Capitalism.com with Ryan Daniel Moran

It's clear that there is no one way to build a business - but there ARE ways that you can build a business quicker and more successfully. Those are the ways Ryan likes to pursue. Why waste time and money? Just get things done and enjoy the fruit of your labors more quickly. Toward that end, Ryan loves the way crowdfunding can be combined with a product or brand launch on Amazon. The two go hand in hand, and to explain how that's true Ryan's invited a crowdfunding expert and consultant, Khierstyn Ross to walk through some of the important things you need to think about as you launch products using crowdfunding.

The power of crowdfunding to raise seed money.

Unless you raise a ton of capital from angel investors or other funding platforms, you're not going to have the seed money you need to build out more professional or technical product ideas and brands. Crowdfunding is one way you can get past that extra large hurdle. Using platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo you can raise the seed money for your product and get things rolling within 30 to 60 days. But you should never try to do it on your own. There are people who have made it their business to analyze the campaigns that work best, find out why they worked the way they did, and how to take lessons from those approaches to help new products make a splash through successful crowdfunding campaigns. Khierstyn Ross is one of those people and she's got a lot of great crowdfunding tips to share with you, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane.

Why crowdfunding is a great way to validate your product idea.

It's always a shame when someone has what they believe is a great product idea and invests tons of time and money developing it, only to discover that the market really doesn't show that people want it. How can you avoid that costly mistake? One way is to utilize crowdfunding to validate the demand for the product ideas you have. But you don't want to run a crowdfunding campaign on an idea alone. You want to ensure that you understand what you're getting into before you take that step - and Khierstyn Ross is on the show to explain how you can do that, so be sure you listen.

Crowdfunding should be the first step in a long game.

Many people who get into crowdfunding think it's simply a way to make some quick cash by building out a product they can sell. But those who understand the power of crowdfunding know that it's just the first step in a much longer game. Successful brands consisting of many products can be built using crowdfunding, which makes for an ongoing, profitable business that can eventually be sold for great profits. Find out how to approach crowdfunding the right way on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane from Ryan's guest, Khierstyn Ross.

Do NOT start crowdfunding when all you have is a product idea.

If you want one of the most important pieces of advice about running a crowdfunding campaign, here it is: Build your product prototype first, before you start a Crowdfunding campaign. If you don't have an educated idea of what it's really going to take to build your product and fulfill orders you'll likely burn through your crowdfunding money before you get anything built - and your long-term business plans will be in jeopardy. Khierstyn Ross shares the experiences she's had helping many companies not only have successful campaigns but actually build long-term successful brands.

Outline Of This Great Episode

• [0:26] Ryan's introduction to this episode about crowdfunding as an audience builder.
• [3:13] Why Amazon and crowdfunding are such a great partnership.
• [6:15] Crowdfunding as a long term play - using the crowdfunding audience to launch new products.
• [9:22] What kinds of products or events can be crowdfunded successfully?
• [11:30] The types of things that do NOT work on crowdfunding platforms.
• [13:42] When is it time to start your crowdfunding campaign?

Action Steps From This Episode

FOR GETTING STARTED: Consider crowdfunding as a way to get your seed funding, validate your product idea, and launch in a way you can't do as easily or quickly.

FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Build your product prototype first, before you start a Crowdfunding campaign. If you don't have an educated idea of what it's really going to take to build your product out and fulfill orders you'll likely burn through your crowdfunding money before you get anything built.

Connect With Today's guest: KHIERSTYN ROSS

Website: www.CrowdfundingUncut.com

On Twitter

On Facebook

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• www.FreedomFastLane.com/bootcamp - learn how to establish your own brand
• Kickstarter
• Indiegogo
• Pavlok
• Shock Clock
• Purple Pillow
• Foreverspin
• Rockwell Razors
• Entrepreneur On Fire Podcast

Connect With Freedom Fast Lane Live

Website: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram

Subscribe to Freedom Fast Lane

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It’s clear that there is no one way to build a business – but there ARE ways that you can build a business quicker and more successfully...

Every Amazon private label seller wants to find that product that is the next big thing… and they want to be the one to benefit from the buying frenzy. But it doesn't just happen. Ever. There are intentional and carefully contrived organic sales strategies and product promotions that have to happen in order for those big things to become big. You can take the trial and error route and figure it out on your own over time (if you have the time and money to walk that road). Or, you can learn from the people who have done that work themselves. Casey Gauss of Viral Launch is one of those people. He's Ryan's guest on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane and shares his view of the road to product success.

What does it really take to rank your private label product for keywords on Amazon?

If you've ever looked into the backend of the Amazon seller dashboard you know that there are a couple of places and ways that you can attempt to optimize your listing for keywords. But you probably also know that there's more to it than simply entering your keywords in those places. Casey Gauss says that the main thing that drives a product to rank in Amazon's organic search is organic sales. If you think about that for a minute you'll see that it's almost a chicken and egg scenario. If you need organic sales to rank, then how are you going to get them if you aren't ranking? Casey shares what he's seen working in terms of promotions and marketing to push the organic sales of a product on Amazon.

What do top Amazon sellers do that is different than everyone else?

In any business, there are thousands of things you COULD focus on - and when it comes to private label product sales on Amazon, sometimes it feels like there are even more things to consider. Product images, item descriptions, keyword optimization, product improvement and development - you know the pain, right? In this conversation, Ryan asked Casey Gauss of Viral Launch what the top selling Amazon companies are doing that is different than everyone else. His answer was simple: They discover the 20% of things they are currently doing that are bringing 80% of their results and they do more of those things. You can get all the details on what Casey most commonly sees those things to be, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane.

Do you really need to build your product brand off of Amazon?

Ryan and many others have long been insisting that it's vital for Amazon private label sellers to put their eggs into baskets other than Amazon. Primarily that means establishing your own product website with the ability to capture customer email addresses and getting more and more of your customers to purchase their products directly from you. It's a difficult task but offers benefits far beyond what Amazon is willing to offer sellers. While Casey Gauss, founder of Viral Launch doesn't disagree with that approach he doesn't feel that it's as vital as Ryan and others have insisted. His belief is that Amazon is always going to want good quality products to sell and over time is going to make it easier and easier for successful private label sellers to be even more successful on its platform. You can hear the entire thrust of what Casey has to share, on this episode.

Basic things every Amazon seller must master to achieve success.

On this episode, Casey Gauss of Viral Launch was asked what advice he has for Amazon seller. His advice was pretty basic. Once you find a great product at a great price and establish it on the Amazon sales platform, don't be afraid to push it aggressively. You have got to be the one to make your product move. Organic sales are up to you, nobody else. Educate yourself about how to make your product listings and messaging sing in a way that your ideal customers will respond. And invest the time and money in learning how to do effective promotions. It's not rocket science but it does take the willingness to educate yourself, test your efforts, and tweak things until you hit your sweet spot. Find out more on this episode.

Outline Of This Great Episode

• [0:22] Ryan's introduction to this episode with his guest, Casey Gauss.
• [3:22] What is working to promote sales on Amazon right now?
• [9:05] Ranking for keywords these days on Amazon (early 2017).
• [15:05] What are the top sellers doing different than everyone else?
• [22:07] What Casey suggests in the way of product marketing strategies.
• [26:20] Do you really need a brand that is bigger than Amazon sales?
• [35:10] What Casey's transition from one-man show to team has been like.
• [41:29] Casey's thoughts about where sales are headed for private label brands.
• [48:02] Advice for sellers from Casey's experience working with Viral Launch clients.

Action Steps From This Episode

FOR GETTING STARTED: Once you get a great product at a great price established, don't be afraid to push your products aggressively. You have got to be the one to make your product move. Educate yourself about how to make your product listings and messaging sing so it will appeal to your ideal customers.

FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Sellers who are more successful are putting their focus on the 20% of things that get 80% of their sales results. Discover what parts of your system actually drive sales the most and do those more.

Connect With Today's guest: Casey Gauss

Website: Viral-Launch

On Twitter

On Facebook

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• www.FreedomFastLane.com/bootcamp
• www.FreedomFastLane.com/tribe

Connect With Freedom Fast Lane Live

Website: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram

Subscribe to Freedom Fast Lane

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After hearing this episode of with Matthew Tremolada it should be obvious that there is no excuse for anyone when it comes to starting your own ecommerce business. Matthew Tremolada struggled through the addiction he had to heroin to build a million dollar brand that continues to move forward. His journey is an example of overcoming in spite of personal and practical obstacles. It's an inspiring story that forced Matthew out of college and into a very desperate place.

Trying to get money for his next hit of heroin, Matthew stepped into ecommerce.

After dropping out of college because of his heroin addiction, Matthew was at his lowest. He was actually looking for more drugs, trying to find ways to finance his habit and found a MLM squeeze page that changed his life and led him into ecommerce sales. Matthew openly shares his story and tells how he made the journey from addict to business owner, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane.

The things Matthew did to go from $20K/month to $50K/month.

One of the things every entrepreneur has to be comfortable with is risk. Matthew says that to move from $20K per month in sales to $50K, the only thing he had to change was his attitude about risk. He had to let himself become uncomfortable, to make himself uncomfortable both financially and in terms of the skills he had to learn to scale the business. The risks were worth it for him and he shares how he made that mindset shift, the results it had, and how his struggle to grow impacted himself and his family, on this episode.

Building out the systems that allow the ecommerce business to scale.

When Ryan asked his guest, Matthew Tremolada what he's doing to scale his business to the point of making a consistent $100K per month in sales, he said that the primary thing is building the systems needed for the recurring income to be consistent and strong. He believes that once the systems are in place he'll be able to position the company attractively to be sold. Find out how he's accomplished this so quickly and how he plans to sell the company, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane.

Anyone can succeed if they really want to. Here's a story that will inspire anyone.

Matthew Tremolada's end goal is to build a business and income that will enable him to discover the things about life and the universe that he's curious about. He's eager to learn more about the possibilities of immortality for the human race and believes that his business can set him up to have the freedom to experience those areas of interest. Matthew allowed himself no excuses in pursuing his dreams and his business. He determined he was going to make it work, no matter what. You can hear his story and where he's headed, on this episode.

Outline Of This Great Episode

• [0:21] Ryan's introduction to this episode and his guest, Matthew Tremolada.
• [2:10] The current state of Matthew's business and how he began with Amazon.
• [7:37] Where Matthew began: Dropping out of college and searching for heroin.
• [11:19] Moving to private label sales to build a wider business model.
• [13:53] The transition from opportunity chasing to building an actual business.
• [21:08] Infusions of capital to fuel business growth: How Matthew built his funding.
• [22:30] The growth plan to get to a consistent $100K per month in sales.
• [26:38] Why Matthew decided to bring on capital partners.
• [29:56] The biggest contributors to the success of Matthew's business (his thoughts).
• [31:49] The difference in Matthew that has come from his success.

Action Steps From This Episode

FOR GETTING STARTED: Educate yourself and set your mind. You won't get anywhere if you don't know what to do. But even more importantly, you won't get anywhere if you don't truly believe you can.

FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Consider finding capital partners who believe in your business and your approach. The infusion of capital can often provide opportunities and timing that you can't easily achieve on your own.

Connect With Today's guest: Matthew Tremolada

On Twitter

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• www.FreedomFastLane.com/Bootcamp
• Through The Wormhole

Connect With Freedom Fast Lane Live

Website: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram

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Everything has an ROI. EVERYTHING. If you are investing time, energy, or money into a thing, it needs to be producing a benefit to you that is greater than what you're investing in it. If that's NOT the case, then you are bleeding and need to bring it to a halt immediately. On this episode of Freedom Fast Lane, Ryan walks through the 5 financial investments that he believes have the greatest ROI for any entrepreneur. He also gives you 4 "honorable mention" categories of investment that he loves for their own unique reasons. It's short. It's sweet. And it's powerful. You'll want to hear this one.

Are you getting the best ROI from your skillset?

Many entrepreneurs don't realize that their skill set is one of the most highly leverageable resources they have to increase ROI. It's the one thing that you are ENTIRELY in control of and can increase immediately through learning, work ethic, and repetition, among other things. On this episode of Freedom Fast Lane, Ryan has a new way for you to think about your skill set that can help you increase the ROI of your business by investing in the most important commodity you have – yourself.

Do you think about your network as an area where you can increase your ROI?

Every one of us has a network of people who either support or detract from the goals we are shooting for. It's not a realm where you normally think of ROI, but it should be. The people you surround yourself with will directly impact the return you get on the time you invest in achieving your personal and business goals. And the time, effort, and money you spend investing in your network will pay off in massive ways if you take advantage of the opportunities that those investments afford you. On this episode, Ryan tells how he's learning that his network is in a very real way, his net worth. Listen to learn how to expand and maximize your connections.

If you can't impact a business's direction, you're wasting your ROI.

Over the years Ryan has invested in business opportunities where he had little ability to impact the direction and outcomes of the business. What he discovered was that those opportunities didn't amount to as much as the things he was directly involved in and thus, his ROI was much lower. The lesson he learned? If you can't directly impact the direction and outcomes of a business, you're not going to get the ROI you're hoping for. It might be better if you steer clear altogether. Find out how to avoid putting yourself in those shoes, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane.

If you know how to build your audience you will always be able to increase your ROI.

One of the hurdles every entrepreneur eventually faces is the challenge of building their following. You can have the greatest insights, products, or services in the world but if you're unable to get the people who need it to be interested in it, you will never get the return on the investments you've made in your business. That's why Ryan recommends you begin learning how to build your audience immediately and continue working on your ability to do so as your business grows. When you are able to consistently grow your following you'll have a captive audience that eagerly receives every new product, service, or opportunity that you develop – and that will increase your ROI every time. Find out more on this episode.

Outline Of This Great Episode

• [0:02] Ryan's introduction to this episode about highest ROI investments, including the things you invest in your business.
• [1:15] Why Ryan believes that everything has an ROI to it.
• [3:59] The importance of getting the best ROI from your skillset.
• [6:44] Do you think about your network as a realm to increase your ROI?
• [8:48] When you can impact the course of a business, you have a great opportunity to increase ROI.
• [10:40] Building your team is a powerful way to increase your ROI.
• [11:43] If you know how to build your audience you increase your ROI.
• [15:28] BONUS: Good debt is a great way to increase your ROI.
• [18:05] BONUS: How real estate can be leveraged to a great ROI.
• [18:48] BONUS: Dividend-paying stocks as a source of greater ROI.
• [19:28] BONUS: Anything that reduces your tax burden will increase your ROI.

Action Steps From This Episode

FOR GETTING STARTED: Understand that everything you have and everything you do has an ROI to it. From health, to your skills, to your business – everything can be tweaked to improve your ROI.

FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Start building an audience right away. Everything else is easier when you have the audience to support the things you build over time. When you know how to build an audience you know how to leverage everything else to greater success.

Connect With Freedom Fast Lane Live

Website: www.FreedomFastLane.com

On Youtube

On Facebook

On Twitter

On Google Plus

On LinkedIn

On Instagram

Subscribe to Freedom Fast Lane

Subscribe to the Freedom Fast Lane Podcast with Ryan Daniel Moran

One of the most important things for anyone who wants to build a better life or more successful business is the setting and accomplishment of goals. But we often don't meet our goals. Do you know why that is? Do you know what holds you back? On this episode, Guy and Ilan from Satori Prime are sharing the things they teach about mindset, goal setting, and goal accomplishment.

All progress starts by telling yourself the truth.

You won't be able to get anywhere in building a better life or business if you are unwilling to admit what your current situation is, and why you are there. You have to start with telling yourself the truth. That's the only way you will notice what is really before you and what is holding you back so that you can take steps to move away from it. This episode with the guys from Satori Prime is practical for helping you tell yourself the truth so you can finally begin moving forward.

Setting goals is a hopeful thing. It's the doing of the goals that is the hard part.

All of us like setting goals because it makes the optimistic part of our brains turn on. It enables us to dream, to imagine a more positive and profitable future. It simply feels good. But when it comes to applying yourself to the accomplishment of those dreams, it's a different story. If you want to know how to get moving toward the accomplishment of your goals, Ilan and Guy from Satori Prime are on this episode of the podcast to tell you how.

The only goals that really work are goals that pull you towards them.

When you are setting goals you need to ask some hard questions about why you want the goals you're setting. Is there something outside of yourself that you feel compelled to satisfy or is the goal coming from a place that is entirely internal? You need to know the answer to that question because goals that motivate by "pushing" are the kind of goals that never get accomplished. But goals that pull you, that draw you toward them are almost always accomplished. You can learn the difference and how to spot your true goal-setting motivations from this episode.

To attain your goals you need to chunk them down into manageable pieces.

Let's choose a crazy goal as an example to help us think about the practical steps of goal setting. Say you want to earn one million dollars in the next calendar year but you've never earned that much money in a year before. That goal in its entirety can seem overwhelming and if you stay fixated on that you won't move very far. So you've got to "chunk down" your goals - break them into smaller, bite-sized pieces that are not so overwhelming. That way your mind can grasp the steps to achieving your goals and move you there bit at a time.

Outline Of This Great Episode

• [0:23] Ryan's introduction to this episode featuring the guys from Satori Prime, Ilan and Guy.
• [3:39] Why resolutions don't work at all and what to do instead.
• [7:10] A very simple way to create your goals for a new year.
• [11:27] 3 steps you need to take before you ever write down a goal.
• [17:00] How goals lead you to the challenges that cause breakthrough.
• [22:11] The best way to handle resistance.
• [29:12] Learn to think of your own goals like a coach would.
• [31:30] Bonus tips for creating new goals.
• [34:08] The kind and size of goals that are possible and how to set them properly.
• [42:08] Ryan's summary of the episode.

Action Steps From This Episode

FOR GETTING STARTED: Stop making resolutions. They don't work. Instead, you want to look at your mindset and make significant changes in your beliefs.

FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Learn to counsel yourself like a coach would. When you can get outside your first person perspective you'll be able to see more objectively and make better decisions.

Connect With Today's guest: Satori Prime

Website: https://satoriprime.com/

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• www.FreedomFastLane.com/bootcamp - business building training

Connect With Freedom Fast Lane Live

Website: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram

Subscribe to Freedom Fast Lane

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Pay attention to the results that come from the tweaks you make to everything in your business - from systems, to workflow, to sales pages. It's those little tweaks that will tell you what is working and what is broken. When you are able to optimize what is working and fix what is broken, you're able to increase your profits. On this episode of Freedom Fast Lane, Ryan is excited to tell you the things he's been working on that have generated the $1.1 million for this past month and how he thinks the changes being made will impact the company's growth.

We've struck a deal (almost) with a major retail chain.

One of the things Ryan shares on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane is that he's in talks right now with a major retail chain to sell one of his product lines in their stores. He's excited about the possibilities (naturally) and is eager to get the agreement. The reason he's so eager is because he's confident that he and his team are going to be worlds ahead of the other brands in the space when it comes to marketing. His plan is to take over the market. You can hear why Ryan is moving this product line to a non-Amazon based sales solution and what he expects to come of it, on this episode.

In every business, you need to understand the impact the tweaks you make, are making.

Until you have your business firmly established and dominating your marketplace you need to constantly be assessing the things you do to make the business run. Team structure, workflows, personnel, software - anything that can create a bottleneck in your process and profitability needs to be examined. That's because the things you change can bring tremendous results - and you want to notice what works so you can do more of it. You'll also be able to see what is not working and do less of it, change it, or get rid of it altogether. Ryan's got some strong opinions about the importance of the constant business maintenance that has to happen and he shares them, on this episode.

Every entrepreneur has to learn how to build and lead a team.

One of the things Ryan's been learning lately is that he needs to become more adept at building and leading a team. He's got a small team working for him now and constantly finds the challenge of maintaining good culture and building good systems to be difficult. But he believes that every entrepreneur HAS to learn how to do it because it's the team that multiplies efforts and makes the business better, stronger, and more profitable. This episode is an up to date status report on Ryan's businesses, including his personal growth journey - so you won't want to miss it.

Acquiring businesses that can fuel larger dreams.

Ryan has been very outspoken about his goal to purchase the Cleveland Indians baseball team. It's a dream - so naturally, it's got to have a plan behind it if it's going to come true. Ryan's plan is to acquire and scale existing physical products businesses as a form of investment to fuel the revenue for that dream - and he's chosen that approach because he feels it's an aspect of business that he's really, really good at. You can hear how those plans are going and about the "almost" acquisition of another business in his portfolio, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane.

Outline Of This Great Episode

• [0:01] Ryan's introduction to this episode: His revenue report for January 2017.
• [4:26] Dialing-in the launch process for non-Amazon products.
• [6:03] Striking a deal with a major retail chain: a different business model.
• [9:50] The supplement company: Body Vega Nutrition.
• [11:40] The health and profits of Freedom Fast Lane.
• [14:46] Ryan's 3 year vision to invest in businesses.
• [16:30] Goals for 2017.
• [17:42] Ryan's personal investments: wrapping up a multi-million dollar acquisition.
• [19:56] Real estate holdings, fulfillment, restaurant, possible investments with TRIBE members.
• [22:31] The new revenue for this month.
• [23:10] Personal life: Ryan's little girl is growing and delightful - hiring and leading a team.

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• ZonBlast
• ViralLaunch
• Body Vega Nutrition
• Mike Dillard Episode of FFL
• Facebook.com/RyanMoran
• Falcon Fulfillment
• Fresh Planet: Cleveland Ohio
• Cameron Herold episode of FFL

Connect With Freedom Fast Lane Live

Website: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram

Subscribe to Freedom Fast Lane

Subscribe to the Freedom Fast Lane Podcast with Ryan Daniel Moran

Pay attention to the results that come from the tweaks you make to everything in your business – from systems, to workflow, to sales pages...

Every business owner needs to know the basics of managing the profits that the business makes. What are the best things to do with the money the business makes? How much should you invest back into the business? When do you know it's right to take money out of the business and begin investing in other things? This episode of Freedom Fast Lane gives you answers to those questions and more. Ryan's friend Matthew Paulson shares his approach to cash-flow investing, business profit margins and investments, and much more.

Why a ROTH IRA is the first thing everybody should invest in.

One of the biggest burdens for every citizen, but especially for small business owners, is taxes. It's only right to pay your fair share of taxes but there's no reason you should be paying more than you should. On this episode, Matthew Paulson shares his approach to taxes and the use of the legal tools - such as ROTH IRAs that can save you taxes and enable you to get started with investing in simple, but powerful ways.

What about crypto currencies like Bitcoin? Are they good investments?

One of the more trendy and new ways people are investing these days is through crypto currency - a digital form of currency that many people are predicting will be the way we buy and sell in the future. Matthew Paulson, Ryan's expert guest on this episode feels that these types of investments are far too volatile and that investing in them is more like speculation than it is a true investment. You can hear Matthew's reasoning and the things he's learned in running his own businesses and investing his own profits, on this episode.

Are municipal bonds a good investment strategy?

Matthew Paulson believes that for most investors who are in a particular tax bracket, certain bonds are good financial investment vehicles to use. Though the earnings are typically much lower than most investors are hoping for (around 6%) there is a particular use for this kind of investment that Matthew believes every investment portfolio needs. You can hear his thoughts and understand more of whether or not bonds are right for you by listening to this episode.

Is real estate a good investment? If so, at what level does it make sense?

The internet is abuzz about the power of investing in real estate and many people seem to be doing very well purchasing properties, flipping houses, wholesaling, and more. But from Matthew Paulson's chair, real estate investing only makes sense if you do it on a larger scale, simply because the work required to keep the properties up and managed well is much more than the passive, cash-flow style of business he likes to run. You can hear how Matthew has come to these conclusions and how he advises you consider real estate investing realistically, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane.

Outline Of This Great Episode

• [0:01] One of the most popular classes we've taught.
• [1:00] Ryan's introduction of Matthew Paulson and the idea of cashflow investing.
• [7:16] When should you take money out of your business?
• [10:15] How do you know which investments to make in your business?
• [13:54] What should you do to invest the money you take out of your business?
• [16:35] The 3 basics everyone should do when it comes to investing.
• [25:42] What things should you NOT buy with your profits?
• [27:04] Why digital or crypto currencies are volatile and not a good investment.
• [30:27] The types of investments you SHOULD buy.
• [33:30] What about municipal or government bonds?
• [36:05] Owning real estate as an investment.
• [40:04] All-in on your business and diversification in your investments.

Action Steps From This Episode

FOR GETTING STARTED: When you are first starting you'll likely have to put most of what you earn back into your business. That's what fuels growth and cash-flow and enables you to learn how things are going to work.

FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Set a minimum profit margin in your business. It will help you when evaluating opportunities and keep you focused on what you really want to accomplish.

Connect With Today's guest: Matthew Paulson

Website: http://www.mattpaulson.com/

On Twitter

On Facebook

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• www.FreedomFastLane.com/investing - get in on the next class
• BOOK: Automatic Income by Matthew Paulson
• Vanguard
• www.HealthSavings.com

One of the things Ryan and the FFL team are focusing on in 2017 and beyond is acquiring assets that produce cash flow. And that doesn't necessarily mean what you think it means. Most people think of real estate or traditional investments. But today's guest, Shakil Prasla has built a small empire of businesses through buying existing, profitable businesses that he can optimize and automate. Then he moves on to the next one. It's a fascinating model and this is a fascinating conversation. You'll learn a lot about an asset building model that very few people seem to be doing.

Shakil Prasla is a business investor, meaning he buys and optimizes existing businesses.

When Shakil Prasla bought his first business it didn't take long for him to see that he didn't want to be wrapped up in the details of the business, carrying out the daily operations himself. He wanted to build systems and hire a team that could do it for him. That way he would be relatively free to purchase another business, optimize it for greater cash flow, then move on. On this episode of Freedom Fast Lane, you'll hear Shakil describe how he got started with this kind of investment model and the kind of amazing results he's having. It's got Ryan's mind churning about his own possibilities, and it will probably do the same for you.

Simple hacks to improve a business you buy can result in 40% increase in profits.

When you buy a business that is already producing a profit there are often relatively simple things you can do to improve its profitability almost immediately. It sounds too good to be true - but it IS true. For example, in one situation, Shakil Prasla simply analyzed the bounce rate of website visitors, pinpointed the reasons potential customers were leaving the website, made a few simple changes, and increased visitor retention and sales by 40%. Forty percent! That's an incredible gain with a very small amount of work. You can hear more about how Shakil optimizes his newly acquired businesses, on this episode.

Finding good people to run your business is vital for success. Here's how Shakil does it.

Anyone who runs a business knows that the team you hire to do the work of the business is vitally important. And if you are like Shakil Prasla and want to be out of the daily running of the business, it's even more important that you find managers who are not only competent but also trustworthy and aligned with your vision for the business. In this conversation, Ryan asks Shakil how he finds the good people to run his businesses and what he does to assess and train them to be successful. It's a great lesson in onboarding and team building that anyone will benefit from.

How much should you pay for an internet-based business?

When you talk about purchasing profitable businesses as cash-flow assets it's hard to know exactly what you should pay for the business. After all, it's worth more than the annual cash-flow, but how much? Since Shakil Prasla has built a business portfolio through business acquisitions Ryan decided it was a great opportunity to find out what an experienced guy like him would say to the question. If you'd like to know what Shakil is usually willing to pay for a profitable business - and in so doing know what you're might be worth to a buyer - you should listen to this episode of Freedom Fast Lane.

Outline Of This Great Episode

• [0:16] Ryan's introduction to Shakil - and the business model he uses.
• [2:08] How Shakil got started in business.
• [3:24] The type of businesses that Shakil buys.
• [5:36] The importance of a great team.
• [8:19] Shakil's role as owners - passing off the work to managers.
• [8:50] The process of finding the good people to run the business.
• [11:10] The complications that can happen in this business model.
• [15:45] Exploring the growth strategies possible in potential businesses.
• [19:00] Maximizing the previous owner's missed opportunities and adding product line improvements.
• [21:40] 4 key ways to get financing for a business purchase.
• [24:30] How Shakil finds the businesses he purchases.
• [25:57] The first months after buying a business. What does it require to run it well?
• [27:30] Taking breaks between acquisitions? What's realistic?
• [28:45] The reasonable multiple Shakil looks for in companies he might buy.
• [30:53] The hardest part of the process: the risk of online businesses.
• [35:04] How you can find and support Shakil.

Action Steps From This Episode

FOR GETTING STARTED: Understand that any existing capital can be invested in businesses just as much as property or stocks. Finding the right businesses for sale and exploring their potential is a great way to build a portfolio of business investments.

FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Once you purchase an existing business, ask the previous owner what improvements he/she has considered but hasn't implemented. Find out why. Often, you can implement some simple improvements and see immediate profits.

Connect With Today's guest: Shakil Prasla

Website: http://szventures.com/

Shakil(at)SZVentures.com

On Twitter

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• Upwork
• Monster
• HubStaff
• HeatMaps
• BizBuySell