Fly Like an Eagle Into the Franchisee Business With Steve Miller

With over 15 years as a successful franchise owner and business coach, Steve leverages his proven background to offer insider advice on whether business ownership or franchising is right for you. He shares practical tips from his own experience for evaluating if you have the qualities and mindset to be an entrepreneur or franchisee. Steve provides guidance on how to analyze your background to determine if taking the leap into business ownership or buying into an established brand is the most strategic move to align with your goals. Did you know our amazing voices can go beyond just the microphone? Yes, we have video! Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!

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GOLD NUGGETS:

(00:00) - Navigating Small Business Ownership

(06:01) - Career Paths and Life Transitions

(11:07) - Selling Calculators and Moving South

(16:49) - Career Experiences and Transitioning Into Entrepreneurship

(29:24) - Taking Calculated Risks in Sales

(33:51) - Sales Techniques and Selling Yourself

(46:05) - Fred or Fraud

(53:20) - Book Recommendations and DIY Mishaps

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Steve’s Links:

Website | https://myfranchisenavigator.com/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevemiller7/

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Books Mentioned:

The Bible

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Previous guests on The Small Business Safari include Amy Lyle, Ben Alexander, Joseph Sission, Jonathan Ellis, Brad Dell, Chris Hanks, C.T. Emerson, Chad Brown, Tracy Moore, Wayne Sherger, David Raymond, Paul Redman, Gabby Meteor, Ryan Dement, Barbara Heil Sonneck, Bryan John, Tom Defore, Rusty Clifton, Duane Johns, Beth Miller, Jason Sleeman, Andy Suggs, Chris Michel, Jon Ostenson, Tommy Breedlove, Rocky Lalvani, Amanda Griffey, Spencer Powell, Joe Perrone, David Lupberger, Duane C. Barney, Dave Moerman, Jim Ryerson, Al Mishkoff, Scott Specker, Mike Claudio and more!

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If You Loved This Episode Try These!

• “Strategery” of Building a Business, Through Brand, Consistency & Execution | Tom Reber

• What Will Homes Of The Future Be Like? - Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies | Carlos Martin

• How Jake Sapp Is Going to Create the Number One Beer in Georgia

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Have any questions or comments? Connect with me here!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Alright, we're back. I got back off the floor, Steve. Thank you so much for bringing up that traumatic experience. We're not going to talk about that anymore. Then what we were crying about.

Speaker 2: 0:09

No, we were crying about some story about you and the Philippines, but whatever.

Speaker 1: 0:14

Hey, I just got Alan back. We did smelling salts. Welcome to the small business safari where I hope guide you to avoid those traps, pitfalls and dangers that lurk when navigating the wild world of small business ownership. I'll share those gold nuggets of information and invite guests to help accelerate your ascent to that mountaintop of success. It's a jungle out there and I want to help you traverse through the levels of owning your own business that can get you bogged down and distract you from hitting your own personal and professional goals. So strap in adventure team and let's take a ride through the safari and get you to the mountaintop.

Speaker 1: 0:53

Oh, alan, we are going again. Hey, everybody, we got to get going. I hope you love that music. That music always gets me so jacked up, you know what? Because you have highs and lows in business, you know, alan, and here we are recording this one in January, and it should be a low time for me and it is. We're a little slower, first time ever in my business, for like one more week, right yeah, but I'm in the doldrums, I'm down, I mean it's over.

Speaker 1: 1:17

I mean actually I would like to kid with candy.

Speaker 1: 1:22

I had the sugar high for two years after COVID. I was riding high, I mean, you said, hey, work. And I said how high. And I was like, hey, it's going to cost this much and I believe we'll give you more money. I was like, oh my God, I'm printing money. I didn't even buy a boat. Oh, actually, I did buy a boat. So anyway, I did so, but it was great and that's the high season. But you know what? You don't build your business like that. You've got to build your business for long-term sustainability. You got to build it for that. And so that's the one thing. While I say I'm on the low, you know I'm not.

Speaker 2: 1:54

It's not just all Champagne and Caviar and Bikinis and Vegas, chris, is that what you're saying? Well, even humbled this week, well.

Speaker 1: 2:01

I'm humbled this week but, however, after we're done with this podcast, chrissy is going to be on an airplane heading to the big Vegas, going home, because it's football weekend and daddy's got to go out there and make some money back. So I'm going to take I'm going to take January Vegas owes you January's revenue and I'm going to play it. I'm going to play it all on red. Here we go. No, that's not what we'll pay it.

Speaker 2: 2:21

It'll be awesome. It would be awesome, it'd be great All your problems would be solved.

Speaker 1: 2:25

You know, every time I go out there and Vegas gets more and more buildings, I'm like you know what it's? Because people like me come out here and we win, win, win all the time. Oh, we don't do it. Oh my gosh. All right, alan, we can't do this. We can't keep talking just because it's just you and me. We have a very special guest who's here in studio with us. This is somebody that I have known about for probably 10 years and never got a chance to meet him. And then, when I told Alan who I had coming on the podcast, he went what Surprise guest. I know him. We've actually talked together, we actually cried together. We love each other. He goes okay, it wasn't that bad but it would be.

Speaker 2: 3:02

You know it actually was. He's like one of my favorite, most influential people I never see, and the first time I met him it was through networking. Somebody goes. You got to meet Steve Miller and I swear it was 10 or 15 minutes in and we both had tears streaming down our faces and I mean I'm an emotional guy but I don't cry very often and there we were two dudes in a coffee shop just letting it rip. It was good, so everybody welcome, steve Miller.

Speaker 1: 3:30

Fly like an eagle not Steve Miller band, but Steve Miller. I can help you in a business transition that's at least how I know him. But we're going to get a little more background.

Speaker 3: 3:39

Welcome, steve Well thank you for having me on the show. I appreciate it and very nice to meet you. But yes, Alan and I, I don't cry much either, but we were crying. I don't know what happened there.

Speaker 2: 3:50

It was a great conversation, oh yeah.

Speaker 1: 3:54

So, steve, as we know you today, you are a franchise consultant, and not really a franchise consultant or a broker in this true sense of the word, where all you're trying to do is catch that almighty commission and place somebody in something that's not going to work. You have an integrity behind you. That's what we know about you, but before we get into the business that you do, we want to know, kind of, where you're from and how did you get into this stuff. Did you go to school? Did you go to college? Is this something you've always wanted to do? Tell us a little bit more about your background.

Speaker 3: 4:22

Yeah, thank you for asking. First off. Married 39 years, we have two sons, 32 and 31, came home last night after a five years spent with the Air Force. They were at Ramstein Air Force base in Germany. They came home last night. God willing, they're going to start a family. Oh man, that's huge news. So he's just left. And then my older son moved back from Colorado. He had a franchise out there. I'll tell you about that later. They moved back about four years ago and we have a granddaughter with them and another one on the way. Beautiful, so it is beautiful. We're so blessed.

Speaker 1: 4:57

And, by the way, Steve brought a really nice beer. You know what? We didn't bring that up because cheers. Alan we don't do cheers as much but we got a very IPA?

Speaker 1: 5:06

I do, because that's all we do is drink while we talk. But you know what I stay? We stay between the lines. Okay, every once in a while I did have one guy tell me dude, how often do you podcast? Because I think your liver can't take it. I'm like, dude, I only do it like every other week. That's why you take pills for gout. That's funny. You should say that. So quick, gout light update, I'm back down to normal. Oh, and so now it's just a bunion. Oh, I'm really getting to know you as one.

Speaker 3: 5:30

I'm about rid of the week because of your go-to store.

Speaker 1: 5:37

Oh, my God, you know last episode, if you didn't listen, tom Reba was on and man, he was awesome. Go back find it. Go listen to that one. But Alan will tell you that one of the best things you ever did with Gita colonoscopy and what he didn't, what you didn't hear on that episode, is him chastising me and Tom for not having colonoscopies yet. So we've got to get that done. There's your PSA Get a colonoscopy. Can we go back to Steve, please?

Speaker 2: 5:58

It just really isn't as big a deal as you make it up, I know. I just want to say, if she's right, yeah it isn't.

Speaker 1: 6:04

All right. So, steve, what are you saying? You're going to get one? This is yes, I'm going to do a colonoscopy. Are you going to do it soon? I'm going to do it with the Degenerate Sanchez with slender fingers. That's exactly what she was saying. She was Sanchez, dirty, slender fingers. I'm in, yeah, doing it.

Speaker 2: 6:20

She started explaining to me what she was going to do and I'm like I really don't want to know. And she goes. Well, at least just know I have slender fingers.

Speaker 1: 6:26

You know, that's what the doctor said, you know what I'm actually do that when I'm in Vegas. Okay, going to keep moving on. Steve doesn't want to hear this. Because I asked Steve, hey, how do we get here what you do? And he led with his kids. That shows you a little bit about this integrity, this dude Number one. That is awesome that your son was in the Air Force. I'm sure you're very proud of him.

Speaker 3: 6:44

Thanks for the service. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 6:46

Yeah, that is so great, but that is awesome. So, and they're moving back here, so you get to see the grand babies, which is the true joy in life, as opposed to raising them. No doubt about it.

Speaker 3: 6:55

Right, you can, you can. We can only hope. We can only hope I could, I could, yeah.

Speaker 1: 6:59

So, yeah, the infamous daughter is in school again to be a physician assistant. And so we just had a chat where I actually had to tell her her budget because we're going to help her out a little bit while she did that, because she saved a grand total over two and a half years to go to PA school of. Is it less than a thousand? Yes, it is. So we had to put her on a budget. You said, since we you and I can't have a conversation about it, I'm going to email you with what I'm going to do and that's it. And she went good with me. I said the best conversation we ever had right here was over email. There you go. Now we know how to communicate. Yeah, all right back to Steve. Steve, what would you do? You graduate high school. You're in Ohio, that's where you're from.

Speaker 3: 7:40

Went to Bowling Green State University in. Northwest Ohio, graduated with a degree in restaurant management. And the reason was because I was awful at math and I went to a rural high school that prepared us for roasting soybeans and plowing fields and not math. And I got to college. It's like I was I was a lost ball in tall weeds when it came to math, did you?

Speaker 2: 8:04

grow up in muck country. Isn't that what they call it?

Speaker 1: 8:06

It's yeah, it is. Hey, I don't want that gold nugget to go away. Put this one, just file this one away. I was a lost ball in tall weeds.

Speaker 3: 8:15

That means so much to me I could not get through math 90. I had like two, three head of level courses. So I said what curriculum can I take that would get me through college? If I could have paid for that diploma, I would have paid for it. And so I found restaurant management and I was with a bunch of nursing students and people who were going to medical. So I took that route, didn't have to do any more math, graduated an internship with a steak and ale. Back in the day it was owned by Pillsbury.

Speaker 1: 8:44

Oh, my gosh steak and ale Is that that's not even still around anymore, I think there's a couple, there may be a couple.

Speaker 3: 8:49

It was owned by Pillsbury at the time moved to Chicago, was an assistant manager in Chicago. They moved me to Detroit, madison Heights and other country go lions and it was, and they had a deal. The manager had to deal with the lions to bring them their meals during the coaches dinner on Thursday night. They did a trade for tickets with that restaurant. So anyway, long story, I was there for about two weeks, got to experience Detroit, got to experience restaurant management for about a year and a half. I said this is not for me. I calculated with what I was, the hours I was working, with what I was being paid, which is a salary of $13,500 a year. I was check lowest paid. I was the lowest they paid employee in the restaurant for the number of hours I was working.

Speaker 3: 9:31

So I went back to Ohio. My parent, my dad, had a dry cleaning business and he wanted me to come back into the business. I was there for two weeks and it was creating so much strife within the family that I said it's not worth a relationship with my brother and my dad for me to stay here, move to Washington DC and got into a position in sales which led to meeting Betsy, my wife, and then led to a position with a company called at the time was called Baxter Trivenal Probably now I don't know how many multi-billion dollar medical product company, baxter PIL, baxter Pharmaceutical, that's part of it. They do medical products, medical distribution. It's a massive company. I was with them in DC.

Speaker 1: 10:17

So when you, you know, I think one of the things that I want to as we go through this, you know, you don't know what you're going to do, and that's why I love having these conversations about hey, where'd you come from? And Alan gets by me like, hey, we take too much time, but you don't know what you want to do a lot of times when you're 18, 19, 20. The mean one, apparently, you know Alan is. He actually is mean people. You know, you don't know this.

Speaker 2: 10:37

I see him. So now I see him after the podcast, that's right and it's actually abuse.

Speaker 1: 10:41

But no, you, you, you transition quickly. You went restaurant dry clean, not working. How'd you get to DC? Opportunity buddy happenstance.

Speaker 3: 10:49

This was in 19,. I got to DC the day Ronald Reagan was inaugurated, 1981, January of 81. Great patron, and yes. And so the government was not in the middle of a recession like Northeast Ohio or Pittsburgh or Pittsburgh or Detroit or all government is never in a recession. Bingo, I saw that, yeah, and I had a roommate who'd moved to DC. He was with Arthur Anderson, so I decided and I wanted to move south because I'm not built for cold weather and I hate it. So I moved down there, got a position selling how lucky later's in copying machines, how ironic is that that's why you're laughing.

Speaker 1: 11:27

I love that. So couldn't do two plus two, but I'm selling you a calculator. You needed TI 92. And probably.

Speaker 3: 11:35

TI 24. The calculator I was selling was a print display calculator. That was $498.

Speaker 1: 11:44

I know those things were so expensive.

Speaker 3: 11:45

No my competition was 250.

Speaker 1: 11:49

Oh, okay.

Speaker 3: 11:49

Oh, so you were selling the premium. I had to learn to sell on value, not price, because it's the raise to the bottom if you're selling on price. Oh there's a gold nugget. I sold the stew out of those things Did you really I did and got promoted to a manager. I was 23, 24. I was had sales team reporting to me. One showed up at the Russian Embassy to sell them some equipment and we had the.

Speaker 1: 12:17

FBI on our front.

Speaker 3: 12:20

It was literally at our office the next day inquiring why were you at the Russian?

Speaker 2: 12:23

Embassy, don't sell the Russians the good calculator.

Speaker 3: 12:27

Oh, this is one calculators used to be repaired. We was in technicians out to repair calculators.

Speaker 2: 12:32

Oh, so see I guys.

Speaker 1: 12:35

This is 84 82 83, right in there.

Speaker 1: 12:40

Okay, yeah, right. And then it's amazing how fast. And so, just a checkpoint a lot of people listen to this thing. For those of us to remember those days, if you're a little bit younger than Alan Because you know I am A little bit about no character, I'm older than him, not the age, it's a mileage, chris, right. Right, we are seasoned, as we know, but you know, that's just the, that's just the. How quickly technology arcs. So 81, 82, a $485 rent calculator, which probably, if you're envisioning it right now, is probably about what? Five, six inches wide and about 10 inches.

Speaker 1: 13:15

Maybe the size of your my current lab monitor.

Speaker 1: 13:18

Yeah, so 11 by 14. So it's a. It's a big calculator, mm-hmm, but you're sending people out to to do that. And at the time everybody was like, oh Wow, I put this thing in and this thing in and it comes back with the right number. Yeah, right, because I remember, uh, being trained as a kid, we had to learn our math tables. You guys already remember that and I had, of course, sister mary, margaret, saying you have to. Yeah, fingerdales still hurting and those are not my knuckles, and so they would say you know what? It's not going to happen for you. You've got to learn to do those calculations yourself. And now look at us today Right, right, I can't do, I honestly can't do nine plus eight without hitting my calculator, I mean my. My first Pavlovian response is to go right to my calculator, even though I know the number. I've been trained. I just I stop. So you're back. You're selling this stuff, but you're selling on value, not price. Right, and not to the russians, thank you.

Speaker 2: 14:12

So I I just noticed he didn't answer that he did sell to the russians.

Speaker 1: 14:17

Honestly. Uh, alan, it's so, thank you, thank you, All right, can we? Can we just say it, man? You know what? When I first started my business yeah, alan, you've heard me say this before I would sell anything to anybody at any time. I would do anything to anybody at any time, and if I could sell to the russians, I would have to think about what happened, though.

Speaker 3: 14:36

like 12 years later, the whole, the whole thing fell. All of communism fell because we sold calculators, the russians. So that's it All right, it's finally coming out, sorry.

Speaker 1: 14:47

The CIA was in. Oh, I love it. Okay, so there you go, everybody. This could be a true crime podcast. You might want to see us. We're in a great genre. If you want to hear a spy novel story, you just got to look up steve miller calculators. What do you do? All right, so you're selling, you're learning that stuff and you're feeling your oats. Come on, you're selling, you're. You became a manager early on. Yeah, yeah, let's keep rocking.

Speaker 3: 15:12

I was recruited for a medical Sales position. So that's the baxter stuff, or baxter's part of it. Baxter is it was called baxter travel all at the time. So if you go to the hospital and you're ever taking an iv fluid, it's either going to be baxter or amit. Wow, so they, they sold water. I wasn't with that division but it was a highly profitable business. Uh, I interviewed for them and I also interviewed with a division of johnson johnson called epicon, which sells Sutures and silk for the or. But it was just a boring job. I felt it was basically going and doing inventory because they had like 90 of the market. So the baxter opportunity presented itself Did that, for about it was a division.

Speaker 3: 15:53

They were starting up to the effort about two and a half years and they brought a guy in from a company I'll name, it's called us surgical and they have a reputation and it's well deserved and it's not a positive one. So they brought a guy in. He became my manager, because my manager got promoted and we did not. We did not g in ha, as they say here. So we wanted to move south. So I, because betsy's family was here in atlanta, we moved down here. Well, so you married a southern bell. She's from pittsburgh.

Speaker 1: 16:21

Oh, sorry, but she moved south, all right, so I love that. Actually, you hit on one thing why do people leave? We just talked about. This is my ceo accountability group. You don't quit your company, quit your boss. You quit the boss hole man, you're right, right and see you quit the boss hole. It's good, I like that.

Speaker 3: 16:37

Yeah, I never heard that before.

Speaker 1: 16:40

See, I'm gonna really have a big guy.

Speaker 3: 16:41

I'm taking that one All right. Awesome for me. There we go. I'm saying, I'm saying lost. So I had. I had one of those. So he um, we came down here. I interviewed through a recruiter again A division of coors they don't course company. They had a occupational health division that an audiometric and pulmonary function testing, because osha required it. So people in in areas where there were high noise levels were required to have an audiometric test annually and then implementing in a Hearing conservation program.

Speaker 1: 17:13

Right. So in in manufacturing facilities with high volume you had to go back. Yeah, and course had that. That's exactly right. We had to be checks for our ears. That's funny. Oh my god, that's like a ptsd. Yeah, I had to get my ears checked when I worked in the machine shop. That's right.

Speaker 3: 17:29

Hmm, so what would you?

Speaker 1: 17:31

say what I? I didn't know. Did we have to use your plik? What? Who's talking what mom? What hello ringing? No kidding.

Speaker 3: 17:38

But the osha demanded that and started it. So they took it from the brewery and created a vision. That did it and I was southeast territory rep for about a year and then the president of the vision said we want to promote you to a national level. You're gonna come out be a director and I was promoting move to golden colorado. I was 28 or 29. I was sitting in on board meetings with bill, joe, jeff and pete coors and the rest of the board. It was an incredible experience for a kid my age, a young, young guy my age.

Speaker 1: 18:15

You didn't think that at the time meaning kid, right. I mean, were you, were you, uh, did you had that moxie? Did you have that swagger? No, I really didn't.

Speaker 3: 18:24

I was. No, I was. In some ways I was a bit of a poser because I came across a lot more confident than I was.

Speaker 1: 18:32

Okay, but it was that most experiences for young people, I mean at 28, 29, being in the room with coors. I mean, I mean alan would probably have been beside himself and been a little uh, probably a little too much. Okay, maybe that was me Back to my corporate days.

Speaker 2: 18:49

No, I would have the total imposter syndrome in that scenario.

Speaker 1: 18:52

Yeah, oh, no, I would. What am I?

Speaker 2: 18:53

doing here? When are they gonna figure out I don't belong in here and they're gonna escort me out to the front?

Speaker 3: 18:57

and they kind of did that. Pete did Pete and he's Pete. If you're listening, you I thank you for this because he was. He's the guy that was on the coors commercials.

Speaker 3: 19:07

Like the coors, like the mountain spring water voice, good-looking guys up in the Rockies and there's snow and In the boardroom he had nothing like that. He won that guy. He is not that guy, he is a son of a gun. And he saw this young, 29 year old, and he challenged me and I didn't have all the answers. I had some of the answers but he gave me moxie and confidence. After that experience that was invaluable to me. Nice, that that's actually pretty.

Speaker 1: 19:37

Iron sharpens iron, yeah, iron, so you know. So he learned how to sell. Then he sits in the boardroom. He's got this great experience 28, 29, you're out in Colorado, but you're back here in Atlanta.

Speaker 3: 19:49

So what happened? Well, we moved there and then they that same board. About a year and a half after us being out there and having a great time skiing every weekend, they had this course key, exactly right. Club was 40 bucks a year. We got 18 lift tickets, two lessons. I'm up in the mountains every weekend skiing. Oh, this was incredible. Yeah, steve.

Speaker 1: 20:09

Yeah, it was. What are you doing back here?

Speaker 2: 20:12

Well, we got traffic, we gotta get a football team. His wife.

Speaker 1: 20:16

Oh, that's right. No, we do have the no.

Speaker 3: 20:19

No, they sold the division. They sold us biotech in ceramics so they could sell beer and focus on beer, which they subsequently sold the whole beer division. The whole company sold the miller to Uh uh Molson a few years later. So Molson Coors is what it is today. So they left us in Colorado pretty much high and dry and we didn't want to live there long term. It's a great experience but we want to be back in Atlanta. As we came back and I joined a company called Norrell Uh. A guy named Guy Milner ran. That guy was a great entrepreneur, about a billion dollar company private. I was with the health care division of that. Uh started out in franchise development with them.

Speaker 3: 21:05

And this begins this is where the franchise begins and, uh, they saw something in me that they wanted me to get some sales or some operations experience. Moving to a branch ran that for about I don't know six months.

Speaker 3: 21:18

Then they promoted me to a regional level where I was over I developed 12 offices in the southeast including the company owned and franchise operations that they owned or had franchises. And then, um, it happened again, they sold the division. So five promotions, six years, got waxed twice and we had a. What a great time to start a company when you have a one-year-old. And I came home to Betsy and I said I see, it's no security working for corporations. I've got.

Speaker 3: 21:51

I was on a plane every week for seven years, practically More than one flight, more than twice a week. I had got my million miler during that experience with delta me too. And so, but I said I don't like it. I don't feel like I am working with people. I really I had a lot. What was the term used for your boss? Boss, I had a lot of those, right, and so I said let's do something on our own. So I started up a rep group of about five different manufacturers that we represented and, um, I I'll tell you a story about that I think back I talked to someone else about this morning. I say it like you, when you're doing corporate, you stay at the marriott high at. You know the nice, nice places, right.

Speaker 1: 22:31

I do no doubt about it, if you're on the corporate ticket and you're out rolling. I was a marriott whore.

Speaker 3: 22:36

I'll say I mean.

Speaker 1: 22:37

I was gonna get as many marriott points I could and, by the way, it has paid off Because they are buying everybody, but, by the way, one of the best, actually, looking back on it. Um, if you asked me when I was traveling, would I rather stay at a ritz or a courtyard? I'm the guy who said I'd rather stay at the courtyard because if I'm traveling it's just me and it's work. I can get in and out of the courtyard really quickly. Yeah, I want my family with me ritz all day long, and I know that sounds crazy to a lot of people, but that's how good marriott's were.

Speaker 3: 23:06

They were phenomenal and I stayed at all the marriott's, so not all I should. I said a lot of marriott's. This was before even courter is around, I think around the same time they started. No, they had started about 10 years earlier. So I sold calculators to them.

Speaker 1: 23:19

It was one of my national accounts when I was at the beginning, I was selling calculators and the first, the first marriage that opened up, were here in Atlanta.

Speaker 3: 23:25

One was down by the airport and one was up here by Northside Hospital. So anyway, that's a whole other side. Yeah, I'm on, I'm on our rabbit trail. So, um, I was out. We used to pack she's the best used to pack me meals, because we would. She packed me breakfast and lunch in a cooler and then I would. No, I would breakfast and dinner and I would go out for lunch. I'd get something about your lunch time. So I'm, I've called you with. This is before cell phones, so I would call in and check in with her. And she said where are you? I said I'm in Camden, south Carolina, and, uh, how's it going? It's going good. I was like probably a month and a half into it and I said she said where you staying.

Speaker 3: 24:01

I'm at the Holly Inn the holiday at no, I'm at the Holly Inn, oh, in South Carolina. It was like $39 a night, right, not $139, like you and I were cussing, right, because you're on your own ticket now.

Speaker 1: 24:16

On my own ticket, hello. So back to the Ritz versus Courier. That's why I used to tell people that going hey, look at me I'm saving. Oh, you're such a great guy.

Speaker 1: 24:24

Right, and then I start my own business. And what am I doing? I'm like, oh, yeah, so I, yeah, I, I, I traveled to see a buddy. I'm like, hey, can I check up with you this night? I'm coming to see this guy to understand a little bit more about how to run a handyman business. So I slept with him because I'm spending money on mail. So right, I mean, because you know, I ran a $20 million operational budget and when I started my business, you know you're like 20 million, and so you're like you lose five there, you lose 10 there, and I'm talking about tens of thousands. No big deal when it's your own money, dude, every freaking dollar, every dollar made a difference, and that's the difference between us and the Coca Cola CEO. Every dollar makes sense, but you know what? Every dollar should make sense. That's the problem. I mean, that's what we're missing. Yeah, you got to pinch pennies to make millions, and you can pinch pennies and you can make millions. Watch me go, yeah.

Speaker 3: 25:17

So, but I, we had no other choice because I was 35. I don't know what. I was mid 30s. We didn't have a lot of money, we had a house, but we were mortgaged. And so you've heard, this failure was not an option, it was I was either all and I was not going to go back to corporate. I was determined. You know the pain chart on the side of the doctor's office where you got the smiley face on the left and happy on the right and you got the guy who got tears rolled out his cheek. I'm beyond that. I was just and I said I this is like I've been liberated. I am not going back to a corporate role. So I was not going to allow it. Plus, your father has a great influence on you and he's he talked to my uncle. He said he's going to go out on his own. He's going to be, he'll be done in this business within two years. Oh, don't ever tell me that, because I'm negative reinforcement. I'm going to prove you wrong.

Speaker 1: 26:15

Oh man.

Speaker 3: 26:16

And so and so thanks pops. Yeah, he was a motivator, he taught me, he gave me a work ethic as well that I still have today. So I decided you know, wrapping is good, but you don't build up again any equity in a business because you are the business like in your business. You're building up a nice little business. You can sell one day if you decide to do so. If you're a rep, you're hired gone. You don't really build up any equity. And so I'm sorry, chris, I know that hurt.

Speaker 2: 26:43

You want me to close.

Speaker 3: 26:43

that Is that too close.

Speaker 2: 26:45

I'm sorry, I don't know We'll make him another appointment with this therapist.

Speaker 1: 26:48

That's okay, go ahead, don't worry, I'll figure that out, yeah later.

Speaker 3: 26:51

So I decided I found this one product that I liked. It was a German manufactured device used for inhalation therapy and it was really cool and it was unique. It was like it wasn't the cheapest it was double the cost of the other, so that you can you can relate to that for my days of calculators. But I love the product. But they didn't need reps, but they need someone who would do distribution, and so I saw it. I thought, well, let's dabble in distribution, what the heck, let's give it a try.

Speaker 1: 27:21

So I do one thing about we've established here you actually are a risk taker. You're on the risk scale again back to the because I'm gonna I'm gonna use that happy, sad pain scale. Yeah, but from risk to safety, you're more of a risk taker or a safety guy.

Speaker 2: 27:37

Yeah, I am, and he's got this brand wide wealth of experience. Yeah, I mean. That's why this is one time going through the experience, as you listening, you're learning about this guy and what's going on Well, and I remember when I bought a franchise, you know, and I met with a consultant and then later on I met with Steve and he I mean such a difference when you have somebody with this kind of a background, because everything that came out of Steve's mouth I'm like, oh, I wish that.

Speaker 3: 28:06

I wish I had known you too, because I'm furniture stores, I recall. Let's not talk about it.

Speaker 2: 28:12

Yeah, I remember that we're gonna get a double therapy session with it was not pretty.

Speaker 1: 28:17

I know it didn't turn out well. Wait, wait, hang on, everybody, hang on, hang on. We're gonna pause for a minute. All right, we're back. I got back off the floor, Steve. Thank you so much for bringing up that traumatic experience. We're not gonna talk about that anymore. And then what?

Speaker 2: 28:29

we were crying about no we were crying about some story about you in the Philippines. But whatever, no, we're not going back there.

Speaker 1: 28:36

I just got Alan back.

Speaker 3: 28:37

We did smelling salts it was actually Indonesia, but anyway, we'll talk about that 2008.

Speaker 1: 28:42

All right, so, but I actually it seems like everything you did leading up to this did make you the quintessential franchise consultant, because you are a risk taking and then that's. I think that's hard because you know, when people talk to franchise consultants, one of those things you gotta ask is have you been there, done that? Have you taken a risk before? Do you know what risk looks like? Do you know what it means to have a one year old and not be able to figure out if you're gonna put food on the table next month? Do you notice like to have to pay people and not make any money while you're doing it?

Speaker 2: 29:13

Because that's the stuff that people just don't get when they're thinking about certain things Well and I think a lot of franchise consultants, they're just trying to match your personality with a brand. But I think Steve just has this background. He can look you in the eye and know you. You know, are your risk taker and you go. Sure, I'm a big risk taker, but because of the experiences he's had he can ask you a couple of questions and find out. Well, you think you are, but you've never done it before. Let me, let me, you know, nudge you in this direction.

Speaker 3: 29:44

There are a lot of people who are posers. They really think that they are and, quite frankly, a franchise is actually a good thing. If you're if you are risk somewhat risk, you have to take a little, take a risk. But if you're on the risk averse side, it's the. It's a better option for a lot of people to go, because it's proven, it's documented, they train, they provide support, there's network of owners. So there's something there. But what I've learned about myself over the years, chris, is that I am a lot of people want to be third, fourth or fifth, but there aren't many people that want to be first or second. I love being first or second. So explain that a little bit more. So this, the device that they were, they were bringing from Germany. They had limited distribution. It was. I had to bring in an inventory. I had to carry the inventory. My wife was the shipping and receiving department, was at our garage. I've I've all untold her. I didn't. I asked her she would help me with that.

Speaker 3: 30:44

She was she did, and so we had two babies at that time. So she was UPS guy would show up, and the the second one came out with blonde hair, and I was on the road a lot before I where did he come from?

Speaker 1: 30:54

I said I'm back to the profile. Those in podcast lined yeah, steve doesn't have any blonde hair and you know what? There's no way. Betsy cheated on him.

Speaker 3: 31:03

She used the shipping and receiving department at headquarters and the UPS driver there every day, and he was a blonde.

Speaker 1: 31:08

So I don't know but we had.

Speaker 3: 31:09

We had DNA checks and everything safe. So we're it's all good.

Speaker 1: 31:13

It's definitely my stuff Because all right, because if not, I know somebody, I got a guy for that. Good to know. Thank you for that Welcome to my business.

Speaker 3: 31:21

So what I mean by no one wants to be first. No one wanted to bring in that product and distribute it. I'll do it. No one not many people want to be the first one in line, not in line the first one in the line to try something, and I love doing that if I've. But it's a calculated risk. I have to be convinced myself that it has value, that's valuable On the flip side of that, your customer.

Speaker 2: 31:49

A lot of them don't want to be the first either, right, so you had to overcome that as well.

Speaker 3: 31:55

Yes, but remember the calculator, the 490 agent, yeah, if there's a value, which this product had it. And the delivery of the medication, which was albuterol. If you got kids who are taking albuterol inhalation therapy with a nebulizer compressor. Nebulizer is a product called PARI. It's still on the market. P-a-r-i hands down the best product in the market because it works a bit more effectively with the medication. The delivery system of the medication was far better. So I would go out and detail doctors and pharmacists and home care companies. Right when you say I go out.

Speaker 1: 32:29

let's talk about how I go out. That's cold calling. That's pulling handles. It is I mean, that's copying your sales, right there. That's it. You know, everybody thinks it's sexy, but it's still copying your sales. Pulling handles, that's I mean. Again back to how was that in your DNA to just go out there and start yanking handles and say, hey, I'm here? Let me tell you about this. It is dad in the back of his head, you know.

Speaker 3: 32:49

I thrive on that Right.

Speaker 1: 32:52

You've got to thrive on that because, honestly, alan I've talked about this that's not my, that's not my. That's not the way I built my business. I mean, in fact, about a month into it I realized I had a B2C business that I didn't know I was starting, I thought, because I had been B2B all my life, I knew manufacturing, I had been a consultant, I had been, I had been a machinist. I had never been a B2C. And I'm like, oh my god, what am I doing? So you're pulling handles and that's cold calls.

Speaker 2: 33:19

Guys, I would tell you it's hard. It is so, just for the listeners who have to do it. What's your mindset? You said you thrive on it. I mean, what are you thinking? Because you know the odds are against you, right?

Speaker 3: 33:30

Okay, what is the worst that can happen? They say no, yeah, but you don't give them the chance to say no.

Speaker 2: 33:37

See, that's the thing that's key about sales is I think we're going to buy some some calculators by the time this podcast is done.

Speaker 1: 33:43

I'm going to get a forced thing by 10 calculators For a vintage for $980. That's right, that's so I could say I have to.

Speaker 2: 33:51

I'll tell you a story about Steve. They hold their value really well, I know.

Speaker 1: 33:54

I think I'm in the trance. I'm like, oh, I must go to buy one. I must go to buy one. The Russians have it. I'm going to get it.

Speaker 3: 33:59

I'll tell you a story about a calculator, say how's called. We did on this young graph he was, I was young, I was 24. He was 22. We go to this, to the CPA's office, and they had this really, really modern, new programmable calculator and if you saw it it would be a joke by today. But it was able to do routine calculations. You could program it and do the calculations over and over again. It is sold for about I'm going by memory $550.

Speaker 3: 34:27

And this guy named with Paul DeMock, he had a great career with FedEx and we went on the. He called me. He had come out on the sales call with me and he said help us. Okay, he was young, you knew, rep. And so I went in and I made the presentation and we were sitting like you two are sitting over there and I'm in the CPA's over here, I'm sitting on one side of the table, he's on the other, and I did my presentation and I sat back and I let him process. And Then there's there's you have to be quiet because what I asked him then was Not do you want to buy it? It's, how many do you, how many do you need? And Then the first one who talks loses. They always say that right oh.

Speaker 3: 35:14

Paul he was about. I could see him opening his mouth and I literally kicked him, the shut him up so he wouldn't talk and the guy ordered five of them. But that's, there's a technique. If you're in, if you have your own business which many of your listeners do you you need to go get. If you're, particularly if you're doing B2B, because business to business is really more sales driven. B2c is more marketing driven. There is a sales, sales element, but in your business you don't have to go and do estimates and so forth. Someone's going to use your service or not. But if you're selling, if you have like a painting, french, a painting, business flooring, you name it anything at home improvements, you have got to learn how to sell and there's a, there's a skill to it.

Speaker 3: 36:01

People have this Misperception that selling is you got to twist someone's arm to do it. It's really easy if you, on the front end, find out what the customer needs and wants, what are their pain points, and you have a solution. There's no selling. But you've done a good job on the front end by identifying what that is before you go into your presentation. You target your presentation of that customer's need. Think of it as if you're a, if you're, if you do archery and you've got ten, I just try.

Speaker 3: 36:31

I've written sales training for this. You have twelve arrows in your, in your quiver and One or two is gonna hit that bull's-eye. But you don't know what the bull's-eye is if you haven't done a good job on the front end of asking the customer what is their need and what are there with their biggest pains. And then, if you've identified that properly and you have a solution, well, you just pull those two arrows out and you shoot them and you've got the solution. If you, if you're shooting, taking the shotgun approach, you are being foolish. So get some sales training. I did, I did the. I did a kind of a mashup of three different trainings I did one was the L Carnegie, which is a class that's a phenomenal one. It's still applicable today and two others, and what I wrote was Others sandler.

Speaker 3: 37:14

No, it wasn't sandler. The gentleman is no longer around. I don't even know the name of it. That was not getting bill, he was the children's a little rough.

Speaker 1: 37:23

I'm pretty sure Carnegie and sailor.

Speaker 3: 37:26

Bill isn't either he. He was these long gone, but there were three that I had that I had done or taken, and I kind of the mashup of all three of those. It nor a nice.

Speaker 1: 37:34

I wrote it for that.

Speaker 3: 37:34

So that that's we got off on track there.

Speaker 1: 37:37

No, no you actually you hit on something that's huge for, but you've got to have a sales process. You mentioned in my business I have a handyman and a remodeling business, so we do have a sale process.

Speaker 1: 37:45

Yeah, and so We've. We've had consultants in and I have a well documented sales process. But when I had my last consultant come in and talk with us, he said there are three kinds of sales. There is Dale Carnegie, there is sandler, and then there's Chris. And he's looking at me, the owner, and he says what does Chris do? He wings it.

Speaker 3: 38:05

Chris.

Speaker 1: 38:05

Chris can do it and I don't want Chris to change. He said but if you want to be like Chris and sell like Chris does and over half of what he sees, you need to follow this process. And I was like because I said, yes, you have to, absolutely, but you you just hit on it's, it's sales, and that is in almost everything I think that's in life. That is one of the things, alan, I love teaching young people about how to become entrepreneurs and and we Desperately try to teach young college people about how does not just to be entrepreneurs, but how to be successful in life. And we do it over the summers and we're gonna we're gonna keep trying, we're gonna keep putting that out there and we're gonna get people to come.

Speaker 1: 38:45

But one of the things we talk about right off the bat is you know, you got to sell yourself. You got it, you got success. Skills are foundational and that is sometimes you just got to show up. Sometimes you got to do the shit nobody else does, that's true. And then you got to always be selling yourself. And if you're not doing it in high school and in college, and then even if you're in a position right now when you think I don't need to be selling myself. Yes, you do, you have to.

Speaker 1: 39:09

And so how do you sell yourself? What are their pain points? Mm-hmm, what arrow can I pull out of my quiver and can I shoot and hit his pain point or her pain point and make that sale? And if it's your boss or if it's whatever it's the, it's the arrow that hits. And so I use the arrow in the quiver all the time with my guy. I do, I do. I use the same thing because in my business, our unique selling proposition for the trusted toolbox is that you know we're, we're background check, we're fully insured, we're a business. Go check us out on trust. They're willing to put ourselves out there. We're the highest rated handyman company out there and we got a full-time schedule. I mean, we have so many arrows that they can pull.

Speaker 3: 39:48

They got to find out what the pain points exactly right, yeah, so you're selling on price, you're selling on value, and yeah, which I have to because handyman's a commodity and definitely a cheap commodity In in the traditional sense.

Speaker 1: 40:01

Yeah, yeah, all right. So as you, as you arched into the franchise consulting. So I know, because we're running out of time, I know, but this has been incredible conversation, right.

Speaker 2: 40:13

Yeah, chris, I love listening to you talk, so.

Speaker 1: 40:17

Yeah, that was gonna get revived here in a minute Because I got the power paddles out and he might go down. I'm local.

Speaker 3: 40:23

I can always come back for another. So let's go, let's, let's fast forward then. So I, that little distribution company, that little distribution company of our garage, eight years later I sold to a public and traded company. That's, we grew to that point. So that was a great exit. No, it wasn't. And so no. So here's what happened. You remember, back in 2000 we there was a bunch of dot comms coming out. There became dot bombs, oh yeah.

Speaker 2: 40:52

I was such a good investor until they bombed yeah yeah, so I was too.

Speaker 3: 40:56

So I sold to a dot bomb and I shouldn't say it wasn't bad, it was. It was a definite learning experience. So I sold the business for 3.5 millionI Took about 300 million of that in stock, hey everybody driving, everybody do it with me.

Speaker 1: 41:16

Oh yeah, and I had to buy because everybody went three and a half million. They're like hell. Yes, I'm me up, bro. I got that all day long. I didn't my bank account, of course. By the way, everybody, if you think you're gonna take a three and a half million and put in your bank, you can make that half, actually make it 40% if you're lucky. But you took the chance when the right way by the way, we all should do this. You sell, you bore back in because you want to monetize and go, but who knew it was gonna blow up?

Speaker 3: 41:44

their currency Was their equity and I took it in stock and I had holder for a year. So in from $9 a share, I took it in stock 32 cents. That's one place you took it, so yeah, that's why I didn't you sell at 35 cent.

Speaker 3: 41:57

I go out. Hope Springs eternal, alan. So I wrote it all the way down. It was an incredible experience because I had In my faith journey and something amazing happening then. So, anyway, that was all another side story in my journey. And then I thought I thought I was gonna retire at 40. I thought I was done and God had a different plan. So I found a franchise that does garment and textile restoration. Now here's another pivot for you. Go back, but back to the dry cleaning days has been everywhere.

Speaker 3: 42:30

Back to the dry cleaning days. My dad had a dry cleaning business. This company's in dry cleaning. They do garment and textile ration restoration, mostly for house fires, mold water and it was a franchise. So we were number 22. I think they have about 130 now and I like the franchise system Going back to my days at Narell, when I was in the franchise space. So think of all these things that were flashbacking to. And we bought it with a business partner and and bought most of North Georgia and then ran that for seven years and One of them did very well with that. Exited in 2010, sold my share to a business, one of business partners. But here's what I learned for three million.

Speaker 3: 43:07

No, okay, right, I wish, yeah, so everybody. But what? What I learned from that experience is there's two ships I don't want to be on.

Speaker 2: 43:19

Partnership and a sinking ship and a sinking ship. It's not that they.

Speaker 1: 43:25

Everybody big drop. I don't know if you've ever heard that one before I don't know, but I use ship in a whole different world. But partnership and sinking ship go.

Speaker 3: 43:34

Not to say that they don't work. They didn't for me and if you do a partnership, you need to call me because I will tell you what to avoid, because you need to have that thing buttoned up tight because life happens, and when life happens you better be ready for it and have it documented by a documented operator.

Speaker 1: 43:52

We're rolling this one in 24. If you've been with us the whole time which a lot of people have, because we have gained a ton of listeners in 23, we have talked about partnerships a lot over the last two and a half years that we've been doing this, listen to that wise, sage advice and go really look into this.

Speaker 3: 44:09

We may need that Steve Check out a couple of other episodes about what partnerships can and can't be.

Speaker 1: 44:13

Because it can work. It can. Yes, we've had people on to talk about great success, but we have so many stories of how it doesn't work. Because you're not willing to talk about what the divorce looks like. Right, because it's divorce, it's marriage people.

Speaker 3: 44:27

It is marriage and it can lead to a divorce of your marriage as well, because of the stress that that can bring to your marriage. If your wife is your partner, she or he may not be involved in the business, but they should be involved in the decision about the business.

Speaker 1: 44:39

Which is why he led with. I've been married for 39 years. Because after you tell his story, you're like this lady's a saint. She's amazing. He's not Catholic, but I'm about to saint this chick because, dude, she stayed with you for 39 years. Yeah, and again, it's not always rosy. Everybody.

Speaker 2: 44:55

I was going to say to say Steve's marriage is probably a happy marriage.

Speaker 1: 44:59

Yeah, it sounds like it, it is, it's awesome. There you go. Huh, pretty cool. All right, you definitely married the right chick. We're going to have her on.

Speaker 3: 45:07

Oh, that would be cool Her sign of it. Yeah, maybe I don't want to be here for that, but I will. You know what? We'll put you in another room like that, like what was that?

Speaker 1: 45:14

What was that? What was that? What was that? What making whoopee show what was? Come on, oh, oh, come on, press. Oh, bad reference, bob you banks. Bob, you banks doing the wedding. Yeah, the marriage newly wed.

Speaker 3: 45:25

Oh, yeah, yeah we could have her answer.

Speaker 1: 45:28

Question Brings it out hey, did you like this? And Steve went. Yeah, she was my shipping and receiving consultant. She gets and she had a blast. She goes. That was the worst time of my life. All right, man, we're coming close to the end. Man, We've got about 10 minutes so we want to jump into you've helped people with franchise I do and you help people think about career transitions.

Speaker 1: 45:47

That's what this is about, right? I mean, a lot of people are taking career transitions. If you could summarize it, what's the top three best things? What are the top three worst things? What would you give advice to somebody? Okay, so let me explain who my client is my client is an acronym.

Speaker 3: 46:05

I use Fred, f, r E, d, d, d, r-e-d, and it can be anyone or all four of these, someone who's frustrated in their career but they don't quite know how to escape it or what their options are. R is someone who is readying for retirement or has retired and decided this ain't for me, I want to do something else. That's R E entrepreneurial, but they may not have had an opportunity to express that because they've been in a corporate role or otherwise. Then D is downsized. That's Fred, now entrepreneurial. I'm entrepreneurial, but I'm a better operator. I think that I am an entrepreneur, probably some of both, but it should be F-R-O-D, like owner operator instead of E. But fraud doesn't come off the tongue as well. Fred does I use Fred.

Speaker 1: 46:50

I'd say stick with Fred over fraud. Yeah, because honestly a lot of us in business are frauds. I mean we're trying hard, bros, Come on.

Speaker 2: 46:58

It could be the title of the podcast. Are you Fred?

Speaker 1: 47:01

Or are you fraud? I like that one, all right. Hey, let's keep going, fred.

Speaker 3: 47:05

I come alongside that individual and through conversation determine if self-employment is appropriate for them or not. That's a big if, because some people have no business being in business.

Speaker 2: 47:18

You'll tell them that right. Yes, See, and there's the difference with the Steve Miller plan.

Speaker 1: 47:25

Sorry about that. So little cough dump, we're back. So one of the things we led with and if you're still sticking with us, which you have to, because this has been fascinating is that as he helps people with franchises, he's the one who's going to shoot straight I've heard so many great things about. He will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear, and a lot of people people he just talked about. I'm frustrated. I'm ready to leave. I'm an entrepreneur. I've been downsized. Every one of us thinks we're the smartest guy in the room in that situation, though you may have been here, we may have had a little shot to the ego, but all of us think that we were successful and can do it anywhere, because, if I didn't hear, I can do it anywhere because it's New York. Actually, we're in Atlanta, but let's keep going Well a lot of come on.

Speaker 3: 48:14

That's a great. That was pretty funny. I got to give you that much. Well, you mentioned Scott Specker earlier. He's a client Right. He was with AC Nielsen at Coca-Cola Right and he fancied himself as being entrepreneurial. So he and Sharon, I met with him and Scott, you know Scott, he's very self-confident.

Speaker 1: 48:33

Extremely, Scott. I'm going to make him listen to this because he's going to love hearing that.

Speaker 3: 48:38

So Sharon and I Sharon and I sat down and talked and he's awesome. He wanted to open up a retail soccer and lacrosse business.

Speaker 2: 48:49

Yep.

Speaker 3: 48:49

Oh, I can only imagine what came out of your mouth when you said that, yeah, and I said I think that's a really, in a nice way, in the most diplomatic way as possible, I said you are a fool for even thinking about this. So I said just think of this business and who your competition is. And because he fancied himself in it, because he fell in love with the product and not the business, he didn't look at it really practically. So I introduced him to about five options because he was suited well suited to be self-employed. So I introduced him to five options and one of them was a painting franchise which he owns today and he said I'm not going to paint, I can't paint, I'm not interested. And Sharon said listen to him. He, I can see you doing that and being successful. He says who's who's side are you on? And she said I'm on your side. But he's right, listen to him, all you're doing is having a conversation.

Speaker 1: 49:43

Dude, he is so mimicking you. Scott. Yeah, because I make it. I actually just texted Scott and tell him this episode. When it comes out, you're going to listen. He's a good buddy of mine.

Speaker 3: 49:53

So he began to have a conversation with the franchise rep and then a first call. I have a followup call every week with most clients and every client rather and said, so how's it going? He said well painting thing. I'm having another conversation with a painting guy and then the next one. That's kind of interesting and then he warmed up to it over time. I don't know if you ever admitted that I was right, but he.

Speaker 1: 50:14

I don't know. No, actually yes, no to his credit. I mean, he's an incredible operator.

Speaker 3: 50:18

He is and.

Speaker 1: 50:19

I love admitting him and I love had met him doing the entrepreneurial thing that we do, and we're still very tight today, so it's and he and I we're going to see him.

Speaker 3: 50:28

We've got to place in Puerto Rico, we're going to, they're going to be down there and we're going to see them down there because we love to spend time with him and Sharon. So some of these clients become friends. They don't. They're not my enemies or my friends because I set him up to hopefully succeed. Anyway, he got rookie the year, franchise the year. He's got a multimillion dollar business. Today he is killing it. Yeah, but I have been blessed with a gift of discernment. It's a gift of mine, it's a spiritual gift of mine, cause I can see situation like you. I can see things that some people, a lot of people, can't see like that, but that's got to be from your background, right?

Speaker 1: 51:01

I mean, look at Harley. I mean your experiences, right. You've been from Ohio to DC, to Atlanta, to Colorado and back, and so, while that's not the entire world, the world you were in and the business side has been amazing. I mean, in fact, how many different industries you were in and doing things gives you a breath of knowledge. I know everybody listened to this. You're thinking, boy, I really need this sage advice, and you do. But you know what? He's in really short demand because he's thinking about saying I'm done because we asked him right before we got started. Hey, how can we push you out? Let's tell everybody he goes. Well, I'm pretty, I'm pretty tight on who I want. So you know, if you want to, you reach out to me first and then I'll kick it back to him. But Steve, how?

Speaker 3: 51:48

do people get in touch with you? Well, they can go to my website, which is my franchise, navigatorcom. I think that that is it, but I work almost exclusively on referral now. So if your listeners want to engage, go to the website or they can email me at Steve Miller Coach at gmailcom and my number is 404-787-5897. If you contact me by phone, text me, because I don't answer. 90% of the calls that come in 10-4.

Speaker 1: 52:22

All right, you heard it all. Everybody Listen. This guy doesn't come around much and you're going to get somebody that you absolutely 100% want to get in touch with If you're thinking about starting a business and you want to get a franchise background and you want to figure out are you the right person to do this or are you the right person to do that. You got to find this guy, but you got to use a small business safari as a reference because he may not talk to you.

Speaker 2: 52:46

And actually he's like Yoda.

Speaker 1: 52:48

He's like Yoda and you got to go find him on that planet At the end of the show I'm going to say you want to use Alan Wyatt, which Alan has been my co-host and loves listening to me talk all the time, but if you want to buy a property in Atlanta, you got to go with Alan, right? So I'm pushing everybody except me, all right. So we got to get this thing wrapped up, because you guys are driving around, you're probably in between appointments doing this thing, doing this thing, doing that thing. You got to make it happen, man, january 2024,. We got to make this shit happen, let's make it go, all right. But now we got to ask those final four questions. Steve Yoda, what is a book you would? You would you reference to her? What is a book you would prefer to our customers and not customers, I mean your listeners? Oh yeah, listeners.

Speaker 3: 53:33

Sorry, there's a lot of sage advice to one of the oldest books I know of, which is the Bible. There's a tremendous amount in Proverbs and otherwise, so I would spend time in there. Good book, original book, let's make it happen.

Speaker 2: 53:44

I tell you what there is a lot of business application in Proverbs. Oh yeah, isn't there? There's amazing.

Speaker 3: 53:49

And Paul was a tent maker.

Speaker 2: 53:51

That's right.

Speaker 3: 53:52

He wrote two thirds of the New Testament, so he's got a lot of. There's a lot of business stuff in there. And then there's a organization that would like people to pick up the book for called During School Hours. During School Hours by Joel Penn. Just take check that one out as well. It's an organization. I'm semi-working. As I've said, I'm semi-working and I'm semi-volunteering. I'm volunteering with that organization. It's called LifeWise Academy. It's a phenomenal book.

Speaker 1: 54:17

So those two Nice, those are awesome. That's the reason I was stumbling over myself, because actually I saw the preview and he said the Bible and I was. I was stumbling on that one because that's a big reference, everybody you know, and we're not trying to be a religious show, but you know everyone's fine, you got to think about it. If you're not there, you're not there. You got to make it happen. So let's go to number two. You ready? Yeah B, it's question B. What's the favorite feature?

Speaker 3: 54:45

of your own. Oh, you're throwing me off here. I wasn't ready for this one. The favorite feature of my home is probably our new kitchen. Oh, I don't cook. Betsy is an incredible cook, so she is a match made in heaven. She loves to cook. I love to eat. The stuff she prepares in that kitchen for us to eat is amazing. So I would say the kitchen.

Speaker 2: 55:07

So what was it about the kitchen that made Betsy happy?

Speaker 3: 55:10

Oh Lord, the lighting, the new appliances, the refrigerator, but just we also opened it up into the living space. Because she loves to be social, she loves to, she's got to get for hospitality and she can be. While she's in the kitchen preparing, she can talk. It was that wasn't that way before, but it opened things up.

Speaker 1: 55:32

So I'm just going to call it out right now. You got a restaurant management degree. The first thing we said in your kitchen was lighting. So he's wrong. It's food, man. It's food I'm going to tell you, bro, come on, betsy loves to cook. It's food, bro, come on. All right, we're going to keep moving on.

Speaker 3: 55:52

I'm not ready. You told me one question, you didn't give me the answer. There's four.

Speaker 1: 55:56

There's four. We've got to keep going.

Speaker 3: 55:57

You ready?

Speaker 1: 55:58

All right, we're going through another curveball when you're out near the customer. What is a customer service pet peeve of yours and the reason we're interested in this because we are customer service freaks. Hello.

Speaker 3: 56:09

All right, I had an experience with this just yesterday.

Speaker 3: 56:13

Someone I had met through a networking organization made a presentation about an insurance program insurance policy and when you're my age, you become worried, a little more concerned about nursing home or assisted living or whatever.

Speaker 3: 56:28

So there was supposedly a product that she offered that was available to me to talk about. That she had no clue about what she was talking about. She listened to me for about two minutes and then dove into these options and I'll quote this for you right now and I said, okay, you go talk to the person who trained you, because I don't have time for this right now, and then come back to me with a solution and a proposal, because my time is valuable. And I didn't say this, but really had no clue what she was talking about. So that's, if you're coming across as an expert as particularly something as important as in remodeling real estate, those are big deals and insurance is a big deal, because if I have a situation where I need it, I'm going to rely upon the person that sold me the right policy and as an advisor, just like I am with my clients, you need to know your stuff. So I think that's probably my second one.

Speaker 1: 57:23

You're right, People selling got to know your stuff. You've got it and he keeps saying stuff. So I'm going to say stuff, but anyway, I'm trying to keep it easy because I know that he did just say the Bible. He referenced the Bible, but I've referenced the Bible before, alan. I mean I've referenced the Bible with a whole different thing, by the way, my words were not explicitly wrong in the Bible, but it will keep going. All right, my goodness, Steve.

Speaker 2: 57:48

I got a story to tell you offline about.

Speaker 1: 57:49

Okay.

Speaker 3: 57:49

All right, we'll talk.

Speaker 1: 57:52

We want a DIY nightmare story, not a contractor nightmare, something you screw around.

Speaker 3: 57:56

Oh, good Lord we love fire, dismemberment All right, perhaps I've got it. I've got a somewhat.

Speaker 1: 58:05

Which, by the way, I've done all.

Speaker 3: 58:08

So what I have learned about myself is, when it comes to fixing things, the best tool in my toolbox is my checkbook. So I was putting in a light above the sink in our bathroom and I was on a ladder you know one of those little ladders that you know it's a, probably two steps. It's a little metal thing. It's got this little clip hanging out of it. You open and close it with that clip. So I'm up there, what, what in this light fixture in and I had, I was torquing it because it was hard to get it and that tag on thing flipped out of that ladder, flipped out from under me, that little stool, and that little clip caught my leg in. It, just opened my leg up. It must have been a, it was probably a four inch gash and I just I said I was upstairs and when I call bet say she knows.

Speaker 3: 59:03

She came running up. She said what's wrong? I said look at that, I cut myself. You cut no, you flayed yourself more, like it, and I would not go to the hospital. I said I'm not a leg model, I'm not going to be short leg, come on. Come on, tough guy. And what am I going to say when I get there? You fell off of a one foot ladder. Come on, tough guy. So I said I'm not going to the hospital. So I hit myself up. My leg has a nice scar to remind me. When I want to try to do something on myself by myself, I'm calling the trust toolbox. I'm not going to do it myself. You know you should.

Speaker 1: 59:34

However, I'm going to give you mafioso credit is that you wouldn't go to the hospital. I'm not going for this little thing. You know, it's just a flesh one. Hey, you guys shot, it's okay, we're not bringing it. So I love that. I love that about you. He might be Italian, I don't know. Steve Miller from Ohio, I mean my last name is La Rainia.

Speaker 1: 59:51

Yeah, it might be All right. So if you didn't learn something, that's on you, because Miller just took us through the world, mrs Fly, like an eagle. Steve Miller franchise consultant. He actually doesn't even want to talk to you. No, I'm kidding, he does want to talk to you. He wants to hear about you and your stories, but you got to talk to him about how you found him, because he only talks to a certain subset of people and we are those people.

Speaker 3: 1:00:15

You are my word.

Speaker 1: 1:00:16

We're a subset, we're that people. All right, everybody, hey, thanks for hanging with us today. It was a good time. We're going to see you next week when, next time, on the small business fire, we're going to rock it out, we're going to make it happen, we're going to get you up that mountain top of success. We're out of here, let's make it happen. All the way in a few minutes.