Think and Grow Rich with Brandon T. Adams: A Modern-Age Napoleon Hill

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It's no doubt that a book can have a monumental impact on the life of whomever takes the time to read it.

In this instance, that book, it's Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

And in the same instance, the reader?

Well, the reader was Brandon T.

Adams.

And because he took the time to open that book's cover and discover what was written inside, that book would have the opportunity to impact his life from that day forward.

And well, it would set him on a trajectory in life where the only limit would be his own imagination.

Welcome to the Lowdown with Kevin Lowe, the podcast shining light on the inspiring stories of ordinary people choosing to live out anything but ordinary lives.

All in the hope that you will be inspired to live out your best life.

Because this life is meant to be lived.

And this podcast is meant to inspire you to do it.

Hey, what's happening?

Welcome back to the podcast.

My name is Kevin Lowe, the host of The Low with Kevin Lowe, and this is episode 84.

Today I'm joined in the studio by another entrepreneurial guest.

And his name is Brandon T.

Adams.

Brandon, he grew up selling ice with his father.

And then when he went away to college, he started hustling moonshine.

You can say that entrepreneurship was in his blood from the very beginning.

But after college, Brandon would prove that you don't have to have a high GPA to be successful.

Matter of fact, it doesn't even matter if you're kicked out of college because he would go on to do amazing things.

And as you heard at the beginning of the episode, a big impact on his life was a book, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

That book would kind of be a monumental moment in his life, setting him off on a trajectory that would have him becoming an Emmy Award-winning producer and host of a TV series of success in your city.

He would go on to help do many crowdfunding projects, raising millions of dollars.

And well, the guy he's just done anything and everything because Brandon T.

Adams is a guy who doesn't slow down.

He's constantly thinking, innovating, coming up with new ideas, better ideas.

And in instances like today, where we get him to slow down and be on the podcast, he's helping to inspire us to have that same kind of mindset, that same entrepreneurial spirit to just get out there and change things, do things.

If life's not going the way you want it, we'll make it change.

If you see that there needs to be something made to help something that you're using, then make it work.

Because that's what he's been doing.

And there's no reason you or me can't do the same.

So I would just say this: buckle your seatbelt and get ready for a wild ride as we take off on an entrepreneurial journey with Brandon T.

Adams.

But of course, before we do that, I would love to introduce you to today's sponsor.

Has your life been impacted by a life-changing event, disability, medical diagnosis, or illness?

Something that has caused you to realize just how precious this life really is?

If so, I must also ask, did it also open your eyes to realize, wow, I'm supposed to be doing more with my life?

If life is this precious, if tomorrow is indeed not guaranteed, then why am I continuing to live the life that I am when I realize that I'm meant for something more?

Well, those are the questions that I hope you answer as a transformational life and business coach.

Because today's episode is sponsored by my coaching business, Heavenlow Coaching, where I help you to move out of the space you're in and into the space where you're meant to be.

We're all meant for something great in this life.

And maybe this is your opportunity to discover what that is for you.

I invite you to book a free discovery call with me, where we can look into what's going on in your life, what are the blocks holding you back, and what steps you can take to move forward.

And maybe that could be by working with me further as your coach.

But it all starts with a simple free 30-minute discovery call.

Link is in the bio.

Now for today's episode.

SPEAKER_00: Started in Iowa, and believe it or not, I grew up in the ice business.

My dad sold packaged ice for a living.

He had a wholesale distributor.

And so my entrepreneur journey started selling ice to my father ever since, I mean, that I can even remember, probably four or five years old with my dad in the truck.

And that was like the drive and beginner of my career, understanding entrepreneurship, just having a drive to achieve a certain goal.

In that case, it was trying to make money.

I was doing fundraisers, I was selling popcorn for Boy Scouts.

I was doing the St.

James Bikeathon, you name it, I did it.

And so did the ice business, end up going to college, did my entrepreneurial journeys there as well, but it was more on the shadier side.

At that time, I was selling moonshine to the students in college.

That was my journey there.

I college was not really my thing.

I got a 1.68 GPA my first year.

They kicked me out of the dorms because I was a little disruptive.

I did somehow graduate.

It's funny thinking back on that now.

But I graduated and then went back into business with my father.

And I always thought it was going to be in the ice business.

But then what really changed my life is I had read a book called Thinking Garitch by Napoleon Hill, and it changed how I thought.

It changed how I looked at life, and it made me realize I could achieve anything I set my mind to.

And the only limits that it were in life were the limits that I created in my own mind.

And so I went on to doing more in ICE business, had an invention that I took to market, and then slowly, gradually went into the online world about eight years ago while doing the ice was now 10 years ago, time flies, and I started creating videos.

So I was creating videos to promote my invention, promote the ice business, but then I started doing more videos around me, motivation.

That led to utilizing my video talents to raise money for companies and crowdfunding.

After a couple of successful campaigns with some influential people, I started to build a name for myself.

And then that led to beyond crowdfunding.

I started producing my own TV shows.

And funny enough, that book I read at 20 years old, Thinking Gorich by Napoleon Hill, I had ended up doing a producing a movie on it called Thinking Garitz a Legacy, and it was one of the youngest speecher members.

And so it went from, long story short, Kevin, I went from the guy in Iowa that sold ice for a living, pedaling ice, to going on to create videos, produce TV shows, and now working with companies at a high level and helping them grow to a high valuation.

SPEAKER_03: Wow, wow, wow.

Man, that is so awesome.

So I was so now I am curious, you you made mention about your first invention.

What was that first invention?

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, if anybody wants to go have fun, you can go Google Arctic Stick and then Brandon T.

Adams.

I invented this product called Arctic Stick.

It got some patents, trademarks on it, and it was a product to cool and flavored beverages.

So while being in the ice business, I wanted other ways to make money than I was currently making.

And I was coming up with a concept to specifically chill bottled beverages without having to buy a full bag of ice.

And so that was my invention.

I mean, ended up selling on Amazon.

Like I got it to market.

My idea did come to life from idea in my head to prototype to manufacture to selling.

I never really made a lot of money from it.

But that idea and that experience taught me so much that taught me the power of communication, pitching, fundraising, video production, and ultimately led me to everything I'm doing today.

And most people would say, because I did have over$100,000 of my own money into that endeavor, but I never made back more than like 10 grand.

But it did give me the knowledge, experience, and lessons that went on to allow me to make millions of dollars in other areas.

So that was a great lesson.

And again, it came from the ice business.

It all kind of stems back from when I sold ice.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, well, that's so cool.

Well, well, the the next question I had for you was how how do you make that transition from the ice business to doing movies and all that?

But you kind of said it was through the through that invention that kind of led on this natural progression.

SPEAKER_00: It was.

And you know, a great lesson there is transition.

Like you always should be looking to achieve more and be the best version of yourself.

And so that's what I was doing.

I felt like there was more for me to do than just what my current position was selling ice.

And that's why I explored how can I add more value to the world and people's lives through more products.

And that was specifically nice business.

But as I pursued those other things that most people wouldn't pursue, I got exposed to other things most people wouldn't get exposed to.

And because of that, it opened my mind up to what's possible.

So as I was slowly transitioning, still a dice business, had bought it for my father and still running at that time, I was putting myself in a position to be ready for this online world.

And that's where I started creating the videos, creating the content.

And that all really started because I was pursuing this dream of Arctic Stick, but that dream led to other dreams.

I became a public speaker, a best-selling author, a kind of a in some ways like a Napoleon Hill of our time in my own way.

But also I created other companies.

I was, I've been a part of companies that have done some big things, public companies, private companies.

And it goes back to everything I learned in those endeavors in the ice business and taking a product to market because I can apply that to other things, other ideas that other people had.

And that's where I've started finding success in my own way.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah.

Well, that that's just phenomenal.

I love it.

I love it.

No, no, I'm curious from the perspective of your dad.

I mean, did did was there a point when I mean we think of our dad, he'd been doing the ice business old school.

Did he think, Brandon, what are you doing?

SPEAKER_00: 100%.

SPEAKER_03: But just do what, you know, like I'm just curious about that.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, my dad, he did.

I mean, my dad, I love my dad dearly.

I'm grateful.

I mean, he he put into me the genes of entrepreneurship, and and we worked together for many years.

And it was uh, he didn't really understand the new things because he was so used to one way, but it did bring him back to the times when he started a nice business and he had to build it up and he had to start from thinking outside the box.

And so he was a supporter of me.

He even he invested in my endeavor.

I paid it back, but he did invest in Arctic Stick and believed in me and helped me, and and I had to go out and raise the money and everything.

But as I started to grow as an entrepreneur and in the online world, he didn't really get it first.

And probably the one of the more difficult things in my career that ultimately led to the biggest opportunities is when I had to shut the door of being get out of the ice business.

Because I didn't have a lot of focus there.

I really didn't have to, but the little bit of focus that it did take me, it took away from other things that could have grown.

And they say if you want to catch a rabbit, don't run after two, run after one.

And so I was running after a dozen rabbits.

And so I really made the tough decision back in 2000 and this is 18, where I sat down with my father, and this is something I already I said in my entire life I'd never sell the business.

I told my father, I think I'm gonna have to sell the business and I need to go on this other journey.

And I actually sold a couple businesses at that time, and I had to close the doors on those things, which was tough.

And even after selling the ice business, my father and I didn't have the best relationship because something we had in common we no longer had in common, and it was hard actually to even have conversations with him because we always had talked about that one thing, and so it wasn't easy, but it was necessary.

And once I did that, my mind opened to so many things, and when one door closes, another opens, I had so many other doors that opened for me, and so that was probably one of the tougher decisions I made in my life, but I I'm glad I did because now I'm opened up to so many other things that I'm working on.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, well, I think that's pretty awesome.

And I have to say, what I think's awesome about that is because there's a lot of people who they would have just stayed the course, they would have stayed in the safe zone.

Yeah.

But as you talked about these doors of opportunity, in order for us to to see what else is out there, we have to have the courage to leave the shore, to test the new waters and see what else there is.

And so that's you know, and that with without taking that risk, without taking chances, you'll never be able to know what else is possible.

SPEAKER_00: And that thought right there that you just said, Kevin, not knowing was a thought that I knew would kill me if I I always wondered what if.

And so for my life, I always lived by that, doing things that are way out of my comfort zone, even when I'm in an uncomfortable position.

Like people thought I was crazy, like I could make a pretty good amount of money, even when I lived in my hometown in Iowa, Garneville, Iowa, 700 people.

The amount of money I made and the opportunities, like I was living like a king back there, but I knew that there was so much more for me.

And I had to take a leap of faith, and and I did, and it was tough at the beginning, but then like not even look at money aside, but just to show example, like I got into opportunities in life where I could make more in one day than I had made in the entire year being in that business, and and it's not to like compare money-wise, but it shows you what's actually possible, and and so for me, I never really could see that, but I knew there was more for me.

And then once I did put myself out of my comfort zone, I was able to get those opportunities and realize them through doing the things that most people wouldn't do.

It's gonna be scary.

I mean, you gotta believe, you gotta have faith, and you gotta be surrounded by the right people.

And for me, I've always surrounded myself with people that could build me up and not bring me down.

And if anybody listening that's been in a small town, sometimes it's hard because their mentality isn't exactly always thinking bigger because all they know is what they were around.

And so for me, I had to be in bigger cities, I needed to be around bigger thinkers that allowed me to grow, otherwise, I would have never left that town.

SPEAKER_03: Absolutely, absolutely.

It's so true.

Now, no, something that that I am very curious to ask you about is you really got into the the realm of utilizing crowdfunding.

And and I'm curious to know how that was for you getting involved in in crowdfunding projects and in how that has gone for you.

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it it so again, tied back to when I was raising money for Arctic Stick, I turned to crowdfunding, did a Kickstarter campaign, raised some money, learned a lot.

But then I saw opportunity in the market to be an expert that could help other people raise money.

And so I focused, I was dedicated to becoming the crowdfunding expert.

At that time, I said, I'll be the top crowdfunding expert in the world.

And so where I got my break is I I did a podcast show that I had started seven years ago, did over 400 episodes, and I was interviewing other people.

One of those people I interviewed was John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneurs on Fire.

And after he he we got off the show, he told me he was doing a crowdfunding campaign.

I said I could help him.

Well, we worked together and we launched what became the largest crowdfunding campaign in history for a book called The Freedom Journal.

We did$453,000 in 33 days.

This is back in January 4th, 2016.

And so that ultimately was kind of the break I needed, and then all of a sudden I started working with other people Kevin Harrington from Shark Tank, the think and go rich movie, TV shows.

And so I use that experience and that testimonial to be able to really grow in the crowdfunding space.

And now I use that crowdfunding talent for raising money for my own companies.

I I don't really go and you can't hire me to help raise money.

I'm gonna have a piece of the company, and then okay, I can help raise the money.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, that's awesome.

So because I've seen so many of these things, we we've seen it on Kickstarter, you know, especially, you know, different projects.

Is there any like one thing that you can narrow it down to, one little secret that you see the difference between those that succeed and those that fail?

SPEAKER_00: It's the preparation and having a solid plan and product.

The ones that fail think they're just gonna throw something together and raise the money, and people are just gonna give them money because they're gonna be nice to them.

No, what's in it for the person giving you money?

Whether they're investing in your company or they're investing in your product or service, it better bring value to that person.

So make sure you are preparing and putting a great game plan together.

But also it's a numbers game, it's marketing.

I mean, our successful campaigns, we spent months planning.

We had team members, we had ambassadors, we had people promoting for us, we had influencers, we got as affiliates, we spent money on marketing.

Like you gotta actually put in the work and the strategy behind it.

It's it's not easy.

I mean, it's you gotta really put a plan together, but also the video is a big component of it, and that's what got me really into production.

I saw how powerful, if you have the right kind of video that gets somebody's attention right away, tells a story, gives a great offer, and has a great call to action, that video can be used to get people to buy your product and service or invest in you, no different than like a regulation aid crowdfunding campaign.

And so when you can structure that right, that can help you in so many ways.

And so that whole crowdfunding experience, I took that to the video side of things.

And I really think whether you're trying to have success in crowdfunding or business, if you can use video in the right way, you can really achieve any goal you want to.

I mean, I've used it to raise money for charities, I've used it to raise millions of dollars for companies, I've used it to launch books, launch premieres of TV shows, you name it, using the power of video and storytelling to attract people to buy your products and services.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah.

What what do what do you think when when you're talking about what do you think it is specifically about video that makes it so powerful?

SPEAKER_00: It's it's a great way to tell a story for people being able to get that experience emotionally from it.

I mean, think about when you are on social media and somebody sees a video or they hear the story behind it.

Think about just the audio side of things.

When you can hear and get that like emotional connection with something, just like us speaking right now, Kevin.

You think of the fact that somebody could be listening, they could hear my story on the ice business, and they can relate to that in some way, even if they're not in the ice business, but maybe they grew up in a family business just like me, and we have a commonality.

And because of that commonality, they're gonna build a connection and a relationship with me, even though I've never met them.

And so when it does come time to I put another video out there to the world, and the person has the right connection, they might buy that book, they may invest in that company.

Is a great way to communicate a message and build commonality with an audience, which makes them like you, trust you, and want to do business with you.

That's the power of video.

It's a it's really it's storytelling on steroids.

SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah, no doubt, no doubt.

Wow.

Well, I love it.

So I'm curious about something you know, through talking to you so far.

I mean, you've had some like just incredible successes in in your life.

And I'm curious though, has there ever been down, failures?

Like all of us, all of us experience, I mean, because it's so easy to look at the highlight reels, like when we talk about social media and stuff.

And I'm looking at you and I'm thinking though, but there's had to been some moments that life's been not so great.

SPEAKER_00: So many.

I mean, I could share with you, we can do a whole seminar on this on all the failures.

And you know, temporary defeats and failures are what form you into great successes.

I'll share the first one in my life is when I was born, I was I had a speech impediment, so I had a list, so I grew up with a disadvantage.

I couldn't speak properly like everybody else.

And so that was very frustrating for me, especially people that bullied me and and mocked me because I couldn't effectively communicate.

And so for me, I had really built in my subconscious and belief that I had to become a great salesman.

And I knew if I wanted to become a great salesman one day, I had to be an effective speaker and communicator.

And so I immensely focused on speaking, practicing my essays, practicing different words in front of the mirror at a young age.

I was at nine, ten years old, imagine this kid speaking in front of a mirror and practicing speaking.

And so for me, that was my buildup to actually become a great speaker, but also subconsciously, this is great.

I did this as a kid.

People would come up to me and say, Do you have a speech impediment?

And I would actually ignore it and say, No, what are you talking about?

to subconsciously really make myself believe that I didn't.

Eventually, I didn't have a speech impediment anymore, and I actually went on to become a great speaker and now make money from speaking.

And so that was my first disadvantage.

I turned in my advantage.

And if I didn't have a speech impediment, I probably wouldn't be the great communicator I am today because I wouldn't have had a drive and passion to become that great speaker.

And so that is one example just in my life.

But just looking in business, Kevin, I mean, I I've experienced close to bankruptcy.

I've I've faced very hard times in life, but I always kept going.

I'll share one.

And so when we did the show Success in Your City, my wife and I traveled the country, we created a TV series, and we ended up writing a book on it and everything else.

But after we got to our second city, and this is a high-production show, we were basically funding it through raising money and sponsorship, but also spending our own money.

I went through a hardship in business where I had to like spend a bunch of money in one business while also dealing with the show.

And a lot of things hit me at once.

They were saying it rains, it pours.

Well, it poured and it lightning and it thundered.

And and so I literally were sitting in this hotel, we were down to our last, like we didn't actually have anybody, we had credit, and we're down to our last credit.

And we're sitting in a very crappy hotel, and my wife was feeling down like she was depressed.

The whole experience.

I was like feeling like I was letting everybody down, and it was very hard.

It was where I really found God, like I was l searching for something, and so that experience it was so close to wanting to give up and pack the bags, go home and be done with the show.

But I didn't.

I really believed that if we kept going just a little further, that we would get our break.

And it was hard to see it in that hotel and not having any money.

But I found out in life when I've had enough experiences that were very tragic in that time, but then right beyond, there was a sense of peace.

I found out when you're just about and you're in that dark moment.

And the point hill talks about our greatest successes happen beyond our darkest times, the brightest days happened beyond the darkest nights.

And so when I was in my darkest moment, just beyond that, just about to hit my break, I felt a sense of peace.

And right beyond that, in that specific situation, I had a deal go through that I had been working on for months that had made me more money in that deal than I had made in the entire previous year.

And so all of a sudden, the show is back and going, we were good to go, and life was good.

Most people, the problem is they quit right before that break.

I believed that something would happen.

I knew that if I just kept going, and because of that, I was rewarded.

Most people that don't get that break are the people that give up, literally in that last little bit.

And so I just learned in life, you got to keep going.

And that's why it's important to be around people that can cheer you up and push you when you can't push yourself.

SPEAKER_03: Absolutely, absolutely.

I love it, absolutely love it.

Now, last question for you today, and it kind of kind of goes in perfectly with with what you were just talking about.

Is right now it's 2022.

And I would love for you to talk to the person listening to us today who maybe they're just feeling really uncertain about where to go in life, what to do, especially with with the world is just so uncertain here in our own country, the whole world.

Is there any one piece of advice that you would offer to that person today to help them after they they finish listening to this episode?

SPEAKER_00: Yeah, turn off the news.

Brilliant.

Turn off the news and stop getting so caught up in what the social media news tell you.

That that's negativity.

Go read the book, Think and Go Rich by Napoleon Neal.

I really believe that book can change somebody's life.

Actually, before somebody even works in my company, they have to read that book.

And so that's like just a couple quick things you can do.

Turn off the news, read the book, listen to the audio of Think and Go Rich.

Figure out what you want in life.

People that don't achieve like whatever so-called success is, they don't ever realize, like figure out what they want.

And in that process of like trying to figure out, do things because action is what gets results.

So write down on a piece of paper what do you want?

What are you good at?

Where do you want to be in five or ten years?

And then start working backwards and structuring in the game plan that gets you there.

And then after you do that, what are the one or two things you can do every single day that builds up to that success?

The little thing, it's simple, just most people don't do it.

It's like people know if they want to be healthy and they want to be fit, that they have to go to the gym, they have to eat healthy.

They just don't do it.

So put your plan into place and start working towards it.

And then the last piece of advice is take a valuation of your circle.

Who are the people you spend the most time with?

Sadly, some of those people you might have to cut out of your life because they may be the ones that are bringing you down that negativity.

You got to be surrounded by a positive atmosphere.

And even if you don't have those mentors of positive people in your life yet, listen to audiobooks, listen to motivational videos, surround yourself with positive information, and that will help you get to the positive results.

SPEAKER_03: Awesome.

Awesome.

Brandon, man, I know you got a busy day.

I thank you though for taking the time out of your day to spend with me, with those listening.

It means the world to me, and uh, I just really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00: Hey, thank you for having me.

I'm excited uh for this to come out.

I appreciate everybody listening, and thank you, Kevin, for all you're doing with uh being able to create a platform that shares value with the world.

I just admire you for that.

SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.

Thank you very much, man.

For you listening today, as always.

I hope that you have not only enjoyed today's interview, but taken something out of it that was said by Brandon that will positively impact your life, as always, in the hope that it makes tomorrow a little bit better than today.

And that's the lowdown with Evan Low.

I hope today's episode inspired you, motivated you, and excited you to get out and enjoy life, no matter what obstacles may be standing in the way.

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