Latest / Our Community, Our Mission / Ep #329 - Why Partnerships Matter: A Conversation with Kevin Nincehelser CEO of Premier One

Transcript

Ep #329 - Why Partnerships Matter: A Conversation with Kevin Nincehelser CEO of Premier One · Our Community, Our Mission

0:00
SPEAKER_01: Let's pray.
0:02
SPEAKER_01: Father, thank you for loving us the way that you do, and thank you for just how much you show us what really matters.
0:12
SPEAKER_01: Um each day we have an opportunity, God, to not only draw closer to you, uh, but also to change our own ways and to become more like you.
0:25
SPEAKER_01: Uh, but even more importantly, Lord, each day we have the day to share the gospel.
0:30
SPEAKER_01: And uh, I think we're just so reminded um that even in the mundane or even in the routine, Lord, um, that there are people that need to hear from you.
0:42
SPEAKER_01: And so, Lord, just let us be reminded today that everything that we do, every podcast, every meal we give out, every conversation we have at the grocery store, Lord, that it can be an opportunity to witness um just your goodness and your hope.
0:58
SPEAKER_01: Lord, thank you for our special guest today.
1:01
SPEAKER_01: Um, thank you for goodness, just the giftings and the talent you've given him and his entire team.
1:09
SPEAKER_01: Lord, thank you for how much joy they bring when they come in our buildings, when it's usually something we've messed up or need them.
1:18
SPEAKER_01: Lord, just thank you for um not only good partnerships, but partnerships that are also friendships.
1:24
SPEAKER_01: Lord, continue to be with all of the need in our community.
1:27
SPEAKER_01: Uh, there's a lot of people hurting, and God, really, you're the only answer to that.
1:32
SPEAKER_01: And so help us to be a part of um just bringing the good news to everybody that needs it.
1:38
SPEAKER_01: In your name we pray.
1:39
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
1:39
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
1:44
SPEAKER_02: Hello, everybody.
1:45
SPEAKER_02: Thank you for joining us for our community, our mission, a podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission.
1:49
SPEAKER_02: We're here on October the 6th of 2026, episode number 329.
1:54
SPEAKER_02: I'm your host today, Barry Fieker, here with Lamanda and Merriam.
1:57
SPEAKER_02: Good morning.
1:57
SPEAKER_02: Good morning.
1:58
SPEAKER_02: All right, we got a really exciting guest today.
2:00
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
2:01
SPEAKER_02: Um, very important person.
2:02
SPEAKER_02: We're gonna get into that.
2:04
SPEAKER_01: And he's been practicing tough questions to ask you.
2:07
SPEAKER_01: Uh-huh.
2:07
SPEAKER_01: That's great.
2:08
SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
2:08
SPEAKER_01: Merriam and I like that.
2:09
SPEAKER_01: Uh-huh.
2:09
SPEAKER_02: We're going to cheer.
2:11
SPEAKER_02: The first tough question is going to be pronounce his last name.
2:13
SPEAKER_02: So I'm so glad his mom and dad named him Kevin.
2:16
SPEAKER_02: I don't.
2:17
SPEAKER_02: We can get that, but we're going to get to Kevin here in a minute.
2:20
SPEAKER_02: Um, we have our um research and information department that um, you know, some people we didn't do this last week, and some people were calling in and said they were very disappointed that we didn't do this.
2:30
SPEAKER_04: Well, you know, you have to get the warning.
2:31
SPEAKER_02: That's a little line.
2:32
SPEAKER_02: It's a little lie, I know.
2:34
SPEAKER_02: If we were really, really had a call-in number, they would have probably just drove in and called in and say, how come you didn't do the importance of the day?
2:40
SPEAKER_02: So we're gonna go through that.
2:41
SPEAKER_02: Then we're gonna talk about some special event coming up here real soon and then we're gonna get into our guests.
2:47
SPEAKER_02: So, Miriam Amanda, did you know today was National Noodle Day?
2:52
SPEAKER_04: No, but I'm kind of excited about it.
2:55
SPEAKER_04: Why?
2:55
SPEAKER_04: Because I love noodles.
2:56
SPEAKER_02: You do?
2:58
SPEAKER_02: Okay, talk to us about this, Miriam.
3:00
SPEAKER_02: Talk to us about it.
3:00
SPEAKER_04: But you know, you can't grow up German Mennonite and not have a lot of noodles in your diet.
3:07
SPEAKER_04: So it makes me feel very much like I'm home.
3:10
SPEAKER_04: You know?
3:11
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
3:11
SPEAKER_04: So noodles are good.
3:12
SPEAKER_04: So are they good?
3:13
SPEAKER_04: You can have them in any kind of ethnicity you want, right?
3:16
SPEAKER_04: It can be Mexican noodles, Asian noodles, German noodles.
3:20
SPEAKER_04: I could go on and on.
3:21
SPEAKER_02: Sounds like a gluten party.
3:25
SPEAKER_04: Well, you know, sometimes that's just correct.
3:28
SPEAKER_02: Have you ever had gluten-free noodles?
3:30
SPEAKER_02: No, and I don't want them.
3:31
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
3:31
SPEAKER_02: No, no, I don't want to.
3:32
SPEAKER_02: That family member that has to have gluten-free noodles.
3:35
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, in our church, we even have a gluten-free wafer um for communion.
3:40
SPEAKER_04: You know, we so Sunday was um World Communion Day, if you didn't know.
3:45
SPEAKER_04: Our b our um communion bread was gluten-free.
3:48
SPEAKER_02: All of it?
3:49
SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
3:49
SPEAKER_02: Really?
3:50
SPEAKER_02: That says something.
3:52
SPEAKER_04: It does.
3:53
SPEAKER_04: Yes, yes, it does.
3:55
SPEAKER_02: So that same thought.
3:56
SPEAKER_02: So every uh October 6th is inviting everyone to twirl, Slurp, and Saber, their favorite pasta noodle dishes.
4:03
SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Research and Development Department, for bringing that to our attention today.
4:07
SPEAKER_02: So they also brought in a very other important day.
4:09
SPEAKER_02: Uh Lamandom, I'll give this one to you.
4:11
SPEAKER_02: Um it's Mad Hatter Day.
4:13
SPEAKER_02: Tell us about the importance of Mad Hatter Day.
4:16
SPEAKER_01: I I really have no clue about why that would be important.
4:19
SPEAKER_01: I'm sure you But I mean it's a neat character.
4:21
SPEAKER_02: Mm-hmm.
4:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
4:22
SPEAKER_02: Right?
4:22
SPEAKER_02: Mm-hmm.
4:23
SPEAKER_01: Alice in Wonderland.
4:24
SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
4:24
SPEAKER_01: So I know all of that piece.
4:26
SPEAKER_02: So you I was just gonna say See, Alice in Wonderland came out way before you even thought about it.
4:30
SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
4:30
SPEAKER_02: And so Yeah.
4:32
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, it kind of did it.
4:34
SPEAKER_00: Listen, you said it this time.
4:35
SPEAKER_00: I didn't.
4:36
SPEAKER_01: I did not make any age jokes.
4:38
SPEAKER_02: That wasn't a joke, that was a fact.
4:40
unknown: Okay.
4:42
SPEAKER_02: All right.
4:42
SPEAKER_02: For those who remember Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter, that's uh uh one of those characters in there.
4:47
SPEAKER_02: And so uh kind of a creepy movie, I thought.
4:50
SPEAKER_02: Most of those are pretty creepy.
4:51
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
4:51
SPEAKER_02: Research and development department is shaking their head.
4:53
SPEAKER_02: Pretty creepy movie.
4:54
SPEAKER_02: Yep.
4:54
SPEAKER_04: Well, maybe the modern one maybe the modern one was.
4:57
SPEAKER_04: The older stuff isn't as creepy.
4:59
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
4:59
SPEAKER_04: I don't know.
5:00
SPEAKER_04: I think it's pretty creepy.
5:01
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
5:04
SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
5:04
SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
5:05
SPEAKER_02: That was like somebody on drugs.
5:07
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
5:08
SPEAKER_02: I don't think I've watched it.
5:10
SPEAKER_04: It's probably when I grew up.
5:11
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
5:12
SPEAKER_02: Mm-hmm.
5:13
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
5:13
SPEAKER_02: So, I mean, the grizzly stuff.
5:17
SPEAKER_00: I still grew up watching Gun Smoke and all this stuff that now as an adult, I look back and I'm like, I probably shouldn't have been watching some of them.
5:23
SPEAKER_00: You know, pretty mild.
5:24
SPEAKER_02: But that was compared to what's out there.
5:26
SPEAKER_02: It is true.
5:26
SPEAKER_02: It is true.
5:27
SPEAKER_01: But a lot of people dying falling off the horses.
5:30
SPEAKER_01: But I watched every day with the falling horses back then.
5:33
SPEAKER_02: They didn't AI that's.
5:34
SPEAKER_04: That's right.
5:35
SPEAKER_04: They were really falling.
5:37
SPEAKER_02: Ever see the mattress go up in the air, you know?
5:40
SPEAKER_02: Anyway, one more.
5:41
SPEAKER_02: Uh this is uh for anybody who is inspired to be an athlete or the person that leads them is National Coaches Day.
5:48
SPEAKER_03: National Coaches Day.
5:49
SPEAKER_02: Way to go, Andy.
5:50
SPEAKER_02: Keep going, buddy.
5:51
SPEAKER_02: I'm telling you.
5:52
SPEAKER_02: Orno.
5:54
SPEAKER_02: That was a close one.
5:55
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, breathing in the paper bag on Sunday.
5:58
SPEAKER_02: Yep.
5:59
SPEAKER_02: But uh anyway, so uh National Coaches Day.
6:01
SPEAKER_02: So you guys are kind of like coaches.
6:05
SPEAKER_01: Sometimes, yeah.
6:07
SPEAKER_02: Why do you feel like you're a coach?
6:09
SPEAKER_01: You know, I think coaches, it's really important that they stay focused on whatever the end game is.
6:16
SPEAKER_01: And of course, I think an end game would be winning, doing well.
6:21
SPEAKER_01: Um, yet coaches really also need to be teaching people anybody can win well.
6:26
SPEAKER_01: Not everybody can lose well.
6:28
SPEAKER_01: And I think that's one thing that we do all the time is um try to provide motivation when our team needs motivated.
6:36
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, there is correction that's needed sometimes, providing that in a loving way.
6:41
SPEAKER_01: Um, but also, gosh, the teamwork, because we cannot do this work without each other.
6:48
SPEAKER_01: And I have noticed, I think it's the same anywhere, but even more so at TRM, in my opinion.
6:54
SPEAKER_01: The enemy really likes to attack our teams.
6:58
SPEAKER_01: And it usually starts with one or two, or then the next thing you know, it's multiple people that are facing different things.
7:05
SPEAKER_01: And the next thing you know, this team that's supposed to be cooking, or this team that's supposed to be doing food distribution, or our leadership team that needs to plan budget.
7:14
SPEAKER_01: We're distracted or we're run down or whatever the case may be.
7:18
SPEAKER_01: So I would say we have coaching opportunities every day at the Speaker Rush Commission.
7:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
7:28
SPEAKER_02: What's the hardest thing about being a coach?
7:32
SPEAKER_04: Oh, that's that honestly, that's a really hard question.
7:36
SPEAKER_04: Um I think it's to be able to balance expectations.
7:42
SPEAKER_04: Um both my expectations as well as external expectations, and still be able to be encouraging when people might be struggling.
7:52
SPEAKER_04: You know, but to still to be able to just uh determine really what is really most important um in in that relationship, in that situation, how do we handle it so that it doesn't become discouraging for someone.
8:07
SPEAKER_04: Um so expectations I think maybe are the hardest part of it.
8:12
SPEAKER_02: Coach has a lot of responsibilities.
8:13
SPEAKER_02: We're gonna talk to a coach as a guest here today um about him coaching his team and the importance of that.
8:19
SPEAKER_02: Not there yet.
8:20
SPEAKER_02: But uh I think the hardest thing about a coach is a coach needs to know the game.
8:24
SPEAKER_02: Really needs to know the game and who to put in what positions to be able to win the game.
8:29
SPEAKER_02: Uh the hardest thing for a coach to me is to not play the game themselves.
8:34
SPEAKER_02: To coach the game.
8:34
SPEAKER_02: The coach needs to know the game, probably has played the game, but stay off the field.
8:39
SPEAKER_02: Let the players do it so you don't do it for them.
8:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
8:41
SPEAKER_02: Can you imagine imagine Andy Reid getting back out on the field again?
8:44
SPEAKER_02: And he probably could blow the line apart pretty good.
8:46
SPEAKER_02: But he stays on the sideline.
8:48
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
8:49
SPEAKER_02: So the player's out there and runs the plays that way.
8:51
SPEAKER_02: So that's the hardest thing, I think, is not to get in the game.
8:54
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
8:54
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
8:54
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
8:55
SPEAKER_02: You're in the game, but not in the game.
8:56
SPEAKER_02: So okay, one special announcement before we get to Kevin here, and that is night of praise.
9:02
SPEAKER_02: It's we keep talking about it, keep talking about it.
9:05
SPEAKER_02: Did it already happen?
9:06
SPEAKER_01: No, no.
9:06
SPEAKER_01: No, but it is coming up.
9:08
SPEAKER_01: Uh-huh.
9:09
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so this Sunday, October 11th, uh doors open at 5 30.
9:15
SPEAKER_01: Uh program starts at 6, and it is at Fairlawn Nazarene Church.
9:20
SPEAKER_01: So we are very grateful.
9:21
SPEAKER_01: So we've been Fairlong.
9:22
SPEAKER_01: Yep.
9:23
SPEAKER_01: That they are hosting us this year.
9:25
SPEAKER_01: Looking forward to that.
9:26
SPEAKER_01: They have been such a delightful team to work with over the past several months.
9:30
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, this is it's a big event, and um, it takes a lot of coordination um because TRM has a program piece in it on and off the stage.
9:41
SPEAKER_01: And then in between that, we have anywhere between one to three bands each year um that are, you know, doing the worship piece, the the music piece.
9:49
SPEAKER_01: And so there's a lot of coordination that goes into it.
9:52
SPEAKER_01: So we appreciate uh their willingness and um they have just been fun to work with too.
9:58
SPEAKER_01: Um great partners.
9:59
SPEAKER_01: So looking forward to that.
10:00
SPEAKER_01: 5:30, the doors open.
10:02
SPEAKER_01: Um, it is a free event.
10:03
SPEAKER_01: We are asking people if they can to bring um some type of non-perishable food item.
10:09
SPEAKER_01: Our uh box truck will be there.
10:11
SPEAKER_01: Uh, we'll have the team there loading up items, and so that's a way to help restock the distribution center.
10:17
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, we have a lot of need right now.
10:19
SPEAKER_01: We have a lot of food going out our doors um multiple times a week.
10:24
SPEAKER_01: So uh really need that support.
10:26
SPEAKER_01: The other thing this year, um, we're going to have a table for each department.
10:31
SPEAKER_01: And um I'm in my head, this is gonna go really well.
10:36
SPEAKER_01: Uh but it's our first year that we're doing this.
10:39
SPEAKER_01: So um just being honest, if it doesn't, it's my fault.
10:42
SPEAKER_01: Um but one thing that we do struggle with the night of the program is how do we really talk about in an honest way, not trying to brag, not trying to boast, but about what all the Topeka Rescue Mission does.
10:58
SPEAKER_01: And quite frankly, it just can't be done even in an hour and a half.
11:02
SPEAKER_01: I mean, we we've got a PowerPoint, we've slimmed it down when I do speaking events, but to truly highlight and showcase everything that the Topeka Rescue Mission does, we just can't do it.
11:12
SPEAKER_01: And so each year it's been a bit of a struggle for me and the team as we're preparing some of the talking points that I want to make and everything, and trying to get the statistics in it and yet still do a financial ask and still do the interview and such.
11:27
SPEAKER_01: So this year, um, all of my department leads will be at their table and each table will have statistics about their department.
11:37
SPEAKER_01: It will have needs that their department has, ways that people can pray for that specific department.
11:42
SPEAKER_01: And so um, if it seems like the night of the event, there's less disgust about all the different components, it's because we're really trying to highlight that at 530.
11:53
SPEAKER_01: So we do encourage people to come at 530.
11:56
SPEAKER_01: We've been saying it's kind of the program before the program.
11:58
SPEAKER_01: Um, and instead of it just being my face that is talking about it all, you can see the individual leaders that are leading those departments.
12:07
SPEAKER_01: And I hope that it's a way to showcase their hearts and their knowledge, but also be able to fit the magnitude of what God does at the rescue mission in this hour and a half program.
12:19
SPEAKER_01: So um looking forward to that.
12:22
SPEAKER_01: We're excited.
12:23
SPEAKER_01: Um, want everybody to come out and um I think it's gonna be a great night.
12:28
SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, I've mentioned a couple of times on here, it is a financial fundraiser.
12:32
SPEAKER_01: And so um we've said the past couple of years, Barry, that in order to maintain a healthy budget where we can keep up with the needs um that our community is facing, we need support.
12:46
SPEAKER_01: And um, my message is going to be slightly different this weekend at night of praise.
12:51
SPEAKER_01: Um, and you know, it's one of those hard, difficult things.
12:55
SPEAKER_01: I don't want to sound the alarms, but we have moved past.
13:01
SPEAKER_01: Hey, in order to maintain a healthy budget, we need these dollars because those dollars have not come in.
13:07
SPEAKER_01: And so I'm still praying through how to communicate everything, but the message now is going to be in order to continue providing services at the capacity that Speaker Rescue Mission has, we're going to have to have people walk alongside us um consistently, and we have to have stable donations coming in, or we're gonna have really tough decisions about what do our services look like.
13:34
SPEAKER_01: And we just don't want to get to that.
13:37
SPEAKER_01: Um, but we also are trying to find the balance of doing the ask and asking the community um to show up and to support financially, and so that's a challenge.
13:49
SPEAKER_01: Um, but one praise that I have is um, you know, I've I've shared this on here that it's been a struggle because we don't want our financial need to go into the shadow uh because this is the only fundraiser we put on.
14:07
SPEAKER_01: And I need to be honest with the public about what we're needing.
14:11
SPEAKER_01: The other side of it is we also know that no effort I or the team or the board can do is more important than what God's provision is.
14:23
SPEAKER_01: And so finding this balance of what is God asking us to do that is wise and that is honest and is transparent, yet that we aren't dependent on anything other than Him providing is a hard walk for me.
14:39
SPEAKER_01: And so one of the ideas we had this year was um I I asked the board, can I have a goal tied to sponsorships?
14:50
SPEAKER_01: To me, that is a very healthy um way to use um gosh, just to be so prayerful on, use we wisdom using um various staff to help ask for donations and sponsorships and such, yet so that we still have this financial goal, but then it doesn't take away that if the night of, if we have a whole bunch of people that give their Lord to Christ, or if they've been healed of the church hurt they've been experiencing, or maybe they just have a place to go and they haven't set foot and heard anything about God in a decade, that to me is still beautiful kingdom success.
15:32
SPEAKER_01: And I recognize that that might not bring in dollars.
15:36
SPEAKER_01: And so the idea I had was can we put a goal on sponsorships and still hope and try hard that the night of we still raise a lot of money that we need in order to um help our budget, yet that we aren't putting money over the difference God is making.
15:56
SPEAKER_01: And that's something I feel very convicted about.
15:59
SPEAKER_01: And so the board was supportive of that, and so we put a goal of 20,000 on sponsorships, and um man, God has just answered that and the team has worked so hard, including this one person you keep talking about, the resource development team, which is Miranda.
16:16
SPEAKER_03: Resource and development team.
16:17
SPEAKER_01: Yes, that's right.
16:18
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I could go on and on with what Miriam has done and Miranda has done and Jesse has done and Kim has done.
16:24
SPEAKER_01: Directors have stepped up.
16:26
SPEAKER_01: And because of um their efforts and and just God's blessing, we have met that$20,000 goal for sponsorships.
16:35
SPEAKER_01: And so um some of them are still coming in.
16:38
SPEAKER_01: I actually just uh left somewhere and someone said, Hey, we want to give$100 to Knight of Praise.
16:43
SPEAKER_01: And I said, perfect.
16:45
SPEAKER_01: So we don't have a final amount yet when we do our recap.
16:48
SPEAKER_01: We'll be really transparent with all the dollars.
16:51
SPEAKER_01: Miriam will break it down based on sponsorships, the night of and all of that.
16:55
SPEAKER_01: So we'll report that out.
16:56
SPEAKER_01: But I did want to say um that as of this week, we've met 20,000 in sponsorships.
17:02
SPEAKER_02: You know, and I think that sometimes we look at money for an organization and we get caught up in the organization needs this amount of money, but then the why.
17:10
SPEAKER_02: And then the why is what's going to be demonstrated.
17:13
SPEAKER_02: 530 uh come this Sunday so people can go around and see what all Speaker Rescue Mission does.
17:18
SPEAKER_02: And that puts some tangible this is why.
17:22
SPEAKER_02: You know, with all these meals and all the people sheltered and the housing program and so and so forth.
17:27
SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's it's uh it's a lot.
17:29
SPEAKER_02: And so that's the why.
17:31
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
17:32
SPEAKER_02: Okay, very good.
17:33
SPEAKER_02: So that is this Sunday night, which is the 11th of October, 5 30 p.m., 7th in Fairlone.
17:38
SPEAKER_02: When you come to, if you haven't been to Fairlong Church of the Nazarene, it'll look like there's not a lot of parking in the front.
17:43
SPEAKER_02: Go around back.
17:44
SPEAKER_02: There's a lot of parking back there.
17:45
SPEAKER_02: That's where you can go in, and that's a beautiful facility uh for this Sunday night.
17:50
SPEAKER_04: Their back is actually their front.
17:51
SPEAKER_04: Yes.
17:51
SPEAKER_02: I know, I know.
17:53
SPEAKER_01: Which is a little weird.
17:54
SPEAKER_01: And that is a good thing.
17:55
SPEAKER_01: We I'm not sure we've said enough, but um entrance will be at the north side entrance.
18:00
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
18:00
SPEAKER_01: So the west side, you will see our van parked there.
18:04
SPEAKER_01: Um, but there will be signs by the van that says please go around the building.
18:08
SPEAKER_01: So we are just for safety purposes and everything.
18:11
SPEAKER_02: If you're from Arkansas a little directionally challenged, uh like some people here.
18:14
SPEAKER_01: I said the north side, Mister.
18:16
SPEAKER_01: I said it.
18:17
SPEAKER_02: Now, for those who are like Lamanda, that would be the side for where the highway is.
18:22
SPEAKER_02: So exactly.
18:23
SPEAKER_02: And the gas station.
18:24
SPEAKER_02: It faces the gas station.
18:25
SPEAKER_02: That's right.
18:26
SPEAKER_00: And then that is, you know, across the street from Landon.
18:29
SPEAKER_00: In case you don't know, that's the West Side.
18:31
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
18:31
SPEAKER_00: One of my alma maters.
18:33
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
18:33
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
18:33
SPEAKER_02: All right.
18:34
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
18:34
SPEAKER_02: So, all right, we want to switch gears here, and I want to kind of lead up to this because uh back in the day.
18:41
SPEAKER_02: A little music with that one still left around.
18:44
SPEAKER_02: Uh back in the day when we f when I first started the rescue mission, uh, everything was on paper.
18:49
SPEAKER_02: Everything.
18:50
SPEAKER_02: And I remember when we first got donated, our first computer, it was a Texas instrument, 10 megabyte computer.
18:58
SPEAKER_02: We said we'll never use 10 megabytes.
19:00
SPEAKER_02: We'll never ever uh fill that up.
19:03
SPEAKER_02: Now, for those of you who are a little nerdy out there, you know we're not talking megabytes anymore.
19:07
SPEAKER_02: We're talking about gigabytes and then terabytes and then our guests today may educate us on some other stuff.
19:14
SPEAKER_02: So when we got into that whole arena, I had to find some people that knew what they were doing because I looked at that computer.
19:20
SPEAKER_02: I don't run it.
19:21
SPEAKER_02: Nobody here knew how to run it.
19:22
SPEAKER_02: I had a bunch of homeless folks here.
19:23
SPEAKER_02: We didn't know how to run it, so it sat there for a while.
19:25
SPEAKER_02: And so it was a nice gift, but it was useless until somebody that came along that knew what they were doing was able to apply it.
19:32
SPEAKER_02: I remember how discouraged I was when I heard that all nonprofits one day are gonna have to have websites.
19:39
SPEAKER_02: I thought, we'll never be able to do that.
19:42
SPEAKER_02: No, I'm doing we're out, don't understand what the purpose of them is.
19:45
SPEAKER_02: I've just got into the email thing, don't like it either.
19:48
SPEAKER_02: And so, but today everything is centered around this technology, the internet.
19:55
SPEAKER_02: Um, it is just expanded.
19:57
SPEAKER_02: And so you have to have people that know this stuff, right, Miriam?
20:00
SPEAKER_02: 100%.
20:01
SPEAKER_02: And so um had an opportunity about 10 years ago to meet Kevin Neich Hesler.
20:09
SPEAKER_02: Is that close?
20:10
SPEAKER_03: No.
20:10
SPEAKER_02: Nancy Helser.
20:11
SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh.
20:14
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
20:15
SPEAKER_02: Thank your parents for me again for naming you Kevin.
20:18
SPEAKER_02: So the person who didn't want websites.
20:20
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I I I butcher names up, but I really did a good job on that one today.
20:24
SPEAKER_02: So, Kevin, thank you.
20:25
SPEAKER_02: Uh Kevin is uh the CEO of Premier One, um, who is the tech support everything for Topeka Rescue Mission, also some passionate strategies been doing this for about 10 years, I believe.
20:38
SPEAKER_02: So, Kevin, welcome to our community our mission.
20:40
SPEAKER_02: Thank you for who you are personally.
20:42
SPEAKER_02: Uh, you're a great guy and uh for the team.
20:45
SPEAKER_02: So, first of all, talk about Premier One.
20:47
SPEAKER_02: What is Premier One for people who um are not familiar?
20:51
SPEAKER_02: I think we kind of led up to a little bit.
20:53
SPEAKER_02: It's technology.
20:54
SPEAKER_02: Um, it's beyond uh megabytes.
20:57
SPEAKER_02: It's beyond websites.
20:58
SPEAKER_02: It's bigger than that.
20:59
SPEAKER_02: So what do you do?
21:00
SPEAKER_02: What's the scope of what you do?
21:02
SPEAKER_05: Well, first of all, thank you for having me here.
21:05
SPEAKER_05: Um Yeah, sometimes I just tell people I sell red balloons.
21:09
SPEAKER_05: Uh that's the easiest way to describe it.
21:11
SPEAKER_05: Um, so so uh uh myself and and our team at Premier One, um we we do technology and and what that looks like is for small and medium-sized businesses and for nonprofits such as the Topeka Rescue Mission, um, we try and be everything technology for them that we can be.
21:32
SPEAKER_05: Um and so uh we we hire great people who care about other people who are good with computer stuff.
21:40
SPEAKER_05: And and uh so we have specialists in in all kinds of different areas.
21:44
SPEAKER_05: Um we have uh you know Azure certified Azure engineers, um AI specialists, um we have technicians, um uh just just runs the gamut in terms of of skill set.
21:58
SPEAKER_05: And um and so So we take those skills and combine them all into one big team and then do our best to apply those to help people and help them accomplish their goals.
22:10
SPEAKER_05: And so, you know, the way I describe it is we are an outsourced IT department for organizations that need our support.
22:20
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and so many different services, which I imagine when you get into the tech technical aspect of this, we're gonna kind of go glazed over look about what all that really means.
22:30
SPEAKER_02: But you keep the system going, which is absolutely just for accounting, communications, internal, everything today is on a device.
22:38
SPEAKER_02: And so, but also there's some bad actors out there who want to destroy, want to take.
23:08
SPEAKER_02: What you do to protect Topeka Rescue Mission and your other organizations.
23:12
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, of course.
23:13
SPEAKER_05: So so in the area of IT security, there are lots of acronyms of which I will do my best to use none of them.
23:20
SPEAKER_05: Um but uh but you know, I I think uh today what we see in terms of IT security is it's all centered around uh a person's identity.
23:32
SPEAKER_05: So so it used to be uh that IT security was passwords and backups.
23:37
SPEAKER_05: Have a good password and make sure you have backups of your data.
23:41
SPEAKER_05: Um even that 10 megabytes that that computer used to have.
23:45
SPEAKER_05: If you lose it, you need to be able to get it back.
23:48
SPEAKER_05: Um you know, fast forwarding to today, uh there's all there's always been good guys and bad guys in technology, right?
23:57
SPEAKER_05: And um to some degree that helps technology progress uh because you have to innovate and get past those challenges.
24:05
SPEAKER_05: Um but uh but what we see is that um the uh the easiest way to um to steal things, steal data, steal money, steal whatever digital assets are valuable.
24:20
SPEAKER_05: The easiest way to do that is uh to effectively pretend to be someone you're not.
24:26
SPEAKER_05: And so um, you know, what we do is uh implement systems and solutions that ensure that uh the people who are using the computers are who they say they are, and um that we're able to help fully validate that so that um so that someone can't pretend to be them and do things that shouldn't be done.
24:45
SPEAKER_02: So I would imagine that's a fairly I mean, yes, you've got the technology, you are learning what the bad guys are doing, so you can prove what the good guys do, and it's that kind of a race for staying on top of that.
24:59
SPEAKER_02: Being the CEO of an organization that is tasked with protecting I don't know how many organizations that you protect, how do how do you personally navigate through that?
25:12
SPEAKER_02: Um, there's a vulnerability here.
25:14
SPEAKER_02: I know Lamanda, Miriam, rescue mission, there's a vulnerability when you're housing people 24-7 um who come off the streets and and uh some aren't um uh necessarily thinking correctly and decisions and on and on and on.
25:29
SPEAKER_02: Uh Lamanda, you and I have talked a number of times about there's quite a few nights where it's maybe an hour or two sleep.
25:34
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
25:35
SPEAKER_02: Um because you're processing and planning.
25:37
SPEAKER_02: Kevin, um you maybe don't have uh to the task of sheltering people who are homeless 24-7, but you have the task of protecting those that do uh from being um troubled by losing all their data, um uh corrupted or whatever, losing money.
25:56
SPEAKER_02: How do you handle that pressure?
25:58
SPEAKER_05: Um well it uh uh first of all, I I think it's important not to lose sight of um the the goal, right?
26:08
SPEAKER_05: So um it's important to us and important to you all that uh that we keep IT systems secure.
26:17
SPEAKER_05: But but why, right?
26:19
SPEAKER_05: And and ultimately the reason is so that you all can continue to support uh the people in our community who are in need.
26:27
SPEAKER_05: And so uh, you know, the the most direct answer to your question, Barry, I think, is um is to be comfortable in the paradox.
26:38
SPEAKER_05: Um you know, uh the the most secure IT system is one that's turned off and and doesn't have any people associated with it.
26:48
SPEAKER_05: Um but uh that that doesn't accomplish the goal, right?
26:52
SPEAKER_05: And so um, you know, on the other side of things, uh the easiest IT system to use or technology to use is one that is entirely not secure, um, so that anyone can use it, good guys or bad guys.
27:05
SPEAKER_05: And so um so I think the the key is just finding that balance and it's different per client, it's different per person, per employee that works for for these organizations.
27:16
SPEAKER_05: And um so so how how I handle that personally, uh yeah, it's it's some sleepless nights sometimes, of course.
27:26
SPEAKER_05: Um I think I think if if you're if you're not wrestling with that tension all the time, then you're not doing your job.
27:36
SPEAKER_05: Um and so so also just being comfortable with with change and risk.
27:41
SPEAKER_05: Um you know, from a business perspective, everything we do or everything we choose not to do is a risk.
27:48
SPEAKER_05: Um every person you all choose to serve is is represents some kind of risk either to your personal time or to your you know uh financial uh resources or or you know your employees, whatever.
28:03
SPEAKER_05: Um so I think it's it's learning to be comfortable with the risk in exchange for the reward.
28:12
SPEAKER_05: Um both here and beyond.
28:14
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
28:15
SPEAKER_02: Great way to put it.
28:15
SPEAKER_02: It applies to probably everything, applies to the rescue mission here, everything that we're doing, uh helping the homeless in our community.
28:22
SPEAKER_02: This says um there's a risk to doing something important, but what is the what's it worth the risk?
28:28
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
28:29
SPEAKER_02: I know that um here I don't know how long ago I engaged with you again um and you um helped me to get things set up on computer, and you also um helped me to remove a domain to another domain.
28:44
SPEAKER_02: And I remember it took you a little bit of time, like a day.
28:47
SPEAKER_02: And at the end of that day, I asked you how'd it go, and you said it was epic.
28:54
SPEAKER_02: Which was to me your code word for that was kind of hard, but you got it done.
28:59
SPEAKER_02: I said, Do you like doing this?
29:02
SPEAKER_02: And you said you love it.
29:03
SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
29:04
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
29:04
SPEAKER_02: You love this work.
29:05
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, of course.
29:06
SPEAKER_05: That I mean, I I think um, you know, especially moving into a leadership role, um, there are many days where um I'm dealing with with strategy or or you know, finances, or just running the business.
29:21
SPEAKER_05: Um and again, it's another paradox, like you can't be so far removed from the work that you can't feel it or or don't see it.
29:32
SPEAKER_05: Right?
29:32
SPEAKER_05: We were talking about this beforehand, um, just just being in and around the people you're serving.
29:38
SPEAKER_05: Um but at the same time, we're also uh called to do something that that is removed from that in order to serve our teammates and and serve the organization at large or or the community.
29:48
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
29:49
SPEAKER_05: Um and so yeah, it's it's all the time, all the time, every day, every week, it's about finding that balance.
29:56
SPEAKER_05: And there are moments uh where where I get to jump into a a hard technology problem.
30:03
SPEAKER_05: The reason I got into this business to begin with was to solve technology problems.
30:08
SPEAKER_05: Like it's it's something I love to do.
30:11
SPEAKER_05: Um, but uh, but I'm also finding as as we progress and grow our organization that there's much joy in seeing other people learn how to do that and and coaching them, as we were talking about coaching before.
30:27
SPEAKER_05: Um and uh and and then ultimately being able to have a greater impact than I could have on my own.
30:33
SPEAKER_05: So while while it was an epic journey to to handle some of the things you threw at me, Barry, um the the awesome thing is that uh uh the people at Premier One are solving epic problems every day.
30:48
SPEAKER_05: And um and so I get just a little piece or a part of the phone.
30:52
SPEAKER_02: I'm glad I can make your day with my epic problem.
30:56
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
30:56
SPEAKER_02: Lamanda Miriam, um, you're working, um, I don't know, probably maybe more so you, Miriam, in this arena with um the communications piece of uh TRM.
31:07
SPEAKER_02: Um so I mean it's kind of a given the value of Kevin and his team of what they do.
31:15
SPEAKER_02: What what talk about talk about that value?
31:18
SPEAKER_02: Talk about what it frees you up to do.
31:21
SPEAKER_02: Um talk about what it it and not just frees you up to do, but empowers you to do.
31:27
SPEAKER_04: That question in and of itself could take 45 minutes to answer because their team, like Kevin said, their team is really our IT department.
31:37
SPEAKER_04: While we have Miranda, who can do some things here on site, we do not have an IT department, you know, that can do the things that Premier One does from for us.
31:49
SPEAKER_04: So we know it gives this assurance that someone is watching out for all of this and someone can answer the questions that we can never answer, right?
32:02
SPEAKER_04: That are just beyond us figuring out.
32:04
SPEAKER_04: They help us, you know, they really prevent me anyway from throwing computers across the room.
32:10
SPEAKER_04: Um yeah, did you phone it quit that?
32:12
SPEAKER_04: I did.
32:13
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
32:14
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
32:15
SPEAKER_04: It's I've gotten close again, but I I've not done it.
32:17
SPEAKER_04: Yesterday.
32:19
SPEAKER_04: It was just yesterday.
32:20
SPEAKER_04: It was because of QuickBooks.
32:22
SPEAKER_04: It was.
32:22
SPEAKER_04: Um, and I did share that this morning.
32:24
SPEAKER_04: But here's the thing, what it does is it gives us this peace of mind that there is someone taking care of us.
32:32
SPEAKER_04: Um, because without technology, even though my boss, Lamanda, has been listening, has really encouraged us to do a no technology day.
32:47
SPEAKER_04: And I get palpitations whenever she says it, right?
32:51
SPEAKER_04: But I can do that because I've got Premier One.
32:54
SPEAKER_04: Not that I'm a tech person at all, because I'm not.
32:56
SPEAKER_04: I use it and I appreciate it, but I don't know anything about it.
33:01
SPEAKER_04: Um but so Premier One just gives us this opportunity to have assurance that everything is good and that we have someone to turn to that will help us solve the problems because without technology, without our accessibility, we have no security.
33:19
SPEAKER_04: And I'm not talking about on our files, I'm talking about on our buildings.
33:23
SPEAKER_04: We have no opportunity to communicate with other people.
33:26
SPEAKER_04: We have no way to store things that need to be stored so that we can easily access them.
33:33
SPEAKER_04: We have no opportunity to increase the efficiency of what we do that takes us away from our computers and allows us to do that person-to-person work.
33:43
SPEAKER_04: Without Premier One, none of that happens.
33:46
SPEAKER_04: Correct.
33:47
SPEAKER_04: None of it happens.
33:48
SPEAKER_04: And on top of that, they are from all of my experience, they are a company with integrity and they hire really great people who have great personalities, you know, that tolerate those of us who don't know about tech.
34:03
SPEAKER_04: Right.
34:04
SPEAKER_04: And just they're patient with us, they work really hard, they're great communicators.
34:09
SPEAKER_04: I seriously, I could go on and on about why I think this partnership with Premier One is so critical to the work that we do and so enjoyable to do.
34:19
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, echo that uh for sure.
34:22
SPEAKER_02: Um it takes a good leader, um, Kevin.
34:24
SPEAKER_02: You are um a great leader.
34:26
SPEAKER_02: And uh you're just so mild-mannered and just uh, you know, I think that uh uh many of us would have nerfed breakdown if we were doing your job.
34:34
SPEAKER_02: And uh it would just but this is just you're really gifted for this and uh and your team is too.
34:40
SPEAKER_02: Talk about um a little briefly what we may need to know or maybe don't know, or maybe you don't know.
34:47
SPEAKER_02: What what's the impact of AI um in the future of what you do and an organization like Topeka Rescue Mission needs to be thinking about?
34:56
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
34:56
SPEAKER_05: Um well I I think it goes back to something that that Miranda just said.
35:01
SPEAKER_05: Um artificial intelligence is just the latest flavor of technology technological innovation.
35:08
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
35:08
SPEAKER_05: And so um I think to to a large degree, uh we can look at historical patterns of of technology innovation and get a sense for how that is going to impact us both now and in the future.
35:22
SPEAKER_05: Um and so you know, one thing I want to say is that um uh technology is is useless if it does not allow you to scale.
35:32
SPEAKER_05: Um if if it doesn't allow you to uh broaden or or uh uh grow your impact beyond what you can do without it, then we might as well not use it.
35:43
SPEAKER_05: Um and and that's coming from a person who uh works with technology every single day.
35:49
SPEAKER_05: Um and and I love the idea of a uh technology free day.
35:54
SPEAKER_05: Um I don't think that's gonna happen for me.
35:57
SPEAKER_05: Um don't take Lamanda's lead on that.
36:00
SPEAKER_05: But I I love it.
36:01
SPEAKER_05: And and the reason is um and you know, to a large degree, I do have technology free days, and even in my uh work uh where I'm traveling or meeting or presenting or you know, doing this podcast, um, we're using technology, right, to to scale and to increase our impact.
36:18
SPEAKER_05: Um but uh but staying connected with the people we serve, yeah, with my employees or with our clients, um is far more important than using technology for the sake of it or just because it's the shiny new thing.
36:33
SPEAKER_05: So so that said, you know, uh Barry to to your question about artificial intelligence.
36:39
SPEAKER_05: Um this is uh the next wave of significant, uh, I would say nearly unprecedented technological innovation.
36:48
SPEAKER_05: It is something that is going to change um not just one industry or one type of job, but but uh you know, societal level change because it will impact every industry, every job in in one way or the other.
37:05
SPEAKER_05: Um and uh and so you know, as we all try and grapple with that and figure out how is it gonna impact us, um, I think the the first rule of thumb is don't believe the experts because there are no experts.
37:23
SPEAKER_05: This technology certainly has developed uh over over some time.
37:28
SPEAKER_05: It's not brand new, but um, but our access to it is is still in in its infancy, right?
37:36
SPEAKER_05: And so um so you know, just understanding that uh it will have an impact, and we can we can assume that at this point it's sure it's gonna impact us.
37:47
SPEAKER_05: We need to understand it, um, but but also not buying into the the fear of you know this is this is a world-ending um technology.
37:57
SPEAKER_05: Uh I I think that uh you have to be removed too far from humanity to believe that.
38:07
SPEAKER_05: Um because because at the end of the day, going back to what I said, technology serves people, not the other way around.
38:14
SPEAKER_05: So um how's it gonna impact uh you know my business, IT?
38:20
SPEAKER_05: Huge impact, right?
38:22
SPEAKER_05: Um already uh we're able to uh scale our our capabilities beyond what we could before this technology.
38:30
SPEAKER_05: Um our technicians can solve more problems in a day and close more tickets and uh and and you know solve problems faster because of it.
38:41
SPEAKER_05: Um but we're also really careful to not put it in the way of us serving the people that we support.
38:51
SPEAKER_05: And so um you know, I think I think we're gonna find over the coming years people are gonna throw AI at everything, at every problem, and see which ones uh it's excellent at solving and which things it fails to solve.
39:06
SPEAKER_05: Um I think when we expect it to replace human interaction, it will fail.
39:11
SPEAKER_05: Yes.
39:12
SPEAKER_05: And it will always fail at that.
39:14
SPEAKER_05: Um because uh we're created by a creator that is is uh far more powerful and has created something far better than than what we can imitate.
39:24
SPEAKER_05: Um that said, uh artificial intelligence is some of the most exciting and and and just engaging technology that I've used in in my career so far.
39:36
SPEAKER_05: Um so what uh really the question is what are the problems that it can solve for us?
39:42
SPEAKER_05: And and the only way is to try and to be courageous and brave and and try and use those things uh and solve those problems if we can and you know be afraid to fail sometimes too.
39:53
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, yeah.
39:54
SPEAKER_02: I think it's really great to hear you talk the way you've just talked about AI, uh, rather than going to Facebook or um X or whatever to get your information from.
40:05
SPEAKER_02: You know, just to you're in the business, you see it, see how it applies, and not to get over uh concerned about it.
40:11
SPEAKER_02: We get somebody like you and your team who's gonna be watching this and is gonna be adjusting to it and taking the best out of it you can and making suggestions or directions for organizations like Topeka Rescue Mission.
40:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we're in technology.
40:23
SPEAKER_02: We're in unless electricity goes away or they pull the plug or they turn it off, we're going to be dealing with all of this.
40:30
SPEAKER_02: And it's it's goods and it's not so goods.
40:33
SPEAKER_02: Um and to have somebody in a team who is working with the team here um helps keep things moving forward to scale.
40:41
SPEAKER_02: We don't know where homelessness is going.
40:43
SPEAKER_02: Uh we have some things that we would like to see happen in regards to people getting housed and people getting the help that they need, and all that's involving technology as well.
40:52
SPEAKER_02: But to your point, technology will never replace the human factor.
40:56
SPEAKER_02: Uh the creator who made us, yep, he's the smartest uh AI out there, uh, but he's not artificial.
41:02
SPEAKER_02: And uh he is uh all about people.
41:05
SPEAKER_02: And so um Pika Rescue mission and what you guys do are gonna keep us people focused.
41:10
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and uh yeah, I think just just very practically, I always try and like bring it from theory into into into practice.
41:18
SPEAKER_05: There are uh there are two things that we're focused on right now uh for the for the organizations we serve.
41:24
SPEAKER_05: One is um there's there's growing capability to control the use of artificial intelligence, um, especially within the organization.
41:34
SPEAKER_05: Um this is really critical to for from a security perspective, making sure that donor information or or uh you know uh people who've uh the just personal information of people who visited here, um employee information, financials, all of that stuff, um people bad guys want it, right?
41:54
SPEAKER_05: And so um so uh taking control over how people are using AI, especially when they're not familiar with the technology, they don't know how to use it yet.
42:04
SPEAKER_05: Um, that's something that we're uh working really hard to implement and and provide security for for our clients.
42:11
SPEAKER_05: Um, you know, six months ago, nine months ago, that technology to to provide security for AI just wasn't there.
42:20
SPEAKER_05: Um so the security's catching up to it and we're staying up with that.
42:24
SPEAKER_05: And then the next phase that we're looking at going into 2027 is um starting to evaluate what what are the what are the tasks that AI can perform that allow people to step away and have more technology-free experience.
42:40
SPEAKER_05: Um and I think that's really where the magic is is um uh when when so so there's a term that's used called agentic AI, but it's um it's a broad term for uh having an AI technology that can do something for you in an intelligent way, in the way that you would do it, or maybe more intelligent than you would do it in my case.
43:04
SPEAKER_05: And um and so uh what we're looking at going into 2027 is identifying for the organizations what are the what what's the work that really would be better for technology to accomplish instead of a human.
43:19
SPEAKER_05: So, you know, one one example that we're I'm working with with a client right now is uh just an accounting process.
43:25
SPEAKER_05: Um, you know, it takes about 40 hours of accounting work per week to accomplish this accounting process of reconciliation and and um you know, bringing together bolt multiple bank accounts and and inputs and outputs and and ultimately delivering a reconciled report that someone can read, understand, you know, and make make changes to the business accordingly.
43:48
SPEAKER_05: Well, if we can take that 40 hours of spreadsheet work and copying and pasting files and creating Excel formulas, if AI can do that, what can those accountants now?
44:00
SPEAKER_05: accomplish um when when that's no longer their their burden to bear.
44:04
SPEAKER_02: So those those are the exciting opportunities I think that AI just think for all of us and um and of course there's a scary part.
44:11
SPEAKER_02: What if an accountant you know becomes unemployed then what happens and or any of these other things.
44:17
SPEAKER_02: But just to be able to be freed up in a ministry like Topeka Rescue mission to be able to spend more time with the people and less time with the processes to be able to help the people would be huge.
44:27
SPEAKER_02: Lamanda Miriam anything else for Kevin today?
44:30
SPEAKER_01: Miriam kind of touched on this but the only other thing that I would add is um it's not just all the support that they provide us that matters.
44:39
SPEAKER_01: It's how they provide the supports.
44:41
SPEAKER_01: So from the phone calls to the help tickets to when they have to um get into your computer and there's the little chat on there and they're telling you what they're doing and what they need you to do to the in-person visits.
45:05
SPEAKER_01: But then when I do want to learn something they always take the time to show it, to explain it.
45:12
SPEAKER_01: And we had um you know quite a bit of different shuffling moving teams out of uh the children's palace so that it can become the Compassion Impact Center.
45:24
SPEAKER_01: And then with me I moved twice during that time that time that's a whole different other podcast.
45:32
SPEAKER_01: But anyways, so they got to take me down from the children's palace and put me up at the main shelter and then that place didn't work.
45:39
SPEAKER_01: So they took me down again and put me back up in a new spot at the main shelter.
45:45
SPEAKER_01: But it was almost like Isaiah understood just even the setup of my office and what I'm doing there versus on the other side of it.
45:56
SPEAKER_01: And um he understood the desk type I had.
45:58
SPEAKER_01: I mean it was just all of this.
46:00
SPEAKER_01: And so to have the knowledge there but then also to have the camaraderie and the friendships and checking in and I told him I said Isaiah it's completely okay if you run the next time Miranda sends you a message about what I need and he said no we enjoy it.
46:16
SPEAKER_01: We really like being here and even mentioned that he liked being able to see what all was happening here.
46:25
SPEAKER_01: And so yeah I we depend on them you know a hundred percent but also we enjoy them um and just appreciate not only the service that they provide but how they deliver it.
46:38
SPEAKER_04: And you know we talk all the time about the importance of relationship and whether it's with the people that we serve whether it's with the people that we work with it is also with people that help us do what we need to do.
46:52
SPEAKER_04: And I think I feel like Premier One just really cares about us.
46:56
SPEAKER_04: They care about each of us they care about the work that we do they care about the people that we serve.
47:04
SPEAKER_04: It's all about relationship and we have a an amazing relationship with um Kevin and with his whole team and it's it's invaluable.
47:14
SPEAKER_04: It's absolutely invaluable and we oh go ahead I just also wanted to make sure we thanked them yes because why Miriam they are a platinum sponsor for Night of Praise and they did they do this so humbly you know um yeah they do this so humbly and they were the first ones in so it's just it's it's an amazing thing how they support us.
47:39
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
47:40
SPEAKER_05: Well Kevin um what what you've heard here is all authentic um it's it's meant from uh the heart and uh and you said uh you weren't coming here to promote Premier One but we're promoting Premier One because of who you guys are and so thank you for what you do anything else you'd like to share with our listeners a couple of things one is um do what you can do um you know I uh the the people that work at Premier One myself um we're called to a purpose and that is to help support people with our with our skills and gifts um and so so you know I I get up every day and do my best at at that task um but uh uh you all have the harder job um uh and and you are serving the people in the most need in our community and and so um that is that is so important to us that we can be a small uh but hopefully important part of of that success and it's the contribution that that we can make in in the calling that that uh we have so um yeah I just want to turn this around and and say thank you to you all um because what you do every day um is is uh uh has a direct impact on on people's lives um today and uh in in the kingdom uh and eternity and so um so that makes it really easy for us to serve you and and do our best to serve you um with technology but um but yeah we're just really thankful uh you know I'm born and raised in Topeka and uh and I've I've seen the stewardship and and the care that uh Topeka Rescue Mission brings to our community over my lifetime and so to be a part of that story in a small way and to be on this podcast is just uh really uh really an honor.
49:39
SPEAKER_02: Yeah thank you thank you Kevin I really appreciate that and we've heard from Kevin uh CEO of Premier One Kevin a really cool last name guy um and uh so won't try to butcher that up again uh Lamanda one more time night of praise coming up this Sunday the October 11th yep doors open at 5 30 please come out so that you can meet all of the leaders of TRM and to hear more about it and then the program in the sanctuary starts at six you don't want to miss it.
50:06
SPEAKER_02: Okay it's fourth night uh annual annual fourth fourth year fourth fourth annual night of praise it's gonna be epic just know that it's gonna be really epic so thank you for listening to our community our mission if you'd like more information about Topeka Rescue mission you can go to TRMonline dot or g that's T R M online dot org thank you for being a part of our community part of our mission