The Grit Factor Podcast w/ Karl Jacobi

Karl Jacobi
  • 5.0 (3)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The Grit Factor Podcast brings real conversations with founders, entrepreneurs, and builders. No fluff. Just honest stories, hard lessons, and practical takeaways you can apply right now. New interviews plus solo episodes on mindset, leadership, and execution.

Episodes

  1. Episode 009: $130K in Debt and Can't Pay the Mortgage. The Mom Who Refused to Quit Using Just Three Words with Diana Orellana

    3D AGO

    Episode 009: $130K in Debt and Can't Pay the Mortgage. The Mom Who Refused to Quit Using Just Three Words with Diana Orellana

    Episode Summary What do you do when you take out a $130,000 loan to grow your business, your biggest brand shuts you down overnight, and you cannot make the mortgage? Diana Orellana started selling her own Coach purses on eBay twenty years ago. Not because she had a business plan. Because she and her husband made a decision that she was going to stay home and homeschool their kids, and his income was not enough to cover the bills. So she opened her closet, grabbed her purses, and started listing. That turned into lining up at Coach outlets at two in the morning on Black Friday, spending $1,000 to $2,000 on inventory, flipping it online, and buying $6 baby blankets at Target to sell for $30. The addiction was real. Fast forward through twenty years of building, and Diana and her husband have helped generate over $40 million in sales. But the climb was not clean. During COVID they took out a $130,000 Amazon loan to scale with a major brand. They were selling out constantly, increasing prices, doing everything right. Then that brand decided they were "too much" and cut them off overnight. A $200,000 order. Gone. Amazon still wanted their money. There were months they could not pay the mortgage. Diana sat at her computer looking at Indeed and Apple One, trying to imagine clocking in and clocking out again. She could not do it. She physically could not bring herself to go back. Instead of folding, Diana and her husband pivoted. They stopped treating Amazon as their business and started treating it as a lead generator. They built Atlas Marketing Group, an agency that now helps e-commerce sellers scale from five figures to six and seven figures. Their oldest son, now 24, builds funnels for clients. Their middle child is turning his golf obsession into a business. The whole family operates as a unit. Diana's mission right now is to work with 12 moms this year to help them build their businesses online using one simple protocol: one market, one product, one traffic source. If you have ever felt trapped between the business you built and the life you built it for, this episode is for you. In This Episode, You'll Discover: How Diana went from selling her own Coach purses on eBay to helping generate over $40 million in e-commerce sales across twenty yearsWhy she was standing in line at two in the morning on Black Friday at Coach outlets buying $1,000 to $2,000 in inventory to flip onlineThe moment a major brand shut her down overnight, killed a $200,000 order, and left her family holding a $130,000 Amazon loan they still had to payWhat it feels like to sit on Indeed looking for a job after twenty years of entrepreneurship and physically not being able to go through with itHow Diana and her husband turned Amazon from their entire business into a lead generator and built an agency from what they learnedThe "Power of One" protocol that turns one product at $25 with 25 sales a day into a million-dollar companyWhy Diana believes human connection matters more now than ever and still picks up the phone to call her vendors even when ordering is fully digitalThe childhood belief about "simple language" that kept Diana hiding behind her e-commerce business for years and how she finally broke freeKey Takeaways: Amazon Is Not Your Business. It Is a Playground. Diana learned this the hard way when a brand cut her off overnight and Amazon still demanded their $130,000 loan payment. The platform can change the rules, suspend your account, or evict you whenever it wants. Treat it as a tool, not a foundation.Pick Your Hard. Both Options Cost You Something. Going back to a job is hard. Building a business while homeschooling three boys is hard. Being broke is hard. Being disciplined is hard. Diana chose the hard that let her stay home with her kids, take mid-week Disney trips, and build something her sons could grow into.One Market. One Product. One Traffic Source. Diana breaks down the math: one product at $25 a day with 25 sales, scaled to four products, is a million-dollar business. She has done it. The entrepreneurs who struggle are the ones who overcomplicate it before the first product is even profitable.The Fastest Way to Your Goal Is Getting a Coach. Diana has never been in business without a coach. Not once. The things that took her years to figure out on her own took weeks once she had someone who had already walked the path. She spent time on YouTube and trial and error when a single conversation with the right person would have solved it.This Too Shall Pass. In Both Directions. A neighbor told Diana this years ago and it became her anchor. It applies to the valleys when you cannot make rent. It also applies to the peaks when everything is clicking. Seasons change. The key is to keep moving through them, not to set up camp in the pain.Your Kids Are Watching How You Handle Hard Things. Diana's decision to stay in entrepreneurship was not just about money. It was about modeling grit for her three sons. If she quit and went back to a job, what example would that set? Today her oldest builds funnels for agency clients, and her middle child is learning to turn golf into a business.Delegate or Drown. Diana used to believe nobody could do it as well as she could. Twenty years later she knows people do it better and faster. The fear of delegating costs more than the money it takes to hire. If you are spending four hours on something someone else could do in one, you are the bottleneck.Human Connection Is the Competitive Advantage AI Cannot Replace. Diana still calls her vendors. She still negotiates on the phone. She still joins masterminds and inner circles. AI handles product descriptions and copywriting. But the relationships, the trust, the deals that come from a real conversation. That is where the edge lives.Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction and welcome[01:49] Diana's origin story. Selling Coach purses on eBay to stay home with her baby[03:19] Black Friday at two in the morning. Spending thousands at Coach outlets to flip inventory[04:53] The dopamine hit of reselling and never shopping the same way again[06:46] COVID hits. Taking a $130,000 Amazon loan to scale with a major brand[07:46] The brand shuts Diana down overnight. A $200,000 order disappears[08:38] Months of not making the mortgage. Amazon still wants their money[09:07] The realization: Amazon is not a business. It is a playground with someone else's rules[11:13] Diana's husband leaves his job to join the business full time[12:10] The homeschool routine. Bible in the morning, school by lunch, business after[14:29] The moment Diana wanted to quit everything and go back to a job[14:53] Sitting on Indeed and Apple One. Why she could not bring herself to clock in[15:23] "This too shall pass." The neighbor's words that became Diana's anchor[18:21] Valleys and peaks. Why both are temporary seasons[19:53] Would she do it differently? "No. I would not have it any other way."[21:54] "Pick your hard." Life is hard either way. Choose the one that matters[24:29] The pivot. Using Amazon as a lead generator and building an agency[29:10] Why Diana has never been in business without a coach[33:57] The power of inner circles, masterminds, and surrounding yourself with growth-focused people[38:32] Leadership weight. In business and in family[39:05] The one skill Di...

    1h 13m
  2. Episode 008: Crack at 16 to a McGill MBA. The Dying Friend Who Changed Everything with Jon Neumann

    5D AGO

    Episode 008: Crack at 16 to a McGill MBA. The Dying Friend Who Changed Everything with Jon Neumann

    Episode Summary What do you do when the person who is supposed to educate you looks you in the eye and says, "I doubt you'll live to see your 18th birthday"? Jon Neumann was drinking at eight years old. By 16, he had lost his best friend to murder, lost his grandfather, and was addicted to crack cocaine. A hospital visit before his 17th birthday came with a warning that his heart would explode if he kept going. His vice principal wrote him off. Society wrote him off. And honestly, the math backed them up. He was headed for a box or a jail cell. But Jon did something most people would never think to do. He got sober, got a job at a steel mill at 18, and then sent his vice principal a registered letter every single birthday. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Five letters. Five years of proof. Then he stopped. Not because he ran out of spite. Because he had nothing left to prove. Years later, his best friend Jeremy, dying of pancreatic cancer at 34, looked him in the eye and said, "You're making the same mistake I am. You know what you're capable of." Jon drove home screaming in his car. Walked through the door. Told his wife he was going back to school. And he never looked back.  He earned his metallurgy credentials studying PhD-level textbooks while working full time, got near-perfect marks, climbed to executive leadership, earned his MBA from McGill, and eventually walked away from a 25-year steel career on February 3, 2023 to build JT23 Impact Labs, his own company focused on sustainability and circular economy. If you have ever been told you would not amount to anything, or if you are sitting on potential that someone else can see but you refuse to act on, this episode is your registered letter. In This Episode, You'll Discover: How Jon went from crack cocaine addiction at 16 to executive leadership and a McGill MBA by outworking everyone in the roomThe vice principal who told him he would not live to see 18, and the registered letters Jon sent every birthday to prove him wrongThe gut-wrenching final conversation with his dying best friend Jeremy that changed the entire trajectory of his lifeWhy Jon studied PhD-level metallurgy textbooks while working full time and the two-word strategy that got him near-perfect marksHow the number 23 connects his birthday, his daughter, his sister, his friend's death, and the exact date he started his second chapterThe 1% daily improvement formula that compounds to 37X growth over a year, and how to actually apply it starting tomorrow morningWhy Jon limits himself to three minutes on social media six times a day and put a grayscale filter on his phoneThe morning routine that starts at 4 AM with a cold plunge, meditation, reading, and the gym before most people hit snoozeKey Takeaways: Your Competition Lives in the Mirror. Jon does not compare himself to Elon Musk or anyone else. Different DNA, different chromosomes, different paths. The only person he is trying to beat is the version of himself he saw yesterday. That is a race worth running.Use the People Who Doubted You as Fuel, Not as an Excuse. A vice principal told Jon he would not survive to 18. Instead of proving him right, Jon sent him a registered letter every birthday for five years. Resentment turned into rocket fuel because Jon chose to redirect it.The Truth Hurts Because It Is Supposed To. Jeremy told Jon he was wasting his potential while dying of pancreatic cancer at 34. Jon was furious in the moment. But that conversation put him back in school, out of the union, and on a completely different trajectory. Sometimes the hardest words to hear are the ones that save your life.Outwork Them. That Is the Entire Strategy. When Jon sat down with PhD-level textbooks and could not understand a single word, his plan was simple. Outwork them. He asked experts to dumb it down. He studied like it was a second full-time job. He finished with near-perfect marks. Talent is optional. Work is not.1% Better Every Day Compounds to 37X in a Year. Take 1.01 and multiply it by 365. That is the math. It is not about grand slams. It is about bunts, walks, and getting on base one day at a time. Two years from now, look back. You will not believe how far you have come.Sleep Is the Operating System. Jon burned the candle at both ends for years. 20 cups of coffee a day. Tension headaches. Health problems. He learned the hard way that if your operating system is broken, nothing else runs. Protect your sleep like your career depends on it. Because it does.Disconnect to Reconnect. Three minutes on social media, six times a day. Grayscale phone filter. Phone on the other side of the room at night. Notifications off. Jon built a fortress around his focus because he knows one LinkedIn notification can derail an entire afternoon.You Will Only Find Perfection in the Dictionary. Stop chasing it. Show up authentically. Good, bad, and ugly. If people do not like you, who cares? Jon forgives himself every single day. Not for one big thing. For everything. That is how you keep moving forward without dragging a backpack full of shame.Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction and welcome[01:35] The biggest difference between John 20 years ago and today[03:33] Realizing steel was not his calling and the pivot to sustainability[04:32] Why Jon took two years off to give back to his daughter[05:30] My competition is in the mirror every morning[07:52] Growing up poor, stuffing socks with toilet paper, and planting seeds of emotional intelligence[09:21] Be kind to everybody because you have no idea what battles they are fighting[11:07] The last conversation with Jeremy before he died of pancreatic cancer at 34[13:00] Driving home screaming in the car and telling his wife he is going back to school[14:42] Being mad at the truth, not the friend who told it[15:58] Getting stuck in the white picket fence life because that is all he ever knew[17:22] The second wake up call. Getting sober as a teenager[17:59] Grandpa gave him beer at eight years old and where that path led[19:54] The 12-year-old who walked into an NA meeting and the friend it gave him[21:50] The vice principal who said he would not live to see 18[22:14] Sending a registered letter every birthday from 19 to 23[23:59] Staying in a marriage out of fear and the wounded bird syndrome[25:14] The process is really the prize[28:02] Going back to school, getting PhD-level textbooks, and the imposter syndrome that came with it[29:05] Two words. Outwork them.[32:36] The baseball analogy. Stop swinging for grand slams. Just get on base[37:55] The math behind 1% daily improvement and the 37X return[40:16] How bad do you really want it? Put a picture of your goal by your alarm clock[44:36] The one habit that can destroy your 1%. Sleep[48:12] Three minutes on social media, six times a day. Jon's screen time boundaries[50:54] The first thing Jon recommends doing tomorrow morning. Meditate[53:17] Jon's 4 AM morning routine. Cold plunge, podcast, reading, gym[57:00] Jon's definition of grit. Keep putting in the reps[58:30] The habit Jon had to unlearn. Evaluating his network and distancing from people who no longer serve his growth[01:00:37] Conor McGregor. The more you seek the uncomfortable, the more you become comfortable[...

    1h 9m
  3. Episode 007: $1M Months, $1M in Debt, and a 7-Second Video That Changed Everything with Eric Bussey

    FEB 27

    Episode 007: $1M Months, $1M in Debt, and a 7-Second Video That Changed Everything with Eric Bussey

    Episode Summary What happens when you hit a million-dollar month and then have to come home and tell your wife there is no paycheck? Eric Bussey started selling coat hangers on Amazon out of storage units in 2012 while driving a pest control truck. He and his partners built a liquidation retail empire with multiple brick-and-mortar locations, 46 employees, and million-dollar months. But behind the highlight reel was a million dollars in debt, a vendor calling in hundreds of thousands overnight, an eBay account generating $250,000 a month in revenue getting suspended for months through zero fault of their own, and a sales floor that went quiet right before an election. All three hit at the same time. The perfect storm. Instead of folding, Eric pivoted. He picked up a cell phone, made a seven-second TikTok video, earned $7,000 from it, and got so freaked out he turned the whole thing off because he thought it was illegal. Turns out it was not. It was just the beginning. Today Eric earns north of $20,000 a month as a TikTok content creator and helps brands launch on the platform. His handle is Gear and Grit, and that name tells you everything you need to know. If you have ever been buried in debt, scared to pivot, or convinced you are not a content creator, this episode is your permission slip to start anyway. In This Episode, You'll Discover: How Eric went from selling coat hangers out of storage units while working pest control to building a multi-location retail businessWhy opening two retail stores during COVID in November 2020 was actually the best decision he ever madeThe perfect storm that hit his business. Vendor debt called in, eBay suspended, and sales dried up all at the same timeWhat it feels like to go from a million-dollar month to telling your wife there is no paycheckWhy business partnerships are marriages and why 50/50 splits need a tiebreakerThe moment a seven-second TikTok video made him $7,000 and he shut it all down because he thought it was illegalWhy content is the next currency and how TikTok is simultaneously competing with Amazon and Facebook and winningThe one habit Eric is actively trying to quit that has held back more entrepreneurs than failure ever willKey Takeaways: Growth Equals Risk. Period. Every time Eric took on more debt, his business grew to the next tier. But growth also means more employees, more inventory, and more exposure. Not everyone needs a hundred-million-dollar business. Know what level of risk you are willing to carry and be honest about it.Partnerships Are Marriages. Treat Them That Way. Eric's partnership lasted 14 years because they treated it like a relationship. Different strengths. Honest disagreements. A third partner who broke ties. His advice is to get an operating agreement before you have something to lose because trying to figure that out during turmoil is almost impossible.Your Best Partner Thinks Nothing Like You. Eric's business partner pushed him into risk he would have avoided for a decade. Eric kept his partner from losing everything the next day. Without that tension, neither of them builds what they built. If your partner agrees with everything you say, you do not have a partner. You have an echo.Retail Is a Cash-Eating Monster. Forty-six employees. A million dollars in inventory. No SOPs. No business school. Three guys who accidentally created a big business. The lesson is that systems and standard operating procedures installed early would have prevented half the pain.Content Is the Next Currency. Eric built his retail store by filming raw Facebook ads on his cell phone. People treated social media like TV. They walked into the store and recognized him like a celebrity. That same skill now powers his entire TikTok business with almost zero overhead.Fear and Excitement Are the Same Feeling. They are just opposite ends of the spectrum. Eric's challenge is to post 100 videos before you judge yourself. You are going to be bad at first. That is exactly the point.Stop Saying Yes to Everything. When you develop a skill and want to help everyone, you end up spread so thin you become useless. The habit Eric is actively quitting is saying yes. The goal is not to find good opportunities. It is to find the right ones where you have the most leverage.When You Hit a Roadblock, Keep Going. That is where someone else stopped. Eric's definition of grit is simply outlasting everyone. People fade away. If you just keep showing up with small improvements back to back to back, eventually you are the only one left.Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction[01:30] Meet Eric Bussey. From pest control to Amazon OG[04:30] The origin story. Selling coat hangers out of storage units in 2012[06:30] How a liquidation store client sparked the retail pivot[08:00] The garage full of chainsaws and the wife who said no more[09:12] Opening two retail stores simultaneously during COVID[11:00] Why authentic cell phone ads built a local celebrity brand[13:30] The perfect storm. One million in debt, vendors calling it in, eBay suspended[17:55] Coming home and telling his wife there is no paycheck[19:38] Getting desensitized to debt vs. staying scared at every level[21:30] Business partnerships are marriages. Here is why[25:43] Everything is easy until you have something to lose[27:07] Why 50/50 partnerships need a tiebreaker or a third person[28:17] Your best partner should think nothing like you[30:35] Get an operating agreement before it means anything[33:57] We accidentally created a big business. The SOP lesson[36:15] Hiring at 70 percent of your ability is still worth it[39:14] The pivot to TikTok content creation[42:30] Making $7,000 from a seven-second video and thinking it was illegal[44:01] Why content is the next currency[45:34] Overcoming the fear of creating content. Post 100 times before you judge yourself[51:15] Fear and excitement are the same feeling[55:13] The TikTok affiliate playbook. How to get started today[58:25] Eric's definition of grit. Just keep going because that is where everyone else stopped[59:32] The habit Eric is quitting. Saying yes to everything[01:01:12] Small improvements back to back to back[01:02:18] The mistake Eric had to forgive himself for[01:05:06] The Marty McFly question. Would you change anything? Not a thing[01:06:51] The car accident at 19 that changed everythingResources & Links: Book: "Boundaries" by Dr. Henry Cloud (mentioned by Karl)Book: "Atomic Habits" by James Clear (referenced by Karl)Platform: TikTok Shop (affiliate and creator marketplace)Connect with Eric Bussey: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eric.bussey1TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gearandgritConnect with Karl Jacobi: Website: https://successwithkarl.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karljacobiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karl.jacobiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/successwithkarlYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KarlJacobiTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@veteran808

    1h 10m
  4. Episode 006: The Prison She Built. $5M in Sales and Still Trapped w/ Cris Beam

    FEB 24

    Episode 006: The Prison She Built. $5M in Sales and Still Trapped w/ Cris Beam

    She Built a Prison Instead of a Business. Here's What She's Doing About It. Episode Summary What happens when you escape the corporate grind only to build yourself a different kind of cage? Cris Beam is a one-woman e-commerce powerhouse. North of $5 million in sales. Over a decade in the game. No team. No safety net. Just her. On paper, she is the success story. But behind the numbers? 3 AM wake-ups. A failed private label investment that will take years to recover from. Crypto losses. A business that runs on pure grit because discipline has never been her thing. In this raw conversation, Cris drops the highlight reel and goes straight to the basement. She talks about trading corporate stress for a different kind of weight. One that never clocks out. She opens up about being the ultimate control freak who built a business that can't exist without her. And she shares the moment a book called "Buy Back Your Time" hit her like a ton of bricks and forced her to start making changes. If you have ever felt stuck inside a business you built with your own hands, this one is for you. In This Episode, You'll Discover: The real difference between corporate stress and entrepreneur stress, and why trading one for the other still comes with painHow Cris went from $0 to $38,000 in her third month on Amazon by being obsessively impulsiveWhy a failed private label investment and crypto losses nearly buried her in a six-month financial spiralThe prison she built by keeping everything in her head and refusing to trust anyone elseWhy self-confidence is not arrogance, and how Cris refuses to give herself any option other than successHow "Buy Back Your Time" cracked her open and got her to finally hire help after years of doing it soloWhy shiny object syndrome has tanked more businesses than bad products ever willThe power of treating life like a video game. Beat the level. Beat the game. Keep going.Key Takeaways: Every Problem Is Your Problem: When you own the business, there is no CFO to bail you out. No marketing team. No boss to blame. Every single problem lands on your desk. That is the trade you make for freedom.Impulse Can Be a Superpower: Cris did not overthink her leap into e-commerce. She saw an opportunity on a Saturday morning and had an account open by the end of the day. Sometimes analysis paralysis is the real enemy.Overconfidence Meets Overtrust: Investing in nine private label products at once while trusting others to execute was a costly lesson. Confidence in yourself is powerful. Blind trust in others can be expensive.You Built a Prison, Not a Business: If everything lives in your head, no documentation, no systems, no team, you are not the CEO. You are the most overworked employee in a business that cannot survive without you.Discipline Is the Tax You Pay: Cris openly admits discipline is her biggest struggle. Inconsistent buying. Neglected bookkeeping. Shiny objects. The lack of discipline creates a financial rollercoaster that grit alone cannot smooth out.Protect Your Bread and Butter: Chasing Walmart, crypto, UGC, and every new thing nearly cost Cris her core Amazon business. New opportunities should be add-ons, not replacements.Everything Is Figureoutable: If you can Google it, you can solve it. Computer illiteracy in today's world is a choice. Click on everything. Break something. Fix it. That is the process.Isolation Will Eat You Alive: Solo entrepreneurs only hear one voice. Their own. And it is usually the most critical one in the room. Building a circle is not optional. It is survival.Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction[01:30] Meet Cris Beam. E-com powerhouse, one-person army[03:19] The 3 AM wake-ups and the weight of owning every problem[08:00] Burning the boat. How Cris started her Amazon business the day after leaving corporate[11:05] Baptism by fire. $6K to $38K in three months[13:14] Self-confidence vs. arrogance. Why failure is not in her vocabulary[16:00] The financial basement. Private label losses, crypto hits, and the six-month spiral[21:04] The control freak trap. Why trusting others keeps backfiring[25:08] Building a prison instead of a business. The wake-up call[26:02] "Buy Back Your Time" and the decision to finally hire a VA[28:29] Discipline is garbage. But it is also the answer[35:14] The troubleshooting mindset. Click on everything[42:41] Shiny object syndrome. How chasing new things killed the core business[50:07] Talking to the Chris who is sweating at 3 AM right now[52:30] What grit looks like in the season of rebuild. Dog with a bone[55:56] The quote that keeps her going. "I always figured it out"[59:33] The Iron Chain question and Cris's question for the next guest[64:05] Closing thoughts. Why entrepreneurship is lonely and circles matterResources & Links: Book: "Buy Back Your Time" by Dan MartellBook: "Boundaries" by Dr. Henry Cloud (mentioned by Karl)Tool: Tactical Arbitrage (Amazon sourcing software)Book: "Essentialism" by Greg McKeown (referenced by Karl)Connect with Cris Beam: Website: https://fbahuddle.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CrisLivesOnlineTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/CrisLivesOnlineFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/cris.beamLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cris-beam-4a116438Connect with Karl Jacobi: Website: https://successwithkarl.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karljacobiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karl.jacobiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/successwithkarlYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KarlJacobiTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@veteran808

    1h 9m
  5. Episode 005: The Golden Handcuffs: Walking Away From a Pension, Betting on Yourself, and Rebuilding Your Identity with Brendan D'Anna

    FEB 20

    Episode 005: The Golden Handcuffs: Walking Away From a Pension, Betting on Yourself, and Rebuilding Your Identity with Brendan D'Anna

    Episode SummaryWhat would you do if you had five years left to a guaranteed pension and a career that looked great from the outside, but felt like a slow death on the inside? That's exactly where Brendan D'Anna found himself after 15 years in fire service. He was running into burning buildings, pulling double shifts with a private ambulance company, and raising a family. From the outside, it looked like a solid life. On the inside, the fire was going out. Brendan started in fire service at 19. Same age Karl joined the Army. That number is not a coincidence. Both men found structure in service. But Brendan's wake-up call came when he broke his foot and realized one thing: if he got hurt doing this job, he had nothing else to fall back on. That one moment sent him toward real estate in 2016. He got licensed, started growing, and began building a second career while still showing up to the firehouse every third day. Then kids came. And everything changed. Because when you become a father, the math on risk looks completely different. Brendan started asking himself a question that most men avoid: "If I don't come home tomorrow, was it worth it?" His answer was no. So he ripped the Band-Aid off. Called his chief on a Wednesday. Said he worked his last shift Sunday. He was done. This episode is for the person sitting in a job they've outgrown. The one clinging to the golden handcuffs because the pension is close and the fear is loud. Brendan breaks down what it actually costs to stay. The identity shift. The isolation. The honeymoon phase that ends in January. The faith walk that carried him through. And the one quote on a sticky note on his desk that keeps him moving forward when the doubt gets loud. Quote of the Episode: "The defining point of success is removing the gap between decision and action." — Matthew HasslerIn This Episode, You'll Discover: How a broken foot became the catalyst that pushed Brendan toward real estate and out of fire serviceWhy becoming a father completely changed his relationship with risk and job securityWhat the real cost of golden handcuffs looks like when you do the math on what it takes to stayThe brutal identity shift that happens when you leave a 15-year brotherhood overnightWhy his first year out of the fire department was his best income year in real estate, and yet he still battled crippling self-doubtHow he used faith, a men's discipleship trip, and a willingness to be uncomfortable to rebuild his inner circle from scratchThe phone and social media boundaries that changed how he shows up as a husband and fatherThe quote from Matt Hasler that lives on a sticky note on his desk and gets him out of his own head every single dayKey Takeaways: The Broken Foot Principle: Sometimes it doesn't take a near-death experience to wake you up. A small injury, a shift change, a quiet moment of honesty with yourself can be enough. Pay attention to what's waking you up.Fatherhood Changes the Math: When people are counting on you at home, the risks you take at work look completely different. Brendan stopped being willing to be a liability on the job. That is not quitting. That is growing up.The Pension Is a Trap If You Hate the Job: Brendan had five years left to retire at 40 with a 50% pension and full health benefits. He walked away. The golden handcuffs only feel like security until you realize what they're costing you in time, identity, and joy.Rip the Band-Aid: Brendan called his chief on a Wednesday and said Sunday was his last day. He did not ease out. He did not "transition." He left. Sometimes the cleanest cut is the kindest one.The Honeymoon Phase Is Real and It Ends: Freedom feels electric at first. But January always comes. The self-doubt, the pressure, the voice in your head asking if you made the right call. Have a plan for that season. It is coming.Trim the Fat on Your Circle: When Brendan left fire service, he left a brotherhood. But he also left an environment that normalized behavior that no longer aligned with who he was becoming. Isolation is uncomfortable. It is also necessary before rebuilding.Boundaries Are a Skill, Not a Personality Trait: Phone off at dinner. No social media first thing in the morning. Managing his own temper with his kids. Brendan had to build boundaries intentionally because they do not happen on their own.Remove the Gap Between Decision and Action: Brendan keeps a sticky note on his desk with this quote from Matt Hasler. That quote is his whole morning. If you are sitting on a decision right now, this is for you.Timestamps: [00:00] — Introduction[01:29] — Brendan's background: 15 years in fire service, private ambulance work[04:39] — The broken foot moment and the real estate pivot[05:51] — How having kids changed his relationship with risk[07:00] — The pension math: 5 years left, walking away anyway[08:50] — The identity shift: leaving a brotherhood after 15 years[11:42] — Faith, inner circle, and why leaving the firehouse was spiritually necessary[13:41] — The identity trap: identifying it vs. actually escaping it[22:00] — Why the worst case scenario is just going back to a 9-to-5[24:42] — What to say to the person paralyzed by fear of the first step[28:00] — The rip-the-Band-Aid moment: calling the chief on Wednesday[30:01] — The honeymoon phase, and the January reality check[32:12] — The book "Boundaries" by Dr. Henry Cloud and how it changed things[37:42] — Trimming the fat and the men's discipleship trip in North Carolina[41:59] — Morning routine: physical activity first, social media last[44:49] — What grit looks like right now: commitment[47:06] — The Matt Hasler quote that lives on a sticky note[48:46] — Question for the next guest[51:49] — Brendan's wife's journey: leaving teaching to be home with the kids[52:49] — Closing thoughtsResources & Links: Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud — recommended by both Karl and Brendan as a life-changing read for anyone navigating people, relationships, and self-imposed limitsConnect with Brendan D'Anna: Zillow: https://www.zillow.com/profile/brendanmbpropertiesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-d-anna-b0155210a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brendan.danna.7/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Brendan_MyrtleBeach_RealtorConnect with Karl Jacobi: Website: https://successwithkarl.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karljacobiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karl.jacobiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/successwithkarlYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KarlJacobiTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@veteran808

    54 min
  6. Episode 004: The Eclipse Moment: Escaping the 9-to-5 Trap, Building Systems, and Reclaiming Your Life with Jimmy Smith

    FEB 17

    Episode 004: The Eclipse Moment: Escaping the 9-to-5 Trap, Building Systems, and Reclaiming Your Life with Jimmy Smith

    He Built a $2M/Year Amazon Empire. But He Almost Missed It All. Episode Summary What does it take to walk away from a "safe" job and bet on yourself? Jimmy Smith knows. He was selling corporate insurance, making decent money, and feeling dead inside. The turning point wasn't a big business revelation. It was a solar eclipse. He watched it from a parking lot with coworkers instead of the people who actually mattered. That was the moment everything changed. Jimmy left the nine to five, built an Amazon arbitrage business that hit over $100,000 a month, and eventually pioneered a replenishable inventory model that generated over $100 million in annual revenue across his student community. He didn't just build a business. He built a system. And now he teaches others to do the same. This episode gets honest. We talk about the anxiety that never goes away, the identity crisis that hits when you finally quit the job, the $100,000 he lost to scam courses, a divorce, bad real estate deals, and why more money doesn't make you happier after a certain point. Jimmy doesn't do highlight reels. He does real talk. If you're grinding 80 hours a week and wondering what the point is, this episode is your permission slip to do it differently. In This Episode, You'll Discover: The solar eclipse parking lot moment that made Jimmy realize the nine to five was costing him more than just timeHow Jimmy went from insurance salesman to building a $100k per month Amazon business from scratchWhy quitting your job full time doesn't automatically grow your business — and the distraction trap Jimmy fell intoThe replenishable inventory model Jimmy pioneered that generated over $100 million in annual revenue across his communityWhy entrepreneurship is actually more secure than a nine to five — and what Covid proved about job fragilityThe outsourcing math that freed Jimmy's time: how to calculate what tasks are actually worth your hoursJimmy's framework for building multiple income streams — and why you can't start with multiplesHow Jimmy's faith, Psalm 34:14, and the principle of seeking peace became his operating system for life and businessKey Takeaways: The Eclipse Effect: A small missed moment can wake you up faster than any business book. Jimmy's turning point wasn't a financial crisis — it was watching a solar eclipse from a parking lot when he wanted to be with his people. Pay attention to those moments.Distraction Is the Silent Killer: Jimmy quit his job to go all-in on Amazon, then immediately started chasing local merch deals, wholesale, and private label. Business didn't grow. He had to audit himself and recommit to one thing before anything clicked.One Before Many: You cannot build multiple income streams until one is solid. Jimmy has 15 streams now, but each one came after the previous was proven. Trying to build them all at once is how you build none of them.The Outsourcing Math Problem: If you're doing $15 per hour tasks when you could be doing $75 per hour tasks, you're making a math mistake. Jimmy broke down prep-and-ship work at 20 hours a week before he finally paid someone else to do it and freed himself to source more product.Anxiety Changes Shape, It Doesn't Disappear: Early anxiety is "can I even make this work?" Later anxiety is "will it all fall apart?" Jimmy is honest that the fear doesn't go away. It just wears a different outfit. The goal is learning to work with it, not eliminate it.The $80K Threshold: Research backs it up. After about $80,000 to $100,000 per year in profit, additional money produces diminishing returns on happiness. After that number, it becomes about purpose — what are you actually building toward?Identity Tied to Success: One of Jimmy's deepest struggles is valuing himself only when things are going well. That's a trap. You are not your revenue. Recognizing that cycle is the first step to breaking it.Grit Is a Daily Decision: Jimmy's definition of grit is simple. Do the three to five things that move your life and business forward every single day, whether you feel like it or not. No protocols. No secrets. Just showing up more days than you don't.Timestamps: [00:00] — Introduction and welcome[01:47] — Jimmy's origin story: corporate insurance, side hustle, and finding Amazon[05:18] — The replenishable inventory model and the community impact it created[09:23] — The solar eclipse moment: the parking lot that changed everything[13:00] — Going full time and immediately losing focus: the distraction trap[19:50] — Identity tied to success and the anxiety that changes shape[25:37] — Is entrepreneurship actually more secure than a job?[33:00] — The money happiness threshold and the $80k to $100k principle[37:02] — The outsourcing math: how to value your own time[47:14] — Jimmy's definition of grit[49:26] — Delegating admin tasks and building local community as a remote entrepreneur[51:25] — Faith, Psalm 34:14, and the power of seeking peace[54:37] — Jimmy's biggest failures: divorce, bad real estate, and $100k in scam courses[56:29] — The most impactful books in Jimmy's life[01:00:43] — Where to find Jimmy and closing thoughtsResources and Links: Evangel Preneur by Josh TolleyThe 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy FerrissThe Bible — Psalm 34:14: "Seek peace and pursue it"The Power List (Andy Frisella)Connect with Jimmy Smith: Website: https://www.askjimmysmith.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/askjimmysmithTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@askjimmysmithYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@askjimmysmithLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmysmith1Connect with Karl Jacobi: Website: https://successwithkarl.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karljacobiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karl.jacobiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/successwithkarlYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KarlJacobiTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@veteran808

    1h 2m
  7. Episode 003: The Ultimate Leverage: Tragedy, Trust, and the Walk Away Mindset with Andy Westmaas

    FEB 13

    Episode 003: The Ultimate Leverage: Tragedy, Trust, and the Walk Away Mindset with Andy Westmaas

    Episode Summary: What if the worst day of your life gave you the greatest leverage in your business? In this episode, we sit down with Andy Westmaas, a veteran entrepreneur with a 40-year career spanning executive non-profit fundraising to building an e-commerce empire that sits in the top 5% of Amazon sellers. Andy recently made headlines in his own life by acquiring an award-winning toy company with a Shark Tank pedigree—but the road to success wasn't paved with simple wins. Andy opens up about the "earth-shaking" decision to dismantle his high-performing internal prep team to move to a 3PL, a move driven by the need to reclaim his time and focus on his true "zone of genius": sales and buying. We also dive deep into the dynamics of running a multi-million dollar business with a spouse, exploring the "Visionary vs. Integrator" relationship that allows him and his wife, Michelle, to thrive. But the heart of this conversation lies in Andy’s concept of "Walk Away Power." forged through the 15-year battle and eventual loss of his son, Jacob, to mental health struggles. Andy shares how this profound personal tragedy taught him to hold business outcomes loosely, giving him an unshakeable edge in negotiation and leadership. In this episode, we cover: The Pivot: Why Andy shut down a successful internal warehouse operation to outsource to a 3PL.Walk Away Power: How deep personal loss reframed Andy's perspective on risk, negotiation, and success.Spousal Partnerships: Navigating the "Visionary vs. Integrator" dynamic and why complementary weaknesses are key to scaling.Zone of Genius: The difficult decision to "fire yourself" from tasks like repricing and inventory management to focus on revenue-generating activities.Core Values: How to discover (not invent) the values that drive your business decisions.Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Welcome01:56 – From Non-Profit Executive to E-Commerce Entrepreneur06:02 – The Shark Tank Connection: Acquiring an Award-Winning Toy Company10:04 – The "Earth-Shaking" Decision: Shutting Down the Warehouse & Moving to a 3PL17:35 – Jacob’s Story: Navigating a 15-Year Battle with Mental Health23:42 – "Walk Away Power": How Tragedy Changed Andy’s Approach to Negotiation29:46 – Visionary vs. Integrator: The Secret to Working with Your Spouse32:18 – Discovering Core Values: Why "Trust" and "Fun" Drive the P&L43:31 – Leadership Lesson: The Danger of Unmet Expectations51:42 – Essentialism: Why Andy Fired Himself from Repricing & Inventory58:15 – The Role of Faith in Business and Resilience01:06:07 – Andy’s Question for the Next GuestResources & Links: Download Andy’s Tribute to Jacob – As mentioned in the outro, this is the raw, moving story Andy wrote about his son. Please have tissues ready.Recommended Reading: Essentialism by Greg McKeown & Buy Then Build by Walker Deibel.Connect with Andy Westmaas Website: WestMProductsGroup.comFacebook: Andy WestmaasConnect with Karl Jacobi Website: successwithkarl.comLinkedIn: karljacobiFacebook: karl.jacobiInstagram: @successwithkarlYouTube: @KarlJacobiTikTok: @veteran808

    1h 13m
  8. Episode 002: The Fireman's Hedge: Profit, Purpose, and the Arbitrage Mindset with Ted Harton

    FEB 10

    Episode 002: The Fireman's Hedge: Profit, Purpose, and the Arbitrage Mindset with Ted Harton

    Ted Harton runs into burning buildings for a living. That is real risk. But when he gets home? He bets on sports. Most people hear "betting" and think gambling. They think luck. They think recklessness. They are wrong. Ted isn't gambling. He is following a protocol. Just like in the firehouse. He uses a system called arbitrage to exploit inefficiencies in the market. It is not about hunches. It is about math. But Ted didn’t start here. He had to burn his old life down first. He got "lost in the sauce." He was partying. He was unfaithful. He was drifting.  Then business hit him hard. Amazon shut him down. He lost $15,000 in inventory. It was gone. Trash. The truth is... most people would quit. They would stay down. Ted didn't. He used the pain. He pivoted. He found a way to hedge his bets in life and business. In this episode, we talk about the difference between fear and danger. We talk about the "Essentialism" of quitting the wrong things. We talk about how to beat the books using their own money. Everything you want exists on the other side of fear. Show Notes & Key Takeaways [02:22] The Double Life: Ted is a full-time firefighter. He works 24 hours on. He gets 48 hours off. He uses that time to build wealth.[08:26] The Blessing in Disguise: Ted got fired and kicked out of his apartment in Chicago in the same week. It forced him home. It led him to the fire department.[24:12] Hitting Rock Bottom: Ted gets real. He talks about cheating on his girlfriend and partying too much. He felt like a fraud. He decided to become the man he thought he was.[34:49] The $15,000 Loss: Amazon gated his account before Black Friday. A prep center error destroyed his inventory. He lost huge money. He realized he built a business on sand.[43:25] Quitting is a Strength: Ted read Essentialism. He realized his Amazon business wasn't working. He killed his ego. He walked away to find something better.[48:45] The System: Arbitrage betting explained. You bet on both sides. You use the difference in odds. You guarantee a profit. No luck required.[55:13] Research is the Enemy: You don't need to know sports. You need to know numbers. If you bet with your gut, you lose.[1:03:25] The Credit Card Hedge: How Ted uses credit cards to buy gift cards and fund his accounts. He racks up points. He creates cash flow.[1:09:50] Be the Light: Emotional regulation is the game. You cannot watch the scoreboard. You have to trust the process.Connect with Ted Harton Website: https://teddybets.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted_bets Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ted.harton

    1h 31m
  9. Episode 001: The 17-Year Bet: Escaping Corporate, Taming the Monster, and the Art of Imperfect Action with Silas Anderson

    FEB 10

    Episode 001: The 17-Year Bet: Escaping Corporate, Taming the Monster, and the Art of Imperfect Action with Silas Anderson

    Silas spent 17 years in a cubicle. It was a Fortune 500 firm. It was safe. It was secure. It was killing him - yes, literally! He watched a colleague retire and die almost immediately. That was the wake-up call. He realized "someday" is not a day on the calendar. So he left. He bet on himself. He started an Amazon business. But this isn't a fairy tale success story. Not yet. He built what he calls a "cash-eating monster." He chased top-line revenue. He ignored profit. He dug a hole. The truth is... most people would have crawled back to the cubicle. Silas didn't. He got real about his numbers. He stripped the emotion out of his decisions. He turned a cost center into a profit center by launching a leads business in less than a week. In this episode, we talk about the trap of "safety." We talk about why sales is vanity and profit is sanity. We talk about the "UOP Shadow" mindset of persistence. Everything you want exists on the other side of fear. Show Notes & Key Takeaways • [02:46] The Golden Handcuffs: Silas spent 17 years at a major brokerage firm. He made good money. He was miserable every single day. • [13:48] The Wake-Up Call: Layoffs were looming during his vacation. Then a friend died right after retiring. Silas realized he couldn't wait for retirement to start living. • [22:41] The Cash-Eating Monster: The reality of his e-commerce business. He was executing, but the results weren't there. He was $100k in debt and chasing the wrong metrics. • [27:10] Vanity vs. Sanity: The hard lesson. Focusing on top-line revenue almost destroyed him. He had to learn that profit is the only number that matters. • [42:46] The Pivot: Silas took a process he was already doing—sourcing leads—and monetized it. He turned an expense into a revenue stream. • [59:35] Kill the Emotion: How he launched the new business. He set a hard deadline. If it didn't make money in two months, it was dead. No feelings attached. • [1:06:44] Imperfect Action: He didn't wait for perfection. He went from idea to first sale in one week. He beat analysis paralysis with action. • [1:19:02] The UOP Shadow: A lesson in grit. You have to go through the phone book from A to Z until you get a "Yes." Connect with Silas Website: https://oaprofitpipeline.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealsilas317Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silas.anderson.376LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silas-anderson-7057b6a2

    1h 38m

  10. JAN 21

    Introducing The Grit Factor Podcast

    Episode Title: Introducing The Grit Factor Podcast (Trailer) Episode Description / Show Notes: You don’t need more hype. You need real conversations with people who’ve actually built something and paid the price to get there. Welcome to The Grit Factor Podcast, hosted by Karl Jacobi. This show is for founders, business owners, leaders, and high-performers who want to win in business without losing their family, their faith, or themselves in the process. Each week, you’ll hear: Interviews with high-achieving men and women who share the real story behind their success (not the highlight reel).Solo episodes from Karl with practical lessons you can apply immediately.We’ll cover leadership, grit, faith, work ethic, relationships, marriage and family, building a winning culture, business, finance, entrepreneurship, and more. New episodes drop Tuesdays and Fridays. 🎧 Subscribe now and join us for real conversations with founders who are building meaningful lives, not just impressive resumes. Connect / Follow: YouTube: @gritfactorpodcastInstagram: @successwithkarlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karljacobiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karljjacobi

    2 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Grit Factor Podcast brings real conversations with founders, entrepreneurs, and builders. No fluff. Just honest stories, hard lessons, and practical takeaways you can apply right now. New interviews plus solo episodes on mindset, leadership, and execution.

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