SOLO | Make Money By Having the Conversations You've Been Avoiding, part 2
Get the full intelligence
Search transcripts, export clips, track mentions, and explore all topics from “SOLO | Make Money By Having the Conversations You've Been Avoiding, part 2” inside PodZeus.
Travis reveals a powerful, counterintuitive truth: the most valuable conversations aren't the ones you plan—they're the ones you're too afraid to have. In this candid follow-up to his 'Dinner Party' episode, he shares how a spontaneous FaceTime call with Joe Gatto—after a high-profile podcast with Shaquille O'Neal—became a full-circle moment that proved his dream list of impossible guests was actually within reach. The real breakthrough wasn't the guests themselves, but the mindset shift: after years of rejection and hesitation, he realized that persistence, not perfection, unlocks opportunity. He challenges listeners to a 30-day 'cold DM' experiment: send five personalized messages daily to people who’ve done what you want to do—not the famous, but the 'one or two steps ahead' who can give actionable advice. The goal isn’t a viral interview, but building the muscle of outreach, tracking responses, and learning from rejection. The most powerful tool? A simple, human message that leads with genuine appreciation, not a sales pitch.
Send 5 personalized cold DMs per day for 30 days to people who are 1–2 steps ahead of you in your field, not just the 'legends'.
Lead with a specific, authentic compliment about their work—never fake enthusiasm or use AI-generated flattery.
Keep your ask crystal clear: 'Would you be open to a 15-minute Zoom call next week?' with 2 specific time options.
Use Calendly or a simple link to reduce friction—don’t make them guess or reply multiple times to book.
Track every response: yes, no, ignored, or follow-up. Rejection is data, not failure.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Power of Unplanned Conversations
“I've experienced a lot of ups and I've experienced even more downs than I've experienced ups in this entrepreneurship journey. But it was cool to sit there and go like, man, people who I never, like I had no idea how it was ever going to come to fruition to be able to have a conversation with them. Here I am sitting seven, eight years later and just had a conversation with this guy.”
The 30-Day Cold DM Challenge
Travis launches a 30-day challenge: send five personalized cold DMs daily to people who’ve done what you want to do, aiming for one booked interview per day—no matter the length or platform.
Why 'One Step Ahead' Is Better Than 'The Legend'
“A lot of the times you'll probably get more from somebody who's one step or two steps ahead of you than you will from somebody who's 15 steps ahead of you because that the gap there is so large that it's sometimes even more difficult for those people to share actionable advice with you.”
How to Write a DM That Actually Gets a Response
Travis breaks down the exact structure of a high-converting cold DM: start with a genuine compliment, introduce yourself briefly, state your ask clearly, and offer specific time options.
The Real Goal: Building the Muscle of Outreach
“The result again is less consequential than the activity of just putting in the reps and being okay with what happens. That you might get some rejections, you might get some people ignoring you. In fact, you will absolutely get both of those things.”
“I've experienced a lot of ups and I've experienced even more downs than I've experienced ups in this entrepreneurship journey. But it was cool to sit there and go like, man, people who I never, like I had no idea how it was ever going to come to fruition to be able to have a conversation with them. Here I am sitting seven, eight years later and just had a conversation with this guy.”
“A lot of the times you'll probably get more from somebody who's one step or two steps ahead of you than you will from somebody who's 15 steps ahead of you because that the gap there is so large that it's sometimes even more difficult for those people to share actionable advice with you.”
“The result again is less consequential than the activity of just putting in the reps and being okay with what happens. That you might get some rejections, you might get some people ignoring you. In fact, you will absolutely get both of those things.”
Host
Travis
person
Joe Gatto
person
Shaq
person
Dinner Party
other
GoHighLevel
brand
Impractical Jokers
media
Paramount Plus
brand
Aldi
brand
SOLO | Make Money by Earning Your First $10K Online
Travis Makes Money • 25m • 3/31/2026
CO-HOST | Make Money by Finding Your Niche and Building Valuable Skills
Travis Makes Money • 24m • 3/31/2026
SOLO | Make Money by Getting Better at Sales Faster
Travis Makes Money • 25m • 4/1/2026
INTERVIEW | Make Money with the Art of First Impressions and Ethical Persuasion, feat. Danny Bobrow
Travis Makes Money • 27m • 4/1/2026
CO-HOST | Make Money by Thinking Like Scott Galloway
Travis Makes Money • 23m • 4/1/2026
Get the full intelligence
Search transcripts, export clips, track mentions, and explore all topics from “SOLO | Make Money By Having the Conversations You've Been Avoiding, part 2” inside PodZeus.
Start discovering podcast insights today
Start with a 7-day trial and explore a growing catalog of popular podcasts. No credit card required.
No credit card required • 7-day trial • Cancel anytime