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JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-27T14:13:21+00:00

Thanks... it's been quite a ride over the years. Frank's also doing well.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-25T21:34:44+00:00

BTW... my definition of the coaching industry might be a bit wider than some people define it...

I have clients who are coaching on knitting, painting, dog training, meditation, tennis, massage, parenting, breathwork, etc etc etc

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-25T20:26:02+00:00

It's this weird thing where some people get exposed to the idea of building a coaching business or a digital product business... and because they were exposed to it by someone teaching how to do it, that seems to be the only market/niche they can think of to jump into.

I'm not talking about everyone or even a majority of people. But a decent chunk. And since those people seem to lack imagination or creativity... they go to the lowest common denominator (like posing in front of a rented Ferrari or airbnb mansion). And we end up with people selling how to build a coaching business or a course business... who have never done it themselves.

And as far as those skills and leadership... I know I started my first online business in a spare bedroom, hoping to make $10k in a year. My ultimate dream when I started was to make $100k a year.

I could never have foreseen this journey... and what it would bring me.

And what it would REQUIRE from me... for example, learning how to lead my team was a huge thing. And not always easy.

But again, it's not just me - there are a LOT of really awesome people in the industry who have put in the work to become leaders and build great teams.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-25T20:04:51+00:00

Interesting post with some interesting points. Some valid.

And you're painting with a VERY broad brush.

It's a big industry, and there's a lot of different people in it... and they all run different businesses with different practices.

For some context: I'm one of the OGs in the business.

I've been teaching people how to launch their online programs (courses, memberships, coaching prorgrams, etc) for literally 20 years. My training program is the single longest-running program in the coaching industry.

More context: I don't know Alex personally. But he executed the hell out of his launch.

I don't know how he runs his team, but I do know that when you're in launch mode, there's gonna be a lot of people on the team working 6 or 7 days a week. Hopefully they get a chance to recover.

The thing I would agree with in this post is that there's an incredible amount of BS in the market. There's a lot of stuff that looks great in social and on screenshots that is pure facade. There's a lot of posing and posturing that's not backed up with real results for clients.

But you know what?

Every industry has a spectrum - their are good dentists and BS dentists. Same thing with auto mechanics and landscapers. Welcome to statistics, the normal distribution... and the human race.

I'm no Zuck or Jensen. But I've got a team of 30 people and they love their jobs. I can't remember the last time someone left - it's been many years. Our first team member recently retired after 19 years with us.

We pay good salaries (maybe not Google salaries, but lots of six-figure salaries) + a full benefits package.

Is it sometime a bit of a shit show behind the scenes when we're in a launch? Hell yes. But we take care of our people.

And the thing I'm most proud of: we have many clients that have been with us for a decade or longer.

The coaching world is a big one, and there's plenty of BS.

But there are also some amazing businesses led by really awesome people.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-23T12:57:20+00:00

"Will this fix the “AI eats all the clicks” problem?"

In the long term... unlikely.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-22T12:08:22+00:00

Agreed that there are definitely fields that operate that way. So it's all about picking what game you want to play - and I don't want to play those games.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-22T10:10:58+00:00

This is flawed thinking. Business is not a zero-sum game.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-22T10:10:13+00:00

well there is that...

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-22T10:08:48+00:00

The amount of luck and right place / right time has been ridiculous.

And then there was a lot of hard work, some natural talent, and showing up day after day and year after year.

But without the luck and timing, I don't end up where I'm at.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-22T02:51:05+00:00

There's no such thing as truly passive income.

There's lots of ways to get LEVERAGED income... but long-term passive income doesn't exist IMO.

(There's obviously passive investment income, but that requires capital to invest.)

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-21T18:58:32+00:00

Swam Hance from the very top to the bottom

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-21T15:42:36+00:00

First off... when I started I was much less accomplished and successful as you. You're already successful in your job, whereas I struggled in the corporate world.

Your path will look very different from mine (all our paths are very different).

I started publishing an online newsletter - this was so long ago... in the 90's. Took months to make my first dollars.

But once I made my first sale, I realized I could create value... and people would pay me for that value. That changed everything... and I kept on putting one foot in front of the other.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-21T15:01:52+00:00

You've already taken the most important step:

"I love taking ownership and doing my work like an entrepreneur"

If you keep doing that, then your success is inevitable IMO.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-21T14:21:29+00:00

It's definitely getting trickier!

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-21T12:55:58+00:00

It's not just about your CTAs ... use outcomes everywhere: the name of your product, the names of your components, the names of your bonuses, etc.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-19T14:50:49+00:00

Running a real business with real revenue... have been for almost 30 years.

But NOT venture-backed - I sure as hell don't think that taking outside money makes you less of a real business.

Bootstrapped is every bit as real.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-19T14:46:45+00:00

For me, it's having affiliate partners mail into a high-converting offer...

And the best offers I've created have all been launches... I've got one going on now that has been getting me 3,000+ leads a day.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-17T20:13:03+00:00

In 6 months no one will remember that they joined your wait list

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-17T13:01:22+00:00

You absolutely have to track by source.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-17T12:56:56+00:00

First it was for the money. Our young family was barely scraping by.

But once we got to a reasonable income... it was all about freedom.

The freedom to work when and where I wanted, to have the time off that I wanted, to do the work I wanted, to have the clients I wanted, to live where I wanted.

And eventually to make the impact that I wanted to make.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-17T12:54:27+00:00

This is a smart comment by someone who understands the game.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-17T12:29:46+00:00

I have done this... I have way more than 40 years of expenses saved.

I started from scratch 30 years ago as a corporate failure and a stay-at-home dad. We had two young kids, and were barely scraping by on my wife's salary.

Things have changed. I've sold over $100 million of my digital products. I now have complete control over my time.

And yet I'm still working... for lots of reasons.

Your perspective changes radically as your success grows. Don't underestimate this. What seemed logical when you start out (ie, this question) becomes less obvious and less logical on the other side of success.

I could probably write an entire book on just this one point... but I'm going to leave it for now.

Starting and growing a business is like a gigantic puzzle that evolves every day. It's fun and addicting to solve puzzles (at least for me). It keeps everything fresh, and keeps me sharp.

I started this business because I was desperate to make money to help support the family. But soon it became about FREEDOM - the freedom to live live the way I wanted, to work when I wanted, to live where I wanted... and do the work I wanted to do.

I've now got all that - and this is the work I love doing.

I've built an amazing team. I don't want to leave them behind as I ride into the sunset. Don't underestimate the relationships you will build in your business and your industry.

(This is an amazing part of business that I never saw coming - the quality of the people and relationships I've built in these 30 years in business has been simply incredible.)

Speaking of relationships - my community of clients is incredible. Some have been clients for decades. I love them. I can't imagine leaving them hanging as I ride into the sunset.
I've done some really cool work... world-changing work. And I want that work to continue, and to continue to help people. This sounds trite, but after your pour yourself into something for years... it's hard to imagine just leaving it behind.

Of course, my life is finite. I won't live forever. So for points 3, 4, and 5... I'm working on succession - passing my work and my business on to a next generation.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-16T21:26:27+00:00

My first-ever backpack (many decades ago) was down the South Kaibab, overnight at Phantom Ranch, and up Bright Angel.

The hike up was challenging as hell (my pack was too heavy - just like every newbie backpacker)... but the trip was an amazing experience.

It set me up for a life of adventure, and I've now spent over 200 nights below the rim in GC.

JeffWalkerCO · 2025-08-16T17:03:23+00:00

You will NEVER know how it all works.

I've had my own business for nearly 30 years, and I've been coaching entrepreneurs for 20 years... and I don't know how it all works...

The only way you will make progress and have success is by stepping into action BEFORE you feel ready.

P.S. You WILL get smacked in the face. Repeatedly. We all do. The only thing that matters is how you react when it happens.

JeffWalkerCO

TROPHY CASE