Lasting Impact
Welcome to "Lasting Impact," the podcast that dives deep into the stories and insights of extraordinary individuals who are leaving an indelible mark on the world. Here, we'll explore the transformative power of their actions and innovations in the realms of business, ministry, and community. Our guests are the change-makers, the visionaries, and the unsung heroes whose unwavering dedication and passion have not only made an impact but a lasting one. Prepare to be inspired, informed, and empowered as we explore the stories behind the lasting impact these remarkable individuals are creating.
Lasting Impact
Building a Legacy of Integrity
Brandon Murphy of Nelson Auto Group shares his secret to running a successful business and raising exceptional children: vision-casting.
Guided by an early divine vision, Murphy now leads 26 LLCs in automotive dealerships, real estate, software training, and auto wash businesses.
With a parenting philosophy centered on becoming rather than abstaining, Murphy demonstrates how vision-casting transforms parenting and leadership.
In business, Murphy prioritizes integrity and people, emphasizing experience over profit.
Listen to learn how applying Murphy's wisdom can revolutionize your approach to leadership.
So if we think we can be under the influence of those things, we can also be under the influence of the Spirit of God, and even when it comes to difficult situations, that's what the fruits of the Spirit are there.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Lasting Impact Podcast. I'm your host, Mark Marquand. Join me as I sit down with remarkable individuals making a meaningful difference in business and ministry. We'll explore their stories, challenges and successes, all with the goal of encouraging you to go out and make a lasting impact. If you love what you hear, don't forget to rate, review and share. Welcome to Lasting Impact, Brandon Murphy. Hey man, Welcome to the podcast, Thank you. Welcome to the podcast, brother.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Thank you so much for the invite.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Honored to have you here. For those listening that may not know you, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 1:So it's a great story.
Speaker 1:I've had some wonderful experiences in life.
Speaker 1:A lot of those have been just from my experience with our church, at Church on the Move, and really growing up in that capacity where I could, even from a young person, begin to listen to great sermons, inspiring sermons, had wonderful parents, but along with that, really God giving me a vision from an early start in my life about what I was going to do and, just as a side note, what an amazing thing that we can begin to think about for our own children is that we would have a vision for what God would want us to do from an early age. I'm not saying it's always figured out in the first five or six years of adulthood, but it's really an advantage. I think that we can pray over our families and that's what happened to me, and I got a picture early on that God wanted me to be in the automotive space. In fact, I remember seeing just when I could close my eyes. I could see what I'm doing today when I first started out and it really helped me stay on track and there were always distractions.
Speaker 1:But yeah, the things I get to do today are amazing and you know, it always goes without saying that you know business, and all the adventures that we've had that way are far outshadowed by the amazing family that I have with my wife, erica, and our four incredible kids, who are now you know. Really, the scripture promises that they would be standing in the gates, and they are the ones that I now see as just the offspring of what intentionality looks like, and they're just. I'm so proud of each one of them. But to say we did it perfect, absolutely not. Still probably making mistakes as of about five minutes ago.
Speaker 1:But yeah, we're in the automobile business, have been for the last 37 years and managing partner of the Nelson Auto Group here in Tulsa. We have stores in Nashville, tennessee, and in Norman Oklahoma In Tulsa. We have stores in Nashville, tennessee and in Norman Oklahoma, and then we have about 26 different LLCs that touch everything from real estate to software training companies, auto wash businesses. There's a lot going on and God's opened up an opportunity for us to look at business through the lens of ministry, and that's why we love to do more. It's not just to have more. It's not just to have more. It's so that we can be an impact on more people.
Speaker 2:Well, that's amazing and I don't really know where to start, because you're so, you are an impactful person and you know all of that you have loaded there inside of you. So I do like how you said, just because one of the first things you said about you getting this vision as a young person, just this last few weeks I've had well, I would say this, last few days I've really leaned into, especially with my youngest son, but both of my sons, my youngest son of him, asking him to seek God about who he wants him to be Like, who he's. What's God developing in you? Yeah, and what are your wants? And because he's like any person he sees and I'm the same way, that's why I can relate to him.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Of man, that person's cool so that's what it looks like to be cool yeah that person has great interests yeah I bet you they are great.
Speaker 2:I should chase that sure and I think, um, you can a young well, we all could, especially young people could get really lost. Yeah, in well, who am I supposed to be? Right, because I'm really caught up in seeing the awesomeness around me and I think, like that's the thing to be, and so I've, lately I've been this last week I've really leaned into of like, let's know you're identified in Christ and I want you to ask God how is he designing you?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And what does he want?
Speaker 2:you to, I didn't say be when you grow up. But what's he? What do you like? Yeah, cause he's an artist and he's athletic and there's kind of a lot of things and it's just, you know, he hasn't with. My oldest was like somewhat by now we're like man, I think he's going to be a musician, right, and it was pretty somewhat easy to like. Let's start leaning into those gifts and my youngest is kind of he's kind of could be good at a lot of things really, and so I love how you said that and that it is, it is possible, and I think it's wonderful to start asking. It's a great gift.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a great gift. You know, proverbs 3, 6 says in all your ways, acknowledge God and he will direct your paths. And our job to do is to acknowledge Him, and he's the one that does the directing. And so, no matter what age you are, no matter what decision, sometimes we attach that to the big stuff, you know well where am I going to live, what am I going to do?
Speaker 1:But it starts in the small scale and even to the extent that we're just thinking about Him sometimes. You know, sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves, but, um, definitely follow the things that you're good at. I think God gives us a natural gifting and, um, it's always um pretty easy to spot when someone's good at something and, uh, that's a great place to start. Yeah, Kind of lean into that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it's a lot of times it's not too hard, we overcomplicate it. But for me sales was something I was good at. I was able to connect with people from an early age and it allowed me to get into a space that probably I wasn't ready for. But someone gave me a shot, and someone gave me a shot. I remember even going in for my first job interview and the person pretty much discounted the fact that I had any potential at all and made a couple of comments we'll call you whatever. And I'd gone into one of the car dealerships here in town and three days later he called me back and he kind of made it sound like well, the other guy didn't respond to our offer, so we called you. I actually had offered him to work 30 days for free if they would give me a shot in the business. When he called, it was like well, since you picked up, you're hired.
Speaker 1:I showed up for training and I still remember the first month that I was on the scene. I got the top sales award the first month and then that started a career of being the top salesperson every year for five years in a row and then moved into management and then God really opened doors through that, to see that dream start to come to pass. I began to see things happen before they happened and it was really just the confirmation that God was speaking to me, and that's probably a bigger deal than actually the thing happening, because when you hear God's voice and you see it come to pass, it will change the way that you look at situations, because you get more connected to what the Lord is doing than what came of the situation. Just the fact that you can hear that was really a big deal to me.
Speaker 2:I want to ask you when you went to the dealership or wherever you were pursuing and said hey, I'll work for 30 days. Sure you, just let me give me a shot.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Um, do you remember how old you were? And like what made you um play that card?
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, no, that's great. Um, so, yes, um, I had been going uh to um high school, uh started uh looking at different colleges. My parents were Bible students and they'd moved here to go to seminary and there just wasn't a lot of resources to pull from. So going the route of joining into a university, especially without probably some of the backing that you need to do that, just wasn't an option for me. And so I had gotten a job at Woodland Hills Mall selling clothing and a guy had come in that was a friend of ours and he was selling cars and he was several years older than me. But I noticed that he was good with people and I thought, well, I'm good with people and he's a little older, older than me, but I mean, if he can do it, sure, sure I can. So that kind of convinced me that I should probably at least check that out. And then, about two weeks after I graduated from high school, I started applying for different places and again, at that time it was definitely an older man's game, but I kept applying and got in and been with now the Nelson Companies now for 37 years.
Speaker 1:No, it really is amazing. I mean to say that it was a Holy Spirit-led connection would be an understatement. I mean to connect to, to connect with the right group of people and, and, and that being said, um, uh, it was actually a group called Pemberton at the time and not many people remember that name. But, um, the dealership was bought out about a year and a half later by, uh, the Nelson family, and it was Bob Nelson's first venture into business himself. And man, there was just, I just still remember I was at an event and I had just bought the store and he looked at me, said someday you'll run all my companies and we'd just met and it was just really a prophetic time and he wasn't even a Christian then which is just crazy.
Speaker 1:And I think back now and having moved to Tennessee and opened our two stores there and moved back to Tulsa and opened our three stores here, and just how amazing that God connects you with people oftentimes is part of that vision.
Speaker 1:And without a doubt, bob Nelson has been a huge influence on my life, and not just in business but spiritually. I have great parents who have been great spiritual mentors Outside of them. Definitely, our relationship has been the single most important relationship I've had spiritually to grow in my walk with Christ. He's been such an influence on me. That's amazing.
Speaker 2:Treated me like a son. Oh, incredible, I love hearing that. So your children, four kiddos, young adults, they're all in college right now, or your oldest has graduated. Yes, right, yeah, and so they're, they're. They went right to the books and stuff.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, I didn't go to college but I put uh, including my wife.
Speaker 2:Yeah, five people, yeah, yeah well, like well, you definitely had that hustle and you went straight to work, sure, and you gave all the reasons why. Yes, that's awesome. And your oldest we don't have to talk a whole lot about him. I'm sure you're somewhat um private and everything, but he's a graduate of west point. Nope naval, yeah go navy, that's all right.
Speaker 1:Love the, the, uh, the, the west point guys. They're great people. I've got a friend that's uh been working on getting his kiddo in there and I gotta say, uh, yeah, he was uh, you know, part of that whole thing and that's tough, that's a hard, hard program, but I'm super proud of him. He's uh, he's in hawaii now and stationed at pearl harbor and, um, just you know, doing great things to protect our country and just got a super bright future. And my oldest daughter, isabella, who's just such a bright light, she is now coming up on one year out of college at ORU and she's working with me in the businesses.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:One of the companies that we have is a training and consulting company, and so she's a full-time trainer and consultant and actually also representing our software product that we just launched. And then Lexi, my youngest daughter, who's just awesome. She is one year out from graduating from ORU. She's planning on sitting for a CPA, she's got the hours to get it done, and I know she's going to kill me for saying this, but I'm pretty sure she's top in her class in accounting at ORU.
Speaker 1:And then my youngest son, judah, just finished his first year in college and, praise God, he made it through and I'm so proud of him and he's already done more educational after high school than I did. So you know, I'm just so proud of all of them. They're just so wonderful, great kids.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and sorry for the mistake on your oldest son. I knew that that's okay, we'll forgive you, it's okay. And I saw you guys get honored this year at the Lincoln football game. Yeah, the ring of honor.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, we got the ring of honor. Yeah yeah, we've got the ring of honor.
Speaker 2:That was incredible, you know what's really interesting about that?
Speaker 1:And he, it really surprised me that he said this. But, uh, after that award, um, and it's just based on character and the accomplishments of people after they get out of school Um, and he was a great runner in school, did a great job, but, um, you know that's a season in life it's very, very small season. But uh, he said, dad, that that mattered more to me than actually, uh, getting accepted to the Naval Academy or anything. He says that was, that was a really, he says, always wanted to get that Really.
Speaker 2:Isn't that cool, that is really cool. I love hearing that Cause you, you know, you got. I have my kids in the school and I like seeing like who's doing what. Now, yeah, you know who's doing what and you love seeing those success stories out there and and them caring about their well, they're all thriving so far.
Speaker 1:I get still in school and it's a good time for Erica and I well, your, your children are smart and athletic.
Speaker 2:So you've guys, you both have done something right. So my, my question I kind of did that deep background to you know, obviously as a of a testimony of where your children are, um, that you and Erica were their parents. So there is no perfect parent. But looking back, what do you think it was about you, yours and Erica's parenting that that really helped you know, form your children to who they are today?
Speaker 1:Wow, that's a. That's a big question. Um, I, I think some of it was in spite of the things that we did. Um, you know we made a lot of mistakes Um. One thing we always did I think that um really helped us as parents is um, first of all, I didn't have a lot of hobbies.
Speaker 1:My kids, my family, were my hobby. You know, I, on average, would work 60 plus hours a week and so we had time for two things family and church, and a lot of times we just did things together. So if we would volunteer, we'd volunteer together and that'd be my be, my wife and I and uh, the kids would. We volunteered in children's ministry so they were there with us as well, so it'd be multiple services every weekend and man, it was just so busy. And then, of course, um, just when we had fun, it was fun. I mean, we made time for fun, all the you know, as much as we could.
Speaker 1:Now, erica thank God for her influence on their life. I doubt they would have made it out of the fifth grade if it was up to me, but she was such a huge influence on the academics and really I think she gave them the backbone of who they are academically and just you know. I think for both of us we make a great team because we compliment each other so well in what we do to invest in our kids. One story in particular I think is really interesting is that during the summer she would make the kids do homework. You know she had a full.
Speaker 1:It was tougher for them during the summer than it was during the school year, and so you know, consequently, we've had two valedictorians, we've had all of them get A's all the way through their time at Lincoln and they've just, you know, crushed their ACTs and they've done a great job. But you know, I'm not sure how much of it was intelligence and how much of it was just tied to hard work. I'd give it to the latter, because I really sense that all of them are just so well accomplished, because they have such a strong work ethic and they really see the value of putting the time in. But Christ was always our number one focus and every morning we were very, and still are, very diligent. No one leaves the house before we pray together, and so that's just been a staple that we always do, uh, every morning, and Eric and I still pray together, even when the kids aren't here. But we, we won't leave that front door without praying for each other.
Speaker 1:Um, the other thing I think was really important is that, you know, we would involve God into tough situations. So, um, as a lot of successful families that follow Christ um, you get a lost library book, we're praying about it. Um, you got a situation with a friend at school. We're going to pray about that. So we, we really involved scripture and prayer into as many life situations as we could and we took our kids with us everywhere. Um, if we were going someplace, they were coming with us and we were a big group. So we rolled big peeping off and thought we had a birthday party. No, it's just us. So, yeah, it was just a lot of investment, made a lot of mistakes, but had some good moments too.
Speaker 2:So, man, you're one of your volunteer roles. I know you have several at our church or have throughout the years. Um are you? I don't know if you're still with one, 80 involved, what so you're? You know all these kids. They're not your biological kids, but you're you and your wife and your family Cause I so. I just dropping off the other day, I saw Lexi, you know, say hi to my kids coming in. Man, they're all there serving. So you've been around this parents and children's ministry for decades.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you're on the side where what we just said, we're seeing some success Again. No perfect child, no perfect parent, but like on paper, like really reality is again, these kids are doing awesome. Yeah, incredible, yeah. What is some advice that you would give to parents that are you know, 10 years ago? Yeah, I would take this advice.
Speaker 2:Or, like I was myself, for example, my wife and I, we have a sophomore who's about to finish the sophomore year. It's about to turn 16, it's about to get the wheels, wants to start a job, wants to start making money. So he's into this different. It's a new lane for us. And then our youngest is 12, about to wrap up sixth, going to go into junior high. So, like, we're a lot of moving parts. They're banned and you know summer, pride and off season and all kinds. You know it's a lot and we only have two. So, but we want to end up like you guys. You know we want, we want to have, uh, our businesses thriving and children that love God and are doing well after high school. Sure, what is some advice that you would give families or parents, um, that are right in the middle of it all? Yeah, that's great, um, that are right in the middle of it all.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's great. Well, of course, life has never been busier. I don't think of a time when even I grew up that it had so many options for people. So, yeah, one of the things that comes to mind when you ask me that question is just simply the fact that when you serve other people is just simply the fact that when you serve other people, you are taking time out of your schedule that probably isn't there, and that's really hard to get your head around, especially as busy as things are. So it's not ever been for us an option. So it was kind of like serving others was more of first and then everything else would come second. And I think that has to be pretty firmly rooted. And when you design your schedule around anything, the thing that it's designed around will typically take root and then everything else has to revolve around that.
Speaker 1:And did we miss something. Sure, I mean we missed sporting events, we missed a church service, whatever. I mean we weren't so literal and so you know, just down to the rule book on it. But, um, we did try and set an example of what service looked like. And you know, I think kids are really smart and you can talk about something, even hope it for them, but if they don't see it, there's no way for them to really take that.
Speaker 1:And I've noticed that that's an insurance policy for the future, certainly kids will make their own decisions and, man, when they leave your house, all you have is influence. After that, probably for us realizing um from an advice standpoint, uh, probably needed to shift gears earlier. And if I could give someone advice, it would be to um, start thinking about influence earlier and less about discipline. I think discipline is super important, um, in the early years. Um, man, if things get out of control, it's hard to rein them back in, and discipline is just another form of love.
Speaker 1:I think people look at discipline the wrong way. We always disciplined our kids, but we did it in a way that was very meaningful and we had a good outcome from it. But we needed to learn how to shift gears earlier to realize that influence was going to have a bigger impact than discipline would. And um, so I would. I would say that would probably be the thing that I would start thinking about. You know, if I want influence, that means I need to be casting vision, speaking life, um, talking about things in the context of bringing hope and inspiration, rather than just telling people what not to do.
Speaker 1:I think it's really easy to get into a rut, when you're raising kids, of talking about the negative behaviors, and one thing Eric and I have found is that kids, young adults, all of us let's just say it that way will change behavior more quickly to become something than they will to abstain from something. And I think for a lot of young adults, keeping away from the things that won't help your life are challenges because they don't have something else to turn that's positive to.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And you know, whether you see an athlete or or a devoted businessman, or a devoted father, or someone that has a vision for life, um, typically, those positive things will steer their life, more so than just trying to not do the wrong things.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And and I see a lot of focus on behavior of well, you can't do that, or you got to cut that out or you're going to ruin your life. And you know there's a lot of fear in parenting. Yes, there is man, I tell you people get really caught up in the worst case scenarios and and that's just the enemy talking, yeah, scenarios and that's just the enemy talking. If we looked at the way that God talks to us, it's never that way.
Speaker 2:I mean who's?
Speaker 1:the accuser, it's not God. So why are we doing that to our kids? And I'm not saying we don't need to ignore things that need to be dealt with, but you're going to have a lot more traction giving someone a picture for their future by calling out gifts, speaking to who God says they are, even if they're not acting like it. You know that's the thing we always wait for the behavior before we call it out. Sometimes you've got to do that in faith.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, you know, dude, I love everything you're saying and it's so good and it's where I'm at, you know, with a lot of stuff.
Speaker 1:We're always there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's where I'm at. You know, with a lot of stuff we're always there. Yeah, I'm doing that today because you you do have um. You know you want your children to stay away from the bad stuff yeah, you know sure I mean, you have daughters, do you have boys?
Speaker 2:so with boys, you know my feet, my I hate the word fear. It's not really fear it's. I think wit said a while back it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. And he didn't say it in a way just like well, throw up your hands yeah it was more, I could think it helped you think on strategy.
Speaker 2:It made me think on strategy and not like I can't be walking around, I mean I can't be waking up every night just like flipping on the light in my son's room like, hey are you, are, you are all your devices.
Speaker 1:Yeah, everything Are you? Are you honoring God, are you?
Speaker 2:honoring my word and just like paranoid, sure, absolute grip, yeah, um. But I do want to be like hey, you know, we're trusting you.
Speaker 1:You know, cause.
Speaker 2:Now it's charged right here. Yeah, Before I you know. Right, You're at the beginning, You're the one like I'm tucking them in bed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, we got some time, yes, and.
Speaker 2:I'm up later and now that changes, I'm going to bed. A little pro tip yes.
Speaker 1:All the good conversations. Unfortunately for you and your bedtime, you can't get anywhere before nine, uh, I wish that that good stuff would come out before then. But yeah, the truth serum kicks in around 11 PM. So, uh, we hated it cause we had some long nights, but when you start talking to 11, you don't wind up till one. Sometimes it's so good to be prepared Like I'm so glad you know we've.
Speaker 2:I've had some moments where they're like I'm like shutting off the light going into my bedroom and I'm so glad. You know I've had some moments where they're like I'm like shutting off the light, going into my bedroom and I'm turning around like what was that?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's good. It's a big question.
Speaker 2:Yes, and obviously I'm, I'm open for it and I want that and, um, I'm so glad that I'm a man of God, that I know the Lord and know the word not a perfect man, but I, just like I want my sons, you know, we're their, we're their greatest influence, their number one influence, and that's a that's the eye-opener for when I'm, when I'm out of control yeah, when I'm lashing out, when I'm yelling and I'm disciplining and anger or yeah um, and those moments are quick and brief and I come back to repent to god, to my and gosh.
Speaker 2:Not that we need to go down this way, but my wife recently had a great conversation with me about don't forget to repent. To me too, this affects me this affects me as your wife and the mother. So it's not just you're going to God and how you handled that situation and then going to the boys on how you handle this situation. I'm over here too, and it was a great moment for me.
Speaker 1:But anyway, going back, the fruits of the Spirit are in us and I heard something great last night, even that was so powerful is that because it's a spiritual fruit, it's backed by the power of the Spirit. That means it doesn't come from us, but it has power. We think of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, as some of those are kind of weaker-mindedness. But if the Spirit is the one that brings those to pass, then it is the Spirit that has the power to bring them to pass in our lives. And I think all of those things live in our recreated spirit. And just because you're a dad and they're your kids or your sons and they're frustrating, it doesn't mean that we're not under the same responsibility to treat them with the same fruit of the spirit that we would expect for our own selves, and that that's hard for a parent, that's hard for us to get our head around. That that's a son or a daughter of God and they really aren't my kids first, they're God's kids first.
Speaker 1:And you know, when you go into that parenting mode, I just always encourage everybody just remember that we don't want to ever lose our influence. Right, and I've done that. I've made so many boneheaded, you know comments or lost my cool or whatever, and when I did that, all I did was lose my influence. I could have had the same thing done just without the flesh being involved, and but God's there to help you, and that's what the Holy Spirit's there for, and he is our helper and he'll help us, even when those times when we feel the emotion I was reading about our emotions Unfortunately, about emotions is they can be influenced by demonic forces, even a Christian.
Speaker 1:So if we think we can be under the influence of those things, we can also be under the influence of the Spirit of God, and even when it comes to difficult situations, that's what the fruits of the spirit are there for, and I just pray now, even when I'm about to blow my stack at a situation that happens or whatever, it's just, lord, let them see you and not me Talking about my own kids. Let them see you. I don't want them to see an angry person or a disappointed person. Light pushes out darkness and if we are going to be people of influence in our family, we've got to be bringing light. Bringing more shame, bringing more condemnation.
Speaker 1:Those are just tools that the enemy uses. They're based in fear, and that's not where we want to be. We want to be driving darkness out of our homes, and we only have one enemy, and it's not our kids, it's not the frustrating behavior, it's the enemy, it's the devil. He does not want us to succeed as Christian parents, and so this is why it's so important that we get in the game. You know, because he has a plan and it's to use us against our own kids.
Speaker 1:And if they can see us as the game, you know because he has a plan and it's to use us against our own kids, and if they can see us as the enemy boy, he's got a foothold. See the people closest to him as the enemy mom, dad, boy those people are terrible. What a terrible thing to miss for us as believers is to know that, you know, is that we can. We can't play into his hands, yeah.
Speaker 2:That's such great. That's such great teaching and mentorship. Right there is I'm I am right in the middle of making that shift of more of of influencing and bringing in light and raising them up to be champions for God over like, don't do this.
Speaker 1:Don't do this, stop doing that. I told you, I told you, I told you, and it's like I can feel the beat down myself Like this is terrible coming out of your mouth.
Speaker 2:I know this isn't working. But the knee-jerk reaction stuff, but yeah, when you reaction stuff, but yeah, when you. We we've recently had a few days where we um had our sons close. We've kind of cut devices, yeah, and it's awesome. And I wish it was originally because of awesome spiritual idea. It was more based on I were going down a wrong path here, sure, and we need to put some stuff away. And wow, lo and behold, we all got time together and we felt God speaking to us and words for our children. That's awesome. And yeah, it's all different when it's talking about life.
Speaker 1:And every kid's different Right. Every kid's different 100% yeah 100%.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, I have one child that can take a word real quick and that was all it was.
Speaker 1:And you know that was awesome it was, and you know, sure man, that uh, that was awesome, you know, the other is like man, this is, we're playing, this is some tough ground here. We got some hard-heartedness, everything and spend time with god, figure something out. Yeah, that's good, um well dude I.
Speaker 2:Just one thing I love is right now in this conversation is honesty about your work hours, whether they are that way right now or they were at one point that many hours. I feel a lot of people aren't really honest about that yeah of what um the time you put in into your business? Or the time it has taken to be where you're at yeah, and at the same time not dropping. Well, just the honesty of like I didn't have a hobby. These are my hobbies. Yeah, you know, no hobby serving and my family.
Speaker 1:I'm not a good golfer I I do. I do work out at the gym at noon every day with a good friend that we have.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And you know, but besides that, and now my kids will occasionally catch a workout with me, but besides that, yeah, I mean it's, it's. We have to make time for God. You know, I mean, I think for my life it's been a big part of my life kind of on fumes. You know where it was church was my refuel, worked around some great men of God, and so it would get that. You know experience, but for the most part it was just fumes, it was a head knowledge.
Speaker 2:Well, I see you as a big protector, like there were years ago, you and I. I mean, you have, you have so many meetings, but I do too.
Speaker 2:But I I distinctly remember that you and I and a few others were at a breakfast meeting and um we were with a couple of pastors, yeah and um, discussing whatever it was at the time, and then I don't know if you and I talked afterwards or something about that meeting, like, like your, your statement to somebody was like I'm available this time, I'm available at this time, I won't do this, I won't do that, I'm all negative and I'm like man, really protect your schedule. Yeah and um, you know, even walking in, you're like, you know, you know, I know your hard stop which.
Speaker 2:I love, yeah, I absolutely love, and I think there's just lessons in that of you've you protect your calendar for your business and for your family, that I'm sure those are the things that you have to do.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And it's um. I would imagine it's taken a lot of discipline to just be so rooted in that it does.
Speaker 1:Um, I, I love to work, so that's something that you know. I know there's a, there's a trend in the world right now about personal time and self-care and all that. I, you know, my, my personal time and self-care is, um, well before six, a him, because that's the time of refreshing, this time when I can get up and pray in the spirit and read the word and just get things going in myself. You know, I mean, it has to be real to you before it can flow out of you. And I have found that through my mentorship with Bob Nelson and some other people in my life that it's no mistake that these guys have the walk, that they have, they put the time in.
Speaker 1:You know, I mean, this is not something you get vicariously or with, uh, with just being in proximity. You gotta do this, and for me there was no other time. Uh, it wasn't going to be later at night, it was going to be earlier. So I had to go deeper and I even watched some of these guys their prayer life, um, you know, an hour, two hours, and I'm thinking how would this ever, how could I pull this off? But I've managed to be able to get in a space where I can do that and it has really changed my life. Eric and I, uh, we volunteer on the prayer teams at church in the move. We actually need three prayer teams right now and it's the best thing I've ever done, because I'm so underqualified for it.
Speaker 1:But I've seen the Holy Spirit. I guess, kind of like some of the movies you might see, they say he's seen too much. I've seen too much of God. Move now to ever deny anything. I mean, I've just watched miracles happen in front of my eyes and those kinds of things drive you towards more time with the Lord and when you do that, it really begins to affect the external side of things. Drive you towards more time with the Lord, and when you do that, it really begins to affect the external side of things, because the Holy Spirit will start changing you and he'll start bringing stuff up to you that you need to work on. There's just so many times where he's just burned stuff out of me that, whatever it's self, it's envy, it's jealousy, it's fear, insecurity. He just burned it out of me because you can't spend time with God and have those things. He's going to bring it right up to you and he's going to show you in the Word people that dealt with those kinds of things, and so that's what's happening in me right now.
Speaker 2:That's where I am today. I've got a side question and we don't have to spend a lot of time on it. So there's, you know, like talking health and fitness right. The importance of rest. Yeah, also in building a business or something you want to be great at is also putting in the hours and putting in the work.
Speaker 2:Let's talk about the prayer. If someone wanted to go deep with God and really spend the time in studying or getting up early to pray and commit to that, you may have to get up ultra early to get it in before you go to school. So, personal question what is your belief on sleep? Do you shoot for a certain amount of hours? Does it not matter to you?
Speaker 1:Um, well, just want to get your thoughts, because some days it's just, some days it's, it's tough. Um, some days, you know it's it's five hours, four hours, uh, but, but a lot of times it's six to seven and that's great, I can do that, try and sleep in one day a week, which is great.
Speaker 1:Um, I believe that rest is really important. Um, so, yeah, I mean I, I I've had to go to bed earlier, which here's the big cut in my life. It's been media. I mean, I just have had. I have had no space for that, that's okay. Media has never done anything for me, so I don't need to be entertained. I think it depends on what stage in life you're in. Media plays a big role in people's lives. That's one thing that was optional for me and that helped me to really focus in on more intentional things. I love to play, I love to have a great time. I, I, yeah, I mean, we're in a stage in life now where we can travel more, and we took some time last year and went some places, and you know there's, you got a vacation, you got to have fun, but, um, but I do love to work, which makes work less of a strain.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I like that. I hate it if a business isn't doing well.
Speaker 1:I take it personally. You know we've had a lot of great successes and so much to be thankful for and lost a lot of money. I've done some things that have been like, wow, that is costing a large sum of money because of a mistake or a hunch. That's kind of who I am. I've been blessed enough to be mentored by some amazing entrepreneurs and sometimes you get it right and sometimes you don't. So when they don't go well, the strain of that can really start to wear on you and that does bother me.
Speaker 1:But the Lord convicted me about that because I think for us we compartmentalize things. Well, my business is doing great, my family's doing great, my relationship with my wife is doing great, my hobby's doing great, or if I've got a side business, it's doing great. You know, whatever We've got all these categories, god doesn't look at us in categories and so much of what we try and do is say, well, you know I'm doing good over here, but I'm failing over here. And you know the Lord's way bigger than that. He's seeing us from above and he just sees success. We're getting so caught up and it really causes unthankfulness when we do that, when we categorize things because we can be 90% great, but this one area isn't doing well and that's got all of our attention and that really shouldn't be the case. God's big enough to bless one area more than another. To make up for that. That's so good.
Speaker 1:You just have to kind of keep it in, I mean honestly, even with your kids. I mean I hate it. People make dumb decisions and you can have one kid that's just knocking the cover off the ball and another one, that man. They're just struggling right now, you know, but he can give you enough joy from that one sometimes to help help balance it out a little bit, you know. So I think it's it's just a little bit bit of like for us is just realizing. Look at the whole. You know, if it all ended today would we be thankful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know why aren't we thankful, then yeah, why aren't we doing that?
Speaker 1:Why wouldn't we be grateful? Why are we all stressed out?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. Well, I like how you said about the I don't know lopsidedness of it, or like one, yeah, something could be on us doing awesome. Or like you have one child that, like man, they're really in a sweet spot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, what a joy. Rejoice, and don't let that steal your joy that's right, don't?
Speaker 2:yeah, don't. So you know god is honored, god is real and he is coming through, so you know his word is true yeah don't forget that over here. Don't forget that over here, because right before your eyes or whatever it is, your business is thriving, but your personal life is like God's working, and so he wants to bless it both. So don't lose hope and faith in this one area. Well, we think all the time about it.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, you know, the scripture tells us in first Corinthians 13 to not think evil of others. And you know that's just letting your imagination take, get the best of you, and whether it's a kid that you're thinking, oh yeah, they're. They're not doing what they're supposed to be doing.
Speaker 1:Well, that's you shouldn't be doing that, you know, we should not be thinking evil of people in our own family. We shouldn't be thinking evil of people that we don't really know the situation but our mind, through whatever conceit, envy all the things. We're bent that way. Sometimes we think well, you know, in the absence of whatever truth, I know, I'm just going to think this person's worst case scenario. And we shouldn't think that about God either. You know, God's just cause you can't see it Doesn't mean he's not working on it. That's right.
Speaker 1:You know, we think God's forgotten about this one area of our life. Well, who says you were right? Yeah, just cause you can't see it Doesn't mean he's not working on it. That is so good.
Speaker 2:Um well, I'm watching the clock here. I know you got a call here soon. I Well, I'm watching the clock here. I know you got a call here soon. I want to squeeze in a business question. Yes sure, and then I have a. Well, I love this foundational stuff we're doing. Yeah, because it's setting me up to ask you to come back for another time.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:Maybe I get in. So your one thing I want to cut to is and then I have a last question that I ask all my guests but when I'm around your operation or operations, um, I feel like you're known for smooth, smooth operation and smooth processes Like you're. Like you're when I'm at the dealership and it's it's I can separate, like you could tell, like just from from start to finish.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thank you, yeah, I mean like you.
Speaker 2:You it's um. Anyway, I don't. I want to make this. I want to give you time to talk.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I feel that you're known for strategy, operation processes. You're a brilliant mind, you're a great thinker. People follow you. You have a lot of great leaders that are underneath you. I would like for you to talk about that a little bit. I don't know, yeah, well, first of all, thank you. Where did that come from? You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:I know you just dropped it, yeah no, this is good because, to set the record straight, that'd be a huge mistake to think that that was just me. We have an amazing team I mean from my mentor and Bob Nelson who had the vision, really probably less about the process, but more about the principle. You know, and he set. He set the principle in place and we had to figure out how to get there. So that made it easy. Once someone took the bold step and saying I don't care what we do, it just has to get this accomplished. So you had to back up the bus and figure out the fact that you know to quantify experience is really more science than it is anything, and you have to be able to say what is a good experience. And can you do it again and again and again. We always have the saying you know, you, you bake the cookies the same way every time and if you want that award-winning recipe, you got to follow the recipe. Well, first of all, figuring out what the recipe is.
Speaker 1:So, that just comes through lots of trial and error. I heard John Maxwell say this recently that you know the the the difference between, uh, the space between success and failure is very narrow margin. Right, because if you're doing it right, you're failing, but you're using those failures to turn into successes. And that was really our story. And but we did set out to do things differently. And it really helps once you start through the lens of.
Speaker 1:Everything has to be honest, everything has to be upfront, it has to be done through integrity and it has to be done through the understanding that we're not going to lie, we're going to do business in a way that's going to honor God, and everything that we say and do has to be truthful. When you do that, then that makes it easy, because some of the levers of manipulation in sales that people pull are really based on a lot of gray areas. Well, what's a lie? Well, it's anytime you don't tell the truth. But is a lie also when you don't give all the information. Well, sure, yes, yes, to both. Teach your kids that.
Speaker 1:It's really good, yeah, so in business there's a lot of that going on, and in the car business it's rampant. I mean it's an epidemic, it's a pandemic in fact of information manipulation.
Speaker 1:So, for us to say we're not going to do business that way, boy, it's like might as well saying you know we're going to, uh, just go the opposite direction of the industry. But when you honor God, he makes a way for you to move things in a way that will allow you to connect with customers, to um, earn their trust and to create an experience that is greater than maybe even the price that someone's paying on a vehicle. Or maybe, um, when the experience is better, maybe even the price that someone's paying on a vehicle, or maybe, when the experience is better, maybe the vehicle doesn't matter anymore. We have a saying in our businesses, and it's the way we do business is our product, not what we sell.
Speaker 1:When we started down this road, the way we did business didn't look any different than any other car dealer in town. It was the same. We said we were nicer. We said we were better, but those were all words that could never be felt. Now, today, the words different actually mean something. They're tangible. When a client comes into our businesses and goes through our entire purchasing process, whether it's sales or service, they see that, they experience that and they talk about it. That's different and that's what happened in our businesses is that we created some experiences and we figured out a way to do it over and over again so that everybody can enjoy that experience.
Speaker 2:And uh so, yeah, that's what we did. That's awesome. That loads me up for a bunch more questions, but um want to ask you I want to go back to the very beginning of this conversation and use you know you talked about and how many other llcs that you have.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you have you said we have that to something more, not to just have more, yeah, to give more, or oh yeah but like what, I should go back go back and play those words, cause it was like, wow, that was really good, it wasn't cause you, you, you put these words together, not like, oh, I have a bunch of businesses just to have bank a bunch of money.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And, um, go to that Like you're, you're starting, you're some serial entrepreneur. Yeah, maybe a little.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, that's inside you.
Speaker 2:That's the gift that God has given you, but the purpose behind it, going back to the principle behind it, what you just said, yeah, Well, one.
Speaker 1:We love employing people. That's one of our most favorite. I mean, it's the best form of ministry you can have. Is that because of our culture and because of what we want to accomplish in every person when they come to work there, we want it to be the best part of their day. We want, uh, when they come to work, no matter what their background is, what their home life is like, we want coming to work for any one of our companies to be the very best part of their life and not to outshadow what happens with family or anything but. But it's, that's, that's our goal. We have a high goal. We want that to be an encouraging, a lifting area that, um, is just a good, good part of their life. And you know, have we always done that? No, but that's our, that's our goal.
Speaker 1:And you know, when we make benefit discussions, uh, pto, um, uh, the way that we train, all of these things are centered around our people, and we do really have a different product when it comes to the training of our people, and we've figured out a way whether you work at our car washes or in our car dealerships, or at our training company or our finance companies or our software company, the way that we're going to do business.
Speaker 1:Number one is going to be based on integrity, and you know a lot of companies ask for loyalty, but I think you've got to show loyalty before you can ever demand it. And, um, that's done through a lot of ways, and probably the best way that you can show loyalty is to invest in people and, uh, we, we used to do a terrible job of training and I have to say that's probably been one of the best things we've ever done in the last decade is to make training the most important thing that we do. In fact, we've often referred to ourselves not as a car dealership or a software company, but as a training company, because once you build products, training is the thing that facilitates great employee experiences. It facilitates great customer experiences. When you invest in your people. That's the hundredfold multiplier. That's what makes that experience that you're talking about yeah, and people feel empowered Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Which is awesome. I wrote down training too, when I was writing down some notes for you and I was like because I knew that's big, you're known for that, yeah, and I love that, and thanks for answering this question. I know that's. That's what I wanted to pull out of. You is like most you know what you see on social media today of the serial entrepreneurs is like oh yeah, sure Right, we're big time baby. You never hear, but never hear anybody say I want to. We get to employ more people.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, oh. That's the greatest joy ever. It's amazing. We love hiring people. We love them. I think we're getting closer every day to 500 team members and you know we want to have thousands. We'd love to have just armies of people working for this company, because it's such a great company and we believe in the mission of it, and when you come to work with us, you get blessed.
Speaker 2:That was awesome. Well, last question, podcast is lasting impact. Yes, and so what does lasting impact mean to you?
Speaker 1:Wow, Um, well, I would. I would answer this from two sides. I would answer it from the business side and the family side. So the business side would be that, at some point, that the people that you have, the leaders of your company, are doing business exactly like you. I think that would be, and when I say that I'm not talking about the technical things, I'm talking about having the integrity, having the want and the desire to honor God, having the want and the desire to treat people well, and you don't get that out of a process. The only way you can do that is through influence, and that takes a lot of investing in leadership, and so the only way for a company to be in business 100 years from now is for those things to be in place. There's lots of companies out there that come and go, and I think the ones that really make the biggest impact are the ones where a founder or the founders leave a legacy of how we do business, and this is who we are Bigger things, bigger things in the product, bigger things in what we sell. We're going to see so many changes in the next decade in our industry. The only thing that will ensure that we are in business and thriving are those core principles and those core values. So if that gets infused into our people, that to me is the biggest legacy that we could leave, because far after we're gone, the success of the Nelson Auto Group will have a lasting impact because of that, and very, very, very close to that would be.
Speaker 1:Same thing applies to your family. You can't get into your family what you don't model and, um, God's got a lot of grace. Kids get a short end of the stick, a lot. I talked to a lot of young adults that didn't have a great home life and you got to work with the hand that's dealt you. You don't always get a chance to pick your family, or actually never do but as a leader of your family we can be really intentional that we want to be influencing for good in our kids, and to the point to where the things that we think about have to be with their future in mind. Things that we think about have to be with their future in mind, and it's it's hard not to get caught up in, um, all the tyranny of what's going on. Um, but those times when you can have the talks, have them as often as you can speak life into your family, including our spouses.
Speaker 1:You know, sometimes they get the worst side of things. Those closest to us don't get to see the very best of us, and so when we, when we work um in our own spiritual um development that has the greatest impact on our families, Um, we can't be what we're not and we can't expect them to be what we're not. So it all starts with that initial spending time, having that quiet time with the Lord, uh, allowing yourself to be changed from the inside out, because those are the kinds of things that are unspoken but they make a huge impact. Uh, when they see dad um not react the way or not get caught up the way that other people, other dads, do.
Speaker 1:Um, when my son um went to the Academy, he called me one time and he said dad, he goes, oh my gosh. I was just sitting around with some buddies and they're all talking about how they've gotten in fistfights with their dads and their relationship with their dads, and he said you know, I just, I just want to call and thank you for you know, and those are the type of things that they remember. It's not whether or not you got it all right all the time I don't. I don't think anybody's going to do that, but, um, when you're intentional about sowing into your kids, believing in them, speaking life over them, you will. You will be just really honored as they begin to grow and develop under that type of investment.
Speaker 2:Man, that was awesome.
Speaker 1:You are awesome, you're awesome.
Speaker 2:Hey, it means a lot to me that you came today. I really appreciate you and let's do it again if you don't mind. This is Brandon Murphy, and he is making a lasting impact. Thank you. If you liked today's conversation and want to hear more, hit that subscribe button. Don't forget to leave a review and share your thoughts. Your feedback keeps the impact going.