Built With A-State
Hosted by Todd Shields, Built with A-State is the definitive tactical guide for industry leaders looking to partner with Arkansas State University. This series provides a transparent "user manual" for engagement, detailing everything from the CREST program to faculty collaboration models. By removing academic jargon, we simplify the process for organizations to access university resources and scale their regional impact.
Built With A-State
Better on Purpose: Why Scale Matters More Than Growth with Ted and Amanda Herget
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Gearhead Outfitters didn’t start with a polished business plan or a big investor pitch. It started with a feel for community, a love of the outdoors, and a willingness to sell bike racks out of a living room until the next door opened. I’m joined by Ted and Amanda Herget, the founders and owners behind one of the most recognizable outdoor retail brands to come out of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and we get into the real story behind the growth.
We talk about how a tiny 700-square-foot shop turns into more than 20 stores across multiple states, and why the goal isn’t “bigger at all costs” but “better on purpose.” Ted shares what it looks like to shift from all-gas-no-brakes leadership to documented systems, service standards, and a team that can truly run the business. Amanda explains how their strengths complement each other, how buying and merchandising evolve, and why Gearhead’s definition of “outdoor lifestyle” includes everyone from hikers to people who just want great shoes for everyday life.
Then we go straight to the hard stuff: an acquisition that doubles their footprint, COVID-19 crashing into retail, PPP arriving at the right moment, and a tornado damaging a key store. The takeaway is resilience, but also humility, process, and community responsibility. We also connect Gearhead’s story to downtown revitalization, quality of life, and talent retention, including the importance of Arkansas State University as a workforce pipeline and an anchor for Northeast Arkansas.
If you care about entrepreneurship, small business growth, outdoor retail, leadership, or building a town people want to stay in, hit play. Subscribe, share this with someone building something, and leave a review with the biggest lesson you’re taking from the conversation. @Arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.
00:00 - The Unpolished Reality of Starting Up
02:15 - Selling From the Living Room: Early Days
05:40 - Scaling From 700 Square Feet to Multi-State Retail
08:55 - Better on Purpose: Rejecting Growth at All Costs
11:30 - Shifting Leadership: From All-Gas to Documented Systems
14:20 - Blending Strengths: Partnering in Business and Life
17:05 - Redefining Outdoor Lifestyle for Everyday People
19:50 - Doubling the Footprint: The Acquisition Reality
22:40 - Navigating the Storms: COVID, PPP, and Tornados
25:15 - Revitalizing Downtown and Keeping Talent Local
28:10 - The Arkansas State University Workforce Pipeline
Welcome And Meet Gearhead Founders
SPEAKER_03Hello and welcome. I'm Todd Shields, Chancellor here at Arkansas State University. And today we are so proud to have Ted and Amanda Hergett here, the heads and owners and founders of Gearhead Outfitters. Thank you both so much for being here today. Really excited. Not only are they such successful people, but they welcomed us here to Jonesboro with open arms and friends and supporters. Thank you all so much. Really glad you're here and thanks for everything, really, honestly. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00We're glad you guys are here.
SPEAKER_03We are too. Brush to breath breath of fresh air. Sorry.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Uncut.
SPEAKER_03They can make it sound. You can make it make you sound beautiful. That's all good.
Gearhead Starts With Ski Town Energy
SPEAKER_03So why don't we just start a little bit at the beginning? Let's talk a little bit about the origin story of Gearhead Outfitters. And where you started, and then when Amanda came along and then she became a co-owner.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, man. I think it it's more just like the ideology is what it, I mean, I think it'd be building for years. I mean, it and yeah. And I really man, I think it's just like the the time in Colorado and hanging out with those folks is really what just so after you after you left here, you went to Colorado. No, I I was a freshman for four years. So it took me a I love it, failure to launch. It took me a little bit to get out of the get my skis rolling. But so I took a semester off and went out there, yeah, did a ski um just the winter of um the winter of 93. And um tapped out after my mom passed and went out to try to get my head straight. And I kind of did. It's just the it there's just is that what brought you back here? Um what brought me back is just home. Yeah. Right. It's just Jones Rose Home. Yeah, you know, and I needed to get my education and there really wasn't other sh I guess there's other places, but I just this was this is home, so I came back here and leaned back into ASU and finished the degree. And during the degree is whenever I worked at another store and kind of learned there was a market here. But I mean nothing nothing trumps the feeling of just the the like I said, I mean I always say the mountain lifestyle and right and it's just people walking and talking and right. I mean, it's just face-to-face type of conversation. So it's like we're just it was just a neat, it's just a neat moment in my life, you know, and I and it's like how do we bring this and harness so did you start with a store front? Did you start in yeah, you were out the real story is like, I mean, you know, it it's got legs. I mean, so I can kind of go with whatever everybody and whatever the urban legend is, but it actually started Well, you're here to tell the real truth. What yeah, it started in a friend of mine's living room. I mean, and and it was not on Flint Street, but it was around the corner on Jefferson and it the store we worked for, both of us worked for, went out of business, and but my friends kept asking for bike racks and bikes and all this stuff. So and I made a lot of friends with reps and things like that. So I just stayed in you were an athlete, endurance athlete then already. Yeah, not really. Okay. No, that was that came a little bit later. Okay, all right. My troubles built in my head. I just I ran further and further. Nice, I like that. And then so yeah, the more complicated life got the more flipped out. So um so that's just where it's it just started there, like putting bike racks on in the back of this guy's in the in the yard, and right, and then graduated and took the job with Arthur and took the job with Deloitte, sorry. Did you really? I didn't know this. Yeah. Got an accounting degree, graduated in December, and they said start January 4th or September. So I was like, I want to be a kid. Like I was working at Hydrol, night shift, and man working five jobs, and I was like, I'm gonna punt until September. I had a $10,000 sign and bonus. And I found this little spot that so as I graduated, accepted the job, and then you know, like two days later, I ran past the little score on Flint Street, and it was $300 a month. I'm like nine months, $2,700. You know, yeah, I'll get that $10,000 back if this thing doesn't work out in September and move to Arizona and back to I guess Dallas is where I was gonna work, Dallas and Little Packin. So did you ever go or did you No, man, come August there? They were like, What you know, they're trying to onboard me and yeah, I think this is and Finn and I was was my buddy that helped me when we got started. And so that's Finn was one of the original guys with me or was the original guy. And there's a great story of my we tried to bring Clay Young in. We're gonna sell him a third of it for four thousand bucks, you know. And Clay's like, I just don't want to the money to mess up our friendship. Thank God we didn't do that. That would have been a train wreck. But anyway, you know, I bought Finn out in in that in that August of um 97, and they just really never looked back. So that did Amanda come on at that time.
A Store Love Story Begins
SPEAKER_04She I met her. You want to tell us how we met?
SPEAKER_00So we actually met in Gearhead. You did the street. We did.
SPEAKER_03So in a love story. Yeah. I love it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So it was 2001 in December, and a friend of mine was going into Gearhead to buy marals for her husband for Christmas.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_00And I'd never been in there. My brothers had been in because they skateboarded and loved to go in there. And Ted was always so cool and really fun to go talk to. But I went in and he kept talking to me and asking me questions. And I'm thinking, I'm not in here shopping, I'm just with my friend. But he asked me about 50 questions and turned out we had a lot of mutual friends and a lot of things in common. And so I left there after my friend bought her Merrills and he called one of our mutual friends and said, Hey, hook me up. Or I think that's what happened.
SPEAKER_04That store was over 700 square feet and it was packed with stuff. And so you could just see her head bopping around, just big smile.
SPEAKER_03And we're going, Man, she seemed like you're like, I'm yeah, like I'm calling her, huh? Yeah, like immediately. I don't think that caring pulled out of the driveway yet or the parking. So did you join the business immediately?
SPEAKER_00No. So I came here to A State, graduated with an education degree. So I was a fifth grade teacher at the time. So I happened to be off on Christmas break. Okay. Um, which is also when we married just like a year later on Christmas break as well. Because that was off. Yeah. So I taught fifth grade um here in Jonesboro and did that until we had our son in 2004. And I stayed home just for a minute with him. And I I couldn't do that. I I had cabin fever. Um, and we lived above our store on Main Street.
SPEAKER_02Okay. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So I would go down and work in the store a little bit. And and I'd do that on the weekends too when I was teaching school. I'd work on the weekends some or when I'd get off, you know, in the afternoons. But um, I don't know. I just decided I wanted to go back to work, but I didn't want to go back to teaching full time because I wanted to be close to Ted and Harrison. And so Ted said, you know, I could use a female buyer or just female energy in the store. And so I started working on the floor and started buying a little bit.
SPEAKER_03And just kind of expanded your inventory.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So I mean, we we started bringing in more women's clothing because it was pretty masculine for the most part. I mean, he had some women's shoes and some women's tops, but it was more bike and outdoor.
SPEAKER_03She brought the women's touch. I love it. I love it. It's fantastic.
SPEAKER_00So that was like 2005, I think.
SPEAKER_03Okay, so you came on in 2005.
Awards Without The Executive Ego
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So last fall, I was there when you all were awarded the 2025 executives, co-executives of the year for private business here, which was great for Gearhead, great for you, great for Jonesboro too. When you guys were say 2005, did you ever imagine something like that?
SPEAKER_00Oh, no, not at all. We still don't. And we don't consider ourselves executives at all. But it's an honor. It's absolutely a huge honor.
SPEAKER_04It is. That was a neat, you know. I think that what they put on down there is such a great showcase for kind of what's going on. And it's it it afterwards, I was like, I just I hate to sound like because I'm not the participate the participation type of guy, but I'm like everybody in there. I mean, just just to be nominated it in that forum was was such an honor. You know, and I mean, I it like them going through you, the fact that you didn't win means smelled it, and it wasn't wasn't good.
SPEAKER_03Like you I was so glad that you guys did you had the 100% had all the absolutely earned earned that is all just everybody in there earned that recognition.
SPEAKER_04Sure. That needs to be that needs to be what that's absolutely dealing with. Yeah, because it really showcases Arkansas and what goes on around the state. It really matters like, wow, listen to everybody's stories, testimonials. Absolutely. We just need to sit here and do this once a year. It doesn't need to be a win. Look, I mean, because it's like I right am I gonna do with another plaque?
SPEAKER_03I mean, you like oh please tell us we've got that hanging up in a store someplace, please.
SPEAKER_00It it is in our offices, yes.
SPEAKER_03It is, it's on a shelf and it's good.
SPEAKER_00And I have a picture hanging on the wall of all of our employees that were with us. That's great.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I love it. It was great. It was great seeing you and your crew. I mean, I it it was great seeing all there was some talent from Jonesboro. There's some talent. Yes, the state's full of talent, yeah. It really is. Just something the water. I love it. You know, I just that was a great chapeau to you, man. You were there, you you won it. You won the whole thing.
SPEAKER_03I was so excited to.
SPEAKER_04They cut it short because we're gonna have a grand poop award.
SPEAKER_03It was you anyway.
SPEAKER_00It was pretty funny because uh one of our managers, our little rock manager, his daughter works for Arkansas Business.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And right before it started, he got just a little tip that maybe we need to prepare a speech because Ted and I didn't go with the speech prepared at all.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And so I can't I can't imagine Ted preparing the speech at all.
SPEAKER_00Well, he'd give an amazing one, but yeah, but I have a whole, you know, I always have I would be too, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Right, exactly. That's the teacher in us.
SPEAKER_00It is a hundred percent. I've got to have my lesson plan and what I'm gonna say and what yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_04Just freestyle. Yeah, I know. I was expletives. Like, just like wow, enough expletives, people will just kind of forget that we just throw it right out of the gate.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but Ted looked at me and he's like, Um, did you write anything? Do we have anything? Do we need to write?
SPEAKER_04And I said I kind of did, and she has a I love it. Which one do you love? I love it.
SPEAKER_03That's great.
SPEAKER_00Well, I wanted to be prepared, but yeah, he didn't like I loved it. And then they called our name, and uh of course it was so exciting and such an It was awesome.
SPEAKER_03I mean, I was saying it wouldn't like the lose, but I was I was hearing the loudest.
SPEAKER_04I was I was fantastic. Everybody in there won, that's the thing. That that was not the black doesn't make anything, it was just being honored and that around those people was
Why Downtown Jonesboro Made Sense
SPEAKER_04incredible.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so let me talk a little bit about Jonesboro. So you're you're starting a business really even in the downtown area before anybody else is doing it, other people choosing other locations, but you believed in Jonesboro, you believed in the downtown. Tell me a little bit about that. Was that conscious? Was it subconscious? Was it something that you really thought through? Like, I really want to be in Jonesboro, might have been strategic, but then the downtown area, because you've done so much for the quality of life and revitalization of that. I mean, we need to wouldn't have the downtown Main Street we have now.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, you know, again, back to like Clay was very instrumental in that casting that vision. Um, but it really boiled down to economics. Yeah. You know, going from a 700 square foot store, you know, I did man, I didn't have any money, you know, and and you could buy what was a 5,000, 7,000 foot building for a hundred grand. Right, you know, and you just and again, we lived above it for close to 15 years. I mean, it was just it was really the only place in town we could afford to go. And again, we went from $300 a month rent to $1,500. But the $1,500 included our house, included everything. I mean, it just it was the only place economically we could like do it and continue to do it like out of pocket. You know, it's like we didn't borrow any money, so we were just kind of cash flowing our way out of this thing. Right. And um but you know, the the the Main Street, you know, back then it was like Wallace Fowler and these guys, they they had a plan with with Main Street, and they they did a like a when they revitalized Maine. I mean it was it was before your time, but yeah, they did a significant capital investment down there, and so to try to spur it, it was back when the Main Street America stuff was going on.
SPEAKER_03I didn't really know that. That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's pretty cool. Yeah, that's really cool. So they they laid the yeah, the foundation with the planners and like kind of what you see Main Street today, right? Um but it spurred a lot of economic, you know, it just what came out of it, activity, you know. So we just you know, Clay bought pretty much every building. I mean, I bought a few of them, but we would placemate it, we would buy it and then hold it, try to find the bright person to buy it from us. It wasn't right, so we kind of curated our way, and Clay had enough by the time. Thank you for doing that. Well, I think Clay, I mean I was the heartbeat, you know, and Dan came in with brick house, things like that. I mean, I kind of we we just slowly, you know, it's taken 25 years to be an overnight success. But it's beautiful now. And we finally got a one-lane, and it's like finally the traffic's slowing down and people are fantastic. It's really cool. It's so proud of it. It's like picturesque, you know, it's like a magazine cover. Well, and that's what started was downtown Breckenridge. So we work downtown Breckenridge. He just and I can remember standing with him at the corner at Washington looking north, and he's like, This reminds me of Breck. I'm like, does it like Breck? But it's the symmetry. You started looking at the balance and right, yeah. That's really cool. That's awesome. But it's timeless.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's it's you all have done so much for Jonesboro. I mean, your idea of a I guess they call it an Instagram wall, is that right? I mean, that you all put together selfie wall.
SPEAKER_00Selfie, yeah.
SPEAKER_03See, I don't even really know.
SPEAKER_00Well, your wife helped me, she was also the brainchild. You all do both of us.
SPEAKER_03I mean, I I remember when you were telling me, and my wife was telling me, and I'm like, what is it? Right. And then, oh man, the students and the recruits, they you can't get them away from that thing now.
SPEAKER_00You know, it's something he and I have said a lot. It we're not reinventing the wheel. I mean, when you see a great idea, right, just duplicate it. So there was or there is a wall like that in Fayetteville, and it's not for their university, but it's for a boutique. Interesting.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_00There's always girls going there and taking pictures and senior pictures. Like why would we not have that here? And the school pride and and trying to pick out the colors for that wall. I think Karen and I went to Sherwin Williams about 18 times, trying to get it right, get the right red, get the right gray.
SPEAKER_03Maybe when you'd ask me, do you see the difference between these two colors? And I'd go, No, I didn't see it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and it was crazy. We'd we'd take pictures in the shadow, in the sun. I mean, sometimes they look blue, sometimes they'd look it anyway. It was a lot of fun. It was a great project. And I love seeing the Instagram post now.
SPEAKER_03Thanks for doing that, Dave. Absolutely. Constantly do use of that. It's constantly in use.
SPEAKER_00Good.
SPEAKER_03It's fantastic. Yeah. And thanks for what you've been doing downtown, too. It's fantastic what you've done there as well.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. When I was at Arkansas State, it was a ghost town. It was boarded up. Uh-huh. There, I mean, it was not dangerous, but sketchy a little to go down there. And my freshman year in college, we had um, I was a s in a sorority here and we had our pledge party downtown at somebody's apartment. And I remember my parents saying, Oh, I don't know if that's safe for you to be down there, but it's just come so far since we've been down there. And and we have never had an issue. I mean, we absolutely felt safer on Main Street than we ever did anywhere else, really. Fantastic. Yeah. It's the heartbeat of the city, really.
SPEAKER_03So let me let me shift gears a little bit and talk
Visionary Plus Executor As A Team
SPEAKER_03about you two. I mean, you two are business partners and have a family too, and you know, that you don't see that a lot. How do you divvy up responsibilities and how do you manage the business with the family and all of that? I mean, is that something that just happens organically or is that something you're really strategic about?
SPEAKER_04I think it's just organically in the sense that I'm I break stuff and she's good at putting it back together. That's just a that's her my mantra is I just kick the door and smash everything and I realize I'm doing it while I'm doing it.
SPEAKER_00That's not it's not true. Ted's the visionary, a hundred percent. He has that's well, you have the ideas and you see the big picture that I can't see, but he throws an idea out there and I can figure out how to execute it. So I think that's where it's worked so well for us to work together. But I mean, it's not always easy either, because I can be very vocal and a little too transparent at times. I mean, I've had a few little nudges under a table before when I've said too much in an admin meeting or like real, you know, real function.
SPEAKER_03You guys can work together so well in that way, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Well, we do Street Finder with our entire admin and management team. Okay. And so that was even eye-opening for us as a couple to see, which I know Ted's strengths and he knows mine, but to actually see it in writing, like these are the strengths that you have, which again, all of Ted's are execution and influencer and and that type.
SPEAKER_04Where's in like harmony and la la la. I mean, it's just like wow.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm like Mr. Rogers, and he's yeah.
SPEAKER_04I can see the buckets don't overlap at all.
SPEAKER_00Not at all.
SPEAKER_04But they compliment, they can totally compliment.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it really does. It really does. And you do it, you do it better than anybody, you know. She's an ace. Absolutely. An ace. Yeah, absolutely. Well, let's talk a little bit about the family.
Raising Kids Inside The Business
SPEAKER_03You know, and you say you've been living up there above the bike shop and everything. How do you bring the family into the business? And is that something that you've wanted to have happen or something that you're thinking about, or you're just saying whatever y'all want to do?
SPEAKER_00I mean, again, that's organically as well. I mean, since we did live up, live above the store. So our son and daughter, both from the time they were born, were down in the store. Wow. And Harrison would be three, four years old in the store, and we're like, pick up trash, go zip a jacket. You know, and it just became second nature to them to go down there. And they don't understand why you're making me zip jackets up. But for us, the store is a presentation, it's a first impression when people walk in. And so it's trying to teach them that those things are important.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Um, when our son was finally old enough, he was 14, and he really wanted to work in the store. Um, but he wanted to be paid, which we didn't pay him. It's like, I'm sorry, you're not of age.
SPEAKER_03My dad, two kids.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But he worked on the floor, and he wasn't real excited about that. I mean, he didn't know how to go and approach someone for the first time. And he stood right next to me, kind of my shadow. And wow, I finally was just said, Harrison, you're gonna have to I can't even picture Harrison. No, because he's so open and yeah.
SPEAKER_03He taught him some great skills.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, he's learned a lot in the store, honestly. But I I finally just said, just go up and just say, How are you today?
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Can I grab that shoe for you? You know, don't ever say, Can I help you? Because they're immediately gonna say, No, I'm just looking, you know, but you have to, and Ted and I learned that from our employee, Heath, uh, who's incredible customer service, but he taught us that a long time ago. So we've tried to instill those things in our kids. Right. Harrison did eventually start getting a paycheck minimum wage when he was 16 and could drive himself to work. And he worked in the store for a bit and then he decided he wanted to be off the floor, the sales floor. So he started working at our distribution center.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And he loved that. He absolutely loved supply chain, loved being kind of behind the scenes and did a lot of that processing, started taking over warranties. Um and then eventually he's like, you know, I just want to do my own thing. So as far as a succession plan, I mean, we don't know if he will do his own thing. If I mean, and who knows with our daughter, she's 14 and she has no interest in work at all.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00No, she's she's great, but she just doesn't quite have the work ethic yet that we she needs to get to.
SPEAKER_03That's great. Well, but yeah, I don't know.
Getting Better Not Just Bigger
SPEAKER_03Let's go back to you being the vision guy. So now you have how many stores and how many states?
SPEAKER_04I gotta look at the paper on that. I mean, if that's fluctuating. I mean, we're we're sure steady over 20. You know, we're trying to we just you know, we're in a the mode we're in right now, it's like get get better, not bigger. So we're really working on yeah, and we'll probably open five, six, seven next year. Um but today, I mean, we're just like getting ready to we're loading the gun. Right. Get them in just the back end, our efficiency side is what we I mean, as you grow fast, you lose efficiencies, you know, right. Which is just normal. And so now we've kind of we're quick just close stores that aren't performing.
SPEAKER_03And anyway, we're just we're constantly looking at new markets and well I kinda I feel like you've got to be in lots of states because I wear gearhead outfitter places. Everybody knows where it is wherever I go. Seven I mean it's like I think seven states. Is that right? That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_04So congratulations. It's hard to think about I don't think about it. You know just right phone rings and take it. You know you go high five everybody. I mean it's just hard to yeah it's hard to visualize that.
SPEAKER_00If it were up to us we'd just have the one store on Main Street. That's great. Live above it. That's yeah. But a really cool story recently I went to Chicago to um visit stores but also to see our son's girlfriend was in her first show in Chicago.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And my friend that was with me, she and I went into this brewery and sat down, had a bite to eat and the guy comes up and he knew about gearhead outfitters. He was wearing a belt from the store. That's great. And we were several blocks from the store and I just thought that was really cool to see that.
SPEAKER_03I mean he didn't know me I see it everywhere now you know it was everywhere before but now I really see it looking for it.
SPEAKER_04It's just all ASU keeps pumping out badass kids. I mean we hire them and they're working in Colorado and working all around. I mean it's pretty I think we just grew from the staff. I mean we didn't it wasn't our goal to grow it just we kept hiring talented kids that would graduate like I don't want to go to work I want to stay here. So that's how that's how we started rolling stores out more or less just to keep up with the pipeline of talent we had is that right that's interesting.
SPEAKER_03Wow yeah so do you look for students who are have that outdoor kind of lifestyle already or are you looking for a different type of talent or how do you go about that?
SPEAKER_04Man it's generally we always it's like hire the attitude frame the skill you know and it it man in that in our business I mean the outdoor lifestyles man it comes in many shapes and sizes. I mean it's very true right I mean being outside is like walking your dog or it's not climbing mountain I mean that it that's the biggest issue you know thing to hurdle to come over. You know is people always talk about that I don't climb mountains out there's nothing I can buy in your store I'm like you go and drink beer in the afternoon like yeah you can put some comfortable pants and nice shoes and right yeah dude I gotcha like being outside is just being outside it doesn't matter what you're doing. So I mean that's one of those things stereotypes you know we've been slowly growing out of the last choice. But we have I mean we've we've we've found it we've found a good lane and and we're just trying to be the best in it. So that's great.
SPEAKER_03Well thanks for hiring A state students too I mean you know we're we're so proud thankful for that and students are and they love the career they love the culture there. And you know I know that I've meet students and say that's where they want to go work and I'm like yeah that's a great place.
SPEAKER_02Not bad.
SPEAKER_04I mean I'm not gonna say lifers I don't want to get ahead of myself but people have been with us for 10 15 20 years and it's it's a really cool I couldn't imagine do anything else. Yeah. I mean maybe being the chancellor can do something like that.
SPEAKER_03He could do that you do that better. I need your advice yeah be careful what you ask for I know well you know I'm always open for that I've got a lot of especially you I've solved a lot of riddles in my life I know you have you really have yeah that's awesome so tell me a little bit about I know when I went one of our initial conversations you were telling me about you know I don't know 20 2007 or 2017 Ted Hergett's working 90 hours a week and then kind of went through some
Systems That Replace 90 Hour Weeks
SPEAKER_03consulting and some advising and said okay we're gonna change this up tell me a little bit about that transition.
SPEAKER_04Well it it I think it's really what's going on across like like a lot of businesses um right now I mean you've got the old guard yeah and you see you see it and you're like I mean I think you and I are the bridge between the old guys I mean the old like old school guys and then this new age of of of leaders you know and how their perception of leading how they want to lead and and so yeah like I our thing is if the doors were open we were there. Right. Yeah we'd work 60 70 hours a week I mean whatever like it just I mean to mind there wasn't a work-life balance it was just all gas like no brakes just all the time yeah that that just and it's Ted hurrier right there but it's all gas really interesting no brakes I love it you know and it it it's a hard because it's just like you can't but that's the concept like you know when you're when you're young it's like man you got to stay busy I mean it's like it wasn't it was quantity not quality and I think that's the hard thing to learn as a as a leader I guess or whatever I am or just as a human I mean I like my wheels this yeah we we hired a guy um who moved back to Jonesboro is chasing a a pole vault a girl that was in the training for the Pan Am games okay and going to issue like in like grad school training girl bell and everything here and this cat came out of San Antonio like company called Rackspace and he was he was kind of the he was like number seven um of the hired you know in sense he had like 1000 employees but wow his whole thing was he was the service strategy guru and so he retired came here and you know I just we started riding bikes together and yeah and man he just started he's like look I can help you like hire me so I you know I hired the guy came in and and man we're a tight group I mean like our admin team is man you move we move I mean it's like it's yeah left hand talk to the right we're very symbiotic and and it's and it's all action based you know but and he came in and kind of stirred it up and set the can I mean started a lot but ultimately it was what we needed it was it was again it's back to like quality you know it's like man you're gonna work five days a week and the hell we're not no we're working no it's seven seven days like I don't but it it you know and he and he led this you know like sending pictures at the beach and all this stuff my guy's like what the hell he's on the beach like I'm like guys like I don't but it was a breakthrough I mean it was Christmas Eve you know and like and they're at the coffee shop and places something and I lit him up flipped out like throwing trash cans and imagine that with me I can't imagine it I came I came unglued and I lost my temper and man like but it it it was man what an epiphany right you know and and I'm the I'm the the the asshole I'm the idiot like and this guy just and he was right at the end of the day he was right you know and and it's really like putting in we just we we we really worked hard from that moment on and he helped us a little bit before he quit I think he quit then but we were we were already in the we were in motion to do like really cool things with service strategy we basically started writing down and doing policies and precedences and before that we were just Heath was on the floor I was on the floor we knew what was going on right but when you're trying to delegate the service strategy delegate you know our expectations right oh it it's it's really hard but sure but we ended up you know I mean taking the like the like the person I would have wanted to fire the first person I mean like if I could fire one person it was a really simple person not going to say her name but she ended she became the most invaluable person we had like just really yeah she ended up writing everything it's just really cool and it came around that stringfighter okay book and it was just trying to then put everybody in their lane you know the where they shine where they can succeed she was able to get everything out of our brains and put it on paper and that's what we still train people with today. Oh that's great. It's more or less you know like the golden rule but it's like man I mean with documents she like it that's great. But that was it but I think that's the the point a lot of these older leaders and it's my um my buddy John Ferner that's got CEO of Walmart. Right. And he and I got to talk like before he was CEO of Sam's and it's kind of the same it's like Ted I'm not doing this for for my corner office and tag. I don't care my it's anything I mean he's fast tracking to be CEO but he's like I want to be in the pit with my team. Yeah right he wants to be with the young guys that are actually doing stuff instead of the old guys that are sitting there waiting they just want a promotion and get their they want a corner office and wear their suit every day no offense.
SPEAKER_03You know like Yeah I'm in a suit today I was going to wear my dear head outfit or something like that if you watch him like you watch John go around I mean he does he he's not wearing a big suit stuff like that.
SPEAKER_04He's right laid back and it's more it's like team driven you know it's like it's ground up it's like when when shit came and talked I mean what a neat story about Tom building that company wasn't it yes but that's the groundswell of like I work people say God look what you've done. It's like I haven't done anything I mean I've set these kids up to win and they're winning. You know it's not me it's just it's all the people in the last 29 years that have really molded this business into what it's become today. It's not my like yeah I can cast a vision but I'll run I mean once it's going I'm like I'm out but we but learned a lot cool but but learning that steel and learning stuff to the to this day I mean we learn every day most of it's from the ground right it's from our it's from the team right pushing ideas our way absolutely yes thank you. Yeah yeah I relate to that's it's the best yeah when somebody comes to you and says I got an idea right old school guys like well just keep it to yourself you know like I'm like please God let's try it yeah right you know if you fail you fail if you ain't but they take so much ownership when somebody takes their opinion you know so right I think that's what's neat sitting that class that you have like that watching these kids and their ideas I mean that's thank you both for joining that class too like I loved it great job what a what an amazing group of people and everybody it's they are has a hard time with this generation guys yeah they're smart when I hear that I'm like you have not spent time they have not they haven't you know I'm grateful to be able to sit there like being able to sit that night in the class right I was intimidated like and I got a job that is there they're amazing they're staring the rest of their life down the pipe and I'm going they're so far ahead of where I was when I was there oh my gosh. 100% like what a just what a gift for me. I mean I was gonna I made it made it up but I was like I got something to shake at 3 30 I got to go and at 4 30 I didn't want to leave yeah what a neat anyway yeah he's made but it's just like when you learn from these both of you I mean everybody that says they've got it figured out I'm like run. Yeah I just think that's again back to that old school mentality which we still have a lot of that around here I'm like going guys y'all gotta like let the masses like just yeah yeah ignite them and listen to what they have to say and they got great ideas. They do yeah they don't always know how to get to the finish line but you at least get them yeah get them narrow it down to two or three yeah lanes that they can go that's down so it's
Women Leaders By Talent Not Quotas
SPEAKER_04awesome.
SPEAKER_03So Amanda I've heard you talk about like half or a lot of your administrative staff and people are women and is that something that you've really kind of pushed or has that happened organically? Is that something that you're thinking about doing I mean I think it's unique that company and I think it's wonderful but is that something that you've thought through that you need to have it to represent your customer base or is that something again it happened because you're looking for the talent?
SPEAKER_00It was never something that was planned. Ted has always been a huge proponent of anyone that has ideas or has you know the work ethic it doesn't matter their gender but he's always said women could run the world if they were allowed and he's empowered me in so many ways to be able to stand for things I believe in. And again back to these strength finders putting people where they belong.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And yeah so much of our admin and management team are women but it's not because we need female representation it's just it really doesn't matter the gender to us it's who is willing and ready to take that step and uh you know one of our female leaders she started with us at 19 years old a student at Arkansas State in the business department she was sales associate hired by her now husband um but at the time he was the manager.
SPEAKER_03Methodism telling you man it's a store that's we do have a lot of gearhead love stories.
SPEAKER_00It's pretty it's pretty cool you two started it off right that's right yeah that's right we I think there's probably six seven eight I don't know six or seven married couples but yeah so um Meg was hired by Heath as a sales associate and they weren't dating at the time but eventually you know she worked her way into management of our downtown store. She started going to market with us started helping me buy and she and I did that together for a bit and then eventually I aged out of that I realized probably my 30s like it's time for me to step down from buying and put my focus on a different area. So Meg took over as female women's buyer right and now she runs our entire supply chain she's the head of distribution all inventory control she's the head of the buying team she's got I think five buyers that work with her and in different categories. So it's a really cool success story. But again it's not because we ever intentionally put women in certain places it just kind of happen organically I would say right that's really awesome.
SPEAKER_03Now when you were talking in class you were talking about how there'd been ups and downs and COVID hit you all really hard.
Acquisition, COVID, PPP, And Tornado
SPEAKER_03How did you manage to do that? I mean how did maybe you know tell me a little bit how it hit you because I mean see retail store like COVID hits and you're like what do we do now?
SPEAKER_04Well pre-COVID what what got us in that bind pre-COVID we went and bought we doubled our footprint right through an acquisition through Camping World. And so that was in August I mean pre-COVID you know and um so when you go from 150 employees to 330 employees from 13 to 27 stores I mean it just it was exciting times. Sure super exciting um until it wasn't you know I mean once that thing hit and man we had you know we were really exposed in Chicago really a lot of these marks to were really affected by the pandemic. Right. Um so we were I mean just leverage to the nines you know just capital I mean all our cash was in play I mean lines of credit pretty much I mean maxed out you know so it it I mean two good things happen out of it. I mean we had so much inventory going in into it. I mean we were hiring bankruptcy attorneys we were like man well this is this is zit like there's no we were just burning so much cash I mean it just the math didn't add up but you were able to keep like three or four stores open and yeah that year man I think I worked 362 days. Like it it's just a it's maddening. I mean the PPP came in and saved us like with my friend Davy you know sitting around getting the do you know we stayed real connected during sure COVID right um when everybody else sheltered me we kind of leaned in and but you know when that PPP came out like it was man I was the first application Centennial put in and I was the first guy to get I mean I think Davy did it because I would have a lot of money so I think he was doing it to to I was getting he was doing it as a friend but that came in and saved us like it really that that money came in at not a not a day the early like sooner. It was perfect. Like we're able to get things going and during COVID you know that's when the the tornado came through Jonesboro and wiped out right that was our number one store you know two hits. Oh that had like 800 grand in inventory and the insurance covered 300 it was and my team was just like and have to come up with all the data and all the receipts it was just a it was such a hard year for everybody. Right. You know and well I say that except for I mean we furloughed like 300 that got to sit at home and had a good I mean I'm not saying it was easy on them but man we were just pulling our hair out and running our head against bricks walls trying to figure out how to get the thing afloat yeah and then you know an outdoor caught a big you know I mean with everybody being outside it just you know we held on and then man had the biggest year to date or yeah I mean we've we've had bigger years since but it's just man coming out of the acquisition we got kind of efficient you know and coming out of COVID you know we ended up with like a 270 employees and um so really came out efficient and man it and a going concern. So you know we were able to live to fight another day and I mean it was it's hard. Right. I mean I've never I'll never be the same. I mean that yeah was an absolute I can I can I it wasn't just a beat down on top of yeah just in the layers of just when you're pinned yeah we were just pinned anyway it was just a challenging time for everybody. For everybody yeah and everybody was scared everybody reacted their their way so I don't blame anybody it was just we didn't have a choice but to keep plugging we were just walking towards the fire like every day. Right. That's when the all gas no brakes can take oh man I mean it was you need breaks when it's slow. Yeah I mean woof but yeah it's it's good and you look you learn good you just again it kind of recenters you and and we got better coming out of it. I bet I bet you know it doesn't kill you makes you stronger makes us stronger it did everything it could to try to kill us. Well I'm so glad that it did it I just couldn't you know like failing I mean is I just can't I didn't want to fail the city it's like so many people have been we're such a part of so many people's lives and it's like man the weight of that true really true. I can't fail y'all I mean y'all believed in us for 20 years. Like I you know I can't quit because it's tough like no I'm gonna I'm gonna keep pushing because you believed in me. I mean that's kind of the I mean that's kind of what the what fires you and what keeps the fire in your belly so I
Outdoor Amenities Keep Talent Home
SPEAKER_04love it.
SPEAKER_03Well you know you all are really you know you're selling you know this outdoor lifestyle whether you know and it's a range right from I'm outside mowing and I'm outside having a beer I'm outside not climbing a mountain or biking through Mexico right I mean you know whatever it is that you're doing right um it's a to me it's kind of like what we're trying to do at a state that we're we're we're saying this is a quality of life that we need to have and that we need to have bike trails on campus. We need things to do outside for students and that kind of thing too. How how important do you think that that is for Jonesboro as just even a city and a region to retain and to get talent here that is the new I mean now it's retention.
SPEAKER_04I mean it's not attraction it's retention. Yeah and we that is the new economic development I mean that's that's what all the kids look at today. And right again we've we're kind of an incubator right for a lot of talent. I mean we've hired a bunch of students three years and talented students engineer like all the kids from all the different colleges and you know and they'll move somewhere right I'm not gonna say one obvious place but it doesn't matter but they'll move to a town somewhere yeah and it's just because of the amenities the town has you know and and we just have to break out of this cycle that it's you know that we're okay. I mean Jonesboro just look I love it it's home it's it's and I'm here because I love it and I love because it's a value. It's a great spot and I love geographically we're replaced. I mean I love having the the university in our backyard that just pumps all this like continues to pump this great caliber of of of kids coming through here. But it's you've got to start listening to them. Yes it's not hard right that's what every you know that people look at me like I'm a wing nut and I'm going I I just ask the kids what they want. Right. They're telling you just right do what they're telling you and it's simple. Yeah but the bike link that all that stuff's basic. I mean yeah it's people go to the beach now they're like oh I wish we could do that in Jonesboro I'm like we can yeah we had people that understood the economics of it it's not a sinkhole it's it's an amenity I mean your ROI and you know Waldens have made so much stu studies on that where it's you're getting it's 50 70 80% return year on year on your cash. Right. You know I'm like who wouldn't make that investment right but here everybody they they it's they got a mental block on what right no man it's like you're building this for the next generation you know and it it's this people talk about like in church like if you don't have babies crying in the nursery then your church is dying. Yeah you know and right that's what we've got to look at here I'm like on that's so important. It's like build the nursery add on like building it's like they can do it in their church but they know how to apply that to their right community. You know or when you travel and oh I love going to Rosemary because I can ride my bike restaurant to restaurant I'm going I mean you can do it in Little Rock and do it in Memphis. I mean all these towns I mean I think Memphis would be such a like multimodal I mean it's really cool what what Memphis has done with their transportation. Right. I mean and we're still just stuck like going hey guys but you'll lose talent there I mean I love Memphis I mean I it's it's just not that difficult. Right. Right they're telling you I mean your students are telling you what they want. Yeah you just have to learn to give it to them. It's not stupid it's not dumb it's not it's like it's real. Right.
SPEAKER_03Right. Well so I'm gonna ask you a question about your visions and In your operations. You know, so we do a lot together in terms of even, you know, just selfie walls to pipelines of workforce, right? What would you like to see A State do more of? So would help Jonesboro, would help Gearhead Outfitters, would help our students.
Internships And Real World Expectations
SPEAKER_00I mean, honestly, I love where A State is right now. We continue to grow. And I think that's important. It's just bringing these students in and showing them and recruiting them to our campus, um, back to the amenities that we need in our town. I mean, the more of that that we have, we're going to keep them here and keep them engaged. I think A State has incredible opportunities. I mean, with the vet school and the med school. And I mean, I'm from the education department, which has always been top-notch, the nursing program, the business department. I mean, you have so many, so many great things here. Um, I think we see a lot of kids coming out of college, not just a state, but with unrealistic expectations of what the real world is going to look like and how much they're going to get paid after. And I think just making sure that professors are are current with their knowledge of what life is like outside of what the books say you should make. I think that's important. Um what you've done in your entrepreneurial class, I think a lot of other professors should look into that because you're bringing real life workers and CEOs and business owners, and the students get to ask questions. And so I think that that's important too. Um, as an educator myself, you tend to get boxed in to whatever the books say you have to teach. Right. And not always looking outside of that. Right. Um, so I think just really using the community and getting familiar with, you know, what's available for the students is important.
SPEAKER_03I think that's super important, making sure that the community's involved on the campus, the campus is involved very much with the community, and then that making sure that the students are involved too. That way they do get some expert experiences that are outside the classroom because they do learn so much outside as much as inside, you know.
SPEAKER_04Well, that's what I think of like the education side of these kids have the the access to all the data. I mean, they know the professor can't pull one over on them. I mean, they've got the kids already know the answer. It's just how do they apply right said answer? You know, and I think that's what we've used interns. I mean, it's interesting. Like right now, it's like everybody's kids, like what your kids do in the summer. Oh, they have an internship. They have an internship. You know, I think those are I think those are good, I think those are great segues of like if you if you're a sophomore coming out, like at least I mean, I think having work, I mean any type of work, like history or or having a job while you're in college is a big deal. Because it really it's humbling. And I think as me as an employer, that when I got when I kind of got rushed, you know, through all the accounting farms, right? That's they're like, how do you do it? I'm like, how do I do what? Like you work at Hytrol, you've got this geared outfitters thing online, you've got state farm insurance, you're cleaning pools. I'm like, man, because I have to. Like, what do you mean? But I, you know, it's because I had to put myself through school, sure, you know, pay for everything. But I think like having intern, having real world just interactionaries or expert or experience is such an integral piece that you hear from that.
SPEAKER_03We hear from the students all the time. I've got to get experience to get a job, I've got to get a job to get experience. I'm like, we got to make sure that everybody has that experience, whether it's on campus or in the community. We've got to make sure that they have it. And you know, when I was in school, I wasn't thinking about that. Um, you know, I'd go, oh, I've got to get a job this summer. What am I gonna do? I wasn't thinking strategically. And, you know, we're trying to make sure that students are like this is the type of internship that's gonna help you in the career you're trying to go to. Um, and so we're definitely I we're in the same page.
SPEAKER_04It's important, and that's an important piece. I think any job, I mean, it's like work at a restaurant, right? I got everybody should do that. Just working like front facing, right? I mean, I don't care what I mean. That watching the account when I went through that accounting stuff, there were like 10 of us in Little Rock, and it's baffling how nervous everybody was going in those shows. Sure, right. This is easy. Like bust in that door, like on what are we gonna talk about? Right. Talking about accounting, right? What are you gonna talk about? Golf, gotcha, like it's just right, you know, it it's letting them know that the world's not gonna eat them. Right, right. You know, and I think like in your class, it's like having some of those guys getting a breakdown. I mean, listen to chick, listen to all these everybody's stories. I think that helps these kids hopefully get a little more comfortable. It does. It really does. I mean, we're all just winging it. It really does. Everybody's winging it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, if they just knew that at that age, and like well, and I think that you know, with social media, they see so much, yeah, but they're seeing it, they're not doing it or experiencing it.
SPEAKER_00I love what Ted said though. We've always said if yeah everyone could work retail or a restaurant, right? I mean, you just learn so much about people and customer service, and it's invaluable. And I know y'all are gonna have a hospitality, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Um, I think training program and internship program with everything.
SPEAKER_00I mean, we we need that because it doesn't just apply to I'm gonna be a waitress or a bartender. I mean, it applies in every aspect of your life. Like you said, going into an interview.
SPEAKER_02Yep.
SPEAKER_00And back to our son who was scared to death to go up and ask somebody for if they needed help with shoes.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00You know, he learned that real quick. I mean, you ripped the off and he's great at it.
SPEAKER_03He's fantastic, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I think a lot of that was work in retail and being forced to whip people in the eye.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. I totally agree. Yeah.
Five Year Vision And Red Wolves Pride
SPEAKER_03All right. So I'm gonna ask you to think through in five years from now, what do you see is happening with Gearhead Outfitters, what's happening with Jonesboro, Northeast Arkansas, A State? What's happening?
SPEAKER_04What do you see? Well, the person that holds that the key to that answer is you. It's really what is it's what is Todd Shields goal and what's Todd Shields seeing. We're taking over everything. That's all it's but you are the force. I mean, you're you're like back to the you are, and and like the regionalism play and all that. It's like for Jones the world to succeed, you know, it it takes you and the ASU to lead this, because man, it's like getting these old guys, unfortunately it's old guys, it's not a lot of, you know, the these guys don't even respect, I mean, they've not respect women, but like there's not you got to get the old guard to understand. It's like, man, we all got to work together for this thing to to survive. And as you it's hand down, is the driving force.
SPEAKER_03So it really is important for us, I feel like, to be involved in the world. You have to be and be early in the industry, be showing how relevant that we are, and we're we're no one else is doing workforce pipeline and research engine thoughts to me if you're doing that.
SPEAKER_00Our business depends on a state. Every one of our employees are from Arkansas State, here in Jonesboro, anyway. Yeah, and like Ted said, we they've gone up, you know, from sales associate to management. Some live in Colorado now and Oklahoma and different parts of you know the US, but their roots are right here in A State. Yeah. So we we need the success of the school. Yes. Um, we don't know if we'll be around in five years, and we sure hope to, but we don't look that far down the road.
SPEAKER_04We rolling in five years. I mean, I think it's New Mexico. Just hope so. Yeah. You just there's not like there's no end. Right. I mean, there's not a finish line. Right. I mean, it's just a it's the journey. And then we're just and I like to think what I mean, it it'll be it's exciting to think what five years looks like. Right. You know, if we look at some of the stuff you've got, the numbers you're throwing out there for five years. I mean, that's exciting. I mean, I want to be around to see it. I want to hopefully, you know, again, we it the side the side effect we get to deal with is like the the talent. I mean, the more people you get on campus, the more great kids we get to help, the more kids we get to hire, the right, the more stories you learn. And right, you know, I mean the more ideas you get to go back to your point.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04You know, and it's it's right, man, it's exciting.
SPEAKER_03You know, so there's so many, there's so many opportunities in northeast Arkansas. It's incredible. I mean, it's just it's exciting and fascinating.
SPEAKER_04I mean, we look at it, and we're looking at leases that come do in two, three years. I mean, we're I mean, I'm not just blowing it out there, but again, I'm just like I can't. Hopefully, it's just we're still on a steady trajectory doing what we've always done. And we're taking over. No gas, no brakes. That's right. No, it's you can't.
SPEAKER_00The whole state has an advantage right now.
SPEAKER_03We do.
SPEAKER_00I mean, we are on the map. People are looking at Arkansas. The governor's really helped with that. I mean, there is a huge push, of course, in northwest Arkansas for outdoor living and lifestyle, but that's trickling over to central Arkansas and to, of course, Northeast Arkansas. Right. So, and it's not just the outdoor industry. I mean, it's all across the board. But I'm just really thankful for the momentum that we've got for the state. And, you know, we're seeing people move in because of the cost of living, right? The tax structures. I mean, it's favorable to do business here in Arkansas.
SPEAKER_03And multinational companies are now dropping $23 billion into the grabbing that.
SPEAKER_04And y'all are working together with that workforce development. So cool. You know, and that's the type of job that makes people move here for the type of work. And and and the issue, you're the you're the anchor. I mean, we're going to be the sports team, we're going to be their brand. We're going to be, I mean, that's we're the face of Northeast Arkansas.
SPEAKER_03You know, one of my favorite memories has been to sports. One of my favorite memories is when we're winning, I think it's the X-Bowl, and you got a Santa Claus hat on, and you're running down there, no shirt on, and you're just running around there. And I'm like, is that Ted down there?
SPEAKER_00No shoes either.
SPEAKER_03No, I didn't catch that part. That's great. Yeah, that was I can't confirm nor deny, but yes. Yes. That's great. If Coach Jones always says you're our secret weapon. And I mean, if people people gotta realize it's it's just a joke.
SPEAKER_04It's just like you gotta like just have fun. Yeah. You see it on every NFL game. Those guys are dressed up and having fun, whatever. I'm like, dude, we've got our own professional team here. Like, yes. So I'm trying to be the village idiot, trying to lead people, lead the horse to walk.
SPEAKER_03I'll follow. I mean, I love it. Uh man, I have so much fun.
SPEAKER_04I just like I love the coaches, I love these athletes, these student athletes are so cool and and just and what they represent, and then what the Red Wolf brand represents. I'm like, man, we're just like, I mean, don't don't whatever, whatever it's out. Like, we're we are grit and grind, man. These, I mean, Butch is grinding, Banone's grinding, Silva's grinding, I mean Desi's grinding. Like, it's just it's awesome. It is, it's fantastic. It's no right and fair.
SPEAKER_03We got great teams everywhere.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, the coaches are awesome, the athletes are cool. Like, I just I don't know how people can get excited about that. I'm with you. And it's in on our backyard.
SPEAKER_03I mean, these kids they're all around us. It's so cool. And what you've done with Alpha Pack is amazing. I mean, that's just taking off, and you know, we're having people ask for expansion, and and now we got the den zone open, and you know, it's gonna be fantastic. It really is.
SPEAKER_04You've pushed that, like you facilitated that. I mean, this is a long time.
SPEAKER_03I'm I'm your Amanda on this side. Your vision, your vision, you know, you had the one.
SPEAKER_04But you're just you're finding cool stuff, yeah. Yes, right. Just solving what just solving riddles. Yeah, it's fun. It is fun, isn't it?
SPEAKER_03Thanks, thanks for supporting some of those wild, wild ideas. Absolutely. Well, I'm right there with you. So hey, we sit around and do that. Or we sit around and do them. Exactly, right. No, just complain when we're going. I don't do time for that. I don't yeah, I'm with you. Stretch your mouth. Let's go. Right. Yeah. Well, so as we kind of wrap things up a little bit, if you could, you know, this is a question that they asked you in class, is a question they asked every class.
Advice For 20 Year Old You
SPEAKER_03You know, if you could tell 20-year-old Amanda, 20-year-old Ted, or you could go back to somebody who's graduating tomorrow, then you know, what would you tell them that you wish you would have known?
SPEAKER_02You're looking Oh, I don't, I mean you have to answer it.
SPEAKER_04Um I think it's it's I think it's like the conversations of like, hey, look, man, everybody, you don't have it figured out. No one's got it figured out. You know, just believe in yourself, be consistent. Just totally agree. Surround yourself with people that that push you, right? You know, and and it everything's gonna be all right. Right. Sitting in that class with those kids, and it goes, it's it's scary. They're amazing. They don't know they're amazing, but they're amazing. But you just like it, you guys, right, everybody wants everything right now. Like, it just doesn't, that's not how it works. Right. Right. I mean, be patient, trust in yourself, right? And that's like, and it it it'll come. Like, and it it it might not come directly to you, but it it does come, right? It just I mean that's uh these kids just gotta slow down, be patient. Yep. I mean I'm not saying they're not. I mean I'm not that's that's me being impatient, you know. But it's like I'm I'm not saying they're impatient, I just it you're gonna be all right, and it's yeah, don't rush it and don't fall into something that you you're gonna look back and regret. And if you do pivot and move on. I mean, there's no such thing as a I mean, you just you make the best decision you can at the moment. Move. Right. Move. Yeah. It's okay to fail. Yeah, absolutely. And I'm absolutely right. Back to my chapter that you stuck me with. Chapter nine. Failure.
SPEAKER_02Thanks to it.
SPEAKER_03It wasn't intentional. I got it. It wasn't intentional. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Yeah, it was. We're gonna start there and work backwards. Whatever. That's great.
SPEAKER_00I think what we're seeing with our son, and this isn't 20-year-old me, but it's 20-year-old, well, a 21-year-old Harrison.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00He's so anxious to get a job and start making money. And I think a lot of these students, and I was one as well. I mean, you come out and you're ready to get a job and be an adult.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And I think it's more important to just slow down, get experiences, get that retail job, get that, you know, restaurant job, get to know people, have mentors. I mean, don't just rush right into being an adult. Travel, get out of this little area, but come back, of course. But just see things and and get as much exposure as you can. Right. Um, and I did work retail when I was in college and I babysat and I had odd jobs like that as well. But could I have had more? Yes, I could have always had more work experience.
SPEAKER_03So well, I'm very similar. I would tell 20-year-old me, I would say, you're not gonna plan it out.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_03Do do your best at what you've got. Learn as much as you can at what's in front of you. You have no idea what's gonna open up next. And when that opens up, go into there and do the best you can there because you're not gonna figure out how it's gonna go.
SPEAKER_04No, you can't script it. You're not kidding. You're looking back at 50 going or 60 going, yeah. I didn't see that coming. I mean, most of the I didn't see that coming. Right. It's good. Like, yeah, right. I mean, just hopefully optimistic and just to your point. It's like when the door opens, stick your head in and ask a bunch of questions. Right. Exactly. It might close on you or it might open another door. It's a it's it's not that difficult. Right. You just but it is at 20, it seems it's intimidating.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and and I think they have exposure to so many things. They've got so many different options. See somebody doing this and this and this and this. And I say, just ignore all that. Like what's in front of you? Yeah, like go get in front of you, do the best you can right there, learn everything you can, and see what the next one is. Um, it'll unfold, like you say. It'll unfold. Just keep learning, keep working hard, all gas, no breaks. That's fine. That's it. That's the key.
SPEAKER_04Don't pay attention to that. We need a t-shirt. There's noise everywhere. Just like run your own race, man. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Exactly right. Exactly right. Do you have anything else you want to add, Manda?
SPEAKER_00I don't think so.
SPEAKER_03I think we're appreciate you having us on. Hey, thank you both very much. I really appreciate it. I mean, not only are you great a state supporters and Jonesboro supporters, Northeast Arkansas supporters, but my supporters. And I can't thank you. I'm I'm your biggest fan for sure. You guys are listening, guys. So I appreciate y'all you do. Yeah, thank you very much.
Like, Subscribe, And Wolves Up
SPEAKER_03You know, thanks for everybody that was watching today. Um, please don't forget to like and subscribe to the webpage where all the media content shows are, um, not just built with A State, but all of the ones that range from the medical school to the sports. So please like and subscribe. Thank you for watching. Thanks for being with us here today. And uh we have wolves up. And Ted and Amanda, thank you so much for being here today. We appreciate you very much. Thanks, man. Thanks for keeping you but appreciate you.