Acquired a furniture company today! I love including my family in these wins. So excited for the next chapter 💪

I live in a suburb of Orlando and you can’t seem to go 5 houses without a For Sale sign What is happening!?

This hits hard

True or false: Rolling up to the business you own in your new Ferrari has a net negative morale impact on your employees.

If you don’t get excited about your friend’s success, you’re not a friend.

$18k in cashflow asking only $960k People are sleeping on golden horses!

Want to kill team morale fast? Roll up in a Ferrari while your employees stress about rent. Saw it happen—office went SILENT. Thoughts on bosses flaunting wealth?

It’s 2024. Someone tell me how a store built around batteries and bulbs is still in business?

How I turned $205k into a $4 million company in 10 months The inside story of my successful acquisition: In January 2023 I stumped across a company for sale. It was listed for $3.55 million and showed SDE of $1.6 million. Those kind of numbers can have a serious impact on most people’s lives—including mine. And I was already on the hunt for my next business challenge. I did the standard submit for more info, and the actual seller called me directly. He decided against using a broker (not exactly ideal in my opinion) and we went through the usual protocol of me submitting and NDA, etc. The interesting part of the deal? The seller had JUST purchased the business in August 2022 and was already listing it in January 2023. He actually used the PREVIOUS seller’s packet of information on the company, other than a two-paragraph letter he included explaining the situation. While the whole thing was a little odd, I wanted to dig deeper. We spoke on the phone and the seller explained he was trying to run the business remote from up north. He explained he thought he was going to move to Orlando where the company was located, he wanted to buy this company for his high-school aged kids to run one day, but he decided against moving. Circumstances changed – it happens. He told me how he’s already very successful in his career with other companies, and he bit off more than he could chew here. I assume a lot of people would be scared by that story, but I wasn’t. I could smell opportunity. I think it’s so important to be able to identify opportunity in certain situations, rather than finding yourself looking at all the possible downsides. The numbers were awesome, and the company is in the Corporate Event Business which is something I already have exposure to with a similar business I own in New York. The next step in my mind? I needed this seller on my side. To be blunt - I needed to be likeable. Why? Well, I already knew he would get other calls with those kinds of numbers. And from a financial standpoint, I knew I wouldn’t be the wealthiest guy looking at it. On top of that, I wanted him to do some seller financing. None of those things are possible if you do not have any type of quality relationship with the seller. He wasn’t the original owner, so he didn’t have that deep emotional attachment and obligation to “pass the business on to the perfect person.” He was going to sell the business to someone he enjoyed communicating with, and I was going to make sure that person was me. Lesson: Be a good communicator. Be a good human. It will impact every area of your life at some point. Maybe “be likeable” sounds a little conniving, but getting along with the seller is good for all involved. Fast forward to February, we met for dinner and a drink. “Jake, I wanted to let you know you’re my guy. With that said, I did hire a GM and I want to give her a chance to run things with the possibility I can keep this company.” And just like that, the deal was on hold. But I didn’t get discouraged one bit. He explained where he was at in his life to me previously, and I was absolutely positive that this was not going to work the way he intended. That is not to say I was rooting against him, I don’t believe in doing anything like that, I just could tell he didn’t understand the industry. So essentially it was not IF the call would come, but WHEN it would come. I moved on. In April my phone rang and I saw his name. My heart started racing a little faster than usual. “Hi Jake! I hope all is well! Hey, I know you have a digital marketing agency – can you help us with a new website and some updated branding?” Uhhhhh, not exactly the call I was hoping for haha. Of course I said yes. I asked him to gather up some photography, video, and a few other things. It never made it that far. In May he called me. I assumed it was for the website, but this time it was THEcall. “Hey Jake – I’m worn out. I am ready to sell.” I essentially updated the same LOI that I sent him earlier in the year, changed the dates, and fired it over. The offer was for $3.65 million (I knew he had a few other people in his back pocket to sell to should I try and play too hard with the numbers). The deal included $500k in seller financing. Total deal size was $4.1 million so we needed $410k for the SBA injection requirement. The seller gave me 5%, $205k toward the injection requirement, and an additional seller note of $295k. He made it clear prior to this he believed in me, wanted to support me, and was willing to do this. He signed it in early June, and off we went. I had already been communicating with @sbabmarks since early in the year about this deal, so it was time to get him back into the picture. When I say this Bruce is a master of his craft, holy crap do I mean it. He's seen it all. And he helped me navigate a bunch of hurdles. This seller was NOT NOT NOT easy to work with. He had horrible bookkeeping (the previous owner had amazing bookkeeping which was crucial to get this deal done) The seller is already very wealth, I’ve been told he is a “trust fund baby,” and my guess is he has had a lot of stuff handed to him throughout life. Unfortunately, the bank, the SBA, nor any parties involved with closing this deal are going to accept shotty numbers and lack of effort on a multimillion dollar deal. And to be clear, if the original owner didn’t have awesome numbers going back over a decade showing consistently good numbers, I would have walked. Lesson: Make sure the seller of the business you are acquiring has strong accounting or it will be an uphill battle. I only was saved by the previous owner here. After imploring him to get his accounting in order, he agreed to hire a bookkeeper to clean it up. The funny part? After weeks of delays he claims he couldn’t find anyone, and eventually used a bookkeeper I use for some of my stuff haha. In an odd twist, this actually gave me confidence he had nothing to hide. Around this time, the best in the business @SMB_Attorney was retained to make sure we legally got this deal done right. I really love the model that @smblawgroup utilizes in one-set price instead of gouging you with hourly billing. You can just focus on getting the deal done right rather than constantly counting time and worrying about your bill. Eventually, the seller got numbers put together accurately. The bank pre-approved approved the deal. On to closing. Enter: final hurdles (and there will ALWAYS be hurdles) 1) the pending government shutdown and therefore SBA shutdown 2) the seller wanted a non-refundable deposit from me despite not knowing how the original owner would react when given the news (we needed his help) 3) the previous owner was still the landlord, and was about to find out the successor he thought he chose for his baby was already selling. Despite having never spoken to me, he had to approve me in a multitude of ways. 3a/b/c) He needed to approve me as a tenant and transfer the lease. He needed to be willing to provide tax returns from 2021 and 2022 to the bank despite having zero vested interest in this deal. He needed to sign the SBA landlord waiver that is standard for every deal. How did #1 playout? We smartly got SBA approval a few days BEFORE the shutdown, so this was eventually a non-issue. How did #2 playout? I eventually caved on this. I went back and forth, but he wasn’t budging. After some time I concluded that a $25k risk was worth the upside if I could complete this deal and own this company outright. Some people might think I am nuts to have done this, and I know @SMB_Attorney certainly had his concerns (which I appreciate him having my back), but I felt in my gut we could get this done and I needed to do it. How did all parts of #3 playout? Good grief. First of all, he handled the news better than I thought. While I am sure he was a little blindsided, when I FINALLY got to speak with him, he said “it’s just business.” This was refreshing in that I knew with him as the original owner and most knowledgeable person of the history, and also he would be my new landlord, I needed him on my side as well. 3a – He wasn’t kidding when he said he’s all business. He said that because the current owner has a stronger financial position than me, he won’t transfer the lease without the seller staying on as a guarantor. This was a lot to ask someone who was already giving me a $500k note. Thankfully for me the seller was so deep into the transaction at this point, and highly vested in completing the deal. He was NOT thrilled about this, but he did sign. 3b – He gave up the tax returns. He hadn’t filed 2022 yet, so he provided proof of an extension which was acceptable to the bank. 3c – He was not a fan of the waiver. Said it “limited his protection” and he pushed back. This was the DAY before closing. It was down to the wire. After some back and forth with the @SAOliver_Atty and awesome work on his part on behalf of the bank, the landlord eventually signed off. Another Lesson: have EXPERIENCED and KNOWLEDABLE people do these deals with you. Trying to complete this stuff without help is crazy – so choose your fellow warriors wisely because there will very likely be some battles you need them for along the way. In the end, it all came together! I closed the deal!! I am 70 days in now. We are focusing on earning the trust of our talented staff and setting the company up for growth. Business is up, and January 2024 is looking like it will smoke January 2023. Great start. Final lesson: I’m not going to sugarcoat it; the process of acquiring a company is not a walk in the park and you need to be ready. You must be resilient. You must be ready for a host of ups and downs. If acquiring a multi-million-dollar company was a piece of cake, the barrier to entry would be too low. For 10 months, the ups and downs of this transaction were DRAINING. One day I was getting it, one day I wasn’t. Emotional rollercoaster. But I hung in there and kept fighting for it. Quick final story: That first site visit I did with the seller in January, he gave me his business card. I never keep business cards anymore. I snap a picture and throw them out. I kept this one, though. I kept it in my office and looked at it often. I will keep it forever. I just KNEW I was going to get this company. And I was prepared to go to battle and earn it. Business and acquisition can be a huge balancing act of risk/reward and everything in between. But I believed in myself. I knew no matter what came my way, I could overcome it. Anything is possible in this life with a belief in yourself and willingness to go after what you want. And with everything having built up to that moment at the closing table, With my family by my side, my inspiration for everything I do... I closed the deal. -- Follow me at @successwithjake for more cool stories about business and life.

My HOA spent $250k on this new playground Everything is fine!

It’s Friday and I have a lot to do. But then my 3-year-old asked to “lay on me.” So instead, I started today by watching Toy Story. Many dads on here have helped me realize: You can’t get this time back.

In almost 15 years of running a marketing agency, this never happened. A client filed a chargeback. $20,000. Website and several months of SEO work. Fully completed. We had a signed contract. Approval emails. Receipts. Reports of all the business we garnered them. Everything. I submitted it all. And still… The bank sided with the client. Pulled $20K out of my account instantly. No questions. No warning. Just gone. This wasn’t a one-off client. This was someone we had a relationship with. Someone who approved every step, until I guess they didn’t feel like paying anymore. If you run a service business, hear me loud: Chargebacks can happen to you. Even with a paper trail. Even when you deliver. And the system? It doesn’t protect you. In the world of service businesses, chargebacks are legal theft.

USC runs one heck of an operation to be able to sell THESE tickets! Thoughts? What am I missing?

I’ll never forget. It was at Carrabba’s. A couple bought our meal and snuck out. We had no idea until they were long gone. I wanted to say thank you so bad, but then I realized It was about the gesture, not the recognition. Changed my perception forever. Paying it forward without the need for recognition If it comes, great, but don’t seek it. I was reflecting on this experience this morning because last night we bought for the table behind us. A father and his two young daughters. Happy as can be. I’m sure when they found out, they wanted to thank us too But we were long gone.

The doer made mistakes, learned, adapted, and scaled. The thinker made plans.

Decided to inquire about a “mobile oil change” I called and the guy asks me “make and model of your vehicle?” I respond and he tells me he won’t be able to beat the prices of the dealership or local oil change shops. I tell him, “I’m not worried about you beating the price, I am contacting you for the convenience!” It was eye-opening because I’m not sure he realized what made him unique. It’s his convenience NOT his price! This is true for so many businesses. You don’t always need to compete on price—that can be a losing battle. Figure out what you have to offer that sets you apart and focus on THAT. You don’t need to win on price to have a highly successful company. People will pay MORE if you know how to solve their problem. Any thoughts on this? Do you agree?

This is absolutely ridiculous A poor display of leadership in every conceivable way Instead of educating and teaching him what he did wrong (an incredibly minor offense, too) he will now deal with this trauma forever Sad.

$20k taken instantly from my account yesterday. You ever just stare at something struggling to accept it? I fulfilled the promises. I operated with integrity. The end result is negative $20k. The conversations were similar to many others I’d had. Everything started normal. Before things got wild. I received a new client referral for SEO services for my agency. Contract signed. Work started. A month in the same client wanted a new website. The owner had us work directly with his employee on it. Site fully built out after TONS of back and forth. All paid for and set to go. The owner then fires that employee over “laziness” and decides he wants another new site with e-commerce as well. “Uh sure Mr. Business Owner, but you will have to pay for it.” He agrees. We proceed. Lesson one: I saw the red flags. This guy was not mentally stable. But I proceeded against my better judgement after he ranted about health problems, almost feeling bad for him. Bad idea. After completing the second site build, he comes back with insane demands—WAY outside the scope of work and pricing. Normally I do little extra things. I don’t like to nickel and dime, but this was serious. I always take a kind and professional approach, and I politely told him we cannot do that at this budget. He loses it. And I mean loses it. Turns into a HUGE BULLY and starts threatening me. His emails were so extreme that I had my wife read a few and the first thing she says? “I actually think he is on drugs.” She was serious. They were that outlandish. I felt anxiety reading them. In 12+ years having an agency I’ve never encountered anything remotely close to this. Next came the threats. He was going to sue me, report me to the attorney general, and chargeback EVERYTHING. This all comes AFTER we did 5 months of SEO work and were beginning to crush it for him, along with two full website builds. After speaking to a few people, I told him, go ahead. We did every single thing we agreed to. These were not small websites. Both were 40+ pages! He of course didn’t actually notify the attorney general but did file chargebacks on everything. This is my first ever chargeback. Per the process, I submit all evidence. Signed contract. All texts and emails. Screenshots and direct links to both fully built websites. I put it out of mind. Assumed I’d win. Yesterday, $20k vanishes from my account. I am told I lost the dispute. I of course can’t go and ask my staff members for the money back I paid them, and the buck stops with me. Gut punch. All I can chalk it up to? I signed up for hard things as a business owner and leader. Things. Will. Happen. You have to be willing to absorb unfair blows and keep pushing forward. The mental game part of business is CHALLENGING. Tough days are TOUGH. As business owners, we EARN everything we have. From the outside, business owners have it made. And we certainly have some amazing perks. But not for a second will I ever believe we don’t earn it. The trophies in our lives came from tenacity. The rewards we've received came from resilience. And those “perks” we get? They came from perseverance after getting punched and $20k gets ripped out of your hands.

A client accidentally sent us a check for $34 million instead of $34k Do we: A) Notify the client & ask for a new check B) Take time to consider all options C) Cash it. Have the most epic team party of all time & invite everyone on Twitter Please let me know you chose ‘C’ !

One year ago my whole life changed I received this check for $34,567,291 It was a surreal moment to look down at those numbers Your mind starts just going—dreaming up the years ahead So it wasn’t easy Emailing the client to tell them they accidentally sent me a $34m check

Your life is stuck. You want to flip it ALL upside down. MASSIVELY transform it in only 5 years. I'm talking completely UNRECOGNIZABLE. Every last piece. Relationships, finances, career, parenthood, location, health, housing—literally all of it. Is that even possible? Realistic? Yes. It is. Need proof? Here you go: Rewind 5 years, in early March 2019, the following were all true: I was: -unmarried -not a dad -paycheck to paycheck -lived in a shitty appt -lived in chilly Buffalo -never owned a home -never even sniffed buying a company -injured and out of shape -crappy car -every single dollar mattered Ready for the 5 year transformation? -married -dad to 3 kids -bought a house in Florida -moved from NY to FL -grew my tiny business -then started a few more -then bought a company -bought another company -sold FL house for bigger FL house -got new cars that don’t stall -healthy and in shape -hugely upgraded financial situation There is almost nothing the same about me as 5 years ago. Still think you don’t have time? I promise. You do. Don’t overcomplicate it. Your life can look drastically different 5 years from now. I’m walking proof. 5 years ago I was staring at the snow out of a small Buffalo, NY suburb apartment window dreaming of what could be. Now instead of dreaming, I’m living. DECIDE to change your life. And never look back.

I bounced payroll. Had no money left to my name. The mother of our young secretary called me. “Jake, when is she going to get paid?” I assured her she would get paid soon. My NEW girlfriend (now wife) was about to rescue me. You want to talk about embarrassing? This was a new low in not only missing payroll, getting a call from mom, but having to swallow my ego and pride and ask for help. THIS is why people say building a business isn't for everyone. THIS is why people say you're going to be faced with incredibly difficult situations you've never seen before. And so then it becomes... are you up for the challenge? Most aren't up for asking their new girlfriend whom is just getting by as a server that thinks you're a rockstar businessman to borrow money. Most aren't up for fielding a call from the mom of the employee whose check you just bounced. It takes hardcore emotional resilience. Be prepared to learn on the fly, and be willing to build skills nonstop as quickly as possible to survive. Bottom line? Building a business is f’n HARD. The start is supposed to suck, the secret is to never stop.

Should I be holding my little guy back a grade? So much of what I read on X keeps me wondering. May birthday. August 31 is the school year line in Florida. He will be one of the youngest kids. Is it really that big of a deal?

This is a great answer! Makes perfect sense.

You can’t stop it. You have done it again. You’re at a kid’s bday party. Your son’s karate class. Your buddies brewery. You are enjoying the moment. You also find yourself simultaneously calculating the operation’s expected revenue, margins, & profits. How do you stop it? You can’t. I’m sorry. But know this.. you’re not alone. Many of us struggle with this ongoing dilemma. And while I would like offer advice here. I also have no idea how to prevent this from happening. So please don’t hold back on sharing your experiences on analyzing the profit margins of your daughter’s “Tumble Bumble Bees” gymnastics class. We are here to break it down with you. We are all in this together. And while my wife absolutely thinks I’m the only psycho doing this. I know there are other crazies out there!

Roger Federer with some incredibly powerful words

So powerful.

I’m sorry but Hormozi nailed this one

I built a company for 7 years and woke up completely broke. Tens of thousands of dog cupcakes made, but my bank account never followed. I poured in time, money, and energy—believing it would take off. It didn’t. I made $0. I failed. I tried everything—markets, partnerships, marketing tricks. Mall kiosks, small retail stores, e-commerce. Some months felt promising, but the substantial revenue never followed. I kept telling myself, just one more push. But after seven years, reality hit: it wasn’t working. It crushed me. I felt like I wasted SO much time, like maybe I wasn’t cut out for business. But looking back, I see the lessons. Failure wasn’t the end—it was the beginning of something bigger. If you’re struggling, don’t quit yet. Your breakthrough might be closer than you think. And even if you fail, remember—failure isn’t final. It’s just another step forward.

Too much ego will kill your talent. There was festival in town & I went out & rented, & dressed up in.. A chicken suit. Stood out front 8 hours giving coupons for the consignment store I helped my sister run. Choose to feed your family over your ego. Who else has a story of doing whatever it takes?

Trust isn't built with words - it's built with actions. Found this out the hard way at the company I purchased in 2023. For months I kept telling everyone how different things would be, how we'd change the culture, how I had their backs. Then this veteran employee, 64 years old, looks me dead in the eye: "Nice speeches. But I've heard it all before from the last 2 owners." Man, that hit hard. Made me realize: - Every promise they've heard before - Every change that never happened - Every leader who let them down Now it's time to shut up and just do the work. Do what needs to be done. Jump in where it's needed. Fix what's broken. As of late, I FEEL the changes. A lot more smiles around the office. Some actual eye contact. Real conversations. The lesson? Trust is earned, not declared. What about you - ever had to rebuild trust after walking into a situation where it was completely broken?

This is so smart. Are you considering a course on this? I would pay at lease $1,000 for it!

You know what takes guts? Signing up for a $50k per month personally guaranteed loan payment. I lost a lot of sleep leading up to the decision to sign on that dotted line. Am I being irresponsible? I have a wife and 3 small kids—what if I fail and they take our house? Take everything? How could I have any level of conscious and not think about those things? This is why they say that being an entrepreneur takes a certain type of personality. It takes a special unique mindset. An extreme ambition. Maybe a little crazy? It’s a massive bet on yourself, and this was my biggest. By far. Speaking to one of my best friends since childhood, I’ll never forget his words when I told him the details. “Pushing all the chips in” And he’s right—I went “all-in.” 6 months in and so far this decision is the most powerful life-changing decision I’ve ever made. It’s been extremely challenging, but I can feel the wheels turning on all the positives I can do with this. (I also realize that despite a strong start, I have a ways to go, and I’m not getting too ahead of myself.) As we sat at the closing table on a sunny central Florida afternoon last October, my close pal @SMB_Attorney passes me the paper. Yes, THE paper. “Close your eyes while you sign this one” he says. I was about to sign the loan guarantee paper. I was about to take the biggest “gamble” of my life. On myself. 6 months of payments down and 9.5 years to go, but I’m proud of the guts I had to take the leap I took that day. It’s the next step toward changing the fortunes of my family, and the ability to positively impact as many people as I can. My dad worked in a 120 degree factory for 40+ years. My mom was a homemaker to us 5 kids. We grew up out in the country of modest means. 11 years ago my vehicle was broken down while I counted change off the floor of it to buy food. I built everything I have from scratch and YES I was absolutely SCARED TO DEATH that day as I signed that paper. But I knew I had to do it. The phrase goes “no risk, no reward” Let’s change it to: “Bet on yourself, believe you can do it” Then for your family, for the lives you’ll touch along the way, and most importantly, for yourself, Go give it all you’ve got. Go win.

Get out of your own head! Your life is as good as your mindset.

Dear natural extroverts: What does it feel like? Do you just like, go up and start talking to people?

Be mindful of who’s in your corner. This is powerful.

You will rarely see the fruits of your labor immediately. You just need to keep planting seeds over and over, then one random day you’re going to wake up and realize you’ve created an entire herd of opportunity.

Love to see people put things into action from books right away

Florida is BOOMING. Business opportunities everywhere! Beautiful weather - can go outside year round. Endless unique experiences for my kids and family. Tell me again all the reasons Florida is such a bad place to live?

Life is a gift. Wake up every day and realize that! #gratitude

After being on a waiting list for years We got the call that my son got into a top private school. We met with the school, but still feel some hesitation. Is private school that much better than public?

Progress is the key, not perfection.

To some degree, I think we all crave a certain type of life. Some prefer simple and relaxed. Others enjoy always being on-the-go and constantly doing things. Many fall in between! What do you prefer? The good news is, YOU have the power to create the life you want for yourself.

A hill I’ll die on: Most people shouldn’t buy or own a business. The mental stamina & emotional regulation it demands is intense. When it’s easy, everyone can play “entrepreneur.” But things get tough (which they will)? The story always goes: “Maybe this just isn’t for me.”

The more negativity you can cut out, the better off you’ll be in every area of your life.

Employee who has been solid for years. Totally messed up and completely no-showed to an event on Friday. He took responsibility right away. Also a terrible look for the company. How would you handle this?

I have a roofing client that spends $60k per month on billboards. He just called me and asked me if I think it's worth it, or there is a better option. What do you think? Do billboards still work?

Ever considered running a business for 8+ years for $0? You put your blood, sweat & tears into something for NO RETURN? This is why people say building a business is the ultimate experience. We ended with nothing, just missed out on Shark Tank, and why I'd do it ALL again.. My sister approached me in late 2012 with an idea for a dog treats company. She noticed a growing trend that Gen Z seemed more interested in having dogs than kids. My entrepreneurial brain kicked into high gear and off we went to create magic. What made us unique? We created the first dog cupcakes company. Canine Cupcakes. The next 8 years were an absolute whirlwind. There is nothing we didn’t try. We focused a lot on ecommerce which was a natural path. We also tried to grow our retail presence by getting into mom and pops across the northeast. How’d we do that? We took road trips traveling city to city, walking into pet places, and trying to convince them to carry out product. When you hear from successful entrepreneurs how you have to grind it out at the beginning. "Do whatever it takes." This was us. Peddling dog cupcakes from state to state. We spent almost EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND at various conventions and shows, trying to get our products out there. And we were LITERALLY learning on the fly. I am trying to figure out internet marketing and also trying to figure out how to build a company. My sister is in the weeds fulfilling orders and attempting to improve our products and add more. We were attempting to understand distribution, quality control, and how to scale. We had no idea what we were doing. Neither of us had any business training or a business degree. Around this time Shark Tank was starting to become popular and we said, hey we got a catchy product, why don’t we try to get on? I remember getting the call from the show producer in my friend’s basement. My hands were shaking when he told me who he was. “You made the final cuts for our top 40!” That is a moment I will never forget. That ONE SINGLE phone call was validation for SO MUCH hard work. Ultimately, after endless paperwork, shooting video, etc – we did not make it onto the show. THANK GOODNESS WE DIDN’T! We would have been embarrassed. We weren’t ready, we didn’t understand half of what it takes for a large operation. And it would have been a nightmare. We pushed on and we did it all. My sister and I. Nobody else. Every single day. Handling customers. Fulfilling orders. Trying to find more stores. Running ads. Trying to add products. Answering emails. Creating marketing material. It never stopped. We lived and breathed it and gave it EVERYTHING we had. And we made no money along the way. In the end? We didn’t make it. Year 7 was our best year ever, but it didn’t have the traction that made sense to continue. It's very difficult to walk away from something that you devoted almost a decade of your life to. But what did I leave with? That’s the thing... I left with EVERYTHING. I left with insanely valuable business and personal skills that I will take with me forever. I left that grueling experience understanding what it takes to build something great, and you cannot put a price on that. And I also left with a heck of a cool run with my sister that we will have forever. I get choked up as I am writing this, because this experience was so impactful in so many ways. Sometimes it’s about more than money. Valuable business skills for life? Bonding with your sister? Experiences nobody can ever take? Life and business lessons that setup your ENTIRE future? Can I really consider this a loss when I walked away with all that? Yes, it sucks to have made no money. But I would do it all over again. Because while I made no money, I made a life.

What are 3 things you're grateful for?

Running from the hurricane and trying to find experiences along the way! I’m the definition of a natural risk taker in so many ways But there is ZERO dice rolling when it comes to my family. Be safe everyone in the path 🙏

My father-in-law roasted me at my own wedding, in front of everyone. “We all want the best for our children & hope that they’ll find the right one. The one that will make them happy. Make them feel cherished. And who will look after them always. And my daughter picked... Jake" That was my father-in-law’s speech at our wedding. Everyone laughed. It was “just a joke.” I laughed too. But it stung. Because I knew, deep down, he meant it. At least a little. And honestly? I don’t blame him. At the time, I was a broke entrepreneur trying to stay afloat. We had a 5-month-old baby. I wasn’t stable. I wasn’t proven. I’m still not sure how we even managed to pay for that wedding. But I never wavered. I knew I’d figure it out. I just kept learning, growing, pushing. I kept showing up. Even when it felt like no one believed in me. I let those words fuel me. Within months, everything started to change. I got a few breaks. I gained traction. I never looked back. In the six years since, I’ve hit nearly every goal I wrote down back then. Now I’m aiming higher. The life I used to dream about? I’m living it. It’s not a dream anymore. So if they laugh… let them. If they doubt you… let them. When your own father-in-law makes fun of you, at your own wedding? Let that fire burn. Let the fire in your chest light the whole damn path forward. Then go prove every single one of them wrong. Because YOU know what you’re capable of. And that’s all that matters.

If you’re just starting out working toward a huge goal, except the fact it’s going to a process. There will be ups. There will be downs. Don’t get too high or too low. Stay the course. Keep taking steps—even if they’re small. Remember, it’s consistency that ends up winning!

They do not trust you. Doesn’t matter what you SAY to them. 4.5 months into my most recent acquisition, and words mean almost nothing to my new staff. One of our key staff members, 64 years old, approached me at one point and said: “I don’t believe you. You claim you are going to do this and that and I've heard all that stuff before." Thankfully, I knew this to be the case. I ALWAYS follow up everything I communicate to staff about future vision with “but I know I need to prove this to you.” As new owner, the tables have turned. YOU’RE on the hot seat too! You need to prove you are a formidable and trusted leader. Words are important, but actions are everything. Follow through on what you say you’ll do. Overdeliver. Earn the trust of your team. A huge part of your job is to galvanize the group, and that means demonstrating in your actions that you’re for real. Update: Last week that same 64-year-old gentleman approached me. What did he say? “Jacob, where were you 20 years ago? I could have used you! You came in and said you were going to do all these things and you are ACTUALLY doing them.” Wow. This meant the world to me. Here is a man, close to retirement, and I could feel his excitement and passion. You could tell he has been wanting to feel that for a long time. As the journey continues, the tides are turning and trust is being earned. The lesson? You have to remember one crucial fact as you communicate visions and promises to your new team. You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.

Haha this is good.

Bitcoin Sale VS. Cash Flowing Business In Oct 2023 I sold 2.17 Bitcoin & 5 ETH to help fund my acquisition. At the time the bitcoin was worth $56k. The ETH was worth $8k. They would now be worth $147k & $20k respectfully. Ouch! Missed out on $103k. Was it the right choice? In those same 4.75 months the following occurred at my acquired cash flowing business. I have made 4 debt payments reducing the loan principal. This was PAID FOR by the business. We’ve also netted significantly more than $103k during these 4.75 months. It should be noted bitcoin value increasing is totally passive; the cash flowing business is not. Also to be considered: Can crypto keep up those kind returns regularly? I think it’s obvious the cash flowing business likely has more sustainability. After seeing the bitcoin surge, would I make the same choice again and sell it? Absolutely. I missed out on $100k, but I gained so much more. Having your cake and eating it too would have been ideal here, but hard decisions have to be made in business and life. I would have loved to keep that bitcoin. But don't get caught stepping over the dollar to pickup the dime. If a life-changing opportunity presents itself to you, go all in. You won't miss the dime if you get the dollar.

Bank of Starbucks, baby. Starbucks isn’t just a coffee company. It’s basically a bank. Millions of people preload money into the Starbucks app for convenience. In 2024, that number was over $1.7 BILLION sitting in prepaid balances. That’s a $1.7B interest-free loan from customers. No investor pitch. No credit check. Just lattes. And what does Starbucks do with it? They earn interest while that money sits there. You don’t. It’s genius. You fund their float. They invest it. So next time you reload your app, remember: You’re not just buying coffee. You’re making a zero-yield deposit into the Bank of Starbucks.

Absolute marketing masterclass. 🫡 In 1984, Nike did something outrageous. They willingly shelled out $410,000 in fines just to let Michael Jordan hit the court in black sneakers. At the time, the NBA was enforcing a stringent rule: basketball shoes had to be 51% white. Violate this rule, and you'd get slapped with a $5,000 fine per game. Over an 82-game season, this added up to a staggering $410,000. But Nike wasn't fazed. They had Jordan don black and red sneakers, creating an instant sensation. These weren't just any shoes—they were the debut Air Jordan 1s. The buzz was immediate. "The NBA fined a player for rocking some seriously cool shoes!" became the headline of the day. Nike’s marketing brilliance was shining through. The uproar made Jordans the hottest topic everywhere, sending Nike’s sales into the stratosphere. By the end of the season, Michael Jordan had earned the title of NBA Rookie of the Year. Nike sold an astounding $126 million worth of Jordan 1s. Fast forward to today, and the Jordan 1s remain the quintessential Nike sneaker. Last year alone, the Jordan brand pulled in over $6.6 billion, with Michael Jordan reaping over $1.5 billion in lifetime royalties. Just do it.

My uncle wants to sell me his pizzeria He’s ready to retire & wants to keep it in the family It’s located in my hometown & won’t ever be a huge money maker But of course there is sentimental value at play here I hear pizzerias are TOUGH businesses Do I entertain or run away?

Went out to a nice dinner tonight w/ my wife & two little girls. We ask for the bill & the server tells us the couple next to us paid it on their way out. I’m still in shock. I love they did it w/out recognition. What a nice gesture. I’m excited for my chance to pay it forward.

You honestly only need one person to believe in you. Yourself. That’s it. That’s the list.

This is the way.

Shout out to this legend who just sold his 46-year-old plumbing company for 22x EBITDA

Insane updates on my 21-year-old niece who makes $4k+ monthly (and growing) streaming video games on TikTok. Let me break the entire thing down for you because it is incredibly fascinating. I am still trying to wrap my head around it all. First, how does she make her money? I assumed from TikTok. Nope. She makes about half of her monthly income by going live on her account and receiving GIFTS from people watching her play! That's right, she will go live for 2 hours daily and people just DONATE to her as she plays Roblox. She said on average she makes $100-150 per 2 hour session, but has made up to $1k at once. Oh and TikTok? They get half, so they also made $1k from her that day. Which is why she was assigned a TIKTOK MANAGER! Who works for TikTok and guides her on how to maximize her account! This includes help if her account has any issues, access to a special audience growth course, and ongoing coaching. But the earnings don't just stop there. Next? She charges $2.99 per month to subscribe to her channel and is currently almost at 800 subscribers. So she is raking in another cool $2k+ and growing monthly recurring income there as well. Her account is currently at 55k followers (it was just between 51-52k when I posted the original tweet 23 days ago). She said her account grows on average 100-200 followers per day which means, you guessed it, more gifts, more subscriptions, more income. I said to her: Are you motivated to keep "working" on your account? "Well yes, every single time I go live I make money and gain followers - and it's fun because I just like playing the game" She has now expanded to playing Fortnite as well. I encouraged her to push her followers to other platforms too with all the hoopla surrounding TikTok right now. In Summary? I am blown away. 21 years old. Can work from anywhere. Can play video games a few hours a day. And make thousands of dollars per month. She is living the dream! Insane. What else do you want to know?

Find balance in life. It’s so crucial. Work hard, absolutely. Chase your goals, definitely. Just don’t forget all the components to living a fulfilled life.

In life. In business. In basically any scenario.... surround yourself with people that lift you up.

Keep opening doors every chance you get. One of them could lead to something that changes your life forever.

Money is nothing without your health.

Success isn’t measured in days, it’s measured in years. Remember that.

Get excited to work on your goals, that’s when you can make serious progress.

When you KNOW your worth, no one can make you feel worthless.

You’re on the ball, David

Everything comes to you at the right moment. Be patient.

Falling down is an accident. Staying down is a choice.

10 great business topics to write about: 1. Wins
2. Goals
3. Beliefs
4. Failures
5. Strategy
6. Branding
7. Marketing
8. Leadership
9. Operations
10. Experiences

Stop building an audience.
 Start building a reputation. Any other topics?

Actions speak louder than words, because things are easier said than done.

Under contract to acquire a competitor. The next chapter is underway! I love playing the game of business.

You’re going to make mistakes on the road to your goals. We all do. I’ve made so many. The real key is if you learned from them, and how you respond. Make your comeback greater than your setback.

Don’t worry about all the noise around you, NONE OF IT MATTERS! Focus on yourself, the people you care about, and don’t give in to a world full of things to distract you.

I learn from every successful person I can possibly expose myself to. Books, audios, podcasts, seminars, on Twitter, the internet, I do it all. The way to experience hyper growth in your life & career or business is study those who have already done it. Success leaves clues...

Stop thinking you lost or failed and start realizing you learned a lesson and you’re growing.

If you’ve made progress in a certain area of your life or experienced success, and then you run into a setback—don’t let yourself dwell on that setback. Shift your focus and realize how far you’ve come.

Every child will one day sleep by themselves. Every child will soon stop requesting to be picked up or snuggled. In no time at all, the toys will vanish as they move beyond them. And their dependence on us will lessen just a bit more than it did yesterday. So don’t let anyone ever guilt you for cherishing every moment of being a parent that you can.

Have a plan. Have a road map. Take time to figure out what you want in life, then take time to figure out what steps you can take to get those things. After that, stick to the plan, don’t give up, keep pushing, and wait for those things you want to arrive. They are coming...

Life becomes easier when you delete the negative people from it.

One of the reasons most people don’t enjoy owning a business? The PRESSURE. So much rides on your shoulders. Responsibility for the business's success falls in your hands. And most powerfully? The burden of being responsible for the livelihoods of your employees. Can you handle the heat? Can you keep a level head when things go sideways? (*Note: they will) Calm and clear is crucial. To play this game, you gotta learn to love the pressure.

Wife: “Excuse me? You pay $20 a month for ChatGPT?” Me: “Yes? It’s way better than the regular version.” Wife: “I’m sorry. What? You’re kidding.” Me: “No? Why is this so hard to accept? And it’s a business expense.” Wife: “You spend money on the weirdest shit.” Who’s right?

You want to be a true leader? Stop forcing things on people. Instead, help develop them. They will discover it for themselves.

I used to chase money and now I chase growth. The money will come.

I used to think it was about how much I work. Now I know it’s how smart I work.

Stop trying to change everybody around you and focus on yourself first.

Stop listening to advice and opinions from people who are not living the lifestyle you desire, this can really set you back. Seek out those who have accomplished things you’re striving for or have a lifestyle you see for yourself. Take their advice. Follow them.

Guys building a business is not that hard

Percentage of small businesses that fail: Year 1 - 21.9% Year 3 - 39.7% Year 5 - 50% Year 8 - 61% Year 10 - 65.7% Do these surprise you? What year are you in now?

The best feeling? Knowing nothing can stop you. Nothing.

Why do you think so many people struggle with this? Just goooooooo

Eventually all the hard work you put in will just start clicking. Don’t psych yourself out! Keep working and stay patient. The fruits of your labor are coming. #MondayMotivation

So why did I buy a furniture company? I already own an event decor company with custom fabrication, staging, and creative builds. But when clients needed furniture, we’d often outsource. Limited options, limited margins. So I bought a furniture rental company. Now we control the inventory, the margins, and the entire client experience. More options. Better pricing. Seamless service. Vertical integration for the win.

The entrepreneur life is tough. The entrepreneur life is exhausting. The entrepreneur life is demanding. The entrepreneur life is WORTH IT!

Some people will find that single negative in a sea of positives. Others will be dealt a hand of trials and tribulations, but they always seem to pull out the good things. Perception is a key component to gratitude. And gratitude a key component to joy.

OK who had a Middle School Hustle? My sister worked at a local pharmacy when I was 12. She got 50% off & I was off to the races purchasing candy for $.30 a bar. I used sewing day in art class to make a cloth compartment thingy that hung in my locker for storage. Skittles to SweeTARTS, Milky Way To M&MS. Butterfingers ALWAYS sold out. I charged a $1 a piece and realized I love this game of business. The idea all spawned from seeing a kids movie where students had a candy shop set up at school. *(I can't remember the movie name ugh! Anybody?)* Eventually the principal shutdown my operation, but it was fun while it lasted. I guess you could say business was "in my blood" And I know I am not the only one. Anybody else have a childhood first foray into entrepreneurship!?