August 21, 2025 • 32 mins
How do you progress from passion to purpose to profitability? It requires a foundational and nuanced comprehension of the served community. Communities coalesce around a core set of values and beliefs. Engendering profitable relations at its highest level (love) is unique. See how Ari does it. Share your success stories.
TheJourney.Ryosports.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
My name is ADDI said, Adamando Betez. Okay, my first name,
Audi said, is.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
A R I S E L.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
And I go by Audi for sure, Audi Adi say Audi,
but phrenetically it's spelled a r I. So anytime, if
it's emails, if it's a name tag, if it's written individuals,
of course, right, maybe well we'll pronounce it if they
read it first and say oh ari or some version
(00:33):
of of of ari, which is completely fine. Not once
in my life have I corrected somebody. If individuals do
ask how to pronounce my name, I will offered a
bit of a lesson right perspectfully, and I will introduce
myself as Audie. And so with that, on the opposite end,
(00:54):
when I do go to Starbucks, memo or place or.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Or whatever of.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
What life brings right that involves my name, I'll say, hey, yeah, Audie,
and they'll say they'll either ask how to spell it,
which is kind of a rare occurrence, or take the
liberty within.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
That fork in the road. If they do ask, right,
I'll say, oh, thank.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
You, a r I, and they'll they'll read back, oh
ri or the dangerous part, which is what I've had
a fun time sharing with a number of friends and
seeing the response is kind of the fun thing too.
Why I'm sharing it is when they do take the
liberty of how to spell what they what they're processing
(01:41):
is Audie.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I've gotten so many innerations my life really right, I'm seeing.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Anything from from o's to of course a's and and
anything that sounds like it. But I've gotten p's involved,
I've gotten d's involved, I've gotten dolbo, r's involved the other.
A few months ago, there was one that I just
adored that was a U I d Y and I
don't even know how to pronounce that necessarily. But it's
(02:10):
become very fun, like again poking at myself knowing that
my mom was the one that named my sister, my
brother and myself and she unknowingly has cursed us.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I'm sorry, I'm going to apologize on hasbie up.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
She didn't curse you. It's fun. It's fun. So I know,
I know you any.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
All unique names, any spellings, and it's just a fun something.
But it's it's become amongst you know, a good group
of friends. Anytime I'll get a coffee mug or cup
that has a particular spelling, I'm.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Like cool, throw that up, one up on the board.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
There might be a few that maybe don't understand the humor,
may may think that I'm actually upset by it, so
I have to delicately explain, like, guys, this really isn't
a big this is not a deal at all.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
This is just a fun share.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Hello and welcome to The Journey, your radio show hosted
by Nevill d Angelou, author of a sound bite life
and Flight of the Views Monkeys, a PRG Emerging Technologies
Forum keynote speaker and founder of Rio Sports. I am
Joseph Ellison.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Enjoy I am never Today I'm joined by my co
host All Away from across the Atlantic in Austin, Texas.
This is the seventh anniversary of this company, Fleet Feet Austin.
So what's in the name and who is ARTI selfres
(03:50):
Of course you hear his voice every week on our podcast.
Many of you are more familiar with him through our
story Come Alive in the Journey's ongoing segment Stalwart Achievers,
The Hunks I Dreamed, or you may have been privy
(04:10):
to our series The Day Seven Boys Became Men. Once
again you can enjoy the opportunity to engage his brilliant personality,
genuine love, and undying energy. Join our exclusive members series
(04:30):
When Boys Become Men. Ari is an exemplary leader and collaborator. Ari,
(04:51):
Welcome to the side of the mic. Tell us about
your company if you don't mind, and what do you
prefer to be called?
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Ari?
Speaker 5 (04:59):
Or out of South?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I've been called much worse than the level set, like
I'm you gonna call me?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
What are you called me? Whatever?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
But not allowed nothing, My brother, it is seven years,
seven years since the opening of Fleetpeat Austin, and I
promised you that it feels like ten years.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Some days right, some days other days it just feels
like yesterday.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
And so I had the opportunity and we really collectively
as a team, had the opportunity to open the first
Fleetpeat location in Austine back in twenty eighteen and never on.
I think you know my background from the time that
we were introduced that long ago, but I've essentially I
(05:49):
just started my nineteenth year in the running industry. And
if even fifteen seventeen years ago you had asked what
what my goal was and what in my heart at
hearts what was getting me fired up? As I learned
more about career paths and the industry.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
And what my dreams were. Maybe it was to live
in Austin.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
It was to open up, open up my running store,
a running store there.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
And what I.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Did know at that point was Fleet Feed because I
worked there through college in Corpus Christie. And for those
things and just life to kind of come together even
in advance of you know, us opening seven years ago,
it was a It was quite the tug of war
(06:43):
from an emotional standpoint, getting to see this convergence of
sorts of you know, the career that had been to
that point where it had taken me, the lessons that
I had learned, that the people that I.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Had met along the way, and of course.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
The relationships had come with those people, and nothing short
of the most viserable gut checks in doing my business
determined am I smart enough? Are people gonna like me?
Am I capable of doing this?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Can?
Speaker 5 (07:13):
Can?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Can I do it in a fashion in which.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
It is up to danger for myself, which is very
much the most important for me.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
And this this was much more than than a job,
and it still is.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Every day and so everything of course throughout the time,
in terms of interviews and back and forth and all
sorts of things that kind of make helped me make
sense of the circumstance, lined up in a fashion that said, cool,
this makes sense. I don't know if I'm ready, but
I'm going to go down this path. And again you
(07:53):
snap your fingers today and that's how seven years come
come running by and or great airs are sprouting, they learned.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
But it's it's every single.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Day that I still get fired up to serve our
customers and educate about product and proper full wear fitting
and solutions. Seek with individuals that may be in pain
or discomfort and don't maybe don't know.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Where to go.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
That's the outlet I hope that we serve in in
Austin and and we'll be on as a national brand.
But I am solely focused on this community and making
sure that we're we're playing our part and whatever.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
H m.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
H m hm.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Hm hm hm yes, yes, yes, yes, and invigorating journey
from passion to purpose to put off of stability is
that you're calling. Encourage you to check out, take a
(09:12):
peek at spend the high Achiever's journey by yours truly.
You can find that on Amazon dot com or go
to our website the Journey dot riosports dot com and
check out spend the High Achiever's Journey.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
H m hm hm.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Ari, How would you relate to your experience to a
newbie who is trying to sort out his or her
passion and purpose?
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah, I think that's fair, novel, and I think this
is still of course, lessons are coming left and.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Right every day. So I hope what I am to.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Share it's not and all be all by eighty means
just my perspective, my life, my.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Experience of sorts.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
But I think on for me, I have been fortunate
enough and was fortunate enough early on to be able
to identify what, what has what really fires me up,
and having the fortune and opportunity to have that.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Align with a career path.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
And again genuinely just wanting to help people is my angle.
Like I loved this sport. I love running, and I
grew up running.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
I was.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
To a competitor of edge from childhood, from middle school,
high school, and into college. And not that that is
the end all be all for me or necessary something,
It just happened to me. And I think on that
sharp edge once, I'm working from that sharp edge of
(11:19):
competitive fitting all sorts of being.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Able to soften.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I think what the sport was quite a lesson for
me in that I could speak to and welcome individuals
at my own sport and in college to the sport.
And I didn't take that for granted. I think early
on I thought it was such a cool thing to
(11:45):
have again, the opportunities to talk about footwear innovation and
proper foot were fitting and hopefully again atly being discomfort
or whatever version of just a good experience and a good.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Touch with human being.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Right that is like real cool shoe store because I
used to flip through magazines all the time. Uh, middle school,
high Schoolhen I should have been paying attention in like
science class.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Depends on who you ask.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
I was doing my best thing and you know whether
that was running shoes or basketball shoes and just what
trends were on that end. And so uh, I think
to come back to maybe the question of those swords
is I was fortunate enough and I've been fortunate enough
to know like this is what I love and being able.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
To identify an opportunity.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
For for a career path and seeing mild boss Wayne
at Fleet he he lived and what I thought was
an awesome life. He would ride his bike, he would
go for runs, he would go for swims, he would
take care of himself, have a good time, had had
a great team, created.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
This warm environment with a very very close knit group.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Of of staff, members of sorts, team, members.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Of friends and making sort of friends.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
And he was still very sharp on the business side
of things, whether that was inventory or customer service or
just general operations and how he structured his business.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
So there was a number of things.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
That were very much, you know, admirable to say the least,
that he was a father figure of sorts for me
through those Coology years, and my my buy in very
much started then, Like I know, I'm passionate about this.
I get to see individuals who are making career paths
(13:38):
towards towards their own happiness of life in this sport,
and I was immediately just sinking my teeth into it.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I wanted more.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I wanted to learn more, and and I think that's
the basis of a lot of things. And my work
life is.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Like you're speaking to passion, right, I'm in more speaking maybe.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
To passion about what a what a craft is mine
happens to be running or has happened to be running
and just running specialty industry.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
But how do you.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Know at times as maybe looking looking back and maybe
as best prepared as I was, it's.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Still you're never going to know when the time is right.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
The dom Winders will quite literally never all be lined
up in equential fashion. And I think for me, having
a network of individuals of mentors, of business partners or
individuals that I've worked alongside, at least when included yourself, included.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Neville, my former boss Paul Perone, who.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
I still keep in close contact with, as an example,
it was a level of confidence in the lessons that
they taught me that I thought, and I think that
I can still continue to fall back on and trust
in something bigger than just myself for these larger decisions,
whether it be jumping into a new endeavor that sure.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I'm excited about, I promise, I'm scared as hell every single.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
And then that may be again fear based for a
number of different reasons, but one of those is just
wanting to make sure that I am able to hit
a level of standard for my team, the people that
I get to work alongside, this community that's much larger
than just Fleet fee and the city of Austin that
(15:38):
I've always.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Wanted to be a.
Speaker 5 (15:59):
Fleet Feat Austin that is fleeked feet dot com www
dot f l e E T f e e T
dot com, flicked fitt Austin. My guest is my co
(16:21):
host are pres a genuinely awesome human being and an
outstanding leader.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So Ali, how do.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
You deal with your highs and lows?
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Just be mindful of.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Not getting too high or too big for for my
own bridges of sorts right where if I could temper
that emotion of sorts and still be able to again
live in the moment and breathe and have those connections
with brothers, teammates, whatever version of of life was right
(16:59):
then and the same thing on my lowest of lows.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
When challenges do come up and me.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
As a leader, as the leader I hope for what
we're doing here in Austin and with Fleeteat specifically, sometimes
things happen that is life right. Challenges come up, whether
in the financial mistakes or business plans that in executions
(17:30):
that you thought could be something maybe more than that,
they end up being, or having to again deal with
with my team and at times staff members or other
individuals just period that are close to us and close
to our efforts.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
There are human beings as well, going to have bad days.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
We're gonna get through tense moments or have tense moments
right and making sure that at the end of those days,
those periods that I'm also not being overly heavy or
or beating myself up about mistakes that I have made
(18:13):
or challenges that I maybe could have handled differently. And
there's every everywhere in between. It's such a wide variance.
And so that's been whether early on in my years
and specifically whenever we met Neville, I was twenty four
years young, thinking.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
Okay, cool, I gotta figure we go.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
And now I'm thirty seven and a half years old,
with not.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Old, it's still young in terms of something that I haven't
done whatever, havelf birthdays are unfortune.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
At this point you fast forward thirteen plus years down
the road, I have learned several more lessons, and one
of those being.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Hey, as a leader, sometimes this shit ain't want to
be easy.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Nope, But every single time, at least today convicted, I'm convicted,
and what I'll say every single.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Time it's worth it. And I don't take that for granted,
I don't take this.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Opportunity to lead people to influence to help right when
I can, And I also have to remind myself that
I'm human too, so for me to offer myself that grace,
of course, I'm going to pivot and always offer grace.
I hope to those other individuals to meet me there
(19:33):
to pick up and we'll get through it, because I
know in my heart of arts they.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Mean well, and I like to think that I also do.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
And if reasonable people can get together for greater good,
and in this instance what I revolve around is sport
of swords and retail within the running space, then I.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Think that only can come from that. You are also.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Along the journey. We stop at intriguing places and meet
fascinating people with novel solutions to some of life's tricky questions.
And we play a few games and track the remarkable
characters of three classic books A SoundBite Life, Flight of
the Fused Monkeys and Illa Sat A Time to Begin Again,
all of which can be found on Amazon and Barnes
(20:32):
and Noble.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Are a sill Press our guest most fascinating person indeed
ari as a business leader creating and scaling a sports business.
Do you have any enabling routines and if so, what
(20:55):
are they?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Yeah, that's a plenty and early on devel even you know, in.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Advance of of this fleet fleet feet Austin thing happening.
Maybe whenever you and I were introduced, I had a
lot of routines that were pretty bad, right, And so
it's or maybe unproductive. And so I think as time
has gone and I don't know if I've grown, I
(21:23):
don't know if I've matured, So I don't want to
give myself either or credit on either of those fronts.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
But I think as some time has gone on, I have.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Been able to recognize what things are are maybe more
productive for myself in my heart of arts right, and
what things.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Are are maybe something less than productive.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
In terms of routines that I did have and calls fatus, babe,
be honest with myself and do my best to put
more in the bucket of production right and less time
and effort and focus into maybe what hasn't been. And
so for me, as time has gone on and my
(22:08):
career has continued to move forward into tomorrow, I think
there's a level of opportunity cost for time in my
mental bandwidth that I maybe spoke uh to protecting protecting
my keys even offline with you, but I have made
(22:31):
it a point, and I think I've been that much
more diligent when it comes to exactly that and what.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
My routines look like. So a few examples are.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
You know, the bad days, the heavy days, the days
were exhausted, the days where I need a break. One
example would keep making sure that I have time somewhere,
whether it be morning and or evening for myself and
whether that means decompressing. At the end of the day,
(23:02):
I had my favorite corner over my shoulder and a
little nook carved out on my couch to just come in,
sit down, maybe charge my phone, and that time it's
just sit in silence as I process information the day,
the flow of what has been and so not that
(23:23):
that's the answer for what those hard days are, but
it allows me a level of level.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Set and.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
The presence of sorts where call it ten years ago,
just as an example, I wouldn't have even been able
to recognize that I needed that charge. And so I
think with that comes becomes discipline, just like sport had
taught me for a few years there as I was
young and energetic and maybe a bit naive.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I would just go from one thing to the next thing.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Wake up in the morning, out the door, I go,
not a second thought, tell like banging out the to
do list and things that I needed to get accomplished
and maybe things that I wanted to get accomplished.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Nor on the back end of.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
My days was there a regrouping of swords that I
allowed myself.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
A room to breathe and all.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
And meanwhile it was almost an emotional and still at times.
Right this is it's a practice. It's not perfection, nothing
short of a ball of rubber bands or an emotional steadpoint.
And so that's who I am in a personification form.
And if one of those rubber bands was to get
(24:36):
off of the ball, it's going shooting out, you know,
being short or terse with myself, or maybe not being
kind or president in the moment, or being you know
sad at times, or whatever emotion. And this analogy that
I'm doing my best to paint. Where now I have
(24:57):
to carve out that time. And it's not every day,
I promise not every day. There is a practice where
I have to be disciplined enough, which is very much
a challenge of mine to carve out time to recognize,
whether it be a cup of coffee in the morning
and sitting and processing weapon, or reading the news or
the headlines, or at the end of the day after
(25:18):
you know whether it be a great day or not,
or something something short of that, still being able to
sit even.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
For a few moments and come back to.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Maybe a bit of recharge or just a reminder for myself.
Speaker 5 (25:36):
Good, good, good. You and your company have an indelibly
impassioned impact on the Austin community. But how do you
see it from your advantage fulfilling Austin's related needs?
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Great question level.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
There are things that it maybe the way that I
will answer, there are the things I hope that we gained,
the things that I hope that we contribute to. I
wouldn't be comfortable answering that question, you know, being on
my end of the deed, but I can say I
guess a roundabout way of answering. That would be my
(26:16):
aim and our collective aim is to of course educate
on the retail side to support needs when it comes
to running learning focused for where accessories, electronics, apparel like
what we are as a brick and mortar retail business.
Where I think I tend to come most alive is
(26:41):
on that touch with those customers having those moments, but
also pouring that into and outside of the.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Four walls of our doors of our stores.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
So we are and I am adamant about.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Serving the existing community.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
And I'll go on a bit of a soapbox, but
I want to be very delicate as I do in
that I think the word community has come to mean
a lot more and have a much deeper connotation than
it used to. And not that I want to gatekeep
(27:27):
what that word is, but it means a lot to
me because I and we, I think collectively do our
best to make sure that we are serving the city
and our run groups that are here that aren't necessarily
fleet feed affiliated, right, but in my mind and to
(27:49):
my heart, if we can offer a level of lift
and support and highlight and awareness build for some very
close friends of mine that I admire, that I know
have good hearts, that I know put effort and work
in every single day and every single week from their
own time, because it's in their hearts the right thing
(28:12):
to do.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
We have to meet them there. I have to elevate.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
I have to leverage our platforms, our relationships, our budget,
or our time, our effort, my time, my effort in
order to offer them the opportunity to be highlighted, because
I think that they deserve it. And at the end
of the day, if I'm able to and if we
are collectively with our efforts, able to offer that lift
(28:39):
and a step and make people feel good and give
them a warm place right exactly, I think what they're
aiming for each of these individuals that we trust in
that again aren't necessarily affiliated business partners, but this community.
I think I've also noticed that and myself, you know,
(29:00):
the change that has been it was.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Almost an aha moment.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
We're looking back at other instances of my work, of
my career, of just life in general, community, community, community,
and it was kind of fun to like have and
it has been fun for me and insightful for me
to go through these lessons and I hope earn it
with my hands, like I'm getting my hands dirt.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
And really building this thing together.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
It's not just a very much. It will never be
a meeting. I don't want it to be just a
standalone thing. I think there's power in collaborative efforts. Anybody
has worked alongside me and specifically within these last seven years.
That's the crux of what I want art efforts to
be here in Austin, because I just believe one, it's
(29:53):
worthwhile to this community deserves it.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
And three the friends and people that I know work.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
There asses off and I will be the first ones
to defend their efforts, their work, their name and probably
be right next to that.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
And you can talk about me, you could miss brand
now's my name. That's all fine.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
But when you know, push comes to shove, I hope
that and I think you know plenty of individuals can
feel meybe that I will be the first one to
stand up and and approach them when good opportunities come
along or you know, when when I'm sitting there brainstorming
(30:36):
for the next thing and trying to get people fired out,
I want them to be a part of this because
they're they're out there.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Doing it and I think if we're able to meet
them there.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
And offer lift and and and get that, then then sure,
maybe you know others uh or or brand new to
the to the to the sport of sorts will be
able to recognize like hey, the something going on down here, and.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
I think I can be a part of this and
it's welcoming, and that's that's the goal at.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
The end of the day, an inclusive community that's worn
and engaged and makes the beautiful place.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Have one more flower in the flower bed, and ladies
and gentlemen, that's what leadership is. I'm proud listening to
listening to you here. We'll take a break and we'll
be right back.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
How do you build and grow a cohesive community? Share
your success stories. You are on the journey with Neville.
Our home base is the Journey dot ryosports dot com.
That Jurney is put together as one word. Ryo Sports
is spelled.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
R y O s p O r t s.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
The Journey dot ryosports dot com. Join us there, meet
a collaborative community of outstanding creatives. Have a beautiful day.
See you next week.
My name is ADDI said, Adamando Betez. Okay, my first name,
Audi said, is.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
A R I S E L.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
And I go by Audi for sure, Audi Adi say Audi,
but phrenetically it's spelled a r I. So anytime, if
it's emails, if it's a name tag, if it's written individuals,
of course, right, maybe well we'll pronounce it if they
read it first and say oh ari or some version
(00:33):
of of of ari, which is completely fine. Not once
in my life have I corrected somebody. If individuals do
ask how to pronounce my name, I will offered a
bit of a lesson right perspectfully, and I will introduce
myself as Audie. And so with that, on the opposite end,
(00:54):
when I do go to Starbucks, memo or place or.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Or whatever of.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
What life brings right that involves my name, I'll say, hey, yeah, Audie,
and they'll say they'll either ask how to spell it,
which is kind of a rare occurrence, or take the
liberty within.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
That fork in the road. If they do ask, right,
I'll say, oh, thank.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
You, a r I, and they'll they'll read back, oh
ri or the dangerous part, which is what I've had
a fun time sharing with a number of friends and
seeing the response is kind of the fun thing too.
Why I'm sharing it is when they do take the
liberty of how to spell what they what they're processing
(01:41):
is Audie.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I've gotten so many innerations my life really right, I'm seeing.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Anything from from o's to of course a's and and
anything that sounds like it. But I've gotten p's involved,
I've gotten d's involved, I've gotten dolbo, r's involved the other.
A few months ago, there was one that I just
adored that was a U I d Y and I
don't even know how to pronounce that necessarily. But it's
(02:10):
become very fun, like again poking at myself knowing that
my mom was the one that named my sister, my
brother and myself and she unknowingly has cursed us.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I'm sorry, I'm going to apologize on hasbie up.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
She didn't curse you. It's fun. It's fun. So I know,
I know you any.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
All unique names, any spellings, and it's just a fun something.
But it's it's become amongst you know, a good group
of friends. Anytime I'll get a coffee mug or cup
that has a particular spelling, I'm.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Like cool, throw that up, one up on the board.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
There might be a few that maybe don't understand the humor,
may may think that I'm actually upset by it, so
I have to delicately explain, like, guys, this really isn't
a big this is not a deal at all.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
This is just a fun share.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Hello and welcome to The Journey, your radio show hosted
by Nevill d Angelou, author of a sound bite life
and Flight of the Views Monkeys, a PRG Emerging Technologies
Forum keynote speaker and founder of Rio Sports. I am
Joseph Ellison.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Enjoy I am never Today I'm joined by my co
host All Away from across the Atlantic in Austin, Texas.
This is the seventh anniversary of this company, Fleet Feet Austin.
So what's in the name and who is ARTI selfres
(03:50):
Of course you hear his voice every week on our podcast.
Many of you are more familiar with him through our
story Come Alive in the Journey's ongoing segment Stalwart Achievers,
The Hunks I Dreamed, or you may have been privy
(04:10):
to our series The Day Seven Boys Became Men. Once
again you can enjoy the opportunity to engage his brilliant personality,
genuine love, and undying energy. Join our exclusive members series
(04:30):
When Boys Become Men. Ari is an exemplary leader and collaborator. Ari,
(04:51):
Welcome to the side of the mic. Tell us about
your company if you don't mind, and what do you
prefer to be called?
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Ari?
Speaker 5 (04:59):
Or out of South?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I've been called much worse than the level set, like
I'm you gonna call me?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
What are you called me? Whatever?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
But not allowed nothing, My brother, it is seven years,
seven years since the opening of Fleetpeat Austin, and I
promised you that it feels like ten years.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Some days right, some days other days it just feels
like yesterday.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
And so I had the opportunity and we really collectively
as a team, had the opportunity to open the first
Fleetpeat location in Austine back in twenty eighteen and never on.
I think you know my background from the time that
we were introduced that long ago, but I've essentially I
(05:49):
just started my nineteenth year in the running industry. And
if even fifteen seventeen years ago you had asked what
what my goal was and what in my heart at
hearts what was getting me fired up? As I learned
more about career paths and the industry.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
And what my dreams were. Maybe it was to live
in Austin.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
It was to open up, open up my running store,
a running store there.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
And what I.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Did know at that point was Fleet Feed because I
worked there through college in Corpus Christie. And for those
things and just life to kind of come together even
in advance of you know, us opening seven years ago,
it was a It was quite the tug of war
(06:43):
from an emotional standpoint, getting to see this convergence of
sorts of you know, the career that had been to
that point where it had taken me, the lessons that
I had learned, that the people that I.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Had met along the way, and of course.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
The relationships had come with those people, and nothing short
of the most viserable gut checks in doing my business
determined am I smart enough? Are people gonna like me?
Am I capable of doing this?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Can?
Speaker 5 (07:13):
Can?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Can I do it in a fashion in which.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
It is up to danger for myself, which is very
much the most important for me.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
And this this was much more than than a job,
and it still is.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Every day and so everything of course throughout the time,
in terms of interviews and back and forth and all
sorts of things that kind of make helped me make
sense of the circumstance, lined up in a fashion that said, cool,
this makes sense. I don't know if I'm ready, but
I'm going to go down this path. And again you
(07:53):
snap your fingers today and that's how seven years come
come running by and or great airs are sprouting, they learned.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
But it's it's every single.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Day that I still get fired up to serve our
customers and educate about product and proper full wear fitting
and solutions. Seek with individuals that may be in pain
or discomfort and don't maybe don't know.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Where to go.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
That's the outlet I hope that we serve in in
Austin and and we'll be on as a national brand.
But I am solely focused on this community and making
sure that we're we're playing our part and whatever.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
H m.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
H m hm.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Hm hm hm yes, yes, yes, yes, and invigorating journey
from passion to purpose to put off of stability is
that you're calling. Encourage you to check out, take a
(09:12):
peek at spend the high Achiever's journey by yours truly.
You can find that on Amazon dot com or go
to our website the Journey dot riosports dot com and
check out spend the High Achiever's Journey.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
H m hm hm.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Ari, How would you relate to your experience to a
newbie who is trying to sort out his or her
passion and purpose?
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah, I think that's fair, novel, and I think this
is still of course, lessons are coming left and.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Right every day. So I hope what I am to.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Share it's not and all be all by eighty means
just my perspective, my life, my.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Experience of sorts.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
But I think on for me, I have been fortunate
enough and was fortunate enough early on to be able
to identify what, what has what really fires me up,
and having the fortune and opportunity to have that.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Align with a career path.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
And again genuinely just wanting to help people is my angle.
Like I loved this sport. I love running, and I
grew up running.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
I was.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
To a competitor of edge from childhood, from middle school,
high school, and into college. And not that that is
the end all be all for me or necessary something,
It just happened to me. And I think on that
sharp edge once, I'm working from that sharp edge of
(11:19):
competitive fitting all sorts of being.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Able to soften.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I think what the sport was quite a lesson for
me in that I could speak to and welcome individuals
at my own sport and in college to the sport.
And I didn't take that for granted. I think early
on I thought it was such a cool thing to
(11:45):
have again, the opportunities to talk about footwear innovation and
proper foot were fitting and hopefully again atly being discomfort
or whatever version of just a good experience and a good.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Touch with human being.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Right that is like real cool shoe store because I
used to flip through magazines all the time. Uh, middle school,
high Schoolhen I should have been paying attention in like
science class.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Depends on who you ask.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
I was doing my best thing and you know whether
that was running shoes or basketball shoes and just what
trends were on that end. And so uh, I think
to come back to maybe the question of those swords
is I was fortunate enough and I've been fortunate enough
to know like this is what I love and being able.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
To identify an opportunity.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
For for a career path and seeing mild boss Wayne
at Fleet he he lived and what I thought was
an awesome life. He would ride his bike, he would
go for runs, he would go for swims, he would
take care of himself, have a good time, had had
a great team, created.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
This warm environment with a very very close knit group.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Of of staff, members of sorts, team, members.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Of friends and making sort of friends.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
And he was still very sharp on the business side
of things, whether that was inventory or customer service or
just general operations and how he structured his business.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
So there was a number of things.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
That were very much, you know, admirable to say the least,
that he was a father figure of sorts for me
through those Coology years, and my my buy in very
much started then, Like I know, I'm passionate about this.
I get to see individuals who are making career paths
(13:38):
towards towards their own happiness of life in this sport,
and I was immediately just sinking my teeth into it.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I wanted more.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I wanted to learn more, and and I think that's
the basis of a lot of things. And my work
life is.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Like you're speaking to passion, right, I'm in more speaking maybe.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
To passion about what a what a craft is mine
happens to be running or has happened to be running
and just running specialty industry.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
But how do you.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Know at times as maybe looking looking back and maybe
as best prepared as I was, it's.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Still you're never going to know when the time is right.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
The dom Winders will quite literally never all be lined
up in equential fashion. And I think for me, having
a network of individuals of mentors, of business partners or
individuals that I've worked alongside, at least when included yourself, included.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Neville, my former boss Paul Perone, who.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
I still keep in close contact with, as an example,
it was a level of confidence in the lessons that
they taught me that I thought, and I think that
I can still continue to fall back on and trust
in something bigger than just myself for these larger decisions,
whether it be jumping into a new endeavor that sure.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I'm excited about, I promise, I'm scared as hell every single.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
And then that may be again fear based for a
number of different reasons, but one of those is just
wanting to make sure that I am able to hit
a level of standard for my team, the people that
I get to work alongside, this community that's much larger
than just Fleet fee and the city of Austin that
(15:38):
I've always.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Wanted to be a.
Speaker 5 (15:59):
Fleet Feat Austin that is fleeked feet dot com www
dot f l e E T f e e T
dot com, flicked fitt Austin. My guest is my co
(16:21):
host are pres a genuinely awesome human being and an
outstanding leader.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So Ali, how do.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
You deal with your highs and lows?
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Just be mindful of.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Not getting too high or too big for for my
own bridges of sorts right where if I could temper
that emotion of sorts and still be able to again
live in the moment and breathe and have those connections
with brothers, teammates, whatever version of of life was right
(16:59):
then and the same thing on my lowest of lows.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
When challenges do come up and me.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
As a leader, as the leader I hope for what
we're doing here in Austin and with Fleeteat specifically, sometimes
things happen that is life right. Challenges come up, whether
in the financial mistakes or business plans that in executions
(17:30):
that you thought could be something maybe more than that,
they end up being, or having to again deal with
with my team and at times staff members or other
individuals just period that are close to us and close
to our efforts.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
There are human beings as well, going to have bad days.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
We're gonna get through tense moments or have tense moments
right and making sure that at the end of those days,
those periods that I'm also not being overly heavy or
or beating myself up about mistakes that I have made
(18:13):
or challenges that I maybe could have handled differently. And
there's every everywhere in between. It's such a wide variance.
And so that's been whether early on in my years
and specifically whenever we met Neville, I was twenty four
years young, thinking.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
Okay, cool, I gotta figure we go.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
And now I'm thirty seven and a half years old,
with not.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Old, it's still young in terms of something that I haven't
done whatever, havelf birthdays are unfortune.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
At this point you fast forward thirteen plus years down
the road, I have learned several more lessons, and one
of those being.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Hey, as a leader, sometimes this shit ain't want to
be easy.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Nope, But every single time, at least today convicted, I'm convicted,
and what I'll say every single.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Time it's worth it. And I don't take that for granted,
I don't take this.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Opportunity to lead people to influence to help right when
I can, And I also have to remind myself that
I'm human too, so for me to offer myself that grace,
of course, I'm going to pivot and always offer grace.
I hope to those other individuals to meet me there
(19:33):
to pick up and we'll get through it, because I
know in my heart of arts they.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Mean well, and I like to think that I also do.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
And if reasonable people can get together for greater good,
and in this instance what I revolve around is sport
of swords and retail within the running space, then I.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Think that only can come from that. You are also.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Along the journey. We stop at intriguing places and meet
fascinating people with novel solutions to some of life's tricky questions.
And we play a few games and track the remarkable
characters of three classic books A SoundBite Life, Flight of
the Fused Monkeys and Illa Sat A Time to Begin Again,
all of which can be found on Amazon and Barnes
(20:32):
and Noble.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
Are a sill Press our guest most fascinating person indeed
ari as a business leader creating and scaling a sports business.
Do you have any enabling routines and if so, what
(20:55):
are they?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Yeah, that's a plenty and early on devel even you know, in.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Advance of of this fleet fleet feet Austin thing happening.
Maybe whenever you and I were introduced, I had a
lot of routines that were pretty bad, right, And so
it's or maybe unproductive. And so I think as time
has gone and I don't know if I've grown, I
(21:23):
don't know if I've matured, So I don't want to
give myself either or credit on either of those fronts.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
But I think as some time has gone on, I have.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Been able to recognize what things are are maybe more
productive for myself in my heart of arts right, and
what things.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Are are maybe something less than productive.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
In terms of routines that I did have and calls fatus, babe,
be honest with myself and do my best to put
more in the bucket of production right and less time
and effort and focus into maybe what hasn't been. And
so for me, as time has gone on and my
(22:08):
career has continued to move forward into tomorrow, I think
there's a level of opportunity cost for time in my
mental bandwidth that I maybe spoke uh to protecting protecting
my keys even offline with you, but I have made
(22:31):
it a point, and I think I've been that much
more diligent when it comes to exactly that and what.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
My routines look like. So a few examples are.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
You know, the bad days, the heavy days, the days
were exhausted, the days where I need a break. One
example would keep making sure that I have time somewhere,
whether it be morning and or evening for myself and
whether that means decompressing. At the end of the day,
(23:02):
I had my favorite corner over my shoulder and a
little nook carved out on my couch to just come in,
sit down, maybe charge my phone, and that time it's
just sit in silence as I process information the day,
the flow of what has been and so not that
(23:23):
that's the answer for what those hard days are, but
it allows me a level of level.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Set and.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
The presence of sorts where call it ten years ago,
just as an example, I wouldn't have even been able
to recognize that I needed that charge. And so I
think with that comes becomes discipline, just like sport had
taught me for a few years there as I was
young and energetic and maybe a bit naive.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I would just go from one thing to the next thing.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Wake up in the morning, out the door, I go,
not a second thought, tell like banging out the to
do list and things that I needed to get accomplished
and maybe things that I wanted to get accomplished.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Nor on the back end of.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
My days was there a regrouping of swords that I
allowed myself.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
A room to breathe and all.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
And meanwhile it was almost an emotional and still at times.
Right this is it's a practice. It's not perfection, nothing
short of a ball of rubber bands or an emotional steadpoint.
And so that's who I am in a personification form.
And if one of those rubber bands was to get
(24:36):
off of the ball, it's going shooting out, you know,
being short or terse with myself, or maybe not being
kind or president in the moment, or being you know
sad at times, or whatever emotion. And this analogy that
I'm doing my best to paint. Where now I have
(24:57):
to carve out that time. And it's not every day,
I promise not every day. There is a practice where
I have to be disciplined enough, which is very much
a challenge of mine to carve out time to recognize,
whether it be a cup of coffee in the morning
and sitting and processing weapon, or reading the news or
the headlines, or at the end of the day after
(25:18):
you know whether it be a great day or not,
or something something short of that, still being able to
sit even.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
For a few moments and come back to.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Maybe a bit of recharge or just a reminder for myself.
Speaker 5 (25:36):
Good, good, good. You and your company have an indelibly
impassioned impact on the Austin community. But how do you
see it from your advantage fulfilling Austin's related needs?
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Great question level.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
There are things that it maybe the way that I
will answer, there are the things I hope that we gained,
the things that I hope that we contribute to. I
wouldn't be comfortable answering that question, you know, being on
my end of the deed, but I can say I
guess a roundabout way of answering. That would be my
(26:16):
aim and our collective aim is to of course educate
on the retail side to support needs when it comes
to running learning focused for where accessories, electronics, apparel like
what we are as a brick and mortar retail business.
Where I think I tend to come most alive is
(26:41):
on that touch with those customers having those moments, but
also pouring that into and outside of the.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Four walls of our doors of our stores.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
So we are and I am adamant about.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Serving the existing community.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
And I'll go on a bit of a soapbox, but
I want to be very delicate as I do in
that I think the word community has come to mean
a lot more and have a much deeper connotation than
it used to. And not that I want to gatekeep
(27:27):
what that word is, but it means a lot to
me because I and we, I think collectively do our
best to make sure that we are serving the city
and our run groups that are here that aren't necessarily
fleet feed affiliated, right, but in my mind and to
(27:49):
my heart, if we can offer a level of lift
and support and highlight and awareness build for some very
close friends of mine that I admire, that I know
have good hearts, that I know put effort and work
in every single day and every single week from their
own time, because it's in their hearts the right thing
(28:12):
to do.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
We have to meet them there. I have to elevate.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
I have to leverage our platforms, our relationships, our budget,
or our time, our effort, my time, my effort in
order to offer them the opportunity to be highlighted, because
I think that they deserve it. And at the end
of the day, if I'm able to and if we
are collectively with our efforts, able to offer that lift
(28:39):
and a step and make people feel good and give
them a warm place right exactly, I think what they're
aiming for each of these individuals that we trust in
that again aren't necessarily affiliated business partners, but this community.
I think I've also noticed that and myself, you know,
(29:00):
the change that has been it was.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Almost an aha moment.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
We're looking back at other instances of my work, of
my career, of just life in general, community, community, community,
and it was kind of fun to like have and
it has been fun for me and insightful for me
to go through these lessons and I hope earn it
with my hands, like I'm getting my hands dirt.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
And really building this thing together.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
It's not just a very much. It will never be
a meeting. I don't want it to be just a
standalone thing. I think there's power in collaborative efforts. Anybody
has worked alongside me and specifically within these last seven years.
That's the crux of what I want art efforts to
be here in Austin, because I just believe one, it's
(29:53):
worthwhile to this community deserves it.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
And three the friends and people that I know work.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
There asses off and I will be the first ones
to defend their efforts, their work, their name and probably
be right next to that.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
And you can talk about me, you could miss brand
now's my name. That's all fine.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
But when you know, push comes to shove, I hope
that and I think you know plenty of individuals can
feel meybe that I will be the first one to
stand up and and approach them when good opportunities come
along or you know, when when I'm sitting there brainstorming
(30:36):
for the next thing and trying to get people fired out,
I want them to be a part of this because
they're they're out there.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Doing it and I think if we're able to meet
them there.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
And offer lift and and and get that, then then sure,
maybe you know others uh or or brand new to
the to the to the sport of sorts will be
able to recognize like hey, the something going on down here, and.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
I think I can be a part of this and
it's welcoming, and that's that's the goal at.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
The end of the day, an inclusive community that's worn
and engaged and makes the beautiful place.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Have one more flower in the flower bed, and ladies
and gentlemen, that's what leadership is. I'm proud listening to
listening to you here. We'll take a break and we'll
be right back.
Speaker 5 (31:43):
How do you build and grow a cohesive community? Share
your success stories. You are on the journey with Neville.
Our home base is the Journey dot ryosports dot com.
That Jurney is put together as one word. Ryo Sports
is spelled.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
R y O s p O r t s.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
The Journey dot ryosports dot com. Join us there, meet
a collaborative community of outstanding creatives. Have a beautiful day.
See you next week.
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Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
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