016: What You Need To Know About Joining the Military with Recruiter SGT Georgia Varoucha

Georgia Varoucha is a US Army National Guard Recruiter, Athlete, Immigrant, and Owner of American Dream Athletics.

American Dream Athletics: https://www.americandreamathletics.com/
Georgia's Instagram: @its_gteam


Fit to Lead Instagram: @fittolead.inc

Transcript

Georgia  00:00

The people who are stuck in life, the people who have the kind of like underdog mentality, the hard workers that don't want recognition, the hard workers that don't do it for the flashy lights, anybody who has any type of hobby that it's kind of like teamwork based you it perfect for the military, because that's all it is teamwork. You don't have to be the fastest, the strongest or the smartest or the most capable. You just have to be driven by the fact that you got this opportunity and you're going to go through it the fastest way to get out of these graduates and make it happen. Keep your why close your heart like why you joined. Keep that close to your heart. And that's gonna motivate you to graduate recruits don't see me as a recruiter might look at me as a mentor. And that's exactly where I want to be.

Natalie Hayes  00:45

All right, everyone, we are here with Sergeant Georgia baru Hi. And we are so excited to be talking to this multi passionate woman. She's so busy. I don't know how she does it all. But she is currently her full time job as a recruiter for the Army National Guard. So she's active duty reserve, so active duty National Guard, she also has her own business in the fitness apparel space. And I'm so excited to get to talk to you about all your endeavors. So welcome. Thank you for being here with us.

01:17

Thank you for having me. I'm hyped to do this. Yes. So tell us about American Dream athletics. Just first of all right out of the gate, you're you have a full time army job, but you still somehow managed business on the side as well. And I know so many people, myself included, are just kind of straddling that line of trying to get everything done. So I just love to to hear about how you got started with it and how you're managing it now. Yeah, so it's kind of funny, actually, like last year, we were obviously 20 2019. Everybody post the regular post, like 2020, I'm going to be different, you know, I'm going to switch it up and go big and all that. And I was like, I actually want to do it. Like I don't want to just talk to dog, I actually want to get into something. And I've always had the idea of like starting a business, not necessarily an apparel line. But I've also always been an athlete my entire life. So I was like, let me just go with something that I'm comfortable in. Little did I know the clothing industry is not easy, and it's not comfortable. It's super uncomfortable. But I just what it did was like kind of like cut out the distractions. And although I was I had an army, not like I wasn't a recruiter, I was doing going, you know, doing my job for 45 days, I literally disappeared did not post on social media and nothing like that it started second week of January, disappear from the world. My roommates still focused on me. He's like, you didn't do the dishes for 30 days. So you started. And I just plan plan plan and when the time came, and I felt good enough that my plan was you know, solid, I just executed it and I started it. They know it was gonna work. Yeah, that's amazing. So you just got laser focus, cut out all distractions and just went for it. Yeah, I had to I'm like, I'm such a squirrel person. Or I mean, like, I'm very easily distracted by things. And so if I hadn't done that, I don't think I'd be able to even sit down and make a plan. So I had to just leave and I even told my family like Sorry, guys, I can't I just we can say hi and bye and that's it but I have to do this or otherwise I'll just be the girl with the idea of the American dream but never actually doing did people in your life I'm to understand that I think that you're maybe being selfish or or something like that. How did that go? Yeah, it was, you know, I guess I'm very like, out there kind of person, like being an athlete. And in the military, you know, we're all like brothers and sisters. And so I'm always out and all of a sudden, I'm a homebody and like not talking to anybody not texting anyone. And so I don't think they thought I was selfish. They kind of understood that. Like, it's hard. It was a hustle for me, but they definitely felt the difference. Like I said, like my roommate was like, What the hell's wrong with you like you went through? He was like, do you need to go to therapy? I was like, Hell do like, I'm fine. I'm just, I'm just trying to focus. But I really honestly, I don't think I would, I don't think I could have done it any other way. Especially because I do have recruiting as well. And that is so time consuming. So you were doing this, like at, you know, nights and weekends after your nine to five, so to speak. Yeah. So like, recruiting is very, it's a flexible job, but like you said, mostly nine to five. And then I would just come home and go right back to the notebook. And it's funny, because while I was at work, like the ideas kept coming in, and like of course now that I'm at work, the ideas come that I can actually work on it. And then when I'm home, like it's kind of stuck, but you know, we're so lucky nowadays, we have like cell phones and all these apps that can help us and like the notes apps, the Notes app for me Well, yeah, I was just like, if you're looking at my notes every now it's just like It's like my notebook. It's it's something so I use a lot of that and like you know, Google Calendar and stuff like that just to keep myself in check. So as ideas come, you just write them in your in your phone, and then it's there for you at night when you're ready to work on it. Yeah, exactly. That's on the weekends. It was it was like all day every day just like communicating with first you Have the idea. And then especially because the clothing industry is so freaking fast. And I've said this before that, like, if you're looking at to go anything into business with clothing, like when you start, it's already too late with a collection like it's already almost for almost summer almost went. So it's like it's super fast. So when you talk with manufacturers, depending on where they are to time difference, too, so you definitely have to make the time. So it was hard for me during the week, but on the weekends, it was like definitely like my grind time. Yeah. So is that how you operate now? Or do you have more of a balance? Or is it you're still kind of like nose to the grindstone to keep the business running.

05:33

So we've added like a couple I want to say employees but not officially like just kind of like buddies of mine, like two of my friends. One while I'm at work, like I'll still do the the most the majority of the work. But while I'm at work, if something comes up, you know, I'm at work, so I can't leave them no recruiting to go for American dream work. So my buddy will like kind of bounced out while I'm at work and answer any emails or phone calls or anything if anything happens, emergencies or anything like that. And then when I come home, you know, I'll just pick up where he left it. And then I have another friend of mine that does like the ads side of things. Okay, I'm like Facebook and Instagram ads for me is like a foreign thing. And I didn't even know we had to do that as a business. But we had to so I have it's it's it's a teamwork. It's not just me now. Okay. All right. Good. So amazing. So just about a year into it. And you you've definitely grown substantially, right.

06:26

Yeah. not where we want to be. Yeah, but

06:28

definitely grow. That's amazing. Yeah. So what have you done to grow your business throughout the past year to kind of, you know, bring on help and you know, use those ads and things like that. The number one thing without a doubt for me was social media. Like for growth and not for growth for just like audience finding the right audience or finding any audiences see seeing what sticks? Tick Tock was huge for me. Yeah, yeah. Where are you at on Tick Tock? Now you are like Tick Tock famous, right? Not Not, not nearly but I mean, I think I have like, and the numbers don't count, or like, I don't really care about the followers. It's kind of like, um, the interaction, the interaction, right? Because you could have 1000 followers, and all 1000 like super interactive followers. Or you could have a million followers and like, you have 20 people that like your stuff, you know what I mean? But tik tok was huge for me huge to just get the business out there and get it heard. Not not as far as sales, but just at least for somebody to look at it. exposure. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Instagram, so Facebook, all the social media. And then like you said they had,

Natalie Hayes  07:32

okay, amazing. Go ahead and tell us about the brand. Like who's it for? Like, what's your mission? What inspired you to create this business as opposed to anything else?

07:43

It's funny, it's like, I still I'm still kind of putting the ideas together. But if I had to put it into a mission statement, it's for the for the brave, right? So my my main audience is like us, like military and law enforcement, you know, first responders, anybody who leads the weight quote? Yes. So I wanted to stick to something that I'm familiar with, because it's a feeling like when you start a brand, you want the people to connect with it and feel something like when you hear of American Eagle, you don't think of anything and just like, oh, American Eagle, right? Maybe you go get a pair of jeans, but I started American Dream athletics, I wanted people to feel something. And the reason why I chose the name like American dream was because I'm an immigrant myself. And I kind of like I flew here chasing the American dream. Now I live to protect it. And it's been a huge part of my life. And so it was like it. I couldn't go with anything else. I had to do American dream. Oh, I love that. What a cool story. What a cool story. So yes, segwaying right from that ticket into just your story in general and how you grew up, found your way into the military and things like that. So yeah, what kind of taking it back what first interested you in joining the military at all? It was your typical story, like your recruiter comes in your lunch. And you know, they're like, do push up for a lanyard. And I did, but before that, I was looking at a couple of different other branches like not the Army National Guard, I went to all the branches before I joined the Army National Guard, but what it really pushed me was my parents was like, yeah, we're not paying for college. So you're gonna have to find your own way to pay for college. And I was like, Okay, well, this is a great way it was I was very selfish with it. When I first joined, I was like, yep, joining for college. Now I stay for different reasons, but it was just for a better future. So what was it like growing up as an immigrant family of if that is the right term? Yeah. In the in here. Yeah. Yeah. Or before you came here, either way. So it was like born. I moved here when I was 12. So I lived 12 years of my life in Greece, and then moved here.

09:36

I had no idea. That's amazing.

09:38

Yeah. So I lived in Greece, and I was actually learning English there. how people learn Spanish here. So I knew like my name is and Where's the bathroom? Yeah. My English knowledge came here. So your first what's your first language then Greek? Wow, that's amazing. I was actually just increasing. I actually stopped that Frankfurt Airport. Oh, yeah, I hate it. There. People are so Freaking like rude. Yeah, Germans give no fucks they don't care. And they were talking German to me and I'm like, dude, I don't speak German and it just got mad at me. I'm like, Are you mad that against me German like they are. Yeah, so I don't know how you do it. Props to you What? airport just down the road just down the road. Let me know if you ever get stranded there. You have a place. I was there for 20 hours last bit. Oh my gosh, I missed two flights. Oh, I'm so sorry. That is not a good place to get stranded. It's every other gate has like pulleys with like, a yarn. But I like what? I'm not a terrorist, y'all. Yeah. So I moved here when I was 12. I went right into, like, 13. So like, I went into high school. It was my first my freshman year of high school. And I was like, wanted to move to America for like the American dream, or was it something else that brought them over here? Yeah, it was totally me. It was for a better future, the American dream. They knew that their you know, Europe was going through it. I thought they're still going through it. But at that time, the economic crisis was ridiculous. Yeah. And my parents, so we had no future there. You know what I mean? So they had to get us out. And I'm lucky enough. We were one of the few people that got selected to move over. Because you were still in the application process took about four years to even get selected. And then we just did it. My mom was just like, yeah, we're going to go, Okay, that's badass. Yeah. My mom has been like a huge, huge inspiration to me and a huge factor of like, what I do now, because I always like kind of trying to put things in perspective if she had never made that decision, because it's a hard decision. Yeah, that's how I to move from continent to continent. And she just made that decision. didn't even think she did it for us, you know, for us to have a better future. And like, I wouldn't be where I'm at if it wasn't for her. So definitely. Yeah. So what is your like? Your mom sounds like a badass for sure. She's just willing to jump continents. So yeah, how has she kind of influenced you growing up or in your decision making my mom dropped out of like elementary school when she was younger, and worked her ass off work three jobs. She was, you know, my parents got divorced. She was a single mother raising two kids at the time because my younger brother wasn't born. And all I saw her do was work, work, work. And so when kind of funny when people asked me about work balance, I'm like, this is nothing like you saw how my mom was like, yeah, we didn't spend so much time like family time together. But she made sure that we had a roof over our heads and food on the table. And so that's like, every day I try to remind that like when things go wrong, especially I try to like remind remind myself like where I came from, to me. She's still all about it. My mom is funny. Mom is like, she's like when I first started the business. She was like, No, don't do it. You know what I mean? Like, what are you thinking? You're gonna waste all your money. It was coming out a place of love. But I was like, No, Mom, I promise is gonna work whatever. She's not really big into like technology and new things she wants, like, for sure work like a nine to five to her like you made it dude. Yeah, I gotcha. You know, the shoot go, mom. that security is what is what that sounds like she was that was her like her dream is to just you know that, you know, her things couldn't be taken away from her.

13:11

Exactly. That's Yeah.

13:13

Damn, that's so awesome. So you moved over with your mom and your siblings. Right? And where does she live now? Is she in Jersey as well? No. So she she flipped the script on me. And after I graduated high school, so my mom got remarried. So my stepdad here, he's Greek also. But he retired when I graduated high school and his lifelong dream was to move back to Greece for retirement. Oh, when I graduated high school, they said, Yeah, we're gonna go back to Greece. And I was like, You're telling me this contract, and I can't get out of it. And so they left and they live in Greece now. And I go visit that's the best of both worlds right there. Because you got all the American Opportunity. And you have ties in Europe, and you can go visit. That's it? Definitely. Yeah, I I'm very lucky in that part. I just searched their way. You know, I mean, like, you want to be close with him. But you know, you probably know exactly how it feels. I know about it. I know about it, for sure. Yeah. So

Natalie Hayes  14:10

tell us about like, how do you deal with being away from family? I know that's something that I struggle with. I'm sure a lot of people in the military struggle with especially young soldiers, maybe as a recruiter, you see people worry about that. But yeah, how do you deal with being away from family due to the military

14:25

especially as a recruiter I could definitely like relate and tell them how it is you know straight up I'm not the type of recruiter that will lie about it. Like it's gonna suck you're gonna be away but to me how I deal with it is again, I try to remind myself like I can't fuck this up for my family, like they moved here for me to be able to do this. And if I didn't, and I just said, you know, screw this I'm going back to Greece. It was all for nothing. We did all this thing for nothing. Nobody fulfilled you know, their the opportunity or the destiny or the potential and so there is no other way like but it sucks and I miss you know, I miss them a lot. I try to talk them you know, video calls, FaceTime you try just They closed and trying to be there as much as you can, especially if you have siblings. You want to be there as they grow up. Because once they grow up, they don't know about you. Yeah. So you know, you try to be there. But it sucks. It sucks at some points, but just try to make the best of what you have, you know? Yeah, just

15:15

keep that positive outlook. Yeah.

15:17

So you have two younger brothers. Are they in Greece with your parents as well? Yes. Okay. So I have a 14 year old brother and a eight year old, okay, 14 year old, Funny enough, because he grew up here his whole life. He moved here when he was two. So he didn't know Greece, he knew America. So when he moved back, he actually went through exactly what I went through when I came here, because he didn't speak Greek. And he didn't know the culture. And it was it was like the exact opposite thing for him. But he's thinking about moving here as well. And going to college here, and you know,

15:49

yeah, yeah. Well,

15:50

you guys just roam the globe. I love it. Yeah. That's amazing. make me happy? No. Yeah. So I love to get into just your military career. What are some of your initial experiences upon joining like, when and what has it has been like for you so far? I definitely want to talk about like my recruiter, um, cuz my recruiter was, and I hope I hope this doesn't find him. But I mean, he was a great recruiter, but he was just like, blank, you know, I mean, he was just he gave me what I needed to hear and keep it moving. And so I didn't know I didn't even know my MLS. Like, I didn't even know my job. When I first saw I was joining. I was just like, Oh, yeah, I'm gonna be a soldier in college. Yeah. And so now, you know, I was holding out I was like, Okay, I'm signing up. But yeah, I had no idea what I was going to basic training. I went there. And I was like, Okay, this is what we're doing. Like there's and we have to follow directions. Okay. Got it. Oh, wow. It was kind of shocking for you then. Yeah, definitely. And there was no YouTube even though I joined in 2015. I was trying to look up like on YouTube. You know, nowadays, you type basic training on YouTube. You can literally see them live like what they're doing right now. At the rink. Yeah. back then. It was like a 1980s video of like, drill sergeant, like kicking people. And I was like, Oh, okay. This is up the date. So I didn't know what to expect. It was it was trained, but then basic training, actually. So basic training my you know, how, obviously, you have a battle buddy and basic training, you do everything with them? Well, my battle buddy was 29. And I was 17. That was another another like, huge gap on a nine at basic training. That's a must have been. That's interesting. He was gonna do OCS. Okay. Okay. So she had to get done with basic. She was a nurse, she had a kid. So she was like my mother figure. Yeah, everyone has different paths. You know, it's interesting, where people find themselves in the military, or how people find themselves there. Yeah, I love it. I think diversity that's as much as I love it. Yeah, it's like completely opened up my view of the world that the army has, for sure. You think you're the shit until you get to like a bigger facility and you're loud. There's other people you know, better than me, or, you know, smarter than me stronger than me. So I was like your typical because I played soccer in high school. So I really thought I was it. When I was going to basic training. I was like, yeah, this isn't gonna be no, I'm an athlete. I got this. I it was a hard reality for me. I basic. Yeah. So what do you tell your recruits? Or what would you say to someone who might be getting ready for basic these days to give them more than than you got? Well, I've always tell them like, we're exactly what I just said, like you don't have to be the fastest, the strongest or the smartest or the most capable. You just have to be driven by the fact that you got this opportunity and you're going to go through it the fastest way to get out of these graduates and make it happen. Keep her wide close to your heart like why you join keep that close your heart and that's gonna motivate you to graduate I give them everything my recruits don't see me as a recruiter, my recruiter see me as a mentor and that's exactly where I want to be because that's what I didn't get. And so I that's something I try myself you know, I try to give them what I would need right now if I was joining and I think that's why I became a recruiter I you're thinking of recruiters mostly when we think of recruiters we think of like again someone boring someone that just trying to get a number and maybe take advantage of us at some some some time. Yeah, it's not the best like get reputation right and I just try to break down just bring like a fresh and passionate you're doing it right for sure. At least from what I can see on social media like there's a lot of stale you know recruiters out there I think but you're not you're not that you like you definitely stand out as different Thank you so much. Now that means everything to me like that's that's why I did it. That's why I did it. You know, just trying to recruit the force of the future and make it a better place make it a little bit better than I found it that's just Yeah, yeah. So when you first joined What was your original MLS my first MLS was finance. Like I said before, I had no idea what I was going into signing contract didn't know what I was doing. So I got lucky finance was a really good MLS and it actually is really helping me with my business today. Yeah, admin side of things, contracting vendors coding, all that stuff. It was like it was meant to be I got very, very, very lucky with that. It is amazing. How Some things are meant to be. That's great. Yeah. So what was your first duty station? Oh, and what were your experiences? Like there? You're in the guard, right? Yeah, yeah. So

20:08

I get back to the state a lot. But my first unit was so when I was an IIT, I don't know if you got an A you're a it. So we had a, by the end of the IIT, we had all these like surgeon first classes come into our class to talk about our MLS and their experience with it because they've lived it. And lucky enough, my Splatoon surgeon was there somehow in South Carolina from Jersey guard, and talk to me, he was like, Yeah, you're coming back to a great unit. So once I can't, I was like, yeah, whatever, you just saying that. But once I came back, I was like, wow, like, this is a great unit. Everybody wanted to be there. It wasn't like your typical guard, you know, everybody's on their phone, like we go over. Yeah, nothing like that. Everybody wants to be there super high speed. we called ourselves ourselves for infantry. That's how excited everybody wants to be there. It was, like, really refreshing to see because I was talking to other people. And they're like, no, I hate this. You know?

20:59

Yeah,

20:59

that's special for sure. Again, very lucky with that. Some things I realized in my first unit is that you don't have to have rank to be a leader. I was looking at E one z two, z three, that they were, you know, older than me, but they were doing a great job at leaving the unit. And even when the lights are, were closed, you know, when people were not looking at them, they weren't gonna get recognition for it, but they just pushed people to be the best. Like I had to eat to that was married with kids everything. And she was holding like PT sessions for us. Like, you don't have to do that. You're only there one weekend, a month. But she was doing that to help us, you know, with our PT because you know, in the guard, nobody does PT. And so yeah, it was a gotcha. Great. It was a great transition. That's awesome. So you had a great first unit finance, I'm Oh s and then how it was kind of your transition either. You know, people listening who are thinking they want to go into recruiting, how did you find yourself there? I've always wanted to do it. I remember asking my recruiter like how can I do your job when I was first talking to him? Yeah, so I was super into it. I don't even I was working as a server just to like backtrack off the story. Yeah, nail to the server. And like, I've always I was looking up to like managers and I was I'm like, Oh my god, I always everything I want everything I do, I want to be like that person, like whoever hired me like I want to be you. I don't know why I just always kind of like looked up to, to those people don't end doing more. But whenever I was first talking to my recruiter, I brought him like five people from my soccer team three ended up joining two didn't pass. But he loved me, you're like, yeah, you're gonna come back, and you're gonna be a recruiting assistant and all that I came back and he wasn't a recruiter anymore. So how I did it. And I always tell people that you have two choices. The first one is go to the recruiting station near you and just say, Hey, guys, what do I need to do to work here? I'll help you human help you set up tables at the mall. I'll do it. You know, you want me to run some maps? I'll do, what do you want me to do to start and you start off as recruiting assistant, and then you work your way up from there. Or number two, you can apply in your state like vs nj.gov, whatever state you are in, you could go to the website and apply. But the chances of you getting hired just from like the blue. Yeah, yeah, you want to create those relationships?

23:05

Exactly.

23:06

Yeah. So just get in there, show your face and and let people know who you are. I think that could probably transfer to a lot of jobs. I think a lot of jobs because it is, unfortunately it is who you know, these days, and but I mean, it goes hand in hand because who you know, teaches you things and then it's what you know. And then it turns to a job opportunity. And it goes from there. You just have to find a lot of people like I don't want to be a recruiter, you know that maybe it's not for me. But I know so many people that would make amazing recruiters and we need recruiters we really do. Like we're good recruiters passionate people about the military. They're just trying to change their environment. You don't find that very often. Yeah, absolutely. Like genuine people who want to, like you said, build the next generation and make sure we're getting the right people in the right slots. Yes, definitely.

23:53

Yeah.

Natalie Hayes  23:54

Awesome. So can you tell us about the AGR lifestyle? I know that's kind of a you know, a cross between active duty but you're still National Guard, I guess specifically, from your perspective as a recruiter what is is kind of like your day to day life. Like Like, could you be up for deployment? Or do you still drill? What is so is active Guard Reserve is what AGR stands for. Correct? Yep,

24:17

that's exactly right. So AGR is the best kept secret. spell the secret. So I had to play three times to get into a GRS, eight OS as well, for the longest time. So I worked as an assistant for about three years, and then actually got hired. It's, it's the best, it's really the best show. You earn a three year once you enter AGR, you're in a three year probation. That means in the first three years, if you mess up, you can actually get fired. But if you don't, after those three years, you're locked in for life. So you can remain in the AGR program, do your 20 years and AGR your active duty like you're getting paid as active duty, you're getting the same It is active duty. And in recruiting, you also get, you know, incentive pays and all that for recruiting. So you make really good money. It's a job security that we're talking about before. And then as long as you don't mess up in your three years you're locked in for life. It's kind of like going active, but staying or state, right? Yeah. So you get to stay living where you are. You just like go into an office every day, like you would a civilian job type thing, but you maintain, you know, the armories. And you stayed there, supply jobs, MP jobs, you know, marketing, recruiting, there's so many assignments that you could do, you just gotta want. And yeah, and AGR especially sometimes are now, I mean, some states are hurting because, again, people are retiring every year. Right? They did the 20 in the AGR, and they're retiring. So we're looking for new people. So it's always like a circle. And it's, I don't want to say fast promotions, but really fast promotions, because it's just, it's a thing that's moved, like in the guard in the drill, when you're drilling. Unless somebody dies or retires, like it is not going to happen, you're not going to move up. But it's way, way, way easier once you're AGR because people are actually going to the schools like faster hitting their requirements, and there's just pick up rank. That's amazing. And you gotta just by going in there and asking for what you wanted and applying and finding away you got to do it. If there when there's no way you got to make the way so you just got to go for it. Because the thing is, is not gonna find you like there's opportunities there. Now, if I never went back into the recruiting station, I wouldn't be a recruiter right now. I probably would still be a server who knows finishing college, you know, but if you want it, go for it, the what's the worst thing that can happen? says no, hell yeah.

Natalie Hayes  26:30

I love that your go getter attitude, like, it's so refreshing. You can tell you just you make no excuses for yourself. And that is clearly why you found such success at a pretty young age.

26:41

I do make it I make so many excuses. I really do. It's like, you know, I look at all these influencers nowadays. And I'm like, I wish I could be you. But then I think about it. And it's like, they're just real people too, you know, and it's like, behind the screen. I know, they're there, this just as insecure as us, you know, just as the same kind of problems they had, like, we're happy. So I try to think of that, and I make excuses. But I take more action than the excuses I make. Because I think that's that's what keeps me moving forward.

Natalie Hayes  27:08

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I think that's great to recognize that you are human. And you know, you do make excuses sometimes. But you there's always an action on the reverse side of that. So that's amazing. Yeah, so speaking of social media, that's a big way that you've built your business. So I don't think that you know, a lot of people kind of like sidestep social media, but it really is a big marketing tool these days. And it's helped a lot of people get connected like us, for example. And you know, you can build relationships on there, you can build a business. So

27:40

I It is my entire life. I always I don't care if you're a gardener, you can make it on social media like yeah, that you have on social media. Nowadays. We have at our fingertips, like, you can pick up this phone right now. And there's internet and you can look up jobs and you have a job tomorrow. How powerful is that? Like, that? Never would have been 20 years. Yeah, so what I think once you put things into perspective, it's like, holy shit, I'm lucky to be living in this era of like, opportunities, and really just chasing the American dream, like you want it, you got it. Obviously, it's not that easy. You have to have some things, but the opportunity is there. So it's kind of like preparation, meeting opportunity, you have to always stay ready. And when the opportunity comes, you just take it. But social media man like I love it. I love it. So what's your mission with social media? Like, what do you use it for? What's your strategy? How do you balance that with, with all your other responsibilities, I don't want to say I have like a main strategy or something like that. I just tried to, like create a community or like, spread my knowledge. As much as I know, I'm just trying to put it out there and kind of like a creative way. And that way I learn about myself more. And that way, like, you know, we, you know, we started talking and now I'm getting kind of like, into your life, you're getting kind of Yeah, it's amazing. Like, I love that. I feel like that's what I'm here for to create a community and share information, share experiences, you're just preaching and I'm like, loving it. Like I'm loving. I'm like hanging on every word. You're saying like, Yes, I feel the exact same way it was just gotta do it. Because it's like, you know, our parents didn't have the same thing. Yeah, our world is so much bigger than theirs and that like not that that's bad on them. But we just have so much opportunity and you're right, we're fools to not use it in my opinion. Like, if you want it, there's no reason to not go go and get it because it's too easy. The number one thing I hear on social media is like, you know, a lot of people want the followers but the followers don't mean shit. You really you just want to create a community like you want someone to to either give you something or take value from. But the number one thing I hear is like, you know, I needed this today or like I needed to hire that or I needed to get it and it's like, Okay, and then I checked up on them a couple months ago, I mean months after that, and it's like, No, you didn't need this because you didn't take it you didn't do anything with it. So you didn't need it. You just want them motivated. Shit, but you're never gonna do anything with it. And that's the most like, frustrating thing. It is it is. How do you think someone can like take out motivational stuff? And what do you think stops people from actually going into action, listening to other people word or caring about what other people because most of the time people don't even tell you their opinion. You just form an opinion of what they think in your head. Yeah, you're like, Oh, am I saying that? And nobody even said anything to you exactly. even ask them and you're just already formulating an opinion of what they think of what you're doing? Yeah, like that. You know, people don't matter you do. And it's something I've started my myself as well, because just being here and just joining the military, my family was like, you're a girl, you know, you're foreigner, why do you want to join the US military? And they started with that and now my business Why do you want to start a business and now it's carrying on to like Hawaii on Tick Tock? You know, you don't know about this, you know, talking about this, you know, and it's I just shut it out. I Alright, at least I try. Obviously, get send me some on some points. But I give the same kind of like advice to other people. Like just shut it down and focus on you. Because I did I did when you go to sleep. It's just you versus you. I didn't see you. Yeah, we're the one who has to live your life and to make sure it happens. I think. So your ambassador for VPN as well, right? Yeah, yeah. Okay, so you got I love VPN. And one of the thing I love about obviously, Nick Barrett Schubert, huge inspiration of mine. Yeah. And something he says is like, you just got to do shit. He has this 123 mentality, right? He's like, 123 jump. Yeah. And that's, that's how you take action. And like you're come across and things like 123. Just do it. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. You look at, you know, huge, high achievers like him. And you think you think Nick bear is worrying about what other people think of him or like, has ever worried about that? You're like, no, Pete, you know, high achievers. They don't sit around wondering what people think of them. And I think that's a great lesson, I see that in you clearly every step of the way, just doing your own thing. And it's paying off for you. And I'm so happy to see that. So I think that's great advice. It's just like, not worried just 123 go, Yeah, because you're always gonna get an opinion. And as a recruiter, I see that all the time. And it frustrates me, you know, seeing kids that want to do it, but their parents are like, No, don't do it. You know, they're trying to kind of protect them. Because Hey, that's my child. You know, that's my Oh, either. That's my only child. That's my older child. It's always an excuse. That's my middle child, you know? Oh, but it's like, don't listen, sometimes it's your own parents. Yeah. Why do you think our parents just like worried about their kids safety? Or what are they worried about?

32:36

I think parents sometimes trying to live through their kids. Not at all they have like how my mom wants to kind of like, she wants me to have a security nine to five job, right? Because she had to work three jobs to raise me She don't want me to fall into the same traps. So I think it's kind of both it's, they're insecure. And they don't have enough belief, I don't think until they're kids, like, I know my parents until I prove to them that I could do it. They're like, No, you can't do that. You know, that's not for you. So kids, there's no other way to prove to your parents to do it. But to get to it and and just do it. You don't I mean, it's nothing as powerful as that. But I think just parents sometimes try to live through their kids, especially, like I see it all the time. Like, I have majors that want their kids to go to West Point. And the kid is sitting there and telling me that he wants to be a gamer. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like, I'm like, I'm trying to explain to the parent like, sir, with all due respect, like, you know, Ninja, he makes millions of dollars playing fortnight, so your kid actually has a chance. It's never been done before. If it's been done before your kid could do too. You just got to give them the chance. What's the worst that can happen? They fail. All right, and then move on. Right? Yeah, exactly. Not to be afraid of failure. But yeah, I'm sure you see it on both ways. Parents trying to live through their kids. And that can be exhausting and terrifying for kids. I'm sure. Yeah. You know, the scariest part is they listen to kids never actually none. Yeah, I say 1% that actually did end didn't care about what really? Yeah, so that I had a female last year and I'm not going to name drop, but I had a female last year that she wants to go infantry. And I was wrong about it. Because I was like, I want to be the first recruiter from Jersey to put a female in infantry. Like I was like, oh, about it. Yeah. And she was made for it. Like she was high speed and I can and she was a recruit. She wasn't even in the military. I could already tell shot. She's high speed. She wanted to do it. But her brain is like, absolutely not. Her parents want as far as like, we're gonna kick you out of the house if you join. Oh, wow. But she did. Anyway, so she did anyway, and then she came back. And all you see is pictures on her mom's Facebook. I'm so proud of her. Like, okay, now we're flipping the script again. Wow. Parents are funny, man. They are what the heck is that about? Well, I'm so glad that she did it and she listened to you and she had you as a mentor and not some other, you know, weak person that would that would tell her to go listen to her parents or try to you know, get her in a different branch.

34:57

Yeah, but why

34:57

do you think that is? Like most kids, listen. to their parents guess just influenced by them because you've grown up your whole life. It's like, that's your that's all, you know. Yeah. And I mean, sometimes a coach you're closer with or maybe like a teacher in school. So you'll have that relationship. But other than that your parents already have grown up. And so they're kind of like your validation. It's like, Mom can go out with friends. Hey, Mom, can you give me like 20 bucks and mom, like, Can I go to New York City? You know, it's like, all those questions. But that eventually turns into, Hey, Mom, can I go to this college? Hey, Mom, can I do this? Like, yeah, you know, and it's always like, you want that validation from them. But once you realize you don't need their validation, then it's like, everything opens up, and it's like, okay, now I have my own world I can focus on. But I'm gonna say, and I always say, I'm like, parents, baby, their kids, and that you can tell because that kid nowadays, they're just scared. They're scared to live. Like, I walk down the street and I say hello to someone. And they won't even say hello to me. That's just you just baby your kid right there. You didn't teach them to be, you know, yeah. Yeah. To be present in the world and not be hiding from us the word? Yes. Thank you.

36:03

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I'm

36:05

sure you see that come across your desk all the time. You know, kids that are babies or kids that are, you know, just fearful of what lies ahead. Yeah, like all the time, all the time. And not to put their army national guard down. But the Army National Guard is one of the branches of like you low risk, be scared. Army National Guard. Unless you go in the combat roles, you know, yeah. And yeah, but you don't need to be scared. It's all opportunity. You're working on your civilian and let me not the recruiters not going to go in this conversation. There's nothing to be scared, but their kids are scared most because they don't believe me, because recruiters are liars. You know? Yeah,

Natalie Hayes  36:45

yeah. Well, I'm so glad that the people that come to you have are meeting the right person there, meaning someone with passion, who really believes in what they're selling, so to speak, and wants to see these kids go down the right path. Yeah, yeah. So what do you think are the markers of someone who would be right for the army Army National Guard, because I know it's 1% of the population. It's not for everybody. I think it's the best thing I ever did. But I wouldn't say that everyone, it's for everyone. But what would you say is like a sign that someone is something that you should maybe pursue?

37:15

So recruiting would want me to say everyone, but Georgia wants me to say that it's for the people who are just kind of stuck in life whether you're in college in high school, you could be stuck if you're 30 you're not I mean, in your marriage, you could be stuck in anything. Yeah, the people who are stuck in life the people who have the kind of like underdog mentality, the hard workers that don't want recognition, like everybody wants recognition, but like the hard work is that don't do it for the flashy lights because of the mountain out we know flashing lights, you're gonna do a lot of things that nobody recognizes the only you see, so for those type of people, but first of all athletes 100% average do it. Um, anybody who has any type of hobby that it's kind of like teamwork based you it perfect for the military, because that's all it is teamwork, battle buddy system and all that. I think, you know, those people are like your alpha personalities like, right and then you have your Bravo personalities were especially because then Army National Guard, most people do join for college. So they're not in it to win it type of thing. They're just in it to get the benefits. Yeah, so you're gonna have some Bravo personalities were they're just they're doing the minimum, you know, getting by but those people are good, too, because they're good workers. Like they get the job done. Yeah, you need that. You need that in every organization. Yeah. At the end of the day, you know what, I hate the title recruiter? I really do. We shouldn't be like scouts. I don't know. We should be Yeah,

38:34

yeah. I'll tell him scouts. I

38:37

love it. Because recruiters, you know how like scouts, you know, they see talent, and they recognize it, and then they and they do something with it. Recruiters will just kind of take anyone and we try to figure out the talent out of you, which is powerful. But sometimes you're pushing someone to be more than they want to be, or they could be. And sometimes they don't want it bad enough as you want it for them. Yeah, that's a hard place to be. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think it's important whether you know, you want to go in the Army or you want to go down another road. So just figure out, really spend some time with yourself and figure out what you want, before you go asking for help getting there. You know, and that way, I think everything you say and everything you do will be more believable. And I think you'll be more likely to get what you want as you just have to define what you want, like a good fit. Because if you don't know what you want, you go to a recruiter, I promise you, they're gonna figure out what they want for you. Yeah, it'll be what the army wants of you. Yeah, that'd be what the army wants. But if you decide, hey, you know, I want to study computer science. Then you go to Utah, that you give that information to your recruiter, more than likely, if it's a good recruiter, they're gonna put you in it or cybersecurity or something like that to help you you know, advance your career and what you want, not what the army needs. That's great advice. So what is next for you, man? What's next for American Dream athletics and just your career in the army? So me personally I'm looking at most likely 20 years in the Army unless some crazy thing happens and I have to get out American Dream really blows up and I need to be a full time CEO than 100% for right now I think I can balance it but next for American Dream oh I'm also trying to pursue my Masters finally got for you. That's amazing. And what in Business Administration perfect and because I have a bachelor's in Homeland Security, I was gonna be FBI, you know, but that never happened. And and then American athletics, you know, we're just gonna keep making and keep coming out with the collections. And another thing I'm trying to do is also do like an ambassador program. Yeah, do that and and create a better community. So that's, that's coming out soon. And we're gonna be hiring like crazy in the next couple of months for like, some real employees and a friend group so that if you know if anybody's listening and you're you're good creatively, you're a designer or you are a just a creative mind hit me up. I have a job for you. You could do it from your house. Oh, we love to hear that opera. There's opportunity everywhere. I just ordered some leggings from you guys. So I'm so excited to get them in the mail.

41:07

Thank you.

41:08

Yeah, yes, yes, I'm here for it. So speaking of that, where can people find you follow you or see you see what you're all about? So I'm on every platform you can possibly think about but I have a different name and every single one of them so on Instagram, it's going to be it's underscore g team on Tick Tock is going to be nj recruiter. I don't really do YouTube anymore. So I'll just give you those two. I also have the American Dream podcast as well amazingly streaming platform, you can find that cool. Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Natalie Hayes  41:38

This was like fun. It's so fun to hear from ambitious people like yourself just getting after it not making excuses and hearing what your advice would be to the folks listening. So yeah, all Georgia's information will be down in the show notes below go out American Dream athletics, or fellow veteran and women business owners. So yeah, thanks so much for coming on Georgia, and we'll be talking to you soon. Awesome. Thank you.