Josh Courage is a Fitness Business owner and VeeFriends OG collector. He has spoken at Veecon, posts educational fitness content on social media and sells items on whatnot. 

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LinkedIn: Justin Shoemaker

I always thought you needed financing to grow your business. In fact because of these belief I took predatory MCA debt to try and grow at an absurd rate. This is a death sentence to most companies. In this Episode I go over exactly how we got out of it, and the lessons we learned along the way. 

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LinkedIn: Justin Shoemaker

Chris "coach" Kak, is an IFBB Pro Body Builder, CEO of KAK performance and its a leader in the fitness space. I got the unique opportunity to sit down with him and talk about business, life, and how to win. Enjoy! 

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What separates successful entrepreneurs from the rest isn't always what you'd expect. After 11.5 years in the Navy, I discovered that the same disciplines that make an effective sailor can build a seven-figure business.

The foundation of my success started with something surprisingly basic: showing up early. While it seems simple, consistently arriving before everyone else set me apart in every workplace. This reliability created opportunities others never saw. Employers could count on me, which led to greater trust and responsibility. The military taught me that mastering fundamentals creates the platform for tackling bigger challenges.

Another game-changing lesson was giving 100% effort to tasks I hated. The Navy frequently demanded performing unpleasant duties for extended periods in challenging conditions. This built mental toughness that transferred perfectly to entrepreneurship. Behind every "sexy" business success are countless unglamorous tasks—following up with clients, writing SOPs, packaging products—that actually drive results. The willingness to embrace these difficult parts with full commitment creates a competitive advantage few possess.

Perhaps most valuable was learning that complaining makes you weak. When faced with unfair situations, effective leaders take ownership and find solutions rather than wasting energy on complaints. This mindset shift grants you autonomy to change your circumstances instead of waiting for others to fix your problems. Organizations value team members who embrace challenges without negativity, which repeatedly accelerated my advancement.

The strategic approach that transformed my career was working 10X harder than everyone else for a concentrated period. By taking every opportunity, working weekends, and mastering skills through volume during my first few months in new positions, I established a reputation that continued paying dividends long after. This strategy propelled me from door-knocking to leadership positions with dramatically increased income—ultimately enabling me to launch my own successful water treatment company.

Want to build something remarkable? Start with these military-tested principles. They're not flashy, but they work. Follow along as I share more practical wisdom from my journey from service member to successful entrepreneur.

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LinkedIn: Justin Shoemaker

Connect with me!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/js_shoez_/
X: https://twitter.com/Shoeinvestor2
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LinkedIn: Justin Shoemaker

We explore the true business model behind successful Whatnot streaming and why treating it as an entertainment platform rather than just a card-selling venture is critical for long-term success.

• Understanding you're in the entertainment and gambling business, not just selling cards
• The importance of $1 sudden death auctions to build audience even when taking initial losses
• Why the first stage of growth is market capture rather than profit maximization
• Strategies for finding inventory deals on eBay and through bulk buys in collector communities
• Building a personal brand identity that makes you recognizable in the collectibles space
• The surprising value of going slow when building a business
• How creating scarcity and urgency drives engagement and sales
• Managing inventory with both showcase pieces and affordable options
• Creating value for viewers through deals and giveaways
• Documenting your business journey to build connection with your audience

When I reach 1,000 followers and consistently get over 100 viewers, I'll auction my Dana White auto, Skelly Sketch, or Gary V auto card for $1. That's how serious I am about building this community.

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LinkedIn: Justin Shoemaker

In this episode I did my first live stream podcast on whatnot and talk about the card business and veefriends as a whole. 

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Sometimes the most significant opportunities come when you're least expecting them. Today, I'm breaking from routine to bring you urgent insight into what might be the most disruptive force in collectibles we've seen in decades.

Gary Vaynerchuk's VFriends Chrome Tops trading cards are creating a perfect storm in the collectible market. These cards aren't just another entry in an overcrowded space—they represent the first genuine innovation in trading cards in years. Having started as an NFT project three years ago, VFriends has developed into a phenomenon with staying power, bridging the gap between adult collectors drawn to entrepreneurial themes and children who love the characters without any knowledge of Gary V himself.

The financial indicators are impossible to ignore. Hobby boxes originally priced at $300 now command $450+ as demand skyrockets. During my first hour-long stream on Whatnot, I generated $600 in sales with minimal preparation. Individual cards are selling for hundreds, with rare finds bringing $600-800 each. What's particularly fascinating is that Topps appears to have dramatically underestimated demand, creating a scarcity that's fueling the frenzy. With Gary's media connections and the potential for expanded content like cartoons and collaborations, we're likely seeing just the beginning of what VFriends could become.

Want proof this isn't just hype? Look at the sold listings on eBay. Check out the growing community that welcomes newcomers. Investigate the positive character traits being taught through the collectibles. This is that rare ground-floor opportunity that comes along infrequently—the kind you'll kick yourself for missing if you don't at least invest 10 minutes to understand what's happening. The collectible world is changing, and VFriends Chrome Tops is leading that change. Will you be part of it?

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LinkedIn: Justin Shoemaker

Behind every impressive revenue figure lies a deeper story of business transformation. When my water treatment company hit $114,000 in monthly revenue with just four employees—after previously doing $105,000 with 18 staff members—I knew I had to share the counterintuitive wisdom gained from this breakthrough.

The journey to this milestone wasn't about working harder or implementing complex systems. Instead, it came from stripping away what wasn't working and focusing intensely on fundamentals. After helping scale a solar company from $600K to $25M in under a year, I wrongly assumed growing my own business would follow the same playbook. This misconception led to painful but valuable lessons.

My greatest revelation was realizing I'd removed myself too quickly from sales—my personal strength—in an attempt to "act like a CEO." By returning to what I excelled at while maintaining a lean team structure, our profitability skyrocketed. Similarly, segmenting administrative responsibilities sharply rather than having staff juggle multiple roles transformed our operational efficiency. Meanwhile, avoiding government contracts with lengthy payment cycles protected our cash flow, and focusing on profit over vanity revenue metrics kept us financially healthy.

Perhaps most importantly, I learned to have difficult conversations with underperformers immediately while generously rewarding top talent before they asked. This approach has built a culture where excellence is both expected and celebrated. Whether you're struggling with growth decisions, team structure, or prioritizing where to focus your energy as a founder, these hard-won insights might save you from making the same costly mistakes that nearly derailed my business journey.

Connect with me!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/js_shoez_/
X: https://twitter.com/Shoeinvestor2
TikTok: tiktok.com/@thewater_boy_official
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@justinshoemaker9582?si=DSsbCeNl1kgH3EKK
LinkedIn: Justin Shoemaker

Connect with me!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/js_shoez_/
X: https://twitter.com/Shoeinvestor2
TikTok: tiktok.com/@thewater_boy_official
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@justinshoemaker9582?si=DSsbCeNl1kgH3EKK
LinkedIn: Justin Shoemaker