IronCast: Ep. 16 | Don Barclay

IronCast Ep. 16 | From the NFL to Equipment Sales with Don Barclay

In this episode of Ironcast, we sit down with Don Barclay, former NFL offensive lineman turned John Deere equipment sales professional, to talk about his unique journey from the football field to the construction industry.

Don shares how he went from being an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia University to building a six-year career with the Green Bay Packers and finishing his time in the league with the Detroit Lions. He reflects on the mindset required to compete at the highest level, and how rejection—starting with not being drafted—helped shape his resilience.

After football, Don transitioned into sales through a connection in the industry. Now several years into his role at GT&E, he discusses how the lessons he learned in the NFL... discipline, coachability, and handling pressure translate directly into building relationships and closing deals.

The conversation dives into:

• How to handle rejection in sales and turn it into motivation
• The importance of trust and long-term relationships with customers
• Why success in sales goes beyond just price
• Insights into the evolving construction equipment industry, including John Deere’s latest excavator lineup and innovations

Don also shares how staying involved in his community as a high school football coach has strengthened both his personal life and his professional relationships.

This episode is packed with insights on perseverance, growth, and what it takes to succeed in a completely new arena after reaching the pinnacle of another.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

I'm actually the NFL Films filmed our last home game of the season for the regular season for our high school team. Yeah. And the team we played, they're they're in Wexford, which is like right down the road from Cranberry. And I don't know how much you guys know about football, but Chris Hoke, he used to play for the Steelers. His son was a senior on North Algany, the team we were playing.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

I don't know if you guys remember Joey Porter, I don't know. His son went to Penn State, played for the Steelers now. He's from that same team. So they were they both those guys were at the game that I obviously played. So I was at the game as well. So about a month before the game, I get a random email from NFL Films. Well, I thought it was like a scam email. I was like, you know, what like you know, like why do you want to come film our game? Well then they they called me, they gave a little background, so they did this, they did this preview for the draft coming this spring. So they won the film a Pitt Panther football game, college, they won the film a high school game that had some football tradition to it, like NFL tradition, yeah, and then they won the film a pee-wee football game. So they they grabbed actually a couple and a couple high school games, a couple pee-wee games, and they're making this movie that's releasing in April right before the draft. So crazy story. They came to the the last game, they filmed it, they like mic's up, they gave like a rich tradition. Pat McAfee actually is like I want to say, what do you what do you call it? Like he he's like the the voice in the movie that like explains Western PA, which I'm sure you guys know Pat McAfee. So the premiere's next week. I'm gonna miss that. So I'm gonna take the team to it like two months from now when it comes out. It's at the uh Carnegie Science Center down in Pittsburgh.

SPEAKER_05 1:56

Oh, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

So yeah, a little crazy. That all happened this past this past fall. So I'm excited to see what happens.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

That's awesome. Yeah. We need to officially start this podcast.

SPEAKER_05 2:09

I think it already started. It did actually hit the record button before. That was a great story.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

I hit the record right before he said, I got this cool story. I'm like, I know where this is going. Record. Yeah. This is gonna be a great yes.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

I mean, that's I mean, that's kind of how I mean I didn't when I took this job here, I wasn't coaching, and then it kind of fell into fell into place. Like the coach left here. I was coaching like my son's team, his youth team, like eight, nine, your ten-year-old team. The spot opened up, they approached me, and I was like, man, how am I gonna do this with selling? Well, it's just crazy. Like a lot of the people I sell to around here, they love that. They love the you know, Friday night lights, or they love you know Saturday football with college, they like NFL. So I'm sure where you guys up to, I mean, football is big. So, you know, you walk into these offices, you're talking with people, what are you talking about? You're probably talking about equipment and football. And so that's just you know, it goes together hand in hand. Now I gotta juggle schedule. My scheduling obviously, you know, gets tight, but as long as my wife lets me do it, you know, I'm all good.

SPEAKER_01 3:20

Let's officially start and we're gonna dive all into this. Ready?

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

Which one? None. Oh yeah. I don't know why I always do that. This is the Iron Cast. No, not that. That's like a conclusion one. We'll go with the classic.

SPEAKER_05 3:39

Can't you put like new sounds on there?

SPEAKER_00 3:40

I'm gonna give the bad joke.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

Today on Ironcast, we got this schlep over here named Don, whatever his name is. Played soccer or whatever they call it. No. I was like careful.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Another version of it.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

There we go. Ironcast Podcast is on these. This is the Harmony Editions.

SPEAKER_05 4:14

Harmony Episodes.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

Harmony episodes. West Coast. West Side.

SPEAKER_05 4:18

West Side.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

We're coming to you from the West Side. We normally come the coast. We're normally in the Ironcast studio in Lepanin.

SPEAKER_05 4:25

Yeah, Central Eastern.

SPEAKER_01 4:27

Yep. And today just stubbed my toe.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

That sounded like it hurt.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

I have steel toes. Welcome, Don Barclay, to the Ironcast.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

Appreciate you guys having me on. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 4:40

Yeah. You you you happen to walk by where we're recording here, and you're like, hey, what are you doing here? And he just walked in here and put headphones on like you knew.

SPEAKER_05 4:49

Yes, this is very on the fly.

SPEAKER_01 4:50

It is.

SPEAKER_05 4:51

Not prepared at all.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

We don't need to be because Don is always prepared from what I hear.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

I try to be. I don't know if I am. I just act like it.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

Don't got a great story here to tell us, but let's dive in. What do you do here for GTE?

SPEAKER_00 5:06

So I'm on the sales team here. I've been doing this for three and a half years. I love it. I mean, it's it's you know, it's my life now. I I feel like I've grown a lot of a lot of relationships over the past three and a half years, you know, been through a lot of different swings and and whirlwinds, I guess you could say, after because I worked for Murphy at first, and obviously GTE took over. So it's been good. It's been a good ride. I feel like we got a really good team out here with uh Adam and Roger. So if it wasn't for them, I don't think you know we'd be doing as well.

SPEAKER_01 5:41

So yeah, I I noticed that uh this is the first time I've been here to Harmony. Obviously, we've seen each other at sales meetings and other things. Yeah, CSAs and salesmen do get along. Um it's a good, it's like a dynamic. Meet each other. Yeah, yeah. It's a mutual thing. But you know, I I wasn't there a a professional football player also named Don Barclay.

SPEAKER_05 6:07

I think so. Maybe I know when it's I didn't a little rough around the edges.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

I don't know. Yeah, guy.

SPEAKER_05 6:16

I think yeah, he's he's like I wonder what happened to him.

SPEAKER_00 6:19

I don't know. Maybe he had a short career. I don't know. Tried hanging on as long as possible.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

But no, you are the Don Barclay. Now, I I came from Plaster, you came from Murphy, and and when the acquisition happened, and and like we were all like, Yeah, this is all the That was all the talk, all the talking about all the talk about.

SPEAKER_05 6:40

Did you know the sales rap out West played for the NFL? I'm like, no, I didn't know.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 6:46

So we were all Googling you. Yeah, you were Googled a lot in the company Googled.

SPEAKER_00 6:50

I Googled a lot of you guys too. I'm not gonna lie. Who am I working with? Who am I gonna Google and see? You know, yeah, yeah. Yeah, but it was it was good. I mean, I I love it now. I mean, it's it's it's a good place to work, good environment. Like I said, Adam and Roger keep it super competitive. That's all I know from football. So it just kind of you leave one thing and you go right to the other.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

That's awesome. So obviously, we're gonna talk a little bit about the NFL, but I'm really really curious, Don, why construction equipment?

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Adam Kelly. I'll say I'll say that uh gone honest truth.

SPEAKER_01 7:26

Who's who's he and Adam is the regional sales manager here.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

Yeah, he was that position too when it was Murphy. Okay. Adam went to high school with my brother, who they were they were good friends. They were one year apart. They both went to Slippery Rock together. Not they didn't go like with each other, but they were there at the same time, so they hunted in their free time. I left the NFL. Well, I was forced to leave. I guess I tried hanging on as as long as possible, seven years, and then we moved back here. I'm from here, and he approached me one day and was like, dude, I think you'd be awesome at this. I think you'd kill it. Have you ever thought about it? And I was like, No, I'm like, but I'm all ears, like let me know, you know, what it's like. And he hired me, and from there it's you know, it's been great.

SPEAKER_01 8:13

Wow. And why what have you noticed with John Deere? I mean, I've you know, all there's everybody and their brothers selling equipment out here, and you know, we have all the different color yellows and oranges, and uh what did you notice and what drew you to John Deere?

SPEAKER_00 8:30

I'll be honest, growing up, you know, I I didn't I knew nothing about this industry as far as you know who's a leader, like who's the leader in the industry, you know, like how what's kind of the footprint for all these different competitors out here. However, I did I did live in West Virginia for about eight years. So down there, about two exits down for me was John Leslie. So I was always around John Deere a lot and Leslie equipment, and then uh you know Cleveland Brothers has a stance down there as well. So I would see those two often when I was in college, and then when I was in the NFL, I'd lived in Morgantown to work out, so that was around me a lot. So I knew I knew John Deere and Caterpillar definitely had big footprints out this way, and then when we actually moved back to Cranberry, I saw it even more. So I knew those, you know, those two kind of go head to head around here. I feel like, you know, everyone else kind of battles back and forth. And then obviously Adam being here, you know, it was someone that I knew. Not gonna lie, when I first when I was actually talking with Adam about three months before that, Cleveland Brothers did approach me for or so I sorry, I knew a guy there at Cleveland Brothers, and it kind of gave me the whole spiel that Adam gave me, like, hey, you should look into doing this, you'd kill it.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 9:57

And I was like, okay, like you know, I'm all yours again. And and I had like a I had a little interview with their sales guy, sales manager, and he was like, Yeah, I don't have a I don't have a spot for you right now, you know, it's not good timing. So I just went on to working out again for football, trying to think I'd hang on. And then that's when Adam called me about three months later, and then it all worked out here. So gotta prove Cleveland Brothers wrong.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

Oh no. So I would love to hear a little bit about your career in the NFL. Now, you're you're a hometown guy, right? Yeah, you're from this area.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

From Cranberry Township.

SPEAKER_01 10:36

You're from Cranberry.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

Uh went to high school here at Seneca Valley. Yeah, I mean, I went to WVU for college on a scholarship for football, was a three-year, three-year starter. Never thought I'd, you know, be baby considered in the NFL one day. So my going into my senior year, a couple agents approached me and they were like, hey, like you have a legitimate shot. And I was like, really? Like you'd see all the guys that were W before you like, you know, experience that opportunity, and a lot of guys get shut down. Some of the really good ones get drafted high. And I was just like, Man, I don't know if I could, I don't know if I'm good enough. And and so you know, you go through the whole thing, your pro day, hoping you get the combine invite. Well, I didn't get the combine invite, I did my pro day, and they were like, you'd be a late draft, late round draft pick to an undrafted guy. So draft came around, you know, you got your whole family there, never got my name called. So then you're like sitting there, like, damn, like, did all this work for nothing. Well, right after the draft, got a call from like a handful of teams and was like, Hey, you know, we'd love to have you out here and sign you as an undrafted free agent. A lot less money, no signing bonus. You need you get like peanuts compared to what you guys see. And at that point, you're just trying to get in the door. And that's all that I just wanted a shot. And my agent was like, you know, the Packers really give undrafted guys a shot. Like they they entertain, you know, taking on everyone, which a lot of these teams, you know, unless you're a first, second, third, fourth round pick, like that's the only way you're gonna make the team. So went to Green Bay and he was right. Made the team right out of camp my rookie year, played six years there, went to the Lions for a season after that, had a couple injuries along the way, tried to hang on, and then you know, you get too old at some point.

SPEAKER_01 12:33

How old are you? If I can help you.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

I'll be 30s, I'll be 37 in April.

SPEAKER_01 12:37

37?

SPEAKER_00 12:38

Yeah. So at thir about 30, 31, 32 in that industry, they're like, Yeah, what are your knees? What do your knees look like? You know they don't look too stable anymore versus you know on the cold slab, let's check those knees.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

Yeah, yeah. Wow. What did it feel like when you finally got got in? Oh, what was the emotions?

SPEAKER_00 13:02

To be honest with you, it's like I don't even remember because like I was like you're you're so worried about doing your job until everything completely stops, then you kind of look back and you're like, wow, like you know, you had to fight so hard to do this. And when that was going on, you know, you're getting ready for the week one, you can't even stop and smell the roses.

SPEAKER_01 13:25

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

Yeah, it's everything's going too fast.

SPEAKER_01 13:29

Like a rock star.

SPEAKER_00 13:31

Yeah, yeah. Seasons really season seems really long, but it's like 17 weeks. You know, that's all it is. And then it's over. Unless you make the playoffs. Right. Which we were fortunate there. Every year we did make it. Two NFC championships I went to, played in one, I was hurt for the other. We were an onside kick away from going to the Super Bowl.

SPEAKER_01 13:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

I would say I I I wish I was a more of a football fan.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

I'm sorry, Dom. I'm surprised you're not an Eagles fan out there. Uh Rachel, were you?

SPEAKER_05 14:09

Pittsburgh.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Pittsburgh. Good. There we go. My man McCarthy's back. He was my coach in Green Bay.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

So I'm gonna lean heavy on Rachel here for a bit. I played a little football here and there, but yeah. But I just I I love competitive sports. I was in different sports as well. And what do you relate from the NFL and the competition to now working for GT and E selling John Deere and Virgin equipment?

SPEAKER_00 14:42

I think the I think the easiest thing is just, you know, when you go in, you're looking to sell some and someone tells you no. And it's like, you know, I've been told no a lot, whether it's been football or you know, whatever in my life, not being drafted. So it's like I could accept that. I think a lot of people can, but it's like, how do you accept it? Are you are you mad? Is that does that drive you more? Are you more hungry? So, like, don't get me wrong, I get mad. Like, I get mad if I don't get a deal, but it's like you gotta be motivated and hungry to get the next one. Or find out why you missed it and then use that for the next opportunity. So that kind of I use that to keep building, you know, my customer list.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:28

And and trust me, it's like, you know, it's tough because you do get angry. And and Rogers, Rogers' done really well along the way, like training, training me to like how to maneuver through that.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

How how's he training you to do that?

SPEAKER_00 15:42

Oh, I mean, he I'm not gonna lie, he's been he's been super good to me. I mean, he has so much so many years in this in this business where he's had you know a lot of a lot of success. But you know, he's failed a lot too. So he he gives me so much feedback every now and then or how to attack certain things. Always preps me along the way too, whether it's an event meeting, whether it's you know, a company meeting, whether it's you know, CAWP event, whatever it is, and just you know, he does such a good job. He's been there 30 times. You know, this is my third or fourth year. You know, he's he so he and he does a good job with everyone. Adam knows the industry really well too, so he he knows what to say at the right time as well.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

Rejection as a salesman is one of the hardest things that I've had to uh uh go through, especially when there's a really close relationship. Let's talk about some of your customers, and we don't have to name them specifically, but just in in general. You know, it's not easy taking rejection. How has building the relationships over the last three some years now with your customer base? Let's talk about that. Yeah, I mean what difference do you see there?

SPEAKER_00 17:01

So yeah, like when I first got in this, it's like, you know, say, you know, you hit the ground running, you got these, these, this customer list or this area, and you're just trying to put you know, break through the door and get your name open the you know, customer A and B, so then you know, customer C and D see hear about you and see you. So when you, you know, I think I've always heard it always takes a year to get like into an into a territory, into a customer list, and it's like that is very true.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:33

You know, I had a couple lucky ones come my way in maybe the first six months, but they were more so it wasn't because of me, it was more maybe the brand or you know, the right opportunity of the equipment being X amount of hours and X amount of price. So, you know, you think you're doing good, but you're you know, you're building a customer base and building the trust. And so, like you've said, the hardest thing is when you did when you do build the trust, you do build the relationship, and then they tell you no on a couple of things. And what I've learned is like go back and ask them like where did that where did I go wrong, or what do I gotta do better? And and it should never be about price, it should be always about everything else, is what I've learned. Because number one, John Deere isn't a bad product, it's it's it's more expensive for a reason. And so, you know, it's what we offer that you know we have to make up for in you know what what brand we're dealing with. Like John Deere is a really good brand, they offer quality equipment, so you have to open up the conversation to those things, not just hey, did I lose on price?

SPEAKER_01 18:40

I feel like buying a piece of equipment from me right now.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

They've trained me well.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

Well, it's good to have guys I think like Roger and I and and Adam, and and I'm and I this is my first day here, you know. I and I'm just I feel like I'm at home and you know it's it's an awesome vibe here out at Harmony. I'm I'm glad that we're out here and doing this. I want to do more of it. But I know you know when you have those mentors, those coaches, I mean obviously you've had a at least a couple coaches along the way, right?

SPEAKER_00 19:11

Yeah, yeah. That's all it's like all I know. Like coaches and they act like your dad. So actually, Roger looks like the same age as my dad, so it's like I'm talking to my dad.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

Yeah, yep. What do you relate to you know, from the NFL with your coaches there to you know, working on this team and and the mentors and coaches that we have here, our leadership team?

SPEAKER_00 19:40

I mean, I think I've I've always been trained to to take feedback, to be able to be coached. So I think that's something coming from coming into an industry that I'm not familiar with or I wasn't when I first started. I'm I'm able to be told like what to do. Like that's all I've been told basically my whole life. Like played football my whole life, you know, I got coached up, you do you take their coaching and you apply it. So it's like when I stepped in this industry, you know, Adam was coaching me a lot first, and now it's Adam and Roger, and you know, they they got my feet wet and told me how to do this, and then I gotta hit the ground running and do it. So I think being able to be coach is huge.

SPEAKER_01 20:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:19

What was it like? You know, when you you got hired, they give you the laptop, they give you the phone, and they got this phone that's you know, customers are gonna start calling, and and then you you get the you know, you get your truck and you go out there. What was it like the first day?

SPEAKER_00 20:37

So I actually had a territory down south. When I say down south, I mean Westmoreland County, Fayette, Westmoreland, Fayette. And I think that was at maybe some, yeah. I think that was so it was definitely it was below Allegheny County. I live up here, you know, I'm just driving around, just knocking on doors, trying to meet people, trying to use the older salesman, the previous salesman's phone of like just saying, Hey, I'm introducing myself, and you're just looking to line up a meeting at that point and um you know make your make a name for yourself, yeah. Trying to get that first couple pieces of equipment in. And then ironically, GTE came in, came in the picture, and my territory changed. So I had to restart that up here, which makes it nice because I'm selling where I grew up, so more people do know me easier because I I grew up in this area.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Well, I'm gonna say it, Don, but I'm I'd imagine that your your experience in the NFL has can help you in these areas too, right?

SPEAKER_00 21:45

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

Yeah, no, it's been really it's a good it's probably a good icebreaker.

SPEAKER_00 21:49

It's a it's a good not I will say not everyone's a huge sports fan, so like some people just which I don't come out and say, Hey, like, how you doing? I'm Dom Barkley. I sell deer equipment and I play in the NFL. That's not how I do business. I think if you ask everyone around here, I'm more of a humble guy.

SPEAKER_05 22:05

Like that'd be a good email signature.

SPEAKER_00 22:07

Yeah. That's why I had to ask you. Play the previous.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Buy a piece of equipment from me.

SPEAKER_00 22:15

Signature. A lot of people that like aren't big sports people or maybe not know me. It's like they'll make a reference to, hey, did you watch the Steeler game this past weekend or whatever? And you get on that topic, and it's like, yeah, I played there like in 2015 or 2016. They're like, wait, you played there? And I'm like, Yeah, yeah, I did, I did that before I did this. And it's like, and then some people say, like, I don't really give a crap about that, or some people are, you know, they dive into it.

SPEAKER_01 22:44

So yeah. I think it's cool. And I'm I'm not saying it's not like a I'm not in. I mean, I don't watch, I love football. I played a little bit, but I couldn't, I can't imagine doing like me myself, I can't imagine doing that. Oh, it's like at that level. Obviously, you're not where I'm at now. I'm more than you are.

SPEAKER_00 23:04

Yeah, it's it's it's intense. I mean, it's it's not for everyone. There's a reason why they're going after a specific size and physique, and you know, I think what's interesting is you know, you see a lot of these people that play, and then you see them 10 years after the fact, and and a lot of people do look a lot different.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

I mean, believe it or not, I'm actually small for the NFL for my position. I was I was 315 pounds, and that's very average to below average.

SPEAKER_01 23:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:38

So, you know, you look at some of these guys that played at 330 and you look at them now, it could be a 430 or it could be a 230. So, like you see him on TV and you're like, you looked a lot different 10 years ago when we played, but like it could either go good or bad for people.

SPEAKER_04 23:54

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 23:55

So yeah, I I mean, I like my myself, like I've probably lost 30, 35 pounds since I quit playing. But you have to, you you know, you have to be bigger to last while you're playing and you know, beast out. Like, obviously, I don't need to carry that weight now.

SPEAKER_05 24:12

So, how many hours a day did you have to work out to maintain that weight in when you were actively playing?

SPEAKER_00 24:16

So I had to work for everything. I wasn't like I'm not meant to be 315. I had to eat constantly. It was like a job just eating, working out too. Like I had like I'm you know, not being as big as everyone else, like I had to make it a priority to work out, to get as many calories, to to stay 315, because if I if I went on vacation and I wasn't strict, I'd probably lose like five or ten pounds just because I wasn't meant to be that big. Yeah, and there's a lot of guys that will say the same thing in the in the league, they'll tell you, like, yeah, I struggled. I just you know, keep eating and eating and eating. Usually it's the other way around, like, you know, and there's guys that can't eat because everything they eat, they just gain. So and it's crazy. There's a whole nother I mean you get fined in the NFL if you're outside a certain window of weight. It's it's not I mean, it's it's that's a whole nother topic. But yeah, like per pound, like my my window for weight was like 308 to like 318, and I had to be in that 10-pound window, and if you were outside of it, it was $500 a pound.

SPEAKER_05 25:25

How frequently were they weight?

SPEAKER_01 25:27

Weekly. Wow.

SPEAKER_05 25:28

How did I know this?

SPEAKER_01 25:29

I mean, what if you get sick or something? I am I know like you get the flip. There's some exceptions.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

Yeah, yeah, that but like it was more for guys that would get belligerent with it, and you know, later in the season they weren't watching, whatever. And ultimately, too, it's it comes down to a performance thing. You know, if you if you lost weight and it was for a specific reason, maybe an injury, or you know, maybe you had to you were getting slower and they were like, hey, you might want to lose 10 or 15 pounds. We need you as fast as you used to be, as long as you're performing and you know, it's like anything else, and especially in this industry. If you're selling, you're selling. I don't care how you sell, but it's like it's like anything else.

SPEAKER_01 26:08

Wow. I work really hard to keep my my physique as well. I put a lot of money into it too, you know.

SPEAKER_00 26:16

Yeah, it's good. You should.

SPEAKER_01 26:19

I'm surprised you haven't gained more weight. I mean, that's usually you know, that's the salesman thing. You know, oh no, he's a salesman, he's just gonna gain weight.

SPEAKER_00 26:26

Not the right one being and you ask a lot of these guys in the building that have played ball, Luke Ruda, Zach Rogers, trying to think who else, but like ex-athletes, like I guarantee you that those guys probably get to the gym a couple times a week. I mean, I think it's just in us. It's in however you find the time to do it, whether it's at night, whether it's before everyone else wakes up. I mean, that's that's what I do. I think it's just something that you're used to.

SPEAKER_01 26:59

So I think you need to start a GT and E fitness program for us. Like we can go out, you know, you can make some videos or something how to s how to keep us salesmen and CSAs in shape. Other than a round shape. But yeah, did you know Rachel? She's uh she's a lifter.

SPEAKER_00 28:29

Really?

SPEAKER_05 28:29

Yeah, I I do lift. I lift at CrossFit.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

Nice. Yeah. That's one thing I can't do anymore. Like I feel like, yeah, like I I feel like I did that for so long.

SPEAKER_05 28:37

Well, it's like it's like those high-intensity short workouts.

SPEAKER_00 28:40

That's like they kill you. They do, and like it's hard to sustain that for years. So like I felt like all my football lifting days, I'm like, I'm gonna lift like the the 55-year-old men do. They go to the gym and they just take their time. Like, that's my workouts now more safer, I think. More leisurely. Leisurely, safer. Yeah, the CrossFit is intense. Yeah, give you credit for that.

SPEAKER_05 29:02

Yeah, I'm addicted to it, I'd say. It's that if I don't work out, I feel antsy.

SPEAKER_00 29:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:07

So, but yeah, yeah, I lift.

SPEAKER_01 29:09

What what was your PR?

SPEAKER_05 29:11

My deadlift PR. I think the la that was in that was about a little over a year ago. I hit 315. So I forgot. Yeah, I could have deadlifted Don Barkley.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

You could have deadlifted a Don Barkley.

SPEAKER_05 29:22

That is awesome. Yeah, I didn't think about it like that.

SPEAKER_01 29:23

That's really good. That's what I thought it was.

SPEAKER_05 29:25

Yeah, my deads are high, and then but everything else is not. I don't know. I'm just a good deadlifter for some reason. Sway I'm built.

SPEAKER_00 29:32

That's really good.

SPEAKER_05 29:33

What was yours back in the day?

SPEAKER_00 29:36

My my most impressive PR. So I wasn't good upper body. I'll be the first one to say.

SPEAKER_05 29:42

Yeah, I'm terrible on the pump right.

SPEAKER_00 29:43

Yeah, like terrible. I mean, bench press maybe like 425. I know it seems like, oh, that's funny. But like for this for the going rate, like I'm gonna compare this to NFL people, that was like average. Hang clean or pat I shouldn't say power clean from the ground was 385. Wow. So that's what I was good at power cleans.

SPEAKER_05 30:05

Yeah, I my my power clean PR is 155 right now. I'm trying to get to 160, but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:12

When it came to bench or overhead, I I had too many shoulder injuries and it just you know.

SPEAKER_01 30:19

My PR on donuts. I think it was probably six in one shot. They were really good.

SPEAKER_05 30:31

Okay. All right. That's good. So okay. On to equipment now.

SPEAKER_01 30:36

We'll stop talking about sports. We came here to talk about some equipment. You were recently down at a training for some hot news stuff coming out, huh?

SPEAKER_00 30:49

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 30:49

Let's talk Kernsville. What's going on down there in Georgia? What do we make?

SPEAKER_00 30:54

Well, I was out at the Arizona.

SPEAKER_01 30:56

You were at Arizona, but yeah, that yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:58

Yeah, I've never been to Kernersville. That's what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_01 31:01

Well, that's where they're gonna that's that's the that's the big press release, John Deere expanding the Kernsville factory. But you're at obviously you're at training in Arizona, which they do there because it's warm and it's winter. But the training was about what's happening in Kernsville, so I should have said that differently. Sorry. So I wasn't there, but why don't you tell all of us what was some highlights from that training and and what we got to look forward to? Obviously, con I'm not sure when this episode will air, but Con Expo is gonna be the big release, or if this is in the future.

SPEAKER_05 31:39

Yeah, by this will come out.

SPEAKER_01 31:40

Con Expo already happened. Yep. I just went cross-site.

SPEAKER_05 31:45

Yeah, so you can you can talk about it. It's safe to talk about it. It's safe to talk about it.

SPEAKER_01 31:50

Yeah, because by that it's already been released.

SPEAKER_05 31:53

In the future, it's already been released, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:57

I was thinking of a dad joke right now, something about time travel. Yeah, time travel. Yeah. Time traveler walked into a bar.

SPEAKER_02 32:11

Nah, that's not on the equipment.

SPEAKER_01 32:17

Yeah, let's just stick to the equipment and no dad jokes.

SPEAKER_00 32:20

So at Arizona, I mean, they we did all excavator training because that's the new topic coming out of you know this this year for the year. The new 210P, 230p, 260p, 145. I forgot to start with that. 145.

SPEAKER_01 32:42

You don't have to put them in order, it's okay.

SPEAKER_00 32:45

Yeah, so I mean, the lot of a lot of redesigns to the cab, the you know, we're getting away from the Hitachi built excavator, no deer design.

SPEAKER_01 32:58

Yep, the the umbilical cord was cut off.

SPEAKER_00 33:00

Yes, so that's that's that's one of the biggest things, and and it's it's refreshing to see that you know we could call it our product.

SPEAKER_01 33:07

How's how how are we able to call it our product?

SPEAKER_00 33:10

Well, you know, we got deer engines in them, you know, except for a couple couple models.

SPEAKER_01 33:17

There's a few, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:18

We're working through the reduced tail, yeah. But yeah, so you know, all these ones that you know they'll have the nice tablet looking screen in these newer ones now. Oh, yeah. Deer engines, a lot of new integrated features with the, like I said, the modem inside or the tablet looking thing. Just makes it really, really easy to maneuver around for these operators. You know, I know a lot of these customers or our customers, you know, it's hard to find quality people like they used to have that really you know lasted in the industry and maybe one or two, you know, they might have worked for one or two people their whole career. You know, these guys are changing employers every couple years, I feel like. So it's hard to rely on guys. Well, they're making these machines so it's user-friendly. A guy that maybe hasn't been a seasoned operator could hop in, press a button to change of attachment, and boom, you know, they learn on the fly pretty easily. So they're making these machines pretty dummy-proof. And you know, Deer's making a good product, you know. They uh I know that everyone could be like, oh, well, maybe this person did it or that person, but there's a lot of things that Deere does offer that they don't do, which you know, Con Expo, I'm sure will show everyone.

SPEAKER_01 34:38

Or has already shown. We talked in a previous episode that the John Deere excavators being built out of Kernsville will be the only excavators in America. Fully built. Fully built. Uh, we call that plate up, plate up built. I I think that's just an awesome thing. I know it's got a lot of hype. Even the president of the United States recognized Yeah, I think he probably tweeted about it. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:10

You know, it's so funny you guys said that because I was literally on the phone with a customer yesterday, and they flew down to Texas to Kat's new facility, forget where in Texas, and they were looking to buy an excavator, and they go down there and they're looking at everything. So they're they're showing how they assemble it, and it's like this part's made in Japan, this part's made in Mexico, this part's made here. So they're they say that they're American built, but they assemble it in America. So like every different part to the excavator is comes from a different country. It's interesting because yeah, that is a big deal that everything will be done here for deer.

SPEAKER_01 35:56

Yeah, it's a bit it's uh it's it's when you look at that, it's an it's a big alignment. And I've I've I started with John Deere in 2013 and and I've seen so much change. And I'm sure there's guys that have been here much, much longer than I have. We got guys working for GTE that been with John Deere for 40 years, maybe more. But I'm saying from 2013 to now, uh it's so much change. It's hard to like when you're in the change, it just makes your head spin. But when you kind of stop and look back, you know, we saw, you know, our like the 655, 755, the 850C, the 1050s, you know, those used to be built by LeBaire. Yeah. And then, hey, now we got the 655K, and that started the John Deere built. And they were they were a solid machine, like they were nice, heavy machine. Same thing with the haul trucks. When I first started, it was you know, the introduction of the like let's say the 410 or something that came out versus the 400, you know, Bell haul trucks, just so much alignment to you know with Verkin in 2017. That act, you know, that that was a huge jump. I mean, um, and and the continuation. I I was just we were out at Langley when we're talking, Langley, which is near uh Vancouver. I was out there, and you know, that used to be a Hitachi slash John Deere factory building specialty products, so it'd be like the forestry project products, and now it's all green there, and and now they moved all the feller bunchers there. Just a huge alignment that I'm seeing. And this last one here with with the Hitachi, it's I think it's a good position for deer. And I and I'm excited. I don't know about you, Don, but as especially I'm I'm I'm on the product support side, I'm excited. But as a salesman, uh, what's your perspective on where Deer's going?

SPEAKER_00 38:03

No, I mean I think it's I think it's huge. I think, you know, from when I stepped into this industry till now, I mean, I it's it's they've made huge strides, and and I the work in line is or Virkin is unbelievable. I mean, they're for them to team up with them to just pair from like the skid steers gun with the milling heads, and then you know, being able to offer a whole line in a true construction industry is huge, not just you know, someone that offers one avenue, whether it's a forestry deal or whether it's you know, hey, we got skid steers and excavators, and that's all we have. You could truly go to a John Deere dealership like GTE and get every aspect of any construction from crushers, you know, dirt work, road construction, you know, forestry. There is we have everything. It's a one-stop shop, and I think that's you know, huge. Like I said, with this Virkin line, and and I say that too because a lot of my customers are milling paving people. So that's one thing that I've had to learn, you know, just as far as product, learning that product and how it suits well with a lot of this John Deere products as well. So it's it's really interesting. You know, I continue to grow. I think both lines are very superior in the market. So it's it's nice to work for a company that has both.

SPEAKER_01 39:33

Yeah. So, Don, what is your favorite piece of John Deere equipment and why?

SPEAKER_00 41:59

So it might sound boring, but it is it's a 350 excavator. It was and the reason why it was my very first sale when it was when I was with Murphy, and I feel like there's I think that product speaks to a large variety of my customers as well, so I tended to get more comfortable with it and speak about it. Yeah, you know, I think everyone could easily sit here and be like, oh, the 850 does or the 1050, which I've sold some of those as well, but like I don't know what it is. 350s, I've I've sold them with hammers, you know, with different attachments on them, and everything every time I feel like I sell another one, it's like it's a different application, but it's you know, serves its purpose. If I had to name one other thing, it would it would be a W210 milling machine.

SPEAKER_01 42:52

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:53

I don't know. I I'm I'm really fascinated with those.

SPEAKER_01 42:55

Yeah, see, I'm I'm more into the crushers and like an MR110 or MR130. That thing's just a beast, and it's just tearing up rocks, just smashing them against a piece of steel. To me, there's something satisfying about taking a these big rocks and just and then they come out just out the other side, nice and small.

SPEAKER_00 43:19

I think it's fascinating too with the milling, just how many people in line have a duty to that job. It's like one guy, one truck goes down, and it's like the whole operation goes to shit. Yeah. But it's like, you know, everyone's working, that one truck's done, boop, you know, the next one comes up. And everyone, it's it's it's honestly like, you know, whatever what what do you call it? It's like music or it's like a play. Like everyone has to be in line. It's a symphony. Yes. There you go. That's what I was looking for.

SPEAKER_01 43:52

It's a symphony. An orchestra or something, yeah. Well, Don I appreciate your time today. I know you're you are a busy sales guy. I did have a just a few things. We're gonna wrap up here, but there's some things I've been dying to ask you ever since I Googled you when the acquisition with Murphy happened and everybody like, oh did you hear that? Don Barkley. I'm like Because I was I was one of the I was the guy that's like like if I just met you on the street, I'd you know, I know you would talk to me the same way, whether I knew you or not, because you're you are a humble dude, and that's how you know you're humble, is because other people tell you, right? The moment you say you're you're humble, you just lost it. But how many people like come up to you and be like, hey, can I arm wrestle you? Because I I totally wanted to do that today. Yeah, like hey, can I arm wrestle you just to say like I arm wrestle Darn Bar Don Barkley?

SPEAKER_00 44:54

Every now and then you get that, and then you gotta humble that guy.

SPEAKER_01 44:58

Then you gotta humble like you don't even know how I can destroy you. What's it like, you know, people that do recognize you? I mean, how how often do you get like I'm just gonna say, you know, the cliche walking down the street how many times people, oh I got your picture? Did anybody ever do that? I mean, you are in a small, you know, you're back to the No, I mean honestly, it's it's frequently.

SPEAKER_00 45:26

I think that and when I say frequently, I mean, so I with work, I only deal with like 30 to 35 customers. So by now it doesn't come in there. Like I don't seek, I don't have a territory anymore. So it, you know, the 30 to 35 people that I'm assigned to know who I am now.

SPEAKER_04 45:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:47

But like around the area, coaching football, going to my kids' games, like, yeah, it always happens. And and it happens more because I'm involved with the community a lot from working, coaching, yeah, kids growing up. So you you get a lot of that. And and honestly, it's it's no different than like Green Bay. Green Bay is a small town. There's a a hundred thousand people there in the whole place. So like everywhere you walked, you know, people heads were turning. And and it wasn't so much you know me, it was like if you were with Aaron Rodgers, like that's who I felt bad for. Because like he's in a small town, you know, everyone knows who he is. Yep. And as soon as you don't answer the one person, you're considered an asshole. So like that's where it's that's where it's tough.

SPEAKER_01 46:36

You gotta be on that all the time, right?

SPEAKER_00 46:38

Yeah, I mean you have to so you get used to it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 46:42

Yeah. Dang, my elbow just cracked. Did you hear that? That was loud.

SPEAKER_01 46:47

Yeah, I just thought you slapped your leg or something like that.

SPEAKER_00 46:51

Yeah, but it it's a mancus part of it. You know. You gotta use it to your benefit. That's why I'm involved with the community.

SPEAKER_01 47:02

I think that's incredible. I I it's almost like we can write a movie or you know, have a movie about you coming back to the community, selling John Deere equipment, America.

SPEAKER_00 47:14

America. And I and I will say this too. What I what really was refreshing to hear, which I don't know how many people did know that I coached, but I know the two guys that I report to out here, Adam and Roger, knew that I did it. And, you know, it's like anything else, as long as you're performing and you're doing that, you know, show them you could do it. And then one day, Jeff Oldham was walking through here and he was like, Hey, he's like, How's it going? And I was like, Oh, it's going good, you know, sales and everything. He's like, No, the coaching. And I was like, It's it's good. And he goes, and and it was good to hear him say, he's like, you know, I think everyone has a duty in serving their community at some aspect.

SPEAKER_01 47:55

Oh my goodness, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:55

Yeah, so he was like, uh, you know, I'm happy to see you doing that. And and I told Jeff too, I was like, you know, I don't want to say that it's this is why I'm getting all the sales, but I I do think it has a big impact on what I do here. I mean, I think people see that, you know, at the end of the day, you're coaching, you're helping. You're you're serving people in the community, so it's you know, you're helping another kid out. So I think that it does go a long way. It's another topic of conversation when you st when you're there with a customer. And to hear Jeff say that did mean a lot to me.

SPEAKER_01 48:28

Yeah, I could see him, I could see him saying that. I I yeah, him definitely being curious on how that's going. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 48:37

Yeah, it was good. I appreciated that.

SPEAKER_01 48:39

Yeah. Don, thanks so much for being on the Iron Cast.

SPEAKER_00 48:44

Appreciate you guys having me. It was an honor.

SPEAKER_01 48:46

It was fun. Kind of threw the headphones on and sat down and was like, let's do this. And I'm like, all right, here we go. Yeah, but I appreciate all you do here out at Harmony in the community. Rachel, anything you got? Any closing thoughts? Any questions that you have?

SPEAKER_05 49:00

I'm ready to see you two arm wrestle for the final photo.

SPEAKER_00 49:03

Should we do that? He's gonna beat me.

SPEAKER_05 49:10

I just wasn't feeling it that day. I can't say that. It'll be it would make for a great marketing photo.

SPEAKER_01 49:15

All right, I'll I'll I'll I'll arm wrestle. I haven't arm wrestled, I'll probably hurt something.

SPEAKER_05 49:20

All right, so when this airs in a couple months from now, and if Jason's in a cast.

SPEAKER_01 49:24

We know what we know why. Okay. That's why.

SPEAKER_05 49:26

All right, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:26

Prep the audience for it.

SPEAKER_01 49:28

I'll just say it was from Con Expo because Yeah. Then we can't talk about it.

SPEAKER_00 49:32

We we got good insurance, right? I mean, I'm I think that's Kathy if I'm gonna be fine.

SPEAKER_01 49:37

If you can you read that sticker that I gave you for Yeah, no one's gonna get hurt.

SPEAKER_00 49:42

Now you're trying to make me hurt you. I was a guest and nobody got hurt. That's wrong.

SPEAKER_01 49:53

On that note, thanks again, Don. Iron Cast. Yeah, Iron Cast is out.