The Truth Behind The Success with Author, Speaker, Trainer, Futurist & New York Times Best Selling Author Joel Comm on Episode #0120

Intro [0:00]

EA Interviews Episode 120. Inspiration, transformation, success stories, and the Imperfect Action Round seven days a week. Join Mario Fachini for today’s Expert Authority Effect Interview. 

Mario Fachini [0:13]

Have you wanted to have a successful business? Maybe write a book? Maybe you want to speak to an audience? How would you like to predict the future? I am super excited to have Joel Comm here on today’s episode. Because he not only is an author, a speaker, CEO of InfoMedia. But he’s also a futurist. And he has a lot of great insights he’s going to be sharing with us not just on how to be successful and then start off. But to grow it and also how to get beyond that and how to see down the road. So I’m going to bring them up right after we thank our sponsor. 

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Mario Fachini [1:02]

Joel, it’s great to have you. How are you doing today? 

Joel Comm [1:06]

I’m doing great, Mario. Good to see you. 

Mario Fachini [1:08]

Good to see you. I got to ask you, what made you want to get into business? Why did you even start your company in the first place? 

Joel Comm [1:18]

You know, I just always have these ideas and things that I want to try. And I started working when I was 14 years old. I got a work permit at high school to work at the mall food court. And I enjoyed making a living or earning money for my efforts. In fact, it was those efforts that allowed me to buy my first computer in 1980. But I think I realized very early on as a young adult that I was unemployable. I have too many ideas of my own. I wanted to be my own boss. And every time I was working for somebody else invariably, it just didn’t quite work out for the long term. In fact, I’ve been fired from a couple jobs because of, usually, personality clashes. And so now I am proudly unemployable. I haven’t had to have a job in – oh, gosh – two-and-a-half decades. And I can’t imagine what that would be like for me to be hired by somebody else to make a living. 

Mario Fachini [2:19]

So you sound a lot like me. You do a lot better job running the company than working for it, right?

Joel Comm [2:26]

Yeah. Well, I don’t even know if I do a good job running a company. I never really considered myself a savvy businessman. I’m an entrepreneur but I need to surround myself with people who are business savvy to be able to accomplish many of the things that I’ve done. 

Mario Fachini [2:42]

Let’s talk about the books in the speaking. Because if someone’s meeting you for the first time – I know how impressive you are. And I’ve known about you for years. And you didn’t just redo some books and do some business. You’ve done it in a very, very big way. Was there anything that was really a catalyst to go, “You know, I started off and then I really grew it here.” You said surround yourself with people. Was there any point that really was a turning point for you that you can consciously remember? 

Joel Comm [3:15]

I think I’ve had multiple turning points in my career. It’s like you hit a plateau and then you’re there for a while and things get better, sometimes things get worse. And you discover new ideas, new things you want to try. As an entrepreneur, I see myself like a guy with a pail and a shovel looking for a sandbox to play in. There’s these new ideas and I’m not stuck in one particular niche. I’m always thinking about what else interests me, what else crosses my path that I might want to play with. And so over the years that’s included building sites, selling sites, affiliate marketing, internet marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing, mobile app development, software development, blogging, podcasting, video, live video, speaking, writing books. In all of those have stemmed from what’s interesting to me right now. What do I want to try and experiment with and see where it goes? And so I can’t remember what the question was, but that’s the answer. 

Mario Fachini [4:18]

Well, you definitely have a wide background on how you’ve been able to help people. I was asking, was there a turning point for just in connecting with people or an event that happened? Because I think everyone starts a business and they think it’s going to just magically happen overnight. And there’s few people who have started and grown it and then done it in a massive way where, I guess the word, is scaled. 

Joel Comm [4:45]

You know, what’s really interesting is that a lot of people set out to do something and they pursue that thing. But oftentimes, they’re talking about it before they’ve accomplished something. I have my own little Joel laboratory. I play with things. And by my own curiosity and fascination, I take a risk. And sometimes – and I say sometimes because it doesn’t always work – but sometimes it works. And when it does, invariably people come to me and say, “How did you do that?” And that’s when I’ll write a book or I’ll start teaching or speaking on it. It’s always the curiosity and the experimentation come first. And this is a pattern that’s been repeated again and again throughout my internet career. And a lot of times, it’s taken me by surprise. I think very early on the first one that really took me by surprise was in 1996, because I had had my website for about a year. I’d have one of the first 18,000 websites in the world back in 1995. And in 1996, I got an email from a gentleman who I didn’t know representing a Japanese multimedia conglomerate that I’d never heard of, let alone, was unable to pronounce. I can now though. It’s [inaudible [00:06:03]. And they wanted to license content I had created. So I didn’t set out to create a content site that would then be licensed. I just wanted to create the content and see if I could build a website. So that was a turning point because I signed one of the first licensing deals online that provided an income. I’ve always been into games and computer games and video games. And my webmaster in 1997 discovered a programmer at University of California, San Diego. He was a grad student and had developed the foundations for one of the web’s first multiplayer game rooms. He had this room where you could play Chess and Checkers, and Hearts and Spades against other people in real time. He had a few of his friends beta testing it. Ad my webmaster said, “Hey, go check out this guy’s doing”. I didn’t expect it. I didn’t go looking for it. But when I saw it, I thought, “This is fascinating. This is the future.” And so I proceeded to solicit him and say, “Hey, what would you think of us working together? You keep coding. I’ll rebrand and do the marketing. We’ll build this thing together.” And a year later, we were acquired by Yahoo. And it became what then was known as Yahoo Games. Again, I didn’t see it coming. But because I was open to opportunity, and willing to take some risks, divert from whatever it was that I was doing at the moment. That’s always where the payoff has been. And that story repeats itself again and again throughout my career. 

Mario Fachini [7:36]

So what I’m hearing and what I know to be true is you’re taking advantage of what you have in the moment and using it for something that may or may not exist down the road. And that’s where I was talking about the futurist, because you’ve always been sharing not just the cutting edge but ahead of the cutting edge. So what would you say is one of the biggest success stories you can talk about that you’ve been able to give a client because of having that, let’s say, foresight. 

Joel Comm [8:07]

Well, actually I don’t deal with individual clients. I speak to large audiences and share my story and seek to inspire them to be curious and take risks and trust the process. But I don’t actually coach one-on-one with people because coaching is almost like being employed. Because, now, all of a sudden your boss is whoever that client is. And I really enjoy the freedom of creating my own thing, putting it out there, and then letting people engage with it however they want. Now, over the years, I’ve heard from a lot of people that content has inspired them. And that it has given them their first idea for their business or that they learned a monetization strategy from my AdSense book. Or how to grow their social following from my Twitter books. And so those testimonials I have. But I haven’t helped somebody else – 

Mario Fachini [9:05]

Is there a single one – and I didn’t necessarily mean working with them one-on-one. But I know you’ve inspired literally hundreds of thousands of people and you have a large audience. One of those stories that – is there a story that sticks out where someone reached out to you going, “I was here. Your content helped me get to -” 

Joel Comm [9:26]

Oh, gosh. I’ve had so many people tell me how much money they’ve made, especially during the era of Google Ads. And some people write me and tell me they made millions of dollars with their content sites from following what I was teaching. But one of my favorite stories is actually a gentleman who I met at a conference probably ten years ago. And he was a college athlete moving into professional. And he was also a little bit of an expert on LinkedIn at the time. This was a really early in the LinkedIn era. And I said, “You know, you’re sharing some really good tips. How about we do a webinar and share you and your tips with my audience?” And he said, “Oh, I’ve never done one of those before.” And so we did it And he sold a product at the end. And all of a sudden, he was making thousands of dollars. And he was like, “Wow. This really works.” Well, that person is Lewis Howes. And you know, today Lewis has surpassed me in terms of his reach. His School of Greatness podcast gets millions of viewers. And he keynotes and speaks all over the world. And has been on national TV and inspires people. And It was all just from this one moment of saying, “You know, you’ve got something of value to bring here. Would you please come speak to my audience about it?” Now, if it wasn’t me, it would have been somebody else. I was the fortunate one that I got to participate in that. But Lewis is a force to be reckoned with all his own. But I love stories like that because it means I get to participate and play along in somebody else’s journey. 

Mario Fachini [11:08]

Is there a favorite book you’ve written? Because I know that you have 15. Now, is there a favorite one that stands out? 

Joel Comm [11:15]

Yeah. My most recent one, it’s called The Fun Formula. The subtitle is, How curiosity, risk, taking, and serendipity can revolutionize how you work. And the reason that’s my favorite is because it’s the most of me in a book. Basically, I reverse engineered my successes and my failures. And during my career, I’ve had what I would call seven or eight home runs right out of the park, really super successful. And dozens and dozens of failures or moderate successes. Things that might not have worked at all. And there is a mentality today that if you want to succeed that you need to hustle and grind. That you need to get up early, stay up late, be working weekends. And if you really want it, this is what you’re going to do. And what I discovered from my successes and failures is when I was doing this hustle and grind thing that was where it was the most likelihood that I would not succeed. It was when I was being curious, taking risks, and allowing time to do its thing, that I had the greatest success. So all of the home runs I’ve had actually came with the least amount of effort. So the Fun Formula, while not a mathematical formula, you kind of have to determine what your fun formula is in your life and fill in those variables is something that I’ve seen that works almost universally for people. Because a lot of the peers that I have in my life that are in the book, I’ve witnessed them doing the same thing. 

Mario Fachini [12:49]

Would you say that there’s different ways in life to be successful and money is just one of them? 

Joel Comm [12:57]

Oh, yeah. And money is probably the worst measure of success. There’s a lot of criminals out there that have a lot of money. There’s people who have gotten lots of money unethically. There’s people that are not contributing to society in a positive way but have earned lots of money. So money comes and money goes. I have made millions. I have lost millions. And I have discovered that money does not bring happiness. It pays the bills and it can afford you a lifestyle. But how much is enough? I’ve had the big house. I don’t live in a big house anymore. I’m much more content in a reasonably sized apartment. I don’t have a fancy car. I drive a Ford Mustang. Yeah, it’s a sports car but it costs less than an SUV. How many electronics do I need in my house? There’s always more stuff to buy. But the more you have, the more you have to keep up with. And the more you have so-called friends that start showing up in your life and it gets harder to trust people. So being wealthy is the least accurate measurement of success. 

Mario Fachini [14:12]

What would you say is the best measurement? 

Joel Comm [14:16]

I would say the relationships in your life. Are you are you living right? Are you car paying the DMs? Are you seizing the day and taking the opportunities to be with and help the people that you love and that matter to you? Are you bringing value to the world? Are you enjoying experiences that you can cross off your bucket list? Nobody gets to their deathbed and goes, “Okay. My biggest regret is I didn’t make more money.” That doesn’t happen. At least not for sane people. 

Mario Fachini [14:54]

What’s on Joel Comm bucket list? What’s one thing you still want to accomplish? 

Joel Comm [15:00]

Business wise, I think I would like to speak in an arena with about 25,000 people. And it’s not because the sound of my voice or because I want to be super popular, it’s because I had a vision. About 25 years ago, I was at a Zig Ziglar conference. He is my mentor and hero and role model in business and in many ways in life. And of course, he’s passed. Now, his son is carrying on the tradition at the Ziglar Corp., Tom. He’s a great guy. But I remember Zig inspiring me. And I had at this conference of his not a visual vision that I could actually see. But in my mind’s eye, I saw myself in an arena – a huge arena speaking in front of a massive audience. And I thought, “Well, that might happen one day.” And so I would kind of like for that to happen. Others than that, I just enjoy traveling the world and seeing new places and dispensing whatever value I can bring to the people wherever I go. And so there’s places on my bucket list. You know, I never been to Japan. I [inaudible [00:16:15] passed through the Tokyo Airport. And that’s the place I’d love to see. I’ve not yet been to China. I want to go and see China. But I’m really fortunate because I do get to go to a lot of interesting places and have experiences. And I think that’s what makes life worth living. 

Mario Fachini [16:31]

I would have to agree the experiences are – it’s one thing to watch it, it’s another thing to read it. We’re both authors and I’m all about the books and writing. But it’s something else when you can experience it in real life and share it with people through the relationship. So I like what you’re saying with the experiences and the relationships. Because I don’t know about you, but I think doing a lot of that stuff on your own is kind of it’s better than sitting in an office but it’s a lot more fun with a group of true friends. 

Joel Comm [17:02]

I think so too. There’s some people that are introverts. You know, they like traveling by themselves and maybe they’ll meet people on the way. I’m more of an extrovert. And I enjoy going and doing. And I do quite a bit of that. You and I saw each other not too long before this interview at a summit – vid summit in Los Angeles. I’m home for a week then I’m off to Las Vegas for a blockchain conference. Then I’m home for another week and then I’m off to an event in Europe. So coming home is like my check in touch home base, recoup, maybe shake a cold or something. Because I think I shook the wrong hand in Los Angeles and I’ve been sneezing this week. So you got to take good care of yourself as well so that you have the stamina to be able to go out on the road and do this. But I think I have the most fun when I’m out experiencing the world. 

Mario Fachini [17:56]

And that’s a good point about the health because you can have everything in the world, whether it’s money, travel, this, that, the other thing. But if you don’t have your health, that’s the only thing you want. 

Joel Comm [18:04]

Yeah. Yeah. That’s so true. And my heart goes out to people that are dealing with disease or conditions that keep them from doing many things they want to do. And I think when that happens, you find unique ways to find meaning in life. Not that are any less important. Because I think those trials really shape us and form us. And eventually, we’re all going to die. One time I was as young as you are and it seems like yesterday. But I’m 55 now and the time goes by really quickly. So we’re here for a blip. And hopefully we live well, and love well, make a difference, and have impact.

Mario Fachini [18:50]

Well, you’re definitely making an impact and changing lives. And I know you’ve done it with video, you’ve done it with speaking, and the books. Out of those three, what has been your favorite way? 

Joel Comm [19:01]

Oh, I love speaking I think more than anything. I think that God gifts everybody with a unique talent and a skill and ability and personality. And there’s something that he gave me which I can’t take credit for. And that’s the ability to communicate, to get on a stage and captivate a room, tell a story, and teach. And so when I get on stage, it’s like walking into my living room. But my living room is full of people that are looking to learn something from what I have to say. And so I hope to inspire them, first. Because I don’t think that people remember what you tell them unless you give them a sense that you can do something with this. And then I love to teach and give information and share knowledge. And I love to do it in a way that reflects my personality. You know, entertain people and just be my goofy 12 year old self. Because that’s what I feel like on the inside. 

Mario Fachini [20:00]

Well, you are a lot of fun hanging out with in person. And you definitely carry over in the video. Because you’re real about it. I mean, you could be as hifalutin as you want, if you want to call it that. Or you could go on stage and then disappear and everything. But you’ve always been nice. And I [inaudible [00:20:18]. 

Joel Comm [20:19]

Well, I could spot fake a mile away. And I see it all the time. I see it on social media. I’ve shared stage with people that I think to myself, “This is so phony. Why are you doing this?” This can’t be rewarding. You know, what you see is what you get. I’m going to be the same person on stage and off stage. And I don’t think I’m any better than anybody else. I just have a different mission and different gifts and different experiences. But I think a lot of people, they don’t get past that point in these obstacles in their mind of understanding that they have a unique value to bring. And if they’ll step out and take a risk and do that thing that they’re scared of doing. And believe me, I’ve been scared of a whole lot of things that I’ve done. That’s where the magic is at. It’s not in blending in. It’s not in trying to be like everybody else. And it’s definitely not in trying to impress people. I’ll typically wear t-shirts on stage because that’s what I’m comfortable in. I’m in jeans. And occasionally, I’ll put a jacket on. But I’m not going to dress up for a group of people just because they expect that. Because to me, that doesn’t feel real. And I’ve got to be true to myself. 

Mario Fachini [21:42]

If there’s someone listening right now that wants to get into speaking, what would you say is one of the most rewarding reasons as to why to go for it? 

Joel Comm [21:52]

Well, I think that when somebody comes up to you afterwards and they want to meet you and shake your hand and tell you what something you said meant to them, how you inspired them. There’s nothing like that because that is instant impact. It’s documented. It’s proven. “Hey, I said something that made a difference in your life. And because of what I said you’re going to go and do this thing now. Wow, what a great chain reaction.” And who knows where that goes from there. That person goes and does that thing. And they inspire somebody else who goes and does whatever their thing is. I think if we could see how the dots actually connect our lineage, as you might look at it that way. Our family tree of those that we inspire in how far that can go. I think we’d be blown away. My friend Ken McArthur wrote a book called Impact. And he’s actually finalizing production now on a motion picture of that name. And the premise of it is that we make a difference, whether we want to or not, whether through our intentional action or inaction. We make a difference. Everything we do can impact others positively and negatively. And so while I don’t always succeed at it, because I am very human and very flawed and fallible, I try to do what I can to make a difference in people’s lives. Because I’ve been given much and I want to pour that out. I mean, why do I need to keep it all for myself? 

Mario Fachini [23:40]

I love that. You definitely are. One of the things I always look for before I invite anyone on the show is, obviously, the successful people can learn and you have the fruit on the tree but the heart. Because like you said – and I’m going to ask you after because I’m a little curious. But I’ve also been on stage with people where it’s like, “Why are they here?” And you can just tell. 

Joel Comm [24:03]

Well, I know why they’re there. Usually they’re there to sell something. There’s a reason sales people get a bad rep. Authentic sales people do wonderfully well. But I’ve been to events where people are trying to put out a dog and pony and put one over on the audience. And then you talk to them after and their demeanor is different. It’s like it really is a show for them. And you know, I once heard from somebody probably about ten years ago when I was early in my speaking career. So it’s been my 14 years. Somebody said that the performers, the speakers that are most conflicted in their real life are the ones that aren’t being authentic in their public exposure. They’re one person on stage and another person off. And maybe this is one reason why it can be really confusing for somebody who’s an actor, right? Because you’re always playing somebody else. Now, that’s your job and I get it. But you can see how there could be this disjointedness because you’re getting into this role that isn’t you. But then you’re going and living the rest of your life. And guess what, at the end of the day, we all got to go home and brush our teeth. And if we’ve got kids or a significant other, tend to them and in their needs. And it’s not all about us. And unfortunately, there’s a lot of people that really just make it all aboutthem. 

Mario Fachini [25:31]

That’s very well said. I want to ask you about your books. Because you obviously have 15 of them and I’m sure you got stories for each and every one. But I want to ask you because I know there’s someone listening, how the heck do you get the New York Times Best Seller? 

Joel Comm [25:49]

Yeah.Well, these days a lot of people buy their way on. And by buy their way on, I don’t mean that they pay off the New York Times. I’m not suggesting that happens. Who knows if it could. But they find ways to buy books in bulk through various channels to register a New York Times list. That is not what I did back in 2006. I released the AdSense Code. What Google never told you about making money with AdSense. And I got a lot of my peers on board who were impressed with the content that I’ve been sharing to promote the book. And we just sold a lot of books. And to this day, I still don’t know how it happened. But here’s the thing about New York Times list, it’s not a real list. It is they handpick what they want to put on that list. There’s books out there that have sold enough to qualify to be on the list that they intentionally neglect because they don’t care for the content of the book or they don’t care for the author. So it’s really interesting that the so-called paper of record, it has the most respected list. But I don’t think they should. I think that the ones that track actual sales, Wall Street Journal, USA Today should be the list that we pay more attention to in terms of how people are responding to materials that are put out there. 

Mario Fachini [27:14]

Do you know what the guidelines are now as far as – because I know part of it has to do with how many you’re selling? And also, just like with Amazon, it’s how many you’re selling in so much time? Do you have any idea what the numbers are for today? 

Joel Comm [27:30]

I don’t. I really don’t. After I had a New York Times Best Seller, I stopped thinking about I have another one. Because I look at it this way, once you’re in New York Times Best Seller, you’re always in New York Times Best Seller. And if they were to say two-time New York Times Best Seller, does it really make a difference in perception? And so I just want to create the content that I want to create and put it out there. I’m out of touch with what the numbers might be today. But I don’t pay much attention to it. 

Mario Fachini [28:04]

Well, I appreciate the honesty. And I’d rather, you know, people lead with the content. Because I know you believe that to be true also, not just for books but with/for video – whatever – with video because what I’m hearing is you’re producing top notch content ever since forever. And that’s what’s been the catalyst for a lot of us, if not all. 

Joel Comm [28:28]

Yeah. I think so. I think it’s sharing what I’ve learned. You know, I didn’t set out to write a book on Google AdSense. I set out to monetize my websites. And you got to remember I was there early. I wrote the first dot com wave. I saw the crazy money that was coming in from 1998 to 2000. I was there when the bubble burst and that money dried up. And I watched friends who had businesses go out of business. I laid off everybody but myself. In around 2003 I’m starting to experiment with new ways to make money. And I discovered Google AdSense. And I cracked the code on it. I figured it out before Google even had tutorials on here’s the best way to make money with it. And because I started making $500 a day in passive income, I had friends that were coming to me asking me how I did that. And I taught them and they saw results. And somebody said to me, “You should write an eBook.” And I thought, “Huh. Okay.” And so I wrote an eBook. And it was 66 pages. We sold it for $77. And it blew up overnight. You know, I figured if over the life of the book I was to make $10,000 from selling a PDF, that would be fantastic. I made that the first week. And then I wrote a second edition that was even bigger. And we’re talking six figures in eBooks which led to courses. And in it led to speaking. And it led to taking that book and turning it into a traditionally published book, which then became a New York Times Best Seller. I didn’t plan any of that. I just dispensed knowledge through the channels that I discovered and people responded. And I think that is really a key to success is, bring value to people. And if what you’re doing is truly valuable, then you’ll be rewarded for it. If it isn’t, then do something else. 

Mario Fachini [30:21]

That is a great Expert Authority insight because there’s a lot of people, not just sales people but they might not be in sales, but there’s a difference from servant’s heart and add value focused to I’m just kind of here. Reward me because I’m here. 

Joel Comm [30:38]

Right. Yeah. Well, that can last for a short time but not for the long term. And I hope the reputation I’ve built is one that gives back. But you know, I’m just a guy, right? We’re all just people. We’re all just doing the best we can. And I like to spotlight my failures as much as my successes. The times that I’ve invested a lot of money and a lot of time and a lot of effort and it bombed. Because you learn so much more from failures and from successes. The reward of success is going, “Hey, that worked. Here’s the money. Congratulations. People’s lives are being touched and transformed or whatever.” Failure is a teacher for you. It shows you what you’re doing wrong. Or here’s another way to not do something. Let’s try something else. That’s where we learn. 

Mario Fachini [31:32]

Yeah. I think it was Bill Gates, if I’m not mistaken, one of my favorite quotes, “Success is a horrible teacher. It seduces men into thinking they can’t lose.” 

Joel Comm [31:41]

Very true. 

Mario Fachini [31:44]

What is one of your biggest failures that you learned the most from?

Joel Comm [31:49]

Well, it’s funny because what comes to my mind are personal failures. But I’m going to keep it to business. Just I’m going to have to explore why that came to mind. But from a business perspective, back in 2009, I had in the midst of some really big things happening. We had a number one iPhone app. I had done the world’s – hosted and produced the world’s first competitive internet reality show. And had some successful products. And in the midst of that, funded a mobile marketing platform, which was one of the first of its kind that would basically act like a constant contact or get response but for your cell phone. And it just it never went anywhere. People weren’t buying it. I couldn’t find partnerships. I couldn’t get capital. I couldn’t even sell the software to another company. But I paid for it for years. And when you’re working with cell carriers, you have monthly fees in order to maintain the numbers that you have. And I was paying several thousand dollars a month. And I think it was in 2012. And this thing had just been such a waste of time and energy. And we’re talking a solid six figures investment. And I thought, this hurts but I have to pull the plug on it. And I thought that when I did that, I would really feel the pain. Like, it’s done. I flushed down all this money down the tubes all the time. I failed. But something really remarkable happened when I pulled the plug, Mario. Instead, I had this burden on my shoulders, the weight was lifted. And it was like I was free. And that’s when I realized something truly profound for myself. And hopefully for others. I stopped failing the moment I stopped paying for it. And I was able to move on. And people are telling you not to hold on, hold on to things, hold on to the past. And if you look at holding on, you’ve got closed fists. But when you let go and release, now you’re open, your hands are open. And that means that more opportunity can come your way and you could be free of whatever was burdening you. So I’ve learned to fail fast. 

Mario Fachini [34:02]

It’s a great tip in itself. It’s reminded me of the mental imagery of hanging onto a rope and it’s just going through your hands. It’s going to hurt. You’re going to eventually be bleeding. But the second he let go, like you’re saying, you’re totally fine with it. 

Joel Comm [34:17]

And you plummet to your demise. No. 

Mario Fachini [34:20]

Well, it depends what you’re hanging over. But that with standing on the ground. But it’s a great tip because so many people hang on. Do you find that a lot of entrepreneurs and the highly successful people, they’re ambitious – if they haven’t done personal work, they’re ambitious to a fault where they don’t want to let go and they don’t want to give in or give up. Like, they don’t want that failure on them or they have the attitude of, “I’ll do whatever it takes.” And they just hang on way past. 

Joel Comm [34:53]

Yeah. I think that that definitely happens. And people take their failures very much to heart. They take the business very personally. It’s almost like they see themselves as an extension of their business. And that’s what you do in the value bring is just another part of you. And so they’ve gotten in reverse. A lot of people find their value and how successful they are in business, how much money they’ve made, how much fame they have, how popular they are. And none of those things are accurate measurements of who you are as a human being or of how happy you’re going to be in your life. They’re just not. And you think we’ve learned by now. But everybody’s got to learn the hard way. And I know I have. And I’m still learning. I haven’t got it all figured out. This is a journey. And a lot of times, that journey can just get more confusing. And the moment you’ve figured out something, guess what? There’s something else looming. It’s like an onion. And just under that layer is another layer. And I don’t think we stop learning until our life is over. 

Mario Fachini [36:03]

More great insight. One last question before we thank our sponsor. And it deals with video. For someone that doesn’t want to go on video or doesn’t understand it or doesn’t whatever, why would you say it’s so important to be on video for your business? 

Joel Comm [36:19]

Well, I think it’s important. I think video and even live videos, you know, one of the best ways to communicate your message to your audience. Especially in this era of social media and popcorn entertainment, we want everything to be quick and easy in the microwave and digestible. And video is just what people are consuming. You know, we were raised on TV. And now we’ve got a zillion different choices for consuming video on demand. And it just makes it easy. But if it’s not your jam, then don’t do it. Don’t do it just because somebody said, “Well, you should be doing it.” Don’t ever let anybody should on you. You’ve got to figure out what works for you. Are you comfortable on camera, then consider making video. Are you more comfortable writing, then maybe do blogging or doing books. Are you comfortable speaking on stage, then maybe get out there and speak. But there’s not a one size fits all. That’s why anytime somebody says you should be doing this, you should be on Twitter, you should be on LinkedIn. No. That’s not necessarily true. You’ve got to find out what social sites you like, how you like creating content if you like creating content. You just might like engaging with other people’s content. Be true to yourself. And that’s where you’re going to find the heart of your greatest success. 

Mario Fachini [37:41]

Very insightful. And I’m going to add one more in because we’re talking about the content. And I want some insight people to know about your show. For the podcast version, podcast is another great way to get your message out there if it’s not on video or writing. Why do you want to start the Bad Crypto podcast? And also, why do you take so much time and thoughtfulness into the future? And to be and stay on that cutting edge? Some of the stuff you’ve shared, like where a VR is going, and where the internet and technology is going, and 5G, and different things. Why do you put a priority on that? And do you think everyone should? Or do you think that people should just stay in their lane and just keep hammering it out? Because not everyone talks about the future the way you do. 

Joel Comm [38:37]

Well, stay in your lane, I don’t even know what that means. I didn’t know there were lanes. I mean, there might be on the road to keep everybody safe. But we’re born into this world. We can’t choose our parents. We can’t choose where we’re born. The politics of where we’re born. And we’re born free people, essentially. But from the moment we’re born, there’s these rules and these regulations. And depending where you’re born, they can be super harsh. Or you know, if you’re born in America, you could have a lot of liberty and freedom. And there’s other countries around the world that have that as well. But you don’t get to choose that. But you can choose what you do with it. And staying in the lane, there are no lanes. There is no box. There is no spoon. So do what you’re inspired to do as long as you’re not hurting anybody else. That’s kind of my approach. As far as why I am a futurist, it’s because I like to play with the toys. I like trying things. I see the bright shiny object and I go, “Oh, VR. I want to get one of those.” And so I’m one of the first to have an Oculus. Not because I’m thinking, “I’m going to get this. I’m going to master it. And then I’m going to make a lot of money teaching other people.” Now, it’s never that. It’s always, “I’m interested in this.” And so because of who I am, my bent has been to look at the newest technologies and kind of get there first. And if you’re going to get there first, it means the odds of you cracking the code and having something to teach are really good. Again, that’s not by design. That’s just who I am. And for anybody who’s like that, then go get them. But that might not be you. You might not be a pioneer. You might not be even an early adopter. You might be in the mainstream, you know, waiting to make sure that this is something that is really going to hit before you get involved in that technology. And that’s fine because your talents and your gifts lie elsewhere. What was the first part of the question- oh, the podcast. So this is another instance of me not planning anything. In early 2017, I became fascinated with Bitcoin and cryptocurrency and digital money and in the lights went on. And I thought, “Oh my gosh. I’m seeing the future. And I want to learn about it. And I want to talk about it.” And so I began having discussions with my friend, Travis Wright, who’s a leading marketing technologist. And a few months into our discussions which seemed to occur almost daily, he sent me a message and he said, “When are we going to start the Joel and TW crypto show?” Well, both of us have backgrounds as DJs and broadcasters and content creators. And the moment he said that, I lit up like a 500 watt light bulb. I said, “I’m going to call you.” Two days later, we launched the first episode of the show where we invited people on this journey with us. And here we are two-and-a-half years later, over 8 million downloads, heard in 190 countries around the world. And the Bad Crypto podcast is one of the top podcasts on this topic. Again, I never saw it coming. But now that I’m here, I’m having a great time. 

Mario Fachini [41:42]

Well, I appreciate you for the insights with that too. Because I like how you – you’re going to like the next part. It’s the Imperfect Action Round. We’re going to thank our sponsor. But you demonstrate that all the time when you’re saying, “Two days later, we launched it,” it was not planned or anything. I’m thinking of people right now that, again, they don’t want to admit defeat or everything’s got to be perfect. And I would say, as an entrepreneur, you have to have some assemblance of let’s just go for it. Maybe it’s not 100{d1d47f886dfada3fbec120c845cf21cbf2de07a46032aee93c7c36510b4a5e81} but it can’t be zero. 

Joel Comm [42:15]

Well, you can’t be so vested in the outcome that you’re paralyzed from trying anything. Nothing I do is ever perfect when I started. It’s way imperfect. I mean, I do the best I can but I don’t not do something. Because somebody else would say, “Well, that’s not ready.” Put it out there. See what the response is. See what the engagement is. You have to try things. You have to take risks. So failure doesn’t bother me anymore. People can point to stuff that I’ve done that didn’t work. “Wow. You really screwed that up.” And my response would be, “Yeah, I did.” Okay. I can own that. That is not a reflection of my value as a human being. And neither are your failures in a reflection of your value make you less significant or less loved in any way. That just not accurate measurements. It’s just a thing. 

Mario Fachini [43:09]

Well, I appreciate the reminder personally and sharing it with Expert Authority World. We’re going to thank our sponsor and we’re going to come back for the Imperfect Action Round. 

SPONSOR Business Book Checklist [43:16]

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Mario Fachini [43:32]

All right. We are back with the Imperfect Action Round. Joel, are you ready to take imperfect action? 

Joel Comm [43:38]

Let’s do it. 

Mario Fachini [43:39]

First question, 60 second rapid fire. What’s the fastest path to the cash? 

Joel Comm [43:45]

Go to an event and ask people what they need. You’re going to find somebody that has a problem that you can solve. 

Mario Fachini [43:53]

Excellent. Number two, what is the problem you see your prospects making and the fastest way they can fix it? 

Joel Comm [44:00]

They’re looking for the fastest path to cash. And they think that just putting together some product and because somebody else has sold products online is going to be the answer. But they’re not considering where they really bring the most value. 

Mario Fachini [44:14]

Number three, what is the best way to maximize customer lifetime value? 

Joel Comm [44:20]

It’s always value. It costs a lot less to keep an existing customer than to acquire a new one. So your customers, your fans, your followers, that is your most valuable asset. 

Mario Fachini [44:36]

All right. What is a book that you could recommend that’s made the biggest difference in your life on top of the one you already did? 

Joel Comm [44:44]

Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend. It’s not a business book. It is a life book. And it’s what I recommend everybody read. 

Mario Fachini [44:51]

Excellent. And that’s why I do my best to remember and not say business because people have recommended other books outside of business. And we do have pretty personal lives. Just for someone that is working all the time, don’t forget that. 

Joel Comm [45:04]

Personal is more important than business. And who you are in business, if that’s what determines who you are personally, boy, you’re upside down. Who you are and your character, that should flow into your business. So if you work on yourself first, self-actualize to the best of your ability. That’s going to impact your business, what you create, and your customers. 

Mario Fachini [45:28]

Someone smarter than me said this, but I heard that, we have no business problems. They’re all personal problems that get carried over into business. 

Joel Comm [45:36]

Yeah. I agree with that. It wasn’t me because I don’t think I’m smarter than you. So – 

Mario Fachini [45:42]

All right. Where can people learn more? 

Joel Comm [45:46]

JoelComm.com. And yes, that’s my real name given by my parents. It’s like dot com with two M’s. You could find me on social media @joelcomm everywhere. And if the world of cryptocurrency and Bitcoin sounds interesting, it’s because it’s going to become very disruptive in your life whether you know it or not. So go listen to the Bad Crypto podcast found everywhere that podcasts are available. 

Mario Fachini [46:11]

Excellent. Joel, it’s been an absolute pleasure. Thank you for sharing with Expert Authority World. 

Joel Comm [46:16]

You bet. Thanks, Mario. 

Mario Fachini [46:18]

All right. Expert Authority World, we got another great episode. I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a great day. And God bless. 

SPONSOR Business Book Checklist [46:24]

Why every business needs a book including yours? Would you like to save five plus hours with every prospect, generate more leads, and profit in your business now? Visit BusinessBookChecklist.com and learn how you can implement this in your business today. 

www.EAInterviews.com [46:38]

Hey, thanks for listening to today’s episode. I hope you got a lot out of it. I know I sure did. If you haven’t done so already, I invite you to subscribe to the show. And also be sure to check out EAInterviews.com for complete show notes, the full interview video experience, links to the resources we mentioned, and more. Have a blessed day and I’ll see you tomorrow.