OM DENNE EPISODE
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👉 Access all of the bonus material from the 4% Files right here
Back in July 2025, I saw a social media post that made my heart stop:
The headline prominently said:
Rest in Peace Steve Sims
July 1966 - July 2025
Steve Sims was a podcast guest that had a profoundly deep impact in my life.
In case you haven’t heard of Steve before, he was coined by Forbes as “The Real Life Wizard of Oz” who helped his clients do things like:
- Get married by the Pope
- Take submarine trips to the Titanic
- Have dinner in front of Michelangelo’s David while being serenaded by Andrea Bocelli
- Meet celebrities like Elton John and Elon Musk
He even once took a group on a private tour of the Tesla gigafactory… followed by a visit to a legal, licensed brothel to learn about the power of communication (yes, seriously).
But beyond the crazy experiences…
Steve Sims gave me a new blueprint for life.
In fact, a few years ago when journaling about the 3 people I most looked up to, Steve’s name was high on that list — right next to my wife and daughter.
Even though we only spent a few hours together across these interviews, Steve’s mindset has been running like a background program in my brain ever since I met him.
He embodied the values and passions that drive my life today:
- Family & Heart: He loved his wife and kids deeply, and built his business alongside them
- Doing the Impossible: His entire life was proof that “impossible” is just a starting point
- Experiences: The most inspiring (and wildest) experience designer I’ve ever met
- Fun & Play: He approached life like a big kid—joyful, absurd, and always ready to make you laugh
- Being Unapologetically You: Steve knew who he was and never tried to be anything else
- Pure Passion for Life: You could hear it in his voice—he lived with passion, every single day
- Storytelling: Hands down my favorite storyteller of all time—he didn’t just live great stories, he delivered them in unforgettable ways
So to honor his legacy, on episode #250 of the show, I stitched together all 3 of our interviews at once.
As I dove through my entire podcast library for this series, I HAD to include my interviews with Steve, despite the fact that I only recently published the trilogy.
But of course, with this being the 4% Files I had to do something even more epic…
You see:
The magic of this series is that EVERYTHING I’m sharing I’ve tested personally… for years.
None of this is something I just learned about and haven’t implemented in a deep way.
So in addition to the truly transformational content that Steve himself shares in the episodes, I actually weave together ~45 minutes of bonus content walking you through exactly how I’ve implemented what I learned from Steve.
These episodes with Steve truly showed me what was possible beyond my wildest imagination at the time…
But just as a fair warning:
This is my LONGEST episode to date, clocking in at 3 and a half hours.
So you’re in for a ride if you commit to this one.
But if you do, I promise it’ll be worth it.
00:00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Steve Sims, as Brandon tees up a “monster” 3+ hour episode surfacing the full Steve Sims trilogy—plus his own commentary between each interview segment.
00:01:36 - Brandon kicks off the trilogy compilation (“buckle your seatbelts”), then we get a teaser straight from Steve: an absurdly epic Florence dining experience beneath Michelangelo’s David—complete with a lesson hidden in the punchline “no one’s ever asked.”
00:02:57 - Brandon zooms out on imagination and identity (“you can’t become a version of yourself you can’t conceive”), name-dropping Napoleon Hill and Einstein while framing why Steve’s worldview can permanently expand what feels possible.
00:05:34 - Brandon introduces Steve’s backstory and impact (bricklayer → bouncer → luxury concierge and experience designer), then shares the heartbreaking context: Steve passed away July 7, 2025 from cancer, and this release honors his legacy by stitching all three episodes together.
00:07:17 - Brandon explains the special 4% Files format: after each interview installment, he’ll return with implementation-focused commentary—what he actually applied and what created compounding results over time—then transitions into episode one (recorded October 2021).
00:13:09 - Steve (story): A client wants to recreate how he originally “won” his wife—college picnic rug, boom box, and all—so Steve rebuilds the moment down to the exact vibe, including tracking down working boomboxes and even figuring out how to record a cassette in the modern era.
00:15:29 - Steve reveals the ridiculous-but-brilliant workaround to “you can’t rent a public park”: he stations attractive women walking dogs on long leashes in a moving perimeter—because “men are terrified of attractive women”—to keep strangers from wandering into the recreated proposal scene.
00:26:03 - Steve (principle): “Control the front door.” As a doorman, he learns you don’t filter people out to be exclusive—you filter to prevent chaos later. Then he introduces “silly password” mechanics (Sesame Street / Teletubbies-type prompts) that inject positivity before anyone even enters.
00:29:18 - Steve describes bouncing a wealthy, entitled guy for refusing to play the childish password game—and how the resulting “rude doormen” press turned into the best marketing they could have gotten, making even more people want in.
00:31:03 - Brandon reflects on how the “velvet rope” concept applies to business: designing the filter up-front prevents 99% of downstream problems—then pivots toward Bluefishing strategies.
00:48:12 - Brandon (commentary bridge): He connects Steve’s patterns (filters, contrast, and bold asks) to how Brandon has applied them in real life—setting up the “implementation” framing that will recur between each installment.
00:01:04:08 - Brandon introduces Part 2 with three things to watch for: (1) listening under what people say (Elton John + realtor examples), (2) leveraging “Unpolished” to stand out, and (3) Steve’s experience design (including a Tesla gigafactory → brothel contrast day).
00:01:06:15 - Part 2 begins with Brandon and Steve riffing on “Sims the Sequel,” setting the tone for another rapid-fire, story-heavy sprint.
00:01:08:12 - Steve (insight): We live in a “gotcha society” that loves laughing at people—so most people hide their dreams to avoid ridicule. Steve’s job, as he sees it, is listening past the words to the real desire underneath.
00:01:10:00 - Steve revisits the core responsibility of proximity to high-status people: guard the front door. If someone misbehaves at Elton John’s Oscar party, it reflects on you, so curation is a form of integrity—not elitism.
00:01:11:38 - Steve (story): A brash caller wants a photo + autograph with Elton “before he dies.” Steve clocks the request as shallow and doesn’t even take the guy’s contact info—because it’s about status props, not meaning.
00:01:13:45 - A second caller sounds similar, but Steve shifts the conversation with one question—“Why?”—and the whole emotional temperature changes, revealing a completely different motivation.
00:01:15:01 - Steve (story payoff): The real “why”: the caller’s dad drove him to school with an Elton John cassette on repeat; years after his dad’s death, hearing Elton briefly “brings his dad back” for three minutes—so he just wants to say thank you.
00:01:17:16 - Steve orchestrates the moment at the Oscar party; when the story lands, both men tear up and hug. Steve highlights the lesson: solving the surface request would’ve missed what the person truly needed—asking “why” created the impact.
00:01:35:41 - Steve (unpolished connection): He sends clients bizarre physical “touches” (scribbles on in-flight magazines, random artifacts) and expects they might hate it—until a long-time client says the “worthless crap” is exactly why they remember him: “Don’t stop.”
00:01:38:47 - Steve underlines the meta-lesson Brandon just said out loud: the human element. Imperfect, obviously-human mail signals care in a world drowning in polished automation.
00:01:44:55 - Steve (tactic): Approaching someone famous? Start with “You don’t know me” to remove their anxiety and let them actually listen—then offer value (e.g., “I noticed three things that could improve your marketing/branding”).
00:01:47:58 - The guy Steve approaches laughs—then reveals the project was shut down six months ago… and Steve’s first two suggestions would’ve saved it. Result: Steve gets invited into an ongoing retainer relationship.
00:01:53:47 - Experience design, live: Steve describes taking Speakeasy attendees to two extremes in one day: a private tour of Elon Musk’s Gigafactory (newest industry) followed by the Bunny Ranch (oldest industry), using contrast to create a learning “roller coaster.”
00:01:55:17 - On the bus pulling up to the brothel, the energy drops—60% of the group is women, everyone goes silent, and Steve’s friend warns it could go “real well or real south fast.” Then Air Force Amy welcomes them in, and the awkwardness evolves into unexpected connection and conversation.
00:02:02:41 - Steve’s event philosophy: your gathering should become a community—“one person turns up and 200 people leave as one unit”—and that unity is built through shared discomfort, pattern interrupts, and guided growth.
00:02:03:58 - Steve (exercise): At a Speakeasy, he pulls everyone’s LinkedIn photo + bio into a printed sheet without asking, then has random people introduce each other using only what’s on the page—instantly exposing who’s showing up weak online and why it’s costing them conversations.
00:02:07:04 - Steve (Elon story): While touring SpaceX with clients, one asks Elon about NASA publicly humiliating him. Elon replies: “They always laugh at you just before they applaud.” Steve ties this to creating “safe ridicule” inside his room—so people can practice being bold with backup.
00:02:28:26 - Brandon (commentary): He emphasizes psychological safety: pushing people past comfort zones only works when the container is benevolent and trust-based—then tees up Part 3’s themes: Luigi, protecting big dreams, and being impossible to misunderstand.
00:02:29:44 - Part 3 begins with Brandon joking about Steve as the “ugly bald guy” people ask about—and calling him the first “three-peat” guest.
00:02:35:00 - Steve lays out a filter for criticism: why care about opinions from people who “can’t afford you” or haven’t built anything? He ties it to choosing better voices to listen to—and the danger of letting bitter bystanders shrink your vision.
00:02:36:22 - At a dinner party with Marvel actors, the table plays “what’s your superpower?” Steve struggles to answer—until his wife Claire steps in.
00:02:37:53 - Claire declares Steve’s superpower is “ignorance”—and Steve’s first thought is “I’m gonna get a divorce.” Then she reframes it as his refusal to internalize naysayers, chuckles, or “it can’t be done.”
00:02:43:35 - The Luigi story: Steve recounts shutting down an entire museum in Florence so clients could dine at Michelangelo’s David while Andrea Bocelli performed. When Steve tries to flex to a staffer (“Luigi”), the guy shrugs: “No one’s ever asked.”
00:02:46:16 - Steve lands the thesis: you get an automatic “no” for every question you don’t ask. Brandon sums it up in one word: Ask.
00:03:11:05 - Clarity & simplicity: Brandon and Steve discuss making messages easy to understand (even “fourth grade level”), and Steve explains he’s heard hyper-advanced ideas from people like Peter Diamandis, Ray Kurzweil, Elon Musk, and Larry Page—yet the best communicators can explain them simply enough to retell at home.
00:03:12:10 - Brandon transitions to Steve and Claire’s 37-year relationship and asks how their partnership evolved across decades and identity shifts.
00:03:14:06 - Steve talks about “toys change as you get more successful,” and critiques the reflex to “upgrade” partners instead of asking if you can grow together. He credits Claire as essential to his books and to raising their standards through mutual pushing.
00:03:15:32 - Steve articulates Claire’s superpower: quiet strength—nudging him back into alignment without making him feel controlled (which, he notes, entrepreneurs typically hate).
00:03:18:01 - Steve closes with a promise about his book: it’s not a “glory hole” autobiography—it’s meant to be tactical, helping readers improve relationships, raise standards, increase clarity, and remove confusion.
00:03:18:34 - Brandon’s final call-to-action: the biggest permission Steve gave him is to ask, practice asking until it gets easier, and go for “stupid” goals you’re willing to be laughed at for.
00:03:19:39 - Brandon returns solo, thanks listeners for staying for 3+ hours, and begins his final takeaway list—starting with the Luigi punchline and his dad’s framing that “no” is the worst outcome, so asking has asymmetric upside.
00:03:26:24 - Brandon points listeners to Steve’s work (Bluefishing, Go for Stupid) and mentions Steve’s son Henry’s legacy via henrysims.com and Sims Media (if still active).
00:03:27:16 - Final “ask” from Brandon: leave a rating/review via ratethispodcast.com/BeyondCurious to help others discover the 4% Files wisdom—then he wraps and previews the ninth file.
Links & Resources
- Steve D. Sims Official Website: Learn more about Steve’s work and legacy.
- Henry Sims – Sims Media: Explore the ongoing legacy of Steve Sims through his son Henry’s media company.
- Sims Distillery: A place for curated ideas, coaching, and inspiration from the Sims family.
- Book: Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen by Steve D. Sims
- Book: Go for Stupid: The Art of Achieving Ridiculous Goals by Steve D. Sims
