Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business

Brian Lofrumento
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Brian Lofrumento reveals everything you need to go from wantrepreneur – or someone who WANTS to own their own business – to a money-making, action-taking entrepreneur. Discover exactly how to start a business and build a raving audience of fans and customers who want to buy your stuff, and learn exactly how to best serve your customers and clients by building a customer-centric line of products and services. Brian has built multiple six-figure businesses, including a six-figure SEO agency at the age of 24, and now helps thousands of entrepreneurs from around the world grow, automate, and scale their businesses by implementing high-converting marketing strategies and systems into their businesses. Visit the show online and get a free copy of the book, Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, at TheWantrepreneurShow.com.Our show is made possible by the financial, time, and knowledge contributions of our amazing guests. Together with the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur host and team, our guests believe in the power of entrepreneurs lifting up other entrepreneurs, and their contributions make it possible for us to reach wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs all over the world.

  1. 1428: Did I get rejected this week?

    2H AGO

    1428: Did I get rejected this week?

    Ever have one of those weeks where you feel like you’re just spinning your wheels, replying to emails, and tweaking your website, but not actually making real progress? This raw, unfiltered Solo Sunday episode, recorded mid-move in an empty, echoey room, is the reality check you need. Brian shares a powerful quote that completely reframes the dreaded "no" and reveals the one question he asks himself to ensure he's not just staying busy, but actually building momentum. If you’ve ever let the fear of rejection keep you from taking big swings, this episode will teach you how to start celebrating every single "no" as a step closer to your dream. ✨ Why This Matters for You Embracing rejection is a superpower for entrepreneurs: It transforms “no” from a setback into a progress metric. You start seeing rejection as proof you’re taking action.It forces you out of "safe" tasks (like designing business cards) and into the real work that generates growth (like sales and outreach).It’s the antidote to analysis paralysis and perfectionism. It reminds you that growth happens through imperfect action, not perfect planning.If you're not getting rejected, you don’t have the opportunity to get accepted. This mindset ensures you’re always in the game.📝 Key Takeaways Rejection is a Measurement. If you go a whole week without being rejected, you probably didn't put yourself out there enough.Action Over Perfection. Brian recorded this episode mid-move, exhausted, and in a non-ideal studio. You don't get to 1,400+ episodes by only working when conditions are perfect.Every "No" is a "Closer." Inspired by a powerful quote, Brian reframes each rejection as being one step closer to the right person, the right opportunity, and the right "yes.""Safe" Work is Stagnation. Spending all your time on tasks with no risk of rejection—like tweaking copy or playing with AI—won't lead to tangible growth. Real growth comes with the risk of being told "no."Consistency Requires Doing It When It's Hard. True commitment is showing up when you don't feel like it, when you're tired, and when the situation is far from ideal.🚀 Put It Into Action This week, conduct a simple rejection audit: At the end of the week, ask yourself: "Did I get rejected at all this week?"If the answer is no, identify one "safe" activity you spent time on that could have been replaced with an action that carried a risk of rejection.What is one shot you can take next week—pitching a client, asking for a partnership, sending a cold email—that could result in a "no"? Go do it.🔗 Stay Connected Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episodeConnect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrianShare this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs to stop playing it safe and start taking more shots on goal

    12 min
  2. 1427: The "Coaching Flywheel": A 6-Step System for a Sustainable Business w/ Peter Gustafson

    2D AGO

    1427: The "Coaching Flywheel": A 6-Step System for a Sustainable Business w/ Peter Gustafson

    Tired of juggling a dozen different software tools just to run your business? In this episode, Peter Gustafson, founder of coachstack, breaks down how to build a fundamentally solid business by simplifying your operations and focusing on what truly matters. After leaving a six-figure career in the tech world, Peter saw a massive gap in the market for coaches overwhelmed by clunky tech stacks and a lack of business acumen. This conversation is a masterclass in strategic thinking, from validating your idea with real customers to building a system that consistently attracts and retains clients. For any entrepreneur, especially those in service-based industries, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to stop tinkering and start building a business that’s built to last. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business The Coaching Flywheel: Learn a powerful 6-step system to clarify your focus, attract ideal clients, build trust, and create a sustainable, referral-driven business.Validate Before You Build: Discover why Peter interviewed over 30 coaches before writing a single line of code, and how you can use customer development to de-risk your business idea.Your Unfair Advantage: Understand why doing things that don’t scale—like personally onboarding every user—is the ultimate secret weapon for product development and customer loyalty.AI as an Accelerator: Get a no-hype perspective on how to use AI to handle tedious, “last mile” tasks without sacrificing the critical pre-work and strategy that actually drive results.Simplify Your Tech Stack: Hear the case for an all-in-one platform and how consolidating your tools can free you up to focus on coaching and changing lives, not managing software.Monetize Your Expertise: Learn how to identify your unique "information advantage" based on your career and life experiences to create a coaching offer that stands out.📝 About Peter Gustafson  Peter Gustafson is the founder of coachstack, a premium all-in-one platform designed to help accomplished professionals launch and scale their coaching businesses. With over a decade of experience in leadership roles at SaaS startups and nonprofits, Peter combines his deep expertise in product design, customer success, and entrepreneurship to solve the biggest pain points for modern coaches. His unique perspective comes from seeing the business world from the inside out, first as a tech leader and now as a founder who is personally building the solution he wishes existed. 🎯 Peter’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "Anyone who's on the fence about whether or not they should start that thing… Just do it and just get started." 📢 Memorable Quotes "Coaching is a business. And oftentimes I see a lot of coaches that don't have the marketing expertise or the business acumen to be able to launch that full coaching business." – Peter Gustafson"The more that I've stepped into entrepreneurship, the less scary it gets. Obviously, each stage presents different problems… but I think anyone who's on the fence about whether or not they should start that thing, just do it and just get started." – Peter Gustafson"I think AI… it really accelerates the last mile. But for me, I think the bulk of the work comes in the pre-work." – Peter Gustafson🔗 Links & Resources Visit coachstack’s websiteConnect with Peter on LinkedInFollow coachstack on LinkedInVisit The Coaching Flywheel Newsletter

    34 min
  3. 1426: The Counterintuitive Media Strategy That Generates Millions w/ Shawn Davis

    3D AGO

    1426: The Counterintuitive Media Strategy That Generates Millions w/ Shawn Davis

    Shawn “Greybeard” Davis, a three-time seven-figure founder, pulls back the curtain on his incredible journey from bankruptcy to building empires in finance, real estate, and energy. He shares his core philosophy of “imperfect action over perfect inaction” and reveals the overlooked marketing channel—radio—that he used to create an instant audience and dominate local markets. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, unconventional growth strategies, and knowing when to accelerate versus when to pivot. For any entrepreneur feeling stuck or afraid to make a move, Shawn’s raw honesty about his failures and successes provides a powerful, actionable roadmap for building a business (and life) on your own terms. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business 🚀 How "imperfect action" is your greatest competitive advantage for launching and learning faster than anyone else.💰 The overlooked power of local radio for generating high-intent leads and building an instant, geographically-targeted audience.📈 Why you need to "step on the gas" the moment you find traction, instead of celebrating and slowing down your marketing momentum.🧠 How to recognize when a successful business is costing you personally and find the courage to walk away and pivot.💡 The crucial difference between a 60-second ad and an hour-long show for building deep authority and trust with your market.🛠️ How to accelerate your learning curve in a new industry by diving in headfirst and buying five houses instead of one.💪 The power of "dogged persistence" and why most entrepreneurs quit right before their biggest breakthrough.📝 About Shawn Davis  Shawn "Greybeard" Davis is a serial entrepreneur, radio host, and mentor who has built and scaled three separate seven-figure businesses in completely different industries: finance, real estate, and energy. After 22 years in financial services, he fearlessly pivoted, flipping high-end homes and later launching a solar brokerage company, using the power of radio to fuel its massive growth. Known for his "step on the gas" philosophy, Shawn now mentors business owners and CEOs, sharing his hard-won wisdom to help them achieve meaningful success without sacrificing their lives. 🎯 Shawn’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "Listen to that inner voice, that prompting in your spirit... when I've listened to that, it's always, always worked out for me for the good." 📢 Memorable Quotes  “Imperfect action is far better than perfect inaction. Let's launch first, figure out what we need to learn in this process, and make some mistakes.” – Shawn Davis“You have to have failure smack you in the face to then reassess on what is the best way to kind of move forward. That's how you gain experience, that's how you gain grit.” – Shawn Davis“You've got to recognize when the season to whatever it is that you're doing is to come to a close, because life will give you a lot of hints.” – Shawn Davis🔗 Links & Resources Visit Greybeard Mentoring’s websiteConnect with Shawn on LinkedInConnect via text code: Text GREYBEARD to 84503

    42 min
  4. 1425: Vision is Useless Without This One Military-Grade Ingredient w/ Dennis Monagle

    4D AGO

    1425: Vision is Useless Without This One Military-Grade Ingredient w/ Dennis Monagle

    Ever feel like your big entrepreneurial vision is stuck in the clouds? This episode is your ground control. We sit down with Dennis Monagle, a retired U.S. Naval Aviator turned founder of Ash Bishop David Consultants, who bridges the gap between ambitious dreams and the disciplined execution required to make them a reality. Dennis shares how his high-stakes military career taught him the critical importance of structure, process, and ownership—skills that are often the missing link for visionary founders. This episode is a masterclass in building a rock-solid operational foundation, helping you scale with clarity and avoid the burnout that plagues so many entrepreneurs. Tune in to learn how to inject military-grade focus into your business and turn complexity into measurable progress. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business How to apply military-grade discipline to your daily business operations without stifling creativity.The critical difference between a "visionary" and an "implementer," and why your business needs both to succeed.Why being a "party pooper" with a dose of realism is one of the most valuable roles on a leadership team.A framework for building actionable plans (from 2-week sprints to year-long strategies) that you can actually execute.The secret to scaling without burnout by mastering the art of self-management and self-awareness.Why the concept of "total ownership" is a sobering but life-changing mindset for any founder.How to transition from a highly structured career into the chaos of entrepreneurship and build your own systems for success.📝 About Dennis Monagle  Dennis Monagle is the founder of Ash Bishop David Consultants and a retired U.S. Naval aviator and government program manager. Inspired by the movie Top Gun, he built a decorated 28-year career in the Navy, leading complex aviation and uncrewed systems programs in high-stakes environments. Today, he channels that experience into his consultancy, where he partners with founders and leadership teams to translate big-picture vision into disciplined, day-to-day execution. Dennis brings a unique and invaluable perspective on building structure, accountability, and clarity, helping growth-stage companies navigate complexity and achieve measurable results. 🎯 Dennis’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "You don't wanna be a wantrepreneur, you wanna be an entrepreneur... there's no perfect time, there's no perfect clarity. You really have to just do it." 📢 Memorable Quotes "Once you understand as a business owner that you own all of the outcomes for your business, I think that's a very sobering thought. But it's a very aligning thought... It's just really life-changing." – Dennis Monagle"Sometimes I'm kind of a party pooper, but I think that's why clients want to bring me on is because I give them a realistic look at the landscape and help them navigate that." – Dennis Monagle"I think there's no big moment of clarity other than, hey, Dennis, get there, get 'er done... I'm learning a lot along the way. And it's been a graduate level of education in the last, less than a year." – Dennis Monagle🔗 Links & Resources Visit Ash Bishop David Consultants’ websiteConnect with Dennis on LinkedInFollow Ash Bishop David Consultants on LinkedIn

    33 min
  5. 1424: Why Giving Your Product Away for Free is Killing Your Business + Product w/ Mike Jones

    5D AGO

    1424: Why Giving Your Product Away for Free is Killing Your Business + Product w/ Mike Jones

    Ever wonder how giants like Salesforce scale products from $5 million to over $100 million? In this episode, we pull back the curtain with Mike Jones, a former Salesforce product manager and the brilliant mind behind ProductGrowth Labs. Mike breaks down the critical difference between building what customers want versus what they truly need—and how getting this right is the key to explosive growth. This isn't just a tech talk; it's a masterclass in turning your product into the central engine for revenue, retention, and market domination. For any wantrepreneur or entrepreneur building a SaaS product, this episode provides an actionable playbook for gaining clarity, improving user activation, and scaling with confidence. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business Filter the Noise: Learn how to identify "valuable feedback" from your customers and separate it from requests that will lead you down the wrong path.Monetize from Day One: Discover why offering your product for free is a huge mistake and how getting paying customers early provides the most valuable feedback for growth.Master the Product Lifecycle: Understand the entire journey of a product, from initial market research and development to achieving high adoption and retention.Reduce Churn with a Laser-Focused ICP: Hear how Mike helped a company with a 20% churn rate slash it by getting crystal clear on their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).Embrace Product-Led Growth: See how every part of your business—from sales and marketing to customer success—plays a role in your product's success and overall business growth.Leverage AI Strategically: Uncover how to use AI as a powerful tool to surface signals faster without letting it replace essential human experience and strategic judgment.Build a Competitive Moat: Learn why building "depth" into your product is the ultimate defense against competitors in a crowded market.📝 About Mike Jones Mike Jones is the founder of ProductGrowth Labs and a former Product Manager at Salesforce, where he was instrumental in scaling one of the company's fastest-growing acquisitions. During his time at Salesforce, he grew a product line's annual contract value from $5 million to over $100 million and led initiatives that drove over 200% user growth. With over a decade of experience across both scrappy SaaS startups and enterprise platforms, Mike possesses a unique ability to connect product strategy with real, tangible business results. Today, he acts as a fractional product leader for SaaS teams, helping them build products that customers love and that drive the bottom line. 🎯 Mike’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "Don't build what either you want or what the market thinks it wants. You want to build what the market needs and values." 📢 Memorable Quotes "You hear this a lot in the product management world... what is the best skill a product manager can have? And the answer is the ability to say no." – Mike Jones"AI is great at surfacing signals faster... But at the end of the day, it cannot replace strategy and strategic judgment." – Mike Jones"The more depth you have within a product, the much harder it is for competitors to steal your space." – Mike Jones🔗 Links & Resources Visit ProductGrowth Labs’ websiteConnect with Mike on LinkedInFollow ProductGrowth Labs on LinkedIn

    38 min
  6. 1423: From Public Servant to Social Impact CEO w/ Carolyn Berg

    6D AGO

    1423: From Public Servant to Social Impact CEO w/ Carolyn Berg

    In this powerful episode, Brian sits down with Carolyn Berg, a former civil engineer and public servant turned entrepreneur who is tackling society's most complex challenges. Carolyn shares her incredible journey from a stable government career to launching Koble Collaborative, a firm dedicated to helping communities solve massive issues like water scarcity, affordable housing, and climate resilience through facilitation and strategy. This episode is a masterclass in purpose-driven entrepreneurship, showing how you can build a thriving business by bridging gaps, fostering trust, and unifying diverse groups toward a common goal. Carolyn’s story proves that the most impactful entrepreneurs are often the ones who listen more than they talk and build connections before they build solutions. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business How to find your entrepreneurial spirit in unexpected places (even a 16-year public service career).The superpower of deep listening and why you should solicit ideas long before creating solutions.A framework for tackling complex, multi-stakeholder problems that no single organization can solve alone.How to overcome the imposter syndrome that comes with forging a non-traditional entrepreneurial path.Why the hardest problems in business aren't technical—they're about getting people and organizations aligned.How to evolve your business model by listening to your clients' deeper needs and expanding your services.The strategic importance of naming your company to anchor its purpose and mission.📝 About Carolyn Berg  Carolyn Berg is the founder and CEO of Koble Collaborative, a firm that empowers communities to tackle complex challenges. A licensed civil engineer with over 20 years of experience, Carolyn spent 16 years in public service leading multi-agency partnerships on regional initiatives in water, housing, and climate resilience. She built a career bringing diverse stakeholders together to solve problems that no single organization could solve alone, and she now channels that expertise into her own venture, helping leaders move from a shared vision to real-world implementation. 🎯 Carolyn’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "Learn to listen to that deeper voice, kind of your deeper heart, and go beyond the fears you might have, beyond your ego, and listen deeply to where your intuition is leading you." 📢 Memorable Quotes "I recognized the hardest problem was never the technical aspects of it…the barrier was alignment. So bringing organizations and people and communities into the safe and trusted space where they could make decisions together.” – Carolyn Berg“I think it's an example of how we can step into hard problems… knowing I don't know all the answers, and certainly I'm going to need the strength of many to be involved in this process.” – Carolyn Berg"Building connection is at the heart of everything we do. And that deals with building connection across our own team, with our clients and the communities they serve, across ideas and sectors." – Carolyn Berg🔗 Links & Resources Visit Koble Collaborative’s websiteConnect with Carolyn on LinkedInFollow Koble Collaborative on LinkedIn

    33 min
  7. 1422: I can't stop thinking about college... (we ALL need to embrace this approach!)

    MAR 29

    1422: I can't stop thinking about college... (we ALL need to embrace this approach!)

    Ever wonder why some networking calls feel electric while others fall flat? Or why some sales pitches land perfectly while others feel desperate and "salesy"? In this Solo Sunday episode, Brian Lofrumento is kicking it old school, taking us back to his college philosophy class to uncover a powerful principle from Immanuel Kant that is surprisingly relevant to every entrepreneur. He breaks down the idea of treating people and activities as "ends in and of themselves" rather than just "means to an end." Brian shares how this simple shift in perspective can radically change how you approach sales, partnerships, content creation, and networking, ultimately leading to the very results you were trying so hard to force. If you feel like you're constantly chasing outcomes, this episode is the mindset reset you need to start attracting opportunities effortlessly. ✨ Why This Matters for You  This isn't just a philosophical debate; it's a practical business strategy that changes everything: It’s the secret to building genuine, lasting relationships that lead to referrals and partnerships, not just one-off transactions.It helps you detach from the outcome, reducing the pressure and desperation that kills sales and makes networking feel awkward.It’s the key to creating content (podcasts, posts, emails) that resonates deeply because your audience can feel your authentic passion.It paradoxically leads to better results—like the guest who closed six figures in business from one podcast appearance simply by showing up to share, not to sell.📝 Key Takeaways Ends vs. Means: Are you doing something just to get a result (a sale, a follow, a referral)? Or are you doing it for the value of the action itself? People can feel the difference.Authenticity Attracts: When you show up to a conversation or create a piece of content just because you genuinely want to, you radiate an energy that naturally draws people and opportunities to you.The Downside of Being Transactional: Treating people and opportunities as merely a means to an end is the fastest way to repel them. It makes you less likable and, more importantly, less effective.The Paradox of Success: The more you detach from needing a specific outcome, the more likely you are to achieve it. Your focus shifts from "getting" to "giving," which is what builds trust and drives business.Habits Compound: Showing up authentically in one podcast interview might not change your life. But making it a habit across your sales calls, networking, and content creation will inevitably lead to opportunities you can't even imagine right now.🚀 Put It Into Action  This week, before you start your next business activity, take a moment for a quick mindset check. Ask yourself: Am I about to jump on this sales call just to close a deal, or am I here to genuinely connect and help?Am I writing this social media post just to get likes and leads, or am I sharing something I truly believe in?Am I networking just to see what this person can do for me, or am I interested in learning about them?Before you act, remind yourself: "This is an end in and of itself." See how it changes the way you show up and the results you get. 🔗 Stay Connected Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode.Brian loves hearing from listeners! Send him a personal email at hello@imetbrian.com to share your thoughts or even set up a virtual coffee.Share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs a reminder to focus on the journey, not just the destination.

    17 min
  8. 1421: Growth Shouldn't Be a Guessing Game... Here's How to Build a Revenue Engine w/ Tristin Smith

    MAR 27

    1421: Growth Shouldn't Be a Guessing Game... Here's How to Build a Revenue Engine w/ Tristin Smith

    Tired of chasing the latest marketing tactic with nothing to show for it? This episode is your antidote to the chaos. Tristin Smith, founder of Boundless Growth Partners, demolishes the idea that growth is a guessing game. He reveals how to stop treating marketing, sales, and customer experience as separate functions and instead integrate them into a single, powerful "revenue engine." This episode is a masterclass for entrepreneurs who are ready to move beyond short-term hacks and build a sustainable, systematic approach to growth. Tristin breaks down the core pillars of a modern growth strategy, explaining how compounding efforts, a solid data foundation, and a deep understanding of customer psychology are the keys to long-term success. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business 🚀 How to stop chasing shiny objects and build a systematic, repeatable revenue engine that actually works.🏗️ The four foundational pillars of modern growth: Trust & Authority, Visibility & Ecosystem, Data & Intelligence, and Experience & Connection.⏳ Why patience is your greatest asset and how to leverage compounding marketing efforts for massive long-term success.🤖 The right way to leverage AI in your marketing—and the critical rule you must follow to avoid damaging your brand.📊 How to blend quick-win tactics like paid ads with long-term strategies like SEO to create a balanced and resilient growth plan.🧠 Why your gut instinct is just as important as data when it comes to making game-changing marketing decisions.📝 About Tristin Smith  Tristin Smith is the founder and CEO of Boundless Growth Partners, where he helps businesses build modern revenue engines. His journey into marketing was a masterclass in adaptation; after plans to open a restaurant were derailed by the 2020 shutdown, he pivoted hard into the digital world. Starting with Google Support, he quickly accelerated his career by mastering advertising, customer experience, and strategy. Tristin’s unique perspective comes from seeing the flaws and silos in traditional agency models, which inspired him to launch a company focused on creating truly integrated growth systems for his clients. 🎯 Tristin’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "Push forward every single day even when things don't feel like they're moving. It goes back to the patience. Just understanding that things stack over time and so do your efforts... every effort stacks." 📢 Memorable Quotes “You can't bring the sales, marketing and customer service together with siloed systems. You really have to bring them all together through the two core pieces: content and data.” – Tristin Smith“As a business owner, it's just understanding that we don't need more tactics. We need to build a system that brings it all together.” – Tristin Smith“Every single piece of AI output has to have human eyes on it... you have to lean into it otherwise you're gonna get left behind. So you gotta test it and then you continue to push forward and keep eyes on AI.” – Tristin Smith🔗 Links & Resources Visit Boundless Growth Partners’ websiteConnect with Tristin on LinkedInFollow Boundless Growth Partners on LinkedIn

    33 min
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4.9
out of 5
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About

Brian Lofrumento reveals everything you need to go from wantrepreneur – or someone who WANTS to own their own business – to a money-making, action-taking entrepreneur. Discover exactly how to start a business and build a raving audience of fans and customers who want to buy your stuff, and learn exactly how to best serve your customers and clients by building a customer-centric line of products and services. Brian has built multiple six-figure businesses, including a six-figure SEO agency at the age of 24, and now helps thousands of entrepreneurs from around the world grow, automate, and scale their businesses by implementing high-converting marketing strategies and systems into their businesses. Visit the show online and get a free copy of the book, Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, at TheWantrepreneurShow.com.Our show is made possible by the financial, time, and knowledge contributions of our amazing guests. Together with the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur host and team, our guests believe in the power of entrepreneurs lifting up other entrepreneurs, and their contributions make it possible for us to reach wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs all over the world.

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