The Paul Morris Podcast

Paul Morris sits down with Aaron Wolpoff, founder of Double Zebra Marketing Company and co-host of the We Fixed It podcast, for a conversation about brand strategy, leadership, and standing out in the age of AI. Expect a banned word, a whiteboard trick worth stealing, and a few ideas for reinventing a heritage luxury brand.

Connect with Paul Morris

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulmarkmorris/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmarkmorris/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itspaulmarkmorris

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulmarkmorris

Connect with Aaron Wolpoff

https://wefixeditpod.com

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketingaaron

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeFixedItPod

Timestamps

0:00 Welcome to the Paul Morris Podcast0:11 Inside the “We Fixed It” Podcast1:19 The Panel Behind the Fix3:40 Keeping Score on the Advice4:53 The Outsider’s Ticking Clock6:12 Meet Double Zebra Marketing Company7:35 Finding Bullet Point #118:33 Two Very Different Real Estate Businesses11:55 The Whiteboard Exercise16:12 The Word Aaron Banned19:10 What Lights Aaron Up21:07 Where AI Meets the Human Experience23:10 The Retail Comeback Nobody Expected28:38 Finding the Side Door30:03 A “We Fixed It” Moment for Paul32:19 Paul’s Big Idea36:25 The Velvet Rope38:25 What’s Changed in Marketing40:50 From Playing Defense to Playing Offense43:30 The Hairdryer Lesson48:00 Salt, Steak & the $1,200 Menu Item50:41 Finding Value Where Others Don’t Look53:20 Putting Old-School Ideas to Work55:07 Why Face Time Still Wins57:17 Quick-Fire Round59:00 The Hilltop Question
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What if the opinions you’ve built over a career could become a real, diversifiable investment instead of a bet on one stock? Paul sits down with Andrew Peek of Tilt to talk about how AI is turning personal conviction into rules-based baskets of stocks, and why that may be a smarter way to act on a thesis than picking a single winner or timing an options trade.

#ETFs #AI #FinTech

Connect with Paul Morris

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulmarkmorris/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmarkmorris/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itspaulmarkmorris

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulmarkmorris

Connect with Andrew Peek

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drupeek

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/drupeek/⁠

X: ⁠https://x.com/drupeek⁠

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Andrew’s Entrepreneurial Journey
00:04:42 - From Index Investing to Personalized Portfolios
00:06:17 - How ETFs Work
00:09:24 - Using AI to Invest in a Trend
00:14:40 - Why Picking a Trend Can Beat Picking a Stock
00:15:44 - How Much to Invest in a Trend
00:18:49 - Finding Your Portfolio’s Hidden Exposure
00:26:32 - Using Events and Prediction Markets to Assess Exposure
00:27:54 - Making Trend Investing More Accessible
00:29:23 - Exposure Means Upside as Well as Risk
00:31:26 - Turning an Investment Thesis Into a Portfolio
00:34:53 - How AI Selects Stocks and Sources
00:38:26 - Building a Personalized Portfolio With $10,000
00:42:01 - Sharing a Strategy and Following Other Investors
00:45:36 - Fire-Round Questions and Closing Reflections
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Jeremy Werden, co-founder of BnBCalc and co-host of the Short Term Rental Pros podcast, sits down with Paul Morris to explain why the next big thing in short-term rentals is the experience, not just the property. Jeremy started by renting pontoon boats during COVID and now owns a multi-state portfolio of short-term rentals and runs a software platform used by thousands of investors. In this episode he shares his secrets for making money in markets across the country.

How to reach Jeremy:

www.bnbcalc.com/

www.instagram.com/jeremywerden

www.linkedin.com/in/jmwerden/

www.facebook.com/jeremy.werden

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPACQuaK_bLC6molJb4K4kA

Connect with Paul

Instagram: / paulmarkmorris

LinkedIn: / paulmarkmorris

TikTok: / itspaulmarkmorris

Facebook: / paulmarkmorris

Chapters:

0:00 Intro: Jeremy Werden on Short-Term Rental Pros & BnBCalc

0:55 From New Jersey to UNC Basketball

1:30 COVID Furlough & the Push to Start a Business

2:15 Buying Pontoon Boats After Watching Ozark

2:55 Pivoting to Lake Houses at Hyco Lake

3:20 How BnBCalc Started (7-Investor First Deal)

4:40 BnBCalc Today: Thousands of Users & the Markets Tool

5:25 Boat Rental Economics: Why It Was a COVID Anomaly

6:40 Why Houses Beat Boats (and the Lake Retreat)

7:40 Why Jeremy Built BnBCalc to Win Homeowner Clients

8:45 What a BnBCalc Report Shows (Seasonality, Fees, Competitors)

10:00 Bonus Depreciation & the Short-Term Rental Loophole

11:15 What BnBCalc Does (and Doesn't Do)

12:35 Catch-Up Depreciation for Existing Owners

13:45 Cost Seg Services Jeremy Uses

14:15 Cost Segregation Explained

16:45 Landscaping, Pickleball Courts & Depreciation

17:40 Designing a Short-Term Rental: Bedrooms vs. Closets

19:35 "Buy Only Where You Know" Investing Rule

21:05 Joshua Tree Lesson: Why Not to Split the Lot

22:45 Property Management Fees: Is 20% Standard?

24:30 Can Deals Still Pencil Out With a Management Fee?

25:50 Value-Add Example: Turning an Attic Into Bedrooms

26:35 Refinance & Reappraisal Results

27:10 Why Cheap Furniture Is "Lipstick on a Pig"

27:50 Creating a "One of One" Experience

29:30 Underwriting vs. Reality: $250K Kentucky Lake House

31:05 The Three Boxes: Tax Benefits, Value-Add & Revenue

32:30 Quick Market Research on Airbnb & VRBO

33:30 How to Invest Out of State

34:35 Listener Case Study: $350K in Year One

35:55 Piggybacking on a Partner's Kentucky Properties

36:20 Where to Find Jeremy + BnBCalc Free Trial

#ShortTermRental #STRInvesting #AirbnbInvesting
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He left college, sold his first company for $110K, and went on to an eight-figure exit without a single investor. Now he's putting his money into pool services, dry cleaners, and oil well repair, and he has a theory about why.Plus, what happens to the "sexy" businesses when AI changes everything?

Check out Capital Pad: https://capitalpad.com

Connect with Travis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisvc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@paulmorrispodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulmarkmorris/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmarkmorris/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itspaulmarkmorris

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulmarkmorris

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and leaving college for the supplement business

01:00 Living the 4-Hour Workweek blueprint abroad

04:00 The first big exit and the "first $100K" debate

05:30 Multiple businesses vs. The One Thing

07:00 How the 4-Hour Workweek got perverted

09:30 Creating $10 of value from a $3 widget

10:30 Why SEO became the secret weapon

12:00 The bootstrapped SaaS exit and the Amazon search algorithm

16:30 Pivoting to lower middle market private equity

18:00 What independent sponsors do

19:30 A look inside Travis's portfolio

21:00 How a deal is structured: debt, seller notes, and the promote

23:00 Capital Pad and how everyday investors get access

26:00 Target returns and the levers that create value

28:00 Roll-ups, multiple arbitrage, and Shore Capital

32:00 How Capital Pad adds value beyond the check

34:00 IRR explained in plain English

36:00 The promote, the carry, and what investors actually keep

38:00 REITs and the case for professional investors

40:00 Track record, check size, and skin in the game

42:30 The lesson on betting on the people behind the deal

45:30 Y Combinator, the "SaaS-calypse," and what AI disrupts

51:00 The laundromat influencer problem

52:00 What survives AI (and the funeral home receptionist)

54:00 The wild valuation of AI startups

57:00 The real estate debate begins

01:00:00 The case for investing with local market experts

01:03:00 Paul's 40% buy box and how he bought his house

01:08:00 The fire round

01:12:00 The mountaintop shout

01:14:00 Wrap-up

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This week on the Paul Morris Podcast, Rock Thomas shares his extraordinary journey from a challenging childhood to becoming a successful entrepreneur and motivational speaker. After trying various careers, he found his true calling in real estate, where he has thrived for over 37 years. Rock emphasizes the importance of understanding the psychology of success and how our past experiences shape our beliefs and actions. He aims to help others reduce personal suffering and achieve wealth, but also stresses that money alone doesn't guarantee happiness. In his upcoming book, 'Who's Holding the Microphone,' Rock explores the six scripts that influence our lives and how to rewrite them for a better future. He encourages listeners to take small steps towards transformation, reminding them that they are not defined by their past. Join Rock and Paul on this journey of self-discovery and empowerment, and learn how to unlock your potential today!

Connect with Paul Morris

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@paulmorrispodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulmarkmorris/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmarkmorris/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itspaulmarkmorris

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulmarkmorris

Connect with Rock Thomas

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RockThomas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockthomas

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockThomas

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rockthomas91

Website: https://rockthomas.com/

Timestamps

00:00:00 - Rock Thomas' Origin Story

00:04:54 - Challenging Beliefs and Identity

00:12:37 - Transforming Identity and Habits

00:15:20 - Creating Lasting Change

00:18:07 - Identifying Blind Spots

00:19:21 - Understanding Inner Voices

00:31:41 - Recognizing Patterns and Adapting Behaviors

00:32:25 - Understanding the Impact of Past Trauma

00:39:50 - Personal Growth and Transformation

00:47:18 - Changing Behavior Patterns

00:49:53 - Overcoming Fear of Investments

00:54:37 - Building Resilience and Learning from Past Mistakes

01:00:25 - Impact of Social Comparison and Finding Inspiration

01:04:17 - Fire Round - Rapid Questions

01:07:23 - Closing Remarks and Gratitude
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