Overview

Ryan Levesque is the Inc. 500 CEO of the Ask Method Company and number one best selling author of the books Ask and Choose. Ryan’s work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, FORBES, and Entrepreneur. Ryan is a co-founder and investor in Bucket.io and his latest book focuses on what type of business you should start. In this, the latest episode of the Only Business Networking Podcast on iTunes, Ryan talks to your host Travis Chappell about escaping societal pressure to do what you were born to do and his ONE business move that moves all of his businesses forward. Tune in to get Ryan’s book for free!

Episode Highlights:

• Ryan grew up in the mountains of New Hampshire as a blue-collar kid – he did a lot of work at home to assist his parents.
• Both of Ryan’s parents taught him the importance of a strong work ethic, he worked close to 7 days a week most weeks.
• How Ryan encourages a strong work ethic in his kids.
• Ryan’s parents always knew that the path out of the blue-collar grind was to go to college.
• He was the first in his family to go to college and got into Brown University.
• How Ryan decided not to pursue neuroscience and why he felt like he was letting people down.
• Ryan worked on Wall Street, then he moved to China to open up offices for AIG, then he told his parents he was going to quit to sell e-books online.
• A “quarter-life crisis” led Ryan to start his first business, he was making good money and doing something he liked.
• No one except for his wife believed in him, not even his parents.
• The number one thing that holds people back is that people are afraid to screw up good in order to go after great.
• A lot of what holds people back is the “head trash.”
• The main idea of Ryan’s most recent book Choose.
• People who fail do so because they chose bad markets.
• Every successful market fits within a very narrow search volume.
• Ryan is giving away a free hardcover copy of the book for just a few dollars in shipping and over $200 in bonuses including the audiobook.
• Do you believe that who you know or what you know is more important, and why?
• Richard Branson hires the number 2 guy at the number one company and makes that person his number one.
• Ryan talks about a time when a connection led to a moment of success.
• None of us is self-made, we all stand on the shoulders of giants.

The Random Round:

• What profession other than your own do you think it would be fun to attempt?
  • Lego master builder
• If you could sit on a park bench with anyone past or present and talk with them for an hour, who would it be and why?
  • Elon Musk
  • He has a lot of admiration for someone who risked it all to create something he believed in
• How do you like to consume content?
  • Reading
• What’s one of Ryan’s favorite books?
  • Ray Dalio’s Principles
• Ryan’s morning routine:
  • Wake up and make breakfast and lunch for the kids
  • Kick the day off with gratitude
  • Take kids to school
  • Work out with a trainer
  • Muse meditation
  • Hop in the shower and get to work
• What is your go-to pump up song?
  • Macklemore’s Can’t Hold Us
• What is something you’re not very good at?
  • Dancing
• What is one place online where we can find Ryan the most?
  • Facebook and Instagam
  • Choosethebook.com/build

3 Key Points:

1. Don’t be afraid to give up something good to go after something great.
2. People who fail in business tend to do so because they choose the wrong market.
3. The most successful people have ONE move – Ryan’s is to find the right mentor and be their number one student.

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I felt like there was untapped potential inside of me, and if I didn’t do something about it now, when?.” -Ryan
• “The safe option is always there.” -Travis
• “One of the biggest questions I get is how to know what market size is right for you.” -Ryan
• “None of us are self-made, we all stand on the shoulders of giants.” -Ryan

Resources Mentioned:

• Visit Travis’ website at Buildyournetwork.co
• Join the Build Your Network Facebook group BYN.media/fb
• Join the Build Your Network University Facebook group here byn.university.
• Get Travis’ free mastermind course at freemmcourse.com/enroll
• Download the Himalaya App to listen to the BYN podcast a day early
• Get Travis free course at travischappell.com/hero
• Spend a full day with Travis Chappell and learn how to grow your network
• Join the Explode test group at TravisChappell.com/explode
• Go to TravisChappell.com/thrive to get your ticket!
• Get Ryan’s book and over $200 in bonuses FREE at Choosethebook.com/build