… Make It Up, Make It Real, Make It Recur: The Ultimate Entrepreneurial Success Formula with Joe Polish and Dan Sullivan – 10xTalk With Joe Polish And Dan Sullivan
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10x MULTIPLIERS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS

A provocative and persuasive series of interviews and discussions on the topic
of developing and expanding “Abundance Multipliers” in the 21st century global economy.

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10x MULTIPLIERS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS

A provocative and persuasive series of interviews and discussions on the topic
of developing and expanding “Abundance Multipliers” in the 21st century global economy.

DISCOVER HOW YOU CAN GROW YOUR BUSINESS 10 TIMES

Discover the untapped potential of your business, and multiply your opportunities.

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EPISODE 238

Make It Up, Make It Real, Make It Recur: The Ultimate Entrepreneurial Success Formula with Joe Polish and Dan Sullivan

May 16, 2025

EPISODE 238

Make It Up, Make It Real, Make It Recur: The Ultimate Entrepreneurial Success Formula with Joe Polish and Dan Sullivan

Episode Summary

Dan Sullivan and Joe Polish dive into the Entrepreneurial framework “Make it up, make it real, make it recur” and explore how true innovation is built and scaled. They also unpack the ethics of creation vs. imitation, the power of collaboration, and how to know when it’s time to walk away.

Here’s a glance at what you’ll discover in this episode:

  • The 3-Part Formula That Separates Real Entrepreneurs From Wannabes: Most Entrepreneurs get stuck in the idea stage or fall into a cycle of “starting and stopping.”
  • Dan reveals his powerful framework that helps Entrepreneurs turn ideas into reality and create repeatable success.
  • The Hidden Business Killer That Could Be Right Under Your Nose: Dan talks about the surprising factor that secretly derails more businesses than bad products, poor marketing, or lack of funding…
  • The Collaboration Formula That Turns Pure Creativity Into a Money-Making Machine: Some people are brilliant at making things up, but they fail at making it real. Others can build great systems, but they lack vision.
  • Dan and Joe discuss a case study of a creative genius and his business-savvy partner—one who was lost in artistic chaos, the other who turned the vision into a thriving company. If you’ve ever struggled to turn ideas into income, this might be the missing link…
  • Why “Swipe & Deploy” Might Be Costing You More Than You Think: In an era where “funnel hacking” and copying competitors is glorified, Dan and Joe pull back the curtain on what’s really happening behind the scenes. They expose the fine line between smart modeling and outright theft—and why Entrepreneurs who rely on copying are unknowingly building a house of cards that’s bound to collapse.
  • How to Avoid the #1 Mistake That Ruins Great Business Collaborations: Ever entered into a business partnership that started off exciting… only to turn into a nightmare?
  • Dan and Joe unpack why most partnerships fail, the critical elements of a successful collaboration, and why the worst ship you can board is a partnership—unless you follow this ONE KEY RULE…
  • The Uncomfortable Truth About Knowing When to Walk Away: Most Entrepreneurs know when to fire an employee. But what happens when YOU are the bottleneck?
  • Dan shares a rare behind-the-scenes story of walking away from a million-dollar project—and why knowing when to “fire yourself” can be the ultimate power move.

If you’d like to join world-renowned Entrepreneurs at the next Genius Network Event or want to learn more about Genius Network, go to www.GeniusNetwork.com.

Show Notes

Make It Up, Make It Real, Make It Recur

  • Dan Sullivan’s foundational framework for Entrepreneurial growth and innovation.
  • His value lies in “making it up” and testing tools with top-tier clients before systemizing.
  • Once validated, his team makes the tool real and builds processes to make it recur.

Guesses and Bets

  • All future decisions are based on informed guesses and strategic bets.
  • Entrepreneurs succeed by acting despite uncertainty, refining through action.
  • Teaser for a deeper dive in the next episode.

The Opportunity Multiplier

  • Dan creates a new thinking tool live during the episode.
  • Entrepreneurs list five past wins and extract patterns to identify future opportunities.
  • Ends with written insights to drive action and awareness.

Creative Integrity vs. Copycat Culture

  • Ethical Entrepreneurship means creating value—not stealing it.
  • Dan and Joe call out “funnel hacking” and similar shortcuts as intellectual theft.
  • Strategic Coach protects its tools with trademarks, copyrights, and patents.

Collaboration That Works

  • Success came from recognizing and respecting different strengths.
  • True collaboration = one person makes it up, the other makes it real and scalable.

The Trap of Misaligned Partnerships

  • Partnerships often fail due to unclear roles and unmet expectations.
  • Many people partner hoping the other will carry the work—resulting in deadweight.
  • Alignment and defined responsibilities are non-negotiable.

Firing Yourself (and Others)

  • Sometimes the best move is letting someone go—or walking away from a role or project.
  • Dan shares how he shut down a million-dollar software build that wasn’t working.
  • Leadership means making tough decisions early, not waiting for collapse.

The Social Root of Business Problems

  • Most business issues stem from unresolved personal or social challenges.
  • Growth can make others uncomfortable—leading to tension and sabotage.
  • Success requires supportive environments and aligned relationships.

Teamwork and the Creative Mind

  • Dan’s life has always been grounded in teams—from farms to theater to business.
  • Creativity without structure leads to chaos; deadlines and delegation keep ideas alive.
  • He limits creation to what the team and clients need—not just what’s possible.

Make It Work (Or Walk Away)

  • Not every idea, project, or person is worth holding onto.
  • Dan encourages quitting smart and quickly when alignment is off.
  • Integrity in business means cutting ties when things go sideways—professionally and ethically.

Resources

Genius Network
A community for high-level entrepreneurs focused on growth, collaboration, and impact.

Strategic Coach
Dan Sullivan’s coaching program designed to help successful entrepreneurs grow their businesses while gaining more freedom.

Gapingvoid Culture Design Group
Co-founded by Jason Korman and Hugh MacLeod, specializing in culture design through art and business transformation.

Hugh MacLeod – “Ignore Everybody”
A book on creativity and originality by Gapingvoid artist Hugh MacLeod.

Joe Henrich – “The Secret of Our Success”
A book explaining how human culture and collaboration are the keys to our evolutionary dominance.

Chris Voss – Former FBI Negotiator
Mentioned in the context of law enforcement and organizational culture.

King Global Ventures Ltd.
Mining and exploration company mentioned in connection with Joe’s ghost town project.

Salesforce
CRM platform used by Strategic Coach after moving away from custom software.

 

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10xTalk delivers 10x Multipliers To Grow Your Business hosted by Joe Polish, founder of GeniusNetwork.com and Dan Sullivan, founder of StrategicCoach.com. 10x Multipliers To Grow Your Business. Insights For An Ever Expanding System Of Increasing Cooperation & Creativity Among Unique Ability Achievers.

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