X-Ray Technician’s Journey to Success with the Oz Blueprint Program

Oz:
Hey everyone, Oz here. I am with one of my special members here, Nick. How you doing, Nick?
Nick:
I’m doing terrific. I’m doing terrific.
Oz:
So I wanted to bring Nick on as he recently joined my Blueprint. He’s super energetic as you guys will find out soon and he’s full of passion and you can feel that. So I wanted to get to know a little more and while I’m doing that I wanted to do the recording obviously so you can get to hear his story as well.
Oz:
Nick, let’s get started buddy. So you told me you have an interesting story about how you found out about me. So I don’t know how you found out about me. So if you can share that story, that would be great.
Nick:
Yeah, I mean, my introduction to the whole cash advance business was a little bit backwards from I think, maybe most people have seen. I worked on Wall Street. I was in financial business my whole [inaudible 00:00:54]. When I started to feel like I was getting a little old for that and I was looking for a second career, I was training to be an x-ray technician, surgical technician, x-ray technician because my goal there was to snowbird. As you can see I’m in Florida now but I’m wearing my New York Knicks shirt so I’m a New Yorker. But so my plan was to do a little snowbirding and have a skill so I could subsidize living. But anyway, so I had one semester to go and really one class to go. And so I took a job and it was with a debt settlement company. Debt settlement company. It was just perfectly…. They were lax. Work when you can with your schooling, so I did it.
Nick:
And the settlement company, what they were doing was settling for people that got involved with cash advances. So I didn’t even know what a cash advance was. I mean, I was in the financial world. I worked with institutional finance. I didn’t know what cash advance was. I owned the business. I owned franchise after I left. I was at Prudential. So I had a little bit of a small business experience too.
Nick:
But, so I go for this debt settlement company. I didn’t know what cash advance was and they kind of tell me what it’s about and I did that for a few months, and I started seeing people with four or five cash advances. [crosstalk 00:02:19] training me that these guys were taken advantage of and we got to save them and all this kind of thing.
Nick:
So I did that for four months and it’s my exposure to cash advances. It was my exposure to COJs. I was my exposure to people that were not getting the right education when they were taking out these loans. I’m a family guy and I started seeing families getting all disrupted, to say the least, because of these. So, but anyway I’m not… The settlement company, like all settlement companies, I think they bring small value. I actually was speaking to one of my clients yesterday trying to find him funding and he was probably the only one I know that really came out of a settlement company really well. I’m not saying they’re all bad, but I think there’s an education that needs to go along with that.
Nick:
Someone takes out a loan and they’re running into a little problem, settlement companies is like anything else, it’s an adversarial type of situation and you’ve got to really think it through. So while I was there, I actually had a coworker and I knew [inaudible 00:03:30] was on the wall that I was going to do something else. But I was enjoying, I really was enjoying myself. I was enjoying meeting business people online, Texas, Wisconsin, Oregon, all over, and helping them with their situations, developing a great rapport. I knew I was giving them a good report because they appreciated me. So I wanted to stay in that business. X-ray and the health field is kind of moving in the rear view mirror, although, it brought me great value. It brought me great understanding.
Nick:
So this person says they would want to go on the lending side with me and so I agree. But I used to say to myself, if I could get them to call me… Zoom. Everything’s zoomed up. They need me. I don’t have to go tapping on their shoulder. Do you need me? Do you need me? Do need me? I know they need me. So I made the least amount of calls but I was having multiple times a success.
Nick:
So I got exposed to MailChimp and I think that’s why my… The woman that I ended up leaving with and partnering with she says, “You want to do this together?” We formed this partnership. I’m not going to get into those details. That didn’t last more than two months. But I don’t think [inaudible 00:04:45] her and I, we had success. Just doing the backend, talking to the lenders, we together, which lenders we wanted to work with. I knew of the lenders from the settlement side. I’ve seen the names and I even developed some communications with them. She was handling that. I was doing the… We were recruiting some reps around the country. I was doing that type of work and she was doing the backend.
Nick:
It was like around my birthday I’m saying, “We’re done.” She’s going her way. I’m going mine. Do I go back to x-ray, which I work in the operating rooms, which I absolutely loved, or do I move forward? And the wave was like, I was so tired. [inaudible 00:05:33] I don’t want to do all the marketing, the mail. I don’t want to do this again. But in New York we don’t quit and we fight back. I might have licked my wounds couple of days or felt sorry for myself. There was money lost because I was losing income.
Nick:
But all that aside, so I says all right, I picked up my company after the New York landmark, which no one knows about it seems. [inaudible 00:05:57] Verrazzano Bridge. I named it Verrazzano Business Advisers and I [inaudible 00:06:01]. But right out the gate, my previous partner and I, we had success. And, I mean, it’s such a great product [inaudible 00:06:11] who needs it. You educate them the right way, they become loyal, they become trusting. They get their money in a short period of time. We get our commissions quick. So we were able to put money in the coffers real quick and start to develop. And then like two… We were profitable the first month. Two months into it, we went our separate ways. And then I had, again, I had that decision, so I knew what I wanted to do.
Nick:
And again, I’m going to the backup a little bit. When we were starting the first company, I caught you. I was doing some research on YouTube and I caught one of your things. If you do this, you will fail. I think it was one of your YouTube videos. MCA company’s going to do it this way. Good luck. And I watched that. I watched probably three or four times. And actually the truth of the matter is, that’s kind of how we perceived it. I was doing it organically, as you would say back then. But we closed a few deals. The way we closed those deals was word of mouth. We let people know what we were and the family know what I’m doing. A couple came my way, we did some renewals. So right out the gate we were making money and that’s when I said, “This is a great industry.”
Nick:
So again, two and a half months into it, I’m back again. I did have a map to follow [inaudible 00:07:38] again. It’s all little different. A little more difficult when you’re doing it on your own. It’s a little… Pretty long hours, but so I did it. I started it up again and I just did some improvements that I… But to say what you said, two months I was profitable again. And again, I was really starting from ground zero.
Nick:
So I’ll let you get a word in if you just raise your hand and I’ll stop.
Oz:
You’re fine. I’m curious. [crosstalk 00:08:05]-
Nick:
There used to be a question. You got to slow me down.
Oz:
Fine.
Nick:
So I realized you could really take this from zero to profitable and build on it in no time. One of the major changes I did and some of the reps followed me over is because I just said, “Well, they were getting one third of the cut when we three. Me, my partner, and whatever rep is bringing into the deal. I was happy with one third. I’m going to still be happy with one third.” I upped my commissions pretty much basically to my reps that followed me and that’s been one way that I’ve been doing well.
Nick:
The other way I’ve been doing well is from previous businesses I had a selling list. I’ve been using MailChimp and I think I wrote an effective kind of reach out and I got some business through MailChimp. But so that’s where we are.
Nick:
So if you’re asking me is can you do this industry? Definitely. Again, I did it up until this time, I still didn’t take on your services. But I knew you were always in the back of my mind because I would go back to your YouTubes from now and then and I saw some of the people that I’ve now communicated with on the Facebook and I’ve met them. But I saw their videos and I would always watch the videos and I knew, because a lot of my success was with renewals and I knew that or that MailChimp list that I had, I knew that’s going to dry up soon. So I knew and it’s hard to keep reps around the country motivated. And one way I was going to motivate them, the people that were doing well, I want to send them some very warm leads. Instead of me keeping them myself, I would kick it to them, maybe do a 50/50 split, something like that.
Nick:
But I knew I needed to attack the social media. That’s when… How am I going to do that? Well, there’s a wizard of Oz out there, that’s when I reached out to you. But I think I was the easiest sell for you. You called me up and you said, “Nick…” You were telling me about how I could do this [inaudible 00:10:14] I know. Let’s get this [inaudible 00:10:16] get it done. I did the fast track. Fernando and your team were fantastic.
Nick:
But to jump to this and I’m jumping all over the place and I apologize, but the value that… I [inaudible 00:10:30] in December. The value of the Facebook group alone is going to bring me to new levels. Nevermind that I’m on LinkedIn. I’m doing LinkedIn pretty much. I got to build up my Facebook way of marketing. I’ve improved my MailChimp approach. But so what else could I say, man? It’s a-
Oz:
Oh, you’ve been great man. So one thing, I think you mentioned, the phone call. Usually, when I get on the phone, I have two types of people, right? Majority of them are similar to you. They just jump in and they want to either hear if I’m a real person or not. They want to see if I’m going to actually answer the phone because they see this YouTube character and they have no idea if that person is a real one or not or if they’re going to be pushed to a sales guy on the phone and you were just like that. You’re like, “Dude, I’m ready to go.” [inaudible 00:11:23] do it.
Nick:
But not to interrupt you, Oz, but you know why? Because I did it once and then I did it again. It’s really within less than a two month period launching myself, everything you were telling me read true. Everything you told me rang true and I felt your sincerity. I felt your desire. I felt everything. Your devotion to this, I just felt it because I knew. It takes that energy and I just read it. So I said, “This guy is the real deal.” It was a bargain. Don’t raise your prices because [crosstalk 00:12:00]. And I’ve been happy with it ever since. I mean, just talking to everybody on the line.
Oz:
Appreciate it, man. It’s just great coming from you. And one thing that we’re talking in the beginning of our interview, so you’re in Florida. I mean, I’m seeing a nice view behind you. So what’s been going on? I think you’re living that ultimate entrepreneurial life that you can be wherever the hell you are and still make money, right?
Nick:
Yeah. Well, yeah. Listen, so the reason why I want to spend more time down here is because my daughter gave me a beautiful grandson. Can’t be away from him. But there were days when my daughter, who’s a real estate agent, had closings and what not and she says, “Dad, can you come over and watch Dominic?” He’s four. I, yeah. Okay. Okay, I’m there and I set up on the kitchen counter. Dominic is watching TV. I pretend I’m watching along with him. And so yeah, I do that. I don’t make that my practice every day, but I was able to do it. I was able to enjoy it. I’m able to enjoy my grandson probably once a week. I’ll sneak away. I could sneak to Florida, but it is that type of business. Give me a laptop. Give me a phone. There was times I went to the park with him, my grandson. I got my phone in my hand and I’m able to carry myself for a couple of hours. Probably people that are a little bit more savvy on their smartphone than I am probably could do more, but I’ll hit a roadblock with my smartphone [crosstalk 00:00:13:23]-
Oz:
As I always say, perfectionism is the enemy of profitability, right? So you don’t need to be the best at social media. You don’t need to be the best guy doing MailChimp and all the other stuff. But if you put your mind to it and if you follow it… And because you had been doing it yourself and you noticed, you acknowledged, that you were missing some key elements. Now it is complete. And a lot of people are physically stuck where they are because they have a job or because of this, because of that. They can’t just pack up and go. We have that freedom, which is good. So it takes an eye to see that. You acknowledge that, right? There are people who think they know everything, so you can’t really help them. But when you started this industry, you tried many things yourself and you failed. You were successful again and you tried. It’s the journey of an entrepreneur.
Oz:
Then you finally say, “You know what? Let’s follow a proven systems.” And it is working for you and you’ve become, in a short amount of time, one of the key members in my community that anyone can reach out and get the help they need. And you’re just very personable. So I do appreciate that because you don’t just come in to take. You’re also giving back to a ton of people and that comes from the mindset of abundance. Not scarcity, not thinking that, oh yeah, well why would I train someone else or why would I help someone else? You know that as well as I do, there is enough for everyone, more than enough for everyone, to go around, right?
Nick:
Absolutely. But I mean the group itself, listen, and I’ll also say this again, the group is so generous. Everyone is so generous. I’m learning. Newbie, I’m learning from newbies and I’m learning from your experienced people. Listen. They say if you have a mastermind of 10, you’re way ahead of game. I said they’ve got a mastermind of 200. And this industry changes with technology or new things out there, new ways to market. From the new to the… From the new players to the experienced players, everyone’s teaching me something and so I only want to give back.
Nick:
But that’s a testament to yourself because I think the team takes on the manager of the… the personality of the manager. Big believer in that. And your generosity, your dedication, your life calls. The group itself is really a product of your desire too. And I’m not saying this… I’m really appreciating what you bring because I’m reaping the benefit. I says I was having success, but I knew that there was another level and I’m learning other levels that I didn’t think I would know, just like the equipment financing video that you posted yesterday. [crosstalk 00:00:16:10]-
Oz:
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are many things that are in the works. As you know, I’m always working on something to add to the training. And I don’t think I mentioned this before in this channel, but my people sometimes ask me what the ultimate goal is and what I’m trying to accomplish. What I’m trying to do is just bring this industry to a level of 100% transparency and create a community of people who are totally honest and transparent while they’re making a great lifestyle. They’re making great income for themselves that can range from 10,000, 100,000, or sky’s the limit pretty much. They’re also doing the right thing by the customer, right? And doing the right thing by the customer is only possible if you are a consultant. You can’t just know one product and try to make a living and also try to help your customers, help their customers as well, right? You’ve got got to have abundance of information, abundance of options. So my goal is definitely help this industry come to a certain standard that anything below that standard is unacceptable. That’s my ultimate goal.
Nick:
And I know you and maybe that’s why I also connected with you the way… I love the idea when you say transparency because that’s… When I was making the shift and really even with my surgical tech background when I was in the operating room watching these people going under the anesthesia. And they were going under the anesthesia in a room full of strangers and I’m saying, “What trust we have in this.” I’m, as a surgical tech, I get those the smallest paying job in the smallest role there but my level of this guy and his family, they’re not here. They’re trusting me while this guy goes under and I got to give it my A game and I will never let down someone who puts that much trust in me. And I take that in what I’m doing now. And that’s why I really take to you and everyone in the group per se. I sense it and that really does come from you.
Oz:
And I 100% see that through in you, man. It’s when we have health problems, when we rely our health on the doctors and individuals like yourself, we’re on the most vulnerable state, right? So you don’t know what’s going to happen. You’re just laying there and they’re going to put you to sleep and you’re just going to wake up. That’s one area that people are super vulnerable. The other area is the finances, right?
Nick:
Exactly.
Oz:
So want to do their research and due diligence. But a lot of times they don’t even know how to do the research properly. So they just want that someone to trust so they can say, “Hey Nick, don’t hurt me, man. Just help me out.” And if you’re that person and people are not stupid, they see that through, right? When they see that happen, that you genuinely care for their own benefit, you have a business that’s going to feed you for life. And I already see that you’re doing that and that comes from that inner discipline that I guess you were brought up with over the years you have developed. So it’s definitely a privilege to have you in this group for sure. Any last thoughts? Because I know you have a lot of sunshine and beach time to catch up with, so I don’t want to hold you long.
Nick:
Yeah, no. I’m going back to the phones, emails and everything else. But my last key to also what you just said was, I’m also was a small business owner. I owned a franchise, a printing franchise, and I know how that takes up all your time. How it takes up your day. So when someone comes to you and gives you advice, you really can’t do your due diligence and vet them the right way. It really becomes a trust. And again, so that’s what I try and do.
Nick:
But listen, keep doing what you’re doing. You’re innovating all the time. And if I could do anything… I don’t know what I’ve done. I think I’ve helped a few people. If I could help more or less or I always share my stories or if I did have a success, I’ll always say, “I’m not bragging. I just want to show you people pretty much how it goes.” And I’m no genius, but now I am working your program. So with all that, it comes down to, it’s up to me. It’s up to you. It’s up to the other person, so.
Oz:
Absolutely. You do and you don’t need to change anything. Keep doing what you’re doing, man. Great to have you. Thanks so much for being here today.
Nick:
Yeah, and thanks having me, Oz. Thanks for having me.
Oz:
All right, man. Take care now.
Nick:
You…