Latest / Crossroad Conversations with the Lewis Brothers / Ep100 "You Can't Have a Business Without a Town"

Transcript

Ep100 "You Can't Have a Business Without a Town" · Crossroad Conversations with the Lewis Brothers

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Hey everyone, welcome to conversations with the Lowe's brothers, where we aim to share real stories about running a successful family business, working for diversity, and pouring back into the community that keeps our door open.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: We're your host, Matt, Shelby, and Taylor, and we bring you relevant local business advice and automotive insights that are sure to change the way you look at running a business.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe even throw in a plug for you to do business with us.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Crossroad Conversations with the Lewis Brothers, episode 100.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: 100 in the house.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: You might notice we got a guest who we're going to get to here in just a minute.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: We're excited about our guest on the show today.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Today we talk about episode 100, and we talk about the subject.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, today we bring you two years, several guests, over a hundred conversations, and a lot of information.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Where it all started, why we invested in this, and we'll interview those guests as well.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_03: Hey, and if you didn't tune in last week, episode 99, we talked about, we kept talking, we kept talking, we kept talking, two years you're talking, and what actually stuck.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_03: We went over you tolerate what you get, something that we talked about seven plus times.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_03: It's never what you said.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_03: That had been talked about nine plus times.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_03: And then one thing that came up 17 different times in 99 episodes is the business can't outgrow the owner.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_03: The biggest pile in all these different things of habits and why leaders fail, burned out, but still in charge, the leadership blind spot.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_03: So if you didn't hear that one, don't stop what you're currently doing, but go check that one out.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_03: Episode 99, where we recapped some of our best and favorite episodes.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_05: Absolutely, and to touch real quick, LewisSupershore.com is where you see all the freshest specials, crossroads conversation podcast.com for a hundred plus episodes, relevant content in the media in the middle of it and all.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_05: But what we got in the garage day, I like this time of year.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_05: We're going into fall, starting to the hundred, hopefully, degree days will be going way.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_05: Let's talk about it.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_05: There's a new model that just came out.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_05: It's RTR.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_05: It's a lot of fun.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_05: It's got the frills, the looks.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_05: It's it's set up with a um Von Getting Jr.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_05: going through there that he is drifter, performance enthusiast with Ford.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_05: It's got different brakes, it's got different wheels, it's got um turbo lag that is in the timing and tie lag built in.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_03: It's a pretty sweet car design.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_03: It's the first car uh ever that RTR's built with Von Getton Jr.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_03: That is built in the factory.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_03: 100% Ford factory.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, sub-50,000 price range, has really cool style to it, has some uh performance metrics from the dark horse.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_03: Yep.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, and is a super cool car.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_03: So we've got two of those that just rolled out.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_05: Yep, have vapor blue and an avalanche, both awesome colors.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_05: They're here, but I love it because of the time of year, because sports cars, broncos, wranglers, anything start to get out.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_05: But come by and check that out.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_05: But without any further ado.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: I want to give you some stats.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Because you know we want to talk stats, we want to talk facts and not just run our mouth in this podcast.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: Do you know that only one to six percent of podcasts make it to episode 100?
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's pretty solid.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: So by making it to 100, that gets us in the top 1%.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: And you guys know that have listened to this podcast before.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: We're all about having an upper hand on our competitors by consistency and identifying their weakness and going after it.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: Going after it.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, our business only 0.5, less than 1% make it to year 80.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: So, hey, if we just make it to year 80, we've beat out 99.5% of other businesses.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: If we can get our podcast and our mom and our aunt and everybody else just to watch it to episode 100, we've weeded out 99.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody else has given up.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: They may have had more talent, but they gave up.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: They gave up.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: And talking about somebody who doesn't give up, we're excited about our first guest here.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: We've got Coach Lucas, who's the head coach at Fayetteville High School.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here's a quick rundown.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: Stick with me here.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Former Arkansas Razorback wide receiver, earned all SEC honors and remains one of the top receivers in the program history.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: Best remembered for the famous game-winning catch against Tennessee in 1999, which helped spark the celebration where Razorback fans carried a goalpost to Dixon Street.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2000 and later spent time with the Dallas Cowboys.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Spent 14 years at Pulaski Academy, first as an assistant, later as a head coach.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: He contributed to six championships as an assistant and won championships in 2021 and 2022 as a head coach.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: He's been inducted into both the University of Arkansas Football Hall of Honor and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: His coaching philosophy emphasizes relationships, accountability, character, and developing the whole student athlete, not just the winning football program.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Guys, help me welcome Coach Lucas to the podcast.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: Here we go.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_02: Hey guys, glad to be here.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_02: Wow, what an intro, man.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_02: Gosh, reminded you to take you around with the messenger.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: I'm ready to go out and line up and play Tennessee.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_02: After that intro, but hey, it's a blessing to be here.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_02: I really appreciate you guys having me on today.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_02: You bet.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_03: We're super fired up.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, and it's funny, we were talking about that, and I was telling you, hey, I I have always been a fan, but didn't always know players and pieces and parts.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_03: And what we were reading through your bio, talking about that 99 game versus Tennessee.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_03: And I said, I was there.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_03: And I've probably been to less than 20 Razorback games in my lifetime.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_03: That was a good one to go to.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_03: I remember going with my dad, and uh, you were the man that made that happen.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_03: That that key play caught that uh touchdown pass, and then I remember everyone storming the field thinking, what in the heck?
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_03: Like, you know, I was uh I guess I was 13 years old at that time, and uh I remember everyone storming the field, climbing on that field goal.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_03: That's before the head breakaway field goal post.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, that was concrete and all.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_03: What do you remember best from that day?
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I remember on that on that play when it was, you know, called, Coach Nut made that call.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, all right.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, I want the ball in my hands anyway.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_02: I was the type of guy.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not a selfish guy by any chance.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but um man, when that when the ball was thrown, and um it was I just remember catching the ball, my body went numb.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_02: Literally, because the crowd got so loud.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah and I I'm just I was kind of stunned.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_02: It was just a surreal moment for me.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_02: And actually, you know, I talk to people about that catch all the time.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_02: It actually did not set in to me till later on that night to like how big of a game and how big of a catch it was.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_02: I knew the game was huge, but it just I was just kind of numb.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_02: So, but it but I do.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_02: I remember it was a great, great time.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_02: That was my most memorable moment as a Razorback.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_03: So Yeah.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_03: Can you how do you help the Razorbacks get back to that?
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_03: Oh man, I first off, prayer.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_02: Because you know, prayer changes things.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_02: I'll probably see that.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um man, that was that was 98 was even more special, too, you know, because if we if we beat Tennessee that year before that, I think we played for a national championship against Florida State.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_02: But uh, I mean, you just gotta get the guys in.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_02: It has changed.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_02: Sports, especially on the collegiate level, has changed so much, God, with the NIL deals and things.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_02: Players are not, I don't think players in our society today truly care about the game.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_02: Now it's more of what can you do for me personally.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's hurting, that's hurting right now.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_02: And that's why we uh can't get back to how it used to be where guys truly care and just truly passionate about the game.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_02: Because I'm a firm believer I want to make it to NFL, NFL and play a long time.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_02: Not because of the money, because you knew that would have come.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_02: I just love the game.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_02: I love the game.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_02: And I wish I could have played longer, but you know, God said no, he had to be out of playing.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_03: So, how do you keep your players right now as scouts start sooner and earlier?
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_03: How do you keep your players focused on the game rather than what's my talent, what's my stats, where am I on the recruit right now, and how am I ranking?
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_03: How do you keep them focused on the game?
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I do?
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_02: I like to talk to him about uh what one of the things I learned as a kid is stay humble.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, sir.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_02: Because this could be taken away from you just like that.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, sir.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_02: So you gotta you need to be grateful and and just just give give all the glory to God and everything, the athletic ability he's giving you, and just everything that you can do.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_02: But I try to let them know that if you're out here making plays and you're doing what you're supposed to do off the field as well, I say think the good thing is gonna happen for you.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's all about doing the little things right.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_02: You know, like a re- as playing former receiver, I'm still I still call myself a receiver.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_02: A receiver, look the ball into the tuck.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, offensive line, make the right drop, make the right step, just do that.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_02: When you're out in the out here in the community or at school, yes, sir, no, sir.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, ma'am, no ma'am.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_02: Open the door for somebody.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I'm saying?
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_02: That's so good.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm big on those things like that.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_02: So I think that's how you kind of groom your groom your kids, but most importantly, show them that you love them, that you truly care about them.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I I think you hit on a really good point there that we see in all different types of industries because it's the small things that add up to make a big difference.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody's looking for the big light switch to hit, and it's just not there.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's those small things that you do time and time again that create those habits and you compound them all together, and then the success happens.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do you keep your players focused on day in, day out, doing the small things that add up when they're sometimes they look at you like, Coach, why are we doing this?
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Does this really make a difference?
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_02: Well, it's it's it's it's a purpose, you know, understanding your purpose.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_02: That what while you're here and knowing, hey, I'm I'm this position, I'm I'm this, I'm this person.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_02: Because I I try to like I practice this in my daily deal, I try to, you know, set set it up with the tone.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_02: When they first come in, I'm out there trying to give them high five.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_02: I'm saying hello.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_02: First thing I say to a lot of them guys, I say, how was school today?
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_02: I say, Did you win today?
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_02: No, just to kind of get their mindset off of uh, man, I gotta go to practice.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_02: You know, the same old usual, you know, just kind of, well, I put on like yesterday they came in, I put on a little music and I danced, you know, I showed them a look.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_02: And now look, I'm from Louisiana, originally, guys, I can move a little bit.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_02: So, my I'm North Louisiana guy, but uh yeah.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_02: But I just try to find something that they to get their minds right when they come to practice.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_02: And then we get to practice, you know.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, I always tell them this, I said, let's go out today.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_02: And most I said, do what you're supposed to do on the football field.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: But I said, most important, what are my favorite two words?
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_02: Have fun.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_02: I like it.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_02: That's it.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_02: It's the approach.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's all in the mindset.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: If I come to, if I came to work here for you guys, if I come here like, well, I gotta go.
• 11:28
  unknown: No.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_02: No, bring, find, you know, find your find your joy, should I say.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_02: Find your joy in coming to work, even if you don't have, because with you guys leading, they're gonna feed off of you all.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, sure.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_02: And so those kids, when they see me and upbeat and giving them love and showing that I love them and I care, and they're gonna feed off of me when they step out on that football field.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_02: So that's how I work.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_03: I love that, Coach, when you're talking about that of how you start the practice or start that game day ritual.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_03: It's funny, we were going over Monday morning in our board meeting, kind of going over our daily operations and our checks and our guides.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_03: And one of the very first things, number one thing on my list each day, is a people check and a culture check.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_03: Before I go over reports, before I go over to-dos, before it's a people check and a culture check.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_03: And it's going around, how's everybody doing?
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_03: You know, does coach need a little extra?
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_03: How do how's Taylor doing?
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_03: How's did Matt step in a mud puddle on his way to work?
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_03: Right?
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_03: Or did he get a fender bender?
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_03: It's one of those things.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_03: Because I gotta make sure they're in the right state of mind before practice ever starts, before work ever starts, are they in the right state of mind?
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_03: So I love that that we're complete two different things, but we're one in the same of just winning there, right?
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_02: Man, Sheb, you set them out for and I want to say this too.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_02: I fist bump my coaches every morning.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_02: I look them in the eye.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_02: Whenever they come in, who however they come in in different roles, I say, good morning.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_02: I say good to see you.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_02: I say, You ready to win the date?
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_02: Or so just something.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_02: You're trying to give them a positive charge.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's it.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_02: Let them know, hey, I know I'm the head coach.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_02: I know that we're in this.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_02: He's he meant, he said it, we're together.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_02: And that's our motto this year, guys, is together.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_02: Say less.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I was trying to think about the things I wanted to lead with when I took this job and came in and got all the, you know, got everything, observed the team, asked the people around.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, okay, I see we're gonna have to come together as a football team.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_02: Because go back to your question you asked earlier about the kids, it's a lot of selfish kids right there.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_02: Kids are being selfish with their hand, you know, oh yeah.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_02: And so I went total opposite.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna be selfless.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_02: I say, God likes selfless people, not selfish people.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_02: And so, and again, I was like together, because we got a lot of things going on.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_02: I said, together, and underneath it says say less.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_02: And that's our motto.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_02: I'm wearing my band with it on and right now.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_02: It's right.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_02: Together, say less.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_02: I like that.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_02: You can't move a mountain separate.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: Can't be separate from each other.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_02: We can't be apart.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_02: We got to come together.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_02: We can move big mountains together.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about when you got in from coaching, got over to coaching.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: You know, somebody saw something in you and they said, hey, this this player's got some coaching ability.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_00: Let me take him under my wing and let me show him.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_00: Who was that and how did that evolve?
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's easy.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_02: Fitz Hill.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_02: He was my recruiting coordinator.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_02: He uh coached me when I played at the U of A.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_02: Uh he was a guy like that I really tried to mimic my style of because he truly cared about us when in that receiver room and all the all of the kids.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_02: He wanted us.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, he's a military guy.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: He had us line our helmets up when we go to the meetings, when we were at meetings, and just how he cared about us more so, not just only on the field, but off the field too.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_02: He wanted, he challenged us to graduate, you know, no matter what, make sure you get your degree.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_02: And he it's just how he, he's he's the guy who really why I'm why I'm in the coaching today.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_02: And uh when Coach Nudd did come in in '98, you know, I love how the way he structured things and how he handled things.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_02: I mimic I mimic things that I learned from Coach Nudd as well.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_02: So um though those those guys have been a big influence on me.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: So did Coach reach back out to you after you were in the NFL and say, hey, I think it's time for you to take this path?
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_02: Well, he recruited.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_02: When I retired, I got hurt with the Cowboys in 02.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_02: Moved back, I got my master's here to the university, here at the university.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_02: And I was working with Tyson Foods as a as a uh human resource manager trainee at the time.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_02: So I get a call in 04, December something, 04 from Fizz Hill, and he recruited, kind of recruited me all over again like he did high school to move to Little Rock and to take on uh they were starting a youth sports organization called Life Champs, which teaches kids character through sports and basically through football.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: And so he asked me would I come be the director down there?
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, Coach, I'm working at Tyson where they do chicken, beef, and pork.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_02: You're starting up, we're starting up a new organization, Life Champs.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_02: He said, Anthony, I've been in Little Rock for a few years.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_02: Now he said, you're gonna love it down here and what we're trying to build here.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's gonna be great.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_02: He got me.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_04: So I end up with it.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_02: He closed me.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_02: I ended up moving to Little uh moving to Little Rock in June of 2005.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_04: Okay.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: And um I started working with Life Champs, and so for from 05 to 2012 was I was I was coaching, but I wasn't, wasn't coaching.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um because I was running a youth sports organization for kids five through 12 year olds and you know, doing football things and doing some stuff in the community down there.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_02: Then y'all are y'all familiar with D1 sports training?
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_02: So D1 moved to Little Rock.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_02: So I ended up starting in 2008, I was doing Life Champs and D1 together, coaching, you know, keep people and adults to get in shape.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, God, do I really want to do this?
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_02: I wouldn't, and I would always love, I was so passionate about doing football camps and training kids and stuff like that.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_02: I was like, I think God called the music coach.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I reached out to Kevin Kelly, I think it was in 2010 or 11, and he didn't, it he did it was 11, he didn't have a position.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_02: And then a year later, he had a position open at Pulaski Academy where I was took on a job as assistant, assistant coach, coach and wide receiver from 2012.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_02: And for like he said, 14 years, and then 2021 he left.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_02: And man, they asked me to be the head coach.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_02: And so uh man, it's it's been great since then.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I'm just gonna.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_02: But I I love it, man.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_02: I love my deal is I just love interacting with the kids, man.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_02: It's you know, getting to teach them the right, right, teaching them right from wrong, and not letting them use what's made going on at their houses or home.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_02: Don't use that as a crutch.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: You know, build off of those things.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_02: So but it's been great.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's good stuff.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_03: That's good.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_03: I love that.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_03: All right, another question for you.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_03: How do you keep your head up and your mindset, your physical head, and the way that you teach and lead after a loss or a bad play?
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_02: I've had eight knee surgeries.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_02: I had to find a way to keep myself up.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I was I spent three years in the NFL.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: I ACL broke my kneecap twice.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_02: Had to keep myself up.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_02: So what I do is I I look at it and I I observe it and I go through everything that that happened, and I was like, okay.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_02: I try to really lean on the positives more so than the negatives, of course, knowing that we have to fix the negatives, and that's what I know because I know, hey, that happened this time, that won't happen the next time because we'd be better prepared.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_02: So I just try to, I try, every negative that, you know, that I experience in life, I try to turn into a positive, even on a daily basis.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_02: You know?
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_02: So uh even with my kids, boy, I tell you, I got two daughters.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I'm I'm outnumbered at my house.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_02: And I promise you, boy, they they drive me crazy.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_02: But I just I try to try to let the kids show them or talk to them about their negative, but also teach them and our coaches the same.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, that's all right, we we gotta find a way to fix that.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_02: And I don't let them make excuses.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_02: You know, excuses that that's a loser's mindset.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_02: There's always a way to do something.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: And even if you fail at it two or three times, you still have to keep pushing or find a way to fix it so that it won't carry on with you throughout the rest of the season or throughout the rest of your life.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_03: I gotta say this.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_03: I'm pretty sure this wasn't an interview, but you could go ahead and file in as a fourth Lewis brother.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_04: Oh man.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_03: That has to be our mindset constantly if we're going to win.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_03: No doubt.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_03: Is in any situation, find the positive.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, it can be the worst case scenario when you're like, oh, look, there's a light right there, right?
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_03: And that I love that you say that.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_03: It's like, golly, I like this guy, right?
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_03: He's leading in a situation that oftentimes leadership is just hiding in the corner, just like, man, my players, the coaches, the refs, all these things.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_03: And like, no, there's opportunity here.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_02: You're right.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: And I and I want to piggyback off of that as well, too.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_02: It's been hot.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_02: You brought up the heat and all this.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: We're going down.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: And and again, again, excuse my rudeness.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_02: Let's give it up for the hundreds podcast.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_02: I'm going to wear it.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_02: Top 1%.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly, and what you guys do, so that's awesome.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_02: But you you brought up the heat.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_02: Like early on, coach, we're gonna get web bub globe.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna get, you know, the web bub globe that we have to go by where the temperature thing that sets out there to say we can't be on a turf at a certain amount if it hits this and that.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_02: Why hey, we can't control the heat.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_02: No, no.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_02: But you know what we do?
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_02: We have an indoor facility that we do.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_02: Coach, we're fine.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I don't mean them guys, I love my coaching staff, guys.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_02: I love them, but gosh almighty, we we have to understand there's always something else you can do.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_02: Like calling plays, my defensive coordinator, my offensive coordinator.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_02: I told them this.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_02: I want an if and then reason answer.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_02: If they show us this, then we're gonna do this.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_02: If they do this, then we're gonna do this.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_02: So you we can't worry about the things we control.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_02: Let's find a way to get past it.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_05: They ought to be thankful for the 100-degree days.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, you hate it while you're doing it, but conditioning should be they should be on point this year.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_03: It cools off and they should be like rockets.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_02: Man, I'm that's what I'm talking about.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, I think we've had one or two cramps in the in the two games, but the teams that we played have had more cramps.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_02: Even we lost to Stillwater, they've cramped up.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_02: So, hey, it's been like that.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_02: I just we just adjust.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you have to have to adjust.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_00: I think that that's so important and we resonate with that, is you've got this positive mindset.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_00: You're running everything through a filter, and it's like, hey, somewhere in the midst of all that, there's something positive to grab.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, no, no doubt.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: And somehow, some way, I'm gonna redirect everybody's mindset that that's what we're focused on.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: So how do you teach them to shut up?
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_00: Because in in your role and in football, everything's analyzed.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: There's tons of opinions.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: There's tons of noise and this and that.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: And 99.999% of them have no clue what they're talking about.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_02: It's the male ego what you're basically talking about.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_02: We all struggle at the male ego.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_02: I'm just as myself.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: But there's a there's a point in time where you have to have to control that.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you have to let go of that.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_02: We don't know it all.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_02: We're not perfect.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_02: We serve a perfect person, but we're not perfect.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_02: So what I try to let them know, you you're gonna you're gonna mess up.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_02: You know, that's gonna happen.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_02: How are we gonna fix it?
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_02: How do we move forward?
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_02: I I I'm I'm I'm a positive guy.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_02: I'm serious.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_02: I like to be around positive men because I positive people because I believe if you can be around positive people and you think positive, positive things are gonna happen for you.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: You set the pace for your whole team.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: Then they start looking things.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_02: And like, you know, um, Stillwater game, I, you know, a couple coaches were kind of down at halftime.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm, you know, I didn't really pay close attention to it, but like, we're on the sideline as if we just don't have no.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_02: Our kids see that.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_02: Y'all come to work down, like you mentioned earlier, the staff want to be like, uh oh, the brothers are tripping.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, what's wrong?
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_02: It's about to be a bad day.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and then that carries over.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_02: You do not want that, those things to carry over.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_02: And I try, I try every day.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I told, you know, it's gotten to a point, guys.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_02: And y'all, y'all have y'all have this here.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I well, I had to ask them, I say, are you not happy here?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_02: I said, I just got here.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_02: I said, if you're mad or pissed off or upset with me about something, you you need to look yourself in the mirror because I don't think I've given any of you a reason to be upset with me.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_02: Now, look, y'all want them to do their jobs.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there's a job.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_02: When I say, okay, let's get that, let's get that armor all on them tires right there, or let's get that.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's a job to do.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: You gotta do your job.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_02: So when I say, hey, let's load the bags or let's do we need to get that done.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and it's it and it's ways you say things.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_02: You don't have to be a butthole about it, but it's ways you say things.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_02: But it's all for one purpose.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's it.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_02: To get your to get my team and those kids to go out there to be the best that they can be on Friday nights, but when they're not with us to get the best that they can be in Fairville, Fairville, um, the city of Fairville, and represent that bulldog and God and your family the right way.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_02: No doubt.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_02: No doubt that.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_02: No doubt.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_03: So you're talking team, you're talking coaches and all those things, and you've already talked about leadership, how you do that.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_03: What's one of the keys you think you do to get without just like dragging them through it, and that might be your answer.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_03: How do you get buy-in from your team and coaches?
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_03: You're down at half, still water game, or from previous teams that you've been on.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_03: How do you get buy-in that they are, let's go, this is the game plan, this is how we win?
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_02: You gotta they you just gotta get them to believe.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_02: And it starts with body language.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_02: What I just mentioned.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we have to show them that, hey, we're together as a staff.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, and I know we're not gonna agree on everything, but if we disagree in that in that office and we we go into fights or whatever, no matter what, when we step out of there on that field or in front of addressing the kids when I'm addressing, or when you're addressing the offensive side or defense, they have to know that we got their backs and that we're together as a coach of staff, and we're gonna go out here and fix whatever we messed up in the first half, or even prior to practice or whatever, they have they have to know that we're together.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_02: They have to see that, they have to feel that, and they have to believe that.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_02: We have to be confident, you know.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_02: I have to be very confident.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't say, notice I didn't say arrogant.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_02: I said confident.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_02: We have to show that those kids have to know that when we step on the field, man, coach got my back.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_02: I know this, I'm gonna go out here.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_02: It just makes those, those, it makes kids and programs closer and make them go out and do anything before we run through a brick wall.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_02: And that's how Houston Nut was when he came in.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I love Danny Ford, my era with him, the time with him.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_02: So grateful he recruited me to come to the U of A and move to Fairville.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_02: But um, it's about, you know, those players believing in you and knowing that you have their backs.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_03: I love that.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_03: So we talk uh sorry, we talk about uh selling, you know, in the same way that you're selling, hey, we're gonna win, and here's how.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_03: 70% of our communication, and I say our because we embody this, but this is just the world, is nonverbal communication.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_03: Things that we don't say out of our mouth.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_03: And you said that when you were talking to say, hey, it's in our body language.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_03: So I love that because this all translates, right?
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_03: No matter if we're coaching or teaching or selling or building, whatever it is, that it's the same thing that it's non-verbal communication.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_03: That they pick that up.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_02: And they and these kids are so small in this society today with all this social media stuff, technology.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_02: Technology, man, guys, we oh my gosh.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_02: I got these kids have no idea how blessed they are.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_02: But I'll tell you how grateful.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, they are so they have no idea, boy, just yes, what's that?
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_05: The part that missing, which I love that you're bringing to the table, technology, yes, they're so smart.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_05: They know about social media.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_05: It is a lost art of getting in there, work hard, have a positive mindset.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_05: Right.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_05: And I I love that we were, it was beat into our head, and we just do it of the yes ma'am, no ma'am, yes, sir.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, no, just manners polite going through there.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_05: I love that you bring that to the table.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_05: Because that's something that is just lost.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, modern.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_05: It is.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_05: Especially in sports.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_05: We are.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and I'm having that problem with my daughter right now.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_02: You know, how she talks, you know, it's a thing now, dude, bro, dude, bro.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sure y'all, I'm like Cassidy, don't, don't I'm not your dude.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_02: I said, I said, look, I hope you're not saying that to Miss Johnson or Miss whoever, Mr.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_02: Whoever in your classroom, other people.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_02: I hope it's it better be yes, sir, yes, ma'am, or calling them, and you know, but I'm not your dude and bro.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I'm saying I'm your dad, I love you to death.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_02: But I say, if you practice these things around me at home, you're gonna do it out.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_02: That's so don't do it here.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: So we hey, we live in a new generation.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well, keep up the good work because they will look back 20 or 30 years from now, and it may be playing football, it may not be.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_00: But by by having those habits of those basics, doors will open.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, no problem.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_00: I can't tell you how many people I've been able to get around and extract wealth of knowledge because I was respectful.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because I opened a door, because I was polite.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_00: Just those small pieces.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_00: It just opened the door.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_00: Little things create big things.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, hey, talk to us about the power of consistency.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about how important that is and being consistent, what that means for your team.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_02: Oh man, I tell you, when you I um just for the team, if you can stay consistency and then continue to grow from being consistent, you we'll win a lot of state championships.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, sir.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_02: But if we're gonna if we're gonna get penalties that we know we're not supposed to do, if we're if we're gonna bust plays, coach call to play, and you messed up on and do that that that's gonna hurt us.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_02: That's gonna hurt us.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_02: Now, if a kid goes out and makes a mistake and admits it and and and he's consistent on that right there, we got a chance to do, we got a chance to win in that in that aspect of it.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, you have to be consistent, consistent.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_02: That's one thing I mentioned earlier, guys, how I try to, when the kids come on their way to practice, I and I'm I I I fail at it all the time.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_02: I some days, you know, I know it's a couple days that I'll kind of miss because I was doing something computer-wise, but I try if I'm trying to stay more consistent on greet welcoming them into the complex when they come.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_02: But consistency is huge.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_02: I think if you can stay consistency with, you know, with the teaching and and the way we structure and practice, the way we're showing the kids that we truly care on, um it's it speaks volumes.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_02: And I try to, I try to do that by reaching out to them.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_02: My coaches, um, you know, try to instill in in them as well.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you gotta continue to to build the relationship in the kid and in this kid.
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_02: And the thing, one thing, you know, you're talking about consistent.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_02: I got a kid that I'm dealing with, um, just trying to teach him to control his temper.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_02: God bless.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_02: And so my consistency with this kid and my approach every day, it has to be different.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_02: Because I don't like, he gives me one thing one day and he gives me another day.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm trying to find that median with him where I can, and so it it it's hard.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_02: It's hard at the time.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_03: Hey, it's tough to break that that that habit of that, think of that racehorse, it's just like so hard, but that's the fun and the joy.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_03: If you can do that, you can do anything, you know.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_03: And that's a God thing that says, hey, be so quick to listen, quick to learn, so slow to speak and slow to anger.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_03: If you can teach that into him and you can figure that out, someday he'll thank you and say, Coach, I didn't realize what I was doing.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_03: But I was hothead over here.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_03: And then, well, you told me to run this route.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_03: You told me to block this guy.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_03: It's like, yeah, but I said, when this is the scenario, now I'm talking about this scenario.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_03: And they just pop off, and you're just like, slow, slow, slow.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_03: Now fast, now fast, right?
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_03: And so those are victories and wins that you get to have.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_02: Man, I tell you, our receivers.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, of course, I'm the head coach.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_02: I could coach a little bit of everything, but I'm just gonna be aware.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, you're gonna listen one day.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_02: Look the ball into the tuck.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_02: You know why you're dropping it?
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_02: Because you're taking your eyes, you're not looking it all the way up.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_02: It's the consistency.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_02: Catch it out.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_02: CIF, catch it first.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_02: I tell them all the time.
• 33:05
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_02: But there, I do you have to have to keep in mind that they're kids, they don't make mistakes, but we gotta stay on them and and stay be consistent on staying on them and encouraging them to do what we're trying to get them to do.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_02: So that's so good.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_05: A good deal there.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_05: I've gone into, hey, I got a quick fun fact for you here, there.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_05: All right.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_05: And we'll wrap up this.
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_05: But high school coaches stay put way longer than a pro coach.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_05: Factor fiction.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_05: Factor fiction.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's a fact.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's a fact because we were talking the other day.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I think our offensive coordinator Mike was talking about, he saw he heard this, and I've heard this before that Lou Holt said, don't stay somewhere 10 years.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_02: You know, 10, you know, after 10 years, things just start to seem like a norm or this.
• 33:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it gets still on you.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_02: Which is there's some some truth to that.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_02: But you know what I thought about when since he said that, I'm the type of guy, we do we talk in the in the office on daily.
• 34:06
  SPEAKER_02: I go home and I process stuff real quick, and I know our time is almost up.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_02: You're right.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_02: Um what if what if you change things up every year, though?
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_02: You totally could.
• 34:18
  SPEAKER_02: You know, what if like, okay, well, this year we started practice off doing this.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, next year, let's start it off doing this, or this year doing fall.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_02: How about you change it up?
• 34:30
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I love that.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_03: As a leader or a coach or mentor, you don't want to lose your staff that you've already got figured out.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_03: So as Lou Holt says, don't stay somewhere because it gets stale or normal.
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_03: But you as a coach are thinking, no, I've got the coaches that I want right now.
• 34:46
  SPEAKER_03: We're driving together, but you can still keep it fresh.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, no doubt.
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna say this I plan on being in Fairville 14 or plus more years.
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_02: You're not trying to be a little bit more.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not trying to leave anymore.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_02: So, but uh and I'm so blessed and grateful to be here.
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well, man, well, thanks so much for joining us today.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_00: It was thanks for helping us celebrate.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, man, no doubt.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_00: 100 episodes.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_02: Man, that's big, and that's that, boy.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_02: All right, who are you playing tomorrow?
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we got uh Sylvan Hills tomorrow night at 7 p.m., the first home game.
• 35:18
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, official home game in Harmon Field.
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_02: Guys, I am so excited and nervous about it.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_02: But I'm I'm looking forward to guys.
• 35:28
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, pretty good football team.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_03: Best of luck to you.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_03: I know you will uh have the team ready, and uh when the cards fall your way, I know you'll go home victorious.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_02: Man, I hope so.
• 35:37
  SPEAKER_02: Our guys will be ready to play, and we're excited.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_02: Those kids are looking forward to playing at home on the new era.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, I love that.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_02: God bless you guys.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_02: Go Dogs.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_02: Coach, thanks so much.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, thanks for joining us.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_00: You guys stick with us.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_00: We'll have our next guest on here shortly.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_00: All right, we continue to celebrate our hundredth episode today.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_00: We've got another guest in the studio with us.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_00: We're excited that Jennifer Irwin, the president and CEO of the Chamber Fayeville, is with us today.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_00: Jennifer, we're excited about that.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_00: Some quick information about Jennifer here.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_00: Jennifer is a University of Arkansas graduate with a bachelor's degree in journalism, spent 15 years in media before joining the chamber, including work in Northwest Arkansas Radio and TV, previously served as the Chamber's Director of Leadership, giving her deep experience with leadership, Fayetteville, and community development, became the first female president and CEO of the Chamber in Northwest Arkansas.
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_00: Her priorities include strengthening relationships between Fayetteville businesses, the Chamber, and the city, supporting economic development, and making the Chamber membership more valuable.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_00: Today, Chamber Fayetteville represents a network of over 1,200 businesses and community leaders.
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_00: Jennifer, welcome to the podcast.
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you so much for having me.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_01: Congratulations on your 100.
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_01: I've got my glasses on, and now I'm going to take them off because it's giving me like butt.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_01: I support you.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's great.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate that.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_00: And Jennifer Snett, we talked about earlier, um, is we like to talk about facts on here that only one to six percent of podcasts make it to 100 episodes.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_00: So we beat out 99% of all the other podcasts by just talking a hundred hours.
• 37:23
  SPEAKER_01: That's okay.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I mean, I know you three, and that's not that hard for you to do.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_01: But I will say that your podcasts are meaningful too.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_01: You're not just blowing hot air or whatever.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that's really something remarkable.
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_01: And congratulations.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think we, you know, we have a common goal there.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_00: The chamber is all about how can we help businesses here in Northwest Arkansas?
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_00: You know, specifically Fayetteville, but in Northwest Arkansas.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: How can we connect them with the resources, whether that's through city or finding land or connecting all the dots to grow the business community?
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_00: Our whole point of this podcast is if we sell a car off of it, great, you know, but it's how can we pour back into the business leaders here in Northwest Arkansas by giving them tips on what we've gone through, whether it's advertising or hiring or firing or whatever it may be.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so it's fun that that's aligned.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_00: I've gotten to meet uh not me, but know Jennifer for a long time.
• 38:21
  SPEAKER_00: We used to talk on the radio together.
• 38:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, now I paid to be on the radio.
• 38:25
  SPEAKER_00: She got paid to be on the radio.
• 38:27
  SPEAKER_00: So that's a different talent level here.
• 38:29
  SPEAKER_01: I was actually just telling uh some people out uh while I was waiting that you know, when you I didn't love doing remotes for that, but I always loved coming to Lewis because you did all the work for me.
• 38:41
  SPEAKER_01: You did all the talking, and I didn't have to do hardly anything because Matt would just take the microphone from me and take it over.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_01: I loved it.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_03: Let me tell you that on the other side of that, because we would do remotes across all stations because we wanted to be able to hit all demographics.
• 38:54
  SPEAKER_03: We loved when the radio DJ was okay with that.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_03: Because when when I was learning and Matt was like, hey, I need you to help me with these spots, I was like, okay, which station is it?
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_03: And he'd tell me the station was like, okay, what's their format?
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_03: Because everyone had a different format, and some of them only had X amount of time.
• 39:11
  SPEAKER_03: And some of them were just excited that you'd called do a remote and they'd give you a four-minute infomercial.
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_03: And so he's like, Hey, this one, don't give them a phone back to them until you're done with your message because they won't give it back to you.
• 39:22
  SPEAKER_03: Or this one's conversation.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_03: So we loved your style.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_03: Was like, all right, you we can say all we want to say.
• 39:29
  SPEAKER_01: Count us down.
• 39:30
  SPEAKER_03: Yep.
• 39:30
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it made it very easy for me.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_00: So well, thank you.
• 39:33
  SPEAKER_00: And we've we've appreciated, you know, our business relationship together and growing throughout the years.
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_00: Walk us through a little bit before you got to the chamber.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_00: How'd that transition happen from media to the chamber?
• 39:44
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I was actually um working, you know, as you said, doing the radio.
• 39:49
  SPEAKER_01: I was finished.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_01: The very honest answer is I was finished with my day at about 11 a.m.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_01: because I did a morning radio show.
• 39:57
  SPEAKER_01: And I was not to myself making the best use of my time in the afternoons because I didn't have any structure in the afternoons.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_01: And so, you know, I would put something off and say, oh, we'll get to it tomorrow or, you know, whatever.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I didn't like that.
• 40:11
  SPEAKER_01: I need a little bit more structure in my life.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_01: And so I was at a remote um one day at, I can't even remember what it was, and I ran into um the former president and CEO of the chamber.
• 40:23
  SPEAKER_01: And we started talking.
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_01: And I just said, um, you know, if you ever have anything part-time, I'd love to come and work with uh the chamber.
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_01: And so I started working there and a couple of afternoons a week, and it was just great.
• 40:37
  SPEAKER_01: I got to meet so many people and just do so many different things.
• 40:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's kind of how that transition happened.
• 40:42
  SPEAKER_01: And after about a year of part-time, I went full-time at the chamber and started uh running the leadership programs, which was fantastic and did that for 13 years.
• 40:52
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna ask you about the leadership.
• 40:54
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, you've been doing the leadership for a long time.
• 40:56
  SPEAKER_00: You're passionate about it.
• 40:57
  SPEAKER_00: And I would I would have to say, from an outside view, looking in, is you're passionate about it because you see what it does for people and how it helps them in their career and their community.
• 41:06
  SPEAKER_00: But were you asking about the leadership, or was that something that Steve just said, hey, I need you to do the leadership?
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_00: How how did that evolve?
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_01: It just sort of about the time that I was ready to kind of leave radio and have a more normal, you know, eight to five-ish job and kind of do something.
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, the person who was running leadership was leaving.
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_01: And it just, it just actually was perfect timing, but it was, I just feel like it was meant to be.
• 41:33
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it just all worked out great.
• 41:34
  SPEAKER_01: But I was passionate about leadership, but I learned so much throughout those 13 years, too, because I had not been through a leadership program.
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_01: And so I got to do it 13 times, basically, and get to get all of the um knowledge and the wisdom and all of that from all the speakers that we had.
• 41:50
  SPEAKER_00: For for everybody out there that's listening that doesn't know what the chamber does with their leadership program, give them just a quick overview of what we're talking about.
• 41:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_01: So leadership, Fayetteville is basically, we call it a backstage pass to Fayetteville.
• 42:04
  SPEAKER_01: And um it's a 10-month program where we have a cohort made up of professionals.
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of them are young professionals, but we do have some that are older that are just trying to kind of get more involved in the community.
• 42:17
  SPEAKER_01: And um we meet, as I said, for about 10 months.
• 42:20
  SPEAKER_01: Every day has a theme.
• 42:22
  SPEAKER_01: So today actually is Social Services Day for leadership.
• 42:26
  SPEAKER_01: And so they're learning all about the nonprofit world in Northwest Arkansas from Children's Safety Center to Peace at Home Family Shelter, um, food insecurity, animals, um, children, poverty, all kinds of things, just kind of covering the gamut.
• 42:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so the point of it is to introduce this cohort to the leaders of our community and to impart some leadership skills along the way and to also give them the tools and things that they need to get involved in the community.
• 42:56
  SPEAKER_01: So we hope when they leave this, they will get involved on a board.
• 43:00
  SPEAKER_01: They will, you know, volunteer, they will, you know, do some different things and have seen the inner workings of different places.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_00: And typically there is 36.
• 43:12
  SPEAKER_01: There are 36 initials class.
• 43:14
  SPEAKER_01: We last year we had 28.
• 43:15
  SPEAKER_01: So it just sort of varies, yeah.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_00: I will say it's one of the things, one of the more um, I'm not gonna say popular, but in high demand programs that are out there for everybody that know about it.
• 43:25
  SPEAKER_00: Every year you go through, you actually have to submit and be chosen because there are more applicants that you can take on.
• 43:32
  SPEAKER_00: So uh if you need more information, just to plug for Jennifer there, make sure to check out the chamber and then what all they they have to offer.
• 43:39
  SPEAKER_00: So that that leadership program, really good.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about then your path from there to getting to the CEO position, because that that took a lot of hard work.
• 43:50
  SPEAKER_01: That did take a lot of hard work.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, at first I didn't know if I wanted to take on the CEO position because I really loved leadership and I just couldn't imagine doing something.
• 44:01
  SPEAKER_01: What really inspired me was we were sitting in a board meeting one day.
• 44:05
  SPEAKER_01: They had been doing a national search for the next CEO.
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_01: And somebody said, you know, there's no diversity with this applicant pool that we have.
• 44:16
  SPEAKER_01: There's no females.
• 44:17
  SPEAKER_01: There's no, you know, it's basically the same kind of population that we had.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_01: And I thought, you know what?
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_01: Why wouldn't I go for this and do this?
• 44:28
  SPEAKER_01: Plus, I know this chamber and I know this community.
• 44:31
  SPEAKER_01: And I can still be a part of the leadership.
• 44:34
  SPEAKER_01: It's just, you know, from a different angle.
• 44:36
  SPEAKER_01: And so I decided to throw my hat in the ring.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_01: And it was, you know, some people think, oh, well, she threw her hat in the ring and she got the job.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_01: Not that was not the case at all.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_01: I had to take tests and do a lot of interviews and all that.
• 44:51
  SPEAKER_01: But it taught me so much.
• 44:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it it really has been such a blessing.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I can't imagine working for somebody else at this point.
• 45:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's been a really great learning experience.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_01: I am still learning things.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, there's still um things that I don't know everything about, and um, that's what's really great about it.
• 45:13
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, a few missteps here and there along the way, but we get through them and um it's just, you know, it's been a really great experience.
• 45:20
  SPEAKER_00: I will say the because I was for everybody to know, I was behind the scenes on the other one there, and Jenna Brad and called that out.
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_00: But but I was on the board and part of the interviewing process and with a consultant, and there was no diversity on all the applicants.
• 45:35
  SPEAKER_00: There were no female applicants.
• 45:37
  SPEAKER_00: So even though that you knew everybody in the room, the amount of courage that it took to say, hey, I would like to be considered to throw yourself out there, that was huge.
• 45:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 45:47
  SPEAKER_01: And it was scary too, because it was very um, you know, what if I didn't get it?
• 45:52
  SPEAKER_01: Then would I be able to stay at the chamber?
• 45:55
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, just for myself.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_01: If they had picked somebody else, would I have been comfortable staying and working uh with this board and with everything?
• 46:02
  SPEAKER_01: But um, it all worked out.
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_00: Because not only was there not a female applicant, there had never been a female CEO at the chamber.
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, so that is that's not an easy task to say, hey, would you consider me?
• 46:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so well deserving and and congratulations on that.
• 46:18
  SPEAKER_00: But I do want to park on another thing here because one of the things we've talked about in this podcast is empowering others.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_00: And the three of us have had to learn that.
• 46:28
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 46:29
  SPEAKER_00: And we've had to give up control on different areas to free up our time to do something different.
• 46:35
  SPEAKER_00: And and you went through that and knew that I know that was a struggle that you worked through, and it wasn't easy to give up the reins on leadership.
• 46:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 46:44
  SPEAKER_01: That it was very hard.
• 46:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it took a long time for me to, you know, at first I thought I can do both, but there's just we all think that.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_01: But there was no way I could do both and do them well.
• 46:55
  SPEAKER_01: And so um I found a great person, Lauren Chenal is running the programs now.
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_01: She is a former educator and um has a lot of experience kind of with that kind of program, and she's done a fantastic job.
• 47:10
  SPEAKER_01: And that made it easier to hand it off to somebody who just from the get-go was doing a great job with it and took the ball and just kind of ran with it.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, it was a really big struggle for me to turn that over.
• 47:22
  SPEAKER_01: And you know what?
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_01: I found a happy medium.
• 47:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I, even though somebody else is running the program and in charge of it, I'm still trying to get involved or be involved and I'm still going on their retreat.
• 47:33
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm still trying to make an appearance each day and go to some of the speakers just for a little bit at a time because these are the leaders in our community, the up-and-coming leaders, a lot of them.
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's really important for me to get to know them too and to know um all of them.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_01: So it's been a good transition.
• 47:50
  SPEAKER_00: How big of a sigh could you take once you got past the part going, okay, Lauren's coming on on board?
• 47:58
  SPEAKER_00: All right, we've been through our first meeting.
• 48:00
  SPEAKER_00: All right, she's got this.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_00: Now I feel like I can work on my current position.
• 48:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 48:06
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's been it's been really refreshing.
• 48:09
  SPEAKER_01: And originally, so today actually happens to be a leadership day.
• 48:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I had originally thought, well, I'll just go and spend the whole day with them.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_01: And then I was invited to do this, and I was glad to have that um flexibility that I could come and do this.
• 48:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 48:23
  SPEAKER_01: And to do all of that.
• 48:25
  SPEAKER_01: And then the more I was thinking about it, I went to the first speaker this morning and I thought, you know what?
• 48:29
  SPEAKER_01: I've said hello, I've done that, and I've heard all the rest of the speakers.
• 48:33
  SPEAKER_01: I really need to go back and do my own job.
• 48:35
  SPEAKER_01: But if there was something else I wanted to go back and do, and maybe I'll go meet them for happy hour, social hour afterward, just to build those connections with them.
• 48:43
  SPEAKER_01: But um, but it's it's been a huge relief to me because when I was I was actually kind of doing both jobs for about six or eight months.
• 48:51
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_01: And it was hard.
• 48:53
  SPEAKER_01: And um I wasn't doing either one of them.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_00: So let's uh uh and and then we're gonna move on.
• 48:58
  SPEAKER_00: But this is such an important part, and and you've lived this.
• 49:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I want everybody out there listening on the podcast that maybe is running a small business and you're and you're juggling HR and you're running the business and you're doing the advertising, and you're like, I just can't trust somebody else to do it.
• 49:14
  SPEAKER_00: What would be your encouragement for them?
• 49:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um I think you just have to sort of trust other people to do it.
• 49:22
  SPEAKER_01: You have to give them faith.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I mean, you have to give them the guidance that they need.
• 49:27
  SPEAKER_01: You have to lead by example and kind of give them the um, you know, the the tools that they need to succeed.
• 49:36
  SPEAKER_01: And that is a big, that's one of my biggest leadership styles is to try to lead by example and to not ask somebody to do something that I wouldn't want, you know, wouldn't be a part of or want to do.
• 49:46
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that um if you give people the tools, they're gonna make mistakes, as I make mistakes and have made many, and you just have to be there to help them to to pick those up and to to run with it.
• 50:00
  SPEAKER_00: I I hope you guys hear what Jennifer's talking about there because she did.
• 50:04
  SPEAKER_00: She tried to juggle that.
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I can remember again being the sounding board on the other side.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_00: This is a unique situation.
• 50:09
  SPEAKER_00: We get to talk about both sides, is that she's like, no, I think I I think I can do this for a while.
• 50:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's because she was so passionate about the other and wildly successful at it.
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then finally, when the right candidate came along, finally, when that then that opened up for you to devote all your energy on the CEO instead of just juggling and maintaining both.
• 50:30
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 50:30
  SPEAKER_00: And that that's something both Shelby Taylor and I have talked about quite a bit is it's like, okay, be okay with somebody else doing it.
• 50:37
  SPEAKER_00: You manage it, be involved, but allow them to take over there.
• 50:40
  SPEAKER_01: That's right.
• 50:41
  SPEAKER_01: And be there to help them when they do fall and and help them pick up and keep going.
• 50:46
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 50:46
  SPEAKER_05: You know what I've loved, and I've I've been able to step in.
• 50:49
  SPEAKER_05: So Matt is the one of us which we're passionate about Favil, because that's where our business is.
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_05: He dives into it more and we give him a hard time about it, but brings all of the stuff back to us of hey, relevant information.
• 51:01
  SPEAKER_05: But what I've loved, because over the years we went to several events, and I've loved seeing you being a part of it of bringing a complete different perspective of we can even be in a community event that has all the chambers of Northwest Arkansas, and it seems like it's more open and people are working together to be able to benefit different cities.
• 51:20
  SPEAKER_05: But then the way that we're able to come in, and it doesn't matter what event it's at.
• 51:25
  SPEAKER_05: I remember going to previous ones, it's hey, how are you doing?
• 51:29
  SPEAKER_05: But the welcomes that you bring to the table of, hey, how are you?
• 51:33
  SPEAKER_05: Come in, and it's just setting the tone for the whole meeting.
• 51:35
  SPEAKER_05: So hats off to you that I see that that really benefits there, and I love seeing that.
• 51:41
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you, Taylor.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_01: I appreciate you saying that so much.
• 51:44
  SPEAKER_01: And I have to give m so much credit to our team because they are the ones that, you know, I can help them, you know, make that atmosphere, but they're the ones that carry it out and really have done such an amazing job.
• 51:58
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm very grateful.
• 51:59
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for saying that.
• 52:00
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 52:01
  SPEAKER_00: You bet, you bet.
• 52:02
  SPEAKER_00: Well, so let's I I do I don't want to miss this point here.
• 52:06
  SPEAKER_00: How important is community to business, and how important is business to community?
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_00: So the chamber, I feel like fits the the gap there about getting both of those together.
• 52:18
  SPEAKER_00: So for everybody that doesn't know about the chamber, what would be your your quick elevator pitch or why they should be involved in the chamber and how the chamber can help their business?
• 52:29
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, great question.
• 52:31
  SPEAKER_01: So the chamber basically is there to advocate for advocate for be ad an advocate for businesses and to bring in new businesses to the area and to help existing businesses.
• 52:44
  SPEAKER_01: And that helping existing businesses has many different facets to it.
• 52:49
  SPEAKER_01: So that means us being a bridge kind of between the business and the city.
• 52:53
  SPEAKER_01: If there's some, you know, signage issues or some different things, we can help with that.
• 52:57
  SPEAKER_01: That means us um, you know, giving them some tools to um continue to succeed and um you know, just introducing them to people, offering networking opportunities for people, excuse me.
• 53:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um that means uh us, you know, just really being there and being there for anything that any company needs, whether it's a big company or a small company.
• 53:23
  SPEAKER_01: A one-person company or a 2,000-person, you know, company is just as important to us because they all add to the value of the community.
• 53:33
  SPEAKER_01: So businesses are so important because without businesses, the community fails and doesn't thrive and all of that.
• 53:41
  SPEAKER_01: But without the community supporting the businesses, then, you know, and without having people to fulfill the jobs and to do all of those things, they it just doesn't work without each other.
• 53:53
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's extremely important.
• 53:55
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's what's important to us is to help people see that and work through those things.
• 54:02
  SPEAKER_01: Excuse me.
• 54:03
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 54:03
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's so important.
• 54:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I just want to remind everybody out there is the value of the chamber no longer it we have a lot of lot of connections.
• 54:13
  SPEAKER_00: We we've been here for a long, long time.
• 54:16
  SPEAKER_00: This business has been here for 80 years.
• 54:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, our old hardware store was back in the 1890s, 1880s.
• 54:22
  SPEAKER_00: But still, when we were involved, especially in this project and others, there were areas that the chamber helped out in.
• 54:28
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they helped bridge the gap with the city or with the signs or you know, with some legal with lands, or identifying this and identifying that.
• 54:37
  SPEAKER_00: For a business that's coming in from outside, you know, you've got some amazing people on your team.
• 54:42
  SPEAKER_00: And the data they can show to run it through like this would be the best location.
• 54:46
  SPEAKER_00: Here's the economic impact in that area.
• 54:49
  SPEAKER_00: We'll help you identify the land, we'll help you identify the best opportunity, we'll connect you with the city.
• 54:54
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 54:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like, like all that stuff that would take decades to try to do on yourself.
• 54:59
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 54:59
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, a lot of people when they start a new business or they are just coming to Fayville, they come to us first just because they don't know anybody, they don't know where to go or what to do.
• 55:08
  SPEAKER_01: And so if anything, we can just be their kind of friends and the people that they know and that they can count on and reach out to for resources in all different avenues and areas.
• 55:20
  SPEAKER_00: We talked leadership there.
• 55:21
  SPEAKER_00: We talked about how you could, if somebody called in or they stopped by the office, um, how you could help them out.
• 55:27
  SPEAKER_00: But then also connecting with people.
• 55:28
  SPEAKER_00: You've got big events throughout the entire year.
• 55:31
  SPEAKER_00: But then on a monthly basis, you've got different events in the morning and at night to try to connect all those people, right?
• 55:37
  SPEAKER_01: We do.
• 55:37
  SPEAKER_01: We have um networking events um twice a month.
• 55:40
  SPEAKER_01: We have one in the morning, as you said.
• 55:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's called Good Morning Fayetteville.
• 55:44
  SPEAKER_01: And then we have Professionals Night Out in the evenings once a month.
• 55:47
  SPEAKER_01: It's from like 4:30 to 6, I think, or 4 to 630.
• 55:50
  SPEAKER_01: I care 430 to 6.
• 55:52
  SPEAKER_01: And it's just an opportunity for anybody to come who's a chamber member.
• 55:56
  SPEAKER_01: But if you're looking to join the chamber, we also invite those people as well just to kind of come see what it's all about.
• 56:01
  SPEAKER_01: But it's a great networking opportunity.
• 56:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's a great way to get your name out there and provide, you know, maybe a door prize or win a door prize and just kind of talk to different people.
• 56:11
  SPEAKER_01: We've got this great group of people who wear our purple jackets.
• 56:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they're called our diplomats, and they are at all of these events, and so they help make it easy for someone who's coming in too that maybe doesn't know anybody.
• 56:22
  SPEAKER_01: Just go find somebody in a purple jacket and they'll go introduce you to dozens of people and just kind of make it a great transition and opportunity.
• 56:32
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 56:33
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 56:34
  SPEAKER_00: Well, congratulations on all your success, you know, in stepping into position and doing something that no other female has ever done.
• 56:42
  SPEAKER_00: You continue to build.
• 56:43
  SPEAKER_00: We appreciate you being a part, you know, and always helping our organization and uh for sure coming on this podcast and helping us celebrate a hundred episodes.
• 56:50
  SPEAKER_01: Well, again, congratulations to that.
• 56:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I do just want to say I would be very mad at myself if I didn't say that you uh uh Lewis Automotive has been such an amazing supporter in this community and for the chamber, and we're very, very thankful and lucky to have you all um in the Northwest Arkansas community because the things that you do and help people, it's just truly amazing and very much appreciated.
• 57:14
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you.
• 57:15
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 57:15
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate that for sure.
• 57:16
  SPEAKER_05: Uh yeah, I love to hear that.
• 57:18
  SPEAKER_05: Hey, I got a couple of questions to wrap this up in the end, both uh Matt and Shelby here.
• 57:22
  SPEAKER_05: But Matt, start with you.
• 57:24
  SPEAKER_05: How do you know when it's time to quit something versus push through?
• 57:27
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, that's a hard one.
• 57:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's a hard one.
• 57:29
  SPEAKER_00: I would say that I am diligently working on trying to help identify when to when to move on.
• 57:37
  SPEAKER_00: We we've all we've talked uh, you know, previously in podcasts, we just ride things to the ground, you know.
• 57:43
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, because I think we've studied the other end no different than the stats we talked about at first about people give up too quick.
• 57:50
  SPEAKER_00: You know, now it's helping identify when, okay, you've tried enough there, cut your losses and move on.
• 57:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um so I don't have an exact answer for that, but I'll just tell you when I start feeling like that I'm pushing more and more, I I pause, I think about it, I ask some advice from some other people that aren't involved in that situation.
• 58:12
  SPEAKER_00: I need a sounding board because my mindset is I'll keep going until it gets into the ground.
• 58:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I need somebody not involved, not emotionally connected to say, hey, take a look at this.
• 58:23
  SPEAKER_00: Here's what I've done so far.
• 58:24
  SPEAKER_00: What do you think?
• 58:25
  SPEAKER_00: Is it time for me to move on or should I keep pushing?
• 58:29
  SPEAKER_05: Absolutely.
• 58:29
  SPEAKER_05: And Shelby, kind of what's some good advice that you've gotten that you may have ignored at the time, but you circled back around and said, you know what, that would have made sense.
• 58:40
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know, I don't remember because I ignored it.
• 58:44
  SPEAKER_03: I'm just kidding.
• 58:45
  SPEAKER_03: There's been plenty of them uh that thought, man, you know, as you grow older and and you experience things, it becomes wisdom.
• 58:52
  SPEAKER_03: And then you're like, ooh, man, if I could have earlier, I would have done this.
• 58:56
  SPEAKER_03: One of those things would be why did something fail?
• 59:00
  SPEAKER_03: Why did something fail?
• 59:01
  SPEAKER_03: And so, you know, we talked about this in a couple episodes previous, but what was it a person problem or is it a procedure problem?
• 59:09
  SPEAKER_03: Right?
• 59:09
  SPEAKER_03: And so now I dissect of why something failed before I just go straight to the person because it's almost always the person.
• 59:17
  SPEAKER_03: It's so much easier just to blame someone else.
• 59:20
  SPEAKER_03: But before you go blame them, hang on.
• 59:23
  SPEAKER_03: Did I give them time tools and training to be successful?
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_03: Did they have a very clear written process?
• 59:30
  SPEAKER_03: Otherwise, it's my fault.
• 59:32
  SPEAKER_03: I didn't create that.
• 59:32
  SPEAKER_03: So that was advice that I've had to learn and learn and learn.
• 59:36
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, there is a reason why this didn't work.
• 59:38
  SPEAKER_03: And it could most certainly be the person, but more often than not, it's the process.
• 59:43
  SPEAKER_03: So that I would say that's some good advice that I ignored for a while, and now it is super important and part of the process of why something fails.
• 59:51
  SPEAKER_03: Is it a person?
• 59:52
  SPEAKER_03: Is it a process problem?
• 59:53
  SPEAKER_00: That's good.
• 59:53
  SPEAKER_05: Absolutely.
• 59:54
  SPEAKER_05: Hey, great episode, hundred episodes, and so much fun.
• 59:59
  SPEAKER_05: Hey, always check us out, LewisSupersore.com, Crossroads Conversation Podcast for the 100 plus episodes.
• 1:00:06
  SPEAKER_05: Shout out to the chamber.
• 1:00:07
  SPEAKER_05: If you're moving to Fayetteville and you don't like socializing with people, come check them out.
• 1:00:14
  SPEAKER_03: I will definitely get you out of your bottle.
• 1:00:17
  SPEAKER_03: And they talk about the purple jacket diplomats.
• 1:00:20
  SPEAKER_03: What I love is that no matter how big or how small, when a business, when we had our grand reopening, right?
• 1:00:25
  SPEAKER_03: That was year 76, 77, the chamber is right there.
• 1:00:30
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah.
• 1:00:30
  SPEAKER_03: Like I see it on social media, brand new businesses just moved in.
• 1:00:35
  SPEAKER_03: There the chamber is.
• 1:00:36
  SPEAKER_03: And it might just be the owner and then the chamber.
• 1:00:39
  SPEAKER_03: That's right.
• 1:00:40
  SPEAKER_03: Or it might be a huge crowd of people, but the chamber's always there supporting new business.
• 1:00:44
  SPEAKER_03: They want that business to succeed.
• 1:00:46
  SPEAKER_03: And I love that specifically about Fayetteville Chambers.
• 1:00:49
  SPEAKER_03: They're always there, and there's always a diplomat or two or three or twelve with the purple jackets on supporting, and we love that, right?
• 1:00:55
  SPEAKER_05: Well, thank y'all.
• 1:00:56
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 1:00:56
  SPEAKER_05: Absolutely.
• 1:00:57
  SPEAKER_05: So, shout out to that, and thank y'all so much for joining us today.
• 1:01:01
  SPEAKER_05: See you soon.
• 1:01:02
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, thanks for joining us today, and we hope you enjoyed this episode.
• 1:01:05
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure to give it a like, share it with your friends and family, visit our website, and send us some questions.
• 1:01:10
  SPEAKER_00: We want to know what you'd like to hear, who you'd like to hear from, and what you want to see, or maybe even some questions for us to answer about either the automotive industry or just business in general.