March 21, 2025 • 48 mins
Jordan Brantley Prewitt's journey from a small-town kid to becoming a driving force behind University of Tennessee's alumni athletic events reveals what truly makes someone a Volunteer. Attending his first UT football game at just two years old planted seeds that would eventually blossom into a career dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences for the Vol Nation.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Check us out to hear the latest on life in the
volunteer state.
Yvonca and her guests discusseverything from life, love and
business with a Tennessee flair.
It's a Tennessee thing, alwaysrelatable, always relevant and
always a good time.
This is Talkin' Tennessee, andnow your host, yvonca.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
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Speaker 3 (00:48):
Welcome back to Talking Tennessee with Yvonca.
I am your host and I am herewith a dear friend of mine.
His name is Jordan BrantleyPruitt from the University of
Tennessee.
Welcome.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Thank you so much.
It's such a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, let's start it out.
Let's tell the viewers exactlywhat you do for the University
of Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Yeah, so I'm fortunate to work with our
events team in the Office ofAlumni Relations, and I oversee
our athletic events both homeand away from Knoxville, and
right now it's a great time tobe involved.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
We're winning across all the boards, so it's a great
time to be involved.
We're winning across all theboards, so it's a great time.
But I kept telling me aboutthis person named Jordan and she
was like you just got to meethim.
You just got to meet himBecause she knows I'm an energy
person, she knows I'm one ofthese people.
That's like I've got to feel agenuine relationship.
(01:58):
So I went to a tailgate setup.
I walk up, Jordan has gotsomething in his hand.
He was trying to remove thefencing for the vendors to come
in.
And I walk up to Jordan and I'mlike my name is Yvonne Calandas
, I'm with Turner, and mostpeople would be like, okay, this
is not the time.
(02:19):
This is not because it was somuch going on viewers at this
time.
I mean, it was peopleeverywhere but Jordan took out
10 minutes to introduce himselfto me.
He literally talked about let'sConnect.
You know he didn't make me feellike go away, lady, I don't
(02:39):
have time for you, I'm trying todo a tailgate.
And that just stuck out to me,Jordan, because it was like you
do such big events, verypersonal events for the Vol fans
, the donors and sponsors andeverything, and you took out
time to talk to me for 10minutes.
You didn't make me feel likejust go away, and so that to me
(03:03):
was like oh my gosh, I've got toget to know this person.
So I'm shouting you out to saythank you for not making me feel
small that day, even though youwere really busy.
Do you remember that?
Speaker 4 (03:17):
day.
Oh, I remember it vividly.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
I remember it vividly .
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Because I would be lying if I said there wasn't a
part of me.
That was like what?
What just happened?
Like cause, it's cause it issuch a high, like your brain is
firing on all cylinders duringthat moment.
But, um, yeah, no, I mean to me, I think it.
It comes back to like thepeople that you meet, like you
surround yourself with goodpeople and you treat everybody
(03:41):
the same, and that's somethingthat, you know, I've learned at
a very young age, and so for me,it was always impactful to be
able to, regardless of what'sgoing on in my day or my time,
like nothing, nothing is aboveme.
stopping for a moment to bepresent for someone else and
that's how you made me feel.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
So, everybody, let me tell you where he's from.
He is from Smyrna, Tennessee,and we have that bond of coming
from a small town.
You are taught to really treatpeople with kindness.
We're taught, you know,everybody puts their pants on
the same way.
Their pants may cost more, butyou still do one leg at a time,
(04:22):
and so that's the way I wasraised and I feel like that.
That's the way you were raised.
So that's why I think that youtreated me with such kindness
that day and you were like okay,you know, be sure, you know,
just email me and we willconnect.
You made me feel like that Iwas somebody, even though you
(04:44):
had all this going on.
So tell me this what, comingfrom a small town, what made you
go down the road you're goingdown?
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Yeah, that's a good question.
I appreciate those kind wordsand I do think that, coming and
from where I come from and beingraised raised how I was raised,
is it was always priority totreat others well, right, and to
and to make sure that,regardless of who somebody is or
where they come from, orwhatever they bring to the table
, they get treated exactly thesame way as the next person, and
(05:20):
so I still try to carry thatwith myself today and use that
in all interactions I have withpeople.
Yeah, so Smyrna was the epitomeof a small town, so those who
don't know, Smyrna.
It is where the Nissanheadquarters is.
And that's pretty much all it'sknown for that's true, yeah, we
got a movie theater when.
I was in high school, so thatwas exciting.
(05:42):
We got a Target, yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So that was exciting we got a target.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Yeah, uh, so that was great.
Uh, before that it was just askate center and a good old
community pool so yeah, so no, Imean I will say that my family.
I came to my first tennesseefootball game when I was two
years old and um really I did.
Yes, I came to my firsttennessee game when I was two um
, but I am a first generationgraduate of a university and so
(06:06):
the goal for me was justTennessee or bust.
To be honest, when I was inhigh school I was so motivated
to really get out of Smyrna.
I feel like I had.
I feel like I had kind of seenthat side of me that was like
I'm I'm just not meant to stayhere, like there.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
That I totally get that.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
There was something in my core that was just like
you're meant to expand and gosomewhere different.
Not to discredit anyone whostays in a small town.
I think there's a place foreverybody, but for me it was
just like I knew that Knoxvillewas a place that I felt very
drawn to.
I had a lot of self-discoveryto do.
I grew up in like a veryconservative, very sheltered
(06:47):
lifestyle growing up, and so Iwanted to see the world, if you
will, and for me, the world wasKnoxville.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
It's two and a half hours from home, but it felt
like the world Right.
So you got the itch at two.
You went to a game.
You got an itch and let me justsay this viewers, you know some
people are diehard fans andthen there are some people that
they like Tennessee but it'sjust like okay, if we win, we
(07:15):
win, if we don't, we don't.
Let me just tell you that's notJordan.
I'm telling you now, that isnot.
He is all balls.
You are the epitome of the bestfan out there.
You work for the university andat the same time, you cut his
arm and I know you're going tosee orange because you really
(07:36):
believe in the university,higher education, you believe in
collaboration.
The biggest thing.
When I was reading about Jordan, he said that two people that
made a mark on his life wasPadhead Summit.
(07:57):
We're going to dedicate thispodcast episode to Pad Head
Summit and her legacy becauseshe has touched so many.
The second person was Dr MartinLuther King.
And tell me those two people.
Why did they make a mark onyour life?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Yeah, well, I want to jump back really quick to
something that you said, whichwas talking about all of those
things about loving theuniversity of tennessee.
And when I took my firstofficial visit, uh, tennessee
was the only school I visited,um, I didn't go anywhere else.
It was the only school Iapplied to, so I was really
putting all my eggs in onebasket.
Um, yes, but all of thosethings rang true when I came on
(08:40):
that student, like prospectivestudent visit, and they still
ring true now.
All of those same things.
Right, like, I have anunwavering support for the
university.
I am so passionate about makingthe university better for the
next generation of student andthe next generation of alumni,
so all those things still ringvery true to me.
(09:02):
So all those things still ringvery true to me.
But, yeah, pat and Dr King aretwo people that I just think
leave really monumentalfootsteps in your life.
I agree, we were together for ashort period of time before um,
(09:22):
before she passed, and it's notalways what people say, it's
just what you observe, right,it's.
There's so many things that shetaught me just by watching her
and listening to the things thatshe said, um, and just seeing
how she treated people right.
You you made a comment earlierabout like treat how we treat
people, and for me it was thatthe custodian walking through
(09:45):
Thompson Bowling was treated thesame way that the highest
recruit coming to campus wastreated.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
She treated that was her.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
She treated everybody the same way and she was never
too big to stop and give ahandshake.
Not that I am in any way shapeor form comparing myself, but in
in that regard of like we couldhave been, you know, going on a
trip or something, someonestops her in an airport and she
stops and she talks and shetakes the picture, and I mean I
could go on endless dialogueabout how impactful she is to my
(10:15):
life still is today.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
She I can speak to that.
I played basketball all the waythrough school, high school and
everything.
And I went to her camp and I'llnever forget the first year I
went.
We were coming out, going backto the dorm and she drives up in
a convertible Mercedes.
I didn't know, I knew who shewas, but I had never met her or
(10:42):
anything.
She pulls up and literally says, do you want to ride back?
And I was like I'm shellshocked, you know.
And then I'm looking thisbeautiful Mercedes, convertible
Mercedes she had and I get in.
She talks to me like she'sknown me my whole life and
literally takes me back to thedorm and she literally tells me
(11:02):
kid, just keep going, keep going.
If that's your dream, keepgoing.
And so I can speak to that she.
It didn't matter what yourposition was, it didn't matter
what job you were doing.
She treated people withkindness and respect and that's
a great thing that you pickedthat up from her and you got to
(11:24):
observe it.
Sure you know what I'm saying.
So what did Dr Martin LutherKing do for you?
You know what I'm saying, sowhat did Dr Martin Luther King
do for you.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
I mean, in general, the, the trailblazing and the
admiration for standing up whenit's easy, but always when it's
hard.
Yeah Right, I think that's whatI think about is, in life, it's
very easy to stand up when youare in a situation where you
know other people feel similarlyto you, a situation where you
know other people feel similarlyto you.
(11:51):
But when it's a difficultsituation where you might be the
only one in the room who feelsa certain way or or has a
certain perspective, to stand upand voice that um in in what
might be a contentiousenvironment and I think that the
, the quote that I referencedback a lot with Dr King says you
know, life's most persistentand urgent question is what are
you doing for others?
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
And that.
I try to always be right and Itry to ask myself that question
of like, what am I doing forother people?
And a prime example that I'vereally tried to embody that is
with our events.
Now we um with our athleticevents, we've been able to
partner with nonprofits in allof the cities that we travel to
for our tailgates and we giveback to those local cities
(12:36):
through our events.
So I'm checking a couple boxesthere, right.
It's like that's that isthinking about other people, but
it's also investing into acommunity that most people be
like.
Why?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
do you?
Speaker 4 (12:47):
want to invest in Athens Georgia.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Right, Like we're the Tennessee Vols.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
Why are we giving back to Athens?
But it's like that's theepitome of what it means to be a
volunteer, Right it's not.
It's not just about what you doin the 865.
Right, Like everywhere that yougo you carry that beacon.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I think a lot of people think of.
That is we're the volunteerstate.
Yep, what is a volunteer?
Right?
You know what I'm saying and soI get that You're.
You know, you're going todifferent cities, you're
applying what you were taught.
And Dr Martin Luther King wasvery outspoken, you know, and
(13:21):
everybody didn't like everythinghe said.
But I believe in speaking up, Ibelieve in giving someone else
a voice.
Giving someone else strength,you know, by my voice, is okay.
If I see something is wrong,it's my duty to speak up.
It's my duty to say hey, let'scome together and we may not
(13:42):
have to agree with everything,but let's come together and work
for the greater good.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Well, I think a recognition that I had to learn
as an adult, especially incollege, was the privilege that
I carried into spaces that I hadnot really ever had to consider
before, and you know, so for meit's not always.
It's understanding that, as awhite man in the South like I,
probably have the opportunity tospeak and say what I want when
(14:10):
I want, and understanding thatprivilege.
So when my colleagues or myfriends that don't have the same
opportunity to do so know thatI have their back right.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Excuse me, viewers, Now do you see why I love Jordan
?
Because he truly believes andhe understands.
I'll never forget having ameeting with you and I won't
tell you everything about themeeting but we were just going
over things and he literallystopped midstream and you
(14:40):
explained that you were like Iknow I have a privilege of
things that I could do or say orwhatever that you haven't been
able to do.
That and acknowledgement is key.
It is key and to be able to say, hey, let me help someone, that
I know that because you gave mea voice.
(15:02):
You know, and it's really bigwhen a person has a voice in
other areas but they don't havea voice in that area you
literally said I'm going to helpgive you a voice, you know that
type thing and I think thatspeaks to who you are, you know,
as a person.
So, okay, so the elephant inthe room, I'm going to say this
(15:26):
he graduated from University ofTennessee but he went on.
He went on.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
You can't even say it without giggling.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
He went on and got his master's at the University
of Florida.
Yes, I did yes, and so tell uswhat made you go down that path.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
Well, listen, I, as a diehard Tennessee fan, I'll
never forget.
I was a sophomore in collegeand I knew that I wanted to work
in athletics in some regard.
And I went down the staffdirectory on the UT athletics
website and just blanket emailedpeople to see if they would
take a meeting with me, just forme to be able to say this is
who I am.
Can you help me guide me onthis path?
(16:04):
I'm not looking for a job, I'mnot looking for an internship,
just give me advice.
And, unbeknownst to me, likethe deputy AD at the time, his
name's Chris Fuller, still agood friend of mine um responded
like the next day, not asecretary.
Like he responded.
He was like hey, do you want toget breakfast next week and we
can talk about your dreams?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
And I was like I then then of course I go back and
I'm like Google search, who isChris Fuller?
And so then I'm like Googlesearch, who is Chris Fuller?
And so I'm like oh snap, like,this man is very high up in this
field and he invested shockyeah, that I would reach out to
him like a cold email, you know.
And so he invested in methrough all of my undergrad time
(16:43):
and that has honestly been toyour point, like remembering
that, like there are studentsthat would love to see
themselves in a similar careeror in an opportunity, and never
being too big to take that timeRight.
He met with me maybe twice asemester, but those hour long
coffee conversations were yearsof advice that he was able to
(17:05):
pour into me.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
So all that's amazing .
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Yeah, so all that to say.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
I come to him junior year and I'm like I want to go
to grad school, I wanted to geta, I want to get a degree in
sport management and, as youwould not be surprised, in my
typical fashion I came with anotebook that had all of the
schools I wanted to go to, therequirements where I would need
to be, all that good stuff, andTennessee was the first choice.
And he pulled it out of thenotebook and I said but that's,
(17:32):
that's where I want to go.
And he said that might be whereyou want to go, but where do
you need to go?
And he said you are blindlyfaithful to this university and
that's okay.
You love the university ofTennessee, but you need to get
experience somewhere else.
So it will create an evenlarger respect for what we have
(17:54):
here on Rocky Top.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I get that.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
And he was right.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I didn't think about that, but I get that.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
So he was right.
I was down to two schools, Iwas down to Kentucky and Florida
and I interviewed I'll never.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I'll never, I'll never forget.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
I interviewed at Florida in Coach Summitt's old
office in the basketball lockerroom, which I was just like this
is kind of serendipitous, youknow and then on my birthday.
I was in a history of rock classand I got a phone call and it
said Gainesville, florida.
And I slipped down into my seatin the class and answered the
(18:29):
phone and they said hey, jordan,you know we want to offer you
this postgraduate internship.
It's fully paid, we'll providehousing for you and it'll be a
full scholarship.
And I said I'm whispering,right, I'm still in class
Whispering.
And I said can I have a day tothink about it?
And they said you're our firstchoice.
If we're not yours, we'll gosomewhere else.
(18:50):
And I was like I just rememberin that moment, like every
impulse in my body was like sayyes.
You knew you had to move Everyimpulse in my body was say yes
On the opposite side, whereasgoing up to that point I was
like please don't get in.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Right, it's like everything in my body was like
it's not going to be the best.
It's not going to be the best.
It's not going to be the best.
I'll apply, but I don't want toget it.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Right, and it was.
It was the right choice for me.
I actually got a call the nextday with a full scholarship from
Kentucky and I called my momand I was like what do I do?
I've already accepted this jobto Florida.
And she said are you a man ofyour word or are you going to
backtrack?
Speaker 3 (19:26):
And he's a man of his word, and so I went.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
I stayed with my commitment.
I went to Florida and had themost challenging but full of
growth two years that I couldhave ever had.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
It was the most difficult thing for me to move
away from home and to be thatfar away from my family.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
But it put me in a whole new environment though,
where I, I think at Tennessee, Iwas fortunate to have have
built some type of relationshipsand reputation with people, and
I was starting from ground zero, right.
So it was like I've got tobuild this reputation of what I
can do and show my skill set andearn this degree, and I think
that tenacity side of me kind ofcame more like to the forefront
.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
But think about it God really allowed you to get
the experience to what you dotoday.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Because, if you think about it, you travel all over
the country with the Universityof Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
But Florida was your first place to really go see it
totally different than UT andget that experience so that you
could bring it back to theschool that you love and know
what it's like to do things theFlorida way, Tennessee way, that
type thing.
(20:46):
It just really positioned youto see it outside of University
of Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (20:52):
Well, and it humbled me because there were things
that Florida was doing that wasbetter than the way things we
were doing here Right, and andto your point I say all the time
when people, people jokinglysay when they see my office,
cause my Florida diploma is onthe right hand side and I made
sure it's smaller than myTennessee diploma but it's it's,
they're side by side.
And every time people say, oh mygosh, like I can't believe you
(21:14):
did that.
And I always say I wouldn't bein this chair if I didn't have
that piece of paper.
There's no doubt in my mind.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
So what led you?
Let's go back a little bit.
So you went to Florida.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Yeah, you got your degree what led you back?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Was it just your just I love University of Tennessee
or was there something that justled you back to it?
Speaker 4 (21:36):
Yeah, I mean I think when I left Florida I actually
worked in Atlanta for a year forthe college football playoff
with the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowland that was really a turning
point for me because I saw thecorporate side of athletics Did.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
I hear this resume.
That is awesome.
Speaker 4 (21:54):
Yeah, so it was a really cool experience, but I
just realized that the corporateside of athletics was not
really where my passion was.
I felt that the relationshipbuilding piece was something,
that I was strong at and Iwanted to and it's something
that I felt a lot of value in.
(22:17):
So I really wanted to get backto a place where I was able to
build long lasting relationshipswith people.
And I reached out to acolleague at Tennessee and he
was like I have this limitedduration job as a hall director
at Tennessee and I was like Idon't know the first thing.
The only thing I know is I wason call 24 seven in grad school
and I don't want to be on callagain as a professional.
And he was like I just need youto come in and fill the seat
for six months and then maybeyou can find something else at
(22:39):
UT and you can transition.
I was like okay, and so I tookthat job and after six months I
was.
I was hooked.
I was like this is so much fun.
It was basically like being incollege again, like you're
hanging out with all thesestudents all the time, getting
to like, show and teach them.
You're getting to be acounselor while also being like
a first responder, while alsobeing you know a mentor.
(23:01):
Yeah, you get all the snacks andall the free t-shirts, um.
And then after about threeyears in that I had kind of lost
that same motivation of like Ireally wanted to settle down, I
wanted to meet somebody andstart a family and really begin
that next phase of my life.
And so at that point anopportunity opened in the alumni
office and I've been there eversince, so that was in 20, I've
(23:24):
been there for now six and ahalf years.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
So six and a half years, so years.
So six and a half years, so, um, so you went and did the hall
director uh job and stayed therethree years and when it was
time I applied for the job thatyou have now oh, a very
different job than what I havenow.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
It was a very different job.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
So let's talk family a little bit, yeah, and then
we'll go back tell everybodyyour family, yeah, he has a
great husband, he's got a greathusband and y'all are such a
great looking couple me andadrian talking about that so
please tell us about your familyno, thank you.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Um, I was so blessed coming back to knoxville to
after a little bit of time andthrough some uphill and downhill
battles, I pulled my friendTony aside.
She lives in Chicago now and Itold her I was like if I don't
meet somebody in six months I'mleaving, like if I, if I don't
meet somebody in Knoxville bythe end of this year that would
(24:26):
have been.
That would have been liketwenty eight, twenty eighteen,
twenty nineteen, twenty nineteen.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
How did you'all meet?
Speaker 4 (24:32):
We met on a dating app.
Okay, yep, we met on a datingapp.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
That's what most people do now I know.
Speaker 4 (24:36):
I know it was wild so we met on a dating app.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
You might need help, Adrian.
Okay.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
I can chip in Different app.
But we can help, but no, I meanI told her I was like if I
don't meet somebody then I can't.
I can't stay here Like I've gotto find a place where I can
meet somebody.
And obviously there's not a lotof queer people in Knoxville,
it's not a hyper common place tofind people.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Was it the first?
When you first met him, was itlike love at first sight?
Oh, absolutely no.
I'll tell you a really funnystory.
I'll tell you a really funnystory.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
So everybody knows Jacob for one thing His teeth.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yes, the man has an incredible set of teeth.
Okay, so the picture on his.
I noticed that at the alumnigame.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Yeah, All the time.
I was like the amount of peoplethat will comment on a holiday
card that we send out and belike, look at those teeth and
I'm like great to see you too.
No, so he literally walks.
He, he, the picture he used onhis dating profile.
His mouth was closed and I'm ateeth person.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
I am too.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
I'm a person.
It might make me superficial,but I'm like.
You got to have a nice set ofteeth.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
There was a guy when I was growing up was the finest
thing there was and I neverforget.
He opened his mouth like wideone day and his teeth was not
intact.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Like.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I wanted.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
And you can't do it.
No, so I'm the hateful person.
He opens the door and I say canyou smile for me?
You did not.
Yes, I did.
You did you know me?
I'm not.
I'm not the one to be indirect.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
So I was like oh my God, that was hilarious.
I was like could?
Speaker 4 (26:08):
you just go ahead and show me a smile and the next
thing I said was why do you nothave your teeth in your profile
picture?
Because you have a beautifulsmile.
I was like it's so good, butwhat's so beautiful about that
is that probably like six monthsafter we met, um, I might get
emotional, but he, um, he posteda picture of the picture that
(26:29):
he had on his profile and thenhe posted a picture of him then
and his mouth was open in everypicture with you with us and, um
, he just talked about like howthat joy had come back into his
life and I think we both hadfought for such a long time
feeling like we couldn't reallybe ourselves and not really
(26:53):
finding a space where we everfelt safe to be ourselves.
I get that Knowing that when wemet each other and we were very
confident very quickly that thiswas going to be our forever,
that we might not have thesupport of people in our lives
and having to be okay with that.
And it's a wild position to bein, to feel like you have to
choose at some point of like.
Do I continue to progress withthis person that I want to do
(27:15):
life with, while also maybehaving to let some people go who
I thought I?
Speaker 3 (27:20):
was going to do life with.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Yeah, yeah, and so but he yeah.
And he's, and he's everything tome.
He's, um, he's wonderful, he isthe yin to the yang.
He softens me in so many ways.
I tend to be very, like I said,direct and, um, maybe a little
too direct at times.
This soft spot with me thatjust he can challenge me in ways
(27:48):
that are so healthy and justknows how to communicate with me
, unlike the way that anybodyelse does, and, um, I, I mean I
have not only met and marriedthe love of my life, but I've
married my best friend and it'sdifferent.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
I tell people this I'm like cause some people will
come to me and David, you knowfor advice and all that, and
they'll be like you know howmarriage and I'm like.
I'm like because some peoplewill come to me and David, you
know, for advice and all that,and they'll be like you know how
marriage and I'm like I'm sorry, I can't relate to it that way
because that's not ourrelationship.
And when you have your bestfriend that you can wake up
every day and know, even whenyou're having down time, like
(28:26):
when you're just not lining up,at the same time, it hits
totally different when you'rewith who God called for you and
you know without a shadow of adoubt that this person truly
wants the best for you.
There's no competing, there'sno any of that negative.
I just think I wish everybodycould feel that Jordan.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Because I'm like it just totally hits different.
I could tell that just byy'all's pictures.
I'll never forget I don'tremember if I had a friend at
him or not different If I sent afriend request to him or he
sent one to me.
I can't remember how we becamefriends on Instagram and it made
me look at your pictures.
And I looked at the picturesand I was like that's who he's
(29:12):
in love with.
You could totally see it in thepictures.
Because I'm just one of thesepeople.
God gave me the gift of sightand so I can tell when it's
phony and I can tell when it.
You know, but just even byy'all's pictures, you could
totally tell that it was just achef's kiss.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Yeah, I mean it's it really is the thing that I'm
probably most grateful for, andum, I will, I will be
transparent.
I had really hit like a roughpatch in November, december and
my mental health had started todeteriorate and I was having a
lot of these challengingthoughts that I was really
combating with.
(29:51):
And in those conversations itwas because of previous
relationships.
It always felt like I was goingto wake up one day and he was
just going say like I can't dothis anymore because I was.
I felt like I was just such achallenge for him and to be in a
space where you feel that andyou feel like he never, he never
(30:17):
, ever wavered, like on mydarkest days, on the days where
I was like at the doorstep,where I was like I physically
don't know if I can do it today.
What do you need, honey?
Like tell me what you need, howcan I, how can I be there?
And how he poured into me andit was one of those things that
not only did he pour into me,but he never made me feel less
(30:39):
than and he knows that that isimportant for me.
I'm somebody that, like hasfought very hard to go to where
I am and to be in certain places, and so if I feel inferior,
that is like a major, hard, hardplace for me to be in and um,
that's what David does for me,and he just like he lifted me up
through all of that and wasjust.
(31:00):
You know I would.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
I would get strong.
It's real, yeah, and I mean Ifeel like I would make progress.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
and then he would I would have a bad day and he'd be
like your progress is progress,like you're making it, like you
we're going to get through it.
Yeah, we're going to getthrough the season and I think
to be in that it is seasons.
Ain't it?
I mean, and I mean it is, ifit's real.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
It's real, you, you, you acknowledge that yeah you're
gonna have the ups, the downsand around.
Yeah, keep going.
I was just gonna say.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
I think that what comes back something that I'm so
grateful for him and ourrelationship is how we
communicate with each other.
There's nothing that's offlimits, there's no conversation
that can't be had, and it's alsothe acknowledgement with the
other person of being able tosay hold on.
I'm going to call the bluff onthis, Like let's chat through
that.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Right.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
Or like let's hash through that part of the
conversation.
Yeah, he's the best so.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
I'm so grateful.
So what?
When you decided to work forUniversity of Tennessee, the
alumni department, to see thealumni department, what was your
first thoughts of what youwanted to bring?
As an event coordinator, eventplanner, what did you want to
bring?
You know, because you werealready down at Florida.
(32:15):
You came back here and youalready did a totally different
job than the one you're in now.
So what was your vision?
Speaker 4 (32:23):
I don't know if I had one.
I don't know if, when I took myfirst job in the alumni office,
that I came in with like a veryclear.
This is what I bring to thetable.
Something that I think is likeconsistent in me is that I don't
feel like I've ever achievedenough, and I'm working on that
(32:44):
in therapy.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Look we all.
Therapy is good, therapy isgood.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
It stems from how I grew up and wanting to be the
best and never settling foranything less than being the
best, and I think that thatmindset of perfection got in the
way for me, a lot Of feelinglike I had to be perfect all the
time and everything that I did.
And if we want to get real deep, that whole perfection piece is
(33:10):
the coverup piece right Of like.
I wasn't allowed to be who Iactually am, so if I'm perfect,
then it shields the fact thatI'm a gay guy in Smyrna,
tennessee and I can build thispersona.
I can build this reputation.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
That is really not who I am Right, but it will make
people should be able to be whothey are and what they want to
be but it will make peoplequestion me less right However
many walls I can put up and begood at certain things.
Speaker 4 (33:39):
um, then less people will question who I actually am
Right.
And so when I came to UT, Ithink my mindset was just like
what can I pour into thisuniversity?
What?
What do I even bring to thetable?
I think a lot of it for me waslike I don't bring anything.
I'm not good enough to be here.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
I just felt very blessed.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Yeah, I didn't feel worthy to be there.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
Um, and then I started to realize, through time
and experiences and trials andfailures and success and success
, that there are so manydifferent things that I can
bring to the table when it comesto what we're, what we're
trying to accomplish.
And I I really challenged ourteam to think about like we can
(34:20):
rinse and repeat all day, Like Ican throw a tailgate day after
day after day and make it likelet's just go.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (34:26):
But what are we actually trying to accomplish?
What is the goal of this event?
Speaker 3 (34:33):
What is the moment?
Speaker 4 (34:34):
What are?
Speaker 3 (34:35):
we going to create that nobody else can create and
give everyone that comes to thattailgate a moment of no matter
what you've been going throughthrough the week or whatever.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
You had that two hour window Exactly.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Exactly, and I think that, jordan, you really put
your heart and soul in the event, because I know, for the short
amount of time that me andyou've been doing business,
you've even stepped up our gameinto creating even more.
You know, so I want you to knowthat, and everybody needs that
(35:14):
push of okay, let's createsomething totally different,
cause I can be thinking this wayand you can say well, you're
talking to that and I will go toa totally different way, and
you need that.
You know what I'm sayingBecause if you don't grow, you
know what I'm saying and you'rea creative person.
A creative person thrives ongrowth if you think about it.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
So at the University of Tennessee, what can you say
that you really wanted todevelop in your role?
Speaker 4 (35:48):
you really wanted to develop in your role.
I really felt like the.
It's funny that you use theword creative.
That's something that a lot ofmy team members say and I can
tell you for for fact that I wasnever called that uh prior to
being in this role.
Oh, I was about to say likenobody nobody ever called me
creative and I think what's sowild is that when I'm doing the
right thing, like right, whenI'm in the role that is the
(36:09):
right fit, right, then thatcreative side really starts to
flourish.
And I think what I feel mostproud of in events that we do it
on campus, whether they bemarquee events or athletic
events or anything is we are.
We are focused on theparticipant experience.
We're not thinking about likeum, I will say I often create
(36:32):
more work for myself, right,like let's let's just call it
like it is so I will think ofthings that I'm like is this
going to make my life moredifficult?
Yes, maybe, but how is theperson coming into the event
going to feel about it and Ithink that that is really what
I've brought to the experientialside of our events is thinking
about how that first ball gamefor that little kid that's two,
(36:57):
like I was that comes into thetailgate is going to feel about
his or her first time on Rockytop.
Or that alum who's been thereand a season ticket holder for
50 years, Like my grandpa was,and how are they going to feel
when they get to see this reallycool thing that we've created?
Speaker 3 (37:14):
And are they going to feel different, like it's not
the same old, same old.
You know what I'm saying.
I'll tell you this, viewers Um,the very first event that we
did with Jordan, he got ourinflatable dome and I'll never
forget having a conversationwith you and I said you got to
decorate it.
I said, jordan, decorate thisdome.
(37:35):
I said, make it look differentfrom everybody.
That's done this dome.
And, hands down, you did it.
And I'll never forget Adriancoming to me and in our mind was
he was going to decorate thisdome.
It was going to be orange andwhite and this is what we was
going to do.
And I'll never forget the dayAdrian coming to me and she goes
(37:56):
mom, I saw it.
Yeah, she was like I hope youhave some blue.
And I'm like what, what do youmean?
And she was like Jordan justput blue in there.
And I was like what?
And she was like, yep, hope yougot, I hope you got that
balloon.
But when I tell you, hands downand I am not saying this because
(38:17):
you're sitting in front of me,hands down, it was epic, that
putting in that one color tohonor, you know, pat, and the
legacy and everything, and justit was epic, it was so many
people.
Even to this day I meanliterally, I hope I can say this
(38:40):
publicly a college literallyreached out to me and said how
can I get?
And they literally said theysaw the dome from alumni.
So it wasn't all the otherdifferent domes, and keep in
mind, this dome has been onNeyland, okay, and you would
have thought that would havestuck.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
But the college said, no, the one you did for alumni.
And literally told me what mydome looked like and I was just
like Jordan did that, that typething.
And that's what speaks about you, jordan.
You don't do just the basics,or you're not a person that does
the bare minimums, or OK.
(39:24):
Well, this is a tailgate.
I'm tired and let's just dothis.
That's just not in your DNA,it's okay.
How can I?
Okay, georgia game was this way.
Alabama game is going to bethis way.
You know, it's never the samething, and I think that's the
reason why you've beensuccessful in your position and
(39:47):
your team.
I want you to know this.
They rave about you when you'renot around.
They really do, and they'llalways say I'll quote what
Chelsea's like he's always goingto create something.
You know that type thing, and Ijust even the energy of your
team.
You know it's like they're allabout getting it done and giving
(40:10):
each person experience, andwhat I love is that y'all are
together.
It's not, oh well, one personshining.
Y'all are truly a team.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
And let's talk about that.
Yeah, what is your team like?
How?
How does it make you feelputting it together with your
team?
Each a moment?
Speaker 4 (40:33):
yeah, you know, and it's funny, these I want to go
back really quick and talk aboutthe balloon dome too, because
go ahead.
I think that speaks to likewhat I have felt really special
with events is that it doesn'talways have to be something
drastic, like me stepping backand saying let's put Summit Blue
in.
There is minute, but what isthe impact?
(40:55):
Large, right.
So I think sometimes whenyou're looking at events, people
are like, oh my gosh, we haveto make this big, grandiose
thing.
And it's like, no, I mean we dowant to make it impactful, but
like can we make a small touchthat has a huge impact?
Speaker 3 (41:09):
That was like game changer.
And I think well, for once,smokey never wanted to get out
of the dome.
Smokey had a ball in the domeand I just think that it brought
a different energy and I thinkit just Truly honored.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
Pet Summit.
Speaker 4 (41:27):
It was a cool way to show a little nod, I mean you
know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
And just it made every other UT event.
Yours was separate, you know,and it was like this is alumni.
You know that type thing,because I'll never forget when
the college reached out to meand they flat out said we want
that look, and I was like wow.
And I remember texting youtelling you about it.
(41:54):
And I know that should make you.
I hope it made you feel goodthat another university wanted
your look.
Speaker 4 (42:01):
Yeah, I mean it does.
But I think that speaks to yournext topic of teamwork, and I
think that that's something thatI try really hard to be mindful
of in all situations.
Is that?
I mean, I think sometimes whenyou're in a leadership position,
it's difficult, right, Becauseyou're in the position where if
something flops, people arelooking at you, but if something
(42:23):
great happens, people may neversay anything or may never
realize right.
And I think one thing for ourteam that I try really hard to
be always cognizant of is makingsure that respect and
recognition is given where it isdeserved.
Speaker 3 (42:38):
Let me say this to the viewers Jordan.
I told Jordan I want him totake a picture in the dome.
Okay, jordan gave me what Iwanted.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Okay, because I knew the picture was going to be
awesome.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
But right after you took that picture, you literally
told Jenny, leslie and Chelseacome on, come on, come on, let's
take a picture together.
You didn't want that momentjust for yourself.
You brought everybody togetherand that picture.
You wouldn't believe how manypeople comment on that picture
and keep in mind y'all.
This has been months ago andthey still talk about that and
(43:14):
that stuck out to me because itwas like you know what I didn't
do all this by myself.
Let me bring the team together.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
Not even close.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
You know that type thing and that speaks volume
because we're in a world thatpeople want to shine, people
want to be the it.
You know they want to, you know.
And it speaks volume on howhumble you are, because it's
like I didn't put all this bymyself.
Speaker 4 (43:39):
Yeah, I mean, I think I've just realized through time
and experience and differentsupervisors right, supervisors
right, like just being being ledby different people that it
never really got me far to takecredit for everything, whether I
did it or not, you know.
So like there's there's timeswhere I would rather not nitpick
(44:00):
, you know Jordan did 60% ofthis or 20% of that.
It's just, it's collaborative.
I think, I think our team ingeneral is just a functionality
of like it's collaborative.
I think our team in general isjust a functionality of like we
know who is responsible for what, or what we call like the event
lead.
But we also know that withouteach heartbeat in that room,
that it would never havehappened.
And a prime example is likeyeah, the dome was a great idea
(44:22):
and I'm so glad that we did it,but Chelsea's the one that paid
for the dome, leslie's the onethat suggested where to put the
dome.
Like all of those thingswouldn't have happened without
each person's contribution.
So I think you know it's.
I think the true epitome of aleader is someone who is able to
recognize when they havesurrounded themselves with
(44:43):
people who are more talentedthan themselves.
Yes, I totally agree with that.
And I was going to say and Ithink the thing about that is is
that in our team, it's notwho's more talented than the
other, it's putting the rightpieces of the puzzle into the
right place.
One of our skill sets might notbe the same as someone else's.
So, recognizing what talent andskills and attributes one team
(45:05):
member brings to the table, Idon't need to replicate that.
They're already bringing thatto the table.
So what talents and skill setscan this person bring to the
table?
That take us to the next step.
Right?
So if each person is bringingtheir A game from their silo of
their personality or skilltraits to the table, then we've
got four A games across theboard, which makes us perform at
a high level.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
There you go, so you're at the University of
Tennessee and there, andUniversity of Tennessee is
thriving right now, yeah, andevery sport we're thriving, yeah
.
So here is a viewer question.
Okay, so when you're planning atailgate or you're planning an
event, where do you start?
(45:46):
This is a viewer question.
Oh goodness, where do I start?
Speaker 4 (45:48):
this is a pure question uh, goodness, where do
I start?
Um, I analyze.
The first thing I do is analyze.
I step back and think aboutwho's coming to this, who are we
inviting?
Um, what is the target?
Is it or what goal do we haveright?
Is it to get a certain amountof people in the door?
Is it to get a certain type ofpeople in the door, and what do
(46:09):
we want them to leave with?
What's the lasting thing thatwe need them to take with them
after they leave?
And then for me, it starts withbuilding out the event proposal
.
So I will start by pulling inall of the parties.
Just speak to your point.
I try always to remember tosend an email after every season
concludes and thank all of thepeople who never actually
(46:30):
stepped foot on ground.
It really does who?
never actually stepped foot at atailgate.
Speaker 3 (46:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (46:36):
But without them it would have never happened.
We're talking the people whobuild the emails, the people who
build the graphics, the peoplewho do the social media posts.
All of those people contributeto the whole process.
So my first thought is bringingall those people into a room,
sitting down around a table andlet's collaborate.
What can I do to make each oneof their jobs easier?
So if I'm going to my personwho's going to be sending out
(46:59):
tens of thousands of emailsthroughout the season, maybe
they have a suggestion about theway that we did that last year
that we could do in a differentway to make it more cohesive for
the next year, or the way thatwe collect registrations.
We could take this question off.
That might make that go easier,or whatever the case may be.
So I think not pretending likeI'm the expert at every
juncture- is the biggest key.
Like I'm going to rely on thosepeople's expertise to guide me
(47:21):
and how to make the event thebest it can be.
Speaker 3 (47:24):
Well, that's it, guys .
We're going to have a part twonext Friday.
Tune in, bye, guys.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
Thanks for listening to Talkin' Tennessee with Yvonca
.
Watch out for our weeklyepisodes from the First Family
of Real Estate and check us outon the web
wwwyvoncasalesrealestatecom.
See our videos on Yvonca'sYouTube channel or find us on
Facebook under Yvonca Landis andTwitter at Yvonca Landis, and
(47:55):
don't forget to tell a friendabout us.
Until next time.
Yvonca signing off.
Check us out to hear the latest on life in the
volunteer state.
Yvonca and her guests discusseverything from life, love and
business with a Tennessee flair.
It's a Tennessee thing, alwaysrelatable, always relevant and
always a good time.
This is Talkin' Tennessee, andnow your host, yvonca.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This episode is brought to you by Turning Knox
Rental, your go-to for eventrental services.
We have selfie machines, 360photo machines and food
servicing machines that you canrent out to give your parties
the best experience possible.
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You can find us atwwwturningknoxrentalcom.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Welcome back to Talking Tennessee with Yvonca.
I am your host and I am herewith a dear friend of mine.
His name is Jordan BrantleyPruitt from the University of
Tennessee.
Welcome.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Thank you so much.
It's such a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, let's start it out.
Let's tell the viewers exactlywhat you do for the University
of Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Yeah, so I'm fortunate to work with our
events team in the Office ofAlumni Relations, and I oversee
our athletic events both homeand away from Knoxville, and
right now it's a great time tobe involved.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
We're winning across all the boards, so it's a great
time to be involved.
We're winning across all theboards, so it's a great time.
But I kept telling me aboutthis person named Jordan and she
was like you just got to meethim.
You just got to meet himBecause she knows I'm an energy
person, she knows I'm one ofthese people.
That's like I've got to feel agenuine relationship.
(01:58):
So I went to a tailgate setup.
I walk up, Jordan has gotsomething in his hand.
He was trying to remove thefencing for the vendors to come
in.
And I walk up to Jordan and I'mlike my name is Yvonne Calandas
, I'm with Turner, and mostpeople would be like, okay, this
is not the time.
(02:19):
This is not because it was somuch going on viewers at this
time.
I mean, it was peopleeverywhere but Jordan took out
10 minutes to introduce himselfto me.
He literally talked about let'sConnect.
You know he didn't make me feellike go away, lady, I don't
(02:39):
have time for you, I'm trying todo a tailgate.
And that just stuck out to me,Jordan, because it was like you
do such big events, verypersonal events for the Vol fans
, the donors and sponsors andeverything, and you took out
time to talk to me for 10minutes.
You didn't make me feel likejust go away, and so that to me
(03:03):
was like oh my gosh, I've got toget to know this person.
So I'm shouting you out to saythank you for not making me feel
small that day, even though youwere really busy.
Do you remember that?
Speaker 4 (03:17):
day.
Oh, I remember it vividly.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
I remember it vividly .
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Because I would be lying if I said there wasn't a
part of me.
That was like what?
What just happened?
Like cause, it's cause it issuch a high, like your brain is
firing on all cylinders duringthat moment.
But, um, yeah, no, I mean to me, I think it.
It comes back to like thepeople that you meet, like you
surround yourself with goodpeople and you treat everybody
(03:41):
the same, and that's somethingthat, you know, I've learned at
a very young age, and so for me,it was always impactful to be
able to, regardless of what'sgoing on in my day or my time,
like nothing, nothing is aboveme.
stopping for a moment to bepresent for someone else and
that's how you made me feel.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
So, everybody, let me tell you where he's from.
He is from Smyrna, Tennessee,and we have that bond of coming
from a small town.
You are taught to really treatpeople with kindness.
We're taught, you know,everybody puts their pants on
the same way.
Their pants may cost more, butyou still do one leg at a time,
(04:22):
and so that's the way I wasraised and I feel like that.
That's the way you were raised.
So that's why I think that youtreated me with such kindness
that day and you were like okay,you know, be sure, you know,
just email me and we willconnect.
You made me feel like that Iwas somebody, even though you
(04:44):
had all this going on.
So tell me this what, comingfrom a small town, what made you
go down the road you're goingdown?
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Yeah, that's a good question.
I appreciate those kind wordsand I do think that, coming and
from where I come from and beingraised raised how I was raised,
is it was always priority totreat others well, right, and to
and to make sure that,regardless of who somebody is or
where they come from, orwhatever they bring to the table
, they get treated exactly thesame way as the next person, and
(05:20):
so I still try to carry thatwith myself today and use that
in all interactions I have withpeople.
Yeah, so Smyrna was the epitomeof a small town, so those who
don't know, Smyrna.
It is where the Nissanheadquarters is.
And that's pretty much all it'sknown for that's true, yeah, we
got a movie theater when.
I was in high school, so thatwas exciting.
(05:42):
We got a Target, yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So that was exciting we got a target.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Yeah, uh, so that was great.
Uh, before that it was just askate center and a good old
community pool so yeah, so no, Imean I will say that my family.
I came to my first tennesseefootball game when I was two
years old and um really I did.
Yes, I came to my firsttennessee game when I was two um
, but I am a first generationgraduate of a university and so
(06:06):
the goal for me was justTennessee or bust.
To be honest, when I was inhigh school I was so motivated
to really get out of Smyrna.
I feel like I had.
I feel like I had kind of seenthat side of me that was like
I'm I'm just not meant to stayhere, like there.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
That I totally get that.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
There was something in my core that was just like
you're meant to expand and gosomewhere different.
Not to discredit anyone whostays in a small town.
I think there's a place foreverybody, but for me it was
just like I knew that Knoxvillewas a place that I felt very
drawn to.
I had a lot of self-discoveryto do.
I grew up in like a veryconservative, very sheltered
(06:47):
lifestyle growing up, and so Iwanted to see the world, if you
will, and for me, the world wasKnoxville.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
It's two and a half hours from home, but it felt
like the world Right.
So you got the itch at two.
You went to a game.
You got an itch and let me justsay this viewers, you know some
people are diehard fans andthen there are some people that
they like Tennessee but it'sjust like okay, if we win, we
(07:15):
win, if we don't, we don't.
Let me just tell you that's notJordan.
I'm telling you now, that isnot.
He is all balls.
You are the epitome of the bestfan out there.
You work for the university andat the same time, you cut his
arm and I know you're going tosee orange because you really
(07:36):
believe in the university,higher education, you believe in
collaboration.
The biggest thing.
When I was reading about Jordan, he said that two people that
made a mark on his life wasPadhead Summit.
(07:57):
We're going to dedicate thispodcast episode to Pad Head
Summit and her legacy becauseshe has touched so many.
The second person was Dr MartinLuther King.
And tell me those two people.
Why did they make a mark onyour life?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Yeah, well, I want to jump back really quick to
something that you said, whichwas talking about all of those
things about loving theuniversity of tennessee.
And when I took my firstofficial visit, uh, tennessee
was the only school I visited,um, I didn't go anywhere else.
It was the only school Iapplied to, so I was really
putting all my eggs in onebasket.
Um, yes, but all of thosethings rang true when I came on
(08:40):
that student, like prospectivestudent visit, and they still
ring true now.
All of those same things.
Right, like, I have anunwavering support for the
university.
I am so passionate about makingthe university better for the
next generation of student andthe next generation of alumni,
so all those things still ringvery true to me.
(09:02):
So all those things still ringvery true to me.
But, yeah, pat and Dr King aretwo people that I just think
leave really monumentalfootsteps in your life.
I agree, we were together for ashort period of time before um,
(09:22):
before she passed, and it's notalways what people say, it's
just what you observe, right,it's.
There's so many things that shetaught me just by watching her
and listening to the things thatshe said, um, and just seeing
how she treated people right.
You you made a comment earlierabout like treat how we treat
people, and for me it was thatthe custodian walking through
(09:45):
Thompson Bowling was treated thesame way that the highest
recruit coming to campus wastreated.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
She treated that was her.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
She treated everybody the same way and she was never
too big to stop and give ahandshake.
Not that I am in any way shapeor form comparing myself, but in
in that regard of like we couldhave been, you know, going on a
trip or something, someonestops her in an airport and she
stops and she talks and shetakes the picture, and I mean I
could go on endless dialogueabout how impactful she is to my
(10:15):
life still is today.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
She I can speak to that.
I played basketball all the waythrough school, high school and
everything.
And I went to her camp and I'llnever forget the first year I
went.
We were coming out, going backto the dorm and she drives up in
a convertible Mercedes.
I didn't know, I knew who shewas, but I had never met her or
(10:42):
anything.
She pulls up and literally says, do you want to ride back?
And I was like I'm shellshocked, you know.
And then I'm looking thisbeautiful Mercedes, convertible
Mercedes she had and I get in.
She talks to me like she'sknown me my whole life and
literally takes me back to thedorm and she literally tells me
(11:02):
kid, just keep going, keep going.
If that's your dream, keepgoing.
And so I can speak to that she.
It didn't matter what yourposition was, it didn't matter
what job you were doing.
She treated people withkindness and respect and that's
a great thing that you pickedthat up from her and you got to
(11:24):
observe it.
Sure you know what I'm saying.
So what did Dr Martin LutherKing do for you?
You know what I'm saying, sowhat did Dr Martin Luther King
do for you.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
I mean, in general, the, the trailblazing and the
admiration for standing up whenit's easy, but always when it's
hard.
Yeah Right, I think that's whatI think about is, in life, it's
very easy to stand up when youare in a situation where you
know other people feel similarlyto you, a situation where you
know other people feel similarlyto you.
(11:51):
But when it's a difficultsituation where you might be the
only one in the room who feelsa certain way or or has a
certain perspective, to stand upand voice that um in in what
might be a contentiousenvironment and I think that the
, the quote that I referencedback a lot with Dr King says you
know, life's most persistentand urgent question is what are
you doing for others?
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
And that.
I try to always be right and Itry to ask myself that question
of like, what am I doing forother people?
And a prime example that I'vereally tried to embody that is
with our events.
Now we um with our athleticevents, we've been able to
partner with nonprofits in allof the cities that we travel to
for our tailgates and we giveback to those local cities
(12:36):
through our events.
So I'm checking a couple boxesthere, right.
It's like that's that isthinking about other people, but
it's also investing into acommunity that most people be
like.
Why?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
do you?
Speaker 4 (12:47):
want to invest in Athens Georgia.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Right, Like we're the Tennessee Vols.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
Why are we giving back to Athens?
But it's like that's theepitome of what it means to be a
volunteer, Right it's not.
It's not just about what you doin the 865.
Right, Like everywhere that yougo you carry that beacon.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I think a lot of people think of.
That is we're the volunteerstate.
Yep, what is a volunteer?
Right?
You know what I'm saying and soI get that You're.
You know, you're going todifferent cities, you're
applying what you were taught.
And Dr Martin Luther King wasvery outspoken, you know, and
(13:21):
everybody didn't like everythinghe said.
But I believe in speaking up, Ibelieve in giving someone else
a voice.
Giving someone else strength,you know, by my voice, is okay.
If I see something is wrong,it's my duty to speak up.
It's my duty to say hey, let'scome together and we may not
(13:42):
have to agree with everything,but let's come together and work
for the greater good.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Well, I think a recognition that I had to learn
as an adult, especially incollege, was the privilege that
I carried into spaces that I hadnot really ever had to consider
before, and you know, so for meit's not always.
It's understanding that, as awhite man in the South like I,
probably have the opportunity tospeak and say what I want when
(14:10):
I want, and understanding thatprivilege.
So when my colleagues or myfriends that don't have the same
opportunity to do so know thatI have their back right.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Excuse me, viewers, Now do you see why I love Jordan
?
Because he truly believes andhe understands.
I'll never forget having ameeting with you and I won't
tell you everything about themeeting but we were just going
over things and he literallystopped midstream and you
(14:40):
explained that you were like Iknow I have a privilege of
things that I could do or say orwhatever that you haven't been
able to do.
That and acknowledgement is key.
It is key and to be able to say, hey, let me help someone, that
I know that because you gave mea voice.
(15:02):
You know, and it's really bigwhen a person has a voice in
other areas but they don't havea voice in that area you
literally said I'm going to helpgive you a voice, you know that
type thing and I think thatspeaks to who you are, you know,
as a person.
So, okay, so the elephant inthe room, I'm going to say this
(15:26):
he graduated from University ofTennessee but he went on.
He went on.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
You can't even say it without giggling.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
He went on and got his master's at the University
of Florida.
Yes, I did yes, and so tell uswhat made you go down that path.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
Well, listen, I, as a diehard Tennessee fan, I'll
never forget.
I was a sophomore in collegeand I knew that I wanted to work
in athletics in some regard.
And I went down the staffdirectory on the UT athletics
website and just blanket emailedpeople to see if they would
take a meeting with me, just forme to be able to say this is
who I am.
Can you help me guide me onthis path?
(16:04):
I'm not looking for a job, I'mnot looking for an internship,
just give me advice.
And, unbeknownst to me, likethe deputy AD at the time, his
name's Chris Fuller, still agood friend of mine um responded
like the next day, not asecretary.
Like he responded.
He was like hey, do you want toget breakfast next week and we
can talk about your dreams?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
And I was like I then then of course I go back and
I'm like Google search, who isChris Fuller?
And so then I'm like Googlesearch, who is Chris Fuller?
And so I'm like oh snap, like,this man is very high up in this
field and he invested shockyeah, that I would reach out to
him like a cold email, you know.
And so he invested in methrough all of my undergrad time
(16:43):
and that has honestly been toyour point, like remembering
that, like there are studentsthat would love to see
themselves in a similar careeror in an opportunity, and never
being too big to take that timeRight.
He met with me maybe twice asemester, but those hour long
coffee conversations were yearsof advice that he was able to
(17:05):
pour into me.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
So all that's amazing .
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Yeah, so all that to say.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
I come to him junior year and I'm like I want to go
to grad school, I wanted to geta, I want to get a degree in
sport management and, as youwould not be surprised, in my
typical fashion I came with anotebook that had all of the
schools I wanted to go to, therequirements where I would need
to be, all that good stuff, andTennessee was the first choice.
And he pulled it out of thenotebook and I said but that's,
(17:32):
that's where I want to go.
And he said that might be whereyou want to go, but where do
you need to go?
And he said you are blindlyfaithful to this university and
that's okay.
You love the university ofTennessee, but you need to get
experience somewhere else.
So it will create an evenlarger respect for what we have
(17:54):
here on Rocky Top.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I get that.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
And he was right.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I didn't think about that, but I get that.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
So he was right.
I was down to two schools, Iwas down to Kentucky and Florida
and I interviewed I'll never.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I'll never, I'll never forget.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
I interviewed at Florida in Coach Summitt's old
office in the basketball lockerroom, which I was just like this
is kind of serendipitous, youknow and then on my birthday.
I was in a history of rock classand I got a phone call and it
said Gainesville, florida.
And I slipped down into my seatin the class and answered the
(18:29):
phone and they said hey, jordan,you know we want to offer you
this postgraduate internship.
It's fully paid, we'll providehousing for you and it'll be a
full scholarship.
And I said I'm whispering,right, I'm still in class
Whispering.
And I said can I have a day tothink about it?
And they said you're our firstchoice.
If we're not yours, we'll gosomewhere else.
(18:50):
And I was like I just rememberin that moment, like every
impulse in my body was like sayyes.
You knew you had to move Everyimpulse in my body was say yes
On the opposite side, whereasgoing up to that point I was
like please don't get in.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Right, it's like everything in my body was like
it's not going to be the best.
It's not going to be the best.
It's not going to be the best.
I'll apply, but I don't want toget it.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Right, and it was.
It was the right choice for me.
I actually got a call the nextday with a full scholarship from
Kentucky and I called my momand I was like what do I do?
I've already accepted this jobto Florida.
And she said are you a man ofyour word or are you going to
backtrack?
Speaker 3 (19:26):
And he's a man of his word, and so I went.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
I stayed with my commitment.
I went to Florida and had themost challenging but full of
growth two years that I couldhave ever had.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
It was the most difficult thing for me to move
away from home and to be thatfar away from my family.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
But it put me in a whole new environment though,
where I, I think at Tennessee, Iwas fortunate to have have
built some type of relationshipsand reputation with people, and
I was starting from ground zero, right.
So it was like I've got tobuild this reputation of what I
can do and show my skill set andearn this degree, and I think
that tenacity side of me kind ofcame more like to the forefront
.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
But think about it God really allowed you to get
the experience to what you dotoday.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Because, if you think about it, you travel all over
the country with the Universityof Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
But Florida was your first place to really go see it
totally different than UT andget that experience so that you
could bring it back to theschool that you love and know
what it's like to do things theFlorida way, Tennessee way, that
type thing.
(20:46):
It just really positioned youto see it outside of University
of Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (20:52):
Well, and it humbled me because there were things
that Florida was doing that wasbetter than the way things we
were doing here Right, and andto your point I say all the time
when people, people jokinglysay when they see my office,
cause my Florida diploma is onthe right hand side and I made
sure it's smaller than myTennessee diploma but it's it's,
they're side by side.
And every time people say, oh mygosh, like I can't believe you
(21:14):
did that.
And I always say I wouldn't bein this chair if I didn't have
that piece of paper.
There's no doubt in my mind.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
So what led you?
Let's go back a little bit.
So you went to Florida.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Yeah, you got your degree what led you back?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Was it just your just I love University of Tennessee
or was there something that justled you back to it?
Speaker 4 (21:36):
Yeah, I mean I think when I left Florida I actually
worked in Atlanta for a year forthe college football playoff
with the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowland that was really a turning
point for me because I saw thecorporate side of athletics Did.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
I hear this resume.
That is awesome.
Speaker 4 (21:54):
Yeah, so it was a really cool experience, but I
just realized that the corporateside of athletics was not
really where my passion was.
I felt that the relationshipbuilding piece was something,
that I was strong at and Iwanted to and it's something
that I felt a lot of value in.
(22:17):
So I really wanted to get backto a place where I was able to
build long lasting relationshipswith people.
And I reached out to acolleague at Tennessee and he
was like I have this limitedduration job as a hall director
at Tennessee and I was like Idon't know the first thing.
The only thing I know is I wason call 24 seven in grad school
and I don't want to be on callagain as a professional.
And he was like I just need youto come in and fill the seat
for six months and then maybeyou can find something else at
(22:39):
UT and you can transition.
I was like okay, and so I tookthat job and after six months I
was.
I was hooked.
I was like this is so much fun.
It was basically like being incollege again, like you're
hanging out with all thesestudents all the time, getting
to like, show and teach them.
You're getting to be acounselor while also being like
a first responder, while alsobeing you know a mentor.
(23:01):
Yeah, you get all the snacks andall the free t-shirts, um.
And then after about threeyears in that I had kind of lost
that same motivation of like Ireally wanted to settle down, I
wanted to meet somebody andstart a family and really begin
that next phase of my life.
And so at that point anopportunity opened in the alumni
office and I've been there eversince, so that was in 20, I've
(23:24):
been there for now six and ahalf years.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
So six and a half years, so years.
So six and a half years, so, um, so you went and did the hall
director uh job and stayed therethree years and when it was
time I applied for the job thatyou have now oh, a very
different job than what I havenow.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
It was a very different job.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
So let's talk family a little bit, yeah, and then
we'll go back tell everybodyyour family, yeah, he has a
great husband, he's got a greathusband and y'all are such a
great looking couple me andadrian talking about that so
please tell us about your familyno, thank you.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Um, I was so blessed coming back to knoxville to
after a little bit of time andthrough some uphill and downhill
battles, I pulled my friendTony aside.
She lives in Chicago now and Itold her I was like if I don't
meet somebody in six months I'mleaving, like if I, if I don't
meet somebody in Knoxville bythe end of this year that would
(24:26):
have been.
That would have been liketwenty eight, twenty eighteen,
twenty nineteen, twenty nineteen.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
How did you'all meet?
Speaker 4 (24:32):
We met on a dating app.
Okay, yep, we met on a datingapp.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
That's what most people do now I know.
Speaker 4 (24:36):
I know it was wild so we met on a dating app.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
You might need help, Adrian.
Okay.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
I can chip in Different app.
But we can help, but no, I meanI told her I was like if I
don't meet somebody then I can't.
I can't stay here Like I've gotto find a place where I can
meet somebody.
And obviously there's not a lotof queer people in Knoxville,
it's not a hyper common place tofind people.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Was it the first?
When you first met him, was itlike love at first sight?
Oh, absolutely no.
I'll tell you a really funnystory.
I'll tell you a really funnystory.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
So everybody knows Jacob for one thing His teeth.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yes, the man has an incredible set of teeth.
Okay, so the picture on his.
I noticed that at the alumnigame.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Yeah, All the time.
I was like the amount of peoplethat will comment on a holiday
card that we send out and belike, look at those teeth and
I'm like great to see you too.
No, so he literally walks.
He, he, the picture he used onhis dating profile.
His mouth was closed and I'm ateeth person.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
I am too.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
I'm a person.
It might make me superficial,but I'm like.
You got to have a nice set ofteeth.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
There was a guy when I was growing up was the finest
thing there was and I neverforget.
He opened his mouth like wideone day and his teeth was not
intact.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Like.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I wanted.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
And you can't do it.
No, so I'm the hateful person.
He opens the door and I say canyou smile for me?
You did not.
Yes, I did.
You did you know me?
I'm not.
I'm not the one to be indirect.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
So I was like oh my God, that was hilarious.
I was like could?
Speaker 4 (26:08):
you just go ahead and show me a smile and the next
thing I said was why do you nothave your teeth in your profile
picture?
Because you have a beautifulsmile.
I was like it's so good, butwhat's so beautiful about that
is that probably like six monthsafter we met, um, I might get
emotional, but he, um, he posteda picture of the picture that
(26:29):
he had on his profile and thenhe posted a picture of him then
and his mouth was open in everypicture with you with us and, um
, he just talked about like howthat joy had come back into his
life and I think we both hadfought for such a long time
feeling like we couldn't reallybe ourselves and not really
(26:53):
finding a space where we everfelt safe to be ourselves.
I get that Knowing that when wemet each other and we were very
confident very quickly that thiswas going to be our forever,
that we might not have thesupport of people in our lives
and having to be okay with that.
And it's a wild position to bein, to feel like you have to
choose at some point of like.
Do I continue to progress withthis person that I want to do
(27:15):
life with, while also maybehaving to let some people go who
I thought I?
Speaker 3 (27:20):
was going to do life with.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Yeah, yeah, and so but he yeah.
And he's, and he's everything tome.
He's, um, he's wonderful, he isthe yin to the yang.
He softens me in so many ways.
I tend to be very, like I said,direct and, um, maybe a little
too direct at times.
This soft spot with me thatjust he can challenge me in ways
(27:48):
that are so healthy and justknows how to communicate with me
, unlike the way that anybodyelse does, and, um, I, I mean I
have not only met and marriedthe love of my life, but I've
married my best friend and it'sdifferent.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
I tell people this I'm like cause some people will
come to me and David, you knowfor advice and all that, and
they'll be like you know howmarriage and I'm like.
I'm like because some peoplewill come to me and David, you
know, for advice and all that,and they'll be like you know how
marriage and I'm like I'm sorry, I can't relate to it that way
because that's not ourrelationship.
And when you have your bestfriend that you can wake up
every day and know, even whenyou're having down time, like
(28:26):
when you're just not lining up,at the same time, it hits
totally different when you'rewith who God called for you and
you know without a shadow of adoubt that this person truly
wants the best for you.
There's no competing, there'sno any of that negative.
I just think I wish everybodycould feel that Jordan.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Because I'm like it just totally hits different.
I could tell that just byy'all's pictures.
I'll never forget I don'tremember if I had a friend at
him or not different If I sent afriend request to him or he
sent one to me.
I can't remember how we becamefriends on Instagram and it made
me look at your pictures.
And I looked at the picturesand I was like that's who he's
(29:12):
in love with.
You could totally see it in thepictures.
Because I'm just one of thesepeople.
God gave me the gift of sightand so I can tell when it's
phony and I can tell when it.
You know, but just even byy'all's pictures, you could
totally tell that it was just achef's kiss.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Yeah, I mean it's it really is the thing that I'm
probably most grateful for, andum, I will, I will be
transparent.
I had really hit like a roughpatch in November, december and
my mental health had started todeteriorate and I was having a
lot of these challengingthoughts that I was really
combating with.
(29:51):
And in those conversations itwas because of previous
relationships.
It always felt like I was goingto wake up one day and he was
just going say like I can't dothis anymore because I was.
I felt like I was just such achallenge for him and to be in a
space where you feel that andyou feel like he never, he never
(30:17):
, ever wavered, like on mydarkest days, on the days where
I was like at the doorstep,where I was like I physically
don't know if I can do it today.
What do you need, honey?
Like tell me what you need, howcan I, how can I be there?
And how he poured into me andit was one of those things that
not only did he pour into me,but he never made me feel less
(30:39):
than and he knows that that isimportant for me.
I'm somebody that, like hasfought very hard to go to where
I am and to be in certain places, and so if I feel inferior,
that is like a major, hard, hardplace for me to be in and um,
that's what David does for me,and he just like he lifted me up
through all of that and wasjust.
(31:00):
You know I would.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
I would get strong.
It's real, yeah, and I mean Ifeel like I would make progress.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
and then he would I would have a bad day and he'd be
like your progress is progress,like you're making it, like you
we're going to get through it.
Yeah, we're going to getthrough the season and I think
to be in that it is seasons.
Ain't it?
I mean, and I mean it is, ifit's real.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
It's real, you, you, you acknowledge that yeah you're
gonna have the ups, the downsand around.
Yeah, keep going.
I was just gonna say.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
I think that what comes back something that I'm so
grateful for him and ourrelationship is how we
communicate with each other.
There's nothing that's offlimits, there's no conversation
that can't be had, and it's alsothe acknowledgement with the
other person of being able tosay hold on.
I'm going to call the bluff onthis, Like let's chat through
that.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Right.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
Or like let's hash through that part of the
conversation.
Yeah, he's the best so.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
I'm so grateful.
So what?
When you decided to work forUniversity of Tennessee, the
alumni department, to see thealumni department, what was your
first thoughts of what youwanted to bring?
As an event coordinator, eventplanner, what did you want to
bring?
You know, because you werealready down at Florida.
(32:15):
You came back here and youalready did a totally different
job than the one you're in now.
So what was your vision?
Speaker 4 (32:23):
I don't know if I had one.
I don't know if, when I took myfirst job in the alumni office,
that I came in with like a veryclear.
This is what I bring to thetable.
Something that I think is likeconsistent in me is that I don't
feel like I've ever achievedenough, and I'm working on that
(32:44):
in therapy.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Look we all.
Therapy is good, therapy isgood.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
It stems from how I grew up and wanting to be the
best and never settling foranything less than being the
best, and I think that thatmindset of perfection got in the
way for me, a lot Of feelinglike I had to be perfect all the
time and everything that I did.
And if we want to get real deep, that whole perfection piece is
(33:10):
the coverup piece right Of like.
I wasn't allowed to be who Iactually am, so if I'm perfect,
then it shields the fact thatI'm a gay guy in Smyrna,
tennessee and I can build thispersona.
I can build this reputation.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
That is really not who I am Right, but it will make
people should be able to be whothey are and what they want to
be but it will make peoplequestion me less right However
many walls I can put up and begood at certain things.
Speaker 4 (33:39):
um, then less people will question who I actually am
Right.
And so when I came to UT, Ithink my mindset was just like
what can I pour into thisuniversity?
What?
What do I even bring to thetable?
I think a lot of it for me waslike I don't bring anything.
I'm not good enough to be here.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
I just felt very blessed.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Yeah, I didn't feel worthy to be there.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
Um, and then I started to realize, through time
and experiences and trials andfailures and success and success
, that there are so manydifferent things that I can
bring to the table when it comesto what we're, what we're
trying to accomplish.
And I I really challenged ourteam to think about like we can
(34:20):
rinse and repeat all day, Like Ican throw a tailgate day after
day after day and make it likelet's just go.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (34:26):
But what are we actually trying to accomplish?
What is the goal of this event?
Speaker 3 (34:33):
What is the moment?
Speaker 4 (34:34):
What are?
Speaker 3 (34:35):
we going to create that nobody else can create and
give everyone that comes to thattailgate a moment of no matter
what you've been going throughthrough the week or whatever.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
You had that two hour window Exactly.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Exactly, and I think that, jordan, you really put
your heart and soul in the event, because I know, for the short
amount of time that me andyou've been doing business,
you've even stepped up our gameinto creating even more.
You know, so I want you to knowthat, and everybody needs that
(35:14):
push of okay, let's createsomething totally different,
cause I can be thinking this wayand you can say well, you're
talking to that and I will go toa totally different way, and
you need that.
You know what I'm sayingBecause if you don't grow, you
know what I'm saying and you'rea creative person.
A creative person thrives ongrowth if you think about it.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
So at the University of Tennessee, what can you say
that you really wanted todevelop in your role?
Speaker 4 (35:48):
you really wanted to develop in your role.
I really felt like the.
It's funny that you use theword creative.
That's something that a lot ofmy team members say and I can
tell you for for fact that I wasnever called that uh prior to
being in this role.
Oh, I was about to say likenobody nobody ever called me
creative and I think what's sowild is that when I'm doing the
right thing, like right, whenI'm in the role that is the
(36:09):
right fit, right, then thatcreative side really starts to
flourish.
And I think what I feel mostproud of in events that we do it
on campus, whether they bemarquee events or athletic
events or anything is we are.
We are focused on theparticipant experience.
We're not thinking about likeum, I will say I often create
(36:32):
more work for myself, right,like let's let's just call it
like it is so I will think ofthings that I'm like is this
going to make my life moredifficult?
Yes, maybe, but how is theperson coming into the event
going to feel about it and Ithink that that is really what
I've brought to the experientialside of our events is thinking
about how that first ball gamefor that little kid that's two,
(36:57):
like I was that comes into thetailgate is going to feel about
his or her first time on Rockytop.
Or that alum who's been thereand a season ticket holder for
50 years, Like my grandpa was,and how are they going to feel
when they get to see this reallycool thing that we've created?
Speaker 3 (37:14):
And are they going to feel different, like it's not
the same old, same old.
You know what I'm saying.
I'll tell you this, viewers Um,the very first event that we
did with Jordan, he got ourinflatable dome and I'll never
forget having a conversationwith you and I said you got to
decorate it.
I said, jordan, decorate thisdome.
(37:35):
I said, make it look differentfrom everybody.
That's done this dome.
And, hands down, you did it.
And I'll never forget Adriancoming to me and in our mind was
he was going to decorate thisdome.
It was going to be orange andwhite and this is what we was
going to do.
And I'll never forget the dayAdrian coming to me and she goes
(37:56):
mom, I saw it.
Yeah, she was like I hope youhave some blue.
And I'm like what, what do youmean?
And she was like Jordan justput blue in there.
And I was like what?
And she was like, yep, hope yougot, I hope you got that
balloon.
But when I tell you, hands downand I am not saying this because
(38:17):
you're sitting in front of me,hands down, it was epic, that
putting in that one color tohonor, you know, pat, and the
legacy and everything, and justit was epic, it was so many
people.
Even to this day I meanliterally, I hope I can say this
(38:40):
publicly a college literallyreached out to me and said how
can I get?
And they literally said theysaw the dome from alumni.
So it wasn't all the otherdifferent domes, and keep in
mind, this dome has been onNeyland, okay, and you would
have thought that would havestuck.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
But the college said, no, the one you did for alumni.
And literally told me what mydome looked like and I was just
like Jordan did that, that typething.
And that's what speaks about you, jordan.
You don't do just the basics,or you're not a person that does
the bare minimums, or OK.
(39:24):
Well, this is a tailgate.
I'm tired and let's just dothis.
That's just not in your DNA,it's okay.
How can I?
Okay, georgia game was this way.
Alabama game is going to bethis way.
You know, it's never the samething, and I think that's the
reason why you've beensuccessful in your position and
(39:47):
your team.
I want you to know this.
They rave about you when you'renot around.
They really do, and they'llalways say I'll quote what
Chelsea's like he's always goingto create something.
You know that type thing, and Ijust even the energy of your
team.
You know it's like they're allabout getting it done and giving
(40:10):
each person experience, andwhat I love is that y'all are
together.
It's not, oh well, one personshining.
Y'all are truly a team.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
And let's talk about that.
Yeah, what is your team like?
How?
How does it make you feelputting it together with your
team?
Each a moment?
Speaker 4 (40:33):
yeah, you know, and it's funny, these I want to go
back really quick and talk aboutthe balloon dome too, because
go ahead.
I think that speaks to likewhat I have felt really special
with events is that it doesn'talways have to be something
drastic, like me stepping backand saying let's put Summit Blue
in.
There is minute, but what isthe impact?
(40:55):
Large, right.
So I think sometimes whenyou're looking at events, people
are like, oh my gosh, we haveto make this big, grandiose
thing.
And it's like, no, I mean we dowant to make it impactful, but
like can we make a small touchthat has a huge impact?
Speaker 3 (41:09):
That was like game changer.
And I think well, for once,smokey never wanted to get out
of the dome.
Smokey had a ball in the domeand I just think that it brought
a different energy and I thinkit just Truly honored.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
Pet Summit.
Speaker 4 (41:27):
It was a cool way to show a little nod, I mean you
know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
And just it made every other UT event.
Yours was separate, you know,and it was like this is alumni.
You know that type thing,because I'll never forget when
the college reached out to meand they flat out said we want
that look, and I was like wow.
And I remember texting youtelling you about it.
(41:54):
And I know that should make you.
I hope it made you feel goodthat another university wanted
your look.
Speaker 4 (42:01):
Yeah, I mean it does.
But I think that speaks to yournext topic of teamwork, and I
think that that's something thatI try really hard to be mindful
of in all situations.
Is that?
I mean, I think sometimes whenyou're in a leadership position,
it's difficult, right, Becauseyou're in the position where if
something flops, people arelooking at you, but if something
(42:23):
great happens, people may neversay anything or may never
realize right.
And I think one thing for ourteam that I try really hard to
be always cognizant of is makingsure that respect and
recognition is given where it isdeserved.
Speaker 3 (42:38):
Let me say this to the viewers Jordan.
I told Jordan I want him totake a picture in the dome.
Okay, jordan gave me what Iwanted.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Okay, because I knew the picture was going to be
awesome.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
But right after you took that picture, you literally
told Jenny, leslie and Chelseacome on, come on, come on, let's
take a picture together.
You didn't want that momentjust for yourself.
You brought everybody togetherand that picture.
You wouldn't believe how manypeople comment on that picture
and keep in mind y'all.
This has been months ago andthey still talk about that and
(43:14):
that stuck out to me because itwas like you know what I didn't
do all this by myself.
Let me bring the team together.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
Not even close.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
You know that type thing and that speaks volume
because we're in a world thatpeople want to shine, people
want to be the it.
You know they want to, you know.
And it speaks volume on howhumble you are, because it's
like I didn't put all this bymyself.
Speaker 4 (43:39):
Yeah, I mean, I think I've just realized through time
and experience and differentsupervisors right, supervisors
right, like just being being ledby different people that it
never really got me far to takecredit for everything, whether I
did it or not, you know.
So like there's there's timeswhere I would rather not nitpick
(44:00):
, you know Jordan did 60% ofthis or 20% of that.
It's just, it's collaborative.
I think, I think our team ingeneral is just a functionality
of like it's collaborative.
I think our team in general isjust a functionality of like we
know who is responsible for what, or what we call like the event
lead.
But we also know that withouteach heartbeat in that room,
that it would never havehappened.
And a prime example is likeyeah, the dome was a great idea
(44:22):
and I'm so glad that we did it,but Chelsea's the one that paid
for the dome, leslie's the onethat suggested where to put the
dome.
Like all of those thingswouldn't have happened without
each person's contribution.
So I think you know it's.
I think the true epitome of aleader is someone who is able to
recognize when they havesurrounded themselves with
(44:43):
people who are more talentedthan themselves.
Yes, I totally agree with that.
And I was going to say and Ithink the thing about that is is
that in our team, it's notwho's more talented than the
other, it's putting the rightpieces of the puzzle into the
right place.
One of our skill sets might notbe the same as someone else's.
So, recognizing what talent andskills and attributes one team
(45:05):
member brings to the table, Idon't need to replicate that.
They're already bringing thatto the table.
So what talents and skill setscan this person bring to the
table?
That take us to the next step.
Right?
So if each person is bringingtheir A game from their silo of
their personality or skilltraits to the table, then we've
got four A games across theboard, which makes us perform at
a high level.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
There you go, so you're at the University of
Tennessee and there, andUniversity of Tennessee is
thriving right now, yeah, andevery sport we're thriving, yeah
.
So here is a viewer question.
Okay, so when you're planning atailgate or you're planning an
event, where do you start?
(45:46):
This is a viewer question.
Oh goodness, where do I start?
Speaker 4 (45:48):
this is a pure question uh, goodness, where do
I start?
Um, I analyze.
The first thing I do is analyze.
I step back and think aboutwho's coming to this, who are we
inviting?
Um, what is the target?
Is it or what goal do we haveright?
Is it to get a certain amountof people in the door?
Is it to get a certain type ofpeople in the door, and what do
(46:09):
we want them to leave with?
What's the lasting thing thatwe need them to take with them
after they leave?
And then for me, it starts withbuilding out the event proposal
.
So I will start by pulling inall of the parties.
Just speak to your point.
I try always to remember tosend an email after every season
concludes and thank all of thepeople who never actually
(46:30):
stepped foot on ground.
It really does who?
never actually stepped foot at atailgate.
Speaker 3 (46:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (46:36):
But without them it would have never happened.
We're talking the people whobuild the emails, the people who
build the graphics, the peoplewho do the social media posts.
All of those people contributeto the whole process.
So my first thought is bringingall those people into a room,
sitting down around a table andlet's collaborate.
What can I do to make each oneof their jobs easier?
So if I'm going to my personwho's going to be sending out
(46:59):
tens of thousands of emailsthroughout the season, maybe
they have a suggestion about theway that we did that last year
that we could do in a differentway to make it more cohesive for
the next year, or the way thatwe collect registrations.
We could take this question off.
That might make that go easier,or whatever the case may be.
So I think not pretending likeI'm the expert at every
juncture- is the biggest key.
Like I'm going to rely on thosepeople's expertise to guide me
(47:21):
and how to make the event thebest it can be.
Speaker 3 (47:24):
Well, that's it, guys .
We're going to have a part twonext Friday.
Tune in, bye, guys.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
Thanks for listening to Talkin' Tennessee with Yvonca
.
Watch out for our weeklyepisodes from the First Family
of Real Estate and check us outon the web
wwwyvoncasalesrealestatecom.
See our videos on Yvonca'sYouTube channel or find us on
Facebook under Yvonca Landis andTwitter at Yvonca Landis, and
(47:55):
don't forget to tell a friendabout us.
Until next time.
Yvonca signing off.
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