Mark Lyford
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Built empires. Lost it all. Built again. 35+ yrs of real business, no fluff. Founder of RealEntrepreneur.com
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Articles by Mark Lyford
I Had My First Business at 14. Here’s What Pigeon Racing Taught Me About Entrepreneurship
Before the internet, before the adult industry, before all of it — I was a 14-year-old buying and selling racing pigeons, learning risk, reward, and the cost of trusting the wrong people. Before the internet. Before the adult industry. Before the Bahamas, the money, the collapse, the bankruptcy, the prison sentence, the comeback attempts, the software products, the memberships, the media plans, and all the other chapters that came later. There were pigeons. Racing pigeons.
Feeling Overwhelmed? Yeah, Me Too — Sometimes. Here’s Something That May Help.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} Last week hit hard. The to-do list spiralled, the hit list grew way too long, and despite the best intentions, the weekend didn't deliver what I'd hoped. As the founder of Real Entrepreneur, I could easily put on a front and pretend everything's running smoothly — but that's not what this is about. Real means real.
The Loneliest I’ve Ever Been - And Why Entrepreneurs Are Especially Vulnerable
There have been a few periods in my life when I have felt lonely. But there was one stretch that stands out above the rest. Seven and a half years single. Two years in prison. A business life that, even outside of prison, had a habit of taking everything I had to give and then asking for more. That combination does something to a person. It forces you into long stretches of silence. It sharpens your awareness of absence.
I Once Had Lunch With Sir Freddie Laker at 18 - Here’s the Lesson He Taught Me
Sir Freddie Laker was not just a successful businessman; he was one of the true pioneers of modern air travel. Through Laker Airways and his famous Skytrain service, he helped break the idea that transatlantic flying was only for the wealthy, introducing low-fare, no-frills long-haul flights that changed the industry and opened the door for the budget airline thinking that came later.
AI and the Death of the Skill Barrier
AI is not just helping smart people move faster. It is making average people more capable, more convincing, and in some cases more dangerous. That changes the playing field for every entrepreneur. Most people are still looking at AI the wrong way. They think the big story is that smart people can now do more. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. That’s true, of course.
Why I Ran My Skool vs Circle Decision Through AI
I thought I would share this, because it is a good example of where I think AI is starting to become genuinely useful in business. Over the last few days I have been digging into the question of which platform I should use for the Real Entrepreneur Network and community. The two main options I have been looking at are Skool and Circle. Now, this is not me coming at it blind. I already know a fair bit about both platforms. I know the obvious pros and cons. I know why people like Skool.
I’ve Officially Launched on Pump.fun — The Real Entrepreneur Token Is Live - Mark Lyford
For years, I’ve talked about evolution, personal, business, digital. How everything we do, build, and believe in changes shape when we decide to stop pretending and start living the truth. Today marks another major chapter in that evolution.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press enter or click to view image in full size FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mark Lyford Launches the Real Entrepreneur Token ($REALLIVE) on Pump.fun — Blending Business, Blockchain, and Real Talk October 2025 — Global Release — Serial entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of RealEntrepreneur.com, Mark Lyford, has officially launched the Real Entrepreneur Token ($REALLIVE) on Pump.fun, marking a bold new chapter in his ongoing mission to inspire and empower entrepreneurs worldwide.
How Breeding Teaches Me Patience (In Life and in Business)
How Breeding Teaches Me Patience (In Life and in Business) Breeding animals teaches you things no business book ever will. It’s not sexy. It’s not fast. And it sure as hell doesn’t give you instant gratification. But whether it’s pigeons, quail, isopods — or building a brand from scratch — breeding teaches you how to wait, how to trust the process, and how to play the long game. And in a world obsessed with speed, that’s a rare — and powerful — mindset. Breeding Pigeons?
3 Things That Brought Me Back After My Lowest Point
I’ve been through some shit. Bankruptcy. Prison. Losing everything — not just money, but identity, direction, belief. People vanished. Opportunities dried up. And for the first time in my life, I didn’t know if I had anything left to give. Rock bottom isn’t some motivational phrase when you’ve actually lived it. But here’s the truth: It didn’t break me. It rebuilt me. And looking back, there were three things — just three — that pulled me out of the darkest hole I’d ever been in. 1.
Today’s Reminder: You Don’t Need Permission to Be Yourself
Let me be clear about something: You don’t need anyone’s approval, validation, or permission to be Yourself. Not your parents. Not your partner. Not your boss. Not your audience. Just because someone doesn’t “get” what you’re doing doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing. And just because you don’t have a certificate, a blue tick, or 10,000 followers doesn’t mean you can’t change lives with what you know, starting today. Most People Are Waiting They’re waiting for the stars to align.
EP030 - David Schloss - ConvertROI.com
David Schloss is known for: Running multiple successful software companies, Working with some of the most sophisticated online brands in various industries, Getting high level results in some of the most competitive industries such as car insurance, Experience working with different types of physical products, services, software and information, Streamlined services and effective communication and driving momentum in businesses through digital marketing strategies.
EP028 - Dr Jeff Foster talking Testosterone with Mark Lyford
Talking about testosterone in men, the signs and effects of having low testosterone, and what you can do about it. (A must-watch for all men over 30 years old!) Let’s talk guys. Keep It Real, Mark Lyford This is the interview I first watched back in September 2021 which got me thinking I probably have low testosterone: VIDEO This is the interview Dr Jeff did with Stephen Webb (from Goggle Box TV): VIDEO EP028 – Dr Jeff Foster talking Testosterone with Mark Lyford
The Heartbeat of Every Company: Our Customers
Hey there, fellow entrepreneurs and readers! Today, I wanted to share a little story with you, a story that encapsulates the essence of what I believe customer service should be all about. But before I dive into that, let’s get one thing straight: Customers, especially the happy ones, are the lifeblood of any company. They’re not just numbers on a spreadsheet or names in a database; they’re real people with real needs, emotions, and experiences. Now, I know what some of you might be thinking.
A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.
The Dance of Dreams and Regrets. There’s a profound saying that goes, “A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” It’s one of my favourite sayings, do much so, I have it tattooed on me. At first glance, this quote might seem like a simple reflection on age and the passage of time. But delve a little deeper, and its layers of meaning begin to unfold, revealing insights about life, aspirations, and the human spirit. Age, as we know, is not just a number.
Facebook Hijacking Hacking Update. BEWARE, folks.. This can happen to you.. And seemingly Facebook doesn’t care..
VIDEO Be careful folks. This can happen to anyone watching! As I write this 130 fake / scam adverts are being displayed using my “verified” stolen page… Keep taking the stolen money Facebook… Scumbags. I will keep going! Never give up! Keep It Real, Mark Lyford Facebook Hijacking Hacking Update. BEWARE, folks.. This can happen to you.. And seemingly Facebook doesn’t care..
My Hacking Hell and Facebook Don’t Care!?!
It’s been a hellish 5 days. Paypal, Twitter, Instagram, Gmail, google, Microsoft accounts hacked. I managed to quickly resolve every account issue, but Facebook won’t give me my account back. Watch or listen to my video and I’ll explain what happened to me. In the meantime I am going to do everything I can to get my FB account back. I refuse to accept it cannot be given back to me.
EP021 - Not Got The Balls? Let’s talk more about low testosterone in men.
EP021 – Not Got The Balls? Let’s talk more about low testosterone in men. Check out Dr Jeff Fosters book here. Visit his website here. Some facts about low testosterone in men over 30: Testosterone is a hormone that is primarily produced in the testicles of men, and levels of this hormone naturally decline as men age. It is estimated that approximately 30% of men over the age of 60 have low testosterone levels.
North Carolina County’s Push To Halt Bitcoin Mining Another Blow To Industry Rattled By Regulation
Buncombe County’s plan to halt bitcoin mining for a year would be the latest setback for an industry facing regulatory pressures. Buncombe County commissioners are pushing forward with a plan to impose a one-year pause on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining in the North Carolina county, citing concerns about its impact on the environment and the community according to reporting by WLOS ABC13.
DeFi Vulnerabilities Exploited By Illicit Actors, Says US Treasury Report
A new report by the United States Treasury Department highlights the growing concern of the US regulatory agencies regarding “illicit” actors exploiting decentralized finance (DeFi) services and their associated vulnerabilities. The report defines DeFi as virtual assets protocols and services that allow for automated peer-to-peer transactions using smart contracts based on blockchain technology.
While Others Try To Tokenize Everything, Bitcoin Stores Value
Tokenization of real-world assets on other blockchains just perpetuates the financial issues that Bitcoin hopes to fix. This is an opinion editorial by Mickey Koss, a West Point graduate with a degree in economics. He spent four years in the infantry before transitioning to the Finance Corps. The demand for tokenizing assets like real estate is not a solution to, but rather a symptom of, the problems that bad money perpetuates.
Avalanche’s New Subnet to Offer Blockchain Customization for Financial Institutions
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Majority Of Crypto Investors Evaded Taxes In 2022, Study Shows
A digital currency tax firm, Divly, recently conducted a study revealing that nearly all digital asset investors did not pay taxes on their crypto holdings in 2022. A staggering 98% of crypto investors did not report their digital asset transactions to the tax authorities, evading their tax obligations.
AI Changes Required To Save Humanity, Tech Expert Warns
AI, or artificial intelligence, has been a topic of fascination and fear for years, and now an expert in the field is warning that a call for a six-month pause on developing powerful systems is just the tip of the iceberg. Eliezer Yudkowsky, a renowned decision theorist at the Machine Intelligence Research Institute studying artificial intelligence safety, argues that we’re underestimating the gravity of the situation.
BTC-Backed Stablecoins Will be An Integral Part Of The Bitcoin Economy
Over-collateralized, bitcoin-backed stablecoins are going to be an integral part of hyperbitcoinization. This is an opinion editorial by David Seroy, founder and president of Old North Capital Fund and a contributor to the Sovryn protocol. It is this author’s opinion that over-collateralized, bitcoin-backed stablecoins issued on “DeFi” rails will become a highly-demanded and integral part of the Bitcoin economy in both developed and developing countries.
Binance Under Pressure As Dubai Demands Additional Information About Crypto License
The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in Dubai has requested crypto exchange Binance and other international firms to provide additional information regarding their ownership, management, and auditing processes as part of their permit application process. This move ensures companies comply with the “highest” regulatory standards while promoting innovation within the crypto and digital asset industry.
Ethereum’s Upcoming Update Raises Fears Of A Massive Sell-Off, But Is It Justified?
Ethereum is about to go through one of its most significant upgrades since “The Merge,” the event that allows it to transition to a proof-of-stake consensus protocol. On April 12, 2023, the network will implement the Shapella update at 22:27:35 UTC. After its launch, Ethereum users could withdraw their stake ETH from the “Beacon Chain,” the platform that initially supported the PoS migration. As a result, there is much speculation about the potential impact on the market.
US Bitcoin Corp Reaches Tentative Settlement With City Of Niagara Falls To Restart Operations
US Bitcoin Corp tentatively settles with Niagara Falls to restart mining ops, must comply with noise reduction, permits and fees. US Bitcoin Corp, a bitcoin mining company which has been operating a mining facility in the City of Niagara Falls, has reached a tentative agreement with the city to restart operations according to a report.
Binance Under Pressure As Dubai Demands Additonal Information About Crypto License
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Mutiny Wallet Raises Over $300k in Preseed Funding To Build A Private And User-Friendly Bitcoin Wallet
Mutiny Wallet, a web-first and privacy-focused bitcoin wallet, has raised over $ 300k in preseed funding to build its platform.
Next Generation DeFi Platform M^ZERO Emerges from Stealth with $22.5M Funding Round
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Dogecoin Wallet Dormant For 9.3 Years Suddenly Wakes Up
Data shows a Dogecoin wallet that had previously been dormant for 9.3 years has suddenly shown signs of activity today. Dogecoin Wallet Containing 1,215,614 DOGE Comes Alive After 9.3 Years As per data from the cryptocurrency transaction tracker service Whale Alert, a very old DOGE wallet has made movement on the blockchain during the past 24 hours.
P2P Crypto Exchange Paxful Bites The Dust, Here’s More About It!
Paxful, a reputable P2P cryptocurrency exchange, has suspended its operations. The exchange was a prominent player in the market due to its high trading volume. The decision was announced by the company’s founder and CEO, Ray Youssef, who attributed the suspension to regulatory challenges in the industry and the departure of key personnel. The announcement was made via the official website of Paxful.
Ralph Lauren Partners With BitPay To Accept Bitcoin Payments At New Miami Store
American fashion giant Ralph Lauren will now accept sound money for clothing at a store in Florida. Famous American fashion brand Ralph Lauren has partnered with BitPay to accept bitcoin payments at its new Miami Design District store. This will be the first retail store of the brand to accept bitcoin payments. Customers can pay for all of the brand’s distinctive styles directly from their preferred wallets.
Tech Giant Google And This Protocol Partner To Boost Innovation In Web3
In a recent blog post, a mobile-first proof-of-stake layer 1 blockchain protocol, Celo, has announced a collaboration with Google Cloud, one of the world’s largest and most innovative technology companies. According to the announcement, this new partnership aims to support sustainability-focused startups within the Celo network. Furthermore, it aims to provide startups with the resources and support they need to build and scale Web3 applications that prioritize environmental sustainability.
Former Coinbase Employee Accused Of Insider Trading Nears Settlement With SEC
A month after pleading guilty to a case involving the insider trading of cryptocurrencies on the Coinbase exchange, a former employee seems to be near a settlement deal with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This comes amid Coinbase ongoing situation with the SEC. Last week, the exchange received a Wells notice – a letter suggesting a looming lawsuit for securities law violation – from the same US-based regulator.
Luxury Brands Bugatti And Asprey Announce Bitcoin Inscriptions Collection
The move further solidifies Bitcoin Ordinals as the premier digital art platform for high-end collections. Legendary car maker Bugatti and luxury goods company Asprey have partnered to create a limited-edition collection of eggs that will be inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain using the Ordinals protocol.
Bitcoin Retail Buying Spikes, Adoption Accelerating?
On-chain data shows that Bitcoin retail investors have been aggressively buying the asset recently, a sign that adoption may accelerate. Bitcoin Shrimps Have Been Aggressively Accumulating Recently According to data from the on-chain analytics firm Glassnode, only 116 days in the entire history of the cryptocurrency have seen stronger accumulation from retail traders.
Carbon-Backed NFT Collection Ecosapiens Raises $3.5M
The project allows users to purchase carbon credits through its nature-themed NFTs to offset the environmental impact of blockchain technology. CoinDesk: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Crypto News and Price Data
Peer-To-Peer Bitcoin Exchange Paxful Suspends Marketplace
The exchange cites staff departures and regulatory challenges for the suspension, saying they’re “not sure if it will come back.” Paxful, one of the world’s largest peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency exchanges by volume, has announced the suspension of its marketplace. The announcement was made by the company’s founder and CEO, Ray Youssef, who cited key staff departures and regulatory challenges for the industry as the reasons behind the decision.
Cardano Aims To Be A Top Ethereum VM Chain By Next Month, Here’s How
While the Cardano (ADA) price has gained attention with a 13.5% increase in the last seven days, the developers at Milkomeda Foundation also have big plans for the layer-1 blockchain that could further fuel the price rally. Sebastien Guillemot, CTO and co-founder of Milkomeda, Paima Studios, dcSpark and Flint Wallet claimed in a tweet that Cardano will be a top Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chain as early as next month.
Binance Observes Largest Stablecoin Net Outflow In History: Report
The cryptocurrency exchange Binance has recently observed its largest stablecoin net outflow in history, as revealed by a report. Binance Has Seen Large Stablecoin Withdrawals Recently Binance has been under some regulatory pressure from the US government this year. The latest example is the CFTC lawsuit against Changpeng Zhao, the exchange’s CEO, over alleged derivative trading violations.
The Bitcoin Company Launches Card Linked Offers, Allowing Automatic Bitcoin Rewards
Users can now earn bitcoin rewards at participating merchants without the need to activate deals or use a gift card. The Bitcoin Company, a Bitcoin rewards company, has launched a new feature called Card Linked Offers (CLOs) that allows users to turn all of their credit and debit cards into bitcoin rewards cards.
Is Governance All It’s Chalked Up To Be? Arbitrum’s First Governance Vote Sparks Debate
Decentralization and governance go hand in hand. Since Bitcoin’s inception, crypto maximalists have embraced core components of decentralization, and while ‘governance’ isn’t called out specifically in the Bitcoin whitepaper, it’s considered one of the largest elements of decentralized environments throughout the crypto ecosystem. We’re fifteen years removed from the Bitcoin whitepaper, and the concepts surrounding governance are certainly as loud as they’ve ever been. But it’s not all in unison.
Bitcoin Entrepreneurs Introduce Noones, A Super App Aimed At Empowering Financial Freedom In The Global South
Noones plans to utilize messaging, a familiar platform for peer-to-peer trades for the Global South, to empower users with Bitcoin. A team of Bitcoin entrepreneurs have announced the launch of Noones, a new financial communications application aimed at empowering financial freedom in the Global South. The app will combine a messenger for peer-to-peer trades with a Bitcoin wallet operating at cost, and a peer-to-peer marketplace.
Bank Of Russia To Incorporate Domestic Crypto Holdings In Consumer Finance Survey
The Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CBR) has released its latest report on household finances, which includes an assessment of public holdings of digital or crypto assets. The report, conducted biennially since 2013 and covers the previous year, was published last Friday. Related Reading: Arbitrum Trading Volume Balloons Over 75% As ARB Price Defies FUD Russian households now hold more funds in crypto wallets than gold investments or mutual funds.
ChatGPT And AI Companies Must Compensate Content Creators, Says Media CEO
Michael Miller, the CEO of News Corp Australia, is adamant that ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) companies must compensate content creators. He explains that the rise of generative AI is just another way for digital companies to profit from the creative work of others without compensating or attributing them.
The Crypto Industry Needs to Fix Itself Before It Can Progress
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With RGB, The Bitcoin Lightning Network Can Now Transfer Altcoin Assets
With the RGB protocol, users can allocate altcoins to Bitcoin UTXOs, enabling stablecoins transfers on the Lightning Network and more. The Lightning Network is arguably the most impactful and important innovation ever seen in Bitcoin. It enables fast and cheap transactions that take up no space on the blockchain, while preserving all of Bitcoin’s censorship-resistant and trustless features.
US Senator Warren Says No To Crypto But A Resounding Yes For CBDCs
In a recent interview, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren made it clear that she is not a fan of cryptocurrencies. However, she also criticized the banking industry for high fees, lack of transparency, and lack of speed. Instead, she believes that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) backed by the government could solve these issues.
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