Tenfold Return PART 1

We welcomed Mr. Brett Smith from the from our local high school staff to talk trades, teaching, and building up the next generation for success! Check out Part 2 of this episode next week, on September 20th, 2024!

Transcript

Welcome to this edition of the Hoel Roofing & Remodeling Podcast. Today, my special guest is Mr. Smith. He's a teacher over at the Rushville High School, and he has come down so graciously because of Mr. Cook, the newer, I believe, Mr. Cooks and a second year at principal and, came down here, they retired from New Castle.

Mr. Cook got him out of retirement, and to come down and teach construction and facility maintenance. And of course, if you watch the podcast, listen to it. We had Mr. Cook on several months ago and I said, hey, we've got to connect. And, so it's just I'm excited. And I'll give you a second, introduce yourself and just kind of I'm going to let you kind of talk about, like, you know, what you do for the school and kind of like, you've done this long time of your life, you've got some passion.

And we just, we really connected. So take a minute and service. My name is Brett Smith. Came down from New Castle. Mr. Cook is, he says, an old friend of mine we taught together for, I think, 17 years at New Castle. He was a football coach and just a high energy guy, as you probably know. And I know the kids really like him and and you know, I was leaving New Castle and he said, you know, hey, I got a spot down here I think you could fit in.

And he kind of knew what my interests are, my background. And I was there for 37 years. I started there in 86, 87, taught traditional district tech, industrial arts and and then manufacturing, and then got into vocational school and in New Castle we taught, a facility, make this class. It was it was from my perspective, it was for special, special ed kids, giving them opportunities to get work experience and get them out in the community working with quite a bit of success.

And we track the kids. So we know kind of where the successes were, where the failures were. But but the philosophy was we never sit a kid out to the public that we didn't feel confident he would be successful, because I think it's like anything, whether it's a, it's a it's a good coach, a bad coach, a good teacher, bad teacher.

If a kid has a bad experience, he doesn't want to come back for more. And so we want to put kids out there where they're going to be successful. And then, they want to they want to work, go back. And then the employers want to take more people, because if you if you send out somebody that drops the ball, you know, or creates an issue, they're kind of gun shy, especially in a small community.

Yeah. So I when I came to last year, I came to Rushville. We started the facility maintenance program. We had about 12, 15 kids, and we also started construction course, the construction course falls under what's called a CTE or career technical ed. And it's a pathways that they're always changing the diplomas that kids get. And the pathways is kind of they try to get them on the track, you know, like some kids, hey, I'm going to college.

And, you know, this doesn't mean that's what you're going to do. It's just they try to find an interest. And like, my philosophy is, I think a lot of times kids hear what their parents want them to do with the guidance counselor wants to do. I try to say, what? What's your thing? You know, and then and then just because you take that, that that trip doesn't mean that's where you're going to end up.

It kind of, you know, you can modify your goals and your, your, your, you know, interest and stuff. But so we started these classes, to try to get more interest in that pathways. And the goal is to kind of I think they're going to start trying to add some, some vocational classes. And I know that this year they added that law enforcement, the fire, rescue and the police, and also set I think it was like a media class or a, graphic graphic media or whatever through, Amy Fox, which came from Shelbyville for the same route.

She came here because of her expertise, and it's really going well. And and so the construction class, we we've kind of we've got about 65 kids in there now, which is for a school our size is pretty good. So the goal is, is to get these kids enough, you know, like orientation is something that they want to pursue further.

The goal I think initially is, is to come up with vocational school, a building trades class, here locally. Because, as you know, I mean, Russellville is going to going to grow and it has to have people, you know, local people to help do that. And hopefully, you know, we're going to spawn some interest in that and not just construction, but all the related careers, all the all the skilled trades go with electricians and plumbing, the heating, cooling, the all that stuff and the kids.

Really, I notice a big difference here. The kids at Rushville like are the kind of the kind of kids we had in in New Castle. Not all of them, but seem like some of those. And we talked about this for some of the better kids. We're we're farm kids are county kids. I don't know if it's their work ethic or whatever, but here you still got some kids want to clown around stuff, but on, on, on a, on the grander scale, the kids are really into what's going on there.

We do modeling and stuff. We start a project. We would just like you would on a normal job site in the building. You know, we used to build a house from start to finish. We do the same thing, but we do it through scale modeling. And we start with the foundations and we explain everything. We explain that new technology in that in the processes, the materials are different.

You know, back when I learned, I think we talked about this. We never use trusses for anything. We stick, frame, build everything. And now there's all these levels. These engineered materials make it so much easier. And actually quicker. Right. And so that's kind of our focus is. And Mr. Cook's been behind this a lot. Mr.. James obviously had to get on board the school board.

You know, you're you're bringing an old guy in you know, and but the problem is just not that many people are going into any teaching. Well, and, I mean, that's one thing that I really appreciated when I spoke to Mr. Cook, because, you know, this is this is 19 years ago when I graduated some date myself here a little bit, but I felt like we were so pushed to go to the university, you had to get a four year degree, you know, and fortunately my dad, he encouraged an associate's degree.

I was very fortunate. My stepmom worked at a technical college, so I got two years of free tuition and, you know, I paid for tech books, right? I paid for tech fees and books. But I got an environmental engineering degree, and here I'm running a construction company. My wife is is, I say, second in command. But we all really know the truth.

That she runs the darn place. She's got a medical assisting degree, you know? So. And there's nothing wrong with education, but I feel like we've with, and not to get on a political, political run or anything, but with the, with student loans, we've literally just just let college tuition just skyrocket. You know, where nobody says if kids had to pay cash to go to school, and I know I'm gonna get some hate for that.

However, how much cheaper would college be? And then now, like you said, like electricians, plumbers, like, I mean, my electrician, guy that I use, like, I know what he charges me per hour and holy cow, I don't know too many people making that kind of money. Oh, my. With an education. But what I like, what I loved about Mr. Cook was he's like, hey, I understand there's certain people are just going to go get a job right out of college or right out of high school, and it may be a factory job, and that's fine.

He goes. Then there's a, a part of them that's going to go in the trades or whatever, and they're still the market's going to go to college, to university, which is completely fine. But just the I mean, he does his energy like when you said that. Like it gave me a burst of energy. And he's not even in here.

You know. Oh so yeah you're right. Because honestly, you know, there's like my kids, what they wanted to do just simply requires no right credentials. Yep. And but like, I think when our first conversation, three of my most successful friends didn't spend a single day in, in college and, and they don't, you know, discount college, but it just wasn't for me.

I said, I need I what I want to do. I mean, I'm sure there's some things I could pick up, you know? But, you know how to run my business X, Y and Z. But the bottom line is, I know what I need to do. I know the vehicle, and I, I just want to get on a train because I'm in for years.

I'd watch these kids. The kids I watch go to school for four years where they're my kids friends. I'd watch them at the last day of school. They have the senior walk where they walk through the hallways and all their underclassmen, you know, send them off, you know. And I see the three different. The first one, I see the kid that knows exactly what he's going to do.

I joined the military. I'm going to Ball State. I'm going to go work as a truck driver for my uncle's company. I'm gonna go put roofs in for whole roofing or whatever. They they have it. Okay. Then you have the ones that have all the options. Well, I might go here. I might be where I'm at to think about this.

Where if I don't go to college, play baseball, you know, and he got the percentage of kids that have no clue, they have not given one thought as much as everybody tells them every day in class, they're, hey, you know, you need that's why they're pushing his pathways. They're trying to get these kids to bite into something. Okay.

But the one of the greatest things the state of the state of Indiana has done for education in recent time is outlaw outlawing the cell phones. Yeah, because if a kid's on a cell phone, it doesn't matter what you're talking about, what you're giving them, they're not interested in. And I'll give this. Mister, Mister, cook, they started this last year to cell phones.

They, you know, they said, hey, you can have in hallway at lunch. So this year when they just made it, you can only have in lunch the transition was a lot easier. There's a lot of schools that that didn't have any phone cell phone policy. And so that's a good start. And so even like this year I've noticed a difference in kids.

I mean, they're more I mean they're still kids that want to be around, but they're in what they're in to what we're doing. They want to get their hands on stuff. I was that way, you know, as a right brained learner, I had to see it do it. I didn't want to sit in my chair and and and and that's how it is, like when I start my first job, you know, four years ago, I had to be on time, and it was early.

I worked, I had worked, I had a ten minute break. I had a 30 minute lunch at a ten minute break. I drove home and did it again the next day. I wasn't on my cell phone. I wasn't like, you know, and it's hard for kids to think that's me, that the norm. But I'm I'm optimist that I think as much success as we had early on.

It's kind of early on that it's going to keep getting better. And when I have a wave sending kids, I said, here's, here's a path for you. I know this guy that he does this and but if that's something you want to pursue, I'm going to help you get there. Right? Because you've done what I ask you to do.

I'm going to do what I said I would do for you. And I think Mr. Cook and I have that same belief. And it works. I mean, it's works because I, you know, I could go back and track these kids and say, this is what we do, work. We started Unified Track this year at Rushville. I don't know if, you know, unified track is unified track is for special, special ed kids.

Okay. And at all levels. And it's nine through 12 and they get to participate in high school sports, track and field. There's five events and they participate along with General ed kids. And so they have a partner. They get it right on school bus. They get it have a we have a section read. You'll have dual meet just like everybody else.

And that's huge because what that does is it breaks down that barrier between these kids and the rest of the student body. So now they have they become friends with these kids. And they're not just because it used to be special. Ed, you walk down the hallway, it's a special ed group, you know, hallway kind of splits. And, you know, these kids are interacting their fist bump in to sit with them at lunch and they have something in common and their self-esteem.

It just builds confidence in these kids. And it's the same thing when they want to go out and work, they want to contribute, and they want to do their thing without being, you know, make fun of being ridiculed and, you know, exploit and stuff. And so that's one of the greatest things that I've ever been involved with. And when I when you go to a track meet like that, you see all these kids, you realize there's a lot of people out there that need help, that are, that are in the cracks, so to speak.

And, and, and it brings a lot of awareness to and in New Castle last year it was it was incredible. I mean the amount of support we had, and there's a lot of things about Rushville that I feel that way, like how they do the homecoming, they do it like they do it. Right. I mean, it was like and we came down when I came down and we were apart and we saw it was like, this is something you see, like in Texas, right?

You know, and the community gets together and supports it. And it made to me, I have yet to have anybody push back in anything I've asked for, you know, like I go to talk to, hey, I got this kid I would like to try, you know, like a way. I will give them a try. Well, and you know, one thing, you know, I got laughed at when I said I wanted to start a roofing company in Rushville and then, you know, oh, you can never grow so big.

And, you know, now, fortunate to have a position like Adam behind the camera right now. And he loves me. He loves the content, that kind of stuff that I know is very important for my business. But I have zero skill set for it. And it's pretty cool to know that he's a home race kid, that he's doing that kind of work right in literally three minutes from his house, you know, and, you know, and I always say this, everybody wants to complain.

All these kids suck these days. Well, now I'm gonna blame the parents. Yeah, I mean, but but, like, how many business owners are complaining? But how many business owners show up at the school? Like, I reached out to Mr. Cook, like, hey. Yeah, Mr. Arm, retired teacher connected us, and I said, yeah, let's get together.

And, you know, so I'm like, how can I help? That's how we got connected, you know? And like, that's when you'll hear us talk about about legacy around here and like, you know what? What's your legacy? I mean, like, your legacy is in print. And then how many people because you just helping place people in positions at companies.

That gives an opportunity for another person to be hired, another family affected that you never even know about. You know. And like teachers, you know, teachers are kind of like business owners, like you have a lot of opportunities to affect positive and a lot of people that may never really ever know your name or know you directly, but that opportunity that you provide, you know, and that's what I mean, that's I was excited to hear that because, I it's what it's what our community needs.

Like, I want to hire homegrown talent. Like, I get a bad rap every once in a while because we hire a lot of Hispanic labor. Well, they show up every day, right? Like they want to work like. And it's a hard argument. It's hard for some. They argue that right from your perspective, yes. And like we talked about some of the some of the, you know, the stigma.

Yeah. But you know, what is reality is reality. You can live in, in fantasy. Yeah. But you live in reality, right? Right. And so and these kids too, like, like when you say to a 15 year old kid or a 14 year old kid, you, you will never have it easier than you do right now. Yep. Oh, no.

Yeah. And then you start laying down the math for them and it and then you start, you know, when they become I said, you know, you know, in six months now you're gonna be on your own. And you see the panic in their face. But I'm like, it's like a kid that's always in trouble, you know? It's just it's so much easier.

Just follow the rules. You worked so hard at beating the rules. It just, you know, it's like the guy. It's like the guy that stays busy at work. You know? I said, you're killing two birds with one stone. You do what you're supposed to do, and the time goes by quicker when you're out looking all these ways to get out of work, you have to figure out how to get out of that mess.

And then, you know, and so, like, honestly, rush feels like it's kind of like it reminds me where I grew up. Now, times are different now. I mean, everything is different. You got to be careful what you say and, you know, and I mean, it's like I mean, you I learned real quick like who? To be careful. You know what you say because people take everything.

So I joke, I have I haven't learned that. Yeah. Well you you will but but like like Warren, you know, people, you know, people take, you know, he's he when I say he's high energy, man, he's high energy. And and some of the people like, like I've been 39 years, I've had a lot of principles. I've been through every vocation.

I mean, everybody's leadership skills are different. But I'm gonna tell you right now, I was in the military. I had good leadership. My test for leadership. If you don't have somebody driving a ship, that you're not going anywhere, man. And and you look at why like schools, you know, I mean, there's variables that like when I start New Castle, over 1600 kids in school, there's half that now.

Right? We used to have 1100 or something like that. They're down. But you know that can change. You know it's a nice problem to have when you're when you plan on growing. Yep. And I think this town's going to grow if and if you know there's business and there's jobs here, you gotta find people, you know, and the school is going to grow and things like these programs, you know, are going to help bring people with you have a strong special ed, facility that brings people in that maybe aren't happy where they're at.

If you have vocational opportunity, see, when you send all these kids down to these other vocational schools, like the law infant, they stay down there because they see the opportunity. Just like if you have a if you have building trades down or you're a builder down here said, hey, lose your best kid yet, he's staying there because but if we can create, we can.

I've got some good kids this year. I've got some really good kids that I feel really comfortable with, which I haven't said this in a long time, that I would feel comfortable having to go to work for my friends. Right. Because I'm going to put my name on that. Well, I've got guys now that call me, hey, I need a guy, you know, and I and I'll be honest, I said, for what you want, I don't have, I don't, can't give you a name.

But when I do like, I have this kid that's he wants to be like a lineman. And I know the right people just because my years a deal with him and one of the guys East Ham School three years ago is the guy that hires him. I said, I got a kid and he'll hire if he has, but he'll harm, and that's the kid doing what he's expected to do to earn that, you know, you know, label to be considered for these jobs because like you said, you can make more as an electrician, you can as a nurse, you know what I mean.

And if you like working outside, you know, it's just everybody's, you know, like I taught school because I wanted to be on the same schedule. I because I knew in May I'm ready to do something else. So that allowed me to do something else, you know, like, you know, you do you do your day day job, but you still have that candle thing that kind of take your mind off things.

Right? If you all notice that it works. Yeah. But like, honestly, I think I think you got the right guy. With Mr. Cook. I don't really know, Mr. Jamison, but I've not really. Yeah. You know, I think his his mind's in the right place. Do they want this town to grow and be successful? And, I know that they're working on things.

You know, it doesn't change you. You you basically took your whole administration to high school, right? It is a full wholesale change. But like I said, I've been around education a long time. And, I mean, I I've got a good feeling. I mean, I like it here. I've never just dreaded going to work. And I look forward to it now.

And that's if you can say that about what you do. You know that you're doing pretty good and so well. I just what I, what I hated when I was in school, I always felt like if you were a girl, you were shoved to either go do cosmetology or go do nursing. Yeah. You know, and it's like, and I tell kids this, I tell my team this, like, go do what you're supposed to do because we need you in this society being the baddest teacher that you are, more than being a handyman contractor, even though you kind of enjoy that a little bit.

But like, yeah, you're pouring in, you know, you're making a bigger impact. And, like, I had a kid leave me probably six months ago, and he came to me, he's like, hey, I think I got a better opportunity. And you tell me never to not better myself. Absolutely. Right. Like and we still he stopped by the other day at the office and and that's and that's, that's what I want, like, you know, but we gotta show these kids opportunity because, I mean, I was very fortunate, for example, say, like Michelle, remember that FFA building, Mr. Shanahan?

Like, yeah, I mean, they molded they helped mold. I had a fantastic dad. He drove beat into me hard work, work hard and be honest. Work hard, be honest. You know however, like the teachers involved and, you know, and this is no, this is no dig at the administration. When I was in school, but there was hardly any support at FFA banquet.

You guys. By major. By the freaking egg. Yeah, by the, gosh darn it, the principals, the counselors. It was like they never showed up now, right? And that's where I met Mr. Cook out, you know? So I mean, like I said, that's just, you know, there's like, what people have to realize is kids and it's hard is like, just do the right thing and then like, you, just you there's so many connections from knowing the right people of like, you know, so many people, if somebody is interested in this and you've got got an avenue that way, like Adam's been with us for three years.

He was in the freaking youth group. Him and Elly. Elly's been with me over two years now. Or with us over two years. Like I knew, right? I mean, I've known him for 15 years now, so, like, they knew us. The greatest compliment Adam ever paid me as well. You're the exact same guy I thought he always was.

So that was. That was a compliment to me that, you know, but, and, you know, just the kids doing showing up, you know, and the kids don't realize doing the little things is really what gets you in life where you need to go. Not anything, you know, big and flashy. And I mean, fortunately, you know, and also you're going to learn from good teachers and bad teachers, right?

Well, this pretty much sums it up after all this time. So this summer when I was working on my house, I had a guy come to me and I've known him for a long time. I had a son in school. I said, he said, do you really think that all the stuff you do really, really changes makes a difference?

I said, no, I know it does. Right? He goes, really? I said, yeah, he goes, give me an example. I said, So I'm building a house right now. And I said, just quickly, I can add six kids that I have had in school or former students have played a role in my house are electrician, excavator, plumber, a draftsman, another guy, framer guy.

I mean, these are all kids I had in school. Did I ever think that that would help me on my house someday, right? No, but this way it worked out. They they stayed home. Okay? They didn't go off to Indianapolis. Now some do, but there's their local. They run it. Heating cooling businesses. There's your kids. They had school kids.

The same guys were giving you crap in high school. Now grown up adults. And I said, you know what? Smartest thing I ever did? And it's and it's no different than you. And and it's not about it's that's never the intentions. No, but literally I just had this conversation with the guy yesterday. Like, when you give, it comes back tenfold and you don't even it's not the reason, the gift.

But it's like there's a young man's been helping me with some projects and I coached him in youth football. Was he close to 30 now? So I mean, freakin 18, 18 years ago, 30, 20. So I mean, so whatever it was, you know, 15 years ago, like, you know, so in small town like I go to groceries, I see people, you know, or it's a dad or mom, whether it's from coaching and, you know, all this and stuff.

But, you know, it's like you said, if you put your best foot forward, you know, and that's, you know, you don't get them all. You don't. I mean, if anybody says I get them all, you don't because some kids just, you know, but when you when you do that, you see how these kids are doing. Well, just like the biology teacher, their kid going off becoming a doctor.

But, you know, you got to start him on that path, right? And, it's it's kind of crazy, you know, it's like, you know, you think, God, you just, like, bang your head against a wall. And it's tough for now. I'm tell you, it's a lot tougher now to get to a kid, right? Because they're just there's so many distractions.

When I grew up, there were no cell phones and internet, and we had three channels on our black and white TV. Yeah, but I but I still think that there's a want from kids. You know, because I feel like sometimes I've had to be hard on some high school kids. That's worked for me, for being around me.

But it's like they respect that, you know? And they want they want somebody to care to be like, hey, man, quit. Yeah. Showing up three minutes late. Like, hold them accountable. Like nobody says it. Nobody's like, hey, man, hold me accountable, you know? But. Right. And it gets excited about. But honestly, like there's just a different level like that young man has been helped make Dylan's his name.

He used to call me coach up until the last few years. It was funny. I'm like that. I coached you a couple years, and you let me go, but I was like, you know, now he calls me by my name, but it's like it's no different to Mr. Warm, right? Like when I was a jackass teenager, I'd try to call him Steven Blair.

Warm every once. Well, by his full name, you know, just to mess with him. But now, out of respect, like you just told me last week, I was like, hey, Mr. Orme. Hey, mister. Him like, it's just. It's that respect level. You know, and he held me accountable a few times in high school. That. Right? I wasn't really excited about them.

But now I look back like, Holy cow. Like he love me. He knows. He knows what you know, what you think you know. And that's like, you know, the guys like him, though. We all have those guys. Yep. I mean, mine was Mr. Vermin, you know, and and you know, he's a guy. And, you know, you ought to be in school, chief, someday.

I said, you need to lay off the dope, because there's no way. But, you know, you start process things. And I think the biggest thing my dad always told me says, you have to know. You better than anybody else. What your interests, interests are. You know, I was attention deficit. I was this and that, you know, and, that was back when you had attention deficit disorder.

Your teacher said you run to touch a fence and run back and set back down. You know, now they pump before. Yeah. Now they want to give you medication and I did I trusted in that. And, I thought I was going to have a career in the military is what I always want to do. And I was in the military for a while, and I said, okay, that's not what I want to do.

What did you do in the military? I was in the army, but my goal was to be a pilot. Okay. My best friend went on to be a pilot, helicopter pilot, and then for 27 years. But I went to Ball State and ran track and got a taste of that, you know, like math track or the girls at Ball State.

Both. But what I'm saying is my plans changed, right? And and, don't worry, I wasn't going to ask him for questions. He gets in trouble. No, not on the radio, but but my son, same way he all he wanted to be was a doctor. He went he wanted to go to IU and he took the Mcats. And he did all that and a six hour job challenge.

He came, I said, hey, you know, I'm not I'm going to Purdue for grad school. I said, okay, which I'm like, again, I didn't say, like, you know, I didn't know Rick. I said, I thought that's what he was gonna do. He goes, you know, I changed my mind, okay? And he's he's over there at, Keystone now.

And when I told him I was coming in Rushville, he said the first thing he said was, man, they have one hell of an AG program there. And they said they have some of the most experienced, rich, rich farm ground. Yeah. And and he said he goes and he goes. So they're doing something right there. And as I found out, you know, I went to New Castle.

This is where Steve Alford went to high school. I go who's that right. It looked at me like I had three heads, but I'm just saying it so that, you know, people you know, people recognize that and that doesn't happen because it just happens. It happens because people. Well, and that's and that's one thing that as a leader, as a business owner, like it genuinely takes like our team is so huge for as small of a company that we are and some people think we're like, oh my gosh, can't believe you're that big.

And yes, that's a compliment. But you know, there is marketing people. There is, you know, production people. There's a ton of labors. You know, there's this it takes so much. So like to help rush field, grow. It makes it takes a strong, you know, school system. It takes yeah. It takes business, you know, and it actually takes small business that wants to continue to grow.

Now sometimes I feel like politicians in general, they want to focus on the company that's going to create 250 jobs instead of the company that's going to try to create 3 or 4 jobs. I get it, it's sexier, it's shinier, that kind of stuff. But at the end of the day, it takes so many people. It takes Mr. Cook's willingness to sell you to come out of retirement from New Castle.

Down here. It takes Mr. Cook to sell that. Do you, I believe, was a lady that came from Shelbyville for the graphics. Right. Well, but those three, those three employee companies turn into a thousand people, right? If it's done well and I, one of my good friends, Jeff Smiley in New Castle, he he was home grown dad on the body shop.

He took the body shop over in the 70s, grew it and developed all that. It's all gave it back to the community. Never left New Castle and he said you surround yourself by successful people who rub off on you and and there's a lot of truth to that, you know, because, you know, one person doesn't do it all. Yeah.

And one person can have an impact on that. But, it's, you know, and, you know, he talks about his failures. You know, most successful people had struggle, right? I mean, but if, if, if you say you don't your life. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And and he went through it and but he's, he's, he's standing on top now and the same.

That's the same story. Several my friends, you know, these guys are just they were driven. They had a goal. They figured out how to get there. And they repeat it, you know, and you know, some companies like they say, you know, I can make this cup as big as I want. You could probably grow your business if you want it to.

You can as a people do. But again, that comes with growing pains and stress and, and you have to have people and your biggest asset your people. Yeah. And you know, I, I heard a thing the other day, guys complain about this. His best guy wants a 20% raise. Just give it to him, because you've got to pay 20% more to get somebody his equivalent and and not, not have his, his experience, you know, and and there's a lot of people like, the guy from Virgin Airlines, that guy said, I take care of my people.

They take care of me. Right. And if they if they take ownership and I'm I kind of believe in empowerment. I think if people should all have a voice like, what? Do you take their advice? At least they have the opportunity to express their, you know, and, it kind of sounds like you're that guy. I mean, you yeah.

I mean, you've an open mind and you take suggestions, but you're ultimately the boss. But, it just you want to work for somebody that you believe in. Well, and, I mean, that's one thing that when me and Emily started this, like I said, it's it's way bigger. It's way bigger than just us. And then, you know, like, you start hiring people and then it seemed like the beginning, like, then you start hiring people with families and then you see them little ones or, you know, hey, they're running out of work to go to T-ball or whatever.

It's like there's a whole nother level of, I don't really want to say weight on your shoulders, but it's like, okay, like Adam over here, he's battling it up. You know, Johnson's got three little ones at home, you know? So, but you realize I've got mouths to feed there. Yeah, you're responsible for that. And that comes with a big that comes with a lot of pressure.

And I mean, and, you know, but I've also learned real quick and it's so hard to delegate, is like, you know, I've even said, we're getting ready. Johnson is going to continue to run the kind of the scheduling stuff I just promoted the guy to be sales, sales manager. So my wife was kind of was head of production.

I was kind of head of sales. And I said, I'm going to start letting him guys meet together without either of the owners in there, because I know the conversation is going to be different because I don't want anybody in there. Well, I think we need to answer it because of this, because Bob's sitting there like, no, like I know that they're going to have good ideas.

I love Jonathan Johnson's great. Cracks me up because he's he's so much like me. He's always got to have something going on. And he's messaging me in the other night and I responded, would you just shut your mind down for the rest of the night? He started laughing at me, you know? But I mean, yeah, you've got to have something to work for bigger than yourself.

And that is one thing about this generation or the and I don't keep up with what's gen millennials and Gen X and all that crap. I can't keep that crap up. But I do know the the younger generation that I'm hiring. They really do want to, work more for a cause and a reason. Like one time we do a lot of small business spotlights and stuff like that.

And one time Adam came back just like he was on cloud nine, and he's like, I just love to do this. And I just I was like, good. Because, like, it's it's truly like my philosophy in business is if you give enough value, like, you know, it's funny, like, I'll have people that we give value to, we go do stuff for free, like helping other small businesses, and I'll hear him badmouthing me or through the grapevine.

I was just like, and then it's always funny because it seems like the other day, somebody that took complete advantage of me and my wife six years ago, they referred a rooftop to us and like, was my feelings hurt for the way we got taken advantage of completely. Right. But I was just like, all right, it's just the good Lord.

Like, you know, don't seek revenge. And that's real easy to say and real hard not to do sometimes. But at the end of the day, you know, just pouring into people and then letting them have a voice and yeah, everyone's like, you guys say, whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah, I'm still shouting and checks here, you know, how can we how can we kind of meet in the middle, you know?

But let's talk a little bit about...

Make sure to catch part two of Tenfold Return right here next Friday, September 20th (2024).