Welcome to the Vici Code, where we unlock real stories of small business owners who've battled chaos, crushed doubt, and conquered their challenges. Faith, family, and finances. No fluff, just raw, honest conversations that decode the path to victory, one story at a time. The power of a story and the purpose behind you using your voice. I'd like to introduce my very special guest, Sebastian Rusk, a keynote speaker, comedian, podcaster, and the founder of Podcast Launch Lab, my good friend, who I would not be doing this podcast without you. I'm very excited that you took the time to come on here. Let's go. Let's Oh, we are going. We are going Joe Dunaway. First of all, for those of you listening, I want to edify you publicly here and say, I'm so ridiculously proud of the work that you've put into this show. I know we've been in the trenches for the past month and that's why I do what I do. is being able to see you go from who you were on our first call to who you are as a podcast guest, or, and I may say, a damn good podcast host, in your first few episodes on here. That is an extreme pleasure that I take seeing that happen, and I'm so stoked to see what you're gonna do with this show. And most importantly, thanks for having me on. This is a newer thing I've been doing, is getting on shows that we've actually launched, but I do it based on the request of our clients and I'm here to give the people what they want. So let's The whole time when we first started, I was like, this guy's got to be on my podcast. We're doing all this work. What a great story you have to share. And I want to jump right in. You know, you have an incredible background as a comedian and a keynote speaker, captivating audiences from the stage. What was the transition like from being a performer as become, uh, to becoming the podcast launch You know, the story started in very, very humble beginnings, Joe. Back in 2010, some 15 years ago, I had lost everything when the market crashed in 2008, was living in Southern California, full time, single dad with my daughter, market crashes. Newport Beach is a very expensive place to live when you're going broke. So I decided to just sell everything on Craigslist. let the cars get repoed, had a friend in low places here in Miami, cut me a check for five grand, give me the keys to his rental place in downtown Miami and said, just get back here and let's figure it out. And that's exactly what I did. I packed a duffel bag, grabbed some of my daughter's belongings to bought two one-way tickets and just got back home here in Miami where I had some support to start over. And I spent a couple of years sucking my thumb, feeling sorry for myself. And from 2008 to 2000, Uh, I don't know, probably nine ish. I would just, you know, sit on my balcony, looking at the water, drinking bum beer all day, sucking my thumb in victim mode because I had done well for myself in Southern California. And then I lost it all. And then I quickly realized that's what happens when you've got an ego. You think you know it all, you're not responsible with the money that you were blessed with. And well, here you are starting all over again. And then I had an awakening moment. It was 2000, right around 2010, I woke up and I said, I need to go see Tony Robbins. I need to waken the giant within, I need to dust myself off. So I called my friend, Whitney, who worked for Tony at the time. She gives me all the details and then she calls back an hour later and she said, Oh shit, I totally forgot that my best friend lives on Miami beach and she's part of Tony's core team of six. She travels the world with him. And I said, wow, that's amazing. She goes, I should totally introduce you to her. It would definitely be worth the cocktail. Now at this point I have zero self-worth or desire or think anything of myself because I am just a functioning degenerate doing nothing and going nowhere fast. But I had a desire to figure it all out. So I'm like, let me humble myself. Let me go meet this individual. and see what's possible. So we got introduced that same day and we, we connected remotely and totally hit it off. And we agreed to meet for a drink on Friday of that same week. And we met up on Miami beach, remember like it was yesterday and we hit it off immediately. And she immediately said, that's the Tony Robbins caliber of people for you. Very intentional conversation. We're not going to hang out here on the surface. We're going to ask relevant questions and help each other in some form or fashion. I didn't see it that way, but I knew the caliber of Tony Robbins people. So I wasn't shocked when she dove right in and she said, Sebastian, so what's next? And I said, I don't know. And she looked me dead in the eyes. I'd known her for 10 minutes. And she said that. is a fucking problem. And I said to myself, my offended days, who does this girl think she is telling me what I'm doing with my life is a problem. But then I quickly checked myself and said, she works for Tony. You don't, you got about six bucks to your name. You may just want to stay curious. And I said, so what do you mean? She Let me ask you a question. This is where it all changed. She said, who's missing out because you're not showing up. And I thought, I've never even thought She said, yeah, what does it look like for you to do that? What are you going to do about it? That Monday I had what would become my company name, which was social buzz TV. And I started running around town on a bus with my skateboard and a bus pass with a new burning desire to start the biggest, baddest social media company out there. I wear bow ties. I'll meet you at a networking event. I put recap videos together. We're helping out with social media. And I was at least, in the sense that I know what I'm going to go do right around that time. I met a guy by the name of Gary Boehner Chuck. You may or may not have heard of him. Probably have. And Gary became an incredible friend and mentor in my life and would forever change the trajectory of what I would do because I started building a personal brand as a speaker, social media strategist, event MC, and a few years later, author of my first book, in addition to having Social Buzz TV, because one of the first things that Gary taught me was your personal brand in perpetuity is your reputation. And I never forgot that. So for the next six years, I would MC events, speak at events, host networking events, and I continued to build the agency. And we got it to a number that would work on a monthly basis. We were doing 10, 11, 12,000 a month, way more than I was used to. Finally got a car, finally started to do all the things. Because remember, I started this with no way to make money. I had no idea. I had no car. I had a bus pass. And I had, but I would show up at your networking event. I go, Hey Joe, I have a flip cam and I'll put together a recap video of this event. Just let me in and tell all your people about the recap video. When I give it to you, who says no to that? Number one, number two, everyone lets the guy with a bow tie and a camera into their event, everybody. So that worked while, while it did, it worked until it didn't. And it did really, it was still working when I decided that it wasn't anymore. But in 2016, I was like, I really hate this work. Like I don't care about your social media. I don't care about your content. I don't want to wear bow ties anymore. I hate emceeing events and I was getting paid sizable amounts of money to emcees events because I'm really good at it and I'm really good. Like I'm the guy you want on your stage has the hype man, but I hated it because I knew that in reality I was just a stage bitch. and you can't go anywhere and you're the first one there, the last one to leave your job to cut time, add time, make people laugh for three days straight. What does that mean? Nope. After parties, no dinners, no happy hour, no fun. I was in bed every night by 10 o'clock because if I didn't, it was hell to pay on the stage. So I run around the same time I go, Hey, I want to, I think it's time for a girlfriend. So I hopped on a dating app, met a girl March 1st, 2016, never forget it. And she said, I'm in this personal development program. The first day that I met her, I said, Oh, let me tell you about personal development. Tony Robbins, landmark forum walked on fire. What I didn't tell her was that I didn't do shit with everything, anything that I learned. And she was really adamant about me joining this program. And I didn't, but I really liked her. And a few weeks later, she had just signed me up for the program. And it was a two-part program, a long weekend and then a Wednesday through Sunday, like a five-day deal, part one and part two. And while I had done the landmark forum and Tony Robbins and understood the basics of personal development, this just ripped everything out of me that didn't need to be in me so that I could shift. And I came out of this, she broke up with me in the middle of it as if personal development's not hard enough, let's throw a little heartbreak in the mix. But when I came out of this, a couple things started to happen. Number one, I learned how to love myself. So I didn't hate what I was doing. I hated myself. And when you hate yourself, you hate everything in your path and around that. So I was able to shift from no self-love to loving myself, or at least learning what that initial process looks like, and then becoming fully accountable for my life. past, present, and future. We're done blaming mom and dad. We're done blaming everyone else and your circumstances. And we're just owning it because when we love ourselves, we have accountability. It allows us to step into our power and shine in that power. And what happens when people recognize that we're different and our energy is different and we're powerful. And people were like, I want to be like that. And they gravitate towards us. I didn't really understand that then, but, um, shortly after getting done with that course and the breakup, went and rented a desk, had a coworking space, ran into an old friend that I had met at a speaking event. We were both getting miked up in the back of the room and I had stayed in touch with her, but I hadn't seen her in a minute. And she said, I have an internet radio show. And I recorded here at this coworking space. And I said, great, what is that? And she was like, well, um, and she couldn't explain what the hell this stupid internet radio show was. And I said, you know, you can have a podcast. Now, mind you, I'm searching for how to get the hell out of the digital space, but still stay in it. Talk She goes, walk me down to my car. Let's talk more about this. And she was kind of cute. So I was like, I'll walk you anywhere. So I walked her down to her car and she pokes me in the chest and she goes, why don't you create a solution that helps people start a podcast? Joe, when I say antennas up light bulb moment. Holy shit. This is how I leave. But stay went right back up to my rented desk and mapped out what would become the podcast launch lab, which is a turnkey podcast launch solution to take you from idea to iTunes in 90 days or less so that you can radically change your life and your business. because you started a podcast and I mapped it out. And here's what we're going to do is a 30 day program. It was 2,500 bucks and I would just launch your show. And that was it. And that was 10 years ago. And for the past 10 years, I've been dialing in that solution, changing it drastically, definitely not 2,500 bucks anymore. Um, but got it to a place where it attracts successful business owners like yourself, typically seven to nine figure businesses want to start a podcast, don't know what to do, don't want to figure it out on their own, want to work with the best and want to get there yesterday. And the podcast is just the vehicle. It's a small part of what we get to do, who you get to become as a podcaster and how your business is radically changed and impacted and what you're doing for other people through the podcast is what it's all about. And Joe, that's what I get to do. When work feels like fun, well, it's not work and I'm just in here, just out here living in my purpose And you know what? You've got this ability to make the work in building this not work either. It's fun. I've had the pleasure of working with you and it's been so much fun this whole time and it's exciting and you bring all that energy and you know, I'm grateful that, you know, we got to give a shout out to Dan Martell and the elite group. for bringing us together. Cause if it wasn't for that, I don't know if I would have met you and we wouldn't be doing this. We wouldn't have this conversation. I wouldn't have the Vici code podcast. So, and I love that story. That story's always got that for anyone who's, you know, who's made it on their own. They've always has have those moments that they can talk about where they were at their lowest lows. And that's what the Vici codes all about is, you know, being that motivation, being that inspiration for other and connecting with other entrepreneurs that are out there that are looking around, man, is there anybody else who've been there? Should I give up? And I, we implore you don't give up. We've all been there. Right. And you know, your motto is everyone harbors an incredible story and you all just heard an incredible story, Sebastian. I need to know now that you are changing people's lives and work is fun, you know, I'd like to know a little bit more of, you know, what are the specific challenging moments, you know, you faced in your career, maybe a failed project or a major setback that led to a breakthrough and how you approach your business Well, let me correct you real quick. I don't change anybody's life. You change your life. I just point out, I just, I just point out all the blind spots and call balls and strikes and the facilitator. I get to be part of all that. And I learned that Joe, through my own mentors and my own coaches, when I go, oh my God, you changed my life. And they go, no, I didn't. You did, you did the work. I just help facilitate on that on there. So I always like to point all that out because I could never take credit for people, you know, changing their own life because they actually go and do all that. But man, it sure is a it sure fills my cup to be part of that. I would say the biggest obstacles that I've faced have been the doors that have been slammed in my face and the nose that I've been given that never made sense. There's a quote out there that says it's God may not be saying no, he may be saying not now. And I quickly realized that every no is not just a no. Sometimes it is because it's not good for you and you're being protected. Another great quote, God's your rejection is God's protection. And I know both of us are men of faith, even though I talk like a sailor, I love Jesus. And I firmly believe that is a reality, having lived all of that out. So there's always going to be obstacles and challenges when moving in the direction of our goals and our dreams. And when we're met with resistance, I no longer question the resistance. I say it's happening exactly the way it is supposed to happen on here. So hurdles and obstacles along the way are there to slow us down, to have us check in real quick, Um, but over 15 years, it has been at, we'd be here till next Tuesday, going over every challenge and hurdle that I've gone to gone through. But it has made me the individual that I am and continues to shape and mold me into who I am. There's a, there's a story you may have heard about Michelangelo creating the statue of David and people being in such awe of the statue of David. And to which they would say, Michelangelo, how did you create something so beautiful? To which you would say, I didn't create anything. I simply chipped away at everything that wasn't David, and David appeared. And I thought, man, what does that look like to apply in our lives on a daily basis? What are you chipping away at today that's no longer you so that you can continue to evolve and step in to the person you were designed to be? I often pose the question in my talks, of, are you willing to give up who you've become to be who you are? And that spins people's heads, um, more times than not. But you know, we've, we've, we've, we've, we've become this person up until now, are we willing to give up the areas that may no longer be serving us to step into other roles that will serve us? Right, because we're not who we were, right? And chipping away, that all leads to growth. And it kind of really leads into where I want to go in this next question, which is, as the hosts of podcasts suck, you dive deep into the intricacies of the medium. What's the biggest mistake or the most common fear you see entrepreneurs have when they think about starting trying to do all the work themselves and think that they can figure it all out. And I can do it. I can record the episode and I can burn a midnight oil and I can edit. I enjoy editing. You're a liar. No one enjoys that except my editing team. I would rather wake up in the morning, punch myself in the face and eat my pillow than ever edit anything. Why? Because that's not my gift, but I've got an entire team that loves it. So the biggest mistake people make is a inaction. They're bullshit excuses on why they haven't started instead of just doing it because there is no right time. There is no perfect time. There is no someday. There is no one day. Those days do not exist or not even actual days. And so if you're listening to this right now and you're thinking about figuring out the right time to do your thing and start your thing, and you're out there waiting for money, not to be funny or cows, not to go move or the sun, not to come up, you're going to be waiting a long time. The time is right now, more importantly, because there is a clock ticking that none of us can see. So what's the biggest mistake I see people make a trying to do it on their own and That's interesting. And so like we discussed, like you're, you're a man of faith. I'm a man of faith. It's definitely been a part of our journey. Um, how does your faith inform your approach to business and I believe that that gut feeling is God's whisper. So every time I meet somebody, people give themselves away. I know in the first couple of minutes, whether or not I'm ever going to do business with this individual or whether or not I resonate with them and we jive and we're going to be able to get along. So I utilize that gut feeling and how people show up, um, as it, as an internal compass on whether or not I want to do business with them. And I also look at it, you know, the buying signals from people when I'm talking to them, if people have to get the money together, figure out a budget or we'll plan this. And they've got nothing but excuses. How you do one thing is how you do everything. So that's their, that's how they live their life. And I know exactly what I'm dealing with right now. When, when, based on when I experienced scenarios like that. And I quickly just say, you know, John, I just don't know that you and I are aligned. Uh, but it's such a pleasure to connect with you. Um, and here's some resources that And that's important. Yeah. Yeah. You gotta, it's gotta be the right fit. It's, it's, it's an approach that we take here at Vichy Financial Financial and you know, we're not the right fit for everybody for better or worse. So, um, yeah, I, I totally see that. So let's talk about, you know, what, what Sebastian Rusk's legacy is, you know, some advice for others. You've built a reputation for infusing every event with energy and personality as a dad and an entrepreneur. What's your biggest challenge right now in balancing your What's your vision for the future? There's not much challenge at all because what does the work, the work that I do air quotes work that I do is fun. And like Dan Martell says, if work is fun, then it's not work. You know that quote out there, you I live that. Like, I, I mean, I try to work as least as possible. I might work four or five hours a day and that's a full day. And I try to take Fridays off, play golf. I try to keep the calendar clear on Mondays. I try to make room and create margin and bandwidth to live my life. I built my business around my life, not my life around my business. And I think that's a common mistake that people make is all I want to do is work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work. And then what happens? Their marriage suffers, their family suffers. And next thing you know, kids are out of the house and guess what? Good luck getting them home outside of holidays. So I try to be intentional about, doing whatever I want, whenever I want, with whoever I want, however I want. And that provides a tremendous amount of freedom. Now, that doesn't mean I'm an absolute, total, loose cannon and irresponsible. My number one priority, my boss, my wife, who I have to answer to are my clients, because there's always somebody to answer to. And for me, it's my clients. If anything that I'm living, doing in my life is going to interfere with what the work that I'm doing with my clients, then I'm out of integrity and I need to check Sebastian. But if I wake up Friday morning, Thursday morning and somebody rescheduled and I only had one thing on the calendar, guess what? It looks like I got a free bonus day to go play golf and I'm going to go do whatever I want. Now, some days I'll go, Hey, let's get some work done that I got to get what I've been putting off or content or whatever it may be. But. Yeah. I mean, I joke and people were like, must be nice. I'm like, listen, it is real nice. You know why? Cause I made it this way. You know what I mean? People see, I fly first class and I meet, you know, having lunch 30,000 feet in the air and having a Tito's on a Tuesday morning at 10 AM must be nice. It is because I made it that way. You know how long it's been. I mean, how long I flew in coach in row 28 in With that type of humility and growth mindset, there's a lot more to go in your life with Podcast Launch Lab. What's your big, hairy, audacious goal? They call it the BHAG. What's next? To be able to position myself as the go-to source for all things launching a podcast and ongoing producing and production of being able to do it, being a world-renowned speaker, my speaking business isn't geared towards podcasting. There is an element that I tie into podcasting, but The keynote talks that I give, I'm more of a motivational and leadership speaker that speaks to people about stepping into a completely different version of themselves so that they can stop playing small and they can live in their purpose on purpose. So continuing to expand my brand as a communicator and a speaker, I believe that is one of the number one gifts that I have is the platform and my ability to effectively communicate and effective communication. And my definition of that is able to get into the heads and hearts of the audience. And when people hear what I have to say, they don't just hear me and they don't just listen to me, but they take it and they do something with it. So my words get force them into action because I get into their heart and into their head. So expanding my speaking business, um, continuing to grow the podcast launch lab, uh, to a multiple seven figure business, and then selling it off to a large platform like Spotify or a podcast solution out there that wants to pay 200 million for it. And then, figure out what's next. Cause like, you know, our coach Dan Martell, a hundred million dollar guy is, he's still out there working probably harder than most of us out there these days, but work becomes, it's not work. It's our responsibility. It will much too much is given much as expected. So I don't think that I would ever have a big exit and then just cash out and sit on the beach all day. I can do that right now. And that gets pretty No, guys like us, we don't, we don't stop. There's no, no such thing as retiring. It's just doing something different, right? Correct. Yes. Well, listen, there's no doubt that I know you're on the right track. You're on the right path. You've, you've, uh, surrounded yourself with the right people and, uh, you're impacting the right people. Um, you know, where can people connect with you and, and whether they want to work with you or just learn more about your Yeah, I've got an OnlyFans page where I sell feet pics if you're into that. I'm just kidding. So Instagram sauce. Yeah, that's a side hustle. Instagram is probably where I hang out the most. It's at podcast suck. Link to that will be in the show notes to make it easy for in case you're driving while you're listening to this. It's at podcast suck. That's podcast plural. And I got a special gift for your listeners. Um, so if you're listening to this right now, find me on Instagram at podcast suck. Send me a message with How about that? VG send it to podcast suck VG and he's got a present for you. Okay. Well, the power of storytelling, the importance of overcoming fear, and the purpose behind using your voice for a greater good. Thank you, Sebastian, for your time, your electrifying energy, and for sharing your transformative insights. We appreciate you. Briefly and sincerely express Uh, so much gratitude to, uh, uh, our clients, your clients, um, everyone we've been, uh, been able to be touched by in our networks. Uh, Thanks for tuning in to the Vici Code, where the underdogs rise and the numbers finally make sense. If today's story hit home, share it. And remember, faith fuels