What is going on guys? I got something. I mean something really special today. So, uh, I believe this is LCB 21 and my friend, you're welcome to join the LCB challenge as well.
It's the lawn care brothers unite trying to put out as many episodes as we can before the equip expo. But I have a crazy, crazy special guest.
My friend Aaron actually, which is part of the LCB said, Hey, check out this podcast few weeks ago. I check out, start listening. I listened to episode one. And this guy, he has a crazy story of, you know, he, you know, had got cancer in his throat and took out part of his voice box.
And he is still making a lawn care podcast. So you guys out there saying, Hey, maybe I will, I should start a lawn care podcast. What's your excuse? Right.
So how you doing my friend? Tell people who you are and about your podcast and that kind of thing. My name is Andy Wilson. I live in Newcastle, Indiana. And, um, it's true. I woke up one morning, could not speak.
Went to the doctor. He scoped me and immediately referred me to an ear, nose and throat specialist. And my worst fear became reality. As he pulled the scope out, he said, You have a tumor in your voice box. And we have to go to surgery.
They took a biopsy and it came back through cancer. And, um, it changed me, but I refuse to let it define me.
That is incredible. That is incredible. And not only did you not let it define you, but you're even doing a lawn care podcast that you do with your voice with audio and you're still not giving yourself an excuse not to do that.
And that I think is incredible, but also so many people, um, in life that are want to start their own lawn care business, but you know, have little this or that sort of thing. I probably shouldn't start or can't start because of that.
And, you know, even the voice thing, like so many people probably would, uh, let that stop them from even, you know, doing their business because they're going to feel like, Oh man, like it would be hard to talk to customers or that kind of thing.
And so you're not letting that get in the way either. And so how's that been like, uh, interacting with clients, you know, when they first call you or things like that.
Or if it maybe there's a referral, you know, that wouldn't matter because probably the other person would already tell them. Um, I mean, you talk just fine.
It just, you know, just sounds different. So like, uh, but, you know, has that been like obstacle in your business or tell us a little bit about that?
Well, I get a lot of phone calls from my Google review page and, uh, if it's someone that I have never met, never spoken to, it catches them off guard at times.
You know what I mean? Yes. And, um, they'll ask me, are you sick? Are you feeling okay? And then I explained to them, no, I had throat cancer and had half of my larynx removed.
And they immediately understand. So it has been intimidating. And that's one of the things that stopped me from starting a podcast a long time ago is I was intimidated.
I felt as if no one would want to listen to me, but my wife and my best friend from college encouraged me. They told me, you have a story to tell.
You have something to offer your industry. And so I just jumped in with both feet and started my podcast and I get some pretty good feedback from my podcast.
So I'm excited to do it. Even though I was intimidated and felt somewhat threatened, I determined that this is me. There's nothing I can do about it.
I can't change anything about it. So I'm just going to do it.
That's incredible. What a story because, yeah, of all things, like this doing a podcast is something that you do with your voice, right?
So like, so you're not even letting that stop you. So if it's, if you're not letting it stop you from making a podcast, well, you're certainly not letting that get in the way of just other things in your life.
I mean, you know, if customers feel like you don't talk the best, maybe sometimes that works to your advantage.
Like sometimes I wish that my English wasn't that great. So that way people wouldn't chat with me so much, you know, customers, you know what I'm saying?
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
And so, but they probably still will chat with you. But I just, I think it's cool that you're, I'm just saying the fact that you're doing a podcast is just proving to yourself and to everyone else that you're,
you're just like proving it that you're not letting it getting it get in the way of what you want to do in life, you know, your business, your podcast and that kind of thing.
So I think that's incredible. I went back and listened to episode one and listened to several, several other ones as I'm out mowing and it sounds great.
You know, as long as you can keep the volume up, you know, kind of, you know how it is, like when you're listening, when you're mowing, you know, just like everyone.
So like on this little P4, if you can kind of just keep those levels up in those three notches, like towards the top when you're seeing these little, the little signal things, if you can keep it within those three notches, that's kind of, you know, it'll always be pretty good and pretty loud enough, you know, for people to hear it.
So like, it's, it's great. It's like, I don't, I think it's cool because it's different than just, you know, everyone's regular voice that they hear, you know, listen to their podcast.
So like even me listening to your podcast while mowing has been no problem, you know, like even, you know, with the way your voice, I think it's the whole time listening.
I'm just like, wow, this is cool that he's, he's doing that even though, you know, he's talking about, you know, whatever he's trying to learn or go through right then and not letting that voice stop you.
So, and in eye contact, and you said that you're coming to Quip Expo this year.
So I've been, I've been for eight years in a row. Are you, have you been before? Are you pretty excited about it?
Or what is something that you're excited about seeing or tell us about that a little bit?
Yes, I've been to the Quip Expo before. I was there the year before last and last year I was just overwhelmed with work and I could not get away.
So I didn't attend last year, but I am coming this year. I have my motel reserved. I have my tickets.
I use Paul Jamison's discount code and I'm excited about it. I want, I'm really excited about Pod Row.
Just to be able to go and mingle and listen and learn and apply those things to my podcast.
I'm really excited about that.
Yes. So you're talking, are you talking about Pod Row that's like in the West Wing part?
Yes, sir.
Yeah. So they're going to do that. I wonder how that will be because, like I've been, like they had,
Naylor had me on Pod Row at an event in Atlanta because I live here in Georgia and that was cool.
But like that was a smaller event and I'm going to be with Paul in the morning show thing, but like,
I just wonder like on the Pod Row, like I wonder if it'll be because it's just, you know, it's just a couple tables and things and young people are sitting there doing their podcast.
But I wonder if it's just going to be, you know, 100 people just standing around out in front of those tables waiting to hopefully, you know, talk to them on their podcast or something like that.
So I just, I wonder how that flow is going to work, you know what I mean? Like, because, you know, just me, you know, just being honest, like, I'm not just going to stand around there all day and, you know, wait to maybe get on a podcast.
You know what I mean? Like, I just wonder how that's going to flow during, you know, during that Pod Row.
But maybe I'm wrong about that. Maybe they have a good flow and I want to try it. So I want to try to come in on Tuesday night.
And I think the West Wing opens at 9am on Wednesday. The rest of the show doesn't open until 12. So I think for the Pod Row thing, it would be best to probably, you know, be one of the first ones there to, you know, to see the guys or whatever, you know, I mean.
Yes, sir.
And so I don't know that's so I'm trying to, even in my mind, I'm trying to strategize like, Hey, if I have a chance to go talk with these guys for a little, maybe I go like Wednesday morning and try it or I don't know.
I don't know how the flow go or I don't know. I don't know if general public is not really like, I don't know how many people are going to be really brave enough to want to be in line and be on the podcast.
These guys, different guys podcast, but the audio is, you know, it's not very intimidating. I feel like, you know, a lot of people will do that. So I don't know.
I just, I wonder how that that flow is going to work. But I do think it is a really, really cool thing. So and I would, uh, it would be something that I'm going to invite. So I know that my man, Cornel Mack, he has his win in life meetup on Wednesday night.
Right.
But, uh, even so for about three years before that, I have met up with a small group of guys. Well, it started out with a few. And now there's, I don't know, there's probably 20, 30 of us that meet at a Mexican restaurant Wednesday night.
It's right at the edge of the parking lot of the cook back. So I believe it's gate four, gate three, that Clinton Drive gate. So it's like over, uh, kind of the back of the building towards the side. There's an L Nepal.
It's a Mexican place there. And like I reserved the back room and we've done that for last three years. And I just want to tell you that you're certainly invited to that. Now it's not, it's not going to Cornell thing probably will be a little bit more high energy funner.
I mean, this is just something that I do on purpose that keeps small. I don't make it public. You know, it just, it's just literally, you know, this whole room of guys, we just meet up and eat dinner. So just know you're invited that as soon as the expose over on Wednesday night, or maybe you could pop in there and go to the bowling thing.
You might do both, you know, um, because I know last year it was, it was cool. It was cool. Uh, Julia to me, just a lot of, a lot, a lot of friends come to that Mexican thing that night.
And so I do that Wednesday night. And, uh, yeah, I definitely want to meet you in person and maybe get you on my podcast. I'm trying to figure out, I wonder, because you run into so many random people just like when you're walking around.
So in my mind, I wonder if I should, uh, figure out a way to get maybe order or find like a mic that would be a good setup, like one that you like hold like, you know, news interview style.
And it'd be cool to have this, you know, put some batteries in this P four and like while you see people at different booths or while you're walking around, like, you know, like make podcasts with people like live on the spot.
You know, I mean that, that kind of thing. Um, I don't know. I'm just trying to think through how it worked. And I do want to check out the pod growth thing. But, um, yeah, I just wonder how that wonder how that flow would be.
Uh, cause I'd like to get you on the podcast. Well, I mean, you're on the podcast right now, but, um, it just, you know, it's cool in real life.
And, uh, there's so many people I want to get on the podcast, even in real life. And so I got to figure out how that really works.
Cause you know, we've been to the X, but I mean those two days, you know, it's just half days on both ends and then a full day on Thursday, but man, it goes by so quickly.
And it's like, Oh, I like to do this. I like to beat up with this guy and do this. But the time, you know what I'm saying? It just flies. It just slips away.
And before you know it, we're having to go back and Molaons and Saturday and you know, and all that. So, um,
Well, I'm not going to, um, necessarily see all the equipment, um, which that's fine, but I want to go for the camaraderie.
I want to go to meet people, talk to people in the industry that might share insight with me to help me be more efficient, help me run my business smoother.
Um, you know, and just meet people and, and develop friendships. I think that's so important in our industry for when we are going through those times of struggle,
we can look back and understand that we're not alone. We're not going through this by ourselves. We're not facing these struggles on our own.
There's someone in this industry that has had this exact struggle. And if I can build those relationships and those friendships,
then I can gain strength from, you know, the scripture says that iron sharpeneth iron and 2717. Exactly.
And I believe that with all my heart that you have something to offer me and maybe I have something to offer you where we help each other.
Absolutely. Yeah, I agree that 100%. That is, that's really the very best part of the expo. You know, the, um, I mean, I, I guess, maybe my first couple of years,
I was just blown away by all the brands and the booths and this and that. Yeah. But like you're saying nowadays, I pretty much, I pretty much try to attend most of the meetups and,
and networking things like, like you're saying that I can and that is most important. If I don't get to see all the blowers and tremors and stuff, you know, that's fine. You know what I'm saying?
Right, right. Now I was overwhelmed my first time. The first time I went, I was just overwhelmed with all the booths, all the people standing in line to get a free hat.
You know, picking up every ink pen on every table. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was just overwhelmed. I thought, wow, this is unbelievable. And I spent the whole time walking around looking at booths and hanging out at the grasshopper booth
because I'm a grasshopper guy. And I was just totally overwhelmed with everything. But this year I've determined I want to go to events.
I want to attend classes. I think I've signed up for the drone class. Learning how to use a drone for photography and for content.
Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah.
And, and I want to make it more of an educational experience this time than picking up free pens or a free hat or free t-shirt.
Yeah, I mean, it's a, yeah, I agree with that 100%. And even you even have to, I think guys even have to kind of be careful about even like the giveaways, right?
So like all these brands are like, or some of the brands like go good way like Moors and stuff like that. And that's all cool.
But, you know, you got to be present to win. You're just standing there for 30 minutes or whatever, this huge crowd of people and you only have a one in a 30,000 person chance of winning.
So like, I would say even be careful of, yeah, it would be cool to get a free Moor. But like, you know, that that's a precious hour of that Thursday, you know, that can slip by just because you're trying to maybe win a Moor.
So like, you know, so even in the past, you know, I would you try to enter every single thing like you're saying, do all these things. But then now I'm like, well, no, maybe I shouldn't even, you know, worry about entering many giveaways because I got to stay on track with,
hey, try to meet just talk to me, meet people as I can. And that kind of thing. So like, yeah, even things that are cool, like giveaways, like, and like you're saying, the hats and shirts and all that stuff like we just, I think we got to be careful not to spend too much time doing those kind of things
because that at the end of the day, you know, like saying, we can get a pin and we can get a hat, you know, we can order by one for a few bucks anytime. But exactly. This expo, the expo thing is only a once a year thing or people all around the country.
Well, all around the world, you know, exactly. Yeah, got to really prioritize that. And so yes. So I'm at that is the part of most excited. Have you been to the Thursday night thing? Did you go to that year before last? So it would be at the copper and kings thing? Did you go to that?
No, I did not. I am planning on going this year. Well, this year. So last year, it was at the KFC Yom Simmer, like, up in the tops, top stairs. And it was really cool. Me and my wife got there early. We helped to like hand out the shirts to everyone. And it was just, it's a crazy, crazy cool room that they have an overlooks that river back there that's behind that.
So it's not at the copper and kings thing anymore. It's at the KFC Yom Simmer. I keep wanting to say KEC Yom Simmer, but I think it's KFC Yom Simmer in its downtown, which, you know, I'm kind of a country boy. I don't really love to drive in downtown, but you got to go down there.
I would advise going early. You know, I'm probably going to leave the expo like 4pm or something, you know, if it's at 6. Actually, yeah, even if I'm helping nail it or not, I need to ask them about that. I have for like the last four or five years, but whether I am or not, like, you don't want to be last minute with the traffic and you got to like find a parking deck to like store your car in.
And then you got to walk over to this, you know, the big concert thing, but it's still well worth it to attend this. There'll be 600 people just standing around and I'm talking and stuff. And so that's like, that's an awesome thing.
So I'll probably, but, you know, I probably will leave the expo a little early, whether I'm helping or not, go down there and try to find, you know, a parking day and you got to like walk a couple blocks and go into there.
But yeah, so it's a little change from, well, the first back in 2015, 16, it was at this little pizza place right like across the street almost from the expo center and then for several years it was at the cave, the Louisville mega caverns thing, which that was, that was probably my favorite setup.
It was just so cool. There's no wind. There's no noise. Like everyone is just underground in this humongous room. I don't know if you've seen videos about it. I have a lot of videos on Tony's along your channel like showing talking to a lot of guys and stuff like in those times.
So that would be a maybe 18, 2017, 18, maybe 19. And then, you know, like after COVID and stuff and then they, and they had to do this copper King's place, which is cool. It's kind of like a half outside, half inside place.
And that was neat. That was neat. It's kind of like a brewery touristy kind of fuel kind of event place, which I don't drink, but it's like, I think it's kind of like a brewery type of fuel kind of set up like rustic things around.
But anyway, they had that for a lot of years, but then now, you know, the, the, the expo rents out that big KFC young center and downtown anyway for the concerts. And so they, there's a room up top basically like where I think it's made for us.
Let's, you know, let's say like Justin Bieber or something came there and he wants to have a party in this top room, like outside of the concert or after before the concert or that kind of thing. I think this room is made for that. But somehow nailer here talk to people at the expo and it like so, because they're not going to do anything else with that kind of VIP room anyway, I would guess, you know, so.
So yeah, we got that room. And so it's kind of upstairs of the back go up the escalator. But it is awesome. It is awesome setup. It's inside and has these huge glass windows that you literally overlook whatever that river is right there. I don't know what that's called.
You probably know, I mean, you're much closer. I think you live, you live closer to the expo than I do. I mean, I'm a good eight hour driver. So, you know, I'm in Georgia, middle Georgia. So yeah, I can be there in an hour and 45 minutes.
Goodness gracious, you're cheating. You're cheating.
Yeah, I'm just going to drive over because I'll just get up early Wednesday morning and drive over and I'll be there for the rest of the event.
That's awesome. Yeah, that man hour 45 minutes. That's that's crazy cool. That's close. A couple other friends Mike Gunn, he was pretty close and then Aaron Walls, you know, these guys are like an hour away 30 minutes away.
Yeah, so like really close and in years past, like even when River was a baby, he would come in the expo even as a tiny baby and like just like, I don't know, maybe his last time or time before they just decided to implement this rule 12 and over.
And so, you know, for me, that's a little bit of a bummer because like, you know, my kids grow up around this equipment, you know, a couple generations, you know, into this business. So like, that's all we really know.
So, and, you know, we homeschool our kids and I'm a hands on parent, you know, all day, every day, I was already, you know, doing stuff with them this morning, we ate breakfast together.
So that's kind of a bummer. And actually, my kids, because my parents, you know, so their grandparents actually attend the event to as well.
And so my kids, even though there's they're not allowed in the event, they're still going to come. And my parents are actually, I'm staying at a hotel, but my parents are bringing their RV nice came down the parking lots will be doing, be doing different shifts to like go out there.
And, you know, hang out with kids and then other people go circle into the you know, cycle into the expo. And so we're doing that even though they have that rule, my kids are still going to come they'll be around somewhere on the property.
But so I'm not letting that excuse to keep me away from either because, you know, this grandparents, you know, main people, I would leave them what they're going to come to as well.
So, so yeah, so we're doing it. But it's going to be regardless of all that, you know, they're obviously everything like there's pumps and hiccups, but it's going to be the best ex forever.
It really is. I look forward to talking to more people than ever. You know, I know hundreds of people there.
I look forward to meeting you. And yeah, so it's a what's something that you're looking forward to seeing the X one and let's talk about your actual business and that kind of thing.
Well, like I said, I want to see Padreau. I want to see Nadler, Paul, John Pajak, I want to see these guys in action.
And how they do their podcast. And then maybe I can fine tune mine to make mine better.
I always want to improve. And I think that if we fail to improve, then we're, we're dying in our business, in our relationship with our spouse, our family.
We always got to be improving. And if I can learn something from that experience from these guys that do this, you know, every day, Paul does and and I can learn something from them to help me improve.
That's what I'm really most excited about. And I really appreciate you reaching out to me and asking me to be on your podcast.
It just means the world to me that someone would reach out to me with with my voice situation and want me to be on their podcast.
So I thank you and it really has boosted my, my encouragement and I really appreciate you.
Well, it should, it should boost your encouragement because I, I generally, it's, you know, I didn't reach out to you because for the podcast or for like, you know, other selfish reasons.
I mean, I don't do this for living. It makes your dollars, you know, in the podcast or I make a little bit of money on YouTube.
I've been on YouTube since 2012, maybe 2013 if you type in Tony's long care, but again, that's very man school or the last couple years have been really pushing my business hard and actually paid off my home mortgage.
And so I made very little videos over the last couple years. I've been doing some shorts and things and I still, I enjoy YouTube, but I just reached out to you because I genuinely,
I genuinely cared about, you know, getting to have a friendship with you and about your voice and all that like this is just, it's so cool. I think it makes it even more of a cool guest to have in the podcast, even though I enjoy, you know, having anybody that can on the podcast.
But yeah, and I just, I genuinely just want to, you know, become friends with as many people in the industry as possible, whether that be local, online, wherever.
And so I, you know, I'm always trying to build that not for any reasons. Like I said, I'm not trying to, I don't even barely do anything anymore on YouTube and I make your dollars on this podcast, but I just, I genuinely just want to be, I just, yeah, wanted to know, wanted you to know that, hey,
there's someone just like you, you know, go into the same battles every day in this long-care business and, you know, that's what we're called to do as believers too. It's not, it's not just about myself. It's about, you know, it's about community.
It's a, we need our community. We need to cycle each other. It's not about just, you know, everyone keeping in their own lane and, and you'll see that, you know, like, I'm not a, there's no clicks, there's no weird things like I want you to be included in anything that I'm included in at the Expo, just like anyone else.
Well, I want to attend your event. I want to come to the, the Mexican restaurant and meet you and meet the other men that are there, women that are there and, you know, just develop a camaraderie.
Well, actually, Aaron, so, so I don't know if you're familiar with Cameron, a long-care life in Missouri. I believe it's called Grassmaster on Instagram.
Yes, I have listened to his podcast.
Yeah, well, he started this challenge of just podcasting as many out there as you can before that. And so, so that's a cool thing because it's just pushing all of us to try to make as many podcasts.
I believe this is number 21, but like as many podcasts as we can because we're all busy, just normal business owners.
And so, all these guys in that challenge are really, really cool and they all tend to that thing at night. But actually, what I'm saying is Aaron, one of the guys in that challenge is the one that told me, so shout out to him.
He told me about your podcast. He's like, hey, check it out, but you got to check out episode one and so you understand it.
Right.
And I think that's great advice. But I think your podcast, I think I personally think, because, you know, listening to all your episodes, I think just like you did on my podcast, like you just recap what happened within like, you know, 30 seconds or a minute or whatever.
I like, if like my opinion, I think it would be cool if you just do a short recap like that, like on every episode that you have just so like, even if they didn't listen to episode one, boom, they understand the short version what happened.
And, you know, but you still tell, still tell them, hey, hear the full story, go back to number one, but at least, you know, right off the bat, if they just click a random episode of yours, they would boom understand what happened by and then boom, here we go in this episode.
You know, I'm saying, you know, that is so good that you mentioned that because I have thought about starting to do that with each episode have just a little small recap.
I'm a throw cancer survivor. I refuse to let cancer define me. This is me. If you want to hear my story, go back and listen to episode number one.
And I thought about doing that.
Yeah, well, you even, yeah, even if you just say, like you just said, even just say, hey, I'm a cancer survivor, people, okay, if you were going to put that piece together, you know, it would be annoying for you to do this, you know, to explain out this whole thing every single time I get that.
But if you could just do a little clip like that, like you're saying, because I would hate for you to lose anyone, you know, because there's someone, you know, you haven't, let's say a random, not me.
I mean, I, because I like podcasting and, and I like things to listen to podcast and I have a, and since I do podcasting videos and stuff, I have a big grace, you know, window when I listen to things like even if sound is bad or stuff like I'm willing to tolerate that, you know, I'm saying, but, but see, you
haven't, when someone random clicks on it and clicks on mine, I have not, I don't have any money in that bank account yet, you know what I'm saying? And so to ask them, hey, go back all the way to episode one, which was whatever it was like many, many episodes ago, you know, some people are just going to drop off and not, not go back and find
up so one because like I said, when someone's new, when someone's new listening to my podcast or whatever, there's no money in that bank account yet, you know, I'm saying, right? So you got to, so that's why I think it would be awesome to kind of recap shortly, even for those people that are not going to go back and find
number one. But if they want to really hear the story, which they should, you should go back and listen to that story because it's really cool. I'm just saying that is one thing that I just thought about in your pockets, which you're already kind of thinking about that anyway. But if you could just, yeah, boom, hey, I survived cancer, you know, want to know more about that story, check out episode one and then boom, just go on with your story that day, you know what I'm saying?
Yeah, well, I appreciate you saying that because out of the mouth or two or three witnesses, let everything be established. And, you know, I was already thinking that and now you mentioned that to me. So I think that's just a confirmation that that's what I should do.
That's awesome. So is a, are you, are you going to come by yourself to the expose? Do you have like a lot of workers like tell us about like your business like set up you have employees like how does work how many properties you do, like, not in kind of
mentioning maybe the size of properties because you know some people do 100 yards a day, these tiny yards and then, but I think you're in more of a rural area kind of like me where you're not going to do 50 yards a day like that's not going to happen.
So like kind of tell us anyway, our employees and stuff come with you to expose your wife come with you.
And then tell us about like your actual business, you know, if you want to keep talking about stuff about your podcast, like that's, that's great to that's just I'm just sharing my thoughts or things I'm wondering about, you know, because I've never seen you or known you much.
So people are going to want to people love to know like what your business is like your equipment set up and right kind of, you know, that kind of thing.
Sure. My wife's a school teacher. And with the school year just starting. She won't be attending. My employees will probably stay behind and continue to work the daily schedules will be right in the middle of leave cleanups.
When the equip Expo starts. So I started my business with a little Chevy HHR car and a 21 inch push mower with their kind of looks like a peaky cruiser.
Yes, I had to take the handles off and loaded in the back of the car and unloaded put the handles on mower property with each mow.
But I started off with one yard that quickly developed into three yards on the same street. And now we are up to servicing 140 properties on a weekly basis.
That's incredible. And we have a shop that is 60 by 120. We run grasshopper mowers, steel hand held equipment with my blowers, the B R a 100 the FS 91s.
We mow probably 25 to 30 properties a day. We are in a rural area. We have 17,000 people in our city limits. And at this point, I have a waiting list of people wanting to get onto my schedule.
That's awesome. So you so with the help of your employees and stuff, you're still, you know, you're in a rural area, you're still doing a whole pile of yards every day.
Yes. Now, I do travel to a city called Muncie, Indiana every Friday, and we mow 23 properties in Muncie on Friday.
Outside of the Friday schedule, we're in Newcastle the whole time.
Okay, okay. My friend Brandon's lawn carry. He's somewhere in Indiana. I don't know where he lives. I've been friends with him forever.
I know he's on Instagram and stuff. He's on YouTube stuff back the day. And there's a lot of, a lot of, a lot of cool lawn guys in that in your state.
There's a whole bunch, you know, that are part of the community. Yes.
And you're only hour and 45 minutes from the expo, which that's, that's so cool. So you're kind of, so you have some kind of similar weather pattern as there is what you're saying.
So, so by time expo, I mean, it could be, it could be getting starting to get pretty cold and starting to drop leaves where you are.
Yeah, we could be knee high and leaves when expo starts.
I gotcha. I gotcha. Yeah, I'm south. So like leaves will be starting, but they'll just be kind of, you know, just a couple sprinkled, you know, like not, not many at all.
Right.
Like it'll still probably be pretty warm slash hot here during the days.
You know, even now we're starting to get some of those cooler mornings, you know, I mean, which is nice. It's really nice.
It was 46 degrees here yesterday morning.
Oh, wow. Not that cool. I mean, we're cool morning for us. Like I've maybe 69 something like that.
You know, like I think that's what it was maybe this morning, like kind of right now.
Sitting out in my garage right next to mowers with this little, I have a little plastic tables set up, you know, one of these little maybe, maybe four foot by two foot little, you know, fold out plastic table of my P four sitting on it.
And it's just like plugged into the outlet because I don't even have batteries in it right now. You know, you can just like plug it in like phone charger. Yes, sir.
So that's that's the setup. I have right now I'm just sitting out in my garage and just the doors open. I'm just looking out.
You can see my front lawn and my wife's to talk about just sitting there in driveway and it's so cool to be talking to you.
I got my right here next to me sitting on the shelf. I have one of those RBG 712, you know, blade sharpener. Oh, yes.
And, um, yeah, so I'm just sitting out here in the shop right now talking to you and that that's really cool. So you're on grasshopper mowers.
Now, what made you decide to go to grasshopper mowers? Because I feel like that's a very, very low percentage of people just in general.
I can't even know that, you know, there's like, I don't even know anywhere that you could buy those where I'm at within, you know, a very, very far distance.
Do you just happen to have a local dealer that like has those or what's the deal? Like, why would you go to grasshopper?
We have a local dealer that is a grasshopper dealer. He's the only dealer in my city.
So I wanted something that was close by. If there was a breakdown, the repair turnaround would be quick.
And when I tried the grasshopper mower, the cut quality is just unbelievable. And it's so comfortable with the, they call it the grammar seat.
It's kind of like an air ride seat. And I have those on my mower. I have the new grasshopper standard mower as well.
And I love it. It's comfortable to ride because of the shock absorbed on the platform.
And so my dealer and dealer support was the most important thing to me.
I could drive to Indianapolis and find a scag dealer or an X mark dealer or, you know, whatever brand you want to talk about.
But that local supporting the local business, that local support, it just, it matters to me because I feel like if I support my local businesses, they'll support me and they have.
I'll get phone calls and say, Hey, Dennis equipment recommended you for this job or for mowing service. Can you give us an estimate?
So by me supporting them, they support me.
That's incredible. That's awesome. And I think it's cool. So walk, you know, I'm sorry, grasshopper will this, you know, they'll have, you know, plucked out dealers all around or they happen to work with.
And so I think it's kind of cool that you, you know, you don't have many dealers nearby, which I don't either, you know, kind of rural area.
But the one that you do have, you kind of get to use an interesting brand. So that's, that's cool. That's really neat.
I actually became an ambassador for grasshopper mowers and went to Florida and they videoed me moana. I think it was a $4 million property and made some advertisement material for grasshopper mowers.
Oh, that's awesome. So what does it mean if you're ambassador from what do you gotta do? You gotta like talk about on your podcast or like, what is it?
Well, they've actually in the last year done away with the ambassador program, but they still want me to be an ambassador.
If you know what I mean, it's not official, but yet they use my videos on their social media. I mentioned them a lot in, you know, my, my content.
I show their mowers and my content. So we're still kind of working together. And so it's not really an official ambassador ship now like it used to be.
Yeah, yeah, that's really neat. So do you only do podcasts or do you, because I these days I try not to, I, to be honest, I don't consume much social media at all.
I just, I, but I do listen to a lot of audio podcasts. So like audio podcast is going to be number one way that I listened to you or anyone else like not on YouTube very much got off Instagram all together just because it's such it was for me.
It's so hard to keep up with it and so easily to be distracted by it.
Right.
I still, I still keep YouTube, but I don't like I did deleted my account and everything had a lot of followers and stuff on there and everything, but deleted it off Instagram a couple years ago and have no regrets from that.
But anyway, so now like, you know, I think about, like for my family for my kids, what is, what do I get the, the most benefit out of and I think for me and my wife, like, you know, listening to audio books and like just audio, just audio is probably one of the best forms to use.
You know, it's not, not distracting, like, you know, just sitting around and, you know, watching a video is and you can do it while you're doing something else.
And I don't know a lot, a lot of reasons where I just, I really, you know, basically now most lawn care content that I do is, you know, audio podcast.
So, you know, on the weekends or something family movie nights and that we will watch some things on YouTube.
But anyway, tell people, like, do you just do podcasts?
Is your podcast like on video nowadays, not so much in the lawn care space, but just podcasting general.
Everyone's like a video podcast now.
You know what I'm saying?
Right.
I have looked into video podcasting.
I have not done one yet.
My podcast is on YouTube.
It's audio only though.
I do.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's cool.
Because there's some people want to just click on there, listen to it, but also kind of think about, hey, if you record at home anyway, you're saying the same thing anyway.
If you just have a camera on, you know, maybe it would be pretty easy to do a video podcast.
Yes.
It's a little, little bit harder, like when you're like right now for doing an interview, because you know how like it would be cool to be able to show the other person on the other screen.
Maybe you could use like StreamYard or something, but that gets, you know, a little bit deep into technological waters.
Not the best at, but, but, uh, yeah, so like, but I don't think it would be a bad idea to record a video.
I'm even thinking about that from even though I'm not, you know, doing a lot of YouTube videos and stuff right now.
Like it, it would, uh, I always think about, hey, if I could have somewhere kind of like set up like in my garage or something where I could just record the video version and put that up like, and people could have video version of it too, because you're sitting down, like right now,
we're sitting down recording this anyway.
It'd be also cool to have video.
Right.
But, and it's easy to do that if it's just one that you're doing by yourself.
It'd be hard to kind of show both of us because we're not both in the same spot, but like, um, but it is pretty easy.
You know, let's say you just, because I've done it before a couple of times and it turns out pretty well.
Let's say you just in front of the desk, we're recording this podcast, you just have a GoPro sitting there.
And you know, then, you know, any of the GoPro's from, you know, I think I still have an eight GoPro here, eight, like the audio is good, you know, on those, especially if it's kind of close to you.
Even if you didn't have it wired into your pod track, let's say you just had the camera sitting there in a tripod kind of close to you.
And, you know, you're still talking in the mic or whatever to record it for audio, but like you could just boom, turn on the video and, you know, you have basically, you know, a video that you could put on your podcast and the audio will still be good because the camera's close.
It won't be as good as this, you know, like talking in the pod track, but that way you're not having to like, you know, infuse the files, you know, like the same audio file and wind it up through lips and do all that stuff.
And so that is a way easily you could just, you know, record yourself, you know, podcast and it would, or use your phone or whatever it is, you know, all the phones have good audio these days.
Like I've even sometimes done it where no podcasting equipment at all and just have the phone or GoPro whatever set up kind of close and just talk to the GoPro just like you're making a, you know, just like you're making a talking YouTube video and then just steal the audio file from that and drop that on your audio podcast.
You know what I'm saying?
Yes, sir.
So, yeah.
And what do you use?
I'm sorry, I'm getting kind of back off the topic of like equipment and stuff, talking more about podcasts.
I'm just always curious to what people use.
So for a long time, see, I started my podcast in 2020.
And then so my brother encouraged me to start one because he has one like in a completely different industry or space or whatever.
But I used the back then it was the anchor apps free to, you know, upload your podcast and now it's Spotify for podcasters and you could like edit the clips together and do all kind of cool stuff all on mobile to some of my phone.
So the mic would just be in my phone plugged in my phone.
You can do it in the truck and all that stuff.
They still have the spot of podcast is happy and still upload on there.
But when it had this update about two or three weeks ago, I talked about it on here.
It would not show up on Apple podcasts.
If you're like, and here's a thing though, like if you're Apple user is still would work fine.
It would still show up on everything.
But just for people, everyone else is Android users.
The file somehow would change when it was going through the app and actually talk back and forth with the rep like from the Spotify for podcasters, you know, on a little chat thing, because my friend fills lawn care.
Think Green podcast, he had the same problem and actually had them like send and like here.
Here's the link of his work.
This one didn't show up on this podcast and this other one did show up and I so feel think green pockets actually because I didn't even tell him about this.
But I like showed him, hey, here's where it happened on my here's where it's happening on his.
And he like checked off.
I was like, oh, yeah, you're right.
This is weird.
I was like, they're gonna, that's all you need to do update on the app because it can make it so much easier to do a podcast so you can upload it through the app.
So then so like I would this before I would just come out on the side like where you would plug in the charger.
The other one, I would just go straight out of that USB C into USB C on my Android phone.
And so the file would I would record straight on the Spotify for podcasters app.
You know, without not having to move the chip and doing that stuff.
So like it was really quick and easy.
But now, like I said with this update, if you have an Android device, so now I'm having to just record them on this chip and then, you know, go inside and put it's plug in the laptop and carry the file over and then put in there.
And I still just have the little intro on recorded on the little sound pad thing on this zoom because it's much harder to like merge all the clips.
Now, audio wise, I just want to I always ask everyone that you know, it's main podcast because and for those out there that are thinking about making podcasts, you know, like what flow like how how is it like what flow do you use to upload all your audio podcasts.
So like you do it on the app, you know, on the desktop, like, you know, like how does that stuff work for you on my recording.
And I use podcast to record my podcast.
Yeah, it's a it's an app.
And it's called podcast.
Yes, good info for guys right here.
I didn't know about that podcast.
Yes.
Is that is that Apple only app or is that on Android two or it's on Android and Apple.
And I upload the file through rss.com.
It's my podcast hosting service.
And it's a really great service rss.com.
And so that's what you use your hosting thing.
Do you like pay for that?
Is it free?
How does that work?
They offer a free version and then after you have used it so many hours, you have to start paying.
Oh boy, we're talking too long now.
They're gonna make it start paying.
I heard your podcast yesterday when you said you don't like to pay monthly subscriptions.
You'd rather pay a fee up front.
They do allow you to do that though.
Oh, that's cool.
Yeah, so like because I may be forced to move on to something else just because of this spot of hyper podcasts.
Just thing has been kind of problem.
It is free.
It is nice.
It works good.
And I don't know how to I have to contact the company and figure out a properly like move it all over because I don't really want to start over from zero.
You know, I already have like 300 something episodes.
Well, I was using a Spotify when I first started and when they started making some changes and said you are going to have to.
I don't know what they exactly what they meant.
You're going to have to update your RSS feed or something.
And so I switched when they started making the changes.
So I have missed out on all the problems that Spotify is having right now.
That's great.
And it does.
It still does work fine though, especially if you upload it like through the like so if you don't use the app and you just upload on the website, you know, like on your laptop where that's how I'm doing it does work fine.
It's just a little bit harder to do.
Like the old way was great because you could just man you could have your little lapel mic plugged up have a little sure lapel mic and you can just you can do while you're driving in the truck and then merge a couple clips together even if you made one in between, you know, second third job or whatever put it all in one boom drop it on the app.
Like you never even had to like go on the laptop or doing that stuff.
Um, so are you uploading it with this RSS.com like on mobile or are you just putting it up doing it on your computer anyways or like how are you doing that.
I've been doing it mostly with my iPad.
Okay.
And I have done some with my just my cell phone, which is a an iPhone.
And then I've done one couple of times ago, I uploaded it with my laptop.
So I've done all three.
I got you.
Yeah.
Well, I had that that would be cool setup to that would be really cool setup actually.
Yeah.
And because if you see do it through the app, I guess that this RSS.com they have an app for iPhone.
Yes.
I got you.
And so you're able to do that.
So you just, well, if it's not a iPad that has like cell service, you're just doing it like when you get back home or, or do you only record at home to your recording like while you're driving along in the truck anyway, or do you not do that because you're riding with employees or how does that work.
I usually just do all of my recording in my office at home.
It just is more convenient for me not having to mess with things while I'm trying to drive and so yeah.
Yeah, I get it.
That's cool.
I mean, it is and you get the best audio quality at home.
Sometimes it is cool though when I hear guys ones, you know, where they're talking about stuff real time, real action out and about in the field, you know, like I think that's cool.
But man, that's awesome. It's awesome about you share about your business, 100 song properties.
And I heard your story about how you originally started as kind of a subcontractor and then that subcontractor told you to start take care, you just take care of this lawn and then you start picking up neighbors.
Right.
So that's that story is correct.
Right.
Like that's so cool.
Yes.
I was talking for a guy who owns a lawn care business in Muncie called hometown turf and he got a phone call from a realtor one day that purchased a property in Newcastle.
And he said, you know, I really don't want to drive all the way to Newcastle for one property.
Why don't you do it?
And I'll just pay you whatever he pays me.
So I thought, wow, that's a pretty good deal. And that's really what got me started in the green industry is I pulled up to that property and that weeds were grown up through the chain link fence.
The grass was about knee high.
The hedges were out of control.
It looked like something to S.B.
Mowin would do.
Oh, yeah.
And so I jumped in and I started working and when I left that property, it was pristine.
It looked awesome.
So the little lady across the street walks over after the second visit and asked me, what would you charge me to mow my property?
And I gave her a price.
We agreed.
I started mowing her property.
Another lady walked up the block and asked me for an estimate.
I gave her so that one property that my friend gave me turned into three properties.
And then I get a phone call from a lady.
Hey, this lady on 12th Street recommended you.
Said you started mowing her property.
I secured that property.
And within just a matter of months, I was up to 30 or 35 properties and it has just continued to grow every year.
This year we've added 12 more.
And so I'm excited to see where it goes.
And if we get too many more, I'm going to have to put together a second crew.
I got you.
And how old, like when did this start?
How old were you and started the business?
How old are you now?
You know, those kind of things.
I started my business 16 years ago and I am 59, just turned 59 in June.
So I'm an older man as far as lawn care goes.
But I still am able to get out there and hustle and work and, you know, do the job.
So I'm excited to see where we go.
Absolutely.
I think that I think that's incredible because that's another excuse that, you know, because there are a lot of guys that are even maybe your age, which I'm not too far behind you, but there's got to show your age that for whatever reason life circumstances of things that happen at their job or they want to make money on the side or whatever.
And they think maybe I should, because I hear from these guys email me and stuff like all the time, like, you know, I want to start a business.
I'm not sure, you know, and I feel like maybe I couldn't start a business because I'm not 20.
You know, these things that, you know, just problems that come up in guys mind, you know, the things that came up in your mind, but you're not 20.
You don't even have a whole voice box.
You're doing it. So what would you say out there to the guys there they want to make they want to start a business they want to make a little more money or improve their family's quality of life and what would you say to them?
You think they can do it or you think they can't?
They can do it 100%.
If you can dream it, it is possible.
That's incredible.
And so you were so did the so did you already have the business like before the voice things started or like what's the timeline like how that worked out?
No, prior to that, I was heavily involved in the ministry in our church.
And then I was in law enforcement for 10 years.
And then when the throat cancer happened and I was sick for three years, I don't think there was a time period when I was out of the hospital more than a week or two during that three year period because I would try to take a drink of water and I would aspirate.
It would turn into pneumonia.
They would put me in the hospital.
Plus, I would go back for a post op appointment and the tumor had grown back at one point.
It had grown back and the doctor pulled the scope out of my nose and said, you're going to surgery.
I said, when he said right now, he said, you have a tumor the size of a golf ball in your voice box.
If we don't get it out, you have two weeks to live.
So we went to surgery and that's when they took half of my larynx to get it all.
So I wouldn't end the surgery not knowing if I would ever be able to speak again, not knowing if I would ever be able to tell my wife I love her.
Not knowing if I would ever be able to tell my small children, you know, daddy loves you. Daddy's proud of you.
You're going to be something great one day.
So the cancer took a lot from me.
It took my involvement in the ministry.
It took a lot of self-esteem away from me.
And that's why I always like to say I refuse to let it define me.
This is who I am.
This is what I am.
I can still tell my wife I love her.
I can still hug my kids and tell my daughter and my son, you know, daddy's so proud of you.
You're great. You're doing wonderful.
And I can still provide for my family and make a living.
And that's why I started the lawn care because after I got over the three year sickness, I wanted to be able to do something to be a blessing to my family.
To help support my family.
I didn't want to depend on my wife's income as a teacher to be our only source of income.
So I started the lawn care business and now it has grown beyond my imagination.
And that's why I say if you can dream it, it is possible.
That is crazy. So you kind of started the business right after the throat thing happened. Is that right?
Yes. I started the business and I had a tracheostomy tube in my voice, in my neck.
And to be able to talk, I would have to plug the tracheostomy tube.
The tube was there to help me breathe because at that point I was still having some difficulty breathing.
And I had to learn how to swallow all over again.
So I started my business with a tracheostomy in my neck.
And it took off. People overlooked the trache.
They overlooked the raspy voice and they saw the quality of work that they could receive.
And they took a chance on me and I have the greatest customers.
98% of my customers I never hear a word from because they know I'm going to show up.
They know I'm going to do what I say I'm going to do and they can depend on me.
So I would encourage anyone that is wanting to start a business, just be a man of your word.
Just do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it.
And you can do it. It'll grow. You will gain customers just because they can trust you.
That is amazing.
So the part that is the worst about it just because my kids had a couple surgery things and nothing of a three-year span.
That is the part that is the absolutely no fun. Not only did you just it's not like you just got okay.
It was bad. You got this one bad surgery and it's done the three years.
That's the part that's man that is so can can you know get you down so badly just going back to the hospital.
And it's just like you just know that there's so much money flowing out from insurance yourself or both or somewhere.
And just the fact of and the fact of totally derailing your whole life. Not just one surgery.
Three years that you know going back to the hospital you know if people can just imagine that like that is.
Oh man that that is would you agree that that is probably the worst part of like how to redo all this stuff for three years.
Like not you know it wasn't just that initial okay boom they did this one surgery.
Right.
And you lost part of your voice and it's fixed. No it didn't work like that.
Tony I had 10 surgeries.
Wow.
And the last one they cut me from behind my left ear all the way around to behind my right ear.
And that's when they done the trick did trick room or the Laranix removal surgery.
And when the doctor come in to see me right before they took me into the surgery room.
He said whatever you want to say to your family say it now.
He said because I cannot guarantee that we'll be able to save any of your voice box.
We might have to remove it all.
So I hugged my wife and told her I loved her.
I hugged my kids told them I love them.
My mother was there.
My father was there.
My brothers and sisters were there at my bedside.
With tears flowing down my cheeks.
I told each of them I love you.
Not knowing if that would be the last time I ever got to say it.
I get emotional thinking about it.
But when I came to after surgery my wife whispered in my ear.
They only had to take half of your voice box.
You're going to be able to talk.
The tears just flowed down my cheek onto my hospital gown.
As I looked at my wife.
So thankful that I would be able to even say a word.
I can't even express to you the gratitude that I have for the doctors.
That was able to save my life.
And able to save my ability to speak.
Well you're just, you're an incredible inspiration to me.
I know to so many people out there.
I mean this is something that not a lot of, not many people will have to deal with.
And so I think it's amazing that you're using that to help, you know,
encourage others and propel people forward that, you know, even though that happened.
And during that time when you're going through all that, I'm sure you would never think that you would be
on the other side of this with such a big long-term business and running a podcast and all that.
So what a blessing that the Lord has got you at this place in your life.
Where during those times, you know, when that's actually happened and the doctors are telling you that,
you don't know if you're going to be there a week after that.
Exactly. Well, I was told you had two weeks to live if we don't get this out.
Two weeks is not a long time.
When you're a young man at the time or a younger man and you have a wife and kids,
you know, two weeks isn't a long time.
And that really played on my emotions and my mental health was affected by those words.
My physical health was just drained because of those words.
But, you know, and I refer to scripture a lot because I am a man of faith and I believe the scripture says it's because of him
that I live and move and have my being.
And if that is true, it is so true in my situation.
It's only because of God.
I mean, that is incredible.
I feel very blessed to have come across you somehow and really look forward to meeting you in person.
Again, just like we've been mentioning for the last time ever long,
that is probably one of the best parts of the Expo.
You know, 30,000 elite people from the green industry meet up, you know, at this event.
And, you know, the people that are just hate their long-term business and they're doing it for side-beer money,
they're not really, those people are not showing up at the Expo.
Like all the people that are there, whether on social media or not, just the people that are there to better their business
and better, you know, be part of the industry, everyone that basically attends that event, you know, has something,
a huge value to share to you or probably at least 90-some percent of people that you'll run into there.
And so what a blessing it is that we get to do that.
And I feel like the Lord, you know, he has ways of having us meet up with people, different people.
And, you know, who knows what will continue, you know, as your story continues,
like I feel like your impact is going to keep growing on what you're able to do through the podcast and through who knows what else.
And so I just, I really appreciate your time today.
I know I've already kept you for an hour, hour and seven minutes.
I got to go to church in a little bit, but the, man, thank you so much for coming on today.
Is there anything, you know, last things you want to leave people?
And here's the thing, I make friends for a lifetime.
I don't burn bridges.
I don't, you know, I try to not be selfish in my relationships.
We both have to, we're going to be friends for a long time.
And that means we both have to learn to serve each other in friendship.
And that's just, I'm willing to do that.
And that's something that a lot of people in our world are probably not willing to do, you know, just like with their marriages or anything else.
But anyway, so like, I say that because like, this is not like only one time you'd be on my podcast, you know what I'm saying?
That's not how it is.
I want to have you on plenty of other times.
So like there's obviously we could talk for six hours about a lot of different things, but is there anything else that you want to leave people with today for, you know, at least the next couple weeks or next couple months until we will definitely catch up with the Expo, which is super quickly how it's coming.
And what is it like two months away in there or something like that?
It'll be here before you know it.
Yeah.
So what else do you want to leave people with tell them how they can find your podcast and whatever else that you have social medias. And if there's anything else you want to tell people before we get off here.
Well, I appreciate you, Tony.
And I consider you my friend at this point.
And I, I just want to encourage someone if you're going through something.
It might not be cancer. It might be a financial situation.
It might be a family struggle, whatever you're going through.
It's not bigger than you.
You can handle it.
God won't put more on us than what we are able to bear, but he will make a way of escape.
So I want to tell somebody just hold on.
And if you can just force yourself to get up every morning, put your boots on and go to work, you can find success.
Success does not come to us.
We go to it and you can find success through dedication, through hard work, through commitment and being a man or woman of your word.
And I appreciate you having me on your podcast.
I want to have you on mine again.
And I look forward to meeting you at the equip.
I would look forward to your event at the Mexican restaurant.
And I just want to get to know you and build a relationship.
Absolutely. Yes.
I agree 100% and put whatever, put this whole thing on your podcast.
You want, you know, like there's no, I'm not, you know, it's not like a thing where you have to like, I'm not like, you know, guarding whatever, you know, I'm saying like, I'm not like guarding the content or want you to just put a little clip or something on yours.
And so that way the whole thing is safe for mine.
Like, no, no, no, I have none of that mentality.
You put the whole thing on yours.
It helps us both still, even if you, you know, whole thing.
And like I said, I want to get on your podcast on, it would be really cool to maybe make a clip for your podcast even when we're there in real life.
So, yes, sir.
Definitely bring whatever you want, some kind of mic or bring your P4 or something so that you'll be able to catch clips of all kinds of different people while you're there.
So definitely have something, have something with you so you can record, you know, some stuff that you're going to put on your podcast.
Yeah, I'm planning on bringing my P4, a mic and I want to do some podcasting at the equip and maybe interview some people, you know, so I'm looking forward to that.
My podcast is the Lawn Hustle.
You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.
Search professional lawn maintenance and you will find us.
Absolutely. Well, there you guys have it.
I appreciate you guys out there listening.
It's Sunday for us. You're probably going to hear this.
I think maybe Wednesday because I have a couple others.
I recorded one of my dad the other day.
So I think it'll Wednesday.
This one go up and you can put it on your podcast both whenever you want.
I don't care.
But the, it's going to be a great week of mowing for all of us.
And just remember that, hey, there's other people going through things that are definitely harder than what you're going through out there.
You guys out there listening, me out there listening.
Yes, there's your truck problems. There's family problems.
There's all these things that we are all dealing with.
But there's always something someone going through something worse than what we're going through.
And there's even people right now going through even worse stuff than what you lawn hustle went through.
But still, we got to keep that in mind because it, you know, the devil and just our own flash and all that when we start going through things, we, our own mind tends to tell us like, Hey, this is just like the worst thing ever.
And we are, we're in the worst spot than everyone else.
You know what I mean? Like, our cells can tell ourselves that.
But this podcast is another thing that just showed you that, Hey, this, this guy, he went through all this and he's still keeping his head up.
And I know there's hard days. I know there's discouraging days and all that.
Just like for all of us, maybe not, but I'm assuming there is plenty of those days for you. Absolutely.
You probably don't have, you know, have the perfect mindset every day.
But at the end of the day, you're not giving up. You're coming back up for air.
You know, you're not giving up.
Even if days, some days are down or some days are down for all of us, you know, trucks break and help things happen.
And these things are continuing to keep on happening, but, but, you know, at the same time, you're keeping your head up and hopefully this encourages someone else out there mowing right now on their mower or pulling weeds, whatever they're doing.
And they're hearing this and hopefully they, it will encourage them and they can share it with others.
And so I appreciate you. And if there's anything I can do to help your podcast, I'll do that.
I can help you meet up with a lot of, you know, I have a lot of relationships in real life.
So I want to help you meet with up with a lot of other podcasters as when we go to the expo is what I'm talking about.
And you can help you to make a lot of connections, a lot of more shows you can get on and all those kind of things, you know, it would, that all that would be great.
So I look forward to seeing you in what two months or roughly two months, but man, it's, it's coming quick.
I'm excited about it. It's kind of in the back of my mind, you know, all year kind of thing, just because I so enjoy going to it.
Yes, sir.
And so, and you guys out there, it's not too late. I feel like when guys start listening and starts getting kind of close, people think people just give up or, you know, in their mind, they kind of give up like,
I'm gonna do that. I'm not gonna be able to find a hotel now, expensive, all that.
But literally last year, I, because of all these different financial things we're trying to do to pay down the state, I didn't know until like a week beforehand that I could go to the expo.
I booked a hotel 15 minutes south. And if 15 minutes in any direction of the expo, they don't even know the expo is going on.
It's midweek pricing. You can get a hotel for a very reasonable rate if you're willing to drive 15 minutes in any direction of the expo, even if it's three days before.
And you're hearing this book something 15 minutes out, just driving the 15 minutes.
Get your take you the promo code Paul Phil Turfner's whatever, get 50% off the ticket and just come to it.
Even if it's like I said, even if it's three days before, it's still not too late. You want to come meet the lawn hustle. He's gone through stuff.
You're going through stuff. And so let's all get better together as we go along. So thank you so much, bud for coming on today.
Hey, thank you for having me on. I appreciate it so much.
Have a great day mowing out there tomorrow and I will.
I'll try to remember to text you with the link when the podcast is live. All right, bud.
Okay, I appreciate it.
All right. Thank you so much.
Yes, sir.
See you guys.