In Episode 10 of the Late Night Internet Marketing Podcast, I interviewed Jeremy “Sterling” Frandsen from Internet Business Mastery about two topics that still matter as much in 2026 as they did when we recorded this conversation: lifestyle design and having a definite major purpose for your business.
Why “We” Matters More Than “I”
The episode started with a question from small business expert Denise O'Berry, who asked why I always say “we” on my blog and podcast instead of “I.” It was a fair question — I was technically a solo entrepreneur. But the answer revealed something important about building a successful business.
Even as a solo operator, I had outsource employees, a transcriptionist, and graphics people helping me. More importantly, my twenty years in engineering management had taught me that nothing worthwhile gets done alone. The habit of saying “we” was not just semantics — it was a mindset. When you think in terms of “we,” you naturally focus outward on your customers and your team rather than inward on yourself.
That outward focus is critical. As Zig Ziglar famously taught, you can get everything you want in life by helping other people get what they want. In internet business, that means focusing on what your customers need rather than obsessing over your own revenue numbers.
Serving Others at the Women's Shelter
I shared a story from that morning about volunteering at a women's shelter. The people there were not worried about internet marketing — they were dealing with real, immediate problems. That experience grounded me and reinforced the principle that business works best when it genuinely serves people.
Whether you are building a content site, running an affiliate business, or selling your own products, the question should always be: how does this make someone's life better? If you can answer that honestly, the money tends to follow.
Sterling on Lifestyle Design
Jeremy “Sterling” Frandsen brought a powerful perspective to the conversation. At the time, Internet Business Mastery was one of the most popular business podcasts on iTunes, and Sterling had built his business intentionally around the lifestyle he wanted to live.
Sterling talked about the concept of “definite major purpose” — borrowed from Napoleon Hill's classic work. The idea is simple but transformative: before you start building a business, get crystal clear on what you want your life to look like. Then design your business to support that vision, not the other way around.
Too many entrepreneurs build businesses that end up owning them. They trade a nine-to-five job for a seven-days-a-week grind that pays less and demands more. Sterling argued that this happens because people start with tactics — “How do I make money online?” — instead of starting with purpose — “What do I want my life to look like?”
The Definite Major Purpose Framework
Sterling outlined a straightforward approach that still works today:
- Define your ideal lifestyle first. Where do you want to live? How much time do you want with your family? What does your ideal Tuesday look like?
- Calculate the income needed to support that lifestyle. This number is often lower than people assume.
- Choose a business model that fits. Not every model requires the same time investment. Some scale better. Some are more passive. Pick the one that aligns with your lifestyle goals.
- Set boundaries and protect them. The business exists to serve your life, not the other way around.
What Still Holds True in 2026
This conversation happened early in the podcasting era, but the core principles have only become more relevant. The internet business landscape has changed dramatically — new platforms, new algorithms, new tools including AI. But the fundamentals Sterling and I discussed remain constant.
Start with purpose. Focus outward on serving people. Build a team even if you start small. And design your business around the life you actually want to live. Those principles have guided my own journey for over fifteen years, and I have never seen them fail anyone who actually applies them.
