Joe Apfelbaum of Ajax Union. Joe has had several successful six-figure businesses, and Ajax Union is no exception. The company did $4 million last year, and they have plans to hit $6 million for revenue this year. Take a few notes from Joe’s playbook and take your own business to six-figure success.

Famous Five:

• Favorite Book? - Think and Grow Rich, Traction, and The Miracle Morning. Getting Things Done
• What CEO do you follow? — Tony Robbins
• Favorite online tool? — Google Docs, Trello and MailChimp

• Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — I sleep when I’m comfortable. Last night I got 9 hours of sleep
• If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – The importance of reading and studying books. Relationships matter.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 01:40 – Nathan introduces Joe
• 02:35 – Joe just had his fifth kid
• 02:55 – Ajax Union was not his first six-figure business
• 03:30 – It started as a side gig
• 04:05 – They did $500000 in revenue in 2009
• 04:25 – 2015 revenue was $4 million
• 04:45 – They shifted to focusing on their bottom line
• 05:00 – Revenue per client is $10000
• • 05:15 – A focus on giving better service, not bringing in more clients
• 05:25 – 20 employees
• 05:55 – Their goal for 2016 is 6 million
• 06:10 – Bottom-line margins were small in 2015
• 06:35 – He wanted to run a smaller business and lose less money
• 07:15 – The underlying cause of a lifestyle business
• • 07:35 – Paying himself well and living a good life
  • 08:00 – Take-home income was over $200k
• 08:50 – First year revenue was $500000
• 09:15 – Paid on a retainer basis
• 10:25 – Unparalleled marketing support
• 10:45 – Churn is irrelevant for this stage of the company
• • 11:20 – They turn down clients.
• 11:35 – A focus on bottom-line growth this year
• 11:55 – Working with Jacobtime
• 12:30 – Joe is a killer marketer!
• 13:00 – Taking stable businesses and helping them take off
• 13:30 – An investor put in $1 million
• • 14:05 – They wanted the partnership
  • 14:45 – Valuation for his company was very good
  • 15:30 – An angel investment
  • 15:45 – Profit sharing
• 16:15 – His podcast, CEO Mojo
• • 16:30 – Doing weekly interviews and figuring out the obstacles of getting to having six-figure businesses
  • 17:10 – A goal to grow a database of content
  • 17:25 – In the process of writing a book based on that content and creating courses
  • 18:30 – The true value of documenting the stories of entrepreneurs
  • 19:00 – He wants people to see that success in your business, life, and family is possible.
• 20:00 – People can follow Joe at Facebook.com/joeapfelbaum and on LinkedIn
• 20:20 – Snapchat and Instagram
• 22:30 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:

• Start your business as a side gig, and make the transition to owning your own business easier.
• Create a lifestyle business that gives you more freedom to live a happy life.
• Focus on the quality of the service you are providing before you start drawing in more customers.   

Resources Mentioned:

• Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
• Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
• Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
• Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
• Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
• Think and Grow Rich, Traction, The Miracle Morning and Getting Things Done – Wherever you’re at with your life or your business, one of these books will be right for you!
• Google Docs, Trello, and MailChimp – Joe’s favorite online tools
• CEO Mojo – Follow Joe’s podcast to hear the stories of successful six-figure entrepreneurs
• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Stacy Tuschl, who has maneuvered her way to the top with a brick-and-mortar business and has now entered the online world. She just launched her Level Up group coaching program, another step in the right direction as a true entrepreneur.

Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – Virtual Freedom
What CEO do you follow? — Amy Porterfield
Favorite online tool? — Google Calendar’s gTasks Pro
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Always.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Find a coach to work with immediately.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Stacy
02:15 – She has been in business since she was 18
02:40 – Her performing arts center and her online world are both sources of revenue
03:05 – She started teaching dance in her parents’ backyard when she was 18
03:25 – The business snowballed, and people started to pay her
03:45 – The company is now 11 years old
04:05 – Total revenue was 1.4 million
04:15 – Tons of expenses with a brick and mortar business.
04:35 – Profit margins were not great
05:15 – She pays herself a salary and does distributions
05:50 – She strategizes with her CPA
06:15 – A team of 14
06:25 – Payroll was $350000 last year
06:40 – Unique sales were 2000 in a week
07:20 – Her coaching started the last couple years
07:25 – She wanted to challenge herself and help other people
07:55 – Selling one-on-one calls evolved into group coaching
09:00 – One-on-one coaching helps you get to know your customers and their needs
09:35 – Group coaching was launched last week
10:15 – Using Facebook
10:35 – She has about 2000 people on her list
11:05 – People could trust her and get behind her
11:24 – Spending on Facebook ads is $1200 for the first two weeks
11:50 – How her consulting business is doing.
12:50 – It was launched in November 2015
14:00 – A win-win and a partnership with her affiliates
14:35 – Writing a book was not to make money. She wanted to establish her expertise
15:05 – She wanted to help people get their businesses on track.
15:20 – Her last speaking gig
15:35 – About 50 people attended
16:00 – She made that event perfect, to attract attention for the future
16:20 – Her last paid speaking was for $1000
17:05 – How to know if a speaking opportunity is right for you
17:20 – Look at the audience and the connections
17:40 – Epic Launch is going to help her relaunch the book
18:20 – Connect with Stacy and follow her podcast, Business Rescue Roadmap.
18:35 – Text “Levelup” to 24587 to join her free Facebook community.
20:00 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Find ways to strategize and save with your brick-and-mortar business.
Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and take on new business ideas.
Get to know your customers’ needs.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
Virtual Freedom – Stacy’s favorite business book
gTasks Pro – A new Google Calendars application that syncs your tasks to your calendar
Business Rescue Roadmap – A podcast to help you save your startup from going under
Epic Launch – Help to launch your book to the top of Amazon
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Josh Herron, one of Bryan’s best franchisers at 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Josh and his partner Tyler have been through the grinder as entrepreneurs, but they have now created a franchise worth millions. Learn about franchising and if it’s the right path for you to become a business owner and start seeing dollar signs.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – Start with Why
What CEO do you follow? — Jack Welch
Favorite online tool? — iPhone Notes
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – All of your hard work will create something magical.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Josh
02:15 – Franchisers must be entrepreneurial by nature
02:35 – Josh got an opportunity to get into two franchises, and that was his first leap into entrepreneurship
03:10 – Wanting to be your own boss and becoming successful
03:40 – Josh was managing a 1-800-GOT-JUNK location when it got bought out by another owner, his friend Tyler
04:45 – It was an opportunity for Josh to work with someone that he got along with
04:58 – The business did $750000 the year before it sold to his friend
05:30 – It was very immature when Tyler was looking to buy it
06:15 – The deal was more about what was needed for the business to grow
06:30 – The previous owners were very motivated to get rid of it
07:15 – As the business progressed, they bought an OxiClean franchise as well
07:45 – They bought the company to add more money to their bottom line
08:35 – Starting from the ground up
09:23 – What should people look for when buying a franchise?
09:40 – You can learn from people who have done it before
09:57 – You have a lot of support from others
10:10 – You have more freedom than you might think
10:25 – Some franchises have more upfront expenses
11:20 – OxiClean did $200000 the first year, top line
12:00 – They sold the business for $100000 and broke even
12:35 – Last year he did $5.5 million top line
13:00 – How to expand it
13:10 – Buying out other partners
13:20 – Advertising and good employees
13:40 – A huge opportunity even in a small town
14:14 – What do you do with the bottom line?
14:30 – A lot is reinvested
14:40 – They want to expand their footprint
15:05 – How to become a millionaire as a franchiser
15:20 – You have great support and you can maximize your business
15:50 – He’s doing better than some of the other people he knows
16:10 – Connect with Josh on LinkedIn
16:30 – Follow their Facebook Page, 1-800-Got-Junk? Kansas City
18:45 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Franchisers must think like entrepreneurs to be successful.
Owning a franchise will give you more freedom than you’d expect.
If you run your franchise right, it can become a million-dollar business.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
Start with Why – Josh’s favorite book
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Brian Scudamore, who launched 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Brian’s unique perspective on his business drives him to take opportunities for growth, but he never wants to sell his company. He believes he must foster his vision to help others grow and evolve.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – The E-Myth
What CEO do you follow? — Robert Herjavec
Favorite online tool? — All his iPhone apps
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – All the failures needed to happen so that he could learn. Never compromise on the people you bring into your organization. Take hiring seriously.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Brian
02:00 – How did you get into 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
02:20 – He needed to make money for college, and that was the beginning of his business
03:10 – First year revenue was super low
03:30 – He dropped out of university four years later and made $100k
04:00 – 1997 was his first million-dollar year
04:15 – He makes money by hauling away junk
04:30 – 2015 revenue was 215 million
05:05 – 250 franchise partners
05:50 – Charges to franchisers are population based
06:40 – Helping franchise owners to be successful by keeping fees low
07:10 – The average owner varies from $200000 to $1 million
08:10 – Why go into the franchise model?
08:20 – Building together instead of going it alone
08:40 – Collaboration between entrepreneurs
08:55 – A crowdsource model
09:30 – It is a private company, focused on growth
09:45 – He did not raise capital.
10:15 – He generates personal wealth by collecting dividends
10:45 – He doesn’t care so much about pulling money out for himself
11:05 – Wealth is watching people grow and evolve
11:20 – He has no board of advisors
11:30 – He likes one-on-one advice from mentors
11:45 – He is going to have a month-long stay-cation with his family
12:15 – A legacy plan is in place, but there is no formal board
13:00 – They get emails on a daily basis from people who want to pay him for the company
13:30 – His business is like his child—he wants to watch it grow
13:55 – He is open to partnerships, but he does not want to sell and risk losing his vision
15:00 – Go to o2ebrands.com
16:35 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Help your employees be successful
Collaborate with a team instead of going it alone.
Take hiring very seriously.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
The E-Myth – Brian’s favorite business book.
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Nick Gray, founder and CEO of Museum Hack. Nick thought museums were SO BORING!! Before he launched Museum Hack, he used word of mouth to advertise his idea and give free museum tours to his friends. Now his business is making over 1 million dollars per year.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – The Power of Full Engagement
What CEO do you follow? — Jeff Bezos
Favorite online tool? — Revue
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No. Use SleepTracker.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Do less drugs.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:40 – Nathan introduces Nick Gray
02:15 – How did you get into museums?
02:25 – “Renegade museum tours.”
02:40 – Revenue comes from charges for live tours
03:00 – Launched in 2013
03:10 – Over 10000 tours sold last year
03:20 – Total revenue was 1.3 million
03:30 – Average cost is $75 per tour
03:45 – Labor cost is $88 per person
04:15 – Net margin relies on high-end tours
04:40 – In the beginning, they got new customers from word of mouth
05:25 – First year revenue was $60k
05:45 – They want to attract people to keep coming back
06:00 – They need to up their repeat rate
06:15 – There are plenty of people to target
06:40 – He just started paying himself a salary
07:20 – His mom is his accountant
07:40 – He is learning to be a better CEO
07:50 – He supported himself with a full-time job at the beginning of the business
08:15 – He built up savings and committed to his museum business
08:40 – His last job gave him a very healthy salary
09:15 – He has always been a big saver
09:45 – His advice: Treating your passion like your job, and creating a demand by providing that product for free
10:30 – Some passions are worthless
10:45 – His team size is 12 full time and 25 part time, along with remote staff
11:15 – Expenses are up to $80k per month
11:40 – The pressure to break even does not worry him
12:10 – Moms and their lectures on receipts
13:10 – A connection with Trip Advisor
13:50 – “It was just a fluke.”
14:05 – His goal for this year is 2.2 million
14:15 – Museumhack.com and NickGray.net
15:45 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Create a demand for your product by offering it for free.
Treat your passion like your job until you can transition to that passion full time.
Build up your savings, and be willing to take risks.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
Toptal – Great for business people to start building their app
The Power of Full Engagement - Nick’s favorite business book
Revue – Nick’s favorite online tool
NickGray.net – Read Nick’s weekly newsletters
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Chris Evans, cofounder of Traffic and Funnels. Surrounded by incredible entrepreneurs, Chris decided that it was his time to build a success empire. His business Traffic and Funnels has taken a smart approach to business: They have focused on their strengths to get revenue, and now they are ready to expand.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – King Icahn
What CEO do you follow? — Trump and Zuckerberg
Favorite online tool? — Slack
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — Yes
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Find and invest in a mentor

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:35 – Nathan introduces Chris
01:55 – Chris worked with a lot of amazing entrepreneurs and decided to build his own empire
02:40 – He helps experts built client acquisition systems
03:00 – 1 $5500 product, and an upsell
03:25 – Traffic and Funnels is a slick website
03:40 – The numbers
03:50 -- $660000 in revenue for 2016 so far
04:30 – The problem with paid marketing
04:50 – Understanding the market and validating the product
05:15 – The biggest mistake is not understanding that market.
05:40 – The higher value products had a larger margin for error
06:00 – Cost to acquire a client is $400 to $700
06:15 – Solid revenue goals
06:40 – Advice for the info-product space
07:00 – Have clarity
07:30 – You need a target and a specialization
07:50 – Track your numbers and know what you need to break even
08:00 – How do you think about stages for scaling?
08:25 – The revenue must keep up with the spending.
08:50 – Know your business model and your plan.
09:10 – Work your way backwards.
09:25 – Take out any emotion.
09:45 – An evergreen business
10:00 – A launch-style business is more stressful up front
10:20 – You have to be smart and build credibility.
10:50 – Why this model?
11:10 – To build up a kiddy and launch their own evergreen info product
11:35 – Starting with their biggest strength
11:45 – Building stability and growing
12:10 – Taking on more employees does not scare him.
12:30 – They can get through adversity.
12:44 – Go to trafficandfunnels.com and Facebook.com/chrisaevans
14:55 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:
Start with your biggest strength until your business has stability.
Create a plan and work your way backwards.
Understand the market and validate your product.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
King Ichahn - Chris’ favorite business book
Slack – Chris’ favorite online tool
Toptal – Great for people to get access to software developers
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Jonathan Gass of Nomad Financial. Jonathan founded his company because he decided to focus his career on entrepreneurship and startups. His business works with startups to help them make smart financial plans and fundraising decisions. Today we’ll learn from him about what pitfalls to avoid in our own startups.

Famous Five:

• Favorite Book? – Give and Take
• What CEO do you follow? — Johnny Rockefeller, of the book Titan
• Favorite online tool? — Audible

• Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — I try for 7 to 8.
• If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? – Listen to your gut when you are making decisions. Focus on culture.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 01:35 – Nathan introduces Jonathan
• 02:10 – His main focus is entrepreneurship
• 02:25 – He saw the same problems with most startup founders
• • 02:50 – They weren’t setting up their accounting systems to support decision making
• 03:10 – He worked for Vimeo a few years ago
• • 03:25 – They had to pitch what set them apart from YouTube and other companies
  • 03:55 – Building tools to support video makers
• 04:10 – Nomad Financial generates revenue for a number of services, paid for by the hour.
• 04:30 – Their employees specialize in helping startups
• • 05:25 – A role as an advocate
  • 05:45 – Pushback from auditors
  • 06:00 – Staying on top of trends
• 06:20 – What is a 409a valuation?
• • 06:58 – Startups mix that up with a valuation for selling stock.
• 07:30 – Mistakes early entrepreneurs make with cap tables
• • 07:40 – No consistent terms
  • 08:15 – Even the software can’t always solve those problems
  • 09:00 – Understanding the implications of sale
  • 09:15 – One man who had an option to sell his company, but wasn’t really going to make any money
  • 10:10 – Nathan’s interview with Teachable (Episode 117)
• 11:00 – Explaining preferred shareholders
• • 11:35 – Investors that ask for really aggressive terms
  • 12:00 – Be careful with the terms in your agreement
• 12:35 – Smart money vs. “plain dollars”
• • 12:55 – People who are there to actually help the business
  • 13:25 – Understanding the goals of your investors
  • 14:50 – The importance of a fit culture and a fit vision
• 14:40 – The friendliest investor for the entrepreneur
• • 15:00 -- Great term sheets, and providing great value
• 15:15 – Interplay investors
• • 16:10 – Jonathan is making about 4 or 5 investments each year.
  • 16:35 – Seed-stage and a-round investments
• 17:00 – Why put a portion of your portfolio into startups?
• • 17:20 – You keep that portion for that, and you use the other portion for other things.
  • 17:45 – Living for entrepreneurship and believing in these startups.
• 19:00 – Connect with Jonathan at j@nomadfinancial.com  and nomadfinancial.com
• 20:45 – The Famous Five

3 Key Points:

• Set up your accounting to support decision making in your startup.
• Be aware of your investor’s goals and what value they will contribute to your company.
• You need a cohesive culture and vision, among founders and investors.

Resources Mentioned:

• Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
• Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
• Leadpages  – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
• Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
• Give and Take – A business book that teaches philosophies Jonathan lives by
• Interplay – A reliable team of investors and partners
• Toptal – Great for people to get access to software developers
• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Roy Man, CEO of Dapulse. Dapulse is a tool designed to solve “inherently problematic” management strategies in businesses. The company has a philosophy of being transparent with their revenue and numbers, all of which you can find on their Instagram page.
Famous Five:

Favorite Book? – The Hard Thing About Hard Things
What CEO do you follow? — Avishai Abrahami
Favorite online tool? — FullStory
Do you get 8 hours of sleep? — No.
If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — No regrets.

Time Stamped Show Notes:
01:20 – Nathan introduces Roy Man
01:50 – What is Dapulse?
01:55 – A management tool for your company
02:20 – Solving something that was “inherently problematic”
02:30 – A SaaS business launched in February 2014
03:00 – Currently over 5000 customers
03:20 – Each company, or customer, pays a certain amount, depending on their team size
03:50 – Total MRR in June was $360k
04:15 – See screenshots of their numbers on Instagram
04:50 – They have raised $9 million
05:00 – They started with raising $1.5 million
05:40 – The startup mentality
06:20 – Their valuation was 3.53 million
07:00 – A solid product with a good market
07:15 – A year of product marketing and finding what people were using for management
07:50 – “People think in tables.”
08:25 – The product market fit
08:45 – They started to launch and scale and did a convertible note
09:10 – Their last round of funding was $5 million, with a post valuation of $28.5 million
09:45 – First year revenue was less than a million
10:20 – Customer acquisition cost varies
11:10 – Average is about $600
11:55 – Monthly customer churn is 2%
12:20 – Negative revenue churn
13:30 – Lifetime value is great
14:20 – Churn is not relative in terms of money
14:40 – As you scale, some customers will leave
15:10 – Expand your customer circle as much as you can
15:25 – Team size is about 35
15:40 – Total 2015 revenue was about 3 million
16:35 – Connect with Roy at roy@dapulse.com
17:05 – Roy’s Blog on Medium
19:30 – The Famous Five
3 Key Points:
Create a product that has strong market potential.
Spend time getting to know what your customers will want out of your product or service.
Expand your customer circle as much as you can.

Resources Mentioned:
Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible.
Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts.
Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+
Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books.
FullStory – Roy’s favorite online tool
The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Roy’s business book recommendation
Toptal – Great for people to get access to software developers
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives