26 Years Of Brutally Honest Business Advice in 3 Hours

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 15:00: Finland, Junior Achievement, Europe, Evan Carmichael
2. 15:00 – 30:00: Richard Branson, Junior Achievement, Sarah Blakeley, Elon Musk
3. 30:00 – 45:00: Evan Carmichael, Paul Graham, Elon Musk
4. 45:00 – 1:00:00: Paul Graham, Howard Schultz
5. 1:00:00 – 1:15:00: Built to Serve, Evan Carmichael, Sarah Blakeley, Tony Robbins
6. 1:15:00 – 1:30:00: Built to Serve, Jane Buffett, Richard Branson, Think and Grow Rich
7. 1:30:00 – 1:45:00: Sarah Blakeley, Steve Jobs, Built to Serve, Virgin Group
8. 1:45:00 – 2:00:00: Sarah Blakeley, Think and Grow Rich, Steve Jobs
9. 2:00:00 – 2:15:00: Sarah Blakeley, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs
10. 2:15:00 – 2:30:00: Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Sarah Blakeley, Tony Robbins
11. 2:30:00 – 2:45:00: Built to Serve, Sarah Blakeley, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs

Notable quotes from "26 Years Of Brutally Honest Business Advice in 3 Hours"

• In 2011, a national survey got the same results. Fast forward to a 2022 Junior Achievement Survey found three in five American teens, 60% would rather start a business than have a traditional job.

  about Junior Achievement · at 1:35

• Education and are trying cool experiments. Take Finland, often famous for its innovative education system. In Finland, there's a program called Me and My City that's like a mini simulation of the real world for sixth graders.

  about Me and My City · at 8:24

• There are also nonprofit programs like Junior Achievement, JA, and Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, NFTT, that step in to teach kids business skills.

  about Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship · at 11:23

• Of the only countries where expats rated entrepreneurship education in schools as even adequate. Finland was actually the only country where the score for school level entrepreneurship education was higher than the university level.

  about Finland · at 13:12

• Profitable ideas are ones that serve others in a meaningful way. As venture capitalist Paul Graham put it, the way to get startup ideas is not to try to think of startup ideas. It's to look for problems, preferably problems you have.

  about Paul Graham · at 37:47

• Will. You've learned how to find a profitable business idea, but it will only profit you if you act on it. I'm excited for you. This could be the moment you look back on and…

  about Evan Carmichael · at 1:05:32

• Your purpose. A strong sense of purpose can carry you farther than a fat bank account ever could. I wrote a book called Built to Serve, all about how finding your purpose makes…

  about Built to Serve · at 1:10:42

• Couldn't afford a lawyer, so she wrote her own patent applications by reading library books. She went to Hosery Mills and got turned down by manufacturer after manufacturer.…

  about Spanx · at 1:37:28

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Evan Carmichael — Person · Main speaker / channel host · 3 mentions · first at 0:40
  Narrator delivering entrepreneurship education content; references his channel, books, and personal experience (e.g., Junior Achievement).
• Sarah Blakeley — Person · Referenced entrepreneur (example/role model) · 9 mentions · first at 26:59
  Cited as a founder success story (Spanx) to illustrate starting with limited resources and self-belief.
  Was actually selling fax machines doortodoor to pay the bills. She couldn't afford a lawyer, so she wrote her own patent applications by reading library books. She went to…
• Paul Graham — Person · Referenced startup thinker (quote/authority) · 2 mentions · first at 37:49
  Quoted for the heuristic that good startup ideas come from noticing problems—supports the episode’s idea-generation framework.
• Elon Musk — Person · Referenced entrepreneur (quote/authority) · 6 mentions · first at 25:22
  Used to support the argument that self-education is possible without college due to abundant free learning resources.
  They had to take control of their own learning and you can do the same. As Elon Musk pointed out, you don't need college to learn. You can learn anything you want for free. In today's world, that's absolutely true. The knowledge.
• Richard Branson — Person · Referenced entrepreneur (case example) · 4 mentions · first at 29:32
  Used as an example of non-traditional schooling and learning-by-doing entrepreneurship (dropping out, dyslexia, early ventures).
  Dropped out, yet succeeded through self-education and grit. For example, Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin, dropped out of school at age 15. He said he was…
• Jane Buffett — Person · Referenced investor (quote/authority) · 2 mentions · first at 4:57
  Quoted to argue entrepreneurship can start early and should be taught sooner rather than later.
  Just learn it later or figure it out on their own? Sure, many do, but starting young has big advantages. Warren Buffett famously said, Entreneurship can and should start early.…
• Tony Robbins — Person · Referenced motivational expert (quote/authority) · 2 mentions · first at 1:07:21
  Quoted to reinforce the mindset theme: success depends on resourcefulness more than resources.
  Resources. It's about your resourcefulness. Legendary life coach Tony Robbins and friend of the channel said, You don't lack resources, you lack resourcefulness. That hits…
• Steve Jobs — Person · Referenced entrepreneur (role model) · 10 mentions · first at 26:57
  Mentioned as a source of learnable entrepreneurial insight via talks/interviews; also used as an iconic example of innovation.
  Apple began in a garage with very little money. Steve Waznjak sold his calculator and Steve Jobs sold his old VW van to scrape together $1,300 to fund their first batch of…
• Kathy Ashmore — Person · Referenced expert (policy/education funding) · 1 mention · first at 17:27
  Cited regarding structural funding barriers to entrepreneurship education in schools (recognition as a fundable program).
  In established trades. Think about autoshops, woodworking, etc., but not to entrepreneurship. This was highlighted by Kathy Ashmore, an expert in entrepreneurship education.…
• Howard Schultz — Person · Referenced business leader (example) · 2 mentions · first at 51:05
  Implicitly tied to Starbucks as an example of differentiation/experience-based branding (even if not deeply discussed).
  They often share how they did it. For example, if you read about Starbucks, Howard Schultz grew up poor in a housing project. He had to convince investors with sheer passion to fund his vision of a coffee shop and got rejected 200 plus.
• John Paul DeJoria — Person · Referenced entrepreneur (example/role model) · 1 mention · first at 1:38:10
  Included among entrepreneur exemplars (likely as a rags-to-riches founder archetype) to reinforce the theme of starting from little.
  A billionaire behind Paul Mitchell Hair Products and Patron Tequila. But rewind to 1980. That's when I was born. John Paul was a homeless living in his car.

Books & papers

• Built to Serve — Book · Referenced work · 7 mentions · first at 1:10:39
  Mentioned in the context of finding purpose and aligning business ideas with personal values.
• Think and Grow Rich — Book · Referenced work · 3 mentions · first at 26:52
  Mentioned as a classic book recommended for aspiring entrepreneurs.
  Recommend learning from the best. My own channel. This channel features tons of advice from legends. Pick up classic books like Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Lean Startup or Think and…

Companies & orgs

• Junior Achievement — Company · Business focus · 4 mentions · first at 1:37
  Discussed as an organization that teaches entrepreneurship to young people.
• Spanx — Company · Case study · 4 mentions
  Highlighted as an example of a successful business started with minimal resources.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship — Company · Business focus · 1 mention · first at 11:25
  Mentioned as an organization that provides entrepreneurship education.
• Virgin Group — Company · Case study · 1 mention · first at 1:30:00
  Highlighted as an example of a successful business started by an entrepreneur who dropped out of school.
  Dyslexia. But he left school to start a student magazine, which led him on an entrepreneurial journey. His first venture failed, but he learned from it and pivoted to create a record company, Virgin Records. And the rest is history.
• Apple Inc. — Company · Case study · 1 mention · first at 1:38:53
  Mentioned as an example of a company that differentiated itself with design and ecosystem.
  It's almost hard to imagine now, but Apple began in a garage with very little money. Steve Waznjak sold his calculator and Steve Jobs sold his old VW van to scrape together $1,300 to fund their first batch of computers. They handbuilt.
• Nokia — Company · Incidental mention · 2 mentions
  Mentioned as a participant in the Me and My City program.
  Like to be an adult in various jobs, including running businesses. And it's not a joke. Real companies like Nokia and Samsung participate with offices in this mini city. Over…
• Samsung — Company · Incidental mention · 1 mention · first at 8:57
  Mentioned as a participant in the Me and My City program.
  Like to be an adult in various jobs, including running businesses. And it's not a joke. Real companies like Nokia and Samsung participate with offices in this mini city. Over…
• HP Inc. — Company · Incidental mention · 3 mentions
  Mentioned in passing without significant context.
  They used a secondhand drill press and whatever they had on hand to build their first product. That little garage is now called the birthplace of Silicon Valley.
• KFC — Company · Incidental mention · 2 mentions
  Mentioned in passing without significant context.
• Patron Tequila — Company · Incidental mention · 1 mention · first at 1:38:08
  Mentioned in passing without significant context.
  From Paul Mitchell Systems. Today, he's a billionaire behind Paul Mitchell Hair Products and Patron Tequila. But rewind to 1980. That's when I was born. John Paul was a homeless living in his car.

Concepts & topics

• Me and My City — Concept · Case study · 1 mention · first at 8:30
  Highlighted as an innovative program in Finland that teaches entrepreneurship to children.

Places & events

• Finland — Place · Case study · 4 mentions · first at 8:26
  Highlighted as a country with innovative entrepreneurship education programs.
• Europe — Place · Setting · 4 mentions · first at 5:35
  Mentioned as a region where entrepreneurship education is growing.
  In Europe, the number of startups has been growing about 20% each year since 2014. And startups are now one of the key economic engines of growth. The world economy needs entrepreneurs to.
• Junior Achievement Survey — Event · Referenced data · 1 mention · first at 1:37
  Mentioned as a source of data on teen interest in entrepreneurship.
  In 2011, a national survey got the same results. Fast forward to a 2022 Junior Achievement Survey found three in five American teens, 60% would rather start a business than have a traditional job.
• World Economic Forum — Event · Referenced data · 1 mention · first at 5:22
  Mentioned as a source of projections on future job markets.
  Old ones get disrupted. Many of the jobs you might work in the future don't even exist yet. The World Economic Forum projects that by the time you're well into your career, a huge portion of jobs will be in fields that are brand new.
• United States (states) — Place · Setting · 2 mentions · first at 11:10
  Mentioned as the location where entrepreneurship education is discussed.
  Secondary school to demystify it and give everyone a chance to learn these skills. Outside of Europe, consider the United States. The US doesn't have a national curriculum, so…

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 Most of what you've been taught about success is designed to keep you safe, not to 10x your life. Over the next 3 hours, we are stripping away the theories and looking at the raw unfiltered reality of what it takes to build something from nothing. You will discover how to identify gold standard ideas even when your bank account is empty and how you stay motivated when people try to pull you down. Success in entrepreneurship is rarely about luck and it's almost always about the speed and quality of your decisions. Most people are paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong move, so you end up making no move at all. And this video is designed to change all of that for you.

0:36 If you've been here before, drop a hashtag believe in the comments below so I can feature you here in a future video. And if you're new, welcome to Believe Nation, the only channel that helps you believe in yourself daily, one video at a time. Believe. You probably spent years in school learning math, science, and history. But let me ask, did anyone ever teach you how to start your own business? Chances are, no one did. It's crazy. You learn to calculate the area of a triangle and memorize the capitals of countries, yet nothing about being an entrepreneur. Why don't we teach entrepreneurship in school? Let's talk about it.

1:11 You aren't alone if you feel school skipped a crucial subject. A ton of students feel the same way. In fact, decades of research shows students want this. As far back as the 1990s, twothirds of high school students said they wanted to become entrepreneurs. But over 80% felt they learned nothing about entrepreneurship in school. Think about that. Most kids dream of being their own boss, yet school gives them zero tools to do it. And this isn't just old data. In 2011, a national survey got the same results. Fast forward to a 2022 Junior Achievement Survey found three in five American teens, 60% would rather start a business than have a traditional job.

1:46 60%. And nearly 37% of teens said they'd be interested in entrepreneurship programs if schools offered them. Clearly, you and your peers want this knowledge. It's not just students. Parents and the public get it, too. In one survey, 86% of people agreed that entrepreneurship should be taught in school. There's overwhelming support for teaching real world business skills. Yet, most schools still don't teach you how to create a product, how to start a company, how to manage money in a business sense. Why is that? Let's dig into the problem.

2:18 Part of the issue is that our education system was built for a different world. The traditional school system was designed decades, even centuries ago during the industrial age. Back then, the goal was to produce good employees, people who could follow instructions, work in factories or offices, and fit into a predictable job, creativity, independent thinking, and risk-taking. Those were often discouraged because factories needed consistency and obedience. As Sir Kent Robinson famously said, "We don't grow into creativity, we grow out of it. or rather we get educated out of it. Schools often prioritize following the rules and avoiding mistakes. But entrepreneurship thrives on creativity and learning from mistakes. Think about it. In school, you're taught to fear being wrong.

3:04 Getting an F is failure. But in entrepreneurship, failure is part of the journey. If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original. Entrepreneurs try things, fail, and try again. Yet, the school system as it is doesn't nurture that mindset and can unintentionally publish the very behaviors that make great innovators like questioning the status quo or taking bold initiative. What's more, our curriculum is loaded with theoretical knowledge, but often light on practical life skills. You might graduate knowing the Pythagorean theorem, but not how to budget money, file taxes, or negotiate a good deal. A recent survey found the average American uses just 30% of the information they learned in school. And a whopping 84% of people said they learn things in school they never used after graduation.

3:53 Meanwhile, 89% of people said life would be easier if they'd been taught practical skills in school. The top things they wish they'd learned: money management, how to do taxes, understanding loans, and how to negotiate. Sound familiar? These are exactly the kind of real world skills an entrepreneurship course would cover. Handling money, making deals, solving real problems. So the first flaw in the education system is this mismatch. Schools focus on academic knowledge and standardized tests, but they often ignore realworld skills and mindsets that entrepreneurs and honestly everyone need. As one article bluntly put it, "Schools do a poor job teaching kids life skills. We leave school able to write essays on Shakespeare or do geometry proofs but clueless about creating a product or reading a profit and loss statement.

4:46 Now you might wonder, okay, so what? Why is this so important to teach entrepreneurship early? Can't people just learn it later or figure it out on their own? Sure, many do, but starting young has big advantages. Warren Buffett famously said, "Entreneurship can and should start early." He's one of the most successful businessmen ever and he's pointing out that the skills and mindset of being entrepreneurial can begin in childhood. Look at the world that we live in today. It's changing faster than ever. New industries emerge.

5:17 Old ones get disrupted. Many of the jobs you might work in the future don't even exist yet. The World Economic Forum projects that by the time you're well into your career, a huge portion of jobs will be in fields that are brand new. Being adaptable and able to create your own opportunities is becoming crucial. In Europe, the number of startups has been growing about 20% each year since 2014. And startups are now one of the key economic engines of growth. The world economy needs entrepreneurs to drive innovation and create jobs.

5:48 Entrepreneurship isn't some niche interest. It touches everything. Small businesses and startups drive innovation in technology, medicine, entertainment, you name it. They're also major job creators. Small and new businesses create a large share of new jobs in many countries. So if we want a thriving economy and opportunities for the next generation for you, it makes sense to teach the skills to build businesses, not just to work at them. Here's another factor. There's a growing realization that not everyone's path is going to be working for a big company. Surveys show that today's young people value independence. Being your own boss is appealing for many reasons. You get freedom, creativity, the chance to make an impact, and yes, the potential for financial success, too. In one survey, 51% of young people said they hope to start their own business someday. And 26% specifically want to set their own

6:40 career path rather than follow a traditional one. This generation is entrepreneurial. Even if you don't end up founding a startup, the entrepreneurial mindset of being proactive, innovative, and resilient is hugely valuable. Employers love those traits, too. By the way, the world also has big challenges. We need innovative entrepreneurs to solve those problems. Who's going to invent the next electric car or a new way to purify water or a revolutionary app that changes lives? Likely an entrepreneur, maybe even a young one. If we teach entrepreneurship, we're empowering students to realize, hey, I can be the one to fix this. I can start something that makes a difference.

7:17 And here's something you might not have considered. Entrepreneurial skills are life skills. Whether or not you start a company, learning to think like an entrepreneur makes you better at whatever you do. It teaches you to think critically, to solve problems, to communicate, and to lead. One European educator put it this way. Entrepreneurial skills are essential to ensure young people are flexible and employable, and to build an innovation culture in the 21st century. Even if a student becomes a scientist, a teacher, or an artist, those entrepreneurial traits, the creativity, the persistence, the teamwork will help them excel. Given all this, it's clear that teaching entrepreneurship isn't just about starting businesses. It's about preparing you for real life in a rapidly changing world. It's about financial literacy creativity leadership and resilience. So, why on earth aren't schools all over this?

8:12 Before we jump into why it's not happening everywhere, let's spotlight a few places that are making progress just to prove that it's possible. Some countries and schools have realized the importance of early entrepreneurial education and are trying cool experiments. Take Finland, often famous for its innovative education system. In Finland, there's a program called Me and My City that's like a mini simulation of the real world for sixth graders. Picture this. A 12-year-old goes up to a little city set up just for students.

8:41 They apply for jobs with real companies, earn a salary, take out bank loans, pay taxes, and basically run an entire miniature city for a day. It's a giant roleplay where kids experience what it's like to be an adult in various jobs, including running businesses. And it's not a joke. Real companies like Nokia and Samsung participate with offices in this mini city. Over 140,000 Finnish kids have taken part in these city simulations in recent years. How amazing is that? At 12 years old, instead of just reading about economics from a textbook, they're living it for a day, making decisions, seeing how businesses and government interact. This kind of hands-on experience instills an entrepreneurial mindset early on. The program has government support and even won awards. It shows with a bit of creativity, you can teach kids entrepreneurship and economic skills in a way that's fun and very practical.

9:30 Now, how about other countries across Europe? Actually, entrepreneurship education has been a growing trend, even if it's not everywhere yet. The European Commission did a study and found that by 2015, 11 out of 38 economic education systems had specific national strategies for entrepreneurship education and another 18 included it in broader education plans. The most comprehensive programs were in the Nordic countries like Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Estonia. These countries have been integrating entrepreneurial projects into school curriculums, training teachers to teach entrepreneurship and even starting at young ages. For example, Northern Ireland and Scotland launched dedicated entrepreneurship education strategies way back in 2003.

10:10 And countries like Wales, Lithuania, and Norway followed in 2004. Many of these places now have things like student business competitions, school-based enterprises, and mandatory entrepreneurship models. One stat to note, today more than twothirds of European countries include entrepreneurship education as at least an optional subject in schools. That's progress. It means a student in say France or Germany might have an elective class where they learn to draft a business plan or do a startup project. However, optional means not everyone takes it. The same source points out that when it's optional, a lot of students never get exposed. A Finnish entrepreneur wrote that when she was in school, entrepreneurship wasn't really encouraged until maybe university. And by then, many people had already chosen a different path or believe starting a company isn't for them because they never tried it earlier. That's why she

11:04 argues it should even be mandatory in secondary school to demystify it and give everyone a chance to learn these skills. Outside of Europe, consider the United States. The US doesn't have a national curriculum, so it varies by state and district. But there are some great programs for schools. For instance, certain high schools have entrepreneurshipmies or incubators. There are also nonprofit programs like Junior Achievement, JA, and Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, NFTT, that step in to teach kids business skills.

11:32 Since 1987, NFTTE alone has reached over a million young people across 25 states and many countries, teaching them how to brainstorm business ideas, conduct market research, and pitch to investors. Junior Gmate runs programs where volunteers from the business community come into classrooms with a curriculum to teach things like how to start a small enterprise. And as a side note, I was part of the Junior Achievement program and this is one of the products that we sold. It was a towel bunny that we sold and made some money doing it.

12:02 And then I joined the board of directors for Junior Achievement in my city of Toronto. And that Junior Achievement experience gave me a little taste of what it's like to be an entrepreneur. Those kinds of programs are often afterchool or special add-ons, not in every school by default, but they show that when given the chance, students excel in entrepreneurship. In one JA program survey, the majority of teens said hearing directly from business owners was super valuable to them. Some US schools run business plan competitions or have clubs like DECA or FBLA where students practice entrepreneurship. And even informally, we've seen a surge in high school entrepreneurs, kids coding apps, launching YouTube channels or e-commerce shops. 2020, for example, saw a big increase in teens starting online ventures partly because the pandemic disrupted traditional activities. This shows that when students have time and

12:51 tools, they can do incredible entrepreneurial things even at 16 or 17. Imagine if schools actually encouraged and guided them in that process. So clearly it's possible to teach and inspire entrepreneurship and youth. Some places are doing it and reaping the benefits. Countries like Finland and Denmark are often cited as leaders. In fact, according to the global entrepreneurship monitor, Finland is one of the only countries where expats rated entrepreneurship education in schools as even adequate. Finland was actually the only country where the score for school level entrepreneurship education was higher than the university level.

13:25 Meaning they put serious effort into it from early ages. But these are the exceptions on a global scale. The truth is most places are still far behind. A recent global study across 50 economies found something startling. In 30 of 50 countries, experts rated entrepreneurship education in primary or secondary school as the worst aspect of that country's entrepreneurship ecosystem. It scored lower than things like access to finance, regulation, infrastructure. Meaning we're doing worse at preparing young entrepreneurs than anything else. Only five countries out of 50 met a basic standard for teaching entrepreneurship in school and those were Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, and the UAE. Everywhere else, it's mediocre or poor. So, while there are some bright spots, globally, we have a long way to go.

14:16 If entrepreneurship is so important and so desired, why aren't schools teaching it more? This is the big question. It turns out there are several barriers and challenges. Number one, the traditional mindset and inertia. Education systems are like big ships. They turn slowly. For over a century, schools have been focused on a set list of academic subjects. Changing or adding a subject, especially one like entrepreneurship, which doesn't fit neatly into the usual categories, is hard. There's often resistance because it's new and it's unfamiliar. Many school officials might think, "Is entrepreneurship really something you can teach in a classroom?"

14:52 Some people mistakenly believe that entrepreneurial success is just about personal traits or street smarts, not something that can be developed in school. You even hear some folks say entrepreneurship can't be taught. You either have it or you don't. That attitude can be a roadblock. But people used to say that about other skills too. And it turned out with the right methods you can teach it. It's just not by lecturing from a textbook. It's through experience. Number two, lack of teacher training and experience. Let's face it, most teachers are not entrepreneurs themselves. It's not their fault. Their career path was in education. So, if you suddenly tell a history or math teacher to also teach how to start a business, they might feel unprepared. One entrepreneurship educator wrote that local educators and administrators were actually among the biggest barriers to introducing entrepreneurship courses

15:42 simply because they themselves didn't know how to teach it or didn't see its value. Traditionally, teacher training programs don't include how to guide a student in writing a business plan or prototyping an invention. So, there's a skills gap. We need to train the teachers if we want them to teach this subject confidently. Some countries like Estonia and Denmark and Europe have started special training so teachers can shadow entrepreneurs or learn best practices for teaching entrepreneurship. But in many places, such training is rare or non-existent. So even if a teacher is enthusiastic, they might not have the curriculum or knowhow. Number three, overst curriculum and testing pressure. Schools often say, "We have no time to add anything new. We're busy meeting testing standards for math and reading and science, etc." Standardized tests don't measure the ability to start a business or creativity, at least not

16:34 yet. So administrators focus on what is measured. The system prioritizes test scores and college admission rates. So subjects that aren't on the test can get sidelined. It's a systemic issue. One US educator noted it's extremely hard to change the curriculum even if we know that effective entrepreneurship education should be built around realworld experiences, not textbooks. Schools are generally slow to update what they teach. Think about it. How often does your school introduce a brand new class that's not part of the usual core subjects? Probably not often.

17:06 Breaking that mold requires strong will from school leaders or policy changes from the top. Number four, funding and resources. Historically, at least in the US, entrepreneurship programs in high schools didn't get dedicated funding. Career and technical education funds went to things like vocational training in established trades. Think about autoshops, woodworking, etc., but not to entrepreneurship. This was highlighted by Kathy Ashmore, an expert in entrepreneurship education. Despite high student interest, for a long time, states didn't recognize entrepreneurship as a fundable program. It was only recently that some funding has opened up. And without funds, schools didn't buy curriculum or materials for it. Many entrepreneurship courses that did exist were because a passionate teacher went out of their way, often doing it with very little budget or even as an extracurricular. It's hard to scale

17:54 that. If we want every school to teach it, districts and governments need to invest in it, develop curriculum, provide startup capital for studentrun business, and so on. Number five, the misconception of entrepreneurship education. Some people wrongly assume teaching entrepreneurship means telling every kid to go start a company immediately or that it might encourage kids to skip college or something. There can be a fear of the unknown. Are we encouraging kids to take unwise risks? But that's not the case. We're encouraging smart, calculated risks and innovation. Entrepreneurship class doesn't mean everyone will become a Silicon Valley CEO at 18. It means they learn how to be resourceful and proactive. In fact, many entrepreneurship programs emphasize continuing education and lifelong learning because good entrepreneurs never stop learning. It's not about either college or business. It's about

18:43 an entrepreneurial mindset that will help in college and beyond. We have to help school leaders understand it this way. Number six, cultural and parental expectations. In many cultures, the safe path is school, college, stable job is strongly encouraged by parents and schools. Entrepreneurship can be seen as too risky or not prestigious unless you succeed big. Some guidance counselors and parents with good intentions steer kids away from entrepreneurial ambitions. Maybe just go to college and get a job. Don't worry about that business idea. If schools themselves haven't embraced entrepreneurship, they might inadvertently send the message that it's not important. That mindset is changing, especially as more success stories of young entrepreneurs emerge, but it can still be a big barrier.

19:26 Compare this to say sports. Schools widely embrace athletics and invest in it because culturally we value it and see the benefits. Teamwork, health, scholarships. We need a similar acceptance that entrepreneurship has huge benefits, even if not every kid will start a Fortune 500 company. The bottom line is the system has been slow to adapt. One education leader said that if an alien observed Earth, they might think the whole purpose of public education is to produce university professors. Because we so heavily emphasize academic knowledge leading to more academic knowledge, we haven't put the same effort into producing entrepreneurs or creators. However, this is starting to change as awareness grows. More states are adding financial literacy and entrepreneurship standards.

20:07 More teachers are getting on board and more companies are providing programs for schools. It's a momentum we need to accelerate. Let's imagine for a second that every school did start teaching entrepreneurship. What would that actually involve? It's not just a boring lecture class where you memorize definitions of business terms. Entrepreneurship education is active and hands-on. It blends knowledge with practice. Here are some key skills and topics you'd likely learn in a good entrepreneurship class. And many experts agree on these core components.

20:40 Creativity and idea generation. How to come up with ideas and solve problems. Did you know all kids are creative? It's about unlocking that and not being afraid to share wild ideas. Next, leadership and confidence, taking initiative, speaking up, and motivating others. You might learn what makes a good team leader and practice those skills in group projects. Next, negotiation and communication. Whether it's negotiating a price with a supplier or simply persuading a potential partner or investor, entrepreneurs must communicate clearly and confidently.

21:09 You'd practice pitching ideas and negotiating win-win solutions. Next, marketing and sales. How do you actually sell a product or service? You'd learn about understanding customer needs, basic marketing strategies, maybe even social marketing for a school project business, and the art of selling without being salesy. Next, financial planning and budgeting. This is huge. You'd finally learn how money works in the real world. From creating a simple budget to managing costs to understanding profit, pricing, maybe even a bit of raising funds. This includes things like keeping basic accounting of a mini business, how loans or investment works, etc. Next, research and problem solving. Entrepreneurs spot opportunities by researching problems.

21:47 You'd learn how to identify a problem in your community, how to research if other people have the same problems, and how to brainstorm solutions. This builds critical thinking. Next, project management. Taking an idea from concept to reality requires planning. Students would learn how to set goals, how to make a step-by-step plan, manage time and resources. Basically, how to run a project. This is useful for any career. Next, resilience and learning from failure. This one's not a traditional subject, but a good program would actively teach you how to handle setbacks. Maybe through simulations or real world experiences, you'd get comfortable with things not always going right and learn to adapt. One of the most important skills of all. Next, networking and teamwork. Many schools would bring in guest speakers, local entrepreneurs to share their story. That gives you role models and connections.

22:33 You'd also work in teams on projects, learning to collaborate, which mimics how most startups are built by teams, not solo heroes. Notice something about this list. These are all practical, transferable skills. They help in life, not just in starting a company. If you never start a business, you still benefit because you now know how to manage money, how to speak confidently, how to think creatively, and so on. This is why some experts argue entrepreneurship education should be in all schools. It's essentially teaching life readiness and job readiness in a fun, engaging way. One entrepreneur wrote, "If taught as a series of courses, entrepreneurship is no more complex to grasp in mathematics or history." The point being, we already teach very complex things in school. We can absolutely teach entrepreneurship if we structure it well. We might see classes where students actually launch micro businesses for their project. For

23:20 example, a class could be given a $100 of seed money and challenged to grow it through a business idea over a semester. I've seen schools do this. One group of students might sell custom t-shirts. Another might start a small school store. Another offers tutoring services. Whatever their creativity leads to, they're learning by doing. Budgeting, marketing, dealing with customers, and whether they succeed or fail, the learning is rich. Some schools hold a market day where all student businesses set up booths and sell to other students and teachers. Kind of like a school fair. Imagine the excitement and the lessons from that experience. Way more impactful than another worksheet of math problems. Though you use math in doing business, also teaching entrepreneurship doesn't necessarily mean removing other subjects. Often it can be integrated. A science class could incorporate entrepreneurship by having students

24:10 market an invention they designed. A computer class could have students build a simple app or website for a business idea. We can blend it so that it reinforces other learning. The end result of widespread entrepreneurship education would be generations of young people who are not afraid to start something new. They would graduate with not just a diploma, but maybe even a business plan or actual business experience. They'd know that starting a venture is a viable path, not some mysterious process only for a few special people. And critically, they'd have problem solving skills and confidence that benefits society as a whole.

24:50 Now, here's a reality. You might not be able to change your school's curriculum overnight. Maybe you're a student in a school that doesn't offer any entrepreneurship class, and most don't, or you're past school age, and thinking, "Well, I missed that train." The good news is entrepreneurship is a lifelong learning journey, and you can start anytime, including right now. You don't have to wait for school to teach you. Many of the world's greatest entrepreneurs were self-taught or learned outside of formal education.

25:17 They had to take control of their own learning and you can do the same. As Elon Musk pointed out, you don't need college to learn. You can learn anything you want for free. In today's world, that's absolutely true. The knowledge and resources are out there, often at your fingertips. If you're itching to develop your entrepreneurial skills right now, here are some steps you can take on your own. First, start a small project or business. Learn by doing. Nothing teaches you entrepreneurship like actually trying it. It could be as simple as selling homemade crafts online or offering lawnmowing services or a tutoring service in your neighborhood or starting a small YouTube channel or an Etsy shop. Keep it small and low risk to start. The goal is to learn, not to make millions overnight. When you do this, pay attention to the process. How do you find customers? How do you price your service so people will buy, but you

26:07 still earn something? What do you do when something goes wrong? Every little challenge is building your entrepreneurial muscles. For example, maybe you and a friend organize a bake sale and treat it like a mini business. You need to budget the ingredients. You need to advertise to your community and need to see how much profit you can make for yourself or for a charity. You will learn more about business in that one experience than many do in a semester of class. Next, educate yourself with books, videos, and podcasts. There are countless free or cheap resources where successful entrepreneurs share their knowledge, including this YouTube channel. Read biographies of stories of entrepreneurs you admire. I often recommend learning from the best. My own channel. This channel features tons of advice from legends. Pick up classic books like Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Lean Startup or Think and Grow Rich. Books

26:54 that many entrepreneurs credit as influential. Or watch TED talks and YouTube interviews. When you hear someone like Steve Jobs or Sarah Blakeley, the founder of Spanx, talk about how they started, you get insights you can apply. Take notes. See if you can connect their experiences to what you might do. Many are easy to understand because they're stories. Also, there are countless courses and simulators, some are free, that can teach you the basics of entrepreneurship, and let you practice decisions in a simulated business. Use them. Next, join clubs, camps, or competitions. If your school has a club like DECA, an association of marketing and entrepreneurship students, or Junior Achievement, join it. If not, look for youth entrepreneurship programs in your city. They're often startup weekends or pitch competitions for high schoolers and college students. These are golden opportunities. You'll meet other

27:38 like-minded young people and often get mentorship from adults in business. There are even summer camps focused on entrepreneurship. For example, some universities host high school startup camps where in two weeks you form a team, build a business idea, and pitch it. Joining these activities not only teaches you skills, it puts you in a community that speaks the entrepreneurship language. Surrounding yourself with people who have the builder mentality will inspire you and make you feel less alone in your ambitions. Next, find a mentor or ask questions. Do you know someone in your family or neighborhood who runs a business? Talk to them. Most entrepreneurs love to share their experience with eager learners. Ask if you can intern or just shadow them for a day at their business. If you have an idea, run it by them and ask for feedback. Mentors can guide you around common pitfalls and encourage you when

28:27 you face doubt. Even if you don't have a direct connection, you can seek mentors out online. Many entrepreneurs ask questions on platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter. If you approach politely and thoughtfully, for example, you might message a local bakery owner. Hi, I'm 16 and interested in entrepreneurship. What's one thing you wish you knew at my age? You might be surprised at the thoughtful responses you get. Next, embrace the entrepreneurial mindset in daily life. You can practice being entrepreneurial without a business every day. See a problem around you. Think, is there an opportunity here for a solution? Be curious about how things work. When you use an app or buy a product, ask how do they make money? Why do people value this? What's the business model? This habit of thinking will sharpen your understanding of business. Also, work on being comfortable with uncertainty and failure

29:14 in your regular activities. If your science project, your art project doesn't go well, treat it like an entrepreneur would. Examine what went wrong. Adjust. Try again. Build that resilience. Remember, many famous entrepreneurs were terrible students or dropped out, yet succeeded through self-education and grit. For example, Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin, dropped out of school at age 15. He said he was even seen as the dumbest person in school due to his dyslexia. But he left school to start a student magazine, which led him on an entrepreneurial journey. His first venture failed, but he learned from it and pivoted to create a record company, Virgin Records. And the rest is history.

29:53 airlines, music, telecom, space travel, all under the Virgin brand. Branson didn't learn that in a classroom. He learned by doing and seeking out mentors. As a teenager, when he was struggling in class, he channeled his energy into things he was passionate about, and he excelled. Another example, Gary Vaynerchuk, a well-known entrepreneur, social media CEO, also friend of the channel, barely made it through high school. He once recounted that after failing a test in fourth grade, he decided, you know what, screw school. I'm a businessman. He started selling baseball cards and lemonade, learning business by actually running small ventures. Of course, he continued attending school for basics, but mentally he knew his real education was happening in his own project. Gary's now a CEO, investor, motivational speaker, and he'll be the first to tell you that traditional schooling didn't teach him

30:40 success. His hustle outside did. Now, I'm not saying drop out, and Gary wouldn't either for most people, but I am saying don't rely solely on school to teach you everything. Be proactive like Gary was in pursuing your own ventures and education. While you take charge of your own learning, also remember that you can be part of the change in the education system. If you're a student, talk to your teachers or principles about starting an entrepreneurship club or elective. Show them the stats like the ones that we've talked about in this video about how many students are interested and how beneficial it could be. Sometimes change starts with one or two passionate students saying, "We want this." If you're a parent, you can advocate for these programs in the school board or the PTA. If you're an educator, maybe you can start by incorporating a small project that teaches entrepreneurial skills into your

31:28 class. Even if you teach English or art, there's room for creativity and problem solving. The question was, why don't we teach entrepreneurship in school? As we've explored, the reasons are historical and structural, an outdated system, misconceptions, lack of resources. But none of these reasons are insurmountable. The world is waking up to the need for entrepreneurial education. It's slow, but it's happening. And I believe that in the coming years, we'll see more and more schools integrate these critical skills because the demand from students will only grow. Imagine a future where asking why don't we teach entrepreneurship in school gets the response, we do now.

32:05 Students would graduate not just with theoretical knowledge, but with practical experience, maybe having run a small enterprise or launch a social initiative while in school. They'd enter adulthood empowered to create, not just to consume or wait for instructions. That future is possible if we keep pushing for it. In the meantime, don't wait. Start cultivating your entrepreneurial spirit. Every successful entrepreneur out there, whether it's Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, or the local business owner, they started by taking a first step and learning as they went.

32:36 You can do the same right now where you are. School may not teach you how to be an entrepreneur, but you can teach yourself and seek out mentors who will. Use the resources around you. Use your time wisely. And most importantly, believe in your ideas and your ability to learn. If your school isn't giving you the entrepreneurial education you crave, be the entrepreneur of your own life education. Build the skills piece by piece. It's like assembling your own curriculum. A bit of book knowledge here, a bit of real world trial and error there. Over time, you'll gain an education that no classroom can fully provide. One that comes from experience, your curiosity, and passion. You have more power than you realize. You can be the generation that changes the game. By pursuing entrepreneurship and showing why it matters, you create proof points that maybe, just maybe, will convince more schools to follow suit. One day,

33:28 your younger siblings or future kids might actually learn these things in school as a norm. And you know that you are part of making that happen. So, let's end on a powerful note. Education isn't just about getting a job. It's about empowering you to create jobs, including your own. Don't let the absence of a class stop you from chasing that dream of yours. The world needs your ideas, your inventions, your businesses, your solutions. Go out there, learn what you need to learn. Start that venture you've been thinking about, no matter how small, and keep feeding that fire in your belly. You have permission to forge your own path.

34:04 In fact, you always did. It's time to take what's missing in school into your own hands. Bet on yourself. Invest in yourself and keep pushing for a system that invests in you, too. You want to start a business, but you're struggling to come up with the right idea. Sound familiar? If so, you are not alone and you're in the right place. Today, I'm going to help you find a profitable business idea that not only makes money, but also ignites your passion and serves a real need. Every successful entrepreneur starts exactly where you are now with no idea and a lot of uncertainty. The difference is they found the process to discover that golden idea and took action. In fact, millions of people are taking the leap.

34:41 5.4 million new business applications were filed in 2021 in the US, a record high. That means countless people decided enough waiting. I'm going to build something. And you can too. Imagine waking up excited because you're working on a business that you love, that you're good at, and that actually makes a difference while making money. That's the goal. and we're going to get you there with a step-by-step breakdown mixing motivational fire with practical strategies backed by real stats, expert frameworks, and inspiring examples. Let's do this.

35:15 Step number one is start with your passion and skills. The first place to look for a great business idea is within you. Why? Because building a business takes hard work and persistence, and it's a lot easier if you care deeply about what you're doing. So, start by examining your passions and skills. What do you love doing? What are you really good at? These are the seeds of a strong business idea. Think about it. If you start a business just because it seems lucrative, but you have zero interest in it, will you still be excited to do it a year from now, 5 years from now?

35:44 Probably not. Your passion is the fuel that keeps you going when things get tough. And trust me, in business, things will get tough. Likewise, your skills and talents give you an edge. Maybe you're great at graphic design or coding or cooking or teaching. Whatever your gifts are, they can form the basis of a business. A powerful tool to connect passion and skill with a viable idea is the eeky framework from Japan. Eeky means reason for being. And it's often visualized as four overlapping circles. What you're good at, your skills and your strengths, what you love, your passions, those activities that light you up, what the world needs, these are the problems you can solve or ways you can serve others, and what you can be paid for. So these are things that people would actually pay you to do. Ask yourself these four questions and find the intersection. The sweet spot in the middle is your eeky guy where a

36:35 meaningful potentially profitable business idea can emerge. For example, say you love fitness and you're good at teaching. The world needs healthier lifestyles and people are willing to pay for personal training. Right in the intersection could be a business idea of launching a personal training service or an online fitness coaching program. See how that works? When you align what drives you with what helps others and what makes money, you've got the foundation of a winning idea. Take a moment after this video or pause now to jot down your skills and passions. Look for patterns or combinations you might have overlooked. Your unique background or hobby might be the source of a great business. Love baking and good at art?

37:14 Maybe a custom cake bakery. Good with numbers and love kids. Maybe a financial literacy app for students. Brainstorm freely here. Let your imaginations go wild, connecting things you love and excel at. This is how many iconic businesses started. Someone took a personal interest or talent and turned it into a product or service the world didn't know it needed. Number two, identify real problems to solve. All right, so you've looked inward. Now it's time to look outward. A business only succeeds if it solves a problem or fulfills a need for customers. This is absolutely crucial.

37:47 Profitable ideas are ones that serve others in a meaningful way. As venture capitalist Paul Graham put it, the way to get startup ideas is not to try to think of startup ideas. It's to look for problems, preferably problems you have yourself. In other words, find a painoint, something people struggle with or want improved, and solve it. Why is focusing on a real problem so important? Because if your idea doesn't address a genuine need, it won't matter how passionate or skilled you are, it's likely to flop. In fact, studies have shown that 42% of startups fail simply because there was no market need for what they built. Think about that.

38:23 Nearly half of those entrepreneurs poured time and money into something that people ultimately didn't want enough to pay for. Ouch. We do not want you in that 42% category. The cure is to start with a problem, not the product. So, look around your life and the lives of others. What annoying problems do you see? What service do you wish existed because it would make your life easier? Maybe your co-workers are always complaining about a certain inefficiency at work. Maybe as a parent, you've noticed a lack of affordable tutoring options. Maybe you see small businesses in your town struggle with social media and you know how to help. Opportunities are everywhere once you start looking for problems. A great exercise is to keep a problem journal for a week.

39:08 literally write down every time you or someone you observe says, "H, I wish this was easier," or, "Why hasn't someone figured this out?" Those complaints are business idea gold. The bigger or more frequent the pain, the more valuable the solution will be. Entrepreneurs often talk about painkillers versus vitamins. When it comes to products, a painkiller business solves an urgent pain. Customers need it. Whereas a vitamin business is nice to have. Customers might want it. Painkillers are easier to sell, so aim to be a painkiller. Solve a real problem that causes pain or frustration. Now, if you can match a problem that needs solving with something you're passionate about and good at, you're on the right track. Let's say you're passionate about the environment and skilled in engineering. You identify that people want to reduce plastic waste. That's the problem, but find it hard to do in daily

39:59 life. You might come up with a business idea to create biodegradable packaging or a convenient recycling service. See how the problem which was plastic waste drives the idea and your passion or your skill which is sustainability and engineering shapes the solution. That's the synergy that we're looking for. Step number three, brainstorm broadly. Mix and match your ideas, your products, your services online and offline. At this point, you have the ingredients of you, your passion, your skills, and the market, the real problems and the needs.

40:30 Now, it's time to cook up some specific ideas. Brainstorm as many ideas as possible that lie at the intersection of what excites you and what could help others. Don't filter yourself too much yet. The goal is to generate a wide range of possibilities. Think of it like a creative brainstorm where no idea is too crazy to write down. Often your first few ideas might be obvious or already wellknown, but as you keep pushing, you'll hit more original notes. One technique is to take one of your interests or skills and list out every business model you can apply to it. For example, uh suppose you love pets. You could sell a product like homemade organic pet treats, provide a service, pet grooming, dog walking, build an online platform, a blog, a YouTube channel with pet training tips, monetized by ads, or premium course.

41:15 Start an offline business. Open a pet daycare center. Offer consulting or coaching service to help new pet owners via one-on-one sessions and so on. See how one passion, which was pets, can spawn multiple types of business. Don't get stuck thinking there's only one way to turn an interest into an income. In fact, let's systematically explore different types of business models so you can cover all of the angles. Here's a list to spark some ideas. Product based businesses. Here you're creating or selling a tangible product. So example, you're designing a new gadget, a new fashion item. You're manufacturing a eco-friendly household product. You're selling handmade crafts on Etsy. or even developing a mobile app which is a digital product. Then you have service- based businesses. Here you're providing a service. So you're using your time, your expertise to help clients. So examples, you're starting a consulting

42:04 agency. You're freelancing your design or your programming skills. You're launching a cleaning or a landscaping business. You're offering tutoring or coaching. You're a fitness coach, a career coach, etc. or a home repair service. Next is online businesses. So here you're leveraging the internet to reach customers. So examples, you have an e-commerce store. You're selling products on Shopify, Amazon. Your content creation, you're doing a YouTube channel, podcast, blog that you monetize through ads or subscriptions. You have online courses or membership sites. You have software as a service. You have products or an app-based service like a delivery or booking app. Next, you have offline. These are brickandmortar businesses. That's a traditional route of a physical location or local service.

42:41 So examples, you're opening a cafe or a food truck, a retail boutique, a gym, a yoga studio, a car wash, a mobile phone repair kiosk, a food catering business. These can still leverage online marketing, but the core is face-to-face service. Next is trending industry. So think about what's hot right now. New trends create new business opportunities. Some examples are AI and machine learning services, very hot right now. Sustainable products and green tech, people are increasingly becoming eco-conscious. Remote work solutions, anything that supports work from home culture, blockchain, web 3 if you have expertise there, personalized nutrition or health tech, etc. Trends can be great because demand is rising, but be careful, you still need to offer real value, not just hype. Then we can go to timeless needs. These are businesses that never go out of style because they meet basic enduring needs.

43:26 So example, food and beverage, healthcare education housing transportation, personal finance, management cleaning repairs child care. A boring business that reliably fixes a common problem can be very profitable. Don't dismiss it because it's not the latest fact. Timeless can equal stable. So go through each category and ask, could I see myself doing this? Does it overlap with a passion or skill and solve a problem? This exercise expands your thinking. For instance, maybe you hadn't considered an online content business, but you really love writing and there's a need for easy how-to articles in a hobby niche you care about. Boom. That's a potential idea. start a niche blog and monetize it. Or you realize an offline service like a mobile car detailing in your town could do well because you love cars and people always, always, always need convenient car care. By exploring a full mix of models, you ensure you're not

44:18 leaving any stone unturned. Here's a pro tip for you. Look at where trends and timeless needs intersect. For example, the rise of remote work as a trend meets the timeless need for better communication that spawned ideas like Zoom and Slack. Now, maybe you won't create the next Zoom, but you might create a specialized solution for remote teachers or remote fitness training. Another example, health and wellness is timeless and technology is a trend. Together, they opened up ideas like health tracking apps or online therapy services. Brainstorm combinations like this to see if something clicks with you. At this stage, quantity is your friend. Write down 10, 20, or even 50 idea snippets. They won't all be good.

44:57 That's okay. You're looking for a few gems that excite you and have potential to explore further. Once you have a nice list of ideas, we can move on to evaluating and refining them. Step number four, research the market and competition to validate the need. Now that you have some candid ideas, it's time to put on your detective hat and research. This step separates wishful thinking from reality. A business idea might sound awesome in your head, but you need to verify that real customers actually want it and will pay for it. So, how do you research effectively? Start with understanding the market size and demand. Use Google to see how many people are searching for solutions related to your idea. Check for social media, Reddit communities where your potential customers hang out. What are they talking about? What questions do they ask? This can give you insight into demand and specific pain points. For

45:47 example, if you are considering a healthy snack product, see if people are blogging or tweeting about wanting low sugar onthe-go snacks. If you find a lot of chatter or searches, that's a good sign the interest is there. Next, look at the competition. Are there other businesses that are already doing what you plan to do or something similar? Don't be discouraged if there are. Competition is actually validation that the problem exists and money is being spent. Your job is to study those competitors and identify how you can differentiate. More on that will come up in a future section. Make a list of, say, the top five competitors or alternatives in your space. Visit their websites. Read their customer reviews.

46:28 Note their pricing. This research will help you answer key questions. How hard will it be to stand out? What are they doing well and what are they not doing well? What gaps could you fill? Also, pay attention to the trends in the industry. Is the market growing or shrinking? You can find industry reports or news articles for data. If you discover that the market for your idea is exploding, like for example, the e-learning market booming during the pandemic, that's a tailwind for you. If it's declining, say you wanted to open a DVD rental store.

47:01 Probably not a great idea in the age of streaming. You might reconsider or pivot your focus. Importantly, talk to potential customers if you can. This doesn't have to be formal. Even chatting with people in your target market can provide insights. For instance, if your idea is a service for busy moms, go talk to some moms. Ask if they face the problem you think they have and how they solve it now. You might discover new info. Maybe they don't need what you thought. Or maybe they desperately need it, but current options are too expensive. Those insights are pure gold and can save you from building something flawed. Entrepreneur Steve Blank famously said, "There are no facts inside the building." So get the heck outside. Meaning, don't just sit in your room theorizing. Get out there and learn from real people. Let's say one of your ideas is an app to help people find lastminute fitness classes. You'd

47:52 research how many people search for fitness classes. See if apps like Class Pass or MindBody cover that. And perhaps survey some gymgoers or instructors about their needs. You might discover that people want to do spontaneous fitness options, but they care more about price or location. That intel helps you refine your idea. Maybe your twist is focusing on discounted lastminute spots like a hotwire for fitness classes. This research phase is where you turn a rough idea into a more concrete concept backed by evidence.

48:22 Step number five is carve out your unique value and differentiate with a blue ocean strategy. So by now you should have a much clearer picture of your top idea or couple of ideas and what the market looks like. Now ask yourself, what will make my business unique? Why will customers choose you over the competition? This is your unique value proposition or UVP, the special sauce that sets you apart. It could be a niche focus, a better feature, a more convenient delivery method, a lower price, a higher quality, a brand that resonates more, etc. But you need something that makes you stand out. One powerful way to think about this is using the blue ocean strategy framework. The concept popularized by the book Blue Ocean Strategy is that most businesses fight in red oceans crowded with competitors all biting at the same customers. A blue ocean is where you create a new uncontested market space making the competition

49:17 irrelevant. In plain terms, find an angle that none of your competitors are addressing and sale there. This might mean targeting a different customer segment or offering a completely new combination of benefits. So for example, think about circus sole. They took a blue ocean by blending circus with theater, attracting adults willing to pay theater prices while other circuses were stuck competing for kids attention with animals and clowns. Circus Sole's unique value is a sophisticated story-driven circus experience. The result, they tapped into a whole new audience and made competition beside the point. Now, you don't have to revolutionize an entire industry like they did, but you can apply the same idea on a smaller scale. So, ask yourself, what can I do differently or better than anyone in my space? Maybe your research revealed a gap. Perhaps all the existing products are expensive, so you aim to be affordable. Or they're

50:11 all cheap and lowquality, so you become the premium highquality choice. Perhaps competitors serve a general audience, so you niche down. For instance, instead of a generic marketing agency, you specialize in marketing for sustainable fashion brands, becoming the go-to expert for that niche. That niche focus can be your unique edge. Here's another angle. Combine things in a novel way. Maybe you notice no one is bundling two services together. That makes sense. Think of how some car wash businesses now offer oil chains while you wash.

50:42 They combine services to stand out. Or use a different channel. If competitors only sell in store, you dominate online or vice versa. Blue Ocean thinking encourages creativity. Instead of trying to beat someone else at their game, you change the game. Even if your idea is in a crowded field, a unique value prop can make it feel brand new. For instance, lots of people sold coffee, but Starbucks made a blue ocean by selling an experience and a community, the third place between home and work. Lots of people made phones, but Apple differentiated with design and an ecosystem that locked customers in. So define your differentiator. Write down a simple sentence. My business is the only one that and then fill in the blank. If you can't, you need to refine your idea further until you can. Maybe it's the only one that can offer on-site yoga classes specifically for tech companies or the only one that uses AI to

51:38 personalize meal prep for users in seconds. The point is to have a clear and compelling answer when a customer asks, "Why should I choose you?" If you nail that, you're way ahead of most new businesses. Step number six is test your idea on a small scale. Validate with MVP. You've got a promise and idea that fits your passion, solves a real problem, and now has a unique twist. Fantastic. Now, before you start pouring all your savings or quitting your day job, it's time for one of the most critical steps. Validate your idea with a smallcale test. In startup speak, we call this building a minimum viable product or MVP. The concept is simple. You create the simplest version of your idea necessary to prove that people want it.

52:23 This way, you get real feedback and evidence without a huge investment upfront. Think of it as experimenting. You're testing the market's reaction. This step can save you from disaster or give you the confidence and data to go allin. And it doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. In fact, some of the most successful companies started with super scrappy tests of their concepts. Let me share a couple of famous examples. Airbnb's MVP. So today, Airbnb is a massive business, but it started extremely small. The founders, Brian and Joe, had an idea. Strangers might pay to stay in our home instead of a hotel. Crazy, right? To test it, they didn't build a fancy app or buy properties. They literally put air mattresses in their living room and created a basic web page offering a place to sleep and breakfast. They targeted a conference in town that had hotels fully booked. And guess what?

53:15 Three people took them up on their offer to air bed and breakfast. That was all the validation they needed to see that hey people are open to this. After only that initial test did they start expanding and even then very slowly at first. The key lesson is this. They tested the core assumption. Will people pay to stay in a stranger's home with almost no money? You can do the same with your own idea in its own way. Here's Zapos's MVP. Zapos is a huge online shoe retailer now, but when Nick Swinmer had the idea in 1999, selling shoes online was unheard of. Rather than buying a ton of shoes and hoping they'd sell, which is super risky, Nick ran a clever test. He went to local shoe stores, took photos of shoes, and listed them on a simple website. When a customer ordered a pair, he'd go buy it from the store and ship it to them.

54:02 Inconvenient for him? Sure. He was running around town. Profitable at that moment? Not really. He wasn't making money doing that, but as a test, it was brilliant. It proved people would buy shoes online, even without trying them on. Once that was validated, he knew it was worth investing in inventory and building the real infrastructure. Zapos was born from that experiment. These examples show the power of an MVP. Keep it simple, cheap, and focused on learning. So ask yourself, what's the smallest, quickest way I can test my idea? If it's a product, maybe you make a prototype by hand or even a 3D rendering and show it to potential customers for feedback or pre-orders. If it's a service, maybe you offer it to a few people manually, even if behind the scenes you're doing things unscalably, just to see if they'll pay and what results they get. If it's an app or website, perhaps you don't even build it

54:53 fully. You just put up a landing page describing the service with a sign up or buy now button and see if people click and then say coming soon. This gauges interest. You could also run a small crowdfunding campaign to see if strangers will put money down for your idea. There are so many creative ways to test without a full launch. One very important piece of validation is to actually charge money if that's your eventual goal and see if people will pay. It's one thing for friends to say, "Oh, that sounds cool. I'd use that.

55:23 It's another for someone to pull out their wallet and pay $50 for it. The ultimate proof of a profitable idea is well profit. So in your test, see if you can even get one or two actual sales or paying users. That does wonders for your confidence and gives you real customer feedback. And remember, you don't have to quit your day job to do this testing. In fact, keeping your job while you validate is often wise. There's research done by professors spanning 14 years that found entrepreneurs who kept their day jobs had 33% lower odds of failure than those who quit outright. Read that again. It means you can be prudent and hedge your bets early on. Test your ideas in the evenings or weekends. It's okay if progress is a bit slow at first.

56:03 You're buying yourself runway and reducing risk. Once your idea is validated and starts gaining traction, then you can consider going full-time. As the saying goes, don't burn the boats until you're sure the island has treasure. So, go out and run your tests. Embrace the mindset of a scientist and an adventure. It's actually fun. You're seeing your idea come to life in the real world for the first time. Keep your eyes wide open during this phase. Talk to your early users or customers. Get their brutally honest feedback and iterate. Maybe they'll love some parts of your idea and be lukewarm on the others. Use that information to tweak your concept. It's much better to adjust now than after you've sunk a year of work into it.

56:47 Step number seven, refine, pivot, or persevere, but stay flexible. After testing, you'll have real data in your hands. Some of it will make you happy. People love the convenience. Some might be disappointing. Only a few out of a hundred people who visited my site actually signed up. This is normal. The question now is, what did you learn and what will you do about it? This stage is all about refining your idea. You might need to make small changes or sometimes a major change, a pivot to hit the sweet spot. Don't be discouraged if your initial idea wasn't a home run right away. It's rarely perfect from the get-go. In fact, many successful business morphed from their original idea once they got market feedback.

57:25 Instagram famously started as a completely different app. It was a complex check-in app called Bourbon before the founders noticed users only really liked one feature, photo sharing, and pivoted to focus on that. Hello Instagram. Twitter was born out of a failing podcast platform. Iteration is part of the process. As Paul Graham observed, most startups end up nothing like the initial idea. It would be closer to the truth to say the main value of your initial idea is that in the process of discovering it's broken. You'll come up with your real idea. In other words, your first idea is just a stepping stone to the truly great idea.

58:02 And that's okay. So, what might refinement look like for you? It could be narrowing down your target market further because you found one subgroup really loved it and the others didn't care or adjusting your pricing if people said it's too expensive or maybe adding or removing a feature. For example, if you offered a meal delivery service and learned that customers only really use it for dinner, maybe you pivot to focus on dinner plans specifically. If your app has five features, but users only care about two, simplify and double down on those two.

58:33 listen to the feedback and be willing to adapt. The best entrepreneurs are flexible thinkers. They don't marry their solution, they marry the problem. They stay committed to solving the core need, but are willing to change how they solve it based on what is actually working. There's also a chance your test results are phenomenal and basically scream, "Yes, this idea is a winner exactly as it is." That's great. Then you persevere and start scaling it up. But if the results were lukewarm or confusing, don't despair. Use them to make your idea better. This is the time for tweaks and maybe a second round of testing with the improved version.

59:07 Here's one more thing. Overcome the fear of failure by reframing it as learning. Thomas Edison famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Each tweak you make is bringing you closer to something that will work. Each failure in testing is just an experiment that yielded new information. It's like a pilot adjusting course based on weather conditions. You're still headed to your destination. You're just navigating reality. So stay consistent and keep that growth mindset. If version one of your idea doesn't fly, think of version two or three. This phase might repeat a few times. Test, learn, refine, test again. That's normal. The end goal is when you start consistently seeing people willing to pay good satisfaction [snorts] and growing demand. That's when you know you've honed in on a truly profitable business idea worth pouring gasoline on, which is scaling up.

1:00:00 Step number eight, take action and execute. Your ideas are worthless without execution. By now, you should have a solid, validated business idea in your hands. Congratulations. Do you know how many people never get to this point? A lot. You've done the hard thinking. You've done the research. You've tested and refined. Now comes the part that separates entrepreneurs from entrepreneurs. Taking massive action and executing consistently. This is where you turn that idea into an actual business with customers and revenue.

1:00:30 It's showtime. Let me be real with you. An idea alone, no matter how brilliant, is worth almost nothing. Execution is everything. Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, famously said, "Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who implement them are priceless." Let that sink in. You might have the most innovative idea, but if you don't act on it, it's just theory. On the other hand, even a simple or common idea executed with excellence can make you incredibly successful. Look at businesses like Starbucks or McDonald's. Coffee and hamburgers are not novel ideas at all.

1:01:03 It was their execution. It was their systems, their branding, their consistency that made them billion-dollar empires. So, don't worry if your idea isn't completely original. What matters is doing it better, doing it your way, and actually doing it. Millions of people say, "I had that idea." when they see a successful business, but the winners are those who acted. You're going to be a winner by acting on yours. What does execution involve at this stage? It means building your product or service for real. Setting up the business basics, even if it's just creating a simple website or social media page to start, and aggressively going after your first real customers beyond the testers. It means refining your operations, how you deliver your product or your service efficiently. It also means marketing, getting the word out through any scrappy means you can. Social media, word of mouth, local events, content marketing,

1:01:53 etc. Essentially, you transform from planner to doer full-time. This part will be a journey on its own with new challenges. Maybe you hit technical issues to solve. Maybe you face rejection from investors or partners. Maybe sales are slow in the first months. This is where the passion we talked about in step one really pays off. It will keep you motivated to push through. Remember your why, the passion or purpose that made you choose this idea, and the problem you're solving that really helps people that will drive you to persist and innovate in the face of obstacles. Here's a quick tip. Don't seek perfection before launch. I've seen too many aspiring entrepreneurs tinker endlessly trying to make their product perfect and delay actually offering it to real customers. Don't fall into that trap. Get a good enough version out and improve as you go. Reed Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn, said, "If you are

1:02:44 not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late." The point is to launch, learn, and improve rather than aim for perfection out of the gate. Execution is a learning process, too. And guess what? You're never truly ready. You might still feel doubt or fear. That's normal. Successful entrepreneurs feel it and take action despite it. You don't need anyone's permission to start. You just need to start. Discipline and consistency will carry you forward. Make a plan. Even a simple to-do list or a 90-day action plan. And then execute on it every single day. Step by step, you will build momentum. Finally, as you execute, keep your motivation and vision high.

1:03:25 Celebrate your small wins, your first sale, your first hundred users, uh great customer testimonial. These are milestones on your journey to a profitable business. Surround yourself with positive influencers, mentors, entrepreneur communities, or even motivating videos. That's what I'm here for. This will keep your energy up when you face challenges. And step number nine, you have everything you need. Now, believe in yourself. We've covered a lot from finding your passion, eeky guy to identifying real problems, generating a ton of ideas from products, services, online offline trending timeless the whole spectrum. researching the market, finding your unique angle with frameworks like Blue Ocean Strategy, testing your idea lean with MVPs, and then executing with full force. This is the roadmap countless successful entrepreneurs have followed to find their profitable business idea, and now

1:04:12 it's in your hands. Here's the beautiful thing. You already have what it takes. The fact that you watch this video through working on yourself and your dreams shows that you're serious. The profitable idea is out there waiting for you to bring to life. It might be something small that grows big or something that starts one way and evolves into something unexpected. However it unfolds, it begins with you taking that next step. Remember, every big business started with one person and one idea. Jeff Bezos began Amazon as a tiny online bookstore in his garage.

1:04:44 Sarah Blakeley started Spanx with just an idea and $5,000 in her savings, hustling her way to building a brand because she believed women needed better undergarments. the common thread. They started and they believed in the idea and themselves. Now it's your turn. No more analysis paralysis. You have the tools and strategies. Use them. Start brainstorming. Start researching. Start talking to potential customers. Start building something. It's okay if it's not perfect. It's okay if you pivot. What's not okay is to let another year slip by and still be dreaming about someday. As the saying goes, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.

1:05:19 The second best time is now. The best time to start your business idea is now. I want you to bet on yourself. Take that leap of faith, even if it's a small step at first. Trust that you'll figure things out along the way because you will. You've learned how to find a profitable business idea, but it will only profit you if you act on it. I'm excited for you. This could be the moment you look back on and say, "That's when I decided to change my life." So, get out there and make it happen. You've got this. I believe in you. But most importantly, you need to believe in yourself. The world needs that special business that only you can create with your unique passions, skills, and perspective. It's time to turn your idea into reality. Because if others can do it, you can do it, too. And you will as long as you believe. Go forth, do the work, and see your dream come to life.

1:06:09 I'll leave you with one final word that I live by myself. Believe. Do you lie awake at night buzzing with ideas yet worry you have no money and no clue where to begin? Today I'm talking directly to you, the aspiring entrepreneur with big dreams on a tiny budget. One of my subscribers, Kayleie 1186, asked me, "I have several ideas but no money to start or any knowledge as to how to start. How do you take an idea to fruition without a dime to start?" If you've been feeling the same way, rich in ideas but short on cash and experience, then this video is for you. I'm going to show you how you can turn that idea into reality without money in the bank. I'll share some motivational fire, practical steps, real examples of entrepreneurs who started from zero, plus a bit of science and stats to back it all up. By the end, you'll see that no money is no problem, and you'll have a game plan to believe in. Let's do it.

1:07:04 Shift your mindset from money worries to resourceful worrier. So, first we need to attack the mindset. If you're thinking, "I can't start because I have no money." You're already setting yourself up to lose. Let me tell you something powerful. It's not about your resources. It's about your resourcefulness. Legendary life coach Tony Robbins and friend of the channel said, "You don't lack resources, you lack resourcefulness." That hits hard, right? The biggest thing holding you back isn't a lack of cash. It's the belief that you need cash to get started. You do not. What you need is creativity, hustle, and the ability to solve problems. Think about it. Some of the most successful businesses in history started with next to nothing.

1:07:43 They had founders who were scrappy and inventive. When you don't have money, you learn to think outside the box. In fact, research shows that having constraints, like little or no money, can boost creativity. A Harvard Business Review analysis of 145 studies found that individuals and teams benefit from a healthy dose of constraints. It forces them to innovate. And it's only when constraints are too extreme that they hurt innovation. So a lack of money isn't a death sentence. It can actually be the spark that makes your idea more innovative. Remember Apollo 13? Those NASA engineers had almost no resources in space. But they improvised a life-saving solution with plastic bags and duct tape. Necessity is the mother of invention. As the old saying goes, your necessity, which is no money, can become your greatest motivation. Also, drop the excuses and embrace a no excuses mentality. If you keep telling

1:08:37 yourself you can't win because the odds are against you, then it becomes true. But if you adopt the attitude that nothing will stop you, guess what? You become unstoppable. Instead of saying I can't because I have no money, start asking how can I, whatever you're trying to do without money. That slight change in phrasing flips a switch in your brain from victim to problem solver. You go from blocking your creativity to unlocking it. Every time that worry about money pops up, counter it with I am resourceful enough to figure this out because you are. You've got this far.

1:09:09 You have the vision. Now we cultivate the determination. And here's one more mindset shift. Focus on your why, not the how. This is something I emphasize in my book, Momentum. When you're stuck thinking, how am I going to do this with no money? You can become paralyzed by the how. Instead, reconnect with why this idea matters to you. Why are you excited by it? Why will it help people? In momentum, I talk about making mindset shifts to get momentum. And shift number one is focus on the why over the how. When you have a strong enough reason, you'll find the way. If your why is powerful, say you want to solve a problem that you faced or change your family's future or make a difference in your community. That passion will drive you to figure out the how step by step.

1:09:52 So, reconnect with your purpose. We'll dive more into that soon. And let that purpose fuel you. The how will unfold as you take action. Here's your bottom line. You have to believe that it's possible. This is non-negotiable. If you don't believe in your idea and in yourself, you've lost before you've begun. You can call it faith. You can call it self-confidence. Whatever. You must cultivate it. As Henry Ford famously said, whether you think you can or you can't, you are right. And I want you to think that you can. In fact, I want you to know that you can. My one word, the creator I live by is believe.

1:10:23 I need you to believe that you can start this thing without money because once you believe it, your brain starts working on how to do it instead of if it can be done. So, program that mindset for confidence and resourcefulness. Find your purpose, who, why, and how from built to serve. Now that we've got your mindset primed, let's talk about your purpose. A strong sense of purpose can carry you farther than a fat bank account ever could. I wrote a book called Built to Serve, all about how finding your purpose makes you an unstoppable force. In it, I break down a process I call who, why, how. Three simple steps to identify your purpose and use it as your guiding star. This is especially important when you're starting with nothing because your purpose is going to be your fuel when times get tough, and they will. Money might be tight, but purpose is free and infinitely powerful. Step one is your

1:11:12 who. This is about figuring out who you are at your core. Specifically, what your single most important core value is. What do you stand for? What value lights you up and guides your decisions. It could be freedom, happiness, authenticity, belonging, or in my case, belief. In Built to Serve, I explain how every person has that one core value that drives them. Maybe your core value is innovation. You love being creative and doing things differently. Or maybe it's service. You feel happiest when you're helping others. Take some time to reflect on this. Think about times you felt most alive or proud of yourself.

1:11:43 What value were you living then? That is your who. And knowing this is huge because your business idea should align with who you are. If your idea doesn't match your core value, you'll struggle to stay motivated, especially without financial rewards early on. But if it does match, you'll have a deep well of energy to draw from. As the book says, finding your most important core value is what I call your who. And it allows you to set a course for your life. It's life-changing to know this. So figure out your one word, more on that soon, or core value first. Step two, your why.

1:12:17 This is about your purpose. Usually tied to a pain or problem you've experienced. Often your purpose comes from your most painful experience. Why? Because you survived that pain and now you feel called to help others going through the same thing. In Built to Serve, I ask, "What was the most painful moment of your life?" It takes courage, but inside that pain is your purpose. Maybe you struggled with poverty growing up. That could ignite a purpose to help others find financial freedom. Maybe you lost someone to illness. that could drive you to improve health care or emotional support. Or maybe you felt like an outsider like I did at times that could drive you to create products or communities that make people feel they belong. Your why is the reason beyond money that you're doing this. It's the impact that you want to have. It answers why do I care? Why will this idea make the world better even just a little bit?

1:13:07 So, for example, if your idea is a tutoring app for kids, your why might be because you struggled in school without help and you want to ensure others don't go through that. That personal connection gives you fire. When you have no money, your why is what gets you out of bed and keeps you pushing forward when you're tempted to quit. Remember, entrepreneurs who achieve massive success are not usually driven by money alone. They are driven by a mission. A study of successful entrepreneurs found that none of them were purely money motivated. They want to change the way something is done, have an impact, leave a legacy. Money follows purpose. In fact, Ray Croc, who built McDonald's, famously said, "If you just work for money, you'll never make it. But if you love what you're doing, success will be yours." So focus on loving what you're doing, your why, not just chasing payday. Step three, your how. This is

1:13:58 your passion and action. How you will serve others and solve their problem. It often comes from how you overcame your own pain. In other words, how did you get through your biggest challenge? That method or skill can be your gift to others. In Built to Serve, I explained that your how is what you will actually do to help people and it can evolve over time. For example, if your who is belonging and your why is you felt like an outsider growing up, maybe your how was gaming communities. You found belonging by playing online games with people. Your business idea could then be building a platform for outsider kids to find friends through gaming. The how is basically your solution or approach.

1:14:37 It's the product or service that comes from your personal story. And because it's rooted in something that's deeply personal, you'll be passionate about doing it every day. Your how is your passion and expertise coming together to serve others. So take some time to outline your who, your why, and your how. Write it down. It might look like this. Who I value creativity above all else. Why? I struggled with low self-esteem and art saved me. So I want to help others express themselves. How I'll create an online art class platform because painting helped me gain confidence. That's just an example. But see how that suddenly becomes a mission.

1:15:12 Suddenly, I want to start a business turns into I'm on a mission to do X for Y people. When you're on a mission, no money, it's a minor detail. You're run through walls to make it happen. So, to recap this part, find your purpose. Get clear on who you are, why this idea matters to you, and should matter to others, and how you're going to bring value. This clarity will give you momentum. Purpose is the rocket fuel that money can't buy. And guess what? It cost you zero dollars to discover your purpose, but it could be worth millions in the results it brings.

1:15:42 Focus on one idea and your one word. So our commenter mentioned that he had several ideas. A lot of entrepreneurs, especially creative ones, have dozens of ideas swirling around in your brain, right? That's great. But if you try to chase all of them at once, you'll end up going nowhere. When you have limited resources, focus is your best friend. You need to pick one idea to start with. Which idea are you most passionate about and aligns best with your purpose, the who, why that we just talked about. Which one can you realistically start right now with what you have? Evaluate your ideas and pick the ones that give you the strongest gut feeling or excitement. Trust your intuition here.

1:16:20 It's better to execute one idea brilliantly than dabble in five ideas and never finish any. Once you pick that one idea, I want you to infuse it with meaning by injecting your who. As a reminder, your who is that one word that defines the essence of your business and mission. For me, that word is believe. So, believe in yourself, believe in your idea, believe that it's possible. That's that's what I stand for and it's the message behind everything that I do. My videos, my books, my life. What is that one word for you? It might be freedom, equality inspire empower honesty anything that resonates deeply with what you want your idea to bring to the world. So why do this? Because having a single guiding word focuses your vision.

1:16:58 It becomes a filter for all your decisions. All great companies stand for one main thing. Their core, their culture, their brand revolves around a single value or feeling. For example, Disney stands for magic, making people feel magic and happiness. Nike stands for victory or just do it, the spirit of conquering challenges. Knowing your who will help you brand your idea and communicate it powerfully, even if you don't have money for fancy marketing, it helps you create an emotional connection with customers. People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it and what you stand for. If you can convey that who mission, you'll inspire others to join you, support you, maybe even fund you down the line. Also, having that one word gives you strength. It's like your mantra. If your word is freedom because you want to give people freedom through your product, then every time you hit a wall, remind yourself this is about

1:17:48 freedom. I can't quit. It's simple and incredibly effective. As a Buddha said, better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace. In this case, your one word that brings you purpose and direction. So, let's say you decide your best idea to start with is a home bakery business, just an example. And your core word is joy because you love bringing people joy with cookies. That's your core value, joy. Now, your whole approach is about spreading joy. That becomes your story and brand. You're not just selling cookies. You're selling little bites of joy in someone's day. That is compelling. And it doesn't cost a scent to figure out. Just some soularching. Remember, one idea, one word. Focus like a laser. It simplifies everything when you have limited resources. You're not scattering your energy, you're concentrating it. A laser focused mediocre idea with passion will beat a scattered genius idea with no

1:18:39 drive. Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, said, "A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one." Your enthusiasm is generated by your focus and passion. So, make your idea something that truly inspires you and others. So take some time after this video to write down your one chosen idea and your one word. This becomes the heart of your plan. Everything else, strategies, marketing, money will revolve around this clear core. It's like having a northstar when navigating these uncharted waters. And when opportunities or side quests and ideas pop up, which they always will, your one word helps you decide, does this fit my mission or not? If not, you can confidently say no and stick to your path. that keeps you efficient and effective, which is vital when you're bootstrapping.

1:19:27 Start small and be resourceful. Use what you have. All right, we've got the right mindset, a clear purpose, and a focused idea on a guiding word. Now, let's get into action practically. How do you start turning this idea into reality with no money? Here's the answer. You start small, and you use what you do have. You might not have dollars, but you have time, energy, skills, relationships, access to the internet, etc. Leverage those things like currency. Think lean and mean. There's a concept in entrepreneurship called the minimum viable product or MVP. It means the simplest version of your product or service that can deliver value to customers. Now, since you have no funding for a big launch, start with a MVP, something you can create with minimal resources to test your idea. For example, if your idea is an app, you don't need to code a full app on day one. Start by creating a basic prototype

1:20:20 or even a demo on paper. If your idea is a bakery, start by selling cookies from your home kitchen to friends or at a local market rather than opening a store which costs a lot of money. Do it on a tiny scale first. This not only saves money, it actually makes you smarter. You'll learn what works and what doesn't before you invest heavily. It's the core of the lean startup approach. Iterate cheaply, learn, improve, use free or lowcost tools that are abundantly available today. This is a golden age for starting a business with no money because so much can be done online for free. So here are some ideas for you.

1:20:55 Social media, it's free marketing and free research. You can create an Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube at no cost and start building an audience around your idea. Share content related to your product's niche. Engage with potential customers. This can drum up interest long before you even launch something to sell. Next, you've got your website, your online store. You can start with free website builders. Look at Wix. Look at WordPress. something with a free theme or free listings on marketplaces. Think Etsy, eBay, etc. If it's a product that you're selling, you don't need a customcoded website immediately. There are also free trials for online store platforms. Use those and test the waters. Next, skills for free. Need a logo or design? There are free design tools like Canva that can let you create decent graphics yourself. Need coding?

1:21:38 There are tons of open-source resources and forms where you can get help or templates for almost any task. There's a free tool or tutorial out there. It might take your time instead of money to learn and use, but that's okay. You have more time than money right now, so invest your time. Next, work from home or garage. Don't rush to rent an office or storefront. Work out of your bedroom, garage, local library, anywhere that doesn't add cost. Many huge companies started in garages and basements. Apple literally began in Steve Jobs's parents' garage. HP, Hula Backard, a 30 billion dollar tech giant today, was famously started in a tiny 12 by18 foot garage with $538 in working capital in 1938.

1:22:17 They used a secondhand drill press and whatever they had on hand to build their first product. That little garage is now called the birthplace of Silicon Valley. Did having only $538 stop them? Nope. They tinkered and they built an audio oscillator so cheaply that Disney bought it for the movie Fantasia. So, if a garage was good enough for HP and Apple, your kitchen table is good enough for you to start prototyping your idea. Also, be creative and frugal with whatever you might need. If you absolutely need something that costs money, ask, "Is there a way to borrow, trade, or partner for it instead of buying?" So, maybe you need a piece of equipment. Can you borrow it from someone for a while? Or trade your skill for someone else's? For example, you're good at writing and your friend is good at web design. Could you write content for their website while they help make a basic site for your idea? This is

1:23:08 barter. It's the oldest form of commerce and it still works when cash is low. When I say resourceful, I mean use every resource at your disposal except money since you have none. One huge resource often overlooked is other people. We'll talk more about networking in a bit, but keep in mind that you are not alone. If you have internet access, you can reach out to mentors or communities for advice at no cost, just like you're getting in this video. For instance, join entrepreneur forums or groups, Facebook, Reddit, etc., and ask for feedback on your idea or suggestions for starting cheaply. You'd be surprised how many experienced entrepreneurs out there love to give advice to newbies. So, here's a quick story for you. There's an old fable about a traveler who makes stone soup. He has no food, only a stone, but he goes to a village and asks for a pot of water to boil some of his soup.

1:23:53 Curious villagers come and they say, "It tastes better with a carrot." So, one villager gives a carrot. Then, some salt would help. and another person gives him salt eventually he has a delicious soup for free by pooling small contributions from many different people. So starting with no money can work. Similarly, use your stone, that's your idea, that's your effort to rally resources from around you in small bits. People will contribute help, advice, maybe even some materials. Once they see you're determined and passionate and remember our earlier point, constraints drive innovation. So when you can't outspend your competition, you're forced to outthink them. As one article put it, startups with limited funding often drive the most groundbreaking ideas.

1:24:35 When you can't outspend your competition, you're forced to outthink them. That scrainess can become your competitive advantage. Big companies with big budgets sometimes throw money at problems. You're going to throw brain power and hustle at them instead. I've seen so many scrappy entrepreneurs find clever solutions that the rich competitors never considered simply because they had no choice but to innovate. You have that advantage. You just have to use it. So to sum up this section, start with whatever you have right now, however small, and build from there. Do not wait for perfect conditions. Perfectionism will kill your momentum. As the old proverb goes, start by doing what's necessary, then do what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. Start with the necessary. That is what you can do right now with zero dollars. Then you'll be able to do more and more. In fact, consistency beats intense effort. Taking

1:25:30 any small step forward is better than dreaming of a big leap you can't take yet. This is momentum over perfection. Taking one small step is better than waiting for the perfect moment. Keep learning and build your knowledge for free. In the comment, it was also mentioned having no knowledge or how to start. Good news, knowledge is available more freely today than ever in history and you can get a top tier education in entrepreneurship without spending a dime. I am not exaggerating. The best teachers are on YouTube. The internet is a treasure trove of information, courses, videos, and articles on almost every aspect of starting a business. So, start by educating yourself continuously. Treat this like an ongoing self-directed school. Successful entrepreneurs are lifelong learners.

1:26:14 Many of them are voracious readers. In fact, a Harvard study found that top performing CEOs and billionaires read up to four books a month. Bill Gates reads 50 books a year. Warren Buffett, Mark Cuban, they all devote time to reading. If they with all their success still prioritize learning, you definitely need to. So, how can you learn with no money? Read books. You don't even have to buy them. Use your local library. Libraries often have not just physical books, but ebooks and audio books you can borrow online for free. Look for books on starting a business, on your industry, on marketing, on mindset. Some of my favorites are Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Built to Serve. Yes, plug in my own book because I generally wrote it to help people find purpose and serve. If you read even one book a month, you'll be ahead of most people.

1:26:58 Next, online courses and tutorials. Websites like Corsera, Edex, and Udemy often have free courses or free trials. You can take courses on entrepreneurship accounting marketing whatever skills you feel you lack. There are also tons of free YouTube tutorials on say how to start a business, how to start a website, how to do graphic design, how to do basic marketing. If you need to learn it, it's probably on YouTube and the best teachers are on YouTube. Make a list of the things that you feel you need to learn. your business plan, your social media marketing, and commit to watching or reading something every day on that topic. Next, learn from others experiences. This is huge. Read autobiographies or biographies of entrepreneurs who started with nothing.

1:27:35 They often share how they did it. For example, if you read about Starbucks, Howard Schultz grew up poor in a housing project. He had to convince investors with sheer passion to fund his vision of a coffee shop and got rejected 200 plus times. Or read about Sam Walton who started Walmart with a small loan and a single store. Or the story of Airbnb's founders who literally sold cereal boxes to fund their startup in the early days. These stories will teach you creative tactics and also keep you motivated because you realize others have walked the same path. Next, mentorship and advice. Identify people who have done something similar or have business experience and reach out. You might be surprised. Some will be willing to give you guidance for free just because they like helping ambitious people. Look for local entrepreneur meetups. Many are free. Or join online communities. SCORE, for example, United States is an

1:28:26 organization that provides free mentors for small business owners. If something like that exists around you, take advantage of it. If not, even reaching out to a business owner in your community and simply asking for a short meeting or a couple questions to get advice can yield great information. People love to talk about their journey. You just have to ask politely and respect their time. And of course, learn by doing. This is maybe the most important. Our commenter said that they don't know how to start. Well, you learn how to start by starting. No textbook can fully teach you. Experience is the best teacher. So, start taking action, even if they're small and you're not sure if they're 100% right. You will make mistakes. That is inevitable and actually good. Each mistake will teach you something, and you won't make it again. Think of your first year or two as your tuition in the school of life.

1:29:11 It's like an apprenticeship with your own business as a project. You might feel, "But I don't know how to do marketing or how to register a business or how to X." Whatever the specific knowledge gap is, break it down and tackle it one by one. Don't be overwhelmed by everything all at once. For example, you don't know how to officially register your business. A quick Google search will likely find your government small business website with steps on how to do it. Don't know how to build a product? Search for others who built similar things on a budget. There are blogs, videos, forums where people share their DIY approaches.

1:29:44 Take one question at a time. Do not get overwhelmed. Let me emphasize, not having formal business knowledge or degree is not a deal breakaker at all. Many of the world's top entrepreneurs had no formal education in business. Some didn't even finish school. Richard Branson from the Virgin Group dropped out at 16 and built an empire. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg all dropped out of college to pursue their idea. Sarah Blakeley, the Spanx founder, didn't have a business background. She was selling fax machines door todoor before she started her company. She figured it out by doing, asking, and persistently learning. In fact, when Sarah started Spanx, she didn't even know how to write a patent. She went to a bookstore, bought a patenting book, and wrote her own patent application to save money. Talk about resourceful learning. She turned her lack of knowledge into an opportunity to learn

1:30:33 and save thousands in legal fees. So, here is the common thread. Grit and self-education trump formal knowledge. So don't be intimidated if you've never started a business. None of us know how until we actually do it. The first time is always a learning experience. So embrace that. And here's one more tip for you. Surround yourself, even virtually, with inspiring content and people. Watch motivational videos. You're already watching one right now. Listen to entrepreneurship podcasts or TED talks. Fill your ears and your eyes with positive educational content instead of say binge watching Netflix. This doesn't mean no entertainment ever, but if you're serious about your idea, dedicate time each day to learning something that moves you forward. And what will happen is over time you'll accumulate a ton of knowledge. Knowledge compounds and you'll start to feel way more confident because you actually know stuff. And if

1:31:26 you ever feel like, I don't know what I'm doing, remember neither did anyone else at the start. The difference is the successful ones didn't let that stop them. They learned along the way. You are doing the same right here. Leverage your network and build relationships. Money isn't the only currency in business. Connections and relationships are a currency, too. When you have no money, you'll lean more on social capital. That means people you know or can get to know who can help in various ways. Now, this is not about exploiting people. It's about forming genuine relationships where value flows both ways. Often people will help you just because they believe in you or your mission, which we talked about at the start. But you have to put yourself out there and ask. Start with your existing network, your friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances. Let them know about your idea and your goals. Now, you

1:32:16 might be tempted to keep it a secret until it's perfect. Don't do that. Talking about your idea within reason can open doors. Someone in your circle might say, "Oh, you're working on a tutoring app. I know someone who works at a school who might give you feedback or hey, my cousin is a web developer. Maybe she can give you some advice on that app. These unexpected connections are gold. And guess what? They're free. All it takes is sharing your passion. Now, yes, you have to be careful not to listen to the naysayers. Some people may doubt you, especially if you have no money. They'll say things like, "Are you sure you can do that?" But ignore the negative and hone in on those who offer help or positivity. If your immediate network is small or not helpful, then expand it. The internet is your friend here again. Join communities of entrepreneurs or your industry niche.

1:33:03 Twitter or X has active communities for startups. LinkedIn groups can be useful to find professionals in your field. There are subreddits where people ask questions and share advice. Participate actively, not just as someone looking for help, but also offering your unique perspective where you can. This allows you to build rapport and relationships formed online can translate to real support. I've seen people find co-founders or mentors through a simple interaction on social media. Consider reaching out to someone that you admire in your space. If you have a favorite entrepreneur on YouTube or a blogger who writes about your business area, send them a thoughtful message or email.

1:33:38 Don't start with, "Please mentor me, right? That can be too forward." But maybe ask a specific question or comment on something that they taught that you found really valuable. You'd be surprised some people will reply. Even one piece of advice from a seasoned person can save you months of effort in the wrong direction. Also, you can think about partnering up. If you lack certain knowledge or skills, let's say you're a great ideas person but not technical, maybe you can find a co-founder or partner who compliments you. There are people out there who have skills but maybe not the idea or drive. If you combine forces, you can share their workload and neither of you needs a lot of money. Many startups begin this way.

1:34:14 One person handles one side like coding and the other handles another like marketing. It's a way to fill gaps without hiring staff. Now, of course, choose your partners carefully. Ideally, somebody who shares your vision and work ethic that we talked about at the top and communicate those expectations clearly, but a good partnership can multiply your progress. Mentors and peers aren't just about giving you knowledge. They can also open doors for you. Someone who believes in you might introduce you to an investor or a customer or a supplier who can cut you a deal. This happens a lot. For example, a mentor might not give you money, but they might say, "Talk to John at XYZ company. He might let you use his facility on weekends to work on your prototype or something like that. Boom.

1:34:54 Now you've got resources without money via a connection." Now, remember to be authentic and respectful in all of these relationship building efforts. You're not begging for favors. You're sharing your excitement and asking for guidance or help. Most people actually like helping ambitious underdogs. It's inspiring to them. Think about it. If a young hustler came to you with a big dream and no money but a ton of passion and asked for your advice, wouldn't you kind of feel honored and want to help? That's how many will feel as long as you show that you're serious, hardworking, and grateful for any help. So, don't be shy to seek help. Just always show gratitude and when you can pay it back or forward. Maybe you can't pay them now, but you can keep them updated. Ask if there's anything you can do for them.

1:35:36 Even a small errand, they're promoting their work or promise to help others in the future. And here's another tip. Build a community around your idea. This is more for later, but even early on, you can start forming a community of supporters or early adopters. So, for example, if your idea is a sustainable fashion line, but you have no product yet, you could start a Facebook group or an Instagram page talking about sustainability tips, thrifting, fashion hacks, and so on. Attract people who care about that theme. Engage with them, provide them value. Those people can become your first customers once you launch. They can also give you feedback, spread the word, and even help create content. They feel like part of the journey. It's like having a team of cheerleaders before you even have employees. Building relationships is a long-term investment, but its ROI is immense. Some doors money just can't

1:36:22 open, but the right relationship can. There's a saying, your network is your net worth. So, in your case, with an empty bank account, your network literally can become your net worth. Each person who helps you avoid a cost or connect to an opportunity has effectively saved or earned you money. So start networking in whatever way makes sense to you. And remember to also give. Even if you're a newbie, you can still offer help or support to others in small ways. You can share their content. You can cheer them on. You can volunteer somewhere relevant to your field to gain experience and connections. That goodwill comes back around.

1:36:57 Inspiring examples, proof that you can start with nothing. Sometimes you might still think, "Is this really possible? Can I really build something without money?" Let me inspire you with a few quick stories of entrepreneurs who started with peanuts or less and built empires. These are real people. If they could do it, why not you? So Sarah Blakeley Spanx, I mentioned her earlier. She started her billiondoll underwear brand with $5,000 in savings working out of her apartment. She had zero experience in fashion or business. She was actually selling fax machines doortodoor to pay the bills. She couldn't afford a lawyer, so she wrote her own patent applications by reading library books. She went to Hosery Mills and got turned down by manufacturer after manufacturer. But she kept pitching until one factory owner, encouraged by his daughter, gave her a chance. She hustled hard, driving around

1:37:44 the country, selling her product out of her car, even sending a gift basket to Oprah. Oprah ended up featuring Spanx, and the rest is history. The first year was $4 million in sales. Remember, $5,000 and no knowledge. She learned and she persevered. Now she's a billionaire who literally started in her late 20s with a few grand and a ton of grit. Next, let's look at John Paul Dearia from Paul Mitchell Systems. Today, he's a billionaire behind Paul Mitchell Hair Products and Patron Tequila. But rewind to 1980. That's when I was born. John Paul was a homeless living in his car.

1:38:14 He and his friend Paul Mitchell decided to launch a new shampoo company. Their startup capital, a $700 loan. That's it. They mix shampoo by hand and sold doortodoor to salons. John Paul even said in an interview they were so broke that the first checks they received they used to pay electricity so they could keep the lights on to fulfill orders. Fast forward Paul Mitchell Systems became a massive brand in hair care and John Paul later co-founded Patron Spirits 2. A $700 start while homeless turned into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. If that's not proof that money isn't the main ingredient, I don't know what is. Next, let's look at Apple.

1:38:50 That's Steve Jobs and Steve Waznjak. It's almost hard to imagine now, but Apple began in a garage with very little money. Steve Waznjak sold his calculator and Steve Jobs sold his old VW van to scrape together $1,300 to fund their first batch of computers. They handbuilt the Apple 1 computer and convinced a local store to buy 50 units, paid in advance, which is smart. They had no fancy lab, just that garage and their passion for electronics. Today, Apple is one of the richest companies on Earth. But it started with two guys, secondhand parts, and borrowed space. Next, HP.

1:39:23 Hula Packard. I gave this example earlier. Bill Hwlet and Dave Packard literally started HP in a rented garage in 1938 with $538 in cash and a used drill press. They built an audio oscillator, which is a electronic test device, so affordably that Walt Disney Studios bought several for their movie Fantasia. That was their big break. That garage setup was so basic, but it launched what became Silicon Valley's ethos. Start scrappy, think big. Now HP is a global company. And fun fact, that exact garage is preserved as a historic site, as a plaque, calling it the birthplace of Silicon Valley. Imagine your humble workplace someday being a museum because of what you achieved. Next, Walt Disney.

1:40:04 Yes, the creator of Mickey Mouse. He started in the early 1920s with no money, even went bankrupt once. He was drawing cartoon illustrations in his garage and trying to sell them. At one point, he was so cashstrapped that he ate dog food to survive. It sounds gross, but it's reportedly a true story. He kept at it, making short animated cartoons with whatever resources he could beg or borrow. Eventually, Mickey Mouse was born from Disney's persistence, famously drawing on a train riding when he was feeling defeated. The rest is history. He built one of the largest entertainment empires ever from nothing but creativity and sheer will.

1:40:38 Next, Colonel Sanders from KFC. Sanders was 65 years old, broke, and living in his car when he started franchising his chicken recipe. He went door todo to restaurants to pitch his secret fried chicken recipe. He was rejected over a thousand times before someone agreed to partner with him. Talk about persistence without resources. He finally found success and KFC was born, now a global fast food chain. But he started with nothing except a recipe and a refusal to give up. Now, I can go on and on and on. There are many such stories, but I want you to see the pattern. It's the idea plus passion plus persistence plus resourcefulness equals success eventually. None of these folks succeeded overnight and it wasn't easy.

1:41:16 But lack of money did not stop them. They all had a belief in their idea, a willingness to work like heck, and clever ways to get around not having funds like pre-elling to get money up front, partnering, starting super small, etc. So, when you doubt yourself, remember these examples. Save them, print them out, put them on your wall, do whatever as a reminder that it is possible. And notice each of them had a strong purpose or love for what they were doing. Sarah Blakeley wanted a comfy, footless penny hose for herself and other women. John Paul Deoria wanted to make quality salon products affordable. Steve Jobs wanted to bring computers to the masses. Walt Disney wanted to entertain and inspire people through animation. Colonel Sanders believed his chicken recipe was a winner that people would love. Purpose and passion were their fuel, not money.

1:41:59 Money followed as a byproduct. This can be your story, too. Why not? 10 years from now, I want someone to site your story. That person started with zero dollars, selftaught everything, and look at the impact they've made. It's entirely doable. Passion over profit. Serve first. Money follows. So, we've touched on this, but it's worth emphasizing exactly. Don't chase money. Chase passion and purpose. When you start with nothing, ironically, one of the worst things you can do is make it all about the money. It sounds counterintuitive. You have no money, so of course you need money. But if that's your driving motive, you'll make short-term decisions and likely burn out or compromise your values. Instead, focus on serving others and solving problems. When you deliver real value, money will come as a side effect. In my book, Built to Serve, I stress that we are all built to serve. Meaning, if

1:42:50 you're not sure how to start, think about how you can serve one person with your idea. Just one. Change one person's life or make one customer ecstatically happy. Do it for free or cheap. if you have to at first just to prove the concept and make an impact. That first happy customer or user is gold. They'll give you testimonials, feedback, and word of mouth. And you'll experience the joy of your idea in action, which is incredibly motivating. Remember, the core value comes first, and the money follows. Focus on your core mission, your one word, your why, and delivering on that. If you just work for money, like Ray Croc warned, it'll likely fail.

1:43:24 But if you work for love of what you're doing, success tends to follow. It's almost a universal law. We see it over and over. Also, when you operate with a service mindset, people sense it and they support you more. Customers can tell if you genuinely care about them or just want their wallet. If they feel you truly want to help, they'll not only buy, they'll become fans and recommend you to others. This is how you build a loyal community without big ad spend. It's through genuine care. And here's one more angle. When you have no outside funding, you're actually in a great position to stay true to your vision.

1:43:55 You don't have investors pushing you for quick returns or to change your product. You can grow organically, slowly, but with integrity. Use that freedom to make your product or service really awesome for the people that you serve. Obsess over quality, overd delivering for clients and getting feedback. Think long-term reputation. This will set you up for eventually charging premium pricing or scaling up because your foundation, which is your relationship with your customers and the value you provide, is rock solid. Here's a quick stat for you. According to a Gallup poll, 77% of new small businesses rely on personal savings for initial funds.

1:44:31 And about onethird of small businesses start with less than $5,000. That means the majority of entrepreneurs start by bootstrapping just like you. So, you're not alone. And many succeed with that approach. It forces you to make good decisions and focus on what matters, solving customer problems rather than burning cash on frills. Also note that only 0.0 05% of startups ever raise venture capital. Those of the big investor deals you hear about, they're extremely rare. So don't feel like you're doing something unusual. Most businesses start modestly, and many of those small, humble startups grow steadily into sustainable businesses, and some become the next big thing. It all starts with serving customers one at a time and being passionate about what you do. So double down on your passion, on your purpose, on your service, not on how can I get rich quick. Ironically, by not focusing on money first, you set

1:45:22 yourself up later to make a lot more money. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want. Solve others problems, and your problems, like making a living, will solve themselves in time. Build momentum with consistent action. Now, let's talk about momentum. You don't have money, fine. But you have something incredibly important: time and effort. How you use your time will determine if your idea takes off or not. You need to take consistent action. Even if they are baby steps, they add up.

1:45:53 This is where my book, Momentum, comes in. The whole premise of that book is that success isn't one grand slam moment. It's about doing something every single day to move forward. Momentum is like a snowball. You start tiny, but as you keep rolling, it grows and grows. At the beginning, pushing that snowball might feel hard because it's small and not moving yet. That's the phase you're in now. You're trying to get things moving from a standstill. This is when many people give up because they push for a big week, don't see any big results, and they're like, "Ah, this will never work." Don't fall into that trap. The results at first are invisible. It's like going to the gym.

1:46:28 You won't see muscles after one week, but keep at it for months, and everyone will notice. Same with your idea. So, commit to showing up every day in some way for your business, no matter how small the task. Here is a practical approach. Set a daily or weekly action target. For example, every day I will do at least one thing to advance my business idea. One day it might be researching competitors. Another day it's drafting emails to a mentor. Another day it's designing a logo sketch. It could be even as simple as posting an update on social media about your journey to help build some of that accountability. But do something. James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, talks about the power of tiny habits. If you improve just 1% each day, in a year you'll be 37 times better than when you started. Small steps compound over time.

1:47:14 And crucially, don't wait for the perfect moment to act because it will never come. There is no perfect moment, especially not when you're broke. The perfect moment, it's right now. It's the only moment you have. If you catch yourself thinking, "I'll start when I have X or when I know why." Stop right there and challenge that thought. That is your fear and procrastination talking. Like I said earlier, momentum over perfection. Taking one small step is better than waiting for the perfect moment. Also, momentum isn't just about work. It's about psychological buildup.

1:47:46 When you see yourself making progress, no matter how minor, you start believing more in your ability. You feel proud. You feel motivated to do more. It builds your confidence. On the other side, if you stall and do nothing for a while, self-doubt creeps back in and it gets harder to restart. So, keep the chain unbroken. Even a little progress each day keeps your mind in the game. Now, there will be days when you feel unmotivated. Maybe you got a rejection or something didn't pan out. On those days, especially do something, even if tiny, so you keep the habit alive. If you feel really stuck, revert to your why. Think about your one word. Reread that mission statement you wrote at the beginning. Visualize the people you want to help. Watch a motivational video. I have tons on my channel, by the way, if you need a boost. Do whatever it takes to reignite the spark and then take an action. Sometimes when I'm going to

1:48:36 write, I'll say, "Okay, Evan, just film for 10 minutes or just write one paragraph." Once I start, momentum takes over and I do much more. Starting is the hardest part. But as you build the habit, it becomes easier. Here's another tactic. Celebrate your micro wins. Even when you achieve a little goal like your prototype worked or you got your first subscriber or you got your first email list sign up or you made your first $10, take a little moment to celebrate. Share it with your friends. Do a happy dance. Treat yourself to a small reward. It doesn't have to cost money. Maybe you take some time off or you make a home-cooked special meal. Recognizing progress trains your brain to enjoy the process which keeps you going. Remember, success is a journey, not a destination.

1:49:16 So, enjoy the ride. These early days of hustling with nothing will become a fond memory and a great story in the future. So, embrace it. Finally, be patient but persistent. Overnight success is a myth. Every overnight success story you see usually has years of unseen work behind it. So, commit to the long haul. If you truly love what you're doing, you'll find joy in the process itself, not just the end result. That's key. Make sure you actually enjoy building this. Because if you hate every step, you might be chasing the wrong thing. But if it fires you up, then even if it takes 5 years, you'll stick with it. And those 5 years will pass anyway. You might as well be building your dream rather than watching from the sidelines. As an entrepreneur named Angelo Sotira said, "The best way to get something done is to begin." So begin and keep going.

1:50:02 You can do this. Believe. We've covered a lot. So, let's bring this home. The question from my subscriber was, "How do you take an idea to fruition without a dime to start?" The answer boiled down is this one. Believe in yourself and your idea. Adopt a mindset of resourcefulness and confidence. Next, you're going to clarify your purpose. Find your who, your why, your how. Let the passion and mission drive you, not just the money. Next, we're going to focus and find our one idea. Concentrate on one idea and stand for one core value. Next, start with what you have, no matter how small. Take action. Build your MVP. Leverage free tools. Next, we're going to learn constantly. Educate yourself through books, videos, and doing. Knowledge is free if you seek it.

1:50:44 Next, use your network and build new relationships. People are your greatest resource. Ask for help. Collaborate, and give back. Next, we're going to stay persistent and build momentum because consistent daily action and micro wins will snowball into big results. And next, we're going to serve others and stay true to your mission. Solve problems and deliver value and money will follow as a result of the impact you create. You absolutely can turn your idea into reality with zero money. Will it be easy? No. It'll probably be tougher in some ways because you'll need to be extra creative and patient. But the flip side is you'll build an incredibly solid foundation. You'll truly earn your success and no one can ever take that away from you. You won't be beholden to investors or debt. You get to call the shots and that freedom is priceless. So let's just imagine the moment when you make your first dollar

1:51:31 from this idea. A dollar that you earned purely through your initiative and hard work. That will feel sweeter than any paycheck from a regular job. I promise you. Then imagine your idea starts gaining traction. Customers start giving you positive feedback. your community continues to grow. Maybe media attention because people love a good started from nothing story. It will come if you stay the course and one day you look back and be so grateful that you started now with whatever you had. Every big entrepreneur was once in your shoes. Just a person with a dream and no money. The only difference is they took the leap and they kept going and now it's your turn.

1:52:08 So, write that email, sketch that plan, launch that YouTube channel, do something right after this video that commits you to the path, not tomorrow, today. And you'll thank yourself later. Remember what I stand for, believe. Believe in your ability to figure things out. Believe that your idea matters. Believe that every problem has a solution. When you have belief plus action, you become unstoppable. Now, you might stumble, and that's okay. But stumble forward. You might take detours. That's fine. You'll still gain experience. Just don't quit. The only guaranteed way to fail is to give up.

1:52:37 But that's not you. You made it through this entire video, which tells me that you're serious and dedicated. So, keep going. I'm rooting for you. Your future customers are out there rooting for you. They just don't know it yet. The world needs your ideas and your service. So, go make it happen. You have everything you need to start right now, right inside you. Use that. You've got this. I know you do. So, stay motivated, stay hungry, keep learning, and always believe. You want to know the secret to staying positive every single day as an entrepreneur? In a world full of setbacks, competition, and stress, it's easy to get dragged down. But guess what? Your success in business hinges on your mindset. Many of the world's top business leaders say that optimism is the key to their achievements. And science backs it up. When your brain is in a positive state, it is 31% more productive than when it's negative or

1:53:26 stressed. That means you think clearer, work smarter, and even close more sales. Sean Anker found you're 37% better at sales when you're positive. Staying positive is not just feel-good fluff. It's a practical business strategy. So, let me ask you this question. Do you ever feel like the daily challenges of building a business are sucking the positivity out of you? If so, this video is for you. Today, I'll break down how to stay positive every day in the exact ways entrepreneurs need. I'll cover your mindset, your habits, your environment, and how to push through failures with optimism. Each section, I'll give you actionable tips to boost your mood and resilience. We'll bring in research, stats, and quotes from entrepreneurs and experts to prove why these strategies work. No boring lecture here. This is about you, your business, and your life.

1:54:08 So, let's dive in and get you ready to attack each day with a positivity and belief in yourself. Mindset is everything. Henry Ford famously said, "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right. What you believe about yourself and your situation shapes your reality." As an entrepreneur, your attitude determines your altitude. If you believe this problem will sink me, it likely will. But if you believe I'll find a way through, you open up possibilities. Positive thinking isn't about wearing rosecolored glasses or ignoring reality.

1:54:43 It's about focusing on solutions and opportunities instead of problems. Research by psychologist Barbara Frederickson at UNC found that people who think positively actually process more new information and connect the dots more easily. In other words, a positive mindset literally makes you a better problem solver. Think about that. When you stay optimistic, you're able to see creative solutions that pessimists miss. This is crucial when you're faced with complex business challenges. Your mind is open, resourceful, and ready to innovate. On the flip side, a negative mindset can cloud your judgment.

1:55:15 According to the book, Understanding the Entrepreneurial Mind, an entrepreneur in a negative mood often makes poor decisions for their venture. You don't want negativity steering the ship of your business. Instead, cultivate optimism. Believe that challenges can be overcome. This doesn't mean being delusional. It means choosing a can do attitude. As the saying goes, impossible itself means I'm possible. One way to strengthen your mindset is to adopt what Stanford psychologist Carol Dwick calls a growth mindset. With a growth mindset, you understand that failures aren't failures. They're lessons. You see challenges as chances to grow, not as roadblocks. People with this mindset embrace challenges and persist through obstacles, viewing failures as learning opportunities. Imagine approaching each setback in your business and asking, "What can I learn from this?" instead of getting discouraged. That shift in

1:56:05 perspective keeps you positive and moving forward. You stop seeing a lost client or a weak sales quarter as the end of the world and start seeing it as valuable information for improvement. Talk to yourself, not just listen. We all have an inner voice. If that voice is saying, "I'm not good enough," or "This will never work," it's going to drag you down. You must watch what you say to yourself, catch negative selft talk, and flip it. As entrepreneur Dan Gallagher put it, "Engaging in positive selft talk can help you naturally embrace a more positive mindset over time." Start telling yourself what you're doing right and what you will achieve. This isn't cheesy, it's sciencebacked. Psychologists have found that positive affirmations and optimistic thinking patterns can rewire your brain over time to be more positive and resilient. Remember that classic Napoleon Hill quote from Think and Grow

1:56:51 Rich. Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve. Belief is powerful. If you can conceive of a bold vision for your business and truly believe you can make it happen, you've set the mental stage for success. Your positive mindset will drive your actions. Every great entrepreneur from Steve Jobs to Sarah Blakeley started with belief. They face the same fears and doubts, but they decided to believe in a positive outcome. you can make that same decision every day. So, here are some actual mindset tips. Start each day with a positive intention. For example, tell yourself, "Today we'll have challenges, but I will find the good and make progress." Reframe challenges as problems to solve rather than dead ends.

1:57:32 Ask, "How can I make this work?" Instead of saying, "This won't work." Use empowering language. Replace I can't or I'm not sure with I can learn or I will figure it out. Remember, your words shape your mindset. Carry a quote that inspires you. It might be Ford's quote or another that pumps you up. When negativity hits, read it and reset your mind. By mastering your mindset, you lay an unshakable foundation for positivity. Optimism is a choice and you make it daily. And as an entrepreneur, choosing optimism gives you a massive advantage.

1:58:01 You'll approach your business with confidence, creativity, and persistence no matter what comes your way. Okay, so now that we've got your mindset geared towards positivity, let's talk about what you do every day. Because your daily habits either fuel or drain your positive energy. Your daily habits are the small steps that create your big success. How do you start your day? How do you handle stress? These little choices determine whether you stay positive or slip into negativity. There's a saying, your day is your life in miniature. If you win the day, you win at life. So, let's make sure your days are set up for positivity with the right habits and routines.

1:58:40 Let's start with some morning routine magic. Mornings set the tone. If you roll out of bed and immediately drown in emails or problems, you're inviting stress. Instead, craft a morning routine that feeds your positivity. As friend of the channel Hal Lrod wrote in the Miracle Morning, "How you wake up each day and your morning routine or lack thereof dramatically affects your levels of success in every area of your life." Think about that. A focus positive morning leads to a focus positive day. So, what can you do each morning? Start with gratitude. Before you grab your phone, take a moment to acknowledge three things you're grateful for. It could be something as simple as having a warm cup of coffee, the support of a friend, or the opportunity to chase your dream today. This habit literally trains your brain to look for the good.

1:59:25 Research shows that regular grateful thinking can increase happiness by up to 25%. Imagine feeling 25% happier just by doing a quick gratitude exercise. That's a huge return on investment for a practice that takes only a couple of minutes. Not only that, but studies found people who kept a gratitude journal for just a few weeks slept better and had more energy. As an entrepreneur, don't you need better sleep and more energy? Gratitude is a free fuel for positivity and performance. Next, consider a morning affirmation or intention. This might feel awkward at first, but it works. For example, say, "I am resourceful and I can handle anything that comes today."

2:00:02 Or whatever positive identity you want to reinforce. Look in the mirror and speak encouragement to yourself. It sets a powerful tone. If affirmations aren't your style, try reading a few pages of a positive book or an inspiring biography each morning. Feed your mind something uplifting before the world's noise creeps in. Move your body even a little. Exercise is one of the best habits for staying positive. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones that naturally boost your mood. You don't have to hit the gym for two hours. Even a brisk walk can work wonders. In fact, research at Stanford University found that walking boosted people's positive mindset and improved problem solving. Just a 15 to 20 minute walk in the morning or during a midday break can clear your head and refresh your outlook. Some of my best ideas and solutions to problems that had me frustrated came while walking

2:00:50 outside. It's like giving your brain a positivity reset. Another simple but powerful habit is music. Create a playlist of songs that make you feel energized, happy, and unstoppable. Play it in the morning or whenever you feel a slump coming on. Neuroscience tells us that music we enjoy causes a release of dopamine, a pleasure chemical and even lowers levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Think about the last time a great song came on. Your feet started tapping. Maybe you smiled or sang along and for those three or four minutes you felt on top of the world. Use that. Keep your positivity playlist ready. Instead of stewing and stress, play a track that fires you up. Mindfulness and breaks are habits too. Working non-stop until you crash is a recipe for burnout and negativity. Instead, build short positive breaks into your day. Maybe you do a five-minute meditation or breathing exercise after a tough meeting to center

2:01:40 yourself. Maybe you step outside to get some fresh air and literally clear your mind. These micro habits prevent stress from accumulating. They're like pressure release valves that keep your mood stable. Remember, staying positive doesn't mean you never get frustrated or tired. It means you have ways to bounce back and recharge quickly. Let's not forget about kindness as a habit. Yes, being kind is a habit that boosts positivity for you and for others. When you perform a small act of kindness, like helping a colleague with a task or sending a thank you email to a supplier, you get a rush of feel-good hormones.

2:02:11 Psychologists note that altruistic acts release oxytocin, endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, the cocktail of happy chemicals. You're basically dosing yourself with positivity by doing good. So, challenge yourself every day. Do one small good thing for someone without expecting anything in return. It could be as simple as complimenting someone on a great idea or listening attentively when someone really needs to vent. These habits create a positive feedback loop. The more positivity you put out, the more comes back to you. So, let's summarize these key habits. Start your day with gratitude and positive input.

2:02:45 Those could be affirmations or reading. Move your body, walk, exercise to boost your mood and creativity. Take short mindful breaks to reset your stress. Use music to lift your spirits instantly. And practice daily kindness. These habits might sound simple, but consistency is key. Doing them every day builds an upward spiral of positivity. And over time, you'll notice you're more upbeat, more resilient, and more motivated because you've trained yourself to focus on the positive. The best part, these habits are 100% in your control. You can't control the economy.

2:03:18 You can't control the client's response. You can't control random setbacks. But you can control your routine and how you spend time. Make positivity a routine. Just like brushing your teeth protects your dental health, these habits protect your mental and emotional health as an entrepreneur. They keep you strong for the long journey. We've covered how you can work on yourself. But what about the people and places around you? The environment you immerse yourself in can make or break your positivity. Let's talk about that next.

2:03:46 They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. This famous Jim Ran quote holds a lot of truth, especially for entrepreneurs. Your environment, the people you talk to, the content you consume, the workspace you're in directly impacts your mindset and your motivation. If you're surrounded by naysayers and negative energy, staying positive will feel like swimming upstream. On the other hand, if you build a bubble of positivity around you, it becomes so much easier to maintain an optimistic outlook each day. So, let's start with people. Take a moment and think about the individuals you interact with most in your business and personal life. Do they uplift you or drag you down? Are they encouraers or complainers? Be honest. Because sometimes we keep people around out of habit, not realizing their negativity is poisoning our mindset.

2:04:37 Positivity and negativity are both contagious. In a company setting, just one toxic person can kill the positive mood of the whole team, as research in organizational behavior has shown. But the good news is that positivity is just as infectious when you spend time with optimistic solutionoriented enthusiastic people. You catch those vibes. You start to see the world like they do, full of opportunities instead of obstacles. So choose your circle wisely. Seek out other entrepreneurs or mentors who encourage you and challenge you to grow. Join a mastermind group or an online community of business builders who focus on possibilities, not just problems. If you have doubters in your life who constantly tell you that your dreams are impossible, limit your exposure to those voices. You don't have to cut anyone out completely if that's not feasible, but you can set boundaries. So, for example, maybe you

2:05:29 have a friend who always complains about everything. You might decide not to discuss your business aspirations with that person or spend a bit less time engaging in their rant sessions. Protect your mental space. It's precious. If you have a team or employees, be the source of positivity for them. Create an environment at work where optimism thrives. As a leader, your attitude is incredibly infectious. Entrepreneur Derek Kappo advises that businesses should encourage open communication and give everyone a voice. When people feel heard and valued, they become more engaged and positive. Celebrate wins openly, no matter how small. If an employee hits a goal or comes up with a creative idea, recognize it. CEO Monty Deer of Kizix suggests giving every team member a chance to share something they're proud of. It builds camaraderie and spreads positivity in the culture.

2:06:17 The idea is to foster a supportive environment where positive vibes are the norm. When your workplace runs on positivity, not only will you feel better coming into work, but productivity and creativity will improve for everyone. In fact, management expert Roseb Moth Cananter built an entire theory around this. Encouraging a positive outlook on teams boosts morale and productivity and even reduces resistance to change. A positive culture isn't just nice to have. It gives your business an edge. Now, physical environment. Your surroundings at work or home have a subtle but real effect on your mood. Is your workspace cluttered, dark, or depressing? Or is it bright, inspiring, and organized? You don't need a fancy office to be positive, but do what you can to make your environment lift you up. Open the blinds and let natural light in. Studies show sunlight can improve mood and energy. Even Richard Branson highlights this, saying

2:07:09 that a well-designed workplace with plenty of sunlight is one of the basics for keeping your team and yourself engaged and motivated. Put up a few images or quotes in your office that inspire you. Maybe a vision board of your goals or photos of your family or role models that remind you why you do what you do. These visual cues can refocus you on positivity when stress strikes. Also consider the information diet you feed your brain. We live in an information age with news and social media 247. While it's important to stay informed, a constant stream of negative news can sour your mood without you even realizing it. If you find yourself doom scrolling or reading headlines that make you anxious first thing in the morning, stop. Try curating your content. Follow social media accounts that post motivational or educational content rather than pessimistic rants. Maybe listen to a podcast of entrepreneurs

2:07:59 sharing success stories. or watch one of my belief videos daily to get a hit of positivity. Shameless plug, but it works. The idea is to surround yourself with positivity in all forms, people, places, and media. So, let's talk about some action steps for your environment in your circle. Audit your circle. List the five people you interact with most. Note who leaves you feeling uplifted versus drained. And make a plan to spend more time, even virtually, with the uplifterss and less time with the drainers. Next, connect with like-minds. Join a local entrepreneur meetup or online form, like a Facebook group for startups, a co-working space, community. Share wins and challenges with the people who support you and build you up. Next, optimize your workspace. Clean up clutter. Add one or two personal touches that make you smile. Your favorite quote on the wall, a plant on your desk.

2:08:43 Ensure you have light and if possible, some fresh air. Next, positive inputs for one week. Consciously consume positive content each day. Whether it's a chapter of a self-improvement book, a motivational YouTube video, or simply music that elevates you, notice the difference in your mood. Next, lead with positivity. If you have a team, start meetings by sharing a quick win or shout out to someone. Encourage solutions focused discussions. Be the boss who says, "I believe in you guys. We can figure this out." Instead of spreading panic, your team's energy will mirror yours. By cultivating a positive environment and surrounding yourself with enthusiastic people, you create a safety net for your positivity. Even when you have an off day, your environment will catch you and lift you back up. You won't have to fight negativity alone because you've built an ecosystem that naturally reinforces optimism. In entrepreneurship, where the

2:09:35 journey can be lonely or intense, that support is invaluable. Now, even with the best mindset, habits, and environment, life will throw punches. Especially in business, things go wrong, deals fall through, products fail, you make mistakes, the difference maker is in how you respond. So, let's talk about turning those failures and setbacks into fuel for even more positivity. Entrepreneurship is often described as a roller coaster. Ups and downs are guaranteed. You might be crushing it one month and then hit by a crisis the next.

2:10:07 So, how do you stay positive through the inevitable failures, mistakes, and hurdles? The answer is in one word, resilience. Resilience is your ability to bounce back, to keep going with enthusiasm after every setback. And positivity is both the fuel for resilience and the result of resilience. It's a cycle. Being positive makes you more resilient. And being resilient keeps you more positive through the hard times. Let's get one thing clear. Failure is not the opposite of success. It's part of success. Nearly every successful entrepreneur has failed usually many times. As one article put it, few entrepreneurs make it big with their first idea or business venture.

2:10:45 There are often many failures and mistakes behind a prosperous business. The winners aren't those who never fail. They're those who never quit. They maintain optimism that eventually they'll figure it out. Winston Churchill captured this brilliantly in a famous quote. Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm. Think about that. Do you have the ability to fail again and again and still not lose heart? You can cultivate that ability and it starts with how you interpret failure. Reframe failure as feedback. Instead of saying, "I failed. I'm no good." Tell yourself, "I tried something and got results I didn't want. Now I have information to adjust." Remember our growth mindset from earlier. In that mindset, failure is just data, a lesson in what doesn't work. One of my favorite examples is Thomas Edison. When developing the light bulb, Edison famously said, "I have not

2:11:34 failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." That is the epitome of positivity in the face of failure. He literally saw each failed experiment as a step forward because it meant one less wrong way to try. Adopt that approach in your business. If a product launch flops or an investor says no, you haven't failed. You've gained priceless knowledge about what doesn't work, which means you're closer to figuring out what will work. Let's get real with a legendary entrepreneur comeback story, Steve Jobs. You probably know that Steve Jobs got fired from Apple, the company that he co-founded. Can you imagine pouring your heart into building a company only to get booted out in a very public way? It could have broken him.

2:12:13 But Jobs later reflected on that experience and said, "I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me." Why would he say that? Because being ousted forced him to start fresh. He started Next and Pixar after that to innovate without the pressure and it led to one of the most creative periods of his life. Eventually, Apple even bought Next and brought him back as CEO. His setback was actually a set up for later success. Jobs also gave this advice. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick.

2:12:46 Don't lose faith. You will get hit with metaphorical bricks. A deal falls apart at the last minute. A key employee quits. A pandemic shuts down your business. It can feel devastating, but don't lose faith. Stay positive that there is a way through. Often that brick to the face contains a lesson or pushes you to make a change that leads to growth. Another inspiring story of positive resilience is Sarah Blakeley, the founder of Spanx. She's a billionaire now, but in her journey, she faced tons of rejection and of course made many mistakes while developing her product. Sarah has a unique perspective on failure thanks to her upbringing. She says, "My dad encouraged us to fail.

2:13:23 Growing up, he'd ask at the dinner table, what did you fail at today? if we had nothing, he'd be disappointed. That changed her mindset early on to realize failure is not the outcome. Failure is not trying. And because of that, she was never afraid to try new ideas or take risks in business. She wasn't scared of hearing no because she didn't view a no as a permanent defeat. Failure became about not trying instead of the outcome itself. Can you imagine how unstoppable you become with that mindset? If you decide that the only true failure is not giving your all or not attempting your dream, then any other setback is just a temporary hiccup, you'll stay positive because you'll always be proud that you're in the arena learning and moving forward rather than standing on the sidelines too scared to try. Science confirms that positivity and resilience are linked. A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found

2:14:14 that resilient people use positive emotions to bounce back from negative experiences. They actually harness optimism as a tool to recover. The study described resilient individuals as having optimistic, zestful, and energetic approaches to life, being curious and open to new experiences and characterized by high positive emotionality. So, in plain language, resilient folks tend to be positive folks. They face the same storms, but they look for the rainbow sooner. They ask, "Okay, what's still good here? What can I fix? What can I try next?" whereas someone without resilience might only see the wreckage and give up. So, how can you build that resilience and use failure as fuel? Here are a few strategies. Let's start with detachment from outcomes. This doesn't mean not caring. It means not tying your self-worth to one specific result. If a pitch meeting goes poorly, it doesn't mean you are a failure. It means your

2:15:03 strategy needs work or maybe that investor wasn't the right fit. Separate the event from your identity. Tell yourself, "This didn't work out, but I can learn and improve. I'm still capable and worthy." Next, learn the lesson quickly. When something goes wrong, actively look for the lesson. Write it down. For example, our marketing campaign didn't get traction. The lesson is our message didn't resonate. We need to understand our customers better. By extracting a lesson, you turn the negative into a positive springboard. No joke. Start seeing failures as workshops or seminars that you didn't have to pay for. They taught you something for free, albeit painfully. This mindset makes it almost exciting to analyze a failure because you're eager to find the improvement point. Next, celebrate effort and courage. If you took a risk or tried something new, give yourself credit for that. Regardless of outcome,

2:15:49 not everyone has the guts to do what entrepreneurs do. Maybe you hosted your first webinar and only three people showed up. You might feel like, "Ah, that was embarrassing. I failed." But flip it. You had the courage to host a webinar. You stepped out of your comfort zone. That's a win in itself. Celebrate that and plan how to get 10 people the next time. Next, keep inspirational stories handy. When you hit a low, sometimes you need to remind yourself that failure is normal on the road to success. Read about how JK Rowling was rejected by 12 publishers or how Elon Musk's first rockets exploded or how Colonel Sanders were turned down hundreds of times trying to sell his chicken recipe. These are true stories of famous successes. They all had moments where most people would have quit, but they kept going. Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, was famously rejected from dozens of jobs. Even KFC

2:16:36 wouldn't hire him. He says it well. Never give up. Today is hard. Tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine. That is the mindset you need to endure the hard and worst days, knowing that if you keep going, the sunshine will come. Lastly, cultivate a sense of humor and flexibility. Sometimes the best way to stay positive is to not take things too seriously. Laugh at the absurdity of some situations. If you miss an email to a client with a silly typo, laugh it off and correct it. If your prototype literally catches on fire, take a breath and say, "Well, we found a way not to build it." It's not about making light of serious challenges, but about not letting challenges steal your light. So, here's our resilience recap. Every entrepreneur faces failures. What will set you apart is how quickly you get back up and how positively you come back after each fall. See failure as part of

2:17:24 the process. It's evidence that you're pushing limits and growing. Trust that within every setback is a lesson or a key opportunity. Keep your enthusiasm through failures and you are guaranteed to eventually succeed because you won't stop until you do. So, we've covered a lot. Mindset, habits, environments, and resilience. You might be thinking, "This is great information, Evan, but it's also a lot to take in." Don't worry. Let's pull it all together and send you off ready to conquer your day with positivity. Staying positive every day is a journey, not a one-time decision. It's a journey made of many small choices. The choice to feed your mind with optimism, the choice to practice habits that generate joy, the choice to surround yourself with uplifting influences, and the choice to see the silver lining in every cloud. You have the power to make those choices day in and day out. Picture your

2:18:11 entrepreneurial journey like climbing a mountain. There will be sunny days, there will be storms. You've now got a backpack full of tools to help you on the climb. A strong positive mindset. That's your inner compass. Your daily habits that energize you. That's your supplies of food and water. You have a supportive environment. That's your climbing team and your gear. And you have the resilience to overcome obstacles. And that's your rope to get past the cliffs. With these tools, no storm can stop you for long. You might hunker down during the worst of it, but you'll never lose faith that you can reach the summit. Remember, positivity is a practice. If one day you find yourself in a funk, it's okay. It doesn't mean you failed at being positive. It just means that you're human. You had a tough day. Use the strategies that we've discussed. Maybe double down on gratitude that evening or call a friend who always encourages you.

2:18:59 Do something from your toolkit to reset your perspective. One bad day doesn't have to become a bad week or a bad life. As an entrepreneur, you learn to ride the waves. The highs feel amazing. Celebrate them. And the lows are temporary and filled with lessons. Embrace them. Let me leave you with one powerful thought from psychologist Martin Siligman, known for his work on optimism. Optimists tend to achieve more because they keep going. In studies, optimistic salespeople outsold their pessimistic peers significantly simply because they didn't give up after the first rejection. They believe the next call could be a yes. Carry that spirit with you. The next client will say yes.

2:19:39 The next idea can be the breakthrough. The next day might just bring the opportunity you've been waiting for. Positivity is believing that your best days are ahead of you, not behind you. So, no matter what yesterday looked like, you have the power to make today better. When you maintain that forward-looking attitude, you become unstoppable. Challenges become adventures. Critics become motivators. Uncertainty becomes a playground for your creativity. Every morning, wake up and remind yourself of your why, the reason you became an entrepreneur. Maybe it's to provide a better life for your family, to solve a problem you care deeply about, to create freedom for yourself or to make a difference in the world. That purpose is your well of positivity. As long as you keep your why in sight, you can handle any how. Steve Jobs said it perfectly. If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don't have to be

2:20:33 pushed. The vision pulls you. So, let your vision pull you through the tough times. When you stay connected to that excitement and passion, positivity flows naturally. You'll jump out of bed, maybe after a cup of coffee, ready to face the day because you know you're building something meaningful. I want you to make a commitment to yourself. Choose one tip from this video and start it today. Maybe you write a gratitude list before you sleep tonight. Maybe you do a quick jog tomorrow morning or you send a thank you message to a colleague. Take that step and then another the next day.

2:21:07 You'll start to feel the change. A little more pep pen in your step, a bit more optimism when you encounter stress, a longer fuse before you get angry, a quicker smile, a faster rebound from disappointments. Those small changes will compound into a truly positive life experience. Staying positive every day isn't about never feeling negative emotions. It's about not staying stuck in them. It's about always returning to hope, to solutions, to belief in yourself. You are stronger and more capable than you know. And now you have strategies to nurture that strength and positivity consistently in the entrepreneurial journey. Mindset is your greatest asset. Protect it and cultivate it. And when in doubt, remember this.

2:21:47 You've got through 100% of your bad days so far. You're still here, still standing, and still striving. That's a perfect track record of overcoming. Keep that streak going. Now go out there and build your dreams. Do it with a smile on your face, gratitude in your heart, and a fire in your belly. The world throws thunder. You bring the sunshine every single day. You have everything it takes to succeed as long as you keep your head up and your attitude positive. So, keep moving forward, keep learning, and keep believing in the beauty of your goals.

2:22:17 Your positivity will become your superpower that sets you apart in a world where many give up. And remember this, the entrepreneur who can stay positive in the face of any challenge is the one who ultimately wins. That can be you. Stay strong, stay positive, and as always, believe. You are one decision away from a completely different life. Think about that. The one skill that can make you rich isn't coding, marketing, or networking. It's mastering your decision-making. Every entrepreneur faces moments where a single choice can change everything. With the world moving faster than ever, your ability to make great decisions quickly will set you apart. So, do you want to seize opportunities and build wealth? It starts with how you decide.

2:23:01 Why decision-m is the number one skill. Information overload is real. You have more data, more advice, and more options than any generation before. And it's easy to fall into analysis paralysis and miss out. But here's the truth. Indecision is costing you. One business leader said, "The worst business decision you can make is no decision." Often being slow or indecisive is riskier than making the wrong choice. Why? Because while you wait, someone more decisive is grabbing your market share or that investment deal. A 2023 Forbes report put it bluntly. Being wrong is often less risky than being slow. Successful entrepreneurs know this. They decide and move forward, then adjust if needed. Speed matters.

2:23:45 Amazon's Jeff Bezos, one of the richest entrepreneurs on the planet, lives by a 70% rule for decision-making. Bezos says, "Most decisions should probably be made with somewhere around 70% of the information you wish you had. If you wait for 90%, you're probably being slow. Waiting until you're 100% sure means you're already too late. Wealthy people make decisions quickly and decisively while others are still second-guessing themselves. This doesn't mean being reckless. It means trusting your gut and experience once you have enough information to act. And it's not just theory. Studies back this up.

2:24:20 Research by PWC found a positive link between strong decision-making practices and higher profit margins. In other words, companies and leaders who excel at decisionmaking earn more money. Great decision makers spot opportunities and pounce while poor decision makers stall out and miss. If you want to be a rich entrepreneur, you need to train this skill like a muscle. The science of making great decisions. Let's get practical and scientific. So, how do you improve your decisionmaking? First, realize you're making a lot of choices every day. Scientists estimate the average adult makes around 35,000 decisions per day. Yep, you heard that right. 35,000 decisions. Now, most are small. What are you going to eat? What email you going to reply to? But they do add up and your brain only has so much energy and willpower for choices. This is why by evening you might feel exhausted and start making sloppy

2:25:14 decisions. It's called decision fatigue. So the more decisions that pile up, the harder each one becomes. High achievers know this and they protect their decision-making energy. They eliminate trivial choices so they can focus on big ones. Steve Jobs famously wore the same black turtleneck, jeans, and sneakers every day. Why? It was one less decision to make, allowing him to save his energy for what really mattered. President Obama did the same with his wardrobe, and so does Mark Zuckerberg. This isn't just a weird quirk that people have.

2:25:46 It's a strategy. As psychologist Barry Schwarz explains, every small choice we remove from our day means that you don't have to devote any bandwidth to them, which frees up your brain power for important decisions. So, tip number one is simplify your life where you can. Automate or make a routine out of your minor decisions. What to wear, what to eat for breakfast, and so on. This keeps your mental batteries charged for the high stakes calls in your business. Next, understand that your emotions and biases can hijack your decisions. Have you ever hesitated on a huge opportunity because you felt fear or doubt? It's natural. Our brains try to avoid risk.

2:26:22 But as Tony Robbins says, it is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped. If you let fear decide for you, you will stay stuck. Great decision makers balance emotion with logic. They acknowledge their fear, but still ask, "Will this choice get me closer to my goals or further away?" They lean on facts and principles. Think of Elon Musk breaking down problems to basics rather than just going with the crowd. There's also analysis paralysis, getting stuck in overthinking. Remember that having too many options can be a trap. One famous experiment from Columbia University showed that when shoppers had 24 flavors of jam to choose from, fewer actually made a purchase than when given just six options. Too much choice can freeze you. The solution? Set criteria and deadlines. So, for example, when you face a big decision, decide, I'll gather information for 2 weeks, then I'm making my call on Friday. Use frameworks like

2:27:18 pros and cons list or the 10 10 rule. Ask how you feel about the decision 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years from now. These tools impose limits so you don't drown in options. How successful entrepreneurs decide. Examples. Let's look at how top entrepreneurs flex their decision-making muscle. Jeff Bezos from Amazon. We already talked about his 70% information rule. Bezos credits Amazon success to making high velocity decisions. He distinguishes between type one decisions. Those are irreversible big bets and type two decisions which are reversible smaller bets. So for type two decisions, he encourages team to decide fast. If it doesn't work out, you can course correct easily. This culture of quick decision-m helped Amazon innovate rapidly. So the takeaway is not every decision is life or death. Decide fast on smaller issues to keep momentum and save your deep analysis for the truly big choices. Let's look at Sarah

2:28:15 Blakeley from Spanx. When Sarah was developing Spanx, she had no background in fashion or business. But she made a bold decision to go allin on her idea of footless penny hose. She even kept her day job while selling fax machines and researching and prototyping at night. The key moment came when she decided to cold call a hosery mill to make her product despite being repeatedly turned down. That single courageous decision led to a meeting and eventually the creation of a billiondoll company. As Peter F. Ducker famously said, "Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision." So the takeaway is don't let your lack of experience or fear stop you. A bold decision in the face of uncertainty can launch your empire. Let's look at Elon Musk from SpaceX and Tesla. Musk is known for first principles thinking. So when deciding how to build a cheaper rocket, he broke down material costs and

2:29:09 figured out that he could get parts for a fraction of the price of buying a new rocket. This approach was a decision to ignore industry norms and rethink from scratch. And it worked. SpaceX builds rockets far cheaper now. Musk also makes decisions quickly and publicly. Think about how fast Tesla decides on software updates or how he took just weeks to decide to acquire Twitter X. He'd rather fail fast and drag things out. His mindset, a wrong decision can be better than no decision because at least you learn from it. Let's look at Mel Robbins, friend of the channel, author, entrepreneur. Mel's quote from earlier bears repeating. You are one decision away from a completely different life.

2:29:49 She built her career on helping push people through hesitation, the 5-second rule. her own life changed with a single choice to get out of bed instead of hitting snooze which led to a cascade of positive changes. The lesson for you, the decisions you're avoiding, making that sales call, launching that product, hiring that coach, could be the very ones that transform your business. So don't wait. Use Mel's 5-second rule. Count 5 4 3 2 1 go. And take action on your decision before your doubt creeps back in. These examples show a pattern.

2:30:20 Wealthy, successful entrepreneurs favor action. They trust their analysis up to a point and then they pull the trigger. They learn and they adjust, but they don't sit on the fence. Every big win comes from a big decision and often a risky one at that. Practical tips to improve your decision-m. Now it's your turn. How can you sharpen this skill and make winning decisions faster? Here are some practical strategies that you can start using today. Let's start with setting clear goals and criteria. It's easier to decide when you know what you're aiming for. If you're clear on your business goal, let's say you want to grow your e-commerce revenue by 50% this year, you can measure options against that target.

2:31:00 As fitness coach Jillian Michaels says, "Whenever you're making an important decision, first ask if it gets you closer to your goals or farther away. If it's closer, pull the trigger." Every choice should serve your mission. Next, use the 70% info rule. Don't wait for perfect information. take it from Bezos and decide once you have about 70% of the data. Waiting for 100% will make sure you miss the boat. So, for example, if you're launching a product, do enough market research to feel confident, but you'll never survey everyone. At some point, you need to just launch. You can adjust your strategy with real customer feedback rather than endless hypotheticals. Next, limit your time for decisions. Give yourself a deadline. If you have a week to decide on a partnership, don't spend a month.

2:31:44 Parkinson's law says work expands to fill the time available. So set a timer on decisions to force efficiency. This prevents overthinking. Many top CEOs make decisions quickly to keep their company in momentum. You can do the same for your business even if the stakes feel high. Next, simplify reversible decisions. Not every decision is permanent. Recognize which choices are reversible, which means you can pivot or undo them, and which are one-way doors. If it's reversible, decide fast. For example, hiring a freelancer for a small project. If it doesn't work out, you can hire someone else the next time. Don't agonize for weeks over it. Save your deep thought for the big one-way decisions like choosing a long-term business partner or acquiring a company.

2:32:28 Next, build routines to reduce decision fatigue. As I already mentioned earlier, cut out the trivial decisions in your day. Plan your meals for the week on Sunday. Stick to a morning routine. Even consider simplifying a wardrobe. This sounds small, but it frees up your willpower. When your mind isn't bogged down by a hundred tiny choices, you'll find you have more clarity and energy for the big decisions that drive wealth. Next, [snorts] trust your core values, your who, and your why. One reason entrepreneurs get stuck is they feel torn on what the right choice is. This is where knowing yourself becomes powerful. In my book, Built to Serve, I outline the who, why, and how framework.

2:33:06 Here you're defining who you are, why you do what you do, and how you serve others. When you know your who, which is your single most important core value, and your why, which is your purpose and your mission, tough decisions become easier. You have a northstar for guidance. If an opportunity doesn't align with your values or purpose, you can confidently say no. If it does, that's a big yes. Use your core values as a filter. This not only speeds up decision-m, it also ensures your choices feel right. You'll make money and feel fulfilled because you're staying true to yourself. And if you haven't identified your who, why, how yet, check out the exercises and build the serve because it will change how you make decisions.

2:33:46 Next, embrace failure as feedback. Fear of making the wrong choice is the number one blocker of decisive action. Here's the mindset shift. There is no failure, only feedback. Every decision, whether it succeeds or flops, teaches you something. Thomas Edison famously said, "He didn't fail 10,000 times. He found 10,000 ways that didn't work. When you see decisions as experiments, it takes the pressure off of you. You realize that a mistake won't end you. It'll guide you. In fact, many wealthy entrepreneurs credit their failures for their later success because they learn what not to do and gain resilience. So, don't paralyze yourself trying to be perfect. Make the best call you can now.

2:34:26 And if it's wrong, learn and iterate. As the saying goes, a wrong decision at the right time is better than a right decision taken too late. Action beats inaction every time. Next, seek advice, not approval. Wise entrepreneurs get input from mentors or advisers, but they don't pull a hundred people hoping for unanimous approval. Ultimately, it's your decision. Use advisors to spot blind spots or generate ideas. Then take ownership of your choice. You might be tempted to ask in a dozen online forums or endlessly read reviews before you choose a path. Don't dilute your own intuition. Gather two to three key opinions or data points. Then decide.

2:35:06 Too many voices will confuse you. Trust that you know your vision and business best. Next, decide and believe in yourself. The path to wealth is paved with decisions. Every product you launch, every investment you make, every partnership you form, it all comes down to a moment of choice. The great news is that decision-making is a learnable skill. By practicing these habits and mindset shifts, you'll get faster and more confident. You'll start seeing indecision for what it is, an enemy of progress, and you'll crush it with action. Remember, no one achieved greatness by sitting on the fence. The entrepreneurs you admire, the people you look up to, they got to where they are because they made the tough calls. They decided to quit the safe job, decided to risk capital on a new idea, decided to keep going when their doubt crept in.

2:35:57 Every time you make a courageous decision, you build that skill and open up new possibilities for yourself. So the next time you face a crossroads, take a deep breath and remind yourself of this video. You have the tools, you have the intuition, you have the courage. Make that decision. Commit to it. Believe that even if it's not perfect, you'll learn and grow. Your future rich self is waiting on the other side of that choice. Have faith in your ability to figure things out. As long as you keep deciding and keep moving forward, you are on the path to riches and success. In the end, the one skill that will make you rich is already in your hands. It's your decision-making.

2:36:34 Master it and you master your destiny. So, my fellow entrepreneur, what will you decide today that your future self will thank you for? Make that move. Trust yourself and as always, continue to believe in your vision and your journey. Your decisions will shape your success, so make them count. Believe. You have a vision that no one else believes in. You feel like you're on this journey completely alone. And it's tough. Really tough. You might be asking yourself, "How can I stay motivated when absolutely nobody supports me?" Well, you're about to find out. In this video, I'm talking directly to you. If you're an entrepreneur who feels lonely, doubted, or unsupported, listen up. By the end of this, you'll have a toolbox of motivational hacks, mindset shifts, and practical routines to keep you going strong, even with zero support. Let's jump in.

2:37:24 Are you feeling isolated, like nobody understands what you're trying to do? You're not alone in feeling this way. Studies show about 60% of entrepreneurs grapple with feelings of loneliness or isolation. Think about that. That's more than half of us building a business, feeling alone. And it gets deeper. 46% of entrepreneurs struggle with these feelings regularly. Annually, 40% feel they have no one to talk to about their stress. Now, if you're nodding your head right now, take a breath. There's nothing wrong with you for feeling this.

2:37:53 Running a business can feel like standing on an island. You have big responsibilities and tough calls to make, and often your friends or family just don't get it. Maybe they have stable jobs or traditional paths and can't relate to your crazy dream. Maybe they even openly doubt you. It hurts, I know. But guess what? This lonely at the top feeling is actually common for founders and CEOs. Even business icons have talked about it. Reed Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, said being an entrepreneur is even lonelier than being a CEO. Why? Because until you succeed, no one sees your vision except you. Now, loneliness isn't just a soft feeling. It can affect your mental health. A Harvard Business Review report found that entrepreneurs are 30% more likely to experience depression than people who aren't entrepreneurs. I'll say that again. The stress and isolation of this path can literally take a mental toll.

2:38:46 Lack of support can lead to burnout, too. About 31% of entrepreneurs experience burnout due to not having support from friends or family. So, this is some serious stuff. If you ignore these feelings, they can snowball. But here's the good news. You can overcome this. The first step is realizing you're not actually as alone as you think. Thousands of entrepreneurs are feeling exactly what you feel right now. They felt the doubt, the late night panic, the maybe they're right. Maybe I am crazy to do this. You are part of a tribe of dreamers and builders who often walk a lonely road at first. Understand that feeling unsupported doesn't mean your idea is bad or that you can't succeed. Many great businesses started with only the founder believing in them.

2:39:30 So wear your loneliness almost as a badge of honor. It means you're doing something different, something bold, something that not everyone can understand yet. All right, so no one in your circle is clapping for you. How do you keep going? By learning to clap for yourself and use the doubt as fuel. Look, doubt can be crippling or it can be motivating. It's up to you to decide how it affects you. The greatest entrepreneurs in history, they faced huge doubts and kept moving forward regardless. Remember, most entrepreneurs have self-doubt at times, even the successful ones. In fact, more than 80% of entrepreneurs report struggling with imposter syndrome. The feeling that you're not good enough or that you're a fraud. So, if you're looking in the mirror wondering, can I really do this? Know that eight of 10 other founders have felt the same way.

2:40:18 You're in good company. Even Sarah Blakeley, the billionaire founder of Spanx, admitted she kept her business idea secret for a year because she feared people would ridicule her. Can you imagine someone who went on to become massively successful was initially afraid to tell others because she had zero support and was scared of the doubt and laughter, but she forged ahead anyway. The key is to turn that doubt into determination. This is a great piece of advice I read. Most business owners are drowning in doubt. The great ones, they turn that doubt into fuel for action. So when someone says, "I don't think you can do it." Or when you feel that no one believes in you, channel that. Say to yourself, "All right, I'll show you. I'll prove it to myself." Let their skepticism light a fire in you instead of extinguishing your flame. Here's a mindset shift. Make it about proving yourself right, not

2:41:11 proving others wrong. If you focus only on revenge success, I'll succeed to shut them up. You're still letting them control you. Instead, focus on your own belief. Do you believe in your idea? Do you believe in yourself? That's what matters. Henry Ford famously said, "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right." He's saying, "Your belief determines your outcome." If you are convinced deep down that you can make this business work, then with persistence and learning, you will, even if it takes time. But if you let yourself believe the naysayers, you're defeated before you start. So guard your mindset. Think about it. Every great innovator was once laughed at. The Wright brothers, people thought humans flying was insane. Colonel Harlon Sanders, he had a fried chicken recipe rejected a thousand times before anyone agreed to partner with them. That's not an error. 1 rejections. Imagine if he

2:42:04 had given up at rejection number 100 or 500, thinking, "No one believes in my recipe. Maybe they're right." we wouldn't have KFC today. Instead, he believed in his chicken so much that it didn't matter if the entire world said no. He just kept going until someone said yes. That's the kind of crazy self-belief you need to cultivate. Another example, Elon Musk. Today, he's one of the most visionary entrepreneurs alive. But when he started SpaceX, even his heroes didn't support him. In 2012, Musk was visibly hurt in an interview because legendary astronauts Neil Armstrong and Jean Cernin, men he looked up to, spoke out against his efforts in private space travel. Imagine your idols basically saying, "We don't think you should be doing this." Ouch. But Elon didn't pack up and quit SpaceX. He kept at it. Now SpaceX regularly launches rockets and has proven the critics wrong. If Elon had crumbled when the

2:42:56 people he admired gave him zero support, we might not have reusable rockets today. So take this to heart. Others don't need to believe in you for you to succeed. It's nice to have support, but it's not a requirement. What is a requirement is you don't quit on yourself. Use successful people's stories as inspiration. When you feel like no one believes in me, remember that every success story was once a story of someone no one believed in. JK Rowling was rejected by a dozen publishers. Steve Jobs was fired from his own company and people thought he was done. Oprah Winfrey was told she wasn't fit for TV early in her career.

2:43:31 The list goes on. They all kept believing in their vision when no one else did. As Steve Jobs once said, "Don't let the noise of other opinions drown out your own inner voice." Your inner voice, your gut, that whisper inside that says, "This is what I'm meant to do." That is your support. Nurture it. Protect it. How do you actually believe in yourself when you currently feel shaky? It starts with understanding that belief is like a muscle. You build it by repetition and positive inputs. If you've been surrounded by doubt or silence, you need to surround yourself with belief, even if it's your own. This means affirmations visualizations and remembering past wins. Start by affirming yourself daily. This isn't cheesy. It's sciencebacked. When you constantly tell yourself, "I can do this. I will find a way." You are rewiring your brain to be more confident and resilient. It might feel awkward at

2:44:22 first, but stick with it. Every morning look in the mirror and speak encouragement to yourself. Be the coach you wish you had. Say you will make this happen. You are capable. You're resourceful. You don't need anyone's permission to succeed. When you repeat that, you prime your mind to actually believe it. Next, remember your why. Why did you start this venture in the first place? Was it to solve a meaningful problem? To create a better life for your family? To prove something to yourself? That core purpose is a powerful motivator. Write it down and put it where you can see it daily. When your motivation drops, reconnect with your why. If your purpose is strong and personal, it can carry you through patches of self-doubt. So, for example, maybe you started your business to help your community or to innovate in an industry that you deeply care about. If you focus on that mission, you realize

2:45:10 that even if no one is cheering you on right now, the end result will be worth it. Purpose can be your support system when people aren't. Also, celebrate the small wins you achieve. This builds self-belief like nothing else. When you make even a little bit of progress, pause, acknowledge it. Maybe you built a prototype. Maybe you got your first online sale. Maybe you just finished a tough week. Don't say, "Yeah, but it's nothing compared to my big goal." Right? No, a win is a win. And it proves that you are moving forward. Psychologically, recognizing small victories actually boosts your confidence and motivation.

2:45:45 Research has shown that making progress on meaningful work is actually the number one driver of motivation. So each small win is like a brick in the foundation of your self-belief. Lay those bricks every day. Here's one practical tip. Keep a done list. So we all know about the to-do list, but a done list is where you write down things you've accomplished. This could be big or small. Maybe you completed five phone calls that you were nervous about or you launched your website. Write it down on the done list. According to productivity experts, a done list gives you a tangible record of progress, which heightens positive emotions and helps you stay motivated. On days when you feel like you're getting nowhere, look at your done list and remind yourself of how far you've come. Every item there is proof that you took action and made something happen. That builds belief in your abilities. Remember, too, that

2:46:34 self-belief grows through action. Confidence is earned by doing. If you're waiting to feel 100% confident before you start the next big task, flip that around. Do the task even without doubt and then your confidence will increase because you saw yourself succeed. It's like courage. You don't wait to not be scared. You go despite the fear and then you become brave. So push yourself to take action. However small, make that call, pitch that client, write that code, film that video. Each action you take is a vote for I can in your mind.

2:47:04 Lastly, limit your exposure to negativity. If certain people in your life constantly dismiss or discourage you, you might need to reduce how much you talk to them about your business, or at all, if possible. I'm not saying cut out anybody who doesn't cheer for you. But protect your mental space. You can love your family or friends, yet not share every detail of your entrepreneurial journey with those who only criticize. Seek out voices that uplift your belief, not tear it down. Curate your social media, for example.

2:47:31 Follow entrepreneurs, mentors, motivational figures, people who reinforce a positive mindset. Unfollow or mute those who instill doubt. Your environment greatly affects your belief in yourself. So, shape your environment to be as encouraging as possible. When you have zero external support, it's crucial to have the right mindset internally. A growth mindset is your best friend here. What is a growth mindset? It's the belief that your skills and abilities can improve with effort and learning. So in other words, you aren't stuck with whatever talent or knowledge you have right now. You can grow. This is huge for entrepreneurs.

2:48:05 Harvard Business School calls this kind of mindset an invaluable asset in the startup world. Why? Because when you believe you can learn and adapt, you become unstoppable. Any challenge or lack of skill, it's not a dead end. It's just a problem to solve or an area to get better in. So, let's say you feel unsupported and you think, "I have no one to turn to for advice on marketing and I'm not a marketing expert, so how will I ever get customers, right? A fixed mindset would make you feel doomed." A growth mindset says, "Okay, I don't know marketing yet, but I can learn. I can read. I can watch videos. I can take an online course. I can experiment. And over time, I will improve." You become resourceful instead of despairing. When you have a growth mindset, every setback or gap in knowledge is just temporary. You treat failures and obstacles as lessons. As Carol Dwek, the psychologist who coined

2:48:53 growth mindset, found that people who embrace challenges and persist despite failure ultimately achieve more. For entrepreneurs, this is vital. If a strategy fails, you get rejected by an investor. It's not proof that you're doomed. It's feedback. You adjust and you try again. With a growth mindset, you start to see doubters and lack of support as just another challenge to overcome, not a verdict on your future. Now, here's a pro tip. When something goes wrong or someone says no to you, add the word yet to your thoughts.

2:49:23 Instead of I don't know how to do this, say I don't know how to do this yet. Instead of I'm not getting sales, say I'm not getting sales yet. That one word keeps the door open for growth and improvement. It reminds you that where you are now isn't where you'll be in 6 months or a year if you keep learning. Another powerful mindset to develop is grit. Angela Duckworth, a psychologist and expert on success, defines grit as passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It's basically sticking with your mission day in and day out, especially when things are hard. Research suggests that grit is often a better predictor of success than IQ or talent. Think about that. It's not the smartest or most gifted who wins. It's those who persist with grit. So even if you feel you're not as experienced or as skilled as others and no one is helping you, your secret weapon can be sheer determination. You can outlast and

2:50:14 outwork the doubters. Be the person who just won't give up. If you keep showing up and improving little by little, you greatly increase your chances of success. Cultivating grit means embracing the grind. It's doing the unglamorous work consistently. It's also maintaining the passion for what you're doing. So keep your passion alive. Remember why you love this idea or this field. Passion will pull you through the drudgery and perseverance will keep you on track during the droughts. Together, that's an unbeatable combo. Remind yourself, every overnight success story you see was years in the making. Those founders had grit. They kept pushing through lonely times when no one else believed in them. Here's one more mindset shift. See criticism or lack of support as a filter that leaves only the determined ones like you in the game.

2:50:59 Not everyone can handle being an entrepreneur precisely because of how tough it is when you have no support. If it were easy, everyone would do it. The fact that you're facing this hardship is actually part of what will make your success story inspiring later. You are in the process of building resilience. Every day that you choose to keep going without cheers and pats on the back is a day you become mentally stronger. That resilience, that thick skin, will serve you enormously in business. It's like forging steel in fire. Hard times are forging you into a stronger entrepreneur. Embrace that idea and suddenly the lack of support feels less like a curse and more like a training ground designed for greatness.

2:51:42 Motivation isn't just mindset. It's also about your daily systems. When you have zero external support, your habits and routines become your support structure. Think of your routine as a scaffolding that holds you up when it feels like no one else is holding you up. By building good habits, you essentially create an automatic engine that drives you forward each day, so you rely less on fleeting motivational boosts. Start with your morning routine. How you begin the day often sets the tone. Do you roll out of bed feeling dread, or do you have a plan to ignite motivation each morning? Try this. Begin each day with something that energizes you and reminds you of your goals. This could be exercise, reading, something inspiring, watching one of these YouTube videos, or reviewing your goals in your vision board. For example, some entrepreneurs wake up and immediately do a workout or a brisk walk. That physical movement not only

2:52:28 boosts your health, it also reduces endorphins, those feel-good chemicals in your brain that actually improve your mood. Exercise is proven to reduce stress and lift your spirits by pumping up endorphins, which is super important when you don't have external cheerleaders. Even a 20minut jog or some jumping jacks can snap you out of a funk and into a positive mindset for the day. If you're not into heavy exercise, no worries. Even a stretch or show yoga, anything to get the blood flowing. The idea is to signal to your body and mind that we're awake and we're feeling good.

2:52:57 Taking care of your body is a non-negotiable part of staying motivated because a healthy body supports a healthy mind. Eat as well as you can. Stay hydrated and please try to get enough sleep. It's tempting to grind 24/7, especially when you feel you have to do it all yourself. But remember, burnout will kill your motivation faster than anything else. You have to be sustainable in your efforts. As a saying goes, you can't pour from an empty cup. So, schedule rest. Actually, put it on your calendar if you must. Time to recharge is not a luxury. It's part of your productivity strategy. Next, structure your work days with productive routines. One effective method is time blocking. Set aside chunks of time for your most important task and stick to that schedule as if you had a boss or supporter watching. Since you don't have someone looking over your shoulder, become your own manager. Create a

2:53:45 system. For instance, 9 to 11:00 a.m. is for deep work, coding, writing, designing, whatever your core creation. 11 to 11:30 break. 11:30 to 1 outreach to clients. A clear routine prevents the lack of external accountability from turning into procrastination. When you know this is just what I do at this time, you're less likely to falter. Consistency is key. Even if one day you wake up and really don't feel like doing that task, following your routine can carry you through. It's like muscle memory. Incorporate rituals that pump you up. For example, some people listen to a favorite motivational song or an inspiring podcast every morning while getting ready or videos from this channel. That can substitute for the voice of a supporter. Imagine a voice in your ear every morning saying, "You got this. Today's challenges are opportunities." Well, that voice can be a YouTube video or an audio book from

2:54:32 successful entrepreneurs. There are tons of free motivational videos, and I mean, hey, that's what I do on this channel. Use them as a standin for a mentor's pep talk. Spend 10 minutes feeding your mind positivity before you dive into emails and fires to put out. This way, you prime your mind with motivation at the start of the day instead of waiting for motivation to appear. Next, make your environment work for you. If your workspace is a cluttered kitchen table where family members pass by with skeptical looks, see if you can carve out a separate corner or room as your focus space. Having a dedicated workspace, even if it's tiny, helps switch you into work mode and signals, "I'm serious about this." Put up a few quotes or images that inspire you at your desk. Maybe it's the word belief on the wall or a photo of someone you admire or your vision board with your goals. These visual cues act like silent

2:55:19 support members, reminding you why you're doing this and pushing you to keep at it. It might sound silly, but visual inspiration can drive you when people aren't there. Now, let's talk about managing your energy and mood throughout the day. Motivation isn't a constant high. It fluctuates. without colleagues or team, you might find your energy dipping often because you're always working solo. A great technique is a Pomodoro method, working in focus sprints, so 25 minutes on, five minutes off, or any similar rhythm that gives you regular breaks. Use those mini breaks to recharge your motivation in a break. You could do a quick breathing exercise, step outside for fresh air, or watch a 5-minute inspiring clip. The idea is to prevent long stretches of isolation from draining you. Next, let's balance intense work with intentional breaks. Research shows that even short breaks can reset your mood and keep you

2:56:07 motivated longer. Don't feel guilty about taking a break. See it as refueling your tank. Also, set yourself up with rewards. When you're the only one patting yourself on the back, it's okay to incentivize yourself a little bit. For example, tell yourself, "If I finish this proposal by 5:00 p.m., I'll treat myself to my favorite snack or an episode of that show tonight." Small rewards can make work more fun and give you something to look forward to. It's like being your own supportive boss who says, "Great job. Take the rest of the day off, except in miniature form."

2:56:37 Celebrate milestones, too. Did you hit your first 100 customers? Finish your app's beta version. That deserves a reward. Maybe a dinner out or a day off to relax. Acknowledging these milestones is important. It keeps your motivation fire burning hot for the next milestone. One more crucial system is a gratitude practice. This might not sound directly related to motivation, but it is incredibly powerful. When you actively practice gratitude, you shift from focus from what's lacking, like there's no support and it's not there yet to what you do have. You have some small wins.

2:57:05 You have opportunities. You have lessons learned. Each day, perhaps in the morning or before bed, write down three things that you're grateful for specifically related to your journey. It could be as simple as, I'm grateful that I learned something new today or I'm grateful for the one customer who gave me a chance. I'm grateful I found this video. or even I'm grateful for my own determination to keep going. Studies have found that keeping a gratitude journal can significantly boost your happiness and optimism. One study showed that it can increase your well-being by around 10%, equivalent to the boost you'd get from doubling your income.

2:57:39 That's huge. Gratitude literally trains your brain to see the good and stay positive, which directly feeds motivation. When you appreciate the small positives, you create an upward spiral of motivation. you start noticing progress and blessings even without outside validation. So try it. Write those gratitude points or at least take a moment each day to mentally say thank you for the good things, however small. It builds resilience and a motivated mind. Just because you start with zero support doesn't mean you have to stay that way.

2:58:11 Humans are social creatures. Even us entrepreneurs need connections and even the introverted ones like me. While you may not have supportive people around you right now, part of staying motivated long term is to gradually build a support network, even if it's just one person at first. I like to say, collect good people. Think of it assembling your personal board of adviserss or your cheer squad, one member at a time. Start by seeking out like-minded entrepreneurs. Thanks to the internet, you can connect with people who understand exactly what you're going through right now, even if they're halfway across the world. Join entrepreneur groups on LinkedIn or Facebook, subreddits for startups or local business meetups. There are forums and communities and events for founders in every industry. When you engage in these communities, you'll realize many others are also looking for support and accountability. Share your experiences,

2:58:58 ask questions, answer someone else's question. That back and forth can be incredibly motivating. Suddenly, you have people to bounce ideas off of, even if they're virtual acquaintances, and even if it's only one person. Next, consider finding a mentor and coach. This could be someone in your industry who you admire. You'd be surprised that some people are happy to give occasional advice if you reach out respectfully or a score mentor. Score is a free mentorship program for small businesses in the US or even a paid coach if that's feasible for you. Having a mentor can dramatically change the game. In fact, a survey by the UPS store found that 70% of small businesses that receive mentoring survived more than 5 years.

2:59:33 Double the survival rate of businesses who didn't have a mentor. I'll say that again. Double the survival rate. That's how powerful support and guidance can be. Just knowing there's someone that you can turn to for advice or encouragement can keep you going when things get rough. And 88% of business owners with a mentor say that having one was invaluable. So, if you don't have a mentor yet, it's worth the effort to seek one out. It could be as simple as emailing a retired entrepreneur in your town or connecting with an experienced founder on social media and politely asking if they'd be open to a short call or answering a quick question. You might get a few nos, but keep trying. Remember Colonel Sanders, all you need is one yes to gain a supportive ally. Next is build your tribe of positive people. They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

3:00:15 Motivational speaker Jim Ran said that and it holds true. If you're currently surrounded by people who don't get your vision, you need to start spending time, even if it's virtually with people who do. That might mean attending networking events or entrepreneur workshops. Yes, it can be intimidating, especially if you're introverted, to put yourself out there. But think of it as prospecting for friends who share your mindset. Even one or two entrepreneur buddies can make a huge difference in your business. You can regularly check in with each other.

3:00:44 You can celebrate small wins and pep talk through the challenges. If you can't find an existing group, consider starting your own meetup or mastermind. There might be other solo entrepreneurs in your area also craving some support. Bring them together. meet once a week or once a month, even if it's just on a Zoom call, to trade updates and encouragement. When you create a community, you become the source of support, not just for yourself, but for others, too, which is extremely rewarding and motivating. Don't overlook the value of friends and family you already have. Even if they're not entrepreneurs, they may not grasp your business, but you can still lean on them for general emotional support. Be honest with those closest to you about what you need. You might say, "Hey, I know you don't really understand my business, but it would mean a lot if once in a while you would just ask me how it's going or

3:01:29 just tell me you've got this when I'm stressed." Sometimes our loved ones don't support us simply because they don't know how or they're afraid of saying the wrong thing. So, if you can guide them on how to support you, could you possibly help by watching the kids for an hour while I work? Or, I could use a sounding board for an idea. Would you mind listening? You might get some of the help that you need. Not everyone will respond, but some will. And with a little moral support from a close friend who says, "I believe in you," that can fuel you for weeks. Don't write everyone off. Give them a chance to be there for you by communicating openly. Now, that being said, also be prepared to distance yourself from persistent naysayers, at least temporarily. If someone in your life constantly drags you down, every conversation with them is doubting and belittling your dream, you may need to set some boundaries. You can limit talk

3:02:17 about your business with them or spend less time with them if possible. It's harsh, but your mental health is important. Surround yourself with as much positivity as you can. Life is short. Spend it with people who lift you up, not tear you down. And as the old wisdom goes, you will be the same person in 5 years except for the books you read and the people you meet and the videos you watch. Choose them wisely. Also remember, support can come from learning resources. The books you read, the podcasts you listen to. Think of authors and successful entrepreneurs as your virtual mentors. Read biographies of entrepreneurs who made it against all odds. When you read about their struggles and triumphs, you feel less alone. This is why I made the top 10 series on my channel. You'll pick up strategies and mindsets that you can apply. It's like having a conversation with the greatest minds in business

3:03:00 history. Charlie Tremendous Jones said it well. You will be the same person in 5 years except for the books you read and the people you meet. If you currently lack people to meet, then read the books and watch the videos. Let those resources fill the mentorship gap. Over time, what you learn from them will translate into real world success, which will attract real supporters. Success has a funny way of drawing people in. Those who ignored or doubted you may suddenly respect you. But by then, you might not even need their support because you'll have built your own strong circle and inner confidence.

3:03:32 Entrepreneurship with zero support is like climbing a mountain without a cheering crowd. It's quiet. It's daunting, but the climb is still absolutely possible. In fact, reaching the summit on your own can be one of the most rewarding feelings in the world. Imagine that day when your business takes off and you look back realizing you kept the faith in yourself when nobody else did. That victory will be 100% yours, earned by your grit, your mindset, and your refusal to quit. So, here's my final message directly to you.

3:04:01 Never let the lack of support stop you. Use it as fuel. Prove to yourself that you can do this. Stay focused on your mission. The world needs that gift, that product, that idea you're working on. Take it one day at a time. Celebrate each step forward and learn from each step back. Build routines that keep you moving forward. And seek out even the smallest slivers of community and inspiration. Every day you will push forward. You're writing an incredible story. The story of the underdog who made it with pure self-belief and determination. Loneliness, doubt, obstacles, they are all part of the journey. not the end of it. You have the strength to overcome them. In moments when your motivation waines, remember why you started. Remember that you are far from alone. Countless others have walked this path and emerged victorious.

3:04:48 And you can too. Keep your mindset growth oriented and your attitude grateful and positive. Fortify yourself with knowledge, passion, and support you actively cultivate. You may have zero support now, but you won't always. And even now, you have something powerful. you, your vision, your courage to take this leap, your resilience to keep going. That's your support system until the rest of the world catches up. So stand tall and keep moving, entrepreneur. Your dream chose you for a reason. The fact that only you can see it right now doesn't mean that it's not real. It means you are the pioneer. So lead the way. Trust yourself even when it feels like no one else does. The road can be lonely, but it also makes you strong, resourceful, and incredibly tough. Those are the traits of a winner.

3:05:32 And when you finally break through, and you will if you stay persistent, those who doubted may suddenly ask how you did it. You might just smile because you always knew you believed in you all along. Keep that belief burning bright. Bet on yourself day after day. Because at the end of the day, you don't need a crowd of supporters to conquer your goals. You need that one person who will never give up on you. And that person is staring back at you in the mirror each morning. So go ahead and make it happen. Even if you have to do it alone for a while, you've got this. I believe in you. Now it's time for you to believe.

3:06:04 Stay motivated and turn your zero support into zero excuses. Keep climbing. The view from the top will be worth it. And congratulations. You're one video closer to who you're meant to be. Believe. For 91 minutes of business growth advice you needed to know yesterday, check the video right there next to me. I think you'll love it. Continue to believe and I'll see you there. And so the easiest way to open a door is to have somebody on your show. Once the shorts pass the long form, if you start getting a lot of long short views, it kills your long form views. So as long as the short to kind

Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "26 Years Of Brutally Honest Business Advice in 3 Hours"?

In order: 0:00 Finland, Junior Achievement, Europe, Evan Carmichael; 15:00 Richard Branson, Junior Achievement, Sarah Blakeley, Elon Musk; 30:00 Evan Carmichael, Paul Graham, Elon Musk; 45:00 Paul Graham, Howard Schultz; 1:00:00 Built to Serve, Evan Carmichael, Sarah Blakeley, Tony Robbins; 1:15:00 Built to Serve, Jane Buffett, Richard Branson, Think and Grow Rich; 1:30:00 Sarah Blakeley, Steve Jobs, Built to Serve, Virgin Group; 1:45:00 Sarah Blakeley, Think and Grow Rich, Steve Jobs; 2:00:00 Sarah Blakeley, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs; 2:15:00 Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Sarah Blakeley, Tony Robbins; 2:30:00 Built to Serve, Sarah Blakeley, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs.

What is mentioned in this Evan Carmichael episode?

29 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Evan Carmichael, Junior Achievement, Spanx, Sarah Blakeley, Built to Serve, Finland. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "26 Years Of Brutally Honest Business Advice in 3 Hours"?

The episode runs 3 h 7 min; the transcript is about 35,042 words in 268 timestamped sections.

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