August 31, 2023 • 18 mins
Want to hear a compelling story about hustle, ingenuity, setbacks and ultimate triumph? Meet Brandon T. Adams: two-time Emmy Award winner, inventor, and investor. Starting off selling ice in small-town Iowa, Brandon's journey is a lesson in grit and determination. Buckle up as we discuss his invention of the Arctic Stick, how he leveraged the power of crowdfunding, and the importance of storytelling and video production in his rise to success. Discover how he transitioned his skills into the realm of video, launching his popular show, Ambitious Adventures.
Moving beyond just his personal journey, Brandon talks about the power of a strong team. Tune in to learn how he built and trusted his dream team to manage multiple businesses and projects. Listen to his stories as he emphasizes the critical factor of wisely using time, and how his biggest setbacks became his most triumphant victories. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, an investor, or just someone who loves a good success story, this episode is brimming with invaluable insights. Join us as we chat with Brandon T Adams about buying back your time, and how you can do it too.
Until next time... Follow on Instagram @buytimepodcast
Follow Jacob K. Mead on all the socials @jacobkmead
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everybody, this is Jacob K Mead and this is the
Buy Time Podcast, where wediscuss everything there is to
know about buying back your time.
Be sure to like and follow andshare with somebody who needs to
buy back their time.
Enjoy today's episode.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to another episode of the Buy Time Podcast.
My name is Jacob K Mead and wehave today's guest, Brandon T
Adams.
Now, Brandon is a two-time EmmyAward winner, inventor and
investor.
Brandon, before we get started,thank you so much for coming on
the show.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
I am glad to be here with you.
I love just gonna go into thestory of my background, but also
just power of buying time.
But thank you for having mehere Just honored.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Absolutely.
Buying time is so important.
So before we get started, tellme a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Okay, so let's go back.
I'm from Iowa, originally bornand raised in Northeast Iowa,
Garnabillo have you heard ofGarnabillo, by the way?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I haven't where's it at, where's it located, so it's
right by kind of the MississippiRiver.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
It's three and a half hours here from Des Moines I'm
actually going there after thisand a town of 700 people and I
grew up in the ice business somy dad sold packaged ice for a
living and I always say as soonas I was born I literally like
got on my mom's womb and I'mdelivering ice my dad threw me
right into it.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Selling ice Selling ice.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And so that was where I learned early on sales,
customer relationships and evenmanual labor, like we were
throwing bags down in the truck.
I remember as a kid I wasdragging a 20 pound bag at like
four years old, and so that wasthe beginning of my career.
And then what kind of led me towhat I do today is one day when
I was about 19 years old 20, Iwas driving down the road.
(01:38):
I drove a stick shift, a bigtruck, and I wanted to cool my
bottle of beverage.
It got warm quick and I couldhave put ice cubes in.
That's time consuming.
I wanted a new way, and that'swhere I had this idea what if I
created a product that could fitinside it?
But also I was going to collegeat the time, so I'm like, how
can I make strings?
But I'll call in and all thatstuff.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Of course it's college.
I know You're not figuring thatout.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
And so what I did is I invented a product called
Artic Stick and took it tomarket, spent over $100,000 in
product development, tooling andeverything.
I launched it.
I never really made any moneywith the product, but what
happened is it led me tocrowdfunding.
So, like I was pitching groups,I was going to different events
.
I went to Sharkton.
Casting call got shut down, andso I learned how to use
(02:25):
crowdfunding to raise money formy endeavor.
But then I saw there wasopportunity in the market to
help other people raise money.
So this is back in 2014.
2014, 15, I started reallyunderstanding how to help people
raise money.
I was building my brain at thetime, so podcast show ended up
doing a book, all thesedifferent things.
And so the biggest thing peopleasked me is what's the key
(02:48):
component to raising money?
What leads to what I do today?
The biggest component to it istelling a powerful story, but
doing it through the videoassets.
So we created a short video,say, hey, here's what we're
doing, here's how you getinvolved and here's how you can
give us money.
So powerful by you?
Yeah, it is, and so did somebig campaigns raised millions of
dollars.
(03:09):
But I got more obsessed with thevideo production side.
I started filming all over.
I had people following mearound and then I started doing
like modeling gigs, acting gigsand all this stuff.
And then where my firstopportunity came in TV
production is a guy came to meand he said, hey, if you help me
raise money for this pilot,I'll make you my co-host.
Done.
I raised him the money.
(03:30):
We did the first show, seasonone of, called in Bish's
Adventures Travel in the Country, interview in Entrepreneurs.
We launched it on Prime, welaunched it on Facebook watch
back when it first became athing and even on the
entrepreneur network.
And that was my beginning andso fast forward.
That was my first show.
I've done money documentaries,we've won Emmys and everything
else, but it led me to using mytalents in storytelling and
(03:53):
video production to do a coupleof things.
One help people tell theirstory.
Two now I invest in advisingcompanies and use my talents
with video to help scalecompanies.
Long story short started in theice business to an inventor, to
doing video production and nowan investor and advisor.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Using your time to help other people now.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Exactly, I love it my time, my resources and energy.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Absolutely.
It's not something that happensovernight.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
So when you were A decade, one full decade we got
there.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
So tell me, when you were making this video and
you're making this show, did youget on Netflix at all?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Are you on Netflix.
So no, funny story, I wrotethis in my book.
So we, I wanted to go onNetflix, I so wanted to go on
Netflix.
We shot the show and, by theway, we did the shows for how
most shows work, people willshoot a pilot, they'll have a
pitch book and they'll go tothese networks and say, hey,
will you get behind this, get asuspicion and then basically buy
(04:49):
or give them money to go fundit because it's very expensive.
I never went that route.
I did the route Most peopledon't do it, because it couldn't
figure out a fund it.
I knew how to raise money.
I created the show, we shot it,we had it all done and then we
went to distribution.
So our first show for ambitiousadventures.
We had connections and we gotdistribution through uh,
(05:12):
entrepreneur network and then wedid Amazon prime and all that
so important, so important theconnections I had the mentors.
And then, when I got to the showsuccess in your city that my
wife and I did, I wanted to geton Netflix, and so we shot the
whole show, put a half a milliondollars into the show, put my
heart and soul into it, and thenI couldn't get, uh, to Netflix.
What happened is I had thesepeople that wanted to represent
(05:34):
me.
They promised all these things.
They also had one group thatsaid we definitely could sell
this Netflix, but we want totake everything you shot and
basically pitch it, and then wewant to do the show all about
you and your wife more likereality style.
I didn't want to do that, andso you knew what you wanted and
you're going to stick to it.
I knew what my own version ofsuccess was, and so what I I did
?
I said, screw it, I'm going tofly over, and this was to Los
(05:57):
Gatos, where one of the Netflixlocations is.
I first shipped three of theexecutives I won't say their
names, shipped them and I spenta lot of money, ship all these
things and basically thumb driveand some pictures and say, hey,
here's a show all aboutredefining success.
It'd be great for um, I've beenwrote a mockup story that
Netflix partners with uh couplefor success in your city.
(06:20):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
So you, we went all out.
You read this already to go Iby the way.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
I posted that as if it was a cover of magazine and
people thought I was in Netflixand your comedy and everything.
So I fly there.
I fly there, Jacob.
I'm on the plane.
I'm like, oh shit, am Iactually going to do this?
Because I was just showing up.
I showed up to the front and Isaw I got a meeting with so and
so, like, you're on the list.
I said, well, I sent him apackage.
Here's proof.
They accepted it because theyhad to sign for it.
Well, we're not going to letyou.
(06:45):
And I'm like, can I go overhere and email him?
Yeah, sure, Within two minutes,a security guard came and they
escorted me out of Netflix and Iwas so like frustrated and
angry, but also, okay, I get it.
I knew there was a small chanceI would get connected with
anybody in Netflix, but I knew Ihad to do it.
He's about I'm thinking aboutyou now.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
I got him thinking about but here, what did I do,
though?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
I was recording content before I went in and
then, after I said, hey, that'sgoing to be out whatever, within
24 hours I had two differentcompanies that wanted to
represent me and actually get itto Netflix.
Never did Netflix, which wasfine.
The funny thing is now I haveownership in a TV network and
we're launching our show,relaunching this summer on the
(07:33):
spoke TV and direct TV, and sothis full circle.
Five years later, it's all cometo fruition, but no Netflix.
But I did this, I went for theendeavor, but you know what
Netflix?
I will say this about NetflixJust because you get a Netflix
deal doesn't mean your life haschanged.
I know some people that spenthundreds of thousands of dollars
on a documentary or show.
(07:54):
They go to Netflix and Netflixsay we'll give you 15 grand for
all of it and you can't doanything else with it and we own
it.
And I'm not going to do that.
Yeah, no, you made it, youinvested your time.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
So now I own it.
I do whatever I want, I dowhatever I want, and that's
awesome, that's awesome, that'sawesome.
Yes, such a powerful story.
It just really shows that yourgreatest defeats can become your
greatest journey, you know, andit's the greatest success down
the road.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yes, it's awesome there were so many other
opportunities that were betterthan Netflix.
I think sometimes we need tonot be so on this.
Be open to other opportunities.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
We're so hyper focused on what we want and we
don't see what's right.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Great night beside us , Exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
It's such a powerful story.
So you did this Netflix.
What did you do after that?
So you were an inventor you'rean investor, two-time Emmy Award
winner.
So where are you at now?
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Okay, so this is kind of where the journey went.
I COVID hit and before COVID Iwas speaking around the country
I was traveling.
Covid hit, stopped all that.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
It's like everyone remembers that like it was
yesterday.
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
I mastered the margarita.
That was one thing I did, but Ialso I kind of reinvented what
I was doing.
I got more into doingconsulting and advisory deals,
so I was doing like 10, 15 Zoomcalls a day and I was connected
with people and I wasaccelerating my partnership with
Kevin Harrington, as you knowfrom Shark Tank, and so him and
I started really growing ourinvestment advisory business,
(09:22):
and so what that is is I'lladvise companies, I'll make
introductions, I'll help themtell their story through video
content, we'll help get themconnected to different things.
We might even speak on theirbehalf and in return, we get
basically ownership in theircompany.
Some of these companies arepublic, some are private, and so
what I do today is we helpscale companies, help grow the
(09:44):
portfolio.
And then the other set ofthings is I really love we do an
event called Rise and Record,where we bring in people and
it's all about rising up andsharing your story, specifically
through film content Everyonehas a story.
You have a story, we have astory, and when you tell your
story, it makes a bigger impactthan other people's lives.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
It does, and you may not think it does, but there's
gonna be people that message you, that say, hey, this impacted
me.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Yeah, you know all the videos you're doing.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I sent a message yesterday actually, and someone
said hey, thank you for sharingyour inspiration.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
I really needed it and it feels good to hear that
it's like, that's what I do,that's why I do this.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
It's because I love hearing people say you helped me
and you got me to think at thisand that's honestly like beyond
the business.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
It does lead to getting clients and everything
and growth and branding.
But the part that I love iswhen you have that message Like,
oh, this story, this videohelped me so much and I found
when you least want to do thevideo is when you have to do it,
because I found when I do thatvideo that's when somebody's
like I need to hear that video.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Yep 100%.
I may not want to do itnecessarily at the time.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah, just do it, press that damn button.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
You know Kevin Harrington, by the way, great
guy.
I was just on a call with himlast week.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
I know, isn't he amazing?
Speaker 2 (10:49):
He's a great guy.
I was like so how do you buytime?
And one of the things he saysyou have to have the right
leadership in place.
You have to have the rightpeople in place.
Because, they don't want to bethere constantly overseeing
every little aspect that theyhave to trust their team.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
It's so true.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
And I'm like that is so true.
If you want to build multiplecompanies, you want to have
multiple businesses.
You've got to trust your team.
You've got to have the righttalent in place 100%, so you
have a lot of talent on yourteam right.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
You have video producers Yep, tell me a little
bit about that.
What do you do to kind of makesure everyone's doing their
right tasks and get everyone togo so?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I'll tell you this I have multiple teams, internal
teams.
I don't want hundreds ofemployees, so I'll give you an
example.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I want to ask more headaches, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
So there's my internal team that I some are on
payroll, some I'm paying assubcontractors, consultants, and
Leah, who you know, she's mymultimedia manager.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Oh, she's great, she's amazing.
She's always telling me tipsand tricks on how to help my
social media.
I'm like I didn't know thatGirls are going to be 19.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
And she's so smart and she understands reels,
tiktoks, and so she manages allmy content.
So, like somebody like her,every day she's like, hey,
brandon, get this video, she cansee things I don't.
So like that's one person.
I have an editor who edits allmy content.
I have multiple editors Ichoose from.
I have somebody that helps me,really holds me accountable with
my finances, with my accounting, so I have my dream team in
(12:08):
different areas who are allhelping me grow as Brandy and T
Adams and they're growing ourAccelerator Media Group company
and RISM Accord and that.
And then I have teams like, forexample, I'm an investor in the
DripR, so they have I don'tknow, probably 40 employees, so
I'm a shareholder in the company, but I am basically consulting
the executive team to help themexecute with their team.
(12:31):
So there's multiple teams Ihave around the country.
I just don't want to in-houselike hundreds of employees, but
really, to answer your question,surround yourself with people
that can take direction andcoaching and run with it.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Kevin said the same thing and building your dream
team first before you build outyour project.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
You're not going to be able to talk about that, and
you know this too.
The worst thing people couldsay is how does it go?
If you want to get done right,you got to do it yourself,
that's bullshit Because you'renot an expert in everything, you
can't ever grow, and so letother people do it.
It might not be how you'regoing to do it, but if you want
to actually grow, you got togive them the freedom to do it.
You got to have people thathave the ability to actually run
(13:12):
with it.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
And give them the opportunity to make mistakes,
because we're going to make themyour teacher to make mistakes
and they learn from it, and whenthey do, they're more loyal to
you because you have theopportunity to let them learn
and you coach them, and youcoach them, let them learn, you
coach them.
You 100% know what it is.
It's so powerful to have theright team in place in order to
build the right kind of productsand services that you want.
It's awesome hearing your story.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
You know from going on Netflix to being turned away
and now all the success that youhave because of that.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
You know, sometimes our greatest defeats can become
our best journey.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
It is so true.
I look at Jacob Blake In myjourney.
I think back as this interviewhappens.
I started podcasting inFebruary of 2015.
And I started out sleeping inmy truck driving around the
country setting up mics andinterviewing people.
And I still look back to thatand I have so many great
memories of doing that journeyand along the way, the little
(14:04):
wins because you talk aboutsuccess we have our Emmy moments
, I call it.
You have big win, you make alot of money or whatever it is,
but I love that.
But just know 99% of it is ajourney and I still miss the
times.
My wife's like you don't needto be sleeping in your vehicle,
we'll do long trips.
And I'll be like I'll just sleepin this thing because I don't
need to go get a hotel, becauseI miss some of the times where I
(14:27):
started out, I had no money, Iwas eating canned food in my
vehicle and editing my podcastin my truck.
Like I enjoy those journeys andthe little wins along the way.
You don't forget and you lookback and that'd be like, oh, I'm
so grateful for taking thataction.
But it comes down to actuallytaking action.
Oh, 100%, recording that video,starting the podcast and just
(14:49):
doing it.
Because if you ultimately goafter your dreams and put in the
work, you buy your time back.
Because then a day, if youcreate a real system in place,
it gives you more freedom moremoney, more opportunity to focus
on things that are more what'sthe word?
compelling and passionate foryou, whether it's your kids or
me.
I like doing projects that arecreating video content.
(15:10):
That's not even business ready,it's just me creating something
because it's my craft.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
It's so true.
I mean, you know, and time wasone of those things that just
moves so fast you look back onit and the last thing you want
to do is say what did I do intwo years?
What did I accomplish?
And so many people don'taccomplish what they want
because it lives up here, itlives in their mind.
They say I'm going to do thisand now is not the right time to
do this.
I can't do this now.
I'll wait until later.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
I'll wait until later .
Do it like just take action,it's what matters.
Take it it is.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
It's crazy.
I wish I could just telleveryone hey, take action.
The smallest things that you donow is going to make the big
difference.
You know the thing I love?
Speaker 3 (15:48):
about what you do.
Jacob is like you.
You help people buy their timeback, but through your workshops
and training and consulting,it's you show people hey, here's
your system.
Yes, you've done this.
What got you here, got you this?
But a lot of people.
What happens is they maybethey're making the money, but
they're tied to their businessand they don't have the freedom.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
They're like oh, I see it, they're working 70 hour
a week.
They're working their business.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
They created a job for themselves and 67 hours, but
you show them just as you do.
Hey, here's how you put thesesystems in place and you can
work 20 hours.
If you want to work six, youcan be worked 20 hours on this
endeavor and spend 40 on otherareas, or 40 hours extra on
growing and not working in yourbusiness.
And that's what I love aboutwhat you do.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
You do your business versus working in your business
and make sure your business is atime and not a time liability.
It's the biggest thing to learn, because you don't want to
start off wrong in the wrongfoot and be investing all of
this time.
That's what you're going to dofor 20 years.
No, you're going to build upthat business, make it a time
asset.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
That's what matters.
Yup.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Amen, it's.
Oh my gosh, Brandon.
Well, hey, I appreciate youcoming on in giving us your
advice and kind of what you do,and so how could people find out
more about you?
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Yeah, so I make it pretty easy.
I'm at Brandon T Adamseverywhere.
That's easy BrandonTatomscom.
And if anybody wants to comehang out at the event we have
this year, rise and Record, justgo to RiseandRecordcom.
But I'm active.
If anybody listening, watching,reach out to me.
I'm pretty open.
I run all my social.
You have a book too.
I got the book the Road toSuccess.
(17:17):
My wife and I wrote together.
Great book by the way andthere's a chapter in there about
the Netflix journey.
I tell the whole journey and Itell how hundreds of people
basically said my career wasover for what I do with the
Netflix.
But hey, it's not over.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Look where you're at right now Everything you've
accomplished.
Well, Brandon, I really doappreciate you coming on and
sharing your advice on how youwere able to buy time.
My name is Jacob K Mead and ifyou are looking to buy your time
, you can check out otherepisodes of our podcast on the
buytimepodcastcom.
There'll be episodes on there.
Feel free to like share thiswith somebody that needs more of
their time back, and if you'relooking to work one-on-one with
(17:55):
me, jacobkmeadcom, click thelink.
Apply Until next time.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Thanks for listening to today's episode.
My name is Jacob K Mead, anduntil next time.
Hey everybody, this is Jacob K Mead and this is the
Buy Time Podcast, where wediscuss everything there is to
know about buying back your time.
Be sure to like and follow andshare with somebody who needs to
buy back their time.
Enjoy today's episode.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to another episode of the Buy Time Podcast.
My name is Jacob K Mead and wehave today's guest, Brandon T
Adams.
Now, Brandon is a two-time EmmyAward winner, inventor and
investor.
Brandon, before we get started,thank you so much for coming on
the show.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
I am glad to be here with you.
I love just gonna go into thestory of my background, but also
just power of buying time.
But thank you for having mehere Just honored.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Absolutely.
Buying time is so important.
So before we get started, tellme a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Okay, so let's go back.
I'm from Iowa, originally bornand raised in Northeast Iowa,
Garnabillo have you heard ofGarnabillo, by the way?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I haven't where's it at, where's it located, so it's
right by kind of the MississippiRiver.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
It's three and a half hours here from Des Moines I'm
actually going there after thisand a town of 700 people and I
grew up in the ice business somy dad sold packaged ice for a
living and I always say as soonas I was born I literally like
got on my mom's womb and I'mdelivering ice my dad threw me
right into it.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Selling ice Selling ice.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And so that was where I learned early on sales,
customer relationships and evenmanual labor, like we were
throwing bags down in the truck.
I remember as a kid I wasdragging a 20 pound bag at like
four years old, and so that wasthe beginning of my career.
And then what kind of led me towhat I do today is one day when
I was about 19 years old 20, Iwas driving down the road.
(01:38):
I drove a stick shift, a bigtruck, and I wanted to cool my
bottle of beverage.
It got warm quick and I couldhave put ice cubes in.
That's time consuming.
I wanted a new way, and that'swhere I had this idea what if I
created a product that could fitinside it?
But also I was going to collegeat the time, so I'm like, how
can I make strings?
But I'll call in and all thatstuff.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Of course it's college.
I know You're not figuring thatout.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
And so what I did is I invented a product called
Artic Stick and took it tomarket, spent over $100,000 in
product development, tooling andeverything.
I launched it.
I never really made any moneywith the product, but what
happened is it led me tocrowdfunding.
So, like I was pitching groups,I was going to different events
.
I went to Sharkton.
Casting call got shut down, andso I learned how to use
(02:25):
crowdfunding to raise money formy endeavor.
But then I saw there wasopportunity in the market to
help other people raise money.
So this is back in 2014.
2014, 15, I started reallyunderstanding how to help people
raise money.
I was building my brain at thetime, so podcast show ended up
doing a book, all thesedifferent things.
And so the biggest thing peopleasked me is what's the key
(02:48):
component to raising money?
What leads to what I do today?
The biggest component to it istelling a powerful story, but
doing it through the videoassets.
So we created a short video,say, hey, here's what we're
doing, here's how you getinvolved and here's how you can
give us money.
So powerful by you?
Yeah, it is, and so did somebig campaigns raised millions of
dollars.
(03:09):
But I got more obsessed with thevideo production side.
I started filming all over.
I had people following mearound and then I started doing
like modeling gigs, acting gigsand all this stuff.
And then where my firstopportunity came in TV
production is a guy came to meand he said, hey, if you help me
raise money for this pilot,I'll make you my co-host.
Done.
I raised him the money.
(03:30):
We did the first show, seasonone of, called in Bish's
Adventures Travel in the Country, interview in Entrepreneurs.
We launched it on Prime, welaunched it on Facebook watch
back when it first became athing and even on the
entrepreneur network.
And that was my beginning andso fast forward.
That was my first show.
I've done money documentaries,we've won Emmys and everything
else, but it led me to using mytalents in storytelling and
(03:53):
video production to do a coupleof things.
One help people tell theirstory.
Two now I invest in advisingcompanies and use my talents
with video to help scalecompanies.
Long story short started in theice business to an inventor, to
doing video production and nowan investor and advisor.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Using your time to help other people now.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Exactly, I love it my time, my resources and energy.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Absolutely.
It's not something that happensovernight.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
So when you were A decade, one full decade we got
there.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
So tell me, when you were making this video and
you're making this show, did youget on Netflix at all?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Are you on Netflix.
So no, funny story, I wrotethis in my book.
So we, I wanted to go onNetflix, I so wanted to go on
Netflix.
We shot the show and, by theway, we did the shows for how
most shows work, people willshoot a pilot, they'll have a
pitch book and they'll go tothese networks and say, hey,
will you get behind this, get asuspicion and then basically buy
(04:49):
or give them money to go fundit because it's very expensive.
I never went that route.
I did the route Most peopledon't do it, because it couldn't
figure out a fund it.
I knew how to raise money.
I created the show, we shot it,we had it all done and then we
went to distribution.
So our first show for ambitiousadventures.
We had connections and we gotdistribution through uh,
(05:12):
entrepreneur network and then wedid Amazon prime and all that
so important, so important theconnections I had the mentors.
And then, when I got to the showsuccess in your city that my
wife and I did, I wanted to geton Netflix, and so we shot the
whole show, put a half a milliondollars into the show, put my
heart and soul into it, and thenI couldn't get, uh, to Netflix.
What happened is I had thesepeople that wanted to represent
(05:34):
me.
They promised all these things.
They also had one group thatsaid we definitely could sell
this Netflix, but we want totake everything you shot and
basically pitch it, and then wewant to do the show all about
you and your wife more likereality style.
I didn't want to do that, andso you knew what you wanted and
you're going to stick to it.
I knew what my own version ofsuccess was, and so what I I did
?
I said, screw it, I'm going tofly over, and this was to Los
(05:57):
Gatos, where one of the Netflixlocations is.
I first shipped three of theexecutives I won't say their
names, shipped them and I spenta lot of money, ship all these
things and basically thumb driveand some pictures and say, hey,
here's a show all aboutredefining success.
It'd be great for um, I've beenwrote a mockup story that
Netflix partners with uh couplefor success in your city.
(06:20):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
So you, we went all out.
You read this already to go Iby the way.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
I posted that as if it was a cover of magazine and
people thought I was in Netflixand your comedy and everything.
So I fly there.
I fly there, Jacob.
I'm on the plane.
I'm like, oh shit, am Iactually going to do this?
Because I was just showing up.
I showed up to the front and Isaw I got a meeting with so and
so, like, you're on the list.
I said, well, I sent him apackage.
Here's proof.
They accepted it because theyhad to sign for it.
Well, we're not going to letyou.
(06:45):
And I'm like, can I go overhere and email him?
Yeah, sure, Within two minutes,a security guard came and they
escorted me out of Netflix and Iwas so like frustrated and
angry, but also, okay, I get it.
I knew there was a small chanceI would get connected with
anybody in Netflix, but I knew Ihad to do it.
He's about I'm thinking aboutyou now.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
I got him thinking about but here, what did I do,
though?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
I was recording content before I went in and
then, after I said, hey, that'sgoing to be out whatever, within
24 hours I had two differentcompanies that wanted to
represent me and actually get itto Netflix.
Never did Netflix, which wasfine.
The funny thing is now I haveownership in a TV network and
we're launching our show,relaunching this summer on the
(07:33):
spoke TV and direct TV, and sothis full circle.
Five years later, it's all cometo fruition, but no Netflix.
But I did this, I went for theendeavor, but you know what
Netflix?
I will say this about NetflixJust because you get a Netflix
deal doesn't mean your life haschanged.
I know some people that spenthundreds of thousands of dollars
on a documentary or show.
(07:54):
They go to Netflix and Netflixsay we'll give you 15 grand for
all of it and you can't doanything else with it and we own
it.
And I'm not going to do that.
Yeah, no, you made it, youinvested your time.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
So now I own it.
I do whatever I want, I dowhatever I want, and that's
awesome, that's awesome, that'sawesome.
Yes, such a powerful story.
It just really shows that yourgreatest defeats can become your
greatest journey, you know, andit's the greatest success down
the road.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yes, it's awesome there were so many other
opportunities that were betterthan Netflix.
I think sometimes we need tonot be so on this.
Be open to other opportunities.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
We're so hyper focused on what we want and we
don't see what's right.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Great night beside us , Exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
It's such a powerful story.
So you did this Netflix.
What did you do after that?
So you were an inventor you'rean investor, two-time Emmy Award
winner.
So where are you at now?
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Okay, so this is kind of where the journey went.
I COVID hit and before COVID Iwas speaking around the country
I was traveling.
Covid hit, stopped all that.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
It's like everyone remembers that like it was
yesterday.
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
I mastered the margarita.
That was one thing I did, but Ialso I kind of reinvented what
I was doing.
I got more into doingconsulting and advisory deals,
so I was doing like 10, 15 Zoomcalls a day and I was connected
with people and I wasaccelerating my partnership with
Kevin Harrington, as you knowfrom Shark Tank, and so him and
I started really growing ourinvestment advisory business,
(09:22):
and so what that is is I'lladvise companies, I'll make
introductions, I'll help themtell their story through video
content, we'll help get themconnected to different things.
We might even speak on theirbehalf and in return, we get
basically ownership in theircompany.
Some of these companies arepublic, some are private, and so
what I do today is we helpscale companies, help grow the
(09:44):
portfolio.
And then the other set ofthings is I really love we do an
event called Rise and Record,where we bring in people and
it's all about rising up andsharing your story, specifically
through film content Everyonehas a story.
You have a story, we have astory, and when you tell your
story, it makes a bigger impactthan other people's lives.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
It does, and you may not think it does, but there's
gonna be people that message you, that say, hey, this impacted
me.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Yeah, you know all the videos you're doing.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I sent a message yesterday actually, and someone
said hey, thank you for sharingyour inspiration.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
I really needed it and it feels good to hear that
it's like, that's what I do,that's why I do this.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
It's because I love hearing people say you helped me
and you got me to think at thisand that's honestly like beyond
the business.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
It does lead to getting clients and everything
and growth and branding.
But the part that I love iswhen you have that message Like,
oh, this story, this videohelped me so much and I found
when you least want to do thevideo is when you have to do it,
because I found when I do thatvideo that's when somebody's
like I need to hear that video.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Yep 100%.
I may not want to do itnecessarily at the time.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah, just do it, press that damn button.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
You know Kevin Harrington, by the way, great
guy.
I was just on a call with himlast week.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
I know, isn't he amazing?
Speaker 2 (10:49):
He's a great guy.
I was like so how do you buytime?
And one of the things he saysyou have to have the right
leadership in place.
You have to have the rightpeople in place.
Because, they don't want to bethere constantly overseeing
every little aspect that theyhave to trust their team.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
It's so true.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
And I'm like that is so true.
If you want to build multiplecompanies, you want to have
multiple businesses.
You've got to trust your team.
You've got to have the righttalent in place 100%, so you
have a lot of talent on yourteam right.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
You have video producers Yep, tell me a little
bit about that.
What do you do to kind of makesure everyone's doing their
right tasks and get everyone togo so?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I'll tell you this I have multiple teams, internal
teams.
I don't want hundreds ofemployees, so I'll give you an
example.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I want to ask more headaches, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
So there's my internal team that I some are on
payroll, some I'm paying assubcontractors, consultants, and
Leah, who you know, she's mymultimedia manager.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Oh, she's great, she's amazing.
She's always telling me tipsand tricks on how to help my
social media.
I'm like I didn't know thatGirls are going to be 19.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
And she's so smart and she understands reels,
tiktoks, and so she manages allmy content.
So, like somebody like her,every day she's like, hey,
brandon, get this video, she cansee things I don't.
So like that's one person.
I have an editor who edits allmy content.
I have multiple editors Ichoose from.
I have somebody that helps me,really holds me accountable with
my finances, with my accounting, so I have my dream team in
(12:08):
different areas who are allhelping me grow as Brandy and T
Adams and they're growing ourAccelerator Media Group company
and RISM Accord and that.
And then I have teams like, forexample, I'm an investor in the
DripR, so they have I don'tknow, probably 40 employees, so
I'm a shareholder in the company, but I am basically consulting
the executive team to help themexecute with their team.
(12:31):
So there's multiple teams Ihave around the country.
I just don't want to in-houselike hundreds of employees, but
really, to answer your question,surround yourself with people
that can take direction andcoaching and run with it.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Kevin said the same thing and building your dream
team first before you build outyour project.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
You're not going to be able to talk about that, and
you know this too.
The worst thing people couldsay is how does it go?
If you want to get done right,you got to do it yourself,
that's bullshit Because you'renot an expert in everything, you
can't ever grow, and so letother people do it.
It might not be how you'regoing to do it, but if you want
to actually grow, you got togive them the freedom to do it.
You got to have people thathave the ability to actually run
(13:12):
with it.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
And give them the opportunity to make mistakes,
because we're going to make themyour teacher to make mistakes
and they learn from it, and whenthey do, they're more loyal to
you because you have theopportunity to let them learn
and you coach them, and youcoach them, let them learn, you
coach them.
You 100% know what it is.
It's so powerful to have theright team in place in order to
build the right kind of productsand services that you want.
It's awesome hearing your story.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
You know from going on Netflix to being turned away
and now all the success that youhave because of that.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
You know, sometimes our greatest defeats can become
our best journey.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
It is so true.
I look at Jacob Blake In myjourney.
I think back as this interviewhappens.
I started podcasting inFebruary of 2015.
And I started out sleeping inmy truck driving around the
country setting up mics andinterviewing people.
And I still look back to thatand I have so many great
memories of doing that journeyand along the way, the little
(14:04):
wins because you talk aboutsuccess we have our Emmy moments
, I call it.
You have big win, you make alot of money or whatever it is,
but I love that.
But just know 99% of it is ajourney and I still miss the
times.
My wife's like you don't needto be sleeping in your vehicle,
we'll do long trips.
And I'll be like I'll just sleepin this thing because I don't
need to go get a hotel, becauseI miss some of the times where I
(14:27):
started out, I had no money, Iwas eating canned food in my
vehicle and editing my podcastin my truck.
Like I enjoy those journeys andthe little wins along the way.
You don't forget and you lookback and that'd be like, oh, I'm
so grateful for taking thataction.
But it comes down to actuallytaking action.
Oh, 100%, recording that video,starting the podcast and just
(14:49):
doing it.
Because if you ultimately goafter your dreams and put in the
work, you buy your time back.
Because then a day, if youcreate a real system in place,
it gives you more freedom moremoney, more opportunity to focus
on things that are more what'sthe word?
compelling and passionate foryou, whether it's your kids or
me.
I like doing projects that arecreating video content.
(15:10):
That's not even business ready,it's just me creating something
because it's my craft.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
It's so true.
I mean, you know, and time wasone of those things that just
moves so fast you look back onit and the last thing you want
to do is say what did I do intwo years?
What did I accomplish?
And so many people don'taccomplish what they want
because it lives up here, itlives in their mind.
They say I'm going to do thisand now is not the right time to
do this.
I can't do this now.
I'll wait until later.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
I'll wait until later .
Do it like just take action,it's what matters.
Take it it is.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
It's crazy.
I wish I could just telleveryone hey, take action.
The smallest things that you donow is going to make the big
difference.
You know the thing I love?
Speaker 3 (15:48):
about what you do.
Jacob is like you.
You help people buy their timeback, but through your workshops
and training and consulting,it's you show people hey, here's
your system.
Yes, you've done this.
What got you here, got you this?
But a lot of people.
What happens is they maybethey're making the money, but
they're tied to their businessand they don't have the freedom.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
They're like oh, I see it, they're working 70 hour
a week.
They're working their business.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
They created a job for themselves and 67 hours, but
you show them just as you do.
Hey, here's how you put thesesystems in place and you can
work 20 hours.
If you want to work six, youcan be worked 20 hours on this
endeavor and spend 40 on otherareas, or 40 hours extra on
growing and not working in yourbusiness.
And that's what I love aboutwhat you do.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
You do your business versus working in your business
and make sure your business is atime and not a time liability.
It's the biggest thing to learn, because you don't want to
start off wrong in the wrongfoot and be investing all of
this time.
That's what you're going to dofor 20 years.
No, you're going to build upthat business, make it a time
asset.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
That's what matters.
Yup.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Amen, it's.
Oh my gosh, Brandon.
Well, hey, I appreciate youcoming on in giving us your
advice and kind of what you do,and so how could people find out
more about you?
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Yeah, so I make it pretty easy.
I'm at Brandon T Adamseverywhere.
That's easy BrandonTatomscom.
And if anybody wants to comehang out at the event we have
this year, rise and Record, justgo to RiseandRecordcom.
But I'm active.
If anybody listening, watching,reach out to me.
I'm pretty open.
I run all my social.
You have a book too.
I got the book the Road toSuccess.
(17:17):
My wife and I wrote together.
Great book by the way andthere's a chapter in there about
the Netflix journey.
I tell the whole journey and Itell how hundreds of people
basically said my career wasover for what I do with the
Netflix.
But hey, it's not over.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Look where you're at right now Everything you've
accomplished.
Well, Brandon, I really doappreciate you coming on and
sharing your advice on how youwere able to buy time.
My name is Jacob K Mead and ifyou are looking to buy your time
, you can check out otherepisodes of our podcast on the
buytimepodcastcom.
There'll be episodes on there.
Feel free to like share thiswith somebody that needs more of
their time back, and if you'relooking to work one-on-one with
(17:55):
me, jacobkmeadcom, click thelink.
Apply Until next time.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Thanks for listening to today's episode.
My name is Jacob K Mead, anduntil next time.
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