Episode 59: From Bankruptcy to Billions: The Business Comeback Stories Every Business Owner Needs to Hear - Part 1

Episode Summary: In this powerful two-part series, Ryan and Brook dive deep into the mindset required to overcome seemingly impossible business challenges. Through the lens of Apple's 90-day death sentence in 1997 and Tesla's Christmas Eve miracle in 2008, they explore what separates those who survive crisis from those who quit. This isn't motivational fluff—these are real stories of companies closer to death than most entrepreneurs will ever face, and the lessons that can transform how you approach your own "impossible" moments.

Key Takeaways:

• (09:50) The power of seeking reference points: Why Ryan actively hunts for stories of people who overcame worse challenges than what he's currently facing
• (12:09) Brook's "one, two, three, too many" strategy: How to organize overwhelming thoughts on paper and prevent decision paralysis in crisis moments
• (14:41) Apple's 90-day cash crisis: How Steve Jobs turned to his biggest rival Microsoft for $150 million and used breathing room to cut 70% of inventory
• (26:53) Elon's $40 million Christmas Eve gamble: The moment Tesla was two days from bounced payroll and Musk bet his entire PayPal fortune on the company
• (34:28) The gladiator mindset: Why less than 1% of businesses survive 10 years and what it takes to be in that elite group

Notable Quotes:

• "We're either learning or we're growing, right? And like you and I have been very good at turning quickly to go, okay, what story and language are we giving this shit?" - Brook (04:49)
• "One of my strategies around keeping my head screwed on straight when I have a challenge is I go seeking out as many examples and reference points of people who have overcome something way fucking worse than what I'm dealing with right now." - Ryan (09:17)
• "Picture this: You're Steve Jobs, and you've just returned to the company you co-founded only to discover that it's pretty much a walking corpse." - Ryan (14:10)
• "Business is a sport for gladiators. And it's like, we're not saying that like metaphorically, like straight up." - Brook (34:28)

Resources Mentioned:

• Elon Musk SpaceX interview clip: "I don't ever give up. I'd have to be dead or incapacitated"

What's your "impossible" right now? Instead of focusing on why it can't be done, start seeking out reference points of people who overcame something way worse. Remember: every time you decide not to pack it in, every time you get up off the mat one more time, you're stacking credibility with yourself and building the identity of someone who figures it out. Part 2 drops next week with even more incredible comeback stories that will change how you see challenge forever.

Connect with Empire Partners: This is just Part 1 of an epic two-part series. Subscribe now so you don't miss Part 2, where Ryan and Brook share the most insane comeback stories you've never heard. Leave a review and share this with a coach who needs to hear that their current challenge isn't the end of their story—it might just be the plot twist.

Episode Title: The 3 Scariest Questions in Sales That Close 75-80% of Deals

Episode Summary: Ryan Lang and Brook Bishop reveal the three most feared questions in sales that most people avoid—yet these same questions are what separate top closers from everyone else. Learn the permission-based sales framework that builds trust, creates energetic momentum, and allows you to coach prospects to a "yes" rather than pushing them toward a decision. This isn't about manipulation; it's about serving at the highest level.

Key Takeaways:

• (04:05) The coaching frame that gives you permission to ask hard questions: "Does a good coach tell you what you need to hear or what you want to hear?"
• (13:36) The bridge question that transitions from discovery to solution: "If I could show you a way to remedy this today, would you be interested?"
• (27:34) The tie-down close that creates certainty before your offer: "Do you see why so many people get incredible results by leveraging our systems?"
• (19:00) Why identity shifts are crucial in sales—people hold onto stories as neural pathways that must be disrupted through vocalization(
• (31:47) The neuroscience of opening and closing loops in sales conversations to create natural momentum toward a decision
• (35:23) How to build an energetic crescendo that leads prospects to say "this is exactly what I need" instead of feeling pressured

Notable Quotes:

• "We will always do the activities of who we truly believe we are. If you believe you're lazy, guess what? Here you go." - Brook Bishop (19:00)
• "People don't buy because they like you. They buy because they think you understand them." - Ryan Lang (Referenced)
• "Being heard means being held. I cannot tell you how many people on the planet have never had somebody hold space for them." - Brook Bishop (16:16)
• "Don't assume that they want what you have. You must qualify and you've got to get them to vocalize it." - Brook Bishop (21:17)
• "When you do this the right way, you can literally coach people to a yes." - Brook Bishop (38:59)

Resources Mentioned:

• Empire Partners 7-Step Sales Framework - empirepartners.net/script

Stop avoiding these three questions and start implementing them in your sales process. Download the complete 7-step sales framework at empirepartners.net/script—it's 100% free and contains the exact system Ryan and Brook use to close 75-80% of their prospects. Practice these questions this week and watch how they transform your sales conversations from pushy to powerful.

Connect with Empire Partners: Ready to master sales conversations that feel authentic and get results? Subscribe to The Coaching Equation Podcast and grab the free sales script framework. Your prospects are waiting for someone who knows how to ask the right questions—make sure it's you.

Episode 56: Want vs Need: The Freedom Formula Every Coach Must Master

Episode Summary:

In this transformative episode, hosts Ryan Lang and Brook Bishop explore the critical difference between optimizing for want versus need, revealing how this mindset shift is the key to true entrepreneurial freedom. They challenge coaches to examine where they're still building their own prisons by focusing on scarcity instead of abundance, and share the uncomfortable truth about what you must let go of to get what you actually want.

Key Takeaways:

• (02:48) The paradigm shift from looking in the rearview mirror to dreaming big like when you were a kid
• (10:06) Want equates to freedom while need equates to constraint - understanding this fundamental difference transforms your approach to goals
• (22:35) The massive cost of apologizing for what you want and how it leads to inevitable self-sabotage
• (25:16) The power of vision boards and getting clear on what you want without timeline constraints
• (35:23) The uncomfortable truth: getting what you want has more to do with what you let go of than what you do
• (38:59) Three critical questions to audit where you're optimizing for scarcity instead of abundance

Notable Quotes:

• "When we're optimizing based on need, I believe we just build ourselves another prison. Because literally a focus on need is an immediate no to what you want." (10:06)
• "There is a massive cost for apologizing for what you want. Because every time you do it, you tell yourself that you're wrong." (22:35)
• "Getting what I want has way more to do with what I'm not gonna do, with what I'm gonna let go of, with what I'm gonna say no to." (35:23)
• "Why am I not worthy of wanting something that big? Because I'm the one who's deciding that." (33:35)

Resources Mentioned:

• Dan Sullivan's "want vs. need" framework from Strategic Coach - Strategic Coach
• Ed Mylett's lifestyle and business approach - The Ed Mylett Show
• Sarah Blakely's (Spanx founder) childhood story about failure conditioning - Spanx
• Heritage Profile personality assessment (formerly at Buffini and Company)
• John Assaraf's vision board story from The Secret documentary - The Secret
• Tony Robbins' wealth-building principles and paradigm work - Tony Robbins

Do the Work:

Ready to stop optimizing for scarcity and start claiming your freedom? Grab a pen and work through the three audit questions from this episode: Where are you optimizing for need instead of want? What becomes possible when you stop apologizing for what you want? What do you need to let go of to get what you actually want?

Connect with Empire Partners:

Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share with a coach who's ready to break free from the employee mindset and build a business based on abundance, not scarcity.