"I made $100M, then my mom passed 4 weeks later" 💔

In this short segment of The Diary Of A CEO, Steven Bartlett speaks with entrepreneur Alex Hormozi about a period Hormozi describes as exceptionally difficult, combining personal loss with professional and legal pressures. Hormozi says his mother saw what he characterises as a $106m business “launch” before she died four weeks later, which he describes as a “freak accident”. He tells Bartlett the contrast between a major professional milestone and immediate bereavement left him feeling “miserable” and unsure how he was “supposed to show up”.

Hormozi also describes what he calls a “tough quarter”, saying he had “nine lawsuits” open at the time, while his wife, Leila, was facing an 18-month recovery and ongoing pain ahead of surgery. He references an interview with investor Bill Ackman about enduring “rough patches” that cannot be solved quickly, and connects that to rumination, catastrophising and the difficulty of living with unresolved problems.

On grief, Hormozi argues against the idea that the depth of love should be measured by visible suffering, and says he tried to change as little of his routine as possible, continuing to work, support businesses and exercise because it helped him feel better. He says his motivation came partly from believing his mother would not have wanted him to stop, and he ends by framing continuing his path as a way of honouring her memory.

• Alex Hormozi says his mother died four weeks after seeing a $106m “launch”.
• He describes the death as a “freak accident” and says he struggled with how to keep functioning afterwards.
• Hormozi says he had “nine lawsuits” open during what he calls a “tough quarter”.
• He says his wife, Leila, was in an 18-month recovery period and facing surgery.
• He argues people should not judge love by how much someone visibly suffers after a death.
• Hormozi says he kept working and exercising, partly because it made him feel better and he believed his mother would have wanted that.