Curtiss Weinstein grew up in government housing in New London, Connecticut, youngest of four boys, father gone before he can remember, sleeping in a snowsuit and moon boots because there was no oil in the furnace. He was knocking on doors and shoveling driveways at seven years old, and the money went to his mother so the lights would stay on.

He joined the Air Force at 18, served with the Presidential Honor Guard, got out, and started selling $2,000 Kirby vacuums door to door. In two and a half years he saved almost $400,000. Then he built Absolute Security from nothing, 70 sales in the first month, fast enough that ADT called a meeting to find out what was going on, sold it to ADT in 2012, and today runs the dealer program for SafeStreets, the largest ADT authorized provider in the country.

This is not a highlight reel. Curtiss told us up front he isn't "cotton candy," and he meant it. Over the next hour he talks about the brother who died in jail, the two daughters he and his wife lost, the marriage that nearly didn't survive his best sales years, the games he missed, and the bank teller he screamed at, and what he did about it from an airport gate 20 minutes later.

It's the most honest conversation we've had on this show about what success actually costs.

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Cold open
00:48 Meet Curtiss Weinstein
01:42 "I'm not cotton candy"
03:01 Government housing, four boys, no dad
05:50 His first sales job at seven years old
13:17 Selling $2,000 vacuums door to door
18:33 The S.E.L.L. framework
20:52 70 sales in month one
28:34 "They don't have to be me"
31:44 Success comes with collateral damage
42:11 The Wells Fargo teller and the call from the gate
50:17 Alex
63:12 The belief about success people push back on
70:05 How Steve and Curtiss met

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🎙️ ABOUT GAME PLANS
Two business owners pulling back the curtain on what it actually takes to build something real. Hosted by Brooks Anderson and Steve Beskid. New episodes every week.

👉 Subscribe: [LINK]
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0zNTE3qFBB5dVKXbRUNJcP?si=f69b77159b3843a0
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: [LINK]

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📲 FOLLOW CURTISS WEINSTEIN
Website: curtissweinstein.com
Instagram: @getmotivatednow
X: @getmotivatednow
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/curtiss-weinstein-3710808
Podcast: Attack the Day

Curtiss is available for speaking, sales meetings, and consulting.

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📲 FOLLOW THE SHOW
Instagram: @gameplanspod
TikTok: [@HANDLE]
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📚 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Relentless — Tim Grover
The Millionaire Next Door — Thomas J. Stanley & William D. Danko
Imagine the God of Heaven — John Burke
John Maxwell on failing forward

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⚠️ This episode includes discussion of child poverty, pregnancy loss, incarceration, and terminal illness.

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Join us in this inspiring episode of the Game Plans Podcast as we delve into the legendary Kobe Bryant’s ten rules for success and how they can transform your entrepreneurial journey. Hosted by experienced entrepreneurs, we share personal stories, insights, and actionable advice on how to:

1. Have a Champion’s Mentality
2. Outwork Your Potential
3. Learn from Failures
4. Be a Long-Term Thinker
5. Find Your Passion
6. Challenge Yourself to Grow
7. Keep Going
8. Protect Your Dreams
9. Be Driven
10. Achieve Greatness

Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to stay updated on our latest episodes. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes content and more inspirational stories.

#gameplanspodcast #RealEstateInsights #MortgageStrategies #BusinessGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #CustomerService #SportsPsychology #TechnologyInRealEstate #LocalEntrepreneurs #ColumbusOhioBusiness #NewAlbanyRealEstate #PowellCommunity #GrowthMindset #BehindTheScenes #BusinessPodcast #kobebryant #kobe #mamba #mambamentality

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 03:45 Have a Champion’s Mentality
• 13:30 Outwork Your Potential
• 23:20 Learn from Failures
• 33:10 Be a Long-Term Thinker
• 42:50 Find Your Passion
• 52:40 Challenge Yourself to Grow
• 1:02:30 Keep Going
• 1:12:15 Protect Your Dreams
• 1:21:50 Be Driven
• 1:31:30 Achieve Greatness
• 1:40:00 Conclusion

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Our first guest episode. Eddie Knezevich — President & CEO of NLF Partners, Million Dollar Roundtable Top of the Table producer, husband, and dad of three — sits down with Brooks and Steve to talk about what it really took to build something from nothing.

Eddie started with $13,000, a broken-down Nissan, and a mold-infested basement. He's now running one of the most recognized advisory firms in the country, with 70% year-over-year growth and a team beneath him.

In this conversation: the 3 financial mistakes most business owners make without realizing it, why cash is no longer king, the Five F's framework that simplified his entire life, what it's like to build a life your 8-year-old self would be proud of, the hard conversations about fatherhood and marriage, and how to stay hungry once you've reached a level of comfort.

This one goes deep. Grab a coffee.

Topics: entrepreneurship, financial planning, tax strategy, business ownership, fatherhood, work-life harmony, mindset, mentorship, smart leverage, growing a business.

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