2018’s 10x Growth Con was an event to be reckoned with. Even though it was only the second time Grant and his team had thrown it, the turnout was incredible. While most conferences take years to gain momentum, it’s no surprise that Grant Cardone was able to build attendance to nearly 10,000 salespeople in just two years, especially since he spends nearly $1,000,000 in marketing every month. It was such a wonderful experience that we wanted to commit an episode of Stay Paid to everything Luke learned while he was there.

One of the primary lessons  came from the sheer amount of work that went into promoting the event. Seemingly every piece of content that Grant and his team put out over the last year related back to the conference. This scorched earth approach clearly worked, because salespeople showed up en masse.

An important theme was that businesses fail during the time between ideation and monetization. In a world where so many businesses accrue massive debt before they net a single dollar, it’s crucial that you move forward with action, by selling that idea as quickly as possible. Never make excuses, because excuses lead to delays, and before you know it, you’ll have failed before you began.

Another great takeaway was that the difference between 99% and 100% is the difference between freedom and servitude. You have to make a decision to commit completely, and only then can you expect victory. It has been likened to burning the ships behind you. Create a situation where retreat is not an option and you will find yourself fighting that much harder to win. Naveen Jain said you don’t have to be the smartest, or the most talented, or have the most brilliant idea—you just have to commit completely and execute.

A mentality that Grant discussed during one of his keynotes was that sales will solve all. You need to measure all of your decisions against your ability to produce income. When you net more, you have the freedom to do more. Sales allows you to stay cash-positive from day one. If you have the right amount of revenue, debt ceases to be a problem, debt is merely a means of growing your business even more.

Ed Mylett talked about aspiring to perfection. He acknowledged that he might not achieve it, but he hopes that through dedication he gets as close as possible. Reason being, money and success can only motivate you so much, and you have to aspire to something more than material prosperity.

Tim Grover spoke heavily on the fact that the road to paradise begins in hell. The great parts of life come from hard work. You have to do what others won’t to live like others can’t. There is no substitute for focused persistence, but remaining persistent can be painful, especially when your efforts are met with failure after failure. The good news is that, as long as you are consistent, you will achieve success. Louis Howes spoke about how he isn’t really sure exactly what he did to rise up, other than consistent, pointed effort.

Every great business is evangelical about its mission and the leader should be the chief evangelist. More than ever, customers are attracted to businesses that are about something bigger than business. Leaders need to dial in the mission of their business, and be the biggest advocate for carrying it out.

Quit making excuses and take responsibility. Elena Cardone said that with every action, you are either building an empire or destroying one. There is no such thing as neutral, inactivity is setting you back. To build an empire, every move has to relate back to your growth, and we have to assume responsibility for every choice we make. Be intentional in everything you do, and make sure your actions are always directed at your overall goals.

This recap is only the tip of the iceberg. As far as conferences go, this was well worth the trip. Hopefully we see you at next year’s 10x Growth Con. If you want to soak in the wisdom, the conference recording is available on Grant’s website here.