August 10, 2026 • 38 mins
Summary
In this engaging podcast episode, host Robert interviews Will Armitage, a young and passionate racer from Springfield, Illinois. They discuss Will's journey in racing, starting from his early days in quarter midgets to his current endeavors in sprint car racing. The conversation delves into the intricacies of different racing classes, the challenges of building a racing team, and the community surrounding the sport. Will shares his experiences, including the thrill of setting quick time with the World of Outlaws and the importance of teamwork in racing. The episode highlights the local racing scene and the impact of businesses like Maxim Chassis in Springfield. Will shares how a shift in mindset from being just a driver to understanding the business side of racing has been crucial for his success. The introduction of High Level as a powerful business tool and the establishment of Elevate Growth Solutions to help other businesses thrive are also key themes.
Takeaways
- The racing community in Springfield is supportive and vibrant.
- Sprint car racing involves significant financial investment.
- Setting quick time in racing is a notable achievement.
- Building a racing team requires collaboration and dedication.
- High Level is a powerful tool for business organization.
- Elevate Growth Solutions aims to help businesses grow.
- Authenticity is key in personal branding and social media.
- Community collaboration can lead to greater opportunities.
- Utilizing modern tools can save time and enhance productivity.
- Networking is vital for personal and professional growth.
Join The Elevate Insider:
https://bigdogbc.com/elevate
Facebook: @robertferriell @elevatespringfield
Youtube: @robertferriell
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
Welcome to Elevate Springfield, where we will dive
into strategies and stories thathelp you rise to your full
potential.
Each episode, we'll talk abouthow you can take intentional
steps to elevate your life andyour business while making a
meaningful impact on thosearound you.
Along the way, we're gonna bringin the change makers from our
(00:20):
community that are alreadyelevating.
We'll bring the actionablestrategies, you bring the
discipline and follow through,and together we can elevate
Springfield.
Alright, let's go, Springfield.
Time to 10X your life, yourbusiness, all of it.
Time to crush those goals, timeto get after it.
(00:42):
Let's go.
You are listening to the ElevateSpringfield Podcast.
Robert Farrell here, certified10x coach, speaker, and mentor
here to bring you actionablestrategies.
You bring the discipline andfollow through.
And together, we're gonnaElevate Springfield.
We're coming to you again frombeautiful downtown Springfield
(01:02):
in the big dog constructionstudio.
Hey, we've got so much going onin Springfield right now.
Make sure you are participating.
Get out there, network withfolks, be a part of the
community, support localbusinesses, support local
nonprofits, and let's go.
We can all grow together.
(01:24):
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All right, and we are back.
Hey, joining me in the studionow, we've got Will Armitage
from Will Armitage Racing andElevate Growth Solutions.
How you doing today, man?
SPEAKER_00 (02:24):
How's it going?
Appreciate you having me on.
It's exciting to get in here,talk some local stuff and the
racing all in one.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Yeah, I'm excited to learn a little bit more about
you and learn about everythingyou've got going on.
We've been talking a little morerecently, so it's gonna be good.
Beautiful day in Springfield,downtown.
So appreciate you coming down tovisit with me.
SPEAKER_00 (02:40):
Absolutely.
I think it's gonna be aprivilege.
We're gonna have a lot of goodconversation here and have some
fun racing talk and hopefullyit'll make for a good podcast.
SPEAKER_01 (02:47):
Yeah, because I don't think I've had a racer on
before.
So I'm looking forward, and Ihaven't been to really that many
races.
So that's something we need tochange.
Yeah, you'll have to school meon that a little bit.
But uh before we get into thatstuff, Will, let's just learn a
little bit about yourbackground, man.
Tell us a little bit about you.
SPEAKER_00 (03:00):
Yeah, for sure.
Um, I'm from Athens, Illinois.
Uh I actually graduated back in2023, not to not to bore you
with my whole childhood.
So I'm 21 now, and uh from theracing aspect of everything, you
know, started racing in quartermidgets, you know, at eight,
nine years old.
And uh it's been a familybackground.
My dad was involved in racingwhen he was younger, raced
quarter midgets himself, and uhmy mom's side has always been
(03:23):
race fans.
So it's just been from thefamily up, like I said, I was
normal, normal school sports andeverything like that too.
But the racing's been a hugepart of my life.
SPEAKER_01 (03:31):
So for those out there that are not familiar with
racing, what's a quarter midget?
SPEAKER_00 (03:35):
So a quarter midget would be like the cart of all
carts in terms of starting out.
So like that is your trainingwheels.
So I I did that for two years,which was was fun.
You know, it's just it's you'rejust out there learning how to
even understand how to race.
And then we quickly moved on tocage cart racing, and which was
out in Mechanicsburg, which wassuper exciting.
I I learned how to how toactually race at that point.
(03:56):
That was a lot of fun and a lotof my childhood.
And then when we were 14, I hadthe opportunity and uh got a
call from a D2 midget owner, uh,Kent Johnson, Kent and Carolyn,
and they gave me the opportunityto go run their car, which was
super cool.
You know, have a car owner callme, you know, when I'm so young.
And that was a lot of fun timesand learned a lot from that too.
So it's just been progressingsince I was eight and nine and
(04:19):
took a few years off, and nowwe're definitely in full swing.
SPEAKER_01 (04:21):
Yeah.
So when you were eight and nine,were you the one pushing that,
hey, I want to be a racer, orwas that something just kind of
all in the family, and hey,that's something we do, type of
thing.
SPEAKER_00 (04:29):
Yeah, so it's actually kind of funny.
So my dad, my dad bought aquarter midget, just wanted me
to race, and it was it was fun.
Uh, you know, I had a good timedoing it.
We actually took two years off,and one of my dad's buddies
called him and said, Hey, I wasactually his stepdaughter that
wasn't racing that night.
He's like, Hey, come run thiscart.
So I show up and I run this pinkcart at at Elyville Speedway in
Mechanicsburg.
(04:49):
I hadn't raced in two years.
And uh Doug, Doug Cannon was hisname, out in Pawnee.
And um, he he was watching withmy dad, and and they and I had
taken the lead on the top.
And he looked at my dad, hegoes, I've never seen a cage
cart run the top at Elyville.
And uh, and from there it's justbeen a rocket ship.
We've been racing every weekendever since.
(05:09):
So kind of hopped back in coldturkey after two years.
Uh but yeah, the quarter midgetthings where you start out and
then you go back into cagecarts, and there's micro sprints
like Jacksonville Speedway,Lincoln Speedway, where a lot of
guys cut their teeth, and nowwe're moving on to the regional
level and hopefully to thenational level in time.
SPEAKER_01 (05:26):
Okay.
Well, cut what racetracks do wehave here around Springfield?
SPEAKER_00 (05:29):
Yeah, so I've spent a ton of time just to kind of
jump to the sprint car scene alittle bit.
We can go backwards if we want,but I've spent a ton of time at
Jacksonville Speedway.
They have a great sprint carclass with 305s, they have a
local 410 class, which is supercool.
Uh, you don't get that a lotbecause the the local 410 class
is it's budget friendly.
The 305s are, and then it's hardto have a full 410 class, but
(05:53):
we've got a great, you know,racing community around here,
great race fans in Jacksonvillethat support it.
Um, and then we race at LincolnSpeedway uh a few times a year.
They're more of a stock cartrack, and then we've got Macon
Speedway and Decatur.
Uh there's a few more aroundhere within the hour radius, but
those are definitely our threeclosest.
And then the Springfield Milewith the Silver Crown.
We got to do that last year aswell, too.
SPEAKER_01 (06:14):
Yeah, I forgot about the Macon Speedway over there.
Yeah, the mighty Macon Speedway.
There you go.
So again, for those that mightnot be uh involved in racing
that much, what's the differencewhen you said 305 or 410?
What are those two what do thosemean?
SPEAKER_00 (06:25):
So that's so that's the cubic inch of the engine.
Okay.
So so 305, I don't quote me, butI think a 305 makes about 550
horsepower, uh which is you knowquite a bit for a small dirt
track, but a 410 is around the900 marker, so it's quite quite
the jump in a fuel-injected 900horsepower engine.
So it's uh, you know, you'relighting the tires off the
(06:46):
ground and uh it's a wholedifferent level for sure.
SPEAKER_01 (06:48):
So you said those might be more the
budget-friendly options.
What are the high dollar optionswhen you're gonna fire?
SPEAKER_00 (06:54):
Yeah, so so the 410 option, like so basically
there's builders all the wayaround the country, and it's
actually it's a very it's atough market right now because
there's a lot of guys that areare older that are building 410
sprint car engines that we needthat younger generation to come
up and build them.
But but yeah, so we run a 410,but then that's kind of where we
base our team around.
(07:14):
So like everything we have nowis a 410.
So like that's the class thatwe're in in terms of racing.
So we're traveling all the wayup to Wisconsin now.
We're still here at home, andthen we're running some national
shows as well in the Midwest.
SPEAKER_01 (07:26):
Right.
So with that, how fast are yougoing around the track?
SPEAKER_00 (07:30):
So it varies on the track, but that's a good
question.
Uh so like a place likeJacksonville, I think we're like
barely touching a hundred, youknow, on a quarter mile.
So it'd be like the size of yourtrack and field track.
Uh so we're going about ahundred around there, uh, maybe
just a little under.
But some of these tracks wereactually headed.
I'll be in my first KnoxvilleNationals next next week, which
is the biggest sprint car raceof them all.
(07:50):
So it's super, yeah, superexciting.
Yeah, I appreciate it.
It's uh it's not nerve-wracking,but it's definitely a cool
opportunity that I want to takeadvantage of.
So we'll be doing that.
But that that track, I thinkwe're hitting like 140.
You know, so it's there's athere's a gap in the size of the
track because that'll be a halfmile.
So it's double the distance, soa lot more straightaway speed.
And you know, we're haulingaround on a dirt track.
(08:10):
We'll have to drop some picturesover or something.
SPEAKER_01 (08:12):
Heck yeah, no doubt about it.
So, how fast wouldn't were yougoing when you were like eight,
nine years old?
Like 20.
SPEAKER_00 (08:18):
Okay.
Yeah, just just learning,learning how to get around the
track.
So it's a it's a crazyprogression.
Like once you get out of thecage cart and then you get into
like a micro sprint or a D2,there's guys that make a living
running a micro sprint, and it'sa very respected class.
Uh, and then you move up to thesprint car, the non-wing sprint
car, the silver crown, and anduh then of course pavement
(08:38):
racing, which we haven't haven'tmessed with yet.
Uh it's a dangerous sport.
It is, it's not any moredangerous than than probably a
game of football, but it'sdefinitely at the speeds we're
going, it's a adrenaline rushfor sure.
SPEAKER_01 (08:50):
No doubt about it.
So when you were younger likethat, were you just always the
type of kids?
I love this stuff.
I I'm not a I'm not scared atall of this.
SPEAKER_00 (08:57):
I don't I don't think so.
I I got nervous.
That's one thing that's uh kindof cool to talk about is is the
nerves being, you know, youstrap in, you got your helmet,
you got your your seat belts,your suit on, and everything.
And uh butterflies come intofull effect, you know.
And I've I feel like I've neverhad that quite as bad as some
people, uh, because you'rehopping in, it's dangerous,
(09:18):
especially when you do get intothe sprint car and just really
anything above a micro, it is adangerous sport.
And I've kind of avoided thebutterflies.
I think that's helped me as adriver overall, just just being
focused on the race and not nottoo nervous about it.
But but yeah, I've always lovedit.
I mean, I've aspired to tocontinue to to make it work
despite trying to trying to moveup in a in a non-budget friendly
(09:39):
sport.
You know, it's it's expensive,but I, you know, it goes back to
creating value in the race teamalongside just racing itself.
Uh, you can be a really goodrace car driver, but you've got
to make it work building a team.
SPEAKER_01 (09:51):
Have you always worked on your own cars?
SPEAKER_00 (09:53):
Yeah.
So when I was real little, ofcourse, I had no idea what was
going on.
But about the time we got in amicro, I started to get my hands
on it.
I would have been 12 or 13 atthat time.
And we had some great help.
Uh, Mike Russell, someone thathe was around for three or four
years from the micro into ourfirst year in the 410 sprint
car, who really was just thereto help.
I mean, I I looking back, I hadno idea how much time he was
(10:16):
spending just to make sure thatwe had a good opportunity.
My dad's obviously always beenreally busy growing the body
shops and was there in the shop,but in terms of getting
everything prepared during theweek, uh, Mike and myself were
on it.
Um, and then as we got into the410 sprint car, and we'll kind
of lead into that, like it wasmy turn to really pick up the
wrenches and figure it out.
(10:36):
And I luckily met some somereally good guys.
I've got Brad Campbell andHunter Bounds that helped me
every single day out in theshop.
I mean, it's nonstop.
I don't think they knew whatthey were signing up for when
they said, Hey, can I help youwith a sprint car?
But no, Brad and Hunter areawesome.
It's uh it's tough.
There's a lot of work to do inthe in the shop.
It's definitely not just a hobbyanymore.
SPEAKER_01 (10:55):
Does Brad do the welding and the roll cages and
all that stuff?
Yep.
SPEAKER_00 (10:58):
So Brad Brad's Brad's actually working at Maxim
chassis, which is cool.
So so the manufacturer of oursprint car chassis is right here
in Springfield, Illinois.
There's a few others around thecountry, but Maxim is by far the
most popular one.
So it's cool to have them local.
Right here in Springfield.
Right here in Springfield.
So so if you're ever, if you'rea welder, you know, go go check
out Maxim.
It's a it's a cool facility andthey do a lot of cool work in
(11:20):
there.
I mean, fabbing up race carchassis isn't normal fabrication
work.
So yeah, he works over there,and then uh Hunter's a diesel
mechanic.
So I've got a good little bondof, you know, when something's
wrong with the truck, you know,between my dad and Hunter and
Brad and me, we can we canfigure it out for the most part.
So it's it's a good deal andmakes it fun even when it's when
it's really stressful.
SPEAKER_01 (11:40):
Right.
No, it's always cool to seecompanies right here in
Springfield that are doing bigthings nationally, and like
those chassis right there, theyprobably work with people all
over the place and they don'teven know that it's happening
right here in Springfield.
SPEAKER_00 (11:51):
Yeah, they're actually shipping Australia and
New Zealand, you know, all thetime.
So so yeah, it's a yeah, very,very big company that you
wouldn't know about if if youweren't in the greater racing
community.
But if you are, you know thatMaxim's right here in
Springfield.
There's a ton of trucks pullingout of there with chassis all
the time.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
Yeah, no, that's been so fun about the podcast in
particular over the last yearand a half, talking to business
owners and talking to talkingabout things that people have no
idea that are happening righthere in Springfield that are
having an impact across thecountry and across the world.
I think it's just really, reallycool.
SPEAKER_00 (12:22):
It is cool.
And I'm sure there's a million,like I I know about Maxim.
There's a million other Maxims,you know, in Springfield that
people don't know about.
So yeah, it's cool.
It's uh it's a good, goodecosystem.
And like I said, it's it's morethan a hobby now, but it's cool
that we still have fun doing it,you know, even on the tough
nights.
I mean, we've had a actually hada really rough year.
Uh success-wise, it's beengreat, but just you know, the
(12:43):
ins and outs of the season hasbeen really tough, and it's just
been fun to have those guys.
I mean, I wouldn't want to do italone for sure.
SPEAKER_01 (12:49):
So absolutely.
So that car, just you said it'snot a not a cheap sport by any
means.
How much does one of those carscost?
Like if you if you buy one, Iguess if you're building it
yourself, whatever, butwhichever way you want to take
it.
SPEAKER_00 (13:00):
I don't think I could put a price tag on them
because we because you build itby hand.
Um, but no, it's uh it's not acheap sport at all.
I I know not not for our teamspecifically, because we run it
a little different on our engineprogram.
But if you go and if you go andorder one of these sprint car
engines, they're 60 to 70 grandout the door uh just for the
engine alone.
And then you're building a car,which the cars are simpler, but
(13:21):
there's still a lot of titaniumcomponents and stuff that adds
up on them.
So I literally could not tellyou a price tag on them.
Uh our engine program, I'mgrateful enough that we've had a
a guy come along when I firstgot into the 410, the the bigger
engine that was that was willingto build our engines for us.
And uh obviously we we got theparts and everything, but didn't
(13:42):
have that like that bill thatjust that one bill, right?
Like it's hey, we're we got thisengine, we need to we need to
put some pistons in it, we needto do this.
And uh we actually just setquick time with the world of
outlaws in our second race ofthe year, which is the national,
national series.
So that was our first ever Worldof Outlaw Quick Time, and uh you
know it's kind of cool because Iactually was on a podcast a few
(14:03):
weeks after with a guy that thatruns around nationally, and he's
like, So you built an engine outof a shed and you went and set
quick time with the world ofoutlaws, and I'm like, it wasn't
out of a shed.
I'm like, but it it's it is coolbecause we have really done
things a little different, and Iwish we could progress quicker,
everyone does, but it's it'sgone well.
So it's uh cool to to see that.
And obviously, having Jim, Idon't think I'd be in a 410
(14:25):
sprint car if Jim wouldn't havebuilt my engine the first time.
So and just for clarification,quick time is is is so basically
it's the fastest lap so to startthe night.
Okay so you'll so you're runyour practice laps and then
you'll jump into qualifying.
Right.
So basically it's it's one carout on the track, sometimes two,
but you're completely separate,and it's whoever sets the
fastest lap.
(14:46):
So, like, you know, your car'sgot to be set up right, your
engine has to be tuned perfect,and I've got to be on my A game
as far as just not moving.
The goal is just to put as muchor as as little input into the
wheel as possible to get areally good lap out of the car.
And that's what we did there.
And we went on to have a greatnight.
We won our heat race, we almostwon the dash.
I think there was 40 some carsthere, all nationally based.
(15:09):
Um, and then in the feature, Iwas running fourth at the time.
I had started third in thefeature, and our wing slider
broke.
So, like I said, I hope we candrop a picture over this or
something.
But when you have a wing ram,it's the only in-car adjustment.
So basically, it's a valve thatputs the wing forward and back.
It's on a slider.
And as you adjust the carthroughout the night, because
(15:29):
the track conditions slick offor anything, your only
adjustment after you strap intothat car is that wing.
Okay.
So basically, what happened isthe wing hydraulic bled back and
went further back than I wouldeven ever put the wing on the
slickest conditions.
So that completely ruined ourawesome night.
I mean, that's that's howhumbling racing is.
And I'm not gonna say we weregonna we were gonna win the
(15:49):
deal, but I think we were on topossibly our first outlaw top
five, at least top 10.
And then that happens five tosix laps in, and we had a really
good car.
So um, you know, battling withthe the previous two-time
champion of the series.
So they'll come again.
You know, I always have to tellmyself it'll come back, and uh,
we've got a really good team,and I think we can continue to
do that.
I don't think that's a one-hitwonder.
(16:10):
I think we'll make it happenagain.
SPEAKER_01 (16:12):
Love it.
So you've been racing for likewhat, 13 years now or so?
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (16:16):
What are some highlights?
Yeah, some highlights, man.
Yeah, for sure.
So started when I was eight ornine, so yeah, 13 years or so,
took those two years off.
So I've got about 10 yearsbehind the seat.
Uh, but a lot of these kidscoming up through the racing
ranks, uh, Oklahoma, Indiana,California, these guys are
racing 50, 60 times a year.
I raced 15 or 20.
It was a hobby for us.
We just, and now we're kind ofreally breaking into to running
(16:38):
that that amount of races.
So as far as highlights, weactually did not have the best
luck in a micro sprint.
That's what that's where westarted.
But what really kind of helpedpush me forward was when I got
into uh the Johnson's D2 midget.
Uh, that was an opportunity towork with a car owner, you know,
and and have that connectionthat wasn't bickering with your
dad about the car setup andstuff.
(17:00):
You're talking with a car owner,you know, it he allowed me to
have a lot of input on thesetup, and that really shifted
to some success because Iunderstood that was kind of
where I really had to understandthe car a little more.
So won quite a few races in theD2 Midget stuff.
And then in 2024, I'm just gonnajump forward.
We had we had a ton of successin the D2 midget, almost won a
championship in that.
(17:20):
And then jumping forward, itactually took a lot of time to
get our first 410 win becausebasically you hit this cap where
every guy moves up through thefield and they land in a 410
sprint car.
So I'm racing with guys, andthat's you know, notable.
I'm racing with guys that havebeen doing it for six months,
like I was, to 30 years behindthe seat.
Yeah.
So like I just mentioned thattwo-time champion, uh David
(17:42):
Gravel.
Like, I I don't want to quotethis, but I think he's been in
behind a seat for 20 years or ormore now.
So that's a lot of that's a lotmore laps to me at 90 nights a
year.
Yeah.
So uh is what their schedule is.
So like he's getting more racesin in one year than I am in
three alone.
So uh these guys are welltenured.
So yeah, you're you're racingagainst a really tough field,
(18:03):
even locally.
There's a lot of guys aroundhere that have 20 years of
experience at Jacksonvillealone, and it's cool to go duke
it out with them because you canyou can drive a race car for a
long time, which allows a lot ofguys to get really good.
So just to jump back, we won ourfirst 410 race in 2024.
So it took a year and a half towin our first 410 race, I think
maybe two years at that point.
(18:24):
That was tough for me.
Trying to learn the car, havingall these guys helping and
partners looking at me, youknow, saying, not not really
saying like where's the wins at,but it's what it feels like.
And uh, it was time to time towin a 410 race.
And we pulled it off in 24.
And then last year, I think wegot five wins, four wins last
year, which that that's tough tobreak into.
(18:47):
You want to win every race yougo out, but it's you versus 24
guys.
So I always tell a lot of peoplethat don't know a lot about
racing, you're not on the samebasketball court every night.
So every track's different,every track surfaces, even if it
was shaped the same, if it wasif it's in Kentucky, that dirt's
gonna be completely different.
So every every track'sdifferent, and then you're
(19:07):
racing against 24 guys at once.
So pulling off that win everysingle night's tough.
But we're we're getting into thethe part where we're I feel that
we're fast all the time, andthat's a positive note for us.
There was nights two years agowhere we wouldn't be good all
night, and now we're findingthat speed, even if we start off
bad, like, okay, let's getthere.
So uh yeah, it's a it's a toughsport, but it's it's humbling
(19:30):
and it's taught me a lot.
SPEAKER_01 (19:31):
Right.
No, I bet when you're likeyou're talking about partners
and everything, yeah.
You probably would start takingthat hard on yourself if you've
got these partners that are backand you were pushing for you and
everything.
It's like, oh, I need to getthat W.
No, I understand.
But over these years, because ofyour success, whether it's a win
or not, you have been able toget some of those partnerships
with folks.
So talk to us a little bit aboutsome of the people you work with
(19:53):
or some of the partnershipsyou've garnered over the years.
SPEAKER_00 (19:55):
Yeah, absolutely.
So basically, it's I I lovetelling this story because I
feel like it's really shiftedthe person I am.
When I was 15 or so, when we hadfirst got that 305 sprint car,
my dad sat me down.
Of course, he's still a hugepart of the team.
But my dad sat me down and hegoes, All right, look, kid, like
if you want to keep doing this,like you're gonna have to figure
out how to how to fund this thisdeal and and be a be a at least
(20:17):
an equal part in thiseventually.
Um, we're gonna do theJacksonville thing, we're gonna,
you know, we're gonna do this,this, and the other.
And he's like, but you need tofigure out how to how to make
this work on your end.
So I'm like, how am I gonna dothis?
I'm 15 years old, you know,trying to figure this out.
So I I learned Photoshop.
I'm making these proposals up,I'm trying to figure all this
out.
(20:37):
And I got my first sponsor atthe end of that year.
We had talked kind of mid year,and I got my first sponsor, XK
Glow, there at the end of theyear, going into 22.
It would have been 23, I think.
So we've had them for quite awhile, and that's been cool.
And it just shifted my focus.
Like I went from just trying torace to like, okay, these people
(20:57):
believe in me.
So um, you know, just takingthose risks, connecting with
business owners and and shiftingthat marker on the race team.
I I used to just be trying to bea race car driver, and my dad
was like, look, like there's alot more to this.
If if you want to do this, likeyou're gonna have to to learn
how to to market yourself.
And I think it changed a lot ofwhat I do today because of that
(21:20):
conversation.
And it's cool.
Our whole team is aboutpresentation and having a brand
and really focusing on it.
The biggest thing is I shiftedfrom trying to find sponsors to
trying to find valuablepartnerships.
Absolutely.
Uh, you know, there's a lot oflot of guys that have stickers
on the car or in anything inlife, and I I wanted to make
that more meaningful.
So, yeah, just a lot of greatpeople that that believe in us,
(21:44):
and it all started from justgetting the grit to to go try to
find some partners because Iknew that was the only way I'd
make it work to continue evendoing what we're doing today at
this point.
So, this year, for instance, webrought on High Level, uh, as
you know a lot about High Level,it's a super great company.
There's a ton of business ownersin the racing industry, probably
more than any other sport outthere, just because it's a lot
(22:06):
of business owners that have thetime to go to the track or do
anything like that.
So I came to them with this ideathat, like, hey, there's a
market here to capture offull-on business owners that
need your help.
A lot of traditional businesses,blue-collar businesses, and and
came to them and said, hey,let's let's grow something in a
traditional sport and show thesepeople what how much time they
(22:29):
can save.
So high level's been a huge partof our team this year, uh, their
first year on.
Hopefully that continues.
And uh XK Glow has been ourlongest standing partner.
And then CHE Precision has beenanother one that's been on for I
think five years now out ofCalifornia.
So they build all the valvetrain components for a lot of
these engines, a lot of yourNHRA drag cars, uh, all of the
valve train pieces, they have aspecial proprietary bronze
(22:53):
coating that they put on thesevalve train components.
So that's a super unique companythat we have on, and a ton of
local ones as well.
So it's just growing our brandand being different has been
been the focus.
SPEAKER_01 (23:04):
I love that.
No, and I think it's really coolthat back at 15, you made that
shift from, hey, I'm a I'm adriver and this is a really cool
thing to hey, now all of asudden this is a business.
Yes.
Right.
I think that's really cool thatyou did that that early and have
been able to grow from there.
SPEAKER_00 (23:18):
Yeah, I think I kind of took it as a don't let it
stop you.
I think my dad was I lookingback at it, I think he just was
curious what I would do with it.
Challenge him a little bit tosee what he does with this.
And then I think, and I mean, wejoke about it all the time.
And he's like, How did I getmyself into this?
Because now, I mean, he's a hugepart of it, you know, with you
know, just just everything wehave at the shop.
(23:40):
I mean, I've infested his shopwith race parts, right?
Like I I tell everybody a raceteam's tough because it's not
the best business model, but ifyou have a lot of good people
around you, it all makes sensein the end.
So yeah, I think he wassurprised when we did it.
But I I think it really shiftedjust my mindset on on life.
I mean, I still have a lot tolearn, but at the same time, it
(24:00):
was kind of that shift to gomeet people.
I was never afraid to shake ahand, but it it's like I wasn't
to me, I wasn't like sellingmyself.
A lot of people go into abusiness and say, Hey, you need
this.
Like I just had to tell them,hey, I think this would be a
valuable partnership to have.
And luckily, a lot of those havepaid off.
Uh, we haven't lost a lot ofpartners over the years and and
(24:21):
built a lot of really goodmutual bonds with them that
hopefully continues.
I love it.
SPEAKER_01 (24:26):
No, your dad giving you that little push at that
age.
That's what we do as parentssometimes.
My yeah, my oldest.
Yeah, right, right.
My oldest daughter is rightabout that same age.
She just turned 16, and youknow, we just had the
conversation.
Well, hey, what's your next stepin this business with the
podcast and everything?
What's your next step that youcould do right here with us to
help us grow?
Exactly.
Sometimes we got to see whatthey do.
Give a little push and see whathappens and see whether they're
(24:46):
doing it.
SPEAKER_00 (24:47):
I still don't know if I'm doing it right, but it
definitely pushed me somewhere.
SPEAKER_01 (24:49):
Right.
Well, uh, it pushed you up.
I mean, you've gone up sincethen.
So that's that's a good thing.
So with high level, if peoplehaven't heard about that, of
course we've talked a lot aboutit, but tell everybody just
briefly what high level is andwhat it could do for a company.
SPEAKER_00 (25:02):
Yeah.
So I mean, if you're in the inthe marketing department of a
company or if you're a businessowner, uh, especially like solo
business owners that really aretrying to fight for being able
to communicate with theirclients and answer the phone and
everything, high level was kindof a CRM before.
They and they've taken a shiftto be kind of that AI-powered
business system that's allowinga lot of people a ton of
(25:25):
freedom.
So it's it's been really cool onmy end to help people implement
it into their business, ofcourse.
But basically, from your websitebuild to your communication all
the way through to likeanswering your phone and booking
appointments, it kind of, Idon't want to say it does it for
you on every aspect.
It sure can, but but it's asystem that helps you stay
organized and really run yourbusiness through and through.
(25:46):
Um, I've I know a lot ofcompanies that are from anywhere
from collecting their payments,you know, through transaction,
all the way to like bookingleads through their website.
They're doing everything on onesystem.
And I think a lot of businessesget lost, especially traditional
businesses, and like, hey,where's our website sit?
Hey, where are we keeping thison a spreadsheet?
And high level kind of just doesthis, you know, brings it all
(26:09):
together, which is super cool.
Um, I'm a huge believer in it.
I actually used it about a yearbefore I had reached out to them
and made the stride to just justsay, hey, like there's an
opportunity here.
So uh yeah, high level is a it'spowerful for sure.
As a as any business owner thatneeds to organize, it's it's
something you can use for justabout everything.
There's times where I hop onthere and I'm like, oh, I had no
(26:30):
idea they added that.
That's feature.
That's great.
I didn't even know, yeah, youcan get rid of that now.
So it's it's great.
SPEAKER_01 (26:36):
Yeah, it is almost a one-stop shop and quite frankly,
very, very cost effectivecompared to other solutions out
there.
SPEAKER_00 (26:43):
Yeah.
So basically you can hop onthere for nine ninety-seven
dollars a month and and run yourbusiness.
And that's that's absurd.
You know what I mean?
Now, obviously, there's a lot tobe built on there and
everything, but uh in terms ofthe software itself running,
like you can really have,especially if you know what
you're doing, you can have for$97 a month a full business
platform from accepting yourpayments all the way to running
(27:05):
your website for you know justunder$1,200 a year.
And I think that blows a lot ofsoftware companies out of the
water.
So no doubt.
It's an exciting opportunity andthey're on the forefront of
everything.
So I was actually talking totheir marketing department last
week and just the things thatthey're working on, they're
state of the art as far as whatthey can do.
They actually came out last weekwith an opportunity to control
(27:28):
your browser.
So, like you can actually ask ita question and it will hop on
your computer.
And don't get scared when I saythis.
This is actually very, verycool.
It's secure.
It can hop on your computer andfind that data that it needs,
whatever you allow it.
Yeah, it says, hey, grab this.
And and it literally finds thedata, puts it in the CRM, and
continues to run your business.
SPEAKER_01 (27:46):
So cool.
SPEAKER_00 (27:47):
It's crazy.
Yeah.
So awesome opportunity, hugebeliever in it, and uh looking
forward to what they do in thefuture.
I've walked actually just beentalking to you about it.
A race team in in my areatraveled in and I walked up to
him and was talking to him abouthis roofing company.
And he told me, he's like, Hey,I want you to know.
He's like, We use high level forour entire business.
(28:08):
And I was like, that's so cool.
You know, like I can't help you.
You already have it, right?
But it's just cool to hear likehow many people maybe in the
racing community are using itand they don't even know they
are, or ones that should hearthat and and know that a whole
roofing company is running theirbusiness through a software that
has that much power.
SPEAKER_01 (28:25):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
So you've taken what you'velearned on the marketing side
through building your race team,what you've learned through high
level here and everything, andthat's where your Elevate Growth
Solutions comes in, right?
So what are you doing there?
SPEAKER_00 (28:37):
Yeah, so absolutely.
So basically, what elevategrowth, the purpose of it was to
basically have a one-stop shopfor people that have all these
busy needs.
Uh, that's what it started outas when I first started
tiptoeing into it.
So basically, when I was little,I've watched my dad do all these
endless tasks, my mom do allthese endless tasks, and I'm
like, gosh, like the time, justthe time and effort in it.
(28:58):
But when I first started it, I Idesigned my own race car.
I do all the proposals for it, Ido all of the work there.
So I was like, how can I helpbusinesses grow with a creative
touch and have their own brandand have a story?
A lot of companies, you might bea concrete company, and it's
like, like, tell tell people whoyou are.
And that's what I've always hadto do to try to sell my value is
(29:20):
is have a story.
So I I wanted to shift in andand help people, whether it was
just the design on their trucksso they could be different or
you know, their social media.
And then I came across highlevel and the power of it.
And I kind of shifted me back towhen I was little, knowing how
much time my my parents had inbuilding a body shop and
wondering the power of that, ifif they would have utilized or
(29:42):
had that tool.
You know, it wasn't a thing atthe time, but had that tool
sooner, how much time it couldhave saved them.
So elevate growth is isbasically like how can I help
you grow?
You know, in in any aspect.
A lot of it goes back to whatI've learned on the race team
from design and storytelling andbuilding a brand all the way to
like actually saving you timeand building you a system, which
(30:02):
has been the touch that highlevels added to elevate growth
for sure.
So uh now we're implementinghigh level into companies that
need that touch, uh, along withusing it just for their
marketing piece for for thatbranding.
Uh there's you know, I I don'twant to be the the everything
guy, but at the same time, I'vefound myself looking back on
past experiences where I'm like,yeah, I can I can get that done
(30:24):
for you.
Give me a second, and then I'llhop on high level and and really
get that automated for them andsave them time.
SPEAKER_01 (30:29):
Yeah, absolutely.
So no, I think that's great forbusinesses out there.
They should take a look at highlevel if they haven't seen it
before.
If you if you don't have a CRMor don't have any kind of
solution at all, that's adefinitely a great one to look
at.
Start there.
Yeah, if you're if you alreadyhave one, still take a look at
it and see if it might be abetter value for you, give you
more for your money there.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
(30:50):
So anything else you guys dowith the Elevate?
SPEAKER_00 (30:52):
Yeah.
So so basically the biggestthing is is being in a one-stop
shop for marketing needs.
So I have done anything fromdoing voice AI assistance for
companies, trying to save them alittle time.
I deal with a lot of solo guysthat have their own shop.
And basically what we're tryingto do is is funnel clients in
where they're having a chance tonot have to answer every call in
(31:13):
a way that they can push it backto later.
So, you know, I've got I've gotvoice AI assistance set up
through high level where itfunnels them down, sends them a
notification and says, Hey, didyou forget about this
appointment?
Or, you know, hey, this personwants to book an estimate.
So we're working on that sidetoo to save guys time uh and and
have the opportunity to grow andnot be stuck on the phone all
(31:34):
day.
So that's another one of ourticket services that we're
working on growing, uh, youknow, through the help of high
level.
And then, yeah, I mean, overall,I think my choice is how can I
save people time and grow theirbusiness all at the same time
without having 10 differentpeople doing it.
And that's where, like, if I cando that, like I feel like I kind
of fulfilled what I wanted todo.
SPEAKER_01 (31:56):
Awesome.
Well, Will, so much great stuff.
Looking forward to seeing thegrowth of the racing team and
also the company.
That's also great stuff.
I always like to close withthese last couple of things.
Let's give the audience a pieceof advice, one on the personal
side, one on the professionalside to help them elevate their
life or business.
SPEAKER_00 (32:12):
I'm gonna put that together and say on the personal
side, being authentic, you know,I've really uh this year, I've
had a lot of people ask me whatthe heck's wrong with me.
I've really stepped out of mycomfort zone socially, you know,
on social media, trying to buildthe race team and everything,
and just being authentic, youknow, and then I'm gonna mix
that in and say on theprofessional side, utilizing all
(32:32):
these new tools to power theirtime.
So I see a lot of these AIgraphics out there right now and
everything.
Like, be authentic on the frontend, right?
But use these new systems tohelp you save time.
I've seen so many people and gotso many calls that are like, I
have no idea.
Like I got a whole day back, butspend that day and go be
authentic, you know, maybe makea post or shake a hand.
(32:54):
And I feel like, like I said,I'm still young, but that's my
focus is networking andutilizing these new tools that
are coming at us to not just gosit on the couch, but go learn
something else and be authentic.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (33:06):
You know, that's the second time today.
I had another guest in hereearlier before you came in that
we talked about authenticity insocial media, where AI has its
place and certainly does, butauthenticity when it comes to
social media is so much morevalue.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (33:20):
I mean, I I use it maybe for a video transition or
an edit or something funny, youknow, something that is meant to
be funny, but people need toknow what your business does.
And if AI messed up the logo onthe back of your shirt, they
don't even know what businessyou work for.
So I I think it's time wellinvested to be authentic.
I think just from the outsideperspective, we're in a world of
(33:40):
distrust as far as the AI.
Like you get on your phone andyou don't know what's real,
what's fake.
So give everybody theopportunity to see who you are
on the front end, and then likeI said, bring those modern
systems in and protect yourselfon the back end, save time, and
and it all pays off in the end.
SPEAKER_01 (33:56):
Absolutely.
Well, last one for you here,Will.
Is there anything we can docommunity-wide to help us all
elevate Springfield and thesurrounding communities?
I think it's work together more.
SPEAKER_00 (34:05):
I'm sure you hear that a lot.
You know, I've I say it a lot.
I know you say it a lot.
But but no, I honestly thinkthat from my background, you
know, in in racing and thatfirst handshake with XK Glow and
Dan giving me that opportunityto believe in me, there's so
many of those businesses aroundhere.
Maybe not every single one ofthem would do what Dan did for
(34:26):
me.
But at the same time, there's somany people in this community
that if you shake their hand,you get to know them, you can
work together.
I mean, we talked about itearlier.
So to me, I feel like if peoplewould realize their true value a
little more in the marketplace,I think there's a lot of
opportunity to be had there.
SPEAKER_01 (34:43):
Completely agree.
When we work together, we growtogether, brethren.
That's what we do.
Come on.
Well, Will, if somebody wants tolearn more about your race team,
where you're gonna be, or aboutyour business, where where do
they go to find out, man?
SPEAKER_00 (34:54):
Yeah, absolutely.
So on the race team side, justto dive back into that, uh,
we're on Will Armitage Racing onFacebook.
Uh we post a ton of cool contenton there.
I've actually got to be.
Yeah, yeah, we're we're we'rereal, like I said, I've broke
out of my shells.
So if you ever say, man, helooks awkward, that's because I
probably am.
But no, I've just I've never hada problem talking, but but this
this media piece has beendifferent.
(35:14):
But yeah, I'd love if you guyswould go check that out.
Uh we've been growing a goodfollowing.
I think we have like 800,000views over the past 90 days,
just organically.
So super cool to see people, thefeedback come back in on the
racing side, and we'll continueto do that.
Uh, and then I think it's WillArmitage7 on Instagram.
You'll see kind of the samething on Instagram.
And then as far as elevategrowth, uh, I'm kind of just me
(35:36):
right now.
You know, just I've had so muchgreat feedback come in, just
networking with business ownersthat I've I haven't had time to
really launch that business, butit's been great and in
connecting people with highlevel and building media
opportunities and everything.
So uh my domain is getelevateco.com.
If anyone wants to check it out,I haven't looked at it in a
while.
(35:56):
But uh yeah, there's uh a lot ofgreat people I look forward to
connecting with and hopefullyhelp.
And I think at the end of theday, if you know the best phone
call I get is hey, you saved metime.
And then if they say, hey, thatthat you know provided a lead or
or did something else, I thinkthat'll all pay off in the end
too.
SPEAKER_01 (36:13):
Come on.
Well, great stuff today, Will.
Appreciate you spending sometime with me, man.
SPEAKER_00 (36:16):
It's been a pleasure.
I appreciate you having me onand uh a lot of great
conversation.
I think we can look forward to.
SPEAKER_01 (36:21):
Yeah, absolutely.
I already have a couple oftopics we're gonna have
follow-ups on here.
So look forward to seeing Willat least a couple of more times
here on Elevate Square.
Let's do it.
Like you said, Elevate Squared.
Elevate Squared or something.
Yeah, that'll work.
That works.
So, all right, man, appreciateit.
Of course.
All right, we're gonna let Willget back to Elevate in
Springfield, but for the rest ofy'all, we'll be right back.
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Well, thank you for joining ustoday, everybody.
Appreciate you making us a partof your day.
Hey, don't forget while you'reout on social, check ours out.
You can check my personal oneout at RobertFarrell at
everywhere.
(38:02):
Check out those ElevateSpringfield pages, those big dog
business coaching pages as well.
Check us out over on YouTube.
Give us a subscribe, give us alike or a follow on any of those
channels.
We would certainly appreciateit.
So hey, take what you learnedtoday.
You bring the discipline andfollow through and together.
(38:23):
That's right, y'all.
We're gonna elevate Springfield.
Be great.
Welcome to Elevate Springfield, where we will dive
into strategies and stories thathelp you rise to your full
potential.
Each episode, we'll talk abouthow you can take intentional
steps to elevate your life andyour business while making a
meaningful impact on thosearound you.
Along the way, we're gonna bringin the change makers from our
(00:20):
community that are alreadyelevating.
We'll bring the actionablestrategies, you bring the
discipline and follow through,and together we can elevate
Springfield.
Alright, let's go, Springfield.
Time to 10X your life, yourbusiness, all of it.
Time to crush those goals, timeto get after it.
(00:42):
Let's go.
You are listening to the ElevateSpringfield Podcast.
Robert Farrell here, certified10x coach, speaker, and mentor
here to bring you actionablestrategies.
You bring the discipline andfollow through.
And together, we're gonnaElevate Springfield.
We're coming to you again frombeautiful downtown Springfield
(01:02):
in the big dog constructionstudio.
Hey, we've got so much going onin Springfield right now.
Make sure you are participating.
Get out there, network withfolks, be a part of the
community, support localbusinesses, support local
nonprofits, and let's go.
We can all grow together.
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All right, and we are back.
Hey, joining me in the studionow, we've got Will Armitage
from Will Armitage Racing andElevate Growth Solutions.
How you doing today, man?
SPEAKER_00 (02:24):
How's it going?
Appreciate you having me on.
It's exciting to get in here,talk some local stuff and the
racing all in one.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Yeah, I'm excited to learn a little bit more about
you and learn about everythingyou've got going on.
We've been talking a little morerecently, so it's gonna be good.
Beautiful day in Springfield,downtown.
So appreciate you coming down tovisit with me.
SPEAKER_00 (02:40):
Absolutely.
I think it's gonna be aprivilege.
We're gonna have a lot of goodconversation here and have some
fun racing talk and hopefullyit'll make for a good podcast.
SPEAKER_01 (02:47):
Yeah, because I don't think I've had a racer on
before.
So I'm looking forward, and Ihaven't been to really that many
races.
So that's something we need tochange.
Yeah, you'll have to school meon that a little bit.
But uh before we get into thatstuff, Will, let's just learn a
little bit about yourbackground, man.
Tell us a little bit about you.
SPEAKER_00 (03:00):
Yeah, for sure.
Um, I'm from Athens, Illinois.
Uh I actually graduated back in2023, not to not to bore you
with my whole childhood.
So I'm 21 now, and uh from theracing aspect of everything, you
know, started racing in quartermidgets, you know, at eight,
nine years old.
And uh it's been a familybackground.
My dad was involved in racingwhen he was younger, raced
quarter midgets himself, and uhmy mom's side has always been
(03:23):
race fans.
So it's just been from thefamily up, like I said, I was
normal, normal school sports andeverything like that too.
But the racing's been a hugepart of my life.
SPEAKER_01 (03:31):
So for those out there that are not familiar with
racing, what's a quarter midget?
SPEAKER_00 (03:35):
So a quarter midget would be like the cart of all
carts in terms of starting out.
So like that is your trainingwheels.
So I I did that for two years,which was was fun.
You know, it's just it's you'rejust out there learning how to
even understand how to race.
And then we quickly moved on tocage cart racing, and which was
out in Mechanicsburg, which wassuper exciting.
I I learned how to how toactually race at that point.
(03:56):
That was a lot of fun and a lotof my childhood.
And then when we were 14, I hadthe opportunity and uh got a
call from a D2 midget owner, uh,Kent Johnson, Kent and Carolyn,
and they gave me the opportunityto go run their car, which was
super cool.
You know, have a car owner callme, you know, when I'm so young.
And that was a lot of fun timesand learned a lot from that too.
So it's just been progressingsince I was eight and nine and
(04:19):
took a few years off, and nowwe're definitely in full swing.
SPEAKER_01 (04:21):
Yeah.
So when you were eight and nine,were you the one pushing that,
hey, I want to be a racer, orwas that something just kind of
all in the family, and hey,that's something we do, type of
thing.
SPEAKER_00 (04:29):
Yeah, so it's actually kind of funny.
So my dad, my dad bought aquarter midget, just wanted me
to race, and it was it was fun.
Uh, you know, I had a good timedoing it.
We actually took two years off,and one of my dad's buddies
called him and said, Hey, I wasactually his stepdaughter that
wasn't racing that night.
He's like, Hey, come run thiscart.
So I show up and I run this pinkcart at at Elyville Speedway in
Mechanicsburg.
(04:49):
I hadn't raced in two years.
And uh Doug, Doug Cannon was hisname, out in Pawnee.
And um, he he was watching withmy dad, and and they and I had
taken the lead on the top.
And he looked at my dad, hegoes, I've never seen a cage
cart run the top at Elyville.
And uh, and from there it's justbeen a rocket ship.
We've been racing every weekendever since.
(05:09):
So kind of hopped back in coldturkey after two years.
Uh but yeah, the quarter midgetthings where you start out and
then you go back into cagecarts, and there's micro sprints
like Jacksonville Speedway,Lincoln Speedway, where a lot of
guys cut their teeth, and nowwe're moving on to the regional
level and hopefully to thenational level in time.
SPEAKER_01 (05:26):
Okay.
Well, cut what racetracks do wehave here around Springfield?
SPEAKER_00 (05:29):
Yeah, so I've spent a ton of time just to kind of
jump to the sprint car scene alittle bit.
We can go backwards if we want,but I've spent a ton of time at
Jacksonville Speedway.
They have a great sprint carclass with 305s, they have a
local 410 class, which is supercool.
Uh, you don't get that a lotbecause the the local 410 class
is it's budget friendly.
The 305s are, and then it's hardto have a full 410 class, but
(05:53):
we've got a great, you know,racing community around here,
great race fans in Jacksonvillethat support it.
Um, and then we race at LincolnSpeedway uh a few times a year.
They're more of a stock cartrack, and then we've got Macon
Speedway and Decatur.
Uh there's a few more aroundhere within the hour radius, but
those are definitely our threeclosest.
And then the Springfield Milewith the Silver Crown.
We got to do that last year aswell, too.
SPEAKER_01 (06:14):
Yeah, I forgot about the Macon Speedway over there.
Yeah, the mighty Macon Speedway.
There you go.
So again, for those that mightnot be uh involved in racing
that much, what's the differencewhen you said 305 or 410?
What are those two what do thosemean?
SPEAKER_00 (06:25):
So that's so that's the cubic inch of the engine.
Okay.
So so 305, I don't quote me, butI think a 305 makes about 550
horsepower, uh which is you knowquite a bit for a small dirt
track, but a 410 is around the900 marker, so it's quite quite
the jump in a fuel-injected 900horsepower engine.
So it's uh, you know, you'relighting the tires off the
(06:46):
ground and uh it's a wholedifferent level for sure.
SPEAKER_01 (06:48):
So you said those might be more the
budget-friendly options.
What are the high dollar optionswhen you're gonna fire?
SPEAKER_00 (06:54):
Yeah, so so the 410 option, like so basically
there's builders all the wayaround the country, and it's
actually it's a very it's atough market right now because
there's a lot of guys that areare older that are building 410
sprint car engines that we needthat younger generation to come
up and build them.
But but yeah, so we run a 410,but then that's kind of where we
base our team around.
(07:14):
So like everything we have nowis a 410.
So like that's the class thatwe're in in terms of racing.
So we're traveling all the wayup to Wisconsin now.
We're still here at home, andthen we're running some national
shows as well in the Midwest.
SPEAKER_01 (07:26):
Right.
So with that, how fast are yougoing around the track?
SPEAKER_00 (07:30):
So it varies on the track, but that's a good
question.
Uh so like a place likeJacksonville, I think we're like
barely touching a hundred, youknow, on a quarter mile.
So it'd be like the size of yourtrack and field track.
Uh so we're going about ahundred around there, uh, maybe
just a little under.
But some of these tracks wereactually headed.
I'll be in my first KnoxvilleNationals next next week, which
is the biggest sprint car raceof them all.
(07:50):
So it's super, yeah, superexciting.
Yeah, I appreciate it.
It's uh it's not nerve-wracking,but it's definitely a cool
opportunity that I want to takeadvantage of.
So we'll be doing that.
But that that track, I thinkwe're hitting like 140.
You know, so it's there's athere's a gap in the size of the
track because that'll be a halfmile.
So it's double the distance, soa lot more straightaway speed.
And you know, we're haulingaround on a dirt track.
(08:10):
We'll have to drop some picturesover or something.
SPEAKER_01 (08:12):
Heck yeah, no doubt about it.
So, how fast wouldn't were yougoing when you were like eight,
nine years old?
Like 20.
SPEAKER_00 (08:18):
Okay.
Yeah, just just learning,learning how to get around the
track.
So it's a it's a crazyprogression.
Like once you get out of thecage cart and then you get into
like a micro sprint or a D2,there's guys that make a living
running a micro sprint, and it'sa very respected class.
Uh, and then you move up to thesprint car, the non-wing sprint
car, the silver crown, and anduh then of course pavement
(08:38):
racing, which we haven't haven'tmessed with yet.
Uh it's a dangerous sport.
It is, it's not any moredangerous than than probably a
game of football, but it'sdefinitely at the speeds we're
going, it's a adrenaline rushfor sure.
SPEAKER_01 (08:50):
No doubt about it.
So when you were younger likethat, were you just always the
type of kids?
I love this stuff.
I I'm not a I'm not scared atall of this.
SPEAKER_00 (08:57):
I don't I don't think so.
I I got nervous.
That's one thing that's uh kindof cool to talk about is is the
nerves being, you know, youstrap in, you got your helmet,
you got your your seat belts,your suit on, and everything.
And uh butterflies come intofull effect, you know.
And I've I feel like I've neverhad that quite as bad as some
people, uh, because you'rehopping in, it's dangerous,
(09:18):
especially when you do get intothe sprint car and just really
anything above a micro, it is adangerous sport.
And I've kind of avoided thebutterflies.
I think that's helped me as adriver overall, just just being
focused on the race and not nottoo nervous about it.
But but yeah, I've always lovedit.
I mean, I've aspired to tocontinue to to make it work
despite trying to trying to moveup in a in a non-budget friendly
(09:39):
sport.
You know, it's it's expensive,but I, you know, it goes back to
creating value in the race teamalongside just racing itself.
Uh, you can be a really goodrace car driver, but you've got
to make it work building a team.
SPEAKER_01 (09:51):
Have you always worked on your own cars?
SPEAKER_00 (09:53):
Yeah.
So when I was real little, ofcourse, I had no idea what was
going on.
But about the time we got in amicro, I started to get my hands
on it.
I would have been 12 or 13 atthat time.
And we had some great help.
Uh, Mike Russell, someone thathe was around for three or four
years from the micro into ourfirst year in the 410 sprint
car, who really was just thereto help.
I mean, I I looking back, I hadno idea how much time he was
(10:16):
spending just to make sure thatwe had a good opportunity.
My dad's obviously always beenreally busy growing the body
shops and was there in the shop,but in terms of getting
everything prepared during theweek, uh, Mike and myself were
on it.
Um, and then as we got into the410 sprint car, and we'll kind
of lead into that, like it wasmy turn to really pick up the
wrenches and figure it out.
(10:36):
And I luckily met some somereally good guys.
I've got Brad Campbell andHunter Bounds that helped me
every single day out in theshop.
I mean, it's nonstop.
I don't think they knew whatthey were signing up for when
they said, Hey, can I help youwith a sprint car?
But no, Brad and Hunter areawesome.
It's uh it's tough.
There's a lot of work to do inthe in the shop.
It's definitely not just a hobbyanymore.
SPEAKER_01 (10:55):
Does Brad do the welding and the roll cages and
all that stuff?
Yep.
SPEAKER_00 (10:58):
So Brad Brad's Brad's actually working at Maxim
chassis, which is cool.
So so the manufacturer of oursprint car chassis is right here
in Springfield, Illinois.
There's a few others around thecountry, but Maxim is by far the
most popular one.
So it's cool to have them local.
Right here in Springfield.
Right here in Springfield.
So so if you're ever, if you'rea welder, you know, go go check
out Maxim.
It's a it's a cool facility andthey do a lot of cool work in
(11:20):
there.
I mean, fabbing up race carchassis isn't normal fabrication
work.
So yeah, he works over there,and then uh Hunter's a diesel
mechanic.
So I've got a good little bondof, you know, when something's
wrong with the truck, you know,between my dad and Hunter and
Brad and me, we can we canfigure it out for the most part.
So it's it's a good deal andmakes it fun even when it's when
it's really stressful.
SPEAKER_01 (11:40):
Right.
No, it's always cool to seecompanies right here in
Springfield that are doing bigthings nationally, and like
those chassis right there, theyprobably work with people all
over the place and they don'teven know that it's happening
right here in Springfield.
SPEAKER_00 (11:51):
Yeah, they're actually shipping Australia and
New Zealand, you know, all thetime.
So so yeah, it's a yeah, very,very big company that you
wouldn't know about if if youweren't in the greater racing
community.
But if you are, you know thatMaxim's right here in
Springfield.
There's a ton of trucks pullingout of there with chassis all
the time.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
Yeah, no, that's been so fun about the podcast in
particular over the last yearand a half, talking to business
owners and talking to talkingabout things that people have no
idea that are happening righthere in Springfield that are
having an impact across thecountry and across the world.
I think it's just really, reallycool.
SPEAKER_00 (12:22):
It is cool.
And I'm sure there's a million,like I I know about Maxim.
There's a million other Maxims,you know, in Springfield that
people don't know about.
So yeah, it's cool.
It's uh it's a good, goodecosystem.
And like I said, it's it's morethan a hobby now, but it's cool
that we still have fun doing it,you know, even on the tough
nights.
I mean, we've had a actually hada really rough year.
Uh success-wise, it's beengreat, but just you know, the
(12:43):
ins and outs of the season hasbeen really tough, and it's just
been fun to have those guys.
I mean, I wouldn't want to do italone for sure.
SPEAKER_01 (12:49):
So absolutely.
So that car, just you said it'snot a not a cheap sport by any
means.
How much does one of those carscost?
Like if you if you buy one, Iguess if you're building it
yourself, whatever, butwhichever way you want to take
it.
SPEAKER_00 (13:00):
I don't think I could put a price tag on them
because we because you build itby hand.
Um, but no, it's uh it's not acheap sport at all.
I I know not not for our teamspecifically, because we run it
a little different on our engineprogram.
But if you go and if you go andorder one of these sprint car
engines, they're 60 to 70 grandout the door uh just for the
engine alone.
And then you're building a car,which the cars are simpler, but
(13:21):
there's still a lot of titaniumcomponents and stuff that adds
up on them.
So I literally could not tellyou a price tag on them.
Uh our engine program, I'mgrateful enough that we've had a
a guy come along when I firstgot into the 410, the the bigger
engine that was that was willingto build our engines for us.
And uh obviously we we got theparts and everything, but didn't
(13:42):
have that like that bill thatjust that one bill, right?
Like it's hey, we're we got thisengine, we need to we need to
put some pistons in it, we needto do this.
And uh we actually just setquick time with the world of
outlaws in our second race ofthe year, which is the national,
national series.
So that was our first ever Worldof Outlaw Quick Time, and uh you
know it's kind of cool because Iactually was on a podcast a few
(14:03):
weeks after with a guy that thatruns around nationally, and he's
like, So you built an engine outof a shed and you went and set
quick time with the world ofoutlaws, and I'm like, it wasn't
out of a shed.
I'm like, but it it's it is coolbecause we have really done
things a little different, and Iwish we could progress quicker,
everyone does, but it's it'sgone well.
So it's uh cool to to see that.
And obviously, having Jim, Idon't think I'd be in a 410
(14:25):
sprint car if Jim wouldn't havebuilt my engine the first time.
So and just for clarification,quick time is is is so basically
it's the fastest lap so to startthe night.
Okay so you'll so you're runyour practice laps and then
you'll jump into qualifying.
Right.
So basically it's it's one carout on the track, sometimes two,
but you're completely separate,and it's whoever sets the
fastest lap.
(14:46):
So, like, you know, your car'sgot to be set up right, your
engine has to be tuned perfect,and I've got to be on my A game
as far as just not moving.
The goal is just to put as muchor as as little input into the
wheel as possible to get areally good lap out of the car.
And that's what we did there.
And we went on to have a greatnight.
We won our heat race, we almostwon the dash.
I think there was 40 some carsthere, all nationally based.
(15:09):
Um, and then in the feature, Iwas running fourth at the time.
I had started third in thefeature, and our wing slider
broke.
So, like I said, I hope we candrop a picture over this or
something.
But when you have a wing ram,it's the only in-car adjustment.
So basically, it's a valve thatputs the wing forward and back.
It's on a slider.
And as you adjust the carthroughout the night, because
(15:29):
the track conditions slick offor anything, your only
adjustment after you strap intothat car is that wing.
Okay.
So basically, what happened isthe wing hydraulic bled back and
went further back than I wouldeven ever put the wing on the
slickest conditions.
So that completely ruined ourawesome night.
I mean, that's that's howhumbling racing is.
And I'm not gonna say we weregonna we were gonna win the
(15:49):
deal, but I think we were on topossibly our first outlaw top
five, at least top 10.
And then that happens five tosix laps in, and we had a really
good car.
So um, you know, battling withthe the previous two-time
champion of the series.
So they'll come again.
You know, I always have to tellmyself it'll come back, and uh,
we've got a really good team,and I think we can continue to
do that.
I don't think that's a one-hitwonder.
(16:10):
I think we'll make it happenagain.
SPEAKER_01 (16:12):
Love it.
So you've been racing for likewhat, 13 years now or so?
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (16:16):
What are some highlights?
Yeah, some highlights, man.
Yeah, for sure.
So started when I was eight ornine, so yeah, 13 years or so,
took those two years off.
So I've got about 10 yearsbehind the seat.
Uh, but a lot of these kidscoming up through the racing
ranks, uh, Oklahoma, Indiana,California, these guys are
racing 50, 60 times a year.
I raced 15 or 20.
It was a hobby for us.
We just, and now we're kind ofreally breaking into to running
(16:38):
that that amount of races.
So as far as highlights, weactually did not have the best
luck in a micro sprint.
That's what that's where westarted.
But what really kind of helpedpush me forward was when I got
into uh the Johnson's D2 midget.
Uh, that was an opportunity towork with a car owner, you know,
and and have that connectionthat wasn't bickering with your
dad about the car setup andstuff.
(17:00):
You're talking with a car owner,you know, it he allowed me to
have a lot of input on thesetup, and that really shifted
to some success because Iunderstood that was kind of
where I really had to understandthe car a little more.
So won quite a few races in theD2 Midget stuff.
And then in 2024, I'm just gonnajump forward.
We had we had a ton of successin the D2 midget, almost won a
championship in that.
(17:20):
And then jumping forward, itactually took a lot of time to
get our first 410 win becausebasically you hit this cap where
every guy moves up through thefield and they land in a 410
sprint car.
So I'm racing with guys, andthat's you know, notable.
I'm racing with guys that havebeen doing it for six months,
like I was, to 30 years behindthe seat.
Yeah.
So like I just mentioned thattwo-time champion, uh David
(17:42):
Gravel.
Like, I I don't want to quotethis, but I think he's been in
behind a seat for 20 years or ormore now.
So that's a lot of that's a lotmore laps to me at 90 nights a
year.
Yeah.
So uh is what their schedule is.
So like he's getting more racesin in one year than I am in
three alone.
So uh these guys are welltenured.
So yeah, you're you're racingagainst a really tough field,
(18:03):
even locally.
There's a lot of guys aroundhere that have 20 years of
experience at Jacksonvillealone, and it's cool to go duke
it out with them because you canyou can drive a race car for a
long time, which allows a lot ofguys to get really good.
So just to jump back, we won ourfirst 410 race in 2024.
So it took a year and a half towin our first 410 race, I think
maybe two years at that point.
(18:24):
That was tough for me.
Trying to learn the car, havingall these guys helping and
partners looking at me, youknow, saying, not not really
saying like where's the wins at,but it's what it feels like.
And uh, it was time to time towin a 410 race.
And we pulled it off in 24.
And then last year, I think wegot five wins, four wins last
year, which that that's tough tobreak into.
(18:47):
You want to win every race yougo out, but it's you versus 24
guys.
So I always tell a lot of peoplethat don't know a lot about
racing, you're not on the samebasketball court every night.
So every track's different,every track surfaces, even if it
was shaped the same, if it wasif it's in Kentucky, that dirt's
gonna be completely different.
So every every track'sdifferent, and then you're
(19:07):
racing against 24 guys at once.
So pulling off that win everysingle night's tough.
But we're we're getting into thethe part where we're I feel that
we're fast all the time, andthat's a positive note for us.
There was nights two years agowhere we wouldn't be good all
night, and now we're findingthat speed, even if we start off
bad, like, okay, let's getthere.
So uh yeah, it's a it's a toughsport, but it's it's humbling
(19:30):
and it's taught me a lot.
SPEAKER_01 (19:31):
Right.
No, I bet when you're likeyou're talking about partners
and everything, yeah.
You probably would start takingthat hard on yourself if you've
got these partners that are backand you were pushing for you and
everything.
It's like, oh, I need to getthat W.
No, I understand.
But over these years, because ofyour success, whether it's a win
or not, you have been able toget some of those partnerships
with folks.
So talk to us a little bit aboutsome of the people you work with
(19:53):
or some of the partnershipsyou've garnered over the years.
SPEAKER_00 (19:55):
Yeah, absolutely.
So basically, it's I I lovetelling this story because I
feel like it's really shiftedthe person I am.
When I was 15 or so, when we hadfirst got that 305 sprint car,
my dad sat me down.
Of course, he's still a hugepart of the team.
But my dad sat me down and hegoes, All right, look, kid, like
if you want to keep doing this,like you're gonna have to figure
out how to how to fund this thisdeal and and be a be a at least
(20:17):
an equal part in thiseventually.
Um, we're gonna do theJacksonville thing, we're gonna,
you know, we're gonna do this,this, and the other.
And he's like, but you need tofigure out how to how to make
this work on your end.
So I'm like, how am I gonna dothis?
I'm 15 years old, you know,trying to figure this out.
So I I learned Photoshop.
I'm making these proposals up,I'm trying to figure all this
out.
(20:37):
And I got my first sponsor atthe end of that year.
We had talked kind of mid year,and I got my first sponsor, XK
Glow, there at the end of theyear, going into 22.
It would have been 23, I think.
So we've had them for quite awhile, and that's been cool.
And it just shifted my focus.
Like I went from just trying torace to like, okay, these people
(20:57):
believe in me.
So um, you know, just takingthose risks, connecting with
business owners and and shiftingthat marker on the race team.
I I used to just be trying to bea race car driver, and my dad
was like, look, like there's alot more to this.
If if you want to do this, likeyou're gonna have to to learn
how to to market yourself.
And I think it changed a lot ofwhat I do today because of that
(21:20):
conversation.
And it's cool.
Our whole team is aboutpresentation and having a brand
and really focusing on it.
The biggest thing is I shiftedfrom trying to find sponsors to
trying to find valuablepartnerships.
Absolutely.
Uh, you know, there's a lot oflot of guys that have stickers
on the car or in anything inlife, and I I wanted to make
that more meaningful.
So, yeah, just a lot of greatpeople that that believe in us,
(21:44):
and it all started from justgetting the grit to to go try to
find some partners because Iknew that was the only way I'd
make it work to continue evendoing what we're doing today at
this point.
So, this year, for instance, webrought on High Level, uh, as
you know a lot about High Level,it's a super great company.
There's a ton of business ownersin the racing industry, probably
more than any other sport outthere, just because it's a lot
(22:06):
of business owners that have thetime to go to the track or do
anything like that.
So I came to them with this ideathat, like, hey, there's a
market here to capture offull-on business owners that
need your help.
A lot of traditional businesses,blue-collar businesses, and and
came to them and said, hey,let's let's grow something in a
traditional sport and show thesepeople what how much time they
(22:29):
can save.
So high level's been a huge partof our team this year, uh, their
first year on.
Hopefully that continues.
And uh XK Glow has been ourlongest standing partner.
And then CHE Precision has beenanother one that's been on for I
think five years now out ofCalifornia.
So they build all the valvetrain components for a lot of
these engines, a lot of yourNHRA drag cars, uh, all of the
valve train pieces, they have aspecial proprietary bronze
(22:53):
coating that they put on thesevalve train components.
So that's a super unique companythat we have on, and a ton of
local ones as well.
So it's just growing our brandand being different has been
been the focus.
SPEAKER_01 (23:04):
I love that.
No, and I think it's really coolthat back at 15, you made that
shift from, hey, I'm a I'm adriver and this is a really cool
thing to hey, now all of asudden this is a business.
Yes.
Right.
I think that's really cool thatyou did that that early and have
been able to grow from there.
SPEAKER_00 (23:18):
Yeah, I think I kind of took it as a don't let it
stop you.
I think my dad was I lookingback at it, I think he just was
curious what I would do with it.
Challenge him a little bit tosee what he does with this.
And then I think, and I mean, wejoke about it all the time.
And he's like, How did I getmyself into this?
Because now, I mean, he's a hugepart of it, you know, with you
know, just just everything wehave at the shop.
(23:40):
I mean, I've infested his shopwith race parts, right?
Like I I tell everybody a raceteam's tough because it's not
the best business model, but ifyou have a lot of good people
around you, it all makes sensein the end.
So yeah, I think he wassurprised when we did it.
But I I think it really shiftedjust my mindset on on life.
I mean, I still have a lot tolearn, but at the same time, it
(24:00):
was kind of that shift to gomeet people.
I was never afraid to shake ahand, but it it's like I wasn't
to me, I wasn't like sellingmyself.
A lot of people go into abusiness and say, Hey, you need
this.
Like I just had to tell them,hey, I think this would be a
valuable partnership to have.
And luckily, a lot of those havepaid off.
Uh, we haven't lost a lot ofpartners over the years and and
(24:21):
built a lot of really goodmutual bonds with them that
hopefully continues.
I love it.
SPEAKER_01 (24:26):
No, your dad giving you that little push at that
age.
That's what we do as parentssometimes.
My yeah, my oldest.
Yeah, right, right.
My oldest daughter is rightabout that same age.
She just turned 16, and youknow, we just had the
conversation.
Well, hey, what's your next stepin this business with the
podcast and everything?
What's your next step that youcould do right here with us to
help us grow?
Exactly.
Sometimes we got to see whatthey do.
Give a little push and see whathappens and see whether they're
(24:46):
doing it.
SPEAKER_00 (24:47):
I still don't know if I'm doing it right, but it
definitely pushed me somewhere.
SPEAKER_01 (24:49):
Right.
Well, uh, it pushed you up.
I mean, you've gone up sincethen.
So that's that's a good thing.
So with high level, if peoplehaven't heard about that, of
course we've talked a lot aboutit, but tell everybody just
briefly what high level is andwhat it could do for a company.
SPEAKER_00 (25:02):
Yeah.
So I mean, if you're in the inthe marketing department of a
company or if you're a businessowner, uh, especially like solo
business owners that really aretrying to fight for being able
to communicate with theirclients and answer the phone and
everything, high level was kindof a CRM before.
They and they've taken a shiftto be kind of that AI-powered
business system that's allowinga lot of people a ton of
(25:25):
freedom.
So it's it's been really cool onmy end to help people implement
it into their business, ofcourse.
But basically, from your websitebuild to your communication all
the way through to likeanswering your phone and booking
appointments, it kind of, Idon't want to say it does it for
you on every aspect.
It sure can, but but it's asystem that helps you stay
organized and really run yourbusiness through and through.
(25:46):
Um, I've I know a lot ofcompanies that are from anywhere
from collecting their payments,you know, through transaction,
all the way to like bookingleads through their website.
They're doing everything on onesystem.
And I think a lot of businessesget lost, especially traditional
businesses, and like, hey,where's our website sit?
Hey, where are we keeping thison a spreadsheet?
And high level kind of just doesthis, you know, brings it all
(26:09):
together, which is super cool.
Um, I'm a huge believer in it.
I actually used it about a yearbefore I had reached out to them
and made the stride to just justsay, hey, like there's an
opportunity here.
So uh yeah, high level is a it'spowerful for sure.
As a as any business owner thatneeds to organize, it's it's
something you can use for justabout everything.
There's times where I hop onthere and I'm like, oh, I had no
(26:30):
idea they added that.
That's feature.
That's great.
I didn't even know, yeah, youcan get rid of that now.
So it's it's great.
SPEAKER_01 (26:36):
Yeah, it is almost a one-stop shop and quite frankly,
very, very cost effectivecompared to other solutions out
there.
SPEAKER_00 (26:43):
Yeah.
So basically you can hop onthere for nine ninety-seven
dollars a month and and run yourbusiness.
And that's that's absurd.
You know what I mean?
Now, obviously, there's a lot tobe built on there and
everything, but uh in terms ofthe software itself running,
like you can really have,especially if you know what
you're doing, you can have for$97 a month a full business
platform from accepting yourpayments all the way to running
(27:05):
your website for you know justunder$1,200 a year.
And I think that blows a lot ofsoftware companies out of the
water.
So no doubt.
It's an exciting opportunity andthey're on the forefront of
everything.
So I was actually talking totheir marketing department last
week and just the things thatthey're working on, they're
state of the art as far as whatthey can do.
They actually came out last weekwith an opportunity to control
(27:28):
your browser.
So, like you can actually ask ita question and it will hop on
your computer.
And don't get scared when I saythis.
This is actually very, verycool.
It's secure.
It can hop on your computer andfind that data that it needs,
whatever you allow it.
Yeah, it says, hey, grab this.
And and it literally finds thedata, puts it in the CRM, and
continues to run your business.
SPEAKER_01 (27:46):
So cool.
SPEAKER_00 (27:47):
It's crazy.
Yeah.
So awesome opportunity, hugebeliever in it, and uh looking
forward to what they do in thefuture.
I've walked actually just beentalking to you about it.
A race team in in my areatraveled in and I walked up to
him and was talking to him abouthis roofing company.
And he told me, he's like, Hey,I want you to know.
He's like, We use high level forour entire business.
(28:08):
And I was like, that's so cool.
You know, like I can't help you.
You already have it, right?
But it's just cool to hear likehow many people maybe in the
racing community are using itand they don't even know they
are, or ones that should hearthat and and know that a whole
roofing company is running theirbusiness through a software that
has that much power.
SPEAKER_01 (28:25):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
So you've taken what you'velearned on the marketing side
through building your race team,what you've learned through high
level here and everything, andthat's where your Elevate Growth
Solutions comes in, right?
So what are you doing there?
SPEAKER_00 (28:37):
Yeah, so absolutely.
So basically, what elevategrowth, the purpose of it was to
basically have a one-stop shopfor people that have all these
busy needs.
Uh, that's what it started outas when I first started
tiptoeing into it.
So basically, when I was little,I've watched my dad do all these
endless tasks, my mom do allthese endless tasks, and I'm
like, gosh, like the time, justthe time and effort in it.
(28:58):
But when I first started it, I Idesigned my own race car.
I do all the proposals for it, Ido all of the work there.
So I was like, how can I helpbusinesses grow with a creative
touch and have their own brandand have a story?
A lot of companies, you might bea concrete company, and it's
like, like, tell tell people whoyou are.
And that's what I've always hadto do to try to sell my value is
(29:20):
is have a story.
So I I wanted to shift in andand help people, whether it was
just the design on their trucksso they could be different or
you know, their social media.
And then I came across highlevel and the power of it.
And I kind of shifted me back towhen I was little, knowing how
much time my my parents had inbuilding a body shop and
wondering the power of that, ifif they would have utilized or
(29:42):
had that tool.
You know, it wasn't a thing atthe time, but had that tool
sooner, how much time it couldhave saved them.
So elevate growth is isbasically like how can I help
you grow?
You know, in in any aspect.
A lot of it goes back to whatI've learned on the race team
from design and storytelling andbuilding a brand all the way to
like actually saving you timeand building you a system, which
(30:02):
has been the touch that highlevels added to elevate growth
for sure.
So uh now we're implementinghigh level into companies that
need that touch, uh, along withusing it just for their
marketing piece for for thatbranding.
Uh there's you know, I I don'twant to be the the everything
guy, but at the same time, I'vefound myself looking back on
past experiences where I'm like,yeah, I can I can get that done
(30:24):
for you.
Give me a second, and then I'llhop on high level and and really
get that automated for them andsave them time.
SPEAKER_01 (30:29):
Yeah, absolutely.
So no, I think that's great forbusinesses out there.
They should take a look at highlevel if they haven't seen it
before.
If you if you don't have a CRMor don't have any kind of
solution at all, that's adefinitely a great one to look
at.
Start there.
Yeah, if you're if you alreadyhave one, still take a look at
it and see if it might be abetter value for you, give you
more for your money there.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
(30:50):
So anything else you guys dowith the Elevate?
SPEAKER_00 (30:52):
Yeah.
So so basically the biggestthing is is being in a one-stop
shop for marketing needs.
So I have done anything fromdoing voice AI assistance for
companies, trying to save them alittle time.
I deal with a lot of solo guysthat have their own shop.
And basically what we're tryingto do is is funnel clients in
where they're having a chance tonot have to answer every call in
(31:13):
a way that they can push it backto later.
So, you know, I've got I've gotvoice AI assistance set up
through high level where itfunnels them down, sends them a
notification and says, Hey, didyou forget about this
appointment?
Or, you know, hey, this personwants to book an estimate.
So we're working on that sidetoo to save guys time uh and and
have the opportunity to grow andnot be stuck on the phone all
(31:34):
day.
So that's another one of ourticket services that we're
working on growing, uh, youknow, through the help of high
level.
And then, yeah, I mean, overall,I think my choice is how can I
save people time and grow theirbusiness all at the same time
without having 10 differentpeople doing it.
And that's where, like, if I cando that, like I feel like I kind
of fulfilled what I wanted todo.
SPEAKER_01 (31:56):
Awesome.
Well, Will, so much great stuff.
Looking forward to seeing thegrowth of the racing team and
also the company.
That's also great stuff.
I always like to close withthese last couple of things.
Let's give the audience a pieceof advice, one on the personal
side, one on the professionalside to help them elevate their
life or business.
SPEAKER_00 (32:12):
I'm gonna put that together and say on the personal
side, being authentic, you know,I've really uh this year, I've
had a lot of people ask me whatthe heck's wrong with me.
I've really stepped out of mycomfort zone socially, you know,
on social media, trying to buildthe race team and everything,
and just being authentic, youknow, and then I'm gonna mix
that in and say on theprofessional side, utilizing all
(32:32):
these new tools to power theirtime.
So I see a lot of these AIgraphics out there right now and
everything.
Like, be authentic on the frontend, right?
But use these new systems tohelp you save time.
I've seen so many people and gotso many calls that are like, I
have no idea.
Like I got a whole day back, butspend that day and go be
authentic, you know, maybe makea post or shake a hand.
(32:54):
And I feel like, like I said,I'm still young, but that's my
focus is networking andutilizing these new tools that
are coming at us to not just gosit on the couch, but go learn
something else and be authentic.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (33:06):
You know, that's the second time today.
I had another guest in hereearlier before you came in that
we talked about authenticity insocial media, where AI has its
place and certainly does, butauthenticity when it comes to
social media is so much morevalue.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (33:20):
I mean, I I use it maybe for a video transition or
an edit or something funny, youknow, something that is meant to
be funny, but people need toknow what your business does.
And if AI messed up the logo onthe back of your shirt, they
don't even know what businessyou work for.
So I I think it's time wellinvested to be authentic.
I think just from the outsideperspective, we're in a world of
(33:40):
distrust as far as the AI.
Like you get on your phone andyou don't know what's real,
what's fake.
So give everybody theopportunity to see who you are
on the front end, and then likeI said, bring those modern
systems in and protect yourselfon the back end, save time, and
and it all pays off in the end.
SPEAKER_01 (33:56):
Absolutely.
Well, last one for you here,Will.
Is there anything we can docommunity-wide to help us all
elevate Springfield and thesurrounding communities?
I think it's work together more.
SPEAKER_00 (34:05):
I'm sure you hear that a lot.
You know, I've I say it a lot.
I know you say it a lot.
But but no, I honestly thinkthat from my background, you
know, in in racing and thatfirst handshake with XK Glow and
Dan giving me that opportunityto believe in me, there's so
many of those businesses aroundhere.
Maybe not every single one ofthem would do what Dan did for
(34:26):
me.
But at the same time, there's somany people in this community
that if you shake their hand,you get to know them, you can
work together.
I mean, we talked about itearlier.
So to me, I feel like if peoplewould realize their true value a
little more in the marketplace,I think there's a lot of
opportunity to be had there.
SPEAKER_01 (34:43):
Completely agree.
When we work together, we growtogether, brethren.
That's what we do.
Come on.
Well, Will, if somebody wants tolearn more about your race team,
where you're gonna be, or aboutyour business, where where do
they go to find out, man?
SPEAKER_00 (34:54):
Yeah, absolutely.
So on the race team side, justto dive back into that, uh,
we're on Will Armitage Racing onFacebook.
Uh we post a ton of cool contenton there.
I've actually got to be.
Yeah, yeah, we're we're we'rereal, like I said, I've broke
out of my shells.
So if you ever say, man, helooks awkward, that's because I
probably am.
But no, I've just I've never hada problem talking, but but this
this media piece has beendifferent.
(35:14):
But yeah, I'd love if you guyswould go check that out.
Uh we've been growing a goodfollowing.
I think we have like 800,000views over the past 90 days,
just organically.
So super cool to see people, thefeedback come back in on the
racing side, and we'll continueto do that.
Uh, and then I think it's WillArmitage7 on Instagram.
You'll see kind of the samething on Instagram.
And then as far as elevategrowth, uh, I'm kind of just me
(35:36):
right now.
You know, just I've had so muchgreat feedback come in, just
networking with business ownersthat I've I haven't had time to
really launch that business, butit's been great and in
connecting people with highlevel and building media
opportunities and everything.
So uh my domain is getelevateco.com.
If anyone wants to check it out,I haven't looked at it in a
while.
(35:56):
But uh yeah, there's uh a lot ofgreat people I look forward to
connecting with and hopefullyhelp.
And I think at the end of theday, if you know the best phone
call I get is hey, you saved metime.
And then if they say, hey, thatthat you know provided a lead or
or did something else, I thinkthat'll all pay off in the end
too.
SPEAKER_01 (36:13):
Come on.
Well, great stuff today, Will.
Appreciate you spending sometime with me, man.
SPEAKER_00 (36:16):
It's been a pleasure.
I appreciate you having me onand uh a lot of great
conversation.
I think we can look forward to.
SPEAKER_01 (36:21):
Yeah, absolutely.
I already have a couple oftopics we're gonna have
follow-ups on here.
So look forward to seeing Willat least a couple of more times
here on Elevate Square.
Let's do it.
Like you said, Elevate Squared.
Elevate Squared or something.
Yeah, that'll work.
That works.
So, all right, man, appreciateit.
Of course.
All right, we're gonna let Willget back to Elevate in
Springfield, but for the rest ofy'all, we'll be right back.
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Well, thank you for joining ustoday, everybody.
Appreciate you making us a partof your day.
Hey, don't forget while you'reout on social, check ours out.
You can check my personal oneout at RobertFarrell at
everywhere.
(38:02):
Check out those ElevateSpringfield pages, those big dog
business coaching pages as well.
Check us out over on YouTube.
Give us a subscribe, give us alike or a follow on any of those
channels.
We would certainly appreciateit.
So hey, take what you learnedtoday.
You bring the discipline andfollow through and together.
(38:23):
That's right, y'all.
We're gonna elevate Springfield.
Be great.
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