August 20, 2025 • 38 mins
The delicate dance between entrepreneurship and marriage takes center stage in this heartfelt conversation with Sy and Sara Kirby. The couple opens up about the challenges and triumphs of building a construction business while raising a family and nurturing their relationship.
From the beginning, their different approaches were evident - Sy focused on scaling the business to eight figures while Sara concentrated on managing day-to-day operations and stability. This natural tension between visionary thinking and practical execution created both friction and balance, ultimately strengthening their partnership through honest communication.
The Kirbys don't pretend to have it all figured out. With refreshing candor, they admit to costly mistakes like prioritizing growth over systems, getting "hot-headed" about early success, and learning the hard way about proper accounting controls. Their transparency about these struggles provides valuable lessons for listeners facing similar challenges in their own businesses.
A profound shift occurred when Sy reconsidered what legacy truly means. Inspired by industry leader Herb Sargent's wisdom that "legacy is not about what you build and leave, it's about what you build and leave in people," he began prioritizing his presence with his children and investing in his employees' personal growth. This people-first approach transformed both his leadership style and family life.
The episode concludes with a practical challenge for couples in business together: dedicate 20 minutes to discussing your five-year vision, both personally and professionally. Write down five goals, agree on priorities, and identify small steps to move forward together. By posting these goals somewhere visible, you create daily reminders of what you're working toward beyond the immediate demands of your business.
Ready to strengthen both your business and relationship? Subscribe to the Blue Collar Business Podcast for more authentic conversations about entrepreneurship, marriage, and building a life that supports your vision rather than consumes it.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey guys, welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast
, where we discuss the realest,rawest, most relevant stories
and strategies behind buildingevery corner of a blue collar
business.
I'm your host, cy Kirby, and Iwant to help you in what it took
me trial and error and a wholelot of money to learn the
information that no one in thisindustry is willing to share.
Whether you're under that shadetree or have your hard hat on,
(00:30):
let's expand your toolbox.
Welcome back to another episode, guys, of the Blue Collar
Business Podcast brought to youand sponsored by
podcastvideoscom in theirbeautiful studio today in the
conference room.
You guys have really beenenjoying our date night series
and this is kind of sad thatwe're wrapping this up and maybe
(00:53):
we have to do one, a quarter orsomething to continue this on.
Let us know, guys, hit thewebsite
BlueColorBusinessPodcastcom, letus know a keynote, or find me
on LinkedIn anywhere there, orjust shoot me an email.
I really appreciate all thekind words that this series has
been helping you guys in oneshape form or another and we've
(01:15):
been putting ourselves out therebeing pretty vulnerable with
you guys.
But to Sarah's point and thereason she came on, she also
understands how many otherpeople are sitting out there in
the same position as us, with noresource, with no comfort, with
no, nothing other than the goodLord above.
So if you're running a businessguys working long hours, maybe
(01:37):
working with your spouse, maybeworking around your spouse you
know how easy it is to let yourrelationship take a backseat,
especially if you stack somekiddos on top of that.
Three for us come on, and sowe're carving out some time, and
this is what we've been doingfor the last four parts no
distractions, just honestconversation about the stuff
(01:59):
that matters Intimacy, time,communication.
And today's topic is our futureShared vision, legacy, building
a life beyond the business, andit's so hard to get trapped
into the business forefront.
This is just going to be ourfuture, but we're going to talk
about our personal futures andmaybe some things we're looking
(02:22):
forward to get out of life oneday down the road.
So today's episode again stayaligned in your goals, dream
together and leave a legacywithin the people that you're
connected to, that you're proudof.
So let's get to this today,guys, and as you guys know,
we've been kind of doing thisappetizer first, second course,
(02:43):
kind of dessert, and leaving youguys with a challenge at the
end of the show and I would loveto hear how your challenges are
going and how it's helped youand either your marriage or
business.
Thank you for joining me today,mama.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
You're so welcome.
I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
For the part number four.
You've enjoyed this.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Four, yeah, I have, it's been fun.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
I've really enjoyed this.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I feel like I've learned a lot about the way that
you view our marriage and ourbusiness relationship.
Uh-oh, it's been enlightening.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
In a good or bad way, I think good.
I think, good too on this sideof the table, I got to tell you
I've learned a little bit, andthat's exactly why I started
this podcast.
This is episode 52, so we'vegot one for every single week of
the year now.
Whoa, anyhow, um, but no, it'sbeen very enlightening on this
side of the table.
(03:36):
It's been healthy, it's been um, learning.
I always, I'm always constantlylearning you and trying to, of
course, support the new you,because we're trying to be not
new, not brand new, but betterversions of ourselves.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, absolutely Always growing.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
And it's a very complicated scenario when you're
doing that growing in businessand growing a family.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
And when we first started working together, were
you thinking about the future atall, or just trying to make it
to payday?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
we were.
I was trying to make a payday100 like obviously it's
entrepreneurship yeah, yeah.
Like obviously I was thinkingabout the future, but like my
main goal was like how do we getthe money that you're working
for in the door in Timely Manorand how do I like help you not
(04:34):
be so stressed?
Like that was my goal.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Isn't that still your goal?
Yeah, as of today.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, daring to come nowhere in nine years.
No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
I think if you haven't listened to episode
three, I would encourage you togo back and listen to how we've,
you know, figured out ourcommunication and I think that
weighs a lot into to this point,because you know I'm more
focused on the businesstrajectory and you're more
focused on the family trajectory, and we meet in the middle with
both you know about from eachside of the table.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
But from the business aspect, day one.
I was thinking about 10 years,from that five years.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
I was not.
That was my focus.
Scale grow, scale grow.
Get it to something sizable,tangible and we've always been
yin and yang.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Like I know that that's, that was like your goal,
your focus, like that's whatyou always saw.
The end no, I wouldn't say theend.
Like you, would you the future,right where I am, like the more
admin, okay, if that's whereyou want to go, we need this and
(05:49):
this and this and this tohappen and be done to be able to
get there.
And so, like that was my focus,the professional term is
controller.
You tell me that I amcontrolling and so I don't like
that I do not tell you, you'recontrolling yeah, I just like.
(06:10):
I like our life to happen in acertain manner, and when it
doesn't go in that manner, Itend to get a little anxiety
about it, and so I can be, butit's because I want the future
plan that is in your head tocome to fruition, and so you
(06:30):
know you got to have the thingsin the right order.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah, it really does Go ahead.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
On the next question Okay, when was the moment you
realized we're not just working,we're building something big?
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Good question, because it's so easy to get
caught up in the focus ofday-to-day and survival and I
would say year three, year four.
I really I got a little toohot-headed about what we're
(07:20):
building.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
And I can speak on that now because big man really
humbled me big time when Ithought I had it.
All money was flowing, thingswere rocking and, man, we didn't
know nothing.
It's still at that point, yeah,over five, you know five, six
million dollars running throughand we still didn't have all the
proper systems in place.
(07:42):
No, like you preached and likebegged me to get some systems
and standards in place and I'mall grow scale, grow scale, grow
scale.
But I would say year three, yearfour, when I had two crews out
there working and making moneyand I am well not always making
(08:02):
money, but they're out thereworking- yeah, as we found out
and but as I was able to handle,say you know, a white collar
conversation, some high levelowner, high level developer
during the day while work wasstill happening, that's when I
(08:24):
started to go uh-oh, we're doingthis thing.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And it wasn't this great epiphany I had because,
honestly, I'm the type of personand most 0.5% entrepreneurs are
.
You can never settle and beokay with what you have ever.
That 0.5%, 99.5% of peoplereally shouldn't be
entrepreneurs.
You got to have a little bit ofthat dog in you, not trying to
(08:54):
be any way, but like you'regetting your teeth kicked in all
day long and you can't ever behappy with nothing.
You want the next thing, youwant the next thing, you want
the next thing.
It's a great trait to have, butalso a terrible trait to have,
from across the table, who lovesand appreciates every single
day of exactly what we have.
Look at all the things.
Who tries to open my eyes.
(09:16):
Look at the things Kids arehappy, look at all this
equipment, look at the thingswe've acquired and built
together and the culture withinour company.
And you know I'll speak to that.
You know year six, year seven,where I got hotheaded and we had
(09:39):
the project managers and we hadfive or six superintendents and
thought we were just screamingthrough the year, you know, and
we didn't have that internalaccounting dialed in.
Nobody told us we had to dothat, you know, and we figured
out the hard way by losing money, yeah, but in that year, first
(10:00):
half of that year, I was highcotton.
Rest of the half of that year,boy, I was eating, eating my
future growth goals and watchingthem absolutely implode in
front of my face.
So hard to take and I was wrong.
And that's when.
(10:22):
That's when 22, I'm sorry.
Yeah, end of 22 into 23.
The first six months of 23started hiring some extra folks
gps to everything we needed.
The year before that we did sogood.
I was like, all right, here'sthe mistakes I made last year.
Let's go ahead and freaking,make sure they're not a mistakes
before this work kicks off.
(10:44):
We'll get everybody trained androcking and rolling.
And here we go.
Boy was I wrong and boy was Iwrong.
You got to be watching thosereports, those whip reports,
those P&L reports, those yourbacklog and your sales.
All of that determines yournext move, not.
Yes, last year weighs into it,yeah, but are you really going
(11:05):
to repeat?
Not, yes last year weighs intoit.
Yeah, but are you really goingto repeat exactly the way you
did last year?
Probably not.
Yeah, and but that's about when, the moment we had a couple of
crews rolling around or say Iwas dump trucking all day, yeah,
and years.
I did that when we could have.
Just I could have been worryingabout that next job rather than
(11:26):
driving that dump truck is aworst place for me to be, as in
a dump truck or that.
But, uh, no, I've.
I've got to say that that wasprobably it.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Yeah, have we ever had totally different ideas
about where the business, whereour family, was headed and how
did we work through it?
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Yeah, yeah, there's no doubt guys, we to this day
still have some differences inthe next six months what we want
to do in those short-term goals.
Those short-term goals havebeen totally different on the
family and business side ofthings.
Oh yeah, it's never the longterm.
(12:10):
It took us some years.
From my side of the table, wemay speak differently, but truly
don't worry about the detailsin the long term.
Just have a good plan and adirection of where you're going.
How you get there doesn'tmatter.
It's usually going to be brutaland you're going to want to
give up before you get there.
But as long as you have a goodsupport of an amazing partner,
(12:34):
you will get there.
But it's usually the short-termgoals that are totally
different ideas of how we get tothe long-term goal?
Absolutely.
I wouldn't say that we've everhad a complete disagreement
about where we want to go.
Yeah, you want to be a $20million company from day one.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
And hell, for the first seven years I want to be a
$100 million company.
Yeah, million dollar company,yeah.
And you know, in the last,especially the last you guys
hear me on the show all the timeabout last 18 months of really
taking 24 and almost all of 25here to really focus on systems,
processes, procedures, and it'slike building an airplane while
(13:19):
you're trying to fly it at 37000 feet and I don't recommend
it.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
No, it's hard.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
I would recommend fellas listening across the side
of the table or go findingsomebody.
Shout out to Miss Shalina andJulie.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Oh yeah, Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
That are experts at how to do this, because you're
not experts.
Yeah, we're not experts onsystem building.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
No, no, I don't know, but we found an expert.
Yes absolutely.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
You know, and I would encourage you guys, go watch
that episode and hear about allthe changes.
And it was kind of embarrassingfor me and shameful and for
being kind of a proud, pridefulman, it was hard for me to sit
in all those meetings and hearhow wrong I was and how dumb I
was for pushing so hard on theseshort-term parameters and
(14:08):
variables just to get to ourlong-term goal rather than
planning together aboutshort-term of how we get there.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
How do we talk about the future without turning it
into a fight or feeling justunbelievably overwhelming?
I think that's probably one ofmy meat and potato questions to
go across the table, becausethis is something that really
has been an issue over the years, because I am so two years,
five years, 10 years down theroad and you're like honey.
(14:44):
I just need you here now, likehere right now.
Prioritize this moment.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah, I mean I think that it we've had some really
terrible talks about the future.
We've had some, you know,turbulent discussions.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Back to flying Okay.
Yeah, like where this is going.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
I think that we've just had to like.
I understand that I am not thevisionary, I am more of the
realist, the day-to-day, and soI have come to a realization
when we have these, come likethese conversations, that me
(15:32):
sitting here telling you, likeyou're, I don't want to own a
company that has 20 crews on itand we do everything under the
sun.
I don't want to own a concretecrew, a pipe crew, a dirt crew,
(15:53):
uh, you know, steel crew.
I don't want to do that.
But the way that I communicatethat to you makes a huge
difference.
Me just telling you absolutelynot, we're not doing that.
Get it out of your head.
Do not go and give me a quoteon concrete forms.
Don't do it Like I don't wantto hear it.
(16:16):
Just having that conversationwith you in a way that you
understand that it's not becauseI don't love that.
You want the sun and the moonand the stars, but that's just
not where I want to go in ourlife.
(16:36):
Let that be in a way that youcan receive.
It has been game changing.
You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Oh, a hundred percent agreed and vice versa.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Because I want to give you absolutely everything
that you want and it's hard forme to be like, no, let's not do
that.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
How do we make it on?
Oh, not overwhelming, it'salways overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
It's always overwhelming, it's not even sure
.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah, like even it's always overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
It's always overwhelming.
It's not even sure.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Yeah, like, even if it wasn't a business like secret
for that, like it's alwaysoverwhelming, the unknown is
overwhelming yeah but I willtell you what's more
overwhelming not talking aboutit not talking about it, not
making a decision on yeah andjust I say it to my guys in the
field all the time like, make adamn decision, don't stand in
(17:26):
the middle of the road, becauseyou just stand there and get run
over by directional trafficboth ways, just wham, wham, wham
, and you can never get sat onyour feet standing up again
because you just won't pick alane.
I would rather pick a lane, getrun over by three cars and be
able to stand back up and go.
Okay, this sucked, this was thewrong decision.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
And then figure out together that.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Oh yeah, we got hit a little hard here, but at least
we can stand on our feet enoughto hold hands and go.
All right, lord, what are wedoing here and make a decision
and move forward even if it isthe wrong one, but we've learned
more.
Education is expensive, butexperience is priceless and we
have both high school educations.
We're not college educatedfolks.
(18:12):
We chose a different route inlife and you know what I say.
It's working out all right, butwe still had to get educated
and we just happened to chooseand use our own $50,000,.
You know, oh, we missed this,oh, we missed that.
This is going to cost us thisand those are very expensive
lessons.
And you eventually quit wantingto get punched in the teeth and
(18:36):
start circling, going back, butcircling that problem and going
how did we get here?
Rather than oh, this is theproblem, and just pound the
problem into the ground.
But if, man, I just want toholler at you for just a minute.
If you're sitting here and youare the visionary, it's very
hard back to the 99.5%, likethey don't need to be
(19:01):
entrepreneurs.
But you, true visionaries outthere and I'm not a
self-proclaimed visionary, um,people have told me, my wife
included, that I see, I just seethings a little differently.
I'm not saying it's right, it'sjust way my brain is wired.
I see the future, um, and Idon't necessarily how to get
there.
But there's not many things inlife that I said, hey, I'm going
(19:24):
to, I'm going to do this.
And I didn't do it like fullfeet first, head first, right
into the deep end.
I never just walked down thestairs and hold the handrail.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
And um you're like high dive.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I would tone that back, gentlemen, just a little
bit.
She's just trying to help youand it may come out just a wee
bit different than you'reexpecting, but it's true love
and protection.
She's doing her job.
It's her job to protect herfamily and you're part of that
family and she's going toprotect you.
(20:02):
Try to protect you frombecoming hurt in any way that
she may see that you're not evenrealizing or looking at yet
because you're so focused ongoing from point A to point B.
So take some time in that dashin between A to B and well
before you come off of A talk,figure out and make sure we're
(20:24):
at least going in the rightdirection and make sure you have
that support.
But how do you make sure yourbusiness supports the life you
want instead of the other wayaround?
I'd say I'm going to answerthis for you.
We're still learning.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I was going to say I have no stinking clue, because
we ain't there yet, becausewe're not there yet.
Yeah, and we are working sodiligently our business still
runs us our yeah, and, but Ithink that that's because we, we
didn't take the time at thebeginning, yep, to make sure
that our life was, you know, notran by our business, and so,
(21:01):
and I think that we're on theright track of making that, you
know, happen, but I don't thinkwe're there, and and I wish that
I had a better answer, but Ijust don't.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I don't know, it's all timing.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
And you know.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I, I can't sit here and act like we've got it all
figured out, oh, and we're justraking in the dough and flying
around the country and the world.
I wish you know what we don'thave to wish, because we can
keep hope in all of you know,this podcast, the YouTube stuff,
(21:38):
the, of course, constructioncompany that we started
everything with, you know, andour babies and like, but to say
the business doesn't still run,our lives would be, would be a
lie.
Yeah, and but knowing that weknew that for a very, very long
(21:58):
time but we didn't know how tochange it no, and we didn't do
anything to change it, it wasjust oh, you're here, you need
to get to here.
And we're like, okay, and you'resitting there across the table
and I'm like, well, this guy'snot even going to tell us how,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
He's not even gonna tell us how yeah he's not even
gonna draw us a freaking.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
I don't care if I've got to go backwards and come
back to get to there.
Just explain to me how.
Yeah, just explain.
Hey, I've seen so and so gothrough this.
This is how they did it.
Yeah, may not be the right wayI've done it, but, man, it gives
me a freaking idea.
I'm gonna move forward.
Yes rather than yep.
That's science, sarah.
They're here, that they need tobe here before we can work with
them.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Yeah, and I feel like small businesses, especially
small businesses, when you getinto it at such a young age,
that is what you run into allthe time and it's like everybody
has a vision or where theybelieve you should be.
(22:58):
But to get to the nitty grittyof like, how are you actually
supposed to run your business?
How are you supposed to take abusiness that is working every
day, moving down the tracksworking every day, moving down
(23:21):
the tracks not correctly or, youknow, with the right parts and
pieces, you know how do you fixit along the way, and what we
have learned is that there's sofew people that can actually sit
there and help you, tell youhow to get to where they're
telling you you need to be.
It's always like you're here,you need to be there, good luck,
(23:45):
see you when you get there, andit's like we kind of could just
take in that answer yeah and wewere and we would, we could
feel them out within the introcall or the intro meeting.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
We're like, no, we'd leave that meeting and go.
Well, how'd you feel that's notthe guy.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Yeah, not it.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
You're right, that's not the guy.
Let's find somebody else.
But when you're sitting thereand you don't know how, don't
just sit there.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Yeah, don't yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Chat, gpt, google find people.
Linkedin is a huge deal in ourworld.
Blue collars get on LinkedIn,all the white collar folk.
That's their business socialmedia platform, and let me not
get too far off on that but-.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Get on LinkedIn.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Get on LinkedIn, my God, anyways.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Okay, what does legacy mean to you and how do
you want our kids, employees andcommunity to remember what
we've built?
Speaker 1 (24:44):
I've got a quote from a future guest on the show.
I'm so excited to have him, buthis name is Herb Sargent and
most of you guys, I would assumeif you're on LinkedIn, would
know this gentleman, but he isphenomenal to follow on LinkedIn
(25:05):
.
This gentleman built a utilitycompany in the Northeastern
United States, sargent Utilities, and he just made his exit.
His company is an ESOP program,like it goes back to.
Before I finish this quote here.
It goes back to why would youtake advice from somebody's life
that isn't pictured the onewhere you're wanting to go?
(25:27):
And her made a post on LinkedInand it was very short, very
sweet.
And legacy is not about what youbuild and leave.
It's about what you build andleave in people.
And man, I I sat there and Ijust looked at that for a minute
(25:48):
and I almost teared up and I'mlike, man, I'm getting this
wrong.
I'm getting it wrong and Ididn't even realize it because I
was so focused on my legacy forColton, sadie and now baby
Caroline and I had it justsoaked into my head that you
(26:08):
have to build something for themwhen you're gone.
You have to have somethingthat's going to let them build a
better life, because you're notgoing to be're gone.
You have to have somethingthat's going to let them build a
better life, because you're notgoing to be here forever.
You have to do this for them.
And boy, I got it wrong.
I was still trying to be daddy,but not.
(26:28):
It's so, so hard early on toturn off work mode when the
babies were little, and that wassome of the toughest times I
think we'll ever live through inour entire lives.
Sorry for that, but the legacythat I'm leaving in them,
children, is more important thanany materialistic thing that I
(26:49):
could offer them business income, any of that.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
And I just had to be there.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Episode two from this podcast, and I really made that
switch.
And when I when I say that,guys, I never missed a ball game
, I've missed two ball games outof the six years that bubba has
been playing ball, or fiveyears, sorry, um, it's very
important for me to be there,but the one thing I throw at you
(27:14):
all the time prioritize themoment.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
And I had to figure out that the legacy that I'm
building within their hearts andminds is something that is the
most important thing on mymindset.
But then I turned around and gowhat about these employees?
And I'm like they're not justhere to get a job done.
(27:40):
Yes, we talk about culture onthe show all the time.
We have a different culture atPsyCon and it was great, and
then it turned not so great, andculture takes time to reshape
and refocus and I'm loving whatwe've got going on right now
between the people, the guys,all of it.
But I got to start building inthem.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
A lot of these guys.
You know Sam Zeus been herefour or five years.
I know Dylan been here seven oreight years.
I know, out of the nine, Likewe have got to figure out how I
not only professionally helpthem build a legacy within.
All I've ever wanted, I guess,from PsyCon is that when they
(28:21):
come to work here, they leavebetter.
Yeah, that's truly it.
Yes absolutely Don't get mewrong.
Do I get personally connectedto folks?
There's no doubt about it.
Well, yeah, and in the earlyyears I was so personally
connected and I was so concernedabout their life and and it was
too much yeah but they'll cometo you with questions.
But you have to be open andavailable in order for you to
(28:46):
truly be effective in whatyou're trying to do.
Absolutely.
And, yes, build them aprofessional career roadmap.
But I did something different.
I think this was the first timethis year that I had done this.
I need to circle back.
I'm so glad I'm going to writethat down, but here's what I
write it down in my book.
Actually, sorry, guys, this ismy notepad that I take
(29:09):
everywhere, and if you don'thave a notepad, you need a
notepad.
At the start of the year, Iwanted different and I wanted
different for our people, and soI sent out a goal list.
I asked 15 questions not chatGPT, I wrote them myself.
And from where do you want tobe on the professional side?
(29:32):
Where do you want to be?
You know what's your goal foryour personal?
Is it building a house thisyear?
Is it buying a house this year?
Is it getting your first placefor some of the younger guys?
Is it?
Whatever it is?
Let me know now so I can helpfocus my entire year and these
small amounts of times that I doget to legacy build into them,
(29:52):
whether it's about investmentstrategies or whatever the case
may be.
I need to take that time, butnow I've got a goal of where
they're going.
It's so much easier.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
And to help build whatever legacy they want, while
they're help building MarsAbsolutely, and so legacy is a
different word for me.
That was kind of a two-partanswer there.
But um, legacy, I thought wasall about what you built, who
you are like, the business thatyou're gonna leave you bet, but
(30:23):
it's not.
It's not, it's about what youleave behind people yeah you go
and I have drastically changedmy focus in ensuring that, if I
were to go tomorrow, thateverybody you know would say you
know, cy, help me here or helpme there.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
And so that's been my way forward on the legacy there
.
But future conversations, youhave to have them, have to have,
you have to have them and ifyou don't, it's just going to be
a chaotic, fast-paced race.
(31:03):
You got to know where you'retrying to get to and you when
you know the next rest is coming.
And, gentlemen, be happy whenyou get there and celebrate when
you get there.
I, I have a struggle with that.
Just get to that place and gooh, this is cool, what's next?
Yeah, celebrate the victory alittle bit, you know.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
This is our challenge for you this week Set aside 20
minutes, maybe an early morningover coffee, maybe in the truck
after work.
Ask each other where do we wantto be in five years in life and
not just business.
And I challenge you men becauseespecially you visionary guys
that are leading the charge inthe company front about where
(31:48):
it's going and how it'sdeveloping.
Sit there and write up fivepersonal goals, like for
yourself, and then take it toyour spouse and go.
This is kind of what I'd liketo see happen in the next five
years and honestly, I think wemay need to look at our goals
from the first of the year andmaybe circle back me and you and
(32:08):
trying to figure out what ournext five to 10 years looks like
.
We've been working on it thereain't no doubt about it
Absolutely Behind the scenes andwhere we're shaping up for the
next five 10 years, and it's alot different than what it used
to be.
Yeah, it's just a lot different.
But maybe what's one smallthing we can start doing now to
(32:32):
move in that direction?
It doesn't need to be these biggrand things a five minute
conversation, or you may evenjust text each other.
How about that let's get.
Let's get super basic Text eachother your five goals.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Yeah, if you've never done a goal list with your wife
or spouse or business orwhatever, you have to have a
goal list but I encourage you tosit down together and agree
with those five things yeah,yeah, but and I mean, like I
appreciate your personal fivegoals for yourself, but as
(33:06):
family and especially asbusiness, like we need to make
goals together and um, and whereyou want to be, where I want to
be Come to a common agreementon where our future is going and
what it looks like.
And once you have that I meanwrite it down I encourage you to
(33:27):
put it in places that you'regoing to see every day, you know
, like on your bathroom mirror,your truck, like wherever works
for you and that you'recomfortable with.
And it doesn't have to be aperfect list, but just a list
that shows you the common goaland where you're trying to get
(33:47):
to.
A point of motivation, just like, hey, we're not where we want
to be, but in five years, thisis where this is the goal and
just have it somewhere thatyou're going to constantly see,
remind you that this is what youdo or this is what you're
working for.
(34:07):
You know.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
It together.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
Yeah, together.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Put it up somewhere, as you guys heard I don't know
if it was this, this episode orlast but bathroom talks we have.
We write things on our bathroommirrors all the time, yeah, and
we've got a giant annualcalendar in our room, an annual
calendar in our office, and it'sa lot, but it's worth it and
(34:33):
the small time don't don't don'tsit there and hammer each other
for an hour about my plan isbetter than your plan.
Just share what do we meet?
What's your focus Personally?
Where do you think family oughtto go?
And it may change in six months.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
And sit down and write a new set.
Yep, because if you're in thistogether forever.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
It's going to change a lot change.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
It's gonna change a whole lot.
Yep, guys, I can't thank youenough.
Number one, babe, thank you forbeing vulnerable, coming on the
show, um, shedding some insightinto credibility about what
we're doing and how we're doing,and we're just normal people
just trying to figure it out.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
We're not nobody, you know, but we are a resource for
these people.
Yeah, and it was a big deal foryou to come on here.
This is not Sarah's world.
Sarah doesn't even do socialmedia Like very lightly on the
old book of faces so it was abig deal for her to sit down
with me.
I do this week in, week out,but it was special to me and
(35:41):
something I won't forget anytimesoon.
Let us know, guys,bluecollarbusinesspodcastcom,
reach out to me LinkedIn, shootme an email there's just several
ways to get in touch with me,but I want to hear how this has
affected you guys and from theguys that have already sent in
(36:01):
some messages.
I really appreciate it and Iencourage you.
Just keep going every day.
Just win the day.
Just win the day.
That's all you can do and winthe day together.
Say a prayer in the morning,say a prayer in the evening.
That's about the only thingthat gets us through half the
time, absolutely.
This was just a reminder to youguys that you're not alone out
(36:22):
there fighting the good fight.
It's the small business Americathat the married couple's
trying to just do it and do itright and don't be afraid to ask
for help, and so I'm so gladyou're here thinking that this
may help you in some way or somefashion.
But again, we've had four Ithink three out of four.
(36:45):
We've had three or fourchallenges essentially to you
guys.
Let us know how those are going, let us know how that's
affected you.
But if this series helped you inany way, shoot it to somebody,
share it.
Don't forget to subscribe.
Leave a review if you're on apodcast platform after this.
(37:10):
It means a lot and it helps theshow.
So until next time, you guys,be safe.
If you've enjoyed this episode,be sure to give it a like,
share it with the fellers.
Check out our website to sendus any questions and comments
about your experience in theblue collar business.
Who do you want to hear from?
Send them our way and we'll doour best to answer any questions
you may have.
Till next time, guys.
Hey guys, welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast
, where we discuss the realest,rawest, most relevant stories
and strategies behind buildingevery corner of a blue collar
business.
I'm your host, cy Kirby, and Iwant to help you in what it took
me trial and error and a wholelot of money to learn the
information that no one in thisindustry is willing to share.
Whether you're under that shadetree or have your hard hat on,
(00:30):
let's expand your toolbox.
Welcome back to another episode, guys, of the Blue Collar
Business Podcast brought to youand sponsored by
podcastvideoscom in theirbeautiful studio today in the
conference room.
You guys have really beenenjoying our date night series
and this is kind of sad thatwe're wrapping this up and maybe
(00:53):
we have to do one, a quarter orsomething to continue this on.
Let us know, guys, hit thewebsite
BlueColorBusinessPodcastcom, letus know a keynote, or find me
on LinkedIn anywhere there, orjust shoot me an email.
I really appreciate all thekind words that this series has
been helping you guys in oneshape form or another and we've
(01:15):
been putting ourselves out therebeing pretty vulnerable with
you guys.
But to Sarah's point and thereason she came on, she also
understands how many otherpeople are sitting out there in
the same position as us, with noresource, with no comfort, with
no, nothing other than the goodLord above.
So if you're running a businessguys working long hours, maybe
(01:37):
working with your spouse, maybeworking around your spouse you
know how easy it is to let yourrelationship take a backseat,
especially if you stack somekiddos on top of that.
Three for us come on, and sowe're carving out some time, and
this is what we've been doingfor the last four parts no
distractions, just honestconversation about the stuff
(01:59):
that matters Intimacy, time,communication.
And today's topic is our futureShared vision, legacy, building
a life beyond the business, andit's so hard to get trapped
into the business forefront.
This is just going to be ourfuture, but we're going to talk
about our personal futures andmaybe some things we're looking
(02:22):
forward to get out of life oneday down the road.
So today's episode again stayaligned in your goals, dream
together and leave a legacywithin the people that you're
connected to, that you're proudof.
So let's get to this today,guys, and as you guys know,
we've been kind of doing thisappetizer first, second course,
(02:43):
kind of dessert, and leaving youguys with a challenge at the
end of the show and I would loveto hear how your challenges are
going and how it's helped youand either your marriage or
business.
Thank you for joining me today,mama.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
You're so welcome.
I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
For the part number four.
You've enjoyed this.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Four, yeah, I have, it's been fun.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
I've really enjoyed this.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I feel like I've learned a lot about the way that
you view our marriage and ourbusiness relationship.
Uh-oh, it's been enlightening.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
In a good or bad way, I think good.
I think, good too on this sideof the table, I got to tell you
I've learned a little bit, andthat's exactly why I started
this podcast.
This is episode 52, so we'vegot one for every single week of
the year now.
Whoa, anyhow, um, but no, it'sbeen very enlightening on this
side of the table.
(03:36):
It's been healthy, it's been um, learning.
I always, I'm always constantlylearning you and trying to, of
course, support the new you,because we're trying to be not
new, not brand new, but betterversions of ourselves.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, absolutely Always growing.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
And it's a very complicated scenario when you're
doing that growing in businessand growing a family.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
And when we first started working together, were
you thinking about the future atall, or just trying to make it
to payday?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
we were.
I was trying to make a payday100 like obviously it's
entrepreneurship yeah, yeah.
Like obviously I was thinkingabout the future, but like my
main goal was like how do we getthe money that you're working
for in the door in Timely Manorand how do I like help you not
(04:34):
be so stressed?
Like that was my goal.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Isn't that still your goal?
Yeah, as of today.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, daring to come nowhere in nine years.
No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
I think if you haven't listened to episode
three, I would encourage you togo back and listen to how we've,
you know, figured out ourcommunication and I think that
weighs a lot into to this point,because you know I'm more
focused on the businesstrajectory and you're more
focused on the family trajectory, and we meet in the middle with
both you know about from eachside of the table.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
But from the business aspect, day one.
I was thinking about 10 years,from that five years.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
I was not.
That was my focus.
Scale grow, scale grow.
Get it to something sizable,tangible and we've always been
yin and yang.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Like I know that that's, that was like your goal,
your focus, like that's whatyou always saw.
The end no, I wouldn't say theend.
Like you, would you the future,right where I am, like the more
admin, okay, if that's whereyou want to go, we need this and
(05:49):
this and this and this tohappen and be done to be able to
get there.
And so, like that was my focus,the professional term is
controller.
You tell me that I amcontrolling and so I don't like
that I do not tell you, you'recontrolling yeah, I just like.
(06:10):
I like our life to happen in acertain manner, and when it
doesn't go in that manner, Itend to get a little anxiety
about it, and so I can be, butit's because I want the future
plan that is in your head tocome to fruition, and so you
(06:30):
know you got to have the thingsin the right order.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah, it really does Go ahead.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
On the next question Okay, when was the moment you
realized we're not just working,we're building something big?
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Good question, because it's so easy to get
caught up in the focus ofday-to-day and survival and I
would say year three, year four.
I really I got a little toohot-headed about what we're
(07:20):
building.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
And I can speak on that now because big man really
humbled me big time when Ithought I had it.
All money was flowing, thingswere rocking and, man, we didn't
know nothing.
It's still at that point, yeah,over five, you know five, six
million dollars running throughand we still didn't have all the
proper systems in place.
(07:42):
No, like you preached and likebegged me to get some systems
and standards in place and I'mall grow scale, grow scale, grow
scale.
But I would say year three, yearfour, when I had two crews out
there working and making moneyand I am well not always making
(08:02):
money, but they're out thereworking- yeah, as we found out
and but as I was able to handle,say you know, a white collar
conversation, some high levelowner, high level developer
during the day while work wasstill happening, that's when I
(08:24):
started to go uh-oh, we're doingthis thing.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And it wasn't this great epiphany I had because,
honestly, I'm the type of personand most 0.5% entrepreneurs are
.
You can never settle and beokay with what you have ever.
That 0.5%, 99.5% of peoplereally shouldn't be
entrepreneurs.
You got to have a little bit ofthat dog in you, not trying to
(08:54):
be any way, but like you'regetting your teeth kicked in all
day long and you can't ever behappy with nothing.
You want the next thing, youwant the next thing, you want
the next thing.
It's a great trait to have, butalso a terrible trait to have,
from across the table, who lovesand appreciates every single
day of exactly what we have.
Look at all the things.
Who tries to open my eyes.
(09:16):
Look at the things Kids arehappy, look at all this
equipment, look at the thingswe've acquired and built
together and the culture withinour company.
And you know I'll speak to that.
You know year six, year seven,where I got hotheaded and we had
(09:39):
the project managers and we hadfive or six superintendents and
thought we were just screamingthrough the year, you know, and
we didn't have that internalaccounting dialed in.
Nobody told us we had to dothat, you know, and we figured
out the hard way by losing money, yeah, but in that year, first
(10:00):
half of that year, I was highcotton.
Rest of the half of that year,boy, I was eating, eating my
future growth goals and watchingthem absolutely implode in
front of my face.
So hard to take and I was wrong.
And that's when.
(10:22):
That's when 22, I'm sorry.
Yeah, end of 22 into 23.
The first six months of 23started hiring some extra folks
gps to everything we needed.
The year before that we did sogood.
I was like, all right, here'sthe mistakes I made last year.
Let's go ahead and freaking,make sure they're not a mistakes
before this work kicks off.
(10:44):
We'll get everybody trained androcking and rolling.
And here we go.
Boy was I wrong and boy was Iwrong.
You got to be watching thosereports, those whip reports,
those P&L reports, those yourbacklog and your sales.
All of that determines yournext move, not.
Yes, last year weighs into it,yeah, but are you really going
(11:05):
to repeat?
Not, yes last year weighs intoit.
Yeah, but are you really goingto repeat exactly the way you
did last year?
Probably not.
Yeah, and but that's about when, the moment we had a couple of
crews rolling around or say Iwas dump trucking all day, yeah,
and years.
I did that when we could have.
Just I could have been worryingabout that next job rather than
(11:26):
driving that dump truck is aworst place for me to be, as in
a dump truck or that.
But, uh, no, I've.
I've got to say that that wasprobably it.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Yeah, have we ever had totally different ideas
about where the business, whereour family, was headed and how
did we work through it?
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Yeah, yeah, there's no doubt guys, we to this day
still have some differences inthe next six months what we want
to do in those short-term goals.
Those short-term goals havebeen totally different on the
family and business side ofthings.
Oh yeah, it's never the longterm.
(12:10):
It took us some years.
From my side of the table, wemay speak differently, but truly
don't worry about the detailsin the long term.
Just have a good plan and adirection of where you're going.
How you get there doesn'tmatter.
It's usually going to be brutaland you're going to want to
give up before you get there.
But as long as you have a goodsupport of an amazing partner,
(12:34):
you will get there.
But it's usually the short-termgoals that are totally
different ideas of how we get tothe long-term goal?
Absolutely.
I wouldn't say that we've everhad a complete disagreement
about where we want to go.
Yeah, you want to be a $20million company from day one.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
And hell, for the first seven years I want to be a
$100 million company.
Yeah, million dollar company,yeah.
And you know, in the last,especially the last you guys
hear me on the show all the timeabout last 18 months of really
taking 24 and almost all of 25here to really focus on systems,
processes, procedures, and it'slike building an airplane while
(13:19):
you're trying to fly it at 37000 feet and I don't recommend
it.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
No, it's hard.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
I would recommend fellas listening across the side
of the table or go findingsomebody.
Shout out to Miss Shalina andJulie.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Oh yeah, Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
That are experts at how to do this, because you're
not experts.
Yeah, we're not experts onsystem building.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
No, no, I don't know, but we found an expert.
Yes absolutely.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
You know, and I would encourage you guys, go watch
that episode and hear about allthe changes.
And it was kind of embarrassingfor me and shameful and for
being kind of a proud, pridefulman, it was hard for me to sit
in all those meetings and hearhow wrong I was and how dumb I
was for pushing so hard on theseshort-term parameters and
(14:08):
variables just to get to ourlong-term goal rather than
planning together aboutshort-term of how we get there.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
How do we talk about the future without turning it
into a fight or feeling justunbelievably overwhelming?
I think that's probably one ofmy meat and potato questions to
go across the table, becausethis is something that really
has been an issue over the years, because I am so two years,
five years, 10 years down theroad and you're like honey.
(14:44):
I just need you here now, likehere right now.
Prioritize this moment.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah, I mean I think that it we've had some really
terrible talks about the future.
We've had some, you know,turbulent discussions.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Back to flying Okay.
Yeah, like where this is going.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
I think that we've just had to like.
I understand that I am not thevisionary, I am more of the
realist, the day-to-day, and soI have come to a realization
when we have these, come likethese conversations, that me
(15:32):
sitting here telling you, likeyou're, I don't want to own a
company that has 20 crews on itand we do everything under the
sun.
I don't want to own a concretecrew, a pipe crew, a dirt crew,
(15:53):
uh, you know, steel crew.
I don't want to do that.
But the way that I communicatethat to you makes a huge
difference.
Me just telling you absolutelynot, we're not doing that.
Get it out of your head.
Do not go and give me a quoteon concrete forms.
Don't do it Like I don't wantto hear it.
(16:16):
Just having that conversationwith you in a way that you
understand that it's not becauseI don't love that.
You want the sun and the moonand the stars, but that's just
not where I want to go in ourlife.
(16:36):
Let that be in a way that youcan receive.
It has been game changing.
You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Oh, a hundred percent agreed and vice versa.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Because I want to give you absolutely everything
that you want and it's hard forme to be like, no, let's not do
that.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
How do we make it on?
Oh, not overwhelming, it'salways overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
It's always overwhelming, it's not even sure
.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah, like even it's always overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
It's always overwhelming.
It's not even sure.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Yeah, like, even if it wasn't a business like secret
for that, like it's alwaysoverwhelming, the unknown is
overwhelming yeah but I willtell you what's more
overwhelming not talking aboutit not talking about it, not
making a decision on yeah andjust I say it to my guys in the
field all the time like, make adamn decision, don't stand in
(17:26):
the middle of the road, becauseyou just stand there and get run
over by directional trafficboth ways, just wham, wham, wham
, and you can never get sat onyour feet standing up again
because you just won't pick alane.
I would rather pick a lane, getrun over by three cars and be
able to stand back up and go.
Okay, this sucked, this was thewrong decision.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
And then figure out together that.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Oh yeah, we got hit a little hard here, but at least
we can stand on our feet enoughto hold hands and go.
All right, lord, what are wedoing here and make a decision
and move forward even if it isthe wrong one, but we've learned
more.
Education is expensive, butexperience is priceless and we
have both high school educations.
We're not college educatedfolks.
(18:12):
We chose a different route inlife and you know what I say.
It's working out all right, butwe still had to get educated
and we just happened to chooseand use our own $50,000,.
You know, oh, we missed this,oh, we missed that.
This is going to cost us thisand those are very expensive
lessons.
And you eventually quit wantingto get punched in the teeth and
(18:36):
start circling, going back, butcircling that problem and going
how did we get here?
Rather than oh, this is theproblem, and just pound the
problem into the ground.
But if, man, I just want toholler at you for just a minute.
If you're sitting here and youare the visionary, it's very
hard back to the 99.5%, likethey don't need to be
(19:01):
entrepreneurs.
But you, true visionaries outthere and I'm not a
self-proclaimed visionary, um,people have told me, my wife
included, that I see, I just seethings a little differently.
I'm not saying it's right, it'sjust way my brain is wired.
I see the future, um, and Idon't necessarily how to get
there.
But there's not many things inlife that I said, hey, I'm going
(19:24):
to, I'm going to do this.
And I didn't do it like fullfeet first, head first, right
into the deep end.
I never just walked down thestairs and hold the handrail.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
And um you're like high dive.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I would tone that back, gentlemen, just a little
bit.
She's just trying to help youand it may come out just a wee
bit different than you'reexpecting, but it's true love
and protection.
She's doing her job.
It's her job to protect herfamily and you're part of that
family and she's going toprotect you.
(20:02):
Try to protect you frombecoming hurt in any way that
she may see that you're not evenrealizing or looking at yet
because you're so focused ongoing from point A to point B.
So take some time in that dashin between A to B and well
before you come off of A talk,figure out and make sure we're
(20:24):
at least going in the rightdirection and make sure you have
that support.
But how do you make sure yourbusiness supports the life you
want instead of the other wayaround?
I'd say I'm going to answerthis for you.
We're still learning.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I was going to say I have no stinking clue, because
we ain't there yet, becausewe're not there yet.
Yeah, and we are working sodiligently our business still
runs us our yeah, and, but Ithink that that's because we, we
didn't take the time at thebeginning, yep, to make sure
that our life was, you know, notran by our business, and so,
(21:01):
and I think that we're on theright track of making that, you
know, happen, but I don't thinkwe're there, and and I wish that
I had a better answer, but Ijust don't.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I don't know, it's all timing.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
And you know.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I, I can't sit here and act like we've got it all
figured out, oh, and we're justraking in the dough and flying
around the country and the world.
I wish you know what we don'thave to wish, because we can
keep hope in all of you know,this podcast, the YouTube stuff,
(21:38):
the, of course, constructioncompany that we started
everything with, you know, andour babies and like, but to say
the business doesn't still run,our lives would be, would be a
lie.
Yeah, and but knowing that weknew that for a very, very long
(21:58):
time but we didn't know how tochange it no, and we didn't do
anything to change it, it wasjust oh, you're here, you need
to get to here.
And we're like, okay, and you'resitting there across the table
and I'm like, well, this guy'snot even going to tell us how,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
He's not even gonna tell us how yeah he's not even
gonna draw us a freaking.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
I don't care if I've got to go backwards and come
back to get to there.
Just explain to me how.
Yeah, just explain.
Hey, I've seen so and so gothrough this.
This is how they did it.
Yeah, may not be the right wayI've done it, but, man, it gives
me a freaking idea.
I'm gonna move forward.
Yes rather than yep.
That's science, sarah.
They're here, that they need tobe here before we can work with
them.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Yeah, and I feel like small businesses, especially
small businesses, when you getinto it at such a young age,
that is what you run into allthe time and it's like everybody
has a vision or where theybelieve you should be.
(22:58):
But to get to the nitty grittyof like, how are you actually
supposed to run your business?
How are you supposed to take abusiness that is working every
day, moving down the tracksworking every day, moving down
(23:21):
the tracks not correctly or, youknow, with the right parts and
pieces, you know how do you fixit along the way, and what we
have learned is that there's sofew people that can actually sit
there and help you, tell youhow to get to where they're
telling you you need to be.
It's always like you're here,you need to be there, good luck,
(23:45):
see you when you get there, andit's like we kind of could just
take in that answer yeah and wewere and we would, we could
feel them out within the introcall or the intro meeting.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
We're like, no, we'd leave that meeting and go.
Well, how'd you feel that's notthe guy.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Yeah, not it.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
You're right, that's not the guy.
Let's find somebody else.
But when you're sitting thereand you don't know how, don't
just sit there.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Yeah, don't yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Chat, gpt, google find people.
Linkedin is a huge deal in ourworld.
Blue collars get on LinkedIn,all the white collar folk.
That's their business socialmedia platform, and let me not
get too far off on that but-.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Get on LinkedIn.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Get on LinkedIn, my God, anyways.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Okay, what does legacy mean to you and how do
you want our kids, employees andcommunity to remember what
we've built?
Speaker 1 (24:44):
I've got a quote from a future guest on the show.
I'm so excited to have him, buthis name is Herb Sargent and
most of you guys, I would assumeif you're on LinkedIn, would
know this gentleman, but he isphenomenal to follow on LinkedIn
(25:05):
.
This gentleman built a utilitycompany in the Northeastern
United States, sargent Utilities, and he just made his exit.
His company is an ESOP program,like it goes back to.
Before I finish this quote here.
It goes back to why would youtake advice from somebody's life
that isn't pictured the onewhere you're wanting to go?
(25:27):
And her made a post on LinkedInand it was very short, very
sweet.
And legacy is not about what youbuild and leave.
It's about what you build andleave in people.
And man, I I sat there and Ijust looked at that for a minute
(25:48):
and I almost teared up and I'mlike, man, I'm getting this
wrong.
I'm getting it wrong and Ididn't even realize it because I
was so focused on my legacy forColton, sadie and now baby
Caroline and I had it justsoaked into my head that you
(26:08):
have to build something for themwhen you're gone.
You have to have somethingthat's going to let them build a
better life, because you're notgoing to be're gone.
You have to have somethingthat's going to let them build a
better life, because you're notgoing to be here forever.
You have to do this for them.
And boy, I got it wrong.
I was still trying to be daddy,but not.
(26:28):
It's so, so hard early on toturn off work mode when the
babies were little, and that wassome of the toughest times I
think we'll ever live through inour entire lives.
Sorry for that, but the legacythat I'm leaving in them,
children, is more important thanany materialistic thing that I
(26:49):
could offer them business income, any of that.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
And I just had to be there.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Episode two from this podcast, and I really made that
switch.
And when I when I say that,guys, I never missed a ball game
, I've missed two ball games outof the six years that bubba has
been playing ball, or fiveyears, sorry, um, it's very
important for me to be there,but the one thing I throw at you
(27:14):
all the time prioritize themoment.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
And I had to figure out that the legacy that I'm
building within their hearts andminds is something that is the
most important thing on mymindset.
But then I turned around and gowhat about these employees?
And I'm like they're not justhere to get a job done.
(27:40):
Yes, we talk about culture onthe show all the time.
We have a different culture atPsyCon and it was great, and
then it turned not so great, andculture takes time to reshape
and refocus and I'm loving whatwe've got going on right now
between the people, the guys,all of it.
But I got to start building inthem.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
A lot of these guys.
You know Sam Zeus been herefour or five years.
I know Dylan been here seven oreight years.
I know, out of the nine, Likewe have got to figure out how I
not only professionally helpthem build a legacy within.
All I've ever wanted, I guess,from PsyCon is that when they
(28:21):
come to work here, they leavebetter.
Yeah, that's truly it.
Yes absolutely Don't get mewrong.
Do I get personally connectedto folks?
There's no doubt about it.
Well, yeah, and in the earlyyears I was so personally
connected and I was so concernedabout their life and and it was
too much yeah but they'll cometo you with questions.
But you have to be open andavailable in order for you to
(28:46):
truly be effective in whatyou're trying to do.
Absolutely.
And, yes, build them aprofessional career roadmap.
But I did something different.
I think this was the first timethis year that I had done this.
I need to circle back.
I'm so glad I'm going to writethat down, but here's what I
write it down in my book.
Actually, sorry, guys, this ismy notepad that I take
(29:09):
everywhere, and if you don'thave a notepad, you need a
notepad.
At the start of the year, Iwanted different and I wanted
different for our people, and soI sent out a goal list.
I asked 15 questions not chatGPT, I wrote them myself.
And from where do you want tobe on the professional side?
(29:32):
Where do you want to be?
You know what's your goal foryour personal?
Is it building a house thisyear?
Is it buying a house this year?
Is it getting your first placefor some of the younger guys?
Is it?
Whatever it is?
Let me know now so I can helpfocus my entire year and these
small amounts of times that I doget to legacy build into them,
(29:52):
whether it's about investmentstrategies or whatever the case
may be.
I need to take that time, butnow I've got a goal of where
they're going.
It's so much easier.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
And to help build whatever legacy they want, while
they're help building MarsAbsolutely, and so legacy is a
different word for me.
That was kind of a two-partanswer there.
But um, legacy, I thought wasall about what you built, who
you are like, the business thatyou're gonna leave you bet, but
(30:23):
it's not.
It's not, it's about what youleave behind people yeah you go
and I have drastically changedmy focus in ensuring that, if I
were to go tomorrow, thateverybody you know would say you
know, cy, help me here or helpme there.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
And so that's been my way forward on the legacy there
.
But future conversations, youhave to have them, have to have,
you have to have them and ifyou don't, it's just going to be
a chaotic, fast-paced race.
(31:03):
You got to know where you'retrying to get to and you when
you know the next rest is coming.
And, gentlemen, be happy whenyou get there and celebrate when
you get there.
I, I have a struggle with that.
Just get to that place and gooh, this is cool, what's next?
Yeah, celebrate the victory alittle bit, you know.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
This is our challenge for you this week Set aside 20
minutes, maybe an early morningover coffee, maybe in the truck
after work.
Ask each other where do we wantto be in five years in life and
not just business.
And I challenge you men becauseespecially you visionary guys
that are leading the charge inthe company front about where
(31:48):
it's going and how it'sdeveloping.
Sit there and write up fivepersonal goals, like for
yourself, and then take it toyour spouse and go.
This is kind of what I'd liketo see happen in the next five
years and honestly, I think wemay need to look at our goals
from the first of the year andmaybe circle back me and you and
(32:08):
trying to figure out what ournext five to 10 years looks like
.
We've been working on it thereain't no doubt about it
Absolutely Behind the scenes andwhere we're shaping up for the
next five 10 years, and it's alot different than what it used
to be.
Yeah, it's just a lot different.
But maybe what's one smallthing we can start doing now to
(32:32):
move in that direction?
It doesn't need to be these biggrand things a five minute
conversation, or you may evenjust text each other.
How about that let's get.
Let's get super basic Text eachother your five goals.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Yeah, if you've never done a goal list with your wife
or spouse or business orwhatever, you have to have a
goal list but I encourage you tosit down together and agree
with those five things yeah,yeah, but and I mean, like I
appreciate your personal fivegoals for yourself, but as
(33:06):
family and especially asbusiness, like we need to make
goals together and um, and whereyou want to be, where I want to
be Come to a common agreementon where our future is going and
what it looks like.
And once you have that I meanwrite it down I encourage you to
(33:27):
put it in places that you'regoing to see every day, you know
, like on your bathroom mirror,your truck, like wherever works
for you and that you'recomfortable with.
And it doesn't have to be aperfect list, but just a list
that shows you the common goaland where you're trying to get
(33:47):
to.
A point of motivation, just like, hey, we're not where we want
to be, but in five years, thisis where this is the goal and
just have it somewhere thatyou're going to constantly see,
remind you that this is what youdo or this is what you're
working for.
(34:07):
You know.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
It together.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
Yeah, together.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Put it up somewhere, as you guys heard I don't know
if it was this, this episode orlast but bathroom talks we have.
We write things on our bathroommirrors all the time, yeah, and
we've got a giant annualcalendar in our room, an annual
calendar in our office, and it'sa lot, but it's worth it and
(34:33):
the small time don't don't don'tsit there and hammer each other
for an hour about my plan isbetter than your plan.
Just share what do we meet?
What's your focus Personally?
Where do you think family oughtto go?
And it may change in six months.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
And sit down and write a new set.
Yep, because if you're in thistogether forever.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
It's going to change a lot change.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
It's gonna change a whole lot.
Yep, guys, I can't thank youenough.
Number one, babe, thank you forbeing vulnerable, coming on the
show, um, shedding some insightinto credibility about what
we're doing and how we're doing,and we're just normal people
just trying to figure it out.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
We're not nobody, you know, but we are a resource for
these people.
Yeah, and it was a big deal foryou to come on here.
This is not Sarah's world.
Sarah doesn't even do socialmedia Like very lightly on the
old book of faces so it was abig deal for her to sit down
with me.
I do this week in, week out,but it was special to me and
(35:41):
something I won't forget anytimesoon.
Let us know, guys,bluecollarbusinesspodcastcom,
reach out to me LinkedIn, shootme an email there's just several
ways to get in touch with me,but I want to hear how this has
affected you guys and from theguys that have already sent in
(36:01):
some messages.
I really appreciate it and Iencourage you.
Just keep going every day.
Just win the day.
Just win the day.
That's all you can do and winthe day together.
Say a prayer in the morning,say a prayer in the evening.
That's about the only thingthat gets us through half the
time, absolutely.
This was just a reminder to youguys that you're not alone out
(36:22):
there fighting the good fight.
It's the small business Americathat the married couple's
trying to just do it and do itright and don't be afraid to ask
for help, and so I'm so gladyou're here thinking that this
may help you in some way or somefashion.
But again, we've had four Ithink three out of four.
(36:45):
We've had three or fourchallenges essentially to you
guys.
Let us know how those are going, let us know how that's
affected you.
But if this series helped you inany way, shoot it to somebody,
share it.
Don't forget to subscribe.
Leave a review if you're on apodcast platform after this.
(37:10):
It means a lot and it helps theshow.
So until next time, you guys,be safe.
If you've enjoyed this episode,be sure to give it a like,
share it with the fellers.
Check out our website to sendus any questions and comments
about your experience in theblue collar business.
Who do you want to hear from?
Send them our way and we'll doour best to answer any questions
you may have.
Till next time, guys.
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