Welcome to Episode 125 of the Built on Purpose Podcast, brought to you by Y Scouts.
In this episode of the Built On Purpose podcast, Max Hansen sits down with Rich Schefren—often called the “Godfather of Online Business Strategy.” Rich shares how most entrepreneurs unintentionally build cages instead of companies, how tactics can blind you to true strategy, and why your business must grow without you at the center. He also delves deep into AI, purpose, personal patterns, and his groundbreaking “Zenith” program that helps individuals uncover deep self-awareness and unlock sustainable performance.
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💡 Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome & Guest Introduction
01:25 – Building a Cage vs. Building a Company
04:00 – Rich’s Entrepreneurial Journey & Hands-On Beginnings
06:40 – Tactics vs. Strategy in Business
12:00 – Are You Building a Business or Just a Promotion?
13:20 – Why Funnels Fail Before They Launch
18:00 – Chasing Phantom Profits and Overbuilding Funnels
24:00 – Ethical Line Between Persuasion and Exploitation
29:00 – Thoughts on Hustle Culture & Work-Life Alignment
36:30 – Leveraging AI for Personal and Professional Growth
42:00 – Devices Rich Uses to Capture and Train His AI
45:00 – Privacy & Data—Rich’s Real Talk on Surveillance
53:00 – Deep Personal Benefits of AI-Aware Coaching
59:45 – The Four Phases of the Zenith AI Program
1:06:30 – Custom Execution Systems with AI
1:13:50 – Business AI and the Next Big Shift
1:15:00 – AI as Legacy & Coaching Replacement
1:17:30 – What Ends Human Coaching? AI Knowing You Better
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💡 What You’ll Learn:
✅ Entrepreneurs often build businesses that rely too heavily on their personal involvement, creating a “cage” instead of a scalable company.
✅ The goal is to create a business where the owner’s direct involvement is not essential for its continued growth and success.
✅ It’s crucial to differentiate between short-term marketing tactics and long-term business strategies.
✅ Many online businesses, particularly those focused on high-ticket coaching, are actually successful promotions rather than sustainable businesses.
✅ Building a business requires designing an infrastructure that supports ongoing sales and customer retention, not just new customer acquisition.
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🔥 Memorable Quotes:
✨ “If you’re at the center of your business, you’ve built a cage, not a company.” – Rich Schefren
✨ “AI isn’t just a productivity tool—it’s a mirror. The more you feed it, the more it reveals who you are.” – Rich Schefren
✨ “You don’t become great in isolation. You commit to something greater than yourself and it pulls you up.” – Rich Schefren
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🔗 Resources:
🔗 Connect with Rich Schefren:
Website: https://strategicprofits.com
Zenith AI Program: https://zenmind.ai
Steal Our Winners (marketing strategies membership): https://stealourwinners.com
YouTube: Rich Schefren YouTube Channel
Twitter/X: @RichSchefren
LinkedIn: Rich Schefren on LinkedIn
📣 Connect with Max Hansen & Y Scouts:
Max Hansen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhansen/
Max Hansen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mhansen44/
Y Scouts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yscouts
Y Scouts Website: https://yscouts.com
🎧 Listen now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGuF-2A3o6g
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Y Scouts is a leadership search firm that finds purpose-aligned and performance-proven leaders to help organizations achieve their missions faster. Ready to supercharge your leadership search and get the right person in your organization? Contact Y Scouts.
