182. If You're a Creator, You Must Start a Business in 2026 ft. Ali Abdaal
Meet Your All·in·One Creator Store (Stan)https://join.stan.store/the505podcastCheck out Artlist's 2026 A.I. report here:https://artlist.io/blog/trend-report-2026/?artlist_aid=%E2%80%8Bthe505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bthe505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bthe505podcast_2970The 10 Minute Personal Brand Kickstart (FREE): https://the505podcast.courses/personalbrandkickstartWhat’s up Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Ali Abdaal - Doctor-turned-creator, author, and one of the internets most insightful voices when it comes to building a business that serves your life… not the other way around. Ali has spent the last few years helping thousands of people create profitable lifestyle businesses while avoiding burnout and breaking free from the “grind culture” trap.In this episode, Ali breaks down why 2026 is the best year ever to launch a lifestyle business, how to charge high-ticket without imposter syndrome, and why creators need to stop chasing massive audiences and start focusing on validated offers, lead generation, and conversations that convert. He also talks about investing over $100K into mentorship, the game-changing lessons he learned from masterminds, and why the “build an audience first” approach is officially outdated.If you want to learn how to make real money as a creator, build a business around the life you actually want, and escape the trap of low-ticket offers and content treadmill burnout, this episode is for you.Check out Ali here:https://www.youtube.com/ @aliabdaal https://www.instagram.com/aliabdaal/SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportKostas' Lightroom Presetshttps://www.kostasgarcia.com/store-1/p/kglightroompresetsgreeceCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.the505podcast.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKTimestamps: 0:00 – Intro1:15 – What a Lifestyle Business Actually Is2:26 – Why “Freedom” Matters More Than Flexing3:53 – The Biggest Pitfalls When Starting a Lifestyle Business5:55 – Why Selling High-Ticket Is Easier Than Low-Ticket8:50 – Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Around Pricing12:18 – Why Mindset Courses Don’t Sell (and What People Really Want)13:48 – Stan15:15 – How to Start a $100K Lifestyle Business in 30 Days18:24 – How to Talk to Your Audience to Validate Your Offer20:54 – The Power of Zoom Calls, Polls, Surveys, and Beta Groups23:16 – What Ali Learned from $100K+ Mentorships25:36 – The Google Doc Sales Strategy That Replaced His Sales Team26:09 – Cold DMs, B2B, LinkedIn, and Secret Side Hustles26:35 – Why Investing in Yourself Outperforms Investing in the S&P33:59 – Artlist35:55 – The Difference Between “Vibes Work” and “Revenue Work”36:53 – Was Ali Burnt Out as a Doctor?38:04 – What Daniel Priestley Taught Ali About Lead Gen42:23 – Why Everything Is Downstream of Lead Generation44:59 – How to Qualify Leads for High-Ticket Offers48:31 – Why Young Creators Struggle: No Skills, No Direction50:25 – How to Choose a Profitable Niche in Underserved Markets52:58 – How to Build an Offer with Tangible Outcomes55:48 – Why Businesses Think About Money Differently Than Individuals57:34 – Productivity as a Vehicle, Not the Promise1:06:29 – The Freedom Formula: Your 100 Discretionary Hours1:08:36 – Assets, Passive Income, and the Path to Financial Freedom1:12:21 – Why a Lifestyle Business Beats the Startup Grind1:14:14 – If You Won the Lottery, What Would You Still Do?1:16:02 – The 12-Person Rule and Why “The Desert” Kills Companies1:19:47 – Why Ali Keeps Returning to a 12-Person Team1:20:48 – Why Ignoring Daniel Priestley Always Backfires1:22:12 – Qualifying Leads: Who Ali Rejects and Why1:23:41 – What Makes Someone “High-Ticket Ready”1:25:51 – How to Learn High-Income Skills Fast (Even with No Experience)1:26:46 – How a Hair Salon Niche Turned into a $10M+ Business1:29:58 – Why Picking the Right Client is Everything1:32:20 – Why You Don’t Need a Massive Audience to Make Money1:35:48 – Personal Brand Kickstart Breakdown1:46:12 – Post Pod Debrief (PPD)If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/
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