Matt Gray

Founder OS

Founder OS helps you build a profitable personal brand with organic content.

Founder & CEO

The Matt Gray Show

I help you with proven systems to grow a profitable audience with organic content.

I’ve built 4 profitable companies in the past 10 years, a community of 14 million people, and teams of 50+ people. I now run a portfolio of profitable online businesses doing $13 million revenue a year.

Gray Enterprises

Helping brands drive more customers through technology and our community of 14 million people.

Bitmaker

Grew to largest coding school in Canada. Acquired by General Assembly and subsequently acquired for $410M by Adecco.

Co-Founder & CEO

Founder & CEO, Founder OS | Proven systems to grow a profitable audience with organic content.

Over the last decade, I’ve built 4 successful companies and a community of over 14 million people.

My mission is to inspire 100 million founders to live their dreams through proven systems.

I help entrepreneurs remove themselves from operations, grow on autopilot with content and an engaged audience, and automate core systems.

I’m the founder of Founder OS, Gray Enterprises, and Bitmaker (acq. General Assembly).

My portfolio:

→ I'm the founder & CEO of Founder OS, a community of 650 entrepreneurs
→ I’m the founder & CEO of Gray Enterprises with a community of over 14 million people
→ I teach the Founder OS Program to help entrepreneurs scale their online businesses to $1M+ revenue
→ I coach entrepreneurs that need help with marketing, sales, systems, community, and growth
→ I advise early-stage companies in AI, Education, Creator Economy, and SaaS verticals

My results:

→ 14M+ people community
→ 2.5M+ people following Founder OS
→ 2B content impressions annually 
→ 0 advertisements
→ 80%+ margins

If you want to learn more about how I built this, you can join my newsletter:

→ GO HERE: https://fos.now/li-newsletter-14

If you want to explore 1:1 coaching or consulting visit my personal site:

→ GO HERE: https://fos.now/li-book-now

If you want to join Founder OS Program:

→ GO HERE: https://fos.now/li-course

Twitter: https://fos.now/li-twitter
TikTok: https://fos.now/li-tiktok
Instagram: https://fos.now/li-instagram
YouTube: https://fos.now/li-youtube

Founder OS helps you build a predictable lead engine with organic content & make $1M+ online.

Mark Twain once said: 

"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why."

Here’s how to find your ‘why’:

The catalyst for finding your why is a concept called Ikigai.

It’s a Japanese word that translates to "reason for being."

I came across it years ago when I was completely lost and didn’t know where to go.

This simple exercise transformed my life. 

Ikigai is the intersection of four crucial elements:

1. What you love
2. What you're good at
3. What the world needs
4. What you can be paid for

Finding this sweet spot is like unlocking your personal cheat code for success and happiness.

Here’s what mine looks like:

At the end of this exercise, you will find a few topics in the center of the diagram. 

This becomes your compass that guides you towards work that aligns with your values.

Follow this path and you will never have to work a day in your life. 

You’ll live "Every Day Retirement."

I speak from experience here. 

After discovering my Ikigai and aligning my business with it, everything changed. 

My audience exploded: 

• Twitter grew to 350K
• LinkedIn grew to 700K
• Newsletter subscribers grew to 137K 

Never underestimate the power of clarity.

After finding your purpose, internalize these 5 golden rules of Ikigai:

• Take it slow, enjoy the journey
• Surround yourself with positivity
• Reconnect with Nature
• Give thanks
• Follow your ikigai

Master these to live a calm and fulfilled life.

1. Take It Slow, Enjoy The Journey

Solutions come when we stop forcing them. 

Sooner or later, you realize you don’t need to be in such a rush.

The goal isn't just to get there. It's to have fun along the way.

You’re not in a race; you’re in a marathon.

2. Surround Yourself With Positivity

People are everything.

Recruit A-players who believe in your mission and learn from mentors 10 steps ahead of you. 

“You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with” - Jim Rohn

Surround yourself with people who inspire you.

3. Reconnect With Nature

Take regular breaks in nature.

It resets your mind and provides fresh perspectives.

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." - Lao Tzu

Embrace the fact that nature is your greatest mentor.

4. Give Thanks

Gratitude will show you that true fulfillment doesn't come from external sources but from self-awareness.

When I'm in a slump, being grateful always pulls me out of it by putting my problems in perspective.

It turns what I have into enough.

5. Follow Your Ikigai

You have just discovered what sets your soul on fire. 

When you align your business with your purpose, your energy becomes electric. 

Without it, I wouldn’t have reached my full potential. 

—

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Matt Gray 

Sales are simple when you understand this secret: 

The moment you start selling, you've lost.

I used to be terrified of sales calls.

Now my team and I close without ever feeling like we're "selling."

Using a proven system I call “Pitch OS”.

I've taught this exact system to founders who went from struggling to book calls to closing 30-50% of their prospects.

Here's the 6-step sales system:

1. Lead With Curiosity

Most salespeople start by talking about themselves. 

Big mistake.

Instead, ask open-ended questions:

• "What are you looking to achieve?"
• "Tell me about your current situation"
• "What made you book this call today?"

Then shut up and listen. 

Listen and make mental notes.

2. Clarify Their Challenges

You can’t help your prospect if you don’t truly understand their situation.

Some great follow-up questions I use:

• "Why is that important to you?"
• "Tell me more about that"
• "What impact does that have on your life?”

Care about what they say here.

The key is to dig deeper:

• "What happens if this doesn't get solved?"
• "How long has this been an issue?"

Their answers become your roadmap.

3. Co-Create Their Ideal Outcome

Once you understand their challenges, help them paint a picture of what success looks like:

• "What's the ultimate goal here?"
• "What would this allow you to do?"

This creates a vision they're emotionally invested in.

4. Contrast Cost of Inaction vs. Investment

Most people aren't afraid of the cost of your solution.

They're afraid of making a change.

Ask them: "If nothing changes, where will you be in 6 months?"

Help them see what inaction will cost them.

5. Present Your Solution As The Bridge

After successfully going through steps 1-4, I transition into the bridge:

"Based on what you've shared, I think I can help because of my experience in [solving their problem]. Here's how we'd get you to [their ideal outcome]."

I structure my solution around 3-4 clear pillars that directly address their challenges:

"The first thing we'll do is build out what I call [Pillar 1], which will solve [Challenge 1 they mentioned]."

Then, I’d go through each one in detail, following the same format. 

6. No Manipulation

I never use:

• Fake scarcity ("only 2 spots left!")
• False urgency ("price doubles tomorrow!")

Instead, I'm radically honest about what my solution can & cannot do.

Sales don't have to feel gross.

Remember: Trust is built before the call, not during it.

That's why my Content GPS makes sales effortless:

• Daily content on social media solving real problems
• Weekly newsletter building a true relationship
• Monthly workshops with immense value

By the time someone books a call, they're pre-sold on your expertise.

__

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10 TED Talks in 10 days that will change your life: 

1. How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek breaks down the golden circle:

• Every great leader starts with "why", not what or how
• Apple doesn't sell computers; they sell innovation
• WHY speaks directly to the decision-making part of the brain

People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it.

2. Sleep Is Your Superpower by Matthew Walker

Matthew reveals the neuroscience of sleep:

• Shows how all-nighters block new memories from forming
• People who sleep 4-5 hours have significantly lower testosterone
• 4 hours of sleep loss cuts immune cells by 70%

3. The Power Of Vulnerability by Brene Brown

In Brene Brown’s TED talk, she: 

• Discusses findings from 6 years of vulnerability research
• Explains why we can't selectively numb emotions
• Shares a personal story of her own "breakdown/spiritual awakening"

4. Inside The Mind Of A Master Procrastinator by Tim Urban

Using humor and simple drawings, 
Tim Urban describes the roles of the:

• Rational Decision-Maker 
• Instant Gratification Monkey
• Panic Monster

He ends with a powerful message on what procrastination is all about.

5. How To Speak So That People Want To Listen by Julian Treasure

Julian Treasure breaks down the HAIL formula for powerful speech:

• Honesty: be clear and straight
• Authenticity: be yourself
• Integrity: be your word
• Love: wish them well

6. Grit: The Power Of Passion And Perseverance by Angela Lee Duckworth

Angela Lee Duckworth walks us through her research:

• Grit is unrelated or inversely related to talent
• IQ isn't the best predictor of success
• Grit = passion + persistence

7. The Happy Secret To Better Work by Shawn Achor 

Shawn Achor reveals how to create lasting positive change:

• Write down 3 things you’re grateful for daily
• Journaling, exercise, meditation
• Random acts of kindness

Success comes after happiness, not before.

8. Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are by Amy Cuddy

Power posing changes your biology:

• 2 minutes raises testosterone by 20%
• Cortisol drops by 25% - reducing stress instantly
• Your body position literally rewires your brain's confidence

9. The Power Of Introverts by Susan Cain

Susan Cain talks about how:

• Modern schools/workplaces are designed for extroverts
• Solitude is a crucial ingredient for creativity
• Some of the most transformative leaders in history were introverts

Being introverted is a superpower.

10. How To Build A Profitable Personal Brand (In Just 30 Days) by Matt Gray

I know this isn’t a TED talk, but it could change your life. 

It takes you through everything you need to know about building a personal brand (from scratch). 

—

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Mark Zuckerberg once said: 

"The greatest risk in life is not taking one."

Here’s how to build a profitable one-person business (in 90 days):

Most founders become prisoners, starting for freedom, but ending up with: 

• 12-hour workdays
• Constant firefighting 
• Zero time for themselves

True entrepreneurship is designing a system that works WITHOUT you. 

Here’s how to do it:

1. Master Your Four Ws

Always have these in the back of your mind. For true freedom, you need to control: 

• WHO you work with
• WHAT you work on
• WHERE you work
• WHEN you work

As soon as you crack all 4, you’re unlocked founder freedom.

2. Systematize Before You Scale

Trying to scale before setting systems in place is like pouring water into a leaky bucket. 

Create systems for EVERYTHING:

• Lead generation & sales
• Team management
• Content creation

Document every process. No exceptions.

3. Delegation Is Your Superpower

Your hourly rate as a founder should be at least $1,000. Any task worth less must be:

• Automated
• Eliminated
• Delegated

I went from doing everything myself to building a team of 34 A-players who run everything.

4. Content Is Your Greatest Asset

Your expertise means nothing if nobody knows about it. Building a personal brand attracts:

• Dream clients
• Premium pricing
• Exceptional talent

I built a 2.8M audience that drives thousands of inbound leads, all through organic content.

5. Optimize For Peace, Not Just Profit

My success formula: Peace + Profit + Purpose

• Peace: Calm mind
• Profit: Healthy margins
• Purpose: Work that matters

When these align, you build a business that serves your life instead of consuming it.

6. Build Your Content GPS

This is THE most powerful lead generation system:

1. Turn one piece of content into 24 
2. Build a rented audience (social)
3. Convert to an owned audience (email) 
4. Monetize (products, services)

—

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Over the last decade, I’ve built 4 successful companies and a community of over 14 million people.

My mission is to inspire 100 million founders to live their dreams through proven systems.

I help entrepreneurs remove themselves from operations, grow on autopilot with content and an engaged audience, and automate core systems.

I’m the founder of Founder OS, Gray Enterprises, and Bitmaker (acq. General Assembly).

My portfolio:

→ I'm the founder & CEO of Founder OS, a community of 650 entrepreneurs
→ I’m the founder & CEO of Gray Enterprises with a community of over 14 million people
→ I teach the Founder OS Program to help entrepreneurs scale their online businesses to $1M+ revenue
→ I coach entrepreneurs that need help with marketing, sales, systems, community, and growth
→ I advise early-stage companies in AI, Education, Creator Economy, and SaaS verticals

My results:

→ 14M+ people community
→ 2.5M+ people following Founder OS
→ 2B content impressions annually 
→ 0 advertisements
→ 80%+ margins

If you want to learn more about how I built this, you can join my newsletter:

→ GO HERE: https://www.founderos.com/newsletter

If you want to explore 1:1 coaching or consulting visit my personal site:

→ GO HERE: https://www.mattgray.com/book-now

If you want to join Founder OS Program:

→ GO HERE: https://www.founderos.com/course

Twitter: @matt_gray_
TikTok:@realmattgray
Instagram: @matthgray
YouTube: @realmattgray

Stephen Hawking once said something that changed the way I interact with my team:

“Quiet people have the loudest minds.”

Why this is so important:

Your Community Is Everything As a Founder

Great teams win championships, while average teams get stuck.

What I’ve learned over the years of building several successful teams and businesses, is that A-players come in many different forms.

Not all winners are loud.

Every Entrepreneur Is An Athlete

Not everyone likes to be the center of attention – but that doesn’t mean that you don't have great ideas that can help you win big.

Some of the most powerful in the world are those behind the scenes pulling the strings for the greats.

Introverts Vs. Extroverts

It’s important to know the people that you work with.

If you want to build better systems, you need to know the kind of work that energizes them and drains them.

Are they an introvert or extrovert?

Here’s a breakdown from Simon Sinek:

People Aren’t Made For Jobs, Jobs Are Made For People

No matter how much you work on crafting the perfect job, you’ll never get it right.

However, you can hire the perfect team member.

Good team members fit right into your team like pieces to a puzzle.

The Ideal Jobs For Introverts:

Quiet people possess unique strengths:

• Calmness
• Keen observation
• Independence
• Focus
• Deep Thinking

Introverts need to do work that is tailored to their special gifts.

Quiet People Also Make Great Leaders

Here’s where it starts to get interesting.

Although we mostly think of quiet people as being in the background, offering insight from afar, some introverts can also become thoughtful and powerful leaders.

Here’s how:

1. Introverts Can Be Great Leaders

Although you might not be interested in giving speeches as an introvert, you can still lead.

• 1:1 conversations
• Careful listening
• Standing strong through tough times

Every founder needs an introvert in their inner circle.

2. Quiet People Have Special Powers

There have been studies that prove how effective introverted leaders are.

Introversion you must remember, is not shyness. Introverts are not recluses or hermits.

Introverts lead and work in their own way, and that way is deeply valuable today.

3. Never Underestimate the Power of an Introvert

Whether to take on a leadership role at your company or start your own, introverts are core members of winning teams.

However, the introverts who truly thrive are those who align with the day-to-day work that they love.

—

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If you don't know how to negotiate, you'll never be successful. 

8 proven methods to get what you want in life:

1. Behavioral Biases

Studying these will change the way you approach business interactions:

• Loss aversion
• Anchoring
• Herding

These are psychological weapons used against you every day without you even knowing.

Win back control and become the player - not the pawn.

2. Empathy

People don't care what you know until they know that you care.

3 ways to lower their guard:

• Ask open-ended questions
• Mirror body language
• Label their emotions

3. Be Extremely Prepared

If you enter negotiations with entitlement, you deserve to fail. 

You HAVE to do your homework:

• What are their problems?
• What is their ideal outcome?
• Do they have any alternatives?

Each piece of knowledge is an extra arrow in your armory.

4. Vulnerability

Vulnerability is a superpower - it’s the birthplace of love, community, and connections.

And, sometimes, being honest and opening your heart is the only way to get what you want.

It’s often labeled as a weakness, but in times of need, it's a sign of strength.

5. Listen More Than You Speak

When you talk, you only repeat what you already know.

But when you listen, you'll learn things that you can use.

Their intentions. Their limitations. Their fears.

Approach every conversation to listen - you never know what you'll find.

6. Storytelling

Convey your point of view in a way that people root for you.

Start with storytelling frameworks (e.g. the Hero's Journey) and understand the 7 fundamental emotions.

Within no time, you'll turn strangers into partners.

7. Framing

Most people talk in terms of 'me': How can I get what I want?

Flip this around - for everything you want, ask how it benefits your counterparty.

Remember, people are self-interested.

They don't care what you want, only what you're doing for them.

8. The Five Whys

Humans are irrational.

Sometimes, we think we want something, but digging just a little deeper exposes what we really want.

Use a simple 'why' often to question yourself and others: the majority of reasoning doesn't hold up past the 3rd 'why'.

—

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I’m convinced the biggest reason I was able to build 4 multi-million dollar businesses was through self-confidence.

How to build bulletproof self-confidence:

You’ll never be confident if you care what other people think.

But let me tell you a secret:

1. Most people aren’t thinking about you
2. Those who are, aren’t worth impressing

So stop worrying and start doing. Your time is limited.

1. Realize Everyone is Winging It

I used to think everybody had it all figured it out.

The reality? They were winging it just as much as I was.

Once you realize this, you’ll lose all impostor syndrome and start taking swings.

It’s you vs yourself, not you vs others.

2. Accept Your Weaknesses

The most confident people in the world don’t try to do everything.

They find what they’re good at and love doing and triple down on it.

They become the best at what they do.

You don’t win by being good at many things. You win by being great at one thing.

3. Take Action and Get Good

You often don’t lack confidence when you’re the best at what you do.

How do you get there? By doing the boring basics every day for longer than anyone else is willing to do.

Impostor syndrome = lack of competence.

Talk less. Do more.

4. Measure Success on Your Terms

Don't let others dictate what success means for you.

Life’s too short to spend it pleasing others doing things you don’t want to do.

Find YOUR definition of success based on YOUR values and dreams.

The only competition is your past self, not others.

5. Build a Community of Weapons

Surround yourself with people who believe in you more than you believe in yourself.

Find a community of smart, hard-working, positive weapons.

You don’t get points for playing alone.

Find your tribe and win.

6. Have the Courage to Say No 

Saying no is anything but selfish.

It means you truly value your time and pick things that align with your purpose.

You weren’t put on this planet to be a people pleaser.

Save your yeses for what matters most.

7. View Challenges as Opportunities

This is my favorite Stoic teaching - reframing every single obstacle as a chance to grow. When you do this, everything becomes a good thing.

You relish challenges. You wake up motivated. You attack the day.

Strong storms make tough trees.

8. Be Fatalistic About Your Situation

The only thing ever in your control is your reaction to the things that happen to you.

Once you know this, you’ll move with a peace that exuberates confidence.

Let go. Stop resisting. And let life surprise you with the gifts it has in store.

__

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The truth no one wants to admit:

Obsession beats talent every single time.

I've studied thousands of founders over the years, searching for the secret ingredient to extraordinary success.

It wasn't funding.
It wasn't intelligence.
It wasn't connections.
It wasn't natural talent.

It was obsession.

The most successful founders think about their craft 24/7, test relentlessly, never settle, and devour everything they can about their field.

But healthy obsession follows 4 distinct phases:

1. Consumption

Devour everything about your craft while building a foundation of knowledge so strong your intuition becomes your superpower. 

Study the masters, absorb their wisdom, and aim to become the most knowledgeable person in your space. 

Just remember that knowledge without action quickly becomes worthless, don't get stuck in this phase.

2. Experimentation

Test everything methodically and document your results with obsessive detail to discover what works specifically for YOU, not just what worked for others. 

Challenge conventional wisdom and create your own playbook through rigorous testing. 

Most people quit here when immediate results don't appear, but pushing through this phase separates the elite from everyone else.

3. Systemization

Transform your wins into processes and build repeatable frameworks that anyone can execute without your constant involvement. 

Document everything thoroughly so your success doesn't depend on your presence and create systems that continue working while you sleep. 

This critical step removes you from operations and is the true secret to scale that separates good from great.

4. Optimization

Measure everything that truly matters and ruthlessly 10x what works while cutting anything that doesn't drive significant results. 

Focus your energy exclusively on the actions and processes that actually move the needle. 

This is where real wealth is built, not in the initial hustle, but in the disciplined refinement of proven success patterns.

The path to extraordinary results requires moving through all four phases, not just stopping at one.

__

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The Truth About Success

I’m obsessed with great leadership. 

But when I was young, I wasted years and opportunities not knowing what great leadership looked like. 

Then, I studied every successful CEO alive to learn their secrets. 

10 leadership principles that every great leader lives by:

1. Hire People Smarter Than You, Then Get Out of Their Way

Give them the tools, resources, and environment to do what they do best.

Perceived autonomy enables flow and flourishing.

Give your smartest people space to surprise you, and they will.

2. Follow "Servant Leadership"

Amateur managers think their team works for them.

Pro managers know they work for their team.

You are an enabler. Remove roadblocks, coach your team, and point them to the right resources.

3. Have Fun With Your Team

Don't formalize hanging out with your team. Simply have fun together.

I went skydiving with my CRO in San Diego.

When you're just buddies hanging out, you're making stuff happen together.

4. Tell Your Team The “Why” Behind The “What”

Start with "Why," then "What," then "How."

When your team understands the purpose behind their work, they make better decisions and take more initiative.

Always start with the why.

5. The Greatest Gift You Can Give To Any Relationship is Time

Hang out with your team outside of work. Enjoy experiences together.

When people are friends and have a good time, you got their back, and they got yours.

The chemistry works without words.

6. Default To Trust

Hire amazing people, set them up for success, then trust them to deliver.

Micromanaging screams "I don't trust you."

Extend trust generously and you'll be surprised how people rise to meet it.

7. Give Advice, Not Feedback

Focus on giving advice rather than feedback.

Feedback looks backward at what went wrong. Advice looks forward at how to improve.

Don't critique past mistakes - share specific ideas on what to do differently next time.

8. Delegate Authority, Not Just Responsibility

Push authority to make judgment calls down to the front lines.

I give my Executive Assistant the ability to make decisions that cost us below $5,000. 

Delegating authority can cut your workload from 60 hours to 2 hours per week.

9. Show Your Team That It's Okay For Them (and You) to Fail

Create a culture where it's safe to fail. 

Encourage experimentation, normalize iteration, and frame mistakes as learning opportunities.

Treat yourself like you want your team to treat themselves.

10. Create SOPs and Systems

If you want to travel the world - build systems.

If you want to sell your business - build systems.

If you want to work 4 hours a day - build systems.

You can't truly delegate a task until it's out of your head and onto paper.

__

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Hard skills get you the job.

Soft skills get you the promotion.

7 rare soft skills you need to accelerate your career:

1. Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

The best type of intelligence. 

Hone it by:

• Practicing empathy
• Being highly self-aware
• Controlling emotions (vs them controlling you)

Intelligence is knowledge.

Emotional intelligence is wisdom.

2. Visionary Thinking

The ability to:

• Think unreasonably big
• Imagine possibilities that others don't see
• Believe in visions long enough to make them reality

Is a common trait among billionaires.

They're almost always called crazy - until they're right.

3. Resilience

Most people give up at the first sign of failure.

You'll be in the top 1% if you simply keep going.

Iterate, pivot, change strategy - sure.

But never give up.

You can't lose if you never stop playing the game.

4. Influencing and Persuasive Skills

Influencing isn't forcefully changing the other person's point of view.

It's about:

• Listening 
• Empathizing
• Making someone feel heard

And gently guiding their thoughts to your point of view.

As if they came to it all on their own.

5. Decisiveness

You'll never have 100% info when making decisions.

Fill in the gaps with frameworks.

My favorite?

One-way/two-way doors:

Can this decision be reversed (two-way) or not (one-way)?

Two-way: be decisive, fast.

One-way: slow down, make sure the choice is obvious.

6. Leadership

A person isn't born a leader - he chooses to be one.

Leadership mantras I live by:

• How you do anything is how you do everything
• Extreme ownership (never act like a victim)
• Always flatten the hierarchy

Leadership isn't a rank - it's a habit of mind.

7. Learning Agility

Learning how to learn is a superpower.

And the best way to learn is

1. By doing
2. With a purpose.

E.g. Don't just learn to code. Have a project in mind you want to build.

The more you learn, the quicker you learn.

Constant learning compounds.

—

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11 habits that will transform your life in 3 months:

1. Get Morning Sunlight

This is essential to get your body in great health.

It’s proven to:

• Release cortisol, priming your brain for focus
• Improve overall mood and emotional regulation
• Set circadian rhythm, which will help you fall asleep at night

2. Hide Your Phone

Our attention is constantly pulled in a million directions.

Notifications from our phones are the most powerful distraction.

Turn on airplane mode, set aside 4 hours, and focus on deep work.

Your output will dramatically increase.

3. Take a Cold Shower

There’s no better way to feel alert and awake than a cold shower.

Forcing yourself to get in makes the rest of your day easier.

You’ll also get: 

• A boost in metabolism
• An increase in dopamine
• Enhanced muscle recovery

4. Make Your Bed 

Start your day with a win.

Use this momentum for the rest of the day.

A 1-minute practice sets the tone for the next 12 hours.

One small action serves as the trigger for a great day.

5. Review Your Goals 

Set process goals over end goals.

Reading 10 pages a day is less intimidating than reading a 1000-page novel.

Running for 10 minutes is less intimidating than running a marathon.

Once you commit to strong daily habits, the end goal will take care of itself.

6. Upgrade Your Sleep

Your sleep defines your productivity:

• No screen 1 hour before bed 
• Stop drinking caffeine after noon
• Cut out naps and late-night snacks

7. Upgrade Your Nutrition 

You are what you eat. 

If you eat like shit, you’ll feel like shit.

• Cut out sugars 
• Cut out processed foods
• Eat easily-digestible foods (0 bloating)

8. Walk Without Technology

Our brain needs time away from constant stimulation.

Our mind needs time to:

• Rest
• Recharge
• Recalibrate ideas

Letting your mind wander is key in the idea-generation process.

9. Have To-Do’s Ready For When You Wake Up

Plan out your morning the night before.

Having a plan:

• Reduces anxiety 
• Promotes great sleep
• Gets you productive immediately the next day 

Prevents distractions from disturbing your deep work periods.

10. Walk After Meals

Walking after eating is essential to keep your performance high throughout the day.

It is proven to: 

• Aid in digestion
• Boost your metabolism
• Keep energy levels high

Just a 10-minute walk after every meal will kickstart these benefits.

11. Send a Nice Text

Human connections are the most valuable in life. 

Nice texts make someone’s day.

But they also: 

• Make you feel good
• Give you a reason to reconnect
• Allows you to disconnect from work

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I’m 35. 

I wasted years grinding 80-hour weeks, chasing the wrong opportunities, and being a toxic workaholic.

Learn from my failures. 

Here’s what I would do if I had to start over at 18:

1. Trust Is The New Currency 

In the attention economy, YOU are the product.

Your personal brand isn't just nice to have, it's essential for survival and success in the digital age.

People trust people, not logos.

2. The Future Is Founder-led

In 2024, the personal brands of leaders are critical, and the evidence is clear:

• Elon Musk: 199M followers. Tesla: 22M
• Tim Cook: 15M. Apple: 10M
• Sara Blakely: 2M. Spanx: 400K

People follow people, not faceless corporations.

3. Personal Brand = Asset

Your personal brand is the best investment you can make. It's your digital real estate in the attention economy.

Every piece of content you create compounds over time, building your empire.

Your brand works for you 24/7, even while you sleep.

4. Founder Flywheel

Here are the tools that build your Flywheel and help you become a category champion:

• Personal Brand
• Business Brand
• Community

This is the self-propelling system that generates me millions in revenue, every year.

5. Community

As more people gain value from your offerings, they tell their friends.

This creates a Referral Flood, an endless flow of customers without spending a dime on ads.

Win your audience, win your category.

To win in 2025, master the 5 pillars of the Organic Content Funnel:

• Brand System
• Compounding Content
• Audience Growth Systems
• Audience Growth Systems
• Core Team

Let’s break it down:

Brand System

Be vulnerable with your audience to build trust. Craft a story that magnetizes your ideal clients.

Your brand isn't just what you say, it's the emotion you evoke.

Compounding Content

Each piece should build on the last, creating a powerful flywheel effect. 

This isn't about viral hits; it's about consistent, valuable content that grows your authority exponentially.

Audience Growth Systems

Growing an audience isn't about luck, it's about systems.

Master one platform first, then expand. 

Focus on your 100 true fans. They're worth more than a million casual followers. 

Build genuine connections and watch your tribe grow organically.

Monetization Moments

An audience without cash flow is just a hobby. 

Build a clear value ladder: Social Media → Newsletter → Courses. 

Your content builds trust; your offers turn that into cash. 

Every piece of content should have a clear path to monetization.

Core Team

You can't build an empire alone. Hire a team of weapons so that you can focus on your zone of genius.

Weapons are A-players who believe in your vision and complement your skills.

Weapons don’t just support you, they multiply your impact.

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Mental health isn't a luxury for founders. 

It's the foundation of everything.

I once stood at the edge, ready to jump from my skyscraper apartment.

Depression, burnout, and anxiety paralyzed me completely. 

My business looked successful from the outside, but inside, I was drowning.

That day changed everything.

A fellow founder pulled me back from the ledge, not physically, but by showing me what I'd forgotten: my own potential. 

Sometimes all we need is someone who truly gets it.

What I've learned since that dark moment:

1. Systems Create Mental Space

When your business runs on systems rather than hustle, your mind gains freedom. 

Every process you document is one less decision to make. 

Every automation you build is one less burden to carry. 

True mental health begins with removing unnecessary cognitive load.

2. Community Beats Isolation 

Your journey feels unique, but the obstacles aren't. 

Surrounding yourself with other founders creates a safety net for your mind. 

They normalize the struggles, validate your challenges, and offer solutions you'd never find alone. 

My lowest points came when I isolated myself the most.

3. Success That Costs Wellbeing Isn't Success

The traditional founder story celebrates sacrifice: sleep, relationships, and health. 

This narrative is fundamentally broken. 

Real success is building something that amplifies your life rather than consuming it. 

I had to completely redefine what winning meant to me.

4. Your Calendar Reveals Your Priorities

After my breakdown, I examined how I spent time. 

What I found shocked me: zero slots for recovery, reflection, or joy. 

Your calendar should protect your mental state with the same rigor it protects client meetings. 

Block time for what matters before it becomes urgent.

5. Deep Work Trumps Busy Work

Founder burnout often comes from endless shallow tasks. 

I now protect 4 hours daily for deep, focused work on high-leverage activities. 

This structure creates momentum without exhaustion, you accomplish more while doing less.

I spent New Year's 2014 alone in my apartment. But something had shifted.

I was down, not out.

I created the system that would eventually become Founder OS - not just to build another business, but to ensure no founder faces alone what I faced.

This wasn't another productivity hack or business model. 

It became a blueprint for success without sacrifice. 

A framework that treats founder wellbeing as the foundation, not an afterthought.

The journey remains demanding, but it shouldn't cost you your mental health, relationships, freedom, or joy.

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This is The Day Everything Changed

The founder rollercoaster isn't glamorous.

One minute you're drowning in tasks, pulled in 20 different directions.

The next, a single customer message reminds you why you started this journey.

I've been mapping the emotional landscape of founders, and what I discovered shocked me.

The peaks and valleys aren't signs you're doing it wrong; they're confirmation you're on the right path.

7 truths about the founder journey that nobody prepares you for:

1. The Inner Conflict

You'll be excited about changing the world while simultaneously questioning if you're doing it all wrong. 

This tension becomes your fuel.

2. The Drowning Feeling

There will be days when you're pulled in 20 different directions. 

Your inbox feels like quicksand. 

It's part of the process.

3. The Lonely Lunch

You'll eat quick meals at your desk, watching numbers, wondering if anyone else feels as overwhelmed as you do. 

They do. 

We all do.

4. The Customer Spark

That one "thank you" message from a customer who says you changed their life makes everything worth it. 

These moments become your north star.

5. The Late Night Doubt

Still working when everyone else has gone home, you'll question everything. 

This reflection time is actually where your best systems emerge.

6. The Midnight Tension

Lying on the couch, torn between exhaustion and excitement for tomorrow. 

This is the entrepreneur's paradox: completely drained yet unable to stop.

7. The Community Revelation

The moment you connect with others who truly get it, who understand your specific challenges, everything shifts. 

Systems start replacing chaos.

I built Founder OS because I lived this journey and realized no founder should walk it alone.

The path isn't meant to be linear. 

Building in public and finding your community is the difference between burning out and breaking through.

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A Day In a Life Of a Founder

A quote I can't stop thinking about:

"The ability to focus is becoming the scarcest commodity of the 21st century." — Cal Newport

10 steps to protect your focus in 2025 (my deep work routine):

1. Eliminate Distractions

Block off 4 hours a day to be completely distraction-free.

Here's why this matters:

• Turn off your phone
• Eliminate all notifications
• 1 hour of deep work > 8 hours of shallow work

Your ability to do deep work will separate you from 99% of people.

2. Reduce Multitasking

Multitasking is a myth. 

The brain can't effectively focus on multiple things at once.

When you try to multitask, your productivity drops by 40%. 

Want to get more done in less time? Do one thing at a time, with full focus.

3. Daily Meditation

Set aside 5 minutes each morning to sit with your eyes closed. Clear your mind.

It primes you for a day of focus. The best ideas come in moments of stillness.

Think of it as strength training for your mind.

4. Train Your Brain 

Deep work is a skill that can be trained and improved over time.

Start with shorter sessions (25 minutes) and gradually increase the duration as you build your focus muscle. 

Continuous improvement > Delayed perfection.

5. Learn to Take Breaks

“Distraction is not procrastination. Distraction is a strategy in service of the work.” — Rick Rubin

Your best ideas often come when you step away. 

Slow down. Get Outside. Take a walk in the woods. 

You aren’t a machine. Don’t force deep work.

6. Connect With Nature

I spend time in nature to gain clarity, recharge, and reconnect with loved ones.

Some of my most profound insights have come during hikes in Yosemite or walks on the beach.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

7. Health > Everything

Entrepreneurs are athletes.

Get serious about:

• 7-8 hours of sleep nightly
• Daily movement and exercise
• Quality nutrition and hydration

Without peak health, you can't maintain peak focus.

8. Be Present

Focusing is a moment-to-moment choice. 

The mind wanders, but you can train it to stay.

Notice when your attention drifts. Gently bring it back. Repeat.

This simple act of redirecting your focus strengthens your focus muscle.

9. Have A Purpose

Want to jump out of bed every morning excited to work? 

Find a mission that sets your soul on fire. Something bigger than yourself.

Mine is helping 100M founders achieve their dreams.

When you have a purpose, focus follows naturally.

10. Eat Well

Entrepreneurs are intellectual athletes.

So, if you want to be at peak performance, eat well.

I fuel my deep work sessions with nutrient-dense whole foods like veggies, nuts, and lean proteins.

Avoid foods that cause crashes and brain fog.

—

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Procrastination is the worst disease of the 21st century.

9 proven systems to beat it forever:

1. Eat The Frog 

Tackle your big, hairy project early and often. 

• Builds momentum rapidly 
• Leverages your peak performance 
• Ensure you complete your high-impact, important work 

The biggest drain on your energy: Falling asleep knowing you failed to tackle a big project.

2. Ride Momentum

The biggest mistake in tackling large projects? Viewing them as a lot of work. 

Break it into small goals to hit daily: 

• Working out for 15 mins turns into 30
• Researching for 20 mins turns into 40

Just start and let momentum push you forward.

3. Time Blocking

This is extremely powerful: 

• Allocate specific blocks for focused work
• Stick to one task per time block
• No multitasking allowed

 Time set aside is time well spent.

4. The 2-Minute Rule

Small tasks can pop up during deep work.
If a task takes less than 2 minutes, do it immediately. 

Don't waste the stress of putting it on your to-do list.

5. Limit Distractions

For 4 hours every day, I:

• Turn on Do Not Disturb 
• Turn off data + WiFi on my phone 
• Log out of Twitter + social media 
• Use website blockers like Cold Turkey

Create a focused environment to control your attention.

6. Delegate Like A Pro

Ruthlessly apply the AED system to every task:

• Automate repetitive tasks
• Eliminate unnecessary ones
• Delegate what does not require your unique skills

Delegating multiplies your output.

7. The Pomodoro Technique

• Work intensely for 25 minutes
• Take a 5-minute break
• Repeat 4x, then take a longer break

This creates a rhythm of focused creation and makes any big tasks manageable.

8. Build An Accountability System

We're more likely to follow through when someone checks our progress.

• Find an accountability partner
• Schedule regular check-ins
• Report your wins and losses

Public accountability = private success.

9. Prepare The Day Before 

Preparing for the day lets you engage the day quickly. 

Before sleeping:

• Choose 1 major project 
• Brain dump 8 top-of-mind thoughts 
• Write out and prioritize 4-5 mini-tasks 

Wake up, read your notes, and immediately sprint into action.

—

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The cost of distraction is the person you could’ve become.

Here’s how to reclaim 8 hours every day with this simple deep work routine:

Your deep work time is the most sacred part of your day. 

This is when you work on needle-moving tasks. Things only you can do. 

1 hour of deep work is better than 8 hours of shallow work so guard this time with your life. 

Let me break down my exact routine:

1. Eat The Frog

Do the highest-impact work first thing in the morning.

Why?

• Leverages your peak performance 
• Builds momentum for the rest of the day 
• Ensures you complete your most important task

This is the 80/20 of any accomplished day.

2. No Multitasking

We often feel productive by juggling multiple tasks. 

However, according to Cal Newport:

“To produce at your peak level, you need to work for extended periods with full concentration on a single task."

The more things you work on, the less focus you have.

3. Turn Off Your Phone

Notifications, calls, and texts are the enemy of focus. 

Remember, your deep work hours are sacred. Don’t ruin it with needless distraction.

If you service low-leverage tasks, you sacrifice energy from higher-leverage activities.

4. Exercise Daily

Far too many founders neglect their physical well-being.

However, there are proven benefits to daily exercise, which include:

• Decreased stress
• Boosted mood
• Improved concentration

Exercise is more important than you think.

5. Get 8 Hours Of Sleep

Having a great night's sleep helps you conquer the next day.

But don’t just take my word for it, Andrew Huberman says:

“Sleep is the foundation upon which all brain functions rest.”

This simple habit is the ultimate productivity multiplier.

6. Eat Clean

Entrepreneurs are intellectual athletes.

So, if you want to be at peak performance, eat well.

I fuel my deep work sessions with nutrient-dense whole foods like veggies, nuts, and lean proteins.

Avoid foods that cause crashes and brain fog.

7. Listen To Music

Specifically, listen to brain. fm

This platform makes music specifically for deep work. It's proven to:

• Increase blood flow
• Increase the electrical currents
• Stimulate populations of neurons

In other words, you'll get more done.

8. Have Fun

The greatest hack to enjoying your deep work time is to have a mission that excites you.

If you truly believe in what you’re working on, you’ll jump out of bed every morning to get started.

When work becomes play, life becomes fun.

9. Hire An Executive Assistant

Your job as a founder is to focus on high-value tasks.

But that doesn’t mean lower-value tasks should be ignored.

Hire an EA and delegate this work to them.

This gives you the freedom to work on your zone of genius.

—

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I’m 35.

When I was young, I wasted years procrastinating and wasting my potential. 

Learn from my mistakes. 

Here are 10 habits I’ve learned that guarantee a miserable life:

1. The Yes-Man Syndrome

"No" is the most powerful word in business.

Yet most founders:

• Take on soul-crushing projects
• Sign toxic clients
• Commit to draining partnerships

Your time is finite. Treat it that way.

2. The Anti-Systems Mindset

"I'll remember how to do this" - every founder who failed.

Without documented systems:

1. Knowledge stays trapped in your head
2. Team members stay confused
3. Growth becomes impossible

Build the machine, not just the product.

3. "Sleep Is For The Weak"

Sleep isn't a luxury - it's a necessity.

Science shows lack of sleep:

• Decreases quality decision-making
• Reduces creative thinking
• Increases stress

No empire was built on burnout.

4. The Perfectionism Trap

Perfection is the enemy of profit.

I see founders:

• Sitting on products for months
• Endlessly tweaking landing pages
• Never feeling "ready" to launch

Done is always better than perfect.

5. Phone Addiction

The average person checks their phone 344 times per day.

During deep work hours, this addiction:

• Destroys focus
• Kills creativity
• Wastes peak performance time

One notification steals precious minutes of flow state.

6. Obsessing Over Vanity Metrics

The quality of your life depends on the data you track: 

• 10k engaged followers > 100k ghost followers
• $10k profit > $100k revenue
• 1 raving fan > 100 lukewarm leads

Focus on metrics that actually move the needle.

7. Ignoring Mental Health

Your mind is your most valuable asset.

Yet we normalize:

• Working through depression
• Pushing past anxiety
• Hiding our struggles

Take care of the engine that drives everything.

8. Not Setting Clear Goals

The difference between a goal and a dream? Numbers and deadlines.

Most founders set goals like: "I want to grow my business."

Yet they need to set goals like "150k MRR by March."

9. The Shiny Object Syndrome

Every new “hack” promises to 10x your business.

But switching costs are real:

• Lost momentum
• Team confusion
• Scattered focus

Don’t distract yourself with what could work from what does work.

10. The Solo Hero Complex

Most founders think they need to:

• Do everything themselves
• Be the smartest in the room
• Handle every crisis alone

Truth is:

• Great companies are built by teams
• Success requires mentorship
• Growth demands delegation

Your ego is your biggest liability.

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Most founders are secretly afraid their offer isn't worth what they know it should be.

I was on a call with a founder doing $30K/month last week. 

When I suggested she raise her $3K program price to $8K, she completely froze.

That silence told me everything.

It wasn't about her offer. It was about her confidence.

This pricing paralysis is the invisible ceiling keeping most founders trapped in high-effort, low-margin businesses.

Here's the systemized approach I've used to help hundreds of founders 3-5X their prices:

1. The 10-20% Value Rule 

Calculate the annual value of solving your client's problem, then charge 10-20% of that number. 

If your solution helps clients make/save $100K annually, your price should be $10-20K minimum. 

Anything less is leaving money on the table.

2. The 50% Increment Test 

Raise your prices by 50% for new clients. 

Have 10 sales calls at this new price. 

If your close rate stays above 30%, raise again. 

Keep testing until you find resistance.

3. The "Think About It" Signal 

When everyone immediately says yes to your price, you're too cheap. 

The sweet spot? 

When some prospects need to "think about it" - that's when you know you've hit the right range.

4. Client Quality Filter 

Higher prices naturally filter for better clients who implement fully, respect boundaries, and achieve better results. 

Low prices attract clients who will drain your energy and challenge every aspect of delivery.

5. Confidence Compounds 

Each time you successfully deliver at a higher price point, your conviction grows stronger. 

This compounds over time, creating an upward spiral of value and results.

The founders I work with don't just make more money when they fix their pricing - they transform how they show up in their business.

They deliver better results. They attract better clients. They create more freedom.

This simple system has helped hundreds of founders escape the underpricing trap.

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The Truth About Pricing Your High-Ticket Offer

I spent 3 years working 16-hour days and almost broke myself.

Now I work 4 hours daily and my companies generate $13M annually.

The difference isn't more effort. 

It's systems.

Your hustle got you to $20K per month, but it won't get you to $100K. 

I learned this lesson the hard way so you don't have to.

Here's what transformed everything for me:

1. Content Creation Systems

The right systems turn strangers into buyers automatically. 

Not through endless hustling, but through systematized content that works while you sleep.

2. Team Operating Systems

Most founders stay trapped because they can't remove themselves from operations. 

Systems let you build teams that operate beautifully without your constant involvement.

3. Offer Scaling Systems

Breaking free from the 1:1 model requires systematic approaches to scale what you offer. 

This is how you create exponential rather than linear growth.

4. Consistency Over Hustle

Money loves systems, but wealth loves consistency. 

The entrepreneurs who build real wealth aren't working 80-hour weeks – they're consistently applying systems that compound over time.

5. Freedom Through Design

Poverty loves hustle. It keeps you spinning your wheels. 

True freedom comes through intentionally designed systems that eliminate the need for constant grinding.

Stop building your business like it's 1995. 

The old approach of outworking everyone else is the slowest path to growth.

Your freedom is literally one system away.

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