Today we’d like to introduce you to Ted McGrath.
Ted, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
At 21 years old I started working in the insurance business, not for any particular reason – I just didn’t have a better plan. I cracked six figures in my first year, which I attribute to my boss. He was the first person who truly believed in me. He said I could do it, and I feel that because of that support, I did. I partied so hard the night I cracked the six figures – cocaine, ecstasy, a ton of vodka sodas – that I wound up ODing. I decided that the money didn’t make me happy, but thought that power would. So five years later I find myself number five partner out of 500 in the company, yet all I could think was “Is this all there is to my life?”
Next, I resigned, moved to California, started up two businesses that weren’t my passion, and promptly went broke – houses in foreclosure, cars towed out of driveway, all that. I realized I needed to figure out what the hell I really wanted to do with my life.
I had been successful in sales, leadership, and business while in the insurance business, so I began to speaking and coaching. But when I realized that model wasn’t scale-able, I took my business online. I’ve reached 16 million people in the last five years and have a business that’s about to break eight figures.
But I really began to feel successful and happy when I started writing and performing my one-man play six years ago called “Good Enough.” I’d struggled with self-confidence most of my life. I never felt good enough most of my life. So I documented it in a play where I portray 20 characters on stage. I tell my story and act in it. We actually just did a six-week run of it here in Hollywood. It was a smash hit, and now I’ve started working on the feature film based on my life story as well. I’ll play me along with a full cast. My dream has finally come true. I’m engaged and I have a great life because I’m expressing myself I’m the arts, which is what I had longed for. I just didn’t know it until six years ago.
Congrats on the success of Good Enough! I know it took a lot to get here, but overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Now, nothing in life is actually difficult to me. If I can confront it, I can do it. Solutions are typically easy because the truth of something is simple. Most of my life I didn’t know the truth about who I was or what I wanted, so it was difficult because I wasn’t happy. Try doing anything when you’re not happy. You will likely find it difficult or boring. And living a boring life is difficult. An exciting life never is difficult, in my opinion.
Speed is the thing I want more of now. Being around people who move fast and can see the future. When I’m not around fast movers, life is slow. When I am, life is exhilarating.
I used to put up my own barriers. I don’t do that now. But now I find the next stage is to navigate a world where others put up barriers. So I have to handle those. I’m in search of working with people who don’t see barriers. And I’m starting to find them. It’s a lot of fun. I was my own worst enemy years ago. Now I’m friends with myself.
Being your own worst enemy is a theme we hear often in our interviews. Glad to see the progress you’ve made. What else should we know about you, your work and your journey so far?
Message to Millions is my business where I help entrepreneurs get their message, story and products to millions online and through speaking.
And now I’m also expanding my Good Enough brand, which helps people realize they are good enough to live their dreams – and gives them the tools to do it.
With the movie and the play, we have plans underway to introduce a new strategy into the entertainment world that will completely change it. I’ve run it by some A-list directors and they see it as the future of the industry. I can’t share the idea just yet not until we’ve fully executed it. But I can say that it is a business model that focuses on helping A-list celebrities and artists take control of their income, destiny, and brand permanently.
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
I’m merging my industry – marketing and branding – with the entertainment world. I have a game-changing idea and I see a better, more inspiring world where entertainers are adding life-changing value to their fans. After all, nothing inspires people like art, so how do you make sure the song or movie never ends? Our platform does just that and will keep people inspired.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tedmcgrathbrands.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedmcgrathofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/messagetomillions
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ted_mcgrath
Image Credit:
Denice Duff
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
