Over my 35-year career, I've become one of the best at one thing: business. My most recent startup, Help Bank, was valued at over $50 million within 12 months, and I've made more money than I'll ever need. Today, I'm packing 35 years of my no-BS business advice into this one post to give you the foundations you need to build a business and get rich.

1. Success Often Starts Without Money

You think you need lots of money to make a business work. In fact, you think you need some money, not even a lot, to start a business. And you're wrong. Completely wrong.

Let's take a business that raised lots of money: WeWork. They raised around $30 billion in total. How could they fail with $30 billion just handed to them? Now, look at Airbnb, which started with no money. The problem is, when people get money, their imagination goes out the window. They don't think hard about marketing, hiring, or their business model. They just spend.

Key Takeaway: Having no money is a competitive advantage. You fight harder because you have nothing to lose.

2. If You Don’t Pay, You Don’t Pay Attention

It's a lie peddled by people selling courses. The real truth? Pain makes you pay attention. To succeed, you need to create pain for yourself. Tell yourself, "If I don’t do this, someone’s life won’t improve."

Example: My wife learned kinesiology to help her mom fight cancer. The pain of her mom’s diagnosis drove her to push through and learn something new.

3. Confront Your Fear of Failure

Fear is an asset. It’s a superpower that makes you perform better. Embrace it. If you’re not feeling fear, you’re not taking enough risks. Risk is what builds your "risk muscle," and that’s where success lies.

4. Do What You’re Good At and Outsource the Rest

Don’t waste time on things you’re bad at. Double down on your strengths. For example, I’m great at sales and explaining things but terrible at geography. So, I outsource what I’m not good at.

Tip: Hire specialists for tasks you don’t enjoy or excel at.

5. Stop Selling Time, Start Buying It

Most people sell their time for an hourly rate. Instead, sell outcomes. The richest people in the world buy time by hiring others, leveraging capital, and using technology.

Example: A submarine engineer charged $300,000 for 15 minutes of work because it took him 20 years to learn how to fix it in 15 minutes.

6. Own a Piece of the Value You’re Building

96% of people work for someone else and only take a salary. The smart ones own equity in the business they’re building. Don’t just work for a paycheck—own a piece of the pie.

7. Don’t Be Afraid to Share Your Ideas

Ideas are worthless without execution. Don’t waste time with NDAs. Share your ideas widely. The more people who know about it, the more help you’ll get.

8. You Can’t Build a Company Part-Time

Side hustles are great for starting, but you can’t build a serious business part-time. Commit fully when you’re ready. Get your costs down, save for six months, and go all in.

9. Look After Your Best Customers

You only need three happy customers to build a business. Focus on making your existing customers happy, and they’ll bring you more business.

10. Give Equity to Your Team

If you want your team to work as hard as you, give them skin in the game. Equity motivates people to perform better and stay loyal.

11. Train People, Trust People, Tear Yourself Away

If you don’t trust your team, you can’t grow. Train them, trust them, and step back. The biggest bottleneck in your business is often you.

12. Find a Co-Founder

Businesses with co-founders are more likely to succeed. Find someone with complementary skills and share the journey.

13. Rise Slowly, Fall Slowly

Don’t rush success. Build your business step by step. Quick rises often lead to quick falls.

14. Hire Specialists as You Grow

As your business grows, replace generalists with specialists. Founders often need to replace themselves with CEOs who can handle larger operations.

15. Build a Community

Community is your biggest advantage over big companies. Engage with your community, bring value to them, and they’ll support you.

Final Thoughts

Building a business is hard, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can succeed. Follow these 15 tips, and you’ll be on your way to building a successful business and achieving financial freedom.