Leadership Wellness in Palm Harbor and the Systems That Keep You Grounded

Christopher Strum, President and CEO of C2 Worldwide, joins Donnie Hathaway for a conversation on leadership, overwhelm, and what it takes to stay grounded while building a business. From military experience to entrepreneurship, Chris shares how daily habits, better systems, and the right people can help you lead with more clarity and confidence.

What You’ll Learn:

•  Why the best leaders build strong teams instead of trying to do everything themselves 
•  How military experience shaped Chris’s mindset on pressure and performance 
•  Why authentic leadership matters more than copying someone else’s style 
•  A simple reset strategy for overwhelm that actually works 
•  How to stay ambitious in business without losing sight of family and presence 

About the Guest:
 Christopher Strum is the President and CEO of C2 Worldwide, a company that provides full-service lodging and logistics solutions for government, military, and corporate partners. C2 Worldwide offers flexible furnished housing and customized support for projects that require scale, speed, and adaptability. The company serves clients across locations including Tampa, Baltimore, and New York. 

Links:

•  C2 Worldwide: https://www.c2worldllc.com/
  
  
•  C2 Worldwide on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/c2worldwide
  
  
•  Palm Harbor Local newsletter: https://palmharborlocal.com/
  
  

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

My secret thought uh has been surrounding myself with the right people and having the right team in place. Any leader is also is a good follower. I mean, and anybody that can be a good follower can be a good leader. At the end of the day, when you you know you create something and you deliver it and somebody pays you for it, I mean that that's the high right there. I have an awesome wife who I love, super attracted to. I mean, I'm so happy to go home. I have an awesome kid, I'm awesome people in my company. I mean, I'm stacking wins every day. Just by waking up, I'm stacked wins. My success and our success is been driven, you know, really by the by the team and the and the people in place to enable it.

Welcome And Why Wellness Matters

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Welcome to Palm Harbor Local, the show about the active, outdoor, healthy lifestyle that shapes life here on Florida's Gulf Coast. I'm your host, Donnie Hathaway, and today we are joined by Chris Durm, who is a president and CEO of C2 Worldwide. And we're having a real conversation about wellness through leadership, readiness, and building systems that support people under pressure and how that mindset shapes life here in Palm Harbor, Florida. Let's dive in and meet Chris. So let's start off with like who Chris is. And one, thanks for being here, man. I appreciate it. I'm excited to record this with you. Me too. Thank you. Yeah. So let's start off with like who Chris is and your company C2 Worldwide, just kind of like an overview of what you guys do.

SPEAKER_02 1:24

C2 Worldwide is my company. We are in the corporate housing travel space. Um, we primarily service companies. We would do a lot of work with the military and the government that need lodging and some logistics solutions at scale. So we we focus on on groups more than individuals, on servicing projects and building solutions for projects that can scale, that we know are going to change, that are going to require some flexibility and and customization at the end of the day. And so that's why folks come to C2 Worldwide.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Yeah. So give us an example of someone you would work with, like a company or or the military or how it would work.

Military And Construction Housing At Scale

SPEAKER_02 2:08

Yeah, give you uh two real world examples. Um, you know, on the starting on the military side, a unit might come, will come to us or is coming to us for uh if there's a surge in a certain area or to service a particular mission, and they need, you know, everybody needs needs four walls and a roof at the end of the day. It's kind of the most important need. A lot of times basing our bases or you know, installations just don't have the housing to support surge in personnel. Yep. So they'll come to providers like us and say, we've got this many people coming. We might not know exactly what days, we might not know for how long, but we know we need they need a place to live. So we'll work with the leadership and layer in a solution. And that could be it could, you know, again, it could be whatever, whatever they need, whatever customization that requires. So if it's uh different tranches of folks and different arrival dates, if it's maintaining team integrity at a specific property, and this is you know for bigger groups that that's more if there's a hundred folks coming in, maybe they're broken down into teams of five, ten, twenty. So that might be a priority. So they'll come to they'll come to us and we'll we'll work with them and get a solution in place. And it's everything is turnkey. They show up, they're ready to focus on their mission and their work from day one. They don't have to worry about where they're gonna live, if they're gonna have clean sheets, if they're gonna be able to cook when they come home at night. We provide all that on the corporate side, very similar. Another real world example we're working through right now is uh is a project in California where it's a big, big construction crew doing a big multi-year effort. Same kind of thing. There's you know, what I've learned doing this is uh, you know, when you want to build something, it doesn't, you know, not not everybody shows up doing the exact same thing on day one. There's different different layers and different specialties and different personnel involved. So we have to plan for and accommodate for different teams showing up on different days, large groups. Again, we want to preserve team integrity. They might have you know more vehicles than people in some cases. They might you know need specific things, be that have to be close to a specific job site, et cetera, et cetera. So they it's it's a it's kind of an all-encompassing solution that they're looking for. At the end of the day, they need their people and they want their people, rightfully so, to be happy and comfortable and safe and have that home away from home. So again, they'll come to us and we'll we'll provide that. We'll work with their their leadership to plan it and then ultimately, you know, provide it at the end of the day.

Systems That Work Through Great People

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Yeah, how do you like as a as a business, like it seems like there's a lot of moving parts and a lot of flexibility in that. So I know you've talked about like systems and and preparation and stuff. Like, how do you how do you manage all those moving parts in the business and and and you know trying to make it all work? That's a great question. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:55

My uh my secret sauce uh has been surrounding myself with the right people, yeah, and uh and having the right team in place. And as hard as it is for me, and this is personal, I don't want to say flaw, but maybe that I'm working, still working to get over and been a little better with lately, is letting go and trusting the people I have in place to to do what what they need to do and let them go out and be rock stars. And I'm surrounded by rock stars right now and uh just incredibly capable, talented, just you know, a great team. And as much as I try to plan and prepare and want to see it on paper and want to ultimately want to do it my way, and that's kind of the you know, yeah, the bug that we have as entrepreneurs is we you know, we gotta have our hands on it. Yeah. Um my success and our success is has been driven, you know, really by the by the team and the and the the people in place to to enable it.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Yeah. But people that you've put in place, right? Like you, yeah, yeah. When you started the company, was it just you and like a partner, or how did you start?

SPEAKER_02 6:02

I s came in and started this company. No, with a with I brought in a team I had from another company. Okay, okay. So uh uh again, a killer team. Um and uh we I would say we very much did it together. Um, so yeah, I I really can't take any credit for any initial success, quite honestly. It's another great question. I hadn't thought I gotta make some phone calls after this and make sure to thank some people.

SPEAKER_03 6:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:28

Um, no, I guess, yeah, you know, it it really, yeah. I I I honestly have not explored this as much, but yeah, even from the beginning, you know, I've been surrounded with with some great folks. I've been surrounded with some not some great folks too, and learned some hard lessons. So it's yeah, you know, the environment I think can can influence it either way. But yeah, I mean that's that's a that's a good I gotta give that some reflection. Yeah, there you go.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

I like it. What was your previous business? Was it like similar?

SPEAKER_02 6:55

Some was similar. It was more in the in the more you know defense contracting, more strict defense contract in space. Okay. Um, and then you know, prior to that I was in the in the military, yeah, active duty, yeah.

ROTC To Iraq And The Reserves

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Okay. So let's go, let's dive into like the military experience for a little bit because I think that probably shapes a lot of like who you are as an entrepreneur, right? What first, like, why did you get into the military? Did you do that like right out of high school or college?

SPEAKER_02 7:20

Right out of college. I did I had an ROTC scholarship in college. Uh I went to the University of Richmond. You know, my dad was an FBI agent. You know, I'm very patriotic uh growing up. I still am today. Um, you know, I think they I was kind of steered into that direction. Not I don't say that in a bad way. I think I mean I think it was kind of a natural way, but um yeah, was you know, applied for the ROTC scholarship in high school, you know, kind of not really thinking much more about it, but you know, was awarded the scholarship and uh you know started my journey in college and uh and then immediately into the to the active army after after I graduated.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

What have you and obviously you're still still serving today, right? In a in a different capacity.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

Yeah, I'm in the I'm still in the an active uh member of the Army Reserves, proud member of the Army Reserves, yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

Yeah, so what is what are some things that you've learned that you've been able to implement like as a as a business owner or that you've taken with you?

SPEAKER_02 8:19

I think um not accepting mediocracy, uh not accepting um comfort even, you know, with myself, you know, I think I think one nice thing that the army did for me and does for me still is you know challenges you or at least allows you to to be challenged if you want to accept it.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:42

You know, you're not comfortable in that in a good way, in an important way. And uh, you know, I think I I learned early on, you know, I I went straight from college, you know, to my first, you know, my first training assignment, you know, where they teach you how to be an officer and then uh you know, right overseas and then right to uh to Iraq and Kuwait, you know. So my crazy flash to bang from having you know staying up Thursday night at the bar and partying to you know leading leading soldiers in war was was pretty quick.

SPEAKER_00 9:16

And um, so what was that like? I can't like I I can't even I think back to like my 20-year-old self and I'm like I can't even Yeah, me too.

SPEAKER_02 9:23

Yeah, it's like I think back about it now, and I you know when I reflect on it now, it was it was you know, I my memories are all you know positive and great, even though there were some really terrible things and and not everybody came home, all that type of stuff, which I I still am very mindful of, but you know what I think about today, and you know, as I as I live now with a family and a and a wife and a son who I who I absolutely love and you know don't want to ever spend time away from is could I even do you know how to how do you do that with a family? I mean I mean the cool thing about the military is you're you're constantly surrounded by heroes. I mean you're you're you know your peer group are top performers and you're you know you're surrounded by people that are doing things that you just constantly admire. And I didn't realize it then, but I think now you know today I'm like, man, these guys that did this with a wife and kid and a family, and you know, what were they going through? You know, I know you know I was struggling as a yeah 20-year-old, you know, just excited to be, you know, doing cool shit, right? Stuff, excuse me. Yeah. Um, how do you how do you have that same drive and energy and passion and mentality with a family back home? I mean, that you know, talk about heroes and you know, that I think about that now. It's like, holy shit, these guys, you know, it's like I'm still impressed by them 20 years later.

SPEAKER_00 10:40

Yeah. I mean, just be just being able to like put that aside and like focus on, you know, the mission or what you're doing over there, like you have to. I mean, you're just like going back to like putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, right? And being able to perform, yeah, and do what you're you know, uh what you've trained and practiced to do is like next level in that situation.

SPEAKER_02 11:03

Not just perform, but perform at a high level. Yeah. And that's um, you know, I think that's that's the point. And and I think I've I think I've taken that that with me because it it showed me, you know, what I'm capable of. It shows all of you, you know, the military. I think it shows us what we're capable of and you know what we can do, you know, especially when you think you can't do something, and then you do it. I mean, nobody thinks they, you know, can uh you know, lead lead soldiers in combat or fly a helicopter, you know, but then you do it and you're like, oh my god, I'm I I can do this. And you know, so it's it's a it's you carry that with you, you know, you get a a sense of confidence, but then you also now have to live up to that understanding, you know, the rest of your life, right? In all things, I can do it. I can't, you know, I am capable of it. It it's hard and I don't think I can do it, but I I I know I can.

SPEAKER_00 11:53

Yeah, I think there's there's levels to it, there's there's like steps to it, right? But it's like, you know, I mean, even like I go back to like starting the totally, you know, different example, right? But just starting this podcast, I had the same doubts and and stuff of starting this. I'm like, I don't mean I don't know if I can, you know, keep the conversation. Like, how is that gonna go? Like, what are we gonna talk about? All those, you know, you have all those concerns and stuff, but then you you just put yourself in those uncomfortable situations, and then you build like a little bit of confidence, and then it's like, okay, what's the next level of like let me just keep doing this, you know? And then you get a little more confidence, and then exactly. And then before you know it, you're like you're you're just confident and comfortable in those uncomfortable situations, right? Challenging yourself. It's kind of fun too.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

Yeah, it is, and and I think that it's it's it is a lot of fun, and uh, I think that's the itch that you know we we can never quite scratch because you set the bar high and then you you hit it, and then you know, oh shit. Oh, now I can I gotta set it even higher. Let me try something, you know. Yeah, but the journey I think is part of the the fun, you know, particularly in the in the this entrepreneurial game. It certainly was uh for me in the military, it was, you know, I I kind of let the just the experience wash over me, you know, in the military and and even even now still it's the it's the you know the journey more than the for me for than the end state.

SPEAKER_00 13:15

Yeah, has has that always been a mindset of yours of just like enjoying really like being present, enjoying the moment and and just kind of enjoying the journey instead of focusing on the larger goal or like the you know revenue for the business and that sort of stuff?

Travel, Discomfort, And Loving The Journey

Local Sponsor Message From Valley Bank

SPEAKER_02 13:27

I yeah, I think it has quite honestly. Where does that come from? I don't know. Uh I love to travel. I grew up traveling. My mom was a travel writer, so I uh was extraordinarily privileged and lucky to be able to travel the world with her all growing up. Yeah. And then and then, like I said, my first assignment was in Germany, and I very quickly uh, you know, did some time in the Middle East, but then from there, you know, became a foreign area officer in the army, which is a job that requires travel. So I've been all over the world, all over, you know, 50 some odd countries, a lot of them in a professional capacity, always on the go, always on the move. But I love that. And I think I love that growing up. I always appreciated kind of the you know, new environments and new things, and kind of, you know, again, kind of being a little unsure and being a little uncomfortable, and then you know, and then getting comfortable very quickly in a new space. And uh so I I I think that's you know, I've always just had that, you know, maybe from childhood, that yeah, that uh again, that bug to say, like, hey, I want to go out and kind of you know see something new and do something new. And I do, I get very lost in the moment and I let it wash over me. And um, I think that's a great thing in in a lot of ways. I think in the business context, it's not always a great thing. But I'm again, I'm trying to be a little more conscious about it's okay to set goals and it's okay to have targets and it's okay to achieve them, and that is that enough is okay. Um, how you get there maybe is a little less important.

Goal Setting Through Daily Wins

SPEAKER_00 15:02

Before we continue with today's episode, I want to take a quick moment to thank Valley Bank for supporting Palm Harbor Local. I recently moved my business banking over to Valley, and what stood out to me right away was how relationship-driven their approach is. You're not calling a hotline, you're working with real people who understand local businesses and make decisions locally. This episode is supported by Chad Britz, first vice president at Valley Bank's Countryside Branch, who works closely with individuals and business owners throughout our entire community. If this kind of local relationship-driven banking matters to you, you can learn more at www.valley.com or email Chad directly at C B R I T T S at Valley.com. Yeah, it's interesting. I, you know, I think there's yeah, the the the mindset around goals and and you know, we've we as a family and and as an individual in person, like I've done a lot of like like yearly goals and stuff, and I've heard, you know, different feedback of you know, having a a year-long goal maybe isn't the best because it's such a far goal to reach and stuff. So maybe setting short-term goals and stuff is is more beneficial. I think there's you you gotta have something something long-term like to look forward to and stuff, and then maybe like the focus is like on the present moment or like building those habits that like maybe you don't have yet, but like you know are gonna help you to achieve that five-year goal or something, and like that's the the day-to-day focus sort of aspect.

SPEAKER_02 16:24

And that's it, exactly. And that that's the structure I am trying to lean into because I am a day-to-day minded person. But if I can what I'm learning, and and you know, even in this late stage of my journey is you know, if I can stack consistent wins day to day, then all of a sudden, oh my gosh, I've hit my weekly goal. Yeah, you know, I've hit my monthly goal, hit my quarterly goal, but I don't, I don't if I look at it, you know, in the in the long term or over the horizon, I you know, I I get anxious, I'm not, I'm I'm less interested. It doesn't seem as important. Right. You know, again, which is probably a little immature of a mindset, but compensating that by, you know, just trying to be that consistent, stack those, those wins, you know, get to the gym every day, work, you know, hit this company target every day, and then yeah, they add up. Surprising sometimes, where I'm like, oh my gosh, I did it. I did it.

Authentic Leadership And Earned Trust

SPEAKER_00 17:18

I I hit a monthly goal by just doing it every day. Yeah. Well, I think that's the key, right? It's just like consistent habits over time, right? Yeah. They compound and stuff, and it's like before you know it, you're achieving more than going back to like more than you even thought you were capable of. Yeah. So let's talk about like leadership and in preparation. I know that's like important to you, and and maybe that's something you you pulled from the the military and and developed into your into your business. But like, what does leadership look like for you uh as the CEO of C2 Worldwide?

SPEAKER_02 17:49

I think leadership in general, you know, you know, especially for me, is being um being true to yourself, you know, certainly being humble, but but knowing who you are and letting that come out. So uh if you're a if you're a you know a yeller and a screamer and and high energy, that let it go. I mean, that's great. People respond to that if it's genuine and if it's real. And if it's not, you know, anybody can see right through. I mean, there's nothing I see this more in the army context, but there's nothing kind of worse than seeing somebody that isn't, you know, high, you know, cape, you know, just yelling and screaming for the sake of yelling and screaming, not because they're passionate, not because they're motivated, not because that's how they want to get their message across, because they think it's you know, they're almost playing a character.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:34

And if you're not, you know, that's okay too. If you're quiet or introverted, you can you can you can lead life. Yeah, certainly. But you have to, you have to you know kind of know who you are and be comfortable in your own skin, and then you know, let that let that come out. Because anybody that leads, any any leader is also is a good follower. I mean, and anybody that can be a good follower can be a good leader. But we all r and we all respond to the same thing, which is you know, you you know, we want to be led, right? And you want to be led by somebody that you believe in. And and so being genuine and authentic, I think, is the first step to that. Yeah. It's the only really the only step. And and again, I think the military, you know, has has you know borne that out. Anybody that's been in the military probably, you know, understands what I'm saying, because we've had all types of leaders, you know, we followed all types of leaders and we've led all types of personalities. And you know, yeah, that the one consistent, I think, is always just just you know, believing in in who you who who you're with, and that that that comes from being around genuine people.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

Yeah. Do you think there's if you work in a company or whatever and and you know there's different leadership styles like you like you talked about, can you uh it is can a can a person or individual uh adapt to different leadership styles, or do you think they are are attracted to a certain type of leader that leads in a certain way?

SPEAKER_02 19:55

No, I I think I I think the leadership style is not important. I think it as long as that leadership style is authentic. Yeah. I mean, I remember having I remember early on, you know, in a room full of uh when I was a second lieutenant, and you know, we were all taking turns doing different leadership, or you know, we were all taking turns in different leadership positions, and one of the guys got up there and he, you know, he's like, I'm John Smith. My leadership style is X, Y, Z, you know, my personality traits are that, you know, and it was like and it's like, okay, dude, if that's you know, if you're telling me that doesn't make that just because you say that's your leadership style, that doesn't make you gotta show you gotta show me. Yeah, then I'll then I'll be inspired. Yeah, then I'll want to follow you, then I'll be motivated. But right, yeah. I mean, I think, and again, I think anybody that, you know, particularly in a military context, you know, we've seen you you've been around all types, you've been around really brainy, you know, smart leaders that you would run through a wall for, and you've been around guys that'll you know get in your face and cuss you out and yell and scream, but you know, have your back and you'll run through, you know, run through wall for. But if those two tried to adapt each other's leadership style, it wouldn't, it wouldn't work. Yeah, you would know it right away. I mean, we're all human beings and we all have you know seek connection. So we, you know, if it's not genuine, it wouldn't it wouldn't fly.

SPEAKER_00 21:14

Is there a leadership style that maybe you respond better to?

SPEAKER_02 21:18

Like maybe you perform better or I think the best leaders I've the leaders I've responded, I've responded best to have been the ones that enabled my independence that were were trusting. You had to earn that trust. But once you earned it, you were you were given it, uh, which is not an easy thing to do in a leadership position. Again, and I'm I struggle with that now, you know, is letting go. Yeah, right. I trust you, and it's not an easy thing to respond to because then you know, now you're like, oh no, don't so it's on me if it failed.

SPEAKER_03 21:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:52

But I uh, you know, some of some of my best mentors and uh and leaders, maybe this is why I was attracted to them was was you know. that that trust was kind of was I don't want to say given it was earned on my part. But once it was earned, it was, it was given and then, you know, then given more and given more. And yeah, I really, and that maybe that's the entrepreneurial spirit in me too. Like, hey, just let me, let me go do my thing. I will deliver the results, but I let me do it my way.

SPEAKER_00 22:18

Yeah. I think there's like there's um I think there's value in that, right? Because then you it gives people um some freedom, like you said, to do what they want to do. But also like some accountability to like what they're doing as well. And allows them, you know, I think I I think that's valuable, right? It allows them to grow, allows them to grow into the position, grow into different roles and stuff in the company, or you know, grow into something that maybe like moves them outside of the company and they start their own thing. Right. But I think it's important to give that individual like space to learn and grow and and see what they can they can accomplish too.

SPEAKER_02 22:52

Yeah and thrive. And yeah. And I think if you're you know I want I I mean I say I can say this genuinely and truthfully and like like you say you know maybe they leave the company or maybe they but that's you know I I want everybody I'm around that I care about to thrive. And you know if that's not with me, you know that's that I would prefer it would be with me. But if that's not that's okay. And you know I have some uh you know I mentioned earlier some of my you know I started with such a great team I mean they're not with me anymore they've gone off and done their own things but we're still we're still we keep in touch I mean we're friends we keep in touch we're family it was just time for them to to go and thrive in another space and I supported that I still support it you know 100%. Luckily I have a new team to replace them that's all you know so the the you know the band-aid came off quick and the wound healed quick but yeah but yeah I mean I think that's that's part of being a secure person and a secure leader and a secure individual is you you know you want the best for yourself but you also should and want the best for other people. Yeah particularly people in your in your circle.

SPEAKER_00 23:56

Yeah and too I mean I think it like if they stay with the company then great then like the company is is better off be because of that right you know yeah and I think it forces the company or any organization to to grow and evolve organically because you want to you want to continue to attract you know if someone evolve turns into a high performer you want to continue to attract them which means okay now we as an organization need to up our game.

Custom Solutions And Constant Curveballs

SPEAKER_02 24:22

We need to get better we need to be stay attractive we need to keep them vested and interested and passionate.

SPEAKER_00 24:28

And if we don't then yeah they should go you know find that somewhere yeah I'd love that I like that so you you mentioned I think earlier on like like building solutions and stuff or or maybe that don't exist right so you have I'm sure you come up with a lot of different problems or or maybe not problems or just you know things that you haven't quite figured out yet um in in your line of work. Can you provide an example of of of something along those lines of like because I think I from afar it seems like your problems could like differ from project to project and you have to create like are you creating solutions like for each project or do like are those solutions be able to like carry it over to the next project and help the company grow as a whole I mean our best practices and you know processes carry over but yeah our our our solutions vary from project to project and and you know we rely and there's no way around this but we rely on so many external factors and moving pieces and moving parts and different personalities outside of our company that there's always an opportunity for failure and it might be something we just can't influence or control which is always the scariest part.

Overwhelm Resets That Actually Help

SPEAKER_02 25:39

So yeah I mean it's it's uh yeah there's always a new challenge it seems I mean I the one I was dealing with this morning and it seems you know it's kind of silly and probably not very exciting but you know we're we're we're supposed to start a project with uh you know 25 uh apartment units in California and um we just found out that they don't have enough parking for the folks that we have so you know what are we what we you know they they're not we can't go back to them and say you can't park right you know we got to have something yeah so we'll we'll have to work through that you know another one today also in California different project different customer we have a couple places laid on and just found out I just found out today that they don't have air conditioning and this is in Newport Beach California which for me seems like I never ran into that one. That's a new one. Yeah it doesn't every you know it's 2026 doesn't every place have you know AC yeah and you can't just go in there and put let me just put A C in these units but I or can you I mean I don't know I've never yeah can you I don't know yeah so we gotta we'll we've sort our way through that one too but yeah it's always these little little fires for that that that side of it or well that's why you have the team in place I think it kee it it keeps it exciting yeah and solving problems I think is uh you know is is I don't want to say fun but there's a maybe a catharsis to it that uh keeps the day interesting and fresh and you know and then when you solve it and you move on and at the end of the day when you you know you create something and you deliver it and somebody pays you for it I mean that's a that's the high right there. So yeah I think I enjoy you know those little challenges sometimes they they stack up and then then it's it's not a fun day but you know when it's just little ones here and there it keeps it fresh.

SPEAKER_00 27:31

Yeah I I think that's the importance of like going back to like what we were saying about just being present in in that moment and stuff and like that's a hard thing as a as a business owner and it's something I I deal with too but like when you have so much work to be done or or so many issues and problems that are that have a you know around aroused arised you know that day or that week or whatever it can become overwhelming at times right but it like being able to like focus in all right I'm just gonna do this one thing right now and focus on that and then I'll move on to the next one I think is incredible for a business owner.

SPEAKER_02 28:01

It is hard it's hard it's hard for me. Yeah and it and I've struggled with it and I still do I'm again I'm trying to be a lot more intentional with how I frame things and how I you know structure my response but you know overwhelm is a real thing.

SPEAKER_00 28:16

I mean you can suffer from overwhelm which is not anxiety and not stress and not and I know that because I've suffered from it and I've researched it and I've learned it's what do you like what do you like your default like if you're overwhelmed like what do you what what happens like what do you do? What do you I stop what I'm doing yeah and do something else.

SPEAKER_02 28:36

Yeah and it could just take a break. Yeah and because I I need to the reset for me is a task that I can accomplish that has a defined start and a defined end that I can accomplish I'll go do the dish my wife will probably think this is not true but like I'll do the dishes some days in the afternoon because it's there's a clear task there's a clear end state there's a clear goal it's quick I can you know I can accomplish something and be proud the gym lately for me has been a big one. You know I'll go even if it's 30 minutes 20 you know let me go do a bite let me just work the biceps for 20 minutes. You know start finished end I know I've done it I can feel the results so that's been very for me that's been very helpful. I've been trying to be very intentional about that. Just let me get something done that's not the related to the shit storm. Yeah that's something yeah else.

SPEAKER_00 29:36

Yeah I like that I think that's so similar right because it like I think that when this things start to stack up like your default is is to like you know I I can't do all this.

SPEAKER_02 29:45

You shut down like I you know and then again that's there's there's a science bomb I mean you're you know your brain just kind of is like uh yeah and then you freeze and you shut down and so just that little reset for me has been valuable and then I'll go back and I'll okay let's attack one at a time what's the you know and if they're all competing priorities of of equal importance I'll just pick one out of the hat. All right you know this one we'll start here.

SPEAKER_00 30:10

Yeah I like that the same thing. So I'll I've like if I'm here at the office like I'll we're close to Melus Trail right so I'll go out there and just go walk for 15 20 minutes.

SPEAKER_02 30:18

Yeah no phone anything just just that's another sign you know do the same thing in my neighborhood I've got my little walking you know I know exactly my house I started my house I know exactly where I'm walking to and walking back I know exactly how long it'll take nice and then I'll come back and I've done something yeah you know and I've and it's you know something I can be proud of. I got my heart rate up I did a little extra you know that kind of thing.

Conflict Avoidance And Hard Conversations

SPEAKER_00 30:38

So yeah I'm with you on that I like that man just keep it simple and and just find something to to focus on. Yes. Yeah so avoiding conflict or avoiding difficult situations. So myself like I'm the same way like I want I'm I'm like a people pleaser so I want everyone to to be happy and and stuff like that. So I mean early on in in real estate I've gotten better at it but it you know it was difficult to have those difficult conversations at at times like during the transaction stuff. But talk to me about your experience of of just in that same realm of you know wanting to like avoid conflict and and how have you kind of progressed past that or dealt with that in in business.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

Yeah I mean it's that's that's been a yeah definitely something I mean definitely a struggle it still is a struggle. Yeah um I think it was something you know I didn't realize fully and until the business world you know the army kind of has so many systems and structures and you know there's an ethos to it and it's you know we're all playing a part where you know conflicts kind of you know there's so many ways to out of it right you can delegate you can pull someone your office you can counsel them that there's you know you can yell at them without you know I mean that's part of the part of it too so that's another tool sometimes you can mentor them. Yeah there's so many different outs and they're but they're all there's there's kind of a structure to it all and everybody knows the playbook going in on on all sides you know in the in the real world you know that I've I've I've found that hasn't been the case and um you know conflict yeah it's just it's and I'm I'm you know still kind of thinking about how poor I am in at at this but yeah I mean I just I'm I've just being aware of it I think is is like the first key right yeah yeah yeah and you know it's hard for me to not you know want to see the best in somebody I know that's kind of naive and silly as that sounds um and so when when they're when true colors show or maybe you know divergent interest shows and instead of confronting it or dealing with it or you know having the hard conversation you know my default is to oh let me help them oh let me oh that oh that misunder it's misunderstood oh let me oh you just don't see it the right way and you know and again that sounds very silly and it's not you know it doesn't it comes from a place of immaturity it's not like you know trying to help everybody it's uh it's really you know trying to not put my you know have to deal with uncomfortable situations yeah sometimes in you know in the in the business space you know when you're the ones your company and your boss and you know every there's nobody else to turn to you you're you know there's nobody you can kick it up to and the the you know the the unfortunate part about all that is that I've hurt my business I've hurt the people around me avoiding those difficult things and you know we've gotten taken advantage of and we've lost money and we've you know we I've let the wrong people into my life my business life at least because I've you know avoided those hard moments and hard conversations or you know and it's yeah I say it's it's really just a you know guess something I'm working on. It's it's uh another great you know question and a great thing to bring up doing more reflection after this podcast but yeah I know it's still you know it's still for whatever reason just a you know a challenge for for me.

SPEAKER_00 34:02

I think it's I and I imagine like it it's always I think the way I look at it is it's kind of like you're you're exercising a a muscle right because it's like our natural state is to avoid conflict like you had you had talked about right but the more you just like get over that hump and and same thing with like we were talking about before about putting yourself in uncomfortable situations. It's kind of that that same concept in my mind of like okay like here's a difficult conversation I just need to you know just pick up the phone and and just have that conversation with them and and you know kind of figure it out. So the more that you do that right and practice that you know those difficult conversations I think the better and more comfortable and confident that you that you get at it. But it's still like the default is to like fall back on like avoid it.

SPEAKER_02 34:50

So you're actually right now I'm getting motivated because you're right. Yeah I gotta I just gotta do it more and get more you know put myself in those uncomfortable situations. But yeah I just hate for whatever reason that I just that's the I hate it. I mean and we we you know one of the one of the the the guys that that used to work with me who I who I love and he's you know he's gone now but um you know he we you know we we would always joke and if it was time to you know fire somebody or if it was time to you know deliver some bad news you know he would he would say you want me to you're gonna tell me to do it aren't you I was like well no I should do it he's like I know but you're gonna tell me to do it. So should I just do it? Yeah like okay can you just do the next time next time yeah and for years it was always next time and he was my kind of my hatchet man so to speak.

SPEAKER_00 35:36

Yeah it's interesting like all the different things you can come up with like in a in a business that you have to kind of like get past or or get better at as an as an individual and stuff to to really be a great leader.

SPEAKER_02 35:47

That's a great way to fr frame it because you're exactly right there there it there really is no delineation between your your personal individual self and how you run the business and yeah yeah you know overcoming personal challenges will help the business and vice versa yeah that's a really good way to to frame it.

SPEAKER_00 36:06

Yeah I like that all good stuff today man definitely lots of reflection too I think you know like you said like those are some good things to to kind of consider and and yeah and I like what you said you know there's there I think in the past like personal people always try to separate personal and business and and I think now like people are recognizing that it's all it's all the same.

SPEAKER_02 36:29

Yeah I mean I I I've I've see that you know it's not just the person but with my family too. I mean if you're if you're in business your family's in business with you you know that they might not ever touch the books or see the or know anything about the business but your you the anxiety or the stress the the the highs and the lows that you carry don't you know you don't you can't leave them at the door if you if you can you you know write a book and you'll yeah if you can figure that one out share the secret but yeah you know you bring it home with you good the all the everything and you know it comes out and I can't it comes out with me. I mean I try to again be very conscious and intentional about about that now but but yeah I mean I'm I'm stressed and I'll maybe be a little shorter with my son that I that I mean to be um or my or my wife and also on the other side too if it's a great day you know they're my they're you know yeah they get showered with with more extra love and affection and attention because I'm so I'm so amped up but it doesn't it doesn't there is no like black and white yeah you know break point or or if there is I haven't found it.

SPEAKER_00 37:31

No I I think you're right. I think it's just you know because same thing like it's it's it's difficult to not to bring it home or or to it's you know to shut it off from you know why you're home with the kids and stuff. Yeah. But in some ways like you you kind of have to you have to figure something out to to kind of be present be pres exactly that's exactly right.

SPEAKER_02 37:51

And that's the that's the challenge but that's the you know I think you can you know there's some tech some things you can do to to be pre and that that really is the goal you know just be you know be I can be stressed and I can have my anxiety and I can acknowledge it but let me let me pause it for now and be present with my you know my son while we play cat you know that kind of thing.

SPEAKER_00 38:14

And that took me you know for a while I I took me a long and again I still struggle with it but yeah it's always a work in progress yeah exactly yeah it is yeah I feel like that's like the overall theme of this podcast right is just to to be present and figure out ways to to to balance that in in your life because it's gonna be different for everybody.

SPEAKER_02 38:32

But that's the big that's the big win I mean at the end of the day if you know we all you know I want to make money and all that but the the wins for me are not you know I have a I have an awesome wife who I love super attracted to I mean I'm so happy to go home I have an awesome kid I'm awesome people in my company I mean I'm stacking wins every day just by waking up I'm stacked wins. Love that and so you know being mindful of that and remembering that and and you know the other stuff is and I I don't you know I don't want to down you know obviously I'm in business and you know I like that and it's important and I want to make money but it's it really is just noise and and I've accepted that and I've I've embraced that that I've already I've already won I'm already won the day you know I've already whatever else happens I've got you know I've got an I'm coming home to an awesome family you know my son I get a hero's welcome from my son every time I come home isn't that awesome it's awesome yeah yeah like how you know I love that yeah that's the you know and and again this is cliche to say but you know money can't buy that and there's a lot of people probably with a lot I mean I I know a lot of very very very rich and successful business people that don't have that and at the end of the day you know I'm maybe they're happy and maybe they're fulfilled maybe they're not but my happiness and fulfillment isn't gonna doesn't come just from the business it's the business and the money and and the success. Yeah I want that all and certainly adds to it but right um but yeah no I mean I'm stacking I'm stacking wind and I'm I'm uh again being very intentional to remind myself this every day I actually have little reminders on my phone to I was gonna ask you like what are you doing to to stay present and remind yourself of those I've been putting uh I have some alarms strategically on my phone oh cool like certain times will go off that will you know remind me what time it is and let me just take a minute whether that's maybe I'll do some air squats maybe I'll you know just step away for a minute maybe but it's like okay let's those little mini resets but but it's all kind of underpinned by just being appreciative of hey whatever else happens um I've already kind of this is I'm I'm living I'm a great life and we all are too I mean we can all remember that or be more yeah mindful of that you know it's in it's intentional though like you're like you're putting in work you put in systems to remind yourself of that right because I I don't think you just go by every day and and no I know you have to have something to remind yourself I do I at least do because I was you know again I've struggled with the you know I never knew what anxiety was until I was in business. I never you know understood what depression you know I can you know I never understood what stress was I thought I did but I never I don't think truly did when I would hear these terms growing up or you know even in my even the military you know even as a young adult I would you know I don't know what that means that sounds yeah you know what do you mean you have anxiety that's that sounds like a weakness but yeah well now I've know what that really is and yeah so I need some I need these tools and I'm I'm I need something I'm trying I'm still I'm always trying to find you know something like you said to kind of you know be ground you know just be be mindful and stay grounded and stay connected and you know the str the the all that's other stuff is going to be there waiting the stress and they so I can I'll take five minutes for myself and then I'll you know I know it's there.

SPEAKER_00 42:10

Yeah but let me have this five minutes where I'll pretend it's not yeah something that that's come up um recently kind of reminds me of that it's like if you have a if you have a worry or you're anxious about something that's happening in the future um I think my my wife told me this but it it's like you your future self will will be able to handle that. So it's like you just in that moment you're like listen it's not a problem right now but in the future I know I'm confident that I'll be able to handle that when that problem is present. You know? Yeah no I I it's like those constant reminders of whatever it is like a gratitude journal like setting alarms on your phone being intentional about the things that you're grateful for and being present and stuff I think you you have to like and you and like you said too like it's different for everybody.

Building A Personal Toolbox That Sticks

SPEAKER_02 42:56

So finding your your system whatever works for you is is the Yeah and I've tried I mean I've I've journaled I've tried journaling I've done like you know you know the meditation and some of the like you know the windows at night and what was what was happening was I was getting so anxious about having to do this oh man I gotta oh I'm running you know I'm gonna get my journal done and then it was like defeating the whole purpose. I'm I'm like banging out some journaling for the sake of journaling which is not that's not the point. So I kind of yeah the the the the the phone alarm is the last is like the l you know but that one I can wrap my head around because there's no pressure for it. Right. If it's if I'm in the middle of something and I can't you know nope I'll just hit snooze right no problem and and then it's not like a thing another thing that has to get done it's uh so it's been it's been helpful for me. And then and then yeah you know going for you know just moving. Yeah like like you said earlier you know I it you know with the you have the trail I just go but just any kind of movement oh yeah seems to just really get the wind flowing away Yeah, get the blood flowing, get the, you know, maybe the dopamine kicking in a little bit in a good in a positive way. And yes, I'm what yeah, I'm still struggling. Again, if you figure if anybody figures it out, you gotta you gotta let the rest of us know.

SPEAKER_00 44:13

No, I think that's the key. Cause it, I mean, I've read uh so I when I got into real estate, you know, one of the things I I started reading a lot more books, and then I get into like personal development books and stuff like that. And then at some point you're reading all these books, and it's like it's kind of the same message over and over again, just in a different way. Yeah. You know, it's like someone's figured out what works for them, and then they write a book about it. It's like, here's my system and here's why you should do it, and stuff. And then you, you know, so that's why I've adapted, you know, all these different things that I've learned over the years, and and same thing that you've done, right? It's just figure out what tool, what system works for you. Like you have it's it's like your your toolbox, right? And same thing in real estate. Like we have a bunch of different tools that we can use in different transactions and stuff, and personal life, same thing. Like, I have a toolbox of of different things that that I know work for me, and and just figuring out what works in in the current moment, and yeah, I think is is the key.

SPEAKER_02 45:05

It's so it's uh it's so funny. You my my wife and I, you know, she makes fun of me, and it's kind of a a you know, running joke now, but uh I've been trying to get real more uh aware of what I'm eating and nutrition and you know just taking, you know, what does it all do? And I've gone down all those rabbit holes of the bros and the the you know, you gotta do, you know, this is no, no, you gotta if you're not eating chia seeds every day, you're you know, no, it's fermented foods like trout. And it's like, I'm I'll I'm the type of person where I'll I will, yeah. That's it. You know, I'll when I you know was like got into this big uh smoothie let it, you know, and I ordered all this like lettuce and arugula, you know. My wife was like, Do you what who are you listening to? I was like, Well, this guy said that, you know, if if I mix arugula and spinach every morning and then add, you know, and it was finally like, okay, what yeah, but do you really want to live like that? Is this our life now? Yeah, we're gonna have all this, you know. I was like, no, I get, you know, so I've again had to settle into like, okay, this works for me. And well, I'm not gonna worry so much about what you know every person says is their best way. I gotta find mine.

SPEAKER_00 46:19

And there's so many different with with the internet, obviously, in social media now, like there's so many different things that are you're bombarded with and different techniques and stuff, and it's just like enough.

SPEAKER_02 46:32

I was freezing spinach leaves. I mean, I my wife's like we had so much spinach in the house at one point. I could it literally couldn't fit in the so I was like nice putting in bags in the freezer. My wife is like, What is this? What what what's going on there? What are you doing? I was like, Well, we have too much spinach, so I froze some. Yeah, it's like okay. I think I don't think this is gonna work for us.

SPEAKER_00 46:54

Yeah, yeah, that's I think that's that's important, right? Like finding something that's simple works for your lifestyle.

SPEAKER_02 47:00

Yeah, yeah. Easier said than done, but yeah, but yeah, super, super important.

Where To Find C2 Worldwide

SPEAKER_00 47:05

Yeah, I think just being okay with with working through and and trying things, failing at it, whatever. Just being okay with all that, right? So C2 Worldwide, like where can people what's the best way for people to learn more about your your company and what you guys are doing?

SPEAKER_02 47:18

C2worldLc.com is our website. Uh we're on Instagram, uh, LinkedIn.

SPEAKER_00 47:25

Nice.

SPEAKER_02 47:25

Uh I think we have a Facebook page as well. But uh, but yeah, we're we're out there. It, you know, again, it's 2026, so you can, you know, you can find pretty much just hit the Google and yeah, yeah, just like RGPT and good old fashioned Google.

SPEAKER_00 47:39

And it's worth a Google. Yeah. Nice. Well, thanks for being here, Chris. Man, that's been a lot of fun. So thank you.

SPEAKER_02 47:45

Yeah, this was great. Thank you. Cool.