In This Episode of Business Lunch, we unpack why the real power in AI isn’t the model itself—but the protocols wrapped around it. Even advanced AI systems still get things wrong 15–20% of the time, which makes unchecked automation a serious business risk. The winners aren’t chasing smarter models; they’re building structured decision systems that catch errors, manage leverage, and define when humans step in.

We explore how companies use tools like RAG and multi-layer “triple-check” frameworks to dramatically reduce AI error rates, why stabilizing decision-making must come before accelerating it, and how operating leverage—done right—can either amplify profits or protect downside. The big takeaway: well-designed AI protocols are becoming a new form of intellectual property, increasing predictability, transferability, and valuation by creating true founder-independent businesses.

In short, the future advantage isn’t faster AI—it’s better thinking systems.

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Resources:

• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook

• Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

In This Episode of Business Lunch, join Ryan Deiss and I in this enlightening episode of Business Lunch, where they delve into the often overlooked yet crucial topic of accounting and finance. We discuss how entrepreneurial optimism can clash with the harsh realities of financial reporting. Learn how to navigate these challenges and foster a productive relationship with your CFO to ensure your company's financial health.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Entrepreneurial Optimism vs. Financial Realism

01:36 – Why Accounting Reporting Shapes Company Culture

02:37 – Switching from Cash to Accrual Accounting

03:17 – When Financial Reports Become Depressing

05:41 – Fixing the Reporting Process

08:29 – Avoiding Obstacles: A Common Entrepreneurial Pitfall

09:54 – Support Your Team… or Change It

12:19 – Leadership’s Role in Financial Clarity

17:34 – Preparing for Exit & Upgrading the Finance Team

20:17 – Why Accounting Method Changes Can Distort Profit

27:03 – Restructuring Contracts to Fix Revenue Recognition

31:54 – Challenging Accounting Assumptions

37:15 – The Importance of Cash Flow Over Profit

40:54 – Don’t Let Accounting Wag the Dog

43:10 – Final Thoughts & Outro

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Resources:

• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook

• Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

Mentioned in this episode:

Build Your CEO Dashboard

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CEO Dashboard

In this episode of Business Lunch, we walk you through the ins and outs of managing business finances. We explain the potential pitfalls of keeping more than a month's worth of operating expenses in the account. We explain how that can lead to complacency and unnecessary spending. We also explain how business can cover unexpected events and tricky payroll situations, like those pesky months with three payroll cycles or prepaying for holidays. We go beyond the glamor of being an entrepreneur to the real details behind the scenes.

Highlights:

"We're very big on lifestyle and freedom and all those kinds of things. But it's also important to acknowledge that it's not a perfect situation very often."

"There are times when things are absolutely amazing. And there's times when things could frankly be a hell of a lot better. And I think that's called life. I think that's called entrepreneurship"

"If we're buying a business, I hate the agreement part. I love negotiation and strategy. But when it comes to reading a 75-page document, I just absolutely can't stand it."

Timestamps:

00:00 - Operating Account Insight

01:15 - Personal Calendar Reflection

02:15 - Acknowledging Imperfections

03:15 - Loving Strategy but Hating Legal Work

06:52 - The Reality of Entrepreneurship

07:39 - Cyclicality in Business

08:54 - Handling Excess Profit

10:20 - Minimum Operating Reserve

10:37 - Importance of Operational Cash

10:44 - Prepaying Payroll Challenges

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• Instagram: Check out my Instagram Here
• Facebook: Check out my Facebook Here
• LinkedIn: Check out my LinkedIn Here
• Subscribe to my YouTube 👉 Here

Resources:

• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook

• Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

Mentioned in this episode:

Build Your CEO Dashboard

Get one report every week of the key metrics you need to know with the CEO Dashboard!

CEO Dashboard

In this episode of Business Lunch, we dive into extreme leverage—how solo founders are building multi-million dollar businesses with basically zero headcount. We break down the playbook: finding expensive problems, validating demand before writing code, and letting AI handle the execution. We also cover the risks, the new KPIs that matter, and the vision of one founder running a portfolio of micro businesses on a single AI-driven back office.

Chapters

00:00 Building a Billion Dollar AI Company Alone

13:18 Leveraging AI for Business Solutions

13:45 Redefining Roles in the Age of AI

Special Announcement

After 5 years of teaching entrepreneurs how to build, buy, and sell companies, I'm retiring all Epic courses and educational content permanently.

This isn't because they didn't work, thousands have built real wealth with these frameworks, but because AI, capital markets, and collaboration have changed the game. I'm shifting from teaching deals to doing deals. Want access to everything before it disappears forever?

This is your last chance to grab 5 years of proven frameworks, strategies, and training materials before they're gone for good. See the full story and whats going into the vault here: Go to the vault

Connect with me on social:

• TikTok: Check out my TikTok Here
• Instagram: Check out my Instagram Here
• Facebook: Check out my Facebook Here
• LinkedIn: Check out my LinkedIn Here
• Subscribe to my YouTube 👉 Here

RESOURCES:

• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook

• Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

Mentioned in this episode:

The Vault

Special Announcement After 5 years of teaching entrepreneurs how to build, buy, and sell companies, I'm retiring all Epic courses and educational content permanently. This isn't because they didn't work, thousands have built real wealth with these frameworks, but because AI, capital markets, and collaboration have changed the game. I'm shifting from teaching deals to doing deals. Want access to everything before it disappears forever? This is your last chance to grab 5 years of proven frameworks, strategies, and training materials before they're gone for good. See the full story and whats going into the vault here: Go to the vault

Retirement Vault

In this episode of Business Lunch, we dive into the critical 90 to 100-day period following a private equity acquisition, emphasizing the need for rapid, auditable value creation. It outlines a strategic framework for CFOs, detailing tactical moves to achieve immediate financial impact while integrating lean thinking principles to eliminate waste and enhance operational efficiency. The discussion also highlights the importance of human behavior in executing these strategies effectively.

Chapters

00:00 The Critical 90-Day Sprint

10:05 Strategic Framework for CFOs

18:37 Tactical Moves for Immediate Impact

Special Announcement

After 5 years of teaching entrepreneurs how to build, buy, and sell companies, I'm retiring all Epic courses and educational content permanently.

This isn't because they didn't work, thousands have built real wealth with these frameworks, but because AI, capital markets, and collaboration have changed the game. I'm shifting from teaching deals to doing deals. Want access to everything before it disappears forever?

This is your last chance to grab 5 years of proven frameworks, strategies, and training materials before they're gone for good. See the full story and whats going into the vault here: Go to the vault

Connect with me on social:

• TikTok: Check out my TikTok Here
• Instagram: Check out my Instagram Here
• Facebook: Check out my Facebook Here
• LinkedIn: Check out my LinkedIn Here
• Subscribe to my YouTube 👉 Here

RESOURCES:

• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook

• Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

Mentioned in this episode:

The Vault

Special Announcement After 5 years of teaching entrepreneurs how to build, buy, and sell companies, I'm retiring all Epic courses and educational content permanently. This isn't because they didn't work, thousands have built real wealth with these frameworks, but because AI, capital markets, and collaboration have changed the game. I'm shifting from teaching deals to doing deals. Want access to everything before it disappears forever? This is your last chance to grab 5 years of proven frameworks, strategies, and training materials before they're gone for good. See the full story and whats going into the vault.

Retirement Vault

In this episode of Business Lunch, Roland Frasier and Ryan Deiss discuss the evolving landscape of the customer journey, emphasizing the importance of trust in modern marketing. They explore how traditional stages of the buying process are being replaced by a more fluid approach, where trust becomes the key driver of transactions. Through case studies and examples, they highlight the significance of identity trust, authenticity, and the role of founders as trust agents in building strong connections with consumers. The conversation also touches on the challenges and strategies for effectively engaging audiences in both B2B and B2C contexts.

Chapters

00:00 The Death of the Traditional Customer Journey

02:51 The Role of Trust in Modern Marketing

06:09 Case Studies: Successful and Controversial Campaigns

09:05 Identity Trust: Connecting with Consumers

11:57 The Power of Authenticity in Advertising

14:56 Building Trust in B2B vs B2C

17:59 Actionable Strategies for Trust Building

20:47 The Importance of Founders as Trust Agents

Special Announcement

After 5 years of teaching entrepreneurs how to build, buy, and sell companies, I'm retiring all Epic courses and educational content permanently.

This isn't because they didn't work, thousands have built real wealth with these frameworks, but because AI, capital markets, and collaboration have changed the game. I'm shifting from teaching deals to doing deals. Want access to everything before it disappears forever?

This is your last chance to grab 5 years of proven frameworks, strategies, and training materials before they're gone for good. See the full story and whats going into the vault here: Go to the vault

Connect with me on social:

• TikTok: Check out my TikTok Here
• Instagram: Check out my Instagram Here
• Facebook: Check out my Facebook Here
• LinkedIn: Check out my LinkedIn Here
• Subscribe to my YouTube 👉 Here

RESOURCES:

• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook

• Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

In this episode of Business Lunch, Roland Frasier and Ryan Deiss discuss the recent transition from Epic Network to a more focused approach with the Scalable Company. They explore the challenges of running a business that has taken on a life of its own, the importance of making changes when a business no longer serves its founders, and the evolving landscape of course creation in the age of AI. The conversation emphasizes the need for entrepreneurs to take action, embrace change, and focus on what truly brings them joy in their business endeavors.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Context of Change

03:02 The Evolution of Epic Network

05:58 The Decision to Pivot: Why Change is Necessary

08:53 Understanding Business Ownership and Personal Happiness

11:48 The Importance of Knowing What to Exit To

14:56 The Future of Course and Information Businesses

21:05 Lessons Learned from the Epic Network Experience

30:35 The Reality of Course Consumption

33:10 Reflections on 2020 and Business Decisions

36:07 Navigating Change and Decision-Making

40:06 What Would Need to Be True?

43:12 Future Plans and New Directions

46:24 Final Thoughts and Messages to the Community

Special Announcement

After 5 years of teaching entrepreneurs how to build, buy, and sell companies, I'm retiring all Epic courses and educational content permanently.

This isn't because they didn't work, thousands have built real wealth with these frameworks, but because AI, capital markets, and collaboration have changed the game. I'm shifting from teaching deals to doing deals. Want access to everything before it disappears forever?

This is your last chance to grab 5 years of proven frameworks, strategies, and training materials before they're gone for good. See the full story and whats going into the vault here: Go to the vault

Connect with me on social:

• TikTok: Check out my TikTok Here
• Instagram: Check out my Instagram Here
• Facebook: Check out my Facebook Here
• LinkedIn: Check out my LinkedIn Here
• Subscribe to my YouTube 👉 Here

RESOURCES:

• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook

• Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

In this episode of the Business Lunch Podcast: We discuss the recent SEC lawsuit against Tai Lopez and the implications of his business model involving the acquisition of defunct retail brands. We analyze the challenges faced by the business, including operational complexities, funding issues, and the importance of having a strong leadership team. We also delve into strategies for revitalizing brands and the lessons learned from this case, emphasizing the need for careful investment and operational planning.

Takeaways

• The importance of testing business models before full commitment.
• Operational complexity requires a strong team with relevant experience.
• Raising capital should be done with a clear plan for deployment.
• Brand recognition does not guarantee brand equity.
• Investors should evaluate the management team's experience and track record.
• Avoid getting caught up in hype when considering investments.
• Successful brand revitalization requires strategic marketing and operational support.
• Understanding consumer preferences is crucial for brand success.
• Invest in what you know and understand to minimize risk.
• Be cautious about raising outside capital and its implications.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Book Launches

03:06 Tai Lopez SEC Lawsuit Discussion

06:04 Business Model Analysis of Acquired Brands

08:54 Operational Challenges and Funding Issues

12:03 Strategic Recommendations for Brand Revitalization

15:08 Lessons Learned from Investment Failures

18:10 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Special Announcement

After 5 years of teaching entrepreneurs how to build, buy, and sell companies, I'm retiring all Epic courses and educational content permanently.

This isn't because they didn't work, thousands have built real wealth with these frameworks, but because AI, capital markets, and collaboration have changed the game. I'm shifting from teaching deals to doing deals. Want access to everything before it disappears forever?

This is your last chance to grab 5 years of proven frameworks, strategies, and training materials before they're gone for good. See the full story and whats going into the vault here: Go to the vault

Connect with me on social:

• TikTok: Check out my TikTok Here
• Instagram: Check out my Instagram Here
• Facebook: Check out my Facebook Here
• LinkedIn: Check out my LinkedIn Here
• Subscribe to my YouTube 👉 Here

RESOURCES:

• 7 Steps to Scalable workbook

• Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

Mentioned in this episode:

The Vault

Special Announcement After 5 years of teaching entrepreneurs how to build, buy, and sell companies, I'm retiring all Epic courses and educational content permanently. This isn't because they didn't work,...