Travis Makes Money

Latest Episodes:

Make Money by Avoiding Lifestyle Creep Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

Travis and producer Eric break down how “lifestyle creep” quietly traps people in careers and businesses they don’t even like. Using Travis’s own journey—from upgrading houses and stuffing the biggest U‑Haul available, to downsizing into an 800 sq ft apartment with his brother‑in‑law so he could rebuild—this episode shows how controlling lifestyle and expenses can buy the freedom to switch careers, start a business, and actually enjoy the process.

On this episode we talk about:

How innocently “just upgrading a little” turns into bigger houses, pools, and piles of stuff that quietly dictate your career choices
The story of walking away from a big Vegas house, throwing away and selling most possessions, and moving into a tiny apartment to make room for a new business chapter
The real cost of “nice things” like backyard pools—and how ongoing utilities, maintenance, and repairs add up far beyond the install price
Why most people use money from work they dislike to finance a lifestyle they don’t really care about, locking themselves into golden handcuffs
Practical ways to improve your lifestyle without killing your margin for growth, including setting income/expense targets and channeling surplus into skills, networks, and investments

Top 3 Takeaways

If you don’t consciously tell your money where to go, lifestyle creep will decide for you—there is always a nicer car, neighborhood, or upgrade waiting to absorb the raise you just got.
Freedom comes from the gap between what you earn and what you spend; increasing income only helps if you keep your lifestyle intentionally below your means and invest the difference.
You can have most of what you want—just not all of it right now; delaying some gratification to build skills, relationships, and assets can compress your timeline to real wealth by decades.

Notable Quotes

"If you don’t give your money a job, it will start doing whatever it wants—usually in the form of upgrades you didn’t actually need."
"Most people are doing work they don’t like to pay for a lifestyle that doesn’t really matter to them, and that trade keeps them stuck."
"Your attitude matters more than your circumstances; plenty of people with far less than you are far happier, because they’re not trying to impress anyone."

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Make Money with Predictable Profits | Charles Gaudet Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

Travis sits down with entrepreneur and “CEO Whisperer” Charles Gaudet, founder and CEO of Predictable Profits, to unpack how real momentum—not just ideas—creates lasting success. From launching his first “business” at four years old to building a multimillion‑dollar company in his twenties and helping clients add over $100M in revenue, Charles explains why most owners cap out on hard work, how to think about setbacks, and why—if he started over today—he’d buy a business instead of starting from scratch.

On this episode we talk about:

Charles’s early exposure to entrepreneurship through his father, his first art “business” at age four, and the conviction it took to ignore college pressure to get a job
Why entrepreneurship is a springboard—up, down, then higher up again—and how your peer group and spouse can either pull you back to “70 degrees” or push you into your next level
The difference between treating setbacks as proof you should quit versus training yourself to ask, “Why could this be the best thing that’s happening to me right now?”
How consistent, imperfect action and momentum beat “perfect strategies,” and why most owners stall when they rely only on hard work, word of mouth, and referrals
Why Charles would buy a business today instead of starting one, what he looks for in acquisitions (recurring revenue, low owner dependency, scalable marketing), and how that compares to real estate’s capped returns

Top 3 Takeaways

Sustainable success is driven by momentum, not a single “genius idea”—showing up consistently, tracking what works, and compounding small wins eventually creates the “overnight” avalanche.
Who you surround yourself with matters: if your circle sits at “70 degrees,” they will unconsciously pull you back whenever you try to cool off or heat up, so keep upgrading your peer group and protect your mindset.
Buying a business can be a faster path to income and upside than starting from zero, especially when you acquire existing cash flow, systems, and recurring revenue that can be scaled rather than built from scratch.

Notable Quotes

"A business doesn’t succeed or fail because of a good idea or a bad idea—it lives or dies on momentum."
"Consistent, imperfect execution beats a perfect strategy that never gets implemented—every single time."
"If I were starting over today, I wouldn’t start a business—I’d buy one and then grow the momentum that’s already there."

Connect with Charles Gaudet:

Website: predictableprofits.com

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Make Money Getting Started in Real Estate (Without Waiting for the “Perfect” Deal) Dec 08, 2025

Show notes

Travis and Eric sit down for a candid conversation about how beginners should actually get started in real estate—without overthinking strategy or blindly trusting gurus. Drawing on Travis’s own “real estate dabbler” experience and recent insights from billion‑dollar multifamily operator Veena Jetti, they break down mindset, risk, education, and why doing a small, imperfect first deal usually beats sitting on the sidelines.

On this episode we talk about:

Why there’s so much conflicting advice on “where to start” (house hack, flip, small multifamily, or go straight to big apartments)
Veena Jetti’s perspective on skipping single‑family and going directly into multifamily—and when that’s realistic versus paralyzing
Creative ways to get into deals without being the one writing the big check, from finding and structuring deals to partnering and earning equity
The risks of trusting operators you don’t understand, the importance of knowing how the deal makes money, and why “just give it to the expert” can backfire
How Airbnb shifted from easy arbitrage to a hospitality business, and why hotels and experiential short‑term rentals may now have the edge

Top 3 Takeaways

The best “first strategy” is the one you will actually execute; do a real deal—any reasonable, understandable deal—rather than spending years trying to pick the perfect niche.
Never invest in a deal you can’t clearly explain, especially when you’re handing money to an operator; understand how value is created, where it can break, and what your actual risk is.
Real estate is a business, not a magic passive ATM: whether it’s multifamily, flips, or Airbnb, expect real work, real learning, and some paid tuition in the form of mistakes along the way.

Notable Quotes

"If you sit on the sidelines trying to decide your strategy for five years, you’re losing money and time—go do something."
"Don’t assume that because someone knows more than you, they know everything; if you can’t explain how the deal makes money, you shouldn’t be wiring money into it."
"Airbnb today is closer to running a hotel than owning a rental—it’s hospitality, not a set‑and‑forget investment.

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🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

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Make Money with an Athlete Database | Ryan Rottman Dec 08, 2025

Show notes

Travis sits down with actor‑turned‑entrepreneur Ryan Rottman, cofounder of AthleteAgent.com, an IMDb‑style database for the sports world. From training as a business major and actor at Texas Tech to navigating constant rejection in Hollywood, Ryan shares how thick skin, relationships, and a love of sports led him to build the most extensive searchable sports database online, alongside partners like Aaron Rodgers and Nate Robb.

On this episode we talk about:

How Ryan’s early trading and acting work out of college built the financial runway and mindset he needed to pursue creative projects
What acting teaches about rejection, resilience, and treating yourself as a business—and how those lessons transfer directly into startups and fundraising
The origin story of AthleteAgent.com, modeled after IMDb but built to centralize athlete data, representation info, and off‑field opportunities
Why most athletes beyond the top 1% are massively under‑monetized, and how better visibility can unlock endorsements, podcast bookings, investments, and partnerships
The realities of building a tech platform from scratch—finding dev teams, talking to 100+ investors, and expanding from 10 sports toward a global, 50+ sport footprint

Top 3 Takeaways

Acting and entrepreneurship share the same core skill: moving from “no” to “no” without losing enthusiasm, while treating every experience as training for the next opportunity.
Athletes are brands, and most are dramatically under‑leveraged off the field; centralized, accurate data and contact info unlocks deals for the other 99%, not just superstars.
Long‑term success often comes from repurposing skills and networks—Ryan used his IMDb experience, sports relationships, and business training to spot an obvious gap and fill it with AthleteAgent.com.

Notable Quotes

"As an actor, you are your own business—rejection is daily, and your job is to keep showing up until the right role hits."
"IMDb changed my acting career because people could actually find my reps; I realized nothing like that existed for athletes."
"We didn’t build AthleteAgent for the top 1%—we built it so the other 99% can finally be found, booked, and paid."

Connect with Ryan Rottman:

Website (AthleteAgent): athleteagent.com
Instagram: @ryanrottman

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🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis

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Make Money Going from SWAT Cop to 9-Figure E‑Com Founder | Todd Lamb Dec 08, 2025

Show notes

Travis catches up with his old friend Todd Lamb, founder of Pure Life Organics, a wellness brand that has generated over $100 million in gross revenue through direct response and DTC e‑commerce. Coming from nearly 20 years in policing—including K‑9, undercover surveillance, and leading a tactical team—Todd shares how a backyard “redneck margarita maker” on eBay pulled him into the online world, and how he navigated the evolution from info products and VSLs to a durable, compliant brand with repeat buyers and lean operations.

On this episode we talk about:

Todd’s path from young dad to military, commercial diving, policing, and eventually leading a SWAT (tactical) team before retiring into entrepreneurship
The first spark: building a DIY margarita machine, selling the plans on eBay in 2003, and realizing the internet could be a real business engine
Launching fitness and jiu-jitsu funnels, the breakout success of Alpha and flat-belly tea, and the shift from all-affiliate direct response to owning the traffic and the brand
The difference between direct response and e‑commerce—emotional VSLs versus longer-tail, brand-led journeys—and what that means for refunds, customer quality, and compliance
Why Todd transitioned early into e‑com, how affiliate abuse blew up his domain reputation, and what it took to rebuild as a white-glove, exit-ready brand run lean by a small, trusted team

Top 3 Takeaways

A “safe” career and lack of entrepreneurial pedigree do not disqualify you; Todd built a nine-figure track record starting as a young dad in the military and then a career cop who experimented online in his spare time.
Direct response can scale fast, but it comes with higher refunds, compliance risk, volatile affiliate traffic, and brand damage; shifting to thoughtful e‑commerce with strong customer experience creates long-term value and optionality for exit.
Building lean with people you trust, focusing on LTV, repeat customers, and careful email practices turns a cash-flow machine into an asset that works whether or not you ever decide to sell.

Notable Quotes

"No house with a swimming pool is complete without a margarita maker—and that little eBay experiment made me realize what was possible online."
"Direct response is like turning a stranger into a buyer in one emotional shot; e‑com is a longer, more elegant and thoughtful journey."
"We stopped emailing for everyone else’s offers; we only promote our own products because we want our customers to trust that when we show up, it’s actually for their benefit."

Connect with Todd Lamb:

Website (Brand): https://purelifeorganics.com/
Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followtoddlamb/?hl=en

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🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

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Make Money by Riding the Bitcoin Waves (Without Getting Wrecked) | Harvey Liu Dec 07, 2025

Show notes

Travis sits down with blockchain VC and founder Harvey Liu, a China-born computer science grad turned global investor who has backed and built in crypto since the early 2010s. Harvey shares how early bets on Apple, Google, Tesla, and Bitcoin shaped his philosophy, why he now builds long-term in his own exchange, and how everyday investors can navigate crypto volatility with less emotion and more strategy.

On this episode we talk about:

Harvey’s journey from gaming-obsessed kid in China to computer scientist, MBA, and venture capitalist in Beijing’s early crypto scene
Early wins and regrets: buying Apple, Google, Tesla, and Bitcoin early—and selling far too soon
Core lessons about long-term thinking, missing “basic financial knowledge,” and why he builds for durability instead of quick flips
Why he’s still bullish on Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and government money-printing, despite current bearish price action
Practical strategies like dollar-cost averaging, avoiding over-leverage, and how AI, CBDCs, and stablecoins may shape crypto’s future

Top 3 Takeaways

Spotting disruptive tech early is powerful, but without deep understanding and a long-term framework, it’s easy to sell too soon and miss the biggest upside.
In a highly leveraged, volatile market like crypto, simple principles—no over-leverage, clear profit targets, and dollar-cost averaging—matter more than chasing the perfect entry.
Bitcoin increasingly functions as “digital gold” and a hedge against inflation and fiat debasement, while stablecoins and CBDCs show how blockchain rails will power everyday money movement in the future.

Notable Quotes

"Taking profit at your set goals is never wrong—you don’t go bankrupt by taking profit, you go bankrupt by over-leveraging."
"Bitcoin started as a gamble when nobody understood it, but with institutions in the game it has become a long-term hedge against inflation and money printing."
"In volatile markets, DCA and risk control beat trying to time the top or bottom—especially if you believe the asset will be here in 10 or 20 years."

Connect with Harvey Liu:

X: https://x.com/harveylevex
levex.com

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🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

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Make Money by Being an Entrepreneur Not a Wantrepreneur Dec 06, 2025

Show notes

On this episode, Travis and producer Eric riff on the labels entrepreneurs use—CEO, founder, business owner, freelancer—and why most of that title‑drama is more about ego than impact. They dig into the real difference between owning a business and just owning your job, what it means to be a “wantrepreneur” versus an entrepreneur, and how to finally pull the trigger on the business you keep talking about starting.

On this episode we talk about:

Why Travis doesn’t care what people call themselves—CEO, founder, entrepreneur—and why titles rarely matter if you’re doing the work
The practical difference between owning a true business and simply owning a job that can’t run without you
How privilege and status games show up when people mock small business owners for using “big” titles
The idea of the “wantrepreneur” (someone who only reads, talks, and dreams about business but never starts)
How to set a deadline, ship something, and stop waiting for the mythical “perfect time” to launch

Top 3 Takeaways

1. Titles are mostly a distraction; what matters is whether the business can operate, produce value, and cash flow with or without you.
2. If your business completely depends on you to function, you don’t yet own a business—you own a job, and you’re still trading time for money.
3. If you know you want to be in business, set a clear launch date for a specific offer and execute; every month you delay is costing you time, money, and momentum.

Notable Quotes

"Call yourself whatever you want—just do the work required to actually fill that role in the business."
"If your business can’t run without you, you don’t really own a business; you just own your job."
"You’ve got to be a wantrepreneur for a minute to think it through, but once you know this is your path, every month you don’t act is just another month you’re falling behind."

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🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

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Make Money by Futureproofing Your Business with AI | Dr. Michael Housman Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Michael Housman is the founder and CEO of AI-ccelerator and the author of Future Proof: Transform Your Business with AI or Get Left Behind, where he helps organizations harness artificial intelligence to make better, faster, and less biased decisions. With a PhD in Applied Economics and Managerial Science from Wharton and an A.B. from Harvard, he has spent over 15 years architecting AI platforms across hiring, fraud detection, customer communications, and real estate lending—all while translating complex AI concepts into practical playbooks for business leaders. His work has been featured in major outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and The Atlantic, making him a rare blend of deep technical expertise and real-world business impact.

On this episode we talk about:

Why traditional hiring processes are riddled with bias, how data-driven models outperform “gut feel,” and surprising predictors of performance like browser choice and employment history patterns.
How business owners can start using AI today to buy back time, automate repetitive work, personalize outreach at scale, and treat AI as a strategic thought partner instead of just a better search box.
The core ideas behind Future Proof—why most AI content is too technical, how Michael translates it for non-technical leaders, and why ignoring AI now is like refusing to build a website or adopt social media 10–15 years ago.
How AI-ccelerator uses live keynotes and hands-on workshops to help teams build real outputs—like pitch decks and go-to-market plans—in 90 minutes instead of weeks.
Where AI is headed next, how it will disrupt agencies and creative work, and why founders should imagine how a brand-new “AI-native” competitor would rebuild their business model from scratch.

Top 3 Takeaways

AI isn’t just a tool for writing emails or posts; used correctly, it becomes a data-driven board member that helps you make sharper strategic decisions and challenge your own thinking.
Companies that delay AI adoption risk being blindsided by AI-native competitors who use automation, synthetic data, and smarter decision systems to deliver better results at lower cost.
The biggest barrier is not the technology but people—getting teams to experiment, build literacy, and embed AI into workflows so it actually drives revenue and efficiency.

Notable Quotes

“Algorithms, when designed correctly, don’t care where you went to school or who you play squash with—they care whether you’re actually the right fit for the job.”
“Most leaders are using AI like a fancy spell-checker for emails when they should be treating it like a strategic thought partner sitting at the boardroom table.”
“If you were starting your business from scratch today as an AI-native company, you’d design it completely differently—and that imaginary competitor is exactly who’s coming for your lunch.”

Connect with Dr. Michael Housman:

Website: https://michaelhousman.com
AI-ccelerator (consulting & education): https://ai-ccelerator.com

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🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

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Make Money by Pricing Yourself Correctly Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Travis and producer Eric break down how to think about pricing across products and services so you stop guessing, undercharging, or racing competitors to the bottom. They walk through how to find a healthy price point, when to go premium instead of cheap, and why your rates should reflect the value and outcomes you deliver—not how long the work takes.

On this episode we talk about:

Why “charge what you’re worth” is useless advice without understanding perceived value, buyer outcomes, and your actual close rate.
How to think about pricing physical products, when to follow the market, and when to intentionally position yourself as the premium option.
Using close-rate percentages as a feedback loop to know when you’re underpriced, fairly priced, or simply bad at sales and positioning.
Why hourly billing traps service providers and creatives, and how to shift into offer-based, results-based pricing instead.
The importance of early testing, discounted beta clients, and iterating your prices up as demand and proof-of-results increase.

Top 3 Takeaways

Stop tying your prices to hours and start tying them to outcomes; clients pay for a result, not your calendar time.
Use your sales close rate as a live diagnostic: very high close rates usually mean you’re underpriced, not “amazing at sales.”
Early on, treat your pricing as a test—get paying clients, prove the result, then ratchet prices up until you encounter meaningful resistance.

Notable Quotes

“There’s no prize for being the second-cheapest option, but there is a real advantage to being the most expensive with a better offer.”
“It doesn’t matter if it takes you 30 minutes or three months—the value is the value, and the client is paying for the result.”
“Selling your time by the hour lets people rent you; selling offers and outcomes is what eventually buys your time freedom.”

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🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Make Money by Improving Your Film Production Workflow | Drew Schettler Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

Filmmaker and tech founder Drew Schettler shares how he went from a strictly ministerial college path and church media work to running a production company and building Atlas, a modern all‑in‑one workspace for filmmakers. He talks about learning business the hard way as a creative, navigating burnout and feast‑or‑famine freelance cycles, and then spending seven months using AI and no‑code tools to ship a real SaaS product for his own industry.

On this episode we talk about:

Growing up in a ministry “bubble” and how Drew slowly leaned into photography and filmmaking
Building a freelance video business serving churches, nonprofits, and commercial clients
Discovering AI/no‑code app tools and deciding to build Atlas for filmmakers
Product–market fit, MVPs, and iterating based on user feedback instead of over‑polishing
Why creators need to think like entrepreneurs and how to escape the freelance hamster wheel

Top 3 Takeaways

1. Creatives who want to go full‑time have to think in systems, margins, and client outcomes—not just in terms of making beautiful work.
2. You do not need a massive dev team to validate a software idea; a scrappy, AI‑assisted MVP is enough to start selling and get real feedback.
3. The most sustainable path is often using your high‑ticket services as a cash‑flow engine while you build scalable products that can eventually overtake client work.

Notable Quotes

"You have to lead with how you’re solving the client’s problem, not just how good your video looks."
"If everyone has the cheat codes with AI, it stops being cheating—it’s just who executes better and faster."
"Most creatives are trying to impress other creatives instead of building something that actually moves the needle for a client."

Connect with Drew Schettler: