The Exit Plan Podcast

This is a quintessential Opt Out Life episode. It’s not fancy. It’s not flashy. But you'll want this guy's life. Our guest is Mike Wienick. Mike’s got a degree in computer science and has parlayed that into a career that’s seen him build, and sell, businesses as varied as lead generation for home services companies, to Facebook groups for crypto investors. He’s a master of side gigs, and makes hitting base hits in business seem like a habit anyone can do. The guy even sold a company by posting it on Craigslist. More at optoutlife.com/podcast/mike-wienick

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Since the year 2000, over half of the Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. have disappeared. And according to Ryan Berman, it all comes down to courage (or lack thereof). A few years ago, Ryan set out to talk to astronauts, navy SEALs, tornado chasers, and business leaders from Amazon, Apple, and Zappos. He asked . . . How do you make a decision in the face of your hardwired instincts? How do you not freeze or run? The answers may surprise you. One thing is certain, it takes courage to act on your own ambitions for an Opt Out Life. Ryan’s story will explain. Check out his book “Return On Courage” now on Amazon and get more at optoutlife.com/podcast/ryan-berman

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In the world of finance, there are a lot of suits. But our guest, Taylor Schulte, isn’t one of them. Taylor spent the first part of his career as a traditional investment advisor. One day he realized that he could do better for his clients and did a Jerry Maguire. Right around the same time, he and his wife bought a new home . . . but it was falling apart.  His leap into entrepreneurship and bad luck on the house front, turned into a perfect storm that threatened everything he and his wife had built. Taylor survived it all, but you have to listen to his story to hear how it all worked out.  Make no mistake, this guy lives the Opt Out Life. More at optoutlife.com/podcast/taylor-schulte

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What if one morning, you came down the stairs and discovered a mysterious, wax sealed envelope sitting on your table.  Inside, there are cryptic instructions that end up leading you on an experience you never expected, and well, will never forget.  Our guest is Chris Waters, founder of Constructed Adventures. Chris hit the top of Reddit after putting together an amazing ‘Secret Santa’ gift for a stranger. He took that momentum and launched a business that eventually let him quit his job. Now he plans “treasure hunt” style experiences that his clients never forget.  More at optoutlife.com/podcast/chris-waters

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Maybe you’ve heard that most wealthy people got their wealth through real estate. But, most people think that real estate is too far out of reach. How can you make money in real estate when you don’t have any money to begin with? Our guest is Eric Moeller. Eric owns a business that makes money from Airbnbs and other short term vacation rentals. But here’s the cool part - he doesn’t own the properties. He partners with the owners. This means he never needs to raise cash or borrow from banks to get into the real estate game. It’s a cool hack that he probably ought to keep on the down low. But, we got him to share his secrets on this episode. More at optoutlife.com/podcast/eric-moeller

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All day long, we stare at screens. If you ask just about anyone, they’ll say what they’d really like to do is “disconnect”. Our guest is Jayme Sanders, she’s an Opt Out Life listener turned featured guest, with a great story as an entrepreneur who has spent the past few years focused on “making things”, like, real things, that you feel, touch and see. Her company, Mint Studios, creates non-digital experiences for all of us who need a dose of DIY and fresh air. Here's the quote we burned on some wood during our recording of this episode: "Be brave, take risks. Nothing can substitute experience". More at optoutlife.com/podcast/jayme-sanders

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For most people, the idea of being homeless means living in a “van down by the river”. But, what if homeless meant that you lived in Portugal most of the time, and traveled from surf events, to other action sports events around the world? Our guest does just that, and his name is Justin Gardner. Justin owns a company that makes a product called Active Skin Repair. It’s non-toxic and antibiotic-free and non-sensitizing treatment for scrapes & sunburns, and you might want to keep some of it handy if you’re surfing, climbing, camping, or being adventurous outdoors. Building the business has meant bootstraps, running side hustles, and living simple, and occasionally in a van, down by the surf break. More at optoutlife.com/podcast/justin-gardner

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Our guest today is Collin Smith. Collin is a partner at the Cravory, a San Diego based cookie baker that cranks out some of the most delicious cookies you’ve ever had. His official title, as it’s written on the business cards he brought to the studio, is “Cookie Monster”. It’s a far cry from his previous career in mortgage and banking, but it’s by and large a more interesting, challenging, and “opt out” path if we’ve ever seen one. For some people, opting out doesn’t mean starting a new venture from scratch. Instead, it can mean taking a leap of faith to join a company that your friends started. Collin took his chance, and hasn’t looked back. More at optoutlife.com/podcast/collin-smith

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We've loved every minute of 2018 so long as it's been spent working on Opt Out Life. This episode is a special look back at some of our "bests" of 2018 and is a behind-the-scenes hangout in the studio. We're also joined by a special guest, Paul Saitowitz, who himself has a cool story of going from a working journalist and banker to a business owner who has complete control over his schedule. Listen along as Paul helps us write a new "Opt Out" theme song, recounts some of his favorite interviews from his days working for "the papers", and some other fun randomness. Thanks for joining us this year! More to come in 2019 . . . more at optoutlife.com/podcast/special-episode-2018

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Some jobs are boring. Some jobs take you to Mongolia. Our guest is Courtney Condy. She’s a traveler, a professional travel guide, and the founder of a relatively new business called Occupation Wild.  Courtney’s been to Mongolia and about every other place you can imagine. At just 27, she’s found her way to a career of adventure that most of us will only encounter a few times in life (and that’s if we’re lucky). If you’ve ever picture yourself getting paid to lay in a tent with the night sky above and a crackling fire in front of you...or helping people prep for a day of diving in the Indian Ocean…this episode is for you. More at optoutlife.com/podcast/courtney-condy

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