In this episode, Peter Dalmaris talks with John Lee Dumas.
The full video for this interview is available; please check it out.
John Lee Dumas (or “JLD” as people call him) is the host of Entrepreneurs on Fire, an award-winning podcast in which he interviews the world’s most successful Entrepreneurs. Past guests include Tony Robbins, Barbara Corcoran, Gary Vaynerchuk, and thousands more. With over 2000 episodes, 70 million downloads, and 1 million monthly listens, JLD has built a media empire with a massive fan base aptly called ‘Fire Nation.’
In my discussion with JLD, I asked him about his self-education journey, from his “aha” moment when he decided to create Entrepreneurs on Fire to building and growing it.
JLD’s story is similar to that of many successful self-made entrepreneurs: After a struggle, he came up with an idea for a media product and service that fills a need in people’s lives. He then realized that he did not have the skills and knowledge to pull this off, so he started to teach himself. He learned from books and videos, but that wasn’t enough.
Self-education is the key, but there is nothing like learning from the best, and that’s what John Lee did. He accelerated his education with the help of mentors and applied what he had learned on the job.
Much like project-based learning.
Seven years later, 1 million people listen to his podcast every month.
This is Tech Explorations Podcast episode 8.
Welcome to Tech Explorations Podcast episode 8. In this episode, Peter talks with John Lee Dumas, also known as JLD. JLD is the host of Entrepreneurs on Fire, an award-winning podcast where he interviews some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. Past guests include Tony Robbins, Barbara Corcoran, Gary Vaynerchuk, and many more. With over 2,000 episodes, 17 million downloads, and 1 million monthly listens, JLD has built a media empire with his community, Fire Nation.
In this discussion, Peter asks JLD about his self-education journey, from his “aha” moment when he decided to create Entrepreneurs on Fire to building and growing it into a massive success. Like many self-made entrepreneurs, JLD faced challenges, but he eventually came up with the idea for a media product that filled a gap in the market. He realized that he didn’t yet have the necessary skills and knowledge, so he began teaching himself through books and videos. However, this was just the start—he accelerated his learning through the help of mentors and applied his knowledge by taking action, much like project-based learning.
Peter: Hey JLD, it’s awesome to have you on the Tech Explorations Podcast. Thank you for joining me! How are you today?
JLD: I’m fired up to be here. Thanks for having me, brother.
Peter: I’ve been listening to your podcast for a few years now, and it feels a bit surreal to have you as my guest, but I’m also very excited. I’ve got a bunch of questions for you! Just a little introduction for our audience: this podcast is really about technology and makers—people who are curious about technology, love to make things, solve problems, and have a little fun along the way.
You’re not exactly a “maker” in the traditional sense, but what fascinates me about you is your life story—how you were able to turn your life around. You’re not just a podcaster; you’ve influenced a lot of people. And you’ve gone through an amazing learning path to get to where you are. That’s what I want to explore today. Can you take 10 or 15 seconds to introduce yourself to our audience?
JLD: 15 seconds? Okay, I’ll be quick! I’m John Lee Dumas, founder of Entrepreneurs on Fire, a daily podcast where I interview successful entrepreneurs. I did that daily for 2,000 days straight—five and a half years—and then switched to a three-day-a-week show. Now, with over 2,200 episodes, a million monthly listeners, and a multi-million dollar business, Entrepreneurs on Fire is my full-time venture.
Peter: That’s amazing! You nailed the 15 seconds! Normally, my introductions go for 15 minutes, so great job there. Your story resonates with me because I’ve experienced something similar. I used to be a university lecturer, but I realized that I couldn’t continue down that path. I needed to do something else with my life, which led me to become an online instructor and start Tech Explorations.
In your case, you had a pivotal “aha” moment that set things in motion. Can you describe that moment for our listeners?
JLD: Sure! My “aha” moment came in 2012. I had spent 10 years after college in the Army, corporate finance, and commercial real estate, but I hadn’t found my true passion. I started self-educating through books, audiobooks, and podcasts. One day, I was excited to find a daily podcast that interviewed entrepreneurs—something I wanted to listen to during my commute, at the gym, or while walking my dog. But I couldn’t find one.
That’s when the lightbulb went off—I realized there was a gap in the market. If I wanted this, others probably did too, and it didn’t exist yet. So I decided to create the first daily podcast that interviewed successful entrepreneurs. And that’s how Entrepreneurs on Fire was born.
Peter: That’s a fantastic story and, funny enough, very similar to my experience. My background is in electronics, but after years of teaching information systems, I realized I had forgotten much of what I’d learned about electronics. One day, I stumbled upon the Arduino and thought, “This is great!” But I didn’t remember the necessary skills to use it, so I searched for video courses and couldn’t find any. That was my lightbulb moment—so I learned the material and created a course myself.
After your “aha” moment, you decided to create a podcast. How prepared were you at the time? Were you aware of the technical and business challenges involved?
JLD: I didn’t know anything about creating or launching a podcast. But I made a smart move early on—I sought out people who were already successful in the podcasting space. I reached out to them and asked them to mentor me. I figured they’d already made mistakes that I could avoid, and they could guide me through the successful steps they’d taken.
One of my key mentors was Jamie Masters, the host of The Eventual Millionaire. I invested in myself and hired her to mentor me one-on-one. For three months, she helped me navigate the challenges and avoid pitfalls, which allowed me to start with a strong foundation.
Peter: So you sought out an expert to guide you through those initial months. That’s a smart move. How were the first few months? Did things flow smoothly, or were there struggles?
JLD: The first few months were an absolute grind. Every day was a challenge—learning how to create a podcast, how to interview guests, the technical aspects, editing, finding guests, everything! It was all new to me, and while I had a mentor to guide me, she wasn’t there every day. So, it was a lot of learning and pushing through discomfort.
I also invested in some podcasting courses and joined a mastermind group with Cliff Ravenscraft, The Podcast Answer Man. Being part of that community was invaluable because I was surrounded by people going through the same struggles. We could share our experiences, challenges, and successes, which kept me going.
Peter: That sounds familiar. How did you stay motivated during the grind? Did you have a support network, or was there something else that kept you going?
JLD: You need to have a long-term vision. If you’re looking for immediate gratification in the form of downloads, listeners, or money, you’re going to struggle. Podcasting, like any business, is a slow growth process. You have to be prepared for delayed gratification.
For the first year, I focused on getting 1% better every day. I didn’t worry too much about numbers—I just kept my head down and worked. In the first 12 months, I made $27,000. But in month 13, I made $110,000. That’s why having a long-term vision is critical—you never know when things will click.
Peter: So it’s all about the long game. Did you view Entrepreneurs on Fire as a project where each day brought new problems to solve, much like project-based learning?
JLD: Absolutely! My “why” was financial and location freedom. I wanted to build a business that allowed me to live the life I wanted, on my own terms. But I also wanted to create value in the world. For 10 years, I felt like I hadn’t been contributing much value. Entrepreneurs on Fire was a way to provide consistent, valuable content to my listeners while also pursuing my personal goals.
Peter: That’s a powerful motivator. Before we wrap up, could you share one last piece of advice for our listeners?
JLD: I’ll go back to one of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein: “Try not to become a person of success, but rather a person of value.” If you focus on creating value for others, success will follow. It’s not an overnight process, but if you stay the course and focus on adding value, the results will come.
Peter: That’s great advice. Thanks so much for being on the podcast, JLD! It’s been a pleasure.
JLD: Thanks for having me, Peter. It’s been awesome!
This concludes episode 8 of the Tech Explorations Podcast. You can find more information, including links to resources mentioned in this episode, on our website at techexplorations.com. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and we’ll see you next time!