Aaron Logan - For The Love Of The Game

Hockey was never just a game for our guest. It was in his blood. Growing up, he had one dream: to one day be the voice on Hockey Night in Canada.

But life had a different play in mind. He found himself in sales, comfortable but restless, knowing he wanted something different.

Then an unlikely opportunity appeared: to buy a bankrupt hockey stick manufacturer. And despite not having any experience in manufacturing, something in him said yes. 

Through creativity, hard work, and the kind of relationship building that never goes out of style, he has built a business that has taken him right back to the heart of the game he always loved.

#pivotalmoment #hockey #livingthedream

Lesley Hawkins is a keynote speaker with her signature keynote "The Courage To Define and Own Your Worth", workshop developer (The Leadership Mirror and The Leaders Table), leadership strategist, and storyteller who believes growth happens in the everyday moments that define who we become. 

Drawing on years of experience leading, guiding, and mentoring teams, Lesley brings authenticity, curiosity, and heart to the conversation as each interaction is an opportunity to define what truly matters.

One question. One turning point. One powerful story. 

To learn more about Lesley: www.lesleyhawkins.ca / www.marsley.ca

@the_lesley_hawkins_podcast

The Lesley Hawkins Podcast is a Marsley Canada production.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome to the Leslie Hawkins Podcast. Each week, my guest and I discuss one pivotal moment in their life, what they learned from it, and their words of wisdom. Hockey was never just a game for our guest. It was in his blood. Growing up, he had one dream to one day be the voice of Hockey Night in Canada. But life had a different play in mind. He found himself in sales, comfortable but restless, knowing he wanted something different. Then an unlikely opportunity appeared to buy a bankrupt hockey stick manufacturer. And despite not having any experience in manufacturing, something in him said yes. Through creativity, hard work, and the kind of relationship building that never goes out of style, he has built a business that has taken him right back to the heart of the game he always loved. Welcome to the Leslie Hawkins Podcast. I am so glad that you are joining us here today. Today's guest is Aaron Logan from the Logan Sports Group. So welcome. Glad to have you here.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Thanks for having me this morning.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

It's awesome. So this podcast is all based on one question, which is what is one pivotal moment in your life? And the reason that is the question is first of all, we all have multiple pivots, right? The good pivots and the not so great pivots. Some that we control and some that we don't. And what I've learned over the years is not only everybody having these pivotal moments, but that there is community within sharing some of these pivotal moments. And having had lots in my lifetime, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share stories, share community, uh, and also introduce people to amazing people like yourself and the work that you're doing. So we're going to have a conversation about pivotal moments today.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

Excellent. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

So awesome. So, first of all, glad that you're here. Thank you for taking the time. Uh, but let me jump in right into what is one pivotal moment in your life.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

I think that for me, um, 2005. It's a it's a great year. Yes. Um, just had our first baby boy in December 2004, and then uh decided to just change it up, you know, career-wise. Okay. Went from a great career in the golf world to starting a business, uh, buying a business out of bankruptcy and thinking, what can we do to change it from the reasons that it went bankrupt to giving something new as a product line. And I didn't have any background in manufacturing. I had some sales background, that's where my strength came from. But it was really uh a time to grab this new product and and think, you know, this will work.

SPEAKER_02 3:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

And it doesn't just work because you want it to work. It you have to make it work. And it took a little while at uh, you know, getting teams on board, getting leagues on board. I took a hockey stick factory that was making on-ice hockey sticks and decided to make promotional hockey sticks, uh, full size, branded for either an event or for a team. And these items would then be used to be autographed by the players. Uh, if it was maybe a celebrity golf tournament, because those were a big part of our first year, uh, or teams uh where they could use a hockey stick to give out in the community instead of maybe giving out jerseys or other signed items. Right. Uh, and started making the phone calls. But uh, oh yeah, then we also had an NHL stoppage that year too. So, you know, there was a lot of things going on that I wasn't quite thinking, you know, it was just like jump right in and start this business that I thought would uh take right off with a newborn at home and uh you know.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

Oh, that's a lot.

SPEAKER_00 4:00

Yeah, it was a lot.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Okay. So why hockey and why that moment?

SPEAKER_00 4:06

Yeah, I grew up in Sudbury, Ontario, uh just outside of Sudbury. Hockey was my passion. Uh as a child, I wasn't a great player, but I loved the game. You know, my dad was a coach, uh, followed him around the arena all the time, got to see all these, you know, um, these players growing up in my community that would go on to NHL status or OHL. So it was always something that I loved. I loved, you know, reading the back of hockey cards, loved collecting them, reading uh magazines, newspapers. I can remember coming home from school, you know, maybe grade four, grade five, whatever it was. And the first thing I would do is open the sports section and read the box scores from the night before.

SPEAKER_01 4:44

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

You know, that was my comprehension. And, you know, my teachers would always give my parents uh, you know, little notes like, hey, your son doesn't read the book that we've assigned in class, but he keeps on reading biographies about Gila Fleur and Daryl Sittler.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

Why wouldn't you?

SPEAKER_00 5:00

And my mom would be like, Well, he's reading. Yeah. Who cares? Right. You know, and um, it was just hockey, hockey, hockey all the time. It was on my mind. So that was something that was kind of put into me early on. I wanted to become uh somewhat associated with hockey, and it's never left.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

Okay. But you were already in the sports world, you were in the golf world.

SPEAKER_02 5:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:25

Why that moment of I'm gonna do a hard pivot? And also tied to that, why would you pick up a company that was bankrupt?

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Good great questions. Great questions. Uh, I think that for me, anyways, I'd went to school for broadcast journalism to become a radio play-by-play or TV play by play. That's what I wanted. Totally. I wanted to do hockey on hockey night in Canada. That was my dream. And, you know, early on, I was able to do that with the London Knights and the Sudbury Wolves and the OHL and uh had some success. But I was young and it was hard to get interviews where people would take you serious when you're 21, 22, 23 years old. And they kept on saying, you know, you're doing fine, just bide your time. Well, I wanted my time then.

SPEAKER_01 6:10

Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:11

And I went back to school, went back to school for sports administration. Okay, came out of that and uh got a job in the golf world uh in sales and loved it. Spent four years really just you know working with a team of people that were all motivated on the same kind of basis. We had a great company around us that supported us, and then it became kind of year four where changes are happening. Um, you know, you've you've been successful.

SPEAKER_01 6:37

Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

What's next?

SPEAKER_01 6:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 6:39

And this opportunity to buy this company really came out of nowhere. Yeah. And it was a decision to buy it and uh just make it different.

unknown 6:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:49

And it there wasn't a lot of thought into it. I I really wish there was. I wish there was a better story, but it was like, hey, I like this. I can do this. Yes, let's do it now.

unknown 6:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

And everybody around me was like, what are you doing? Like, why? Why now?

SPEAKER_02 7:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

You have enough other stuff going on. You have, you know, a new family. Why are you jumping into this? And it just felt right. I I felt like I I had the sales skills. I felt confident in myself that it was the time to do it.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Okay. And so you loved it because it was hockey.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

And and I have a feeling that you're like a turnaround king, like you know how to get in and figure things out. You're quite creative. Is that about right?

SPEAKER_00 7:29

Yeah. So I would say the first couple weeks in the factory uh brought back all the staff.

SPEAKER_02 7:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

And I realized very quickly that, you know, mechanically I'm limited. Uh, everything was breaking down daily, and we're hiring, you know, electricians or you know, people to fix machines. And I I was at a loss, and I was like, you know what? This is the hard part. It's it's the learning all the materials uh that go into building a high stage, not just going out and selling it. I was having no problem. I was reaching out to to organizations and teams, and they were like, hey, we like the idea. Sure, we'll try it. But the problem was getting the sticks to the customer.

SPEAKER_02 8:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:07

So that was uh the first full year of operation was um a lot of sawdust in the ears at night, you know, standing in the shower, kind of going, What am I doing? And then it was uh it was time to pivot then too, you know. Uh so we went from having this factory operating it here in uh Newmarket to shuttering it and having somebody that was a really good hockey stick maker make it for me. Uh so I switched manufacturing, and that's where it really took off. Okay. Because uh we change it up and all of a sudden the sticks are better, the client's happy, and we're getting more sales. Okay, and that's me able to do that.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

So for all the times watching hockey games, yeah, and they have the three stars come out and then they th fling a stick out, that's your sticks.

SPEAKER_00 8:57

Those are our sticks.

SPEAKER_01 8:59

I've always thought it was actually like sticks that they played with that game, but I not.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

You know, starting in 2007, the Anaheim Ducks uh they were buying sticks to use in their community, uh just a branded Anaheim's Anaheim Duck stick. And there was a woman in community relations who I was chatting with, and I said, Wouldn't it be great if you do it, you know, for end of the game player autograph stick and you give it to a fan? She's like, I love that idea.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:23

And they started doing it. Very quickly, they had an incident where a stick was being handed to a fan, another fan reached over, grabbed it, and it started a fist fight in the in the crowd on TV on ESPN.

SPEAKER_02 9:34

Oh, great.

SPEAKER_00 9:35

So it led the newscast in America the next day. And I was like, Well, there's the end of that.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:40

But it wasn't. It was actually more teams saw that and went, Hey, it's a great idea.

SPEAKER_02 9:44

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:44

Um, obviously we don't want the fights, but how do we get that product?

SPEAKER_02 9:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

So they started calling, and uh, I'd say throughout you know, the the mid-2000s, um, you know, we had 20, 22 teams all giving out those wood sticks. That's amazing. And all those souvenirs, you think about it, it's a low-cost, yes, high perceived value item. So those fans get to go home with this cherished keepsake for the rest of their lives.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

It's incredible. Yeah. Right? And it's so tied to a memory.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

It is.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

So it's one thing to buy the company, then to find a right the right manufacturer. But like, how do you get in the doors of these NHL teams?

SPEAKER_00 10:25

It's my favorite part. Okay. It's, you know, I maybe this is a trade secret, but I like having 10 people in every team, 10 people in different departments.

SPEAKER_02 10:34

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 10:35

Um, in the pro sports world, there's a lot of turnover every year. Um, people come, people go. But if you've got enough departments and you're selling them enough uh different ideas, then they're gonna keep buying you, they're gonna keep calling you. And I uh, you know, I have a hockey puck for a business card. Nobody throws away a hockey puck. No, so I I was recently in Columbus, um, right before the end of the season, and there's somebody that's been with the Columbus Blue Jackets for about 16 years, and she still has my puck sitting on her ledge in her window. So you know, and it's it's just it's about being remembered and you know, having the knowledge of working with so many different teams that I can give them a little bit of information too, like, hey, this team's doing this, or this area over there is trying sticks for the birthday play uh, you know, they're doing a birthday promotion where buy 12 tickets and get a autographed stick. Um so there's there's different opportunities that have come up from just being deeper in a team than just one person. Okay, but it really is it's it's cold calling, it's uh using your contacts to just try to get more people and going to games. Um, I like to try to get to 40 or 50 games a year in you know, 15 or 20 different cities. Okay. Um, to just shake hands, you know, get to know them. I I do believe in old-time sales.

SPEAKER_01 11:54

Yes. Okay. And so when you started moving to the new manufacturer, quality of the product went up. But where does the NHL lockout come into play to help your business?

SPEAKER_00 12:10

It actually worked out good because I mean, teams were looking for a way to make peace with the fans again. Uh, I remember Edmonton saying to me at the time, you know, we we would usually buy 300 hockey jerseys, but the cost is $80 to $100 per jersey.

SPEAKER_02 12:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:26

We can now buy a thousand wood sticks for the same budget. Right. And we can get all that goodwill out into the province of Alberta. Um, and it was bringing fans back to the arenas and giving them kind of hope and kind of that, you know, ability to come back to a team after something that hurts them.

SPEAKER_01 12:44

Yeah, it's like an olive branch.

SPEAKER_00 12:46

It is. It is so the wood sticks really worked out well that way.

SPEAKER_01 12:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

Um, and to this day, I'll still, you know, go into restaurants. Uh, you know, people will show me that they have uh uh team signed sticks from 15, 20 years ago. So good. And so cool to see that you know that product's been kept as a keepsake.

SPEAKER_01 13:04

So your your business is now like I just did the math, 21 years old. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 13:10

Yeah, I'm pretty proud of that. It's we didn't know, we didn't know what it would last. Uh when we first started selling, it was just kind of um what's it gonna be?

SPEAKER_01 13:19

Right.

SPEAKER_00 13:20

And now, you know, you you get around the league and you've you've got relationships that you've seen for a long time and sports bars that have a stick hanging on the wall, and you're like, hey, that's mine.

SPEAKER_02 13:30

Right.

SPEAKER_00 13:31

Uh, you know, it's it's got my name on it. And it's it's a proud part that I feel I always feel that it's very proud to be part of the game a little bit, you know, just that quiet behind the scenes that uh a product that I've tried so hard to bring to fruition is still being appreciated um all across North America and Europe.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Oh wow, okay. So we're moving, we're moving across the pond. Yes, that's amazing. So I keep getting stuck on it's one thing to have the idea, then it's another thing to execute it, and then to continue to evolve because part of your success has to be that it wasn't just wooden hockey sticks, not that that's a a small amount of your business, but you've since expanded.

SPEAKER_00 14:19

Yeah, we had to grow. Yeah. Um, I I always like to say the one person who gave me the motivation was a hockey hall of famer, Marcel Dion. One time I sold him some sticks that had his Hall of Fame career stats on it. And he said to me, What else do you do? I go, What do you mean? What else do I do? We do these really well. And he goes, Yeah, you got you gotta sell more, you gotta get more. Oh, you gotta be different. And I was like, Okay, all right. So then I hear you, you know, so then I get a phone call from somebody with the NHL and they're like, uh, you know, we're looking for a silver stick. I said, Well, we can paint any color stick you want. And he's like, No, I want a silver, like, you know, made out of metal. Oh, and I was like, Yep, we can do that. So we started kind of evolving into the more of the milestone business. Okay. And, you know, there had other, there'd been other people, you know, over the years that had provided subpar quality, maybe, you know, just wasn't quite, you know, to the level that now I think we do it. Um and we kind of really took that and kind of grew with it, you know. So now when a player hits a thousand games, 500 goals, a thousand points, they receive one of our milestone sticks. And there's a lot of work that goes into that. There's about 40 hours of machining, fabrication, polishing, engraving that all goes into those sticks. And what a lot of people don't know is every one of the silver sticks that's given out, every one of the gold sticks is a one-off. It is exactly to the player's specifications.

SPEAKER_01 15:46

Really?

SPEAKER_00 15:46

So when a player gets it in their hands, they look and look down, they always go, Whoa, that's my stick.

SPEAKER_01 15:52

That's incredible.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

It's big because it's the tool of their trade. And to reach at that, you know, biggest milestone, there's been just over 425 players in the history of the game hit a thousand games. I'd like to think we've done over 200 of those players with silver sticks, uh, and counting. You know, now we're getting about you know 15 to 22 players per year um that that reach the thousand game.

SPEAKER_01 16:15

That's incredible. The idea that it is truly customized to them, though, like that's next level personalization, customization, which is really does set you apart.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

It's exciting. Um, there's a whole different level of excitement that goes along with these ceremonies. You know, our wood sticks, great. They're delivered at the start of the year, they're just delivered in bulk, they sit in a warehouse, they're used throughout the year during team signings, and um, then they're given out in the community. We don't really see them again.

SPEAKER_02 16:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 16:47

Where the silver sticks and the gold sticks and these trophies that we make that are one off, we see it because they do these ceremonies in front of fans.

SPEAKER_02 16:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 16:54

They do it in front of all 18,000, 19,000 fans, and now you're starting to, you know, I again I love being in the crowd and you hear people behind you. A father will say to his daughter, that's a silver stick. They're getting it because it's a thousand games.

SPEAKER_02 17:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:08

So people are starting to really recognize that.

SPEAKER_02 17:11

Recognize it.

SPEAKER_00 17:11

Um fans know the game.

SPEAKER_02 17:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

They love their players, they love to support their team. So when there's a milestone, they get to feel like they're part of it. And that's that's what teams are really starting to take advantage of. They're really starting to, you know, put on a lot more, uh, put in a lot more effort to have these ceremonies uh become more and more special. Families are brought in, yeah, video tributes are done. Everything is meant for that night to be all about that player.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

Which is incredible.

SPEAKER_00 17:39

And it's different because most players don't like the individual attention. But after that many years and that many games, all of a sudden it becomes, you know, a big personal thing.

SPEAKER_02 17:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:50

There's players that have never won a Stanley Cup, but they've got to a thousand games. That silver stick is the prominent piece in their trophy room.

SPEAKER_01 17:59

So the silver stick versus the gold stick.

SPEAKER_00 18:01

So gold stick is 500 goals.

SPEAKER_01 18:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:04

It's uh a thousand points. And then it can also be, you know, career milestones with a with a specific team. Yeah. Um, you know, Daryl Sittler this past year was honored for his 50th anniversary of his 10-point night. Yeah. The Maple Leafs present him with a gold stick. And when we say silver and gold, it's uh silver stick is made out of stainless steel, okay, polished to a silver-like finish, mirror-like finish. And for gold, it's made out of bronze. Yes. And again, polished to that mirror finish and lots of nice engraving.

SPEAKER_01 18:32

That's amazing. Because you, I mean, you're talking about names like Daryl Sittler that are so beloved in this market. And for you to have a a part in those celebrations is incredible. Like you must be every once in a while pinching yourself, going, This is kind of cool. I'm talking about Daryl Sittler. I'm doing something just for him.

SPEAKER_00 18:52

There's a lot of nights where I'll be sitting in a press box at 9 45, third period, and I'll look down at the ice and go, This is exactly where you wanted to be. Yes. Don't forget that. There's a there's, you know, that little boy that read hockey card backs and the, you know, sitting in front of my closet as a kid is still that guy. But I get to do it now for a living.

SPEAKER_01 19:15

So it's incredible.

SPEAKER_00 19:16

I always feel like it's it's come, it's not full circle because I still got a lot more to give, but it's uh it's at that point where it's I'm really enjoying it.

SPEAKER_01 19:25

Okay. And so what part of what makes your business unique is that you continue to evolve, you continue to create, you continue to find different avenues. So what's the next big thing? You did mention Europe.

SPEAKER_00 19:45

Yeah, no, we've done a couple sticks now in Sweden. Okay. Um, you know, the Swedish Hockey League. That's uh to there's a lot of leagues out there that are starting to take notice. They've got former NHLers going back to play in them. Totally. Uh, and they they're bringing these these you know unique things that North America's been doing back overseas. So I see that in the next two or three years we're gonna have a lot more milestones being recognized in Europe. Great because that's not something traditionally they've done. No, and also the wood sticks is going to be something that uh, you know, four or five Swedish hockey league teams, Finnish elite league teams will have this next season.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

Okay, that's great.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

Yeah, no, it's fun.

SPEAKER_01 20:24

Yeah. World domination here.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

World domination, you know, hockey is a small world. Uh you know, I've been I've been very fortunate over the years to be involved in a lot of like world championship, uh, world junior championships. So I've got to meet a lot of people from different federations, and they're all great people. And they all love the idea of making their leagues better. Yes. And it's trying new things for them at the same time as me, you know, selling them on this idea that works here in North America.

SPEAKER_01 20:50

So there's the the wood sticks, there's the silver and gold sticks. Is there other expansion that you're looking to get into?

SPEAKER_00 20:58

Yeah, I mean, we do we do we also do trophies, uh, like little uh milestone gifting puck and boxes. We do uh one-off microphones for retiring broadcasters. You know, Joe Bowen, the voice of the Maple Leafs, he was honored uh this year for his final season. And uh we presented him with uh the Maple Leafs presented him with one of our creations. Um, you know, Sam Rosen with the New York Rangers, uh 40-year broadcaster. Uh baseball is also one of those things, major league baseball, they they buy these things from us as well. Okay, so we're not restricted on just being a hockey company. No, and uh, you know, going back when when we first started in 2005, we were the heritage stick company. But now being Logan Sports Group, we can work with all these other leagues, all this, you know, entertainment, corporate, whatever it is that uh is looking to recognize somebody for you know what they've done. Yes, they reach out.

SPEAKER_01 21:53

That's amazing. But every every sports league has got something to celebrate. They do. Whether it's a player or it's a team or it's a milestone or it's a broadcaster or whoever it is, there's endless opportunities.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Okay. So that's a good thing. And it's a good sign for business.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

Yeah, that's the exciting thing, is that I can honestly, as a sports fan, wake up in the morning and go attack something new.

SPEAKER_01 22:25

Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

And we have now the background and we've got the history that we can showcase our products to all these leagues. You know, the PGA Tour, uh, the Valspar in uh invitational. They bought a golden putter for one of their board of directors who's you know influential in that area. And, you know, there's there's other leagues that constantly looking at us. The UFC has reached out and said, hey, we want to create something for you know our retired fighters that we want to induct into our Hall of Fame. Sure, no problem. The the CPL, the Canadian Professional Soccer League. All these leagues now are going, hey, we need to honor milestones and and and teams and individuals at a different level. Right. Because it's expected.

SPEAKER_01 23:09

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:10

It's not only expected, we want to add that value to our fans and to our employees and and athletes.

SPEAKER_01 23:16

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:16

So we're getting more and more of kind of the the one-offs or the you know the new the new stuff.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

Yes, that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

So I I sometimes target, you know, Wimbledon this year is gonna have some pretty cool uh milestones that is being reached as a as a tennis facility and also as a tennis championship. Right. So there's there's been some emails back and forth with them to create something, and it's like Wimbledon, you know, this is outside of New Market. This is outside. And I trust me, it's never lost. I mean, just North America. The the teams we're honored to work with, but it's as it starts getting into other countries because we do quality work. Nothing leaves our our facility without it being something we would want to receive ourselves, right? You know, we don't just make it and send it. We're not an off-the-shelf trophy company. No, we are a one-off, like purely pure milestone. Yeah come to us and we'll we'll make you something really unique.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

Fully curated and personalized. Okay, so if you need somebody to head to Wimbledon and deliver something, like I'll seriously put my hand up because I'm tired of putting my name in the draw all the time to try and get tickets. Yeah, it's a good call.

SPEAKER_00 24:28

I had a great tour in uh in early March and it's uh it's looking great.

SPEAKER_01 24:33

So good. So jealous. That's a good thing.

SPEAKER_00 24:36

It's actually a place you can go just for the tour and be excited about it, and then you know, sit and watch the championship at home. But to sit at center court would be something else too. That would be next level. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:47

Okay. With the great game. I hear you. Oh, yeah. No.

SPEAKER_00 24:50

So the lottery delivery person. Okay. I got it. I got it. I got you.

SPEAKER_01 24:54

All right. I mean, but I mean, there's other sports like F1, there's I mean, there's you name it, there's lots of opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

Yeah, I I think that for me it's um, you know, what can we I almost don't want to be overwhelmed either. Like no, we want to be able to handle what we get and deliver yes, high-end items. We don't want to just be rushing through stuff just to push it out the door. Yeah, we're a boutique.

SPEAKER_01 25:20

Right.

SPEAKER_00 25:20

We're a very um uh unique boutique kind of business.

SPEAKER_01 25:25

And a niche. Yes. Well, and one of the one of the things with business is as you start to see all the opportunities, right? Like global expansion within hockey, all the different leagues, F1, you know, all everything else, tennis, you name it, there is always that risk as a business owner of I'm just gonna go and get it all. Right. And yet you do risk losing what makes you so different and so unique. And yes, it's definitely the one-off, but it's also you. Like you are the Logan Sports Group, and it's a reflection of you, your brand, and the work that you do. So I am sure that there's moments where it's challenging to say, like, I really want to go running after this, but I need to pace myself.

SPEAKER_00 26:15

Right. I and Logan Sports Group is the company name, but I've got some great people behind me that you know my fabricator is, I think, one of the best in the world. He can take my ideas and make it kind of happen. My graphic designer takes my ideas and can put it on paper and can put it into design. But you know, I do have to make I'm the one that does the talking. Yes. I I'm the I'm the salesperson. So, you know, at the end of the day, I don't want to kind of cheapen the the the brand by just you know rolling these things out like they're you know uh mass-produced. No, we want to be able to work on a project, work on it on a timely, you know, kind of aspect and and get it out there to them where it's celebrated and like wow, look at this thing. You know, it's front page because uh people haven't seen something like that. And that's that's part of the challenge is always coming up with something new.

SPEAKER_01 27:06

That was gonna be nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:08

New designs, new new creations that uh you know work with new milestones. There's one um Major League Baseball is very set in its ways. It's you know, it's an American pastime, and they like working with American businesses. That's that's and as a small Canadian company to be able to work with, we've now worked with 11 major league baseball teams uh in creating kind of one-off things for different uh retirement Jersey number retirements with Atlanta and Philadelphia and some uh a microphone for the Minnesota Twins, the Los Angeles Dodgers. There's some really cool stuff that we've gotten to do, but I want to do more. You know, that's our off season too.

SPEAKER_01 27:49

Right.

SPEAKER_00 27:49

And we can kind of work on those projects heading into their season.

SPEAKER_01 27:52

Oh, okay, yes. Yeah, because that's the seasonality of all of it is a is also a bit challenging.

SPEAKER_00 27:58

Yeah, and some teams don't plan either, right? Okay, we we could have teams that uh you know reach out on a Thursday and say, hey, we want to present something on a Saturday. And one of the benefits I think that you know our businesses and the people I have working for me is that they understand that and and we get it done. There's been a many a night where we'll get an order at 6 30 on a on a Thursday, expectations that it's gonna be in a certain city on a Saturday presented by the owner, and they're like, We need this, no problem. And we'll lose a night of sleep, we'll work on it, we'll you know, get it all done, and then I'll jump on a plane and hand deliver it and sit and watch it be presented.

SPEAKER_01 28:40

So good.

SPEAKER_00 28:41

But those are the that's the like that's the exciting part too. Yes, that we get challenged. I remember getting a phone call on a on a Friday afternoon by a general manager saying, I just realized we have somebody retiring on Monday, staff wise, and I want one of your silver sticks to present. They've been in the organization for 45 years. Oh boy, I'm like, it's a long weekend. Yeah, like we can't even courier. He goes, I'll see you here at four o'clock.

SPEAKER_01 29:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:10

And I walked in his office with the stick, and he was like, I knew you'd deliver.

unknown 29:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:14

And it's like, yeah, because we love it. It's our it's it's my passion.

SPEAKER_01 29:18

It's so good. You can totally sense your passion as well. That's I mean, yes, it's amazing that you're able to do it, but there's also has to be a part of you that's super honored that people are entrusting you with such an important milestone. And that's probably not lost on you. Never.

SPEAKER_00 29:38

Never never. I mean that's what drives us. Yes. Honestly, it's at the start of the year when we start looking at who's coming up on milestones, the the whole process starts, the communication with the teams, the uh the starting to design and kind of create. And I think that as we get close to it, it starts to become more personal because now you might interact with the player as well during that presentation. Right. Um, and you get to meet maybe a parent or a you know sibling, and they tell you how important that that career is meant to them. So good. Because those those milestones are shared.

SPEAKER_01 30:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:12

A lot of the times. And that's why now on a red carpet or on a you know, center ice presentation, you have all those family members. Right. Especially, you know, every sport is the same that you know, those players don't get to the level they are without community involvement. But hockey is that that one where everybody kind of digs in a little more. Yes. You know, the the car rides, the the uh summer camps, all that stuff. Totally. There's a lot of people in the crowd going, I was a little part of that.

SPEAKER_01 30:37

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 30:38

So I feel that too.

SPEAKER_01 30:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

We're proud of it. That's why we want it perfect. You want it perfect.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

That's incredible. So throughout the last 21 years, uh from that moment of I've got an idea, I'm gonna go and buy this bankrupt company to now where you're thriving. What have you learned about yourself throughout the whole process that maybe you didn't know when you first started?

SPEAKER_00 31:04

I think like for me, it's always been not to be afraid of taking chances. You know, for me it was always this is what I want. I'm I'm gonna go after it. I can't fail.

unknown 31:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

And, you know, 21 years later, there's still that fear every day, you know. Will the phone ring again? Will the email, you know, will I get a new inbox uh notification? But you can't be afraid of going out and putting your name out there consistently. Yes. And and showing the world that, hey, I'm here, I want to work with you. Yes. And that's that's what we do. Okay. So for me, it's it's um trying new things. Things aren't gonna work, some things just won't. But you know, we've been very fortunate in a number of ways that it works, but it's because we keep throwing it against the wall.

SPEAKER_01 31:51

Yeah. You're very creative. That's quite a talent.

SPEAKER_00 31:56

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 31:57

I have a like I have an image of you like with a napkin going like to the graphic designer. Here's kind of what I'm saying. That's almost about what it is.

SPEAKER_00 32:05

It is because my drawing skills are very a lot of times, it'll be like, I'm not, I'm not seeing what you're trying to write down or like what you're what you're drawing, and it'll be pretty rough.

SPEAKER_02 32:16

Oh, right.

SPEAKER_00 32:16

And then, you know, that's where his skill really comes in. Which is amazing. And we talk about it and we kind of work through the whole process of I've okay, this is what I'm envisioning. And a lot of times, too, like, you know, I'll I'll go back through history and see what was you know given out in the 1920s. The 1920s in sports was a fabulous time for you know sponsors getting involved. I always think back to the New York Yankees.

SPEAKER_02 32:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 32:41

Uh Seagrams gave out a crown to Babe Ruth for becoming the home run king.

SPEAKER_01 32:48

Very good.

SPEAKER_00 32:49

And it had Seagram 7 on it.

SPEAKER_01 32:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 32:52

But it was a it was a you know early promotional item that they got on the front cover of every newspaper in America to celebrate their name. But they made this. Well, that still sits in the uh baseball hall of fame.

unknown 33:04

Cool.

SPEAKER_00 33:04

So where will where will our products sit? And where will they be displayed for eternity?

SPEAKER_02 33:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:10

You know, that's the hope. You know, you talk to some players and they've they'll tell me all the time, oh, I've got it in my cottage, I've got it in my sports room, my father has it, you know, for a silver stick. But then with some of the broadcasters, they'll be like, it sits on the corner of my desk. When somebody walks in my room, my office, I want them to see that. Yes. Uh, it's a really important thing to me about my career because you're not just making an item. No, you're celebrating a career.

SPEAKER_01 33:35

Yeah. That's amazing. That's quite an honor. So good. All right. My last question for you is what would be your words of wisdom for the audience?

SPEAKER_00 33:46

Keep trying.

SPEAKER_01 33:47

Keep trying.

SPEAKER_00 33:47

Keep trying. Uh, you know, if you believe in yourself enough, just keep trying. Go after it.

SPEAKER_01 33:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:53

Don't give up. It's hard. Yeah. It's very hard. Uh, but you just have to keep trying. And if you believe in yourself enough, those those early, those middle, those long-term, you know, doubts will start to subside quite enough that you know you're able to build that career during that time. Because you know, there's gonna be those moments where you know it's off season or it's uh, you know, the checks aren't coming in. Yeah, and you're like, uh-oh. And then all of a sudden, if you've put the work in, if you've filled that pipeline of opportunity, it will continue to come. So just don't give up, keep going.

SPEAKER_01 34:30

Yeah, it's nerve-wracking though, when you're like, uh um, we have a problem here. The phone's not ringing. Yeah. And then, you know, five minutes later, you're like, oh, here comes the deluge. Yeah. Right. It's a good thing. That's amazing. Well, it's amazing to see what you have created, and we will continue to watch all of the hockey games and say, look at that, there's the next milestone, or and all those sticks as well. And continue to watch as you grow this business. It's really quite an accomplishment. And I hope you do have a few moments every once in a while to sit back and celebrate and recognize what an impact you have had to those people who you've been part of their celebration. Whether it's getting that sign stick as a fan that means the world to them, or it's the the milestone stick or microphone, whatever it is. Like you're really leaving an impact and a great memory. So, congratulations for what you've built.

SPEAKER_00 35:33

We're ready for you at a thousand. When you get to a thousand podcasts, we're ready for it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:37

Okay, good. All right, I'll see you in a few years.

SPEAKER_00 35:39

All right. Well, let's let's do it.

SPEAKER_01 35:40

Let's do it. That's awesome. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 35:43

Appreciate you. Thanks.

SPEAKER_01 35:45

Thank you for joining me today. Aaron is such a genuine man. And while we had just recently met, I felt like I'd known him forever. What he has built with the Logan Sports Group is nothing short of amazing. He keeps pushing himself to create impactful moments for athletes, teams, and their families. The sky's truly the limit for Erin. If this story resonated with you, please share it with someone you care about. And be sure to subscribe so you can continue to hear more pivotal stories involving one question, one turning point, one powerful story. I'll see you next week with another guest on the Leslie Hawkins Podcast.