Travis catches up with his old friend Todd Lamb, founder of Pure Life Organics, a wellness brand that has generated over $100 million in gross revenue through direct response and DTC e‑commerce. Coming from nearly 20 years in policing—including K‑9, undercover surveillance, and leading a tactical team—Todd shares how a backyard “redneck margarita maker” on eBay pulled him into the online world, and how he navigated the evolution from info products and VSLs to a durable, compliant brand with repeat buyers and lean operations. On this episode we talk about: Todd’s path from young dad to military, commercial diving, policing, and eventually leading a SWAT (tactical) team before retiring into entrepreneurship The first spark: building a DIY margarita machine, selling the plans on eBay in 2003, and realizing the internet could be a real business engine Launching fitness and jiu-jitsu funnels, the breakout success of Alpha and flat-belly tea, and the shift from all-affiliate direct response to owning the traffic and the brand The difference between direct response and e‑commerce—emotional VSLs versus longer-tail, brand-led journeys—and what that means for refunds, customer quality, and compliance Why Todd transitioned early into e‑com, how affiliate abuse blew up his domain reputation, and what it took to rebuild as a white-glove, exit-ready brand run lean by a small, trusted team Top 3 Takeaways A “safe” career and lack of entrepreneurial pedigree do not disqualify you; Todd built a nine-figure track record starting as a young dad in the military and then a career cop who experimented online in his spare time. Direct response can scale fast, but it comes with higher refunds, compliance risk, volatile affiliate traffic, and brand damage; shifting to thoughtful e‑commerce with strong customer experience creates long-term value and optionality for exit. Building lean with people you trust, focusing on LTV, repeat customers, and careful email practices turns a cash-flow machine into an asset that works whether or not you ever decide to sell. Notable Quotes "No house with a swimming pool is complete without a margarita maker—and that little eBay experiment made me realize what was possible online." "Direct response is like turning a stranger into a buyer in one emotional shot; e‑com is a longer, more elegant and thoughtful journey." "We stopped emailing for everyone else’s offers; we only promote our own products because we want our customers to trust that when we show up, it’s actually for their benefit." Connect with Todd Lamb: Website (Brand): https://purelifeorganics.com/ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followtoddlamb/?hl=en ✖️✖️✖️✖️ 🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency. 🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform. 🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
