The Brian Beers Show

Episode 250 — 9 Business Books That Made Me Millions

Release Date: January 9, 2025
Host: Brian Beers

Overview

In this episode, Brian Beers breaks down the nine business books that were pivotal in building his $45M/year franchise empire. The episode is divided into three sequential stages of business growth—building a foundation, scaling, and then constructing an enduring empire. Brian delivers practical, no-fluff insights on how each book directly influenced his business strategy, mindset, and wealth-building, pairing memorable stories with actionable advice.

Main Topics & Key Insights

1. Building a Foundation

(00:01–14:40)

Theme: Developing the right habits, mindset, and strategies are essential for launching a successful business.

a. Atomic Habits by James Clear

• Core Idea: Small, consistent actions compound into massive long-term results.
• Example: Brian references the British cycling team's success with "marginal gains."

  “Success isn’t about this like giant strategic move. It’s about incremental improvements every day that are driven by habits.” — Brian (02:31)

• Practical Tip: Focus on daily, repeatable actions (e.g., calling five referral partners every day).

b. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

• Core Idea: The power of intentional, focused thinking and having crystal-clear goals.
• Example: Edwin Barnes' climb from janitor to Edison’s business partner, purely by vision and persistence.
• Advice: Write down your specific vision; take intentional daily steps.

  “Running a business is much more of a mental game than it is a practical one.” — Brian (06:30)

c. 10x is Easier Than 2x by Ben Hardy & Dan Sullivan

• Core Idea: Bigger goals force you to simplify and focus on high-impact actions, making massive growth simpler than small additions.
• Personal Story: Brian’s 10x growth strategy focused on acquisitions, leading to exponential business expansion.

  “By doing less and aiming bigger, you free yourself up to focus on the things that truly matter.” — Brian (12:55)

2. Scaling Your Business

(14:41–28:15)

Theme: Systemizing operations and building the right team are key to sustainable growth.

d. Scaling Up by Verne Harnish

• Core Idea: Structured systems drive predictable and sustainable growth.
• Framework: Four key areas — People, Strategy, Execution, Cash.
• Note: Systems provide clarity and free the business from being owner-dependent.

e. Who, Not How by Ben Hardy & Dan Sullivan

• Core Idea: Focus on “who” can do the work, not “how” you do it yourself—delegate for greater impact.
• Brian’s Experience: He stepped up step-by-step, hiring replacements for himself and ultimately a COO.

  “By continuing to bring people into your world who excel at certain things, it allows you to multiply way quicker than if you tried to do it all on your own.” — Brian (22:26)

f. The Power of One More by Ed Mylett

• Core Idea: Extraordinary results come from repeated small efforts—doing “one more” even when tired.
• Motivational Story: Ed made a key sale by making “one more call,” changing his whole career.
• Advice: Push yourself or your team just a bit further (e.g., 21 cold calls instead of 20).

  “This extra push builds discipline. It proves to yourself that you have the ability to do whatever it takes to win.” — Brian (27:13)

3. Building the Empire

(28:16–38:10)

Theme: Leveraging business growth into lasting wealth and generational legacy.

g. Am I Being Too Subtle? by Sam Zell

• Core Idea: Identify undervalued opportunities and take calculated risks.
• Memorable Story: Zell’s contrarian investment in distressed railroad cars turned billions in profit.
• Brian’s Parallel: Acquired struggling franchises, negotiated favorable deals, and turned them around.

  “Sometimes the biggest opportunities are in places that other people are overlooking.” — Brian (31:42)

h. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

• Core Idea: Prioritize profit above revenue from day one, not as an afterthought.
• System: Separate profit, tax, and operating expense bank accounts to enforce discipline.
• Tip: “Shrink the cart” – keep operating accounts lean to avoid unnecessary spending.

  “Profit should come first. Literally, that every time that revenue comes into your bank account, that you take a percentage of it and you move it to another profit bank account.” — Brian (34:00)

i. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

• Core Idea: Keep investments simple—don’t let side investments distract from your business.
• Lesson Learned: Brian tried multiple types of investments, none matched the returns from his core business.
• Simple Strategy: Automate investing into index funds (“three fund portfolio”) and focus your energy on the real wealth engine—your business.

  “Every minute I spent thinking about these was a waste of time that took away from the real wealth engine, which was my business.” — Brian (36:53)

Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 02:31 | Brian | “Success isn’t about this like giant strategic move. It’s about incremental improvements every day that are driven by habits.” | | 06:30 | Brian | “Running a business is much more of a mental game than it is a practical one.” | | 12:55 | Brian | “By doing less and aiming bigger, you free yourself up to focus on the things that truly matter.” | | 22:26 | Brian | “By continuing to bring people into your world who excel at certain things, it allows you to multiply way quicker than if you tried to do it all on your own.” | | 27:13 | Brian | “This extra push builds discipline. It proves to yourself that you have the ability to do whatever it takes to win.” | | 31:42 | Brian | “Sometimes the biggest opportunities are in places that other people are overlooking.” | | 34:00 | Brian | “Profit should come first. Literally, that every time that revenue comes into your bank account, that you take a percentage of it and you move it to another profit bank account.” | | 36:53 | Brian | “Every minute I spent thinking about these was a waste of time that took away from the real wealth engine, which was my business.” |

Episode Structure & Timestamps

• 00:01 – 01:00: Introduction to Brian and his mission.
• 01:01 – 14:40: Stage 1 – Building a Foundation (Books 1–3)
• 14:41 – 28:15: Stage 2 – Scaling Your Business (Books 4–6)
• 28:16 – 38:10: Stage 3 – Building the Empire (Books 7–9)
• 38:11 – End: Closing thought, call for listener engagement.

Closing Thoughts

Brian urges listeners to apply these book lessons to their own entrepreneurial journeys, highlights the compounding impacts of focused habits, bold vision, and disciplined execution, and invites listeners to share their own favorite and most influential business books.

Useful for:

• Aspiring and existing franchise owners
• Entrepreneurs seeking actionable business wisdom
• Anyone interested in combining timeless business strategy with practical, real-world application