The Quarterback DadCast
I’m Casey Jacox, the host of the Quarterback Dadcast. As fathers, we want to help prepare our kids—not only to enter the professional world but to thrive in each stage of their lives. Guests of this show include teachers, coaches, professional athletes, consultants, business owners, authors—and stay-at-home dads. Just like you! They share openly about failure, success, laughter, and even sadness so that we can all learn from each other—as we strive to become the best leaders of our homes! You will learn each week, and I am confident you will leave each episode with actionable tasks that you can apply to your life to become that ultimate Quarterback and leader of your household. Together, we will learn from the successes and failures of dads who are doing their best every day. So, sit back, relax and subscribe now to receive each episode weekly on The Quarterback Dadcast.
The Quarterback DadCast
Embracing Fatherhood: Matt Ferguson's Journey from Hesitation to Joy
For anyone who's ever felt a bit wary about stepping into fatherhood, Matt Ferguson's story is one you won't want to miss. Despite being the eldest of four siblings, Matt confesses his initial hesitation towards becoming a dad. Yet, as he shares with us on the Quarterback Dadcast, the arrival of his own children brought a transformative shift in his perspective. We explore how he navigates this new chapter, balancing the demands of a successful sales career with the joys and challenges of parenting. His insights into maintaining strong family bonds through various stages of life will offer a refreshing take on modern communication.
As a successful sales coach and speaker, Matt's transition from the golf industry to a thriving sales career also unfolds, highlighting the unexpected opportunities and pivotal moments that have shaped his life path. We recount together the timeless reminder that the days are long and the years are short as fathers.
Throughout the episode, we celebrate the small wins that accumulate into life's big achievements. Drawing lessons from sports, family values, and even the profound impact of losing his brother Drew, our conversation will emphasize the importance of mindset, self-belief, and gratitude. Our lighter moments include a humorous exchange about celebrity lookalikes, ensuring listeners walk away with both insights and smiles. Join our community of dads, share your own experiences, and let’s continue to support each other on this incredible journey of fatherhood.
Please don't forget to leave us a review wherever you consume your podcasts! Please help us get more dads to listen weekly and become the ultimate leader of their homes!
Hi, I'm Riley and I'm Ryder and this is my dad show. Hey everybody, it's Casey Jaycox with the quarterback dad cast. Welcome to season six, and I could not be more excited to have you join me for another year of fantastic episodes and conversations really unscripted and raw and authentic conversations with dads. If you're new to this podcast, really it's simple. It's a podcast where we interview dads, we learn about how they were raised, we learn about the life lessons that were important to them, we learn about the values that are important to them and really we learn about how we can work hard to become a better quarterback or leader of our home. So let's sit back, relax and listen to today's episode on the Quarterback Dadcast. Well, hey, everybody, it's Casey Jaycox with the Quarterback Dadcast. We're in season six, which feels fantastic. You've heard me say that before. I'm going to continue to say that again because it's like a pinch me moment that we're still doing this thing and we have a long list of guests still booked for 2025.
Speaker 2:And our next guest came to us through the power of LinkedIn we share a couple of. We might have a man crush on Mike Weinberg. I'm sorry, mike, we made you laugh or made you blush, but we both are buddies with Mr Weinberg. His name is Matt Ferguson. He's a golfer, he's a dad, he's got years of sales expertise. He's coaching and helping companies all around the United States from speaking or through his programs. But, more importantly, that's not why we're having him on. We're having to have Matt on the podcast today because we want to learn about Matt the dad and how he's working hard to become the ultimate quarterback or leader of his home. So, without further ado, mr Ferguson, welcome to the quarterback podcast.
Speaker 1:Thanks for having me. I've listened to several episodes and I'm a big fan of this. Oh, very cool.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you saying that. Well then, if you, if you know what's coming next, we always start out each episode gratitude. So tell me, what are you most grateful for as a dad today?
Speaker 1:Just my, my two kids. I never wanted to be a dad, um, in true honesty, and I I told you that before that we, we got on the show. I was the oldest of four boys. I don't know why I didn't want to be a dad, but it's probably the worst single thought that I've ever had, because every day that I've had a kid since August 11th 2020, I can't believe that. I actually thought that. And of the four of the four boys, I was the oldest and I was the last one. I was actually the last one to have a kid.
Speaker 1:Why do you think you had that thought? I don't know. I've heard other people that were like the oldest of siblings, just because, like growing up and I live in a great community, I live in a middle class home, but I think I got to see more of the you know some of the struggles my parents had just raising four boys. Yeah, maybe I don't. I just want to be on my own and I don't want that responsibility. I literally think that's might be what it was, and it's actually funny how that changed. Um, and I give you a million guesses and you'd probably never guess it, but we can get into that now, or we could get into that later.
Speaker 2:I'll let you, I'll let you decide let's, let's hold, cause I gotta, I gotta do my gratitude, and then we got to go into you, but then I want to get back to that. So don't forget to talk about that, got it? Um, so what I'm, what I'm most grateful for, is I have a son in college for some of those that follow me know me and I have a junior in high school, a daughter who's a high school basketball player, but she's more than that. She's a talented young woman. I'm excited to see what she does.
Speaker 2:What I'm grateful for is I have a great relationship with my son, my, and I remember like when I went to college, I wasn't calling my mom and dad every day. Um, I, you know, sometimes you make the bad decisions. You get into that freshman year like yeah, yeah, it's partying four nights a week. That sounds like a good idea, you know. And then, but my son, uh, he's got a serious girlfriend and he's we, we, I got on Snapchat Thanks to brad rosen shout out to you, brad, like I would never thought I'd be on snapchat, but like that's how we communicate.
Speaker 2:So I'm like we're snap, we got a snap streak, which I learned about that, um, and I just love that. It's not like he has to call dad and why he wants to call mom and dad and we've all the hard work between they were younger to where they're at now. It's just, it's so fulfilling as a parent to see the stage of like where we're at with our kids and I'm just grateful that my son likes to call dad and likes to check in. And you know, hey, send me pictures of the dog when you're working out and any like, whether it's having a good day or bad day, just it's. I just I'm grateful that we've opened lines of communication, cause that's like you know, you just want them happy.
Speaker 1:I because that's like you know. You just want them happy. I'll throw something there. I graduated high school in 98. What year did you graduate? Okay, I thought you were around 94, 95. So you were in the age of when you went to school. I played college football for a couple years myself, and when you went to school you had to buy. Do you remember this? Maybe you didn't, but I had to buy calling cards and we had to put in the codes with the calling cards and be like, hey, you have 200 minutes and you know. One of the interesting things now is that I live in Phoenix, arizona. My whole entire family lives in Cleveland, ohio. But like we talk all the time, text all the time, and like the technology and video and everything almost makes it like it's not even a big deal to live that far away. Like I can't go to Sunday dinner but they call me if it's somebody's birthday and they sing. So it's great that it's so much easier to communicate now.
Speaker 2:I that's, that is circa for the older dads. When Maddie talked about the calling card, I mean that was my parents used to give me gifts because to talk, because my wife went to, we went to several colleges, so we maximized the how many? Or then it went to mobile, mobile minutes. Yeah, don't call me because I only have 84 minutes left.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'll never forget my youngest brother. They got, we all kind of got phones. I can't remember when everybody got cell phones, but it was kind of in early 2000s and he was texting and then like there was text plans where if you went over the minutes and like he had, I'll never remember the number, but we were like, how could you send 250 texts? Now you send that and probably you know half a day.
Speaker 2:Right. Well, even like this is even dating ourselves. This is going completely random, but did you ever have the old school like brick phone?
Speaker 1:Well, no, but you're talking about the Nokia phone. I think I'm talking about the big ass no no, no, not that. That was more 90s phone. I would say I did not have that.
Speaker 2:So my dad rest in peace. My dad was like the OG. He worked for Whirlpool for 30 years, sales guy rocking the Oldsmobile station wagon just disorganizes all shit like papers all over the place. I'm like Dad, what are you doing back here? But when I took the old zumbi on, this thing could like turn on a dime. It was like you know, marshawn beat marshawn lynch like ghost ride the whip like that thing could turn. So had a nice little bass in their thing. So I'm rocking that bad boy. Go to my girlfriend's house this time not my wife and my dad had his, his, his, uh, big brick phone. Like oh yeah, I'm gonna call him, call my girl. So did not know, it was like $70 million a minute. My dad's like what the Sam's shit are you doing? Sorry, dad, no, oh, boy, okay, so we're already off the rails. Let's okay, bring it back in. Tell me about the Ferguson squad who was in the huddle and tell me how your wife met.
Speaker 1:Me and my wife met on a blind date Okay, and it was through mutual friends and we went, we went, we just went on. A date went out. It's actually St Patrick's day, so it might've been 2017. This year will be our fifth wedding anniversary, because we got married in 2019. My oldest daughter is four years old. She was born in 2020. And then my youngest son, my youngest son, my only son, was born last year, 12-22-23. So you almost can't even forget that date. So he was a Christmas baby. So there's four of us and then we have kind of how I got in.
Speaker 1:Going back to what I said, we have what I thought I would never have is two cats. I lived in this apartment building and had a crazy neighbor that was right next to me, me, and he would ask me to take care of his cats. I actually was scared to death of cats. I hated cats, but he had the coolest cat and I was like I'm a single guy like this doesn't seem like it's that hard, like I wonder if I could find a cool cat like this. And I had these acquaintances that were boyfriend, girlfriend, that live with these three cats. They broke up and then they had to get rid of the three cats. I saw it on facebook took one of the cats and then decided oh, this is pretty cool. Maybe you know I'd like to have kids someday. So a cat actually changed my mind if I wanted to have kids or not. And I still have that cat to this day.
Speaker 1:How old's the cat, the cat now? I got him when he was seven, so he's probably, I think he's around 14 or 15. Um, the second cat showed up on our porch about last summer. You're actually catching me on a heck of a day, you know, especially talking about parenting and that because the cat we had the cat get neutered yesterday, so he's got a cone around his head. My youngest son woke up at three 30 in the morning and didn't go back to bed till nine. So you know, it's all those stuff that I'm sure you look back on and you've probably missed those days because everybody says it goes so fast and just by you know, my daughter being four, it's crazy how fast it goes so fast and just by you know, my daughter being four, it's crazy how fast it goes.
Speaker 2:Dude, I I remember sorry, I was playing golf this past weekend, me and my good buddy named darren I think it was episode nine or ten um, and we were talking to a younger dad and just about like the journey of I mean, all the cliches are true, it goes way too fast, um, and you get so wrapped up in the moment because we're competitive people, but in the end, none of it really matters. What matters is are they happy? Are we helping them find what they want to do Not what you think they want to do, not what you want them to do, but just cause all it does is, I mean, when I'm not been my best apparent, your anxiety goes to the roof. You're trying to have these expectations that don't exist and then you just create more stress for yourself. You put actually accidental pressure on your family. But the beautiful thing is like admitting that out loud. I hope I'm speaking to another dad like shit.
Speaker 2:As much as I do this podcast for you guys, everybody, I do it for me selfishly. It's free therapy, you know, and it's just a way to like stay grounded and focus on doing what? Um, just trying to be a better version of me. And, uh, I I still remember a neighbor who lived four doors down from me that when my son was eight weeks old six weeks old had him in the baby Bjorn whatever, maybe six weeks old, and I'm walking. She's like man goes fast, I'm like he's like six weeks old, what are you talking about? Now he's 18 in college. I remember that yesterday. So, yeah, man, enjoy it, enjoy it.
Speaker 1:I think what you do in this podcast is so cool because, like all podcasts, like and I run into it too Like I'll be on a podcast and I'm talking about the same things over and over again, saying things differently, but it's sales management and sales leadership, right, and I and I think one of the cool things about this is that years later, my kids will be able to listen to it. You know, and like everybody that you've ever done this will be able to. You know the kids, their kids, will be able to listen to it. I think what's really cool about your podcast is my kids will be able to listen to this someday and think about all the podcasts that you've done, like all of those kids and your kids will be able to listen to this. Like, that's a cool, that's just a great thing to have the other, the other podcasts that I'm'm on. They probably won't listen because it's sales management and they'll think it's boring and they'll be like, well, that's what you do, we don't really care well, that's what's funny about um.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you saying that. Um, I had my kids on. I'm sure you know if you've listened if you like. They did the intro and so they were. That was when my daughter was like in seventh grade, my son's in ninth and they're it's funny to hear their voices then and that they are now. I thought about sometimes having my kids on one time, like maybe interviewing them. I still know they never wanted to do it, but it's funny.
Speaker 2:My son now he sent me a text or a snap message and it was a picture of my book. He goes hey, I'm going to read this tools book. You know this guy, he's you smart ass. I'm like while you're in college I said it'll make a lot more sense. But there's a first part of the page that said you know I dedicated to him and uh, it's like kind of a nostalgia moment. But like you know, when your kids real realize, hey, maybe my dad's not as big as a tool as I once thought, maybe maybe I might be able to learn something from him, and's kind of that's where the stage of what we're at I'm still. He still likes to make fun of me and hit it farther than me on the golf course, which is not fun, but, um, okay, so youngest, oldest of four, um, talk about what was life like growing up for you? Um, and tell me a little bit about mom and dad.
Speaker 1:Um, dad was a stud matter of fact, he played football, um at youngstown state. Um, his quarterbacks were ron jaworski and chris uh cliff stout, who, between them, played in the nfl for I don't know how many years um he he tried, he actually tried out for the Buffalo Bills. So he was there two weeks. He was a wide receiver and you know, the funny thing was is he sent these video clips, probably about two, three weeks ago, that somebody sent him on YouTube and it was him. He had like five catches and 135 yards in the first half and the YouTube. I was like I never thought you really play. This is the first I ever the YouTube. I was like I never thought you really play. This is the first I ever you know I ever saw highlights um, highlights of you. So, um, that was my dad, who you know was a great athlete.
Speaker 1:Um, my mom they, they were high school sweethearts grew up in a small town in Ohio. Um, my mom was a night nurse, Um, so she, she worked um at hospitals all this growing up and I can still remember her going to work, you know, at night, and then coming home in the morning to find us. My whole upbringing was sports I mean basketball, football, baseball, you named it. I played it growing up. I was always like top player, best player that there was, which I look back and thought about how much that meant to me. And then when you look back and like, did it really mean that much? Like to your point, like, what does all this matter? But I think what it taught me was you know being competitive and you know always wanting to win. And you know it's funny, I think what I find in the most competitive people, especially in sales right, you're always looking for college athletes, competitive You're probably like this is my guess is that it's not the winning, that's that like that great, it's the losing that drives you absolutely insane. And then, and then when you win, it's like, oh, that's the losing that drives you absolutely insane. And then and then when you win, it's like, oh, that's cool, let's go do it again. You know so, growing up, being the oldest, um, you could ask my brothers, I was probably hard to deal with. You know, kind of hard, kind of hard on them, typical older brother in the midwest probably. But you know, love, love, all my brothers and, um, you know, that's kind of, that's kind of how it was. It was all sports all the time. It's.
Speaker 1:It's funny whenever my wife, like her and my daughter, be watching some tv show, right, and my daughter, my wife, would be like have you ever seen this this? You know it would be some like old cartoon or something. I'm like, no, I don't think so. She's like what did you watch when you were growing up? I'm like I watched Georgetown Syracuse. Like I loved Sherman Douglas and Derek Lombard. You remember those games Like I can still remember being in the living room watching those games with the hoop up and you know shooting. But that's kind of what it was like in my family growing up.
Speaker 1:My dad always coached me, probably around sixth, seventh grade. We got, we got a little rocky and hey, maybe you shouldn't coach me anymore because you know, typical dad was hard on me. But you know I got a lot of good life lessons out of all that. What did your dad do for work? Oh, he has still to this day. He's got his own interior decorating company, so he does painting, wallpapering indoor. So I like to say I've had a paintbrush in my hand since I was about five years old. There you go Most, you know, in summers when all my friends were going to the beach and that I was on the side of a garage scraping and painting a thing I'd be like. Is this even legal? You know we're not 18. Should we be working like this? It's just legal.
Speaker 2:Tell me what you learned from those experiences.
Speaker 1:Um, just like hard, like hard work and work ethic. Really, you know, like everything that I've ever had has been earned, like nothing's like ever been like given to me, like I can remember, even in sales some, you know, in sales sometimes, like every once in a while you get a break or somebody closes some huge deal and then it's like, oh my god, I can't believe I got that commission. I didn't even do that much for doing that. Like that's actually nice. But like for me it's always just been work ethic.
Speaker 1:And like, growing up like my dad and my mom, my mom worked nights, worked 12-hour shift, and my dad went to work every day and it seemed like he worked weekends all the time, you know, and would take us to work. But like I think that was just like ingrained in us, almost, almost to the point now where, like it's tough, you know, I have my own business and it's like I study a lot of stuff on the brain and the consciousness and things like that. But like I still always have in the back of my mind is like I got to do this to get that, you know, but that's a that's a good thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, back to your comment about losing. I remember so in college we would do on Thursdays we would do two minute offense against number one offense, number one defense, and it was shoulder pads and helmets, which so this is me being excused my defensive buddies are going to call me out for, but I'm sorry, it's legit. So if I could get touched then I was down and so lyman couldn't block as well as I could without leg pads on because you're not going to blow a guy's knee out and shoulder pads, the helmet, but it was still super competitive defense wouldn't usually win most of the time but and so I would end up being pissed on thursdays from like 4, 45 until 10, 30 or 11, so mad that my buddies beat me, and the days we would win it was like the best day ever. But like you're right, the losses drive you way more nuts than the wins, because the wins is what you expect. That's why you're, that's why you're prepared, that's why you do the little things that you know. Just talk you know the practice.
Speaker 1:So you, you brought up, you brought up basically being in shells, right helmet and shoulder pads, and I'll never forget I go to play college football, right division, division three, and like, but people say, oh, division three.
Speaker 1:But there's still football still pretty damn good and the biggest thing that always shocked me in d3 was like the corners would just come up and and like knock somebody's head off, right, like you're just not used to that in high school. But what always shocked me was we would be in shells and I'd be like all right, finally we get kind of a break here, you know, and it was like still full go. I'm like why don't we just have full pads on? Somebody is going to get hurt out here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's what makes it fun. It's like the same grittiness. Your parents taught you the D3, have a little chip on your shoulder. I was a D2 guy. Chip on my shoulder. You never feel like you've arrived, even now as an entrepreneur, because I don't. I don't know about you, but I didn't mean to do what I'm doing now. I'm mad. This thing found me um and um. Okay, so mom's a night nurse. You got three, three brothers, probably wwf all the time in your house. I can can imagine you know cage matches and Ric Flair.
Speaker 1:That's pretty much how it was. Yes, perfect.
Speaker 2:Um dad's interior design. You know so, you've you've seen from a early age what hard work looks like. What he laid your both parents laid the laid the foundation. Besides hard work, tell me what were other values that were instilled in you, and maybe a story that could back back some of those values up?
Speaker 1:um, man, good question. You know, I I always think, uh, here, here, here's a, here's a great story and this, just this just popped to me. So we put an addition on our back porch, we turn our back porch basically into like a family room, and the construction gets done and my dad's papering, and then I'm painting the wall above the chair rail.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'll see if I can remember what exactly happened here but you'll get the gist of the story and he tells me my dad still, to this day, tints paint. So he's amazing with color, right? So think about it. I don't know if you've ever went to Sherwin-Williams or something, but you pick your color and then you put it in this thing and it's all machine-based and they put the tints in and they shake it and everything.
Speaker 1:But my dad had his own tints like, and he was constantly like messing when in changing colors and he was really good with colors. Well, when we painted the ceiling, you know, he had some tin in it so it wasn't just white. And he said to me he goes, whatever you do, don't hit the ceiling because I don't have any paint left for that and I don't want to have to match it, right, because he wouldn't have to, wouldn't be able to match it and hit it. So, of course, what happens? I hit the ceiling, I take the roller too close and hit the ceiling. I think I hit it twice. So he comes in and he said I told you not to hit the ceiling and I'm like I, I didn't, I didn't hit the ceiling. He's like I'm gonna give you one more chance to answer that because you're the only one that could have hit the ceiling, you're the only one at painting to tell you didn't hit the ceiling. And I said I didn't hit the ceiling. Oh boy, oh boy, it just went to some.
Speaker 1:I'll get it wrong, but it was some kind of parenting thing, right?
Speaker 1:I forget exactly what the message was he's like there's kids that get their get caught with their hand in the cookie jar and they apologize for it.
Speaker 1:And then there's kids that get their hand in the cookie jar and they get caught red-handed and they say their hand is in the cookie jar.
Speaker 1:And I felt to this day I still feel bad about you know hitting the ceiling and lying. But I would say, like the trust like that I lost by doing that, like because he basically came back and said like hey, I can't trust you cause I know you hit it and like all this stuff. But I always think actually, my LinkedIn post today was about you know lying during the sales process and like if you allow your team to lie, and then their top performers because they can lie, then everybody else sees it and like you're, basically you're creating a culture of like non-credibility, I would say just being trustworthy and credible and and like believable, like that was a huge lesson I learned, you know, I think I was around a freshman in high school then, but, to answer your question, you know being trustworthy, incredible like, which is what I think is some of the biggest things in sales um, would be something else that I learned Honesty.
Speaker 1:Do you remember when you earned his trust back? No, Because, I'll be honest, I was kind of like an asshole in high school. I just was. I was like an athlete and like I just kind of wasn't. It probably took me a while, you know, to gain his trust and credibility back, but, um, I can't, I'd have to ask him, um, cause it. Probably it probably took me a while you should.
Speaker 2:That'd be good. That'd be good. Uh, I love that. So that's what's funny about this is like I'll ask people stories and stuff will pop in their head, and that's kind of fun sometimes giving people homework if they accept it, because then it just creates like an amazing conversation. Your dad will probably laugh his ass off at the story and forget about it as you think about so trustworthy, being credible, the hard work that that led you into college, college football, and then you got into the golf industry.
Speaker 1:So I, my grandfather, my dad, actually hated golf. He still hates golf to this day. He plays in an outing like once a year. My grandfather, though, played golf, golf and was like the worst athlete. He was terrible. Like if he shot, you know, between 90 and a hundred. That was really really good for him. But like he would take, he would take me and my brother and we would play and, like I fell in love with golf.
Speaker 1:Like I fell in love with golf and my sophomore year in college I I took a hit on my shoulder and it just like I hurt my shoulder and like I didn't really love college football and I didn't love playing anymore. And I just didn't. I was like I hurt my shoulder, like finish out my sophomore year, I'm like I, I don't really want to do this. Honestly, I don't want to really play anymore. And you know, d3 that summer I was like I'm decent at golf, but like I probably can't play college golf. So I called the coach and I was like, hey, you know, can I try out? Can I come try out? And he's like sure, you know, you can come try out. I come try out. He's like sure, you know, you can come try out so that summer you know, pre-internet basically, although there was internet in like 2000, but not not great I would get like golf digest magazines and read these tips and like I kind of was self-taught, you know, I was pretty good in in college.
Speaker 1:I shot, you know, anywhere from-70s to 80s but that was good enough to be the fifth or sixth guy on that team back then, which probably now probably not even close. But I played college for my second two years when I got out. I played a ton of golf then and I decided to get into the golf business. I was in the golf business for about seven years before I got.
Speaker 2:And then tell me what made you say, hey, maybe this is not my path. I want to get into sales now.
Speaker 1:Well, here's the thing about the golf business is that there is not a ton of great jobs and, truthfully, I was in an unbelievable spot. I was at the Mirabelle Club in Scottsdale for one of the top still one of the top club pros in the country and, you know, if I continued to do what I was doing, I'd probably get a job.
Speaker 1:Like a job a head job Like a job, a head job, a good job somewhere. But what I noticed from those seven years in the club business is all it takes is one member to turn against you or something stupid to happen and then it's like you're out. You know, and I'm like there's only so many $150,000, $250,000 jobs. And, by the way, I wasn't even looking to get out. Like I said, I was in a good spot.
Speaker 1:One of my still to this day, one of my good friends I text with him all the time. He was working for a company called Career Builder and he was a member at my club in Cleveland. They were coming out to Vegas for the NCAA tournament and I think they were doing some work stuff and I'm a four-hour drive. So he's like, hey, do you want to come meet us? So I go meet them. And they're talking about it was his boss talking about how much money he made. I was like, geez, do you make that much money? It seems like a lot. Talking about how much money he made, I was like, geez, do you make that much money? This seems like a lot. I'm a first assistant. I'm making 50, 60 grand a year at one of the top clubs in the country. So he was like well, the funny thing is is he's coming out to take over the Phoenix office. Why don't you go interview? And I was like, well, I don't know, I don't know anything about sales. Okay, so I'm not joking, I go down there, meet with his boss. Then he has me meet with two hiring managers. The interview. I still remember the interview. They were like all right, if you want the job, you have it. And I'm like you guys haven't even really asked me anything. They're like I'm like I don't even know anything about sales. Like, are you sure I can? You know, do this. And they go well, with the references that you have, we'll take you in a second and you teach golf. So you, you sell. You don't even know it Right. And I was like like all right. So I thought about it for a while and I'm like all right, let's do it. So do that.
Speaker 1:About three months into the job, I have no clue what I'm doing. Training was awful. I have no, no clue here. And he goes oh, I'm, I'm packing up, I'm gonna go work for LinkedIn. I'm like, oh, I'm like, well, that's not good.
Speaker 1:In about two weeks after, that was around Halloween. I'll never forget that day. It was a Friday, hr, and a bunch of people from corporate came in and a bunch of us got called into the basement. Vp of sales walks in. I'll never forget these words.
Speaker 1:He goes a lot of you look nervous and you should be. I'm like, oh my God, what's going on? I had actually just sold a deal. So I was like I'm sure I'm safe. And he's like nobody in this room has a job here. Now you still have a job with the company. You just have to go to Atlanta or Chicago. And I was like, well, I'm not going there. If you want your severance, you can take your severance. That was my introduction to sales. Now it turns out to be the best thing that happened to me, because then a startup company picked me up and I was there for five years and the rest is kind of history. But that was kind of my journey from golf into sales. But you know, at that point I was like man, maybe I should go get back into golf. I don't know.
Speaker 2:It's funny. You said my trigger to story. It's one of my um, the club I belong to. I've been there for like almost 10 years, 10 years actually and then one of our first assistants get him Tyler, young, young dude, great guy, and um, when my son was like call it seventh, eighth grade, um, he was thinking about doing something different. I said how about this? He's like. He asked me like would you ever like help me? I said how about this? Why don't you give my son free lessons and I'll give you free business kind of mentorship? He's like all right, and then, like six months later, the guy ends up leaving and he was like I just don't know anything about sales. I go yeah, you do. You know 360 people's names. You, you, you're kind, you follow up with people. If people order grips, you follow up them. If people order clubs, you follow up them. You make them feel special Every time they walk in the shop. I selling, you're just building relationships, dude. You don't even know it, so like, same thing.
Speaker 1:You didn't. You didn't know you're selling, but you were, you know it's a crazy thing and I think sales people have such a bad rap because all you're really trying to do is see if you can help people solve a problem that they're having. I mean, that's literally and like how you draw out that problem is how much you care about them and how much you trust you, and the more you can do that, the better you are. But like you know, you know is somebody could be good or not, and the most people could be they just it's mindset.
Speaker 2:I mean, like a lot of sellers, they lack belief or they lack um and just like life lessons that like sports taught me and my parents taught me.
Speaker 2:And um, now I love just helping my kids or other kids that I work with, like just if you believe in yourself, start today and even in sales, if you believe in the product or service you sell when you start the day and you focus on that like you're going to be better than most you know and just. But to me it takes that goes back to like the habits, discipline, things you're probably learned from your parents.
Speaker 3:And um, Hi, I'm Betsy Robinson, ceo of Tier 4 Group, a women-owned and diversity certified technology recruiting and executive search firm that connects exceptional talent with extraordinary companies in 43 states across the US. At Tier 4 Group, relationships are at the heart of everything we do, whether it's with our clients, our candidates, our vendor partners or with each other. Our mission is to go beyond transactions and create long-lasting partnerships. We don't just help companies find talent, we help them find the right talent, and that starts with truly understanding our clients and candidates. It's not just about filling roles, it's about fostering success for the long term. This is the recipe for success that's landed us on the Inc 5000 six consecutive years and has us outpacing our competition across the country, and I'm thrilled to support Casey Jay Cox's podcast.
Speaker 3:Casey's philosophy aligns perfectly with ours, prioritizing relationships over transactions. His insights on building trust, empathy and connection resonate deeply with the way we do business at Tier 4 Group. We were honored to have Casey as our keynote at our 2024 kickoff, and all of our new hires read his book Win the Relationship, not the Deal, when they start here with us. So if you're looking for a partner who values relationships as much as results, visit us at tier4groupcom or connect with me, betsy Robinson, directly on LinkedIn and, while you're at it, keep tuning into Casey's podcast. You'll walk away inspired to strengthen your own relationships, both personally and professionally, and, as Casey always says, stay curious.
Speaker 2:So, as you think about your journey as a dad, two young kids tell me what are the? They may be answered the same or the different. Are there core, based on how your wife was raised from her parents, or is there like, hey, these are the Ferguson must-haves or these are the values that are most important to us? Have you guys slowed down to think about what's most important in your family?
Speaker 1:I was the oldest of four. She was the youngest of three girls. So think about that. Oldest of four boys, youngest of three girls. Have I thought about that? You know what's funny? Have you seen the Book of Manning? I'm sure you have. It's Peyton and Eli, but it's how they grew up with their dad.
Speaker 2:No, oh my.
Speaker 1:God, you should watch it. What's?
Speaker 3:it called.
Speaker 1:It's called the Book of Manning. I think it's a 30 for 30.
Speaker 1:Dude yeah, I can't believe you haven't seen it. Watch it tonight. You'll let me know after you see it. But Archie Manning's dad I think I have this right. Archie Manning's dad actually committed suicide when he was at, I think, right before Ole Miss, or maybe between one of his summers.
Speaker 1:And what Archie said that his dad, all his dad, really wanted him to do and I hope I'm getting this right, but somebody said this to somebody was I just want you to be a good guy. And like when I think about that and I've seen it a bunch of times, but that really sat with me, I probably saw it like two, three months ago but like if my kids just grew up to be like good people, like that's kind of all that matters, and like I just thought that was so like interesting. You'll watch it and you'll know You'll probably send me a message and be like I just thought that was so like interesting. You'll watch it and you'll know you probably send me a message and be like oh my God, that's, that's it Right. But I think you know obviously you want them to work hard and do good and do that, but I want them to do what they want to do Right, and I just want them to be good people.
Speaker 2:It's. It might sound cliche to people, but when you actually slow down to really truly believe what Matt just said, I think that's gold. We won't. I mean, I want a good employee, I want a good husband, a good wife, I want someone that says man he or she is. They ask great questions and I can always count on them. Or Matt, he makes me laugh, not like God, what a douche. That guy's a complete fool, you know. And a lot of these things come down to choices. It's, you know, the old cliche advice things you have control in life is attitude and effort. You either can say oh, whatever, or you can really believe it and focus on it and make those thoughts turn into things in a positive way, which changes how we show up, changes how we. You know, and trust me, I, everybody, I know the parenting journey is hard and when you're in it, you know. Lack of sleep tonight, you know, but I, I mean for me, I was tired from like for like 10 straight years. But complaining about it's not going to solve anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, and I think you know one of the things we my, we, my family, like my dad's always reading, like he gets up and reads in the morning and he sends, you know, text messages either from daily stoic or from whatever he's reading, and it like goes back and forth.
Speaker 1:But I think the more you read and like actually work on yourself, the more you it actually like sets in over the years where you don't like lose it as much, cause I'm kind of I'm like short tempered but I like to think that I'm better than I used to be and I think that comes with age. But one of the one of the phrases that I love my, my youngest brother says it all the time which is I don't have to do it, like I get to do it and like with your kids and how fast everything goes. I think like I constantly am reminding myself like even this morning I'm like God, this guy's up at you ruined my whole morning. You know I get up at five, I read for a little bit, I write my post, right, and then he's up early and now I got him, but I'm like, no, I get to. You know, spend time with him. He was in a good mood and it was actually great. But like it's so easy to get frustrated and pissed off, choice, man, it's um.
Speaker 2:And as hard as that is to say, you do have a choice, um. And when you can change your mindset and embrace that difficulty of the kind of embrace the suck, as sometimes people say like you'll be better for it. Now you have a story to share, somebody right?
Speaker 1:right. I mean, when you look at all the crap that's going around in the world, especially like in California right now, like is it, is it? Do we really have it that bad? No, we couldn't have it better.
Speaker 2:No, If you had to say like let me put you on the spot here. See if something pops in your mind of a story, tell me the best or most impactful parenting advice you've ever got so far.
Speaker 1:You know what? That's a good question. I honestly think it might be the cliche of like how fast it goes, and like to try to enjoy, like the little moments and everybody says that, like it's like oh, another person telling me that when I'm about to have my first kid but, honestly, like if you can stop, like, especially in the frustrating times, which they're frustrating times all the time Like my wife works Sundays because she does hair, so she works Sunday, so I have the kids on Sunday, and like it's, it's, it's a zoo.
Speaker 1:Like a hell's angel relic oh, my god, it's like my my day, me over over Thanksgiving. Like because because my son, rafa, just started walking, like right over Thanksgiving, and my, my parents and my nephews were in town and it was me, my dad and my two nephews in the backyard with Rafa All the girls went shopping so we had him for probably like two, three hours. At one point he had just started walking. I watched him and I was watching him. He walked in my back patio, through the living room, out the front door, down the sidewalk, down the other sidewalk. Now I'm following him the whole time, but like I'm like then he's in the backyard and he's over here and about two hours in my dad goes. Well, if somebody asked us how many people it took to watch, if it took every damn one of us to make sure we didn't lose it, but like that's the stuff like I'll never forget, like those two or three hours, because this is like me, my dad, my two nephews, like we'll never that probably never happen again with my son.
Speaker 1:But I was listening to um, it was Ryan Holiday and James Clear, the, the guy that wrote Atomic Habits. I'm sure you've read both those guys and James Clear was talking. I think it was James Clear was talking about like the little moments you have, like in the grocery store when you're waiting in line, like what's your default setting? Like, and he's, he's like, well, most people's default setting is to get their phone out and scroll on their phone, but like that hit me, like with my kids, when there's like 10 or 15 minutes with them, where it's like, oh my god, was my wife gonna get home or not?
Speaker 1:But to try and like be grateful and have gratitude for those moments, because it's just like you're sitting there and your, your son's, in college and I've heard you talk about your son and him coming home from the holidays and you having to drop him back off and like I know that's going to be here before I know it and like I'm just, I'm just like grateful, like for every moment that I had. You know, and one thing that I'll add about my family is that my one of my younger brothers died. It'll be four years ago in March, and I and I you know he has three young kids and I and I think about you, know that and how just grateful I am to have every day that I have with my kids.
Speaker 1:So you know, it's just stuff like that Like we just don't we, you don't know when it's going to be over.
Speaker 2:Sorry, man, If you don't mind me asking what happened.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he, he had um, he actually is a D uh, d, two um offensive tackle. He was academic, all American, Like he was a. He was a stud. Six, three um 300 pounds, um, and he had some. He had some heart issues and he, um, he had some heart issues and he um, he had some heart issues, kind of had this operation kind of three years before he went down. He lost a bunch of weight I think. He got down to like 240 250 and then one day his um, he was sled riding with his kids and one of the kids went down and kind of wrecked and he grabbed him and he banged his eye up so he ran him to the car and then he collapsed at the car and kind of was on life support for a week and then pulled the plug. So yeah, something I hope nobody ever has to go through.
Speaker 1:But you know, it's just he's something I hope nobody ever has to go through, but you know I, just he's something I think about and that sign behind me that you'll almost see in any video that I'm in was a post-it note that we found in his wife, found in his car, which is small wins equals big wins and the more that you know I, I, I've thought about that post-it note, I I've kind of based my whole business that. You know I, I, I've thought about that post-it note. I've kind of based my whole business on, you know, the small, consistent stuff that you do every day, no matter what. That is sales, life, business, like that's the stuff that you know adds up and actually means something. So, um, that's kind of the story of you know all all that. What's your brother? What was your brother's name?
Speaker 2:Uh, drew, drew story of you know all all that. What's your brother? What was your brother's name? Uh, drew, drew. Rest in peace, drew, that's us, that's gold. Um, small wins equals big ones. I love that. That speaks to me, because I, I do sweat the small stuff. People say don't. I disagree. I think when you sweat, I'm not saying sweat it and freak out like will ferrell in old school, but like sweat the small stuff, like the details matter, and the details separate the good, the great and elite. And just like anything in life, from parenting to bus drivers, to teachers, to salespeople, there's always another level Right. And I'm, I'm on the like, this mindset of like I want to meet the best dad out there and learn from him. And what are they doing that? I'm not that I can change my game to be better tomorrow. And and the other thing that you mentioned that made me think of how time goes by so fast one of the best piece of advice I got is the days are long but the years are short.
Speaker 1:I knew where you were going. That is like I'll never forget the first time I heard that it was right as COVID started. I'll never forget the first time I heard that it was right as COVID started and I was working for this company that everything then turned into. I mean, it was Zoom meetings from 7 in the morning until 6. It was unbelievable how many Zoom meetings there were, and I'll never forget this girl was like. You know what they say the days are long and the years are short.
Speaker 2:And like I'll never forget that and it's so true. Yeah, it is. I mean, it's like the cliches are there for a reason because they're, they're, they're lessons and they're learning to slow down, to embrace them. Um, tell me about an area, amount of your dad game where, um, if you feel vulnerable to share, like god, it's an. It's not where I want to be, but I'm going to commit to getting better and I can lead my witness if you want mine's. Mine was always patience. I work hard on patience. Maybe I'm, maybe I'm still in your thunder same.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I, I catch myself all the time, especially with my four-year-old, because the one-year-old has an excuse, like he just is clueless. I'm always in a hurry, no matter what. And where I catch myself all the time is, you know, one of my favorite things to do every day is my daughter goes to preschool, kindergarten, whatever you want to talk about. She goes every day and it starts at 845. And I have this, I have an ultra, I have a clock in my head and I just know what time it is and I know where we are in the morning process in order to get it.
Speaker 1:Now, my wife, on the other hand, she didn't care about time for any Like this morning it's 8 29 and I got everything ready and you know, I hear oh, we got to do her hair and we got to do this and we got to do that. I'm like we're late, you know, but like my favorite thing to do is to take her to school and like, let's be honest, it does not matter if she gets there at 8, 45 or 8, 48, and that's kind of like the thing. But I'll catch myself and be like get in there, you know, strap, strap, the thing. You know, what are you doing? You know, and my wife gives me. She's like, how about you take a breath? You know, is it that big of a deal?
Speaker 2:And I'm like you know it's probably really not, but you know, I like to be yeah, it's easy, man, but like now, in 10 years from now, hopefully she'll be like yo now. I know why Matt was doing that because we gotta be on time later, right In this age. Maybe not the big biggest deal in the world, but, um, for me, like my dad dad rest in peace my dad passed away december 29th, uh, 2021, and um, he, uh, he used to always drop the biggest god damn it's at me and um, I'm looking at a picture right now. I'm like sorry, pop, throwing under the bus here, buddy, but um, they're hilarious like and they would make us laugh because they were so intense. It was like a musical instrument, of a staccato, which is like a sharp note he could, I mean just.
Speaker 2:God damn it, casey and like, and we would start laughing and then he would get more pissed. And I know people have told me about this before, but I and I never wanted to do that to my kids. Like, and there's so much that my dad did was just fantastic, but I never like, so I'd have not swore at my kids. The thing I've learned throughout this journey of interviewing almost 300 dads is you're never, we're never, going to be our best, but when you aren't your best teacher, go apologize. And which is a? Not only it's great for you as a dad to get it out of your body, but a teacher, you're teaching your kids something without teaching them.
Speaker 2:It's kind of like selling without selling. You know, and the power of saying I'm sorry, um. Ironically, back to Darren, my friend, who I interviewed at season one about that's. That's what the episode was about. That's like hey, have you ever said you're sorry before you're? It's a. I think it's something that us dudes don't talk about that often, but it can be pretty impactful and powerful when you do can be pretty impactful and powerful, and you do.
Speaker 1:I do apologize, but probably not as much as I should. Yeah, but I'm definitely going to. I'm going to take your advice on that. Yeah, now ideally dads.
Speaker 2:if we're apologizing every other hour, that's probably more of the other issues we got to deal with, right? It's like you know, once a month or once every couple of weeks. Okay, if, before we dive into, I want to make sure we we learn more about you and how people can find you in the fantastic work you're doing for for many sales teams. I can just tell by the way you show up.
Speaker 2:You're um, you bring positive energy and probably help a lot. A lot of great companies can take from our conversation that they can, maybe things they might have learned that about you or about your journey that they can take to their own life to be maybe improve their leaderships, leadership in the home.
Speaker 1:Tell me what are a couple things that maybe might come to mind I think, you know, one of the things I catch myself doing all the time is I'm on my phone too much. Um, my wife will tell me I'm on my phone too much and I think just being present with actually enjoying like what is going on, actually probably brings me the most joy versus checking. If somebody liked, you know, what I posted on LinkedIn or liked the video that I posted, it's like does that even matter? And it's like really like what's the stuff that matters? And like when I'm most happiest it's actually when I'm, you know, when I'm watching my kids, you know, do something or laughing with my kids, but like the damn phone, you know, distracts me half the time. My wife will remind me of it. And it's like if you can just be present, you know, with the stuff that matters, you'll actually be a lot happier versus the stuff that you sweat. That doesn't even, you know, doesn't even matter. Anything else come to mind. Um, you know, just enjoy it, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's a journey.
Speaker 1:I tell myself that all the time.
Speaker 2:Sometimes we need our own advice.
Speaker 1:A lot. You know shit goes wrong all the time.
Speaker 2:You know, and I think you know how often do you look back on something that you're like oh, I thought that was really hard at the time, but I'd do anything to go back to that day.
Speaker 1:I think about it often. You know, one of the best things about Snapchat. One of the best things about Snapchat.
Speaker 2:How long have you had it? I came on Snapchat in August. That was my kickoff.
Speaker 1:I'm in orientation. Still, I'm not not on as much as I used to be because, for whatever reason, our family like I, had everybody's kids. Like snapchat was actually the easiest way to film a video and then send it to somebody. So, like kids and like back in probably 2016, 2017, like when my, when my brothers were having kids, like everybody was sending these videos on snapchat, so I joined it and then sales people were on it to you know. So that that's kind of like when it was big.
Speaker 1:Now, the coolest part about it is every day and I can look at my phone right now it goes back to memories that you've had five, six, seven years ago and like I always go back and I'm like, oh well, I wish I could go back to one day then. Or like I see my daughter, like being one years old, I'm like, oh, I remember those days. Those days were awesome, you know, and I think it's just to appreciate. You use gratitude a lot, right, but like just to appreciate what you have right now, because you have, no matter who you are, you have more. I always say one one of my I used to hike early in the morning.
Speaker 1:Now with my young son I never know when he's going to get up and I do the morning, so I can't really be gone, but we used to hike really early in the morning. If you're ever in Phoenix you have to come do it with me. But there's a hike where a guy plays Amazing Grace when the sun comes up and it's like one of the coolest things. So you know you go there and no matter what time you get to either that or Camelback Mountain, to either that or Camelback Mountain, there's always somebody there that's ahead of you, right, and then you're always beating somebody and like, if you think about life, I think, who said it? Teddy Roosevelt, I think.
Speaker 1:But like comparisons, the thief of joy, like especially with social media, is like everybody's so caught up in what everybody's doing and I'm sure you do it and I do it, and it's like I used to right, I don't I don't do it near as much as I used to, but, man, if I could get to that point or that point. But the fact of the matter is is like, pay attention and enjoy what you have and what you're doing and you'll be a lot better off. Because guess what that person that you think has fricking everything they probably are jealous of like four things you have. So so, like I would say the comparison, like in the social media age, like that. That that's the other advice I would get is pay attention to what you're doing, do the best you can, and you'll be a lot happier for it.
Speaker 2:Dude gold. Yeah, Celebrate other people's success. Don't, don't.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Celebrate it.
Speaker 1:What's what's every salesperson do when somebody else closes a big deal? They're like, oh, they got lucky. They, they, they, they got that deal given to them. Their manager closed that deal, like I guarantee, if you're happier for them, you will be better off.
Speaker 2:Abundance. Yeah, abundance creates joy. I call it the boomerang mindset serving others. But don't keep scoring. You're throwing these boomerangs out and the more positivity you're being to people, that will come back to you, and I love that man. That's fricking gold. You know, I think about in this journey like I shared this with, so the guests today. So we, we're everybody we're recording on January 14th.
Speaker 2:The episode this week is um, a fantastic and talented country music star named Adam hood, and I saw him play live at um, the American staffing association this is where I spoke at and they had, uh, this another event, and so he was singing. I'm like, oh, my God, my god, and his voice is unreal, and so if you, you like country music, check him out. My favorite song is way too long. Shout out to you, adam, for listening. But, um, we talked about that like because I was like how are you not like freaking garth brooks? Like you're amazing, he's like.
Speaker 2:I used to let that question affect me negatively, yeah, and I used to like be in comparable, but now I'm like it can't. I'm like now like no, I felt bad, like well, dude, I, I meant that as a confident he goes. No, no, totally took it and and even like in this journey I'm sure you see it Like I have friends that are speakers and they'll they'll put these images up and I'm in which which on Sacramento, and dah, dah, dah dah. I'm like awesome, I don't want that. I'm so happy Like I traveled my ass off, not for in corporate, I didn't even want to travel. I travel a lot. Now I'm like I, I I love like a spot travel here and there, but I don't. I want to be in my own bed with my wife and my kids and I already got one out of the house. The other one's going to be right behind him before I know it and I won't in five years. I'm like I'm so glad I stayed in Topeka and spoke for the freaking Tupperware Association's 43rd annual conference.
Speaker 1:Like no thanks and to each his own, and I think it's really good advice for all of us dads is you know, comparing it just brings negativity to you Always, always. I just had a client that had a baby less than a month ago and somebody reached out to her like from a big-time company is trying to recruit her away and she's texting me Saturday morning about it and she's like I'd have to be on the road 150 nights a year. And I'm like, well, that answers your question, because you don't want to do that, because you just had that kid. And she goes God, you know what. You're right.
Speaker 2:I'm like, yeah, it's that easy, like who wants to do that, yeah, and if that does what you want to do, awesome Good on you, go for it.
Speaker 1:Completely. Does you want to do Awesome? Good on you, Go for it Completely. But I know her and there's no way that she would ever do that Right and like it's so easy to look at like the bigger, shinier things. And I see people take wrong jobs all the time because they're chasing something that they think they want and then they get there and they're like, oh my God, this was a mistake. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Tell us how people can find you before we go into the lightning round uh, linkedin is the best place to find me.
Speaker 1:I post five, six times a week on all things um sales leadership. The people that I coach is who I was years ago, which I was the top individual contributor. I got promoted into management, got no training, had no idea what I was doing because I had no process and it took me way too long how to figure out the job. So I coach people on my six step process on how to actually create a process to lead your team.
Speaker 2:Love it. I love people who do what you do, because you walk the walk and you're vulnerable enough to share where you maybe struggled or didn't know what you're doing, and then, if you can share that with other sales leaders or other leaders and companies, um, I think that's the best way to learn from people like you. So, um, we'll make sure that your links and what's the name of your company so people can know about that too.
Speaker 1:Um and MDF. Coaching and consulting Okay. Coaching and consulting Okay.
Speaker 2:We'll make sure that's linked in the show notes too. We'll make sure that if you do connect with Matt, let him know. You heard about him through quarterback dad cast. That'd be. It'd be a good plug, just to see if that's how people find you, matt. It's now time to go into the lightning round which I go completely random. I'm going to show you negative hits. Have taken too many hits in college, not bomb hits, but football hits. Your job is to answer these as quickly as you can, and my job is to make you laugh. Go ahead. Are you ready? I'm ready. Okay, true or false? Your favorite quarterback is Bernie Kosar.
Speaker 1:I got to go true.
Speaker 2:Number 19.
Speaker 1:It's a mix between him and I love Baker. We should have never gotten rid of Baker.
Speaker 2:Baker Mayfield is a beast, he's. He is a sneaky good quarterback.
Speaker 1:I will tell you those two, those two losses to Denver Broncos in 88 and 89 will never be forgotten in Cleveland.
Speaker 2:I can still see that. I can still see the drive. I can still see, in the end zone, the little slant route where he almost takes a pivot with his knee. Yep, no, exactly what you're talking about. True or false. You started the dog pound, false. Okay, if I was to go into your phone right now, what would be one song you listen to that would shock all your clients.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's all Taylor Swift, swifty. My daughter loves Taylor Swift and I'll tell you something I saw Taylor Swift in 2007 open up for Brad Paisley and I'll never forget that. And I've actually seen Taylor Swift. I haven't seen the new concert, but I've seen her twice and I've actually always liked her. So I like to say I was the head of the group, so that would be.
Speaker 2:That'd probably be surprising to people okay, uh, tell me the last book you read.
Speaker 1:Ah, jesus, I'm reading one right now, called, and I'm going to screw up the name of the title. Hold on, but nobody would ever, nobody would ever think I'm reading this book. So that's why.
Speaker 2:Fifty, Shades of Grey.
Speaker 1:What's that? Fifty Shades of Grey? No, a couple of funny stories. It's actually called A Journey into Healing. It's about two homosexual males in Palm Springs in the 80s and talking about their journey through that. But one of my best friend's dad sends me a book every once in a while and I was sitting there reading this book like I read it at five in the morning because that's the book that I'm reading right now and I was like I can't believe that I'm reading this. Not that there's anything wrong, it's just so different from anything. But he always sends me good and it's it's really good, so that's what I'm reading now. I listen to things all the time on audible, um. So I switched back and forth. But I love Ryan holiday, um, I listened to a lot of him and I listened to a lot of, uh, biographies.
Speaker 2:Very cool, um, if you were to go on vacation right now, you and your wife. Where are we going Um? Somewhere close, okay, warm or cold.
Speaker 1:Okay, Warm or cold Warm, and in Arizona we we go to resorts around here just because they're close and we don't have to pack the kids, um, you know, and get on a plane, um to go. But if we were to go somewhere, it's it's always Napa, where our best friends live, or Cleveland to see family here we go?
Speaker 2:Um, if we go, if you had to build your dream foursome, your dream golf foursome, who are the other three people joining you?
Speaker 1:My grandfather for sure. Damn, this is a tough question. Johnny Alberta's got to be in there. Who is a friend of mine? Who's probably the most fun guy to play golf with? That you could. I'll go. Dave Ingram, who was my, who was my boss that brought me out here, cause if he, if he, wouldn't have brought me out here, I wouldn't have the life that I have. So that's my, that's my dream for some.
Speaker 2:There we go. Um, if there was to be a book written about your life, tell me the title.
Speaker 1:Small wins equals big wins.
Speaker 2:There we go, shout out Drew Okay, small wins equals big wins is now sold out everywhere. I mean, I tried to pick it up on four airports no, I can't get anywhere. I tried to go on Amazon. It says nope out, it's just blowing up. So now Netflix is going to make a movie. You're the casting director, matt. I need to know who's going to star you in this critically acclaimed, hit new movie on Netflix. George Clooney, I was going to. I liked that. I, you know. I thought you might say you kind of have a little Fred Savage in you.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, I've never. I've I've never heard that one. In my old apartment complex and I've gotten this plenty of times People thought I was Roger Federer, which is like the most insane thing and I love Roger Federer. I like watching tennis, but I get Roger Federer a lot.
Speaker 2:Anybody say you look like Mike McDonald, the coach at Seahawks.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:I can see that?
Speaker 1:No, I've never gotten that one. Do you know what he looks like? No, I actually can't think of where, where was he before Seattle?
Speaker 2:Baltimore D coordinator.
Speaker 1:Okay, I can't think of what he looks like. I'll look it up.
Speaker 2:You could pull that one off for sure. Okay, and then last question tell me two words that would describe your wife.
Speaker 1:Oh man, you're going to get me in trouble. Fiery for one, fiery and loyal.
Speaker 2:There we go, lighting round's over. We both giggled. I took us off the rails. You did a good job of staying us in the lanes.
Speaker 2:This has been a blast getting to know you. It's been a blast learning more about you and your family. It's been a blast just hearing your story and the wisdom you share with us. I hope that everybody else has a page of notes, like I do. If this episode has impacted you in any way, I ask you just share it with a friend. If you have a dad that could use a pick-me-up and you're looking for something to help him with, we have 280-something episodes with other dads where we're sharing vulnerable stories how we were raised, our gaps, our issues, what we're trying to get better at. So join the community. We'd love to help you and, if you've not taken time to leave us a review on any of the places you consume your podcast, that'd be the biggest favor we can ask, as well in 2025. But, matt, it's been a blast getting to know your brother, appreciate you and I hope to see you on the golf course here soon in 2025.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, thanks for having me on you bet.