What It REALLY Takes To Build a Billion-Dollar Brand from Nothing Feat. Andy Frisella

Summary

Podcast Summary: "What It REALLY Takes To Build a Billion-Dollar Brand from Nothing Feat. Andy Frisella"

Podcast Information:

• Title: THE ED MYLETT SHOW
• Host/Author: Ed Mylett | Cumulus Podcast Network
• Episode: What It REALLY Takes To Build a Billion-Dollar Brand from Nothing Feat. Andy Frisella
• Release Date: June 14, 2025

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Ed Mylett Show, host Ed Mylett engages in an in-depth conversation with Andy Frisella, co-founder of the renowned supplement company, First Form, and host of the top-ranked podcast, Real AF. The discussion delves into the intricacies of building a billion-dollar brand from the ground up, highlighting the relentless dedication, strategic systems, and unwavering mental toughness required to achieve monumental success.

1. Foundational Elements of Building a Billion-Dollar Brand

Andy Frisella attributes the explosive growth of his brand over the past seven years to his surrounding environment filled with highly successful, intelligent individuals. He states, “[02:08] First of all, I'm surrounded by killers, dude. Like, that's the thing we have to understand...” This network fosters continuous improvement and execution, which compounds over time, transitioning growth from gradual to steep. Andy emphasizes that building a brand isn't a straight line but a series of phases marked by both incremental and significant growth spurts.

2. The Reality of Entrepreneurship: Beyond the Glitz

Ed Mylett challenges the often glamorized view of entrepreneurship by highlighting the mental, emotional, and physical toll it exacts. He remarks, “[05:21] I don't think I would do it either.” Both hosts agree that the journey is fraught with hardships that are not typically showcased on social media. Andy adds, “[06:17] Only 4 to 8% of people are entrepreneurs, and only 1% of those become millionaires.” This stark reality underscores the necessity of resilience and a clear understanding of the challenges ahead.

3. Culture Building and Leadership

Ed praises Andy's ability to cultivate a strong company culture that promotes exponential growth, even in his absence. He observes, “[04:36] The brand has been used. The driver has been you.” Andy elaborates on the significance of having a dedicated executive team that “[06:28] operates at a high level and cares deeply” about serving customers’ needs obsessively. This culture-centric approach ensures sustained growth and customer satisfaction.

4. Systemization as a Success Catalyst

A pivotal theme in the conversation is the role of systems in achieving business success. Andy explains, “[28:40] I'm a systems person. In business, I operate on systems. In personal life, I operate on systems.” He credits his systematic approach, particularly the “Powerless System,” for his ability to track daily wins, which cumulatively lead to significant achievements. This methodical tracking fosters consistency and accountability, essential for scaling a business effectively.

5. Mental Toughness and Personal Development

Andy delves into his personal struggles with mental health and the importance of developing mental toughness. He shares, “[07:03] It was like, this is why rich people kill themselves.” This realization propelled him to prioritize mental resilience alongside physical and financial success. He emphasizes that mental toughness is a skill to be developed, not an innate trait, which was a cornerstone in the creation of his program, 75 Hard.

6. The Challenges of Scaling: Bigger Teams and Greater Responsibilities

As businesses grow, so do the complexities. Andy notes, “[15:05] When we get to this level of business, it's like you're starting over because you don't know any of that.” Coordinating large teams and creating strategic partnerships become critical yet challenging aspects of scaling. The responsibility towards employees and customers adds another layer of pressure, necessitating strong leadership and efficient systems.

7. Embracing Unreasonable Standards for Greater Impact

Ed and Andy discuss the concept of being "unreasonable" as a trait that drives significant achievements. Ed remarks, “[24:10] Weird equals rich and normal equals poor,” highlighting that unconventional thinking often leads to exceptional outcomes. Andy reinforces this by stating, “[39:53] I got back up, and I typed out a very brief email to Mark Burnett...” illustrating how resilience and an unyielding drive can open doors to monumental opportunities.

8. The Power of Authenticity and Compassionate Leadership

Throughout the conversation, both hosts emphasize the importance of authentic relationships and compassionate leadership. Ed appreciates Andy’s ability to balance intensity with genuine care, stating, “[18:00] Andy, you’re also a great friend to have.” This balance fosters a loyal and motivated team, essential for long-term success.

9. Practical Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Towards the end of the episode, Andy offers actionable insights for those looking to embark on their entrepreneurial journey:

• Develop Mental Toughness: Embrace challenges daily to build resilience.
• Systematize Success: Implement systems to track and manage daily wins.
• Build a Strong Team: Surround yourself with dedicated and intelligent individuals.
• Understand the Realities: Acknowledge and prepare for the emotional and physical demands of entrepreneurship.

Notable Quotes:

• Andy Frisella [02:08]: “First of all, I'm surrounded by killers, dude. Like, that's the thing we have to understand...”
• Andy Frisella [06:17]: “Only 4 to 8% of people are entrepreneurs, and only 1% of those become millionaires.”
• Andy Frisella [28:40]: “I'm a systems person. In business, I operate on systems. In personal life, I operate on systems.”
• Andy Frisella [39:53]: “I got back up, and I typed out a very brief email to Mark Burnett...”

Conclusion

This episode of The Ed Mylett Show offers a raw and honest depiction of what it takes to build a billion-dollar brand from scratch. Through Andy Frisella’s experiences, listeners gain valuable insights into the importance of mental toughness, systemization, culture building, and authentic leadership. The conversation serves as both inspiration and a realistic roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing that monumental success is attainable through relentless execution, strategic planning, and unwavering resilience.

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Note: The timestamps correspond to the points within the provided transcript and are intended to highlight specific moments of interest during the conversation.

Transcript

[Ed Mylett]

So, hey guys, listen. We're all trying to get more productive and the question is, how do you find a way to get an edge? I'm a big believer that if you're getting mentoring or you're in an environment that causes growth, a growth based environment, that you're much more likely to grow and you're going to grow faster. And that's why I love Growth Day. Growth Day is an app that my friend Brendan Burchard has created that I'm a big fan of. Write this down. Growthday.com forward/ed. So if you want to be more productive, by the way, he's asked me, I post videos in there every single Monday that gets your day off to the right start. He's got about 5,000, $10,000 worth of courses that are in there that come with the app. Also, some of the top influencers in the world are all posting content in there on a regular basis, like having the Avengers of personal development and business in one app. And I'm honored that he asked me to be a part of it as well and contribute on a weekly basis. And I do. So go over there and get signed up. You're going to get a free tuition, free voucher to go to an event with Brendan and myself and a bunch of other influencers as well. So you get a free event out of it also. So go to growthday.com forward sled. That's growthday.com ed. This is the Ed Milet Show. Hey, everyone. Welcome to my weekend special. I hope you enjoy the show. Be sure to follow the Ed Mylett show on Apple and Spotify. Links are in the show notes. You'll never miss an episode that way. So today's a really special day for me. I get to share with you one of my best friends in the world, if not my best friend. He's one of the most influential people on the planet and he's my partner in the Arte syndicate that we coach entrepreneurs together. And we're going to have a remarkable conversation today with Andy Frisella. Welcome, brother.

[Andy Frisella]

Thanks, bro.

[Ed Mylett]

What happened, like, what's gone on with you the last seven years that's caused this stuff to explode like this? By the way, Real af, one of the top podcasts in the world. I mean, the MFCO project before that, which may or may not resurface.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah. Oh, it is. It's coming back.

[Ed Mylett]

I know, but I didn't know they knew, right?

[Andy Frisella]

It's coming back.

[Ed Mylett]

It's coming back. So, like, what's been some of the Keys to you doing what you've done the last, say, seven, eight years. What's happened?

[Andy Frisella]

First of all, I'm surrounded by killers, dude. Like, that's the thing we got to understand, you know what I'm saying? I've got tremendously successful, smart, intelligent people around me in every direction. So my brother, who is the CEO of First form, now, my executive team, the people who show up there every day, these are incredible people, and they do. They do the rowing of the boat. Right. And the truth is, what happened was, is, you know, everybody developed, everybody leveled up, everybody got better. And, you know, I don't think there's anything magical about it. I think it's basically what we talk about all the time with people, you know, which is executing day in and day out, day in and day out for. For years. And as. As things. The more. The more days you execute, the more they compound, and they compound and compound and compound. And eventually the growth goes from gradual to. To steep. And I think over the course of our business life, if you own a company, you go through many of these phases where you go very slight growth or even flat for a while, and then you go up and then you go very slight growth, and then you go up. And know when people think of. Of entrepreneurship or growing a brand or business, a lot of times they think it's just a straight line or it's just straight up. And. And, dude, as we know, just kind of like the meme, you know, it's like this.

[Ed Mylett]

Yep.

[Andy Frisella]

And. And I think we just, you know, I think we figured out a lot of things on how to. How to really get good at what we do. And. And really what it comes down to is great people doing great things to help people with what they're coming to our business for, which is, in my case, they want to get more fit, they want to get mentally better. And, you know, with our affiliate program, they want to make some money.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Andy Frisella]

So we do a good job at all three of those things, serving the need of the customer in an obsessive way.

[Ed Mylett]

The thing I think of the most of with you is culture. You're a culture builder, and that culture's allowed it to grow exponentially, even without you driving it all the time. But you've been the driver. You're giving it to Sal, and you're right in your businesses. But the truth is, like, the brand has been used. The driver's been you. I think one of the things that you talk about better than anybody is, like, because of social media and most of The BS that's out there is I think people underestimate if we're just gonna have a real conversation, me and you, about what do we talk about behind the scenes? Cause that's what I get asked. What do you and Andy talk about behind the scenes? Here's the truth. We don't talk usually when things are going great. We talk when things are not going great.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And I think if we're gonna have a real conversation that helps entrepreneurs or just humans today, we need to let them into our lives like the real lives. I'm sitting in a room right now that's just a mind blowing room. There's in here. Collective value of these cars is what in this room, roughly, probably around, around.

[Andy Frisella]

Between 30 and 40 million.

[Ed Mylett]

30, $40 million of cars. Plus the building, the house that's attached to this. A former president of the United States lived in Grant. Like, it's crazy, right? It's way harder than people think. Yeah, it's way harder. It's way more debilitating to be an entrepreneur, mentally taxing, emotionally taxing. I sent you a video a few weeks ago of a very successful guy who got asked in the interview, hey, if you had to do it all over again as an entrepreneur, would you do it? And what would you advice would you give yourself? And he says, I don't think I would do it.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And we both went, I don't know that I would either. If we're being really real.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Talk about that just from your perspective, how the real stuff of being entrepreneur, mentally, emotionally and physically, the toll that it takes on somebody, not the pretty stuff that they see, everyone's in Turks and Caicos, everyone's tan and partying and in nightclubs, but the real stuff of building something great. How hard is it on all those aspects?

[Andy Frisella]

I think it's harder than anybody could possibly imagine that hasn't done it. And this is why I get so frustrated with the current state of the environment of entrepreneurship on the Internet. Because we have a lot of people who haven't really built anything. They've maybe built a little cash flow, but not any asset or not a real company. And they tell everybody that entrepreneurship is for everybody. And unfortunately, entrepreneurship isn't for Everybody. It's statistically only 4, 7 to 8% of the people, and only 1% of those people actually ever become millionaires.

[Ed Mylett]

Right.

[Andy Frisella]

And when we statistically break that down and we look at the way it's marketed, it bothers me a lot because I think a lot of people get sucked in who would be tremendous entrepreneurs, tremendous contributors.

[Ed Mylett]

What's an entrepreneur?

[Andy Frisella]

Somebody who is a part of a brand, who takes ownership of the brand, who operates at a high level and cares and. And helps to build whatever it is that's being built.

[Ed Mylett]

So they work inside a company?

[Andy Frisella]

Yes.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah. And I've got. I'm blessed to have just unlimited amounts of those kinds of people. And I think when we talk about the mental toll and this actually leads into why the book was written.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay.

[Andy Frisella]

And why 75 Heart was created. You know, a lot of people are confused. They think I'm out here trying to be David Goggins.

[Ed Mylett]

Right.

[Andy Frisella]

I am. I'm trying to survive.

[Ed Mylett]

Yep.

[Andy Frisella]

You know, and that takes a certain level of toughness. And as you know, contrary to what a lot of people think, I struggle a lot. I have real struggles. My. My. I struggle mentally. There's a lot of pressure. It's a lot of pain. It's a lot of frustration, and it's extremely difficult. And I feel an obligation to be honest about that with people because I feel like. Because everybody looks at it on the Internet as. It's, like, it's such an easy thing for everybody to do. What happens is, is that a lot of young people get sucked in, and then they can't get it done or they can't win with what they're being told. And because they're being told a false reality of it, they have a false expectation. And so when they get in and they're like, holy, this is actually really hard, they blame themselves. They think it's them. And I see this every day. I see this in my DMs. I talk to people, and they, you know, so I just feel like it's better to be honest with people about how hard it really is and what it really takes so that you can prepare yourself for the journey. And I think that's the proper way to present entrepreneurship, which is why I'm so big on mental toughness. Because as entrepreneurs, you know, we are. We are actively choosing to walk the unbeaten path. Right. Like, we are actively choosing to do a life that most of our friends, most of our family, most people are never going to understand, and they're going to attack you for it. They're going to say, oh, you know, why. Why. Why do you. Why do you think you're too good for everybody? What. What do you. What more do you need? Like, you know, you remember where you came from? Are you still messing? Like, the amount of negativity that comes with doing things outside the Norm of society as an entrepreneur is so hard to deal with that you have to be prepared to deal with it and then not only deal with it, but also learn how to leverage it. And, you know, the truth of the matter is, man, and I talk with Emily about this all the time, and I talk with you about this all the time. It's hard.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Andy Frisella]

And it beats out of me. And like, dude, I feel at 25 years in business, first form's only 14 years old, but I've been in the same line of business for 25 years with supplement superstores. I feel like an old man sometimes.

[Ed Mylett]

Me too.

[Andy Frisella]

You know what I'm saying? Like, I feel. I feel like. And then when I do the math, how many hours I've worked, I've worked a full lifetime.

[Ed Mylett]

Many lifetimes.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah, already many. So. So it's, you know, I get a little frustrated, actually. I get highly frustrated with the way that it's presented in real life. You know, there's a lot of fake. And it really doesn't bother me from an aspect of people are cheating. People are going to cheat in everything that they do. That's the nature of human beings. But what bothers me is the good people who are honest that want to build something that gets sucked in. And then, you know, what I think about is, like, how many good ideas, how many good businesses, how many cures, how many good solutions are lost because the expectation of the. Yeah. The expectation of the path is painted to be something that it isn't. And people who would otherwise succeed if they just knew what to prepare for, quit. And then us as human beings in business lose out on a lot of good things.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah. We're cheated out of their greatness because they've been presented a picture. By the way, you're exactly right. The value of what you're talking about is immeasurable for everybody listening to this. Because being an entrepreneur is so difficult. Mentally, physically, emotionally. By the way, I think it's worth it.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

But. And sometimes I wonder whether it is.

[Andy Frisella]

I. I do, too.

[Ed Mylett]

So. I mean, I really do. And. But. But I think this is the real talk, because when an entrepreneur begins to experience these things, they're like, well, this isn't what I see. I must be doing it wrong, or I'm not cut out for this, or my business doesn't work because I'm feeling all these things. And we're one of the few two people, maybe the only two. There's probably somebody else. It's like, actually, if you're experiencing all of this heat, setbacks, financial catastrophes, emotional catastrophes, people stealing from you, suing you like they shouldn't. You're probably on the actual right path as an entrepreneur and. And all stages are difficult. One thing most people don't see with you because the story becomes dated because you're so successful now is I want you just to tell the audience, because they may not realize this, because, yeah, we're in here with, you know, I don't know, you have hundreds of millions of assets now. You built a company that's $1 billion plus brand. And even at this stage, it's not roses and bubblegum most of the time, but the first decade for harder now.

[Andy Frisella]

Really, it's harder now than it was in the beginning.

[Ed Mylett]

It's harder than when you were living in the back of a supplement superstore.

[Andy Frisella]

No, no question.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay, tell them about that and then tell me why it's harder now.

[Andy Frisella]

Well, that's how we started. You know, we start. Chris and I started in 1999 with so Good, with $12,000 from painting the stripes on parking lots. We had a buddy who had a striping company who was gracious enough to give us a job. And at that time, it paid very well for a couple of young kids, right. We were making, like 20 bucks an hour, which back then was like, making like a hundred bucks an hour.

[Ed Mylett]

Right.

[Andy Frisella]

So we were able to save a little money and start this business. And the first store, we. We bought the shelves at home. We literally bought the shelves at Home Depot. We built the counter out of particle board from Home Depot and, like, metal roofing. And, like, our friends and family helped build it. And that's how we started. Our first day, we sold seven bucks. Our first inventory order was $10,000 that we financed on credit cards, which we got totally screwed on. I thought we were getting a good deal. That was my first business lesson, you know, and dude, like, we just started.

[Ed Mylett]

And you slept in the store.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah, for on and off, for the first three years.

[Ed Mylett]

Slept in the business. What you make the first five years.

[Andy Frisella]

The first two. First three years, I made nothing. Like, we didn't make anything. And this is the other thing. We both worked other places to kind of keep the business open.

[Ed Mylett]

Stay on that.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Before we move off, I think that's another thing entrepreneurs need to hear. So did I. I stock shelves at night. The first two. I don't think enough entrepreneurs are hearing you may need to have a job outside of your business to stay in business.

[Andy Frisella]

Well, you know how, like, the young Guys now they talk about side hustles, right?

[Ed Mylett]

Yes.

[Andy Frisella]

Like so, so like for me, the side hustle was the store. Right. If you were, if you were, if you're today, in today's language, right, you would say the side hustle was the store. My main deal was doing these other jobs. And then I took the money there, Chris took the money there and we kept reinvesting in the store. And you know, the first time I got paid was three years in, I got paid $695 a month. And then for seven years, that's all we made, $695 a month. So for the first 10 years, I was in business. Now remember, this is a different era. No social media, no way to get your word out, none of that. The first, the first 10 years, I made $58,380 combined. Combined for 10 years, not a year total.

[Ed Mylett]

Yep. And by the way, the reason that matters and the other thing you said matters, just I love how our brains think similarly. I think for a real entrepreneur, that's still a three to six year window. It may not be a decade if you're doing things right, but you're going to go through 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 potential years of no profit, potentially.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

In order to build something that is profitable for a while. And it's not get rich quick. In fact, if you got rich quick, I see these guys getting rich in two or three years, I'm like, that's someone who won't be rich in a decade.

[Andy Frisella]

Correct. Because you don't learn the lessons along the way. If you know the delayed gratification and the beating that you take when you first start something is actually necessary because that's where you learn most of your skills. Most of the things that we teach these guys that you talk about on your show, that I talk about on my show and that we teach in arete or to whoever would come ask us, those are things we learned in the beginning. Those are things we learned when it was really hard.

[Ed Mylett]

How's that harder now? Then someone's looking at you, they're like, dude, you slept in the back of a supplement superstore for a few years. You made 58 grand the first decade. And then first form starts to grow, you become a brand mfc.

[Andy Frisella]

Now, that part was fun, right? That part was, that part felt easy.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay.

[Andy Frisella]

You know, like that the, the, the part where everybody's kind of seen me in my life, that part felt easy.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay.

[Andy Frisella]

When I say it's getting harder now, the reason it's Harder. A couple reasons it's harder now. One, we're entering a phase of, quote, unquote, big business, right. It's no longer 10 of us in a room or 20 of us, or even 50 of us. And we can say, all right, guys, this is what we got to do. And everybody goes and does it. Now we have to coordinate a massive amount of people to go execute. Right. And as you know, coordinating a massive amount of people to execute is very difficult. And so there's that. That part is very difficult. The other part is, you know, when you're. When you get to this level of business, it. For me, it's almost like you're starting over because you don't know any of that. Like, you don't know. I don't know. I didn't. I do now, but I didn't know the financial lingo. I didn't know how to. And the reality is, to get to that next level, that big business level, you have to create partnerships and you have to work with people. Because there's, like, we talked about when we did my show, you know, the 20 year room, right?

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, There's.

[Andy Frisella]

You have to start playing ball with the bigger players, otherwise they keep you out of the game because these people own the market at the top of the game. So it's just. It's just different, dude.

[Ed Mylett]

And isn't it also the pressure of having the responsibility.

[Andy Frisella]

That's what I was going to get to.

[Ed Mylett]

Yes.

[Andy Frisella]

The. The amount of, like, these guys who are all sitting in the room with us. I love these guys.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, those.

[Andy Frisella]

Get those people at hq. I love those people.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Andy Frisella]

And, like, knowing that you're responsible and they've invested in their lives into my project that we've started so long ago. Our project is a tremendous amount of weight to bear. You know what I'm saying? These people have families, they have kids. They have people to provide for. And if, like, if we don't. If we. If I make the wrong call or we make the wrong move or we do something wrong, there's consequences that are outside of us.

[Ed Mylett]

Exactly.

[Andy Frisella]

And. And that's. That's a lot, I think, also as you get older, that becomes more of the forefront. Like, dude, you know, when you start getting to be able to take care of yourself and, you know, you're not starving anymore, and you get to the point where you can do some cool, like both of us been able to do, you start to, like, look around and you're like, well, man, all these people, they got to win, too. Yeah, you Know what I'm saying?

[Ed Mylett]

I'm going to tell you something about uk. That's the thing I'm most proud of you. Is that right there? Is that. No, no, wait. Let me just say it's real, because people don't. People see a side of you that's like this just in. Crazy, intense. He's pissed about what's going on on social media. He's pissed about what's going on in culture. They don't understand the nature of where it comes from. And I'm one of the few people that can give people context. Very few entrepreneurs, they don't care. They get to a point, I'm just gonna be in real. They build their company up, then they just decided to exit. Who cares what happens to everybody else? And you have this thing about you, which is probably why you've been successful. You're really hard on people. You're a hard dude to be around. You're a hard dude to be in business with. I'm in business with you.

[Andy Frisella]

I'm hard dude to be friends with.

[Ed Mylett]

You are, but. But by the way, you're also. If my car broke down in the middle of the night, I just said this to somebody yesterday about you. That whole analogy. I know for sure who I would call.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And it'd be you.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And so you're also a great friend to have. But you're hard because you set incredibly high standards. Right. And you care deeply. And the thing I admire most about you, I just want to say this to you, is that the challenge is if you're one of those people and you're nodding, you're like, I care about people, too. You're in for a difficult ride once your business gets big, too, because now you've got your customers you care deeply about, you've got the people that work with you you care deeply about, you've got society you care deeply about. And this stuff wears on people. And it's the thing about you that I admire the most. It wears on you. I think it's almost like any great leader has that right. But I want people to know that about you. The other thing that I want. I want you to. I'm going to ask you this in real time, and I want you to answer it honestly. For me, my greatest strengths are my greatest weaknesses. When I harness them, they're great. They've also been the things that have hurt me the most in my life. And then for me, I would say one of my great strengths is my intensity level. I run real hot I thought I ran the hottest of anybody I've ever met until I met you. And then there's, I don't know, maybe I handle it differently than you. I think I've been good for you.

[Andy Frisella]

You've gone through that maturity process I haven't gone through yet.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, but I see you doing it. Yeah, but talk about that for a minute. One of your great gifts. It's not people don't know. It's actually your brilliance in your marketing mind and your branding, which we'll talk about in a minute. But from an emotional personality trait, you, you gotta run hot. Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Andy Frisella, whoever, myself, at my level, whoever it is, Elon Musk, you, you, you cut open these humans, they're a little bit crazy.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Right. And if you're a little bit crazy, I like you. But for you, I want you to be as probably no one's ever asked you this before on camera. That is one of your great strengths. It is also one of the things that is hard for you in your life too. Right. Like, this is the truth. Like, so how do you feel about that? Sincerely? Like, do sometimes you wish you could just lose it? Sometimes you just go, I want to throw my hands up, man. And like, I don't want to care anymore. I don't. Or if you have accepted, like, I'm going to be crazy and you're going to see me at 65 years old and I'm still going to be nuts. Because I mean, you look at these guys that are, who are you? Like, politically it doesn't matter. There's like 70, 80 year old dudes trying to run the world still. Right. Like, there's just some people that are just wired for crazy.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And maybe they just need to accept that's who they are. And I ask you that because there's a lot of people listening to this because in their family, they're the crazy one.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Their version of it. In their family, they're the unreasonable one. They're the crazy one. They may not yell and scream like you do, but in their family they're like, everyone's like, what is wrong with you?

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Right. And maybe there is something slightly unhealthy about it. Right or wrong.

[Andy Frisella]

I had an interesting conversation with Zoltan, who's the.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Andy Frisella]

From Five Finger Death Punch. He was a brilliant man. I told you about this.

[Ed Mylett]

Yes.

[Andy Frisella]

And we were sitting. He was sitting exactly where you're sitting. We were talking and he brought up. We were talking about some of the issues I Have with running hot, because he runs hot, but he's very calm. And you know, one of the things that I've been working on is trying to accept that as reality. Because when you look around when you're wired that way and you're wired for, for winning, which is the truth. I hate losing, dude. I hate not being competitive. I hate being bad at. And it's not about winning. Like to me it's about, I hate losing. And I would say that the fact, the combination of me being wired with hating losing and me being as tense as I am is the reason for the success 100% personally. But it's also the reason for, you know, a lot of fail friendships. It's also the reason for, you know, maybe when I was younger I would deal with people the wrong way and actually hurt them. So there's some regret that comes with that. And there's also a lot of self analyzation that comes with that. That basically, you know, you look around at everybody else, man, and you see, especially right now with victim culture, right. Like you see all these people getting attention off of the things that have gone wrong in their lives. And I don't talk about those things that have happened to me. I don't talk about the bad things in my life. Like we've all had bad things.

[Ed Mylett]

I'm looking at when there's a scar on the left side of his face. He was stabbed.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Most people don't know that.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah, yeah. And I think the, the underlying truth is that yeah, it creates a lot of wins, but it creates a lot of difficulty too and a lot of mental anguish because you're not like everybody else. You know, when you're, when you're built different than everybody else and you have this desire for more and this desire for achievement and this desire to win. Everybody else looks at you like you're, like you're up. And they'll tell you that too. You know, what is wrong with you? Like, why can't you just relax? Why can't you just do this? Why can't. Because I'm, I'm just not built that way, man. And as I've gotten a little bit older, I've gotten better at accepting it and sort of embracing the fact that this provides a lot of good. But there's a lot of, there's a lot of things in the make that you have to deal with that come that aren't so good.

[Ed Mylett]

It is interesting because sometimes when I'm with you, I'm like, I wish I could get Them to wind down a little bit.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

You know, and then there's this other part of me, brother, that I'm like, I. I have friends that are like, different than me politically. Like you and I don't agree on everything politically or socially or their personalities are different. I have other friends.

[Andy Frisella]

And that's okay, bro, because like, it's, it's. It. You can be wrong once in a while.

[Ed Mylett]

Well, I appreciate, but I. But like, I wouldn't, I wouldn't. I don't think. I think unreasonable people change the world.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah, they do.

[Ed Mylett]

And I like that there are unreasonable people, no matter what form that takes.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And the unreasonable people change families. Unreasonable people are the one.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And so however that manifests itself for you in your life, if you're listening to this, I. I think weird equals rich and normal equals poor. And I don't mean that just financially. I mean in life.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Like you're a damn roller coaster. Yeah, I know you're a roller coaster. And you know what? The ride is worth it because life would be boring without you.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And the world would be boring without unreasonable. What would the world be like without Steve Jobs? What would the world have been like without Henry Ford? Right. What would the world have been like without some of the great leaders we've had, you know, geopolitically around the. Around the planet. Great entrepreneurs advance culture. Right. And they change families. And so if you're listening to this, stay unreasonable, but have some grasp. Have what I think you've had happen the last three or four years. And I take credit for this. Some of it is you become a much more self aware person.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah, for sure. And I think self awareness, that's a fair comment too. Like, you should take some credit for that. Like real talk. Because being around you, like, you're one of the only people that, when I do get upset, you. You help me work through it as opposed to just reacting. And that's something that I. I truly appreciate.

[Ed Mylett]

Thank you, bro.

[Andy Frisella]

You know, like, the one thing I could say about the people that are around me is that they have a lot of grace.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Andy Frisella]

You know what I'm saying?

[Ed Mylett]

They also have a lot of gratitude, Andy.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And that's important. Look, there's certain people in the world that just shake things up all the time and they're hard to be around and they win championships.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay. That's what Belichick does. That's what Phil Jackson did. That's what great leaders do.

[Andy Frisella]

You saw Jordan talk about it in his documentary. Perfect. I mean, he was crying about it. Perfect example, because, like, he's out here on the court demanding the best of all his teammates, and they hated him for it.

[Ed Mylett]

That's right.

[Andy Frisella]

And that bothers him now. You know, it bothers them.

[Ed Mylett]

And by the way, some of them to this day still don't get it. But you know what they got from being around him? Rings, championships, wealth, notoriety, which is now their whole identity. Correct? Yeah, that's right. Do you. You say something that I love, and it goes to 75 hard. You've then created things in your life, though, to give you some mental peace and fitness. So not only is it development, toughness for you, but, like, we'll put it up on the screen right now if you're watching YouTube, and if you're not, I'll describe it. What did you weigh at your heaviest?

[Andy Frisella]

Well, I don't know, but the heaviest I ever saw on the scale was 350.

[Ed Mylett]

350?

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

So probably a little bit heavier than that.

[Andy Frisella]

That was once I took. Got the courage to get on the scale.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay, so you had been heavier than that.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And now, just so you all know, like, this is. What are you, 245? Something like that?

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah, 250.

[Ed Mylett]

And he's a big dude, and he's shredded, and he's in great shape. So you've not only just changed your brand, you've become wealthy, you've built multiple big brands, and you've changed your body. Okay? And so you've been. You have created a catalyst for change in your life. How is it 75 hard? Is it doing hard things? Is it cold plunges? Like, what's the stuff? Is it all of that crap? Like, what has changed you? Because here's the other thing about you. I'm just gonna say I'm watching your face. You never spend any time taking any credit for it. It. You. You do not allow yourself, even as we sit here, to look around here, and where we're sitting is the most impressive room I've ever sat in in my life. Okay? And you've done some remarkable things in your life. My. My frustration for you as your friend, is I wish you'd enjoy it more. Same time, same time. Success leaves clues. Very few humans have changed their body, their finances, their brand, and their businesses to the extent you have the last decade on the planet. Listen to me. On the planet, okay? And by the way, also. Even though. Also the way that you treat people is you've always been kind behind the scenes. You're great with people, bro. Off Camera. You literally said to him, I heard you. You just. I want everyone to hear this. Then I want you answer the question. We're lighting up these really good cigars.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And he asked about them and then you handed him a cigar.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Right. This is, this is someone that works with you that is behind scenes on the camera. And I did, I heard this just so you know. And you literally. Because people that see you screaming on TV all the time, okay. And you literally said to him, hey, bro, anything you ever want or need, just ask me and I'll give it to you. Yeah, you just said that off the camera to this guy, just so people know. So give yourself a little bit more grace and credit, okay? But how have you changed all these things? Someone said, andy, how have you changed these things? Your answer would be what?

[Andy Frisella]

I'm a systems person. In business, I operate on systems. In personal life, I operate on systems. And I got very successful in one area of life on systems alone, mainly the powerless system that I talk about.

[Ed Mylett]

Powerless system. Yeah, I know what it is.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah. The powerless system is. I believe it's episode 16 on Real AF, if you want to go listen to it. It's just a systematic way to work through your day. Most all successful people, people think there's magic to it. There's not magic to it, dude. If you win the day, if you win one single day, if you can win one single day, you have exactly the amount of magic needed to achieve anything that you want. And every, I believe that every single person can win a day. And all I did was figure out a system to where I could track my days and see how much I was winning. And so I was able to build good company and, and, and a couple good companies and financial success and things with that system. But what I realized is that, you know, I wasn't going to be able to get to that next level without handling this.

[Ed Mylett]

The body. He's pointing to his body.

[Andy Frisella]

Mind, body, being. And, and some things happened to me around the time that I, I discovered and started thinking about this. One of them was I was really sick. I had pneumonia and I missed work for like, this is like 2014, 15. And this is just a first realization of what I, how I came about this. I realized that by, I was sick, I couldn't go to work, and I was checking my bank account. My bank account's going up. And at that time, I, I was, I thought I was rich. And, and by most people's standards, I was. But I, I, I was watching, I was miserable Dude, I was sick. I was watching the same movie on TV every day, like, 10 times week, and I'm like, this. I had this, like, massive realization, and it was very simple. It was like, this is why rich people kill themselves. And that's what, like, came onto my being. And I thought about it for a second. I'm like, dude, you have a much bigger mission ahead of you. It's not just take care of you. It's build something that other people can have their dreams in as well, and which is something that, you know, you talk about a lot of. And so that got me started. And I was always. I was always mystified by people who were mentally tough. I never had mental toughness. I wasn't. Like, I was an athlete in high school, and I was. I was good, gifted athletically, but I was soft. You know what I'm saying? And I looked at people who could stick to a program or follow through or people who could, you know, stay, keep in shape. And I always thought, why did they get that gift? And I didn't get that gift. And I thought of it wrong. I thought of it as a gift or a traitor that they had. When in reality, mental toughness is an actual skill that we need to develop. And once I figured out and I got my mind kind of on the. On the track of, like, okay, this is not a trait. This is something I need to develop. That's where, like, the pieces started coming together for 75 hard and live hard. And, you know, I worked a couple years really hard. I lost 100 pounds, but I was still soft. And. And then I met James Lawrence, the Iron Cowboy, okay. And he came on my podcast, the MF CEO Project, and he said one sentence to me that kind of made it all go together and really kind of made 75 harder come. Come to fruition. He said, you know, to develop mental toughness, you have to intentionally put yourself in hard situations on a daily basis and overcome them. And that intentional hard, that part of the intentional intentionally do hard is the part that kind of made me. The pieces come together and. And then 75 hard was born because I picked all the things that I had done over the course of my life when I was operating at the highest level. I thought about them for a long time, right? And then I just did the 75 hard myself. I got on the podcast, I said, hey, I'm doing this thing 75 hard. Who wants to do it with me? And a ton of people did it with me, and they had incredible transformations, and. And that's kind of how it was born. And so for me, dude, like, when I started thinking of it as a mental thing and not a physical thing, the game switched to me because, dude, you know how I am competitive, right? Like, I don't want to. Like, it's, it's one thing to say, like, okay, I'm not in the best shape. It's another thing to say you're not in the best shape because you're, you're, you're mentally soft as. And you're not, you're not competitive in that area. And so that flipped it for me when it became a mental test as opposed to a physical altering that I'm trying to do. Yeah, that's what switched the perspective for me. And I think that's what switches for most people because we're told in diet culture, you know, get in shape so you can look good at the pool or put your clothes on or go buy normal clothes. You know, when you're 350, bro, you can't buy much clothes. And when I started looking at it, like I didn't have control, like, like someone could set a beer in front of me no matter what time of day, no matter what I had going on, no matter what I told myself I was going to do that day, and I. I'm drinking it and, and someone, like, I could walk into a restaurant and I would have in my mind the meal that I should eat. But then as soon as the waitress comes over, dude, I'm ordering pizza, I'm ordering wings, I'm ordering beers, and I'm telling myself this lie in my head, which is, hey, don't worry, dude, we'll start tomorrow. You know, you work hard, you've been successful, you deserve this. And I started becoming aware of my internal dialogue around these things. And then I got pissed off that these inanimate objects have control over me. Like, like when I started thinking about it just at that level, like a beer or a piece of food has control over me, that offended me, you know what I mean? Like, that pissed me off. I started making those things the enemy mentally. And that's where I connected it all and that. And like, dude, I've been able to maintain it pretty, pretty good, you know, for the last seven, eight years.

[Ed Mylett]

So you're on to something I want to ask you about, by the way. First off, that you became aware. Like I said, you're more self aware. So here we go. This is kind of the root of what I think you stand for in your work. And I know you mean this in a kind way. I think when people see you yelling at everyone, I think if they don't know you well, they'll think, this dude thinks he's got everything together and he's arrogant. Yeah, but what I know, and I mean this as a brother, I'm trying not to get emotional when I say this, but like, I know all your insecurities.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And I know that a lot of times you're still looking at this stuff like a fat dude. Yeah, I'm a fat dude. Right. And so I want to go to this work because this contradicts most of what everyone's going to hear in personal development. And here's the truth. You're right and they're wrong. And here's what it is. You just got to love yourself as you are. It's a big thing in personal right now. You're perfect as you are, you're amazing as you are. Self love. Okay, now you and I both know what that means. I mean, self loathing and self hatred is not a healthy thing.

[Andy Frisella]

Right?

[Ed Mylett]

But. But self delusion is a more unhealthy thing, correct? To tell yourself everything about you is perfect and you're okay. So you don't say this in an unkind way. You say, this is somebody. I want everyone to hear this before he says it. He says this is someone who has lived way overweight, who has lived with not being proud of himself, who has lived with being ashamed of himself and angry at himself and heavy and been suicidal many times since I've known him. If I be frank. Right. So what do you say now that I've set the context to this notion of self love yourself as you are, you're perfect as you are. Show up as you are as opposed to being self aware and allowing yourself some pain and discomfort because that causes you to want to move away from things about you that don't serve you, that make you unhealthy mentally or physically. So speak to that.

[Andy Frisella]

Well, first off, I think anybody that watches my content, no matter what I'm saying, you should understand. I'm talking to other people like me. I'm talking to the past version of me. And I'm not for everybody. Not my message isn't for everybody. It's for people who are wired hot, who want to win, who are having a hard time. And. And the reality of life is this. The world's relentless and it will not stop beating your ass until you wake up and start beating it back. And you know, when I see self love and all this, I do understand where they're coming from. Those people are talking to people who are on the brink, right? And they think their entire world's crumbling and they're telling them it's okay. But I actually think that's the wrong message. I think the right message is this. Hey, this is how it is. If you don't go hard, this is what you're going to get. If you do not try hard to develop yourself and get off the bench and get in the game. And I say that out of a place of love and caring for people because I want them to feel better and I want them to do better. And I know what's not going to get them better is just accepting themselves and all their behavior and all their vices and inaction and procrastination and low standards is creating the way you feel. And so when we tell people that self love is just accepting ourselves, who we are, when who we are is a combination of unacceptable standards and bad behavior, I personally, I believe we're violating our covenant with God. I, I, look, I don't have kids, but if I did I would want the, the kid to be the best version of themselves. And if I were to give that kid all of his gifts and, and all this, all this upside and they were just say, well I'm perfect the way I am, I would feel insulted because I put you here for a reason. And that's how I feel like God looks at us when we don't capitalize on our gifts. And I feel like that's what I feel like. I feel like God put me here, gave me some tools. I think the journey's supposed to be hard, but for me to do what I'm supposed to do when I'm here is required. It's part of the deal that, that why I'm here, you know, And I think that's for everybody. And I think if we all live like that and we thought about that just a little bit, the world will look completely different. Because we have a lot of people who are just coasting who are, who are hearing the self love talk, right? And then they're, they're hearing it in the toxic way which is just accept yourself and your standards and that's denying the world of gifts and, and solutions and inspiration and stories and I mean dude, we have a whole generation of people coming behind us. They got to have something to look at, you know what I mean? Like we did and I just take very seriously and I think it's real. And, and when we Break down the meaning of life. You know, a lot of people just see it different than me. They see the meaning of life as being a fun, enjoyable journey. And maybe that can be for some people, but I know that's not what I was here to put. So when I speak and people hear me and they might say, what the is too much? Well, dude, I'm too much because I love you, man. Yeah, I'm too much because I know you got more in you, and I know you can do better. And it takes a certain kind of person to really resonate with who I am. And, you know, unfortunately, because of the tone that I have.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Andy Frisella]

You know, I find that here's what I get a lot of. Bro, when I first heard you, I hated you.

[Ed Mylett]

Yep.

[Andy Frisella]

But I listened, like three episodes.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, dude.

[Andy Frisella]

You're just a good dude that wants more for people, and that is it.

[Ed Mylett]

It's one of the best answers in the history of the show. Everyone should go back the last three or four minutes of what he just said. And the re. First off, with you, the reason is it comes out intense, comes out with a lot of f bombs, and so that immediately, some people hear a certain way, you look a certain way. But the truth is, I know what's inside there, and I know your heart. Very handsome. Unbelievable. And more handsome with more of that smoke around your face because it's a filter. But I got to tell you, what he just said is true. When you really love somebody, self love is belief. People that really love you believe in you. And so accepting a lower standard of yourself, that's not love. That's some other perverted, weak emotion. And the truth is, real love comes with belief and knowing that someone can rise to a higher standard and do better in their life. It's not judgment of where. Where you are. It's love and belief of where you could be.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

And so when some says you get up and work or get in better shape or improve your life or start a business, it's not judgment as to where you are. It's belief in what you could be. And that's the difference in the two things. And that's what he's describing right now.

[Andy Frisella]

Let me ask you a question. Yeah, I'll ask you a question.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay.

[Andy Frisella]

So you played sports at a high level, just like my brother did, Just like a lot of our friends did. A lot of our friends do. Who was the best coach you ever had?

[Ed Mylett]

Coach Dennis. Paul. Paul was.

[Andy Frisella]

Was Dennis. Was Dennis. Paul good to you and nice to you?

[Ed Mylett]

So hard on Me, bro. I just posted about it a few weeks ago to the point where, I mean, I went home some nights in tears. Like, just. He pushed me so hard. And the truth is that I ran into him. I hadn't seen him in 30 years. He came to a speech of mine and he was standing in the picture line, and I saw him down in the line, and I immediately almost fell to my knees in tears because next to my dad, I'm most grateful to Coach Paul for where I am in my life because he got me to accept a pattern of my life of high standards, of believing I more that if I actually put work in that, eventually there's a payoff for it. And if he'd have held me to a lower standard and accepted me as the dude that I was, I would be a miserable human being right now. And by the way, I've only had three or four or five of those people. You're one of them in my life. It's like, no, bro, you're better than that you can do. But I don't want friends that accept me as my art. I want. I want friends that see me as I could be.

[Andy Frisella]

Well, that's the other context of where I'm coming from. Like, you know, I said earlier in the show, I'm hard to be friends with. The reason I'm hard to be friends with is not because I yell and scream at people.

[Ed Mylett]

Not at all.

[Andy Frisella]

It's because I demand high standards from you.

[Ed Mylett]

Yes.

[Andy Frisella]

Like, if you're in my circle, bro, you're going toing get all you can out of yourself or you're not going to be in it.

[Ed Mylett]

Yep.

[Andy Frisella]

And that's reality. I cannot. Dude, one of the. You know this dude, one of. I am such a hot wire competitor that any level of mediocrity or apathy about not caring it literally, I. Dude, I can't tell you detested. I. It drives me insane. And so this is why my circle is so small. Because, like, dude, I'm really incapable of sitting around. I mean, I am capable. Like, you get a couple smokes in me.

[Ed Mylett]

Yes.

[Andy Frisella]

You know, I like to smoke, guys. All right? That's what it is.

[Ed Mylett]

He likes to smoke all kinds of things.

[Andy Frisella]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

Just not crack.

[Andy Frisella]

All right.

[Ed Mylett]

Anymore.

[Andy Frisella]

I got smoking parmesan cheese, man. But here's the deal. Like, once I, you know, I like, I got some. My buddies to come in for the podcast. You know, I do my podcast a little different than you. Like, you. You have the. The names on. I can't. I just have buddies On.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Andy Frisella]

And they always come over here after the show, and we smoke and drink, hang out. And in that environment, I can be a bro. Right? But, like, dude, any other time, like, I'm here to do.

[Ed Mylett]

Yep. I think some people look at you like, I don't. I don't know that I want to be that hard, which is okay. Some guys look at Goggins that way, and you and Goggins are different. But. But there's this thing Grover talks about.

[Andy Frisella]

I love Goggins.

[Ed Mylett]

So do I. Both do. We brought David into our group, I think, a couple times. We've done it twice, I think. And we both love David and. And we both love Goggins, which. There's two different people, right? There's Goggins and then there's David, and there's two different people, but we love.

[Andy Frisella]

He calls himself Goggins.

[Ed Mylett]

Right. Well, the Goggins dude is the dude. Very short intermission here, folks. I'm glad you're enjoying the show so far. Be sure to follow the Ed Mylett show on Apple and Spotify. Links are in the show notes. Here's an excerpt I did with our next guest. So, everybody, this is Jesse Itzler. Jesse, thanks for being here.

[Jesse Itzler]

Thank you so much, man. I appreciate it.

[Ed Mylett]

It.

[Jesse Itzler]

Success isn't being good in one bucket. It's not about, like, I made all this money, you know, And I know, oh, it's easy for you to say. No, success is not about being good in one bucket. It's about being good in all the buckets. All the buckets. It's about being a good dad. It's about being, you know, good to your employees. It's about giving back in the charity bucket. It's about doing the right thing when you do it. It's about standing up for something that you see is wrong, that success. When I see people that are mega wealthy. They're just fucking wealthy.

[Ed Mylett]

Yes.

[Jesse Itzler]

No, they're just wealthy.

[Bedros Koulian]

Yeah.

[Jesse Itzler]

That's not what it looks like. And it's. And you don't have to be wealthy if you're struggling in one area, you can still be good in all the other areas. You can't spiral down because success, the way you look at it, isn't happening. Well, then go be successful in the other buckets and fill up your plate.

[Ed Mylett]

And then what it does, too, by the way, I could feel you coming at me with that because you feel so strong about it. Your physiology changed, too. But what also happens is when you. And you talk a lot about this, but when you get wins in other areas. You get life momentum. And people just. I did a training on this the other day. But, like, you're. To me, I look at you, I go, okay, look, the thing he said about associating with these people and their habits. I didn't have a jet card company, but I joined the club where I could meet these kinds of guys. What is your schedule? What's your work? How do you eat? What do you think about? How do you talk?

[Jesse Itzler]

I'm sorry to interrupt you habits. You get me all fired up. Everything comes around your day. We're talking about all these successes. They took years.

[Ed Mylett]

Yes, years.

[Jesse Itzler]

I remember walking into the president of Coca Cola about the Zico thing. He's like, it takes eight years to build a brand in this country. Of course, there's get rich, quick things, and now it's a little faster, but it takes time. But the foundation of that is your daily habits. It's creating winning habits, winning routines, and a winning mindset. That's the formula.

[Bedros Koulian]

It is.

[Jesse Itzler]

There's no way around it. It doesn't happen without that.

[Ed Mylett]

What are the unique things? For me, Because I completely agree. One thing unique about you and I is we both will be creating this content for a while. And then when we looked at each other, stuff like, my God, we so believe the same things. We say it a little bit differently, but we still believe the same things. One of the unbelievable things about social media or podcasts like this is that you kind of can peek into what you had at Marquis jets doing this. If someone follows you on Instagram or follows myself, you get access nowadays to something you and I never had. You can get access daily to some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world or fitness people, or parents or people of faith or whatever your area is through digital connection. Now, it's not the same as live, but it's incredible the information you can tap into now.

[Jesse Itzler]

You are my virtual mentor. No, you are. I mean, I'm in tune to what you say. It resonates deeply with me. You're in it for the right reasons. Like, there's a lot of reasons why the things you say really have stickiness with me. But you are to millions of people. You're a virtual mentor. And that's exactly your point.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Jesse Itzler]

And we didn't have that growing up. No, our mentor was my, like, my dad and anyone in my small town.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, me too. Don't you think part of your life, Jesse, that you got some life momentum going, though, right? I mean, these. The journey is I Think it's the most. I mean, you're a young man and I. But I think it's. I think it's the most remarkable journey that I've. Anybody I've talked to because of the breadth of different areas. It's just bananas to me. So let's even move out of one for me. Let's go to another thing because I just would love the formula. Because you talked about the formula. Formula. So you have these wins in business, which. We'll talk about more of them in a minute. But then you like, go like, I'm gonna go run like ultramarathons. This guy's run a hundred miles in a day. There's some stat like 36,000 miles you've run in 25 years. Is that right?

[Jesse Itzler]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

What?

[Jesse Itzler]

What?

[Ed Mylett]

Like, do you hear that?

[Jesse Itzler]

It's just consistency, though. I know the number's big and I'm proud of it. But it's.

[Ed Mylett]

Know what, Ed?

[Jesse Itzler]

It's just part of my lifestyle. So again, we talk about daily habits.

[Ed Mylett]

Yes, it's.

[Jesse Itzler]

I have a very, very unique lifestyle that's worked for me. I only fruit until noon. I've been doing that for 27 years. Unwaveringly happy to talk about that. I run every. Because it's all about energy. And you use more energy to digest food than everything else you'll do in your life combined. You'll eat about 70 tons of food in your lifetime. And to digest all that food takes a lot of energy. So if you could streamline your digestion and use less energy for digestion, you'd have more energy to have a vibrant life, to deal with infection, disease. And I have boundless energy.

[Ed Mylett]

I mean, knock on wood, you have balanced energy. And by the way, here's how real this is. When he showed up at my house today, he's like, someone's dropping off food, right? Like, he's that meticulous about what he's going to put into his body. I also enjoy on your social. By the way, the tips she gives on Instagram about the different things that are in some of the foods we eat that harm us so badly, too.

[Jesse Itzler]

Think about this. I'm going to tell you why it's so important to me. Let's say you're a billionaire.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Jesse Itzler]

Okay. You have a billion dollars. You got the helicopters, the farm Laguna. You got all this stuff. You own sports teams and everything. And you're on a beautiful island in Hawaii with nine Victoria's Secret models feeding you grapes head and massaging your feet. And life is Good. Except you got a sore throat. And every time you swallow, it kills the house, the planes, the masseuses, the grapes. None of that matters. All you want to do is get rid of your sore throat.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Jesse Itzler]

That's how important health is. And there's a famous quote. If you have health, you have heart, hope. If you have hope, you have everything. So nothing means anything if you don't. So I take it very, very, very, very, very seriously. I don't play games with that.

[Ed Mylett]

I don't think you play games well, actually. It's funny. I think you actually. Life has sort of been this game to you that you're winning. But like, you. You. I just got to understand something, man. Like, you do things now, and I just think you. You kind of take them for granted. Like, it's same for me. Like, if someone repeats back some accomplishment I've had or something I've done, it just. I don't even know how I feel about it. It's weird.

[Jesse Itzler]

I'll tell you how I feel about it. I don't care about it. I mean, we have an audience that want to know the story, and I'm happy to share it if there's value. But the way I look at my life, I'm 50. I'm about to be 51. You talk about this all the time. The average American lives to be 78. So that means I have 27 summers left. If I'm average. All the past stuff, that's done, man. My life is this window. 51 to 80. That's it. And I want to do this much shit in this much amount of time. So I have to be mega efficient. I have to focus on the things that I want to do with the people I want to do them with. And I got to eliminate the other stuff. So, like, the past, when people talk about it, it's like, okay, but who cares? Do you care that the Dallas Mavericks won the championship a couple years ago?

[Ed Mylett]

Care. I could care less.

[Jesse Itzler]

This is the window.

[Ed Mylett]

Yep. I am very, very excited about today's program because I've got a legend with me here in the fitness industry and in the personal coaching industry as well. And that's Bedros Coolian. So, Bedros, thank you.

[Bedros Koulian]

Thank you, sir. Thank you for having me.

[Ed Mylett]

I feel like even prior to you going to therapy, though, you. You feel, to me like someone who's really worked on themselves. And so I think if I were betting, had I met you, even the three or four years years ago before this, I still would have met one heck of A higher identity. Guy who'd worked on himself who had kind of this mark on his identity. Right. I don't think. I don't think that you.

[Bedros Koulian]

That's a really good way to define it.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay.

[Bedros Koulian]

Yes, exactly.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay. That's what it seems like to me. So talk a little bit about even your journey, because I know guys like you. Right. I have lots of friends, several who grew up as immigrants, really rough backgrounds. Santa Ana, for those of you that don't know the parts of Santa Ana, it's a wonderful place. But parts of Santa Ana that Bedros is from is not white picket fences and, you know, rosy, you know, perfect families all around him.

[Bedros Koulian]

The good news is we did eventually move to Anaheim, which was a lot nicer.

[Ed Mylett]

That is that. That is that. That is that is that. Right. But so you have that environment you grew up in, learning the language, immigrant mentality. So probably a stricter upbringing in your household than other people. Some cultural differences, too. Lots of friends like that. If you grew up in Southern California, you have friends like that. Right. And so I'm curious, was part of you becoming you? Like a ferocious dedication to personal development, self improvement? Like, talk a little bit about that piece of your life and how important it has or has not been for you.

[Bedros Koulian]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, as we were talking about earlier in the other room, one of my personal. I was a personal trainer. Right after high school, I decided to become a personal trainer. And one of my personal training clients, his name is Jim Franco. We're still dear friends to the state. One day I asked him, I said, you, Jim? I'm a personal trainer and a fry cook and a bouncer at a gay bar. And the reason I was at a gay bar, because they paid $4 more per hour than I needed the money. As it turns out, the reason they paid a lot more is because skinheads would come every weekend to gay bash. And it was our job.

[Ed Mylett]

Wonderful, right? They didn't tell you that before they hire you?

[Bedros Koulian]

No, no. So the good news is that by this point, I've gotten so many fights.

[Ed Mylett]

That you were equipped.

[Bedros Koulian]

I was equipped to fight, but I was starting to learn that I don't think I want to fight anymore because Jim Franco gave me a cassette tape from Tom Hopkins.

[Ed Mylett]

Me, too. I love Tom Hopkins.

[Bedros Koulian]

And he goes, listen to this Tom Hopkins cassette tape so you can learn to sell, so you can get rid of your side jobs. And Tom Hopkins leads to Brian Tracy. Brian Tracy to Zig Ziglar, then to Dan Kennedy and Jay Abraham and Tony Robbins before you Know it. I'm learning sales and marketing and personal development and influence. And so I was building this side of my, my life really well. I was doing everything I could where personal development was concerned to become a better entrepreneur.

[Ed Mylett]

Yes.

[Bedros Koulian]

I chose to put that, what happened to that little boy into a box and put it far away. And I still, till this day, I still have the gift of compartmentalizing, which is probably.

[Ed Mylett]

It is another strength.

[Bedros Koulian]

It is another strength. Yeah, it is another strength, but I.

[Ed Mylett]

Use it for good.

[Bedros Koulian]

I mean, someone crosses me, I don't just put them in a box and put it away. These days I like to communicate. Hey, Ed, why were you late? What can we do about it? Et cetera. Right?

[Ed Mylett]

See, nice.

[Bedros Koulian]

For the record, you weren't late. It was a hypothetical.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, I was early.

[Bedros Koulian]

But anyway, all that said, I was very fortunate that Jim Franco helped me become a better entrepreneur. Soon I didn't have my side jobs and before you know it, I had five personal training gyms and I was successful with those. And at a time, this company came through and bought out my 5G gyms and it was the first time I'd sold something for six figures.

[Ed Mylett]

Okay.

[Bedros Koulian]

It's like, holy cow, like you can build and sell a business. Like I didn't even know that. I thought businesses just being self employed, right. Owning a job. And so I started coaching and consulting personal trainers. And I really loved coaching and consulting trainers because I can teach them and give them the shortcuts that I never had. And so I would hear these trainers, man, you know, I'm making now 8,000, 9,000, 12,000, 15, 15, $30,000 a month on reoccurring income. Because most personal trainers sell 5, 10 sessions at a time. They've got to come and resell you. My whole thing was we're going to put you on eft, electronic fund transfer and build the recurring revenue. So before long, I've got 43,000 customers over a 10 year period.

[Ed Mylett]

My gosh. Yeah.

[Bedros Koulian]

Who buy my courses, come to my workshops and live events, etc. And in 2010, 11 came up with the idea of Fit Body Bootcamp and franchise it by 2012. And so I was able to go to all these customers and say, hey, look, I've created this franchise brand. Do you want to be a part of it? So it's everything about fitness, but all the systems are built in and boom, it took off. Now there was a lot of work involved and I had to evolve into, become a leader to be able to build a team around me and that was a work in progress. But holy smokes, how many of them are there? 6, 612, 619 fit body boot camps worldwide.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, growing. I mean, all the time. You talk about every other month in here, you've got 20 to 40 people coming in here that you guys are training.

[Bedros Koulian]

Yeah, we're adding an average of 15 to 20 locations per month.

[Ed Mylett]

Unreal, brother. I mean, unreal. And those of you that are in the fitness industry, if you want to build any sort of fitness practice, this is the Mack daddy right here. This is the guy either getting involved with the Fit Body Boot camp or just getting coached on how to grow your practice. Right. You've got all this content, all this material. This is the guy. But let's talk about all the entrepreneurs for a second. So you built this environment here. Right. You're the leader here. What's unique when I walk around here is what I would consider to be the energy level. There's a positive energy in here. There seems to be a mutual inspiration or affection that you have for them and that they have for you and creating a culture. So all of these entrepreneurs are listening. By the way, most people that are listening that think they're entrepreneurs are actually still only self employed. I'm so thrilled to have this woman here today. You would know her best, probably from Shark Tank, which airs on Friday nights. She's got an awesome podcast called Business Unusual. Barbara Corcoran, welcome to the show. Thank you for being here.

[Barbara Corcoran]

Thank you so much. And all your compliments are a little bit premature. Ed, why don't you wait a little bit on it?

[Ed Mylett]

Well, at the end of the interview, if it's not very good, I'll amend my remarks, but I'm pretty sure we're gonna crush. We see it on your face when you talk about you said Wired earlier and then you said these traits. And I think that's an. I get asked this too, and I don't know that I answer it very well. So I'm curious what your answer is. Is what are some of those traits? I'm sitting here, I'm driving in my car, I'm on a treadmill, I'm watching this on YouTube. Wherever I am listening to this, I'm like, you know, I want to be an entrepreneur or I am one, but I'm still not totally sure I should be. What are a couple of those traits in your mind that are just, you must have these or you shouldn't be one?

[Barbara Corcoran]

I believe front and foremost is competitiveness.

[Ed Mylett]

Wow.

[Barbara Corcoran]

I have invested In a lot of businesses, I have to tell you, there's not one really successful one where the principal isn't fiercely competitive, you know, And I don't mean competitive like I want. Like Saban and Jim and cousin Maine Lobster, the equally competitive. It sounded like I don't want to be the biggest lobster brand in America. Not that kind of competitive. But Luke's did what Luke's Lobster Shop. Their horns come out. Whether they wanted the shop there, whether they wanted the city there, whether they even had an interest. But their competitors, it's like a fast fuse. My most successful entrepreneurs are sickly competitive. I know for myself, I used to compete for things in my field that I had no interest in, just to show them that I could get it. That's sick. I needed a shrink, not a job. Right. But it's a wiring that you hear that growling, you know, that you want to be competitive. And I think that's the number one trait. I think the number two trait. And if I only had an hour to two. And there's so many things you tap into when you're an entrepreneur. You've got old guns ablaze.

[Cody Sanchez]

And.

[Barbara Corcoran]

But the second one I would say is that you have to be able to get back up fast. Everybody you know gets a hit and feels badly, and you have a lot of excuses to rest a bit and stay or make yourself right. He told me he was right. Whatever. But I think it's the ability to just, like, get in the habit of getting up. Getting. I am such in the habit of getting up. Like, I. I'm almost. Not really, but almost at the point now if somebody slaps me around, I don't feel it because I'm so much in the habit, the good habit of getting back up and interesting, if I could add, even though that wasn't your question, I'm going to throw it in here. It's interesting how often I'm asked by parents how to build a child's confidence. If only they find something they're really engaged in. If only they're really. If only. I believe parents can very much help children find their thing by getting them in the habit, trying things, failing and getting back up. And you can control that, force your kids to go back out and try back up at that. Try at that sport. If you're not going to try at that sport, oh, you can't do your homework, try harder, go do it again. I think that kind of building a habit of trying is where all children get their confidence from. And as dumb as I was in school, man, I was not allowed to coast. I was shoved out back and back and back and back and back. So I. I didn't think that lying down was an option. I got in the habit. And what an asset that was as an adult to have all that practice as a kid. I had an advantage, you see. So that's. I think I answered your question. Maybe not. You ask it again. I think I dropped a piece of it on you or something.

[Ed Mylett]

It's so good, and it's interesting. I have to tell you, because I've asked that. I don't. I would like to have a different answer. I got asked that a couple months ago at a speaking engagement I have. And I said the word competition, because when I was done, though, I wasn't so sure that that was the one thing. But I actually, I just. We just did this new podcast deal and, you know, starting new businesses, and somebody asked. I asked the other day to. My friend said, why am I still. I'm like, I'm assuming all these things. I said, what is. Do I need a shrink? Like, what you said, you do need a shrink.

[Barbara Corcoran]

Yes. Don't get one, you won't be as profitable.

[Ed Mylett]

That's what he said. Almost verbatim. He said. He goes, eddie, listen, dude, here's the deal. You're competitive. You want to. You just. You want to. And also, you're competitive with yourself. You want to see how much you can expand, how much you can contribute. And he said, you'd be dead just sitting around, man. I told myself where I was. I live here on the ocean. I'm looking at the beach. I said, I have not put my feet on that sand in, like, four weeks. He goes, you get out there, you find a way to do it. But you're competitive. And I actually enjoy in doing this more than I do just sitting there. It doesn't mean I don't like to rest. It doesn't mean I don't like to, you know, recuperate. But I like expanding. I like contributing. I like growing. I want to compete. And so I completely agree with your answer. And this has been a trend with you. So now I'm like, okay, how's she going? Shark Tank, you have the exit in 2001. Bunch of money. And then you're. I think you think you're going to get the show.

[Barbara Corcoran]

Yes, I had the show. They hired me. Yeah, I signed the contract.

[Ed Mylett]

They hired you. And then it was like, maybe not. You got it. This is amazing. I mean, think about this. What's happened to your brand, to your reach, to your influence. I mean, this one decision, we're one decision away from altering our life, right? One little competitive psycho streak in you. So tell them what happens. You get the show and then what?

[Barbara Corcoran]

Then I get the call from the Mark Burnett's assistant, and same woman who called me in the first place saying, I'm sorry, the show's changed its mind. They've hired another woman for the lone female seat. I couldn't believe my ears. You know, you have to remember at this point, I had already bought Hollywood outfits, gonna sign autographs. Oh, I had done my movie going. I had new, new leather luggage. Wasn't gonna be plastic in Hollywood. It's gonna be leather, matching luggage. And so I. I was already there, told my friends, I'm going to Hollywood. I'm going to Hollywood. I'm going to Hollywood. So I was mortified more than anything. I honestly. The first thought I had was, what was my. What will my friends think? What will I explain? I hate to be that shallow, but I really thought of that. And then I hung up the phone. I couldn't believe it. I had to shake my head. But then I did the thing that's more important than anything else in life, which I had learned to do. Get back up. So I got back up, and I typed out a very brief email to Mark Burnett, whom I hadn't met, and called the assistant to promise. She promised she would deliver to him because I didn't think he'd read it, you know, and she said she'd walk it over and promised that he'd read it. And I told him I considered him to be my lucky charm. All the best things in my life happened on the heels of rejection. When Sister Stella Marie told me I'd never learned to read or write, she was wrong. I learned when the big boys in New York said I couldn't compete, I became the number one rival. When Donald Trump said I'd never see a penny of the $4 million commission, I collected every penny in federal court. I just went right like that, and I said, I'd like you to invite both women out to compete. And I expect to be on that plane on Tuesday. Tuesday. And what do you think happened? He. He invited us both out, and thank God that was 13 years ago. To pointing again to the power of not being so smart and not working so hard or all the rest of the stuff you have to do in life, but the power of getting back up, you know, just take another swing. By the way, Ed, what was shocking to me. Well, I was. I was not so shocked I turned it around because I was used to turning things around. What was shocking to me is my Clay, my producer. Two weeks after that, we were on Shark Tank. He said to me, you know, we hired four times more business owners than we needed and we rejected three out of four, he said, and not one wrote an email. I was like, what? No one objected. So I got to see, purely for writing that email. Not because I earned it or I had good luck, but that email got me that seed. No doubt.

[Ed Mylett]

That is just amazing story. And by the way, not only did you respond, I was going to give you a little. Everyone, just a paragraph of the email. Not only did you respond, but you did it in such a way that just had a level of certainty, I think. Certainty.

[Barbara Corcoran]

I was faking it.

[Ed Mylett]

I love that, though. But see, but certainty is influence. She says, mark, I understand you've asked another girl to dance instead of me.

[Barbara Corcoran]

He had a great opening line. Even I laughed at that one.

[Andy Frisella]

It's so good.

[Ed Mylett]

It would get your attention. You would laugh at it. And he says, although I appreciate being reserved as a fallback. She says, I'm much more accustomed to coming in first.

[Barbara Corcoran]

Yeah, that's another good line, I might say. So again.

[Tommy John]

It'S just.

[Ed Mylett]

I gotta say, guys, I mean, there's moments that define our lives. And do we get back up, you know, do we compete again? You know, do we dig deep? And these things may seem sort of hokey. They're real world things that end up deciding whether or not you've had a pretty successful life or you're one of the most influential entrepreneurs on the spinning earth, which is what barbers become.

[Andy Frisella]

Isn't that amazing?

[Ed Mylett]

It's just remarkable. Now someone pitches on the show. I'm curious, what are you looking for? In other words, is it the business model itself? Are you evaluating the jockey or the horse? Or is it both? And how do you end up reaching a determination like, this is at least one I may be in on. Or can they say one thing and you're like, I'm out. Is there something in particular you'll notice where you're like, I'm out with these.

[Barbara Corcoran]

A few hot buttons. First of all, I really form a first impression before they ever say I was, based on how they look. They're standing in front of the sharks, lower than us, intimidating, come through the doors, they're standing there. They had told not to talk until they're asked to start. So there's this long silence while they set the camera shots up close in their face, very intimidating. And I watch how they handle the pressure. Okay, so when somebody's falling apart, looking at the ground shifting, can't handle that pressure. I just am out right away. I mean, I can't say I'm out, but I know I'm out no matter what they say that it would be digging out of a hole. I just can't remember, really believe that this would be a strong business partner. That's one. I do pay attention to the model. To the degree that I say, hey, well, enough people buy this service or product, Is there a need for it, and will enough people buy it? And if it seems, yeah, reasonable, I'm okay with the business model. All the details that we go into the margins and blah, blah, blah. I'm honest to get as a dyslexic, almost sleep on the wheel. I'm often making a shopping list while it's going on because I can't hide in there to pay attention. Okay, But I already have formed my opinion in on the very important piece. Hey, does it make sense when enough people buy it? Now I'm just watching at the person and just thinking myself, could I picture them as my business partner? Do I like them? Do I trust them? And if I do, there's one last question. Do they have enough energy to make it to the finish line? Because I've never met a successful entrepreneur who didn't have a ton of energy. So if they don't have that energy, I don't. I think they're going to run out of gas. Now, I could be wrong. Who really knows? But I know in hiring people my whole life, thousands of people, when people don't have high energy, they're never great. So that's like a breathing test almost. So that's kind of the summation of it. And then you have to hang in there for another 45 minutes before you can say, I'm out, and make up another reason why they're out. Because you don't want to say to everybody, I don't like your energy. You're not competitive. You know, I don't like the way you look. You have to come up with something more businessy. And I spend the rest of my time trying to come up with something more businessy that makes sense for the show.

[Ed Mylett]

You know, businessy. I love that. I do that all the time on this show. Let me sound more businessy, businessy, so I can just fit in. I know exactly what you're talking about. Very short intermission here. Folks, I'm glad you're enjoying the show so far. Be sure to follow the Ed Mylett show on Apple and Spotify. Links are in the show notes. You'll never miss an episode that way. We've been doing ads for Tommy John forever. They're my favorite ads to do because I'm a raving fanatic, not just a client, because that's what they have and I want to pick his brain about that and life in general. So, Tommy Patterson, welcome to the show.

[Tommy John]

Thanks, Ed. It's an honor. I'm so grateful to be here.

[Ed Mylett]

In building this business, you had to give up a lot of different things as well. But if someone was to start right now and said, hey, I think I'm going to become an entrepreneur, this is sort of an open ended question. I want to become an entrepreneur, but I'm not really totally sure where to start. This thing you said earlier in the interview about solve a problem, that type of thing, do you think everybody is an entrepreneur or do you think that that's reserved for a certain type of person?

[Tommy John]

That's a great debate. I mean, I think I have a different answer. At five year periods. I think everybody has a million dollar idea. I think some people struggle with the discomfort and the uncertainty. And being an entrepreneur is all about uncertainty. You have to be ready to move and pivot and change. And again, I'm going to go back to sports. Like sports and being that Roomba vacuum and failing. And I had a coach that said to me, tom, you're never going to increase your capacity to grow unless you fail. And if you don't fail, you're going to be an underachiever in life. So by not failing, you're not reaching your potential. And I think for me, I always got pushed and wanted to drive more and more and more. And I think seeing entrepreneurs and seeing the type of family and the type of life that they were living, it was really inspiring for me. I wanted more, I wanted to do more, I wanted to travel more, I wanted to be around different personalities. So for me, I think it's a question, are entrepreneurs born or made? I think for me it was probably born. I had lawn mowing businesses, dude, I shoveled sidewalks and snow mobloed sidewalks before basketball practice. In high school, I would knock on doors and ask to do the mowing for the summer. So I always worked and I was always curious about making learning ways to make more money. But I would say for anybody here, I didn't have the perfect network. I didn't go to the perfect school. I didn't have the perfect connections. I didn't get the right internship. It was really people. I valet cars in Scottsdale. When I went to college, I sold cell phones at a kiosk in, you know, Fashion Square Mall in Phoenix. But those people skills and interacting and understanding how to read nonverbal cues, that EQ part I think really prepared me to be in a position to see the signs or opportunity to start a business. And I think that there was a preparation through my childhood and through things I was involved in in that allowed me to see those signs.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Tommy John]

So. And you know, but I didn't grow up in an environment of entrepreneurs. My parents weren't entrepreneurs. And you, you say this middle class. I would say we were middle class, maybe at times lower or upper. But middle class is the hardest one to get out of.

[Barbara Corcoran]

It is.

[Tommy John]

And I often times wonder how, how did I get out or why did I get out? And I don't, I wouldn't say, I don't know if I have the perfect answer.

[Ed Mylett]

I don't know either. In my case. I'm thinking about it. I'm thinking of listening to you. You just said some more real brilliant stuff that I want to unpack there. But like, I think my dad wasn't an entrepreneur. I don't know any entrepreneurs in my family. My grandfather worked in a union. Right. My other grandfather was a printer. So what does this come from? I remember when I was a little boy, I used to sell sodas at the golf course and candy bars through the fence. I had that little business when I was young. Then I had a baseball card business. Then I had an auto detail retailing business. So somehow as a little guy, I was experimenting with being an entrepreneur and wanting to make money and wanting to expand. And then I, one thing I always had, and I think you have too, I've always been fascinated with growth. And I think sports, to your point, sports gave me that competitive thing you talked about earlier. Sports gave me and you both the ability to deal with and accept failure. Almost like, of course I'm going to strike out. I'm going to get out 7 out of 10 times. Of course you, you're going to miss a jump shot. Right. You always miss something. Right. Of course I'm going to drop a pass or you know, so I think that helped. But you said something earlier, man, that I have never thought of before, which is this notion, I'll probably say it wrong, but that to be successful you actually have to become comfortable being uncomfortable. But Then you said the reverse and it describes me very well. And you. I'm uncomfortable being comfortable now. I Gone all the way the other way. My problem is not being comfortable being uncomfortable. My problem is I'm uncomfortable being comfortable or content. Yes.

[Tommy John]

Yes.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, yeah. And I think that it's like, man, I want that to be on some speech I give because that's a really profound thing that you just said right there. And super describes me. What was the. What's a hidden huge benefit. I asked card stuff. What's a hidden huge benefit of making your dream come true? Most people wouldn't know about. Forget just the wealth or you could travel. I mean, he could live anywhere in the world. Dude lives in South Dakota. Like, so he's not like, you know, so what's. No offense to South Dakota. Some of my really good friends are there. But it's not.

[Tommy John]

I invited you. There's parts you'll like.

[Ed Mylett]

There are parts I'd like. But I'm not going there. I can tell you right now I will not be there in January, but I will go there with you and especially the golf place that you described. We need to go do that. Having said that, though, what's a little. Give us all, you know, what's a little thing that happens and I'll give you mine after you give me yours that you didn't think would be cool about making your dream come true. That now is.

[Tommy John]

I think, you know, there's. I'm still always surprised about how many people are aware of the brand. Gosh, it's so huge, right? It still blows my mind. Blows our mind that people are so familiar with it and wear it and the types of people that we make meet that are wearing it, that have not met us, that didn't know our brand values or beliefs and just found the product. It's connected and it's just one. It creates a lot of fun conversations, which we've had of just the underwear category by nature. But it's got us in a lot of rooms that I would have only dreamt of being in. And it's one thing to get in the room, but it's another thing to stay in the room. And I think. I think there's. Jim talked about this where we were like, everybody in this room fought to get in this room, right?

[Ed Mylett]

Jim Rome. Yeah.

[Tommy John]

Jim Rome. There's this mutual respect for some of the rooms because a lot of people don't understand what it took or the sacrifices that were made to get in there. And it's like, man, it's not lonely. There's other people that have been here, right? And I think when you're running a business, it's really lonely. There's not a plan, there's not a playbook. And for me, that's been one of the most exciting things to meet, honestly, like you meeting your heroes, meeting people that have impacted you in so many ways and just not it being awkward. My grandpa taught me. He's like, treat everybody the same, whether it's the front desk receptionist, the janitor. They're all people at the end of the day. And I think for me, one of the gifts I've realized I have is I'm not intimidated. But I have a lot of respect for people. And people are like, how did you get that? Get to this level that you're at? I'm like, I've never been scared to ask questions. I've never been scared to send Kevin Hart some product and talk to him on the phone. At the end of the day, there are real people that wanted to be treated just like anybody else. Right? Nothing makes you more uncomfortable than being treated like you're this fanning out. And I think being around people and just getting to know them, who they are, behind closed doors, there's been, I think, one of the really cool, exciting things about building a business, but it wasn't the intent. That's just, I think, a side surprise benefit of it.

[Ed Mylett]

By the way. I think you're right about that. And the thing is that I think what everybody. I want everyone to hear, and the reason I asked you the question is there's lots of side benefits, to use your term, to making your dream come true that you can't imagine right now. And there will be lots of things. There'll be an experience or a moment or I think for me, it's all the stuff I didn't calculate as I was doing it, because I think when you have a dream, you kind of picture you in the dream. But for me, it was when I got to the other side of it and live it now. It's all the things I never dreamt of doing for other people or moments I could be there for somebody when they need me. That I didn't calculate that. And if you would have told me back then, the reason I want everyone to hear this is if you would have told me back then that you'd be able to do this, that or the other thing for another person, I'd have worked even harder. I'd have taken more hits. I'd have gone through more pain. If I knew that the dream wasn't just about me, but it's about all these other people, these lives you can affect and you can impact in small and big ways. If I'd have known all that was going to come with the package of winning, I'd have gone for it even harder and faster. I'd have gone bigger. I'd have done more. So I want everyone to know this. There's more that comes with making a dream come true than you can even possibly imagine. And as good as you think it's going to be, in many ways, it's a thousand, million times better. But maybe not even in the way, like having lots of money, it's cool, right? But it's probably. I don't think it's quite as cool as I thought it was going to. Not being broke is super cool. Right. But being super rich, it's not quite as cool as I thought it would be. But other parts that come with it are, for me. Is that the same for you? Yeah.

[Tommy John]

I think once you're. You've been poor and struggled, you want to do everything possible not to be there again.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Tommy John]

Right. But I think you brought up a good point. It's something I want to talk to you a lot more about after this is, you know, this success, the significance transition that you've made. Right. Had you made that earlier. Right. And I think as you go on, how do you make sure you're impacting others? And I think they always say, the people that you can help. You probably said this. The people you can help the most are the ones who are walking through the path that you walk through. And I think if there's one person I can reach today, or 10 people, or you can send this to someone that has a story that resonates with what we're talking about, that's really what people want to hear. And I think anybody that's listening. That's the beauty about podcasts and YouTube today. They're like these masterclasses in Blinkist. Cliff Notes on the stories. And I think a lot of people get caught up. I read this one, I heard this one, I listened to this, this one. But they're not taking any action. And the hardest part is people know what to do. The hardest part, I think I keep seeing is just getting started.

[Ed Mylett]

How do they do that? Let's talk about that for a second. Because you're right. If I could figure that out, we'd have way more millionaires, way better marriages, way more parents raising wonderful kids. Whatever it might be in life, way more people creating cures for diseases. What is that thing that got, like, you just started? Like, if we go all the way back to the beginning, I'm thinking to myself, this dude has no fashion background. He's walking around selling these medical devices. All of a sudden he wakes up and goes, I think we should have better undergarments. Like, what the. And then you go to the fashion district, and I know where that place is. That's not the most comfortable place to go. You make a couple freaking shirts with the Donald Duck thing on there, and. And now you're sitting in my studio with a brand that everyone that's listening to my show has heard of before. Like, there's got to be a part of this. Like, on the spinning earth, your existence on 2008, the dude you were. Flash forward 15 years later. Bam. Like, it's got to be unbelievable to you. But you did get started, right? Do you think it's because you were naive and you didn't know how hard it was going to be? What do you think it was that got you. That holds other people back. Is it they want to be perfect? Like, what is it?

[Tommy John]

I just didn't want to play it safe, you know, I wanted to play it big and go big or go home. And for me, I wanted to take a big swing and see if I could do it right. I like getting out of my comfort zone and doing uncomfortable things. So I think when we started, that was really the mindset really to do it. But I don't know. I think everybody's different. I think this uncertainty or how it's going to be perceived or I don't want to live a life and, like, downsize and go from two cars to one car. But if you're not comparing yourself to the others, like the keeping up with the Joneses mentality, like, I don't know anybody that's made it that didn't struggle, that didn't go through the tough times. And there are very, I think, more exceptions than aren't. So I think for us, that was really just the mindset that we have.

[Ed Mylett]

I think there's something in you, bro. And I want to ask you this last. So I think you're stepping into it. You know, I think you all probably know a lot about Gunner. There was a lot of kind of anticipation about the show here today, and I don't want to go down this direction, so I just want to get this out of the way in the beginning. If you don't know Gunner trains some of the most successful business people that walk the earth, some of the most successful entertainers and athletes, anyone from JLO to the Kardashians to Sampras to NBA players.

[Gunnar Peterson]

But I'm also in the right zip code. In fairness, I'm in the right space for that. I get people reach out at trainers. I want to do what you do. I live in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. I live in Scotland. Those are great, wonderful places. But the demographic of the potential clientele is just not there to do what I do.

[Ed Mylett]

You're a trainer, but you approach the business. I thought this was awesome because it's true of almost any business we would describe. What business are you really in? So you're a trainer, but you. What business would you say you're in?

[Gunnar Peterson]

Above all, I'm great at connecting people. I can't monetize it for shit. I wish there were a way to say, let me introduce you. Oh, you need a contractor. Well, oh, you're looking for a car. Oh, your wife needs a new OB gyn. Oh, you want. I can connect so many things that have nothing to add. And, you know, we all, in our trade, we develop certain go to lines. And I always say, I can't get you into any restaurants or clubs, but anything in health, wellness, medical, I got you. I know the top shoulder surgeon. I know the top knee surgeon. I know the top nutritionist, the top dentist. Dentists. I got dentists, I got orthodontists. And then I have just.

[Ed Mylett]

That's amazing.

[Gunnar Peterson]

Yeah. So. But it's being years where I am. And I can also call them on their cell and connect. You like that. Yeah, right.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Gunnar Peterson]

But I'll tell you, clubs. I don't even know what clubs are hot now. Restaurants. I got a couple go to restaurants, but it's nothing that you'd probably want to go to. And it makes me happy. Nothing makes me happier than someone. I had a call two week.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Gunnar Peterson]

A couple weeks ago. Somebody said, I chipped my tooth. What can I do? And it was a Friday afternoon. I go stand by.

[Ed Mylett]

Boom.

[Gunnar Peterson]

Yep. And they were in the chest chair within two hours getting the video. And I thought, yeah, yeah, that's what I can do.

[Ed Mylett]

Because you approach it like a. I've never heard this before. You approach it. This is such a lesson because a lot of trainers watch this. How do I grow my practice? Right.

[Gunnar Peterson]

That goes both ways. If that dentist gets someone who's lying there going, you know, I feel so fat when I lie in this chair, it Makes me really see my stomach. Well, I mean, the analogy I would use is a restaurant analogy, right? It's you pull in, you pull into the gym, you pull up to a restaurant, is there a place to park, and I goof about parking. But in la, park is a very real thing. Is that difficult? How much of a headache was that getting into the place? You walk in, is there someone who stops you, greets you, do they remember you? Is there a rhythm and a flow to what you do when you get there? Or is it a whole check in? Who are you again? I mean, little things like that can slow the roll and it's a lot less fun overall. And the next time the person has to go to that, they go, I'm not going. And then to me, then your cancellation rate goes up. Even if you're charging for cancellations over time, that goes away too. You won't go back to the same restaurant if. Forget the food. The food I take for granted. If the whole experience that precedes the meal was a pain in the ass.

[Ed Mylett]

I had one of those last night. The food was great, the experience was crap, we'll go.

[Gunnar Peterson]

And the experience can be bad on either end, Right. Usually we tend to selective amnesia. We tend to forget what happened in the middle if the food was good, Right. But if you ask for the bill and it's 20 minutes, put you in a bad mood, on the way out, you get to valet. 20 minutes. And valet is a real thing in LA, every restaurant is valet. Or a lot of them. Right. That kills the whole vibe.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah, right, yeah.

[Gunnar Peterson]

Or the waiter just disappears and you can't even ask us. You're like, We've been here 15 minutes.

[Ed Mylett]

You were at my dinner last night. All of those things. No, but I think as you're an entrepreneur, if you are one watching this, how conscious are you from the entire experience the client has with you? Are you in the service from the minute they got there?

[Gunnar Peterson]

Cold water, room tempo. Some of my clients like cold, some like room temp. We have water and towels out for every person. That's a service. Well, I don't provide it. Well, you should. And if you don't, we can't afford that. But raise your rates. If I ran a hotel, the mini bar would be free now, the room would cost a lot more, but the minibar would be free all the time. Yes. You're gonna get a couple of jerk offs who empty the minibar out as they leave. Okay, fine. But you're also gonna get people who don't touch It.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Gunnar Peterson]

And, and you need to find that sweet spot in your price point to make that work for you. Because nobody at the higher end of any service wants to be nickel and dime.

[Ed Mylett]

I 100% believe that. And I think you entrepreneurs listen to this. I don't care what you. I don't care if you have a bakery, a dry cleaners or you're a software engineer. All of these things are so important as an entrepreneur. See, these are the things like, and I mean this with respect, you know this. It's not just the zip code because for someone to. They have to want to come back. They have to want to keep coming back. That's great.

[Gunnar Peterson]

It's their disposable income. Watch this. It's their disposable income, their limited free time for something that is arguably painful. How are you? How are you making that, hey, want to come back?

[Ed Mylett]

Right? Right.

[Gunnar Peterson]

You have to make it as fun or as positive as it can be. There should be so many and in fact only positive associations with their experience with you that when training comes up, when cold water comes up or room temp water or your name comes up, there's a positive association that happens. That is the best PR machine you could ever create.

[Ed Mylett]

You're saying earlier we were talking. I hope you don't mind me saying this, but you don't. You're very well known that you don't have a publicist. I've never had a public. I think the reason you're so well known is what you just described. When your name comes up, there's a positive association and your. Your clients are raving fans about you. Cody Sanchez, welcome to the show.

[Cody Sanchez]

I'm excited to be here. I've been a fan of yours for years, Ed. I think it's really cool what you do online.

[Ed Mylett]

Theoretical business sounds really, really good day to day business. If we're really being candid, we sort of share. I'll call it like a misery amongst company almost to some extent. Like when you meet another real business owner. I think the stuff online is really good or kind of, you know, you hear certain conversations but most of my conversations with real operators or real business owners is most of the time dealing with the emotional burden of the stress of it. And I don't think that part of it's. Andy and I talk about that a lot for Sella and I. What about that? Like the real of business, like how much of it day to day, even today, the last week for you is like woo, this is bliss and enjoy and we're making deals and I'm closing and I'm a deal maker and we're growing and top line's awesome. And the bottom line's good too. Or like, what is it really? Like, like really, really?

[Cody Sanchez]

Yeah. Well, I think, you know, there was a line from Michael Jordan that I loved where he said, there is no I in team, but there is in win. And that always resonates with me because when you are in charge of a business, when it's yours, there is an I in team. Because the only person at the end of the day that is on the line is as you. And so you have to work harder than everybody else. You have to work longer than everybody else for a period past which you want to, at least in the beginning, at some point, you get people that are more competent than you. But that really takes. That takes a long time, long time. And so I do think, you know, that there will be a point in every business owner's life where you're like, what am I doing with my life? And would you like to hire me, Ed? You know, for sure.

[Ed Mylett]

Yeah.

[Cody Sanchez]

And if you want to know if this is true or not, go talk to a business owner and if you want to cuddle up to them pretty quickly, say, you know, I'm running a business right now. But it's, it's definitely hard. There are days when I might ask you for a job. How about you? And I guarantee you, no matter if they're a billionaire or not, they're going to say, oh, yeah, I thought about that before. Never seriously. But that little twinkle.

[Ed Mylett]

And so, and that's, by the way, why most businesses are viable. Because you catch an entrepreneur on the right day. Right. Or the wrong day. Right. They may want to take an exit from it. I just, I always want people, like, I'll ask you this, like, who do you think should be an entrepreneur? Like, if you were described the woman or the man that should be an entrepreneur, there's certain characteristics that are invisible.

[Cody Sanchez]

Yeah.

[Ed Mylett]

They're not visible to people, typically. What are some of those things? Like, for the real, real thing, what is it? Because, by the way, one thing about you that I've noticed, I don't think it's talked about enough. And because then people think, well, then I can't do it. You're very smart woman. You're very well read. So I'm not naturally intellectually bright. I'm not. But I've overcompensated for that with really being well read. I read a lot. I, I've updated My knowledge base about a lot of different things so that I can have conversations and dialogue with people that do a lot of different things so that I'm valuable to them. And that's one trait. Knowing you have to have grit and resilience. Okay, yep, you do. I think that's been covered. Yes. But what about like knowledge, like real knowledge about business? Like I, I, I surround myself with attorneys and accountants, boring people. Because I learn a lot from them and you're going to need them as an entrepreneur. Entrepreneur. So what are your thoughts on all that?

[Cody Sanchez]

Well, that one you know, for sure. I think if you want to make money, surround yourself with the people who understand money. And people who understand money are attorneys, accountants, bankers, investment bankers. People who understand real estate, like financial and, and financial advisors. Those are the people, if you hang out with enough of them. It's wild how contagious money can be.

[Andy Frisella]

True.

[Cody Sanchez]

I do think though that you're right on the well read part. You know, I was at a friend's ranch this weekend. Her name's Wink and wink, she's, she's 85. She runs a ranch that is 30,000 acres. Some of it is government lease land in Arizona. And she had this line that was so incredible to me. I was talking to her, I'm like, wink, you're like 85, you're on this horse, you're running this land. You know what's going on? And I was talking about, you know, the fact that business was tough. And she goes, well, you know, at some point, you know, you just, it's that bootstrapping thing, right? And I'm like, oh yeah, it's that bootstrapping thing. And she goes, but you know, we have a saying because wolves are a prop problem here. Where they are, they eat their cows. She's like, we got a saying about wolves. And I'm like, well, you're not allowed to shoot wolves, Wink. Like, what do you mean? You got to say it about wolves. And she goes, well, yeah, we know you're not allowed to shoot wolves. So we got the three S's. And I said, what are these three S's? And she goes, well, you shoot, you shovel. And you shut up. And she goes, and that's business. You shoot, you shovel. All the, all the non sense, all the difficulty and you shut up and you keep going. And so sometimes I remember those three S's and I think real business owners know that that's there. The last thing I'll say though is I think too many people tell other people that they can't be entrepreneurs. And that actually bothers me because there are a bunch of people online like, Cody, must be nice for you. And Ed, you know, must. And like, you know, all these people aren't actually doing it. And I think show me some somebody who tells you that you shouldn't go become an entrepreneur because it's too hard for you. Fine, but watch what they do, not what they say. Are they an entrepreneur, but they think you can't do it. And I think for most people there is an ability to have some ownership. It does just suck sometimes. And you got to deal with that.

[Ed Mylett]

I do too. I, I, I'm amazed by how many people will take advice from somebody who's not successful in the area you're seeking the advice. Right? Meaning it doesn't mean they're a bad person or that they're unsuccessful. They may be an incredible father or mother, but they're not an entrepreneur. They shouldn't be giving you advice on that. Or they're like an amazing person of faith, but they've never made any money. Why are you taking money advice from them or vice versa? Taking faith advice from someone who's got no faith just because they have a bunch of money. This is the Ed Milan Show.