Beyond A Million

Robin Alex is the co-founder of HighLevel, a marketing automation and CRM platform that has grown to more than two million users since launching in 2018. The company scaled rapidly—doubling and tripling year after year—largely through a white-label model that allows agencies and implementation partners to resell the platform under their own brand. HighLevel now operates with roughly 2,000 employees worldwide and continues to ship new features, including AI-driven tools, at an unusually fast pace. In this conversation, Robin talks through the real reason HighLevel gained traction, how they've structured support to handle growth without a sales team, and why simplicity always wins. He also shares how they prioritize product development and decide what to build, what to ignore, and how to test ideas quickly. The episode offers a clear look into the operational principles behind HighLevel's rapid growth, its product philosophy, and how the team continues evolving the platform for agencies, implementers, and small businesses. Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 00:58 What Really Drove HighLevel's Early Growth 03:20 The Breakdown of HighLevel's User Base 05:47 Handling Customer Support at Scale 07:45 Leveraging AI to Improve Customer Support 09:12 Growing to 2,000 Global Employees 10:33 The Biggest Downside of White Labeling 12:24 Why the Best Product Doesn't Always Win 14:04 The Real Key to Faster Customer Outcomes 15:02 The Fastest Path to Early Agency Revenue 17:11 How HighLevel Decides What to Build Next 21:48 How HighLevel Users Are Leveraging AI Today 25:49 The STL Framework for Implementing Quickly 30:40 Why They Only Plan One Quarter at a Time 32:17 How the Three Founders Divide Responsibilities 38:10 Why They Raised Money Despite Not Needing Capital 43:19 The One Thing Agency Owners Need to Stop Doing Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u1_hXrRTbho Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

For nearly two decades, Pat Flynn has been creating content. What's interesting is how that work has fueled multiple 7-figure businesses. Over the years, he's launched and scaled companies across education, media, software, community, and physical products—from Smart Passive Income and SwitchPod to niche websites, podcasting tools, and more recently, a Pokémon YouTube channel that pulls in 10 million views a day. What ties all of these ventures together is the way Pat builds them. Through his Lean Learning philosophy, he's able to use content to test ideas, reduce risk, and explore a wide range of opportunities while still staying super focused. In this episode, you'll learn exactly how Pat's able to start so many ventures, his approach to mastering any skill, the merger that freed up his time and allowed SPI to scale, and the viral short-form content strategy that's driving millions in both views and revenue.= Key Takeaways 01:16 Finding the Fun That Fuels Momentum 03:41 Why Pat Abandoned Blogging 04:47 The Problem With Audio-Only Podcasts 05:30 10M Views/Day from Pokémon Short-Form 07:21 Letting Data Drive Your Content Strategy 11:46 The Mental Shift That Separates Creators Who Win 15:32 The 20% Rule Powering Pat's Side Ventures 22:14 The 12-Minute Workflow Generating $25K–$40K Videos 25:30 The Smart Acquihire That Became SPI Media 33:25 Designing Your Business Around the Life You Want 36:21 Just In Time Learning vs. Just In Case Learning 43:12 How Community 3.5x's Your Odds of Success 47:03 Micro-Mastery to 10X Results in ANYTHING 54:12 Using Voluntary Force Functions to Take Massive Action 1:03:02 Pat's Advice to New Entrepreneurs 1:03:53 What No Longer Works in Content Creation Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hFRAiXt4lAU Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

Too many business owners are trying to use AI as a shortcut to fire people instead of using it to multiply the output of their best people. And that mindset is killing their growth. Matt Leitz has been building automation systems for 7- and 8-figure companies long before AI went mainstream. He's seen inside the machines powering 9-figure brands… and the truth is simple: automation isn't optional anymore. If you want to scale, you need a business that compounds output without requiring more of your time. Matt breaks down how to use AI as leverage — not as a crutch. He shares where founders get stuck, which systems create the highest ROI, how to turn funnels profitable even when ads lose money on day one, and how to build automations that drive revenue for years. If you've been trying to figure out how to integrate AI without breaking your business, this conversation will completely reset your framework. Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 01:36 You're Thinking About AI All Wrong 02:54 AI Agents and Chatbots 05:24 Start With Strategy, Not Technology 08:09 Why You Shouldn't Automate Reporting 11:22 Prompt Engineering is Easier Than You Think 16:04 How To Build & Leverage Custom GPTs 20:41 Collaborating With AI For Better Results 27:10 AI Tool that Boosts Sales Rep Performance 30:06 Why Tool-Hopping Slows Your Growth 31:50 Why Automation Is Required To Scale Big 35:35 Are Traditional Marketing Funnels Dead? 41:03 When to Focus ON or IN the Business 45:42 The Real Path To Scaling Ad Spend 54:03 Lead Offers vs. Maximizer Offers 01:02:06 Protecting Your Time Above Everything Else Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/F96ncjHK8jI Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

This is a clip from the Beyond A Million podcast where I talked to Steve Sims – entrepreneur, speaker, coach, and bestselling author, best known as the creator of the world's first luxury concierge service. Here Steve shares a killer strategy for getting the attention of high-level people (like billionaires or big-time investors). His approach is simple, but a bit unexpected… and it definitely doesn't involve pitching or pretending to be someone you're not. He also tells a wild story about how this exact move led to a long-term consulting deal with a serious player in Silicon Valley. If you want to start real conversations with people who seem out of reach but aren't sure how, this is the tip for you. Enjoyed this clip? Check out our full interview with Steve: https://youtu.be/f6SMUx45gB8

Starting a business is hard. Starting a beverage company is almost impossible. With a 95% failure rate in year one and 99% by year five, most founders never make it out alive. That's what makes Aaron Hinde's story so compelling. As the Co-Founder of FITAID, a clean-ingredient beverage brand now valued north of $100M, he's navigated a landscape that destroys nearly everyone who steps into it. In our conversation, Aaron breaks down the truth behind building in one of the harshest categories in consumer goods, from the retail relationships that quietly drain millions to the dozens of moments his company nearly went bust. If you're building a brand, scaling a team, entering a competitive market, or simply trying to figure out how to keep going when the pressure of entrepreneurship hits, this episode will reframe what's possible. Key Takeaways with Aaron Hinde 00:00 Intro 01:40 The Hidden Retail Fees That Kill Beverage Brands 05:09 The Most Important Metric Beverage Founders Should Track 07:56 The Real Differentiator Behind FITAID Energy Drinks 10:34 "Clean" Energy Brands That Aren't Actually Clean 12:16 Deciding When to Launch (or Kill) a Product Line 17:13 Why Entrepreneurship Isn't for Most People 21:12 Dean Jackson's Framework for Defining Success 24:01 Resourcefulness, Persuasion, and Relationships at Work 31:29 How to Save Your Company When the Market Collapses 35:36 How Great Leaders Keep Their Teams Aligned 38:59 Facing Your Blind Spots As a Leader 45:24 The Non-Negotiable That Would Kill a $500M Offer 48:28 What He'd Do Differently If He Started Again 52:06 The Freedom That Comes From Dropping the Mask 53:39 Aaron's Advice for New Entrepreneurs Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wSrXlTixjCc Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook