June 30, 2025 • 51 mins
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After 22 years in special operations, Mike Taylor traded the intensity of combat for the world of creative entrepreneurship—and the transformation is nothing short of remarkable. In this candid conversation, Mike opens up about the unexpected twists that shaped his post-military life, from the quiet revelations of COVID lockdowns to the identity crisis that followed his retirement. Now the founder of Taylor Life Digital Marketing and the gaming label Chaotic Chronicles, Mike shares how discipline, resilience, and a creative spark helped him rebuild purpose beyond the uniform. His story is raw, insightful, and a testament to the power of reinvention when structure meets imagination.
(10:46) https://porthouse.kw.com/
(23:06) https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/Newsroom/WreathsAcrossAmericaRadio
Mike's LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/mike.taylor357?subscribe
Chaotic Chronicles: https://linktr.ee/Chaotic.Chronicles?subscribe
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Josh Porthouse (00:00):
The views expressed in this podcast are
solely those of the podcast hostand guest and do not
necessarily represent those ofour distribution partners,
supporting businessrelationships or supported
audience.
Welcome to Transacting Value,where we talk about practical
(00:22):
applications for instigatingself-worth when dealing with
each other and even withinourselves, where we foster a
podcast listening experiencethat lets you hear the power of
a value system for managingburnout, establishing boundaries
, fostering community andfinding identity.
My name is Josh Porthouse, I'myour host and we are redefining
sovereignty of character.
(00:42):
This is why values still holdvalue.
This is Transacting Value.
Mike Taylor (00:49):
You have to reevaluate yourself, like I said
, and look inside and see whatyou really want in life, and I
think what you really want iswhat your heart is going to do
and how you're going to followit Today on Transacting Value.
Josh Porthouse (01:05):
What is it about ?
A high intensity operationaltempo, like in the special
operations community, thatdrives us afterwards to try to
find some way to escape, someway to create purpose or, more
importantly, some way toself-express.
Ideally, those opportunitiesalso come with bringing our
family and friends together.
Now, in today's conversation,we're talking with the founder
(01:26):
of Taylor Life Digital Marketing, mike Taylor, all about how
he's done it and what he's doneand how he's used it to build
his businesses and his brandsthroughout the last year and the
few years prior.
My name is Josh Porthouse, I'myour host and from SDYT Media.
This is Transacting Value, mike.
What's up, man?
How you doing.
Mike Taylor (01:46):
I'm doing great man .
Thanks for having me.
It's been one long wait forhere, huh.
Josh Porthouse (01:51):
Yeah, yeah, but you know what I got to say, dude
.
Everything that I have heardyou do over, especially the last
year, let alone up to thatpoint, sounds like it's taken
you a lot longer to get into aposition where you can piece it
all together and make sense ofit.
Mike Taylor (02:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, it's definitely uh, doesn't
happen overnight.
You know, that's a, that'ssomething that a lot of people,
a lot of people I didn't realizethey don't, they don't really
um, they don't grasp, they thinkit's all the good stuff.
They don't see how hard and thetime and definitely all the
effort that goes and goes intoit.
(02:26):
So it's definitely notsomething that happened
overnight, that's for sure.
Josh Porthouse (02:30):
Yeah, well, that's sort of the downside of
social media, I guess.
You know.
When Zuckerberg stormed ontothe scene, everybody was like,
hey, life's pretty good foreverybody.
I guess Pretty much, you can'tcapture all the effort.
Let's start here, man.
So you've got a lot of thingsgoing on, and so for everybody
else who's unfamiliar with theshow or unfamiliar with your
(02:50):
brand and your businesses, let'sjust open there, okay.
Uh, who are you?
Where are you from?
You know what sort of thingsare shaping your perspective on
your businesses and on liferight now well, I'm uh, mike
taylor, as you said.
Mike Taylor (03:04):
Uh, usually right now you can.
Actually, I found out about aweek or so ago.
You can google me.
I didn't know that.
I was kind of surprised, butyou can google uh, mike taylor,
life and I pop up all over theplace.
So it was, uh, it was, it'sactually felt really good for
all the hard work.
Um, yeah, so I uh I'm actuallyretired after 22 years in the
military and I now I'm south ofSan Antonio and you know pretty
(03:30):
much a full time dad and Istarted my own marketing agency
probably right before I retired,probably about two years before
I retired.
I started kind of like buildingthe foundation of it and since
then I have had a lot ofadventures to kind of get where
I'm at now.
The marketing agency is doingwell, we have clients.
(03:53):
We're actually at the part nowwhere we're starting to.
We're in the planning stagesand about to execute next year
about expanding, we're workingon a program and mentorship for
kind of a mission basedinternship.
So the interns mostly people sithere interns they think of, you
know you don't pay them, theytreat them like crap and they
(04:13):
just, you know, free labor.
And my thing is more of like Iwant it to be more of a
mentorship, where I'm trainingthem, they get hands on, they do
get, you know, a small pay.
So you know you get permissionfor whatever they do, and then
they stick with us and we kindof mentor them and kind of train
them and then when their timeis done I think we're working on
a 24-week type process and whenthey get done, they get to have
(04:38):
two choices they can sign onwith us full-time or they can go
somewhere else so we can writethem a letter recommendation,
you know, and kind of vouch forthem and stuff like that.
So we want to give themexperience and stuff.
I uh, I came up with that justbecause a lot of people or a lot
of businesses, they wantsomebody fresh out of out of
college and they want freaking10 years of experience and like
(04:59):
this is possible.
You can't, you can't do likewhat the hell?
So that's where I kind of Iwanted to do that uh, forum, uh.
So while we do that, we're kindof expanding.
We're doing that, uh, in theprocess of kind of shifting our
focus.
We've been in a lot of um bigcorporations and we did um like
big businesses, medicalfacilities and then music
(05:20):
artists and things like that butnow we're trying to be more of
the technical side, ortechnology side and gaming type
stuff, mostly because that'swhat I like, I enjoy it the most
and it's something that I don'twant to look five years from
now, ten years from now, and Idread going to work.
I'm retired, I don't need towork, this is something I want
(05:42):
to do.
So I sat there about six monthsago and I'm like why the hell
am I even?
I want to do something that Ilike I'm the boss, I should be
able to do this.
So that's where that came from,and now we're kind of in that
shifting phase.
It's a very slow process, butthat's where I want to be.
Josh Porthouse (06:03):
Yeah man and you said gaming.
I assume by that wall behindyou you're talking board games.
Mike Taylor (06:07):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's, that's just one wall
right there.
I actually have a whole rowover the ceiling and I got
things over here.
So, yeah, I do a lot of boardgames.
We actually have a label.
Here we go Chaotic Chroniclesis our gaming label.
I started that this year and umnow I went from myself and then
(06:28):
I had a friend kind of like washelping me along, and then he
kind of signed on, and then nowwe have eight people.
You know, um, so we're allworking towards this and like,
got this huge Kickstarter comingup in March.
And we have, uh, people thatare well known in the industry
actually was actually saw usonline and saw some of the stuff
that we did and they were justlike, hey, like we want to jump
(06:51):
on your label, like we want tobe with you, and I was like, oh
yeah, so it was really cool.
Um, yeah, we, we had that andyou know, working with them.
And then then, along with that,we have a guy that actually
wants to write a book series onour, you know, adventures and
world and things that we did.
(07:11):
On that.
Josh Porthouse (07:12):
Like the lore of the game.
Mike Taylor (07:13):
Yeah, like the modules that we write and the
adventures and the lore, thebackstory, like they want to
write a whole book series on it.
Josh Porthouse (07:22):
That's cool.
Mike Taylor (07:23):
Yeah, so he's working on that.
Josh Porthouse (07:24):
Did you think it was going to be something like
what it's becoming, or was thisjust a hobby?
Mike Taylor (07:29):
it was a hobby, like I started actually started
playing.
Uh, it was kind of like adungeons and dragons type thing
with the kids because of covidum, we like board games.
I have three little girls um, Ihave four kids total, uh, but
this my son's already wasalready out of the house, and
then I have three little girlsand so we started getting
miniatures, we started gettingboard games and we started
(07:50):
playing.
It went from playing almostevery day because they were in
COVID, so school was in themorning and then couldn't really
do much in the winter, so wejust did our thing.
So it went from there to twoyears later I had three more
kids.
So there's six kids around mytable, you know, ranging from
eight years old to 18 years oldand uh, so I was just putting on
(08:14):
these huge parties for thesekids, uh.
And then I had some, you know,some older friends that I would
game with as well.
But finally one one of myfriends was like man, like you
write all of this stuff, whichbackstories I used to write all
the way from high school untilnow.
So I have tons of material thatI just write constantly.
And I was like, yeah, I woulddefinitely write these things
(08:36):
and I come up with the story.
So he's like man, we shouldpublish them on some stuff.
So he kind of pointed me in theright direction.
I did a few things and I gotpublished on the website and I
was selling them, you know alittle bit.
And so then I was like man, Ishould probably make this
something more serious.
And a friend was just kind ofdoing it and I was, I was out of
(08:57):
the military already and I wasin and out of that.
That.
That loophole, you know.
You know you got your highs andlows and this kind of kept me
driving forward.
You know you're, you know yougot your highs and lows and this
kind of.
This kind of kept me drivingforward.
You know when, uh, when I wasstarting to get stuck in the mud
, and so it just, you know itkind of fueled me to keep going
and I did it.
And this year, um, I kind ofjust amped it up and it kind of
(09:19):
just blew up.
Like I wasn't ready for how bigit got, like I'm learning, I'm
learning, I'm still learning asI go and I tell my team like,
hey, guys, like I'm stilllearning, like we are growing
way too fast, you know, for meto kind of I'm trying to keep up
, you know, because on top ofthat, I have a marketing agency
that you know that I'm runningand I go, now that we have this
and I also have like otherendeavors on the side that I
(09:45):
that I'm also doing as well um,yeah, which, yeah, it's a good.
And on top of that we have apodcast uh, I'm one of the one
of the two posts for a podcastcalled side quest, which also
deals with gaming and all of thestuff in that realm.
Uh, we had narrow divergent uhuh, team come on and they were
like kind of telling us how,like they used to use it for
counseling and, you know, boardgames and stuff like that.
(10:06):
And we had another one for likeeducation purposes.
We've had some with like justthe business.
So people, if they wanted tolearn how to like get into the
business, you know, instead ofjust hearing me every episode,
they can, like, you know, comeon and you know we have other
people uh, talk about it andthey have.
You know, we have one guy thathas a game show on youtube which
is really big and he, um, hewas on the show and he talked
(10:28):
about some of the stuff that hewas doing, and so I mean our,
our show is doing quite well.
We're booked until april now ofnext year for you yeah, so, uh,
so, yeah.
So now we had to kind of slowdown on getting guests because
I'm like we, you know we'rebooked, like before you know
we'll have the rest of the yearbooked out and what are we?
Going to do.
Ad (10:46):
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Mike Taylor (11:39):
Porthouse, tampa Bay Realtor.
Where values start in the home.
Yeah, so now we had to kind ofslow down on getting guests
because I'm like we're booked,like before you know, we'll have
the rest of the year booked outand what are we going to do?
Josh Porthouse (11:48):
It sounds like you traded one high op tempo for
another.
Mike Taylor (11:53):
Yeah, I did.
Josh Porthouse (11:54):
Was that just sort of fortuitous and it just
happened?
Or by design?
Or are you finding?
Maybe it was by design inhindsight?
Mike Taylor (12:02):
I think both you know.
I think, yeah, I am one ofthose people where I cannot sit.
Still, you know, not just youknow, I have like crazy ADHD
where I'm constantly moving,which was great when I was in
the army because I was doinglike a million things but you
can be behind a desk or make mesit down.
That's when, like you know,that's that that's when you
start falling in that hole.
(12:22):
You know, you start, you know,trying to trying to creep out of
it.
And um, so a lot of times I haveto keep myself busy.
And then, um, in the past Ifound keeping myself busy wasn't
always good.
You know, there's always stuff.
You know always did some dumbstuff and I was like, oh God man
, like so now, uh, my, my goal,as I was, as I hit, uh hit COVID
(12:43):
, and we were stuck at home andI was getting ready to retire, I
thought I was going to be likecontracting.
I thought I was going to belike every other guy that I
worked with, contracting, goingoverseas, doing personal
security.
I'd already got my personalsecurity license certificates
and all that stuff.
I already had made contacts forgoing overseas for contracting.
(13:06):
Um, but as covet hit and I wassitting there with my girls
every day and being able to eatdinner with my wife and stay up
and watch tv or even go to bedwith the same time as her, um,
you know, those six months ornine months, however long, it
was like kind of planted a seedwhere I was like, man, this is,
this is nice, like this is whatthis is, what a normal life is,
and, uh, that was.
(13:27):
I was just really.
It kind of kept me thinking and, as as as time got closer, I
had two years left, um, and halfof that was during COVID.
I kind of was just like you knowwhat I think I don't think I'm
going to.
I think I'm going to do thatanymore.
I told my wife I was like Idon't, I don't think I'm gonna
(13:49):
do that.
Man, like I want to, I thinkI'm gonna make the because I had
the marketing agency running.
It was more part-time, I had acouple people you know and uh,
it was just more of like a hobbythat kind of kept me busy on my
free time.
And I told her I was, I thinkI'm just gonna kind of amp it up
, you know, kind of just work onthis more and uh you know, she
was just, she was great.
She was like okay, you know, seewhat, see what happens, you
know what's gonna, what's theworst gonna happen, you know,
and that that kind of kind ofhelped me push a little bit more
(14:11):
, because I was like man, I tellpeople like what are you gonna
do is like I won't be a soccerdad, you know, I think I want to
be like like a full-time soccerdad, you know, for my girls and
be there for my wife, uh, andkind of you know there, and
every guy that I worked withlike that's a horrible idea guy,
like you know, I'm going to bereading your obituary like
within six months of you get nowlike there's no way that you,
(14:32):
of all people, are going to beable to sit still in a house,
you know, babysitting threelittle girls, and I was like no,
there's other things I can bedoing.
I know, you know they they haveto go to school sometime.
So that's where a lot of thatkind of came from.
And I, I was very lucky becauseI got onto a program.
I, I, uh, I retired out of Forthood, which Fort hood is has one
of the best retirement programsout there.
(14:53):
Um, it was phenomenal theprogram and I was, um, I kind of
was doing like a smallinternship, uh program with this
, with this company, uh, it'smedical training facility.
They were small at the time andI helped them grow.
I used my marketing agency andI was their number.
I was like their, theirofficial marketing agency that
they used.
(15:13):
So, um, as we were doing it, Iwas in that type of work program
and soon as I signed out andretired then they got me on full
time.
Then I was getting like a fullpaycheck because I had all the
work done with them.
So then I went right into fulltime army, to full time, you
know, doing that, which wasgreat.
(15:35):
I did that for about ninemonths.
Josh Porthouse (15:37):
Great for money?
Was it great for, like your,your, your mental space, to like
decompress?
Mike Taylor (15:44):
I think partly it was good for me because I was
able to stay busy, um, but Idon't think I was really fully
like realizing that I was out,like I was done, until, as I was
kind of amping down um withthem, is when I kind of it just
really hit me.
I was like, oh man, like Idon't really have anything to do
, like I don't have a, I don'thave a job per se.
(16:06):
You know, yeah, I still got upwith the girls every morning, I
kind of still kind of kept myworkout routine, and then the
rest of the day was okay, I worka little bit for a couple hours
and then what do I do?
And the kids didn't get hometill five.
(16:30):
So a lot of times I have four orfive hours and I'm just like I
don't have a routine, I don'thave, and slowly I just kind of
started coming around.
I was unraveling yeah, that'swhen the problems come in.
Yeah, and this this month,actually this month I hit three
years.
So I've only been out for threeyears after 22 years.
Um, so by that time I hit mysecond.
Yeah, it was like year two ofme being out right right around.
I was hit.
I already hit my.
I think I hit my second.
Yeah, it was like year two ofme being out Right around.
I think I hit my first year andthat's when I started kind of
unraveling and that was a bigone.
(16:52):
That's when it really hit meand I was struggling and my
business started kind of itwasn't growing, it was barely
keeping itself going because Ihad no momentum, I didn't have
anything.
I couldn't push anybody.
I, you know I'd contracted outyou know some marketers or
whatever that you know I wouldhire some people here and there
and they would kind of keep itgoing for me and but I had no
(17:15):
momentum to have it growing or,you know, I wouldn't be able to
invest back into it or anythinglike that, and it just kind of
just stayed afloat.
I didn't have anything elsegoing for me.
You know it was problems withme and my wife because I was
going stagnant.
And then you know, when youhave, when you have it, you know
it starts spreading throughoutthe house.
Josh Porthouse (17:34):
Absolutely.
Mike Taylor (17:35):
So that that was.
That was a real, real kick inthe pants.
You know, for me, um and aroundthat time, like I was doing,
the VA had already got me into alot of like the different type
of sessions that they had goingum here in san antonio.
Man, they had this greatprogram it's the peer counselors
and they're it's amazing, um oris that like therapy or rehab?
(17:57):
yeah, kind of um, I don't I.
So when I tell the other guys,I tell them like it goes, like a
counselor going to go to atherapy session, I go, these
peer counselors are actuallyveterans, they go through the VA
and get certified and they canactually talk.
So a lot of times my peer guyhe's actually he's from one of
the groups that I was in.
(18:17):
I didn't know him, but we knowthe same people or know of the
same people, so we actually knowthe lingo and we can talk to
each other.
Oh, like software know of thesame people, so we actually know
the lingo and we can talk toeach other.
Well, like yeah, yeah, oh sweet, so he was there, so he was in
uh and he had retired and hewent to work for the va and um,
so he, after he went throughthrough his counselings and all
(18:38):
that stuff, he was like man,like I want to kind of give back
because he was, I think heretired, retired probably five
or six years before me.
So he had already gone through.
Yeah, so he had already beenthrough a lot of the stuff that
I had gone through.
So he was really in, like hereally knew what he was talking
about and a lot of times it'sgood just to go once a month,
(19:01):
twice a month, whatever ourschedule is, and just to go
there and just to talk to him,because it's good to have that.
You know, I remember, like youknow, being being in the unit
and in the team room or whatever.
Like you have that, uh,camaraderie, you know you have
that.
You know you can decompresswith your, with your dudes, and
you're just like.
You know you can bounce ideasor you can just.
You know, you know how guys are.
(19:21):
We just need to vent and getour ideas out of our mouth.
You know and you know, and therest, everybody else can just
nod and that's all you need.
You know, as I told my wife, myguys don't need conversation.
All I need to do is say youknow my paragraph of words and
that's it.
Like I feel better, like I sawthe words coming out of my mouth
.
I'm like, oh, I just solved myproblem right there.
(19:46):
Yeah, it's just a pressurerelease.
Yeah, talking with him a lot oftimes he doesn't really have to
really guide me too much.
There's times where he's likewell, why don't you step back
and look at it?
He's like outside, looking in,this is what I see.
I'm like oh yeah, you're right,I was a jerk.
Other times he's like what doyou think I'll tell him he?
Josh Porthouse (20:10):
maybe conversational depth or some of
that critical thought that youhad with this guy or in
hindsight, on your own,throughout your career, makes
its way into your characters orinto the storylines that you
guys create with you know,chaotic chronicles or, um, I
don't know, tell life, did youanything?
Mike Taylor (20:27):
uh, yeah, I think so, man um one.
You know for my.
For the marketing for date fortaylor life, I have dealt with
several veterans.
You know, for the marketing forTaylor Life, I have dealt with
several veterans.
You know, definitely, in themusic industry there's an artist
right now he's actually reallygetting pretty big Shannon Book.
He's born in the rock and rollstyle and he was a disabled
(20:52):
veteran, combat veteran.
He does a lot of veteranoutreach programs, does all
these types of things.
He was actually in a groupbeforehand called Vetted, and
that group was all disabledveterans as well and they did a
lot of outreach.
So I worked with him and webecame really good friends.
I worked with this otherChristian label, Hip Hop and
(21:16):
Stuff, impact Records, and theowner is Mike Miner and he also
is a veteran and does a lot ofyou know, reaches out and do
these things On top of otherveterans that I've worked with.
So I'm able to kind of, youknow, relate to these guys and
we kind of, you know, relate tothese guys and we kind of, you
know, earn that trust and thatbond One.
(21:39):
Because, like just business,wise people are horrible people
in business and I learned thatin a very hard way several times
, and so I just try to, you know, kind of be real with them and
I'll tell them, you know, iftheir stuff sucks, or you know
like, hey, it needs to be better, or we got to kind of work with
it, and them, you know if theirstuff sucks, or you know like,
(22:00):
hey, it needs to be better, orwe got to kind of work with it,
and you kind of like, and then Ican kind of relate to some of
the stuff that they're going to.
Now, the the gaming side, um, Ican definitely relate to a lot
of the characters and, like I,everything that we have I
created myself before, like ourworld, our games, or you know,
everything that we've done.
I got put it all, it all and Ithink a lot of it.
You know, as you say, like I putit on paper, like our world is
(22:22):
a very grim, dark.
Think of, like my I based itoff of He-Man because that was
like my childhood, you know heroback in the day, and but I took
it and I and I I kind of warpedit into like a very dark,
sinister style.
You know, if you take thatcolorful he-man, turn it, turn
it, you know into, like stephenking, uh, would make it.
(22:43):
And then I put hb love, more dccomics, yeah, like very, yeah,
very dc comic ish.
You know batman, you know very,uh gothic and grim, dark, you
know.
And then I took you know Callof Cthulhu or HP Lovecraft and
put that on top of it.
So our entire world is justthis grim, dark, despair.
And I think when I created thatworld, like that's where my
(23:04):
mind was.
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Mike Taylor (23:30):
I think when I created that world, that's where
my mind was.
Josh Porthouse (23:32):
That's interesting, I think when I
created that world, like that'swhere my mind was.
Mike Taylor (23:34):
That's interesting, yeah.
So, as we have these characters, now I'm I kind of see you know
, I'm like dang man like this is.
This is really depressing.
Like now we have to like kindof put some light into it.
And thank God I have thesereally great guys Like these,
these, these artists and thesewriters and and developers like
they're amazing because theyhave constantly just they're on,
they're on the ball man, likewe have a discord, uh, team, and
(23:57):
we are definitely likeconstantly my phone's pinging,
constantly my wife's like areyou serious?
I'm just like, uh, they'rebrainstorming, I guess, like
this is that's their thing anduh, so it's just really cool.
Um, now, the, the, uh I don'tknow if I'm supposed to say this
or not, but I will.
So, like our book series that'sgetting developed for the
(24:21):
gaming world, we have an authorthat's actually signed on to do
a book series on it and hiswhole thing is which he's
actually, he's also a veterandisabled and we actually met
each other.
Before I went to all did all thecrazy stuff, my first
deployment was in Korea andthat's where me and him met when
I was a private.
So, uh, yeah, and then we kindof we kind of separated and then
(24:43):
years later we contacted, youknow, got back to uh together
and kind of just, you know,we're just, we're just friends.
So over the last five, sixyears we kind of just bonded
again and and now he kind ofreached out and I was like, man,
you should probably, you know,join my label if you want to do
that.
And he was like, how about Ijust write for you?
Like I want to write, and thatwas his idea.
(25:04):
And he just kind of he laid outthis huge idea that he had for
me but he didn't want to tell mebecause he was embarrassed like
.
He was just like I don't knowhow to say it.
And he told me and he wasplanning to ask me to write for
our series.
And I was like that's amazing,because you know you should
probably join.
So his whole thing, his wholething, is called lit rpg.
(25:24):
It's called uh, so it'sliterature rpg books.
What it is is a book that kindof you're reading about a person
inside of a video game or aboard game or something like
that.
Think about reading the mumjibook, I guess.
Um, but their characters areare veterans, uh, and they're
dealing with like ptsd andthey're dealing with some type
(25:46):
of trauma and they, what they dois the as they're bouncing from
reality to inside these books.
They're coping with their youknow their struggles and they're
dealing with their you knowtheir struggles and they're
dealing with their you knowtheir PTSD or their trauma, and
everything kind of coincides andit works.
So it's them.
Each book is a differentveteran, you know, dealing with
(26:07):
their struggles and that's kindof like how it kind of works,
which you know.
Half of my team for AIChronicles are veterans.
Josh Porthouse (26:14):
You know, we all kind of come, which you know.
Mike Taylor (26:16):
Half of my team for gala chronicles are our
veterans.
Josh Porthouse (26:17):
You know we all kind of come together and do
that.
Have you found that, I guessbecause of your it sounds like
primarily your experience onworking with small teams in the
soft community, that it waseasier to start getting traction
once you built out your ownsmall team over the last year or
two?
Mike Taylor (26:32):
Yeah, actually it was pretty big.
I mean it started out reallysmall.
So how all of this?
From after this past year I hadlearned a lot.
Starting in January, I had beenasked to kind of join a
nonprofit organization, thisorganization.
(26:54):
I was asked by another softmember to come to this
organization called AerialRecovery and they are kind of
like Underground Railroad.
Have you heard of them?
Like the movie.
Josh Porthouse (27:10):
Human Trafficking.
Mike Taylor (27:11):
Human Trafficking yes, they do the human
trafficking?
They had that movie out.
I forget the name.
Sound of Freedom, sound oftrafficking.
Josh Porthouse (27:15):
Yes, they had that movie out.
Mike Taylor (27:16):
I forget the name Sound of Freedom, sound of
Freedom.
Yeah, so Ariel does the samething.
They're the other team that doesit, and so they kind of take
veterans and they take firstresponders, people that are kind
of like they need a purposeagain and they need drive and
stuff.
So they took my friend saw mein this rut last year.
He was like, hey, man, I reallythink you need to come with me
(27:38):
on this journey.
He'd done it months before andthen he told me about it.
I did it and it really helpedme connect with other people
that were on the same level asme Through the 12 weeks that we
went through.
These little not really classes,but we did like these group
type of meetings, you know,every week and we stayed in
(27:59):
contact with WhatsApp andwhatever, and we kind of all
grew, you know, together.
It really helped me kind ofreach out because then when I
did that, my friends had startedme to write these games.
I started working on networkingwith some of these business
people that I started meetingthrough write these games.
I started working on networkingwith some of these business
people that I started meetingthrough the aerial program.
So my marketing businessstarted to pick up a little bit.
(28:23):
And then, on top of that, I waslike man, you know what I want
to.
You know, as I'm starting mychaotic chronicles, I was like
I'm going to try to help someother independent artists and
developers and stuff.
So I created this small littlegroup on discord and it was just
a network for us and we kind oflike bounce ideas we're
supposed to brainstorm, and itbecame a worldwide community
(28:45):
within the last nine months, Iguess.
Yeah, so a dungeon scribesociety that I'm the founder of
that and we now have abi-monthly newsletter for
independent artists, creators,developers, um, on patreon, and
we put it all together and wehave like over a hundred and so
members.
We had over 300 at one time,but we had to start cutting it
(29:08):
back for the just because itstarted getting toxic, you know,
and we were like trying to dolike a more of a positive type
thing.
And so I have a group of adminor a board, however you want to
say it, and we all run ittogether and we do this
newsletter, we put things out,we talk on you know group.
I try to make like weeklyannouncements and things like
(29:30):
that for them.
And while I did that, I wasdeveloping my team for Cha
chaotic chronicles and peoplestarted seeing like little
things that I was doing onlineand in the discord.
And as that happened, uh, myfriend for the podcast, he was
he's like hey, man, like I needhelp with this podcast, you know
, and like you know, we need anew one.
And I was like sure, I've neverdone a podcast before, I guess
(29:53):
I'll do that.
So.
So I kind of jumped in the deep, deep end, you know, both feet
with that, never done it before.
And I had no idea.
He sent me a mic which I'musing right now, and uh, he was
like all right, let's, let's trythis.
And I did it and we just kindof, from there, we, we, we took
off.
And he's in charge of thetechnical stuff and I'm more of
(30:13):
like the, the face, thenetworking, kind of, from there,
we, we, we took off and he's incharge of the technical stuff
and I'm more of like the theface, the networking, kind of
getting people on and uh, so we,we kind of tag team it and
we're doing you know pretty wellI think, um, and as that, all
that was happening, my chaoticchronicles team started getting
bigger and I'm managing thesepeople and now I have them like
everybody has their role andlike everybody has their role
(30:34):
and like everybody has their joband their sector, and I'm like,
okay, like hey, I was like hey,guys, I know some of you
haven't been in the military,but we're going to have a chain
of command, like there's goingto be me and it's going to be
somebody right underneath me andthat person is going to be in
charge of these guys.
And you guys are in charge ofthese.
You know these sections and, aswe writing these agreements or
(30:55):
contracts, uh, however you wantto say it, each person is
assigned for their you knowtheir section and we kind of do
it like a business, but in likea more of a team open space area
and you know it runs verysmoothly.
We don't work as fast as like a,I guess, a professional style
business, because we're more ofjust like a bunch of guys
goofing around, like we bounceideas off each other and every
now and then I have to step inand be like, okay, we have to
(31:17):
get this work done, like, but alot of times it's, you know,
it's like to me.
I'm just like, I want to havefun, I want to do these things.
I want to.
You know I'm like, but we havea deadline and we just have to
get to the deadline.
You of times that's usuallywhat happens and it did like a
lot of the, the small team stuffor just learning to deal with
(31:38):
those types of environments.
It definitely did help me a lot.
You know, um, running abusiness and talking to people
or running a group or especiallythe community, um, yeah, you
know, it's just a.
It's just a.
It was definitely a step upthan a lot of other people all
righty folks, sit tight, we'llbe right back on Transacting
Value.
Josh Porthouse (31:59):
Imagine losing everything your country, your
marriage, even your ability tospeak the language.
On Transacting Value, we meetSudebay Mokri, who fled the
Iranian revolution only to facean unexpected betrayal in
America.
Picture arriving with two youngchildren, no money and
(32:19):
struggling with English, forcedto completely rebuild her life
from scratch.
But here's the shocker Afterachieving everything a home,
career, family Sudebay realizedshe was still empty.
Her identity had shifted andshe needed to rediscover who she
truly was.
She shares how, at rock bottom,facing physical illness, she
(32:40):
chose to pray for guidance,leading to an incredible journey
of transformation.
Now an author, registered nurseand transformational coach,
sudebay's books Angel,nightingale and Emerging you
reveal her journey of healingand rediscovering purpose.
Find out how trauma led to adeeper understanding of self at
SudebayMokricom and learn how toshift your perspective and find
(33:03):
your own inner peace.
Tune into Transacting Value torewrite your story and learn
more.
Mike Taylor (33:09):
It was definitely a step up than a lot of other
people.
Josh Porthouse (33:13):
So let me ask you this then, because I think
there's something that you havein common with a lot of other
people as well, and my I guess,general prevailing theory is
that a lot of people actuallyhave this next point in common.
So this is a segment of the showcalled Developing Character
D-D-Developing Character.
Now it's two questions foranybody who's new to the show,
(33:35):
obviously, mike, you includedand my theory is that whenever
somebody's identity, how theyview themselves, and their role,
what they actually do in anygiven society, don't match
anymore, there's always going tobe some conflict and some
degree of well, uncertainty andcomplexity and all the same sort
(33:56):
of fog of war considerations, Iguess, where you try to feel it
out, like you said, the firstyear or two, you're just sort of
a jellyfish in society,learning your way again.
So my theory is that when thosemoments happen, everybody can
stand back on their value systemto find some degree of worth or
awareness and at least buildback from there as a continuity
(34:18):
or a constant.
And so my two questions arewhat were some of your values
growing up or that you rememberbeing raised on that you think
got you to this point?
And then my second question isif any of them have changed over
time or since then.
What are some of your valuesnow?
Mike Taylor (34:34):
Well, one.
I grew up in South Texasas.
Uh, so we definitely a lot ofit's very old-fashioned um, we
did, uh, you know my grandpa washis thing was you know the
handshake.
You know the handshake that's.
You know, that's just, it's aseal the deal right there.
And uh, you know, you don't, youknow, don't lie, don't you know
don't cheat things like that um, which you know I was a young
(34:57):
boy in like the 80s and 90s, soI definitely lied and cheated
and uh, but you know, ourfamilies kind of kind of still
like that kind of veryold-fashioned style and and the
big one that was is the one thatthat is now that I tried not to
kind of pass on to my son was,you know, like the men work,
like you know that's that's yourwhole role in life.
(35:19):
You work until you die.
Like that's it.
Like you know, if you're notworking then you're not worth
anything, and that was like ahuge thing.
And I work and I I did that allthe way up until I retired.
That was my thing.
Like I was just like, well, Igotta work.
You know, that's it.
You know I'm working and Iconstantly work and I constantly
deployed and I constantly, likethat was my thing, like if I
wasn't, if I had a day off, thenI need to be doing something.
(35:41):
You know, um, and now, uh, ittook me, took me quite a while
especially these last threeyears, uh, with the help of my
wife, to kind of like slow down,to realize, like hey, like you
know, you can't just work allthe time because you're not
going to enjoy anything thatyou're working for.
That was a it's like a big eyeopener for me is now, like I say
(36:04):
, like I tell people like I'mnot working to be a
multimillionaire, I don't causeI don't need to work.
I'm, you know, I'm disabled, asif I'm getting a paycheck.
That's the way.
I need to have it in my head,because if not, then I feel like
I'm getting money for no reasonand I need to constantly do
something.
So I'm trying to help people aswell.
Josh Porthouse (36:25):
There's some purpose.
Mike Taylor (36:27):
Yeah, definitely.
That was a huge thing this pastyear that I learned and now I
tell people I'm trying to beable to be well enough that my
bills are paid off and I cantake my family out for a ribeye
steak dinner for the rest of mylife without worrying about.
You know, looking at thecheckbook.
A lot of times growing up waslike money was a huge thing,
everybody was working for moneyand that no one really had a
(36:50):
reason why.
And I think you know with mekind of realizing that I don't
have to work as hard or as muchor you know, hyper focus on that
.
That, you know, because moneywas the, was the object as well,
like I don't need to to kind ofbe greedy with it.
I don't need, I don't need it.
I need to be able to afford totake care of my family and maybe
(37:14):
, you know, help somebody outevery now and then, but I don't
need to have all of this.
You know all these things andthat was that's, that's a huge
thing that I had to kind ofreevaluate myself and kind of
reposition my thought processand like where I want to do um,
I I had told a friend you knowhe was, he saw me, how fast I
(37:35):
was kind of rising and he was um, he kind of keeps me grounded a
lot.
He was the one that got me intothe nonprofit organization.
He was just like you know, healways tries to drill me, make
sure I'm always grounded andkeeps me going.
And he's like what are yougoing to do?
Like he was like if you haveall, you know you get famous or
you get popular, you know yourbusinesses do.
(37:56):
Well, he's like you know I'mlike I don't need, I don't need
to do all that man, I go what Igo.
He has a nonprofit as well.
His nonprofit is the veteranarchery project and it helps
special operation veterans kindof deal with their stuff and he
takes them out archery, shootingand stuff.
So I was like if I, if I, makethat much money, then I can
(38:17):
definitely help out yournonprofit.
That's for one.
You know I can pay off all mybills.
Help out your nonprofit.
I go and I would love to beable to go to Walmart or grocery
store and look behind me andsee three or four people with
their carts and tell the cashierlike, hey, these next three
people put it all on my tab anddon't tell them and just kind of
wait until they're done andthen go back and pay that I told
(38:38):
him that has been one of mydreams for, you know, for a
little while now, because I'mlike man that'd be great.
You know how can I give somebodyChristmas in July, you know but
I don't want, yeah, but I don'twant to be the guy that's, like
you know for myself.
You know I'm just, like youknow I help somebody thing and I
don't need to share it oranything, but that's just
(39:01):
something that that you know.
Kind of like I wouldn't I don'tthink I would have done that a
few years ago yeah, and that'ssomething that you know.
You have to kind of get toreevaluate yourself, like I said
, and look inside and see whatyou really want in life.
And I think what you reallywant is what your heart is going
to do and how you're going tofollow it.
(39:23):
So definitely, my thoughtprocess changed from when I was
a kid until now, with all ofthat, because I don't want to
work, I want to step back.
I want to manage all of thesebusinesses and communities.
I want to have somebody elserun them for me.
I want to be able to take mykids to Disney world once a year
and, you know, red by statedinners and pay for people's
groceries or whatever you know.
(39:44):
Like you know, I don't know, Um, that's, that's just like.
I guess that's the goal.
It's not a dream, Cause I'mgonna make it happen.
Josh Porthouse (39:58):
It's just for you, well, yeah, so let me ask
you this and this is, I guess,one of my last two or three
questions for the sake of time,but now, having gone through
your own life, professionally,personally, watching your kids
grow up overall, personally, andnow into their own professions
and whoever they want to become,as little humans, and then the
characters you've createdessentially it sounds like
dozens of times over, living allsorts of different lives and
(40:20):
qualities and decision-makingprocesses, what has it done for
you and your own sense of selfand your own self-worth?
Mike Taylor (40:28):
Well, the person a while ago I definitely would.
I wouldn't say I'm ashamed, butI'm definitely embarrassed of
that guy.
Like I definitely don't want togo back to that guy.
That guy is the completeopposite of who I am now, um,
and I don't.
I definitely I was a, I wasdefinitely a Grinch, that's for
sure, um, but now I, it's a bigdifference.
(40:50):
Uh, I noticed I kind of didn'treally, I really didn't say
anything to like my family, butI looked at pictures from now,
five years ago.
You know my pictures nowsmiling, I'm more, you know,
live and colorful and whatnot.
And the guy five years ago, hedid, he wasn't smiling, you know
he.
You know if he did, it was, itwas a very forceful smile that I
could tell, or you knowsomething, and the pictures
(41:12):
weren't the same and uh you canjust trail back and then you go
back all the way from when Ijoined the army.
I was very happy in life.
So then, like those 22 yearsjust kind of like faded into it,
you know, and uh, that was youknow.
Seeing that, like I don't wantto be that.
Be that dad.
I want my kids to kind of belike my dad was.
(41:34):
You know he was, you know, hejoked with us, he, he did all
these fun things you know.
He came to practice.
He was you know, he made all mygames or gymnastics and all
that stuff.
I want them to be present,that's the word.
And I want, you know, my kidsto kind of have that.
I want them to be able to telltheir kids that.
(41:54):
And then you know my business,my businesses, business work
works really well when you arein a good headspace, like that's
, that's, that's guaranteed, andthe people around you want to
work with you and want to workfor you.
And if you are, you know, ascumbag, you know just, you know
angry all the time and you knowcussing and yelling and
(42:15):
throwing things no wants to workwith.
And when you are smiling, thatyou know that draws that, that
draws good energy in and peoplewant to draw.
You know they draw to you.
So it's just like I want.
I want to be able to for peopleto kind of feed off of that
energy and I want to be able tohelp people to do these things.
Um, and I've created thisgaming world.
(42:37):
It's very dark and stuff, butat the same time now I'm
actually giving people, you know, hope.
I'm giving people like this,these opportunities.
Um, also, I have an internprogram that I'm designing for
my marketing.
I'm actually designing anotherone for my gaming label as well.
Um, yes, so this so is a uh isfor art students, um, that are,
(42:59):
you know, intern program, and sowe won't pay them like a
commission, like they like them,like they do, uh, the marketing
does.
But we will do is we will teachthem how the industry works.
I have a guy that's beenworking with a, um, a, a big
business in in the RPG world.
Uh, so kind of like everybodyknows dungeons and dragons,
(43:19):
right, so he's worked with acouple companies that are like
right underneath them, like soit's just like he does that.
So he's, he's, he's with us,you know, and um, on top of that
we we have, we teach them, theindustry, the artists, we can
teach them how you knowdifferent, different, different
styles, and then, um, on top ofthat, we uh can get their, their
(43:41):
work published in our own book.
So we can get them published,build their portfolios, um, get
them in the network, show themthe community that we're
building so that they're part ofthe community, so they can
build their own network.
And then we're teaching themdifferent things, like you know
their own self marketing and youknow they can build their own
presentation as well themselves.
(44:02):
And then, at the end, samething they can come on full time
or they can.
They can get a letter ofrecommendation and we can help
them go forth into other thingsas well, cause then we can be
like, hey, yeah, we put theirstuff in our book or they were
able to be featured in anotherbook that we know, or we're
partnered with, that's justanother thing.
So I mean, that's just I want tobe able to do those type of
(44:23):
things for people and I know ifI could, because I know when I
was in their shoes I would.
I wanted someone to help me outand it took me a very long time
to get where I'm at right now,and I could have done it so much
faster if somebody was actuallygenuine, instead of trying to
take advantage of me constantlybecause I was new to a lot of
this.
If somebody was genuine, Icould have been in a better
(44:46):
place or further along than whatI am right now.
I could have been helpingpeople two years ago.
Josh Porthouse (44:52):
That's a great point.
Mike Taylor (44:53):
So that's just my thing.
I had somebody tell me like hey, because I asked him.
I was like man, I can maybe,you know, help somebody.
How can I help somebody, youknow?
And I had my mentor I have abusiness mentor and he told me
he's like look, he says you wantto help somebody.
Think about what you can teachsomebody.
I was like I can't teach nobodynothing.
I'm new to this.
He was like well, think aboutwho you were five years ago.
I was like okay, he's like whatdid you know five years ago?
(45:16):
I was like really nothing.
He's like what do you knowright now?
I was like more than that guy.
He's like exactly, now youteach that guy.
I was just like go, I was likeyou know, like that, that,
really that makes a lot of sense.
He's like the teacher told meone time you only need to be one
lesson ahead of somebody toteach them.
You know to be a teacher.
Um, he's like so as long asyou're one lesson ahead, you can
(45:37):
teach somebody.
I was like dang, that's even abetter point right there.
So that's where you know.
So now I'm like okay, if I knowjust a little bit more than
somebody, like, let me share itwith them and kind of make their
life a little bit easier sothat they can prosper.
And that's like that was thebig reason why I built that
community, which became awildfire as well.
It kind of blew up yeah cool.
(45:58):
So we're doing quite well inthe community and different
things that I'm trying to workon as well For you, man.
Josh Porthouse (46:06):
And let me ask you this that's a great point, I
guess, as a segue.
So for anybody that wants tofollow along with your Discord
track, your gaming label, maybeeven take you on and be a client
for your marketing company,where do people go?
How do they find out moreinformation?
Mike Taylor (46:22):
uh, the big one is my link tree.
So you can go to link treeforward slash miketaylor357 that
has all of my links on there.
Um, you can go to, uh, facebookfor taylor life digital
marketing.
Um, that right now, uh, that'sour, our kind of our page
because we are transferring ourwebsite.
So I was going to say it'scoming soon.
Um, and then chaotic Chroniclesis there for the gaming is
(46:44):
Facebook Instagram.
Uh, the website, chaoticchroniclescom.
Um, and then, uh, we have theside quest podcast show.
We are on there as well.
You can find me on any of those.
You can contact me email.
My link tree has our email anddifferent ways to contact us.
Do it on social media, you know, just try to.
(47:05):
You know I get tons of emailsand messages so I kind of have
to filter them out.
So if I don't get you the firsttime, definitely hit me up
again and, you know, reach outto me.
I can definitely point you inthe right direction if I
personally can't help you yeah,sweet.
Josh Porthouse (47:20):
So for anybody who's new to this show,
depending on the player you'restreaming the conversation on or
where you're watching thisvideo, if you click see more,
you click show more in the dropdown description for the
conversation, you'll also seelinks to mike's link tree and
social insights.
Uh, where applicable, except forthat landing page, do you get
it back up?
And then, uh, obviously, all ofthose links, so, as you guys
(47:42):
are listening to this, you canshoot over to his page as well
and start tracking them down andfollow and subscribe and all
that kind of cool stuff.
Mike, I love this conversation,dude, I appreciate your
opportunity, your energy, yourperspective, perspective, your
passion.
But I got to tell you, man, ifnobody's told you recently, I'm
proud of what you're doingbecause I've only been out a
year and it's been pretty closeto exactly how you described it.
(48:04):
So you know there's a lot ofbuilding out this podcast and
this media company and findingmyself throughout the process
yeah, it is exactly what you'resaying.
So I appreciate what you'resaying.
So I appreciate what you'redoing and I'm proud of how you
did it.
Man, good for you,congratulations.
Yeah, and just as a quick sortof Benny to you I'm assuming
(48:28):
you're already familiar withNightwatch Games, being down
near San Antonio yeah, I've seenthem around so, yeah, if you
get the chance to drop in there,Porek has been on the show as
well for Transacting Value justrecently, I think a few months
back.
But yeah, if you're unfamiliaror if you want an introduction,
send me an email or I'll get youguys in touch as best I can and
(48:49):
maybe that'll help you out aswell.
But again, yeah, I appreciatethe opportunity, man, Thanks for
your time and I hope the restof your afternoon and obviously
coming holidays here forChristmas go well for you, man.
So Merry Christmas and thanksagain.
Mike Taylor (49:01):
You too, man.
Thank you very much.
Josh Porthouse (49:03):
Thanks, dude, and everybody else who tuned in,
obviously, and watched thisconversation and listened to the
conversation.
Thank you guys for joining us.
I appreciate your time and theopportunity to talk and teach a
little bit with you guys as well.
You can head over to ourwebsite,
transactingvaluepodcastcom andon the homepage in the top right
corner you're going to see abutton that says leave a
voicemail.
That's two minutes of talk timeall to you.
(49:25):
Here's two recommendations withwhat you can do with it.
One, let us know what you thinkof the show.
Let us know your feedback, yourinsights, your comments, what
you think of the topics.
My style, me, my voice pitch, Idon't care.
Let us know what you thinkabout the show.
But two, let Mike know what youthink about this conversation,
what you think about hisbusiness, what you think about
his websites.
Give him some feedback.
Let him know what's going on.
That's what helps ourbusinesses grow and build and
(49:48):
design and cultivate these newcommunities your input.
So if you have the opportunity,I'd appreciate it.
Speaking for Mike, I'm surehe'd appreciate it as well, but
since we're out of time untilnext time, that was Transacting
Value.
Thank you to our show partnersand folks.
Thank you for tuning in andappreciating our value as we all
(50:08):
grow through life together, tocheck out our other
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(50:30):
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Slash transactingvalue tosponsor a wreath and remember,
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On behalf of our team and ourglobal ambassadors, as you all
strive to establish clarity andpurpose, ensure social
(50:50):
tranquility and secure theblessings of liberty or
individual sovereignty ofcharacter for yourselves and
your posterity, we will continueinstigating self-worth and
we'll meet you there.
Until next time.
That was Transacting Value.
The views expressed in this podcast are
solely those of the podcast hostand guest and do not
necessarily represent those ofour distribution partners,
supporting businessrelationships or supported
audience.
Welcome to Transacting Value,where we talk about practical
(00:22):
applications for instigatingself-worth when dealing with
each other and even withinourselves, where we foster a
podcast listening experiencethat lets you hear the power of
a value system for managingburnout, establishing boundaries
, fostering community andfinding identity.
My name is Josh Porthouse, I'myour host and we are redefining
sovereignty of character.
(00:42):
This is why values still holdvalue.
This is Transacting Value.
Mike Taylor (00:49):
You have to reevaluate yourself, like I said
, and look inside and see whatyou really want in life, and I
think what you really want iswhat your heart is going to do
and how you're going to followit Today on Transacting Value.
Josh Porthouse (01:05):
What is it about ?
A high intensity operationaltempo, like in the special
operations community, thatdrives us afterwards to try to
find some way to escape, someway to create purpose or, more
importantly, some way toself-express.
Ideally, those opportunitiesalso come with bringing our
family and friends together.
Now, in today's conversation,we're talking with the founder
(01:26):
of Taylor Life Digital Marketing, mike Taylor, all about how
he's done it and what he's doneand how he's used it to build
his businesses and his brandsthroughout the last year and the
few years prior.
My name is Josh Porthouse, I'myour host and from SDYT Media.
This is Transacting Value, mike.
What's up, man?
How you doing.
Mike Taylor (01:46):
I'm doing great man .
Thanks for having me.
It's been one long wait forhere, huh.
Josh Porthouse (01:51):
Yeah, yeah, but you know what I got to say, dude
.
Everything that I have heardyou do over, especially the last
year, let alone up to thatpoint, sounds like it's taken
you a lot longer to get into aposition where you can piece it
all together and make sense ofit.
Mike Taylor (02:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, it's definitely uh, doesn't
happen overnight.
You know, that's a, that'ssomething that a lot of people,
a lot of people I didn't realizethey don't, they don't really
um, they don't grasp, they thinkit's all the good stuff.
They don't see how hard and thetime and definitely all the
effort that goes and goes intoit.
(02:26):
So it's definitely notsomething that happened
overnight, that's for sure.
Josh Porthouse (02:30):
Yeah, well, that's sort of the downside of
social media, I guess.
You know.
When Zuckerberg stormed ontothe scene, everybody was like,
hey, life's pretty good foreverybody.
I guess Pretty much, you can'tcapture all the effort.
Let's start here, man.
So you've got a lot of thingsgoing on, and so for everybody
else who's unfamiliar with theshow or unfamiliar with your
(02:50):
brand and your businesses, let'sjust open there, okay.
Uh, who are you?
Where are you from?
You know what sort of thingsare shaping your perspective on
your businesses and on liferight now well, I'm uh, mike
taylor, as you said.
Mike Taylor (03:04):
Uh, usually right now you can.
Actually, I found out about aweek or so ago.
You can google me.
I didn't know that.
I was kind of surprised, butyou can google uh, mike taylor,
life and I pop up all over theplace.
So it was, uh, it was, it'sactually felt really good for
all the hard work.
Um, yeah, so I uh I'm actuallyretired after 22 years in the
military and I now I'm south ofSan Antonio and you know pretty
(03:30):
much a full time dad and Istarted my own marketing agency
probably right before I retired,probably about two years before
I retired.
I started kind of like buildingthe foundation of it and since
then I have had a lot ofadventures to kind of get where
I'm at now.
The marketing agency is doingwell, we have clients.
(03:53):
We're actually at the part nowwhere we're starting to.
We're in the planning stagesand about to execute next year
about expanding, we're workingon a program and mentorship for
kind of a mission basedinternship.
So the interns mostly people sithere interns they think of, you
know you don't pay them, theytreat them like crap and they
(04:13):
just, you know, free labor.
And my thing is more of like Iwant it to be more of a
mentorship, where I'm trainingthem, they get hands on, they do
get, you know, a small pay.
So you know you get permissionfor whatever they do, and then
they stick with us and we kindof mentor them and kind of train
them and then when their timeis done I think we're working on
a 24-week type process and whenthey get done, they get to have
(04:38):
two choices they can sign onwith us full-time or they can go
somewhere else so we can writethem a letter recommendation,
you know, and kind of vouch forthem and stuff like that.
So we want to give themexperience and stuff.
I uh, I came up with that justbecause a lot of people or a lot
of businesses, they wantsomebody fresh out of out of
college and they want freaking10 years of experience and like
(04:59):
this is possible.
You can't, you can't do likewhat the hell?
So that's where I kind of Iwanted to do that uh, forum, uh.
So while we do that, we're kindof expanding.
We're doing that, uh, in theprocess of kind of shifting our
focus.
We've been in a lot of um bigcorporations and we did um like
big businesses, medicalfacilities and then music
(05:20):
artists and things like that butnow we're trying to be more of
the technical side, ortechnology side and gaming type
stuff, mostly because that'swhat I like, I enjoy it the most
and it's something that I don'twant to look five years from
now, ten years from now, and Idread going to work.
I'm retired, I don't need towork, this is something I want
(05:42):
to do.
So I sat there about six monthsago and I'm like why the hell
am I even?
I want to do something that Ilike I'm the boss, I should be
able to do this.
So that's where that came from,and now we're kind of in that
shifting phase.
It's a very slow process, butthat's where I want to be.
Josh Porthouse (06:03):
Yeah man and you said gaming.
I assume by that wall behindyou you're talking board games.
Mike Taylor (06:07):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's, that's just one wall
right there.
I actually have a whole rowover the ceiling and I got
things over here.
So, yeah, I do a lot of boardgames.
We actually have a label.
Here we go Chaotic Chroniclesis our gaming label.
I started that this year and umnow I went from myself and then
(06:28):
I had a friend kind of like washelping me along, and then he
kind of signed on, and then nowwe have eight people.
You know, um, so we're allworking towards this and like,
got this huge Kickstarter comingup in March.
And we have, uh, people thatare well known in the industry
actually was actually saw usonline and saw some of the stuff
that we did and they were justlike, hey, like we want to jump
(06:51):
on your label, like we want tobe with you, and I was like, oh
yeah, so it was really cool.
Um, yeah, we, we had that andyou know, working with them.
And then then, along with that,we have a guy that actually
wants to write a book series onour, you know, adventures and
world and things that we did.
(07:11):
On that.
Josh Porthouse (07:12):
Like the lore of the game.
Mike Taylor (07:13):
Yeah, like the modules that we write and the
adventures and the lore, thebackstory, like they want to
write a whole book series on it.
Josh Porthouse (07:22):
That's cool.
Mike Taylor (07:23):
Yeah, so he's working on that.
Josh Porthouse (07:24):
Did you think it was going to be something like
what it's becoming, or was thisjust a hobby?
Mike Taylor (07:29):
it was a hobby, like I started actually started
playing.
Uh, it was kind of like adungeons and dragons type thing
with the kids because of covidum, we like board games.
I have three little girls um, Ihave four kids total, uh, but
this my son's already wasalready out of the house, and
then I have three little girlsand so we started getting
miniatures, we started gettingboard games and we started
(07:50):
playing.
It went from playing almostevery day because they were in
COVID, so school was in themorning and then couldn't really
do much in the winter, so wejust did our thing.
So it went from there to twoyears later I had three more
kids.
So there's six kids around mytable, you know, ranging from
eight years old to 18 years oldand uh, so I was just putting on
(08:14):
these huge parties for thesekids, uh.
And then I had some, you know,some older friends that I would
game with as well.
But finally one one of myfriends was like man, like you
write all of this stuff, whichbackstories I used to write all
the way from high school untilnow.
So I have tons of material thatI just write constantly.
And I was like, yeah, I woulddefinitely write these things
(08:36):
and I come up with the story.
So he's like man, we shouldpublish them on some stuff.
So he kind of pointed me in theright direction.
I did a few things and I gotpublished on the website and I
was selling them, you know alittle bit.
And so then I was like man, Ishould probably make this
something more serious.
And a friend was just kind ofdoing it and I was, I was out of
(08:57):
the military already and I wasin and out of that.
That.
That loophole, you know.
You know you got your highs andlows and this kind of kept me
driving forward.
You know you're, you know yougot your highs and lows and this
kind of.
This kind of kept me drivingforward.
You know when, uh, when I wasstarting to get stuck in the mud
, and so it just, you know itkind of fueled me to keep going
and I did it.
And this year, um, I kind ofjust amped it up and it kind of
(09:19):
just blew up.
Like I wasn't ready for how bigit got, like I'm learning, I'm
learning, I'm still learning asI go and I tell my team like,
hey, guys, like I'm stilllearning, like we are growing
way too fast, you know, for meto kind of I'm trying to keep up
, you know, because on top ofthat, I have a marketing agency
that you know that I'm runningand I go, now that we have this
and I also have like otherendeavors on the side that I
(09:45):
that I'm also doing as well um,yeah, which, yeah, it's a good.
And on top of that we have apodcast uh, I'm one of the one
of the two posts for a podcastcalled side quest, which also
deals with gaming and all of thestuff in that realm.
Uh, we had narrow divergent uhuh, team come on and they were
like kind of telling us how,like they used to use it for
counseling and, you know, boardgames and stuff like that.
(10:06):
And we had another one for likeeducation purposes.
We've had some with like justthe business.
So people, if they wanted tolearn how to like get into the
business, you know, instead ofjust hearing me every episode,
they can, like, you know, comeon and you know we have other
people uh, talk about it andthey have.
You know, we have one guy thathas a game show on youtube which
is really big and he, um, hewas on the show and he talked
(10:28):
about some of the stuff that hewas doing, and so I mean our,
our show is doing quite well.
We're booked until april now ofnext year for you yeah, so, uh,
so, yeah.
So now we had to kind of slowdown on getting guests because
I'm like we, you know we'rebooked, like before you know
we'll have the rest of the yearbooked out and what are we?
Going to do.
Ad (10:46):
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Mike Taylor (11:39):
Porthouse, tampa Bay Realtor.
Where values start in the home.
Yeah, so now we had to kind ofslow down on getting guests
because I'm like we're booked,like before you know, we'll have
the rest of the year booked outand what are we going to do?
Josh Porthouse (11:48):
It sounds like you traded one high op tempo for
another.
Mike Taylor (11:53):
Yeah, I did.
Josh Porthouse (11:54):
Was that just sort of fortuitous and it just
happened?
Or by design?
Or are you finding?
Maybe it was by design inhindsight?
Mike Taylor (12:02):
I think both you know.
I think, yeah, I am one ofthose people where I cannot sit.
Still, you know, not just youknow, I have like crazy ADHD
where I'm constantly moving,which was great when I was in
the army because I was doinglike a million things but you
can be behind a desk or make mesit down.
That's when, like you know,that's that that's when you
start falling in that hole.
(12:22):
You know, you start, you know,trying to trying to creep out of
it.
And um, so a lot of times I haveto keep myself busy.
And then, um, in the past Ifound keeping myself busy wasn't
always good.
You know, there's always stuff.
You know always did some dumbstuff and I was like, oh God man
, like so now, uh, my, my goal,as I was, as I hit, uh hit COVID
(12:43):
, and we were stuck at home andI was getting ready to retire, I
thought I was going to be likecontracting.
I thought I was going to belike every other guy that I
worked with, contracting, goingoverseas, doing personal
security.
I'd already got my personalsecurity license certificates
and all that stuff.
I already had made contacts forgoing overseas for contracting.
(13:06):
Um, but as covet hit and I wassitting there with my girls
every day and being able to eatdinner with my wife and stay up
and watch tv or even go to bedwith the same time as her, um,
you know, those six months ornine months, however long, it
was like kind of planted a seedwhere I was like, man, this is,
this is nice, like this is whatthis is, what a normal life is,
and, uh, that was.
(13:27):
I was just really.
It kind of kept me thinking and, as as as time got closer, I
had two years left, um, and halfof that was during COVID.
I kind of was just like you knowwhat I think I don't think I'm
going to.
I think I'm going to do thatanymore.
I told my wife I was like Idon't, I don't think I'm gonna
(13:49):
do that.
Man, like I want to, I thinkI'm gonna make the because I had
the marketing agency running.
It was more part-time, I had acouple people you know and uh,
it was just more of like a hobbythat kind of kept me busy on my
free time.
And I told her I was, I thinkI'm just gonna kind of amp it up
, you know, kind of just work onthis more and uh you know, she
was just, she was great.
She was like okay, you know, seewhat, see what happens, you
know what's gonna, what's theworst gonna happen, you know,
and that that kind of kind ofhelped me push a little bit more
(14:11):
, because I was like man, I tellpeople like what are you gonna
do is like I won't be a soccerdad, you know, I think I want to
be like like a full-time soccerdad, you know, for my girls and
be there for my wife, uh, andkind of you know there, and
every guy that I worked withlike that's a horrible idea guy,
like you know, I'm going to bereading your obituary like
within six months of you get nowlike there's no way that you,
(14:32):
of all people, are going to beable to sit still in a house,
you know, babysitting threelittle girls, and I was like no,
there's other things I can bedoing.
I know, you know they they haveto go to school sometime.
So that's where a lot of thatkind of came from.
And I, I was very lucky becauseI got onto a program.
I, I, uh, I retired out of Forthood, which Fort hood is has one
of the best retirement programsout there.
(14:53):
Um, it was phenomenal theprogram and I was, um, I kind of
was doing like a smallinternship, uh program with this
, with this company, uh, it'smedical training facility.
They were small at the time andI helped them grow.
I used my marketing agency andI was their number.
I was like their, theirofficial marketing agency that
they used.
(15:13):
So, um, as we were doing it, Iwas in that type of work program
and soon as I signed out andretired then they got me on full
time.
Then I was getting like a fullpaycheck because I had all the
work done with them.
So then I went right into fulltime army, to full time, you
know, doing that, which wasgreat.
(15:35):
I did that for about ninemonths.
Josh Porthouse (15:37):
Great for money?
Was it great for, like your,your, your mental space, to like
decompress?
Mike Taylor (15:44):
I think partly it was good for me because I was
able to stay busy, um, but Idon't think I was really fully
like realizing that I was out,like I was done, until, as I was
kind of amping down um withthem, is when I kind of it just
really hit me.
I was like, oh man, like Idon't really have anything to do
, like I don't have a, I don'thave a job per se.
(16:06):
You know, yeah, I still got upwith the girls every morning, I
kind of still kind of kept myworkout routine, and then the
rest of the day was okay, I worka little bit for a couple hours
and then what do I do?
And the kids didn't get hometill five.
(16:30):
So a lot of times I have four orfive hours and I'm just like I
don't have a routine, I don'thave, and slowly I just kind of
started coming around.
I was unraveling yeah, that'swhen the problems come in.
Yeah, and this this month,actually this month I hit three
years.
So I've only been out for threeyears after 22 years.
Um, so by that time I hit mysecond.
Yeah, it was like year two ofme being out right right around.
I was hit.
I already hit my.
I think I hit my second.
Yeah, it was like year two ofme being out Right around.
I think I hit my first year andthat's when I started kind of
unraveling and that was a bigone.
(16:52):
That's when it really hit meand I was struggling and my
business started kind of itwasn't growing, it was barely
keeping itself going because Ihad no momentum, I didn't have
anything.
I couldn't push anybody.
I, you know I'd contracted outyou know some marketers or
whatever that you know I wouldhire some people here and there
and they would kind of keep itgoing for me and but I had no
(17:15):
momentum to have it growing or,you know, I wouldn't be able to
invest back into it or anythinglike that, and it just kind of
just stayed afloat.
I didn't have anything elsegoing for me.
You know it was problems withme and my wife because I was
going stagnant.
And then you know, when youhave, when you have it, you know
it starts spreading throughoutthe house.
Josh Porthouse (17:34):
Absolutely.
Mike Taylor (17:35):
So that that was.
That was a real, real kick inthe pants.
You know, for me, um and aroundthat time, like I was doing,
the VA had already got me into alot of like the different type
of sessions that they had goingum here in san antonio.
Man, they had this greatprogram it's the peer counselors
and they're it's amazing, um oris that like therapy or rehab?
(17:57):
yeah, kind of um, I don't I.
So when I tell the other guys,I tell them like it goes, like a
counselor going to go to atherapy session, I go, these
peer counselors are actuallyveterans, they go through the VA
and get certified and they canactually talk.
So a lot of times my peer guyhe's actually he's from one of
the groups that I was in.
(18:17):
I didn't know him, but we knowthe same people or know of the
same people, so we actually knowthe lingo and we can talk to
each other.
Oh, like software know of thesame people, so we actually know
the lingo and we can talk toeach other.
Well, like yeah, yeah, oh sweet, so he was there, so he was in
uh and he had retired and hewent to work for the va and um,
so he, after he went throughthrough his counselings and all
(18:38):
that stuff, he was like man,like I want to kind of give back
because he was, I think heretired, retired probably five
or six years before me.
So he had already gone through.
Yeah, so he had already beenthrough a lot of the stuff that
I had gone through.
So he was really in, like hereally knew what he was talking
about and a lot of times it'sgood just to go once a month,
(19:01):
twice a month, whatever ourschedule is, and just to go
there and just to talk to him,because it's good to have that.
You know, I remember, like youknow, being being in the unit
and in the team room or whatever.
Like you have that, uh,camaraderie, you know you have
that.
You know you can decompresswith your, with your dudes, and
you're just like.
You know you can bounce ideasor you can just.
You know, you know how guys are.
(19:21):
We just need to vent and getour ideas out of our mouth.
You know and you know, and therest, everybody else can just
nod and that's all you need.
You know, as I told my wife, myguys don't need conversation.
All I need to do is say youknow my paragraph of words and
that's it.
Like I feel better, like I sawthe words coming out of my mouth
.
I'm like, oh, I just solved myproblem right there.
(19:46):
Yeah, it's just a pressurerelease.
Yeah, talking with him a lot oftimes he doesn't really have to
really guide me too much.
There's times where he's likewell, why don't you step back
and look at it?
He's like outside, looking in,this is what I see.
I'm like oh yeah, you're right,I was a jerk.
Other times he's like what doyou think I'll tell him he?
Josh Porthouse (20:10):
maybe conversational depth or some of
that critical thought that youhad with this guy or in
hindsight, on your own,throughout your career, makes
its way into your characters orinto the storylines that you
guys create with you know,chaotic chronicles or, um, I
don't know, tell life, did youanything?
Mike Taylor (20:27):
uh, yeah, I think so, man um one.
You know for my.
For the marketing for date fortaylor life, I have dealt with
several veterans.
You know, for the marketing forTaylor Life, I have dealt with
several veterans.
You know, definitely, in themusic industry there's an artist
right now he's actually reallygetting pretty big Shannon Book.
He's born in the rock and rollstyle and he was a disabled
(20:52):
veteran, combat veteran.
He does a lot of veteranoutreach programs, does all
these types of things.
He was actually in a groupbeforehand called Vetted, and
that group was all disabledveterans as well and they did a
lot of outreach.
So I worked with him and webecame really good friends.
I worked with this otherChristian label, Hip Hop and
(21:16):
Stuff, impact Records, and theowner is Mike Miner and he also
is a veteran and does a lot ofyou know, reaches out and do
these things On top of otherveterans that I've worked with.
So I'm able to kind of, youknow, relate to these guys and
we kind of, you know, relate tothese guys and we kind of, you
know, earn that trust and thatbond One.
(21:39):
Because, like just business,wise people are horrible people
in business and I learned thatin a very hard way several times
, and so I just try to, you know, kind of be real with them and
I'll tell them, you know, iftheir stuff sucks, or you know
like, hey, it needs to be better, or we got to kind of work with
it, and them, you know if theirstuff sucks, or you know like,
(22:00):
hey, it needs to be better, orwe got to kind of work with it,
and you kind of like, and then Ican kind of relate to some of
the stuff that they're going to.
Now, the the gaming side, um, Ican definitely relate to a lot
of the characters and, like I,everything that we have I
created myself before, like ourworld, our games, or you know,
everything that we've done.
I got put it all, it all and Ithink a lot of it.
You know, as you say, like I putit on paper, like our world is
(22:22):
a very grim, dark.
Think of, like my I based itoff of He-Man because that was
like my childhood, you know heroback in the day, and but I took
it and I and I I kind of warpedit into like a very dark,
sinister style.
You know, if you take thatcolorful he-man, turn it, turn
it, you know into, like stephenking, uh, would make it.
(22:43):
And then I put hb love, more dccomics, yeah, like very, yeah,
very dc comic ish.
You know batman, you know very,uh gothic and grim, dark, you
know.
And then I took you know Callof Cthulhu or HP Lovecraft and
put that on top of it.
So our entire world is justthis grim, dark, despair.
And I think when I created thatworld, like that's where my
(23:04):
mind was.
Ad (23:06):
Alrighty, folks sit tight and we'll be right back on
Transacting Value.
Join us for Transacting Value,where we discuss practical
applications of personal values,every Monday at 9 am on our
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Wednesdays at 5 pm and Sundaysat noon on
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Mike Taylor (23:30):
I think when I created that world, that's where
my mind was.
Josh Porthouse (23:32):
That's interesting, I think when I
created that world, like that'swhere my mind was.
Mike Taylor (23:34):
That's interesting, yeah.
So, as we have these characters, now I'm I kind of see you know
, I'm like dang man like this is.
This is really depressing.
Like now we have to like kindof put some light into it.
And thank God I have thesereally great guys Like these,
these, these artists and thesewriters and and developers like
they're amazing because theyhave constantly just they're on,
they're on the ball man, likewe have a discord, uh, team, and
(23:57):
we are definitely likeconstantly my phone's pinging,
constantly my wife's like areyou serious?
I'm just like, uh, they'rebrainstorming, I guess, like
this is that's their thing anduh, so it's just really cool.
Um, now, the, the, uh I don'tknow if I'm supposed to say this
or not, but I will.
So, like our book series that'sgetting developed for the
(24:21):
gaming world, we have an authorthat's actually signed on to do
a book series on it and hiswhole thing is which he's
actually, he's also a veterandisabled and we actually met
each other.
Before I went to all did all thecrazy stuff, my first
deployment was in Korea andthat's where me and him met when
I was a private.
So, uh, yeah, and then we kindof we kind of separated and then
(24:43):
years later we contacted, youknow, got back to uh together
and kind of just, you know,we're just, we're just friends.
So over the last five, sixyears we kind of just bonded
again and and now he kind ofreached out and I was like, man,
you should probably, you know,join my label if you want to do
that.
And he was like, how about Ijust write for you?
Like I want to write, and thatwas his idea.
(25:04):
And he just kind of he laid outthis huge idea that he had for
me but he didn't want to tell mebecause he was embarrassed like
.
He was just like I don't knowhow to say it.
And he told me and he wasplanning to ask me to write for
our series.
And I was like that's amazing,because you know you should
probably join.
So his whole thing, his wholething, is called lit rpg.
(25:24):
It's called uh, so it'sliterature rpg books.
What it is is a book that kindof you're reading about a person
inside of a video game or aboard game or something like
that.
Think about reading the mumjibook, I guess.
Um, but their characters areare veterans, uh, and they're
dealing with like ptsd andthey're dealing with some type
(25:46):
of trauma and they, what they dois the as they're bouncing from
reality to inside these books.
They're coping with their youknow their struggles and they're
dealing with their you knowtheir struggles and they're
dealing with their you knowtheir PTSD or their trauma, and
everything kind of coincides andit works.
So it's them.
Each book is a differentveteran, you know, dealing with
(26:07):
their struggles and that's kindof like how it kind of works,
which you know.
Half of my team for AIChronicles are veterans.
Josh Porthouse (26:14):
You know, we all kind of come, which you know.
Mike Taylor (26:16):
Half of my team for gala chronicles are our
veterans.
Josh Porthouse (26:17):
You know we all kind of come together and do
that.
Have you found that, I guessbecause of your it sounds like
primarily your experience onworking with small teams in the
soft community, that it waseasier to start getting traction
once you built out your ownsmall team over the last year or
two?
Mike Taylor (26:32):
Yeah, actually it was pretty big.
I mean it started out reallysmall.
So how all of this?
From after this past year I hadlearned a lot.
Starting in January, I had beenasked to kind of join a
nonprofit organization, thisorganization.
(26:54):
I was asked by another softmember to come to this
organization called AerialRecovery and they are kind of
like Underground Railroad.
Have you heard of them?
Like the movie.
Josh Porthouse (27:10):
Human Trafficking.
Mike Taylor (27:11):
Human Trafficking yes, they do the human
trafficking?
They had that movie out.
I forget the name.
Sound of Freedom, sound oftrafficking.
Josh Porthouse (27:15):
Yes, they had that movie out.
Mike Taylor (27:16):
I forget the name Sound of Freedom, sound of
Freedom.
Yeah, so Ariel does the samething.
They're the other team that doesit, and so they kind of take
veterans and they take firstresponders, people that are kind
of like they need a purposeagain and they need drive and
stuff.
So they took my friend saw mein this rut last year.
He was like, hey, man, I reallythink you need to come with me
(27:38):
on this journey.
He'd done it months before andthen he told me about it.
I did it and it really helpedme connect with other people
that were on the same level asme Through the 12 weeks that we
went through.
These little not really classes,but we did like these group
type of meetings, you know,every week and we stayed in
(27:59):
contact with WhatsApp andwhatever, and we kind of all
grew, you know, together.
It really helped me kind ofreach out because then when I
did that, my friends had startedme to write these games.
I started working on networkingwith some of these business
people that I started meetingthrough write these games.
I started working on networkingwith some of these business
people that I started meetingthrough the aerial program.
So my marketing businessstarted to pick up a little bit.
(28:23):
And then, on top of that, I waslike man, you know what I want
to.
You know, as I'm starting mychaotic chronicles, I was like
I'm going to try to help someother independent artists and
developers and stuff.
So I created this small littlegroup on discord and it was just
a network for us and we kind oflike bounce ideas we're
supposed to brainstorm, and itbecame a worldwide community
(28:45):
within the last nine months, Iguess.
Yeah, so a dungeon scribesociety that I'm the founder of
that and we now have abi-monthly newsletter for
independent artists, creators,developers, um, on patreon, and
we put it all together and wehave like over a hundred and so
members.
We had over 300 at one time,but we had to start cutting it
(29:08):
back for the just because itstarted getting toxic, you know,
and we were like trying to dolike a more of a positive type
thing.
And so I have a group of adminor a board, however you want to
say it, and we all run ittogether and we do this
newsletter, we put things out,we talk on you know group.
I try to make like weeklyannouncements and things like
(29:30):
that for them.
And while I did that, I wasdeveloping my team for Cha
chaotic chronicles and peoplestarted seeing like little
things that I was doing onlineand in the discord.
And as that happened, uh, myfriend for the podcast, he was
he's like hey, man, like I needhelp with this podcast, you know
, and like you know, we need anew one.
And I was like sure, I've neverdone a podcast before, I guess
(29:53):
I'll do that.
So.
So I kind of jumped in the deep, deep end, you know, both feet
with that, never done it before.
And I had no idea.
He sent me a mic which I'musing right now, and uh, he was
like all right, let's, let's trythis.
And I did it and we just kindof, from there, we, we, we took
off.
And he's in charge of thetechnical stuff and I'm more of
(30:13):
like the, the face, thenetworking, kind of, from there,
we, we, we took off and he's incharge of the technical stuff
and I'm more of like the theface, the networking, kind of
getting people on and uh, so we,we kind of tag team it and
we're doing you know pretty wellI think, um, and as that, all
that was happening, my chaoticchronicles team started getting
bigger and I'm managing thesepeople and now I have them like
everybody has their role andlike everybody has their role
(30:34):
and like everybody has their joband their sector, and I'm like,
okay, like hey, I was like hey,guys, I know some of you
haven't been in the military,but we're going to have a chain
of command, like there's goingto be me and it's going to be
somebody right underneath me andthat person is going to be in
charge of these guys.
And you guys are in charge ofthese.
You know these sections and, aswe writing these agreements or
(30:55):
contracts, uh, however you wantto say it, each person is
assigned for their you knowtheir section and we kind of do
it like a business, but in likea more of a team open space area
and you know it runs verysmoothly.
We don't work as fast as like a,I guess, a professional style
business, because we're more ofjust like a bunch of guys
goofing around, like we bounceideas off each other and every
now and then I have to step inand be like, okay, we have to
(31:17):
get this work done, like, but alot of times it's, you know,
it's like to me.
I'm just like, I want to havefun, I want to do these things.
I want to.
You know I'm like, but we havea deadline and we just have to
get to the deadline.
You of times that's usuallywhat happens and it did like a
lot of the, the small team stuffor just learning to deal with
(31:38):
those types of environments.
It definitely did help me a lot.
You know, um, running abusiness and talking to people
or running a group or especiallythe community, um, yeah, you
know, it's just a.
It's just a.
It was definitely a step upthan a lot of other people all
righty folks, sit tight, we'llbe right back on Transacting
Value.
Josh Porthouse (31:59):
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marriage, even your ability tospeak the language.
On Transacting Value, we meetSudebay Mokri, who fled the
Iranian revolution only to facean unexpected betrayal in
America.
Picture arriving with two youngchildren, no money and
(32:19):
struggling with English, forcedto completely rebuild her life
from scratch.
But here's the shocker Afterachieving everything a home,
career, family Sudebay realizedshe was still empty.
Her identity had shifted andshe needed to rediscover who she
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She shares how, at rock bottom,facing physical illness, she
(32:40):
chose to pray for guidance,leading to an incredible journey
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Now an author, registered nurseand transformational coach,
sudebay's books Angel,nightingale and Emerging you
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SudebayMokricom and learn how toshift your perspective and find
(33:03):
your own inner peace.
Tune into Transacting Value torewrite your story and learn
more.
Mike Taylor (33:09):
It was definitely a step up than a lot of other
people.
Josh Porthouse (33:13):
So let me ask you this then, because I think
there's something that you havein common with a lot of other
people as well, and my I guess,general prevailing theory is
that a lot of people actuallyhave this next point in common.
So this is a segment of the showcalled Developing Character
D-D-Developing Character.
Now it's two questions foranybody who's new to the show,
(33:35):
obviously, mike, you includedand my theory is that whenever
somebody's identity, how theyview themselves, and their role,
what they actually do in anygiven society, don't match
anymore, there's always going tobe some conflict and some
degree of well, uncertainty andcomplexity and all the same sort
(33:56):
of fog of war considerations, Iguess, where you try to feel it
out, like you said, the firstyear or two, you're just sort of
a jellyfish in society,learning your way again.
So my theory is that when thosemoments happen, everybody can
stand back on their value systemto find some degree of worth or
awareness and at least buildback from there as a continuity
(34:18):
or a constant.
And so my two questions arewhat were some of your values
growing up or that you rememberbeing raised on that you think
got you to this point?
And then my second question isif any of them have changed over
time or since then.
What are some of your valuesnow?
Mike Taylor (34:34):
Well, one.
I grew up in South Texasas.
Uh, so we definitely a lot ofit's very old-fashioned um, we
did, uh, you know my grandpa washis thing was you know the
handshake.
You know the handshake that's.
You know, that's just, it's aseal the deal right there.
And uh, you know, you don't, youknow, don't lie, don't you know
don't cheat things like that um, which you know I was a young
(34:57):
boy in like the 80s and 90s, soI definitely lied and cheated
and uh, but you know, ourfamilies kind of kind of still
like that kind of veryold-fashioned style and and the
big one that was is the one thatthat is now that I tried not to
kind of pass on to my son was,you know, like the men work,
like you know that's that's yourwhole role in life.
(35:19):
You work until you die.
Like that's it.
Like you know, if you're notworking then you're not worth
anything, and that was like ahuge thing.
And I work and I I did that allthe way up until I retired.
That was my thing.
Like I was just like, well, Igotta work.
You know, that's it.
You know I'm working and Iconstantly work and I constantly
deployed and I constantly, likethat was my thing, like if I
wasn't, if I had a day off, thenI need to be doing something.
(35:41):
You know, um, and now, uh, ittook me, took me quite a while
especially these last threeyears, uh, with the help of my
wife, to kind of like slow down,to realize, like hey, like you
know, you can't just work allthe time because you're not
going to enjoy anything thatyou're working for.
That was a it's like a big eyeopener for me is now, like I say
(36:04):
, like I tell people like I'mnot working to be a
multimillionaire, I don't causeI don't need to work.
I'm, you know, I'm disabled, asif I'm getting a paycheck.
That's the way.
I need to have it in my head,because if not, then I feel like
I'm getting money for no reasonand I need to constantly do
something.
So I'm trying to help people aswell.
Josh Porthouse (36:25):
There's some purpose.
Mike Taylor (36:27):
Yeah, definitely.
That was a huge thing this pastyear that I learned and now I
tell people I'm trying to beable to be well enough that my
bills are paid off and I cantake my family out for a ribeye
steak dinner for the rest of mylife without worrying about.
You know, looking at thecheckbook.
A lot of times growing up waslike money was a huge thing,
everybody was working for moneyand that no one really had a
(36:50):
reason why.
And I think you know with mekind of realizing that I don't
have to work as hard or as muchor you know, hyper focus on that
.
That, you know, because moneywas the, was the object as well,
like I don't need to to kind ofbe greedy with it.
I don't need, I don't need it.
I need to be able to afford totake care of my family and maybe
(37:14):
, you know, help somebody outevery now and then, but I don't
need to have all of this.
You know all these things andthat was that's, that's a huge
thing that I had to kind ofreevaluate myself and kind of
reposition my thought processand like where I want to do um,
I I had told a friend you knowhe was, he saw me, how fast I
(37:35):
was kind of rising and he was um, he kind of keeps me grounded a
lot.
He was the one that got me intothe nonprofit organization.
He was just like you know, healways tries to drill me, make
sure I'm always grounded andkeeps me going.
And he's like what are yougoing to do?
Like he was like if you haveall, you know you get famous or
you get popular, you know yourbusinesses do.
(37:56):
Well, he's like you know I'mlike I don't need, I don't need
to do all that man, I go what Igo.
He has a nonprofit as well.
His nonprofit is the veteranarchery project and it helps
special operation veterans kindof deal with their stuff and he
takes them out archery, shootingand stuff.
So I was like if I, if I, makethat much money, then I can
(38:17):
definitely help out yournonprofit.
That's for one.
You know I can pay off all mybills.
Help out your nonprofit.
I go and I would love to beable to go to Walmart or grocery
store and look behind me andsee three or four people with
their carts and tell the cashierlike, hey, these next three
people put it all on my tab anddon't tell them and just kind of
wait until they're done andthen go back and pay that I told
(38:38):
him that has been one of mydreams for, you know, for a
little while now, because I'mlike man that'd be great.
You know how can I give somebodyChristmas in July, you know but
I don't want, yeah, but I don'twant to be the guy that's, like
you know for myself.
You know I'm just, like youknow I help somebody thing and I
don't need to share it oranything, but that's just
(39:01):
something that that you know.
Kind of like I wouldn't I don'tthink I would have done that a
few years ago yeah, and that'ssomething that you know.
You have to kind of get toreevaluate yourself, like I said
, and look inside and see whatyou really want in life.
And I think what you reallywant is what your heart is going
to do and how you're going tofollow it.
(39:23):
So definitely, my thoughtprocess changed from when I was
a kid until now, with all ofthat, because I don't want to
work, I want to step back.
I want to manage all of thesebusinesses and communities.
I want to have somebody elserun them for me.
I want to be able to take mykids to Disney world once a year
and, you know, red by statedinners and pay for people's
groceries or whatever you know.
(39:44):
Like you know, I don't know, Um, that's, that's just like.
I guess that's the goal.
It's not a dream, Cause I'mgonna make it happen.
Josh Porthouse (39:58):
It's just for you, well, yeah, so let me ask
you this and this is, I guess,one of my last two or three
questions for the sake of time,but now, having gone through
your own life, professionally,personally, watching your kids
grow up overall, personally, andnow into their own professions
and whoever they want to become,as little humans, and then the
characters you've createdessentially it sounds like
dozens of times over, living allsorts of different lives and
(40:20):
qualities and decision-makingprocesses, what has it done for
you and your own sense of selfand your own self-worth?
Mike Taylor (40:28):
Well, the person a while ago I definitely would.
I wouldn't say I'm ashamed, butI'm definitely embarrassed of
that guy.
Like I definitely don't want togo back to that guy.
That guy is the completeopposite of who I am now, um,
and I don't.
I definitely I was a, I wasdefinitely a Grinch, that's for
sure, um, but now I, it's a bigdifference.
(40:50):
Uh, I noticed I kind of didn'treally, I really didn't say
anything to like my family, butI looked at pictures from now,
five years ago.
You know my pictures nowsmiling, I'm more, you know,
live and colorful and whatnot.
And the guy five years ago, hedid, he wasn't smiling, you know
he.
You know if he did, it was, itwas a very forceful smile that I
could tell, or you knowsomething, and the pictures
(41:12):
weren't the same and uh you canjust trail back and then you go
back all the way from when Ijoined the army.
I was very happy in life.
So then, like those 22 yearsjust kind of like faded into it,
you know, and uh, that was youknow.
Seeing that, like I don't wantto be that.
Be that dad.
I want my kids to kind of belike my dad was.
(41:34):
You know he was, you know, hejoked with us, he, he did all
these fun things you know.
He came to practice.
He was you know, he made all mygames or gymnastics and all
that stuff.
I want them to be present,that's the word.
And I want, you know, my kidsto kind of have that.
I want them to be able to telltheir kids that.
(41:54):
And then you know my business,my businesses, business work
works really well when you arein a good headspace, like that's
, that's, that's guaranteed, andthe people around you want to
work with you and want to workfor you.
And if you are, you know, ascumbag, you know just, you know
angry all the time and you knowcussing and yelling and
(42:15):
throwing things no wants to workwith.
And when you are smiling, thatyou know that draws that, that
draws good energy in and peoplewant to draw.
You know they draw to you.
So it's just like I want.
I want to be able to for peopleto kind of feed off of that
energy and I want to be able tohelp people to do these things.
Um, and I've created thisgaming world.
(42:37):
It's very dark and stuff, butat the same time now I'm
actually giving people, you know, hope.
I'm giving people like this,these opportunities.
Um, also, I have an internprogram that I'm designing for
my marketing.
I'm actually designing anotherone for my gaming label as well.
Um, yes, so this so is a uh isfor art students, um, that are,
(42:59):
you know, intern program, and sowe won't pay them like a
commission, like they like them,like they do, uh, the marketing
does.
But we will do is we will teachthem how the industry works.
I have a guy that's beenworking with a, um, a, a big
business in in the RPG world.
Uh, so kind of like everybodyknows dungeons and dragons,
(43:19):
right, so he's worked with acouple companies that are like
right underneath them, like soit's just like he does that.
So he's, he's, he's with us,you know, and um, on top of that
we we have, we teach them, theindustry, the artists, we can
teach them how you knowdifferent, different, different
styles, and then, um, on top ofthat, we uh can get their, their
(43:41):
work published in our own book.
So we can get them published,build their portfolios, um, get
them in the network, show themthe community that we're
building so that they're part ofthe community, so they can
build their own network.
And then we're teaching themdifferent things, like you know
their own self marketing and youknow they can build their own
presentation as well themselves.
(44:02):
And then, at the end, samething they can come on full time
or they can.
They can get a letter ofrecommendation and we can help
them go forth into other thingsas well, cause then we can be
like, hey, yeah, we put theirstuff in our book or they were
able to be featured in anotherbook that we know, or we're
partnered with, that's justanother thing.
So I mean, that's just I want tobe able to do those type of
(44:23):
things for people and I know ifI could, because I know when I
was in their shoes I would.
I wanted someone to help me outand it took me a very long time
to get where I'm at right now,and I could have done it so much
faster if somebody was actuallygenuine, instead of trying to
take advantage of me constantlybecause I was new to a lot of
this.
If somebody was genuine, Icould have been in a better
(44:46):
place or further along than whatI am right now.
I could have been helpingpeople two years ago.
Josh Porthouse (44:52):
That's a great point.
Mike Taylor (44:53):
So that's just my thing.
I had somebody tell me like hey, because I asked him.
I was like man, I can maybe,you know, help somebody.
How can I help somebody, youknow?
And I had my mentor I have abusiness mentor and he told me
he's like look, he says you wantto help somebody.
Think about what you can teachsomebody.
I was like I can't teach nobodynothing.
I'm new to this.
He was like well, think aboutwho you were five years ago.
I was like okay, he's like whatdid you know five years ago?
(45:16):
I was like really nothing.
He's like what do you knowright now?
I was like more than that guy.
He's like exactly, now youteach that guy.
I was just like go, I was likeyou know, like that, that,
really that makes a lot of sense.
He's like the teacher told meone time you only need to be one
lesson ahead of somebody toteach them.
You know to be a teacher.
Um, he's like so as long asyou're one lesson ahead, you can
(45:37):
teach somebody.
I was like dang, that's even abetter point right there.
So that's where you know.
So now I'm like okay, if I knowjust a little bit more than
somebody, like, let me share itwith them and kind of make their
life a little bit easier sothat they can prosper.
And that's like that was thebig reason why I built that
community, which became awildfire as well.
It kind of blew up yeah cool.
(45:58):
So we're doing quite well inthe community and different
things that I'm trying to workon as well For you, man.
Josh Porthouse (46:06):
And let me ask you this that's a great point, I
guess, as a segue.
So for anybody that wants tofollow along with your Discord
track, your gaming label, maybeeven take you on and be a client
for your marketing company,where do people go?
How do they find out moreinformation?
Mike Taylor (46:22):
uh, the big one is my link tree.
So you can go to link treeforward slash miketaylor357 that
has all of my links on there.
Um, you can go to, uh, facebookfor taylor life digital
marketing.
Um, that right now, uh, that'sour, our kind of our page
because we are transferring ourwebsite.
So I was going to say it'scoming soon.
Um, and then chaotic Chroniclesis there for the gaming is
(46:44):
Facebook Instagram.
Uh, the website, chaoticchroniclescom.
Um, and then, uh, we have theside quest podcast show.
We are on there as well.
You can find me on any of those.
You can contact me email.
My link tree has our email anddifferent ways to contact us.
Do it on social media, you know, just try to.
(47:05):
You know I get tons of emailsand messages so I kind of have
to filter them out.
So if I don't get you the firsttime, definitely hit me up
again and, you know, reach outto me.
I can definitely point you inthe right direction if I
personally can't help you yeah,sweet.
Josh Porthouse (47:20):
So for anybody who's new to this show,
depending on the player you'restreaming the conversation on or
where you're watching thisvideo, if you click see more,
you click show more in the dropdown description for the
conversation, you'll also seelinks to mike's link tree and
social insights.
Uh, where applicable, except forthat landing page, do you get
it back up?
And then, uh, obviously, all ofthose links, so, as you guys
(47:42):
are listening to this, you canshoot over to his page as well
and start tracking them down andfollow and subscribe and all
that kind of cool stuff.
Mike, I love this conversation,dude, I appreciate your
opportunity, your energy, yourperspective, perspective, your
passion.
But I got to tell you, man, ifnobody's told you recently, I'm
proud of what you're doingbecause I've only been out a
year and it's been pretty closeto exactly how you described it.
(48:04):
So you know there's a lot ofbuilding out this podcast and
this media company and findingmyself throughout the process
yeah, it is exactly what you'resaying.
So I appreciate what you'resaying.
So I appreciate what you'redoing and I'm proud of how you
did it.
Man, good for you,congratulations.
Yeah, and just as a quick sortof Benny to you I'm assuming
(48:28):
you're already familiar withNightwatch Games, being down
near San Antonio yeah, I've seenthem around so, yeah, if you
get the chance to drop in there,Porek has been on the show as
well for Transacting Value justrecently, I think a few months
back.
But yeah, if you're unfamiliaror if you want an introduction,
send me an email or I'll get youguys in touch as best I can and
(48:49):
maybe that'll help you out aswell.
But again, yeah, I appreciatethe opportunity, man, Thanks for
your time and I hope the restof your afternoon and obviously
coming holidays here forChristmas go well for you, man.
So Merry Christmas and thanksagain.
Mike Taylor (49:01):
You too, man.
Thank you very much.
Josh Porthouse (49:03):
Thanks, dude, and everybody else who tuned in,
obviously, and watched thisconversation and listened to the
conversation.
Thank you guys for joining us.
I appreciate your time and theopportunity to talk and teach a
little bit with you guys as well.
You can head over to ourwebsite,
transactingvaluepodcastcom andon the homepage in the top right
corner you're going to see abutton that says leave a
voicemail.
That's two minutes of talk timeall to you.
(49:25):
Here's two recommendations withwhat you can do with it.
One, let us know what you thinkof the show.
Let us know your feedback, yourinsights, your comments, what
you think of the topics.
My style, me, my voice pitch, Idon't care.
Let us know what you thinkabout the show.
But two, let Mike know what youthink about this conversation,
what you think about hisbusiness, what you think about
his websites.
Give him some feedback.
Let him know what's going on.
That's what helps ourbusinesses grow and build and
(49:48):
design and cultivate these newcommunities your input.
So if you have the opportunity,I'd appreciate it.
Speaking for Mike, I'm surehe'd appreciate it as well, but
since we're out of time untilnext time, that was Transacting
Value.
Thank you to our show partnersand folks.
Thank you for tuning in andappreciating our value as we all
(50:08):
grow through life together, tocheck out our other
conversations or even tocontribute through feedback
follows time, money or talentand to let us know what you
think of the show.
Please leave a review on ourwebsite,
transactingvaluepodcastcom.
We also stream new episodesevery Monday at 9 am Eastern
Standard Time through all ofyour favorite podcasting
platforms like Spotify, iheartand TuneIn.
(50:30):
You can now hear TransactingValue on Reads Across America
Radio.
Head to readsacrossamericaorg.
Slash transactingvalue tosponsor a wreath and remember,
honor and teach the value offreedom for future generations.
On behalf of our team and ourglobal ambassadors, as you all
strive to establish clarity andpurpose, ensure social
(50:50):
tranquility and secure theblessings of liberty or
individual sovereignty ofcharacter for yourselves and
your posterity, we will continueinstigating self-worth and
we'll meet you there.
Until next time.
That was Transacting Value.
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