Rak Rewind: What it Means to Have an Uncompromising Approach to Life with Steve White

“The five or six people that you spend the most time with, that’s who you’ll become. And our time is so limited.”

Steve White, President and Special Counsel to the CEO of Comcast Cable, joins Off the Rak to discuss what it means to have an Uncompromising approach to life, the importance of having a positive influence on those we lead and what it means to have road-dog relationships.

About the Guest

Steven A. White grew up as the son of a fiercely determined and hard-working single mother. His family moved often in the hopes of creating a better life and future. From Florida to Georgia and eventually Indiana, Steve was influenced by his mother’s strong will and work ethic. It was her incredible resolve that led him to be the first in his family to pursue a college education at Indiana University and a successful career in sales, marketing, and general management.

As President of Comcast’s West Division for eleven years, Steve White created a culture defined by Working Together To Win Together. Driven by continuous learning, radical responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Comcast’s West Division became a pacesetter by delivering industry-leading results. Steve White was responsible for all Comcast Cable operations in the Western U.S., leading nearly thirty thousand employees, serving almost ten million customers, and driving annual revenue of nearly $18 billion. 

Steve launched his Comcast career in 1996 as Regional Vice President, invigorated by a successful tenure at Colgate-Palmolive where he managed the overall toothbrush business to register a 430% net sales increase. A commitment to his why and the influence of mentors enabled him to demonstrate consistent growth for his teams and divisions, which led to increasing leadership responsibilities.

Today, Steve applies that same winning philosophy to his new post as President, Special Counsel to the CEO of Comcast.

Giving back and paying it forward are two of Steve White’s life values. He has lived in Denver for more than 10 years and has seen the community grow and change at an incredible pace. Steve appreciates how Denver is an innovative leader in media, culture, and education, and he enjoys supporting organizations that make up Denver’s vibrant community. 

He champions causes related to family and education, such as the Denver Scholarship Fund. He partnered with the University of Denver as an Executive in Residence and provided academic enrichment for the Daniels College of Business. Steve also speaks to various professional groups helping others along their journey to professional and personal success. 

Steve serves on the board of directors for Hormel Foods and W.W. Grainger. He spent time as an executive in residence for the University of Denver. Having experienced his own success thanks to the advice of key mentors, Steve now offers guidance to others in support of businesses across the country.

After stepping down as President of Comcast’s West Division, Steve White has turned his attention to speaking and writing. He sincerely believes that all of us are meant to share our stories for the benefit of others. Steve’s message merges his passions for business, family, and philanthropy to deliver an enlightening and meaningful message to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. He speaks locally to different Denver-based organizations and nationally to Fortune 500 companies. 

To complement his keynote speaking, Steve White is authoring a new book titled, Uncompromising: How an Unwavering Commitment to Your Why Leads to an Impactful Life and a Lasting Legacy. This book explores the defining – often heart-wrenching – moments on Steve’s path from the housing projects to president of Comcast West and how he positively made a difference in his life and for those around him. He hopes that his readers will reflect on the book’s seven pathways and seek out ways to make a difference for others. 

Uncompromising was published March 2022.

Links in this Episode

Learn more at stevewhitespeaks.com

Learn more about Off the Rak and watch past episodes at waltrakowich.com/offtherak

Follow @waltrakowich on Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube | Threads

Transcript

>> Walt Rakowich: 0:00

Foreign. Hi, everyone. Welcome back to off the Rak Conversations on Transformative Leadership with yours truly, Walt Rakowicz. And if you're new to the show, I'm just really delighted that you're on with us today. So I'm joined today by, by Steve White, who is a great friend of mine. Steve is a terrific leader, not only because of what he's accomplished and what he's accomplished with his people over time, but also because of the cards that he was dealt early in life, frankly, and I think he'll talk a little bit about that today. Steve did not grow up with a lot of resources, but what he did have was an amazing mother who loved him and really helped him to navigate through the ups and downs. And through it all, Steve went on to attend the Indiana University. He created a very, very successful career working at some great companies like American Hospital Supply, like Pepsi, like colgate, Palmolive, like AT&T broadband, and most recently, actually for about 27 years, I believe. Steve with Comcast, where he was president of Comcast West Division, overseeing an operation with revenues of an excess of $18 billion. Steve led by having an unwavering commitment to excellence. And he's recently written a book that talks about what that commitment looks like. The book's called Uncompromising, and it's an excellent read for people that are looking for wisdom in how to lead every day in the market. Steve today is president and special counsel to the CEO of Comcast, and he also sits on the board of directors of Hormel Foods, W.W. granger, and Shaw Communications, three amazing companies. And one thing both Steve and I have in common is that he is active in the education of inner city youth. And we're going to talk a little bit more about that today as well. Steve, it is great to have you on with me today. Great.

>> Steve White: 2:18

It's so great to be with you, Wal. And congratulations on your second season of doing this. You truly are making an impact. So keep doing it.

>> Walt Rakowich: 2:27

Thanks, Steve. I appreciate you saying that. Look, Steve, before we really launch into some questions about your career and the like, I want to connect on kind of a shared leadership belief that we both have, you know, through our past and our present work and experiences. And, you know, you, all the times you and I have talked together, we both talk about the importance of having a positive influence on people. And I'm just kind of curious, why do you think that that's important?

>> Steve White: 2:58

Yeah, you know, what is. It's. First of all, what a great question, and I just want to share with all of our listeners. And I share this with my 10 year old son, Stephen Andrew White II. He goes by Stevie. I say Stevie. The five or six people that you spend the most time with, that's who you will become. So let me say that again. The five or six people that you spend the most time with, that's who you will become. And our time is so limited. Walt and I truly believe we the way our mind works, we tend to see the negative and not the positive. And so therefore as a leader, I have to over deliver in the area of a positive feedback because people are already doing enough damage to themselves because our brain is wired sometimes to think about the negative. And so as a leader, my job is to see things in people that sometimes they don't even see in themselves. At least I know that's what inspired me to go do and reach beyond what I thought my, my kicking coverage was. So one is who you influence says a lot about who you are. Number two, we're already filling ourselves with a lot of negative energy. So therefore we as leaders have to over deliver in the area of positive. And Walt, who do you want to hang around with? Do you want to hang around with somebody who sees the glasses half empty or half full? And that's how you attract people to you with your positive attitude, your ability to see things in a positive light. That's what attracts people to you. And then once they are attracted to you, then, well, you can then pour into them in a very, very positive way and help them find their true purpose. Because let's be honest, we're all on this earth for a reason. And I truly don't believe we're here just for ourselves. I truly believe we're here to make a difference and make it an impact. And share with me somebody that you know that's been successful, that has a tree and they have no fruit on it. There are no leaves, it's just a naked tree. The more you can reinforce the positive attributes of people, the more fruit you'll have hanging on your tree. And that should be a journey that we should all be inspired by.

>> Walt Rakowich: 5:15

Wow, Steve, we could probably just end the interview right now.

>> Steve White: 5:19

It's such an important piece. And Walt, you know what, and the reason I love your question so much is we all should constantly do an inventory of who are we spending our time with. And if they're not reinforcing. I'm not saying look through rose colored glasses, that's not what we're saying. But I can inspire you and also give you difficult Feedback at the same time. So I challenge all of our listeners because I regularly challenge myself and I know you do as well. I'm constantly taking inventory. Am I in an environment that's positive and if I'm not, how do I get myself out of it? Because eventually it will impact me a

>> Walt Rakowich: 5:57

negative way for sure. Couldn't agree with you more, Steve. So let's go backward a little bit. I, I want to dive into your personal life journey and maybe a little bit of your accomplishments as we go on. But you've been really influenced by your mom.

>> Steve White: 6:13

Yes.

>> Walt Rakowich: 6:13

Talk about that in your book.

>> Steve White: 6:15

Yes.

>> Walt Rakowich: 6:16

And her strong will and her work ethic, and therefore your work ethic led you to Indiana University and then go on to have an incredible career. But you had somebody of influence. It was in you. It was your mom. Can you talk a little bit about her core values, you know, her ethics, the things that she instilled in you every day and you know, kind of how you became the person you became?

>> Steve White: 6:42

Yeah. Well, let me just set a little context. 29 year old mother with four children decided to make a difference and move her fan her four boys away from, from their father because the influencer were not properly, properly set up. So let's just say that she had a marriage license. Well. But did not even have a driver's license. So let me just put that, you know, 29 years old, Mary, marriage license, but no driver's license, moved from Florida, Indianapolis, because she had a brother. She wanted to put her kids back to positive influences. Put us in an environment that was positive. Her first job was cleaning motel rooms. And we as 11 and 12 and 13 year old boys would go help her clean these motel rooms on the weekends. She graduated to be a high school janitor for 35 years. We grew up in the housing projects of Indianapolis, Indiana, so clearly we were set up to be the perfect victim. But one of the first values that she instilled in us. No victims allowed here. None. Yes. Our environment might not be perfect, we might not have all the resources, but you're not going to feel sorry for you. You've been given great health, you've been given a brain, you've been given a home filled with love. No victims allowed. That was number one. Number two was about the family or the team. She would call us the team and sometimes she talked about us against the world. But her point was, we can't do this alone. I'm working two jobs. Steve, you're the oldest. I, I expect you to care for your younger brothers. I expect you to help them get dressed for school. I expect you to help them get fed at night. I expect you to help them with their homework. So she really emphasized this idea of team and that we can only do this together. And that certainly made a major difference in my career and how I thought about leadership. Number three. There are only two things, Walt, you can control in your life. That's your attitude and effort. Don't give away that control. So put everything that you have to into working hard with a positive attitude. Even when she was cleaning motel rooms, Walt. Now this is motel with an M, not hotel with an H. There's no spa, there's no in room dining. And so. But her attitude, watching her even in the most dire circumstances when the rooms were left, awful, she always had a smile on her face and always put in a level of excellence because she knew that we were watching it and we needed to be there. Number four, you're always competing against yourself. Don't let someone else be your standard. Every day when you look in that mirror, did you give your absolute best? And if you did, you had no apologies. So don't compare yourself to somebody over here who might have a few more dollars than you, or might have a bigger home or a better car or better looking girlfriend, or don't compare yourself to them. You focus on you. And if you do your absolute best with the right work ethic, with the right attitude, no victim mentality, which is my definition for radical responsibility, then you're going to be okay. So those were the values that were instilled in me that made a difference. And the final point, Walt, she always put us in a situation where we were around positive people. I benefited from big brothers and big sisters. I had a big brother who was an IBM executive and he would take us to ball games. Sometimes on the weekends we would go to help my uncle, who had a second job hauling trash and junk and things like that. So she constantly tried to put us in a situation where there were positive influences and positive role models. So Those are the four or five things that still stick with me. Today she's 82. She has a birthday coming up very soon and she'll be 83 years old. So she's still with us. And whenever she visits, she just cries. Because when you sacrifice so much and you see it come to fruition, it just. It just gives you such great pride. So we're very blessed and lucky to have her still with us.

>> Walt Rakowich: 10:59

Is she still in Indianapolis?

>> Steve White: 11:01

She's still in Indianapolis. We helped her retire she has her own place, and now she just travels to visit her grandkids. She's enjoying life right now.

>> Walt Rakowich: 11:10

Well, Steve, now I know where you get that this positivity sounds like. Your mom was a pretty doggone positive person herself.

>> Steve White: 11:18

And tough, Walt. And tough. There was not a Democratic household. There was one share. There was one boss. And we quickly realized that. So also, call me a quick study. I realized there was one sheriff, and I got in line.

>> Walt Rakowich: 11:32

Apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, I can tell you.

>> Steve White: 11:35

That's exactly right, Steve.

>> Walt Rakowich: 11:38

I want to. I want to take this time to sort of move into your book a little bit uncompromising. And the tagline underneath of the uncompromising, so everybody knows, is how an unwavering commitment to your why leads to impactful and impactful life and a lasting legacy. And so in the book, you explore seven pathways. You call them pathways to help you identify and also live your why. And can you talk a little bit about what you mean by uncompromising? You know the word uncompromising. And then maybe even touch on this why, this question of living your why?

>> Steve White: 12:21

Yeah. Oh, such a good question, Walt. I want to start with a quote. It's attributed to Mark Twain. The two most important days in your life, the day you're born. Wait for it. The second is when you know why. So let me say that again. Mark Twain quote. The two most important days in your life is the day you're born. The second is when you find out why. We've all been placed on this earth, Walt. For purpose and a reason. And there's no one that can convince me that we are placed here to create havoc or create trouble. I think we are all placed here to make a difference. Some of us find our way, Some of us I don't. So therefore, finding your purpose in your why becomes very, very important. So let me tell you how mine happened. I was a young manager, 1986, because I thought my purpose in why, Walt, was to work hard to ensure that my family was never in poverty again. That is certainly a worthy cause. And so early in my career, Walt, I was so focused on me, so focused on what I was doing, and I had some early success. And so now I become the sales manager for American Hospital Supply, the youngest in his history. And, Walt, I was fired after 12 months because I was so focused on me. I was not feeding my people. Was the first time I was leading people. I had 12 men and women I was leading, and I was not feeding them. I was not caring from Them I put me first at every juncture, and as a result, they were not growing, our results were not there, and I got fired. And what a blessing that had happened early in my career. And there was a mentor named Darnell Martin, who worked for the same company in another division, called me the day I got fired and said, how are you? I said, dude, how do you think I'm doing? I feel terrible. But he said, steve, I see more in you. So he grabbed me. Walt moved me from Michigan to Chicago, and I worked under him for six months, not with. Without a permanent job, but just learning from him. And I saw the way he poured into his people and how much they adored him and how hard they worked for him. And he always talked about we. He always talked about they, in every moment was how could he make his team better? And I started to realize, Walt, the reason I had been giving so many hand ups, not handouts, but hand ups, was because I really thought I was on this earth to create a table of prosperity for as many people as possible. And so through that process, through that fire, through that very difficult time, I identified my purpose and why. And from then on, I focused on how could I create a table of prosperity for as many people as possible. That's why I wrote the book. And so where the title Uncompromising comes from, once you identify your purpose and your why, life is certainly about compromise. But once you identify your purpose and why you can't compromise that, that becomes uncompromising because you now have identified why you've been placed on this earth, and you have to pursue that in a very uncompromising way if you want to live a life of success, impact, and legacy. And so that's where the title was birthed, this idea of identifying your purpose and why, understanding why you've been placed on this earth and then ruthlessly go after that. And usually 99.9% of the time, well, when you identify your purpose and why, it's usually helping others. It's usually creating a better life for other people. And it's not just about you. In the satisfaction wall that you get when you impact the lives of others, it's a feeling that I can't describe to you, but I know it when it happens. And so sorry about the long answer, but that's how the title Uncompromising was birthed. Finding your purpose. And why, in an uncompromising way, live that? Because that's how you lead a life of success, legacy, and impact.

>> Walt Rakowich: 16:33

And you're. It sounds to me like your recommendation would Be. When you find your why, make sure it's bigger than you.

>> Steve White: 16:41

Make sure it's bigger than you. Because usually, Walt, your why is about impacting others. It's never about enriching yourself. Because I tried that. I thought that was my purpose, was just earning as much money as possible. When that was not the case, it was serving others. And here's the beauty, Walt. When you serve others, success comes to you. So people say, well, Steve, how did you get to be president of a division of a Fortune 20 company? Because, Walt, the more I invested in others, they would push me up like this. And so therefore, when the bosses were looking for the next leader, they couldn't. They could not see me. They had to see me because my people kept pushing me up and making me visible to them. The more I gave to others, the greater success I enjoyed.

>> Walt Rakowich: 17:30

I love that in the books. The. You know, one of the pathways that really resonated with me was navigating uncertainty, because I had to do that, too. I. I had to take over a company, as, you know.

>> Steve White: 17:44

Yes.

>> Walt Rakowich: 17:45

You know, in a very, very difficult time. And so, Steve, if you look back on your career, you know, is there a moment that that was the most difficult or maybe a phase in your career that you had to sort of navigate through? And. And if you did, how'd you do it?

>> Steve White: 18:03

Well, certainly getting fired was one, Walt. And I just want to build on that one, because part of navigating uncertainty is being in the moment. So the day I got fired, I could have wallowed in my, you know, my pity. I could have crawled under the bed and never to come out. But I was present enough, thankfully. So when the call came from Darnell to say, look, I see more in you than you see in yourself, if you will trust me, I will help you find your way. I will invest in you if you will invest in yourself. And so this idea of being present, Walt, gives me the ability to see what's in front of me and then navigate that uncertainty. Because success is, as you know, Walt, is never a straight line up. There are always valleys and hills and ups and they're downs. But your ability, ability to assess that situation, figure out a course of action forward, that's what really matters. It's not what happens to you. It's how you respond to it, whether it's good or bad. I'll share one more quote with you, and this is my favorite. My wife's grandfather used to share it. He didn't realize he was quoting Shakespeare, but Shakespeare says, nothing is good Nothing is bad. Thinking makes it so. So as you navigate uncertainty, if you can think about it the right way, you can always turn those into positive experiences that you're learning that allows you to go forward. So this. Navigate uncertainty, stay in the present, stay in the moment, keep a positive outlook on it, teach it, take it as a learning experience, and then build from there as you move forward.

>> Walt Rakowich: 19:56

Love it. You know, Steve, I was just thinking about the metaphor that you just did. You know, people pushing you up. I love that. And, you know, made me think about something else that you wrote. And, and. And that is that leadership is actually a group effort. It's a group effort. It's not just you. It's all the people you lead helping each other and blah, blah, blah. You know, you talk about something in your book, which is one of the pathways mentioned, something about having road dog relationships, making sure that you got road dog relationships in your life. What the heck is a road dog relationship? And why should everybody listening today need to have one?

>> Steve White: 20:49

Oh, I love that. Well, what a great question. Now, we talked about how I grew up, right? I grew up in the housing projects of Indianapolis, and certainly there are housing projects like in the city of Chicago and other places that are much more difficult than Indianapolis. But it's what I know. And while you regularly had to quickly decide friend or foe, but let me give an analogy. And not that I'm promoting fighting, but a fight breaks out and your buddy jumps in and helps you without asking any questions because they make sure the fight is over and you're cared for. Then they ask the questions after the fight. A non road dog is they see you getting your head beat in and they keep saying, now, why are you in this fight? What did you do to this person? Why do you deserve this as you get your head pummeled? This is a whole silly analogy to say, so someone that has your back. And let's define what that means. Walt, I know sometimes we get it from our spouse, we get it from a parent, but this is someone that has an unbelievable high level of confidence in you and your ability. Not that they tell you what they want to hear, but they believe in you. Number two, they care enough about you to tell you the truth, even when the truth hurts, even when it's not what you want to hear, but you need to hear it. They get excited when you have success. They ask questions that inspire your dreams versus tear them down. You don't have to ask them for a favor because they know you so well. They offer before you ask so essentially, this is a partner, someone that has your back. And having someone in your life like that, if you can have two, two or three in your life, you're a rich person. We're not talking about acquaintance. We're not talking about people you might play golf with or you go to movies with. We're talking about partners that truly believe in you. And when you can now go through life, Walt, and you've got a kitchen cabinet of men and women, and sometimes they come in and out based on the season that you're in, but when they can come in and offer you advice and be there for you and help you navigate the difficulties of life, boy, you're a rich person. But see, Walt, you can't have a road dog relationship unless you're willing to be a road dog. And so when people say, well, Steve, I can't find any road dogs, I first say, well, who are you a road dog to? You have to be vulnerable enough to be there for others before others will be there for you. And when you can go through life with a handful of road dogs, it's an amazing journey. And I have three that have been lifelong friends for 35, 40 plus years, outside of my brothers, outside of my wife. These are, you know, men that I went to high school with, went to college with. They've been there for me over 35, 40 years. That's when you've had a rich life. And so when we talk about this journey being a group effort, none of us get to that spot by ourselves. Usually there's someone helping us. So try to fill your life with a handful of road dogs and you'll find that your life will be so much richer.

>> Walt Rakowich: 24:14

Is it kind of like your board of directors a little bit?

>> Steve White: 24:17

That's exactly. I call it my kitchen cabinet. I have people come in and out of my kitchen cabinet that I can regularly go to. And it's not based on title, and sometimes it's based on the season. I know when Barbita and I finally got pregnant and we had our son Stevie. By the way, we share the same birthday, December 18th. What a miracle that is. But I know when I was becoming a father, there were. There were men that entered my life that helped me think about being a dad. And how do you balance being a dad and working hard and climbing the career ladder and at the same time trying to be a good husband. And so I have people in my life that could help me, you know, through that. So I call it my kitchen cabinet. You could call it your board of Directors, you could call it your road dogs, however you want to do it. Just like a great company. You look at a great company, they. You probably have a good board, they probably have a good board of directors. And so think about that as you go through it. Because while the last point I'll make on this is people often say, well, Steve, who do you work for? I said, I am chairman and CEO of Steve White Incorporated and Comcast purchases my services, which I'm very excited about. So when you think about yourself as a company or a business, why wouldn't you surround yourself with people that can advise you and guide you and offer perspective on how your company can be better? It's a different mindset that I believe if others adopt, it will help them lead a life of impact, legacy, and success.

>> Walt Rakowich: 25:50

Sounds like Barbita also is a road dog.

>> Steve White: 25:52

No question who you know, go back to that quote, Walt. The five or six people you spend the most time with, that's who you become. And so I've been blessed with a lovely wife, Barbita. We've been married a long time, and now we have this little one as part of our family. But she has been rock solid and she believes in me. She challenges me. Any married couple, any married people out there, you know, a good spouse will challenge you and they will. They will make you better. And so clearly this journey has been wonderful because I've had two really strong, impactful women, my mother and my wife. And you'll love this, Walt. They get along great. I came home last night, they're having a conversation of their life, probably talking about how they can make me better, but. But having those two women in my life has been such a blessing.

>> Walt Rakowich: 26:42

That's great stuff, Steve. So let me. I'm going to get on to a couple of personal questions. You talk in the book about the importance of your morning routine.

>> Steve White: 26:52

Yes.

>> Walt Rakowich: 26:53

And leading, if you will, an uncompromising life. What does that look like for you?

>> Steve White: 27:00

For me, Walt, as a man of Christian faith, I pray in the morning. And let me tell you why I believe the morning routine is so important for me. If you're going through life, think about your day. There are ups and they're downs, and there's good news and there's bad news. So for me, the morning allows me to put on my shield of armor. It allows me to prepare for the day. It allows me to get my mind right. So no matter what comes at me during the day, I'm prepared to handle it because I prayed, I fortified myself, I've had time to pray and reflect. For me, I like to work out. So that's my time to work out and spend some time alone before my family gets up. So that 30 minutes or 45 minutes or an hour, whatever time I get, it gives me a chance. Sometimes it might only be 10 minutes based on what's ahead that day, but finding that moment to collect myself, to reflect on my purpose and why pray and ask for guidance, it just gives me that shield of armor that allows me to approach the day with humbleness and gratitude. And as part of that morning routine, I count my blessings. And Walt, usually when I get to blessing number three or four, man, I am, like, ready to take the day on. So find that time for you. Some people it might be at night, some it might be middle of the day based on your life and your schedule and your circumstances. But find that time to put on your shield of armor as you approach the day.

>> Walt Rakowich: 28:42

I love that, Steve. And that gets me to kind of your second personal thing, and that is, you know, your life values. You talk about in the book paying it forward, giving back, you know, and most of us have really committed time and an effort to kind of the betterment of lives. In our cases of kids in the inner city. Yes. I just think it's one of the greatest challenges, but perhaps one of the greatest opportunities that we have as a country. So you talk in your book about the importance of having someone in our lives who sets expectations. In your case, probably your mother.

>> Steve White: 29:23

Yes.

>> Walt Rakowich: 29:24

Maybe others. And you also talk about the danger of victim mentality. You were talking about that earlier. And, you know, I see it in, in, in. In our cities, some urban youth suffer. Suffer from both. A lack of. Both of those maybe not enough expectations and, and. And maybe feeling victimized by. By where they are. How do we do our part today, Steve?

>> Steve White: 29:49

Yeah.

>> Walt Rakowich: 29:49

Try to change that environment.

>> Steve White: 29:51

Yeah. Such a big question. You know, Walton, I would love to say everything starts at home. You know, it's just so critical. I think it's so important to have two parent households. I certainly didn't grow up that way, but I certainly understand the importance of it so clearly establishing it at home. But sometimes that's not always the case, not necessarily in this order, but we've got to constantly put positive role models in front of these young people so they can see the possibilities. Images are so important. And when they see an athlete driving a new car or wearing nice clothes, that's okay. That's an okay image. But we also need to make sure we balance that with Doctors and business people and teachers. So constantly putting those role models. And I shared with you early on that my mother would always put those positive images in front of us. Not that they all had to be CEOs, but it was my uncle who had his own business. So constantly putting those role models, you know, in front of them. Number two is expect greatness. I'll share a quick story with you. I was at Harvard five years ago for a training program and I bought all of these Harvard T shirts of different sizes. So Stevie now, since he was 4 years old, has been wearing Harvard T shirts and sweatshirts for the last six years. Now, whether he goes to Harvard or not, that's not the point. The point is higher education is an expectation. So setting the expectation, the worst thing we can do is lower the bar. Number three is one of the things I try to do. While one of the organizations I support is called New Leaders, we focus on the development of public school principals. So how can we pour into the leaders that are spending the majority of their time with these young people so they know how to lead, how to set expectations, how to be that positive role model. So that's how I try to help impact that. And then. So. So that's one of the ways. But I think this constant role models, investing in them. And this is why the school system becomes so critical, Walt, because I'm sure you're the same way. I think about the teachers and principals that poured into me and they were such a positive influence. But I think we all have to come together to, to figure this out. But. But that's how I think we have to go about it.

>> Walt Rakowich: 32:23

Yeah, I agree, Steve. You know, I'm real involved with an organization called Colorado Uplift. And that's. Yes, we try to do. I couldn't agree with you more. And my hope is over time, change what is going on in the inner city. It's a big task.

>> Steve White: 32:40

That's exactly right. But we all own it together because. Well, think about this. You know, there are large groups of people that are not able to contribute to the success of this great country. The more we can tap into them. And so now everyone's contributing. You never know if that's the kid that's going to be the next leader of a, of a company like Apple. You never know where the next Elon Musk is going to. You just never know. But our ability to lift all boats is very important. And I know you share this. This is why my. Why is all about how can we create this table of prosperity for as many people as possible. That's why I wrote the book. I know that's why you wrote your book. None of us get rich doing this. This is all a love affair to try to make a difference in others. And so I think all of us can do that. And sometimes it seems overwhelming, Walt. So just identify one kid. Just start there, just one kid. Because you never know the multiplying effect of what you're doing. That one kid could be the catalyst for a whole community. You just never know.

>> Walt Rakowich: 33:52

Absolutely right. So, Steve, this is my last question, and I asked all my guests this, and actually it relates to something. In the seventh chapter of your book, you talk about owning your attitude and your effort. And in that chapter you say, when things are going well. Counting my blessings keeps me humble, thankful and motivated to keep working hard and acknowledge others who have helped me achieve my goals. So I want to end by asking you, what have been your greatest blessings and what are you most grateful for, Steve?

>> Steve White: 34:27

Yeah, boy, that's such a big question. And I probably could give you a lot of answers, but let me just be focused. One is relationships, Walt. My relationship with my mother, my relationship with my wife, my relationship with my road dogs, those three road dogs that have been in my life, my relationship with people like you. I've learned so much from you, just watching you as a husband, as a grandfather, and just a business leader. So having those relationships in my life have just been tremendous. Number two, all the people that gave me a hand up. And a hand up is defined as, I'm going to allow your talents to be put on display. And now you earn what's available to you. Well, one of my first big leadership lessons, I was the high school basketball manager. I tried out for the basketball team. I didn't make it, but I was the basketball manager for three years. That coach Ernie Husson, who is no longer with us, gave me incredible leadership opportunities at 15 and 16 years old. So I am thankful for those men and women that saw a little something in me and just gave me a hand up. Not a handout, but a hand up. I thought was just really, really important. Certainly my faith life is hard enough and having that moral compass in my life just means so much to me. So. So those are the things that I'm most grateful for. Because they're the gift that keeps on giving. It's not a one time thing. Relationships, the good and the bad, they grow and evolve. The people giving you a hand up, your faith, those are things. They're the gift that keeps on giving and if you nurture those, you're a richer person for it.

>> Walt Rakowich: 36:15

Well, Steve, you're the gift that keeps on giving to me. I appreciate so much you being on today and I just want to thank you for all your wisdom and encouragement and I think I've learned a lot and I'm sure that everybody else listening in has learned a lot from you too today.

>> Steve White: 36:36

Great.

>> Walt Rakowich: 36:38

Thank you.

>> Steve White: 36:38

Thank you all for having me on. I've enjoyed it so much and I hope our listeners really enjoyed our time today together.

>> Walt Rakowich: 36:44

I hope so too. I'd like to thank all of you who decided to make the decision to join us today. And and I'd like to encourage you all to keep an eye out for future off the rack interviews. And check out my check out my LinkedIn newsletter which is called off the Rak Plus. And in that you can find previous episodes, resources, transcripts and more. And until then, I just encourage everybody to be human, find a way to influence somebody in your life each and every day. Thank you again for being on.