M&R Episode 034: John Lee Dumas designed his life as a podcast host 5 years ago and now lives on the beach in Puerto Rico with millions of dollars.

In Episode 34 I spoke with John Lee Dumas the host of Entrepreneur On Fire, an award-winning Podcast where he interviews today's most successful Entrepreneurs 7-days a week. In the last 5 years, John has grown EOFire from just an idea into a multi-million dollar a year business. He came on the show and talked about the 3 key things he attributes to his success and how anyone can apply them to achieve their goals. He now lives on the beach in Puerto Rico and makes his own schedule. Enjoy!

Show notes: EOFire.com, Support Misfits and Rejects on Patreon, Get a Misfits and Rejects T-shirt or Tank

Show Transcription

Episode 037 - John Lee Dumas

C

Chapin

0:03

Welcome to another episode of Misfits and Rejects today. I'm really happy to have John Lee Dumas on. John Lee Dumas is a young man. He's the founder and host of a podcast called Entrepreneur on Fire(LINK), where for days a week, He delivers inspirational stories by other successful entrepreneurs to the public, and it's just incredible what he has accomplished in the last five years he's taken his podcast from zero to a multi million dollar podcast, he's done over 1500 interviews, and he's just a really cool inspirational guy too I think many people like myself who are in the industry and, and trying to make a successful life online or podcast or whatever you might be trying to do online, and it became really interesting to me recently in the last few years where he has moved his life to Puerto Rico. And for me doing misfits and rejects and continually internet these inspirational travelers and and expatriates and entrepreneurs I meet a row with a try to get him on and he's somebody who gives back so he was nice enough to give me 15 minutes of his time, which I was really thankful for. And we wrapped out and he just kind of gave me the secret secret recipe of his success, why he's made the decisions he's made to move to Puerto Rico and and how others can do it as well, you know if you're trying to design a life for yourself, which is never easy, especially when you're trying to design one that is fulfilling all your hopes and dreams of whatever it may be, whether it's full of money, whether it's full of spiritual fulfillment, whether it's filled with a balance of everything, you know, designing it gives us a lot of good insights into how he's accomplished it, and how we can take the things that he's done and apply it to our own lifestyle design. So I'm really happy to bring him on the show, and we'll listen to the talk like I said it was only 15 minutes long, but there's a lot of really good information afterwards I'll kind of summarize how I felt about it and the things that I think, you know, you guys should maybe consider and keep in mind. So with that said, I hope you enjoy John Lee Dumas welcome Misfits and Rejects(LINK) my man How are you today.

J

JLD

2:06

I'm fired up to be here and it's Chapin?

C

Chapin

Yes, sir. That's correct. 

J

JLD

It's nice. Yeah, brother. Well thank you for coming on and taking the time it's much appreciated my man I'd like to just jump right in with you because you my friend have created a very beautiful life for yourself you designed something spectacular for yourself in the last five years and I hope you can take me and my audience through maybe the three key components to your success. I love it. Let's do it. 

C

Chapin

So, I know you have the mastery journal(AFF LINK) out, and you talk about discipline, productivity and focus. Now, for a lot of us out there who feel like we have it. But aren't maybe attaining the type of success that you've achieved what could you say to us to maybe help us understand the type of discipline and productivity necessary?

J

JLD

2:53

let's walk through that process because I think it's pretty important for people to make for us to all make sure that we're on the same page when it comes to what those words mean, like how I defined those words, and you know, maybe the listeners can kind of come up with how they define those words they can kind of understand the best ways they can accomplish what they want to do so, like looking at it for me when it comes to productivity, like you can be as productive as anybody can be the most productive person in the world. But if you're producing the wrong content on a daily basis. It's not going to be any help, it's like getting in a car in Ohio, and you want to drive to the, to the Atlantic Ocean. If you're driving West you can be as productive as possible in that car with gas mileage and what the road you're taking but you're never going to get to the Atlantic Ocean, it's not going to happen like you're just going in the wrong direction. So, when it comes to productivity one thing that I stress in the mastery journal is, what are you producing on a daily basis. That's actually moving you in your business in your life forward in the direction that you want it to go so let's actually take a step back, think, which I know is a very hard concept for a lot of people this day and age because we're so busy it's so hard to actually step back, take a deep breath. Give yourself some space and some quietness and actually think and say Hey, is this thing that I'm actually just grinding on right now, is this something that's is moving in the right direction so productivity. What are you producing this moving you in the right direction to me that's a huge differentiator

C

Chapin

4:22

Of just that word productivity. Right on. And I mean you know as far as lifestyle design goes. When you set out on this journey was this always the end game for you. I mean, did you always have this type of success in mind, was that always a goal of yours.

J

JLD

4:38

You know, I will definitely say that success was a goal. I mean, it definitely was my launch in 2012, but what that was gonna look like. I didn't know and I think one of the benefits of my mindset back then is that I was okay to that. There's a quote that I love from Martin Luther King Jr. That is, you don't have to see the full staircase to take the first step. And that was me like I didn't know where this podcasting journey was going to take me. I didn't know what interviewing a successful entrepreneur every single day was going to do for me. I just had faith that those were going to be really viable conversations for me and for anybody that wanted to listen and that the next step would be revealed. But I took that initial step of launching the podcast and that's just been the game. I mean, shaping you know I haven't come up with these ideas myself I didn't come up with the idea for paradise or for webinars fire or for the Freedom Journal or for the mastery journal you know these ideas, you know that have made me a multimillionaire. They came from my audience, because I took that next step. The next step was then revealed to me by something else, by a listener by, a friend or by a mentor whatever that might be. And, and that's okay and that's the process that I've taken to get to where I am today.

C

Chapin

5:47

I see it as one step in front of the other and then things kind of open themselves up to you and if you're willing to take the next step, it's there for you.

J

JLD

5:54

Yeah, and sometimes hey I can see the next three steps and that's cool, because it's been you know it's a little clearer of a day or a path right now. But then there's times that I can't and I just have to have faith that just taking that next one step will reveal the path which by the way,

C

Chapin

6:08

might be the wrong path, but that's okay. At least now I found that out, and then so what do you just redirect yourself and try something new. If you've found that the last year or two, you've been spending on the wrong thing.

J

JLD

6:20

Yeah, because guess what you've learned a lot. You've educated yourself in some areas you now know what doesn't work. So take that as a learning experience

C

Chapin

6:28

right on my man now, you know, from what little I do know about your your daily activities I've read up on your internet saying that you're working pretty much like 12 hour days, and you know misfits and rejects is about designing your life in the way that you want and for a lot of people it's taking themselves out of that type of, dare I say workaholic attitude, but how do you feel right now are you still putting those kind of hours in?

J

JLD

Not even close. It has been a long time since I've seen a 12 hour day. I work hard, you know, and I typically am working at some capacity seven days a week because I love what I do and so if I want to get up on a Saturday and, you know, I'm gonna enjoy my day but then I have some free time, like maybe I want to put a project that has to do with the business I'm totally fine with that. but you know I'm shutting shutting everything down by 4:30pm every single day, sometimes don't even get cranking on the business until nine or 10 o'clock because I'll focus on other things like exercise health, nutrition, projects around the house, so you know I kind of take it as it is. So it's been a long time since I've put in a 12 hour day, the hours that I do work. I'm incredibly productive, because I'm working on the right things, I'm working on things that I've actually put into, you know I'm actually being disciplined with a plan of action using things like the math journal, to make sure that I'm on the right path so the frankly, you know, the six, eight hours that I'm working on a day, day to day basis are more productive than anybody's from 12 to 16 hours a day, because they're spinning their wheels for 10 to 12 of those. I'm crushing, six, eight, whatever hours I'm working any given day. You know I can work on a Sunday for two hours and do more than most people do in a week. That's actually moving my business forward, because I know what I'm doing. I've actually thought about it.

C

Chapin

8:15

I love that man and maybe we can segue that into your recent life decision to move to Puerto Rico because, you know, I'm constantly interviewing expatriates and talking to my audience about hey if you're not happy with maybe the life you designed for yourself in the states you know there's other opportunities out there that you can you can achieve So what was the motivation to move to Puerto Rico.

J

JLD

8:34

Yeah. Well, number one, you're not an expat when you moved to Puerto Rico because Puerto Ricans are United States citizens, you don't even need a passport to come here, so I mean Puerto Rico is a US territory. And believe me, I've thought about the expat life I've been to Guatemala for four months I've backpacked India like I've met a lot of expats and it's something I might do at a future time, but you know, Puerto Rico was a business move for me it was saying, Hey, I'm working hard, you know, when I work, you know whether it be six, eight fill in the blank Nova hours per day whatever day it is. And I'm making a lot of money. Now, how can I, and this kind of goes back to something that you were talking about earlier that you really try to focus on, you know, how do I maximize the amount of money that actually stays into my pocket. Well I can tell you it's not by paying Uncle Sam 51% meeting federal government, the federal tax rate of 35% California's 13%, and then plus there's all these little dinky things like property tax and 1.5% franchise tax on net profits and it goes up, and it's insane. It was 51%. And so I have my CPA look into some other opportunities and Puerto Rico, being an American territory has an amazing opportunity for American citizens to move to this wonderful islands and establish a business, and start paying 4% corporate tax total, there's no federal tax, there's no state tax it's a flat 4% corporate tax rate so I essentially am saving 46-47 cents of every dollar now that I make in Puerto Rico. 

C

Chapin

I love the strategy John Good for you, man. Thanks, as far as your adjustment though I mean Island life is different from being stateside, You know. How is the adjustment for you?

J

JLD

 It can be if you choose it to be but frankly it's incredibly similar to me. I lived in San Diego, which is what I consider one of the best cities in the world and I've been to a lot of cities. I love it. And of course there's hustle bustle there if you want it, but you know, I was pretty secluded like I had an amazing apartment on the ocean, and I was very content to spend 95% of my time in that apartment, working exercising enjoying life you know venturing out for walks on the beach doing my thing but not getting caught up in the whole like San Diego lifestyle, and I do pretty similar things down here in Puerto Rico you know I have a house that overlooks the Caribbean I have a set of friends I'll be playing poker with this Friday and dinner party on Sunday night and you know we still do the activities, etc. But you know, most of my time is spent. When I'm working in my office door close just focus and get stuff done

C

Chapin

11:07

Right on my man to go to person with you but um you know I know it can be difficult for, you know, relationships at times to make big changes like that. How's Kate adjusting to the whole move?

J

JLD

11:18

Spending adjustment for we've been here for a year now so I say the adjustments, pretty much complete, but you know for her she grew up in San Diego, parents, a couple blocks away sister niece nephew, you know less than a mile away so it was tough for her to really leave all that behind and and make that happen, but you know her parents were just out of here for an entire month. Literally, from April second to may 2 they were living with us here. And that was kind of one of the great things about moving to Puerto Rico is, you know, we bought a 5200 square foot house with five bedrooms and six baths so we can host for extended times like I've had my parents out here three times in the past year, and I was kind of joking with Kate the other day I'm like, I spent more time with your parents in the last month, because again, they were living here that I spent with them and the entire three years that I lived down the street from them. And sometimes that's just how things go. So it's interesting, you know, that kind of maybe answer your question, it was it was a difficult adjustment for Kate and it'll always be something that you know she's going to struggle with you know being far from home, or because she really loves that part of the country and being close to family but she's definitely found her happiness here.

C

Chapin

12:28

That's great man I'm really happy to hear that and I'm happy for both of you as well you know as we kind of wind down Do you think that you could maybe summarize, you know, give my audience an inspiration for them to maybe take that first leap out of the comfort zone, you know, they're sitting in the car go to LA every day 45 minutes just wishing they could get out and do something different like what would you tell them to maybe want to take that first step?

J

JLD

Listener. Every master was a disaster, like go back and listen to my first hundred episodes. That's horrible You sound great by the way but you know I have to imagine we go back to some of the early episodes, you know you weren't as tight. I mean it just takes time to actually get good at something and to improve something so every master was a disaster. So if you're thinking right now in your car and you go to this job that you hate that you can't do X, Y or Z because you're not good at X Y or Z, of course you're not good at it, you're never done. You think Michael Jordan was good at basketball, the first time he picked up a ball or Tiger Woods, hit a hole in one when he picked up a club and the answer is, of course, not like they had to become a master by practice practice practice and they were a disaster for a long time until then. So, you know, get off of the mindset of like get to be good at something before you start it because that means you'll never start anything ever because you'll never be good. Before you start something, and just go and just go, isn't it you know that Chinese proverb will always ring true for me. If you want to be. Do. I wanted to be a podcaster so I started the flippin podcast period. What is it that you want to do in this world, or be in this world, do that thing. And if you do it enough you're gonna get good

C

Chapin

13:59

Beautifully said, my man now. Is there anything you'd like to plug and use me to plug it for you when we sign off.

J

JLD

14:04

Now you know we just have a lot of cool stuff for entrepreneurs in eofire.com(LINK) completely free courses, whether it be if you want to pop up webinars goals(LINK) or swift funnel course(LINK), we just want to give you a lot of free awesome content for entrepreneurs that just kind of start taking their journey and, you know, a very reasonable methodical way.

C

Chapin

14:24

JOHN Thank you for taking the time one last quick question have you surfed while you're in Puerto Rico.

J

JLD

14:29

No, I'm not a surfer I tried to be in San Diego and I was not able to become one so I've moved on to other passions in life,

C

Chapin

14:37

we'll check it out brother I want to give you an open invitation for you and Kate to come to Nicaragua, and I will personally take you out and teach you how to surf and guarantee that layer of a need.

J

JLD

14:48

That may be what I need is someone like you Chapin and actually out there with me and making that happen so I might take you up on that please do my man you're always,

C

Chapin

14:55

Thank you for taking the time John, you have a good day. Take care, brother. Adios. So wow folks I really hope you enjoyed that episode as much as I did, thank you john for taking the time. You know, that quote towards the end that just really gets me fired up is, you know, every master was a disaster. So even within this concept of lifestyle design, where we're trying to take control of our lives, take responsibility and design our lives in the way that we want. We're not going to be masters at it at the get go, we're going to have to trip and fall and stumble and sidestep and work our way into a familiar sort of routine lifestyle routine daily routine that then can continue to perpetuate that whole dream that we have been chasing or that ideal life that we have always wanted. It's not easy. It's definitely something that I think is a learned skill, you know and like John said it's, it's going to take a lot of discipline, productivity and focus and doing healthy things on a daily basis. That's going to move the needle in the direction that we needed to go in order to accomplish the goals that we set for ourselves. So, yes, we're going to get discouraged and yes sometimes we'll be on a path that might take us in a direction that's not ideal and not actually going to help us achieve the goals that we've set for ourselves, but like he said that's fine. All you have to do is step back, think about it recalibrate and continue on a new direction you know you've learned a lot like myself even, you know I've been at this now a few years and, you know, I started with the idea of surf progression techniques would be, you know, my first online business where I did surf consulting for individuals who want to progress at a faster rate, and you know I'm almost two and a half years into it and realizing that there's not a huge market for this, and that's fine because I also kind of subconsciously knew that this would be the only thing that held my attention long enough, in order to acquire the skill set necessary to continue on and start new and other online businesses, for example misfits and rejects misfits and rejects was never an original idea to become a podcast, it was, it was a hope and a dream that I once had to maybe write a screenplay about all these cool characters that I had met on the road traveling that inspired me, or maybe even write a book at.

What I realized was that was never going to happen, and the podcast thing that kind of came into my life and opened up my eyes to the possibility that I had all the equipment. I had the microphone, the computer and the recording devices in order to provide this what I thought was valuable content to servers out there, in order to help them progress faster through my YouTube channel and my website surf progression techniques. And then I realized, well, I could also create a podcast, using the same equipment. Take my original idea from misfits and rejects and just instead of me creating fictional stories about characters that I had met, I could literally put the microphone in front of these characters that I meet along the way that just inspire the heck out of me. And maybe capture stories that could inspire others as well, and then boom ‘misfits and rejects’ is born, maybe a year and a half after I first had my idea for Surf progression techniques(LINK). And so like John said it's, it's just starting taking that first step, not even knowing exactly where it's going to lead but taking that first step and starting. And then the next step will appear and show itself, just like in the example I gave you know surf progression techniques was my original thought. Now I'm moving towards misfits and rejects I'm trying to juggle both, but I can see in the future that you know one of them will probably have to take the backseat because the other one will become more of a viable option for me and something that maybe I want to do more of and right now I'm happy with both but the reality is that one will probably have to take the backseat to the other here pretty soon. So with all that said, No time to take that step design that life that you've always dreamed of. It's not easy. It's hard. There's going to be a lot of moments where you think that you can't do it, there's gonna be a lot of days where you have way too many things that you have to do, just to survive and you feel like you can't spend that extra few hours on your side project on your side business that's going to help you get out of the situation that you're unhappy in. But we all go through it, we all can get through it, and we all can get to where we want to go. It's just putting one foot in front of the other, staying open to all the doors that are going to become open to us in the future. As long as we keep moving forward with the discipline, productivity and focus that John talks about. I hope you enjoy the show as much. I'm looking forward to interviewing many more people in the future like John has misfits and rejects continues to grow. But for now folks. Much love to you, I wish you all the best and stay tuned for the coming episodes. Adios.

Thank you for listening.