Hey, everybody what's up its chase welcome, to another episode the show that's right the Chase Jarvis live show here on creative life you guys know the show this, is where I sit down with amazing humans and I do everything, I can to unpack their brains and help you live your dreams whether that's in career in hobby or in, life my, guest today created. A billion. Dollar that's right billion with the be dollar, brand called, quest nutrition you've, probably had the bars he, since, started, interviewing people where he's got almost a million followers on his channel called impact, theory they have several, shows if you haven't checked that out and, he's most recently launched, a comic, book with celebrity. Steve, Aoki, one of my favorite DJ's this, man needs, a little introduction although I've already, stack a few things in your favor here mr., Tom bill, you what's. Up. Anyone. To the show thank you for having me I have had the privilege of being on yours here. In Los Angeles so it was about time I know we were working on a little bit happy to reciprocate, and thanks, for joining dude really, excited, to be here, we. Got to go back to the start I, sometimes. Will. Wander in the woods a little bit at the beginning but to me the. Concept of creating a billion dollar brand leaving. It all to build an internet television show or series of shows and you do like four or five hours a week it. Doesn't, come on accident, it happens because of something in your past I want to know was there an entrepreneurial, like. We raised an entrepreneur family start me at the start oh man, at the beginning so no I was not raised in an entrepreneurial, family I always, tell people very sincerely, that my family taught me to be a good employee to keep my head down, do as little work as possible and, avoid punishment, at all costs, and, that. Is that's, truthfully, how I was raised and growing. Up my. Dad always wanted me to go to school so that was a thing like in my family it was just assumed you were gonna go to college so it wasn't like if you went it was like what called you going to when you go when you graduate and, so. I always had to have jobs, during, the summer to make sure that I understood, that menial labor was not where I wanted to be and that I would actually go through a school so in. The beginning I had paper, routes I worked in a paint factory a paint, store, I. Actually manufactured. Paint for a while pane apparently, because my dad worked at a paint, company so you back in your hometown, ish, in. Tacoma, company. Called Parker paint I don't think there's any more yeah I remember, I can draw the logo nice, wow, that's amazing so, I was. A grew. Up in Seattle, yeah. They know for sure so I worked there for a bunch of summers and really did learn work, ethic and it was it ends up becoming the sort of wax on wax off moment, but, at the time I just hated it and so, didn't. Have entrepreneurial, instincts. And really. Did see job, is sort of something where you kind of hide as much as you can and you just punch in and punch out and so, go. To film school have, a very. Little. Film school yes that, that risky, when they said yes, I'm going to college dad but I'm going to film school oh and, you know it's funny I never asked my dad about that and that I think, probably more felt of my mom my mom was like what do you want to do chase your dreams and, in fact I almost chickened out of going to school I was one of the only two kids from my graduating, class left the state everybody else either didn't go to college or went to state schools and it, was me and one of the guy and I was like really panicking. About leaving home right at the eleventh hour and, my mom was like look you have to go we got this huge fight and she'll butt kicked me out she was like you are going, you're never gonna look back and say what if so. I was like alright so I end up going and I. Get there to here to Los Angeles and man. I I really take to it and I believed. That I was naturally talented and so. I'm doing, my film school things going really well and, well. Actually even before that I didn't have the grades to or, the SAT.
Scores To get into film school okay, and I didn't realize they're actually separate so just because I got into USC didn't mean I was gonna get into USC films. Business. School is a subset, yeah so, they have like 19, different colleges, you have to apply separately, which I had no idea and I. Go to the career counselor and she's like listen you're, not going to get into film school and you're. Taking classes you're. GE classes like you've already been accepted she goes you're gonna end up being here for five years you're gonna have to repeat this year I see this happen all the time, you're statistically more, likely to get into Harvard Law than, you are to get in USC film school and that's with the SAT scores and homie you do not have the SAT scores I got a 990, I took it twice, that's my combined, score. So. I'm like no no no I'm gonna get in and I, found out one of the guys on the admissions, committee was, one of my teachers so he had like these lunch, hours where you could join him for lunch so I join him nobody, else did and so I had him for an hour and I was just like what do I do to get into film school I said, I don't have the SAT scores for this and he said Tom, look SAT is just supposed to tell me how well you're gonna do in college but. You're not eligible again, until you're a junior anyway, so he's like that gives you two years to actually get, good grades so if you get good grades he's like I'm not even gonna read your application and will let you in so, I locked myself in a dorm room for two years and, do drugs I didn't, drink I didn't date, nothing. I studied. And I. Got at that point I probably had a 4.0, end up, getting into film school realize. I'm actually really, good I have the natural talent I'm killing, it and there's. Three classes, in film school your first ones to 90 it's like really basic black-and-white simple super 8 stuff then, you go to a 3:10, where, for a whole semester it's you and one other guy and based. On my class before that I had gotten like the best guy to agree, to be my cinematographer. Which was already a big deal, we. Make an awesome, 3:10 crushes, gets a lot of attention and I'm one of only four, people selected. To direct a senior thesis film so, I'm like then, I got this like, I'm natural, talented, I knew, it like I had an instinct, that this was gonna be my thing and, then. I screw, up my 480 thesis film so, badly that, people are like making, memes of it and making fun of it and like cutting these gag reels together because it was that bad and I. Realized, a very, painful truth, I had, no talent and, my. Whole world came. Crashing, down on me and so, I graduated film school and I think I mean, imagine I get into the school that I'm more, likely to get into Harvard Law told I'm never going literally, straight to my face told I'm never going to get in I get in then, out of all those people that get whittled down I get, whittled down again to one of four so. I think I'm gonna make this film and you also think you have talent isn't like 100 resign but you, do clearly, have talent better well, so we're gonna have to differentiate and this is one thing in my story that I really. Really want people listening, to understand because the, punchline becomes I build a billion-dollar business but from not having entrepreneurial. Instincts, so, right now I know people are watching and they don't believe in themselves and here's the bad news they're, right not, to believe in themselves but. There's. One thing that flips it all around which is you can learn anything, so, I graduated film school I have this horrifying moment which humbles me and literally slaps me around makes, me the laughingstock and I have to face the truth I don't. Have talent now, I don't yet understand, Carol Dweck's notion of a growth mindset so I'm like captain fixed mindset so, I leave film school I thought I was gonna have my thesis film I thought it was gonna get me a three-picture deal and it.
Just Ends up that I'm now, I don't know what right cuz this is before YouTube, there's no like easy way into the film industry it's like if, you want to make a no budget film you need $100,000, yeah I've never seen $100,000, in my life at this point I don't know anybody that has $100,000, so it. Really, might as well have been 100 million dollars and because, I have a fixed mindset and zero entrepreneurial. Instincts, I'm just, sliding towards depression so. I'm coming home I can't afford furniture, I'm laying, facedown on the floor of my apartment I lived on an air mattress with a leak in it for almost two years with, the leaking in this next, level I would wake up every morning on the floor, because. It would deflate slowly over night and every night no matter how tired I was I had. To blow that thing up and I don't want to spend the $20. It would have taken me like but that's the level of broke so. I'm. Just, in this really, really dark place and. Almost. A year goes by and, it's the summer after my graduating, year and this school, called the New York Film Academy comes, to LA and they're, like hey we're doing summer classes, and we need teachers and so I ended up being a teacher and, you. Have enough talent right so now I'm Pat well those who can do those who can't teach right so that's the adage so I'm thinking well this makes sense I can't make films at, least I can go teach and so. I go to, teach and I'm, kind of panicking cuz I don't feel like I know enough to teach so I start researching, at night like how to teach and it begins to like crystallize, everything, I've learned and I, go in and I'm able to teach it and I. Realized I can actually help them make their films better like I know what they need to do and when they listen their films get better and I thought wait a second if I can make their films better I should, be able to make my films better and right. At this time it's the late 90s, there's this whole hotly, debated topic about brain plasticity, and there some people are saying look you're born with what you're born with genes right, let's stuff yeah you've got the number of neurons you've got you've got that's it homie every beer you drink is like you know ten thousand less and it's just it's, a one-way, street to decline and then. There was another camp going that's just not true and you're, making new neurons your entire life you can learn new tricks rewire, the brain up until the day you die and I thought all right I don't know who's right but I'm going to choose to, believe the people who say I can learn something new are right and I'm going to just pour myself into that and so, I start reading voraciously, about the brain and about how works because, for me if I can picture how it works like I can sort of grab ahold of it and so. I just started learning about the brain the brain the brain and it allowed me to start climbing out of I won't say I was depressed I've seen depress and this wasn't it but it was like a dark place yeah and so I said even a fixed mindset is a dark place you know in some ways you know it's like if you believe that you can't, change. Where you are that's. Free tough place for, sure yeah so and that's exactly how I felt I thought yeah I'm not gonna be able to get out of that and that gave me the first glimmer of hope then teaching really began to reinforce, it and it, just showed me there might be a path here where I can just practice and practice and practice and I happen to be at this school now where I can help students with their films I can borrow the camera so I'm in like this perfect environment and then. I. End. Up meeting these two very successful, entrepreneurs, and, they. Were a little bit older than me and way, way farther ahead in their business journey and I was getting really frustrated because, the, business. Of film is that you have to try and appease people, that, have the finances, but they may not be good at the art and now I'd spent all this time getting, good at the art and they.
Said Look you're coming to the world with your handout and if you want to control the art you have to control the resources so. I said come with us and get rich we're, founding, this new technology, company, 18. Months from now kid you, could be a multimillionaire. I was like this, is amazing the, most effect so yeah, I'm like alright this is too good to be true leaving on a mattress with it everybody's. Like dude there's no way these guys are totally, biessing, you and I was like but, what do I have to lose exactly like let's. Say I go and it's a total sham they're. Paying me a paycheck, the second the checks bounced I can go get another job so it just seems self-evident to me that it was worth the risk so, I joined them and they. Say look we're hiring you as a copywriter, but, we're always looking for partners we'll settle settle, for employees but we're looking for partner so you can have any role you want in this company you just have to become the right person for the job so you gonna have to get the skills we're not just gonna give it to you and they. Said that to dozens, of people and one, by one all those people fell by the wayside and I, just kept at it and just kept working and, didn't. Have any sense of like shame. Or. Something. Was beneath me so I would just do everything everything. Everything and I. Just slowly started climbing up and probably. About six and a half years later I was the chief marketing officer, in the company they. Had given me ten percent equity just, for sweat, I never invested, a dime in the company and about. That, point though I'm burning, out I'm just working around the clock and I'm just chasing money I'm just trying to get rich like every, day I'm saying you're doing this to get rich to get rich to get rich and, so there was no wonder. Why right, and so it's cheesy, as, it sounds all of a sudden I really am I mean it took six and half years but on paper I'm worth. Probably about two million dollars okay paper on paper very different than real money let's be very clear about that even though real money's made of paper this is a different kind of paper very different, and I. The. Equity paper yes I go, to my wife and I said look I know. I promised, you that I would make you rich. But. I am so miserable that. I'm gonna have to take us backwards I'm not giving up but. I need to do something every day that I love I need to feel alive again that, was my phrase I need to feel alive again and the, thing that makes me feel alive which we were just talking about before the camera started rolling is writing yeah so I was like I need to go back to writing we, were gonna move to a small town in Greece because she's Greek and. I, was gonna really, because, I can speak Greek ish and I, was like really gonna learn Greek and I was gonna write screenplays and, just, live on next to nothing and. So. I go in and I'm full of shame it becomes a cool part of my story because of how it works out but at the moment I was really, ashamed of myself because I was quitting yeah and I, said guys look at. That point like we were like brothers we've, been working together a long time and I said I just cannot do this anymore I am so profoundly, unhappy, here's. Your equity back if I don't cross the finish line I don't want to get anything for this I'm leaving you guys alone to feel terrible about it and I'm. Gonna. Go right and, they. Were stunned. And they say, what. Become sort of famous words in my life we could do this without you but we don't want to and now.
Let Me reconnect, to something other than the money and so. I'd already done the hard thing which was quit. And shame. Myself and so. I said all right if we're gonna keep working together, this. Is what it would have to look like it would have to be something based on passion it. Would have to be something where we're, bringing value to people's lives we're not just selling something it's. Got to be something where I can let my real personality come, through and that's why I kept saying I want my real personality, I want to be who I really am all day every day now of course we would say be authentic, but, back then people weren't using that word so I was just like yeah well, it's a little later than that but I was like I just need to meet myself I need to be myself and, so. For three very different reasons they said they felt the same but for three very different reasons we end up founding quest nutrition and for. Me I grew up in a morbidly, obese family, and I. Wanted. To save my mom and my sister and I just thought the, one thing I know is the struggle is guaranteed, the, success is not so. You, better love, the path so, I thankfully. I chased money for so long that I realized, you, could give me all the money in the world right now and if you ask me to keep doing this I wouldn't so, I know that money's not gonna solve my problems money solves money problems and money is actually more powerful than people think but it doesn't, touch how you feel about yourself and it doesn't impact your, joy or your fulfillment so. We. Come into it just like hungry, to do things in a way that would fulfill us every day that we would love be on fire for passionate, fight through everything and I knew when it got hard I was gonna need someone, or something that I loved to fight for and that, just became my mom and my sister my mom and my sister my mom and my sister and so when. It got hard and of course it did I had, that and it just, was, crazy it was we, were doing things for the right reasons we were fed up of chasing money we wanted to create something beautiful in the world we wanted to add value we we, before. It was like a thing. We, were saying we no longer prioritize. Money this is gonna be about doing the right thing and just adding a stream value to people's lives and so, we, were doing that right as this former, filmmaker is like fed up and wants to do things on a daily basis oh man I wanted to be shooting I wanted to be surrounded by cameras, and artists so, we start doing all the content creation in-house and build a studio inside, of a protein bar company and people are like what are you doing but. It was like I wanted, to be doing that and my, partners and I had agreed we may make very unconventional business, choices but it will all be in the name of loving what we do so. Cool we're gonna shoot our own commercials, do all of our own packaging, design everything ourselves. So I finally got to be surrounded by artists and just doing things that I love which as you know makes it a lot easier it's work crazy hours you know and so. We just at the right time had. The right message right as social media was going crazy right, as the world was realizing, it was like Super, Size Me is happening and everyone realizes yeah, I need to eat better and so all, of this stuff just came, together and. The. The. Penultimate like. Success. The victory, lap looks, like what you guys grow. The company decide. To sell it is this you selling, out of your from your partnership, is it you sell all three of you go together you say cool I'm out because, having. A business that spins off cash is different because you're still invested. In a business that's bins off cash so what like, close the loop for us but you build a great business yeah, well, so building, the business is a podcast unto itself, yes so, extraordinarily. Transformative. Largely. Because. Businesses. Go through a phase phases. And in the beginning you need hustlers you need people that are just right or die they're gonna be there to am on a Saturday night and just in it and so. Because. We were doing manufacturing. We were in the inner cities we were just in bad neighborhoods we were a Compton or Compton adjacent, for years and, we. Put the word out on the street that we would hire people even if they had felony convictions, so, we had former gang members, and ex. Drug dealers and ex-felons I mean it's just like this. Ragtag. Group of people but, we were giving them hope for a world that didn't involve drugs and gangs and that, they could learn anything going back to what I said earlier like, I had transformed, my life and taken.
Myself From, you, know laying on my floor feeling like I can't do anything with my life because they don't have talent as a filmmaker to. Realizing. I could build businesses, to having this vision to build this extraordinary, food company and it was working and it was going so I said, to every one of the employees making, the protein bars is your tuition, but. We. Have quest University, so if there's anything else you want to learn I'll teach, you everything that I know and so it became this, extraordinary. Relationship. With these people. Who wanted to do something amazing with their lives going through these extraordinary, transformations. As they were learning because we were opening inside, this is sort of like and development inside, inside, the company yeah and it. Was it was just amazing and and. It. Would take so long to tell those stories but like it just, know that it changed, me as a human and is what made me ultimately, do impact, theory so. We, build the company up everything, is working we're being true to what we said we're making the right decisions, even when it's hard like, it was just awesome, man, it was awesome to be inside of it and the, world was just rewarding, us and so the company was growing hand over fist and it was crazy long hours and it was brutal work and there was a time where I was waking up with my hands cramping closed, because, making protein bars is especially, when you're, starting, off and you've got sort of the rickety equipment, yeah it's it's a very physically, demanding thing, and I would always take the hardest job because, I was of the three partners I was, the first one to go to quest full-time and the other ones because we didn't just like wrap, the company it took us like a good year to begin to separate from awareness. Technologies, so, I leave first I'm there for about a year on my own so I would take the hardest job on the line to show the guys not, only will I do the hardest job but, I'm gonna do it with a smile I'm gonna be lifting you guys up I'm getting you excited I'm gonna leave from the front and. Like. Despite, all of that it was just a joy and the company grows fast and it about, the five-year, mark we were valued at over a billion dollars it, was bananas and we knew that look at anytime, a company like this your one like peanut. Allergy, related death away from just, collapse so, we, wanted basically, a founder. Liquidity, event we didn't want to exit the company but we wanted a founder liquidity, events we took a very small, investment. But. At over a billion dollars the, numbers, are just, ridiculous. So it just completely, changed, our lives financially. And at. That point as we continue to go it was like we've, now got the finances, where we can do whatever we want we didn't share a vision proud to grow the company anymore so, it was like rather, than, let. That relationship. Begin to deteriorate we. Just said well. We don't we're in a very fortunate position we no longer have to agree so, I spun, the studio out that we'd built into impact theory and that's, where we are now so I still have massive ownership in the company I'm just not involved day-to-day at all isn't that a fascinating, like, you mentioned there's different phases of the biz there's. A what I find you know having been through this with a creative life is it's interesting to see where. My skill set was really needed and where it wasn't and when I was president when I wasn't and how been, so in in for lost several years and he you just look around the landscape and it's. Sort of like people. In your life they come and go at different times and it's it's, fascinating I don't know if you, know folks at home ever built a business if you have you probably understand this it's, really only you. Know looking backwards that you can connect the dots and it's just that it's a brilliant little piece of wisdom there so I. Think. It's a there's, a lot of things I would like to unpack I want, to put a pin in a few things first so in, your in your, lifeline. We are now about. To start impact, theory but, let's go back and and check. Out a couple of things that you learned along the way so. This, idea of leading from the front being, willing to do whatever it takes. Is. That a thing that you felt like you. Learned go back to neuroplasticity, is that because you it's, just an effective, way to be in the world and you could be an inspiring. Boss and still, get the work done or, was that a you. Know something that you learned in your childhood was it taught, there's. A square downtown Los Angeles and, there's a film premiere outside, yeah I know reels like they're screaming for us I know it sounds that would be amazing what, is so surreal with my wife is at that premiere no totally randomly and I was like I'm going to the Ace Hotel and she's like what she's, like I'm going to the hotel I was like how is that possible, so, very, randomly my wife and I have ended up with the same place tonight.
Sounds, Like she's having a lot of yeah all right really, so, where, did I learn that honestly, most of what I've learned has, come from film. So I. You. Know you watch. And end up worshiping these, characters, and you see what they do and what they go through and what you admire about them, and you, know being obsessed, with somebody, like Bruce Lee growing, up and you know reading the G the Dow Jeet Kune Do and I'm like 14 or 15 I'm just like so impressionable. And. Just, beginning to see what like real. Human, potential expressed looks like and then seeing. People, who put themselves at risk that go out front that aren't fighting from the back and sending other people in danger like they take the lead and then, when they win, like, and they do it they put themselves at risk and then Alexander the Great like learning about him and how he you still like be at the front and like you couldn't get a spear out of the guy's hand and you're like dude you literally control, the, entire known world and, yet, you're at the front and just, trusting, like how much that resonated. And being like you hear the stories and the hair on the back your neck stands up and you get the chills and you're just like whoa so. You. Know between movies and just, stories and people that I had, admired, in real life it was like yeah I want to be like that and then also having enough awareness about and this is one thing I will say I've studied psychology a, lot and, so, understanding. What excites, people what draws them what makes a good leader I, knew, that if I was going to get this particular, ragtag. Band. Of people together I could, not be who, they think of as like the, man all right yeah, the guy that just sits in his office and tells people what to do I had to be out there I had to outwork everybody I had to be better than everybody like they had to see that listening, to me was the right answer time, and time and time again they, had to seed that I would never ask him to do something that I wouldn't do myself they had to see that I would take the artists job they had to see that I would push past fatigue they, had to see that I would do it all and try, to uplift them at the same time and, man. That like you want to talk life lesson if you do that for people if you outwork, them you're right more than you're wrong as much as I wish that wasn't important, you actually have to be effective good and then, you, like, show them I want, you to, win and I'm gonna set you up to succeed people will follow you anywhere.
Wow. I, don't. Even have to ask any questions you said that's right butwhat's and I was gonna sit the question was and then said what's the outcome of something like that and you just said it all all, right so we're, gonna go back to the beginning which is. Between. Is. Not, the beginning being but the beginning of quest. You. Knew in your heart, that you were not satisfied with. The tech company. That. There's, something, in there I find, having you know talk with 150. Or 200 people like this mmm. That there's something that. It's. It's a very hard truth and, to. Just call it self-awareness, I find it it doesn't do anybody any good because when, you say self-awareness, on just be more self-aware, if. You know there's a that's I. Think it's a tautology where, you reference, the thing that you don't know you have or whatever so again, weird but, how. Did you figure that out how, did you feel what what was what was actually happening. Were you like physically, sick emotionally sick, and, you. Know, most. People that I know they, don't listen to those signals what made you listen. So. There's, one of my favorite quotes they, say a fool, never learns a smart. Man learns from his mistakes and, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others and. Unfortunately. I'd been a fool so many times in my life that I really let, pain, drag, out and one. Of my greatest benefits. And one of the things that often times, will get me in trouble is I haven't an. Immeasurable. Tolerance, for emotional, pain and so. If. I, was really, wise, I, would not have needed to learn, that money can't buy happiness right cuz I had heard it a thousand. Times we're saying in here yeah in case you're not sure so. Just. Look at us do we look good, no yeah, so it's, all dressed in black we got bags under and now you look great. So. Yeah. I I really, had to learn that one the hard way and then so, it was physical pain I did not feel good I was, just. Justin, endure s like you and actually, here's, a better way of explaining it. Everything. Just seemed lame like. Going into work it was like a dark cloud hanging over just made me feel uneasy, and, it was like I didn't want to go back on Sunday night it's like oh man the weekends over like this is such a bummer like even Friday night you're like I'm gonna wake up tomorrow there's not gonna be a day insulating, me between you know going back to work and then, you're at work and you're just like, miserable and people are irritating. Me and I'd go home and I'd be short with my wife and, my wife is saying like you know what's happening to you like you're not she. Was like used to be playful you're not playful anymore and I'm like yeah man wow you're right I used to be playful but, I don't feel that like I don't have any sense, of like wanting, to be silly or anything, and it. Just all started to seem boring. And dull, and like drudgery. And we're. When you're thinking of those thoughts about the world that's. Just that's. A mirror it's such a clear. Clear. Reflection of, what's. Happening to you and the choices and what's going on your mindset no. Question though true and then, I think the real thing was, so one my wife is trying to slap me awake during this whole thing and is like you're changing the, feeling, that our marriage has you're. Clearly not happy and then. You'll do something where, it lights you on fire for a minute and you're like whoa. I, want, to feel like this, all the. Time like, this, weekend so I was working on the comic book screenplay and that was like it man my whole weekend, I had, the curtains closed the lights off headphones, on I'm listening to the sounds of nature so I'm just in this green play and, I'm. I'm. On fire creatively. In a way that's hard to explain and so. Immediately. As Mondays approaching, I I just had to check my schedule I want to eliminate anything, isn't this like I'm gonna cut it I'm gonna slash and it's, so at that time I had that feeling of everything, in my life pulls, me away from this feeling everything, and. They're all choices I've made and so you, start thinking I, know, I want to feel this way I've been, feeling this way worse and worse and worse for years.
Now People, that I love and trust are like yo you're not fun anymore like what is going on so. And you just go. Play. This out flash-forward. Ten more years you keep feeling like this but, you get a billion, dollars was. It worth it and I was like no if I have a billion, dollars and I feel like this like, all I'm, gonna want to do with the billion dollars is stop doing what I'm doing now let's sleep on it yeah so it's like whoa whoa whoa so you're telling me that the billion dollar simply buys you out of what, you're doing to work to get the billion dollars okay we'll run the math what's the probability, of the billion dollars well, given how hard I've been working and how hard this business, is to build I'm gonna give it I don't. Know a 20%, chance so, the. Odds are not in my favor so this does not see like a wise experiments. Play out so, given, that I can immediately feel, joy, and that's incredible. And pursue something that brings me fulfillment, and that sounds wonderful and reignite, my marriage, and just like everything and that would be guaranteed because it's things I can control I'm. Just gonna go do that and then my, mantra, became I still, want to get rich but, I'm only gonna pursue wealth through a vehicle, that I love the day-to-day actions of the, process, yeah the process exactly so that became like my obsession, I'm still gonna get ranch but, I'm gonna do it doing something that I love that brings value to the world Wow. All. Right you, put a pin in a few things we went backwards now we're gonna go forwards, back to, it. I. Think. I can understand. The, change. That you are making now from quest nutrition to, impact theory because, we just played through that scenario was. Doing, it the second time easier, because you were smarter oh yeah yeah yeah the second, time it wasn't even like. It. Almost wasn't a transition, so, is. You you're extracting, the studio lead already made from within that so we had the staff for sure but. It. Was, I wrapped. Up quest. On a Tuesday. And impact. Theory started on a Wednesday so, it was when. You're actually driven. By a why like and this is maybe even a more powerful story, about that so I. Had, the very, good fortune of, the way that I came to real, wealth was instantaneous. Now I'd been building it for years but in building it from was 15 years ago but, literally it was refreshed refresh refresh on the bank account app and then boom all of a sudden it's a lot of commas and zeros and so, in that moment you realize oh, I don't, feel any differently about myself I now have purchasing, power and that is fascinating, and is is amazing, but. It doesn't, change how you think about yourself and so. That just became, instantly clear and my wife was like oh my god we're so rich what are we gonna do today and I was like we're. Gonna go to work and she. Was like what do you mean we're gonna go to work and I said this isn't about the money I'm not doing this for the money like that every. Time that I've said that over the last whatever five or six years has, been true I'll never, go back to that I'll never be chasing money again so, I believe, in what we're doing I believe in the people that we've brought together to do this and I'm, gonna show up and lead and so, if you went and asked people at Qwest what day did the money hit that'd be like I have no idea so. We. Just rolled up and and got back to it and that is I think one of the things that I'm. Most proud of and it's certainly things it's one most. Revealing about my personality, so in terms of like the transition I know why I'm doing what I'm doing yeah and while. The sort of end result. Of ending metabolic disease which is what I was doing a quest or pulling, people out of the matrix by giving them an empowering mindset, which is what I'm doing at impact theory they are definitely, different outcomes but, for me I've always told people there's, two ways to get to the mind you can go direct to the mind or you can go through the body but, at the end of the day I was always looking for that emotional, moment, of awakening where someone realizes that they can control their life so. It, was just sort of a pivot, and yeah I'll never live in that place again where I'm like oh I'm unhappy and I've been unhappy for a long time it's like you can see it coming now because I don't have to worry about finances, it's like it just wouldn't make any sense what's. The most, common question, that you get about your transition from others, I could, ask all the questions the. One the, one that people are I think always most, curious about is like, oh man, you.
Lost Your baby like are you okay like is it weird not showing up there anymore and I was like wow I don't think of the world like that so that, was one thing and I think that I could, I really do understand, that and I think that was a lot harder for my wife yeah to go cuz she went from housewife. Never, thinking she was going to be an entrepreneur to ending up being a part of the founding team of what becomes a billion dollar company and watching, her become, this powerful she is a much, better natural. Entrepreneur. Than I am like she actually has instincts, even before they were trained and so, watching, her blossom was really, extraordinary and so for her it took a took, a hot minute for her to like reorient, okay we're doing something new now. Whereas. For me it was like it, was, every, step I've taken even. Even. The, from teaching and then the technology company which was really about controlling resources to, starting, the studio even though it was to make commercials, and Instagram content, everything. Has been a step closer. To running. A movie studio so it was. It, it I often, feel like I remember a quest people are like oh man if you know you've given up on your film dream and I was like whoa I don't, think of it like that like I'm, shooting, now more than I've ever shot in my life I'm just not the director, anymore I'm the executive producer, so, that. That, was pretty easy for me it's, interesting but that's what I get asked the most yeah, interesting all, right so let's, talk about it back there I've had the unfortunate be in the show if you're not maybe we can link, to that in the show notes or something. It, was certainly, fun to be on I, think, in that show you. Also, acknowledge, the long-standing. Sort. Of internet relationship, that you and I have had and. It. Was fun to see to. Watch you, go, from the, nutrition, bar guy because we had lots of mutual friends to. Creating. Content again, and I saw you starting to do it in quest as like oh that's cool they got that they're like they're inviting people in to teach their employees and, in the process there and then, it was a full-on fun, shift. You. Seem like a very natural content. Creator you like to share, and tell stories and this, is a film school part coming out in you but. What like. Being. Able, or willing to create content and then creating, a business around, creating, content are, sometimes, different things so. Do. You think of impact Theory as a. Pet, project that, is independent. Of your wealth and you're just creating content or do you look at impact Theory as a business, that you're growing with, merchandise and. And. You. Know what's the aspiration, of them back there yeah, the aspiration, of impact theory is to build, the next Disney and. Nothing. Short of that and I think that it will take multiple. Generations it will take 70, plus, years and I know. That, you can't prognosticate. Especially not in media something that far out but, it just gives me something. It, gives me something to aim at and I think that's important, so you know we'll always be looking for how we shift and we're already obviously, doing a dramatically, different than they do being heavily socially. Focused, but. That that's the goal and why, Disney, because. My. Motivation, truly is -. So, to answer this question I started Big Brother in when I was 18 for a kidney inner city and grew. Up in South Central Los Angeles about as hard as you can grow up and, I. Was. Supposed to be tutoring him for eight weeks and it turned into eight and a half years and.
It. Becomes, this utterly transformative. Relationship. In my life and, the. Problem is I'm too young and stupid to really help them so all I could ever really do for him was shown that there's a beautiful, part of the world like not everywhere, it looks like your backyard looks and so. I would take him to movies in Beverly Hills and. You know just try to show him like there's another part, of the world because at the time even though I was poor movies. Costs the same thing everywhere so I thought well let's at least go to a nice neighborhood, and so, we would do that and I would drive him around to show him big houses and be like look because I was dreaming that dream and I, was like you know there's there's just in the world like there's another way to be but, I just, couldn't end up helping him and he was being abused by his adoptive parent which I didn't know at the time but I end up becoming his Guardian for a while and I helped him into yeah, I mean it that's like the whole thing so when I say that it it really transformed, my life and, had. A big impact to me flash-forward 15 years later and now I have. 3,000. Employees about, a thousand, of them grew up hard like rashon did and I'm. Like okay now I understand, mindset and so, I know the difference between rashon and I was not that I was smarter than Rochon he was so smart, it was that nobody, had ever told him hey the things you want like for instance he once told me one to be a basketball player I'm like rad how much you practicing, zero, I'm like well then we have a fundamental. Problem because, if you want to be a basketball player you're gonna have start practicing right now and, that's. Co-op players play basketball. Exactly. Right and that was hey he was missing that little piece and so, as I develop my own mindset, and then saw it play out in business and then saw all these employees and saw how much they were reflected, rashon and I was just like okay there. Is a way but how do you do this at scale so we. All have our particular interests, - scale so some people you. They'll say things like man if I touch one life that's enough for me you will never hear me say that because I'd be lying, I want, to touch as many, lives as humanly, possible measured, in the millions ideally.
The Billions that would be amazing but, the only way to do that is to influence where people grow up. Who, their parents are or how, their friends think I can't. Touch the first two right because the way that people build their belief system and I believe belief, system yeah creates your perspective, your perspective, is all that matters so if you have a perspective, says the world's against me I can't succeed then you won't succeed it is terrifyingly. That true and, I. Thought. But the third one the way that your friends think yeah, I actually can't influence that because I can influence the cultural subconscious, through media now. If. I was also influencing, music I'd be a lot happier so I think that, drives a lot of what we perceive as cool and cool drives a lot of what we mimic what we mimic is what we become so. I do wish that I was in on that it's not my gift and it's not what I've pursued but. Film also has a massive, impact on that and so, that is, you, know the thing that we want to do so, when I asked, ok has has, it's been proven out or is this a pipe dream has a movie studio ever really influenced culture and. Disney. Has, influenced, culture by, telling, only one kind of story from, a thousand, different angles, over and over and over to the point where the brand itself, means something, yeah so if I say I'm gonna go see a Paramount movie or Warner Brothers movie you don't know anything about it but, if I say I'm gonna see a Disney movie you already know something so, I thought this has and there this has been done and there are credible historians, who will tell you that Disney. Helped, America, get out of the Great Depression yeah I've heard that it's, crazy yeah that's a thesis, of I think it yeah, it's there's like that's written on in creativity, and you. Think was it creativity, Inc I think they might have the, Pixar reference that maybe even yeah. They talk about it a lot with Disney and so, I just thought okay this, it's. Real enough to be a guiding light and let's, see how far we can take it and we, now live in this extraordinary, time where can, talk to rec into a camera tell people how to think and it will actually change their life like it's nuts man yeah like it's really crazy and I can only imagine the number of people that have come up to you and been like chase, thank you so much you have no idea how much you've impacted my life it's. Bonkers right and, it's so, inspiring to, be able to hear from them Nick oh man yeah you inspire me I'm, like you, have no idea you just made my day you, know so I stopped something someone stopped me in the sidewalk, out in front of the ACE today, amazing. You're like gosh. What what time is it what kind of Rolle isn't it where this is happening, and we're, just getting started - I feel like so, I get, it I get it what's, the. Disney. Is a great, like. It's it's a great marker out there in front. Of you is it. Film. Because. Do you seek to make films you called it a studio is, that the model, that you I'm curious about the business model that was the second part of the two part question that I asked which was it was a long one it was a while ago but what's, the like, how, do you think about your business model and impact theory because I observe, her from the outside and it's like they're clearly investing, is it, through merch sales is it through like and do you have like, what's the vision because right now there's a now. There's a 26. Year old woman sitting in her bedroom making, notes listening, to what it is we're saying right now she's like I want to do this or her. Version you want me to give her a three-minute encapsulation, of exactly, how to do it yeah okay so I'm, not one of those guys I have some secret sauce I will tell people exactly what I'm doing so, I, should, be doing courses but, I'm not yet, I want to the, only way that I could do a course if I really felt like this is so tremendously, valuable that, I can get up and sell so I don't like selling, I like, to give things that people want anyway that they're gonna buy from somebody else is not for me make that from them and then they go ham on it so right, now we're, essentially.
Advertising. Is where we make the bulk of our revenue okay I do. Speaking, engagements which pays, incredibly. Well, we. Do, have a thriving merchandise. Business, and we. Are now entering, the comic business now there's not a lot of money to be made in comics much to my dismay, exactly. But. It is, a traditional, feeder into film and television so, that, ultimately is, our goal, with that but. Brand relations, that's huge one of the reasons that I wanted, to make sure that our brand was always, empowering, always, uplifting I'm. Always real always, true, was. That I knew that would attract the right brands, that they would want to advertise with us and that we'd actually be able to deliver value to them yeah so we we just have extraordinary, brand, relations, that, I. Mean generate millions. And millions and millions of dollars so it's crazy so for the woman at home that is thinking, that she really wants to do this you is very real and I will tell her right now there's. Always room for the best and when. I came into this I was told by very respectable. People people that I respect tremendously, that I shouldn't do it that I was wasting my time that basically. Had been played out that. I was too late there were so many people so far ahead of me and. I said you, know that sounds really familiar it's when I was trying to get into film school I was really familiar - when we got to the protein bar business and everybody said look, guys this, is a declining industry there's. 1600. Protein bars on the market it's. Just never gonna work and, my. Mantra has become there's always room for the best so, I just had to get better than everybody else and that was it and so she, just has to get better like she's got to create content, that people want that actually change lives and so, I'll tell, you a story that tells me that I'm on the right track, walking. Down a hallway in Vegas and I, can picture the kid who's like. 25. Graduated. Had, his first jobs beginning. To hate it wants, to make a shift and that person. Resonates with me this, was a 51, year old man grabs. Him by the arm and.
Before. He can start talking he, starts crying and he's, like Tom you don't understand, I was losing my business going, through a divorce and you're the only thing that got me through and. I was like wow like. That is so intense like if I let myself think about it now I would get emotional, like it's one of those where you just like you, forget, like it's easy for you and I to forget that it's not just the four of us right that, somewhere. In the future this, is hitting somebody and really affecting. Their life the right time the right yeah the right message a thousand percent so it's like if. You're willing to take that moment of inspiration like oh my god if Tom can do it I can do it you can but, you're gonna have to go get good so figure. Out what what is your brand what do you stand for what are you trying to do what's your why how, are you going to do it what do you want to be the best in the world at and what, kind of energy and effort are you putting into being extraordinary, at that who's, gonna want to watch it and to what end what are they gonna do with that information what. Advertisers, are gonna be like yo I need to be on that show like I want my stuff there can, you get behind it from an authentic place so that when you do the ad that, you're like you need to go see these people because I've used them they've impacted New York I know that. They're gonna change you so go, after it use it that, becomes, really, extraordinary and then creating. Merchandise understanding, that understanding, margin understanding. How, many dollars. In revenue you should expect for every employee that you bring in so that you can actually make it profitable I mean you really have to look at all this stuff and I. Mean we could do like a micro, course on like how to really break that stuff down but like there really is a way to break it down this, if you're, creating a podcast today you're creating, a cable channel back in like 1986. So, it's not like it's never been done before but it's still early yeah and so, there's. So. Much opportunity but. You have to think of it like that you've got to think about what are my revenue streams you've got to think about how much does the show cost can, I make enough revenue to cover that how long can I do it for free and invest and get people to come on so, it's but we very much think of it like a business ad revenue. Model right now is our primary, driver, but. Like I said we have three or four revenue streams right now well I think that how important. To you was, well. Given that you had some wealth saved up, I'm. Guessing that was helpful, but not required because, it's boots trap stuff before, and we're, living in an era where this, camera that is right here you know cost fifteen, hundred dollars instead of fifteen thousand and that, recorder. Over there is four hundred instead, of forty thousand, so we're living in a world where things are are, more affordable and more accessible but. Did you, like. I guess. I'm, gonna step back one more one, more layer when. 26. Year old woman sitting in her. Den. Right now or her at her desk in her, house or in her apartment and she's making. Notes is. There. What. What I find is there's this gap between, like. Thinking, about something so much and actually taking the first step. I'm. Just, trying to make the case that the, equipment, and the gear is not the step that, the the information, is out there so you just gave your blueprint, on how to do it what's. Keeping. Most, people. In your experience what's, keeping those people from, doing the thing and is very easy to answer they don't want it badly enough so. People don't understand that you can cultivate want, and so, there's, this like weird stigma, in our culture. About like real intense desire, and people. Think that love. Or passion is something that's hiding inside of you and it's an archaeological, dig ton cover and so people hear that they turn inward they find nothing and they, think what's wrong with me I'm broken everybody, else has a passion look at Tom like he went from you, know writing. To technology. To quest. To now impact, Theory like he just he has all these passions I wasn't born like that no it's, you're going to decide, to, pursue something and you're, gonna pursue something that quite frankly at the beginning is just an area of interest it's a flicker it's like oh this is interesting like the first time my dad brought a camcorder, home from work, it wasn't like I'm gonna be a filmmaker it was like well it's kind of weird and interesting and oh you put it like big cassette, tapes remember, VHS tapes and like that's kind of interesting and oh look like I'm feeling my friends being goofy that's kind of fun and then it's like oh wait, a second I can actually cut and I can show this and then that and then you know if I put the camera over here I know people, are gonna laugh I don't know why I know they're gonna laugh they're gonna laugh and then that like growing, like huh, the more I engage, with this the more this interest is turning into a fascination, then.
You Get fascinated to a point where you like I just want to do this all the time I'm having so much fun it makes me feel alive that, you begin to want to gain mastery you want to get good at it when. A fascination, begins. To be something that you actually want to gain mastery and you're willing to fight past the boredom, yeah that's when something becomes a passion now, when you have a passion then, all of a sudden you really, want it you want to make it come true but people just don't know how to walk the steps of that process, and they don't realize that at some point you just decided at one point I just decided. I'm a filmmaker, and I just started saying it out loud I'm a filmmaker and then, I decided, I'm an entrepreneur and oh I'm gonna end metabolic disease and I went after these things and then the beginning everybody thought I sounded stupid and you, know I lost credibility, when I said it like right now today I promise, you when, I say I'm gonna build the next Disney I lose, credibility, I don't gain it but, I know 15. Years from now when they play this back and they say whoa he's actually marching. Down the road Macon's ever address right he's, doing everything he said he would do and he's making progress it's, like so you have to have the vision you have to want it but, people, really don't know how to decide, I'm gonna pursue this area of interest and I'm going to turn my want, into. A crushing need and the. Process, is like building a fire and once you understand that that it's okay for it to not be easy it's okay for it to take energy I tell, people wanting isn't just building, a fire turning. A want into a need is like trying to build a bonfire with wet logs everything. About it is hard it just seems harder than it needs to be the world is fighting against you people tell you that you're stupid you're not really good at it it's windy, like, just. Everything is working against you you feel lazy you know you're just like I just want to sit and chill it's. Like fire yeah, like or I've got kids, and like I don't have the time for this and I'm, broke, I'm living paycheck to paycheck so, there, are a thousand, very valid reasons to not want, something that badly, but. Until you wanted that badly you'll never pursue it. Spoken. Spoken. All. Right well putting a pause in your entrepreneurial, journey we're, gonna go into your psychological, journey you said you stay in psychology, a lot. We. Talked a lot about sort of the philosophy. When. I was on your show we talked about sort of the philosophy of. Transformation. And, personal. Health. And wellness what. That how that internal. Motivation, plays out you. Talked about psychology. We've, mentioned mindset. To me mindset it's everything I want. To start to connect, the plasticity, stuff, they mentioned, earlier but that we really didn't cover and, I want to talk about it now so. One. Of the gaps that I see when, we go back to the, woman. In her in. Her apartment trying to get from here to there his, mindset so we touched on a little bit but now connect, the neuroplasticity. What's. Required, to change your mind with. Actually. Putting, the work in and seeing those changes the. Floor is yours thank you man well first I have to say I know a good interview when I see one a well-played. My friend this is a beautiful, pathway, so. Neuroplasticity. Becomes, important, because people are going to identify. As this, woman is when she goes out to be the best she's gonna realize I'm not the best and I'm so far from the best I'm clumsy. Let's, say that she's really trying to you know be in front of the camera I'm anxious. In front of the camera I can't find my words I'm not good at speaking in public. None. Of this feels natural, to me but I'm gonna need to get good at it in order to win and what, people always tell me though is to pursue my strengths I don't really feel like I have any strengths, certainly, not in the area where I want to go and so, what I want people to understand what I want them to burn into their psyche what I want my story to be an exemplar, of humans. Are the ultimate, adaptation. Machine the, reason that we are the apex predator, is not, because, we have fantastic claws, or strength or speed and it's. Because we adapt better than other people and Darwin, is often misquoted as, saying it's the strongest of the species that survive he actually didn't say that what he said was it's, neither, the strongest, of the species, nor the most intelligent that, survived but rather the, most adaptive, to change so.
Humans. Are insanely. Good, at adapting to their environment so, whether, that's you know being in the Sahara whether that's being in the Arctic, you know caps it's, humans. Can learn to thrive anywhere, and not, just physically, but mentally they can mentally. Adapt to their environment, and learn new skills and pursue new things learn, to value different. Things and it's, really pretty extraordinary, how, malleable a human, belief system is there, are values. The, narrative that they tell themselves and, then, physiologically. The way that the brain responds, to thought is almost, a little terrifying, and Norman. Doidge wrote a book called the brain that heals itself and in the book he talked about how just by thinking you can literally rewire, the brain it's. Pretty crazy and if you've ever seen videos, of it it's. Not. Like, you can see the dendrites, like pull, apart and then like they cert it literally looks like wiggling little fingers and then, they find the next connection that's now being used more often and then they connect, and then you have what's called myelination, where fatty tissue wraps around, connection. Points that are used a lot to make sure that the electrical, impulses can travel faster, so that it actually, becomes easier, to think thoughts that you think a lot which, is why when you do something repetitively, it becomes easier or if you do something a lot a lot you can go into what they call the default mode where I just drove to work and I literally don't even remember it that's, the default Network you've just done it so many times you don't need to give the cognitive, energy to it it's just gonna happen automatically. And so. What. You want to do are get good, behaviors. Good, beliefs, empowering, thoughts to be wired. Efficiently. So that the brain will default, to them rapidly so, for instance if you have like I don't. Know that you can actually get rid of the negative voice in your head I certainly still have mine yes but what I've found is that you can really. Wire it to be a habit loop trigger into an empowering thought and so you, go oh I'm not good at this yet, and so, the the sense of I'm not good enough actually. Is the very thing that triggers yet oh yeah that's right I have the identity, of a learner I don't, value being good at something I value the pursuit, of greatness so I'm gonna go pursue that and oh yeah because I value that I actually feel good about myself going after it I don't, feel, badly about myself I don't have any damage to my self-esteem as I fumble and I'm super awkward and I'm saying things and people are like haha like, none, of that hurts my self-esteem because what I value, in myself the. Very thing that I build my self-esteem around, is the pursuit it's, the willingness to steer naked Liat my inadequacies to, accept I'm not good at it yet to, remember that I'm the learner that the humans are the ultimate adaptation, machine so if I apply myself, to this I do it over and over and over my brain will myelinate, the new connections will be made this will grow easier over time and if I push myself and I practice, and I fight through boredom and I really, go after mastery, then. I can become the best but. It all comes down to am I willing to put in that work because most people aren't and the work all of that diatribe.
Right There came. Off of one. Phrase. Which is I'm not good at this right, and if what, you're if, I'm gonna summarize what you're saying if that the. Saying that I'm not good at this, can. Trigger you. Can literally, train it train your brain to, trigger all of the thoughts that Tom just said, that. That is, actually, the mindset, that you're trying to wire and it's, by the, first 50, times that, I'm not good enough comes into your head you have to then pause and say no I need to stop saying that to myself I'm. Not good at this yet because. I'm. Alert you have to like it's literally like walking, it's put the, first time if you've ever had an injury and you broke an ankle the. First couple times you put pressure on that ankle it's really hard and it hurts and then you have to say nope I'm not I'm just gonna put the pressure on them and then, over time it, gets better and easier and it gets faster and then before, you know it you're, saying to yourself all the things that you just said after, the, negative phrase I think, it's fascinating that we can't take th
2019-03-04