In this episode of the "Ask Mike" segment, host Mike Michalowicz and co‑host Jeremy discuss two unrelated listener topics. First, Jeremy recounts how he trained his male cat to use a human toilet, a process that ultimately saved the cat’s life by revealing a kidney/bladder infection that would have gone unnoticed in a litter box. He outlines a step‑by‑step method: moving the litter box near the toilet, gradually raising it with books, placing a colander with litter on the seat, and slowly removing the litter until the cat balances directly on the seat, noting the need for a non‑slip surface. Second, they answer a question from listener Kizzy Belkarme, who has just earned $150 from her cleaning‑service startup and wonders whether to implement the Profit First cash‑allocation system. Mike advises starting immediately, even with a penny of profit, emphasizing the habit of allocating revenue, using a fee‑free bank or credit union, and avoiding the misconception that a revenue threshold must be met before adopting Profit First. The episode closes with a call for listeners to submit future questions.
Questions this video answers
Start the Profit First process immediately, even with $150. Use a bank that doesn’t charge fees, allocate even a penny of profit to build the habit, and avoid waiting for a revenue threshold.
Chapters
Welcome to a brand new segment we call Ask Mike. Jeremy, I know you get emails every so often, not just about your cats, but. Yes, before we do the Ask Mike, you. You do have to say this. So off air I said, some people train their cats to use a toilet and you're like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, you actually did.
I previously trained my cat to use the toilet and the reason why it saved his life, because he had a bladder infection. I didn't know it. Or, sorry, a kidney. They have issues with urination.
Yes.
And male cats can get blocked up. Well, it kills them really quickly because it builds up the toxins if they can't get it out. Long story short, he went to use the bathroom and he would just sit there and cry. And I looked in the toilet and I saw blood. If it was a litter box, he.
May have scratched over it or whatever. Yeah.
I wouldn't have seen it. So I took him to the vet and they said, I got there just in time, thank God.
How do you teach a vet to use your actual toilet? Did you share a toilet with your cat?
Do you want to call this segment how to teach your cat how to use the toilet?
I just don't even know how you teach your cat.
So it's a lot of hats. So here's how you do it. So you move the litter box close to the toilet.
You're like, watch. Then you go, watch me?
Yeah. Then they get used to it being close to it. Then you raise it up, and then you raise it up and you raise up use books or whatever. And then they have to jump up to get in. Then eventually you put. Put it on the top of the toilet seat.
Okay.
Then you take. Lift the toilet seat up, put a colander with cat litter in there, and then they start using that. And then you slowly take out more cattler. More catt litter until eventually it's just a colander. And then once they start, once they can go with the colander without the cat litter, you take that out and then they just.
And they balance on the seat itself.
Yeah. The only issue I had was I had to buy. I had to buy a separate toilet seat. This sounds ridiculous. With skateboard grip tape. Because his. His paws would slip.
Slip off.
Yeah. So that kind of kept him.
But then how would you use the toilet seat? Or do you have to swap it out? Did it have its own bathroom?
Yeah, yeah, he had his own b. Okay.
Of course. Yeah. At least you're not like, you know, obsessed with cats. So let's go into this Is really.
Are we really going into this?
Yeah, let's go into Ask Mike.
Okay. All right. So this question is from Kizzy Belkarme. I think I'm pronouncing that correctly. She really enjoyed your book so far. She's super excited and eager to get started with the system in her business. She moved to a new state three weeks ago, and she's landed her first client from her cleaning services company. Based on how she has things set up for the month, her total income will be 150, I think.
150,000, I assume, right?
No, no, no. I think it's 150. I'm not sure.
$150, period. Okay.
Yeah. I asked my new potential tax prep if she heard about the private first system, and she said that I should not start that system until I make over 100k. I was a little baffled when she said that, so I wanted to get confirmation from you.
Okay, so that's, I would say, poor direction from the accountant. You should start this process immediately. Now, the key is make sure you use a bank that doesn't charge any fees, because it sounds like if it's really $150 is this first project and that's what you're going to get. Some banks have a minimum. They're going to charge you a fee. But if there's other banks like the one we use as a credit union down the road, there's no fees. You can have a minimum balance. And so start up immediately because you want to get in the habit and say you make a $1%, if that's what you start with for profit is a penny. But you still want to get in the process of allocating that penny, because then once it becomes $10, now it's a dollar or ten cents. And as it gets bigger, you've had this habit. Habit established. I think the biggest mistake people make is they think they should wait for a certain trigger point and they now have established a bad habit.
Yeah.
What do you think, Kels? Yeah.
Is that it? That's it. That's it. That's. Yeah, that's Kizzy.
All right, my friends. Well, there you have it. There's your first Ask Mike on the podcast. If you have one, email us at what state? Email us at ask mike@mikemcalowicz.com ask mike@mikemcalowitz.com.
