Episode 56: Want vs Need: The Freedom Formula Every Coach Must Master

Episode Summary:

In this transformative episode, hosts Ryan Lang and Brook Bishop explore the critical difference between optimizing for want versus need, revealing how this mindset shift is the key to true entrepreneurial freedom. They challenge coaches to examine where they're still building their own prisons by focusing on scarcity instead of abundance, and share the uncomfortable truth about what you must let go of to get what you actually want.

Key Takeaways:

• (02:48) The paradigm shift from looking in the rearview mirror to dreaming big like when you were a kid
• (10:06) Want equates to freedom while need equates to constraint - understanding this fundamental difference transforms your approach to goals
• (22:35) The massive cost of apologizing for what you want and how it leads to inevitable self-sabotage
• (25:16) The power of vision boards and getting clear on what you want without timeline constraints
• (35:23) The uncomfortable truth: getting what you want has more to do with what you let go of than what you do
• (38:59) Three critical questions to audit where you're optimizing for scarcity instead of abundance

Notable Quotes:

• "When we're optimizing based on need, I believe we just build ourselves another prison. Because literally a focus on need is an immediate no to what you want." (10:06)
• "There is a massive cost for apologizing for what you want. Because every time you do it, you tell yourself that you're wrong." (22:35)
• "Getting what I want has way more to do with what I'm not gonna do, with what I'm gonna let go of, with what I'm gonna say no to." (35:23)
• "Why am I not worthy of wanting something that big? Because I'm the one who's deciding that." (33:35)

Resources Mentioned:

• Dan Sullivan's "want vs. need" framework from Strategic Coach - Strategic Coach
• Ed Mylett's lifestyle and business approach - The Ed Mylett Show
• Sarah Blakely's (Spanx founder) childhood story about failure conditioning - Spanx
• Heritage Profile personality assessment (formerly at Buffini and Company)
• John Assaraf's vision board story from The Secret documentary - The Secret
• Tony Robbins' wealth-building principles and paradigm work - Tony Robbins

Do the Work:

Ready to stop optimizing for scarcity and start claiming your freedom? Grab a pen and work through the three audit questions from this episode: Where are you optimizing for need instead of want? What becomes possible when you stop apologizing for what you want? What do you need to let go of to get what you actually want?

Connect with Empire Partners:

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with a coach who's ready to break free from the employee mindset and build a business based on abundance, not scarcity.

Episode 55: Stop Existing and Start Living: The 700,000 Hour Audit for High-Performers

Episode Summary:

In this powerful episode, hosts Ryan Lang and Brook Bishop dive deep into Ed Mylett's concept of "quality time remaining" and challenge high-performers to audit whether they're truly living with intention or just going through the motions. Discover four critical questions to assess your life, identify the silent killers stealing your time, and learn how to shift from surviving to thriving as both a person and a profitable coach.

Key Takeaways:

• (02:39) Where are your best hours actually going? The shocking reality of screen time vs. intentional living
• (10:18) Who elevates you versus drains you? Auditing relationships and environments that fuel or deplete your energy
• (16:37) Legacy impact: Are you building something meaningful or just maintaining the status quo?
• (25:39) Achievement versus satisfaction: The science of achievement coupled with the art of fulfillment
• (32:37) Silent killer #1: Hanging out too much in the comfort zone where "good enough" becomes the enemy of greatness
• (35:50) Silent killer #2: Being a people pleaser and living reactively to others' priorities instead of your own vision
• (39:07) Silent killer #3: "When then" syndrome - the someday mentality that kills more dreams than fear

Notable Quotes:

• "We will always do the activities of who we truly believe we are. If you believe you're lazy, guess what? Here you go." (06:55)
• "The ultimate failure is achievement without fulfillment." (26:46)
• "We cannot live out a mission if we're playing comfortable." (17:04)
• "When you do hard shit, you feel amazing. When you don't, you feel depressed." (22:25)

Resources Mentioned:

• Ed Mylet's concept of "quality time remaining" - The Ed Mylett Show Podcast
• Chad Cooper's book: Time Isn't the Problem: Four Strategies to Transform Stress Into Success and the Rule of 168
• Tony Robbins' framework: The science of achievement vs. the art of fulfillment
• Cell phone screen time audit exercise (03:06)

Call to Action:

Ready to stop existing and start truly living? Grab a pen and work through the four audit questions from this episode. Then ask yourself: what's one hard thing you can do today to break out of your comfort zone? Your future self is counting on the decisions you make right now.

Connect with Empire Partners:

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with a coach who's ready to build a profitable, mission-driven business without sacrificing their values.

[00:02] Welcome to the Show Ryan and Brook welcome Michael Hunter, founder of Spiffy Checkouts, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, marketing, and building scalable businesses.

[01:01] The Accidental Marketing Journey Michael started as an entrepreneur at 17 with commission-only sales, got hooked on Tony Robbins, realized speaking was the highest-paid profession, but knew he needed marketing skills first. Spent 13-14 years learning by getting paid to do marketing for others.

[03:39] Why Commission-Only Sales at 17 "Ruined" Him The summer between high school and college, Michael chose Cutco kitchen knives over $15/hour catering work. Became a raving fanatic for a product he believed in, learned consultative selling vs. sleazy tactics. Brook reveals this as one of his top recruiting centers for trained salespeople.

[08:40] The Miserable Three-Year Grind Failed business partnerships, working alone, constantly losing deals to ex-Infusionsoft employees who had credibility but weren't even good at the software. The breaking point that led to a strategic career move.

[11:13] The 45-Degree Angle Strategy Michael took a pay cut to join Infusionsoft for 16 months, not as a direct path but as strategic positioning. "Sometimes the scenic route is actually the fastest path." Left when it got political, returned to agency work with instant credibility boost.

[14:10] Moving in 45-Degree Angles Explained Not direct line from A to B, but strategic sidesteps that accelerate long-term progress. Like taking the Infusionsoft job - wasn't direct alignment but helped reach end goals faster.

[16:43] From Agency Work to Spiffy Checkouts In the trenches building funnels, websites, copy, ads - knew every tool and limitation. Started custom coding Infusionsoft order forms for big-name clients at $2,500 per checkout page. Realized the opportunity to scale this solution.

[19:30] The Agency Hell Reality Check High-stress clients, crossed boundaries, vacations interrupted by launches. "Can't raise families doing this." Identified 20 software ideas, narrowed to 3, chose Spiffy based on highest opportunity, lowest risk to execute.

[20:19] You're Competing Against Netflix, Not Other Coaches Mobile optimization isn't just mobile-ready, it's optimized for mobile experience. Your competition isn't direct competitors - it's the user experience set by billion-dollar companies like Netflix and Facebook.

[22:29] The Irresistible Offer Foundation Before checkout optimization comes offer optimization. No amount of funnel hacking can fix a broken offer. Must have irresistible offer first, then optimize the experience.

[23:16] What Makes an Irresistible Offer People know what's in their product but fail to explain the benefit of getting that result. Your product is a bridge from point A to point B - stop selling the bridge features, start selling the destination.

[25:41] The Four Forces Framework Effort required, speed to value, certainty of result, and urgency. Cost-to-value contrast: charge 1/3 to 1/10 of perceived value. Example: "5-day workshop" vs "5-hour workshop" completely changed conversion rates.

[28:03] The Xanax vs Meditation Example Effort required, speed to value, certainty, urgency - Xanax wins on all four forces even though meditation is better long-term. How can you make your solution more immediate without compromising quality?

[30:54] Marketing the Long-Term Solution Address symptoms first, guide to core problems. Restaurant owner thinks he needs marketing (symptom) but really needs systems (core problem). Meet them where their awareness is, then elevate their thinking.

[35:59] What Separates Successful Personal Brands Don't copy what big names do NOW - that's not how they got started. Michael logged into Brendan Burchard's simple systems and was shocked. Fo