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Words from the Wise
Join Words from the Wise with Gary Wise, a retired Navy Command Master Chief, for authentic leadership insights forged in real-world experience. Through engaging discussions and actionable strategies, Gary empowers you to master emotional intelligence, build resilient teams, and unlock your full potential. Tune in for practical advice on delegation, conflict management, and inspiring others, drawn from his over 28 years of service and ongoing leader mentorship headquartered now in Ocala, Florida.
Words from the Wise
The path from undesignated seaman to successful entrepreneur wasn't always smooth sailing
Ever wonder what happens when military discipline meets civilian work culture? Jon Floyd's remarkable journey from undesignated fireman to business owner provides fascinating insights into leadership across vastly different worlds.
When Jon first approached a Navy recruiter after being rejected by the Marines, he had no idea his career would span two military branches, multiple combat deployments, and eventually lead to entrepreneurial success. Growing up working with horses in Southern California taught him early lessons about responsibility that would serve him well through a career that defied conventional paths. As we follow his evolution from a young sailor aboard the USS Belleau Wood to an Army Special Forces operator through the "Blue to Green" program during the height of the Iraq War, Jon reveals the cultural differences between service branches and the persistent leadership principles that transcend them.
What truly sets Jon's story apart is how his military experience came full circle in unexpected ways. After 20 years of service and multiple combat deployments, he discovered a business opportunity cleaning commercial kitchen exhaust systems—work he had coincidentally performed as a punishment detail during his early Navy days. Now as a business owner, he faces a new battlefield: managing civilian employees who lack military conditioning. His approach combines clear expectations with hands-on leadership, working alongside his team rather than directing from above.
The conversation delves into profound questions about generational differences, parenting challenges, and finding purpose after military service. Jon's straightforward philosophy—"The only time you fail is when you quit"—has carried him through transitions that derail many veterans. Whether you're a veteran navigating civilian life, a business leader seeking fresh perspectives, or simply fascinated by stories of remarkable resilience, Jon's journey offers valuable wisdom about leadership, adaptation, and the unwavering determination to succeed regardless of circumstances.
I know I was born for this. I know I was born for this. Don't care for the critics. My words and life is except for us and they can't stop.
Jon Floyd :They just don't get it. I think they forget I'm not done till I'm on top.
Gary Wise :I know I was born for this. I know I was born for this. I believe. I believe we can write a story. All right, everybody, how we doing. For those of you that are listening with the sound of my voice, probably somewhere in the podcast land, this is Gary. Words from the wise. I'm very excited. Today it's a Monday night and these are my times to catch up with you know, buddies that I serve with throughout my career, People that I know from my time of service that are doing big things, and tonight I got a special guest man. Tonight, my guest. I've known this guy since like 1998, late 1997. He was looking at my first ship. He's doing real big things in the world and so I just we're going to talk about him. We're going to talk about his life, his story, just kind of catch up to where he came from, kind of where he is today. So, without further ado, I'm going to bring Mr John Floyd to the stage. Hey, I'm cheering you on, bro. How you doing.
Jon Floyd :What's up, brother? That's an intro right there. It's good to see you. Yeah, you too man. Yeah, you too buddy.
Gary Wise :Brother. So I really do want to start from the beginning.
Jon Floyd :If that's okay with you. Are you okay with that? Yeah, I'm in bro.
Gary Wise :Okay, so, john, we first met one another uh 1998 in japan, but before you joined the service you're actually out of socal, right southern california, yep san diego area born and raised, uh, riding dirt bikes, riding motorcycles, doing all that fun stuff, right? Uh, yeah, anything in particular about your life before you joined the service that you look back on and you're like man, that was just a really interesting part of who I am today in your life that you'd be interested in talking about for pre-service.
Jon Floyd :Well, just, you know the time frame that we grew up as children, you know early 90s, mid 90s and stuff like we were brought up to work hard and, you know, put in effort and stuff like that. So you know the culture back then was if you're a young man, you're working hard, you're out making money as soon as possible to pay for stuff and help out with the family and stuff like that. So I think I was like 13 years old when I started working part-time mowing yards and, you know, doing odd jobs here and there for the neighbors and stuff. And then at like 15, I was working full-time for a, a company, um, working at a feed feed store and stuff like that, you know, prior to the military. So I did that until I joined the military, right after you know my, you know I think it was 18. Yeah, just after I turned 18, I joined right away and did you graduate high school?
Jon Floyd :no, I went to a delinquent program. I was a continuation school guy.
Gary Wise :You know I was me too right, yeah, okay so they graduated high school but came to the service at a relatively young age, and I think you remember you telling me one time that your family had animals growing up as well. So you grew up not only getting work for money but like taking care of chores at the house too.
Jon Floyd :Yeah, horses Specifically, we had a bunch of horses. We had like chickens and like a small farm Not a big farm or anything but mainly horses. My mom taught horseback riding lessons, so I had to take care of all the horses and do all that crap. It was terrible.
Gary Wise :So you had, no, you were no stranger to getting out there and working. And so when you went to the Navy recruiter's office, right, because you joined the United States Navy right off the gate, right, that's the only way they would take me.
Jon Floyd :Right, it's the only one that would take me.
Jon Floyd :I was going to ask you what was that conversation like when you went to the recruiter's office? Oh, I didn't even go to the recruiter's office. So basically, I grew up off of Pendleton, you know, with the Marines. So I was like, dude, I'm going to be a Marine, bro, they're the biggest, baddest dudes on the block. No-transcript continuation school. He said, no, you're too stupid for us, we don't want that, we don't take you guys. So I'm like, oh, okay, that sucks.
Jon Floyd :So, uh, then I went to the army recruiter, walked down the door you know, down a couple doors down, knocked on the armory. They're like, hey, I want you in the army. I'm like, oh, what do you want to do? I was like I don't know anything, Give me a rifle, I just want a rifle. And they're like, okay, you want to go to jump school, be airborne. I'm like, yeah, do you want to be airborne? Like you know what that is? I'm the hell am I going to do for four months? I can't do that.
Jon Floyd :So I left. And so my younger brother was in high school and the Navy recruiters are at the school, at the high school, talking to people, and they ran into my brother and they're like hey, you want to join the Navy? He's like no, but my brother's an idiot. He probably wanted to join the Navy. So they came to the place I was staying at my buddy's house and uh, hey, you want to join the navy. I'm like hell, no, I don't want to join the navy, like what the hell the navy man uh, marines for life, bro.
Jon Floyd :So, whatever you're. They're like you're an idiot. So they left. And then, um, my brother was talking to me a couple of days later. He's like dude, you should probably look at the navy. At least somebody will take you. I'm like all right. So then I walked into the navy recruiter's office. I'm like, hey, uh, so what's up with the navy? Like oh, whatever, dude, you're an idiot, like you know you would do it to everybody. Nobody take you. Now you want to come to us. I'm like hey, what can I do at the navy? They're like what do you want to do? I'm like I want to be a grunt. Like we don't have grunts. In the evening I was like I want to be infantry. They're like no, we don't have infantry. They're like we have seals. I'm like, oh, what's that? And they showed me the BUDS recruiting video Like game on. They go camping. They get to go swimming. Like, yeah, I want to do a lot of stuff.
Gary Wise :I was an idiot. Yeah, I was an idiot man.
Jon Floyd :I went to the see me recruit undesignated on the BUDS contract. I did not know that you came in on a BUDS contract.
Jon Floyd :Yeah, dude, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I got to to maps and I did all the testing and everything. And then I went to you. They're like all right, you're, you want to go when you want to leave? I'm like, when's the next plane out of here? Like tuesday, it was like it was like thursday. I'm like all right, I'll go on that one. They're like, okay.
Jon Floyd :So they shipped me out and I went to you know, chicago for boot camp. I got there and they're like, uh, you're on a buds contract. Like yeah. They're like, uh, your abs have scores not high enough. I'm like, oh, yeah, I was like, so what does that mean? They're like you're not going to buds. I was like, oh, it's not me, you're going to a boat and you're gonna paint a lot. I was just like okay. So, uh, yeah, I. I think at the time the minimum requirement to join the military was like an asbap score of like like a gt score, like 32 or something like that. Or you know that the asbap score was like 32. I scored like a 34, right, I barely made it. Like my gt was a 102 and you had to have a 110 for like any kind of software or anything like that at that time.
Jon Floyd :So I was way we're doing waivers in the 90s for anything dude. So, uh, yeah, I went to the the seaman recruit course and then I was like, oh, wait a minute, like we, we have the little snapback lines and stuff like that you can cut your leg off like I'm not doing that. So yeah, so then they're like all right, we can go to the fireman recruit, you know program. So that's how I ended up in the fire and recruit program.
Gary Wise :Yeah, you know it's funny, when I joined the Navy I also joined as a undesignated seaman. Yeah, I joined. They told me when I joined the Navy that I did disqualify from like all the jobs because of my criminal record or whatever Right. And then, and look, my ASVAB score is also nothing to write home about. I am dropped out of high school, you know, early in the high school career. And so thank god I passed. Because I see these kids every day, man graduating high school and they cannot pass the asvab. And it blows my mind, like how are you walking across the stage and you cannot pass that test? And I have the conversation with the students all the time Like, bro, don't waste your time at this high school, ain't no one going to make you get an education? They're going to give you a frickin diploma as long as you show up every day.
Gary Wise :For four frickin years You've got to put the work in, to want to take more advanced classes, to want to try to go higher. There should be no reason for four different levels of algebra. Freaking one right, there's the top one and there's the bottom one. And if you're on the bottom one then you too can get a freaking star someday. And when I joined the military, I got basic training Similar to you my dad had told me. He said, whatever you do in the military, don't be an engineer in the Navy, right? And I was like okay, that didn't make any sense to me. My dad was a designated seaman that went and then at basic training we're out there on the deck and they're telling me how much of the painting and the snapbacks and I'm like nah, bro, and oh by the way, I was afraid I was going to fall in the ocean.
Gary Wise :And remember this. These are your legs. The little frog sticks right and some sharks are fighting. I was like what do the engineers do? They're like oh, they're on the bottom of the ship, they never go outside. I was like good check, I like that you can become a firefighter. You're, you'll be an undesignated fireman. And I was like okay, so yeah I also took the conversion from that's funny.
Jon Floyd :I had no idea. No idea, all these years you've been holding out on me holding out, bro, it's a, it's a secret, right?
Gary Wise :it? Well, hey, but let's be honest, you were one of the main reasons why I became a damage controller, right, yeah, you were always messing with me in the engine room. No, I don't think I would remember it that way. I think that I remember between you and Senior Chief Hervey were the two influencers and of course all of us were striking D Seaman like it was going out of style because hell.
Gary Wise :Seaman were making rank like it felt like nothing. So for everyone that's listening. Striking is essentially where an undesignated sailor in the Navy gets the chance to strike and take a test for a job in the States. But before I get to that point, did you know when you graduated bootcamp that you wanted, that you were going to go to Japan? Did you want to go overseas?
Jon Floyd :No, I didn't want to. No, I didn't have no idea.
Gary Wise :You didn't put on the paper like I want to go overseas.
Jon Floyd :You, you forget. I didn't even know geography. I didn't even know what Japan was. I'm going where you're going to japan. I'm like, where's that? Like you're gonna get on a plane. I'm like, okay, so yeah, I had no idea man.
Gary Wise :No, I remember being at great lakes at the little fireman class. They gave us like three days, right, three days. This is a valve go right.
Jon Floyd :In that three days I was like I put up my hand, I went to the crush. I'm like where's the fire? No, here's a wrench, you get a wrench. I was like I'm in the wrong class. They're like shut up and sit down.
Jon Floyd :I'm like okay but they said I was going to be a fireman yeah, dude, yeah, and the whole reason I struck DC is because they got the little red hats. I was going to be a fireman. Yeah, dude, yeah, and the whole reason I struck DC is because they got the little red hats.
Gary Wise :I was like dude, those look cool, hold on. But you got to the ship and you were in our division like right off the jump right.
Jon Floyd :Well, yeah, because the DCA, remember, you had to go see the DCA. Everybody had to go see the DCA. You know the Dam control assistant, right. And so I remember being with a group of like six people and every single one was like I'm gonna be a d seaman. I'm like what the hell's a d seaman? There's like they're the good, that's a good raid. You know it's uh okay. And so you know, they all went and I was the last one to go in the door and talk to the dca and everyone came out and they're kind of upset when they came out the door. I'm like damn it, I don't want to go talk to this dude. Everybody's upset coming out.
Jon Floyd :And so, uh, I walked in there and the dca was sitting by his dad. She's like who are you? And I'm like I'm john. Okay, you're undesignated farmer recruit. I'm like yep. And he's like, all right, well, what job do you want to do? And I'm like shit, I don't know, I'll do whatever you want me to do, I don't care. And he was like really, I'm like, yeah, man, whatever you need, I don't care. Like I gotta do at least a year on this ship. I suppose he's gonna go to buds.
Jon Floyd :I'm just like, yeah I guess so so yeah, he's like all right, so you do whatever I want you to do. I'm like yep, he's like how about a bd seaman? I'm like sure, so literally that's the only reason. Yeah, I just I was like I'll do whatever you want, he's all right, dc man. I'm like okay, I'll do whatever you want, he's like all right, dc man.
Gary Wise :I'm like okay, I ended up in Artivision, artivision. Hey, do you remember when you got off the plane in Japan the first time?
Jon Floyd :Vaguely.
Gary Wise :Vaguely. I remember that being such an experience, bro, never having flown on an airplane before and then getting off the plane in Japan. I'm in japan.
Jon Floyd :Oh my gosh having to run a lot we had. We were in a big, we're in a big rush because the bellowood was out deployed at the time, um. And so they're like hey, you have to hurry up, get on, get off the plane, get on this bus, they're gonna shuttle you to the base. You're gonna get on a it was a like a supply ship, like a usns or something like that um supply ship. And so I got on some little supply ship like all right, this supply ship's gonna take you out to the ocean, and then they're gonna put you on a helicopter and fly you over this other ship. I'm like what the hell are we doing?
Gary Wise :I don't know literally, yeah, yeah so we met off the coast of hong kong, if I remember correctly, hell are we doing, Bro, you're outracial Literally yeah.
Jon Floyd :So we met off the coast of Hong Kong, if I remember correctly 1997.
Gary Wise :Yeah, that was my first time going to Hong Kong. I remember that part of it that was before Hong Kong was back to the British side or back to the British control Yep.
Jon Floyd :That was the time before we were there.
Gary Wise :It was still under British control. I'm sorry, it was still under British control.
Jon Floyd :I'm sorry, it was still under.
Gary Wise :British control. That was when it turned over. I remember that. Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah.
Jon Floyd :So that's when you got to the ship.
Gary Wise :Okay, I remember that I was old school at that point I've been on board like four months.
Jon Floyd :Yeah, you've been here like three months. Yeah, I remember he told me like I've been here for months, like oh, yeah, yeah, you knew where the chow hall was.
Gary Wise :yeah, it's like okay, so, yeah, so you end up in our division. If everyone listened, our division is the repair division, right, they're the guys on the ship that do they house the damage control room, they house the whole technicians, which are essentially our welded repair guys. The damage control men are essentially the emergency responders, the firefighters, and then, of course, you have the machinery repairmen. And we all did stuff together on the small ships, but on the big ships it can get really segregated, right. You can really get where, like your DC men suck, get out of our shop and and, and it can be really segregated, right. You can really get where, like your DC even suck, get out of our shop and and, and it can be vice versa, right.
Gary Wise :And I remember that I, when I first met John, they had sent him down to the pit, so I worked in the main space after main MP2, and I worked down there with the boiler techs and the MMS and we all stood watching the plant and John got sent down to the main space to learn how to stand watch as a messenger, look. And now, looking back on this whole thing, as a former Master Chief, damned Controlman, I know the whole game. Now, right, they want everybody qualified and all the engineers need to stand all the watches and there's probably a fight for bodies. And John got thrown to the freaking gods of the pit because he's undesignated and so he had to come down there and stand some watch, and I remember him just being at the console, just like what do I?
Jon Floyd :do yeah. Yeah, I was like it's hot down here man.
Gary Wise :Yeah, it was hot, and I remember just getting to know you, cause one of my favorite things about you was you always, from the first day I ever met you, you said what was on your mind. You just said it right, didn't always think about what you were saying, but you'd say it.
Jon Floyd :Yep, I always got in a lot of trouble for it too, but you were always you were willing to work, you were willing to learn and you wanted action.
Gary Wise :From the very beginning you were like, hey, I hope something blows up right now so we can do something fun.
Jon Floyd :I wasn't in the ABC at once.
Gary Wise :No, you were not. I remember you always felt like you were very tactical with your flash gear on your belt. You were always. You wore your cover high on your head. I knew you were from California and I saw you wearing your cover high on your head. It was very serious.
Jon Floyd :Even as a fireman. Oh yeah, that was the easy.
Gary Wise :Hey, prepare, for we're the ones that go in after you die. That's what he told me. You guys are going to die first, and then we're going to go in and put the fire out.
Jon Floyd :That's how it's gonna go, we're gonna step, we're gonna step over you and get the fire now.
Gary Wise :Now I look back on my career and I would turn that damn main space into an aquarium, bro, I would just I'd fill it from the bottom up. Dude, it ain't worth it yeah, yeah, yeah no remotely Remote water space and call it good yeah.
Jon Floyd :We didn't, we didn't know any better.
Gary Wise :No, we didn't I tell people on top, like my first job. I was like 19 years old, 20. I was 20 years old Actually. I landed in Japan on my 20th birthday, but my first job ever for GQ, which is our battle stations on ships, for listen. I was part of the overhaul team and I had to carry a CO2 extinguisher. I'm 5'6". This damn thing is over my waist. I had to carry it down like 7 freaking ladders with all my gear on, with an OBA on, and pretend to walk around this damn engineering space like I'm looking for a spot and nobody ever asked you that you're on this team, get over here and they threw me in there.
Gary Wise :So when you did your time in the main space, john is, was there anything about that experience in particular, that you were, that you took anything, anything from there as far as value?
Jon Floyd :Yeah, water and electricity don't go to go well together.
Gary Wise :Especially when we're having water fights.
Jon Floyd :When we're having a water fight and you splash the water on the load center and shut down the whole boat. You remember that? I do remember that, and we got in so much trouble.
Gary Wise :I do remember that, I do remember that. Oh my.
Jon Floyd :God, we got in so much trouble.
Gary Wise :There were some epic water fights in the main space man, back in those days we were smoking, we were freaking. It was a little cavalier, I'll be honest. I, we were smoking.
Jon Floyd :We were freaking, it was a little cavalier. I'll be honest, I bought West back then. It was before that I bought West, yeah.
Gary Wise :It was before fire retardant coveralls was a thing. I remember how pissed we all were when we had to wear fire retardant coveralls and we were just like. These are stupid Because down there everyone had coveralls around their waist.
Gary Wise :T-shirts out yeah, yeah, I. T-shirts out, yeah, yeah. I'll tell you. For me, when I look back on my time in the main space in particular, I had I mean, I tell people, I tell people often I fought more casualties in my first three years in the navy standing that watch than most people do in their whole lives as a as a top fighter right, because you just never know what's going to go sideways down there in that big old steam plant.
Gary Wise :And it was, I remember, the first time I had we were lighting up the boiler, that one time and you decided that you had to depart up the escape trunk because you thought we were lighting a fire and you were like, no, no, no, I got to be up there to come back down and put the fire out.
Jon Floyd :I was like I'm not supposed to be down here.
Gary Wise :We were lighting the fires in the boiler and you just, we didn't tell you what it was, and that you know I, for me, those are friends that I've had for life and that's where we really connected was when you were down there with me as my UI climbing around. And then eventually, uh, I struck damage control and got into the DC humans world, even though they kept me in the pit for fricking forever.
Jon Floyd :It felt like as a.
Gary Wise :DC three. Yeah, it was tough and then. So when I left the bellowood you stayed and you actually crossed that. Now is it because you extended on board, because your brother was now part of a crew, right?
Jon Floyd :correct. My brother came uh, so he got uh stationed on the bellowood on when I was my third year and so I got to extend to stay for the whole swap to the essex and so then I did another two years with him there and he was in forward main, I believe yeah because he was up in the native firemen yep, he was in forward main, and so then he ended up striking DC later on, like you did, and so I stayed to kind of you know, keep an eye on him and look after him and stuff like that.
Jon Floyd :So I did another two more years down there after you left.
Gary Wise :Okay, and then you stayed on the Belleau Wood and you got up to E5, right, you were at DC too. And then you went from there right to the fire school in San Diego.
Jon Floyd :Yep, yep. And then you went from there right to the fire school in san diego.
Gary Wise :Yep, yeah, ftc. Okay, so you got orders from being overseas five years, punched, all your cd had no other, and you got orders to go as an e5 to the fire school, which is that had to be a pretty awesome opportunity because, I'll tell you, I did the fire school in norfolk and there was no I couldn't remember very many e5s and san diego had a lot of civilians, so yeah when you got there, you got yeah, I mean, what was your job?
Gary Wise :you were there to be like the maintenance guy on stuff, or either no, I got there as an instructor.
Jon Floyd :yeah, I got, uh, so, because I'd done five years consecutive at sea overseas or deployed in out of japan on the belt in the Essex, and how much time we had been at sea. Like during that whole time they were like, look, you can choose anywhere you want to go, but you have to go back stateside. And I'm like, ok, because this was back in the 90s where they were forcing people to rotate around and get different billets and kind of become well-rounded. And so I didn't know that or understand any of that. I was like all I know is being deployed. And so when I came up for orders, they're like for one you got to go back to the United States because it's time for you to go back. And they're like we'll give you choice orders, where do you want to?
Gary Wise :go.
Jon Floyd :I'm like I don't know, I have no idea what I want to do was one of the chiefs there not my, my senior chief, but another senior chief told me like you should go be an instructor because I was one of the senior damage control training team members. Um, and I ran the damage control training. Uh, you know, you know the in the initial training everybody went through and so, yeah, to end up, uh, and so they're like, yeah, you're doing really good as an instructor, you should go be an instructor, get the certification, be an instructor. I'm like okay, and so I did and it was great, like it was one of the best decisions I made the instructor school was. It was good. It was actually a really, really good course and I learned a lot from it and got some more professionalism.
Gary Wise :And then I went to the. There you were one of the instructors there once in a while yeah, yeah, yeah, we did a lot.
Jon Floyd :We did the whole spectrum so we did a lot there. So that was a phenomenal time. I had a good time there and enjoyed the job and met some good, some good guys and stuff like that, and so I did my three years there, yeah was it just three years you were there.
Gary Wise :That was it three years yeah felt like longer man because I caught. I went recruiting duty after I left the ship and then I caught back up with you in san diego when I got to the hogden and you were at the fire school and I remember we got back up there and we were both young petty officers. I think that we were both second classes. I think I was coming off recruiting, you were instructor. I think we both made DC-1. You might have actually made it before me, as a matter of fact.
Jon Floyd :Yeah, I don't remember exactly. It was right around the same time.
Gary Wise :Right around the same time we both picked up E6. And then I remember you were talking already about converting blue to green and so the year is just for everyone that's listening. I went back to the fleet in 2003, to the USS Ogden, so the year had to be around 2004,. 2005 timeframe where John is talking about possibly getting out of the Navy and converting over to the United States Army. There was a big push back then because, of course, what were we doing at that time in the world? We were forward deployed. We were operational over in Iraq, operational over in Afghanistan. They had stood up the United States Navy and a lot of support billets as individual augmentation augmentees. Actually, as a matter of fact, the first day IA came out, I remember I got promoted to DC-1, and I was walking off the flight deck they told me the other DC-1 was going IA to Gitmo to go be a guard down at Gitmo, and that was when I first started rolling out and that was like November of 2004. But John was telling me that he was going to go blue to green and I was.
Gary Wise :I remember I was not. I was not a fan. I was like what, why would you want to? No, but I mean I know you were looking back on it, I know you weren't really happy in the navy, right, you weren't really getting the action or the intensity or the level of, I would say, just involvement with what you were looking for every day. I mean you had the energy to want to be a marine. Then you wanted to go to buds and right you have. You've always been that, remember I remember on the ship you used to put us in dangerous positions just because, right, you'd be shaking I'd be on top of our equipment I'd be helping me and he'd be shaking the crap and I'd be like john, we're gonna freaking die, bro.
Gary Wise :He's like no wiser. This is how we check to make sure our gear is gonna work. And I would tell him, john that's correct. We all die we were wearing our harness.
Jon Floyd :I was up testing our equipment and showing you to have faith in your equipment.
Gary Wise :Yeah, so you always were that guy that was interested in looking for a little bit more of a challenge, and so you did figure out how to go blue to green. You did, I did, you figured it out. Right, a lot of people talk a lot of crap. They never pulled the trigger. Right, you gotta figure it out. You actually legit talked to the recruiters, got out of the navy conversion over to the army and you went blue to green. Um yeah, what was the biggest, I would say, when you went over? Because you went over as an e6 from the navy? What did they? Did they bring you over as an E6 from the Navy? What did they did they bring?
Jon Floyd :you over as an.
Gary Wise :E6 in the Army. Yeah, okay, how was that it?
Jon Floyd :was horrible. So for one, the process was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be. You know, everybody briefed this Blue to Green program the Army and the Marines. Everybody was hurting for bodies in Iraq and Afghanistan and like nobody was really volunteering because everybody was dying. It's all over the news. We're losing people left and right. And so, uh, I just felt like I wanted to go help out. You know, after being with the marines and watching them deploy, you know, for our deployments and stuff and all that, I just can't. I don't feel comfortable going to the boat and just watching other people go do hard stuff and maybe not come back. I just I wasn't okay with that.
Jon Floyd :So I put in a memorandum to do the blue degree program to go to the army and help out, and I got nothing in response. So then I put another one a few months later, and then I put another one a few months later and another one, and finally my lieutenant at the fire school grabbed me. He's like, hey, idiot, come on, you're coming with me. I'm like, okay, whatever, I'm in trouble again. So he walked across the way and he took me up to up to the commander of the base, if I remember correct, like the commander of the base of san diego 32nd street at the time.
Jon Floyd :They walked me in there and you know there's a few officers in there and I didn't know any of them and I'm just a lowly u e6, now dc1, and uh, they're like what the hell are you doing? Like what, what is it? What are these memorandums that you want to join the army? You know it's like yeah, what do you mean? Like we thought it was a joke. I'm like a joke. I did four memorandums that went for signatures up the entire chain of command. Like how is that a joke?
Jon Floyd :yeah and they're like why do you want to join the army? And I'm like, because I just want to go help out. They're like you know, you're gonna die in the army, right, everybody's dying in the army. And I'm like, well, they give people helmets and stuff. And I pro like I think you do get helmets. Yeah, just like you're an idiot. And I'm like, oh, that's what I want to do.
Jon Floyd :Like so, and I was trying to get out early. I was trying to get out early to go join the war effort and then like how much time you have? And I had like, let me six or seven months maybe. And they're like, all right, and the commander's like you're an idiot, but okay, he's like if that's what you want, he's like you're an idiot, but okay, he's like if that's what you want, he's like I'll let you out early, but you have to join the army, like the next day. And you're going to the army and I'm like that's what I've been asking for for months. Yeah, so, um, so they did. They actually finally approved it, um me from the navy and I went from there, I went straight to the maps out process and then I in-processed the army that same night. So at midnight I was out processed from the navy and then I was in processing the army five hours later, so there was no break in service.
Jon Floyd :So I went in as e6 in the navy, in the army and know that, like, what do you want to do? I'm like, what do you need? And they're just like really. I'm like, yeah, what do you need? And they're just like really. I'm like, yeah, what do you need? Like well, we need, uh, we need 11 Bravo's imagery guy and we need reconnaissance guys, uh, the 19 Delta Calvary scouts. They're the ones dying the most. And I'm like, what do they do? And they're like one's a small team group of guys and one's like a bunch of imagery guys. I'm like comfortable with that.
Gary Wise :Yeah.
Jon Floyd :That's what I did. I signed up as a 19 down 19 Delta Calvary scout guy. I had no idea what that meant, but it was just reconnaissance, basically, and so I went to. I went to Fort Knox, kentucky, for a little warrior transition course. It was a one month course for people from other services coming to the army. I gave you an imprint.
Jon Floyd :Here's the bullet side, here's how you put the magazine and they try to teach us cadence and marching. But we were in the navy so we sucked at cadence and marching, like we don't march anywhere on the boats. We really don't. They're like you're, yeah, they're like you're at e6. You don't know any cadences. I was like, yeah, I do, row, row, row your boat, like it was stupid dude, yeah, so they're like no, okay.
Jon Floyd :So we did a month-long course and then we finished up there and then they they were supposed to insert us into like the the mos phase. Uh, you know the ait for those, the, the new recruits, and so we got halfway in and so we, you know I finished up, but I was at e6, so our drill sergeants were all reserves because all the active duty guys were deployed. So they had reserve drill sergeants and I outranked them. I had more time in service than most of them, so they were mad at me. I had more ribbons than them, so they were mad at me. They were like, oh, the Navy just gives away ribbons. I'm like okay, like whatever.
Jon Floyd :We were pretty busy on board the Velo with the, but they didn't understand that you know it's, that's fair. Like they don't know. So they're just like who the hell is this stupid navy guy with all these? I mean I looked like a, you know, I did war hero, yeah. So, uh. So then, uh, so I graduated that. And they're like all right, hey, uh, do you want to go to airborne school? I'm like I don't care, I just want to go to combat as fast as possible. Like well, then you're going to airborne school because those guys want guys who want to combat fast. I'm like okay, so I went to airborne school. I fell out of a plane five times with my eyes closed. It's like okay.
Jon Floyd :So then they shipped me to Alaska. I went to Alaska. That was my first duty station. So I got to Alaska in January of 05. So I was up there and did some training and went to Iraq for 15 months straight.
Jon Floyd :Dude, that was rough man. That was 06, 07. I was in Iraq just south of Baghdad, and that was a hellacious deployment. So I got exactly what I wanted and I was like this sucks, I wish I was on the boat right now. Like this is terrible man. So yeah, it was pretty rough man, but I learned a lot. I Like this is terrible man. So yeah, it was pretty rough man, but I learned a lot.
Jon Floyd :I had a lot of experience, earned my stripes, and then I came back to Alaska after that deployment and then eight months later we deployed again to Afghanistan. This time Did like a 13-month deployment to Afghanistan. And then it was just, it wasn't as bad as Iraq, but it was a pretty rough deployment too. So then we came back and it was like, oh man, and that's when, yeah, the special forces recruiters came up. We're looking for us. So you know, I went to the special forces after that at Bragg, volunteered, go through the Q course there for two years, graduated that. And then I went to Germany for you know, to go be with the special forces team, did that, transferred to Bragg, finished up my time there, retired in 17.
Gary Wise :Yeah, when you were so regular Army, a regular Army, right, you did those two back-to-back deployments. How different was it in those groups by, I'd say, number one with the Navy guys, right, when your Navy experience I mean number one you guys went to different kinds of, definitely with right, going over to iraq, 0607 right and then, of course, going to afghanistan. But then when you were back home in alaska, how was that camaraderie I'm interested, right, how was that different than, like, your time with the navy in japan? Was it a lot different because you were older, because you've been through more? Was it different because? Was it a lot different because you were older, because you've been through more.
Jon Floyd :Was it different? Because, yeah, it was different because I was an e6 but I was pretty much a private in the army. I didn't know anything about the army, so, um, so like the other e6 has treated me differently because I didn't have the experience that they did. I hadn't been the same duty stations. They all like knew each other because they all came from the same duty stations, they went to ranger school together or they. They kind of all knew each other and I was just the odd man out, like they didn't know. It was just some former guy, um, and so you know, like I brought over, you know what I learned as a dc man in leadership? You know the navy leads from the front, you know the army leads from the rear. As far as my experience was, um and so like I was always trying to lead from the front in the army and they're like.
Jon Floyd :Well, that's not how we do it, that's how I'm doing it, so you can either fire me or kick me out, like that's how I'm gonna do it. And so I tried to earn the respect of the guys by trying to be it up front and you know, being there with them, um. But you know a lot of the senior guys and they didn't look at me the same. You know they treated me a little bit different, not like horrible, but they're just like, yeah, whatever, you're some navy guy, I'm like okay. But when it came to pt, I out pt'd most of them. You know they always beginning to run and you remember I was always running yeah, you're always yeah always
Gary Wise :yeah, so how was your connection with the younger soldiers? Was it because you always were the kind of guy that would rub senior people the wrong way, but the junior people would respect you and love on you Right? Was it the same way in the army? It wasn't the Navy.
Jon Floyd :Yes and no. Um, I didn't get along with the senior guys in the army because, again, they all thought they were better than everybody else and I try to do everything I can to prove them wrong, like I'm not impressed and so, uh, and then so, like a lot of the younger guys you know I was, you know we were taught in the Navy to look after the younger, you know, service members. I remember you guys always looked after me. When I was out with you guys, you always looked after me in the main space. You always look at, you know, took care of me, and so that's what I did in the Army and so, like the younger guys really appreciated that Instead of just do it.
Jon Floyd :You know, that's not how I was brought up and I'm like I don't care, I'm a navy guy, so whatever man, so, um, so yeah, it was a kind of it was a hit or miss both ways. You know some of the younger guys in the army were like but you're, you're not an army guy, you're navy I'm like okay, well, I've done time in the service.
Jon Floyd :I got over eight years in the service, you know, and they're like that just counts, okay.
Gary Wise :Yeah, I'll be honest with you that was that was always. One of the biggest detractors for those programs was were people worried about essentially starting over again midway throughout their careers?
Jon Floyd :um, I actually had a buddy of mine.
Gary Wise :Well, no, I had a buddy of mine on here not too long ago and he converted from bm2 to hm2 and that was the fear he had was converting over as an e5 even right. And so because, if you think about it, john, you arguably went from being undesignated seaman to fireman, to dc man and to be an army and like so, going from a service to a service and then going from being eventually from there screening into special forces and and to go find, when you did the special forces recruiting process thing, was that just more of you looking for more of that challenge or was that? Was there anything in particular that? I mean, did you have to retake the asvab right?
Jon Floyd :no, so it was right. After the iraq deployment, the special forces guys came up to alaska because we did really well in iraq. I mean we, we got bloodied up pretty good, but we, we put a beating down on everybody else and so we had a very, uh, a good reputation. So special forces came up and was recruiting and they we, I mean they recruited man, at least two or three platoons of our guys. Like a lot of our guys left and went to go, go to special forces and most of them made it through the selection process and the q course. So, um, but like I didn't know what special forces were, remember, because I was like I just want to be a seal, you know. And so they're like, you know, special forces. I'm like what do they do? And the guy told me he's like, he's like just get on the bus, you want to be like doing pt. I'm like he's like, he's like just get on the bus, you want to be like doing PT. I'm like, yeah, he's like get on the bus. And I'm like okay, so I get on this bus, get on a plane.
Jon Floyd :I ended up in Fort Bragg, north Carolina, and it was hot and there's they treated us as like crap. We can go, we're going through selection. It was a few weeks of just being treated like shit. They smoked me pretty good. I think I lost like 30 pounds in two weeks and it was. It was rough man. I was like I'm never coming back here. This place is terrible. Like special forces is terrible. Like this is terrible. So I left and I wasn't going to go be a special forces guy.
Jon Floyd :I ended up going on that next deployment to Afghanistan. When I got back from that deployment I was like 13 and a half years. I'm like like man, I'm on the downhill slope, you know like 20 years around the corner. So I was like, well, I might as well stay in. If I'm gonna stay in, I'm gonna go get paid better and treated better and trained better and stuff like that. And the only way I needed to do that was to go ahead and volunteer for the special forces program that I'd been selected for. I just hadn't gone to yet, yeah, so I just didn't have anything else better to do okay, so no, no, I'm tracking man.
Gary Wise :So then you decided to go. You get through the process and when you got to europe, when you got to germany, did you did. Do you have a preference? Do you like? Did you like germany better than japan?
Jon Floyd :no, um, I like both of them. You know, like I was young when we were in japan. We were really young, so we didn't really appreciate it. You know, like at all you didn't know where to live.
Jon Floyd :No, we lived on the boat. So, like you know, I really enjoyed japan and then, as I was older, you know, when I was in europe, in germany, um in 2012 to 2015, I could appreciate it more. I was older, I was mature, you know, I'd been around a while and I was able to appreciate it, enjoy it, and so it made me think about j like man. I really didn't appreciate it and enjoy it as much as I should have, you know but again, I was young.
Jon Floyd :I mean everybody goes through it. And also I enjoyed Europe. You know it was cool to go from Asia to Europe. You know that, one side of the world to the other side of the world, so it was pretty cool, you know.
Gary Wise :You know, what's funny about that time period is, I remember, around 2012, it felt like things took a shift in the military in particular, just felt like everything just went backwards on us. Right, we had gone so hard, so fast for so long and then, all of a sudden, everything just went the other way and we were sliding backwards. And I remember being on board the I was on the George Washington at the time in Japan and just being like these missions are not. They don't feel like they matter. I feel like the things that we're doing aren't really priority and we're worried way more about these people programs that are not really people programs. They're just a bunch of bullshit.
Gary Wise :Right, I mean lack of a better word, and that's when it started. Word, and that's when it started. Right, that's when it started. And, as I'm watching the news now and I'm over here like cheering these dudes on for like freaking, putting off, kicking the shit out of some of these programs, yeah, that was when it started and that was when, I know, my frustration started, uh, with the service and to the point where there was a period of time where I thought I might get out. You know, we left the ship and we got to Norfolk and I was seriously thinking about maybe just calling it a day and not going back out there again, because I remember that I was exhausted.
Gary Wise :You know, I was exhausted from the carrier, I was exhausted from the, from the op tempo, and I was exhausted because it's not like we were fighting anymore, matter of fact, we were like it was like we weren't fighting but we were still deploying relentlessly. But the navy never has never not deployed right. And so, yeah, they never not deployed. When you got back from europe, and because I mean, I heard you say you retired in 17. Uh, yeah, was it? Was it a? You did? You know, when you came back from Germany, that you're like I'm done, like this is over for me, I'm going to do something else.
Jon Floyd :No, actually like. So, when I got back from Germany, I think I had like maybe two years left until 20. And so I was in it to win it, dude. I was like this is all I know, this is the pinnacle of my career. I was like this is all I know, this will, I'm at the pinnacle of my career. I mean, I made it to. You know, special forces, you know like this is where everybody wants to be right, you know. And so I was like, hey, I'm gonna ride it out and stick around. And so I mean, I was deploying at my 19 year mark, but then my body just gave out.
Jon Floyd :You know, my body was beat up and broken and I had back surgery and, you know, shoulder surgery, and it's just, I was just pretty beat up. And so they were like man, they like the, the Channing fans. I was like, hey, dude, you, you've done your time, man, you give me, you're pretty beat up, and if you keep going, you're you're going to beat yourself up too much. And so it was a, it was a decision.
Gary Wise :Yeah, I remember when you were retiring cause, I came up to visit you up at your house. I remember you being like. I just drove across the base. I was like sign this piece of paper so I can be out of the Army now. Because that's how you are, man when you're done, you're just like all right.
Jon Floyd :I'm done.
Gary Wise :I'm done.
Jon Floyd :I was done.
Gary Wise :I don't need no other crap, just let me out, so I can go do something else.
Jon Floyd :Yeah, it was time.
Gary Wise :When you did your retirement, you did your transition from the service right to the veteran side of the house. Was that a big deal to you becoming a veteran? Or were you just like it is what it is Right? Because, I'll be honest with you, I still struggle with it a little bit, like when I meet other dudes.
Jon Floyd :Well, like everybody makes it seem like you lose your identity, right, like it's like you're losing your identity and so it did like everybody kept saying, like you know how does it feel?
Jon Floyd :you're not a green beret anymore, you're not in the army anymore, you're not a soldier anymore. I'm like, yeah, I am. I'm still who I was a week ago. I'm still who I was a month ago. I'm still exactly the same person, um, with all the experience.
Jon Floyd :So yeah, there was definitely an identity issue, Like, okay, who am I now? What am I now? I'm just some old retired guy now, Like I'm 38 years old. I was like that doesn't make sense. And so I think it was the first month I was kind of confused. I didn't know what I want to do.
Jon Floyd :I was still healing up from surgeries and stuff, and I just I didn't know what I want to do. You know, I was still healing up from, you know, surgeries and stuff, and I just I didn't know what I wanted to do. So you know, you just again you're talking to other people and trying to figure out what's the next course of action and everything. And so I was like I don't know. And so that's when other veterans had reached out to me and said, hey, you know, we can, you can do this program or you can go do this contract work, this contract work or um, something like that, you know.
Jon Floyd :And so, um, so yeah, I was like just kind of networking and seeing what I wanted to do, Um, and so yeah, I mean, I just kind of asked around and I found a couple of different options, uh, courses of action or you know, you know contract opportunities that were available to me and I was like, okay, I'll do this one. And I just went and did one, a government contract with a you know one of the agencies, and I did that for a little while and then I did a different one. But yeah, I mean, I think everybody goes through it, you know that kind of like, you know, identity crisis and not knowing what's the best course of action.
Gary Wise :And I think we're all just like you know, we didn't make a lot of money. We're in the military so we're just trying to go make a lot of money. You know. So you know, you know, for me, I guess I'm fortunate because I chose to come work with the kids and I still going to be master chief and wear the uniform once a week. But and also for me is I didn't retire in a place with a huge military footprint. So people here like really eat it, like they love the military and the service.
Gary Wise :So what I've learned is that I don't have to not be proud of my years of service and what I did. I'm not saying walk around with a huge freaking bumper sticker on the back of my truck that says yo, I served 25 years, but it's also like it is a big part of my team, because I want these young people to be proud of their affiliation to the service and the connection. And then it's also like I don't want people to feel like you just have to immediately disconnect from what you did for 25, 30, 20 years. Right, because you don't like you or that person you always will be and like my sons are still proud of me for what I did. My wife's still proud of me for what I did, but it wife's still proud of me for what I did. But you do have to move forward. I would like to talk a little bit about what you're doing now professionally, if you don't mind, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jon Floyd :So again, you know, after I retired, you know I was like, okay, well, I'll go to what I know, and I went to do the contract work for maybe like six years altogether with two different agencies.
Gary Wise :Yeah, contract work for maybe like six years altogether with two different agencies. I used to get so pissed off at you like, bro, would you quit you freaking done enough?
Jon Floyd :and you're like, no, bro, they're paying them the good yes, the pay was good, but I was just always gone, you know so it took a while for me to figure out.
Jon Floyd :you know, I was like man, I'm just getting paid to be gone, you know. And so I was like I gotta. I mean, I think I looked at it, I was like 27 years of deploying, like literally 27 years straight of just being deployed, and so, um, after I retired, I was deployed more than I was deployed in the army. So I was like, okay, it's time to go. So I was looking at other options and so I was talking to other veterans of mine that I looked up to and, uh, you know, they were kind of mentors to me and a few of them had started their own businesses, small businesses, and I was like, well, what do you do? You know, one guy's like well, I got a laundromat and I got some apartments and some real estate. And so another guy, you know, he did like flipping homes and stuff like that. And so there's a you know a couple of things that they were doing that they kind of mentored me like, hey, you know, why don't you find something that you enjoy doing or you would like to do? And you know, get into, you know, a small business. And I'm like, okay, what do you do that and they're like Google it. I was like Google it. They're like, yes, start reading it. And I'm like start reading, okay. So I'm like, okay, I just Googled.
Jon Floyd :I just was randomly Googling stuff while I was on a contract my last few months and I was just randomly Googling like you know, what do you mean? Google, like, you know, businesses. You know, buy a business that's for sale. I'm like, really. They're like, yeah, buy a cash flowing business. I'm like, what is that? They're like a business that's making money. You know. I'm like, why would? So I literally got on the search engine and Googled businesses for sale and I found a website, businessesforsalecom. I was like, well, that sounds about right. I clicked on that one and it opened up a broker website that was selling businesses nationally.
Jon Floyd :So I just started gleaning through it and was like, oh okay. And the spectrum was wide. I mean, there was nurseries, gas stations, pharmaceutical companies, there was plumbing companies, there was service companies, there was there was everything. And I'm like, dude, I don't know anything about any of this stuff. So I just kept reading for a couple of months and looking through and then I found this franchise that kind of stuck out. It was like I don't know what really stuck out about it exactly, but it was the price point. It was the price. I'm like, oh, that's a price point I could probably work with. It was like a half million for this business. It was cash alone like 600 000 or something like that. I'm like okay, whatever.
Jon Floyd :I didn't really know what a lot of them about that meant, but I was like, okay, that looks about oh, it's in raleigh, it's kind of close to me. I'm like like okay. So I clicked on it and it was like you know cleaning and pressure washing and everything. I'm like okay. So I was like hmm, and then I looked I'm like, wait a minute, it's cleaning hoods, like commercial exhaust systems, for you know all commercial buildings, restaurants, you know universities, colleges, schools, detention centers, and I'm like huh, I'm like I detention centers and I'm like huh, I'm like I did that in the navy.
Jon Floyd :I used to clean the hoods in the navy, on the ship and I'm like I was like no way. I was like this is a business and so that's what stuck out to me. I'm like I did this in the navy, this on the ship, as an undesignated dude when I was supposed to be working in the galley. You remember, you know we had to do our uh cranking days. Remember we had to go cranking and stuff, and so I was like and I and I was mostly because it was a punishment like, oh, you'd be a smart ass, go clean the hoods all that grease gets caught up in there, and the little?
Jon Floyd :yeah, yeah, yeah, it's fuel yeah you didn't.
Jon Floyd :You had to check all that fire suppression stuff and I was like that's actually a pretty important job from what I remember in the Navy, right, and so I was like all right, so I just clicked on the little link that said request information. Okay, I clicked on the little link and I got an email from the broker. He's like, hey, you want more information? I'm like yeah, so he put me in touch with the corporate office and they emailed me like hey, send us your resume. I sent the resume and they're like they like called me like 20 minutes later like, uh, we want to meet you, but they'd never seen that resume like, I'm like okay.
Jon Floyd :So I flew up to nr michigan and sat down with the executive team for this franchise for hoods and, um, yeah, from there, like, they're like hey, you want to buy this franchise. Yeah, they're like, okay, well, do you have cash? I'm like no, it's like, what are you franchise? I'm like yeah. They're like okay, well, do you have cash? I'm like no, it's like what are you going to do? I'm like I don't know, I'll get a loan, I guess Join the cartel. I don't know, I'll do something, you know they're so good.
Gary Wise :Oh man, yeah, yeah. So yesterday, colorado Springs, and they caught them, dudes standing in the car. Bro, that's all bad, dude, that's all bad.
Jon Floyd :I showed them that I knew a bunch about these hood systems and like, hey, you know what. We want you to join the franchise team. I'm like, okay, I ended up working through SBA, put together an SBA loan, took a little bit of work, a little bit of time and I went in, I started doing you know, working with the guy that owned this company before I did and you know kind of seeing how he ran it and what he was doing, and I'm like dude I can do this all day, man.
Jon Floyd :I was like I know all about this stuff and so a lot of code compliance and fire code stuff that we, you know, were involved with. So I don't get spun up pretty fast on that kind of stuff, but it just took me back to my roots in the Navy. Yeah and yeah, we just been just crushing it since then. I took over and doubled the revenue and doubled the clients.
Gary Wise :Super proud of you. You're a business man, bro, you are. Yeah, it's hard to.
Jon Floyd :It's hard to imagine Remember.
Gary Wise :And you're good, and you're better with computers. Now too, you know, which I think is crazy.
Jon Floyd :right Like that in the rumor? Yes, I am. I am using technology.
Gary Wise :Yes, Not only are, you could use technology now and then, of course, yeah, no, no. I'm super proud of you, man. You got yourself some business, got some people working with you and you're building all good things.
Jon Floyd :Awesome.
Gary Wise :I mean I okay. So now I got you to where we're at. I want to kind of talk about leadership now. Right, I kind of want to jump into that a little bit perspective on some things. First question is how different is it leading in the civilian sector, vice, when you are on active duty and I heard what you said from the Navy to the army, from the front to the rear right, and that I've heard that before, right, I've heard that before, and there's different perspectives and different styles and and that's true, um, but but now that you're in the civilian, the corporate side and you're actually running with teams of guys that don't have that military background, how is the perception to your leadership style there? Is it the same? Is it different? Is there? Is there anything significant that you had to change?
Jon Floyd :it's dramatically different. So, you know, working with people that don't come from the, you're the same environment. They weren't brought up, the same as you, same same time frame. A lot of the guys that work for me or with me, um, they are much younger, about half my age or just a little bit. You know more than half my age. I mean, they're in there, I'm 46 now. They're in their, you know, early 20s, mid-20s and stuff. So, um, but, uh, you know, majority of the guys that work with me are not from the military. They, they all come from different backgrounds, very diverse backgrounds, different, different demographic, different cultures.
Jon Floyd :So it was, it was definitely a challenge. You know, just, people showing up on time was a challenge. I thought that was really odd. Showing up at all. They just, you know, you put them on the schedule and they just wouldn't show up and it's like, where are you? Like, oh, I was busy, okay, you know.
Jon Floyd :So you know that wasn't an option in the military, you know that wasn't allowed and so, yeah, trying to trying to navigate on how to motivate people that lack a lot of motivation and, you know, don't care for the, the mission, you know, like we've, you know, we had a mission in the military.
Jon Floyd :You know this is. You know this is a mission for me, like, we go out and we provide a service, and you know grease removal, which is a, you know we had a mission in the military. You know this is. You know this is a mission for me, like, we go out and we provide a service and you know grease removal, which is a you know a fire hazard, and I mean that's a mission in my, my opinion, and so trying to relay that to civilians that don't have that ideology or that thought process, don't look at it. Yeah, I'm a pressure washer, yeah, like, but we're not pressure washing like parking lots, pressure washing a house. You know we're pressure washing very sensitive systems that you have to remove the grease and the fuel for a fire to prevent loss of life and loss of equipment. And if you don't do it correctly, you can set out the fire suppression system system which dumps fire suppression all over everything you know so it's very specific.
Jon Floyd :It's very, very specific. There's a very, very much uh, you know, attention to detail and safety issues and regulations and code compliance, stuff like that. So when I took over that, they didn't know that, like, a lot of the employees had no understanding of that. So I had to back up like, okay, hey, let's start from the ground and let's go through our equipment, our systems and why we do what we do and how important it is, and stuff like that and educating them and empowering them and explaining their value. You know, like, hey, like I value you guys and the customers are going to value you guys if we do a good job. You know we're a performance based organization. We have to do a good job, we have to do it correctly, and so that was a process. It was not an easy process but it worked out. And then I think the biggest difference is myself as a new owner.
Jon Floyd :I was going out on jobs with them and leading from the front, like I did in the Army, and learned from the Navy and the Army how to lead and, you know, mentor and guide, and so I was out there doing the dirty work. You know, yeah, working with the the lowest guy on the team working with the middle guy on the team, working with a guy that's been here the longest, and I was working alongside them at all hours of night, day and night, and they're just like. We've never seen anybody work like that. I'm like, well, that's how we did in the military. You know there's a job to be done. You were there, you helped out everybody, all hands on deck. You know, if there's a job to be done, you were there, you helped out everybody, all hands on deck. You know, and that's just how I was taught and brought up and so I remember a lot of.
Jon Floyd :I feel like they they've had a lot of respect for that and they appreciated that and they verbalized it and they, you know, showed by doing a different job and a better job and performing. So it worked out pretty well. You know, I got a pretty solid team of guys that understand it and understand. You know, hey, we we do things with a military mindset and, like you know, code, compliance, regulations and we uphold the standards and stuff like that. So we went through a lot of, a lot of employees. A lot of them didn't understand it, didn't want to play that game, and so they left, or I I had them leave, so, but um, it was different, definitely definitely different now that you hire people, when you bring them into the organization you've had them there for a while, have you?
Gary Wise :have you incorporated that like foundational training into their onboarding as you bring them onto the team so that they understand?
Gary Wise :Because I will tell you what I've recognized when I talk to civilian leaders they don't have really good training for their people as to why they're doing what they're getting hired to do or what the real expectation is.
Gary Wise :They just get hired for a job that's got a little description on a job thing, that they fill it out, but then they don't really understand how they fit into the bigger scheme of things. And so when you said that for you know, that makes so much sense to me right, like you're gonna get them, you don't just spray things, bro, you're preventing this place from being a freaking fire and oh, by the way, for hurting people. And oh, by the way, inadvertently setting up the fire suppression system. That's going to not only get this business out of business for a little while but affect our bottom line, which is my ability to give you this opportunity, bro. So all of that counts, dog, and so I think, by you making that clear to the ones that care, right because, like you said, some are not going to care. But for the ones that do want the job, that do want the opportunity, that makes a lot more sense right.
Jon Floyd :Well, again, empowering and educating, like explaining, like, look, dude, like you're not here to just pressure wash something, you're here to prevent somebody's livelihood and their business from burning down and possibly somebody getting hurt in here, like I think the average, like 30% of restaurants catch on fire due to grease issues in their ventilation. So I mean it's a big deal, it's not something that you can just shake a stick at and so explaining that to them and saying, hey, you know it's a value, you are a value, you know doing, you doing your job as a value, and people understand that and see that. So a lot of our guys like, oh man, you know I want to.
Jon Floyd :I want to be valued. I want to have a job where people look at me and go, hey, I appreciate you and I. That's what everybody wants, right? They want to be appreciated, they want to be valued. And so, you know, helping them understand that was a huge difference. You know like it helped. Everything at second and third order. Effects were amazing, you know okay.
Gary Wise :So how about when it comes to your working with other ceos, right? Other leaders of other businesses? Because, coming from the service we senior enlisted, we would have to be able to give anybody the bad news or the good news. Typically, we would give the officers the chance to give the good news and we were the jerks who were giving the bad news, right?
Gary Wise :But one of the things that I've gotten from the people that I've worked with, especially the upper level leaders, is they love the fact that I'll just tell them what they need to hear, and there's just no cutting. I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you. I'm going to deliver to you what you needed to know. And oh, by the way, I'm also going to give you a few options as to how you can resolve it if you want to continue to move forward. And I don't care if you do it with me or not, right, I really don't care. I care that we have the conversation period.
Gary Wise :So, because you have the time, I'm going to give you some input. For me, it costs nothing, bro, correct? We're relentless wealths of wisdom, right? We have no problem giving you what we need, what we get to say. You do what the edge will. Do you find that refreshing for some of the other businessmen that you work with that are in charge of their own teams, that are having those leadership challenges, or are they? Or are they a little in their own drink on their own, their own Kool-Aid?
Jon Floyd :It started out that way, you know, everybody was telling me like, oh, you'll, you'll do this or you'll do that, and like you'll have this struggle and this problem and this problem, this problem, this problem, and I'm just like all I hear is problems, you know, and so you know, as you and I grew up in the military, we weren't allowed to present a problem or complain about a problem if we didn't have a solution, you know, or a recommendation or something. And so, listening to people and all their problems, it really I was like I'm we're not on the same level, we're not on the same thought process. Like you know, it's never really like. I think one of the first meetings I went to with other business owners and they're all talking about problems, and it came to me and I go what, what problem do you have? I'm like none, you're like you don't have any problems, like nope.
Jon Floyd :They're like that doesn't sound correct, like you have no problem, like nope. And they're like really, I'm like, yeah, really like really. I'm like, yeah, they don't have any problems. I have struggles, I have challenges, but I don't have problems. I was like if you're looking at them as problems, you've already lost, you've already failed and and that resonated with some other people like huh. I was like that's not how I look at things. You, I don't want to look at the problem as a negative, I want to look at them as a challenging and then provide a solution, or at least reach out and start trying to figure out a solution, ask around and ask other people. I was like I'm not reinventing the wheel here. These systems have been around for the last 30 years. Like it's the same system, so I like it's the same system, so I'm not reinventing anything. I was like somebody here dealt with the challenges I've dealt, so we just got to ask around until we find out who. So that was a big difference.
Jon Floyd :And then the other one was you know a lot of uh. Other business owners were like you know, I'm, I'm, I'm the man, I'm in charge and everything I'm like. Well, you know, I'm not. I was like I'm on a team, I have a team of guys. They don't work for me, I don't work for them, we work together. And that's just how I looked at it and that's how I approached it and that worked for me and our guys. You know, like hey, you don't work for me. You know we're a team, we work together, I each other as best we can. So yeah it. I've definitely had a different ideology from some of the other owners and that's fair, teach their own if it works for them. But biggest thing is performance. Right, we're performing big over the nation. So everything I talked about my revenue validated very quickly.
Gary Wise :So well, and I think, also being able to call people out of their crap. You know, because even when you know me, I work with students most of the time, so ages 14 to 18. And to your point about having that generational difference, right, thank god, I came from the service where I was working in spaces with 19 year olds to 55 year olds and we all know we all share common experiences of like basic training, rank and structure, rules of the road. We all had those. But I was able to very quickly shift into what they're talking about, because real recognizes real right, and my bullshit flag flies high and flies fast. It might hit you right in the face because I'm throwing the flag as I'm running after it. Right, because, brother, yeah, you want the problem I can, I can.
Gary Wise :I love when 50 cents says look, I don't want confrontation. But if you want a confrontation, fine, we can have a confrontation. I don't mind confrontation, I like a good confrontation doesn't mean I hate you, like. I tell people all the time ain't no one getting shot at today? Ain't no one getting their birthday taken away? We just don't agree. By the way, you can make the choice to no longer work here, go to my classroom or whatever.
Jon Floyd :I really don't care.
Gary Wise :This ship is going to move forward. Like you said earlier, if you want opportunities, we have an opportunity right here, right now. I would love to see you do good things here, but you've got to turn that frown upside down, baby, you gotta you gotta come to work. Okay, motivate, inspire, kick them on the teeth or let them know that they may not have a job there tomorrow.
Jon Floyd :Right, all, all the other options right. I can hug you.
Gary Wise :I can elbow you Like what do you want to do? We can do it all.
Jon Floyd :Yeah, I can hug you, I can elbow you Like what do you want to do?
Gary Wise :We can do it all. Yeah, yeah, you know, but I think this is what I tell the students is what you're not going to do is be in my, in my space, disrespectful and just acting like you don't care about your own self. Because for me, that's my number one priority as a leader is, I see, I see things in people before they even see it in themselves, and it frustrates me when they don't even want to see it right. And I get that. I've been there, I've been there right. But you've got to give the process some time, you've got to trust a little bit in it. And oh, by the way, bro, you've got to work. Dude, you've got to work. You don't just get it not work. Right, we all have to work um, there was a coach.
Jon Floyd :There was a coach, uh, that it said I don't know who the coach was, but, uh, I used it with my sons. Um, you know, they're playing sports and all, and so, uh, there's a quote from a coach who's like my job is to find somebody better than you, your job is to make sure I can't. And that's something that stuck with me for a while, you know. Know, because, again, we were brought up, we worked for our positions, we fought for our positions, we had to put in effort and time and qualifications and we were always fighting for our positions. You know, and somebody else was fighting to take our positions from us on the DC teams.
Jon Floyd :You know, being on the training teams, you know, going to the army and going to the reconnaissance and trying to get to the sniper team or the explosive team, or you know, the ODA and the halo team or the like. You're always fighting for positions and you're constantly trying to improve and progress, both physically, mentally, and you know, uh, you know, in your skill sets to get to that next position and you were always trying to improve. So, you know, I tell my, you know the people that work with me like, hey, there's no free rides here. If you're not putting in time and effort, then I'll find somebody else that will. You know nothing against you. I'll do everything I can to support you and provide you the training and mentorship and the and the opportunities. But you have to put in the effort and you have to want it and apply yourself and show me that you want to want to be here.
Gary Wise :So that's how I look at it, dude. That's all people want, and then they want it to be fair. Right, that's the thing. And as long as it's fair, they will probably go to the ends of the world for you. I want to hit real quick on the sons thing, because I've also got sons, and so not only am I raising young men that are adolescent age, but I'm also working with a bunch of young people at my job and I'm seeing kind of what that community is like. And then, oh, by the way, we were on the receiving end of these young people that were joining the military, and there were some challenges. What kind of advice would you give to parents out there that are struggling with raising their kids at home? And it's really not that much different than leadership in the workspace, right? Because ultimately, some of those same tips are going to work with your kids, right?
Jon Floyd :Yeah, communication for one. Just like you do with the people you work with Communication and hold them accountable and expect a performance from them and sticking with it, you know like being patient and just kind of riding it out and being there to support them and communicate. And, you know, do the best you can like. Just just like with the employees or the people that you work with. It's the same. You know you show up every day, you're ready to support or you're ready to communicate, you're ready to. You know, show that you're motivated and do the same with the kids. You know my sons. You know they're athletes, both of them. They're doing well in school. They're now starting to. You know work. You know, and you know our time with us. You know work with the company a little bit here and there, and so they get to see. You know what we do and what you know the employees are doing and you know, know what the expectations are for work, showing up on time and performing and applying yourself and not wasting an opportunity, you know.
Gary Wise :So that's for not wasting an opportunity, and I'll tell you when I talk to these children that I work with a lot of them that have that look to me from to fill a lot of the gaps that they have at home. If I had the chance to talk to their parents, or any parent it would just tell them almost exactly what you just said. Right, don't communicate with them like they're actually, like they can understand what you're talking about, because we get so used to our kids as being little and you don't recognize that they're actually more mature than they even let on sometimes because they don't want to be held accountable right, they don't want they want to be a kid as long as possible so they can get away with dumb stuff.
Gary Wise :But at the end of the day, bro, you're not dumb, like you're not dumb, I love you, but I'm going to hold you accountable. And and also, if you have the good fortune to co-parent with another person, you've got to be able to back each other up and communicate as well as what's going on, because some people are doing it just by themselves. Other people are doing it with a grandparent or an uncle or an aunt or a husband or a spouse, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, an ex-wife, ex-husband Pick your person. But you guys have got to be aligned as to what you're giving as far as a message to the kid and not be miscommunicated, because that's going to confuse them and if you have that happen in the workspace, they're going to play mom against pop, right? And then you talk to mom and bro.
Gary Wise :The other thing is talking about inspire. I'm like you've got to constantly teach them to run like their ass is on fire and somebody is trying to get them take away an opportunity from them, right? Just like you and I are super similar when it comes to our stories and I I have no problem sharing that. I came from a rough background so it's like, from the moment I feel like I wake up, I feel like if I don't work my butt off today, someone's gonna screw me like. I just feel like that and it's not healthy. I know it's not healthy, right, I just can't help it.
Gary Wise :It's just how I am because I feel like I've been fighting my whole life for my family to get ahead. I want my sons to not be so comfortable that they're like, oh, I don't have to have that same sense of mom, did not go further because you don't want to pick up the ball and run with it. I'm not saying you got to work in my business or whatever, but you got to do something, bro. You got to do something. You got to find your passion. Man it is. And the other thing is I believe humans are happier when we're chopping wood, right? Yeah, my favorite part of the hike is always walking up the mountain. Walking down the mountain, bro, like being at the top. I was like this is beautiful. I'm like this is stupid. I want to go. Like I'm not that guy.
Gary Wise :I remember I hiked Mount Fuji one time and I was so pissed. That was the top of the mountain. I was like. But I love the hike up the mountain. I love pushing the rock up the hill. I love the challenge. Whenever we say the word done, I just don't. That is a compute for me. Like I'm not give that to somebody else. That wants to be done. I'm hungry, right. I want to grow and I want my sons to have, I want my sons to have that same appetite for life. But then do you, you okay, do you believe in work-life balance?
Gary Wise :I don't never had it I think it sounds good, it sounds cliche to right, helps people feel better about themselves when they know they're not getting after it every day. But for me, I hope my sons find something in life that gets them so fired up that they have to constantly rebalance. Because, look, life is a balance right. Trying to manage relationships and time and people and ourselves, that's true. Trying to manage relationships and time and people and ourselves that's true, that's living baby.
Jon Floyd :That's living. I think it's different now, though. The culture shifted right. So the way we were brought up is, like I said, you know, we're always pushing forward. We're always, you know. You know, fighting for a position or progressing to a position where we want to be, and we're, you know, trying to earn our spot, you know. And so it was different. So that was, that was the conditioning that we were brought up into, to put us where we're at now.
Jon Floyd :We're like to me, if I wake up, it doesn't matter what time I wake up one o'clock in the morning, three o'clock in the morning, six o'clock morning, oh, something's on my mind. I get done, I get up and do it, I get up and move, and there's some days where I don't sleep for two days because I'm just getting up and moving and I'm trying to, you know, forward progress. I'm like, ok, if I don't get this done, then my guys aren't set up for success later today or tomorrow morning, and so, like, it's just, you're always trying to move forward, and that's just how we were conditioned, you know, prior to the military and the military and then after we retire. So it's, it's always been there and it's always going to be there and it's really hard to turn that off and you know everybody's like well, you know you got to relax and like I haven't relaxed for 28 years of my life Like I've been moving 100 miles an hour for 28 years of my life.
Jon Floyd :That's easier said than done. And so nowadays, you know, kids aren't brought up like that they got the iPhone, they got everything that they need. They of brought up like that they got the iphone, they got everything that they need, they got costco down the road, they've got every program and opportunity in front of them, and so there isn't a lot of resilient resiliency, there's not a lot of struggle, and so they're not having to fight so much and work so hard. And so it's different now you know. So work, life balance for younger generations is different. You know they're like, hey, I'm going home, I want to hang out at the house, and you know, stick around, mama and stuff.
Gary Wise :They really want it, right? And the thing is here's what I tell them when we have that conversation is I appreciate the perception that you want that balance, but the other thing is you want the convenience of being able to sit around the house and chill. Well, the people that get that are the ones that work their butts off during the other time, and they've earned the right to. And so, while you may have this technology and all these conveniences I promise them, I promise all of us you will find a common characteristic among successful people, and that is they don't waste time deliberately, right, and when they get their opportunity to use their time to the best of their benefit, they do. And I believe part of living a purpose-driven life is being driven by your purpose, right? So just if you have not yet found the thing that gets you so excited about tomorrow, just don't wait. Don't hope it comes to you and look for people that are mentors that can help open your eyes, because most of us want those things.
Gary Wise :It's just finding it right and getting exposure to the people like to you or to me, because when I talk to these kids every day in the classroom, bro, they are hungry for things in life. They just aren't quite sure and, unfortunately, a lot of their role models aren't showing them the grind. They're just seeing the easy way, the easy money, the perception about being a YouTube person making a bunch of money off of that, and what they're not seeing is the real-life work that people really do right, and I think that's because look at social media we portray what we want people to see. We don't always portray all the downside stuff, brother. We could talk about this stuff all night long, but I have a hard time to get off here because work-life balance is a thing for me. Check it out. I have some questions. I'm going to ask you rapid fire that I ask everybody that comes on and you just give me the best answer you got, okay?
Gary Wise :Okay, here we go All right, pizza or wings.
Jon Floyd :Pizza.
Gary Wise :Pizza. Oh yeah, Any particular kind Meat lovers Meat. I know you're a carnivore, bro. Okay, so from back in your Navy time. Maybe even this applies to the Army time, would you?
Jon Floyd :rather do birthing cleaners or work and party Work and party all day.
Gary Wise :Okay, hey, okay, okay. When it comes to movies and acting, would you rather watch De Niro or Pacino. Pacino. Okay, I like it. In your time of living life, what's been your favorite duty station and or favorite place to vacation? I'll throw you the bone.
Jon Floyd :Okay, you're throwing me the bone.
Gary Wise :Yeah, favorite duty station or favorite place to vacation?
Jon Floyd :throw me the bone. Yeah, favorite duty station or favorite uh place to vacation. Favorite place to vacation was to bought montenegro wow, flex yeah that's a, that's a good one to buy a montenegro.
Gary Wise :Okay, all right, um from your navy days, or even from your army days, what was your best Liberty port?
Jon Floyd :Oh, best Liberty port? I would say probably, probably. What was it? Darwin Australia? It was a little town in Australia.
Gary Wise :Yeah, they got a couple of them. Darwin's a good one is there. Yeah, what's the hardest qualification you achieved throughout your career? Like, look back at your career, was it getting your Green Beret?
Jon Floyd :No, it was actually. My Ace Was qualification, remember that one. My ASWAS qualification, remember that one.
Gary Wise :Your ASWAS qualification.
Jon Floyd :My ASWAS the aviation.
Gary Wise :Oh, no, kidding yeah.
Jon Floyd :Yeah, that's my hardest one man Trying to remember all those aviation acronyms and all the responsibilities because we were all below day. So ASWAS, I kind of had a basic general understanding from working with everybody, acronyms and all the responsibilities, because we were all below, below, below deck. So e-swaps, I kind of had a basic general understanding from working with everybody. But aviation we were down below so we were never up there so I'd really spend a lot of time studying yeah good for you.
Gary Wise :All right, got it okay. Would you rather be when you're in the service? Would you rather serve overseas or stateside?
Jon Floyd :overseas all day all day.
Gary Wise :Okay, dude, favorite movie trilogy. Do you have a favorite movie trilogy or favorite movie series? Diehards is that on a christmas movie?
Jon Floyd :yeah, obviously how about?
Gary Wise :would you rather be independent or on a team?
Jon Floyd :Team all day.
Gary Wise :All day. Okay, do you have John? Do you have a personal leadership philosophy?
Jon Floyd :What do you mean?
Gary Wise :You just have an ethos, right, I think, like when I was a CMC my thing was ship. There was ship, ship made self right. So I reversed that when I did it and I made it sailor mission patriotism. Right now it's earned my anchors every day, like I have some things that I utilize that just key me in real quick when I've got to calibrate somebody on the fly. That's kind of my North Star right. Do you have anything that you use or that you leverage?
Jon Floyd :The one thing that I've learned is you just can't quit. The only time you fail is when you quit, and so, for me, my ideology or thought process or anything is just don't quit. If you want something, go after it and don't quit. You'll get it if you don't quit okay.
Gary Wise :So in the navy we have this acronym, and the acronym essentially stands for like being a so frontline leader, a deck plate leader. There's institutional and technical expertise, there is professionalism, character, loyalty, active communication and sense of heritage. Right Out of those things I just listed off for you, which one of those to you speaks the most to you? Is it like heritage? Is it active communication? Is it loyalty? Is it professionalism?
Jon Floyd :None of them, to be honest.
Gary Wise :That's cool. What word if you had a word? So don't quit motivation, motivation.
Jon Floyd :I thought you're gonna say I can. No, I could do almost anything when somebody's motivated good, I like it.
Gary Wise :I thought you're gonna say relentless that's my other word. I like.
Jon Floyd :I like the word that's a good one, yeah it good one.
Gary Wise :Would you rather lead or follow?
Jon Floyd :I think that really depends on the situation. I think it's important to be able to do both for one. I think there's a time where you need to lead, but I also think there's a time where you need to follow.
Gary Wise :Brother, do you have any saved rounds? Do you have anything you'd like to talk about or discuss before we wrap this up, man?
Jon Floyd :No, man, I just appreciate the opportunity. It's good to talk to me. Love you, brother, nice Been catching up with you man.
Gary Wise :Yeah, we don't do it enough, man, we just don't. It's true, erica came up with this idea for me to do this. I was like that's an awesome idea. I can catch up with old buddies, we could talk shop, I can give you guys a chance to show the world how freaking awesome you are I mean, having lived a life with you and seen, been there when you did the things you said you were going to do and just show everybody that you were going to do it right. Everybody that said why would you want to do it? And you and you always did it for the right reasons. There was never. I'm trying to do it because I'm trying to make myself look great man. You're a freaky, you're the real deal, bro um just try to do the best I can man.
Jon Floyd :That's you know. That's something you taught me way back in half, may man?
Gary Wise :yeah, yeah, brother, I a you trust me. You taught me as much as I taught you man, and and I do appreciate you, bro. Hey, you have a good night tonight. Don't work too hard.
Jon Floyd :Thank you, bro. Yeah, man, say hi to the family, Yep.
Gary Wise :Tell everybody we say hello and that we love them. Man.
Jon Floyd :All right, bro, sounds good, man Take care.
Gary Wise :Bye everybody.
Jon Floyd :Love you bro.
Gary Wise :Bye, everybody. I know I was born for this. Don't care for the critics. My world and life is lips of force that they can't stop.
Jon Floyd :They just don't get it. I think they forget I'm not done till I'm on top. I know I was born for this.
Gary Wise :I know I was born for this. I believe. I believe we can write a story.
