Sam Gorden: Transitioning from Classroom to Camera – Embracing Change, Overcoming Doubts, and Discovering Purpose

Ever wondered what it takes to leap from the structured life of a math teacher to the dynamic world of real estate media? In our latest episode of "Keep This In Mind," Sam Gorden reveals his captivating journey from the classroom to becoming a multimedia specialist. You'll hear Sam's honest account of the challenges and fears he encountered, and how his mathematical background and teaching experience have been invaluable in his new career. This episode promises to inspire anyone contemplating a major career shift and showcases the incredible power of mindset in overcoming life's hurdles.

Balancing flexibility and scalability when shifting careers can be a tightrope walk. Sam opens up about the sacrifices and rewards that come with such a transition, including the joy of spending more time with family at the cost of a reliable income. Learn about the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and the need for transparency, especially when communicating with loved ones about the realities of work-life balance. Sam also shares how he handles external opinions and social dynamics while staying committed to his path, underscoring the necessity of perseverance even in the face of ongoing doubts.

Finally, this episode explores the profound concept of discovering one's purpose and the growth that follows. Sam talks about the pivotal moments that validated his decision to change careers and the importance of positive relationships in maintaining clarity and motivation. As we look to the future, we discuss scaling a business and the potential for creating opportunities for others. Don't miss our closing thoughts on transforming knowledge into action, a crucial takeaway for anyone aiming for both personal and professional development. Tune in and learn how "applied knowledge is power" can be your mantra for success.

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:02

Hello there, I'm David A Specht and I want to be your coach. If there's anything that I've learned in my 30 plus years of leadership and coaching, I have learned that mindset is everything. Join me and my guests as we explore the positives and negatives of that thing between our ears. This is Keep this In Mind and negatives of that thing between our ears. This is Keep this In Mind. Welcome to Keep this In Mind. Brought to you by davidaspectcom. And, of course, I am David A Spect and today's show. It's going to be a little bit different folks, because usually I bring in a guest that I've either heard speak or have crossed paths with in a different way. But my friend, sam here.

Speaker 1 0:50

Sam Gordon and I met at a conference and during that conference we happened to be sitting close to each other and we just kind of struck up a conversation. Sam is a well, you could call him a photographer, you could call him a multimedia specialist. You could call him a photographer, you could call him a multimedia specialist, you could call him a drone pilot. But all of those things have come together for sam and he helps in the real estate business primarily, but he, when you see those cool drone videos of a new house that's for sale and then and then the the great work that that shows the the inside of a home that you're interested in. Someone like sam is the person who has done that. It's not some Joe Blow on his cell phone trying to do this thing. It's an actual professional who has honed his craft.

Speaker 1 1:33

But that's not the whole story. You see, during the course of our conversation, sam told me that he had only been doing it for a few years because he had actually started his life in a different career and right around 2022 timeframe. For a few years, because he had actually started his life in a different career and right around 2022 timeframe, he decided to make a major shift and a major pivot in his life. So, sam, welcome to the show. Glad to have you on. Keep this In Mind. But I would really like to hear the story. Right when I decided what I wanted to be when I grow up was this one thing, but then you found another love and decided to pivot that. Could you tell all of us, myself included, and refresh my memory on what it looked like? Where did you go from this is what I'm doing now to not wanting to do it anymore to doing what you really do now.

Speaker 2 2:23

Right, yeah, for sure. Thanks for having me on, david. Um, you know, I've been, I've been following you even before we met at that event and, uh, you know just the mindset perspective that that you bring is really cool, um, and it's kind of helped me, uh, along even before we met, so so I appreciate that. But it's, uh, it's it's weird how it all works, and I was actually telling this story to someone this morning. Um, I've been doing this media thing for about two years a little longer and, uh, I was in the education world, um, primarily teaching math, kind of taught a couple of different subjects along the way.

Speaker 2 3:02

I kind of taught a couple different subjects along the way and you know, even before I made the jump into education, I said I'm not doing this forever. I don't know what it'll be, but you know my math background, you know numbers related, so it was something along with business. I didn't know if that was going to be owning my own or helping other people, you know, whatever the case may be, but, yeah, I ventured into the media world and the plan was actually to go part-time with it and you know I had that safety net still of the education, you know, guaranteed paycheck, whatever you want to call it, two young kids, you know a wife, and so that was all fresh in my, you know, perspective, to to put food on the table and provide for my family. So it was like, well, maybe I could just have this side gig and see what happens. Um, so I, I I'm a loyal person as it is.

Speaker 2 4:02

So I actually started in March, finished the school year because I wasn't going to, you know, quit, you know a few months left in the school year and then, like you said, you know I got to a point, to where I said if I'm going to do this, I need to give it a fair shot. You know, making that jump was very scary, you know, for the human mind. I think all of us like some sort of safety or comfort zone. But you know it was like if I'm going to, if I'm going to give this a fair shot, then I need to give it a fair shot and see what happens. And so I resigned in the education space and went full time with with it about this time two years ago. And you know it's been a great experience so far and you know, just helping people showcase their homes, like you said, primarily in real estate, has been really neat.

Speaker 1 5:00

So I want to kind of turn the clock back just a hair, because math teacher and photography slash media are like diametrically opposed. It's like you're using your brain here. You were like using one side for one part of a career and now you're over on this other side. Other side do you treat what you do as more of an art or a science when it comes to the actual vocation of media?

Speaker 2 5:35

So interesting question. Can I say both. I know you gave me options. I know you gave me options, but it is funny because I mean, yes, I take photos and there's an art to it and understanding composition and you know, having an eye and placing things and all of that you know from the science perspective. I mean you can go math, you get the right angles and all that stuff. But I think one thing you know and having conversation with with a couple people that I try to keep in mind is I use my education background to help you know.

Speaker 2 6:14

Again, primarily, real estate agents repurpose content or you know, it's a weird perspective because, yes, you want to sell this home that I'm taking pictures of today, but how do we use this to win future listings? Or how do we gain more business based on the content that we already have? I'm educating them in that world of yes, let's sell this one, but let's springboard it into multiple business down the road. And here are some ways that we can do that. And it's funny because I do it every day and the more conversations I have, the more I realize people don't know what I know and so I need to quit jumping to conclusions thinking that, yeah, you just post it on social media and do this, that or the other. You know what I'm talking about.

Speaker 2 7:12

And then, funny story, I said that one time and then five minutes later I realized they didn't know what I was talking about. But they don't do it every day like I do and I don't sell homes every day like they do. So it was, it was a good partnership and that's kind of the view that I take. I mean, yeah, I'm a vendor, but I'm an extension of their team and you know, like I said at the beginning, I'm loyal. So, you know, once I build that relationship, they know that they can count on me. I'll fit them in if I, you know, if I can, and I'll make it work any way that I can.

Speaker 1 7:52

That is awesome. I mean really and truly. That's the way we all want it to be right that whoever we partner up with financially, vocationally, whatever acts like that they're part of who we are and that our goals are as equally important to them as their goals are that our goals are as equally important to them as their goals are.

Speaker 1 8:07

One of the things I've got a question for and I'm going to try to word it just right. But, as you were, you said something real early that just really stuck with me and he's like you said. I went into education knowing this wasn't where I was going to stay forever. Can you speak to that mindset, because so many people, I think, get trapped. They get trapped in whatever it was they came out of college for. You know, oh, I've got a mountain of debt over here for a degree, but I really don't love what I'm doing and I don't know that it. Talk about how you got okay with the idea that this wasn't forever.

Speaker 2 8:50

Yeah, for sure. And again, it's not to use the same phrase, but it's funny you mentioned that because I had that conversation with my mother-in-law earlier honestly. And you know, with my mother-in-law earlier honestly and, uh, you know, I mean the school system was great and it wasn't anything against that, um, but it was really just I knew, you know, kind of going from my childhood to you know, now being a dad and a husband, you know, and providing for the family.

Speaker 2 9:22

Like I mentioned earlier, you know it was. It comes down to flexibility and scalability. For me and again, nothing against the school system, but now that my kids are getting older and they're more involved and my son will start kindergarten this fall, I want to have the option to volunteer for field day, or I want to have the option to volunteer for field day, or I want to have the option to go on a field trip, or you know, things like that, and not that I didn't have that option. It just became more difficult to kind of take off. And now that I've made that jump and I control my own schedule, I have that flexibility. I have that flexibility, um, you know so. So that's the thing you know.

Speaker 2 10:05

When you know and you and I've talked before it's, you know, people kind of flirt with the line of making the jump, like I did. Um, you know you, you gotta figure out what's your purpose and and the mindset of why you would want to make the jump and not get strapped. Because you know, especially in the education world and probably in a lot of different industries, you hear people all the time say, well, I got 22 years in. I got to get to 25 or 30, so I might as well stick it out.

Finding Balance

Speaker 2 10:35

You know, and honestly I heard that so much that that was another contributing factor of I'm not going to let myself get to that point of being miserable, because then it affects me, but it affects my wife, my kids, the people around me, you, and so it just got to a point to where I was like I got to make this jump and if it fails, it fails and I'll pivot and I'll go do something else. But I've got to at least give it a fair shot, like I said earlier, to really, you know, see what's going to happen and let that mindset of. I want the flexibility to spend more time with my kids and I want the scalability to where, if I'm a driven person who works hard, I get to control that and I get rewarded for it. If I want to take off and go to the beach, then that's a sacrifice that I make as well. I don't necessarily have that safety net of income because I took off, but I wanted to be able to control those two factors of scalability and flexibility.

Speaker 1 11:52

That's good and I like how you've balanced it right. You're like I'm in control, I'm flexible, but I'm not optional 'm. I'm I'm able to do, but I know that there's a cost involved. If I go to the beach, then those are days that I can't work, you know. But I can work extra over here. So when somebody goes to make a pivot like this, a major move in their life and you know I don't know your age, but you're you're not a, you know you're not advanced in your age, but I would say that there was probably you had those that supported you and those that detracted, those that thought you were on the right path and, man, they were just super proud that you're willing to take this risk. And there were probably others that were just like you're nuts. I don't know why you're doing this. I mean really Real estate photography. You're really going to make a living out of that. I mean kind of talk about what it was like the outside voices and how you were able to keep your inside voice committed to the decision you were making.

Speaker 2 13:00

Sure, yeah, you know, I mean, like I said it and I tell everybody, it's the flexibility and scalability. Um, you know not to use the same answer for a different question, but you know, yes, we have to make money and I, you know, I have to provide and I have, you know, buy things for my kids and take them on trips and whatever. But for me, the, the flexibility of getting to spend time with them, is way is worth way more than me going to take pictures or do a video or fly the drone or whatever the case may be. Um, you know, and so, honestly, that's the forefront of my mindset every day and I have those conversations with my kids and I'm open and honest and transparent with them. And they're five and my daughter will be seven soon.

Speaker 2 13:57

You know to where it's, like like we're leaving for the beach and I'm actually flying back early because I haven't built the business enough to have a team yet. So I'm flying back and they're staying at the beach. So that's a sacrifice, but it's a trade-off, you know, and I jokingly say like, yeah, daddy's got to come back so that he can work, so that he can pay for y'all to stay at the beach. Yeah, obviously joking, but you know it's. But it's that mindset of, or, to steal the phrase, work hard, play hard. I'm going to go spend time with my family, but I'm also going to sacrifice time away from my family. Knowing bigger picture, what's down the road? I mean, if you would ask me five years ago, are you going to take pictures? Like you said, math and photos don't usually correlate. I don't know what five years from now looks like, but I'm, I'm working now to set myself up, to diversify, you know, and and surround myself with, with people. And it's funny.

Speaker 2 15:01

When you first asked this question, one of the things that came to mind was you know how do you keep the people in your circle? And you know the haters, necessarily, you know, uh, out of your circle and it's crazy, just thinking back and just a small window of time, how seasons of life change. And you know people that you're really close to that you think are are there, you know and come more like family than friends, and you know now they're not in your life and you have a different circle that you're running with and you know they're impacting you in a different way, and so that that's kind of what comes to mind when you first asked. That is just the mindset of constantly knowing the direction that I want to go for me and my family specifically. Not even business, you know, but just big picture of having more flexibility, you know, or growing a team and impacting other people because of the opportunities that I might provide through the media world or whatever the future may help.

Speaker 1 16:15

So let's go back two years. You've made the decision. You're going full time. Did you ever hit moments of doubt after you made the decision, like what was I thinking, or did it everything kind of fall into place for you?

Discovering Your Purpose and Growth

Speaker 2 16:35

I mean, we're two years in and I still have moments of doubt sometimes. I mean that's part of being a business owner, right? Yeah, I mean honestly part of being a business owner, right? Um, yeah, I mean honestly, honestly, no, um, which is really weird to say looking back.

Speaker 2 16:51

You know, I made the jump in june and you know, late june, so, like I said around this time, going full time with it, and it was like, okay, you got to make this work, you know. But it was I coach athletically, which is kind of how I got in the education world, and you know, we did like a summer basketball camp. I took pictures of a house, you know. So I made some money and I took my kids to swim lessons all in a day. And so it was, honestly, it was at that moment where it was like I did something I'm passionate about. I still provide it for my family and I got to spend time with my kids. We can make this work, you know.

Speaker 2 17:36

And so it was that moment where I realized, ok, if I can do all of this in a day and meet those benchmarks, if you will, it really erased any doubt that there possibly could have been, you know, and I mean, like I said, you know, some days are better than others and it's a roller coaster, and you know, but it's, it's, you know, not to not to well, maybe pun intended. You know, keeping this in mind of it's the people that you surround yourself with and the relationships that you build. You know that that not necessarily springboard you, but you know, just feed positivity in and you get positivity out to. You know, to use a math term, kind of a function, um, nerdy analogy there. Um, so, yeah, I mean, there was no doubt. Um, you know, because, like I said I, I realized we can do this. You know we can make it work and and I, you know, give credit to my wife, she's been supportive and and, uh, you know, helping me navigate through this.

Speaker 1 18:47

If I was to take everything that we've talked about so far, and there was, there was a recurring theme, and that is you figured out what was important to you and and and I'll be honest with you, sam, when I came into this, I thought you were going to say something like the first time I ever flew a drone and took a video. Man, I was hooked and this is what I wanted to do. But your why was? I want to be able to be flexible enough to be fully present with my family, fully present, fully able to do the things that I want to do, and that, for me, listening to you, that's been like the overarching theme of this. You found your why, and your why doesn't have to be my why and our why doesn't have to be somebody else's why. So, once you found that, it seems to me that it made everything more clear to you. Sure, it made everything more clear to you, sure, and I think probably that is one of the most important things that people could take away is that, if he gets crystal clear on what's important to you, all the other stuff you can navigate. And so, as we begin to wrap things up here, I want you to kind of. And I know, you know you don't know what's going to happen in the next five years. We, none of us really do. But if you could, you know, venture out a few years down the road.

Speaker 1 20:15

What does the? What does all of this culminate to? For Sam, how does, how does, how does it look for you? You're, you're, you're in the scaling portion of your business, right, you've gotten off the ground, you've gotten established. You kind of know the routines now. You kind of know all the crap that you got to deal with as a business owner. Now you're in the scaling moment. What does it look like when you say, man, I think I've made it. What does that look like as far as your scheduling, so that somebody else could maybe catch the vision of what's possible?

Speaker 2 20:50

Right, yeah, you know, great question, because that's kind of been the forefront of my mind, you know, since I launched, you know, and it's one of those where I I think about it, you know, and I've toyed with the idea of do I bring someone on? Do I hire someone? Do I need help? No, not really. And then things slow down, and you know, do I bring someone on, do I hire, you know? And I go back and forth with that, because it's seasonal and things fluctuate and whatever. But I think my ultimate, my ultimate goal, you know, and I've told people, like I'm not looking to take over middle Tennessee and be the real estate photographer there's plenty of fish in the sea, you know. Now, if that comes to fruition, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Speaker 2 21:39

But I do see, you know, the possibility of of growing, you know.

Speaker 2 21:45

You know, like you said, I'm in the scaling factor and, uh, you know, I, at some point, there's only so many hours in the day, I can only take so many you know so many pictures, right, um, and so I'm gonna need help, whether that's another photographer or a salesperson, or a marketing person, or an admin, or all of the above or whatever.

Speaker 2 22:09

I think about that though, because you know, like I kind of alluded to earlier, it provides opportunities for other people, and so you know, like you said, yeah, I've discovered my why and I'm really I'm really zoned in on that every day, why, and I'm really I'm really zoned in on that every day. But I want to help other people kind of see where they can go in life, you know, and and it may not be for them and they may. You know, like I said earlier, people come and go in seasons of life, and so maybe you know, I bring someone on and they help me for two years and then they move on. If I can help springboard people to get to where they want to go, I think that that's part of my why, too, is just impacting others, and I think that comes from an educational background of just showing what's possible. You know, whether you think you're going to do something or not, you know, if you put your mind to it and figure out the big picture, things are possible.

Speaker 1 23:11

With that. I think that probably says it all right there. If you put your mind to it, things are possible. So, sam, I know this, the podcast, you know it gets listened to all over. So you know, we're kind of location sensitive here in Middle Tennessee. But if people want to go deeper with you, if they want to follow you, I mean, yeah, you do the photography and the physical work, but you're also, like you said earlier, you're also a social media consultant and so there's a whole lot more to what you do than just photography. So if people want to go deeper with you, what's a good way for them to do that? How can they follow you?

Speaker 2 23:53

Yeah, I'm on Instagram and Facebook, primarily Sam Gordon G-O-R-D-E-N, though, which is the story of my life, because everybody wants to spell it with an O. And then my Instagram, you know, is shootwithsam, because I take pictures, you know, and I mean, like you said, we are kind of location specific. But, you know, again, with my educational background, you know, I'd love to hop on a call with someone to see if I could help, you know, repurpose, even if they're in another state, you know, because you don't know what you don't know. You know that's so cliche, but as I've gone through conversations with multiple people, I realize there's there's a lot more to it that I can. I can provide that education and help them grow their business, you know, and in return grow mine.

Speaker 1 24:44

So Sam, thank you so much for being on the show today. There, there, there's a lot to unpack here. Folks, I encourage you to go back and listen to it again when you know what matters and when you can clearly focus in on that and then you believe that you can. Like Sam says, you can figure out the rest, you can make it work, and I love what you said. I hate to I feel like I'm wrapping it up, but I'm going back to a little point here because I want people to grasp this.

Applied Knowledge Is Power

Speaker 1 25:18

Your circle may change as your seasons change, and that's okay, because a lot of times, the people that you're with now, that got you here, are not going to be the people that helped get you there, and I have seen this in my lifetime. My wife and I have made jokes about people that are seasonal friends, you know, because you end up moving or growing or something happens. But the truth of the matter is is that in order to have the right mindset through all of those different seasons, you have to get okay. That your why overshadows all of the other things, and so I want to thank you for for bringing that to light, helping us see that, and I mean you've imparted some serious knowledge, my friend.

Speaker 1 26:09

I appreciate it, but I'm going to round it out like I round out every episode, and that is this because knowledge is one thing, but unless you take an action, it's really. You're just, you're just becoming a bloated, a bloated vessel of knowledge. So it's not knowledge that's power, it's applied knowledge that's power. That is going to do it for this episode of. Keep this In Mind. For more, visit davidaspectcom. Like, follow and subscribe. Thank you for listening and remember applied knowledge is power. God bless.