Podcast Summary: Coffee With Cole – "I Paid Alex Hormozi $35,000 For 12 Hours, Here's What I Learned"

Host: Nicolas Cole
Date: February 23, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Nicolas Cole shares his recent experience attending the Value Acceleration Method (VAM) workshop with Alex Hormozi’s Acquisition.com team in Las Vegas. Cole details what it’s like to participate in an exclusive, high-level business growth workshop, outlines key operational and strategic takeaways, and reflects on how these learnings will shape his company's direction in 2026.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Inside the VAM Workshop: High Standards & Operational Excellence

• Small, High-Caliber Group:

  • Only eight businesses were present, ranging from $1M to $10M+ in revenue. Cole’s company was among the largest, second only to a $10M AI SaaS. (00:42)
  • “It was eight businesses in the room… Each business was doing anywhere from a million, two million a year in revenue, up to eight or ten million. We were the second biggest business in this room.” (01:10, Nicolas Cole)

• Team Professionalism & Hospitality:

  • Notable improvements in the Acquisition.com team's standards from a year prior: everyone in suits, branded name tags, five-star hospitality approach.
  • “I felt like I was staying at a five-star hotel. And it was very, very clear how much they had leveled up their internal standard…” (02:05, Nicolas Cole)

• Inclusivity With Advanced Concepts:

  • Team impressively adapted their teaching and advice from beginner to advanced attendees, ensuring everyone could follow.
  • “They could get really advanced with me, but really beginner with another person and like oscillate between the two… That’s a great quality you want in leaders.” (04:08, Nicolas Cole)

• Attention to Details:

  • Branded, high-quality notebooks and pens provided for all participants.
  • “Nicest notebook and nicest pen I’ve ever used in my entire life… They went above and beyond.” (04:42, Nicolas Cole)

2. Learning by Osmosis: The Value of Immersive Education

• The greatest insights came from observing how Acquisition.com operated, rather than just formal curriculum.

• Cole experienced a “power leveling” of knowledge, condensing months of learning into one day.

• “By the end of the day, my brain was cooked. But at the same time, I felt like I had pulled forward six months of learning into eight hours.” (06:10, Nicolas Cole)

• Commitment to Continuous Learning:

  • Cole resolved to invest more in his own education—targeting more masterminds, workshops, and intensive days for rapid growth.
  • “I want to invest more in my own education… Where I’m pulling forward months or years of learning and power leveling myself in that way.” (06:48, Nicolas Cole)

3. Tactical Nuggets: Engagement & Feedback Loops

• Mandatory end-of-event surveys prior to exit, ensuring 100% completion rates.
• Follow-up call must be scheduled before receiving meeting notes—smartly reinforcing engagement.
• “Before you even leave the room, they’re like: don’t get up until you fill out the survey… In order to get the call notes from the day, you have to schedule a follow-up call with someone…” (07:50, Nicolas Cole)

4. Actionable Takeaways: 2026 'Big Rocks' and Strategic Shifts

Cole shares the top recommendations (“big rocks”) provided by the Hormozi team and how they’ll impact his company’s priorities:

a. Organizational Structure (09:00)

• Company tripled in size in one year; chaos in internal procedures.
• Priority: Visualizing org structure (via Miro), rewriting job descriptions, reinforcing clarity for everyone—especially department heads.
• “I want to visualize it… give them all to the department head to then reinforce to them… There’s just a lot of crystallizing we need to go back and do.” (10:00, Nicolas Cole)

b. Sales Process Overhaul (11:30)

• Current: 16-week PGA program upsells to year-long advanced coaching (“Liftoff”) at the end.
• Recommended change: Flip the offer—sell PGA as a year-long program up front, then downsell to 16-week program if needed.
  • Increases cash up front, accelerates growth and marketing potential.
• “Instead of pitching 16 weeks and then an upsell later… try and move as much of that to the front end as possible, which means you collect more cash faster…” (12:13, Nicolas Cole)

c. Media Team Expansion (13:10)

• Investing heavily in YouTube and media output.
• Gained clarity on hiring and breaking out roles by platform (editors, platform owners, short/long form).
• Plan to 10x volume and output, requiring targeted hiring and specialization.
• “I walked away with a ton of clarity… But we’re putting in a lot of work right now to 10x the amount of volume and output…” (14:00, Nicolas Cole)

d. Outbound Department Efficiency (15:10)

• Goal: Contact new leads within 15 minutes (not 24 hours), dramatically improving conversion rates and reducing missed opportunities.
• “You’re leaving so much opportunity on the table… following up 24 hours later is very different than 15 minutes…” (15:44, Nicolas Cole)

e. Double Down on What Works (16:00)

• “Whatever thing is working, why can’t you just do more of it?”
• Webinars and live events clearly convert; past three-day paid challenges led to the biggest revenue months.
• Plan: Increase frequency—challenges quarterly or monthly, webinars weekly.
• “Why can’t you do it once a quarter? Instead of once a quarter, why can’t you do it once a month?… Why can’t you do one webinar a week?” (17:20, Nicolas Cole)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Standards:
  “I felt like I was staying at a five-star hotel. It was very, very clear how much they had leveled up their internal standard…” (02:05)

• On Power Learning:
  “By the end of the day, my brain was cooked. But at the same time, I felt like I had pulled forward six months of learning into eight hours.” (06:10)

• On Simplicity:
  “The answer is always: simplicity is velocity... The business is a lot bigger, but it’s also a lot simpler. You really only have to get one or two things really right.” (18:30)

• Hormozi Team’s Core Question:
  “Whatever thing is working, why can’t you just do more of it?” (16:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:42 — Workshop context, group size & diversity
• 02:05 — Elevating internal standards and operational observations
• 04:08 — Compassionate teaching, adaptability to audience expertise
• 06:10 — Power learning & value of immersive workshops
• 07:50 — Ensuring real-time feedback & strategic follow-up calls
• 09:00 — Org structure overhaul and clarity
• 11:30 — Sales process re-order: upsell vs. downsell
• 13:10 — Media team expansion and specialization
• 15:10 — Outbound efficiency: 15-minutes-or-less lead contact
• 16:00 — Doubling down on winning strategies (webinars & challenges)
• 18:30 — Reflections on simplicity and focus for growth

Episode Tone

Cole’s delivery is candid, energetic, and highly practical. He shares lessons with transparency, emphasizing both strategic shifts and small tactical improvements—peppered with actionable recommendations for fellow digital entrepreneurs and writers.

Final Reflections

Nicolas Cole’s experience with the Hormozi team is a masterclass in both operational rigor and focused strategic growth. He demonstrates how learning by example and direct interaction with top-tier teams can rapidly accelerate both mindset and business structure. The episode is a high-value listen for anyone interested in digital writing, entrepreneurship, or scaling a business—and brims with immediately actionable insights.

Key Takeaway:
“Simplicity is velocity. Now more than ever, the business is a lot bigger, but it’s also a lot simpler. And you really only have to get one or two things really right in order for the business to grow to the next level.” (18:30, Nicolas Cole)