This is Why No One Believes Your Authority in the Industry Ep 441

In this episode, the speakers, including the host of "The Game" and acquisition.com founder, discuss the importance of credibility and authority in business and personal branding. They highlight the pitfalls of offering advice without having the necessary experience or achievements to back it up, emphasizing the disconnect that arises when individuals pose as experts without a proven track record. The conversation delves into the nuances of communication, suggesting a shift from prescriptive to descriptive language, encouraging sharing personal experiences rather than dictating what others should do. They also touch on the value of giving away knowledge freely to establish expertise while reserving monetization for the implementation and coaching aspect. The overarching theme is that authenticity and genuine intention, coupled with a documented journey of growth and learning, are key to building trust and authority in any field.

• Self-appraisal is challenging without an external perspective.
• Coaches and mentors are essential for improving skills beyond the baseline.
• External guidance helps identify areas that need enhancement and provides strategies for improvement.

"If you don't have the perspective from which to get better at the skill because you already only have your baseline skill set because it's very difficult to self appraise. That is where having coaches mentors, people who are better at teaching the skill comes into play."

This quote emphasizes the importance of having an external viewpoint, such as from coaches or mentors, to advance one's skills, as self-assessment can be limited.

• The host of the podcast is documenting their journey of building a billion-dollar enterprise.
• There is a desire for more documentation from successful entrepreneurs like Bezos, Musk, and Buffett.
• The host believes that sharing their journey can be beneficial for others.

"I'm trying to build a billion dollar thing with acquisition.com. I always wish Bezos, Musk and Buffett had documented their journey. So I doing it for the rest of us."

The speaker expresses regret that prominent entrepreneurs did not document their processes and decides to do so for the benefit of others who can learn from his experiences.

• Speaker A receives a significant amount of mean comments.
• The impact of negative feedback on Speaker A is minimal.
• The support from the audience, referred to as "mozanation," is appreciated.
• The speaker acknowledges the importance of the audience's support in overcoming negativity.

"The amount of mean comments that I get is unworldly. The amount that it influences me is low. And that's where riding, we're still doing it too. It's mostly because I love you guys and you guys are awesome."

Speaker A discusses the high volume of negative comments received and the low impact they have, attributing the ability to continue to the positive support from the audience.

• Many social media users give advice without having the experience to back it up.
• This behavior can lead to resentment and skepticism from the audience.
• Authenticity and proven expertise are crucial for building trust and authority online.
• Speaker A believes that many people fail to build their brand because they lack genuine authority in their field.

"Is that most people are talking about shit that they have not done."

Speaker C criticizes people who give advice on topics they have no experience with, which can lead to a lack of credibility and respect.

• Speaker A questions the credibility of young "experts" who lack life experience.
• Authenticity is key to answering the question, "Why should I listen to you?"
• Building a brand or authority should be based on actual achievements.
• Social media influencers with business success have the authority to speak on business topics.

"The dating expert that's 21 years old. It's ridiculous. Why is it ridiculous? Because there's an unspoken question that must always be answered, in my opinion, which is, why should I listen to you?"

Speaker A points out the absurdity of young individuals claiming expertise without substantial experience, emphasizing the importance of having a legitimate reason for the audience to listen to and trust someone.

• Individuals with proven success don't need a social media following to make money.
• Social media authority is often derived from prior achievements, not the content itself.
• The value of advice is often tied to the success and reputation of the individual giving it.

"And so they have the authority to talk about business because of the shit they have already done."

Speaker A explains that the authority to speak on business matters comes from actual business accomplishments, not just theoretical knowledge or social media presence.

• Content quality is not the sole determinant of its shareability or value.
• The personal brand of the content creator plays a significant role in how the content is received.
• A strong personal brand can lend importance to otherwise mundane statements.

"If Elon Musk tweets I'm on the porcelain throne right now, it'll get 500,000 shares. And it's not because of the content. It's because of the frame and the brand that is wrapped around that message."

Speaker A highlights the power of a personal brand, using Elon Musk as an example to illustrate how a strong brand can amplify the reach and perceived value of content.

• Theoretical knowledge on business is not sufficient without evidence to support it.
• The litmus test for business advice is whether the advisor has the credentials and proof to be taken seriously.
• Comparisons with successful figures like Tom Bilyeu reveal the importance of tangible achievements in establishing credibility.

"It's very difficult to deliver theoretical knowledge on business without having the proof or the evidence to substantiate the theoretical knowledge you're claiming to have, because it doesn't pass the litmus test of, like, why should I listen to you?"

Speaker A stresses the importance of having concrete evidence to back up business knowledge when trying to advise others, as it validates the reasons why someone should listen to and trust the advice given.

• Warren Buffett garners significant media attention due to his substantial net worth and the wealth he has created through Berkshire Hathaway.
• Buffett's financial success is contrasted with the speaker's position, highlighting the importance of achievements in gaining media coverage.

"Warren Buffett gets all this media and you don't, except for the fact that he's built $100 billion in net worth and made so many people wealthy through Berkshire Hathaway."

The quote emphasizes the reason behind Warren Buffett's media presence, which is his significant financial success and impact on others' wealth.

• To avoid criticism, one should speak from personal experience rather than instructing others.
• Using language that relates to one's own experiences rather than prescribing actions to others can prevent backlash.
• Phrasing matters; "how I" is preferable to "how to," as it does not presume unearned authority.
• The approach of sharing personal experiences is less confrontational and more relatable.

"The second thing is that you change the way you speak. All right? And so changing the way you speak comes in terms of how you talk and what you're talking about."

This quote introduces the theme of modifying one's communication style to be more experience-based rather than directive, which can lead to a more positive reception from the audience.

• Speaking from one's own experiences ensures authenticity and avoids the pitfall of making broad assumptions.
• Sharing personal success stories, such as how one reached a certain milestone, is less likely to be challenged than making general industry statements.
• Using real-life examples of helping others can demonstrate the practical application of one's methods and frameworks.
• Authenticity in sharing experiences is more powerful than repurposing content from well-known figures without personal insights.

"And so rather than talking about the general ideas of an industry, which we probably don't have the authority to presume, because we don't have the experience, the depth of experience, to make sure that our assumptions are valid across the sizes of business..."

The quote highlights the risk of making general statements without the requisite experience and authority, suggesting that speaking from personal experience is a safer and more credible approach.

• The hosts of the show are actively seeking to connect with their audience on LinkedIn.
• They encourage listeners to send connection requests and engage with their content by tagging others who may benefit from the connection.
• The outreach on LinkedIn is intended to strengthen the community around the show and foster interaction.

"Just to let you know that we've been starting to post on LinkedIn and want to connect with you."

This quote serves as an invitation for listeners to engage with the hosts on LinkedIn, indicating a desire to build a professional network and community around their content.

• The importance of speaking from a place of authority and experience.
• Emphasizing the value of having a history or track record to back up claims.
• The process of doing, learning, and then discussing what was done and learned is crucial.
• Documenting the journey serves as a record of growth and lessons learned over time.

"But the heart of it comes down to talking about things that you have the authority to speak over."

This quote highlights the core principle of creating content with authority, suggesting that one should discuss topics within their realm of expertise and experience.

"Because no one can question the things that you have already done. No one can question the experience that you've amassed, even if it's this big."

The speaker emphasizes that past achievements and experiences are indisputable and form a solid foundation for authority in content creation.

"And so I think that just doing the doing and then talking about what you did is one of the simplest way to document the lessons, learn how you progress and grow over time."

The quote suggests a straightforward method for content creation: act, reflect, and share the insights gained, which in turn documents personal or professional growth.

• The transformation and development of content over time can be observed through consistent documentation.
• The speaker's podcast serves as an example of how one's thoughts and expertise evolve.
• Historical documentation of business leaders' journeys, like Jeff Bezos or Steve Jobs, would have been invaluable.

"You can go back six years ago and listen to the difference in terms of what I was talking about then and what I'm talking about now."

This quote reflects on the speaker's own evolution and the value of having a record of that progression for both the creator and the audience.

"How invaluable would it be if we could look back at Jeffrey B's library of content and see him build one of the biggest companies of all time?"

The speaker laments the missed opportunity for learning from the developmental stages of successful entrepreneurs due to a lack of documented content.

• The speaker's aim is to reach a billion and beyond while documenting the journey.
• Documenting shifts in belief and understanding can provide valuable insights for both the creator and the audience.
• The speaker's personal experience with a listener referencing an old podcast episode illustrates the long-term impact of content.

"And so my hope is that we get to a billion and beyond. And I hope that because I want to have the journey documented with the lessons that I learned along the way and the shifts in belief."

The speaker expresses a desire to document their business journey, emphasizing the value of recording lessons and changes in perspective.

"There's more nuance to it. And so it's really cool for yourself to document these things."

Reflecting on a past podcast episode, the speaker acknowledges the benefit of documenting one's thoughts and how they evolve over time.

• The importance of creating content with the right intention, focusing on adding value rather than feeding ego.
• The audience's ability to detect the creator's true intentions, which is an evolutionary trait.
• The concept of giving and producing content from a place of genuine desire to contribute to the audience's knowledge.

"If you can do it from that perspective, then I think the audience can feel the intention."

The speaker advocates for creating content with the intention to educate and benefit the audience, which they believe the audience can inherently sense.

"Humans are exceptionally good at sniffing out intention."

This quote explains the human ability to perceive the underlying motivations of others, emphasizing the need for authenticity in content creation.

• Humans have an evolutionary trait that allows them to detect lies, intentions, and ill will through tonality and micro-expressions.
• This ability is crucial for survival, preventing being double-crossed or having resources stolen.
• Authenticity is key and cannot be faked; one must genuinely shift their perspective to give to others authentically.

Can sniffing out intention, sniffing out ill will, because it's evolutionary. If you weren't able to do that, you get double crossed, you get your coconut stolen, right?

This quote highlights the evolutionary advantage of being able to detect deception and bad intentions, which was necessary for survival.

And so we have this really innate, very tuned instrument inside of us that can hear intention in tonality and micro expressions.

The quote explains the innate human ability to perceive subtle cues in others' behavior that indicate their true intentions.

And so I don't think you can fake it.

This quote emphasizes the importance of authenticity, suggesting that true intentions cannot be easily disguised.

• The speaker believes in creating long-term value for the audience as a means to achieve financial success.
• The approach involves being "long term greedy" and focusing on a smaller, more impactful audience rather than a large one.
• Selling is not inherently bad, but the method of selling matters for sustained success.

I think that the vehicle that we use to make money is a longer game.

This quote expresses the speaker's strategy of focusing on long-term gains rather than quick profits.

I'm absolutely a capitalist and long term greedy.

The speaker clarifies their stance on capitalism and their approach to making money, which is focused on long-term benefits.

• The speaker advocates for giving away valuable information for free while selling the implementation of that information.
• The real value comes from the service provided, such as coaching, accountability, and troubleshooting.
• By giving away secrets, one can prove their expertise and build trust, which leads to more sales.

Give away the secrets, sell the implementation.

This quote encapsulates the speaker's strategy of providing free valuable content to demonstrate expertise while charging for personalized assistance and implementation.

People make their purchasing decisions based on the value they've already received, not the value that they're going to receive.

The speaker shares an insight on consumer behavior, noting that people are more likely to pay for services when they have already experienced the value for free.

• Self-appraisal is difficult, and having a coach or mentor is beneficial for skill improvement.
• Coaches can provide the necessary perspective and guidance to refine skills and overcome blind spots.
• The speaker uses sales as an example to demonstrate how coaching can lead to better performance and results.

It's very difficult to self appraise, that is where having coaches mentors people who are better at teaching the skill comes into play.

This quote stresses the importance of external feedback and guidance in personal development, as it is challenging to evaluate oneself accurately.

And so if you don't have the perspective from which to get better at the skill because you already only have your baseline skill set...

The speaker points out that without the perspective of a coach or mentor, individuals may be limited to their existing skill level and miss opportunities for improvement.

• The speaker expresses gratitude and affection for their audience.
• There is an acknowledgment of not feeling deserving of the audience's support, but appreciation is still conveyed.
• The sign-off is warm and personal, indicating a close relationship with the audience.

Mosy nation, love you guys. I don't deserve you, but I love you for being as awesome as you are.

This quote shows the speaker's heartfelt appreciation for their audience, despite feeling unworthy of their support.