Government Grants + Resiliency with Matthew Lesko (part 2)

Matthew Lesko—you might remember him from his question mark suits and energetic infomercials—has transformed from a $20,000-per-client business consultant to a passionate advocate helping everyday Americans access billions in free government resources. His mission now? Building a community where people help each other navigate the complex world of grants, subsidies, and assistance programs.

The economic reality driving his work is stark. America has both more millionaires than any other developed nation and the highest poverty rate (17.2%) among wealthy countries. Over the past 50 years, wages for the bottom 90% of Americans have grown just 30% while inflation has soared 350%—a crushing disparity explaining why half of Americans can't handle a surprise $500 expense.

What makes this conversation genuinely eye-opening is the sheer range of available resources most people never discover. Did you know there are 51 healthcare programs that will pay you to train for high-demand jobs, cover your transportation and childcare costs, and even pay for your certification exams? Or that Habitat for Humanity offers homes at half price with zero-percent interest mortgages? From $100,000 grants for making and selling ice cream to programs offering free laptop computers, these opportunities exist in every community—if you know where to look.

Lesko's practical advice centers on two powerful strategies: find programs to help pay for expenses you already have, and discover legitimate opportunities to increase your income. His community at LetsGoHelp.com not only shares information but distributes approximately $50,000-$70,000 monthly in direct grants to members, including free laptops and emergency assistance for car repairs or housing.

The most valuable takeaway might be Lesko's approach to life itself: follow your passion, maintain your sense of humor, and remember that for every problem you face, there's likely free help ava

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Transcript

Introduction to Reigniting Resilience

Speaker 1 0:06

All of us reach a point in time where we are depleted and need to somehow find a way to reignite the fire within. But how do we spark that flame? Welcome to Reignite Resilience, where we will venture into the heart of the human spirit. Resilience where we will venture into the heart of the human spirit. We'll discuss the art of reigniting our passion and strategies to stoke our enthusiasm. And now here are your hosts, natalie Davis and Pamela Cass.

Speaker 2 0:41

When I started doing books for consumers, I actually did that when I was doing business to business. My average I'd buy one-inch ads in the Wall Street Journal and I'd get people writing in on napkins and just crazy shit. And then I said, well, if I get people to write me up. So I was doing press releases about information in Washington for businesses or whatever, and somebody would get people to write me up and I said that's a lot easier and plus it's a nobody. So it's sort of like you're getting a little holy water on you because publication-wise wrote you up and things like that.

Speaker 2 1:16

So then when I start doing books with publishers in New York, I would say, huh, and I used to do a lot of seminars and like entertaining or educating, that I was a professor of computer science and these were adults coming back to get their degree and so it was mostly night and I felt if I couldn't keep them awake, I couldn't teach them anything. That's why I learned the first thing is you keep them awake that's why I learned the first thing is you keep them awake and then that worked great for media to get on talk shows, yeah.

Speaker 2 1:52

And so my books. I mean it was I would spend a year writing a book. Then I'd take a month and developing a pitch for a one minute interview, a two minute interview, a four minute interview, 15 minutes. After that everything's going to come up, right? You didn't want to go on these short news shows or Today Show and stuff and only have a minute or two to say something and answer their question. No, I knew what I thought was the best thing to say about my book, no matter what they asked me. Yeah that's perfect.

Speaker 3 2:22

And they don't care.

Speaker 2 2:24

They're all about entertainment too. That's it. So that's why I was a regular guest. I must've done.

Speaker 3 2:29

I did Oprah about three times, larry King maybe a dozen or two, and Letterman and all this kind of stuff, because they know you're going to give me seven minutes of free airtime national, that's it.

Speaker 2 2:42

I'll take it and then I'd stop in the middle. I remember I'd let her stop in the middle. Somebody has to buy a commercial for $50,000 or something like that, exactly, exactly, I'm getting seven minutes free because I act like an asshole. My parents did not admit I was their kid for the first 10 years on TV. Oh gosh, oh my gosh, they're like we don't know, actually, like they wanted me to do something. Sophisticated guy, whatever, I'd never sell a book.

Speaker 3 3:13

Absolutely, I love it and you weren't authentic.

Speaker 4 3:18

at that point I was going to say you're not being authentic, right?

Speaker 3 3:22

And you can tell when somebody's not authentic. You're drawn to somebody when they're not being who they truly are meant to be all right talk to a politician okay, how long have you been wearing the amazing blazer?

Speaker 2 3:41

let's say I'm 81, so I'm 20, at least maybe in my 50s somewhere. I remember the first day of something I always wanted to do yeah, and I was throwing off shows. When I start wearing it. I was doing home shopping too. I'd go down there sell 30,000 books in a day. That was incredible. I was bigger than Oprah, you know, and I came down in a question mark suit one day. No, we're serious. Fuck, you're something. People in trailers yes, really yes.

Speaker 4 4:10

Oh my gosh, they're like. That crosses the line. We, we can't do that here. Yes, well, did you do the books before the infomercial and getting into the television space?

Speaker 2 4:21

no, no, that's what. That was a good consumer, because most I was a consultant. I charged $20,000 for what I charge $20 now for.

Speaker 3 4:30

Because rich people pay for it.

Speaker 2 4:32

Yeah, yes, they're going to make money. They don't care what the price is, that's it, that's right. But they're not fun to work for, because all they want is money, and that's why I mean I want to help people really need it when they don't need another. You want to feel needed in life. For rich people you don't feel needed.

Speaker 4 4:54

So providing the service with the grant program now I mean, you're able to serve a huge segment of the population and just going back to the graph that you shared, so there's over 40 something percent in terms of access and private sector and all of that. So this shift I'm assuming that this is filling your bucket. It sounds like you're having fun. Talk to us a little bit about the services that you provide and how you're able to help people when they reach out to you.

Speaker 2 5:21

Well, it took me a couple of years. After people stopped buying reference books, that's what I was doing, and then no more reference book.

From Consulting to Community Building

Speaker 2 5:29

Internet. What do you need a reference book for? Yes, yes, and it took me years to figure out how can I get income from that. And so I started like a newsletter or something, and that's how it grew. By accident, it became a community and, no matter what I did, I can't see the consulting business. You can charge $20,000 because those people pay it, so there's a lot of margin in that, but at $20, you would get a lot of margin. So I couldn't and if it's only me, how much could I do with $20? And so what I found out what is happening is members were helping members. So now we have about 15,000 members that help each other get these programs. Oh, that's amazing. So they don't even need me. I go home, I don't want to.

Speaker 4 6:15

Wow, yes, yeah.

Speaker 2 6:18

And that's what it is. Because they know it. They could relate to somebody just starting. I've been studying this for 50 years. You're going to bore the hell out of me because you just want to fix up your debt.

Speaker 3 6:30

Yeah right, I've said that a million times, but it's still important.

Media Strategy and Authenticity

Speaker 2 6:34

And they you're going to trust a guy who dresses like a clown about what to do, so somebody who looks like you and tells you, hey, I did this and you can too, versus me telling you I did this. Well, yeah, but I'm not.

Speaker 4 6:53

That's it. Are you the person that I can connect to and relate to, right? Yeah, the answer is yes for me, but yes, right.

Speaker 2 7:04

But the people are really struggling. I mean, half the people in our country can't afford a $500 bill. Also, I don't know if you know, what happened in our country recently is that we have more poor people in America than any other developed country in the world. We're the richest country in the world, right, we have more millionaires than everybody else. But there's a graph showing all the EOCD what do they call them? Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development All the developed countries, now the rich countries. We're number one in poverty rate 17.2. The average is about 10%. You know, so we're number one. We're number one, baby. Yeah, and that is because of these graphs. Okay, don't forget. You're taking notes, so there'll be a test later.

Speaker 4 8:00

Yes.

Speaker 2 8:02

Well, it's recorded, so I'm going to reference the notes.

Speaker 3 8:05

You've got to cheat sheet.

Economic Reality: Wages vs. Inflation

Speaker 2 8:06

Yes, You've got to skip out of class early, that's it. Okay, this is wages for the last 50 years. Yeah, the red line is the bottom 90% of Americans and their growth in wages for 50 years. That grew 30% in 50 years. The top did very well, don't have to worry about it, but their wages went up 30%. But inflation went up 350%. So you're trying to pay the bills with this graph.

Speaker 4 8:41

The 30% increase over time. Yeah.

Speaker 2 8:45

That's why people are pissed yeah.

Speaker 3 8:47

Not even.

Speaker 2 8:48

It's not about gender equality. I mean that's important and stuff. But man, you can't eat, you have nothing, can't pay your bills. Yeah, you see all the people who are doing well, or at least that are in the cabinet, yeah, so that's I'm trying to. I mean, they have two options there to me is find programs to help you pay for those expenses and find help to create more income, and that's's another thing. People don't look at that yet, but they should, because now you could get more help to anything Like.

Free Job Training and Career Resources

Speaker 2 9:19

I just found there's 51 programs that are in demand in healthcare and they will pay you to train for those 51 programs and also give you car fare money, give you daycare money, give you money to take the exam and all these kinds of stuff 51. Every city, county, state has this, but people don't know They'll pay you $40,000 a year with just a high school degree to get a $100,000 a year job. We have so many technical people, particularly in Colorado. I mean you have a lot of high-tech jobs that need people and healthcare and they train you for free and give you programs that even pay your living expenses for free. So you get that without a degree and get $100,000 a year job, so that's the thing. Or you want to start a business? Okay, those organizations there to increase your income, whether part-time or full-time, and not some scam on the internet.

Speaker 4 10:17

Exactly, exactly exactly where you send in $97 and there's not really a person there to help you through.

Speaker 3 10:23

Yes, and for finding some of those programs, because I'm sure that our listeners are going to be intrigued. Is it the findhelporg?

Speaker 2 10:31

Yeah, but I mean you could start at that findhelporg that I did. Let's go. Help is mecom, but findhelpsbagov for training and stuff like that. You want to go to careeronestoporg, careeronestoporg and also if you go to findhelporg and put in job training, you'll find two or 300 programs that are free training. Really Any zip code. I mean there's so much free training out there to get the skills, because if you don't have skills, you know you can't.

Speaker 3 11:03

Yeah.

Speaker 2 11:04

You're going to be waiting tables.

Speaker 3 11:06

Findhelporg Okay.

Speaker 4 11:08

Yeah, and it's okay if it's a steakhouse, but Exactly yes, exactly, yes, yeah, and I think that that's where a lot of young people have found an easily accessible opportunity is in food service and hospitality.

Speaker 2 11:31

These resources sound like they're actually broadening the horizon and potential for individuals I'm trying to give you, as people there are trying to solve problems every day that you have, so you're not the first one to have this problem. So that's why you want to go hire a plumber who fixed a bunch of toilets, not your uncle. Yeah, I know how to do that.

Speaker 4 11:45

Yeah, exactly Six months later your toilet still doesn't work. That's not good. Well, Matthew, in terms of let's go helporg and let's go helpcom.

Speaker 2 11:57

Dot com.

Speaker 4 11:58

Dot com, let's go, helpcom, tell us what our listeners will find when they venture over to your site.

Surprising Grant Opportunities

Speaker 2 12:07

And it's that one-on-one help from other members, and I do. I do about four or five videos every day. Wow, yeah, I just love finding stuff. You know, I'll show you what I found today. How about a million dollars? You get a million dollars with no payments for 12 months and then after that it's only a 4% interest man. You can take that and invest it in something that gives you 7%, 7%. You get a million dollars in a year.

Speaker 4 12:32

Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 12:33

Right, or even the first 12 months, you could do it. Well, here's it. I got $50,000 to $500 million to start a business in an airport. They're giving you free training of 50% on discount buying a house. You may know about this. This is Habitat for Humanity. I know you're in the real estate. I mean, they're great people. You buy a house half price zero percent interest on your mortgage. You get volunteer. You don't have to do it. But zero percent interest, depending on the mortgage, that means it costs you half price.

Speaker 3 13:05

Exactly After 30 years.

Speaker 2 13:08

Half the money is interest for the bank. Oh, here's $125,000 to build an accessory dwelling unit. You know the granny flats? Yes, yeah, see that, Because we have to start changing our policies where we can put more than one house on a lot. So they're doing that and putting a granny flat and I see my AI camera thinks I'm going into the other room or something.

Speaker 4 13:34

Oh.

Speaker 2 13:36

So a local organization see all the money Like. If I was in your business, the one place I would go to is your county community development office. They're the ones that get all the HUD money for harm repairs, buying homes, buying everything. Really, most everything funnels through that. So, county level, I'm trying the Office of Community Development I just found out I was writing something up earlier and they give like a seminar on how to fill out the application too, for free. You don't have to hire people. The government is there to do it. You just have to ask. People are afraid of that. Well, here's $75,000 if you're a victim of crime or even sexual assault. Every state has Crime Victim Assistance Fund. So if your house broken into or something like that, yeah, that's available at every state. $100,000 to make and sell ice cream Sold.

Speaker 4 14:35

I'll do that. Sold Done. I will sign me up. That is so great, Matthew. What is the most surprising grant option that you've come across in your time doing this work?

Speaker 2 14:52

I remember when I used to say long ago, because I did interviews, I'd go out and do 100 interviews on a book, maybe 150., and I'd travel all this. I'd go to a city, city, do seven interviews, go to the other cities, do seven interviews and just keep going, and so some of that is it. One I love saying the government gave a grant to make bread out of human waste. Exactly.

Speaker 4 15:18

And I'm not interested on that one. I know exactly. Oh, that makes sense. The greatest comeback I heard and I forget.

Speaker 2 15:24

It was a very famous talk show. I forget the lady saying that. She said oh, that's poopernickle. I'm still in the third grade. You guys say poop for anything.

Speaker 4 15:40

Yes, that's awesome. Exactly that one we got. That one we got. Well, here's the thing you get. What a great opportunity for the creative minds, right? Because when you are talking about NASA and the Space Center, everything is recycled.

Speaker 3 15:54

Everything is recycled or incinerated.

Speaker 2 15:57

Where's it going?

Speaker 3 15:58

to go. Yes, the space junk out there.

Speaker 4 16:01

Yeah, wow, that's amazing, I would have never imagined that. No, it is Trying to open people's minds. There's wow, that's amazing, I would have never imagined that.

Speaker 2 16:06

No, it is Trying to open people's minds. There's another option. To me, what bothers me more is that people go to Google, want to start a business. Everybody say, man, I don't have money, so they feel they can't do anything. And that's painful to me, that we're sitting with all this talent, all this expertise, all this energy and they think they can't do anything in this country. They can't Look at the fat cats.

Speaker 3 16:34

They're using the shit out of this stuff. Absolutely. They know how to use it Exactly. Tell us about your books Like what?

Speaker 2 16:43

are oh, no more books. Are you going to buy reference books? No, we should buy reference books.

Speaker 4 16:50

I think everyone goes to their favorite search engine or now, whatever GPT platform they're using, whatever AI search engine they have yeah, and that's it.

Speaker 2 17:00

Now I do videos. That's how I communicate with video.

Speaker 4 17:04

Three or four videos a day. Yeah, there's no excuse for those listeners that have had video on their list of things that they want to start doing. There's your lesson. Matthew says three or four a day.

Speaker 2 17:18

Well, I enjoy doing it. If I didn't enjoy it, I'd find out you wouldn't do it that's it.

Speaker 4 18:18

Well, not only do you, you have the joy of doing it, but I think it's also another outlet and way for you to help other people. And it all circles back to where we started, right being able to help others.

Speaker 2 18:29

The hardest thing about a business is not doing the work for the business. It's getting the customers you have to be. 80% of your creativity is getting the customers, not doing the work of the business, yes, so that's where the creativity really has to come in, unless you have a lot of money.

Speaker 4 18:47

Yeah, that's true. Then you buy the customers or you influence. We're not buying customers, I'm sorry. You influence them.

Speaker 3 18:56

I see right.

Finding Joy Through Helping Others

Speaker 4 19:01

Well, that's I mean. Even with this podcast and some of the projects that Pam and I have worked on, we've discovered that, right, you do all of the heavy lifting in whatever it is that you've created, and then someone needs to come and get it right. We can't just simply leave it and hope and pray that someone shows up that wants it.

Speaker 2 19:18

They're not going to find it.

Speaker 4 19:20

No, Not with all the chatter that's out there. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2 19:26

And that's another reason, I think, to do something you really believe in, because then you have the energy to do that. A lot of people will say, oh, I'm not a marketing person. I said that initially I can never be a salesman. I remember saying this early in our relationship with Wendy that she heard me say that at dinner. She looked at me At the time I was like the biggest huckster in America. I said no, I could never do that. Getting out of business school, I mean there were a lot of jobs I kept selling, but I'm not selling now. This is not selling to me, I'm educating, you're educating.

Speaker 3 20:03

Yeah, giving value and providing value, that's it, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 4 20:08

I love it. Well, matthew, if you have some advice for our listeners that have found themselves in a spot where they think that they've reached a roadblock or there's a wall in front of them and they can't get something done, either professionally or personally. What are some tips that you would give our listeners and ways that they can really work around or overcome those hurdles?

Speaker 2 20:30

The main thing is about listening to your heart, because you're listening to other people about what to do and find free help that is out there for people with your kind of problem and that's why you can go to findhelporg and put in if you want a better job or something and talk to the people who get people jobs and they're all free. They're not people who are headhunters making money off of you. These are people who are free, whether to start a business or start a nonprofit or anything. There's free people out there that are happy to help you. And the free sources ask your librarian.

Speaker 3 21:04

We forget about those people and they know the free stuff where you live and you can even get free computers.

Speaker 2 21:12

Put on FindHelp and get free computers. I mean, there's a whole bunch of nonprofit organizations in every city that give out free laptop computers if you don't have one. We do. We give out 30 every month 30 laptop computers. We also give out about $50,000 or more in grants to our members. When I started making money I said I didn't realize I was going to make money, I just wanted something to do for the rest of my life. So after we pay all the people, we give the rest back to members in grants. So we have four different grants. We have one you can spend anything on $1,000 to do anything you want. Another one to pay for fixing up your car $500. Another one for rent or anything around the house. I think we're doing about $500 there again and we give out 30 free laptop computers. So it averages about 50,000 or more, sometimes 70,000 every month. I mean, I thought you had to be Jeff Bezos to do something like this, yeah, or his ex-wife.

Speaker 4 22:07

Definitely yes, one of the two.

Speaker 2 22:10

Yes, that's right, that's right, she's doing a lot of that stuff, yeah and no, you just have to be a great person yeah, rewarding that field, to be able to do that is just remarkable. So that's why one of the reasons I'm having more fun than ever I love it.

Speaker 3 22:30

Follow your heart.

Speaker 2 22:32

So grateful.

Speaker 4 22:33

Yeah, absolutely Well, and for our listeners, if you didn't pick up on it, it is either find the people, the free people that are available to answer questions and guide you through, find the free resources that are out there and we just heard of free resources and, if you're not sure what you want to do, find someone to connect with and dial into what you love. Maybe repurposing and making pooper nickel is not your forte, that's fine, don't do it. Making ice cream might be something you'd like Go?

Speaker 4 23:04

over and find the grant for ice cream? Yeah, but, Matthew, I think what you've just in our time together and in preparing and knowing that you were going to be a guest on the show. Oftentimes we hear about grants from two standpoints. It's one for education, right, so some type of higher education and then government grants are available for businesses. But for just the modern common citizen that is in need of help, wanting services or needing services and resources there are thousands upon thousands of grant dollars and resources out there. There's something available.

Speaker 2 23:40

It's not just for your small business or your college degree yes, the government gives an average. This year will be eighteen thousand seven hundred and sixty seven dollars for every adult. Wow, that's how much free money grant is given out. That's why the best way to do the living expenses thing is findhelporg at there.

Speaker 4 24:01

Love it. Well, I have left quite a bit of money on the table Right.

Speaker 3 24:06

Exactly. I've not received my $18,000 this year or any year prior. Any year prior.

Speaker 4 24:19

Oh, wow, I love it. Any last words for our listeners, matthew.

Speaker 2 24:24

Another thing I know we talked about maybe we showed it is having fun and joy. Yeah, I mean, that makes all the bad shit go down. If you're gonna live, you're gonna get shit on, and that's gonna happen to all of us, no matter what we do. And so the bigger human and humor bone you have, it would be helpful to get through all that stuff. And that's why I say if you're passionate about what you're doing, you don't take it as seriously, because this is something you really want to do.

Speaker 4 24:55

I love it. I love that. I love that. I think that's a fabulous place to leave us, even after saying that I can't get the poop or nickel out of my mind.

Speaker 3 25:06

You keep saying that word quite a lot.

Speaker 4 25:08

Well, it's there, it's our new thing it is If you get shit on, make some poop or nickel and gift it to someone else, right? So now it's a whole they did something great.

Speaker 4 25:21

No, matthew, this has been wonderful, thank you. Thank you so much, Very insightful. We will make sure that we drop the links and the show notes for all of our listeners as well and put your contact information in there so that they can connect with you and your team. Thank you for the work that you're doing. I know that it is making a difference in lives across the country, and so we're just honored to be able to help to spread your message and awareness across the country, and so we're just honored to be able to help to spread your message and awareness about the services that you provide and the value that you're giving. That's changing these lives. So thank you so much for being a guest today.

Closing Thoughts and Resources

Speaker 2 25:52

My pleasure. You're sweet to work with. Thank you both of you.

Speaker 4 25:56

Absolutely.

Speaker 2 25:57

Yeah, it's all about love.

Speaker 4 25:58

All about love and questions, questions and love.

Speaker 2 26:01

I love. It Well for All about love and questions, questions and love.

Speaker 4 26:04

I love it Well for our listeners. If you want to know what's happening in the world of Reignite Resilience, head on over to reigniteresiliencecom, where you can check us out. If you have not subscribed to our think letter, you are missing out, because that is an opportunity for you to learn more, get some behind the scenes of our guest appearances on the show, some feedback and some fabulous quotes that our guests share. I know that you're listening, but as you're listening and taking notes, sometimes we miss those little nuggets and gems that really keep us going and keep us motivated. It is released every Saturday. Sign up for that, and you can sign up for that on the reigniteresiliencecom website. And until next time, we'll see you all soon. Bye, everyone.

Speaker 1 26:44

Thank you for joining us today on the Reignite Resilience podcast. We hope you had some aha moments and learned a few new real life ideas. To fuel the flames of passion, please subscribe on your favorite streaming platform, like or download your favorite episodes and, of course, share with your friends and family. We look forward to seeing you again next time on Reignite Resilience.