April 14, 2025 • 41 mins
What does it take to build a telecommunications empire from your garage? Jim Tracy knows firsthand. After his 17-year-old son challenged him to start their own business, Tracy cashed out his retirement accounts and took the ultimate bet on himself and his family. The gamble paid off spectacularly as Legacy Telecommunications grew from two employees to nearly a thousand before Tracy sold to private equity.
But success wasn't handed to Tracy on a silver platter. As a child with a severe stutter, doctors once recommended sending him to a state school for "retarded children." His mother refused, beginning a journey that would prove those doctors profoundly wrong. "I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed," Tracy admits with characteristic humility, "but I refuse to be outworked."
This determination faced its ultimate test when a devastating skiing accident left doctors threatening to amputate his leg. Even after successful surgery, medical professionals told him he'd likely never walk properly again. Tracy's response? Walking 12-15,000 steps daily and completing obstacle courses with his grandchildren.
Beyond personal resilience, Tracy offers profound insights on building winning teams. In an age where American business has largely forgotten mentorship, he emphasizes surrounding yourself with people who are "better, faster, stronger, smarter" while investing in their growth. His practice of writing personalized birthday cards to every employee exemplifies his philosophy that recognition and genuine care create unbreakable company culture.
Tracy's new book "Building Men" (releasing June 3rd) shares character lessons from the 22 mentors who shaped his journey. Whether you're an entrepreneur, leader, or simply facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Tracy's message resonates: "Don't let go of the dream." At 66, he rejects traditional retirement in favor of what he proudly calls his "big, audacious life."
Subscribe to hear more inspiring stories that go beyond the game and show how principles of perseverance, teamwork, and mentorship create success in business and life.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rocky (00:01):
Good evening everybody.
Welcome to the Rockpile podcasttonight.
We're the first edition of theBeyond the Game podcast airs
tonight here on the Rockpile.
If you're following me acrosssocial media, please make sure
to give it a like and subscribebutton.
If you have any comments,questions tonight for Jim.
Before I bring him on, pleaseput them in the comment box.
I'll try to bring over as manyas I can tonight, over as many
(00:25):
as I can tonight.
I'm excited to talk to Jim Tracy, the co-founder of Legacy
Telecommunications, author,speaker and the host of the
Grampian podcast.
We'll ask Jim about that andmuch more, and I just got a
chance to interact with Jim fora few minutes and I can't thank
him enough.
This is a little bit going outof my comfort zone as many that
follow the Mohawk Valley SportsWatch and also follow the
Rockpile and all the podcaststhat are on the platform.
(00:46):
I appreciate everybody takingthe time here tonight.
So, without further ado, I'mnot going to keep him waiting
any longer.
Let me bring Jim on with mehere.
Let me switch this up.
How are you, my friend?
Jim Tracy (00:57):
Hey man, I'm better than I deserve.
How are you?
Rocky (01:00):
I'm doing fantastic.
I appreciate you taking thetime.
Jim Tracy (01:04):
Oh, thank you for having me on.
I'm honored.
Rocky (01:06):
Yeah, this is as I was telling you before we jumped on.
This is a little bit outside ofmy comfort zone.
I love talking to people.
My biggest thing on myplatforms, jim, are really
listening to stories, listeningto stories from whether it's
sports, entrepreneurs likeyourself, business owners, you
name it.
I love listening to stories, sothis was really a great
opportunity to have you ontonight.
(01:26):
So, again, I appreciate it.
Jim Tracy (01:28):
Awesome.
Hey, we're both blessed.
Rocky (01:30):
No, we are.
I definitely will admit that wedefinitely are.
So, jim, let's get into, if youcan just share a little bit
about yourself, a little bit ofthe background for the listeners
out there tonight.
Jim Tracy (01:43):
All right, I'm born into a big family out in rural
South Dakota and was a welder upin Northern Minnesota and found
and fell in love with thisbeautiful girl.
I asked her father.
I said, hey, I don't want toget married.
And he said, good, where areyou going to college?
I'm like, anywhere you want,man, if that's the price of
(02:03):
entry.
I am in.
And so we went and I bartendedmy way through college, went
through about three differentcareers, and one day my son came
home.
He was 17 years old, he hadbeen working building cell
towers and he said, hey, come onout to my job site, because I
had done that kind of work whenI was a kid and I went out there
(02:24):
and I was like terrifiedbecause I knew someone was going
to get hurt there.
Um, if they kept doing things.
They were, so I stuck my spursinto a pretty good and one night
he came home and he said hey,dad, if you think you're so
smart, let's go do it ourselves.
And I'm like, okay.
So we started legacytelecommunications and went from
you know two employees to acouple of hundred and then into
(02:45):
private equity where I went toalmost a thousand employees.
And, yeah, I sold that businessand come out and now I do
keynote speaking, writing somebooks, that kind of thing and
hopefully impacting people.
You know a lot about that,rocky.
Rocky (02:59):
Yeah, and that's hopefully what we'll do tonight
is impact some people, and Ialways say, if there's people
that are listening, that even ifthey take away one or two
drinks not just from me, fromyou or anybody that I've had on
my shows it means something tome.
So I want you to start with.
You started the business,though, in your garage, yeah, so
talk to us a little bit aboutthat journey, because that's a
(03:20):
fascinating story for somebodythat started from their garage
and built an umpire likeyourself.
Jim Tracy (03:25):
Yeah, you know, we were probably a little bit too
stupid and too desperate to knowany better.
And so I, literally I cleanedout my retirement account.
I cleaned out, had somemanagement incentive funds that
had been earned and I cashedeverything and I bet it on me
(03:47):
and my kid.
And we didn't have, we couldn'tgo rent an office I mean we had
.
So I worked two jobs for abouta year while we were doing that
and we would do the self stuffat night and work a regular job
during the day.
And you know, after a while westarted getting contracts with
some of the national carriers.
And, lo and behold, we hit thetiming right and as the cell
(04:11):
business began to explode, theyneeded people who wanted to work
at Elevation and, you know,build cellular communications
infrastructure.
Rocky (04:22):
So, jim, my podcast, the Rock Pile, I like to talk a lot
about climbing the rock pile andchasing dreams, and I I've been
a guy that I've always had aboy, a ball and a dream, because
I've grown I've grown up aroundsports my entire life.
My dad was um a long time highschool coach in the area, 35
years plus.
My sisters coached field hockeyand played field hockey at the
division one level.
(04:43):
I I coached it at the highschool level and played division
one football myself, and one ofthe things I've always said is
don't be scared to chase yourdreams, and that's why that was
one of the reasons why, when Iwas reading through your bio and
some of your stories of how youstarted, what would be some of
your um thoughts you would sharewith you guys like myself and
(05:03):
anybody listening tonight thatare chasing a dream.
Jim Tracy (05:06):
Yeah, um, number one there's going to be a lot of
people out there who are goingto say, ah, it's probably not a
good idea, there's probably nota good time, it's probably not.
You know, probably don't haveenough money, you're probably
not smart enough, you may nothave enough talent.
I mean, there's all kinds ofpeople out there who are going
to tell you, all kinds of peopleout there who are going to tell
you it's just not a good ideaand it's not their dream, it's
(05:29):
not their energy, it's not up tothem.
Rocky (05:40):
And, frankly, if you think you can do it, you're 90%
of the way there.
Yeah, and that's exactly right.
And there's times you're goingto get knocked down and you've
got to be able to get back upagain and deal through some
adversity.
And I thought another one ofyour stories that was
fascinating.
You dealt with a prettysignificant skiing accident.
Jim Tracy (05:54):
Yeah, I was up in northern Idaho at a place called
Schweitzer and I was skiingwith one of my grandsons Weitzer
.
And I was skiing with one of mygrandsons and I came off a
mogul and my leg was actuallyprobably really straight when it
should have been bent and Icame down and I crushed my tibia
plateau.
I mean, I yard sailed it, man.
(06:15):
I got hats over there, skisover there, goggles back there,
poles somewhere else.
But I knew something was prettybad right away.
This lady and his guy comearound.
They put the X on the skis overmy head, come around behind me.
So they're now in front of meand they're like, hey, man, what
can we do?
(06:35):
And I'm like, can you make myleg face the right way please?
And and so I got the tobogganride down the mountain, the ride
of shame, and I went to thedock and it was about an hour
and a half ride to get to thereally a good emergency room and
(06:57):
they said, hey, well, I toldhim.
I said, hey, you're going towait, swelling's going to go
down, you're going to pin it.
You know we're going to set theleg and everything will be fine
.
And they said well, mr Tracy,here's the way it's going to
work.
If we don't operate, within anhour you're going to lose your
leg.
And I had what they callcompartment syndrome.
So I got, I got a rebuilt kneeand they said hey man, I woke up
(07:19):
.
I mean, I woke up and this isthe only thing I remember about
the entire day.
I woke up and I was likesobbing and I'm pulling in my
sheets and I'm pulling them outof the bottom, you know, and and
I see my toes and I just startgiggling like a little kid.
That's the only thing Iremember about that entire day
is I saw my toes.
(07:40):
So, yeah, it was a pretty rough, pretty rough go.
They said you're probably not,you're never, you're never going
to run again, you're probablynot going to walk right.
So I didn't, I didn't acceptthat really.
Rocky (07:52):
So my question is you've been back on the slopes at all?
Jim Tracy (07:55):
Yes, I have, as a matter of fact.
And uh, well, they said, youknow you're not going to walk
right, and so we started walking.
I currently walk between 12 and15 000 steps a day just to
prove them wrong.
And then uh, and then uh,because I can't, I, I, I gotta
take the run a little easybecause I'm on somebody else's
knee, but uh, uh, but I've donea couple.
(08:17):
I've done a couple 5ks and someterrain races and, uh, spartan
type races and things like that.
So do it with my grandkids.
We're going to get sevengrandkids and me are going to
run a 5k terrain race on July12th.
Rocky (08:30):
Well, and speaking of the grandkids, I know you get sick
of the question, probably aboutthe Grampy, and how'd you get
the name?
And I've obviously listened tosome of your podcasts so I know
where you got the name, but Ithink it's a great story.
Jim Tracy (08:45):
You want to share how you got the name?
Sure I'd love to.
Man, um, I was playing a cardgame with my nephew, with my
grandson, wes uh, out at a lakehouse, and I beat him and and
wes is like he's got competitivejuice like none other right.
And so he stands up and he'slike you're not grandpa anymore
and I was.
I was like what?
You're not a champion either?
And I was like man, I just beatyou and he said you're a
(09:07):
grampian.
He got a smile on his face.
He says you're a grampian, andit kind of stuck and I really
like it, so I'll take it.
Rocky (09:16):
I'll keep it.
That's a great name, that's agreat thing too, and so many
grandkids too.
God bless you for that.
So, jim, I'm also a I'm a VP ofa transportation company, and
one of the things that we reallystruggle with and you know I I
went to a job where I didn'tknow much about the industry and
I've I've tried to build, as Idid in football.
You try to build a culture.
You know you got to come in andchange things up, and I think
(09:38):
one of the fascinating thingsabout your background is you
talk about how you went from atwo-man crew to a 20-man crew
and you built a culture.
You built a winning team there.
What are some things you canshare as far as how did you do
that?
And I think one of the storiesI read about you that again was
fascinating is I think it was,you didn't know it was
somebody's birthday, you didn'trecognize somebody's name, and
(10:00):
you do all these birthday cards,you write personal messages.
Talk to us a little bit, if youcan.
How did you build that team?
Jim Tracy (10:08):
Well, number one, when you start with two, it's
easy to know what's going on.
And then you build that to acrew and then, in this case, my
son took that crew out in thefield and I went and got more
work.
So now I'm with them in themorning and I may be with them
in the evening when they comehome, but I'm not with them all
day long anymore, so it'stougher to get to know them.
So you have to communicate on a, on a, on a bigger level, on an
(10:32):
immediate level, every time youget a chance.
You have to.
You have to make sure that theyknow what the game is.
I mean, if I put it in yourterms, man, if I'm a football
coach and they're out for eighthours a day playing baseball,
I'm not doing a very good job.
Rocky (10:48):
Right.
Jim Tracy (10:49):
Not that I don't, you know, I don't.
I like baseball, but, man, ifyou're going to play ball and
you're going to play in afootball team, then you've got
to, and then you've got to knowyour position.
So as as one crew turned intotwo crews and two crews turned
into, then we had separatedivisions where this one is
doing telecom and this one'sdoing electrical power and this
(11:11):
one's doing generator work, andand now you've got now you've
got put it again in sportsterminology Now you've got
offense, you've got defense,you've got special teams, you
got other coaches that you'vegot to bring in.
Y'all got to speak the samelanguage.
And one of the things inAmerican business today that
we've forgotten is mentorship,apprenticeship type programs
(11:33):
where I teach you what I do sothat I can replace myself.
And there's a lot of fear outin the marketplace and I don't
think there's a lot of room forthat, especially when you're
grinding and hustling and tryingto win championships.
Rocky (11:48):
Yeah, Jim, I think I don't mean to cut you off.
I think you hit it right on thehead, because I think one of
the things that people strugglewith is, first of all, as a
coach, and even my day today, Ialways say I'm a coach, no
matter if it's on a field or inthe office.
But you have to coach peopledifferently, right?
Not everybody reacts the sameway, but I feel like you hit it
on the head when you say somepeople are scared to do that
(12:10):
because they're worried thatthat person's going to take
their job.
And I say, listen, if I teachthem the right way and they can
take my job, then that makes meeven more successful.
Jim Tracy (12:18):
Yeah, then you're moving up a level.
See, nobody can move up a levelunless they have an adequate
replacement.
And in good theory, I shouldsurround myself with people who
are better, faster, stronger,smarter, and if I do that, then
they build me up as I build themup, because, I mean, my son is
(12:43):
an example, obviously, thenumber two in our business
started when he was 18.
He was working for guys intheir 40s and 50s as clients,
but he was leading people whowere older than he was, and so
he had to come to me and say,hey, this happened today, like
how would you handle that?
And I didn't.
You know, there's an old Biblesaying.
(13:04):
It says if a child asks you fora fish, you're going to hand
him a rock.
Yeah, I don't think so, and partand parcel of that is in
American business.
The people who work for usdon't anymore know that we love
them.
Don't anymore know that we lovethem.
(13:24):
There's a guy here at BoiseState and he coaches football
and he's very open about thefact that he loves his players.
And the first time in programhistory last year, what do they
do?
I mean, they're headed for thecollege football playoffs for
the very first time in history,and it's all based on the fact
(13:45):
that they know that coaches gottheir back.
So when the when, when playersstarted shifting teams and stuff
, his players pretty much stuckthere.
So I'm I'm pretty impressed.
Spencer Danielson is his name.
Rocky (13:58):
Yes, yes, I followed Boise very well.
My wife's dad is from Idaho.
Jim Tracy (14:03):
Blue turf baby.
Rocky (14:08):
I think they got on the map years ago.
I think it was the fiesta ballagainst Oklahoma when they ran
the two trick play, I think thestatue of liberty in another
play and they pulled off a hugeupset, but great program.
But, jim, the other thing youtalk about too is is the respect
part, and I think you know,even as us coaches, I think you
got to earn that respect.
So one of the things that thatI've done, um, in prior jobs has
(14:30):
been I've always want rolled upmy sleeves and I'm going to go
out there and I'm going to go dothe job firsthand so people can
see me doing it.
And I think even in sports,those coaches like you're
talking about that, earn therespect of their players.
It goes a long way becausethey'll run through a wall for
you and it's the same in aworkplace, right, if you respect
your mentor and it says alittle bit.
(14:50):
And I think it goes a long ways, right.
Jim Tracy (14:53):
Yeah, and two, I think one of the things that
when we look at the generationsin the workplace right now there
are six generations in theworkplace and some of them view
respect differently.
Like I'll give you a phrasethat will resonate with younger
people, you disrespected me.
(15:13):
Well, actually, I think thatrespect having a two-way street
means sometimes old people likethis guy.
They need to give a littlerespect, sometimes even before
it's heard.
And what does that cost you?
Nothing, Nothing.
However, it's like planting aseed and throwing a little
(15:36):
fertilizer and a little water onit and then craft expectations
that are really high and thencommunicate them so that people
know that's what's expected ofthem.
It's going to change everything.
I did something called theCulture Revival Blueprint and I
work with businesses on aregular basis and I show them
(15:58):
what happens when you craft aculture and I give them a
blueprint, basically likebuilding a house.
Here's what happens when youbuild a culture where people
love, where they work.
I mean, isn't that what we'relooking for?
Is that what we want?
Rocky (16:14):
yeah, and I think we're all in, even in my world today.
I mean, retention's huge for us, right, trying to retain our
employees.
But one of the other things tooI find fascinating too is I
feel like the younger generationdoesn't want to put the time in
as some of the older generation.
Right, I know you talk aboutthe generational gaps and a lot
of your keynotes speaking that.
You do Talk to us a little bitabout that.
Jim Tracy (16:37):
OK, I think that.
So my grandpa.
I wrote a book called BuildingMen.
It's coming out in June and andit starts the very first
chapters with my grandpa.
I wrote a book called BuildingMen.
It's coming out in June and itstarts the very first chapters
with my grandpa.
And you know what my grandpasaid about my dad's generation?
What?
They dance funny, they listento weird music, they are lazy
(16:58):
and they're never going to makeanything of themselves.
There's the greatest generationtalking about the generation
that went to World War II as asilent generation.
And then the silent generation.
They talk about the hippies.
You know what they said theygot long hair, hippie, pinko,
dope smoking, don't care aboutnothing, anti-religious, you
(17:19):
know, pick a detrimental commentand guess what?
It's probably true for bothgenerations.
And then you get me.
That was me, the boomers, thehippies.
And then what do we say?
Those millennials aren't wortha sour roll of toilet paper.
And they listen to funny music,and it goes on and on.
(17:41):
Every generation has a gap.
The question is is if you, asthe older generation, are open
to bridging that gap.
See, I got 116 years ofexperience between my grandpa
and my grandkids.
I got along with all of them.
And and why is that?
(18:04):
If there's a generation gap,isn't there one of those that I
shouldn't get all the way downto alphas?
Isn't there one I shouldn't getalong with?
Rocky (18:11):
you know, I feel, and that that's a great point, I
feel too.
The other thing is, um andagain, sports in the business
world is the ones that can adapt, like some of the old style
coaches.
And then, like, I'll use my dadas a great example my dad was
the old school um, very strictum, when I, when I started
coaching with him, I was kind ofthe young guy that came in with
(18:32):
all the fancy offense and hewas that old school I'm gonna
get in the eye formation and I'mgonna run the ball between the
tackles.
And one of the things I'vealways said about my dad and
again I say this in theworkplace today is those folks
that have been adaptable tochange have been the ones that
have been able to manage throughthe way things are now versus
the way things were years ago.
(18:53):
And I really believe that,because some people just don't
want to change, and I thinkthat's huge if you're adaptable
to be able to change.
Jim Tracy (19:01):
Adapt, improvise and overcome.
Even the special forces in themilitary have adopted that
mantra.
So you are spot on man If youcannot spot where you need to
change.
I mean, if you're going to goto Chicago from Boise and you
want to go via Dallas, you couldprobably get there.
It's going to take you longer,but unless you recognize, or if
(19:25):
you've got a car but you couldalso take a jet, one's going to
be faster.
I mean, is either one right?
Well, yeah, I mean in essence,but you got to look at your
mission profile.
What do we want to overcome?
How do we want to do it?
Rocky (19:40):
One of the questions I wanted to ask is when you look
back on where you started youknow your life, at your business
, at even your personal life andto where you are now.
Did you?
Jim Tracy (19:53):
ever think you'd grow it and build it and be this
successful no-transcript.
(20:19):
And so they actuallyrecommended that they send me.
And these days there wasactually a state-sponsored
school for retarded children.
It was about two hours from ourhouse and they wanted to send
me there.
And my mom, bless her heart.
She said, no, that's nothappening, we will take care of
(20:40):
our own.
And in many ways, that littleturn, that little turn, I mean,
I wasn't a genius at math.
I'm still not.
I have overcome the stutteringand I'm very grateful for that.
I'm not the sharpest tool inthe shed, but you know what?
Rocky (21:02):
I'm not going to get outworked, I refuse to be
outworked and who have been inthat and that's awesome.
That's what I always tell mykids.
Today, the same thing is getout there and work hard and
don't let anybody outwork you,because you can't coach that.
You can coach with talent.
But Jim, who've been somementors for you, that's helped
you out in your career.
Jim Tracy (21:23):
You know, there is I there.
There's 22 chapters in thatbook and every one of them is
someone who is.
They impacted me with acharacter trait, and there's
even, there's even more people,but there's, there's, there's 22
sections where I say this is acharacter trait that impacted me
in such a significant way.
I got to tell you about the guyor the guys who did it, and so
(21:45):
that's where Building Menactually came from.
But if I think about it youknow we talk about hard work
there's a guy by the name of TomLundell who started a
manufacturing business,bootstrapped it from with his
dad, so a family business, andthose two guys were incredibly
helpful to me.
It was my first job out ofcollege and I remember Tom
looking at me and saying hustletakes no talent, hustle takes no
(22:12):
talent.
He said you get up before theydo, you care more than they do,
you drive farther than they doWhile they're checking into
their hotel room, you're drivingto the next town and you're
doing all writing, all yourreports for the day.
So you remember what youpromised and then you beat them
out of bed in the morning and doget up and do it again.
And he my grandpa was a huge,huge factor, and he, my grandpa,
(22:34):
was a huge, huge factor, aswhen I was a little kid, and
there's just so many people.
There's a teacher by the nameof John Devine, and if people
don't think teachers and coachescan make a difference, go look
at what John Devine and theimpact that he had in my life
and there's, like I said,there's 22 of them.
(22:56):
So I don't get any credit forme.
Um, I get credit for for, uh,being dumb enough to listen and
smart enough to followinstruction.
Rocky (23:06):
Well, how cool was it to uh is again.
I'm a I'm a big family guy andI got an opportunity to coach
with my dad and I say to thisday that's still one of the best
moments of my life, getting achance to work with him.
How special was it for you towork with your son.
Jim Tracy (23:19):
Wow, you know, we still work together, even this
many years later.
We have a real estate businessand an agricultural business
that we built.
That's the side and that's whathe runs now.
And you know, I always tellpeople if you're going to start
(23:39):
a business, start a familybusiness, and start it with
someone who you would trust,with your wife and your
checkbook, and and that thatseems to be for me, that's the
winning, that's the winningformula, for business is to make
sure that you entirely andcompletely trust the person.
Yeah, they care more about youthan, as my son's line, hey dad,
(24:02):
I care more about you thanabout money, isn't that cool?
Rocky (24:06):
That is.
That is.
Jim Tracy (24:07):
That's very cool, that's a special relationship
that really only comes fromfamily yeah.
Rocky (24:11):
So, jim, the books that you're, you have two books right
.
You have the Building Mind one.
You said that's coming out June.
Jim Tracy (24:17):
July, june 3rd.
They're putting it out in timefor father's day.
As a matter of fact, rocky,perfect timing coach.
I got the first copies in themail.
My author copies today, soyou're hitting me like I'm on
top of the world.
Rocky (24:32):
Awesome, congratulations.
So what went into writing thatbook?
Where'd you come up with thename and what went into this?
Jim Tracy (24:39):
The name actually came from Brian, my partner.
He was doing a.
He's my son and he was doing ainterview with a with a industry
trade magazine or something.
Anyway, they said so.
So you know, you've grown thebusiness and now it's like so
many more people.
What, what do you do like fromday to day now?
And he goes.
Well, I used to build towers.
(25:00):
I built guide towers, I builtself-supporting towers, I built
monopole towers, I built glulamtowers.
There's not a tower that Ireally can't build.
I'm really good at it.
But now I build men, and Ibuild men who build towers, and
that's where the name buildingmen in the book title came from.
(25:21):
So tip of the cap to Rye.
Rocky (25:22):
Yeah, that's.
That's pretty cool.
So, jim, you talk all over theplace.
You you've been a keynotespeaker at a lot of different
types of places.
What have been some of the thethe more difficult questions
that your audience has asked you?
Jim Tracy (25:35):
You know, when we first uh, I think you probably
heard, I, I think you probablyheard I did a company-wide
podcast, just because that was athing where I walked down to
the warehouse I didn't knowsomebody.
So I started talking to themand I told the guys who were
taking care of it.
I said I want to do it live.
And they said oh man, you can'tdo it live.
(25:56):
Somebody's going to ask youquestions you don't want to
answer.
And I said I think I can handleit.
So it was about the third weekor so.
A guy comes on the phone.
He says hey, jim, I got aquestion for you Because they
would raise their handelectronically somehow, and I'm
not really a tech guy, so theywould raise their hand.
(26:17):
And and I'm not really a techguy, so they would raise their
hand.
And he said Jim, I got aquestion.
I said hey, man, what's thequestion?
He said how much money do youmake?
And I said, wow, that's anawesome question.
How much money do you make?
And he said well, I don't thinkI want to tell you with
everybody listening.
I'm like me too.
Next question, so, but you know, a lot of times when we do
keynotes, the real questionscome afterwards, because only
(26:44):
two things happen.
After keynote Number one,somebody comes and says I love
you and I love what you said,because and there's, I mean I
did one where a guy came up andsaid you know, I listened to you
a year ago and I started abusiness based on what you said
and I now have 17 employees andwe're positive cash and we're
(27:05):
profitable.
And I mean I look at that andI'm like dude, he's living the
American dream.
That's the first kind.
The second kind is when peoplecome up to you and they say, hey
, and it depends upon what yourkeynote is on.
Sometimes I do, you know, likemotivational, like get off your
butt keynotes which are reallycool, yeah, but sometimes I say
(27:26):
you know what?
Embrace uncertainty, becausethe only thing that you know
that's going to happen is change.
And sometimes people come up tome after that and I've
literally had people crying onmy shoulder saying I can't take
any more of this.
I need some hope, I need somehelp.
What do I do?
And so you get to act a littlebit as a counselor.
(27:47):
But here again, if I'm doing myjob as a keynote speaker, I've
got to interact with thataudience.
I've got to let them know.
I've got to interact with thataudience.
I've got to let them know, like, like, there's one guy in
specific where I'm like, okay,here's a deal, scribble it down.
I'm like I'm going to stay anextra night here's, here's the
hotel I'm at.
Come and meet me at the hotelfor breakfast and we're going to
(28:12):
work through this and and whenyou, you don't sometimes you
don't have a whole bunch ofextra time or travel money to do
that, but sometimes you do andyou have to take those
opportunities because those arethe life-changing moments and if
you're just a speaker, I meanthere's a lot.
You could get a lot of celebrityspeakers.
You could probably get TomBrady to come in and give a
(28:32):
great speech, but he's not goingto have time to meet a guy
who's down on his luck and deepin trouble and, uh, his wife's
leaving him and he's too hard onthe bottle and he's.
Those are the kind of peoplethat come up to me afterwards
and say I need some hope, and so, yeah, a lot of my hard
questions are finding answersfor people who need a little
(28:53):
hope, and that's what we do.
Rocky (28:59):
Do you have, um, you know , one speaking engagement that
you did of a time that standsout to you.
That was, you know, that stickswith you to this day, that you
still think about it.
Maybe it was years ago.
Jim Tracy (29:05):
Wow, wow, yeah, I have a lot of them.
Um, I guess the first time Istood up in front of a trade
association where they're all mypeers, you know, when I got to
be chairman of our tradeassociation, you have to stand
(29:26):
up and speak in front of a groupof people, and when there are
2,000 people and they're in thesame business as you are and
they're sitting in the crowd infront of you, that's enough to
make you tingle a little bit.
Because and it's not, you know,I found, if you are genuine and
authentic when you talk topeople, they root for you.
(29:48):
I mean, they want you to win.
It's like having, okay, it'slike having, a home team, okay.
But when you walk on stage andare inauthentic or arrogant or
kind of a know-it-all, nowyou've got the away crowd at a
home event and you don't wantthat man, you want to, you want
(30:10):
to take these, this audience,and it's your job to uh, to
bring, to bring them into yourworld, to bring them into your,
into your arena.
And, and if you can do that, um, that's where the magic happens
, man, when you're talking, when, when you're talking, even if
there's 2,500 people in theaudience, when you're talking to
(30:30):
every one of them.
Um it, it's a huge difference.
It's a game changer.
Every one of them, it's a hugedifference, it's a game changer
and Jim.
Rocky (30:36):
I want to go back to the team piece because, again, I
think I was either reading orwatching one of your podcasts
where you talked a little bitabout recognition and I know you
wrote some I think it wasbirthday cards or personal cards
for people to get to know theirnames and stuff.
But talk to us just howimportant recognizing
individuals are in the workplacebecause I mean, let let's be
(30:57):
real, we all like it edibleevery once in a while, right?
Jim Tracy (30:59):
yeah, um, when, uh, here again, I got over 100
employees and I thought I reallyneed to, I really I need to do
a better job of touching thesepeople, and it was.
It was primarily men out in thefield and primarily women in
the office, and so I would.
But but I decided at one pointthat man, I gotta, I gotta, do a
(31:24):
birthday card for my people.
I gotta let them know that Iwish them a happy birthday, if
nothing else, so I literallywould.
At one time I was doing like160 birthday cards a year and
they're all handwritten, they'reall hand addressed, they're all
sent to someone with a noteabout how they affected me in
(31:44):
that year or they affected theirteam in that year, or whatever
it is I.
You gotta find somethingpositive to say about anybody in
your company.
Rocky (31:57):
Yeah, every little positive helps right, move it
forward a little bit.
So, jim, for somebody, whetherit's a business or just an
individual person, that might bestruggling.
And again, you know we allchase that dream sometimes of
you know, hey, I'm going to bethe next Dick Vitale
broadcasting on ESPN, or youknow the next big CEO.
But I mean, let's be real, ittakes a lot to get to the top.
(32:21):
What would be some of youradvice, words of wisdom for some
people that are chasing it,that have dealt with a lot of
adversity?
Jim Tracy (32:30):
You know, when the doc told me that he might have
to take my leg off, that waspretty big shock, um, and it
threw me into a little bit of atailspin, um.
But then, um, he asked my son.
He said, he said, how'd youguys get down here?
I mean, did not, like you'rehere with him like he thought
(32:52):
that they flew me down in ahelicopter.
And then when he found out theydidn't fly me down a helicopter
, he said well, did you followthe ambulance?
He goes no, man, we, we rode inmy truck and the doc looked at
me and goes he hasn't had anypainkillers and I'm like, no, I
had a couple aspirin up at thehub of the mountain, but it's
(33:12):
kind, it's kind of hurting.
And he looked over at my son andhe said your dad is one tough
yep fill in the blank threeletters and and uh, when I look
at that, um, I look at, I knewryan was going to take care of
me.
I knew the doc was going totake care of me.
(33:33):
I knew the doc was going totake care of me.
So you got to have a littlefaith and then I went up, you
know.
Then they tell me I'm going tobe, I'm not going to be able to
stand on my foot, I can't putany.
I got, so I got my bone, I gotsome cadaver bone, I got some
plastic bone, I got some steelbone or some steel in my in my
(33:54):
leg and they're like you cannottouch your foot to the ground
for 90 days.
That's a really long time yeah,um, so, uh, as I, as I moved
around, all of a sudden I had torealize that, like I mean, when
I first got home, I couldn't goto the bathroom, I had to get.
(34:14):
I had had somebody to help,because you can't fall, if you
stumble, you're going to standon your foot.
So you don't have.
And then, and then he said, ifthat happens, we can't fix it
anymore, then we are going totake your leg, so you have to
rely on other people.
And and if you're a, if you'rea quarterback, and your line is
(34:40):
full of holes, how good are yougoing to be?
You better have some feet, man.
If you ain't got wheels, youjust got to be.
Now.
You got to be quicker than a Dlineman and you got to be
quicker than a linebacker.
And by the time you get to thesecondary man, you're already
tired because all you've beendoing is running all day.
And so if you're building abusiness, you've got to learn to
(35:02):
trust, you've got to learn torely, you have to learn to teach
every moment.
And don't let go of the dream.
I talk a lot about me and mywife.
Sometimes we would race to themailbox to see if there was
going to be a check in there sowe could make payroll and you
know what?
We ran the business right.
(35:23):
We didn't spend a bunch ofmoney.
We never borrowed any moneyother than from retirement
accounts.
So I think we did it the rightway, but we also relied on one
another.
I think we did it the right way, but we also relied on one
another.
So get people around you whoyou trust and, yeah, who got
your back.
Rocky (35:41):
Yeah, a good support system goes a long way, for sure
.
So, jim, the last thing Iwanted to ask you too.
I know you have the Grampianpodcast, but between podcasts
and writing books, where do youfind time to do all this?
Jim Tracy (35:55):
You know, in May I'm going to be 66 years old and I
think that this retirement thatwe have kind of choreographed in
America is probably not for me.
I would take a page out of theMike Rowe book and say I
(36:16):
actually enjoy work because ofthe satisfaction that I get from
the work itself.
And my work now is to helppeople and to impact people and,
in some cases, change lives.
And if you can do that and youcan drive satisfaction and you
can make a shilling or two whileyou're doing it, it's pretty
(36:39):
awesome.
I mean, why would I want toslow down, man?
I want to speed up.
I've been accused of having abig, audacious life and I'm like
right on, bring it.
Rocky (36:53):
So the Grampian podcast, right, that do?
What type?
What do you talk about on there?
What?
What type of show is it?
How can, how can listeners outhere tonight follow jim tracy?
Jim Tracy (37:04):
sure, um, best way is to watch a show is is probably
on youtube, although youtube, uh, shadow banned me on one of my
recent podcasts, so I guess I'vearrived.
But yeah, it's the Grampian,g-r-a-m-p-i-o-n.
(37:24):
Thegrampiancom.
Or just search Jim Tracy onYouTube and it'll get you there.
And yeah, I sure appreciate youhaving me on.
Man, this is really cool.
If they want to find the book,just go on barns and noble or
wherever you buy books.
You can pre-order the book atat barnsandnoblecom.
Just look for building men byjim tracy yeah, and I'll make
(37:45):
sure I I post.
Rocky (37:46):
I posted it all week on the social media outlets.
I'll do it again tonight here,uh, before I hit the hay.
But but, jim, this was awesome.
Like I said, this wascompletely outside of my comfort
zone.
Normally I'm the guy talkinglocal sports or college football
, and this was really cool toget some time to spend it with
you and I'm fascinated by yourbackground and everything you
bring, your motivation.
I'm glad I found you.
Jim Tracy (38:08):
All right, well, coach, thank you, man, and don't
ever underestimate the impactthat you guys who are coaches,
coaches can have on those youngminds, because they can decide
to be winners when you, when youconvince them that it's not
about the score on the on the,you know, it's not about the
score on the board at the end ofthe game, it's about the
(38:28):
character that you walk when you, when you're 66, like if you
can walk away and go.
Hey, more often than not, I tryto do the right thing, just do
the right thing.
Rocky (38:38):
I appreciate that, jim.
I'll continue to follow you.
Thanks, my man appreciate thenight all right.
Jim Tracy (38:43):
Thank you and thank your audience.
Have a today after we have agreat one awesome, thank you.
Rocky (38:48):
Well, so that was.
That was Jim Tracy and I'm.
It's so funny.
Let me let me switch this overhere how I found Jim.
I got hooked up behind thescenes on another platform and
when I reached out to Jim hejumped right on and said he'd be
more than happy to jump on withme here tonight.
So this is completely new forme.
(39:08):
Beyond the game the podcast.
I have another guest coming onin a couple weeks.
He's an author of a sports bookcalled Out of Bounds.
He talks a lot about highschool sports.
I'll post that up next week soyou can learn a little bit about
him.
And then another guest afterthat was a longtime coach in the
NBA, general manager in the NBA, a lot of NBA coaching
experience.
So we'll talk to him too.
(39:29):
So it'll be fun here on theBeyond the Game.
So I want to make sure I thankeverybody for following this
show, for following the MohawkValley Sports Watch, for
following all the shows here onthe Rock Pile Podcast.
I really appreciate that.
Go on YouTube, subscribe, shareit and try to work on growing
the YouTube channel.
I've done a great job onFacebook with everybody
following the different shows.
(39:51):
So I want to turn my attentionto YouTube, but I hope everybody
enjoyed tonight.
Catch it on Spotify,iheartradio, apple Podcasts for
podcast listeners and Facebook,youtube all the social media
outlets if you want to follow onthose platforms as well.
So I appreciate everybody'stime tonight.
Stay tuned for the next MohawkValley Sports Watch If I don't
(40:11):
talk to you the rest of the week.
Happy Easter, be safe, becareful.
And thanks for tuning intonight here on.
Good evening everybody.
Welcome to the Rockpile podcasttonight.
We're the first edition of theBeyond the Game podcast airs
tonight here on the Rockpile.
If you're following me acrosssocial media, please make sure
to give it a like and subscribebutton.
If you have any comments,questions tonight for Jim.
Before I bring him on, pleaseput them in the comment box.
I'll try to bring over as manyas I can tonight, over as many
(00:25):
as I can tonight.
I'm excited to talk to Jim Tracy, the co-founder of Legacy
Telecommunications, author,speaker and the host of the
Grampian podcast.
We'll ask Jim about that andmuch more, and I just got a
chance to interact with Jim fora few minutes and I can't thank
him enough.
This is a little bit going outof my comfort zone as many that
follow the Mohawk Valley SportsWatch and also follow the
Rockpile and all the podcaststhat are on the platform.
(00:46):
I appreciate everybody takingthe time here tonight.
So, without further ado, I'mnot going to keep him waiting
any longer.
Let me bring Jim on with mehere.
Let me switch this up.
How are you, my friend?
Jim Tracy (00:57):
Hey man, I'm better than I deserve.
How are you?
Rocky (01:00):
I'm doing fantastic.
I appreciate you taking thetime.
Jim Tracy (01:04):
Oh, thank you for having me on.
I'm honored.
Rocky (01:06):
Yeah, this is as I was telling you before we jumped on.
This is a little bit outside ofmy comfort zone.
I love talking to people.
My biggest thing on myplatforms, jim, are really
listening to stories, listeningto stories from whether it's
sports, entrepreneurs likeyourself, business owners, you
name it.
I love listening to stories, sothis was really a great
opportunity to have you ontonight.
(01:26):
So, again, I appreciate it.
Jim Tracy (01:28):
Awesome.
Hey, we're both blessed.
Rocky (01:30):
No, we are.
I definitely will admit that wedefinitely are.
So, jim, let's get into, if youcan just share a little bit
about yourself, a little bit ofthe background for the listeners
out there tonight.
Jim Tracy (01:43):
All right, I'm born into a big family out in rural
South Dakota and was a welder upin Northern Minnesota and found
and fell in love with thisbeautiful girl.
I asked her father.
I said, hey, I don't want toget married.
And he said, good, where areyou going to college?
I'm like, anywhere you want,man, if that's the price of
(02:03):
entry.
I am in.
And so we went and I bartendedmy way through college, went
through about three differentcareers, and one day my son came
home.
He was 17 years old, he hadbeen working building cell
towers and he said, hey, come onout to my job site, because I
had done that kind of work whenI was a kid and I went out there
(02:24):
and I was like terrifiedbecause I knew someone was going
to get hurt there.
Um, if they kept doing things.
They were, so I stuck my spursinto a pretty good and one night
he came home and he said hey,dad, if you think you're so
smart, let's go do it ourselves.
And I'm like, okay.
So we started legacytelecommunications and went from
you know two employees to acouple of hundred and then into
(02:45):
private equity where I went toalmost a thousand employees.
And, yeah, I sold that businessand come out and now I do
keynote speaking, writing somebooks, that kind of thing and
hopefully impacting people.
You know a lot about that,rocky.
Rocky (02:59):
Yeah, and that's hopefully what we'll do tonight
is impact some people, and Ialways say, if there's people
that are listening, that even ifthey take away one or two
drinks not just from me, fromyou or anybody that I've had on
my shows it means something tome.
So I want you to start with.
You started the business,though, in your garage, yeah, so
talk to us a little bit aboutthat journey, because that's a
(03:20):
fascinating story for somebodythat started from their garage
and built an umpire likeyourself.
Jim Tracy (03:25):
Yeah, you know, we were probably a little bit too
stupid and too desperate to knowany better.
And so I, literally I cleanedout my retirement account.
I cleaned out, had somemanagement incentive funds that
had been earned and I cashedeverything and I bet it on me
(03:47):
and my kid.
And we didn't have, we couldn'tgo rent an office I mean we had
.
So I worked two jobs for abouta year while we were doing that
and we would do the self stuffat night and work a regular job
during the day.
And you know, after a while westarted getting contracts with
some of the national carriers.
And, lo and behold, we hit thetiming right and as the cell
(04:11):
business began to explode, theyneeded people who wanted to work
at Elevation and, you know,build cellular communications
infrastructure.
Rocky (04:22):
So, jim, my podcast, the Rock Pile, I like to talk a lot
about climbing the rock pile andchasing dreams, and I I've been
a guy that I've always had aboy, a ball and a dream, because
I've grown I've grown up aroundsports my entire life.
My dad was um a long time highschool coach in the area, 35
years plus.
My sisters coached field hockeyand played field hockey at the
division one level.
(04:43):
I I coached it at the highschool level and played division
one football myself, and one ofthe things I've always said is
don't be scared to chase yourdreams, and that's why that was
one of the reasons why, when Iwas reading through your bio and
some of your stories of how youstarted, what would be some of
your um thoughts you would sharewith you guys like myself and
(05:03):
anybody listening tonight thatare chasing a dream.
Jim Tracy (05:06):
Yeah, um, number one there's going to be a lot of
people out there who are goingto say, ah, it's probably not a
good idea, there's probably nota good time, it's probably not.
You know, probably don't haveenough money, you're probably
not smart enough, you may nothave enough talent.
I mean, there's all kinds ofpeople out there who are going
to tell you, all kinds of peopleout there who are going to tell
you it's just not a good ideaand it's not their dream, it's
(05:29):
not their energy, it's not up tothem.
Rocky (05:40):
And, frankly, if you think you can do it, you're 90%
of the way there.
Yeah, and that's exactly right.
And there's times you're goingto get knocked down and you've
got to be able to get back upagain and deal through some
adversity.
And I thought another one ofyour stories that was
fascinating.
You dealt with a prettysignificant skiing accident.
Jim Tracy (05:54):
Yeah, I was up in northern Idaho at a place called
Schweitzer and I was skiingwith one of my grandsons Weitzer
.
And I was skiing with one of mygrandsons and I came off a
mogul and my leg was actuallyprobably really straight when it
should have been bent and Icame down and I crushed my tibia
plateau.
I mean, I yard sailed it, man.
(06:15):
I got hats over there, skisover there, goggles back there,
poles somewhere else.
But I knew something was prettybad right away.
This lady and his guy comearound.
They put the X on the skis overmy head, come around behind me.
So they're now in front of meand they're like, hey, man, what
can we do?
(06:35):
And I'm like, can you make myleg face the right way please?
And and so I got the tobogganride down the mountain, the ride
of shame, and I went to thedock and it was about an hour
and a half ride to get to thereally a good emergency room and
(06:57):
they said, hey, well, I toldhim.
I said, hey, you're going towait, swelling's going to go
down, you're going to pin it.
You know we're going to set theleg and everything will be fine
.
And they said well, mr Tracy,here's the way it's going to
work.
If we don't operate, within anhour you're going to lose your
leg.
And I had what they callcompartment syndrome.
So I got, I got a rebuilt kneeand they said hey man, I woke up
(07:19):
.
I mean, I woke up and this isthe only thing I remember about
the entire day.
I woke up and I was likesobbing and I'm pulling in my
sheets and I'm pulling them outof the bottom, you know, and and
I see my toes and I just startgiggling like a little kid.
That's the only thing Iremember about that entire day
is I saw my toes.
(07:40):
So, yeah, it was a pretty rough, pretty rough go.
They said you're probably not,you're never, you're never going
to run again, you're probablynot going to walk right.
So I didn't, I didn't acceptthat really.
Rocky (07:52):
So my question is you've been back on the slopes at all?
Jim Tracy (07:55):
Yes, I have, as a matter of fact.
And uh, well, they said, youknow you're not going to walk
right, and so we started walking.
I currently walk between 12 and15 000 steps a day just to
prove them wrong.
And then uh, and then uh,because I can't, I, I, I gotta
take the run a little easybecause I'm on somebody else's
knee, but uh, uh, but I've donea couple.
(08:17):
I've done a couple 5ks and someterrain races and, uh, spartan
type races and things like that.
So do it with my grandkids.
We're going to get sevengrandkids and me are going to
run a 5k terrain race on July12th.
Rocky (08:30):
Well, and speaking of the grandkids, I know you get sick
of the question, probably aboutthe Grampy, and how'd you get
the name?
And I've obviously listened tosome of your podcasts so I know
where you got the name, but Ithink it's a great story.
Jim Tracy (08:45):
You want to share how you got the name?
Sure I'd love to.
Man, um, I was playing a cardgame with my nephew, with my
grandson, wes uh, out at a lakehouse, and I beat him and and
wes is like he's got competitivejuice like none other right.
And so he stands up and he'slike you're not grandpa anymore
and I was.
I was like what?
You're not a champion either?
And I was like man, I just beatyou and he said you're a
(09:07):
grampian.
He got a smile on his face.
He says you're a grampian, andit kind of stuck and I really
like it, so I'll take it.
Rocky (09:16):
I'll keep it.
That's a great name, that's agreat thing too, and so many
grandkids too.
God bless you for that.
So, jim, I'm also a I'm a VP ofa transportation company, and
one of the things that we reallystruggle with and you know I I
went to a job where I didn'tknow much about the industry and
I've I've tried to build, as Idid in football.
You try to build a culture.
You know you got to come in andchange things up, and I think
(09:38):
one of the fascinating thingsabout your background is you
talk about how you went from atwo-man crew to a 20-man crew
and you built a culture.
You built a winning team there.
What are some things you canshare as far as how did you do
that?
And I think one of the storiesI read about you that again was
fascinating is I think it was,you didn't know it was
somebody's birthday, you didn'trecognize somebody's name, and
(10:00):
you do all these birthday cards,you write personal messages.
Talk to us a little bit, if youcan.
How did you build that team?
Jim Tracy (10:08):
Well, number one, when you start with two, it's
easy to know what's going on.
And then you build that to acrew and then, in this case, my
son took that crew out in thefield and I went and got more
work.
So now I'm with them in themorning and I may be with them
in the evening when they comehome, but I'm not with them all
day long anymore, so it'stougher to get to know them.
So you have to communicate on a, on a, on a bigger level, on an
(10:32):
immediate level, every time youget a chance.
You have to.
You have to make sure that theyknow what the game is.
I mean, if I put it in yourterms, man, if I'm a football
coach and they're out for eighthours a day playing baseball,
I'm not doing a very good job.
Rocky (10:48):
Right.
Jim Tracy (10:49):
Not that I don't, you know, I don't.
I like baseball, but, man, ifyou're going to play ball and
you're going to play in afootball team, then you've got
to, and then you've got to knowyour position.
So as as one crew turned intotwo crews and two crews turned
into, then we had separatedivisions where this one is
doing telecom and this one'sdoing electrical power and this
(11:11):
one's doing generator work, andand now you've got now you've
got put it again in sportsterminology Now you've got
offense, you've got defense,you've got special teams, you
got other coaches that you'vegot to bring in.
Y'all got to speak the samelanguage.
And one of the things inAmerican business today that
we've forgotten is mentorship,apprenticeship type programs
(11:33):
where I teach you what I do sothat I can replace myself.
And there's a lot of fear outin the marketplace and I don't
think there's a lot of room forthat, especially when you're
grinding and hustling and tryingto win championships.
Rocky (11:48):
Yeah, Jim, I think I don't mean to cut you off.
I think you hit it right on thehead, because I think one of
the things that people strugglewith is, first of all, as a
coach, and even my day today, Ialways say I'm a coach, no
matter if it's on a field or inthe office.
But you have to coach peopledifferently, right?
Not everybody reacts the sameway, but I feel like you hit it
on the head when you say somepeople are scared to do that
(12:10):
because they're worried thatthat person's going to take
their job.
And I say, listen, if I teachthem the right way and they can
take my job, then that makes meeven more successful.
Jim Tracy (12:18):
Yeah, then you're moving up a level.
See, nobody can move up a levelunless they have an adequate
replacement.
And in good theory, I shouldsurround myself with people who
are better, faster, stronger,smarter, and if I do that, then
they build me up as I build themup, because, I mean, my son is
(12:43):
an example, obviously, thenumber two in our business
started when he was 18.
He was working for guys intheir 40s and 50s as clients,
but he was leading people whowere older than he was, and so
he had to come to me and say,hey, this happened today, like
how would you handle that?
And I didn't.
You know, there's an old Biblesaying.
(13:04):
It says if a child asks you fora fish, you're going to hand
him a rock.
Yeah, I don't think so, and partand parcel of that is in
American business.
The people who work for usdon't anymore know that we love
them.
Don't anymore know that we lovethem.
(13:24):
There's a guy here at BoiseState and he coaches football
and he's very open about thefact that he loves his players.
And the first time in programhistory last year, what do they
do?
I mean, they're headed for thecollege football playoffs for
the very first time in history,and it's all based on the fact
(13:45):
that they know that coaches gottheir back.
So when the when, when playersstarted shifting teams and stuff
, his players pretty much stuckthere.
So I'm I'm pretty impressed.
Spencer Danielson is his name.
Rocky (13:58):
Yes, yes, I followed Boise very well.
My wife's dad is from Idaho.
Jim Tracy (14:03):
Blue turf baby.
Rocky (14:08):
I think they got on the map years ago.
I think it was the fiesta ballagainst Oklahoma when they ran
the two trick play, I think thestatue of liberty in another
play and they pulled off a hugeupset, but great program.
But, jim, the other thing youtalk about too is is the respect
part, and I think you know,even as us coaches, I think you
got to earn that respect.
So one of the things that thatI've done, um, in prior jobs has
(14:30):
been I've always want rolled upmy sleeves and I'm going to go
out there and I'm going to go dothe job firsthand so people can
see me doing it.
And I think even in sports,those coaches like you're
talking about that, earn therespect of their players.
It goes a long way becausethey'll run through a wall for
you and it's the same in aworkplace, right, if you respect
your mentor and it says alittle bit.
(14:50):
And I think it goes a long ways, right.
Jim Tracy (14:53):
Yeah, and two, I think one of the things that
when we look at the generationsin the workplace right now there
are six generations in theworkplace and some of them view
respect differently.
Like I'll give you a phrasethat will resonate with younger
people, you disrespected me.
(15:13):
Well, actually, I think thatrespect having a two-way street
means sometimes old people likethis guy.
They need to give a littlerespect, sometimes even before
it's heard.
And what does that cost you?
Nothing, Nothing.
However, it's like planting aseed and throwing a little
(15:36):
fertilizer and a little water onit and then craft expectations
that are really high and thencommunicate them so that people
know that's what's expected ofthem.
It's going to change everything.
I did something called theCulture Revival Blueprint and I
work with businesses on aregular basis and I show them
(15:58):
what happens when you craft aculture and I give them a
blueprint, basically likebuilding a house.
Here's what happens when youbuild a culture where people
love, where they work.
I mean, isn't that what we'relooking for?
Is that what we want?
Rocky (16:14):
yeah, and I think we're all in, even in my world today.
I mean, retention's huge for us, right, trying to retain our
employees.
But one of the other things tooI find fascinating too is I
feel like the younger generationdoesn't want to put the time in
as some of the older generation.
Right, I know you talk aboutthe generational gaps and a lot
of your keynotes speaking that.
You do Talk to us a little bitabout that.
Jim Tracy (16:37):
OK, I think that.
So my grandpa.
I wrote a book called BuildingMen.
It's coming out in June and andit starts the very first
chapters with my grandpa.
I wrote a book called BuildingMen.
It's coming out in June and itstarts the very first chapters
with my grandpa.
And you know what my grandpasaid about my dad's generation?
What?
They dance funny, they listento weird music, they are lazy
(16:58):
and they're never going to makeanything of themselves.
There's the greatest generationtalking about the generation
that went to World War II as asilent generation.
And then the silent generation.
They talk about the hippies.
You know what they said theygot long hair, hippie, pinko,
dope smoking, don't care aboutnothing, anti-religious, you
(17:19):
know, pick a detrimental commentand guess what?
It's probably true for bothgenerations.
And then you get me.
That was me, the boomers, thehippies.
And then what do we say?
Those millennials aren't wortha sour roll of toilet paper.
And they listen to funny music,and it goes on and on.
(17:41):
Every generation has a gap.
The question is is if you, asthe older generation, are open
to bridging that gap.
See, I got 116 years ofexperience between my grandpa
and my grandkids.
I got along with all of them.
And and why is that?
(18:04):
If there's a generation gap,isn't there one of those that I
shouldn't get all the way downto alphas?
Isn't there one I shouldn't getalong with?
Rocky (18:11):
you know, I feel, and that that's a great point, I
feel too.
The other thing is, um andagain, sports in the business
world is the ones that can adapt, like some of the old style
coaches.
And then, like, I'll use my dadas a great example my dad was
the old school um, very strictum, when I, when I started
coaching with him, I was kind ofthe young guy that came in with
(18:32):
all the fancy offense and hewas that old school I'm gonna
get in the eye formation and I'mgonna run the ball between the
tackles.
And one of the things I'vealways said about my dad and
again I say this in theworkplace today is those folks
that have been adaptable tochange have been the ones that
have been able to manage throughthe way things are now versus
the way things were years ago.
(18:53):
And I really believe that,because some people just don't
want to change, and I thinkthat's huge if you're adaptable
to be able to change.
Jim Tracy (19:01):
Adapt, improvise and overcome.
Even the special forces in themilitary have adopted that
mantra.
So you are spot on man If youcannot spot where you need to
change.
I mean, if you're going to goto Chicago from Boise and you
want to go via Dallas, you couldprobably get there.
It's going to take you longer,but unless you recognize, or if
(19:25):
you've got a car but you couldalso take a jet, one's going to
be faster.
I mean, is either one right?
Well, yeah, I mean in essence,but you got to look at your
mission profile.
What do we want to overcome?
How do we want to do it?
Rocky (19:40):
One of the questions I wanted to ask is when you look
back on where you started youknow your life, at your business
, at even your personal life andto where you are now.
Did you?
Jim Tracy (19:53):
ever think you'd grow it and build it and be this
successful no-transcript.
(20:19):
And so they actuallyrecommended that they send me.
And these days there wasactually a state-sponsored
school for retarded children.
It was about two hours from ourhouse and they wanted to send
me there.
And my mom, bless her heart.
She said, no, that's nothappening, we will take care of
(20:40):
our own.
And in many ways, that littleturn, that little turn, I mean,
I wasn't a genius at math.
I'm still not.
I have overcome the stutteringand I'm very grateful for that.
I'm not the sharpest tool inthe shed, but you know what?
Rocky (21:02):
I'm not going to get outworked, I refuse to be
outworked and who have been inthat and that's awesome.
That's what I always tell mykids.
Today, the same thing is getout there and work hard and
don't let anybody outwork you,because you can't coach that.
You can coach with talent.
But Jim, who've been somementors for you, that's helped
you out in your career.
Jim Tracy (21:23):
You know, there is I there.
There's 22 chapters in thatbook and every one of them is
someone who is.
They impacted me with acharacter trait, and there's
even, there's even more people,but there's, there's, there's 22
sections where I say this is acharacter trait that impacted me
in such a significant way.
I got to tell you about the guyor the guys who did it, and so
(21:45):
that's where Building Menactually came from.
But if I think about it youknow we talk about hard work
there's a guy by the name of TomLundell who started a
manufacturing business,bootstrapped it from with his
dad, so a family business, andthose two guys were incredibly
helpful to me.
It was my first job out ofcollege and I remember Tom
looking at me and saying hustletakes no talent, hustle takes no
(22:12):
talent.
He said you get up before theydo, you care more than they do,
you drive farther than they doWhile they're checking into
their hotel room, you're drivingto the next town and you're
doing all writing, all yourreports for the day.
So you remember what youpromised and then you beat them
out of bed in the morning and doget up and do it again.
And he my grandpa was a huge,huge factor, and he, my grandpa,
(22:34):
was a huge, huge factor, aswhen I was a little kid, and
there's just so many people.
There's a teacher by the nameof John Devine, and if people
don't think teachers and coachescan make a difference, go look
at what John Devine and theimpact that he had in my life
and there's, like I said,there's 22 of them.
(22:56):
So I don't get any credit forme.
Um, I get credit for for, uh,being dumb enough to listen and
smart enough to followinstruction.
Rocky (23:06):
Well, how cool was it to uh is again.
I'm a I'm a big family guy andI got an opportunity to coach
with my dad and I say to thisday that's still one of the best
moments of my life, getting achance to work with him.
How special was it for you towork with your son.
Jim Tracy (23:19):
Wow, you know, we still work together, even this
many years later.
We have a real estate businessand an agricultural business
that we built.
That's the side and that's whathe runs now.
And you know, I always tellpeople if you're going to start
(23:39):
a business, start a familybusiness, and start it with
someone who you would trust,with your wife and your
checkbook, and and that thatseems to be for me, that's the
winning, that's the winningformula, for business is to make
sure that you entirely andcompletely trust the person.
Yeah, they care more about youthan, as my son's line, hey dad,
(24:02):
I care more about you thanabout money, isn't that cool?
Rocky (24:06):
That is.
That is.
Jim Tracy (24:07):
That's very cool, that's a special relationship
that really only comes fromfamily yeah.
Rocky (24:11):
So, jim, the books that you're, you have two books right
.
You have the Building Mind one.
You said that's coming out June.
Jim Tracy (24:17):
July, june 3rd.
They're putting it out in timefor father's day.
As a matter of fact, rocky,perfect timing coach.
I got the first copies in themail.
My author copies today, soyou're hitting me like I'm on
top of the world.
Rocky (24:32):
Awesome, congratulations.
So what went into writing thatbook?
Where'd you come up with thename and what went into this?
Jim Tracy (24:39):
The name actually came from Brian, my partner.
He was doing a.
He's my son and he was doing ainterview with a with a industry
trade magazine or something.
Anyway, they said so.
So you know, you've grown thebusiness and now it's like so
many more people.
What, what do you do like fromday to day now?
And he goes.
Well, I used to build towers.
(25:00):
I built guide towers, I builtself-supporting towers, I built
monopole towers, I built glulamtowers.
There's not a tower that Ireally can't build.
I'm really good at it.
But now I build men, and Ibuild men who build towers, and
that's where the name buildingmen in the book title came from.
(25:21):
So tip of the cap to Rye.
Rocky (25:22):
Yeah, that's.
That's pretty cool.
So, jim, you talk all over theplace.
You you've been a keynotespeaker at a lot of different
types of places.
What have been some of the thethe more difficult questions
that your audience has asked you?
Jim Tracy (25:35):
You know, when we first uh, I think you probably
heard, I, I think you probablyheard I did a company-wide
podcast, just because that was athing where I walked down to
the warehouse I didn't knowsomebody.
So I started talking to themand I told the guys who were
taking care of it.
I said I want to do it live.
And they said oh man, you can'tdo it live.
(25:56):
Somebody's going to ask youquestions you don't want to
answer.
And I said I think I can handleit.
So it was about the third weekor so.
A guy comes on the phone.
He says hey, jim, I got aquestion for you Because they
would raise their handelectronically somehow, and I'm
not really a tech guy, so theywould raise their hand.
(26:17):
And and I'm not really a techguy, so they would raise their
hand.
And he said Jim, I got aquestion.
I said hey, man, what's thequestion?
He said how much money do youmake?
And I said, wow, that's anawesome question.
How much money do you make?
And he said well, I don't thinkI want to tell you with
everybody listening.
I'm like me too.
Next question, so, but you know, a lot of times when we do
keynotes, the real questionscome afterwards, because only
(26:44):
two things happen.
After keynote Number one,somebody comes and says I love
you and I love what you said,because and there's, I mean I
did one where a guy came up andsaid you know, I listened to you
a year ago and I started abusiness based on what you said
and I now have 17 employees andwe're positive cash and we're
(27:05):
profitable.
And I mean I look at that andI'm like dude, he's living the
American dream.
That's the first kind.
The second kind is when peoplecome up to you and they say, hey
, and it depends upon what yourkeynote is on.
Sometimes I do, you know, likemotivational, like get off your
butt keynotes which are reallycool, yeah, but sometimes I say
(27:26):
you know what?
Embrace uncertainty, becausethe only thing that you know
that's going to happen is change.
And sometimes people come up tome after that and I've
literally had people crying onmy shoulder saying I can't take
any more of this.
I need some hope, I need somehelp.
What do I do?
And so you get to act a littlebit as a counselor.
(27:47):
But here again, if I'm doing myjob as a keynote speaker, I've
got to interact with thataudience.
I've got to let them know.
I've got to interact with thataudience.
I've got to let them know, like, like, there's one guy in
specific where I'm like, okay,here's a deal, scribble it down.
I'm like I'm going to stay anextra night here's, here's the
hotel I'm at.
Come and meet me at the hotelfor breakfast and we're going to
(28:12):
work through this and and whenyou, you don't sometimes you
don't have a whole bunch ofextra time or travel money to do
that, but sometimes you do andyou have to take those
opportunities because those arethe life-changing moments and if
you're just a speaker, I meanthere's a lot.
You could get a lot of celebrityspeakers.
You could probably get TomBrady to come in and give a
(28:32):
great speech, but he's not goingto have time to meet a guy
who's down on his luck and deepin trouble and, uh, his wife's
leaving him and he's too hard onthe bottle and he's.
Those are the kind of peoplethat come up to me afterwards
and say I need some hope, and so, yeah, a lot of my hard
questions are finding answersfor people who need a little
(28:53):
hope, and that's what we do.
Rocky (28:59):
Do you have, um, you know , one speaking engagement that
you did of a time that standsout to you.
That was, you know, that stickswith you to this day, that you
still think about it.
Maybe it was years ago.
Jim Tracy (29:05):
Wow, wow, yeah, I have a lot of them.
Um, I guess the first time Istood up in front of a trade
association where they're all mypeers, you know, when I got to
be chairman of our tradeassociation, you have to stand
(29:26):
up and speak in front of a groupof people, and when there are
2,000 people and they're in thesame business as you are and
they're sitting in the crowd infront of you, that's enough to
make you tingle a little bit.
Because and it's not, you know,I found, if you are genuine and
authentic when you talk topeople, they root for you.
(29:48):
I mean, they want you to win.
It's like having, okay, it'slike having, a home team, okay.
But when you walk on stage andare inauthentic or arrogant or
kind of a know-it-all, nowyou've got the away crowd at a
home event and you don't wantthat man, you want to, you want
(30:10):
to take these, this audience,and it's your job to uh, to
bring, to bring them into yourworld, to bring them into your,
into your arena.
And, and if you can do that, um, that's where the magic happens
, man, when you're talking, when, when you're talking, even if
there's 2,500 people in theaudience, when you're talking to
(30:30):
every one of them.
Um it, it's a huge difference.
It's a game changer.
Every one of them, it's a hugedifference, it's a game changer
and Jim.
Rocky (30:36):
I want to go back to the team piece because, again, I
think I was either reading orwatching one of your podcasts
where you talked a little bitabout recognition and I know you
wrote some I think it wasbirthday cards or personal cards
for people to get to know theirnames and stuff.
But talk to us just howimportant recognizing
individuals are in the workplacebecause I mean, let let's be
(30:57):
real, we all like it edibleevery once in a while, right?
Jim Tracy (30:59):
yeah, um, when, uh, here again, I got over 100
employees and I thought I reallyneed to, I really I need to do
a better job of touching thesepeople, and it was.
It was primarily men out in thefield and primarily women in
the office, and so I would.
But but I decided at one pointthat man, I gotta, I gotta, do a
(31:24):
birthday card for my people.
I gotta let them know that Iwish them a happy birthday, if
nothing else, so I literallywould.
At one time I was doing like160 birthday cards a year and
they're all handwritten, they'reall hand addressed, they're all
sent to someone with a noteabout how they affected me in
(31:44):
that year or they affected theirteam in that year, or whatever
it is I.
You gotta find somethingpositive to say about anybody in
your company.
Rocky (31:57):
Yeah, every little positive helps right, move it
forward a little bit.
So, jim, for somebody, whetherit's a business or just an
individual person, that might bestruggling.
And again, you know we allchase that dream sometimes of
you know, hey, I'm going to bethe next Dick Vitale
broadcasting on ESPN, or youknow the next big CEO.
But I mean, let's be real, ittakes a lot to get to the top.
(32:21):
What would be some of youradvice, words of wisdom for some
people that are chasing it,that have dealt with a lot of
adversity?
Jim Tracy (32:30):
You know, when the doc told me that he might have
to take my leg off, that waspretty big shock, um, and it
threw me into a little bit of atailspin, um.
But then, um, he asked my son.
He said, he said, how'd youguys get down here?
I mean, did not, like you'rehere with him like he thought
(32:52):
that they flew me down in ahelicopter.
And then when he found out theydidn't fly me down a helicopter
, he said well, did you followthe ambulance?
He goes no, man, we, we rode inmy truck and the doc looked at
me and goes he hasn't had anypainkillers and I'm like, no, I
had a couple aspirin up at thehub of the mountain, but it's
(33:12):
kind, it's kind of hurting.
And he looked over at my son andhe said your dad is one tough
yep fill in the blank threeletters and and uh, when I look
at that, um, I look at, I knewryan was going to take care of
me.
I knew the doc was going totake care of me.
(33:33):
I knew the doc was going totake care of me.
So you got to have a littlefaith and then I went up, you
know.
Then they tell me I'm going tobe, I'm not going to be able to
stand on my foot, I can't putany.
I got, so I got my bone, I gotsome cadaver bone, I got some
plastic bone, I got some steelbone or some steel in my in my
(33:54):
leg and they're like you cannottouch your foot to the ground
for 90 days.
That's a really long time yeah,um, so, uh, as I, as I moved
around, all of a sudden I had torealize that, like I mean, when
I first got home, I couldn't goto the bathroom, I had to get.
(34:14):
I had had somebody to help,because you can't fall, if you
stumble, you're going to standon your foot.
So you don't have.
And then, and then he said, ifthat happens, we can't fix it
anymore, then we are going totake your leg, so you have to
rely on other people.
And and if you're a, if you'rea quarterback, and your line is
(34:40):
full of holes, how good are yougoing to be?
You better have some feet, man.
If you ain't got wheels, youjust got to be.
Now.
You got to be quicker than a Dlineman and you got to be
quicker than a linebacker.
And by the time you get to thesecondary man, you're already
tired because all you've beendoing is running all day.
And so if you're building abusiness, you've got to learn to
(35:02):
trust, you've got to learn torely, you have to learn to teach
every moment.
And don't let go of the dream.
I talk a lot about me and mywife.
Sometimes we would race to themailbox to see if there was
going to be a check in there sowe could make payroll and you
know what?
We ran the business right.
(35:23):
We didn't spend a bunch ofmoney.
We never borrowed any moneyother than from retirement
accounts.
So I think we did it the rightway, but we also relied on one
another.
I think we did it the right way, but we also relied on one
another.
So get people around you whoyou trust and, yeah, who got
your back.
Rocky (35:41):
Yeah, a good support system goes a long way, for sure
.
So, jim, the last thing Iwanted to ask you too.
I know you have the Grampianpodcast, but between podcasts
and writing books, where do youfind time to do all this?
Jim Tracy (35:55):
You know, in May I'm going to be 66 years old and I
think that this retirement thatwe have kind of choreographed in
America is probably not for me.
I would take a page out of theMike Rowe book and say I
(36:16):
actually enjoy work because ofthe satisfaction that I get from
the work itself.
And my work now is to helppeople and to impact people and,
in some cases, change lives.
And if you can do that and youcan drive satisfaction and you
can make a shilling or two whileyou're doing it, it's pretty
(36:39):
awesome.
I mean, why would I want toslow down, man?
I want to speed up.
I've been accused of having abig, audacious life and I'm like
right on, bring it.
Rocky (36:53):
So the Grampian podcast, right, that do?
What type?
What do you talk about on there?
What?
What type of show is it?
How can, how can listeners outhere tonight follow jim tracy?
Jim Tracy (37:04):
sure, um, best way is to watch a show is is probably
on youtube, although youtube, uh, shadow banned me on one of my
recent podcasts, so I guess I'vearrived.
But yeah, it's the Grampian,g-r-a-m-p-i-o-n.
(37:24):
Thegrampiancom.
Or just search Jim Tracy onYouTube and it'll get you there.
And yeah, I sure appreciate youhaving me on.
Man, this is really cool.
If they want to find the book,just go on barns and noble or
wherever you buy books.
You can pre-order the book atat barnsandnoblecom.
Just look for building men byjim tracy yeah, and I'll make
(37:45):
sure I I post.
Rocky (37:46):
I posted it all week on the social media outlets.
I'll do it again tonight here,uh, before I hit the hay.
But but, jim, this was awesome.
Like I said, this wascompletely outside of my comfort
zone.
Normally I'm the guy talkinglocal sports or college football
, and this was really cool toget some time to spend it with
you and I'm fascinated by yourbackground and everything you
bring, your motivation.
I'm glad I found you.
Jim Tracy (38:08):
All right, well, coach, thank you, man, and don't
ever underestimate the impactthat you guys who are coaches,
coaches can have on those youngminds, because they can decide
to be winners when you, when youconvince them that it's not
about the score on the on the,you know, it's not about the
score on the board at the end ofthe game, it's about the
(38:28):
character that you walk when you, when you're 66, like if you
can walk away and go.
Hey, more often than not, I tryto do the right thing, just do
the right thing.
Rocky (38:38):
I appreciate that, jim.
I'll continue to follow you.
Thanks, my man appreciate thenight all right.
Jim Tracy (38:43):
Thank you and thank your audience.
Have a today after we have agreat one awesome, thank you.
Rocky (38:48):
Well, so that was.
That was Jim Tracy and I'm.
It's so funny.
Let me let me switch this overhere how I found Jim.
I got hooked up behind thescenes on another platform and
when I reached out to Jim hejumped right on and said he'd be
more than happy to jump on withme here tonight.
So this is completely new forme.
(39:08):
Beyond the game the podcast.
I have another guest coming onin a couple weeks.
He's an author of a sports bookcalled Out of Bounds.
He talks a lot about highschool sports.
I'll post that up next week soyou can learn a little bit about
him.
And then another guest afterthat was a longtime coach in the
NBA, general manager in the NBA, a lot of NBA coaching
experience.
So we'll talk to him too.
(39:29):
So it'll be fun here on theBeyond the Game.
So I want to make sure I thankeverybody for following this
show, for following the MohawkValley Sports Watch, for
following all the shows here onthe Rock Pile Podcast.
I really appreciate that.
Go on YouTube, subscribe, shareit and try to work on growing
the YouTube channel.
I've done a great job onFacebook with everybody
following the different shows.
(39:51):
So I want to turn my attentionto YouTube, but I hope everybody
enjoyed tonight.
Catch it on Spotify,iheartradio, apple Podcasts for
podcast listeners and Facebook,youtube all the social media
outlets if you want to follow onthose platforms as well.
So I appreciate everybody'stime tonight.
Stay tuned for the next MohawkValley Sports Watch If I don't
(40:11):
talk to you the rest of the week.
Happy Easter, be safe, becareful.
And thanks for tuning intonight here on.
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