← The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex
The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex
Adam Ali: From Amazon Warehouse to Viral Fame & a Lamborghini at 22
00:41:34
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- [00:00]
A
In too many cities, dangerous illegals walk free as police are forced to stand down. Join ICE and help us catch the worst of the worst with bonuses up to $50,000 and generous benefits. Apply now.
- [00:13]
B
Join.ice.gov I'm 20 years old. I have a Lamborghini I'll never forget. I was at a farmer's market, week two of filming, and I asked this young lady, hey, do you want to do, you know, videos? She was probably in her 20s. I showed her the TikTok account. I had like a thousand followers. And she laughed and walked away. She was like, what a loser. Like, he has a thousand followers. I was like, dam. All right. There's a homeless guy that was a photographer. Yo, bro, like, I would love to be in the channel. We did an interview. He told this story about how he's homeless, trying to make it, you know, probably makes about two, $3,000 a year. And after that, video got like a million views. I posted Venmo on my story, and he got like 5k from that.
- [00:57]
A
Hey, guys, and welcome back to Level Up Podcast. This is Paul Alex, and today's guest is flipping the script on what is it means to be a content creator in 2025. Well, what do I mean? While everyone else chases trends, he's chasing the truth, showcasing real people, real hustles, real jobs, and the dignity behind everyday 9-5ers, guys. From building a powerhouse team at American Income to going viral. By putting the spotlight on hardworking men and women across America, Adam Ali is creating more than just content. He's creating a movement. Get ready for a real conversation with the man behind the mic, the mindset, and the mission. Welcome to the Lil Ball podcast. My man.
- [01:32]
B
How you doing? Thank you for having me, Paul.
- [01:34]
A
No, absolutely, dude. I mean, for. For. For the viewers and the listeners. We. We have an ongoing relationship. He's a good guy. He's based out here in Miami. Young entrepreneur. How old are you, man?
- [01:43]
B
23 years old.
- [01:44]
A
23 years old. You know what I was doing at 23, dude? I was in Vegas at the pool. You. You. You got it straight, dude. You got it straight. I mean, you're already running a successful business. You're a content creator. You got a lot of things going on, dude. You. You've gone viral on social media so many times already. But to. To. To get into this, we're gonna go ahead and talk to Adam about his creative genius and his vision behind his content, guys. So, Adam, what made you want to start showcasing everyday people doing what they do for a Living, brother.
- [02:17]
B
Well, the way this all started, this was back in 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. I was actually working at an Amazon warehouse about 60, 70 hours a week. That was, like, my way of getting my money. And I was, what, 19 years old? Just turned 20 at the time.
- [02:30]
A
Yeah.
- [02:30]
B
And I used to listen a lot of Gary Vee, but also I was still stuck in life to where I didn't know what I wanted to do. So I. I said, what's the best way to just ask people? Like. Like, hey, like, I need advice. But even, you know, you go to car show, you just go up to random people. They're like, oh, like this kid just trying to bother me. So I said, what if I get a microphone and a tripod? And what if I, like, start my own little show asking people about their jobs, and then I'll get to not only learn about what they do, but also build, like, a media channel in the meantime? So I bought. Bought a road microphone set, tripod, and it was a car. Meet McLaren Cars and Coffee in Charlotte, North Carolina. I went there, and I was like, okay, who's getting out the nice cars? I was like, boom. Like, boom. There's my first target. So I went up to him, hey, how you doing? Turns out this guy's in medical sales, makes half a million dollars a year. I'm like, damn. Like, you make that much money? Tells me how he did it, how he got started. So I was like, okay. People are willing to come up and talk to me if I just tell them, like, hey, get on this podcast. I have this show. But also I get to just learn. I get to literally just learn about what other people do for a living. So it actually inspired me to want to keep going. And ever since then, it was just. I just kept doing more and more videos. And after that, I saw that it started working right after that. Car Me, I probably filmed about 20, 30 videos. I just made the Instagram account and TikTok account. I posted, like, a few of the videos, and one of them hit, like, 400,000 views. Okay, this is, like, working. Then I started to look into it. I was like, wait, why are people interested in this? And people are interested in what other people make and do for a living because they sometimes they don't know you can make that much, and sometimes they don't even know that's an actual career field. So once I noticed, it was, okay, my purpose here is going to be to interview people, but also educate others on what careers are out there, how much money you can make, and what does it take to actually get there? So that was kind of like the whole goal of this and the whole main objective, which it still is today. So just to educate others and inform others on what's truly out there for them, what's possible.
- [04:20]
A
Did your. Did your mindset when you started creating this type of content, did it go into, okay, I need to start monetizing it right away, or were you more like, let me get momentum, build it up, provide value, and then eventually monetize?
- [04:34]
B
I would say the first year, I didn't really have any goal to monetize or make money off this because I was still working my job I had and then working with my stepdad in construction. So I said, okay, money is not. Like, I can just save my money and just kind of travel with that. So, no. But then it got to a point where I had, you know, 200,000 followers. I was like, oh, wow. Like, I still make no money from this. Yeah, see, this is interesting. So I was confused at the moment, but I didn't let that stop me or demotivate me because I said, there's still a bigger purpose out there for me.
- [05:02]
A
No, absolutely. And then how old were you when you had those 200,000 followers?
- [05:06]
B
So I was, what, 20 years old still? So I turned 21 in September 2022. But when I turned 21, I already, like, the first four months were. It's really good for me. Started off really, really good.
- [05:21]
A
So you're 20 years old, have 200,000 followers. You're trying to figure it out. At that time, what did your friends say? Did you. Did you have a girlfriend at that time? What were the people around you? Okay, because 200,000 followers, a lot of followers, dude. You know, people start seeing that hype, they start hating, right?
- [05:41]
B
Yeah.
- [05:41]
A
So what were the people around you like, your family members, your girlfriend at that time?
- [05:45]
B
Your friends tell you, I'll never forget, I was at a farmer's market, like, week two of filming, and I would still go up to random people, and a lot of people were just cool. They were on board with it. And I asked this young lady, like, hey, do you want to do, you know, videos? She was probably in her 20s. She. I showed her the Tik Tok account. It had, like, a thousand followers. And she laughed and walked away. She was like, what a loser. Like, he has a thousand followers. I was like, damn. All right. I guess people just see, like, that as. As, like, a validation. But that little fire inside of me, I was okay. Like, I have something to prove for whoever that was. Like, I'm, I'm still remember to this day. As far as my friends, they were all kind of confused. Like, wait, like this is like, like how did he do that? But they were supportive. You know, no one really ever had anything bad to say. I would have their friend that would come help me here and there. So my mom was generally confused. She didn't know. She was like, okay, like you're not making no money off this. Like, this is not a real thing. So. And no girlfriend at the time. So my friends that I had at the time were supportive. They would like the stuff, they would repost it. But then there's the whole other group of other friends that just didn't, they didn't care at all. Right. So when I started the account and it was at zero, I would repost it on my, my other account. I had like 3,000 followers. Hey guys, go follow this account. You could see how many people click the sticker on the story post.
- [07:04]
A
Yes.
- [07:05]
B
Like, damn, 800 people saw that you started a new business idea, but only five of them click that Instagram page to go fi. And if even they go follow it, it goes to show you the people that follow you and support you or are friends with you. Like, they'll see you have a new business idea. Cost them nothing to like repost or share your content. But let it be a rapper drops a new album or Love island or something, they'll be quick to repost that or like it or share.
- [07:32]
A
Yeah.
- [07:32]
B
So it showed me early on. People will not support you. Like they don't care. They really don't care. Unless you're like famous.
- [07:39]
A
Yeah.
- [07:39]
B
So until you get to that point, they're good.
- [07:41]
A
So why do you think people don't support people that they already know in today's society?
- [07:47]
B
Well, it's, let's say, let's say you have a problem in your house and you, you need a TV mounted and you have a friend with a TV mounting business, someone will still go on Google and find someone more expensive and still use them because they just don't want to support that friend. People are just hard headed like that. Yeah. So people feel like they're putting that person in a position to win or helping them out. And they don't like that. People don't like to do that. So if people see that you have a new business idea, a new Instagram page, and all it takes is for them to follow it, just like one pose or something, they see that as them helping you to succeed, and it's putting them below you. Like, they think that's how they think. Yeah, well, at least that's how I think they think, but I just feel like that's how things are nowadays. And even now, I'll have tons of tons of entrepreneurial friends and creators that I like and see their stuff every single day, but I'll never see their stuff on my post. But I still do it. Like, I'm still supportive. It's all good. Yeah, but, like, deep down inside, I was like, okay, all good. Like, it's all good. Yeah, it's literally all good.
- [08:50]
A
So you don't let it bother you.
- [08:51]
B
Yeah, it doesn't bother me anymore. But I know, like, I know certain people are a little busy, but you. You just know if you're starting a new business idea, it'll be hard to get the people around you to support it, but you'll get, like, thousands of random people just to start following you. Like, yeah, I like this person. I don't know who you are, but I like it. Yeah, people will never meet you, but they'd be your biggest fans.
- [09:10]
A
That's unique, man. But I think it ties into exactly what you do and what type of content you actually post. So you. You post more. You could say content or content creation that shows real work, that hits hard with a specific audience. And why do you think people resonate with that on social media nowadays?
- [09:32]
B
I think social media is filled with a lot of artificial content of pranks, guys walking up to girls, or just concert. That's useless, really. People, it's hard nowadays to find content that's actually useful and actually educational. So someone watches a video of mine, they get to learn about how much money someone's making in that field. It could be a thing of there'll be two doctors, and there'll be a salary difference of $150,000. And doctor that makes less wants to know, why am I making less than that guy? What is he doing differently? Is it where I live? Is it the hospital I work for? It could be a situation. Someone's banking. Let's say a data analyst at a regular bank just got out of college. One guy's making 60, the other guy's making 65. Yeah, but they went to the same college, same everything, but one of them negotiated the salary more. One of them applied for, like, a better position. It's just things like that.
- [10:24]
A
Hey, JJ Virgin here on my podcast, well Beyond 40, we ditch the idea of aging gracefully and go all in on aging powerfully. Every week I host powerful experts who can give you powerful insights on building muscle, boosting your energy, and feeling amazing. No matter what your age. This is your one life. And trust me, being smarter and stronger are superpowers that can turn lifespan into strength span. Listen to well beyond 40. Wherever you get your podcasts. They. They worked, I guess their situation or their niche or their industry better.
- [11:04]
B
Yeah. Like, I'll give you an example. I've gotten in trouble a lot of times by companies or by people for interviewing someone that works for that company. Because now that creates a discrepancy in the work, the workplace, really. And specifically, like bank of America. I did interview two people that made two different salaries but had the same job. And then it made it worse that one was male, one was female.
- [11:25]
A
Wow.
- [11:25]
B
And this could be a thing of one person negotiates a salary more than the other person. But now that person knows I'm getting underpaid at the same job, doing the same thing at the same company, but just because they negotiated salary. Oh, that.
- [11:38]
A
I mean, that makes sense.
- [11:39]
B
So, like, it's. It's gotten me in trouble a few times because, like, whoever's high up at the company sees this, they'll share it in the Slack channel or the employees. And then it's like, oh, wait, like. And then the employees start getting mad at each other and then it just creates a whole issue that makes a lot of sense. So even now with my interviews, I try to just don't see your job and don't see your name interesting. Or at least try to avoid that part.
- [12:01]
A
Yeah, no, that's interesting. And I love your content, man, because you're eating, you're interviewing a ton of different people. What? One. One video I haven't seen yet. And I want to see if you could get someone to actually jump on American income. So you can interview them to ask them a question. But they have to be from California. You have to interview a police officer from California, dude. And if you haven't yet, the reason why I say that, okay, because you know my past. I was a detective for seven years before doing the whole entrepreneurship thing. And the one thing that people anchor on, bro, is the fact that they couldn't believe I was making $250,000 as a cop. But then again, dude, I was working 80 to 100 hour work weeks. So it's just like I grinding, right? I wasn't sleeping and all that. So, like, people still don't believe me. They're like. But there's websites. There's websites with My previous salary and all that. So if you interview a cop from California that's active and they tell you how much they're making, dude, it'll go super viral.
- [12:57]
B
Okay, well, I need to, because a lot of cops, I've tried, and they'll be like. Like, I'm on the clock. I can't do this right now. Yeah, that's really what they tell me. I get hit with that all the time.
- [13:05]
A
Yeah, no, for sure, man. All right, so a lot of creators post what we like to call flex content. Okay. But you. You focus on respecting the grind, dude. Why go that direction?
- [13:20]
B
So I'll put it to you like this. I'm 20 years old. I have a Lamborghini. But that doesn't. I don't wake up every day and be like, yo, I have to post this car. Like, they need to know I have this car. It's irrelevant. I think a lot of people like to post flex content because they like to feel cool. They like to feel like they're better than others. They like to feel superior, and they want to represent. They want to be perceived as better than the average person. Flex content nowadays is sometimes a bit toxic to people that are trying to make it, not yet have made it, or failing in a business. Because you could have one person that's starting a business and it might not be working, and then there's the other guy doing the same business, but they're flexing every day. So it's kind of discouraging if you actually look into that. But you have to know. All those cars lease is the axes watch. Are those watches real? Is that apartment lease? Is it owned? There's so many different things and questions you have to ask, but by the time you even look into that, you could be focused more on your own thing. So I always tell people, don't be too involved in what other people have. Like J. Cole says very famously, is love yours. Like, literally love your life. Because some people have it worse, and you don't know what that other person's going through that has all that stuff. They could be empty inside, empty soul. So with me, I've always just. I started my content three years ago. I saw what worked for me, and I stuck to that. I don't think there's a need to do anything else besides the purpose and mission that I have. Sure, maybe one day I'll start different types of content, different things, but for now, at least, what's working? I've literally changed lives. People have changed their careers and jobs because of Me. So I'm gonna stick to what's working and just stick to that.
- [14:57]
A
That's pretty cool. That's pretty cool. The fact that, you know, you've been able to change lives based on your content and inspiring them to go ahead and do a job, right? I love that, man. And, you know, to piggyback on what you said, Adam, back in 2021, dude, when I started getting into. Really deep into the online space, right? I'm an old school millennial, dude. I'm a lot older than you, but when I got in it, I thought, you know, doing the whole digital marketing thing, working remote, believing that type of lifestyle, and then buying the material things was. Was what it was all about. And you're right, I felt empty, dude. It freaking sucked. So. So I had to change more, like, purpose me, I'm more of a startup guy. Like, I like talking with my friends, getting an idea and getting that going, right? That's what fulfills me, dude, helping other people. And, you know, I've been able to transform lives where, like, they didn't think it was possible for them, but it's pretty cool, man. I respect you for that, man. So talk to me about what's the most emotional or powerful story you've captured so far?
- [15:59]
B
Oh, like an interview?
- [16:02]
A
Yeah, dude. Maybe one person you've met or maybe somebody who's reached out to you. Be like, yo, I've been able to do X, Y, and Z because your content. Or maybe, you know, maybe a personal story. Yours, bro.
- [16:12]
B
Well, okay, there was a. There's a homeless guy that was a photographer, right? And it was. He. I saw him a lot in Virgo, especially trying to, like, help out, like, shoot pictures. I was like, oh, I'm good that I say, yo, bro. Like, I would love to be in the channel. Like, I asked, like, I had this idea, but I asked, like, two friends, yo, like, should I do it? Like, I don't want to, like, act like I'm making fun of someone, like, doing a video or something. Be like, bro, just do it. And we did an interview. He told this story about how he's homeless, trying to make it, you know, probably makes about two, $3,000 a year. And after that video got like a million views, I posted the, like, a Venmo on my story. And he got like 5k from that, super happy. And it kind of got to show me, well, I can literally change someone's like, you know, may, whatever, just from this. And he was very grateful. You know, he went on to do his own Thing, But I was good. It was cool to be able to use my platform to actually help someone.
- [17:07]
A
Yeah.
- [17:09]
B
Secondly, so as far as my impact and how, how I've helped people are most emotional. I've gotten a lot of DMS of people saying they change their careers, they change their jobs because of me. A lot of moms or parents will say they show their kids my content. So that goes to show me I have to be a little careful about the things I post now. I can't post stuff that's like too bad or like only fan chicks or stuff like that. So I know that there's a lot of people watching me to actually get educated in a forum. So therefore I have a bigger role of responsibility to make sure that I'm putting out good content every day. So that's like the overall impact still the same. I mean, a lot of lives have been changed. There's not one that really hits home too much. But I see the messages. People come up to me all the time.
- [17:50]
A
Yeah.
- [17:51]
B
So it's pretty cool. And it almost still feels weird. Like I walk down the street and people like recognize me for what I do and it goes to show me like, okay, I'm doing good work, I need to keep doing more good work.
- [18:02]
A
Yeah, no, absolutely, man. And, and mad respect for dude, using your influence for good, man. Because you know, the online world is very toxic, bro. It's very toxic. Oh, and you know, I don't like to use it personally. I just use it for business. I wouldn't let my kid use it until, you know, he's an adult and he doesn't live under my roof. But with that being said, man, let's talk about your long term vision. What is the long term vision for American income?
- [18:28]
B
Oh, long term vision. I would like to make this into a big media company one day. I would like to kind of compete with like a LinkedIn for example. Basically have like a media outlet of just a full transparency of just where like all around the world, what people are doing, what are they making? Different career fields kind of have a community or academy to where people can learn. Different businesses, different fields. Because I feel like nowadays it's hard to start a new business and learn something new without spending thousands or thousands of dollars on that product. So if I could have something to where I could use all the people that I've interviewed before and have like a mini community where people can learn, it would be beneficial to the people that watch. So long term, I'm 23 now. The next five years I'd like to obviously get. Get this page bigger, do more videos, travel the country, Travel out the country. I would like to go to, like, India, for example, and interview people that make way less than the people here and show a perspective like, okay, we have a really good year. See how these people have here. We need to appreciate what we have here more. Even if you're struggling in the US you still have it better than the guy in India making $10 like a month selling on the street corner, like food or whatever. So long term, definitely travel as well.
- [19:42]
A
So, yeah, no 100%. I think international travel will be great for your page. But you know what comes up to my mind when you're like, when we're talking about long term vision, dude, is you know what would be a really good concept is if you started a serious, like on Netflix or something, right? And you follow the people that you've interviewed initially and then like, you have your audience, like, rank which one you want them to, like, actually go to work with so you can actually see what they do. Yeah, that'll be badass.
- [20:09]
B
Like a day in the. Yeah, that'd be in the life. Like a nice day in the life. Not like the guru on that.
- [20:13]
A
Yeah, no, no, no. Like a real, like, yo, they're going to the grind, dude. You know what I'm saying? I think that'll be cool. So let's talk about personal life struggles and a deeper why.
- [20:23]
B
Okay.
- [20:24]
A
As you know, the level of podcast dude currently ranked number one for the almost six months now, dude, thankfully. Thanks, man. But I couldn't do it without number one. My team, Emilio, behind the scenes, he's the engineer for this. So a lot of knowledge goes behind this, guys. And we help people level up every day, dude, like through motivation. Back in 2017, when I was in law enforcement, dude, I used to listen to a very similar podcast. It's actually where I got the concept where I would do three minutes to five minutes of just straight motivation based on my experience. And it's what motivated me every day to go to work, bro. So let's talk about where did you grow up and what was life like before your success, bro?
- [21:08]
B
I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Oh, originally New York. Moved to Charlotte when I was 13 and grew up there before I moved to Miami at 21. Single mom household. I had my stepdad come in when I was like 14, 15 years old. We didn't have the best environment. My mom was, you know, obviously doing what she could to make ends of me. Yeah, my stepdad did his construction on the side. So it was. It was a humbling experience. Didn't really have two nice things at all. I bought my first car in high school. You know, working the summer to construction.
- [21:39]
A
Yeah.
- [21:39]
B
So I was taught early to, you know, you always have to work hard for the things you want. And even in high school and like middle school, like, I try to play sports. I got bullied a little bit sometimes, especially in middle school, it was like. Yeah, like, smaller. And in high school, I decided to play soccer. That was kind of like the thing I like to do. And then I just, I got pretty good at it and got a few scholarships, a few Division 2 schools, which I ended up going to for one semester. And I ended up dropping out immediately just because I saw the culture that was there, what was going on every weekend, all my soccer teammates. And it was something I just didn't want to be around. Drugs, alcohol, like, I just really did not like that. Then I got to see the. The seniors that graduated the year before. So they obviously had their first year of, like, being out in the field and they weren't able to find a job. They were like Starbucks baristas. They were still partying, drinking, and I was like, damn. Like, they stayed here for four years and like, they're. They're having trouble finding a job.
- [22:38]
A
Yeah.
- [22:38]
B
They literally tell me they're applying for the jobs that make good money, but.
- [22:41]
A
Right.
- [22:41]
B
They're not getting jobs. So. Yeah, living up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Small, smaller city. There's a lot of people live there, but it's. It's a smaller, like, city vibe. And to be successful there, you work, like, at a banking job at bank of America and make like 80k a year. That's like, oh, you're making.
- [22:58]
A
It's like top tier. Like, you've made it.
- [23:00]
B
You literally made it. Yeah. So, yeah, life there wasn't. I didn't grow up in the hood or the slums, but it wasn't the best. You know, I mean, there wasn't much motivation at all, just their say so. I would often try to go to these car meets and things like that to, like, get my motivation to see nice things and. Yeah, but upbringing, you know, I. I appreciate my mom for everything she's done. I had a roof over my head. I had food every day. So I'm still grateful. And at least I, you know, once I dropped out of College at 17, literally stayed there for a semester. I got a job, I think. Went to Amazon Warehouse, got a job. I was okay. I'm gonna make my own money. I'm gonna at least try. And, yeah, that's what I did.
- [23:40]
A
So then content creation happened. American income happens. And then at the age of 21, you decided to come to Miami.
- [23:46]
B
Yes.
- [23:46]
A
Okay, so tell me about the transition to Miami.
- [23:49]
B
So American income was. Started to do well, and I started to come here, like, once a month.
- [23:55]
A
So why Miami?
- [23:58]
B
I was able to meet a lot of people that were encouraging the content.
- [24:03]
A
Okay.
- [24:04]
B
People that I wanted to meet, these influencers, these bigger consecrators and business people. So I said, wow. Like, Miami is a city where there's people that are actually supportive. You know, I try to do content. People, they love it. And I said, okay. In order for me to truly grow and become a better person, I need to leave my current environment. I had great friends back home, but they weren't successful friends.
- [24:26]
A
Got it.
- [24:27]
B
They weren't where I wanted to be. I wouldn't want to trade places with them, if that makes sense. So I said, okay, I need to go move. I met a guy in Brickell. He said, yo, like, I'm renting a room on. I said, shoot. That's the easy way for me to get on the lease. I don't have to sign up paperwork. So I packed my car up, my 2014 Toyota, and I drove to Miami, Florida. It's okay. Boom here. March 2023 and everything. Then I just started making content here. And Miami just been a place where I've been motivated by a lot of things I see here. I've met a lot of great people, and I like being in near the water with good weather. Charlotte's great. But you see things here that are. You don't see over there. Yeah, it's just hard. It's just hard to be motivated and even content if you want to go make content over there. No, a lot of people don't really make good money over there. And there's not really, like. It's not really places to do the content. So it's a little hard. But it was scary, though, you know, moving here with, you know, maybe less than 10k in your bank account, but just like, hey, I'm just gonna try it out.
- [25:24]
A
Yeah.
- [25:24]
B
You paid one month's rent already, so. Okay. Like, I have to make. I have enough money for the next two months, and then I'm at zero again. So it. I like that it was able to teach me responsibility young age, and teach me that. Okay. Like, you had. You're a grown man now. You have to pay your own bills. So I got to, like, get the feeling of what it's like to be an adult.
- [25:43]
A
I love that, man. That's a great perspective, especially coming from a young guy like you, you know, 21. A lot of people don't move until like their mid-20s, man, because number one, you can't. You can't afford it nowadays. I mean, that's just the way it is. Right. But I feel like Miami is a good move, especially for networking. You know, your network is your net worth, right?
- [26:01]
B
Yeah.
- [26:02]
A
So to get into a deeper question, what was your initial why when you started American Income until now, did it change.
- [26:12]
B
Who? My initial why was to just provide myself with better, you know, living situations, better lifestyle and. Well, lifestyle, yes. But like, I've never really been into the fancy stuff. Like, I still haven't even left the country ever. Vacation, I told myself I can't take a vacation to like, I hit a certain number just in general. Finding something that fulfills me inside and makes me happy, but also helps other people out as well and also provides me with a better way of living. And yeah, that's literally my why is just to help other people, but also help myself.
- [26:51]
A
I love that, man. What does your family think now that they see your face and voice everywhere.
- [26:57]
B
Bro, they love it. My mom's supportive now. She's. She's on board with it. She watches my content all the time on like Facebook or TikTok, and she's happy. She's happy that I'm able to not have to depend on her or live in, you know, live in the house anymore. And mom likes it. But then like, my real father didn't grow up with. He's very like, Middle Eastern. Like, like, doesn't, like, if you don't become like a doctor or something in the Middle Eastern household, you're like, shame on you. Yeah. So even when I started this, I told him, he was like, oh, like, you should be in university. Like, why are you not on like a Chapel Hill? Like, what's wrong? Like, what? Like, what is wrong with you? So I ignored it. But even now, it's still kind of hard to convince him. Like, it does well. And it's funny enough, I texted him like last week, I said, I sent him a picture of my car and me standing in front of you. He's like, haha. Like, nice car. Like, whose car are you sitting in front of?
- [27:51]
A
Oh, wow.
- [27:51]
B
So like, I was petty. I was like, I sent him a picture of the registration and the insurance. I was like, I was like, it's Mine, like, this is the proof. Like, here's the purchase agreement.
- [27:59]
A
Yeah.
- [28:00]
B
He was like, cool. He's like, what business? Like, he asked me like, how, like, what am I? Like, what are you doing? Yeah, like, is it legal? So it's, it's tough though because I never had a, a relationship with my real father. He lived out the his life. Basically. They separated after I was born, like a year after. So yes, my stepdad did come in my life at like the age of 15, but at that point I was already doing everything by myself. So for me, I never got the experience of what it is like having a father. So I feel like a lot of life lessons I had to learn on my own.
- [28:32]
A
Yeah.
- [28:32]
B
Like becoming a man.
- [28:33]
A
Yeah.
- [28:34]
B
But I'm grateful for it. I don't regret it all. I would do it over again if I had to. It would have just been nice to at least see what, what that would have been like.
- [28:41]
A
Yeah.
- [28:41]
B
But now I know whenever I do have kids in the future, like I do want to be present in their life even if things don't work out with the, you know, the person I have kids with.
- [28:49]
A
And you know, that's very important, man. I mean, you're actually very mature for your age, bro. And that's a good thing. You know, your mom raised you right, dude. And you know, I come from a single mother household. My biological dad was never there and at the end of the day, dude, I had to learn the hard way. I was hard headed, bro. You know, I'm a Capricorn. So with that being said, this is going to be a very personal question I want to ask you. And it's just because it's the level up guys we talk about, you know, self help, self belief, mindset. It's everything, dude, in business. So let me ask you this question. Who pours into you when you're the one that consistently pouring into others?
- [29:30]
B
Oh, that's a great question. Well, okay, I'll be honest. So before I've never really had like any mentors or any like, anything like that. I used to listen a lot of podcasts and I still do. Someone specifically they listen to a lot was Andy Frisella. He ended up following me like two months into me starting American income. So it was kind of like, oh wow, like the person listens to a lot of season. Yeah, it was very cool at the time. But even now on a daily basis, it's hard to pour into yourself every single day. So what I've done now is I've surrounded myself with A great group of people. That's good that, you know, they wake up at 4:30 every day, they go to the gym every single day. They go to church once a week. And they don't drink, they don't smoke, they don't have any of those bad vices or habits. And that helps me stay accountable and make sure that I'm in check. Because if there's not your friends around, you're not keeping you in check, then that's when you get out of check and that's when things start happening.
- [30:24]
A
Yeah, no, absolutely.
- [30:25]
B
I've. I've been blessed to have great people around me now.
- [30:27]
A
Good.
- [30:28]
B
Back then, when I first moved to Miami, it wasn't always like that. I had a lot of bad people around me.
- [30:32]
A
Yeah.
- [30:33]
B
You know, doing all the bad stuff. And I got involved into that. But then shortly after, I got to realize that's not the way I want to live.
- [30:38]
A
Yeah. I've heard many times from different guests that come on the level up, man. It's called the Miami Tornado.
- [30:45]
B
Right.
- [30:45]
A
You get it. You get stuck in that tornado of just nightlife, going out to restaurants, you know, the girls, the women and all that stuff.
- [30:51]
B
I mean, it's fun, but it's a certain point it's like, like, what next? You know?
- [30:56]
A
Yeah.
- [30:56]
B
Like I like doing. I like restaurants now, but even then it's like sometimes overkill. But now I'll go like 6, 45, 7 o', clock, so make sure I'm out of there by 9.
- [31:06]
A
Yeah.
- [31:06]
B
You know, just purposely go early.
- [31:08]
A
Yeah.
- [31:09]
B
The clubs and stuff, I mean, it's, it's normal, you know, people that are young people that live here, they're gonna do it. We live in a city where it's like the number one place to go out and see women.
- [31:18]
A
Yeah.
- [31:19]
B
But once you understand that, it's not going to help you any. At the end of the day, it's all good.
- [31:25]
A
Yeah.
- [31:25]
B
You know, find better things to do.
- [31:27]
A
That's what I call maturity, bro. Maturity. Living by example, man. Okay, so let's get into some advice for our people that are listening to you and watching this on YouTube and Spotify. Let me ask you, what does leveling up mean to you personally?
- [31:47]
B
Taking that leap of faith into whatever you want to do next in life and making sure that nothing is going to get in your way of stopping you.
- [31:54]
A
I love that. I love that. And what is one habit you do daily that keeps you grounded?
- [32:01]
B
Ooh, this is great. Waking up early.
- [32:04]
A
Why is that?
- [32:05]
B
Because in order to wake up early, you Then have to go to sleep early. And then in order to go to sleep early, you can't eat late, you can't drink, you can't smoke. So I used to never be the person that woke up early. And it's funny, Ashen hall says this a lot. A lot of the most temptation happens at night. Like, the worst things happen, like after, like 10pm so if you could just go to sleep early enough, nothing bad's gonna happen. Yeah, you won't do nothing bad.
- [32:29]
A
Nothing's good.
- [32:30]
B
But in general, though, not drinking or not smoking anymore for the last six months, I mean, clean has been helpful a lot. Really, it's. I feel great every single day. Waking up early has been very good. And hitting the gym daily, it's really been the new thing. Yeah, you know, I. You know, everyone goes to the gym 102, three times a week. But hitting the gym every single day, it's hard. And even the days that words like a rest day, you just walk on a treadmill, 45 minutes incline. Just do something. It's been. It's been really good. It's been peaceful, and I love it.
- [33:01]
A
Nice. Nice. Okay, so this is a deep question. If you lost everything today, what part of you could never be taken?
- [33:12]
B
My resilience to want to go out there and make something happen for myself, I think I've never. I'm never gonna lose that. And I've tried many different business ideas, and they've all failed. This one seems to do well. But I've always tried over and over because whenever, like, something fails or doesn't go my way, like, I literally don't care, like, it doesn't bother me, I'm not gonna sit at home and pat about it and be mad about it. I'm just gonna try again.
- [33:36]
A
So technically, just taking in perfect action, man. Making it happen.
- [33:39]
B
Yeah. Like, don't take it personal. If it doesn't work, like, if it doesn't work, it's literally all good. Just try again.
- [33:45]
A
I love that.
- [33:46]
B
And it's hard for a lot of people to understand that word. Just try it again. But if you don't try again, you're never. You're literally taking longer to become successful, man.
- [33:56]
A
You. You preach it to the choir, man. There's some good stuff right here, guys. What would you say. And this is the last one. What would you say to someone sitting on a powerful idea but scared to post it, man?
- [34:07]
B
Oh, I think in general, whenever someone has a new idea or, you know, new, Maybe a new style of content, they don't want to put it out there. Literally just put, like, if it's literally that serious, post the constant and shut your phone off, like, for like, a few hours, go do something. Like, so that way you don't have access to it. But I would say, why. Why are you scared to post it? What's stopping you? Is it. Is it other people's opinions? Do you feel like you look stupid? There's a lot of different things. Like, even me, when I'm out interviewing in public, there will be like, 20 people watching me, and I'm like, damn. Like, I probably look stupid right now, but they're just like, people just curious, like, what's going on? So once you can literally have. Remove that fear of literally not caring at all. Like, you have to be careless. You don't have to not care about anything. So whenever you make that post or put out that new idea, just know whether. Whether people laugh at you or people don't laugh at you, at the end of the day, no one really cares.
- [35:07]
A
Yeah.
- [35:07]
B
People are so involved in so much other stuff, they're not gonna care.
- [35:11]
A
Absolutely.
- [35:11]
B
And even. Even me, let's say the videos of someone does care. Like, there'll be a video where it'll have a few million views and my shorts would be too short. I'm standing weird. I'm stuttering, my hands moving in, like, a weird direction. Like, I read those comments that I just laugh. Like, I'm really getting made fun of, like, on a daily basis. But it's funny to me. I enjoy it.
- [35:31]
A
So I feel like with social media and content, there's always going to be something to get picked on. Dude.
- [35:40]
B
Absolutely.
- [35:40]
A
Always.
- [35:41]
B
Right?
- [35:41]
A
It doesn't matter if it's, like, perfect, Right. They're still going to have something to say.
- [35:47]
B
Yeah. Like, I'll have a video with a doctor, and it's a good interview. And nothing's wrong with the video. Everyone's supporting the doctor. But then there's that one person. Oh, his shorts are too short. I'm like, that's. That has nothing to do with nothing at all. Like, there. I'm literally doing a whole interview with the successful doctor. Everyone's acknowledging the doctor and how well he does, and you just have to say, you know what? I'm gonna find something to pick up.
- [36:12]
A
Yeah. So not even relevant.
- [36:14]
B
Not even relevant.
- [36:15]
A
Hilarious. So, Adam, phenomenal, phenomenal advice. So for our young content creators right now, and you're looking to be inspired or you're inspired right now by Adam's story, it's a phenomenal story. He's 23 years old. Started this when he was 19. 20.
- [36:30]
B
20 years old.
- [36:31]
A
20 years old. Was able to transition to Miami to make it happen, to actually connect with a better environment, better people. And dude, you got a routine like, that's phenomenal. Dude, I wish I had your routine at your age, man. I'd be a lot farther. I always say that. But with that being said, okay, we're gonna have about a little bit over 3 million downloads on this episode. Dude, when it comes out, what do you have to say for the people that are listening and tuning into your episode and they're inspired by you, dude.
- [36:58]
B
I would say don't be afraid to take that leap of faith or take action to become a content creator. I think even now, a lot of people, they laugh at someone where they say, oh, you're a content creator. Haha. Like, they immediately think you're doing something stupid or dancing.
- [37:11]
A
Yeah.
- [37:11]
B
If you want to become a content creator in 2025, you literally have to, you know, find a nice idea, buy whatever equipment you need. If you don't have money for a camera, use your phone. And if you want to find a good microphone, set you some DJI mics are 150 bucks and go out there and start making the content. Don't care about what other people think. Take pride in what you do. Post quality content. People say post every day, but if I had to post two or three times a week and it was quality content, I would rather do that and love what you do and actually have a passion for it. Don't do this for the money, because if you do this for the money, you're gonna. You're gonna stop very soon and just take action on your ideas, even if it's not content. If you're struggling somewhere, live, just find daily. Find better daily habits to do. When I was at my lowest point broke and didn't have nothing going for myself, I still went to the gym every day. I still would take my walks, I would still read, listen to podcasts. I was still happy. So you have to find a balance and stop drinking, stop smoking, stop masturbating. All this stuff's bad for you. You will become a better person if you don't do it, especially as a male. And some people might listen to this and be like, there's no way I'm going to stop drinking or smoking. Well, I guess you never know what that's like. So stop all the bad habits you have if you can, and you truly can slowly but surely and take action on the new things you want to do in life.
- [38:32]
A
Let's level up, guys. And that's it, guys. That's where we have it. And then, by the way, Adam, where can they find you?
- [38:39]
B
American Income on all platforms and American Income on Instagram is primarily where I'm at.
- [38:43]
A
That's it, guys. I love it. I love it, guys. Make sure to share this with a friend, family member that you care about. Once again, we are number one in business and we're top 15 in all categories. Guys, get us near Rogan. Come on, let's make it happen. We can happen. Okay. All right. With that being said, guys, catch us on the next episode and share this with a friend. Leave a five star review on Spotify, Apple, podcasts and anywhere else that you're listening to and we'll catch you on the next one.