Tom Bilyeu

The “secret” to building a $1B company isn't your product…

It's who builds it with you.

17 interview questions I used to find A-players while scaling Quest to $1B:

1. The Skills Demonstration

"Here's a real issue we're facing: [DESCRIBE SITUATION]. How would you approach solving this?"

What to look for:

• Strategic clarifying questions
• Quick identification of core issues
• Structured, logical approach
• Relevant experience application

2. Revealing The Secret Sauce

"What's your secret to achieving [SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM THEIR RESUME]?”

This question separates those with genuine expertise from those who excel at taking credit.

True A-players will tell you something you’ve never thought of before.

3. Bottleneck Identification

"What are the most common bottlenecks that prevent [DEPARTMENT/FUNCTION] from achieving peak performance, and how have you addressed them?"

They should be able to quickly identify constraints limiting performance.

4. Resource Allocation

"Tell me about a time when you had to make difficult resource allocation decisions with competing priorities."

A-players understand opportunity cost and can say no to good ideas in service of great ones.

5. Excellence Definition

"How do you define excellence in [KEY ASPECT OF ROLE]?”

Exceptional candidates will:

• Articulate specific, measurable criteria for quality work
• Explain how they continuously raise their own standards
• Provide examples of rejecting "good enough" in pursuit of excellence

6. Improvement Process Question

"Tell me about a specific process you improved in your previous role. What was the before and after, and how did you approach the improvement?"

Look for:

1. Systematic approach to improvement
2. Measurable before/after results
3. Initiative without being asked
4. Fundamental rethinking vs. incremental tweaks

7. The Impact Diagnosis

"In your last role, what specific metrics or outcomes changed as a direct result of your work?"

Average candidates talk about activities - what they did.

Exceptional candidates focus on outcomes - what changed because of their work.

As you can tell, I only included 7 of the 17 questions…

(didn’t want to make the post too long).

For the full 17-question blueprint, click here:
tombilyeu.com/17questions?utm_campaign=17questions…

23 hours ago | [YT] | 194

Tom Bilyeu

Most founders are afraid to ask the hard questions.

The ones that keep them up at 3AM...

But those questions are exactly what would 10x their business.

Here's the CEO framework that exposes blind spots and diagnoses the root of scaling problems:

I built Quest Nutrition from $0 to $1B in 5 years because I wasn't afraid to confront brutal reality.

Now I help founders breakthrough scaling plateaus by asking the questions most are terrified to answer.

I've distilled this approach into three powerful frameworks that form my "Business Physics" methodology.

First up: Pressure Point Questions.

These are designed to make hidden problems impossible to ignore.

Pressure Point Questions expose what you're avoiding, like:

• "If you were completely honest at 3AM, what part of your business feels like a house of cards?"
• "Which metric, if your board really understood it, would terrify them?"
• "What percentage of your team would you enthusiastically rehire?"

The second framework is my Reality Check Technique.

It's a controversial methodology that strips away comforting illusions about your business.

It forces you to rate yourself honestly and provide evidence that would convince skeptical investors.

This Reality Check includes a Competency Audit where you evaluate your business ruthlessly, and the Growth

Physics Test that reveals what would break if you actually succeeded.

It shows where your current strengths become fatal weaknesses at scale.

Then comes the Brutal Truth Exercise. You complete sentences like:

• "We keep failing because I haven't _______"
• "Our culture tolerates _______ because changing it would require _______"
• "We're avoiding _______ because we're afraid _______"

Uncomfortable but transformative.

The third piece is my $25K Coaching Framework.

It starts with Constraint Mapping - a systematic way to identify what's really holding you back.

You drill down through surface constraints to find the underlying patterns that are limiting your growth.

Next is Strategic Inflection Analysis.

For each core business area, you identify:

• "What assumption, if wrong, would change everything?"
• "What capability, if developed, would transform your position?"
• "What move, if executed, would make competition irrelevant?"

Finally, the Transformation Roadmap outlines:

• "What's your maximum scale with current business physics?"
• "What fundamental change would reset those physics?"
• "What capabilities need to be built for that change?"
• "What single move initiates this chain reaction?"

Business success isn't about tactics.

It's about understanding fundamental principles that work regardless of the situation.

You're struggling because you're making decisions based on emotions rather than understanding the physics of how business actually works.

I've compiled these frameworks into "$10M question framework".

Click the link below to get instant access: tombilyeu.com/10mquestion?utm_campaign=10mquestion…

1 day ago | [YT] | 93

Tom Bilyeu

Your business's culture will emerge with or without your input.

Here are 7 principles I’ve used to build Impact Theory's culture:

1. Personality-First

YOU are the one leading from the top.

So your culture must genuinely reflect who you are as a leader. Don't import someone else's values or practices if they don't align with your natural style.

If YOU’RE not in step with your culture, it’ll never take root.

2. Public Feedback

At Impact Theory, we use the Dots system created by Ray Dalio, where anyone can give visible feedback to anyone else.

This creates radical transparency - no whispering about weaknesses behind closed doors.

When someone is struggling, everyone already knows it - and we can address it directly.

3. Performance-Driven Environment

Your business is a team, not a family.

I make it crystal clear that my employees are expected to “play to win” - and meet business demands without constant persuasion.

If that requires showing up at 6am on a Saturday, so be it.

4. Incentivize Your Core Values

You’re constantly training your team through what you reward & what you punish.

So create tangible incentives that align with your company values - promotions, recognition, or financial rewards.

When someone embodies your culture, celebrate them publicly.

When they don't, address it immediately.

5. Hire for Cultural Alignment First

Skills can be taught. Cultural misalignment is terminal.

At Impact Theory, candidates have to read through a culture doc before they even qualify for an interview.

The cost of a bad culture fit is too high - which links to the next point…

6. Fire Fast

One person who undermines your culture will poison ten aligned people.

Any time I’ve allowed someone to stay at the company who is “good” at the job but not a strong culture fit, it’s caused problems.

You have to be ruthless with who you keep on.

7. Leaders = Culture Ambassadors

Your executives must be the living embodiment of your culture.

To encourage this, make adherence to cultural standards part of leadership KPIs & evaluations.

When leaders exemplify the culture, teams naturally follow.


Join my LIVE Group Coaching Session to watch me Scale 5 CEO's Businesses for 90 Minutes, and you could be picked as one of those 5!


Sign up here:
tombilyeu.com/coaching0428?utm_campaign=coaching04…

3 days ago | [YT] | 214

Tom Bilyeu

Every $1M founder is capable of scaling to $10M+.

Sadly, most get stuck in the Valley of Death.

Here are 7 scaling principles most entrepreneurs drastically underestimate:

1. Clarifying Your Mission

Your mission is your company's decision-making filter.

A brand without a clear “why” will chase too many ideas and fail to gain traction.

Quest's mission was simple:

End metabolic disease by making food that tastes amazing AND is good for you.

2. Testing Before Committing

Evidence always beats enthusiasm.

Test brand positioning aggressively before committing to packaging or messaging - and use social media to gather real-time data on what resonates.

If people don't respond to your content, it's not a good idea - period.

3. Studying Historical Patterns

Markets follow predictable cycles in spending, pricing, and consumer behavior.

Look at the housing market - it crashes, recovers, and overheats in the same pattern decade after decade.

Figure out what historical data is relevant for you to track — then track it.

4. Working With Human Nature, Not Against It

Don't fight established behaviors.

Most people won’t change comfortable routines for a marginal benefit they’d get from a new product.

Figure out how to REDUCE the friction to use your product.

5. Preparing for Worst Case Scenarios

Structure partnerships ASSUMING relationships will eventually strain:

• Document all critical agreements
• Define exit mechanisms early
• Set clear IP boundaries

Contracts aren't for when things work - they're for when relationships turn sour.

6. Embracing Imperfection

Perfectionism is the enemy of execution.

Set aggressive but realistic deadlines. If something is brand-damaging, hold it.

But if it’s just a minor imperfection, ship it and iterate.

7. Focusing on Core Revenue Drivers

Stay obsessively mission-focused.

When businesses struggle, they often chase distractions instead of doubling down on what actually generates cash flow.

Know exactly how your business makes money and keep coming back to what moves the needle - everything else is secondary.

Join my LIVE Group Coaching Session to watch me Scale 5 CEO's Businesses for 90 Minutes, and you could be picked as one of those 5!

Sign up here: tombilyeu.com/coaching0428?utm_campaign=coaching04…

4 days ago | [YT] | 155

Tom Bilyeu

Streaming Schedule next week!

1 week ago | [YT] | 90

Tom Bilyeu

We’ve lost our ability to call evil when we see it.

I recently interviewed Douglas Murray - a bestselling author and journalist who’s seen war first-hand in Gaza & Ukraine.

Here’s his chilling warning about the West’s moral collapse:

In the past, we disagreed on how to interpret events.

Today, we disagree on whether they even HAPPENED.

That’s why we’re more divided than ever.

Douglas puts it beautifully:

He calls this time “The Second Dark Age.”

The First Dark Age in the medieval period was defined by ignorance - people couldn’t access books or seek truth.

Today, things are different - we’re drowning in information, but still have no clarity.

And this confusion isn’t just about facts, but morals:

We no longer agree on what’s right and wrong.

Hamas leaders openly say: “We love death more than you love life,” celebrating martyrdom.

But many in the West still frame them as freedom fighters.

How did we lose the ability to call evil by its name?

Look back to the Cold War.

It was about power, like all wars - but it was also about moral clarity.

America = good. USSR = bad.

We didn’t agree on EVERYTHING, but we knew what we stood for.

Today, we’re not so sure. One reason:

Western self-criticism.

This used to be our superpower. It made us just, flexible, and humane.

But now it’s turned into self-hatred. Young people are taught America isn’t just flawed - but uniquely evil.

And if your country is evil… why defend it? Our youth lose all incentive.

Here’s where this leaves us:

With no moral anchor, we confuse war & defense. We treat hostage rescue as equal to terrorism.

But there’s a massive difference between fighting to save life & fighting to maximize death.

That difference MATTERS.

Here’s what history tells us:

Wars don’t end at the negotiating table.

They end when one side wins, and the other side knows it lost.

Until that happens, “peace processes” are just delays.

And that brings us to the West’s core choice:

We have to orient ourselves toward courage - or toward victimhood.

Victimhood culture teaches us to see oppression everywhere, but evil nowhere.

Courage sees clearly and acts decisively. Without it, we collapse from within.

One thing is undeniable: evil exists.

Not as a metaphor, but as a force in the world.

And if we lose the courage (and clarity) to face it, our civilization won’t survive.

The choice is ours: confront evil or be consumed by it.

Watch the full episode here:
https://youtu.be/yEzRE9pViEE?si=Dsf-0...

1 week ago | [YT] | 644

Tom Bilyeu

Over the past 15 years, I've helped 1000s of people scale their business.

Here are 7 nuggets I shared with a founder last week (that you can steal):

1.Growth Needs Directional Energy

If you’re running multiple businesses, don’t divide your attention - it kills momentum.

Either you go all in on the new thing, or hire a real operator with equity and a structured exit plan.

Split focus = no focus. Some questions to find a killer executive:

2. Be Obsessed With Your Financial Model

If you can’t trace your inputs to revenue, you’re flying blind.

You need crystal-clear clarity on:

• What levers you’re pulling
• What KPIs they affect
• How they drive profit

If it’s not tied to your model, it’s a distraction.

3. Inefficient Scaling = Business Suicide

Don’t slap band-aids on broken systems.

Bringing in more doctors won’t help if patients aren’t converting - same with clients & sales channels.

If your core process is leaking, fix that first. Otherwise, you’re just scaling your way to collapse.

4. Customers Buy Stories

People buy into brand affinity as well as the product itself.

For example, when someone buys lip balm, they’re also buying a story, an identity, or an emotion (beauty, confidence, transformation).

Tweak your messaging. Instead of selling features, sell an identity people want to be part of.

5. Test Before Investing Resources

Don’t assume your next product or message will work. Test first.

• Test with free samples
• Test with content
• Test with ads

If it doesn’t work organically, paid traffic likely won’t scale it either.

6. Incentives Change Everything

You need everyone to want to go in the same direction.

Find the exact dollar where money outweighs resistance - then make rewards public, trackable, and tied to clear outcomes.

If it’s not structured and visible, it won’t move behavior.

7. Multiple Projects Dilute Success

Every additional area of focus weakens the impact of the others.

Even "passive income" businesses need active oversight to sustain and grow.

So get your core business strong first, then expand.

The fun projects can come later, but stability comes first.

P.S.

If you're scaling or starting business from 0-8 figures, and need a coach to get to the next stage... click here.
tombilyeu.com/coaching-sessions-signup?utm_campaig…

1 week ago | [YT] | 103

Tom Bilyeu

This is Codie Sanchez.

She’s a NYT bestseller, serial entrepreneur, and knows how to spot financial BS from a mile away.

A while back, I asked her to tier-rank common financial advice on the show.

Here’s what she said:

1. “Save Your Way to Wealth”

Codie gave this a Hard F.

Nobody gets rich through saving alone - unless they’re 70 after a lifetime of pinching pennies.

Inflation quietly destroys your cash, so saving is a fool’s errand.

2. “Don’t Buy, Rent”

Codie put this in E-tier.

Yes, renting CAN be cheaper - but most people don’t invest the difference.

With 60% of Americans having <$1K saved, owning a home acts as forced savings.

It’s not a wealth builder - but behaviorally, it works.

3. “The Stock Market is a Gamble”

This was D-tier advice. Sure, investing in stock is gambling if you’re day trading.

But long-term, low-cost investing works - because you’re betting on human ingenuity.

It’s not sexy, but the data shows it beats most other passive plays.

4. “Network = Net Worth”

Codie put this in A.

But there’s a caveat: to build real wealth, you need to work hard, build skills, take risk - and THEN lean into connections.

They’re really helpful at the highest level.

Not leaning into this more was a big miss in my book.

5. “Get Out Of Debt”

I gave this an S-tier. For most people, debt will obliterate you.

But Codie made a key distinction between good & bad debt:

Kill high-interest debt fast.

But low-interest, long-term debt that you can out-earn somewhere else? Different story.

Codie knows the best wealth advice isn’t sexy:

• Buy cash-flowing assets you don’t have to babysit
• Build “boring” businesses with built-in operating leverage
• Own things you can reprice or upsell - no matter what the market’s doing

Always a pleasure speaking with her. She’s incredibly wise.

P.S.

If you're scaling or starting business from 0-8 figures, and need a coach to get to the next stage... click here.
tombilyeu.com/coaching-sessions-signup?utm_campaig…

1 week ago | [YT] | 659

Tom Bilyeu

We grew Quest Nutrition by 57,000% in 3 years.

If I started today with AI, we could have done it in 6 months.

Imagine running your entire content business with half the team and twice the output.

Not in 5 years. Today.

The entrepreneurs winning right now aren't just using AI tools.

They're building complete AI systems that transform their workflows:

1. Content Multiplication

A single 60-minute interview could automatically generate:

• 15 platform-optimized short clips (OpusClip)
• Custom thumbnails for each clip (Canva)
• Captions in multiple languages (Claude)
• Blog post versions of key insights (CastMagic)

One piece of content becomes 50 assets.

Without hiring more people.

2. Communication Acceleration

Think beyond basic AI writing:

• Every email personalized at scale
• Sales sequences that evolve based on response data
• Support messages that match your exact brand voice
• Documentation that updates itself as products change

Tools like ChatGPT and Claude aren't just faster writers.

They're communication systems.

3. Visual Creation

The old way: Brief a designer, wait 3 days, get 2 options.


The AI way: Generate 20 concepts in 20 minutes.

When testing ideas, speed beats perfection every time.

Why wait a week when you can test today?

4. E-Commerce Acceleration

E-commerce used to require copywriters for product descriptions, email marketers for campaigns and logistics experts for fulfillment.

Now e-commerce platforms like Shopify have integrated AI that can help write product descriptions that actually convert, create marketing emails based on customer behavior, and optimize shipping logistics automatically.

The biggest productivity mistake entrepreneurs make isn't using the wrong AI tools.

It's using AI to optimize the wrong things.

Before building any AI system, ask yourself:

"Is this process worth keeping at all?"
"Does this actually drive business results?"
"Would my time be better spent on validation?"

AI amplifies everything. Including mistakes.

The entrepreneurs who win will combine:
- Human creativity for strategy
- AI execution for implementation
- Ruthless focus on validation

The era of the 12-person startup is ending.

The era of the solo founder with AI systems is here.

Come to my free AI masterclass and I'll show you how to leverage AI to start your business with confidence:
tombilyeu.com/leverage-ai-april-15?utm_campaign=le…

1 week ago | [YT] | 204

Tom Bilyeu

Technical founders had a 20-year head start. AI just eliminated it.

Writers, artists, and creators now have the edge.

Two years ago, you needed coding skills to build an app.

You needed design skills to create a website.
You needed data skills to analyze the market.

Today? You just need to know how to talk.

I've watched AI completely flip the script on who can build a successful tech business.

The writer who couldn't code? She just launched an app.
The photographer with no tech background? Running an AI-powered SaaS.
The fitness coach who "isn't technical"? His AI tool has 50,000 users.

Here's what AI eliminates for non-technical founders:

1. The technical co-founder search

No more giving away 50% of your company to someone who can code.

AI can build the V1 of your product while you validate the market.

2. The expensive development costs

Custom apps used to cost $50,000+ to build.

Now you can create functional prototypes for under $1,000.

3. The technical learning curve

Instead of spending 6 months learning to code, spend 2 weeks learning prompt engineering.

The ROI difference is astronomical.

4. The "technical confidence gap"

Non-technical founders used to get destroyed in investor meetings.

Now your AI knowledge puts you ahead of most technical founders.

5. The execution timeline

What took 12 months now takes 2 weeks.

You can test 10 ideas in the time it used to take to build one.

This opportunity won't last forever.

Soon, everyone will understand how to leverage these tools. The temporary advantage will disappear.

But right now?

The creators, the artists, the writers, the speakers, the coaches? You have the unfair advantage.

You understand people. You understand communication. You understand what makes things resonate.

Those skills combined with AI are more valuable than a CS degree.

The best businesses aren't built by technical people. They're built by people who understand problems.

And AI just removed your biggest barrier to solving them.

Come to my free AI masterclass and I'll show you how to leverage AI to start your business FAST – even if you’re not a “techie”: tombilyeu.com/leverage-ai-april-15?utm_campaign=le…

1 week ago | [YT] | 596