How I Made $10,000,000 in Less Than 12 Months in Insurance Sales ft. Dom Rodgers | Ep69

All of 19, we work together. 7 figures by when?

End of '20. 2020 was the first million dollar year. 12 months.

12 months. You were tracking 6 figures a month net.

Yes. If you're around John Wetmore and you're talking like, oh, this could work, or let's try this, buckle up. The next day he's going to have a plan like, yo, we're doing this, and then you better be, you better be ready. I do. Yeah, that was a good idea yesterday. Like, hell no, we're going to do something with that.

What up, y'all? Welcome back, another episode of the Insurance Insiders Podcast. Got my dude Dom Rogers.

What up?

We got some, we got some history here. I don't even know where to begin with this one. He called me earlier, was like, yo, what do you want to do? I'm like, I don't know, we're gonna hit record and see what happens because this could go anywhere.

It can go about any direction, dude. We could— it could start off, it could start off in, in, uh, in Atlanta, 2013, 13, 14, playing some softball. Like, it could start there. You know what I mean? Or, you know, it could, it could start with—

is that the first time we met? Did we meet?

Yes, we met. You were playing left field. I heard of you.

I knew, I knew of you because you were selling, you were selling a good bit when I got, got to the business for sure. That was 2012. Yep, 2012. I think, I'm pretty sure you were on stage by then. I don't know.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was just the always— yeah, dude, there was 8 of us though, so you know what I mean? Like, you know, when there's 8 and you're 7 and you got to fill up an agenda, you get a spot, okay? We had an agenda to fill up.

Oh Lord, I try to tell people, they don't believe it.

Yeah, man, that was, uh, that was one— I remember the first thing that I, that I learned, that I knew about you, right? I learned through, through probably 2 or 3 other folks were like, hey, like, this guy here, like, is a— like, systems, like, systems all day long, all right? Like, He like, I mean, leads. I remember like when we didn't have leads, it was like us, we were like, okay, we'll figure it out. You're like, dude, I don't have that. Like, we'll figure it out. Like, what do you mean you'll figure it out? Like, no, I need an actual plan to execute. Okay. Where's the plan at? And I remember, I remember our buddy that we have, that we have in common, that he was just like, dude, like, and thank God he was there because without him being there, I don't think we would have been able to bridge the gap between the, um, the, okay, we just know it's going to work. And like, dude, I don't see anything working because there's no leads, right? Yeah. But that willingness, that willingness that you showed early to be flexible on what you, what you knew, right? Which was numbers, which was this, this equals this, but your flexibility early on to, you know, become a little bit more kind of, let's see what will happen and let's trust in people because this is a, this is a trusting people business.

True.

Hey, whether like it or not, right or wrong, you can only get far in this business that you could follow and trust somebody who's doing something absolutely wrong but be on the right track.

Been there.

They like— it, it's just, you'd be like, well, like, now looking back, we're like, yeah, but if I would have— but if I wouldn't have— yep, done it that way, would it even— would I So the answer is always like, no, it probably wouldn't have worked out. So you almost kind of got to go through things to go, well, was that— now when history repeats itself, now, okay, now, now you're a fool. But like, I think as you start going through things, you start to go, wow, well, that work— that kind of didn't work, and I was flexible there, maybe a little bit too flexible over there. And back to where we are now, it's like, all right, well, let's— can we get a little bit more rigid? And doesn't mean rigid as in like not helping or support, but just more of a standard to say, hey, this is where you want to be, but this is where you are. You know what I mean? And I'm sorry, we're not just going to give out gold medals to folks who are at bronze or silver or not even a medal yet. So we've seen a lot over the years. And, but I think where we are now is insurance. You know, you said this is the Insurance Insiders podcast. It's like, as an insurance as a whole, I've never seen this so accessible. Yeah, to, to everybody. And, and I hope folks don't hear everybody can do this because I don't— I definitely don't believe everybody can do it. Okay, even if they could, most wouldn't, right? But accessible, meaning it's, it's right there. Yeah, it's right there at your fingertips if you're willing to get a little uncomfortable. Okay, and one thing I love about you and the way you teach and It's all about, you know, skill will come, but now with telesales, remote sales, different products, the way we can match up with our annuity department and things like that. Dude, I know that you are, your brain's thinking like 10,000 different ways of systems to make this work, quote unquote, for everybody. Is that fair to say? You know what I mean? Like, you know, so this is the availability that folks have to dive into this industry. Is what excites me the most about today. Um, yeah, 14 years ago it was, man, can we just figure out a way to not be average, you know? And I don't think today— I think not being average isn't enough, you know? I think 14 years ago, for myself personally, I was like, I just don't want to be like everybody else. Um, and that didn't mean rich. Right? That just meant, that just meant not in the same cycle as everybody else. Like the cycle that I saw my mom in, I was like, I don't want to be in that one. You know what I mean? Like, I like, whatever it is, I know what rich is, but I definitely don't want to be waiting until next Friday to be getting paid. Like I didn't want that. You know what I mean? So whatever it took for me not to be normal as everybody else, but today, man, people are clocking in and, you know, doing $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 net. In their bank account through the sell of life insurance. It's crazy. And folks go, is this multi-level? I go, well, I don't know how multi— you saw that one guy doing that. And I remember that year that you went FX, um, you went Hall of Fame, but you were the number one final expense producer. Yeah, dude, that was on your pen. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? So now I think folks are doing what we were doing 10, 12 years ago, and they're just doing it in a place to where they can see their future going somewhere on their own pen, you know what I mean? And I don't know if I saw my life on my own pen going somewhere. Now, do we still want to build a massive agency and things like that? Yes. But I think the way folks are doing it now, you can go out there and sell yourself $300,000, $400,000, $500,000, $600,000 a year, compound that 10, 15 20s, dude, you don't have to be selling by the time you're 35. We have renewals, IUL renewals and things like that. Has anybody map that out, dude. Have you put that in Excel sheet to where like, hey, don't hire— now, now this isn't a recommendation to folks—

don't hire.

But if I didn't hire and I sold permanent products— yeah, if I sold permanent products, yeah, right? I sold IULs at the clip that I know I can sell IULs at. What would that renewal base look like 10, 15 years from now?

I love this thought process, right? And I want to share how I do, because people talk about it a lot. So I always go like this when, when some— because there's people who see that as a vision of, I want to sell, I'm going to build this renewal base, and then I can chill. I go, cool, lifetime renewals. Yeah, right, that's what, that's what the thing is. I go, cool, um, whose lifetime? Yours or theirs?

Great question.

It's there.

They're, they're gonna be theirs.

Yes. Most of the clients you write, older than you?

Yes.

Okay, you see where I'm going yet, or you ain't figured it out?

Yep, yep.

You mean it's like, as long as they're around, it's lifetime renewals, but you wrote them because they're not going to be around, you know what I mean? Now, if you're 62 and you're writing 22-year-olds, you'll probably make it, right? You know what I mean? You're 22 and you're writing 40, 50, 60-year-olds, and you're living— you're expecting to live on lifetime renewals, they're gonna be gone when you're 50, right? They won't exist. Everybody be dead, you know what I'm saying? As I see people get caught up in that build the renewal game, even on other lines of insurance, and I'm like, now me, I'm going, how do we build a business? How do we hire people so that that renewal keeps— you keep feeding that tank of renewals, you know? But some people don't see it that way. Um, so yeah, I don't— I, I like that talk because a lot of— every time I've brought that up to someone who thought that, they were like, shit, never thought of that. You never thought the people were gonna die? You're selling them in case they die and you didn't think they were gonna die? You know what I mean? It's always a funny one for me. Um, so I didn't look at this at all, at this business, to be a producer ever. Never. Not one minute during my journey did I look at this like, I want to sell life insurance for a living. I wanted my goal, and you know, back in the day, bro, I can't wait till we can do like a 12-hour one of these where we can really talk. But you know, back in the day, bro, not produce wasn't a thing. Oh shit, you know. Um, and I, I just remember when I came in, and for those that don't know, Dom's been around this business a long time. He's been— and dude, getting to train right hand with Sean all these years, there ain't nobody who has the ride like you've had the ride. And nobody got that insight, you know, being here when he was like in that Honda or whatever the hell it was. The stories, like, you've probably been in the Honda. I just hear about the Honda. Yeah, you probably drove that bitch, you know. It was like, dude, people don't realize how much, how deep and how far back you go in this game and the knowledge base you bring to it, how much you've sold and all that, you know what I mean? And I come in, I meet you there, and I'm like, dude, you ain't never had a job? I remember that. I'm like, what do you— wait, what do you mean? I'm like, bro, I was fucking 35 when we met, probably something like that. I'm like, what do you mean you ain't? I've had 26 jobs. What do you mean you, you've never wore khakis to the office and punched in? Or the warehouse? Not even nothing. And I'm like, what, baseball and insurance? So yeah, dude, I remember early on just being kind of watching and then seeing what you guys were doing. You were the first person I know ever Like, and again, I didn't know anybody in the space. I didn't know anything about this space, dude. I walked in as the part-time accountant. I just fucking tripped one day on the side of a curb and ended up in y'all's fucking room. I don't know how I got there. And, uh, I remember the job thing, and then you, dude, you moved like to a new state to fucking learn the business. Yeah, you know what I mean? And so what— and I see how much you're— you, the way you guys were in the field And then at events, like, you're fucking dialing at the— you're like, screw the event.

Let—

the event is me dialing. Just that mentality of like, go. I was like, what do you mean a lead's a lead's a lead? I don't, I don't, I don't— Claire, what is, what does that mean, bro? I don't even understand those words. I quit over leads. And then I bitched we didn't have any. Cause we didn't. I didn't bitch we didn't have any cause there— I was being a bit— we literally didn't have leads.

There was no leads. There was no leads.

They— FFL opened a company with no leads. They were like, work your book of business. I'm like, my— but the 25 jobs, yeah, I, I just do— I just got here. It was interesting, man. Um, but watching it was different, and I had good people around me at the— you know what I mean? But some of them, they weren't necessarily— the people teaching them weren't doing it the same. No, they were good humans, right? You know what I mean? And I was like Dude, this is just so different. It was— but like the vibe and the who you were and the personality and the background and the mentality and the— you were just you. And there weren't 7 sales steps and there was no big words. And I was like, what are they— what's he doing? I like that. And then I started following you guys more and I was like, I can vibe with this. If I take this over here and add that side over there, dude, I can see the connection with the numbers and the math. And the— I just had to let loose, and y'all were just being you. You weren't out there with the proper suit and tie selling insurance kind of guy, you know what I mean?

No.

And although, although Mike and them weren't— I mean, he's a little more formal, bro.

Yeah, yeah, I'm saying.

I ran into you and I'm like, yo, I can hang with this. What do we got? I learned a lot of shit from you early on, man, about just how to approach the game. That it is a game, quite frankly. I didn't see that. Um, so I— whatever that means to you or whatever.

I think it's funny you, you bring that up because I remember, I remember when we were the other group, you know what I'm saying? Like the, the— now with like FFL, we're the, we're the group, okay?

And hey, they put me on stage for $2,500 when I was part-time. That's what I remember about that group.

I got a pin, so—

and they put me on stage with like 80 people for $2,500. And I'm like— anyway, sorry, that's what I— yeah, I remember very little because I wasn't there.

But to be that, that group that folks were always like, well, what are they doing different? Yeah, right. What are they doing different? And I remember, um, going to the event, to the workshops, the award ceremonies, things like that, and the kind of things that they were—

so at the previous place, yeah. So inside there, y'all had that same— oh yeah, we were reputation. We were already like the Detroit Pistons.

Yeah, we were already— exactly, exactly. I love it. We were already the other group, right? Like, yeah. And other groups would come, they would recruit more, they'd have more people at the meeting, but we'd always sell more. Yeah. And then Sean used to always tell me, he'd say, "Dude, we only get paid when we sell, okay? And you get the biggest override on yourself." Yeah. All right. And I never ever forgot that, you know what I mean? I never forgot that, yes, insurance is a vehicle that we're using to generate wealth, okay, whatever wealth means to you, okay? Sure. But at the same time, we— that's how, that's how we generate it. Like, and I think he's always made it a point to where I'm not this recruiter who, by the way, sells insurance.

Correct.

I'm a guy who sells insurance, by the way, I recruit. Does that make sense? And, and I think from the get-go, that's always been who, how the engine was going to run, you know. And respect is earned, and I didn't really know of another way to earn it in this space. I don't have this background of, you know, of X, Y, or Z. My parents didn't know this person or this person. Like, there's some folks that just walk into things and they, they, they have that. I'm like, a lot of us, we needed to generate our source of not just income but confidence. Yeah, you know, and I think where that, where that, where that sales confidence came from, like, every day, every week, let's be the best we can be, you know what I mean? Like, I wasn't competing against Sean, I was competing against who I was last week, you know what I mean? And if that week I beat Sean, which it did happen, okay, then it was great, you know what I mean? But it wasn't— now he'd never say that.

Does that make sense, dude? I don't know no one that can be out there like, I used to beat Sean Mike on the fucking leaderboards. I I never met a human.

I've never met a human. No, dude, hey, it happened. It happened, all right? But like, that was— but that was the juice, you know what I mean? It was, dude, let's go out there and compete and be the best we can be. And then on the flip side, dude, the more and more we do this, dude, dude, the more we're going to be able to live the life that, that we desire. And dude, what I also remember is Dude, being— and if somebody's listening to this and you are at this piece in your life, um, I was 25, 24 when I met Sean, 25, 26 when I believe life started to get, um, I started paying attention more, okay, and started paying attention more to things that I didn't want my life to be like, okay. John, you helped me out a lot with, with things like this. There's a lot of things that I think you guys like. When I started in this, I was 24. A lot of my peers were at least 8 to 10 years older than me, okay? But we're in the same spot, as in we're starting this business, but they had a lot of life already that already happened. And I started paying attention to people's lives, not so much just the business, not just so much how does John sell insurance to old people. Like, that's cool and all, but How does John appreciate the time that he gets to take Maddox to batting practice? How does John appreciate the time that he gets to go on dates with Stephanie at 11 o'clock in the afternoon? Like, those are the things, dude, that before my life started to actually take off— like, dude, I met you, dude, Cam was like just about to be born. Yeah, you're right.

I was broke still when we met originally. Originally?

Yeah, yeah.

So you're one of the few people that I can go, he saw it, he saw the mediocre, dude. Not many people saw that mediocre stage, dude.

And yeah, thank God that I did. Yeah, because I got to see the sacrifice. Yeah, not necessarily— I must say you had to make because you guys are winners, you didn't have another option. Sure. But a lot of people, they would have looked at and said I had options. Okay, but what you guys did, I saw Sean leaving our training to go to T's baseball game to run practice, to run appointments after his baseball game. And I remember him telling me, Dom, all right, you should not be in the position that I'm in when you're 38. When you're 38, yeah, you should be coaching your son's team. You should be there. You should be able to do what you want to do, like me right now. He goes, dude, I'm watching my son's team, but I'm also answering phone calls. Yeah. But he was very real with me of like, my life doesn't have to be that way when I get there. Makes sense. And then I saw, you know what I mean, I saw Mike, I saw you. I was like, oh my God, I was like, dude, they got this thing going on. He's like, dude, I got this over here, my kids over here, my daughter's graduating over here. And like, damn, I'm like, I'm just so happy that I'm able to do it for her where she's graduating that I couldn't do when she was graduating 6th grade. Yeah, and I don't think you know how big that stuff is to me so that I don't squander what I got right now, you know what I'm saying? And I think that there's so much more to learn from people than just how much money they make, you know what I mean? It's like, how do they, how do they move within their life? How do they do this? Date nights, okay, I got that from you. Dude, it saved my life. Our marriage is— dude, I have a great marriage, okay? But that marriage happened because I started paying attention to people who I knew loved the hell out of each other, but need— but like, let's figure some stuff out. Makes sense? And instead of going, well damn, we'll look through— I'm going, well shit, I'm not immune to shit. Shit's gonna happen to us too, so I might as well pay attention. And I remember you told me, you go, dude, Y'all go on dates? I go, yeah, all the time. He goes, yeah, like they like in the calendar? I was like, nah, dude, like we just go out to dinner like whenever. He goes, dude, that ain't gonna work. Just so you know, that ain't gonna work. You need to put Erica in your schedule every week at a specific time. Things happen down, they will adjust with you, but if it's just willy-nilly of hey, let's go out tonight or let's do this, bro, that ain't gonna work. Yeah. And dude, over the last 5 years I've gone in of it, in it and out of it. And I've seen both ends of like, dude, you need consistency with that type of stuff. And consistency in those types of areas lead— led— has led to profitability within my business. Makes sense? Being able to make decisions, you know, clear without going, well, I wonder if this or that, or, you know what I mean? So I've learned so much from my peers based on how they move within their lives, their businesses, their kids. Um, dude, I, I like the way that you know Maddox's damn schedule like 90 days out, you know what I mean? You have to look at it, dude. I'm like, yo, I'm like, and now when I hear that, John, now you don't even know I'm paying attention to stuff like this, okay? So it's like, dude, they don't even know, bro. Dude, when, when I ask you stuff and then you go like, all right, boom, boom, boom, right? I'm like Dude, I don't know my son's schedule. I need to freaking, like, I need to be more on this. So dude, right after that, right? No, Erica, dude, I swear to God, I go, Erica, what's— what we got going on in August? Or like, what's Cam got going on? What day do they— I didn't even know what day they went back to school. You know that. And I'm like, bro, I'm like, dude, I'm dropping the ball right now. Like, I need to be better at being a dad right now because I am not doing it. So dude, just so many things that you guys do and just model that Shoot, you're doing your life, you're living your life, you're doing the best you can. But I think, I think real mentee and real mentorship is comes from paying attention. Yeah, you know what I mean? Just like, just pay attention. And, and those are— and if anybody watching this, man, like, or listening to this, if there are people that you want to be like or you want their result, um, you know, pay attention to some of the things that maybe you don't agree with either, you know what I mean? Like, you know, I mean, some of the things that you may be like, uh, like, okay, well, maybe that might be the reason you are where you are though. Maybe you need to adopt some of that, you know what I mean? Well, I'm the man of my— okay, cool, be the man in your house. But like, let's— does that, does that say doing this makes you not the man in your house? I don't know. Like, for some reason I had this armor around what I thought was a man or what I thought was— did— yeah, you know what I mean?

You've changed a lot. We all have, but I can definitely see you that— oh my, it's like you're the— is— you're such a chill, happy version of the original dude I met. You're still there, still same guy deep, you know what I mean? Which you are, by the way. I didn't say it for that reason, but you know, we've had some—

we've been through it, dude. We've been through it.

We have hours and hours and hours long conversations late at night trying to figure this game out. Like, there ain't many people I've done that ride with like you and I did it. They're just not—

there aren't.

Hey guys, just created something really cool. And if you want to be part of it, join the Discord group I just created. The link is going to be in here. It's a dope environment. You can chat with others that are kind of in the community. You can see beyond the curtain of our agency, have access to all kinds of stuff that we got going on, events. And my staff is in there. We have agents in there selling, me helping agents and sharing information. We're going to, as we build this thing out, share everything. Thing out there with all of you guys. So again, follow the Discord if you want to be part of everything we got going on. Join it now. We'll see you in there. Hope to help you more. And people don't see— like, I'm doing this new base shop, you're obviously doing your thing growing, you know, we're kind of playing this integrity game. And I try to tell these stories and give them vision like Sean did for you and y'all did for me. And it's hard, bro, because I'm like, do they see what I see? I don't— and it's— I love— we could do this for 17 hours straight because we saw this piece together. Like, again, I tell everybody, dude, the biggest, biggest growth in our, our agency— I get a lot of credit for shit. I didn't hire one of the people that fucking— we grew big with. They were all in depth. And at one stage, you were placed in my hierarchy early, and thankful because we fucking got to run. There was a period, dude, where we fucking ran this thing. That was fun. That was a fun stage.

That was the, um, that was a time in my business and my life that really helped me, um, become the best, the best version of myself, not who I thought I, I should be, you know what I mean? It kind of helped me understand that, like, dude, you, you are who you are, but you can be better, all right? And I remember you asked me, um, Well, we spend a lot of time, and I still think about this a lot, of what you mean versus what was heard. Yeah. And it's probably been 6 years since we first had this opening dialogue about this, this, this— I wouldn't say issue, but this, this reality of, of communication. Makes sense. This is a reality of communication. What you mean versus what's heard. And I, I feel like I'm getting better. Okay. And I want to kind of articulate what I mean by, you know, what folks hear, because a lot of the times folks don't know, like what I learned from you is that people don't know who you are. People don't know you. Like you got to know me, you got to learn me. And a lot of people don't have that type of time, nor should they have to learn that much about you to understand you. Yeah, right. Like, I was like, dude, once you understood me, you'd go, oh, no way he meant it that way. Like, there's not even— no. But if you didn't know me, you'd be like, dude, what an ass. Like, does he even care? It makes sense. Like, does he— like, why would he say that? Like, dude, like, oh, a lead to lead. Like, dude, well, a lead to lead to this person, yes, that's the right response. But a lead to lead to this person who, 3 kids, just spent their last dime on leads they need a little bit more empathy before a lead to lead comes out. And I didn't know— you're gonna make sense— and I didn't— I, I treated everybody the same. And what happened was I missed a lot of people.

Yep.

And what I learned was like through— and I was like, and then you'd come in and I'd be like, dude, you're kind of saying the same thing. But then, but then, but, but then you would earn it though. Like you would ask them questions and get them to say the statement that I was saying. And I was like, oh, like, so you can kind of ask people questions to say what you want it to say. And now they're the ones being like, oh, so now you just totally shifted it. But with that, you got to be a little bit more patient.

Yeah.

You have to not want the answer so fast. And that's really— I think I'm still in there of like, I tell Eric all the time, it's in my affirmations of, I am a great listener. And I laugh when I say it because I know it, you know what I mean? I'm like, yeah, I'm just like, dude, you're a great listener. You are a great listener. You will wait until they are done speaking all the way through before you even think to respond, because that's what's going to help me, you know what I mean? And I think that no matter where you are in your life, your communication style, people are always going to hear you differently than what you mean. And hopefully, more often than not, they line up to what you mean and, and what you said, you know? And, and, but what's helped with that is also something that you taught me is tell people your shortcomings. I used to not. I used to just act like, oh dude, everything's all good, dude, we're straight, dude.

Dude, actually, you used to pretend you were confused at why they saw that.

Oh, oh yes, right? Like, like, why would they ever? Yeah, how would you say that? But now I'm like, dude, on that first intro, we're talking, hey, just so you know, John Dude, my communication style is strong, all right? But dude, I will mess up sometimes. And feel free if I say anything that's offensive or anything that like that you could be like, ah, kind of guessing, like, do I care? Please call me out on it. Please say, hey, Dom, like, hey, could you be a little less? Or hey, actually, you could be a little bit more. And what I found, John, is being that open with folks. Yeah, Bryce to this day still goes, because we had that conversation probably 6 months before Bryce came on, right? And Bryce to this day still goes, dude, I remember our first conversation when you told me that like, dude, your communication style was all over the place and that like you're working on it and that you have it. And like, and he goes, dude, and that's the best thing you could have ever said to me because 5 years later I see that you are still working on it. Yeah, so I don't fault you for it, but if I— but if you didn't say that to me, Dom, I probably would fault you for it. Yeah. And I was like, ain't that something? So you may not be able to change what they hear, per— like, but you can change the, the, the filter that I go through.

Yeah, their perception and all that, for sure, and the way they feel about it.

Yes.

So I learned it was the same info. I'm an asshole in both examples. When I say I'm an asshole, they feel a different way, right?

You know what I mean?

It's like— and I'm not deep down, I just— that's how they felt. So if I just say, you know what I mean, hey, expect to feel this way.

Yeah.

And then you don't— hey, same as on the airplane. Hey, buckle up, expect some turbulence. And then you don't, you're like, woo, sweet, that was good, we didn't have any, all good, right?

Or we get a little bit, a little bit. Yeah, that's it.

Yeah, no big deal.

But if you said it's gonna be smooth sailing, then we get this little 3-foot drop Oh, it's the worst flight ever. Can't believe they told me. Yeah, like, no, man, like, no, dude, I told you it's gonna be a bumpy ride, bro, but we'll get there. But we'll get there, dude.

I'm fucking wandering off to some places with conversations and people early on, dude, that we can't even talk about openly. Like, it would get so left field. But man, those days were the— oh my God, it was, it was fun. You know, but you look back at it and it's like, look what— look, look what it brought us. Oh, you know what I mean? Like, we ran to that integrity line together, you know what I mean? Like, that was that phase for both of us. It was, it was cool. And I always tell people, man, building this thing, like, the guys that I'm working with new now, it's like, dude, there weren't many of us. There were 3 of us, and most days all 3 weren't on the same page for sure, or all 4 with me. You know what I mean? Like, it was fucking— dude, it was, it was interesting. But it didn't take many, man, to, to affect and help as many people as we eventually did along the way, you know? And some worked out, some didn't. Some we fucked up, some they messed up. Some it just— and we're still figuring out that. We were cutting up this morning trying to figure this game out every day. This game is crazy. No matter how big you grow it, how many people, it's There's always stuff. That's what, that's what I've fucking learned. It's always stuff. You ain't getting out of it and the stuff gets bigger and more expensive or more, more, I don't know, consequence is the right word, like more on the line.

You got more to lose, you know? Like I remember running this business when shit, you got nothing to lose. Makes sense. And I, and, and you always, I heard people say this, hey John, you can speak like that because you got what you got. And then I remember you go like, dude, I couldn't— no, I got what I got because I speak like this. Yeah. And that whole, that way of thinking is massive. You don't change, right? You gotta see yourself as that person early on. And I think the— I think there's guys today, right, that are crushing this thing, that they see themselves as that person. Yeah. And 10, 12 years ago, you just had to We had to see ourselves as like, well, and the thing about it is I didn't know how big this industry was at all, at all. I didn't know what integrity was. Makes sense. I didn't know anything about that. Um, but what I did know was that this business doesn't discriminate, all right, at all. And when I saw that this business doesn't discriminate, especially when we left the first company and we came to and we started FFL, I said, this— there's no reason why we can't at least change one generation right now, right? Like, people go like, I'm changing generations. I'm like, okay, we weren't there yet, okay? Can we take care of us?

Yeah.

And I was like, dude, there's no way in hell if I screw this up, like, there's no way we won't be able to take care of us.

Yeah.

And then it turned into, oh wow, like, dude, I think you can actually affect like your kids' kids right now. Yeah, really? Like, yeah, like, and then Integrity comes in, it's like, yeah, dude, I think if this thing balances up, you can help your kids' kids' kids. I'm like, oh, through this?

Yeah.

And I remember you signed, and then I was out in the field and I wrote a policy. You called me up and I, I missed it, right? And I was like, yo, I'm in a house. And you were like, I was, and then I shot you a picture of the, uh, of the app that I was writing, right? And I was like, boom, like I was like, it was like $38 or some shit like that. And then you go, hey, all those equals this. And I'll never, I'll never forget that. Now, did I believe that I could do it before that? My ego probably did. You know what I mean? To be real with you, I don't think anybody's ever asked me something. I said, no, I can't, to be real with you. So just, just to be real. But it was in that moment, it was in that moment, dude, when you replied to me and just said, a ton of those will equal this, that I literally believed. That was 2020, that I believed that I was like, yo, for the next 12 months, we can do this. And we cranked it, dude. I sold more than ever. Like, it was just like, it became real that I was like, oh, it's just selling insurance. That's it. Like, yeah, all of this is just selling more insurance and figuring out how to, how to sell more and, you know, and how to help people sell more. And like, dude, that's it. Just a ton of those equals this. And that was— I remember that was, that was when I really believed that, dude, you can, you could be an Integrity Partner. You do, you could build something that somebody else would want to invest in and buy. Yeah, you know, and you did, you went to work. $38 a month.

Yeah, amen.

Yeah, final expense. Like, dude, final expense takes you to the motherland.

Yes, it does. Yes, it does. It's funny, man, I can remember some conversations about money with you. If we can go there.

Yeah, let's go.

Um, yeah, you've been in the business. I don't remember, we just— I don't remember where it got like steady we were talking, but I think it just happened sort of organically after events. Oh, we started traveling. That's where it really clicked. We got to go to Greece, was the first big thing we did together, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. That's where it really started to click. What year was that?

Yeah, that was 20— Sam wasn't born.

7?

That was 19.

Oh, so now we were already tight before that. No, that was, that was, that was, that was the fruits of it. I'm trying to think, I don't remember. I know we were meeting at the quarterly events and annual events and shit like that. Softball was once a year. Somehow we started talking.

It was '17. '17.

Okay, so that was pre— yeah, so this was early.

Yes.

What year did you move out? Like, what year was that that we started?

I was like, like the end of '18, '19.

Okay, so we— yeah, okay, so Greece clicked it off, we started talking.

Yeah.

And so you're then— so '18, call it. So it was end of '18, you said?

Yes.

All right, so we're at a million a month then, right at 8-something, 800-something thousand. We hit a million that January of '19. Um, You, you were in the business how long then?

At night, at that time, 5 years.

All right, so 5 years. Yeah, I remember you selling your face off over the years. Obviously you've been through some stuff in life. Life has thrown you some curveballs that we can't even— we do— we could be a fucking episode for each one of them, right? So you, you talk about what you want to, where you want to sprinkle it in, not— I don't care. Um, but I remember how the initial conversations— because people still to this day are like, you ask people about their money? What do you want to know about people? I'm like, it's weird to me because I just do it, so I have a hard time. I don't have a script, I don't have a— I just, the curiosity gets me and I want to understand before I can like implement. And I remember I was having the conversation, dude, and I was— you weren't in a good spot after selling all that fucking insurance for all those years and had a team. And I don't remember the number in your bank account. I don't know if you remember what it was, but it was really close to zero. Oh yeah, at that time.

Yeah, dude, I, I, dude, I remember we were— dude, when we met— or not when we met, but when we first— when we're having this conversation, I probably— I, I think it was like I probably had like $4,000 or something like that to my name.

And how much insurance had you sold, you think, till through then, those years? Roughly 5 years?

Probably. Yeah, I have an interesting story. So the first 3 years, yep, first 3 years, that was, um, that was all me. All right, so that was probably 300 to 400 grand each year. So that's those first 3 years. Yeah. And then once we started Family First Life, I had a decision to make. Um, do I stay in this industry what I have.

I forgot about some of this, dude.

Or, or, you know, do I stay in this industry with what I have, or do I just do something else?

Yeah.

And, you know, I didn't, I didn't have another option, you know. Um, I remember a great business partner of mine reached out to me and, um, told me, man, if there's a will, there's a way. And he said, I said, man, I will— I don't have really the way, if you can tell me the way, I have the will, but like, yeah, then we got creative. All right, my mom, my mom had a license, so, you know, I was going through some stuff to where they were suing us, and I lived in North Carolina, and dude, it was a fiasco. Okay, I have no idea, like, about the fiasco of like, oh, I'm like, dude, like, so I couldn't, I was handcuffed.

Okay, like, I was handcuffed.

Like, as it pertains to like, oh, let's, like, let's go out there and rip it. Yeah, dude, I believe in this business so much. Yeah, that I did it for 4 years and couldn't put pen to paper.

Yeah, fuck, that was long, dude.

And, and during that time is the time— during that time is when we were in Greece when we met, and then 2020 All right, they rang that bell again, right? But we were already working. We, we didn't even know that this was even gonna— does that make sense? We were like, yeah, I came to you with— I came to you with like, yo, these are the cards I got.

Yep.

I, I personally can't go out there and make a change with it right now. Yeah, financially, this is what I have. We make this much in overrides. And dude, and I remember, dude, like, you were like, cool, let's do it. Right, let's do it. Boom, boom, boom. It's gonna, it's gonna, it's gonna take a while to get this ship turned around, but we can do it. But we did that for probably 8 months, no sales on my end, just totally changing communication systems, styles, all that type of stuff. Then it just seemed like God had a plan, dude, because he was like, okay fool, you're working on the stuff that matters now. Yeah. Like, that's the way I was. He's like, dude, you're working on the stuff that matters now. Because if I would have gave you this license and you were still that guy, I don't know if that guy would have helped people. True. So it's weird. God has this crazy way of putting people and places into your life at the right time. Because when 2020 rolled around and I was able to, um, get the attorneys, do everything we needed to do, to, um, get the license, man, it was like a perfect storm. Yeah, it was a perfect storm. And then we went from barely having anything to by the end of 2020, dude, having well over 6 figures in my business account. Okay, personally, you told me, dude, still just live how you were living, which is how my business was able to flourish so much because my personal life didn't change.

At all.

I was still doing the same stuff, living in the same house, didn't, didn't do anything, but the business got really, really right. And then that's when Integrity said, boom, boom, there you go, that's what we need. All right, and then '21 came around, '23, or 2020, '21, '22 were my first 3 back-to-back-to-back million-dollar-plus years.

Okay, so within— so that was, that was '19 we started, all of '19 we worked together.

Yeah.

And you, 7 figures by when? '21?

End of '20.

End of '20.

End of '20. 2020 was the first million.

12 months. 12 months. You were tracking 6 figures a month?

Yep.

Net?

Net? Yes. Yes.

All right, so I got this kid Giovanni right now. He's 23, sells 30 grand a month, comes to me few guys and wants to make a change, figure it out. Trainwreck background, nice one, in a nice way, you know what I mean? Just like the rest of us, dude. He has a shit.

Yeah.

Um, he puts it all out there on his content now, which is really cool. And he's like, how fast can I get to— we start talking about numbers and he wants a certain number. Again, he's selling $300 grand a year by himself. We start talking about 7 figures. I'm like, you'd be doing it wrong if it took 18 months. And he was like, what? I was like, I mean, you could, you could make it happen this year. Just, you just got to work, you know? So it's, it's neat to see. I mean, because you were, you were in a spot, dude, and mentally, like, that's why— so when some people go, phone number wasn't right, give me a credit, the leads suck, I want to go, dude, I wish you were there for Dom. Dude, I wish you were there for the fucking Dom. So I wish you could see what he went through and why he looks at a lead the way he does.

Dude, um, it's hard to articulate, dude.

Yeah, this ride is hard to articulate to people who just see it as you buy leads and you sell insurance and you get yelled at and there's chargebacks and there's You know what I mean? I'm like, you're fucking missing, you don't, you don't know the game. And I can't talk about this with most people because they ain't been through the ride we've been through.

Yeah, dude, I'll never—

I need to have you come out to one of the workshops we do, bro. Legit.

Oh, I'm game.

Oh, we would crush it with the technical how to actually run this fucking business.

Yeah, you know, I'm game, dude. I'm game. Um, the The willingness to, um, to help people in tough spots, I think, is what really makes somebody a solid mentor or somebody to coach. And, um, you were very open to having difficult conversations, you know, about money, you know what I mean, about the reality of money. Um, that's one thing you never shied away from. Um, never shied away from the reality of how much it actually costs to take care of a family. Um, you know what I mean? And really, you know, even that statement of, you know, the, the renewals that I said earlier, it was like, yeah, well, that's— yeah, they life or your life. Okay, be clear with that. Okay, because if they die, that's over. You know what I mean? And I think sometimes you can be so short-sighted with things, myself, and you really help bring home some clarity of like, dude, if that's really your goal then you gotta, you gotta think bigger, you know what I mean? You got to think bigger. This is not just— this isn't, this isn't AA ball. This is the big league. And in the big leagues, dude, you don't got a lot of room for error. It makes sense because there's somebody else about to take your damn spot, you know what I mean? So true. This is— it's been a— it's been— to see the— like, we're going to the, uh, the All-Star Game, uh, in Atlanta. I remember when I— when I have a video, I have a video, uh, it's right when I said, hey, I'm gonna— I started coming out, I was coming out to Atlanta once a month. Yeah. And I was in the Battery, okay, by myself. And I had this video that I did, and I was like, hey, one day I'm gonna be able to bring my son here. I'm gonna be able to do this. I'm gonna stay right up there in that place. And you guys, at the time, guys, I promise you, dude, like, I had freaking no money. I think probably there was a time where I started, right? I started in 2020, and I'm selling insurance, but I can't get paid, okay? But I'm not gonna wait, okay? I'm not gonna wait. So I just go like, damn, dude. So I reached out to John and I go, hey dude, Yo dude, like, I got like hella commissions coming in, things like that, you know what I mean? But like, just so you know, bro, like this week I'm probably not going to be able to do too much, you know what I mean? Just like, and then next thing you know, boom, he shoots me. I didn't even ask for this. I wasn't telling him to be like, yo dude, could you like send me some money or something like that, dude? I was purely going, dude, I'm in a spot, but I want to do more, but I just can't. All right, just let you— just to let you know, because you ain't gonna see me on the leaderboard this week, right? Dude, next thing you know, I get freaking, I don't know, $2,500 in my damn PayPal. And I'm like, dude, what the fuck is this for? He goes, dude, like, bro, you got to run your business, right? I go, dude, that's not why I was saying that to you. He goes, yeah, but I know this is— this will help you, right? Dude, you, you have no— like, never in my life has anybody done anything like that for me. In my life, and nor did I expect it, nor ask. If you didn't, I wouldn't have thought anything. If you did, and now I'm like, holy shit, you know what I mean? But how fast I was like, dude, I'm gonna flip this, buy some damn leads. Now, I didn't ask you again. I was like, you were like, dude, cool. I was like, sweet, let's go. Boom, bought some damn leads, all right, bought some damn leads and started rolling. Got paid, cleared my man up, and was just like, dude, this is what this is about. But guys, don't be fearful or afraid to let people know the truth about where you are, no matter how long you've been doing what you're doing. I think that was one of the biggest things that I had to learn was like, dude, just because you think you should know doesn't mean you should know, all right? And then just because you think that like, oh, well, I shouldn't be in this position after 7 years of being in business, then, dude, who cares? The only person who really cares is you, all right? Because at the end of the day, there's people out there who, who want to help, all right? Who want to help, who see it. And just be, just be open to change, be open to help, be open. But also be open to putting in the work, because that's another thing that I know what I do. When I started working with you, I was like, dude, he ain't messing around as it pertains to like every day means every day. Like, this is not a game to where it's like, oh yeah, we can have all these good ideas and not execute. He's not big on that. If we were talking about something and it sounded like it could do something, we were going to put it in motion. So if you're around John Wetmore and you're talking like, oh, this could work, or let's try this, buckle up. The next day he's gonna have a plan like, yo, we're doing this, and then you better be— you better be ready. I do— I promise you, dude, that's what I realized. I was like, dude, because there's some people you just have conversations with And when that conversation's done, you don't talk about that shit again, okay? But with you, you have that conversation, dude, there is— there was a plan. You didn't have that conversation just for shits and giggles. That wasn't— that wasn't just to like, oh yeah, like, yeah, that was a good idea yesterday. Like, hell no, we're gonna do something with that.

Hey, you remember?

And yeah, that's what I'm talking about, okay? Like, here I am over here like, yeah dude, I got this cool idea. You're like, yeah cool, put it in play. Like, yep, here it goes, agent mentor program, here you go, boom. All right, and then we're gonna do this, and then you're gonna do this. And I'm like, okay, hell yeah, dude. That shit— and like, into today, dude, we're still running a version of AMP. Yeah, still. I know, you know what I mean? And like, and that was just like, just not, just not messing around with where we wanted to go, dude. All right, and I think when you're ready to, when you're ready to make that move, when you're ready to take that next step Dude, be with people that are taking those steps with you. They may not be the exact same step, but in their life, it's just as fearful, it's just as risky, it's just as, you know what I mean? And when you can find folks that are willing to take steps with you regardless if it's the same or whatnot, dude, that's when things become— that's when I felt I was like, dude, we're making these moves. Like, your moves were completely different, but like, I was there and I can see it and like Did I remember?

If you're in the insurance space and trying to build an agency, or you're trying to like break records in sales, just hit new levels, new heights, click the link below to apply to my consulting and coaching program that I have out there. I'm helping tons of people get to new levels, get to new income heights, help them build their teams, put systems in place, staffing stuff, recruiting processes, automations. I'm just teaching people how to get to a point where they're selling on their own pen, 30, 40, 50 grand a month. And if they're building a team, teaching how to have an effective structure to your insurance agency for the most profitability you can. There is an application process. I'm only looking to work with like high-end people who really want to make big things happen. Couple recent clients that we've had in the, in the coaching program, one dude as an individual went from selling like 8 grand a month, barely getting by, about to quit the industry, found the book, hit me up direct, started the coaching program, went to $35K his first month, has issued like $150K in the last 90 days and has changed the trajectory of his career. Working with another agency builder, very first month went from doing like $800 grand a month to almost $1.1 million. We added like 10 or 15% production in 30 days and continue to work on things there. So if you're interested, click the link, apply, and if you're a fit, I'll reach out.

Shit, we were in damn the mountains and damn of Georgia.

Blue Ridge, dude.

I never— I've never, bro. I— we were driving around looking at land and I'm like, bro, what am I doing? Like, I'm just— what am I like? I'm like, bro, like, I have like— I was just excited to have six figures in my bank account, dude. Like, you know what I mean? I'm like, dude, what am I doing? I'm just driving around here looking at land and they're like The pool's gonna be over here and we're gonna break ground over here. Dude, you don't understand how big that was to this day that I'm like, dude, I believe that I could do that now. I believe that one day we will be breaking land in the middle. We'll be like, dude, let's knock these trees down over there because we wanna put the pool over there. But it started because, dude, you guys put me in the position to do that. And I love that, dude. That's one thing I love about working with people and doing things outside of the business you know, the sales and stuff like that. That's cool and all, but then start getting around some people when they're doing— they're just living their life, when they're doing the things that they— I remember I used to ride around with Sean to pick up rent checks.

Yep.

Like, how cool that was.

Crazy, dude.

Like, like, how cool that was, dude. We used to hop in the car.

I've heard all the stories.

And he used to be like, yo, Dom, let's go. I'd be like, all right, cool. Hop in the car. He'd drive around Niantic, all these little places in Connecticut. Then I'd see him like pound on somebody's door to get the money. I've seen somebody come outside with the money already in cash, ready to rip. I've seen somebody like, hey, give him $1,200. He counts it out and goes, hey bro, this needs to be $1,300. And they try to play with him a little bit, you know what I mean? Like, I've seen all these little different relationships and how he handled different people, you know what I mean? And that was big for me. I was like, dude, I wanna, I wanna be like you. Like, didn't he just have this wad of cash? By the time we're done, I'd be like, dude, this is, this is fun, you know what I mean? So from picking up rent checks with Sean to looking at land in damn Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, dude, like, those are a lot of the things that shaped me to dream, dude. A lot of the things that shaped me to go, you know what, let's, let's dream with my son, you know what I mean? When is my son going to be able to look at things and go like, I want that, you know what I mean? That's what I'm excited for him to come out there and, and hang with Maddox and You know what I mean? Just to like, I just, just, just to see. Yeah, see things, you know what I mean? I want to be like, hey, I saw what Maddux did this. I'm like, yeah, I know, dude. Yeah, I know, right? Like, like, there's like, yeah, dude, I think I want to do that now. Like, hey, by the way, off the record, but on the record, dude, is he switch hitting?

No, no, no, no, lefty.

In that video, were there— okay, so there was two. Were there two? Did he get the game-winning hit the other day?

Yeah, yeah, it wasn't a walk-off, but yeah, they got a— yep, they, he— they were tie score. and he drove in the run and then scored a run, and then they scored 2 more and they won 9-6.

Okay. For some reason, dude, I saw a lefty hitting and a right-hander hitting, and I was like, dude, is he hitting from both sides right now? And if he is, he's killing it.

Oh, got it. Brayden has the AirPod in. So Brayden is now 17, dude. He's dialing today, like now in the business. I don't— I haven't told you this yet. He's also in my— when I do these, he'll come down here and put the other AirPod in. So he's been listening.

Okay. Okay, right on.

He said it's because I had Maddox on third base. That was when Maddox scored the run. The other kid was batting. I got him coming in.

There we go. Okay, all right. I was tripping. I was like, yo, yeah, that was my score.

Thank you, good call.

All right, yes, thank you, Brayden. I was confused.

I was like, dude, Maddox is like, I don't know what the hell you saw. I put all kinds of shit up. But yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, so it's, it's, uh, it's been a journey, dude. I remember playing in a hotel room with him one time with you and Erica, and it was not a small hotel room. I remember that. He was little. We were looking out that window of that high-rise, wherever the hell we were. I was playing with Cam, carrying his ass around. I got—

I don't know where we were, but that was our first time staying at the Four Seasons, dude.

Shut up.

That was our first time. Yeah.

Hey, look, he likes being on camera now. He keeps sneaking over.

What up, dude? Nice to meet you, man. Meet you too. Right on. It's a little better every time.

Yeah, it gets a little easier every time.

That's what I keep saying.

He was a low fry when you were around. Still.

Yeah, he was.

Him and Maddox were wearing the same size clothes when, when you were coming around.

Damn.

Yeah, that's true. It's back again. You did it for a little while, now Maddox caught him again.

Yeah, he's like— he's probably—

last time we measured, um, He was 5'10", he's probably 5'11" now, if I had to guess.

Yeah, by the end of the summer, bro, he'll be there.

He's a 13 shoe and he's just finished 7th grade.

Yeah, buckle up, buckle up.

Yeah, so it's gonna be— it's gonna be fun. It's been a hell of a journey, dude. What would you say then, if you can give— and I gotta— I don't know what you— what's your time like?

Huh?

What's your timeline?

I'm good.

You are?

I'm good, dude.

Yeah, because I don't have another one till 1:30, but we can, we can go a few more minutes if you want. God, there's so many things we could talk about. What do you think if you could look back and give them like, how do you go from zero to six figures in under a month? Like, what did you actually— and I'll say this first. I get to Dude, without you, like, I ain't here, right? Like, you are part of the journey. Does it make sense? All I did was say do ABC. I didn't do none of the fucking work. I was doing my version of the work, talking to people, doing the thing, doing— you know what I mean? But like, most of it was you. You just didn't know what to do. You fucking walk over here, you bang into the wall, you're like, what the hell? You know what I mean? That's— it just is what it is. But I, I learned a lot on the other side from you along the way too. And I, I appreciate most you, your willingness to always fucking just say, got it. Like, even working with Zach, like, Zach was good like that too. He, he wanted to understand more. You were like, got it, got it, got it. Yeah, I was like, shit. And that just kept happening. So on my end, it made it easy, and then we just naturally continued to build a relationship. So I appreciate you believing in the path, dude.

I mean, well, my thing is like, what's the alternative, you know? Like, and I'm just— you can't be that full of yourself, you know? I mean, I'm confident, but it's like Man, I'm a pack type of person. Like, I love team. I love—

Yeah.

I don't know, man. I just, I love being a part of something bigger. I like, I can be a little part of something a lot of fun. And I think it takes a lot off. I think when you can trust in people and you do have that got-it mentality, that it takes a lot of pressure off of you. Yeah, you know, I remember one of the coolest things ever was when Sean told me, he was like, dude, I will just tell you what to do, and if it doesn't work, it's my fault. I was like, I was like, for real? He goes, yeah, dude, if you do exactly what I tell you to do and it doesn't work, it'll definitely be my fault. And fucking, and 14 years later, bro, it worked. Yeah, you know what I mean? It's worked. Even in times to where I was like, is this gonna work? It worked. And then we look back and go, dude, we could have done it differently, but at the time it worked. Does that make sense?

And then a lot of things work till they don't, and then you figure out how to make it work again.

There you go. You know what I mean? Then it was like, all right, but I'd rather take the time and just go— I'd rather not take the time trying to fight it and figure it out, then just go, okay, cool. Because one thing I realized in this business is if you're working with somebody, especially directly, Right now, if you're just paying a fee to somebody or somebody, you're just somebody filling somebody's ego to feel good that they told you to do something, totally different deal. But I've never listened to people who didn't have a financial gain in what I was doing. Just some people have a problem talking to people who have a— I find it easier working with people who have a financial gain. Yeah.

Because you made it switch, funny enough.

I, I like that. Yeah. Does that make sense? Like, I'm like, nah, dude, like, can we do it to where we have some gain? Everybody has some gain in this. Because I know if not, you may give me the answers just to make me happy. I want the answers that are going to make us rich, you know what I'm saying? I don't want the answers that are going to make me happy, that are going to keep me coming back as your mentee. That don't pay the bills. Makes sense. I need the answers that is going to affect your kid's bottom line. Tell me that. Yeah, and I'm gonna have to have thick enough skin to deal with that shit too. Makes sense. And I think that's where— that's— and that's what I really, really appreciated was like, I remember, I remember Sean early on, he did something stupid and he found me. He found me in a hallway, okay, in a bat— it was in the bathroom, dude. And he put me up against the wall and he said, hey, if you ever pull some shit like that again and you affect Trevor and Savannah's financial future, I'm gonna kill you. I said, got it. Now this is the part to where I say, hey, you got— and that's— he wasn't trying to get me to come back. He was ensuring his family's future, and he knew that if I kept making dumbass decisions that would reflect on him, his kids would be affected. Yeah. And when I started really seeing things way bigger than just, oh, it's just me, I'm just doing this, what does it even matter to them? I started realizing that my actions had a lot more weight than what I thought. And then that really helped me move along in my business and like start thinking a little bit more about my actions. And like, you know, so I'll never forget that, but it was early in the business that he said, hey, this is— don't mess around with my kids. It wasn't him, he wasn't saying me, he goes, my kids. And that's one thing I never wanted to do, dude. I was like, dude, I'm not gonna mess around with somebody's kids' futures, dude, based on my selfishness or where— however I'm feeling, you know what I mean? And, um, and that's taken me a long way. So if anybody's watching this, dude, your mentors and whoever you're working with, um, know that their instructions they're giving you are for the betterment not just of you and your family but of theirs. And why would they put their family in a worse-off position even if it doesn't make sense to you? There was a lot of things that Sean, he said that It didn't make no damn sense to me, but I always remembered that he was doing this for his children. And why would he put me in a position that would hurt his children? Because it wouldn't work that way. Yeah. So although it don't make sense—

I told y'all he was deep.

Yeah, it's true, dude.

I've never looked at it from that perspective the way you just said it.

Yeah.

I'm gonna use that. I believed in this. I— the only reason I'm here is because I saw the belief he had in it for his kids. And helping you was because you had a vision for your kids. I'm like, I like Dom, but I like that Cam can do cool shit better.

Yes, yes.

That's my favorite part of being a part of your journey, is like, yo, I know I was piece of that. I played a role there. Like, that's cool to me, you know. Because people did that for me and they were sick, fucking excited. I was like, what? They're happier than I am. When I bought that house, bro, dude, everyone else was happier than I was. I was like, can I go back to work now? You know? And I just saw this excitement for like— I was like, I want that.

I want that. Yeah, yeah. Hell yeah.

Been a fucking journey, dude.

Hell yeah, dude. Thanks for having me. Thanks for having me on, dude. This has been fun.

I love it. I love it. Y'all ain't confused, we didn't do phone script.

Yeah, well, that'd be part, part 12. We'll get there.

There's so much more to this game, dude. And I, again, I— it's been a fun run, um, and I talk a lot that it only took a few people to build this shit, and I'm one guy and I had a lot of help. But it was a few of us that really kind of ran this thing together. And then if I could go external to our group, it was— there was only a handful of us that ran this company in arms together, because that changed too. Remember when it used to be like West Coast, East Coast, go all the thing, and we all hated it? Like, why you recruiting in Atlanta, bro? Remember that phase?

Shit.

Hey, remember when we all wanted Texas? I was trying to tell someone that story the other day. Remember what we used to do for leads to get Texas, bro? These fucking people watching would have died during that fade. They would have made it, dude. Most didn't— that most— most didn't make it.

Did I have dates that I had no agents in? I was dropping 5, 6, dude. This was at the time, like, this is— hopefully you guys could put the pieces together, okay? Remember, please, there was 3 years, 4 years to where, dude, I was handcuffed, okay? So, but when we're talking about these states and and wanting this, dude, I wanted the states just as bad as everybody else did, just as bad as everybody else did. Okay, so I was on the hook as well. It was like, dude, I want this state, I want this state, dude. It was like, it didn't matter, dude. It didn't matter. It was like, yo, this is where we are, this is what we got to do. And dude, whether I'm making 30 G's a month or grossing 30 and netting 6, right, or grossing 100 and netting 50, Dude, I'm in the same game as you guys.

Yeah.

And that's one thing I'll always appreciate about that crew is everybody had each other's backs, dude. All right. Everybody had each other's backs. Every— and if you didn't, you dude, you're ostracized. You knew it. Makes sense. You knew it. You knew it because dude, we were riding for each other. All right. And I think, you know, where we are today, we're so big to say that would be false. You know what I mean? But to say that I know that there are groups, subgroups, and relationships within this company that are doing it that way, I'm sure they are, because the company is exploding. It's exploding. So for everybody who's starting to build their business or, you know, has this energy to say, hey man, I'm ready to get back into it, dude, just don't do it alone. That's one, that's one thing I will say is, you know, don't get jaded. All right, um, that's one thing I think the best thing for me is that I just don't take past experiences and, and roll them into the next. You're like, I'm, I'm always good at that.

I'm not good at that as much as much.

Yeah, just, I'm just very excited just to go, okay, that, that happened, okay, let's just, let's just move on and let's not think every girlfriend that comes in is going to be just like her. It's like, dude, it's all good. Yeah, like they're gonna change. Have hope, have some belief there. And I think that's going to take you a long way, because when you start trying to do this thing on your own because you think everybody else is, you know, they don't have your best interest in mind, or they're going to steal this or do that, dude, you're going to be by yourself. And I think that, yeah, there's going to be some people who do some bad things to you, or— and it's really not even to you, it's more they're the problem. They have issues with themselves, and you're just the person who is along. Yeah. And that part of their life. But— and that's one thing I had to stop taking things so damn personal too. There's a lot of things that happen debt rolling, this person doing that, this— I'm like, dude, that wasn't me. I didn't— that had nothing to do with me, you know? And, and I think when you can start saying that to yourself, it has nothing to do with me, but I do have to deal with it, okay? You can't run away from it, but it, it wasn't— I didn't— I'm not the person who caused that. They got their own issues they got to deal with, all right? And that issue is a lot bigger than the 50 G's that I got to pay back, I promise you that. But that 50 G's that I'm gonna pay back is going to turn me into the businessman or woman that I want to be. Yeah, you know, that's what it's going to help me do. And for them, shit, it's gonna be— I don't know if it's going to help them, but it's definitely— it's going to help me. And I had to see things that way versus, man, I'm not gonna hire no more because I had this debt. Well, I'm not gonna do this because I had this happen. And I see that way too much from people with a lot of talent too. A lot, and some people with some, with some attractiveness about them as well.

Yeah, that way more charisma, way better at this game. That's why I try to tell everyone, I'm like, you think we're the best ones that came across? Oh God, shit.

There's just some people who just, they just don't, they just scared. Yeah, you know what I mean? I'm like, dude, people would want to be in business with you. They actually, they want to. They would listen to you, they do everything you told them to do. Yeah, but We think that, well, I got this one person that they did this one time to me. Well, man, it happened. I mean, it happened. But just be able to bounce stuff off and just keep it rocking, dude. I think that's the— you have to have thick skin. And if you don't have it, you have to acquire it. You know, you have to get it. There's a lot of people that I know didn't have thick skin when they started in this business, but they acquired it. They realized that they'd rather have it than not. And I think you gotta real— I think that's where you got to be. It's like, how do you know you should have a gun? Be in some shootouts. You know what I'm saying? You'd be like, I never been in no shootouts, why should I have? Well, then you don't need one. Does that make sense? But if you're in a place to where you might get shot, or there, then you should probably have a gun. Yeah. And that's how this business is too. It's like you're not going to use it all the damn time, but if you stay ready, you ain't got to get ready. Shit. It's just like, man, like, this is—

it's, it's, uh, what up, insurance agents? If you're looking for a roadmap on how to win in this industry, check out the book I wrote about a year ago, Do More Now, Get Better Later. Check out the reviews here somewhere.

Everywhere.

My team's putting them on. I'm getting tons of great feedback about all the people it's helped. Appreciate those of y'all that have bought it. Appreciate all the reviews that are going out. If you're new to following me or the industry, check out the book and get it in your hands now.

This business will take you where you want to be, all right? Um, when you decide to stop wanting to control every direction that you go in to get there. Now that's deep. That might be the deepest shit we said today.

Okay, can you say it again?

Yes.

You got another one? Okay, did you make it up?

Because that one, dude, because, dude, go again.

I want to hear it again.

It's the direction, dude. It's like, this business will take you where you want to go but each step in each direction you go may not be the direction you want to go to get there.

1,000%. Oh dude, right? We're living—

you got it. And you've got to be willing to go, I want to go this way but it's taken me this way.

Yeah, you want to get there but there's detours along the way is what I hear.

But you— yeah, yeah, but you better be happy with this left turn that you— well, I just— well, it seems like we're going in circles. Yeah, these are the circles that you're supposed to be going on right now. Deal with that, or, you know what I mean? It's like, because then you start to try to find all these different ways to do stuff. And I did— I've seen people, dude, make a ton of money and make some dumbass decisions. True. And it's like, how do you make such a dumbass decision in this spot? Well, you didn't take a scope out. You didn't, you didn't look at this thing the right way. You looked at it as in, well, this is the spot I'm in right now, how can I get out of this right now? Well, you can't get out of it right now. You're gonna run circles a little bit. You're gonna be like my little dog running around just chasing his tail right now. All right, but eventually you're gonna realize, oh, that's my tail. Yep, yep. And everybody else is gonna realize that's your tail too, and they'll get you out of that hole. But until then, it ain't your job to get yourself out of that little hole. And I can be like, dude, just, just, just take things for what they— there's many levels in your business, life, relationships to where everything don't need to be fixed all the time. And I was big on fixing. I was big on like, let's fix this, let's fix that. Let's fix this. It's like, well, maybe it's supposed to be broken. I was in Spain. Oh, this is hilarious. All right, I was in Spain. We were at this Airbnb. We're checking out, doing all our laundry, and the door breaks on the washing machine. Okay, and we call them up. We go, hey, the door's, uh, the door is broken. They go, oh, okay, can you watch some videos on it, how to open it or whatnot? We're like, okay, cool. We ended up breaking off the handle. Okay, and then she goes, oh, I know, no, no, she— I call her up and I go, hey, the handle's loose. I saw online that that may mean it's broken. She goes, yeah, yep, you're right, it's, um, it was broke before, but now it's broken. And I, dude, I, in that moment, I realized the difference. Okay, what? She knew that it was broke before, but the washing machine and dry— it still worked. Okay, it still worked, but it was broke, but it still worked. Well, when we were there, it actually broke. It was broken. And I was like, oh God. I was like, that's kind of how life is sometimes. Like, and it made all the sense in the world to me. I was like, holy smokes, I had to come to Spain to talk to somebody to figure out the difference between broke and broken. Makes sense, right?

And then like, that was last— you just got back.

That was just like a few days ago. That— she goes, oh, and she said it so casually too. She goes, oh yeah, it was broke, but now it's broken, so we're gonna have to buy a new one. So do— she goes, but do whatever you need to do to get inside of it to get your clothes out, because yeah, we need to buy another one now. And then Erica goes, did she mean that like it was kind of broken before but it wasn't really broken, it could still work? I was like, yeah, like she didn't want to replace it until it was actually broken. And she was like, I get it. And I was like, yeah, I get it too. Shit.

Damn.

But as you said that, it's made me—

she needs to write a book.

I was like, I know the difference between broke and broken. Okay.

Holy smokes. Maybe that should be your first book. When you— when you writing a book, bro?

That's so funny. We were just talking about this. I was, um, I was— because you're talking about you.

Hey, when we were talking back in the— who thought this shit?

I know, dude. That's what I'm saying, bro. Like, actually, I probably do. From, from broke to— from broke to broken, baby.

There it is.

Yeah, man.

Dig it. But last question.

Yeah.

How's it feel to be a multimillionaire, bro?

You know what, man? It does. It feels— it feels— if you really start realizing how much more there is to have, to be honest with you. And I know this sounds cliché, um, you guys all— you don't know what you have until it's gone. Well, you don't know how much there is until you have a little bit. And then when you have a little bit and then you realize what you can't do with what you thought was a lot I'm just— did I have to be real? Okay, like, this is— you asked, okay? You said, how does it feel? Hold on, hold on, this is how it feels. You start realizing that, like, wow, like, this actually hurts a little bit more because I was totally out of the game before. Now I'm kind of in the game, but it also lets me know how far I am. Like, I can't even play. So it almost just brings you closer to reality, okay? Of like, all right, bro, like when you say— when people are like, yo, I make $20, $30 million, $50 million, you, you got a different level of respect when you hear those numbers now. And that's another thing, like when I hear people signing these contracts with these all— like, I'm like, damn, dude, like that's real, you know what I mean? Like, and but on the flip side, dude, like seeing, um—

that's the best answer you could have said, dude. I appreciate it too, and not everybody can, and I'm sorry if we sound like assholes, but it's so true, dude.

Yeah, it's like, it gets a lot clearer of like, all right, where's the line in the sand?

Yeah, yeah, all the people doing something big. Yeah, I remember this, dude, when I got started. I remember getting the pin for $2,500. I remember, I remember like kind of figuring it out part-time. And then I remember our first year coming into this thing and feeling like, damn, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I quit. I'm at the— I felt like at the very bottom. And, uh, I remember 2014 telling, telling Steph, I was like, babe, I think I'm at the top of all the bottom people. Because then the top people, when I got to them, there was a bottom tier of top people. They were on the leaderboard doing $20 grand a month and they were still struggling. And some of y'all were like, that's because it's $10K a week. And I remember breaking that and I'm like, I think I'm, I think I'm, I think I'm like in the middle of this pack here somewhere. And then I get to the top at FFL, our agency FFL, and 5 of us did that kind of volume that year personal. I'm like, I think I'm kind of— and then I see it opens up another window. The recruits and the people with the teams and the— you know what I mean? And then we do that, now it opens up, and I'm like, dude, does this keep happening forever?

It does.

It's fucking bananas, bro. And I feel it again now. I'm like, people are like, you're doing great. I'm like, dude, I'm not complaining, my life is amazing. But there's humans that I am in the same room with that decide they want fucking dinner at some steakhouse across the country and they just call some guy, and 20 minutes later they head to the airport 6 minutes from their house and then go have dinner there tonight. I fucking know people that do that. That's what they do.

Yeah.

And I'm like, I mean, could I do that once?

Sure.

A couple times? Yeah, maybe. Probably. But like, I can't live like that.

100%.

And I'm like, bro, I just casually like, yo, let's, let's go to this country for 4 days. Hey, call Steve, he'll fly us there. Wait, he'll fly? Like, did they just come to get you?

Yeah, yeah, not Delta. No, yep, no, no, Steve.

Like, I got buddies, dude. That just, that's just everyday fucking life.

Lovely.

I'm like, shit, I've been on a few of them, 5, 6, 7 times in my life. But like, yo, to call up Joe and he just turns off the TV and comes and picks you up and takes you to the fucking airport for dinner. He's like, yeah, I want in. How do I get in? Tell me, please tell me how. And then so people start asking Integrity stuff and I'm like, what happened? They said, they said that was the path. I said, yes, I'm in. This is stupid, this don't work. That did this, this didn't go the way— I know, I, I'm— fuck, trust me, I promise you, I know. I know I could be mad, I see it that way too, but fuck, I mean, what do you want me to do? I'm in, I want that, come on, let's go. I'm having to do that again, you know what I mean? It's like that, that piece hasn't changed. It's just you feel something, you make it, someone goes, here, you can get in this room, how do you do it? Here's how you do it, go. That keeps happening to us, dude.

Yeah.

And I'm like, fuck, it's—

I wouldn't have it no other way, dude. Yeah, man, I have no other way, my dude.

Love it, bro. Well, let's holler. I appreciate it, dude. I know you're coming out.

Hell yeah.

So let's catch up before—

I'm looking forward to seeing you soon, man, and much love. All right, same, brother. All right, Brayden, nice to meet you. Hopefully I'll see you when I come out there as well.

Yeah, we'll make something happen, dude.

We'll make it happen. All right, right on, dude. Yeah, I gotta see your new place, dude. I haven't seen the new one. Yeah, hell yeah.

Come on.

No doubt, bro. I'll see you later, bro. Thank you for having me.