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Learnings and Missteps by Depth Builder
The Learnings and Missteps Podcast is about unconventional roads to success and the life lessons learned along the way.
You will find a library of interviews packed with actionable take aways that you can apply as you progress on your path to Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Be.
Through these interviews you will learn about the buttons you can push to be a better leader, carve your own path, and build your influence.
Find yourself in their stories and know that your path is still ahead of you.
Learnings and Missteps by Depth Builder
Gas on the Fire: Advocating for Respect and Connection in Construction with Mia McGlynn
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Jesse hosts the Learnings and Missteps podcast and introduces guest Mia McGlynn, a Pennsylvania-based construction influencer, writer, photographer, and fractional support partner who focuses on “the people behind the work.” Jesse gives an LnM Family shout-out to Bryce Ager for reviewing one of Jesse’s construction trainings, and notes his business offers training, coaching, and consulting. Maya explains her passion for blue-collar stories comes from building relationships and bridging gaps between management and shop/field workers, emphasizing retention and the need for leaders to “give a shit,” not just attract more people into the industry. They discuss treating people well as foundational to solving construction’s workforce challenges, rising interest in more human-centered workplaces, and how companies that only rely on pay raises and ignore relationships will be left behind. Jesse shares his view that people should leave poor leaders to find better environments and describes how supportive leadership
00:00 Attraction vs. Retention: If Leaders Treat People Like Crap, Nothing Changes
00:21 Meet Maya McGlynn: Showing Up for the People Behind the Work
02:08 LnM Family Shoutout + What Jesse Actually Does (Training/Coaching/Consulting)
04:45 What Fires Maya Up: The People, the Shop Floor, and Bridging the Office–Field Gap
07:32 “Put Some Gas on the Fire”: Caring, Connection, and Why Liaison Roles Matter
14:25 The Human-Centered Shift: Mental Health, Culture Change, and Companies That Will Be Left Behind
19:56 Quit for a Better Leader: Unlocking Talent by Changing Environments
22:47 Zumba to Construction: Maya’s Fitness Journey and Accidental Entrepreneurship
28:07 Entrepreneurship as Survival: Divorce, Single-Mom Resourcefulness, and Building Independence
33:26 Seeing the People Behind the Work: Validation, Imposter Syndrome, and the Power of Humility
37:58 Learning to Accept Compliments: “I Receive That” + Permission to Celebrate
40:21 From Admin to Marketing: Finding the Holes and Creating Value at Work
43:31 Photography to Published Author: Turning Jobsite Photos into a Children’s Book
46:47 Advice for the Windowless-Office Grind: Skill Up, Build Proof, Move On
48:46 Building Workforce Pipelines: Fixing Leadership Gaps & Creating an Internship Program
51:39 Crew Collaborative Explained: Mission, Ambassadors, and How to Get Involved
54:26 Why the Podcast Exists: COVID, Trades Advocacy, and Doing Something About It
58:17 Money vs Meaning: Choosing Purpose, Setting Boundaries, and Mission-Driven Work
01:08:35 The Closing Question: “What Is the Promise You’re Intended to Be?”
01:14:16 Final Takeaways + Free PDF Gift and Send-Off
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Meet Maya And The Human First Mission
SPEAKER_01I mean, from two perspectives, like, yes, we have an attraction problem in the industry, but I don't care about that. Because it doesn't matter how many people we bring into the industry, if the decision makers within the business treat people like crap, it don't freaking matter how many people we get here. What is going on, LM family? Back again. And this time, y'all already know I like taking advantage of the podcast to connect with super awesome people that I have no business even talking to. Except this one, we've been in several conversations on group calls and supporting each other on the LinkedIn. And she is an ultra-talented construction influencer. And when I say construction influencer, I'm not just talking about people that create content. I'm talking about somebody that is putting in some sweat and some damn effort to make this industry better. She is a writer, a photographer, a fractional support partner. And I also know that she has her hands into some major, we'll just say, efforts that are working to bring more people into the industry and highlight the industry. I got to like, you know, stalk her a little bit on LinkedIn and picked up on some pieces, which we're going to get into. But the one statement that I stole from her that I think just speaks directly to the type of person she is, she says she shows up for the people behind the work and she helps the world to see them too, which I think is magnificent. And yes, I can attest to that is exactly what she's doing. It is Miss Maya McGlynn, who, if you're not following her, you need to go follow her because she is ultra awesome. And if you can't tell, of course, I'm biased towards her because she is a supporter and advocate of the blue-collar construction organizations out there, which of course y'all already know, just because I'm beautiful doesn't mean that I didn't have my hands-on tools back in the day. And so we're gonna get to know Miss Maya, but first. If this is your first time here, this is the Learnins and Miss Steps podcast, where you get to hear directly from amazing human beings like you that are sharing their gifts and talents to leave this world better than they found it. My name is Jesse, your selfish servant, and we are about to get to know Miss Maya. Miss Maya, how are you today?
SPEAKER_04Hey, I'm doing well. How are you?
SPEAKER_01Oh, if you can't tell, I'm a little I'm a little jacked up, a little excited. I got my workout in, I got my coffee in, which is a deadly combination when it comes to energy. Oh, you got this too. Nice. So, what part of the country are you coming in from, Maya? Because I keep thinking California, but I don't know.
SPEAKER_04I am on the whole opposite coast, I am over in Pennsylvania.
SPEAKER_00Oh my god, how did I mess that up?
From Admin Desk To Shop Floor Liaison
SPEAKER_04Oh, I wish California probably has much better weather than I have currently. I probably would enjoy that a little more right now.
SPEAKER_01So coming in from the East Coast, I got a super simple question to get us started. You ready?
SPEAKER_03I'm ready. I think as ready as I can be.
SPEAKER_01Okay. What fires you up about blue-collar stories?
SPEAKER_04So that's pretty easy because it's the people. Yeah, it's it's literally that simple to me. I spent some time. I we we all get into the industry kind of in a way that is organic, right? It just it's not usually linear. You just kind of land there and you realize, oh, hey, wait, there's a place from here, and and this is actually something I enjoy. And for me, that that came about. I was in my early 30s. I mean, I obviously I had some interaction with construction prior to that, but in my early 30s, I was heading back into the workforce. Have a lot of administrative background, and I thought, okay, there's this ad in the paper, I'm gonna send my resume in. I had been working in fitness. Like I was completely not, and I applied for it anyway. And it was an office management position for a welder fabricator shop.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_04And so I went to that interview and thought it's a start. I'm gonna go full time. And when I was there, it was like you have your interviews in a boardroom. You know what I mean? It's just a couple of people who are more in the managerial position. They don't spend their time out in the shop. So me, I'm like, but what do you do here? I realize I'm coming to have an administrative position and I'll be in an office all day, but like I'm interviewing for a job. I want to know what I'm working for. What am I supporting? So I asked them to take me out for a tour through their shop so I could see the people who make it happen and what was going on. And I think it was literally from that point forward. I did get that job and I worked with that company for five years through a bunch of things, and I loved it. Like I adored being able to work with that crew. And I found I got so much experience in the being the liaison between where management sits and field worker sits, where shop worker sits. And so I took a lot of that in. So I think that's where it began for me. That's where that fire started to burn was forming those relationships, being able to kind of bridge the gap between corporate and shop. And from there, I just got so much respect for the people who are out there doing the job.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so that's beautiful. I'm gonna come back to the fitness Zumba thing, right? Because I think it was associated with Zumba, but not yet. You use the word liaison, yeah, which I think, I mean, in my observation, the time I've been in the industry, it's the people, it doesn't matter what department they're in, but the people that decide to be the translators or the connectors between the office and the field or different departments or whatever, those people are invaluable. And they're also a little twisted in the head, right? Because that's not the job. Because most people will just say, okay, what's my job description? What are my measurables? And just do that. You didn't. You said, I want to go see what you do, and then you took it upon yourself to be the translator connector between the shop and and the office. Why did you do that?
SPEAKER_04Ultimately, it's just about the relationships for me. Like I recognized that there were men and women who were working in the shop, putting in long hours doing jobs that are often hazardous, that require a certain skill level. There's just there's so much that goes into that. And I could see that. And I thought, if you were in an office or a cubicle all day and completely removed, because you're human resources, let's say, something like that. Especially human resources, actually. You think about it, human resources, your job is to like kind of liaise supposed to be you, you're supposed to know the managerial level and keep the company running correctly and buy the book. But for me, I think of that and I go, Well, you should know the people. Like you should know them, you should make them feel it's about retention at the end of the day, right? Like you spend all your time at a place. I mean, we spend more time with our workers and co-workers often than we do with our family.
SPEAKER_01Yes, ma'am.
SPEAKER_04So I saw that and I was like, I'm certainly not gonna keep myself at arm's length from these people just because they're out in the shop. I want them to feel seen and supported because at the end of the day, I want them to keep showing up.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So it's just it's just the way my brain works. It's something that I've said, and excuse me, because I'm gonna say can I say a curse word?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely.
SPEAKER_04Okay. So a while ago I was like brainstorming and I thought I get so frustrated because I'm like, the thing that happens is there's this level of care that kind of it misses the mark when you have company and workers. And frustrated me. And I was thinking and ideating around that, and I thought we just need to put some gas on the fire. Gas on the fire makes the fire grow. Gas, give a shit. That's what I'm trying to say to you. Like, that's all it takes, right? But for some instances, that's just so hard to understand.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god, I love the givea shit. I work with the group in Dallas, and that was their they're like, we just need some gas. I'm like, what I and I had I hadn't heard it before. Like, Gam, what do you some give a shit? I'm like, whoa, I know exactly what you're talking about. And I agree a thousand percent. I mean, from two perspectives, like, yes, we have an attraction problem in the industry, but I don't care about that. Because it doesn't matter how many people we bring into the industry, if the decision makers within the business treat people like crap, it don't freaking matter how many people we get here.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01The difference is the ones that demonstrate that they got gas, that they give a shit, right? And I know that's general, but I mean, really, it it doesn't sound like you were doing surveys and one-on-ones on a regularly scheduled frequency or any other pizza parties, you were just talking to the people. Am I wrong?
SPEAKER_03No, that's right, right?
SPEAKER_01Like it's really easy. Talk to people, get to know something about them, and then it'll grow and manifest from there. But there's just so many people that, and I feel like I understand why, right? Like our careers, our compensation are tied to performance, and there's a lot of pressure to do all the button pushing and do all the things, and that's but come on, man. Like, it's easy to go say, hey man, I seen you in the shop, I've been here for three months. My bad for not saying hi. I'm Jess. What's your name? Have you how long have you been here? Because I don't know nothing. What is it that you're doing over there? Awesome. Hey man, I'll connect with you later, but thanks for talking. And then go back to work. Is that does that sound too complicated? Well, not to me.
SPEAKER_04Oh, I mean, obviously, it's gonna be a little easier when you have a smaller amount of employees and you have fewer people to get to know. But that's what I think like that term liaison when I think about it. I'm like, there should just if there's a bigger company, there should be maybe a handful of those types of people. So maybe there's not one person that just knows everybody because it can't be done.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_04But there should be somebody who makes groups of people feel seen. Otherwise, like, what are you there for? Do you want your employees to just be here to just take home a paycheck? Because at the end of the day, that's not what keeps them around. 100% loyalty by the way you treat people.
Shout-Out, Training, And Purpose At Work
SPEAKER_01I want to do the LM family member shout-out. And this one goes to Mr. Bryce Adger. Took the time to sit through one of my torture, I mean, training sessions, and then went on to give me this super awesome review. Bryce says, It can be very difficult to open the minds of construction workers regarding change. Discussing kindergarten principles that provide value and provoke change is a challenge as well. Jesse knows how to do all of the above with conviction. Thoroughly enjoyed the training and exercises. Would recommend this training for any and everyone. Bryce, thank you, my brother. I appreciate you a bazillion times. And folks, if I promise I wasn't blackmailing him, I ain't got no dirt on him. He just left me that comment. He did sit through a full day of training. And I recently discovered that some people don't know that I actually have a business and I do training, coaching, and consulting. So here's your notice. That is what I do out there. And if you take the time, rather, when you take the time, to leave a comment, do a share, leave a review. I ultra, ultra appreciate it because it helps me know I'm not just screaming into the barren cavern. And it gives me an excuse to highlight you in a future episode. So thank you for doing it. Keep doing it, do it more. Oh my God. Okay. So you're going somewhere that's deeply important to me. And I've decided just to convert, commit as all of my damn energy to it. And it's around what you said, like the keeping of people. It's around this idea that we're talking about of connection and appreciation. I believe that's the fundamental thing that we're missing in the construction industry, right? The suicide rates and all those other things, mental wellness, substance abuse, all of which I've struggled with, except for, I mean, I've been impacted by suicide. I haven't dealt with that, like me, but drug abuse, substance abuse, poor mental health, all of that, 100%. I've dealt with it. And I believe it comes down to connection. And what I'm starting to see, and I'm curious, because I know you're out there playing in big ways. There was a time when I would go to do my training or coaching within a company, and I full even the companies that I worked for, like when I had a real job, and I had to get mentally re prepared. Right? Like I had to get mentally prepared for all the haters and for all the people that were in there just because they had to be there. They didn't care. And here recently, like in the last 90 days, we'll say, every room that I've been in, there's no haters. There are hungry, open-minded, interested people that want to learn. And what I bring to the table is 100% people focused, which is not the normal tone in our industry. And so what I'm taking that to be is a signal that we're about to have a tidal wave of change because people want to have a more human experience in their work, period. Am I imagining that or are you seeing signs of that too, Maya?
SPEAKER_04I'm seeing it just in what I observe, even in interactions through the LinkedIn space, people that are willing to have those conversations. So I'm definitely seeing things, people wanting to make changes and stuff like that. I think we've got a lot of steps and a lot of work to do. It's like the fact that enough people are really starting to speak out and show up. And like what you do, the fact that you're getting in there with people, that people are welcoming you into that, that speaks volumes for these companies. If they're starting to mature in a way that understands, oh, it's about more than just our bottom line, and our bottom line is affected by these things.
SPEAKER_01100%. Well, and so you point to something really critical is I'm fortunate, and then I get to work so with it work and support some really forward-thinking leading edge leaders out there in the industry, right? To bring me in, you got you also got to be a little crazy, but they really are making an investment in their people beyond the button pushing of their job, right? They're bringing me in saying, hey, whatever we want to do, we want it to impact them in their work and outside of work. What do you got? I'm like, ooh, I got some stuff, right? So don't worry, it's all baked into my messaging. But here's some things that are specifically designed for that. And so, yes, like I could see it on the we'll say the lead, like the innovators, right? The folks out there that are like, they want to do something different because they know we got a talent. They're making that decision. Now their people are like, Yeah, we want, we don't know. I think what it is is people want to have a different human, like a more a richer human experience in their work, on the job sites, in the work that they do. They just don't know how. And I'm here to help them, but it's a small number, right? I don't work every day.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01But I think the people that are there now, like the ones that are showing up, like you just talked about, the folks on LinkedIn, etc. They're gonna leave everybody behind. They're gonna leave those business leaders that don't care to learn their people's name, that don't care to have a conversation, that their only answer is a raise, but in terms of dollars, those people are gonna be left in the dust. That's what I think. Am I talking smack or no?
A Tidal Wave Of Human-Centered Change
SPEAKER_04I would agree with you. I think there's going to be an escalation across the board. I mean, even we could talk construction, we could talk about anything really relatably speaking of what we live nowadays with the AI kind of overtaking and influencing everything. And I'm not knocking it. It's a tool that people should have in their toolbox. I 100% support that idea. But I do think that there is an increase and will continue to grow an increase on the value of being human, of bringing the humanness, the humanity to the table. You know what I mean? And I think the companies, like you're saying, like there's going to be companies left behind, like just because they tried to just deal simply in money. You're absolutely right, because it's proven statistically, if you look up surveys, the younger generations, even our generations, are starting to look at it and go, yeah, the money's not important. I want a good quality of life. I want some sense of balance. I want good relationships and I want to feel like I'm safe on the job site. Like they want their employer to care. So guess what? The employer that cares and takes care of their people, the people that are looking for that, they're gonna seek out those companies that are building that reputation.
Leave Bad Leaders, Find Better Ones
SPEAKER_01Yes. Oh, and you know what? I'm gonna be pouring a whole lot of my gas on that fire, right? Because we have access to so many people, and a lot of conversations I have are like, man, I'm working with this company and I I want to advance, but I'm kind of stuck. And but my leader does behaves this way, and I'm like, and their question is always like, how do I make it better? My first answer is freaking leave, find a better leader, period. Yeah, well, then I found out some of my friends that are those leader decisions, they're like, hey bro, you can't be saying that. I'm like, why not? Like, be a better leader then. Exactly. Be a freaking leader, like for real. If you're in a situation, I mean, I just have one friend recently go to an amazing organization, and I've known him for a long time, and I always saw tremendous, and I got a bunch of friends that are in this bucket, extremely talented people, extremely skilled people, and there is so much within them that they have to offer this industry, but they work with a company that is like just shut up and and do the job, just push the buttons. That's a cute idea, but that's not interesting. We're not gonna make that investment. You could do that on your job, but don't be bringing it up here to the office, which is saddening to me because I know how impactful they could be for the people around them. But also, if the day that they get in a situation where their leadership says, you know what, let's make that thing, let me help you bring that to life. They are going to explode in terms of growth and contribution. So I got a bunch of friends are like time bombs waiting to explode and really impact the industry in meaningful ways, but they're in a bad spot, they're in a bad situation right now. One of my friends recently went to another outfit, and I ain't kidding, sister. Within a week of him going, I know I'm like, oh, this is so big for him, this is big for them. And he was like, Wow, this is just I got so many ideas now, I got so much energy, I got better. Like, yeah, because you've had to suppress it and tamp it down for so long, you didn't know you just don't know how amazing it can be when you're in the right conditions to serve and share your gifts and talents. And so, anyways, that's my little I got I got too excited there. But the point being, I tell people to quit, right? If you don't have a leader that's pouring into you and developing you, find a better leader. If you're in a situation that you're kind of capped off and you're feeling stuck, find a better leader. Bottom line, that's the first step. It's scary as hell, but uh everyone I know that has done it has had a massive return and increase in quality of life. Now, I'm gonna go back and do some Zumba talk because if you didn't know this, my uh I'm a Zumba guy, or I was back in the day when it was I was there, man. I love because I love the dance. I absolutely love the dance. Choreography, the workout was awesome. I always like to go to the new hypey ones because they're their choreography was always like super comfy. Yeah, and I'm like, okay, I can learn this. I've got friends and they're like, oh, just this one's hard. You don't even listen. I'll I am going to learn the routine, I promise you. And I would get into man, how do you do this? Because I know how to count to eight, and I love the workouts. It's that easy. So I keep saying Zumba, you said you were a fitness before you went to work for that shop in the admin side of the business. What were you doing in fitness? How and how did you get there before you got to the shop?
SPEAKER_04Well, I mean, my background was actually nothing to do with that. I I'm not athletic in any way, shape, or form. No. And actually, in being in front of people has always been like, ooh, so scary, right?
SPEAKER_00Oh, really?
SPEAKER_04I know. People don't assume that about me when they meet me now or they see online. I'm actually really kind of introverted.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So it's kind of weird that I put myself in so many situations that forced me to be out of my box. But I think that's important of life. And I think Zumba is something that brought that out for me, the ability to just go do the thing, like you say, go do the thing. It was a part-time gig that I had because I went to college for graphic design and I was just kind of doing some part-time work. And then I ended up taking a job in the billing department just to offset some things. Just like a little side job at a pretty big gym in the area. And I was in a little office. I had no windows. It was practically a closet, really. It was just this little space with a desk. And I was communicating with our clients who were delinquent on their bills. I was that person. I was like, we're gonna have to send you to collections if you don't start paying for your membership. But across the hall from me, there was this beautiful group fitness room. And so whenever they had classes, I could see them working out because it was a glass wall.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Because I've always loved music and rhythm and dancing. And I'm just like, oh, to be over there and not in this closet hole in the wall, typing for yeah. So after a while of watching that, I was talking to somebody and I said, I would love to consider because they would bring trainers in, they would have training days for Zumba. And I was like, I'd love to consider it, but I don't want to stand in front of a room full of my own peers and dance and lead them in a workout. That's crazy. But I love working with kids. And there's there was a very big focus on the obesity epidemic among kids at the time. And I was like, I would teach kids Zumba, I would do that all damn day. I would love that. And you couldn't do that unless you taught the basic first. You had to adults. Yeah. So I was like, well, I guess I'm gonna do this. And since I have to force myself to get into it, I might as well make a couple dollars back because I'm I'm like weird with hobbies. I have to make the money back that I invest in them.
SPEAKER_02It's really weird.
SPEAKER_04Like I'll be like, okay, I had to spend$500 to do this thing. That means I have to do X, Y, and Z to get that money back. So there's like a return on my investment. I think it's like that. I have an ADHD business mindset or something. I don't know. I I can't figure myself out. There's no hope. I'll just tell you that. So I did the training, I started teaching adults and realized like, hey, this isn't half bad. It's actually really a lot of fun. And so that became my thing. Like I started teaching kids, I taught seniors, I taught regular adult classes. So everything from teaching it in a seated in a chair to a senior home or a special needs home. Like I went into facilities and did that. Um, adapted, modified to do like just regular seniors, so it's not high impact, it's low impact. And then I did my regular high impact, and then I did the kids stuff. So I would teach a whole bunch of classes every week that became eventually I I made my way into just doing that as my job.
SPEAKER_01So that's what I was doing as your job, but it sounds to me like you had your own Zumba business.
SPEAKER_04Essentially, yeah, because I just contracted out. I would teach at gyms, I would teach at facilities, I would teach at old folks' homes. Yeah, it was a business. It was like, yeah, serial entrepreneurial. That's what I am.
SPEAKER_01Okay. There's a couple points I want to. A theme I think I see about you like just getting a job, just a job, and unassuming I need a job, and then you it grows and turns into something magnificent. But I don't know.
SPEAKER_04Maybe my employers would beg to differ. They'd be like, We wish you would just sit in a chair and shut up.
SPEAKER_01Well, I have a thought on that too. Maybe I don't know if we'll have time to touch on to it, but you said obviously you have an entrepreneurial spirit mindset. When did you become aware that was the thing that you had this entrepreneurial energy about creating a business or maybe take some weight off of it, making your money back on your investment? Because I think that's also important for entrepreneurs.
SPEAKER_04I mean, I think a lot of us are just built that way. I think it's just innate to us, but I think particularly for me, it was triggered as like a trauma response.
SPEAKER_01Ah, okay. Some hard lessons coming up.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. We talk about you talk about missteps and things, so we can dive into that briefly if you want to.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_04I'm annoying. I am twice divorced. I'm remarried for my third marriage. But when you are a young female with basically full dependence on a partner starting your life, and things fall apart, and you have no income and you're supporting children and you're trying to make ends meet, that awakens a whole level of fear and weirdness that kind of makes you feel like, okay, how am I gonna scrape together a couple of dollars?
unknownYeah.
Zumba, Confidence, And Side-Gig Grit
SPEAKER_04So it comes out of a necessity, you know. I my first divorce, and it was a long divorce, but I was in my early 20s and I had two kids under two. And so it wasn't like I could just send them to daycare. I didn't have the means. And I was a stay-at-home mom at the time. So I was going to college part-time and raising my kids and had to start over from scratch. I didn't even, I didn't have anything. I had a I had enough money in a bank account that I had separate that I was able to retain my lawyer to start my divorce proceedings, but that was it. So it was difficult. And I used to do things like I started, I taught myself to bake cakes and like decorate cakes. And so I could do that at home while the kids were little. And so I would take little orders just to make a couple of dollars doing that. So I made some pretty cool cakes back in the day before it was super trendly. And I think that was probably my first little taste, having a little side gig and the fact that I could make dollars by myself, you know, and not depend on somebody. So it was like by the time I got to that Zumba space, realizing, you know, it's almost like I'm in the process of writing like an actual book, right? And it's like based on some of my lived experiences. And one of those things that I bring up in it is like I would come home and be tallying up the attendance for the classes and the few dollars here and there. Like I would, and I dumped the money on my bed to kind of get everything figured out. And it's that realization hit me. Like I was doing this. It wasn't because someone was taking care of me. Yeah, you know what I mean? That was something that really hit home for me as as a female, honestly, because I just wanted to be a mom when I was young. And so I set out to build that family right away and thought that's what was gonna happen, and it didn't go that way. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01I mean, there's a ton there, but first don't tell anybody. Can I let you in on a secret?
SPEAKER_00No one will.
SPEAKER_01So, like my dream of dreams, my crazy wild idea of plan, maybe not really a plan, but uh it's gonna happen. I want to create a situation where I can equip single mothers with the skills to make money doing what they love. That's what I want to do. How I'm gonna do it, I have no idea, but I got a lot of really smart friends, so it'll happen, right? Yes, well, I've never been a single mother, obviously, but my mom was a single mother, and very similarly, when her and dad split up, she had been a stay-at-home mom. It me and my brothers, we were in elementary school. I remember her like sewing, she would make our winter jackets, sew them out of our old jeans, old denim jeans. I thought they were the coolest. Yeah, once I got to that shit wasn't cool no more, but in elementary was the coolest. And I'm always in awe of single mothers and single dads, but mostly single mothers because of how resourceful they and they are, and there's no they nobody should have to be that resourceful, but just how resourceful, how much they have to sacrifice of themselves, their personal, their social ambitions, their personal ambitions to support and keep some kids alive, like it's the most amazing, inspiring thing I've ever witnessed is single mothers figuring it out, like independent, going from taking care of well and using that loosely, because that's usually not entirely being taken care of, at least from what I've been able to witness. But and then all of a sudden having to support everything and juggle everything and go to school and work and feed the kids and dress it, like all of that. It just I think it's heroic titanic shit. And I applaud you, Maya, for working through that. So that's my shout out to single moms.
SPEAKER_04Sorry, I get it's I want to point something out though with that line of thought because as you're saying that and like calling that attention, like you see that need, you see the single moms, you see the processes. That's how I feel about like the construction and trades world. Oh, do you know what I mean? Because that's why I would say when I say I am a good supporter and I am a person who likes to see the people and make sure other people see the people. Yes, maybe it comes from that because I don't feel I need to be seen specifically, right? Like, regardless of what I've been through, what I know is things get hard. Things get real hard on so many different levels. And I think it's important that because there are individuals who just they're oblivious, you know, and it's not even by any fault of their own, it's just this is how their life has gone. So they don't you take things for granted, whether that's the single mom who's doing all the things, or that's the guy who makes your toilet flush and your water run. Like you are easily, it's very easy to take things for granted. And I love the ability for some of us to just be like, Do you see, do you freaking see that?
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_04It's amazing, and then the blinders come off, and people are forced to be like, oh, hey, wait a second. There's people behind that, there's processes behind that.
SPEAKER_01100%. And that's the thing, right? Is even to this date, I'm pretty high on myself, if you can't tell, Maya. But there are still like gifts and talents that I have that I'm blind to, that I don't see them. And I'm gonna go a little further. And if I get misty-eyed, please excuse me, but I have never been as good in my mind as I have been when I see myself in the eyes of others. Period. And what I mean by that is I've had amazing people in my life that reflect back to me a version of myself that I could never imagine. They tell me what they see, and it helps me aspire to be that, and it's part of what freed me from addiction and all the self-destructive behavior and all the other things. And so now it's my I see it as my responsibility, my duty to tell people what I see because it's very likely that no one else has. And I think that's what you do too. Am I wrong?
SPEAKER_04No, you're right. I I have a little bit of a tough time. Like, someone can tell me something about myself, the way that they see me. I have a very weird internal imposter that does not, I'm not allowed to see it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Like you could, I've gotten little awards, and I just come home and I'm like, yeah, that that's a thing. And I'm just like, this person over here is so much better. So it like doesn't register. Like I say all the time as a photographer, I'm like, I have no idea. I have no idea where I stand as a photographer. 100%. No idea. I don't care how many people are like, yeah, I want a book with you or I love your work. It still to me feels like I just started this yesterday and I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know. I'm broken.
Entrepreneurship Born From Hard Seasons
SPEAKER_01I'll I'll say damn damage, right? We all have some bruises, some bumps of bruises. We're all a little damaged. I wouldn't say broken. I think what I think is important, and I think it's a there's two things super, super valuable, like ultra valuable, especially for the people I want to surround myself with a measure of humility, right? And so part of what you described about yourself, I think is a measure of humility. You have a sense of how much there is to learn, and we'll just put that in the bucket of photography. How much can be done that you're not doing? And so your frame of reference is man, I'm just figuring this out, I'm just starting that. And I think that humility, I'm gonna say, is even closer to expertise because you know how much you don't know, or at least you have a sense of it. I think that's extremely valuable, extremely important, and largely absent from every damn industry because there's a bunch of damn clowns that'll read a book and watch a YouTube video and tell everybody that they're an expert, right? Those are not my people, and so I think there's value, or it's important, it's a value point for me in terms of who I want to associate myself with. Second thing, so I'm glad you're that way. The second thing, in terms of I'm very similar, you and I are very similar in that when I get when I would give award, like I'm psychotic, obsessive, and I'll focus on a thing, and then I'll accomplish it. And people are like, Man, that's amazing. I'm like, yeah, but I could have done better. Yeah, but right, yeah, but yeah, but and I've had so two things that I use, and maybe this something to consider, Maya. I'm not trying to give you advice, but Henry Nutt told me, Jesse, what you should start doing, just practice when people give you a compliment, and you because it gets I get all or I'll just do something really stupid and ridiculous to take that kind of attention off me. Because I can handle negative attention all day long. I that's my comfort zone. But positive attention, I get a little squirrely. So what he says, Jesse, from now on, when they give you that compliment, you already know that you're gonna have you're gonna be uncomfortable. Just say these words. I receive that.
SPEAKER_04I like that, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I was like, Yeah, but I don't really mean it. It doesn't matter, you don't mean your dumb stuff either. Just reprogram some of those neurons in your brain, those connections, and say, I receive that. So I've started some, I don't always say it out loud, but I'll say it in my head, right? I receive that, and it feels different, like okay, right? And the other part, like the other sec, the second thing I do is you know what? Yeah, I get permission to celebrate this thing that I did. I'm maybe that doesn't mean I'm celebrating it, but I get permission, and so those another goofy for some folks out there like just own it, like you're the best. Yeah, that that doesn't compute here. I receive that and I give myself permission. When that'll actually happen, I don't know, but it's a step further than where I was before. What do you think about that?
SPEAKER_04I totally agree. I love those ideas, and I'm 100% about retraining the brain. Like I've had to do stuff like that with like depression, anxiety, things like that. And I'm all about energy, so I think that you're on to something right there.
SPEAKER_01It works for this crazy fool over here, so maybe it'll work for somebody else. Okay, so there was you there the I want to go back to the trend, and you just kind of broke the seal, right? We talked about you going in for an administrative job to at for a welding shop, and then you ended up becoming the liaison for everybody. You went into a gym for an administrative job, and then you end up being Ms. Zumba for the East Coast of the United States.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, and I know now you mentioned you're a photographer. I also know that you're a published author. How did those things happen? 2026 is right around the corner, and I want to help you make this year the year you finally put yourself first. How? With the self-first framework. There's a full half-day webinar that's going to give you the tools and the tactics to plan effectively, to finally make room for yourself in your schedule and to execute daily so that you can dominate the day. I know four hours is a big commitment. So maybe you want a little more intel before you like go all in. And that's perfect because I got a sweet little webinar that you're invited to. There's a link down there in the show notes. Pick the date that works best for you, sign up for the webinar, and let's do the damn thing.
SPEAKER_04Those two are actually kind of linked together, believe it or not. Yeah. So I mean, I've always been kind of a creative, right? I have to have a creative outlet to be content, has to offset my organizational administrative side, I guess.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Um, so it's like, yes, everything has to be in. I've always said this. I'm like, I'm an artist, but I'm not actually messy enough to call myself an artist. You're all because like artists, if you think about when you think about an artist, right? Like a parent, like they're usually messy, like scattered people, right? Like it's usually kind of chaotic, and you expect that. And I've never been that way. I have to have this, it's business over here, and it's creative over here. There's I have to balance the two out. But yeah, so I was working for in another job. I was working at a heavy equipment dealership. This is again how I do things. I started there, I was hired as the Bobcat like special, like support specialist. So essentially I was like the right hand to the sales person, right? Like I was the sales coordinator, essentially.
SPEAKER_02Got it.
Seeing People Behind The Work
SPEAKER_04So when they make a sale or they're doing a rental, it's logistics, it's administrative. Okay, another windowless office. I have a thing for windowless offices. And but I will say, like you spoke to how working for a leader who embraces the growth or potential growth that someone brings to the table. That was my experience at that dealership, was where I had that experience. It woke up something in me about being able to work for somebody who embraced, hey, you you bring these qualities to the table here. Yeah, try this thing, do this thing. So what ended up happening was I was kind of, I use my time very efficiently, okay? And I don't like to be bored. So if I'm stuck chained to a desk for eight hours, but I can't make my work last eight hours and I'm not going to slow down my processes and drag them out. I fill it with other things. I look for other things. So I was going on the company website and I was like, well, this could look better. This could be done here. I was going on the social media. I'm like, we should really be doing something here because people in industries undervalue their social media presence.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yes, ma'am.
SPEAKER_04I know, don't even get you started, right? But it was one of those things where I started looking at things and going, well, Ken, do you mind if I do this thing? And they were like, Yeah, sure. And so I did a whole bunch of stuff. So I basically worked my way out of my sales coordinator position and into the marketing position.
SPEAKER_00Of course.
SPEAKER_04By doing all that. In doing so, I would get to go visit job sites sometimes with some of the sales guys because I was like, Well, I'll take pictures and create content and whatever. And because I do photography as my side gig and they were aware, I was like, I'll happily take pictures for you. And so I got to go see, there were a Volvo construction equipment, was their flagship brand. I got to go to a job site when they were bringing the R100E rigid haul truck. So this is just ginormous, right? It was the biggest one at that time. I don't know if they've made bigger since. Um, and they were bringing it to one of the job sites, and I got to go be there and I got to ride in it, and I got to take its picture and the whole nine yards, right? Yeah, you're right. As I'm developing and I'm working on the pictures after the fact, too, I'm looking at the face of this machine, and I'm like, it's like there's a character here. I'm looking at it and I'm like, it looks like there should be a face on that thing. So I started fiddling around and I named him Harry Haller. And then I was like, there's a story behind. Miss. And I just kind of ran with it. I say sometimes when you're a writer, it's just a download. It kind of happens, right? Like you get downloads. And that's kind of how it happened for me. I just I had this story in my head because I found Harry Haller. And so I turned a photo into a character. And then I was like, well, now I need his other characters. So I gotta go to my other photos and figure out who the other characters are gonna be. And I did that, and I worked on just drawing them up based on all pictures I took.
SPEAKER_01Nice, and that turned into a book.
SPEAKER_04It did that that became the first book, and I self-publish right now, Bigger Diggers. That was the first one.
SPEAKER_01Nice. So again, another two things I want to hit. Again, you got another job in an office with no windows, and then turn it into a whole new escapade, right? Like a whole new adventure that led down a path to writing your book and having all these ideas, etc. I love that you point out that, okay, I'm gonna get my job done. I'm not just gonna drag it out. And once I get done, I need other things to do, which you decided to say, well, let me look at what else I can do to help here, which I think is super valuable. I think, and you mentioned it, it's due to, or a big part of that is because you had a leader that was supportive and I think warranted, right? Like leaders like that, you get the what's the word, discretional effort of people, right? Like I've worked with people that were jerks and they were gonna get the minimum. I was gonna do whatever I needed to do, and that was it.
unknownYep.
SPEAKER_01I've also, luckily in my life, I've had a lot of leaders that were amazing. And so because they poured into me, guess what? They got everything I had to get. Well, maybe not everything, but most.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I think that's a difference. So we already have three data points, and my money says there's a bunch more of where you went into a situation and then you turned it into something amazing. So for the listener out there, the LM family member out there, what and the one that's struggling, that's in that dark room with, or maybe not dark room, but that room with no windows, doing a job that's less than enthralling, what advice do you have for them?
SPEAKER_04I mean, for me, it's like it's look for the holes, look for where you can help. Because there's always, I don't care, there's always somewhere that can use improvement. And if you're bored, what you gotta do something with your brain, exercise it.
SPEAKER_00Simple.
SPEAKER_04It really is because indifference just breeds contempt, really. Like you're just if you're completely detached from where you work, you're not gonna get attached to it by just like simply checking out. You have to kind of invest yourself in it a little bit.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, I a hundred percent. What I love is if there's a whole go figure out and do something about it. Because now some people will, and I used to have this mindset like, I'm not gonna do that, they ain't paying me for that. Yeah, it's true, right? And I kind of get it. But another way to look at it, and I wish I would have done this because I had a lot of opportunities to do this, is look at it as getting a free education, not free, getting paid to learn to do something, you have no freaking idea what the hell you're doing.
SPEAKER_04That's it. That is you are 100% nail on the head because ultimately, if you're working for an employer that like you know it's not going anywhere, and that windowless office feels like crap, and you decide to find the holes and work on things anyway, you can then move. Like you can then say, Hey, I did this thing, because you're gonna realize this one doesn't appreciate me, but somebody out here is going to know.
Compliments, Humility, And Growth
SPEAKER_01Yep, yes, ma'am. And you got the skill, you've got proof to say I've done you've got reps, yeah, yeah, massive. And I think that's not I think I know that has been, I'll say, one of the my my fuels coming up is and similar to you, it comes from trauma, but I can cannot ignore weak leadership. I have never been, it's not maybe I have a problem with authority, possibly, but I just cannot tolerate, stand to see people that are in a role of influence, meaning they're a freaking manager that has direct reports, and if they don't do anything to support and grow their people, they got no respect for me. Number one. Now, if they actively demoralize their people, I cannot, I cannot tolerate it. So that's already the thing that I just wait a minute, like we got to do something about it. So back to seeing the holes, that was those are the holes that catch my attention. Back when I had a real job, it's like, wait a minute, we got like that's not okay. We got to do something about that. That's not okay. There, and I'm gonna do it. Nobody cared, like the whatever dummy, go do that, but make sure you do this. Okay, fine. Which led to me creating uh an internship program, the first in the company that um kids under 18 that were still in high school coming out to work on our jobs doing actual work. Love that because we I was in charge of recruiting and staffing all of our projects. I was involved in a lot of CTE programs sitting on their boards at the local high schools. The high schools were complaining, like, man, we can't place our kids in construction companies. Me and all my people, my competitors are complaining, we can't get enough people. And I was like, This is stupid. How do I connect this? Of course, I had to go into learn a little more than I wanted to about child labor laws and Texas Workforce Commission and everything. But I did, I put the thing together, I had a lot of help, right? Diana helped me, HR helped me, the risk department. I don't maybe they didn't help me, but they made sure I didn't screw things up. They let me do it.
SPEAKER_04That's amazing, that's a huge feat.
SPEAKER_01Do your job, right? I didn't know it at the time, but people have said, like, dude, you know how to develop workforce development programs? No, what are you talking about? They said, Well, that thing you did. Oh, yeah, I've done that because it was a hole that I couldn't ignore, right?
SPEAKER_04It was I'm gonna be like trying to pull you in because you know where I'm at. Come on, Teddy, I need you.
SPEAKER_00Where are you, Maya? Where are we talking about the was it cru something or collaborative?
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_00What's that?
SPEAKER_04So that is a nonprofit organization that started in 2020, actually at Con Expo, and they've been working ever since as all volunteer. I'm the only part-time employee that is working for them. Um they bring connection into classrooms. So we bring presenters who are out here working real jobs, have real career paths, who can answer questions and share with the students. So I'm working with them as their executive director. And I started with them as an ambassador in 2023. So I started in the volunteer area and I was in their marketing committee. And but just as soon as I saw Crew Collaborative starting to kind of make waves, I was like, I need to be a part of this. I was like, I don't know how, and I don't know where it makes sense. But I'm like, and then I saw them call for ambassadors and I'm like, sign me up. Sign me up. What can I do? How can I help? Because it's necessary. So now here we are a couple of years later.
SPEAKER_01And you're the executive director. Okay, so I know we got some LM family members that are huge advocates for the industry and bringing more people into our industry. If they wanted to be an ambassador first, what in the world is an ambassador for Cru Collaborative? And second, how do we get them hooked up?
SPEAKER_04So ambassadors are our volunteers who are willing to advocate for what we do to spread the word of the mission because it's nationwide, right? So we have people all over the country who will support our social media, who will share it, who will contribute to it and tag us, who will send outreach to schools, make connections. So an ambassador can be something as simple as, yeah, I'm gonna support following and driving the audience to the social media to help build awareness. But it can also be as involved as, okay, I have some time and I have some connections with school administrators or with companies who are really advocating for workforce development and want to see kids get the right information. So maybe I'm gonna help bring partnerships to the table because, like I said, it's a nonprofit and it's all volunteer. So the only way we can keep doing it is by partnering with companies and individuals. So yeah, it's just you kind of choose, you choose your level being an ambassador of what works for you. And then the easiest way to do that is just to reach out to us. Usually you'll get me and I'll schedule a call and we'll discuss what we do and how it works and see if it's a good fit for you and you want to jump in. Most people do. I mean, it's to me, it's a no-brainer. Oh, it's like, why wouldn't you want to be promoting and cheering this on?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, 100%. And I love it. So we'll make sure we'll put the links in the show notes so people can look in the crew collaborative or connect with you and hopefully become ambassadors. I don't know if you know this, but the whole reason behind the podcast, like the the Learnings and Missteps podcast, has been going on for five years since COVID. Started like it started because when COVID happened, I had the I was traveling. My job was traveling, I was supporting business units in the central United States. So I was flying around all the time, and then my boss said, Hey, you gotta learn how to do your job from home. I'm like, Oh, okay, I'll figure it out. But within two weeks, I was like not a happy guy. I was miserable because I need a lot of social contact. I thrive on it, and so I was cooked up in my house. But what also happened, I was always in any opportunity I had to go speak at schools to talk to kids, parents, or educators about careers in the trades, I jumped on it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
From Marketing To Author: Bigger Diggers
SPEAKER_01And school was shut down, and so that was gone. And I'm like, man, like that was like my gas, right? To keep putting up with all the crap in the day job. Yeah, it was gone. And I'm like, man, like I'm not even doing anything for the trades at this time. I was a house cat, right? An office carpet dweller. So, but I still want to support the because the trades is had I not taken my first job, my summer job as a laborer, I would not be where I'm at today, right? I did my labor. I got a I worked with a super awesome foreman that said, hey man, fill out this paper and give it back to me, which was my apprenticeship registration for Texas. He sent it in. I got my apprentices card, I got a big raise, like a six-dollar raise. This was back in 1995. I'm like banking, right? And then I found myself an apprenticeship program, and then that was the that's what started all of this. And so I know how amazing a career in the industry can be, and I always wanted to advocate for it. It went away, and I was feeling sorry for myself, and I was watching a video, a documentary on Danny Trejo. I don't know if you know who Danny Trejo, he's he's he comes out in the movie Machete, he's always the big Mexican gangster with the big tattoo on his chest. Anyways, he's never been like the leading role, like the main character. He in like over 200 movies he's been in, and he's always like a backup role. And I remember the interviewer asked him, like, does it bother you that you've never been the leading man? And he said, No, I get paid. And then he said, I get paid, like that work enables me to go and do my ministry at prisons because he was he's a convicted felon and a former drug abuser suffered with addiction. He said, I get because I do this, I get to go serve and help people. That's what I'm doing. And I remember I said, What the hell am I crying? I got a job. I was just on a podcast four months ago. I'm gonna call that dude and say, Hey man, how do you I need to do this? Like, I need to. That was the whole point. It's shifted since then. Anyways, all that to say, my uh one, I applaud you for so many reasons, but also for your support of blue-collar trades in the construction industry, and it's ultra valuable. An LM family member out there. If you've ever complained about there not being enough people in the freaking industry, stop whining, hit up crew collaborative, become an ambassador, and do something about the damn thing. Is that too rough, Maya?
SPEAKER_04I don't think so. I think it's important, it's important enough to be assertive about it.
SPEAKER_01We gotta do it. Okay.
SPEAKER_04I don't know from what you just said about the guy, the actor, and his ministry and stuff. It's really interesting that you would bring that up because I left my job to go full-time in my business. And you ever see those things where they say make a list of so many items of the priorities of what you want to try to accomplish or whatever? And it can be big and small, and I want to make a million dollars. And then you drill down on it and go, okay, circle the main one, and then say like why this would impact your life and like what big how would it impact your life? There were some things that I did some of those practices a couple of times back when I was working full time and then working full time and having the side gig that was practically full time and you know, trying to steer my ship and figure out what am I doing with my life. And one of those things like it came down to on my list was I want to be able to support myself enough, like to be able to cover my responsibilities enough to where I can say yes to pouring into something else with purpose, to showing up for people. And like what you said there just resonates with me because I'm still feeling that. And I think it's important to note because I see all the time in our society and in social media, you see people all the time, I make six figures as you know, this, that, or the other. And here's how I do it, and here's how you can do it too. Come to me, give me your money. I think it's very predatory. But the point I'm making to you is I sit back here and quietly go, could I be doing more as a photographer? Could I be charging more as a photographer? Absolutely. I won't. And I say no to things, and that's a learned process, being able to say no to things. I know you've spoken about that before, but it's I'm not making, I'm not making six figures. No, but you know what I'm doing? I'm doing things deliberately, I'm doing things with intention that feel aligned with like my soul.
unknownYes.
SPEAKER_04I think like we need to hear more of the reality check of you don't have to make six figures, you can make adequate money and also feel really fulfilled in finding purpose with the things you're choosing to pour into.
SPEAKER_01A hundred percent, sister. A hundred percent. Yeah, I had to add to that, right? There was a point in my career I was six figures, I had the fancy title, the company vehicle, all the bullshit, and I was miserable. The primary reason I was so miserable was because I was doing zero service. I was doing nothing to contribute back into the world. Now, don't get me wrong, like I've been making six figures ever since then, but I'm a much freaking happier person now because, like you said, it's not just I mean, hell, my whole business just two years ago, after I started my business, you already know my like they'll let any damn fool start a business. They let me.
SPEAKER_04But most people quit real quick.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's scary, like it ain't easy, like it'll test you, and there's so much work to be done and so much to freaking learn. But I was setting myself revenue goals, right? Dollars, and I hit it the first year. Luckily, right? I mean, I'm everybody's either annoyed by me or thinks they like me because I'm so visible on social media, so that was extremely helpful. Second year, I said, okay, I'm gonna raise the price, like my annual goal to a really big number that's crazy, and I beat it again. And I'm like, okay, I'm an addict. And if I keep chasing money, yeah, I know what I'm gonna do. I've lived that life too many times. So I said, you know what? I'm gonna shift my focus, forget the revenue targets, and I want to have impact and I want to experience fulfillment from delivering life mind-shifting impact for people. Yes, I wanted to look at all of my services, and I said, okay, these I need to do less of, these I need to do more of. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so so let's talk about that. What does that fulfillment feel like, Maya?
Find The Holes And Build Skills
SPEAKER_04I found more and more that like I'm not actively booking weddings, right? And like you think, oh, if you're a photographer and you do weddings, that's your big ticket item. You should be doing as many as you can get your hands on. I'm not, because I realized in the last couple of years, it's just not where my heart is. And if it's not where my heart is, and it becomes, oh, this is a production item. Yeah, sometimes if you got to pay your bills, like you're gonna have to take a gig, right? Like, good on you, you got a skill, you can do it. But if you can discern, okay, I really feel fulfilled by this thing, but not this thing, and you can start pulling back on the things that don't fulfill you. So that's where I'm at right now. So I'm finding it's really fulfilling for me to work for nonprofits. I love that work. It's so strange because I've worked for other for companies, but when I'm working for a company, it's like, it's whatever. I like being productive and stuff, but I reach a point where I'm like, I don't know why I'm doing this. When you're working for an organization that has like a mission and the sole purpose for their existence is simply to do some good in the world.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_04You're that's a whole nother ball game for me. Like that is next level for my crazy like ADHD. I curse myself at the same time because it never shuts off. So, like, I'm supposed to be doing one thing, and in the back of my head, it's oh, maybe we can do this to make the website a little better, or maybe we can do that so that the process is a little easier. Like it just never stops, but it's filling me up. Yes. So I I allow it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Okay. So second follow-up question. What have you discovered about yourself swimming in these new conditions of fulfillment and working, being very mission-driven, mission focused? What have you discovered about Maya?
SPEAKER_04I guess I'm still in that process. I'm definitely still there's a learning curve. Um, I think that's also coming with my age right now. I think that I'm 45 and I think there's like a lot of transitioning happening, and it's what is going on here? I see the world differently and I approach things differently. I'm learning how to like try to have bound, try to have boundaries, um allocate my time specifically because I've never been really good at that. I I tend to overcommit.
SPEAKER_00Sure.
SPEAKER_04I like to say like underpromise, overdeliver. So I'm learning how to make sure that I do that instead of over-promising and under-delivering.
SPEAKER_02Sure.
SPEAKER_04Um, and I and it's a constant thing where I don't think I think this is important. I don't think there's ever going to be a time in life where I just feel like, oh yeah, I know what I need to know, like all the way around. Like it's always going to be a seek and find and learn and figure it out. And I think I'm just accepting that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Because yeah, I mean, I've done operations and admin career stuff my whole life. And then coming into this role, you know, it wasn't that I intended to be here. It just kind of happened that way. There was a need, and I was like, I already know what you're doing here. I already love it. I feel very passionate about it. If you need me, here's what I can do. Because I was just a volunteer. Nobody really knew what my skill set was down the line. And so it kind of opened up another path for me where I came into this realization that I'm like, oh, I actually still really love being that right hand to the operation set. Like it's what I'm a good cheerleader. I'm a good right hand and I'm a good cheerleader. Like I can make the things happen. You tell me what you want done, I will do that thing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So I've learned that. That's what I'm yes.
SPEAKER_01Well, and so a couple things I want to put one, I'm gonna give you a heads up because I've been there for a while now. An LM family member out there listening. Hopefully, if you haven't teased it out, Maya, myself, and a whole bunch of other people out there know that you can design the life you want. Period. If you're not getting fulfillment out of your day job, fine. You're getting paid. That's okay. You can find manufacture an experience where you can get fulfillment somewhere else. It's 100% possible. Maya, I think you and I are proof of that right now. Now, in terms of the self-discovery, when you're in that state of serving and fulfilling and business and like everything, all cylinders are firing. What I've seen over and over for me firsthand is I start discovering new gifts and talents that I did not even know were there. And I think part of it, partly I think it's because we've all been blessed with something. And it's just a matter if it were responsible and sharing it or not. And when I'm responsible and sharing it, I get more. I think the other part is because I'm in this state of amazingness, I have the bandwidth to learn, practice, and explore new things. And so the combination of those two things has introduced me to new levels of man. I can I do that? I can do that. How the hell am I gonna do it? Don't worry about it. Just do it. And then I go do whoa, like I could do that. Um so that's a little warning. Maybe it's a warning, maybe it's a heads up. Like the creativity, the ideas, the ways to contribute more of you into the world will start flowing, and then it's like a never-ending cycle if we stay on the path. Does that sound like a Disneyland ride?
SPEAKER_04It sounds like one I would pick to go on. Yeah, I'm going that ride.
SPEAKER_01Oh my goodness, I love it. All right. Well, you already know I could keep digging and digging, but I think it's time to ask the closing question. Are you ready?
SPEAKER_04I guess so. I for sure am curious.
SPEAKER_01Oh, it's I know it's gonna be phenomenal. So, first, folks out there, if you can't tell, Maya's pretty damn amazing, super, super talented. She's walked many paths and has made it through some very tough situations, and she's still thriving and growing and contributing. And so, check the links. She's on the LinkedIn, she's doing a lot of big things. So make sure you go to the show notes, connect with her, support her, so support Crew Collaborative. And if you want pictures or maybe advice, maybe I'm going too far. But or if you need somebody to look up to, Maya is exactly the kind of people you need to be looking up to her. So follow her and just soak in everything you can. Now, I'm super excited about your answer to this question is because I get a sense of the road you've been on, which we've talked a lot about the really awesome, beautiful, shiny things. But I know that you've been through some very dark times, some very heavy times. And to still come out of that and be a light in our industry and in this world just is for me just a huge indicator on how massive your answer is gonna be to this question. So here it is. What is the promise you are intended to be?
SPEAKER_03Wow. Wow. That's a lot, Jesse.
Crew Collaborative: Ambassadors And Impact
SPEAKER_04So like I said, I'm on a path that I'm still figuring out, and I pray to God every day we have conversations constantly to help align me with the purpose that is planned for me. Because I think in my humanness, sometimes I become blind to that. So I'm always looking for that redirect. My entire life, like the through line has always kind of been like lead by example. Be a light, like you said. Just try to be a light. Like if somebody has a need and somebody's going through a hard time, because people always are, they're always at different degrees of difficult. And you just never know when somebody's looking at something that you've experienced. And just by simply being there and being open, you are giving them like strength to get through, to know, hey, you know what? If this person can get through a thing, then you know, there's no reason that I can't. And I think that kind of is everything to me. That's what I'm looking for. I think that ultimately if I were to give you like maybe a five-year plan for myself, it it looks a little different than it does today. And that's largely because I want to find a way to share more of my story with people who need to hear it. And I think that that takes some growth for me. Obviously, like I need to learn how to convey that message to people in a way that they can relate and use it. I don't want to believe that anything that happens in life goes just to waste. I don't think that's why it happens. So, I mean, I think going through some dramatic divorces and trying to co-parent and then blending a family and then parenting a child through anorexia and then building a career through all of those things. It's a lot when I say it all in one breath like that. But if I broke all that, like how many people could be like, hey, I have some questions, and I'd be like, sure, ask away. Like, how can I help? That's what I want to do. Like, how can I help?
SPEAKER_01Amazing. I knew it. I mean, I got chills. Like I said a little while ago. If you don't have somebody to look up to, Maya's the person.
SPEAKER_04I mean, that's you're gonna make me cry.
SPEAKER_01Stop. Girl, I'm telling you, you're amazing, whether you like it or not. I'm telling you. Thank you for that, Maya. And yes, right, I think an important point you made. I mean, obviously, you're living this life, and I think our listeners also can adopt is there's gonna be dark times. But the greatest, most beautiful lessons are always, for me, anyways, I've always found them in the dark times. Now, I can either let the dark times be shame and embarrassment, or I can leverage them in transform them into value for other human beings. And I think that's what you're talking about. It was tough, it wasn't great, but you're gonna make it something meaningful because other people need to know they're not alone and there is a way out. You are a beautiful example of the fact that there is a way out, and this is what it can look like. Did you have fun?
SPEAKER_04I did have fun, I really did. I knew I would, though, because I know you, I've watched your stuff, I've been a part of some of your conversations, so I knew that I would have a fun time. So I'm glad I've got a chance to do this.
SPEAKER_01Thank you for sticking it out all the way to the end. I know you got a whole lot of stuff going on. And in appreciation for the gift of time that you have given this episode, I want to offer you a free PDF of my book, Becoming the Promise You're Intended to Be. The link for that bad boy is down in the show notes. Hit it. You don't even have to give me your email address. There's a link in there. You just click that button, you can download the PDF. And if you share it with somebody that you know who might feel stuck or be caught up in self-destructive behaviors, that would be the ultimate. You sharing that increases the likelihood that it's going to help one more person. And if it does help one more person, then you're contributing to me becoming the promise I am intended to be. Be kind to yourself, be cool, and we'll talk at you next time.