He Built a $45M Business—Then Lost It All to Fraud
In this clip from Episode 189 of Beyond A Million, Michael Erath, founder of Next Level Growth and mastermind behind the Five Obsessions framework, tells the story of how his $45M business came crashing down after discovering that his best friend and business partner had been committing fraud and embezzling funds—right as the 2008 financial crisis hit. What followed was a brutal 18-month battle to avoid bankruptcy, protect his family, and rebuild from the ashes. Enjoyed this clip? Check out our full interview with Michael: https://podfollow.com/beyond-a-million
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189: He Escaped Bankruptcy—Then Built a System That Changed Everything with Michael Erath - 8FE
What if the framework you’re using to grow your business is the very thing holding it back? Today’s guest, Michael Erath, founder of Next Level Growth, reveals why systems like EOS and Scaling Up, while helpful, often become a cage for elite entrepreneurs. Michael grew a $45M company, lost it all to fraud and a financial crisis, and came back stronger with a custom-built framework that now helps other businesses scale without the chaos. In this episode, you’ll hear how Michael bounced back from total collapse, why most entrepreneurs are aiming too low, and what makes his Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations framework a smarter, more adaptable path to sustainable growth. You’ll also learn why effort is your responsibility, how to rethink coaching ROI, and why pricing strategy should never be an afterthought. If you’ve ever felt boxed in by traditional systems or know your business is capable of more, this conversation will show you how to build the kind of company others can’t compete with. Listen in and learn what it takes to grow a business that’s not just successful, but elite. — This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark. — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Michael’s turbulent business background 00:02:47 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 00:05:28 Investment returns on coaching 00:14:46 Growing a family business to $45M 00:20:43 Bank fraud, embezzlement, and the 2008 collapse 00:23:51 There’s always a negotiation to be had 00:34:02 Starting over and building a new business 00:41:39 The EOS framework 00:44:59 The five obsessions framework 00:59:24 Michael’s book and its AI companion 01:01:51 AI and business 01:04:13 Acceptance of mediocre performance 01:08:48 Outro — Additional Resources: 🔹 Next Level Growth: https://nextlevelgrowth.com/ 🔹 Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelerath1/ 🔹 Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations: https://a.co/d/ckShv2Y ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1 Let's Connect: 🔹 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradweimert 🔹 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondamil 🔹Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradWeimert 🔹 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089061999787 — Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work. If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU! Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building. Be sure to give us a follow wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode!
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188: How Curiosity Can 10X Your Sales Game with Stela Roznovan - 7FL
What if the key to closing more sales isn’t being slick, but being curious? Today’s guest, Stela Roznovan, breaks down why most people suck at sales and how to fix it through curiosity. Stela went from being an immigrant with zero English knowledge to leading a multi-million-dollar insurance agency in the U.S., and she did it by mastering the mindset most entrepreneurs ignore. A former concert pianist and Taekwondo black belt, she reveals how discipline, curiosity, and obsession with practice shaped her into a high-performing business leader. We dig into the psychology of money, the immigrant hustle, why most sales conversations fall flat, and how sales isn’t about pitching, but about listening, storytelling, and crafting connection. Plus, Stela shares her 3-part framework for sales success and the exact mindset shift that helped her close deals with confidence. If you’re tired of pushing harder and still not seeing results, this episode will show you what most are missing. Tune in! P.S. Want to get access to Stela’s secret sales vault? Just DM her “BAM” on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/stelaroznovan/ — This episode is part of our 7FL (7-figure lessons) series of Beyond A Million, where we interview entrepreneurs who are skyrocketing to the top! — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:37 Learning English in thirty days 00:04:37 Learning as an adult 00:07:12 Scarcity mindset and financial behavior 00:15:11 Parallels between being a pianist and being an entrepreneur 00:22:51 The art of asking 00:28:55 Dealing with the pressure of competition 00:36:48 From piano to insurance sales 00:45:35 Why insurance? 00:49:42 The science of sales and building relationships 01:00:11 The challenges of transitioning from sales to management 01:04:29 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 01:06:28 Outro — Additional Resources: 🔹 Stela on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stelaroznovan/ 🔹 Stela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stela-roznovan-6a1b8b118/ ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1 Let's Connect: 🔹 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradweimert 🔹 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondamil 🔹Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradWeimert 🔹 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089061999787 — Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work. If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU! Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building. Be sure to give us a follow wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode!
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187: From College Dropout to 8-Figure CEO with Chandler Bolt - 8FE
Struggling to scale your business without burning out? One book could change everything. In this episode of Beyond A Million, Chandler Bolt returns to share how one book helped drive $7 million in revenue, not from royalties, but from its deep integration into every corner of his business. The founder of Self Publishing School and author of Published, breaks down the real strategy behind writing books that generate leads, close sales, and onboard employees at scale. We also take a look at the big picture: hiring A-players vs. farm league talent, what it means to “go pro” in content creation, and why Chandler transitioned from a fully remote company to building a culture-driven in-person office. Along the way, Chandler shares painful (and expensive) lessons from his early years, like partnering out of insecurity and undervaluing top talent, and how they helped him grow to multi-8-figure success. Whether you're thinking about writing a book or scaling your ops team, this episode is packed with strategy, structure, and straight talk. Tune in! — This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark. — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:29 The worst reason to write a book 00:05:11 Thinking in frameworks and structuring thoughts 00:11:20 Lessons learned in business growth 00:16:04 Shifting business strategies 00:23:14 Content strategy evolution 00:32:28 Remote vs. in-person culture 00:39:04 The secret to good leadership 00:45:53 Roles for remote vs. in-person work 00:49:43 Management and leadership in hybrid businesses 00:59:46 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 01:05:32 Resources and outro — Additional Resources: 🔹 Chandler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandlerbolt/ 🔹 Chandler on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chandler_bolt/?hl=en 🔹 Chandler on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChandlerBoltOfficial ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1 Let's Connect: 🔹 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradweimert 🔹 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondamil 🔹Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradWeimert 🔹 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089061999787 — Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work. If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU! Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building. Be sure to give us a follow wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode!
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186: The Mindset Mentor: Rob Dial Reveals the Secret Behind 400+ Million Podcast Downloads – 7FL
What does it really take to build a podcast that reaches hundreds of millions of people? In this episode, Brad sits down with Rob Dial – creator of The Mindset Mentor podcast, which has racked up over 400 million downloads – to dig into how he’s turned coaching into a real business. Not a personal brand with a few viral moments, but a systemized operation that’s trained over 3,000 coaches and reaches millions every month. Rob shares how he builds structure into everything from podcast scripts to business operations, how he uses AI to streamline content creation, and why mindset alone won’t get you anywhere without consistent action. He even shares how his background in songwriting (yeah, songwriting) gave him the formula for making content that people resonate with. If you’ve been posting content without a strategy – or banking on manifestation to grow your business – this one might be a gut check. But it’ll also give you a much clearer lens on what actually works. Tune in. — This episode is part of our 7FL (7-figure lessons) series of Beyond A Million, where we interview entrepreneurs who are skyrocketing to the top! — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:47 – Common mindset trends Rob thinks are harmful 00:08:09 – Manifestation only works with action 00:10:02 – Pressure vs. stress 00:17:26 – Rob’s path into coaching and transformation 00:24:49 – One conversation can change it all 00:26:54 – Launching podcast as a brand-building tool 00:34:26 – Using Facebook virality to grow the podcast audience organically 00:38:52 – Viral content formula 00:52:21 – Using ChatGPT for content creation 00:58:36 – Self-acceptance is more important than self-improvement 01:05:43 – Doing “hard things” and building confidence — Additional Resources: 🔹 The Mindset Mentor Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHl3aFKS0bY0d8JwqNysaeA 🔹 Rob on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robdialjr/ ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1 Let's Connect: 🔹 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradweimert 🔹 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondamil 🔹Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradWeimert 🔹 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089061999787 — Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work. If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU! Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building. Be sure to give us a follow wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode!
Brad Weimert, founder of Easy Pay Direct, interviews world-class entrepreneurs to explore tactics & strategies to build 8, 9, and 10-figure brands. Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/
All business is the same… but nobody really feels that way. The truth is – the BUILDING blocks of business are consistent across the board. Marketing, Sales, Operations, Finance, and Taxes... Apply to all businesses.
With more than 30,000 businesses flowing through Easy Pay Direct (and the data behind them), Brad Weimert has found a litany of world-class experts to break down what’s working - and what’s not. With clients like Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, Hal Elrod and Grant Cardone, Easy Pay Direct is an amazing pool of knowledge and experience to pull from.
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