Podcast Summary: The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex

Episode: How John Briseno Went From Addiction and Jail to Multi-Millionaire Sales Leader
Host: Paul Alex Espinoza
Guest: John Briseno
Date: November 24, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features a candid and deeply inspiring conversation between host Paul Alex and sales leader John Briseno. John shares his remarkable journey: from growing up as an undocumented immigrant in poverty, to battling addiction and spending time in jail, to ultimately transforming his life and becoming a multi-millionaire in high ticket sales. The discussion revolves around the power of belief, resilience, and acquiring the right skills to "level up" personally and financially.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Humble Beginnings & Family Sacrifice

Timestamps: 03:44–06:01

• John recalls immigrating to the US as a child and the family's struggle: "We shared a room. I mean, I'm talking about a family of five living in a room. Not a one bedroom, bro, in a room." (04:00)
• Deep respect for his hard-working parents, especially his father who took on any legal job available, often working three to four jobs at once.

2. Early Life Mistakes & Self-Reflection

Timestamps: 06:21–07:59

• John admits to a youth of poor decisions, including selling drugs and getting involved in illegal activities.
• Openness about not being ashamed of his past: "Now it's like, nah, bro, that's part of the story. We keep it real." (06:43)
• Highlight on the importance of learning from others' mistakes: "Learn from somebody else's mistakes so that you don't have to go through the pain." (02:57)

3. The Spiral of Addiction

Timestamps: 09:04–10:09

• John describes how opioid addiction consumed his life, leading him further into crime and eventually to jail.
• His struggles intensified when his supplier was arrested: "I lost my supplier, right? So I was screwed at that point, bro, because I still had the habit, but I no longer had the financial means." (09:22)

4. Jail, Immigration, & Rock Bottom

Timestamps: 12:25–14:42

• John recounts being put on an ICE hold due to his undocumented status. Initially, he was cocky he could beat any charge, but this time reality set in: "A week goes by, and I realized I'm not figuring it out. This is real." (14:29)
• Simultaneously battling withdrawal and anxiety: "That was the first time in my life I ever experienced what at the time I thought was a heart attack. It turned out to be a panic attack, bro." (15:10)

5. Family Sacrifice & Getting a Second Chance

Timestamps: 21:05–23:10

• John's mother urges him daily not to self-deport while in jail, encouraging him to wait for a potential out.
• Immigration officer grants John the right to fight his case, but only after his family scrapes together $15k cash bail—his father even sells his truck for John's release.
• "Buy my dad that pickup truck that he sold to get me out—that was my driver." (23:10)

6. The Real Aha Moment: Transformation Sparked by Crisis

Timestamps: 24:11–26:28

• Even after his release, John relapsed into addiction until the birth of his son, Johnny, who was born with a serious brain condition.
• John credits divine intervention and a deep promise to change as the catalyst for his lasting transformation: “God is real. He's got my back. He always has. Now it's my turn to do something about it.” (26:28)

7. First Steps in High Ticket Sales

Timestamps: 27:27–33:10

• Fitness becomes John’s first step in building discipline and keeping promises to himself.
• Lands a 100% commission-based sales job selling e-commerce coaching—despite his parents' warnings about jobs with no guaranteed pay.
• Inspirational moment: discovering his teammate Chad’s $12k weekly commission proved big earnings were real and achievable. “That changed my life because now it’s believable.” (30:44)
• John quickly rises to the top, training others and earning significant income for the first time.

8. Challenges in Business and Mindset

Timestamps: 36:07–40:08

• Office politics and cut commissions push John to strike out on his own.
• Early failures: Team members who promised to join him in his new venture bailed last minute, forcing John to rely on his brothers as dialers.
• Despite the rough start, John’s team generates $90,000 in the first week.

9. Building & Scaling His Own Operation

Timestamps: 40:49–46:03

• Transition from telephone sales to leveraging digital marketing and brand building around 2020, inspired by observing others in the space (“If these 20-year-olds can do it, so can I…”).
• Leaves e-commerce as risk and regulatory changes escalate, pivoting to what he truly knows: teaching high ticket sales.

10. Why High Ticket Sales: Teaching Others & Values

Timestamps: 46:03–46:47

• John identifies sales as the “best business” for most because it requires low upfront capital and can be done anywhere.
• Emphasizes working on one’s self as the best investment, not just chasing business ideas.

11. Building a Sales Academy & Helping Others

Timestamps: 47:10–52:01

• John’s approach to students: teach belief first, then sales skills, then real practice.
• Provides job placement for those who finish his program, with a focus on ethical offers and even opportunities in Spanish-language sales.

“If you don’t believe it’s possible, it’s never going to happen.” — John Briseno (48:44)

12. Defining Success & Paying it Forward

Timestamps: 54:14–56:06

• John's most fulfilling client story is helping someone from a similar background—a struggling addict, broke and hopeless—become a top sales earner and team leader.
• Focus on changing mindsets and instilling belief being even more important than just teaching sales scripts.

13. Motivation, Discipline, and Vision

Timestamps: 57:57–61:27

• John’s secret: “I’m hardly ever motivated. What I am is disciplined.” (58:24)
• Current mission: Build the "Salvage" brand as a global force for helping people transform through mindset, health, and sales skills.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Learn from somebody else's mistakes so that you don't have to go through the pain.”
  — John Briseno (02:57)

• “When I was in jail, I said, God, get me out of this and I'll never do it again... That for me was the moment when I realized, dude, God is real. He's got my back. He always has. Now it's my turn to do something about it.”
  — John Briseno (24:11, 26:28)

• “That changed my life because now it’s believable.”
  — John Briseno, upon seeing top sales commissions (30:44)

• “If you don’t believe it’s possible, it’s never going to happen.”
  — John Briseno (48:44)

• “I'm hardly ever motivated. What I am is disciplined.”
  — John Briseno (58:24)

• “Once you make the decision to do something, that means no other possibility should exist.”
  — John Briseno’s advice to listeners (68:51)

Power Segments with Timestamps

• John's Immigration Story & Early Hardships [03:44–04:44]
• Addiction & Hitting Rock Bottom [09:04–16:14]
• Divine Intervention & Realization [24:11–26:28]
• First Big Sales Epiphany [30:39–31:30]
• Starting His Own Sales Business [39:46–41:23]
• Building Ethical Sales Training & Placement [47:10–52:01]
• Best Client Success Story [54:14–56:06]
• Discipline Over Motivation [58:19–58:27]
• Mission & Future Vision [60:16–61:27]
• Final Words of Encouragement [68:51–69:46]

Tone & Takeaways

• Real and unfiltered: Both Paul and John speak candidly about hardship, mistakes, and the grind—maintaining an honest, motivational, and at times humorous tone.
• Practical and Tactical: The episode is packed with nuts-and-bolts advice for aspiring salespeople, new business owners, and anyone looking to change their circumstances.
• Focus on Belief, Commitment, and Discipline: Ultimately, John’s message is that real change starts with belief and relentless commitment, not just tactics or opportunities.

Closing

Words to Level Up:

“Believe. That was what I lacked in the beginning…I’m not going to give some big old motivational... Bro, believe. Fire. Believe.”
— John Briseno (69:46)

Find John Briseno:
Instagram: @RealJonBriseno

Host Paul Alex’s final reminder:
“Leave a five star review… we are here to level you up. Bring great stories, great guests, just like John…Let’s build together. Let’s grow together. And most importantly, let’s level up.” (69:46)

This summary highlights the full arc of John’s story, the actionable lessons in sales and life, and the episode’s authenticity and energy for anyone seeking real, relatable motivation and strategy.