EP 220: Everyone Has a "Million Dollar" Idea, But Very Few Actually Execute
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m calling out something I see at every level of entrepreneurship: Everybody has ideas. Very few people actually execute them. You don't need the perfect website. You don't need the fancy office. You don't need another piece of software, a bigger warehouse, the perfect CRM, or some new AI tool. You need customers. You need revenue. And you need to get your ass out into the marketplace and sell something. I've spent the last few weeks reviewing applications from young entrepreneurs for our Next Gen Deal Maker competition, where I'm giving away $30,000 of my own money. One of...
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EP 219: While You're Waiting ... The Clock Is Running
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m talking about something none of us can buy more of: Time. Life has a way of punching you in the face with reality. One minute you're building businesses, chasing goals, raising your family, and handling a hundred things at once. The next minute, you get a phone call or text that reminds you just how quickly everything can change. Over the last few weeks, I’ve watched people close to me deal with losing parents, received news about my own uncle’s health, and found myself thinking about a question we all eventually have to answer: When your time is up, are you going to...
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EP 218: PSA: Emotional Reactions Can Cost You Millions
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m giving you a real-life lesson on relationship capital — sparked by an email I received literally minutes before recording this show. Here’s the truth: you can spend years building your reputation, your network, and relationships with the right people… and destroy opportunities in seconds because you let your emotions do the talking. I share the story of someone I met through the real estate and car world who responded emotionally after I reached back out to reconnect. Instead of keeping the door open, one email showed me everything I needed to know — and...
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EP 217: The Real Flex Isn’t Money -- It’s Having Options
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I'm challenging one of the biggest lies entrepreneurs have been sold: That success is measured by how hard you hustle. After spending a week in the Hamptons surrounded by highly successful entrepreneurs and multi-generational wealth, I noticed something that completely shifted my perspective. The people with the most freedom weren't trying to impress anyone. They weren't flashing expensive watches or driving exotic cars everywhere they went. They were investing in their health, spending time with their families, protecting their privacy, and living life on their own terms....
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EP 216: Why Being the "Black Sheep" is Your Biggest Entrepreneurial Advantage
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m sharing why being the black sheep in your family, your business, or your circle of friends might be the greatest advantage you’ll ever have. After spending the Fourth of July with my family, I found myself reflecting on something I know so many entrepreneurs experience: feeling like you’re living on a completely different planet than the people around you. It’s not because you’re better than them. It’s because you want a different life. While so many conversations revolve around gossip, drama, and the past, I want to talk about the future. Business. Growth....
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EP 215: If Your Vision Doesn't Scare You, It's Too Small
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the biggest reasons entrepreneurs stay stuck for years: Their vision is too small. I just wrapped up an incredible two-day private mastermind at my farm with 25 entrepreneurs from all different industries — from nine-figure trucking companies and real estate investors to social media influencers, fund managers, and business owners scaling to the next level. And after countless conversations, one thing became crystal clear: Most people don’t have a work ethic problem. They have a vision problem. Too many entrepreneurs are grinding every day,...
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EP 214: The Birthday Lesson I Wish Someone Told Me 30 Years Ago...
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m sharing the biggest lesson I’ve learned after 48 years on this planet. As I celebrate my 48th birthday, I’m reflecting on the advice I wish someone had given me 30 years ago — advice that would have saved me years of overthinking, hesitation, and waiting for the "perfect" plan. The truth? Nobody has it all figured out. Not me. Not billionaires. Not the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. The people you admire aren’t winning because they have all the answers. They’re winning because they’re willing to take action before they have them. In this episode,...
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EP 213: How To Dominate Any Industry, and In Any Market
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what it takes to dominate any industry — in any market — no matter what’s going on around you. And here’s the truth… It’s not AI. It’s not marketing hacks. It’s not some secret strategy. It’s doing the simple things that almost nobody is willing to do consistently. I’m sharing four core components that cost you nothing to implement — but if you ignore them, your business will struggle, stall, or disappear within the next 24 months. I’m also pulling back the curtain on what I’m seeing across multiple businesses and...
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EP 212: Get $10,000,000 Cash, Tax-Free... But There's Just One Catch
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m going to offer you something most people think they want… $10,000,000 cash — tax free. But there’s one catch: You don’t wake up tomorrow. Would you take the deal? Of course not. And that’s exactly the point. In this episode, I’m challenging you to rethink how you value your time, your life, and the opportunities sitting right in front of you every single day. Because if you wouldn’t trade your life for $10M… then why are you treating your days like they’re worth so much less? I also take you behind the scenes of a last-minute, $45,000 trip I made...
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EP 211: The Brutal Truth About Why Your Business Is Stuck
Making Of A DM
In this episode, I’m breaking down the brutal truth about why your business is stuck — and it’s probably not what you want to hear. It’s not the market. It’s not the economy. It’s not your CRM. It’s the fact that you’re drowning in noise instead of focusing on signal. I see so many entrepreneurs working all day, staying “busy,” and still not making money. Why? Because you’re doing things that feel like work… but don’t actually move the needle. In this episode, I walk you through the difference between signal vs. noise — and how the most successful people in the...
info_outlineIn this episode, I’m giving you a real-life lesson on relationship capital — sparked by an email I received literally minutes before recording this show.
Here’s the truth: you can spend years building your reputation, your network, and relationships with the right people… and destroy opportunities in seconds because you let your emotions do the talking.
I share the story of someone I met through the real estate and car world who responded emotionally after I reached back out to reconnect. Instead of keeping the door open, one email showed me everything I needed to know — and potentially closed the door on deals, introductions, money, and opportunities he doesn’t even know exist.
That’s why this episode isn’t really about one email.
It’s about how you act and react when you’re building relationships.
I break down what relationship capital actually means, why paying to get into the right rooms doesn’t automatically earn you relationships, and why the biggest players I know tend to be some of the most humble people in the room.
If you’re building a business, growing your network, or trying to get access to bigger opportunities, this is your PSA:
Don’t let a temporary emotion create a permanent consequence.
Show highlights include:
- Why relationship capital is about more than simply knowing people [04:45]
- The small daily actions I use to build stronger relationships [05:40]
- Why paying to enter the right room doesn’t automatically earn you relationship capital [08:00]
- Why takers might win today — but almost always lose long term [08:40]
- How someone's reputation inside a community can quietly cost them opportunities [09:29]
- Why the biggest players are often the most humble people in the room [10:30]
- The emotional email that sparked this entire episode [14:17]
- How one reaction can shut the door on deals and opportunities you never knew existed [16:44]
- Why your texts and emails should never be written in the heat of emotion [23:47]
- The 24-hour rule I recommend before sending an emotional response [23:47]
- Why your time is your biggest asset — and who you invest it in matters [26:14]
- How investing in the right relationships can create opportunities for decades [28:21]
I’ve spent my entire life building relationship capital.
I’ve done it right.
I’ve done it drastically wrong.
I’ve been taken advantage of.
And every time, I’ve gotten better at recognizing the people I want in my world.
Because real relationship capital isn’t about asking:
“What can this person do for me?”
It’s about showing up. Being valuable. Making introductions. Celebrating people's wins. Being there during their losses. And being a genuinely good human being without calculating the immediate ROI.
And if you’re pissed off?
Write the email.
Put it in your drafts.
Wait 24 hours.
Then read it again.
Because the message that feels good to send today could cost you millions in relationships, deals, introductions, and opportunities tomorrow.
Your reputation travels faster than you do.
Build it wisely.
Welcome to The Making of a DM Podcast, where real estate, entrepreneurship, and deal making collide. Hosted by Mark Evans DM — the "DM" stands for Deal Maker — a 12X bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, and family man, this podcast offers you a front-row seat to the strategies and mindset that help entrepreneurs scale their businesses for maximum profitability and freedom. Mark’s journey began in the blue-collar world, running a gutter business before transitioning into real estate, where he flipped over 5,000 deals. Now, as the owner of multiple successful businesses, Mark shares the lessons he’s learned along the way to financial independence. Whether you're flipping properties, building business empires, or seeking ways to stop trading time for money, this podcast will show you how to level up your business and your life.
Check out these resources:
- Who Is Mark Evans DM?: Learn More
- Follow Mark on Instagram: @markevansdm
- Grab Mark’s book, Magician Vs. Mule: Get Your Copy
- Want to be part of the Deal Maker Alliance? Join Now
- Free Masterclass: Get Mark’s Business Buying Blueprint: Sign Up