Codie A. Sanchez

I wish this for you…

I find people who flex money to be so uninteresting.

I'm happier in jeans.
I have 1 watch not 10.
We have 1 tv in our house.
My husband had his truck for 100k miles.
I never wear labels, and I love a deal.
I don’t have a 10-person entourage.
I don’t talk about the size of our portfolio anymore.
I invest in “boring” businesses that grow consistently.

Maybe that’s not flashy.

But that’s okay.

Because the real prize of entrepreneurship, at least to me, isn’t looking rich.

It's actually being rich... liquid rich.

It’s freedom, compounding cash, and people I actually want to share a dinner table with.

On my desk there’s a sticky note that reads:

Status is loud. Wealth is quiet.

Good reminder.

I learned that watching old oil families, farm and ag families, and those who scrub their name off the internet.

And if your dream is to buy a lambo or 7 or vacation on your yacht?

That’s badass.

Go for it. Do you.

The problem is the internet tricked us into believing there’s only one scoreboard.

Why?

Because it’s easier to flash a fundraise headline, or top line revenue than it is to explain a profitable balance sheet.

But I've always grown at the speed of cash.

My “boring” businesses feed families.

My community of entrepreneurs?

They don’t need to be impressed — they’re too busy building.

The hardest skill is tuning out the noise and doubling down on your signal.

Because at the end of the day, the only real flex is the ability to be you unapologetically and tell everyone else to pound sand.

Ignore marriage advice from miserable people. It is worth it.

From senior prom to 20+ years later.

"The business will rip you forward by your fingernails whether you're ready or not."

I didn’t ease into ownership.

Nobody does.

I thought I'd ready myself first.

Read the books, build the confidence, and wait for the moment I felt qualified.

That moment never came.

My business didn't wait for me to feel ready. It just kept demanding more...

Better systems, better people, and a better version of me than the one who'd started the thing.

It kept demanding that until one of two things happened.

Either I was going to kill the business, or the version of me that couldn't handle it was going to die.

And then the owner I was supposed to become would finally show up.

There was no shortcut around that.

No amount of planning can prepare you for what ownership brings.

If you're waiting to feel ready, STOP.

You’ll never feel 100% ready.

All you can do is start.
↓↓↓

On September 18th, I'm showing you exactly how to survive that shift, during the launch of my book “Own Or Be Owned.”

If you attend live, I’m giving away $1M in cash and prizes and you could win BIG.

Just sign up here → https://lnkd.in/eGZ57Mfa

(It’s free, so there’s no excuse.)

See you there!

Underrated superpower:

Just dumb enough to believe in yourself, just smart enough to execute.

You don’t have anxiety because you think you CAN’T do it.

You have anxiety because deep down you know you CAN be doing bigger things.

People overestimate business plans and “genius.”

They underestimate irrational inability to quit.

Dumber people than you have done it.

Let's get after it 💥

Follow for more & repost if you need this to be your new mantra.

Hot-take, I have ZERO problems with nepotism.

I also don’t care if you inherited your wealth.

And it doesn’t bother me a bit if you used your looks to help get that promotion.

Why?

Because in this world, you have to use every single unfair advantage you have to get what you want.

Pull every lever you can to take the next step, because I promise your competition isn’t playing small or staying humble.

And one of the most unfair advantages you have today, is access to information.

Thanks to the internet, you can learn from some of the greatest leaders, builders, and doers in the world.

(Often for free.)

Speaking of which…

I’m hosting a FREE webinar on July 18th on how to find, evaluate, and buy your first business.

And I’m packing it with some of the most unfairly advantageous tactics I know, as someone who’s build multiple million-dollar businesses.

So stop pretending to be an underdog, and start getting what you want.

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eMCZHEyJ

The best part of growing a successful business isn't the number.

It's who you bring with you.

I spent 15 years in finance watching other people get rich off other people’s businesses.

Then I spent a decade buying and building my own, most days barely sleeping, some days seriously questioning if it was all worth it.

I'm not saying that to complain.

I'm telling you because I know exactly what it took to get to a place where I could do something BIG.

On September 18, I'm hosting a live event to launch my new book, Own or Be Owned.

And I'm giving away $1 million in cash and prizes to the people who show up.
Here's the fun part.

Nobody builds a nine-figure business alone.

I've had hundreds of people in my corner, teaching me, correcting me, showing me what actually works when I got it wrong.

And so far, I’ve been able to help thousands of people become owners and grow their businesses.

But it’s not enough.

This is me trying to give back, on a scale I can be proud of.

Success that doesn't take time to lift up others isn’t success, it’s just being a miser.

Here’s the thing though, the giveaway is only for people who show up live.

If you're not there, you don't get another shot.

No replay.

So if you want a shot at $1M is cash and prizes, grab a spot below.

(It’s free.)

↓↓↓

Link in bio, or register here: https://lnkd.in/eVNQgfWe

Winning requires reps.

There's only 1 way to compensate for lack of skill:

Volume.

Talent is a bit of a myth.

Everything you are now good at, you were once bad at.

The difference is, you did it.

You went to bat.

Over and over.

Until you hit the home run.

Put in the reps at smaller weights → you’ll be ready lift the big ones when the time comes.

Get some reps in for free → https://lnkd.in/evYXG3Pd

You know you've made it when someone is blasting a leaf blower in your face.

The funny thing is, I never set out to be a creator...

I just wanted to tell people the truth about business, ownership, and money.

Turns out, the truth will get you pretty far.

Honored to be featured in the 2026 Forbes Top Creators list, sitting alongside an unreal group of people.

A reminder to myself and you this Saturday...

It’s really just you against the mirror. You vs you. No one else can win at a game of one. I know it’s hard not to get distracted, race horses wear blinders for a reason. Your lane you’re game. LFG.

And if you wanna win in 2026 check this out: https://lnkd.in/eFDmXY-P

The better you look, the more money you’ll make.

And that’s not a hot-take.

An economist named Daniel Hamermesh wrote a book called Beauty Pays to answer one question: does looking good actually make you money?

The answer? Absolutely.

Turns out, the best-looking workers earn 10 to 15% more than everyone else across their careers, translating to about $230,000 more in lifetime earnings.

And that translates directly to your business.

Let’s look at one of our portfolio companies, Pink's Window Services...

When two guys in Austin got laid off from marketing jobs in 2020 and started washing windows, they knew they needed to stand out.

So they refused to dress like everyone else.

They put stylish, retro collared shirts and pink Converse on every crew, instead of letting people wear ratty t-shirts and dirty pants.

Now customers take one look and know the Pink’s crew is different. The company just LOOKS professional.

So people pony up for the pretty window cleaners.

Fast-forward to 2026, and the average Pink’s location clears north of $450,000 a year.

Turns out looking good scales.

↓↓↓

And if you’re interested in learning more about why small businesses like Pink’s are dominating in 2026, check out this FREE report we put together. → https://lnkd.in/eXAaYfbU

I have no energy for hate. Love you, wish you well, or hope you heal. That's it.

A hard truth I've learned in business.

It's always who not how.

1. There's only so much time in the day.
2. There's always going to be someone smarter and better than you.

These aren't problems. They're levers.

Every time you struggle with an issue, don't try to figure out how to solve it. Instead, ask yourself what type of person could solve it for you.

You don’t have a HOW problem, you have a WHO problem.

Solve that and you solve everything.

Need help?

Check out my new book Own or Be Owned: https://lnkd.in/ecNsJaXn

And if you've already got a copy, let me know in the comments and please leave a review on Amazon. The more reviews it gets, the more people will see it, and I want to get Own or Be Owned into the hands of as many people as possible!

I find people who flex money to be so uninteresting...

- I'm happier in jeans
- I have 1 watch not 10
- We have 1 tv in our house
- My husband had his truck for 100k miles
- I rarely wear labels, I love a deal
- I don’t have a 10-person entourage

Maybe that's not flashy. But that's okay.

Because the real prize of entrepreneurship, at least to me, isn't looking rich. It's actually being rich... liquid rich.

It's freedom, compounding cash, and people I actually want to share a dinner table with.
On my desk there's a sticky note that reads:

Status is loud. Wealth is quiet.

Good reminder.

I learned that watching old oil families, farm and ag families, and those who scrub their name off the internet.

And if your dream is to buy a lambo or 7 or vacation on your yacht? That's badass. Go for it.

Do you.

The problem is the internet tricked us into believing there's only one way to win.

Because it's easier to flash a fundraise headline than it is to explain a profitable balance sheet.

But I've always grown at the speed of cash instead. My "boring" businesses feed families. They're not built to impress people.

And I know that's what my community of entrepreneurs wants too.

Which is why I’m going to be sharing the whole system with you.

The boring, unglamorous playbooks behind every one of my quiet, compounding businesses. It's all in my new book, Own or Be Owned. And I'm giving the blueprint away, free, on September 18th.

Claim your spot here → https://lnkd.in/edymvU2p

This is a sneak peek at our exact hiring framework:

We don't hire normal people.

We hire people who want to do something incredible and make a dent in the universe.

We want to bring on somebody who was a troublemaker, a creator, a world bender at their last company. Someone who wouldn't take no for an answer and likes to tread water.

Somebody that in the first few weeks wants to have the firehose in their face. Those are our people.

You don't come to work at Contrarian Thinking companies because you want 9-to-5 and work-life balance.

You come here because you want to change what work means.

WE CALL THESE: Basecamp people.

They don't think joining here is a summit of the mountain, they think it's just the beginning.

They're interviewing and climbing every day.

How we find our basecamp people: 10 minute interview, they show us...

What they've built
What's on their calendar
What book they're reading right now
What they're obsessed with outside of work
What they stuck with once it stopped being fun
What their best references are (we're looking for "I can't believe you got this person to work for you!!", not "Good to work with.")

If our gut says they could be an owner, we move forward with a 7-day paid trial. From there, we buy 7 more days, make an offer, or walk away.

Our core tenet is “Show, Don't Tell.”

Anybody can interview well, very few can show you proof.

Btw, I’m laying out our entire hiring matrix LIVE at the Own or Be Owned virtual book launch.

Steal the whole thing → https://lnkd.in/eagqNwHb

How to win in 2026:

1. Don’t be woke. 
2. Work. Hard.
3. No victim mentality allowed.
4. Have strong opinions, loosely held.
5. Take strategic bets with your $.
6. Protect your time.
7. Be curious and a good human.

Doesn't matter who you are. Who you share a bed with. Or the color of your skin.

Anybody can win. (Btw this was from 2023).

Do you own your job? Or does your job own you?

The harsh truth is, your job as a CEO is to build a team that runs your entire company better than you.

Anything less, and you’re just a babysitter.

If you’re handcuffed to your business, check out my free masterclass:
https://lnkd.in/gnraNhcw

Reminder: You don’t want to be liked, you want to be respected.

Underrated superpower:

Just dumb enough to believe in yourself, just smart enough to execute.

You don’t have anxiety because you think you CAN’T do it.

You have anxiety because deep down you know you CAN be doing bigger things.

People overestimate business plans and “genius.” They underestimate irrational inability to quit.

Dumber people than you have done it.

Let's get after it 💥

Follow for more & repost if you need this to be your new mantra.

Dear chronic people pleasers,

5 reminders as you to learn to be disliked:

1. People criticize you to hide from the real work: having to change themselves. You winning is a mirror most people can't handle.

2. You'll never look back and wish you made more nameless humans on the internet like you. Never give first-row opinions to those who paid for nosebleed seats.

3. Never take advice from someone who hasn't achieved the thing they're advising about. Listen, sure. But filter advice viciously.

4. Our brains are trained to focus on the negative, aka survive. People question me online all the time — about my ethnicity, my career, my body. It's all good, it'll happen to you too. Always remember, you're the one doing sh*t not talking sh*t.

5. Choose your f*cks carefully. You’ll never be everything to everyone anyway.

Best advice I ever got as a founder: just don't quit.

It is so miserable and hard for longer than you think it will be, and you will fail 10x as much as you win.

But then one day somehow you jump from 0 to 10, then to 100.

The only people who truly fail at this game are the ones who give up.

The ones who quit.

And while, yes, the path is hard, it’s 100% worth it.

Building businesses has given me an incredible life. One I get to share with millions of people, all while helping other owners build amazing lives of their own.

I love what I do so much, I wrote a New York Times Best Seller on buying business…

And on September 18th, I’m launching my new book, Own or Be Owned. It’s all about how to grow your businesses into the type of organization that doesn’t need every hour of your day to thrive.

Over the last decade, I’ve figured out how to operate a business without sacrificing my life, relationships, or sanity.

And when you come to the virtual event, I’ll show you exactly how I do it.

Steal my homework → https://lnkd.in/eHVzRnVM

I remind myself of this often...

↓↓↓

- I remember when I first got to hire a family member
- Then do deals with a second
- How I got to work with my dad at Contrarian Thinking
- How I took family on my first private plane
- How we gave my dad a truck

Not ever a brag such a blessing.

Builders, you building is the blessing. At least that’s what we believe at Contrarian Thinking… you!

(And if you're not a builder yet... come to MSM live and I'll teach you how to start: https://lnkd.in/gf6hPHdF)

You weren’t born doubting yourself.

Somewhere between a bad coach yelling at you for dropping the ball, and your first boss rolling his eyes at your effort, you learned that doubt.

But kids still dream.

Ask a little kid what they want to be when they grow up.

They're stopping crime, flying to space, and running the country.

Possibly by Friday.

And you laugh because you’ve already given up.

Settled for less.

At some point, you decided ambition equals pain and you stopped trying.

Meanwhile, that kid keeps swinging for the fences because they don’t know what doubt even IS.

Their parents smile and say, “anything’s possible if you put your mind to it.”
And the thing is, that’s still true.

You’re just not around the people who know it’s possible.

The people who believe in you.

So let me ask: what would you actually go after this year if you trusted yourself the way you did at six?

If you’re reading this, chances are you’d like to buy a business and escape your 9-5.

Which is why on June 18th I’m hosting a 3-day, virtual event designed to teach you exactly how to follow your dreams and become the confident business owner you want to be.

Click the link below to get your tickets and start dreaming again.

https://lnkd.in/eijJVErK

Money is just a means to peace for most.

5 other unconventional truths about money:

1. Most people searching for wealth, abundance, or ownership are actually just looking for freedom.

2. It’s less about the actual number in the bank, and more about the freedom to have your future entirely in your hands.

3. Nothing you do will matter to anyone here in 2 years. Even less in 20. And your name will be forgotten in 100. There's freedom in a bit of nihilism.

4. My father always said, “there‘s an exit tax to freedom." Be prepared to pay at first... it's often worth it in the end.

5. Once you make your first $$$ outside of your salary, you'll never be the same. It's addicting.

↓ ↓ ↓

You know the saying... “Mo money, mo problems...”

There’s some truth in it.

But it’s just as true that the freedom of ownership makes it all SO worth it.

If you want the step-by-step framework I used to build a portfolio of 9-figure businesses, my new book, Own or Be Owned takes you from frustrated to freedom. Because all the money in the world is worthless if you can’t step away from your desk.

Grab your copy here today → https://lnkd.in/etthqxkf

And if you've learned something from the book, please leave an honest review so other people can find it. Let's get Own or Be Owned into as many hands as possible!

You can flatter & pander.

Or you can become ACTUALLY likable:

• Do what you say you’re going to do
• Show your results, not your intentions
• Your job isn’t done until THE job is done
• Communicate - less words, more meaning
• Bring solutions, not complaints
• Do the dirty work
• Don’t be boring

The truth:

People like competence.

So does money.

(Feel free to share if this resonates♻️)

Real status can’t be bought.

Right?

My husband said five words to me that made my worldview flip on never missing a chance to see a loved one: “Measure in times, not years.”

We were debating whether to go home and see our family for Thanksgiving and my husband said...

If your parents are 65, it’s not 20 or 30 years you might have with them, it’s maybe 20 or 30 visits you get with them.

One in four Americans don’t live in the same hometown as their family. How would you change your decisions if you’d only get to see your loved ones for 20 or 30 more days?

You’d change everything to be with them, wouldn’t you?

Same if it was six months. And yet when those days are separated by years we let them slide through our fingers.

Next time don’t count the years, remember the days… and treasure them.

You can flatter & pander.

Or you can become ACTUALLY likable:

• Do what you say you’re going to do
• Show your results, not your intentions
• Your job isn’t done until THE job is done
• Communicate - less words, more meaning
• Bring solutions, not complaints
• Do the dirty work
• Don’t be boring

The truth:

People like competence.

So does money.

(Feel free to share if this resonates♻️)

You don’t get lucky.

You make your luck.

There are 3 ways to increase your odds of luck:

1. Do, repeatedly. Try, then iterate.
2. Be consistent. Resist the urge to give up.
3. Gain knowledge. Invest in yourself.

Knowledge without action is worthless. So is acting without knowing what you’re doing.

Say you want to buy a business.

You could get the best advice in the world from the smartest people in acquisitions… But if you don’t act, you’ll never buy one.

OR

Your could have all the drive in the world, the right mindset… But ruin yourself financially because you didn’t learn the right tactics.

A reminder to myself and you this Saturday...

It’s really just you against the mirror. You vs you. No one else can win at a game of one. I know it’s hard not to get distracted, race horses wear blinders for a reason. Your lane you’re game. LFG.

Every successful person I know has a Not To Do List.

Here's mine (and some people will hate this):

I don't pick people up from the airport.
I don't hire or hang out with people who cheat on their spouses.
I don't gossip about people, and I tell people that when they start to.
I don't wear stilettos for more than 60 minutes ever.
I don't take unsolicited phone calls.
I don't respond to texts that just say, "Hey, call me."
I don't do let me pick your brain coffee meetings.
I don't take a meeting or a phone call without getting the agenda first
I don't say that's impossible, or I can't do that.
I don't help friends move.
I don't take my phone off silent mode ever.
I don't fill up my own gas tank anymore.
I don't go to toddler birthday parties unless I have one.
I don't ever get my nails done unless it's at my office.

Last one: I don’t miss this FREE webinar: https://lnkd.in/gtWnwnef

A hard truth I've learned in business.

It's always who not how.

1. There's only so much time in the day.
2. There's always going to be someone smarter and better than you.

These aren't problems. They're levers.

Every time you struggle with an issue, don't try to figure out how to solve it. Instead, ask yourself what type of person could solve it for you.

You don’t have a HOW problem, you have a WHO problem.

Solve that and you solve everything.

↓ ↓ ↓

This is a strategy I think of as “stealing someone’s 10,000 hours.”

And I’m letting you take my 10,000 hours for free at my Main Street Millionaire Live Event…

I’ve bought & sold 20+ small businesses. I’ve failed a couple, scaled several, and I’m sharing a condensed version of how to buy a biz over 3 days.

It’ll be beginner-friendly and perfect if you're still in your 9-5.

Save your spot here today → https://lnkd.in/g7mjjqYQ

Business lessons after 15 years:
↓ ↓ ↓

1. Marrying well is the biggest life hack of all.

2. Be the type of person who reaches out to others... when you don't need something.

3. The greatest muscle you can build is urgency.

4. Most successful people move with this mindset: Entitled to nothing, willing to earn everything.

5. Pray like it's up to God. Work like it's up to you.

6. You don't need more time, you need a deadline.

7. The success you are looking for is waiting for you in the work you're currently avoiding.

8. Biographies of billionaires teach you more than self-help business books.

9. Your lack of focus will kill you before your competitors ever get a chance.

10. Winning isn't an accident, it's earned.

11. Underrated superpower: Just dumb enough to believe in yourself, just smart enough to execute.

12. Complexity makes you seem smart. Simplicity makes you money.

13. Surround yourself with owners, the conversation is just different.

14. The more you learn about money, the more you realize most of us play with Legos while the really rich play chess.

15. Beginners do too much. Pros do only what's needed.

16. Underperformers want ease. Midperformers want credit. Winners want pressure.

17. Your most expensive mistake will be a "who," not a "what."

18. If you've survived this far, the odds are actually are in your favor.

19. The formula is: keep going after it gets hard.

20. Your goal as CEO is to build a team that runs your entire company better than you.

21. The biggest change in wealth will happen when you realize $1,000,000 is not a lot of money.

22. There is no good or bad except by comparison.

23. Behind every successful entrepreneur is a bad former manager.

24. You underestimate how much more you can make in your career if you are likable.

25. You’ll never be a good entrepreneur if you can’t solve problems at your job.

26. A fear of losing money will stop you from making it.

27. It is very hard to change the world when you are broke. Don't apologize for chasing money.

28. Be yourself, so that those actually looking for you, can find you.

29. Amateurs want to do what they love. Pros learn to love what it takes.

30. Nothing is free. Beware of favors, there is usually a price.

31. Fail, you only pay once. Regret, you pay for the rest of your life.

32. The new rich is peace.

33. The world is run by failed employees.

34. If you can pay to steal someone else's 10,000 hours, do it.

(Steal mine for free → https://lnkd.in/eVx-VWRc)

35. Never bet against someone who just keeps taking swings.

36. Your new self will cost you your old self.

The average person thinks having a job is safer than starting a company.

I disagree:

CTA:

↓ ↓ ↓

Does this make you change your perspective on your job?

I have something for you to start learning the possibilities of business buying:

"6 Ways to Buy a Business with Less Money"

Get it free here → https://lnkd.in/evrW63Di

The richest people in the world don't just build companies... they buy them.

Here’s how you can too.

(Without their millions)

Three reasons why buying beats building a business from scratch:

- 45% of new businesses fail within 5 years
- Most entrepreneurs make only $67k/year
- First 3-4 years are unprofitable

Compare that to when you buy...

You inherit customers, systems, and profits from day one.

"But Codie, I genuinely can’t afford one."

That’s what I thought too when I started.

There are 3 ways to buy any business (without needing millions):

1. Experience
2. Sweat equity
3. Money

You only need ONE of these three to pull off a deal.

1. Experience

This is perfect for people who know the industry inside and out. Maybe you've been a plumber for 20 years and want to buy a plumbing company.

Sellers value genuine knowledge over $$ because they know you won't destroy what they built.

2. Sweat Equity

If you’re thinking about working in the business and growing it, this is for you. Many retiring owners care more about their legacy than maximizing the sale price.

They want someone who'll take care of their employees and customers, not just squeeze the biz for cash.

3. Money

This doesn't have to mean YOUR money. I've bought plenty of businesses with 0-15% down using other people's money.

You can:

- Use SBA loans (government-backed with low rates)
- Get investors to fund the deal
- Or structure seller financing

Seller financing often works as a win-win too. Banks tend to lowball business valuations and charge high interest rates.

But when sellers finance you directly, they get a premium price AND earn interest on the loan.

They make MORE money by cutting out the bank. Just make sure you show what’s in it for them:

- Higher purchase price (ex. 15%+ premium)
- Tax advantages (spread over time vs lump sum)
- Faster close (30 days vs 120 days)

A win-win.

So what businesses should you target?

A few strategies I use:

1. SOWS method

Stale: Revenue hasn't grown in 3+ years
Old: Been around 5+ years
Weak: Competitors are terrible
Simple: You can explain it to an 8-year-old

2. The Venmo Method

Look at your personal P&L:

Who do you pay every month?
Who are your competitors?
What vendors do you use?

These are the businesses you should buy.

Instead of paying to get your problem solved, why don’t you get paid to solve it for other people?

Right now, boomers own $5-10 trillion worth of businesses. And when these owners retire…

It’s either we buy these businesses, or BlackRock does.

I’d rather see more of us own our local than have PE swallow everything up.

If you want to learn how to buy a biz, you should come to my masterclass.

It's completely free & solely focused on teaching you how to buy an already profitable business.

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eHzRak6R

How I like to start my week.

The 1 in 60 Rule:

↓ ↓ ↓

If you liked this, you’ll like my newsletter too.

I post about business and mental & financial freedom multiple times a week: https://lnkd.in/e7DSWqMT

There’s only two kinds of business:

Ones that take your money (cash-suck)

Ones that make you money (cash-flow)

Feeling stuck?

Here’s my 8-step system to turn any cash-suck business into one that cash-flows.

1. Shorten your payment terms

Most businesses default to Net 30 payment terms because... that's what everyone else does.

Switch to Net 24 ( within 24 hours of completion). You can even go as far as taking 50% upfront.

First rule of business: don't work for free.

2. Get payment info from customers when they book

Have them sign a document that allows you to charge their card upon completion.

This one change removes the awkward "Where's my money?" conversation and speeds up your cash conversion cycle dramatically.

3. Offer discounts for cash payments

-You avoid credit card fees (often 3-5%)
-Customers love the discount
-You get money instantly

This is literally a win-win for both sides and puts cash in your account faster.

4. Diversify your client base

When 1 client represents 15%+ of your revenue, that's not a business. It's a hostage situation, and you're the hostage.

I've seen businesses collapse because they lost their "whale client."

Diversify, or accept that you're a glorified employee.

5. Establish a Line of Credit when things are good, not when you're desperate.

Use it as a buffer for operating expenses while waiting for client payments.

Then pay it off immediately when cash arrives.

6. Use your current portfolio as collateral

Your cash alternatives typically have a 90% factor rate for your credit limit. So $1M = a $900K credit line.

This gives you flexibility without liquidating assets, so you can make strategic moves while keeping your investments intact.

7. Cut the fat

We did an expense analysis across all our biz's with one goal: Cut 20% of costs.

We ended up at 16% - which might not sound dramatic until you realize that's $96,000 less monthly spend.

That's $1.15M saved per year - straight to the bottom line.

8. Create recurring revenue

For any product or service you offer, ask: "Could this be a subscription?"

The answer is nearly always yes.

If you make most of your revenue from one season or event, your #1 priority should be creating year-round cash flow.

If reading this made you think you might own a cash suck business, I’d love to help.

On August 4th, I’m holding my virtual Masterclass where we fix stuff like this.

Grab your free ticket here → https://lnkd.in/emDmhNj7

The best advice that no one follows:

- Wake up at 5:45am.
- Marriage done well is a huge superpower.
- Trust God.
- Be careful what you read, it becomes the way you think.
- No going out on a school night.
- If you have to drink to hang out with someone, you probably shouldn't be buds.

Feel free to share if you agree ♻️

The only statistic you should care about is time-to-action.

Improving your urgency redefines your ability to get sh*t done.

If:

- Next quarter becomes next month
- Next month becomes next week
- Next week becomes tomorrow...

You will make more money.

Follow today (not tomorrow 😉) if you need more of this energy in your life → Codie A. Sanchez

You will make 10x more money if you present ideas like this to your clients or leaders.

Entrepreneurship is incredibly hard.

Failure rate: 90%

Avg salary: $46k

Instead of starting something new, go buy a profitable $1M/year business using SBA loans just like you would a mortgage.

Here’s how:

- Define Your Deal Box
- Find Your “Perfect Fit” Business
- Reach Out to Sellers
- Review Financials
- Submit the LOI
- Run Due Diligence
- Close the Deal

Not necessarily easy. But it is SIMPLE.

And sometimes the hardest part is just finding a business to buy in the first place.

So head over to BizScout to make it easier: https://lnkd.in/guvj_-P4

They’ll filter out all the dead ends so you can find your perfect fit faster.

Best part of your business? The people.

Worst part? The people.

Business horror story time:

I hired an exec, paid her $200k a year + $200k in bonus.

She secretly launches 2 side businesses, tries to take our clients to one, and was secretly launching a competing product all within the first 6 months.

Yikes.

We found out, let her go (obviously), but I had to chuckle because she bankrupted her last company... and then changed her name since she now claims it was a success.

Moral of the story...

If you're in business, expect it.

Protect your house because your biggest costs will always be wrong people trusted.

Just me... or have you also had business horror stories?

I asked my mom & dad for advice recently from raising me and my brother...

This is what they told me, maybe you’ll find it useful too:

1. Your kids are not your friends. They’re yours to safeguard and support, but set rules. Biggest problem with most kids in our generation, their parents wanted to be liked not respected.

2. Psy ops are underrated. My mom had this line for whenever I got into trouble. She’d say, “When I ask you a question like this, I already know the answer. I am giving you a chance to come clean...” At which point I’d sing like a canary because I’m a scaredy cat. I found out today she rarely knew the answers. Brilliant and maniacal.

3. Always on the same page. My mom and dad rarely fought in front of my brother and I. They would never go back on the word of the other. United front to deal with us mini terrorists.

4. Make time. My dad had this silly line that is actually not silly: “You can make money, you can make a cake, but you can’t make time.” So they made allllll the time for us.

5. Four chairs. We have these four chairs in our living room, no tv. Growing up, we’d sit and debate and talk for hours. Politics. Opinions. Our days. Only thing not allowed was an opinion you couldn’t defend unemotionally. We still do this today.

6. Mi Sangre mi siempre. They’d always say, blood comes first. They meant it. I hired my brother, my dad, my mom, my cousin at times. We stick together and we may fight like hell but never in front of others.

7. Once you decide, you don’t quit. We could play any sport or instrument BUT if we committed we had to play the full year all out. No 3 lessons and quit. Taught us to choose thoughtfully and keep going even when it hurt.

8. Always call. They still pick up the phone nearly every time it’s family. My dad in a meeting will pause to answer my mom. My husband taught me this too, and I try to do the same. If they’re your first priority this is an easy way to prove it.

9. You’re not a princess, you’re a president. My dad always used to say that line. He told me this week that I lived up to it. Gutted me. He taught us we didn’t need to be saved, instead we could save ourselves and help others.

10. Hug often and seriously. If you’ve ever hugged my parents, they mean it when they do it. Such a simple, free gesture. My mom always gives you a hug and says vaya con dios… go with God. How can you not do big things with parents that hold you like that?

Just some Lessons from the Road from parents I happen to think are some of the best in the world.

Moms and dads everywhere, I’m in awe of you.

Hardest job I’ve ever seen.

*This is one of my favorite pics of me and my dad. Doesn’t get old.

There's a woman in our business buying Academy who bought 6 pack-and-ship stores across Texas without ever leaving her W-2.

Nguyet Luong had zero business ownership experience.

Her first acquisition: an 18-year-old store in Austin.

She’s now at 6 stores. 
7-figure business portfolio. 
And still full-time at her corporate job.

Perfect example that you don’t need to quit your job to become an owner.

Nguyet uses her Big Tech salary to fund the acquisitions. And the businesses make her better at her day job.

Both things feed each other.

Love stories like this.

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Read Nguyet's full story here:) https://lnkd.in/gGUV_-eg

Wall Street has one rule:

Never start what you can buy.

Here’s everything you need to know about buying a biz in 2025:

While 90% of startups fail, 80% of acquisitions survive the first year.

88% of people worth $30M+ have done at lease one acquisition.

That means the best way to get rich isn’t to start a business like they love to tell us.

The best way to wealth with the highest degree of certainty is through acquisitions.

Right now, the average small business owner in the US is 67 years old. When you’ve run a business for 10+ years, you're bound to be exhausted.

These owners are motivated to sell by what I call the 7 D's:

• Departure
• Divorce
• Disease
• Disagreement
• Distress
• Death
• Dullness

They’re desperate to exit the game but don't know how.

Most people think they need millions in capital to buy a businesses.

But they don't realize 60% of all business sales involve seller financing.

Instead of going to a bank for a loan, the seller becomes your bank.

You put some money down, and they get paid over time from the business profits.

There are 3 reasons why a seller would agree to this:

1. Cash

Let’s say the bank offered the seller $750,000 for their biz but you offered the seller $1.15 million paid over time.

They’ll make an extra $400,000 by being the bank.

2. Taxes

Lump sum payments hit the seller with massive tax bills.

Installment payments spread over 10 years means lower tax brackets and potentially hundreds of thousands saved.

3. Speed

Bank loans take 3-9 months to close. Seller financing can close in 2-3 weeks.

Now which businesses to target?

Ones under $10 million in revenue with at least 15% profit margins.

Blue-collar service businesses fit this bill - HVAC, landscaping, cleaning services.

They're cash-flowing, recession-resistant, and boring enough that private equity ignores them.

BUT, before searching anywhere, create what I call a deal box. Define exactly:

• How much cash flow you need annually
• Maximum purchase price
• Geographic preferences
• Industry focus
• Must-haves and can't-stands

If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll never find it.

Next up, how to find businesses to buy?

1. Venmo Challenge

Pull your payment history and filter out friends and big companies. What's left are small businesses you already pay - cleaning services, handymen, landscapers.

2. Personal P&L Review.

Open your credit card statements and look at small businesses you spend with. These are owners you can reach out to.

3. The 9-5 Strategy:

One of our community members bought her coworker's $1.5M business with full seller financing after he decided to retire to go skiing with his wife.

↓ ↓ ↓

As a thank you for sticking around to the end, I want you give my "Deal Clarity Workbook."

It helps you figure out what business is right for you.

Grab it here: https://lnkd.in/enPdVi_D

"Men only want one thing... and it's disgusting."

Men: "A cashflowing business, babies and a happy wife.”

↓↓↓

Come learn how to buy one with me at our next 3-day live event.

June 18-20, fully remote, with all of the smartest business buyers I know.

Hope to see you there: https://lnkd.in/gubmPaBM

Being an entrepreneur is hard, being an owner is hard… choose your hard.

Some of my hard moments as an owner so you see it’s not all sunshine:

- We owned a cannabis product company, had a driver miss the last exit to the dispensary before the US/Mexico border… he proceeds to drive up to customs on the Mexican side tell them what’s in the truck like $100k in product plus tons of cash and get it all “impounded” we barely get the truck back and lose all the cash and the product

- We don’t fire him… he did it again next month

- Another driver for a different company hit a too low of garage with his truck… almost totals the truck

- Armed robbers in Oakland drove a TRUCK into our warehouse storage unit stealing multi 6 figures of product

- We eventually had a 24/7 line me or a partner had to monitor

- Another company my accountant messed up reporting and I find out randomly during a line of credit review to learn we are 4 weeks from running out of money and never would have noticed

- Another company we spent $120k on advertising a new product and get… $0 in sales wah wah

- Another company had an employee steal our product images, copy, and a product name, post it on her website while she STILL worked for me and had a launching soon button on her site

- Another company had 2 payment processors back to back cancel them, hold $90k+, and we had to fight to get it back 90 days later

This game ain’t easy. But if you’re crazy like me you also think it’s worth it.

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