No Broke Months For Salespeople - How to Spot Untapped Markets Before Anyone Else: Jeremy Delk’s Playbook Part 2

Episode Date: May 22, 2025

What do you do after turning down a $600M offer—and watching it disappear days later? In this episode, venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur Jeremy Delk joins Dan Rochon to talk about pattern recognition, how to spot untapped markets, and the gritty truth behind high-stakes decisions. From losing $2M in four days as a college student to building multi-9-figure businesses, Jeremy shares powerful lessons on risk, leadership, and why real success comes from knowing who you are—not just what you’ve built.What you’ll learn on this episodehe power of pattern recognition over pure hustle when spotting untapped marketsWhy real investors don’t care about competition—they obsess over the customer experienceThe biggest mistake Jeremy ever made (hint: he said no to $600M) and how it led to his next big winWhy Jeremy only invests in 1 out of every 100 pitches—and what he looks for in a founderThe mindset shift every entrepreneur must make after hitting rock bottomThe spiritual crisis of success—and how to reconnect with purpose when the scoreboard is no longer enoughWhat Jeremy would tell his 25-year-old self: “Just take one more step”At the heart of this conversation is a simple truth: real business success comes from clearly communicating value and solving real problems. If you're working to sharpen that clarity in your own business, Dan’s upcoming book Teach to Sell offers a practical framework to help you attract clients and opportunities by leading with what you know.👉 Preorder now: https://www.nobrokemonths.com/teach-to-sell-preorderAbout Jeremy DelkJeremy Delk, Founder & CEO of Delk Enterprises, is a serial entrepreneur renowned for disrupting industries, with ventures spanning biotech, healthcare, consumer brands, technology, building materials, and real estate development. Beginning his career as one of Fidelity Investments' youngest brokers, Jeremy transitioned into entrepreneurship, establishing Delk Enterprises in 2001. Under his leadership, the company has achieved hundreds of millions in revenue and created hundreds of high-paying American jobs.Join us as Jeremy shares insights on embracing failure, identifying market disruptions, and building successful ventures across diverse industries.Resources mentioned in this episodeJeremy’s Book – Without a Plan: A raw memoir about failing forward, risk, reinvention, and building empires through action.Free One-Page Business Plan Template: A simple, strategic tool Jeremy uses to scale businesses—revenue, innovation, and client success on one sheet.Dan Rochon’s Book – Teach to Sell (Pre-order): Discover how top performers lead with influence instead of pressure. To find out more about Dan Rochon and the CPI Community, you can check these links:Website: No Broke MonthsPodcast: No Broke Months for Salespeople PodcastInstagram: @donrochonxFacebook: Dan RochonLinkedIn: Dan RochonTeach to Sell Preorder: Teach to Sell: Why Top Performers Never Sell – And What They Do Instead

Well, the reality of this is, is it gets a whole hell of a lot easier to live your life in hindsight than it does in the moment. And you can look backwards and learn so much. And I would do this action or that action, you know, once you've already had the experience, you'd rather invest it with somebody that's already taken some shots and maybe had some setbacks. And then that young, ambitious thought, like, I'm never going to fail, but rather, you know, somebody that's already been through the trenches. Welcome to the No Broke Months for Salespeople podcast, the ultimate destination for salespeople, business people and entrepreneurs. As you immerse yourself in this show, you'll discover the secrets to unlocking consistent and

predictable income. We reveal the new way to persuade human behavior by mastering the art of the teach to sell method. Get ready to transform your approach and achieve unparalleled success. I think once you start putting people, I expect Musk, Musk is of another level. He's out there, he's an old Rockefeller or something. I don't know, Musk is the only level. He's out there. He's an old Rockefeller or something. I don't know.

Musk is the only anomaly to this. But yeah, I think that's the key. Once you can understand that people are just people from, hey, how I'm serving them. What makes Musk an anomaly? In your opinion. Well, I think he is like, I don't know, not from this world. He's like so, he's just so advanced, I think with, yeah, he just, yeah, he's like, what he's gonna do, you know, two, four with whatever our world. I mean, just think about it. Look at what's happening now. I mean, with this robotaxi stuff,

and then with Optimus, these robots, and like, you know, I think what he's doing, like in space, I mean, the kid, I mean, he's had some failures, but dude, I mean, it's, it's his, his focus isn't like, he's not doing this for more money. Right. I mean, look at Bezos, Bezos built a fucking hell of a business. He's killing it. He's playing in space and doing it.

Dude, like there's no catching Musk at all ever. And he doesn't get like, I saw him do an interview the other day. Like with Robo taxi, Tesla could be worth $5 trillion. I mean, you're getting to a you're getting to a point where money, what the fuck? Even how does it even matter? Like money doesn't mean it doesn't even compute into the whole the ethos. He's doing this on this mission driven purpose for humanity. It's just again, the only person I could

maybe equivalent to is like, you know, way before our time, right? Like the Vanderbilt the Rockefeller is like that, that type of incestuous type of incestuous, wrong word, that intense, like amount of, you know, just nonstop creative vision, create vision, create. And yeah. Well, you mentioned you mentioned failure a couple of times. What's, what's one failed market attempt that you thought was going to crush it? And what, what was that? And what did it teach you that did not crush it? Oh, I mean, one failed market.

I mean, I've had like, you know, I mean, I turned down 600 million bucks for a business because I was making about a million dollars a month and like, I already had, I mean, I was already rich. And, you know, for me, I thought at the time that was gonna be my first opportunity to hit a billion, right? So, and we were on a rocket ship like that. So if I happily turned down 600 million bucks

because I knew that a year from now they'd come back at a billion, I think it's in my book and I like documented all this. So like, cause I'm this is not believable. Like I actually, I documented the email, like, and then it was like time sampling me saying like, Hey, listen, just let's just table it park ways and, and, and reassess. And then it was either three, four or five, seven days later, that business was raided by the feds, all kinds of seizure stuff.

It's still around the business still around. I sold it for a lot less than 600 million. It cost me a couple million dollars in fines. And I think maybe you could even weave that into the $2 million loss. I talked to you about like over like that mindset component but the other lesson is when you start to kind of feel like you have it all figured out

and you can't learn anymore, probably look in the mirror cause like I basically repeated the two million when I was a kid and lost that. You couldn't tell me anything, man. I'm trading stocks on my Palm pilot wirelessly on my Ameritrade account. And you know, I couldn't listen to a professor making 50 grand a year when I was making that

during his class on a trade, right? And I was unteachable. Now I'm, I love learning. I love kind of going through, I love doing deals on the podcast because I like meeting people. I like looking at things. I just, I consume it and it's therapeutic for me.

In that tailor-made, that was the pharmacy piece, in that business, you know, I got cocky. Well, I am cocky. I'll let you say I am cocky. I got real fucked up. Cockiness came out. Cockiness came out, exactly, exactly. So yeah, man, but look, life should give you the myth.

But again, that lens, is that the worst thing that I lost? I didn't take 600 million bucks, but if I didn't, if I didn't do that, this is why it kind of comes through and you have to have time be your friend sometimes. We had the idea for this biological aging business, which is true diagnostic. I don't know if you've heard of biological age or Brian Johnson or any of those guys. Like that's us. That's our company. I had bought the equipment that's in our lab. I a million two in cash a year prior. So it was just another idea,

another kind of hobbyist approach. I'm sure this is the, that's the equipment. This is the, this is our lab. What we're doing all that. What am I looking at here? A couple million dollars worth of equipment. That's where we're looking at DNA methylation to be able to tell how you are cellular. So I'm 45 chronologically, like per calendars.

I'm 43 biologically. So cellularly. So we're looking at that piece, but I only show you that because that equipment was in my fucking warehouse collecting dust because it was a distraction. I was like, dude, I was like, okay, it's a million bucks. Okay, cool. Whatever. I'll just make it back next month. All of that shit that happened is what kind of me are.

Well, fuck it. Maybe I should, you know, let's look at that equipment now kind of going through. And then now it's the second e500 company that I built and we'll see what see what happens with it. But you can look at it from a different lens. Wow, look at all of my bad luck. This kid lost 2 million bucks. Oh, I didn't take 600. I could laugh off and be the biggest victim you've ever seen.

Or that resulted in this. And it usually works. And humans are, not to get too psycho-Babylon, but humans are pretty evolved species, right? We don't like fucking pain We don't like sadness you go to a funeral like you're sad you see them go down It'd been like a couple days later You're kind of good We block out all the bad shit for the most part just natural and i'm not saying that you should live in the rear view

But you kind of got to know where the fuck you came from to know who you are, to know where you're going. That make sense? The best leaders, they don't sell. They teach, they build trust, they change lives. Teach yourself is gonna be published by Posto Press and Simon & Schuster. It's gonna show you how to lead with influence

to leave the old way of chasing behind. Pre-orders are open now. Lock in your copy to visit www.teachtoselfbook.com. That's teachtoselfbook.com. And Clay Bodas says you're never gonna see again. Your future followers are waiting because people don't wanna be sold. They wanna be led.

And it's your time. Yeah, and what I hear you saying is, well, the reality of this is, led in your time. Yeah. And what I hear you saying is, well, the reality of this is, is it gets a whole hell of a lot easier to live your life in hindsight than it does in the moment. And you can look backwards and be like, yeah, I've learned so much and I would do this action or that action once you've already had the experience, which is I think what you said earlier about when you're investing in somebody where you'd rather invest with somebody

that's already, you know, taking some shots and maybe had some setbacks and, you know, rather than that young, ambitious, like, you know, thought like, I'm never going to fail, but rather, you know, somebody that's already been through the trenches. Am I, am I tracking with you? 100%. 100%. Yeah. So what would you say to yourself? So you're 45 today. What would you say to your 25 year old Jeremy? What advice would you give yourself? Yeah. And I say this to my clients too. Like I coach, like just get started and just keep going forward, right? Just keep pushing through and take one more step. Like just take one more step. Like, you know, don't give up, don't throw in,

like take one more step, one more try. Like you can look at a business, like, hey, I mean, some businesses don't work. I mean, you can venture capital, right? Most of them don't work. So I'm not saying like, hey, if I'm gonna only do this little, you know, this business forever and ever, ever, no matter what, like that's not what I'm saying. But

if you want to be an entrepreneur, you want to be a business or you want to go through and be a coach or serve your community, whatever it is that you want to do, just keep going and taking one step and look at the, the obstacles that come up or in the, the, the things that, you know, happened to slash for you as a learning experience or a learning opportunity to kind of grow from and use on the next adventure. How do you personally separate a smart risk from a reckless one?

How do you analyze that? Well, I think the easy way would be like, when I started out early, I was doubling down on everything, right? Like I would go and make it when I would just put it all back in. I don't know if that was smart or dumb. It was probably was still reckless, but it was calculated. It was calculated in the fact that fuck it, what happens? And that was probably from, you know, because I, I lost a 2 million and I didn't die. Right. I think that that's probably where, where that, where that came from.

And that's more on money size versus net worth size. I was just putting it all back in. And that's how I grow. A guy told me when I was early in business that I didn't deserve to have any money in the bank until I was 30 years old. I thought that was a Dick thing to say. But what he was saying is like, you should just be betting everything, just fucking go fucking all in, because you don't have a real life yet. Right. You're like, just like, just go all in when you get married, kids,

you have other people that are depending on you. Like that's the, that's the difference. So now I'm not doubling. I'm not putting everything. I've got into one thing. I'm like, obviously diversified into different stuff. And a lot of this is just has been got like, you know, if it's too good to be true, like I got an opportunity, like I get pitches all the time. I got pitched some trucking conglomerate deal that, I mean, was kicking off, like you buy a truck

and it was like a lease back and you get all this kind of interest. I'm like, dude, like this is a fucking Ponzi scheme, man. And the guy, and I've been in, I've gotten caught in one already. So I am fucking a pro. I'm like, and, but even then like, fuck, like, cause the guy that got was, is in it,

he brought me the deal is like a sophisticated investor. Like he knows what they keep eating. So it's not like he's like some Jack, like guy. So I actually know him. He was doing it for a year. And that's why these Ponzi schemes work. Cause that's like some Jack like guy. I'm on the internet. So I actually know him. He was doing it for a year. And that's why these Ponzi's teams work is that's usually how they go through. They start, they pay and then going through.

And I'm like, fuck. And I almost did it. I almost fucking took a flyer, almost put a hundred grand in it. Just like, fuck it. Like, you know what I mean? Like that to me, it's worth the bet. You know, I didn't have that much on Derby,

but a little bit close. So like, fuck it. It won't be the end of the world. And whatever happened, I said, nah, whatever. I think he was going to Dubai and then whatever. Literally texted me yesterday, like, hey,, it won't be the end of the world. And whatever happened, I said, now, whatever, I think he was going to Dubai and then whatever, literally texted me yesterday, like, hey, give me a call. And I missed him. He called me and said, I'm leaving the gym.

And I said, well, I guess you were right. And I'm like, you dodged it. So if it's too good to be true, it usually always is. That definitely, definitely checks out. What's your ratio of pitches versus investing into something? One in a hundred. One in a hundred. Yeah.

There's just so much shit out there. It always, it hasn't, it hasn't always been that bad, but it's, it gets there. Why is it worse now than it was in the past? Is that just because you get more pitches at you? Is it because something's changed or tell me about that? No. I mean, I, and I say this and get shit for in the past. Is that just because you get more pitches at you? Is it because something's changed or tell me about that? No, I mean, I, and I say this and get shit for all the time. Like I love Cuban and Damon and all those guys, but like shark tank is great TV, but you know, I don't believe entrepreneurship is for everyone. I just don't like, I don't think you can make it out for most. Yeah. Now you're,

you're built and you're fucked up and you love masochism and getting beat up. And like, that's just like, I think you're a different species, but there's a, there's all these ideas of like, Hey, I want to turn my business on. I've got an idea and I can make good coffee. So I started coffee, but like, some things just aren't investable,

but throwing that out there. So, so what that's done is created a big, you know, you know, vacuum of deals and all this other stuff. And then even like real entrepreneurs, you get these kind of crazy, crazy, crazy, you know, valuations. Like I got one day for a mobile, you know, gas business, which nothing novel about it. There's a ton of people doing it. He's, he literally started the business a month ago, has an LLC and wanting to raise, wanting to raise $3 million at an,

not even at valuation. It's dumb deal. They don't even, they're not real, right? So a lot of that's just noise. So when I say, I don't have anything to look at those, but those come through our piece, my team sorts them. So I'm looking at not a hundred of those, but that's the most of it.

And then you- You're filtering a hundred and then a certain amount of those hundred get to you. And then- Five or 10 gets to me. Five or 10. And then of the five or 10, then there's one out of the five or 10,

once it gets to you. Is that right? Correct. What if the secret, the top performance is not not selling but doing something completely different? My new book, Teach to Sell, why top performers never sell and what they do instead, is about to change the way you think about influence, leadership and success. Because it's not about pushing harder, it's about teaching people how to think so they choose you.

Teach to Sell is being published by Post Hill Press and distributed worldwide by Simon & Schuster in February 2026. We're in pre-sale now. When you grab your copy early, you'll not only be the first in line, but you'll also unlock exclusive swag you're not going to see anywhere else. So visit www.teachtosellbook.com. That's teachtosellbook.com. Pre-order your copy today. Start leading the way the top 1% do. Teach to Sell isn't just a book. It's

a shift that will build your business and your life. How do you know it's, how do you know it's investable? I mean, is there, I mean, besides the numbers, besides the experience, besides is this a viable product? What else would you be looking for? It's usually, you know, well now it's different now, but for me now it, do I believe in, you know, the product service or problem, right? Like, is that something that is important that I think needs to be solved or like, is an interesting problem, right? Like, is that something that is important that I think needs to be solved

or like is an interesting approach, right? That's, is it interesting to me? That's one. And I also buy boring businesses like they just print off cashflow. Like I do look at those, but that's just like, that's a math game. I can give a fuck what colorability is

that just only a spreadsheet and never have to go there. But if it's like a venture, a true venture stuff, it's usually, does it excite me? Is this a cool, big project? Does it have a big opportunity? That type of stuff. That's one. The second criteria is like, can I help? Right? Because sometimes I'm really like, is it a healthcare thing or is it like something I've been in or I know, or I know people in that industry because I like to add value. I don't want to be dumb money and like dumb money. I classify just like Dr. Lawyer money. That's just writing checks.

I would like to write a check, but have a seat at the board, be able to kind of help management kind of go through these pieces. Like that's the real value that you get with me writing a check. And three, if you tick those boxes, the only thing that matters is the leadership

and the team, that's it. The rest of the shit's fucking fixed. That's all the people. Got it. Best business, best concept, fucking scumbag team, fucking couldn't, best deal won't do it because it won't last. Got it.

What's next for you, Jeremy? Man, business-wise, like I said, we got a couple of big bets on this diagnostic space, enjoying family got, you know, a bunch of kids and you know, spending time with family and doing this kind of giving back. I love having these conversations. I love meeting kind of new people. And yeah, I'm a deal junkie. I love talking, helping people kind of going through. And it's, if you're an entrepreneur, you like problem solving, because as an entrepreneur, you get all the fucking problems. Like that's the, but was that play stupid games, win stupid prizes? Like that's, that's what you get. So for me, like, that's why I love the coaching component of it, because I actually love just fixing it. And like, it looks like magic to them because like, wow, how'd you see that? I've seen it because I probably had a similar scenario that kind of worked myself out, but it's,

that's so fulfilling. Yeah, the money like helps keep my wife in all of her bags and shoes and shit, but for me, like, I love the, like, cool. And then like the amount of value and seeing that impact and like them having those breakthroughs, that's pretty cool stuff, man. And like my kids are old enough to help them yet. So I guess I'll do that until they're ready.

Do you look at it like a game? Fuck yeah. It's all I can. So it's literally it's like, it didn't truly like we didn't get into this stuff. But like, like you want to scale your business, you want to sell your business, all that shit I can do in my sleep. A lot of the stuff I do on coaching is more of like, what's your why, like why are you doing this stuff? Because I had like a lot of problems with that. And I think almost like imposter syndrome, kind of like you have all of this shit and you get the cars, the watches, the fucking play.

You get all that stuff. And then at some point you're like, what the fuck am I doing this for? And then like you struggle with like, I struggle with it. I don't think you like, I personally struggled with like the spirituality component of it and like, what am I doing? And like what I've come to grips with is, you know,

it's okay, like, but it can't define me. Like I like to win and I like to, you know, winning sometimes comes with the dollars and that's like the scoreboard. So that's fun, but it doesn't define me. It's something I'm good at that I enjoy doing, but it doesn't define me. At a point it did good at that I enjoy doing, but it doesn't define me. At a point it did, at some point it did define me,

but not anymore. Yeah, I've gone through epsom flows in my life like that as well, where my identity was very, very tied up in business at times and very tied up into playing the game and winning. Because for me, it's about, you know, it's about, it's about, it's really it's about having success. The money comes after the success, right? Like the yeah money's a

byproduct, you know, and it is a the purpose of a business is to be for profit. Yet when you focus on how do I make things work, how do I solve problems, how do I help people achieve their goals, then the money just sort of naturally comes or at least you know their opportunity for it comes. Yeah, for sure. How can someone get in touch with you Jeremy? I'm Jeremy S. Delk on all socials and that's the easiest way.

Delk Enterprise is my website and yeah, reach out, love to schedule a call, a strategy call, learn about your business and anything I can do to help out. And there's that, the thing I've scaled all these businesses with that one page plan, you can get that on jeremyduck.com for free and just download that. And it's a great tool that kind of literally gets everyone on the same page.

And it's your business plan on one sheet of paper. It's covering like revenue growth, productivity, innovation, client success, right? We call it what we have great place to work and just client customer delight. So are we delighting our customers and having great experiences? Love it Jeremy.

Thank you so much for your time today. Viewers and listeners, thank you for your time. Have the best day of your life. Be grateful, make good choices, go help somebody and God bless you. Thank you. Cheers Hey there no broke months listener, I've got some exciting news we just passed 375

Thousand downloads for the no broke months podcast and I cannot have done it without you I am beyond grateful for every single listener who tunes in daily, takes action, and shares this journey with me. Now, with you and I, let's take it a step further. If this podcast has helped you, imagine what it could do for another salesperson who might be struggling. Share the show with them. Let them know there's a way to create consistent and predictable income. Because no salesperson should ever have another broke month again. And hey, while you're at it, don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave us a favorable review.

Your support helps us reach even more salespeople who need this. Until the next episode, have the best day of your life. Be grateful, make good choices, you'll help someone and share the show with a friend. God bless you.