Growing up, JT had three options to get out of the hood:
- Rapper
- Actor
- Drug dealer
Screw. That. 👎
JT didn’t want to follow the “conventional” path.
He went with a fourth option…
Business. 💰
Today, JT is an uber-successful entrepreneur.
As the the CEO and President of Scribe Media, JT went from being broke, homeless, and living in the hood to building an 8-figure company.
This post is the second part of our mini-series with JT. If you haven’t read part 1 yet, don’t miss out.
In part 2, we dive DEEP into how to develop a millionaire mindset like JT. You’ll learn:
- The sacrifices JT made to be successful
- How JT uses a “millionaire mindset” to improve his life
- Why discipline is the MOST important trait JT thinks someone can have
| BONUS: Exclusive business tips from another 8-figure CEO — the CEO of Fiverr |
Developing a millionaire mindset in 3 steps
1. Embrace hard work
JT went from lowest paid person at the software company HeadSpring to their president in three years.
During JT’s tenure, HeadSpring was voted one of the BEST places to work in Texas — and the company grew to 8 figures.
To outside observers, this sounds impossible
no one asks how he did it. No one asks for advice on building strong work ethic. No one talks about what went on behind-the-scenes.
Everyone just shrugs their shoulders, says JT got lucky, and move on with their lives.
The truth is becoming a successful entrepreneur takes TIME and TONS of work behind-the-scenes.
If I would have stayed in corporate at Intel (🤮) I would have made more money my career until up about two years ago.
It took a LONG time for me to start making good money in my businesses.
And to be real, most of what you see online from some “entrepreneurs” isn’t reality…
It’s people pretending they’re someone they’re actually not.
When you look at Twitter or Instagram, you see bios like…
- “Entrepreneur”
- “Influencer”
- “Millionaire marketing advisor”
Most of them are B.S. 💩
People want to wear the badge of honor for being an “entrepreneur” — but they don’t want to work their asses off to get there.
Sacrifice = the untold part of success.
2. Focus on the Next Step
Everything starts somewhere:
- LeBron James wasn’t always an all-star basketball player
- Picasso wasn’t always a famous painter
- Mark Zuckerberg wasn’t always a successful founder
Some of the greatest ever at their respective crafts weren’t magically great on day one.
Yes, they had talent — but they also worked their asses off.
Just look at JT:
- He’s been homeless
- He never graduated high school
- He spent time in juvenile detention centers
None of that stopped him from becoming a successful businessman.
JT’s success comes from his mindset and thinking like a millionaire. He’s always looking at taking that next step.
For example, say you’re unemployed right now. The next step probably isn’t to start a multi-million dollar company. It’s to find a job.
If you have to start at minimum wage, start there and work your way up.
Everything takes a step.
You have to tell yourself that you’re going to have to put in the work every step of the way.
When I started Sumo, it wasn’t an 8-figure company overnight. I went through ups-and-downs. And I had to work for it.
When I was a kid at school and I said ‘man, I hope there’s something eat when I get home.’ It didn’t make anything appear. -JT
No matter what you want, take the next step instead of hoping or wishing.
- If you dream of starting a business, take the first step today 📈
- If you imagine getting a raise, research negotiation tips and how to talk to your boss 💸
- If you want to meet entrepreneurs, go to meetups 👋
Never be afraid to ask for what you want.
“I’ve built a career out of asking questions,” JT told me.
And as for luck, it all starts by taking a step in the right direction…
As JT said:
Even a person who wins the lottery isn’t lucky. They took the first step of buying a ticket!
3. Be disciplined
When JT was a kid, discipline was drilled into him.
Once, when walking through a store, JT ignored someone who said “hi” to him:
Next thing I know, I’m pinned up against the frozen food door with my Dad staring at my saying, ‘I don’t care who it is, you say hello and you speak to everyone. You show everyone respect.’
That lesson has stuck with JT ever since and discipline has been a huge part of his success.
From waking up waking up at 4 am everyday, to spending hours per day perfecting his leadership skills, JT’s daily grind is driven by discipline.
And when you study the daily habits of millionaires (or almost anyone who’s successful), you notice discipline is a trend.
Without discipline, you make excuses and start to let things slip:
- “I’ll just skip the gym today”… one day turns into a week
- “I’ll follow up with that lead tomorrow”… the sale falls through
- “I’ll write that blog post next week”… sits in your Drafts folder
For me, discipline often comes down to two things:
- Knowing my “why”
- Planning
Knowing “why”
When it comes to thinking like a millionaire and building a millionaire mindset, it’s important to know WHY you’re doing what you’re doing.
For some people, it’s money. 💰
For others, it’s freedom. 😌
With Noah Kagan Presents, my “why” is two-fold:
- I LOVE sharing interesting stories
- It helps me meet more people and improve my own life
When times get hard, your “why” is what keeps you going.
Planning
Without a plan, you have nothing to execute.
You just write a long-ass “to-do” list that makes you feel good, but doesn’t actually lead to anything useful in the long run. 🤷
The key to productivity for me is planning how I want my week to look.
From personal stuff to health to meetings, I put everything in my calendar.
And if you want more tips on how to develop a millionaire mindset and become a CEO, listen to the full interview with JT below.
| Get business tips from another 8-figure CEO |
7 responses to “Crazy Life Stories from the CEO of an 8-Figure Company — with JT McCormick (Part 2)”
Being a CPA opened a lot of doors. But breaking into a CEO slot has been one nut I have not been able to crack. As a controller I often made a lot of major decisions in the company and I think I could run a small company very well. Any ideas?
This was my absolute favorite episode so far. Not only is his work ethic amazing, but what he said about women CEOs was so refreshing. I want to yell YESSS!!!
This talk reinforced the work ethic. I don’t see much of this, hustle is always my best asset.
Superb episode and inspiring story. Loved this!!
JT McCormick is the best and is very inspiring. I love his mention that you should always have a plan and that’s where I am at on my first job. I entered with no plan and found myself complacent. Thanks Noah!
Also this sentence: “If I would have stayed in corporate at Intel (?) I would have made more money my career until up about two years ago.” is a bit weird in the transcript. I think you’re missing a word?
Find what works and then patience. Patience.
Like they say, a river cuts through rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence.
Let alone if we combine power with persistence.
Loved the episode. Thanks
Abdo
I’m 1 of your 2 Dayton, Ohio listeners and I’m still going to continue to listen. I never leave comments but I got some much inspiration from this podcast. I actually know of JT Dad. I have family that was in the same line of business. I really enjoy all of your podcast and App Sumo deals!!! Thanks for all the advice and knowledge that you share.
Happy Taco Tuesday!
Craig