3 INSANE Things Tony Robbins Taught Me
Truth: 3 Doesn't EVEN Scratch The Surface.
Truth: 3 Doesn't EVEN Scratch The Surface.
Imagine dragging your way across the desert. You are thirsty, dehydrated. In the distance you see a beautiful site, a desert oasis with a stream. You reach the stream only to discover it's more of a firehose and you begin drowning in a turbulent, unrelenting flow of water.
This is what it's like when you learn from Tony Robbins.
I recently returned from five days with Tony and his Business Mastery team. I've been writing ads for over 40 years, I've written 9 Super Bowl spots, I've generated more than $300 billion in revenue for clients, and I still walked out of that room taking notes like a rookie. What I learned during that time was invaluable, more than this blog could even handle. It would be a firehose of information. So rather than overwhelm you, allow me to give you my three biggest takeaways from my five days with Tony Robbins.
Before I do, let me start with a statement of absolute fact. Tony cares, really cares about the people he serves, works with, helps. He is one of the brightest, kindest, and most authentic people I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with.
If you've ever attended a Tony Robbins event you already know the energy level of the room, if you've never attended a Tony Robbins event it's kind of like a rock concert, meets disco, meets party. The energy in the room is contagious and the temperature in the room is frigid, Tony likes it cold because it keeps people alert and "In State".
What Business Are You REALLY In?
Takeaway #1
What business are you in?
What business are you really in?
What business should you be in?
These questions may sound pretty basic to you, but they're not. So, what business are you in? You see many people answer this question by regurgitating what their business does. For example, when Tony asked me that question I answered: "I run a copywriting business". While that's true, that isn't really the business I'm in.
It took me a while to process this myself, but eventually, with Tony's guidance, and a room full of like-minded individuals, I was able to come up with the answer.
What business am I really in? I write words that sell… anything. Doesn't matter if it's a mattress, a Super Bowl spot, or a SaaS product nobody's heard of yet -- I've written over 100,000 ads across every category you can name, and the throughline was never the product. It was the sell.
Did you catch the difference?
One of them tells you what my business is, the other tells you what we do. It's a subtle shift, but one that can dramatically change the course of your business when people ask what you do. It's the same shift I push people through when I talk about writing a headline that earns the read instead of just describing the product -- you have to know what job you're actually doing before you can do it well.
Now let's tackle the last question, what business should you be in? This is more about future proofing your business, looking ahead on the radar screen, seeing the opportunities in front of you. There is no way that I can do justice to this with any amount of words, so I will just let your brain ruminate on this one, better yet, attend Business Mastery and leave with a roadmap for your own growth journey.
Artist, Manager, or Entrepreneur?
Takeaway #2
Who Are You?
Businesses are typically started by one of three types of individuals, identifying who you are, what type of individual, is critical to your business. It allows you to find the other people you need to build a healthy company.
Many people classify or label me as "an entrepreneur." It's funny, I've never been comfortable with the label entrepreneur. Perhaps it's because I've never felt like an entrepreneur. Just because I started a business doesn't necessarily mean I'm an entrepreneur, does it? No, it doesn't.
The three types of people are
- artist/producer
- manager/leader
- entrepreneurs.
So, how do I know that I'm not an entrepreneur? Tony shared a great story, a story I will do my best to share with you.
Steve Wynn of Wynn Hotels and Casinos had just opened up a new location somewhere in Asia, I forget where, but that detail isn't critical here. He invited Tony for a private tour of this new luxury casino. While being personally guided by Mr. Wynn himself, they entered the high-stakes room, where the "Whales" play, the gamblers that make up the largest share of casino revenue and are the smallest share of customers.
A gentleman seated at one of the tables lost a hand and in the blink of an eye $10 million was gone. Now, I don't know about you, but the thought of losing $10 million on a single play would make me vomit, curl up in the fetal position, and most likely die. Not this man, no, Instead he stood up, turned around, and saw Steve Wynn and Tony Robbins standing there. He was so excited he shouted, "Oh my God I can't believe you're here, I am such a huge fan, can I take a picture with you?" Tony, being gracious said, "of course you can." The man proceeded to walk over to Steve Wynn and put his arm around him for a photograph, he gushed about how much he loved Wynn casinos and his were the only casinos he gambled in. That my friends is an entrepreneur. It's all about the game, they have the stomach to take the wins and the losses in stride, they don't lose sleep over it, they live for it. It's risk and reward that drives them.
So, I am clearly not an entrepreneur. While I do have entrepreneurial tendencies, I would not be OK losing $10 million on a hand, let alone $10,000 on the hand. Hell, $1,000 on a hand would be out of my comfort zone. I am not a gambler.
I am an artist. A producer. A performer. While I have entrepreneurial tendencies and I'm willing to take small risks, I leave the big stuff for the other guys.
There's also the manager/leader or operationally-minded person. That is definitely not me either, far from it. I live in the clouds, these guys, the dirt. I need these guys to run a successful business.
Knowing who you need is critical to the success and growth of your business. If your business has one of each of these personality types, chances are you'll be OK. If your business is missing one of them, you should fill that gap as quickly as possible.
Interestingly, after going through this self-identity exercise, Tony asked by a show of hands how many of us in the room were artists/producers, how many of us were manager/leaders, and how many of us were entrepreneurs? I bet you'll be surprised to learn that over 80% of businesses are started by artists. Astounding numbers, right?
Why do so many businesses fail?
Because artists like to do their art, they would do it for free if they could. But free doesn't pay the bills. Most artists, myself included, are not great business people. They do one thing and they do it really well. I own who I am and I am grateful for it.
You Don't Own Your Business—It Owns You
Takeaway #3
Do you own your business, or does your business own you?
Can your business survive without you for a day, a week, or a month? How about 6 months? If you answered "NO" to any of these: you are not a business owner, you are an operator.
A business owner works on their business, not in their business.
If you do not have the team and structure in place so that the business can run without you being there, you have a job and it's a really bad one. Being your own employee sucks. I've seen agencies collapse the moment the owner takes a two-week vacation -- not because the work dried up, but because nobody ever built trust with the client that didn't run through one person's inbox.
When you put systems in place and surround yourself with the right people, you can work on growing your business, you can work on the business and not in it.
The stuff I learned from Tony Robbins was invaluable, and I've spent four decades in this business collecting lessons like it -- from 9 Super Bowl ads to a $300 billion pile of client revenue to more late nights than I care to count. If you want to go deeper with me on any of these subjects, or if your agency's got a boundary problem masquerading as a client problem, I'd be happy to chat with you. Connect with me, my fellow gladiators!
Frequently Asked Questions
Ken initially said he runs 'a copywriting business' (what it is), but Tony helped him realize he's really in the business of writing 'words that sell... anything' (what it does). This subtle shift changes how people understand your actual value when they ask what you do. It's about articulating the outcome you deliver rather than just your industry label.
The three types are: artist/producer, manager/leader, and entrepreneur. Artists like Ken focus on doing the craft itself and would do it for free if they could. Managers/leaders are operationally-minded and 'live in the dirt' while artists 'live in the clouds.' Entrepreneurs are driven by risk and reward—they can stomach huge losses without losing sleep over it.
Tony revealed through a show of hands at Business Mastery that over 80% of businesses are started by artists/producers. This is significant because most artists aren't great business people—they excel at one thing and often lack the manager/leader or entrepreneur personality types needed for a balanced, successful company. This gap is why so many businesses fail.
According to Tony, if your business can't run without you, you're not a business owner—you're an operator with a really bad job. A real business owner works ON their business, not IN it. You need systems and the right team in place so the business functions without you being there day-to-day.
Tony keeps the temperature frigid during his events because it keeps people alert and 'In State.' The environment is high-energy—like a rock concert meets disco meets party—and the cold temperature is intentional to maintain focus and energy throughout the intense sessions.
