The Boys
Welcome to "The Boys" podcast, where business partners Jeremy, Stuart, and Dwayne come together after two decades of collaboration to share their expertise and passion for all things decor, home design, business, and floral design. Join this dynamic trio as they delve into the world of aesthetics, offering valuable insights, practical tips to elevate your living spaces, and a few laughs along the way.
But it's not just about design; it's about spreading joy and making the process enjoyable for everyone. The podcast is infused with the camaraderie and humor that comes from years of friendship and collaboration. Expect lively discussions, entertaining anecdotes, and a genuine passion for creating spaces that bring happiness and comfort.
The Boys
S2:E24 The Gift, The Grind, The Joy
What do Dwayne and I do when Stuart is out of town? We have a real deep heart to heart....that seems natural, right? Well, in today's episode, it goes deeper than design. It's about joy, stress, boundaries, and the tough but beautiful work of creating a life that feels right to all of us. We talk about the whispers we ignored until they get louder.
The wounded birds that we love and try to help. The energy we allow in our circles and what it means to truly control your own destiny. Along the way, we share our own stories of dismissal, which was not fun. Resilience and the joy we've built, not just in business, but in our hearts. If you've ever felt stuck, if you're searching for your own God wink, or if you need just a reminder that joy is possible even in the middle of the mess, this episode's for you.
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What do Dwayne and I do when Stuart is out of town? We have a real deep part to heart that seems natural, right? Well, in today's episode, it goes deeper than design. It's about joy, stress, boundaries, and the tough but beautiful work of creating a life that feels right to all of us. We talk about the whispers we ignored until they get louder. The wounded birds that we love and try to help. The energy we allow in our circles and what it means to truly control your own destiny. Along the way, we share our own stories of dismissal, which was not fun. Resilience and the joy we've built, not just in business, but in our hearts. If you've ever felt stuck, if you're searching for your own God wink, or if you need just a reminder that joy is possible even in the middle of the mess, this episode's for you.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:What you had told me that you wanted to talk about seemed like it was, I wanna say, not heavy on your heart, but it was weighing on you to discuss
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yeah. Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:give us a little, uh, small cliff note version of it so that we can get into it and start discussing it because we're ready to inspire some people to change their lives.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Well, I think it maybe it is heavy and I didn't even realize it, but I guess if I just blurt it in a text, I have seemingly some beautiful, strong women in my life. Whose lives are not spiraling. That's a wrong term, but it certainly is influx. And I must be a good sounding board. Uh, and I'm that, that, and I take with the pride, right, that, you know, not everybody feels in a safe zone to say where they are in their hearts and their lives. And so for people to open up, that's a privilege, right? So I'm certainly not sharing anybody's personal stories, but what I am sharing is. There seems to be angst in our world if anybody knows that. And the angst that I'm talking about is the unhappiness, the mistreatment of work environment.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:being asked to do too much or you're not. Seen or you're not heard. And I think that's even been true here at our own work that we've had some employees just of recent that we didn't, I didn't necessarily see. So I have to go back and kind of reevaluate how to see them, right? So all these things just keep coming into play. And the reason it kind of comes inside, well, what do, what do you have to offer? And it really is on the outside, I think people see us as a very successful business and they certainly see us as having fun. Right. And just yesterday I ran into a client and she, she a little bit older, and she said, I just love your ads. She said, y'all all having so much fun. I was like, what is she talking about? Oh, I said, are you, are you meaning on, on Facebook, the post she, yeah. Your ads. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is fine, right? I'll take that. But she sees our joy, right?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:And I want to share a little bit of how, how we got our joy and is it always joy? Absolutely not. And then to pick up on how to help other people. Find their joy and escape and get there.'cause we're always talking about design joy,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:also need to talk about the heart joy. Right? And
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:because it's part
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:yeah,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:knows.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:it's, it's part of it. So Jeremy, I'll say at this mo, I've seen you under extreme stress at times, if anybody. That should eat Valium at this store. It's you, right? And maybe you do. Maybe you do, right? Don't know. But you hold it on your shoulders a lot more than what I see myself. At least. I can't speak for Stuart and Stuart's on vacation guys. Let's just let you know. Or, well, no, he's actually work, isn't it?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:a
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:It's work vacation.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:it's kind of
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:It's a
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:you know.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:little about, but work. But I mean, you're not, he's not down, basically. You never get to shut down. So he's, he's working. So, uh, I, for some reason I can kind of just brush everything off and move on and give, I could give two shits and move on. Right. But not everybody can do that. Can you do that? Can you kind of brush it away?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I, I, I can. Yeah. No, no, I definitely, I definitely can. I think that, uh, the, the, uh, adult in me is like, okay, well we gotta figure it out after that, right? Like, it's, if it's something that's my responsibility to figure out, right? Like if it's on my plate, right? Yeah. But no, I have no problem brushing something off and, well, that's your problem. I got, you know, that you, this was caused because of you, this was you. Um, and if you're not gonna see that it was you, I'm moving on.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:How, how do you get there? How how's your, is it just built into your DNA? Because I don't know if you can train this Oprah. Okay. Tell me what you mean by that.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:She, you know, and I think I've said this on here before, um. I can only imagine my grandparents rolling over in their graves talking about me, talking about learning from Oprah. not that they disliked Oprah, but you know, they want me to recite the Bible and, and all that. But there she said one day, like, um, you know, at one point in her life she realized that she had to take responsibility for the energy that she allowed around herself because. People would make decisions around her or they would do things and she would be, get really frustrated. And really, maybe it was more disappointed in what they chose, um, because she thought that they should have, you know, chosen some something else. And then she realized that, well, that's her, that's on her trying to like, decide what's best for them. Right? And so, um, then she also realized that we don't always make the best decisions. Right. And, um. But what we can decide is, you know, there are people that we have in our lives, well, there's situations I guess we'll say that way, that, um, are inept of not living in drama or not being around drama or it not being. And it's not just all drama, but like we, I'm sure we all know somebody that inevitably if they can do something wrong, they're gonna do something wrong and then it's going to try to drag us down into it. Right. And what she acknowledged at the point was, no matter how big or how small it was, was that she needed to take responsibility for allowing the energy around her and. She said, so she stopped allowing that to be in, in her inner circle. She was like, you know, you're supposed to have peace at home. Right. So she just kind of like. Put a barrier between her and them, or the situation or whatever it was. And like, I've got friends from college that I love. I mean, they were, you know, they were good people, but Lord Jesus, you won't talk about a hot mess. Like, you know. And listen, we all are a hard mess. I don't wanna feel like I'm judging on people. But, um, there was always like something, there's just always was something I'm like, I gotta listen. I gotta grow up. I have a business, like I gotta, mm-hmm. I don't have time for all this. Right. um, now I've come to the like, I can love you and I can love you from afar. I don't have to have dinner with you every night. If I see you at
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Mm-hmm.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I will walk up. I will give you a hug, tell you I love you. I'm so happy to see you.'cause I little literally am right am thrilled to see you, but I do not need you in my life every day.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Mm-hmm. So you keep it afar, right? Don't invite it in. Don't invite it in.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I'm just Uhuh. No, I'm not, not in my space. No. Madea,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Okay. So, no.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Madea says you can only have piece of two places in your
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:So now, so as I hear this, I'm not calling you a hypocrite,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah, I know. Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:okay? But okay. You'll see where you go. You had an employee, Dina, remember her?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:you gave Dina more options and choices. What was your weakness there? Or did you, do you see that as a weakness there? Because there was goodness, right? There was goodness there. But I think I stood outside your bubble and going, oh my God. Why are you allowing this to continue
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Um,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:this too, too deep, too personal to.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:no, no. I was thinking, you know,'cause my husband and I had this really interesting conversation, um. A couple days ago, and it, he has a similar um, you know, trying to give.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Was she your wounded bird? Because I love me. Some wounded birds.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:know what? I think what it was and, and now that I'm thinking back about like the commonalities of all this, you know, before we, I started working with you all, when I had that, um, job interview for the company in New York, I was given that opportunity, that chance by another who was from the country, from like Mississippi or Alabama. I can't remember where they were. Um, He saw my resume, that there was something there and wanted to give me an option, gimme a chance, right? Wanted to give me this, this, this chance to, to change my life. um, even though that didn't work out, because there was another bitter queen in the situation who decided that she didn't want it to work that way. I was always thankful for that because it opened my eyes to one being, to helping others. Right. Always
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Sure.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:see, to see yourself in other people, even if they aren't like you. Right.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Mm-hmm.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:and um, and so I feel like that's what I was trying to do, was trying to give an opportunity to someone who very talented, had a lot of wonderful things, and of course they had, you know, like, like us all, there's always something, you know. We all have our faults. Maybe not you, Dwayne. Um,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Thank you. Thank you for acknowledging that.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:but um, and it was that trying to give the opportunity to either put up or shut up and, and, you know, there were. Looking back now, there were plenty of, um, actually Lord, we just had this conversation yesterday here at the store, uh, with a couple of the girls that, you know, I've also heard that God tries to talk to you in little whispers, and if you don't listen to the whispers, the whispers get a little louder.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:and then it is full out voices. And then he never yells. But then when it's, when it's done, he just made you, he just hit you over the head. And that's, that's what happened. I didn't listen to the, to the whispers. Um,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:And so like, I knew, I was really, really trying to, uh, do, and I'm not gonna say that, that, uh, that situation was much, much more complex. I think there was a lot more things rolling into it, but it was also, you gotta grow up and be an adult.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Mm-hmm.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:yeah, so, yeah. Yeah,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Right. And that evolved. That evolved. And as you learn from it, yeah. But, uh, and I get it. I get every bit of it. You know, mine's in the weirdest way. I love me. You, you, you've seen that. I've brought people in here that are winning birds and try to help them. And sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. Um, still never gonna walk away from that. And the thing that, uh, is very odd about me is. Uh, don't disappoint me. Right?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:yeah,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Or don't lie to me. Right? Oh gosh. And that's a tough one, and that's a tough one for me to learn. It was just maybe six weeks ago, Kathy said to me, she said, um, in essence, it's not her. It's true words, but basically you rot people off too quickly.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:You don't see that.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:No. Well, or no, what I, I think that, of course, you know, our, our spouses can say things and it might cut a different way. Like I'm sure that might have
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:It didn't cut me. It didn't cut me. That didn't cut me. It did not cut me. No, I didn't take that as a jab at all. No, I saw it as a. As a reflection. As a reflection. No, I was trying to think of the right adjective. Yeah. No, I like, I,'cause I trust her implicitly and she doesn't say lot. And so when she said that I had to stand back and hear that, I don't have to necessarily agree with it. Uh, but in this instance I think,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:it? Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:I think I, I hear it. Uh, and I'm, I, I at least learn from it and give somebody a second or a third chance. Um, do you, you see the opposite? Maybe I give too many chances here.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:no,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:No, no, no. She's right.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:there's a flexibility. I do th I mean, I do think that there's a, a spectrum, and I think it also
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Okay.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:what role that person is playing for you. If it is, and part of it I get, if it's a, I. Tradesman, or it's someone who's going into someone's home if they royally screw up and then they don't hold themselves accountable. If they don't admit like that they've done this and it was their mistake, you're done. D uh,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:That's what it was. That's what it was. That's what it was. Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:that because you
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:you.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:can't take that to a customer's home. Right. But I
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Right, right, right.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:be a little bit more, there's some more of that with other people though too. With I sometimes I'm always like, oh, okay, he, well, he is done with her and that's not necessarily
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yeah,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:but it might be something else. I'm like, oh, he done with her.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:yeah. No, no, no. It's true. It's true. That is very true and I have to hear that. The tradesman thing, I think for the most part is warranted.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Oh,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Um,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Because my, uh, first do what you say you're gonna do. Don't lie to me. Don't be deceitful. But also I can't refer you to other people, and I'm not going to all those kind of layers, but, um. When it comes to people, I think that's a different way to see it. Um, I don't, I, I don't, again, it gets too deep into therapy, but I don't know why I work that way, but I am, I'm hearing those words and I'm stepping back and reflecting more time, and then I'll go, yeah, screw it. They, they're still not worth my time or, and that's okay. And that's okay. Right?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:That is
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:okay. But also you go, yeah, maybe I was rushed to decision too quickly or I, um, I need to kind of step back and re-see it through their lens. And that's just getting older.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:That's just getting older.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:would
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:That's just getting older.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:even in college, like my mom would always get onto me'cause of, she'd be like, you are so quick. Like, whatever I would have to say, or whatever my opinion, like whatever the situation was. She was like, you, she's like, you bounce off way too fast. And I was like, well, that's what I think.'cause she's like, but is that the true, like, is that the reality of the situation?
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Wise? Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I was like, well, well I, to me. And she was like, well, you remember, there's both. And so I think I have learned realize, like, listen, we're all, we all, the, the rule that they tell tell us all when we're kids is that adults, you know, have it together and know what they're doing. Um, and when we realized when we become adults that the adults had, were just as clueless as we were when we were kids. We're just trying to do our best to get through. So, yeah. So now it's a lot more of, uh. Uh oh. Who was it? Somebody? It was on TikTok and it was, uh, and I thought, Lord, you know, you look back at things that shaped you as a child, and it was a song from, oh, Jesus, I don't remember. No, it was Colors of the Wind. So which one would that have been from? Anyway, but the lyrics said, um, something like, uh, when you walk in the path of a stranger, you learn things you never knew. You never knew. And that I was like, yeah, Lord, I guess I listened to this when I was little.'cause it makes sense to me now. Like,'cause I'm always trying to figure out, uh, to, to understand that we're all coming from different places. So. Well, okay, so how does all this back to trying to find your, uh, joy? How does this,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Well, what, what I'm trying to get, what I'm trying to get across is, um, people are. Your successful business, you've done it on your own. And, um, how do I get there and just don't feel stuck? Look, I, I'll tell this woman's story. I told it before, and many of you may know, but the three of us were together in this business, but we didn't decide that we were, um.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Dismissed.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Dismissed is the always the
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah. That's
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:PA positive. Yes. Dismissed. Well, it it gives you connotation of, uh, yeah. You, you're less than.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Who would want to get rid of us? Who in their
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Hmm.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Who would
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Well, it worked out for us, didn't it?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:were fun.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:I, well, I know that, I know we were fun. I know that we worked hard. I know that we treated our customers well. I know that, um. We were taking the business by far in the right direction. So to be dismissed when you, you believe in your heart that you've done everything right. That hurt.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:It hurt. It hurt because I was like, did hurt. Did it hurt you? You were
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:know,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:young.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:was
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:You were so young.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:was 29, 30. I was so clueless. Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:And I was 80, so it hurt 80. Right. To be dismantled. Imagine how old Stuart was. Uh, so it hurt. It hurt because when you are doing absolutely all that you can, and the, the, I'm gonna say it, the cockroaches around you.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Thrived and were seen
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:lifted up. You're like, how can you not see the truth
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:your boss's boss tells employees to walk around with a hammer to the maintenance person, Terry, who was the nicest man in the world, and say, just look like you're busy, as opposed to actually giving him tasks to do. Right.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:know you're in trouble.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:You know? Did you know that story?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Oh yeah. No, no.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I mean it was absolutely just ridiculous. So what I want to say to people is this has not been an easy path, right?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Uh, it just has not. And, um, some of us are working harder than others that are business owners, Jeremy, and look at it. Thank you Jeremy.'cause you're the smart one and you got great hair.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I do,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Well, at least I have a good personality. Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Well,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:And uh, yeah.'cause you know you'd be nothing without me and my personality. Right.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I know I know
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Are you aware? Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:well aware you've told me from day one.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Have I now? Okay. There you go. So for those who are out there struggling, this may not be the easiest thing to do, but I just come back to. Control your own destiny with a whole lot of caveats, right? If not everybody is meant to control their own destiny in that. Owning your business is what I'm really dancing around, right in this part, in this one layer, because if you're not self-motivated. Uh, if you're not, uh, I have to say it again. If you don't have an immense, uh, flow of talent coming out your veins and you can't jump from one thing to another, you better not do it right. You better not do it. No. What you thinking? I see your face. You
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I was thinking about the talent part. I thought that was an interesting word to put in there. I, I don't, don't, and I guess
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:better have a gift.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:No. Yeah. But the gift doesn't mean it has to be a talent. Gifts come in many
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Uh, I, uh, I, I use it interchange interchangeably. In other words, you better have a skillset, right, that you're good at, that you like, okay, whatever that skill set, a gift, a talent, whatever you wanna call it, you better have a skillset that you love, that you like, and you better be willing to go work really, really hard at it. Right? Like you don't need. Look, the talent that I have as far as, uh, making flower arrangements. Huh?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I said I can't wait
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:The talent I have, well, the talent I have is flower arrangements. Um, I didn't earn that. That was a gift from God. Right. That the, I didn't, nobody taught me how to do this. I mean, a little bit taught me, but you get better and better at it. But there's an in instinctually there's something in you that you understand how to do it right. And if you don't have that skillset, you wanna pursue it, you're probably going up the wrong path. Right? In other words, if you, uh, if you like, I've always wanted to be a window cleaner. But I really don't like bugs and climbing up high, you are probably making a mistake, right? So it better does that make, does an analogy make sense? You need to follow your dream, but you need to understand, to follow the dream with the skill sets that have been given to you that also that you want to utilize, right? Just because you have a gift, not everybody. You know, the, the, the, the mechanic is a gift to me, that's a gift from God, right? That he, I don't have that skillset. And I appreciate a mechanic because he mostly, there's some, she's, but mostly he's right. Can see it and how to do that. And if you love to tinker and you love to take things apart and you love things, put it back together. You're, you're mostly a nice person. Mostly not every mechanic's a nice person, but if you have some personality and some skillset, you can go control your destiny all day long, right? You don't have to go work for Toyota. You don't have to work you. You can go control your own destiny, but you have to be willing to work some Saturdays and you have to be willing to come in at seven o'clock in the morning. But then when you put the 10, 15, 20 years in, you don't necessarily have to be there. You have somebody else that helps you, right? So you build upon that process.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Are you getting where I'm going with this?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah, I, um, you know, I kinda look at it from. There, you know, if, if there's something that brings you joy and, and, and it really fulfills your soul and spirit, whatever it is, you may not need to make that your all in being job, if you, you know what I'm like, this can be your side hustle and maybe the side hustle will becomes something that brings you joy and then explodes. I'm not sure, but. But you were discussing more of like, if this is like creating your own destiny. Like doing,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:is not everybody has that. They don't, they don't have that in them. Right. Like they, it, it's
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:No, they just don't.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:you've
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Not, not.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:benefits. That's the, that's the hardest thing if you've got Ben,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Well that.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:really hard to walk away from.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:We as Americans are held, held captive.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:We are held captive
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:to staying in jobs because of health insurance related issues. Right? That's, that's, that's it. A lot of us can figure out how to save our own money and 4 0 1 Ks we do that. You can't walk out the door'cause you can't afford health insurance and which they'll deny half of it. We're not gonna go down that path, but we are, we are in a bad place. And, uh, that's doesn't seem to be gonna be fixed,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:uh, for a while, if ever at this point it seems problematic. So what I keep coming back to as you see us, you see us successful, but, and we are and we're having fun. But it's built upon understanding. Both of you as business partners have said, we'll do whatever it takes, if that's what we need to do. You've said this, I've both heard you say that we'll do whatever it takes, which means, you know, like. You are our, our, um, life is getting ready to change. It's like, uh, was working Sabrina, who makes the store schedule now, and she said, well, what Saturdays do you work? Uh, in November? I'm like, uh, all of them and I'll be here the Saturday before that, the open house. And I said, at the very minimum, you'll go ahead and put me down the satter the first Saturday of December. Also. She said, you wanna be here for all of those? It's like, uh, no. No, I really don't. I wanna be home. Right? But I know that's what it takes to make this business successful. Now, I may not be here every June, Saturday anymore, right? And probably the bus business would be more successful if I were, but at a certain point, I don't care. Right. There's not enough.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:It's not, it's not
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:It's not sustainable. Right. And we've done it for a very, very, very, very long time. All three of us, well, we only had three of us, and we all worked our Saturdays and we, you know, we rotated it off. And one of the things is, because I, when I say this, I. In truth that Jeremy, you know, was always tied to the computer and Stuart is, I'm not here every single day of the week and the other guys are, and so one of the things that I make sure of is I've said to the staff out front, I may not be here on this Saturday, but my phone is with me. Right. And I'm basically, uh, this is my pager. I'm a doctor. I'm on call that don't call Jeremy on Saturdays. Right. I, I think I've told you this, haven't I? And don't call Stuart call me because I'm trying to make up for not being here every single day of the week, and if you've got problems, let me fix it and let me take care of it. If I can't, then. I'll revert back to one of the guys and it's always, what I can't do is the computer stuff, if there's a glitch or something, but I can take care of a customer service, something I can take care of. Uh, 99% of the time it is such and such is here. What do I need to do about that? And it's an easy fix. So just do this, right? So. With that said, though, you're kind of, as a business owner, you're always on call. And if you'll those who listen to our podcast, remember our sweet friend Noelle Dick from a few weeks ago, she's like, if you get the phone call, you go, you go fix the toilet at five o'clock in the morning. Right?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:And um, it can be exhausting mentally because you're kind of always on. Right? And the other thing I've always said, I wanna take my. Phone with me, and when I'm on vacation, I'm likely gonna leave it in the hotel room, right. Or the house or wherever we're staying at. I said, so here's Kathy's telephone number. Call her if the store's burning down. Right?'cause I assure you, this is a week that I need away from this crazy place. But if you call her about somebody's missing bow. I assure you, whoever called me will have the wrath when I come back. Right? Because at a certain point, and it does not happen any longer, there were stupid things of like, oh, it was in a bag. The bow was in a bag. This came from a real story. Yeah, but it had her name on it with the card on it. Everything. If you just would read you Illiterate Bitch, right?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:When I'm outta here, I leave my phone in the, the safe. I don't even carry it with me.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yeah, well that's, you have to, for your
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:and if it burns down, I'll find
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:right. And I never call you, I never, I don't think I've ever called either of you on vacation. I don't think I ever have called you.'cause it's like, it ain't that important. Uh, because it, it, it can wait. It can wait because what we do for the most part is not, uh, earth shattering and it's not gonna change the world, right? So long story is, let's go back to this. Control your destiny. If you are stuck in a place. Hear the whispering, you're not stuck. But you have to be smart about these moves and you gotta put things in play that you have to be willing to work harder than you've ever worked in your life. Now, many years later, you get the benefits of that not necessarily being so true. Now Jeremy hasn't experienced that yet, but I have. So as he laughs and looks at me, right. Um. But we need to find our joy and that. So I hope our joy gives you joy and we're encouraging you to go find your joy
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:because joy is joy.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Joy,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:I love joy.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:down in my heart.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Woo. There you go.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:We can
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Did this uplift anybody?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I, I, I don't know. They probably were bored outta their minds, but, um, no, I think
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Well, I need a therapy today, and it's cheaper to talk to you than it is to go to a therapist. So.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Hey, you know, Hey, um, well, that's what the insurance is for. Um, and uh, the other thing I wanted to say, and this is just about the, the finding your joy, and, and, and I think I've said this before, this is maybe a common thread that's run through a lot of the, our conversations is that, Sometimes even where we find our joy, sometimes it's in unexpected places. And when those pop up to acknowledge them and and to see them. And when those chances or those opportunities for that joy, um, present themselves to take them it no matter how big or small they are. Um,'cause I think that those.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:it kind of like the dance is, is it like a god wink that there's things. It happen. Uh.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:you know, I, I always think about, um, and this is, I mean, this is the extreme, but I remember when, uh, was younger and was sitting in the church and the preacher was telling the story about some, um, you know, flood and these people were all on the roof of their houses and they were praying for God to come save them. Right. Um, then people came by on a, a raft or something and said, Hey, we can, you know, pick you up. And they're like, no, I'm praying to God. He is gonna save me, And then, an hour and a half later, somebody comes by in a rescue boat. And it says, okay, we're here to, we can get you. He's like, no, I've been praying to God. You know, God's gonna save me. And then of course, then the waters up and then they die. Um, very uplifting story. This may not been how it was originally told, but this is how my 12-year-old self remembers this story. Um, and so they die and they get to the pearly gates and they see God there and they're like, God, why didn't you save me? And he's like, what do you mean? I sent you a raft? I sent you the boat. I sent you all, you know, all these things. And so sometimes. Sometimes we're so stuck on seeing opportunities as one way we don't see them in what, what other forms they might come in. So that's, that's more, more of what it is. Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:No, that's beautiful. Right?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:know, I don't, I'm always looking for, I'm always looking for the raft. I'm always looking for the moment. And honestly, I think that's why I see, you know, this is what I always say, uh, when I see, you know, my number, you know, you've got your number right that you see all the time. Um,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:It, it literally was texted to me during this, um.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:See?
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Conversation, lovely wife is getting ready to go into a meeting that she's nervous about
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yep.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:and the meeting is scheduled 4 8 3 5, a meeting that potentially can change a meeting that could potentially has the ability to positively change her life at 8 3 5. If that is not a God wink, I don't know what it's.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I, I, I tell like people do not believe me. Well, when I say that, I see like 11, 11 every day, and it's not always on the clock, but most the time of day it is. But it, I see it the time. And for me it is always just this little god wink of you're, you're exactly where you're supposed to be, or a reminder that I'm not alone. Um, and that, uh, I'm, I'm here and I've got.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Well, I wanna go back to this number 8 3 5. Just for a minute, I, that number actually scared me. I had an angst about that number. And I think it was both you and Stuart,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah, because,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:right? Do you, do you remember what you, whoever the two of you or both of you said to me?
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:no, I don't remember what we said, but I do remember us being in the car and I think on the way to Atlanta and there was, it was
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yes. Yes.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:of a car. Yeah.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yes, yes. Well, I, I, I, a voice of a concern, and it was the both of you. It's like, why do you perceive it to be a bad thing? Why can't it be a good thing? You know, maybe, maybe somebody's telling you this is a good number,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Mm-hmm.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:not a bad number. And I heard that and I received that and I went. Somebody's telling me something, there's goodness coming from this. And when I started seeing the goodness of the number, it kind of, I know this sounds really woo woo, but um, it, it happened, it and it, so it literally, God wink just happened in a text seven minutes ago during this conversation.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Well,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:And so sometimes I.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:on me to bring up until the very end.
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Really,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:it was
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:was in your heart.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah,
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yeah, yeah,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Yeah. You
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:yeah, yeah. Here we are.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:woowoo. I'll be a woowoo bird. I don't care. Woowoo
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:Well, we hope
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:Well, kids, that's all I got for you. Yeah, that's all I got to share.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:we hope that maybe just some general discussion of finding our joy and finding the inspiration and realizing how hard you have to work, but realizing that that's in, built into most of us. I'm not gonna say all of us, but when you have to do it for you and your
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:No,
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:you're
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:no, no, no. I'm gonna stop you there. Mm-hmm.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:I know what you're gonna
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:It uhuh, uh, that's why I dismiss you. If you lazy, I'm gonna dismiss you. Okay. Next. Yeah.
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:uh, but hopefully you're not lazy. I can't imagine that most of you are, um, and, uh, that wherever you find your
dwayne-guest716_1_09-23-2025_092326:They're certainly smart listening to us. For our wisdom today
jeremy-host231_1_09-23-2025_092327:the wisdom, they are ready to sit at the bottom of our fountain of wisdom. And I'm so, I'm so thankful for that. All right. Well guys, thanks for listening this week. We'll be back next week with another episode, and until then, you can get all of the important details in the show notes below. We will see you all then.
