The Road Not Taken

How I got here…

21: Graduated Vanderbilt in 3 years Magna Cum Laude, and took a fancy consulting job.
23 yrs old: Left my fancy consulting job to start a business (a gym).
24 yrs old: Opened 5 gym locations.
26 yrs old: Closed down 6th gym. Lost everything.
26 yrs old: Got back to launching gyms (launched 33). Then, lost everything for a 2nd time.
26 yrs old: In desperation, started licensing model as a hail mary. It worked.
27 yrs old: "Gym Launch" does $3M profit the next 6 months. Then $17M profit next 12 months.
28 yrs old: Started Prestige Labs. $20M the first year.
29 yrs old: Launched ALAN, a software company for agencies to work leads for customers. Scaled to $1.7mmo within 6 months.
31 yrs old: Sold 75% of UseAlan to a strategic buyer in an all stock deal.
31 yrs old: Sold 66% of Gym Launch & Prestige Labs at $46.2M valuation in all-cash deal to American Pacific Group. (you can google it)
32 yrs old: Started making free content showing how we grow companies to make real business education accessible to everyone (and) to attract business owners to invest or scale their businesses.

Today: Our portfolio now does $200M/yr between 10 companies. The largest doing $100M/yr the smallest doing $5M per year. Our ownership varies between 20% and 100% ownership of the companies. Many of them we invested in early and helped grow (which is how we make our money - not youtube videos).

To all the gladiators in the arena, we’re all in the middle of writing our own stories. The worse the monsters, the more epic the story.

You either get an epic outcome or an epic story. Both mean you win.

Keep crushing. May your desires be greater than your obstacles.

Never quit,

Alex

DISCLOSURE
Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business strategies, and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary.
Copyright © 2025.

[BusinessQuotes]

“Outgrowing your circle isn’t loneliness — it’s evolution. Don’t apologize for your ambition.”

[jacksonholt]

Thank you so much I needed this right now. I’m 22 years old and I have been growing a business for the past year and have been struggling to pay my bills but I’m finally growing to a point that I’m making good money. I have been working all day every day and realized I lost all my friends. But this video reminded me that I am on the right path

[kentan]

Ur right, everyones goal is different, you can be in the same group for 60 years and be the best mom for your children. Thats a massive success story.

[mateo_gts]

True, I cut off all the relationships that were holding me back this year.

[utdrich]

I’m in my early 40s and still struggling to give myself permission to go for it, still feeling the sting of my disappointed father who thinks I’m wasting my time and should just go get a real job, still feeling the pressure of every person in a position of authority who wants my next check-in to be that I’ve achieved some high position in a big company. And I just want to do a medical technology startup from the ground up. It’s not even about the money, it’s about knowing I have it in me and feeling I’m supposed to.

[alzwise]

To be honest, I have 2 sets of friends, one that I talk about business, growth and gym cnstantly and the other group where we generally talk about anything which sometimes does include the other list, I love both sets of friends just constantly talking about business is exhausting which is why I like having 2 sets of friends for

[杨嘉娟]

Yep, this is difficult part that “different path different goal” if they understand and trust you, you don’t need to explain, if already on the different path, waste time to explain

[darlenamortenson]

I think some ppl can grow with us. The ones that cheer us on and dive into the pits to hold our hand and help us remember that we are strong. For me, that's my sister...yet, there is heartache and grief in distancing ourselves from those we wish could come along. The truth is in realizing that if we stay, we remain the same-sitting still in stagnancy. Yet, there is also peace in letting our own voice be heard and the love remains.

[austinwarren]

Then there's those that recognize your ambition and try to hold you down. Even better when it's a manager and you're trying to get your career going

[SleepyGameFacts]

Deviated from that path 3 years ago and haven't really spent time with anyone except my girlfriend since. It was lonely at first but i actually prefer the silence now

[branwhite]

Worst thing i ever thought was that my father knew anything about money and life

[miaholley]

Whoooohoo! Say that! I am there right now! Thank you for letting me know I am NOT alone!

[adamg]

Well hopefully you and your spouse are aligned on what trade offs to make. You’re a union now!

[ef]

Yes, general advice talked me out of my ideas for decades. I looked at my retirement, and it looked like a deadend. After building up my own ambition for the last 5 years, I just bought my first LLC today, with my first retirement check. Thanks to coaches like Alex, Leila, Tony, and Dean, changed my whole direction. The only thing I quit was coffee so I have a better night's sleep, and appetite to keep going.

[zweakel]

"Their own fear masquerading as reality"

[orpingtonclose]

This kind of behavior is why sabotaging the growth of others exist and isn't unwarranted

This pertains most poignantly to marriages. There can never be a healthy marriage dynamic when this is prevalent

[becauseofhimiam]

I don't know who this is. But what he said is something my wife and I were just talking about. I'm a follower now because this made so much sense

[JigsawPiece]

Time to level up your circle of friends. Unfortunately, can't level up your family 😆

[Phatxual]

I hate how Alex is right about like literally every single thing😅😂💯🧡

[TheGarcia]

Damn Alex, why did you have to attack me like that so early in the morning. Big decisions to make, today.