1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,740 Relates to those environments or your past rejections or resilience to being able to deal with those situations 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:14,000 Yeah, I done man. I think that I've been kicked out of leagues and things like that just cuz I'm I'm 3 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,840 I'm a different basketball player, you know, I like to talk and so 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:25,520 It's like I know where you're coming from. I know what's going on, you know, but we've got a we've got to take control here 5 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:30,480 All right, welcome in to vision pros live with Jackson Calame. I'm your show host 6 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:36,760 We'll be doing interviews for visionary entrepreneurs and guest leaders who are building fantastic visions out there 7 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:51,200 You know, what's up and welcome into vision pros live, I'm your show host Jackson Calame founder of first-class business 8 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:56,960 I'm super excited to bring on Sean Rutledge today Sean is a former professional basketball player 9 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,440 Who also has is working on his PhD from Concordia, Chicago 10 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:08,240 And has five plus years of experience working in the sports management field and he said they overcome a number of obstacles in life 11 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:13,340 And his resilience is awesome. His commitment to excellence is awesome 12 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:14,840 and so from 13 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:22,760 Overcoming different levels of rejection that he's been through to understanding how to operate systems from the Final Four's and what he did to help out 14 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:25,640 with managing a Final Four's experience to 15 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:28,280 working and running a 16 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:33,400 Sports complex of some type in Austin that hosts basketball tournaments 17 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,960 They get fairly competitive if any of you have children 18 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,600 That are in the competitive sports world, you know how difficult 19 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:46,080 Parents can be as a parent. I know how difficult I can be when it's my kid competing 20 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,160 So he has to deal with that and gets to deal with that on a regular basis 21 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:56,800 So we're gonna bring him on and talk about that experience and how it relates to entrepreneurship as well and following your vision and what his 22 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:03,880 Future visions are so without further ado Sean, welcome to vision pros live, man. Hey, it's really good to be here. I appreciate it 23 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:05,560 Yeah, absolutely 24 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,880 So another thing for you guys Sean and I got to talk for about an hour before 25 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:16,880 Not just in our pre-show. We've got a couple of conversations and I have a special interest in what he does because I love 26 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:22,240 Sports whether you love the Lakers or not, you know, I am San Antonio spurred too 27 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,840 So I know I'm gonna get in trouble for for what I just did there 28 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:30,240 But I love basketball and sports in general. I never made it to the professional level 29 00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:34,160 Walk us through that Sean like where'd you start? Where'd you go through? 30 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,560 What was that experience like and how tall are you? Oh 31 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,840 That's the hard question right there so 32 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:49,000 So, you know, I started basketball over in Cottonwood, Arizona little little podunk place out in Arizona and 33 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:56,320 It's in between Sedona and Flagstaff. So I'm out there in the mountains and everything. There's there's really nothing for the sports world 34 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,920 It's just kind of hanging out. But I played high school out there and then 35 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:04,200 While coaching actually one of the one of the recruiters from Michigan 36 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:09,600 from a D3 up in Michigan asked me if I had any point guards just on an off chance and I was like 37 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:10,400 Yeah, of course 38 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:15,600 I got one and and I kind of talked myself up a little bit and got the opportunity to go play up there for a year 39 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:22,080 And then moved on to bigger and better things. I tried out for the the D league then which is the G league now 40 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:27,680 Tried out for them for the San Antonio Spurs the Austin Tauros back when they were the Tauros and not the Spurs 41 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:35,160 and I figured out that nobody wants to take the 5-8 white guy and pay a bunch of money to go watch him play basketball 42 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:41,240 So that didn't that didn't work out but I was given the opportunity to go overseas and I got to play in Spain for 43 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,560 Four years four different seasons, I guess technically 44 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,600 for an Academy over there, so we took a bunch of 45 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:54,920 American players put them over in in Spain and we played against a bunch of pro teams over there and I was 46 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:56,760 Thankfully, I didn't have to pay to do it 47 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:58,600 A lot of the other players had to pay to get there 48 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,560 But I was paid for it because I was also a trainer at the same time 49 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,080 So I would be in charge of making all the other players get 50 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:11,080 To the spot where we needed them to be you know our offenses and defenses and how to look good in front of scouts and other 51 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:17,480 People just kind of hoping that you know, my play would would excite somebody so that they might pick me up 52 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,440 Instead of instead of all the players. They were actually there to see 53 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:22,040 That's so awesome 54 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:27,480 And I I don't know if anybody's not in the sports world. You may not know how hard that is 55 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:33,640 And and how much of a job and work that is to compete in really one of the most sought-after jobs 56 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,920 That exists where there's so few people who get in bill russell, right was a player coach 57 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,920 He coached while he played modern society may not remember anything about that 58 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:49,320 But to not only play the game and exhaust yourself on that but they'd be there emotionally for the team and also emotionally demanding 59 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,920 On that team. That's that's a lot of uphill battles. And if you know anything about basketball players five eight 60 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,280 or you know five eight is here and 61 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:04,360 You know most basketball players, you know are much much much taller. So to be able to compete 62 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:11,320 Competitively and at a professional level against people while they've got arms that are taller than you and longer than you they've got 63 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:16,920 You know ability to jump usually higher to that alone is quite the feat 64 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:23,080 So, um, you know, where did you get your drive from and how can people that want to develop more of a drive? 65 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:27,080 And determination diligence resilience all that what can they do in general? 66 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,720 Yeah, you know, I think mine really started from being 67 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:37,880 Little my whole life. Um, I I think that just people constantly telling me 68 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:42,200 You're never gonna make I picked up a basketball and I was four years old and just never put it down 69 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,160 I I didn't care what it was. I was just trying to be a better player 70 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:49,400 I didn't care what it was. I was playing against six and seven year olds when I was 71 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,840 Five I was I was just boys and girls clubs playing 72 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:58,120 I was playing in leagues outdoor leagues indoor leagues playing at 12 years old against grown men 73 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:00,840 You know stuff like that and and it turned into just 74 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:09,000 Failing over and over and over and and that's kind of what created the monster that is today where I am not scared of failing 75 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:13,160 I'm I actually embrace it and say hey, this is a great opportunity to continue to get better 76 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:17,320 This is a great opportunity to figure out who you are because it's you know 77 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,920 It's not how many times you get knocked up but knocked down 78 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,600 But it's how many times you get back up and what that looks like getting back up 79 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:29,960 Some people get back up and say well the world is against me or they say that you know, it's just not my day 80 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:31,080 It's just not my time 81 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:36,680 But there's also other people out there that create their day that create their time because i'm tired of waiting and i'm tired of 82 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:38,280 You know getting knocked down 83 00:06:38,280 --> 00:06:43,400 So I think sports is a great way to do that and that's what's really pushed me into 84 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,880 This uh this field these these jobs that I continue to do. I want to change 85 00:06:48,500 --> 00:06:56,120 everybody's uh, everybody's life in in the best way that I can for growing up and creating their own space to succeed 86 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,640 That's awesome. So resilience rejection, uh, these virtues we're talking about 87 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,640 Beyond that this uh audience of entrepreneurs people are looking to 88 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:09,800 Also express find their own visions my question for you 89 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,400 Who should be listening to you about this? Why should they listen to you? 90 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:15,880 And what are they going to get out today's show? Do you think? 91 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:22,040 You know, I I think that and and I saw this is weird because right after we had talked the first time a couple weeks back 92 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:28,840 I had saw on linkedin of all places someone was holding up a sign and their whole their whole argument was that 93 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:34,600 A lot of entrepreneurs or any business relation, um the leadership hires 94 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,080 resumes right and and I understand they get 95 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:44,360 Many many resumes for every job opening but instead of hiring resumes. Sometimes you really got to look at the attitude the personality 96 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,360 Um who those people are even though you're just looking at a piece of paper 97 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:54,600 I think the biggest thing that your audience can get out today is is just that is that there's sometimes there are people 98 00:07:54,920 --> 00:08:00,200 That aren't as qualified maybe but have a better story behind them 99 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:05,400 They have those personalities and those attitudes that they just continue to to go no matter what 100 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,320 I love that. So, uh, what I would take away from that is 101 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:15,160 If you're if you understand that the virtues are what drive the progress, right? 102 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,000 If that's what you understand then 103 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:21,240 Sean somebody you can learn from um on this and he's he's basing 104 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,640 His career his future off of principles of wisdom 105 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,840 That will move him forward not just a title 106 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:33,560 Um, you know or having been in a particular position. So well said man. Um with that said 107 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,280 What's your vision? Sean? 108 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:42,040 I my biggest thing that I want to do is create for someone else that might be 109 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:50,120 Undersized underdeveloped under something right somebody who's looked past someone else and and that person feels like you know 110 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:54,200 What it isn't it isn't my day. It isn't my time. This isn't my life. This isn't my year 111 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:55,640 This isn't what I want to do 112 00:08:55,640 --> 00:09:02,600 I want to be some kind of success story and continue to grow and and be as passionate about sports as I am and just continue to 113 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:08,680 To create my space so that someday someone else can look at me and say that guy really made it 114 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,320 Doing absolutely nothing but gritting his teeth and just continuing to go 115 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:19,720 Awesome and uh, so normally I would ask what's your vision for your clients? 116 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:25,080 Um, but and we're going to change the question a little bit. What's your vision for those that you serve? 117 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,520 I think it's it's it's 118 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:29,560 Leading by example 119 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:35,240 I think it's the biggest thing that I can do for the the players that watch me when I train them 120 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:41,480 The the players that I coach sometimes um, I kind of stepped away from the coaching role and move more into the management role 121 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:47,240 And the and then leadership role but uh, but whenever I I can get in front of kids and I can get in front of them 122 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:51,080 And say hey look, this was my story. This is what i've done. This is this is where i've gone 123 00:09:51,560 --> 00:09:53,640 You can do this too. It's it's real 124 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:59,400 It's tough to to look at someone who's say six eight or seven foot or something like that 125 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,960 And he goes, you know, it took a lot of work to get to where i'm going 126 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:06,760 But realistically you're seven foot tall. You were probably going to play a professional sport somewhere 127 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:13,240 Right, but it but it's a lot easier and and and I can adapt and talk to these kids a lot more on a level 128 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,400 You know on on a better basis of hey, I am this guy 129 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,440 I'm your average human being who is average size 130 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:24,680 I may be a little more muscular than you are right now, but this is how you get the muscle 131 00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:26,040 This is how you get that skill 132 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:30,360 this is what that hard work looks like and those sorts of things I can level with those kids and 133 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:31,880 and 134 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:36,360 A great stat is roughly 10 of athletes will make it to college 135 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:41,560 So you're talking about high school athletes roughly 10 will make it to college and then roughly out of that 136 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:44,120 The top 1% will play pro anything, right? 137 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:49,800 So the things that you're teaching these kids don't necessarily have to do with the sport that they're playing right now 138 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,960 I can teach you how to get there. This is what that looks like. Are you willing to put in this work? 139 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:55,960 Well, if you're not willing to put in that work 140 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:02,040 Then this is what it looks like to just be a successful human being and and I think that's my biggest vision is to show these people 141 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:03,320 what to do 142 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:04,280 after 143 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:09,560 After sports are done with after you get to be in a men's league instead or you know 144 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:14,760 Ymca leagues or stuff like that where you don't necessarily your your sport is not your career anymore 145 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,640 How to just be a successful human being? 146 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:22,840 I love that. Okay, so a vision came to mind. I was like man 147 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:28,600 You would probably have one of the most viewed because you're dynamic and you know how to talk about what you're talking about 148 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,680 If you and victor went by nyamma did a combined ted talk 149 00:11:32,680 --> 00:11:36,760 It would probably be the most viewed tech talk of all time. Would you be up for it? 150 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,280 It would definitely be funny. Of course i'd be up for it, but that would be the funniest thing 151 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,800 Because you know, I don't know victor's seven six, right? 152 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:49,400 So he's two feet taller than you um, and you guys could talk about diversity and resilience or different angles 153 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:54,680 That would be so cool from from what i've heard though victor is one of those kids that didn't take anything from anybody 154 00:11:54,680 --> 00:11:59,000 He's super skinny and everybody told him he wasn't going to do a whole lot because he was so little 155 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:05,160 And man, i've uh, i've read a whole lot about this kid and i'm not saying that he's going to be the greatest 156 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,360 Thing or not the greatest thing in the world. That's that's completely up to him 157 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:15,240 But every day I think that his his role and what he's done in everybody who's maybe not doubted him 158 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,440 I mean your seven six probably not getting doubted very much 159 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:26,200 But the people that have talked down to him. I definitely think uh, he's he's about to show some people and make some people very sad 160 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:30,680 Right. Yeah, I think that's I mean we live in a world where it's just so 161 00:12:30,680 --> 00:12:37,480 It's so much easier to doubt than to believe. Um, right and it's so much easier to take that route of 162 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:42,760 Looking at things from a negative perspective, but um, you know, it's there's almost no victory 163 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:48,040 Um and and doing that I can't see one anyway on my side. So yeah, but I just showed that 164 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,840 So yeah, if you're not knowing who we're talking about, uh dive in look 165 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,640 I mean feel free to put victor on my yama something in the comments 166 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:58,600 Maybe a link to his profile and perhaps even a picture of him on his profile 167 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:03,720 You know of of a height difference between victor and somebody else in the nba or a normal person 168 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:09,960 Uh fun stuff to see so all right. Sean. Um, let's talk about powerful lessons. Um 169 00:13:11,560 --> 00:13:16,120 What's a powerful lesson, uh, the other visionaries can learn from your experience 170 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:21,240 I think this was actually this is probably my favorite story and I will always tell this story. Um 171 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:27,160 So I went into my senior year of high school tryouts and I got a lot of questions 172 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:31,320 So I went into my senior year of high school tryouts and I got to do the michael jordan effect 173 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,120 Um, it didn't feel so good then but it feels great now, right? 174 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:39,640 I went in my senior year and I was super cocky and thought I was all that and all these sorts of things 175 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,120 It's my senior year. This is gonna be my year and whatnot 176 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:46,920 And I ended up getting in a fistfight with a guy at half court and got kicked out the team coach told me 177 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:52,680 We just would rather have a two-year team. I don't think you're gonna mesh with the the juniors that are here. You're not playing 178 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:58,760 That hurt me more than probably anything on the planet being a guy. Like I said, who played his whole life, you know 179 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:03,720 Yeah, I didn't know what to do at that point. You know, I was a I was a senior 180 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,800 I hadn't got a ton of play varsity ball anyway 181 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,720 Um me and my head coach just kind of butted heads for a few years 182 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:15,400 We didn't necessarily see eye to eye. I was playing more in 183 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:22,200 In men's leagues than I was in school ball. I I I took that road way less traveled, right? 184 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:24,520 and uh, and so 185 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:30,840 From that from that I got just I learned so much from everybody. I was in contact with 186 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,440 So I might have been a 17 year old kid or an 18 year old kid 187 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:39,160 But I think the lesson was just like the community that you're around 188 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:44,200 Creates so much for you in the way that I was around at 17 years old. I was around doctors 189 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:48,280 I was around lawyers. I was around, you know, all those guys that continue to play sports after 190 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,880 After high school, right? So I was around super successful people and all those people would look 191 00:14:54,600 --> 00:15:00,280 Almost like I was a little brother to them. So creating a community and and putting in 192 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,280 You know, I put in so much for them as far as basketball goes 193 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:10,680 I was up and down the floor a lot scoring a lot of points for them, you know being their little spark plug and in return 194 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,960 They taught me almost every life lesson I carry today 195 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:20,440 It was it was them teaching me how to be humble how to be loyal to my teammates how to stick up for people how to pick 196 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:24,760 Somebody up off the floor how to make the right pass opposed to shooting every single shot 197 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:31,000 This guy might get mad if you don't get them enough shots or or you know stuff like that and it's all it's all sports related 198 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:35,800 but once you take it out of the sport and and put it into your real life and and then you could kind of 199 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:41,160 In a leadership role that we're in now and and most of your the people watching are are entrepreneurs 200 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:43,160 So they're in the higher-ups anyway, right? 201 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:51,000 Of a business just looking at things from someone else's point of view and being able to put yourself in their shoes instead of stepping 202 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,920 On their shoes and saying your shoes aren't good enough for me because I'm this high up 203 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:59,320 Being able to put yourself in those shoes just by having that community and gaining each other 204 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,840 respect and and that it's such a powerful thing 205 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,440 I love that coach read maltby was on a couple weeks ago 206 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:10,680 Um, and he talked about uh, I don't remember the term he used but getting out of your silo 207 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:16,200 Um, you know and getting out of you know going and talking to people who don't think the same way as you 208 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:19,320 You know and are on different levels and how important that is 209 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:21,960 And so here you were in high school 210 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:27,720 And gary vinterchuk. I love that. He talks about this talks about how the you know, this is an old concept 211 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,760 But the five people are what you surround yourself with 212 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:35,960 Um, you know like they're going to have a tremendous impact on you and your life and where you're going 213 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,760 So you could have been stuck in that high school environment 214 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:41,400 Where you're being influenced by? 215 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:46,600 I don't know kids that weren't necessarily doing as as well in life 216 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:51,400 It didn't have that trajectory a coach who didn't sound like he really had your best interest in mind either 217 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:57,160 Um, didn't know how to nurture you didn't know how to mentor you now you end up in a in a league of men 218 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:02,760 Where they've got some wisdom behind them and they probably wanted to see you go on and and become your best self 219 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,200 It'd be really helpful to get uh to get wisdom 220 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:10,760 And and make friends with those who are older even though it might look weird like oh well 221 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,000 Why is the 25 year old a bunch of 35 year old friends? 222 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,840 You know like because the 25 year old wants wants to get ahead of life 223 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:23,640 And make sure he has better outcomes. So well said there's uh, there's a so there's a method that I picked up from I did a 224 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:29,640 Certificate with sports management worldwide and I did their basketball gym and scouting certificate 225 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,840 One of the biggest things I picked up from them was the five five five method 226 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:34,840 So then we're talking about businesses at this point 227 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,640 So for them, it's just a sports team right but the five five five method 228 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:42,600 Was that you always wanted to have a third of your people your team roster is 15 in basketball. Sorry 229 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:49,000 But so your your five your first five will be your guys that were like me in this scenario 230 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:53,880 The guys that were up and coming the rookies their sophomores their guys that are trying to make it in the league 231 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:57,240 They're trying to make themselves feel like they need to be needed, right? 232 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,960 They need to be wanted they need to realize that they belong there 233 00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:05,000 And you have your five players that are playing for their contracts and those are those guys that are mid-level 234 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:11,000 They're they're good enough to be maybe a six man or a starter now or you know, just a little bit of a 235 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:17,240 Starter now or you know, just trying to get into the all-star game something like that something where they're they're chasing their money, right? 236 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:18,760 I have a motivation 237 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:23,480 Right, and then you have your five people that are chasing championships and those five people are your vets 238 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:29,560 Those guys that are teaching you what it looks like to win what it looks like. What do we have to do to get over the hump? 239 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,240 What do we have to do to win an NBA championship? 240 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:35,720 What do we have to do to win seven games or to win four games in a seven game series those sorts of things, right? 241 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,200 and so I think if you take 242 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:44,760 If you take that out of basketball and you put it into a real community and you think about who you're surrounding yourself with and 243 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:48,680 And who you're taking advice from you always got to have that real fiery guy 244 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,200 You got to have that guy who's just ready to go all the time, right? 245 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:57,480 And then you've always got to have that that guy who's been there for a little while that guy who knows the ins and outs and 246 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,120 And he's kind of weaving his way in and out of his career 247 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:06,360 And then you have your vets and I think that was one of the biggest things I picked up and I use that to this day 248 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:09,880 when I talk about my coaching staffs or I talk about my trainers and 249 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,000 It will put together basketball camps or we'll put together 250 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:17,880 Basketball training stuff will put together even tournaments. I try to do that same sort of method 251 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:20,600 That's awesome 252 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,120 Huge if you're not taking notes, I highly recommend taking notes 253 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:32,600 Rewinding a little bit hearing what Sean laid out there as an opportunity the sports world is one of the highest income producing 254 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,560 industries that exist 255 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:39,480 And so if you even if you look at sports outside of the scope of oh, yeah 256 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:43,080 These these people play with the ball if you start looking at it from a business standpoint 257 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:48,120 They're also one of the most transparent business models that exist you get to see their win-loss records 258 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,840 You get to see what contracts they sign and don't sign you get to see what players they reject 259 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,320 You get to see what they say in postgame interviews 260 00:19:55,320 --> 00:20:00,440 You get to see how they're preparing and what they're up to you get to see how they lead each other talk to each other 261 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:05,160 You know, yeah, Pavarazzi's following them around showing you how they live. There's so much you can learn 262 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:08,360 From diving into the sports world and modeling 263 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,360 What you see and saying how does this apply to my business? 264 00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:15,480 What I was what I'm doing with growth and it's one of the reasons why 265 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,840 I'm just grateful that I'm I'm so in love with the game 266 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:24,920 You know and what I can learn from the game and the operations the teams behind it switching gears almost completely 267 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:27,800 First off. Thank you for your service 268 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:32,360 Absolutely second. Do you want to tell us a little bit about your service experience? 269 00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:37,000 And some of the lessons you learned in the service to your country. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely 270 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,320 So I was an 11 charlie, which means I was a mortar man. I was an airborne guy 271 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,520 So I jumped out airplanes and helicopters and all that sort of thing while I was at it 272 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:47,080 I thought I was super indestructible there for a while and 273 00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:53,400 This was after all of my basketball stuff. So I didn't go in till I was 25, right? 274 00:20:51,820 --> 00:20:57,980 Going so my mother was in for 23 years and my father was in for eight 275 00:20:57,980 --> 00:21:01,980 So it was one of those things like I did everything I could not to go into the military 276 00:21:02,700 --> 00:21:07,740 Then when I had nothing left and I was like, all right, I'm kind of winding down from basketball stuff 277 00:21:07,740 --> 00:21:11,820 I'm not getting what I think I'm gonna get out of this or what I thought I was gonna get when I originally started 278 00:21:12,140 --> 00:21:15,660 What's next and I just I fit right? I've I've got a lot of stuff that I've got to do 279 00:21:15,660 --> 00:21:17,660 I've got a lot of stuff that I've got to do 280 00:21:17,660 --> 00:21:24,220 I've got a lot of stuff that I've got to do and I just I fit when I originally started what's next and I just I fit 281 00:21:24,220 --> 00:21:29,100 right, I've been around my whole life and I fit right into it went into the military and 282 00:21:30,620 --> 00:21:32,620 I competed for 283 00:21:33,020 --> 00:21:38,620 Special forces contracts in basic and things like that. I mean I was I was one of the top level people there 284 00:21:38,620 --> 00:21:40,620 and that was all great and dandy but 285 00:21:41,660 --> 00:21:43,580 I think from them 286 00:21:43,580 --> 00:21:49,340 I went to my unit and and I think the biggest thing that that I picked up out of that and then I learned out of that 287 00:21:49,340 --> 00:21:51,340 Was that these guys? 288 00:21:52,380 --> 00:21:57,100 I think when we're talking about circles, these guys are some of the best in the world at that right they realize 289 00:21:57,820 --> 00:21:59,100 Once you go down range 290 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:04,060 Nobody's gonna look out for you except for the three people around you the four people around you right squad size 291 00:22:04,540 --> 00:22:06,540 The guys that are standing right next to you 292 00:22:07,260 --> 00:22:09,820 Those guys are really the only ones that came out of that 293 00:22:09,820 --> 00:22:13,740 Next to you. Those guys are really the only ones that care 294 00:22:14,620 --> 00:22:19,740 And that's why I've never used well, I can't say never since i've been out of the army 295 00:22:19,900 --> 00:22:25,580 I don't use social media. I don't and I and I understand this kind of this hurts some people as far as 296 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,340 Networking and whatnot, but for the most part you don't use social media 297 00:22:29,340 --> 00:22:35,020 So you don't have that negativity you don't necessarily deal with all the headlines and all that sort of thing, you know, you you 298 00:22:35,020 --> 00:22:39,820 Really embrace that circle that you have around you and it makes you 299 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:46,540 Indestructible is the best thing I can come up with it really does it you bring the right people around you 300 00:22:46,780 --> 00:22:51,180 You find the right friends and and they just you know skyrocket you I i'm at 301 00:22:51,980 --> 00:22:56,380 Her name's Sharon. She just opened up a place called field experience 302 00:22:56,860 --> 00:22:59,180 And she's the one that got me the final four 303 00:22:59,900 --> 00:23:03,340 Opportunity, I got an internship for the men's final four this year 304 00:23:03,340 --> 00:23:09,740 um, it's awesome down in down in houston and she just she's been part of my inner circle now where she's 305 00:23:10,380 --> 00:23:11,420 always 306 00:23:11,420 --> 00:23:16,460 Pushing and shoving and trying to make me meet new people and and teaching me different things about you know 307 00:23:16,460 --> 00:23:22,220 She was uh, she's been to I think she told 27 super bowls or something like that. Just doing the same thing. She's 308 00:23:22,780 --> 00:23:24,300 Sports event management world, right? 309 00:23:24,300 --> 00:23:27,260 And so when you get those sorts of people around you 310 00:23:27,500 --> 00:23:31,820 Much like I did when I was in high school people that were older than me people that were further along than me 311 00:23:31,820 --> 00:23:38,220 I'm still stuck in that rookie sophomore stage of this whole event management part where I have these veterans that are just 312 00:23:38,540 --> 00:23:42,540 Overly telling me all the time. Hey, this is what you got to do. This is who you got to meet 313 00:23:42,540 --> 00:23:44,540 These are the people that you have to impress 314 00:23:44,940 --> 00:23:50,860 You've got to be on your feet for 16 hours and the military helps with all of that tremendously, right? You're yeah 315 00:23:51,500 --> 00:23:56,300 Doing stuff all the time and there is no quit. There's no stop. There's no pause button 316 00:23:56,300 --> 00:23:59,180 It's my weekend off like that doesn't happen in the military 317 00:23:59,180 --> 00:24:03,180 So whenever you when you get out the whole world is really easy 318 00:24:03,740 --> 00:24:09,260 There's there's not much to it. You're not getting shot at anymore. You're not getting nothing blown up. You're not none of that 319 00:24:09,260 --> 00:24:15,340 So it's it's easy. You don't have to jump out airplanes no more. Although I would still wish I could do that, but um, yeah, you know 320 00:24:15,980 --> 00:24:21,980 Some of those things there's there's wishes and hopes that I could go blow stuff up and but it's that sir 321 00:24:21,980 --> 00:24:24,140 It's still that circular motion constantly 322 00:24:24,140 --> 00:24:29,500 It's it's all about who you put next to you and how they can affect you and how you can affect them 323 00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:35,020 Don't don't get me wrong. This isn't all a singular motion thing where you just have to get people around you who think you're going to 324 00:24:35,020 --> 00:24:36,540 Be the greatest thing of all time 325 00:24:36,540 --> 00:24:43,180 You know, you've got to help other people the exact same way and and that means you must get better every single day every single day 326 00:24:43,180 --> 00:24:48,300 You must be better than you were yesterday so that you can affect the four or five people that are around you 327 00:24:49,100 --> 00:24:52,700 So that they can get better every day so then they can in turn get you better 328 00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:54,940 Every day and and that's just how it works 329 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:57,820 That's a virtuous cycle 330 00:24:57,820 --> 00:25:06,060 At play and and taking it to new levels by having a couple of of comrades a couple of friends a couple of accountability partners 331 00:25:06,620 --> 00:25:08,620 Who were there to help make sure that? 332 00:25:09,260 --> 00:25:14,940 What do they say iron sharpens iron iron? So I don't know why I couldn't say that iron sharpens iron 333 00:25:14,940 --> 00:25:16,940 It's not a time twister Jackson 334 00:25:17,500 --> 00:25:19,500 All right, so 335 00:25:19,500 --> 00:25:23,260 All right, cool. So we went through some of that experience that you had 336 00:25:23,820 --> 00:25:27,100 You also had something else you had to back you had to bounce back from 337 00:25:27,580 --> 00:25:32,060 While you're in the military, you know what happened if you don't do you want to talk about that or do you want to skip to another? 338 00:25:32,060 --> 00:25:37,420 There's plenty of opportunities plenty of wisdom to draw from you. So go ahead man. Let's hear what happened in the military 339 00:25:37,980 --> 00:25:39,980 So I was on a jump 340 00:25:39,980 --> 00:25:41,980 I was on a jump in 341 00:25:42,540 --> 00:25:45,580 2017 18 18 and I 342 00:25:45,580 --> 00:25:52,540 I had a mortar strap to my side. We were just doing a field exercise out in North Carolina and 343 00:25:53,020 --> 00:25:57,900 I jumped off and pulled a pulled my string to try to make my mortar hit the ground before I did it 344 00:25:57,980 --> 00:26:02,220 Normally hits the ground about two to three hundred feet before you do so that you don't get hurt or anything 345 00:26:02,220 --> 00:26:05,660 It never came off and um, and so when I hit the ground it hit the ground 346 00:26:05,660 --> 00:26:09,820 It came up and hit me in the shoulder pocket and just bent me completely backwards 347 00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:15,180 And now i've got some metal in my spine and i've got some pretty bad nerve damage down my left side 348 00:26:15,180 --> 00:26:19,980 But uh, I was in I was in a wheelchair for two years almost two and a half years 349 00:26:20,540 --> 00:26:24,780 uh where my left leg wouldn't move at all, it was just kind of locked at the knee and 350 00:26:25,580 --> 00:26:27,500 i've 351 00:26:27,500 --> 00:26:31,180 I got here after I got out so I got here is boston, right? 352 00:26:31,180 --> 00:26:34,540 I got to texas and was like well, we've got two options here 353 00:26:34,540 --> 00:26:39,260 I can either figure out how to live with family for the rest of my life and be dependent on someone else or be 354 00:26:39,900 --> 00:26:44,300 I can figure out how to do something about this and uh, I went to the gym and 355 00:26:44,300 --> 00:26:45,500 I 356 00:26:45,500 --> 00:26:49,100 There's a there's a gym down in down in hutto, texas that was 357 00:26:49,580 --> 00:26:52,140 Really small and they gave me a 24-hour pass 358 00:26:52,140 --> 00:26:55,580 I don't I was the only person that had it but like I had a little key tag to get in 359 00:26:55,580 --> 00:26:59,740 And so I would go at like one o'clock in the morning two o'clock in the morning because I was super 360 00:27:00,140 --> 00:27:04,780 You know, uh, I didn't feel good about working out in front of people and they just let me go in and they would 361 00:27:05,260 --> 00:27:08,700 Um, I passed out from the pain a lot a lot of times 362 00:27:08,700 --> 00:27:12,220 I had to come in and wake me up and I was just like stuck underneath weight or something 363 00:27:12,220 --> 00:27:18,380 I was just stuck for the middle of the night because I had passed out with pain hurt so bad trying to get back 364 00:27:18,540 --> 00:27:22,780 But but i'm here now, you know, i'm in a men's league now and I can play basketball again 365 00:27:22,860 --> 00:27:26,460 Maybe not anywhere near the level I could but I you know 366 00:27:27,180 --> 00:27:30,140 Couple years out of it and and we're we're okay now 367 00:27:31,340 --> 00:27:33,420 Dude, that's huge. I feel 368 00:27:34,140 --> 00:27:39,740 I feel like I should allow this to inspire myself so much because out of back surgery 369 00:27:39,740 --> 00:27:41,740 um, and i've i've been 370 00:27:42,540 --> 00:27:43,820 playing 371 00:27:43,820 --> 00:27:48,220 Not like a coward but so small in relation to what you just talked about 372 00:27:48,380 --> 00:27:52,060 Um, you know and part of it's the fear that is this pain setting me back further 373 00:27:52,700 --> 00:27:57,020 Right part of it's like is this pain a good thing that's contributing or is this pain something? 374 00:27:57,420 --> 00:28:03,260 That is destroying me. Um, and am I going to die because of this right? That's the exaggeration side of fear taking over 375 00:28:03,820 --> 00:28:07,660 Um, how did you overcome that as you went through that process? 376 00:28:07,660 --> 00:28:13,980 So I had the same exact idea that you just said right I thought well there's metal in my spine 377 00:28:14,620 --> 00:28:19,660 Does that mean if I lift too much weight or if I move the wrong way i'm going to bend the metal and hurt myself worse 378 00:28:19,660 --> 00:28:20,700 Right? 379 00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:26,780 So I did research so I figured it out. I I did the research and said how how strong is this metal? 380 00:28:26,780 --> 00:28:30,700 How does this metal work? Is there this is there that whatever it was whatever? 381 00:28:31,500 --> 00:28:37,100 Whatever I had fear of I just started trying to find information if there wasn't any information I created 382 00:28:37,100 --> 00:28:39,900 I created it. I created it through myself and said you know what? 383 00:28:40,460 --> 00:28:44,940 You know, we're gonna die like this and I think that scared me more than anything 384 00:28:45,020 --> 00:28:47,820 Like i'm going to die in a chair with someone pushing me around 385 00:28:48,620 --> 00:28:52,780 I'm not doing this. I don't I don't care. I don't care what it takes if I die 386 00:28:53,340 --> 00:28:55,340 On this path to getting back 387 00:28:55,980 --> 00:28:58,700 It's probably better than me sitting like a vegetable in a chair 388 00:28:59,340 --> 00:29:01,500 That I mean that and that's that's what comes down to it 389 00:29:02,300 --> 00:29:05,100 It really does. Um, you know and and that's what's 390 00:29:05,100 --> 00:29:09,820 Uh, it's it can be hard too because you have social you have social pressures to protect yourself 391 00:29:10,060 --> 00:29:15,420 Um, right or to protect you right? Uh, it could be a sibling or friend. That's like no don't do that. Sean 392 00:29:15,740 --> 00:29:18,460 Um, you know, no jackson like you're gonna hurt yourself further 393 00:29:18,780 --> 00:29:21,500 Um, you know people want to put us in a box and keep us safe 394 00:29:21,820 --> 00:29:25,660 Um, and we can allow ourselves to get into that box if we listen to that. Go ahead. Sean. What's up? 395 00:29:25,740 --> 00:29:29,820 We got said but but that's but that's certain people's circles, right? I 396 00:29:29,820 --> 00:29:35,420 I brought my circle around whenever I was working out and my circle consisted of people 397 00:29:35,980 --> 00:29:37,900 that were also 398 00:29:37,900 --> 00:29:44,380 For for example, uh, there was a e6 in my inner circle at that time that had one leg 399 00:29:44,860 --> 00:29:46,860 He got blown up in iraq 400 00:29:47,020 --> 00:29:53,500 Um, there was another guy in my circle that was 100 disabled and he had some bad mental triggers some really bad mental triggers 401 00:29:53,900 --> 00:29:57,260 And so every time I looked at my circle, I was like, I got it easy, man 402 00:29:57,260 --> 00:30:00,700 I got I got both legs and both arms. They may not work yet 403 00:30:01,340 --> 00:30:02,540 but 404 00:30:02,540 --> 00:30:05,980 I have them which means I have the ability to try to make them work 405 00:30:06,700 --> 00:30:08,700 These guys don't have that 406 00:30:08,700 --> 00:30:14,620 and so that and that's like that's the way it goes though, that's the evolution of your circle and so I 407 00:30:15,340 --> 00:30:16,700 We might be a little bit off topic here 408 00:30:16,700 --> 00:30:21,180 But i'm just to try to try to get back to the community to some to some extent that's 409 00:30:21,740 --> 00:30:23,340 There's people in your life 410 00:30:23,340 --> 00:30:25,340 That will do great things for you 411 00:30:25,340 --> 00:30:29,900 And you have to know who they are and what they should be doing for you, right? 412 00:30:29,900 --> 00:30:33,580 And what you can do for them. So yeah, those two guys that I just talked about 413 00:30:34,140 --> 00:30:38,860 We haven't talked in years, but that's what we were there for each other for that certain amount of time 414 00:30:38,860 --> 00:30:41,020 We were there for each other and I helped them through things 415 00:30:41,020 --> 00:30:44,860 They helped me through things and then once we got through those things together 416 00:30:45,180 --> 00:30:48,220 We're like, okay now this is your new circle. This is my new circle 417 00:30:48,220 --> 00:30:52,460 This is what we need to do over and over and over and that's the evolution of being 418 00:30:52,460 --> 00:30:56,140 A person right being successful. It is about being successful. There you go 419 00:30:56,780 --> 00:31:01,180 Because success doesn't come without that possibility and ability to pivot 420 00:31:01,820 --> 00:31:07,980 It's very rare. And now there's certain people in your there's certain circles. You may not want to replace in life 421 00:31:07,980 --> 00:31:13,580 You know, you may want to make sure are permanent. You know a nuclear family for instance being one that 422 00:31:14,220 --> 00:31:16,220 You know, I wish mine had been permanent 423 00:31:16,220 --> 00:31:20,620 You know both times when I tried to create that I wanted that you know 424 00:31:20,620 --> 00:31:24,780 And so if you have that, you know, we're not Sean's not saying go away 425 00:31:24,780 --> 00:31:30,540 You know go find a new circle quick. But you have different circles for different purposes 426 00:31:31,260 --> 00:31:34,300 Right a different influence of five perhaps for your spiritual life 427 00:31:35,260 --> 00:31:40,860 Than a different circle of five for your health life and physical education life, you know, whatever you want to call that 428 00:31:41,660 --> 00:31:44,780 So yeah, dude way to way to throw down on that and 429 00:31:45,580 --> 00:31:49,100 Yeah, I need to I need to make sure that I'm not making any comments 430 00:31:49,100 --> 00:31:55,100 I need to make sure that I'm not making an excuse finding a circle for my health as well because we're also better business owners 431 00:31:55,100 --> 00:32:02,620 You know when we're taking care of ourselves, you know and have that that full confidence of i'm doing all the things right for my health 432 00:32:03,180 --> 00:32:05,180 temporal spiritual mental 433 00:32:05,740 --> 00:32:11,260 Physical so yeah, appreciate that if you're not if you're not finding value in that then this is the wrong podcast for you 434 00:32:12,460 --> 00:32:14,460 But i'm sure you are so sean 435 00:32:14,460 --> 00:32:18,700 You know, why do you care? Um, why do you care about others? I? 436 00:32:19,820 --> 00:32:20,940 my 437 00:32:20,940 --> 00:32:22,940 Because nobody cared about me 438 00:32:22,940 --> 00:32:28,620 And that that sounds like oh woe is me. I get it everybody says that whenever they're down and out, right? 439 00:32:28,700 --> 00:32:30,940 I hear it a lot. Nobody cares about me 440 00:32:31,580 --> 00:32:33,500 the difference was 441 00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:35,740 I decided to go do something about it 442 00:32:35,820 --> 00:32:41,260 Therefore want to make it easier for anyone and everyone after me that is anywhere near what I did 443 00:32:41,260 --> 00:32:44,700 And and there's a million people out there that'll say you don't understand me 444 00:32:44,700 --> 00:32:49,100 You don't get where i'm coming from but the realism of it is is there's billions of people on this planet 445 00:32:49,100 --> 00:32:53,500 I can promise you if you throw a rock you're going to find 12 people that know what you're going through 446 00:32:54,140 --> 00:32:57,420 It may not be exact, but there are definitely people that are out there 447 00:32:57,420 --> 00:33:01,260 And and and that's what makes me care so bad is that I can find people like me 448 00:33:01,260 --> 00:33:04,780 And it may not be specific and it may not be perfect just like me 449 00:33:04,780 --> 00:33:07,820 But I can find people that are going through rough stages 450 00:33:07,820 --> 00:33:11,580 where people are maybe doubting them or people are 451 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:18,380 Experiencing some kind of hey, man. I don't know where to go from here and then I can I can 452 00:33:19,180 --> 00:33:23,100 Help them in whatever way possible whether that be, you know on on that 453 00:33:24,060 --> 00:33:25,900 Coach level of hey just get up 454 00:33:25,900 --> 00:33:30,300 We got to go do this or whether that be on a on a more tender level of of you know 455 00:33:30,460 --> 00:33:34,940 Let's talk about why this is not working for you so you can find out your solution 456 00:33:34,940 --> 00:33:37,980 And nice. I want to dive in with a little bit of context on that. So 457 00:33:38,540 --> 00:33:41,580 Um when you said nobody cared about you, um, do you 458 00:33:42,540 --> 00:33:48,460 What what about parents? Um, you know, you have good parents, uh parents that were aloof or um, yeah 459 00:33:48,540 --> 00:33:52,380 I I wouldn't I wouldn't say that my parents are 460 00:33:52,860 --> 00:33:55,900 Horrible people or they didn't care about me anything like that 461 00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:59,260 My mother was a single mother trying to do the best she could to 462 00:33:59,820 --> 00:34:03,900 Make a great living for it. She was in you know, the military for 23 years 463 00:34:03,900 --> 00:34:07,980 And she was national guard for most of my all of my life 464 00:34:08,380 --> 00:34:13,020 Well, she's not now but for most of my like my growing up. She was 465 00:34:13,740 --> 00:34:16,540 She went to desert storms. She went to the iraqi war 466 00:34:16,540 --> 00:34:21,260 I mean there was plenty of times where she was in and out of my life and then made me more independent 467 00:34:21,340 --> 00:34:23,580 It was a great thing. It was a great thing for me, right? 468 00:34:23,660 --> 00:34:27,740 But it didn't allow her the opportunity to be in everything that I do 469 00:34:27,900 --> 00:34:31,100 She couldn't be what we had called a helicopter parent, right? 470 00:34:31,100 --> 00:34:37,100 She had to allow me my own space and time to do my own thing because she couldn't she she couldn't be there. So 471 00:34:37,660 --> 00:34:40,700 Um, it may be that it's probably looked down upon nowadays 472 00:34:40,780 --> 00:34:47,020 But back then eight nine years old I was staying at home by myself and that was kind of the way it was, you know 473 00:34:47,500 --> 00:34:53,900 Um, and she was uh, she worked for a company called nature aid and she was selling uh colostrum 474 00:34:54,620 --> 00:34:57,900 So she was off at shows and off doing all different things 475 00:34:57,900 --> 00:35:02,140 So she was she was very busy made a great life for us. She made great money 476 00:35:02,460 --> 00:35:05,820 We always had a house. We always had food. It wasn't like I was in a in a bad place 477 00:35:05,820 --> 00:35:07,820 But she was just not there 478 00:35:08,060 --> 00:35:11,180 And she doesn't know anything. She didn't know anything about sports. So that didn't help 479 00:35:11,500 --> 00:35:14,780 You know, it was it was I felt I felt alone all the time 480 00:35:15,180 --> 00:35:21,740 And my father wanted me to play baseball because he played in the minor leagues and and that was all he cared about and then 481 00:35:22,380 --> 00:35:27,020 Again, not not to say that my dad is bad whatsoever. He was he's a great father at what he did 482 00:35:27,020 --> 00:35:30,700 But he wanted me to do something specific and I wasn't willing to do that 483 00:35:30,700 --> 00:35:33,820 So he continually told me I was never gonna make it in the basketball world. I was too little 484 00:35:34,300 --> 00:35:37,180 It's too small. I was too this I was too that and so again 485 00:35:38,220 --> 00:35:41,420 Yeah, it put it put me on an island where I felt like I was alone 486 00:35:41,420 --> 00:35:45,980 So now I get to care for all the other alone people all the ones where maybe 487 00:35:46,380 --> 00:35:49,500 Grandma and grandpa now because something happened to mom and dad 488 00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:52,140 So now there's a kid growing up with grandma grandpa and they can't connect 489 00:35:52,140 --> 00:35:58,220 They need somebody to care for them on that level, right or maybe dad and mom aren't 490 00:35:58,220 --> 00:36:01,420 They don't like sports or they don't think sports will ever get them anywhere 491 00:36:01,420 --> 00:36:05,500 But the kid is really interested and really wants to try I can connect with that 492 00:36:05,500 --> 00:36:09,260 So that's my biggest care is that I want to bring someone else 493 00:36:09,660 --> 00:36:12,700 Joy in the ways that nobody was able to do it for me 494 00:36:13,340 --> 00:36:16,860 Oh, I love that. So yes, and that's a fantastic way to put it 495 00:36:16,860 --> 00:36:22,220 So we're not saying that our parents don't care about us or siblings don't care about us or other people that are in those 496 00:36:22,700 --> 00:36:25,740 Those different levels of circles, but we're talking about specifically caring 497 00:36:26,540 --> 00:36:27,580 about 498 00:36:27,580 --> 00:36:34,060 the passions pleasures excitements desires dreams, you know of an individual and and then 499 00:36:34,700 --> 00:36:40,300 Caring enough to also impact and make a difference in that in that particular 500 00:36:41,100 --> 00:36:43,420 Zone of let's call it zone of expertise 501 00:36:43,420 --> 00:36:46,620 And that's what we're talking about. So that's a great way to do it 502 00:36:46,620 --> 00:36:49,740 So I think we're going to go ahead and move on to the next question 503 00:36:49,740 --> 00:36:53,100 So what are the things that you've been doing with the kids in the past? 504 00:36:53,660 --> 00:36:58,460 In this case being sports, so let's hear a little bit about the final four as well 505 00:36:58,460 --> 00:37:02,860 What did you do with the final four? You tell me a story that was pretty cool about one of the basketball teams 506 00:37:03,420 --> 00:37:07,500 So I love the about one that you're getting access for for kids 507 00:37:07,500 --> 00:37:10,700 Who may have been a little bit late to the event and wouldn't have gotten in otherwise 508 00:37:10,700 --> 00:37:15,100 so the question would be what measures would be likely to be foreseen by that team has been 509 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:35,660 A yesterday i think it was up to kids like what is their 510 00:37:35,740 --> 00:37:37,040 really 511 00:37:37,100 --> 00:37:38,780 with the rest of the fiduciaries 512 00:37:38,780 --> 00:37:42,580 is it was an internship so I wasn't stuck in any one thing. I worked with a 513 00:37:42,580 --> 00:37:47,020 company called Populous who is kind of oversight over the entire event so we 514 00:37:47,020 --> 00:37:50,900 helped roughly you know a thousand different vendors kind of do the do what 515 00:37:50,900 --> 00:37:54,860 they do right make sure that they all had their space to do what they were 516 00:37:54,860 --> 00:37:58,460 supposed to do so that it could run without a hitch so our job was just kind 517 00:37:58,460 --> 00:38:01,380 of make sure everybody did that and then we just fill in the gaps whatever 518 00:38:01,380 --> 00:38:08,660 whatever needed to be helped we can help. So final for Friday I was outside 519 00:38:08,660 --> 00:38:12,620 I was doing infill and exfil helping out all the security teams helping out the 520 00:38:12,620 --> 00:38:16,220 gates making sure everybody had tickets that they needed making sure that 521 00:38:16,220 --> 00:38:21,700 everybody could essentially just do their job. Our job was necessary not 522 00:38:21,700 --> 00:38:26,580 necessarily to do anything it was just make sure everybody else could so we had 523 00:38:26,580 --> 00:38:31,700 four kids show up all came from Connecticut is where they said they were 524 00:38:31,700 --> 00:38:35,980 coming from they came to watch UConn play or no they said they came from New 525 00:38:35,980 --> 00:38:38,540 York that's what it was they came from New York they're coming to watch UConn 526 00:38:38,540 --> 00:38:43,020 play and they showed up oh man they probably showed up seven eight ten 527 00:38:43,020 --> 00:38:47,500 minutes late to the game and they they get up there and they go through the 528 00:38:47,500 --> 00:38:52,780 students section and we have no more tickets we have no more wristbands for 529 00:38:52,780 --> 00:38:57,380 for students so students got to sit down in the bowl and everybody else had to 530 00:38:57,380 --> 00:39:00,340 sit up right so they're trying to get down into the bowl with this student 531 00:39:00,340 --> 00:39:05,060 section also we don't have any tickets to give them if they're students to like 532 00:39:05,060 --> 00:39:08,140 go sit up anywhere else because that's all sold out we have forty three thousand 533 00:39:08,140 --> 00:39:11,260 people in the building there's not necessarily space we can just sit 534 00:39:11,260 --> 00:39:15,020 somebody right so we have to get them into the student section can't do it I 535 00:39:15,020 --> 00:39:21,740 take it upon myself as a mission to go find these kids something I didn't know 536 00:39:21,740 --> 00:39:24,640 what it was gonna look like didn't know how late I was gonna get them into the 537 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:27,860 game I got him in with probably five minutes left in in the Final Four Friday 538 00:39:27,860 --> 00:39:31,460 maybe maybe ten minutes something like that but I mean they missed the majority 539 00:39:31,460 --> 00:39:35,780 of the game just kind of hanging out trying to figure it out but that 540 00:39:35,780 --> 00:39:42,020 opportunity changed my life so to where I knew I had to work these as they call 541 00:39:42,020 --> 00:39:47,780 mega events right the way I have to work these because I saw this this one young 542 00:39:47,780 --> 00:39:53,900 lady just the way her her face lit up and I saw her on championship Monday too 543 00:39:53,900 --> 00:39:59,940 and she was like I will never forget what you did I've I we would never be 544 00:39:59,940 --> 00:40:04,860 here you know we we came from New York all the way down to Texas and when we 545 00:40:04,860 --> 00:40:08,820 got here we thought we were there for nothing and you I mean I ran around for 546 00:40:08,820 --> 00:40:13,920 45 minutes just trying to find somebody I went to it I went everywhere you could 547 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:18,360 possibly go trying to find these little wristbands turns out us at populace had 548 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:22,200 more wristbands we just didn't know we had and so I was tearing apart the whole 549 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:27,220 populace off I mean it was it was fun but we finally got them tickets they went 550 00:40:27,220 --> 00:40:31,620 down with like 10 minutes left in the game and they ended up you can't end up 551 00:40:31,620 --> 00:40:35,820 winning it all so they won Friday they got new tickets for Monday I saw the 552 00:40:35,820 --> 00:40:39,420 girls Monday and man they came up giving the biggest hug we're taking pictures 553 00:40:39,420 --> 00:40:43,260 you would have been my absolute hero yeah I was a celebrity at that point 554 00:40:43,260 --> 00:40:48,540 right and and that changed my whole my whole demeanor on like why someone would 555 00:40:48,540 --> 00:40:53,100 do the things we do because those are 16 17 18 hour days sometimes I 556 00:40:53,100 --> 00:40:58,620 realistically I think there was final for Friday was probably 17 to 18 hours 557 00:40:58,620 --> 00:41:02,140 and then Monday just because you kind of didn't want to leave their locker room 558 00:41:02,140 --> 00:41:04,780 they're celebrating too hard we didn't get out until two o'clock in the morning 559 00:41:04,780 --> 00:41:09,700 then either so it was they're long days they're hard days to make sure that it 560 00:41:09,700 --> 00:41:12,300 goes off without a hitch and everybody gets to see what they're supposed to 561 00:41:12,300 --> 00:41:17,540 see but having those where you get to see players that'll never forget that 562 00:41:17,540 --> 00:41:22,660 you you talk to people and watch interviews and stuff and all these kids 563 00:41:22,660 --> 00:41:26,460 are like I'll never forget this experience that the players you know even 564 00:41:26,460 --> 00:41:31,460 these players that you know they want to be treated special while they're there 565 00:41:31,460 --> 00:41:35,460 we'll call them special they want to be treated really well while they're there 566 00:41:35,460 --> 00:41:38,340 these guys will never forget these opportunities and and that's where I 567 00:41:38,340 --> 00:41:43,140 want to be I want to be in a spot where we can affect people's lives to where 568 00:41:43,140 --> 00:41:47,020 they're never gonna forget they'll take that with them wherever they go right 569 00:41:47,020 --> 00:41:51,860 absolutely no that they experience and the hype on I mean anybody who's been to 570 00:41:51,860 --> 00:41:57,900 you know a New Year's event you know or a 4th of July Parade or party that just 571 00:41:57,900 --> 00:42:03,900 like got you lit up you know that's like scratching the very surface of an event 572 00:42:03,900 --> 00:42:08,180 of the magnitude like you're talking about and you're talking about extreme 573 00:42:08,180 --> 00:42:13,220 first-class service hospitality skills at the top levels and if we were to 574 00:42:13,220 --> 00:42:17,100 apply those same types of principles to our businesses you know and we're to show 575 00:42:17,100 --> 00:42:20,100 up you know making sure we found the wristband so to speak what's the 576 00:42:20,100 --> 00:42:23,860 wristband for your brand what's the wristband you know that you can do to 577 00:42:23,860 --> 00:42:27,460 help make sure that your prospects get in the door and feel special and 578 00:42:27,460 --> 00:42:31,480 understand the value that you place on them it would it be it would be amazing 579 00:42:31,480 --> 00:42:35,380 how much that would transform revenues and growth for all the companies that 580 00:42:35,380 --> 00:42:38,580 are out there in their influence so well said and I and I want to touch on 581 00:42:38,580 --> 00:42:43,340 something real quick I want to say from from the way that populace treated us 582 00:42:43,340 --> 00:42:47,740 while we were there just as interns right we were interning into this so I 583 00:42:47,740 --> 00:42:50,940 worked with everybody into your teams exterior teams all that good stuff right 584 00:42:50,940 --> 00:42:57,420 but from the second we walked in mark line that the owner made us feel like we 585 00:42:57,420 --> 00:43:03,020 mattered and that was one of the biggest things from a company he gave with 586 00:43:03,020 --> 00:43:06,580 there was three of us interns helping out he gave each one of us specific 587 00:43:06,580 --> 00:43:11,620 actual duties to work with and I've taken that back to me being a tournament 588 00:43:11,620 --> 00:43:16,220 director now and an assistant general manager now I now at all my events 589 00:43:16,220 --> 00:43:19,220 regardless of if it's a 20 team tournament an 80 team tournament if I 590 00:43:19,220 --> 00:43:22,460 have more venues than one or if I just have one I will always wear a suit 591 00:43:22,460 --> 00:43:27,740 because I realized at this event if you are dressed to the nines if you're 592 00:43:27,740 --> 00:43:30,980 dressed better than everybody else it looks like you're running something 593 00:43:30,980 --> 00:43:34,340 people will ask you questions they won't ask where is the tournament director 594 00:43:34,340 --> 00:43:37,220 they'll find the guy in the suit and they'll go hey do you work here are you 595 00:43:37,220 --> 00:43:39,940 the tournament director are you the guy I'm supposed to talk to and it's worked 596 00:43:39,940 --> 00:43:45,940 out insanely well for me but it's because people like Mark put faith in 597 00:43:45,940 --> 00:43:49,900 in those interns and those lower level people and finding what we're talking 598 00:43:49,900 --> 00:43:54,860 about those wristbands right finding that that value to even the smallest 599 00:43:54,860 --> 00:43:59,100 person in your business and showing them that hey you matter and I want to make 600 00:43:59,100 --> 00:44:02,820 you better at what you do dude that speaks to some of the principles in the 601 00:44:02,820 --> 00:44:06,260 emeth it's one of my favorite business books one of the ones I regret not 602 00:44:06,260 --> 00:44:10,420 leading reading sooner than later I had eight years from my desk and the 603 00:44:10,420 --> 00:44:14,540 ability to read it and I just passed over it a couple times so many business 604 00:44:14,540 --> 00:44:18,460 books are recommended that is the one book that I wish I had read much much 605 00:44:18,460 --> 00:44:21,740 sooner so if you ever read it definitely get the audible at least and listen to the 606 00:44:21,740 --> 00:44:27,460 audible he talks about how important is to gameify the process of hiring and 607 00:44:27,460 --> 00:44:31,180 ultimately make it a game experience that you actually put a lot of effort 608 00:44:31,180 --> 00:44:35,300 and thought into what are these people going to do how do the rules work what's 609 00:44:35,300 --> 00:44:39,380 the reward that comes out of it the experience and the the person you're 610 00:44:39,380 --> 00:44:45,460 talking about was it mark you said same mark Klein here he is already has the 611 00:44:45,460 --> 00:44:49,580 game in mind right he didn't have to pull out a book for it he's assigning the 612 00:44:49,580 --> 00:44:53,420 duties knowing specifically that man I'm I am gearing these people up these 613 00:44:53,420 --> 00:44:58,660 interns up to own their role to make sure they show up and believe in it they 614 00:44:58,660 --> 00:45:02,580 don't feel like interns they feel like bosses they feel like managers they feel 615 00:45:02,580 --> 00:45:06,260 like people who can contribute and give back so I love that thank you for 616 00:45:06,260 --> 00:45:09,540 sharing that those are our final words Sean we look forward to having you back 617 00:45:09,540 --> 00:45:13,180 in the future I look forward to having you in my circle continuously thank you 618 00:45:13,180 --> 00:45:16,180 so much for blessing us all this information vision pros have a 619 00:45:16,180 --> 00:45:21,420 fantastic evening and we will see you tomorrow on the next episode never go 620 00:45:21,420 --> 00:45:26,380 more thank you for being here today I'm really happy that you tuned in to 621 00:45:26,380 --> 00:45:31,100 vision pros live I'm looking forward to seeing your reactions as these episodes 622 00:45:31,100 --> 00:45:34,780 continue to move for this is gonna get more and more fun we'll have more more 623 00:45:34,780 --> 00:45:39,180 engagement as well one by people to participate