Mark Harbert: 0:15

What's up everybody? Mark Harvard here, Another episode of the Fearless Influencer Podcast, and this is a super special episode because I've got my good friend and home business phenom legend, whatever you want to call it.

Doug Firebaugh: 0:32

Phenom yeah.

Mark Harbert: 0:33

I know right, but he's a really good friend of mine too. I love this guy. I love him and his wife. They're amazing people. I'm so excited to have you, doug Fireball.

Doug Firebaugh: 0:43

Thanks for having me.

Mark Harbert: 0:44

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 0:44

It's been. Went out to dinner last night. It was epic. Yeah, it was epic.

Mark Harbert: 0:50

We had a great time, but I've been excited to do this for a while. I know we've been talking about getting together and the fact that we live right off the freeway you're able to come right by and see it Good stuff. So I'm super excited we're going to dive into some really cool stuff today, because if you don't know Doug, you should know Doug. I'll tell you a little story before we get started. But I got started in network marketing back in the early 2000s and probably around 2008,.

Mark Harbert: 1:15

I was in a company and I got involved with a company that did a lot of training company and I got involved with a company that did a lot of training and my very first introduction to Doug was listening to his training and going through his training and it really helped me so much and I just remember listening to him, thinking who is this guy? He has a crazy amount of energy and I love what he shared. So his training early on affected me before I even knew him, and so the fact that we've gotten to know each other. But our faith has been one thing that's really been a huge part that's connected us and we had something in common. So I definitely want to get into this, but if you don't know, doug, one of the things about him is you've been around the industry now for like close to 40 years, right?

Doug Firebaugh: 1:56

37.

Mark Harbert: 1:57

Yeah 37 years and 40 years. Right, 37, yeah, 37 years, and some of the stats Doug has first off, I just want you to know he'll never talk about himself. Okay, he's not that kind of guy. He actually loves promoting others, which is such a great thing. He's not about making himself first, he's about putting others first and really lifting up people. But I was looking into his stats and, doug, you've mentored, I think, 58 number one earners and companies. Correct, think about that for a second. You've worked with over 150 plus teams in the network marketing direct sales industry. Right and okay, correct me if I'm wrong over 9 billion with a B in volume.

Doug Firebaugh: 2:40

We catalyze that with our companies, correct, yeah.

Mark Harbert: 2:43

That's crazy. So I want you to know what you're about to hear today is from somebody who's done the deal Okay, and that's yeah. See, he's pointing to the real CEO, but Doug has been an incredible vessel to really do some amazing things, so I'm excited to hear from him. All right, doug, yes, let's get into this, let's have fun. This is we're going to have some fun.

Doug Firebaugh: 3:05

I wish I could grow a beard like that.

Mark Harbert: 3:07

Yeah, if you want.

Doug Firebaugh: 3:08

I just can't do it.

Mark Harbert: 3:09

I'll teach you.

Doug Firebaugh: 3:10

I'll teach you. It's not easy.

Mark Harbert: 3:13

I'm getting jealous about it, man. Let me show you how it's still a little white, but I think that's salt and pepper. I saw that's what I go. So, Doug, what's your story, man? How did you get started in entrepreneurship? What was the I?

Doug Firebaugh: 3:24

was living in Virginia, roanoke, where I was born and we were. There's a place called the Roanoke athletic club and I was working for my uncle right out of school and college. And, to make a long story short, I was and we were. I was getting ready to take a shower and stuff and a guy said hey, let me ask you a question what do you do for a living? I said I'm in sales marketing blah, blah, blah, like 24, something like that. And he said do you have a VHS player? I said yeah, I got a VHS player. He says here, watch this. So when I watched it that evening I was like oh no, oh no, that's not anything that I would want to do. But the Lord had different plans.

Doug Firebaugh: 4:06

So the next morning we were back in. It's about 5.36 AM in the morning and I had some questions. And he says why don't you come to a meeting? I said what kind of meeting? He said this is like 86, mid 86, late 86. And he said what kind of meeting? I said she's got some people from Virginia beach coming up. He said I'd like you to meet him. I'm into meeting new people, sure. So I showed up at Saturday morning and there they were talking about this new company and this great system of filtration of water and everything else. And I said wait a minute, this isn't at all what I thought it was and from. And suddenly it just connected, it clicked. Yeah, I got involved and we built a huge organization.

Mark Harbert: 4:49

Yeah, you said that it clicked, like what was there anything specific about the industry itself? Network marketing, direct sales.

Doug Firebaugh: 4:57

I love the fact that you're working for yourself, but not by yourself. That really caught me. I said wow because I thought about real estate, thought about insurance and this was like it, but I like the idea of having a team building community, having a support system. Yeah, even though I was green as grass, I had not a clue what I was doing, but that's what I liked the most about it that that for me too, like I've always loved that part of network marketing is the community.

Mark Harbert: 5:25

It's tight, there's so many. I the amount of people that I've met in this profession has been incredible. Like you, just the people, everybody really devoted to the same. You know, I ideal of helping each other succeed. I think that's what's super cool about it. You know getting started and then coming up through the ranks and things like that. But, as you, what was it like early on for you? Because I know, like when people it doesn't even have to be like a network marketing company or whatever it could be any business venture whatsoever.

Mark Harbert: 5:58

Because I know there's people that are going to be watching this who probably aren't in network marketing, but I'm sure everything was super peachy for you in the beginning, like it was super smooth, and I'm being, of course, sarcastic.

Doug Firebaugh: 6:11

You know what K-Row syrup?

Mark Harbert: 6:12

is right.

Doug Firebaugh: 6:13

K-row syrup is like a very thick pancake syrup.

Mark Harbert: 6:16

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 6:18

It was like being waist deep in a very thick pancake syrup. It was tough, it was not easy.

Mark Harbert: 6:23

Yeah, and and and. I want to talk about this because I think a lot of people, when they think of a business, like it's just going to be this cakewalk, and I can tell you firsthand that's not the case and I know that doing a lot and you've helped other people work through that. So, what was it for you?

Doug Firebaugh: 6:36

And then, how did you like really figure out how to help others, that's a great question, mark, because I asked my mentor one day when it was during a summit he did in Memphis, tennessee, and I asked him I don't know why, everybody was under Ben and he asked me to breakfast one morning and I just asked him. I was really struggling. I was struggling and I said, ben, what's the secret to this business? I know you got to talk with people, do this, do that. What is the real secret? Without even looking up from his oatmeal, he just said patient. He said most people impatient, themselves right out of this business. He says you don't understand that one person that you could bring in and together jointly, there's a chemistry literally that can explode your business. And that's what happened to me that one person showed up and jointly together, one plus one was equal to like a thousand and it just took off.

Mark Harbert: 7:31

Yeah, it's funny you say that too, because one of the things that I teach my students a lot of times because, I you know I'm a heavy internet marketer. I love internet marketing.

Doug Firebaugh: 7:40

You're great at it.

Mark Harbert: 7:41

And there's a little bit of the tech side that comes along with that, and yeah, this dude is coaching Jody and me about video marketing, just FYI.

Mark Harbert: 7:50

That to me, is still. I love being able to help you guys, and you guys have been amazing. But one of the things that I teach my students cause there's a little bit of the tech side to things and one of the excuses I hear all the time is oh, I'm just not, I'm just not tech. And I usually stop people and I say, okay, that's not the problem, it's patience that's the problem.

Mark Harbert: 8:10

Because, a lot of people. It's not that they can't learn something, it's that you need to have the patience to learn it. And so that is a big word. For me is the patience thing, because it's we all. We're in that microwave society a lot of times and we want it now, we want it quick, we want it fast, we want it as quick as we can get it, and patience is so cool.

Doug Firebaugh: 8:30

You got to develop what I call urgent patience. You got to have a sense of urgency, and it's something that you got to move. You got to do what you need to do, but at the same point, you have to step back sometimes and just let it flow, just let it happen, because every consequence has some type of reaction and you have to learn what to do, how to say it. You have to learn the system, you have to trust the process. Yeah, all the trite things that people say, yeah, but the challenge is back when, when I was building, it was, it was a very micro focus. Yeah, you were so focused on doing what needed to be done you didn't even mention, you didn't, didn't even think anything, except you went and did it yeah, here it's microwave yeah everybody wants it in 15 minutes and preferably 10 10 minutes.

Doug Firebaugh: 9:18

If it can happen that way, yeah, and you don't endure. What needs to endure, because it's called from point A to point B, is where most people want to go.

Mark Harbert: 9:27

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 9:28

But there's a messy middle.

Mark Harbert: 9:29

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 9:30

And this messy middle is messy. I don't care if you're in real estate, I don't care if you're an entrepreneur restaurant, I don't care what it is. There is a messy middle that you have to figure it out. And no matter how many courses, no matter how many times that you go to webinars, seminars, learn and all this other stuff, if you don't make it through the messy middle.

Doug Firebaugh: 9:51

And that's the only difference between seven eight, nine figure producers and then regular people is. They made it through the middle and decided that they just wanted to take it and from that point, soar.

Mark Harbert: 9:59

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 10:00

And that's why that many people they give up right in the middle of the struggle. Yeah, they just walk away.

Mark Harbert: 10:07

Yeah, and I find that to be the most tragic thing because the truth is, you know, my wife will tell you, we've all been through it that have had some level of success in anything. It is hard, like when you're going through it. The hard part is not necessarily the work, it's the personal growth. That's the part that really matters is going through that, understanding that your journey is a big deal, and I think some people struggle with it.

Doug Firebaugh: 10:34

I think that a lot of people don't understand that from point A to point B, there are certain mile markers that you have to cross. It's just like going from Dallas, texas, to New York there are certain mile markers you have to cross. You have to cross these mile markers, otherwise you're not going to get to New York. It's the same thing here. There are certain mile markers that you have to cross and if you don't cross them, you'll never end up at the destination. And that's the challenge a lot of people have, because they want to go to point A to point B and just it'd be simple, easy, quick.

Mark Harbert: 11:03

I wish that's the way it was.

Doug Firebaugh: 11:04

I wish God set it up where it was like we just lay our head on a book and it infuses in the head. The greatest reason why we go through the messy middle is because it builds us. It develops your skill set, it develops your mental set, it develops your action set, and all of this works really well within what we're doing as far as the business itself.

Mark Harbert: 11:26

That's the thing. If you don't go through any of that, you're never going to grow as a person. There has to be like that, that that ability to handle more, and if you're always running away from the challenge, that's part of being an entrepreneur is overcoming the challenges.

Doug Firebaugh: 11:43

There's only five things you'll ever do Find people, talk to people, put them in a pipeline, follow up and then it's either yes or no.

Mark Harbert: 11:52

That's it.

Doug Firebaugh: 11:53

It's. Whether it's online or offline, it doesn't matter, and most people try to complicate it in some format. I did, I don't know. For three or four years we had the most complicated. It looked like a roadmap. This is what you do and you go here. It's just conversation. One of the things that we developed was our own training system, and it's very simple, but it was based on conversation, and every I've said this a thousand times even had a CD. All business is conversation.

Mark Harbert: 12:24

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 12:24

That's it. That's it. And when I came out with that CD and I don't know whenever it was it changed how people perceived it, just like we're talking here, and if people understand, they have all of the skill set giftings they need because they've held probably tens of thousands of conversations by now. That's all it is. You have to learn, though, on the internet with respect, social media, online marketing. You have to learn how to do mobile marketing. You have to learn how to do all this thing video marketing but it's just conversation. That's all it is. And if you keep it just down to that place where it's just conversation, no matter online or offline, and I'm here to help, those were the two sides of the coin that we taught. We called it the success coin. First side was it's just conversation. Just keep it that simple. Flip it over. I'm here to help.

Mark Harbert: 13:15

Yeah, and that's ultimately too, when you get right down to it. Like as much as I love internet marketing, one of the things I'm always telling my students is the fundamentals will never change.

Mark Harbert: 13:27

Those are as sure as anything. The means of communication might like. A new social media app comes out and maybe you start using that, but you're still dealing with humans. That but you're still dealing with humans. You're still basic fundamentals. That will never change. That's why I always tell people if you really want to be good with people, go read Dale Carnegie how to Win Friends and Influence People One of the best books ever written, in my opinion.

Mark Harbert: 13:49

A great book when you're dealing with, when you're dealing and trying to work with people, because it still comes down to people. If you're sending an email, you're writing a social post, it still comes down to people.

Doug Firebaugh: 14:02

It's just that's the key. Many people think that this actually is to Jody and me. This is almost a ministry. What we like to do is we like to not only encourage and empower people which so many great people out there that do that but at the same point, you have to bring it down to what's your real purpose for doing it. It can't be just the money.

Doug Firebaugh: 14:24

I know a lot of people that made a lot of money in this profession, but they still don't have that purpose down and they're still discontented. And that's one of the reasons why that some people say you got to have a, why I think it's got to run a little bit deeper than that. What is the foundational purpose that you're actually doing this and will get you through the tough time? Because invariably, mark, they're going to come. Yeah, very few people I've ever met and I'm thinking right now with all the people that I've been blessed to work with all of them said the same thing what got me through the tough times was my purpose. Yes, and as trite as that sounds, something's got to get you up in the morning after you've gotten 30 no's in a week. Yeah, you got to have that.

Mark Harbert: 15:07

Yeah, Because that, and that's the key. I like to think of that as the rod and the concrete, because the concrete is strong, but it's not as strong without the rod. It doesn't have the steel rods in it.

Doug Firebaugh: 15:19

I'm working on a book called Iron to Steel and it talks about how iron is, what process it goes through in order to hit to become steel, which is a hundred times stronger than iron, and that's where the process comes in. Yeah, armor than iron, and that's where the process comes in. People I've coached have always said if you haven't wanted to quit, at least once this week, you're doing something wrong.

Mark Harbert: 15:42

Yeah, I feel like that weekly almost. You got to push yourself.

Doug Firebaugh: 15:47

You've got to push you beyond the boundaries other people have set on you. You've got to push yourself beyond the boundaries and the limits that you have up here and here. And what you have to do is you've got to understand that the only way you're going to get what you want out of life is to give what life demands. And it demands everything you have. And it's always God, family, business Always. But when you're working your business, you've got to give it everything you got, cause if you don't, then you're only going to be living on minimals and you're only going to be establishing minimums for your business. If you want to get to that maximum place, you've got to say I'm tired. Yes, I understand, I can't go another step, but I'm going to suck it up. I'm going to pull it up and I'm going to keep going. That artificial intelligence. I've got a saying. Social media to a large degree made people lazy.

Mark Harbert: 16:38

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 16:38

Artificial intelligence is going to make people comatose and the reason why is because they're depending on technology and software to develop their business, but they don't develop themselves. That's why if you're doing AI which I'm all for, Jody and I use it, but if you're doing AI, you need to get into the readership and the podcast. That's going to grow you, not just your business.

Mark Harbert: 17:00

So I'm so glad you bring this up, because I have been screaming this since day one, because AI is obviously a hot topic right now. There's new tools coming out every hour Pretty much. I've tried a gazillion of them, but one of the things I keep telling them look, ai is awesome, it's great. There's so many things like. I love sitting down at Chad GPT and using it as a brainstorm tool. It's helped me so many times.

Mark Harbert: 17:23

But I said, the people that are going to win in the age of AI are the ones that master the relationship, the ones that master working with people and connecting with people, because the masses are, and especially in the marketing world and things. They're going down the lazy route. They're going down the lazy route like you said and but the people that really make the connection with individuals, it's going to matter, it's all that's always what, if you look at the word relationship, is being able to relate to you. Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 17:53

And this is the thing that great leaders do. I've worked at the highest. I'm so blessed. Well, thank you Lord, I've worked at the highest level, from CEO to business owner, to boards and the great leaders. And I've learned this the great leaders that I have been blessed to work with all focus on the relationship first, the distributorship second. On the relationship first, the distributorship second. And this is why the great leaders, when they're in an organization and they're talking to the team and stuff, they can't just focus on go build your distributorship. What you have to do is you have to work with your leaders to build a relationship which, in turn, will ignite a fire to go build that relationship. Of course, you got to teach them what to do. There's no doubt about it.

Doug Firebaugh: 18:34

Many people and we've heard this before, but many people want to become efficient. Oh, man, I do things right. Yeah, baby, I know how to prospect. Oh, I know how to bring them in. But it's not about efficiency, it's about effectiveness. That's doing the right things, and that's one of the biggest reasons why the people have a tendency to struggle, because they get really good at the things that are comfortable doing. Wealth lies in the things that are uncomfortable, and you have to grow into them. That's where wealth lies. You're willing to put up with the uncomfortableness until it gets to the point where it doesn't feel uncomfortable anymore.

Mark Harbert: 19:11

You're just there. It's the same thing with video marketing. I talk to people. They're like oh, I'm so scared to get on video or I'm really nervous. And once you get into a groove you break through that initial thing and I talk about this a lot. I have this little plan I've coined, called the 5-5-5 plan, and it's just about creating a group of five videos one minute videos that break the inertia. Then you have five where you're actually posting them, getting used to posting them, and then you have another five where you're doing some live videos and by the time they've done this little plan, at the end they're like this was nothing, like. This was so much easier than I thought.

Mark Harbert: 19:46

I love that. But now they've grown through that of experiencing, you know, breaking through that limitation or limiting. Wow.

Mark Harbert: 19:52

Getting on, that's so good and so, and that happens with anything like it, doesn't matter what you're doing there's. That's the way to break through it. But I want to shift on to another topic. Sure, because this is one of the key reasons you and I really connected, and I think the first time you and I met, I want to say, was 2015, 2016, mlsp. Yeah, we were at an mlsP event. You were a speaker, I was a speaker and you and I connected in the lobby and we sat there for about two and a half hours.

Doug Firebaugh: 20:20

Easily.

Mark Harbert: 20:21

You remember what we talked about? One word Jesus. We sat there and talked about God for you know, for two and a half hours and it was like everything shut down around us and we just had a great conversation. So I want to talk about faith because that is a huge part. That's what's connected us, and when we get together we can just talk about geez. Last night at dinner we all had a great time really enjoying talking about it. How important and what role has that played in your business.

Doug Firebaugh: 20:50

I was sitting out in Louisville, Kentucky, in the backyard one afternoon, 1996, five, six, and just as I'm talking to you, in my spirit the Lord said don't ever touch back the Lord. And I had no idea that I was going to become an author. I had no idea that I was going to do and have the success that God has blessed you with. I had no idea. But that's what he said Do never touch my glory. And the reason why is because I think that when people have a tendency to get really and I see it so much on social media it's all about me. That's one of the things I really wish they would name social media social media, because they take the me out of it, put the you, the person, but it's everything, Mark, and that's one of the reasons why I think that faith in Jesus is probably one of the most critical things that will get you through the tough times.

Doug Firebaugh: 21:47

When I started writing the series Legend, I'd never written a book before. I'd written a couple of training manuals, but I'd never written a book. I didn't even know how to write a book. But the Lord put in my heart to write this series of books and it was so profoundly done that. We've dedicated the whole series just to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That's it, Know the dedication, All books and, as a matter of fact, it says any book in the future that I write. The reason why is because he's the one that not only deserves credit, deserves the glory, but at the same point, I didn't write it. How can you write seven books in eight weeks?

Mark Harbert: 22:30

When you were telling us that last night, I was like, oh my gosh, definitely, but it's Jesus. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.

Doug Firebaugh: 22:38

And I found a word for it. It was so funny is, sometimes people will put out books and you can tell it's AI as soon as I start reading it all. This is AI, even if they go through the things and trying to make it sound human. Yeah, even if they go through the things and trying to make it sound human. Yeah, and this is one of the reasons why that that literally jody just was. She was like because I never left the couch yeah for seven weeks.

Doug Firebaugh: 23:02

I've just typed, and this is one of the reasons why that, even though these books will be out in the very near future. Yeah, it's not me. I didn't want to put my name on, but I have to. I didn't want to do this video, but I have to, you understand.

Mark Harbert: 23:21

Yeah, and I um and I think this is I'd love to hear your answer on this question because a lot of especially faith-based entrepreneurs they want to know, like, how can I make God my CEO, how can I hear God more, how can I make sure that I'm number one in my purpose that he has for me, and also, how can I listen to him when he's putting me, you know, when he's sending me in a direction, and how can I know that it's him? I?

Mark Harbert: 23:54

know it's a deep question, but I'd love to know your thoughts on that, because I know you've been a man of faith for many years. I have been too, and I've learned how to hear from God. But I'm just curious what would you say to somebody that really wants to hear from God more?

Doug Firebaugh: 24:10

When God starts talking to you, it's more at least this has been my experience when God first starts talking to you, it's more of an unction, a feeling, and yesterday, for instance, we talked about it. Last night, jody and I were getting something to eat and there was this homeless guy and I just looked at him and I had no intention of saying anything to him, but the Lord just moved me. So we gave him a little bit of money, some money, good amount of money, and for no reason at all. And the reason why I'm saying this is because it's unction, and so if somebody really truly wants to know how that God's talking with them, it's a feeling that you just know that it's not you.

Mark Harbert: 24:50

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 24:51

Does that make sense?

Mark Harbert: 24:52

Yeah, I know for me too, and I there's so many times where I'm maybe in a space where I'm calm or whatever and I know God tells me something, because I feel almost like this little electric shock starts in my head and goes right down through my body and it just is, and I feel this impression on my heart and I feel this impression on my heart I'm like, wow, that's God saying something and it's happened to me so many times.

Mark Harbert: 25:16

It doesn't always happen like that and sometimes it's just a little thought that I have or something. But I go back to where God says in the Bible, where he says be still and know that I am God. But the key was be still, and I think that's a big one, I'm sure.

Doug Firebaugh: 25:33

If people will just get into the Word. Every morning I do. I got my phone. First thing I do is I pull up the Gmail and there's a series of emails that are sent out that I'm subscribed to that have scripture and teachings and every morning, if they just get into the Word, jody and I listen to praise and worship music almost 24, 7, constantly, all day long.

Mark Harbert: 25:58

Yeah, it may be low yeah, but it's feeding the soul and the spirit, even subconsciously. You're just hearing it in the background and it's constantly feeding you. Yeah, I love that because that's a very important part I wanted to make sure I bring up, because your success ultimately leads back to one reason ultimately and you're not shy to tell it and I that's what I love about it, because real, true success that is lasting, I believe, is always going to have God involved in some way.

Doug Firebaugh: 26:25

Amen Amen.

Mark Harbert: 26:26

And so I that's. I just love that man, but with your. I do want to talk about your book, which you have, a series of books.

Doug Firebaugh: 26:34

Oh yeah.

Mark Harbert: 26:35

Yeah, I did start going through your legend book the legend book, which I think is awesome, and so let's talk about that a little bit. And what was your inspiration for?

Doug Firebaugh: 26:46

that God thing.

Mark Harbert: 26:47

Another God thing.

Doug Firebaugh: 26:48

Jody and I, we are blessed to live on the beach. Yeah, and we were. I was one during the pandemic.

Mark Harbert: 26:55

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 26:55

Like I looked across the way, the on the other side of the condo nothing, no movement, nothing, no cars. It was weird, yeah. So I was looking out at the ocean and I was just like what do I do, lord? And just as solid as you're hearing my voice now, he said legend. That's all he said, and I'm like what's that? Had not a clue. No, I'd studied legends for years and years Baseball, football, basketball, acting, singing legends, songwriting legends. I just studied them, just because I thought it was, maybe I could learn something. Yeah, and about a week later, I was sitting there and I got my computer out and the next thing, you know, my hand started typing and did quiz for seven weeks.

Doug Firebaugh: 27:41

Wow, and each book is about 225 pages, 250. They're not small books, they're not real. Yeah, and each one is a particular topic. Mark, as you well know, you and I are going to do one called video. Yeah, a particular topic, mark, as you well know, you and I are going to do one called video. The first one is called legend, and my wife came up with this brilliant idea, brilliant as she is. Do you have a wife like me, much smarter than?

Mark Harbert: 28:01

me yeah, yeah, my wife she's like-. She came up and she said hey, doug.

Doug Firebaugh: 28:04

I got a good idea. And anytime my wife says I got a good idea, I'm all ears.

Mark Harbert: 28:08

When my wife speaks, I listen Always.

Doug Firebaugh: 28:14

And so she said what if you've got this book called legend? What if you took an interviewed legends in the profession? I know a lot of people and I said what a great idea. So I started calling people and saying hey look, I've written this book, and this was two, two and a half years ago. Yeah, cause it was a three-year project.

Mark Harbert: 28:30

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 28:31

And I started interviewing them and and what I learned from the interviews was staggering, because it's not just their story, it's what do you see when you struggle? How did you get through it? What were you thinking? It was in-depth stuff and the legends themselves, I think, is going to add us just it's like sizzle to a steak. Yeah, have you ever been at a steakhouse really nice one where it just walks by and you hear this?

Doug Firebaugh: 28:55

yeah, oh yeah, the sizzle to a stake and mark. I'm telling you, anybody can be a legend, I don't care who you are. And there's in the first book, and we'll just focus on that right now. In the first book mark there's seven steps that I discovered that every legend takes, no matter whether it's real estate, insurance, acting music. Acting music, sports, athletics, doesn't matter. There's seven steps that every single legend takes in some version to get to where they want to go. This is what I discovered after years of studying them.

Doug Firebaugh: 29:27

So I called a couple of actually about four or five number one earners. I just asked him say I'm going to send you something and tell me if this is how you did what you've done. Yeah, and all of them said the same thing in some version. So this is the reason why that I think and again I give God all the credit, yeah, all the glory. It's his book. If somebody is wondering how that they can, I'll go there. Our profession has this what I call culture of underperformance and they operate a lot on minimums not maximum.

Doug Firebaugh: 29:59

Yeah, and this book will transform how you think, lisa Grossman oh yeah. Lisa said that legend will do to direct sales what think and grow rich did to business.

Mark Harbert: 30:11

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 30:12

It will increase, expand and enlar and force you to think in a way that you never have before, and then teach you how to take that thought process and then go through the seven steps. Very simple, but it's just not taught. There's never been a book out like this.

Mark Harbert: 30:27

What I'm so excited about with the book is that, and the more that I've gone in my career and doing the things that I do and I have just over the years, you learn that the real success is not in the strategy. The strategy might be the means, but it's the way you think, the attitude and the way you approach the strategy is everything. I'm going to say I think they. Yeah, I've heard it said before 80% mindset, 20% strategy. It might even be more than that.

Doug Firebaugh: 31:05

It's also heartset.

Mark Harbert: 31:07

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 31:08

In the book legend we go through heartfire, and heartfire is a term that we came up with to really get people to understand what drives even the mindset. Yeah, because the mindset has to have something driving it and pouring into it, an emotional, emotional machine, if you will. And this is how that is explained in the book how heart fire connects to the mindset, which connects, connects to the action, which connects to the result, and when people look at it and we've talked about this because this is how you operate Heart fire is so focused on.

Doug Firebaugh: 31:44

some people call it a burning desire and think of growing rich. The reason why I call it heart fire is because it really has to burn in. You have to have what I call a desperate hunger, as we talk about in legend. A desperate hunger is something you're so hungry for an achievement, a role, a rank, whatever it is that you're desperate for.

Mark Harbert: 32:04

Not in a bad way, you're right.

Doug Firebaugh: 32:07

But in a good way. And that's one of the reasons why that you've been so successful as a video marketer and as a trainer, coach and all this other Because you have a desperate hunger to help people succeed. So do I. And if people just zero in on a bullseye with that, I'm telling you the moment that you move from I got to build a business or I got to build a team, I got to help a ton of people. Everything shifts.

Mark Harbert: 32:30

While you're saying that, I had this thought. It goes right back to that heart fire fueled by the purpose. Amen so when you know your purpose and you know what your mission is, the mission God gave you to get out there and do. It lights you up, it fires you up in everything and that's got to be like again the rod in the concrete.

Doug Firebaugh: 32:54

In the book, the good book, the Bible. It says Jesus set his face like a flint.

Doug Firebaugh: 33:00

Now, if you study I study Aramaic and when you study, what that means is that he was one, focus, resolute, nothing else mattered. And this is why that, if Christ is going to be our role model, then we have to set our face like a flint to where we're going, what we want to accomplish, and nothing can stop it. I call it the rule of no-po, n-o-p-o. Rule of no-po. No other possible outcome. Yeah, the only outcome possible and that's with Christ. The only outcome possible was the cross. Yeah, I'm going to start preaching here.

Mark Harbert: 33:35

Love it, man, I would totally love it. Yeah, it's I.

Mark Harbert: 33:39

I love diving into this because you really and this is what I'm so excited about with the legend book and the whole series really is that it's going to really set the mindset that people need to have to succeed in whatever whether it's direct sales, network marketing, affiliate marketing, online marketing, whatever your niche is, it's going to help and that's why I have such a love for network marketing because it has, and even though my focus has been internet marketing, I love network marketing because it really taught me the importance of number one working well with people, connecting with people, but also I've heard it said before it's a personal development with a pay plan.

Doug Firebaugh: 34:25

I love that.

Mark Harbert: 34:26

And I've always loved that saying because it you the more you grow, the more you're you know.

Doug Firebaugh: 34:32

I've got a friend his name is Steve and he's executive VP for a company which is going to be promoting the book and, as a matter of fact, they're really going to solidly get behind it and I'm very thankful for that. And I sent him the book, just just PDF, and he called me and he says I just read the introduction. And he says I couldn't sleep that night, just the introduction Because there's an anointing on it.

Doug Firebaugh: 34:59

All the books carry an anointing and Jody and my prayer is that this would be a blessing to people, not only because of business, but because the reality of really seeing what's possible in their life versus what they told was possible. Am I making sense? Yeah, 100%.

Mark Harbert: 35:17

Yeah, well, the thing is too is that when you really awaken that purpose and you get centered on that heart fire, imagine the things God can drop on you to help you accomplish that and when God starts giving you the steps you know, that really just takes it in a whole nother stratosphere.

Doug Firebaugh: 35:36

Everything we've ever needed dealing in this project, the legend project, and we've got. We're going to be launching a publishing company called Millionaire Publishing along with it. We've got a lot of other books we're going to be coming out with that aren't necessarily specific to network marketing, some are faith-based, some are business-based, some are various other things, but everything that we needed for this project, no exception, god provided. We didn't know how to do something oh, I do. We didn't know how to open up that door Somebody oh, I know him. We didn't have a place for what? Necessarily the type of shipping and printing and everything. We wanted a very specific. Suddenly there it is Every single thing. And when you walk with the Lord and when you really truly are with him in a way that you know that he's your business partner, he's a business partner. It's out of this world what he can do. Mark is unbelievable. Within seconds.

Mark Harbert: 36:35

We were telling you this last night we were out, but I've been going through the book Wild at Heart by John Great book, incredible book. Every man out there, you need to get that book, great book.

Mark Harbert: 36:45

Every woman needs to get that book to understand their man. And every man needs to get the captivating book which that's my next book to read to understand their man. And every man needs to get captivating book which that's my next book to read to understand women, the heart of a woman. But I will tell you, one of the things that he put in there and you made me think of it, based on what you were just saying is how God provided every step of the way he said in this book. He said, the moment you ask how you're stepping out of faith, oh, absolutely. And I thought, holy mo moly, how often in my life I've been like how is this going to happen? You immediately start doubting if god gives you something I still do that, oh yeah and it's not.

Mark Harbert: 37:21

And so you go back and you look at the bible and look at moses. When god told moses he was going to go into egypt and set his people free. Immediately Moses goes into nope, can't happen, can't do that. He starts giving all the reasons and we all struggle with that too. But I think if that's one of the examples from all of the records in the Bible of how people even struggled believing God, but God still did amazing things through them.

Mark Harbert: 37:48

And I think there's so much to learn from that, like we don't necessarily always need to know how it's going to happen If God gives you something.

Doug Firebaugh: 37:54

His ways are not always, his thoughts are not our thoughts and how he does things we can't even comprehend. How he does some things. How'd that happen?

Mark Harbert: 38:04

That's as I get older I'm 51 and the older I get. I was telling Jody earlier if I could go back to being 20 with all the knowledge that I have now, it would be a whole different ballgame. Because the truth is, I've learned to more and more embrace the idea of I don't need to know everything, but I know the one who does.

Doug Firebaugh: 38:28

That's one of the things I love studying billionaires. I love studying billionaires. I love studying billionaires. I don't know why. I just liked it. Just how do they think? Yeah, and there's a lot of them out there today. But Richard Branson has a saying yeah, how does it matter? When the Y is on fire? Yeah, and he says you will figure it out. Yeah, he said I'd never done this before. When the Y is on fire, and he says you will figure it out. He said I'd never done this before. I was going to buy a company. I had no knowledge of the company, but he went ahead and bought it and the next thing, you know, boom, he figured it out. He got the right people in. I don't know Richard Faith, but I know one thing.

Doug Firebaugh: 39:08

He's got a brain, and this is one of the reasons why I think that, in looking at it from my standpoint, your standpoint, anybody can succeed in this world. Yeah, I don't care how, what your education level is, what your intelligence level is, anybody can create success in their life, in their work. Yeah, all you have to do is decide, put an effective plan together, create effective actions and then just make that the only possible outcome, because nothing else matters, and then your subconscious will kick in.

Mark Harbert: 39:37

Yeah, there's so much depth and power to that. It's simple. I think the biggest thing, too, is people don't realize how simple a lot of this stuff is. The hard part is the growth that you got to go through.

Doug Firebaugh: 39:50

You said something about strategy earlier and years ago. One of the things I taught if your business is nothing but strategy, it's going to end up a tragedy.

Mark Harbert: 39:58

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 39:59

And I think that, in looking at from what you're talking about, let's take it step one, step two, step three, step four, which you teach in video marketing. We live life in C? Yeah, we think Monday, tuesday, wednesday, january, february, march. We live life in sequence and many times people don't understand that you have to work this business, you have to do life in sequence, but as you move into the next sequence, the next day, the next hour, you have to understand that if you are living the pattern of how we live life, then you already know how to succeed. We have a tendency to get off track on that and think that success is something else. No, it's not. It's doing what you do best, which is living life in sequence and then succeeding in sequence, doing certain things that most people aren't willing to do.

Mark Harbert: 40:49

Yeah, that has always rung true to me, and I've heard this, and it's a common saying around network marketing too is that be willing to do the things that most are unwilling to get to where you want to go Be uncompromised. Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 41:03

This is the thing that a lot of people are. They have compromised their dreams, they've compromised their income. They've compromised their future. They've compromised their destiny and they've compromised their income. They've compromised their future. They've compromised their destiny and they've also compromised what they really want to do with their life. Yeah, because somebody else told them that it wasn't possible. Yeah, mark, anything's possible. Yeah, let me see, I can do all things.

Mark Harbert: 41:23

I think the Apostle Paul wrote yeah, I'm thinking because Wani and I my wife Wani we've been really again into John Eldridge and watching a video recently and he was talking about the movie Gladiator.

Doug Firebaugh: 41:36

Oh yeah.

Mark Harbert: 41:37

And he showed this clip, the clip where you know Maximus wins the fight and the emperor comes down and he's so happy and he's got.

Mark Harbert: 41:48

Maximus has the mask on and he can't see who it is. And anyway, they're talking and Maximus turns his back on him and the emperor says how dare you turn your back on me? Identify yourself. And there's that moment where he takes the helmet off and he turns around and the look in his eye Russell Crowe did an amazing job. I love that scene and the look on his eye. And he says I'm the husband to a murdered wife, a father to a murdered son. And he just it's so powerful because you can feel the identity that he has. It is so much a part of him.

Mark Harbert: 42:28

And in anything you're successful with it all comes back to that and this is where, even on video, that clip is so perfect because it's not the strategy. Most people get tied up in all what kind of title should I have and what is this and what is that? But it's how you show up and if you show up with that kind of attitude in anything that you do, people feel it. And it's when you're sure, when you have purpose, people feel it. So that made me think of that.

Doug Firebaugh: 42:55

We don't have time to get into it today, but that's why identity theft is so prevalent today and titles and various other things of homes and identity theft of checking accounts, all that other stuff and sometimes we have our own identity, such as what you're talking about, stolen as well, and we operate in a much lesser capacity than we should in life.

Mark Harbert: 43:16

It's huge. Identity means everything. That's why I know you and I. We go right back to faith because when it gets right down to it, who am I? And when I know what I am not what I think I am, but when you really understand how what God says you are, it's not not what I think I am, but when you really understand what God says you are. It's not about what I think I am, it's what does God say I?

Doug Firebaugh: 43:37

am.

Mark Harbert: 43:37

And once you really identify that and you walk in that man, you're unstoppable. You're unstoppable. The things of the world don't get you down.

Doug Firebaugh: 43:46

He told Adam, go, take dominion.

Mark Harbert: 43:49

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 43:50

What part of that don't you understand? Dominion to dominate.

Mark Harbert: 43:53

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 43:53

Okay, I'm all over that. That's why, when you're in the flow of what you do in direct sales, network marketing, online marketing, social media marketing, it doesn't matter. When you're in that flow, it becomes easy. You know what prosper means in a certain word in if you look really down the word prosper yeah, it means flow, f-l-o-w, and that is in the ancient aramaic. And when you look at the word flow, it's like the flow from heaven I immediately thought of a hose and our foot being on the hose that's what prosper means.

Doug Firebaugh: 44:30

One of the one of what you call the root words, one of the root definitions of it yeah, flow, yeah, what part of that don't we understand? Yeah, so good so good.

Mark Harbert: 44:42

I wanted to also bring it back here to business, where I I've gone haven't fully gone through the book, but one of the things that you did talk about is the power of environment, like the environment around you, and that is just as important as us being tapped into and working on our own mindset and the things. But what also makes the most important thing is the people you surround yourself with, and so I'd love your thoughts on that a little bit, because I know, for me, it's the people you surround yourself with, and so I'd love your thoughts on that a little bit, because I know, for me, it's the people that I've surrounded myself with that have lifted up my way of thinking Early on in my career, listening to your stuff, that you did help me so much in shifting my broke mindset to a different way of thinking.

Doug Firebaugh: 45:28

I was saying an environment either grows you or slows you.

Mark Harbert: 45:31

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 45:32

I think that's in legend. An environment either grows you or slows you. Yeah, I think that's in legend. It either grows you or slows you, and the people that surround you and the people that you listen to are training you. You may not understand it, but you're being trained every single day, either for mediocrity and average or something way beyond that, yeah, and you have to be careful what you listen to, who you talk with, who you hang out with, and some people say, yeah, but they're my friends, great, yeah. What are they doing to your future?

Mark Harbert: 45:58

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 45:59

I hate to say that, but it's just the way it is.

Mark Harbert: 46:01

It is, absolutely is.

Doug Firebaugh: 46:03

And when I got involved in direct sales I was made fun of Some. But some of my friends just laughed and said you're going to jail and all this other stuff. And I'm laughing. Today I had one guy come up to me in a mall back in 2000 something and I was visiting my daughter and he just said can I talk to you for a minute? I said, hey, man, what's going on? We chatted for a minute. He says I want to apologize to you. He says I was a real blah, blah, blah at the beginning of your business. I was a real blah, blah, blah at the beginning of your business. And he says I just want you to know I apologize. He says I've thought about this over the years. And he says I was just not nice.

Doug Firebaugh: 46:39

And you have to understand that shit goes, whether it's real estate insurance, whether there's anything else. Mark, what do you know about starting your own business? Why would you give up a paycheck? You're not giving up a paycheck, you're multiplying a paycheck. You have to look at it that way, yeah, so this is the reason why that environment, in my opinion and this is just a little word of the wise you have to develop your own environment. You have to affect the environment when you go in and if there's negative thinking about it, if there's negative talk or negative this, you have to change it or you leave the environment. It's that simple Love your family, love your friends and everything else, but if they're not going to get you to where you want to go in life, god bless you. But I'm going to find people I can talk with and learn from that can help me get to where I want to go in life. And it has to be that black and white.

Mark Harbert: 47:27

I heard a saying one time and I've heard it many times, but I love it If you go into a room and you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room, and I love getting around people that are smarter than me because I want to know what goes on in their head. That's why I like to hang out with you and Jody I'm more. Jody no, but that's what I love getting around people that are big thinkers, because it always shows me where I need to think big.

Doug Firebaugh: 47:57

We all have you and I and Jody and Lonnie and everybody else. We all have the same problem. Yeah, Our God is too small. Yeah, I read that in a book one time and I just nearly dropped the book because I'm like, wow, that's convicting.

Mark Harbert: 48:14

He is our God.

Doug Firebaugh: 48:16

Our God is too small. So this is why that our perception perspective what's possible is a direct reflection of how we view what's possible through God, and this is the reason why that somebody asked me how many books are you going to sell? A legend? I said 5 million. He says what about the whole series? 40, 50 million. How do you know? Yeah, I know what he's capable of. And so this is the reason why you said we think too small. The only way to think is beyond what's comfortable. You need to stay in that level that when you talk about what you want to do with your life, people laugh.

Mark Harbert: 48:57

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 48:57

And when people laugh, that's the sweet spot. You stay there, you don't move.

Mark Harbert: 49:02

It's incredible, it really is. The more we talk, the more I just start realizing, even in this talk, where God, show me where I'm thinking small, show me where, help me to get bigger, how to think bigger, how to let you in more, cause it really is. I go back to that saying I heard in the book as soon as you start asking how you're stepping out of faith, and that spoke to me so big because I am, I'm a how person too.

Doug Firebaugh: 49:31

I am too.

Mark Harbert: 49:31

Yeah, I think we probably all are on some level. But for me, like, cause I'm like guy who loves to, like you know, have something, pick it all apart, take it all apart and then put it all back together so that I understand how it works and everything. And you know, and I think it's a strength of mine, but it can also your strength can also be a thing that hinders you, if you let it.

Doug Firebaugh: 49:55

I really appreciate not only you taking the time for this, but I've been under the radar for eight years, nine years, 10 years. I'm just coaching and doing a lot of different things. When you step back out, or whatever you want to call it in the step-by-step, it's uncomfortable. Yeah, you want to call it in this step-by-step, it's uncomfortable, and I told you yesterday and last night this is totally uncomfortable for me. It really is.

Doug Firebaugh: 50:21

I would much rather be interviewing you, but I want to thank you and Wani for not only allowing Jody and me to be a part of this, but more importantly, I think that if people just go through this again, there's a lot of nuggets in there from you and hopefully, for me that not only will help them, but I do want to leave a nugget that hopefully will really help people. You have to be deaf, yeah, deaf. Don't even acknowledge their fear. Most people don't leave faith-based lives. They leave fear-based lives and because of that fear, they want other people not to get ahead of them, because then it'll prove that the loser's in their own mind which they aren't. And this is the reason why that we have to be carriers of the fire, as I call it, and you have to light people up when you get around them with how good they are, what they can do Be encouragement. I'm talking, just light them up.

Mark Harbert: 51:16

Right.

Doug Firebaugh: 51:17

And the reason why is because if you've got a team or you're talking to a prospect, if I was going to recruit you I'd say Mark I don't know if anybody ever told you this or not your communication skills are amazing. This may or may not be for you, I don't know. Yeah, but man, whatever you decide to do in life, your communication skills are going to knock it out of the park. And when you do this online or offline direct message, zoom or whatever now you're in that place that you're carrying a fire and you're spreading it to that person to show them you have talent, you have gifts, you have skills. Let's see what we can do with them. That's the secret to recruit yeah, I keep coming back.

Mark Harbert: 51:58

Identity and purpose fuels everything. I love it well as we, you know. Get ready to wrap this up. I want I did have a question. I wanted to ask you because the legend I know it's coming soon, or it's there It'll be.

Doug Firebaugh: 52:13

by the time people see this, it'll probably be out more than likely.

Mark Harbert: 52:17

Yeah, and I thought this was a good question. What's the one message of hope that people are looking at right now? I mean, obviously it doesn't take much to look around. It's the world's nutbag, the world's crazy. And I think people are looking for some hope today. They want some. That's why I love Sylvester Stallone Greatest actor ever, you won't change my mind on that, but I love. That's why I'm such a huge fan of Rocky.

Doug Firebaugh: 52:44

Because it's such a message.

Mark Harbert: 52:45

Yeah, it's such a message of the little guy overcoming and for me that just speaks so much to me. But people are looking for hope, Just even if the hope is in their own lives. How do you think the legend book can really help them to get that hope? Because I think that everybody's looking for that.

Doug Firebaugh: 53:06

That's a great question, Mark, and I think in a single sentence it will help introduce them to the real you.

Doug Firebaugh: 53:15

Everybody's looking for a better life.

Doug Firebaugh: 53:18

I think you would agree with that. Everybody's looking for some kind of a better life, but they don't know how to get there. And it's a very simple process. But it starts again with that desperate hunger and you turn that into a decision. You have to decide this is going to happen. Then you turn it into an effective blueprint how do we get there? What's the map? And then you have to turn it into a determined path that absolutely nothing can stop.

Doug Firebaugh: 53:48

The legends in the book that we interviewed. Everybody said the same thing. Sometimes I just wanted to quit, but you can stop, yeah, I get. The legends in the book that we interviewed. Everybody said the same thing. Sometimes I just wanted to quit, yeah, but you can't. And eventually, when you hit that destination cause, that's all of that vision is I speak about a whole chapter about vision and destination. It's all it is. It's a destination where you want to go in life and take people. Yeah, that has to be understood. That it's called the rule of ATAP. All things are possible. You just have to live by that versus hear it.

Mark Harbert: 54:15

Yeah.

Doug Firebaugh: 54:16

Making sense.

Mark Harbert: 54:16

Oh, a hundred percent. I always. I love movies because they always give you the mind picture. But when I think of you have to keep going, even when you want to quit, and it seems like all the odds are against you. I think of Terminator 2 at the end of Terminator 2. When he's Arnold's going after. He's now the good Terminator and he's going after the bad Terminator.

Mark Harbert: 54:38

At the end. He's missing his legs, one of his arms, and he just will not stop pursuing the Terminator and he's grabbing, pulling himself forward and he's going. It's like just he cannot quit, even though his arms are missing and everything. And I feel like that's the way we got to be and whatever we're in this life, like that's a representation of what we do and if we want success in something, that's really how you got to go after it somebody told me this one down, but you're going to get back up.

Doug Firebaugh: 55:04

Somebody told me this one time mark that blew me away. He says, douglas, the secret is getting rid of the quit. I said what do you mean? Quit can't be in you, you got to get rid of the quit. He says the moment you get rid of the quit, anything you have in front of you is achievable. And I was like, wow, that's so good.

Mark Harbert: 55:27

I heard the quote. I forget his name. His name was Mike, something he was in. I forget which company he was in or I think he was in a legal shield. Anyway, he I heard this quote Mike Humes, that's his name and he said success is inevitable for the man or woman who will not quit.

Doug Firebaugh: 55:44

Amen.

Mark Harbert: 55:45

And that's always stuck with me for years, because that's really it If you won't quit, eventually you're going to get there. And I've heard it said too how long is it going to take? And I heard this is the perfect answer. Why does it matter? Time's going to pass anyway.

Doug Firebaugh: 56:01

People work for five years, 10 years and then through 10 years they maybe have a 20% pay increase. Yeah, with your own business you could have a 2000,000, 200,000 percent pay increase. Yeah, and there's nothing wrong with jobs and I've had them and it helped pay bills and everything else but there comes a point where you have to. Even if you love your job, never want to leave it yeah, if you have that extra, additional, just $1,000 coming in, that can be life-changing for 90% of the people that will be looking at any type of home business.

Mark Harbert: 56:31

Yeah, 100%. 90% of the people that will be looking at any type of home business. Yeah, a hundred percent. This has been awesome. Thank you for having me.

Doug Firebaugh: 56:35

Yeah, it's an honor to be here.

Mark Harbert: 56:37

I love it. I'm so happy we did this, and I know there's some nuggets in here that are just probably changed some lives changed mine for sure. There's some great things you shared and I always love it. So, guys, if you love what we shared here today, make sure you comment on this video or podcast or wherever you're seeing this. But, Doug, you're amazing man and we got to do this again.

Doug Firebaugh: 56:58

If they want to get a copy of the book legendbookcom.

Mark Harbert: 57:02

Legendbookcom Check it out, get anything Doug talks about. God bless you guys.