SPEAKER_06 0:01

What up, what up, what up. Jake Meisner's striped daddy alongside.

SPEAKER_03 0:06

C Baby. Could you maybe I think every week I'm just gonna have a different name for myself that I'll refer as. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 0:14

How did uh where'd you get C baby from?

SPEAKER_03 0:17

So our best friends, Tori and KK, um they started calling me No wait. You did.

SPEAKER_10 0:27

Yep. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 0:28

They came up with C Money. Yes. You came up with C Baby. That's what you've called me ever since we met, really.

SPEAKER_06 0:34

100%.

SPEAKER_03 0:35

Yep.

SPEAKER_06 0:35

Alright, episode five. Coming in hot.

SPEAKER_03 0:39

Getting a little been a busy week for us this week.

SPEAKER_06 0:42

Yep. Getting we're sitting on the patio, enjoying a little vitamin D. Dogs are walking around, stinky's taking a nap.

SPEAKER_03 0:47

Yep. Um, quick update to our Chevy situation. Um Monday, Jake brought in the 3500 for service at Chevy. Uh Chevy DM'd him and said that they made an appointment for him at the dealer, his choice of dealer. Um, he goes to drop the truck off.

SPEAKER_07 1:08

Awesome dealer, by the way. Yeah, great deal. The reason we picked them is because they were very we went over that in the last episode. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:16

Yeah. Um so anyway, Jake takes the truck in. Um, they ask him if he's in for reg regularly scheduled maintenance, which is hilarious because clearly there is a miscommunication between parent company and dealer. Um so anyway.

SPEAKER_07 1:35

No. Hey, can you guys chill over there?

SPEAKER_03 1:37

Babe, go get Mazzi, please.

SPEAKER_07 1:39

Hey.

SPEAKER_03 1:42

Um, so anyway, um, that happened. Jake dropped off the truck. Um, they also did not coordinate getting him a loner vehicle, so that was great. He was 38 in line for a loner vehicle. Stupid.

SPEAKER_07 1:58

Which is fine. No big deal. There's people that have problems just like we do. I said, I wish they had communicated this to you on Friday, so maybe I was number 37 or number 37.

SPEAKER_03 2:07

Well, when it's escalated at that point, they should have had a rental vehicle ready. Just my opinion.

SPEAKER_07 2:12

So I just took the shuttle service home, had an awesome talk with a retiree. We were talking about books, life, his what he did for a living. It was a lot of fun. Dealer's like six minutes from our house.

SPEAKER_03 2:23

So they let him know that they're gonna try to get him a rental vehicle by the afternoon. Um, Jake finally gets a or no, I had to call them and ask on the status of a rental vehicle because nobody had reached out to us. And they said that they did have one. He needed to pick it up. This was about 1.30.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

He needed Was this Tuesday? Or Wednesday?

SPEAKER_03 2:47

No, it was Monday because they said they needed to have one to you by end of day.

SPEAKER_01 2:51

But they didn't have it by end of day.

SPEAKER_03 2:53

They did. Yeah, they did.

SPEAKER_07 2:54

Was it?

SPEAKER_03 2:54

You had to pick it up by 4 15.

SPEAKER_07 2:56

That was Tuesday, that was the following day. Because remember, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:59

Because you were in a rental.

SPEAKER_07 3:01

Come on, you gotta keep these stories straight. If you're gonna pot about this, come on.

SPEAKER_03 3:04

Okay, whatever. Anyway, as the person that coordinated all of this, um, so he goes to pick up his rental vehicle, and it is a shocking 1500 that cannot tow.

SPEAKER_07 3:18

Not only can it, you know, not tow, which you guys know listening, like a 1500 trying to tow like a 3,000-pound trailer plus 3,000 pounds of equipment. Um, you know, it can do it, but whatever. And so they they sign, they uh had me sign a couple pieces of paperwork, take my credit card. I don't know what they got it on file for, obviously, probably just damage or whatever. But um, and then she says before the lady before she goes, Yep, so you can't do this, this, this, and uh also you're not allowed to tow with it. And I said, Okay, kind of defeats the purpose. Thanks for the wheels. See you later.

SPEAKER_03 3:58

Yep. So just as suspected when we originally were communicating with the dealer, the choices of a Chevy Equinox or 1500 were very uh very clear that that was what they were gonna give him. Um, so luckily, um, what we talked about in our last episode or a couple episodes prior, the important of business relationships, Joe Hagen coming in clutch at our heart with a rental vehicle for Jake for the week.

SPEAKER_11 4:24

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 4:25

And so that's what's going on with Chevy. We still do not have a diagnosis of the vehicle. Um apparently the dealership had a couple uh techs that called in on Friday, even though they've had it since Monday. And we were told that the diagnosis was gonna be between one to two business days. Did not happen. And so yeah, we are just waiting for them to let us know what's going on, if there's parts that need to be on order or what the deal is, and an ETA on getting that fixed. And I know that dealerships take quite a while to get things done. However, when a situation as this escalated, when GM and Chevy get involved, I feel like things should move at a little bit of a quicker pace, don't you?

SPEAKER_07 5:11

I mean, if they're reaching out to me directly on Instagram trying to rectify the situation, and they can't even communicate to the dealer of my choice the situation at hand. It's pretty interesting, pretty telling about how they run things.

SPEAKER_03 5:24

Yeah. So anyway, that's our uh Chevy update. I'm sure we will be back next week with uh another update on what's going on at the dealer, but that's all the information we have for now.

SPEAKER_10 5:36

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 5:38

So we gotta talk about today, babe.

SPEAKER_07 5:40

Uh, you're the one who was dying to do a podcast.

SPEAKER_03 5:42

So Okay, I was not dying. I said that we needed to stay relevant, which we do. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 5:46

Are you getting a little fumble? Like, are you afraid that you know, like, you're not gonna be relevant if we don't keep podding?

SPEAKER_03 5:53

And uh No, I think you're afraid that you're not gonna be relevant.

SPEAKER_07 5:56

Who brought up the podcast? I was doing I was planting some plants out front.

SPEAKER_03 5:59

You're like, babe, we gotta do a we gotta do a pod while here's what Jake does is he starts things and then he kind of is like he's so busy with so many other things that he kind of lets things get off to the wayside. So I, as his office admin, slash wife, slash partner in life, feel very strongly that I have to continue to keep him on uh on straight and narrow.

SPEAKER_07 6:24

Alright, so I got the uh podcast stats right now. So so far, oh my god, it's big B. Um, so we got 223 downloads so far. Awesome. That's pretty pretty cool. Um, episode one has 84 streams or downloads, not streams, downloads, right?

SPEAKER_10 6:42

Yeah, downloads, I think.

SPEAKER_07 6:43

Episode two, 54, episode three, 41 coming at lowest, and episode four, newest before here, 44.

SPEAKER_03 6:54

Cool.

SPEAKER_07 6:54

We're in five countries, babe. We've got uh let's see, US obviously, 214 downloads, Canada six, Poland one, Indonesia one, and Lithuania. And then cities.

SPEAKER_03 7:10

Babe, we don't need to go for 66 cities. I'm just dropping, I'm just saying, like Yeah, but I don't I don't really think though that's necessary.

SPEAKER_07 7:17

But uh cool. It's obviously getting out there.

SPEAKER_03 7:21

So uh busy week this week. We've had a couple of um obviously growing pains with uh being down a truck, which of course the dealer and Chevy doesn't really understand the necessity of having a vehicle that tows when we're talking about a business where you're bringing equipment to every job site. So that's been a little frustrating and kind of I think has been the thorn in our flesh this week trying to figure that out.

SPEAKER_10 7:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:49

Um, but hopefully we'll have that sorted out soon.

SPEAKER_01 7:53

Striped day took care of business.

SPEAKER_03 7:55

Yeah, you took care of business anyway. You have been borrowing the truck, and hopefully um Joe will be able to let you have it for maybe another week until we see what I mean.

SPEAKER_07 8:05

This parts are on order, so and obviously shipping happens over the weekends.

SPEAKER_03 8:11

Parts are on order with no diagnosis.

SPEAKER_07 8:13

Yes, I don't know what the f that means. I don't know what to do. But um so hopefully it's taken care of on like Tuesday. Yeah. It's all done.

SPEAKER_03 8:23

Hopefully.

SPEAKER_07 8:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:24

Depending on how long a part are we doing?

SPEAKER_07 8:25

Um we'll see what these parts are for and what they anticipate will be done with these parts and correcting issues, but obviously we'll have a conversation about um potentially Chevy just buying back this truck. Um then I think I'd like to just in place get two used diesels.

SPEAKER_03 8:43

Yeah, I totally agree. I think too, like, you know, this has really taught us a lesson of this is why you don't buy brand new. I mean, for instance, when we bought the Jeep, my Jeep that we bought what, a month and a half ago is an electric vehicle, it's a hybrid, which is nice because I fully on battery power when I'm running errands, which is nice. I'm not using any gasoline with the price of it now. You can understand why. Um, but also I feel like we bought that, we bought it used, it was two and a half years old.

SPEAKER_06 9:19

Someone else paid 65% of the depreciation.

SPEAKER_03 9:22

It had 29,000 miles on it. Um, and the benefit of that is that they've worked out the kinks with the electric battery at that point, which when you buy something brand new, obviously they're still working out the kinks on the line. You wouldn't think with how long Chevy's come out with Silverados that'll be kinks.

SPEAKER_06 9:40

You have another what nine years of warranty on the battery.

SPEAKER_03 9:44

Yep. And then you also have a hundred thousand miles of powertrain warranties. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 9:50

So you've got another 70 in miles, which you'll never use in the time frame that you're allotted, which is great. So big win there for you.

SPEAKER_03 10:00

If there's anything that Jake loves, it is negotiating.

SPEAKER_07 10:03

Oh, it's the best.

SPEAKER_03 10:05

Obsessed. You love negotiating.

SPEAKER_07 10:07

Well, all people do is negotiate with me, so it's time for me to use what I've learned to benefit myself.

SPEAKER_03 10:14

Totally. I can't get over you wearing my sunglasses.

SPEAKER_07 10:16

I look good.

SPEAKER_03 10:17

Yeah. Yeah. Um, so I am so hands-off on stuff like that. Like, I'm more of the type of person where here's my price, take it or leave it. I'm not gonna negotiate with you. But um Jake is not that way. He loves the game, so he was responsible for handling it, and that he did. We ended up finding the car we loved, and then two. We were bringing it home.

SPEAKER_06 10:44

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 10:45

Did we already talk to the part about how we got the vehicle?

SPEAKER_06 10:49

I don't think so, but why do they need to know more?

SPEAKER_03 10:51

No, I was just curious if we had talked about it. I don't remember.

SPEAKER_06 10:54

No, I mean, take it away, I guess.

SPEAKER_03 10:56

No, it's okay. You said they don't need to.

SPEAKER_07 10:59

Well, what are you trying to tell? Like with the situation, the price? Like, I'm confused. Yeah, I mean, it was just it was hilarious. They said, you know, they wanted to absorb your leased truck that was going up in October.

SPEAKER_10 11:13

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 11:14

And so I was like, okay, and what's your rough number on that if you absorb this lease and here's the buyout essentially?

SPEAKER_06 11:23

And they said this is okay, cool. Yeah, just um, here's the deposit for the vehicle.

SPEAKER_07 11:28

Let me uh, you know, obviously you gotta find out from GM and this and you gotta do this with the lease and get the final numbers, which you already know the final numbers, but okay, just call me back tomorrow.

SPEAKER_10 11:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 11:38

Um, but here's the deposit on the vehicle, we want it. And then uh they were not able to absorb the lease. Nope. And then they didn't change the price at all on the Jeep. And I just said, okay, then like I'm not interested. Yeah. They're like, oh, what what number do you have to be at? And I said, It's this number. And I said, I'm not doing this whole bullshit. I'm starting low to meet you in the middle. This is the number I'm at.

SPEAKER_11 12:00

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 12:01

And I think one, all the pricing was wrong on their invoice, which was hilarious. Um, they didn't reflect my deposit, they did not reflect the price at the time that was the online price. Yep. It was like they came back and on their sticker it was $300 higher, which is hilarious. You know, it's these, it's the minutiae. Yep, it's the little details.

SPEAKER_03 12:23

It's basically your dog prop fee.

SPEAKER_07 12:25

Yeah. And so I just said, Yeah, so I'm on the phone with the used manager, and I said, Okay, so not only do we not have a reflection of my deposit, we don't have this, so I need that sent back. And I said, and you're gonna have to do you're gonna have to do something wiggle room-wise because it's been sitting a while. And I know you want to get rid of this Jeep. You got probably someone breathing down your neck wondering why this isn't gone. So I'm prepared to just get it closer to this number.

SPEAKER_10 12:53

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 12:54

And so he put in the credits that were supposed to be there.

SPEAKER_03 12:58

Originally.

SPEAKER_07 12:59

Originally, and then you know, there's no wiggle room. And so I said, uh, we'll call him Tim. I said, Tim, uh, looked over that. You so you took the 300 off and my deposit off. I see that, but I don't see anything because there's no lease being absorbed.

unknown 13:20

Right.

SPEAKER_07 13:20

And I said, and by the way, I'm not interested in the payment option.

SPEAKER_10 13:23

Like your financing.

SPEAKER_07 13:25

That's cool that you sent that, but I think it's hilarious that you're also just sending me the number. You're not sending me the APR, you're not sending me what was the other thing that I needed in there. Um But they just like they think people buying cars, they just think about the monthly payment. Like, I don't give a shit about the monthly payment. I want to know the total number, and then if I want to do payments, sure, show me show me the percentage.

SPEAKER_03 13:50

Right. And I think too, like, you know, and maybe this episode is just gonna be turning into dealerships and the power of negotiating, but they make money on the vehicle, they're also making money on the financing. So when they found out that we weren't interested in their financing, because their thing was, yeah, we uh we do the same financing as your credit union. I was like, really? Because they're giving me this rate, this rate, and your rate is much higher. And they're like, Oh yeah, we can match it.

SPEAKER_07 14:20

Yeah, but we match it because we already do financing with them.

SPEAKER_03 14:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 14:23

Okay, cool.

SPEAKER_03 14:24

So then So then why isn't it the same?

SPEAKER_07 14:25

Cool. So then we go ahead and contact the bank and they're like, Yeah, no, it wouldn't be the same. Right. Um, it would be this. Yep. And like we can go ahead and get you a uh this rate locked in, just give us the purchase price, blah, blah, blah. So again, more games. So we just went ahead and handled the financing outside. So I'm talking to Timmy, and I said, Hey Tim, um, so yeah, I need I see that you adjusted that, but you're not absorbing my lease like you said you were going to. And I'm I'm gr I'm so happy that we're in the position where I can rock a lease payment and purchase this.

SPEAKER_03 14:56

Usually as an estimate vehicle and use it in an estimate vehicle.

SPEAKER_07 14:59

So I don't need this cheap. Yep, but I know you need this gone. So I think he came down 500 bucks or something. And I I said, that's cute, Tim. I said, it needs to be at this price. I and I'm I'm putting a little bit more in skin in the game than I want to. I said, you know, I want it at this price, but you're at this price. Yep. And you didn't even offer. I said, so here's the number. I said, take it or leave it. And he paused for a long time, and I said, Cool. And then, or I think said fine, I'll get the paperwork over to you.

SPEAKER_03 15:33

And not to mention, Jake was one dealing with this while he was working, which is already frustrating enough because of the back and forth and things being incorrect that they're sending us.

SPEAKER_07 15:42

Talking to the salesman, then talking to the manager.

SPEAKER_03 15:44

Yeah, but then also the fact is like this was end of the month, this was almost the last day of the month. So you know they want to hit their quota, they want vehicles out, they want a turnover, which we thought, or at least I thought, was a negotiating tactic of like, hey, it's end of the month, you want this gun, you want to meet your number, like let's make a deal that makes everyone happy. We're not trying to like not have them make any money, but we also know like you want this vehicle I know the wiggle room.

SPEAKER_07 16:14

Yeah, I know what this is actually worth. I'm I'm willing to give you some money.

SPEAKER_03 16:18

Right.

SPEAKER_07 16:19

Because you gotta make money too. You got families to feed.

SPEAKER_03 16:22

Totally.

SPEAKER_07 16:22

But I'm not overpaying.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 16:25

So that's how I went down.

SPEAKER_03 16:26

So I think that maybe this episode turns into like the power of negotiation. Because, like you said earlier, everybody tries to negotiate with you, so why not try to negotiate with them?

unknown 16:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:42

It's your turn.

SPEAKER_07 16:43

We had um so we had a client that wanted to do a revamp on a lake just outside Clarkston, and she wanted to do business with us. I could just tell, but I knew the number wasn't matching with what she wanted for her to tell her husband that they were spending.

SPEAKER_03 17:04

And so I had like a 45 quick note what she wanted to tell her husband they were paying. I think that's hilarious.

SPEAKER_00 17:12

What do you mean?

SPEAKER_03 17:13

Like she, you know, is saying, like, this is what I want to tell my husband that we're gonna be paying. So, like, let's all negotiate all of this before so that I can tell him this is the price that we got, and it's a steal.

SPEAKER_07 17:24

So she was just explaining that her husband's a little bit type A, and she he just probably needs overkill on detail on the line items. I said, That's totally under that's fine, I understand. And you know, we were double, if not triple, in some areas of the revamp. And she's like, Can you just help me understand? Like, okay, if you have twelve hundred dollars here for these arborvitees being removed, you know, is there any wiggle room on that? And I said, such and such. The reason why I have it at twelve hundred dollars is because I am anticipating the worst case scenario. I am not going to come back when we are done with this job and you've put down your 50% deposit and then come back with $15,000, $18,000, $2,000 on this line item because that's not how I conduct business. I'm not going to come back to you and have an awkward conversation and you feel that either you got gypped or I feel like I got gypped. So, what I'll do is on these line items, I will give you, as you know, and we've discussed this is a worst case scenario for these removals and such. Plants, that's that's what it costs. It just is what it is. Um but when it comes to the revamp side of things, the construction, the removals, I can give you a more realistic number of what to expect, hopefully, and then you have your worst case scenario. And she's like, that is perfect. And so we're we're basically wrapped up last we had some rock glue going down in some certain areas. Um we had a really hot week, so I didn't want to put sod down, but there's just like I don't know, 200 square feet of sod that have to get laid. Um, and that's just going down today's Saturday, but that's going down on Tuesday. And her wedding at her house is uh the like the 19th, which is a Saturday or something. They're not getting married there, but like they're having an after party there.

SPEAKER_10 19:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 19:29

Um so the house is looking absolutely banging.

SPEAKER_10 19:31

Awesome.

SPEAKER_07 19:32

She's been texting me saying how great it looks. She's been texting Blake how great it looks. She doesn't know what she's gonna do without Blake. And I said, Well, Blake lives four minutes down the road, so you be sure to bother him. But what was really cool was she took time out of her day yesterday and her husband stepped out, was looking at the landscaping, he put his hands on his hips and he goes, Yep, this was worth every penny. Yeah. And like that's the win.

SPEAKER_03 19:55

Yep. Why don't you tell him about how her hesitancy, like mid-project?

SPEAKER_01 20:02

What hesitancy?

SPEAKER_03 20:04

Remember when she was saying when the um the the yard was out of a lot of the plants, they were just so dried out because we had so yeah.

SPEAKER_07 20:14

I mean, I wanted to give her a lot of unique um flowers and perennials, unique looking. And there were just some that were just oof, oof, they did not look good. And so I had to make the call. Now she's busy, right? She's in sales, and she's actually stolen some of the JLC sales lines too.

SPEAKER_03 20:32

Oh, that was her?

SPEAKER_07 20:34

Yeah, yeah, this is her. And so that's been fun to see that she's using some of my lines in her everyday life. But um, I had to make a call and just go, yeah, I'm gonna try these. And if she doesn't like them, okay, that's fine. No big deal. Which she did ended up not liking them. No big deal. Yeah, I totally understand. She's gonna like everything. Yeah. So I had Blake back at the yard one of the days, and he's FaceTiming me, going, I got this, I got this. I go, No, she's gonna hate him. I said, No, it's not gonna work. Yeah, um, I said, Blaker, it's your time to shine, brother. Give uh such and such a call, let her know what you got, what they have, and you guys come up with a game plan. Just keep me up to speed. I got this and this and this going. She loves you. Kill her.

SPEAKER_03 21:20

Which like how amazing that you have employees that don't mind contacting the customer. Uh, because in the end, they're the one that's there, they're the one that's talking to them about the job. Yep.

SPEAKER_07 21:32

I can't I can't do everything.

SPEAKER_03 21:35

You can't do everything, and I think that that's so nice that you have such reliable people to where whether it's a landscaping job that you know they're able to communicate with the customer, and instead of just being like, Oh no, no, no, you need to talk to Jake, it's like, no, I will talk to them, but relay your concerns.

SPEAKER_07 21:53

But that's also too what we've talked about in the past. Like it's so cool to watch people lead and accept responsibility.

SPEAKER_03 21:58

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 21:59

And Show growth. I think that's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 22:02

And I feel like this employee that did this, did you already say his name? Blake or like Blake last year would be so hesitant to make these decisions on her own, on his own. But to see how much he would always double check with him. Yeah, but to see how much he's grown this year to where he's like, no, I got that.

SPEAKER_07 22:18

I know what Jake wants. I know what gr uh such and such wants. And I can make this work. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:23

Cool. It's so cool. I believe in you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 22:25

You're gonna do great, dude.

SPEAKER_03 22:26

Yep. So cool. And guess what?

SPEAKER_07 22:27

If she doesn't like it, we'll find something else.

SPEAKER_03 22:29

But also, like, not just this situation, but also like you had a couple other people this week that were like that you said, here's where I'm at. This is what I can do for this. If you can't, if you don't want to pay this and you want to do with something more middle of the road, we can.

SPEAKER_11 22:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:46

And I think like with landscaping, obviously lawn care is more um the price is kind of already solidified based on the formula that we have. But as far as like landscaping, you're sky's the limit or bare bones. Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 23:00

What what can I do?

SPEAKER_03 23:01

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 23:02

What what do you want to see?

SPEAKER_10 23:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 23:04

Okay. This is what you want to see. Okay, great. Here's what I'm roughly thinking it will cost you. How does that sound? Actually, that sounds really good. I I I do let's come up with a realistic budget. Yeah. I said, I it makes no difference to me. I want to give you the most value you can.

SPEAKER_10 23:20

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 23:21

Okay, where are you at? I want nowhere in 7,000. Yeah. You oh, seven? That's a great budget. We can make that work.

SPEAKER_10 23:27

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 23:28

The other one. You know, she's going over everything she wants. And she's like, what she's like, I know you don't know. What's realistic here? And I said, for everything we just talked, I said, you're looking at at least 20.

SPEAKER_11 23:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 23:43

She goes, 20,000? And I said, yeah, but I said, we can get rid of certain things. I said, you can do you can you live with this and this and this? And she goes, I can. And I said, perfect. How about you wanna I said, how about this? You tell me. What do you want to spend? Oh, I really want to keep it. I think she said no more than 16,000. And I said, okay, how about this? How about I come up with a game plan for you between eight and sixteen thousand? I give you options. Ooh.

SPEAKER_03 24:13

Which is a very healthy budget.

SPEAKER_07 24:15

I really and I said, Do you know what we can do for eight to sixteen thousand dollars?

SPEAKER_10 24:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 24:20

I said, this place is gonna be unrecognizable. But I said, I'll give you different options. I'll give you some closer to eight. I'll give you some middle of the road.

SPEAKER_10 24:27

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 24:27

And then we can do the what's the whole kitten caboodle. Yeah. Cat's pajamas. We can do 16.

SPEAKER_11 24:34

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 24:35

Does that work? That sounds great. Awesome. Like it's just it's fun. Like it's an adrenaline rush all day because you're waiting to one deliver what you said you're gonna deliver.

SPEAKER_08 24:50

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 24:50

Then you've got new business coming in. You've got new business from new business because they're going, oh my god, we had this guy, you gotta do him. All the while you're putting out the fires, you're doing this, and then I get a call that says, Hey, I'm such and such. I is there any way you can cut the lawn today?

SPEAKER_09 25:04

And I'm going, Oh my god, today.

SPEAKER_07 25:06

Like you know, your busiest day is busiest day, and she says the price. And I said, Yeah, our minimum's not even close. Where are you located? And she says, This place. I saw cool. And we made it work.

SPEAKER_03 25:21

Yeah. So along with negotiating, why don't you tell them about the guy that you had this week with the hydrangea?

SPEAKER_10 25:31

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:32

Because this is a good story about negotiating, but also knowledge it's knowledge and letting the person know that your expectations are to pay this, but to have everything that you're looking for, this is what you're looking at.

SPEAKER_01 25:47

Um, let me pull up the text.

SPEAKER_03 25:50

So he needed Oh, just a side note, it was hilarious because yesterday, I think it was yesterday or the day before yesterday, um, speaking of Jake saying that he has the adrenaline rush, I texted him yesterday and I said, I now get why you love this so much. Because it's so rewarding when you've made the sale that you worked so hard for and then it comes to fruition. It's just such a rewarding feeling.

SPEAKER_07 26:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:15

But, anyways, go go ahead.

SPEAKER_07 26:17

Okay, so basically, a client needed a couple hydrangeas in their front bed. They were handling kind of like the smaller items. Awesome, cool.

SPEAKER_03 26:26

And uh, so I said they were gonna maintain it from next year forward, but they needed you to kind of get it started.

SPEAKER_07 26:33

Yeah. And so this client, we had had we'd serviced um, I'd say three quarters of the year last year. He came in late in a subdivision that we're in, and I mean, we had uh knocked down some hay in order to get the lawn back in order. So then he won he reached out, wanted to make sure he was signed up for this year, and he said same price as last year, and I said, Oh no. Um, I said, your rate's this, and like he wanted to come down a couple bucks to an even number, and I said, Nope. I said it's let's just say 64 dollars, and he wanted to be at 60. I said, nope, it's 64. I said, I should be charging you this, but we appreciate your business, and this is the 26 rate. He said, Okay, deal. So he said, you know, do you do any landscaping work? I said, Absolutely, what you need, my guy. And he sends a couple pictures of the area. He said, This front garden bed, the wife wants to plant a couple big flower bushes and whatnot. How much would it cost to weed slash for up the garden? And I said, No problem at all. It's this much an hour with a two-hour minimum weeding. So if it takes my guys or myself an hour and 15, it's two hours.

SPEAKER_10 27:36

Right.

SPEAKER_07 27:37

And I said, if you send me the plants she wants, I can get them for you at my pricing. And he goes, She wants three large hydrangea bushes, I think maybe four. I said, full size or dwarf. And then let me know cone or bobo style and color.

SPEAKER_03 27:50

What does that mean?

SPEAKER_07 27:51

What?

SPEAKER_03 27:52

Cone or bobo style?

SPEAKER_07 27:53

So you've got like hydrangeas that come out of cone, they're more pointy. Oh, yeah. And then like you got the the circle.

SPEAKER_03 27:59

Yeah, you got big. Okay, makes sense.

SPEAKER_07 28:02

And he goes, This is the picture she sent. Um, classic, you know, blue-purple hydrangeas. I which at first I didn't when I first started in this industry, I liked more limelight or white. I didn't love the crazy colors, but now I really, really like them.

SPEAKER_03 28:15

They're so beautiful.

SPEAKER_07 28:16

Yeah. And he said, This is the pic she sent, which I know doesn't answer your question. Ha ha ha. I said, those are bobo, those are gorgeous. So blues and purples. He goes, Yep. I said, You got it. And then uh he said just following up. I said, Hey man, didn't hear back from you. Door size or full size. He goes, Oh, sorry, didn't even realize that. Full size. I said, No problem. How full do you want the bed to be? I'm more of an open guy. I like stuff to breathe, so I would say three in this area, but five can fit.

SPEAKER_03 28:44

And then obviously I'm not gonna go into it, but you know, five to make it look like very full, you know.

SPEAKER_07 28:50

Yeah, but like odd numbers. Yeah, odd or more pleasing to the eye versus even.

SPEAKER_03 28:54

Totally.

SPEAKER_07 28:55

So it's either three or five. Just let me know your wife's exact vision. He said, She's good with three. I said, copy that. I said, so we got roughly three to four hours projected for weeding. I buy the biggest gallon size hydrangeas I can from the supplier. So by fall, they're large, but come extremely full size the following June. And I gave him the price per hydrangea. I said, that includes pickup material, delivery, and install. He goes, so what's my all-in cost? And I said, you know, the weeding, three to five hours, boom. And then the hydrangea cost times three, boom. He goes, All right, thank you. I'm gonna think it over and I'll let you know. Appreciate the help. And I said, You bet, zero pressure. I said, We're wrapping up a large revamp on Lake Oakland early this coming week, and then we can squeeze you in midweek this week, and then I'm booked free solid next five to six weeks.

SPEAKER_10 29:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 29:37

And he said, All right, well, we'll do it. I know you guys will do a great job and make it easier for me to tackle on my own next year, right now. Just let it get I let it get out of hand. Ha ha. So copy that, brother. We're honored. Will you be adding mulch to benefit the weeding we do and protect the hydrangeas? I'm not trying to upsell, I'm just making sure this guy knows how to handle the project. He said, I definitely should. Do you guys do that or is that out of scope? And if you do, how much would that set me back? I said, Absolutely, it is. The dump truck will already be there with materials and weeding. Happy to bring mulch. Front only or back to question mark. He goes, front only. I said, perfect. I know you have black mulch currently. I highly recommend brown. Color fades a little bit slower. Totally. Black fades extremely quickly.

SPEAKER_10 30:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 30:26

And he said, sounds great. I said, awesome. Just have to measure the bed size for accurate yardage, but I won't charge you for material, my friend, because I want him to get some benefit. He's giving me extra business. The dump truck's gonna be there, the labor's gonna be there. Sure, you're gonna pay for a little bit of labor of spreading mulch, but it's no big deal.

SPEAKER_03 30:45

Yeah, nothing that Blaker can't knock out.

SPEAKER_07 30:47

Yes. Nito, thank you, sir. I said, You bet. I said enhancement crew knocked out the weeding in the front. He goes, Awesome, thank you. So, what is timing for next step? So, and he also said, No rush, just curious. And I said, So we'll get the mulch and the hydrangeas, hoping for Thursday slash Friday with the rain this week. How does that sound? That sounds amazing. Thank you. I said, You're most welcome, thank you. He goes, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum. We have a small garden bed in the back. Can you put some mulch in there too? Question mark. It's not super big. If it's not too much to ask, no big deal at all. We just planted in there last week and I haven't gotten around to getting the mulch. I said, absolutely. With your planting, you did. Did you guys weed those areas as well? He said, Yep, it's already been weeded. I said, Okay, just wanted to make sure I had clear instructions for the cruise. Awesome. Just need new mulch this year, perfect, thank you. I said, You got it. Still good with brown mulch, correct? Yes, sir. That sounds great. And then I sent like a funny Matthew McConaughey from uh Wolf of Wall Street, you know, pound his chest, and he loved that. So then sent um some pictures Thursday. Blake had called me. He said, Hey, so we've got there's like retaining wall blocks, but then he's got this section that's like outside the retaining wall block that like there's no grass, there's no mulch. Like, what do you want me to do? And I said, Well, the mulch is gonna look weird, don't you think? He goes, Oh, a hundred percent. Like, that's why I'm calling because like it's just dirt right here. And I said, Nah, let's just let's leave that. I'll I'll connect with him or I'll wait for him to contact me. Yeah. So he said, he sent me a couple pictures, and it looks bangin'. I mean, it looks bang. And he says, Hey, everything turned out, of course it looks bang. Hey, everything turned out great. And Jordan and Nico handled all the weeding and then the placement of the hydrangeas. They did a great job.

SPEAKER_03 32:25

So you caught me real quick um when you set enhancement crew. Is that new?

SPEAKER_07 32:30

Well, like enhancement is more like weeding and like light pruning and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 32:36

Why did you just say it like that? You like shook your head, like light pruning. I don't know.

SPEAKER_07 32:41

Feeling bougie. Yeah. Um, he said, so he sent me some pictures. Hey, everything turned out great. Thank you so much again. Was wondering if at some point you guys could fill that uh rest of this area here that is bare, no rush at all, which is the area of Blake that they were discussing. He said, I didn't realize when they left, otherwise I would have asked. I said, Hey, glad to hear everything looks great. Blake, my foreman, was curious if you wanted that filled or not. We both agree that it would look odd to have that area mulched as it's not contained by the board the boulders. Happy to do it if you want. I'd recommend dirt and seed because it flows into the lawn.

SPEAKER_03 33:12

Oh, yeah, totally. Then dirt and seed is the way to go.

SPEAKER_07 33:14

But I said, We're here to serve you. And he goes, So there used to be a giant pine tree there, actually. And so that's why it's bare now. We took it down maybe three years ago, question mark.

SPEAKER_10 33:24

Oh.

SPEAKER_07 33:24

I said, Oh, nice. I said, Will the mulch stay contained in that area? Question mark. Do you want us to cut it out and make a natural edge? Because like it's just gonna fall on the lawn. Yeah, he goes, Possibly, how much would that cost? And I said, I'll be buying a bit to mow, so I'll take a gander. He goes, Thanks. I said, My pleasure. I said, So, dude, I honestly just our break even hourly rate. Like, it's not gonna take the guys long. Yeah, and I said, No material charge or anything. He goes, So you'd edge it out and put mulch there, and I said, Yes. And then he said, I have no clue what to do with this area over here. Now he's on the back side of the house, smaller bed, and I told Blake and Nico to weed it. I said, He's not gonna expect it, but just weed it, like make it look clean. And he's like, Okay.

SPEAKER_03 34:10

Really put the bow on top. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 34:12

Like, take care of this guy. Yeah, and Blake's like, you got it. So he actually stopped them from weeding. He's like, No, don't worry about it, don't worry about it. No, I didn't I didn't talk about that with Jake. And Blake's like, Well, Jake told us to do it for it was just funny. He's like, No, process.

SPEAKER_03 34:23

Oh, that's cute.

SPEAKER_07 34:24

So he goes, I have no clue what to do with this area over here. Originally, my dad and I had it edged out all the way around the patio, and then it overgrew, and now it's the only part left. Your guys were about to fill it in yesterday, but I told them to leave it. And I said, Yes, sir. I vote edge it out and mulch be done, extend it like two feet. So then I sent him a rendering of what I would do, and I said, Russian sage would do so well in this bed and give you a little elevation to the bed.

SPEAKER_03 34:48

Oh, Russian sage is so beautiful.

SPEAKER_07 34:50

And he's like, That sounds amazing. What will the whole job run me? I said, Let me look up pricing on the sages tonight. Uh, he said, we get so much sun back there, so as long as it's hardy, I said, all their sun worshippers, they just need a really good watering to get established. Don't forget about the hydrangeas. I said, they love water, hydra angel. And he laughed at that. He said, Thanks. I got them earlier day before it got too hot. I said, You a beast. He goes, thanks again for all your help. I said, Are you kidding, man? Thank you for the additional work. We greatly appreciate it. He said, Of course, just let me know the pricing when you can, no rush at all. I said, I'd love, he would love to get the area done. I said, It'll look awesome. I'd recommend dwarfs so they don't overwhelm that bed. And then, do you want small grasses mixed in? Alternate a little color, break up another sun-loving plant. Question mark. I said, So easy maintenance-wise, we just cut them down for the fall for you. And then boom, they come back in the spring. Goes, Yes, I'd love that. Pretty, but easy is exactly what I leave what I need. I said, We're dads, we all need free time, man. Yeah. And he said, I know, I agree. It's making my summer a joyous time.

SPEAKER_03 35:48

So not only are you providing a service that he wanted, you're giving him time with his family.

SPEAKER_07 35:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:53

Which you wouldn't want that.

SPEAKER_07 35:54

Yeah. It's just so it's fun. You're a when you're in sales, and like I look at this more as sales than I do like lawn care and landscaping. Because I just I'm obsessed with the game.

SPEAKER_10 36:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 36:07

But um it's like that video. Nothing is scummy about sales. If you are a true salesman, you are a problem solver.

SPEAKER_03 36:16

Exactly. You're providing a solution to a problem that they have.

SPEAKER_07 36:19

And like, okay, you don't have eight grand, no problem. Here's four grand.

SPEAKER_03 36:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 36:24

Does this work for what you want? Now I can't give you the eight thousand dollar job. Yeah. I can give you this for four. Yeah, that actually, you know what? That works great.

SPEAKER_03 36:34

And I think a lot of people, at least in my experience at my old house before we met, you know, people will come out and they'll only want to do their ideas because they're used to planting. X plant, they're used to doing things a certain way. But I feel like you have a very like collaborative energy, which I think a lot of people appreciate. And I'm sure a lot of other businesses have this too, but not in my experience. Like there's okay, here's what you're looking for, here's what I can give you. If you can go up just a tad, here's what I can get you that's more toward the look of what you're looking for. Most people are just like, okay, this is the price for what we can do. There's not really any negotiating. This is what we want to do, this is what you're looking for. If you don't want to do it, then like find another company. But you're not like that. Which I think like I don't know how long you've had because we've only known each other for almost three years now. But um, I don't know if you've always been like that with landscaping or if this is kind of a newer thing to where like I feel like people love that you are collaborating with them.

SPEAKER_07 37:42

Yeah, I think it's definitely new within the last 18-24 months.

SPEAKER_03 37:46

Like they don't love being told like this is what we're gonna do, or just say, I'm gonna hire you guys to just do what you want to do. It's like, no, I want your input, like I want you to take pride in what we're doing and think that it looks beautiful.

SPEAKER_07 37:59

I want your opinions just as much as you want mine.

SPEAKER_03 38:01

Like, for instance, the referral you got this week from your brother-in-law, yeah, who has a fellow employee who was asking about some landscaping team member. Yeah, and is uh so you were talking to them and she reached out on the gram. Yep, she reached out and you were basically saying, I mean, you can tell the story if you want, but what I was just gonna say was that she was saying, I'm pretty much an open book, like you can just do whatever you want. And but you were like, Well, is there certain plants that you don't like? Is there certain colors that you don't like? Because you want her to be happy, and her end result was just like, I want people to walk by and just say, Yeah, this looks beautiful.

SPEAKER_07 38:43

Yeah, she doesn't want she doesn't want a showstopper, exactly, but she doesn't want to necessarily blend in because she's sending me pictures of other neighbors' houses, and I said, Is that like the look we're going for? Or Mozzie's about to do that again.

SPEAKER_03 38:59

Come here.

SPEAKER_10 39:02

Cool.

SPEAKER_03 39:02

And there it goes. Um don't ever get a male dog, guys.

SPEAKER_07 39:07

But uh I said, you know, so okay, we don't want a showstopper, but we want someone that drives by and go, Wow, that's a really pretty landscape.

SPEAKER_03 39:17

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 39:18

Not like, whoa, have you seen this place?

SPEAKER_03 39:20

Look, it's just not unattainable, just really nice and tasteful.

SPEAKER_07 39:24

Yeah, exactly. And I just said, What's your budget? And she gave the figures, and I said, Oh, that's a that's a hardy budget. We can do a lot with that. And she's like, Sounds great. She goes, She goes, What do I sign? I said, Well, you know, my consultation fee is normally X since you're a friend of Mike's, it's half.

SPEAKER_10 39:45

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 39:45

And then I'll start the uh the drawings and give you everything you need by this date. Yep. And then realistically, you know, my timeline, we're booked. We're booked really solid. Yep. But we can, I think, realistically squeeze you in in about two and a half to three weeks. And she's like, that sounds great.

SPEAKER_10 40:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 40:05

And I said, um, you know, I'm gonna send her obviously the she already paid, by the way, the uh design fee. Awesome. I sent it on Friday morning by like late Friday morning. She's like, hey, already sent that, blah, blah, blah. Just curious when the design will happen. I said, Yep, it'll happen by this date. And then once I send that design and then the contract over, you know, then she'll know that 50% is required up front, and then 50% just at the end. Joe, um, Earth Art Joe, I mean, he does six-figure landscapes. I mean, it's just it's crazy. Insane. So with um, like with Joe's situation, his is more like a third up front, and then once they break ground, the day of another third is due.

SPEAKER_03 40:47

I mean, which makes sense because he's using such heavy equipment. Oh, you were shaking your head like that.

SPEAKER_07 40:53

Oh, it's just like it's crazy it's just a totally different world. Yeah. And then also, like he was he did a job the other day um that he quoted out, and it's an existing client, and it's like 800 perennials are going in.

SPEAKER_11 41:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 41:06

800. Um, but then you know, Joe is very communicative, like I am, but it's a different world. So his structure is gonna be way different than mine because he's he's buying 150 grand worth of pavers. Like he's gonna need that up front.

SPEAKER_03 41:22

And he's he's more like long game, I would say. Like he his jobs take a lot longer than a landscaping job would. Like he's there for weeks at a time.

SPEAKER_07 41:33

If not months, yes, that bloomfield job, yeah, four, five, six months.

SPEAKER_03 41:37

Totally. So like his situation is a little bit different, so his structure is different, which has to be makes complete sense. Like it's the same way with real estate when you are dealing with a new construction home and you're taking out draws to fund your projects through the bank. Of course, the builder is gonna say, I need X, X, and X to pay for this. So, of course, they're gonna submit a draw to fund just that portion. So, I mean, it makes complete sense.

SPEAKER_07 42:01

Yeah. And then we were talking last night when you were on the walk with Stink before you got home. He was just asking me about markup and stuff like this. Hey, how do you do this? And it's not to it's not a competition. It's he wants to understand how I do it, and then he can tell me how he does it. Yeah. And then, hey, have you considered this? Have you considered this? And I said, Well, have you considered this? And he goes, Oh, I know, I didn't think about it from that way.

SPEAKER_10 42:22

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 42:22

And it's so it's so cool because I'm constantly chasing the better me. It's like Matthew McConaughey when he talks about that acceptance speech. He said, You know, who are you chasing? He said, I'm chasing me in 10 years. Yep. And like that's I'm constantly hungry for the best version of myself. Now, I'm ever like Matthew McConaughey says, am I ever gonna catch myself? No, I'm not, but I'm gonna strive to do the best I can to be the best version of me. And like Joe is like that second father figure for me. Like, he's been in this industry so long, he's so knowledgeable. Totally, he's been helping me. I do the best. I feel like I never help him back. I mean, I feel like I do, but like you do. I just I don't feel like I get so much more in return.

SPEAKER_03 43:08

Sometimes what Joe needs is just somebody to be able to bounce things off of.

SPEAKER_07 43:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:13

And in essence, like he's helping you by giving you a truck for right now because you're in a bind, but like you're also helping him because you guys are bouncing things off of each other. He's seeing your success. I mean, and you're seeing his success. So, like, it's all about collaboration, like we've been talking about this episode. Like, you know, making making each other back.

SPEAKER_04 43:34

I am helping because I gave him his right hand man justice.

SPEAKER_03 43:38

Oh my god, he owes you for a lifetime for giving him justice.

SPEAKER_07 43:41

Yeah, justice worked for me for a year and he loved it. And then lawn care was not enough for him. He needed more hands-on, yeah, detailed, which is great. And I said, Hey, but he finished out the season. He said I'm gonna do cleanups and everything, and he's like, Do you think Joe would need help over? Overwinter and then like maybe and he didn't say in the spring, he just said overwinter oh Joe always has projects in the winter.

SPEAKER_03 44:07

Which is so funny because Justice is like the type of person to where like he's hungry. And I don't think yeah, and I don't think he really understood what he was looking for. Got that dog. Like he just because he was so hungry, he wanted to learn something different, and then he fell into something that now he truly loves.

SPEAKER_07 44:26

He loves it.

SPEAKER_03 44:27

Which is like we talked about last episode.

SPEAKER_07 44:29

And he was so mad at himself. He's like, dude, I think is it okay that like I work for Joe full time? He said, Do it, bro.

SPEAKER_03 44:36

Totally.

SPEAKER_07 44:37

Joe can give you something that I can't right now.

SPEAKER_03 44:39

Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 44:39

And like, go do it.

SPEAKER_03 44:40

And the scope of Joe's work is a lot more than what you were doing at the time. Which is good. If you want to learn more and learn new things every day, then Joe's your guy.

SPEAKER_07 44:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:51

Like that's awesome.

SPEAKER_07 44:52

And he felt bad. I was like, you do not need to feel bad.

SPEAKER_03 44:54

But that just proves the type of person that he is that he feels bad for like, you know, thinking that he's leaving you hanging. But like, no, you can always find people who are in this industry who love what they do.

SPEAKER_07 45:04

He is full line at Joe's. Joe is so his success. He said, like, it's just unbelievable. He said he's got he still has a lot to learn. Now Joe's got 40 years of experience. But like he said, he's night and day from when he started.

SPEAKER_03 45:23

But also, like on a personal level, I feel like Justice has had such growth since you met him.

SPEAKER_10 45:29

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:30

Like I feel like in the beginning he was still trying to figure out what he's doing, and now he's like firm in his business.

SPEAKER_07 45:36

He's firm in his faith.

SPEAKER_03 45:37

Firm in his faith. He's firm in his relationships. Like he is wanting his goal is to buy a home. Like he's having all of these goals. And to see like where he started to like where he is now is like such a joy. Even for me, and I didn't even have a relationship with him as you do.

SPEAKER_07 45:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:56

You know, he was at our baby shower and our wedding, but also like you had the relationship. So I can't imagine if it's so nice for me to see, like how nice it is for you to see that you had even a contribution to his growth.

SPEAKER_07 46:09

No, I I didn't have a contribution. I just I put him in touch with the people.

SPEAKER_03 46:13

Well, that is a contribution. Yeah, but it's all yourself short.

SPEAKER_07 46:15

But it's on him to uh prove himself and do what he wants to do.

SPEAKER_03 46:19

So yeah, but he's in this because of the contact that you had for him.

SPEAKER_07 46:24

God just put us together. It is what it is.

SPEAKER_03 46:26

Well, yes, but you also had a contribution to his success, which I think is amazing.

SPEAKER_07 46:30

That's nice of you to say, but I don't think so. Um but anyways, so yeah. We were talking about the dealer, we're talking about what was like the main thing you said?

SPEAKER_03 46:40

It's about talking about negotiation.

SPEAKER_07 46:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:44

And about how just important it is in business, I think, to have a collaborative effort. And I think a lot of people in your industry, they don't see they have a figure in their mind and like that's their hard line. But then when you explain, which is kind of a form of negotiating, when you're explaining, like, hey, here's what we can do based on your budget, but if this is what you're looking for, you're probably gonna need to be at this to accomplish it. Which is uh negotiating. You're explaining, but you're also negotiating what they want. Yeah, I love being outside.

SPEAKER_07 47:27

Um wow. 48 minutes. That's pretty. Is he still sleeping? Do you have your phone on you?

SPEAKER_03 47:34

Uh I have it. It's over there. I think he's still sleeping. I haven't gotten an alert that there's been sound.

SPEAKER_07 47:39

Man, what a beautiful day. Yeah, it was a really nice day. Um so I have to do, I think, a solo podcast, and I gotta do everyone and their mother is DMing me about all right, is it right or is it X Mark? Is it right or is it X Mark?

SPEAKER_03 47:56

Ooh, that's fun.

SPEAKER_07 47:57

So I'm gonna give you the truth. I'm gonna give you the dirty details, I'm gonna give you the good details. Um, so I think that's gonna be number six. It's gonna be a solo podcast.

SPEAKER_11 48:09

Love it.

SPEAKER_07 48:10

Um I have to make a video for it too. I'm gonna do them side by side. Um maybe I just do the pod while I have the mowers in front of me, and then I can have your phone do some filming too at the same time while I'm doing the podcast.

SPEAKER_03 48:24

You should do it as a cool Father's Day episode. Xmarts.

SPEAKER_07 48:30

Oh, nice. That's a good idea. Yeah, so that'll be episode six, unless you and I do another pod tomorrow and we think of another topic that we want to talk about um between. But oh. Guess whose birthday it is today? Jesus year, see baby. How do you do you feel different today?

SPEAKER_03 48:54

No.

SPEAKER_07 48:54

Does it feel like but honestly, like every day, every year when it's my birthday, like it just feels a little bit different. Yes, it's just another day, but it does feel sp like God allowed me to be born on this day.

SPEAKER_10 49:05

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 49:06

Like, do you feel that? Like that little thing in your chest or your tummy where you're just like, yeah, it's my birthday.

SPEAKER_03 49:10

I feel I don't necessarily feel that, but I just feel like this year is going to be the like a description, a true depiction of what they call your Jesus year, which is like the year of like this was the year that Jesus was crucified and then resurrected. So it symbolizes like new beginnings, which I mean, if anything, this year isn't a new beginning. I mean, I'm gonna be a stay-at-home mom this year. I'm gonna be working for JLC. There's a lot of new beginnings. It's also the year of like letting go of things that don't serve you anymore, which I think we experience that all the time, is letting go of certain things that maybe and then just having a mindset, a future mindset, I think, too, is what the 33 year is where you're talking about building something, which I think I at least haven't really gotten serious about until I started working for JLC, which now I'm like, oh yeah, like we're building, we're growing. We we want to have this like legacy for our son. And so in that way I feel different. I don't necessarily feel like the day is different, um, because if anything, it's just a traditional day, like I just want to spend it with my family and um yeah.

SPEAKER_07 50:32

Build it and they will come, right? That's how it goes. Well, cool.

SPEAKER_03 50:37

Yep. Crazy.

SPEAKER_07 50:38

Any uh I feel like you're really good at words of parting wisdom on the podcast.

SPEAKER_03 50:45

Um I don't know if I necessarily have any words of wisdom today, but a thing that I have been doing for the past couple years is every year I try to set a goal for myself or something that I want to do. So, like for my 30th year, I wanted to, or maybe it was my 29th year, I don't remember, but I learned how to ride a motorcycle. I was 30. Yep, I got my rider's license.

SPEAKER_07 51:13

Okay, what was 31?

SPEAKER_03 51:14

31 was learning how to shoot a gun.

SPEAKER_07 51:18

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 51:19

Uh 32. What did I do in 32? Oh, I learned how to be a mom. Yep. Had a baby.

SPEAKER_07 51:26

I was gonna say, uh pretty big one.

SPEAKER_03 51:29

Also got married.

SPEAKER_07 51:30

Yep. Um and then I shotgun wedding baby. Okay, heck yeah.

SPEAKER_03 51:36

And then um 33, I think, is going to just be a year of like growth. I don't know that I necessarily have something that I want to learn this year. Obviously, I'm gonna be learning JLC, so that'll be a different but I will be learning to be a stay-at-home mom, learning how to take care of our house, learning how to be the best version of me for our son in his like very formative developing years. And so yeah.

SPEAKER_07 52:05

What we were on our walk the other night. This is how squirrel-brained I am, and how much is why I gotta get you off the cuff. Yeah. Um, what was the thing I said my goal was? And I said, No, I'm I'm laughing at myself because we're six months in, but there was something I wanted.

SPEAKER_03 52:22

We wanted to learn Spanish.

SPEAKER_07 52:23

Oh, yeah, I want I want I wanted to be more fluent.

SPEAKER_03 52:27

Because you always talk about like when you're going to the yard, the plant yard, or whatever, like how I love talking to them in their in their language. Talking in Spanish.

SPEAKER_07 52:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 52:36

But like even when we were in Mexico. So we went to Mexico March of 2025, right after we had found out that we were having a baby. We were like, let's go on a trip.

SPEAKER_07 52:48

Hey guys, come on, don't do this. All right, let's finish inside.

SPEAKER_03 52:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 52:53

God, I can't stand beagles. Can't believe my wife decided to buy two beagles nine and ten years ago. What a horrible decision.

SPEAKER_03 53:02

So, anyway, we went to Mexico um March of 2025. And um, right after we found out that we were gonna have stink.

SPEAKER_01 53:11

Cabo! We're going to Gabo.

SPEAKER_03 53:13

Jake was like in his element, he loved talking in Spanish. Like, we had the same server at the pool for like, I don't know, several days while we were there. And every time Jake is just like talking to him in Spanish, and the guy is loving it, Jake's loving it. Um, even the so ever at the resort that we went to, every day there was like fresh, was it gelato? Yeah, it was fresh gelato that they had every single day there. And Jake would talk to her in Spanish. Like he's just like in his elements.

SPEAKER_01 53:50

So when he Which was hilarious because I'd say, Hey, I'm going to go see my novia, which is girlfriend.

SPEAKER_03 53:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 53:55

And you would be like, Why are you why is she your girlfriend?

SPEAKER_03 53:58

And hilarious because I would go there and she would not speak to me anyway. She was talking to Jake. Um, so I always was teasing him about that because of course, like I was still in my first trimester, so I was like a little bit sick, and no, no, moody, but I was a little okay, yeah, moody. Um but I was feeling a little sick some days, like, you know, and obviously, like Jake was drinking, so he was having all the fun, and I was just kind of like, you know, trying to enjoy myself.

SPEAKER_00 54:29

Oh, I was enjoying myself the whole. Oh, yeah. You were so annoyed with me.

SPEAKER_03 54:33

No, I wasn't annoyed. I I think I was just annoyed that like you could drink and have fun and I couldn't.

SPEAKER_04 54:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 54:38

Um, so we need to redo that trip now that we actually have them.

SPEAKER_04 54:42

So what was the one gift you wanted for uh your birthday?

SPEAKER_03 54:46

What do you mean?

SPEAKER_07 54:47

What did you say? All I want to do the evening of my birthday.

SPEAKER_03 54:50

Oh my god, all I want to do for my birthday is get drunk with Jake. We have not done that together.

SPEAKER_07 54:57

Okay, and we're not talking plastered, we're just talking two or three drinks, having a little buzz. A little buzz.

SPEAKER_03 55:04

Because, like, obviously, we're parents now. We stinky goes to bed at 8, 8:30 at the latest.

SPEAKER_10 55:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 55:10

And we like, then I go to the gym. So we don't really have the opportunity to just like sit and have a drink together and just talk very often.

SPEAKER_07 55:17

Like have just a nice little glass of wine and talk about the day.

SPEAKER_03 55:20

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_07 55:21

So I talk about because we're constantly building JLC. That's all we talk about.

SPEAKER_03 55:25

So I told them that what I really want is just to like have a couple of drinks together, like have a nice dinner and just like enjoy each other. Because if we don't set out time for each other, we normally just don't do it because we're both so busy. Like, for instance, last night Jake didn't get home till like after eight o'clock. So I was already getting Zeke's bedtime routine all set. So like we didn't really have the time to just like sit and enjoy each other.

SPEAKER_07 55:51

So but we did once you uh cause you didn't go to the gym last night, right?

SPEAKER_02 55:55

No, I didn't.

SPEAKER_07 55:56

So it once he was down and then you let go of the frustration that we worked so late, yeah. Then we got to sit and like talk for an hour, hour and a half, and then took a shower and then jumped in bed, snuggled.

SPEAKER_03 56:09

So it'll be nice to just kind of like sit and talk and have um and have some drinks together because we have not done that since before we had him. And it'll just be that's parenthood. Yeah, crazy.

SPEAKER_07 56:22

That's entrepreneurship.

SPEAKER_03 56:23

It's almost crazy that we're to the point to where you have to almost like schedule time together because or schedule one-on-one time together, I should say, because we're always spending time together, but one-on-one time where you're just focusing on each other, which I'm sure every parent can understand. Um, that's kind of hard to come by now.

SPEAKER_10 56:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 56:40

Um, but yeah, that'll be exciting. Um, Jake got us, uh Jake got me Ed Sheeran tickets for my birthday. So we're gonna go see him in late August.

SPEAKER_10 56:52

Yeah, it's gonna be a blast.

SPEAKER_03 56:53

We love Ed Sheeran, Zeke loves Ed Sheeran, so it'll be really nice to go and again have some like alone time with each other because we're just so busy being parents.

SPEAKER_04 57:02

And your boyfriend isn't touring this year, is he? With his divorce.

SPEAKER_02 57:06

Oh, Keith.

SPEAKER_04 57:07

Yeah, Keith Urban. Keith Eben.

SPEAKER_03 57:09

Keith Urban. Um, no, he's not touring this year. So we're not gonna see him this summer, unfortunately. Which is surprising because you'd think he'd want to recoup some of the money that he lost in the divorce, but you know, that's not.

SPEAKER_08 57:19

I I think now don't get me wrong, he's worth gobs and gobs of money. I think she's worth way more.

SPEAKER_03 57:23

Oh, 100%.

SPEAKER_08 57:24

I think if anything, she's paying him.

SPEAKER_03 57:25

And I think in all honesty, like I kind of love like the gossip magazines. Like I and specifically like hearing about him because I love him so much, like I love his music.

SPEAKER_02 57:36

I always have.

SPEAKER_05 57:37

Love who he is as a person, how he came out of that alcoholism, turned his life around, put his family first. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 57:44

So um, I think like what I actually found out is like they pretty much just left it which with whatever they had originally, like they just separated. So it was very uh simple. But um, so I'm sure he doesn't actually need the money from touring. But like for the past what two years, we've gone to see him every summer.

SPEAKER_07 58:02

And you've seen him before, right? Totally. And then yeah, I'd seen him multiple times. Yeah. And then I was like, Hey, you want to go to Keith? You're like, I love I'm like, wait, wait, wait. You love Keith Urban? Because he's like my boy, like he's one of my favorite country.

SPEAKER_02 58:16

And he's got so many songs that have like stood the test of time.

SPEAKER_03 58:19

Like a couple of the ones that we love were made in like 2004, which he still performs at every single concert. So we love Keith Urban. I mean, like, we took stink when he was still in my belly. Um, when I think I was like six months pregnant or something.

SPEAKER_04 58:35

Oh my god, and it was the hottest day of the year.

SPEAKER_03 58:37

We went to Pine Knob, our power had just gone out because it was the hottest day of the year. We were getting ready for the concert in the dark. Well, not the dark, because it was the concert was at six.

SPEAKER_08 58:46

Dripping, heading to the concert, dripping.

SPEAKER_03 58:49

We were dripping at the concert. I literally touched Jake's back and I was like, ew. Um and it was the best concert, and it was the best concert. It was just so like you wouldn't even have known by how many people were there this year. And what was so cool 88 degrees, 100% humidity.

SPEAKER_07 59:07

If you know Keith Urban and you know his concerts, you know eventually he's gonna end up in the crowd playing the guitar.

SPEAKER_08 59:12

And I just told you, I said, I think he's coming down this side. Yeah. And like, there he boom. I said, I said it's common, babe.

SPEAKER_03 59:19

Which at Pie Nav, it's so typical that people go out into the crowd because you obviously have everybody under the pavilion, but then you have the lawn people, and of course they want the lawn people to have a show as well and not just wash from the lawn. So usually anybody that's there will go out. So you kind of know, you just never know which side they're going for.

SPEAKER_08 59:35

How cool was it that you know he was like 20 feet from you?

SPEAKER_03 59:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 59:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 59:39

And every concert he gives somebody the guitar that he was using there and he get hands up to the city. Signs it right there in the crowd. Yep, he ended up giving it to a kid this year, which was really sweet.

SPEAKER_07 59:48

Um it was a little girl, right? Yeah, and we we happened to be walking out while she was holding it too. And it's just it's so special the the impact that these artists can have on people.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:00

And then the year before that, we had gone to see him on Mount Pleasant, Soaring Eagle. Mount Pleasant at Soaring Eagle, yep. And so that was completely outside, which that was so much fun too. Um, and we see him perform almost the same set every year, but every year it's so much fun.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:17

It gets better every single year.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:19

Yeah. So what was that?

SPEAKER_08 1:00:20

Um his opening song that he came out with, and it's just like it's so cool because not only is he a phenomenal singer, but he's an even better guitarist. Oh, yeah. And like when he just comes out and those shoulders are kind of like shrugging while he's playing the guitar, like you just you feel that passion and his love for the crowd.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:42

It's so hilarious that he like hasn't changed his look since like 2000 when he did it originally came out.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:50

Like he's the Keith U. He's going to every concert in a t-shirt and jeans with his and his chucks.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:58

His chucks.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:59

Yeah, every single time he has a concert, which is hilarious. So um yeah, we uh we love seeing Keith Urban.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:10

I think Ed's probably gonna be like our pop culture, our um pop music guy.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:15

Well, it's such a bigger venue. I mean, it's gonna be at Ford Field, so it's not as personal.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:20

Number one streamed artist in the world, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:23

And it was funny because like while I was pregnant, we started really listening to Ed Sheeran. And then when Snakey was first born, we would play him for him, like some of his slower stuff, and it would really calm him down. Um, so I mean, it's just kind of natural that now like we're gonna go see him, but that'll be really, really fun.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:42

And then um the seats are banging, yeah, it's gonna be good. It's a good spot.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:46

And then um Jake got me for my birthday. We're gonna get matching tattoos for Zeke.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:52

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:53

Or maybe not matching, just something, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:58

To do that.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:58

And we're gonna go see The Legend, Jonathan Redd. Yep, Think Inc., Fenton, Michigan. If you guys are thinking ink, I mean you you can't get any better than that.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:06

Yeah. So um, yeah, lots uh lots of stuff to look forward to this summer, but 33, I think, is gonna be a good year.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:15

It's a great year. Man, you robbed the cradle, baby. Oh my god, not even 31 yet.

SPEAKER_11 1:02:22

Relax.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:24

All right, well, guys, thanks for listening. This is episode five.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:29

We greatly seriously, it's it's really cool to see um not only you guys DMing me and and saying, like, wow, this one was relatable or this and that, but like saw Josh pulling up at Billings and he's like, bro, I'm literally listening to your podcast. And he points to his screen.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:47

And it's like, that's so cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:49

And Jake mentioned that you know, everybody wants him to do an X mark versus Wright episode. But if there's anything you want to talk you want us to talk about, whether it's parenthood, business, you have a topic that like you want to get Jake's thoughts on or our thoughts together on, um, you know, out of the way.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:04

Husband-wife dynamics, I mean you name great Danes, like whatever, like however we can help, like that's just what we want to do.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:12

Not even help, but just anything that like people want to like talk about that maybe isn't. I mean, I feel like everybody on their mother nowadays has a podcast now. So, like, I mean, I it's fun. I think that where we thrive is like we kind of talk about like everyday things. We're not just like having a special guest, we're literally talking about what happens in our daily lives.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:33

How funny was that video I sent you of what you know, so it's a lawn care guy. Obviously, you thought it was funny, and uh he said, you know, what you hear, and you hear the machine, like the trimmer and the the mower, and it's like what I hear, and it's Theo Vaughn. He's listening and goes, Yes, the doctor told me that I had the rib cage of a s a cat or something like that.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:54

Like what like it's there's so many different podcasts that you can listen to, and the fact that like people are taking the time to listen to ours is really cool, but like Theo Vaughn, oh my gosh, he's so funny, yeah, and he carries it all by himself most of the time.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:08

Yep, he does. Well, he has special guests quite often, but yeah, but what I'm saying, like he does have soul guests.

SPEAKER_09 1:04:13

But the ones that are hysterical, hysterical, are him solo and what's going on in his head.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:20

I think a lot of people have become with like podcasts more like an interview space. And I think that like what I first enjoyed about podcasts when they first started coming out was it was just like about daily lives. Like it wasn't necessarily it was almost like kind of like their version of a vlog.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:35

Not necessarily like specific topics or like I'm gonna have a guest on and we're gonna talk about their life, which is like, yeah, you wanna see that sometimes or you want to hear that sometimes, but you also just want to hear people that are like in the grind with you on a daily basis and not like you know who the pod father is who started all of this, right?

SPEAKER_05 1:04:53

Oh you gotta like try and take a guess.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:56

So Rogan?

SPEAKER_05 1:04:58

No, I mean he's he's an OG, but no, it's not even Rogan before Rogan's time. Okay, I'll give you a clue serious radio.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:06

Oh, Howard Stern. Howard Stern. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:09

It all came down to Howard.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:12

I think we owe it all to Howard.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:13

Yeah. Alright. Striped daddy out.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:17

All right.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:18

Thanks for taking uh time on your birthday to a pod. Hour and five minutes. Sick.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:23

If you are if you have to deal with a dealership soon, I am very sorry for you.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:28

Give us a call.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:29

Yeah, give us a call if you we'll give you the pointers. If you need emotional support, we are here for you.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:34

I'll give you Catherine's number.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:36

She'll just Kathy will call and be like, Yes, I'm calling about Joe such and such. Um what's our status?

SPEAKER_02 1:05:43

Yep.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:44

In this day and age, you gotta chase people.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:46

So all right, gang. Talk to you later. Bye.