By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
“If you ever want to be a millionaire, you need to stop doing the nine to five and start doing 95.” – Grant Cardone, the self-proclaimed ‘Benjamin Button of business.’
Ah, the ever-elusive millionaire dream. If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably spent more than a few nights lying awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering how you’re going to build your empire—or, at the very least, make it through the next tax season without sacrificing your soul, sanity, or that IKEA chair you “assembled” (we both know the backrest is crooked, but it’ll hold… probably). You’ve read the books, attended the webinars, and maybe even tried meditating your way to success. Yet the question still looms: How do I actually make it big?
Enter Grant Cardone, a man who doesn’t just think outside the box—he grinds it into dust and sells the powder as an entrepreneurial supplement. Cardone has the audacity to say what many gurus won’t: that the true secret to becoming wealthy isn’t in life hacks or balance, but in working 95 hours a week. That’s right—95 hours! Nearly four full days of hustle crammed into seven, with no sleep, no breaks, and definitely no Netflix marathons.
At first glance, it sounds insane. Ninety-five hours? Is that even humanly possible? That’s more than doubling your average workweek, and certainly not what the good folks in HR meant when they suggested “flexible hours.” It’s almost comical—until you realize this philosophy is coming from a guy who claims he’d keep grinding even if someone handed him $5 billion tomorrow. He says, “More hours means more work, more work means more money.” Simple math, right?
But let’s be real here. For small business owners who are already wearing every hat in the company—CEO, accountant, social media manager, customer service rep, and even janitor—adding more hours might seem about as appealing as a root canal without anesthetic. Sure, we’d all love to become the next Jeff Bezos, but at what cost? More time filing taxes? More late nights trying to remember the password to your FinovatePro or QuickBooks account? And let’s not even get started on managing your dog’s Instagram page, because let’s face it—your dog’s outshining your business on social media.
And yet, Cardone’s outlandish proposition is intriguing. He’s bold, he’s unapologetic, and, as far as we can tell, he’s figured something out. So maybe there’s a method to this madness after all. Maybe 95 hours a week isn’t about killing yourself with work, but about redefining how you approach the hustle. After all, who’s going to argue with the Benjamin Button of business? The guy looks like he’s reverse-aging his way to success with a briefcase full of cash. If Grant says “work 95 hours,” maybe we ought to hear him out.
So, let’s buckle up and dive headfirst into this high-octane, Cardone-approved approach to business. But we won’t just take his word for it. We’ll mix in some common sense, a healthy dose of humor, and maybe even a few fun facts along the way. Get ready for a wild ride as we explore what it really means to build your empire—whether you’re a 40-hour traditionalist or a 95-hour maniac.
Chapter 1: Say Goodbye to Sleep (and Sanity)
First things first, you’re going to need to kiss your sleep goodbye. I mean, let’s be real—working 95 hours a week isn’t exactly conducive to REM cycles and beauty rest. Those dreams of peaceful, tropical vacations, early retirement at 65, or even something as basic as not feeling like a caffeine-addicted zombie every day? Yeah, wave them goodbye as they fade into the distant memory of your once-balanced life.
The transformation from a manageable 40-hour workweek to the Cardone-endorsed 95-hour marathon is not for the faint of heart. But hey, that’s what you signed up for when you decided to chase that small business dream, right? And with this new lifestyle, you’re going to notice some subtle changes:
- Coffee: It’s no longer a casual morning ritual; it’s your entire personality. Your bloodstream? 80% caffeine. Your heart? Constantly vibrating. But you’re functioning—sort of.
- 10-Minute Power Naps: What used to be considered a catnap is now a luxury reserved for the Jeff Bezoses and Bill Gateses of the world. When you get one, it’s as if you’ve just experienced nirvana. You might even dream about spreadsheets!
- The “Zombie Look”: People might start to comment that your eyes look permanently wired open, like you’ve forgotten how to blink. It’s not panic—it’s your new aesthetic, and hey, who doesn’t want to be remembered for their “relentlessly tired but determined” vibe?
But it’s not all bad. Think about all the extra hours you now have to pour into your business! While others are wasting their nights sleeping, you could be doing the important stuff—like launching five more side hustles, creating a cryptocurrency no one understands, or mastering seven languages (and promptly forgetting them due to sleep deprivation). Efficiency!
Who needs sleep when you have ambition, caffeine, and an endless list of tasks? You’ll be up at 3 a.m. perfecting a social media post that five people will like, and that’s what hustle’s all about. Besides, there’s always the possibility of a good night’s sleep—after you make your first million, of course.
Chapter 2: Start the “Hustle” on Day 1, Never Stop
Grant Cardone’s secret sauce is hustle—and lots of it. He’s not wrong: running a small business takes relentless effort. But let’s elevate this idea to new heights, shall we? Your hustle isn’t just grinding—it transcends the laws of time and space. It’s quantum-level dedication. Picture this: you’re not just answering emails at 3 a.m.—you’re time-traveling back to when they were first sent so you can reply in real-time. That’s the kind of futuristic hustle we’re talking about here.
Why stop there? Invent a new method of communication where you respond to business messages telepathically, because honestly, using your hands to type is so 2023. Efficient communication is key—especially when you’re managing four side businesses, one main hustle, and a burgeoning YouTube channel all at once.
The beauty of this relentless grind is that it blurs the lines between life and work—because who needs balance when you can just have more work? Forget family dinners, romantic weekends, or that thing people call “free time.” Instead, bask in the glow of transactional relationships built on mutual ambition and the shared goal of crushing every workday. Your best friends now? Google Calendar and your noise-cancelling headphones.
Sure, time might start to feel like an illusion (is it Monday again, or did you just never leave Tuesday behind?). You’ll be making deals so fast that you’ll forget what they were for—who cares? Success! Remember: a work-life balance is for people who don’t have side hustles for their side hustles.
Chapter 3: The Employee Divide – 40-Hour Workers vs. 95-Hour Warriors
One of the most profound insights from Cardone is how he draws a clear line between the humble 40-hour worker and the battle-hardened 95-hour warrior. Here’s the thing: if you employ people who insist on sticking to that quaint little 40-hour workweek, don’t expect them to be there when you’re transforming your small business into the next Amazon. That’s just how it goes. Your 40-hour crew is clocking out, while you’re still there grinding away, converting caffeine into dream fuel.
The true heroes, of course, are the 95-hour workers—those dedicated soldiers in the corporate battlefield who treat sleep like an optional feature, and family time like a relic of the past. These warriors aren’t just aiming for promotions; they’re aiming for world domination (or at least total domination of the office snack bar).
But beware: studies show that working over 55 hours a week significantly increases the risk of stroke and heart disease. Not that it matters—you’re too busy crushing your goals to worry about trivial things like your cardiovascular system!
For the small business owner, the choice is obvious:
- Hire employees who will sacrifice their sanity for stock options and eternal bragging rights, or
- Hire “regular” humans who cling to their 40-hour workweek like it’s some sacred cow.
Clearly, only one of these options leads to true greatness. Real winners grind. While they’re going home to their families, your warriors are staying in the office, working on their 15th cup of coffee, and designing a future that includes yachts and personal chefs.
Chapter 4: The More You Work, the More You Earn (Right?)
Let’s talk money. In theory, more hours means more cash, right? Well… sort of. While it sounds great, working 95-hour weeks doesn’t guarantee you’ll be swimming in gold coins like Scrooge McDuck anytime soon. What it does guarantee, however, is more time to panic about why your revenue hasn’t exploded in proportion to your effort. Don’t worry though—it’s coming!
You’re putting in the work—the sweat, the tears, the occasional uncontrollable sobbing into your spreadsheets—so surely success is right around the corner. Just keep telling yourself, “I’ll sleep when I’m rich.” Of course, at this rate, you might never sleep, but that’s a problem for future you.
What Cardone leaves out is that while grinding away is essential, smart work—strategic planning, innovation, delegation (seriously, learn to love that word)—is what actually leads to sustainable success. Do you really want to be the person meticulously adjusting the shading on your logo at 4 a.m., or do you want to outsource that to a designer so you can focus on, you know, growing your business?
The real magic comes when you learn to work smarter, not just harder. While the 95-hour warriors are passing out at their desks, you could be out there generating fresh ideas, making sharp business moves, and—gasp—maybe even enjoying some semblance of a life. What’s the point of hustling if you’re too burned out to enjoy the fruits of your labor?
Chapter 5: The Art of Strategic Incompetence
Speaking of working smarter, here’s a secret weapon for small business owners everywhere: strategic incompetence. This is where you make it look like you’re grinding 95 hours a week, when in reality, you’re outsourcing all the tedious tasks to freelancers, bots, and maybe even your ambitious cousin who’s eager to gain experience.
You’ll still look like the ultimate hustler, but instead of spending 18 hours poring over spreadsheets, you’re outsourcing the grunt work while you focus on big-picture stuff (like planning the eventual empire you’re going to build). Want to appear important? Schedule back-to-back Zoom meetings and only attend half of them. Want to seem indispensable? Send out midnight emails with cryptic, urgent-sounding subject lines. You’re the boss, after all.
At the end of the day, it’s about maintaining the appearance of relentless hustle without actually losing your soul (or, more importantly, your sleep). It’s the entrepreneur’s equivalent of being in two places at once, minus the quantum physics.
Chapter 6: More Work or More Sanity?
At some point, you’re going to have to ask yourself the big question: more work or more sanity? Cardone’s 95-hour workweek may sound like the golden ticket to success, but let’s be real—unless you’re a cyborg, that pace can only last so long. Yes, hard work is essential, but you didn’t start your business just to become a prisoner to your to-do list, did you?
Cardone may argue that balance is for the weak, but even the most ambitious among us need a little downtime. Sure, you might be putting in those 95-hour weeks right now, but do you want that to be your life forever?
There’s a reason why billionaires like Warren Buffett are famous for reading and reflecting—sometimes, the best work comes from not working. You can hustle and grind and pour all of your energy into your business, but don’t forget to live your life too. After all, success isn’t just about the work you do; it’s about enjoying the journey along the way.
In the end, remember this: you can always hustle tomorrow. But for today? Maybe it’s time for a nap.
Author: John S. Morlu II, CPA is the CEO and Chief Strategist of JS Morlu, leads a globally recognized public accounting and management consultancy firm. Under his visionary leadership, JS Morlu has become a pioneer in developing cutting-edge technologies across B2B, B2C, P2P, and B2G verticals. The firm’s groundbreaking innovations include AI-powered reconciliation software (ReckSoft.com) and advanced cloud accounting solutions (FinovatePro.com), setting new industry standards for efficiency, accuracy, and technological excellence.