August 13, 2024 • 35 mins
Welcome to HeadHuntersNW Podcast! I'm Shaylene Keiner, an executive recruiter with a passion for the global defense, small arms and shooting sectors. Join me as I sit down with top executives and industry leaders to dive deep into the world of global manufacturing, service companies, non-profits and more. Together, we explore the latest trends, innovations, and the inspiring stories behind the people who drive this dynamic industry forward. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just curious about what makes this world tick, you're in for engaging conversations that go beyond the surface. Let's uncover the fascinating stories and insights that shape the global defense, small arms and shooting sectors. Subscribe now and become a part of our community!
In this episode of the Headhunters Northwest podcast, Shaylene interviews Brandon Butler, the CEO of Retrieving Freedom, an organization dedicated to training and placing service dogs with veterans and children with autism. The discussion covers the extensive benefits these dogs provide, touching on topics such as PTSD relief for veterans, the calming effects on children with autism, and the broader impact on families. Butler shares his career journey, the importance of conservation and renewable energy, and the significant role of industry support in their mission. Listeners are encouraged to support Retrieving Freedom through donations and partnerships.
Contact Brandon: brandon@retrievingfreedom.org
On the web: https://www.retrievingfreedom.org/
FIND US:
On the web: https://www.headhuntersnw.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadHuntersNW/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headhuntersnw
00:00 Introduction to Headhunters Northwest
00:38 Exciting Episode on Service Dogs
01:08 Meet Brandon Butler of Retrieving Freedom
01:57 Brandon's Background and Passion
04:42 The Mission of Retrieving Freedom
10:30 Challenges and Success Stories
18:17 How to Get Involved and Support
25:15 Fundraising Strategies and Goals
33:17 Conclusion and Contact Information
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Shaylene (00:00):
Hi, everyone.
Welcome to another episode ofHeadhunters Northwest podcast.
I know I say I'm excited aboutthese because each one is unique and
individual, but We've never had apodcast or done a podcast where we got
to talk with someone about service dogs.
And, you know, a lot of you may havemet George and I at trade shows and you
(00:23):
may have seen George on my social media,but George Washington is my service dog.
And I'm really excited that I getto talk about something with someone
who knows more about this than me.
Welcome Brandon Butler, who is the CEO.
Of retrieving freedom.
And you're going to want to listento this podcast because he's going
(00:44):
to tell you how you can donate andhelp the organization and about how
these dogs help all so many people.
So welcome Brandon.
Brandon (00:53):
Well, thank you.
I I really appreciate the introduction.
I don't know if I know moreabout service dogs than you do.
I'm very new to this andyou've had George for a while.
So I'm sure I have a lot tolearn from both you and George.
Shaylene (01:06):
Well, I don't know.
I just practice, you know,it's really all about George.
I think that's the one thing I've learnedis it's, he makes me look good, but
really the work is being done by him.
And I'm sure you've seen thatwith what these dogs, they're just
inherently know what their human needs.
Brandon (01:23):
Oh, it's, it's really remarkable.
Retrieving Freedom is based in Sedalia,Missouri, because our largest benefactor
is the Hayden Freedom Foundation, which isthe Hayden family with Starline Brass, Mr.
Hayden had a long Career withSierra Bullets as well before
that Lake City ammunition.
So we're very second amendment friendly.
(01:44):
My background is in the shooting sportsand the outdoor industry as well.
So to be able to marry my passionfor the shooting sports industry,
along with helping people, especiallyour veterans and children that are
suffering from autism as well, that isjust a remarkable opportunity for me.
Shaylene (02:06):
Well, I think, you know, I think I, I didn't look at my database
that helps my memory for everything.
But I, I want to say that you and Ifirst connected somewhere around maybe
15 years or so ago, we've stayed intouch and you're an accomplished writer.
And you're very, you're an expert, I wouldsay, in conservation and organizations.
(02:29):
And so there's, you bring alot to the table in this role.
Brandon (02:33):
Well, thank you.
Yeah, I think it was about 15 years ago.
I was the marketing manager atBattenfeld Technologies, which
is now American outdoor brand.
So I had the brands Caldwell,Tipton, Wheeler Engineering the
Potterfields at MidwayUSA still owned.
Battenfeld at the time, that's whatactually brought me to Missouri,
(02:55):
which was one of the best moves ever.
I absolutely love livingin rural Missouri.
After that, I ended up taking over asthe CEO or the executive director of
the conservation Federation of Missouri.
So I spent five years leadingthat organization that
led me to kind of deviate.
Out of the shooting sports world intorenewable energy, but there was a
(03:17):
really strong conservation tie to thatas well, working on soil health and
water quality carbon sequestrationthrough the establishment of prairie
that could then be harvested and usedto create renewable natural gas through
a process called anaerobic digestion.
So we were actually digesting animalwaste into renewable fuel supplementing
(03:42):
that through the establishmentof prairie in our marginal land.
So I've been a littlescattered in my career around,
Shaylene (03:49):
but it all
ties back to conservation and giving back.
I mean, really, I think almosteverything you've done has been about.
Promoting and bringingrecognition to people and their
hobbies and their passions.
And this one is kind of alittle bit more than that.
This is, this is incredible.
Can you maybe tell us a littlebit about retrieving freedom
(04:13):
and how you got into this?
Because what, how wouldyou even found this?
This is awesome.
Brandon (04:18):
It's just crazy how life works out.
You know, you make these connectionswith people and, and sometimes you
don't see each other for years.
And then all of a sudden someonepops back up in your life.
And, you know, I've had so much going onin the last few years that I truly feel
that there's almost a divine interactionhere that led me to this situation.
(04:40):
I was at raceline alternativeenergy for about five years.
And that's really how long I wanted to bethere after the conservation federation
in that role, I was a registered lobbyist.
I joked that I was the Lorax.
I was in the Capitolspeaking for the trees.
So I was working for hunting, fishing.
(05:00):
you know, soil health, water quality,everything that you can attribute
to nature and time spent outdoors.
You know, I've gotten to a pointin my life where giving back to the
critters that have given me so muchthrough hunting and through fishing
is really where my passion lies.
So I was in the Capitolfor about five years.
(05:21):
And at that point I'd,I'd had about enough.
I felt like the organizationwas better than I had found it.
And I had a great guy workingfor me that was ready to step in.
And when I met Rudy Raceline and startedbuilding this relationship with him.
It became very clear that I had a lot tolearn from this incredible individual.
(05:41):
Rudy is like an American dreamcame to America with nothing.
He was in first generation immigrantafter world war II and just
through hard work and attrition.
He climbed the ladder to very, very strongcorporate success to the point where he
was at a phase of his life where it wasall about like, what can I do to leave
(06:02):
this planet better than I found it?
I was so thrilled to have the opportunityto get to know him and, you know, a
tip that I would give to anybody kindof working their way up the ladder was
like, look for those kind of mentors.
Look for those people that move you.
Because after CFM, I had an opportunityto move directly up the ladder and go run
(06:27):
another organization that was a littlebit bigger for basketball fans out there.
I always liken it to the smallschool in the NCAA tournament
that you've never heard of.
And all of a sudden there's a coachthat takes a team to the sweet 16 and
five days after they lose their game,he's the coach at some mid major.
And I could have done that.
(06:48):
Or I could have gone and sat on the benchnext to one of the greatest of all time.
And I chose to do that.
And I chose to learn.
I chose to further my education withan MBA at Mizzou during that time.
And that was a really, reallygood decision because frankly,
I just wasn't half theprofessional then that I am today.
And it was because of Rudy andthe opportunity to do that.
(07:11):
So fast forward to last October.
So October of 2023, and my heart wasalready set on, on looking for the next
opportunity to get back into leadership.
really didn't know what that looked like.
I had the potential to go tothe American Biogas Council
to be a vice president there.
That was D.
(07:31):
C.
Based through grace anda lot of tough times.
I've ended up with my twoteenage daughters full time.
Shaylene (07:40):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Brandon (07:42):
Yeah, it's the greatest thing that will ever happen in my life.
So I've, for the last two years,I've, I've been a full time
single dad to two teenage girls.
And if that doesn't teach you humilityand patience, I really don't know.
But truly in such a specialplace with those two that I
didn't want to be gone from
central Missouri too often.
(08:03):
I live on a beautiful 40 acre spread in acounty that doesn't even have a stoplight.
That's how rural it is.
And I was just kind ofstruggling with that decision.
And I was at a Mizzou footballgame and I hear this voice in the
background and I'm like, That can't be.
And I turned around and it's Bobby Hayden.
(08:24):
So Bobby is now the CEO of starlinebrass and we hadn't seen each other
in probably five years and justpicked up like two old friends do.
Shaylene (08:35):
I love that.
Brandon (08:36):
He said, man, we've got this opportunity.
Running a nonprofit and my initialreaction was no, no, I've been down
that nonprofit road that's not for me.
He's like, well, mom and dad haveinvested so much in this and I have
so much respect for the Hayden family.
Sadly, we, we recently lost Mrs.
(08:57):
Hayden but Mr.
Hayden is still, you know, going andinvolved and, and as sharp as ever.
And Just out of respect for them.
I wanted to go down and see what they hadbuilt and what they were committed to.
And he had said, maybe you'dbe a great board member for us.
And that I was really interested in.
And it was just fortuitous that the dayI went down there, we had a veteran named
(09:19):
Ivan and his wife, Mary Jo in residence.
So we have a residence wingon both of our campuses.
We have campuses in Sedalia, Missouri,and Waverly, Iowa, and And when our
clients come to train, they stay for free.
Everything for the client is free.
The service dogs are free dogshave over 50, 000 in training.
By the time we play some theclients just have to get to the
(09:42):
facility and then everything istaken care of from that point.
And it's, it's beautiful.
Ivan is 75 years old.
He was a Vietnam machine gunner.
Shaylene (09:53):
Wow.
Brandon (09:54):
And I learned something every day from these people.
And if you'd asked me a year ago,like, you know, what happens to
someone from Vietnam who had PTSD?
I would have thought to myselfthat, you know, it probably gets
better with time as memory fades.
For some people, it's the exact opposite.
And as Ivan has, You know, gotten up therein years, his PTSD continues to get worse.
(10:22):
He's, he's really haunted by someof the things that he did and that
in and of itself is incredibly
Shaylene (10:28):
I can't even
imagine how you could rest,
you know,
rest
Brandon (10:33):
and he, he gets up and patrols the house.
So that's something that, you know, hiswife talked about, but Ivan story was,
was moving, but it was really Mary Jo.
That, that got me because when shestarted to explain you know, it's
a burden of love, but it's still aburden, like the burden of having to
be the service provider for the personsuffering with the PTSD and what
(10:59):
that takes away from her own life.
Like her inability to leave him fora few hours, volunteer at a church.
Shaylene (11:07):
Yeah,
Brandon (11:07):
exactly.
Right.
And that's where the nameretrieving freedom, all of a
sudden the light bulb went off.
These are retrievers that we'replacing, you know, Labrador
retrievers and golden retrievers.
But we're providing freedom, not onlyto the recipient, but to everyone
that loves and that supports thatperson who can now leave this
(11:28):
person in the care of their dog.
And go to the store with less worrywho can volunteer at their church, who
can have some semblance of a normallife, sleep through the night without
having to worry what's going on withtheir partner or their loved one.
And the veterans are half of it.
(11:49):
And the other half are childrenon the autism spectrum.
So that ranges a lot and some,some children just aren't capable
of, of having the dog at all.
If it's that severe, there'sa window there where it
makes perfect sense because.
Shaylene (12:08):
Is it sensory for them?
Is it touching the fur and is it calmingor what, what part of that do you know?
I don't even know.
That's why I'm asking.
Brandon (12:17):
There's a lot of reasons, but that's definitely part of it.
It's not necessarily touchingthe fur, but it's having pressure
applied during an episode.
And that's the same thing that happens.
It's really like anxietybased for the veteran and, and
very similar for the child.
So if, okay.
You know, if an episode is beginningto occur, these dogs are trained
(12:38):
with different levels of attention.
So, pause is, or a visit, is simplywhen the dog comes over and lays its
head in your lap, and you can pet thedog, and anybody who's ever petted a
dog, we all love dogs, you know thatit just does something to your mind.
Shaylene (12:55):
Yeah, something magic.
Brandon (12:57):
It brings a calm over you if the if the visit isn't enough, then they do
what's called pause, and the dog will rearup on its back legs, and it'll come up and
put its paws and front legs over your lap,and that begins to apply that pressure.
So a lot of these children will haveweighted blankets or weighted animals or
(13:18):
weighted pillows that apply that pressure.
And if the pause isn't enough, there's afull blown crash where the dogs will crash
their full body on you and essentiallyjust apply a full body weight of pressure.
So that in and of itself is, is so calmingto these people going through an episode.
(13:38):
Outside of that, you know, parents oftenhave children, you know, that are 10
or older still in need of that kind of.
Closeness, so they find'em in bed with them.
So you've got parents that haven'tbeen able to sleep without their child
in their bed for 10, 11, 12 years.
Yeah.
They take their, they take theirbuddy to bed now and now they've
got their, their dog with them.
(14:00):
Yeah.
A lot of these children are socially
awkward at times in school, you know,they're not the best communicators or
many other reasons and now instead ofbeing that kid, they're the kid who
brings the dog to school and it helpsthem build friendships and be the cool
kid in class who, who brings their,you know, their dog pal with them.
(14:24):
every day.
Shaylene (14:24):
So what an amazing
gift to anyone.
I mean, this is a huge investment.
It's no, I mean, I'm not surprised bythe 50, 000 investment to train a dog.
It's a huge investment.
So how do, how do people who needthese dogs, how do you find them?
Brandon (14:45):
Well, we have an application process.
If you go to retrievingfreedom.
org, we have an application process.
Now I will say there's a lot of differentlevels of service dog quality out there.
Our process isn't fast.
I mean, it's about a two yearprocess to get placed with your dog.
During that time, you'll go throughtraining, you'll be assessed.
(15:08):
Our dog, we are AssistanceDog International Accredited.
So, it's an ADI accreditation.
This is an international
Shaylene (15:16):
That's a big deal,
right?
I mean, I hadn't heard of thatbefore and it's quite a big deal.
Brandon (15:21):
I mean, it's essentially A stamp of professional approval.
Unfortunately, we're in a situation nowwhere if you wanted to have a service
dog, you can go online and fill out aform, pay your a hundred dollars, and
they're going to mail you a certificate.
And this is.
like unacceptable in our industrybecause it really dilutes the
(15:43):
value of a true service dog.
If these dogs are going to need to fly onairplanes, if these dogs are going into
public buildings, riding on a train, youknow, they need to be fully functioning.
The minute, you know, somebodyclaims to have a service dog,
they take it on airplane.
It has an episode that justdiminishes the entire industry.
(16:07):
So.
Politically speaking, there's definitelylegislation that needs to be filed.
There's a political process that needsto be worked to really set apart those
organizations that are providing trueservice dogs that pass tests, that
prove abilities versus, you know, beingable to buy and print a certificate
(16:29):
off the internet in a moment's notice,because you want your dog to live.
Live in a pet free apartment complex,or you want to take your dog on
vacation, you don't want to pay to putit on the plane, the old fashioned,
Shaylene (16:41):
A lot
of work.
I don't know why anyonewould want to do that.
I can tell you firsthand.
It is a lot of work.
And not to mention, it's a lot of weight.
So, you know, when you're talkingabout flying these days, you have the
weight limit on your You know, I justcame back from a two week trip and I
can tell you, I weighed my dog's food.
It was 10 pounds of food and he eatsvery lightweight, freeze dried food.
(17:05):
The light, you know, something that isvery high quality that is lightweight.
So.
You have that.
And I have other things, you know,his brush and his E collar and, you
know, other things that you needto bring it, it is not a picnic.
So I don't know why anyone would purposelywant to do that and not have a dog.
That's really, you know, I really isa service dog because I don't know.
(17:28):
It's, it's a tremendouscommitment to do this.
Brandon (17:31):
Yeah, it really is.
But the results areworth it for the people,
Shaylene (17:36):
the people who
need these dogs.
This is that you can'treplace what they do for them.
A human can't do whatthese dogs can sense.
That's pretty exciting.
So if someone's hearing this andthey say, how can I get involved?
We want to donate you, yourorganization accepts corporate
donations, individual donations, right?
(17:57):
It's a, it's your, if people areable to go online and donate to
help this organization, aren't they?
Brandon (18:03):
100%.
I mean, that's the only way that we exist.
We don't have a source of revenue otherthan the generosity of people who are
willing to support us and help us savelives, save lives and change lives.
I mean, that's our mission isto change lives through the
process of placing a service dog.
You know, one thing I'll say isthat we lose 19 to 22 veterans
(18:27):
in this country every day.
to suicide and every every veteran thatwe've placed a dog with is still alive and
some of them have come to us as their astheir final hope and now they have their
dog and it gives them a brand new lease.
Ivan just recently got placedwith Arby and he'll get Arby.
(18:50):
sometime this summer.
He's coming up on June 6 to an event.
I'm very excited to have the NationalShooting Sports Foundation coming to
our event at the Hayden home on June 6to film an episode of real solutions.
So those of us in this industry,those of us that believe in the
second amendment, we know it's not.
(19:10):
the firearms fault.
So we're looking for real solutions.
They have that seriescalled real solutions.
And these service dogs are certainlya real solution to suicide prevention.
So many of us you know, myselfincluded, I'll, I'll never forget
February of 2022 when I lost oneof my best friends to suicide.
(19:31):
He was not a veteran, but he's still leftbehind three children under five to think
that something as simple as having a dogin his life, you know, that loved him and
cared about him and required his attentioncould have potentially saved his life.
Anybody that knows the pain oflosing a loved one to suicide,
if you think, you know, someone.
(19:53):
That is a qualified, like aqualified candidate for our
organization, a veteran or a child.
Not that we're losing the children tosuicide necessarily, just the veterans.
Please reach out, you know,encourage them to reach out.
I've heard so many stories about howthis dog saved my life and I can tell
(20:13):
you it's it's like any job when there aredays that you're like, what am I doing?
Like how am I going to make it?
Like, this is, yeah.
Harder than it should be.
And then you meet someone likeJennifer from Las Vegas, who was
just in residence and a veteranthat had a traumatic brain injury.
And when she showed up two years ago,she couldn't, you know, raise her eyes
(20:37):
off of her toes, staring at the floor.
wouldn't communicate.
Now she's got her dog birdie and she'sout making YouTube videos called the
bird's eye view and wow, your story.
So we're giving life back.
We're saving lives and giving life back.
Shaylene (20:53):
That's awesome.
I'm, I'm really excited that you tookthis job as the CEO because I've always
Enjoyed our interactions and always saidthere someday we're going to work together
somehow one way or another and when youand I connected about this, I just was
tickled because I don't, you know, it'snot something every day that people talk
(21:17):
about and, you know, Even though peoplehear about these canines and there's lots
of versions of these canines and lots ofversions of things, this is such a great
organization that it's, it's keep itsimple and get the people what they need.
And I think the more we can get themessage out there and share this with,
(21:37):
organizations that support servicedogs and veterans and these children.
I just think you can't go wrong.
There's no downside here.
Brandon (21:48):
There's, there's really not.
And no, I appreciate what you said,you know, about our interactions.
It's a two way street.
I've always thought you weresuch a, a great professional
to learn from and to lean on.
And then I thought of George.
I thought of you and I thought of Georgeand I was like, who in the industry,
you know, first person I'd call.
And sure enough, you were, youwere so gracious and excited.
(22:10):
And you have such an incredible networkthat I know having you on the sidelines.
Shaylene (22:15):
You know, cheering you on
Brandon (22:17):
on freedom is, that's gonna be beneficial to us.
So I'm, I'm very grateful.
Well, I, and I know our, Iknow our, our, our industry
is gonna support us, you know?
Absolutely.
I've already talked to a number of peopleand you know, Bobby Hayden is down at
the NRA show, and I wish I could havemade it this year, but I've got a lot of
fires to put out back here at the office.
(22:38):
and,
Shaylene (22:38):
yeah.
Brandon (22:38):
But I, I can't wait to see where we are in a couple of years.
Shaylene (22:42):
Well, and you know, you're, you're connecting
with the right organizations.
It doesn't just take one of us.
And that's what I love aboutthe industry as a whole.
And you can call the industry,whatever you want, outdoor
shooting, sports defense industry.
It doesn't matter where we act as a wholeconservation, you know, the, the national
(23:04):
shooting sports foundation which is.
The NSSF.
org, if anyone doesn't know what thatis, they are the trade association
for our industry and they are unlikeany other trade association that my
company has been affiliated with.
With the exception maybeof the NASGW group, they're
(23:24):
really great too, but the NSSF.
Really goes out of its way and the peoplewho work there to support the trade.
They, they have gone out oftheir way for me to support me.
And we certainly do contribute totheir sponsorships and to their PAC,
their political action committee.
(23:45):
But this is an organization that coming tofilm you and putting this into this show,
you just couldn't ask for more support.
And I just don't think you'll go wrong.
I mean, when we were at the marketingsummit they made George his own badge,
first name and last name, GeorgeWashington, you know, and it's just.
(24:06):
It's relief when I travel to anythingthat's through the NSSF because I'm
not worried about whether or notthey're going to accept my service dog.
You know, they understand therole that they serve and they're
just a very supportive group.
And I think wholeheartedly, our industryis, I think when you communicate what
(24:28):
Retrieving Freedom is, Their goal isand what you're trying to achieve.
I, I would hope you see bankrollsof money coming in to support this,
because that's certainly something thatmy company plans on standing behind.
Brandon (24:41):
We certainly appreciate it.
And I've created so on the fundraisingside, though, I I'll address that.
Cause part of this wasbest practices, right?
You told me to have some best practices.
So this organization, when I tookit over, you know, to me, a healthy.
Nonprofit are really ahealthy organization.
Financially, if you can picturea wedding cake in your mind, the
(25:03):
base at the bottom is the biggest.
So for example, let'stake ducks unlimited.
If you and I are members of ducksunlimited and we're paying 35 a
year to be a member, it's that35 times 400, 000 or 500, 000.
However many members they havetoday, that's the dollars That's
the bucket of dollars or thatbase layer that actually pays for
(25:25):
administration that pays salaries.
It keeps the lights on.
And then as you go up those, thoselayers of cake shrink down in size until
you get up to your like major donors.
Those people want todo programmatic stuff.
For example, we have an anonymousdonor in the six figure range that only
wants to help with breeding puppies.
He just wants more Labrador puppies bred.
(25:46):
So
that's
what he's willing to pay for.
He's not willing to pay my salary.
Shaylene (25:50):
Yeah, right.
Brandon (25:52):
He's like, you figure that out on your own.
So that's, that's one of the challenges,a programmatic challenge of a nonprofit.
So when I got this when I got hereto Retrieving Freedom, it's almost
like our wedding cake is upside down.
And our, our base is very, very small.
We have almost no recurringdonations coming in.
And then it goes up.
We've got a few grants and that 10 to25, 000 range and you go up and we've
(26:16):
got our six figure major donors andthey're keeping us alive right now.
So my initial job is to create thisbase and I'm doing that through the
creation of our business alliance.
So this is a 10, 000 a year membership,which is a hundred percent tax deductible.
We're a 501c3.
So if your business in the shootingsports industry, conservation industry,
(26:37):
you know, anything that has to dowith this or in the healthcare.
Or if you're just a fireplace salesman wholoves children and veterans, then we're a
good fit for you when, when it's time to,to look at that, you know, tax payoff, if
you'd rather give it to save a veteran'slife, then send it back to Uncle Sam.
Shaylene (26:58):
There's planned giving to, you know, I mean, there's people that
don't really have anyone else thatthey really want to, or have access
to leave anyone else their wealth.
And those are things that I think rightnow are kind of a big deal in our country.
I mean, I do think there is plannedgiving that needs to be addressed because
(27:20):
those are some pretty serious things.
And it's an organizationlike this that really makes.
It makes you think and go, well,this is pretty good opportunity.
Think how many lives you could save.
Brandon (27:32):
A hundred percent.
Yeah.
A bequest is, you know, what we call that.
If you, if you want to leave some moneyin your will to help keep people alive
and, and provide freedom to families.
And then enough.
So the business alliance I'mcounting on, my goal is to have a
hundred at the end of three years.
So that would be a million dollarsa year in recurring revenue.
(27:52):
The money we can just count onfor administrative purposes.
And then to go down further, likeI would love for you, Shailene,
to give me a million dollars.
But like, let's say you can't, you know,and but I'm going to do a challenge coin.
And we've already got a recurringgiving software on our website.
So if anybody wanted tosign up and do 20 a month.
(28:12):
You know, automatically debits your card,
but I'm
going to do the challenge coin.
We're going to have a thousand challengecoins numbered one to a thousand.
And if I were to give you challengecoin number seven and say, Shailene,
could you give 10 a month or 20 a month?
And if you say yes, you'll fill outthis software and you'll be assigned
challenge coin number 10 in that software.
(28:34):
And your challenge is tomove that coin forward.
And if you get that coin tothe next person and to the next
person, then I can run a report andcategorize it, you know, by a sort
through the challenge coin numbers.
And it'll show me likehow many people have.
been attributed to coin number 10.
(28:54):
And if it's zero after you,I'm going to pick up the phone.
I'm going to be like, Shailene, what's up?
Like, why, you know, why is this coin inyour drawer and get it back out there?
So, you know, I think, and that'sthe, the Sam Walton approach of more
for less, you know, if I can get morepeople giving less money, then great.
Because if those challenge coins.
(29:14):
Let's say they don't do great, butthey, they average 20 per coin.
That's 20, 000 a month.
Shaylene (29:21):
Yeah.
Brandon (29:21):
You
know, that's
Shaylene (29:22):
that'll
help a lot.
Brandon (29:23):
That's five dogs a year.
Shaylene (29:25):
Yeah.
Brandon (29:25):
You
know, that's five lives we could save.
Shaylene (29:28):
Now,
I think I saw you were lookingfor a grant writer right now.
I mean, if you could use some help, somevolunteer help, or some, Contract help.
What is it?
Someone who's listening to thisthat might have that skill set.
What could you use helping?
Brandon (29:46):
Yeah, fundraising, grant writing and fundraising.
I love that you said contract helpbecause it's the chicken and the egg.
Shaylene (29:52):
Yeah,
Brandon (29:53):
I need people.
To raise money, but I need moneyto hire people, which comes first.
So I was thinking the other day,if I could hire anybody to do
fundraising for me right now, and manypeople will remember Kevin Orthman
from Palma, he was the executivedirector of Palma for a while.
(30:14):
One of my best friends.
And He's out in California tellingme what California money's like.
He's like, my Midwest brain doesn'tunderstand California money.
I was like, well, thenget some of it for me.
I'll give you 20 percentof anything you raise.
So I can't afford to hire you.
So right now I'm looking at building.
I'm calling it my team of Avengers,RFI Avengers, and putting together my
(30:39):
absolute dream team of salespeople.
And if they all just go out and pickthe low hanging fruit, in their lives.
You know, we could really, we couldreally change the game pretty quickly.
So I'm, I'm trying to assemble thisteam of 10 or so high level professional
friends from the shooting sports industry.
(31:00):
A few other industries as well.
One of my friends, Julie is apharmaceutical rep in Austin, Texas.
She knows all kinds of Doctors that
Shaylene (31:09):
are so limited to this.
It's just that people have apassion to save, save lives
and to help help children.
And if this is such a greatopportunity, they can, this is their
chance to get into our industry.
You know, we get a lot of phonecalls, Shaylene, how do I get
into the outdoor industry?
(31:30):
How do I get into theshooting sports industry?
This is how.
You could volunteer your time and dosome fundraising as your time allows
and network with some amazing people.
This would be a great way toget your foot in the door.
Brandon (31:44):
I've spent the last 20 years defending the shooting sports industry
to the bunnies and butterfly crowd.
Like, if you like bunnies and butterflies,then you need Habitat on the Ground.
And Habitat on the Ground is comingfrom the Pittman Robertson Act that is
funded by the shooting sports industry.
So, to be able to continue to make apositive difference in people's lives
(32:10):
through a shooting sports industryfunded non profit that truly saves
people's lives I think as a whole thatjust gives us, you know, more ammunition
Per the pun for who we really are asan industry and where our hearts are
and how much good we collectively do.
(32:30):
Because there wouldn't beconservation if it wasn't for the
sale of firearms and bullets andall of our, all of our accessories.
Shaylene (32:38):
Yeah.
And all the hunting licensesand everything else.
That's where all that money comes from.
Well, I really appreciate you visitingwith me about this and I can't
wait to see you in person again.
Yes.
There's, there's no reason thisisn't going to be wildly successful.
And when you've got, you know,top, top notch organizations behind
(33:00):
you, supporting you and foundation.
Folks there that have started thisand Starline Brass and I mean,
these are families that reallybelieve in this way of life.
I don't think you can go wrong.
You just, I can't even, youjust have to get the word out.
So hopefully this will helpand people can find it.
(33:20):
Tell us what the website is.
Brandon (33:22):
It's retrievingfreedom.
org and I'd be remiss if I didn'tmention real quick Delta waterfowl.
We've got a great relationshipwith Delta Waterfowl where we
auction off duck calls in supportof RFI and we split the proceeds.
So we've, we've been doing that fora couple of years and I'm looking
to really expand that program.
Shaylene (33:43):
That's great.
Brandon (33:43):
And then replicate it as well, so.
Shaylene (33:46):
That's wonderful.
Well, any partnerships of anyorganizations or marketing professionals
that you're looking for a good partner,you might want to hit up Brandon.
You can find him on LinkedIn.
And if you don't know how to reachhim, you can always reach out
to me and I'll put you in touch.
Brandon (34:02):
I'll give my email address right now.
Shaylene (34:04):
Please do.
Brandon (34:05):
It's Brandon.
At retrieving freedom dot org.
Shaylene (34:10):
Great.
And we will also when we publish thiswherever the social media allows, we
will put the links in there as wellfor your email and the website address.
Brandon (34:22):
Thank you so much.
Shaylene (34:22):
Okay.
Thank you for being onHeadhunters Northwest podcast.
This has been really fun.
A little bit unusualbut absolutely worth it.
And of course, it's tiedto George Washington.
So why would we not do it?
Thanks, Brandon.
Brandon (34:37):
Thank you.
Shaylene (34:38):
Bye.
Hi, everyone.
Welcome to another episode ofHeadhunters Northwest podcast.
I know I say I'm excited aboutthese because each one is unique and
individual, but We've never had apodcast or done a podcast where we got
to talk with someone about service dogs.
And, you know, a lot of you may havemet George and I at trade shows and you
(00:23):
may have seen George on my social media,but George Washington is my service dog.
And I'm really excited that I getto talk about something with someone
who knows more about this than me.
Welcome Brandon Butler, who is the CEO.
Of retrieving freedom.
And you're going to want to listento this podcast because he's going
(00:44):
to tell you how you can donate andhelp the organization and about how
these dogs help all so many people.
So welcome Brandon.
Brandon (00:53):
Well, thank you.
I I really appreciate the introduction.
I don't know if I know moreabout service dogs than you do.
I'm very new to this andyou've had George for a while.
So I'm sure I have a lot tolearn from both you and George.
Shaylene (01:06):
Well, I don't know.
I just practice, you know,it's really all about George.
I think that's the one thing I've learnedis it's, he makes me look good, but
really the work is being done by him.
And I'm sure you've seen thatwith what these dogs, they're just
inherently know what their human needs.
Brandon (01:23):
Oh, it's, it's really remarkable.
Retrieving Freedom is based in Sedalia,Missouri, because our largest benefactor
is the Hayden Freedom Foundation, which isthe Hayden family with Starline Brass, Mr.
Hayden had a long Career withSierra Bullets as well before
that Lake City ammunition.
So we're very second amendment friendly.
(01:44):
My background is in the shooting sportsand the outdoor industry as well.
So to be able to marry my passionfor the shooting sports industry,
along with helping people, especiallyour veterans and children that are
suffering from autism as well, that isjust a remarkable opportunity for me.
Shaylene (02:06):
Well, I think, you know, I think I, I didn't look at my database
that helps my memory for everything.
But I, I want to say that you and Ifirst connected somewhere around maybe
15 years or so ago, we've stayed intouch and you're an accomplished writer.
And you're very, you're an expert, I wouldsay, in conservation and organizations.
(02:29):
And so there's, you bring alot to the table in this role.
Brandon (02:33):
Well, thank you.
Yeah, I think it was about 15 years ago.
I was the marketing manager atBattenfeld Technologies, which
is now American outdoor brand.
So I had the brands Caldwell,Tipton, Wheeler Engineering the
Potterfields at MidwayUSA still owned.
Battenfeld at the time, that's whatactually brought me to Missouri,
(02:55):
which was one of the best moves ever.
I absolutely love livingin rural Missouri.
After that, I ended up taking over asthe CEO or the executive director of
the conservation Federation of Missouri.
So I spent five years leadingthat organization that
led me to kind of deviate.
Out of the shooting sports world intorenewable energy, but there was a
(03:17):
really strong conservation tie to thatas well, working on soil health and
water quality carbon sequestrationthrough the establishment of prairie
that could then be harvested and usedto create renewable natural gas through
a process called anaerobic digestion.
So we were actually digesting animalwaste into renewable fuel supplementing
(03:42):
that through the establishmentof prairie in our marginal land.
So I've been a littlescattered in my career around,
Shaylene (03:49):
but it all
ties back to conservation and giving back.
I mean, really, I think almosteverything you've done has been about.
Promoting and bringingrecognition to people and their
hobbies and their passions.
And this one is kind of alittle bit more than that.
This is, this is incredible.
Can you maybe tell us a littlebit about retrieving freedom
(04:13):
and how you got into this?
Because what, how wouldyou even found this?
This is awesome.
Brandon (04:18):
It's just crazy how life works out.
You know, you make these connectionswith people and, and sometimes you
don't see each other for years.
And then all of a sudden someonepops back up in your life.
And, you know, I've had so much going onin the last few years that I truly feel
that there's almost a divine interactionhere that led me to this situation.
(04:40):
I was at raceline alternativeenergy for about five years.
And that's really how long I wanted to bethere after the conservation federation
in that role, I was a registered lobbyist.
I joked that I was the Lorax.
I was in the Capitolspeaking for the trees.
So I was working for hunting, fishing.
(05:00):
you know, soil health, water quality,everything that you can attribute
to nature and time spent outdoors.
You know, I've gotten to a pointin my life where giving back to the
critters that have given me so muchthrough hunting and through fishing
is really where my passion lies.
So I was in the Capitolfor about five years.
(05:21):
And at that point I'd,I'd had about enough.
I felt like the organizationwas better than I had found it.
And I had a great guy workingfor me that was ready to step in.
And when I met Rudy Raceline and startedbuilding this relationship with him.
It became very clear that I had a lot tolearn from this incredible individual.
(05:41):
Rudy is like an American dreamcame to America with nothing.
He was in first generation immigrantafter world war II and just
through hard work and attrition.
He climbed the ladder to very, very strongcorporate success to the point where he
was at a phase of his life where it wasall about like, what can I do to leave
(06:02):
this planet better than I found it?
I was so thrilled to have the opportunityto get to know him and, you know, a
tip that I would give to anybody kindof working their way up the ladder was
like, look for those kind of mentors.
Look for those people that move you.
Because after CFM, I had an opportunityto move directly up the ladder and go run
(06:27):
another organization that was a littlebit bigger for basketball fans out there.
I always liken it to the smallschool in the NCAA tournament
that you've never heard of.
And all of a sudden there's a coachthat takes a team to the sweet 16 and
five days after they lose their game,he's the coach at some mid major.
And I could have done that.
(06:48):
Or I could have gone and sat on the benchnext to one of the greatest of all time.
And I chose to do that.
And I chose to learn.
I chose to further my education withan MBA at Mizzou during that time.
And that was a really, reallygood decision because frankly,
I just wasn't half theprofessional then that I am today.
And it was because of Rudy andthe opportunity to do that.
(07:11):
So fast forward to last October.
So October of 2023, and my heart wasalready set on, on looking for the next
opportunity to get back into leadership.
really didn't know what that looked like.
I had the potential to go tothe American Biogas Council
to be a vice president there.
That was D.
(07:31):
C.
Based through grace anda lot of tough times.
I've ended up with my twoteenage daughters full time.
Shaylene (07:40):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Brandon (07:42):
Yeah, it's the greatest thing that will ever happen in my life.
So I've, for the last two years,I've, I've been a full time
single dad to two teenage girls.
And if that doesn't teach you humilityand patience, I really don't know.
But truly in such a specialplace with those two that I
didn't want to be gone from
central Missouri too often.
(08:03):
I live on a beautiful 40 acre spread in acounty that doesn't even have a stoplight.
That's how rural it is.
And I was just kind ofstruggling with that decision.
And I was at a Mizzou footballgame and I hear this voice in the
background and I'm like, That can't be.
And I turned around and it's Bobby Hayden.
(08:24):
So Bobby is now the CEO of starlinebrass and we hadn't seen each other
in probably five years and justpicked up like two old friends do.
Shaylene (08:35):
I love that.
Brandon (08:36):
He said, man, we've got this opportunity.
Running a nonprofit and my initialreaction was no, no, I've been down
that nonprofit road that's not for me.
He's like, well, mom and dad haveinvested so much in this and I have
so much respect for the Hayden family.
Sadly, we, we recently lost Mrs.
(08:57):
Hayden but Mr.
Hayden is still, you know, going andinvolved and, and as sharp as ever.
And Just out of respect for them.
I wanted to go down and see what they hadbuilt and what they were committed to.
And he had said, maybe you'dbe a great board member for us.
And that I was really interested in.
And it was just fortuitous that the dayI went down there, we had a veteran named
(09:19):
Ivan and his wife, Mary Jo in residence.
So we have a residence wingon both of our campuses.
We have campuses in Sedalia, Missouri,and Waverly, Iowa, and And when our
clients come to train, they stay for free.
Everything for the client is free.
The service dogs are free dogshave over 50, 000 in training.
By the time we play some theclients just have to get to the
(09:42):
facility and then everything istaken care of from that point.
And it's, it's beautiful.
Ivan is 75 years old.
He was a Vietnam machine gunner.
Shaylene (09:53):
Wow.
Brandon (09:54):
And I learned something every day from these people.
And if you'd asked me a year ago,like, you know, what happens to
someone from Vietnam who had PTSD?
I would have thought to myselfthat, you know, it probably gets
better with time as memory fades.
For some people, it's the exact opposite.
And as Ivan has, You know, gotten up therein years, his PTSD continues to get worse.
(10:22):
He's, he's really haunted by someof the things that he did and that
in and of itself is incredibly
Shaylene (10:28):
I can't even
imagine how you could rest,
you know,
rest
Brandon (10:33):
and he, he gets up and patrols the house.
So that's something that, you know, hiswife talked about, but Ivan story was,
was moving, but it was really Mary Jo.
That, that got me because when shestarted to explain you know, it's
a burden of love, but it's still aburden, like the burden of having to
be the service provider for the personsuffering with the PTSD and what
(10:59):
that takes away from her own life.
Like her inability to leave him fora few hours, volunteer at a church.
Shaylene (11:07):
Yeah,
Brandon (11:07):
exactly.
Right.
And that's where the nameretrieving freedom, all of a
sudden the light bulb went off.
These are retrievers that we'replacing, you know, Labrador
retrievers and golden retrievers.
But we're providing freedom, not onlyto the recipient, but to everyone
that loves and that supports thatperson who can now leave this
(11:28):
person in the care of their dog.
And go to the store with less worrywho can volunteer at their church, who
can have some semblance of a normallife, sleep through the night without
having to worry what's going on withtheir partner or their loved one.
And the veterans are half of it.
(11:49):
And the other half are childrenon the autism spectrum.
So that ranges a lot and some,some children just aren't capable
of, of having the dog at all.
If it's that severe, there'sa window there where it
makes perfect sense because.
Shaylene (12:08):
Is it sensory for them?
Is it touching the fur and is it calmingor what, what part of that do you know?
I don't even know.
That's why I'm asking.
Brandon (12:17):
There's a lot of reasons, but that's definitely part of it.
It's not necessarily touchingthe fur, but it's having pressure
applied during an episode.
And that's the same thing that happens.
It's really like anxietybased for the veteran and, and
very similar for the child.
So if, okay.
You know, if an episode is beginningto occur, these dogs are trained
(12:38):
with different levels of attention.
So, pause is, or a visit, is simplywhen the dog comes over and lays its
head in your lap, and you can pet thedog, and anybody who's ever petted a
dog, we all love dogs, you know thatit just does something to your mind.
Shaylene (12:55):
Yeah, something magic.
Brandon (12:57):
It brings a calm over you if the if the visit isn't enough, then they do
what's called pause, and the dog will rearup on its back legs, and it'll come up and
put its paws and front legs over your lap,and that begins to apply that pressure.
So a lot of these children will haveweighted blankets or weighted animals or
(13:18):
weighted pillows that apply that pressure.
And if the pause isn't enough, there's afull blown crash where the dogs will crash
their full body on you and essentiallyjust apply a full body weight of pressure.
So that in and of itself is, is so calmingto these people going through an episode.
(13:38):
Outside of that, you know, parents oftenhave children, you know, that are 10
or older still in need of that kind of.
Closeness, so they find'em in bed with them.
So you've got parents that haven'tbeen able to sleep without their child
in their bed for 10, 11, 12 years.
Yeah.
They take their, they take theirbuddy to bed now and now they've
got their, their dog with them.
(14:00):
Yeah.
A lot of these children are socially
awkward at times in school, you know,they're not the best communicators or
many other reasons and now instead ofbeing that kid, they're the kid who
brings the dog to school and it helpsthem build friendships and be the cool
kid in class who, who brings their,you know, their dog pal with them.
(14:24):
every day.
Shaylene (14:24):
So what an amazing
gift to anyone.
I mean, this is a huge investment.
It's no, I mean, I'm not surprised bythe 50, 000 investment to train a dog.
It's a huge investment.
So how do, how do people who needthese dogs, how do you find them?
Brandon (14:45):
Well, we have an application process.
If you go to retrievingfreedom.
org, we have an application process.
Now I will say there's a lot of differentlevels of service dog quality out there.
Our process isn't fast.
I mean, it's about a two yearprocess to get placed with your dog.
During that time, you'll go throughtraining, you'll be assessed.
(15:08):
Our dog, we are AssistanceDog International Accredited.
So, it's an ADI accreditation.
This is an international
Shaylene (15:16):
That's a big deal,
right?
I mean, I hadn't heard of thatbefore and it's quite a big deal.
Brandon (15:21):
I mean, it's essentially A stamp of professional approval.
Unfortunately, we're in a situation nowwhere if you wanted to have a service
dog, you can go online and fill out aform, pay your a hundred dollars, and
they're going to mail you a certificate.
And this is.
like unacceptable in our industrybecause it really dilutes the
(15:43):
value of a true service dog.
If these dogs are going to need to fly onairplanes, if these dogs are going into
public buildings, riding on a train, youknow, they need to be fully functioning.
The minute, you know, somebodyclaims to have a service dog,
they take it on airplane.
It has an episode that justdiminishes the entire industry.
(16:07):
So.
Politically speaking, there's definitelylegislation that needs to be filed.
There's a political process that needsto be worked to really set apart those
organizations that are providing trueservice dogs that pass tests, that
prove abilities versus, you know, beingable to buy and print a certificate
(16:29):
off the internet in a moment's notice,because you want your dog to live.
Live in a pet free apartment complex,or you want to take your dog on
vacation, you don't want to pay to putit on the plane, the old fashioned,
Shaylene (16:41):
A lot
of work.
I don't know why anyonewould want to do that.
I can tell you firsthand.
It is a lot of work.
And not to mention, it's a lot of weight.
So, you know, when you're talkingabout flying these days, you have the
weight limit on your You know, I justcame back from a two week trip and I
can tell you, I weighed my dog's food.
It was 10 pounds of food and he eatsvery lightweight, freeze dried food.
(17:05):
The light, you know, something that isvery high quality that is lightweight.
So.
You have that.
And I have other things, you know,his brush and his E collar and, you
know, other things that you needto bring it, it is not a picnic.
So I don't know why anyone would purposelywant to do that and not have a dog.
That's really, you know, I really isa service dog because I don't know.
(17:28):
It's, it's a tremendouscommitment to do this.
Brandon (17:31):
Yeah, it really is.
But the results areworth it for the people,
Shaylene (17:36):
the people who
need these dogs.
This is that you can'treplace what they do for them.
A human can't do whatthese dogs can sense.
That's pretty exciting.
So if someone's hearing this andthey say, how can I get involved?
We want to donate you, yourorganization accepts corporate
donations, individual donations, right?
(17:57):
It's a, it's your, if people areable to go online and donate to
help this organization, aren't they?
Brandon (18:03):
100%.
I mean, that's the only way that we exist.
We don't have a source of revenue otherthan the generosity of people who are
willing to support us and help us savelives, save lives and change lives.
I mean, that's our mission isto change lives through the
process of placing a service dog.
You know, one thing I'll say isthat we lose 19 to 22 veterans
(18:27):
in this country every day.
to suicide and every every veteran thatwe've placed a dog with is still alive and
some of them have come to us as their astheir final hope and now they have their
dog and it gives them a brand new lease.
Ivan just recently got placedwith Arby and he'll get Arby.
(18:50):
sometime this summer.
He's coming up on June 6 to an event.
I'm very excited to have the NationalShooting Sports Foundation coming to
our event at the Hayden home on June 6to film an episode of real solutions.
So those of us in this industry,those of us that believe in the
second amendment, we know it's not.
(19:10):
the firearms fault.
So we're looking for real solutions.
They have that seriescalled real solutions.
And these service dogs are certainlya real solution to suicide prevention.
So many of us you know, myselfincluded, I'll, I'll never forget
February of 2022 when I lost oneof my best friends to suicide.
(19:31):
He was not a veteran, but he's still leftbehind three children under five to think
that something as simple as having a dogin his life, you know, that loved him and
cared about him and required his attentioncould have potentially saved his life.
Anybody that knows the pain oflosing a loved one to suicide,
if you think, you know, someone.
(19:53):
That is a qualified, like aqualified candidate for our
organization, a veteran or a child.
Not that we're losing the children tosuicide necessarily, just the veterans.
Please reach out, you know,encourage them to reach out.
I've heard so many stories about howthis dog saved my life and I can tell
(20:13):
you it's it's like any job when there aredays that you're like, what am I doing?
Like how am I going to make it?
Like, this is, yeah.
Harder than it should be.
And then you meet someone likeJennifer from Las Vegas, who was
just in residence and a veteranthat had a traumatic brain injury.
And when she showed up two years ago,she couldn't, you know, raise her eyes
(20:37):
off of her toes, staring at the floor.
wouldn't communicate.
Now she's got her dog birdie and she'sout making YouTube videos called the
bird's eye view and wow, your story.
So we're giving life back.
We're saving lives and giving life back.
Shaylene (20:53):
That's awesome.
I'm, I'm really excited that you tookthis job as the CEO because I've always
Enjoyed our interactions and always saidthere someday we're going to work together
somehow one way or another and when youand I connected about this, I just was
tickled because I don't, you know, it'snot something every day that people talk
(21:17):
about and, you know, Even though peoplehear about these canines and there's lots
of versions of these canines and lots ofversions of things, this is such a great
organization that it's, it's keep itsimple and get the people what they need.
And I think the more we can get themessage out there and share this with,
(21:37):
organizations that support servicedogs and veterans and these children.
I just think you can't go wrong.
There's no downside here.
Brandon (21:48):
There's, there's really not.
And no, I appreciate what you said,you know, about our interactions.
It's a two way street.
I've always thought you weresuch a, a great professional
to learn from and to lean on.
And then I thought of George.
I thought of you and I thought of Georgeand I was like, who in the industry,
you know, first person I'd call.
And sure enough, you were, youwere so gracious and excited.
(22:10):
And you have such an incredible networkthat I know having you on the sidelines.
Shaylene (22:15):
You know, cheering you on
Brandon (22:17):
on freedom is, that's gonna be beneficial to us.
So I'm, I'm very grateful.
Well, I, and I know our, Iknow our, our, our industry
is gonna support us, you know?
Absolutely.
I've already talked to a number of peopleand you know, Bobby Hayden is down at
the NRA show, and I wish I could havemade it this year, but I've got a lot of
fires to put out back here at the office.
(22:38):
and,
Shaylene (22:38):
yeah.
Brandon (22:38):
But I, I can't wait to see where we are in a couple of years.
Shaylene (22:42):
Well, and you know, you're, you're connecting
with the right organizations.
It doesn't just take one of us.
And that's what I love aboutthe industry as a whole.
And you can call the industry,whatever you want, outdoor
shooting, sports defense industry.
It doesn't matter where we act as a wholeconservation, you know, the, the national
(23:04):
shooting sports foundation which is.
The NSSF.
org, if anyone doesn't know what thatis, they are the trade association
for our industry and they are unlikeany other trade association that my
company has been affiliated with.
With the exception maybeof the NASGW group, they're
(23:24):
really great too, but the NSSF.
Really goes out of its way and the peoplewho work there to support the trade.
They, they have gone out oftheir way for me to support me.
And we certainly do contribute totheir sponsorships and to their PAC,
their political action committee.
(23:45):
But this is an organization that coming tofilm you and putting this into this show,
you just couldn't ask for more support.
And I just don't think you'll go wrong.
I mean, when we were at the marketingsummit they made George his own badge,
first name and last name, GeorgeWashington, you know, and it's just.
(24:06):
It's relief when I travel to anythingthat's through the NSSF because I'm
not worried about whether or notthey're going to accept my service dog.
You know, they understand therole that they serve and they're
just a very supportive group.
And I think wholeheartedly, our industryis, I think when you communicate what
(24:28):
Retrieving Freedom is, Their goal isand what you're trying to achieve.
I, I would hope you see bankrollsof money coming in to support this,
because that's certainly something thatmy company plans on standing behind.
Brandon (24:41):
We certainly appreciate it.
And I've created so on the fundraisingside, though, I I'll address that.
Cause part of this wasbest practices, right?
You told me to have some best practices.
So this organization, when I tookit over, you know, to me, a healthy.
Nonprofit are really ahealthy organization.
Financially, if you can picturea wedding cake in your mind, the
(25:03):
base at the bottom is the biggest.
So for example, let'stake ducks unlimited.
If you and I are members of ducksunlimited and we're paying 35 a
year to be a member, it's that35 times 400, 000 or 500, 000.
However many members they havetoday, that's the dollars That's
the bucket of dollars or thatbase layer that actually pays for
(25:25):
administration that pays salaries.
It keeps the lights on.
And then as you go up those, thoselayers of cake shrink down in size until
you get up to your like major donors.
Those people want todo programmatic stuff.
For example, we have an anonymousdonor in the six figure range that only
wants to help with breeding puppies.
He just wants more Labrador puppies bred.
(25:46):
So
that's
what he's willing to pay for.
He's not willing to pay my salary.
Shaylene (25:50):
Yeah, right.
Brandon (25:52):
He's like, you figure that out on your own.
So that's, that's one of the challenges,a programmatic challenge of a nonprofit.
So when I got this when I got hereto Retrieving Freedom, it's almost
like our wedding cake is upside down.
And our, our base is very, very small.
We have almost no recurringdonations coming in.
And then it goes up.
We've got a few grants and that 10 to25, 000 range and you go up and we've
(26:16):
got our six figure major donors andthey're keeping us alive right now.
So my initial job is to create thisbase and I'm doing that through the
creation of our business alliance.
So this is a 10, 000 a year membership,which is a hundred percent tax deductible.
We're a 501c3.
So if your business in the shootingsports industry, conservation industry,
(26:37):
you know, anything that has to dowith this or in the healthcare.
Or if you're just a fireplace salesman wholoves children and veterans, then we're a
good fit for you when, when it's time to,to look at that, you know, tax payoff, if
you'd rather give it to save a veteran'slife, then send it back to Uncle Sam.
Shaylene (26:58):
There's planned giving to, you know, I mean, there's people that
don't really have anyone else thatthey really want to, or have access
to leave anyone else their wealth.
And those are things that I think rightnow are kind of a big deal in our country.
I mean, I do think there is plannedgiving that needs to be addressed because
(27:20):
those are some pretty serious things.
And it's an organizationlike this that really makes.
It makes you think and go, well,this is pretty good opportunity.
Think how many lives you could save.
Brandon (27:32):
A hundred percent.
Yeah.
A bequest is, you know, what we call that.
If you, if you want to leave some moneyin your will to help keep people alive
and, and provide freedom to families.
And then enough.
So the business alliance I'mcounting on, my goal is to have a
hundred at the end of three years.
So that would be a million dollarsa year in recurring revenue.
(27:52):
The money we can just count onfor administrative purposes.
And then to go down further, likeI would love for you, Shailene,
to give me a million dollars.
But like, let's say you can't, you know,and but I'm going to do a challenge coin.
And we've already got a recurringgiving software on our website.
So if anybody wanted tosign up and do 20 a month.
(28:12):
You know, automatically debits your card,
but I'm
going to do the challenge coin.
We're going to have a thousand challengecoins numbered one to a thousand.
And if I were to give you challengecoin number seven and say, Shailene,
could you give 10 a month or 20 a month?
And if you say yes, you'll fill outthis software and you'll be assigned
challenge coin number 10 in that software.
(28:34):
And your challenge is tomove that coin forward.
And if you get that coin tothe next person and to the next
person, then I can run a report andcategorize it, you know, by a sort
through the challenge coin numbers.
And it'll show me likehow many people have.
been attributed to coin number 10.
(28:54):
And if it's zero after you,I'm going to pick up the phone.
I'm going to be like, Shailene, what's up?
Like, why, you know, why is this coin inyour drawer and get it back out there?
So, you know, I think, and that'sthe, the Sam Walton approach of more
for less, you know, if I can get morepeople giving less money, then great.
Because if those challenge coins.
(29:14):
Let's say they don't do great, butthey, they average 20 per coin.
That's 20, 000 a month.
Shaylene (29:21):
Yeah.
Brandon (29:21):
You
know, that's
Shaylene (29:22):
that'll
help a lot.
Brandon (29:23):
That's five dogs a year.
Shaylene (29:25):
Yeah.
Brandon (29:25):
You
know, that's five lives we could save.
Shaylene (29:28):
Now,
I think I saw you were lookingfor a grant writer right now.
I mean, if you could use some help, somevolunteer help, or some, Contract help.
What is it?
Someone who's listening to thisthat might have that skill set.
What could you use helping?
Brandon (29:46):
Yeah, fundraising, grant writing and fundraising.
I love that you said contract helpbecause it's the chicken and the egg.
Shaylene (29:52):
Yeah,
Brandon (29:53):
I need people.
To raise money, but I need moneyto hire people, which comes first.
So I was thinking the other day,if I could hire anybody to do
fundraising for me right now, and manypeople will remember Kevin Orthman
from Palma, he was the executivedirector of Palma for a while.
(30:14):
One of my best friends.
And He's out in California tellingme what California money's like.
He's like, my Midwest brain doesn'tunderstand California money.
I was like, well, thenget some of it for me.
I'll give you 20 percentof anything you raise.
So I can't afford to hire you.
So right now I'm looking at building.
I'm calling it my team of Avengers,RFI Avengers, and putting together my
(30:39):
absolute dream team of salespeople.
And if they all just go out and pickthe low hanging fruit, in their lives.
You know, we could really, we couldreally change the game pretty quickly.
So I'm, I'm trying to assemble thisteam of 10 or so high level professional
friends from the shooting sports industry.
(31:00):
A few other industries as well.
One of my friends, Julie is apharmaceutical rep in Austin, Texas.
She knows all kinds of Doctors that
Shaylene (31:09):
are so limited to this.
It's just that people have apassion to save, save lives
and to help help children.
And if this is such a greatopportunity, they can, this is their
chance to get into our industry.
You know, we get a lot of phonecalls, Shaylene, how do I get
into the outdoor industry?
(31:30):
How do I get into theshooting sports industry?
This is how.
You could volunteer your time and dosome fundraising as your time allows
and network with some amazing people.
This would be a great way toget your foot in the door.
Brandon (31:44):
I've spent the last 20 years defending the shooting sports industry
to the bunnies and butterfly crowd.
Like, if you like bunnies and butterflies,then you need Habitat on the Ground.
And Habitat on the Ground is comingfrom the Pittman Robertson Act that is
funded by the shooting sports industry.
So, to be able to continue to make apositive difference in people's lives
(32:10):
through a shooting sports industryfunded non profit that truly saves
people's lives I think as a whole thatjust gives us, you know, more ammunition
Per the pun for who we really are asan industry and where our hearts are
and how much good we collectively do.
(32:30):
Because there wouldn't beconservation if it wasn't for the
sale of firearms and bullets andall of our, all of our accessories.
Shaylene (32:38):
Yeah.
And all the hunting licensesand everything else.
That's where all that money comes from.
Well, I really appreciate you visitingwith me about this and I can't
wait to see you in person again.
Yes.
There's, there's no reason thisisn't going to be wildly successful.
And when you've got, you know,top, top notch organizations behind
(33:00):
you, supporting you and foundation.
Folks there that have started thisand Starline Brass and I mean,
these are families that reallybelieve in this way of life.
I don't think you can go wrong.
You just, I can't even, youjust have to get the word out.
So hopefully this will helpand people can find it.
(33:20):
Tell us what the website is.
Brandon (33:22):
It's retrievingfreedom.
org and I'd be remiss if I didn'tmention real quick Delta waterfowl.
We've got a great relationshipwith Delta Waterfowl where we
auction off duck calls in supportof RFI and we split the proceeds.
So we've, we've been doing that fora couple of years and I'm looking
to really expand that program.
Shaylene (33:43):
That's great.
Brandon (33:43):
And then replicate it as well, so.
Shaylene (33:46):
That's wonderful.
Well, any partnerships of anyorganizations or marketing professionals
that you're looking for a good partner,you might want to hit up Brandon.
You can find him on LinkedIn.
And if you don't know how to reachhim, you can always reach out
to me and I'll put you in touch.
Brandon (34:02):
I'll give my email address right now.
Shaylene (34:04):
Please do.
Brandon (34:05):
It's Brandon.
At retrieving freedom dot org.
Shaylene (34:10):
Great.
And we will also when we publish thiswherever the social media allows, we
will put the links in there as wellfor your email and the website address.
Brandon (34:22):
Thank you so much.
Shaylene (34:22):
Okay.
Thank you for being onHeadhunters Northwest podcast.
This has been really fun.
A little bit unusualbut absolutely worth it.
And of course, it's tiedto George Washington.
So why would we not do it?
Thanks, Brandon.
Brandon (34:37):
Thank you.
Shaylene (34:38):
Bye.
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