Latest / Career Clarity with Athletes: A 2ndwind Podcast with Ryan Gonsalves / 106: Rahhim Shillingford - From College Football Star to Real Estate Success: Leveraging Sportsmanship for Career Triumph

Transcript

106: Rahhim Shillingford - From College Football Star to Real Estate Success: Leveraging Sportsmanship for Career Triumph · Career Clarity with Athletes: A 2ndwind Podcast with Ryan Gonsalves

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: How would you describe your coach?
• 0:01
  Speaker 1: What have they done to help you?
• 0:04
  Speaker 2: The biggest thing is accountability and you know we have we set goals.
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: You know when we have a call coming, I, as he's, I have to.
• 0:15
  Speaker 2: You know either met some goals, but also the accountability to know the actions to reach those goals are being done.
• 0:22
  Speaker 2: He was my first client and you know he mentioned wanting to do something in real estate and you know he didn't come to me.
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: I had to ask him for his business and when I did he said I was waiting for you to ask.
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: So there's that confidence booster.
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: You know that I was lacking throughout my college years and you know gaining that as a young adult.
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: And you know understanding how the business world works and you know gaining the confidence to be successful in business.
• 0:57
  Speaker 3: Hi, I'm Ryan Gonsalves and welcome to a Second Wind Academy podcast, a show all about career transition through the lens of elite athletes.
• 1:08
  Speaker 3: Each week, I invite a guest to the show who shares their unique sporting story.
• 1:13
  Speaker 3: Please join me to delve into the thoughts and actions of athletes through a series of conversations.
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: Don't worry, there's plenty to learn from those of you that aren't particularly sporty.
• 1:23
  Speaker 3: Elite athletes are still people after all.
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: Let's be inspired by the stories of others.
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: Raheem, welcome to the show.
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: Thank you, Ryan.
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you for having me Listen.
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: Absolute pleasure to have you on today.
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: I think you've got quite an interesting story and background that's going to help a lot of others who are listening to this to really get an essence of what it's like to transition careers, but also to do it in a thoughtful way, and I think you've got a great story to share.
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: Thanks for joining me.
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: I appreciate it, I'm happy to share and you know, share a little knowledge and you know a little insight onto things I went through.
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: Awesome, All right.
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: Well, look, Raheem.
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: You know I often give this little intro, but I'm keen for you just to let us know who are you, what are you up to, for those who don't know you very well.
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: Yeah, raheem Schillingford, I'm a licensed broker in New York.
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: I work at my family brokerage.
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: I'm a husband, I'm a new father, I'm a brother, I'm an amateur golfer.
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: You know, and you know, I also do commercial real estate in Florida out of a company in Florida as well, called Skyview Advisors.
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: That's great.
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: Thanks a lot.
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: And look one of the bits that I'm certainly keen, you know, to unpick with you.
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: We talk a lot about sports.
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: We talk about that athlete transition into what we're doing at the moment.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: So, delving into that with you, when you think about sport as a child and how you grew up, what importance did sport hold for you and your family?
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: You know I definitely learned more about it coming out of playing sports.
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: You know, when I finished in college and saw the importance that it had on my family, you know I started really playing when I came to the States in more of a organized fashion.
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: You know I started with baseball.
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: Then, when my parents moved us up to Putnam Valley, started playing football, which is what I played in college.
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: And you know, up until graduating I kind of just played football.
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: You know I wasn't like, you know, something that I had to do.
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: But coming out of college, you know I saw the importance that it had on my family with my brothers and you know my brother plays division one football now at the same college that I went to.
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: He had a pro day a few weeks back my, my youngest brother he's playing football at Iona Prep.
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: He also plays basketball at Iona Prep as well in New York, and that's when I really saw the importance.
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: You know, when I was doing it myself, I just kind of did it yeah, that's interesting.
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: Um, it's interesting.
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: You know you talk about for you.
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: You just did it.
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: When did you find out you were good at it?
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: What did that look like?
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: Truthfully, I never thought I was, honestly, you know.
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: I just, you know we were kind of talking about it before we went live recording and you know it was just something that I did.
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: Obviously, I played college football and you know the percentage of that from high school to college it's a it's a low percentage.
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: So in an in some sense, in a nutshell, I had some talent, but you know, I just never really thought that I was good for where I was.
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: And that's when we were talking about the maturity thing of, you know, a younger guy in the college setting, versus that extra year or maybe two years of maturity as a person, as a young man, could have understand and hold into my skills more.
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: But you know, truthfully, I just thought I was out there you know.
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: So for you, sport was, or was it this sense of enjoyment that you had playing those different sports, and for you then it was just very much a case of playing and other people were telling you what level you should have been at, was a big kid, played football and instantly got a lot of friends that way on the team and just as the years went on, got bigger and bigger and again just was, you know I guess, a presence on the smaller community team.
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: That led me to, you know, pursuing a football and continue my academic careers at Bryant University.
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: And you know, it was like like I was saying, it's just something that I did, I just had fun.
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: Even to this day I love watching football.
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: Now I'm obsessed with golf and you know I'm not good at all, but love going out there, love playing, love competing.
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: There is an essence of, like, you know, I do like to win.
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: You know, closing business, I love closing business, so that that's the transfer over.
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: But you know, business, I love closing business, so that that's the the transfer over.
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: But uh, you know, growing up I didn't think about it like I had to go play football.
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: I just, you know, enjoyed doing it.
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: What was important to you and your family back then?
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: I guess it's, it's just the organization of it.
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: You know, without saying, hey, football gives you structure, sports give you structure.
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: It was just the accountability, the adversity that you experience in athletics.
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: Whether you're a good player or a bad player, you're going to have adversity.
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: So my parents, again not knowing much, coming from the Caribbean, my parents weren't aware of everything that they could put us into once we moved up to Putnam Valley, into once we moved up to, uh, punton valley.
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: And you know, for me it just I was like the test dummy and you know, then it's uh, you know things made more sense for my younger brothers and they got into some more things and you know there was more intent, but, uh, for lack of better words, and you know, for me it was just uh, you know, continue to do it.
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: Know, continue to do schoolwork and, just, you know, hold yourself to a high standard.
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: I love the fact that, as the eldest, you were that test dummy and the sacrificial lamb.
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: That's right.
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: It was like let's see what happens with him, and then we look after the brothers who follow.
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: Uh, even better, this is it, it's good to hear it out loud.
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, and they won't, they won't, yeah, they won't be shy of it.
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: You know my parents, you know, and it is what it is.
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: You know everybody has to learn at some point and you know they did.
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: I mean not to say that anything less, but you know they did the best that they did and you know I turned out pretty good, I think sometimes.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: And you know, know, but they just were aware of more things that my brothers could get into I understand, and so for you, the you know the idea of college.
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: How new was that to to your family?
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: I mean, you know you again, being dominican born, um, you know how new was going to us college to your family my parents actually both went to school when we first came up to the States so they were gone.
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: My dad went to Baruch, you know, got his degree in finance, I believe.
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: My mom went to Monroe and got her degree in accounting.
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: So you know, working the typical I guess you could say immigration dream.
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: You know, working going to school got kids definitely a strong sense of growing up.
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: You know mom's out late.
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: She, you know she's coming in commuting from the train from when we moved out to Putnam Valley because she's got to work in the city.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: You know I don't see that as a young kid.
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: I know about it now because in real estate that's something my clients talk about their commute and how important it is for them.
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: So you know it was a good lesson to learn.
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: But, um, as far as going to play college sports, that was that was definitely new.
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: Um and the idea of college in general, again, it was just something I thought I had to do and and so, with that sort of sense in in some respects and sort of family obligation, this is, hey, this is what we do.
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: We now go into college.
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: Were you looking at many different colleges to think, hey, this is where I'm, this is where I'm going to be, awesome, I'm going to do this from a football perspective.
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: How did that work for you?
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: yeah, that's what.
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: When I was talking to Lola that she was completely shocked by that, I told her I applied for one college and I got into one college and that's the college I went to.
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: And you know, looking back, my dad always was just like, why didn't we, like you know, go explore more things?
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: But I just, I just thought that was it.
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: You know, um, it was division one, one double A, and I thought that was cool, I thought it sounded great and it was a good college and you know, I just thought that's where I was supposed to be and what aspiration?
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: aspirations did you have for from a sporting perspective as you went to college?
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: Were you looking NFL?
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: Were you looking at the sort of pro levels?
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: What was going through your mind?
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: um, you know, I was there.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: I just that's when it kind of that idea of you know maybe needed an extra year.
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: When I first got in, that's after college, that's when I I thought about it more because as time went on I progressed a little bit more and more and, you know, started to realize the possibilities, you know growing in there.
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: You know I was just happy to be there and didn't really hone in on the opportunity that there was.
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: So there wasn't really much aspiration post the four years that I was playing.
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's amazing.
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: For so many athletes that I speak to on here, getting to college Div 1 college sports is, at times, that's the dream, that is the pinnacle, that people really have never mind even trying to move to pro afterwards.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: However, for you, what I'm getting a sense of is, well, this was just a journey of something that that that was done.
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: It was a byproduct of going to college, almost yeah, I guess in a way.
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean again, it was just a lack offully.
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: It was a lack of confidence in myself as an athlete and something that you know some regret that's probably about the one thing I do regret in my life is not being more confident in myself as a young athlete and, you know, really taking advantage of the opportunity, not to say if I did that there would be pro aspirations, but just knowing that I gave everything in that moment and you know that, just knowing that I gave everything in that moment, and you know that's something that I've learned, I've come to terms with, come to peace with, and what you know I try to pursue in.
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: You know now my adult life.
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: I mean that's interesting, that that lack of confidence and I talk a lot about that awareness.
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: So being aware and you mentioned your dad there being aware of what opportunities exist out there often helps to bring around a lot more confidence in yourself, to say, oh, actually it's not just a one shot, but there are many things that I could possibly do.
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: What would have been different on your decision on college, do you think?
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: I would still have probably ended up where I was in terms of the college that I did go to, terms of the college that I did go to would just been a bit more intentional in my training, you know, and trying to progress as a player there.
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: I would say and so what were you studying when you were at college?
• 12:35
  Speaker 2: so, I did a business administration with the concentration in business management and also communications and legals yeah, and, and.
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: so, from that perspective, what were you again?
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: Was that with a specific intent of doing that course, or was it, hey, just following a path?
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: No, I actually started off with the international business program and you know so that I found interest in that for some strange reason I don't know why it was to a short, short time span.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: You know you had to minor in Spanish and you know I took Spanish all throughout high school.
• 13:16
  Speaker 2: But college Spanish is a little different and you know that was challenging.
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: And you also had to study abroad a semester and with being an athlete, you know that brought some challenges as well.
• 13:29
  Speaker 2: So I ultimately made the decision to just you know, be the business management concentration with a business administration degree.
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: We mentioned it earlier on that maturity coming through college.
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: So at the end of your college time, now trying to focus in on this sort of transition moment as the end of college is approaching, if you think back, what was going through your mind in terms of what you wanted to do next?
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I didn't know.
• 14:04
  Speaker 2: Honestly, I did not know.
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: Similar to my father, he finished up school when we came to the States and I think he said he was offered a job on Wall Street or something.
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: I don't really remember what the thought of sitting at a desk, going in, you know, working for somebody else just really didn't sit right with him.
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: And you know that was kind of similar to the thought process that I had.
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: You know, compared to my peers who were, you know, doing internships there, doing internships here, that it just wasn't on my front of my mind.
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: You know I just I wanted to do something, you know.
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: I knew.
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: You know I wanted to be in real estate and you know my, I know we have my father had a real estate company.
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: You know I got into coaching and like and personal training.
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: You know my, my trainer throughout high school and college has a gym and, you know, offered me an opportunity with him and there was a coaching job at my old high school and my parents told me about it and you know I called and they said, absolutely let's go.
• 15:19
  Speaker 2: You know, without a doubt.
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: And then I, you know, started the real estate course as well towards the end of my senior year of college and second semester, and that summer I passed my real estate course, got towards the end of my senior year of college and the second semester, and that summer I passed my real estate course, got my real estate license and started practicing real estate on the side, while coaching and doing some personal training, where I also got a certification, for I got a certified strength and conditioning specialist.
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: So I don't know if you're familiar, but to me, coming out of college, just you know, studying business, and then, you know, trying to do anatomy, you know understanding the muscle movements, despite working out pretty much every day of my life, it was like learning a whole new language again and you know, I don't know why I put myself through it, but I did.
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: I ultimately passed and, you know, started doing some personal training as well well from a journey that sounds.
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: That sounds really interesting, because often we speak with people and we say, okay, how, how do you figure out what it is that you want to do if you come out without a plan?
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: And though, you took a path there which is to try different things, not just think about it, but it was jumping back into comfortable in coaching, in personal training and and then trying something by going down the real estate route as well yeah and um, you know in both, in the first two coaching I didn't know it.
• 16:43
  Speaker 2: Then you know when I signed but it grew my relationship with my middle brother.
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: You know I went off to college right around you know I think, uh, his right around seventh or eighth grade for him I think Um, or you know probably before that.
• 17:01
  Speaker 2: So he was still young.
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: You know we were two different.
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: We're about five years apart.
• 17:05
  Speaker 2: You know two different sets of lives and you know, going there and coaching you, coaching him, having respect for me for being a college athlete, coming back and being able to mentor him and help him out and just see him too and see him as a young man and be there for him, was just amazing for our relationship and I really appreciated it those two years.
• 17:29
  Speaker 2: Um, you know my youngest brother.
• 17:31
  Speaker 2: He was a freshman around one of my last few years coaching and then he transferred school.
• 17:38
  Speaker 2: So you know I didn't coach him that next year but again still had some you know, growth with him there at practices, see what he's doing, try to give him a little coaching here and there.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: But you know it wasn't his direct coach, um, and then the personal training was working with young athletes and you know, there I wanted to.
• 17:56
  Speaker 2: I learned everything that you know somewhat of the things I'm talking about, like you know, being confident in yourself and knowing that you're you're right for where you're supposed to be, and just wanting to be a boast of confidence for the kids in my community.
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: It's really good.
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: Very intriguing that link you mentioned between connecting you back with your younger brothers.
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: That's something I've not really delved into.
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: I've never really thought of that as that began.
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: Was that something you thought could happen or is it a a pleasant surprise that coming out of the back of it?
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: it was a pleasant surprise, um, because it wasn't my intention at all.
• 18:37
  Speaker 2: Uh, you know my coaches thought it was cool.
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: You know, as in the head coach at the time, he thought it was a great opportunity.
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: My dad thought it was a great opportunity for those reasons.
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: But in the moment I was there to coach try to be a good coach for everybody, not just my brother but obviously held him to the highest of standards of the kids on the team and he earned it himself.
• 19:02
  Speaker 2: I think he was a captain his freshman year in high school.
• 19:04
  Speaker 2: He was a thousand point scorer in basketball, so I wasn't giving him anything that he didn't deserve his freshman year in high school.
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: You know he's a thousand point scorer in basketball, so you know I wasn't giving him anything that he didn't deserve and you know I was just being a big brother.
• 19:16
  Speaker 2: You know being hard on him for no reason but also seeing his, his potential, past it and you know, I guess, trying to prepare him for that moment.
• 19:24
  Speaker 3: There are too many stories of bankruptcies, mental health issues and, unfortunately, suicide, and so I think it's time to act.
• 19:31
  Speaker 3: Every year, we see thousands of athletes that reach a point where they need to consider their life after they leave sport.
• 19:38
  Speaker 3: This might be at retirement, injury or the need to juggle dual careers between sport and a job.
• 19:44
  Speaker 3: As a former English professional footballer, I have somehow managed to transition from sport into banking strategy, innovation and now life coach, career practitioner and founder of the Second Wind Academy.
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: So I want to help those around me find their career.
• 20:01
  Speaker 3: Second wind.
• 20:02
  Speaker 3: Find me on Insta or through my new Facebook group, Second Wind Academy, where I'd love to know your thoughts and suggestions.
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: Yeah, that's wonderful, it really is.
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: I like that story and you know it's important.
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: I like the way that transition out of sport, out of college sport gives you that link back into the family in a similar way that doing real estate is similar to how your father's business or where he's working in real estate as well, and it gives you that link.
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: Now I suppose I'm interested in a sense on some of the hows, so that influence of your father on your real estate decision.
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: How important was that?
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: Did that give you the exposure needed, or was it something you went out by yourself to find August?
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: of 2017.
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: And around 2018 is when I started to, you know, get clients.
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: You know, try to.
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: You know, really work real estate more.
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: You know, still doing it in the theory, part-time, but you know, the thing my dad said and he said this recently was I, he wanted me to want to be in real estate and work with him.
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: You know, it wasn't something where, Rahim, you're going to come do this.
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: Um, you're going to work for me, you're going to listen to me.
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: You know, because when you like anything, you know you like your podcast, you're passionate about it because you want to do it.
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: Um, and he wanted me to be passionate about the people that I serve and you know the business that you know we run.
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, and that's great.
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: I like it.
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: I like that family link.
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: So what was it like for you to, I guess, start working with your father?
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: It was awful.
• 22:07
  Speaker 2: It was like, you know, like he said, he didn't want to work with anyone when he started working and, um, you know, through his years in real estate, he didn't really want to work with other people, you know.
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: So he was very much a one-man show and very busy, you know, on top of running a business, he had a kid in college, uh, a kid in high school, or my brother was in middle school, high school at the time, so different stage of life, and wasn't always available for the coaching that I wanted and I was seeking.
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: So everything was very much, you know, trial by fire.
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: As long as you don't screw up, you'll be fine.
• 22:51
  Speaker 2: And if you think you're about to screw up, give me a call and I'll try to help you.
• 22:57
  Speaker 2: But at the same time, you know, he learned everything that he knows on his own, so there's no reason that I can't.
• 23:07
  Speaker 2: So it was very frustrating, um, I I mean not majorly, you know, not majorly, I would say, but I mean everything takes time to learn, um, but you know it could have been quicker, but it wouldn't have felt as good and and the success, you know, wouldn't be my, truthfully, all my own.
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: So when you think now about how you learned sales, and if you think about you know someone else coming on board working for you, how do you approach that?
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: Are you still the similar sink or swim, or have you altered the way that you would, you know, bring someone on board?
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: I would.
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: I would say I've altered.
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: You know, I think you, everybody's times are changing.
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: Um, people learn differently and you know I I'm not gonna knock my dad, but um, you know, definitely, if I were to bring someone in, it would try to be a little bit more hands-on with them.
• 24:10
  Speaker 2: But I think there is a component of can you do it on your own?
• 24:15
  Speaker 2: Because if you can't, then I'll always have to hold your hand.
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: I don't think that it's not going to breed a successful business if that's the case, if the top person has to be overseeing every single thing that everyone does and being by their side every minute of every day.
• 24:32
  Speaker 2: You know that's it's going to spread yourself thin and, you know, going to burn you out yeah, um, you know it's.
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: It just makes me think of that difference in approach through through your generations in your family.
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: But you, becoming a coach, training as a coach and getting to coach your brother one of the bits you mentioned was you, he, he had talent, he was demonstrating his talent.
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: Um, without you, anyway, what you were able to do as a coach is to help guide him, guide the team, him as part of that team along the right path.
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: And so, listening to you now it sounds like it's a similar type of ethos when it comes to that.
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: Sales management or business management is with that talent, but your role is to guide them along, not sink or swim, and just do it, do it as you please yeah, yeah, I would say so.
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: Um, yeah, you're right, I I have, I I coached.
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: I had mentioned to low, I have a coach.
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: You know he was one of my first clients in real estate.
• 25:32
  Speaker 2: I also trained his kids in the fitness world and you know a lot of the work that we've done has come to the realizations and the things that I'm, you know, talking about today.
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: Um, on top of you know my upbringing- and so I mean just just to really go in there through through having your coach.
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: I mean, what?
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: What would?
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: How would you describe your coach?
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: what have they done to to help you, the biggest thing is accountability and you know we have we set goals, um, you know, when we have a call come in, I as he's uh, I have to.
• 26:04
  Speaker 2: You know when we have a call coming, I as he's uh, I have to.
• 26:08
  Speaker 2: You know, either, met some goals, but also the accountability to know the actions to reach those goals are being done.
• 26:15
  Speaker 2: Uh, he was my first client and you know he mentioned wanting to do something real estate and you know he didn't come to me.
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: I had to ask him for his business and when I did, he said I was waiting for you to ask.
• 26:29
  Speaker 2: So there's that, that confidence booster.
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: You know that I was lacking, uh, throughout my college years and you know gaining that as a young adult.
• 26:39
  Speaker 2: And you know understanding how the business world works, um, and you know gaining the confidence to to be successful in business.
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: You know that, that that is amazing and it in business.
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: You know that is amazing and it comes back to that importance of your coach when you think about yourself and athletically right, not just in the business sense, did you have coaches who had a similar type of impact in your game as well?
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I have a few.
• 27:13
  Speaker 2: I have the first coach from growing up in Pop Warner football.
• 27:19
  Speaker 2: I have a few of my high school coaches.
• 27:23
  Speaker 2: It's funny because those same high school coaches I then coach with them.
• 27:29
  Speaker 2: You know, coming out of college, you know I golf with them.
• 27:32
  Speaker 2: Now I talked to them.
• 27:34
  Speaker 2: One of them, I sold them his house, you know.
• 27:36
  Speaker 2: So it's a full circle of events.
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: My position coach in college, you know I still talk to him to this day.
• 27:42
  Speaker 2: You know.
• 27:43
  Speaker 2: So it's, a coach is a very impactful person and to be called a coach is supposed to be an honor, and to be a coach, you know, you have to hold, continue to hold up that standard and, you know, provide values for the people that you, you coach and mentor yeah, that's.
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: That's wonderful because you know, as you've gone through your, through your life and I mean your athletic career transition and your, I guess, personal, you know lifestyle transition, it sounds like you have you found people of influence, you found positive people who can help guide you in the right way, and and you've kept them, you've kept them in your life, um, you know, to this day to, to continue to support um and probably to beat you at golf.
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: This is quite good.
• 28:33
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean sometimes, but yeah, I think it's important, because the one thing I do appreciate about my coach, my life coach, is, you know, his opinion is unbiased and I want to hear it.
• 28:48
  Speaker 2: You know, whereas you know, sometimes your parents, despite it being unbiased, and I want to hear it.
• 28:50
  Speaker 2: You know, uh, whereas you know, sometimes your parents, despite it being unbiased, despite it being true, you might not want to hear it from them.
• 28:56
  Speaker 2: Um, there's like this old saying you know, the preacher isn't welcomed in his own home, and you know, when my parents would tell me things I wouldn't always listen.
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: You know, as a young adult, you don't listen, um, um, and then you learn, you experience it, and then you're like, ah, they were right, or the lesson comes up again.
• 29:14
  Speaker 2: And you know, now, you know, I seek those conversations, I seek those lessons with my parents, um, but it's, you know, different, different time frame yes, yeah, very true, I'm, I'm interested a bit in you know you.
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: You mentioned, and we were talking before around you being the first and you, to an extent, forging a way forward, and now you see where your brothers are developing athletically and academically.
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: When you think about the influence, in what ways do you think it has supported your brothers in their decision making for college and and, indeed, their aspirations?
• 29:56
  Speaker 2: um, well, for my one brother, he's in, he's finishing up college, he's in grad school.
• 30:01
  Speaker 2: Um, he'll be done, I think, at the end of this year.
• 30:04
  Speaker 2: And you know I, I got out of school, you know I was I'm football heavy, I think, think football is a great sport for athletes to play and you know my parents wanted him to play basketball and you know I would see him play basketball, I would see him play football, and I just knew in the back of my mind that he should be playing football.
• 30:27
  Speaker 2: And you know, up until the last hour of decision time, you know he was unsure of what he wanted to do.
• 30:36
  Speaker 2: And you know, ultimately, he's playing football in college.
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: But, as far as you know, I don't think I was a major factor, I think it was.
• 30:45
  Speaker 2: There was a standard and you know, all right, this is what Raheem did.
• 30:48
  Speaker 2: All right, I got to do this, whether it's spoken or unspoken, you know, and like you said, they've definitely advanced themselves, both academically and athletically, the two of them, which is amazing, and all I could do is support them.
• 31:05
  Speaker 2: And now, as my youngest brother is going through finishing up and trying to make a decision on what he does next, you know I try to have a more intentional conversation with them because I know more now.
• 31:16
  Speaker 2: But on top of everything, I tell them you know, whatever you want to do, you know we're going to support you, we're going to love you.
• 31:23
  Speaker 2: But you know you have these opportunities here and you know you got to take advantage of them because I told them I shared.
• 31:31
  Speaker 2: You know some of the regrets that I have and you know you have to own what you have and own who you are and you know then you will excel.
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: Yeah that's good.
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: That's good, and you know, I think more generally when you think of those individuals at that point of thinking going into college or coming out of college, when you look at your experience, what guidance or what would you share for taking from your regrets and from your happiest moments?
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: What would you, what would you counsel them on?
• 32:03
  Speaker 2: I would say, you know, once you're there, be there.
• 32:06
  Speaker 2: You know, be in that moment, um, because you know college is four or five years and then you have the rest of your life and I think it's oh, and I also think it's okay to not be sure, you know, if you want to make a decision, that's the the.
• 32:24
  Speaker 2: The best thing about my parents, you know, is they always, always have us.
• 32:30
  Speaker 2: They've always wanted us to make mistakes, believe it or not, because that's how you learn and you know, letting us know that we will be there when you make those mistakes.
• 32:41
  Speaker 2: So I think that's something that you know, I, I share with my brothers and I I continue to let them know, especially my youngest brother now.
• 32:49
  Speaker 2: But my middle brother, you know, middle brother, he's in the finance world, similar to my dad, coming out of college.
• 32:54
  Speaker 2: He's done his internships, he really likes stock stuff.
• 33:00
  Speaker 2: So I don't think there's much advice in that regard I can give him.
• 33:03
  Speaker 2: But as far as some other things, it's just, like I said, just you know being intentional where you are right now, because you know that's where you're supposed to be and you know you'll figure out the rest.
• 33:16
  Speaker 1: What does that look like?
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: When you say be intentional?
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: You know you, as you went into college from a football American football perspective, you said you wouldn't necessarily have trained with intent, as you came out of college thinking about what you wanted to do next.
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: So when you talk about being intentional, what do you think, what does that look like for you being the best that you can be, um, you know.
• 33:40
  Speaker 2: So, coming to those workouts with intent, um, you know, not just doing it to do it, but doing it to excel.
• 33:47
  Speaker 2: You know he was my brother's a captain, his last year in college, you know.
• 33:52
  Speaker 2: So he was intentional.
• 33:54
  Speaker 2: You know he earned everything he's gotten and that's definitely something I respect from him.
• 34:00
  Speaker 2: And so that's what I mean, you know, being intentional, excelling, be the best, be an example, be a role model.
• 34:08
  Speaker 2: And another part of that, what I used to tell the kids when I was coaching them is hey, you're at football practice, your math homework doesn't matter.
• 34:17
  Speaker 2: What your parents told you doesn't matter.
• 34:19
  Speaker 2: What your significant other is doing or talking and texting, you doesn't matter.
• 34:23
  Speaker 2: You're at football practice, nothing else matters, and you can't do nothing about anything else.
• 34:28
  Speaker 2: You can't do anything about anything else.
• 34:29
  Speaker 2: You can't do anything about anything else right now.
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: Yeah, that's good.
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: That's good.
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: I like that.
• 34:34
  Speaker 1: I'm going to use that next time.
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: I'm coaching as well.
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: I think that you know coaching the boys out on the field.
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: That's definitely important.
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, when you look at where you are now, right and you know, in real estate and moving things forward, what does?
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: What's that intention for you now?
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: How are you taking those the lessons that you've had through life through sport, and where you are today, and how's that shaping where's next for you?
• 35:00
  Speaker 2: the best way I could say.
• 35:01
  Speaker 2: That is just my family.
• 35:03
  Speaker 2: You know my wife, my, my daughter and my, my brothers, and you know my extended family is being a person that someone can rely on.
• 35:12
  Speaker 2: You know whether it's right now, whether it's in the future and continuing to build.
• 35:17
  Speaker 2: You know my network, but continuing to build.
• 35:20
  Speaker 2: You know what my father has started and has grown these last 25 years.
• 35:26
  Speaker 2: So it's just, you know, being a good husband, being a good father so it's just, you know, being a good husband, being a good father.
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: I love that.
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: I think that's great.
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: Look, rahim.
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: Um, there's going to be people listening to this who are going to want to get in touch or follow your story.
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: What's the best way to do that, you know?
• 35:42
  Speaker 2: when I do post, it's, uh, it's on instagram, I won't deny, my wife usually does it, but uh, you can find me on there at RahimShillingford18.
• 35:52
  Speaker 2: And you can also find me on LinkedIn, rahim Shillingford, and Facebook, rahim Shillingford.
• 35:59
  Speaker 2: And you know, I have a business page for Vision Alliance Realty Inc.
• 36:04
  Speaker 2: On Facebook as well.
• 36:06
  Speaker 1: Awesome Rahim.
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: I want to say thanks for joining me today and sharing your story Absolutely brilliant, Thank you.
• 36:13
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I appreciate it.
• 36:14
  Speaker 2: Thank you for having me, Ryan.
• 36:17
  Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to the Second Wind podcast.
• 36:19
  Speaker 1: We hope you enjoyed hearing insights from today's athlete on transitioning out of competitive careers.
• 36:25
  Speaker 1: If you're looking for career clarity for your next step, make sure you check out secondwindio for more information or to book a consultation with me.
• 36:33
  Speaker 1: I'd like to thank Claire from Betty Brook Design, Nancy from Savvy Podcast Solutions and Cerise from Copying Content by Lola for their help in putting this podcast together.
• 36:43
  Speaker 1: That's all from me.
• 36:44
  Speaker 1: Take it easy Until next time.