You’re leaving money on the table—not because your product sucks, but because you never learned how to ask.
Referrals are the highest-converting leads in business, yet most founders rely on luck. Brandon Barnum turned asking into a science. His three-step system transformed broke single-dad survival mode into a $200K income and later, a 5-million-user platform.
In this episode, Roman L. Binder breaks down Brandon’s referral playbook so you can:
• Turn happy clients into active promoters
• Automate referral follow-ups without sounding pushy
• Build a business that scales through trust, not ads
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to make your clients sell for you.
Guest: Brandon Barnum — CEO of HOA.com, author of Raving Referrals, and founder of Refer.com
Host: Roman L. Binder — The Nomad CEO sign up for more stories here https://www.thenomad.ceo/subscribe
Listen now on:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Alan Lazaros: From a totaled Honda to a life built on purpose What does it take to turn a near-fatal crash and a wired-shut jaw into a global mentorship brand? In this conversation Alan walks through the exact moments, habits, and mindsets that transformed a hollow six-figure hustle into Next Level University. In this episode you will learn
• The ICU revelation that exposed the gap between status and legacy • How a single self-audit erased eighty percent of hidden drains • The three daily habits that multiplied audience, impact, and income • Alan’s four-step reset you can use to realign health wealth and relationships • Why consistency beats talent and luck every time Chapters 00:00 Intro and crash story 04:10 Writing the hospital vow 09:30 Self-audit and color-coding life 15:05 Quitting engineering and moving home 20:45 Building a podcast from thirteen listeners to one thousand episodes 27:10 The three daily habits that drive the flywheel set 41:55 Audience q 47:20 Key takeaways you can apply today Connect with Alan Next Level University resources and coaching → https://www.nextleveluniverse.com/ Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to the Nomad CEO newsletter for weekly founder stories and actionable growth tactics → https://www.thenomad.ceo/subscribe
Like, share, and comment with your biggest insight. See you next week.
In this episode we unpack:
• Why Eric quit a safe job to serve “everyday” clients • The real cost of perfectionism and how he broke free • His three-lane leadership model that keeps growth on track • The power of equity partners to multiply momentum • How stepping down as CEO can boost both freedom and firm value
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🎓 Eric’s resources
Get the book “Don’t Retire, Graduate” + workbook → https://dontretiregraduatebook.com Listen to the Don’t Retire, Graduate podcast (new every Thursday)
Chapters
00:00 Intro and pivotal moment 03:30 Serving clients most advisers ignore 07:20 Accidental CEO and first hires 11:45 Partners vs plateaus 16:10 Building systems that run without you 21:40 Technology, AI, and the next chapter 25:55 Preparing Gen-2 leadership 30:40 Key takeaways you can use today
When a lawsuit threatened to destroy everything he built, Ethan King didn’t panic—he pivoted. With no team left and no budget for help, he taught himself automation and stacked AI on top of every system—from marketing to fulfillment.
The result? He doubled revenue with half the team and turned his automation-first strategy into an international bestseller.
If you’re a founder stretched thin and drowning in operations, Ethan’s story is your roadmap to scaling smarter, not harder.
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