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Derek From More Plates More Dates: His +$100M Business Empire, Bryan Johnson & TRT

My First Million

Tue Sep 12 2023



Affiliate Marketing:

  • Started off in affiliate marketing, focusing on SEO-driven blog content and promoting products through Amazon links
  • Earned commissions on various products, such as supplements, hair loss prevention products, etc.
  • Learned the importance of organically integrating products that were already used and believed in personally

Transition to Own Businesses:

  • Saw an opportunity to start his own businesses based on the products he was already recommending as an affiliate marketer
  • Started with dietary supplements, leveraging his knowledge of chemistry and pharmacology to formulate high-quality products
  • Expanded into hair loss prevention products and telemedicine, areas he had expertise in and were aligned with his passion for preventative medicine

Financing and Funding:

  • Has not raised any financing or funding for his businesses
  • Relied on organic growth, influencer partnerships, and revenue generated from product sales
  • Avoided wealth management portfolio guys due to underperformance and high fees

Managing Money:

  • Liquidated investments managed by wealth management firms due to underperformance
  • Currently holding cash and some cryptocurrency investments
  • Focused on understanding complex tax planning strategies before making investment decisions

Spending Money Wisely:

  • Does not spend money frivolously or on luxury items
  • Prioritizes convenience and quality when it comes to travel (first-class flights) and food (high-quality groceries)

Hedonistic Treadmill and Happiness:

  • Bought a Lamborghini but realized that material possessions do not necessarily bring happiness
  • Focuses on spending money on experiences, personal growth, and quality of life rather than material goods

Business Goals:

  • Sees Gorilla Mind and Merick Health as potential billion-dollar companies in the future
  • Wants to continue growing and expanding these businesses globally
  • Values credibility, trust, and quality in his products and services

Seasons of Life:

  • Believes in segregating goals into seasons or stages of life
  • Prioritizes different areas at different times to achieve exceptional results
  • Recognizes the need for focused attention on specific goals before moving onto others

Evolution of Online Marketing:

  • Started with SEO-driven blog content but has seen a shift towards social media platforms for product recommendations
  • Importance of building trust and credibility through organic integrations instead of mindlessly promoting products for affiliate commissions

Trust in Health Niche:

  • Derek emphasizes the importance of trust in the health niche
  • Many charlatans with outrageous claims get platformed, making it hard to know who to trust
  • Laymen often get confused by conflicting recommendations from different sources
  • Derek advises self-educating individuals to find trustworthy experts with knowledge and evidence-based information

Becoming a Health Science Expert:

  • Derek became an expert through years of self-education and learning from other experts
  • He has been researching extensively since a young age, gaining knowledge over 10+ years
  • While he doesn't claim to be an expert, others label him as such due to his extensive knowledge and research skills

Thoughts on Bryan Johnson:

  • Derek shares his thoughts on Bryan Johnson's approach to health optimization
  • He finds some aspects contradictory, such as calorie deprivation leading to hormone suppression but supplementing with testosterone afterward
  • He questions the overall effectiveness and longevity-focused approach of certain protocols

Taking TRT and Supplements:

  • Derek talks about his experience with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)
  • He initially started TRT because of low testosterone levels but later decided to come off it when he still felt great without it
  • He acknowledges that each individual's response may vary and believes it's better not to take TRT if it's not necessary

Quality of Food and Sourcing:

  • Derek mentions that he spends a lot on groceries and prioritizes high-quality food
  • He buys bison meat from a butcher because it is leaner and more nutrient-dense than regular ground beef at grocery stores
  • Sourcing quality food can be challenging in Canada, but he tries to get the best available options

Usefulness of Peptides:

  • Derek discusses the usefulness of peptides like BPC-157 for injury recovery
  • He mentions that while they can be valuable in specific contexts, they should not be overused and must be used with caution due to potential side effects

GLP-1 Agonists:

  • Derek talks about GLP-1 agonists as effective appetite suppressants
  • He compares them to previous options like Adderall and Phentermine, which have negative health impacts
  • While acknowledging their utility, he also highlights concerns about long-term use and children's usage

Challenges of Optimizing Health:

  • Derek acknowledges that optimizing health can be overwhelming and arduous even with financial means
  • Figuring out what supplements or interventions to prioritize is a complex task
  • The quality and effectiveness of different approaches are often uncertain, making decision-making difficult

Future Success and Empire Building:

  • Sam Parr and Shaan Puri express belief in Derek's ability to build multiple billion-dollar or nine-figure companies off his audience base
  • They predict that there will eventually be an article revealing the extent of his success, surprising many people