The co-creator of the infamous Fyre festival, Billy McFarland spent 4 years behind bars for lying to investors and using the mythical tropical island festival as a way to pay off his debts. You have probably heard of him from the 2 massively popular documentaries that blew up on social media. However, what you haven’t heard is the story of Billy as a childhood entrepreneur, creating and selling companies before he was even able to cash the cheques in his own bank account. A college dropout who moved to New York at 18 with nothing but hustle and drive. Only months released from prison, Billy brings his still raw experiences to this intimate conversation, discussing everything from the motivation for the festival, his spectacular fall from grace and how he plans to pay back his debts and build back from nothing. Topics: Early Context A desire to prove yourself Your entrepreneurial journey Magnises The start of Fyre Are you a pathological liar? Not wanting watch the documentary Your skills sets that enabled all of this The ‘urgent payment sheet/‘ The mental health implications of all of this Your insecurities When you realised everything had gone wrong Did you ask Andy king to such a penis? People losing their life savings The FBI coming for you Carrying on with the scams Your relationship with lying now What was it like when the FBI came knocking? Ja rule Going to jail The worst thing the happened in jail Your mental health journey now What was your plan when you got out? How are you doing? The last guest question Billy: bit.ly/3FzNX7x bit.ly/3FeD6ym Watch the episodes on Youtube: https://g2ul0.app.link/3kxINCANKsb Follow us on Telegram: https://g2ul0.app.link/E5re0ADNKsb Sponsors: Intel - https://bit.ly/3UVp3UC use our code evoceo15 for 15% off at John Lewis Huel - https://g2ul0.app.link/G4RjcdKNKsb BlueJeans - https://g2ul0.app.link/NCgpGjVNKsb Craftd - https://g2ul0.app.link/gZ8in6Dsvsb
The podcast speaker describes his experience with untreated bipolar disorder while serving a 20-year sentence in prison and the challenges it brought to his life behind bars.
The speaker shares their experience of creating a private social network in middle school, which unexpectedly became popular among their classmates.
The pressure to follow the traditional path of education and success can sometimes overshadow the importance of ethics and work-life balance in the entrepreneurial world, leading to unethical behavior and lying to investors, partners, and employers.
Billy McFarland, the founder of Magnesis, wanted to give his 19-year-old self access to a world of entertainment, fashion, and media he was finding himself stumbling into in New York City. This was the genesis behind his exclusive credit card, which gave young people access to tickets, experiences, and luxury items they may not have otherwise.
The founder narrates his experience of encountering fraudulent card copying and how he utilized technology to connect real music managers with interested entrepreneurs.
Co-founder of the infamous Fire Festival admits to lying to investors and breaking ethics and morals. Despite this, they believed their ability to create hype and bring a manageable number of people to the island would make the festival a success.
The CEO emphasizes the importance of building trust and forming close relationships in business. He highlights honesty as the foundation of his business and the importance of having products with quality seals. There is an advertisement for Intel laptops with all-day battery life, fast charging, and high performance.
This podcast episode talks about the concept of bringing together people with a hint of craziness through physical or virtual adventures that can foster excitement and connections. The speaker describes the challenge of internalizing this core tenet of their business model and dealing with criticism from others who may not understand it.
The pressure was on to sell non-existent, high-end ticket packages like boats, yachts, and villas, and whether or not they succeeded would determine the fate of the entire festival. The high-pressure situation consumed all aspects of life, causing a loss of interest in personal relationships that were not transactional.
The speaker describes a moment late at night where the entire team was burnt out and how it may have stemmed from early exposure to titans of industry, leading to insecurities and a need for validation.
The speaker recounts the chaos that erupted at a music festival with concert-goers reporting shootings and employees struggling to manage the situation, with false rumors spreading on Twitter and accusations made against him personally.
A former member of the Magnises club discusses how he would sell tickets to events in the future even though he knew he wouldn't be able to fulfill those promises, and how he would try to get money from the club to pay his bills.
The speaker shares their experience of overselling tickets for an event and the pressure they felt to keep everyone happy despite losing money in the deal.
The speaker shares their opinion on a case where an individual was sentenced to six years in jail after being sued for 100 million dollars, and whether or not they believe the punishment was just. They also touch on the consequences of lying in business.
The speaker shares the experience of being confined in a cage and the thought of not being able to return to the normal life again after the confinement.
A man recounts his time in a facility for alleged terrorism and how uncertain it was for him to not know when his imprisonment was going to end.
The speaker shares their initial skepticism towards mental health in relation to crime while also acknowledging their personal responsibility for committing a crime. They use an analogy to explain how mental illness may not always be detected due to other overwhelming factors.
The speaker reflects on the benefits of solitary confinement, which included time for reading, reflection, and planning for the future. This time allowed for a mental escape and a focus on personal growth.
The speaker talks about how having no money and a tarnished reputation has helped him find dedicated employees and partners in the 10 percent who are willing to fight for success. He also shares ideas for community engagement, such as building a beachside bar for local artists and swimming with a local captain at the reef.
The speaker reflects on the importance of documenting one's journey and allowing time to reveal the answers to one's questions and insecurities.
The speaker talks about wearing a lion and sand timer piece of jewelry, which he associates with courage. He also mentions using Blue Jeans by Verizon for video conferencing due to its immersive qualities and its use in a successful virtual event.