Elevate Springfield

Elevate Springfield featuring John Geyston: Elevating Through the Power of Purpose, Systems, and Service

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Summary

In this episode, John Geyston shares his inspiring journey from martial arts to building successful businesses, emphasizing the importance of purpose, systems, and community. Discover actionable insights on leadership, growth, and overcoming challenges.

Takeaways

  • Having a clear purpose and mission is crucial for sustained success.
  • Implementing systems and processes enables scalable growth.
  • Building genuine relationships and community enhances leadership.
  • Persistence and resilience are key to overcoming doubts and setbacks.
  • Sharing stories and experiences inspires others and fosters connection.

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SPEAKER_00

Welcome to Elevate Springfield, where we will dive into strategies and stories that help you rise to your full potential. Each episode, we'll talk about how you can take intentional steps to elevate your life and your business while making a meaningful impact on those around you. Along the way, we're going to bring in the change makers from our community that are already elevating. We'll bring the actionable strategies, you bring the discipline and follow through, and together we can elevate Springfield. Alright, let's go, Springfield. Time to 10X your life, your business, all of it. Time to crush those goals, time to get after it. Let's go. You are listening to the Elevate Springfield Podcast. Robert Farrell here, certified 10x coach, speaker, and mentor here to bring you actionable strategies. You bring the discipline and follow through. And together, we're going to Elevate Springfield. We're coming to you again from beautiful downtown Springfield in the Big Dog Construction Studio. Hey, we've got so much going on in Springfield right now. Make sure you are participating. Get out there, network with folks, be a part of the community, support local businesses, support local nonprofits, and let's go. We can all grow together. So, hey, another great episode for you today. We're gonna get right to our guest after the break. Hey Springfield, when it comes to reliable, high-quality roofing, you don't want to leave things to chance. That's why you should reach out to Acosta Angeli Ruffing, your local roofing expert serving Springfield and surrounding communities. From quick dependable repairs to full replacement, from residential to commercial, they are your trusted pros. Call them today at 217-993-2748 or visit their website to book your free quote and inspection. Don't wait. A little leak now could lead to major damage later. Trust the local experts, protect your home, and get peace of mind with Acosta Angeli Roofing. All right, and we are back. Hey, joining me in the studio now, John Gaston from Empowered Martial Arts. John, how you doing today, man?

SPEAKER_04

I'm good. I'm good. It's good to be back home in the capital city.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, you're based out of Florida now, but back in town because you still have, of course, empowered everything here, right? So we'll talk all about that. But appreciate you coming down. Let's just start with a little bit about you, John. Tell us about your background, man.

SPEAKER_04

Well, you know, it I'm assuming we'll talk about the martial arts, but I'll share a little bit, like personal wise. You know, when I was four, my dad was killed in a car accident. And I tell you that part of the story because growing up, I didn't have like that father figure, male role model, right?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And it got to the point where even sometimes I was resentful. When I'd watch kids playing catch with their dad, I'm like, man, kids, I'm mad at that kid, right? And it was just a weird thing. And I think for me, martial arts, and there was something about it. So I did it when I was nine for a summer, did it when I was 15 for about 18, about a year and a half, I would say. Probably eight. Yeah, I would say about 18 months. There was something that drew me to it, but it just wasn't connecting for me. It was just like, and really honestly, and I always say this the first two guys that I did lessons with, 1972, 1977, 76, 77, they they were probably from karate kid, they probably made John Creese look like a good human being. Oh wow. Yeah, they just weren't good people. Right. Right. So, and I remember telling my mom, I said, You put me in karate because I'm being bullied, but the instructor is meaner than any of the other kids. I would rather fight the kingdom. I would rather fight the three kids. Right. Uh so you know, it just, and then I got back out of Lincoln Land and I started knowing the karate group was there, and it was Doug Dennis had an intramural program out there. And everybody was my age, and you know, and I just kept walking by for about a month. It was right down the hallway on my Friday history class that I had. Finally, I seen a guy come out in the game. I start talking to him. One thing led to another. I'm doing a class a week later, and I've done it four or five days ever since that. So I always say the martial arts found me. I'm not certain I found it. So I start out at Lincoln Land, and you know, as a two-year college. The instructor was David Isaac and two-year college. He's gonna he took a job in Tennessee. Doug Dennis comes to me and John Patterson and says, Hey, if you guys take over the program, I'll give you free membership to the main academy. Heck yeah, right. Let's go. You know, and I always joke about that. And I mean, I'm paying my way through Lincoln Land, I'm uh Real Eels Pizza. I'm driving a powder blue Vegas station wagon with two different fender colors and uh in a red jumpsuit delivering pizzas to get my way through college. I'm like, I'm in. And I always joke about that later. I'm like, I was such a good businessman, I negotiated working 12 hours a week for $52.50 a month. You know, but that opened the door, and I always say he saw something in me that I didn't see in myself. And you know, at that time it was never meant to be anything other than a hobby, and I enjoyed competing and enjoyed sharing and teaching and helping people get better and you know, did that. And then about a year later, 1983, that's 82, 83, I go up to Williamsville, where I went to junior high and high school. The gym owner up there asked me about it. So we we start the program there, and then I move it over to Athens, Illinois, and I bought a building for $7,000.

SPEAKER_01

Really?

SPEAKER_04

And ran it out of there for about five, six years and sold that building for 13. And I'm like, that was pretty cool. Yeah, absolutely. I don't know why I didn't keep with that model. Right. But yeah, so no, that was kind of how the whole started. It wasn't meant to be. And 1996, I'm working, um, I taught 14 years part-time. 96, I'm working as a labor relations with the state, and then I went to work for the Teamsters. Just decided you know, only thing I'm that I love doing and it makes me feel alive is what I'm teaching martial art. So I went full time. I walked away from it in 1996 and yeah, walked away from six-figure income to make $5,000 my first year.

SPEAKER_00

Wow. Yeah. That's a scary thought for a lot of people taking that leech. You know?

SPEAKER_04

And the the tempting part was when you're in that type of struggle and and you've been in business, and so many people probably listen to this, has been in business. And I got the Teamsters trying to get me back. Now they've offered me 25, then it was 30,000 more. And then I had taken the test three, four years earlier for state police, they call me, and then I got DOT calling me, wanting me to come back and take my job.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_04

And I'm just like, you know, I kept thinking.

SPEAKER_00

All these different arms trying to pull you back.

SPEAKER_04

And it's tempting. Yeah. You know, when you're when you're only bringing home five thousand dollars in a year. So I'm just stuck to it. I'm really glad I, you know, I joked, and but that was that was the discipline and perseverance of it, right? Like, I ain't gonna win any championship if I'm not training. So let's just stick with this as training.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. So in that 14 years of part-time, were you just doing it on the in the evenings? Was it mostly with kids, adults? What was it?

SPEAKER_04

A little bit, a little bit of both. Uh I was fortunate, and and I think anybody that gets in business, I just enjoyed doing it. And uh it was it was a blend of that. I think maybe my peak was 70, 75 students, right? And and I thought, okay, I I I feel good with this, I like it. And again, it wasn't meant to be a business. And in 96, when I made that big shift, I realized, okay, I have I have no clue how to price my programs. I have no clue how to schedule for efficiency for families. I have no clue how to market. I have no clue. So I joined a consulting group to figure all that out. Because I'm like, hey, I I know if I'm gonna make this work, I got to have some help because I don't know what I'm doing. Right. Because I think all of us that start a business, we're we enjoy what we do, but running a business on as an individual is totally different than running a business with systems in place and processes in place.

SPEAKER_00

Completely agree.

SPEAKER_04

Because you got to repeat it. So right. And I've been gone, put it if we advance forward, gone five years living in Tampa. Rick Christie is my business partner on this school, operating business partner on this. And they've grown the academy. They continue to grow it, you know, 15, 20% a year. And it's just because we have systems in place.

SPEAKER_00

Right. So you started in the from the mid-90s on there. How long did it take you to get some of those systems in place and really start seeing some of that growth?

SPEAKER_04

It you know, really, it once I got in the consulting group, I think naturally I am what you would call reflective person. And I'm somebody that I I go by the model, we never know what we don't know. So I'm the perfect student. I'll put my feet on the dot, say yes, sir, and you tell me to do the drill, I'll do the drill. Sure. So it that was fairly quick. I want to say we went from 50, 60 students to 180 within probably nine to ten months after jumping in the consulting group.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And then two years later it was 400 members. And I would have never thought.

SPEAKER_00

That's amazing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

That's huge. And I still had stuff to learn, but it was just getting over that first hurdle from you know, I remember going to the banks and stuff, and and one banker even laughed at me and uh was almost to the point of rude. Like he just shoved it back to me. He goes, Man, this is a waste of my time.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

Coming in here with a hobby. There's no way you can do this. 2011, we're on the cover of MA Success, which is the Forbes magazine of the martial art industry. Come on. And I moved back here in old. I moved away and went to work for that consulting company. 98, we pretty much went from 96 to 98. We went to 400 members. I went to work for that company in United Professionals. And I went down there and worked for them for about a year, year and a half. Came back when my son was born, started to school in 07 in in 2010. We were at 725 active members right out of Springfield. And I and I say that because I think sometimes all of us that are Midwest small town people think only New York, LA, big cities are getting at. No, we beat everybody. Right. We were the biggest school, and it was right out of Springfield, Illinois. And that the people who did that, they came in to shoot the photos and stuff. And he said that I gotta tell you, it's even more impressive because what the hell is this town? You know, because they're from LA. Sure. And you you when you're flying in from St. Louis and driving up here, you're like fields all the way up. 100%. But you know, I'm like, yeah, it's just a small town. Right. John Cougar Mellicamp.

SPEAKER_00

Right. Wow. You know, type of thing. Well, when you to grow it that much so quickly, what was your primary marketing on that? What did you guys do?

SPEAKER_04

I truly believe I always cared. And in 97, 98, I was asked to speak to a juvenile detention center. And and and I'm sitting there and it was, and there's maybe six, seven kids in the group. And I'll share this story because this was the shift for me. And I can tell you this was the this was this wasn't the transformation happening. And you know, I'm looking at these kids, and there's a girl in the front row, she might be 13, 14, and she's looking at me like I owe her money or something. And I'm thinking, how can somebody have so much hate at such a young age for someone they'd never met?

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

And it's not more I'm judging her, I'm like, man, I have no clue what this room is feeling on the inside. And I'm trying to do the whole, the past doesn't define our future. We learn, right? You know, we have to expose our weaknesses. I'm trying to be on the positive side. And a kid in the back, he says, Hey, what's your name again? And did you ever teach? And about four questions into it, he goes, Do you remember a kid by the name of Peanut? And I go, Oh, yeah. I said, Peanut was with me, probably, I want to say. And I said, Man. And I start going, I said, he's a good kid. I said, he kind of he only did it for a short period of time. I said, Are you friends with him? He goes, That's me, man. And right immediately I thought to myself, the signs were always there. He had a dirty gi. His parents never showed up to watch his class, never showed up to his tournament, never showed up to his bell promotions. And then he just disappeared. Right. And I start thinking to myself, could I have done something different to change his outcome? I didn't take the responsibility, but I'm like, I could have done something.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, what could I have done differently? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And I and I I asked the guy, the guard that was there, and I said, I can't. I said, I'm not asking personal information. I said, I would like to be able to help him when he gets out and give him just membership. And he goes, When he hits 17, he'll go away for 10 years. Wow. Or 18, whatever the whatever the age was. Or like he would go to the adult penitentiary. Sure. And I'm like, man. So I went back immediately and I started realizing outside of the technique, there are people that need this to find who they are and find their potential. And really that's what we're doing, right? But I'm like, we've never looked at it from the character development side. So 9798 is when I made that shift. And that's when things started taking off. I thought it was really clever at the time. We call it the Mall Paul Group, Martial Art Parent Association. And we just started doing fundraisers. We gave away $60,000 to at-risk kids. Um, started doing the Thanksgiving basket brigade for families that were in need, providing uh baskets for food for them to have Thanksgiving dinner for up to a family of four. And I want to say our last year, now when I moved to Florida, we stopped that just because I didn't want to put that burden on Rick and everybody else. Because it's an undertaking. I think we're gonna try to kick that back in this year. But no, that that those are the things. So I think my theory was this could be transformational for somebody. And if you know your purpose and your mission, then you just got to figure out your processes. And I was figuring out the processes to run the business, and then it was a reconnection of why am I doing this? Right. You know, I used to say I want the mentor that I needed when I was nine. And I want to now be the mentor that Peanut needed when he was nine, which obviously, and again, I don't take fault, but I'm like, I could have helped. Right.

SPEAKER_00

Right. Right. So so with that, I mean, of course, a lot of people are taking karate because they want the self-defense aspect and everything. But how do you how do you embed that mentorship as the leader in a facility like that?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. Well, you and that it was very interesting question that you just asked because the timing on this, we have five or six new people. We have like what we call a coach instructor development course. And I just talked with them Monday night. I spent 90 minutes with them. And it wasn't on nothing how to correct the punch, nothing. I talked about you have to understand. And I had them tell me their story, why they started. And I said, Why'd you stay? And they said, Well, the culture and everybody care. One guy said, He goes, When I everybody was so nice, I kept thinking, as soon as they get my money, I bet you they don't pay attention to me. And he goes, and I was wrong. And I kept thinking, I'm waiting for the the the past the sales romance period. Sure, sure. And he goes, it never happened. He goes, to this day, they treat him in the same way they treat me the first week. And I said, we have to know what our passion is, our purpose. And if we know that, I can show you the process. And then I talked about you can't help anybody until you build up rapport first and then a relationship. I said, even trying to correct the kid's front kick, he's going to accept that correction better from someone that he knows that actually has built up a relationship with him and knows he cares rather than criticizing his technique. Yeah, no doubt about it. And and I really think that, you know, when people ask me, and it yes, you have to understand business systems. You have to understand sales, you have to understand. And but I think at the end of the day, there's people that have business practices down, but they're not connected to the purpose and the mission. So the hundred percent 90 minutes of that talk was to connect everybody emotionally to why they want to coach. I said, if you're wanting to coach because you want to stand in front and have someone bow to you and call you sir, never do that here at Empowered. We don't we don't have a position for you.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I love that. No, it's it's service. It's service over selling a package. You know, it's you serving your people there. So over the years at the Springfield location here, has it been primarily kids or adults?

SPEAKER_04

You know, we've always, yeah, it's I would say kids naturally, that's the ones who reach out the most.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_04

But we have always done, I would say we're probably 60, 40, 60% kids, 40% adults, which is very high for the industry. But we've always had a more reality-based and character, you know, same thing. Character development for adult, he needs to be around an aspiring crowd, stress relief from the day, positive thoughts, direction. I have a complete thing I call confidence through competence. Your parents can tell you you're beautiful, you're smart, you can be anything you want to be in your life. But if I have no social proof of that, how can I? They're just words. Right. So we need to create an environment where someone can feel a struggle, feel a challenge, maybe fail. But in an environment where someone's there to support and say, you got this. The problem wasn't there. The problem was 30 seconds before. Let's go back to this and talk about where your hand should have been or blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Well, now you can start applying that in life. So I think they see the character side for them as well. You know, I'm not going to build their confidence up the same way I build up a kid's. But I think overall, all of us, what is the number one thing? And you know this from your education and 10X with Grant Cardone's organization. And self-improvement is the biggest business that's out there. You know, when I was doing the labor relations for DOT, I handled everything from Springfield to Chicago and from the West to the East. And uh, you know, you get tired of radio after a while. So Tony Robbins was it. Yeah. And I still have that cassette and DVD set. That's how, and my my wife went to throw them out there. I go, are you nuts? That isn't that's like throwing out the family album. That's right. You don't do that. No, but I have the original hard case stuff. I think I have the DVD set now. I don't know. I can't find the cassettes.

SPEAKER_01

That's great, though. Oh, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_04

It's it's the one with him when he when he's maybe 30 years old, right? So, but I kept thinking this is the part that's missing in the the physical part.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. You know, absolutely. Okay. Well, for folks that may not have ever had anything to do with martial arts, what is a typical training track? You know, maybe they've got a kid that's 10 years old and they come in. What's what's the track look like for them?

SPEAKER_04

Well, we we start off, we do uh everybody is eligible for belt testing. We run everything on quarterly exams, colorly reviews. We teach an A, B day split. So the lesson plan is divided in two parts Monday, Tuesday is identical, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday is identical. We're always closed on Fridays. So they do that. They're gonna progress in stripes, and then when they get the three stripes, if they have the three stripes in the the 12 weeks, they're eligible to test. And then they go through a testing process with that. If they're not, we get them the good news is there's one in another 12 weeks. Right, exactly. So you can jump back on that. So we we want to clarify a very uh it's a visual aspect for them to see this is my path, my journey, and we call it the pathway to success, the black belt destination. So it's very defined for them. And I think that's another thing. Like, you know, I remember starting in jujitsu and uh myself, I'm just like, you have no clue when you're gonna get promoted, right? No clue when this is gonna happen. You have no clue what this and and I don't think that's wrong, but I think we as a society and a culture want to know. If I in go to Harvard, I know if I pass every test and go from freshman to sophomore to junior to senior, I'm gonna graduate with a Harvard degree. That's not known in our industry. And that was one of the things I made an adjustment on. Let's let's clarify this.

SPEAKER_00

We all need targets. We talk about that in 10x all the time. You have to have the target. That's the first thing. Set the target, and then we'll come up with the plan and the processes, whatever we need to do to get there. But you got to have a target.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and so many people don't.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Right?

SPEAKER_04

So a lot of the adjustments were were like those were little things that weren't clear in traditional classic martial art instruction. So we uh we clarified that, and I think that that's two questions. That's that's your question there, but it also goes back to when you're clarifying that, people are more connected to you and they understand the process. When we're gonna quit, oh, I quit because I don't know you know when I'm gonna get there. Or I'm gonna give up because I'm just not I I don't feel I'm progressing. So I think there we need to see progress, we need to see the visual access to it. But you know, for the Kimple is the side that we teach on the martial arts with a blend of Mui Thai. We have two different belt programs basically. You can do the martial arts and you can do the gracie jujitsu. And uh Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a little bit longer, but you someone can literally, if they're there two, three days a week and they're consistently stripe testing and moving up, they they could get their black belt in four and a half to five years. Uh we have a different belt program for four to five year olds. There's extra belts and steps that they take.

SPEAKER_01

Sure.

SPEAKER_04

Because we're not, we don't want an eight-year-old black belt. Yeah, they're not ready for that. Right. You know, black belt's maturity. Some people have a disagreement with that's perfectly fine. You know, I always say we don't know if our way is the right way, but it's right for us. And it's been proven to be right for 12,000 students in 44 years in Springfield.

SPEAKER_00

12,000 students. 12,000 students.

SPEAKER_04

So we we want to be clarified. We want people to see that I can't inspect, right? What we don't understand is to expect it. So the same thing, just as managing people, how do I they have to do that? And I always say we work for them. We have to show them this is what I'm gonna do for you if this and thank you for paying me and hiring me at you know XYZ amile per month.

SPEAKER_00

Right. Exactly. So you said those stripes, those are those intermediary targets, essentially, right? They have to do the they have to do something to earn a stripe to get the next stripe to get right. Absolutely. Yeah. What what are some of the things that you do to earn a stripe?

SPEAKER_04

Well, they'll they'll go again. It's tendance is not the indicator, but it is the benchmark. Like if you don't have a minimum of 10 classes in, you can't evaluate for the stripe. You got to have 10 classes. Right. And if you don't have it, well, you're not ready. Yeah. And then you got to have the three to get there. So, but it's it's really reviewing. We will offer that stripe testing at the fifth week cycle, right? So we've done A day, B day. So now we're into a 10 lesson and then it repeats. They'll they'll stripe test then and they stripe test again on the 10th week. And then on the 11th week, we do nothing but complete review of the summary of week one through 10.

SPEAKER_01

Sure.

SPEAKER_04

And then on the 12th week they test for their belt. So then they kind of repeat the process. So it's also taking little quizzes before I take the final advantage. Yeah. Love it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So cool. Well, you said 12,000 students in Springfield over the course of these 44 years. I think it's 44 years. Yeah. So how many locations do you have now?

SPEAKER_04

We did downsize. We had two locations when I moved to Florida. And we we downsized basically because I didn't want to stress the staff. Sure. With me being gone, everybody had to step up to the main thing. And I said, hey, you know, let's we can move Rochester, merge them over. And there's a lot of people that are still with us from that. So now we're just just the one main school. I think we're about 400 active members at this location.

SPEAKER_00

But don't you have one in Florida too, though? I do. That's right. Yeah, I mean holistically, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Tam Tampa, we're we're we run a smaller school down there. It's uh, I don't want to say retirement. Because I never see myself retired. But you know, I'm I'll be 64 a week from this Saturday. So I'm trying to slow down a little bit. So we have focused on like 175 members down there.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And it's just a smaller school, easier. I I'm not wanting to. Now, if I end up with a staff member that's gung-ho and wants to go, hey, let's let's do it. Well, right now for John, 1665, 175 is really good for Tampa. So I always call that my slowdown school.

SPEAKER_00

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_04

Chill school.

SPEAKER_00

There you go. So what out of curiosity, why Tampa? Why'd you choose to move to Tampa?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, uh, we've always talked about that. When when I went to work for United Professionals, they were based out of uh Cold Springs, Florida. And by Fort Lauderdale, all right. And we we lived over there for a little bit. And that to us in in 2001 was fast-paced. Everybody was from New York, New Jersey. You know, you're coming from here. Hey, how you doing? Talking to everybody at a gas station. There, if you hold a door for somebody, I remember holding a door for like some 80-year-old woman. And, you know, I said, ma'am, good morning. And she clutched her purse like I was gonna mug her. Oh, wow. Uh it had that big city vibe. It was not relaxing. Right. So I knew East Coast, maybe the Gulf Coast will be a little more Midwestern. And and we found that in Tampa. Florida overall is not the same community as Illinois.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

I purposefully just wave, hey, how you doing? How you doing? Wave at everybody in the neighborhood, and you're lucky if you get a nod.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

Right. But it's it's in, but then there'll be somebody else in that house 12 months from because it's so transitional and everybody's from somewhere else. So it's just interesting and I'm loving it. But my kids both went to college in Florida. And I'm just like, you know, and it's that was at the 40-year mark. Okay. It'd be five years in September. And I'm just like, you know what? Let's just go do it. I'm not needed here. I got a great team. And you know, I'm needing a little bit of the shift after 40 years. Most people what retire. Right. You know, after what, 25, 30 years in a time.

SPEAKER_00

I'm like, you know, I'll just relocate.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, just make a little shift.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So did you go into Tampa thinking that you're going to do another school or did that come later?

SPEAKER_04

I did. I wanted to, I knew I was going to do that. And honestly, I was going to focus possibly on just like private lessons or going into a rec center. Because I knew I didn't want to bite off all of it myself. And then I had some people come forward and they wanted to get involved. So I'm like, okay, let's do it. So, you know, we went big. And you know, and I'm sitting here telling you I'm slowing down, but all at the same time, we're looking at a second location down there. So it's going to be a slowdown. So I don't know if I'm ever going to slow down.

SPEAKER_00

No, of course. When you love what you do, you never really slow down. Exactly.

SPEAKER_04

When I started, like I always said, Doug saw something in me that I didn't see in myself. And there's there's a quote, I am not who I think I am. I'm not who you think I am. I am who I think you think I am. Right. So Doug saw an instructor in me. And I never saw myself an instructor. And then people started, you know, being positive about that. I'm like, oh, you know, I want to, I'm going to do that. And when I went in '96, when I went full time, I literally, I knew people who made a career teaching martial arts. Doug told me not to do it. My best friend told me not to do it. My Kimpo instructor called me and told me not to do it. And then my mother, who told me I could be anything I wanted to be my entire life, told me don't do it. And uh I didn't know anybody. I didn't because they said, no, this is not meant to be a career. This is not, this is meant to be an art that we share. And you know, and and I'm like, okay, you know, Dave Kovar, Bill Clark, so I got all these people, Sergio von Schmelling, Tiger Schoeman, Fred Degenberg, they all got multiple schools. So it could be done. Why, why would we not want to make a larger impact if we know this is a very transformational positive thing for people? Why would I want to do more of that? So now, and I say that because when people come to me now and they say, I love this stuff, I would love to be able to do this for a career. How do I get started?

SPEAKER_02

Right. Let's go.

SPEAKER_04

And I have two people come to me and they go, I want to do a school under you. Okay. So two and three is because people have approached me. Yeah. And in my my wife was sitting in the background when a guy called me. I'm painting. I'm painting the walls in our new place rather than hiring the painters to do it because I'm still little, like, I'll get it. I can paint. Paint? I just can't think. I can't do electrical. Right. You know, so I get a phone call on a guy. He's been trying to get hold of me. So he's a friend, and he's like, Hey, uh, you want to buy my school and I'll just work for you. And I'm like, Oh man, you know, I said, I'm really not in a position to do that right now. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then I go, How many students you got? Yeah. What's your retention? What's the attrition rate? What's the I said, send me your numbers. And then she looked at me. She's like, here we go. And I go, I'm not doing it. She goes, No. When you ask those questions, I know exactly where we're going. Next day I got a guy and I go, hey, he's still interested in starting a school. Yeah. I got one that we can go 50-50. Here we go. Come on. So again, I'm never going to slow down.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So back when you first started, all those folks were telling you, don't do it. Yeah. So how did you push through that maybe mental hesitation? Because there's a lot of people out there that would have said, you know what, maybe it's not a good idea. All these people are telling me I shouldn't, right? So how'd you push through that?

SPEAKER_04

Well, and then and it was difficult because then at the same time, I'm not making any money. Right, exactly. You said you're only making like five grand or whatever. Yeah. So you're and I realize, and I I hate to use this word because it sounds like an arrogant statement, but when someone does a business, making it scalable is a lot different than being successful. Individuals can be successful. Yeah. And usually it's because of the personality charisma or that the work ethic of the one person. But to have a team of five other people that can duplicate and scalable that is the totally different beast. It sure is. So I realized when all these people are calling me and stuff, I'm just like, okay, this has to be first, I got to be able to do it myself. And then by 97, 98, I'm figuring out how to teach people to do the exact same thing. Okay, well, this person, you know, here's these eight. And I so I designed eight pillars and then started teaching. Well, you I'm gonna do a little certification to get you through pillar one. Now you understand pillar two, now you understand pillar three.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

Uh, but it no, it will, I I don't know. I think maybe the martial arts side of me as a competitor, and I and I was I competed heavily. I think won 179 tournaments between 1981 and 1980. 179. Wow. 179 tournaments between 81 and 96. Um, and then I started competing in jujitsu at 59. Uh-huh. And I've won six, six gold medals in in jujitsu. Come on. So I think there's and and I don't say that as as error, I just say that's me. Right. You know, my knees are bad. They're they're 64-year-old knees. They might be 80 because they went through a lot. But I I still like getting out there and pushing myself. So it's not arrogant. Question.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, Grant says that Grant says it's it's not bragging if it's true.

SPEAKER_04

So just you know, I think they're just my emotional makeup is I like challenges. And when people are telling me that, I'm like, watch me. Yeah. Okay, now, now you're expecting me to lose. Check this out, you know. But then again, when you're looking at bills and you're like, holy crap. Right. Maybe my right. And I remember telling my mom, I go, mom, wait a minute. You have told me all my life I can be any. And you, and I don't know if you ever had this. You you have advice from someone, and every mother, what's every mother gonna tell us? You're beautiful. Right, right. You know, you're you're you're so smart, you're so and you're hearing all this stuff, and you can be anything you want to be. And then I'm watching my mom and I'm thinking, and I remember asking her this, and hopefully I said it the right. Mom, if I can be anything I want to be, are you who you want to be? Because I don't see it. You know, we had financial struggles, career. I said, Did you have dreams? You know? And then I realized also you lost your husband. You were a widow with two kids at 21.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

So, and you dropped out of school to have me. So I always asked that. And then when she's saying, I go, Mom, you told me I could be anything I want to be. And the one day I tell you what I want to be, you tell me, don't do it. And I go, and I know it's coming from your heart because financially I was probably where they never were.

SPEAKER_01

Right, right.

SPEAKER_04

And she didn't want me to be where they were. And I got that. And I said, just trust me on this one, mom. Right. I said, trust me, I got this. And I said, if if I fail, I went down swinging.

SPEAKER_02

There you go.

SPEAKER_04

You know, and I said, and and they'll they'll call. They'll they keep calling me, you know. So I think in the back of my mind, I never my boss kept my job open when I as a leave of absence.

SPEAKER_00

Did he really?

SPEAKER_04

And I told him, I said, he goes, you know, you gotta have to leave absence, you come back. And he's saying this to me at the moment that I'm struggling at. And I I gotta tell you, there there was about 36 hours where I was like, you know, you know, I could still make an impact part-time. Right. Sure. You know, I'm starting to rationalize it, justify. And I'm like, no. And I just told him, I say, will you do me cancel that? And he goes, I said, no, no, cancel the whole leave of absence. Because I said that I cannot walk into a room if I have one foot in the hallway.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

And I go, if now that you told me that, part of my brain's gonna be back there. So I need you to cancel so I know I don't have that option. Gotta burn the ships. He goes, dude, that's ballsy. And I go, yeah, okay. I said, or stupid or genius. Right. The future will determine.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. So when was it that you really felt like I got this? I mean, you knew you had it early on, but then you saw and you saw some pretty quick growth. But when was that point where you're like, yep, I got this?

SPEAKER_04

And I think I think most success comes in stages, right? So we went from I'm not making it to survival.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_04

Then towards a little bit of abundance. And then when I'm around these other people, and I so I I felt like 98, 99, I had it. And then I went through divorce in a in a in a personal, you know, that in emotion, I just that crashed. And then I get offered that job to move to Florida for the same group that changed my life in '97. They want me to uh take the handling all brand new schools coming on. And I'm like, oh, okay, okay, I'll do that. And then when I got in that group, I realized I wasn't where I could have been. Right. Right. I'm doing good. But we again, we don't know what we don't know. And what's the measurement? Are you and I competing against each other? Okay. Well, if one of us is below average and the other one is slightly above, it doesn't mean we're great. Right, exactly. It means that we're both we're both average. Right. I see people what I call competing at the bottom all the time. You know, why don't you increase it by 10, 15, 20% a year? Absolutely. You know, even when you're successful, my goal is still, what could I do? 15 to 20%. Why would I step back in the ring at 60? That's for most people, that's dumb. Right. And every once in a while, my doctor asked me if I understand my age. But I think it's just that that mentality. But so I felt 98, 99, I knew we made it from where I started. And I knew I did, I knew the naysayers who were coming from their heart. It wasn't hate. It wasn't negative hate. It was care. I knew that by their standard, I made it. And I thought I made it. And then when I get down to Florida and I'm starting to consult them with all the the big dogs, I'm like, I never knew that. Tell me about that. Right. You know, tell me about this. And I think I was always a student. I never was, even though I was the director of new schools. Okay. I'm I'm asking a guy that went from similar deal. If you went from 50 to 150 students, was there five definite steps that you did? Right. Right. Share those with me. Let's let's explore them together. Let's unpack that. Right. I think that was the momentum to come back in 07 and go from 07 to 2010 to 725 because I figured out that. Right. That's when I knew I had it. But I think all businesses roller coaster. Oh, sure. Sure. There's sometimes I wish I would have just been. Right. You know, I'm always like, helicopter, helicopter roller coaster. And you know, sometimes I think this would have been the safer way. Right. But I don't know if safe is who I am.

SPEAKER_00

No, no. And that's I mean, that's why it's so important to make sure you have people in your circle that are striving for bigger and better things. And that's what that's what 10X is so great for me. I mean, you got people in these groups and that are making hundreds of millions and billions in their in their businesses, and it just takes off those business blinders and opens up the possibilities of what can be done in all these different areas. 100%. So it's great. But now you're doing some other stuff now too. You've got your own podcast. You did a book, right? So what else what else you've been doing?

SPEAKER_04

Well, yeah, you know, a lot of stuff. And I always tell everybody like that, that all led to different things. I wanted to write a book, and I actually wrote the book 17, 18 years ago. And I sat on it. And what what is it? The the the imposter syndrome. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

I thought, man, who am I thinking I'm Tony Robbins? Who am I thinking I'm so-and-so? So I didn't release it. And in COVID, when COVID came out, I'm like, you know what? I'm gonna, I'm gonna release that book. I'm gonna finish that book. And I did. But that book was not the same thing I wrote 14 years earlier because everything, my opinion on this changed, my opinion on that, my my process on that. So I wrote the book. Now, the reason I wrote the book was personal first. When I was a freshman in high school, I get called down the principal's office. And by the way, I was no stranger to the principal's office. You know, I wasn't a bad, bad kid, but I was a mischievous active kid. Sure. Right? So I get called down. I'm thinking. I'm scanning my brain for what have I done in the last three hours that would have got me called to the office. And superintendents down there, my English teacher, another lady, and my mom. And they tell me I have a sixth grade reading level as a freshman. And they want to put me in a special class, right? That's what I heard. Yeah. They didn't use that, but I'm like, well, as a freshman, that's the lowest, lowest step you are in a high school of the big dogs. And Williamsville at this time started a brand new open. I was the first group to do four years in the brand new high school, which was an open room concept. So there was no front walls. They were all open. And so I'd go hide out in a bathroom till everybody was on peek to see if everybody was in their classroom and then run to that. And they put us in the janitorial closet. There were three of us. You know? And I'm just like, I don't want to be seen. Right. And and I would like to say it was maybe a week later, but it could have been a day or two later. And the the and then I would ask to, you know, I'd go in late. And then I would always say, Hey, ma'am, I gotta go to the bathroom. Can I go to the bathroom? She goes, the bell's gonna ring. I know I gotta go right now. And I'd go hide out. And then one day she says to me, Her David's business buffet. She goes, John, can I ask why you always have to go to the why you're late? And then why do you always have to go to the bathroom? And she knew. And I go, I just gotta go to the bathroom. She goes, she goes, sit with me for a minute. She goes, I'm talking with you. I care about you. What's going on? I go, I don't want people seeing me coming in and out of here because I'm stupid. She goes, You're not stupid. You have a you have a reading level that needs to be brought up. That's it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

She goes, your other grades are fine. So and I always say she was the first teacher that talked with me and not at me. Or at least the first one I recognized. I'm not saying the other ones didn't. Huge transformation. I bet. Right? Yeah. So writing the book for me, like when I got to, you know, by junior year, I was a straight A student. By senior year, I was high honors. College, I wrote all my papers were A's. So, okay, I overcame this obstacle. So writing the book for me and to be a published author was like, you know, again. So cool. Yeah. Hey, naysayers. I did it. You know? And I started writing a book, and it was really my message that I teach for character development in my schools, but how do I expand it beyond my four walls? So the purpose I want to write and overcome this deficiency that I had.

SPEAKER_00

That was probably pretty interesting, though, to be to start it 14 years prior and then the perspective you have on it 14 years later and how you re rewrote and went through that again. That was probably pretty interesting.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. And you know what? And again, pensive, introspective, reflective person, I think I've always been. And I think again, my childhood probably developed me into that person, right? And when that happened, I'm like, this makes sense to me. I'm not the same fighter I was 15 years ago either. Right. You know? So it makes perfect sense. And and I always, if I run it parallel to martial arts, ranking, and movement and progress and steps, then I can find other things that run parallel to that in life. So, no, 100%. I'm just like, okay, this is a good thing. This means you have developed. Right. You have developed to another level. That book became a bestseller. Nice. And uh I had no clue what I was doing with it. And I always say, by the way, divine intervention. People would say, How'd you figure this out? Divine intervention, because I was too stupid to do it on my own. But I just felt like people, the right people were always in my life. And it goes, What's the Zig Ziggler saying? If you help other people get what they want, you can get what you want. And we've always had a service-based mentality.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

I've always said, God puts the right people in my life in the right circumstances. For me to get go through a terrible divorce and then get offered a job from one of the most genius men in the business. I didn't ask for a job. It just came, you know. So things just align with that. But yeah, I'm looking back at that, I'm like, I don't know what I'm doing. And the guy that I hired to help me do the book, I think I paid five grand. He designed my cover, he designed my editing, he's showing the process. He left the company two weeks before my book released. Oh, really? And I couldn't talk to him no more because he had a non-compete. And nobody in the company knew anything about my book or anything. No way. So I just researched some stuff, threw it out there, went to my own, you know, I did a six, seven email campaign to my people. Yeah. You know, my followers, my students. And yeah, I think we've sold over 3,000 copies of that book. And I don't know what the e you know, the ebook version is, but yeah, it's it's it's again, it wasn't meant to like, it wasn't a business project. It was a service and a overcome uh weakness and deficiency type thing. And so then I wrote a another book for four to seven-year-olds based on a chapter of that book. Right. And then I made it a character, Coach John helping Ricky. Okay. And there's two voices in your head, you know. Yeah. The ones that says I can't, the one that says I can't. And uh it's kind of the same process. And a lot of that I drew from my childhood in in 1996, when five people who care about you call and say, Don't do it. Right. You know, and we do building blocks off of the don't do it in how we get to our goals. And then I've got a faith-based one coming out called Chosen, a child of God's journey to growth, faith, and confidence. Very cool. And that'll be released probably September, October.

SPEAKER_00

So what are the names of the first two?

SPEAKER_04

Embrace your awesome.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_04

And then The Power Inside You, and then Chosen. And then people then started asking, Hey, you want to I'd love you to speak to our group and tell them how you got started. Of course. Okay. And I'd always been speaking on the uh since 97. Well, then we went to I think Stevenson Drive, 1996. I go full time, and I think there's a little tiny grocery store. It used to be Prehop, Dry Cleaner, and then something else, and then uh a hardware store, coast to coast, maybe.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_04

We were in it, and I mean, I want to say it was 1,400 square foot, everything. I had 225 members in there. And then we went down the street to uh Lake Town Plaza, and then it was 3,000 square foot, 4,000 square feet. So it just all this stuff kind of aligns and and just keeps growing and moving. And uh, you know, I started speaking to groups because they brought me in for that. And then someone says, Hey, would you speak to my business group on customer service?

SPEAKER_01

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And then I'm like, okay. And then a guy's like, dude, you need to be speaking. You know, I'm like, I had a guy the other day on a podcast say to me, He goes, Hey, dude, were you in radio or TV? And I go, dude, I'm neither. Neither one of those things. And he goes, dude, you have that voice. And I said, Really? I said, because I wanted to speak when I worked at DLT. I and and my boss told me, you don't enunciate your words, and you're probably the worst speaker I've ever heard. So really? Yeah. Wow. And I, and then I went, okay. And again, I don't think I didn't do anything to learn how to speak. I just, you know, I think when the thing that misses in today's world, especially in business people, authenticity and truth. That's huge. Nobody, I don't think half the people are who they say they are. And I sadly enough, I know I know three multimillionaires that they're a different person every five months. And I'm like, money doesn't make them happy. And until you know who you are, how can you reach your potential? So I think that's the first part, right? Absolutely. So I think with me, just getting up and sharing made me a better speaker. It wasn't that I went and I learned some techniques.

SPEAKER_00

Correct. It's just getting out there and putting in the reps.

SPEAKER_04

100%, right? Same thing that you're doing, right? Yeah.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So no, that's you know, we've had this, I think we're up to about 300 episodes now. So putting reps.

SPEAKER_04

You're a veteran compared to me. I think I think I've only released 53, 54. We filmed 70, close to 80, maybe now. I'd have to look in the queue there to see what we have. But what's the name of the podcast? Embrace your awesome. Okay. I love that. And again, I didn't, it was just someone said you should do it. And I go, What would I call it? They go, do it off your first book. So originally I was just going to do like talk about subjects off the book. And then it was someone go, hey man, I'd like to be on your podcast. I wasn't thinking about guests, but let's talk about that. Right. So now the podcast Monday is an episode with someone. I'd love to have you on. Yeah, absolutely. And where I bring on guests, it's just somebody who has overcome something, because so many people are out there doubting themselves. And if I can share a story that helps that. So I've had, and again, divine intervention. I'm a New York Yankees baseball fan. Two people call me and said, Hey, you know Ronnie. Ronnie's brother-in-law is the director of scouting for the New York Yankees, and he lives in Tampa.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_04

And Ronnie asked him and he said he'll be on your show.

SPEAKER_01

There you go.

SPEAKER_04

So I have that guy on my show. Thank you. And then I'm like, what's it take for a 10-year-old who thinks he's going to make it? You know, and we just talked about that. And we talked about 19-year-olds who put their whole life, whole childhood, and their dreams are cut out from underneath them at 19. Where do you go? Well, the director of scouting was that guy. And he goes, I knew I didn't want to leave baseball. So then they had me go out and look at talent. And he goes, and then it just led to the next thing. Right. So I those type of stories from people with sexual abuse, people that overcome stuff. So we do that on Mondays. And then on Thursdays, if I'm having a subject like you and I have a talk, and if it thinks it sticks in my head for 24, 36 hours and I'm reflective on all right, this is the next topic. Right. Let's unpack it and build it up. And I'll do like a 15, 20 minute. So those are out on Thursdays and then Mondays I have the guests.

SPEAKER_00

So nothing really martial arts related. It's all on the development side and storytelling.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. Yeah. So I'm trying to expand that a little bit. And obviously none of this exists without that. Without martial arts, I don't know where I would have ended up.

SPEAKER_01

Sure.

SPEAKER_04

I think I would have been good, you know, as in my career in labor, labor negotiations and relations. I know I was. I was good at it, or they wouldn't have kept calling me, right?

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_04

You know, they begged me not to leave. You don't do that to somebody who's below average. Right. So I'm confident that I would have done good at whatever I wanted to do. But the thing that did that made me and created me was martial arts. And everything I've done is an extension off of that person. So when I tell people I'm not leaving the martial arts, I'm building off what the martial arts gave me. Right. And it's just it's it's interesting. It really truly is. Just to be at a different level because I would have never you know, I d again, I didn't write the book to make money because as Authors really don't make money. They really don't. Public companies do. Right. They do. Authors do. So the podcast, I like learning. I just like talking to people, learning about people, and sharing stories. And I'm like, okay, well, this is this is a great thing. Cause it when would I have ever sat down for an hour with the director of New York Yankees or uh Mike Stone, who was the legendary karate guy? Most people who don't know karate know him as the as the man that Priscilla Presley left Elvis for.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_04

Now he and I are friends. And this was my childhood hero. Yeah. And now he's sending me emails and he sends me his books. And I'm like, and it was just for me. I'm like, oh my God, I get to spend an hour and a half with Mike Stone. How awesome is this? So it's just fun.

SPEAKER_00

No, and that's that's the same with me. The the intent behind this podcast, the Elevate Springfield Podcast, when I originally started it, it was hey, there's so many great people here locally, so many great people doing great things in our community, running phenomenal businesses. I want to tell their stories, help tell their stories, and I want to learn from it. So let's let's put this together. Let's give actionable strategies to folks so they can learn from it as well. And it's all going to elevate Springfield on the whole.

SPEAKER_04

No, and I agree. And you know, and I think so many people don't understand the potential within themselves, but they also don't understand that Springfield has a lot of great people. If you know mellow cream, donuts, family video, brand fertilizer. I mean, and then this kid who started teaching karate in a hallway is on MA Success Cover magazine in 2010, 2011. I mean, how's that? And it's this little talent.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And when you and I were coming up to the studio, I think I told you, I'm not one of those guys that moved away because I dislike Springfield. I moved away to follow my kids and just like, okay. Yeah. And I don't like winners anymore. I don't. Right. I'm up here every neither do I, quite frankly. I'm up here about every 10 weeks, but they and already it was fun. It's interesting because I teach a lot of private lessons when I'm in town. And I'll teach nine private lessons between yesterday and today. And people are already booking. And I go, okay. I said, All right, I'll be here in October. And they go, I'm gonna be winner. And I go, I think it's this date, but we need to check with Rick. And then they're like, okay. And I go, then it's not till March because I don't come back when it's cold. And we know after Halloween things start to shift. Yes, they do. You know. And I got stuck in Dallas, Texas last year. And they had the first time they ever had like a major blizzard. And I'm there to speak and teach. And I'm like, okay, this wasn't supposed to happen. This is this is God gonna be still right here. And it was crazy. And I just avoided it and I hated it. I mean, I couldn't warm up. You know, I'm just like, yeah, nobody was in the hotel, and it was this old hotel. And I swear I sent a picture of it to my family, and it looked like the shining hallway. And I said, I'm checking into my room and I've seen these two girls at the end of the hallway. So just winters, man, just aren't my thing.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. No, me neither. Me neither.

SPEAKER_04

So that's the only downside of Springfield for me. Right. Is from November to March, I don't really want to be here. But this year, I remember being up here May, and I didn't have enough warm clothes. Right. I had to go buy a couple hoodies.

SPEAKER_00

It's shifted a little bit. It's like it's like it's shifted by about a month and a half when the cold really starts happening.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So well, John, you've been very successful over the years. I've I know a lot of people that listen to the show here locally or entrepreneurs, and hey, maybe they're five years or less into their business. What's a piece of advice you would give them today?

SPEAKER_04

Man, I don't know if there's one because everybody's story is different, right? But I would say if anything, if anything from my story is I always tell people, I tell this to my students, if I can get black belt, you can. Because there's nothing I never consider myself naturally talented. I worked for everything. You know, I went to a tournament, I kicked a guy, and someone goes, You got a great kick. So I developed that. I started throwing 500 kicks every other day. And so everybody's like, Oh, your kicks are really great, right? So how'd you get there? I put the work in because I don't have talent. But in the rips. So when I started, I realized my deficiency, my weakness was to make a living teaching was beyond charisma and beyond being the best, best kicker or the best competitor. I had to figure out how to service people. So I think my advice would always be know why you're doing what you're doing. And because I think when the moments of doubt, if you have a moment of doubt of who you are and why you're doing it, that's when it sets. Nobody could disturb my peace, even only making $5,000 for the first drop months, right? Nobody could disturb that peace because I knew who I was and what I wanted to do. So I think anything is just remember why you started and you didn't come this far to only come this far.

SPEAKER_00

Love it. Well, John, is there anything we can all do to help elevate all of us here in Springfield and the surrounding community?

SPEAKER_04

I reached out to you because a mutual friend said, Hey, have you ever seen us? You guys should connect. And I think what you're doing is this. I mean, that that's exactly it. It's we there's networking and rapport and relationships. It really is. Build build them up and get out there. And I think I think you're doing it, and I think the city's doing it, and people just gotta stay connected. There's so many opportunities. Um was it local first where I spoke?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, you spoke local first a little over a year ago. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_04

And uh with Colton, and I that's an amazing group, you know. And and honestly, I didn't know what to say to that group. I kept telling, like, Colton, how do I tell a martial arts story to the uh what fit club or how do I tell the CEO of LRS how to be successful? So I'm like, well, you know, so but man, I I enjoyed when it was over just talking to people. Yeah, it wasn't like, okay, I'll share. Because I never look at it like I'm on stage. I look at like, oh, okay, I'll share my story, and then I want to get out here and hear what your guys' stories are.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

So I I love those type of groups. And and I I would recommend to everybody get involved with local first better business bureau. You've got the the small business clubs, ABC Club. I think there's so many great things. Yeah. And the problem is we don't connect with people. I had a podcast guest on, Hugo Maynard, and I'll share this real quick on the power of networking. And I really just liked his story. And he was an Olympian for the USA basketball team. And then he moved into speaking and stuff like that. And we were supposed to do a collaboration call to see if, you know, it was a follow-up. And he writes me, he says, Johnny, do you live in Tampa? And I said, Yeah. He goes, Are you in Tampa? And I said, Yeah. And he goes, How long are you here? And I go, I live here. He goes, I swore to God you said you were from. I go, I am from Springfield, Illinois. Abe Blinken, home of Abe Blinken. And uh he goes, I just didn't know. He goes, I flew into St. Pete. I'm speaking at a business event tomorrow. And I go, Are we still on for our 11 o'clock call? And he goes, Yeah. And I said, No, we're not. I said, now it's lunch.

SPEAKER_00

It's yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_04

And we we met for three and a half hours, and that guy helped me overcome so many little things in my head. So I share that because here's a guy never met, flew in. We hang out for three hours, three and a half hours. And more people need to do what you and I are doing and get out there to lunch today. And if you want to know what somebody like Miles Copeland's doing at Green Toyota, ask him to go to lunch. Right. Yeah. Buy his lunch. Ask him if he's got 10 minutes. And if he can't meet you in person, see if he'll call you. Or, you know, I've asked a couple people, hey, I got a new book coming out who are faith-based like pastors. Yeah. Would you, if I sent you four or five chapters, I don't want you to read the book. Would you be willing to read it? And if you like it, would you give me a review? Yeah. You know? Absolutely. Yeah, John. Let's do that. And I don't think enough people lean on each other. Just lean on each other. Because we're better as a team than we are as individuals.

SPEAKER_00

No doubt about it. Communities grow together when we work together. No doubt about it. So well, John, so much great stuff today. Had a phenomenal time with you.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, no, it's been fun. I feel like it, you know, just like we're sitting in the living room talking.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I think we could sit and talk here for like four hours if we want to. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04

My wife will she'll always say, like, when people come to my house, she'll go, go to bed, because she knows if it's a karate guy or business guy or a speaker, right? We're going to be in that kitchen until about 2 a.m. Okay, you know, if we if we're if we're here for a reason. That's right.

SPEAKER_00

I love it. So well, John, remind everybody about the books, about empowered, where they can find out all the information.

SPEAKER_04

The best way is my name, johngayston.com, J-O-H-N, G-E-Y-S-T-O-N dot com. And everything's on there. The the speaking, collaborating with groups and the books and the podcast, and everything is right there. Love it. Well, John, thanks again for joining us in here in sunny Springfield while you're back here. Yeah, no, and I I love it. I love summers up here. And thank you. It truly was. It's great to uh to connect on a better than just a handshake and a walking through a crowd and get to know each other more and keep doing what you're doing because I love what you're doing. I'm watching it from Tampa, so I love it. And I love to see things in Springfield just take off.

SPEAKER_00

I do too. That's what we're doing it for. Yeah. Appreciate it, John. Thank you. Well, we're gonna let John get back to elevating Springfield and Tampa for that matter. But for the rest of y'all, we'll be right back. Looking for expert tree care with hometown integrity, look no further than Sangamon Tree Service. They're your trusted local pros, delivering quality workmanship, exceptional customer service, and fair, honest pricing every time. Whether it's trimming, removal, or storm cleanup, their team brings professionalism and care to every job, big or small. Call the name your neighbor's trust, Sangaman Tree Service, or visit them today at SangmanTreeService.com. Sangaman Tree Service, rooted in quality, built on trust. Looking for personalized insurance with hometown care, David Hilst, American Family Insurance Agent's here to help you protect what matters most: your family, your home, and your dreams. Whether it's auto, home, life, business, David and his team are proud to serve the Springfield community with trusted advice and reliable coverage. Local service, real relationships, peace of mind. Call today or stop by their office. They can build your dream protection plan together. Call 217-726-633. Well, thank you for joining us today, everybody. Appreciate you making us a part of your day. Hey, don't forget while you're out on social, check ours out. You can check my personal one out at RobertFarrell at everywhere. Check out those Elevate Springfield pages, those big dog business coaching pages as well. Check us out over on YouTube. Give us a subscribe, give us a like or a follow on any of those channels. We would certainly appreciate it. So, hey, take what you learned today. You bring the discipline and follow through and together. That's right, y'all. We're gonna elevate Springfield. Be great.

SPEAKER_05

When I first walked into Shudokan Karate Club, I was just looking for a way to get stronger. But what I found was so much more. Here we train in traditional karate, the real stuff. Passed down through generations. Every punch, every kata has purpose. I've learned self-discipline, confidence, and how to protect myself. Not just in class, but in real life. It's not about being aggressive, it's about being prepared. This is more than a club, it's a way of life. Join us at Shudo Khan. Traditional, powerful, real.