Johnny to a Million

For this episode of Johnny to a Million, I've got a very special guest joining me: my daughter, Kinsley.

No script, no big agenda, and no telling where this conversation might go. Just a dad and his eight-year-old daughter asking each other questions, sharing stories, laughing, and seeing life through two very different perspectives.

We talk about growing up, family, memories, what matters to us, and whatever else comes to mind. Toward the end, I share a little about where I'm at in life, what I'm working toward, and why being a father is such an important part of the journey.

Because Johnny to a Million has never been just about money. It's about building a life worth living and sharing it with the people who matter most.

How much of who we are comes from our own beliefs, and how much comes from the experiences, expectations, and emotional baggage we've carried through life?

This week on Johnny to a Million, I sit down with longtime friend and Echo Restore founder Andrew Scaffidi for a conversation about personal alignment, core beliefs, stored emotional trauma, vulnerability, and finding a stronger sense of self.

We explore how our upbringing and past experiences influence our behaviors, relationships, and the expectations we place on ourselves and others. Andrew shares his perspective on emotional healing, personal growth, and how a near-death experience changed his understanding of life and success.

We also get personal about fatherhood, the instinct to protect our children, learning when to let go, and the importance of being present for the moments we can't get back. From finding where we belong to supporting our partners without losing ourselves, we discuss what it means to grow alongside the people we love.

Along the way, I reflect on my own struggles with trying to do everything, feeling out of alignment with my goals, and recognizing that sometimes the life we're chasing keeps us from appreciating the one we're living.

Maybe growth isn't always about becoming somebody new. Maybe it's about understanding what we've been carrying, questioning what we believe, and learning to live more intentionally.

A conversation about healing, relationships, self-awareness, and finding alignment with what truly matters.

[email protected]

echorestore.com

I broke down behind the bar about 30 minutes before we opened. I couldn't get my thoughts under control, couldn't catch my breath, and eventually did something I probably should've learned to do a long time ago: I called somebody.

This episode is about that call, men's mental health, therapy, friendship, and what happened in the weeks afterward. I also get into a Life seminar that left me "positively irritated," a morning at church that reminded me how much people actually care, and my ongoing attempt to figure out where God, energy, nature and spirituality fit into my life.

I don't have all the answers. That's kind of the fucking point.

If you're struggling, don't wait until you're drowning to talk to somebody. Resources are below.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988
Chat: 988lifeline.org

Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741
Chat: crisistextline.org

SAMHSA National Helpline
Call 1-800-662-4357
Mental health and substance-use treatment/referrals.

Veterans Crisis Line
Call 988, then press 1
Text 838255

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

I've got two big-ass ears for a reason. Reach out.

Johnny: 715-539-6436

Need someone right now? Need someone to listen?

It's been about a month since the last episode, and while there weren't any huge milestones, there was a lot of progress. I give an update on the Ontonagon duplex, the reality of falling behind my own timeline, storm cleanup after a major blow-through, stepping into the kitchen to help keep the bar running, Kinsley's progress in BMX, a few dating stories that never quite got off the ground, and why taking the long way home led me to one of the best moments I've had all month. Sometimes the biggest changes don't happen all at once—they happen one decision, one project, and one day at a time.

The last couple of weeks weren't filled with huge milestones, but they reminded me that real progress is usually pretty boring while you're living it. I give an update on the Ontonagon duplex, finally solve the squeaky kitchen floor that had been driving me crazy, accidentally summon the fire department with a smoke detector, share a memorable fire department story from my Milwaukee duplex, talk about a road trip to a Life meeting, a recent dinner date, a Pathfinder I'm considering flipping, and why watching Kinsley push herself in BMX has me thinking differently about resilience, parenting, and giving kids every opportunity to find what they love.

This week was a weird one.

I headed to Toledo for a major seminar, spent time thinking about building income that doesn't depend on punching a clock, and heard a story that unexpectedly brought me back to one of the hardest moments of my life.

I talk about the loss of twins years ago, reaching out to Kinsley's mom after a realization I wasn't expecting, the ongoing battle to get my Ontonagon duplex moving, and why I keep finding myself choosing more work when nobody would blame me for taking the night off.

There's also a failed date, a successful solo date, an emergency dock repair in boxer briefs, a new conversation that caught me off guard, and an honest look at what I'm trying to build over the next few years.

No finished results. No victory lap. Just the process.

Long damn week. Monday and Tuesday were long as hell, Thursday somehow turned into basically a 23-hour day, and sleep has been getting its ass kicked.

The duplex finally closed, which sounds cool until reality punches you in the face with remodeling, nicotine cleanup, lawn work, potential tenants, and a never-ending list of shit to do.

Memorial Weekend behind the bar has been nuts too. Good money, packed house, one dude lost his mind and threw a gift card at me while I sat there with a crooked grin like brother... you picked the wrong day.

Also talked about reconnecting with someone I knew 15 years ago, deleting the online dating nonsense, my house turning into a furniture storage unit, trying to stay on track with working out, and a kitchen remodel from hell.

Real life. Real-time chaos. No polished version.

In this episode I talk about the weird season I’m in right now — physically exhausted, mentally pushing harder than ever, and finally starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Between docks, kitchen tear-outs, spring cleanups, duplex renovations, and nonstop weekends, life has been chaos. But 417 is finally close. Money is days away, the title company is wrapping up, Furnished Finder is live, and I’m getting the place ready for Airbnb and VRBO.

I also open up about a recent health scare that had me limping around miserable for days before finally getting antibiotics, plus the random realization that I actually missed conversation, laughter, and feminine energy after hopping on Facebook Dating out of boredom.

This one is real-time life updates, pressure, progress, exhaustion, healing, and trying to build something bigger while still grinding every day.

I talk through meeting the sellers earlier this week, where it stopped being just numbers and became real. Money exchanged, keys in hand, utilities in my name—this thing is happening whether I’m fully ready or not.

417 is now locked in with an investor—huge shoutout to the people who stepped in when it mattered. That’s the part you don’t see… deals don’t happen solo. People come through or they don’t, and this time they did.

At the same time, life doesn’t slow down. I had a Tuesday meeting in Rhinelander and I’m making an 8+ hour same-day trip to Whitewater for a seminar. Most people won’t even drive 20 minutes for opportunity—I’m doing it while trying to close a deal.

There’s also been this underlying feeling I can’t ignore. Between Good Friday, being in church, selling my truck to a pastor, and now this deal coming together right at the end—it’s like things have been lining up in a way I didn’t plan. I’m not saying I have it figured out, but I’m paying attention more than I used to.

On the money side, I’m working investor angles, building out a Furnish Finder strategy, and flipping cars for fast cash while waiting on the bigger play to land.

It’s not polished. It’s not perfect. It’s just where I’m at—trying to stack momentum, stay disciplined, and push this deal across the finish line while everything hits at once.

417 is in the final stretch. Tight timelines, moving pieces, and real pressure to get it done.

This episode breaks down what it actually looks like when a deal is nearing the finish line—locking in investors, navigating last-minute decisions, and handling the pressure that comes with it.

Alongside that, I get into flipping cars for quick cash, using Furnish Finder as a strategy, and what it takes to keep momentum when life doesn’t slow down.

From local meetings to driving across the state for opportunity, this is a real look at stacking wins while everything hits at once.