Mastering YouTube Ads with Video Power

Connecting the Dots: How One Decision Changed Everything

March 03, 2025•4 min read

Every decision we make, every person we meet, and every action we take has the potential to change our future.

Let’s play a game called "Connect the Dots"—a way to trace back the key people, decisions, and events that led us to where we are today.

A timeline graphic titled "How Did I Get Here? | Connect the Dots," showing key milestones in a journey from launching YouTube ads in 2013 to speaking on stage at the Flight Club Mastermind in 2025. The timeline includes major events such as receiving an email from Ryan Deiss, speaking at the Traffic & Conversion Summit, meeting Dan Martell, attending a mastermind, and forming key business connections. The background features a fluctuating graph, symbolizing growth over time, with images of significant people and events along the way.

I recently shared this exercise on stage at the Flight Club Mastermind, and many attendees told me it was their favorite part of my talk. So, I wanted to share it with you.

How did I find myself on that stage? Here’s the journey that led me there:

7. Flight Club Mastermind (2025)

Last year, I was introduced to Glen Ledwell, who runs the Flight Club Mastermind. I loved the people in the room, gained valuable insights, and realized I had a higher chance of hitting my goals by joining. Soon after, I was invited to speak at the next event.

6. Brad Introduces Me to Glen (2024)

I met Glen through my good friend Brad Hart, whom I’ve known for nine years. Brad and I have spoken at events, attended masterminds, and collaborated in various ways over the last decade.

A group of entrepreneurs, including Jake Larsen of Video Power Marketing, gathered around a restaurant table at Dan Martell’s Mastermind event in 2016. The table is filled with plates of food and drinks, while attendees engage in conversation and networking. This small but impactful mastermind introduced key connections, including Brad Hart, that would later open doors to new opportunities.

5. Meeting Brad at Dan Martell’s Mastermind (2016)

Nine years earlier, I met Brad at a small mastermind in Moncton, Canada, hosted by Dan Martell. With only ten entrepreneurs in the room, I felt like the least experienced person there. But it opened my eyes to what was possible in business and life. I learned from people who had already solved the challenges I was facing.

Jake Larsen, his wife Danielle, and entrepreneur Dan Martell smile for a selfie at an evening event. String lights illuminate the background, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. This moment highlights the power of connections, as Dan played a key role in Jake’s entrepreneurial journey.

4. A DM on Twitter from Dan Martell (2015)

A year before that, Dan Martell sent me a Twitter DM. I didn’t know who he was and he had just started his YouTube channel and wanted help creating YouTube ads to grow his business. (I remember when he had fewer than 1,000 subscribers—he stayed consistent, providing value every week, and now he has over 1 million!)

He reached out because he had seen one of my presentations on YouTube Ads at the Traffic & Conversion Summit the year before.

3. Speaking at Traffic & Conversion Summit (2014)

The year before that, I was on the main stage at Traffic & Conversion Summit, speaking to thousands—the biggest audience I’d ever faced.

I was speaking right before Kevin Harrington (the “As Seen on TV” guy and an original Shark on Shark Tank). He built his career on TV, and here I was—some unknown kid—telling everyone how YouTube was going to replace TV.

That moment felt surreal. Just four months earlier, I had been working in a cubicle at my 9-to-5 job.

Jake Larsen of Video Power Marketing stands on stage at the 2014 Traffic & Conversion Summit, delivering a presentation alongside Ryan Deiss. The event banner is visible in the background, marking this pivotal moment when Jake shared his insights on YouTube ads with thousands—just months after leaving his 9-to-5 job.

2. A Cold Email from Ryan Deiss (Oct 2013)

Three months before that, I received an unexpected email from Ryan Deiss, the CEO of Digital Marketer. I didn’t know who he was at the time either but a quick Google search told me he was legit. He told me he had seen my YouTube ads, purchased my course, and was looking for someone to speak at Traffic & Conversion Summit about YouTube Ads.

A screenshot of an email from Ryan Deiss to Jake Larsen, dated October 24, 2013. In the email, Ryan invites Jake to speak at the Traffic & Conversion Summit in San Diego, recognizing his expertise in video marketing. This pivotal moment set the stage for Jake’s journey into the industry spotlight.

Of course, I said yes! But how did Ryan even know who I was and why would he ask me to speak on the main stage?

1. Launching My First YouTube Ad (Sept 2013)

Jake Larsen stands in front of a green screen in a home studio setup, wearing a blazer with camo shorts and sandals. Professional lighting and a camera are set up around him, capturing content. This image represents the early days of Video Power Marketing, where big ideas started in a small basement studio.

Ryan found me through a YouTube ad I had launched just a month earlier. At the time, no one was talking about YouTube Ads and I had no idea that this one campaign would change my life.

Ryan reached out because he was trying to learn more about video marketing. I had just created my first ad for Video Power Marketing, launched a YouTube ad campaign, and unknowingly set off a chain of events that would shape my future.

The Decision That Started It All (Sept 2013)

Why did I run that ad?

Because one month earlier, I had quit my job to start Video Power Marketing and I had a family to take care of.

Jake Larsen and his wife Danielle stand in front of a Google sign, smiling. Jake holds up a red YouTube-branded baby onesie, while Danielle wears a custom Google-themed shirt with "Larsen" printed on it. This moment symbolizes a milestone in both their personal and professional journey as they prepare for parenthood while growing Video Power Marketing.

Jake Larsen sits at his desk, smiling as his young daughter enthusiastically speaks into a microphone. A laptop, keyboard, and other work essentials are on the desk, while a whiteboard filled with notes is visible in the background. This moment captures the blend of entrepreneurship and family life, highlighting the early days of building Video Power Marketing from home.

We had just had our first child. I had hospital bills, a mortgage, and a family to support. I needed a way to share my story, create value for others, get clients and make this work—because failure was not an option.

(There are countless people who have contributed to my journey, and it’s impossible to name them all. But I have to mention my wife, Danielle, my kids, and my parents—without them, I wouldn’t have been in a position to even place these dots).

The Power of Creation & Connection

Looking back, I see how advertising and masterminds have opened doors I didn’t even know existed. When the right person watches your video at the right time, and you deliver value, your life can change

So, keep creating. Keep sharing. You never know who’s watching.

What dots have led you to where you are today?

What new dots are you going to place today that will bridge the gap to your future?

Back to Blog