At 25 years old, JV Crum III had everything he thought he wanted—success, money, a stunning home. His childhood dream of becoming a millionaire to escape his impoverished beginnings had come true, but he felt empty inside. “I didn’t understand that, because here I had this beautiful home, and I had all this stuff that I thought I wanted as a little kid,” says Crum, a serial entrepreneur, coach, podcaster and author.
He set out on a soul-searching mission to understand what he was missing. Along the way, he realized his success was only tied to wealth and that he lacked a true purpose. This revelation led to two ideas: He wanted to help others with their finances, and he wanted to spread the word about being a “conscious millionaire,” a phrase he coined to describe achieving financial success while also making a positive impact and finding fulfillment.
What Is a ‘Conscious’ Entrepreneur?
That phrase eventually formed the basis of Crum’s first book, Conscious Millionaire: Grow Your Business by Making a Difference. “I wanted to set a framework and to give people guidance [on] how they could build their business in a way that was conscious,” says Crum.
A “conscious” entrepreneur is one who generates wealth while also making an impact. Many entrepreneurs feel torn between profits and purpose—but Crum argues the two can work hand in hand.
“You’re creating true transformation. And the world is generally better off,” he says. “[Conscious entrepreneurs] don’t just put more money in their bank account. They do that, but they put more money in the bank account because they’re operating at a higher level... If you’re moving to a higher level and version of yourself... you’re also going to interact with people differently, and you’re going to be uplifting people. It’s just a way of life. Because all of a sudden you’re going to go, ‘Oh, it isn’t just money in the bank. I actually want someone’s life to be better.' And that’s the magic.”
Becoming an Ultra-Performance Leader
As a coach, Crum also helps his clients become “ultra-performance” leaders. This part of his work is all about “helping entrepreneurs and leaders live and perform and excel at their highest levels so that they can make the money and make the impact and get this entire package,” he says.
He supports his clients as they strive to reach their highest level of performance, combining financial success with purpose-driven impact.
“I want to help you build a business that matters to you and to other people,” he says. “And... unlike me, when I started out and made this money, I felt empty, I want you to feel full at the end of the day. I want you to feel like this really is important what you’re doing, and the world changes in some positive way.”
The biggest change he often helps his clients make is in their mindset. According to Crum, mindset accounts for about 80% of your success, while execution and strategy make up the remaining 20%.
With each client, early on, he spends time helping them shift their outlook and identity. He encourages them to focus on where they see themselves in the future, which changes their perspective and helps them achieve their highest goals.
Then, from there, they can focus on making adjustments to strategy and execution.
“The biggest misconception is that leaders think the answer is outside [of themselves],” he says. “It’s all this, ‘Well, my strategy is not right.' Yeah... it might not be right. But you’re never going to [improve] your strategy until you [improve] yourself first. It’s missing the critical piece that you’ve got to transform to transform your business. That’s where it has to start.”
Reprogram Your Mind
Crum’s own experiences have shown him just how powerful changing your mindset can be.
As a broke graduate student, he would often drive through wealthy neighborhoods in Beverly Hills and find houses he liked. He would tell himself, “I’m supposed to be in that.”
Another moment stands out from that period of his life. One day, he was sitting at a four-way stop when three luxury cars rolled up. “I’m sitting there in my little Datsun B210, and I’m going, ‘I am in the wrong vehicle,'” he says. “'I am not supposed to be in this Datsun B210.' So it was constantly reprogramming my mind [to envision a greater future],” Crum says.
He realized at a young age that he needed to reframe his mindset and see himself as someone destined for wealth. “I just kept thinking, ‘I’m going to do it,' and I kept changing who I was inside,” Crum says.
Crum’s Advice for Entrepreneurs
1
Take advantage of books and other resources to learn about changing your mindset.
2
Stay curious about your behaviors and patterns. “What am I doing on the days that everything’s in this natural flow and it unfolds and it’s magical and life is wonderful—when am I doing differently?” he says.
3
Be open to change and future possibilities.
4
Only take actions that feel real and authentic.
Featured image courtesy of JV Crum III
This article was first published in the March 2026 issue of SUCCESS Digital Edition. Read it for FREE right here!
