Issue #12: Three Easy Steps To Get Thrown Out Of A Convention

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👋 New Here? Meet Your Hosts!

Since we've had a flood of new subscribers (welcome to the chaos!), let's do a quick introduction for those who haven't been part of our entrepreneurial misadventures from the start:

Greg (Newsletter Author): An ex-corporate executive who traded his corner office for a startup rollercoaster. Picture a recovering corporate executive with ADHD who discovered entrepreneurship is just professional problem-solving with fewer meetings and more chaos. I spent decades building other people's real estate empires before deciding to build my own mini-empire of side hustles. Currently juggling more business ideas than a circus clown with ADHD.

Kirsten (Reluctant Newsletter Participant): Engineering consultant turned kid-wrangling superhero. An environmental engineer who traded saving the planet for saving me from myself. While she expertly manages multiple businesses with meticulous precision, our three wonderfully reserved boys quietly inherit her organizational skills rather than my chaos. Thank goodness - one crazed entrepreneur per household is enough.

She has flipped houses more times than most people change their phones (10 and counting), including the one time she agreed to relocate across the country while 7 months pregnant (because why not add some extra excitement?).

Together, we're:

• Mountain enthusiasts, both

• A chaos-embracing squirrel married to a spreadsheet ninja

• Serial movers (seriously, our movers have us on speed dial)

• Accidental entrepreneurs

• And... possibly the authors of a secret outdoor newsletter (more on that bombshell next week 👀)

Whether you're here for the business insights, the entrepreneurial chaos, or just to watch me try to explain our latest ventures to my mom, welcome to the family!

Side Hustle Stack Update (advisory, media, power)

Advisory: Living the dream

Remember when I said real estate development was my superpower? Well, turns out it's more like a friendship bracelet - it works best when shared.

We're currently juggling projects across:

• Suburban developments

• Downtown transformations

• Resort destinations

And here's the wild part—I'm learning more from my clients than they probably are from me. In particular, my suburban client is a real estate genius in disguise. How grateful am I for the referrals and trust people have placed in me? It's like winning the lottery—so humble and grateful.

Key Lessons:

• Everything takes 3x longer than you expect

• Communication isn't just key; it's the whole keychain

• Gratitude, empathy, and authenticity aren't just buzzwords

• Sometimes the best leadership is just listening

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The Media Empire: What My Wife Calls "That Blog Thing"

⚠️ Greg's Brain Warning: What follows is a mostly accurate re-creation of kitchen conversations with my wife. While my ADHD brain may have taken some creative liberties with the exact dialogue, the essence of Kirsten's skepticism and my chaotic enthusiasm is 100% real.

Scene: Our kitchen. I'm excitedly mapping out content strategies on the back of a napkin while Kirsten reviews chargeFUZE spreadsheets.

KIRSTEN: (without looking up) "So explain this media thing again. You write newsletters?"

ME: "It's not just newsletters, honey. It's an empire in the making!"

KIRSTEN: (finally glancing at my napkin chaos) "An empire of... emails?"

ME: "Okay, let me break this down. You know how Disney started with a mouse?"

KIRSTEN: "Please don't compare yourself to Disney."

ME: "Too late! Here's the thing - media empires aren't built on real estate anymore..."

Why Newsletters? Why Now?

Remember when every business "guru" told you to master SEO (that's Search Engine Optimization for my mom, who's reading this)? Well, that game is dying faster than my attempts to maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

Think about it - when's the last time you actually scrolled through Google results? These days, I'm asking ChatGPT or Perplexity AI directly. They don't just show you links - they understand what you're looking for and give you actual answers.

This changes everything:

• You can't trick AI with keyword stuffing

• Backlink schemes are becoming useless

• Content farms are dying

• The only thing that matters? Authentic human experience

The Only Moat Left: Being Unapologetically You

After 30 years in real estate development, entrepreneurial misadventures, and that one time I almost got arrested at a franchise convention (see below), I've got stories nobody else can tell. And guess what? You do, too.

That's why we're pivoting our media strategy:

1. Going Deep, Not Wide

• Focusing intensely on My New Meta

• Building a true community

• Creating deeper connections

• Sharing real, unfiltered experiences

• Providing a digital workspace

2. Building Something Bigger

Remember how record labels don't make music themselves? They find unique voices and help them reach audiences. That's what we're building - but for digital creators.

#1 Introducing FreedomStack: Because Pensions Went Extinct

KIRSTEN: (looking interested for the first time) "But how does this actually help people?"

ME: (excited that she's finally engaging) "That's the best part! We're turning all this newsletter knowledge into Freedom Stack™"

KIRSTEN: "Is this another one of your made-up words?"

ME: "No, it's a (upcoming 2025 thing) webapp that... okay, yes, I made up the name. BUT - hear me out..."

Here's the thing nobody talks about at corporate happy hours: pensions are going the way of the dinosaurs. Your company's "golden handcuffs" are more like plastic zip ties these days. That amazing pension your parents retired on? Yeah, good luck finding one of those in 2024.

That's where Freedom Stack™ comes in. Think of it as your personal escape pod builder:

• Start while you're still employed

• Build multiple income streams systematically

• Create your safety net before you need it

• Be ready when corporate decides to "restructure"

KIRSTEN: (actually putting down her spreadsheet) "So it's like a retirement plan, but with more control?"

ME: "Exactly! Instead of hoping your RRSP (401k for our US folks) survives the next market crash, you're building income streams you actually control."

#2 Newsletter Producer Program

But wait, there's more! (Sorry, I couldn't resist the infomercial moment)

In 2025, we're launching our Newsletter Producer program. Imagine:

• You've got incredible stories and expertise

• We provide the systems and support

• You focus on creating authentic content

• We handle everything else

• Revenue shares like a record deal, but for newsletters

KIRSTEN: (looking skeptical again) "So you're the Simon Cowell of newsletters?"

ME: "Think more like Dr. Dre. Less reality TV drama, more building empires."

5 Critical Takeaways For Your Future

1. AI Killed SEO, Long Live Authenticity Your real-life experience and unique stories are worth more than any SEO strategy in an AI world.

2. Your RRSP (401k for US folks) isn't enough. Corporate loyalty programs won't fund your future—start building multiple income streams while you still have a paycheck.

3. Audience First, Products Later Build trust and community before trying to sell anything. Your audience will tell you what they need.

4. Start Now, Perfect Later The best safety net is the one you build before you need it. Document your journey and share what you learn.

5. Think Systems, Not Side Hustles Build repeatable processes that scale, not just one-off projects. Your time should multiply, not divide.

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7th Inning Stretch: here are a few things to play with this weekend:

• Since starting my new career in sales with our chargeFUZE business (see below), I have been reading The Follow Up. They talk about sales like your friend, not your manager. If you need to sharpen the saw with your negotiations, communications, or direct sales, check it out. Everyone’s job is to sell to someone; you just might not realize it yet.

• Instead of wrestling with multiple AI chatbots in different tabs, try ChatPlayground - your all-in-one AI command center. Compare responses from leading AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity side-by-side, all in one interface. It's like having a roundtable of AI advisors but without the hassle of juggling multiple subscriptions and logins. Perfect for discovering which AI assistant vibes best with your style.

• Spinach AI is the first AI Meeting Agent. It joins your meeting on Zoom, Slack, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. It helps run the agenda, captures meeting notes, and answers questions about previous meetings. It also Updates action items in your existing tools.

• I always love Andrew Bolis’ guides. Here's How to Make $300 Per Day By Posting AI Videos on YouTube Shorts: A Step-by-Step Guide.

ChargeFUZE Chronicles: The Convention Caper

⚠️ Greg's Disclaimer: As my wonderful wife often reminds me, some things didn't happen exactly as I described - my ADHD brain sometimes has a weird geeky filter. But the chaos and lessons are 100% real!

Picture this scene at our kitchen table on the morning of the franchise convention:

KIRSTEN: (excitedly looking at her phone) "There's a franchise convention downtown today!"

ME: (skeptically sipping coffee) "And we care because...? Won't it be full of, you know... pedestrian businesses?" (cringing at my own words from last month's newsletter Issue #11: From Tech Snob To Franchise Fanboy: A Transformation Story )

KIRSTEN: (with that 'I told you so' smile) "Oh, you mean like that 'pedestrian' franchise that's about to make us money while we sleep?"

ME: (suddenly very interested in my coffee mug) "Touché."

KIRSTEN: "It's perfect! We need dealers, they want franchises. I tried getting us a booth, but they're full."

ME: "So... we just wasted a phone call?"

KIRSTEN: "No, we're still going. We'll just hand out pamphlets!"

ME: "Like... guerrilla marketing?"

KIRSTEN: "But like, friendly guerrilla marketing! With maple syrup and politeness!"

ME: (realizing I've married an entrepreneurial genius/madwoman) "You know people paid actual money for those booths, right?" (that was an actualization that came on very strong later)

KIRSTEN: "Exactly! They paid to bring the perfect audience to us!"

ME: "Nobody expects the Canadian guerrilla marketers..."

KIRSTEN: "Our chief weapon is surprise... surprise and pamphlets..."

ME: "Did you just turn this into a Monty Python sketch?"

KIRSTEN: (grinning) "I've learned from the best. Now grab your coat!"

ME: "Why do I feel like this ends with security getting involved?"

KIRSTEN: "Because you're finally developing business intuition?"

ME: "I can't believe I'm the voice of reason here. Has the world gone mad?"

KIRSTEN: "No, it's gone entrepreneurial. Now move it!"

ME: "To be fair, this will make great newsletter content..."

Narrator: What followed was a masterclass in what NOT to do at a franchise convention. But first, a quick detour into destiny...

When we arrived at the convention center, the universe decided to test my focus. There, in the basement, was a Magic: The Gathering tournament. A MAGIC TOURNAMENT! Was this a coincidence, or was the multiverse trying to tell me something?

ME: (already edging toward the stairs) "You know, maybe we should check out the basement first..."

KIRSTEN: (grabbing my arm) "No. You are not ditching our guerrilla marketing mission for a card game."

ME: "But honey, they might need phone charging between matches!"

KIRSTEN: "Focus, Greg. Focus."

ME: (watching a stack of pizza boxes being carried downstairs) "Fine. But I want it noted that we passed up a perfect opportunity to target the geek market."

KIRSTEN: (noticing my gaze following the pizza delivery guy) "The answer is still no, even if they have pepperoni."

ME: (longingly) "Fifteen pizzas, Kirsten. Fifteen!"

Turns out, hijacking foot traffic from people who paid thousands for booth space is somewhat frowned upon. Who knew that "excuse me, do you have a moment to talk about phone charging?" would be met with such hostility from legitimate vendors? The vending machine guys were particularly upset - apparently, they take their territory very seriously. Note to self: Never get between a vending machine entrepreneur and their potential customers.

Though in retrospect, the basement crew probably would have been more receptive to our guerrilla marketing tactics. Magic players understand the desperate need for portable charging - try keeping your phone alive through an eight-hour tournament while constantly checking your deck-building app. Those fifteen pizzas probably needed charging stations too. (Still not over missing that pizza, Kirsten.)

But here's the real plot twist - while I was busy getting death stares from legitimate booth owners and longingly glancing at the basement stairs, Kirsten was working her magic. My usually sensible partner, who somehow channelled my chaotic energy for this adventure, managed to turn our near-ejection into a legitimate booth booking for next year.

Picture this: Security is literally walking us toward the exit. I'm mentally calculating how many newsletters I can write about getting kicked out of a franchise convention. And there's Kirsten, chatting up the event manager like we're all just having a casual coffee:

KIRSTEN: (to event manager) "You know, this is exactly the kind of entrepreneurial spirit your convention celebrates!"

SECURITY GUARD: (pausing mid-escort) "Ma'am, you were distributing unauthorized materials."

KIRSTEN: "We prefer to call it 'spontaneous market research.'"

EVENT MANAGER: (trying not to laugh) "And what exactly is chargeFUZE?"

Ten minutes later, we're not only NOT banned for life, but we're booked for next year's event. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out how we went from "please leave immediately" to "see you next year!"

This, dear readers, is why every entrepreneur needs a Kirsten (now VP, Operations)—someone who can turn catastrophically bad ideas into actual business opportunities, even if they're occasionally the one suggesting we crash conventions with pamphlets. She's like a business alchemist, turning potential criminal trespassing charges into networking opportunities.

Bonus: The event manager turned out to be a huge entrepreneur herself. Within minutes, they were deep in conversation about multiple revenue streams and scaling strategies. While I was still mourning my missed MTG tournament and pizza opportunity, Kirsten was building our next strategic partnership.

Lesson learned: Sometimes the best business meetings happen while being escorted out by security. Also, always let Kirsten do the talking when law enforcement gets involved.