Travis Makes Money – INTERVIEW | Make Money by Mastering Mindset and Earning the Right to Say No, feat. Alan Stein, Jr.

Date: March 22, 2026
Host: Travis Chappell
Guest: Alan Stein, Jr.

Episode Overview

This episode features a dynamic, in-depth conversation between Travis Chappell and celebrated keynote speaker, author, and former elite basketball performance coach Alan Stein, Jr. The discussion focuses on the mindset and core habits that lead to high performance in business and life, and the journey of “earning the right to say no” through relentless value-adding and personal growth. Alan shares hard-won lessons from coaching NBA legends, his pivot from sports to the corporate stage, and universal strategies to develop resilience, confidence, and lasting success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Relentless Value and Service

• Alan’s Principle: Always aim to over-deliver and be of service, especially early in your career. This creates opportunities and opens doors (02:24).

  • Quote: "At a core it's about adding value and it's about being of service...over deliver value to anyone...that will open a lot of doors for you." – Alan [02:24]

• Earning the Right to Say No:

  • Travis echoes: Early on, say yes to everything until you’ve earned discernment. “You have to earn the right to say no.” (03:25)
  • Quote: “You have to earn the right to say no. Because even if you have a stacked resume, whenever you’re getting into a new realm...you just gotta say yes to every opportunity.” – Travis [03:25]

2. Alan’s Basketball Journey & Mindset Focus

• From Player to Coach: Alan’s passion began at age 5 and evolved through playing at Elon University to becoming a performance coach for elite youth, eventually leading to work with future NBA superstars (07:53, 09:17).
• Modeling After Tim Grover: Inspired by Michael Jordan’s trainer, Alan saw what was possible in performance coaching (09:17).
• Early Focus: Initially worked on young athletes’ strength and conditioning, but soon realized the critical edge was mental (11:00).

Mindset as the Differentiator at the Elite Level

• At the professional level, everyone’s physically talented—the edge is mental (12:21).

  • Quote: “The only thing that’s going to give them an edge...is going to be mindset.” – Travis [12:30]

• Steph Curry Example: Undervalued for physical traits, he used mindset to revolutionize the NBA (13:00).

Teaching Mindset to Young Athletes (and Beyond)

• Lead by Example: “As a leader...you have to model the behavior you want to see.” – Alan [14:00]
• Benefits & Accountability: Make the value of mindset clear, provide practical ways to improve, and hold others accountable.
• Repetition: “Repetition is not punishment. Repetition is the oldest and most effective form of learning.” – Alan [14:00]
• The ‘Next Play’ Mentality: Focus on moving forward after mistakes, essential for athletes and business professionals alike (16:02).

3. Vulnerability and Empathy from Personal Experience

• Both Alan and Travis share candid stories about struggling with setbacks and negative self-talk in their youth (16:02–17:20).
• Alan emphasizes the empathy gained from overcoming his own difficulties:
  • Quote: “I easily allowed myself to get emotionally hijacked...but it gives me a much higher level of empathy and compassion when I meet people that are struggling.” – Alan [17:20]

4. Reinventing Yourself: Transition to Keynote Speaking

• After 20 Years in Basketball: Alan describes how he purposefully pivoted to corporate speaking in 2017 (19:00).
  • Quote: “In 2017 is when I left that world to pursue the corporate keynote speaking, which is what I do and have singular focus on now.” – Alan [19:00]

First Steps to Build a New Business

• Reached out to a dozen contacts in corporate America to discover their biggest challenges (20:39).
• Identified overlap between his expertise and business pain points, then mapped out stories and lessons from basketball to solve these.
• Took every available speaking opportunity—over 100 free talks in three years—no matter the audience size, to build skill and reputation (23:09–23:33).
  • Quote: “Those first three years, I probably did over a hundred free talks...some of which...to three people in a lunchtime cafeteria...” – Alan [23:33]

5. The Value of Volume and Starting Over

• Travis: Many people hold themselves back by not being willing to “start at the bottom” of a new mountain (23:09).
• Importance of Reps: Every stage and every audience matters to build competence and credibility.

6. Smart Growth: Utilizing Coaching and Feedback

• Alan leveraged video review of every talk (“like watching game film”), and invested early in professional speaking coaches to speed up learning and accountability (25:21).
  • Quote: “For me, hiring someone that has a level of expertise and can hold you accountable ... is one of the best investments you can make.” – Alan [25:21]
• Hired coaches throughout his life for writing, finance, even dating—if excellence is the goal, seek help.

7. Investing in Coaching to Buy Time (and Success)

• Travis: “One of the highest and best uses of your finances is to exchange it for more time. And that is coaching in a nutshell.” [28:18]
• Alan: The best way to see blind spots, learn quickly, and maintain high standards is having a coach. “You can't see the picture when you're in the frame.” [30:08]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alan Stein, Jr.:

  • “At a core it's about adding value and it's about being of service...” [02:24]
  • “You have to model the behavior that you want to see in others.” [14:00]
  • “Repetition is not punishment...” [14:00]
  • “I spent most of my life allowing myself to be emotionally hijacked and the last several years quickly moving to the next play. And I can tell you unequivocally, the next play is the way to go.” [17:20]
  • “I hired someone that could...refine and polish and get better at the actual craft.” [25:21]

• Travis Chappell:

  • “You have to earn the right to say no.” [03:25]
  • “You don’t just get airdropped...right by the peak [of a new mountain].” [23:09]
  • “One of the highest and best uses of your finances is to exchange it for more time. Yes. And that is, that is coaching in a nutshell.” [28:18]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:24] Alan on adding value and over-delivering as primary business drivers
• [03:25] Travis’s “earn the right to say no” philosophy
• [07:53–11:00] Alan’s start in basketball and early career focus
• [12:30–14:00] The real edge at elite levels is mindset
• [14:00–16:02] Teaching and modeling mindset for athletes and professionals
• [16:02–17:20] Personal stories about overcoming negative thinking and mistakes
• [19:00, 20:39] Alan’s pivot to corporate keynote speaking and first steps
• [23:09-25:21] Volume of free talks, embracing humble beginnings, and leveraging feedback
• [25:21–28:18] The value of coaching and investing to accelerate progress
• [30:08] Coaching gives you sight of your blind spots and accountability

Fun Segment: All-Time NBA Starting Five

• Host and Guest share their dream NBA “starting five” lineups:
  • Alan: Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal [31:27]
  • Travis: Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Shaquille O'Neal [32:32]
  • Conversation on evolving talent and generational greats (e.g., Jokic, Victor Wembanyama) [32:45–33:12]

Where to Find Alan Stein, Jr.

• Website: allensteinjr.com
• Socials: @allensteinjr on Instagram, LinkedIn, and other major platforms
• Books: Available on Amazon, Audible, and other major retailers [33:28]

Episode Takeaways

• Ultimate progress—financial or personal—is a result of persistent value delivery, humble beginnings, continual mindset work, and seeking out accelerated learning through coaching.
• Mindset isn’t just for athletes: it’s the great differentiator for anyone aiming for the top in any domain.

Closing Quote

“Money only solves your money problems. But it's easier to solve the rest of your problems when you got money in the bank. So let's solve that one first here on the Travis Makes Money podcast.” – Travis Chappell [33:49]

This summary captures the original insights, warmth, and motivational energy of the conversation, providing actionable inspiration for anyone pursuing financial and personal growth.