Podcast Summary: The Russell Brunson Show

Episode: Funnels And Your Legacy

Host: Russell Brunson
Date: July 16, 2018

Episode Overview

In this reflective episode, Russell Brunson takes listeners into his backyard for an impromptu, heartfelt discussion about the evolution of entrepreneurial motivation—from making money to crafting a lasting impact and ultimately building a legacy. Sharing both personal stories and recent experiences, Russell illustrates how business tools like funnels can be leveraged to help create change that outlives us, specifically through his work supporting Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) and its life-saving mission. The tone is informal, personal, and inspiring, aiming to challenge listeners to think bigger about their own businesses and the legacies they want to leave.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Evolution of Entrepreneurial Motivation

• Journey Through Business Phases
  • Russell traces how, over 15+ years, his motivations evolved:
    • Survival & Making Money:
      • “My initial motivation was like, I gotta make money... I’m in so much trouble. I need to make money, right?” (06:20)
    • Significance & Recognition:
      • “Then I shifted from that to like... now I want significance... I want to be on stage and have people see who I was…” (08:10)
    • Connection & Building a Team:
      • “I got lonely… I want to create jobs and be around people and, like, have this connection...” (09:15)
    • The Art of Creation:
      • “I spent probably five or six years where I was obsessed with the art... It was the creation of it, which still drives me today.” (10:20)

The Plateau: When Success Feels Hollow

• After reaching impressive financial milestones, Russell describes the anticlimax:
  • “As my income grew... I would create these things and put them out there, and the income impact was so small it didn’t even matter. All of a sudden, I lost the joy of that.” (13:10)
• The realization that money and launches lose excitement at a certain point.

Discovering Legacy Through Impact

• Books as Legacy Tools
  • Discusses the prolonged impact of publishing books versus temporary financial wins:
    • “Money part didn’t matter, but then the legacy of it was huge. So many people read the... book and the impact was amazing.” (15:30)
    • “Everybody should be writing a book… just knowing you’re moving towards something you can give to somebody after you pass on, that’s a really powerful legacy building thing.” (16:24)
• Embarks on writing his third book as he discusses these reflections.

Operation Underground Railroad Campaign

• The Campaign’s Structure and Funnel

  • Russell details building a fundraising funnel for O.U.R. and Operation Toussaint:
    • “My goal is to shine like these kind of lights. When these lights are off, cockroaches can run around. But we shine a light like this on them, they gotta hide.” (21:35)
  • Describes the funnel mechanics: viral loop, 48-hour documentary access, upsells to additional content.
  • Pledges personal funding and organizes ad co-ops to drive recurring support.

• Tangible Results & Recurring Impact

  • “Three days in, so far… over $60,000 have been raised cash in hand, but I think 350ish… people have signed up for monthly recurring donations.” (23:25)
  • Explains that recurring donors have massive impact due to sustainability.

Funnels as Legacy-Building Machines

• Lasting Impact
  • “This funnel is done. I don’t have to do anything else for you to tell people about it and share it and inspire people... when I’m dead, this funnel will continue to produce money to save children from this horrible thing.” (25:30)
• Urges listeners to see funnels not just as monetary vehicles, but as “machines” that can do good in perpetuity.

The Seasons of an Entrepreneur

• Advice for Listeners at Every Stage
  • Acknowledges listeners in different places—those scrambling for survival vs. those able to serve:
    • “You gotta get yourself out of financial stress before you’re able to go and help other people. I totally understand that.” (28:15)
  • Encouragement to move beyond money as quickly as possible:
    • “Know that your goal isn’t just to make money. You will find out so quickly that money does not bring happiness. It’s cool… but it’s hollow if that makes sense.” (29:20)
• “You go from money, to impact, to legacy.” (33:00)

The “Disturber and Annoyer” of Evil

• Inspired by a quote from Joseph Smith:
  • “I’m trying to become a disturber and an annoyer of evil things on this planet.” (35:25)
  • Encourages listeners to pick battles to be a force for good.

The Ripple Effect and Sharing

• Personal anecdote about a company called rippln and lessons learned in viral impact:
  • “People who had the biggest ripple effect…never the people who had the biggest audience…It was always these people who just shared it with five or six people... and one hit an influencer.” (42:05)
  • Emphasizes that everyone can have an outsized impact, regardless of their network’s size.

Spiritual Reflection on Legacy

• “I believe someday I’m going to be with my heavenly father... there’s going to be kids up there who said... because of this thing you did, I was able to be rescued.” (45:10)
• Envisions meeting people in heaven whose lives you helped change, often unknowingly.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On outgrowing money as a motivator:
  • “It’s not even fun to create and sell something because you don’t get, like, the rewards...” (13:20)
• On the importance of legacy:
  • “How do you create a funnel that, when I’m dead, will continue to change this world? That’s amazing.” (34:10)
• Tony Robbins’ feedback (as paraphrased by Russell):
  • “‘What you’re doing now is so powerful because you’re giving, which is teaching your entire audience to give.’” (36:15)
• On the power of sharing:
  • “The people who had the biggest ripple effect…were never the people who had the biggest audience.” (42:15)
• On being a persistent force for good:
  • “I want to be a disturber and annoyer of bad things so we can save these amazing people.” (36:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening & Context for Talk — 00:00–05:50
• Russell’s Entrepreneurial Journey (Money, Significance, Connection, Art) — 06:00–12:00
• Hitting Financial Plateau and Losing Excitement — 13:00–15:25
• Impact and Legacy Through Books — 15:30–17:30
• Operation Underground Railroad Campaign Story — 18:00–25:50
• Funnels as Legacy Tools — 25:30–28:00
• Advice to Listeners Facing Financial Pressure — 28:10–30:20
• From Money to Impact to Legacy — 33:00–34:00
• Tony Robbins’ Quote & Legacy Reflections — 36:00–37:00
• Becoming a Disturber and Annoyer of Evil — 35:00–38:00
• The Ripple Effect Story — 41:00–43:15
• Spiritual View on Legacy — 44:50–46:10
• Call to Action & Final Thoughts — 52:00–end

Conclusion & Takeaways

Russell’s message is clear: entrepreneurship is a journey through stages—making money, earning significance, fueling creativity, creating impact, and, ultimately, building legacy. He shares vulnerable lessons on how financial success eventually becomes unsatisfying on its own, and real fulfillment comes from leveraging your tools, skills, and platforms for lasting good. He challenges listeners to ask themselves: How can I use what I’ve built to become a “disturber and annoyer” of evil and make an impact that lasts far beyond my lifetime?

Action Steps for Listeners

• Watch & Share the Operation Toussaint Documentary:
  • Visit ourfilm.org, opt-in to watch, and encourage others to do the same.
• Reflect on Your Own Legacy:
  • Consider how your skills and business assets can be used for broader impact.
• Start Small for a Big Ripple:
  • Don’t underestimate the power of sharing—even with a small audience.