Travis Makes Money

Travis Chappell breaks down why time is the most valuable asset you have and how treating it that way can radically change your income and lifestyle. In this solo episode, he shares the mindset shifts and investments that helped him go from door-to-door sales to full-time online entrepreneur and podcaster.​

On this episode we talk about:

Why time is more important than money (and how your actions reveal what you really value)​

How investing in coaching and education can massively shortcut your learning curve​

Specific examples of using relationships and platform features to grow a podcast faster (Stitcher, Castbox, and more)​

Why money is a renewable resource but time is not—and what that means for your decisions​

How to use a 5–10 year sprint of working smarter and harder to buy back your time and design a life you actually want​

Top 3 Takeaways

The best early investment you can make is in yourself—skills, knowledge, access, and relationships compound far more than most other expenses.​

Money is renewable; time is not, so use money to either make more money or buy back more of your time.​

A focused 5–10 year period of working both smarter and harder can create the optionality to spend most of your time on meaningful work and relationships.​

Notable Quotes

"If you don't have a lot of money to invest, then probably the best thing that you can invest in is yourself."​

"Money is only as valuable as what you can exchange it for—and the ultimate use of money is to buy back your time."​

"Show me somebody who spent their time doing something they love with people they love, and I'll show you somebody who lived a mostly regret-free life."​

Connect with Travis Chappell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell​

Twitter/X: https://x.com/traviscchappell​

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell​

Other: https://travischappell.com​

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis.

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Eric, producer of the Travis Makes Money podcast, joins Travis in studio to break down how creator-led films are disrupting Hollywood’s old guard. He shares firsthand impressions from seeing YouTuber Markiplier’s horror film Iron Lung, highlighting why this low-budget, creator-driven project is such a big win for filmmakers, investors, and content creators looking to turn attention into real revenue. Eric’s enthusiasm and eye for story, audience behavior, and distribution make this conversation a must-listen for anyone serious about monetizing content at scale.​

On this episode we talk about:

Why Iron Lung is “crazy good news” for the film industry and creators​

How Markiplier produced, wrote, starred in, and directed a profitable sub-$3M horror film​

The power of built-in distribution and preselling tickets through a loyal YouTube audience​

Why horror and action are often the smartest low-budget genres for indie filmmakers​

How creator–Hollywood crossovers (like Iron Lung and Happy Gilmore 2) are reshaping funding, casting, and IP strategy​

Top 3 Takeaways

Creator-led projects with a passionate audience and clear distribution can outperform traditional studio films, even with a fraction of the budget.​

Horror and action films are often cheaper to make yet have broad appeal, making them ideal vehicles for indie and creator-driven projects.​

It’s no longer “YouTuber vs. actor”—creators who build real IP and care about the underlying story can unlock new paths into film, funding, and long-term opportunities.​

Notable Quotes

“You have a film project that 4Xes on opening weekend—you have to start taking a look at that.”​

“What Hollywood is missing right now is what creators have, which is attention—unbridled attention.”​

“Get started doing something, because you never know what it’s going to end up being.”​

Connect with Travis:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell/

Other: travischappell.com

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anne Cocquyt is a Silicon Valley operator, educator, and bestselling startup author who helps founders turn ideas into real businesses—fast. She’s the Founder & CEO of The Guild and The Guild Studio, an award-winning instructor at UC Berkeley, and a trusted advisor to accelerators around the world. In this episode, Anne breaks down how “vibe coding” and AI-powered tools are radically changing entrepreneurship—making it possible for anyone (even non-technical founders) to build MVPs, validate ideas, and reach market in days instead of months.

On this episode we talk about:

What “vibe coding” is and how non-technical founders can build MVPs in minutes

Why traditional startup development (and million-dollar dev budgets) are becoming obsolete

How AI is shrinking feedback loops and accelerating product-market fit

The skills founders actually need in an AI-first world

Practical ways to test ideas, validate demand, and market early-stage products

Top 3 Takeaways

You no longer need a big dev team or massive funding to launch—AI tools let founders build and iterate MVPs in days, not years.

The real differentiator isn’t code anymore—it’s critical thinking, understanding users, and building something people actually want.

Entrepreneurs who succeed will be “umbrella-skilled generalists,” able to build, test, market, and adapt quickly as technology evolves.

Notable Quotes

“Code is no longer a moat—the little dragon is the vibe coder.”

“It’s not a question anymore if you can build it. It’s a question if you should build it.”

“Unless you can wear multiple hats, it’s going to be very hard to defend just one skill.”

Connect with Anne Cocquyt:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annecocquyt

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/annecocquyt

Other:

Website: https://annecocquyt.com

The Guild Studio: Letsguild.com/studio

 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.
 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.
 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a solo deep dive with Travis, host of Travis Makes Money, breaking down how motivational interviewing—a communication method created by psychologists William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick—can become a powerful tool for persuasion in business, sales, leadership, and personal growth. He shares personal stories, research-backed examples, and practical scripts that show how shifting from “convincing” to “uncovering” dramatically improves outcomes.

On this episode we talk about:

What motivational interviewing is and why most people persuade the wrong way.

The real problem behind inaction: ambivalence, not lack of information.

How addiction and healthcare studies prove this method works better than advice-giving.

Using the 1–10 scale question and “Why is it not a two?” in sales conversations.

Applying motivational interviewing with clients, employees, partners, and even your kids.

Top 3 Takeaways

People rarely change because you tell them to; they change faster when it feels like their idea, and motivational interviewing is designed to create that internal motivation.

Asking precise questions like “On a scale of 1–10, how ready are you?” and “Why is it not a two?” pulls reasons for change out of the other person instead of pushing your arguments onto them.

In sales and leadership, if you can explain someone’s problem back to them better than they can, they’ll assume you have the solution—so ask more questions, summarize clearly, and let them articulate their own standards and desired outcomes.

Notable Quotes

“Most people already know what they should do. The problem isn’t information, it’s ambivalence.”

“People don’t change because they’re convinced; they change because they feel understood and they allow themselves to articulate the truth.”

“Stop pitching and start pulling—talk less, ask better questions, and let them talk themselves into change.”

Connect with Travis:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell/

Other: travischappell.com

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Travis and his producer Eric riff through classic quotes from figures like Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison, Jim Rohn, Epictetus, and even the Joker’s mom, using each line as a launchpad to talk about money, time, self-education, and what opportunity really looks like in real life. They blend humor, movie references, and personal stories to challenge conventional wisdom and show why rethinking your relationship with learning, work, and wealth is essential if you want to build a life you actually enjoy.

On this episode we talk about:

Why “time is money” is incomplete and why time is actually more valuable than money

How Warren Buffett illustrates the tradeoff between wealth and years of life

The difference between formal education and self-education (and why school can make you hate learning)

What opportunity really looks like, and why it usually shows up disguised as hard work and skill-building

Stoic ideas about wealth, wanting less, and why money is a terrible master but an excellent servant

Top 3 Takeaways

Time is your most valuable asset, more important than money or status, and no amount of cash can buy back lost years.

Self-education, driven by curiosity and discipline, is what creates real fortunes and career breakthroughs—especially once you realize school barely scratched the surface.

Opportunity rarely appears as a dream job handed to you; it shows up as hard work, skill development, and adding value long before any big payoff.

Notable Quotes

"Time is the most valuable asset that we have, so it's actually greater than money."

"Most people think education stops, but everything in my career started when I realized I didn’t know anything and had to go learn it myself."

"People have this idealistic version of what opportunity looks like, but lack of opportunity is not what stands between you and success."

Connect with Travis:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell
• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/travischappell
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell
• Other: travischappell.com

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ian Stanley is a veteran online entrepreneur and one of the most respected email copywriters in the game. He built his reputation writing copy that has generated millions in sales, then used that skill to create a lifestyle business that funds his love for travel and stand-up comedy. In this episode, Ian breaks down how he went from broke college kid clicking on sketchy “make money online” offers to becoming the go-to guy for email copy—and how that one decision to master a single skill changed everything.

On this episode we talk about:

How Ian made his first $118.34 online during a college final—and why that moment convinced him he’d never need a “real job” again

The decision to go all-in on email copywriting while everyone else tried to do everything and stayed broke

Why your early 20s shouldn’t be “grind only” and how you actually lose the skill of having fun if you over-optimize for hustle

Using a “learn while you earn” job in your 20s to get paid to acquire rare skills and see real numbers, ad spend, and data from the inside

How Ian helped scale companies from low to mid eight figures by obsessing over copy, email, and split tests

The reality of pursuing art (like stand-up) vs. business—and how money buys you the freedom to go all-in on the thing you actually love

Whether copywriting will still matter in an AI world and how to use AI without outsourcing your thinking

Why writing is still the foundation of all great communication, speaking, and content—even if AI tools can draft your first version

The trap of trying to automate yourself out of all “hard work” and why you only get paid for the work you don’t want to do

Top 3 Takeaways

Master one valuable skill first—like copywriting or email marketing—before you try to build a complex business. Depth beats dabbling, especially early on.

Your 20s are for both: have fun and develop skills. If you sacrifice fun completely, you risk becoming successful but miserable; if you sacrifice skills, you stay stuck.

AI is a powerful amplifier, not a replacement for thinking. The winners will be those who understand good marketing, strategy, and ideas—and then use AI as a tool, not a crutch.

Notable Quotes

“Everybody online was trying to do everything and they were all poor. I decided I’d just get really good at copywriting.”

“If you’re in your 20s, you should be able to drink until 4 a.m., wake up at 7, and still get good work done. That’s the time to do it all, to have fun.”

“You only get paid for the work you don’t want to do. If you outsource the one thing that actually matters in your business, what are you even here for?”

Connect with Ian Stanley:

Instagram (Comedy): https://www.instagram.com/ianstanleycomedy

Instagram (Business/Marketing): https://www.instagram.com/almostpassiveincome

Email List & Resources: https://getonmyfuckinglist.com

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this solo episode, Travis shares hard-won lessons from Paulo Coelho’s classic book The Alchemist and connects them to entrepreneurship, parenting, and the journey of building a meaningful life and business. He distills years of publishing over 1,500 podcast episodes, reading 200+ books, and countless hours of listening into a focused breakdown of why the adventure—not the outcome—is what truly matters.

On this episode we talk about:

What The Alchemist is really about and why it resonates with entrepreneurs

The concept of a “personal legend” and how it applies to your goals and dreams

Why settling for a “good enough” life keeps you stuck and resentful

How to think about risk, comfort, and the closed fist vs. open hand mindset

Parenting as preparation: helping your kids face struggle, fear, and their own adventure

Top 3 Takeaways

If you are not willing to risk what you have for what you want, you will probably never get it.

Settling for a “good enough,” dream-adjacent life slowly turns into resentment toward people, opportunities, and the belief that there’s not enough out there.

The real treasure is who you become on the journey—whether in business or parenting—and your job is to engineer struggle, growth, and adventure, not just comfort.

Notable Quotes

"If you're not willing to risk what you have to get what you want, then you probably won't get it."

"It's not about having the thing. It's about who you become along the way of pursuing the thing."

"The adventure is what makes life worth living."

Connect with Travis:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell
• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/travischappell
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell
• Other: travischappell.com

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis.

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Travis Chappell and producer Eric dive into whether "being good with money" can actually trap you in poverty by over-prioritizing frugality over life enjoyment. They debate Dave Ramsey-style saving vs. smart risks, using real stories like driving cars into the ground and delaying dream purchases until it's too late.

On this episode we talk about:

Trading mental health for frugality—driving 260k-mile cars as a "badge of honor" that backfires

The Porsche 911 regret story: Waiting until 70 to buy your dream car, only to trade it with 2k miles

Balance over extremes: Don't YOLO into debt, but don't delay family trips to Europe for "cash-only" rules

Giving early and often—tips, GoFundMe, or urges—not rigid 10% church rules or corrupt nonprofits

Why tipping feels best (direct impact) vs. tipping culture's annoying expectations at movie theaters

Make more money as the real solution: Enjoy now and secure your future without sacrifice

Top 3 Takeaways

Frugality becomes toxic when it sacrifices mental health—buy the reliable car or family trip if you can afford it now, not at 72.

Give generously when led to (tips, personal causes), not from guilt or rigid formulas; build the habit early regardless of income.

Money's only value is what you exchange it for—prioritize experiences and peace today while protecting tomorrow by earning more.

Notable Quotes

"You don't want to wait till you're 72 to drive your dream car, because it's not as fun to drive when you're 72 as it is when you're 41."

"If you don't build the habits when you have almost no money, you're probably not going to do it when you have some money."

"Money is only useful for the things that you exchange it for."

Connect with Travis:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/travischappell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell

Other: travischappell.com

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. Get an extended free trial at http://gohighlevel.com/travis

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ashley Herd is the founder of Manager Method, former Head of HR North America at McKinsey & Company, national keynote speaker, top 10 business podcast host, and a LinkedIn Top Voice who has trained over 250,000 managers. With a background that spans law, HR, and corporate leadership across global companies like McKinsey and Yum! Brands, Ashley brings a rare blend of practical wisdom and real-world empathy. Her new book, The Manager Method, provides a simple, powerful framework—Pause, Consider, Act—to help managers lead with confidence, avoid burnout, and create high-performing teams.

On this episode we talk about:

How Ashley made her first dollar as a Subway “sandwich artist” and the lessons it taught her about leadership

Why she left a high-profile role at McKinsey to build her own leadership training business

The surprising similarities between corporate leaders and front-line managers

How social media helped her reach millions with practical management advice

Ashley’s three-step “Pause, Consider, Act” framework from her book The Manager Method

What it’s really like to write and publish a book with Hay House

Top 3 Takeaways

Great management isn’t about titles or degrees—it’s about practicing empathy, communication, and self-awareness.

Social media can democratize leadership training, giving valuable education to people at every level.

Pausing before reacting—whether as a leader, coworker, or entrepreneur—can turn a difficult moment into a growth opportunity.

Notable Quotes

“The smartest people in the world often need practical training just like everyone else.”

“Whether it’s a McKinsey partner or a McDonald’s manager, everyone deserves access to good leadership training.”

“Sometimes the hardest thing about leadership isn’t knowing what to do—it’s taking a breath before you do it.”

Connect with Ashley Herd:

LinkedIn: Ashley Herd on LinkedIn

Twitter/X: @managermethod

Instagram: @managermethod

Website and Book: managermethod.com

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis Chappell delivers a solo masterclass on gaining influence—the essential skill for entrepreneurs, networkers, and anyone looking to close more deals or build authority. Drawing from Robert Cialdini's Influence, his podcast booking agency that hit $1M in 8 months, and years of relationship-building, Travis shares three proven paths to become undeniably influential without gimmicks or scams.

On this episode we talk about:

Why "be interested, not interesting" is half the networking equation—becoming a person of interest first

"Badass bullets": How unique accomplishments (ultras, stadium tours, epic feats) make you a must-interview guest

Value = influence: Give practical advice, entertainment, or insights to earn trust and obedience

Examples from Gary Vee, MrBeast, and The Rock—how consistent value creation turns into massive business wins

The power of frequency over volume: Short-form consistency builds long-term trust faster than you think

Top 3 Takeaways

Become a person of interest—stack unique life experiences (adventures, feats, stories) so others evangelize you naturally.

Deliver value relentlessly; it doesn't have to be profound—entertainment or quick wins create loyal followers who act on your word.

Stay consistent over time; frequency breeds trust, turning one-off interactions into lifelong influence.

Notable Quotes

"Value equals influence. The more value that you give, the more influence that you have."

"People who do really interesting, cool things... become the evangelists for them just by very nature."

"Be interested, not interesting... [but] being interesting is actually still a really valuable piece of the equation."

Connect with Travis Chappell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/travischappell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell

Other: travismakesmoney.com

Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. Get an extended free trial at http://gohighlevel.com/travis

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices