Share The Struggle
Share The Struggle
Would You Start If You Knew Where You'd End Up?
Ever find yourself questioning whether the entrepreneurial journey is worth it? That moment when you look at the calendar, realize half the year has passed, and your goals seem further away than ever? You're not alone.
After a transformative weekend of back-to-back events kicking off our busy "selly season" (that perfect blend of selling and silly that defines entrepreneurial life), I'm sharing the raw truth about what keeps me going after nearly five years in business. This Memorial Weekend marked not just the start of our busy season, but a profound realization - we're approaching five years of Share the Struggle Podcast without missing a single episode, alongside five years of building Loud Proud American from the ground up.
The weekend reconnected me with fellow entrepreneurs, loyal customers, and my own purpose. Through conversations with like-minded business owners facing similar challenges, I rediscovered something powerful: the community that forms when we're transparent about our struggles creates strength we can't find in isolation. One conversation particularly struck home - "I give you credit for not giving up, for continuing to fight... and I know if you keep going, it's going to happen."
Drawing from research and personal experience, I'm sharing five actionable strategies that will help you push forward when giving up seems like the only option. From expecting challenges to reconnecting with your why, these aren't just business tips - they're life practices applicable to any dream worth fighting for. The most surprising insight? If I could have seen where I'd be after five years of hard work, I probably wouldn't have started this journey. But the relationships built, personal growth experienced, and impact made can't be measured in simple metrics.
Ready to transform your perspective on business challenges? Looking for that boost to keep pushing forward? This episode is your reminder that small victories matter, perseverance pays off, and the journey itself holds value beyond the destination. Plus, I'm thrilled to announce our acceptance to the Syracuse Nationals event - a testament that persistence eventually opens doors you've been knocking on.
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This week on Share the Struggle Podcast. It is a double feature recap. Back-to-back events kick off the busy season. Lots of positive conversation reconnect us with our reason. So get ready to hit the highs and lows and remind ourselves of what keeps us on the go. Let me tell you something Everybody struggles. The difference is some people choose to go through it and some choose to grow through it. The choice is completely yours. Which one you choose will have a very profound effect on the way you live your life. If you find strength in the struggle, then this podcast is for you.
Speaker 1:Do you have a relationship that is comfortable with uncomfortable conversations? Uncomfortable conversations challenge you, humble you and they build you. When you sprinkle a little time and distance on it, it all makes sense. Most disagreements, they stem from our own insecurities. You are right where you need to be the whole day gone from behind. Way too fast, way too fast. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. What it do, what it haaaat, do-do-do-do. Good Lord, almighty, you know your boy is excited to be back with you. Oh, it's true, it is damn true. You know your boy is excited to be back with you. Oh, it's true, it is damn true. Man, welcome back y'all as we prepare for a memorial weekend. Can you believe that? Man, may, may.
Speaker 1:And if it's Memorial Weekend, then a couple things come true. Number one that means that the floodgates have opened in our state and we are about to get down to business. Which man am I ready to be down with business, because we need it. We need it. Dark and desperate times, my friend, that's what comes with the winter season when you are a New Englander At least if you're a New Englander. That depends on traffic, that depends on population, that depends on face-to-face retail sales, because we don't have much going on through the winter time. That is going to bring the crowds that we depend on. Hence the reason why we attempted heading south, and we might do that again in the future. But it's nice to be able to get business in our own state and in our surrounding states. So that's what this weekend signifies and that's also really what last weekend was the beginning to. So I'm excited to outline all that with you.
Speaker 1:But another thing that comes with Memorial Weekend is that we are almost halfway through the year. Can you guys believe that? It always seems strange to me because our season doesn't really start as far as like our busy time of year doesn't really start till May. So we get May, june, july, august, september, october. That's really like the meat and barreras of what we do.
Speaker 1:So it's scary in my mind to look at a calendar and realize half the year is over and really, boy, your year ain't gotten started. So you start to feel a little bit behind the eight ball because, based off the calendar, you should be halfway to your goal. You know what I'm saying? And we set some lofty goals and we ain't halfway to them goals. So it'll rattle your cage a little bit. It'll leave you questioning and second guessing, because you're looking at it and saying, boy, is this going to be another year of me believing in just not achieving. What are you going to do? What are you going to do with yourself? Dust yourself off, figure out your life. You're not doing so hot Bucky. And then you realize, oh, you kind of have a really strange business that doesn't tend to make money for several months out of the year, which we've done better at this year with our custom orders and stuff.
Speaker 1:But I don't want to get off on a tangent. I just want to remind everybody we're nearly halfway, end of the year 2025. That just seems strange to me. I almost have a one-year-old daughter. This is wild, wild times, y'all. It's got me a little scared, okay, I don't know. Yeah, I shouldn't think, live on the air like I just did, but I didn't come on here prepared to talk about how much of the season's already gone by, how much of the 2025's gone by, so it just gets me a little emotional. So I mean, oh God, talk amongst yourselves. He's doing it again. He's doing it again.
Speaker 1:Episode 254. That's another thing that'll make you realize something. I was talking to the wife the other day and we were talking about 254 episodes and that the season was just getting started, which means the year is kind of halfway over. And then I realized, hot diggity, damn, when we get to July, that is going to signify five years of Share the Struggle podcast. Are there day ones out there listening? I know there's day ones. Get your ones up. I recognize you. I acknowledge you. I thank you for being you and for being a loyal one for listening since day one.
Speaker 1:We've been doing this week to week to week for nearly five freaking years. I don't know what we're going to do to celebrate y'all. We should do something, but five years is fastly approaching. It doesn't feel like five years. It's kind of strange to me to think that every single week we have gathered here 254 weeks and just put out episodes. Man, it's crazy. We've been consistent. We have not missed one episode in nearly five years.
Speaker 1:If you're a day one, I appreciate you. If this is your day one, then I welcome you and I encourage you to go back and listen, to take things in, to ride along this spiritual journey to unity that we've been brewing over here. You can find all things podcast related over to sharethestrugglepodcastcom. Don't forget to hit subscribe to grow the tribe, to share the show with someone you know. That's important to each and every one of us to know that this show is reaching more ears and developing more listeners and spreading that positive vibe that concludes with a positive tribe. So I appreciate you. I thank you. That's not what you're here to listen to today. What you're here for today is a recap today.
Speaker 1:How did the weekend go? Last week we talked about this is the start to the selly season. Did I say selly season? That's like probably a good term. Actually, we just made up selly season, which is a combination of selling and silly, and that really is what's about to begin, the selly season S selling. And silly because this shit is so silly it makes my head spin every damn year, but I sign up for it every damn year and it's also the selling season, so it's the selly season. Well, here we are, folks. It has happened. We hit the road for the first back-to-back double feature weekend of the season. You know there's going to be more of these. We started things off on Saturday with the fam over at Allegway Farm, which is always a great time.
Speaker 1:It does not matter how high or low your sales are. The important thing is that you're there and you're supporting the family and their small business as you're there, surrounded by other small businesses and you're pulling for each other, you're encouraging each other and you're helping to foster growth for other small businesses. And that conversation, that environment, has really inspired our conversations today Because, as I just mentioned, in Maine, in New England, if you're dependent on face-to-face retail sales and getting out there and traveling, then you really haven't seen that part of your season. And another side of the coin to that is, when you're out there doing those things, you are surrounded by other businesses that are doing and depending on the same things as you. So if your season isn't open, if you're not out there doing those things, then you might not be out there seeing those other fellow businesses that are doing those things. And there's a lot of growth in sharing our struggle. When you have the courage and the ability and the transparency to share the shit that you are going through, that you are growing through, then you can drag people along, you can encourage others and you can provide strength to others.
Speaker 1:So over the weekend, starting on Saturday at Ledgeway, meeting and reconnecting with a lot of those business owners and sharing those conversations there is fruitful conversations that provoke positive thought. It's nice to get back amongst your people that are fighting the good fight, that are embracing the struggle, that are dedicated to their journey, to their craft, to their business. That in itself can be inspiring to set you into your Sally season. You understand what I'm saying. So it was nice to get out there and start having some of those conversations, having conversations with like-minded business owners, reconnecting and having conversations with dedicated, loyal customers. And then seeing friends and family and having conversations with them, and those conversations really, surprisingly, left me feeling rather encouraged. It left me feeling rejuvenated and excited and ready for my Sally season, you understand. So it's crazy.
Speaker 1:I was having a conversation with somebody that I consider, you know, a family to me, my brother, steve Violette. Steve actually lives a couple of miles down the road from the farm and he'd never actually been to the farm or realized that it was there. But I reached out to him, asked him to come over and he came over and we just started reconnecting and checking in and seeing each other and Steve is the fella that came to my rescue on very short notice. Steve really saved the day because when we were at the Windsor Fair and a little paisley rain was about to arrive, steve ran from his house, came to our side and then ran the Loud Pod American business tent at the fair for two days, saving us, allowing us to make the money that we needed to fulfill the commitment to the fair and allowing me to be present for the birth of my baby girl. So I'm going to be forever grateful to Steve and I'll always always owe him and I'll always appreciate him and we've had a great relationship ever since we met.
Speaker 1:So it was nice to see him and reconnect and have some conversations and I just started sharing some of the struggles and we were recapping the Florida trip and some of the risks that I keep taking and the investments I keep making and the challenges that we're creating, the obstacles we're overcoming, the plans that we're striving for, the things that we're shooting for. And he just said man, I seriously give you credit for not giving up, I give you credit for continuing to fight. Now, if I stop right here on this conversation, I've heard this from other people that I've confided in and told what I'm up against and they've stopped at this point and they've taken a different road and said man, I don't know how you keep doing it and how long are you going to keep doing this, man? How long before you think you got to try something else? That's one fork in the road. That's not the road that Steve took. Steve said to me that's not the road that Steve took. Steve said to me man, I can't believe that you're still going, that you haven't given up, but I'm proud of you and I know if you keep on going, it's going to happen. It's going to happen. There's a whole different mindset, there's a whole different energy when you're hearing somebody on the other side that knows your story, that knows your truth.
Speaker 1:No-transcript. I see it for you and this is what it takes for businesses that make it. This is what you hear. These are the growths, the struggles, and we outlined some things and we brainstormed different things and we had an amazing conversation, which is what we always do, but I didn't realize the lasting effects that it would have, and I think there's grand intervention in the Lord's timing when you have these things right, because you have the conversation from him and I won't share all the details.
Speaker 1:But then you have conversations with other business owners that are facing similar struggles and they're continuing to fight, and then you're making money. Your business is open. You're seeing people come to you that you haven't seen in a long time and you're making money. Your business is open. You're seeing people come to you that you haven't seen in a long time and they're buying stuff. You see people walking around wearing your stuff and it's that just shot of encouragement, it's that dose of dopamine, it's the instant rush of positivity and at the end of the day you say to yourself hey, I made a few bucks. And you spend some time unwinding and just letting loose and enjoying friends and family that you haven't seen in a while and you connect with and you smile with, and it was the first event that we brought Paisley to where she's really interacting with people, waving to people, playing with people, just kind of being a part of it, having all these folks that you have good relationships with that are welcoming her and they're being happy to see her. Like your business is growing and your family is growing and you're in the circle that supports both of those, and that's an amazing feeling.
Speaker 1:That's something new to us and it was something that we just really just couldn't get enough of, so much so that you know, we were supposed to leave there and go set up at another event before we left and we didn't get home until after 9 pm. I decided that I wouldn't go set up at the next event until morning. So I got up Sunday around 5 am and headed out and headed to the next event. Now we can't have all ups, we've got to have some downs. We rolled into Ledgeway Farm and our buddy Jim said hey, man, you're leaking something everywhere.
Speaker 1:Rolled into Ledgeway Farm and our buddy Jim said hey, man, you're leaking something everywhere. And I looked and we picked up massive coolant leak, which I'm just going to be thankful and grateful that didn't happen when we were coming back from Florida. It happened when we were here in Maine and she's leaking pretty good, but we've got kind of a busy schedule here, so we're just pumping the water through her and letting her eat. You know, I mean letting that old girl drink so large. Marge has been staying hydrated and releasing some fluids. But uh, we've, we'll get it to the, we'll get her to the shed, we'll get her to the old gearage here soon. You know what I mean. But uh, we didn't have time for that this weekend so we just top her off and head on to the next journey.
Speaker 1:So sunday 5 am we head on over to, uh, bonnie eagle 45 years 45 years, bonnie Eagle car show Pretty impressive. So we roll in there in the morning, get our spot, get set up and, um, it's a fun time because we know a bunch of people that are going to come through. But we're also going to meet some new people. And right next to us is our friends over to flip and customize Scott. He sets up there and, um, it's just great because again we have another business, somebody that's invested in himself, betting on himself. His business keeps growing. He's got a massive YouTube channel as well, and somebody that you can view as an inspiration, someone that you can draw strength from, confidence from. So it's nice to be around somebody else and and and even though, like all these business owners, we're all doing something different but we're all believing in our product and our mission. So it's so nice to be around people with that mindset. So it was nice to be around Scott and to bounce some ideas and um and hopefully both make money and, uh, it was a great event for us y'all. It was a great event.
Speaker 1:I was so encouraged by a few things. Number one, we're starting to really iron out a system with the bus. We and I say we as me and my mom we set up our entire display in about an hour, which is tremendous for us, and we tore down in a half an hour. So when we're doing these shows where you don't have to be there, you know, for super long periods of time, you don't have to go through a lot of the stuff that we go through, like locking in walls, secure under the ground, doing all these different things. And if you're going with a lighter display, as far as inventory wise, you can be a lot more nimble to get in and out of things. So the bus was a major benefit to us to speed up that whole process for us. So super excited about that and we had a tremendous day. Man, we crushed our numbers from last year. If I take the entire weekend and put it all together, it really is a little bit better than we did last year, so that's encouraging. So, number one we beat numbers from the previous year. Number two we were encouraged to be out because you're realizing that this is the start of what's going to happen.
Speaker 1:And it's really easy to be home beating yourself up, feeling defeated, feeling depleted, because you're not making the money you should be making and that you think that you need to be making or you know you need to be making because you don't have those opportunities. And it's really easy to be down in the dumps and running everything into the red and running ragged and feeling woe. Is me like this, is it for us? Is it for us? So when you get that big shot in the arm of excitement, that boost in cash, the business, the transfer of enthusiasm, all those good things start happening, you realize shit, we can do this, we're about to do this, let's get to it. So you start feeling encouraged. You look at your schedule and you say, hey, I got more stuff coming, I'm going to be back on the road this week and you realize this can happen and you just start feeling just an overwhelming amount of positivity and optimism. And then, when you started sprinkling in those conversations and you start to realize, hey, man, this could happen. So I ride this tremendous way from the weekend and then that brings me to Monday, of picking up the pieces, trying to make our next move, reload what we can afford to get ready for the next show.
Speaker 1:And all along I'm thinking about the conversations that I've had and all along I'm asking myself where did this big shot of energy come from? Where did this positive outlook come from? And, as I mentioned already here today, you start going back to those conversations. But it's a melting pot. It's everything right, it's absolutely everything. But I started thinking about some of the conversations that me and Steve had, and it was about being proud that we continue to keep going. But why is it and how is it that we can continue to fight?
Speaker 1:And I started doing a little bit of research because I wanted to take this positive experience from the weekend and I wanted to implement some actionable items. I wanted to outline some things that we can share, that maybe all of us can go to right. I know there's a lot of other entrepreneurs out there, small business owners out there that are going through some of these struggles. Let's share some of these things and if you don't own a business, then this trickulates into all other avenues of life. If it's a relationship that you're trying to work on, that you're trying to make the best of, if it's your current work situation, if it's something that you set your sights on, if there's this major goal or dream in your life that you really want to achieve in your life, then we can use these things, we can go back to these things.
Speaker 1:So this whole mission and model that we're about to attack is how to continue to fight. What are those things that you need to go to when you're feeling down and depleted, when you're feeling like giving up? Whatever that dream is for you, never give up. I'm going to outline some actionable items to implement when you feel like giving up. Whatever it is you see for you, whatever it is you believe for you, whatever it is you dream for you, never give up. You cannot give up. We are going to outline actionable items, tips, tricks, techniques to keep you from giving up, because we know what happens when we give up. We can never give up and as I outline some of these things that we're going to get into here, you're going to be able to connect to draw some parallels from my weekend and understand why I'm feeling a little bit rejuvenated, which should, in turn, show you, prove to you, that this shit works.
Speaker 1:So I did a little research. I got a few articles here. One of them is from a paramount business coach. There was a blog on five things to do when you feel like giving up in your business. Like I said, I think these business practices work for all avenues of life, whether it's a relationship, whether it's a promotion or it's a dream that you just want to achieve. So I got a few different things here. I'm going to bounce back and forth from a couple of different articles here, but they all really correlate. So this is going to be good stuff. So let's get into the five tips that will help you get up when you feel like giving up. Implement these tips and help to get your A game on. Number one from this article is expect to struggle with challenges. Kind of fitting for a podcast called Share the Struggle Expect to struggle.
Speaker 1:Challenges are a part of life and it's also a part of growing your business. A wise person taught me a long time ago a person's reaction is based on their expectation. I love the living hell out of this line right here. Folks, a person's reaction is based on their expectation. I absolutely love that. That trickles into blends, into molds, into so many avenues of my life. We've had multiple conversations and episodes about this without ever really saying this right. A person's reaction is based on their expectation. How many times have we built up this grand illusion in our mind about how an event was going to be, how an achievement was going to feel, how a tangible object was going to give us satisfaction, and then it doesn't right. Our reaction is well, this wasn't all that great. It's because of our expectations. But getting back to business here, challenges are all part of life and it's also part of growing your business. A person's reaction is based on their expectation. If you set the right expectation, I think you can prevent the overreaction when it comes to business. So I love that line.
Speaker 1:Number two connect with like-minded entrepreneurs. It's pretty hard to encourage yourself when you're in the midst of a massive anxiety and frustration. First, you've got to make a decision to get out of solitary confinement and not operate your business like an island. Don't try to climb out of your discouragement alone. That, right there, without knowing it, outlines what's been going on for me over the past couple of months, because I went from Florida to isolation. I went to being on the road trying to make money with my friends and my family and meeting new people and not paying out the way we wanted to, getting home and then putting myself in isolation. My state shut down. It's hard to figure things out. I'm going in different avenues for the business to try to make it work, but you're also building massive layers of anxiety and frustration. And I got to get out of solitary confinement. I just got to do it Right. And it's weird to me to read this and express this, because not too long ago I said to the wife hey, maybe I should change my direction and just work from home and just do custom orders and not be on the road anymore, because it would make my schedule so much easier. And, um, I don't know how much I like being out and around people anymore and the wife had said to me like I could never do that, I need to be around people. But reading this makes me realize I was trying to isolate myself. Right, I didn't want to get out and face those things. So number one getting out there doing those things, getting out of solitary confinement and connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs and people, which is really what we just did over the weekend. So it really kind of shows that there is a massive benefit in that I'm talking about. Those conversations have really changed the direction and mold of this episode.
Speaker 1:If I bounce articles, they have another one here saying connect with others, don't isolate yourself. Network with other business owners, join mastermind groups or find an accountability partner to build support and encouragement. I love that tip Finding groups, networking, any ways to build layers of accountability. I think that's tremendous because if you're a small business owner and you make your own decisions and you decide your own day and do all those things, if you don't have anybody to answer to, it can be too easy for you to give in or to isolate yourself. So I think having some of those groups is tremendous.
Speaker 1:Number three on this article is reconnect to your why. I find that people think most about quitting and giving up when their business is not making enough money. Amen, sister, can I read that again? Folks, I find that people think most about quitting and giving up when their business is not making enough money. A business won't survive long if you're just in it for the money. Yes, it must make money in order to thrive as a business, but there has to be a much greater meaning that drives you in business. Reconnect with your purpose and focus on the impact you want to make through your business.
Speaker 1:I think for me, I'm extremely fortunate because right now there's a turning of the tides in this country. There's a recommitment and focus on American manufacturing, thanks to our president, there's a mission to give back to American made and it falls in line with my business and I have not been taking enough of advantage over that. I've got some things that we're about to do, to push that, to preserve that, to embrace that, to do to push that, to preserve that, to embrace that, and I think that that really the direction of this country, thanks to our president, and the direction of our business and the mission and the reason for our business really line up quite well right now. So reconnect with your why. The other article was reconnect with your purpose. Reflect on your initial why for starting your business. This can reignite your passion and motivation when things get tough. Amen. I have really been focusing on leaning into why we started this business, the mission for American manufacturing having an American-owned company. And my why has also molded into another layer of why, and that is that I want to keep this business going. I want to keep this business running because I want to create experiences and opportunities for my daughter. I want to build lasting opportunities and memories for my daughter. I want her to travel the country with her parents, seeing everything, experiencing things that so many kids don't get to experience and then hand to her a legacy and a business so she can continue to own, operate and run if she decides to do so. So our why just keeps gaining layers.
Speaker 1:Number four find an experienced guide. Discouragement can feel as insurmountable as climbing Mount Everest when you're not supported by an experienced guide. I think that's tremendous If you don't have anybody to go to, to talk to, to listen to, then find them on social media, find them in motivational books or speeches or whatever it is. See if you can find somebody that you can get some guidance from. For me, this weekend being around other business owners was extremely helpful Seeking guidance. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Find an experienced mentor or a coach who can offer advice and support. I love all of those Number five on.
Speaker 1:This first article was evaluate your equipment. Evaluate your equipment. And this other article was evaluate resources. Assess your equipment, tools and resources. Identify areas where you can improve, optimize your operations.
Speaker 1:When you're down and business isn't really rolling the way that it should, it might not be the right time to invest in new equipment, but maybe how can you utilize the equipment that you have to open up different avenues than what you might expect? You know what I mean, like what else can I do with what I have? How can I better use my resources to make things happen? Understand why you're stuck. Identify the root causes of your challenges. Understand why you're stuck. Identify the root causes of your challenges, and this will help you develop targeted solutions. I sit down so many times and work backwards on what my problem is to figure out what the reasoning is. If I outline what's my biggest obstacle and then I start going backwards and understanding why I got there, then I can find the reason for why I have this problem and then attack it right. There might be layers that you can beat and defeat to unlock that achievement if you start working backwards on those things. So I love that part of it. There was a bonus tip from the Paramount Business Coach article that said the Paramount Business Coach article that said shift your focus from seeing problems to seeing opportunities, and I absolutely love that. We've been in business for five years.
Speaker 1:There were so many times where I didn't do something because I looked at it as a problem. Right, I didn't go to a certain event because I felt like, man, maybe I don't have enough inventory or I'm not quite ready to do this event. And then now I look at it and go can I just get there and create the opportunity to be better prepared for the next event, meaning previous years. I would say to myself I don't have enough stuff to sell this event correctly. Now I might say here's an opportunity to sell what I have so I can prepare myself to have more inventory for the next event. A lot of it's just a framing in your mind, a reframing as to how you look at things. But if you shift your focus from problems to seeing opportunities, then that's a massive difference, because when we're always looking for problems, it can prevent us from chasing things that are in front of us. It can prevent us from taking advantage of opportunities that are right there in front of us because we're looking at them as problems, not as opportunities. So that's a big one for me, man Prioritize and focus.
Speaker 1:Concentrate on your most important task and goals and make progress. If you prioritize what's important, what's going to have the greatest impact on your business, just concentrate on that and make progress. When you start feeling progress, positive momentum, positive movement, then it's going to totally change the outlook on your business. Make time for your business, schedule dedicated time for your business activities to avoid procrastination and maintain momentum when you're working from home, when you're balancing being a stay-at-home dad at the same time. This is one of my greatest challenges. I'm trying to get better at this. I'm recording this podcast. I started this podcast before 6am today. Right, I get up around 5, bring my mom to work, come home, do the barn chores, roll into my office, record my podcast first thing in the morning so now I can go take care of my little girl, have my wife head off to work and embrace and take on my day knowing I've accomplished this podcast. So that's one thing that I've changed. But I have to structure, prioritize and book time for my business. I'm trying to get better at that one. Keep moving forward. Don't let setbacks derail you. Continue to take action and make progress, even if it's in small steps.
Speaker 1:When I was talking with my friend, steve over the weekend, during the middle of all of our conversations he said small victories. A wise man once told me to take satisfaction in small victories, count small victories. A wise man once told me to take satisfaction in small victories, count small victories. And he threw it right back in my face. That's something that I've said for years, back when we worked together, and it always just warms my heart and makes me feel so proud that somebody that worked with me on my teams remembers some of the education that I put out there, my mantras, my missions, and to have that fed back to me on my teams. Remember some of the education that I put out there, my mantras, my missions, and to have that fed back to me. Number one was a proudful moment, but number two was an inspiring moment that says he's absolutely right, man, what you're doing right now, the fact you're still here, the fact we're talking about five years of business, the fact you've accomplished all these things those are positive steps, man. Those are small victories. Keep moving forward. Don't let setbacks derail you. Continue to take action and make progress, even if it's small steps. And perseverance pays off y'all. Success in business is rarely immediate. It often requires sustained effort over time. So don't be discouraged by setbacks.
Speaker 1:As I sit here and I think about the fact that Loud Proud American has been in business for five years, share, the Struggle podcast has been recording episodes week after week after week for nearly five years and neither one of these have achieved the heights that I believe they can achieve. The heights that I believe they can achieve, neither one of these are at a point where I expected to be at this time in our journey. Right, we're not as widely listened to as I thought we would be. We're not as widely known as I thought we should be. We're not a self-sustaining business paying for everything that it needs to be paying for. I can wholeheartedly take the Cabela's catalog, put my hand on that catalog, my beady little eyes of the sky, and confess the truth for this guy, when I sat down and said number one, would I even be doing a podcast five years from now? Well, yes, I thought I would be Number two. Where would this business be? What would it be providing? How would I be feeling five years in? Would we be known? All these goals I set for myself? I'm nowhere near them.
Speaker 1:If I, literally, five years ago, let's say if I could go back, let's say I could go back, let's say I could take today and I could write down here's where your podcast would be. Here's the people that would listen Like. Here's the number every week. This is what you're looking at. Write that down on a piece of paper, put it in an envelope, write down on the business. Here's your yearly sales, year to year. Here's your total five-year sales. Here's how much you would make. Here's how yearly sales, year to year. Here's your total five-year sales. Here's how much you would make. Here's how much money goes to your family. Here's where you'd be.
Speaker 1:If I wrote both of those things down, sealed them up, and I could travel back in time five years ago and give those to me and I would open those and see where I would be. I wouldn't have done it. I would have made the responsible decision to say listen, financially that's not what my family needs. And on the podcast side, maybe that's not enough of an impact for me to carve all this time away from my family. I would have walked away from both of them had I known where I would be in five years, I wouldn't have started either. If I didn't start either, did you know all I would have missed out on the experiences that I would have missed out on the relationships, the friendships, the family that I've been made? It's crazy to backtrack things, to work backwards, to peel the onion, to get to the core and to realize if you were looking at a financial number, a statistic, just a number, if you were making all your decisions in life based on numbers, you wouldn't live the life that you're living today. If I went back five years and knew where I would be five years later, I wouldn't have started. But I'm thankful, and I'm grateful that we did, because the experiences, the places I've been, the things that I've done, tremendous. Would I be a dad? I don't know. Would I have the same circle of dad? I don't know. Would I have the same circle of friends? I don't know. Probably not, because I met most of them on the road.
Speaker 1:A lot of you that are listening today, right, start thinking about these things the podcast, the impact that we've had, when I don't care about the final number but we drill down on the minutiae of the number and realize the impact we've had on people. Some of the messages, phone calls, meetings and greetings that we get from people that said you made a difference, that this episode right here made a difference. The relationships that we're making throughout the country with people we never would have actually met in person or encountered is tremendous. It's not always the end. All number it's how we get there, the experiences, the memories and the things we accomplish, the lessons, the connections, all those things. So now, knowing that five years ago, if I looked at the numbers, I wouldn't have made this journey, I need to worry less about the numbers that I'm expecting in five years. You understand, because I can't let those things change my direction. I can't let those things impact my decisions. I need to focus on small victories and the fact that we are making progress and things are happening and things are opening and hot diggity damn, we can do this.
Speaker 1:This outline these things that we've shared today. Clearly it has a focus on business, but this works in all avenues of life. Whatever that dream is for you, whatever it is that you hold on to, whatever that is that you want for you to never give up these resources, they work. For all of those things, think about it. Connect with like-minded people, reconnect with your why? Reconnect with your purpose, expect to struggle all of those things? They're business tips, but they're life tips y'all. Why are you doing this? What's the reason? Why do you want that goal so bad? Why do you hold that dream so tight inside? When you reconnect with those things, when you expect the challenges, it all makes sense, guys, it all makes sense, man. I'm telling you right now business practice, life practice, they all go together. The truth is, the underlying secret here is whatever you want in your life, never, ever give up. Chase it and embrace it and make it happen.
Speaker 1:With all that said, I want to say thank you to each and every one of you for embracing me and my journey. If you're here listening to the podcast, whether you've been listening for 254 weeks, hot damn. I owe you a hug If you were here for day one. I appreciate you and I hope that you heard something today that makes you want to come back tomorrow or, you know, next week, because I only do this once a week. But tomorrow there's 253 more episodes. You can go back and listen to man. It's great to go back and just pull random episodes with random subjects that you want to get into or maybe see some of the growth that we've had along the way. So I appreciate each and every one of you that have been supporting this journey.
Speaker 1:We're pushing five years for Strangler's Trucker Podcast. If there's something you want to hear or experience with five years coming up, please let us know. I'd appreciate that. Find all things podcast related at sharethestrugglepodcastcom. I'd appreciate you guys checking that out. Please share the show. We're on all major podcasting platforms. If you're listening on a certain platform like Spotify or something, make sure you check off. Follow. Those things all make a big difference for us, but I appreciate it and, more importantly, you absorbing the message is what's most important to me. So I thank you and I appreciate you For those of you that have been pulling along this journey, that have been helping us, encouraging us with Loud Proudoud American supporting us, whether you're buying merchandise.
Speaker 1:You're sharing our story. You're spreading our mission. I appreciate you. It's because of each and every one of you that we continue to be in business. Five years in business, we are making new obstacles for ourselves, we're making and creating new opportunities for ourselves and I'm excited and encouraged for all the things that are happening that we are attempting this year. I can proudly, happily, be excited and share with you today, because last week I was telling you guys there's some new events that I've been pushing for, that we've been trying to connect with, that haven't really been coming into fruition. People are not getting back to us. I can happily come to you today and announce one of those new events for us.
Speaker 1:We stayed resilient and we had a lot of people helping to try to get us in and I'm excited to say we have been accepted to the Syracuse Nationals. It is a massive car show in Syracuse, new York, at the New York State Fairgrounds, and I was looking at the numbers. It looks like nearly 90,000 people go to this car show in three days. We're coming off of a car show, so it just makes so much sense. I know there's like-minded individuals. It's our customer base. It's going to be fantastic and, most importantly to us as a family, it's going to connect us with our family. We're going to get out to Syracuse. Little baby Paisley is going to be able to spend some time with her godparents and the rest of our New York fam. So this is an absolute win, win, win. I'm so excited for this. So look forward to more information from us about more events that we're going to be going to, and we'll put out some more information about us being accepted to the Syracuse Nationals.
Speaker 1:With that said, y'all, I can't truly thank each and every one of you enough for all that you've done for us, all that you mean to us, and I hope today's message encouraged you to never give up. Whatever it is that you want for yourself, don't lose sight of it for yourself. Never, ever give up. Thank you for supporting my American dream. That's it and that's all. Biggie Smalls.
Speaker 1:If you're a loud, proud American and you find yourself just wanting more, find me on YouTube and Facebook at loud, proud American Put a face page, as my mama calls it. If you're a fan of the Graham Cracker, you want to find me on Instagram. Or all the kids by tickety-talking on the TikTok. You can find me on both of those at Loud underscore, proud, underscore, american, a big old. Thank you to the boys from the Gut Truckers for the background beats and the theme song for this year's podcast. If you are enjoying what you're hearing, you can track down the Gut Truckers on Facebook Just search Gut Truckers. Give them motherfuckers. A like too. I truly thank you for supporting my American dream. Now go wash your fucking hands, you filthy savage.