Scaling with Giveaway Marketing | Van Oakes of Goat Media

Van Oakes is the founder of Goat Media and one of the top voices in giveaway marketing and paid ad strategy. He’s helped brands like Diesel Brothers scale to 9 figures using giveaway-based customer acquisition, direct response funnels, and Shopify-first thinking.

In this episode, Van opens up about:

• The business model that made Diesel Brothers a $100M brand

• Why giveaways still outperform traditional ads in 2025

• How Goat Media scales brands using performance-first paid ads

• The numbers behind real ecom growth: CAC, LTV, and AOV benchmarks

• Transitioning from door-to-door sales to owning a top-tier agency

• What most ecom brands get wrong when trying to scale

• Balancing family, business, and personal trials without losing it all
  

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

1:20 – Van’s first big win in D2D

10:45 – Building Diesel Brothers with giveaways

18:50 – The Goat Media model explained

30:00 – How to price and position a giveaway

40:15 – Mistakes to avoid in paid ads

50:05 – Life after $100M: family, trauma, and truth

1:10:00 – Final thoughts on scaling sustainably

If you’re in e-commerce, digital marketing, brand building, or growth strategy, this episode is a masterclass in what works now. No fluff—just real frameworks, tested campaigns, and the story of a founder who’s led from the front, failed big, and still came back stronger.

💬 Connect with Van on IG: @itsyourboyvan

💼 Learn more: https://goat4media.com/

Binky Bro Founder Matt Fisler on Building a Kidswear Brand, Starting a Business, and Leaving Tech for E-Commerce

Matt Fisler, founder of the kidswear clothing brand Binky Bro, breaks down how he turned a side hustle into a multimillion-dollar children’s apparel company. In this podcast episode, Matt shares how he left his job at Qualtrics to start a profitable e-commerce business, what it’s like building a company with your spouse, and how Binky Bro became a leading surf-style kidswear brand. This is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, brand builders, e-commerce founders, and anyone in the kids fashion or DTC space.

Topics covered:

• How to start a kidswear brand

• Family-run business tips

• E-commerce business growth

• Startup branding strategies

• From Qualtrics to full-time founder

• Shopify, scaling, and organic marketing

• Building a lifestyle brand for parents

• Kids fashion trends and retail strategy
  

Perfect for: Listeners interested in entrepreneurship, kidswear fashion, DTC brands, Shopify startups, family business, and startup case studies.

Timestamps:

01:19 A Blast from the Past: Memories of Scotland

06:19 From Mission to Career: The Journey Begins

08:10 The Qualtrics Experience: Lessons and Growth

14:37 The Entrepreneurial Spirit: From Ideas to Action

29:38 The Birth of Binky Bro: From Concept to Reality

38:06 The Grind Behind the Success

40:46 Starting a Business with Your Spouse

42:34 Balancing Personal and Professional Life

49:06 Philosophy on Business Growth

01:00:00 Decade of Influence: Prioritizing Family

01:07:51 Exciting New Ventures and Collaborations

01:11:23 Giving Back: Legends are Born Every Day Foundation

Keywords: Binky Bro, Matt Fisler, kidswear brand founder, start a kids clothing line, Shopify brand, e-commerce success story, leave tech for business, surf kids clothes, family startup podcast

Bubba Page is an entrepreneur, investor, and father of eight—best known for building and selling LaunchLeads, then launching Influence VC to help fund early-stage startups. In this episode, he breaks down the principles that guided his journey to financial independence—without ever relying on debt.

We cover:

• How Bubba built a profitable B2B company and exited in 2020

• The mindset shift from operator to angel investor

• How Influence VC works as a syndicate model

• Why he paid off all his real estate assets—including a $3M cabin

• The dangers of over-leverage for founders

• What spiritual discipline and parenting strategy look like at scale

• Why lifestyle businesses often outperform the hype of venture-backed startups
  

This episode is packed with practical advice for entrepreneurs, business owners, and creators looking to build sustainable wealth and live intentionally.

Search terms: Bubba Page podcast, entrepreneur investor dad, Influence VC, startup founder, business exits, building wealth without debt, how to invest early-stage, fatherhood and money, LaunchLeads founder, no debt philosophy, millionaire mindset, family-first entrepreneurship

Chapters:

00:00 Defining Bubba Paige

01:35 Pro Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

03:13 College Entrepreneurship and Early Ventures

05:33 The Impact of Failure and Rebirth

07:22 Investing Strategies and Principles

16:56 Diversification and Risk Management

30:05 Debt, Peace of Mind, and Financial Freedom

40:04 The Importance of Financial Security

41:20 Finding Financial Stability

49:07 The Father Operating System

54:47 Daily Habits for Success

56:00 The Value of Spiritual Connection

01:00:31 Creating a Balanced Life

01:06:23 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

The Dixxon Flannel: $180 to $100 Million-a-Year Brand

Danny Dreyer went from selling flannels out of his garage with just $180 to running The Dixxon Flannel Company, a $100 million-a-year brand with a loyal global following.

In this episode of A Million Ways to Make a Million Bucks, host James McCabe talks with Danny about:

• ​Spotting an opportunity in the market
• ​Marketing on a shoestring budget
• ​Surviving product disasters and coming back stronger
• ​Building a community-driven brand

A must-listen for anyone chasing their own business dream.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Starting a Clothing Brand

03:21 Early Entrepreneurial Ventures

06:51 Scaling the Business

31:37 Balancing Work and Family

34:58 Taking the Leap to Entrepreneurship

37:38 Overcoming Early Business Challenges

40:40 Building a Resilient Brand

50:49 Struggles with ADHD and Work Efficiency

01:02:44 Debt-Free Business Philosophy

01:06:45 Personal Transformation and Surrender

01:22:25 Giving Back and Community Involvement

01:27:44 Rapid Fire Questions and Final Thoughts

Keywords: Dixxon Flannel, Danny Dreyer, entrepreneur story, small business growth, side hustle success, clothing brand

Ricky Gutierrez shares how he turned a side hustle into a full-time career trading blue-chip stocks—without hype, options, or risky leverage. In this episode, Ricky breaks down how he built a $2M portfolio through consistent habits, real-time decision-making, and a disciplined mindset. If you're curious about stock trading, managing risk, or building financial freedom without the noise, this one's for you.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Ricky's Best Trading Day

01:05 Political Opinions and Market Influence

03:26 Ricky's Trading Journey

03:52 Starting with Penny Stocks

06:55 Transition to Full-Time Trading

12:09 Trading Strategies and Risk Management

28:44 Case Study: Shorting Robinhood

30:19 Market Sentiment and Trading Strategy

33:40 Trading Account Insights

34:33 Profit Locking Strategy

37:13 Advice for Beginners

Keywords: stock trading, Ricky Gutierrez, day trading, blue-chip stocks, investing, financial freedom, trading habits, LPP

Johnjay Van Es: How a Morning Radio Show Became a Syndicated Success. From local radio shifts to national syndication, Johnjay Van Es has built one of the most recognized morning shows in the country. In this episode, he breaks down how it happened—without following anyone else's playbook. James McCabe sits down with the Johnjay & Rich host to talk about starting from behind the scenes, what syndication really looks like, and why staying authentic matters more than ever.

They get into his early career in promotions and sales, what it’s like to carry a show with national reach, and how he’s kept going without burning out. Johnjay also shares why partnership and personal growth have mattered just as much as content and audience, and how being consistent—for 20+ years—has been his real edge.

If you’re trying to build something meaningful, this is what the long game sounds like.

Chapters:

00:00 Authenticity in Social Media

02:36 Journey into Radio and Early Career

08:32 Johnjay’s Partnership with Rich

13:42 Navigating Social Media and Personal Life

19:46 The Evolution of Radio and Podcasting

41:04 Personal Experiences with Stem Cell Treatments

42:27 Hyperbaric Chambers and Peptides

50:55 Balancing a Radio Show and Family

54:53 Endorsements and Authenticity

01:01:24 Health and Fitness Journey

01:06:45 Financial Advice and Life Experiences

Austin Zaback went from launching a pool cleaning business at age 7 to building one of the most dominant real estate operations in the country—completely self-funded. In this episode, he breaks down how he built a $1 billion-per-year real estate business that includes daily wholesale transactions, the top-ranked retail real estate team in the U.S., and a network of vertically integrated companies spanning mortgage, title, insurance, and media.

You’ll hear how Austin scaled without outside investors or debt, why most people aren’t built for real entrepreneurship, and what it actually takes to lead 500+ team members across multiple real estate verticals. If you’re serious about real estate, scaling a business, or staying profitable while growing fast, this conversation is your playbook.

Chapters:

00:00 Building Multiple Companies

03:13 Growing Up with Grandparents

04:26 First Real Estate Deal

11:08 Explaining Wholesaling

16:32 Scaling the Business

23:19 The Ecosystem of Companies

33:40 Challenges of Scaling a Company

37:49 The Realities of Building Companies

40:54 Creative Financing vs. Wholesaling

43:00 Finding Alignment in Your Career

49:09 The Importance of Authenticity and Giving

55:12 Dealing with Social Media Trolls

57:47 Building a Strong Company Culture

01:02:03 Balancing Personal and Professional Life

About: Austin Zaback is a nationally recognized real estate leader and business builder focused on scale, strategy, and omnipresence. He is President of SPACE, the nation's fastest-growing real estate team with more than 300 agents across Arizona, Texas, Florida, and California. Austin leads with a growth-first mindset and a long-term vision for building industry-defining companies.
He is also the founder of OneRoof, the top wholesale and real estate investment company in the country. They are responsible for over 3,000 + wholesale deals and 200+ flips.

Austin is also the Owner of Zaback Media, his vertically integrated content and media company that exists to expand reach, increase brand equity, and attract opportunity across platforms for both SPACE and OneRoof. Zaback Media handles production of The Austin Zaback Show, a podcast focused on interviewing world-renowned industry leaders.

With over $3 billion in real estate sold, 12 companies founded, and hundreds of employees across his ventures, Austin has become a standout figure in the real estate and entrepreneurial space. All before the age of 30 years old.
His work spans real estate sales, investing, education, content, and scalable systems built for acquisition.
Austin's brand is built on clarity, conviction, and connection. His focus now is expanding his businesses nationally, acquiring and scaling companies through equity, and building a media presence that drives massive awareness and trust.
Everything he builds is designed to create growth and opportunity. For clients, partners, agents, and the people who follow his journey.

Learn more about Austin Zaback's podcast at https://www.theaustinzabackshow.com/

Trailer for a podcast featuring Austin Zaback. New episode Monday June 30th at 6:00 AM Pacific Time or 9:00 AM Eastern Time.

From a last-minute dinner at Carbone to closing deals with strangers-turned-allies, this solocast unpacks how belief in the unlikely can shift reality. It’s not about the table—it’s about the mindset. Through personal stories and reflections on past guests, you’ll hear how unwavering optimism becomes a serious tool for building success, even when the odds say no.