Mark recorded this video from his car on the George Bush Turnpike in Dallas after spending 90 minutes having breakfast with a podcast listener at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Carrollton, Texas. The experience left him energized for the rest of the week.

What Happened

Mark spent the breakfast talking to a listener about his business, his plans, and his life — giving his opinion on things the listener cared about. Mark was quick to note that his advice was worth exactly what the listener paid for it (nothing). But the experience was huge for Mark himself because it connected directly to what motivates him: helping people.

The Business Lessons

Build your business around something that energizes you. If you want to start a business or change the world, make sure part of what you do genuinely excites you. That energy will carry you through the difficult stretches when progress stalls or motivation dips.

You cannot help everyone, but you can help someone. Mark acknowledged that with thousands of listeners, meeting everyone individually was impossible. He paraphrased Andy Stanley: “Treat some of your clients or audience the way you would treat all of them if you had the time.” Making yourself available to some people creates outsized impact.

Helping creates reciprocity. When you focus on helping others, a culture of reciprocity builds around you. This is not the reason to help — but it is the natural result. As Zig Ziglar said, you can get everything in life you want if you help enough other people get what they want.

What Has Changed Since This Post

Mark published this in November 2013.

Creator-audience relationships have become more personal. In 2026, tools like Discord communities, Patreon, membership sites, and live streaming make it possible for creators to have meaningful interactions with audiences at scale. What Mark did informally over breakfast is now built into many creators' business models through office hours, AMAs, and community calls.

The Zig Ziglar principle remains foundational. The idea that generosity and service drive business success has only grown stronger. It is now a core tenet of relationship marketing, community-led growth, and personal branding strategies.

Listen and Subscribe

Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/.