Wild thing: How Calvin Coyles went from “less than nothing” to a $20 million coaching empire
Entrepreneur Calvin Coyles rejects moderation, challenges work-life balance, and has inspired countless individuals the world over to rethink their goals. Now, the CEO of WILD Success reveals the secrets of his own motivation.
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Calvin Coyles started his business by showing up to networking events alone and hustling tickets, promising to change the lives of those who attended. One by one, people took their seats, sparking a transformative ascent that has brought countless professionals along for the ride. Today, Coyles’ WILD Success is a hot-ticket coaching enterprise generating over $20 million annually across 170 countries.
The pillars of Coyles’ advice include fighting for every opportunity, embracing bold challenges, and being unapologetic about the hard work needed to reach your ambitions. Clearly, Coyles hasn’t lost that relentless early-career tenacity, a mindset he says drives the company’s growth and keeps him connected to his audience.
“When you are bootstrapping from the ground up and living hand to mouth, week to week, you are making decisions every single day that could end everything,” says Coyles, who was born in the United Kingdom and is now based in Perth. “The line between making it and losing it is thinner than anyone on the outside realises.”
Coyles’ coaching blueprint focuses on deep psychological rewiring to help motivated professionals thrive. A core part of this process involves encouraging people to shed their “captivity mindset”, a state he defines as living bound by apathy, conformity, and the expectations of well-meaning family or friends.
“You shouldn’t be trying to balance work and life,” says Coyles. “You should be trying to optimise your work to get the most out of your life.”
What have been the biggest hurdles you faced, and how did you find your way through them?
I started with nothing. Less than nothing, actually: $40,000 in personal debt.
I’d just returned from six months in Indonesia doing an unpaid internship. I had no industry network, connections, marketing budget, or staff, and I was building from Perth, the most isolated capital city on the planet.
Showing up to events alone in those early days was brutal. What got me through was focusing on one thing: making a genuine difference in the lives of the people right in front of me.
I aligned myself with organisations that were growing fast and added real value. Within 90 days, I hit $100,000 in revenue. Ten months later, $1,000,000. The foundation was a commitment to the person in the room.
Who were the mentors, role models, or figures that shaped your outlook in the early stages of your career?
My family. Without question. I grew up in an entrepreneurial household. My dad worked for himself in sales and real estate. My mum ran her own hairdressing business. Both my grandparents ran their own businesses in interior design and renovation work.
Whether working at the family café or helping Dad in sales, I was surrounded by people who created opportunities for themselves and others. Growing up in that world, you learn the highs and lows of entrepreneurship quickly. Everything I have built since has been shaped by that upbringing.
What achievement are you most proud of, and why does it stand out?
Without a doubt, it’s the impact we’ve made in people’s lives, not just the direct impact, but all of the indirect impact you never see coming.
Nearly every day, we receive messages from people worldwide who have been through our training programmes, listened to my audio content, or read my book, and who say it has made a positive difference in their lives.
You have no idea how far your message can reach, especially in a digital world where a simple video can touch millions across every continent.
If I’m honest, the thing I’m most proud of is closer to home: leading by example for my two daughters. Building a business I love and a life that gives them an incredible quality of life. That’s the achievement that matters most.
In your field, what major shifts or trends do you believe leaders cannot afford to ignore right now?
Right now, there’s a fascinating intersection of three forces reshaping personal and professional development: artificial intelligence, education and course creation, and live events and experiences.
It is remarkable watching these three worlds converge. You have community and education amplified by AI and then consolidated through live, in-person experiences. Get this trifecta right (the live event, the AI, the community content), and you will thrive. Those who don’t will be left behind.
What’s the boldest goal you’ve set yourself for the next five years?
We recently revisited our vision and set a goal that sounds crazy until you say it out loud: changing the lives of a billion people. Last year, we gave away over $150 million worth of courses and programmes to people in need worldwide. This year, we’ll nearly triple that.
To do that, we need to train and certify millions worldwide in the skills and tools of human transformation. Our ambition is to become a truly global organisation and reach over $100 million in sales. That’s our horizon for the next five to 10 years.
What advice would you give your younger self starting out?
Three things: Think bigger. Surround yourself with amazing people. And work harder than anyone else.
Visit wildsuccess.global for more information.
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