Embracing Fatherhood: Matt Ferguson's Journey from Hesitation to Joy

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For anyone who's ever felt a bit wary about stepping into fatherhood, Matt Ferguson's story is one you won't want to miss. Despite being the eldest of four siblings, Matt confesses his initial hesitation towards becoming a dad. Yet, as he shares with us on the Quarterback Dadcast, the arrival of his own children brought a transformative shift in his perspective. We explore how he navigates this new chapter, balancing the demands of a successful sales career with the joys and challenges of parenting. His insights into maintaining strong family bonds through various stages of life will offer a refreshing take on modern communication.

As a successful sales coach and speaker, Matt's transition from the golf industry to a thriving sales career also unfolds, highlighting the unexpected opportunities and pivotal moments that have shaped his life path. We recount together the timeless reminder that the days are long and the years are short as fathers.

Throughout the episode, we celebrate the small wins that accumulate into life's big achievements. Drawing lessons from sports, family values, and even the profound impact of losing his brother Drew, our conversation will emphasize the importance of mindset, self-belief, and gratitude. Our lighter moments include a humorous exchange about celebrity lookalikes, ensuring listeners walk away with both insights and smiles. Join our community of dads, share your own experiences, and let’s continue to support each other on this incredible journey of fatherhood.

Please don't forget to leave us a review wherever you consume your podcasts! Please help us get more dads to listen weekly and become the ultimate leader of their homes!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 2 (00:03):
Hi, I'm Riley and I'm Ryder and this is my dad show.
Hey everybody, it's CaseyJaycox with the quarterback dad
cast.
Welcome to season six, and Icould not be more excited to
have you join me for anotheryear of fantastic episodes and
conversations really unscriptedand raw and authentic

(00:25):
conversations with dads.
If you're new to this podcast,really it's simple.
It's a podcast where weinterview dads, we learn about
how they were raised, we learnabout the life lessons that were
important to them, we learnabout the values that are
important to them and really welearn about how we can work hard
to become a better quarterbackor leader of our home.
So let's sit back, relax andlisten to today's episode on the
Quarterback Dadcast.

(00:45):
Well, hey, everybody, it'sCasey Jaycox with the
Quarterback Dadcast.
We're in season six, whichfeels fantastic.
You've heard me say that before.
I'm going to continue to saythat again because it's like a
pinch me moment that we're stilldoing this thing and we have a
long list of guests still bookedfor 2025.
And our next guest came to usthrough the power of LinkedIn we
share a couple of.

(01:06):
We might have a man crush onMike Weinberg.
I'm sorry, mike, we made youlaugh or made you blush, but we
both are buddies with MrWeinberg.
His name is Matt Ferguson.
He's a golfer, he's a dad, he'sgot years of sales expertise.
He's coaching and helpingcompanies all around the United
States from speaking or throughhis programs.
But, more importantly, that'snot why we're having him on.

(01:27):
We're having to have Matt onthe podcast today because we
want to learn about Matt the dadand how he's working hard to
become the ultimate quarterbackor leader of his home.
So, without further ado, mrFerguson, welcome to the
quarterback podcast.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Thanks for having me.
I've listened to severalepisodes and I'm a big fan of
this.
Oh, very cool.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
I appreciate you saying that.
Well then, if you, if you knowwhat's coming next, we always
start out each episode gratitude.
So tell me, what are you mostgrateful for as a dad today?

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Just my, my two kids.
I never wanted to be a dad, um,in true honesty, and I I told
you that before that we, we goton the show.
I was the oldest of four boys.
I don't know why I didn't wantto be a dad, but it's probably
the worst single thought thatI've ever had, because every day

(02:14):
that I've had a kid sinceAugust 11th 2020, I can't
believe that.
I actually thought that.
And of the four of the fourboys, I was the oldest and I was
the last one.
I was actually the last one tohave a kid.
Why do you think you had thatthought?
I don't know.
I've heard other people thatwere like the oldest of siblings

(02:37):
, just because, like growing upand I live in a great community,
I live in a middle class home,but I think I got to see more of
the you know some of thestruggles my parents had just
raising four boys.
Yeah, maybe I don't.
I just want to be on my own andI don't want that

(02:58):
responsibility.
I literally think that's mightbe what it was, and it's
actually funny how that changed.
Um, and I give you a millionguesses and you'd probably never
guess it, but we can get intothat now, or we could get into
that later.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
I'll let you, I'll let you decide let's, let's hold
, cause I gotta, I gotta do mygratitude, and then we got to go
into you, but then I want toget back to that.
So don't forget to talk aboutthat, got it?
Um, so what I'm, what I'm mostgrateful for, is I have a son in
college for some of those thatfollow me know me and I have a
junior in high school, adaughter who's a high school
basketball player, but she'smore than that.

(03:34):
She's a talented young woman.
I'm excited to see what shedoes.
What I'm grateful for is I havea great relationship with my son
, my, and I remember like when Iwent to college, I wasn't
calling my mom and dad every day.
Um, I, you know, sometimes youmake the bad decisions.
You get into that freshman yearlike yeah, yeah, it's partying

(03:54):
four nights a week.
That sounds like a good idea,you know.
And then, but my son, uh, he'sgot a serious girlfriend and
he's we, we, I got on SnapchatThanks to brad rosen shout out
to you, brad, like I would neverthought I'd be on snapchat, but
like that's how we communicate.
So I'm like we're snap, we got asnap streak, which I learned
about that, um, and I just lovethat.
It's not like he has to calldad and why he wants to call mom

(04:17):
and dad and we've all the hardwork between they were younger
to where they're at now.
It's just, it's so fulfillingas a parent to see the stage of
like where we're at with ourkids and I'm just grateful that
my son likes to call dad andlikes to check in.
And you know, hey, send mepictures of the dog when you're
working out and any like,whether it's having a good day
or bad day, just it's.

(04:37):
I just I'm grateful that we'veopened lines of communication,
cause that's like you know, youjust want them happy.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
I because that's like you know.
You just want them happy.
I'll throw something there.
I graduated high school in 98.
What year did you graduate?
Okay, I thought you were around94, 95.
So you were in the age of whenyou went to school.
I played college football for acouple years myself, and when
you went to school you had tobuy.

(05:04):
Do you remember this?
Maybe you didn't, but I had tobuy calling cards and we had to
put in the codes with thecalling cards and be like, hey,
you have 200 minutes and youknow.
One of the interesting thingsnow is that I live in Phoenix,
arizona.
My whole entire family lives inCleveland, ohio.

(05:26):
But like we talk all the time,text all the time, and like the
technology and video andeverything almost makes it like
it's not even a big deal to livethat far away.
Like I can't go to Sundaydinner but they call me if it's
somebody's birthday and theysing.
So it's great that it's so mucheasier to communicate now.

Speaker 2 (05:44):
I that's, that is circa for the older dads.
When Maddie talked about thecalling card, I mean that was my
parents used to give me giftsbecause to talk, because my wife
went to, we went to severalcolleges, so we maximized the
how many?
Or then it went to mobile,mobile minutes.
Yeah, don't call me because Ionly have 84 minutes left.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, and I'll never forget my youngest brother.
They got, we all kind of gotphones.
I can't remember when everybodygot cell phones, but it was
kind of in early 2000s and hewas texting and then like there
was text plans where if you wentover the minutes and like he
had, I'll never remember thenumber, but we were like, how

(06:25):
could you send 250 texts?
Now you send that and probablyyou know half a day.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
Right.
Well, even like this is evendating ourselves.
This is going completely random, but did you ever have the old
school like brick phone?

Speaker 1 (06:39):
Well, no, but you're talking about the Nokia phone.
I think I'm talking about thebig ass no no, no, not that.
That was more 90s phone.
I would say I did not have that.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
So my dad rest in peace.
My dad was like the OG.
He worked for Whirlpool for 30years, sales guy rocking the
Oldsmobile station wagon justdisorganizes all shit like
papers all over the place.
I'm like Dad, what are youdoing back here?
But when I took the old zumbion, this thing could like turn
on a dime.
It was like you know, marshawnbeat marshawn lynch like ghost
ride the whip like that thingcould turn.
So had a nice little bass intheir thing.

(07:12):
So I'm rocking that bad boy.
Go to my girlfriend's housethis time not my wife and my dad
had his, his, his, uh, bigbrick phone.
Like oh yeah, I'm gonna callhim, call my girl.
So did not know, it was like$70 million a minute.
My dad's like what the Sam'sshit are you doing?
Sorry, dad, no, oh, boy, okay,so we're already off the rails.

(07:34):
Let's okay, bring it back in.
Tell me about the Fergusonsquad who was in the huddle and
tell me how your wife met.

Speaker 1 (07:45):
Me and my wife met on a blind date Okay, and it was
through mutual friends and wewent, we went, we just went on.
A date went out.
It's actually St Patrick's day,so it might've been 2017.
This year will be our fifthwedding anniversary, because we

(08:06):
got married in 2019.
My oldest daughter is fouryears old.
She was born in 2020.
And then my youngest son, myyoungest son, my only son, was
born last year, 12-22-23.
So you almost can't even forgetthat date.
So he was a Christmas baby.

(08:26):
So there's four of us and thenwe have kind of how I got in.
Going back to what I said, wehave what I thought I would
never have is two cats.
I lived in this apartmentbuilding and had a crazy
neighbor that was right next tome, me, and he would ask me to
take care of his cats.
I actually was scared to deathof cats.

(08:47):
I hated cats, but he had thecoolest cat and I was like I'm a
single guy like this doesn'tseem like it's that hard, like I
wonder if I could find a coolcat like this.
And I had these acquaintancesthat were boyfriend, girlfriend,
that live with these three cats.
They broke up and then they hadto get rid of the three cats.
I saw it on facebook took oneof the cats and then decided oh,

(09:11):
this is pretty cool.
Maybe you know I'd like to havekids someday.
So a cat actually changed mymind if I wanted to have kids or
not.
And I still have that cat tothis day.
How old's the cat, the cat now?
I got him when he was seven, sohe's probably, I think he's
around 14 or 15.
Um, the second cat showed up onour porch about last summer.

(09:37):
You're actually catching me ona heck of a day, you know,
especially talking aboutparenting and that because the
cat we had the cat get neuteredyesterday, so he's got a cone
around his head.
My youngest son woke up atthree 30 in the morning and
didn't go back to bed till nine.
So you know, it's all thosestuff that I'm sure you look
back on and you've probablymissed those days because

(09:59):
everybody says it goes so fastand just by you know, my
daughter being four, it's crazyhow fast it goes so fast and
just by you know, my daughterbeing four, it's crazy how fast
it goes.

Speaker 2 (10:08):
Dude, I I remember sorry, I was playing golf this
past weekend, me and my goodbuddy named darren I think it
was episode nine or ten um, andwe were talking to a younger dad
and just about like the journeyof I mean, all the cliches are
true, it goes way too fast, um,and you get so wrapped up in the
moment because we'recompetitive people, but in the
end, none of it really matters.
What matters is are they happy?

(10:30):
Are we helping them find whatthey want to do Not what you
think they want to do, not whatyou want them to do, but just
cause all it does is, I mean,when I'm not been my best
apparent, your anxiety goes tothe roof.
You're trying to have theseexpectations that don't exist
and then you just create morestress for yourself.
You put actually accidentalpressure on your family.
But the beautiful thing is likeadmitting that out loud.

(10:52):
I hope I'm speaking to anotherdad like shit.
As much as I do this podcast foryou guys, everybody, I do it
for me selfishly.
It's free therapy, you know,and it's just a way to like stay
grounded and focus on doingwhat?
Um, just trying to be a betterversion of me.
And, uh, I I still remember aneighbor who lived four doors

(11:12):
down from me that when my sonwas eight weeks old six weeks
old had him in the baby Bjornwhatever, maybe six weeks old,
and I'm walking.
She's like man goes fast, I'mlike he's like six weeks old,
what are you talking about?
Now he's 18 in college.
I remember that yesterday.
So, yeah, man, enjoy it, enjoyit.

Speaker 1 (11:36):
I think what you do in this podcast is so cool
because, like all podcasts, likeand I run into it too Like I'll
be on a podcast and I'm talkingabout the same things over and
over again, saying thingsdifferently, but it's sales
management and sales leadership,right, and I and I think one of
the cool things about this isthat years later, my kids will

(11:58):
be able to listen to it.
You know, and like everybodythat you've ever done this will
be able to.
You know the kids, their kids,will be able to listen to it.
I think what's really coolabout your podcast is my kids
will be able to listen to thissomeday and think about all the
podcasts that you've done, likeall of those kids and your kids
will be able to listen to this.
Like, that's a cool, that'sjust a great thing to have the

(12:21):
other, the other podcasts thatI'm'm on.
They probably won't listenbecause it's sales management
and they'll think it's boringand they'll be like, well,
that's what you do, we don'treally care well, that's what's
funny about um.

Speaker 2 (12:32):
I appreciate you saying that.
Um, I had my kids on.
I'm sure you know if you'velistened if you like.
They did the intro and so theywere.
That was when my daughter waslike in seventh grade, my son's
in ninth and they're it's funnyto hear their voices then and
that they are now.
I thought about sometimeshaving my kids on one time, like
maybe interviewing them.
I still know they never wantedto do it, but it's funny.

(12:55):
My son now he sent me a text ora snap message and it was a
picture of my book.
He goes hey, I'm going to readthis tools book.
You know this guy, he's yousmart ass.
I'm like while you're incollege I said it'll make a lot
more sense.
But there's a first part of thepage that said you know I
dedicated to him and uh, it'slike kind of a nostalgia moment.
But like you know, when yourkids real realize, hey, maybe my

(13:19):
dad's not as big as a tool as Ionce thought, maybe maybe I
might be able to learn somethingfrom him, and's kind of that's
where the stage of what we're atI'm still.
He still likes to make fun ofme and hit it farther than me on
the golf course, which is notfun, but, um, okay, so youngest,
oldest of four, um, talk aboutwhat was life like growing up
for you?
Um, and tell me a little bitabout mom and dad.

Speaker 1 (13:41):
Um, dad was a stud matter of fact, he played
football, um at youngstown state.
Um, his quarterbacks were ronjaworski and chris uh cliff
stout, who, between them, playedin the nfl for I don't know how
many years um he he tried, heactually tried out for the

(14:04):
Buffalo Bills.
So he was there two weeks.
He was a wide receiver and youknow, the funny thing was is he
sent these video clips, probablyabout two, three weeks ago,
that somebody sent him onYouTube and it was him.
He had like five catches and135 yards in the first half and
the YouTube.
I was like I never thought youreally play.
This is the first I ever theYouTube.
I was like I never thought youreally play.

(14:24):
This is the first I ever youknow I ever saw highlights um,
highlights of you.
So, um, that was my dad, whoyou know was a great athlete.
Um, my mom they, they were highschool sweethearts grew up in a
small town in Ohio.
Um, my mom was a night nurse,Um, so she, she worked um at

(14:47):
hospitals all this growing upand I can still remember her
going to work, you know, atnight, and then coming home in
the morning to find us.
My whole upbringing was sportsI mean basketball, football,
baseball, you named it.
I played it growing up.
I was always like top player,best player that there was,

(15:08):
which I look back and thoughtabout how much that meant to me.
And then when you look back andlike, did it really mean that
much?
Like to your point, like, whatdoes all this matter?
But I think what it taught mewas you know being competitive
and you know always wanting towin.
And you know it's funny, Ithink what I find in the most

(15:29):
competitive people, especiallyin sales right, you're always
looking for college athletes,competitive You're probably like
this is my guess is that it'snot the winning, that's that
like that great, it's the losingthat drives you absolutely
insane.
And then, and then when you win, it's like, oh, that's the
losing that drives youabsolutely insane.
And then and then when you win,it's like, oh, that's cool,
let's go do it again.

(15:49):
You know so, growing up, beingthe oldest, um, you could ask my
brothers, I was probably hardto deal with.
You know, kind of hard, kind ofhard on them, typical older
brother in the midwest probably.
But you know, love, love, allmy brothers and, um, you know,
that's kind of, that's kind ofhow it was.

(16:09):
It was all sports all the time.
It's.
It's funny whenever my wife,like her and my daughter, be
watching some tv show, right,and my daughter, my wife, would
be like have you ever seen thisthis?
You know it would be some likeold cartoon or something.
I'm like, no, I don't think so.
She's like what did you watchwhen you were growing up?

(16:30):
I'm like I watched GeorgetownSyracuse.
Like I loved Sherman Douglasand Derek Lombard.
You remember those games Like Ican still remember being in the
living room watching thosegames with the hoop up and you
know shooting.
But that's kind of what it waslike in my family growing up.
My dad always coached me,probably around sixth, seventh

(16:54):
grade.
We got, we got a little rockyand hey, maybe you shouldn't
coach me anymore because youknow, typical dad was hard on me
.
But you know I got a lot ofgood life lessons out of all
that.
What did your dad do for work?
Oh, he has still to this day.
He's got his own interiordecorating company, so he does
painting, wallpapering indoor.

(17:16):
So I like to say I've had apaintbrush in my hand since I
was about five years old.
There you go Most, you know, insummers when all my friends
were going to the beach and thatI was on the side of a garage
scraping and painting a thingI'd be like.
Is this even legal?
You know we're not 18.
Should we be working like this?
It's just legal.

Speaker 2 (17:38):
Tell me what you learned from those experiences.

Speaker 1 (17:41):
Um, just like hard, like hard work and work ethic.
Really, you know, likeeverything that I've ever had
has been earned, like nothing'slike ever been like given to me,
like I can remember, even insales some, you know, in sales
sometimes, like every once in awhile you get a break or

(18:02):
somebody closes some huge dealand then it's like, oh my god, I
can't believe I got thatcommission.
I didn't even do that much fordoing that.
Like that's actually nice.
But like for me it's alwaysjust been work ethic.
And like, growing up like my dadand my mom, my mom worked
nights, worked 12-hour shift,and my dad went to work every

(18:23):
day and it seemed like he workedweekends all the time, you know
, and would take us to work.
But like I think that was justlike ingrained in us, almost,
almost to the point now where,like it's tough, you know, I
have my own business and it'slike I study a lot of stuff on
the brain and the consciousnessand things like that.

(18:45):
But like I still always have inthe back of my mind is like I
got to do this to get that, youknow, but that's a that's a good
thing.

Speaker 2 (18:55):
Yeah, back to your comment about losing.
I remember so in college wewould do on Thursdays we would
do two minute offense againstnumber one offense, number one
defense, and it was shoulderpads and helmets, which so this
is me being excused my defensivebuddies are going to call me
out for, but I'm sorry, it'slegit.
So if I could get touched thenI was down and so lyman couldn't

(19:16):
block as well as I couldwithout leg pads on because
you're not going to blow a guy'sknee out and shoulder pads, the
helmet, but it was still supercompetitive defense wouldn't
usually win most of the time butand so I would end up being
pissed on thursdays from like 4,45 until 10, 30 or 11, so mad
that my buddies beat me, and thedays we would win it was like

(19:39):
the best day ever.
But like you're right, thelosses drive you way more nuts
than the wins, because the winsis what you expect.
That's why you're, that's whyyou're prepared, that's why you
do the little things that youknow.
Just talk you know the practice.

Speaker 1 (19:51):
So you, you brought up, you brought up basically
being in shells, right helmetand shoulder pads, and I'll
never forget I go to playcollege football, right division
, division three, and like, butpeople say, oh, division three.
But there's still football stillpretty damn good and the
biggest thing that alwaysshocked me in d3 was like the
corners would just come up andand like knock somebody's head

(20:16):
off, right, like you're just notused to that in high school.
But what always shocked me waswe would be in shells and I'd be
like all right, finally we getkind of a break here, you know,
and it was like still full go.
I'm like why don't we just havefull pads on?
Somebody is going to get hurtout here.

Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yeah, that's what makes it fun.
It's like the same grittiness.
Your parents taught you the D3,have a little chip on your
shoulder.
I was a D2 guy.
Chip on my shoulder.
You never feel like you'vearrived, even now as an
entrepreneur, because I don't.
I don't know about you, but Ididn't mean to do what I'm doing
now.
I'm mad.
This thing found me um and um.
Okay, so mom's a night nurse.

(20:56):
You got three, three brothers,probably wwf all the time in
your house.
I can can imagine you know cagematches and Ric Flair.

Speaker 1 (21:05):
That's pretty much how it was.
Yes, perfect.

Speaker 2 (21:08):
Um dad's interior design.
You know so, you've you've seenfrom a early age what hard work
looks like.
What he laid your both parentslaid the laid the foundation.
Besides hard work, tell me whatwere other values that were
instilled in you, and maybe astory that could back back some
of those values up?

Speaker 1 (21:28):
um, man, good question.
You know, I I always think, uh,here, here, here's a, here's a
great story and this, just thisjust popped to me.
So we put an addition on ourback porch, we turn our back
porch basically into like afamily room, and the

(21:51):
construction gets done and mydad's papering, and then I'm
painting the wall above thechair rail.
Okay, I'll see if I can rememberwhat exactly happened here but
you'll get the gist of the storyand he tells me my dad still,
to this day, tints paint.
So he's amazing with color,right?

(22:13):
So think about it.
I don't know if you've everwent to Sherwin-Williams or
something, but you pick yourcolor and then you put it in
this thing and it's allmachine-based and they put the
tints in and they shake it andeverything.
But my dad had his own tintslike, and he was constantly like
messing when in changing colorsand he was really good with
colors.

(22:33):
Well, when we painted theceiling, you know, he had some
tin in it so it wasn't justwhite.
And he said to me he goes,whatever you do, don't hit the
ceiling because I don't have anypaint left for that and I don't
want to have to match it, right, because he wouldn't have to,
wouldn't be able to match it andhit it.
So, of course, what happens?

(22:54):
I hit the ceiling, I take theroller too close and hit the
ceiling.
I think I hit it twice.
So he comes in and he said Itold you not to hit the ceiling
and I'm like I, I didn't, Ididn't hit the ceiling.
He's like I'm gonna give youone more chance to answer that

(23:15):
because you're the only one thatcould have hit the ceiling,
you're the only one at paintingto tell you didn't hit the
ceiling.
And I said I didn't hit theceiling.
Oh boy, oh boy, it just went tosome.
I'll get it wrong, but it wassome kind of parenting thing,
right?
I forget exactly what themessage was he's like there's

(23:35):
kids that get their get caughtwith their hand in the cookie
jar and they apologize for it.
And then there's kids that gettheir hand in the cookie jar and
they get caught red-handed andthey say their hand is in the
cookie jar.
And I felt to this day I stillfeel bad about you know hitting
the ceiling and lying.
But I would say, like the trustlike that I lost by doing that,

(24:01):
like because he basically cameback and said like hey, I can't
trust you cause I know you hitit and like all this stuff.
But I always think actually, myLinkedIn post today was about
you know lying during the salesprocess and like if you allow
your team to lie, and then theirtop performers because they can
lie, then everybody else seesit and like you're, basically

(24:21):
you're creating a culture oflike non-credibility, I would
say just being trustworthy andcredible and and like believable
, like that was a huge lesson Ilearned, you know, I think I was
around a freshman in highschool then, but, to answer your
question, you know beingtrustworthy, incredible like,
which is what I think is some ofthe biggest things in sales um,

(24:42):
would be something else that Ilearned Honesty.
Do you remember when you earnedhis trust back?
No, Because, I'll be honest, Iwas kind of like an asshole in
high school.
I just was.

(25:03):
I was like an athlete and likeI just kind of wasn't.
It probably took me a while,you know, to gain his trust and
credibility back, but, um, Ican't, I'd have to ask him, um,
cause it.
Probably it probably took me awhile you should.

Speaker 2 (25:20):
That'd be good.
That'd be good.
Uh, I love that.
So that's what's funny aboutthis is like I'll ask people
stories and stuff will pop intheir head, and that's kind of
fun sometimes giving peoplehomework if they accept it,
because then it just createslike an amazing conversation.
Your dad will probably laughhis ass off at the story and
forget about it as you thinkabout so trustworthy, being

(25:40):
credible, the hard work thatthat led you into college,
college football, and then yougot into the golf industry.

Speaker 1 (25:52):
So I, my grandfather, my dad, actually hated golf.
He still hates golf to this day.
He plays in an outing like oncea year.
My grandfather, though, playedgolf, golf and was like the
worst athlete.
He was terrible.
Like if he shot, you know,between 90 and a hundred.
That was really really good forhim.

(26:13):
But like he would take, hewould take me and my brother and
we would play and, like I fellin love with golf.
Like I fell in love with golfand my sophomore year in college
I I took a hit on my shoulderand it just like I hurt my

(26:34):
shoulder and like I didn'treally love college football and
I didn't love playing anymore.
And I just didn't.
I was like I hurt my shoulder,like finish out my sophomore
year, I'm like I, I don't reallywant to do this.
Honestly, I don't want toreally play anymore.
And you know, d3 that summer Iwas like I'm decent at golf, but
like I probably can't playcollege golf.

(26:55):
So I called the coach and I waslike, hey, you know, can I try
out?
Can I come try out?
And he's like sure, you know,you can come try out.
I come try out.
He's like sure, you know, youcan come try out so that summer
you know, pre-internet basically, although there was internet in
like 2000, but not not great Iwould get like golf digest
magazines and read these tipsand like I kind of was

(27:17):
self-taught, you know, I waspretty good in in college.
I shot, you know, anywherefrom-70s to 80s but that was
good enough to be the fifth orsixth guy on that team back then
, which probably now probablynot even close.
But I played college for mysecond two years when I got out.
I played a ton of golf then andI decided to get into the golf

(27:43):
business.
I was in the golf business forabout seven years before I got.

Speaker 2 (27:52):
And then tell me what made you say, hey, maybe this
is not my path.
I want to get into sales now.

Speaker 1 (27:57):
Well, here's the thing about the golf business is
that there is not a ton ofgreat jobs and, truthfully, I
was in an unbelievable spot.
I was at the Mirabelle Club inScottsdale for one of the top
still one of the top club prosin the country and, you know, if

(28:19):
I continued to do what I wasdoing, I'd probably get a job.
Like a job a head job Like a job, a head job, a good job
somewhere.
But what I noticed from thoseseven years in the club business
is all it takes is one memberto turn against you or something
stupid to happen and then it'slike you're out.

(28:39):
You know, and I'm like there'sonly so many $150,000, $250,000
jobs.
And, by the way, I wasn't evenlooking to get out.
Like I said, I was in a goodspot.
One of my still to this day, oneof my good friends I text with
him all the time.
He was working for a companycalled Career Builder and he was

(29:00):
a member at my club inCleveland.
They were coming out to Vegasfor the NCAA tournament and I
think they were doing some workstuff and I'm a four-hour drive.
So he's like, hey, do you wantto come meet us?
So I go meet them.
And they're talking about itwas his boss talking about how
much money he made.

(29:21):
I was like, geez, do you makethat much money?
It seems like a lot.
Talking about how much money hemade, I was like, geez, do you
make that much money?
This seems like a lot.
I'm a first assistant.
I'm making 50, 60 grand a yearat one of the top clubs in the
country.
So he was like well, the funnything is is he's coming out to
take over the Phoenix office.

(29:41):
Why don't you go interview?
And I was like, well, I don'tknow, I don't know anything
about sales.
Okay, so I'm not joking, I godown there, meet with his boss.
Then he has me meet with twohiring managers.
The interview.
I still remember the interview.
They were like all right, ifyou want the job, you have it.

(30:03):
And I'm like you guys haven'teven really asked me anything.
They're like I'm like I don'teven know anything about sales.
Like, are you sure I can?
You know, do this.
And they go well, with thereferences that you have, we'll
take you in a second and youteach golf.
So you, you sell.
You don't even know it Right.

(30:23):
And I was like like all right.
So I thought about it for awhile and I'm like all right,
let's do it.
So do that.
About three months into the job,I have no clue what I'm doing.
Training was awful.
I have no, no clue here.
And he goes oh, I'm, I'mpacking up, I'm gonna go work

(30:50):
for LinkedIn.
I'm like, oh, I'm like, well,that's not good.
In about two weeks after, thatwas around Halloween.
I'll never forget that day.
It was a Friday, hr, and abunch of people from corporate
came in and a bunch of us gotcalled into the basement.
Vp of sales walks in.

(31:11):
I'll never forget these words.
He goes a lot of you looknervous and you should be.
I'm like, oh my God, what'sgoing on?
I had actually just sold a deal.
So I was like I'm sure I'm safe.
And he's like nobody in thisroom has a job here.
Now you still have a job withthe company.
You just have to go to Atlantaor Chicago.
And I was like, well, I'm notgoing there.

(31:31):
If you want your severance, youcan take your severance.
That was my introduction tosales.
Now it turns out to be the bestthing that happened to me,
because then a startup companypicked me up and I was there for
five years and the rest is kindof history.
But that was kind of my journeyfrom golf into sales.
But you know, at that point Iwas like man, maybe I should go

(31:51):
get back into golf.
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (31:53):
It's funny.
You said my trigger to story.
It's one of my um, the club Ibelong to.
I've been there for like almost10 years, 10 years actually and
then one of our firstassistants get him Tyler, young,
young dude, great guy, and um,when my son was like call it
seventh, eighth grade, um, hewas thinking about doing
something different.
I said how about this?
He's like.

(32:14):
He asked me like would you everlike help me?
I said how about this?
Why don't you give my son freelessons and I'll give you free
business kind of mentorship?
He's like all right, and then,like six months later, the guy
ends up leaving and he was likeI just don't know anything about
sales.
I go yeah, you do.
You know 360 people's names.
You, you, you're kind, youfollow up with people.
If people order grips, youfollow up them.

(32:34):
If people order clubs, youfollow up them.
You make them feel specialEvery time they walk in the shop
.
I selling, you're just buildingrelationships, dude.
You don't even know it, so like, same thing.

Speaker 1 (32:47):
You didn't.
You didn't know you're selling,but you were, you know it's a
crazy thing and I think salespeople have such a bad rap
because all you're really tryingto do is see if you can help
people solve a problem thatthey're having.
I mean, that's literally andlike how you draw out that
problem is how much you careabout them and how much you
trust you, and the more you cando that, the better you are.

(33:07):
But like you know, you know issomebody could be good or not,
and the most people could bethey just it's mindset.

Speaker 2 (33:18):
I mean, like a lot of sellers, they lack belief or
they lack um and just like lifelessons that like sports taught
me and my parents taught me.
And um, now I love just helpingmy kids or other kids that I
work with, like just if youbelieve in yourself, start today
and even in sales, if youbelieve in the product or
service you sell when you startthe day and you focus on that

(33:40):
like you're going to be betterthan most you know and just.
But to me it takes that goesback to like the habits,
discipline, things you'reprobably learned from your
parents.

Speaker 3 (33:49):
And um, Hi, I'm Betsy Robinson, ceo of Tier 4 Group,
a women-owned and diversitycertified technology recruiting
and executive search firm thatconnects exceptional talent with
extraordinary companies in 43states across the US.
At Tier 4 Group, relationshipsare at the heart of everything
we do, whether it's with ourclients, our candidates, our

(34:12):
vendor partners or with eachother.
Our mission is to go beyondtransactions and create
long-lasting partnerships.
We don't just help companiesfind talent, we help them find
the right talent, and thatstarts with truly understanding
our clients and candidates.
It's not just about fillingroles, it's about fostering
success for the long term.

(34:34):
This is the recipe for successthat's landed us on the Inc 5000
six consecutive years and hasus outpacing our competition
across the country, and I'mthrilled to support Casey Jay
Cox's podcast.
Casey's philosophy alignsperfectly with ours,
prioritizing relationships overtransactions.

(34:54):
His insights on building trust,empathy and connection resonate
deeply with the way we dobusiness at Tier 4 Group.
We were honored to have Caseyas our keynote at our 2024
kickoff, and all of our newhires read his book Win the
Relationship, not the Deal, whenthey start here with us.
So if you're looking for apartner who values relationships

(35:17):
as much as results, visit us attier4groupcom or connect with
me, betsy Robinson, directly onLinkedIn and, while you're at it
, keep tuning into Casey'spodcast.
You'll walk away inspired tostrengthen your own
relationships, both personallyand professionally, and, as
Casey always says, stay curious.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
So, as you think about your journey as a dad, two
young kids tell me what are the?
They may be answered the sameor the different.
Are there core, based on howyour wife was raised from her
parents, or is there like, hey,these are the Ferguson
must-haves or these are thevalues that are most important
to us?
Have you guys slowed down tothink about what's most
important in your family?

Speaker 1 (35:58):
I was the oldest of four.
She was the youngest of threegirls.
So think about that.
Oldest of four boys, youngestof three girls.
Have I thought about that?
You know what's funny?
Have you seen the Book ofManning?
I'm sure you have.
It's Peyton and Eli, but it'show they grew up with their dad.

Speaker 2 (36:22):
No, oh my.

Speaker 1 (36:23):
God, you should watch it.
What's?

Speaker 3 (36:25):
it called.

Speaker 1 (36:26):
It's called the Book of Manning.
I think it's a 30 for 30.
Dude yeah, I can't believe youhaven't seen it.
Watch it tonight.
You'll let me know after yousee it.
But Archie Manning's dad Ithink I have this right.
Archie Manning's dad actuallycommitted suicide when he was at

(36:51):
, I think, right before Ole Miss, or maybe between one of his
summers.
And what Archie said that hisdad, all his dad, really wanted
him to do and I hope I'm gettingthis right, but somebody said
this to somebody was I just wantyou to be a good guy.
And like when I think aboutthat and I've seen it a bunch of
times, but that really sat withme, I probably saw it like two,
three months ago but like if mykids just grew up to be like

(37:15):
good people, like that's kind ofall that matters, and like I
just thought that was so likeinteresting.
You'll watch it and you'll knowYou'll probably send me a
message and be like I justthought that was so like
interesting.
You'll watch it and you'll knowyou probably send me a message
and be like oh my God, that's,that's it Right.
But I think you know obviouslyyou want them to work hard and
do good and do that, but I wantthem to do what they want to do
Right, and I just want them tobe good people.

Speaker 2 (37:39):
It's.
It might sound cliche to people, but when you actually slow
down to really truly believewhat Matt just said, I think
that's gold.
We won't.
I mean, I want a good employee,I want a good husband, a good
wife, I want someone that saysman he or she is.
They ask great questions and Ican always count on them.
Or Matt, he makes me laugh, notlike God, what a douche.

(38:02):
That guy's a complete fool, youknow.
And a lot of these things comedown to choices.
It's, you know, the old clicheadvice things you have control
in life is attitude and effort.
You either can say oh, whatever, or you can really believe it
and focus on it and make thosethoughts turn into things in a
positive way, which changes howwe show up, changes how we.

(38:26):
You know, and trust me, I,everybody, I know the parenting
journey is hard and when you'rein it, you know.
Lack of sleep tonight, you know, but I, I mean for me, I was
tired from like for like 10straight years.
But complaining about it's notgoing to solve anything.

Speaker 1 (38:41):
Yeah, I mean, and I think you know one of the things
we my, we, my family, like mydad's always reading, like he
gets up and reads in the morningand he sends, you know, text
messages either from daily stoicor from whatever he's reading,
and it like goes back and forth.
But I think the more you readand like actually work on
yourself, the more you itactually like sets in over the

(39:05):
years where you don't like loseit as much, cause I'm kind of
I'm like short tempered but Ilike to think that I'm better
than I used to be and I thinkthat comes with age.
But one of the one of thephrases that I love my, my
youngest brother says it all thetime which is I don't have to
do it, like I get to do it andlike with your kids and how fast

(39:29):
everything goes.
I think like I constantly amreminding myself like even this
morning I'm like God, this guy'sup at you ruined my whole
morning.
You know I get up at five, Iread for a little bit, I write
my post, right, and then he's upearly and now I got him, but
I'm like, no, I get to.

(39:50):
You know, spend time with him.
He was in a good mood and itwas actually great.
But like it's so easy to getfrustrated and pissed off,
choice, man, it's um.

Speaker 2 (40:08):
And as hard as that is to say, you do have a choice,
um.
And when you can change yourmindset and embrace that
difficulty of the kind ofembrace the suck, as sometimes
people say like you'll be betterfor it.
Now you have a story to share,somebody right?

Speaker 1 (40:18):
right.
I mean, when you look at allthe crap that's going around in
the world, especially like inCalifornia right now, like is it
, is it?
Do we really have it that bad?
No, we couldn't have it better.

Speaker 2 (40:29):
No, If you had to say like let me put you on the spot
here.
See if something pops in yourmind of a story, tell me the
best or most impactful parentingadvice you've ever got so far.

Speaker 1 (40:39):
You know what?
That's a good question.
I honestly think it might bethe cliche of like how fast it
goes, and like to try to enjoy,like the little moments and

(41:00):
everybody says that, like it'slike oh, another person telling
me that when I'm about to havemy first kid but, honestly, like
if you can stop, like,especially in the frustrating
times, which they're frustratingtimes all the time Like my wife
works Sundays because she doeshair, so she works Sunday, so I

(41:24):
have the kids on Sunday, andlike it's, it's, it's a zoo.
Like a hell's angel relic oh, mygod, it's like my my day, me
over over Thanksgiving.
Like because because my son,rafa, just started walking, like
right over Thanksgiving, and my, my parents and my nephews were

(41:49):
in town and it was me, my dadand my two nephews in the
backyard with Rafa All the girlswent shopping so we had him for
probably like two, three hours.
At one point he had juststarted walking.
I watched him and I waswatching him.
He walked in my back patio,through the living room, out the

(42:10):
front door, down the sidewalk,down the other sidewalk.
Now I'm following him the wholetime, but like I'm like then
he's in the backyard and he'sover here and about two hours in
my dad goes.
Well, if somebody asked us howmany people it took to watch, if
it took every damn one of us tomake sure we didn't lose it,
but like that's the stuff likeI'll never forget, like those

(42:34):
two or three hours, because thisis like me, my dad, my two
nephews, like we'll never thatprobably never happen again with
my son.
But I was listening to um, itwas Ryan Holiday and James Clear
, the, the guy that wrote AtomicHabits.
I'm sure you've read both thoseguys and James Clear was

(42:54):
talking.
I think it was James Clear wastalking about like the little
moments you have, like in thegrocery store when you're
waiting in line, like what'syour default setting?
Like, and he's, he's like, well, most people's default setting
is to get their phone out andscroll on their phone, but like
that hit me, like with my kids,when there's like 10 or 15

(43:15):
minutes with them, where it'slike, oh my god, was my wife
gonna get home or not?
But to try and like be gratefuland have gratitude for those
moments, because it's just likeyou're sitting there and your,
your son's, in college and I'veheard you talk about your son
and him coming home from theholidays and you having to drop
him back off and like I knowthat's going to be here before I
know it and like I'm just, I'mjust like grateful, like for

(43:38):
every moment that I had.
You know, and one thing thatI'll add about my family is that
my one of my younger brothersdied.
It'll be four years ago inMarch, and I and I you know he
has three young kids and I and Ithink about you, know that and
how just grateful I am to haveevery day that I have with my

(43:59):
kids.
So you know, it's just stufflike that Like we just don't we,
you don't know when it's goingto be over.

Speaker 2 (44:06):
Sorry, man, If you don't mind me asking what
happened.

Speaker 1 (44:09):
Yeah, he, he had um, he actually is a D uh, d, two um
offensive tackle.
He was academic, all American,Like he was a.
He was a stud.
Six, three um 300 pounds, um,and he had some.
He had some heart issues and he, um, he had some heart issues

(44:29):
and he um, he had some heartissues, kind of had this
operation kind of three yearsbefore he went down.
He lost a bunch of weight Ithink.
He got down to like 240 250 andthen one day his um, he was
sled riding with his kids andone of the kids went down and

(44:49):
kind of wrecked and he grabbedhim and he banged his eye up so
he ran him to the car and thenhe collapsed at the car and kind
of was on life support for aweek and then pulled the plug.
So yeah, something I hopenobody ever has to go through.
But you know, it's just he'ssomething I hope nobody ever has
to go through, but you know I,just he's something I think

(45:11):
about and that sign behind methat you'll almost see in any
video that I'm in was a post-itnote that we found in his wife,
found in his car, which is smallwins equals big wins and the
more that you know I, I, I'vethought about that post-it note,
I I've kind of based my wholebusiness that.
You know I, I, I've thoughtabout that post-it note.

(45:31):
I've kind of based my wholebusiness on, you know, the small
, consistent stuff that you doevery day, no matter what.
That is sales, life, business,like that's the stuff that you
know adds up and actually meanssomething.
So, um, that's kind of thestory of you know all all that.
What's your brother?
What was your brother's name?

Speaker 2 (45:46):
Uh, drew, drew story of you know all all that.
What's your brother?
What was your brother's name?
Uh, drew, drew.
Rest in peace, drew, that's us,that's gold.
Um, small wins equals big ones.
I love that.
That speaks to me, because I, Ido sweat the small stuff.
People say don't.
I disagree.
I think when you sweat, I'm notsaying sweat it and freak out
like will ferrell in old school,but like sweat the small stuff,

(46:07):
like the details matter, andthe details separate the good,
the great and elite.
And just like anything in life,from parenting to bus drivers,
to teachers, to salespeople,there's always another level
Right.
And I'm, I'm on the like, thismindset of like I want to meet
the best dad out there and learnfrom him.
And what are they doing that?
I'm not that I can change mygame to be better tomorrow.

(46:27):
And and the other thing thatyou mentioned that made me think
of how time goes by so fast oneof the best piece of advice I
got is the days are long but theyears are short.

Speaker 1 (46:40):
I knew where you were going.
That is like I'll never forgetthe first time I heard that it
was right as COVID started.
I'll never forget the firsttime I heard that it was right
as COVID started and I wasworking for this company that
everything then turned into.
I mean, it was Zoom meetingsfrom 7 in the morning until 6.
It was unbelievable how manyZoom meetings there were, and

(47:02):
I'll never forget this girl waslike.
You know what they say the daysare long and the years are
short.

Speaker 2 (47:14):
And like I'll never forget that and it's so true.
Yeah, it is.
I mean, it's like the clichesare there for a reason because
they're, they're, they'relessons and they're learning to
slow down, to embrace them.
Um, tell me about an area,amount of your dad game where,
um, if you feel vulnerable toshare, like god, it's an.
It's not where I want to be,but I'm going to commit to
getting better and I can lead mywitness if you want mine's.
Mine was always patience.
I work hard on patience.

(47:35):
Maybe I'm, maybe I'm still inyour thunder same.

Speaker 1 (47:39):
Yeah, I, I catch myself all the time, especially
with my four-year-old, becausethe one-year-old has an excuse,
like he just is clueless.
I'm always in a hurry, nomatter what.
And where I catch myself allthe time is, you know, one of my
favorite things to do every dayis my daughter goes to

(48:03):
preschool, kindergarten,whatever you want to talk about.
She goes every day and itstarts at 845.
And I have this, I have anultra, I have a clock in my head
and I just know what time it isand I know where we are in the
morning process in order to getit.
Now, my wife, on the other hand,she didn't care about time for

(48:26):
any Like this morning it's 8 29and I got everything ready and
you know, I hear oh, we got todo her hair and we got to do
this and we got to do that.
I'm like we're late, you know,but like my favorite thing to do
is to take her to school andlike, let's be honest, it does

(48:47):
not matter if she gets there at8, 45 or 8, 48, and that's kind
of like the thing.
But I'll catch myself and belike get in there, you know,
strap, strap, the thing.
You know, what are you doing?
You know, and my wife gives me.
She's like, how about you takea breath?
You know, is it that big of adeal?

Speaker 2 (49:06):
And I'm like you know it's probably really not, but
you know, I like to be yeah,it's easy, man, but like now, in
10 years from now, hopefullyshe'll be like yo now.
I know why Matt was doing thatbecause we gotta be on time
later, right In this age.
Maybe not the big biggest dealin the world, but, um, for me,

(49:26):
like my dad dad rest in peace mydad passed away december 29th,
uh, 2021, and um, he, uh, heused to always drop the biggest
god damn it's at me and um, I'mlooking at a picture right now.
I'm like sorry, pop, throwingunder the bus here, buddy, but
um, they're hilarious like andthey would make us laugh because
they were so intense.
It was like a musicalinstrument, of a staccato, which

(49:47):
is like a sharp note he could,I mean just.
God damn it, casey and like, andwe would start laughing and
then he would get more pissed.
And I know people have told meabout this before, but I and I
never wanted to do that to mykids.
Like, and there's so much thatmy dad did was just fantastic,
but I never like, so I'd havenot swore at my kids.
The thing I've learnedthroughout this journey of

(50:09):
interviewing almost 300 dads isyou're never, we're never, going
to be our best, but when youaren't your best teacher, go
apologize.
And which is a?
Not only it's great for you asa dad to get it out of your body
, but a teacher, you're teachingyour kids something without
teaching them.
It's kind of like sellingwithout selling.
You know, and the power ofsaying I'm sorry, um.

(50:30):
Ironically, back to Darren, myfriend, who I interviewed at
season one about that's.
That's what the episode wasabout.
That's like hey, have you eversaid you're sorry before you're?
It's a.
I think it's something that usdudes don't talk about that
often, but it can be prettyimpactful and powerful when you
do can be pretty impactful andpowerful, and you do.

Speaker 1 (50:50):
I do apologize, but probably not as much as I should
.
Yeah, but I'm definitely goingto.
I'm going to take your adviceon that.
Yeah, now ideally dads.

Speaker 2 (50:55):
if we're apologizing every other hour, that's
probably more of the otherissues we got to deal with,
right?
It's like you know, once amonth or once every couple of
weeks.
Okay, if, before we dive into,I want to make sure we we learn
more about you and how peoplecan find you in the fantastic
work you're doing for for manysales teams.
I can just tell by the way youshow up.
You're um, you bring positiveenergy and probably help a lot.

(51:16):
A lot of great companies cantake from our conversation that
they can, maybe things theymight have learned that about
you or about your journey thatthey can take to their own life
to be maybe improve theirleaderships, leadership in the
home.

Speaker 1 (51:33):
Tell me what are a couple things that maybe might
come to mind I think, you know,one of the things I catch myself
doing all the time is I'm on myphone too much.
Um, my wife will tell me I'm onmy phone too much and I think
just being present with actuallyenjoying like what is going on,

(51:53):
actually probably brings me themost joy versus checking.
If somebody liked, you know,what I posted on LinkedIn or
liked the video that I posted,it's like does that even matter?
And it's like really likewhat's the stuff that matters?

(52:13):
And like when I'm most happiestit's actually when I'm, you
know, when I'm watching my kids,you know, do something or
laughing with my kids, but likethe damn phone, you know,
distracts me half the time.
My wife will remind me of it.
And it's like if you can justbe present, you know, with the

(52:34):
stuff that matters, you'llactually be a lot happier versus
the stuff that you sweat.
That doesn't even, you know,doesn't even matter.
Anything else come to mind.
Um, you know, just enjoy it,yeah.

Speaker 2 (52:48):
It's a journey.

Speaker 1 (52:48):
I tell myself that all the time.

Speaker 2 (52:51):
Sometimes we need our own advice.

Speaker 1 (52:57):
A lot.
You know shit goes wrong allthe time.

Speaker 2 (53:08):
You know, and I think you know how often do you look
back on something that you'relike oh, I thought that was
really hard at the time, but I'ddo anything to go back to that
day.

Speaker 1 (53:12):
I think about it often.
You know, one of the bestthings about Snapchat.
One of the best things aboutSnapchat.

Speaker 2 (53:20):
How long have you had it?
I came on Snapchat in August.
That was my kickoff.

Speaker 1 (53:31):
I'm in orientation.
Still, I'm not not on as muchas I used to be because, for
whatever reason, our family likeI, had everybody's kids.
Like snapchat was actually theeasiest way to film a video and
then send it to somebody.
So, like kids and like back inprobably 2016, 2017, like when
my, when my brothers were havingkids, like everybody was

(53:53):
sending these videos on snapchat, so I joined it and then sales
people were on it to you know.
So that that's kind of likewhen it was big.
Now, the coolest part about itis every day and I can look at
my phone right now it goes backto memories that you've had five
, six, seven years ago and likeI always go back and I'm like,

(54:13):
oh well, I wish I could go backto one day then.
Or like I see my daughter, likebeing one years old, I'm like,
oh, I remember those days.
Those days were awesome, youknow, and I think it's just to
appreciate.
You use gratitude a lot, right,but like just to appreciate
what you have right now, becauseyou have, no matter who you are

(54:34):
, you have more.
I always say one one of my Iused to hike early in the
morning.
Now with my young son I neverknow when he's going to get up
and I do the morning, so I can'treally be gone, but we used to
hike really early in the morning.
If you're ever in Phoenix youhave to come do it with me.
But there's a hike where a guyplays Amazing Grace when the sun

(54:55):
comes up and it's like one ofthe coolest things.
So you know you go there and nomatter what time you get to
either that or CamelbackMountain, to either that or
Camelback Mountain, there'salways somebody there that's
ahead of you, right, and thenyou're always beating somebody

(55:19):
and like, if you think aboutlife, I think, who said it?
Teddy Roosevelt, I think.
But like comparisons, the thiefof joy, like especially with
social media, is likeeverybody's so caught up in what
everybody's doing and I'm sureyou do it and I do it, and it's
like I used to right, I don't Idon't do it near as much as I
used to, but, man, if I couldget to that point or that point.
But the fact of the matter isis like, pay attention and enjoy

(55:40):
what you have and what you'redoing and you'll be a lot better
off.
Because guess what that personthat you think has fricking
everything they probably arejealous of like four things you
have.
So so, like I would say thecomparison, like in the social
media age, like that.
That that's the other advice Iwould get is pay attention to

(56:02):
what you're doing, do the bestyou can, and you'll be a lot
happier for it.

Speaker 2 (56:06):
Dude gold.
Yeah, Celebrate other people'ssuccess.
Don't, don't.

Speaker 1 (56:11):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (56:12):
Celebrate it.

Speaker 1 (56:14):
What's what's every salesperson do when somebody
else closes a big deal?
They're like, oh, they gotlucky.
They, they, they, they got thatdeal given to them.
Their manager closed that deal,like I guarantee, if you're
happier for them, you will bebetter off.

Speaker 2 (56:27):
Abundance.
Yeah, abundance creates joy.
I call it the boomerang mindsetserving others.
But don't keep scoring.
You're throwing theseboomerangs out and the more
positivity you're being topeople, that will come back to
you, and I love that man.
That's fricking gold.
You know, I think about in thisjourney like I shared this with
, so the guests today.

(56:47):
So we, we're everybody we'rerecording on January 14th.
The episode this week is um, afantastic and talented country
music star named Adam hood, andI saw him play live at um, the
American staffing associationthis is where I spoke at and
they had, uh, this another event, and so he was singing.
I'm like, oh, my God, my god,and his voice is unreal, and so

(57:08):
if you, you like country music,check him out.
My favorite song is way toolong.
Shout out to you, adam, forlistening.
But, um, we talked about thatlike because I was like how are
you not like freaking garthbrooks?
Like you're amazing, he's like.
I used to let that questionaffect me negatively, yeah, and
I used to like be in comparable,but now I'm like it can't.
I'm like now like no, I feltbad, like well, dude, I, I meant

(57:28):
that as a confident he goes.
No, no, totally took it and andeven like in this journey I'm
sure you see it Like I havefriends that are speakers and
they'll they'll put these imagesup and I'm in which which on
Sacramento, and dah, dah, dahdah.
I'm like awesome, I don't wantthat.
I'm so happy Like I traveled myass off, not for in corporate,
I didn't even want to travel.
I travel a lot.

(57:49):
Now I'm like I, I I love like aspot travel here and there, but
I don't.
I want to be in my own bed withmy wife and my kids and I
already got one out of the house.
The other one's going to beright behind him before I know
it and I won't in five years.
I'm like I'm so glad I stayedin Topeka and spoke for the
freaking TupperwareAssociation's 43rd annual

(58:11):
conference.

Speaker 1 (58:11):
Like no thanks and to each his own, and I think it's
really good advice for all of usdads is you know, comparing it
just brings negativity to youAlways, always.
I just had a client that had ababy less than a month ago and

(58:32):
somebody reached out to her likefrom a big-time company is
trying to recruit her away andshe's texting me Saturday
morning about it and she's likeI'd have to be on the road 150
nights a year.
And I'm like, well, thatanswers your question, because

(58:53):
you don't want to do that,because you just had that kid.
And she goes God, you know what.
You're right.

Speaker 2 (58:57):
I'm like, yeah, it's that easy, like who wants to do
that, yeah, and if that doeswhat you want to do, awesome
Good on you, go for it.

Speaker 1 (59:06):
Completely.
Does you want to do Awesome?
Good on you, Go for itCompletely.
But I know her and there's noway that she would ever do that
Right and like it's so easy tolook at like the bigger, shinier
things.
And I see people take wrongjobs all the time because
they're chasing something thatthey think they want and then
they get there and they're like,oh my God, this was a mistake.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (59:27):
Tell us how people can find you before we go into
the lightning round uh, linkedinis the best place to find me.

Speaker 1 (59:34):
I post five, six times a week on all things um
sales leadership.
The people that I coach is whoI was years ago, which I was the
top individual contributor.
I got promoted into management,got no training, had no idea
what I was doing because I hadno process and it took me way
too long how to figure out thejob.

(59:54):
So I coach people on my sixstep process on how to actually
create a process to lead yourteam.

Speaker 2 (01:00:02):
Love it.
I love people who do what youdo, because you walk the walk
and you're vulnerable enough toshare where you maybe struggled
or didn't know what you're doing, and then, if you can share
that with other sales leaders orother leaders and companies, um
, I think that's the best way tolearn from people like you.
So, um, we'll make sure thatyour links and what's the name
of your company so people canknow about that too.

Speaker 1 (01:00:22):
Um and MDF.
Coaching and consulting Okay.
Coaching and consulting Okay.

Speaker 2 (01:00:26):
We'll make sure that's linked in the show notes
too.
We'll make sure that if you doconnect with Matt, let him know.
You heard about him throughquarterback dad cast.
That'd be.
It'd be a good plug, just tosee if that's how people find
you, matt.
It's now time to go into thelightning round which I go
completely random.
I'm going to show you negativehits.
Have taken too many hits incollege, not bomb hits, but

(01:00:46):
football hits.
Your job is to answer these asquickly as you can, and my job
is to make you laugh.
Go ahead.
Are you ready?
I'm ready.
Okay, true or false?
Your favorite quarterback isBernie Kosar.

Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
I got to go true.

Speaker 2 (01:00:59):
Number 19.

Speaker 1 (01:01:00):
It's a mix between him and I love Baker.
We should have never gotten ridof Baker.

Speaker 2 (01:01:04):
Baker Mayfield is a beast, he's.
He is a sneaky good quarterback.

Speaker 1 (01:01:08):
I will tell you those two, those two losses to Denver
Broncos in 88 and 89 will neverbe forgotten in Cleveland.

Speaker 2 (01:01:15):
I can still see that.
I can still see the drive.
I can still see, in the endzone, the little slant route
where he almost takes a pivotwith his knee.
Yep, no, exactly what you'retalking about.
True or false.
You started the dog pound,false.
Okay, if I was to go into yourphone right now, what would be
one song you listen to thatwould shock all your clients.

Speaker 1 (01:01:39):
I mean, it's all Taylor Swift, swifty.
My daughter loves Taylor Swiftand I'll tell you something I
saw Taylor Swift in 2007 open upfor Brad Paisley and I'll never
forget that.
And I've actually seen TaylorSwift.
I haven't seen the new concert,but I've seen her twice and
I've actually always liked her.

(01:01:59):
So I like to say I was the headof the group, so that would be.

Speaker 2 (01:02:02):
That'd probably be surprising to people okay, uh,
tell me the last book you read.

Speaker 1 (01:02:08):
Ah, jesus, I'm reading one right now, called,
and I'm going to screw up thename of the title.
Hold on, but nobody would ever,nobody would ever think I'm
reading this book.
So that's why.

Speaker 2 (01:02:22):
Fifty, Shades of Grey .

Speaker 1 (01:02:23):
What's that?
Fifty Shades of Grey?
No, a couple of funny stories.
It's actually called A Journeyinto Healing.
It's about two homosexual malesin Palm Springs in the 80s and
talking about their journeythrough that.

(01:02:43):
But one of my best friend's dadsends me a book every once in a
while and I was sitting therereading this book like I read it
at five in the morning becausethat's the book that I'm reading
right now and I was like Ican't believe that I'm reading
this.
Not that there's anything wrong, it's just so different from
anything.
But he always sends me good andit's it's really good, so
that's what I'm reading now.

(01:03:05):
I listen to things all the timeon audible, um.
So I switched back and forth.
But I love Ryan holiday, um, Ilistened to a lot of him and I
listened to a lot of, uh,biographies.

Speaker 2 (01:03:16):
Very cool, um, if you were to go on vacation right
now, you and your wife.
Where are we going Um?
Somewhere close, okay, warm orcold.

Speaker 1 (01:03:33):
Okay, Warm or cold Warm, and in Arizona we we go to
resorts around here justbecause they're close and we
don't have to pack the kids, um,you know, and get on a plane,
um to go.
But if we were to go somewhere,it's it's always Napa, where
our best friends live, orCleveland to see family here we
go?

Speaker 2 (01:03:47):
Um, if we go, if you had to build your dream foursome
, your dream golf foursome, whoare the other three people
joining you?

Speaker 1 (01:03:55):
My grandfather for sure.
Damn, this is a tough question.
Johnny Alberta's got to be inthere.
Who is a friend of mine?
Who's probably the most fun guyto play golf with?
That you could.
I'll go.
Dave Ingram, who was my, whowas my boss that brought me out

(01:04:16):
here, cause if he, if he,wouldn't have brought me out
here, I wouldn't have the lifethat I have.
So that's my, that's my dreamfor some.

Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
There we go.
Um, if there was to be a bookwritten about your life, tell me
the title.

Speaker 1 (01:04:26):
Small wins equals big wins.

Speaker 2 (01:04:27):
There we go, shout out Drew Okay, small wins equals
big wins is now sold outeverywhere.
I mean, I tried to pick it upon four airports no, I can't get
anywhere.
I tried to go on Amazon.
It says nope out, it's justblowing up.
So now Netflix is going to makea movie.
You're the casting director,matt.

(01:04:52):
I need to know who's going tostar you in this critically
acclaimed, hit new movie onNetflix.
George Clooney, I was going to.
I liked that.
I, you know.
I thought you might say youkind of have a little Fred
Savage in you.

Speaker 1 (01:04:55):
Well, you know, I've never.
I've I've never heard that one.
In my old apartment complex andI've gotten this plenty of
times People thought I was RogerFederer, which is like the most
insane thing and I love RogerFederer.
I like watching tennis, but Iget Roger Federer a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:05:17):
Anybody say you look like Mike McDonald, the coach at
Seahawks.

Speaker 1 (01:05:20):
No.

Speaker 2 (01:05:22):
I can see that?

Speaker 1 (01:05:23):
No, I've never gotten that one.
Do you know what he looks like?
No, I actually can't think ofwhere, where was he before
Seattle?

Speaker 2 (01:05:31):
Baltimore D coordinator.

Speaker 1 (01:05:32):
Okay, I can't think of what he looks like.
I'll look it up.

Speaker 2 (01:05:35):
You could pull that one off for sure.
Okay, and then last questiontell me two words that would
describe your wife.

Speaker 1 (01:05:41):
Oh man, you're going to get me in trouble.
Fiery for one, fiery and loyal.

Speaker 2 (01:05:53):
There we go, lighting round's over.
We both giggled.
I took us off the rails.
You did a good job of stayingus in the lanes.
This has been a blast getting toknow you.
It's been a blast learning moreabout you and your family.
It's been a blast just hearingyour story and the wisdom you
share with us.
I hope that everybody else hasa page of notes, like I do.
If this episode has impactedyou in any way, I ask you just
share it with a friend.

(01:06:14):
If you have a dad that coulduse a pick-me-up and you're
looking for something to helphim with, we have 280-something
episodes with other dads wherewe're sharing vulnerable stories
how we were raised, our gaps,our issues, what we're trying to
get better at.
So join the community.
We'd love to help you and, ifyou've not taken time to leave

(01:06:34):
us a review on any of the placesyou consume your podcast,
that'd be the biggest favor wecan ask, as well in 2025.
But, matt, it's been a blastgetting to know your brother,
appreciate you and I hope to seeyou on the golf course here
soon in 2025.

Speaker 1 (01:06:46):
Yeah, for sure, thanks for having me on you bet.