Podcast
Thinking Big: Strategy that scales. Mindset that multiplies.
Hosted by Sean Osborn · EN
The Thinking Big Podcast helps ambitious professionals and founders see—and reach—their next level. Each week, host Sean Osborn explores the tools, tactics, and mindset that compound growth: from high‑leverage technologies and systems to the psychology that fuels consistent execution.
You'll hear candid conversations with successful entrepreneurs about the real decisions behind their wins and lessons learned along the way. Then Sean distills the most actionable takeaways—so you leave every episode with clear steps you can apply in your business and career right now.
Whether you're launching your first offer or scaling a proven machine, expect practical frameworks, inspiring stories, and no‑fluff guidance you can use the same day.
Think bigger. Build smarter. Execute faster.
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11episodes
Episodes
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AI Doesn't Replace People First. It Destroys Poorly Designed Seats First: Altman, Musk, Wickman, and Mollick Collide on the $80K Hire Question
5d ago00:27:51Tap to summarizeEvery founder is quietly doing this math right now. AI can produce what my $80K a year hire produces. So do I restructure the team, and when. A client brought me that question this week, and instead of giving you my take, I pulled The Council into the room and let the minds collide in front of you. This is the roundtable cut. Each mind speaks for itself, in its own voice, in the order it happened. The Sam Altman model said be careful with the premise: AI does tasks, not jobs, and the real test is whether a person becomes more valuable or less valuable when intelligence gets cheaper. The Elon Musk model went harder on the clock: unbundle the role into outputs, delete obsolete work before you automate anything, and decide this one role in two weeks. The Gino Wickman model pushed a layer deeper: don't restructure around AI, restructure around the Accountability Chart, because AI destroys poorly designed seats before it ever replaces people. The Ethan Mollick model flagged the trap nobody else saw: cut the grunt work carelessly and you liquidate your future senior talent. Then the collisions hit. The Seat-Workflow Diff. The Frontier Seat Trial. And a Third Mind none of the four reached alone: the decision trigger is not what percent of the job AI can do. It is the size of the gap between the future seat your company needs and the current workflow AI exposes. If you have a payroll line you keep staring at and a person attached to it, this episode is for you. What You'll Learn Why "can AI replace my $80K hire" is the wrong question, and the output-level question that replaces it. The three-bucket test for every artifact a role produces: AI unsupervised, AI draft with human review, or human-primary. Why you must delete obsolete work before automating anything, and the one question that exposes deletable work. The fake automation trap: how AI that saves employee hours can quietly move the bottleneck to you, and the metric that catches it. How to separate the seat from the person using the Accountability Chart and the GWC filter. The slope test: how to spot the people who become more valuable as intelligence gets cheaper. The apprenticeship warning: what to put back if AI eats the grunt work your junior people learn judgment from. The Seat-Workflow Diff: the single trigger that tells you when to restructure and when to hold. Lines From The Room The Altman model, on the real test: "The core question is not 'can AI do this employee's work?' It's 'does this person become more valuable or less valuable when intelligence gets cheaper?'" The Musk model, on automating bad process: "If you just plug AI into a stupid workflow, you get a faster stupid workflow." The Musk model, on fake automation: "AI that saves employee time but consumes founder time is fake automation. It just moved the bottleneck to you." The Wickman model, on what AI actually destroys: "AI doesn't replace people first. It destroys poorly designed seats first." The Mollick model, on cutting junior work: "Otherwise you are not saving money. You are liquidating your future senior talent." The Third Mind: "The decision trigger is not 'AI can do X percent of the job'; it is the size of the gap between the future seat the company needs and the current workflow AI exposes." The Frameworks Named In This Session The Three-Bucket Test — classify every actual output of the role as AI unsupervised, AI draft with human review, or human-primary. Shared across the room. The Shadow Test — run the person and the AI-assisted version of the same work in parallel and measure quality, cycle time, error rate, and review load. Sparked by the Altman model. Delete, Simplify, Then Automate — never automate a workflow you haven't first deleted from and simplified. Sparked by the Musk model. Excellent, Necessary, Trustworthy — the three-part human test for who belongs in the AI-native system. Sparked by the Musk model. The Accountability Chart Rebuild — design the seats the future company needs as if starting from scratch, then GWC the person against the redesigned seat. Sparked by the Wickman model. The Seat-Workflow Diff — hold accountability fixed, run the work through AI, and restructure only where the gap is large and durable. The Altman model's breakthrough, sparked by Wickman. This is the Third Mind synthesis framework. The Frontier Seat Trial — stress-test the future seat against the actual outputs and the best AI before any people decision. The Wickman model's breakthrough, sparked by Mollick. Your Move This Week Pick the role today. Collect the last 30 days of actual outputs, the emails, reports, tickets, spreadsheets, proposals, and customer notes, not the job description. Classify every artifact into the three buckets. Then write the 3 to 5 accountabilities the business truly needs from that seat over the next 12 to 36 months. If the two lists don't match, don't automate the old job. Redesign the seat. And before you add any AI, find one recurring output no named person can tie to a decision, and delete it. The Open Question I'll Leave You With How much of your current team structure is built around necessary future accountabilities, and how much is accidental task bundles that only existed because intelligence was expensive. That's the question to take into your next session, against the full Accountability Chart, not just one role. About This Episode This episode was built inside Invisible Council AI, where mind models of the world's sharpest business thinkers collide on one real question in one Room. The breakthrough never comes from a single mind. It comes from the collision. That's the Third Mind. Take your own question into your own Room at invisiblecouncil.ai/firstsession. Connect Subscribe to The Thinking Big Podcast and leave a review so more founders find the show. Claim your first room and first question at invisiblecouncil.ai/firstsession. Follow Sean Osborn on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook
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You Don't Have a Closing Problem. You Have a Truth Problem. (Five Sales Legends on Doubling Your Close Rate Without Feeling Salesy)
1w ago00:25:01Tap to summarizeHere's the lie a full calendar tells you. It says you're winning. Then the calls don't close. Your team starts pushing harder. And every conversation starts to feel like you're talking someone into something. That feeling, the salesy feeling, is the thing nobody can quite fix. So I ran it through The Room. I convened five mind models who have spent their lives on this exact problem. Alex Hormozi reframed it first. A full calendar plus a terrible close rate is not a sales problem, it's a qualification and offer-clarity problem wearing a sales-call costume. Zig Ziglar said the salesy feeling is a conviction problem, not a script problem. Chris Voss pushed deeper and named the real issue. You don't have a closing problem, you have a truth problem, because your prospects never tell you the real objection until after the call. Katelyn Bourgoin said the call starts too late in the buyer's story, before you've found the trigger event that made change urgent. And Robert Cialdini flipped the whole thing. Stop adding persuasion. Reduce uncertainty before the call with proof from someone exactly like the buyer. Then the Third Mind landed. The new sales system is not a script. It's a sequence of gates. Trigger, truth, proof, then decision. If a buyer can't explain why now, can't safely tell you the real objection, and can't see evidence from someone in their exact situation, the rep has not earned the right to pitch yet. That's the whole answer to feeling salesy. Salesy is pitching before you pass the gates. Selling is what's left when you have. This one is for any founder with a packed calendar and a close rate that doesn't match it. The fix isn't more pressure. It's better gates. What You'll Learn Why a full calendar with a bad close rate is almost never a closing problem, and what it actually signals. The one-sentence offer test that decides whether a prospect can repeat your value in their own head. Why "salesy" is a sequence error, not a personality trait, and the exact moment a call tips into pressure. The disarming opener that gives a prospect permission to tell you the truth. The single question most reps are too afraid to ask before they pitch. Why your call is probably starting too late in the buyer's story, and the trigger event you're missing. How to move your proof from minute 37 of the call to before the call even starts. The four-gate system that replaces your pitch script. Lines From The Room (From the live council session. These are the cognitive models speaking inside Invisible Council AI.) The Hormozi model, on what "salesy" actually is: "Salesy is creating urgency with your mouth instead of uncovering urgency with your questions." The Ziglar model, on the real engine of a sale: "Selling is a transference of feeling." The Voss model, on the actual problem: "You don't have a closing problem. You have a truth problem." The Bourgoin model, on what moves a buyer: "People don't change when they see the light. They change when they feel the heat." The Cialdini model, on sequence: "Reduce uncertainty before you increase urgency." The Third Mind, on the system: "It's not a script. It's a sequence of gates. Trigger, truth, proof, then decision." The Frameworks Named In This Session Truth-Gated Selling (Hormozi, sparked by Voss) — design the call so every step earns a real no before it earns a real yes. If the call isn't safe, your qualification data is fake. The Triggered Conviction Gate (Ziglar, sparked by Bourgoin) — make the prospect prove that change is alive before you prescribe. Meet them where the urgency already found them. Trigger-Matched Evidence (Bourgoin, sparked by Cialdini) — don't promise an outcome in general. Prove the next step for the exact moment the buyer is standing in. The Four Gates (the Third Mind) — trigger gate, truth gate, proof gate, decision gate. No gate passed, no right to pitch. Your Move This Week Pull your last ten closed-lost calls and record your next ten. For each one, check whether the rep can finish this sentence before they pitched: "They booked this call because [event] happened. They tried [old solution]. It failed because [reason]. And if they do nothing, [consequence] happens." If the rep can complete it, the call feels like a diagnosis. If they can't, they pitched into the dark, and that's your leak. While you're in there, mark two more things: how many minutes until the pitch, and whether comparable proof showed up before the buyer's uncertainty or after. If your proof is landing at minute 37, move it into the pre-call email. The Open Question I'll Leave You With How much friction can you add before the call before it protects your close rate but starts choking off good-fit buyers who just aren't ready yet. There's a line where qualification becomes a wall. The next session finds yours. About This Episode This session was run inside Invisible Council AI, where deep cognitive models of the greatest minds collide in real time to surface insights no single advisor reaches alone. This is the Third Mind principle from Napoleon Hill, engineered. The Room changes everything. Take your own question into your own Room: invisiblecouncil.ai/firstsession Connect The Thinking Big Podcast — subscribe and leave a review Invisible Council AI — invisiblecouncil.ai/firstsession Follow Sean on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for the daily breakdowns
Transcribe →Don't Niche Down. Gate Up. (Four Legends, One Founder's Fear, and the Move That Protects Your Cash)
1w ago00:21:05Tap to summarizeHere's the knot almost every founder hits. Things are working. Money is coming in. And then everyone around you starts chanting the same advice. Niche down. It sounds smart. It feels terrifying. Because the second you try it, it feels like you're about to fire the people funding your life. So I ran the question through The Room. I convened a council session inside Invisible Council AI with cognitive models of four people who have actually built fortunes on this exact decision. Alex Hormozi. Dan Kennedy. Dan Sullivan. Frank Kern. They did not politely agree. They collided. And the collision is where the gold was. Hormozi separated the two decisions everyone blends together. Kennedy reframed a niche as a farm you can dominate, not a smaller crowd to starve in. Sullivan made the call that your current clients are evidence, not your identity. Kern added the filter that changes everything. Pick the client you could win for even if you only got paid after they succeeded. The Third Mind that emerged from all four was simple and sharp. You don't announce a divorce to find a better date. You build a revenue-safe front door for the proven buyer while the old book of business quietly funds the transition. Tighter front door. Same cash register. This one is for any founder sitting on revenue they're scared to risk and a focus they're scared to commit to. Listen all the way through. The open question at the end is the one that decides whether your niche becomes a farm or a trap. What You'll Learn The two separate decisions you're accidentally blending, and why that blend is the source of the fear. Why cash flow is not the thing you protect at all costs. It's the thing that buys you time to get smarter. How to choose your ideal client from evidence instead of preference, using the clients you already have. Why a niche is not a smaller audience. It's a market small enough to dominate and rich enough to matter. The difference between revenue and complexity wearing a fake mustache. How to reposition without sending a single client a dramatic "we've evolved beyond you" announcement. The 90-day narrowing test that turns a scary identity change into a measurable experiment. The exact first move you can run this week with your last 20 clients and a spreadsheet. Chapter Markers (Times are placeholders. Map to your final audio in your host.) 00:00 — The founder's fear: niche down without blowing up revenue 00:00 — Hormozi: the two decisions you keep blending 00:00 — Pick the niche the evidence is pointing at, not the one you like 00:00 — "Your strategy is what you say no to" 00:00 — Kennedy: a niche is a farm, not a smaller crowd 00:00 — The fantasy demographic test 00:00 — Third Mind: the Cash-Flow Airlock 00:00 — Sullivan: your clients are evidence, not your identity 00:00 — The 10x Client Test 00:00 — Third Mind: the Two-Bank Niche Test 00:00 — Kern: pick who you could win for if you got paid last 00:00 — Kennedy vs Kern: ease versus richness 00:00 — Third Mind: the Revenue-Safe Front Door 00:00 — The Council Brief and your first move 00:00 — The open question: farm or elegant trap Lines From The Room (Pulled from the live council session. These are the cognitive models speaking inside Invisible Council AI.) The Hormozi model, on the real lever: "Your strategy is what you say no to. Not what you put in the Google Doc." The Kennedy model, on choosing wrong: "If the answer is no, you don't have an ICP. You have a fantasy demographic." The Sullivan model, on the trap of revenue: "Complexity disguised as cash flow." The Kern model, on the filter that matters: "Don't choose the ICP you can sell. Choose the ICP you can almost guarantee results for." The Third Mind, on the whole move: "You don't announce a divorce to find a better date." The Frameworks Named In This Session The Cash-Flow Airlock — keep serving the messy back room while the new front door only admits the proven buyer inside a conquerable farm. The Two-Bank Niche Test — deposit into the future bank while making zero withdrawals from the current bank. The 10x Client Test — if I had ten times more clients like this one, would the business get simpler, more profitable, and more energizing, or collapse under complexity. The Revenue-Safe Front Door — test the narrow ICP in media the legacy herd doesn't even consume, while the back room keeps proving appreciation to the people paying now. Your Move This Week Take your last 20 clients. Put them in a spreadsheet. Score each one on: Did they get a measurable result How easy were they to sell How profitable were they to serve How easy were they to fulfill Did serving them drain you or energize you Would you take them if you only got paid after they succeeded Would you want ten times more just like them The overlap is your first farm. <p class= "font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-nor...
Transcribe →Olympic Athletes Don't Visualize Winning. Here's What They Do Instead.
Jan 2300:07:41Tap to summarizeThis Episode Is Sponsored By The Soul Desire Challenge: https://www.thinkandgrowrichworkshop.com/challenge Here's something nobody tells you about imagination: it's either building your future or quietly sabotaging it. Most entrepreneurs have turned imagination into a bedtime story—vision boards, manifestation rituals, and visualizing outcomes. Then they wonder why nothing moves forward. The problem isn't imagination itself. It's how you're using it. In this episode, Sean Osborn breaks down The Imagination Trap—why your brain resists unfamiliar effort, and how elite performers use mental rehearsal to train their nervous system before reality demands execution. This is neuroscience-backed, performance-tested, and immediately actionable. --- WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: ✓ The Fatal Flaw in Traditional Visualization Why imagining success actually keeps you stuck—and what your brain is really screaming for instead. ✓ What Olympic Athletes Actually Visualize Spoiler: It's not standing on the podium. It's the breath before the dive, the muscle tension in the turn, the split-second decision under pressure. ✓ The Fast:OS vs. Slow:OS Framework How your reactive brain and strategic brain work together—and why most people only train one of them. ✓ Sean's Personal Rehearsal Practice The exact mental rehearsal process Sean uses before every launch, difficult conversation, and high-stakes moment. ✓ The 5-Minute Action Step A simple practice you can do today to remove resistance from any task you've been avoiding. ✓ Why "Visualization Doesn't Work" for Most People The one thing missing from every manifestation practice—and how to fix it immediately. --- KEY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: "Visualization doesn't work because you want something. It works because your brain rehearses it." "Your brain doesn't resist success. Your brain resists unfamiliar effort." "Imagination isn't magic. It's rehearsal. And rehearsal removes resistance." "Most people use imagination to escape reality. Elite performers use it to prepare for reality." "When you visualize outcomes only, your nervous system stays untrained. When you visualize execution, your nervous system gets familiar with the work." --- FEATURED INSIGHTS: • Napoleon Hill's "workshop of the mind" concept—and how it got corrupted into vision boards • Michael Jordan on expectation vs. wishful thinking • Modern neuroscience on how your brain can't distinguish between vividly imagined experience and real experience • Why the same neural circuits activate during mental rehearsal as during actual performance • The difference between confidence and conditioning --- ACTION STEP: Pick one task you've been avoiding. Set a 5-minute timer. Close your eyes and mentally walk through DOING it successfully—not perfectly, but calmly and competently. Feel the resistance in your body. Watch it soften as your brain realizes: "Oh. We can handle this." Then do the task immediately after. No delay. No negotiation. This is how imagination becomes leverage. --- WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR: → Entrepreneurs who feel stuck despite "doing all the mindset work" → High performers who want science-backed mental preparation techniques → Anyone who's tried visualization and decided it "doesn't work" → Business owners avoiding difficult conversations or uncomfortable tasks → Athletes, creators, and leaders who want to train their nervous system for execution --- RESOURCES MENTIONED: • Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill • Michael Jordan interviews on mental preparation • Research on neural pathway activation during mental rehearsal • The You:OS framework (Fast:OS vs. Slow:OS) --- CONNECT WITH SEAN: Instagram: @ThinkingBig Coaching Twitter: @seanosborn LinkedIn: Sean Osborn Website: thinkingbigpodcast.com --- SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If this episode shifted something for you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with one person who needs to hear this message. Type TAGR in the comments or tag Sean on social media if you're committing to rehearsing success before you execute. New episodes drop every [DAY] on all podcast platforms.
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The 7-Word Hook That 10X's Your Response Rate - The Lead System Series (Part 1 of 4)
Oct 500:28:09Tap to summarizeSponsored By ClickFunnels Live - Las Vegas Date: October 22nd I will be speaking and teaching this material live on stage with exclusive bonuses for attendees. Virtual seats available. Join me In this episode, Sean breaks down the single most important element of your marketing: the hook. Learn why the first seven words you write can literally determine whether your content gets ignored or generates sales. This is the foundation episode of Season 7's 16-episode roadmap to building a growth engine that pays for itself every 30 days. Key Takeaways What Is a Hook? A hook is whatever people see, read, or hear first. It's the opening line of your video, the first words in your headline, your email subject line, or the visual that pops up before you speak. Without a killer hook, nothing else in your marketing matters. The Two Types of Hooks Verbal Hooks: Labels that call out your audience Sharp questions Conditional statements ("If you're struggling with X...") Commands Bold statements Lists Mini stories Provocative statements Nonverbal Hooks: Pattern interrupt visuals Unusual props Surprising camera cuts Distinctive sounds Pro tip: Combine verbal + nonverbal for "multimodal" hooks that hit attention from multiple angles. The 70-20-10 Rule 70% - More of what's already working (your proven winners) 20% - Winner-adjacent content (variations on proven hooks) 10% - Big, crazy, new experiments The Hook Tracker System Create a simple spreadsheet with: Hook name Actual hook copy Outcome/results Link to where you used it Always test at least 2 hooks per campaign - never just pick one and hope. Resources Mentioned Free Tools (Available in Show Notes): Hook Tracker Template - Simple spreadsheet to track what's working AI Hook Generator Prompt - Generates 55+ world-class hooks in under 2 minutes across 11 categories including: Pattern break hooks Open loop hooks Identity ping hooks Status and safety hooks Reward preview hooks Proof hooks Pricing hooks Fast cash/lightning hooks Closing hooks Branding hooks The 30-Day Payback Engine Connection Strong hooks = Better attention = Cheaper clicks = Better show-up rates = Faster upsells The Goal: Make your gross profit in the first 30 days cover your customer acquisition costs, so your growth pays for itself. Hook Examples by Business Model SaaS Companies: "Launch fully configured in 4 hours, or we pay your first month" Course Creators: "One module in 7 days that fixes your most urgent pain—and you keep it forever" Service Providers: "Strategy session booked in 60 seconds + $197 credit if we can't help" Weekly Hook Creation Rhythm Monday: Research - Collect 10-20 outlier hooks from your niche Tuesday: Write 50 hooks total (35 from winners, 10 winner-adjacent, 5 moonshots) Wednesday: Record 10 hook variations per content package Thursday: Edit - Pair hooks with content sections and CTAs (assembly line style) Friday: Ship across platforms and update your hook tracker Weekly: Keep top 10%, kill bottom 10%, repeat Critical Hook Rules ✅ For email subject lines: 7 words or less ✅ For social: You have 0.007 seconds to stop the scroll ✅ Clear beats clever - Every. Single. Time. ✅ Shorter is stronger - If you can cut words and keep impact, do it ✅ Split test everything - Use A/B testing (10% one hook, 10% another, winner gets 80%) Common Hook Mistakes to Avoid Vague hooks - If your audience can't self-identify instantly, it's too broad Fancy words over simple promises - Don't get cute All verbal, no visuals - Make it multimodal when possible Guessing instead of tracking - Log everything Starving the 70% - Stop reinventing weekly; repeat what works 100x more than you think This Week's Homework Write These Hooks (Manually or Using AI Tool): 3 identity hooks ("If you're a [blank]...") 3 question hooks ("What if you could [blank]?") 3 conditional hooks ("When you finally [blank]...") 3 command hooks ("Stop doing X and start...") 3 strong statements ("Here's the truth nobody's telling you...") 3 list/step hooks ("The 5 ways to...") 2 nonverbal ideas (weird prop, unusual sound, visual element) Deploy This Week: Pick your top 5 hooks Read them out loud Tighten each one (cut every unnecessary word) Add to your hook tracker Test at least 5 hooks this week DM Sean your top 3 and tell him which one you think will win What's Next Next Episode: Building Your Content Factory Learn how to take 50 hooks + 5 content sections + 3 CTAs and create 150+ content variations per week without burning out. Season 7 Roadmap Preview Lead System Series (4 episodes): Hooks that make people stop Building your content factory Branding that creates instant trust Turning customers into your marketing team Sales Series: Closing without feeling sleazy Building undeniable proof Delivery Series: Making each customer worth more Retention strategies Profit Series: Lightning offer plays Premium pricing strategies Simple margin improvements Final Episodes: Offer stacks and architecture Proof systems that scale Complete 90-day game plan Connect with Sean DM your top hooks and results at https://www.instagram.com/thinkingbigcoaching Remember: Everything you create needs a HOOK.
Transcribe →I've Been Hiding This $25K Secret From You (Until Now)
Oct 200:12:56Tap to summarizeThis Episode Is Sposored By: Welcome to the most explosive season of Thinking Big yet! After 6 seasons of mindset mastery, Sean is finally pulling back the curtain on the $25,000 framework he's been teaching exclusively to his high-ticket coaching clients and mastermind members. In this season premiere, Sean reveals why he's been holding back his most powerful business strategy - and why he's decided to give it all away for free in Season 7. What You'll Learn 🎯 The Big Reveal The Self-Liquidating Growth Model (SLG) that took one client from $400K to $2.8M in 18 months Why Sean kept this framework exclusive to his $25K mastermind... until now How your customers can finance the acquisition of your next customers 📊 The 3 Critical Numbers Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) - What it really costs to get a paying customer 30-Day Gross Profit - Your real profit window that matters most Payback Period - The timeline that determines your freedom or prison 🚀 Season 7 Roadmap The Lead System Series: Hooks that convert clicks into customers (not just vanity metrics) The AI prompt that generates 75+ high-converting hooks "GOATED" ads that produce 150+ variations per week The Sales System Series: Lead nurture sequences that actually work Natural closing techniques (no sleazy tactics) Proof frameworks that make prospects feel foolish NOT to buy The Delivery System Series: Lifetime value optimization strategies Retention systems that create raving fans How to avoid the post-sale crickets The Profit System Series: Lightning launches every 90 days 2025 pricing strategies that work How to raise prices without customer rebellion Key Quotes "Information without implementation is just expensive entertainment." "The distance between where you are now and where you want to be isn't measured in episodes consumed. It's measured in actions taken." "If your 30-day gross profit is less than your customer acquisition cost, you're in venture capital prison." "Your current situation is not your final destination." Action Items (Your Homework) Before the next episode, calculate these 3 numbers: Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) - How much you spend to acquire each paying customer 30-Day Gross Profit - Average profit per customer in their first 30 days Payback Period - How long it takes for a customer to pay back their acquisition cost Pro Tip: If you don't know these numbers, you're driving blindfolded on a highway. Success Stories Mentioned Client scaled from $400K to $2.8M in 18 months using the SLG framework Another member broke 6-figures for the first time using these systems Hook framework case study: 10K views/2 sales → 50K views/47 sales (same audience, same offer) Podcast Milestones 🏆 Top 20 Entrepreneur Podcast in 52 countries on Apple Podcasts 🌍 Entrepreneurs in 52 countries building empires with Thinking Big 📈 6 seasons of mindset mastery foundation Connect with Sean Website: thinkingbigcoaching.com Instagram: @thinkingbigcoaching Share Your Wins: Sean collects success stories like vintage wine. Send voice notes, emails, or DMs when this season changes your business. Coming Up Next Episode We dive deep into the 3 critical numbers, how to calculate them, and how to change them if they're not where they need to be. Plus, discover how a tiny change in your first 30 days can 10X your company's performance. Subscribe & Review If this episode fired you up, subscribe to never miss an episode and leave a 5-star review. Your reviews help other entrepreneurs find the show and start thinking bigger.
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From Trailer Court to Billions - Marissa Nehlsen's Blueprint for Living Life Rich
Aug 401:27:08Tap to summarizePre-order "Live Life Rich" before August 19th and get exclusive bonuses worth $2,500: Visit: LiveLifeRichBook.com What does it really mean to live a "rich" life? Our guest today, Marissa Nehlsen, went from picking up cans and bottles in ditches for $30 a month while living in a trailer court to managing billions in assets and partnering with leadership legend John Maxwell. But her definition of "rich" might surprise you. In this powerful conversation, Marissa breaks down her five-pillar framework for building true wealth - and it's not just about money. She shares the exact "Freedom Plan" that helped her escape financial struggle, reveals how she built eight streams of income, and explains why the world needs YOU to be rich. Whether you're just starting your entrepreneurial journey or looking to take your success to the next level, this episode delivers both inspiration and practical tactics you can implement immediately. Key Topics Covered The Five Pillars of a Rich Life Emotional : How you feel about yourself when you look in the mirror Relational : Building rocket ship relationships that compound your success Spiritual : Connecting to something bigger than yourself Physical : Taking care of your health to serve at the highest level Financial : Creating the resources to solve problems in the world The Freedom Plan Framework Freedom Number : How much you need to maintain your lifestyle Freedom Sources : All the ways money can flow to you Freedom Date : When your sources will cover your number Practical worksheets and calculations included in Marissa's book The Eight Streams of Income Why most people only have one stream (earned income) How to systematically build multiple income sources Marissa's newest stream: royalty income (and how she got it without being Taylor Swift) Mindset and Personal Development The power of "silent mentors" through books and podcasts Why consistency beats perfection every time How to read people and energy quickly (survival skills from tough backgrounds) The importance of protecting your "Fab Five" inner circle Powerful Quotes from This Episode "If you help enough people get what they want, you can have your heart's desire." - Zig Ziglar quote that changed Marissa's life "The world needs you rich, because if you think like I do, I'm a problem solver, I'm gonna go solve some problems." "You don't create a rich life by sitting in your house just reading all day. You gotta take the idea and you gotta apply the idea." "Small actions over time will lead to great change in your life. You will not see it today. You will not. But small actions over time will lead you to great change." "What at the end of your life would you regret not having given your all to?" Guest Bio Marissa Nehlsen is a financial strategist, entrepreneur, and author who has spent over 30 years in the finance industry. Starting from humble beginnings in a trailer court, she built multiple seven-figure businesses and now manages billions in assets for her clients. Marissa is a certified John Maxwell leadership coach and speaker, and has traveled the world mentoring entrepreneurs and business leaders. She's passionate about helping others build what she calls a "rich life" - one that's abundant in all five key areas: emotional, relational, spiritual, physical, and financial wealth. Her new book "Live Life Rich" features a foreword by John Maxwell and provides a practical roadmap for entrepreneurs to build, protect, and multiply their wealth while living with purpose. Resources Mentioned Books Referenced "Live Life Rich" by Marissa Nehlsen (releasing August 19th) "Today Matters" by John Maxwell "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John Maxwell "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill "Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins People Mentioned John Maxwell (leadership expert, wrote foreword for Marissa's book) Mike Kim (encouraged Marissa to write her book) Andrew Manzano (mutual connection) Zig Ziglar (foundational influence) Tony Robbins/Anthony Robbins (early influence) Jim Rohn (personal development mentor) Action Steps from This Episode Calculate Your Freedom Plan Determine your Freedom Number (annual lifestyle cost × years until retirement) List all your Freedom Sources (current and potential income streams) Set your Freedom Date (when sources will cover your number) Audit Your Inner Circle Identify your "Fab Five" - the five people you spend the most time with Remove or limit time with "anacondas" who drain your energy and dreams Invest in relationships with other big thinkers and entrepreneurs Start Your Investment in You Commit to reading one business/personal development book per month Replace Netflix time with podcasts or educational content Join a mastermind or entrepreneurial community Create Your Side Hustle Set up a side LLC for tax advantages Identify one additional income stream you can start this month Focus on serving others and solving problems Journal Your Dreams Write down what you want to have, do, and become Ask yourself: "What if?", "What for?", and "What's next?" Review and update your vision regularly Special Offer Pre-order "Live Life Rich" before August 19th and get exclusive bonuses worth $2,500: Private Q&A sessions with Marissa Comprehensive workbook with Freedom Plan templates Behind-the-scenes video series Access to exclusive book club community Visit: LiveLifeRichBook.com
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Why Your Marketing Efforts Aren't Working (And Rich Relationships Are The Real Key to Business Success) - with Selena Soo
Jul 400:54:24Tap to summarizeThis episode is sponsored by: Here's the hard truth I learned in this conversation: You can spend thousands on Facebook ads, perfect your email sequences, and create the most polished marketing campaigns... but if you're not building rich relationships, you're fighting an uphill battle that's only getting steeper. In this episode, I sit down with publicity strategist and author Selena Soo to dive deep into her new book "Rich Relationships" - and what she reveals will completely shift how you think about growing your business. As a fellow introvert, I've always struggled with the idea of "networking." The thought of working a room or making small talk at conferences made my skin crawl. But Selena showed me something game-changing: You don't need to be an extrovert to build a million-dollar network. You just need to be intentional. Why This Episode Will Transform Your Business We're living in what Selena calls a "trust recession." People are bombarded with ads, skeptical of marketing messages, and increasingly buying from their communities rather than responding to traditional marketing. The entrepreneurs who thrive in this new landscape aren't the ones with the biggest ad budgets - they're the ones with the richest relationships. I've seen this firsthand. When I look back at my entire career - from taking a company public in the late '90s to my current work with industry leaders like Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, and Russell Brunson - every major breakthrough came through relationships, not marketing campaigns. What You'll Discover The 3 Types of Givers (And Why Most Entrepreneurs Are Doing It Wrong) The "Indiscriminate Giver" trap that leads to burnout and resentment How "Transactional Givers" actually block abundance The "Rich Giver" approach that creates win-win relationships The 6 Circles of Connection Framework This is Selena's signature system for managing your network without overwhelm: Circle 1: Your innermost circle (1-3 people doing life with you) Circle 2: Treasured connections (your soul family) Circle 3: Active network (people you'd invite to the party) Circle 4: Distant connections (arm's length relationships) Circle 5: Disconnected connections (people you keep at distance) Circle 6: Unknown individuals The Top 40 Strategy 20 rich relationships to nurture and prioritize 20 new relationships to develop based on your goals How to avoid the "one is the most dangerous number" trap Standout Moments From Our Conversation "Rich relationships are the world's highest form of currency. There's no amount of money you can pay for that trust." - Selena Soo "Everything that has pushed me forward in my businesses has been the relationships that I've had. You cannot buy that trust. You have to build the relationships and the relationship has to come first." - Sean Osborn "One rich relationship is more powerful than a hundred casual connections." - Selena Soo "People are now buying from their communities, from their tribes. It's no longer business to consumer - it's consumer to consumer, tribe to tribe." - Sean Osborn Key Takeaways ✅ Rich relationships have 3 characteristics: They bring financial abundance (directly or indirectly), align with your biggest goals, and inspire you to become your best self ✅ The relationship-first approach: Stop leading with transactions. Build trust through conversations - Level 1 (getting to know each other), Level 2 (nurturing and building trust), Level 3 (solid foundation for collaboration) ✅ Your network is your net worth: There are places you can only reach through rich relationships. No amount of mass marketing can replace a trusted referral ✅ The email list revelation: My most effective sales don't come from ads anymore - they come from my communities. Think of your list as a savings account where you must make deposits (value) before withdrawals (asks) ✅ Introverts have superpowers: You don't need to be the center of attention. Mission-driven leaders who put themselves out there for a bigger purpose are often the most influential ✅ The vulnerability factor: The fastest way to build relationships is to show genuine interest in others, support their goals, and be open to receiving support yourself Why This Matters More Than Ever As AI becomes more prevalent and marketing becomes increasingly automated, the human connection becomes even more valuable. Selena and I both believe that businesses without rich relationships won't survive in the coming years. The entrepreneurs winning today aren't just great marketers - they're great relationship builders. They understand that in a world of infinite content and constant noise, trust and personal connection are the ultimate differentiators. Resources Mentioned Selena's New Book: "Rich Relationships" (Available for pre-order on Amazon) Free Resources: Get the first 4 chapters free + 25 Rich Relationship Scripts at richrelationshipsbook.com/thinkingbig Myers-Briggs Assessment: Referenced as a tool for understanding your personality type (Selena is an INFJ - same as Gandhi and Mother Teresa) Connect with Selena Soo Website: https://www.selenasoo.com/ If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear about it. Share your biggest takeaway on social media and tag me - I read every single message. And if you know another entrepreneur who's struggling with networking or feeling like their marketing isn't working, share this episode with them. Sometimes one conversation can change everything. Remember: You don't need to be the most extroverted person in the room. You just need to be the most intentional about the relationships you build. Keep thinking big, Sean
Transcribe →"1357" The 70-Year-Old Brain Hack That's Destroying My Competition
Jul 100:16:01Tap to summarizeThis Episode Is Sponsored By: Get the 1357 Plan journal FREE (just pay shipping) + 14-day trial to the exclusive 1357 Club mastermind community: What if I told you that Napoleon Hill had a SECRET method for personal achievement that was completely lost to time... until now? In this episode, I share the incredible story of how Russell Brunson and I discovered a "lost" system in Napoleon Hill's personal archives that transforms lives in just 13 minutes and 57 seconds per day. This isn't theory - this is a proven method that Hill and his business partner W. Clement Stone used with their own employees, and I've been using it for 6 months with life-changing results. 🔥 What You'll Discover: The exact story of finding Napoleon Hill's lost 1357 method in his personal archives Why stopping mid-sentence is the most brilliant psychological hack ever invented How 13:57 daily creates compound transformation (and why this specific time works) The daily accountability system that makes failure practically impossible My personal 6-month transformation using this method Episode Highlights 💎 The "Open Loop" Brain Hack "When you force yourself to stop reading mid-sentence, you create what psychologists call an 'open loop' in your brain. Your brain hates unfinished business. So what happens? Your subconscious keeps working on that idea all day long." 🧠 The Focus Breakthrough "I now actively look for the key idea and principle instead of letting my brain wander off. I've learned and implemented so much more with this method than I ever did with traditional reading." 🎯 The Compound Effect "Every day, you're feeding your mind with wisdom. Every day, you're taking small actions based on what you've learned. Every day, you're becoming a slightly better version of yourself." The 1357 Method (Quick Summary) Set timer for exactly 13 minutes, 57 seconds Read any personal development book Stop immediately when timer goes off (even mid-sentence) Fill out journal prompts to process and implement Join daily accountability calls (optional but powerful) Two Key Journal Prompts: RECOGNIZE: The key principle, idea or technique I recognized is... RELATE: To me, it means... Connect With Me Website: Thinkingbigcoaching.com Instagram: @thinkingbigcoaching Email: Sean@Thinkingbigcoaching.com Episode Quotes "Sometimes the most powerful solutions aren't the newest, shiniest techniques. Sometimes they're the wisdom that's been forgotten, waiting for someone to dust it off and bring it back to light." "We're all capable of so much more than we're currently achieving. We all have dreams and goals that we've been putting off, telling ourselves we'll get to them 'someday.' But someday never comes unless we make it come." "Your biggest breakthrough might be just one discovery away." Share This Episode If this episode resonated with you, please: ⭐ Rate and review on Apple Podcasts 📱 Share on social media using #ThinkingBigPodcast 💌 Send to a friend who needs to hear this story This episode contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I personally use and believe in.
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Pivot, Persist, and Prosper: Dean Graziosi on Success, AI, and the Thrive Revolution
Apr 22, 202500:28:47Tap to summarizeWhat do car sales, real estate, and billion-dollar knowledge empires have in common? Dean Graziosi. In this powerhouse episode, I sit down with the legendary Dean Graziosi—entrepreneur, multiple New York Times bestselling author, and one of the OG architects behind the Knowledge Business Blueprint (aka KBB for those in the know). From flipping cars on VHS to co-creating movements with Tony Robbins, Dean drops mic-level insights about knowing when to pivot, when to persist, and how to embrace the "success tax" that comes with leveling up your life and business. This isn't just an interview—it's a mindset recalibration. If you're an entrepreneur, solopreneur, or simply human-ing your way through this wild ride called business, this is your wake-up call in podcast form. Trust us, you're going to want to take notes. ✍️ 💡 What You'll Learn in This Episode: The Pivot vs. Persistence Dilemma – When grinding harder is actually slowing you down. The "Success Tax" – Why struggle is not a sign you're failing... it's a receipt for your next breakthrough. AI in Business – Dean's take on how artificial intelligence is not replacing you—it's upgrading you. Behind the Scenes of Thrive in 25 – A sneak peek into the biggest event of 2025 featuring Tony Robbins, Matthew McConaughey, Jay Shetty, Lisa Nichols, and more. Dean's Evolution – From hustling used cars to becoming one of the most respected voices in the knowledge industry. 🚀 Want In On The Magic? Dean and Sean aren't just talking about next-level growth—they're creating it. Get in on Thrive in 25, the free 3-day event with some of the biggest game-changers in the personal growth and business space. Yep, FREE. 🎟️ Register now at thrive25event.com This event could seriously change your trajectory. Don't just take notes from the sidelines—get in the game. 🧠 Quote of the Episode: "Sometimes what feels like your breaking point might just be your breakthrough point." – Sean Osborn 🙌 Enjoyed the Episode? Help other entrepreneurs find their breakthrough moment: ✅ Rate ✅ Review ✅ Subscribe And don't forget to share this episode with your tribe. Because growing together? That's the real glow-up.
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