
Integrity in Business Navigating Online Respect and Trust
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A
Hey, guys, and welcome back to Content is Profit. Today, extra special day. I have a surprise guest for everybody that we've been waiting for for a long time. And today I was on a call, I was like, you know what? We should do this together live on a podcast. So, guys, help me welcome the one and only Fonzie.
B
Let's go. We back, baby. We're back.
A
Yes. For those OGs, you guys hopefully remember Fonzie. For those that happy, you know, tuning into my solo episodes, just know that there's nothing better than my solo episodes. But when Fonse comes, still gold, still good.
B
I bring the fire, bring the heat.
A
Welcome back. Yeah, Fonsi, the original co host of Content is Prophet. We're trying to get him back.
B
The original co host. I'm still the co host. The other business, I just haven't been present for a while. You know, I just went out to get some milk up and haven't been back since.
A
Yes. Yeah, Quick, quick update. And I mean, everybody in business Creator club have seen you. So if you're not a part of it, go to business creator the club. Come join us because every Thursday at the time of the release of this episode, a little bit later today, 11:00am Eastern, we have office hours and we jump on and we collaborate and then we provide a bunch of wins between the community, you know, to keep moving the needle forward when it comes to content and your business. So, Fozzie, dude, I'm excited to, to have you back on the show. Hopefully we make this, you know, I'm making it easy for you, man. You're like, you can just plug in anywhere.
B
Appreciate it, Appreciate it. I mean, there's nothing like recording live. Being in the same space is always the best, energy wise. But, you know, this is what we do right now here at my house. It is what it is. You know, let's get it. I was pretty. I think you noticed the passion of the topic when we were talking about and you're like, you know what, why don't you, why don't you, why don't.
A
You come join me?
B
And I was like, all right, but I got to put the baby to sleep first.
A
Yeah. Okay, so, uh, let's dive into it. Right context. This past weekend, some big launch happened. For those that are not familiar with Alex Ramosi, he launched the third book in his series, the almost like the business bible after ultimate sales machine Shout out to Amanda Holmes, and they sold over 3 million copies. So obviously in the industry that has been. Has caused quite a stir in the Online community and some things have surfaced that are dirty as hell.
B
So wait, why has it caused a stir?
A
Well, I mean, I think there's a bunch of elements and you know, I spoke a little bit about it on the, on the last episode and the materials, but I think it cross $100 million in sales. I think it's the first time ever that that online webinar does that. The way that he ran his campaign and promotion was pretty unique to him. So everybody that was familiar with him kind of expected that. But it also got to like new audiences and new. I understand that trust for online creators or people that sell stuff online is very low at the moment. So I think that has it created more conversation around that. But at the same time he released a ton of materials and products and there were different episodes that he offered inside of that one being a $6,000 offer, the other one being a $28,000 offer. And I think there was like a $250,000 offer on the back end for people to take advantage on. So I think for the people that purchase those big wins, but for the people that could not afford it or maybe did not understand kind of where his background or where he's coming from or what he really wants to do with these books, it created a ton of backlash in a way. I don't think he cares personally.
B
Oh, I'm sure he doesn't care at all.
A
Yeah, but he's creating like all this conversation online and me and Fonse were talking about it because we, we invested in one of those products and we, we've been, you know, consuming a lot of the. For us specifically is going to move the needle forward big time. I think for the first time in how many months we, we both felt like we were both on the same page when it comes to the business. So we're like, yeah, let's go.
B
Yeah.
A
So for us like that alone, I mean we were on a four hour workshop that was included in one of those offers yesterday. Kind of like walking through our business model not, not how to sell, know how to market like the business specifically and the structure of the business and what constraint that we need to tackle first to move the needle forward. So for us already has been a big win and I can't wait for the next, you know, we're talking about it. This is going to be our bible for the next 90 days to continue to execute. Right. Next year, next year, next year. I thought three years and then I said 90 days. But yeah, and then for those, by the Way. We also have a free copy. If you're Interested, go to BusinessCreative Club. If you sign up for the first, you know, 30 days for free, you can come hang out with us, but you also get a copy of that book. We have free 200. We've given some away already. It's completely free. I think you only pay for the shipping. So just sign up, send me a quick email and it'll be on your way. So, yeah, you can be a part of it completely free. This is so fun. All right. Fun. Well, that was my take on it. What's your kind of, like, take? And then how can we maybe apply it? I think we titled this how to Lose Respect Online.
B
Yeah, I mean, so how to Lose Respect Online. We're actually going to be talking about some offers some people have been putting away, right? In the Hormosi trend, right? Of course, when you make 100 million online, when you sell 3 million books in 24 hours or so, when you become the Guinness World record holder for fastest selling book, you're gonna, you know, create a lot of noise, right? So a lot of people are kind of like, latching onto that trend. In my own personal opinion, some people doing it the right way, some people doing it not very much in the right way. And that's what we're gonna be covering today on, like, how to lose, you know, respect or your authority online. Now, my take on why do I think it kind of like caused a little bit of, you know, ruffling feathers is, I mean, first there's always going to be haters, right? And I think a lot of people, they've misinterpreted in a way, I guess. You know, he used to start his video saying, I'm, I'm Alex or Mossy, and I'm here. I'm not going to sell you anything. Right? And he did that for years, right? He delivers so much value. So when finally he put on an offer, you know, people were like, I thought you weren't gonna sell us anything, blah, blah, blah. But I'm like, hey, dude, like, he earned the right. He earned the trust of the marketplace by hustling for years building his stuff, you know, showcasing how he did it and then putting all this content out for free. Like, he has more than a right to. To put this stuff out, right? So again, a lot of haters. But yeah, what are you going to say?
A
No, I think. Well, one of the things that he. Every single book that he did was a case study of like, like, the concepts that he did Inside of the book, he's like, I want the book to be the demonstration that this system works. Which I think is super interesting. Right. So the history books, his first book was offers. I think it was like $1 or free at one point. It's like how to create an offer that people sit, you know, feel stupid saying no to. And that was one of them. The second book was the leads. So the promotion that they lead that they used to promote the book was every single concept that they had in there. And they also sold a bunch of copies. And then the last one with money models, he's kind of showing that that system. But I think part of it is that is obviously, you know, what are we here for? I think there's a lot of, a lot of people in his audience. We're legit business owners. Right. We saw a lot of brick and mortar people calling in and they have like business and they're interested in growing their business. But you also have this lurking audience. I feel like that it's like the biggest fear of everybody probably going online, which is they're going to rip me off, they're going to grab my content and they're going to copy it exactly word by word or if they're going to grab my IP and then resell it. And there was like that audience because this launch was massive. That's there ready to grab. An example I saw was like two days later, this guy full on paid Facebook ads ran basically a campaign to be like, hey, I paid for the $6,000 offer which came from not only the workshop and a solution and also workbooks. And I'm selling you all the workbooks for just $300. Right.
B
So when I'm going to say here, I want to stop you real quick, you're like fast forwarding a little bit because I was just making reference to the previous question of like why did it ruffle some. Some feathers? I think you' now already on the how to lose respect. Right. As some sort of of creator. So I mean just, I'm just gonna wrap up the previous one on you know, like why was it such a. Yeah, you know, such a thing, I guess. And I'm just gonna mention that like the same as there's a lot of negativity around it, there's also so much positivity around the. Right. A lot of business owners that really got inspired especially obviously marketers is kind of like their 4 minute mile in a sense. You know, for those that don't know 4 Minute Mile is I think his Name was Robert Bannister. Maybe, maybe I'm mistaken, but it was the first time that somebody ever ran one mile under four minutes, right? People thought it was like impossible, it cannot be done. This guy did it and after that guy did it, literally a whole bunch of people started breaking that same record, right? Why is that? Because mental, because, because people started thinking, oh, it is possible, right? If somebody else can do it, I can do it too. And I think maybe on the online world of, you know, webinars, presentations, whatever, maybe there was this gap of, you know, a million dollar day. I feel like that was the thing. Or like people talk about I want to do my million dollar day. And like some people have already done it, right? The first one that we ever heard doing that was Russell Brunson. I think he did it at the 10x conference with Grant Cardone. He did a million dollar day and everybody was like raving about it after that. I already heard about a lot of people doing me on the other days. So I think for Alex to do $100 million, kind of like a four minute mark for a lot of people, right? Are we going to start seeing a whole bunch of people doing 100 million? I don't know, maybe, maybe in the future. I personally, I doubt it. I don't think it's going to happen as much. But people already think it is possible, right? Maybe I cannot do 100, but I can do 10 million. Whatever, you know, I. So from that side of things is very, very inspiring. Now to move on to what you were talking about, you know, ripping contents, all these things. How the conversation started between you and me was that, you know, we were talking how some people are riding this trend by literally just sharing the knowledge that Alex gives. You know, their whole premise is, I spent six grand, so you don't have to. Here are the resources. Or I spend 24 grand, so you don't have to. Here are the resources. And I told you in my mind that is the fastest way to lose respect, all sort of credibility as a creator, business owner. Because if I'm following you or you know, I'm interested in what you have to offer in your solutions, product, service, whatever is because of you. Like the contents in your mind, your knowledge, your insights, right? Like you are the only ones that have insights. There's nothing wrong with obviously learning from Alex, but then apply your own insights to it. How can you either improve it, make it your own and then you can share about that, but just strictly ripping the content off and be like, yeah, I know this is going to get me a bunch of leads so I can get a whole bunch of leads by offering this. But I'm like, okay, what is the quality of the leads these leads are interested in? Alex are not interested in you. And now the content that you're putting out there, in my eyes, I'm thinking, this guy has no insights. You know, this guy, this guy is just stealing this stuff or a copycat, whatever. Like, yeah, I don't want to listen to this guy. So for me, that's the fastest way to lose respect, right? What would be the right way? The right approach. The right approach personally would be to put your opinions and your insights on what you're consuming, right? Frame it as, hey, look, I did spend six grand to learn all this stuff. I'm going to share with you my top 10 insights about this that can help you, your business go from X to Z, right? Like, especially because you're talking, your audience might be totally different than somebody else's, right? Or whatever, something along those lines. But you need to definitely have insights and not just be straight up copying this thing. The analogy I gave you was for me is the same thing as having AI create your content. That's like the fastest way for me to not trust you online. If, you know, you make a post saying how in the last month all your content has been written by AI. Even if, and I will say this, even if I like your content or if I read it and I was like, damn, this is, this is good. Yeah, I will lose trust towards you as a whole because I'm like, well, it's not you the one putting this content out, you know, And I know people are going to listen to this and they're going to be like, well, but what if they train the GPT with my own voice, you know, my, my old thing, my whole thing, and I put it out there, you know, and like it just creates a. Using my, my knowledge. I'm like, it's not the same. Because at the end of the day, like when you are the one that turns your knowledge, your own thoughts into words, like that truly demonstrates that you know the thing, right? Like if you cannot clearly explain something, you don't really know the thing. So if you have AI doing that for you, maybe, you know, sure, you said it in an interview, maybe you didn't explain it that well, but the AI is the one that like synthesize information and like they package it properly and they delivered it. For me, that is saying, well, you don't know how to do that, right. Like I, if I need your help with whatever the AI is putting here, if I go to you and we start having this conversation, you might not be able to express those ideas and help me with my problems. Therefore you're losing. I like I'm losing trust in you.
A
Yeah. I mean obviously two, two different things. They're not different. I mean, I think they're part of the same bucket. You know my thoughts on AI, I'm a big fan of the fact that it can speed up the process. Right. I do agree with you. It's like, okay, the output that I can give you for example, exactly like that based on, like because you trained it and maybe you, you said it something, something else or somewhere else and they. I reframed it based on your training, you know, your, your voice. I agree with you on that side. What I think like a lot of creators, especially right now, because we see a lot of people creating from, from scratch or you know, starting on that process to put their, their thoughts into words and putting it out there online in the, in the world. Right. Because they might be the experts in whatever topic and, and they just want to share it. I just think AI has a role in facilitating that. It's just we have to be very careful, like you said, on not letting AI do the final output. Right. Check it, revise it, put in your thoughts, put in the hours to master the craft at the end of the day and then you can find the constraint within your content system and it's like, okay, why can't I do this? Is that constraint solved by me by somebody else is by AI? But at the same time it's like, okay, well it's. Where is that line? I feel like right at the end of the day. And I think that line will be defined by the trust of the audience at the end of the day. Because let's say, you know, they start consuming that content and they come on a conversation with you on a call or an event and then they ask those questions and then you don't know really how to answer, you really know, don't know how to really help that person. Then that's it came over like we, that person is not coming back to you at all. And then the negative report that was built there is a consequence and it could hurt your business. Right? So at the end of the day, I think, you know, that short term satisfaction of riding a marketing wave and creating content around this stuff or selling, you know, short term the books or the programs for a cheaper. So you can do that, like, what is that? What is the objective long term for that? Is that. First, I don't think that's ethical. Second, I think it's just going to hurt your business and your brand, your personal brand, more than anything.
B
And I have to have two points in here. I got to show you two points. First, let me clarify. It's not like, I mean, I am kind of anti AI in a lot of things. But you're just.
A
I think it's because you're an artist.
B
No, but I do accept that AI is useful for certain tools, right? Like can it help you speed up certain processes? 100%, you know, but like we see it all the time. We get pitches on our email that we read them and we're like, dude, this thing is clearly. I know you didn't listen to this episode, right? And we asked him, oh, what was the favorite part of your episode? Never answer back. Nothing, right? So like that type of things, like, is for me, it's a no go. Now, I'm sure there's other type of AI tools. Like I love, don't get me wrong, I love Gen Generative. I'm probably mispronouncing this AI in Photoshop, right? So you can expand pictures and you know, when you're creating thumbnails and stuff, you can use that to enhance your picture, make it look a little bit different. I love that. That is absolutely amazing. But again, if you are using it to be your creative engine, right? What you're putting out there and you're like, like, what's people facing your message? If that is AI, I think you have a big problem, right? And the problem is that you need to be the one that is putting your thoughts out there. You cannot be again, diluting your brand that way. Personally, I would honestly prefer if I get the Facebook post is that hey, this mess, this actually was created with AI based on this conversation, I would be more than more willing to read that than actually the person pretending that it was them, that they wrote it, you know? Yeah, something like that. Like, hey, this was reading from AI, from this. And maybe at the end there's a PS that is like, hey, look now this is not AI, this is me personally. And just if you don't want to write more than three sentences, you can just write three sentences in there. But I think that actually makes for me personally, I'll be like, well, at least this person is honest, you know, like they'll go higher up on my list. And then I wanted to make a second point and I forgot what it was.
A
Well, I wanna, While you do that, I want to show you something.
B
Wait, what. What was it that you met? I need, I need a primer. What were we talking about? I forgot what it was.
A
Now it's okay. That memory. All right, maybe, maybe this will prime it. I want to show you something here. Keep your eyes on the screen. This guy right here. So for those that are listening, right, this Facebook Post says worth $420,000 worth of business playbooks. You watch Alex Ramos launch and didn't want to invest $6,000. I got you covered. You're getting $100 million. Offers, leads, lost chapters and journals, full funnels, VSL scripts, scaling system, bonus free physical coffee copy on the 100 million dollar coffee. Coffee. Yeah. Proven frameworks all for $497 access today. Limited availability. So this is one of the examples, right? Tell me your, your thoughts.
B
I remember, I remember what I wanted to say and is it goes hand in hand with, with this, this was a perfect primer. You're welcome. The primer was that it's karma, dude. Honestly. And I, I, I know it, I don't know if the word is just like straight up in integrity or just honesty, but I use to be the guy that was like, you know, I would see an ad of somebody selling some sort of course and then I'll be like, oh dude, can I, can I rip it off? Can I, can I find it somewhere for free? Can I find a torrent of this and I can download it for free, right? And well, I think, I know it's not one second, I don't think, I don't think it's, I don't think it's an excuse, right? But like that was part of our upbringing in a sense, right? And by that I mean, you know, back home when we wanted music, we would go to like Limewire and download the music for free. And it was totally normal. You know, we would burn CDs and that was totally normal. We literally had a store like five minutes from our house. It was a brick and mortar that they selled burn DVD movies. Yeah, counterfeit movies. And we would literally see cops walking on the store and buying all this stuff. Right? So like again, not excuse, but for us it was very, very normal. Kind of like that, that thing. But I think that just literally builds a lacking mindset on the person that is purchasing. Right? Because like I eventually realized this when I was like looking for this course. I was like, you know what? Like this is kind of like bad karma. Like I'M just, if I cannot afford the real thing, I'm like, well, I cannot afford. My mind was, I cannot afford this. You know, I have that lacking mentality. Let me see if I can steal it, let me see if I can go get it somewhere else. You need an abundance mindset, right? Instead of, let me see where I found it is, okay, how can I make it like, if I really want to invest in this, okay, how can I make it work? Maybe you need to be resourceful in the sense that you need to call the person that is on the product, they put you in a payment plan, et cetera. I don't know, maybe guess what? It is not time for you to buy or invest into that course at that moment. But now you feel good with yourself because you have integrity and you're like, you know what, I didn't rip that off, I didn't steal it off. And I'm going to build until I can invest in that thing. So that was my point. My point is like, yeah, look inside, right? Like, do you have this lacking mindset or do you have an abundant mindset and also your integrity? Right? Would you, like, if you, let's say your business grows and you. And you have resources, whether that is courses, coaching, etc, that you're selling to other people, how would you feel if other people rip it off from you under your. Sign it for a fraction of that? I bet you'll be pissed off, right? I know I would be pissed off.
A
Yeah. I mean, you know, a lot of, a lot of the talk online has been not, not just with this, but in general. It's like, okay, how do, how do we, how can we be resourceful, right? In a sense. But I think the mentality is like, how can we be resourceful ethically at the end of the day? Because you know, that comes back to you ten times fold, right? Whether you do the good thing, it comes back 10 times fold. Whether you do the bad thing, it will come back to you ten times fold, right? And I think also, you know, us coming from a country like Venezuela or what I've seen a lot is people in the international markets that, you know, obviously, monetary wise, that is a hefty investment to make even for people here in the US that might not be the most accessible. And you know, that company has their reasons on why they presented it that way and they'd explain it on why they did it that way. But it's like, okay, resourcefulness in other countries might mean at a cultural level, stick it to the man, right? Stick it to these people that are there in the first world type deal. And you know, there's a lot of, I don't want to call it baggage, but there's like some cultural influence in how people act in a general way. Right. So if your culture is used to, hey, I want to, and I'm going to speak for Venezuelans, right. We're always trying to find the better deal or these things. And I think that is changing for a lot of people, that mentality and it's helping, but that might be an element of that. Right. And that will show up online. So for those that want to create, for those that have information to share, just know that that's one of the consequences of putting this content out there. And it's not for everybody. Right. I think like the first line in the book Alex mentioned, it's like, you gotta grow a thick skin because it's gonna get hard pretty quickly. Right. And I think that that's part of what he's referring. And we see a lot of, we had the fortune to help and support a lot of starting creators, especially on the podcast studio. And it's interesting to see the personal growth that happens with it. So if you're listening today and you're excited and motivated and inspired to put your message out there just is part of the game. Right. And, and we need to learn how to play the game at the end of the day and, and do this. But you know, at the end of the day, don't, don't, don't go to the other side and, and do these bad things because they will come back to you in a very negative way.
B
Yeah, 100%. I think that's some good food for thought for people, you know.
A
Yeah.
B
Here that are listening right now that made it this far is as yourself, right. Whether, like how do you, how would you react in that situation or maybe do you feel the urge to go find, you know, a ripped off option, you know, and then were you a person of integrity and decided, you know, what am I gonna make it a different way? I'm, I'm gonna put in the effort and guess what, like, that investment might not be the one for you at this stage. And that is totally okay. Like if you cannot invest in certain things that call your attention, right. That you think they can help you, maybe you need to look a step lower and be like, okay, well what is that other resource that can help me get to X points so that I can invest in that coaching or with that other person? And it's Totally. Okay.
A
Yeah. Here's another example, I guess like the video masterclass, which by the way, all the courses for the books are completely free. That's the other thing. Like people get all accesses, but I think they're on this one specifically that I'm showing on screen right now. So if you're listening, you can go to YouTube. But they're sharing the AI access, which was one of the bonuses for like the $6,000 offer, right. And look how many likes this thing has. Like 906 likes and then 160 shares. Ton of comments, you know, and what I'm thinking here is I see a lot of people that might not be from the US specifically, but they're also super grateful that this thing happened. Right. As I was going through this, I'm like, this is like the Robin Hood effect. I guess it's like on the. It could be. And you know what, it's such a great area and such an interesting, I guess discussion because I'm sure, like if Alex is or the owner, because of his mission is to help as many businesses as possible, I think he's going.
B
To be, he'll be okay with it.
A
He could be okay with this, right? At the end of the day, right? Because these are people that might take this content and use it. And at the end of the day he's building also goodwill with the people that are consuming his content and using his frameworks and his things. I think for him it's like this crazy way where perfect. He's not looking. Obviously he sold a ton and he's helping those guys and girls in a very high level aspect. But then there's like the consequence of all his content being out there, whether that's free, paid or not. Because his business model is not getting paid for this information. His business model is he's investing in businesses. Right. It's a different thing. Then his actual mission is help as many people as possible. So we see this and we're like, wow, all these thousands of people now have access to this thing. Maybe that's a good thing. I don't know. It's such an interesting discussion to.
B
Yeah, I like your take. I. I like your take. Like it makes a lot of sense. And I do genuinely believe that Alex would be like, you know what? I'm actually. He might be happy, you know, he might be like, well, that's incorrect. You know, that it's not morally right to do. But he's happy that he's still influencing and maybe helping a lot of people. My Own personal take on this is like kind of like what I said, right? Like, unfortunately, I know there's cultural differences and circumstances all over, you know, but again, the mindset of lacking and approaching it on that way when you're purchasing, purchasing something is like, how is that going to affect when you're doing business too? Are you gonna try to look up for shortcuts when you're busy, when you're building something? Right. And I think that is. That is the point. Right. Like, what is, you know, what is your foundation, your values that, like, if they get represented here. Right. And you are trying to take. Take shortcuts to purchase this thing, to get access to something.
A
Yeah.
B
Those values. There's still. You're not gonna be, you know, now your values change when you're doing business. Like, that is going to be your values in there. So when you're negotiating with somebody, you know, are you gonna try to, you know, do something that is not right? Ah, probably. You know, again. So I think it takes a look internal to be again. And that is the challenge. 100. I accept that it's difficult for people that are not in the US that there's, you know, maybe different purchasing power in different countries, you know, and they. They have access to Internet and they see Alex and they're like, wow, I want to be like that and stuff like that. And. And I'm not saying that everybody that does that doesn't have values too. I'm not generalizing. I'm not putting everybody in a bucket. Right. But again, my opinion. And the other thing is Tony Robbins, he says that a lot is like, you know, people say information is power, but at the end of the day, it's like, information is potential power, you know, like, knowledge is potential power. You need the execution, you know, so. And that's the other thing. A lot of people, I just get their hands on this thing. They just want the information and they will probably most likely never do anything with it.
A
Yeah. Such a cool topic. Fonzie. Dude, thank you for jumping on the phone with me. I'm priming this episode, obviously topical thing. Yeah. I would love for people, like, if you go to this point. By the way, thank you so much. Come join us. BusinessCreator Club. We can continue to have these conversations and how do we apply the content frameworks ethically for you and your business to continue to grow? I think that has been interesting discussions in our office hours every Thursday. And on top of that, you get a free book fully. Ethically, we pay for it. It's on us. Go ahead and take it. And, yeah, I would love to hear your thoughts. I mean, we come from that third world country. We have our own story, we have our own things. We have our own lessons that we've learned. And it got to, you know, there was a point where, you know, maybe we didn't have any other choice. Right. Maybe you're in that position. Right. We would love to hear from you at the end of the day and keep this conversation open. And then as a business owner, understand that that's a scenario that could happen right at the end of the day. So why, I think, is a moment for us to reflect of why are we doing what we do? You know, how are we delivering, like, the thing, like, who are we actually helping? And so these things don't get to us and stop, you know, us from creating incredible products that can help the world. So super fun. Fonzie. Welcome back to Content is Profit. Hopefully we do this. Maybe I can trick you into more of these.
B
Yeah, I don't have the nice setup at the house, but it's definitely fun. I missed it. I missed it.
A
Yeah, sounds good. Any last thoughts?
B
Now go crush it. You know, maybe I said no, and then I. I did give some thoughts, so, yes, I do. Last thoughts. More. More like an action point. You know, if you listen all the way here and you find yourself in that position, you know, do some reflecting, ask yourself, what are your values? You know, what do you value yourself in other people? What do you want to embody with. With your actions and then act accordingly. Right? Because at the end of the day, like, people also get attracted for who you are. And if you want to be surrounded by people with incredible values, you know, people that are action takers and all this stuff, you gotta embody that thing yourself. So again, it's time for reflection. Sweet.
A
Awesome, guys. Thank you so much for tuning to the Continuous Profit podcast. Go ahead and follow the show in your favorite podcasting platform. Platform and on social media at base Roscoe. Wow. It came out naturally. I have not reading that. And that's like, I haven't done that outro in.
B
Let's go.
A
All right, let's go, guys. See you in the next episode. Take care.
B
See ya.
Hosts: BIZBROS (A & B, aka Luis and Fonzie)
Date: August 28, 2025
This episode takes a deep dive into recent trends in the online business and creator space, focusing on the explosive launch of Alex Hormozi's latest book and the controversial aftermath. The hosts—reunited for a lively discussion—unpack why Hormozi’s campaign sparked heated debate, the ripple effects of copycat tactics, and the ethical lines that creators, entrepreneurs, and marketers must navigate. At its core, the conversation explores how trust, originality, and integrity remain essential—especially when the temptation to shortcut or "hack" respect online is stronger than ever.
[02:00-04:17]
Context: Hormozi’s new book—marketed as an essential playbook for business owners—shattered sales records with over 3 million copies sold and $100 million in sales via an unprecedented online campaign.
Unprecedented Offers: Bespoke packages included high-ticket offers ($6k, $28k, even $250k).
Impact: For both hosts, the value and clarity gained from participating in one of these workshops aligned their business focus for the first time in months.
“For us already, it has been a big win. This is going to be our bible for the next 90 days to continue to execute.” —A [04:17]
[05:31-09:04]
Hype Factor: Hormozi’s track record and upfront value delivery primed his audience for the big offer, but not everyone was receptive. Some fans cried foul over the premium pricing or the feeling of a ‘bait-and-switch.’
Trust Erosion: The hosts reflect on why trust in online creators is so low and how major launches stir skepticism—particularly among people unfamiliar with the creator's intentions or track record.
Case Study Marketing: Hormozi’s method—making each book launch a live demonstration of the book’s concepts—serves as marketing in itself.
“He earned the right. He earned the trust of the marketplace... showcasing how he did it and then putting all this content out for free.” —B [05:31]
[09:04-15:03]
Copycat Offers: In the wake of Hormozi’s success, creators started selling cheap access to resources and playbooks they’d purchased from Hormozi, effectively reselling his IP.
Ethical Dilemma: The hosts lay out the critical difference between learning from someone and simply repackaging or directly selling their work as your own.
Audience Quality: Copycats may attract leads, but not audiences who value their unique perspective.
“That is the fastest way to lose respect, all sort of credibility as a creator… you are the only ones that have insights. There’s nothing wrong with obviously learning from Alex, but then apply your own insights to it.” —B [10:40]
“Strictly ripping off the content… In my eyes, I’m thinking, this guy has no insights… I don’t want to listen to this guy.” —B [11:09]
“Put your opinions and your insights on what you’re consuming… you need to definitely have insights and not just be straight up copying this thing.” —B [11:57]
[15:03-17:25]
Parallels to Copycatting: The hosts compare those using AI to create all their content (without their own input) to those copying others’ materials—both undermine trust.
AI as Assistant, Not Author: They stress that AI should be a tool to facilitate expression but not replace genuine voice and expertise.
“When you are the one that turns your knowledge, your own thoughts into words, that truly demonstrates that you know the thing… If you have AI doing that for you… you’re losing trust.” —B [13:50]
[19:42-23:53]
Personal Confession: B shares the temptation to pirate courses in the past, rooted in upbringing (referencing Venezuela’s culture of creative resourcefulness).
Abundance vs. Scarcity Mindset: Ripping off products is seen as a symptom of a scarcity mindset; building with integrity and working toward the resources required is both ethical and personally empowering.
“If I cannot afford the real thing… I have that lacking mentality… You need an abundance mindset… how can I make it work?” —B [21:32]
Karmic Reflection: The conversation circles back to ‘karma’—what you put out, ethically or unethically, will return to you.
[27:08-29:12]
Global Divide: Some buyers sharing pirated or secondhand resources come from countries where the original price is beyond reach, generating gratitude and discussion about culture, necessity, and digital ethics.
Is ‘Robin Hooding’ Justified?: Hosts explore whether creators like Hormozi mind the piracy, given their broader mission—and whether anyone is right to distribute paid content to the masses.
“Maybe that’s a good thing. I don’t know. It’s such an interesting discussion…” —A [28:17]
[29:12-33:54]
Foundational Values: The discussion closes by reiterating that your approach to content, learning, and business shapes who comes into your world and how you’re perceived. Taking shortcuts or acting without integrity undermines your brand and business.
Action Point: Self-reflection on values, building businesses on integrity, and embodying the standards you want from others.
“If you want to be surrounded by people with incredible values… you gotta embody that thing yourself.” —B [33:45]
On learning vs. copying:
“There’s nothing wrong with learning from Alex, but then apply your own insights to it. How can you either improve it, make it your own and then you can share about that, but just strictly ripping the content off… is the fastest way to lose respect.” —B [11:09]
On AI content creation:
“When you are the one that turns your knowledge, your own thoughts into words, that truly demonstrates that you know the thing.” —B [13:50]
On culture and ethics:
“Resourcefulness in other countries might mean, at a cultural level, stick it to the man… but that might be an element of that, and that will show up online.” —A [24:20]
On karma and mindset:
“That just literally builds a lacking mindset on the person that is purchasing… you need an abundance mindset. Instead of, ‘let me see where I find it’, it’s ‘how can I make it?’... If you cannot invest in certain things... maybe you need to look a step lower…” —B [21:32], [26:21]
Fonzie admits to his past as a digital “pirate,” using it to spark honest reflection about mindset and integrity.
“I use to be the guy… can I find it somewhere for free? Can I find a torrent of this and I can download it for free?… But that just literally builds a lacking mindset…” —B [20:43-21:32]
Hosts explore the 'Robin Hood' question as thousands benefit from shared resources online, even if it undermines original intent:
“Maybe that’s a good thing. I don’t know. It’s such an interesting discussion...” —A [28:17]
“People also get attracted for who you are. And if you want to be surrounded by people with incredible values… you gotta embody that thing yourself. So again, it’s time for reflection.” —B [33:45]
For more honest discussions and actionable frameworks, join the Business Creator Club and engage with the hosts every Thursday!