1 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: As a consultant, I look for ways. You know, typically 2 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: it's the same way in a company, right, you have 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: silos of functionality. You know, Finance doesn't talk to sales, 4 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: and sales doesn't talk to manufacturing, right, and so my 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: job is to bring them together and hopefully help them 6 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: to perform at a higher level. So I just I 7 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: think I have an instinctive mind to say, hey, I 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: see two things that put together would be better. And 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: so that's just the way I work. Every time I 10 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 1: listen to a podcast, like, my mind is thinking like, 11 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: either how do I get involved or how can this 12 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: help this? I was in Starbucks. I wanted a blueberry 13 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,239 Speaker 1: muffin and they said they were out, but they were 14 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: blueberry muffins sitting in the case, and he's like, oh, 15 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: I can't sell you those. I had just listened to 16 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: the farm Leek podcast two days before, and I'm like, 17 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: how can we get these muff These muffins have got 18 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: to be edible, right, they can't be How can we 19 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: get these muffins out to the people that need them, 20 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: to the hungry people that need them. I mean, that's 21 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: just the way my mind works. 22 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 2: Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. 23 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, 24 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 2: I'm an entrepreneur, and I've been a football coach in 25 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 2: inner city Memphis. And that last part it's somehow led 26 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 2: to an Oscar for the movie about our team. That 27 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 2: thing is called Undefeated. I believe our country's problems will 28 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 2: never be solved by a bunch of fancy people and 29 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 2: nice suits using big words that nobody ever uses on 30 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 2: CNN and Fox, but rather by an army of normal 31 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 2: folks us, just you and me saying hey, you know what, 32 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: maybe I can help. That's what Michael Lignus, the voice 33 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: you just heard, has done. Michael is just like you. 34 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 2: He's a listener, and it's inspired him to volunteer with, 35 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 2: donate to, and interact with nine different charities that we 36 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 2: featured on the podcast. It's awesome. I cannot wait for 37 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 2: you to hear from Michael right after these brief messages 38 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: from our generous sponsors. Michael Lignas, how are you? 39 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 1: I'm great, happy to be here in Memphis. 40 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 2: It flew in this morning last night last night from Atlanta, Georgia. 41 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 2: It's forty five minute with Delta Shop just going. You 42 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 2: don't even have to connect. It's the most beautiful thing 43 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: in the world. Did you like our new airport? 44 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: I did. 45 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: It's actually pretty. 46 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 1: When we came in, we were like, wow, this is 47 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: pretty snappy. 48 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. And who you got over here with you? 49 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: I got my wife, beautiful wife, Shary with me twenty 50 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: three years, three years married, but together thirty six. 51 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 2: What took you so long? It's thirteen to another story. 52 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: We'll do another podcast on that. 53 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: Ah Lee, Well we'll talk about it. Maybe I'm going 54 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 2: the wrong way. Sherry was discerning for thirteen years. I 55 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: bet that was the deal. Yeah, it was all Sherry. 56 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 1: What. 57 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 2: Yeah. So you're a different kind of guest for us. 58 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 2: And when Alex suggested we do this, I was like, 59 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 2: of course, duh, this makes so much sense. So spoiler alert. 60 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 2: Michael is here because he listens to the podcast. Michael 61 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 2: is here because he's a guy who we're going to 62 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 2: find out his story. But he is an average normal 63 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: guy who started listening to the podcast and through the 64 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 2: podcast has gotten involved with a number of things we've 65 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 2: formally told stories about. And you are quintessentially the metaphorical 66 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 2: example of what we want to reach. Millions of in 67 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 2: this country, and frankly, your story inspires me, it keeps 68 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 2: it makes me want to keep doing these shows every 69 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: week because if there's Michael Lignis out there, there's got 70 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 2: to be me ands others. And so when learning about you, 71 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: I want you to know you inspired me, and my 72 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 2: hope is that you inspire all of other listeners and 73 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 2: inspire listeners to help us find more listeners to actually 74 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 2: get involved. So to set it up, I'm going to 75 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 2: read you what you wrote to me. Okay, okay, And 76 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 2: I believe this was on February second of this year 77 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 2: at six nineteen am. So you were awake early and 78 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 2: you wrote Bill. Because as you know, I say on 79 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 2: every show, if you email me reach out, I'll respond, 80 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 2: And you wrote Bill. I read your article on Sunday 81 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 2: and gudpost. Since reading it, I've listened to multiple normal 82 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 2: folks by, signed up for Back on My Feet Running 83 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 2: in Atlanta, which apparently is Back on my Feet Chapter 84 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: in Atlanta, and watched Undefeated. Amazing stuff. Thanks thanks for 85 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 2: putting all this great content together, Michael Lignas. So you 86 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: found us in god Boast, I did, yeah, and you 87 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 2: just started listening. That's right, And you're a runner, I am. 88 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 2: And so we say all the time, when passion and 89 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 2: discipline meet opportunity, amazing things happen in people's lives, and 90 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 2: that sounds like exactly what happened with you. 91 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 1: It did, it did. The first podcast I went to 92 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: was Ann Malams and Malams. Yeah, I mean, I think 93 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: God kind of pointed me to that one first because 94 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: he knew that would resonate with me the most out 95 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: the bat. 96 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 2: So to Rekap and Mallam started back on my feet 97 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 2: kind of accidentally. She was struggling with bulimia and other 98 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 2: stuff in her life, and her cheap therapy was running. 99 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 2: She's a runner. She grew up an athlete, very athletic, 100 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 2: and she ran past this homeless shelter in Philly numbers 101 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 2: of times and noticed the guy sitting on the porch 102 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 2: and she would stop at running place, at the stop 103 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 2: sign or stop light, then move on. And one day 104 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 2: one of them screamed down after seeing her three or 105 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: four weeks running, Hey is all you do all the 106 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 2: time is run around here? And she hollered back, And 107 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 2: if you knew Anne, this is absolutely typecasting. She hollered back, 108 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 2: Hey is all you do is sit on my porch 109 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 2: all day and then she ran off, and on the 110 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 2: rest of her run, all she did was think about 111 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 2: that and her father had struggles in his life, and 112 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 2: all she could think of is that could be my 113 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 2: dad on that porch. The next day she goes by 114 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: and says, Hey, I want to start a running club 115 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 2: for the homeless guys up here in the shelter. And 116 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 2: guy looked at her and said, honey, homeless people don't 117 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 2: run unless they're running from the cops. And she said, 118 00:06:57,400 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: give me a shot. And that first time she started 119 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 2: with six, seven, eight guys. And now back on my 120 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 2: feed is in alex How many chapters do you remember? 121 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 2: Eeeen chapters and they've helped seventy five hundred give me 122 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 2: the all right, seventy five hundred? How many what do 123 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 2: they got? It helped seventy five hundred former homeless folks. Yeah, 124 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 2: seventy five So an amazing story. That was the one 125 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 2: you listened to. That was okay, So what'd you do? 126 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: So I was like, oh, a running club. And you 127 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: know Atlanta is known as running city USA. 128 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 2: Oh they are, Yeah, it has. 129 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: The biggest ten k in the world, Peachtree Road Race. 130 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 2: Every really fourth. 131 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, sixty five thousand runners at peak. Since COVID, it's 132 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: kind of gone down, and so I was like, they 133 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: got to have a chapter here. So I went on 134 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: on the website, looked up in sure enough Atlanta chapter. 135 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: Signed up as a volunteer. You go through an orientation 136 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: because they want you to understand, you know, how to 137 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: converse with these individuals coming from obviously very challenging lifestyle. 138 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: And then I started, you know, signing up for the 139 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,559 Speaker 1: runs and I go out there usually every Friday morning. 140 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: You know, forty five for Salvation Army is the one 141 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: team Sally is which the one I'm with, and we 142 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: you know, run for three or four miles and you 143 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: just get to know the members and you get to 144 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: know all that most of the volunteers have been there 145 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: for ten, twelve, thirteen years. And then we do runs 146 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: on the weekend and they have a big fundraiser coming 147 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: up in three weeks called Meaningful Miles. It's a five 148 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,679 Speaker 1: k in Atlanta, and so it's just been a great 149 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: outlet to meet more people and you know, get more 150 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,439 Speaker 1: runs in and it's always a lot easier to run 151 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: with others than it is to run by yourself. 152 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: So what was the first you know, we know the 153 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 2: story of Back on My Feet, but the interpersonal part, 154 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 2: what was it the first time you showed up to 155 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 2: run with a homeless dude. And let's be honest, most 156 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 2: of us cross over the street to avoid the homeless dude. 157 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 2: Sure you're going to hang out and interact and run. 158 00:08:54,880 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 2: What was what was that like and what did you 159 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 2: expect that you found to be quite unexpected? 160 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: So, yeah, I showed up and I think the gentleman's 161 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: name was way No Paul, and so to Paul homeless guy, Yeah, 162 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: from a Salvation r but he was actually graduating out 163 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: of the program and he had a job at a 164 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: hotel which is great, which is great, And so you know, 165 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: we're running along and you know, they say, don't inquire 166 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: very much, just you know, let if people are open 167 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: to talking, they will reach out, but don't push it, right, 168 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:32,839 Speaker 1: So we're just running along and we're just talking about things, 169 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, he's like, Hey, I want 170 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 1: to pull up and show you my apartment. And he 171 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: was like, this is the bedroom, and you know, he's 172 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: just like showing me everything in there, and he's like 173 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 1: so proud of it, and you know, for me, it 174 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,680 Speaker 1: was like, oh my gosh, Like what this guy's been 175 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: through and now he's like making his way and he's like, oh, 176 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: I think I got an interview with the rich Carlton 177 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: coming up, and if I get that job, I'm probably 178 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 1: gonna get a chance to go overseas and work as 179 00:09:55,960 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: a cook overseas. And just amazing to see how much 180 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: this person had been through and they're really making their 181 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: way in the excitement and everything. It was just it's 182 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: very humbling. 183 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 2: Did did any of this happen without back on my feet? 184 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 2: For him? 185 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 1: It wouldn't have happened without back on my feet? Because 186 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,079 Speaker 1: I think what back on my feet provides is kind 187 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: of that discipline of you know, making a commitment getting 188 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 1: up in the morning, running, finding mentors and peers and 189 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: people just to talk to and those types of things. 190 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: So I think that kind of gets them into that 191 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: regimen of doing things over and over again, which then 192 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: translates into work and kind of building your life back. 193 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 2: So how did it make you feel? 194 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: May me feel great? I mean that's why I was 195 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: like at first, I was like, oh my gosh, I 196 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: got to get up at five fifteen and drive downtown 197 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: and you know, go run and stuff like that. But 198 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,559 Speaker 1: you know, now I get back, I get home by 199 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: seven o'clock and I'm like, oh my gosh, what, like 200 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: the day hasn't even started yet, and I've had this 201 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: like fantastic experience. And then over time, you just you know, 202 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,679 Speaker 1: you see the same people over and over again, and 203 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: you just build relationships. And now and I run with 204 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: them on if there's a Saturday open run, and I 205 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: run with them and they're asking me about Sherry, and 206 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:08,199 Speaker 1: they're asking me about my. 207 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 2: Son, and you mean like normal people. 208 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly, just like you know, regular normal people. You 209 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:14,839 Speaker 1: never know that at the end of the run they're 210 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: going to run another mile and go back to a 211 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: shelter and you know, stay there, But you would never 212 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: know it when you're running with them and everything. 213 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 2: So how is it when you run with somebody like 214 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:28,199 Speaker 2: that that is asking about Sherry and your family and 215 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 2: your life and all of that, and you go back 216 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 2: to your home and you know they're going back to 217 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 2: a shelter. That's such a dichotomy. If they're able to 218 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,439 Speaker 2: run and have those conversations and act like normal folks, 219 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 2: but then they're going back to live in a shelter, 220 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 2: which is not what human beings should be doing. Do 221 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 2: you struggle with what in the world got you the 222 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 2: shelter in the first place? And do you also, just 223 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 2: as your heart say what can I do to get 224 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 2: you out of here? How does that work? 225 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: So I would say, literally, before listening to the podcast 226 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: and understanding the message on Back on my Feet, I 227 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: think I would have come in with a stigma of like, gosh, 228 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: you probably made a lot of bad choices and you're here. 229 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: But now it's more like I don't really care like 230 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: how you got here. I'm concerned with like the fact 231 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: that you're making the effort to move up. And I 232 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: know in a lot of the shows, people talk about consistency, 233 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: you know, you talk about turkeys and things like that. 234 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: And the organization Back on my Feet just doesn't have 235 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: the running program, but they work with these shelters and 236 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: align people with different programs to because the shelter's really 237 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: just providing a roof over their head for a period 238 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: of time. And so Back on my Feet kind of says, hey, 239 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: here's these programs that you can get in for job training. 240 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: And you know, Heather Turting, the director down there says, 241 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: I can get anybody a job if they want a job, 242 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 1: and they can you know, be disciplined and show up 243 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: and that kind of thing. So it's just really about 244 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 1: the consistence, you know, and a lot of your podcasts 245 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 1: people talk about consistent and see it's that consistency of 246 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 1: them seeing the same person come back and you just 247 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,319 Speaker 1: you know, there may be runs where you don't say 248 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: anything except hello and hey, keep going and all that 249 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: kind of stuff, but eventually, if you offer up a 250 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: little information, then they start to open up and offer 251 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: a little bit of information and then that's how the 252 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: relationship grows. And the fact that they're coming out every week, 253 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: you know that they're making progress to their goals. 254 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 2: That's crazy that you can run with the homeless. I'm 255 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 2: sending this episode to Anne and if she just will 256 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 2: listen in the first fifteen minutes, you know what an 257 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 2: amazing thing that has happened for people all over our 258 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: country from this cute twenty eight year old girl trying 259 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 2: to figure out her life that just decided, hey, I 260 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 2: like to run. There's opportunity. I think if they learn 261 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 2: this discipline, we can help some people. And now it's 262 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:58,439 Speaker 2: strickled down to you, right and other people around, and 263 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 2: what an amazing what an amazing legacy. 264 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely, and again it's just like you said. I mean 265 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: it just like ties in Running, which I'm so passionate about, 266 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: and I obviously want to see people get back on 267 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: their feed and get into society and things like that, 268 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: and to be a part of that is just really special. 269 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 2: And now a few messages from our general sponsors. But first, 270 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 2: the Army currently has thirty four premium members, including Michael Lignas, 271 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 2: and we're hoping to grow to one hundred. And I'm 272 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 2: asking you please consider to becoming one. By becoming one, 273 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 2: for ten bucks a month or one thousand dollars a year, 274 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 2: you can get access to cool benefits like bonus episodes, 275 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: a yearly group call, and even a one on one 276 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 2: call with me. You should be so lucky. But frankly, guys, 277 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 2: premium memberships help us to grow this army that I 278 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 2: believe our country desperately needs right now. So I hope 279 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 2: you'll think about it. We'll be right back, all right. 280 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 2: So let's back up. Where does Michael come from? Tell 281 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: me about Michael. 282 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: So I'm from Mobile, Alabama, have a sister, older sister 283 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: My dad was a chemist, worked in a chemical plant 284 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: in McIntosh, Alabama, which is about an hour away from Mobile. 285 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: Pretty normal childhood for one exception. My father worked for 286 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: a Swiss chemical company and so when I was four 287 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: and five years old, we actually got transferred to Switzerland. 288 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: So I went to first and second grade in Switzerland 289 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: and learned how to read and write German before I 290 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: knew how to read and write English. Really yeah, so 291 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: that was a really cool experience. It was great because 292 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: my mom literally, like my dad worked, and then my 293 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: mom just planned our trips on the weekend, so we 294 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: traveled every weekend. We were there for like year and 295 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: a half, and so that was a very you know, 296 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: unique experience, yeah, which kind of be kind of cool though, Yeah, yeah, 297 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 1: because there weren't any American schools where we lived, and 298 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: so we just went to a Swiss speaking school and 299 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: the teacher knew English. 300 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 2: And when do you move back to the States. 301 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: So we moved back to the States when I was 302 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: like six or seven, you know, I just go to school, 303 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: go to high school. Was a multi sport player, but 304 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: went to a Division seven A school, so big inner 305 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: city school in Mobile, and figured out five foot three 306 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifteen pound guy wasn't going to be 307 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: able to play football. I played football for three days. 308 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: Our class ended up winning the state championship my senior year, 309 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: and they had eleven d one players on them, so 310 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: they were like big and I was small. So I 311 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: turned to soccer, which my football coach told me as 312 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: I quit that I wasn't going to do anything and 313 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 1: that I was playing a communist sport. Yeah. 314 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 2: What year? 315 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: This was nineteen eighty. Yeah. 316 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 2: In the southeast of the eighties, football and soccer had 317 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 2: this really odd competition between good old fashioned American sport 318 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 2: the communist sport, right it really Southern football coaches would 319 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 2: say that soccer was a communist game, which is hilarious 320 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 2: because it's a European and South American game. But anyway, yes, 321 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 2: we So you went and played a communist sport. 322 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,920 Speaker 1: I went and played a communist sport, and um then 323 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 1: decided to go to Millsop's College in Jacksonmissippi. 324 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 2: Grade school. 325 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:33,880 Speaker 1: I played soccer there. In fact, when we were driving here, 326 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: we passed the Christian Brothers exit and we used to 327 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: play Christian Brothers every year in soccer. 328 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:41,199 Speaker 2: Christian Brothers back in the day was pretty good. 329 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: They were they were a good side. You know. Did 330 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: that followed my dad got a chemistry degree, went to 331 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: go went home for a couple of years and worked 332 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:54,920 Speaker 1: at Sebagayu with my dad. Realized that the chemical industry 333 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 1: was not where I wanted to stay, so I went 334 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: and got my NBA. I Oh, by the way, I 335 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:00,880 Speaker 1: skipped a really big part while I was back in Mobile. 336 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: That's when I met my lovely wife. She was going 337 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,479 Speaker 1: to a physical therapy school at South Alabama and Mobile, 338 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: and that's where we met. 339 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 2: My wife went to you in a North Alabama. Yeah, 340 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 2: so yeah, got it. Yeah, that's right. 341 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 1: And then so when got my NBA at Georgia. Some'm 342 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:21,640 Speaker 1: a big Bulldogs fan. And then that's when I got 343 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: into consulting, and I went and worked for one of 344 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 1: the you know, Anderson Consulting, which is one of the 345 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:30,120 Speaker 1: biggest consulting companies in the world. And you know, since then, 346 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 1: I've just been in that world and we've had, as 347 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: you call it, a pretty unremarkable life. I mean, we 348 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,400 Speaker 1: did have another great event when we adopted our son. 349 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 1: We traveled a lot. I worked over in Germany for 350 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: a while and so we got to live over. 351 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 2: Did you pick your German back up? I did? 352 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 1: Literally within like three weeks I was fluent again. I 353 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: was running all my meetings in German and everything like that. 354 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 1: It was amazing that it all came back, you know, 355 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: so fast. 356 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 2: It sounds like a beautiful life. 357 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, it's been great. 358 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:02,199 Speaker 2: Do you know the Tunnel mobile? Yeah, my name is 359 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 2: William Bankhead Courtney. Really, Oh it's that impressiary. That's right. 360 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 2: That is, believe it or not. My great great Motulula 361 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 2: Bankhead was my three great aunt, I know. Yeah, so 362 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 2: anybody listening you can look up the whole bank Head story. 363 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 2: It's not something I'm particularly overly proud of or anything, 364 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 2: but it is the truth. Yeah, what's that? The tunnel 365 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 2: is my family's name that somebody gave me one day, 366 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 2: so I didn't have anything to do with it. But yes, 367 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 2: that's that's right, all right. So cool, great life. You 368 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 2: you get that you're you know, your parents are obviously 369 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 2: I would say above middle class if they're looking working 370 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 2: overseas and everything. But you know, you're not filthy, stinking rich. 371 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 2: You don't whatever. And you go to millsaps and you 372 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:01,120 Speaker 2: play a communist sport and then you decide to get 373 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 2: your MBA from Georgia, who I think this year has 374 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 2: an adequate football team. 375 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: I think they're gonna be all right. 376 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 2: They're gonna be okay. You do know you guys are 377 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 2: coming to Oxford to play with I know, I know. Gosh, 378 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 2: I'm y'all thumped us last year, and I'm praying to 379 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 2: goodness we can have a little better show and at 380 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 2: least told our heads up against you guys. Kirby smarts 381 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 2: all of a football come yeah. Okay, So anyway, I digress. 382 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 2: So there we are. And I read that your dad 383 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 2: gave you some advice when you were in college about 384 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 2: being philanthropic. What did he say, Well. 385 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: I think he just said you got to keep that 386 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: in mind. 387 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 2: Right. 388 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: So one of the things at Siba Gogi when I joined, 389 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: like one of the things you could automatically get taken 390 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: out of your paycheck was the United Away. Like they'd 391 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,159 Speaker 1: always take out whatever, five ten dollars, and you know, 392 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: he was like, yes to do this. I mean, I was, 393 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: you know, making nothing, and I'm like, wait, five or 394 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: ten dollars. 395 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 3: You know, that's a couple of beers on a Friday 396 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 3: night or something like that he's doing. Yeah, He's like, no, 397 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:10,919 Speaker 3: you have to, you have to do that, and uh, 398 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 3: and that kind of started it. And then when I 399 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 3: when I graduated from Millsaps and came home, he just said, 400 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 3: you know, you gotta you gotta kind of pick out 401 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 3: a charity you want to give to it. 402 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 2: You know. 403 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,880 Speaker 1: Also, and I still to this day do not recollect 404 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,639 Speaker 1: how the connection but was made. But Saint Jude was 405 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:33,200 Speaker 1: the one that I picked. And so I've been since 406 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty eight, I've been given to Saint Jude. And 407 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: like how I got there, I have no idea, but uh, 408 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: that's where that connection started. 409 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 2: Well, then it feels like you were raised to at 410 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 2: least give. Would you agree with that? I did? I would. 411 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: I mean it's always been kind of part of my DNA. 412 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:58,199 Speaker 2: Okay, so you read God post between that period of 413 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 2: your life and when you read God those, you've been 414 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 2: involved in philanthropic stuff consistently. What else have you done? 415 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:09,199 Speaker 1: So a lot of stuff with my church, So we 416 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: were Greek. There's a we go to the cathedral in Atlanta, 417 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,119 Speaker 1: which is a pretty large Greek Orthodox church, and we 418 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 1: have a festival, Greek festival every year four day event. 419 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 2: Time out chare you're not Greek originally? Yeah, you just 420 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 2: don't look Greek to me. So you got adopted into 421 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 2: the greekness. 422 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:35,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, it took a little part of the you ask 423 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: about what happened thirteen years. Part of the part of 424 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 1: the challenge was there was some resistance of me not 425 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 1: marrying a Greek girl. Oh really, yes, my grandmother called 426 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 1: her Xanthia, which in Greek is the blonde. For five 427 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: years she wouldn't even say her name, and then for 428 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 1: four more years she called her Sandy Sherry. 429 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 2: You put up with a bunch of mess, didn't you. 430 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 2: My goodness? Yeah the movie Yeah, yeah, it's reversed girl. 431 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: Yes, I mean it is like right on the whole thing. 432 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. All right, so now we re establish you come 433 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 2: from a uh, communist, racist Greek family. Yes, so yes, yeah, 434 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 2: so you Greek church and you. 435 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: I've like chaired the festival, you know, I mean we're talking. 436 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 2: We have a Greek Orthodox in Memphis and they have 437 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 2: a big Greek festival. Everybody does. Yeah. Well the food 438 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 2: will make you consider Greek Orthodoxy, yeah, sure, phenomenal. 439 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, so did a lot of that with the 440 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: and a lot of other things. Kind of with the church, 441 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,919 Speaker 1: you know. Really to get to the guidepost thing, I 442 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: was with my former company for six years. We had 443 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 1: turned it around, built it up, and then sold it 444 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:08,400 Speaker 1: to a much, much, much larger company, and I went 445 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 1: through a kind of dark period because I watched everything 446 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: that we had built and the company kind of dissolve. 447 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: All the values and things like that kind of dissolve, 448 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: and it was. 449 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,639 Speaker 2: To be the culture of the new company came in 450 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 2: and just superseded the culture. 451 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: Absolutely, absolutely absolutely. 452 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 2: Why was that arc. 453 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,160 Speaker 1: Because it was very hard for me to watch that 454 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: go away because I knew all the work we had 455 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: done to build it up over the years, and. 456 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 2: So but you got a big check. 457 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 1: I got a check. I wouldn't say it was a 458 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:43,439 Speaker 1: big check. I got a check, but it just it 459 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 1: was just so hard. And I was watching people leave, 460 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:50,199 Speaker 1: and you know, longtime employees leave and things like that, 461 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,199 Speaker 1: and Sherry, I'll tell you, I mean it was I 462 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: was not very fun to be around and things like that, 463 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: and so I knew I needed to leave, but I 464 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: stuck around because there was another check out there. And 465 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,879 Speaker 1: finally I came home from we came home from Thanksgiving 466 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 1: last year, and I got on the phone with my 467 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 1: boss and he's like, hey, man, I hate to tell you, 468 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 1: but your positions eliminated and you're out in four weeks. 469 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 1: And then there was a little bit of shock and awe. 470 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:24,920 Speaker 1: I went and talk. I said, Okay, I gotta go 471 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 1: upstairs and talk to Sherry, and a little bit of 472 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 1: shock and awe, and then Sherry said it was like 473 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: the first time and a law time that I slept 474 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 1: through the night. And at that point I knew that 475 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 1: it was the right thing. And I think, really God 476 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: had been telling me for a couple of years, like 477 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,440 Speaker 1: you need to get out. This is really bad. Exactly, 478 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: he said, We're done, We're out. And so I asked 479 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,640 Speaker 1: Sherry if I could take the all of twenty twenty 480 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 1: four off and like figure out what I'm going to 481 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 1: do next. There were words said that I can't say 482 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: on the podcast. No, at the end of it was no, 483 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,359 Speaker 1: you get a quarter off. So I got the first 484 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: quarter off, and then I think the Guidepost came like 485 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 1: in January of that year. 486 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 2: Now that is interesting time, yes, And then. 487 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: I had all this free time. So this was my 488 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 1: chance to really go after some you know, philanthropic things. 489 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 2: Because I'd said, are you telling me the blonde would 490 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 2: not give you a year off? 491 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 1: She would not give me a year off. She would 492 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: not give me a year off. 493 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,360 Speaker 2: Nobody needs she did that, Yeah she did. 494 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: She was like, you're gonna go crazy. So along with 495 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,439 Speaker 1: running a lot, playing a lot of golf, I started 496 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 1: getting into a lot of charitable things, and obviously army 497 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 1: and normal folks like opened up a whole bunch of 498 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 1: you know, things for me to do while I had 499 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,439 Speaker 1: that time. And now that gave me some time to 500 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,200 Speaker 1: establish some things and now it's just part of my routine. 501 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 2: Right. So See, that's the greatest thing the world that 502 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:02,399 Speaker 2: you say, an army of normal folks. One of the 503 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 2: other things we always say, I think they're called riffs. 504 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 2: I don't know they're production alex production speak terms or word. 505 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 2: But one of the things I say a lot is 506 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 2: if you listen to Army of normal Folks long enough, 507 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 2: every every episode should be entertaining, hopefully make you laugh. 508 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: But it's always not going to They're not all going 509 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 2: to align with what you're passionate about and discipline is. 510 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 2: But if you listen long enough, you're going to hear 511 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 2: something that aligns with something that you're good at and 512 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 2: that you're passionate about. And I don't think finding areas 513 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 2: of need is very difficult. So that's how you bring 514 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 2: those three things together to create opportunity for yourself to 515 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 2: serve and thus to lead. But you got to listen 516 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 2: long enough to find them and to hear you say, 517 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 2: you know, I had some time on my hands and 518 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 2: I listened to Army normal folks, and obviously there are 519 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 2: a lot of things that came along that interested me. 520 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:05,160 Speaker 2: You are absolutely verifying our little experiment called an army 521 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 2: in normal folks. That's great, It is great, and that's 522 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:13,440 Speaker 2: why you're inspiring to me, because that's what we're trying 523 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 2: to do. We'll be right back, all right. So you're 524 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 2: in this weird place. You've done everything right your whole 525 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 2: life except for the communist sports, and you help build 526 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 2: a company, and then you find yourself with nothing to do, 527 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 2: and you're filling the time with just I'm going to 528 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 2: take a quarter off, kind of re energize my batteries 529 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 2: and I'll figure it out from here, which I assume 530 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 2: you have. Yes, congratulations, good, But in the meantime, you 531 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 2: started running back on my feet and of course, I 532 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 2: guess you were still living to Saint Jude as you've 533 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 2: always done right, right, So here are some interesting emails. 534 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 2: Ran with back on my feet this morning and reached 535 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 2: out to the local Sleep and Heavenly Peace to volunteer there. 536 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 2: It's so inspiring. Tell me about that. 537 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 1: Well, I just you know, again, I was looking for 538 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 1: other ways to get involved, and so when I, you know, 539 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: heard mister Michaelson's podcast, I was like, well, let me 540 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 1: see if there's a you know, local chapter around here. 541 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: So I reached out to them. I haven't really been 542 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: able to do a lot with them, but then you know, 543 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 1: later on I listened to the care Portal you know 544 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: podcast and signed up for that service. So we try to, 545 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: like every month try to fulfill, you know, one of 546 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 1: those requests. And there's a number of those requests that 547 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: asked for beds, and so that's where I was like, Hey, 548 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 1: I wonder if we can get those two together because 549 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: I'm seeing these care portal requests for beds, and obviously, uh, 550 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: sleeping heavily Peace makes beds, So maybe they can work 551 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: together and you know, get some beds to fulfill some 552 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: of these care portal requests. And and I think, uh, 553 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 1: I think Alex said he's been trying to put them together. 554 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 2: Less representatives for both nonprofits want to talk and I 555 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 2: need to connect them. So it's all set up. And 556 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:31,920 Speaker 2: we didn't do that. You, my friend did by listening 557 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 2: the podcasts and seeing the s energies and making the connection. 558 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 2: That is so cool. I don't know really what else 559 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 2: to say about that except that's just amazing. How does 560 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 2: it make you feel? 561 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: It makes you feel great? I mean because obviously, uh, 562 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 1: it's one you know, one organization's goal to make these beds, 563 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: and it's another one that needs it. So why not 564 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: put them together and fulfill those needs and you know, 565 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,200 Speaker 1: make it happen because they're both in the like I 566 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: think I called the Gwen County Sleeping Heavenly Peace, and 567 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 1: I see from Careportal most of the requests are coming 568 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 1: through Gwennett County, so they're pretty they should be pretty 569 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 1: closely located together. 570 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 2: You said this on April twelfth, so as you talk 571 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 2: about incorporating God into the things that bring you joy, 572 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 2: I went on a run at five point forty five 573 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 2: this morning with a group of downtown group out of 574 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 2: Downtown Atlanta it's called Back on my Feet. It's a 575 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 2: running program for getting people out of homelessness. Wow. So 576 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:37,720 Speaker 2: again it's to incorporate discipline and some fitness in those 577 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:40,719 Speaker 2: type of things. This morning, when we were running, I 578 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 2: was talking to a five year veteran who unfortunately had 579 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,400 Speaker 2: some tough things happen in his life and put them 580 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 2: in the situation. He's really working to try to pull 581 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 2: his way out of it. So again I'm running right 582 00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 2: which HiT's my fitness priority. There's a faith component. I'm 583 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 2: building some friendships because I see this person every week 584 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 2: when I go out there and run. And so it's 585 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 2: not a big deal because I can wake up and go. 586 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 2: It's I'm about to do something that hits multiple, multiple priorities, 587 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 2: and how great is that? But then, just another example. 588 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,440 Speaker 2: Two weeks ago, I'm a member of a Greek church 589 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 2: in Atlanta. We had a weekend drive where people would 590 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 2: come and buy food and pastries, and so I was 591 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 2: in the kitchen cooking. I made five hundred gallons of 592 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 2: I don't know what this word is, the seki sauce. 593 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 2: I guess some kind of Greek sauce. I'm sure it's fabulous. 594 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 2: Over the weekend and again I'm working in my church 595 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 2: and I'm cooking. It was by recipe, and of course 596 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 2: everybody was telling me I was missing this and missing 597 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:44,800 Speaker 2: that and all kinds of stuff like Greeks will always do. 598 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:48,000 Speaker 2: But it's another way that I'm doing something that I 599 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 2: like so much, and it's hitting so many things that 600 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 2: I value the most. So why would I not spend 601 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 2: the whole weekend making gallons of sauce? We often talk 602 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 2: about you don't have to be part of some big 603 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 2: five OHO one c. Three. You don't have to be asked, 604 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 2: you don't have to be tabbed. You can serve and 605 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:09,240 Speaker 2: be a part of an army of normal folks in 606 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 2: so many different ways if you just employ your passion 607 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 2: and your abilities where need fits. And just in that 608 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:21,640 Speaker 2: little part of an interview you did, you're talking about 609 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 2: making Greek sauce and running with one homeless dude. But 610 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 2: it makes a difference. What does it do for you? 611 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: Well, it just it's it's such a natural fit, right 612 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 1: because I love to cook and I love to run, 613 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: and this way I can do both of those things. 614 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: Be philanthropic, meet some great new people, learn a recipe 615 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: that you know every Greek that comes by and puts 616 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: a spoon in it and tells me I'm missing lemon, garlic, salt, pepper, 617 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: too much cucumber, all that kind of stuff. And so 618 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: I get to, you know, interact with a lot of 619 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 1: different people, and so it just it's such a great 620 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 1: mesh of just like all these great things. And so 621 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,799 Speaker 1: now really when I evaluate, like what I'm going to do, 622 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 1: I look at things differently and say, if this checks 623 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:16,279 Speaker 1: off like seven things that are priority for me, like 624 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: why wouldn't I do them? You know, So go do that. 625 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: Go get up in the morning at you know, five 626 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 1: point fifteen, and go run because you're going to get 627 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:26,719 Speaker 1: so much out of the experience. Who cares if you, 628 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:28,360 Speaker 1: you know, you're a little bit tired at work and 629 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 1: stuff like that. 630 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:35,160 Speaker 2: April fifteenth, gents, that's to me and Alex. Another great 631 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 2: podcast this week week with Enrique at Saint Jude. When 632 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 2: I got my first job out of college, I picked 633 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:45,040 Speaker 2: one organization started giving to us Saint Jude's. We talked 634 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 2: about that I have given since nineteen ninety eight. I 635 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:51,799 Speaker 2: will sign up for the monthly deal at Army and 636 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,759 Speaker 2: normal folks. I plan to go to their fundraising bent 637 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 2: next year and hopefully get in truer place. PS. I've 638 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:03,960 Speaker 2: reached out to Big alib tornado relief. Great guy. How 639 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,919 Speaker 2: did you chat with Big Al go? Big Al is awesome? Well, 640 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:09,320 Speaker 2: he tell us a big ol story. 641 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:09,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. 642 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:11,440 Speaker 2: So Big Al. 643 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: Has a kind of an organization that for disaster relief, 644 00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 1: mainly tornadoes and hurricanes. And he's got a buddy of 645 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 1: his that has a pull behind smoker that he brings 646 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:29,560 Speaker 1: with him. That Al kind of runs around and finds 647 00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 1: what people need and usually has like an affiliation with 648 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:37,280 Speaker 1: a local home supply store, so he's running around getting 649 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: gloves and you know, all kinds of things for those people. Meanwhile, 650 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:44,399 Speaker 1: his buddy's like cooking barbecue and stuff so they can 651 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,439 Speaker 1: feed the volunteers, feed the people that are out there. 652 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:50,920 Speaker 1: And again I'm like, okay, well, I've actually want to 653 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:52,799 Speaker 1: maybe in a couple of years get a smoker, because 654 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:54,880 Speaker 1: again I love cooking and stuff like that. And I 655 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:56,040 Speaker 1: was like, wow, this is a great idea. 656 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:58,319 Speaker 2: With this Greek sauce would take life on some on 657 00:35:58,320 --> 00:35:58,880 Speaker 2: the shoulder. 658 00:35:59,239 --> 00:36:01,359 Speaker 1: It would be good. Yeah, it would be good. 659 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,000 Speaker 2: Put some put some big out barbecue and some Greek 660 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:06,960 Speaker 2: sauce exactly what happens, Yeah, disaster relief. 661 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: And so so I reach out to him, and I 662 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:12,839 Speaker 1: swear I think he emailed me back the next day, 663 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 1: and so we had it back and forth, and I 664 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:17,520 Speaker 1: just said, hey, if something happens, you know, down my way, 665 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 1: just give me a call and you know, we'll hook up. Fortunately, 666 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,719 Speaker 1: it hasn't happened. Most of the storms have been kind 667 00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:28,399 Speaker 1: of in the Midwest and up where he is. But again, 668 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 1: just to see somebody respond so quickly and like say, oh, 669 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 1: he and I'll get you, you know, my buddy, and 670 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,279 Speaker 1: he'll set you up with his recipe so you can 671 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 1: check that out and things like that. I mean, it's 672 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 1: just you know, I would have never, you know, never 673 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:45,319 Speaker 1: connected with anybody like that before, and so it's just, uh, 674 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: it's just a great experience to know that there's people 675 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:52,520 Speaker 1: out there doing those types of things that align with 676 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 1: with what you want to do. And like you say, 677 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,120 Speaker 1: many times, you know a lot of people just don't 678 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:00,600 Speaker 1: know where to start, you know, and how to involved 679 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:03,320 Speaker 1: and things like that, and it's just making a connection 680 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:05,920 Speaker 1: like that and seeing hey, somebody else is actually doing it. 681 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 1: Let me, you know, tag on with them. And and 682 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 1: have the same type of experiences. 683 00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 2: Gents June second Gents, another amazing story. I'm getting requests 684 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:21,120 Speaker 2: through poor through care Portal and a lot of the 685 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:24,040 Speaker 2: mass for beds. I wondered if care Portal new sleeping 686 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:27,600 Speaker 2: Heavenly Peace people. I'm working on making that connection happen. 687 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,640 Speaker 2: I had another great run with back on my Feet yesterday. 688 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:35,520 Speaker 2: Have a great week, Michael, tell me what you've done 689 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 2: with care Portal now. 690 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:42,759 Speaker 1: So with care Portal, Yeah, so care Portal is phenomenal. 691 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:45,280 Speaker 1: I can't remember the gentleman's name that they put that together, 692 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 1: but Alex Adrian Lewis. 693 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:51,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, Encyclopedia Brown of Names exactly. 694 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:58,040 Speaker 1: So, yeah, amazing service. Where he takes needs from from 695 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:02,319 Speaker 1: the foster system, has created almost like a clearinghouse of 696 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:05,160 Speaker 1: how to get those out there, and then an alignment 697 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:08,680 Speaker 1: of churches that will fulfill the need. So the nice 698 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:12,640 Speaker 1: thing for somebody like me is I see the request, 699 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:15,080 Speaker 1: I say, hey, I want to fund this, and then 700 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 1: the church actually takes the money, goes in and gets 701 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,839 Speaker 1: the stuff and actually fulfills it. So it's a it's 702 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:24,520 Speaker 1: a very easy way for somebody to get involved and uh, 703 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:26,399 Speaker 1: you know, not have to take the time to go 704 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:27,960 Speaker 1: find it and get it to the people and all 705 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. And so you know, we've just 706 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 1: kind of decided as a family that you know, we're 707 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:36,839 Speaker 1: gonna do one of those a month. So are y'all 708 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 1: doing one of those a month now? 709 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:38,680 Speaker 2: Yeah? 710 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:41,960 Speaker 1: And so like you know, they'll come through, and you 711 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 1: know there's probably we'll probably get two or three of 712 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:45,759 Speaker 1: them a day, you know, and there'll be something that 713 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:47,920 Speaker 1: just kind of hits home for one reason or another. 714 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:49,760 Speaker 1: Like the last one we did was back to school. 715 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:51,880 Speaker 1: Like there was a family that had you know, four 716 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 1: or five kids that needed supplies, you know, for school, 717 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 1: so we just said, hey, we'll fund it. And then uh, 718 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:00,200 Speaker 1: there was a church that went and picked up all 719 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:02,319 Speaker 1: the stuff and you got it to the family. So 720 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:04,520 Speaker 1: which is awesome, which is great. 721 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:08,160 Speaker 2: But the coolest part about this is you started through 722 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 2: care portal getting requests for kids that didn't have bets. 723 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:15,280 Speaker 2: But you'd are so listened to Sleep in Heavenly Peace 724 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:19,879 Speaker 2: and said hold it, here's two Army and Normal Folk 725 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 2: episodes that one needs one one has the other. Put 726 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:28,760 Speaker 2: them together. Yeah, and as it worked, I don't. 727 00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:31,879 Speaker 1: Think that yet right to talk to each other. 728 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, So the point is a listener, not somebody 729 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:41,200 Speaker 2: running either of these things that just decided to get 730 00:39:41,200 --> 00:39:46,279 Speaker 2: involved as they could saw an opportunity by connectivity through 731 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:50,800 Speaker 2: two groups that didn't even know about each other, to 732 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:57,279 Speaker 2: maybe help serve the community together. That's exactly what we're 733 00:39:57,320 --> 00:40:00,000 Speaker 2: trying to create. That is the coolest thing in the world. 734 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:06,719 Speaker 2: World Again, you know, how does that happen? How do 735 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 2: how does how does how do you? How did you 736 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:13,760 Speaker 2: make the connection? 737 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:17,279 Speaker 1: Well? I think part of it is as a consultant, 738 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 1: I'm I'm like, I'm like, I'm like a doctor for business, right, 739 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:23,560 Speaker 1: So I come in and I look for ways. You know, 740 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:25,319 Speaker 1: typically it's the same way in a company, right, you 741 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:29,200 Speaker 1: have silos of functionality. You know, finance doesn't talk to sales, 742 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:33,200 Speaker 1: and sales doesn't talk to manufacturing, right, And so my 743 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:36,319 Speaker 1: job is to bring them together and hopefully help them 744 00:40:36,320 --> 00:40:39,879 Speaker 1: to perform at a higher level by either introducing technology 745 00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:42,759 Speaker 1: or changing process or you know, looking at the organization. 746 00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:45,480 Speaker 1: So I just I think I have an instinctive mind 747 00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:48,920 Speaker 1: to say, hey, I see two things that put together 748 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:52,200 Speaker 1: would be better. And so that's just the way I work. 749 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:54,239 Speaker 1: I mean every time, I every time I listen to 750 00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:57,560 Speaker 1: a podcast, like, my mind is thinking like, either how 751 00:40:57,560 --> 00:41:00,360 Speaker 1: do I get involved? Or how can this help the US? 752 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:02,920 Speaker 1: You know, et cetera, et cetera. And I was in 753 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:07,839 Speaker 1: I was in uh Starbucks today and yesterday, and I 754 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 1: wanted a blueberry muffin and they said they were out, 755 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:13,319 Speaker 1: but they were blueberry muffins sitting in the uh like 756 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:15,240 Speaker 1: sitting in the case. And he's like, oh, I can't 757 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:17,879 Speaker 1: sell you those. In my mind was thinking I had 758 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:20,800 Speaker 1: just listened to the farm Link podcast two days before, 759 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:23,440 Speaker 1: and I'm like, how can how can we get these 760 00:41:23,560 --> 00:41:25,839 Speaker 1: muff These muffins have got to be edible, right, they 761 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:29,239 Speaker 1: can't be How can we get these muffins out to 762 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:31,359 Speaker 1: the people that need them, to the hungry people that 763 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:33,480 Speaker 1: need them? I mean, that's just that's just the way 764 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:34,280 Speaker 1: my mind works. 765 00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:38,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's your discipline, your passion. Yeah, see the opportunity, right, 766 00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:40,839 Speaker 2: that's exactly what that is. 767 00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:44,000 Speaker 1: Someone like going, gosh, could I get go get a 768 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:47,640 Speaker 1: U hauling, like, go start running around to all the 769 00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:51,640 Speaker 1: all the two day old muffins so that this guy 770 00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 1: outside would be happy to eat. 771 00:41:53,160 --> 00:42:03,719 Speaker 2: Yeah that is yeah, freaking hilarious. Yeah, and that concludes 772 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:07,240 Speaker 2: Part one of my conversation with Michael, and you don't 773 00:42:07,239 --> 00:42:11,400 Speaker 2: want to miss part two that's now avable to listen to. Together, guys, 774 00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:15,000 Speaker 2: we can change this country and it starts with you. 775 00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:16,680 Speaker 2: I'll see in part two.