The Average Sucks Show

What happens when the business grows faster than the foundation underneath it? On this episode of The Average Sucks Show, Michael Bernoff sits down with longtime friend and entrepreneur Justin Colby for a conversation about the side of entrepreneurship most people don’t see. Justin has spent years building businesses, investing in real estate, creating communities for entrepreneurs, and developing what he calls the Entrepreneurial DNA. But some of his biggest lessons didn’t come from winning. They came from the storms he didn’t see coming. Michael and Justin talk about why entrepreneurs need to build deep before they build up, what happens when growth outruns your foundation, how failure can expose what needs to change, and why vulnerability may actually create more opportunity than pretending everything is perfect. They also get into leadership, business growth, sacrifice, relationships, investing, and one of the most important questions an entrepreneur can ask: Who do you need to become to create the life and business you actually want? Because what got you here won’t necessarily get you there. If you’re building a business, growing one, scaling one, or simply trying to become a better version of yourself, this conversation is for you. Watch now and let us know your biggest takeaway in the comments.

Most people believe wealth comes from working harder, waiting for their 401(k) to save them, or finding a magic shortcut. In this episode of The Average Sucks Show, host Michael Bernoff sits down with long-time friend, top real estate investor, and founder of the Be Wealthy Mastermind, Brett Tanner, to break down the exact principles required to turn active income into true, lasting financial freedom.Brett shares his journey from growing up in the poorest county in Colorado to managing massive real estate portfolios, owning commercial properties, and building generational wealth. Together, they strip away the noise and dive into the simple, non-negotiable fundamentals: why net worth matters far more than annual income, the power of physical books and constant self-education, how to build a 30-year wealth plan, and the difference between just being rich versus being truly wealthy.In this episode, you will learn:The core mindset shift: Why wealthy people build cash flow before upgrading their lifestyleNet Worth vs. Income: How to map out a clear, step-by-step $50M balance sheet planHow to find unfair advantages within your current business and industryThe truth about truly passive investments, notes, and triple-net commercial real estateThe "Slight Edge" habits: Daily bank logins, cutting phone distractions, and reading physical booksBrett's exact playbook for landing high-level mentors and building lifelong relationships

Most people have a book inside them — they just can't get it out. And that silence is costing them credibility, clients, and legacy.In this episode of the Average Sucks Show, Michael sits down with Chandler Bolt — Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, founder of selfpublishing.com, and the man behind over 7,000 published books. From selling snacks out of a cooler at scout camp to running a company doing tens of millions a year producing two to five books every single day — Chandler's story is a masterclass in relentless work ethic, guerrilla execution, and knowing when to bet on yourself.He dropped out of college with a year and a half left, published his first book on productivity while his peers thought he was failing, and built a movement by doing the things that don't scale — one door, one video, one reader at a time.This episode dives deep into:Why 81% of people want to write a book but less than 1% ever do — and what separates themThe three guerrilla tactics that took Chandler from nobody to number one in the countryWhy knowledge-based entrepreneurs who don't have a book are "double morons with cooties"How to validate before you build — the 44-person cohort that launched an empireWhy your book is one of the three to five greatest days of your lifeThe difference between goal-oriented and task-oriented people — and why you need to know which you areWhether you're an entrepreneur sitting on seven figures of expertise or someone with a story that's been rotting inside of you for years, this conversation will be the push you didn't know you needed.Bolts don't quit. And neither do the people who finally choose to publish.If there's a book in you — and there is — this episode will show you exactly what's been standing in your way.

Most people don’t fail because of bad luck — they fail because they can’t think clearly or execute under pressure.In this powerful episode of the Average Sucks Show, Michael sits down with Justin “Hasard” Lee — combat-proven F-16 fighter pilot with 82 missions, former F-35 Chief of Training Systems, and author of the bestselling book The Art of Clear Thinking.From dreaming of becoming a fighter pilot at age 5, getting rejected by the Air Force Academy, fighting his way through prep school, surviving the brutal 9G centrifuge, to flying high-stakes combat missions — Hasard shares the raw lessons of performing at the absolute edge of human capability.He reveals how fighter pilot principles — clear decision-making under pressure, building a culture of ownership, ruthless debriefs, and decentralized execution — can transform any business or team.This episode dives deep into:Why most leaders and entrepreneurs lose 20 IQ points in high-stakes momentsHow to build a “nameless, rankless” debrief culture where admitting mistakes is rewardedTurning operational drag into execution speedThe power of mission-based leadershipWhy preparation and brutal after-action reviews are the real secrets to winningWhether you’re a founder, executive, or leader who wants to operate at a higher level, this conversation will sharpen your thinking and elevate your standards.Average teams hide mistakes. Above-average teams weaponize them.If you want to make better decisions, build unstoppable teams, and execute faster under pressure, this episode is for you.

Most people don’t lack skill or opportunity—they lack the right beliefs, speed of action, and willingness to break through money blocks and self-doubt. In this episode of the Average Sucks Show, Michael sits down with Jason Wojo, founder of Wojo Media, a self-made entrepreneur who went from flipping Pokémon cards as a broke culinary school dropout in a New York mobile home to scaling businesses with over $100–150 million in tracked online revenue through paid ads, funnels, and high-converting webinars. This is a raw, no-fluff conversation about the real entrepreneurial journey: starting with nothing, facing painful money lessons (including a heartbreaking vet bill that shifted his entire mindset), dropping out of school, building from local social media gigs and Shopify stores, landing massive corporate clients, and eventually mastering the “big boy” version of Meta ads and one-to-many selling. Jason breaks down: Why belief matters more than raw ability for entrepreneurship How early money trauma (and chargebacks) can block you—and how to flip it into fuel Practical, battle-tested tactics for ads (first 5-second hooks, letting the copy do the targeting, placements that actually work, energy and pattern interrupts) The power of high-converting opt-in pages and why congruence between your ad, landing page, and delivery builds instant trust Why webinars (and selling one-to-many) outperform constant one-on-one sales calls for many offers, plus how to structure decks, offers, and closes that convert The importance of jumping on proven mechanisms as bolt-ons rather than blowing up what’s already working Lessons on ownership, learning from “failures,” peace over constant hustle, and why some people simply aren’t ready for scale Whether you’re running a service business, coaching/consulting/info offer, or scaling an e-commerce brand, Jason delivers actionable insights on generating demand, building funnels that sell while you sleep, and operating at a higher level without losing your edge. Average thinking stays stuck in comfort, hesitation, and one-on-one grind. Above-average thinking rewires beliefs, moves fast on proven systems, masters one-to-many, and turns every setback into a lesson that compounds. If you want more leads, better conversions, automated sales, or to install proven webinar funnels in your business, this episode will give you the mindset shifts and tactical edges to make it happen.