Most people think communication is about what you say. It’s not. It’s about what happens in the listener’s brain before you finish your sentence. This episode breaks down the neuroscience of communication and why charisma is overrated. Real influence comes from how the brain processes sound, novelty, and behavior in real time.

You’ll learn the communication frameworks used by top performers, executives, and elite negotiators including vocal entrainment, micro-behavior mirroring, attention psychology, dopamine triggers, storytelling science, and credibility language patterns. We cover how to speak in short, high-impact bursts, use questions to increase engagement, and control silence in high-stakes conversations.

These are practical tools pulled from boardrooms, negotiations, and live debates. If you want to communicate with confidence, influence faster, and be taken seriously in business, leadership, sales, and negotiations, this episode will change how you speak. Communication isn’t a soft skill. It’s applied neuroscience.

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I say it all the time: building real wealth doesn’t require a flashy startup — it just takes one boring, cash-flowing business. Join me at Main Street Millionaire Live to get my exact playbook for finding, buying, and scaling a business. Stop wondering how ownership could change your life, and come find out: https://contrarianthinking.biz/MSML26_BDYT

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00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:38 The Neuro-Echo Effect: People Mirror Your Energy in 200 Milliseconds 00:02:46 The Brain Is Addicted to Novelty, Not Logic 00:03:45 Clarity Over Complexity: The Simplicity Anchor 00:04:44 Questions Increase Dopamine: The Curiosity Loop 00:06:53 Your Voice Controls Other People's Heart Rates 00:07:56 Rhythmic Language Sounds More True 00:09:49 The 3-to-1 Trick for Difficult Conversations 00:12:06 Speak in Sprints, Not Streams 00:14:19 Gesture Before You Speak: Gesture Priming 00:16:13 Stories Stick 22 Times More Than Facts 00:19:15 Replace 'I Think' with 'I've Observed' 00:20:29 The Cognitive Snap: Using Names and Details 00:21:43 Open Your Rib Cage: Postural Neuroendocrinology 00:23:01 Taking Turns Builds Trust Faster Than Agreement 00:24:45 End with the Cognitive Close, Not a Question

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Most people know Ciara as a Grammy winning superstar with 23 million albums sold and hits like “Goodies” and “Level Up.” What they don’t know is how a military kid with no connections built one of the most durable careers in entertainment and is now quietly building a business empire across rum and kids fashion.

In this conversation, Ciara walks through the three goals she wrote down at 13 that led to a record deal at 16, millions of albums sold by 19, and a 21 year career that’s still evolving. She talks about why it’s necessary to stay “a little delulu”, how manifestation actually works, and how a good whiteboard session can turn an idea into a real-world business. We get into why being the only woman in rum is fuel not fear, how her apparel company 3Brand crossed $100M, and why culture and quality beat hype every time.

This episode isn’t about overnight wins. It’s about confidence built slowly, emotions kept out of decisions, and learning to run your race without burning out trying to win someone else’s.

I say it all the time: building real wealth doesn’t require a flashy startup — it just takes one boring, cash-flowing business. Join me at Main Street Millionaire Live to get my exact playbook for finding, buying, and scaling a business. Stop wondering how ownership could change your life, and come find out: https://contrarianthinking.biz/MSML26_BDYT

___________

00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:25 The Power of Pre-Performance Rituals 00:04:03 Embracing Failure and the Amnesia Method 00:06:21 Being Delulu: Walking Into Rooms Fearlessly 00:09:18 Speaking Life Into Your Kids 00:10:27 The Army Kid Who Wrote Her Game Plan at 13 00:16:34 Manifestation: Writing It Down and Speaking It Out Loud 00:22:03 Faith as Your Shield in Dark Moments 00:25:56 Running Your Own Race: Don't Glorify Man 00:28:29 The Greater the Great, The More They Hate 00:30:19 Whiteboard Sessions with Your Partner 00:45:07 Building a 100 Million Dollar Brand: 3Brand Story 00:37:34 Ten To One Rum: Reimagining a Spirit Category 00:47:42 Quality Over Everything: The Business Superpower 00:50:48 Trust Your Gut: Knowing Who Not to Trust on Day One 00:58:34 Following Your Curiosity Down the Rabbit Hole 01:11:14 Beauty Marks and Attainment: Scars Are Your Story

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Most people think success comes from talent, timing, or luck. The brutal truth? It comes from suffering. After building multiple seven and eight-figure businesses and investing in hundreds of companies, I've learned the one thing nobody wants to tell you: to win, you must be willing to endure more pain than everyone else. This isn't about motivation or manifestation — it's about the cold, hard reality of what it actually takes to build the life you want in 2025 and beyond.

In this raw, unfiltered episode, I break down the four brutal truths that will either make or break your success: why four-hour work weeks are a myth (the data shows 85-90% of businesses require daily founder involvement), why everyone is trying harder than you think they are (and hiding it), why there's more competition than you want to admit (305 million startups launched globally last year alone), and why most people will never communicate honestly. I reveal the six types of people you'll face as a leader — from the reactive responder to the strategic warrior — and why only one of them actually wins. You'll learn about effort concealment, survivorship bias, and why 80% of people think they're above average (spoiler: they're not).

But this isn't just about what's broken — it's about what actually works. I expose why the passive income dream applies to less than 1% of the population, why 95% of Shopify stores never make a single sale, and why comparing your reality to someone else's highlight reel is killing your progress. If you've ever felt like you're behind, or wondered why success seems easier for everyone else, or if you're ready to stop believing the lies and start doing the hard work that actually matters, this episode will change how you think about winning forever.

I say it all the time: building real wealth doesn’t require a flashy startup — it just takes one boring, cash-flowing business. Join me at Main Street Millionaire Live to get my exact playbook for finding, buying, and scaling a business. Stop wondering how ownership could change your life, and come find out: https://contrarianthinking.biz/MSML26_BDYT

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00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:54 To Win You Must Suffer 00:01:36 The Six Types of People You'll Face as a Leader 00:04:25 Becoming the Strategic Leader 00:06:32 Everybody Is Trying Harder Than You Think 00:08:12 The Highlight Reel Deception 00:10:30 More Competition Than You Want to Admit 00:13:09 The Startup Gold Rush: The Math Behind Competition 00:14:18 Four Hour Work Weeks Do Not Work 00:16:21 The Contrarian Boardroom Solution 00:17:28 Stop Comparing Your Worst to Others' Best

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Most people think sales is about talking. Ryan Serhant knows better — it's about translating. After closing over $20 billion in real estate deals and building one of the fastest-growing brokerages in America, the star of Netflix's Owning Manhattan has cracked the code on how to get anyone to say yes. From selling homes to billionaires to building a media empire on the back of reality TV, Ryan reveals the brutal truth about what it actually takes to win at the highest level.

In this raw conversation, Ryan breaks down the orchid trick (he's sent 2,000 of them), why silence is violence in negotiations, and how a fake Rolex changed his entire life. We dive into why wealthy people don't pay for information or access, but instead pay for confidence; how to get a stranger to trust you with real money; and why the best negotiators throw the first punch. But this isn't just about closing deals — it's about building an empire. Ryan reveals how he's stacking businesses under one holding company (brokerage, media, education, and AI), why his LTV to CAC ratio is 6x while the industry averages 1x, and how he's building real estate brokerage 3.0 with no physical offices.

If you've ever wondered how to sell to the ultra-wealthy without sucking up, how to build unshakeable confidence when you're broke, or why setbacks are just speed bumps and not brick walls, this episode will change how you think about sales, negotiation, and what it takes to become the best in the world at what you do.

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I say it all the time: building real wealth doesn’t require a flashy startup — it just takes one boring, cash-flowing business. Join me at Main Street Millionaire Live to get my exact playbook for finding, buying, and scaling a business. Stop wondering how ownership could change your life, and come find out: https://contrarianthinking.biz/MSML26_BDYT

___________

00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:22 The Fake Rolex That Changed Everything 00:04:35 From Soap Opera Star to Real Estate Mogul 00:06:36 Speed Bumps vs Brick Walls: Handling Setbacks 00:09:26 Building in Public: The Netflix Experiment 00:16:29 Gray Hair Don't Care: Dealing with Haters 00:18:24 The Orchid Trick: Turning Rejection into Power 00:21:06 Selling to Billionaires: The Two C's and the Pull Strategy 00:25:27 Confidence is Currency: What Rich People Really Pay For 00:34:11 The Thousand Minute Rule: Time as Money 00:31:38 Hiring A-Players: Intelligence Over Experience 00:39:32 Leader vs Manager: Standing at the Front Lines 00:41:11 Building Identity and Future Memoir Exercise 00:42:54 The Four Business Flywheel Strategy 00:52:07 Negotiation Mastery: Translate Don't Talk 00:54:36 Owning Manhattan Season 2 and the Evolution of Reality TV

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Most people think confidence is about believing you'll succeed. Mark Manson knows better — it's about being comfortable with failure. After writing one of the best-selling nonfiction books of all time and spending nearly two decades studying human psychology, the author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck has cracked the code on why Gen Z is struggling with relationships, why therapy culture might be making us worse, and why your emotions are a system that needs managing just like your business.

In this raw conversation, Mark breaks down the alarming statistics behind today's confidence crisis, why dating apps are optimizing for all the wrong things, and how adopting labels as identity actually amplifies your problems. We dive deep into the hidden costs of success, why the happiest country in the world has low expectations, and the brutal truth about why 20-25% of Gen Z has cut off at least one parent. He reveals why AI therapy is both promising and dangerous, the single question that exposes red flags on first dates, and why marrying well is the highest leverage decision of your entire life.

But this isn't just about what's broken — it's about what actually works. Mark explains why failure is the only currency that matters, how to stop being a people pleaser without being a dick, and why your bank account reflects the difficult conversations you're willing to have. If you've ever felt like you're chasing happiness instead of meaning, or if you want to build real confidence that comes from action instead of affirmation, this episode will change how you think about success, relationships, and the problems you're willing to have in your life.

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I say it all the time: building real wealth doesn’t require a flashy startup — it just takes one boring, cash-flowing business. Join me at Main Street Millionaire Live to get my exact playbook for finding, buying, and scaling a business. Stop wondering how ownership could change your life, and come find out: https://contrarianthinking.biz/MSML26_BDYT

___________

00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:16 The Paradox of Being Likable 00:05:19 The Dating App Crisis and Modern Relationships 00:07:45 What Real Success Actually Means 00:09:16 The Happiest Country: Low Expectations in Finland 00:11:28 Social Skills: The 80/20 of Happiness 00:13:21 Confidence is Comfort with Failure 00:15:14 Building Failure Muscle: From Small to Big 00:24:07 The Post-Exit Existential Crisis 00:27:33 Stop Labeling Yourself: Identity and Mental Health 00:45:07 Emotions as a System to Manage 00:48:37 The Why Game: Peeling Back the Onion 00:49:45 Therapy Culture and Cutting Off Family 00:53:48 ChatGPT as Therapist: The Malignant Narcissist Problem 00:56:27 Building Purpose: AI That Challenges You 01:02:40 AI Limitations: Brilliant Idiots 01:06:21 Choosing a Life Partner: More Than Romance 01:09:37 The Best First Date Question 01:11:18 Everything Comes with Bullshit 01:12:17 What Pain Do You Want?

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After handling 2,000+ divorces over 25 years, the legendary divorce attorney James Sexton has seen it all: the affairs that start with attention instead of sex, the gestures that can end marriages, and the brutal truth that 53% of marriages end in divorce. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, James breaks down why half of all marriages fail and what the other half is doing right.

From the real reason people cheat, to why Instagram is an infidelity-generating machine, James reveals the patterns that predict divorce with scary accuracy. We dive into the economics of relationships, why prenups are actually love letters, and how a dog can teach you more about marriage than any therapist. He shares the craziest prenup he's ever seen (10 pounds = $10,000 less in alimony), why "happy wife, happy life" is terrible advice, and the one question that softens even the most bitter couples.

But this isn't just about what goes wrong — it's about what goes right. James explains why second marriages have better odds, how to fight fairly without weaponizing intimacy, and why the male equivalent of flowers might be exactly what you think it is. If you've ever wondered why some couples make it while others crash and burn, or if you want to save your relationship before it ends up in a lawyer's office, this episode will change how you think about love, commitment, and the bravest thing any human can do.

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Building real wealth doesn’t require a flashy startup — it just takes one boring, cash-flowing business. Join me at Main Street Millionaire Live to get my exact playbook for finding, buying, and scaling a business. Stop wondering how ownership could change your life, and come find out: https://contrarianthinking.biz/MSML26_BDYT

___________

00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:51 Is Marriage Still Worth It? The Lottery Analogy 00:04:48 The 86% Remarriage Rate and Second Marriage Energy 00:05:53 Red Flags: How to Spot a Marriage Heading for Divorce 00:07:55 The Throw Pillow Test: Small Gestures That Say I Love You 00:12:50 The Weaponization of Intimacy: Why You Can't Take It Back 00:15:31 Dogs, Love, and the Bravery of Accepting Loss 00:18:48 Why James Isn't Jaded: Staying Romantic After 2,000 Divorces 00:23:42 People Stop Doing the Things That Kept Love Alive 00:24:41 The Two Biggest Problems: Not Knowing What You Want and Can't Express It 00:30:50 The Shaving Story: Positive Reinforcement vs. Criticism 00:33:28 Flowers and Nudes: Understanding What Your Partner Actually Wants 00:39:20 How Affairs Really Start: It's Never About the Sex 00:41:10 Instagram: The Infidelity Generating Machine 00:52:20 Prenups: Everyone Has One, Either Yours or the Government's 00:58:28 The Craziest Prenup: Ten Pounds Equals Ten Thousand Dollars 00:57:21 Democratizing Prenups: Making Marriage Contracts Accessible 01:03:54 Premarital Education: The Barrier to Entry Marriage Needs 01:23:35 Everyone's Sleeping With the Nanny: The Real Reason Why 01:10:34 The Weapon Analogy: Being a Divorce Lawyer and Believing in Justice 01:17:01 Poetry, Beauty, and Crying at Your Son's Wedding 01:19:36 Final Thoughts: Who Should Read This Book and Why

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Most people know Mel Robbins for her viral “5 Second Rule” or her bestselling book The Let Them Theory. But what they don’t know is the raw, messy story behind how she went from $800,000 in debt and hiding from bill collectors… to building one of the biggest self-improvement empires in the world. In this episode, Mel opens up about the moment she almost lost everything — her home, her marriage, her hope — and what finally snapped her out of it. She reveals the brutally honest conversation that changed her life, how she clawed her way back one tiny habit at a time, and why she says every entrepreneur has to “fight for the first 15 minutes of the day.” If you’ve ever wondered how to actually rebuild when life falls apart — or how to finally defeat failure, jealousy, and burnout — this conversation is for you.

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Check out Mel Robbins' bestselling book "The Let Them Theory" here: https://www.melrobbins.com/book/the-let-them-theory/

I say it all the time: building real wealth doesn’t require a flashy startup — it just takes one boring, cash-flowing business. Join me at Main Street Millionaire Live to get my exact playbook for finding, buying, and scaling a business. Stop wondering how ownership could change your life, and come find out: https://contrarianthinking.biz/MSML26_BDYT
00:00 Introduction 01:29 Mel's Journey of Starting Over 06:21 Entrepreneurial Challenges and Family Background 08:11 Transitioning Careers and Finding Purpose 12:11 The Reality of Entrepreneurship 16:48 Coaching and Building a New Career 22:28 Facing Hardships and Personal Growth 26:41 The Power of Vulnerability and Honesty 38:49 Oprah's Enormous Gift 39:14 Embracing Excitement and Celebration 39:43 The Power of Savoring Success 40:01 Innovative Education with Joe Lamont 43:25 The Importance of Spirituality 46:44 Finding Joy in Small Moments 50:27 The Hot 15: Morning Routine for Success 01:05:56 Closing the Day with a Clear Mind 01:09:32 Struggles with Jealousy 01:11:51 Financial Hardships and Career Beginnings 01:12:34 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Embracing Podcasting 01:13:48 Understanding and Harnessing Jealousy 01:16:15 Personal Growth and Family Dynamics 01:18:32 Building a Successful Business 01:25:37 The Challenges and Rewards of Touring 01:37:11 Impact and Legacy MORE FROM BIGDEAL: 🎥 Youtube: / @podcastbigdeal 📸 Instagram: / bigdeal.podcast 📽️ TikTok: / big.deal.pod MORE FROM CODIE SANCHEZ: 🎥 Youtube: / @codiesanchezct 📸 Instagram: / codiesanchez 📽️ TikTok: / realcodiesanchez OTHER THINGS WE DO: Our community: https://contrarianthinking.typeform.com/to/WBztXXID Free newsletter: https://contrarianthinking.biz/3XWLlZp Biz buying course: https://contrarianthinking.biz/3NhjGgN Resibrands: https://resibrands.com/ CT Capital: https://contrarianthinking.biz/4eRyGOk Main St Hold Co: https://contrarianthinking.biz/3YfGa8u

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Most billionaires disappear after they make their money. Joe Liemandt did exactly that — vanishing for 20 years after building Trilogy into a software empire. Now he's back with a radical mission: transform education for a billion kids using AI. In this episode, the reclusive tech mogul breaks his silence to reveal why he's betting another billion dollars that everything we know about school is wrong.

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From fifth graders negotiating food truck gross margins to middle schoolers getting paid $1,000 to hit the top 1% academically, Joe's Alpha School is flipping education on its head. Kids learn twice as much in just two hours a day, then spend afternoons launching Broadway musicals, building apps, or training for D1 sports. The results? 96% of students love school more than vacation, and every single class tests in the top 1% nationally.

We dive deep into why Joe believes the 100-year-old classroom model is dead, how AI tutors can teach kids 10x faster, and why paying students to learn might be the most controversial — and effective — motivator yet. If you've ever wondered what happens when a data-driven billionaire decides to rebuild education from scratch, or if you're tired of watching kids hate school while the world leaves them behind, this conversation will change how you think about learning forever.

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00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:24 The Forbes List and Raising Kids Without the Billionaire Label 00:02:39 Why Money Matters: Teaching Financial Literacy from Kindergarten 00:06:45 The MBA Myth: Why Business School Won't Make You an Entrepreneur 00:08:01 Alpha School Revolution: Where Kids Learn 2X in 2 Hours 00:08:43 Breaking the 100-Year-Old Education System 00:18:33 The Three Girls Who Proved Math Isn't Gender-Specific 00:20:05 Paying Kids $1,000 to Reach Top 1% 00:26:59 From Broke to Billionaire: The Trilogy Story 00:28:08 The Entrepreneur's Blind Belief That Changes Reality 00:30:58 From Consumer to Creator: Breaking Kids' TikTok Addiction 00:34:01 High Standards Are the Key to Happiness 00:40:02 The Food Truck That Teaches Gross Margins 00:47:05 Motivation Engineering: Time Back as Currency 00:52:49 From Tech Bro to Principal: Joe's Personal Transformation 00:58:58 The Billion Dollar Mission to Transform Global Education 01:08:51 Making Millionaires in High School 01:10:32 AI in Education: The Good, Bad, and Terrifying

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Most people think failure is the end. I thought that too — until I got rejected from every Ivy League school, barely scraped into Arizona State, and watched my career implode over and over again. In this raw episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on every spectacular failure that built my empire: the boss who said I'd leave dead bodies behind to get ahead, the million-dollar payout to a bad partner, and the moment I almost lost everything with weeks of cash left.

From getting pushed out of companies to navigating a brutal divorce in front of my entire firm, these aren't just war stories — they're the blueprint for turning your biggest losses into your greatest wins. I share why the chip on your shoulder is worth more than a pat on the back, how to know when you're made of paper versus walls, and why your bank account is a direct reflection of the difficult conversations you're willing to have.

If you've ever felt like you're drowning while trying to look calm on the surface, or if you're tired of playing it safe while watching others win big, this episode will show you exactly why failure isn't just the entry price to success — it's the only currency that matters.

___________

00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:36 Welcome to the "Lowlight Reel" 00:00:59 College Rejection and the Arizona State Advantage 00:01:58 No Job Offers and the Vanguard Breakthrough 00:03:48 The Brutal Feedback at Vanguard 00:06:12 Breaking Into Goldman Sachs 00:07:50 Learning From Goldman's Elite 00:09:57 The State Street Hustle 00:11:52 First Time Firing Someone 00:15:52 Building a Billion Dollar Business 00:16:29 Divorce and Professional Attacks 00:18:18 Side Hustles During Corporate Drama 00:19:34 The CEO's Walking Warning 00:20:50 The Partnership Power Play 00:22:30 The Dinner Confrontation 00:25:27 Going Solo and Million Dollar Mistakes 00:28:06 Near Financial Collapse 00:30:49 Lessons on Failure and Growth

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Meet Jenny Just — billionaire investor, poker player, and pure force of nature. She went from the trading floor to 28 years of straight wins by mastering one thing: calculated risk. In this episode, she breaks down how poker shapes decision-making, why methodical reinvention beats blind ambition, and how her radical hiring experiments at Peak6 flipped finance on its head. If you want to win bigger, play smarter, and think differently about risk — this one’s your playbook.

Thanks to GoDaddy for sponsoring this video! Head to ⁠godaddy.com/codiesanchez⁠ to get started with GoDaddy Airo® today.

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MORE FROM BIGDEAL

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OTHER THINGS WE DO

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I sat down with Kendra Scott — yes, *that* Kendra Scott — to unpack how she turned $500 and a side hustle into her billion-dollar brand Kendra Scott. We talk about how she bootstrapped from her spare bedroom, sold jewelry door-to-door with a baby on her hip, and built an empire by staying authentic when everyone else chased trends. You’ll hear the raw, unpolished truth about scaling a business, why passion and persistence matter more than perfect timing, and how she’s now flipping the script as an investor and founder of Yellow Rose. If you’re building something from scratch or just need a reminder that grit beats glam, this one’s for you. Thanks to GoDaddy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://godaddy.com/codiesanchez to get started with GoDaddy Airo® today.

00:00 Intro 01:17 Bootstrapping and Scrappy Mindset 02:55 Lessons from Failure and Persistence 13:01 The Power of Connection in Retail 21:56 Disruptive Marketing Strategies 31:09 Balancing Success and Personal Life 38:55 Balancing Motherhood and Business 40:18 Creating a Business Utopia 42:16 Facing Business Challenges 44:47 The Birth of Kendra Scott Retail 47:33 Embracing Authenticity in Business 50:22 The Inspiration Behind Yellow Rose 55:32 Working with Dolly Parton 01:07:13 Shark Tank and Entrepreneurial Insights 01:11:14 Final Thoughts MORE FROM BIGDEAL: 🎥 Youtube: / @podcastbigdeal 📸 Instagram: / bigdeal.podcast 📽️ TikTok: / big.deal.pod MORE FROM CODIE SANCHEZ: 🎥 Youtube: / @codiesanchezct 📸 Instagram: / codiesanchez 📽️ TikTok: / realcodiesanchez OTHER THINGS WE DO: Our community: https://contrarianthinking.typeform.com/to/WBztXXID Free newsletter: https://contrarianthinking.biz/3XWLlZp Biz buying course: https://contrarianthinking.biz/3NhjGgN Resibrands: https://resibrands.com/ CT Capital: https://contrarianthinking.biz/4eRyGOk Main St Hold Co: https://contrarianthinking.biz/3YfGa8u

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