[00:00:00] Jay: Hi everyone, welcome to The First Customer Podcast. My name is Jay Aigner. Today I'm lucky enough to be joined by Chris Anderson of Elevate Media. they make sales simple, for coaches by launching them a top 5 percent podcast, which seems like a very valuable thing to do. Chris, hello, how are you buddy?

[00:00:13] Chris: Hi, I'm doing good. Jay. How are you doing?

[00:00:15] Jay: I'm good. like I said, I think you might be my first person from Indiana. we were talking about what we're supposed to call you folks. Hoosiers I guess is the, correct answer.

Um, but, So, let's start at the beginning, did you grow up, and what kind of impact did that have on your entrepreneurial journey?

[00:00:32] Chris: Yeah. So grew up here in Indiana, just a small, one stoplight town, was a couple of pizza places and an ice cream shop and that's about it. So, very small town upbringing, but like that because you got to know people, you could walk around town, feel safe and meet new people, which was really cool.

My journey is different. I feel like than a lot of other entrepreneurs because I never really had. Specifically the drive to build a business when I was younger. I never had like a lemonade stand really, or anything like that growing up. I never, you know, bought a bunch of pencils and sold them for more at school or anything like that.

It was just, I don't know. I've always just had the drive to. be different and, you know, live a different life, I guess. And it just kind of turned into entrepreneurship, you know, after college and things like that. But I mean, I had a great upbringing. I was super, super blessed with great parents who loved me, who provided a great life for me.

and they instilled a lot of traits that I think have helped me. along my journey, as far as, you know, hard work, even when things suck, just knows the grindstone when it is needed, but still being there for family, and being able to harmonize those things, but doing the work that needs to be done to accomplish great things.

So, got a lot of great lessons from them, a lot of mentors in my family, my brother's CEO of a fortune 5, 000 company or incorporated 5, 000 company, excuse me. So I've been able to glean a lot from him just my dad and his management roles My mom just how she's worked and you know helped other people.

It's just all been a great tight knit, you know mentorship I guess growing up

Really lucky to have that. Yeah.

[00:02:11] Jay: I love that. I mean, you started as, an athletic trainer, I think, right? Is that what you were kind of, I

 bio? tell me a little bit about that kind of journey from small town, Indiana to being an athletic trainer. what was the path there?

[00:02:23] Chris: Yeah, for sure. So I played sports. I mean, all growing up soccer since I was like four, which, you know, battle some injuries as I was in middle school and high school. so I was with the athletic trainer a lot and he was able to really help me, get back physically, to the field. But he also, you know, was a great trainer.

Jeff's what we call him. Obviously, athletic trainers like being called athletic trainers now, but He imparted great wisdom to he was there for you just to listen as a person and I just like that I like that aspect of being able to help people physically and be there, you know Emotionally and just to listen and be that And as I got older towards the end of high school, you know, I've always had a heart for kids.

I volunteered at church and the kids ministry. So it kind of made sense for me to keep with sports because I knew I wasn't gonna play sports in college because I actually broke a vertebrae my junior year in high school and played two years junior year and senior year with a broken vertebrae in my back.

and so I had to have back surgery coming out of high school. And so I really knew that level of competition wasn't gonna happen. I wasn't gonna be able to do that and so staying in sports through athletic training and be able to help kids. And then of course, you know, hopefully be a mentor to some of them as they're coming up through school, trying to figure things out and what to do with their lives and things.

And I just wanted to kind of be that person. And so, yeah, that's kind of what set it in motion. So I went to Indiana Wesleyan here in Indiana, and got my degree, my bachelor's degree, and then did, graduate assistant position down in Texas, where I got my master's through an online school in Kansas, Fort Hayes State, and a master's in health and human performance, actually met my wife down there, fast forward, got an industrial athletic training job, so now I'm helping blue collar, quote unquote, boomers, try to be healthier, and, 30 years of habits that have set in.

And so that was a challenge and, moved back up here to Indiana to do that. And yeah, now I don't do anything with my degrees, but I've learned a lot. It was a great, point, a chapter in my life that I really needed just mentally and spiritually, emotionally to really. Overcome a lot of dark obstacles, that I had going on then.

And it kind of just, you know, everything happens for a reason. I think it all kind of played a part into getting me into quitting my job, cold turkey to start a business.

[00:04:45] Jay: Wow. tell me about that. Tell me about the pivot. what was the moment or the moments?

 and how'd you make that change?

[00:04:51] Chris: yes. It kind of all. So I got married in 2016, the summer of 2016, and then fast forward to the spring of 2017, my grandmother,unexpectedly passed away. And, so it was a big hit. We were really close, and you know, didn't see it coming. So that hit hard. And a couple months after that, I got offered the industrial athletic training position back here in Indiana.

And my wife and I. Newlyweds, how are we gonna do this? You know, I personally had student loans. She wasn't working yet at the time Like how can we have a house or how can we you know move somewhere else? it's probably gonna be more expensive for you to do this and My grandparents house that my grandpa actually built about 50 years ago was in my mom's name and she said hey No one's showed interest in this like you guys are more than welcome to live here and pay rent, you know I don't a very discounted rate basically And it just that just how that's how it worked out.

so that was a rough time. I mean, moving back here as a newlywed wife, leaving Texas, losing my grandma, navigating a new job and everything. And then, a couple years later, my wife lost her last three grandparents in the same year or her last, yeah, her last three grandparents. And I lost my last grandparent in the same year.

So four grandparents passed away in 2000 and 2018,

I think that was. Throughout 2018 and so it just a lot hit home and it's like life's short, you know We don't know how much time we have we lost other people Unexpectedly, and it's just kind of just poked the bear in my in my gut, you know, life's too short And it got to the point where my job which it's a business.

They have to run it that way They're like, hey, you've used all your bereavement so like you can't Go to Texas, unless you know, take unpaid time off, like, because you've used your bereavement and if you have all your, you had your, all your vacation days spent,

and it just, I don't know, it didn't sit right with me again, I understand the factors behind it, but it's kind of the last straw and I was like, I can't, I'm tired of working from someone else, them telling me what my time is worth for one, that there's only a, that there's a limit on how much my time is worth.

And what I can do with it. So I got to figure something out and about that same time really got into Lewis Howes, the school of greatness podcast. and just was like, wow, there's so much more out there. Like I could do so much more, like I could do it. So the fast forward again, 2019 started my own podcast pencil leadership.

and that's where I kind of started trying to do a business in 2020. April, 2020 pandemic hit here in Indiana hard. And I quit my job about exactly the same time. and no income from the business, no idea really what I was going to do with business. I had like an idea of like the direction, but no idea what I was going to do or how I was going to do it.

I just knew I was going to figure it out. And, that kind of, that was the moment of burning the boats and really trying to figure out. You're running out of savings now. What are we going to do?

[00:08:00] Jay: Wow. I just talked to Brendan, who I think you're connected with as well, who mentioned Lou's podcast and is a huge

 of his, so I think, that definitely has ignited a lot of fires. so, tell me about Elevate. I mean, is that kind of the moment where it all kind of came together and is what you guys are today, the same as when you, you started it?

[00:08:18] Chris: Yeah, so I've been about a year trying to figure out pencil leadership and to make it work. And I really wanted to help people start businesses and grow businesses. Cause I just, I learned so much from Lewis and everybody else. I was like, yeah, but there's a piece missing. And it was, I hadn't done that yet.

And so that can't think I, it just, I think kind of inside of me, I knew like, this isn't, it's not. Something you can do yet, because you're not there. You haven't done it. And so, people would be coming to me. Hey, how'd you get your podcast in the top, you know, 5 percent now, 2 percent in the world, listen to like, how have you continually have growth?

Like, how have you done all this stuff? And so. I would take in clients here and there, just 'cause I needed, we needed income to come in and, so it help them launch their podcast and consult them and give them direction with it. But I, again, I was like, I don't wanna do podcasting stuff. I wanna, I want help people, you know, build a life they love, like, which I hadn't done yet.

And so it got to the point where in 2021, the end of 2021, I kept getting, people interested in hey, how did you do your editing? Like do you do that? How do you launch your show and I was like, okay, faith is a big part of my life And so I kind of like I lean I say God, what are you trying to tell me?

Like I'm listening and it's just you know Stop fighting what I'm giving you like stop fighting your skills and what you've been successful with and lean into it And so I did and I did a DBA doing business as under My LLC as Elevate Media Group and leaned into launching people's podcasts and doing posts, recording production forum, the same month I did that.

I got my first monthly reoccurring client. and it's just been growing ever since. And, you know, it's been a fantastic ride. We do, we launched a video podcast. Now we saw that need. So we opened up into the video space cause I think that's more beneficial for businesses and brands, still do the post recording production.

And now, you know, implementing in person recordings for businesses and brands like commercials or interviews. So, yeah, it's been going well. I'm super blessed and thankful for where we're at, you know, grossing six figures. you know, back when I started, you know, I just wanted to make a thousand dollars a month just starting out.

And so, always trying to remember where I came from because, you know, now we want to get that next goal. and you get frustrated sometimes, but when you can look back. At, you know, this is where we started and those were the frustrations back then. Like, Hey, we want to make something not to forget that because now when you're in moments where you're frustrated with where you're at, you're like, Hey, we've been through this before.

Just, keep fighting the fight and keep at it. And, you know, things will happen. So,

Right. Well, that's a great story. Whether it's God or the universe or, whatever people choose to believe, I think you hit on something key there, which is, you know, don't ignore the things that are coming at you if you're trying to start a business. I mean, there's things you've done in your past. There's things that are in your network now, like you got to pay attention and be ready and kind of accepting of those things. cause it's not always something you don't have to have a passion for it. You know, honestly, you just got to. It's got to be something that the market wants and values and will pay for and that you're good at and or that you can have a team that's good at. and that's why I tell a lot of people like, Oh, you know, I love doing this.

I'm like, well, will people pay for it? Do you know if they'll pay for it? Well, I don't know. I just love it. Well, good luck because if they don't pay you, it's not going to last very long.

[00:11:44] Jay: that's a great point. And conversely, you know, people that ask me, and like you said, like as soon as you kind of get some success, people start asking, how do you do that? You know, how did you start your business? And you try to help people and, you know, some people have it and some people don't.

they just can't make the leap and some people can. But one thing that, I think is important from what you just said is you don't have to love the thing that you're starting a business around. Because you could love a million things about running that business, right? Like I mean, I love running a business.

I mean,

I say that and then everybody goes, even the finances are good, except for the finance, everything else. I love, I don't like doing the numbers.

Uh, but, yeah, I mean, you get into. You know, five figures, getting to six figures, getting to seven figures are all really important milestones and, you know, I think it's a really good point.

You don't have to love what, you know, your business is based around. You just have to have something people pay for, right? And you see that all the time.

[00:12:38] Chris: Yeah. And the big part is if you can love or at least enjoy the process of it, regardless, like I love talking to new people. I love, you know, serving people and letting them get their stories out there so they can help more people. Like, I love that part of it, you know, maybe not as much as a podcast production stuff, which I'm thankful to have a team now that does a lot of that, where I can just focus on what I do love.

But when I started, You know, that wasn't my favorite thing, but I saw the need and I saw that people wanted it And so I leaned into that until I could you know outsource or delegate those tasks, but yeah enjoying the process It's fun. It's a game. It's a challenge every day and you've got to enjoy that.

no matter what.

[00:13:16] Jay: I'm a delegation evangelist.

Uh, I love delegation. how do you, even today, how do you go about figuring out what to delegate?

[00:13:27] Chris: Yeah, if it's not my strength, or if it doesn't bring me joy, I try to delegate it to someone who's, who likes doing that, who is charged by doing that, or who's really good at it, versus me. because... Yeah, I mean we can't do it by ourselves and so you've got to bring the right team members around who are gonna You know be strong where you're not To be able to succeed long term.

And so we've been thankful to have a couple really good teammates on elevate who one has been with us, you know almost from the beginning and Which has been cool just to see that change. But yeah, just they bring so much to the team. I couldn't have done it without them. And it's, you know, like soccer, it's a team sport, building a business.

you go solo for a while, but as soon as you can get those teammates and good ones,it's night and day difference.

[00:14:13] Jay: Yeah, that's well said. what do you think took you so long to start Elevate? And I don't mean that in a negative way, I

 what in your career, you know, in your life, what experiences, you know, really got you to the point where you were ready to do it?

[00:14:31] Chris: Yeah, I think, I mean, what delayed it so long, I think, is just being programmed and being in that mindset of, you go to school, then you go to college, you get a job, and, you know, you try to save enough up for retirement. And that's just kind of everything I'd heard growing up, you know, we didn't learn different investing.

We didn't learn starting a business. We didn't learn about those things in school, even in college. And so I think just being stuck in that mindset and that paradigm for so long. and then finally, again, Howes and people around him that there's so much more out there. And, I think as far as Elevate goes, I was the biggest issue.

I was the biggest roadblock in that, in this, you know, journey because I didn't want to. I wanted to do what I wanted to do, and I didn't do what would be best, you know, going forward. And then it was when I finally put my ego and pride to the side and saw like the opportunity that was there and how I could make it work and enjoy it.

that's when things change. So, and again, going back kind of what I mentioned, realizing life is short. you know, we're not promised tomorrow. We're not promised the rest of today. And so why not take action and take some risks and. You know, be different and do something different and just try at least.

and at the end of the day, I can say I've done that no matter what. And that's what I'll continue to do, you know, throughout my life.

[00:15:58] Jay: I love it. if you had to start Elevate specifically over again tomorrow with everything you've learned, what would be step one?

[00:16:08] Chris: Step one, don't underestimate the value of what you bring. don't just run after the money. So you've got to. You've got to position yourself where you have a good profit margin. That was one thing that when I first started, I just wanted clients. So I was, you know, discounting and just, you know, yeah, let's just, you know, that,we'll chop it down to this much just to have something coming in.

And in the long run, if you do that, you're going to, you know, you're not gonna have the profit margin. You're not going to be able to outsource. You're not going to be able to provide a high quality service because of that. And so that's going to. you know, it's going to cap what you do growth wise and how many you can help.

and it's going to make things pretty miserable. I mean, so knowing the value, I think that'd be the first thing and not being scared to approach people with those numbers with that price, because when you know your value and you can say, Hey, listen, this is what we offer you. And we know we can do it better than a lot of people.

And you're going to get a great, you know, whatever it is you're presenting to them in your business and then present that price. It makes sense and if they're not for it, that's okay You know, you're not after everyone. So I think that'd be the biggest Is know your value and price it accordingly

[00:17:20] Jay: How would you suggest someone figure out that value? Because that is something that I mean, I struggle with. I think everybody struggles with. You kind of mentioned a little bit of that struggle. I mean, how would you know, suggest to somebody to figure out what their value should be?

[00:17:33] Chris: for sure So, I mean a couple things you've got to look at the competition out there Who is doing kind of the same thing or along the same lines of what you're doing and are doing it? Successfully and see what they're pricing it as that's one thing just getting that data of what's working out there and you can come in a little bit under you can come a little bit over whatever you I mean That just depends on your you know Your plan with it or just right at the same but seeing who else is out there doing it And price kind of around the same thing because you've got to think long term too You know if i'm if I price it this I don't need as many clients to hit x as the target per month and then you know if i'm looking, you know average 25 profit margin.

Okay, if that's the case Then I need a charged You know X amount so I can outsource someone who you know, I've seen on Fiverr. I've seen these other organizations pricing their services or these individuals pricing their What they do at certain amounts, okay So if I do that if they're paying me X amount per month and I bring someone on and I have to pay them X amount per month and then everything else you have to Take into consideration that what it costs to provide that service.

And then, of course, you need to take some home at the day, too. So you've got to, you've got to build that out and really look at the numbers as much, you know, Jay, I don't like it either. that's why I married a math teacher. but look at that and understand, like, if you don't charge the adequate amount, what gets left out?

Is it that other team member? Is it you know that tool that can make things better for your client? And is that going to be fair to your client?

So just standing around understanding that you know With that price you're going to be able to provide the top notch service And just stick with it and show them You know through testimonials and through social proof that you can and will provide that service at that high quality Level.

[00:19:33] Jay: Yeah. I love that. I mean, I think we all do the scrappy thing to

start. Like you said, we'll do whatever we can do to get, but then you start to realize you can stop racing to the bottom and you're much. quicker than you probably thought you could originally. And, like you said, it, doesn't do anything, but really cheapen the value of your services and your customer's eyes,

 you kind of bend. Too much to lower your rate. So there's that happy medium. and there's lots of, you know, I, there's the whole, you know, you should be pricing your things five X of what you are today and it's, you know, but then there's like, and then there's too cheap, but I think there's a good middle ground, right?

Where it's like affordable. Yeah, like you said you're hitting all your numbers and I as much as I hate the numbers I do like, you know, I like forecasting out at least enough to know, you know where I'm at But those are all great points. Let's pivot a little bit

[00:20:28] Chris: Okay

[00:20:29] Jay: Got two kids you mentioned, you know, not promised today not promised even till this afternoon great points What are three things you're doing health wise to kind of you know Keep your longevity up to make sure you're kind of tuned up for as long as you possibly can be

[00:20:42] Chris: For sure. And, you know, with our newest member, you know, just two weeks old, our schedule has gotten all shaken up. So,

[00:20:48] Jay: sleep is gonna be one of them.

[00:20:51] Chris: but that is a big one, actually. It's like making sure I actually get enough sleep. So. About 2008. Oh, it's probably 2019. I actually started doing a biphasic sleep pattern, a poly, actually polyphasic.

So I would sleep for three hours and then I would do three 20 minute naps throughout the day. And I did that for a year, tracked my glucose and everything, loved it. I got like deep sleep all the time. Like I felt I was super rested and there's no negative side effects that whole year. Obviously I could just be a weirdo, who knows, but like now, like if I have to make sure I get enough sleep and so like.

That could be, you know, eight hours. That could be seven hours. so that's one big one is focusing on sleep and making sure you're getting rested, whatever that looks like.

[00:21:34] Jay: hmm. 

[00:21:36] Chris: and because yeah, if not, then everything else just kind of dwindles down from that, you're not as mentally. strong.

And so yeah, sleep would be probably one of those. physically taking care of myself, working out, you know, trying to find time right now to figure, figuring out that new schedule of when that fits, around everything else, is a big one because yeah, you get to take care of yourself. I want to be there for, you know, great grandchildren if I can.

that'd be awesome. so the third one would be probably, you know, it's a toss up because I was about to say nutrition, is a big one, but sometimes it's the mental health, focusing more on that because, yeah, I think if you can control your mental health, I think it, it inks over and everything else, you see yourself different, you understand what's important.

So I think taking time out, I think that'll probably be over nutrition was, is mental health and just. Taking moments to reset, falling back into understanding, like, what we're grateful for, remembering where we came from, to keep that mental health in a good position.

[00:22:46] Jay: Mm hmm. 

[00:22:49] Chris: you know, whatever it is you do, you know, I read the Bible and things of that nature, you know, have quiet time and prayer and things like that, just to get away from everything else and kind of re center, what I'm doing for my mental health.

so I would say that's the third one, 

[00:23:02] Jay: All right, I'll give you four because you threw nutrition in there too. I like that. So I like all four of those. All four of those are great. I'm a huge fan of meditation as well. So, it's sleep and physical,all great answers. all right, so we'll switch to the mystery question. make it, I switched recently, non business related answer. what would you do, anything on earth? if you knew you couldn't fail.

[00:23:24] Chris: Non business answer. Okay. If

[00:23:26] Jay: Because, you know, the very,

people love the weasel out of that one because they have the great, you know, the biggest, and I had to tone it back a little bit.

[00:23:33] Chris: do anything and not fail. That's hard. Yeah. My mind goes straight to business stuff. both.

[00:23:39] Jay: not to, as a business owner, be like, I would take over the world with my, you know, my great business.

Uh, 100%.

[00:23:47] Chris: That's a really good question to think outside of business and it makes me realize I need to like, you know, Maybe think more about like what I do outside of business, like hobbies. Cause I don't necessarily have any hobbies outside of, you know, building this, cause it all, it's just so intertwined, which is crazy once you get going so much, like it's, there's just a harmony within everything.

And so I would say it has. It goes back to business kind of, but it also goes back to my big goal. So like I would start a, I will, I'm going to, it's in the future, but, an animal rescue, you know, hundreds of acres bring in neglected animals like horses and donkeys and dogs and things of that nature, let them live, have a good rest of your life, maybe find a place where they fit well.

but also utilize that again, cause it goes back to, I love kids and helping them use it as a place where, you know, kids can come and learn discipline and How to have, take care of things and have ownership of things and then, you know, special needs groups can come in and work with the animals and have that experience.

[00:24:46] Jay: So that would be if I knew I couldn't fail, that would be what I would do. I love that. That's a great answer.

[00:24:52] Chris: that's my big goal. So 

[00:24:54] Jay: no business to, that's not, that's, you know, it could be a business, but that, you know, that

 doesn't fall under the rules where, you know, people like to say, well, I'll just make my business great. So, that's awesome.

I love that answer.well, Chris, you were fantastic, man. let's end it there. you were a great guest. I love your story. You're kind of a, You know, local guy with, you know, doing his thing, you know, starting a business to kind of etch in your own way out there, finding something new to do. So it's a cool story.

I like it a lot. how can people find you and Elevate?

[00:25:21] Chris: Yeah. You can check out more, what LB does elevate dash media dash group. com. Kind of a mouthful, but we haven't bought the other domain yet. So, or you can connect with me personally, on Instagram, probably the best is at Chris dot T dot Anderson. and I'd love to, you know, take any questions you guys have.

I answer those personally still. so yeah, I'm always there to help how I can.

[00:25:44] Jay: Awesome, man. Well, you're great. I appreciate your time today and you have a good rest of your week. All right, buddy.

[00:25:48] Chris: Hey, thanks Jay. Thanks for having me. Appreciate it.

[00:25:50] Jay: You got it, bro. Thanks for us. See ya.