The Thinking Behind My Partnership with the Hormozis
Sometimes the best way to learn is to watch someone else figure it out.
If you have no idea what I am talking about, watch this 60 second video.
I’ve learned a lot building two billion-dollar companies. Mostly, that real growth comes from showing up, doing the work, and staying in the fight... long after the feeling of motivation fades.
That kind of effort changes you. It teaches you that what matters most isn’t what you build... but how you build it.
And who you become in the process.
So for me, the next chapter wasn’t about what's easy or expected.
It was about continuing to earn the right to do meaningful work with people I admire.
But when your career is built on effort and belief more than outcomes, the next chapter isn't about ease.
It's about committing again.
To the work.
To the people.
To the process.
And to a future that’s earned, not assumed.
However, when you've poured everything into something for that long, deciding where to go next isn't about strategy or status. It's about alignment. It's about finding something you're willing to work just as hard for... maybe harder.
That's what brought me here.
But meaningful work doesn't show up by default. You have to choose it again.
Not for the spotlight. But for the chance to keep doing work you're proud of... alongside people who live by the same code.
But I’ve learned that when you care deeply, the next move is never automatic. It has to be earned. Through reflection. Through honesty. Through recommitting to the kind of work that got you here in the first place.
So when I was considering joining Alex and Leila, I did what I always do when life asks for a big decision:
I wrote down my thoughts.
Not for the announcement, but for personal clarity.
Because how you prepare shows how much you care.
I thought it would be helpful to share my raw thinking with you, not to merely walk you through my thought-process because you probably don't care. But maybe, just maybe, it helps you organize your thoughts on something that you are working on right now.
Here are the 10 foundational reasons why I am partnering with Leila and Alex Hormozi to build Acquisition.com.
1. The Company You Keep
In my 20s, I thought it was about the destination.
In your 30s, I understood that it was about the journey.
In your 40s, I realized it’s about the company.
The company is the people on the journey with you.
The people you build with.
The ones who push you.
Who celebrate your wins like their own.
That’s the real compounding force.
Who you do life with may be the most important decision you ever make.
2. I wanted to be around people who believe in effort the way most people believe in luck.
The kind of people who don’t need a scoreboard to show up early and stay late. Who work like the outcome depends on them... because it does.
These are the people who remind me that commitment is a daily decision. That excellence is earned, not granted. They’re not waiting to be inspired. They bring their own inner fire.
That’s who I want to be around.
They are whom I want to learn from.
These are people who see rest as a reward, not a requirement.
Who wake up with burning fire to win.
Who treat effort like a sacred ritual.
I’m not talking about workaholism.
I’m talking about obsession.
Discipline.
A relentless refusal to quit.
People who live in the gym, in the spreadsheet, or on the field.
Who take pride in outworking everyone, even when no one’s watching.
Because there’s no hack for greatness.
There’s only the work.
But because they made an unshakable vow to themselves: to keep showing up, no matter what, no matter how hard.
They don’t quit because they’ve trained themselves not to.
Because they live by an elite code of personal commitment.
Not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do. — Aquaman
3. I want to play an infinite game.
Most people play a game that makes perfect sense when you're in it.
You aim for the next raise.
The next title.
The next milestone that proves you're doing okay.
I used to play that game too.
And to be honest, it worked. Until one day it didn’t.
I realized I was checking boxes but not building anything that could last.
That’s when something shifted. I started asking different questions.
What if the goal isn’t to win fast?
What if it’s to keep playing for a long time?
What if it's about building something that outlives you?
Now I try to play the infinite game.
I want to build with people I respect, create things I’m proud of, and keep going even when no one’s keeping score.
This change didn’t happen all at once. It came from experience, from mistakes, and from watching what actually brought fulfillment... not just success.
I still work hard every day. But now, it’s for something bigger.
Meaningful success = hard things × long enough.
4. Values aren’t just words. They’re the way we work.
Beliefs are what you think is true.
Values are what you think is important.
What drew me to Acquisition.com wasn’t just the vision. It was the alignment in how we show up every day.
At Real, we had a simple motto: Work Hard. Be Kind. That kept me grounded through hard decisions and high growth.
Here, I found a new version of that similar foundation: six words I can fully stand behind:
Competitive Greatness. Sincere Candor. Unimpeachable Character.
They’re not slogans. They’re standards. And around here, you don’t just say them. You earn them.
5. Where your partners care more than you do
You can tell the strength of a partnership by one question:
Are they obsessed with your goals, or just their own?
One of my goals along the way is to buy the Anaheim Ducks.
And I believe Alex and Leila want that for me as much as I do.
Heck, probably even more than I do.
Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms you’re not in.
6. The right people pull new growth out of you.
Over the years, even before we worked together, Alex and Leila have helped me grow just through our friendship. Their perspective, their standards, and the way they live their values have quietly shaped how I show up… in business and in life.
Alex’s thinking makes me sharper. Leila’s leadership makes me steadier. Their standards challenge mine in ways that are uncomfortable… but necessary.
They make me more thoughtful.
More focused.
More honest.
Not just as a business owner. But as a father. A friend. A human.
Every day, I learn something that makes me better.
The better you get, the better you realize you can become.
7. It reminds me of Goldman Sachs, but better.
I did 39 interviews to get hired at Goldman.
That was the highest density of A-players I’d seen...until now.
The talent density at Acquisition.com rivals what I experienced at Goldman Sachs... and in many ways, surpasses it. I never thought I’d say that.
It’s proof that when the culture is right, the right people show up. And when they do, they raise the bar for everyone around them.
The big reason people are mediocre is everyone around them is also mediocre.
8. The New Assets
The future belongs to the companies that know how to wield three things:
Distribution.
Creativity.
Capital.
Individually, they’re powerful. But together… they’re unstoppable.
Very few companies have all three.
Even fewer know how to operate them in sync…like holding the infinity stones.
I was looking for a place where this approach wasn’t a special project. I wanted it to be the default setting. The operating system.
At Acquisition.com, that’s exactly what it is.
Your brand is a compound interest engine for trust.
9. Operationalizing Generosity
About a decade ago, I started using a simple filter for every opportunity that came my way: does this allow me to live out operationalized generosity?
To me, generosity isn't just a virtue… it's a system. It's a conscious choice to give your best ideas away, to teach everything you know, and to help others succeed without expecting anything in return.
It’s really kindness in action.
That’s what drew me to Alex and Leila. Long before we partnered, they were already living this out. They could charge millions for what they teach, but they choose to share it freely. And they do it at a level that most people would keep locked behind a paywall.
That’s the kind of operating system I want to be part of... one built on contribution. A place where giving generously isn’t a tactic. It’s the culture.
We make a living by what we get.
We make a life by what we give.
10. Behind the Next Billion
Every night, I ask myself a simple question: “What do you have to show for today?”
After investing in over 100+ deals and having 5 exits, I’ve learned that the real answer isn’t money, headlines, or exit multiples. It’s who you become in the process.
For me, this next chapter isn’t just about building another billion-dollar company. It’s about doing it with people I trust. People I love. People who challenge me, support me, and bring out the best in me.
It’s about working toward something big... not just for the outcome, but for the growth along the way.
That's why I am excited to build the next billion with my best friends.
Final Thought
People only see the decisions you make.
They rarely understand the choices you had.
I shared this not to justify my move, but to show you my personal thought-process behind it.
Maybe it'll help you organize your own thinking before your next big decision.
Stay close to the right people.
That alone might change everything.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It always help with perspective and making sure our efforts are aligned with our outcomes. As always, reflect to keep moving forward in our own journeys.
What spoke to me: "Not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do"
I was stoked to hear that you were partnering with Alex and Leila. And I had no idea who you were; did some background check and I was impressed.
I'm excited for the lessons you share moving forwards sir.
Cheers.