From broke at 24 to building a multimillion-dollar flashlight empire on the shelves of Walmart and Target, Cody Grandadam's story is one of grit, mindset, and relentless drive. In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down in-studio with the man known as The Flashlight Guy to uncover how a small-town hustler from Illinois created jobs for hundreds, revitalized a massive abandoned clock factory, and turned a side hustle into a national brand, all without outside investors or a roadmap.

Cody opens up about what it really takes to get into big box retail, and why personal development, not capital, was the most important ingredient in his success. He shares his thoughts on working with family, building culture, what young entrepreneurs often get wrong, and how manifestation, discipline, and full ownership of your life can shape your future.

If you've ever wanted to create something out of nothing or wondered how far pure belief and action can take you, this conversation is your blueprint.

📌 Find Out More About Cody Grandadam:
https://www.instagram.com/codygrandadam
https://www.tiktok.com/@therealflashlightguy
https://www.youtube.com/@flashlightguy
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-grandadam-1992b984/
https://litezall.com/
https://www.instagram.com/litezall/

📌 Connect With Us:
Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167

How do you memorize an entire phone book or learn a completely new skill in 48 hours? In this episode, Mark sits down with Tansel Ali, four-time Australian Memory Champion and bestselling author of "The Yellow Elephant: Improve Your Memory and Learn More, Faster, Better" and "How to Learn Almost Anything in 48 Hours".

Tansel shares how he began to master the art of memory and teaching high performers around the world to sharpen their focus, retain critical knowledge, and unlock their creative potential. This conversation goes beyond party tricks and into the mindset of a true mental athlete. Tansel breaks down how memory mastery can help entrepreneurs organize their thoughts, make better decisions, and perform at their highest level.

About Tansel Ali: Tansel Ali is a world-renowned memory expert, author, and four-time Australian Memory Champion. He has spoken on TEDx stages, appeared in major media, and helped leaders, athletes, and creatives achieve breakthroughs in focus and performance.

📌 Connect With Tansel Ali:
https://tanselali.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tansel.a.l.i/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanselali/
https://www.facebook.com/tanselali
https://x.com/TanselAli
https://www.tiktok.com/@tanselali58
https://www.youtube.com/@TanselAliMemory

Purchase The Yellow Elephant & How to Learn Almost Anything inf 48 Hours: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=tansel+ali

📌 Connect With Us:
Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with email marketing powerhouse Jay Schwedelson to unpack the mindset and strategies behind today’s most effective marketing.

Jay shares why your email database is your company’s most valuable asset, how to craft subject lines that demand attention, and why perfectionism kills momentum in business. He dives into the psychology driving consumer behavior and explains how authenticity and consistency build lasting relationships with your audience.

From adapting to constantly changing platforms to leveraging AI in marketing, Jay offers practical, no-fluff advice for entrepreneurs and creators looking to scale their impact.

Key Takeaways:
✅ Don’t wait—start sharing valuable content now.
✅ Perfection is the enemy of progress.
✅ Your subject line’s first word can make or break open rates.
✅ Marketing success comes from understanding psychology, not chasing hacks.
✅ Give value first, ask later.

📌 Find Out More About Jay Schwedelson:
https://jayschwedelson.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/
https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/reels/
https://x.com/worldata
https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

📌 Connect With Us:
Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167