Steve Ferreira proves that success has no expiration date. At 64, this freight audit expert has built a thriving solo business that recently hit milestone revenue numbers - all while raising three young kids and maintaining his authentic, flamboyant personal brand. In this episode, Steve shares how he turned 40+ years of international shipping expertise into a profitable "no cure, no pay" consulting empire.
Guest Bio
Steve Ferreira is the founder and CEO of Ocean Audit, a consulting and audit firm specializing in freight audit, transportation spend management, and logistics optimization. With over 40 years in international ocean transportation, Steve has helped numerous businesses identify inefficiencies and save significant money on shipping costs. He's also the bestselling author of "Quitless: The Power of Perseverance in Business," which beat both Oprah and Quentin Tarantino in its first week of sales.
Health Ingredients 🏃♂️
The Golf-Business Connection: How Steve uses golf's mental and physical challenges to stay sharp in business, hitting 500-600 balls daily while tracking detailed statistics
Mind-Body-Business Integration: Using a golf simulator at home to refresh and refocus during the workday
Priority Management Revolution: Shifting from a 100-item checklist to focusing on 5-7 A-list priorities for better health and productivity
"You're Only as Good as Your Last Shot": Steve's resilience practice of never ending on a bad shot - in golf or business
Wealth Ingredients 💰
The "No Cure, No Pay" Model: Steve's brilliant business tagline that explains everything - if there's no recovery, there's no fee
Niche Expertise Premium: How 40+ years in ocean freight transportation created an unassailable competitive advantage
Project-Based Financial Planning: Allocating specific deals to specific expenses (college tuition, family trips, home improvements)
Milestone Revenue Achievement: Recently hitting unprecedented revenue numbers as a 64-year-old solopreneur
Multiple Revenue Stream Strategy: Building prototypical deals that can be replicated and duplicated
Wisdom Ingredients 🧠
"Unleash Your Naked Creativity": The #1 principle from Steve's bestselling book - being provocative and daring to stand out
Personal Branding Power: How Steve transformed boring freight auditing into "Steve Ferreira's freight audit" with authentic flair
The Anti-Growth Decision: Why Steve chose NOT to expand his business and has zero regrets about staying solo
Ignore the Naysayers: Steve's mentor told him he'd "never make dollar one" - prove them wrong but don't let them derail your dreams
Omnichannel Outreach: Reaching prospects through phone, mail, fax, SMS, text, and video to cut through the noise
Key Takeaways
Age is Just a Number: Success can accelerate at any stage of life when you combine deep expertise with authentic personal branding
Boring Can Be Profitable: Even the most mundane industries can become exciting and lucrative with the right personal touch
Solo Success is Valid: You don't need to scale to succeed - sometimes staying small keeps you authentic and profitable
Niche Expertise Pays: Becoming one of the top 10 experts in your field creates premium pricing power
Personal Brand Matters: Attaching your personality to your business transforms commoditized services into premium offerings
Memorable Quotes
"No cure, no pay" - Steve's brilliant business model in four words
"You're only as good as your last shot" - On maintaining standards in both golf and business
"Don't listen to outside influences" - On ignoring naysayers who try to derail your dreams
"Unleash your naked creativity" - The key principle from his bestselling book
Connect with Steve Ferreira
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/steveaferreira
Email: stevef@oceanaudit.com
Company: Ocean Audit
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