Transcript

Cole Lewis Da Silva (0:00)

I reached a point in my life where I didn't know what I could control anymore. I was like, I can hate everything. $20,000 in debt, $5,000 overdraft, nothing going for me. I'm addicted to substances. I'm drinking all the time. I need to change. Six months later, met my best friend and business partner that we've generated, what, 47 million in sales now? And I met my wife. All because I just focused on me. You are in control of your situation at all times. But a lot of people like to relinquish that control because it stems from not being taught self responsibility and self awareness. It all stems back to the way that you were raised. And I don't think enough men are being told that they need to become dogs. Like most of these go. I grind for my family. If you grind it for your family, then you would spend time with your family.

Rich Summers (0:38)

All right, guys, today I got someone who is doing big things in the business space, the online space, and came from something that self made. A very inspiring Friday, I got my man Cole the Wolf De Silva in the building. What's up, Cole?

Cole Lewis Da Silva (0:53)

What's up, brother? How you doing, dude?

Rich Summers (0:54)

I'm doing amazing, man. So your partner's Brian Mark and you live north of the border up there in Kelowna?

Cole Lewis Da Silva (1:00)

Yes, sir.

Rich Summers (1:00)

What is it like living in Kelowna, Canada?

Cole Lewis Da Silva (1:03)

It's actually pretty good. It's pretty good. So again, came from Ontario, Thunder Bay. Very, very cold. Boonies, cold like 45 minutes into the country. Grew up with a lot of snow all the time. Moved to Calgary, Alberta, Mid Canada. Again, very cold. Kelowna is like Kelowna Fornia. That's literally what they call it because you're on a lake, there's barely any snow ever. It's sunny all the time. It's the only reason why I can justify living in Canada while getting absolutely dog walked by the government in taxes.

Rich Summers (1:31)

So I got to ask you, your boy, Dan Martell, he's been on the podcast a couple of times. I know he's up there in Kelowna. Do you. I know Kelowna is a small town, relatively speaking. Do you guys all see each other every time you guys go out to eat, restaurants, coffee, the gym?

Cole Lewis Da Silva (1:45)

It's funny, you don't know about this, do you?

Rich Summers (1:47)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Rich Somers Report

Episode Title: He Was Broke, Addicted, and Lost… Now He Makes $1 Million Per Month | Cole DaSilva E498
Date: May 2, 2026
Host: Rich Somers
Guest: Cole "The Wolf" Lewis Da Silva

Episode Overview

Rich Somers sits down with Cole DaSilva, an online entrepreneur and fitness coach, who went from broke and addicted to building a business bringing in over $1 million per month. The conversation dives deep into Cole’s personal journey overcoming addiction, building a high-performing business, the power of self-responsibility, entrepreneurial culture in Canada, taxes, family, masculinity, and actionable advice for growth. The episode is unfiltered, candid, energetic, and full of practical wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs and anyone interested in real personal transformation.

Major Discussion Points & Takeaways

1. Cole’s Rock Bottom and Transformation

Addiction Background:
- Cole was $20k in debt, $5k overdraft, addicted to Percocets and drinking daily while working grueling hours as an ironworker.
- He called himself an "active addict"—he was functioning, but entirely dependent to dull pain and keep working.
- "Before I knew it, I was blacking out around seven to nine every day… work while so high." (14:33)
Turning Point:
- Realized he needed to change after seeing the struggles of older coworkers and repeated embarrassing moments.
- Quit everything cold turkey after a hard wake-up call: “I'm 22. I moved here to start a new life. I'm addicted… No friends, no family, no money. Fuck this. So I literally quit cold turkey. Dumped all I had down the toilet.” (17:35)
- Six months of sobriety and self-focus led him to meet his wife and business partner, Brian Mark.

2. Entrepreneurial Journey & Online Success

Business Growth:
- Cole and Brian built a business to $1M+/month, $47M+ in total sales, primarily helping fitness coaches and online entrepreneurs (09:03, 19:11).
- Emphasis on focus and controlling what you can: “You are in control of your situation at all times. But a lot of people like to relinquish that control…” (00:17, 46:25).
‘Sell by Chat’ Controversy:
- Shared story of teaching sales methodology (the “DM script”) to Dan Martell, later discovering it was repackaged as a free lead magnet by Dan’s team.
- The fallout was about credit and open-source vs. direct copying without tweaks or attribution.
- “The main meat and potatoes of the frustration was… our processes got used as the free lead magnet for you to then sell what you got taught from us.” (05:37)

3. Life and Taxes in Canada

Location & Government:
- Cole lives in Kelowna, BC. He describes the area as “Kelowna-fornia”—sunny, lakefront, but with high taxes and entrepreneurial isolation (01:03, 08:56).
- High Canadian taxes, especially for entrepreneurs; discussed impact of the 50% “exit tax” and luxury taxes (09:43, 10:14, 27:32).
- Compared US vs. Canadian real estate and tax structures (10:33, 11:12).

4. Mindset, Masculinity & Accountability

Cultural Shifts:
- Critiqued the “softness” of modern men, decline in accountability, and rise of blame culture.
- On splitting the bill: “Men out there that want to split the check with their girl… you need to not try to date. Stay single. Build up yourself.” (32:01)
- On parenting: A parent’s influence is everything—“As soon as that kid comes into the world, your problems don't matter anymore. It is my duty to do what is necessary for that little boy and little girl.” (34:21)
- On fatherhood: Stresses breaking negative cycles (“forest fire” analogy), being present, and setting standards for sons (38:57, 56:33).

5. Real Estate, Wealth, and Tax Strategy

Active Income vs. Wealth Building:
- Rich and Cole riff on the misconception that real estate is just about cash flow rather than being a tax and debt strategy (10:33).
- Canadian limitations vs. U.S. flexibility in leveraging depreciation and tax shelters (27:01, 27:14).
Building a Team:
- Discussed why A players are rare, how to structure incentives (e.g., media team bonuses for viral clips), and why leaders must protect top talent (61:07, 62:35).

6. Self-Improvement and Relationships

Growth and Attraction:
- Cole highlights that success in life and relationships stems from first improving yourself: “Cut out all drinking, all drugs, all women… all I did was work out, work…” (46:25)
- Stresses the importance of sacrificing for growth (“Sometimes you got to sacrifice things you want, otherwise the things you want become the sacrifice.” 44:38)
- Supported by Rich: “It’s never too late to reinvent yourself, dude.” (46:17)
On Love & Family:
- “She [wife] is my soundboard in business. Her ideas on the back end has made us millions and millions of dollars…” (32:36)
- The way you treat your wife sets the standard for your kids (56:33).

7. Viral Moments & Memorable Quotes

On Agency:
- “You are in control of your situation at all times.” (00:17, 46:25)
On Modern Masculinity:
- “A lot of men need to grow the fuck up.” (33:46)
On Parenting:
- “Your problems don't matter anymore. It is my duty to do what is necessary for that little boy that I have and for that little girl that I have.” (34:21)
On Spending Time:
- “If you grind for your family, then you would spend time with your family.” (00:36, 39:03)
On Team Dynamics:
- “A good manager and owner should fire all the BNC players, period. Because if your A players are consistently having to pick up the slack, eventually they will get burnt out…” (61:22)
On Growth:
- “Certain doors don’t open for you until you become the version of yourself that can walk through them.” (48:22)
On Authenticity:
- “Authenticity to me is defined as you being who you truly are without any influence from the outside world… meaningful businesses, meaningful lives, meaningful futures: authenticity above all.” (77:37)

Key Timestamps

00:00–01:30 – Cole’s backstory, addiction, early struggles, and mindset
03:20–07:00 – The “DM script” controversy and intellectual property in entrepreneurship
10:11–12:00 – Canadian taxes, real estate investing, and cross-border strategy
12:03–18:20 – Deep dive into addiction, withdrawal, and turning points for recovery
19:11–22:49 – Media negativity vs. personal agency and why “there’s always a reason not to start”
23:51–27:14 – Modern masculinity, government dependency, homelessness, and taxes
30:00–33:46 – Cultural shift in gender roles, accountability, and the state of “soft men”
34:21–40:42 – The impact of parenting, fatherhood, discipline, breaking cycles
46:17–48:22 – Self-development, reinventing yourself, and attracting success
61:07–69:23 – Team-building, attracting and compensating A players
77:37–79:11 – Authenticity as the future trait for meaningful business in the age of AI

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Approx. Timestamps)

On Quitting Addiction:
“Six months later, met my best friend and business partner that we've generated, what, 47 million in sales now? And I met my wife. All because I just focused on me.” (00:00)
On Sell by Chat Drama:
“We taught them… Brian technically taught him the process that created millions… but then they used our script as a free lead magnet.” (05:37)
On Taxes:
“Canada has a 50% exit tax, meaning if I want to move my company outside of Canada, the evaluation of my company, I have to pay 50% of the government just to leave.” (09:43)
On Accountability:
“If you want to change your life, then you need to change your life. Like, you need to stop acting like a child.” (18:20)
On Real Estate:
“A lot of people think real estate’s about cash flow. Real estate's about understanding debt and taxes.” (10:33)
On Self-Development:
“Why would you not want to work out so you feel better? … All because I just focused on me. It wasn’t about trying to go find, it was about attracting.” (46:25, 47:35)
On Modern Men:
“We don’t have enough strong men trying to teach men how to be men.” (31:13)
On Children and Parenting:
“Your problems don’t matter anymore… It is my duty to do what is necessary for that little boy… and for that little girl.” (34:21)
On Team-Building:
“A good manager and owner should fire all the BNC players, period.” (61:22)
On Growth:
“Certain doors don’t open for you until you become the version of yourself that can walk through them.” (48:22)
On Authenticity in the AI Era:
“If it’s just money, whatever… But meaningful businesses, meaningful lives, meaningful futures: authenticity above all.” (77:37)

Practical Wisdom & Actionable Advice

For Entrepreneurs:
Embrace self-responsibility; focus on what you can control. Success requires discipline and the willingness to do hard things—personally and professionally.
On Building Teams:
Hire and cultivate A players, compensate based on impact, and be ruthless in keeping only those who deliver and align with culture.
On Family and Success:
Wealth is meaningless if it costs you your presence at home; being a successful provider also means being emotionally and physically present.
On Growth & Change:
Reinvention is always possible, regardless of starting point or age. Sacrifice and delayed gratification lead to long-term transformation.

Connect with Cole Da Silva

Instagram/TikTok: @colelewisdasilva
Rich Somers: @rich_somers

Closing Note

This episode provides a no-BS look at what it takes to turn life around, build a $1M/month business, the realities of taxes and entrepreneurship in Canada, and why working on yourself is the first step to attracting better outcomes—in business, health, and relationships.