Travis Makes Money

Hey everyone, welcome to another preview episode of Travis Makes Friends! This time, I’m diving deeper into my friendship with the hilarious Nikki Howard. We’re talking comedy, storytelling, and the wild world of content creation—from her love for sketch comedy to her big-picture goals of crafting long-form narratives on screen. Nikki shares updates on her latest projects, including her web series...

Student Loan Horror Story: A viral video highlights a 26-year-old with $90,000 in student debt paying a staggering 17% interest rate—and after years of $1,500/month payments, she owes more than the original amount. Student loan debt in the U.S. has exploded, rising from $187 billion to $1.4 trillion since 1990, while college costs are up 420%, but starting wages for graduates have only risen about...

Guest: Alex Smereczniak— Serial entrepreneur, former CEO of 2ULaundry & Laundry Lab (over $100M valuation, 118 franchises sold), founder of Franzy (30,000+ monthly users, $3M+ raised to help people buy “cash-flowing” businesses). Early Hustles & First Big Win: Started with classic entrepreneurial pursuits: trading cards, washing cars as a kid, and then running a laundry delivery business (“Wake Wa...

Joseph Shalaby, founder and CEO of e-mortgage capital, joins Travis Chappell to share his journey in the mortgage industry. With over 20 years of experience, Joseph is known for his innovative lending solutions and personal branding strategies. His unique approach to the mortgage business and his commitment to transparency make him a standout figure in the industry. Connect with Joseph: https://ww...

Join Travis as he sits down with Neil Ghosh, a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in launching and scaling both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Neil shares his journey from his early days in India to becoming a successful leader in the U.S., emphasizing the importance of passion, mentorship, and reinvention. Neil Ghosh's Website: https://www.neilghosh.org/ ✖️ ✖️ ✖️ ✖️ 🚀 Tra...

 In this episode, Travis Chappell sits down with Robin Dreeke, a former FBI special agent, to explore the art of communication. Robin shares his journey from spy recruitment to sales, emphasizing the importance of trust, empathy, and empowering others with choice. Discover actionable strategies to enhance your communication skills and build lasting relationships in both personal and professional s...

Episode Description: Join Travis Chappell on the Travis Makes Money podcast as he sits down with Jace Graham, CEO of Rising Phoenix Capital. In this insightful episode, Jace shares his expertise on alternative investments, focusing on the lucrative opportunities in oil, gas, and real estate. Discover how to leverage mineral rights, non-operated working interests, and 1031 exchanges to diversify yo...

Guest: Rafa Conde — Founder & CEO of Man of War, former DEA/Narcotics/SWAT officer, best-selling author, host of the Men of War podcast (35M+ downloads), elite leadership coach, and multimillion-dollar entrepreneur. Early Hustle & Lessons: Rafa’s first money came washing cars at age 11, developing a bias for action, self-reliance, and learning to execute before overthinking or overplanning. Early...

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/XSt1XdCWoFY Welcome to The Travis Makes Friends Podcast, where we dive into building better relationships and uncovering the truth about human connections. In this episode, we’re joined by Emmy-winning TV producer and podcast host Johnathan Walton, who shares his chilling personal story of being scammed out of nearly $100,000 by a professional con arti...

Guest: Matthew Le Merle — CEO & Co-Founder of Blockchain Coinvestors, global blockchain VC, early investor in 1200+ startups (Coinbase, Kraken, OpenSea), author, and Silicon Valley board veteran. Background & Early Lessons: Matthew began his working life delivering newspapers as a child in rainy London, developing a lasting sense of responsibility and the importance of “seeing things through.” Ear...

Guest: Lulu Ge — Founder & CEO of Elix Healing (elixhealing.com), holistic health entrepreneur, Inc. Female Founder 200, and advocate for women’s hormone health. From Early Hustles to Harvard Boardrooms: Lulu’s first entrepreneurial spark: selling bulk Snickers bars door to door as a kid in California, learning about “arbitrage” before knowing the word. Grew up in an immigrant household that highl...

Guests: Rob & Melissa Stephenson — Founders of Flea Market Flipper, full-time eBay resellers and educators Getting Started in Flipping: Rob began flipping nearly 30 years ago, inspired by his parents selling yard sale finds in the newspaper classifieds—long before eBay existed. Melissa joined the business 17 years ago after marrying Rob, initially unsure but quickly realizing the side hustle’s ear...

Guest: Scott Leese — Fractional CRO, 12 unicorns, 13 exits, six-time sales leader, five-time founder, three-time author, major LinkedIn community builder, newsletter publisher, and creator of multiple businesses. Early Days & First Hustles Grew up in a non-entrepreneurial household; sold baseball cards as a kid, had entrepreneurial “side hustles” in college. Spent much of his 20s battling and reco...

 Dr. Jeff Gross — Board-certified neurological surgeon, biochemist, biohacker, founder of Celebrate Regenerative Medicine, and longevity/biohacking consultant based in Las Vegas & Southern California. Medical & Health Longevity Background: Dr. Gross trained at UC Berkeley (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology), George Washington University School of Medicine, UC Irvine (Neurosurgery), and UNM (Spinal...

Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld – the only person to serve as CEO of two Fortune 500 companies on different continents (Alcoa in the US, Siemens in Germany), global advisor, founder of K2 Elevation, angel investor, and author of Leading to Thrive. First Dollars & Early Hustle: At 12, worked illegally at a supermarket in Germany, later launched a Santa Claus business delivering gifts (and family messages!) on...

Are you ready to take control of your health and uncover the truth about what’s holding you back? In this powerful episode of the Travis Makes Friends podcast, host Travis Chappell sits down with health and science journalist Max Lugavere, New York Times bestselling author of Genius Foods, Genius Life, and Genius Kitchen. Together, they dive deep into the four major killers threatening your future...

George Stefanou – First-generation Greek-American, Forbes “Best in State” Next Gen Wealth Advisor (2023, 2024), author of Two Comma Wealth, and founder of the financial planning firm Two Comma Wealth. Early Hustle: Grew up working flea markets, managing a coffee stand by 14, learning firsthand about hard work and margins (selling hundreds of cups from a single bulk bag of beans). Family stress on...

Trent Lee — #1 ranked business broker in the U.S. seven years in a row, with 600+ closed sales totaling over $200M in deals and more than $15M in personal commission. Early hustle: Painted address numbers on neighborhood curbs and mowed lawns — learned value creation early. Current role: Licensed business broker & appraiser. Specializes in small to mid-sized businesses, valuations, and finding qua...

Eva Yazhari — Managing Partner of Beyond Capital Ventures, early-stage investor, author of The Good Your Money Can Do, and advocate for conscious capitalism. Her funds have backed 50+ equity and 9 debt investments, reaching over 100 million customers across Africa and India. First and most recent dollar: First job: Working at a Staten Island bread shop. Today: Managing partner of a venture + priva...

John Dwyer — founder of The Institute of Wow, direct response marketing expert, and creator of standout campaigns (including a rare Jerry Seinfeld deal) that help businesses win without competing on price. Key Points: Theming sells: Inspired by Disney, JD uses evergreen, public domain themes (wildlife, outer space, dinosaurs) to make offers irresistible year‑round. Free IP example: Attack of the D...

Garrett Gunderson is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Killing Sacred Cows and What Would the Rockefellers Do?. He’s built and sold an Inc. 500 financial firm, published ten books, created a comedy special on Amazon Prime, and now helps entrepreneurs grow their income, keep more of what they make, and design a life they love. In this episode, Garrett and Travis catch u...

Ann Pells shows aspiring entrepreneurs how to acquire already profitable, professionally managed small businesses that can net $10K/month—while requiring only about an hour a week to oversee. Drawing on her own journey from financial crisis to portfolio business owner, Ann explains how to find, fund, and operate recession-resistant companies without becoming a full-time operator yourself. On this...

In this unfiltered episode of the Travis Makes Friends podcast, host Travis Chappell reunites with comedian and podcaster Zach Justice for a hilarious and heartfelt chat. They dive into Zach's decision to end his hit show Dropouts after five years, wild blind dating mishaps (including a fentanyl-fueled park interruption), navigating fame, entrepreneurship lessons from family and mentors like Alex...

Josh Molina is the co‑founder and CEO of Makers & Finders, founder of Take It Easy Roasters, and a first‑generation Colombian‑American entrepreneur who’s generated over $30M in lifetime sales. With 100+ employees and multiple Las Vegas locations, Josh has built beloved food & coffee brands from scratch while also mentoring students and supporting community nonprofits. Lessons & Practical Advice fo...

Nick Fowler is a Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer turned viral marketing coach and TikTok Shop expert who’s helped generate over $9.5M in sales through affiliate content. What started as a few free products and a $180 commission in his first week turned into a one‑month blowout—$350K in sales and $59K in commissions. Now Nick teaches aspiring creators how to grow, monetize, and go viral on TikTok with...