Growth - The CEO of F**k All

In this no-holds-barred episode of the Stay Hungry Podcast, Joel Stone exposes one of the biggest scams in online business today, the rise of the so-called “CEO” with no real business. From rented Lamborghinis to fake revenue claims, these self-proclaimed gurus are everywhere, selling hype instead of results.

Joel breaks down how to spot the frauds, avoid the BS, and find real mentors, coaches, and business allies who actually know what they’re talking about. If you’re serious about growth, this episode will save you time, money, and a whole lot of frustration.

Key moments:

🚨 The Fake CEO Epidemic: Why social media is filled with business “gurus” who have no real business.

💰 Revenue vs. Reality: How to spot false seven-figure claims and the real numbers behind them.

⚠️ Red Flags to Watch For: From rented luxury cars to micro accounts on Companies House – the telltale signs of a fraud.

🛠 Finding Real Mentors & Coaches: What to look for in a genuine business expert (and who to avoid like the plague).

📉 The Event & Networking Trap: Why most flashy entrepreneur events are just hype machines designed to take your money.

👥 Building the Right Network: How to surround yourself with real business owners who actually help you grow.

Don’t get caught up in the illusion – focus on what actually drives business success. Listen now to cut through the noise and make smarter decisions for your future.

Links:

Website: https://www.codebreak.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codebreakcrew/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/codebreakcrew/

Joel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joelstoneofficial/
Joel's Facebook: https://facebook.com/joelstoneofficial/

Free Marketing Budget Calculator: https://codebreak.outgrow.us/knowyournumbers

Arrange a call with Codebreak: https://form.jotform.com/241272835208051

Transcript

0:13

Hi everyone, Joel again at Code Break. I'm still on my own, so I've actually recorded two episodes back to back today, and the team are in meetings, stuck in projects, and I've been left to my own devices. And this is one that I just wanted to get off my chest. So this podcast's all about kind of growth, and some of the things you'll encounter as a business owner as you're growing. And I've titled this podcast The CEO of Fuck All. So this is born out of something that I popped on Instagram the other day. I actually saw someone who, unfortunately, I've introduced to quite a lot of people before realizing the truth. And they did a reel on their social media, and it was a day in the life of a CEO. And I know some CEOs, people who are chief executive officers of fairly hefty boards, and I know what a day in the life of a CEO looks like for them. And this person is on their own in their business. They're the only executive officer on their board. So I don't understand how they're a CEO. Essentially what I'm saying is it's a bullshit flex online to make their content look good. And from what I can tell, they spend most of their time doing photo shoots, or in the gym, or spouting bollocks on social media. And I'm kind of a bit sick of it. Like, I obviously position myself on socials. I use socials as a way to showcase our book, our podcast, our business, my AI company, what I'm up to, kind of the lifestyle, the person behind the business, in the hope that the right people will resonate with that and want to work with me. But I'm not saying things that simply aren't true. Like, I'm not saying that I'm a CEO. And actually, we've got more than one executive officer on our board. So I could be, but I'm just the managing director at most. I'm Joel most of the time. And this whole, like, here I am next to my Lamborghini that I don't own. Here I am in front of the Burj Khalifa on a business trip, when what you mean is you've told the tax man it's a business trip. Here I am, day in the life of a CEO. Here's how I did my first seven-figure launch. But you actually mean seven figures in a currency where it's 300 to one on the pound, right? Or you mean seven figures across the 37-year lifespan of your business. This sounds bitter, and I need to turn this into a positive. But why this episode matters to you is I'm talking to you about what I'm seeing as one of the biggest scams in online entrepreneurship at the moment. And it's the rise of the CEO of fuck all. And I guess like, I'm calling out, they often call themselves gurus, like you'll find them. I've got some anecdotes I'm gonna give you shortly. But the reason I'm like throwing this out there is a lot of the people we encounter who have maybe grown past the half million pound turnover mark, wanna get to the seven figures, want to, and I mean within a year, not across the lifespan of their business, want to keep scaling, maybe scale to eight figures, maybe even nine figures. There'll come a point where they're looking for a mentor or a guide or a coach to help them because nobody in their environment has ever done what they're trying to do. And this is where the CEO of fuck all comes in because they're like a fucking shark and they smell the blood. And they're coming after these people who are putting their hands up saying, I need help to do something I've never done before. And you're spouting online that you're doing it all the time, so you must be the person for me. And what I'm saying is like, you need to think about the reality of that. Like what, who is this person? What does Companies House say about this person? What kind of accounts have they filed? What testimonials have they got? Are they real testimonials? Can I see the actual messages, not just screenshots? Have they got a trust pilot or Google reviews? Like where can I dig to see the reality? How long have they been around? What's their story? Can I speak to three of their other clients? There's things, there's steps you should take to avoid falling into these traps. Now I work with a mentor, he's called Paul Moore and I'm proud to work with him. He is a fantastic coach, he has his own flaws which he quite frequently flaunts. But that's why I work with him, he's a genuine guy. He looks after me, his wife Leslie's super smart as well. And I really enjoy working with him. I've worked with other mentors before that. My first ever mentor was called Charlie, also a top, top guy. And he really helped me with all sorts of things. But I've bumped into many gurus and CEOs of fuck all who are pulling the wool over people's eyes, taking their money and then basically they're selling a magic pill. And then once you're in, once they've got their hooks into you, they sell you the next magic pill and the next magic, oh that will work once you've got this and that will work once you've got this and that will work once you've got this. Before you know it, you're 50 grand in the hole with them and not really any further along. And so things that you can kind of look out for to identify this CEO of fuck all. Numbers don't lie. So if you go on Companies House and it says that they've submitted micro accounts, I think I'm right in saying that that means that their turnover had to be under 634,000 pounds. So then if they're saying they're a seven figure business, why are they submitting micro accounts? The other thing to think about when people are saying they're a seven figure business is they probably mean revenue. And if they do mean within the year, it doesn't mean that there was any profit left at the end of it. Again, worth digging a little bit. Some of the other common red flags, they'll look like they live an incredible luxury lifestyle but you'll never see images of their home because they haven't got one or it's not as impressive as what their Instagram would make you believe. And you'll never see anything that looks like a business asset. Now I make a conscious effort when I'm doing my content to show myself placed in the office, to show that this is a real business, real tangible assets. There's pictures on the wall, there's staff walking past, there's various things in here. Maybe a bit quirky, we've got an arcade machine and a pool table and various bits and bobs that are probably not necessary, although I'd argue, I beg to differ. But there's actual assets in this business. You can see value in our videos. Even now you can see I'm on a proper, this is our podcast studio, I'm on a proper podcast setup. So if this so-called guru is coming to you on video on Zoom and the backdrop looks like a spare bedroom, I would have alarm bells about that. I'm not saying that they don't exist and that. that some people can operate from that situation and be very successful, but it is a red flag. It's something worth considering. The other one is, are they always selling courses about making money, but there's no, they're not selling courses around the tactics, the strategies, and the reality of business? So for example, if they're telling you how to do a seven-figure launch, but they're not telling you how to successfully launch your next master class, they're two slightly different things, and the first one could be full of hot air. We see this a lot in the investment space. We have a client who's an investment coach who very much offers practical advice. He's very honest and open about his tactics, but he's in a space where there's a lot of distrust, and a lot of the other investors, it'll be like, how to make a quick million, and that really should worry you. But obviously, often when people sign up to these things, they're desperate and don't see what they're getting themselves into. The other red flag, no verified track record. Nothing on Companies House, nothing on Google Reviews, nothing on Trustpilot, no case studies of people you've actually heard of or seen before or can actually speak to. I think that's often a common red flag. And then the other one I see is really flashy events. Really flashy events out of nowhere with no substance behind it. You haven't heard of the speakers. Other people in attendance all very much seem a bit confused as well. And then the thing that I think really gives these people away, the CEO of Fuck All, as I said, is the psychological trick that they use, which is they sell the dream, not the result. And that's actually a marketing tactic. My job as a marketing expert with a marketing agency is to sell people their dreams and move them away from their pain. That's what marketing is. But there's realistic dreams and then there's fucking telling people they're gonna win the Euro millions. And when you get someone who's telling you you're gonna be the next Taylor Swift in their content or that if you push hard enough, you could be the champion of the world, which yes, someone might be, but you just need to, are they painting a realistic picture of what the other side looks like or are they massively inflating the possibility of what could happen here? So you'll see a lot of this. Anyway, how to spot a genuine mentor, coach, or business partner or supplier, I think are they easy to find? So website, company's house, trust pilot, Google reviews. Do they have a genuine track record? Who've they worked with? Have you heard of them? Have they got case studies? Will they let you speak to them? Are these testimonials real? Can they verify them? And have they built anything other than their personal brand? So if you went on my Instagram, you'll see there's a lot of pictures of me in the dog. There's some professional photography. There's some nicely cut videos. There's me at the football. But there's also pictures of me in the office and there's also a link to my business where you can see Code Break, you can see the office. You can do a Google tour of the office if you want. You can see some of the assets we've got. It's real, it's not just all made up in my bedroom with AI. And then also like, they will talk to you about, like a real mentor, a real coach, a real business partner, a real supplier will talk to you about risk versus return and they'll demonstrate how they've helped people in a similar position as you and they'll show you real results and how that happened. And they'll also identify some of the weaknesses you've got in your business and some of the quick opportunities you've got. Whereas this like, CEO of fuck all will fill you full of hype and hot air and make you feel like a million dollars. But it'll all be about that kind of, you must invest to succeed guilt trip, not real maths. It'll be like, oh, you know, they might say a line like, I'm not the numbers person, I don't really like numbers, but I know I can get you to seven figures. Or maybe next time we'll be doing the photo shoot together, like that kind of shit. So like good coaches don't pump you full of hot air. They give you actionable advice to help you build your own confidence. They won't give you an unrealistic timeframe, do this, this, this and this and in 30 days you'll be a millionaire. They'll tell you to set your own timeframe based on your own responsibilities and your own limitations and help you overcome those limitations. They'll focus on fundamentals, they won't be talking about hacks and weird guru tactics to do things that have never been done before. They will be looking at like actual fundamentals that what they'll probably do, which you'll actually find difficult is a good coach, a good mentor, a good business supplier will probably simplify things. They'll probably make it all a lot simpler, they'll probably cut out a lot of fluff, they'll probably make you focus on one thing. And that's how you can spot someone who really knows what they're doing. That's how my mentors work with me. They'll point at what the one thing is and they'll take away all the spiel and nonsense that's coming out of my mouth and go right in on the jugular. And as opposed to empathising with all my bollocks and then filling me full of hot air. And there is a subtle difference but you will notice. And then I guess it's avoiding these like events that are just full of these wannabe CEO types and actually going to events that have got like real headliners, real business owners, real networking opportunities, real chances to listen to stories that inspire you and interact with actual business owners who actually enjoy talking about business. Like the amount of people I've met in business in the last five years who talk about how they hate the way business is done and they're going to change it for everyone. It's not business's fault. Yes, I think corporate can be quite stuffy and male dominated and a bit grim. But actually owner managed business at the level we operate at, we meet people from all walks and it's really interesting and fascinating. And like in one minute I could be talking to like a female ADHD coach and the following week I'm talking to a gardener and I'm learning all this stuff I've never heard before. It's actually like really enriching and fulfilling and varied. And I think when you're attending these events where it's all about hype and how we can do things differently and the world's changing and you need to change with it, you're kind of getting swept along with a load of bollocks. And sometimes it's hard because some of these events have got. got a bit of both, and you've just got, like I would go through this red flag list that we talked about here and actually think about what's in it for you, what's good for you. The warning signs of a bad event, the speakers don't have their own businesses, they're all just influencer types, so they might sell online courses, they might sell, the odd thing with them, there's nothing behind it, they don't have employees, they don't have anything tangible to fall back on, there's no resale value to their business, so they're not playing the same game as you. Another sign of these bad events is they will talk about mindset, but then none of the speakers will be qualified to talk about mindset, now I realise there's an irony in that, because I talk about mindset a lot, but I talk about mindset a lot through experience, I guess. But sometimes you will get someone who, I've seen an example of somebody who said they were a manifestation coach, and then I'm fairly sure they didn't even know what manifestation was, and that was the mindset element of the event, and then I guess the other red flag for these events is sometimes astronomically high ticket prices for very vague promises, like bonuses that don't really amount to much, so just being aware, what am I actually going to get, like what value am I going to get, is this worth it? And then, finding the right business allies is also really important, I have found people I work with now who, and I actually screenshotted this the other day, because I can send messages to some of our clients and some of our suppliers now that seem wildly unprofessional, not in an HR sense, but in like, I wrote a message to one of our clients in a medieval tone the other day just for the crack. I wrote a message to another one of my clients today about an investment I knew he was in that had turned good and just sent him a funny message about it, and he came back and we had a bit of a laugh. You'll know when you're clicking with the right people because they'll get you, and they'll empathise with your position, and you won't be afraid to tell them the truth about your business either, you won't be sat there thinking, oh I need to tell this person I'm making X many million, I want to look like the best person in this room. It'll be the opposite, I can learn from this person and they won't judge me. And that's where you know you're onto a good coach, a good mentor, a good supplier, like build your crowd, build like your handful of people who are like your chiefs, like your fellow warriors as such, because they'll probably see through a lot of this shit too and I spend a lot of time in the events world and around the online world and coaches, and there's some amazing mentors and coaches and specialists in the space, and as with all industries there's also some absolute snake oil sales people. And now I've kind of got my tribe and the right people around me, I think we've all got a good like temperature for when someone's talking bollocks, and I think you should get yourself around those people too, like it's really interesting. So I'd say three things you could start doing today to avoid the CEO fuck all, is always check their reviews, so always check Trustpilot, Google, ask to speak to a couple of their clients, like the investment coach is named Ben Knight, I reckon a couple of times a month, new prospects of his ask to speak to me. Just to see what it's about. And so they must be asking to speak to other people too, that's a really solid way to investigate someone, and Ben being the legit guy he is, is more than happy to let them speak to me. So I think that speaks volumes. Ignore the flashy marketing, so where it all looks a bit too glossy and a bit too good to be true, it's probably because it is. And it's aimed at people with that magpie, shiny object syndrome thing, don't get caught by that. And then be ruthless with your network, now I do this, and I do find it hard, like it can be emotional, but cut out the time wasters, cut out the nearly people, cut out the people who are always onto the next false boast or talking about what they're gonna do next and what they've built next and what they're gonna do and start surrounding yourself with people who tell you the truth about what's going on, good and bad, shit with the smooth. And I think you'll start to feel yourself grow and you'll start to feel, you'll know when some of the people in your crowd are not the right fit. And yeah, I hope that's been useful. It was a bugbear of mine that I wanted to get off my chest, so if anything, this was therapy for me. But I know from people who've done work experience here, speaking to family members, speaking to people outside of my circle, that some of this space, particularly the coaching space and the event space, can seem like a whole lot of bollocks. And it isn't, there are some great people in it, but you gotta look out for the sharks too. All right, everyone, take care, and I'll speak to you again.