The LFG Show
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The LFG Show
The Man Behind Affiliate World 🌍 KJ Rocker
KJ Rocker on Building the Ultimate Affiliate Networking Experience — And Why Mental Health Matters
What does it take to run the world’s top affiliate marketing conference while dominating as a media buyer? KJ Rocker knows — and he’s not holding back. In this candid conversation, KJ opens up about the delicate balancing act of leading Affiliate World and managing high-stakes campaigns, revealing how the conference has revolutionized industry networking.
From digital loners to real-world connections
Let’s be real — digital marketers are pros behind the screen but often struggle with face-to-face connections. That’s where Affiliate World changes the game. Their signature first-time attendee sessions create a structured environment where newcomers can break through social barriers and make meaningful connections. And here’s the kicker: unlike most industry events with tiered ticket experiences, Affiliate World keeps it simple — everyone is a VIP. No velvet ropes, no hierarchy — just real connections across experience levels and borders.
Bridging the gap with major platforms
KJ reveals how the conference has leveled up by closing the gap between affiliates and major advertising platforms. Thanks to strategic partnerships, you’ll now find reps from Google, TikTok, and other powerhouse networks hosting workshops directly with affiliates. That’s a game-changer — giving legitimacy to an industry that’s historically operated in the shadows. These partnerships are transforming how affiliates build sustainable businesses with major platforms.
Mental health matters
The most compelling moments come when KJ addresses the mental health challenges that plague the affiliate marketing lifestyle. "You can't really share your problems with anyone. Even if you have a team, they don't understand," he explains, describing the isolation that comes with entrepreneurial success. His practical advice — building a small circle of trusted confidants and developing activities outside work — provides a blueprint for managing the psychological toll of the business.
The power of supportive partners
Perhaps most surprising is KJ's revelation about the role of supportive partners. By teaching his wife the mechanics of running campaigns, he created a deeper understanding of his professional world that strengthened their bond and improved his work-life balance. This insight extends to how bringing spouses to industry events transforms purely transactional relationships into genuine friendships.
Join us at the next Affiliate World in Budapest this September to experience firsthand how strategic networking can transform your business trajectory while connecting with a community that understands your unique challenges.
Timestamps:
0:05
Meeting KJ Rocker at Affiliate World
Breaking Through Networking Barriers
The Seamless Speaker Experience
Global Connections Create Business Opportunities
Workshop Innovations and Industry Integration
Mental Health in the Affiliate Industry
all right, guys. Day two affiliate world. We're about to wrap this up. We're ending with a very special guest. We're with kj rocker man. Great to have you on the show. We did a short interview in budapest. He's. He's the one, he's the one behind all this I don't even know how the hell you do it which I'm excited to talk about to the audience, about thanks, david.
Speaker 2:First of all, thanks for coming and hey, and then thanks for inviting me to the show as well. I love your show and always watching amazing good stuff, and really happy to have you here yeah, and thanks for being so generous, man.
Speaker 1:I mean you guys have been good supporters of the show. We have this booth here and this has been great being as amazing. What I like about this show is that you get to see people you only see in America. All right, and I think that you got to get outside of your we all live in bubbles. I say I think you know, and you got to get outside of your bubble and travel sometimes and go places maybe you've never been to before and meet new people, and people are doing different things that you're not doing.
Speaker 2:I think that's our initiative as well to help out people to network more and, you know, mix up with more people, talk to more people, for example, like even during world conference. The first thing we do is because we understand in our industry, people don't? You know, people are really shy or, uh, you know, like don't like to approach people or they're more into words. So one thing we do is we always start with chris thomas networking session, which is all about helping people to meet the the other people for attending for the first time, and then give them like a head start on this, like give them a bit of ideas how to network with other people and stuff like that and even with this stuff, like, for example, having you guys here, it helps us to, in a way that we kind of like spread the same message, to create the awareness and also collect more people as well yeah, it's true, and I it's funny because I don't know, I somebody.
Speaker 1:I got to the. I've been here many times, but I went to the first time attendees and I saw you speak there and it was pretty cool to see that all these fresh faces and it could be. It's big. These are huge shows, right. So it's good that you give. I think you set people up for success and the staff oh my God, everyone's so friendly. They're just incredibly friendly and it makes you feel really comfortable, especially as a speaker or whatever, like everyone's looking to help you out. Do you need help with anything?
Speaker 2:I mean, that's just something I think that sets you guys apart from everybody else the thing is like, again, as I mentioned, like you know when, when you're attending for the first time, you don't know. Like I, we all go to different shows and one thing you notice is like, especially if you're going for the first time, you don't know where to network, how to network, who to meet, if there are insider events or stuff like that. So we don't want an attendee to attend for the first time and then miss out or regret later like, oh, this event was happening, I couldn't attend it, or something like that. So that's something we always help our people out and with the staff as well.
Speaker 2:Like it doesn't matter if you're a speaker, if you're attendee, the first thing should be you are all vip guest. Um, you might have seen with many conferences they have different gears or like tickets and stuff like that. For us everyone's the same, no matter it's a speaker or attendee, they all need vip. And that's something we strive for to give everyone same respect and same attention. You know, no matter who they are, whether they are starting or whether they are pro-affiliate it's always saying to give them the similar kind of experience yeah, and I'll start with my experience as a speaker.
Speaker 1:I've spoken at several of these shows and it's, you guys are mega seamless and the communication is great. You create a WhatsApp group for the speakers hey, meet at this time, let's go behind the scenes. At this time you do the rehearsal. I think one thing that separates you guys I don't know why other shows don't do these rehearsals. You can't just go up there, cold turkey, you might have technical difficult. So I love when that, that you guys do that, because you get to look at your notes.
Speaker 1:I mean, I, we did a panel, I moderated a panel yesterday, great panel, and I've never moderated a panel before. That was a little bit nervous, but you know, you guys have the questions down there. It's like it's easy. I know how to navigate phil's amazing um, lauren's amazing too, on the breakout, and it's just that energy is what's important and I think that that's what sells. That's why people keep coming back. And then you guys do a great job with the social media as well. The optics are phenomenal. You see the colors, the screen. I feel like it gets better every time. Man, yeah, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:All credit goes to our team and when talking about stage and stuff, of course, phil and Lawrence are all our MGs. They do an amazing job. We like really work closely with them Amazing people Special thanks and shout out to all of them for helping us out with this and again with the speaker stream as well. Like, what we try to do is we have this process where we take everyone through that process and we try to make their job as easy as possible, especially when you are, you know, speaker, sometimes, no matter how big, uh, you know, you are everyone's nervous and the good performance of the good speech is when you calm your nose. So we do our best to help them calm as much as possible, to help them to prepare as much as possible to time their speeches and other things. So, yeah, we try to use all the best practices that are possible to help them deliver the great content, because, at the end of the day, if they deliver the great content, that's our success. So we try to use that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it can be intimidating as a speaker on that, especially on the main stage, because, man, it's, it's beautiful up there. You, you guys, you make us feel like freaking superstars, right, you see your face on there, on the screen, even outside. Outside here you have, you have uh tvs and stuff. When you walk around you can see yourself on there, you see those speakers, so you make you feel that way. But because of that, you know there's this pressure on you to really come. But it's good to have that pressure.
Speaker 2:That's how you grow as a person, right yeah, exactly, and and the thing is like, sometimes I say, like, many of our speakers speak, uh just to get their picture taken, but overall, yeah, the content, uh, you know, one thing we always focus on is to get people who you know it. It, I mean, if I, if I talk about like, let's say, someone with the perfect english or stuff like that, or their communication skills, I mean the biggest priority for us is always the content. And then we have many people who have amazing knowledge, amazing case, but they're not that confident to, you know, be on stage. So we try to make it for them as well, like, if you're speaking for the first time, we want to make cross-class purpose possible. Yeah, I could see that.
Speaker 1:And I'll say for my age group, my first affiliate world was in 2017 in Bangkok. It was a blur to me. I was just, I was probably a year into the business and man, I didn't know what dating was. I didn't know what any of this stuff was, but I did find little pockets, you know, and it's got to show where you got to navigate, talk, network and then things happen and I kept coming back. It gave me a yearning and a thirst to just keep learning more about this and I just love the international field.
Speaker 1:I feel like a lot of the affiliates and media buyers. They're an advantage when you work with someone, maybe in Eastern Europe or in Asia. They tend to have their pulse on things a little bit differently, right. So I've gotten good results. In 2022, my first one in Dubai I met a media buyer group that was doing solar in Europe and they were hesitant to go into the United States. Let's do a test in the United States. First month I did two grand with them and then it went to like five grand and eventually I started spending $200,000, $250,000 a month with them. They were fantastic, right, and that was a great win-win, but that's someone I would have never found in America. I think that's a benefit to go into these shows.
Speaker 2:You got competition. They give you that extra edge. Yeah, definitely, and you have. You get to meet so many new people like, for example I'll give you an uh, the perfect example like ours was users, many times companies in europe or india, uh, europe or us. They would be like why do I want to move to, like, let's say, dubai and do a show there, or you know, exhibit there or something like that. And I'm like you, you meet different people, you meet different. Uh, you know exhibit there or something like that, and I'm like you meet different people, you meet different. You know kind of like people from different cultures or stuff like that. For example, I'll give you, like, as a mindshare, india.
Speaker 2:We have tons of people who attend from India. There's one thing which hardly anyone talks about All the big companies, advertising companies for All the big companies, advertising companies for example, google, facebook, tiktok all of them have back not TikTok, but Google and Facebook, for example, have their back offices in India. Now, there the actual work happens there. Their employees know way more than anybody else. So when you get an Indian media buyer, they will know way more ideas because everything is happening in that country and then when you connect with them. You can learn new things from them, learn new techniques, new methods and stuff like that. And the same thing like, for example, for people from Asia or India or stuff like that. When they meet US companies, us exhibitors, they find new buyers, new affiliates who are doing things differently. So it's all. It connects to you, it adds value to your business. It's never that you attend a conference and you won't get results out of it. Maybe instant results, no, long-term results definitely yes 100%.
Speaker 1:It's all about the long-term. Again, my first one in Bangkok. I don't think I didn't really get to the results. I got what I made, some connections, but there wasn't an immediate result. But I kept in touch with those people. I saw them again a second time or a third time. I'd see them in barcelona or or whatever come back to dubai or bangkok. And then, all of a sudden, things started moving and I'll tell you what, to the benefit of being a speaker. This is a great story.
Speaker 1:I spoke in barcelona in 2023 in the main stage. I talked about debt settlement burden, how that was going to grow, and there was someone that I met at that booth and now I'm doing good business with. They're based out of Spain and we have the US distribution toa solar battery publicly traded company and that's not necessarily related to Legion, but I have the Rolodex of solar buyers. I've done so much solar volume. It's an easy play for me and they need someone with that kind of connection right. So they saw me on stage. I'm speaking about debt. They come to my booth and I don't know, all of a sudden, we keep and nothing happened immediately that day. We kept in touch Six months later, like listen, we have this play in solar.
Speaker 1:I want to know more about what you're doing in solar. I want to fly into Spain meeting with them and then we create a deal. And now I have this crazy deal, which is incredible. It's not just to be very lucrative, but it could disrupt a lot what's going on with the solar battery market in America, and there's a big energy crisis going on in America right now. These solar batteries are a way for the future. There's an AI component, so I'm super excited. But that would not have happened if I didn't speak on stage. And it's just you can't make that stuff up. And I'm super excited. We just shipped the batteries to America. So it's one of these opportunities that you just never know what's going to happen. You just got to put yourself out there and you don't know what's going to come out of it, and hopefully, in six months. This is what we're doing with this this thing's blowing up. I have some more tangible results, but it's exciting. It's fun, man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean. I mean, you know, it's all in this, especially our industry. It's all about who you know. Yes, it's all about your network. The wider your network is, the bigger opportunities are there for you. Yeah, I mean, and best network you build is through face-to-face meetings and what's the best place to build your network, then to attend appointments.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I see, I know, I agree that. And you see, every year I come here and I meet somebody new. I got into some new vertical and I didn't think I'd find anyone doing that and this guy introduced me. This guy he's doing I'm like, wow, that's crazy. So right away that should be something good and if it isn't, whatever, I still know the guy might lead to something down the road, yeah, so so what's the future of affiliate roads? Wait, what's what's the goal? And like, where are you guys? Do you see you guys going?
Speaker 2:it's always hard to predict the future, but we are trying to, uh, one thing where we are trying to really, you know, change or make an impact is to number one, enhance speedless, for example, like. I'll give you workshops. They are a perfect example. Right Right now, we are doing workshops with Google. We are doing workshops with TikTok and all these major networks. Even you might have noticed, we have Google exhibiting with us as well, and we have Snapchat. I saw that, yeah, there at the very front, yeah, yeah. So the basic idea is to kind of like, in our industry right now, all these big networks, sometimes they are scared, but there's a disconnect between affiliates and sorry I hit by and the ad networks, like really big networks. So what we're trying to do is we're trying to integrate it so that, uh, both work head in hand where you know, like there's no distinction, no differences or anything like that. It's. It's kind of like, you know, it takes our industry into a positive direction where, of course, there are going to be people who affiliates were doing black handwork stuff, but not everyone. For example, degeneration is, you know, a really great vertical where everything is white hat, but, yeah, again, there are going to be affiliates who are doing more black hat stuff as well. So what we're trying to do is we're trying to make this kind of email, create this awareness where there is a lot to do on White Hat as well. You can do way better with this kind of stuff. And I mean all these companies. Now they have these sectionies called the departments who only focus on affiliates or affiliate marketing. So we're just trying to connect that, if I'm an affiliate, I shouldn't be just thinking like Google is a no-go for me or I can't work long term on one account with google. Like, personally, I've been running one account since 2015. It's worse. So, you know, but many affiliates would be surprised like, oh, wow, do they allow that? Yes, affiliate marketing is possible with. So, yeah, it's kind of like that integrating and bringing in all the big ad networks and working with them. Uh, in a wider uh, you know, respect, kind of like creating this positive impact where we kind of, like you know, connect all of these.
Speaker 2:And the second thing is to create more formats. For example, workshops, perfect, really amazing, because the thing is, when you're speaking on stage, it's different, you're time limited and everything, and whereas workshops, they're more intimate because you have more time. We give it like minimum time we keep is one hour and we do it between one to two hours. So, with that, just imagine, like you know, in a room with a google rep who is specializing on affiliate marketing or they you know, they only work with affiliate marketing uh, affiliate marketers and then just getting tips from them, you know, on how to run campaigns, what are the issues, how to go around them, what are the policies and how to kind of, like you know, work within those policies, what are the things you can push, what are the things you can't, and then getting all the best support possible.
Speaker 2:I think that's that's a big one. Like, normally we don't get support from all these ad networks unless we are spending millions and millions of dollars here. Uh, you know, like you can easily get support from those account managers and they'll be always happy to help you to scale your campaigns, just because you attended affiliate award. So that's something which is creating really massive impact and we are hoping to expand this format more because we see a lot of value in it. And especially, like, if you're an experienced or pro affiliates, normally what I notice is you won't go and sit through all the features and everything. So that segment of audience really needs some, you know, really technical stuff. Then they'll go for something really specific. So workshops do that. So we are trying to you federalist precipice. So workshops do that, so we are trying to, you know, work on that and expand that more.
Speaker 1:I saw that and there's one I wanted to go to. I just got sidetracked about taxes how to like minimize legally minimize your tax liability. I wish I went to that one. But yeah, I noticed this was the first year you actually had workshops. I didn't see that before. So that's good that you're trying to add value.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, like last year, when I joined Affiliate World, after that, dubai was my first show Then we did. At that time, we did it with Google at Google HQ in Dubai, then we did it in Budapest as well. With Budapest, we created TikTok as well, and in Bangkok as well, there's Google and Bangkok, google and TikTok. This year, yes, we are having again another workshop at Google HQ, we have TikTok as well, and then we have another really important kind of like you know topic, which is mental health, or leader for your marketing and mental and physical fitness, which is, you know, leading that way.
Speaker 1:I saw that. Yeah, you know I. I saw that there was that's another one would have been good, but that's important. No one really talks about that yeah, and about mental health.
Speaker 2:it was, uh, my wife speaking because she is, uh, you know, a professional in mental health, so it's got phd and she was given some tips to affiliate as well, because she saw how or what I went through or how I go through these. So it was really, you know insightful thing. And then, of course, about taxes as well, and we have another one about AIG.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's amazing man. So I don't know if people know not only you're handling all this affiliate world and make this happen, but you're also a media buyer, right yeah? So let's talk more about that. How do you think that's helped you in this role?
Speaker 2:I mean that helped me in a way that I can. I understand my old ones, you know. I understand that customer base, what they're looking for. I understand exhibitors, who they are and, in case there are, I think this really has for example, if there's an issue with goods or whatever, I could just go and reach them out and explain things for them. If there's some speaker, I know exactly like, for example, sometimes they need help uh, to you know kind of like capture the audience and stuff like that. So I know exactly how an affiliate thinks it's stuff like that. Yeah, being from a list really makes things easier for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 100%. And you guys really do that. I know when I spoke on the stage you guys are very organized. You make sure that you get the presentation a few weeks before and you go over hey, what are you going to talk about? And there's been times where I was kind of I had a little bit not that I was lost, but I had an idea of what I want to talk about. You guys helped sculpt the presentation because at the end of the day, you want to make sure that everybody, that the value is there right, and that the PowerPoint is this way or that way. So again, that's one thing I appreciate because it helps prevent a messy product and at the end of the day, you want everyone to have value right. So I've had some of my better speeches. I've had some incredible PowerPoints and when I do a presentation I always value. I'm always going to do the best I can, but I feel like I step it up a notch when I'm at Affiliate World for some reason.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's great to hear that. And yeah, I mean, we try to keep all the sessions packed. That's the goal, you know, and it really helps kind of like you know, to tree, if we go through and we review all the presentations. So if there is something, suggestions or stuff like that, we just reach out to the speaker and just tell them. Like you know, maybe you should add this, this will capture audience, whoa, because the thing is we go through all the presentations all the time so we know exactly what are the you know, points where we can capture people's more attention and stuff like that. So it really helps yeah, I love it.
Speaker 1:There is a new endeavor called roofs in the box. It's just man from day one it's taken off.
Speaker 3:When I first started getting in the roofing industry, what was happening was my fixed costs were always there, and so for me I was looking at how can we kind of one, save on these costs and then, two, how do I not lay people off during down times? And but also maybe even the ability to pocket more money during the slow season or even the peak season. Since we've done this before, like with our Legion companies where we have virtual staffing from Argentina or Colombia, I'm like why don't we do the same thing in the construction business? Now, once we figured it out, we reduced their fixed costs by 70%, and so now during the downtime they have real seasoned veteran type of players, but during the uptime they pocket. 70% of their operational costs are now going back in their pocket, and then, when it's time to scale, you have the back end prepared, already ready to go to help them lift off.
Speaker 3:Depending on what state you're in, you're averaging about 12.5% on what you pay out on taxes, insurance, fica, all the different insurances that you have to pay out, right, so, yeah, you don't have to pay out unemployment, you don't have to pay out FICA, insurance, medicare, social Security, the things that business owners have to eat. Roofs to Box is not just limited to roofing or home improvement companies. You can use it for any services, right? You can use it for IT. We use them internally for data sales, for hygiene, for analytics.
Speaker 1:It doesn't even matter what the vertical is. It's like business in a box at the end of the day, pretty much. Yeah, let's go back to about the mental health aspect. Right, and I didn't know that about your wife, that she was a great person too, man, she's a very warming, inviting girl. She's been great to me and everyone else here, but I didn't know that that's her line of work and you know mental health health. So how, what are components of that? Like, how did you, what was your experience?
Speaker 1:I'm imagining, listen, I know, as a business owner, a lot of ups and downs, stress. We live. We live with in constant stress, right, and I feel like you're never it's very hard to be at peace, at ease. I I went to the desert here and uh with with a couple people on my team friends, and then we were riding afvs. At one point we stopped and we just laid people on my team friends. And then we were riding ATVs. At one point we stopped and we just laid drear on the sand sitting down. You couldn't hear anything but the wind and it was beautiful. We felt peaceful for five minutes because in our line of work it never ends, it's nonstop. So I feel like. That's tough for a business person or a media buyer to feel that.
Speaker 2:Is that how you felt when you were a business person or a media buyer to feel that is that how you felt when you were. What was your experience? I'm still running my sub, by the way, so I still, yeah, I, I can still lay, but yeah, I mean, you know it's really stressful. The thing is you can't really share your problems with anyone. Even if you have team, they don't understand it. Yes, they won't understand, they won't get your problems. The one thing I notice is like, the bigger your responsibility you have, the bigger problems you have as well, and it's not easy to share those problems. At the end of the day, it's your problem and and and to share even with friends or family you can't.
Speaker 2:So in many people in our industry feel really lonely in these things, no one to talk to or anything like that. For example, let's say, if something goes wrong with my campaigns or anything, I wouldn't tell you because I would think maybe you would think I'm weak and that kind of spreads a word in the market about trash, no business and stuff like that may affect your business deals, so, and stuff like that. That's just one example. And then, of course, you're hesitant. You know you don't know if you should approach people or not and all these kind of things.
Speaker 2:So, at the end of the day, it's you who's left with all the burden. It is you who's left with all the burden, and in our affiliate industry it's a lot, especially when you're running paid media campaigns and you're spending hundreds and thousands of dollars. One day is good, the other one isn't going to be good. Yeah, that's that's my experience. Like you know, one day you are going to be at the peak. The second day you're going to crash, and that's normal. You have to deal with it, but you need need that, you know tolerance, and not everyone has that. So, yeah, I mean it's one of the really stressful jobs it is.
Speaker 1:So I don't know if you were in that workshop or not, but I mean your wife's experience. What's your advice to someone in dealing with it? Because I never thought about that. What you said, I've been through that. You don't want to, especially as a man. You don't want to be ever perceived as weak, right? And it's in a business perspective and there's been times where, yeah, stuff has gone wrong and I held it inside. I didn't want to tell my wife about it, right, and it eats you up, it's bad. And then you combine where you let's say, you go out, you have a few drinks, it just comes out the wrong way. You got to express it in some way. So I don't know, maybe that's the answer, but what's your advice on that?
Speaker 2:I mean, you don't want to kind of like, you know, come up as a failure. So, yeah, the answer is like number one find someone, make a circle of you know, a group of people who you can trust, who you can trust or you can share anything. So, for example, personally for me, I have, like in my circle I have two friends who I share everything with and that really helps talking to them and knowing, like you know my like, they won't judge me for anything, they won't. It is who I am to them. So, yeah, have someone to talk to. That's number one. The second is to do some side activities. They want. It is who I am to them. So, yeah, have someone to talk to. That's number one.
Speaker 2:The second is to do some side activities or do something you really love. So, for example, for me it's always, like you know, when I was in the UK going out in all the forests and all the, you know I love nature, so I used to just go out. Here Again, I just, you know, like to take some time alone and just I don't know what, spend some time going somewhere, traveling or stuff like that. So that really helps to calm you down. For example, where do you go? And in desert, just lie down there, relax and you know, just keep your brain empty for a while and this kind of stuff really hurts yeah, it's hard to keep your brain empty too.
Speaker 1:That's that's, that's the hardest part.
Speaker 2:I think in today's age, the issue with our brands is we have phone in pocket, oh yeah, and everything is in emails.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's non-stop, it never ends. But that was great advice and that's something that I personally have a business coach. I worked with this guy a long lot. It's not even just a business, it's just someone who's good to talk about. Sometimes I'm not even talking about business, I'll talk about personal issues, I'll talk about my kids or whatever I think, especially as a man, it helps to do that. I reconnected with him about four months where, man, it's been great for me. I used to do flotation therapy. I wanted to do that again. I would go and sit down, lay down for an hour. I for like lay down for an hour and I could hear my heart beat. At first kind of freaky, yeah, but it made me appreciate life. Like well, this heart right here, this thought I'm done right, but it's made you appreciate stuff right and gratitude exercise. So it's these things that it goes. It goes a long way.
Speaker 2:They're simple we're talking about, talking about appreciating life. I learned one thing, and that is from a really funny incident, so I'll tell you. Uh, I was, I was in London and I visited one of my friends, so he's from Pakistan, so in Pakistan, you know, on like he's from an area near Afghanistan and everything, and those guys got really good weed and stuff. So I never had weed and I never spoke to anything. I went and I always wanted to give it a try and I went there at night and I'm like, alright, okay, I'm gonna try it, give me some.
Speaker 2:I took two, three hits and I literally passed out. Wow, you know, like I lined down the floor and all of that and I thought I'm dead. And at that time, yeah, I mean I, at that time I just thought, like you know, I'm dying and all my life faster, and I was like, nah, man, I'm, I'm happy, even if I do that. So that feeling, you know, really made me think like, for, you know, don't stress about anything, don't take anything. That still, till today, is like. You know something which I really take.
Speaker 2:Uh, you know, admire that experience, because that that means, you know, no matter what happens, just stay calm and try to go on. It's normal, it's okay, it's okay, uh, it's nothing, you know. But because the thing is like we all have to die and no matter how are you working or whatever, it's gonna be of no use to you. So I I learned that lesson from there and now I appreciate anything. The thing is like sometimes, especially when we are running campaigns, like you want to scale everything right. When you're doing that, you're not happy with yourself. Because you want to scale, you want more and more and more, and you don't appreciate what you have. I think that's really important to be happy with what we have If you have more goods. Otherwise, just be normal, appreciate what you have and be happy with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're right, man. It's funny. The perspective in this industry is crazy because it comes out of perspective. Like two years, we had a crazy amazing. We were a rocket ship. Right Company from 2019 through 2022 was like we made Inc 500 lists uh, four years in a row, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, right. And uh, then we went backwards to a lot of it was solar. Solar industry went backwards and I remember getting upset Like why? You know, I don't think anyone wants to go backward. People want to make progress in every area, right. So I always get upset.
Speaker 1:In 2024 was kind of a weird year too. In 2025 started off good, I feel we're making progress. For a while I was getting upset at myself. I was comparing myself to 2022. But to think about what I did, I told myself, listen, if you told me in 2019 I'd be putting up these numbers in 2023, I'd be super excited.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but the fact that we went backwards, I was mad at myself, like I was going to beat myself up. It's just ridiculous, man, because when you think about it, it's like a story you create in your brain about hey, I'm not good enough, like these stupid things you put yourself. So I shifted the perspective. Listen, someone told you in 2019, you'd be here. I'd be happy with that. I'd take that, but because we grew so fast, you think that's going to. I thought for a while that's going to keep happening. It's like an illusion and this is not like that. It's going to have these ebbs and flows. It's the people that are able to react and pivot and do that right, adjust properly. So, yeah, I learned that. I learned it the hard way and it's a matter of perspective. I'm glad you talk about this. A lot of people don't talk about that. I don't think I've heard talk about that on this show. I've interviewed like 50-something people. Yeah, I mean, it's a circle of life.
Speaker 2:Right, you win big and you lose big. It's part of the game, it's part of the business, it's normal. So we should that, we should remember when we are at the top, one day we are going to be down, so be ready for it. And when you are at in the ditches, remember it's not going to stay like that forever. So just be normal, be consistent. Yeah, I mean, you know that's why sometimes I'm like, okay, all these lambo guys and stuff like that, it becomes really hard. When you're a lambo guy, you fall down.
Speaker 1:I know that's great. I live in miami now that when I moved down there I've talked about this before when I first moved down there, I'm seeing all these Lambles and Ferraris. I mean, it must be even worse in Dubai, man. But anyway, I'm seeing all this stuff. And then two months later, I'm on Google, I start Googling them. I'm not sure they call us, I need one.
Speaker 1:And it's like why the fuck? Like it gets in your head. You know, but yeah, you don't need one of those For me. I'm with my family, that's where you get fulfillment. But the stuff starts to get in your head. So you got to really guard your thoughts. I'm like what's really up here? And I'm glad I didn't do that, because then we had a couple of rough months and I'm like, damn, this you got to cash is so important, right, and and and being the being aware of what's going on. And you're going to have those ebbs and flows, like you said. Because, man, for years it was like up, up, up, up up. You know, I was a rocket ship, the company was a rocket ship, and then we finally came down and like, wow, this is real life, like, wow, that's incredible. Then it was $200. I think it got to $400 billion. Then the stock's going down. I think his net worth is $250 billion. I mean he can't go crazy about that. I love to interview him and see how he deals, but it is what it is.
Speaker 2:We told him when he was a kid. You have's all in your mind, to be honest, like, yeah, you know, as long as you're happy, it's good, and yeah, it's part of the life and we should be ready, for you know, when we are successful, you're gonna be, uh, thrown down as well. And the another thing I noticed is like I don't know if it happens with you or not, but I made some really, really nasty mistakes, but then when I things went, they went really up and then I fell down. But every time you keep growing more and more. That's why I'm saying it's a cycle of life. One day you're going to have good days, one day you're going to have bad days, but with every big failure you're going to have one big success as well. So, yeah, it's it's. You know, we should accept it, uh, the way it is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're a hundred percent right, so I'll leave off with this. Uh, you know you, you posted yesterday on your story your, your support pillar. You had your wife on there and I love that, because I don't think we talk about that enough either in business. How, how important. You know, they say the most important decision you make in your life is who you decide to be your significant other, who you marry, who's going to spend life with you, right? So let's talk about that, because I can imagine you're a media buyer, you run campaigns, you're running Affiliate World and again, I did an event in Columbia called Columbia Con.
Speaker 1:We had 40-something people and man, that was stressful 40-something people right, traveling, and here, I don't know what, you have 7 000 people here. Yeah, okay, so I don't know how you manage that. Obviously you do it well, but you say she's a support pillar. That resonated with me because so you know we have a lot of people to talk to, but we're going to talk to her wife. You know, I talked to my wife about this and she's my support pillar as well, so let's talk about that and how important that is yeah, first of all, congratulations to you and sam.
Speaker 2:that was amazing, an amazing event, thank you. I wish I could have attended, but because of all of this I couldn't. We'll do more of those. Yeah, yeah and definitely.
Speaker 1:I'll India. We're talking about doing India card. I'll probably do India, probably end of the year. I'll let you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, let me know and I'll see. But yeah, I mean, the thing is like that's really important, you know, having your second figure support you Like, for example, even here now I know she, because I introduced her to industry as well. She knows you guys, she knows all of the people. That makes things easier for me, for example, like even here, I mean, she understands when it's work I can't stop, you know, no matter what. And she also knows when I have enough time and yeah, that's that's really, you know, important to kind of like have that understanding. And yeah, I'm basically I, I I kind of like choose the thing, like what kind of life this man lives, all the time on Labiop and all of that.
Speaker 2:She actually did that. So what I did is I gave her a few campaigns to run. So she actually ran some campaigns. I think it's really yeah. So, yeah, when we were engaged, when she was my very own, say, she was working in a university and all of that. So she used to run some campaigns whenever she needed to travel or stuff like that, and stop afterwards. But yeah, so she kind of, like, you know, went through all the process and I kind of, like, you know, taught her how things work so that she can understand what are the things I'm working on. And yeah, I think that helped me a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's amazing, amazing, I never thought about that. That puts her in your shoes. Yeah, it's where it comes down to, yeah, and then, yeah, you're giving me memories. My wife came with me to philly road in barcelona in 2022. She came with me to bangkok my first one, too, which is pretty cool. But, uh, it's good when they get to see what you're doing on a daily basis or come to the shows and get to know the people you talk about. You put a name to the face and people like that. I talked to Attila about that last year over here in Dubai how cool it is to bring your family.
Speaker 2:He had a son yesterday. I'll tell you like, for example, attila, right, attila and Dora amazing people and the thing is, just because my wife comes with me, they connect really well. Me and Atila now got really close. Of course we were. We knew each other before but we were not that good friends. But since our wives know each other, we sat down together, we had all the food and everything. Now we are way better friends. So it actually helps you to connect with people better as well, because you know, it's not just now business connection, it's personal connection as well. You know your wife, uh, you know their wife, know your wife, and it's kind of like it's different. You know it's more personal than business kind of relationship.
Speaker 1:So these kind of things really help, yeah and it starts by coming to this I don't know where you met until I ever said when you met him here at philly world. Right, is that correct? I don't know many somewhere else. And dubai, okay bye. Yeah, I I met him at Affiliate World. I mean, we saw each other online, we would talk, but we met each other, hit it off.
Speaker 1:I've run some campaigns together and then Dora met my wife in Budapest. Then they were in Miami. Like a month ago we had dinner in Miami with his kids, my kids. I mean it's a beautiful thing, right. And going back to being lonely, this is a space that it's kind of a double-edged sword, because people see all these, they see the stuff on social media, they see us traveling, having fun, right. They see like the good stuff, right, but they don't see the behind the scenes stuff and the losing the money and the stress and that. But our wives have seen that. But so when you get this, get together and you can talk about, I can tell it to life totally. I mean I got, I just got screwed on this campaign or whatever, like he gets it Right. So, yeah, that's the beauty of it is that you could actually get that off your chest and it's therapeutic.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I think we should have a workshop about if we leave wives as well.
Speaker 1:Shansui should come to that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, but but anyways, yeah, that's really interesting topic actually it is. Yeah, I mean many of the things we see on social media. That's not true Life behind the camera or behind the you know the story on Instagram or Facebook or whatever. It's totally different. You know, now I've like times have changed so much. Now whenever I say Facebook story, I feel like I'm really old. Yeah, that's true, right.
Speaker 1:Now, these days, kids are on TikTok and all of that. Yeah, who knows what the next one's going to be. It's crazy. Yeah, well, kj, this is awesome. Man, listen, the Philly Road guys. If you haven't been to the Philly Road, come.
Speaker 1:It's so worth it, not only from the networking, the knowledge that now you have the workshops, but just going to a whole different world I would have never came to. I mean, I probably would have came to buy later on. Yeah, probably five, ten years from now. But I've been to buy four times and every time I come here and I feel like you always have a great location. Budapest was amazing. Blew my mind away. I would have never gotten a budapest. That was cool, right. So, bangkok, you guys have these great locations.
Speaker 1:So it's not just. It's just great that you get to like have, do multiple things, kill two birds in one stone. You go, have fun, you do business, you open your mind, you I feel like every time I come back home to america, I come back a better, like an upgraded purse. I you know. So that's the benefit of this is just it's. It's a lot of different things and the price point is great too. It's not like you. You know thousands of dollars, right? You guys price it well and it's a good content. So, guys, you haven't been come. If you've been coming, keep coming. It only gets better each time, I think you know. So I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thank you, david. Thanks for inviting me to your podcast. Talking about price points, it is kind of where you know you don't get really low like everyone who doesn't even belong to the industry, because it's still. You know it's not that high but it's still. I know that it will filter out all the weak girl as well, so that's the thing about it. And then it's not way too high that it costs like a fortune, so it's kind of like a really balanced ticket price and overall I think events really help us to grow our network and, as they say, your network is your network.
Speaker 1:It really is, and my network has only grown here and I love it. So what we're going to do is we probably won't drop this podcast for another two or three weeks, but I know there's a 24-hour link to 24 hours right now, the discount show. So we're gonna, we're gonna put in the story, we're gonna put a link here. You get, if you respond, if you register within 24 hours, just the the cheapest price. I've done this before. I've locked in the prices. You save a lot of money because they do go up. So we'll put a link here. Guys, take advantage of it. Come to when's the next one? It's in budapest, right about september, september, september, what? September 5th september, 100 sure about? I'm not 100% sure about this. Yeah right, yeah Well, sometime early September it is. I'll be there, guys. We'll probably be again with another LFG, but we'll do it bigger and better next time. It only gets bigger and better, guys, right, good stuff, let's fucking go, go, baby.
Speaker 4:Let's go. Get ready to level your shit up with the LFG heavy hitters from all walks of life. We've been talking some serious business, from the best digital marketers, government contracting experts to top athletic and celebrity doctors We've got it all covered. We're talking to guys with cash in for billions with a, b, and the best thing is we're just getting started. So hold on tight. We're about to crank it up a notch. Get ready for next level networking and masterminds within the LFG community. Scare money, don't make no money, or honey. Hit the subscribe button, drop a like, leave a comment and let's fucking go.