CO-HOST | Make Money By Thinking Differently About Time, Education, and Opportunity

Summary

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Travis Makes Money — Episode Summary

Podcast: Travis Makes Money
Host: Travis Chappell
Episode: CO-HOST | Make Money By Thinking Differently About Time, Education, and Opportunity
Date: February 11, 2026

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Overview

In this lively episode, Travis Chappell and his co-host dive into how mindset shifts around time, education, and opportunity can dramatically impact your ability to earn more money and build a fulfilling life. Through a playful “agree or disagree” quotes game, they unpack classic wisdom and challenge conventional notions about success, money, and learning—delivering practical insights rooted in real-world experience.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Time vs. Money: Rethinking Value

• Quote: “Time is money.”
• Travis disagrees:

  “No, time is more valuable than money…You take the richest—best example is like Warren Buffett…he would, I’m sure, be willing to trade every single dollar to be 15 or 20 again. Time is the most valuable asset we have.” (03:38)

• Insight: The hosts agree time should be valued above money; wealth is only meaningful when paired with the freedom of time.

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2. Wisdom from Ben Franklin: Legacy Quotes

• The hosts run through a series of Franklin quotes, discussing each:

  • “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
    Travis: Agree
  • “Well done is better than well said.”
    Travis:

    “Except for steak. Well done steak is not better than anything.” (02:26)

  • “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
    Travis: Agree
  • “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.”
  • “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
  • “Energy and persistence conquer all things.”
  • “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
  • “Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.”
  • “If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking.”

• Quote game format encourages debate and exposes why even timeless advice needs personal context.

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3. Opportunity & Hard Work: Separating Fantasy from Reality

• Quote: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” (Thomas Edison)
• Travis expands:

  “People have this idealistic version of what opportunity looks like in their head…somebody’s just going to walk up to them while they’re working at a coffee shop and be like, ‘You, you’re it, here’s your dream job, good salary…’ That is not what opportunity looks like. It’s gonna be a lot of work and you have to develop skills, relationships, and learn to add value.” (06:17)

• Insight: There are no shortcuts—success comes from skill-building, persistence, and seizing “unsexy” opportunities.

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4. Formal vs. Self-Education

• Quote: “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” (Jim Rohn)
• Travis:

  “Most people think education stops…I was just looking forward to being done with school. Then I got into real life and figured out I didn’t know anything…The perspective shift—realizing I didn’t know everything—was what started everything in my career.” (08:01)

• The hosts discuss how school often kills curiosity, but self-directed learning fuels real growth and career success.
• Travis shares:

  “There’s a running joke in my family that I never read anything…but now probably 75% of my conversations are about what I’m reading.” (10:53)

• Notably, all of his post-school reading is non-fiction, motivated by genuine curiosity and desire to learn, not obligation.

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5. Wealth, Desire, and Mastery

• Quote: “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” (Epictetus)
• Travis agrees:

  “If you adjust your expectations, you can have everything you want…at its core, that’s facts.” (14:06)

• Quote: “Money is a terrible master, but an excellent servant.” (P.T. Barnum)
• Travis, after a long game of 20 questions, agrees and highlights the importance of using money intentionally—not letting it rule your decisions.

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6. Doing What You Love vs. Doing It for Money

• Quote: “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.” (The Joker, The Dark Knight)
• Travis disagrees:

  “You should have agency over whether or not you want to do it for free…Do it because you love it.” (17:32)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Ben Franklin quote marathon:

  “Well done is better than well said—except for steak. Well done steak is not better than anything.” — Travis (02:26)

• On opportunity:

  “Lack of opportunity is not one of [the things standing in your way].” — Travis (06:52)

• On education:

  “Education is one of the most fun things ever, if you can start teaching yourself things that you’re interested in.” — Co-host (09:28)

• On money's role:

  “Money only solves your money problems, but it’s easier to solve the rest of your problems if you’ve got money in the bank, so let’s start there.” — Travis (18:07)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:57] — “Time is money” debate begins
• [01:54 - 03:26] — Ben Franklin quote review & discussion
• [04:32] — Opportunities, the myth of the “dream job drop”
• [07:48] — “Formal education vs. self-education”
• [10:53] — Travis on reading habits and lifelong learning
• [13:47] — Wealth and wants: Epictetus and money as a servant
• [17:30] — “If you’re good at something, never do it for free” — Travis disagrees

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Episode Flow & Takeaways

The episode blends playful banter, classic quotes, and personal stories to question standard advice about money and success. Listeners are encouraged to:

• Value their time above money
• Take personal responsibility for learning beyond school
• Recognize that opportunity requires work and readiness
• Master money, rather than be mastered by it
• Do meaningful work—sometimes for love, not just money

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For those seeking actionable perspective shifts on making money and enjoying life, this episode is rich with practical wisdom and memorable one-liners.

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to the Travis Makes Money podcast presented by GoHighLevel.com for a free 30 day trial of the best all in one digital marketing software tool on the planet. Just go to gohighlevel.com travis. What's going on, everybody? Welcome back to another episode of the Travis Makes Money podcast where it's our mission to help you, dear listener, make more money. Eric, what's up, man?

[B]

I had such a hootin time doing the quote segment we did recently.

[A]

Not hollering, just hootin.

[B]

No, just hootin. But I'm hoping we can progress to hollering in on this one where I asked you some quotes and I said agree or disagree and each time I think I'll get through like 10 and then we do like three and then it's time.

[A]

No, that's a good one. Especially because you don't tell me the name of the person that the who quoted. So there's no bias in the reaction.

[B]

Yeah, I really like it and I. I'm going to read you a quote.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

You tell me if you agree or disagree. Give context either way and I'll tell you who said it to. Just to see if they're, you know, I want to make sure you're not playing favorites with anybody.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So the first quote is time is money.

[A]

No, time is more valuable than money. That's, that's.

[B]

Do you know who said that?

[A]

I mean, I feel like a lot.

[B]

Of people have said this, but who said it though? Like who, like who's the guy that said it?

[A]

Who, who's. Who's it a tribute to? Is it somebody who's dead?

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Yeah, because this is really old quote. I don't know. Ben Franklin, Einstein. Really?

[B]

You got historic beef with this guy. Let me read 10 Ben Franklin quotes.

[A]

You tell me why they're bad.

[B]

Actually, really quick segue.

[A]

No, but again, that's a good, it's a good concept that when he said it was probably revolutionary.

[B]

I'm going to read Ben Franklin quotes until you agree with one.

[A]

Okay. It's not going to take long. I like a lot of Ben Franklin.

[B]

I haven't found that to be true. Give me ten Ben Franklin quotes. I'm going to read them until you agree. Okay.

[A]

Okay, go.

[B]

An investment is knowledge. Oh, wait. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Okay, let me see. Let me read all 10 and see if you agree with all of them.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

These are 10 well known Benjamin Franklin quotes. Chap. GPD says a mix of wisdom, wit.

[A]

And blunt honesty, which means probably only five of them. Ben Franklin.

[B]

All right, here you go. Here's 10 quotes. Okay.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

I read you.

[A]

I agreed. I agreed with the first one.

[B]

Well done is better than well. Said he was cooking with that one.

[A]

Agree.

[B]

Except for steak. Well done steak is not better than anything.

[A]

Steak is atrocious.

[B]

By failing to prepare, you're preparing to fail.

[A]

That's a good one.

[B]

He that can have patience can have what he will. Yeah. Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.

[A]

Agree.

[B]

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.

[A]

Oh, I like that one, bro.

[B]

Was cooking. Energy and persistence conquer all things.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

[A]

Definitely agree with that.

[B]

Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days. I've only been here three hours.

[A]

So, yeah, I agree with like most.

[B]

Wait, do you agree with that one?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking agree. Low key. Fire. All right, let's get off. Ben Franklin.

[A]

See, I agree with all of those.

[B]

Great.

[A]

It's just the two that you happen to pick in random selections.

[B]

I searched. Give me 10 Benjamin Franklin quotes that Travis is likely to agree with.

[A]

Did you?

[B]

Actually, I kind of want to now. Give me that.

[A]

He's unlikely to agree with the time is money thing, though. Going back to that is, again, probably something that a lot of people need to hear. But I just. I'm in the camp now where it's like, it's not money. It's. It's better than money. It's greater than money. You know, like, you take the richest. You know, best example is like a Warren Buffett who's what, 95, 97? I don't know, something like that. But he would, I'm sure, be willing to trade every single dollar that is to his name to be 15 or 20 again. You know, time is the most valuable asset that we have. So it's actually greater than money, I think.

[B]

Yeah. Now, I was reading book the other day. It said, value your time. It's all you have. It's more important than your money. It's more important than your friends. It's more important than anything. And I. I underlined that when I was reading the almanac of Naval Avocant.

[A]

Is that actually from naval.

[B]

Oh, it was. So he's right. Here's another quote. Agree or disagree. Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

[A]

Yes, I agree with that. There's. This is going to be Way too long of an explanation, so I'll just give a really brief version of it. There's a great scene in the show Mythic Quest, which is Rob McElhenny from It's Always Sunny did this for Apple TV. It's a pretty good show, actually. I found it entertaining. But there's a really good scene in there where he's talking to a younger person at his company because he is essentially a founder of a super successful video game. And this intern is, like, driving with him in his car and is talking about how she just wants a seat at the table and is just tired of seeing all these, you know, certain people that get to see the table and she never gets to see the table. And so he's like, okay, well, what do you want to do? And she was like, I don't know. And he was like, well, what are you good at? I don't know. And I was like, well, like, this is the opportunity that you're seeking. Like you're looking. You're looking for all of these. Like you're looking for somebody to step into your office and offer you your dream job. That is not what a seat at the table means. Like, you're driving in the car with the founder and CEO of the company that you work for that has the ability to put you wherever you want. You have no idea what you want to do. You have no skill sets that are required to be able to do any of the things that you want to do. You have no vision for how your life is going to turn out. You just want to be successful and you want somebody else to set it in your lap. And that's not how it works. But it was. The scene itself is. Is really, really good. So watch the show. It's funny and there's some actually good, like, life lessons in there. And it's well shot. Anyway, that's enough on the cinematography of Mythic Quest. But the all that to say that, yes, I agree with that is that people have this idealistic version of what opportunity looks like in their head, which is that again, somebody's just going to like, walk up to them while they're working at a coffee shop and be like, you, you're it. Here's here' dream job, good salary, matching 401k plus a company car and come work with us now. And it's like, that is not what opportunity looks like. It's going to be a lot of work and you have to develop skills and you have to develop relationships and you have to learn how to add value. And there's a lot of other things that stand in between you and success, but lack of opportunity is not one of them.

[B]

Well, without the person who said this quote, mythic quest wouldn't even be on television.

[A]

What?

[B]

This quote is from Thomas Edison, the inventor of electricity which powers televisions, and the inventor of the first motion picture camera.

[A]

Is that true?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I didn't know that.

[B]

Well, what is it? The kinescope. Is that what it was called?

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Let me look real quick.

[A]

You're telling me this kinescope, I didn't know that.

[B]

Thomas Edison, kinetoscope. I'm such an idiot. Idiot. I can't believe I didn't know that. Yeah, it was invented by Thomas Edison. What did he not invent?

[A]

He's a crafty fellow, that Thomas Edison.

[B]

All right, here's a third. I think it's more than that, but here's another quote for you. Okay, you ready?

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune.

[A]

Truth is that Jim ran. No.

[B]

Yeah, you're right.

[A]

Was it?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Okay, next.

[A]

That's a good one. Because most people think education stops. I definitely was in that camp when I was in school. I was just looking forward to being done with school.

[B]

Yeah. And then couldn't know how to read, right?

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

Right. You didn't know how to read or write.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Oh, okay, right.

[A]

This is back in an Abbott Costello stage. I definitely was in that camp until I got into real life and figured out that I didn't know anything. Just like I feel like, I feel like most young adults have that realization at some point, you know, where it's like you as a teenager or young adult, you think you know everything and then there's a moment where you realize that you don't know anything. And then that moment just keeps happen, happening over and over again for the rest of your life where you, you start building up knowledge. You're like, I got this, I got it under control. And then you hit another wall and you're like, nah, never mind. I don't know anything. But that, that perspective shift essentially, is what started everything in my career at this point was just the realization that I didn't know everything. And if I'm going to learn anything, it's going to be through my own desire and discipline to go out there and acquire the things that I need to learn in order to be able to see the success that I want to see.

[B]

Yeah, well, I think that's one of the things, like that school, unfortunately, I think, like, the requirements of school to teach you things that you're not interested in.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Makes you feel like education's boring.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And I feel like one of the most exciting things. And some people never realize this, unfortunately, I'd say a lot of people don't realize this.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Education is, like, one of the most fun things ever. If you can start teaching yourself and going and seeking out things that you're interested in learning or that will benefit you.

[A]

Like, that's why I never read. There's a running joke in my family that, like.

[B]

Did you guys ever catch the joke? It was running a long time.

[A]

Yeah. I like how you had to explain it after you said it. Thank you for that. Because it was running. You get it?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But no, it was like a running joke in my family that I'd never read anything. It was. It was funny because the other day. What was it? Oh, I was. We were. Jackie and I were having lunch with the former manager of our Everbowl location because she ended up resigning to pursue an entrepreneurial thing. And so we were like, oh, let's take her out to lunch and just know. Wish her. Wish her the best. And when we were out to lunch, she asked me if I was a nerd growing up. And Jackie was like, well, I'll answer that for you. And she was like, basically saying, like, I played sports, but I also was super nerdy and played chess and, like, Star wars and all that other stuff. And I said something about how, like, well, I'm not really. Like, I'm not a reader. And then Jackie was like, yeah, you are. And then the. Our manager, Grace, she was like, I think probably 75% of our total conversations that we've ever had have been meant something about something that you're reading. And I was like, okay, well, apparently, I guess I suppose that's what I do now. But it's because I.

[B]

It.

[A]

It feels. It feels like less work because it's actually stuff I care to learn more about. And that never happened in school. It was. It was. It was always just like another part of an assignment. You know what I mean? Like, I.

[B]

And.

[A]

And reading in particular, was not something that I thoroughly enjoyed naturally. Like, I. It sounds strange, but I enjoyed math. Like, math made sense to me. Numbers made sense to me. I. I enjoyed figuring. I. I enjoyed getting a problem and learning how to solve that problem. Reading was totally different. Like, when. Especially if I had to read works of literature or, like, poetry. Poetry to this day is like reading Latin to me. I just like.

[B]

You sound like a Dr. Octopus.

[A]

I don't. I don't enjoy it. Wait, why does he not like poetry?

[B]

Doesn't Otto Octavius and Spider Man 2 say that poetry is as confusing to me as nuclear?

[A]

Does he say that? I don't remember that at all.

[B]

Poetry quote. I feel like I almost could quote it verbain, but I'm scared to say it confidently.

[A]

But yeah, so I. All of those assignments were just like. But it taught me that I hated reading because nothing that they assigned to me was enjoyable to read, at least for me at that time. So that's still to this day. Why? Like, I've read probably close to 200 books now in the last decade. I can't imagine. Like, I don't think any of them were. Yeah, none of them were just like fiction books. Like zero of them were for entertainment value at all. They were all some form of like educational learning something. But it. But mostly things that I was interested in learning about or in like, enjoyed the pursuit of the knowledge or, you know, even random ones that weren't necessarily about, like, business or whatever. It was like the Mysterious Case of Rudolph Diesel. I found that to be a really interesting book to read. It's just a historical, you know, it's a story about how the engine came about. Yeah, Rudolph.

[B]

That's the engine the sleigh runs on, is Rudolph Diesel.

[A]

Rudolph Diesel.

[B]

The quote is, he says, I was trying to explain the theory of relativity and Rosie was trying to explain T.S. eliot. I still don't understand what she was talking about. I'm serious. T.S. eliot is more complicated than advanced science. But if you want to get a woman to fall in love with you, feed her poetry. Poetry. Cut to him. Remember the Laundromat? He's reading poetry day by day.

[A]

As soon as you said the thing about T.S.

[B]

Eliot. Yeah, day by day.

[A]

Day by day, yeah. Tobey Maguire. Solid, solid actor. Yeah.

[B]

Okay, good for him. He didn't say any of these quotes and we're not even supposed to be talking about any of this, so there you go. That's. That's that.

[A]

That's that.

[B]

That was good.

[A]

What was that one? Oh, the Jim Roman one.

[B]

Yeah. I don't remember where we're at.

[A]

Yeah. Self education. I'm okay. Fortune.

[B]

Here's another one for you. We got over good. Dude. We got time for a couple of these. You ready?

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Money? No, I'm going to skip. I'm going to do this one because this is someone you like, but I don't know if you'll agree with this or not.

[A]

All right, we'll see.

[B]

Wealth consists of not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.

[A]

I'd agree with that. For the most part. No, yeah, I would agree with that. If you adjust your expectations, you can have everything you want. You know what I mean? So, yeah, like, at its core, that's.

[B]

That's.

[A]

That's facts.

[B]

That was Epictetus.

[A]

Is it?

[B]

Yeah. Dude, you can't spell Epictetus without epic.

[A]

That's true. Or teat.

[B]

Money is a terrible master, but an excellent servant.

[A]

Yeah, Agree, agree, agree.

[B]

Who said it?

[A]

I don't know. That sounds like the Bible. No, terrible master, great servant. This is somebody who's dead.

[B]

I feel like we should do 20. Can we do 20?

[A]

This is like 18.

[B]

Can we do 20 questions on this one?

[A]

Okay, sure.

[B]

You'll never guess this person in, like, 20 questions.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah, seriously.

[A]

Well, then why are we gonna play the game?

[B]

Because I want to see if you do. Because that would be. That's what makes it mind blowing.

[A]

All right. Dead or alive?

[B]

Dead. What?

[A]

Years?

[B]

Stupidest questions.

[A]

That's a relevant question.

[B]

You ask the dumbest questions.

[A]

If they're not alive, that means they could have existed from, like, he.

[B]

He lives until he died in 1891.

[A]

1891. Okay. Founding father.

[B]

Lived for 80 years.

[A]

Founding father. No, I guess that would make sense.

[B]

That doesn't make any sense. Dude, you read a lot, huh?

[A]

Yeah. 1810.

[B]

Okay, so that's two questions.

[A]

Everybody knows the country was born and it's a.

[B]

He gave that away. But I will keep. I won't count that as a question.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

You'll never guess this in relation to this thing. I'm so excited.

[A]

Is it. Is he an author?

[B]

I don't think so.

[A]

Okay. Statesman? Politician? No, business person.

[B]

Business person. Yeah. He was a politician for a minute, too, but he's not known for that.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Like, I would. I would put that out. Inventor confuse you. He. No, I wouldn't say that.

[A]

American?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Military leader?

[B]

No. I don't know why. This just tickles me. I love playing this game.

[A]

What was the quote again?

[B]

That's what's great about this, is because I'm asking with all these, like, Benjamin Franklin. Thomas Money is a terrible master, but an excellent servant. He had a movie about him recently.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Like, I might have given away too much.

[A]

Like a biopic type movie.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No, no. Can't be that person. I don't know. Dude. This is going to be forever and I'm not going to get it.

[B]

Just come on. Come on. Two more questions. Three more questions.

[A]

Have we talked about him on the podcast?

[B]

Never.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

This is the only way ever would have came up. He was in a movie with the movie that he was. The movie about him had Zac Efron in it.

[A]

That's just more confusing. A biopic that had Zac Efron in it. Yeah, P.T. barnum.

[B]

Yeah, P.T. barnum.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I gave way too much.

[A]

All right.

[B]

Okay. Well, that was fun. I hope everybody enjoyed that. That is.

[A]

That is interesting, though. I would not have guessed that.

[B]

Put him in there. Put him in the list. I'm gonna ask one final one. Okay, you ready? If you're good at something, never do it for free.

[A]

Disagree.

[B]

Really?

[A]

I disagree with that. Who said, like.

[B]

The Joker's mother?

[A]

The Joker's mother.

[B]

Dark Knight. My mother always said, if you're good at something, never do it for free. Wait, is that.

[A]

Is that actually who the quote's attributed to there?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Oh, okay. I would not have guessed that one. Yeah, I disagree with that. Why? Like. Well, because you should have agency over whether or not you want to do it for free or do it. Do it because you love it.

[B]

Would you say that's because money is a terrible master?

[A]

That is one reason.

[B]

That's a callback.

[A]

It's a callback.

[B]

Let's show biz, baby.

[A]

Callback defined. Well, yeah. That's it for today's episode. Remember, money only solves your money problems, but it's easier to solve the rest of your problems. You got money in the bank, so let's start there. Here on the Travis Makes Money podcast. Thanks for tuning in. Catch you next time. Peace.