Podcast Summary: The Money Mondays with Dan Fleyshman

Episode 154: The Real Reason Business Coaching Works (And Why Most People Avoid It)

Guest: Brad Sugars (Founder of ActionCOACH)
Release Date: December 30, 2025
Duration: ~38 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the reasons business coaching is so effective, the psychological and cultural barriers that make people hesitate to hire coaches, and the critical role that education, goals, investing, and charity play in building both wealth and personal fulfillment. Host Dan Fleyshman is joined by Brad Sugars, renowned entrepreneur, author, and founder of ActionCOACH, for an energetic, candid, and insightful discussion loaded with practical wisdom and real-world anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Who is Brad Sugars? [00:42 - 01:49]

• Rapid-fire bio: Australian, five kids, based in Vegas, built multiple companies, most famously ActionCOACH (operating in 85 countries, 1100+ offices).
• Credo: “If you study [money], you can master it. If you don’t study it, it masters you.” (Brad Sugars, 01:44)

2. Why Business Owners Need a Coach [01:49 - 04:00]

• Coaching = Outward Perspective:
  “Same as a sports team needs a coach... you can’t see from the outside.” (Brad Sugars, 01:55)
• Three Reasons Coaching Works:
  1. Coaches provide an “outside-in” view—spotting what’s invisible from within.
  2. They bring structured knowledge and proven operating systems.
     • ActionCOACH has documented over 3,000 strategies.
     • “There is a recipe for business success.”
  3. They enforce accountability: owners are prone to self-delusion and rarely hold themselves accountable.
• Big Mistake: Most owners remain operators, stuck doing low-value tasks, and never truly become business owners.

3. Why Do Most People Avoid Getting a Coach? [03:55 - 05:20]

• It’s a “Psychologist Effect”:
  “Number one reason... they didn’t want to admit they had a coach.”—Brad Sugars, referencing client survey (04:21)
• Stigma: People see coaches as something for “fixing problems” rather than for growth to greatness.
• New Behavior is Hard: Trying coaching is uncomfortable; people fear change and uncertainty.
• ActionCOACH Solution: Offers two weeks of free coaching to remove initial friction.

4. Types of Coaching Clients [05:20 - 08:01]

• Some Buy ‘Coaching-as-Status’:
  Many want “to say they’re coached by Dan/Brad,” but don’t actually engage—a “gym membership” mentality (05:56).
• Varying Needs:
  • Smaller businesses need frequent support and are often stuck “in the weeds.”
  • Larger, strategic thinkers need just a quarterly “tweak” to produce massive outcomes.
• The Power of Big Goals:
  • Brad criticizes the epidemic of “wimpy goals.”
    “You set a massive goal. You disrupt your own business, you disrupt your own life... Crazy goals lead to amazing innovations.” (Brad Sugars, 08:03)
  • Examples: The Vegas Sphere, Elon Musk’s relentless audacity, JFK’s moonshot.

5. Why Don’t People Make More Money? [09:46 - 11:48]

• Themselves—the ‘How’ Table:
  “Most dreams die on the ‘how’ table. ‘How’ is the enemy of goals.” (Brad Sugars, 09:52)
• Jim Rohn’s Advice: Read a book a week for life.
• Goal-Setting Formula:
  “Dream, goal, learn, plan, act.”
  • Don't get stuck on “how.” If you already know how, it’s not a goal—it’s a to-do item.

6. The Moving Goalpost and Life’s Phases [11:48 - 16:25]

• Three Stages:
  1. Learn: Get out of negative circumstances (debt, poverty).
  2. Earn: Achieve positive, material goals.
  3. Return: Legacy and giving back.
• Growth Mindset:
  “If there is no purpose, no growth, you start dying.” (Brad Sugars, 13:12)
• Modern Pressure: Social media accelerates the urge to “look” rich rather than be rich; validation shifts from parents to peers to oneself.
• Ultimate Fulfillment: “The only thing that really makes you feel good is giving back.” (Brad Sugars, 12:28)

7. How to Approach Investing [16:25 - 22:14]

• Start with Goals:
  “The answer to every question should be ‘what’s your goal?’” (Brad Sugars, 17:02)
• Written Investment Rules:
  You’re not an investor without a documented plan.
• Best Place to Start:
  First, invest in learning. Then, invest in what you know best (your own expertise).
• Three Major Categories:
  1. Businesses
  2. Real Estate
  3. Stocks
• Investment Criteria: Has to provide capital growth and cash flow.
• Cautious on Crypto: Lacks cash flow, so “not an investment, it’s a currency play.”
• Scaling is Key:
  “Find a multi-million dollar business in one location and do it x times.” (Brad Sugars, 19:52)
• On Gambling vs Investing:
  Don’t “gamble” on speculation or trends you don’t deeply understand.

8. Why Discussing Money Openly Matters [22:14 - 25:01]

• Cultural Taboo Hurts:
  “If I don’t talk about [money] with my kids, where are they getting their opinions from?” (Brad Sugars, 22:48)
• Open Talk = Stronger Communities:
  Formed a “Handsome Men’s Club” for men to talk about money, politics, emotions.
• Practical Wealth-Building:
  Brad’s “wealth account” with a co-signer (his dad) and written rules on investments.
  • “Two times I broke the rules, two times I lost money, dammit.” (Brad Sugars, 24:47)

9. Charity, Company Mission, and Giving Back [25:01 - 30:41]

• Abundant Mindset Required:
  “You won’t do charity if you have a mindset of ‘I’m just making enough.’” (Brad Sugars, 25:12)
• Modern Businesses Need Purpose:
  Mission and values attract employees, clients, and drive exponential growth.
• Tell the World About Your Charity:
  • “If you don’t tell the world... the only people they hear from are the people complaining.” (Brad Sugars, 26:08)
  • Publicizing giving increases positive impact and inspires others to do more.
  • Three reasons to be public:
    1. Visibility for good work
    2. Inspires others to give
    3. The “feeling you get” internally
• Business as Charity?: Dan views job creation through business growth as a form of charity (27:53).
• Focus for Young Employees: Seek mentorship and learning, not just the highest salary.
• Legacy: “Build my people, they build the company.”

10. The Ultimate Legacy—How Much Do You Leave Your Kids? [30:41 - 32:04]

• Brad Sugars’ Bold Answer:
  “Hopefully zero.” (31:12)
  • Kids should build their own wealth; they get a “kickstart, not a finish.”
  • If they expect an inheritance, they may not push as hard.
  • “Luckily enough, my wife’s a lot younger than me, so I won’t have to worry about that decision.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you study [money], you can master it. If you don’t study it, it masters you.” (Brad Sugars, 01:44)
• “You pat yourself on the back and you bullshit yourself.” (Brad Sugars, 03:14)
• “The only thing that really makes you feel good is giving back.” (Brad Sugars, 12:28)
• “Most dreams die on the ‘how’ table. ‘How’ is the enemy of goals.” (Brad Sugars, 09:52)
• “If you know how to do it, it’s not a goal, it’s a to-do list item.” (Brad Sugars, 11:23)
• “If I don’t talk about [money] with my kids, where are they getting their opinions from?” (22:48)
• “Hopefully zero.” (On inheritance, 31:12)

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:42] — Brad Sugars 2-Minute Bio & Philosophy
• [01:55] — Why Coaching Works: 3 Big Reasons
• [03:55] — Why People Avoid Coaching: The Psychology
• [05:56] — Different Types of Coaching Clients & Motivation
• [08:03] — Big, 'Crazy' Goals & Innovation
• [09:52] — The ‘How Table’ & Goal-Setting for Wealth
• [12:13] — The Moving Goalpost: Earn, Learn, Return Phases
• [16:56] — Investing: Where, How, and What to Avoid
• [22:32] — The Importance of Talking Openly About Money
• [25:12] — Charitable Giving and Building Company Culture
• [30:41] — Legacy: Inheritance and Kids

Tone and Language

Throughout, the conversation is frank, energetic, and laden with real-world anecdotes, practical advice, and a dash of humor—true to both Dan’s and Brad’s down-to-earth, no-nonsense styles. There’s a recurring emphasis on intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and integrity, as well as the responsibility to pass on both wealth and wisdom.

Final Thoughts

This episode demystifies the value of business coaching, urges listeners to set “crazy” disruptive goals, challenges the taboo around money discussions, and reorients listeners towards impactful investing, giving, and legacy-building. It’s packed with actionable strategies and plenty of motivational moments for entrepreneurs at every stage.

Find Brad Sugars:

• Actioncoach.com
• BradSugars.com
• All social media (even Pinterest!)
• “I don’t dance on TikTok, but I’m definitely on there.” (32:09)

Catch The Money Mondays:

• themoneymondays.com
• Listen, share, discuss — and break the taboo by talking about money with friends and family.