Episode 44 | Growth | Special Guest Rob Hefner

Ner >> Handyman >> handyman premier >> full glory home management >> home management and what we are talking personal growth professional growth and what I am smoking is I'm smoking the crowned heads Broadway this is well this is a phenomenal brand and you're smoking the millennio the the Oliva Series Velanio which happens to be their flagship that's actually what they aged them in soccer ball for FIFA try this one so I am going to preface this because I do read all of the comments. This is a podcast where we talk about everything. We are business owners, family men. We've we go through issues. We go through life and that's what we talk about on this podcast. We happen to be cigar smokers and it's heavily about the cigar, but we talk about everything. So, if that's not what you're into, this ain't your cup of tea. I'll just tell you that right now. Unsubscribe. Move on. I'm sure there's a podcast for you. This ain't it. We do talk about a lot of different things, a lot of subjects, a lot of subject matters. So, if that's not something that you're into, by all means, my Well, they keep popping up on the screen. It's very, very distracting. >> I didn't see that. >> I got a a family thread. This has a beautiful draw. >> So, a lot of people give Oliva a lot of [ __ ] saying that they make crap cigars. I beg to differ. I think Oliva makes a great cigar. And what's even better than that, the people behind the company. >> Yeah. >> [ __ ] awesome. >> Well, this is a great cigar. At least to my taste. Cigars are like bourbon steaks or anything else. They're perfect when they're perfect for you, regardless what anybody else thinks. >> Ain't that the truth. Speaking of which, what are you drinking right now? >> Right now, I have the dregs of a taste. Just [music] a taste. Kagan scotch, which is a beautiful thing. >> Mhm. >> Thank you for bringing it out for me to sample. >> Absolutely. >> It's six strong. I mean, the the alcohol contents up there, the proof is up there. >> Mhm. >> But it has a great finish. I like things that have flavor to it. I don't want something so mild I can't taste it. I don't drink light beer. So, that's a pretty darn good scotch as far as I can tell. >> So, it was a good pairing. >> Scotch with the the Oliva Series V. I decided as personal growth to stop drinking. So, I am not partaking in the alcohol anymore. So, I'm just doing a straight sugar-free Red Bull. It's all right. I'll take care of it for you. >> I know you I know you will. So, there's a lot of talk about growth in the industry, in the cigar industry. These guys are going through a tremendous amount of growth where they were doing a different band for every cigar they had. Right. So, and I think they're kind of doing away with some of their other things, right? So they have their the first one that caught my attention was the blood medicine which the blood medicine came from the building that they're in in Tennessee was an old pharmacy and that's like one of the things they used to do back in the day of blood medicine. >> Yeah. >> So that was one of the first ones that caught my attention and then they've got Lelay Patessier and they've got a bunch of other unknown like boutiquey cigars and what they're doing now is all of the cigars look like this. All the bands look like this. >> Just a different name. >> Just a different name and a different color. So, they're going through some growth. I wouldn't say that Oliva is going through growth, but what they're doing is this football thing, the soccer thing that they're doing with the Milano in it. They have 24 sticks inside this humidor. TW uh 12 are Maduros and 12 are habanos. So, some of them are light, half of them are dark. >> Yeah. you know, for the whole soccer thing, their sales had to have blown the [ __ ] up. >> Okay, but the humidor inside a soccer ball is a really cool idea, but those small humidors like that are just a challenge to maintain over time. >> Well, so it's all it is. They they say it's a humidor, but it's a Spanish cedar box. It's basically all it is. And you drop a BA pack in it, and it keeps from what they say, it keeps the cigars fresh for one year. >> As long as you never open the ball. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's all right. If you get one of those, put the cigars in a proper humidor and call it good. >> Yeah. >> Then go kick the ball, hurt your foot. >> So, I have to show you something. These guys came up with this product called Freshbox. >> Yeah. >> It's like uh the outside is like a polycarbonate. So, it's a plastic, but it looks like a wooden humidor. And then on the inside, it's like a styrofoam cooler, you know, like you get at Walgreens or whatever. And on the bottom, there's a spot for a Bova pack. That is that when you put the Bova pack in there lays flush so it doesn't get in the way. You don't have like odd cigars. You know what I mean? How long does it last? >> One year. Seen it, >> right? And it has that same space in the bottom. >> Mhm. >> And in that in that application, it doesn't work. It's a really cool thing. Okay. It looks cool. It has a cedar lining and all that kind of stuff and it looks cool. >> Yeah. >> It just doesn't work. When I find a good one, I like to buy two or three. >> Yeah. But one of them I might not touch for two or three months. >> Yeah, that's a problem. >> Yeah, because that day Tuesday night my whole study in cigars. I know that sounds weird. Trust me, it's freaking awesome. >> It is. I've been I've been to one. >> Yeah. Going to that I buy them there. >> Mhm. >> So I smoke a lot more than two or three at a time, but in my human fresh and I don't have space for a big one. >> So what are you smoking like? What's your I know you don't smoke one every day like I do. I smoke two to six a day. >> This is my >> two to six. >> Yeah, this is my third or fourth. >> All right, Winston. I'm not as bad as he was. He was like 10 a day. >> Yeah. >> Uh so what is your daily driver if you can call it that? That your go-to right now? >> Where we where we live? If I just want a cigar one evening, I'll run Del Kobano. >> Yeah. >> And I don't remember what they call it. It's the one with the stripe around it. >> The barber pole. >> And it's a good one. >> It's a smooth cigar. It's generally mild. I'm not tasting it 3 days later. >> Of course, after I smoke and go in and get straight in the shower. M. Yeah, >> that's all right. I'm very happily married for a long, long time because I don't complain about changing clothes in the garage and going and take a shower. >> Yeah. I think Manny cigars are good. I think Elano cigars are good. And I anybody who hears this in our area, I know, is going to give me [ __ ] for this. >> Yeah. >> I think that Manny cigars are great if you smoke them there. If you're there in the lounge and you have one right there, light it up, it's great. It's fantastic. I you because of the price they are very economical because of the price. I would go and buy bundles. I'd buy a bundle of 25. They would flake. They would it was just [ __ ] So I stopped buying them in the bundle. >> See, now you're talking about about preservation of At first I thought you were talking about just the environment you're smoking them in. >> Mm- >> you know because scotch tastes better when you're outside with a view like that >> like that >> and a little bit of scotch in hand. Same way the environment has a play. And when we're talking about change, we'll get to that later. Yeah. >> The environment >> or how the how the kids say it today. The vibes. >> Have you got the vibes? >> I don't know. That's the wrong generation in it. >> That Yeah, that is. Yeah. Yeah. >> But if if you've got the vibes, everything could be different. Which I mean, it makes sense, right? If you if you go to, you know, the the KA steak company, >> that is an awesome place to eat, isn't it? Right. >> That's just some amazing food. So like if you go there and have a porter house or you go to Perry's in the Bay Brook Mall and have a porter house, >> it's a completely different completely different >> They could they could cook it exactly the same exact same temperature, the exact same seasonings, steaks cut from the same loin. >> Yep. >> But it would be different just because of the environment that it's in. So when you go to Paris, you know that it is a very high scale, very luxurious place, right? And you know that everything carries. >> Have you ever been to the original >> in uh >> the original I I think it's the original Perry's was over on Scarsdale. >> No, >> it was never it was not fancy. >> Yeah. >> It was not no white tablecloths, you know, >> but they had the same quality of food, the same >> talk about growth and expansion. >> Yeah. >> Like what that place anymore? Well, I don't think that Perry's is going to be open for very much longer. >> I hadn't heard anything about >> Oh, you haven't heard this? >> No, I haven't. What's going on? >> Okay, so >> now wait. They they got to stay open on Thursdays because now and then I crave a pork chop. >> Well, you might have to find another pork chop spot. >> What's going on? >> So, they got caught doing something that every restaurant does. However, >> huh? >> Tip share. >> Yeah. Well, they call it tip pulling, >> but what they did was the And I'm not going to get into all the details because I don't know all the details. I read the article 100 years ago, but basically what they were doing was taking the tips from the servers and they weren't just paying the barbacks and bartenders and stuff, a lot of the managers and and [ __ ] were getting part of that. So, they got sued in a class action suit and they lost the suit and it was like a lot of money, like $100 million, like a lot of money. >> So, they get sued, they do it for $100 million and they're not going to pay that. >> Mm-m. It'll end up settling on a lot of individual cases. It's a big hit. No doubt. >> Whatever it is, >> think it's bad PR. >> Yeah. >> But what it tells me is I need to get over to Paris and get myself one of their pork chops on Thursday. >> Yeah. Cuz they might not be around. >> It is by far a completely different vibe than the Kate Company. >> It is. >> The Kate Company is so unique because well, first of all, it's out of a house. >> Yeah. And it's it's very cozy, very old school. Red walls, the leather highback bar stools, you know what I mean? Like very very different vibe. But Kim State Company, and I've done this. I've gone there and I've stayed in and shut it down. It >> It's one of those places you can go in and order a side car and they know what you're talking about. And they make them very well. They have the best oldfashions around. >> They do. Their old fashions are really good. >> They have some amazingly good oldfashions. But when I get there early enough >> Mhm. >> they have some amazing bartenders there that do really good stuff. >> So, just to let you know, Sonia, who was my favorite bartender. >> Yeah, she left, didn't she? >> She left. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. She's only there like maybe once a week on like a Saturday or something. >> Yeah. >> We miss you, Sonia. >> I don't think Taylor's there either. >> Taylor's not there. >> Yeah, I don't think Taylor's there either. >> All right. We'll have to We'll have to >> The last two times I went there, she was not there. and the the draft club, the c the bar, the lounge. Yeah. >> Well, that changes the vibe completely. >> Yeah. >> What it was for a while, for a long time, you come in downstairs, a great bar, great people around there. >> Yep. >> You could have an awesome steak dinner, then order yourself another drink, walk upstairs, grab a cigar, sit down, smoke the cigar, open up the balcony on the front of the house. What do they have upstairs now? Seating for >> nothing. They They haven't made a decision. Doug hasn't made a decision on what he wants to do with it. >> I I'll have talked to Doug by >> I I went >> I missed the cigar. >> I I went there wanting to go upstairs and and they were like, "It's closed." I'm like, "For tonight?" And they were like, "No." I'm like, "What the hell?" And the guy, so the owner, he's a cigar smoker and he's got humidor cabinets all down the main corridor of the restaurant. >> There's some nice stuff. >> Nice stuff, too. Not not shitty sticks. I mean, nice nice product. So, I don't know what the hell he's gonna By the way, they completely refunded me for the draft club membership. Yeah. >> And I got a gift certificate. >> So, Oh, >> that's a free dinner. Just saying. >> See, eventually if I pour enough of these, I might have a whole shot. >> Yeah. >> But I just This is good enough. I don't want to like drink it. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Not like you're drinking that >> sipping. >> I just I just want to taste it every now and then. Well, that's a whole lot of change going on there. >> There is. That is. And I don't know if that's growth or regression. I don't know what the hell's going on there. So, I don't know if it's because it just wasn't doing well. I don't This is the one thing that I can that I can say about that particular place. They only opened at 5 and they closed at 9:30 and they weren't open on Mondays. >> And they still had a lot of members. >> Yeah. >> And some very loyal clientele. >> That's because the restaurant's fantastic. And the vibes of the lounge was just so cool. You had that balcony and then the inside was very very nice with the nice couches and stuff. So, a lot of people like that place. I don't know what's going on. I don't know. >> There was a lot of business done up in that lounge. >> Yeah, there was. And every time you go in that place, it's like you see captains of of local industry. >> Yeah. >> Hanging out there, eating with their families, wives, whatever. It's uh I I hope I hope that they're in a growth stage and they're going to do something with the second floor. >> Yeah. That's what I'm That's what I'm hoping because I love that spot. I wish that their hours would change. They would open earlier and stay open later because it's four and a half hours. Like if you want something late at night, not there. If you want something early in the afternoon, >> that's not late night food. If you want late night food, go get yourself a pizza. But uh >> No, I mean if you want to drink late at night, >> well, okay. >> You want a drink at 10:00, you can't get it. Yeah, you can't get it there. or you know that he buys his coffee from John at Jaba Cafe. >> Yeah. They smoke cigars together and [ __ ] And for some reason, I don't know why. I don't know what they're doing to the coffee over there at Kate Company, but when you order the the fresh print, the fresh, it is different. It's different there than it is at Java. >> Well, there was back to the environment thing. >> In a good way. >> The environment changes the perception. >> It really does. It really, really does. cuz I don't know what could be the difference. But like I went there with my parents and even my parents were like, "Holy [ __ ] what's in this coffee?" Yeah. And we we even asked, "Are you doing anything to the coffee? Are you like putting sugar or some kind of other ingredient in the grounds or something?" They're like, "No, just >> I don't know. Maybe John sell them a special blend." >> Maybe they said they said it's the Brazilian the Jeva Brazilian. So I went to John's place, bought a bag of it. Don't get me wrong, it's good. Not the same. not the same. So things are definitely different. The the ambiance, the atmosphere definitely makes a change, but is it growth? Some changes are not always growth. >> Growth doesn't always mean getting bigger. >> Sometimes growth is getting better, >> better, >> more profitable as a business owner. >> Yeah. >> Growth personally can mean cutting loose people that you call your friends that aren't helping you get better. >> Mhm. That one hurts. >> I know >> that one hurts. >> But it's true. You >> We've all been there. So, what does that mean to you? Cutting out people that you thought were your friends. >> Robert Kiyosaki, he was talking about finance, of course, he said you're you are the average. You hang out with people that are broke, >> eventually you're >> you're going to be broke. Yeah. Yeah. >> If you hang out with drug, too. Yeah. >> If you hang out with drug users, guess what? You're going to sample. If you hang out with cigar smokers, eventually you might probably smoke a cigar. >> The same thing applies in all areas. if you hang out with people that aren't making you better. >> Mhm. >> It's just like in every business of of Chevrolet, I think it was. Anyway, he had he had he brought out the policy of eliminating the bottom 10% every year. >> Mhm. >> Every year they do employee reviews and the bottom 10% get fired, get replaced. Just if you're in bottom 10%, you're a cut. >> Yeah. That makes sense. KPIs, following KPIs and [ __ ] like that. >> Yeah. It's cold-hearted, but maybe it's good business, maybe it's not. But we we could debate that for years. >> When you run a company that size, I mean, you got >> Leayakoka. >> Leayakoka. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> I knew it would come to me. I figured it would come to me later tonight. >> Wasn't he Ford? >> It's a car place. >> Yeah. Ford. >> Cuz he was he was involved with the the GT40 and the Mustang. >> But but he he brought about that policy, right? The same thing applies to who you hang out with. Not necessarily friends. >> Yeah. >> I have good friends I don't hang out with anymore. >> Yeah. But the people I want to spend my time with, I want to be around people that make me better. >> Yeah. >> Reevaluate who you're hanging out with. >> True. >> All right. If I'm going to get better in this area, I need to be around somebody that's very good in that area. Whatever area it is. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know. >> Mhm. >> If if I want to learn more about cigars, I hang around Angelo. You know, if I want to learn more about cars, then I hang around my dear friend Bob Fuller, who their Kills and Wheels. >> Okay. >> He did that. He he passed last year and it still breaks me up. But if I want to learn more about cars or more about people, then I'd hang around Bob Fuller. Interesting thing, I spent 24 years in the army. >> Yep. >> When I retired, >> Thank you for your service, by the way. >> Thank you. When I retired, I didn't know how to make friends. >> I'd spent 20 of those 24 years as an officer. And your friends are issued to you. >> Mhm. >> So, pretty much you got with a similar rank at wherever you were stationed. >> Yeah. So, I never learned how to make friends. >> I mean, you've been in the same thing for so long. Yeah, it makes sense. >> Yeah. And then I get out with that military attitude. Sir, yes, sir. Yes, sir. We'll make that happen. >> Mhm. >> And and I was kind of a not kind of. I was a double down [ __ ] as an officer. >> Mhm. I mean, you kind of have to be. >> Not really. I was because, well, let's be honest, sometimes I liked it. Uh, >> everybody's got that friend. >> But when I got out, I didn't I didn't know how to make friends. I didn't know how to be a civilian. >> Okay. >> I joined Lakewood Yacht Club. >> Yes. Great question. >> I couldn't afford then. I can't afford now, but I don't care. I'm still a member. We're going to find a way, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It's not that expensive, but that's a whole different story. Yeah. And uh they had a generally older gentleman. Uh they call a table of knowledge. >> Uhhuh. >> And I would >> gentlemen of a certain age. >> A gentleman of a certain age. And I was they were old enough most of them were old enough to be my father at the time. Okay. But uh I would go join the table of knowledge every Saturday morning and just keep my damn mouth shut >> and just listen. >> I learned so much about people, about business, about money just by changing my environment. >> Changing the people I hung around with >> and being willing to listen and not having to be important in that group. >> Yeah. >> I was just, oh, he's a young officer just retired and he can sit here and join us. Come on. you know, and and I'd sit down with them, have a cup of coffee. >> Uhhuh. >> And just listen. >> What was what was that like? So, you you all right? So, you get out of the service and just as you said, your friends were issued to you. >> Mhm. >> And now you're you're a civilian, a veteran. What the [ __ ] is that like having to That's growth, right? That's personal growth. Having to figure out, okay, I can't do this [ __ ] by myself. >> That's That's a significant amount of change. >> Mhm. If you've been indoctrinated two years or four years, it can be significant. >> Yeah. >> Uh you do it for 20 years, 25 years, 30 years, those are long ingrained habits in how you speak to people, how you interact with people, how you think about problems, and those same techniques don't always work in the civilian world. >> Yeah. So having to divest myself of that and learn how to be be a civilian. I did the classic thing when people retire, >> which is >> then say screw this, I'm never going to work again. And then get incredibly bored at home thinking I'm retired >> and end up going back to work and finding a place that I can fit and staying there for a long time. >> Uh-huh. So what's the process look like? Because for someone that you know me, I'm a people person, right? Yes. And I make friends like that. So, what's that process like for you coming out of the service? You're in the service for 24 years. You get out of the service and you're like, "Oh, [ __ ] I got to make friends now." What What What was that process like? >> Frightening. >> Really? >> Absolutely. Absolutely. It's chamber event in front of 200 people. Perfectly fine. No problem at all. That that was beyond intimidating. I've been out for 15 years. >> Uh-huh. >> Good lord, that's been a long time. And I've been out a long time now. And I still like formal events. I rarely go to him without my wife. >> Uhhuh. >> Because I'm not comfortable there and basically I need my binky around. >> Okay. >> If if I'm not I'll squeeze her hand and she'll be like, >> "Okay, well, we're going to go talk to somebody else." >> Yeah. Yeah. So, so it's like a gripping fear. >> It It was It's not that anymore. Yeah. >> Not Not that bad anymore. I have learned to overcome that. But how did it overcome that? I had to make a change. I knew I had to make a change. So, I changed my environment. So I think that's a very good point. Acknowledgement. You have to acknowledge [ __ ] in order to to start the process to make those changes, right? >> Well, you know, change generally comes from a problem. What's the number one thing you do with the problem? You don't act, you define the problem. >> Mhm. >> Because you can't change you can't solve a problem that you can't fully explain. >> Right? >> So the first step in solving a problem is a clear problem statement. >> In in the army, I used to write them down. Write down a clear problem statement, leave it alone overnight, come back to it the next morning. I do that here to now as a business owner to some extent but not as religiously as I did then >> right >> so if you can't define what you want to change and why you're not going to >> that's such a good point >> journey begins with deciding on a destination if you don't have a destin questions will give you the how or at least lead you to the how >> okay so you get so so I'm going to break this down in a couple different ways personally you get out of the service and you realize you need friends >> I I realize I said, "I can't function in the civilian world with the same attitudes that carried me through the service." >> And your solution to that was >> to find people that had been successful >> in the civilian world. Find people that were wellresected, well-liked, and success and just hang out. >> That makes sense. That makes a lot of sense. >> I had no idea what I was going to learn at the table of knowledge. >> And a lot of it I didn't realize I learned until years later. Table of knowledge for me was changing my environment. We talked about everything tastes different in a different environment. Right. Right. >> It's the same thing. If you put yourself in a different environment, you're going to have to act differently to have any chance of fitting into that environment and you're going to mirror the way other is what helped me most being com comfortable in public. >> That's that's crazy. So, >> it's an interesting concept, is it? I think too much, Angelo. >> Look, you know, I'm a I'm an overinker, too. So, so that that brings me to so in in the cigar world, right? Talking about growth. This is a [ __ ] plant. That's all this is from a plant that somebody aged over time and then rolled >> that years ago was considered a weed. >> Yeah. And and lit up and it's and it's great and I love it. But there are So, I met a guy named Eton at the PCA show and he owns a brand called EGM. I watched a podcast that he did with Creekide, Creekide Podcast and they have a lounge by a creek in Ohio. I know, very original. They themselves said it was unoriginal, but they were going through the whole thing because I knew the guy based off of his Instagram reels. They're [ __ ] everywhere. And it's it's a guy, good-looking guy sitting down at a cafe in Europe somewhere, usually overlooking water or river, something. trimming, you know, cutting his cigar, lighting it with a match or a fancy torch or whatever. And I'm just like seeing the videos over and over. What's this [ __ ] And then I see them at PCA. I go meet the guy, great guy, does an interview with us. And then I see the podcast and he, this guy was born in Italy and goes through professionally, gets a degree in marketing and then goes and works for a marketing firm. >> Yeah. >> Talk about growth, right? So spends 14 15 years doing marketing and branding for people like taking their logo or creating their logo and then creating a brand behind it. >> Yes. >> And what they do and all this sort of stuff. So he cut his teeth in branding other companies. So then he gets this affinity for cigar smoking because a friend of his, his dad collected cigars and not just any cigars like the unicorn of cigars, the creme de la creme, Cubans, you name it, like rare dab it off, [ __ ] like that. So he develops this affinity for cigars. And then he looks at the growing process and he's like, "Okay, we're going to do this differently. We're not we're not going to use chemicals. We're going to use all organic natural methods. This was also something else that I didn't know. In the big box world of cigars, they're usually running two crops a year of tobacco. >> Yeah. >> And then in between runs something that's high in nitrogen, like a bean of some. And in order to get a huge crop, they're packing all of the plants in real tight >> so they can get more plants. Well, what they decided to do, what EGM decided to do was go double wide, give the plant a lot more room to grow, and they would do a crop of corn or something before the tobacco, run the tobacco, and then do bean to give the soil that much more enrichment for the following year's crop. >> Do one crop a year. >> One crop a year. But the tobacco is so different. I mean, it's when I I I like the guy gave me >> Where's it grown? >> Nicaragua. Oh, yeah. >> Corn doesn't make near as much money as tobacco does. No. So, it's basically a throwaway crop. They're basically just growing it so they can shuck it off to someone else and use the soil for better soil. Now, I smoke the cigar before I knew all that [ __ ] >> Yeah. >> I'm just like, "All right, let me let me see what this is all about." Shit's amazing. And I'm, you know, I go on now I get it. >> They're like 35 bucks a stick. >> Yeah. >> I'm like, "Nah, now I get it. It's you get what you pay for." And sometimes, not really. Sometimes you don't get what you pay for. You're paying a high dollar and it's really not that great. just the brand, just the name. But these guys took time. They took time and they they looked at the growing process and they said, "Okay, we're going to do this differently and they won. They killed it." So growth means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. So that's like that is literally a physical growth. And then we're talking about getting out of the service, making friends, and all that kind of stuff. That's more of a personal growth >> very much. When you go through the process of el let's let's call it eliminating people out of your life. We've all done it. >> Yeah. >> That's hard for me. The when I make the decision when I finally make that decision that this is like this is weird about me. When I finally make that decision I don't look back. There's no rearview mirror and and and it's like no love lost which sounds really really harsh and and almost to the point where that person doesn't exist to me anymore. I'm not. To me, it's not that clean of a cut. >> There are people that I I used to spend a lot of time with. I just don't anymore. >> For a variety of reasons. That doesn't mean we're not still friends. >> It just means that I don't spend as much time with them. >> Now, there are those people that you need to just >> cut out completely. >> Cut out completely. Yeah. You know, there are those people you need to cut out completely for a variety of reasons. I'm not going to be around drug use, for example, that kind of thing. >> Right. Well, that's easy. That's an easy one. >> Well, that's an easy one. That's why I picked an easy one, you know, because it's easy. >> Yeah. >> But like, let's just >> But then, >> do you spend your time with We're both business owners. >> Do you spend your >> Yeah. Yeah. So, that's a good point. Let's just say let let's take it let's take it to a personal level, right? You know, my situation, so I don't know much about this. I don't know anything about this. I was married very very young. >> Yeah. >> So, let's let's talk about relationships, okay? You decide this girl is not for you. That's a tough one. Got to be. >> It is. So, I'm going to put this in in a perspective of myself. When I have a personal friend that I have, I sat down and I internalized this and I'm saying, "Okay, this person no longer enriches my life." Not to say that every friendship has to enrich your life, but it's a two-way street. You can't be giving everything and they're giving nothing. You see what I'm saying? >> I I I do I don't 100% agree with you. >> Okay? >> Friends are friends. >> Yep. >> If they need more than you do, then you give more than they do. >> All right. All right. So, let me All right. Let me put it to you this way. It's a situation where this person, let's let's call him John. >> Okay. John. >> I know John. >> John. Let's just say >> I know John. >> John sucks the life force out of you. >> You know, used to be you guys were really good friends. Call it childhood friends. And then you guys grow up and this becomes John becomes a life force suck out of your life. If he's a true friend, he should not be doing that to you. >> You see what I'm saying? >> Yeah. But people are people. >> People are people. >> They don't always realize they're doing that to you. >> Uh when I left the military >> Mhm. >> there were people that I expected to stay in contact with forever. >> Yeah. >> And 10 years later, I was still in contact with them. >> And over the last couple of years, I've had to realize that, you know, not everybody ever gets over the whole broet mentality. Mhm. >> And it's funny sometimes, you know, but I'm not in uniform anymore. Uh yeah, I give preferential treatment to my veterans in the hiring pro process. >> I do a lot of nonprofit work for veterans as well, >> but you know, I'm not I'm not going to wear the the uh I'm a veteran. I I signed on the dotted line t-shirt around the mall or anything like that. >> Right. Right. Right. >> No, because Yes, I'm a veteran. So what? Being a veteran sometimes will get me a cup of coffee. Uh-huh. >> Maybe. So, hanging on to that culture doesn't help, >> right? >> The first job I settled into was a construction manager for a great big home builder. >> And I the friends I made there, some of them are still friends there, builders, and they enjoyed working for somebody else. And some of them were exceptionally good at it. >> Mhm. >> Some of the ones that were my best friends aren't that good. [laughter] >> So, who do I need to hang out with now? >> Mhm. >> I have my own company. >> Companies. Yeah. >> Yeah. So when I sit down to talk with them, is that making me better or just maintaining relationships? Relationships are important. Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that. But you are the average of your five closest friends. So you got to think about who those friends are from time to time. >> All right. So I'm going to I'll put it to you this way. I'm going to give you a real world real life example. >> Mhm. >> I meet somebody who was a mortgage broker. You know, I'm in commercial real estate >> obviously. So, you know, you wanna you want to be around as many lenders as you can because they help you close deals. If you got a lender who can do some hard [ __ ] it's good to have in your arsenal of friends, right? >> Absolutely. So this person was very cool at the start and then I found out that this person was very judgmental like very jud like we would be sitting talking somebody would come to the table and then we would have a good conversation whatever that person would leave and this person would start talking about that person. >> Yeah. >> And automatically you're thinking well >> if they're doing that they're about me. Exactly. So very judgmental, very much like a gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, right? Like things started to transition into a personal relationship, like, hey, what do you think about this and what do you think about that? I'm going to go to the car show or whatever. And you know, just stuff like that. And then it was like always needing something, always needing something, you know, and hours of my time. Yeah. >> And I'm like, okay, this relationship >> ain't working. >> It ain't working. So you kind of have to internalize that and say, is this working? Yes or no? And then when it doesn't, >> but that but that doesn't mean that you go to him and say, "Hey, you know, we've been friends for a long time." Not anymore. Go away. >> Yeah. No, no, no. They don't do that. >> It it it's just having other things to do a lot of times. >> And nine out of 10 times they'll get the hint. And no, I can't. No, I got this. I got that. >> They get it. >> Yeah. >> Nine out of 10 times. And with people like that, when I internalize and I say to myself, okay, is this relationship working out for me or both of us? Well, them, yeah, it's working out great for them, but is it working out for the both of us? No, >> it's not. Is it working out for both of us? Is it making me better? >> Right. Is it And if it's >> because you and I kind of have a weird relationship. >> I mean, southern redneck like me and a damn Yankee realtor like him. >> Uh-huh. Uh-huh. [laughter] >> It's Yeah. not one of those things that you would expect, >> right? >> But we kind of feed off each other in both a personal and a business perspective. >> And and it's been I know it's been beneficial to me. I hope it has for you as well. >> Yeah. >> And I hope that it continues to be so. >> Me too. >> Of course, a year from now, if you call me and say, "Hey, let's do another podcast." And I'm like, "I have to do my hair." Maybe [laughter] you'll get to the end. >> It won't take long for me to get the end. But you just you got to do what you got to do, right? And and my point is for me to internalize that, that's the hardest part for me. >> Yes. >> Once I make the decision, it's like a switch. It's off. >> It's not for me. >> See, that's that's that's where we're a little bit different. >> It's not for me. I >> It takes a lot for me to get there. >> We We have mutual friends. >> Yeah. >> That I would be better off just not being around. >> Yeah. >> And I still spend too much time around them. >> Uhhuh. >> Because I just can't bring myself to make that switch like you said. >> Yeah. >> That is it's a problem for me. That's the one thing that it takes a lot for me to get there, but once I'm there, for some reason, it's easy. Like, I I'll I'll put it to you this way. There was somebody somebody >> Was it John? >> It was John. >> Such an [ __ ] [laughter] >> It that it wasn't beneficial. A year and a half. It took a year and a half. And And we're talking about >> that's not unreasonable. This was a professional relationship that this person was supposed to bring business into my house. >> Yeah. >> And really didn't. The problem was and became like a sibling to me and it was like too close and it took a year and a half for me to say, "Okay, this is not beneficial to >> Well, it doesn't we're talking about change, right? A a relationship, a close friend doesn't have to be financially beneficial, >> right? There's personal growth as well. There's there's somebody that makes you a better person. Being a better person will make you a better businessman. >> Right. Right. >> Somebody that makes you a better person is worth being around even if they're not contributing to the bottom line, so to speak. But that's why defining that problem and being able to explain that problem to yourself. >> Mhm. >> Cuz you're the only one that matters in the situation. >> Being able to explain that problem to yourself before you decide to make a change matters. And you can't wait until you just feel it. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. feelings don't matter, >> right? So, and what I mean is like, let's just say the person gets you pissed the [ __ ] off every time you interact with them and that puts some strain on you. >> Yeah. >> You know, emotionally, personally, like you leave the table or you leave the room and you're like, I want to [ __ ] kill that guy. That's not good for you. That's not good for anybody. I don't recommend that to anybody. >> No, that that's not good for you. Why are you getting pissed off? Is he questioning your business practices that are as near and dear to you as your own children? Is he questioning why you smoke so many cigars every day? >> Is he questioning whether or not you should drink scotch or bourbon? >> Mhm. >> If if that's what's making you mad, it's not his problem. It's yours. >> All right. Let's So, let's just say this. >> So, so what what I'm what I'm saying is a friend can be trying hard to make you better. >> Yeah. >> And say we're going to take example because this podcast is about cigars, right? Mhm. >> And say, "Hey, you smoking 14 cigars isn't good for you. 14 a day is just not good." >> Yeah. >> And you're like, "Well, I like cigars. I'm going to smoke 14 a day." He said, "No, it's not good for you." You get pissed off. Is 14 cigars a day good for you? >> No. No. >> So, who's right there? >> Right. >> So, and and and that's that's a kind of a vapid example. You know, it's not a good example of what I'm talking about. >> No, no, no. But all right. So, let's just get the point. >> Let's take it from a a professional standpoint. Mhm. >> Let's just say that you have an employee that you say, let let's get down to the very the very basic, right? When you answer the phone, you answer the phone. Old Glory Construction. >> Yeah. >> He or she answers the phone. Hey, this is John. >> Yo, baby, what? >> This is Emily. >> It It's >> And you have this repeated conversation. It's basically going in this ear and out this one. That's got to piss you off. If if it if it's happening over a phone call, it's happening over other stuff as well. >> Right. >> All right. That's a matter of of respect. >> Mhm. >> Fired a guy a couple weeks ago because he came into my This is the guy that writes your check. >> Yeah. >> And just was miserable. >> Yeah. >> He took way too long. He did a crappy job. I know he's capable of more. I've seen him do great work. >> Yeah. So, if he's doing shitty work in your house, the guy who signs his check, what is he doing at customers houses? If he's doing shitty work in my house, what respect does he have for me at all? >> Well, that's a good one. >> Okay. Is is he just, well, I can do whatever I want to here because Rob's a pushover and Yeah, because I kind of am. >> Mhm. >> I I go out of my way to take care of my guys and I've had a lot that took advantage of it. >> Mhm. >> And I've had to change my ways in a lot of ways regarding that. >> Okay. >> And I've had to become a lot more coldarted because I respect them enough to do everything I can to take care of them. >> Yeah. And this guy comes into my house and just is a what some people call a clock blocker. >> Mhm. Yeah. >> Yeah. And he he took two days to paint one bedroom. >> So needless to say, piss poor work. >> And and it wasn't well done. >> Yeah. >> And and at that point, I felt directly insulted. >> Yeah. That's not good. >> That you don't have enough respect for me to do do any better work than that. And you know how to do it better >> cuz I've seen you do it better. You don't have any more respect for me than that, then I have screwed up as a leader. I can't regain your trust and confidence because obviously you don't have any in me. >> So, you got to go find somebody else and I need to change the way I treat my people. >> That was a hard lesson to learn. >> So, I would say it's my opinion that and you know that I have been managing people since I've been 17 years old. >> Y >> I have hired a lot of people. I have fired way more people. It's never fun. >> No, >> it's it's never something that you walk away from. It tears you up. It really does. It te It tears me. I I can speak for myself >> because it's not They're not number You're not hiring John because you know he's such a dirt bag. We talked about him earlier. >> You're not firing John. >> Boy, John's ears got to be ringing. [laughter] >> Yeah. Really? He because John's going to go home and he has to tell his wife he got fired >> and the income that he had is no longer >> and the income that he has is no longer. So their plans to go to the beach next Saturday are off. People are mad about that. Christmas presents are hard to come by. >> Yeah. >> And all of those things at the same time >> we're running a business not a charity. >> So that's the point, right? So this is this is the point about growth. Terminating people is growth. Even though it may not sound like it, it really is because Yeah. John's beach plans just got [ __ ] That's That's not happening. Christmas is going to be tougher for John now. >> Yeah. >> Which it tears me up. It breaks my heart. However, I have other people that I care for. I have other employees that I have to worry about. What about my beach plans? What about my Christmas? >> What about the beach plans and Christmas of everybody else that works for you? >> Exactly. Cuz if he's not holding up his end of the bargain, I have 18 people now working with me. If one is not holding up his end of the bargain, he's affecting >> everybody on the crew. >> Everybody, not just everybody on the crew, he's affecting the opportunity to give raises >> because he's costing the company money. >> If he's costing the company money, not just in his pay, >> but also in the [ __ ] that he's [ __ ] up. Yeah. >> Yes. So, kind of eliminating the possibility of growth with clients, sharing a good word about your company. >> Yeah. >> Getting paid on time. Now, that that just [ __ ] with everybody. >> It it it it does. It does. And it's personal right now. Uh because there's two people that I absolutely adore >> that I have to fire. >> So, we're talking real life, real world [ __ ] >> Yeah. I got I I got to do that tomorrow. >> Okay. I don't want to. I keep trying to tell myself it's not the right thing to do, but I know that it is. >> Yeah. >> So, >> this is the tough thing about being a business owner. >> Yes. This is a tough thing. In the in the army, it was easy. >> Yeah. >> There's policies and procedures. You don't follow them and you're out. >> Done. >> See you. >> Sorry. That's clearly your fault. >> This is more complex. >> One of the things that it's taught me and I'm off on a rabbit trail here. >> Mhm. >> And I say rabbit trail cuz I saw that rabbit hole bourbon down there or rabbit hole r. I'm off on a rabbit trail here. That's where >> this rabbit hole >> that one I failed him as a leader because I didn't have clear standards and expectations that I could hold him to. >> Okay. >> So in and this is something my therapist that I saw for years and still do occasionally >> everything is my fault in my world >> and that's not necessarily healthy, >> right? >> But when I look at it, I had to fire him because he didn't see the standards that I had talked about so many times. >> Okay? because I had let people get away with them before. >> Okay. >> If you set a rule and somebody violates it and you don't do anything, it's no longer a rule. It's a model suggestion. >> Two people violate it. It's not even that. It's hot air. >> And that's the biggest difference between the military and business ownership. >> The biggest difference, two things. First, in the military, the rules, policies, and procedures are there. There's a manual on how to tie your shoes. Okay? In the civilian world, there are no manuals, no policies except the ones that you create. The other thing is in the civilian world, there's always somebody that you can turn to to say, "Is this good? Is this a good policy to put out? Does this make sense?" The NCO corps non-commissioned officers are when done correctly, that role is the conscience of the command group. And I was both an NCO and an officer. In the civilian world, everybody will tell you, "Oh, that's a great idea." and then sit back and wait for you to fail because they knew you were going to fail, but they're not going to tell you because they don't want to hurt your feelings, >> right? >> Or there's somebody like John who's just going to laugh about you when you do. >> [ __ ] John. >> Yeah, I hate that guy. [laughter] >> But like in the military, you have policies and procedures. You break one of those policies or procedures, you're done. >> Yeah. >> Doesn't work that way. >> You know why? Because there's policies and procedures for violation of policies and procedures. >> They have policies and procedures about their policies and procedures. >> Yes. If you violate this, this or this, this is the result. >> Yeah. >> And the the commander has some leeway there. At the end of the day, it's his decision. In the civilian world, it's not. The owner of the company has to consult with HR. >> Yeah. >> Has to consult with legal. >> Oh, that's a good one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> You, you know, you think, "Oh, you're the business owner. You do whatever the hell you want to." >> Sure. With three employees, you probably can't. With 50, no. >> Yeah. >> With a hundred, you darn well better not. And the military being one of the largest employers in the United States of America, >> they don't [ __ ] around. >> No. No. It it's I have given written reprimands to people for failing to enforce the rules that require them to give someone else a written reprimand. >> The guy that works for you screwed up. You didn't do anything about it. So, I'm talking to you about it. >> Okay. And even with that background, I'm still just now three and a half years into this business, working through SOPs, job descriptions, and clarity of purpose for everybody that works for me, >> which are crucial. >> Absolutely essential. It it we talked about change, right? >> Mhm. >> Uh the company is at a stage of growth that requires us to re-evaluate everything that we do. The stuff that gets you to a million dollars won't get you to three. same processes and procedures that get you to one won't get you to three. And the ones that get you to three won't get you to seven. So, there's that constant evolution of processes that's required. I saw a podcast the other day on it where it talked about being in the swamp. >> Mhm. >> Where turn and everything's kind of murky and ugly and I've been doing it this way for years. It's always worked. Why isn't it working now? That's where I'm at right now. >> Mhm. >> I've been doing it this way for years. It's always worked. I'm trying to grow. Why can't it grow the same way I have? >> Okay. So, let's let's talk about that. So the company started off. Give it give give us that. I know the background. >> Yeah. >> Give us the background. You come out of the military. You start doing construction. You're building for a big box builder. >> Mhm. >> That if we said the name, everybody would know it. >> Yeah. >> And then you decide to do what? How Old Glory started? >> I was a construction manager. I got hired away from there to be a director of construction for a smaller company. I was there for about 8 months. when the owner sold it out from under me. Gave me a raise about a month earlier, a big one. >> And then I got a call on a Friday night. The key on the desk. >> That's great. >> Well, it happens sometimes, you know, no hard feelings. It was kind of a shitty thing to do, but >> but it's business. >> That's just somebody that I don't need to be around, right? >> I went to another one and I left them of my own accord due to things that I just couldn't reconcile with my conscience. Some building practices that I was not comfortable with. >> Okay. They are a medium-sized builder who will thankfully not be named. >> That's actually growth, too. Having to make that decision. >> Well, it left me at 54 years old. >> Mhm. >> Too old to get another job. So, I decided to start a business consulting. Helping people helping people identify bad contractors, bad builders, advising people on how to select the right general contractor. >> What inspections do you really need to do on a home? What should you look for there? That's all. >> Home inspection report from a realtor perspective. Home inspection report. How much of it is [ __ ] >> and how much of it do you really need to worry about? >> Okay. So, what would you say to that? Because I don't do residential. I only do commercial. And the majority of the deals that we do, you don't get an inspection report because it's somebody who knows what they're doing and they they'll bring in some trades. >> They'll bring in a roofer, commercial roofer. They'll bring in, you know, a foundation guy or HVAC guy. So we don't get a report. >> Well, I I considered being a residential inspector. >> Okay. >> But going through the training on it, I did not complete the training. Going through the training for it, I came to understand how much those guys hands are tied. >> They are required by law. I relevant. They know that you're not going to change, >> right? >> Because the house was built in 1950 and the codes were different then, >> right? >> And what was acceptable building practices 20 years ago are not acceptable building practices now. they're still required to point out that difference, >> right? >> That doesn't mean you're going to do anything about it. >> Just because they're different now doesn't mean that you have to accommodate all of those differences, right? >> So, I came to understand the constraints that those guys work under. And I'm not talking bad about building inspectors. Please don't understand. Don't misunderstand me on that. They're doing what they're paid to do and identifying everything they can find on a home. >> But there's a lot of stuff that they find that >> this is the point that I was getting at. >> I wouldn't change in my house. So you you kind of started your business by doing this, the consulting end to say, "Okay, this is yeah, >> not necessary. This is necessary. This is something to be worried about." In the handful of deals that I've done where the buyer brought in a home inspector, I did one on a historic structure that was a house 100 years ago, 115 years ago. Yeah. It's >> I can see it on the screen. It's gorgeous. >> Just gorgeous back here. >> They brought in a home inspector cuz it was a home. >> Mhm. and I'm looking at this inspection report and I'm thumbming through it and I'm like this is 75 80% [ __ ] Picking up like nitpicky thing, you know what I mean? >> What What would you say? >> I'm not saying all inspectors are good because I've been through the training and it's not quality training, >> right? >> But there are a lot of good inspectors out there that are still going to find all that nitpicky stuff because they're supposed to and because they're professionals and they're going to do their job, >> right? So, I envisioned myself helping people sort through that kind of documentation, right? >> We're like, "Well, can you fix it?" I'd go over bids for a home remodel and they'd say, "Well, if I trust you to look at the bids, why can't I trust you to do it yourself?" Cuz I'm not a general contractor. >> Mhm. >> Then a friend of mine said, "Hey, why don't we partner up?" And I became what I never wanted to be, a general contractor. >> No. >> Old Glory Construction. Everybody thinks it's because of the flag, the Old Glory. That's what I thought. >> No, it's not. >> Okay. >> My wife and I were sitting on the couch one night talking about what to name the company. We decided to start the company, but couldn't decide on a name. And we were throwing out all kinds of stuff. And she was quiet for a minute, which is always a problem. >> Uhhuh. >> And she she finally she said, "Honey, you don't think you're too old?" I said, "I may be old, but I'm still glorious." >> No [ __ ] >> Well, old glory then. >> That's okay. >> That's how you came up with it? >> That's where the name came from. >> Holy [ __ ] >> And you know what? until until I submitted the paperwork to the state and somebody came back and said, "Oh, that's cool. You must be a veteran." I I had never intellectually being a veteran. >> Huh, that's crazy. >> Because because I'm old, but I'm >> So, you create this this thing to become a consultant. >> Which then you went through a growth period and you became a general contractor. >> Uh me and three other guys and I was doing all the sales and accounting and everything, everything. and they were getting the work done. And that was the deal. I'll take care of all the paperwork, all the stuff that nobody wants to do. You got to get the work done. Get it done. Right. >> Right. >> Then it was five of us. And then it was seven. And then it was 14. And then it was nine. And then we were big enough for handyman stuff. Hey, can you come out and do this? It'll only take an hour or so. But I still had to go look at it because our processes were in place. Well, that was eating up all the time we had for jobs where I could actually make money. Mhm. >> So I started O Glory Handyman Service as a separate company. So that gave me O Glory Handyman and O Glory Renovations, right? And Handyman has taken off. It's done very well. >> There's some accounting challenges there, some personnel challenges there, but but we're addressing those. >> At the same time, >> this is business. >> Yeah. >> Change isn't driven by what you want. It's driven by your customers. And uh I agree. >> Looking on Facebook. >> Mhm. >> Because we advertise a lot there. I'm not a big fan of it, but we advertised a lot there. Uh, talking to people, one of the common complaints was, "Well, I don't know who to call. Log on to Next Door. How many posts do you see, hey, I need a good plumber? Any recommendations for a handyman? Any recommendations for a bathroom remodel?" I'm like, "Well, that's silly. What if we had one number you could call that could provide all of those services to you?" because I had the handyman in the renovations, the the specialists, the plumbers, electricians, and AC guys. >> Those were guys that had worked for me for years. So, I had all those resources right my rolodex. >> Yeah. >> How could I market that? So, I started Premier Home Management. Premier Home Management is a concierge home maintenance plan that you select from a menu and you have one number to call for anything that goes wrong from lawn care to winterization, whatever it is. I thought, "What a beautiful concept." Everybody I talked to said, "Oh, what a beautiful concept." >> This is how we actually got together. >> Yeah. That's how when you pitched this idea to me to say, "Hey, what do you think about this?" I immediately thought that's if if you're in a single family home and if you've ever had apartmentstyle living where the apartment complex takes care of everything. They take care of the trash. They take care of everything. You have the the super, the handyman, whatever it is that lives in the building come to take care of anything. You have a leak, you whatever. >> The Christmas lights go up without you even knowing about it. The pool is kept and maintained and you don't even know who does it. >> When you pitched PHM to me like, "Hey, is this a good idea?" I'm like, "Wait a second. That's apartment living in your own [ __ ] house." >> Yeah. >> I'm like, "That is genius." >> Okay, so that is genius. We both agree on that. I think it's a great idea. However, general population tends to disagree. >> Yeah. They're not >> They have a hard time getting it moving. >> Yeah. Because people just can't understand it, >> right? It it it's it's a new concept. It's not a home warranty. So, where I was going with all of that is growing the company to the point that it was when I started Handyman Services. And that was a big change. >> Yeah. >> Learning how to manage both renovations and handyman. And then throwing PHM on top of it >> before I had bridge too far. Okay. So, I'm I'm going to give the example here being I do the maintenance in my house. >> Yeah. >> Right. And I'm going to give you the the listeners the most primal example. One of the most important things that you can do in your house is first of all buy decent HEPA filters for your HVAC system and changing them out at least three every 3 months. >> Yes. >> Right. What is the percentage of people that actually do that? I can tell you it's very low. >> I'm speaking for myself. >> Okay. But look what happens when you don't. And again, we're off the subject of change right here, but uh look what happens when you don't. That filter sits up there for 6 months, 9 months. It gets clogged up. >> Yep. >> Your AC unit then is having to pull harder to get air where it needs to go, and it's having to work harder to do that, which causes pressure differentials inside the the unit upstairs, which and everything else can create a lot more condensation than you normally have. Then you get that general trickle running down the overflow drain which allows the overflow drain with enough moisture and heat. What happens? You get growth, biological growth of some sort. >> That's the bad part. >> And then that drain gets plugged up and then the water overflows. How many times have I It is not uncommon at all. Hey, my ceiling collapsed. What do I do? Well, if you changed your filters and checked the the drain once a year to make sure it was open, you know, they say pour bleach on it. >> Yeah. >> If you had done that, you wouldn't be having this problem right now, >> right? >> That that's the kind of maintenance is that the idea is supposed to cover. >> So, PHM >> Yeah. >> they come out and they change your [ __ ] filters when they're supposed to be changed. So, >> I don't even have to think about it. I just know that the guys are coming in and they're changing my [ __ ] And I know that all of the maintenance in the house is being taken care of for whatever I picked out of the menu. >> For whatever you pick out of the menu, it it's you know when was the last time you looked at your windows to make sure the caulking is okay? >> Never. Never. >> I don't put up Christmas lights because I don't have time. I would love to. >> It's a pain in the ass, >> but it it is a pain in the ass. And ladders, I don't do ladders anymore. >> Yeah. >> There's a reason it's old glory. I don't do ladders anymore. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, having setting a date, hey, I want my Christmas lights up the first week of December. >> Yeah. >> You get a text three days before. We're going to be at your house to put up Christmas lights. >> Yeah. >> And you paid for it over the years. So, the cost of it is spread over 12 months instead of, oh, I need to save up $3,000 or $2,000, whatever it is, depending on your taste in Christmas lights, right? >> I don't have to come up with that in Christmas when I'm buying gifts and I want to travel and people are coming over. same family. Yeah. >> It's advertised over the year. >> Yeah. >> And it just happens. You come home from work one day and your Christmas lights are up. >> So I I think this is this is so progressive that that's why I don't think people have grabbed on to it because >> I know >> they're always said, "Wait, this is my house. Like you're the homeowner supposed to be doing all this shit." >> I I tried to give it away. >> Yeah. >> To one guy and he says, "Well, can I pick who comes to my house?" I said, "Well, my profit margins are a negotiation with them and with you." >> Mhm. So, no. Yeah, because the guy you pick is going to charge me more than he's charging you, right? >> And more than I'm charging you, right? >> So, that doesn't make sense. >> Doesn't make any sense. >> He says, "Well, I want to choose who comes into my house. We have an outdoor only package for yard, landscaping, pool, winterization, >> right? >> Hurricane prep, that kind of stuff." >> He said, "No, I uh I I want to be able to pick one." I offered him six months of full service for lawn and everything else. And he turned me down. I offered it to him for free and he turned me down. >> You see, so growth doesn't always catch traction with the customer base. So that's like that's one thing. But all right. So like when I go into to a growth period talking business now, you kind of have to do the mind mapping to figure out is this going to work? What's the strategy? What's the the the business plan? What's the business model? And then you execute it. Right? So that's one thing that you're working through the PHM thing that kind of hasn't caught traction yet. But what do you do in a period where and I think this is where you're at right now. It's like we got to grow or we're going to sink. Like you have no option >> that there you cannot stay static. You cannot stay. You're either growing or you're shrinking. Those are the only two options in the world. Personal, business or otherwise. So it's time for us to grow. But remember what I said earlier. The things that got me to where I am now won't get me to growing. >> Okay. So, now that you said that, what will get you to growing? Like, what's what is the plan? What's the as of right now >> with with me up to now, >> job descriptions have been somewhat fluid? >> Okay. >> I'd hire on talent and assign where they fit and they would define their path in the company. >> One guy you know very well started with me as a helper. Now he's doing estimating and sales. >> Yeah. >> And doing a hell of a job at it. >> Mhm. But if I hadn't given him that opportunity to grow himself, I would have missed out on incredible talent in what he's doing now. >> Yeah. >> But I've reached a point where I have to limit not the opportunity for growth, but the ambiguity about it. By that I mean I have to have SOPs. I have to have clear job descriptions. >> Yeah. >> I have to have clear expectations in those job descriptions. I could get away with not having them to get me to where I am, but I can't grow without them. >> And you need key performance indicators. You need KPIs. >> I I I need I used to track the KPIs. I didn't use KPIs to evaluate them. >> Okay. >> This is construction. A lot of the guys can't spell KPI. >> Right. Right. Right. >> Love to death. You know, it's >> it is what it is. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. So now what we're moving towards and part of the SOPs is this position with this job description and this daily responsibility will be evaluated based on these KPIs. Now an SOP is always a fluid document. >> Sure. >> But it'll be evaluated based on these KPIs and this is the expected performance. For example, for sales, closure rate >> for marketing, number of leads, number of valid leads. For handyman, uh number of referrals >> because handyman on its own is very, very difficult to be profitable in. I know you're thinking they charge way too much for handyman work, but the overhead, the marketing, and everything else just eat you up >> because I can only bill you for the time I'm in your house. Sure. >> But I got to pay for the whole day. >> Mhm. >> So handyman's very difficult. But what we learned was out of five handyman jobs, if we come in and do our job right and be who we are as O Glory, one out of five will say, "Hey, you know, I've been thinking about redoing my bathroom and then we get a call for that, >> right? >> We'll expand that to consider PHM as well." >> Mhm. >> So that all three components of the company are feeding each other. So in the business world, the handyman jobs are what's considered a loss leader. >> Yes. Absolutely. >> That that will get you in the door for the renovations. So like so we we talked about the EGM model with them going organic and growing the plants double wide and doing one crop but a really good crop during the year. That was completely different. That revolutionized the industry when them and Elpimone were doing stuff like that. >> Yeah. >> Right. People were not doing that then. So the owners of those brands, they had to believe it first. They have to believe it in here and they have to believe it in here. >> But that stays true. That statement is true for whatever business it is. >> That's the point. >> The little girl on the street corner selling lemonade. The Girl Scouts that are the bane of my existence because I don't need to eat that many cookies. But I can't tell them no. I mean, they're absolutely horrible. How am I going to tell them? >> Yeah. If you do, you're the devil. >> Yes, you are. [laughter] >> They believe in what they're doing, >> right? >> It may be a terrible business model, but damn, they believe. >> You got to believe it. And if you believe it and you put the effort in, you can get to where these guys have gotten. You know, Rocky Patel, when he came into the scene, he's a lawyer. >> Yeah. >> The [ __ ] lawyer. >> I hate lawyers. >> And came up with a marketing strategy and technology that's changed the industry. So, we have PHM, we have renovation. Where is the next iteration? I know you've got stuff going on. So, like where's the growth? >> Me too. >> Yeah. >> Well, I'm trying to create a module. >> Okay. >> By that, I mean a set of SOPs, standards, and expectations, job descriptions, and everything else uh that can be transferred elsewhere. >> Meaning expansion. >> Getting out into different markets. >> Right now, we're just in the Clear Lake area. Okay. >> But if I have the right module and the module is proven to work, then I can take it and transplant it. When I say proven to work, I mean from a marketing, accounting, and everything else perspective. >> Mhm. >> And workers want to work. They want to make beautiful things. I have a couple of guys working for me now. They're artists. Don't interrupt them while they're working. >> Yeah. >> They're they're they're they're going to make something gorgeous, and they do consistently, but don't ask them to do paperwork. >> Right. Right. Right. >> I'm that way or I was for a long time. Don't ask me to do paperwork. I can get things coordinated and running and everything, but don't ask me to do paperwork. >> Right? >> Hired somebody recently same way. You know what? My business failed because I hate marketing. I never want to look at a marketing person again. And I don't know what accountants are talking about. >> But man, I can make things happen out there. So what if I find guys like that? >> Yeah. and give them the SOPs and standards. And I retain all the responsibility for marketing, accounting, payroll, taxes, all that kind of stuff, and say, "Hey, go find the work and make beautiful things happen." And let them do what they're good at. Let them do what they love to do, which is make beautiful things happen. >> Mhm. >> And I'll take all the bullshittery off of >> So basically what you're talking about is, and they say in the business world, there's two ways to grow. acquire or grow organically. And what you're talking about essentially is a hybrid of the two. You are technically growing organically, but you're literally another sole proprietor and expanding your business by doing so. >> I said earlier that I have 18 people working. >> Yeah. >> Either 13 or 14 have owned their own. The guy I hired yesterday owns his own business, but he struggles to get leads. He struggles to do with the marketing. Really doesn't like doing the accounting. Man, he's good at what he does. >> So, I have I'm trying now. You know what I'm going through. >> I'm trying now to get the right people in place to get all of those hard things done. >> Yeah. >> And let these guys that are just flatout doers flat out do get out of their way and say, "Hey, you know the standards, you know the expectations. You know how you're going to be evaluated." >> Now, we're in the 21st century. >> Yeah. What part of technology do you think plays a part in growth and expansion? >> Oh my goodness. You can't increase prices to profitability. You price in the middle of the market or a little bit higher than the middle. And if you're not making the margins that you want to, it's not your pricing strategy. It's your efficiency. So, how do you improve efficiency? There's a lot of different ways. One is the SOPs and everybody knowing what's expected of them. Yeah, >> but I am being forced to accept AI as a powerful tool. Now, when it comes to AI, in 1920, there were a bunch of old men sitting on the porch saying, "Damn horseless carriages, they're they're never going to catch on." That's >> Yeah. We had this conversation. Yeah. >> Yeah. In the 60s, it was the internet. >> Yeah. >> Them interwebs, that's just for little kids. >> Yeah. >> Well, I'm that old guy on the porch talking about AI. >> Mhm. I have to get over that and learn how to integrate AI into the routine time consuming tasks that will allow me to improve efficiency. >> So automation stuff like that >> automation stuff like that not marketing >> right >> now wait I I take that back depends on your target audience. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The demographic. Yeah. >> The demographics. Uh here in Clear Lake, demographics are generally my age or older. >> AI generated content is not going to resonate with most of them. >> Right? >> I know me personally, if I see something that's obviously AI, I skip back past it. >> I don't care if it's written, word, pictures, anything else. I'm not going to waste my time with something that's AI. >> Right. Right. >> So, the the sales process here is personal. Print has done very well down here. But let's say I go to Sugarland, completely different demographic, >> completely different target audience. Maybe their AI will be the way to do it and print will be a waste of time. Here it's personal. >> Mhm. >> If if they if they haven't seen my face somewhere, probably not going to get the job. But in other places, it's not going to be that way at all. So I've learned so much about marketing that I never wanted to know. >> Yeah. the the whole demographic studies and all the homework before you even start talking about a marketing plan. So many marketers say, "Hey, I can market your business. I'll build you a website." Yeah, go away. Leave me alone. >> Right? >> But somebody comes and says, "Hey, I can help market your business. If you can help me understand your demographics and what you're trying to achieve and who your ideal candidate is, then I can do the research in the area, find out who those people are, where they are, and market to them specifically using things that they will understand and they will gravitate towards. You don't market to 20 year olds on Facebook, >> right? >> You don't market to 60 year olds on >> Instagram or Tik Tok. >> Tik Tok. Yeah. >> Any of those. So, but somebody might come and say, "Hey, this is the way we can do it. First, we have to understand what you want." But most marketing phone calls I get, and I get a lot of are like, "Hey, we have a perfect website and we're going to take your business and shoehorn it into our website." >> Right. Basically, what they what they do, >> we've proven that the website works. What? You've proven that the website works? Selling candy, selling shoes. >> Yeah. Easy. >> You know, selling trinkets somewhere. >> Yeah, we do construction, right? I invade people's private space for an extended period of time, tear [ __ ] up. Yep. >> And they have to trust me to do it, >> right? It's It's tough. That's tough. >> And you compare that to marketing retail. A t-shirt company made millions in two years. Great. >> Two different That's two different worlds. Now, >> but marketing professionals come at me all the time saying, "Oh, we built a website for a t-shirt company or something like that." I don't care. So, I'm going to give you a realworld example on how falling behind the curve of growth and technology can be a detriment to your company. Actually, it could be fatal to your company. So, >> very much. >> So, we all know Briggs and Stratton. >> Yeah. >> Right. Great company. They made a great two cycle gas powered engine. It was on everything. That thing was on [ __ ] lawnmowers, on generators, on everything. I have a friend that used to work Yeah, I do. I I actually have I have friends. >> Not John though. >> No, not John. So, I had a I had a friend uh his name is Bob and he worked for a big military contractor when I was and then he worked he transitioned to another firm that these guys were phenomenal and I I actually had to go through their process and what they did was they bought a predictive algorithm that was made in another country and it saved this entire country's ass. And what it does is we're talking about AI back in the 90s. They built an AI predictive engine back in the 90s and then this company went and bought it, made it better. And basically what they do is they take a company and they can predict whether the company is going to survive in a certain period of time, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, whatever their clients and they said way before this whole 40 volt electric battery operated Yeah. lawn equipment came out and they said, "You guys need to transition to start building electric equipment, electric motors, and they said, "We've been around 100 plus years." >> How many How many companies do you remember Kodak? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> We've always done it this way. Okay. You go out of business because you can't change that that growth curve. >> Well, here's the difference. someone that they were paying told them, "If you don't do X, Y, and Z, you will fail to exist." Less than three years later, Briggs and Stratton was no more. So, they stayed behind the curve. They didn't get with the technology. They didn't get with the times and they didn't follow the advice of their consultant. >> Change human beings, human nature, we have a natural aversion to change. >> Yeah. >> We get comfortable. >> Yeah. >> And change is by definition uncomfortable. Yep. >> It's by definition something that nobody wants to do. >> Nope. >> But you have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable if you're ever going to because the uncomfortable keeps you up at night. >> Yeah. >> The uncomfortable has you waking up at 3:30 staring at the ceiling saying, "Well, okay, now this number carry the one and then I'm going to have how much left over." That's being uncomfortable. But that's the price of change. >> Yeah. >> The price of not changing is Briggs and Stratton, Kodak, Kmart. How many example? to Well, what was the the video one that that that used to sell the VHS tapes? Rent out VHS tapes. Blockbuster. >> Oh, Blockbuster. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Oh, Blockbuster. >> How big was Block Blockbuster was everywhere? >> Yeah. And then Well, we're not going to go to those DVDs. They're not important. >> Look what happened. >> And then that entire industry went away cuz everybody just streams what they want now because those damned interwebs. >> The interwebs and Netflix changed that entire industry. >> Okay. So what industry? You don't have a three, five, and 10 year plan. >> Yeah. >> You're wandering around in a circle. Remember, define a problem, define where you want to go. >> Yeah. You just become a successful lemonade stand basically. >> Yeah. >> So 10 years from now, how will AI change the real estate industry or the construction industry? Can it get to the point where it can accurately estimate re remodels? Because so much of remodeling is experience. >> Yeah. You know, when you look at a wall and you see a little ripple in the paint, you're like, "There's probably water on the other side of that." >> Yeah. >> You know, some guys will just paint over it and go on, but it's a problem. >> There's a lot of human interaction. >> A lot of human interaction and a lot of human I'm not saying that AI will ever replace the guy that's swinging a hammer. >> Right. >> Okay. Right. >> Although we've talked about concrete houses >> and building houses on a 3D printer, >> which can be done, by the way. >> Spoke to my friend. >> You know, you did today >> this afternoon. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> That's awesome. But AI will never replace the guy that's swinging a hammer. It will never replace the AC tech, the plumber, the electrician. Right. >> It will increase the demand for those three. >> Yes. Can it can improve the job by troubleshooting quicker? >> Mhm. >> More efficiently. >> Absolutely. >> But replace them. I don't think so. I don't think it's ever done. >> It improves [clears throat] the job by by providing a clearer statement of work on the job. >> A more responsive estimate. >> Yep. >> More responsive pricing. Yep. where a $30,000 job used to take me two days of work with a pencil. Okay. This wall is 12 feet long, one window. So, >> doing the takeoffs and everything. Yeah. >> Yeah. Doing all the takeoffs manually. >> Yep. Yep. >> Well, now upload our statement of work. As long as there's measurements on it, upload our statement of work and the contract into AI and saying, "Hey, give me a takeoff." >> And it does it like that. >> Yeah. >> I mean, it's crazy. There's crazy benefits to it, but >> how's it going to how's it going to change? And how do we get ahead of that change? You can't fall in love with AI. >> No, >> cuz I got one phone call today. We can use AI to maximize your marketing. No, you can't. Go away. Leave me alone. They tell me that and they haven't even asked what industry I'm in. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> They haven't even asked what my clientele are. >> So, here's here's one of the things that a lot of people may not realize. Maybe you do. I use AI quite a bit and one of the prime examples is if you tell AI, whichever one you use, you tell AI, "Write me a blog post about this. Write me an article about that." The damn thing has its own mind. >> It will write that article. >> It'll come up with [ __ ] that >> most of the time by the time I get to the third sentence, oh, this is AI and I skip past it. Now, you can train AI. I have written enough. >> Yeah, >> I hundreds of pages. >> You do a lot of writing. Yeah, >> actually more than that. But uh I have written enough that we could upload all of my writing into AI and say write in this voice. >> Yeah. Yeah. Write like Rob does. >> Write this like Rob does. >> Yeah. >> And it it would almost certainly be something that I'm like, I don't remember writing that. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> But >> but here's what here's what freaks me out. >> It freaks me out. >> This is what freaks me out. I will tell it to write this and usually what I do is I'll say, "Write this. I'll read the whole thing and I'll change what I need to change." Right. Yeah, >> it's going to happen. What freaks me the [ __ ] out is I'll say cap rates have changed and I'll type in there cap rate change to XYZ whatever and it'll come up with 1500 words and it'll be like Angelo went on this project for this building at this time and I'm like where the [ __ ] did I tell you that? It'll come up with its own scenarios that are not true at all. >> It's now that's true of AI today. >> Yeah. Can AI be trained in such a way that it does not? And as it develops, when we get to Claude version 72 or Grock version 97 or whatever your preferred >> Yeah. Chad GPT 192, >> whatever. Well, there's a thousand of them out there right now. Eventually, there's going to be two or three. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They're all going to be folded into each other and >> Yeah. Who Who's going to survive in the AI world? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because if you had a program now in claw and claw gets bought out by chat GPT and they close the doors on it and then you have to learn a whole new prompt language problematic >> that is going to send the world into a tizzy. >> Yeah. >> But as it develops and as it gets better to what extent can it replicate my tone and my voice? I know that right now because I had somebody do it for me. I didn't have them do it for me. They did it for me trying to get me to buy it. >> Took a video of me talking. >> Mhm. And there's a lot of those out on the interwebs as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Told it what to say. Rob needs to talk for three minutes about this component of construction. Popped up on the screen and there I was. And it sounded like me. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know, with the lip and the accent and everything, it was it was me and I'm like, "Oh, no. >> We don't want that. >> Doing that. We're not doing that. >> Ethics and morality of change, especially when it comes to change on that scale." >> Yeah. >> There was a big debate about the internet. in the late '7s, mid80s. Can it be maintained and function the way it's envisioned and maintain any kind of ethical nature to it? Has the internet succeeded at that? I could argue that both ways. >> Yeah. Well, look at the dark web. I mean, that's never been on it. Don't want to be on it. >> Well, look at the dark web. Look at what so many of the what I what I and here we are off for another change. Social media is changing society. Yeah. in that >> less social interaction and much more negativity. >> Yeah. >> Because it's hard to sit here and say, "You know what, Angelo, you need to shave and you should have done that yesterday and it makes you look like you're scruffy and you need to shave for my beard." >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That rarely happens face to face. >> No. >> But I can hide behind keyboard anything I want. say whatever the [ __ ] >> An anonymous account >> on city council here in Sebrook and there were allegations of all kinds of things from anonymous. >> Yep. >> Really? From anonymous? Really? Yeah. That's that's >> keyboard cowboys is what I call them. >> Yeah. Like cowards is another word for it. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> If you think I did something wrong, come tell me to have a discussion. Right. >> I'm willing to talk to you about it. Right. Right. >> Why did you think it was wrong? Okay. Well, this was my perspective and this is why I'm not going to get mad. Right. I don't get mad over that kind of stuff. >> But a lot of people fear that, so they won't do that. But >> they don't do that because the internet allows them a way to do it. >> It's safety for them. >> A safety for them. >> I can say whatever the [ __ ] I want under anonymous and nobody will know it's me. >> Yeah, that that was interesting in my 5year fora into politics. >> Just imagine. >> I may go back to it one day. >> Just imagine if somebody trains an AI to do that [ __ ] for them all day long. You think that's not happening now? >> I mean, I'm sure it is, but but >> seriously, all the chat bots and everything, all the stuff that pops up on Twitter, I I have a Twitter account. I think I opened it once. >> I'm not sure. >> I don't ever I don't ever go I >> It's not Twitter anymore. It's X. >> All the stuff that that pops up on Facebook. I see stuff on there. A thousand US Marines were killed on Car Island. No, they weren't. >> Yeah. >> I start reading the article. I'm like, what? Did we finally go in to take hard And I start reading your article and I'm like, "Oh, >> yeah." >> So, who's paying for that? >> Somebody is. >> Somebody is. But there's agendas all over the world. And AI is a way to reinforce your agenda without taking direct responsibility. >> Do you think people are training AI bots to just go in and troll people automatically? Like, hey, follow these three accounts >> and just troll the [ __ ] out of them all day long. >> So, Angelo, this is 2026. >> Mhm. >> You know, that's been happening for 20 years. >> Not really. There is no doubt in my mind. >> Really? You think so? >> Hell yes. You you you think either political party would consider that beneath them? >> Oh, no. Absolutely not. >> Absolutely not. >> So, if they're doing it, you think businesses aren't doing it? >> It's a good point. It's a good point. >> You think a a business doesn't can't set a bot to go do five bad reviews for each of their their competitors once every two months and just subtly undercut everything? You can't do it out in the open with the internet and AI is not about being out in the open. Right. >> It's about a way to do things underhanded and not and try not to get caught. >> Right. Right. Right. Right. >> So, I mean, if you don't if you don't think that's happening now, I mean, you're old enough to not be that naive. >> I would I would say I don't think that it's being done right now efficiently. I don't think it could, but because >> Oh, okay. Established earlier, we could teach AI to speak in my voice. >> Yeah. So I get who's a politician who's no longer in politics. I get I get a AI and I give it everything that Ronald Reagan ever said. >> I was going to say Ronald Reagan. >> Everything that he ever said or wrote. >> Yeah. >> And say create a post disparaging George Bush on these three platforms every week. AI is more than capable of that day. >> That I agree with. No, what I'm talking about is and if this happens, this is not my fault. Okay? This is just my own personal opinion. >> And John told him about it. >> [ __ ] you, John. I train somebody that's a a very nefarious person will one day build an AI bot to say crawl the internet on a daily basis. And anytime Joe Rogan posts something, troll the [ __ ] out of Joe Joe Rogan. I think that is not being done. >> And I think eventually it will. >> I I I don't know because if you go if you follow Joe Rogan anywhere >> Mhm. Love that guy, by the way. >> I make you a bet if I looked him up on the Twitter right now or the X right now. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And looked at his last post and read the comments in the first 10, I would find at least one or two that looked and sounded AI. >> Oh, for sure. I just don't think that people are doing it and building them to automatically do it because I I don't think the the technology is there for the AI to one crawl all day long and two be able to troll that person. You see what I'm saying? Like >> No, no, no. I I I see what you're saying. I I don't know if I agree with you, but we've already well established that I'm no kind of techie. >> Well, I don't think really anyone really is. I I'm I am trying to force myself and I'm having to force myself back to that whole change thing. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> To be open to integrating AI more fully into my business. >> Yeah. >> I don't want to I I mean there's a comfort level with a slide rule and an abacus when you're doing takeoffs. >> But if I'm going to compete, if I'm going to grow, I have to improve efficiency because the prices are generally set within the industry. >> I'm going to ask you this. What do you think the reverse of that is? Do you think that let's just call it our enemies >> our competitors whatever you want to call that >> right >> in a business sense >> in a business sense in a military sense in a whatever right >> change for them their goal is to [ __ ] you up that's their goal in competition in business to steal bids from you you know what I mean steal clients like whatever it is >> the u in in the history of conflict there are events or technologies things called RMAs revolution in military affairs Okay. >> One of the early ones was the stirup. >> Okay. >> Gunpowder was another one. The the primer was another one because it allowed you to load up and fire a bunch of bullets rapidly. The tank was another one because it changed the face of warfare. >> Yeah. Right. >> Mhm. >> Drones are definitely a revolution in military affairs because it's changing the way warfare is conducted. >> Yeah, for sure. >> 100% changing way warfare is conducted. >> So, how is it going to end up? Who knows? For every new armament, business business or military or political, for every new weapon that's developed, somebody else is working on better armor to protect. >> That's the point. >> So, it's it's a constant battle to see whose armor is better and whose weapon is better at which point in time >> to completely go shoot and >> off to the side >> off completely off to the side. Squirrel, you know how much of a military and warfare nut I am. And I know that we create the biggest, baddest [ __ ] on the planet. Do you think some other country not friendly with us will ever have equipment, armament, whatever that kind of trumps us a little? >> Individual weapons. >> Mhm. >> The the one in its current iteration, main battle tank may or may not be the best tank in the world. >> It's one of the top three no matter how >> arguably. Okay. the the long rifle we use AR-15, M16, M4 carbine, same weapon, shorter ones, may not be the best weapon in the world. I actually prefer the AK. >> Okay. >> A wellmade AK. >> Collect the coffee. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Because you can't make it stop. >> Mhm. >> Some of our aircraft, some of our aircraft platforms are 30 or 40 years old and they may not be the best out there, but you're talking about our military. >> Mhm. >> What I don't think can be topped is the people who make it happen. And and that's not because I was a soldier and we're awesome. No, it's because the American culture has always been about doing things different. Always been about I don't care >> innovating. >> Innovating. It's always been about we get it done no matter what. That's why we work so damn many hours. A lot of European countries have like 35 hour work weeks and you know a year or less. Yeah. A year off for paternity leave. >> Maternity. >> Yeah. Yeah. And then they look around and wonder why cost of goods and services are so high. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Because a third of the workforce has had a baby and they're not available, but you still got to pay. >> Some countries go take lunch for three hours and and take the whole month of August off. And >> well, when it's that hot outside, you kind of have to. The siesta is a worthwhile thing. >> But uh Americans, we just do stuff. We find ways >> power through. Yeah. >> We just power through. And and I know the culture is changing. Mhm. >> But the culture I grew up in, you just power through. Yep. Kind of sucks. You broke your leg. We got another four miles to walk. Get up and keep going. You just power through and you find a way. And that finding a way is what matters. Look at Ruters Rangers. There was no way they could have been should they should have been able to do what they did scaling the cliffs to knock out those guns on on D-Day. But they did it. You know why? Because it couldn't be done. And how many examples are there in our American history that points just to that? When you put on a uniform, you are indoctrinated into that. >> But only the pointy end actually hurts. >> Right. Right. Right. >> But the pointy end doesn't do any good without everybody behind it. >> Good point. >> So So what 3% 5% of people actually ever see combat >> Mhm. >> in the military. It may be more than that. I'm remembering things from a long time ago. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's a small percent. >> The pointy end of the spear. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> those guys at the pointy end. Damn, I got shot. That kind of sucks. Okay, so let's keep going. >> We have a mission to complete. >> There are other components of the military that don't have that we're going to get it done attitude. Oh, it's 5:00. Time to go home. >> Yeah. >> To some people, it's a job. But the culture generally is ingrained in the military. And that culture, the way we integrate fires and everything else is why even if we don't have the best equipment, still going to kick your ass. >> That's a good point. That's a really good point. So, no matter what the changes are on the other side, we're usually a step ahead. But if we're not a step ahead, it's our ingenuity and that fight in us >> and and the the productivity of us here in the United States, >> 1915 or whatever, 12 >> somewhere when the first they're the worst on the battlefield. Our armor was paper thin, but the boys back home said that ain't working. >> So, we built better stuff and shipped it to them. We didn't win World War