189: He Escaped Bankruptcy—Then Built a System That Changed Everything with Michael Erath - 8FE
Release Date: 08/14/2025
208: Bootstrapping a $50M/Year Business (And Exiting Twice) with John Arrow
Beyond A Million
Most founders dream of selling their company once. John Arrow sold the same company twice. He bootstrapped a mobile product development firm (Mutual Mobile) in college, scaled it to 300 people, and pushed nearly $50M a year in revenue. But the real unlock came from one bold decision: moving upstream into enterprise clients. Prior to that, his model was unsustainable. He and his co-founders made the decision to fire all of their customers and only work with companies with a spend of at least $1M/year. That’s when their company took off. In this episode, John breaks down the decisions...
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207: How HighLevel Scaled to 2M+ Users Without a Sales Team with Robin Alex
Beyond A Million
Robin Alex is the co-founder of HighLevel, a marketing automation and CRM platform that has grown to more than two million users since launching in 2018. The company scaled rapidly—doubling and tripling year after year—largely through a white-label model that allows agencies and implementation partners to resell the platform under their own brand. HighLevel now operates with roughly 2,000 employees worldwide and continues to ship new features, including AI-driven tools, at an unusually fast pace. In this conversation, Robin talks through the real reason HighLevel gained traction, how...
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206: How Pat Flynn Turns Content Into Multiple 7-Figure Businesses
Beyond A Million
For nearly two decades, Pat Flynn has been creating content. What’s interesting is how that work has fueled multiple 7-figure businesses. Over the years, he’s launched and scaled companies across education, media, software, community, and physical products—from and to niche websites, podcasting tools, and more recently, a that pulls in 10 million views a day. What ties all of these ventures together is the way Pat builds them. Through his philosophy, he’s able to use content to test ideas, reduce risk, and explore a wide range of opportunities while still staying super...
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205: How 8-Figure Founders Use AI & Automation To Scale Faster with Matt Leitz
Beyond A Million
Too many business owners are trying to use AI as a shortcut to fire people instead of using it to multiply the output of their best people. And that mindset is killing their growth. Matt Leitz has been building automation systems for 7- and 8-figure companies long before AI went mainstream. He’s seen inside the machines powering 9-figure brands… and the truth is simple: automation isn’t optional anymore. If you want to scale, you need a business that compounds output without requiring more of your time. Matt breaks down how to use AI as leverage — not as a crutch. He shares where...
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Land High-Level Clients with This Simple 3-Thing Rule
Beyond A Million
This is a clip from the Beyond A Million podcast where I talked to Steve Sims – entrepreneur, speaker, coach, and bestselling author, best known as the creator of the world’s first luxury concierge service. Here Steve shares a killer strategy for getting the attention of high-level people (like billionaires or big-time investors). His approach is simple, but a bit unexpected… and it definitely doesn’t involve pitching or pretending to be someone you’re not. He also tells a wild story about how this exact move led to a long-term consulting deal with a serious player in Silicon Valley....
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204: Scaling a $100M+ Beverage Brand in an Industry Few Survive with Aaron Hinde
Beyond A Million
Starting a business is hard. Starting a beverage company is almost impossible. With a 95% failure rate in year one and 99% by year five, most founders never make it out alive. That’s what makes Aaron Hinde’s story so compelling. As the Co-Founder of FITAID, a clean-ingredient beverage brand now valued north of $100M, he’s navigated a landscape that destroys nearly everyone who steps into it. In our conversation, Aaron breaks down the truth behind building in one of the harshest categories in consumer goods, from the retail relationships that quietly drain millions to the dozens of...
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Two Habits That Separate True Entrepreneurs From Hustlers
Beyond A Million
“If Apple CEO Tim Cook needs a board of directors to help him make decisions, what makes you think you can do it all by yourself?” That’s the question Brian Will – serial entrepreneur with multiple exits under his belt – poses in this clip from Beyond A Million. Brian explains why letting go of ego makes it easier to grow your business. He talks about how financial stability helps you become less reactive, more collaborative, and why failing without learning is just wasting time. If you’ve been stuck in perfectionism, control, or thinking you need (or worse – have)...
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203: The YouTube Lead Gen Strategy Behind a Multi-7-Figure Business with Colin Shipp
Beyond A Million
Collin Ship built his YouTube channel for one purpose: drive qualified leads into his business. He wasn’t trying to grow an audience or chase viral moments. He wanted a predictable system that pointed people toward his offer. And it proved how effective a small channel can be when it’s built the right way. Collin took an “unsexy” niche (blogging) and paired it with a search-driven YouTube strategy built entirely around keywords, intent, and simple videos that matched what people were actually looking for. That combination led to a multi-7-figure business powered by steady, targeted...
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Multifamily vs. Commercial: What’s the Safer Bet in Real Estate?
Beyond A Million
In this clip, Brad Sumrok talks about why apartments have turned out to be one of the most dependable ways to invest in real estate. Some properties look good at first, but fall apart when the market shifts. Apartments tend to stick it out. Brad’s not hyping anything. He’s just explaining what’s worked over 20 years of doing deals – and why more investors are starting to take notice. If you’ve ever wondered where real estate actually holds up long-term, this is a good place to start. Enjoyed this clip? Check out our full interview with Brad:
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202: How 8-Figure Founders Break the 7-Figure Ceiling (Tactics from Past Guests)
Beyond A Million
As an entrepreneur, once you hit 7-figures, the game changes. Scaling isn’t just about more revenue, it’s about smarter systems, better people, and the mindset required to lead at the next level. In this special compilation episode of Beyond a Million, I’ve pulled together powerful clips from past guests — 8- and 9-figure founders who share the unfiltered lessons behind building and scaling successful companies. Whether you’re a founder, CEO, or investor scaling your business beyond 7-figures, these are proven tactics that actually move the needle. Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro...
info_outlineWhat if the framework you’re using to grow your business is the very thing holding it back?
Today’s guest, Michael Erath, founder of Next Level Growth, reveals why systems like EOS and Scaling Up, while helpful, often become a cage for elite entrepreneurs. Michael grew a $45M company, lost it all to fraud and a financial crisis, and came back stronger with a custom-built framework that now helps other businesses scale without the chaos.
In this episode, you’ll hear how Michael bounced back from total collapse, why most entrepreneurs are aiming too low, and what makes his Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations framework a smarter, more adaptable path to sustainable growth.
You’ll also learn why effort is your responsibility, how to rethink coaching ROI, and why pricing strategy should never be an afterthought.
If you’ve ever felt boxed in by traditional systems or know your business is capable of more, this conversation will show you how to build the kind of company others can’t compete with.
Listen in and learn what it takes to grow a business that’s not just successful, but elite.
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This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark.
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Key Takeaways:
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00:00:00 Michael’s turbulent business background
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00:02:47 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
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00:05:28 Investment returns on coaching
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00:14:46 Growing a family business to $45M
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00:20:43 Bank fraud, embezzlement, and the 2008 collapse
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00:23:51 There’s always a negotiation to be had
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00:34:02 Starting over and building a new business
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00:41:39 The EOS framework
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00:44:59 The five obsessions framework
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00:59:24 Michael’s book and its AI companion
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01:01:51 AI and business
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01:04:13 Acceptance of mediocre performance
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01:08:48 Outro
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Additional Resources:
🔹 Next Level Growth: https://nextlevelgrowth.com/
🔹 Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelerath1/
🔹 Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations: https://a.co/d/ckShv2Y
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Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work.
If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU!
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