MentorBox Book Review: My Favorite Book So Far

Those who have been following PPC Ian for a while know that I love MentorBox. A program co-founded by Alex Mehr, Ph.D. and Tai Lopez, MentorBox provides a truly unique self-education platform. As a paying customer, MentorBox got me reading again, and has me consuming and putting into action two books per month! These are books that are taking my life to the next level. I’m investing aggressively in my self-education.

MentorBox Mastermind Meetup In San Francisco

Having written a variety of posts here on PPC Ian about MentorBox and having filmed a variety of video reviews on YouTube, I often receive questions about the program. One of my recurring questions goes like this, "Hey Ian, it seems like MentorBox offers a variety of books, mainly around sales, marketing, and professional success in business. However, I was wondering: Does the program also mix in books about other topics as well?"

Today’s post is a response to this very question. In short: Yes, MentorBox absolutely provides value above and beyond sales, marketing, and business. I’m on the physical box product and love the randomness of the books I receive spanning all different topics. As the most avid readers I know (including Tai Lopez, the man who reads a book a day), I truly enjoy how the MentorBox team chooses books for me each and every month. Most books are ones I would have never picked on my own – how amazing! (It’s this curation of books alone that provides a tremendous value in my life, but I’ve already covered that in length in my other reviews.)

You. Are. The. One. By Kute Blackson

Just recently, I received a book about spirituality called “You. Are. The. One.” by Kute Blackson. While I have enjoyed all of the MentorBox lessons that have come my way, this book is my favorite so far. In fact, I not only enjoyed the cheat sheet, study guide, nearly 2-hour video interview with Kute himself, but also read the book cover-to-cover. I don’t read all of the books in MentorBox, but I do from time-to-time when the topic really draws my interest.

An Adventure In Spirituality

I consider myself a spiritual person, increasingly so over the last few years. Spirituality has become an important component of my life, and one that I want to develop substantially. Spirituality brings comfort, motivation, big ideas, energy, caring for others, purpose, and so much more! As soon as I received this book, I knew it was going to be a great one!

Kute Blackson: The New Voice of Spirituality

Let’s start with the author. I’m really impressed with Kute Blackson. Not only is his message powerful, but his delivery is even more powerful:

Upon watching the video with Jonathan Kendall (COO at MentorBox) and Kute Blackson, you can clearly experience and appreciate the power of Kute’s delivery. Having grown up in a large church environment, Kute is a master of public speaking. In fact, for years he went to his father’s church in the middle of the night to practice preaching. I truly appreciate the preaching style of Kute’s delivery. He’s a pastor for the Internet generation.
Kute Blackson really has a larger-than-life presence. His approach is grounded in confidence, knowledge, power, and caring for others. MentorBox adds a completely new dimension to Kute’s work because the video allows us to all experience Kute’s presence (and this presence does not come across in reading the book alone).
It is a personal goal of mine to smile more frequently, so I really enjoyed seeing Kute’s smile throughout the video. Experiencing Kute’s smile and his ability to toggle between serious and happy topics is truly unique.
Kute’s life experience is incredible and is the source of his great wisdom. I suggest enjoying this book to learn how real-world challenges and life experiences have shaped Kute’s philosophy and timeless wisdom.

Lessons Learned From You. Are. The. One.

I cannot even begin to summarize this book, because the lessons are so incredibly bountiful and deep. However, I want to take this opportunity to share three of my favorite insights from You. Are. The. One. (and the accompanying MentorBox materials).

Lesson 1: Follow Your Authentic Self

Kute explains that we all have greatness encoded in our genes. Literally, he says, "YOU ARE THE ONE." We also all have gifts, passions, and dreams. We have everything we need!

The world does not owe us anything. Nobody owes us anything. Rather, we all owe the world our gifts. We are in a unique time in human history, and the world needs our gifts more than ever before.

It is no coincidence that one has a particular dream. It is not by accident. Your dream has chosen you. Go after that dream with everything you have. Make sure that your dream aligns with doing greater good for society. It’s time to serve others!

Lesson 2: Your Thoughts Are Not Who You Are

How many of you reading have negative thoughts come up from time-to-time? How about de-motivating thoughts, ones that tell you that you are not good enough or may never live the life you want? Reality check: Everyone has these thoughts. And, they are absolutely not real.

Kute explains that thoughts are completely different from who we are. They are a representation of our brains trying to be cautious and protect us, a relic from old times. We need to observe our thoughts, but we do not need to dwell on them. If a de-motivating thought comes up, it’s important to realize that it’s just a thought. And, it’s important to give it no power!

On a higher level, Kute asks us to challenge our entire way of thinking. Are there certain beliefs that we hold because of our conditioning? It’s important that we all seek our own truth. We should not allow our minds to take away our freedom and dreams.

Lesson 3: Spirituality Is Everywhere

If you’ve been reading PPC Ian for a long time, you may remember that I like to Pray While I’m Running. In a similar way, Kute explains that life is a meditation. Spirituality is everywhere. Spirituality should be a part of every moment of one’s life. There is no separation. Life is about enjoying the ordinary moments, and there is deep meaning in all moments.

Thanks MentorBox, For An Incredible Book On Spirituality

I truly enjoyed this book, and hope my review helps illustrate the diversity of titles and topics within MentorBox. (MentorBox is definitely not only about lessons in sales and marketing.)

Each year, I’m a big fan of giving holiday gifts to business partners, friends, co-workers, and family. The Five Minute Journal has been a favorite gift to give, and I always have a stack of them ready to go. In fact, I just handed out two Five Minute Journals last week!

I’m pleased to now have another go-to gift book, "You. Are. The. One." by Kute Blackson! I just ordered a stack, and look forward to giving these out as gifts too. This holiday season, I already have a list of friends and co-workers who will receive this book from me – how neat! (As a bonus tip: Whether I’m giving away The Five Minute Journal or You. Are. The. One., I like to take the time to write a heartfelt message inside the cover. It’s all about making gifts personal and meaningful!)

Say Thank You To PPC Ian – My MentorBox Affiliate Link

Stanford University (My Alma Mater) Is The Perfect Place To Take In Mentor Box

Before I sign off for today, I want to let you know that I am an affiliate of MentorBox. What does this mean? When someone purchases via my affiliate link, the customer pays the same price, however I earn a commission. If you enjoyed my review today and plan on signing up for MentorBox anyways, I would be forever grateful if you signed up via My MentorBox Link (affiliate link). It would mean the world to me, and help keep the lights on here at PPC Ian.

Of course, you can always head directly to MentorBox as well. At the end of the day, I just want to see you thrive. I wish you all the success in the world!

Want To Learn Even More?

Want to learn even more about MentorBox? I have a variety of posts here, and YouTube videos too! I hope you enjoy all of them. Another fun recent one is My 15-Day MentorBox Challenge. Learn how I personally approach MentorBox each month, getting maximum time efficiency and results. On a related note, my other recent post Is MentorBox Worth It? (Of Course!) elaborates on my MentorBox process even more. I think you will enjoy these posts, as they mark the evolution of my own personal self-education strategy. Just beginning on your journey? My Original Mentorbox Review is a brilliant place to start, offering an overall review of the program and also several video reviews. It’s the hub of all things Mentorbox here on PPC Ian.

Affiliate Disclosure: I am a MentorBox affiliate. If you find my review helpful and end up purchasing via my affiliate link, I will earn a commission and be grateful for your support.

My London Real Academy Review

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Dec 12 3

About two and a half years ago, when I made the transition from the corporate world to full time entrepreneur and investor, I started investing heavily in my self-education. Historically, the bulk of my education has been formal (BS in Computer Science and Minor in Economics from Stanford University) and on the job (high-powered executive roles at successful Silicon Valley technology companies).

However, one day while watching Tai Lopez on YouTube, it hit me: I need to be investing (heavily) in my self-education via books. Time is scarce, but I need to make the time, I need to do it. So, I started reading and eventually discovered Mentorbox. (If you’ve been reading PPC Ian for a while, you know that I love Mentorbox and have thrived under that program, reading two books per month.) However, before Mentorbox was even invented, Tai Lopez brought me to London Real.

I wanted to learn more about Tai Lopez, this man who reads a book a day. I wanted to find out what he’s all about. So, I searched and found that Brian Rose interviewed him (several times) on London Real. Upon finding the London Real YouTube Channel and the London Real Academy, I was immediately intrigued. After enjoying London Real’s extensive free content for quite some time, I decided to sign up for the London Real Academy. Today’s post is a review of my personal experience. It covers exactly what this exciting program offers.

What Is London Real?

Let’s start with the man behind London Real. Mr. Brian Rose is an ex-banker, based out of London. US-born and educated, Brian left the US to pursue his banking career in London. Eventually, he achieved incredible success, but knew something was missing, he knew that banking was not his forever path. So, he took the entrepreneurial plunge and created London Real, a platform that educates others (like you and me) via interviews with the most interesting and brightest minds in our world.

A YouTube-centric business, London Real offers new interviews with amazing people each and every week, for free. Brian typically offers the first half of each episode on YouTube. Then, if you want to enjoy the rest, you can head over to his website (it’s free), and watch there.

If you’ve been following PPC Ian for a while, you know that I enjoy Mentorbox because the program curates the books for me. I love the element of surprise, I enjoy the diversity and unexpectedness of the titles chosen. In a similar fashion, Brian’s interviews are truly diverse. One week, he could be interviewing British boxing legend, Chris Eubank Sr. The next, he might be interviewing Alex and Mimi Ikonn, entrepreneurial leaders and creators of The Five Minute Journal (also one of my favorites). I’m a big believer that the best lessons come from unexpected sources. Without London Real, I would have never known some of these leaders. I would have never listened to their wisdom. London Real curates a diverse set of the best and brightest mentors out there, imparting their life lessons and wisdom. How amazing!

Enjoy London Real For Free

When I first got introduced to London Real via those Tai Lopez interviews, I enjoyed the program for free, for months. The amazing thing about London Real is it’s free. A huge wealth of knowledge is there for anyone, and that’s why Brian’s YouTube channel has so many subscribers.

As a side note, this business model really resonates with me. As a YouTuber myself, one that aspires to help as many people as possible, I do believe in the power of offering free content. My education from London Real has helped on my own broadcasting journey.

Get Even More With London Real Academy

One day, after learning so much for free, I decided to pay and give the London Real Academy a chance. More than anything, I viewed this as my opportunity to pay Brian Rose for his hard work. Regardless of what the Academy had to offer, I wanted to step up and say, "thank you". Of course, the London Real Academy exceeded my expectations.

As a paying member of the Academy, here’s what I enjoy the most:

Early access to upcoming London Real episodes. Brian uploads his latest work, before he’s had a chance to fully edit for general release. This is my favorite benefit of the Academy, and I enjoy the early access videos weekly. This alone is a huge benefit that pushes my self-education to the next level.
Access to the exclusive Facebook Group of like-minded entrepreneurs and individuals taking their lives to the next level. London Real attracts some of the coolest people around. While I haven’t made full use of the Facebook Group, I see this as an asset that could truly help during my entrepreneurial journey.
Weekly challenges (based on best practices from those interviewed on London Real) that push my comfort zone. Being an entrepreneur is all about challenging one’s comfort zone, and the London Real Academy provides a great platform for getting in the right mindset.
Bonus content such as Dan Pena’s exclusive seminars at the Ritz.

Some of My Favorite Episodes

My favorite part about London Real is that many of my favorite episodes are truly unexpected. London Real connects me with bright people and perspectives that I would have never found myself. Here are a few of my favorite episodes:

The True Geordie: When I first saw the thumbnail for this episode, I didn’t know what to expect. I saw a big, strong guy with tattoos. I assumed that he must be here on London Real to talk about weight lifting. How interesting that The True Geordie is one of the must successful YouTubers around, someone who literally started with nothing. His story is so incredibly motivating, and I have since become a True Geordie fan and follower. This is a quintessential example of how London Real connects me with amazing people who I would have never known about otherwise.
Chris Eubank Sr.: Another interesting one, I was not sure what to expect since I’m not big on watching sports. Being a British boxing legend, I assumed that Eubank would discuss his craft. And, he did. However, his message is so much larger! I learned about the importance of impeccable speech. Moreover, I learned a multitude of philosophical lessons on life itself. Mr. Eubank is a true student of life and taught me that, "Genius is obsession in one area."
Dan Pena: London Real also connected me to this interesting businessman who lives in a castle in Scotland. While he may come across a little strong at times and I don’t always agree with the language that he uses, Dan’s message sure is important: Get up and get stuff done. A no-nonsense kind of guy, Dan encourages everyone to be their personal best and push their limits. He argues that most of us are barely scratching the surface of our potential.
Alex and Mimi Ikonn: The Five Minute Journal literally transformed my morning (and nighttime) routine. I love this journal and it makes my life so much more fun, productive, and exciting. I also regularly gift The Five Minute Journal to friends, family, and business colleagues. I would have never known about this amazing journal if it were not for London Real. More than that, the episodes with Alex and Mimi have helped shape my perspectives on life and entrepreneurship. They are amazing!
Tai Lopez: When people see Tai Lopez in his garage with Ferraris and books, some are immediately intrigued. Others are immediately skeptical. You’ve seen his "in my garage" video, right? As a marketer myself, I truly respect Tai’s methods of attracting people to his message, because his message is empowering and needs to be heard (read more books and find mentors who can elevate your game). The London Real interviews with Tai Lopez provided a traditional, interview-based forum to really get to know the man who reads a book a day. These are some of the first London Real episodes that I enjoyed, and I’m still a Tai Lopez fan to this day.
Dorian Yates: I am very familiar with Dorian Yates, and most men who grew up during my generation are too! A legendary bodybuilder, Dorian’s interviews showed me the power of "going into the lab". Unlike some of his United States counterparts, Dorian did not live a flashy lifestyle. To the contrary, he was all about keeping a low profile and hard work. At times, he would isolate himself to fully focus on his craft. In life and business, this mentality can truly help at times, and I really enjoyed Dorian’s episodes on London Real.

The London Real Accelerators

London Real, in addition to their Academy, now offers Accelerators. These premium courses offer the student a one-on-one opportunity to partner with Brian and his team on specific areas of life. So far, Accelerators offered include the Business Accelerator, Broadcast Yourself Accelerator, Life Accelerator, and Public Speaking Accelerator. While I have not had the chance to try a London Real Accelerator yet, I hope to at some point in the future. While these are more expensive courses, they offer the ability to really take one’s game to the next level (in a huge way).

Thank You, Brian and Team

I wanted to close out by thanking Brian and the London Real team. My experience has been truly wonderful and London Real has been a truly important piece of my self-education puzzle. London Real has also played "connector" role in leading me to other sources of information (and people) who have helped me tremendously.

I am so excited about the future, because I know that London Real will keep evolving and getting better. A closing tip for everyone reading: This weekend, instead of watching your normal TV programs with friends and family, consider London Real instead. It will teach you new skills, give everyone topics to talk about and debate, and elevate everyone’s game!

Affiliate Disclosure: Right now, there is no affiliate program (to my knowledge). However, I hope to be an affiliate of London Real at some point in the future.

Image of Ian Lopuch © PPCIan.com

Advice For Entrepreneurs Who Face Setbacks

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Dec 2 0

Today, I realized that I made an entrepreneurial mistake, one that created a setback (monetary, time, and some ego too). There’s no doubt about it: Being an entrepreneur has its ups and downs. Today, I experienced one of the entrepreneurial downs. When I realized the magnitude of my mistake, I ended up dwelling on the mistake way too long. When you’re an entrepreneur, your work has so much meaning, it’s so personal. This is a good thing, it’s that sense of pride and ownership that makes entrepreneurship so rewarding. That being said, mistakes can really hit home hard, as they challenge your life’s work.

A little more background: This is one of those mistakes that’s done. I Just have to sit back and let time pass, something that can be challenging for someone used to taking action.

While I do not consider myself an expert handling these types of setbacks (I’m still growing and learning as an entrepreneur and student of life), I have compiled some strategies over the years that help. I want to share some practical business advice today for entrepreneurs facing challenges. The next time you make an entrepreneurial, business, or life mistake, I hope you can refer to this list and speed up your time to productivity and happiness.

Today’s list is meant to help you move forward and leave your setback behind. Your most valuable asset as an entrepreneur is time, and the last thing we want to do is waste valuable time that could otherwise move one’s business forward. Let’s jump into my advice and tips!

Tip 1: Just Do Something, Anything

Once you’ve made that mistake (and/or faced a setback), it’s so easy to dwell and relive the situation over and over. I have to admit: I probably spent a few hours today analyzing my situation from every possible angle. Ultimately, one strategy that helped me move forward is finding small wins on other projects. I just started doing easy, small tasks such as approving invoices. Any activity can help one more forward. It’s all about creating momentum and moving on to productive work that can move your business forward.

Tip 2: Listen To Music

There’s a reason that I donate so much money to The Fender Music Foundation and Musicians On Call via Lopuch.org: I love music, I find motivation in music, and I want a bright future for music. Put your headphones on, find some motivating and inspiring tunes, and start listening. The music can get your mind off the challenge at hand. More than that, music brings us all together. When I’m facing a challenge, I love music that addresses challenges in a positive light!

Tip 3: Go For A Walk

Just sitting at my desk, I was getting nowhere. I felt unproductive. So, I went outside for a walk. While the walk did not completely change things, it was a start. The fresh air helped clear my mind.

Tip 4: None of Us Are In Control, Trust In God

Of course I’m going to make mistakes and face setbacks! After all, I’m not in charge here. After my mistake, I ultimately ended up praying and placing my worry on God. He’s got it from here! If you’re a spiritual person, mistakes can be a really wonderful time to embrace your spirituality.

Tip 5: Talk To Someone Knowledgeable and Experienced at Business

Just talking about your setback can help. Upon discovering my setback, I immediately called my wife. And, then I called her again later in the day. And, I called her a third time even later. I am so thankful and lucky to have such an amazing wife that will listen, share logic and reason, and support me through a rough day. (Bonus Tip: Know someone else who is facing a setback? Has someone come to you to chat? Make sure to help them in their time of need. As entrepreneurs, we’re all in this together and need to help one another.)

Tip 6: Let Time Do It’s Thing

Time is an amazing force. In the moment, setbacks can sometimes take over. They seem like the only thing that matters. However, with each passing day, your setback shrinks and fades. A year from now, your setback will seem small. Five years from now, you may not even remember what you were worrying about! Time can be your greatest ally.

Conclusion: Nobody Is Immune From Mistakes, We’re Human

At the end of the day, none of us are immune from mistakes and setbacks. Being an entrepreneur sets you up for more challenges than the average person, because you are pushing the limits, multitasking, wearing many hats, and starting something new from the ground floor – all incredibly hard (yet rewarding) work!

The reason I’m sharing my story and advice today is to show everyone that I am human (just like you), despite my great success. We are all in this together! If one does not make mistakes, they are not pushing themselves hard enough. If one does not make mistakes, how can they possibly learn? The silver lining from my experience today: I’m learning and improving, in real time. The next time you make a mistake, remember these tips and remember that you’re in great company! It’s all part of being an entrepreneur, and comes with the territory. Keep learning and moving forward!

Stay on Your Grind Quote © PPCIan.com

Is Mentorbox Worth It? (Is It Worth The Money?)

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Sep 30 2

I’m back with another Mentorbox challenge! If you’ve been following PPC Ian for a while, you know that Mentorbox (a product founded by Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr) has been taking my business, entrepreneurial, and life skills to the next level. You also may know that I recently completed My Mentorbox 15-Day Challenge with great success.

Well, this month, it happened again. I have to admit: I procrastinated and let a week slip by with no Mentorbox. It was just sitting there. I got caught up in my day-to-day work. That’s not right and not aligned with my goals, so I decided it’s time for another challenge. There’s nothing like a good challenge to push momentum in my favor. This time, I’m going to challenge myself to complete Mentorbox in 7 days. And then, I’ll have the entire rest of the month to implement lessons learned and take my new found life and business to the next level.

Just like last month, I’m going to share my personal journal and chronicle my 7-Day Mentorbox Challenge, right here for you to see. And, I’ll catch you again after my journal with major conclusions and thoughts. Ultimately, the purpose of today’s post is to discuss the question: Is Mentorbox worth it? Is Mentorbox worth the money? Let’s follow my Mentorbox challenge and see. See you below, after my journal.

My Personal Mentorbox Journal

Day 1, Part 1 (5 minutes): It all started by watching the intro video to learn about this month’s themes. Alex and Jonathon explain that this Mentor Box offers insights on how to get ready for the long-haul. Do I have a moonshot dream in my personal life or business life? I need to think into the future. What would I like to have happen? Sometimes we are so focused on "the now." We say, "I want a return right now." That being said, wouldn’t it be nice if my product sold in 50 years, in 70 years? What if my product had a real lasting value? I’m really pleased with this month’s themes because I regularly think about these very questions. At heart, I’m all about the long-term and love long-term goals because I believe that compound interest applies to all aspects of life (not just financial).
Day 1, Part 2 (60 minutes): Next, I transitioned into the video for A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley. When I first received this month’s Mentorbox, I was a bit confused by the title of this book and thought that it would help me be better at math. It turns out that this book is not about math at all! Interestingly, this video covers two of Barbara’s books. It covers Mindshift too, which is not included as a physical book but covered in the video. This particular video presented so many amazing insights that I was regularly pausing to catch up on my note taking. While I experienced at least ten big takeaways, I want to highlight two of my favorites: (1) Selective ignorance. You should say "no" to most requests and a strategic "yes" to a few. I have learned this lesson in the real world, and just completed a blog post and video about The Power of Saying No. (2) If you create a habit of procrastination, it can change your life for the worse. Best way to tackle it is the Pomodoro Technique. Here’s how: Turn off all distractions. Set a timer for 25-55 minutes. Go into deep work. When you’re done, award yourself. I love this!
Day 2, Part 1 (30 minutes): Today, I got out my office and went out into the field. I took at working sushi lunch followed by some time at one of my favorite coffee shops. I have found that Getting Out of The Office Increases My Productivity. During my working lunch, I completed a good portion of A Mind For Numbers workbook. A few big breakthroughs that came from this exercise. (Breakthrough 1) I want my second skill to be videography. In particular, I want to become an expert on filming, acting, and producing the best YouTube videos in the financial space. I’m already making great progress, and you can read more about my Top 20 YouTube Tips in my recent blog post. That said, I have a long way to go until this is a true second skill the way that digital marketing and investing are primary skills. I will be able to evaluate my success by hitting 100,000 YouTube subscribers, a lofty goal. (Breakthrough 2) Selective ignorance: It’s ok to say "no". This topic is very timely for me because I just got finished saying "no" to a particular opportunity. I have gotten a lot better at this over the years. (Breakthrough 3) I face the challenge of being distracted by my phone and social media. I will practice the Pomodoro Technique to break the cycle and become even more productive.
Day 3: Very busy day with work, unfortunately did not get to Mentorbox.
Day 4: Very busy day with work, unfortunately did not get to Mentorbox.
Day 5: Very busy day with work, unfortunately did not get to Mentorbox.
Day 6 (73 minutes): Another busy day, but had to jump back into it. At the end of the day, despite being a bit tired, I decided to finish A Mind For Numbers. I finished the video and completed the workbook during the video. Following are a few interesting thoughts and lessons from today’s Mentorbox session. Never brag about not getting enough sleep. You have neurocognitive needs to solve big problems. That said, if you have the next big idea, it’s ok to lose sleep from time to time. (Reminder To Self) This is something that has been a personal focus on mine. Need to stay focused on getting quality sleep. (Reminder To Self) There is no better way to learn than testing oneself. While I’m already a really great investor, I can always be better. This is one more reason that my YouTube Investing Videos are so important. They help others, while training the teacher as well! (Reminder To Self) I need to remind myself daily of how it will actually feel to achieve my goals. In addition to writing down my goals, I literally need to visualize and feel what it will be like!
Day 7 (15 minutes): Today, during some downtime at Starbucks between meetings, I jumped into Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday. I’m really excited since I truly enjoy and identify with Ryan’s work (perhaps because we both have digital marketing backgrounds). This book is all about creating work that lasts and adds value forever (a theme I really identify with). Following are some lessons from the video interview with Ryan Holiday. You should spend 80% of your time making and 20% marketing. (Cool Thought From Ryan) Your idea should be this secret plan that you are quietly working on. Don’t tell anyone!
Day 8, Part 1 (40 minutes): While I’m now officially behind deadline, that’s ok! I wanted to finish in 7 days, but it’s now looking like 9 days. 9 days is great and still leaves me plenty of time to apply Mentorbox lessons to my real life, before the next one arrives. Today, I continued watching the Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday. Your first attempt at a book (or project) is not good enough. You need an editor and should have four or five submissions (rounds of revisions) before you are complete. The role of the editor is huge. Take advice from people who are better than you. It’s important to create an email marketing list. (Action Item) I need to spend more time building my email lists. I have lists, but have not focused enough effort on them.
Day 8, Part 2 (23 minutes): Next, I transitioned into the bonus workshop, Your Hero’s Journey, based on The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. Everyone is on a hero’s journey. When you are facing a big calling in life, you will be faced with doubt (all hero’s face this). Then, you will be a new world and face trials (with a big trial at the end). You find a mentor. Different hero’s journeys for different areas within your life. Ultimately, when you finish the journey, you become a leader and train others.
Day 9 (30 minutes): Today, I completed the Perennial Seller workbook. This one was really great. (Breakthrough) I basically formulated the blueprint for building my own YouTube channel to 100,000+ subscribers, and a huge brand within personal finance. (Reminder to Self) Refer back to this particular workbook whenever I want to craft a business plan for future businesses.

How Did I Do? This Month’s Mentorbox Challenge Stats

While I was hoping to finish in 7 days, it took 9 days (2 extra days). During the middle of my Mentorbox challenge, I got sidetracked with work, and that’s ok. The main purpose of this challenge is to push myself to complete Mentorbox quickly (and receive the full value of the program). In past months, in the absence of a challenge, I sometimes did not finish all of Mentorbox. So, I’m really happy that I finished. And, I’m thrilled that I did even better than last month. Let’s look at the numbers:

Days from start to finish: 9 days (Last month: 14 days)
Days of actual work: 6 days (Last month: 8 days)
Total minutes invested: 276 (Last month: 215 minutes)
Total hours invested: 4.6 (Last month: 3.58 hours)
Total minutes per day over course of 30-day month (theoretical): 9.2 (Last month: 7.16)

Is Mentorbox Worth It?

Stanford University (My Alma Mater) Is The Perfect Place To Take In Mentor Box

This month’s Mentorbox was serious, and really packed with value. Even before I discovered my new Mentorbox Challenge technique, Mentorbox was worth it to me. Now that I am getting even more value than ever before, Mentorbox is so worth it! It’s worth the time and the money for sure. Here are some of my biggest takeways from this month’s Mentorbox:

(Focus) There is power in saying "no", and I need to remember to focus.
(Productivity) I need to put the Pomodoro Technique into action. This will take my productivity to the next level.
(Second Skilling) Videography will be my second skill. I will become one of the best YouTubers in the personal finance space.
(Life) I need to focus on sleep. Loss of sleep is never worth bragging about.
(Goals) I love The Five Minute Journal, and leverage this great journal to achieve my goals. In addition to writing down my goals, I also need to visualize them and feel what it will be like to achieve my goals.
(Goals) While I’m working aggressively to scale my YouTube channel and achive my goals in the finance space, it’s ok to fly under the radar and keep things quiet. In fact, that is advantageous.
(Tactical) I need to re-focus on my email lists, and start building them again. I lost sight of the value in email marketing, and am totally convinced to invest in my lists again.
(Life) I’m on a hero’s journey, as is everyone else. The challenges I face are predictable and normal on my path to the next level. This is a fun way to look at things.
(Breakthrough) Thanks to the Perennial Seller workbook, I have a business plan for my YouTube channel and related businesses. This workbook is pure gold, and is perfect for developing a business plan. I’m going to refer back to this regularly.

My New Newsletter: PPC Ian’s Mentorbox Tips

Putting this month’s Mentorbox into action, I decided to create a new email newsletter! Do you enjoy these Mentorbox blog posts? Want to follow my Mentorbox journey? Do you want to learn my personal Mentorbox tips? Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll receive periodic updates about how I’m getting the absolute most from Mentorbox. Whether you are an existing customer or a potential one, these updates are sure to provide value. I will never sell your info, and you can opt out and cancel your subscription at any time.

Want To Sign Up For Mentorbox? Consider Using My Link

I want to share with you My Personal Mentorbox Affiliate Link (affiliate link). If you sign up via my link, you will pay the same price as if you went to Mentorbox directly. And, I will also receive a commission! If you want to say "Thank You, Ian" for all of the work that I invest in these blog posts and videos, this is the greatest way you can thank me. If you choose to sign up via my affiliate link, I will be forever grateful. If you prefer to go direct, that is just fine too. At the end of the day, it makes me happy to know that I am helping out others.

Can’t Get Enough? My Other Mentorbox Blog Posts

If you want to learn even more about my experience with Mentorbox, you may want to read my Mentorbox Review and My Mentorbox 15-Day Challenge. Both are great posts!

Affiliate Disclosure: I am a Mentorbox affiliate. If you find my review helpful and end up purchasing via my affiliate link, I will earn a commission and be grateful for your support.

The Power of Saying “No” (And The Dreaded Tire Kicker)

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Sep 27 2

In life, your most valuable resource is time. You’ll find me blogging quite often about productivity tools and strategies because any incremental gain in productivity is an investment that will pay huge dividends. It’s unfortunate that certain people out there, often unintentionally, do not treat your time with value. Or, they just may not know the true value of your time. I’m talking about the dreaded tire kicker.

Over the last few weeks, I personally experienced a tire kicker situation. After spending about three hours in conversations and demos, I realized that the person/organization I was speaking to had a low likelihood of reaching a mutually beneficial business relationship. They were not even willing to step up to the plate with a conservative test investment. I was just wasting my time.

Thankfully, my tire kicker detection (and handling) skills have matured over the years. Sensitivity is required. It’s a small world and I want to have the best reputation in the market. I want to do the right thing, because I care about others. And, of course, I always want to be open-minded and receptive of new opportunities that may be great.

At the same time, I just had to say "no" (in a graceful way) and move on. (As a side note: Saying "no" is often best for the other party too. A clear "no" can be very helpful and allow the other party to move on and connect with someone else.)

Today’s blog post is a chronicle my personal strategy around saying "no". It’s a blog post about saving time, getting increased business results, staying focused, and ultimately being more happy in business and life. Before we start with today’s blog post, you may want to watch my brand new video on this very topic:

How To Detect A Tire Kicker

I have a sixth sense of sorts in detecting a tire kicker. It was not always this way. In my early days, I would say "yes" to everything. My years and years in business and life have taught me the ability to read people, ask questions, and predict outcomes.

While the reading of people can take time, asking questions is something I want to emphasize to all readers. When a new opportunity comes your way, don’t just say "yes". Think about the opportunity, search within yourself to see if there is alignment with your own goals and dreams, and then ask a ton of questions. It’s through these questions that you can determine (1) if the opportunity is of any interest and (2) if there is a likelihood that a mutually beneficial outcome will happen (of if the other party is just kicking the tires and using your most valuable resource, time).

Bonus Tip: Ask for the money! In business, money is a valuable commodity. See if the person with whom you are speaking is willing to run a small test, one that costs money but not too much. If they cannot part with a small amount of money, they are likely just a tire kicker.

Another Bonus Tip: Always be cordial and assume the best. Even if someone is not willing to part with money, perhaps they can be an advocate of yours in the marketplace. Even if you say "no", always be nice and helpful. Your reputation is everything.

It’s Ok To Be Selfish

Have you seen my PPC Ian Business and Life Quotes? This page is one of my favorites on my entire blog. One of my favorite quotes is one that goes like this, "Invest in yourself. Carve out the time. Nobody else will." If you say "yes" to everything, you will never invest in yourself. You will never grow. You will never accomplish the goals that matter to you.

From an investing standpoint, I just posted a video on YouTube that you might like. It’s all about paying yourself first, and investing in yourself before any other bills are paid. This video is the application of this concept to personal finance.

I’m extremely picky in life. Time is more valuable than money, many times over. When it comes to business and work, I will say "no" to anything that does not further my business goals and objectives (the personal goals that I have on my plate that I like to set up in collaboration with other leaders at the beginning of each year). In my personal life, I will be even more picky and say "no" to anything that is not giving me a 100-1000x return on time (in money or happiness).

Bonus Tip: Put a dollar amount on your time. This dollar amount does not have to be your salary. In my personal life, I value my hourly rate as several times my work salary. If the request does not bring me that equivalent value (either in raw money or happiness), I will say "no".

Another Bonus Tip: Minimalism is really popular these days. Think about saying "no" as minimalism for your mind. Your home is clutter-free. It’s neat and organized. Do the same for your mind by saying no and staying hyper-focused on the things that matter most.

Reminder: Saying "no" does not have to be mean. Always say "no" in a cordial and graceful way. Be thankful. And, know that you are actually doing a good thing for the other party, since it’s always better to give a clear "no" than have unproductive discussions drag on.

Routines Are Key

I recently learned all about routines from The Power of Habit By Charles Duhigg, a book that was part of last month’s Mentorbox. (As a side note, you may want to check out my 15-Day Mentorbox Challenge to learn more.) Positive routines can truly transform ones life, and Duhigg discusses the cue, routine, reward cycle at length.

As a result of this book, I have been placing more and more routines in my life, ones that reinforce my personal goals and dreams. My day is filled! I even have routines for reading the Bible, exercising, and filming YouTube videos. (In fact, I’m producing more YouTube videos than ever before thanks to the power of my new YouTube habit!) Since my day is already filled with routines that are aligned around my life goals, I have very little free space left for net new items, making it easier for me to say "no". My Tip: Fill your own day with routines that align with your life goals. Then, it becomes super obvious when to say "no".

Coming Full Circle: Never Say "No" Again

I’m just getting started on YouTube, however my channel is already scaling. I have effectively multiplied myself since there are now 3.5 of me. You’ve got the real me, and then you have another 2.5 of me on YouTube speaking and educating around the clock. (My PPC Ian channel now experiences around 2.5 days worth of watch time on a good day.) And, you’ve got this blog and my social media too. I’m out there educating, empowering, and enriching online. Even if I’m not physically there (the real me), you’ve got the virtual me available at all times, around the globe.

I have to be guarded with my time because it is so scarce and valuable. I want to invest my time to achieve my lifelong goals. That being said, I like to think of my web presence as my way of never saying "no" again. It all comes full circle. While I may not have time to work on each and every opportunity, I do aspire to add value to everyone who crosses my path. This can be accomplished at scale thanks to the amazing leverage available online!

My closing tip: Be very selective with your time, and don’t be afraid to say "no". That being said, try to help everyone to the best of your ability, leveraging the scale and connectivity of the Internet.

Image in this post © PPCIan.com

Breaking Through My Creative Block

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Sep 11 0

The last few weeks, I have been struggling to start a particular project. It’s a data analysis project, involving pivot tables and large data sets in Excel. While I acquired all the information and data sets required to perform the analysis, I just couldn’t start the actual analysis. As someone with a multitude of projects on my plate, I always prioritized other projects above this one. Last week, I figured the time had come. I needed to conquer this project! Today’s blog post is a productivity-focused one, highlighting my experience on how I tackled this project while having a blast.

Mindstate

My New Workspace For The Day

If you’ve been reading my blog over the last few months, you have probably seen that I’m a fan of the Mentorbox book club program. Mentorbox has gotten me reading and learning, while optimizing my valuable time. One of my takeaways from last month’s Mentorbox: According to Terry Sjodin, author of Scrappy, showing up is the most important part of execution. To execute on this very project (or any other challenging project), I just need to show up!

Terry’s advice rings true to me, based on years of personal experience. Every time I experience one of these blocks, I always find that it’s all mental. The anticipation of doing the work is always incredibly different from performing the actual work. I knew I just needed to start, and the rest would be great!

Your Home Base

Over the years, I have learned that your primary office environment is not always the most productive space when one is facing a creative block. When I say "office" here, I’m really referring to your home base, the place were you perform most of your work. If you work at a large corporation, this is likely your corporate headquarters. If you’re a scrappy entrepreneur, this could be your garage. If you’re a consultant, this may be the office of your big clients. (If you’re a really busy consultant, your home "office" may even be an airplane.) Your home base becomes comfortable. It’s easy. When things get too comfortable, complex projects that require creativity and a bit more may look intimidating in that easy environment. Your home base may cause your creative block.

Mixing Up Your Workspace

I used to work in a corporate office environment where it wasn’t easy to leave to actual building. The surrounding community did not offer many places to go, and my schedule was stacked with a plethora of meetings. What did I do when facing a block? I’d literally lock myself in a conference room and draw the shades so nobody could see in. I’d only let myself be interrupted for meetings and emergencies. Otherwise, I would stay in that conference room until the work was complete!

These days, things are a bit different, and I have more flexibility over my workspace. In facing my work block, I decided that I would leave my office for the day, by foot. I would walk around the community, take myself to lunch, Starbucks, the local park, and where I needed to go to feel inspired. I would immerse myself in thought, mix work with exercise (fast walking), and enjoy a new work environment. I would not go back to the office or end my day until the work was complete!

Record Productivity

It just so happened that I had one of my most productive days ever. I found myself working as soon as I set foot out of the office. I worked straight through lunch. I worked for hours at Starbucks. I truly enjoyed the change of pace and produced some of the best analysis in months. In fact, I finished the analysis a bit early, leaving me extra time to jump into another project, all before ending my work day.

Bursts of Energy

A while back, I wrote a blog post about Time Management Tips for Digital Professionals. One of my tips is doubling down on bursts of energy and getting as much work done in a short timeframe as possible. Mixing up my workspace last week not only conquered my creative block, but also instigated a burst of energy where I produced great work in a short period of time.

A New Habit

Also thanks to Mentorbox, I’m actively analyzing and managing my habits these days. I’m improving bad habits and introducing new, great ones. When I run an experiment like this one and have such great results, it’s easy for me to conclude that I have a new habit for my workweek. Each week going forward, you will now find me spending one day "out in the field". In fact, this very data analysis project has a part two that I’d like to conclude this week. As soon as I have the data set required to perform my analysis, I’m going to take another walking venture into my local community to get the work done while having an amazing day!

Image of workspace © PPC Ian

My 15-Day Mentorbox Challenge: Investing In Myself

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Aug 17 4

Those who have been following PPC Ian for a while know that I’m a huge proponent of Mentorbox by Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr (also known as Mentor Box). In fact, My Mentorbox Review is one of the more popular posts on this blog. And, my three YouTube videos have done quite well too:

Ian Lopuch Mentorbox Stanford University

Ian Lopuch Reading Mentorbox At His Alma Mater, Stanford University

I Have Something To Admit: I Underinvested In Myself Last Month

I have something to admit: Some months I don’t get as much out of Mentorbox as I could. Sometimes I’ll get so busy with work and life that I don’t take the time to invest in myself. I don’t take my own advice! Perhaps I’ll skip one of the books. Or, I’ll forget to watch some of the video content. (Of course, I still get incredible value out of Mentorbox and make sure it’s always present and always a critical part of my self-education.) That being said, I sometimes short change myself by not taking advantage of the entire program. Last month was one of those months. This month will not be the same!

My 15-Day Mentorbox Challenge

Over the next 15 days, I will challenge myself. I will go "all out" and make full use of this month’s Mentorbox, and all of its value. I’m giving myself 15 days (instead of 30) for a few reasons:

I want to "get it done". By shortening the timeframe, I will over-invest in myself this month, early on. I will make myself the priority.
I want to leave a buffer just in case I run over. Rather be safe than sorry.
I want to prove to myself and everyone reading that one can obtain the full value of Mentorbox quite easily. It doesn’t take a huge commitment. Rather, investing in small increments each and every day have big results.
I want to leave extra time to execute upon the breakthroughs and lessons that I learn from this month’s Mentorbox. I want to take theory into practice.

My Personal Mentorbox Diary

I’m ready! Following, you will find my day-by-day 15-Day Mentorbox Challange diary. Each day, I will report back here highlighting what I accomplished, how long it took, and what I learned. Whether you’re an existing Mentorbox customer or considering the program for the first time, I think you’ll find this view of my day-to-day quite helpful and actionable. I hope you enjoy my diary, and don’t forget to scroll to the end, as you’ll find my big takeaways on the other side!

Day 1 (invested about 35 minutes): I started with the intro video by Alex and Jonathan. Helped me frame the two books this month in that they offer tools for me to overcome obstacles that may be holding me back. Jumped into the first video for The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Some takeaways: If you understand habits, you can change them at any scale. 45% of what we do every day is a habit. In a habit, we stop thinking about what we do. Cue awareness is key. What cue is triggering the habit. For every habit, there is a reward. The reward is even more key. You can’t break a habit, but you can change a habit. Insert a new routine to fit the cue and reward. At a high level, started thinking about my own habits, and which ones I want to change. At the top of my list is my habit for frequently checking social media accounts, rather than focusing on other activities.
Day 2 (invested about 40 minutes): Continued to watch The Power of Habit video with author Charles Duhigg. In forming a new habit, need to experience small wins. Need to have reward. Keystone habit: A habit that affects every other habits. Exercise is a keystone habit. Exercise changes how you see yourself. Willpower is like a muscle. It is finite. Willpower depletes throughout the day. Be careful when you use your willpower muscle. Also, find ways to exercise it so it gets stronger. It’s ok to let your willpower rest before a big event/project. Started filling out the workbook. Determined that my queue for social media consumption is taking a break from an intense work. The reward is getting to do something mindless. I’m going to replace my cell phone / social media routine with something else that can produce relaxation: meditation, doing push-ups or sit-ups, walking around the block, or even watching a Mentorbox video.
Day 3 (invested 0 minutes): Sick Day
Day 4 (invested 0 minutes): Sick Day
Day 5 (invested 0 minutes): Sick Day
Day 6 (invested 0 minutes): Sick Day – I learned through the last several days that it’s key (for me) to over-invest in Mentorbox certain days. I have found it easier to chunk my time, making room for the inevitable. I will still get through my Mentorbox 15 day challenge, thanks to the fact that I over-allocated in the beginning, and will continue to do so going forward. I also realized via getting sick and not having the strength to work on Mentorbox the last few days, that my 15 day challenge should be my own personal challenge each and every month. I want to finish ahead of schedule. Aiming for 15 days gives me a 15 day buffer should I run over.
Day 7 (time invested 15 minutes): I completed watching The Power of Habit video and completed my workbook. I will introduce the following new habits into my life. (New Routine 1) In addition to filling out my Five Minute Journal, my morning routine will now include 10 minutes of Bible reading and at least 10 minutes of Mentorbox (or reading) every single morning. (New Routine 2) I will film a weekly video on investing for my YouTube channel. I have been on a roughly every other week cadence, and will changing this to every week. (Bad Habit Change) Also, as discussed previously, I will be eliminating my cell phone / social media habit. I have a variety of alternate routines that I’ll be testing to substitute that habit. Thanks to this Mentorbox, I have not only identified these new and old habits, but also have the tools and frameworks to experience success.
Day 8 (time invested 40 minutes): Started watching the video for the second book this month, Scrappy by Terry Sjodin. Some takeaways: Being scrappy allows you to stand out from the masses. Don’t ever settle. Being scrappy allows you to achieve your goals faster. Scrappy ideas have the potential to blow past traditional approaches. There is usually a back door that will be cheaper, faster, and easier. Scrappy people get irritated enough that they will no longer accept the status quo. What is something you complain about? How can you change it? You are responsible for changing your circumstances. Even small efforts can make a difference. Trick your brain with discomfort to get it into a different thought pattern. Always create an audacious goal. We all create excuses and self-sabotage our big goals. Don’t "not try" because you’ve already decided in your head it won’t work. Don’t have to score on every play, just advance the ball. Nurture networking relationships that allow you to get elegant introductions to others. Felt that I was losing attention at the end of 40 minutes, so probably try to keep to a maximum of 30 minutes per day going forward.
Day 9 (time invested 35 minutes): Continued watching the video for Scrappy by Terry Sjodin. Some more takeaways: If your first strategy does not work, you may need to try a second or third time. Don’t give up. Your brainstorming creative time can be in the shower or during a run. Your strategy has to be in alignment with your core values and your brand, but also needs to be in alignment with the recipient’s expectations. If someone says "no", it’s not the end of the game. Sometimes the win is immediate, sometimes the win can come years later. What you do today will have a lasting impact. Showing up is the most important part of execution. (This is huge.) Put yourself in the game. Keep a journal of your progress. Mentorship is protege-driven.
Day 10: Found real-world organizational application of The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Mentorbox is making me better at my job, and making me look really good at work! I finished this Mentorbox book just in time to experience the benefits at work.
Day 11: Took day off, got caught up in work and had to skip Mentorbox.
Day 12: Took another day off, got caught up in work and had to skip Mentorbox.
Day 13 (time invested 25 minutes): Decided to skip ahead to the bonus workshop before filling out the Scrappy memorization booklet. Watched the Reach Out by Molly Beck bonus workshop video! My takeaways: What is the difference between my average friends and my super successful friends? It really comes down to who you know. Your business and your social network. Helps you in both good and bad times. You have to make active and conscious decisions to build your network. Doesn’t matter if you are an introvert, just have to reach out. The one thing that will change your life: Make reaching out a daily habit. Every single day, reach out to a new person. Put it into your calendar. Put it into your schedule. Five days a week (workdays only). Who do you reach out to? You need to start with five names. There are contacts in your phone right now that have gone to the shadows. What articles are you reading? What blogs are you reading? What books? These are influencers you may want to reach out to. Who do you look up to? Who would you like as a mentor? Any connection is give and take. You need to give something, then you should also have a favor to ask. Have a call to action. Filled out workbook and determined five people I’m going to reach out to. Also remembered my People Day and People Database and realized I need to do another one of these, as it’s way overdue.
Day 14 (time invested 25 minutes): Completed the Scrappy memorization booklet. While I have a variety of virtual mentors (such as the Mentorbox program), I have been struggling to decide (1) who I should target as a real life mentor and (2) how I will approach them. I experienced a breakthrough in this particular book, and identified a few people I would like to target. Additionally, this memorization booklet helped me form a strategy to take one of my companies, IJL Productions, to the next level.
Day 15: I finished early. Gives me more time to execute on my action items from this month’s amazing Mentorbox.

Summary and Conclusion: My 15-Day Mentor Box Challenge

I impressed myself. I experienced Mentorbox like never before and successfully completed my challenge. And, four days were sick days, two days were days off, and one day was extra since I finished early. Moral of the story: I experienced the entire benefit of this program with only 8 days invested! This is critical because it gives me extra time to really take the theory and put it into action, in my life.

Also, time commitment in terms of raw hours was not bad either. I ended up investing 215 minutes, or 3.58 hours. Taking 215 and dividing by 30, I get 7.16 minutes/day if I did theoretically spread over 30 days (one month), although that will not be my strategy going forward since I just don’t work like that. I have proved that Alex and Jonathon are right, you really can change your life with just a few minutes per day invested!

Support Me: I’ll Be Forever Grateful If You Use My Mentor Box Affiliate Link

Stanford University (My Alma Mater) Is The Perfect Place To Take In Mentor Box

I care about everyone reading and want you to experience the growth that I have experienced in my career and life. If you found this blog post helpful and you plan on signing up for Mentorbox, I would be forever grateful if you sign up via My Mentorbox Affiliate Link. You will pay the same price that you otherwise would, and I will receive a commission that helps pay the bills here at PPC Ian. Readers like you who choose to support PPC Ian make an incredible difference in my life and the lives of everyone reading. I thank you for your continued support and wish you all of the success in the world. And, I’m happy to answer questions and help in any way I can. If you have a question, please feel free to ask below! Here’s to your future!

My New Mentorbox 15-Day Challenge Video

I just created a YouTube video to complement this blog post. Want to learn even more about my 15-Day Challenge? I hope you enjoy my video review!

My Latest Mentorbox Challenge

I just published a new Mentorbox blog post! This one features my 7-Day Challenge and ponders the question, Is Mentorbox Worth It? (Hint: Of course it is.) I’m really proud of my latest post. If you liked this one, you are sure to find incredible value in my new post as well. In addition to featuring a 25-minute video, my newest Mentorbox post shares my latest and greatest tips and strategies for getting the most out of this amazing self-education program.

Affiliate Disclosure: I am a Mentorbox affiliate. If you find my review helpful and end up purchasing via my affiliate link, I will earn a commission and be grateful for your support.

Images in this post © PPCIan.com

My Mentorbox Review

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Feb 9 27

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you can probably tell that I’m heavily invested in my career and professional success. This can be a good thing, a great thing. It can also be a risky thing if you forget to invest in yourself. After all, you are your greatest asset and any investment you make in yourself will multiply many times over in your career, life, and overall success. Even during the busiest times at work, make time for yourself.

For me, 2016 was all about getting into great physical shape. Thanks to my amazing wife engineering a complete overhaul of my diet, thanks enjoying a more active lifestyle than ever before, and thanks to a renewed fitness routine, I lost 25 pounds while gaining lean muscle. I’m in the best shape of my life.

Continuing my theme of growth and personal improvement, 2017 is my year of knowledge. Many of you know that I made a career shift from technology into commercial real estate. I’m like a sponge, absorbing everything I can. My knowledge growth is in full effect, and I couldn’t be more excited about my professional growth.

However, I have long been aware that the greatest leaders are not just proficient within their area of focus. Rather, they become experts across a variety of subjects. They bring forth knowledge from different corners of the world to create something completely new. In fact, this is why many believe Bill Gates has his famous book retreats. It’s said that he’ll sit down with a stack of books, all of which are completely different, and read them in parallel. This process challenges the mind and forms new connections.

This all got me thinking: I want to invest more time reading. I want to greatly expand my knowledge. I know that this process will trigger exponential growth in my career, life, and overall success. However, like many of you, I realized that I just don’t have spare time. I’m willing to make some spare time, but cannot read all day.

Then, while on Facebook one day, I noticed that Tai Lopez (avid reader and social media legend) and Alex Mehr Ph.D. (previously co-founder, CEO, and President of Zoosk) launched a new business called Mentorbox. As soon as I learned about this new product, I was immediately intrigued and signed up. Now, three months later, I want to share my experience with all of you.

What Is Mentorbox?

Here are the basics on Mentorbox:

It’s literally a box that you receive in the mail each month, packed with two curated books, helpful materials, and knowledge.
Each month’s Mentorbox includes: two curated books (related to health, wealth, love, and/or happiness), two cheat sheets that summarize the books, two study guides that transform reading into action, two bookmarks with notes specific to each book (a small but very helpful feature), a USB flash drive with helpful videos walking you through the books, and a motivational quote magnet. It’s a lot of value for sure!
Mentorbox costs $89.95 per month.
It appears to be easy to cancel at any time. Before my order goes through each month, I get an email asking me if I want to keep going or cancel. I have no intention of canceling anytime soon, but feel good about the way Mentorbox treats customers.

Why Do I Love Mentorbox?

I truly look forward to receiving my Mentorbox each month. Here’s why:

As a really busy professional, I don’t have a lot of time to curate my own books. I want to read the best books, the ones that will give me the most value. However, I just do not have hours on end to research. It has been said that Tai Lopez has the second largest book club around, second only to Oprah’s. This is the guy who reads a book a day and has leveraged his knowledge to do some pretty amazing stuff. As someone with a digital marketing background, I respect what Tai has accomplished in social media. I find incredible value in the fact that Tai and Alex are personally curating books each month, keeping me focused on the books that will drive the most value for me.
Continuing upon the last theme, the cheat sheets and study guides save me a tremendous amount of time. It can take a lot of time to read a book, especially when one of them is 660 pages (Money: Master The Game By Tony Robbins). Here’s my strategy: I like to start with the cheat sheets. Then, I proceed to go through and start filling in the study guides. Then, I’ll read the book. I will not read every single word. Rather, I will really hone in on the chapters and concepts that appear most interesting to me. As I read through, I like to refer to the reminders on the bookmarks, too. Last, I’ll fill out the study guide if I have additional time. This process not only saves me time, but also increases my comprehension, retention, and action.
Given all of my responsibilities, I feel like two books per month is an aggressive cadence for me, a perfectionist. I’m the kind of person that has to read books cover-to-cover, and therefore I’ve historically been a slower reader. This new Mentorbox paradigm has challenged my process and pushed me out of my comfort zone. Two books per month is currently challenging me (along with all my other responsibilities in life), but I enjoy the challenge.

What Could I Be Doing Better?

As mentioned earlier, Mentorbox comes with a USB drive each month with helpful videos. I have not taken full advantage of these yet. Why? It really comes down to time. I just don’t have much time. I have found that Mentorbox works for me without the videos. Could my experience be enhanced with the videos? Without a doubt.

I just checked out the latest USB drive and it includes so much value, including a proprietary video interview with the author of one of this month’s books, The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday. In fact, Ryan worked with the Mentorbox team on the study guide. How amazing is that?

Here’s the critical point, however: You don’t have to take advantage of everything in Mentorbox to get tremendous value. The key point, in my opinion, is to just get started and then grow from there. I’m still evolving my own process.

Is It Worth The Money?

The value created, in my opinion, far surpasses $89.95 per month. Just think: How much do you spend on your cable television each month? What’s more important to you: reading/learning or watching TV? I’m not saying to give up TV. In fact, I do enjoy watching some good shows. That being said, $89.95 seems so reasonable to me. How much of my time would it take to simply curate two books each month? How much faster am I at reading and absorbing the concepts thanks to the cheat sheets and study guides? Can I even put a price on the fact that I truly look forward to Mentorbox each month and it motivates me to stay in my high growth zone?

Conclusion and A Closing Idea

These days, you’re going to see a lot more posts on my blog about business, investing, and growth in general. I’ll continue to include digital marketing-specific posts, from time-to-time. However, my mind is in other places these days. I’m thinking beyond digital marketing, and want to share that journey with all of you. I hope you find this review helpful, and I hope I’m able to impact at least one of you to pick up reading.

As a closing thought, I want to share an idea… Do you manage a team at work? If so, you’re probably looking for ways to add value and keep your team in high growth mode. Why not purchase Mentorbox for your company? This could be an amazing team exercise and team motivator to have this wealth of knowledge coming into the office each month.

Anybody else reading on the Mentorbox program? Please share your experience, would love to learn what you think about Mentorbox.

Support PPC Ian By Signing Up For Mentorbox

If you find this review helpful and are considering signing up for Mentorbox, I encourage you to use My Mentorbox Affiliate Link. I’ll earn a commission which helps me keep the lights on here at PPC Ian. If you sign up via my affiliate link, I’ll be forever grateful. Thank you in advance for supporting my blog.

My Mentorbox Video Reviews: Why I Love Mentor Box

If you found this written review helpful, you may want to watch my video reviews as well. In my first video, I’m thrilled to share the top five reasons why I love Mentorbox.

In my second video, I’m thrilled to unbox my newest Mentorbox right before your eyes. If you’re wondering exactly what you’ll receive in Mentorbox, this video is for you.

In my third video, I share my top five lessons learned from Mentorbox so far. You’ll get to see all of the books and materials I have received, and enjoy insights from my personal journal.

In my fourth video review, I address specific questions from Mentorbox skeptics. If you’re still unsure whether Mentor Box is for you, and you may even have some active concerns running through your mind, this video may be of particular help.

My Mentorbox 15-Day Challenge: How I Like To Experience Self-Education

As a new update, I just completed my first ever 15-Day Mentorbox Challenge. What’s this challenge all about? I pushed myself to complete this month’s Mentor Box program in just 15 days. I actually ended up finishing in 8 days (since 7 of the days were sick days). Read about my experience and check out my extensive Mentorbox diary, highlighting my challenge in its entirety. (Also, my write-up has a really neat video review too.) My conclusion: This experiment worked really well and I will always be experiencing Mentorbox this way going forward!

My Newest Mentorbox Blog Post

Learn even more about Mentorbox in my brand new blog post titled Is Mentorbox Worth It? (Is It Worth The Money?) This blog post highlights (in great detail) my journey to complete Mentorbox in 7 days! And, it goes through the question of whether Mentorbox is worth it. (Hint: It’s totally worth it.) As an added bonus, my new post has a really detailed video review of my latest Mentorbox! I put a ton of effort into this blog post and hope you enjoy it thoroughly.

My Favorite Mentorbox Book (So Far)

Here on PPC Ian, I receive many questions about Mentorbox. One of the very popular questions goes something like this: "Ian, Is Mentorbox primarily focused on sales, marketing, and business books?" While these topics are represented (and I love reading about them), Mentorbox features an amazing mix of books covering a variety of topics (all pertaining to improving one’s life). While the program includes sales, marketing, and business titles, there is also strong representation from other topics such as health/wellness and spirituality. In fact, my absolute favorite book from Mentorbox so far, a game-changer for me, is one all about spirituality. My latest Mentorbox Book Review covers my favorite book in great detail (and also offers a video review too). If you are considering Mentorbox, you will certainly find a great array of books!

Affiliate Disclosure: I am a Mentorbox affiliate. If you find my review helpful and end up purchasing via my affiliate link, I will earn a commission and be grateful for your support.

What If You Had To Pay With Dividends?

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Mar 21 1

Sitting at Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) right now, I’m enjoying a hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant. My creativity and productivity is often higher at Starbucks than in a quiet zone, so I really enjoy powering through work in this amazing environment. Also, I’m a proud shareholder, and enjoy the fact that Starbucks pays a dividend (albeit a small one). This experience cost me $6.00 plus $0.50 tip, for $6.50 total. (Actually, it cost me a little less since I’m in their loyalty program and get free drinks from time-to-time, but let’s ignore that fact for the sake of simplicity.)

Manage Every Single Dollar

$6.50 may not seem like a lot at face value. And, in my opinion, it’s totally worth it for the experience I received. That being said, the best investors and business operators know how to manage every single dollar. They treat experiences like this as a treat, rather than a day-to-day routine. Every last dollar counts, and this $6.50 represents far more underlying value when viewed through the lens of dividends, one of my favorite financial concepts of all time. Today’s post is meant to encourage you and me to ask one simple question before making any purchase, "What if I had to pay for this with dividends? Would I still make the purchase?"

Dividends: The Only True Form of Passive Income

For those new to dividends, they simply represent the company paying a portion of profits back to shareholders. Many large companies, the kinds of companies I like to invest in, pay dividends quarterly.

The best companies have long, consistent track records of growing their dividends, oftentimes for decades upon decades. The best companies keep their payout ratios, the percentage of earnings that are distributed back to shareholders, at reasonable levels so they have a buffer of security (and don’t risk a dividend cut when times get tough and earnings suffer). Dividends, in my opinion, represent perhaps the only true form "passive" income. You don’t have to do anything other than own stock in amazing companies (and keep good records).

SBUX: Every $100 Invested Generates $1.34 Pear Year

Let’s look at Starbucks and their dividend. Currently trading at $59.86 (as of 3/17/16 intraday), Starbucks pays shareholders a quarterly dividend of $0.20 (or $0.80 per year). That’s $0.80 / $59.86 = 1.34% dividend yield. In other words, for every $100 invested, I earn $1.34 in dividends per year.

$485.07: The Real Cost of My Hot Chocolate and Croissant

Now, let’s say I had to pay for my $6.50 snack/meal at Starbucks out of dividends. I would have to own $485.07 worth of Starbucks stock at 1.34% yield to pay for my single Starbucks experience ($485.07 * 1.34% = $6.50). Now, let’s say I went to Starbucks every single day of the year (like some people do). $6.50 * 365 = $2,372.50. In order to pay for this expense with Starbucks dividends, I’d need to own $177,052.24 worth of Starbucks stock at 1.34% yield ($177,052.24 * 1.34% = $2,372.50).

To be fair, Starbucks does increase their dividend each and every year. In the last five years, for example, Starbucks dividend has increased by 108%. So, if I wanted to invest in Starbucks stock now, hold for five years, and then enjoy my $6.50 experience daily five years from now, I’d "only" need to invest $85,121.15 right now (assuming rate of dividend increase stays similar).

How Much Would You Have To Invest To Make That Purchase?

I’m not saying to avoid Starbucks here. I’m not saying to pinch every penny. I am saying to be conscious of every single business and personal expense. Whenever you make any purchase in business and life, mentally consider if you’d still make the purchase if you had to pay for it via dividends. Think about how much money you’d have to invest and how hard you’d have to work to save that capital before making your purchase.

You Are A Business, You Have A Market Capitalization Just Like SBUX

At the end of the day, you are a business. You are no different than Starbucks. If you can eliminate expenses from your life, your personal market capitalization increases. Remember from my recent post about Your Margin Is Made On The Margin, that margin is leverage. If you increase your margin (your profit) just a little bit, your market capitalization (or value) could skyrocket. This rule applies to businesses and people. Manage your own life as if you are a business. Whether the expense is small or large, all savings matter and create leveraged value. Dividends provide an amazing lens illustrating why margin creates so much value.

Reinvest Your Savings In Dividend-Paying Stocks

I’d like to close bringing this discussion full circle. When you start saving money, what will you do with your extra cash? You may want to consider investing in dividend-paying stocks, especially those that have a consistent track record of increasing dividends (safely) year in and year out.

Use your savings to start generating even more income, in a passive fashion, which will compound and snowball over time. You’re at the tipping point when your dividends become considerable, perhaps covering a big portion of your expenses (or even all of them). Add that dividend income with your own earned margin, and your own market capitalization will skyrocket.

My winning strategy:

View all expenses through the lens of dividends. Would I still make that purchase if I had to pay for it via dividends? Leverage this concept to be considerate and frugal.
Reinvest my savings in dividend-paying stocks, those that are safe and increase dividends over time.
Reach the inflection point where my dividend income snowballs and I’m able to fund significant life expenses via passive dividend income. Maintain my conservative financial ways and dividends could cover all expenses one day.

Disclaimer: Long SBUX. This blog post is just for entertainment. I’m not a financial advisor, and this is not investment advice.

Your Margin Is Made On The Margin

By PPC Ian Leave a Comment Feb 22 0

I’m a tremendous fan of business and life quotes. They fuel me with ideas, motivation, and determination. While I cannot take credit for today’s quote (it’s from an executive at a prior company), it’s one of the best I have ever heard. "Your margin is made on the margin." Today, I’ll share what this quote means and how it can deliver success in your business and personal life.

What’s Margin All About?

We’re all in business to make money, or margin. Margin, simply defined, equals revenue minus cost. It’s your profit, the money your business makes. When businesses are new, they often focus on top line revenue growth. They may even drive a negative margin to reach scale. However, at the end of the day, all companies (both new and old) are valued on their projected ability to deliver margin (and ultimately pay back a portion of their margin to shareholders via dividends).

Margin is a leveraged concept and every dollar of margin is so valuable. Let’s look at a real world example. Right now, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is trading at $104.62, with a market capitalization of $289.48 billion and an earnings per share (EPS) of $5.48. Put simply, $5.48 is the margin per share, the profit. $104.62 / $5.48 = 19.1 price earnings ratio (or PE ratio for short). Every dollar of margin creates 19.1 dollars in market capitalization value! Margin, especially predictable and stable margin, is worth its weight in gold.

Margin Is Leveraged Value

Because every dollar of margin creates many dollars in market capitalization value (19.1 in the case of JNJ), margin is leveraged value. The savvy businessperson learns that it’s all about creating more margin, and also realizes that every little bit counts.

Businesses Are Expensive

If you are an entrepreneur, you have likely seen first-hand that it’s difficult to drive large amounts of margin. Starting a business is expensive. You have so many costs! Things get easier in the long-run, especially for large enterprises like JNJ, but even mid-sized companies with hundreds of millions in revenue face margin pressure. What can you do when your costs seem to pile up and you want to squeeze out margin? Just remember, every dollar counts and your margin is made on the margin! Be creative.

It’s All About Your Marginal Activities

Due to competitive forces and the large expenses associated with running a business, your core operation may not always drive a ton of margin. In fact, it may just break even. This is where your marginal activities come into play, your extras (or ancillary sales).

Let’s take the example of a grocery store, a very low margin business. Perhaps you don’t make a ton of money from standard purchases. However, once your customer reaches the checkout line and starts picking up some of those ancillary products near the cash register (candy, magazines, and extras), your start earning margin. Your margin is made on those marginal (extra) products! The really clever supermarket operator learns to be creative and test. Why not introduce new, high margin products at the cash register?

Let’s take the example of auto insurance lead generation business, a business that has faced tons of pressure over the last few years due to a competitive digital advertising landscape. Historically, such companies would buy paid traffic from Google AdWords, generate leads, and then sell those leads for a profit. However, CPCs have risen on Google due to brand advertisers going big. Those same lead aggregators may be struggling to drive a profit. That being said, the savvy ones start testing marginal opportunities. Why not retarget your customer base with closely related ancillary products such as life insurance? Those ancillary or marginal products could take a break-even business to one driving a solid margin. The margin is made on those clever, marginal sales.

Another example: The expensive urban apartment in San Francisco. Renting the apartment costs you $4,500. However, have a car and want a parking spot? That’s going to cost you an extra $500/month. With the expensive cost of land, construction, and operations, the apartment owner may not make a huge profit on base rent, even at those high rents. However, the ancillary revenue from parking could be pure profit. The clever landlord takes it even further an offers storage lockers for an extra $300/month. The clever landlord earns a ton of margin on the margin, turning a low margin asset into an incredible margin one!

It’s Not All About The Money

So far, I’ve been writing about margin from a business financial perspective. However, did you know that margin also applies to other aspects of your life?

Let’s take the example of your career. Do you work a standard 9-to-5 schedule, or do you bring some work home with you? By investing just a few extra hours per week at home, you will see incredible benefits in your career. That extra, ancillary time creates a levered payout on your own career’s margin.

What about people? Do you manage others? Perhaps you do the basic 1-on-1s, career planning, and reviews. What if you invested just a little more time? What if you really got to know your team members? What if you took them out to lunch and went above-and-beyond to invest in their careers? This marginal time invested is your margin. It’s the difference between going nowhere and building a true team of superstars. It’s that little extra that makes all of the leveraged difference, developing great employees and great careers.

What about your health? No time left after the busy workday? You would be surprised how fit you can get exercising just a few minutes each day on an intense and regular basis. Lately, I’ve been taking high energy breaks to randomly do a few pushups, squats, and/or sit-ups at random intervals during the day. Again, your margin is all made on the margin!

What about investing? No money left after you pay all your bills? Consider investing just a little bit each month. The miracle that is compound interest will snowball your wealth if you’re in it for the long run.

Your Dreams Come True On The Margin

The list goes on… At the end of the day, the reason I like this quote so much is it gives hope and promise to any situation. Just when you think you are barely getting by, or barely doing a good-enough job, know that the extra amount invested can go exponential. Your horizontal level of growth (or lack thereof) can go vertical once you hit the marginal activities. In pursuing your dreams, never forget about those marginal, ancillary, clever activities. They are your ticket to success!

Full Disclosure: Long Johnson & Johnson Stock (JNJ)
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