April 2, 2025 • 62 mins
What does it really take to scale a roofing business beyond the daily grind? Brad Akers joins Ty Cobb-Backer for a refreshingly honest conversation about the entrepreneurial journey—not just the tactics and strategies, but the emotional and mental challenges that define success.
Brad shares his unexpected path from selling shingles at SRS Distribution to helping roofing companies reach eight figures, revealing how his desire to genuinely help contractors grow led him to digital marketing and eventually launching his own business. Rather than focusing solely on business metrics, this conversation dives deep into the psychological aspects of entrepreneurship that rarely get discussed in industry circles.
"Entrepreneurship's hard. It goes up and down," Brad explains, describing his biggest lesson as understanding these inevitable cycles and learning to manage emotions through them. Both men candidly discuss their struggles with being present at home after intense workdays, with Ty noting, "When daddy gets home, he sets the tone," highlighting the ripple effects our work stress can have on family life.
The discussion extends beyond business to explore the profound impact of mentorship, with Brad crediting his father's humility and service-oriented approach as foundational to his own leadership style. He also describes how working with mindfulness coaches has transformed his ability to navigate challenging business situations without falling into emotional reactivity.
Whether you're already running a successful contracting business or dreaming of starting your own, this episode offers something valuable—permission to struggle, wisdom for growing through challenges, and perspective on what truly matters in the entrepreneurial journey. As Brad reminds us, "Try to be kind to yourself... everyone's just figuring it out, whether they've been doing it for 10 years or 50 years."
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ty Cobb Backer (00:02):
and we are live.
Welcome back everybody tobehind the tool belt, episode
275.
I am your host, ty cup backer.
Thank you for joining us onthis wednesday edition.
Today we have another specialguest.
Stay tuned and we will be backafter our short intro from our
sponsors.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Welcome to Behind the Tool Belt where the stories are
(00:45):
bold, the conversations arereal and the insights come to
you live, raw and uncut.
Every week, host Ty Cobb-Backersits down with game changers,
trailblazers and industryleaders who aren't afraid to
tell it like it is no filters,no scripts, just the truth.
Please welcome your host ofBehind the Tool Belt.
Ty Cobb Backer (01:08):
Ty Cobb-Backer.
Welcome back everybody toBehind the Tool Belt.
Thank you for joining us onthis magnificent Wednesday.
Hopefully it's sunny and sunshining where you guys are at
today.
Again, thank you for joining us.
We have another phenomenal guest, brad Akers, and you know I'm
(01:29):
pretty excited about todaybecause, brad, this is your
first time on the show and Ialways get excited.
We did.
I did have the privilege ofmeeting you out in Minnesota at
Tim Brown's event.
I was, however, feeling alittle under the weather with
the travel arrangements.
My head was I don't even knowwhat it was doing from being
(01:50):
underwater on a plane and inMinnesota, with different time
change and everything going on.
But we did get to meet eachother and it was a spectacular
event.
Tim always does pretty badassstuff, yeah, so I'm excited to
have you on the show and, likewe were talking earlier, like
you know, this is a goodopportunity for us to to kind of
(02:14):
spread our knowledge, inspireother people and and just just
leave a good mark on on theindustry, you know, in general,
and us an opportunity for us toget to know each other better.
And you know, I know you bringtons of value, especially for
the roofing contractors tryingto systemize.
(02:34):
You know their processes andthings and it sounds like you're
involved with.
You know marketing and salesand a lot of the marketing that
you do I think we mimic some ofI don't know yet but we're going
to find out but it sounds likeyou're a lot into brand
awareness and referrals andthings like that.
(02:55):
So let's dive into how you wentfrom selling shingles at SRS to
helping roofing companies scaleto eight figures and what
sparked, like that shift fromdistribution to entrepreneurship
.
Brad Akers (03:12):
Yeah, yeah for sure.
So I started at SRS I meanabout nine years ago now and I
tripped my way into the roofingindustry completely random.
I worked for a custom homebuilder in the summers and
Christmas breaks in college justone that I knew here in Houston
(03:36):
and I really loved it.
I loved the project.
I was kind of like, basicallywhenever a project manager would
go on vacation I would come inand keep production going and so
I kind of would like jumparound to different subdivisions
.
It was a lot of fun days withlike 150, 200 phone calls to all
(04:00):
the trades and it was likeaction packed.
That was my first like forayinto construction, but the
housing market was kind of down.
As I was just leaving college,the owner of that home building
company said, brad, I mean Icould bring you in, but it
wouldn't be a role that I thinkyou'd be that interested in.
(04:21):
Um, and he was right.
It was like just an office job.
Like I had realized I don'twant to be in the office because
of that and so, to wrap thatpart up, ended up through a
friend at church gettinginterviews at different roofing
suppliers because he worked fora certainty.
(04:43):
Rep.
Mike Maltby, if you've beenaround the South in the roofing
industry Mike Maltby youprobably have met him, heard one
of his crazy stories.
But you or you might besurprised I met him at church
but ended up at SRS and I lovedit.
And as I was doing sales which Iwas manager in training, then
(05:07):
sales but as I was doing sales,I was very much thinking like
how can me baby faced kid comein and help these contractors
legitimately, like grow?
And I just thought, like well,they need to learn how this
(05:30):
works, like I can partner withsome of these other vendors,
like the financing companies orthe or the like the apps, or
there was one called likePantone, which was before
Roofhawk AI, like stuff likethat.
So I would basically really getclear on best practices with
(05:51):
those companies and then bringthose like resources to my
clients.
And one of the things Ieventually ended up doing was
learning how to do some of themarketing, like how to set up a
Facebook ad, and that became mylike pitch is hey, I'll set up
some Facebook ads for you.
If you can get some leads fromthem, just buy them from me and
(06:11):
give us a shot.
And that was essentially how Idid it.
After a while I, as a sales repfor a roofing company, of a lot
of windshield time.
That windshield time becamefilled with podcasts and
different things likeentrepreneurial books and stuff
and I just got the bug.
So I just could not stopthinking about what it was going
(06:34):
to be like when I started myown business and I actually
started my marketing agency andI partnered 50, 50 in a roofing
company at the same time Um oneof my clients and the roofing
company.
We did well.
The marketing company kind oftook off and I this wasn't oh
(06:57):
Brad like the marketing agencywas just doing so well and it
was.
Brad didn't know how to do twothings at once because he had
never been a business ownerbefore and the day to day of
running a marketing agency andrunning a roofing company are
vastly different.
So I just went all in on thething that I had 100% in and
(07:18):
that's how I kind of got to theB2B, like service provider side
of the roofing industry.
And I'll stop there.
I have more but we can.
I don't want to like monopolizetoo much.
Ty Cobb Backer (07:32):
No, that's good, that's good.
I've had guests come on theshow already and I ask them one
question and they fill the wholetime slot.
So it's okay, it really is, andnot because I'm a piss poor
host, but it's like they were onsuch a good roll and I know I
didn't want to like interruptand throw them off Not that I
didn't get to ask a few otherquestions or whatever or agree
(07:54):
with them, but no, so I canappreciate that.
So you were talking about yourfirst introductory into
entrepreneurship and stuff.
So what was the biggest lessonfor you?
I mean, obviously you're like,okay, brad, can't do two things
at one time because I'm new tothe entrepreneurial journey.
But outside of that part of it,what was the most valuable
(08:20):
lesson that you've learnedduring that time frame that you
may have applied to today?
Brad Akers (08:29):
Yeah, so it's a constant like.
It's a game of like mindfulness, I think, is what I've realized
.
Like, if you get to know me,you'll really go wow, brad's
kind of weird.
Like I'm very much, like I liketo think a lot.
At our wedding the priest whoknows me well said Brad's a bit
(08:50):
of a mystic and a lot of myfriends still make fun of me
today for it.
But the point is, like I reallydo, like I realized so much.
Like, if you cannot observe theway you're thinking and get
clear on how you're makingdecisions and also start looking
and watching the ebbs and flowsand getting a better
(09:12):
understanding of, like how weimpact those or even just how we
navigate those, you're going tostruggle.
I wish I had a much moretactical version of this answer,
but my real answer that I usetoday the best is
entrepreneurship's hard.
It goes up and down.
There's times where you're onan incline and you think, oh, I
(09:34):
wish I knew what I know nowbecause I'm doing so great.
But there's always going to bean inevitable drop and that
doesn't mean that you're goingto just be stuck.
Hopefully you're going to go upand then up, but you're always
going to be on like the righttrajectory.
But our emotions, I think, driveus a lot and there's been times
(09:57):
where I've been more of a slaveto my own emotions than other
times.
But I think the biggest lessonthat I started learning then,
that I'm still learning now, isunderstanding the ebbs and flows
.
Understanding how to show upconsistently either way, how to
(10:18):
make sure that I am controllingthe inputs as much as possible
and also how to make sure thatI'm not reacting to everything
in such a big way has been thebiggest progression.
But also like a lesson, I wouldsay I learned a lot when I had
those two things going and Ijust felt like it was all crazy
(10:41):
because I was very, like,volatile.
It was up and down, I was insuch a good mood and then the
next day like a client wouldleave or we wouldn't get a job,
and I would just be completelydown and like in this survival
(11:02):
mode, but like a self inflictedsurvival mode, but not really in
survival mode, just kind ofoperating that way, yeah no, I
can.
Ty Cobb Backer (11:11):
I can completely relate to everything that you
just said, and I think one of myvaluable lessons and you
touched on a little bit wasemotions, right, and it's so
hard to not allow short emotionsget in the way of our long term
goals.
Yeah, and that is probably oneof the biggest lessons that I've
(11:31):
learned and even other people'semotions, you know, I've
allowed other people's emotionsto dictate the trajectory of the
goal.
Right, and because of that,like it is taking us a lot
longer to get where we want togo, because and not I'm not
saying that like we don't takeother people's feelings into
consideration and things likethat, but if we know that this
(11:52):
is the right thing to do and itmight step on a couple of
people's toes, you know we needto forge ahead and that's you
know, we're not alwayseverybody's number one fan being
in a leadership or anentrepreneurial position.
You know we're not always goingto be the most liked person and
it's, like you know, heavy isthe head that wears the crown at
(12:12):
times.
But I think being resilientlike we were talking before the
show here remaining resilientand consistent, right, and
that's, you know, through thosepainful times is, unfortunately,
from my experience is where thereal growth happens.
Right, like I can choose tostay in bed, and you know, and
and let my head down, and youknow, and feel defeated and just
(12:35):
stay stuck.
You know, or I can, I cancontinuously do the work, even
though I don't feel like doingit.
You know, even though I don'twant to do it and even though I
feel like I like doing it, youknow, even though I don't want
to do it, and even though I feellike I'm doing it half ass,
right it's, it's in those halfass moments of of just doing it
and doing it and doing it untilit starts to feel better, until
I start to feel better and thenI start to see light at the end
(12:58):
of the tunnel, you know, andthen I feel better about it
because I at least continue tosuit up and show up every single
day and continue to just keeppushing back and keep punching
back, as as I'm taking thepunches right, I'm punching back
twice as hard and I feel likeI'm not really getting anywhere.
But I, you know, I feel betterbecause I, I did it and because
(13:20):
I continue to keep doing it, andthen I have the motivation to
keep going because I've made.
I turn, I stop, I turn aroundand I look back.
It's like, well, shit, I havebeen moving forward.
Brad Akers (13:29):
Yeah, even in those times I felt like baby steps and
like that's the thing, that.
That's okay, like as long asour emotions will send us
backwards a lot of the time.
But there's a set of inputsthat we all know.
Like we all know.
It's like when I someone saysthey have a lead problem, I'm
(13:51):
like no, you don't, you have apride problem.
You just don't want to knockdoors, that's okay.
I'm not.
I don't love knocking doorseither, and I'm not suggesting
that that even needs to be theroute that you go to grow your
business.
But stop living in fairy world.
Like stop, like stop.
Just misdiagnosing what theactual root of the issue is, and
(14:15):
what I found is there's a linethis is just neutral.
There's you're on a high,everything's great, and then
you're on a low.
I would say the thing that I'vedeveloped the most and gotten
better at and in becoming moreaware of is simply how can I
make sure that I don't stop, Idon't get too comfortable if I'm
(14:37):
on an incline, and how can Imake sure that I don't have to
go to what feels like a rockbottom moment before I snap out
of it and then take the actionto actually progress again,
because that's the cycle that Ihad been on for years.
Honestly, like you know I'm I'mlike six years into
(14:58):
entrepreneurship now.
I've been so blessed to be ableI've bought businesses and sold
businesses and merged like Ihave a lot of really cool little
accolades.
But there's been so manydreadful days and nights that
weren't necessary, that werereally because I just needed to
(15:19):
hit some low before I couldfinally snap out of it and just
do the work again.
And the work is the work, likeit doesn't change, it doesn't
care how you're feeling, and Ithink that's kind of part of
what you are saying is like, hey, you might be half-assing it,
but the work's the work.
Like a step forward is a stepforward.
(15:41):
Just because you're notsprinting doesn't mean that
you're not progressing and so itjust it.
It's been something I'mgrateful for.
I've worked with leadership andmindset coaches to help me with
that.
It's not like just some bradwisdom it's borrowed wisdom for
sure but it's been reallyimpactful for me and I think
(16:05):
that that's one of the things Ieven try to help my clients with
is like hey, what are theinputs, what are the things that
we can do?
Whether we're feeling great orfeeling bad, how can we ensure
that they're getting done, nomatter how we're feeling, cause
we're going to have ups anddowns, and that's one of the big
things that I like the way Iapproach things with them,
(16:26):
because I just think it's so keybecause it's hard Like it's,
we're in a small percentage ofpeople.
Ty Cobb Backer (16:34):
Isn't that the truth?
You know, and I'm my own worstcritic, and that's what I mean
when I feel like sometimes I'mjust half-assing this right,
it's and, and, and.
Honestly, you know, and I'm noteven saying this in an arrogant
way, but it's like sometimes myhalf-ass is still better, you
know, than than most people's.
You know 100% and I'm not.
Brad Akers (16:55):
You've been in the game longer.
Ty Cobb Backer (16:57):
Yeah, right, you know what I mean and and and.
Again, I wasn't saying thatarrogantly, and you know, but I
I will be so hard on myself attimes, you know, and I'll get
fixated on the 5% that might notbe going well.
95% of everything else is goingexactly the way it's supposed
(17:18):
to be going.
It may not be the way that Ithink it should be going, but
it's, you know, and really, atthe end of the day, what it
comes down to.
And we measure success.
A lot of people measure successso differently, right, you know
.
And today, in the older that Iget, it's like, you know,
success isn't just alwaysprofessionally, right, and what
I do at work, and the amount ofmoney, and blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah.
You know, a lot of people talkabout, you know, the it's.
(17:39):
It's not the, the amount ofmoney, it's the, it's the amount
of people that you've impacted,right, and that's that's cool
too, right, to say that kind ofthing.
And but where I've been, youknow, and in this whole
work-life balance thing, thateverybody, you know, that's
that's kind of catchy right nowtoo.
And I recently read a book.
It's called uh, shoot, the onething I've heard of that.
(18:01):
I haven't read it, but I'veheard of it.
It's good.
It's good.
And the one thing that I gotout of the book was is you know,
screw work-life balance.
Because anytime I'm trying tobalance something, you know, if
I'm at work, my home life issuffering, you know.
And if I'm spending too muchtime at home, then work is
suffering.
And basically the dude sums itup to like if you're at work,
(18:21):
work.
If you're at home, be at home.
If you're going to play, play,right.
You know.
Even if you're at home for fiveminutes, be there intentionally
for that five minutes, right.
But when you're at work, justwork.
Like, don't bring your yourissues or even the good things
to work, like, just be at workand work.
You know what I mean.
Instead of, like, focusing ontrying to find balance, because
(18:42):
ultimately, at the end of theday, you're going to drive
yourself crazy and theneverything's going to suffer.
And I'm not even perfect at this, by no means, and again, that's
kind of where I'm measuring mysuccess today is like, if I was
at work today, was I actually atwork?
If I have plans with my wifeand children tonight or
(19:04):
yesterday, did, was Iintentional with that time that
I was with or was I on my phonethe whole time, was I?
And I'm not saying there hasn'tbeen times where at the grocery
store, where I have to walkaway and have to take that call.
You know what I mean, and Ithink your significant other
also plays into a lot of yoursuccess too, and how tolerant
and patient they are.
Right, and thank God for Janetand how patient she is with me,
(19:28):
but like I've had to walk awayand come back because they don't
need to hear the drama orwhatever or the frustration, I
need to come back and I need tobounce back and be resilient and
be there, okay.
So it's like, okay, I took theone call, I'm done, phone in the
back pocket and be there, right, and I know it's just at the
grocery store, but we've hadsome of the best conversations
in line at the grocery store,right, I've watched my children
(19:52):
grow up in lines at grocerystores.
You know what I mean.
I've helped them pick out theirfavorite cereals.
I've helped pick out their thecoolest new hot wheels or what,
whatever you mean in those,those precious moments that that
um are so special to them.
You know I don't want to losethose little things and now I
got the the, the opportunity andpleasure of helping raise three
(20:14):
beautiful, wonderfulgrandchildren.
I have three children, I havethree grandchildren and where I
feel like I've screwed up withmy older my kids, you know I get
I get um a do over, I get ahall pass with my with my older
my kids you know I get I get aum, a do-over, I get a pass with
my, with my grandchildren youknow what I mean and I get to
spend, but I will beat the crapout of myself so much.
And, um, but yeah, you know,that's good.
Brad Akers (20:35):
So, getting off that topic, unless you want to, um,
unless you got something elseyou want to add the one thing is
you mentioned like you getfixated on the five percent when
the 95 is going well, yeah, thelike.
A way to sum up what I thinkyou just said is like be careful
, focusing too much on that fivepercent, because if you do, and
(20:58):
when you do, that 95 that wasgoing properly or well will
suffer as well.
And, like that, 95% mightinclude your family and your
home life, and I know I've hadto learn that, like I know I
struggle putting my phone down.
That is something I activelyhave to be aware of and work on
(21:20):
and if you watched me you wouldnot think, oh, brad's a great
example of someone that is veryperfectly present at home.
With that said, like knowingand kind of understanding
certain things like that, Ithink, is just it's so key.
Like, look, sometimes there'svalue in just looking at a
(21:44):
business as if it's just a setof zeros and ones and just
wanting to organize how we'regoing to do this.
It's just a math problem and insome ways it is, with that said
(22:06):
, how you show up what's goingon in your head, what's going on
at home.
It does matter and I think thework and the goal and experience
, the more of that we accumulate, the more effective we are at
integrating but also at hey,let's.
I expect work to be stressful.
I expect building a business tobe stressful.
(22:29):
It's going to be, there's noway it's not going to be.
There's going to be hard days.
If that's just the norm, thenhow can I make sure that I don't
bring that home?
And vice versa?
I expect I have anine-month-old.
It's my first, it's the best.
It's exhausting.
How can I not start my daylater because I was up in the
(22:53):
middle of the night with him?
That's a simple.
Well, obviously you just start,but before that you don't
necessarily.
Like you might.
Oh, I slept bad, but like nowthat this is the norm, like you,
we have to try to find a way tojust like, normalize, like,
standardize things as much aspossible, really, because like,
(23:17):
random inputs create randomoutcomes, like, and if you allow
yourself to be random, thenyou're rolling the dice yeah,
yeah, isn't that the truth?
Ty Cobb Backer (23:28):
you know, and and like there's changes in life
, you know and this is the thingthat I think we need to keep in
mind too that this, too, shallpass, and and this is only
temporary right even good stuff,good stuff, it's only temporary
right, and if we're goingthrough something bad, we got to
keep in mind, or if there'ssome kind of change right, it
doesn't even have to be good orbad change, right.
(23:49):
And, of course, having a babyis magnificent.
It's like one of the greatestgifts that we, as parents, could
ever receive, right, andthere's a lot of change that
comes with that.
When we were so used to self.
Now, now there's something thatis dependent upon us, whether
(24:10):
it's a dog or a child orwhatever the case might be.
Right Now, it's just not aboutus or our significant other.
Now we have, you know, a humanbeing, a person that is reliant
upon us to take care of them,and that that can definitely
change your world upside down,especially if you're a business
(24:31):
owner, because I think a lot ofpeople get into business
thinking like, yeah, I'm goingto have all this time, you know,
on my hands and I'm going to beable to do this and go on these
lavishing vacations and allthese vehicles and all these
things, right?
And that's not the case.
That's not the case at all, youknow.
You know you're trying to raisea family and we talked about
(24:52):
the ebbs and flows and thedifferent seasons and and things
like that and making sure thateverything and everyone is taken
care of.
And then you throw, you know, achild in the mix, right?
And?
And making sure that everythingand everyone is taken care of.
And then you throw, you know, achild in the mix, right, and
making sure that you're beingthe best dad that you can
possibly be, you know?
And again, getting back to beingmy own worst critic, it's like
I feel like I'm failing.
You know, not today, but I'mjust saying there are a lot of
(25:15):
times that I have felt where I'mfailing and stuff.
But you know it's not easy.
It's not even easy going to ajob every day and raising a
family like this.
This really could apply toanybody that is just trying to
be the best parent or bestcoworker or employee.
You know it's not easy, and Ithink this is where a lot of us
(25:36):
have to have, or have probablygot or gained, a lot of our
empathy, you know, for thosethat are around us, especially
because, if you wouldn't havetold me, I wouldn't have known
that you didn't sleep very welllast night, because you were up
all night with a baby, a baby twell, last night I actually did
fine, but right, right, but Ithink that's where we need to be
a little more moreunderstanding too, because you
(25:58):
know, people go through thingsall the time.
You know that we have no ideawhat they're going through.
We have no idea if they sleptor they didn't sleep or or why
they're not performing.
You know and and you knowespecially as an entrepreneur
it's like we have the weight ofthe world on our shoulders and
our families, and I think wetend to when we get home.
I'm going to switch gears here,maybe a little bit, but, like I
(26:22):
know, I have been guilty of thefamily and we talk about this a
lot and I talk about it a lot.
So it stays on the forefront ofmy mind to make sure that, when
I get home, that my familyisn't getting the fumes Right
(26:43):
when I've just like, poured intoeverybody and inspired
everybody and, you know, gotshit done, and then I get home
it's like I don't want to bemessed with, I don't want to
deal with it I can't handle it.
There's dinner, dinner's notready.
Why are they crying?
Why is their shoes all over theplace?
Because Chris Baker used to sayyou know, when daddy gets home
he sets the tone.
And that is so true.
I literally sit out in theparking lot in the driveway of
my house and I clear out myinbox.
I tried.
(27:03):
It Is there.
Was there an email that youknow I forgot to reply back to?
And sometimes I'll sit out therefor a good 30 minutes.
I'll have the music on or mypodcast or whatever it is, and
I'll clean up my inbox, respondback to messages.
Sometimes I'll choose like,okay, that needs to wait till
tomorrow morning.
And then when I do go in thehouse you know I'm a little bit
(27:27):
better fit to go into the houseand be present.
You know when I'm there andanybody can use that.
You don't have to be anentrepreneur, you can work for
somebody else.
You know, be in a managementposition or whatever, it doesn't
even matter what you're doing.
But it just when daddy getshome he sets the tone.
And keep that in mind, becauseI've ruined my family's night
(27:47):
all night just because of beinga bear and quite honestly, I was
kind of a bear last night, likemy son, rocket wanted to hang
out with me and he did.
Thank God he knows me wellenough and maybe he didn't
notice and maybe again here I'm,I'm picking on myself again,
you know, and and we, we, wekind of he got into golf this
year or last year and I had tostop golfing for my family, and
(28:12):
now I get to golf again becauseof my family, because Rocket
caught the bug, and now he'skicking my ass all over the golf
course, um, so I'm kind ofenvious of that.
But so last night he's hittingballs and stuff.
We kind of built this simulatortype thing and the balls and
I'm kind of working out and youknow, and not that I was kind of
giving him the cold shoulder,but I, I really just needed to
(28:34):
to let go before I could kind oflike open up, like I just I get
guarded, I get, you know, don't?
I don't really want to betalked to, um, but he hung
around long enough, you know,until I kind of like okay, I'm
at home, I need to unwind, I, I,I started lifting heavy weights
a couple years ago and, um, andnow do some cardio and I love
(28:56):
walking on a treadmill becausethat's where I'll listen to my
books on the treadmill and stufflike that.
And I didn't even turn it on.
I started because I can seerocket.
I got the garage door open andwe built this net thing with the
, with the, the um sky tracks orwhatever.
And I started communicatingwith him because I could see
like he was looking at me out ofthe corner of my eye, like, did
(29:17):
you see that shot?
Did you?
Did you see how well I'mhitting it?
And it was finally I kind ofjust, you know, it was like I
was like dude, I, I know I'mdoing it, why am I doing this?
And again, I don't know if henoticed it and I'm kind of going
off on a tangent here a littlebit, but I guess my point is is
that I'm, I'm not, I am far frombeing perfect and perfecting
thing and shutting things offbefore I go in the driveway.
(29:39):
And you know I really try mydamnedest and I think half the
battle is just being aware,being aware of what I was doing,
who, what.
You know what, what I'mcreating here.
You know the wedge that I'mputting between me and my family
because of work that's going tobe there tomorrow.
You know, and the thing thatI've discovered too, is that
every single email that I get inmy inbox is somebody else's
(30:00):
problem.
Yeah, do you know what I meanit's like?
Why am I like I just I don'tknow why.
How has your problem become myproblem?
You know what I mean it's likeand why am I taking myself so
damn serious?
You know, at these times whereit's like I need to just be home
and I tend to forget to likeI'm doing this for them at the
(30:22):
end of the day, like I'm doingthis for my family, and it's
like here it's.
It's removed me from my family,even when I'm with my family,
and I don't know.
I kind of went off on a tangentthere a little bit and just
what.
I'm at and what I did guilty oflast night being a dick.
Brad Akers (30:37):
I love that I, so I think it's a great one of.
There's a guy named JoseBolaños who I've been working
one-on-one with.
He's a leadership and likepresence-based coach, which is
something that maybe other likelike coaches, coaches will know
(30:58):
of, like that are, but notsomething that like just someone
who's a random everydayentrepreneur might know.
But he's like formally trainedwork with billionaires, worked
with all kinds of cool people,and I have the opportunity to
get to work with him, and one ofthe things he reminds me of
it's like hey, this isn'tsomething to be solved, that's
(31:19):
something to be managed, becausesolved would insinuate that
there's a destination, andthere's no day, ty, where I
expect that you're going to beperfect or settled in this
perfect, immaculate work-lifebalance or work-life integration
or whatever we want to call it.
It's more something to be awareof and manage it and try to
(31:42):
like improve the way that we'remanaging it.
And then, I think, goes for theebbs and flows that I even that
we started this with.
It's like it's all the same,like I think one of the secrets
or not so secrets is stay in thegame.
There's no like, there's nodestination.
(32:09):
The moment you hit 100 million,you're going to want 150
million.
The moment you hit 150 millionyou're going to try to sell.
Then, when you try to sell,you're not going to be happy
with the first number.
And then you're going to get toa number and you're going to
sell.
And then you're going to bepissed that you had to do a
consult back.
And then, when you're doing theconsult back, you're going to
have your new thing and thenthat new thing's going to start
the whole cycle again, like it's.
It never stops and if we try tosolve everything as if there's
(32:34):
some end point or destination,then it doesn't.
There's so much pain, I wouldsay, in that there's a lot of
unnecessary suffering, thinkingwhat's my problem for being in
this low again?
What's my problem for not beingpresent at home?
(32:54):
Instead, it's okay, I'm notpresent.
How can I get present?
And, kind of, how can I bringmyself back to center rather
than, oh, I'm further away fromthe destination than I thought?
Because, like a very dangerousthing.
The reason I think that thehighs, when you said like this
(33:15):
too shall pass, goes for thegood things too.
Goes for the good things too.
The reason that the highs are aproblem is because you think
you've arrived at a destination,which would point to the fact
that work to be done still, orthat you don't need to keep
doing the work that got youthere, which is a farce.
So I think that's like where alot of us go wrong, but also
(33:38):
like where there's probably moresuffering than necessary
because we think that we'rewe're solving for the wrong
thing, like yeah, yeah isn'tthat the truth?
Ty Cobb Backer (33:51):
isn't that the truth?
Well, you know, I love how yousaid that life, life in general,
is not.
There is no destination.
It's a journey that we, thatwe're on you, and it's got to
start somewhere.
Some, some, some trails aregood trails and some roads are,
are are bad, bad roads to travel, you know, and it's through
those moments and those ebbs andflows where we really, you know
(34:14):
, I think somebody said, I thinkDavid Carroll posted something
a couple of weeks ago it's not,it's not about the journey, you
know, or the goal, it's, it'sabout who you become, you know,
trying to reach your goal.
Yeah.
And it is so true, especially ifyou're self-aware and and and
if you're in the personaldevelopment and and things like
that which I feel like a lot ofus are nowadays, cause it's you
(34:36):
know we talk a lot about.
You know personal developmentand things like that, and it all
really starts in here, right,like you know, whether we're an
entrepreneur or whatever, or athought leader, you know we have
to work on ourself first andforemost, and you talked about,
you know, getting enough rest,and you know and that's some of
it, you know, making sure thatyou're getting enough rest, and
(34:58):
some days you're not, and thething I've learned about rest is
you never get caught up on it.
You know, but I need to knowmyself.
I need to know how much rest Ineed in order to function at a
high capacity, right, that Ineed to eat better.
You know I need to exercise andneed to take care of myself,
and it kind of sounds a littleselfish, but if I'm not taking
care of myself, I can't takecare of anything else, you know,
(35:22):
let alone.
You know, daily, day-to-daytask at work or when things come
up, um, so, speaking of whichlike so, how, how do you handle?
You know, uh, you know pressureand stuff like what is like
stress, you know.
Brad Akers (35:34):
Yeah, so honestly, like the big the thing that I
usually when I'm in those lowsthat I mentioned and sometimes
and I still will probably havewhat feels like a rock bottom
(35:55):
moment in the future.
I'm sure what feels like a rockbottom moment in the future,
I'm sure.
But the point is like,generally I get to the point of
trying to control everything towhere I realize I can't control
anything and then I just likegive it just everywhere else and
(36:33):
bring me back to center and tobeing present, and it's really
just the Bible is relativelyexplicit about hey, bring your
anxieties to me and bring yourstress to me.
My, my yoke is light those likethe Bible encourages us to
(36:53):
think that way.
Don't trust in your own ways,like Philippians says something
like, says something like.
But the point that I'm makingis simply I need to ground
myself there and in those truthsand the words.
And the word because, like whenyou do, you learn how to listen
(37:13):
rather than just ask.
Because when you're in thatstate, when you're freaking out,
when you're stressed, you don'tknow what to ask.
You're not good at askingquestions.
When you're in that state, whenyou're freaking out, when
you're stressed, you don't knowwhat to ask.
You're not good at askingquestions when you're at like,
when you're panicked, whenyou're like fight or flight is
going off, and learning just tolisten rather than ask in those
(37:37):
moments in prayer for me hasbeen that's been like the only
way and that allows me to be aleader in my home in that regard
, that allows me to serve mywife like, rather than just
expect to have dinner, like allthese things.
(37:57):
I want to make sure that I'mgiving and when I am able to,
just that's what it always says.
Like in those moments I hear bestill and I hear give, like
give, don't take.
A version of that which is stopworrying about like, stop
(38:22):
worrying like, just give.
Whether it can be a milliondifferent versions of giving,
there's a lot but like, don't besomeone that just takes in the
conversations.
Try to make sure that when youinteract with people or when
you're working with someone oryour team or your clients or
prospects or just anyone, howcan you give or uplift in that
(38:43):
interaction rather than take?
And that generally brings meback to center pretty well.
Ty Cobb Backer (38:51):
Right on.
No great answer, great answer.
And don't ever be afraid totalk about God.
Um, you know I we've we'vetalked about it.
You know numerous times on this.
You know, and, and many peoplehave different interpretations
of it, and that's okay too.
But I, I too, you know seekstrength.
You know through that.
(39:12):
So, speaking on which, like, sowho have who have been like
some of your biggest mentors,and and and or you know where do
you get your inspiration from?
You know what I mean.
Like, are you outside of theBible?
Like, do you follow CraigGrishel, john Maxwell?
Like, you know who who has been?
You know cause, I know for me,I've had mentors, but they don't
(39:34):
know that they're my mentors.
You know, like, so is thereanybody that that has really
been very impactful on thisjourney for you?
Brad Akers (39:43):
Yeah, so I already mentioned Jose Jose has been
incredibly impactful.
Jose Bolaños, he I stoppeddrinking because of, like, as I
was working with him and itwasn't like there wasn't.
It was in the same light ofavoiding a rock bottom moment
(40:04):
rather than waiting for one.
So, similar to that, um, I andI don't think everyone needs to
do that, but I did I um havelearned just to think and kind
of learned different vocab as aresult of working with him and I
look up to him so much likehe's become such a close friend.
(40:25):
Um, and I would say he's beenincredibly impactful.
My dad is, I mean, I might I'mgoing to try not to get
emotional, but my dad is justone of the best human beings I
could even like imagine.
He had a hard childhood.
I didn't like he didn't bringit with him and as I've gotten
(40:52):
older, I've been able torecognize and see and look back
on, like, the battles that hewas fighting, that I had no idea
he was fighting and the factthat he was able to like
insulate me from that is justsomething like I'm incredibly
grateful for.
And he's just, he serves.
He serves almost anyone heinteracts with.
(41:16):
Uh, he's a lawyer whichsometimes like people are like
oh, a lawyer, you know, meet mydad.
You won't, you won't think ofhim like you think of all the
other lawyers, and he also like.
As I've become older, I've hadan opportunity to like go to a
few events and meet other peoplethat are more peers with my dad
(41:39):
and I find out stuff about himlike that he donated this, or
that he is on the board here, orthat he changed this person's
life by like meeting with himonce a week and I some like, and
my dad just didn't talk aboutit, and I some like and he my
(42:03):
dad just didn't talk about it,and that level of humility is
just like amazing.
And he's also just going backto like he's such a strong
christian like he like he's, helives out loud in that regard
and like unashamed and he's beenable to do very well in life
and that's like it's just beenso inspiring.
(42:24):
Um, and then john brose I wouldsay would be within the industry
.
I mean, he's just I, he's thebest.
I love john.
He's so fun like and he's a lotof what I even work with my
clients on are results of likemultiple hour long conversations
with John, like on a Saturdaymorning, just like talking
(42:48):
through strategy.
We have a business idea everyother conversation that we have
and have to tame ourselves.
But I just think he's he'struly just a good person and
he's been able to reach somegreat levels of success as well.
And I've had an inside lookbecause I've had the opportunity
(43:11):
to work with MHI when that waswhat they were running and I
worked with them on theirmarketing and their strategy and
I helped some of the initiallike setup and branding and
stuff with ugly roofs and thatwas in that.
I had the chance to like reallyget to know John.
(43:32):
That's been just that's beenreally cool.
So those would be like thethree main ones that like come
to mind.
Alex Hermosi I love his content, I love his podcasts.
If you are a client and youlisten to Alex Hermosi, you'll
(43:55):
realize a lot of like what we docomes from principles that he
teaches.
Um, not I'm not stealing it orcopying anything or claiming
anything as my own Um, butyou'll hear me reference him a
lot because I think he's wisebeyond his years.
Um, so those would be some ofthe big ones.
(44:16):
What about you?
I, I want to.
I want to hear your answer.
Ty Cobb Backer (44:20):
Oh, wow.
So, man, that's a that's agreat question.
So, yeah, no, I agree with you.
Alex Ramosi has magnificentcontent.
John Broche is an amazing humanbeing and I too, my father, has
been a huge impact and influenceum on on my life as as well.
(44:43):
And then I guess I'll startwith my dad.
Um, you know, cause I was goingto ask you the question like
what was your biggest lesson, orsomething that is you know that
your father has had on you.
But, um, we I'll ask you thatlater Um, my dad, my mom and dad
have been my biggestcheerleaders, I mean from from
(45:04):
day one, obviously, right, butmy mom, my mom and dad, my mom
had has passed Um and and youknow, has probably had a bigger
impact on me since she's beengone.
I know that might sound a littleweird, but one of the ways that
I grieved with that, after shehad passed, we had the
opportunity of taking care ofher.
(45:25):
My wife actually took care ofher mostly Up until she passed.
She passed away in our houseand I've mentioned this a couple
of times on the show, but shewas very involved with the
community, I mean like full-time10X like she was.
She helped start the DAREprogram at our, at our
elementary school she was in thechamber of Congress.
(45:47):
She Lions Club, santa'sBreakfast, summer Jubilees, red
Hat Ladies, scarlet Ladies, andI'm mentioning these, these
organizations, because the partthat she played in these
organizations was the charitableside of things and I can't even
list the, the.
I mean they.
They built, they put a uh, nine, 11, uh memorial up in honor of
(46:10):
my mom.
Like this is how impactful mymom is and, of course, as a
child growing up and she'sdragging us all over the place
doing these things, it's kind oflike dude, what the heck?
Um, but um, um, you know, and Ididn't realize what she was
about or what she was doing, Ijust knew I just, you know, some
of the stuff was kind of likeyou know, kids on saturday
mornings don't want to be, youknow, feeding people and and
(46:33):
stuff like that, but I get itnow.
But one of the ways that I Ihad mourned that was is, uh, I
went straight to work to thehearse came, picked her up, I
went to work and we reallystarted to dive in the community
.
At that point in time I waslike, all right, now I got some
big shoes to fill here and andyou know, of course we talk a
lot about legacy and you know soI've tried to carry that torch.
(46:57):
You know we do.
There's things that I forgetabout that we've done and do and
still continuously do annually.
But our most current one was uh, uh, roofers and recovery, golf
outing and raised I don't know,like 17 to 20 000 dollars, yeah
, in a matter of like four hours.
Um, at that golf outing.
This was this past September,october, november, something
(47:20):
like that this past year.
But we do all kinds of thingslike that.
So my mom has had a huge impacton me for that reason.
My father I can't forget aboutmy dad because obviously they're
co-pilots, right, so if he wasthere, she was there or
something.
And you want to talk abouthumility.
There are so many things thatmy dad probably didn't get
credit for as a kid that allowedmy mom to be in that position
(47:43):
to be able to take care of otherpeople as my mom did, right,
and being an older adult today,I understand the behind the
scenes things that have to takeplace in order for people to
have an impact on other people'slives and stuff, and my dad
also was involved with a lot ofthose things.
But the tenacity and resiliency, because my dad too, and mom
(48:08):
and dad both were entrepreneurs,very successful entrepreneurs
in the hospitality industry.
Okay, my dad is a greatcarpenter but was a mechanical
engineer by trade, and so my dadworked full time but also owned
a bar, a restaurant, a cateringbusiness and a whole other list
(48:29):
of other businesses.
So I, too, have gotten thatentrepreneurial bug from my
parents.
So they, first and foremost,would be the biggest influences
of where and why I am, you know,in that second chance that my
dad had given me 20 plus yearsago.
Um, you know, because I, youknow my my childhood.
(48:51):
I was just kind of on fire, butnot in a good way.
(49:14):
Yeah, no, me too, have.
But I, I, I do it because I'llnever forget.
Um, yeah, I had an old van thatbroke down and, um, like two,
three hours away from home I'llshare the story and I couldn't
even drive.
I had to have, I had to pay aguy to drive me and I'm, I'm,
I'm a mechanic, not an automechanic, but you know, roofing,
(49:35):
siding.
I came from the production sideof things and and we were
building this deck.
I just got out of jail and, uh,had this piece of crap 1980
E350 van that no heat, no airconditioning, no nothing.
This thing was on its last legand um, uh, we, I had to.
(49:55):
I tore off a slate roof anddidn't, couldn't afford a dump
trailer or anything.
I tore off a slate roof andcouldn't afford a dump trailer
or anything, and so I wasloading the slate into the empty
bed of this van.
Long story short, we're going upa hill and the tranny went out
like literally midway up thishill, and Jesse driving the van
just as crazy as I am, or else Idon't know why he'd have been
(50:17):
there with a freaking drunk likeme.
But I'm a good salesperson.
Convincing was a good idea tocome work for me and drive my
ass around.
So, anyhow, those of you thatknow Jesse God bless him.
He's no longer with us, butworked for us for a long, long
time.
Anyhow, he got us off andliterally like when the van,
(50:37):
when an older vehicle shuts down, you lose steering, you lose
brakes, you lose everything.
So Jesse got us in this churchparking lot and like, literally
like inches away from, likehitting this church, like we
coasted and like, for whateverreason, the brakes weren't
working, the steering locked up.
We couldn't get it restartedagain.
So, long story short, we gothome and when I got back my dad
(51:01):
had went and bought me a van.
It wasn't a new van, it was anew, used new to me, um E three,
50 van, you know, and I did notdeserve it.
Yeah.
But at that point in time hemust've saw something different
in me.
That point in time he must havesaw something different in me.
(51:23):
And I regret getting rid ofthat van.
And I still got a sign.
There was a little sign thatI'd found on a job site.
It says beware dog.
And I still have that sign andI put it in the back of the, in
the back of the window, just,you know, for like an alarm
system type of thing.
But I really felt like it wasvery relevant to the way my
lifestyle was prior to cleaningmy act up.
(51:45):
Is that just beware of the dog,because scratch the surface at
any given time he could veer itsugly head.
And it's just a reminderbecause it was broken and dry,
rotted plastic, almost like afor sale or for rent sign but it
said where dog?
Yeah it was red, white and blacksigns and um, but he gave me
(52:06):
that second chance and and Ibelieve in second chances more
than anything, more than anybodythat you probably ever met and
sometimes second, third, fourth,fifth, sixth chances I'll give
people because I have been givenso many chances over the years.
I mean, I know that I'm onborrowed time and that's one of
my other motivational,motivational pieces to to why
(52:31):
and how I operate is is becauseI'm on borrowed time.
It's like you know how you getthose annoying extended warranty
, insurance things on.
Well, I've been given anextended warranty.
Yeah, you know, I picked thephone up when I, when I got the
call, I answered and I accepted,you know, the extended warranty
and it's like so I have it.
(52:52):
I have a choice.
Do I do nothing with it?
Right, do nothing with it right?
This, this, this borrowed timethat I'm on, or do?
Do I accept the challenge andknow that I've been still placed
here for a reason to to have ita positive impact on people's
lives, you know, and takeadvantage of that and and or
(53:14):
waste it.
Do I waste it, take advantageof it in a negative way?
So my dad, I guess to kind ofcircle back because I could keep
talking about that has played ahuge role in how I conduct
business today.
He's still alive, he's stillwith us, he's kicking.
He's 78 years old and he's likethe most hardest working,
(53:36):
intelligent person that I knowtoday.
Okay, so, immediate familyfamily, that would be my dad.
Um, over the years I followed,uh, john maxwell oh yeah, a lot
um ed mylett you know, and thatthings are happening for us, not
to us that says, go one more,yeah, one more, yeah, one more.
(53:57):
Right, just more.
And I live that way, I, we live.
Just one more, um here, um.
So again, these are mentors.
John Maxwell doesn't know he'smy mentor, um, I'm sure there's
thousands, probably a millionpeople that John mentors that he
doesn't even know, and samewith same with, uh, ed Milet, um
(54:20):
, but I, I follow a lot of theircontent.
There's probably not a weekthat doesn't go by that I don't
listen or read.
I have a daily devotional bookby John Maxwell on my desk.
I read it every day, um, andapply it to to my life.
Somehow some way shape or formpersonal or professional life.
Every single day.
They have been.
And now it's funny that youbrought up Alex Ramosi.
(54:41):
I follow Layla, I think, hiswife.
Yeah, she's fantastic, she isamazing.
I listen to her every day onthe way to work.
I love her content.
I love that it's not long anddraw it out for an hour like our
podcast is.
But I like it that it's like 12,23 minutes so I can listen to
most of it on the way to work,then listen to the rest of it.
(55:03):
But it seems like she's alwayswhere I'm at, at least with her
content, that I, where I can,I'm struggling with something at
work or even at home, and thatyou just seems like she.
I don't know what it is rightnow Cause I've gone through, you
know, different, not ebbs andflows, but where I'll follow.
Craig Rochelle love CraigRochelle, his content about
(55:25):
leadership and, again, this isall about personal development
stuff.
So I'm listening to what I'mtrying to work on.
I'm trying to be a betterparent, I'm trying to be a
better leader, I'm trying to bea bigger pillar.
So I'm listening tonon-industry related people
coaches, coach Wooden I love hisstuff.
He's got the pyramid of success.
(55:48):
If you're in a leadershipposition, I highly recommend
listening.
And he's a basketball coach, um, preachers, pastors and and
sports coaches is, you know, the, the.
What I follow outside our,outside of our industry, as far
as and I'm trying to be, youknow, um, uh, an industry.
(56:09):
Now I don't even want to sayI'm trying to be an industry
leader, but I'm just trying tohave an impact.
I want to.
I want to because of this.
I want to to to leave it betterthan it was, the way that we
found it, if that makes sense,our industry.
Brad Akers (56:26):
I think your podcast name behind the tool belt is
very descriptive.
It's like, hey, let's talkabout the real stuff, let's talk
about what actually goes intorunning a roofing business, not
just tactics, strategies, likelet's broaden it up a little bit
.
So yeah, for sure.
Ty Cobb Backer (56:45):
And that's what.
Brad Akers (56:45):
I wanted to commend you because I think you're at,
you're doing it.
Ty Cobb Backer (56:49):
Well, thank you, thank you so much.
And I never want to be thatself-proclaimed thought leader.
You know what I mean.
I, I'd rather have you tell methat, and you know you're
screaming that from the rooftops.
You know cause?
I, honestly, I, if you onlyknew who I am.
I still kind of live that waytoo.
You know, I'm just veryself-conscious.
You know, if you only knew who Iwas you may not want me on your
(57:11):
podcast you know, um, but I'vealso learned that that's very
inspiring to other people, like,if he can do it, I can do it,
you know, and that's that'sreally truly what this is about
If I, if I can do this, you cando this too.
Um, without a PhD, the, youknow, and and uh, the roofing
industry.
I've stumbled across the two.
You know what I mean.
(57:32):
It found me, really did itfound me when I was in the
lowest, the lowest place in mylife, and uh, you know, and I've
been very mechanically inclined.
I've been gifted God gifted methat way to be good with my
hands, to be good with people,and I've become a builder.
You know, I'm a builder ofteams, I'm a builder of people,
I'm a builder of companies, andand uh, I just like to build
(57:56):
stuff, you know, and and uh, andagain, I don't want to, I don't
want to waste that.
I want, I don't want to wastemy talent, you know, I want it
to apply because I've I've.
You know, I've always was toldin school, if he could just
apply himself, yeah, he'd besuch a great student, you know,
(58:26):
and I just I just wasn't a verygood applier, you know, I'd get
bored, I'd ants my pants, whichis known today as HHDAD or
whatever the hell.
It is ADHD.
What is it ADHD?
Adhd, yeah, so I guess backthen I was just hyperactive.
You know it's what they chalkedit up to, even though I didn't
have to take anything for it.
But I've learned how to usethat to my advantage too.
You know, being very high,strong and very neurotic, I'm
grateful to be a.
You know, to suffer fromneurosis, I, I, I wouldn't be
(58:49):
who I am or where we're at todayif I wasn't a sped.
You know, and, and, uh, I'velearned to to.
You know, capitalize on on, youknow, I don't even want to call
them shortcomings.
Brad Akers (59:03):
They're-.
Ty Cobb Backer (59:04):
Towering strengths.
Yeah, they're my assets and Idon't let them hold me back.
I use them and I've learned howto do that kind of stuff.
So, hey, buddy, so yeah, whattime is it?
Shit, we're at our hour markhere.
Ok, before we wrap this thingup here, man, you know you, you
(59:28):
gave us a bunch of gold here andthank you so much for for
sharing your insight with ouraudience and anybody that's
listening out there, who whowants to learn more about you
know built right, contractor,you know program.
We're going to post your, yourlink in the, the comment section
and stuff like that.
I'm sorry we didn't really getinto exactly what.
(59:50):
I enjoyed this.
This was fun.
You know that, what you do, butwe will.
We will put your, your contactinformation in the links and
stuff like that, and you knowanybody out there that could get
something from this.
Please share this with yourcrew.
We appreciate it.
And, brad, is there anythingthat you want to leave us with
(01:00:12):
before we sign off here?
Brad Akers (01:00:14):
I think just the one thing I will say is try to be
kind to yourself.
Know that there's alwaysanother day and, as you're
navigating entrepreneurship,know that everyone's just
figuring it out, whether they'vebeen doing it for 10 years or
(01:00:35):
50 years.
Part of it is just whoever'sable to stay in that state of
figuring it out the longest isthe one who is able to evolve
and do things that maybe youhope to one day do.
So just be kind to yourself anddon't take it all too seriously
.
It can be fun if you decide itis.
Ty Cobb Backer (01:00:57):
Absolutely, absolutely.
That's what we're, that we'rehere to be joyful people.
I honestly believe that's whywe've been put on this, this
planet, right Not to bemiserable, you know, especially
those of us that have been givena second chance, right.
Not to take ourselves so dangserious.
So, but anyhow, thank you somuch.
We'll have to reconnect afterthis at some point in time.
(01:01:19):
Let's carve out some time andconnect.
I really want to hear more aboutwhat you're doing.
You know what I mean Becauseyou're involved with so much,
and I honestly believe that Ipersonally could probably hear a
lot about what it is thatyou're doing and see how you
might be able to help me outpersonally and professionally.
So thank you for what it isthat you do for our industry.
(01:01:43):
You are also another, you know,one of one of a few
trailblazers that are leavingour industry in a better place
than it was when you found itand and the impact that you're
having on contractors across thecountry.
So thank you, thank you for forthat.
Thank you, yeah, and if anybodyout there you know got anything
(01:02:05):
out of this, please share itwith whoever.
And if you haven't liked, lovedor subscribe, please check us
out on our YouTube channel.
I think we got.
We don't have very manysubscribers yet.
We're kind of late to the showwhen it comes to that.
I think we started a YouTubechannel about a year ago, but we
are allowed to stream live soyou can catch us on our live
(01:02:25):
streams and obviously the replaywill be on that and, of course,
social media Facebook, ig,spotify, apple play, google play
, all that stuff.
So if you're just now tuning in, please check us out on the
replay, cause Brad definitelydropped some gold and 7 o'clock
tonight it will be reposted onFacebook.
(01:02:48):
So until then, stay safe andtake care of each other and
thank you for joining us.
Thank you.
and we are live.
Welcome back everybody tobehind the tool belt, episode
275.
I am your host, ty cup backer.
Thank you for joining us onthis wednesday edition.
Today we have another specialguest.
Stay tuned and we will be backafter our short intro from our
sponsors.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Welcome to Behind the Tool Belt where the stories are
(00:45):
bold, the conversations arereal and the insights come to
you live, raw and uncut.
Every week, host Ty Cobb-Backersits down with game changers,
trailblazers and industryleaders who aren't afraid to
tell it like it is no filters,no scripts, just the truth.
Please welcome your host ofBehind the Tool Belt.
Ty Cobb Backer (01:08):
Ty Cobb-Backer.
Welcome back everybody toBehind the Tool Belt.
Thank you for joining us onthis magnificent Wednesday.
Hopefully it's sunny and sunshining where you guys are at
today.
Again, thank you for joining us.
We have another phenomenal guest, brad Akers, and you know I'm
(01:29):
pretty excited about todaybecause, brad, this is your
first time on the show and Ialways get excited.
We did.
I did have the privilege ofmeeting you out in Minnesota at
Tim Brown's event.
I was, however, feeling alittle under the weather with
the travel arrangements.
My head was I don't even knowwhat it was doing from being
(01:50):
underwater on a plane and inMinnesota, with different time
change and everything going on.
But we did get to meet eachother and it was a spectacular
event.
Tim always does pretty badassstuff, yeah, so I'm excited to
have you on the show and, likewe were talking earlier, like
you know, this is a goodopportunity for us to to kind of
(02:14):
spread our knowledge, inspireother people and and just just
leave a good mark on on theindustry, you know, in general,
and us an opportunity for us toget to know each other better.
And you know, I know you bringtons of value, especially for
the roofing contractors tryingto systemize.
(02:34):
You know their processes andthings and it sounds like you're
involved with.
You know marketing and salesand a lot of the marketing that
you do I think we mimic some ofI don't know yet but we're going
to find out but it sounds likeyou're a lot into brand
awareness and referrals andthings like that.
(02:55):
So let's dive into how you wentfrom selling shingles at SRS to
helping roofing companies scaleto eight figures and what
sparked, like that shift fromdistribution to entrepreneurship
.
Brad Akers (03:12):
Yeah, yeah for sure.
So I started at SRS I meanabout nine years ago now and I
tripped my way into the roofingindustry completely random.
I worked for a custom homebuilder in the summers and
Christmas breaks in college justone that I knew here in Houston
(03:36):
and I really loved it.
I loved the project.
I was kind of like, basicallywhenever a project manager would
go on vacation I would come inand keep production going and so
I kind of would like jumparound to different subdivisions
.
It was a lot of fun days withlike 150, 200 phone calls to all
(04:00):
the trades and it was likeaction packed.
That was my first like forayinto construction, but the
housing market was kind of down.
As I was just leaving college,the owner of that home building
company said, brad, I mean Icould bring you in, but it
wouldn't be a role that I thinkyou'd be that interested in.
(04:21):
Um, and he was right.
It was like just an office job.
Like I had realized I don'twant to be in the office because
of that and so, to wrap thatpart up, ended up through a
friend at church gettinginterviews at different roofing
suppliers because he worked fora certainty.
(04:43):
Rep.
Mike Maltby, if you've beenaround the South in the roofing
industry Mike Maltby youprobably have met him, heard one
of his crazy stories.
But you or you might besurprised I met him at church
but ended up at SRS and I lovedit.
And as I was doing sales which Iwas manager in training, then
(05:07):
sales but as I was doing sales,I was very much thinking like
how can me baby faced kid comein and help these contractors
legitimately, like grow?
And I just thought, like well,they need to learn how this
(05:30):
works, like I can partner withsome of these other vendors,
like the financing companies orthe or the like the apps, or
there was one called likePantone, which was before
Roofhawk AI, like stuff likethat.
So I would basically really getclear on best practices with
(05:51):
those companies and then bringthose like resources to my
clients.
And one of the things Ieventually ended up doing was
learning how to do some of themarketing, like how to set up a
Facebook ad, and that became mylike pitch is hey, I'll set up
some Facebook ads for you.
If you can get some leads fromthem, just buy them from me and
(06:11):
give us a shot.
And that was essentially how Idid it.
After a while I, as a sales repfor a roofing company, of a lot
of windshield time.
That windshield time becamefilled with podcasts and
different things likeentrepreneurial books and stuff
and I just got the bug.
So I just could not stopthinking about what it was going
(06:34):
to be like when I started myown business and I actually
started my marketing agency andI partnered 50, 50 in a roofing
company at the same time Um oneof my clients and the roofing
company.
We did well.
The marketing company kind oftook off and I this wasn't oh
(06:57):
Brad like the marketing agencywas just doing so well and it
was.
Brad didn't know how to do twothings at once because he had
never been a business ownerbefore and the day to day of
running a marketing agency andrunning a roofing company are
vastly different.
So I just went all in on thething that I had 100% in and
(07:18):
that's how I kind of got to theB2B, like service provider side
of the roofing industry.
And I'll stop there.
I have more but we can.
I don't want to like monopolizetoo much.
Ty Cobb Backer (07:32):
No, that's good, that's good.
I've had guests come on theshow already and I ask them one
question and they fill the wholetime slot.
So it's okay, it really is, andnot because I'm a piss poor
host, but it's like they were onsuch a good roll and I know I
didn't want to like interruptand throw them off Not that I
didn't get to ask a few otherquestions or whatever or agree
(07:54):
with them, but no, so I canappreciate that.
So you were talking about yourfirst introductory into
entrepreneurship and stuff.
So what was the biggest lessonfor you?
I mean, obviously you're like,okay, brad, can't do two things
at one time because I'm new tothe entrepreneurial journey.
But outside of that part of it,what was the most valuable
(08:20):
lesson that you've learnedduring that time frame that you
may have applied to today?
Brad Akers (08:29):
Yeah, so it's a constant like.
It's a game of like mindfulness, I think, is what I've realized
.
Like, if you get to know me,you'll really go wow, brad's
kind of weird.
Like I'm very much, like I liketo think a lot.
At our wedding the priest whoknows me well said Brad's a bit
(08:50):
of a mystic and a lot of myfriends still make fun of me
today for it.
But the point is, like I reallydo, like I realized so much.
Like, if you cannot observe theway you're thinking and get
clear on how you're makingdecisions and also start looking
and watching the ebbs and flowsand getting a better
(09:12):
understanding of, like how weimpact those or even just how we
navigate those, you're going tostruggle.
I wish I had a much moretactical version of this answer,
but my real answer that I usetoday the best is
entrepreneurship's hard.
It goes up and down.
There's times where you're onan incline and you think, oh, I
(09:34):
wish I knew what I know nowbecause I'm doing so great.
But there's always going to bean inevitable drop and that
doesn't mean that you're goingto just be stuck.
Hopefully you're going to go upand then up, but you're always
going to be on like the righttrajectory.
But our emotions, I think, driveus a lot and there's been times
(09:57):
where I've been more of a slaveto my own emotions than other
times.
But I think the biggest lessonthat I started learning then,
that I'm still learning now, isunderstanding the ebbs and flows
.
Understanding how to show upconsistently either way, how to
(10:18):
make sure that I am controllingthe inputs as much as possible
and also how to make sure thatI'm not reacting to everything
in such a big way has been thebiggest progression.
But also like a lesson, I wouldsay I learned a lot when I had
those two things going and Ijust felt like it was all crazy
(10:41):
because I was very, like,volatile.
It was up and down, I was insuch a good mood and then the
next day like a client wouldleave or we wouldn't get a job,
and I would just be completelydown and like in this survival
(11:02):
mode, but like a self inflictedsurvival mode, but not really in
survival mode, just kind ofoperating that way, yeah no, I
can.
Ty Cobb Backer (11:11):
I can completely relate to everything that you
just said, and I think one of myvaluable lessons and you
touched on a little bit wasemotions, right, and it's so
hard to not allow short emotionsget in the way of our long term
goals.
Yeah, and that is probably oneof the biggest lessons that I've
(11:31):
learned and even other people'semotions, you know, I've
allowed other people's emotionsto dictate the trajectory of the
goal.
Right, and because of that,like it is taking us a lot
longer to get where we want togo, because and not I'm not
saying that like we don't takeother people's feelings into
consideration and things likethat, but if we know that this
(11:52):
is the right thing to do and itmight step on a couple of
people's toes, you know we needto forge ahead and that's you
know, we're not alwayseverybody's number one fan being
in a leadership or anentrepreneurial position.
You know we're not always goingto be the most liked person and
it's, like you know, heavy isthe head that wears the crown at
(12:12):
times.
But I think being resilientlike we were talking before the
show here remaining resilientand consistent, right, and
that's, you know, through thosepainful times is, unfortunately,
from my experience is where thereal growth happens.
Right, like I can choose tostay in bed, and you know, and
and let my head down, and youknow, and feel defeated and just
(12:35):
stay stuck.
You know, or I can, I cancontinuously do the work, even
though I don't feel like doingit.
You know, even though I don'twant to do it and even though I
feel like I like doing it, youknow, even though I don't want
to do it, and even though I feellike I'm doing it half ass,
right it's, it's in those halfass moments of of just doing it
and doing it and doing it untilit starts to feel better, until
I start to feel better and thenI start to see light at the end
(12:58):
of the tunnel, you know, andthen I feel better about it
because I at least continue tosuit up and show up every single
day and continue to just keeppushing back and keep punching
back, as as I'm taking thepunches right, I'm punching back
twice as hard and I feel likeI'm not really getting anywhere.
But I, you know, I feel betterbecause I, I did it and because
(13:20):
I continue to keep doing it, andthen I have the motivation to
keep going because I've made.
I turn, I stop, I turn aroundand I look back.
It's like, well, shit, I havebeen moving forward.
Brad Akers (13:29):
Yeah, even in those times I felt like baby steps and
like that's the thing, that.
That's okay, like as long asour emotions will send us
backwards a lot of the time.
But there's a set of inputsthat we all know.
Like we all know.
It's like when I someone saysthey have a lead problem, I'm
(13:51):
like no, you don't, you have apride problem.
You just don't want to knockdoors, that's okay.
I'm not.
I don't love knocking doorseither, and I'm not suggesting
that that even needs to be theroute that you go to grow your
business.
But stop living in fairy world.
Like stop, like stop.
Just misdiagnosing what theactual root of the issue is, and
(14:15):
what I found is there's a linethis is just neutral.
There's you're on a high,everything's great, and then
you're on a low.
I would say the thing that I'vedeveloped the most and gotten
better at and in becoming moreaware of is simply how can I
make sure that I don't stop, Idon't get too comfortable if I'm
(14:37):
on an incline, and how can Imake sure that I don't have to
go to what feels like a rockbottom moment before I snap out
of it and then take the actionto actually progress again,
because that's the cycle that Ihad been on for years.
Honestly, like you know I'm I'mlike six years into
(14:58):
entrepreneurship now.
I've been so blessed to be ableI've bought businesses and sold
businesses and merged like Ihave a lot of really cool little
accolades.
But there's been so manydreadful days and nights that
weren't necessary, that werereally because I just needed to
(15:19):
hit some low before I couldfinally snap out of it and just
do the work again.
And the work is the work, likeit doesn't change, it doesn't
care how you're feeling, and Ithink that's kind of part of
what you are saying is like, hey, you might be half-assing it,
but the work's the work.
Like a step forward is a stepforward.
(15:41):
Just because you're notsprinting doesn't mean that
you're not progressing and so itjust it.
It's been something I'mgrateful for.
I've worked with leadership andmindset coaches to help me with
that.
It's not like just some bradwisdom it's borrowed wisdom for
sure but it's been reallyimpactful for me and I think
(16:05):
that that's one of the things Ieven try to help my clients with
is like hey, what are theinputs, what are the things that
we can do?
Whether we're feeling great orfeeling bad, how can we ensure
that they're getting done, nomatter how we're feeling, cause
we're going to have ups anddowns, and that's one of the big
things that I like the way Iapproach things with them,
(16:26):
because I just think it's so keybecause it's hard Like it's,
we're in a small percentage ofpeople.
Ty Cobb Backer (16:34):
Isn't that the truth?
You know, and I'm my own worstcritic, and that's what I mean
when I feel like sometimes I'mjust half-assing this right,
it's and, and, and.
Honestly, you know, and I'm noteven saying this in an arrogant
way, but it's like sometimes myhalf-ass is still better, you
know, than than most people's.
You know 100% and I'm not.
Brad Akers (16:55):
You've been in the game longer.
Ty Cobb Backer (16:57):
Yeah, right, you know what I mean and and and.
Again, I wasn't saying thatarrogantly, and you know, but I
I will be so hard on myself attimes, you know, and I'll get
fixated on the 5% that might notbe going well.
95% of everything else is goingexactly the way it's supposed
(17:18):
to be going.
It may not be the way that Ithink it should be going, but
it's, you know, and really, atthe end of the day, what it
comes down to.
And we measure success.
A lot of people measure successso differently, right, you know
.
And today, in the older that Iget, it's like, you know,
success isn't just alwaysprofessionally, right, and what
I do at work, and the amount ofmoney, and blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah.
You know, a lot of people talkabout, you know, the it's.
(17:39):
It's not the, the amount ofmoney, it's the, it's the amount
of people that you've impacted,right, and that's that's cool
too, right, to say that kind ofthing.
And but where I've been, youknow, and in this whole
work-life balance thing, thateverybody, you know, that's
that's kind of catchy right nowtoo.
And I recently read a book.
It's called uh, shoot, the onething I've heard of that.
(18:01):
I haven't read it, but I'veheard of it.
It's good.
It's good.
And the one thing that I gotout of the book was is you know,
screw work-life balance.
Because anytime I'm trying tobalance something, you know, if
I'm at work, my home life issuffering, you know.
And if I'm spending too muchtime at home, then work is
suffering.
And basically the dude sums itup to like if you're at work,
(18:21):
work.
If you're at home, be at home.
If you're going to play, play,right.
You know.
Even if you're at home for fiveminutes, be there intentionally
for that five minutes, right.
But when you're at work, justwork.
Like, don't bring your yourissues or even the good things
to work, like, just be at workand work.
You know what I mean.
Instead of, like, focusing ontrying to find balance, because
(18:42):
ultimately, at the end of theday, you're going to drive
yourself crazy and theneverything's going to suffer.
And I'm not even perfect at this, by no means, and again, that's
kind of where I'm measuring mysuccess today is like, if I was
at work today, was I actually atwork?
If I have plans with my wifeand children tonight or
(19:04):
yesterday, did, was Iintentional with that time that
I was with or was I on my phonethe whole time, was I?
And I'm not saying there hasn'tbeen times where at the grocery
store, where I have to walkaway and have to take that call.
You know what I mean, and Ithink your significant other
also plays into a lot of yoursuccess too, and how tolerant
and patient they are.
Right, and thank God for Janetand how patient she is with me,
(19:28):
but like I've had to walk awayand come back because they don't
need to hear the drama orwhatever or the frustration, I
need to come back and I need tobounce back and be resilient and
be there, okay.
So it's like, okay, I took theone call, I'm done, phone in the
back pocket and be there, right, and I know it's just at the
grocery store, but we've hadsome of the best conversations
in line at the grocery store,right, I've watched my children
(19:52):
grow up in lines at grocerystores.
You know what I mean.
I've helped them pick out theirfavorite cereals.
I've helped pick out their thecoolest new hot wheels or what,
whatever you mean in those,those precious moments that that
um are so special to them.
You know I don't want to losethose little things and now I
got the the, the opportunity andpleasure of helping raise three
(20:14):
beautiful, wonderfulgrandchildren.
I have three children, I havethree grandchildren and where I
feel like I've screwed up withmy older my kids, you know I get
I get um a do over, I get ahall pass with my with my older
my kids you know I get I get aum, a do-over, I get a pass with
my, with my grandchildren youknow what I mean and I get to
spend, but I will beat the crapout of myself so much.
And, um, but yeah, you know,that's good.
Brad Akers (20:35):
So, getting off that topic, unless you want to, um,
unless you got something elseyou want to add the one thing is
you mentioned like you getfixated on the five percent when
the 95 is going well, yeah, thelike.
A way to sum up what I thinkyou just said is like be careful
, focusing too much on that fivepercent, because if you do, and
(20:58):
when you do, that 95 that wasgoing properly or well will
suffer as well.
And, like that, 95% mightinclude your family and your
home life, and I know I've hadto learn that, like I know I
struggle putting my phone down.
That is something I activelyhave to be aware of and work on
(21:20):
and if you watched me you wouldnot think, oh, brad's a great
example of someone that is veryperfectly present at home.
With that said, like knowingand kind of understanding
certain things like that, Ithink, is just it's so key.
Like, look, sometimes there'svalue in just looking at a
(21:44):
business as if it's just a setof zeros and ones and just
wanting to organize how we'regoing to do this.
It's just a math problem and insome ways it is, with that said
(22:06):
, how you show up what's goingon in your head, what's going on
at home.
It does matter and I think thework and the goal and experience
, the more of that we accumulate, the more effective we are at
integrating but also at hey,let's.
I expect work to be stressful.
I expect building a business tobe stressful.
(22:29):
It's going to be, there's noway it's not going to be.
There's going to be hard days.
If that's just the norm, thenhow can I make sure that I don't
bring that home?
And vice versa?
I expect I have anine-month-old.
It's my first, it's the best.
It's exhausting.
How can I not start my daylater because I was up in the
(22:53):
middle of the night with him?
That's a simple.
Well, obviously you just start,but before that you don't
necessarily.
Like you might.
Oh, I slept bad, but like nowthat this is the norm, like you,
we have to try to find a way tojust like, normalize, like,
standardize things as much aspossible, really, because like,
(23:17):
random inputs create randomoutcomes, like, and if you allow
yourself to be random, thenyou're rolling the dice yeah,
yeah, isn't that the truth?
Ty Cobb Backer (23:28):
you know, and and like there's changes in life
, you know and this is the thingthat I think we need to keep in
mind too that this, too, shallpass, and and this is only
temporary right even good stuff,good stuff, it's only temporary
right, and if we're goingthrough something bad, we got to
keep in mind, or if there'ssome kind of change right, it
doesn't even have to be good orbad change, right.
(23:49):
And, of course, having a babyis magnificent.
It's like one of the greatestgifts that we, as parents, could
ever receive, right, andthere's a lot of change that
comes with that.
When we were so used to self.
Now, now there's something thatis dependent upon us, whether
(24:10):
it's a dog or a child orwhatever the case might be.
Right Now, it's just not aboutus or our significant other.
Now we have, you know, a humanbeing, a person that is reliant
upon us to take care of them,and that that can definitely
change your world upside down,especially if you're a business
(24:31):
owner, because I think a lot ofpeople get into business
thinking like, yeah, I'm goingto have all this time, you know,
on my hands and I'm going to beable to do this and go on these
lavishing vacations and allthese vehicles and all these
things, right?
And that's not the case.
That's not the case at all, youknow.
You know you're trying to raisea family and we talked about
(24:52):
the ebbs and flows and thedifferent seasons and and things
like that and making sure thateverything and everyone is taken
care of.
And then you throw, you know, achild in the mix, right?
And?
And making sure that everythingand everyone is taken care of.
And then you throw, you know, achild in the mix, right, and
making sure that you're beingthe best dad that you can
possibly be, you know?
And again, getting back to beingmy own worst critic, it's like
I feel like I'm failing.
You know, not today, but I'mjust saying there are a lot of
(25:15):
times that I have felt where I'mfailing and stuff.
But you know it's not easy.
It's not even easy going to ajob every day and raising a
family like this.
This really could apply toanybody that is just trying to
be the best parent or bestcoworker or employee.
You know it's not easy, and Ithink this is where a lot of us
(25:36):
have to have, or have probablygot or gained, a lot of our
empathy, you know, for thosethat are around us, especially
because, if you wouldn't havetold me, I wouldn't have known
that you didn't sleep very welllast night, because you were up
all night with a baby, a baby twell, last night I actually did
fine, but right, right, but Ithink that's where we need to be
a little more moreunderstanding too, because you
(25:58):
know, people go through thingsall the time.
You know that we have no ideawhat they're going through.
We have no idea if they sleptor they didn't sleep or or why
they're not performing.
You know and and you knowespecially as an entrepreneur
it's like we have the weight ofthe world on our shoulders and
our families, and I think wetend to when we get home.
I'm going to switch gears here,maybe a little bit, but, like I
(26:22):
know, I have been guilty of thefamily and we talk about this a
lot and I talk about it a lot.
So it stays on the forefront ofmy mind to make sure that, when
I get home, that my familyisn't getting the fumes Right
(26:43):
when I've just like, poured intoeverybody and inspired
everybody and, you know, gotshit done, and then I get home
it's like I don't want to bemessed with, I don't want to
deal with it I can't handle it.
There's dinner, dinner's notready.
Why are they crying?
Why is their shoes all over theplace?
Because Chris Baker used to sayyou know, when daddy gets home
he sets the tone.
And that is so true.
I literally sit out in theparking lot in the driveway of
my house and I clear out myinbox.
I tried.
(27:03):
It Is there.
Was there an email that youknow I forgot to reply back to?
And sometimes I'll sit out therefor a good 30 minutes.
I'll have the music on or mypodcast or whatever it is, and
I'll clean up my inbox, respondback to messages.
Sometimes I'll choose like,okay, that needs to wait till
tomorrow morning.
And then when I do go in thehouse you know I'm a little bit
(27:27):
better fit to go into the houseand be present.
You know when I'm there andanybody can use that.
You don't have to be anentrepreneur, you can work for
somebody else.
You know, be in a managementposition or whatever, it doesn't
even matter what you're doing.
But it just when daddy getshome he sets the tone.
And keep that in mind, becauseI've ruined my family's night
(27:47):
all night just because of beinga bear and quite honestly, I was
kind of a bear last night, likemy son, rocket wanted to hang
out with me and he did.
Thank God he knows me wellenough and maybe he didn't
notice and maybe again here I'm,I'm picking on myself again,
you know, and and we, we, wekind of he got into golf this
year or last year and I had tostop golfing for my family, and
(28:12):
now I get to golf again becauseof my family, because Rocket
caught the bug, and now he'skicking my ass all over the golf
course, um, so I'm kind ofenvious of that.
But so last night he's hittingballs and stuff.
We kind of built this simulatortype thing and the balls and
I'm kind of working out and youknow, and not that I was kind of
giving him the cold shoulder,but I, I really just needed to
(28:34):
to let go before I could kind oflike open up, like I just I get
guarded, I get, you know, don't?
I don't really want to betalked to, um, but he hung
around long enough, you know,until I kind of like okay, I'm
at home, I need to unwind, I, I,I started lifting heavy weights
a couple years ago and, um, andnow do some cardio and I love
(28:56):
walking on a treadmill becausethat's where I'll listen to my
books on the treadmill and stufflike that.
And I didn't even turn it on.
I started because I can seerocket.
I got the garage door open andwe built this net thing with the
, with the, the um sky tracks orwhatever.
And I started communicatingwith him because I could see
like he was looking at me out ofthe corner of my eye, like, did
(29:17):
you see that shot?
Did you?
Did you see how well I'mhitting it?
And it was finally I kind ofjust, you know, it was like I
was like dude, I, I know I'mdoing it, why am I doing this?
And again, I don't know if henoticed it and I'm kind of going
off on a tangent here a littlebit, but I guess my point is is
that I'm, I'm not, I am far frombeing perfect and perfecting
thing and shutting things offbefore I go in the driveway.
(29:39):
And you know I really try mydamnedest and I think half the
battle is just being aware,being aware of what I was doing,
who, what.
You know what, what I'mcreating here.
You know the wedge that I'mputting between me and my family
because of work that's going tobe there tomorrow.
You know, and the thing thatI've discovered too, is that
every single email that I get inmy inbox is somebody else's
(30:00):
problem.
Yeah, do you know what I meanit's like?
Why am I like I just I don'tknow why.
How has your problem become myproblem?
You know what I mean it's likeand why am I taking myself so
damn serious?
You know, at these times whereit's like I need to just be home
and I tend to forget to likeI'm doing this for them at the
(30:22):
end of the day, like I'm doingthis for my family, and it's
like here it's.
It's removed me from my family,even when I'm with my family,
and I don't know.
I kind of went off on a tangentthere a little bit and just
what.
I'm at and what I did guilty oflast night being a dick.
Brad Akers (30:37):
I love that I, so I think it's a great one of.
There's a guy named JoseBolaños who I've been working
one-on-one with.
He's a leadership and likepresence-based coach, which is
something that maybe other likelike coaches, coaches will know
(30:58):
of, like that are, but notsomething that like just someone
who's a random everydayentrepreneur might know.
But he's like formally trainedwork with billionaires, worked
with all kinds of cool people,and I have the opportunity to
get to work with him, and one ofthe things he reminds me of
it's like hey, this isn'tsomething to be solved, that's
(31:19):
something to be managed, becausesolved would insinuate that
there's a destination, andthere's no day, ty, where I
expect that you're going to beperfect or settled in this
perfect, immaculate work-lifebalance or work-life integration
or whatever we want to call it.
It's more something to be awareof and manage it and try to
(31:42):
like improve the way that we'remanaging it.
And then, I think, goes for theebbs and flows that I even that
we started this with.
It's like it's all the same,like I think one of the secrets
or not so secrets is stay in thegame.
There's no like, there's nodestination.
(32:09):
The moment you hit 100 million,you're going to want 150
million.
The moment you hit 150 millionyou're going to try to sell.
Then, when you try to sell,you're not going to be happy
with the first number.
And then you're going to get toa number and you're going to
sell.
And then you're going to bepissed that you had to do a
consult back.
And then, when you're doing theconsult back, you're going to
have your new thing and thenthat new thing's going to start
the whole cycle again, like it's.
It never stops and if we try tosolve everything as if there's
(32:34):
some end point or destination,then it doesn't.
There's so much pain, I wouldsay, in that there's a lot of
unnecessary suffering, thinkingwhat's my problem for being in
this low again?
What's my problem for not beingpresent at home?
(32:54):
Instead, it's okay, I'm notpresent.
How can I get present?
And, kind of, how can I bringmyself back to center rather
than, oh, I'm further away fromthe destination than I thought?
Because, like a very dangerousthing.
The reason I think that thehighs, when you said like this
(33:15):
too shall pass, goes for thegood things too.
Goes for the good things too.
The reason that the highs are aproblem is because you think
you've arrived at a destination,which would point to the fact
that work to be done still, orthat you don't need to keep
doing the work that got youthere, which is a farce.
So I think that's like where alot of us go wrong, but also
(33:38):
like where there's probably moresuffering than necessary
because we think that we'rewe're solving for the wrong
thing, like yeah, yeah isn'tthat the truth?
Ty Cobb Backer (33:51):
isn't that the truth?
Well, you know, I love how yousaid that life, life in general,
is not.
There is no destination.
It's a journey that we, thatwe're on you, and it's got to
start somewhere.
Some, some, some trails aregood trails and some roads are,
are are bad, bad roads to travel, you know, and it's through
those moments and those ebbs andflows where we really, you know
(34:14):
, I think somebody said, I thinkDavid Carroll posted something
a couple of weeks ago it's not,it's not about the journey, you
know, or the goal, it's, it'sabout who you become, you know,
trying to reach your goal.
Yeah.
And it is so true, especially ifyou're self-aware and and and
if you're in the personaldevelopment and and things like
that which I feel like a lot ofus are nowadays, cause it's you
(34:36):
know we talk a lot about.
You know personal developmentand things like that, and it all
really starts in here, right,like you know, whether we're an
entrepreneur or whatever, or athought leader, you know we have
to work on ourself first andforemost, and you talked about,
you know, getting enough rest,and you know and that's some of
it, you know, making sure thatyou're getting enough rest, and
(34:58):
some days you're not, and thething I've learned about rest is
you never get caught up on it.
You know, but I need to knowmyself.
I need to know how much rest Ineed in order to function at a
high capacity, right, that Ineed to eat better.
You know I need to exercise andneed to take care of myself,
and it kind of sounds a littleselfish, but if I'm not taking
care of myself, I can't takecare of anything else, you know,
(35:22):
let alone.
You know, daily, day-to-daytask at work or when things come
up, um, so, speaking of whichlike so, how, how do you handle?
You know, uh, you know pressureand stuff like what is like
stress, you know.
Brad Akers (35:34):
Yeah, so honestly, like the big the thing that I
usually when I'm in those lowsthat I mentioned and sometimes
and I still will probably havewhat feels like a rock bottom
(35:55):
moment in the future.
I'm sure what feels like a rockbottom moment in the future,
I'm sure.
But the point is like,generally I get to the point of
trying to control everything towhere I realize I can't control
anything and then I just likegive it just everywhere else and
(36:33):
bring me back to center and tobeing present, and it's really
just the Bible is relativelyexplicit about hey, bring your
anxieties to me and bring yourstress to me.
My, my yoke is light those likethe Bible encourages us to
(36:53):
think that way.
Don't trust in your own ways,like Philippians says something
like, says something like.
But the point that I'm makingis simply I need to ground
myself there and in those truthsand the words.
And the word because, like whenyou do, you learn how to listen
(37:13):
rather than just ask.
Because when you're in thatstate, when you're freaking out,
when you're stressed, you don'tknow what to ask.
You're not good at askingquestions.
When you're in that state, whenyou're freaking out, when
you're stressed, you don't knowwhat to ask.
You're not good at askingquestions when you're at like,
when you're panicked, whenyou're like fight or flight is
going off, and learning just tolisten rather than ask in those
(37:37):
moments in prayer for me hasbeen that's been like the only
way and that allows me to be aleader in my home in that regard
, that allows me to serve mywife like, rather than just
expect to have dinner, like allthese things.
(37:57):
I want to make sure that I'mgiving and when I am able to,
just that's what it always says.
Like in those moments I hear bestill and I hear give, like
give, don't take.
A version of that which is stopworrying about like, stop
(38:22):
worrying like, just give.
Whether it can be a milliondifferent versions of giving,
there's a lot but like, don't besomeone that just takes in the
conversations.
Try to make sure that when youinteract with people or when
you're working with someone oryour team or your clients or
prospects or just anyone, howcan you give or uplift in that
(38:43):
interaction rather than take?
And that generally brings meback to center pretty well.
Ty Cobb Backer (38:51):
Right on.
No great answer, great answer.
And don't ever be afraid totalk about God.
Um, you know I we've we'vetalked about it.
You know numerous times on this.
You know, and, and many peoplehave different interpretations
of it, and that's okay too.
But I, I too, you know seekstrength.
You know through that.
(39:12):
So, speaking on which, like, sowho have who have been like
some of your biggest mentors,and and and or you know where do
you get your inspiration from?
You know what I mean.
Like, are you outside of theBible?
Like, do you follow CraigGrishel, john Maxwell?
Like, you know who who has been?
You know cause, I know for me,I've had mentors, but they don't
(39:34):
know that they're my mentors.
You know, like, so is thereanybody that that has really
been very impactful on thisjourney for you?
Brad Akers (39:43):
Yeah, so I already mentioned Jose Jose has been
incredibly impactful.
Jose Bolaños, he I stoppeddrinking because of, like, as I
was working with him and itwasn't like there wasn't.
It was in the same light ofavoiding a rock bottom moment
(40:04):
rather than waiting for one.
So, similar to that, um, I andI don't think everyone needs to
do that, but I did I um havelearned just to think and kind
of learned different vocab as aresult of working with him and I
look up to him so much likehe's become such a close friend.
(40:25):
Um, and I would say he's beenincredibly impactful.
My dad is, I mean, I might I'mgoing to try not to get
emotional, but my dad is justone of the best human beings I
could even like imagine.
He had a hard childhood.
I didn't like he didn't bringit with him and as I've gotten
(40:52):
older, I've been able torecognize and see and look back
on, like, the battles that hewas fighting, that I had no idea
he was fighting and the factthat he was able to like
insulate me from that is justsomething like I'm incredibly
grateful for.
And he's just, he serves.
He serves almost anyone heinteracts with.
(41:16):
Uh, he's a lawyer whichsometimes like people are like
oh, a lawyer, you know, meet mydad.
You won't, you won't think ofhim like you think of all the
other lawyers, and he also like.
As I've become older, I've hadan opportunity to like go to a
few events and meet other peoplethat are more peers with my dad
(41:39):
and I find out stuff about himlike that he donated this, or
that he is on the board here, orthat he changed this person's
life by like meeting with himonce a week and I some like, and
my dad just didn't talk aboutit, and I some like and he my
(42:03):
dad just didn't talk about it,and that level of humility is
just like amazing.
And he's also just going backto like he's such a strong
christian like he like he's, helives out loud in that regard
and like unashamed and he's beenable to do very well in life
and that's like it's just beenso inspiring.
(42:24):
Um, and then john brose I wouldsay would be within the industry
.
I mean, he's just I, he's thebest.
I love john.
He's so fun like and he's a lotof what I even work with my
clients on are results of likemultiple hour long conversations
with John, like on a Saturdaymorning, just like talking
(42:48):
through strategy.
We have a business idea everyother conversation that we have
and have to tame ourselves.
But I just think he's he'struly just a good person and
he's been able to reach somegreat levels of success as well.
And I've had an inside lookbecause I've had the opportunity
(43:11):
to work with MHI when that waswhat they were running and I
worked with them on theirmarketing and their strategy and
I helped some of the initiallike setup and branding and
stuff with ugly roofs and thatwas in that.
I had the chance to like reallyget to know John.
(43:32):
That's been just that's beenreally cool.
So those would be like thethree main ones that like come
to mind.
Alex Hermosi I love his content, I love his podcasts.
If you are a client and youlisten to Alex Hermosi, you'll
(43:55):
realize a lot of like what we docomes from principles that he
teaches.
Um, not I'm not stealing it orcopying anything or claiming
anything as my own Um, butyou'll hear me reference him a
lot because I think he's wisebeyond his years.
Um, so those would be some ofthe big ones.
(44:16):
What about you?
I, I want to.
I want to hear your answer.
Ty Cobb Backer (44:20):
Oh, wow.
So, man, that's a that's agreat question.
So, yeah, no, I agree with you.
Alex Ramosi has magnificentcontent.
John Broche is an amazing humanbeing and I too, my father, has
been a huge impact and influenceum on on my life as as well.
(44:43):
And then I guess I'll startwith my dad.
Um, you know, cause I was goingto ask you the question like
what was your biggest lesson, orsomething that is you know that
your father has had on you.
But, um, we I'll ask you thatlater Um, my dad, my mom and dad
have been my biggestcheerleaders, I mean from from
(45:04):
day one, obviously, right, butmy mom, my mom and dad, my mom
had has passed Um and and youknow, has probably had a bigger
impact on me since she's beengone.
I know that might sound a littleweird, but one of the ways that
I grieved with that, after shehad passed, we had the
opportunity of taking care ofher.
(45:25):
My wife actually took care ofher mostly Up until she passed.
She passed away in our houseand I've mentioned this a couple
of times on the show, but shewas very involved with the
community, I mean like full-time10X like she was.
She helped start the DAREprogram at our, at our
elementary school she was in thechamber of Congress.
(45:47):
She Lions Club, santa'sBreakfast, summer Jubilees, red
Hat Ladies, scarlet Ladies, andI'm mentioning these, these
organizations, because the partthat she played in these
organizations was the charitableside of things and I can't even
list the, the.
I mean they.
They built, they put a uh, nine, 11, uh memorial up in honor of
(46:10):
my mom.
Like this is how impactful mymom is and, of course, as a
child growing up and she'sdragging us all over the place
doing these things, it's kind oflike dude, what the heck?
Um, but um, um, you know, and Ididn't realize what she was
about or what she was doing, Ijust knew I just, you know, some
of the stuff was kind of likeyou know, kids on saturday
mornings don't want to be, youknow, feeding people and and
(46:33):
stuff like that, but I get itnow.
But one of the ways that I Ihad mourned that was is, uh, I
went straight to work to thehearse came, picked her up, I
went to work and we reallystarted to dive in the community
.
At that point in time I waslike, all right, now I got some
big shoes to fill here and andyou know, of course we talk a
lot about legacy and you know soI've tried to carry that torch.
(46:57):
You know we do.
There's things that I forgetabout that we've done and do and
still continuously do annually.
But our most current one was uh, uh, roofers and recovery, golf
outing and raised I don't know,like 17 to 20 000 dollars, yeah
, in a matter of like four hours.
Um, at that golf outing.
This was this past September,october, november, something
(47:20):
like that this past year.
But we do all kinds of thingslike that.
So my mom has had a huge impacton me for that reason.
My father I can't forget aboutmy dad because obviously they're
co-pilots, right, so if he wasthere, she was there or
something.
And you want to talk abouthumility.
There are so many things thatmy dad probably didn't get
credit for as a kid that allowedmy mom to be in that position
(47:43):
to be able to take care of otherpeople as my mom did, right,
and being an older adult today,I understand the behind the
scenes things that have to takeplace in order for people to
have an impact on other people'slives and stuff, and my dad
also was involved with a lot ofthose things.
But the tenacity and resiliency, because my dad too, and mom
(48:08):
and dad both were entrepreneurs,very successful entrepreneurs
in the hospitality industry.
Okay, my dad is a greatcarpenter but was a mechanical
engineer by trade, and so my dadworked full time but also owned
a bar, a restaurant, a cateringbusiness and a whole other list
(48:29):
of other businesses.
So I, too, have gotten thatentrepreneurial bug from my
parents.
So they, first and foremost,would be the biggest influences
of where and why I am, you know,in that second chance that my
dad had given me 20 plus yearsago.
Um, you know, because I, youknow my my childhood.
(48:51):
I was just kind of on fire, butnot in a good way.
(49:14):
Yeah, no, me too, have.
But I, I, I do it because I'llnever forget.
Um, yeah, I had an old van thatbroke down and, um, like two,
three hours away from home I'llshare the story and I couldn't
even drive.
I had to have, I had to pay aguy to drive me and I'm, I'm,
I'm a mechanic, not an automechanic, but you know, roofing,
(49:35):
siding.
I came from the production sideof things and and we were
building this deck.
I just got out of jail and, uh,had this piece of crap 1980
E350 van that no heat, no airconditioning, no nothing.
This thing was on its last legand um, uh, we, I had to.
(49:55):
I tore off a slate roof anddidn't, couldn't afford a dump
trailer or anything.
I tore off a slate roof andcouldn't afford a dump trailer
or anything, and so I wasloading the slate into the empty
bed of this van.
Long story short, we're going upa hill and the tranny went out
like literally midway up thishill, and Jesse driving the van
just as crazy as I am, or else Idon't know why he'd have been
(50:17):
there with a freaking drunk likeme.
But I'm a good salesperson.
Convincing was a good idea tocome work for me and drive my
ass around.
So, anyhow, those of you thatknow Jesse God bless him.
He's no longer with us, butworked for us for a long, long
time.
Anyhow, he got us off andliterally like when the van,
(50:37):
when an older vehicle shuts down, you lose steering, you lose
brakes, you lose everything.
So Jesse got us in this churchparking lot and like, literally
like inches away from, likehitting this church, like we
coasted and like, for whateverreason, the brakes weren't
working, the steering locked up.
We couldn't get it restartedagain.
So, long story short, we gothome and when I got back my dad
(51:01):
had went and bought me a van.
It wasn't a new van, it was anew, used new to me, um E three,
50 van, you know, and I did notdeserve it.
Yeah.
But at that point in time hemust've saw something different
in me.
That point in time he must havesaw something different in me.
(51:23):
And I regret getting rid ofthat van.
And I still got a sign.
There was a little sign thatI'd found on a job site.
It says beware dog.
And I still have that sign andI put it in the back of the, in
the back of the window, just,you know, for like an alarm
system type of thing.
But I really felt like it wasvery relevant to the way my
lifestyle was prior to cleaningmy act up.
(51:45):
Is that just beware of the dog,because scratch the surface at
any given time he could veer itsugly head.
And it's just a reminderbecause it was broken and dry,
rotted plastic, almost like afor sale or for rent sign but it
said where dog?
Yeah it was red, white and blacksigns and um, but he gave me
(52:06):
that second chance and and Ibelieve in second chances more
than anything, more than anybodythat you probably ever met and
sometimes second, third, fourth,fifth, sixth chances I'll give
people because I have been givenso many chances over the years.
I mean, I know that I'm onborrowed time and that's one of
my other motivational,motivational pieces to to why
(52:31):
and how I operate is is becauseI'm on borrowed time.
It's like you know how you getthose annoying extended warranty
, insurance things on.
Well, I've been given anextended warranty.
Yeah, you know, I picked thephone up when I, when I got the
call, I answered and I accepted,you know, the extended warranty
and it's like so I have it.
(52:52):
I have a choice.
Do I do nothing with it?
Right, do nothing with it right?
This, this, this borrowed timethat I'm on, or do?
Do I accept the challenge andknow that I've been still placed
here for a reason to to have ita positive impact on people's
lives, you know, and takeadvantage of that and and or
(53:14):
waste it.
Do I waste it, take advantageof it in a negative way?
So my dad, I guess to kind ofcircle back because I could keep
talking about that has played ahuge role in how I conduct
business today.
He's still alive, he's stillwith us, he's kicking.
He's 78 years old and he's likethe most hardest working,
(53:36):
intelligent person that I knowtoday.
Okay, so, immediate familyfamily, that would be my dad.
Um, over the years I followed,uh, john maxwell oh yeah, a lot
um ed mylett you know, and thatthings are happening for us, not
to us that says, go one more,yeah, one more, yeah, one more.
(53:57):
Right, just more.
And I live that way, I, we live.
Just one more, um here, um.
So again, these are mentors.
John Maxwell doesn't know he'smy mentor, um, I'm sure there's
thousands, probably a millionpeople that John mentors that he
doesn't even know, and samewith same with, uh, ed Milet, um
(54:20):
, but I, I follow a lot of theircontent.
There's probably not a weekthat doesn't go by that I don't
listen or read.
I have a daily devotional bookby John Maxwell on my desk.
I read it every day, um, andapply it to to my life.
Somehow some way shape or formpersonal or professional life.
Every single day.
They have been.
And now it's funny that youbrought up Alex Ramosi.
(54:41):
I follow Layla, I think, hiswife.
Yeah, she's fantastic, she isamazing.
I listen to her every day onthe way to work.
I love her content.
I love that it's not long anddraw it out for an hour like our
podcast is.
But I like it that it's like 12,23 minutes so I can listen to
most of it on the way to work,then listen to the rest of it.
(55:03):
But it seems like she's alwayswhere I'm at, at least with her
content, that I, where I can,I'm struggling with something at
work or even at home, and thatyou just seems like she.
I don't know what it is rightnow Cause I've gone through, you
know, different, not ebbs andflows, but where I'll follow.
Craig Rochelle love CraigRochelle, his content about
(55:25):
leadership and, again, this isall about personal development
stuff.
So I'm listening to what I'mtrying to work on.
I'm trying to be a betterparent, I'm trying to be a
better leader, I'm trying to bea bigger pillar.
So I'm listening tonon-industry related people
coaches, coach Wooden I love hisstuff.
He's got the pyramid of success.
(55:48):
If you're in a leadershipposition, I highly recommend
listening.
And he's a basketball coach, um, preachers, pastors and and
sports coaches is, you know, the, the.
What I follow outside our,outside of our industry, as far
as and I'm trying to be, youknow, um, uh, an industry.
(56:09):
Now I don't even want to sayI'm trying to be an industry
leader, but I'm just trying tohave an impact.
I want to.
I want to because of this.
I want to to to leave it betterthan it was, the way that we
found it, if that makes sense,our industry.
Brad Akers (56:26):
I think your podcast name behind the tool belt is
very descriptive.
It's like, hey, let's talkabout the real stuff, let's talk
about what actually goes intorunning a roofing business, not
just tactics, strategies, likelet's broaden it up a little bit
.
So yeah, for sure.
Ty Cobb Backer (56:45):
And that's what.
Brad Akers (56:45):
I wanted to commend you because I think you're at,
you're doing it.
Ty Cobb Backer (56:49):
Well, thank you, thank you so much.
And I never want to be thatself-proclaimed thought leader.
You know what I mean.
I, I'd rather have you tell methat, and you know you're
screaming that from the rooftops.
You know cause?
I, honestly, I, if you onlyknew who I am.
I still kind of live that waytoo.
You know, I'm just veryself-conscious.
You know, if you only knew who Iwas you may not want me on your
(57:11):
podcast you know, um, but I'vealso learned that that's very
inspiring to other people, like,if he can do it, I can do it,
you know, and that's that'sreally truly what this is about
If I, if I can do this, you cando this too.
Um, without a PhD, the, youknow, and and uh, the roofing
industry.
I've stumbled across the two.
You know what I mean.
(57:32):
It found me, really did itfound me when I was in the
lowest, the lowest place in mylife, and uh, you know, and I've
been very mechanically inclined.
I've been gifted God gifted methat way to be good with my
hands, to be good with people,and I've become a builder.
You know, I'm a builder ofteams, I'm a builder of people,
I'm a builder of companies, andand uh, I just like to build
(57:56):
stuff, you know, and and uh, andagain, I don't want to, I don't
want to waste that.
I want, I don't want to wastemy talent, you know, I want it
to apply because I've I've.
You know, I've always was toldin school, if he could just
apply himself, yeah, he'd besuch a great student, you know,
(58:26):
and I just I just wasn't a verygood applier, you know, I'd get
bored, I'd ants my pants, whichis known today as HHDAD or
whatever the hell.
It is ADHD.
What is it ADHD?
Adhd, yeah, so I guess backthen I was just hyperactive.
You know it's what they chalkedit up to, even though I didn't
have to take anything for it.
But I've learned how to usethat to my advantage too.
You know, being very high,strong and very neurotic, I'm
grateful to be a.
You know, to suffer fromneurosis, I, I, I wouldn't be
(58:49):
who I am or where we're at todayif I wasn't a sped.
You know, and, and, uh, I'velearned to to.
You know, capitalize on on, youknow, I don't even want to call
them shortcomings.
Brad Akers (59:03):
They're-.
Ty Cobb Backer (59:04):
Towering strengths.
Yeah, they're my assets and Idon't let them hold me back.
I use them and I've learned howto do that kind of stuff.
So, hey, buddy, so yeah, whattime is it?
Shit, we're at our hour markhere.
Ok, before we wrap this thingup here, man, you know you, you
(59:28):
gave us a bunch of gold here andthank you so much for for
sharing your insight with ouraudience and anybody that's
listening out there, who whowants to learn more about you
know built right, contractor,you know program.
We're going to post your, yourlink in the, the comment section
and stuff like that.
I'm sorry we didn't really getinto exactly what.
(59:50):
I enjoyed this.
This was fun.
You know that, what you do, butwe will.
We will put your, your contactinformation in the links and
stuff like that, and you knowanybody out there that could get
something from this.
Please share this with yourcrew.
We appreciate it.
And, brad, is there anythingthat you want to leave us with
(01:00:12):
before we sign off here?
Brad Akers (01:00:14):
I think just the one thing I will say is try to be
kind to yourself.
Know that there's alwaysanother day and, as you're
navigating entrepreneurship,know that everyone's just
figuring it out, whether they'vebeen doing it for 10 years or
(01:00:35):
50 years.
Part of it is just whoever'sable to stay in that state of
figuring it out the longest isthe one who is able to evolve
and do things that maybe youhope to one day do.
So just be kind to yourself anddon't take it all too seriously
.
It can be fun if you decide itis.
Ty Cobb Backer (01:00:57):
Absolutely, absolutely.
That's what we're, that we'rehere to be joyful people.
I honestly believe that's whywe've been put on this, this
planet, right Not to bemiserable, you know, especially
those of us that have been givena second chance, right.
Not to take ourselves so dangserious.
So, but anyhow, thank you somuch.
We'll have to reconnect afterthis at some point in time.
(01:01:19):
Let's carve out some time andconnect.
I really want to hear more aboutwhat you're doing.
You know what I mean Becauseyou're involved with so much,
and I honestly believe that Ipersonally could probably hear a
lot about what it is thatyou're doing and see how you
might be able to help me outpersonally and professionally.
So thank you for what it isthat you do for our industry.
(01:01:43):
You are also another, you know,one of one of a few
trailblazers that are leavingour industry in a better place
than it was when you found itand and the impact that you're
having on contractors across thecountry.
So thank you, thank you for forthat.
Thank you, yeah, and if anybodyout there you know got anything
(01:02:05):
out of this, please share itwith whoever.
And if you haven't liked, lovedor subscribe, please check us
out on our YouTube channel.
I think we got.
We don't have very manysubscribers yet.
We're kind of late to the showwhen it comes to that.
I think we started a YouTubechannel about a year ago, but we
are allowed to stream live soyou can catch us on our live
(01:02:25):
streams and obviously the replaywill be on that and, of course,
social media Facebook, ig,spotify, apple play, google play
, all that stuff.
So if you're just now tuning in, please check us out on the
replay, cause Brad definitelydropped some gold and 7 o'clock
tonight it will be reposted onFacebook.
(01:02:48):
So until then, stay safe andtake care of each other and
thank you for joining us.
Thank you.
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