The Average Sucks Show

By Michael BernoffBusiness Entrepreneurship Education Self-Improvement Courses

The Average Sucks Show episodes

September 08 The Side of Entrepreneurship Nobody Talks About | The Average Sucks Show ft. Justin Colby
What happens when the business grows faster than the foundation underneath it?
On this episode of The Average Sucks Show, Michael Bernoff sits down with longtime friend and entrepreneur Justin Colby for a conversation about the side of entrepreneurship most people don’t see.
Justin has spent years building businesses, investing in real estate, creating communities for entrepreneurs, and developing what he calls the Entrepreneurial DNA. But some of his biggest lessons didn’t come from winning. They came from the storms he didn’t see coming.
Michael and Justin talk about why entrepreneurs need to build deep before they build up, what happens when growth outruns your foundation, how failure can expose what needs to change, and why vulnerability may actually create more opportunity than pretending everything is perfect.
They also get into leadership, business growth, sacrifice, relationships, investing, and one of the most important questions an entrepreneur can ask:
Who do you need to become to create the life and business you actually want?
Because what got you here won’t necessarily get you there.
If you’re building a business, growing one, scaling one, or simply trying to become a better version of yourself, this conversation is for you.
Watch now and let us know your biggest takeaway in the comments.
1 hr 1 min
September 04The Truth About Business Growth: Build, Scale & Survive with Justin Colby | The Average Sucks Show
???? Join the community and discover the mindset that will allow you to get what it is you want: https://start.michaelbernoff.com/a4fe065d
The storm is always coming—there is a 100% certainty it will hit. To survive and scale, you have to build deep before you can build up. In this episode of The Average Sucks Show, host Michael Bernoff sits down with top real estate investor and host of The Entrepreneurial DNA podcast, Justin Colby. They dive into what it actually takes to transform your identity, pivot through market crashes, and build lasting authority and wealth.
We discuss the core entrepreneurial mindset, navigating economic shifts, going from zero to launching a top 10 podcast, and why adapting your strategy is the only way to win when the market gets tough.
???? Key topics covered in this video:
Why you must build deep roots before trying to scale high
The true definition of "Entrepreneurial DNA" and lessons learned from early hustles
How Justin navigated losing everything in 2008 to building a massive real estate portfolio
The "Front Door vs. Back Door" strategy for innovating when your market gets tough
How to leverage podcasting to build Credibility, Influence, and Authority (CIA)
Surrounding yourself with world-class mentors and leveraging a high-level network
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
02:15 Early Sales and Hustles
07:07 His First Mentor
09:08 Learning How to Sell & Surviving the Real Estate Crash
17:24 Building a Media Platform
27:48 Scaling & Business Exit Strategies
31:25 The Relentless Entrepreneur
47:41 Build Deep Before You Build Up
57:08 Define Your Goals & Who You Need to Become
1:00:11 Final Thoughts
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???? Watch Next: Average People Don't Ask. Winners Do. → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOUR_VIDEO_ID
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Connect with Michael Bernoff:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/michael_bernoff/
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/MichaelBernoff
#Entrepreneurship #RealEstateInvesting #Mindset #BusinessGrowth #MichaelBernoff #JustinColby
48 min
August 21How to Turn Earned Income into Real Wealth with Brett Tanner | The Average Sucks Show
Most people believe wealth comes from working harder, waiting for their 401(k) to save them, or finding a magic shortcut. In this episode of The Average Sucks Show, host Michael Bernoff sits down with long-time friend, top real estate investor, and founder of the Be Wealthy Mastermind, Brett Tanner, to break down the exact principles required to turn active income into true, lasting financial freedom.
Brett shares his journey from growing up in the poorest county in Colorado to managing massive real estate portfolios, owning commercial properties, and building generational wealth. Together, they strip away the noise and dive into the simple, non-negotiable fundamentals: why net worth matters far more than annual income, the power of physical books and constant self-education, how to build a 30-year wealth plan, and the difference between just being rich versus being truly wealthy.
In this episode, you will learn:
The core mindset shift: Why wealthy people build cash flow before upgrading their lifestyle
Net Worth vs. Income: How to map out a clear, step-by-step $50M balance sheet plan
How to find unfair advantages within your current business and industry
The truth about truly passive investments, notes, and triple-net commercial real estate
The "Slight Edge" habits: Daily bank logins, cutting phone distractions, and reading physical books
Brett's exact playbook for landing high-level mentors and building lifelong relationships
1 hr 14 min
June 19College Dropout to 7,000 Books: The Self-Publishing Blueprint
Most people have a book inside them — they just can't get it out. And that silence is costing them credibility, clients, and legacy.
In this episode of the Average Sucks Show, Michael sits down with Chandler Bolt — Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, founder of selfpublishing.com, and the man behind over 7,000 published books. From selling snacks out of a cooler at scout camp to running a company doing tens of millions a year producing two to five books every single day — Chandler's story is a masterclass in relentless work ethic, guerrilla execution, and knowing when to bet on yourself.
He dropped out of college with a year and a half left, published his first book on productivity while his peers thought he was failing, and built a movement by doing the things that don't scale — one door, one video, one reader at a time.
This episode dives deep into:
Why 81% of people want to write a book but less than 1% ever do — and what separates them
The three guerrilla tactics that took Chandler from nobody to number one in the country
Why knowledge-based entrepreneurs who don't have a book are "double morons with cooties"
How to validate before you build — the 44-person cohort that launched an empire
Why your book is one of the three to five greatest days of your life
The difference between goal-oriented and task-oriented people — and why you need to know which you are
Whether you're an entrepreneur sitting on seven figures of expertise or someone with a story that's been rotting inside of you for years, this conversation will be the push you didn't know you needed.
Bolts don't quit. And neither do the people who finally choose to publish.
If there's a book in you — and there is — this episode will show you exactly what's been standing in your way.
1 hr 5 min
May 22Fighter Pilot to Business Execution: The Art of Clear Thinking
Most people don’t fail because of bad luck — they fail because they can’t think clearly or execute under pressure.
In this powerful episode of the Average Sucks Show, Michael sits down with Justin “Hasard” Lee — combat-proven F-16 fighter pilot with 82 missions, former F-35 Chief of Training Systems, and author of the bestselling book The Art of Clear Thinking.
From dreaming of becoming a fighter pilot at age 5, getting rejected by the Air Force Academy, fighting his way through prep school, surviving the brutal 9G centrifuge, to flying high-stakes combat missions — Hasard shares the raw lessons of performing at the absolute edge of human capability.
He reveals how fighter pilot principles — clear decision-making under pressure, building a culture of ownership, ruthless debriefs, and decentralized execution — can transform any business or team.
This episode dives deep into:
Why most leaders and entrepreneurs lose 20 IQ points in high-stakes moments
How to build a “nameless, rankless” debrief culture where admitting mistakes is rewarded
Turning operational drag into execution speed
The power of mission-based leadership
Why preparation and brutal after-action reviews are the real secrets to winning
Whether you’re a founder, executive, or leader who wants to operate at a higher level, this conversation will sharpen your thinking and elevate your standards.
Average teams hide mistakes. Above-average teams weaponize them.

If you want to make better decisions, build unstoppable teams, and execute faster under pressure, this episode is for you.
1 hr 3 min
May 01 The Real Reason You’re Not Scaling: It’s Not Your Ads, It’s Your Beliefs
Most people don’t lack skill or opportunity—they lack the right beliefs, speed of action, and willingness to break through money blocks and self-doubt.
In this episode of the Average Sucks Show, Michael sits down with Jason Wojo, founder of Wojo Media, a self-made entrepreneur who went from flipping Pokémon cards as a broke culinary school dropout in a New York mobile home to scaling businesses with over $100–150 million in tracked online revenue through paid ads, funnels, and high-converting webinars.
This is a raw, no-fluff conversation about the real entrepreneurial journey: starting with nothing, facing painful money lessons (including a heartbreaking vet bill that shifted his entire mindset), dropping out of school, building from local social media gigs and Shopify stores, landing massive corporate clients, and eventually mastering the “big boy” version of Meta ads and one-to-many selling.
Jason breaks down:
Why belief matters more than raw ability for entrepreneurship
How early money trauma (and chargebacks) can block you—and how to flip it into fuel
Practical, battle-tested tactics for ads (first 5-second hooks, letting the copy do the targeting, placements that actually work, energy and pattern interrupts)
The power of high-converting opt-in pages and why congruence between your ad, landing page, and delivery builds instant trust
Why webinars (and selling one-to-many) outperform constant one-on-one sales calls for many offers, plus how to structure decks, offers, and closes that convert
The importance of jumping on proven mechanisms as bolt-ons rather than blowing up what’s already working
Lessons on ownership, learning from “failures,” peace over constant hustle, and why some people simply aren’t ready for scale
Whether you’re running a service business, coaching/consulting/info offer, or scaling an e-commerce brand, Jason delivers actionable insights on generating demand, building funnels that sell while you sleep, and operating at a higher level without losing your edge.
Average thinking stays stuck in comfort, hesitation, and one-on-one grind.
Above-average thinking rewires beliefs, moves fast on proven systems, masters one-to-many, and turns every setback into a lesson that compounds.
If you want more leads, better conversions, automated sales, or to install proven webinar funnels in your business, this episode will give you the mindset shifts and tactical edges to make it happen.
1 hr 9 min
February 06 Average People Don't Ask. Winners Do.
Most people are not limited by ability. They are limited by the way they think.
In this episode of the Average Sucks Show, Michael sits down with Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and a lifelong entrepreneur, to explore what actually separates average thinking from above average results.
This is not a conversation about motivation or inspiration. It is a conversation about decisions, asking, action, and ownership.
Mark shares how learning to ask changed the trajectory of his life, why “ask first and figure it out later” is not reckless but strategic, and how average thinking quietly keeps people stuck in comfort, hesitation, and self-doubt.
If you are an entrepreneur, a leader, or someone who knows you did not come here to live an average life, this episode will push you to rethink what is possible.
Average thinking waits.
Above-average thinking asks and acts.
If you want to learn more about our guest and the power of asking, visit askthebookclub.com
1 hr 19 min
January 21 How Great Leaders BUILD TEAMS That Actually Perform
On this episode of The Average Sucks Show, Michael sits down with Max Hansen, founder of YScouts and a leader who has helped companies scale by fixing the one thing most entrepreneurs avoid: hiring.
With resumes being gamed, AI rewriting job histories, and job boards flooded with noise, hiring has never been more confusing or more critical. Max breaks down why most hiring systems are broken, why the best people are not applying, and how great leaders actually build teams on purpose.
This conversation is not about HR tactics. It is about leadership, culture, and why who you hire ultimately decides how far you go.
If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, or leader who wants freedom, growth, and a team that actually performs, this episode will change how you think about hiring forever.
1 hr 35 min
December 10, 2025 The Money Lies You've Been Told... and What to Do Now
In this episode of the Average Sucks Podcast, Michael sits down with financial expert, entrepreneur, and creator of Wealth Factory, Garrett Gunderson, for a conversation that will shift the way you think about money, value, and freedom.
1 hr 10 min
August 22, 2025 The TRUTH About MARKETING Most Entrepreneurs Miss | The Average Sucks Show w/ guest Travis Brady
What if your brand matters more than your bank account?
In this episode of The Average Sucks Show, Michael Bernoff sits down with entrepreneur, identity coach, and branding expert Travis Brady for a conversation that will challenge everything you think you know about marketing and business growth.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your business... if the strategies aren’t working... or if you're tired of playing small—this is the wake-up call.
Travis breaks down why your identity is the foundation of your brand—and how most entrepreneurs are sabotaging their results by ignoring it. This episode dives deep into branding, influence, mindset, and the psychology of standing out in a crowded market.
You’ll learn:
- How to create a brand that actually attracts clients
- The real reason your marketing isn’t converting
- Why framing your identity is the key to breakthrough results
- How to stop hiding and start leading with confidence
Whether you're a business owner, coach, or creator... this episode will push you to think differently, show up bigger, and finally build a brand that reflects who you really are.
This one might just be the most important shift you make this year.
1 hr 14 min

About The Average Sucks Show

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Anyone and everyone that wants more out of life has essentially the same question; How do I get what I want? If you really want to know why you don’t get what you want, and what to do about it,…