In a world full of change, how do we evolve with intention—and not get swept up in noise? In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, Tom Marino and Adam Thomas Hurd (yes, he’s officially using his full name now!) take you inside the journey of transformation that led to the launch of the First M Club.

They share how superficial networking and unintentional business moves are holding entrepreneurs back, and reveal the formula they’ve discovered for cultivating authentic relationships, real momentum, and sustainable growth. Whether you’re trying to reach your first million in revenue or just crave deeper connections with like-minded go-getters, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why opportunity often follows change, but how to become ready for both.
• The morning meeting model: 3 powerful questions that unlock connection and collaboration.
• Why most communities fail—and how the First M Club is structured to stay small in execution but big in value.
• How intentional networking beats transactional encounters (and why it leads to better clients and collaborators).
• The mindset shift from chasing leads to attracting the right ones through service.
• Why authenticity, vulnerability, and shared experiences are the secret weapons to growth.
• How limiting beliefs and saboteurs like the restless saboteur block business potential—and what to do about it.
• Adam’s transition from “Adam Thomas” to “Adam Thomas Hurd” and what it symbolizes for the journey ahead.

Key Quotes:

“You have to start to change to see the opportunities.”

“It’s not about networking for the sake of networking—it’s about networking with intention.”

“A club thrives when people show up authentically and want to help each other.”

“We’re not building a community. We’re building a club—because clubs have standards and real connection.”

“I’m not excited. I’m nervous. And that means it matters.”

What Is the First M Club?

The First M Club is a private club for business owners and entrepreneurs working toward their first million dollars in revenue. Rooted in collaboration over competition, the club brings together small groups (8 or fewer) for meaningful networking, peer coaching, and real-time support. It’s about belonging, growth, and building business momentum—together.

You’ll be part of:

• Monthly Morning Meetings asking: What’s going right? What’s going wrong? What do you need help with?
• Targeted intentional networking sessions with immediate, actionable results.
• A vetted network of business owners serious about helping and supporting one another.
• A culture of service-first, where leads are attracted, not chased.

Resources & Mentions:

• Free Crash Course on improving networking, prospecting, and defeating limiting beliefs
• Success stories from Project 2740 and pilot members of the First M Club

Join the Movement:

If you’re done with empty networking and want to be part of a high-trust, high-impact environment, the First M Club may be your new business home.

🟢 Visit

In this episode, Adam and Tom dive deep into the fogginess that entrepreneurs experience when they lose clarity in their businesses. They explore how to clear that fog — not with Benadryl, but with truth, intention, and aligned action. The conversation is a powerful reflection on the importance of letting go of excuses, embracing reality, and fully stepping into who you are right now, rather than waiting for the “perfect moment.”

🔑 Key Takeaways

🌫️ 1. Business Allergies and the Fog of Confusion

• Just like seasonal allergies, entrepreneurs often go through “foggy” seasons in business.
• Lack of clarity stems from resistance to change or trying to force solutions that don’t fit.
• The remedy? A dose of honest reflection and intentional action, not more noise or tactics.

🧭 2. Submit to Your Reality

• Success lies in recognizing what actually works for you, not what’s trending or “supposed to work.”
• Adam shares their journey of discovering that relationship-building, not advertising, is their strength.
• For many relationship-style businesses (like coaching or consulting), personal connection is the foundation, not flashy marketing.

❌ 3. Stop Making Excuses

• Excuses become self-imposed obstacles. The more you repeat them, the more you believe them.
• Instead of blaming external conditions, face the reality: if something isn’t working, fix it or change it.
• Tom emphasizes that success requires iteration, not perfection.

🔁 4. Shift From Have-Do-Be → Be-Do-Have

• Common mindset trap: “Once I have money, I’ll do more work, and then I’ll be successful.”
• New approach: “Be the productive, helpful person now, do the work, and you will have the results.”
• Flip the script — identity first, then action, then outcomes.

🔥 5. Be the Coach — Even Without the Client

• Waiting for sales before stepping into your role keeps you stuck.
• Don’t wait to be the coach, creator, or service provider — start being it now.
• Genuinely help people first; the business will follow naturally.

🧠 6. Set the Right Intention Based on Who You Are

• Intentions change based on the role you choose to embody: coach vs. salesperson.
• Focus on the main thing you want to be, even if you wear multiple hats.
• Your roles should serve your purpose — not distract from it.

🌟 7. Live and Express Your Purpose

• Tom shares how his life purpose (helping others live better lives) has stayed consistent, even as his roles have changed.
• Purpose fuels intention, and intention drives results.
• When you veer away from your purpose, you lose energy and clarity.

💬 Quote of the Episode

“Be your purpose. Because if you be your purpose, you will be the intention. You will be the result of everything that you're trying to do.” – Tom

🔄 Next Steps for Listeners

• Reflect: What role are you trying to be in your business right now?
• Identify: What excuses are keeping you stuck?
• Act: Choose one way you can be the person you want to become — today.

In this episode, Tom and Adam dive deep into what really makes sales happen — and it’s not just slick tactics or great networking. It’s about consistency, mindset, and mastering the simple selling system that turns casual conversations into paying clients.

You’ll hear stories from their 5WH program, real client breakthroughs, and how combining execution strategy with mindset mastery is the game-changer for business owners. Whether you're overwhelmed by follow-ups, frustrated with unproductive networking, or struggling with sabotaging behaviors — this episode has the tools, mindset shifts, and clarity to help you close more deals with less stress.

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Key Takeaways:

• ✅ Follow-up is everything. If you’re not following up consistently, you’re leaving money on the table.

• 🧠 Your consistency doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Define your version and stick with it.

• 💬 Conversations that close are built by asking the right questions. When done correctly, prospects will literally tell you how to close them.

• 🔄 Sales success isn’t just tactical—it’s internal. Saboteurs, limiting beliefs, and disempowering self-talk can crush your ability to execute.

• 📅 Networking without a system is a waste of time. The stack of business cards means nothing if you don’t have a plan to engage the right people.

• 💥 The ‘People Pleaser’ trap is real. Learn to set boundaries and say no to the wrong people so you can say yes to the right ones.

• 🔁 Repetition makes it real. Like golf, the awkwardness of new techniques fades with practice and the system becomes second nature.

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Links & Resources:

🎯 Free Starter Course:

Get immediate access to our Simple Selling System overview — absolutely free.

👉 atomicbusinesscoaching.com/course

💡 Learn how to:

• Identify your 5Ws

• Master follow-up strategy

• Ask powerful, closing questions

• Manage your mindset & saboteurs

• Network with precision & intention

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Join the Conversation:

💬 What resonated most with you from today’s episode?

📧 Send your thoughts or questions to info@atomicbusinesscoaching.com

📱 Follow us on Instagram: @atomicbusinesscoaching

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Quote of the Episode:

“You're not being pushy — you just know you have the solution to their problem. When you ask the right questions, they'll tell you exactly how to close them.”

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Next Steps:

✅ Watch the free course

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast

📆 Show up each week as we continue to break down the Simple Selling System and help you transform your business, one conversation at a time.