother. I'm excited to be on for sure.

So I know that, I'm sure a lot of people that are watching obviously know who you are. You've been able to create a massive movement on social media. But for those one or two people that may not know who Andy Frisella is, I'd love to just hear your intake on that, man.

You know what, I'm just a normal dude who runs some companies, you know, and I not, you know, I'm not a celebrity or some sort of special kind of guy. I'm just a regular guy who, who has been in business for a long time. I started when I was 19 years old, when I was a, when I was a kid, you know, I was always entrepreneurial minded and always obsessed with, with entrepreneurship and business. And you know, I've just been down a long road where, where in reality I've been in this a long time, 19 years. But I started so young that I'm not really, not that much older than, than guys who are getting started like yourself. So I try to give back. I try to provide actionable information, not just motivation which I think lacks with a lot of the info out right now so the guys like you man, can, can come up and kill it. You know what I'm saying? So that, that's, that's what I'm about the company, the biggest company that I own, that the one that everybody recognizes is called First Form International. We make nutritional supplements, we're high end, we're definitely not cheap, we're, we're at the highest price point, but we're also the best. And I own six different companies that are vertically integrated that all have to do with sports nutrition. I own some real estate stuff and, and then I have my podcast, which is called the MF CEO Project, which is a top 10 podcast in the world. Started it just like you did, man. And, and you know, I'm just trying to set an example for guys like you brought. For sure.

I really appreciate that, man. And for everyone listening, if you haven't checked out his podcast, it's the most fire out of every podcast, man. Like not even just for your on your band, but like the most in depth, real valuable podcast that I've ever listened to.

Yeah, it gets, it gets pretty heated sometimes. You could always tell when I'm having a rough day. Yeah, for sure.

I literally listened to like six episodes today, man, all day at school. But yeah, so when it comes to your journey, I mean, obviously I have a lot of younger entrepreneurs that follow me and when, when it comes to. You said you started entrepreneur journey around 19, so like when you were 17, 18, 19. What was Andy Prisella back then doing on a day to day basis?

Oh, man, you know, just, dude, the same things that people think about now. You know, I was trying to figure out how I could make the most money. I was trying to figure out, you know, if if college was the right thing for me or if it wasn't. I was trying, you know, I was trying to get into girls and which not having very much success with that and just going through that journey of trying to, you know, figure out what I was about. Because what I felt I was about wasn't what everybody else thought I should be about. You know what I mean? I always felt like I was going to do my own thing and I knew I was different than other people, but because everybody else was telling me to do A, B and C, I believe that I was, there's something wrong with me. So I had, I had a difficult time during those years, you know what I'm saying? I'm sure a lot of you guys can relate to that. You know, unfortunately, people that have your best interests in mind don't always realize what they're actually saying to you. And so I was just trying to figure it out, man. I had just Got done. I was a pretty good athlete in high school and I had just, that had just ended for me. So I really didn't want to play college sports. I could have. I had a lot of opportunity to do that. I just chose not to. And it kind of worked out for me too because I had a number of Division 1 scholarship offers to play football. I ended up getting hurt really bad in football, so. So once that happened, you know, I was bummed, man. I was like really distraught and really upset because that was my dream at the time. And looking back, I'm very happy that it didn't work out because I wasn't going to play in the NFL. You know what I mean? I was good, but I wasn't that good. And I really, I wouldn't have got on this path, you know what I mean? For real? Yeah.

Stuff works out because actually so like for me, two years ago, kind of same thing happened. I was playing football and I'm not someone big, I'm only like five, six or whatever, but always been involved with sports. And I had a neck injury that almost had me paralyzed in 10th grade and I was in a neck brace for like 20 weeks. And it's funny that you say that, that's awesome because it's just like so relatable to me because like, I was literally wasn't able to ever play football again. So I just wanted to point that out because like, that's so awesome. Like, this is really vibe with me there.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, man, for sure. You know, a lot of times it's been my experience that things happen. Like, you know, it sounds corny, right? Like, oh, everything happens for a reason. But man, the truth is, is that it's very true. I, you know, when I look back and think about all the things that, the little, that what I thought were coincidences or setbacks at the time, really, it wasn't that at all. It was just like the universe kind of guided me back on the path that I was wanting to be on in a long, long haul, you know what I mean? For sure, for sure. That's what's up.

So I know that regarding leadership, I think that's definitely something that I've taken away from you. How to really be a leader when it comes to culture. And that's something that I really like to focus on when I'm studying stuff from you. So when it comes to leadership for all, like the 17 to 25 year olds that may be listening, the thousands of them, what's one of like the most important things that you'd want filled with 15 to 25 years to 5 year olds to know about leadership.

Okay, first of all, when you're that age, right, and you're looking around and, and you're not a hundred percent sure of yourself, you know, you act like you are, but the truth is on the inside, none of us were right. And stepping up and like going against the grain or going what, what you think is right or, or leading a very scary thing for a lot of people. Because, you know, when I grew up, dude, I wasn't ever like the captain of the football team and I wasn't ever like, I wasn't ever vocal, you know, and I wasn't considered a leader. And what I learned, the truth is, is that leadership is a skill. Just like shooting free throws is a skill and if you shoot more free throws, you're going to get better at it. And leadership is just like that. So the biggest thing that I would say is, like, dude, you have to understand that leadership is a necessary skill for you to develop if you want to make a lot of money in your life, okay, You've got to develop it. Two, you have to understand that you have to let go of what your friends are going to think or what people are going to think, like if they're going to snicker at you or they're going to laugh at you or they're going to do this or that. Because the truth of it is is once you step up and start becoming a leader, you're going to get one person join you and you're going to get two people to join you. If you're leading from the right place, you know, and doing the right thing. And eventually those people that are laughing at you are going to be the people that are asking you for a job. So you can't let, you can't let social influence or your friends or people make you feel like you can't be a leader. And I think the third thing, and one of the most important things to understand is that, you know, everybody can learn that skill. It really isn't, it's not charisma. It's not like, you know, we, in our history, people look at leaders as like very vocal people that they have to be this certain type of person, a charismatic leader. Those are the ones that are celebrated the most. And the truth of it is is that you don't have to be that way. There's a different leadership style for everybody. And really what lead leadership comes down to is two different things. One is that you're setting the example, okay? You guys are all old enough now to have heard, you know, the Vince Lombardi quote, that leadership isn't the best way to lead. Leadership is the only way to lead, okay? And so you have to set the example. Like, if you're not doing what you need to do, then other people aren't gonna hope. Aren't gonna do it when you ask them to do it. So you have to do what you ask of other people, and you have to be willing to do it, and you have to be willing to do it better than them, okay? And then the second thing is, is that you can't tolerate less than the level that you expect, okay? A lot of people, and this is the thing that young guys really struggle with when it comes to leaders, guys and girls, the leadership is that, you know, you look, you have a standard, right? And your standard is a level 10. It's excellence. And you, because you're thinking you're a nice guy, you, one of your team members or somebody on your squad performs at a level 8, and you're like, well, I don't want to bust that guy's balls too hard. You know, he's normally a pretty good guy. And you tolerate it well. What happens is, is that that person will continue to operate at that level eight over and over and over again. And what you're doing is because you're becoming a weak leader, and you let them slide, you're actually harming them. And this is the biggest concept for me that took a long time to learn. And if you can learn this, young man, it's really good, because, you know, we all want to help the people that we're leading. We all want to help people who are friends and people that we care about. And when we let them slide and operate at less potential than what they're capable of, we're hurting them because they're going to make less money, they're going to have less success, they're going to be more frustrated. So it's important not to tolerate anything less than the standard that you set. And that means, you know, A, showing them what the standard is through your actions, and B, you know, calling them out whenever they do things that are below that. Below that standard. And that doesn't mean you have to yell at them. That can be something as simple as, like, hey, bro, you know, you slacked.

On that right there.

I saw that. And, like, give them a little shit about it. You know what I mean? There's always different little techniques to get somebody back up to the level. So it's not necessarily confrontation. It can be a lot of different ways.

I was just listening to your podcast recently with one of my good friends, Charlie, Charlie Jabli. It's funny because I was listening to that and I'm kind of like the whole Nike thing, I just wanted to share this with you because me and Charlie, we connected about a month ago and literally he followed me the day that he dropped his video about the Nike sponsorship. And I own a viral marketing company and we work with a lot of people to get videos viral. So me and Charlie were chatting and we actually put that video on my Facebook page and brought it to like a million views in seven days. But the reason I bring that up is because I definitely want to bring up just when he talked about just like living who you position yourself to be. So it's like Charlie Rocket, right? And I know that you guys really went in depth about that and I just wanted to kind of get your intake when it comes to self esteem and really just how you hold your character so highly and really just stay aligned with your vision and what you do.

Well, the first thing that you need to understand is that. Are you getting an echo a little bit?

Not really though.

Okay, so the first thing that you need to understand about self esteem is that, you know, our parents, our teachers, especially for you younger guys, man, you know, they're telling you that you should always feel good about yourself and you should always believe in yourself and you should always have confidence and all this shit. But here's the reality, dude, that stuff is earned. Okay? So like you're not, if you're, if you're not a good person, if you're not doing the right things, if you're not doing the things that are going to move you forward, that you know in your heart you're. You shouldn't feel good about yourself. So the first thing you have to understand is the way, just like I said, leadership is a skill. Confidence, self esteem, you know, self worth, these other things can be built, all right? And they're built through you being productive towards the things that you want to go towards, which, by the way, are also intentional decisions. Alright? So for example, in Charlie's case, Charlie wanted to be an athlete. All right? So what do athletes do? Athletes eat right, athletes train every day, all right? And as he's eating right and as he's training every day, he's gaining self worth, he's gaining self esteem, he's gaining confidence in the fact that he can Achieve that. So when you're. When he has a day where, you know, we all have days like this where we don't eat right and we don't train or in our case, as entrepreneurs, we don't make the calls we should have made or we don't connect the way we should have, we start to feel worse about ourselves. So self esteem is something that constantly moves, right? So you have to understand, like your teachers and all that to tell you, oh, you should feel good about your. They're full of shit. It's not the way it works. It's. You could tell yourself all day long, I'm confident, I'm so I have self esteem and this and that, you know in your heart if you're doing what you should be doing. And that's where that really comes from for sure.

Definitely. On the topic of just when it comes to the younger generation and self esteem and just what, what do you think is like, I know that you talk a lot about just like the younger generation with social media. So when it comes to, like, the younger generation that you're seeing, what do you think is some challenges? Whether that be what they're putting on social media or just something do you see? The younger generation should know moving into the entrepreneur world from someone like you who has massive experience.

Dude, look, man, I love the younger generation. They're smarter than us, they're more skilled than us, they have more resources than us. Because you're able to learn through podcasts and social media and all these things that, like, guys like me didn't have, which will accelerate the amount of time it takes for you to be successful. No question, where it took me, you know, 12 years to really get things rolling, it should take you six, okay? But here's the thing that you guys have to understand. It's still going to take six, okay? So patience is a big thing. The way I describe patience is this. And I like to use the analogy of an axe. Okay? So an ax is, like the best tool ever invented because it shaped the landscape, literally and figuratively, of our country. All right? The ax takes a bunch of different components for it to work, all right? One, it takes effort. If you swing the ax over and over or if you let the ax sit on the floor, it's not going to do anything. You've got to swing it over and over and over again hard, right? So it's effort. Two, it takes consistency, all right? If you don't hit the tree in the same spot over and over and over again, you just go up and down the tree and the trees never gonna fall down. Alright? The last third thing it takes is self awareness, alright? You've got to be able to evaluate when your blade is getting dull, okay? If you don't stop every once in a while to sharpen your blade, it doesn't matter how many times you hit the tree in the same spot and how hard you swing it, you're going to be frustrated. And the way this works for you guys is that you've got to put time in a mental development. You've got to be aware that maybe, maybe you need to stop and evaluate your work and make sure that you're doing everything right. Right. And the fourth thing, and this is where you guys have to really think, is patience. Okay? You're trying to chop down a massive tree, dude, I'm trying to build, I'm trying to make millions of dollars. I'm trying to be very successful. That's a big tree, dude. So it doesn't matter how sharp your axes, it doesn't matter how hard you swing it, it doesn't matter how consistent you are. Guess what? Still going to take time. Okay? And that's the biggest thing that, that you younger guys have to understand because you don't like, you guys don't have the patience aspects that we, the guys like me had. Okay? Like, you guys have social media. You connect with everybody instantly, you text everybody, you get food instantly, wherever you want. Yeah. Everything in your life is based around right now, instant gratification and instant. That's awesome, right? I enjoy all that shit too. We all do. But I think where it hurts the younger generation is they just have an unrealistic time frame. Of what, how much time it's going to take. And you have to understand that success takes a long time. Okay? And while it might not take as long as it did for me, because of the technology that you guys have, it's still going to take you years. And so like trying something for a month or three months or six months, I get a lot of young guys who are like, dude, I tried this for six months and it's not working, bro. Like six months, man. I take naps longer than that. You know what I'm saying? Like it's, it's something that you have to be aware of. So try not, try to remember, like we're cutting down a big tree, man, A big, big tree. And it's just gonna take time for sure.

Definitely. It's funny because I know that just meeting a lot of young people, I think that's definitely vital, especially from like listening to you, listening to Gary. It's just, I feel like, especially I love how you brought up like the instant gratification because it's just two different. Like, you know, you guys had none of that. And for like a younger generation, we can't even like fathom that in process, you know, but.

And it's just something that really hurts a lot of young guys because they expect. Because like, dude, here's the other thing. Like, our media and our, our, our society celebrates the rags to riches, right? They want to tell you the story of the guy who started this app or this, this business or this something. And guess what? Now Google bought it for a billion dollars in six months or whatever. You know, these crazy stories. But you guys have to remember this isn't about quick, right? This is about for sure. So like, you know, getting rich quick, it's like the, it's the romantic thing, right? But getting rich for sure is the ultimate goal, right? Like, you guys, you guys at your age have, have this great opportunity to be like, literally 10 years ahead of like where I am in life. So, like, dude, I'm, I'm 38. You could be where I'm at at 28. You know, I mean, it's amazing. So, you know, just, just understand that, you know, it's gonna take some time for that tree to come down. For sure. Yeah.

So for me, I, as someone young, I think networking, I'm sure you would agree, is huge for me, huge for any sort of relationship in business. So when it comes to you from a networking perspective, meeting people, I always, you always hear the quote, like your network is your network. How has that impacted you and how has the people around you coming up to where you are now impacted your life?

Well, dude, I mean, it's, it's, it's a huge deal, right? Like, you know, opportunities come through the action and through the relationships that you have. So you have to make sure that you're associating with the right people. And you know, when you start out, you've got your, like, you know, where you are in high school, you've got your high school buddies, right? And everybody starts there. I've started there too. And you have probably just knowing you a little bit, you have high ambitions for yourself. And probably most of your friends, they don't get it yet, right? And what's going to happen is you're going to start to feel them use, rise and them sort of drift away from you, and you're going to get in A phase where, like, you feel like you're alone, okay? And that phase is going to last for a while. I get a lot of messages from guys like you who are ambitious, who are hustling, who are doing stuff, and they're like, dude, I don't have any friends. Nobody calls me. Nobody asked me to go out. Because you're always being productive. But, you know, you still want to have that relationship. So you have to understand, you don't lose friends. What happens is you go through phases and, and there's nothing wrong with the friends you have, by the way. Like, dude, don't, like, look down on them because they don't share the same ambition, you know? Love them for who they are. You know what I'm saying? Like, they're your buddies, you know what I'm saying? But what's gonna happen is you're gonna start to progress and you're gonna find new people that come in your life that are aligned with your vision and where you felt like, you know, in the beginning, maybe people weren't supporting you or they were not helping you. At the very least, you're going to find a group of people who share the same vision, same ambitions. And those relationships that might come at your age, you know, if you're 17, 18 now, they might come when you're 25. Those relationships are going to be the ones that really fulfill you because they align with your. With your goals. You know what I'm saying? So, dude, it's a huge deal, you know, and that's why, like, in. In. In this space, like we were saying off the feed earlier, you know, networking with people who are already doing it, everybody works together. There's no animosity. So, I mean, of course everybody wants to win, but it's friendly, you know what I mean? And, and so what you find is that you. You really enrich your life with quality people versus people who don't share the same vision. But, dude, I'm going to tell you, you're going to go through that desert, man, where there's nobody around and it's. It can get lonely.

So that was pretty much like my last two years, man. Cause, like, it's so funny how, like, when it comes to, for me, networking, especially from a young age, like, you brought it up. So, like, you know Caleb Maddox, by chance? Yeah, the Caleb. He's my homie. Actually. He actually invited me to an event out in San Diego, like, beginning of 2017, and that's kind of like where I met Dan Fleshman. And all these Guys. Caleb. Yeah, yeah, me. I was talking with Dan last week about you and he was like, yeah, dude, like, definitely get him on your podcast. And then that's when I reached out to you. But yeah, man, I just wanted to bring it up because, I mean, when Caleb kind of invited me to this event in San Diego, that was like my first time flying across the country. Went to Cali, spoke this event and epic Mastermind experience. No, no.

Where are you in country?

Virginia.

Okay, cool.

Yeah, yeah. So I went out there and that was like, for me, that was two years ago, like the opening, like, holy shit. Of like, this is what being in the right room feels like, you know, and like, that's kind of like. It's funny how you brought that up about like the desert feeling. Because even for me, like in high school, like I literally, I still have my friend group, but it's like they're like, you said, they're off to the side, right? So. And then it was funny because literally from that trip I literally went out to LA or San Diego to network for like every single month for like the entire 2017, just to build my network, just to build my brand. And I think definitely a lot of people, they're just not getting the factor of just like continuous being in the same room with the right people. That will like really help you level.

Up, you know, a huge deal. Huge, for sure. And a lot of people will feel morally wrong about that. They're like, well, you're just doing that so you can get something. No, that's not how you do it. You won't be successful like that. You have to look at it like, what can I do for these people? What can I do to bring value to these guys? What can I do to help them? And when you start becoming that person, it gets reciprocated. You know what I mean? Yeah, for sure.

Definitely. And so another thing I wanted to bring up because I know with first form regarding this influencer marketing, I want to kind of get some tactical things right now. So when it comes to force firm, I've been following the brand for a while and you guys have an amazing just marketing strategy with influencer marketing, social media and just everything. Learning that like, because I've talked with Dan a lot and I know that you guys are definitely good friends and just, it's amazing to see what you've been able to build and I definitely like give you much appreciation for that. But when it comes to just the space of marketing for a product based company, like what would you say is, like, very critical to even starting in.

That space, in the influencer marketing space. Okay. You gotta have a culture, man. You know, people want to be a part of something. They don't want to just sell shit. So you have to learn what culture is, and you have to learn how to build it. And that's what, you know, what I Talked about at 10x. A lot of companies just think they're trying to sell something that's not what you want to do. You want to create something people want to be a part of, which means you have to have a mission and you have to have an objective. And so whatever it is your product does, whatever service it provides, whatever solution it provides, you have to make sure that your mission resonates with everything that you do. And I know that sounds like abstract to people because they don't understand, but it's really not. It's just about identifying so certain qualities that you stand for inside your heart and making them known inside your business. And then when you approach people, it's not like, hey, buy my stuff. It's, hey, we're trying to do this and we want you to help. And it's a totally different thing.

Yeah, I totally feel you. Because, I mean, definitely, because I even had people that hit me up regarding just, yeah, can you connect me with this influencer and stuff? And, like, I look at their page and, like, they have a product and, like, they have, you know, attachment to it. You know, no culture. And that's something that I really took away from. I mean, just definitely your entire presentation at 10x, like, that just really hit home because I really, Even for, like, personal branding, you know, it's like you have with the MF CEO, it really cultivates and correlates to, like, every genre, and I feel like a lot of people don't really grasp that. And I think that's definitely something. After listening to, like, a lot of your podcasts and really following you, that's the biggest thing that I've taken away, and that's just so huge to everything you've been able to do and everything you're trying to push out to people, you know.

You know, my personal brand. The reason that we get people who. Who are willing to be a part of it, who help it, and who. Who believe in it is because they believe in that mission. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Whatever it is you're selling, it has a purpose, and you need to figure out what that purpose is. And you dedicate yourself to really marketing that instead of Your product for sure.

So when it comes to personal branding, now that we're on the topic of that, I know that you went super hard over last year. I've really been following your growth and it's been tremendous. So when it comes to like your position on starting to put out a personal brand, what was your kind of switch to, like, I'm gonna go hard on this. Just. I'm curious about that, dude.

You know what? It kind of happened for accident for me started I was recording a book with Vaughn, who you met earlier. He's my co host on the podcast. And we were, I had these, like, this is back when Instagram, like back 13, 14 when it had only 15 second videos and, and dude, we kept putting these clips out that were only 15 seconds long and people were like, dude, where can I, where can I listen to your podcast? And I'm like, man, I don't have a podcast. And I did that for like a long time. I'd always answer back, it's not a podcast, it's a book. Then one day I'm like, duh, you should start a podcast. And that's really how it happened for me. And then what I, you know, I started to realize, like, hey there, there's real value to this. One of the things that got me to understand the power of personal branding was Gary Vaynerchuk's book, Crush It. And you know, it got. I read that book a long time ago, but I never took it serious for my personal brand. I took it serious for my company brands. And what I realized is that like, dude, your personal brand is really the most valuable thing that you could ever create. Because no matter what happens with your company, no matter what happens, what happens, what happens, Shit crumbles to the ground. You still have a story to tell and you have lessons learned, you have people to inspire, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And you can always work with that. So like, it's, it's almost like I started to see it as an insurance policy, but. But the truth is, is now it's become a full blown thing, dude. You know where I'm getting paid crazy amounts of money to speak for an hour. You know, it's like, dude, I make more money in an hour than I made my litter. And literally in my first 10 years in business, you know, for sure, it, it's, it pays off, man. Definitely.

Yeah. Because even if I brought up the crusher book, because I recently I had a meeting, like a quick little 15 minute meeting, like how Gary does The things up in New York. And, like, because I read Crush it, literally, like, two and a half years ago when I was in my neck brace. And that's kind of like where I made the switch of, like, shit, I'm young. Let me try to. Let me try this personal brand thing. And that's kind of how I started really getting in contact with people. Like, for me and you, I sent you a dm, right? That's how. That's literally how I've been able to get in contact with, like, everyone that I've been able to meet. And I definitely. Everyone listening. I definitely try to go hard on, like, the value of personal branding.

You know, I think. I think the important thing about that, Casey, is that you got to be doing something for people to take you serious, you know? Like, dude, I get so many people that are like, dude, I'm starting a podcast. I want you to be a guest. I just don't even respond like, you know what I'm saying? But, like, dude, if you have a podcast and you're already doing it, and then you say, hey, I want you to be on the show, like, yeah, dude, I'm gonna fucking give you. Give you some time. Because, dude, other people gave me time, just like other people gave Gary time, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And, dude, that's how we all grow together. So, like, dude, when you're actually doing something, people respect you, and they'll. And usually they'll work with you. You know, it might take you a year of reaching out before you get someone to say yes. But, dude, most of these dudes I met are pretty good dudes, you know, I'm sure gonna help you out for sure.

Like, sort of like this. You know, this is. That's what you're doing for me, you know? And I honestly, it takes so much, like, appreciation to have someone like you beyond. And I think a lot of people, especially from, like, my kind of generation, like, I come from a small town, middle of nowhere Virginia. A lot of drug dealings, negative energy sort of stuff. And, like, for me, just getting out and traveling has all came from literally just in my phone, personal branding, and really building my viral marketing agency as well. But, like, I think a lot of people just underestimate the power of the, Especially with, like, what's happening now, you know? And it's funny because the first time I met Dan Fleshman, he schooled me up real quick on, like, directions to take my personal brand. And I definitely just when it comes to the overall game of Branding. I think you're one of the people that I really look to and try to model some techniques after, because you're really creating a good culture. And I definitely. I'm trying to replicate that in my own way.

Right? Yeah. And, dude, that's the important part, right? In your own way. Yeah. A lot of people, like, when we talked about, like, a 10x, I talked about being authentic. Right. So one of the things I do, and I'm trying to keep it clean now because I don't want to. I don't. But you've heard me speak on my podcast, and I curse a lot.

Right.

But that's how I speak with my bros, man. Like, that's who I am. So, like, it's not an act. So a lot of people will hear, be authentic. And what they hear is, like, try to be like this, dude. And, like, do it like that, because that works. That's not going to work for you, man, because, like, what's going to work for you is your style. And you have to be in tune with what authenticity really is. And what authenticity really is is who you really are. And who you really are will relate to a lot of other that are just like you. You know what I mean? So you can't. You can't try to emulate other people. I see a lot of people trying to emulate Gary because Gary's, you know, so well known right now. And you, you know, there's not going to be another Gary. There's not going to be another Andy, there's not going to be another Dan Fleischman. You know, just like, there's not going to be another Amazon. You know, you can't copy if you're copying something. What you're truly doing is you're copying decisions that were made years ago. Okay. Strategies that were made years ago and perfected years ago, which means you're always years behind. Yeah. So being authentic and figuring out how you can innovate yourself is the most important thing you just said. You know what I mean?

Sure, definitely. And it's funny that you brought that up. I was gonna ask you about authenticity. And I even get a lot of people from, like, a younger generation standpoint, they ask me, like, how do I be authentic? And I feel like a lot of people just have, like, the misconception of, like, they don't understand you've gotta be you. Like, for me, what really kind of started twisting my mind was, like, when I started asking the people questions and just really doing Instagram stories and, like, being me. That's when I got the most engagement. That's when I got the most interaction, you know?

Yep, exactly, bro. And like, dude, the hurdle that people have to overcome there, especially with young people, is that, like, you don't have that confidence yet. So you're like, oh, nobody's gonna really, like. In your head, you're like, nobody really wants to hear what I have to say. Well, you'd be surprised if you just say it the way that you would say it. You know what I mean? And, you know, when I first started, man, because of the way that I talk and the way that I'm. That I, you know, I kind of let loose, and when I get intense, dude, I'm fucking intense. Ye. I got a lot of flack, bro. A lot of people hated it, you know what I mean? A lot of people were like, dude, you're just some loudmouth dude who curses all the time. Well, if that's what you hear, I'm probably not for you. You know what I mean? And that's okay. There's. There's other people out there that are. That are. That don't do that, that you probably resonate with, and that's, you know, that's something that you have to ex. You have to expect and accept. You know what I mean? It's just the way it is, for sure.

And then, last couple questions for you, man. I want to take too much of your time, but when it comes to just. You've obviously built a massive, real organization. And I think for a lot of people listening, as well as for myself, when it comes to getting people on your team and building the team from the upfront, as in like, hiring people and making sure they're on track and keeping them accountable. What's your kind of practical tips that you'd give to someone like, just starting to hire people?

The biggest thing is that, dude, hiring that first person is real scary, right? Because people are like, well, how do I know he's gonna do what I need to do? Or how do I know that. That she's gonna not steal from me? Or how do I know? How do I know? How do I know? And they. How do that? How do I know themselves right out of fucking business? So what you. You don't know. So all you can do, right, when you don't know is what trust people. And so we have to realize is that other people want to win, just like you want to win. They might not want to be the main person, but they want to contribute to something meaningful. So the best Thing that you can do is, is A, trust people and B, build something that they want to be a part of, okay? Because if they love being a part of it, if you guys are having fun and you're accomplishing your mission, which I mentioned earlier, you're going to have good people. It's not about hiring good people. It's about building good people. You know what I mean? So, you know, when you're at the young level, man, you just got to trust a little bit, and you got to be. You got to understand that, like, people want to win just like you. You know what I mean, sir? For sure.

Another quick question just before I ask the last one, when it comes to just staying on track, because I hear a lot of people when they say, whether that be, where do you want to be in 10 years or three years, what's your intake on goal setting? Like, do you set daily goals, weekly goals, or do you have an outlook and, like, an end goal that you're always striving for?

Dude, look, man, I want to be a fucking billionaire, okay? Like, I say that over and over again, like, not just a billionaire, but like a multi billionaire. I want to be the best. I want to be the best at what I do that ever lived. I want to change more lives than have ever been changed. I want to help more people than I've ever been helped through our fitness companies. I want to help more people get in shape. I want to help more people with my personal development. And I know that if I can be the best at those things, that the billions will happen. So that's my, like, goal. I don't have a specific number or anything like that. I just want to be the best. When I was young, my goal was I wanted to own a Lamborghini. And. And so I set that goal for myself. And the biggest thing that I did, I did three things, okay? Three things that help with goal setting. And you should definitely have goals, right? One, I practice gratitude in the morning, all right? So when I brush my teeth, the first thing I do is brush my teeth. And I hope you guys do, too, because otherwise people aren't gonna like very much. Yeah, so. Exactly, man. Like Brad said. So you gotta brush your teeth, all right? And while you're brushing your teeth, you think about the things that you're thankful for. You've got, you know, a nice place to live. You got food. You don't have to worry about drinking contaminated water. You don't. Whatever it is. You got a girlfriend, you got good friends, et cetera. Et cetera, et cetera, whatever you can find. All right? And what that does is that puts you in a mental state of appreciation, and it makes you have a positive start to your day. All right? I follow that up with a workout. All right? That's another thing that can help you get the positive momentum started for the day. The second thing I do is I spend time right before I go to bed visualizing. All right, so when I was young and when I was. I was. I didn't start this till about 2006, and at that time, I was about 60 to $70,000 in credit card debt. I had just moved back home with my parents, with my dad, and I found out about this visualization stuff, and I was like, man, you know, this sounds like bullshit, but, you know, I'm. I'm not doing very well, so I'll try it. And, yeah, I started thinking of before I went to bed. I would close my eyes, and I would see myself driving up to a private jet in the Lamborghini that I wanted. And I would try to visualize it, like, an extreme detail. Like, I would pull up and I would see the door go up, and I would look out the door and see the jet, and I could tell that, like, the interior, carbon fiber. And I could see the chrome on the handrails of the stairs that go up to the jet. And I would try to see the interior as clear as I could and as much detail as I could. And it's important to know that you. You shouldn't be thinking about how you're going to get it at this time. This is just fun time, right? This is just, what do you really want? And. And so I used to think also about people cheering. Like, a large crowd clapping and shit. Like, I was on stage because, like, I grew up wanting to be a rapper. So, like, that's what I thought I was, like, seeing, but ended up, I'm a speaker, so who figured? But anyway, it's pretty close. Yeah, so. But I visualize every night still to this day. Okay, so those are two things. And the other thing that I utilized that I thought was very effective is a vision board. I got very specific about what I wanted. I went and found pictures of it. Not on my phone. I made an actual board and put pictures on it. I cut them out of a magazine, and I still do that. So, like, those three things can really help you make your goals reality. A lot of you guys are probably like, this sounds like total bullshit, but I promise you, if you just listen to me, and do it. You'll be surprised. The other thing I do is I utilize a power list, okay? And a power list is a day by day accountability checklist. And it's designed to create momentum. It's designed to help build confidence, self esteem, all the things that we talked about earlier through winning the day. Okay? And so there's an episode on my podcast called episode. It's episode 107 where I cover this concept in complete detail. It's called Win the day. All right? And I cover this. It is a fail safe system. Like it cannot be. It cannot fail. It's a guaranteed system that can get you from where you are to where you want to be. Okay? If you follow it, if you're consistent with it, it's you absolutely cannot fail. And it's the only system that I've been able to figure out that there's no holes in. So it would take me like an hour to explain it all. But the best thing is just to go listen to the podcast. It's episode MFC. The MF CEO project is named the podcast episode 107.

Definitely. And all that will be in the description, everyone. But last thing before I let you go, Andy. So I know we've talked a lot, a lot about different things, but even for myself, I take fitness seriously. And I know you do as well. What's like a fitness tip overall that you give to people in your company or that you have on yourself? Because I know health is wealth and that's definitely. I know something you take seriously as well. But what's that? As like a few things you'd want people to know before we head out.

Don't overcomplicate it. All right, dude, get. All right. Make sure you're drinking a lot of water. Water can do a lot of good stuff for you. You're going to meet personal trainers, you're going to meet nutritionists, and you're going to meet people who try to make it real complicated. It's not complicated, okay? You gotta fill your body with good food. You can't eat shit. You gotta drink a lot of water. And you know, you could get into this more deep, but to be just healthy man, you gotta fucking move. And so like I said a minute ago with gratitude, like, dude, maybe you're not into lifting weights like I'm into, okay, but maybe you're into running. Whatever you're into, do that first thing in the morning so you make sure that it gets done. So like, do brush your teeth. Gratitude. Go out, work out. That's what I do. So, like, I brush my teeth, I go to the gym. I'm there for about an hour and a half, and by the time I'm done, dude, I'm revved up. I'm ready to go. I have momentum, I'm in a positive state, and I feel physically good. And that way I don't have to worry about the rest of the day, A, because it's already done. B, I feel good the rest of the day because if you actually go work out, it energizes your body physically and mentally. So I'm sharper. I'm a better version of myself after doing that. So the biggest thing, dude, drink a lot of water. Make sure that you learn a little bit about diet. Like I said, you don't have to overcomplicate it. All right? You can visit my website. Obviously, I don't want to. I make it a point to try not to plug my own shit.

It's all down there already.

Go to firstform.com there's tons of information on there. You can reach out to our customer service guys. One of the things that makes our company unique is that our customer service reps are actually NASM certified sports nutritionists and NASM certified personal trainers with five years industry experience. So if you call in with a question, doesn't matter what it is, we will help you because that's our goal. Our goal is to help. So, like, doesn't matter if you know nothing or if you know a lot, it doesn't matter where you are, call us and we'll help you. You don't have to buy anything. It's just something that we do because our mission is to make sure people get results. So, like, you know, I don't even care if using other people's products, it doesn't matter. We'll show you how to do shit, right? But yeah, dude, you know, besides that. Get up. Move and get it out of the way. Drink a lot of water. Boom.

That's what's up, man. Andy, man, I really appreciate you coming on for Livestream. One book that's just changed your life that you just want to end on a bang, dude.

The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz is probably the most impactful book that I ever read. I found out about that book from Tim Ferriss. This is like, like, like back in, I don't know, oh, 7 or 08. Yeah, I saw him somewhere and he recommended that book. I don't know if it was online or if it was. I met him in person a couple times. I can't remember where he recommended it, but I think it was in the back of a four hour work work week book that he read or wrote. Anyway, I read Tim's book, I thought it was cool and I started and so what I try to do is read all the other books that that people recommend. So I ordered that book, I read it and dude, I think that book changed my life more than any one single book. So the Magic of Thinking Big by a guy named David Schwartz for sure.

Well Andy, I really appreciate you coming on, man. Everyone listening. If you aren't following him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, whatever it is, I'll be down below. Make sure you go give him a subscribe to his podcast. That is the most fire podcast that I listen to and that's just something. So yeah, Andy, I really appreciate you coming on.

Yeah, dude, thanks for having me. Monarch Legacy of Monsters An Apple original Series the world is on fire. I decided to do something about it on November 17th. This place, it's not ours. Believe me. The most massive event of the year arrives. If you come with me, you'll know know everything. I promise. Monarch Legacy of monsters streaming November 17th only on Apple TV. Plus.