431 | Elena Cardone | Build an Empire: How to Have it All

The Greatness Machine

Darius Mirshahzadeh

Entrepreneurship, Business, Education

5.0 • 135 Ratings

🗓️ 27 May 2026

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What does it actually take to build an empire, and what do you have to overcome within yourself to get there? In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius sits down with Elena Cardone, entrepreneur, philanthropist, investor, and bestselling author of “Build an Empire: How to Have it All”. Elena opens up about a childhood marked by profound loss, how she left New Orleans at 17 with nothing but a dream of making it in Hollywood, and the pivotal moment in 2008 that changed everything. When the financial crisis brought her and Grant to the edge of losing it all, Elena made a decision that would reshape her identity, her marriage, and her future. Elena and Darius go deep on what it really means to build a life by design. From defining roles in a marriage so both partners can operate at 100%, to confronting the subconscious patterns that quietly sabotage success, this conversation is raw, honest, and full of hard-won wisdom. Elena also shares how understanding the reactive mind through Dianetics became the single most transformative tool in her personal and professional life, and why she credits it as the foundation of everything she and Grant have built together. In this episode, Darius and Elena will discuss: (00:00) Introduction and Guest Introduction (01:26) Elena's Origin Story (05:31) Moving to Los Angeles and Early Life Challenges (08:44) Transitioning from Acting to Supporting Grant (11:44) Defining Roles in Their Partnership (15:15) Navigating Financial Crisis and Building Together (19:32) Creating a Supportive Environment in Marriage (24:26) The Value of Long-Term Relationships (25:40) Reinventing Relationships Over Time (27:43) The Importance of Agreements in Marriage (29:25) Understanding the Mind: Dianetics and Personal Growth (34:57) Navigating Emotions and Reactive Minds (40:58) Trusting Yourself and Overcoming Barriers to Greatness Elena Cardone Elena Cardone is a bestselling author, speaker, and entrepreneur dedicated to empowering women, strengthening families, and creating financial opportunity for the next generation. She is the author of “Build an Empire: How to Have it All” and the host of The Elena Cardone Show podcast. As co-founder of the Grant Cardone Foundation, Elena works to bring financial and business education to underserved youth. She also co-founded Cardone Mortgage, offering personalized home financing solutions across all 50 states, and serves as a licensed Realtor with eXp Realty, leading an organization of over 500 agents. Alongside her husband Grant Cardone, she has helped build a real estate portfolio valued at over $5 billion. Elena lives in Miami with Grant and their two daughters, Sabrina and Scarlett. Connect with Elena: Website: www.elenacardone.com/success Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elenacardone/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elenacardoneWIP/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ElenaCardone Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Summer's almost here and honestly my brain is already halfway on a beach somewhere.
0:04.0	I've been thinking about trips, getaways, just unplugging for a bit, but here's the thing.
0:08.0	Nothing kills the vibe of a vacation faster than coming home to a financial crisis you weren't prepared for.
0:14.0	I wanted to actually enjoy my summer without that mental weight, so I got serious about organizing my finances ahead of time.
0:19.0	And Monarch made that way easier than I
0:22.6	expected. Monarch is the personal finance app that tracks everything, accounts, investments,
0:27.1	savings, goals, and spending. Get your first year of Monarch Core for half off just $50 with
0:31.4	promo code, greatness. What I love is that Monarch monitors my money so I don't have to obsess over it.
0:37.5	I pulled up the cash flow breakdown.
0:39.4	You could actually see where my dollars are going.
0:41.3	And there were patterns I never would have caught on my own.
0:44.3	Lifestyle creep is real and Monarch put a number on it for me.
0:48.0	It's generally like having a financial advisor in your pocket.
0:51.0	You can ask the AI assistant things like,
0:52.7	can I afford this vacation without touching my
0:54.6	savings and get a real personalized answer based on your actual data and the AI weekly recap keeps
1:00.6	you ahead of anything unexpected spending spikes net worth chips upcoming expenses
1:06.1	nothing sneaks up on you get your first year of Monarch core for half off just $50 with
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1:11.8	Use code greatness at Monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch core half off at just $50.
1:17.0	That's 50% off your first year at Monarch.com with code greatness.
1:22.8	This episode of The Greatness Machine is powered by these incredible partners,
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