Episode Summary:

In part two of this powerful series, Ryan and Brook dive deep into three more legendary comeback stories that will reframe how you think about crisis and failure. From FedEx CEO Fred Smith's desperate Vegas gamble with the company's last $5,000, to LEGO's $800 million debt recovery, to Airbnb's stunning pivot during COVID-19, these stories prove that your biggest setbacks might actually be your greatest opportunities for breakthrough success.

Key Takeaways:

• (03:49) The FedEx Vegas story: How a $27,000 blackjack win saved a company and led to $69.7 billion in annual revenue - it's not about the action, it's about taking action when your back's against the wall
• (13:10) LEGO's $300 million loss reality check: Why 12,000 different product elements nearly killed the brand and how radical simplification saved everything
• (20:14) The danger of "just because we can, doesn't mean we should" - why going deep instead of wide creates unstoppable market dominance
• (28:49) Airbnb's 80% revenue drop pivot: How losing everything in 8 weeks led to the largest IPO of 2020 at $86 billion valuation
• (38:43) "Change your offer, change your life" - the fundamental business truth that separates those who survive from those who thrive

Notable Quotes:

• "We cannot live out a mission if we're playing comfortable." - Brook Bishop (17:04)
• "Just because we can, doesn't mean we should. The path to hell is paved through the pursuit of volume." - Ryan Lang (15:33)
• "I'm not ready to say that this doesn't work. There's just a different way that I need to find to do it." - Ryan Lang (36:12)
• "What would you do if you knew that there was no failure? That you couldn't fail?" - Ryan Lang (41:22)

Resources Mentioned:

• The Seven Triggers of a Crisis framework
• Nibll.com- COVID pivot success story

What's the impossible thing you're facing right now? Stop reacting to your crisis and start using it as the catalyst for your breakthrough.

Ask yourself: What's your one thing? How would you show up if failure wasn't an option?

These stories prove that on the other side of your biggest challenge lies your greatest opportunity - but only if you're willing to make the hard pivot.

Connect with Empire Partners: Ready to turn your setback into your comeback? Subscribe to The Coaching Equation Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with a coach who needs to hear that their current crisis might be their biggest opportunity for success.

Episode 59: From Bankruptcy to Billions: The Business Comeback Stories Every Business Owner Needs to Hear - Part 1

Episode Summary: In this powerful two-part series, Ryan and Brook dive deep into the mindset required to overcome seemingly impossible business challenges. Through the lens of Apple's 90-day death sentence in 1997 and Tesla's Christmas Eve miracle in 2008, they explore what separates those who survive crisis from those who quit. This isn't motivational fluff—these are real stories of companies closer to death than most entrepreneurs will ever face, and the lessons that can transform how you approach your own "impossible" moments.

Key Takeaways:

• (09:50) The power of seeking reference points: Why Ryan actively hunts for stories of people who overcame worse challenges than what he's currently facing
• (12:09) Brook's "one, two, three, too many" strategy: How to organize overwhelming thoughts on paper and prevent decision paralysis in crisis moments
• (14:41) Apple's 90-day cash crisis: How Steve Jobs turned to his biggest rival Microsoft for $150 million and used breathing room to cut 70% of inventory
• (26:53) Elon's $40 million Christmas Eve gamble: The moment Tesla was two days from bounced payroll and Musk bet his entire PayPal fortune on the company
• (34:28) The gladiator mindset: Why less than 1% of businesses survive 10 years and what it takes to be in that elite group

Notable Quotes:

• "We're either learning or we're growing, right? And like you and I have been very good at turning quickly to go, okay, what story and language are we giving this shit?" - Brook (04:49)
• "One of my strategies around keeping my head screwed on straight when I have a challenge is I go seeking out as many examples and reference points of people who have overcome something way fucking worse than what I'm dealing with right now." - Ryan (09:17)
• "Picture this: You're Steve Jobs, and you've just returned to the company you co-founded only to discover that it's pretty much a walking corpse." - Ryan (14:10)
• "Business is a sport for gladiators. And it's like, we're not saying that like metaphorically, like straight up." - Brook (34:28)

Resources Mentioned:

• Elon Musk SpaceX interview clip: "I don't ever give up. I'd have to be dead or incapacitated"

What's your "impossible" right now? Instead of focusing on why it can't be done, start seeking out reference points of people who overcame something way worse. Remember: every time you decide not to pack it in, every time you get up off the mat one more time, you're stacking credibility with yourself and building the identity of someone who figures it out. Part 2 drops next week with even more incredible comeback stories that will change how you see challenge forever.

Connect with Empire Partners: This is just Part 1 of an epic two-part series. Subscribe now so you don't miss Part 2, where Ryan and Brook share the most insane comeback stories you've never heard. Leave a review and share this with a coach who needs to hear that their current challenge isn't the end of their story—it might just be the plot twist.

Episode Title: The 3 Scariest Questions in Sales That Close 75-80% of Deals

Episode Summary: Ryan Lang and Brook Bishop reveal the three most feared questions in sales that most people avoid—yet these same questions are what separate top closers from everyone else. Learn the permission-based sales framework that builds trust, creates energetic momentum, and allows you to coach prospects to a "yes" rather than pushing them toward a decision. This isn't about manipulation; it's about serving at the highest level.

Key Takeaways:

• (04:05) The coaching frame that gives you permission to ask hard questions: "Does a good coach tell you what you need to hear or what you want to hear?"
• (13:36) The bridge question that transitions from discovery to solution: "If I could show you a way to remedy this today, would you be interested?"
• (27:34) The tie-down close that creates certainty before your offer: "Do you see why so many people get incredible results by leveraging our systems?"
• (19:00) Why identity shifts are crucial in sales—people hold onto stories as neural pathways that must be disrupted through vocalization(
• (31:47) The neuroscience of opening and closing loops in sales conversations to create natural momentum toward a decision
• (35:23) How to build an energetic crescendo that leads prospects to say "this is exactly what I need" instead of feeling pressured

Notable Quotes:

• "We will always do the activities of who we truly believe we are. If you believe you're lazy, guess what? Here you go." - Brook Bishop (19:00)
• "People don't buy because they like you. They buy because they think you understand them." - Ryan Lang (Referenced)
• "Being heard means being held. I cannot tell you how many people on the planet have never had somebody hold space for them." - Brook Bishop (16:16)
• "Don't assume that they want what you have. You must qualify and you've got to get them to vocalize it." - Brook Bishop (21:17)
• "When you do this the right way, you can literally coach people to a yes." - Brook Bishop (38:59)

Resources Mentioned:

• Empire Partners 7-Step Sales Framework - empirepartners.net/script

Stop avoiding these three questions and start implementing them in your sales process. Download the complete 7-step sales framework at empirepartners.net/script—it's 100% free and contains the exact system Ryan and Brook use to close 75-80% of their prospects. Practice these questions this week and watch how they transform your sales conversations from pushy to powerful.

Connect with Empire Partners: Ready to master sales conversations that feel authentic and get results? Subscribe to The Coaching Equation Podcast and grab the free sales script framework. Your prospects are waiting for someone who knows how to ask the right questions—make sure it's you.

Episode 56: Want vs Need: The Freedom Formula Every Coach Must Master

Episode Summary:

In this transformative episode, hosts Ryan Lang and Brook Bishop explore the critical difference between optimizing for want versus need, revealing how this mindset shift is the key to true entrepreneurial freedom. They challenge coaches to examine where they're still building their own prisons by focusing on scarcity instead of abundance, and share the uncomfortable truth about what you must let go of to get what you actually want.

Key Takeaways:

• (02:48) The paradigm shift from looking in the rearview mirror to dreaming big like when you were a kid
• (10:06) Want equates to freedom while need equates to constraint - understanding this fundamental difference transforms your approach to goals
• (22:35) The massive cost of apologizing for what you want and how it leads to inevitable self-sabotage
• (25:16) The power of vision boards and getting clear on what you want without timeline constraints
• (35:23) The uncomfortable truth: getting what you want has more to do with what you let go of than what you do
• (38:59) Three critical questions to audit where you're optimizing for scarcity instead of abundance

Notable Quotes:

• "When we're optimizing based on need, I believe we just build ourselves another prison. Because literally a focus on need is an immediate no to what you want." (10:06)
• "There is a massive cost for apologizing for what you want. Because every time you do it, you tell yourself that you're wrong." (22:35)
• "Getting what I want has way more to do with what I'm not gonna do, with what I'm gonna let go of, with what I'm gonna say no to." (35:23)
• "Why am I not worthy of wanting something that big? Because I'm the one who's deciding that." (33:35)

Resources Mentioned:

• Dan Sullivan's "want vs. need" framework from Strategic Coach - Strategic Coach
• Ed Mylett's lifestyle and business approach - The Ed Mylett Show
• Sarah Blakely's (Spanx founder) childhood story about failure conditioning - Spanx
• Heritage Profile personality assessment (formerly at Buffini and Company)
• John Assaraf's vision board story from The Secret documentary - The Secret
• Tony Robbins' wealth-building principles and paradigm work - Tony Robbins

Do the Work:

Ready to stop optimizing for scarcity and start claiming your freedom? Grab a pen and work through the three audit questions from this episode: Where are you optimizing for need instead of want? What becomes possible when you stop apologizing for what you want? What do you need to let go of to get what you actually want?

Connect with Empire Partners:

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with a coach who's ready to break free from the employee mindset and build a business based on abundance, not scarcity.

Episode 55: Stop Existing and Start Living: The 700,000 Hour Audit for High-Performers

Episode Summary:

In this powerful episode, hosts Ryan Lang and Brook Bishop dive deep into Ed Mylett's concept of "quality time remaining" and challenge high-performers to audit whether they're truly living with intention or just going through the motions. Discover four critical questions to assess your life, identify the silent killers stealing your time, and learn how to shift from surviving to thriving as both a person and a profitable coach.

Key Takeaways:

• (02:39) Where are your best hours actually going? The shocking reality of screen time vs. intentional living
• (10:18) Who elevates you versus drains you? Auditing relationships and environments that fuel or deplete your energy
• (16:37) Legacy impact: Are you building something meaningful or just maintaining the status quo?
• (25:39) Achievement versus satisfaction: The science of achievement coupled with the art of fulfillment
• (32:37) Silent killer #1: Hanging out too much in the comfort zone where "good enough" becomes the enemy of greatness
• (35:50) Silent killer #2: Being a people pleaser and living reactively to others' priorities instead of your own vision
• (39:07) Silent killer #3: "When then" syndrome - the someday mentality that kills more dreams than fear

Notable Quotes:

• "We will always do the activities of who we truly believe we are. If you believe you're lazy, guess what? Here you go." (06:55)
• "The ultimate failure is achievement without fulfillment." (26:46)
• "We cannot live out a mission if we're playing comfortable." (17:04)
• "When you do hard shit, you feel amazing. When you don't, you feel depressed." (22:25)

Resources Mentioned:

• Ed Mylet's concept of "quality time remaining" - The Ed Mylett Show Podcast
• Chad Cooper's book: Time Isn't the Problem: Four Strategies to Transform Stress Into Success and the Rule of 168
• Tony Robbins' framework: The science of achievement vs. the art of fulfillment
• Cell phone screen time audit exercise (03:06)

Call to Action:

Ready to stop existing and start truly living? Grab a pen and work through the four audit questions from this episode. Then ask yourself: what's one hard thing you can do today to break out of your comfort zone? Your future self is counting on the decisions you make right now.

Connect with Empire Partners:

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with a coach who's ready to build a profitable, mission-driven business without sacrificing their values.

[00:02] Welcome to the Show Ryan and Brook welcome Michael Hunter, founder of Spiffy Checkouts, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, marketing, and building scalable businesses.

[01:01] The Accidental Marketing Journey Michael started as an entrepreneur at 17 with commission-only sales, got hooked on Tony Robbins, realized speaking was the highest-paid profession, but knew he needed marketing skills first. Spent 13-14 years learning by getting paid to do marketing for others.

[03:39] Why Commission-Only Sales at 17 "Ruined" Him The summer between high school and college, Michael chose Cutco kitchen knives over $15/hour catering work. Became a raving fanatic for a product he believed in, learned consultative selling vs. sleazy tactics. Brook reveals this as one of his top recruiting centers for trained salespeople.

[08:40] The Miserable Three-Year Grind Failed business partnerships, working alone, constantly losing deals to ex-Infusionsoft employees who had credibility but weren't even good at the software. The breaking point that led to a strategic career move.

[11:13] The 45-Degree Angle Strategy Michael took a pay cut to join Infusionsoft for 16 months, not as a direct path but as strategic positioning. "Sometimes the scenic route is actually the fastest path." Left when it got political, returned to agency work with instant credibility boost.

[14:10] Moving in 45-Degree Angles Explained Not direct line from A to B, but strategic sidesteps that accelerate long-term progress. Like taking the Infusionsoft job - wasn't direct alignment but helped reach end goals faster.

[16:43] From Agency Work to Spiffy Checkouts In the trenches building funnels, websites, copy, ads - knew every tool and limitation. Started custom coding Infusionsoft order forms for big-name clients at $2,500 per checkout page. Realized the opportunity to scale this solution.

[19:30] The Agency Hell Reality Check High-stress clients, crossed boundaries, vacations interrupted by launches. "Can't raise families doing this." Identified 20 software ideas, narrowed to 3, chose Spiffy based on highest opportunity, lowest risk to execute.

[20:19] You're Competing Against Netflix, Not Other Coaches Mobile optimization isn't just mobile-ready, it's optimized for mobile experience. Your competition isn't direct competitors - it's the user experience set by billion-dollar companies like Netflix and Facebook.

[22:29] The Irresistible Offer Foundation Before checkout optimization comes offer optimization. No amount of funnel hacking can fix a broken offer. Must have irresistible offer first, then optimize the experience.

[23:16] What Makes an Irresistible Offer People know what's in their product but fail to explain the benefit of getting that result. Your product is a bridge from point A to point B - stop selling the bridge features, start selling the destination.

[25:41] The Four Forces Framework Effort required, speed to value, certainty of result, and urgency. Cost-to-value contrast: charge 1/3 to 1/10 of perceived value. Example: "5-day workshop" vs "5-hour workshop" completely changed conversion rates.

[28:03] The Xanax vs Meditation Example Effort required, speed to value, certainty, urgency - Xanax wins on all four forces even though meditation is better long-term. How can you make your solution more immediate without compromising quality?

[30:54] Marketing the Long-Term Solution Address symptoms first, guide to core problems. Restaurant owner thinks he needs marketing (symptom) but really needs systems (core problem). Meet them where their awareness is, then elevate their thinking.

[35:59] What Separates Successful Personal Brands Don't copy what big names do NOW - that's not how they got started. Michael logged into Brendan Burchard's simple systems and was shocked. Fo

The Coaching Equation Podcast - Fast Five Friday: Growth, Optimization & Leadership Transformation

**[00:00] **Welcome Back: Growth and Expansion Focus Ryan sets the stage for a power-packed Fast Five Friday centered on the driving force behind both personal and professional transformation—growth never stops demanding your attention.

**[01:15] **Greatness Never Goes on Sale The truth bomb: there's no "arrival moment" where everything gets easier. It's a constant battle, and that's actually comforting. Rory Vaden's wisdom: "Success is never owned, it's rented, and the rent is due every day." Stop waiting for the Memorial Day sale on excellence.

**[04:30] **What Are You Optimizing For? The obsession-worthy question that changes everything. Ryan's revelation with his wife: they'd been optimizing for goals that no longer served them. Better to fail at the new standard that serves your current self than succeed at the old standard serving yesterday's version of you.

**[08:45] **Lewis Carroll's Identity Truth Bomb "It's no use to go back to yesterday because I was a different person then." We're evolving daily at a cellular level—personalities, goals, desires, everything. Stop living in the rearview mirror and beating yourself up for past decisions. You're either going forward or backward, never stagnant.

**[12:20] **Your Clients Have All The Answers The week's revelation: no one seems to be asking their customers anything. Four to five business questions answered this week with "go ask your people." Survey for results, satisfaction levels, current problems. Test hooks and titles on your list. The answers you're desperately seeking are right in front of you.

**[15:45] **Elite Practitioner to Transformational Leader The biggest shift coaches must make as business owners—and the one very few ever make. It's not about chasing marketing tactics; it's about identity transformation. Focus on "who" first, then "what." Even if you're leading a business of one, this shift changes everything.

**[18:30] **Vail Event: A Dream Come True Next Thursday in the Garden of Eden (Vail, Colorado in summer). Ryan's childhood connection to this magical place meets his mission to help coaches make the practitioner-to-leader shift. Limited spaces, application required at quantumempire.io/event.

Connect with Empire Partners: quantumempire.io/event

[01:05] From Division I Volleyball to Leadership Mastery Whitney's earliest leadership lessons came from coaches and teammates—discovering that transformation of the person, not just driving outcomes, is what makes leadership truly powerful and fulfilling.

[03:26] Why "Squeezing the Juice" Always Backfires The single point of failure trap: when leaders micromanage for outcomes, they can't scale. Plus the hidden costs of the "churn and burn" mentality with VAs and team members.

[05:57] The Metrics That Matter for Leadership Retention rates, engagement surveys, internal promotions, and productivity—plus the Gallup bombshell: 70% of employee engagement traces directly to their relationship with their direct leader.

[09:12] The True Cost of Burning Through VAs Why "Google Doc and hope for the best" wastes more time than proper training. The game-changing question: "How do you like to learn things?" tailors your approach and builds lasting team members.

[12:24] Ruthless Prioritization Under Fire When your business feels like chaos, Whitney's barometer: "If prioritization isn't hard, you're not really doing it." Choose quality over quantity, even when the house is on fire.

[15:39] The Courageous Leader Roadmap: Step 1 Define Your Leadership Identity—create 5-7 leadership commitments that guide your decisions. Whitney's examples: "People First Always" and "Assume Best Intent" for navigating conflict.

[19:19] Whitney's Leadership Commitments in Action Address the person before the employee. Stay curious instead of reactive. How defining your leadership identity becomes the ultimate form of accountability.

[23:42] Who Do You Want to Be as a Leader? The reflection framework: Know your strengths and weaknesses, learn from your best and worst leaders, and answer the legacy question—what do you want people to say about your leadership 10 years from now?

[28:26] Step 2: Connect to Inspire Connection isn't "soft"—it's strategic. Avoid the "franager" trap (friend + manager) while showing genuine interest beyond surface-level rapport. Leadership is done WITH people, not TO people.

[35:24] Step 3: Activate Your Power Zone Your mental state is a choice, not chance. Leaders have a responsibility to show up optimally because there are "eyes on you"—your team mirrors how you handle pressure and adversity.

[39:25] The Leadership Reality Check "If you don't want to serve the people you're leading... please don't be a people leader." Why doing it for money, title, or career mobility without genuine care for people's growth always fails.

[43:25] Step 4: Execute with Resilience Turn struggle into strength through the adversity reframe process. Separate emotion from problem-solving while still processing feelings. You stand behind your people in the spotlight, but in front of them under fire.

[47:22] Step 5: Fearless Communication Not being the loudest person or "live tweeting your inner monologue"—that's reckless. True fearless communication is speaking in spite of fear, having difficult conversations swiftly, and contributing your perspective even when uncomfortable.

[51:38] The Ripple Effect of Great Leadership When teams watch you execute with resilience and view adversity as opportunity, organizational problems disappear. Personal responsibility becomes contagious, and performance dips become rare.

[54:01] Skills vs. Self-Development Technical skills hit a ceiling—true leadership comes from developing yourself. Whitney's final mic drop: focus on internal development, not just external skills, to break through growth barriers.

Connect with Whitney: www.whitneyfaires.com