Unrivaled Potential

Ryan showed up to record an hour late because of a dentist appointment. Mike has not let it go. But somehow between the jabs and the novocaine jokes, they actually got into something worth hearing.

This episode is about mission and vision — not the framed-on-the-wall kind, but the kind that determines whether your business (and your people) have any shot at lasting. Mike gets real about working a decade with no direction, and what finally changed when he started putting his vision on paper and living it out. Ryan breaks down why skipping this step leads to one of two places: depressed and looking for an exit, or just... gone.

If you're building something and you haven't answered "why" yet — this one's for you. Profanity included. Dental work optional.

You think you're killing it. You might actually just be killing your business.

Mike and Ryan lay out the four things that quietly sink small businesses — and the brutal truth is that most owners are doing at least two of them right now without realizing it. No marketing strategy. Waiting too long to hire. Not budgeting. And the one that makes or breaks everything: not paying yourself.

This isn't fluff. These are hard-won lessons from guys who've been through the fire — and who've watched plenty of others burn because of the same avoidable mistakes.

If you're a small business owner who's working your ass off and not seeing it translate the way you expected, this one's for you. Practical, unfiltered, and as always — a little unhinged.

Referenced in this episode: the "FU money" conversation, why referral-only businesses plateau, Mike's surprisingly chaotic work history, and the surprisingly spiritual case for putting yourself on payroll.

You're the expert. Act like it.

Mike and Ryan tackle one of the most uncomfortable truths in service business ownership: letting your customers tell you what they want is one of the fastest ways to go broke. This isn't about being pushy or manipulative — it's about showing up as the professional, asking the right questions, and actually serving people well instead of just doing whatever they ask.

From building rapport and presenting options the right way, to why "trust me" never works on its own and Amazon parts are basically a liability waiting to happen — this is a no-fluff breakdown of real-world sales for trade business owners. And honestly? Any business with customers.

Mike breaks down the mindset shift that turned him from a guy chasing volume to a guy building real customers. Ryan explains why asking the right questions is more powerful than any sales script. And both of them agree: be the grown-up in the room.

"No one can do it the way I can do it."

If you've said that — or thought it — this episode is going to sting

a little. Mike and Ryan get into the martyr mentality that quietly

kills most small businesses, and what it actually looks like to build

a team that doesn't need you in every room.

They break down Kiyosaki's three types of business owners, why the

self-employed trap is so easy to fall into, and how to start documenting

your way out of it — one position at a time. Plus, Mike has something

of a live breakthrough about no longer needing to be the best plumber

in the company. Ryan is unreasonably proud of him.

If you've ever wished you could just clone yourself, this one's got a

better answer.

Only suckers hire coaches. That's what they say, right?

Mike and Ryan dig into why that mindset is keeping most business owners

broke, burned out, and running on fumes. They talk through the real ROI

of hiring a coach — including a $12,000 investment that returned three

quarters of a million dollars — and why "I can't afford it" is usually

just ego in disguise.

They also get into the difference between doom scrolling Gary Vee at

midnight and actually putting knowledge to work, how to find a coach

that's actually worth your money (worldview alignment matters more than

you'd think), and why the $20 book is still one of the best investments

you can make.

Mike also confesses to a weeks-long cat video spiral that derailed his

entire self-improvement plan. He's fine. Mostly.

Whether you're a brand-new business owner or you've been grinding for

years and feel stuck — this one's for you. Stop waiting until you can

"afford it." Start somewhere. Do it today.

"The customer is always right" is a lie that's killing your margins. 💀In this episode, Mike and Ryan sit down to strip away the "piss-poor" advice that keeps entrepreneurs broke, stressed, and driving "free candy" vans. From the trap of high-interest debt disguised as "growth funding" to the martyr syndrome of being a people-pleaser, we’re calling out the BS that sounds good on Google but fails in the real world.Taking business advice from someone who's never built anything is like taking marital advice from someone who's never been married. If you’re the smartest person in your friend group, you’re in the wrong room. It's time to shut up, listen, and upgrade your circle.Like, subscribe, and drop a comment: Who in our 50-mile radius should we grill next?Timestamps:00:36 – Identifying "Piss-Poor" business advice 01:08 – The predatory trap of "Easy Interest" loans 03:26 – Why driving a "broke down" van to save clients money is a trap 04:42 – Debunking the "Customer is Always Right" myth 05:20 – Martyr Syndrome: Why "dying on the sword" is just bad business 07:00 – The Dave Ramsey vs. Leverage debate 10:50 – Why Mike is glad he was banned from high school football 16:07 – If you’re the smartest person in the room, find a new room 18:44 – The science of listening: Why your 5 friends determine your net worth 20:01 – Pricing Psychology: Stop giving away the farm before the presentation

Stop trying to be a "visionary" and start being profitable.

In this episode, we’re calling out the "Entrepreneur Ego"—that voice in your head telling you that you have to invent something completely new to be successful. Spoiler: You don’t. Mike breaks down how he built a multi-million dollar plumbing empire by effectively "stealing" proven systems, copying business models, and being humble enough to realize he didn't need to reinvent the wheel.

From the "Bendy Broom" that almost made it to Shark Tank to why you should stop building your own Excel sheets and just pay the $10 for a system that actually works, we’re talking about standing on the shoulders of giants to scale your revenue.Key takeaways:

• Why "copy and paste" is a valid business strategy.The high cost of trying to be "clever" instead of effective.
• How moving from "winging it" to a CRM took Mike from $250k to $2M in two years.
• Why your "original idea" is probably already on a shelf at Home Depot.

Stop wasting time on "originality" and start focusing on what produces revenue. Watch, listen, and go steal something (legally).

n this episode, Ryan and Mike get brutally honest about why your "crappy little business" isn't making money: You’re saying yes to everyone. If you’re trying to be the solution for the 90% of the population that wants the cheapest deal, you’re not a business owner—you’re just someone who owns a stressful job.We’re diving deep into the ICP (Ideal Client Profile), why "rich people problems" pay better than "poor people problems," and the "Priority Matrix" you need to stay profitable. It’s time to find your "Juan," fire your bad clients, and start charging for the high-value peace of mind you actually provide.Stop being selfish—leave the cheap jobs for the cheap guys.

Most "successful" people on your feed are total fakes—and Ryan and Mike are calling out the 99% of gurus who are just good at selling snake oil from their mom’s basement.

In this episode, we’re breaking down the *4-Step Filter* to find the 1% of leaders actually worth your time. We talk about why the algorithm is designed to keep you comfortable (and stuck), why your childhood "poverty mentality" is a choice once you hit 21, and the trauma of living in a condemned $150 trailer with 64 "likable" cats.

If you're tired of "hustle po*n" and want to actually grow, it’s time to get punched in the face with some hard truths.Inside this episode:

• Why 99% of influencers suck.
• The "Jeffrey Dahmer" rule of following people.
• How to stop blaming your parents and start fixing your business.
• Mike’s "Luxury" $150 Craigslist trailer story.

"It’s lonely at the top." We’ve all heard it, but nobody tells you exactly why until you’re the one staring at a mounting pile of stress, a dwindling 401k, and a family that feels a thousand miles away even when you’re sitting at the dinner table.

In this episode, Mike and Ryan get brutally honest about the psychological "taxes" of entrepreneurship. They break down why your business stress is—quite literally—nobody else’s problem, and why the traditional idea of "work-life balance" might actually be a lie.

From the terror of putting payroll on a personal credit card to the "hot take" that burnout might just be a lack of vision, this is a deep dive into the mental grit required to stay in the game.We Discuss:

• The Employee vs. Owner Mindset: Why your old friends won't understand your new obsession with "the numbers".

• The "Invisible" Stress: How to stop wearing your business problems on your face before you walk through your front door.• Presence over Balance: A tactical guide to being 100% "there" for your kids, even if you only have 10 minutes to spare.• The Burnout Debate: Is it actually exhaustion, or are you just bored and stuck?In This Episode:00:34 – The Golden Handcuffs: Leaving the 401k and insurance behind.

01:26 – Personal Credit Cards & Payroll: The stress of "feeding the team".

03:09 – The Harsh Reality: Why even the people who love you can't help you carry the load.

06:02 – The Loneliness Epidemic: Why surrounded leaders still feel isolated.

08:59 – The "Resting Business Face": Learning to mask stress for your team and family.

14:03 – HOT TAKE: Why "Burnout" is often just a weak mindset or lack of motivation.

22:56 – Scheduling Sanity: Using intentional "appointments" to save your relationships.

26:09 – The Jamie Dimon Method: Over-communicating your vision to your inner circle.

28:15 – Quality vs. Quantity: Why 10 minutes of focus beats 10 hours of distraction.