Problems to Profit

What does it take to turn a teenage side hustle into a seven-figure coaching empire? In this episode of Problems to Prophets, host Preston Brown sits down with branding strategist and CEO Maya Elious to uncover how she built her business from the ground up—starting with MySpace pages in high school and evolving into one of today’s most respected voices in personal branding and entrepreneurship.

Maya shares how she discovered her gift for messaging, why she believes clarity is currency, and how true branding is less about logos and more about identity. From her early stru...

What happens when success becomes your biggest test of faith? In this episode, Preston Brown sits down with serial entrepreneur and leadership expert Dustin Hillis — a man who’s built, scaled, and led multimillion-dollar businesses across industries from AI to global coaching.

Dustin opens up about his journey from selling books door to door to becoming the President of Safe Space Global, where AI meets purpose to save lives. He shares how a football injury redirected his life path, why faith became his compass, and how he turned decades of lessons into his bestselling book, Capacity: Building a Bu...

From narrowly missing the 9/11 tragedy to building brands that transformed taboos into cultural movements, Miki Agrawal’s journey proves that creativity and courage can turn even life’s messiest moments into purpose. 

She founded Thinx to reimagine period care, created TUSHY to make bathroom hygiene a global conversation, and now leads Hiro—a company using fungi to break down plastic waste and diapers to help save the planet. Along the way, she developed her framework for building “culture-shifting brands” and discovered how love, play, and authenticity can fuel both business and personal growth. 

In this episode, Mik...

From fleeing Vietnam as a child refugee to landing two rare angel investment exits, Tulinh Tran’s journey proves that resilience and intuition can turn setbacks into success. 

She built her first portfolio as a broke teenager with just $500, transformed struggling startups into multimillion-dollar companies, and later rebuilt from scratch after losing everything. Along the way, she developed her framework for “intuitive investing” and discovered why women are uniquely suited to thrive as investors. 

In this episode, Tulinh shares how to overcome fear, trust your instincts, and turn even life’s hardest moments into stepping s...

Money fears run deep, and for many women, the journey from survival to true financial independence feels impossible.

Tamar Hermes’ story reveals why that belief isn’t true. From a childhood shaped by struggle to building an eight-figure real estate portfolio, Tamar has mastered the language of money and now teaches women how to build wealth without fear. 

In this conversation, she shares what it takes to shift from being “rich” to becoming truly “wealthy,” why leverage can be your greatest ally, and how to access opportunities most people overlook.

Tune in and l...

Real estate competition can be brutal, and sometimes the fiercest rival ends up becoming your greatest ally.

Mario Ayala’s story runs through call centers, aggressive training at Saratoga Homes, high-stakes coups for builder accounts, legal battles, and even a billboard war outside my office window. What began as fights and lawsuits eventually transformed into respect, friendship, and now collaboration as Mario launches his own home-building company.

In this episode, we unpack the truth behind rivalries in real estate, why most brokerages collapse under pressure, and what it takes to...

Some careers are built on luck. Others are built on showing up, outlasting every obstacle, and learning fast.

Viviana Ronquillo’s story is the second kind: a journey from filing papers in a conference room to leading over 20 companies, managing hundreds of employees, and co-owning multi-million-dollar real estate portfolios.

In this episode, we talk about the mindset shifts that transform you into the kind of leader people follow without hesitation. We get into why trust is earned slowly, how to handle “train wreck” problems without losing confidence, and what it takes to run mu...

Starting a business is hard. Doing a business partnership with your best friend? That’s a different level of challenge. 

Jana Gavin and Jordan Cobb didn’t just figure it out. They’ve built something most entrepreneurs dream about: a thriving company and an unshakable friendship.

In this episode, we unpack what makes a partnership work without losing the people, the peace, or the purpose. We get into the unspoken stress of mismatched expectations, how to create space for grace, and what every entrepreneur needs to know before going into business with someone...

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Payment processing isn’t just a back-end service. It’s the one decision that could either protect or wipe out your entire business. Brad Weimert learned that the hard way and then turned it into an empire.

Brad is the founder of Easy Pay Direct, the company entrepreneurs call when Stripe locks up their money and critical cash flow disappears. He’s also a sharp real estate investo...

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Jennifer Hudye didn’t have a silver spoon or a straight path. She grew up in a tiny Canadian farming town of 500 people, surrounded by fields and family businesses, determined to carve her own way. From bootstrapping a copywriting agency that served giants like Tony Robbins and Dave Asprey to building Vision Driven, where she’s now helped over 700 entrepreneurs craft vivid visions for their lives and businesses, Jennifer’s s...

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Justin Donald is a master of passive income and wealth creation. He didn’t start with a trust fund, but rather a drive to turn problems into profits. From a blue-collar upbringing to managing millions in investments, Justin has navigated the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, ultimately focusing on what really matters: financial freedom, relationships, and personal growth.

In this episode, we explore Justin's unique approach to investi...

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👉 https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough 

Brandon Poulin didn’t follow a playbook.

He joined a network marketing company at 17, scaled a business to 180 employees, built a women’s health brand that did over $200 million in revenue—and somehow, through it all, found his way back to peace, purpose, and freedom.

But it wasn’t all wins. He crashed. Rebuilt. Crashed again. He felt the pressure of performance, the intensity of leadership, a...

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👉 https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough 

Starting a business with your spouse sounds like a recipe for disaster—or a dream come true.

For Samantha and Michael Guthrie, it was both.

They lost their jobs on the same day, risked their last $2,000 on a single ATM machine, and built an eight-figure company from that single bet. No investors. No fancy office. Just grit, systems, and a shared refusal to...

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👉 https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough 

The most powerful movements don’t start in boardrooms. They start in backyards, in broken places, and with people who refuse to accept the hand they were dealt.

Carlos Reyes gets that.

He didn’t just talk about ownership—he earned it. From watching his mom hustle across the border and flipping bread and bagging groceries as a child, Carlos turned a story of absence, survi...

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👉 https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough 

Some moments force you to ask bigger questions—about who you are, what you’re carrying, and whether the pressure you feel is helping you grow or keeping you stuck.

This is where Cody Jefferson thrives.

He’s not the kind of guy who shows up with surface-level inspiration. Cody is a former pastor, a father, a husband, and a man who has sat with more grie...

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👉 https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough 

There’s a weird thing that happens when entrepreneurs start making money. They think making money is the goal, but no one ever shows them how to keep it.

That’s where today’s guest comes in.

Justin Maxwell isn’t your typical tax guy. He doesn’t just look at numbers—he looks at your entire financial structure and re-eng...

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👉 https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough 

Most of us are hustling so hard, we forget to ask one crucial question:

What kind of energy are we actually building our business with?

In this episode, I’m sharing something I’ve rarely shared publicly. Not tactics. Not tools. Not formulas. Energy.

The day my business truly took off wasn’t the day I cracked a new...

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https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough

Ever feel like you’re meant for more, but you’re quietly shrinking to keep the peace, or avoid looking like you want too much?

Lee Richter was never one to dim her light. From child star in national commercials to high-powered boardrooms with Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi, Lee learned how to own her space without compromising her heart, and she’s here to sh...

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https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough

You’ve heard it all before—cut rates are coming, inflation’s cooling, the Fed has it under control.

Except… they don’t.

In this episode, I’m giving it to you straight. The markets are moving, the Fed is fumbling, and we’re about to enter one of the most strategic windows for building wealth we’ve had in years.

...

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https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough

Not gonna lie—there’s a lot of noise right now about whether the sky is falling or we’re headed into the greatest bull run ever.

Here’s what I really think…

In this episode, I break down the key threats I see in 2025. Labor data you’ve probably never heard explained like this, the debt traps most entrepreneurs are walking straight...

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https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough

You know that uneasy feeling when you’re pretty sure your team is dropping leads—but the spreadsheets look “fine,” the phone logs are “somewhere,” and everyone swears the last CRM “didn’t fit the workflow”?

Been there. That’s why I pulled my own chief technology officer, Zach Abrams, out from behind the screens and onto the mic. Zach took my companies from software chaos (think six-figure bloatwa...

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https://yourfirstmillionmadeeasy.com/businessbreakthrough

Ever get hit up with a pitch that sounds good, but deep down you’re not sure it’s worth your time, energy, or money?

Here’s how I cut through the noise.

In this episode, I break down the three filters I use before I invest in anything—whether it’s a business deal, a charity, or even a new use of my time...

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Let’s talk about something most people don’t realize:

You can be rich and still feel broke. You can be successful and still feel not enough. You can save lives every day—and still wonder if you’re failing as a husband, father, or friend.

In this episode, I sit down with my long-time friend Dr. Richard Farnam, a top-tier gynecological robotic surgeon, YouTube educ...

Let me ask you something…

Would you sit through a movie where nothing goes wrong, no one struggles, and everything turns out just fine? Of course not. That’s not a story—it’s a snoozefest. So why are so many entrepreneurs trying to build a business like that?

In this episode, I’m sharing why controversy isn’t something you should avoid. It’s something you should leverage. Controversy is human. It’s messy, emotional, and powerful. And when you know how to use it right, it becomes your greatest asset in business.

Peo...

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Alright, let’s get real for a second.

You’ve probably heard the chatter. Hiring women is “risky,” or it’s a legal minefield, or maybe you’ve just been burned by a toxic hire and swore off the idea. I get it. But here’s the thing: that’s a load of crap if you know what to look for.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Victoria Isais, a woman who’s b...

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Let’s talk about something that’s been bugging me for a while.

You’ve seen it. The viral reels, the TikToks, the fake flexes, the business coaches who haven’t built a single thing but want to charge you $10K to “unlock your potential.”

Yeah, I’m over it. And honestly, you should be, too.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why you need to...

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The idea of starting a business sounds exciting—freedom, flexibility, and financial upside. But there’s one truth no one wants to tell you. Most people don’t fail because the idea was bad; they fail because they skipped the work before the work.

In this episode, you will learn what actually matters before you ever open the doors.

I’m breaking down what I’d really be thinking th...

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Everyone talks about data, but few actually know what to do with it. Matthew Barnes, founder of Proteus Digital Lab, is the guy top-tier businesses turn to when they need their analytics to work for them, not against them.

Matthew helps the biggest brands on Shopify cut through the noise, measure what truly matters, and turn wasted ad spend into profit. 

And if you think...

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The economy isn’t slowing down. It’s shifting fast. If you’re not watching closely, you’re already behind.

Today, I will share the latest economic shakeups under Trump’s administration—what’s happening with government layoffs, what new tax codes could mean for your wallet, and the impact of shifting tariffs on global trade.

And AI? It’s not just some future worry. The biggest disruption to jobs a...

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Most people think banks are these mysterious giants with endless cash. But in reality? They’re businesses—just like yours. And no one understands that better than Ray Owen.

Ray grew up working on farms, pulling cotton, and watching his dad manage a cattle feed yard. He wasn’t born into wealth. He built it. Now, as the President of Bank of Texas, he’s taken his bank from an $18 million startup to over $500...

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Some politicians make promises. Others get things done. And then there’s Renard Johnson, a businessman-turned-mayor who built a thriving company from the ground up before stepping into public service.

Renard didn’t need this job. He had already built a multi-million-dollar business in defense contracting, scaled it to 800+ employees, and could have just enjoyed the success. Instead, he ran for Mayor of El Paso—not for power, but to fix the...

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Some people talk about business. Others build it. And then there’s Mike Fata—who sells it multiple times for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Mike went from dropping out of high school at 14 to selling his health food company twice—first for $132 million, then again for $419 million. That’s not luck. That’s execution.

The crazy part? He didn’t invent anything. He just took something good and made it better.

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Entrepreneurs don’t fail from lack of opportunity—they fail from choking on too much of it. After scaling 18 companies, I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and what really moves the needle.

In this episode, I’ll show you my 10 hardest-won lessons for scaling any business—like why you can’t scale without a team and how to measure what actually matters. You’ll learn how work-life balance is a strategic advantage...

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Government layoffs. Tariffs. AI breakthroughs. The economy is shifting fast, and you're already behind if you’re not paying attention.

In this episode, I break down the biggest economic moves in Trump’s first two weeks, from mass government layoffs and their impact on jobs to how new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China might shake up global trade. We’re also seeing a surprising development in AI that could disrupt tech stocks in...

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What if the key to thriving in life and business isn’t working harder—but loving yourself more? Today’s guest, Justin Nault, is a visionary who has transformed his chaotic, ego-driven lifestyle into one of balance, polarity, and profound emotional intelligence. 

Justin takes us through his fascinating story—from a career in music to creating life-saving solutions for his terminally disabled niece and now helping men and women unlock their emotional depths to ach...

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Are you feeling trapped by failure, weighed down by toxic partnerships, or afraid to take the leap—wondering if success in business is even possible? In this week’s episode, I sit down with Aria Boushehri, a powerhouse entrepreneur who turned repeated failures and toxic partnerships into a nine-figure empire—all before the age of 30. 

Aria discloses the hard lessons he learned working under poor leadership and how those experiences pushed him to build Sa...

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What happens when a top Hollywood executive leaves the glitz and glamour behind to dive into the world of real estate syndication? This week, I sit down with JP Newman, a visionary leader who went from producing iconic films to managing $2 billion in real estate deals. JP’s story is one of grit, transformation, and non-negotiable values.

We explore how his setbacks in entertainment became the foundation for building a thri...

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What’s the real difference between a thriving business and one that’s stuck in neutral? In this solo episode, I break down the mindset shifts every entrepreneur needs to scale, grow, and finally escape the chaos. I dive into some controversial topics because, honestly, someone has to tell you the truth, and I’m not afraid to say it.

I also dive into the truth about the top 1%—what makes them exceptional...

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What if I told you capitalism isn’t the monster it’s made out to be but, instead, the ultimate superhero? In this no-holds-barred episode, I sit down with Ryan Daniel Moran, entrepreneur, investor, and the unapologetic voice behind Capitalism.com. Ryan pulls no punches as he tackles the hot topic of capitalism’s role in society.

With his signature wit and optimism, Ryan flips the narrative, arguing that capitalism isn’t broken–it’s...

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Are your biggest challenges holding you back, or are they the keys to your success? In this first episode of Problems to Profit, we’re diving into how your problems could be your greatest opportunities.

I’m Preston Brown, and today, I’m joined by David Bayer, a transformational powerhouse in personal growth and business strategy. Named by Inc. 5000 as a top expert on mindset, David has built the fastest-growing coaching company in America...