Kyle Wilson and Jim Rohn started what would become a successful 18-year partnership with a handshake in 1993. A proven master at uplifting those around him, Kyle Wilson knows a thing or two about building genuine, meaningful relationships.
Dedicating his career to facilitating personal development opportunities, events and launchpads, Kyle has helped change thousands of lives. Today, he takes some time to share how to build valuable relationships and create viral tools.
Learn how he’s helping others grow and develop as he dives into the story behind Jim Rohn’s International. He talks about the system he used to help Jim and the others to create lasting impact. Get his take on networking the right way and find out why he believes saying no is sometimes the best thing you can do.
“Count the cost… get really clear about what you want, and then realize to build something of value it’s going to take time.” -Kyle Wilson
HIGHLIGHTS
- [00:01] Episode Overview
- [01:20] Intro
- [01:53] Meet Kyle Wilson
- [02:20] Who has had the greatest impact on his life
- [03:37] One thing that’s had the greatest impact on his success
- [05:52] His greatest setback and what he learned from it
- [08:06] The advice he finds himself sharing the most
- [09:58] Bringing value to relationships
- [14:23] The outlook on events post COVID-19
- [19:01] Being the mind behind Jim Rohn
- [21:49] The importance of the wheel concept
- [31:05] Creating a viral tool
- [33:25] Kyle Wilson’s Inner Circle
- [40:57] How he keeps track of his relationships
- [42:12] Finding the right people to build with
- [48:44] What he’s working on today
- [50:23] Finding Kyle Wilson
- [51:05] Advice for remaining calm through the pandemic
- [55:52] Outro
RESOURCES
- 52 Lessons I Learned from Jim Rohn
- Desire, Discipline and Determination
(Free for the first 10 emails team@investingforfreedom.co) • InvestingforFreedom.co
Find | Kyle Wilson
kylewilson.com
On Instagram
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On Twitter
FULL TRANSCRIPTION
Mike Ayala 00:00
Today I have the honor of bringing Kyle Wilson on the investing for freedom podcast. I met Kyle probably three or four years ago and just had the privilege and honor of being mentored by Kyle. I’ve been part of his inner circle mastermind groups and just had a lot of events that Kyle’s been at and he’s just one of the best all around guys that you’ll ever meet. The thing I really love about Kyle, you won’t know it until you actually get into a conversation with him because he doesn’t come out the gate trying to show you how much he knows or anything else. But he is one of the smartest, most experienced business guys, relationship people. He has so many just experiences that he can just share about for hours and I just love being around this guy. If you talk to almost anyone today who’s making a massive impact in the world, Jim Rohn probably had some sort of direct impact on their life. In fact, I don’t even know if our guest knows this, but I can pinpoint a specific evening, a situation late in 2015 that caused me to ask a question about my life that was inspired by Jim Rohn. That changed everything for Kara and I, and our kids. Jim Rohn wouldn’t have been able to to make the reach that he did if it wasn’t for Kyle Wilson, and we’ll get into some of that today, the number of lives that have been impacted by Jim Rohn may never have been able to be quantified in this life. But Jim would not have had the reach that he did if it wasn’t for Kyle Wilson. I’m so honored to have Kyle Wilson on the podcast today. Kyle, thank you for taking the time and welcome to the investing for freedom podcast.
Mike Ayala 01:20
Are you looking for freedom? Freedom from the daily grind and hustle? Or just finding a way to live the life you always wanted? Then join us on the investing for freedom podcast, our host, Mike Ayala will help you discover new ways to find freedom with tips, insights and interviews. You’ll learn the exact systems he’s used to travel the world and live his best life. True success and happiness are all about freedom. And here’s your roadmap on how to find freedom on your own terms. Welcome to the investing for freedom podcast. Here’s your host, Mike Ayala.
Mike Ayala 01:53
So I’m so honored today to have Kyle Wilson on our podcast today. Kyle is a mentor of mine. He’s been a friend and he’s just one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. And like I said before, Jim would not have had the reach that he had without Kyle Wilson. And we’ll talk a little bit later about some other people that have said that and Kyle is just one of the best, most humble guys. He’s just constantly trying to add value and just connect people. So Kyle, thank you for taking the time and being on the show.
Kyle Wilson 02:17
Hey, it’s my pleasure and honor Mike. Thanks for having me. Yeah.
Mike Ayala 02:20
So before we get into all the amazing things that we’re going to discuss today, I like to start off with four questions that just kind of set the tone for the show. So we’ll just get into who’s had the greatest impact on your life?
Kyle Wilson 02:32
Well, you know, probably Jim, you know, my dad would be in that same conversation. You know, my dad, incredibly hardworking, honest, encouraging. Just amazing, amazing man. He died. I was promoting Jim for four years, but he died a month before I made Jim an offer to launch Jim Rohn international 1993 And then of course, Jim obviously changed my life. He was my 18 year business partner, mentor and friend. And, you know, there’s a whole series of things that was new to me, I grew up in a small town never went to college. I wasn’t very good in school, I got in trouble, you know, trouble with the law, you know, just not trouble in school. And I was an entrepreneur, you know, as far as you know, I’m wired that way. But when I met Jim, just the principle based philosophy had literally impacted my life.
Mike Ayala 03:37
Wow. It’s amazing. If you could narrow down to one thing that has had the greatest impact on your success, what do you think that would be?
Kyle Wilson 03:44
Well, it would be tempting to say influences by amazing people. You know, I I talk about, you’re familiar with the 52 lessons I have in each one of those, you know, I think a mark Victor Hansen critical Krater Chicken Soup for the Soul. 600 million books. And I was working with Mark and promoting mark and did chicken soup for the entrepreneur sell. And Mark told me one day chicken soup and just come out they sold a million copies. And he said, we’re gonna sell 100 million copies. And I’m like, You’re crazy. That’s, you know, I goodness mark. But Mark expanded my thinking. I wouldn’t be here talking to you if it wasn’t for Mark. And, you know, Jim Rohn taught me that it’s not about the government. The government’s not about the President, it’s not about who your relatives are. It’s not about the economy. I didn’t really know that I was really into politics, I was really into following what’s going to happen. And he’s like, you know, the same stuffs gonna happen but two different people. One will be successful and one one won’t. Because the things that have the greatest impact on your life, you get to control. That’s your thoughts, that’s your attitude. That’s the book you… the books you read. It’s all the decisions you You get to make. And Jim also taught me that success is predictable, right? That’s like, as simple as planting the seed in the ground. And knowing that, you know, if you plant tomatoes, and if you do all the right things, more than likely you’re gonna end up with tomatoes. And that’s what success is, whether it’s real estate, whether it’s a seminar business. And so Jim gave me that faith, to plant to invest, to realize if I do the right thing in the right order, good things will happen. And you know, Mike, oftentimes, when I see people going for the get rich quick or the short scheme, part of it’s just a lack of faith, in that if you do the right things, good things will happen. Right. And so Jim, you know, really influenced me that… Jim had so much influence, but, you know, I could go on and on, but, uh, yeah, a lot, a lot of incredible lessons.
Mike Ayala 05:52
That’s awesome. If you do the right things, good things will happen. This is gonna be good. I’m so excited to have you on the show. What was your greatest setback and what did you learn? Learn from it?
Kyle Wilson 06:02
You know, I’ve had a few obviously,
Kyle Wilson 06:06
You know, business setback, I had a couple that, you know, I would hit success and be, you know, definitely bumping my head against the ceiling of, you know, way beyond what I ever could imagine, you know, 20 employees into a multi millions of dollars. And that happened pretty quick and lost that I lost that a couple of times. And typically it was just things that I didn’t have the business savvy, and it was both of them were in the 90s and it helped me become better. That helped me you know, learn and you know, Vic Johnson spoke at my 2004 Jim Rohn three day event. He you know, a big part of his topic was the things that have made him wealthy are the things he felled at the most and I got To tell you and I look at, I don’t really kind of want to go into some of what they were because it’s involved, you know, partnerships and things that I don’t think it would really benefit this interview. But the reality is it caused me to have to get, you know, question bad decisions, innovate areas that weren’t working, dig my heels in and get resolved in other areas. And then it helped me not be naive, right? I’m sure you see in the investing world, a lot of people that are naive, if you’ve been through 911, you have a different perspective than someone that doesn’t if you’ve been through 2008, you have a different perspective than someone that doesn’t, right. And so, you know, it made me better in a lot of ways, but part of it was the experience and I hear some people say what you’ve done in the past doesn’t matter. And I’m like, I 100% disagree. Everything you’ve done in the past matters, right. It’s all building blocks, and wisdom and insights and opportunities
Mike Ayala 08:01 That is so good.
Mike Ayala 08:06
What is the piece of advice you find yourself asking the most or sharing the most?
Kyle Wilson 08:11
You know, typically, it’s people that want something a little quicker than the laws of gravity are going to give it to them. Right. And so I think it’s Jim Rohn said the two biggest challenges. The two biggest challenges to success are impatience and greed. And I think we’re in this marketplace of people selling the story and whoever can sell it the biggest. The most exaggerated version actually ends up with the sell. And so you know, the best people I work with Mike and it’s probably true for you the best investors you work with are the people that have already tried the the quick and fast way and failed, and then come back and The real way, right? So I think that’s the biggest piece of advice is to tell people I’m very optimistic person. I really am to do some of the things I’ve done took a big degree of thinking big and, you know, risk taking and faith. But I think challenging some people’s approaches when they’re new in a game, and they think they already have figured the game out. I think that’s the biggest piece of advice I give people is to slow down. Realize, again, it’s going to take a little time, there’s no… I mean there’s an exception to everything but you know, principles typically when out and you’re gonna want a vineyard, it might take six years, right? There’s no six weeks to have a vineyard and exceptions, but that’s typically the advice I’m giving people is to count the cost to know get really clear about what they want, and then realize to build something of value it’s going to take time.
Kyle Wilson 09:58
I love that. This was actually a great question that I had planned for you later. But you’re talking about time and cultivating and, you know, planting. I’ve watched you for a few years now. And we’ll get into this a little bit more later. But you know, you had a big list before a list was a big list thing. And I just watched the way that you’ve nurtured your relationships over the years. And I really feel you’re kind of a master at cultivating those relationships. And so on that note, you’re talking about the time that it takes do you do you approach you we’re kind of talking about business and that kind of stuff. But do you approach relationships the same way? Is it kind of I would love to just get your thoughts on how you manage relationships.
Kyle Wilson 10:37
Yeah, it’s interesting, I think. I think I’ve always had my really tight circle of close people. And then in business, you know, Jim, again said, if you want to be successful, or to bring value to the marketplace, if you want to be wealthy learned to be valuable to valuable people, and part of what’s just happened. Not necessarily intentional, but I’ve always built platforms that attract great people. So it’s an event promoter, you know, you do events, you fill up a room, you get 2000 people, everyone’s knocking at the door wanting to be on stage, you go build a million plus list or you become a publisher selling millions of books. You know, invitations are constantly there to engage with people.
Kyle Wilson 11:24
So I think, for me, it begins with bringing value. There’s so many relationships, I don’t even want to be introduced, like people say, hey, cow, I want to introduce you to this guy. And I’m like, honestly, I don’t have the bandwidth to meet someone new. That doesn’t have a really good fit, because I don’t feel like I do a good enough job with the people I already have. Right? It’s good. So part of me relationships. I don’t want to say they’re transactional, but there’s only so much room you have, right? So I have an inner circle of people and then a business world. Again, not trying to say it’s transactional, but I had different ways people can get involved in my world. And that’s who I just give, you know, blood sweat and tears to if I can. And at the same time, I’m pretty good about insulating myself to say, no, I can’t go solve stuff for people outside of that world. So I think for me relationships I, you know, I do say no a lot, because, you know, there’s only so much you can do, right? Yeah. So that might not be the answer a lot of people out a lot. If someone says publicly, if anyone here needs anything, let me know. You know, here’s my cell number. Okay. We’re living in two different worlds, right?
Mike Ayala 12:42
It’s probably the their assistant that’s going to be helping you with it right. Now. So I have to you know, that that did make me pause because again, having watched you and seeing how masterful you are at relationships, like I think we just need to, I might have to rewind that and listen to that a couple times. Because You know, you, you said it several times, you don’t want it to sound transactional. And it’s actually the opposite. I’ve watched you, again for three or four years now. And you’re the opposite of transactional. You’re very relational. And so, like you said, that might not be the golden ticket that everybody thinks that, that they’re getting to hear. But that’s how you from, from what I’m hearing, that’s how you’ve achieved the depth and the level of valuable relationships that you have. They’re just awesome. And they’re real.
Kyle Wilson 13:26
Yeah, and I would say this, you know, when people reach out Hey, Kyle, can you jump on a phone call? The answers always gonna be no, unless they’re part of my world, right. So when we’ve interacted it’s been part of manner circles or events, right? So when I’m in an event, I am totally available, right? That’s why you’re there. Yeah. And that’s one of the things you know, we’ve always talked about, hey, if you come to an event is you know, that’s when you get to connect with people. And so events I’m there, my inner circles, I’m there. But you know, outside side of that I kind of I don’t really do breakfast, lunch dinner. I don’t do phone calls, unless people are part of my world. Yeah, but I that’s why I have tons of resources on my website. And that’s why I put out content. That’s why I do my podcast is to put the stuff out, but one on one. My it gets tricky, right? Yeah. So So events are a great way to interact with people, right?
Kyle Wilson 14:23
Yeah, that’s awesome. Speaking of events, we’ll circle I just want to get your two cents on events. I mean, you’re a master at putting on events, organizing, people, etc. So with I know, we’re supposed to be evergreen, but you know, we’re sitting here, April 15th 2020. And we’ve got all this stuff going on with COVID. What’s your, what’s your high level two cents on where events are going? I mean, I love being in in person events. But are we coming back?
Kyle Wilson 14:50
A number the same. I mean, what happens is there’s a couple of different kinds of events right? There’s corporate events, and those will always have a place. And again, I, I’m old enough, I was very involved when 911 happened, right? I was at the height of my seminar business. So I’d watched the speaking business never came back. However, there were people that were speaking 100 times a year that went away, and it never totally recovered. 2008 definitely put the crush on it after that. So there’s the corporate events that definitely trailed off and they used more virtual, and they found out it’s easier and cheaper and all that good stuff. But then on the public side, the big challenges, and again, stuff 95% of the people aren’t really aware of. And this is how I always looked at it, Mike, you know, it’s like you doing your podcast and me doing my podcasts. Well, same thing with an event. I feel like I’m putting on the party right? So you get Jim Rohn, you get Brian Tracy, you get Denis Waitley, Zig Ziglar yeah. More recently you know I had Darren Hardy and all these people and you pay a couple hundred bucks to come and experience that. Now again, there’s tons of events that are pitch fest and that’s not what you know those don’t waste your time because those are just a bunch of infomercials. But you know to put on a true event you know a Brian Tracy three they were Brian for two days is giving you his event or Jim Rohn three day that two days is Jim’s all his stuff and doesn’t mean we’re not selling things. But here’s my point. You put on the party, you spend a lot of money, you charge a few hundred bucks, it really in your goals to make money, right? But there’s a lot of risk and then the hotel says you got to guarantee 1000 sleeping rooms even have the ball space right the ballroom space and then you have the hall Hollywood film crew and you have you know, you’re putting three 400 500,000 at risk. And the force Majora right? If something happens might only have a 10 day window in so the I mean, if you’re a concert promoter, or you want and you just lost millions of dollars, do you want to go? You know, put on a concert? September 15. Right. You know, it’s tricky. It is so tricky. So I think concerts I think public events will definitely there’s gonna have to be a lot of confidence restored over a period of time because you want to go book a you know, something next March in New York. Probably not. You got to see if this comes back. And so and then when people start demanding refunds, I don’t want to sound like that guy. But you know, you then get the response. You’re like, okay, I don’t really have to put on these parties anymore. Yeah, you Know that have as much of a public again, I don’t mean to sound like self serving too, right? You do an event for all the right reasons. But there is this other risk side that most people aren’t aware of.
Mike Ayala 18:13
I bet you’re not. I’m glad that you’re not doing today what you were doing 20 years ago, huh?
Kyle Wilson 18:19
Yeah, but I got I’ve always gotten nervous. I’ve bought, you know, post 911. If you’re not counting down till the day that events over, you don’t really understand what’s at stake. Wow. Because, again, you’re having a guarantee. And I know people right now in the middle of events where the hotels not letting them letting them out of the contract. And, you know, they’re going to take a huge hit. And then people are demanding refunds, which is understandable. Right? Yeah. And then he’s got to ask the question, you know, do we really want to do this? So it’s, yeah, public events, concerts in particular. I think will take a hit.
Mike Ayala 18:59 Yeah.
Mike Ayala 19:01
So I want to circle back to Jim Rohn here in a little bit. Because I think if there’s anybody that has the inner track on, you know, one of the guys that has changed so many lives that you, but I was listening to your interview on your podcast, with Darren Hardy and Darren Hardy, he gave so much. And I know you’re not counting guys for Kyle’s, not the guy that likes to, you know, take the kudos. But Darren Hardy was saying on your podcast the other day. He just had so many amazing things to say about you. And the one thing one of the things that stuck out there was a lot of them, but he made a comment. And this was not Kyle’s words. This was Darren’s words. But, you know, Jim was a powerful orator. Or Or how do you say that? Cool, but that Kyle Wilson was basically the man behind the business and that if it hadn’t been for you, Jim would not have gotten where, where he got to and so many of our lives would not be be impacted. How does that make you feel? Kyle? Like, I again, I’ve known you for a while and I know you don’t like being in the limelight. But when Darren says that you’re like, you’re the business mind behind Jim Rohn International.
Kyle Wilson 20:15
Well, Mike, you want the real answer? Yeah. You want the politically? Yeah,
Kyle Wilson 20:18
I want the real answer. Yeah.
Kyle Wilson 20:20
It’s, it’s kind of understood, right. So I’m interviewing Les Brown tomorrow. I just had Brian Tracy Denis waitley. In I was the agent for a bunch of those guys, too. And I would book them and they all knew that. So it was kind of just inside the circle, we all kind of knew that Jim is the best speaker in the world and I’m the marketer. Right? And so no, I I appreciate it. Darren saying that I really did. And Aaron was talking about how you know the relationship he and I had, right and that meant a lot to me as well. But with Jim, the one thing I took exception to what Darren said, there in Said Jim wasn’t the business guy he presented himself to be? Well, Jim did not do that. That was that was unfortunately the people before me and myself as well that we promoted him as this business guy. Okay, but I really tried to shift it towards Smith philosopher orator. So I took him from the business guy more to philosopher, which is authentically who he was and how he presented himself. And, yeah, we had the clear definitions. He lived in California, I ran the company in Dallas, you know, he didn’t, you know, I had 20 employees and I… It was my company, actually, and I would pay him the royalties. So it was, I was the business. He was the world’s greatest speaker, and it was a beautiful marriage. That’s awesome.
Mike Ayala 21:49
So I’m, I’m glad that it kind of played out that way. Because I wanted to say, you’re brilliant when it comes to business and marketing and some of the concepts that you’ve taught me over the years. So if you don’t mind, let’s get into the wheel. Okay, let’s talk about the concept of the wheel because I think this is gonna be if people get a hold of this. I think this could change people’s lives immensely.
Kyle Wilson 22:13
Yeah, yeah. So 1993 Jim’s partner owed him 400,000 plus. I’m a seminar promoter, I’m hiring Jim hiring Brian Tracy, Og Mandino know to speak at my events. And he said, Hey, you know, we broke up. So just, you know, pay me for this next event, I’ll take it off the tab of the guy that owes 400,000 I said, Jim are y’all definitely done he goes, yes. I said, Listen, I’d love to work with you and have an exclusive to promote you and create products. And he said, Yes. So we did a handshake handshake lasted, you know, for 18 years, which is cool.
Kyle Wilson 22:58
And by the way, you got to have more handshake for anyone listening for Jim was, you know, coming off too bad business partnership. So a handshake was actually appropriate at the time. And like, you know, it’s like anything. It’s not what the letter is. It’s what, you know, it’s bringing value, everything gets down to value based and he brought massive value, I brought massive value. But I’m sitting there and you know, Jim did not have a list. So I’m about to try and book him and I want to go market him and I don’t have anything. I don’t have a list. I don’t have anything. So I draw a circle on a sheet of paper. And I started drawing little spokes like a wheel. You know, I put a hub in the middle. And each spoke was a product or service Jim had he had a one day a two day, a book, an audio series, and I realized, hey, if you can get someone to the one day, there’s a good chance they’ll go the two day. If you can get his book and you fall in love with them. Can you get them to a seminar. Well, the publisher that book didn’t have any of his contact info in there, right? And so I’m just trying to connect the dots. And then so I’m sitting there going, you get people on the wheel you take them around? Well, who are these people? Right? Because there is no list. Yeah. And I knew if I booked him for events, we could start getting people on the wheel. And so that became my big question is how to get people on the wheel. And then take them around. And people say, Oh, that’s a funnel. It’s not a funnel. I understand funnels and I have some, but the wheel is not A to C. It’s not get you here to get you here. It’s to get you here to build a relationship with you. And at some point in time, you might be interested in this spoke and don’t care about the other spokes. Or, you know, it might be four years later you say, Hey, I do want to come to a two day and we’re just bringing value but my only job ever was to get people on the wheel and I would, you know, my good friend Ron White would be on Martha Stewart and I go, Wow, how many, you know, people got on the wheel and he goes, ah, forget that, you know, people it’s like it didn’t hit, it didn’t register that the number one job is to get people on the wheel. So, 1999 the internet comes around, and I’m focused on not selling, I’m focused on getting people on the wheel, and then building a relationship and talking to them. And then you never know what day at what moment they get the email that has the right subject that they actually read it and they go, Oh, wow. Right. And, and I just having spoken for thousands of companies selling seminar tickets, I kind of got to understand how people think the rhythm.
Kyle Wilson 25:45
And so the big question for me came. Okay, Jim’s got four spokes. How do you know what’s the next thing Why should I give myself to that we’ll get more people on the wheel and take them around. They came came up with two things. One is I got a packet schedule. And so that first year, I took him from 20 speaking dates where he was charging 4000, a date to 110 dates at 10,000, a date, and eventually 25,000. So 1993 huge bump, right? 20 dates 210. So but with a clear point that we got to get people on to the list, right? And this is pre email. So this is, you know, addresses. And then second thing is I need a tool, the thing that made Jim unique, and when I talk about the wheel since you asked, there’s four keys to the spokes on your wheel. Number one is you want something that’s going to be very strategic, you want something that will knock down all the dominoes, right? Number two, you want it to be part of your core business. You know, when people say I got this great idea, you know, and it has nothing to do with their core business. I really challenge them, you know, that’s, you know, you want something that’s going to drive everything else. Number three, you want it to be the right avatar like you can create a lot of products, I could have created a Jim Rome calendar. But that’s not going to accomplish much for me. It was on our list, but it went in the top 50. Right. And I never I created over 300 intellectual properties between Jim and Brian Tracy and Denis waitley and Ron White, but never did the calendar because it didn’t check off the box of the Avatar, what I’m trying to accomplish. And then number four, this is a big one. It’s got to be part of your secret sauce. It has to be what makes you special, what makes you unique. And for Jim, it was he was a wordsmith he could take the complex and make it simple and say it better than anyone else. And people loved him and he could do it with humor too. And the other thing is his advocates did love him. So I came up with this idea a little bit of a god download. Have one. It was a great little quote book in 1993. So there’s no Google jumped in have a list of quotes that I came up with over 365 Quotes by Jim and I put them in a hardbound book and then I created a little mini book. And so I sold both. But this had a two and a from and it had a phenomenal quote by Jim that had a place to write a handwritten note. And then it had a place to buy in multiples and give them away and have my catalog in the back. And I did multiple different topics. I ended up doing them for Brian Tracy I did them for Zig Ziglar and Mark Victor Hansen and Denis waitley. All combined, those sold 2 million combined. But Jim sold 6 million because again, it was his secret sauce. And his avatar was or his advocates would go give them away so I had to design it, Mike where, for me it wasn’t about making money, although I did print them for 30 or 40 cents and sell them for $1 but the key was, you had to buy 10 because I and then I taught you how to give them away and then people could buy 100 they could buy 1000 Sold 100,000 I sold 30,000. But bank, you know, and our phone would ring and would say how’d you get our number 70% of the people said someone gave me a quote book because that’s the other thing.
Kyle Wilson 29:13
No one’s gonna say, Hey, take this Mike. They’re gonna say you ever heard of this guy, Jim Rohn this guy changed my life and they’re gonna turn it and read a quote, learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want. And then they’re gonna go back and say, seasons a life I bought 50 of those at Christmas. This is amazing. And I priced it in such a way instead of selling it for $5. I sold them for $1 if you bought ten of them. So yeah, that thing really turned you know this, this was worth eight figures to me, obviously, you know, easily right. And then I created other viral tools like this too, but the whole purpose was to get people on the wheel to take them around. So the best spoke is a spoke that’s actually a combination of a product. Service each spoke is a product or service, or its customer acquisition. And if you can create something that’s both, and that’s part of what an event is, you know, someone buys a ticket to an event. They now you know, it’s a product, but it’s also a way to get more people on the wheel.
Mike Ayala 30:17 That’s so good.
Kyle Wilson 30:18
So, so I’ve used books that way, you know, so most people are selling books to make money on a book. But I can’t I could start naming people you would know who they are from the inner circle that found me or found Jim Rohn through the 12 pillars book, because I would sell 100 of the time for $3 or $12 each, but if you bought 10, they were nine but if you bought 100, they were three. And story after story for Eddie Perez, Kim summers, multiple people, someone gave them a book with a commercial. So I use books the same way how to but it’s got to be good. That’s the other key. If you create something that’s not very good, it’s not gonna To work, it’s not because it’s not going to become the viral tool that it needs to be.
Mike Ayala 31:05
You. You’re so intuitive, like you answered the question already that I was gonna ask, like, what’s the new giveaway, but you’re doing it with books? What? What can other is there? is there other tools that other people can think about? If they’re not, I mean, writing books right now?
Kyle Wilson 31:17
Well, I mean, it’s you can do it with articles. You can I mean, I, when I started the email list, you know, I remember when I had no email list, and I told Jim, I said, if I, this is 1999, I said, if I can hit 50,000, I can fill up a room. And within two years, I have a 50,000 list. And you know, within six, I had a million plus list, but I have multiple publications. But I would do it with articles. You can do it with a ton of things. You can do it with YouTube videos. It’s the word viral we think is related to videos in YouTube. I call this a viral tool back in ’94. Right?
Mike Ayala 31:53 I love it.
Kyle Wilson 31:54
So there’s all kinds you just got to it’s got to be it’s got to be part of your secret sauce and has to be really good. And it depends who you’re trying to attract.
Kyle Wilson 32:06 For example,
Kyle Wilson 32:08
if you have a complex
Kyle Wilson 32:13
you know, if you have a if your book is about retiring, you know, we’re, I have a guy I work with that has something for widows, right? The the widows guide to financial independence that’s not going to work as a viral tool to go give to coaches to give to kids at school, right? Yeah. So you have to know what your avatar is what the goal is what’s going to perpetuate that. I’ve just had a call with someone you’ve already named on the our interview that has he did over 20 million last year net business and we’re talking about his tool and that tool. Again, there’s so many questions they thought they had already nailed it and we had talked an hour about intricacies they never even thought about but it really gets down to, what behavior you trying to drive? Who are you trying to reach? Why would I buy tend to go giveaway? Who is that? In my world, I targeted network marketing, insurance, real estate, you know, coaches, small business owners, because that was the target I had. So you just got to figure out who you know that avatar is for you.
Mike Ayala 33:25
So many times, you’ve talked to me since I met you about just pricing, and you just said this, I mean, you sold that original book for $1 instead of five, right? Um, I’ve been in your inner circle I’ve, I’ve, I’ve seen some of the things that you do. And you could easily charge 50 grand for your inner circle, but you’ve got this philosophy, just like you could easily charge $5 for that book. We dig on that a little bit more what I mean. Number one, you’re selective on who gets in your inner circle, right, right. But also it’s not about it’s not about money with you, but I want dig into that a little bit.
Kyle Wilson 34:00
Well, there’s some variables right? You gotta you got to think it through and what drives my inner circle price now It keeps going up. Sure, but whatever someone comes in, they’re grandfathered at that price. Right? So the original founding members got one price the new members, that’s a different price, but they’re grandfathered at whatever they come up. But here’s my thought. Bob Crockett amazing guy. 300 employees didn’t make it inner circle for 14 months because he bought a new company. He was maxed. Carl Jari a chiropractor who coaches 350 other chiropractors who Grant Cardone gets on his own airplane to fly to Dallas to get you know, stem cell shots. Carl is incredible. Carl makes about one event a year and but Tom burns raised over $400 million you know read the Rich Dad Poor Dad book, you know plays guitars with Gary Keller, now, founder of Keller was Liam’s Tom Tom makes circle events. But the point is, I don’t want you know, it’s more important to me to build a community. So if I’m charging 25,000, and they’re only making one event out of 14 months, I don’t know that I would renew right. It doesn’t even become about money becomes about common sense. Sure. So I’m not building it to attract. I spoke at an inner circle, that for someone else to charge 25 grand, and I’d say less than 10% of the people I’d even want in mind, right. So good. So the price is not an indicator of value. If someone think you know, people will leverage their house if they think they can spend $1 make three. That’s not what I’m doing with my inner circle. My inner circle is a community of amazing people. We’ve been doing these two calls a week, you know, and you got Colonel Tim Cole ran a presidential inauguration. You You know, Gary Pinkerton 32 year commander of a summer nuclear submarine that was part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. You know, we had the you know, Mike Muni founder back, and you get those kind of people. And it’s like God, I just want to build a community for those people in Tim Cole doesn’t need to be part of a marketing inner circle. So if I build the inner circle, the three people I just mentioned that it was 25 K, they wouldn’t be part of it. I feel honored that they’re part of my group, and they do pay me to be part of it. But they’re not coming because they need it so badly. Yeah, you know, I’ve created this community of just phenomenal people, and you could price yourself out of it. If you don’t really understand what you’re trying to build.
Mike Ayala 36:47
You know, it’s interesting I’ve met I literally, I can tell you three people, but maybe more in the last like two months that I’ve connected with elsewhere. And then the dots come back to Kyle Wilson inner circle. I literally got i was i was a, I was on your inner circle call two weeks ago, and a guy that I met through to other groups, he sent me this random email and he was like, hey, I want to invite you as a guest to Kyle Wilson Center circle. And I’m like, awesome. I’m coming like, yeah, so it’s, I’m hearing what you’re saying, I mean, your tentacles in your, I mean, they go deep, your reach runs deep and you’ve influenced so many people. And if you were charging 50 or 100, grand, you wouldn’t be able to influence that many people either.
Kyle Wilson 37:30
Well, I would also have Darren and I talked about this right is Darren had 100 hundred thousand dollar inner circle. Things like it just wasn’t worth it to them. Right. It’s like, he didn’t sleep well at night. It’s like if I can’t turn that into a million for them. I don’t want to do it. Now. His was again more of a focus towards deliverability mindset focus towards creating a community of amazing people. Here’s what I get told a lot. I get told I would have never met Fill in the blank. If it wasn’t for Kyle, you know, I wouldn’t have met Darren Hardy or Brian Tracy at an event or whoever it is Seth Mosley or Tim Cole. It’s like, that’s how they met whoever they met Mark Victor Hansen or Phil Collen of Def Leppard. And so I’ve kind of thought about that I do the inner circle for myself first. Like I look forward to every one of them. And, and it’s just a very eclectic group. You know, Jeanette Ortega has been leading our meditation. Yeah, you know, and she’s got her own amazing story. And it’s just a very eclectic group. I talked to someone today. And they’re like, you know, I was talking to someone at inner circle, and they told me, everyone’s in the top 2%. And I just, I’m not, I’m like, Yeah, and that’s not true. It’s like we have someone that owns a hair salon. We have it. It’s really about a community and there there’s a guy that’s got a quarter of a billion dollar company that reaches To me last week about the coming apart and I’m like, he wouldn’t be a good fit, he really would not be a good fit. Like he would come in wanting to be the guy. And I don’t think anyone shows up wanting to be the guy. And I try not show up that way I’m trying to… it kind of really is my promoter love of talent and facilitating all the talent in the room, right?
Mike Ayala 39:24
You’re a master at that like shining the light on other people’s gifts. You’re so good at pulling that out. Another little funny side story. So I just I just literally launched this podcast last week, and I’m in a mastermind group and the guy teaches how to, you know, it’s an online marketing mastermind is really what it is. And so he gave me this podcast launch formula that I’ve been working on for three months. And one of the other guys in the group whose wife has a very successful podcast, was like, Hey, why don’t I line you up with some influencers? They’ll help you promote the show. And I’m like, great, and he comes back and the first person was, he’s like, so I got you set up with Erica Dela Cruz. I know it’s so funny because you know, When I first joined your inner circle mastermind Erica was part of it. And so it’s just such a small world and you have done such an amazing thing. Just that connector thing that you’re talking about the promoter, you’ve connected with so many people, so I appreciate you for that.
Kyle Wilson 40:13 No, thank you.
Mike Ayala 40:14
So I was thinking about this the other day. If I got, I was actually having this conversation with Kara. If I had to get put, if I had to get dropped into any city, and somebody told me, you got to get dropped there, you can pick one other person, besides my wife, obviously. And we’re gonna put you there with $5 to your name. And you’ve got a week to go make 10 relationships. And you can pick one other person. I’m like, I would pick Kyle Wilson. I would take Kyle Wilson with me, because I think that I could go into any city in the country and possibly the world. And Kyle could help me get myself out of that city with his connections. So just hats off to you. You’ve done such an amazing job of just connecting people and building deep relationships.
Mike Ayala 40:57
So this might be another one of those political answers. questions. Wow do you keep track of Do you have to keep track of your relationships? Do you have like some kind of CRM? Or is this just you built such good relationships that you just I know you’re kind of an intuitive you you say the word kismet all the time, like a lot of kismet things happening in life. And so do you just kind of be led on when you should reach out to somebody? Or do you have a CRM, a contact management type thing that you keep track of people?
Kyle Wilson 41:25
But as far as the CRM to follow up at certain times, no. I think again, Mike, I you know, when you’re a promoter, you’re filling up rooms, you build list, you have people coming to you. And I think if you do things the right way, and I call it fishing versus hunting, people will come to you like I don’t chase people, like at all, you know, for the most part and so and I try and be responsive. You know, when people do reach out if someone reaches out four times a day, I quit being responsive. So you know, you want you want people that it’s like any relationship, you want to find what works. I don’t want to abuse them and I don’t want to be abused. So it’s just common sense, like you say,
Kyle Wilson 42:12
Now as far as prospecting goes, for marketing, I’m the fish versus hot. That’s what I left out of talking about the, the wheel. You know, the wheel is get people on a list and then talk to the list and bring value and then those that want to say yes. And then that’s where you create systems. You know, I talked to a guy I won’t say his name, who’s like, Kyle, if I had, you know, and I sold my list, right? I sold all my companies 2007, retired for multiple years got paid really well. Everything’s cool. But when I started overhead, and nothing, I had no list. I didn’t have the 300 intellectual properties. People still don’t hear that, Oh, you don’t have the million plus now i don’t i started over and I don’t have the 5 million people on Facebook, you know, with Jim Rohn. I sold all that right. So when I started over, I built a pretty good list again, right by just bringing massive value. And I was telling this gentleman, I, you know, everything is systematized because if you send something out, you’re offering something, they can go partake of it. If they want more, you have a way to you have systems to create that, right? Yeah, give people a few little things to do. And if they do it, then, okay, and they qualify, and I, I everything, I only offer three things. And all three have application, right? And so first of all, can people follow directions and go fill out an application? And based on that, then we set up a call, and then we go from there. And so I ask people to jump through some hoops. And, you know, I’ll have people reach out and say, can you jump on a call and I’ll send them somewhere, right? And see if they want to do that. And if they get offended by that, then they’re going to get offended eventually. So I don’t mind putting some hoops up. For people to and again, I’m like,
Kyle Wilson 44:04 I love it.
Kyle Wilson 44:04
There’s exceptions. I’m not saying I would do that with Les Brown or someone right or Darren Hardy, we have friends, let’s book the call. But if it’s someone on Instagram, you know, I say, hey, go get my free 52 lessons or go check out this podcast. And if you’re really interested, you know, like, I’m not trying to sell I’m just giving them things to go do right? Yeah. But if they’re gonna ask me inless questions like, that’s on my blog, I have over 100 blog posts. Go go get that. Right?
Kyle Wilson 44:33
It sounds counterintuitive, but that’s actually the secret that I’m like looking for because I’ve watched you and you’ve got just this. Again, your relationships run deep. And I’ve never met somebody that doesn’t love you that has a relationship with you. And that’s, that’s the success clue right there. You can’t be in authentic, deep, genuine relationships with everyone. It’s like what you said earlier.
Kyle Wilson 44:56
It really is built on bringing value. Like again The constantly trying to figure out how I can create a platform to bring value. Right? I, the thing I tried to do the least of is one on one. So try and create platforms. So for the inner circle, you know, having Mark Victor Hansen calm or having different people come the books, you know creating a big platform where we have celebrity authorities in again, when you ask people, I can’t remember where I heard the quote, but it was really good that they said that I think it was Vic Johnson actually at the Brian Tracy three day event that you were at a, you know, Vic said, the only thing that celebrity The best way to get celebrities is create something that celebrities can get in front of more people, right. And so again, it all gets down to value. I’m not a big believer in networking, I don’t really network I try and create platforms that bring value and if I repel someone. Great. If they repel me, great. We just saved ourselves a lot of time. And that’s, you know, not not everyone’s meant for each other, right? But you want to find the people that like you and that you like them. And, you know, one of my favorite quotes is by Zig he said, Never do a good deal with the bad guy. So, you know, we’re, you know, for me, I’m looking for high quality people that I can trust and you know, again, if they’re going to get offended early, they’re going to get offended later. So just, you know, find just be yourself right?
Mike Ayala 46:38
Massive, massive value. It’s so good.
Kyle Wilson 46:41 Timesaver right?
Mike Ayala 46:42 God so good. I love it.
Mike Ayala 46:45
I, you know, I’ve been fortunate enough to have many conversations with you. And I’m just like sitting here. I’m getting deeper. I love it.
Kyle Wilson 46:52
Well, let me give you example, you know, we would spend two hours a day with the team answering questions. That we would get for Jim Rohn. Literally, you could have been a full time job, right? And people would ask, can jump come speak at my sixth grade son’s graduation? And some people would get offended when we would say no. Okay, you just got to be okay with offending people. If you say no, Jim Rohn can’t come to Oregon to speak at your, you know, and so eventually you realize people don’t always understand it, and then you find someone else that totally gets it. You know, you’d have people show up at events and volunteer and help and really understanding like, okay, that’s a winner. That’s someone that you know, and that’s how you really kind of would build relationships is to see how people respond to things. You know, who’s going to get offended? Who’s not who really wants to know Not just come in and suck the life out of you. Because, you know, a great, great story I heard was, I think it was Tom burns. He was having dinner with Robert Kiyosaki or lunch and someone came up and like, big fans, right. And so Robert talked to him for like 10 minutes was really nice and friendly. And then they just kept going. And then they say, hey, Robert, they were asking for advice. And Tom said, you know, he wrote a book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad, go spend $10 get the book, right. And that’s such a great example. Right? It’s like some people wanted to just cut to the chase. And that’s not always possible. There’s exceptions. But that’s where you got to create filters and systems
Mike Ayala 48:44
Yeah. It’s interesting. I love it. So you got a lot of things that you’re working on now. I mean, you you just provided so much value. You’ve got mastermind you’ve got books. I know. Kyle Wilson. Calm what’s, what’s some of the things you’re working on right now.
Kyle Wilson 49:01
Yeah, you know, I keep it simple. You know, you’ve listened to the Darren Hardy podcast, he said, You know, he has three jobs. for him. It’s great content, whatever content and choices are marketing, but as a company, their mantra is grow faster, easier. And the third key to that is choices. And most people are doing too many things inside, keep my stuff pretty simple. I do my masterminds, which keeps me really busy, believe it or not, because there’s a lot of interaction going on. I do some one on one coaching, which is the thing I try and keep to a minimum. And I do the split projects. And we’re in the middle one right now called success habits of super achievers. And I have Brian Tracy and Denis waitley and Darren Hardy and Mark Victor Hansen, kind of a who’s who of people in it, and we have about 80 entrepreneurs in it as well. And that’s it’s a nine month project, you know all in so putting a lot of I’m into that. And, you know, just as you know, marketing and podcast and answering emails and I had multiple events, I had five events, but when this whole thing happened with the virus, so you know, navigating that part, you know, as well, yeah. But yeah, that’s the main things. Mike,
Mike Ayala 50:23
How can people find some of your resources? Is it just on your website or?
Kyle Wilson 50:27
Yeah, the thing I always encourage people to do is get my 52 lessons I learned from Jim Rohn and other legends, it’s free. It’s a weekly email and I got stories and lessons from collaborations with John Maxwell, Les Brown, Brian Tracy, Denis waitley, Darren Hardy, the list goes on and on. And I have a bunch of free things on there. You mentioned Eric Dela Cruz we have the Pastinista book that you can
download got multiple books, you can download the podcast as well. And blogs and yeah, any you know details about the mastermind and book projects and so forth. Awesome.
Mike Ayala 51:05
Well, I was like I said, I was on your inner circle call the other day. And a big part of what you guys were talking about on there right now, especially with everything going on is just keeping our minds healthy, our spirit healthy. Anything you can just share with the listeners right now about what you’re doing or just advice about the times that we’re in.
Kyle Wilson 51:24
Yeah, I mean, for me, definitely the morning time, right, picking a couple hours, everyone’s different, you know, whether it’s five minutes, 30 minutes an hour, I picked a couple of hours where, you know, I just try and have my morning ritual of journaling and prayer. And, you know, it’s different. I can’t help it. I’m not a regimented guy. But it’s a little different every day but meditation for sure. Stretching and you know, just asking questions in so I think that’s one thing. The other thing is because I have had a lot of people tell me, they’re struggling with the Question, they’re down. And I’ve been jumping on calls with people. And I think it’s important to stay connected, you got to be vulnerable. It’s this healthy tension between having people you talk to and not 100% depending on other people without doing the work. So it’s this combination that you got to do the work. And then you also need to have connection with people. And so I definitely have a go to group of people. You know, it’s not just one by you know, Colonel Tim Cole is my go to on certain things and, you know, Sophia, who’s part of my groups a go to on another set of things. So I think you need connections and but you got to do the work as well whatever that looks like for you. At you know, and one of the calls we just talked about, I don’t know I don’t as bad as this is, I mean, there were there’s a world war one and World War Two And people a big part of the country left and there is no cell phones, no communication and you know, you mail a letter and you hope you get one back in four weeks. And that would have been difficult and the Great Depression really was the Great Depression. It was. It was bad, right? And so I get the struggle, but me personally, you know, I’ve not not been in a fearful, worried state. And, you know, just staying connected and trying to serve right trying to be available.
Mike Ayala 53:39
I’ve said that a lot. I think the secret to living is giving and I’ve seen that in you so many times, you know, you’re just out there adding value. And, and I’m seeing that a lot right now to the people that are, you know, the people that are just sharing and showing up and just adding value. I mean, we all have things going on. We’re all we’re all struggling we all have challenges, but that was such an amazing point that you just brought up I mean, I think some of those times in history are just that they’re just history does. Yeah. And, and, you know, I mean, in two years, three years, four years from now, we’re going to be looking back at this. And we’re either going to be better because of it, or we’re going to be worse because of it. And I appreciate you showing up as a leader to your community, and everybody around you. So we’ll link your website and just all this stuff to you in the show notes. And one of my favorite books, you guys have written a lot with other entrepreneurs and just people that you’ve assembled, but I like, one of my favorites is desire, discipline and determination. So for the first 10 people that email me just put Kyle Wilson in the subject line, I’m gonna send them 10 books, so I appreciate them. Yeah.
Kyle Wilson 54:42 Well, thank you for that.
Mike Ayala 54:44
Yeah. Anything we can do to, you know, support you and get you out there. You’re just amazing. And I want to thank you for saying yes to me. Sure. And I don’t take it lightly. I know how busy you are. And I know how you protect your schedule. And so I’m, I’m just honored that you showed up and that you’re speaking to our community. So, appreciate you.
Kyle Wilson 55:01
Well, Mike, you know, I’m a big fan of you and Kara. And also, you know, obviously Andrew as well with the Four Peaks, and really value your friendship and value what you’ve accomplished as an entrepreneur. I mean, you have an amazing, amazing, amazing story. I hope you share that with your audience, what you’ve accomplished, and the financial independence and the lifestyle you lead and the things you do with your family. And so you’re the epitome of, of success, truly, and definitely diverse and what you did a young age is amazing and impressive. So I’m honored to be on the podcast. I’m honored to be your friend.
Mike Ayala 55:44
I feel the same and I really appreciate our time together. So thank you, Kyle.
Kyle Wilson 55:48
Hey, thanks, my friend. All right, have a good day. You too.
Mike Ayala 55:52
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