Don’t Shorten Your Story: Identifying Pivotal Moments and Individuals to Develop Your Character with Ted Speaker Taylor Doe

hello and welcome to Authentic on Air with Bruce Alexander. I'm your host, Bruce Alexander. I am buzzing right now. Today's show just might be a monumental insight machine because today's guest has been referred to as a walking Ted talk. Taylor know is here to uncover some critical information we all may have missed in our stories. More about Taylor in a moment. First, today's reflection.

What are the moments in your story that consistently get glossed over when you recount your life's turning points? Do you leave instrumental people out of your success stories or omit mistakes or indecision on your own part that could tip the scales in your disappointments? I will leave it to today's guest to expand further on that and then moments because he is the pro. However, I want to proud your mind to analyze your story and truly receive this amazing information.

It can unlock something huge for you. As always, I am generally interested and would love to hear any interesting, surprising or revelation insights uncovered. So you can hit me up on Instagram, Facebook threads, or LinkedIn. And often I didn't imagine. Taylor. Those TEDx talk has reached over 150,000 views since it was posted six months ago. Most of these were in the first week it was posted. He is a keynote speaker who uses his unique insights to create environments where people thrive.

He is known as a creative entrepreneur and thought leader, a dedicated relationship and community builder He is who gave me a different set of keys and opportunities I might have wanted to be when I grow up using personality, influencer and an uncommon mastery of the persuasive presentation, he helps people and aims to make the world a better place. I'll keep my monologue, my monologuing brief as my guest has had me into a busy schedule and I want to make the most out of this time.

Thank you to the DOE for joining me today. Members. Bruce Thank you for that introduction. Man, That was that was top notch. I appreciate that. Well, I mean, you're doing top notch work out there. So, I mean, I want people to know who I have got on your head. And thank you. Yeah, it was had the. Opportunity to give a TED talk about and then moments which we'll get into today hopefully. And so just very thankful for the opportunities that have come from that.

So so now before we jump waist deep and then moment yeah. Tell our listeners who aren't familiar with you yet in your own words who you are, what you spend your days doing, and why do you think I invite you to be a guest on my show today? Man Thank you. My name is Taylor Doerr. I also go by Tito. That's a nickname I got when I was in like the fourth or fifth grade. And it has kind of stuck with me.

My entire. Life. There was this youth worker who came up with the nickname and it just kind of stuck. So I answer to that as well. But by day I run a small tech company with my brother, so he lives in Tulsa with his wife and she just joined the team. So we run a software that helps people care for others and so that's what I kind of do full time. And then on the side, do some speaking and some storytelling and some kind of thought leadership stuff that I'm really passionate about.

So that's kind of what I do. I got to work in schools for many years, and so I love being around young people and kind of mentorship and things like that is something that I'm that I'm really passionate about. I'm also I love Chick-Fil-A, but I would say I'm a water burger fanatic. Oh, that's kind of kind of my personal brand. You can kind of find me there, kind of hit rock bottom with that in college when I started Give me employee discount. That I would spend on itself.

I was always taking people with me. Like I didn't really go by myself. It was always taking taken friends. And so we would order in like go sit down at kind of the same table that I'd sit at, and they'd come out and be like, Hey, well, you know what shakes Would you like tonight? My my goodness, What I would do with an order shakes. You know, I was like, Oh, no, no, no, it's okay. It's like I'm chocolate tonight at 8 hours. It was like getting the.

The treatment just because I went so much and started to get to know the employees. So I'm a water fanatic. And then maybe when I'm on the podcast, maybe Relational Capital, we have mutual friend and Derrick Sayah, he was a guest. If you haven't listened to that podcast yet, you need to is great conversation that you guys had, which fired me up for kind of being on today. So that was our connection for for sitting here and being on the pod together. Well, thanks for listening that.

So because like you said, I think it was a pretty powerful conversation and I'm glad you find that to be here. Yeah. So you've made it your literal job to create opportunities for people who don't look like you. Why do you think that is? And I grew up in a household and I would say, can I have a family lineage of people who have looked out for others?

So even even my grandfather, who's who's no longer here, but both my grandfathers were incredibly kind and generous people who are always looking around at people around them. Even my grandmother is extremely hospitable and kind and welcoming and friendly and open an open door policy in their home. So it was kind of just an ethos in our family too. Like, Hey, people are welcome here. We look out for people who are overlooked, all of that.

And so I would say that I had an advantage of just growing up in that environment. And so that trickled down to to my parents as well, like my dad's extremely gracious. He's super funny and witty, Like he's he's hilarious. So he's like great around people, grew up watching him, doing like the church announcements every Sunday, but like just putting in little jokes and things like that. So even kind of aspiring to like, man, I want a mike in my head someday.

Like, I love the way that he tells stories in front of others and even at our house. And then my mom was a family practice doctor, physician for for many years. He recently retired. So growing up in that household of like we'd be out in the community and her patients would come up and be like, Oh my gosh, your mom saved my life, or Your mom is, you know, the most amazing person. She's caring. She listens to me like all these things.

And then I would see the way that she interacts with people like, you know, we're like, we're shopping at Walmart, you know, And she's like, stops to take time and chat with, you know, patients. Or we get phone calls during dinner and someone's calling who has an emergency or has a question. And she's taking time to do genuinely listen to them. And so I would say that it's not necessarily me as the environment that I grew up that said, hey, we value and care about people here.

And so that's where that's where it kind of stemmed from. And I've been placed in opportunities that have allowed me to do that. That's amazing. Has anybody else? So my name is my full name is Bruce Wayne Alexander. You know who that is, right? I think we're talking about. Batman, you know. As anybody else made the correlation between you and Batman. You're a tech company. By day. And you help others at night. Whoa. Hey, I'm not going to take it that far. I wouldn't say I'm a superhero.

He's not a superhero, a hero. He has no powers. And he's smart and he works hard to care for. Others. Okay? I mean, I'll let you say I'm not going to put that in my bio, but that is. The first time I can say that is the first time I've heard that that correlation. I mean. When I said that company, I was like. And okay, he's doing this, but there's nothing that like flashes in the sky for me to show so we can we can say that. Okay, okay. So how do you define offense? Authenticity? I know.

That's a good question. I would define it in definitely in this context of being truthful in all areas. And so I'm just going to keep it short in that regard. But when I when I think of an authentic person, I think of someone who has nothing to hide. I think of humility, because I think it takes a level of humility to be authentic until you're full parts of your story.

And so those are those are words that that kind of come to mind when you say authentic is as humility, is truthfulness is integrity, and so that's another reason why I like I'm kind of drawn to your podcast, right? It's like authentic on air, which is even kind of a level of invitation to say, hey, even when it's hard to kind of tell your story publicly. That's what this podcast is doing. I've created a safe space on this pod to be able to share those stories that we don't often tell.

And so that's where I where I see authenticity. Showing up is kind of in storytelling in kind of everywhere that I go. I think that's a, you know, a nice brief definition. And I think that was very good. Thanks. So we talked about our mutual friend Derrick Fire. Amazing. Dude, it was so good. We had to split into two episodes like and a bonus episode. There's a lot of there's a lot of content I. Do It can go, you can, you. Know, and a lot of people can go in there like, would you please stop?

He's the one that he just kept being like, Man of gems. Oh, that's hope. Yes, love. It. We are. We have those conversations over Water Burger. All the time. So I was like. Man, we look up is like, why is it 1 a.m.? And we're still. Sitting you know on on May. Over here across from target at this water burger and having a great conversation so yeah for sure. So we talked some in our episode about the power of storytelling. Tell me a little bit about how that ties in to what you do.

And I think it's almost everything I do. I love thinking about the power of storytelling. I'm I'm I would say I'm a marketing guy per se, like I love I'm just interested in marketing and advertising and all those things. So I like watching ads, I like watching commercials, I like looking at billboards. I like hearing the way that businesses tell their stories. And I just have seen over the years the power of storytelling.

Like we get we get told stories as we grow up that kind of we adopt and kind of take in and then there's also stories that we tell that we project out into the world of how people should think about us. And so I'm really fascinated about about those stories, a story that I have been fascinated with in the past decade, several years at least, is the story of the American dream and kind of America, right?

There's the story that we've we've told and we continue to tell about how people succeed in America and and in the story behind that, where that shows up in commercials or family stories or politicians or presidents or, you know, it shows up in all different areas, kind of this idea of what America is. And and the story that undergirds that is what I've been really fascinated with. Interesting. What have you found as you've dug into that now?

I think the baseline is America is known for being the land of opportunity. Right? Is like how you come or you're born here and you work hard enough. You can be whatever you want to be is kind of the short version of it is kind of the short story of America, right? The land of opportunity. You can have whatever you want. You just have to work hard enough for it. Yeah, you're going to face challenges, pull yourself up by your bootstraps. But this is America. You can be whatever you want to be.

And that's one side of the story and one of your in one of your presentations, you talk about keys and how the American dream is there for everyone, but it's how it's achieved is different. Tell me a little about keys. Yeah, for sure. And so that story has fascinated me about how we we tell different parts of kind of the American dream and success for the last decade. I've got to work on the east side of Oklahoma City and got to move there.

And so I get to have conversations with young people a lot about the future and their goals and what they want to do and opportunity. And also I get to have conversations because I run in kind of different networks that are similar to that in other parts of the city, or kind of reflecting on my own story. And what I've noticed is that, you know, it's more than just hard work.

That's typically what we kind of say is kind of the quick, quick, brief answer of like, Hey, how how do I become successful? We'll just work hard. Right? Right. And then we kind of move on. And what I've found is that there's a lot more nuance to the story that comes into play. And so I had the opportunity to mentor some some young men that become like nephews to me at this point. But they were asking this question like, how do people become successful?

And that kind of set me on the journey to kind of explore how people get to where they're at. So I did a kind of a series of interviews via Zoom and in person and in phone asking people about their stories of success. And what I kind of kept hearing was this idea of hard work. Everyone said, Man, I worked hard. And, you know, I got this great and then I got this great job at this PR firm. And so what I kept hearing in these interviews was hard work.

But there was something that was more fascinating that showed up, and it was this phrase that everyone said and it was. And then and we use this word to kind of transition in our stories. And actually that phrase kind of disguises or kind of kind of overshadows some of the nuance in our stories about how we get to where we're at. And so what kept showing up was kind of how relationships unlocked opportunities and so on. Ask a little bit more about their story.

How did you get that job at that PR firm? Oh, well, this guy that I was dating in college, his dad was the general manager at that PR firm. Right. And so I kind of say, oh, well, that person was a key to unlock that opportunity for you to have that job at that that PR firm or, oh, you know, and then I won this award for this music video that I made. Well, well, how did you how did you learn how to how to make music videos? You know? Well, my grandma, my aunt gave me my first camera.

And so that was kind of an and then moment is what I say is kind of those stories or details about how people unlock opportunity is kind of hidden behind that one phrase. Right. So what do you or why do you think these pivotal moments are so often treated like Benchwarmers When we were when we were our success stories? And I think it's the way that we've been taught to tell our story.

You know, I think as you kind of taught and I know you know, the power of storytelling is we kind of flex a certain muscle when we tell our story and kind of what we've grown up hearing. And when we when we get on podcast or listen to podcast, the stories that people tell, we kind of just naturally leave out these details. I think a lot of times some of it is for like brevity or like just kind of for this. We don't have time to kind of really get into it.

So I'm just going to hit the high points, right? Or when we when we win an award and, you know, they just kind of tailor our bio of what we've succeeded in. There's not really a whole lot of time to hey, I don't really have 30 minutes to tell you about all of the details. And so we just hit the high points. So I'm going to give people benefit of the doubt in that that sense. But I also think in America, we it it's not glamorous.

There's some shame that's kind of wrapped up with the help that we've gotten along the way because of this story that we've told as America of, hey, just work hard and you're going to be successful. And so I'm I'm here to say, yes, you have to work hard. I'm not taking away from that. But I want to talk about the other nuance that happens in people's stories of success. And so do you think this hints at an underlying tendency to just lack self-awareness throughout our society?

I think I think. There's some of that. I also think that there is a level of shame that comes with this. So the people that I interviewed kind of fall in or fell into continue to fall into kind of the top 20% of earners in America. And I'm not talking about like the the uber uber wealthy, like people who fly private and have multiple yachts and, you know, all of that. I'm just talking about people who have have the good jobs, quote unquote. Right.

People with benefits and and have PTO and can can afford a vacation and and have stuff for their children and, you know, things like that find really like value in their work. And and so what I've found is that as people started sharing their stories, like really candidly with me was that there was some underlining shame that they got this help along the way. I interviewed this guy who had this passion to kind of work at Capitol on Capitol Hill in D.C. And so he went to law school.

He was kind of in these leadership roles. And so he graduates and he submits a resume to the senator and is in his dad's like, Hey, man, I actually know that. Senator, you want me to make a call? And this guy's like, now, like, I got this. Submit his resume. Crickets. Right, Right. So he's like, maybe they didn't maybe they didn't get it. You know. It's like it's like, well, the reason this background is. Like, my resume is in real good leadership positions. All this crickets.

So he finally goes back to his dad and is like, Hey, can, can you make this call? So that makes the call the next day this guy gets a call. Hey, we're looking looking forward to having you, you know, in D.C. we want to pay you. Here's here's what we pay and we'd love to have you come up, you know, in a month from now. So he gets there and gets taken out to lunch the first day by one of his coworkers. And they're sitting there and the guy across the table says, What's your story like?

How did you get here? The guys like, what were you talking about? Like submit a resume and all that. He's like family and everyone has a story, right? Right. And he's like, Oh, well, my dad knows, you know, the senator from from college above was like, okay. And, you know, here's how I got here. And it was just matter of fact. But after the kind of later in that conversation, that man I felt I feel kind of a little bit shameful that I didn't really earn earn this position.

Right. Like I did because I went to law school and all this. But my resume alone didn't get me in the door. And so there's kind of some shame with that, which I think causes people to not really tell those parts of the story because it's not glamorous, because we're not taught to share about the people who have helped us along the way.

Do you think it's important now that now that you've done all this digging, uncovering all this stuff, do you think it's important to change the way we tell our stories? Oh, 1,000%. I think that's the that's what I'm going to be dedicating a significant amount of time towards. And what I talk about when I go speak and take time away from my community and my family and all that.

To do that, that's what I'm inviting people into is authentic storytelling, because I think what that does is when we tell a more authentic story, is it provides some light and some truth to how people get to where they're at. So I'm talking with young people. They're not just thinking. And if I just go out here and grind and I put in all the hours like it's going to happen, which yes, there is a chance that that happens. But I also need you to know, I need you to continue to work hard.

I also need you to know these three people that you're looking up to have more to their story than what they've said. Right. Right. Like they're leaving out these details and you're just going off of the things that they've said or the things that they've publicly shared. But there's more to the story. And so I think when we tell our full stories of success that actually brings brings truth and artistic authenticity to the broader narrative of how people become successful in America.

So there's almost like there's Chico that everybody who's been, you know, become successful has had and is not meant maybe not intentionally, but has been kind of keeping a secret. So, as you know, we're talking about these young people trying so hard to get there and they have no idea that there's this this hidden thing. And so you're kind of pulling the Pullman Drake's back on that and allowing it to get, you know, light for the entire world to see.

Yeah. And I want to do it in a way that's empathetic and compassionate. Right? It's like there's there's a there's one way to approach people in another way. And I want to approach people in compassion and empathy and create a safe space to say, hey, it's okay to tell your story here, because I know there's other places that aren't. I mean, you won't get rewarded for for telling this. And he might be viewed a certain way.

But I think that it's so valuable to the national narrative to be able to tell about and say the names of the people who have helped you along the way. You know? So for me, you know, obviously it's my parents are one of my and then moments that I've created so many opportunities showed up for me in so many different ways when I they they could afford for me to go to college at O.U. While I was there, I wound with a guy named Daniel Daniels.

Mom was senior vice president of H.R. at this oil company here. And this energy company here in OKC. I had started kind of a campus ministry or organization at O.U. That she thought was cool. And she was like, Hey, you need to meet our community outreach person for the for our company. And so she made that introduction, and that introduction turned into an internship, which turned into a full time job, right?

So because of Daniel's mom, Mary, she was an and then moment for me to open up the door to give me a key, to unlock an opportunity to then turn it into a real great career that I loved, which allowed me to work in schools on the East side with that. So and then and then and then kept showing up in my life. So as as I was researching for today, I stumbled across you talking to Oklahoma City School security chief Wayne Cubit. Okay. There's an interesting conversation on YouTube.

It's funny you mention that you had turned down at least one previous TED talk before this one. What is the end for your TED talk? Yeah, great. The and then for my TED talk is I know both of the organizers for Ted here in Oklahoma City. Okay. So one of the guys name is Brian. Brian runs a group of entrepreneurs, kind of a collaborative in Oklahoma City. And so I've been a part of that group for many years. And so he that was my connection to him.

And then my other buddy David, who I think I, I don't really remember how he made me through church or kind of some other networks. He's become a close friend and they were both familiar with and then moments I've had the concept for for a long time just didn't feel like it was time for me to share kind of publicly. So privately I've kind of been doing interviews and bouncing the idea off people and they loved it, like, Hey, man, this is this is a TED talk, like you got to share this.

And so they actually invited me to do one. That's several years ago, and that was before I kind of I didn't want to share anything that I've learned for ten years. Yeah. And so just kind of serve and show up and do that. While I was on the east side of Oklahoma City. And so they actually asked me kind of in that ten year window to do a TED. And I was like, Hey man, it's not my time to speak. And so I turned that opportunity down.

And then last year the opportunity came back up and that was kind of outside, outside the window. So felt kind of the opportunity, feel okay in that moment and said yes to it. And that's how I had the opportunity to be on stage. So it was definitely through relationships that that got me on the stage to be able to share that story. Ten years is a long time. What what made you decide to just tell us more?

About ten years. Yeah. So I actually read this book when I first started working in schools and that kind of shaped me in and I don't typically read the preface of a book, but in the in the preface it was talking about the author who's done a lot of community work, and it said that John Perkins did kind of ministered and served in obscurity for a decade before anyone who was the head. And when I read that, I was like, I want to be that guy. And so I underlined it.

I underlined it day to day and was like, okay, like, this is this is a decade. Here we go. And so it just kept showing up in schools, building relationships with students and families, started showing up to basketball games and football games and start getting invited to birthday parties and, and and cookouts and playing dominoes and just hanging out and doing the thing and building relationships and just learning. And so did that and continue to do that.

But hit the ten year mark and was like, okay, I feel like I have these relationships. People in my life were like pushing me at this point, you know? And I was like. Maybe it's time for you to share. You know, you have this idea that we think can move people and it's sticky and all that, so it's okay. So do your thing. And so kind of got that permission. And that's where where I said yes to the to the TED talk. So during that ten years you were doing a Valentine's Day project.

But with some of the young boys you talk about earlier. Tell us about that. Yeah. Mean that's it's actually been longer than than ten now. So that's that started when I was a sophomore in college and so on Valentine's Day, all my buddies were like taking out their significant others on dates. And I'm incredibly single, you know? Right. And so it's like, man, what do you do on Valentine's Day? And one answer is like, you go to Whataburger, right? And so that's what we did.

But while I was there, I was like, man, I want to I want to do some kind of for someone tonight. So I was with one of my buddies and we went and bought cards and chocolates and roses and delivered them to all the fast food restaurants in Norman on Valentine's Day, just to say like, Hey, thank you for what you do first. But we also, like, just want to say Happy Valentine's Day. We're thinking about you, we care about you. And that first Valentine's like and ladies would like start crying.

You know, come come out. The drive there to give us hugs. You know, we start going in and giving hugs. You know, these are kind of handwritten valentines and all of that. So that's been going on for 15 years. So we call it we call it fast food valentines. But before we fast forward to how that carried out, if you think that idea is simply amazing, where did that come from? Man My sister, my older sister and I have had conversations just about unique ways to care for people.

And so that was kind of both from our conversation there. Also on campus, I started an organization that intentionally tried to serve people in unique ways. I think there's there's something about the small things that you do that I try to do every single day that will will never be seen and I will do that. And then there's times where I think we can invite others into serving in unique ways.

So for this organization that I started at, you, each football season, two or three home games, we would buy a whole bunch of pizza and dessert and drinks and we would go serve that to the people who had to clean the football stadium After the football games, you know, I was like, we just trashed the stadium. And then it's it's pretty much temporary workers like temp workers who clean the stadium after.

And so I connected with the manager and he's like, Yeah, man, a lot of our people, like, don't have cars. And in there our lunch break is at 2 a.m. And so like places are closed and so people just like don't really eat. So it's like, man, we're college students and we're up at 2 a.m.. And so I was like. We just ordered a bunch of pizza and all that and we take it to the stadium and they would just like call the employees to like one of the gates. And we just like, hang out with, like play music.

We like, chill out, you know? You know, it's like we're just saying it's like their lunch. Break right at 2 a.m. And so it had. To be Pizza Planet. Right? Yeah. Please. Oh, no, that's okay. Exactly. You already know. You already know. So we're like. Kind of support local business, all that stuff. Anyway, is just a chance to build connection. Right. And another thing we did was senior Citizen Prom.

So we went to the senior citizen home and we dress up in suits and ties and the ladies would dress up. And then all of the people who live there would come and we'd play the best hits of the fifties and sixties, and we'd dance with kind of senior prom king and queen every year. And so it was just kind of unique ways to serve. And so fast food Valentines became became one of those things. And over the years it's just kind of grown build momentum, different groups that have have done it.

We have a logo, we have branded postcards that we actually do like handwritten cards on. Now. And so it's it's really been cool to kind of see that grow. Do you chronicle everywhere? Yeah, we have a website I would fast food Viacom and then we're we're on social a little bit with that just kind of sharing the story but.

I feel like that would be a very big YouTube channel just just following people that like, I love the videos where somebody just pulled up the drive through and it and the person cash on the ground thinking, you know, really see somebody's day. Surprisingly, that day, their whole life changed by a moment. Yeah. And it's it's just because it's so unexpected and it's just it's completely unselfish, you know? You know that you're doing it. And yeah, I think it's awesome.

So tell us a little bit more about who you're doing it with now. Yeah. Yeah. So is is find a quick story for that is so we when it kind of moved to Oklahoma City started hitting the kind of same spots we actually do in the Midwest city there's kind of a strip of fast food restaurants there and and for a few years we'd see this like some of the same people, Right? And one of the years would come in for this lady. One of the ladies starts like tearing up, and she's like, I knew you'd be back.

I knew you'd be like, I hope you'd come back. And, you know. And so it's really cool to like, be able to just show up and, like, be expected because we're never expected, like, because there's like new workers and it's like, who are who are these. People, you know. And, and so to be like, expected and be able to show up in like she remember us and us remember her and like and all that.

Anyway, back in 2016, like I said, I was working in schools and kind of had a core group of guys that I was just spending time with. Well, they found out about fast food Valentines, and so they were like, Hey Tito, this is our year. Like to do this. We want to do it. And so we had to step it up a little bit. We ran in tuxedos. We rented a limousine, which we hadn't done in the past, and we kind of did gift baskets and roses and all of that.

And so I don't know if you've ever been through a drive through in a limousine. You know, So it sounds like a unique from. The a unique problem that you kind of have to think ahead of. Like, okay, where where do we park? Because a lot of times we go in now just because the guys are wearing tuxedos and they they love dressing up. And so it's been really cool to see, just like the the guys in the way that they compassionately care for the ladies that we get to give these gifts to.

And so in doing that, you're you're teaching these these boys, these, you know, Eastside boys about giving that that's one great thing. But you're also given an opportunity to do something that they may never get to do that where tuxedo and Raymond Limousine. Wow. Tell me a little bit about the impact of that man. I mean, the way you feel when you dress up.

Like. There's something different about it or I like the way when you when you wear a suit, even the way you walk changes the way you talk, changes the way you you know, like I kind of joke the way you dance changes. Like we're always. Dancing and doing all that. Like when you get dressed up. Like the conversations we'd have would shift. And so I think it's kind of a mindset thing. I think it's seeing yourself in a in a way that you don't typically. And I think that's for anybody, right?

Not just for for Eastside kids, but it was special to kind of like to be able to do that, to be able to do the limo and do it multiple times and have the media show up. Right. So they're they're getting interviewed on on all the big news programs they made on the front page of The Oklahoman. Right. And so even the ability to practice like being interviewed and and sharing about an idea like there's all these kind of practice reps, things that you get to get to do with just an event like that.

I want to back up and say, Yeah, they are learning. They are learning about generosity and kindness and all this, but these guys are already that. So I don't want to take too much credit for that. These guys are already compassionate. They're extremely generous in what they give, even even though that they don't have much like I've learned a lot from them in the way that they give with with stuff that they have or the lack of sometimes like men. Why did you just. You know, share that you.

Don't even really have much of that going on right now, you know, And so, I mean, one of those is one of the guys that does Valentine's Day. He works at Canes. Right. And so when you start off, you're not making that much money, all this stuff. And I would see the way that he would give to homeless people some of his money or you go buy food and do all this because that was something that was close to his heart. And so, yeah, I think I invited them to to care for people in a in a unique way.

But they're doing that every single day. And I'm I would say I'm learning from them and have learned from. Them over the years. I mean, that that speaks to your your humility. Alonzo Like to, you know, your and your openness to continue your journey of learning. And I think that's that's an excellent thing. You talks about the conversation shifting not only where, you know, does that tux give you a different feel. It helps you change your mindset and see bigger things in your future.

Tell me about what those conversations were like. I mean, that that's what's still this conversation that we're having today is is the tuxedo, I would say, because because in the back of that limousine ask me the question that triggered the research that that allowed me to kind of stumble on and find this new ones of and then moments so he he asked me, he said, Tito, how I want one of the good jobs when I get older. How do people get the good jobs? Like how do people become successful?

And in that moment in I know a lot was happening, but I didn't have a great answer for him. And I know what America the story is telling him. Right? Work hard, pull yourself up by your bootstraps and I couldn't say that in the moment. I knew my story was more nuanced than that. And so I want to be authentic in the in the in the way that I tell him how I think people become successful.

So that's really what jumpstarted this whole thing was like, okay, I'm going to do interviews now and interview people about their success stories and try to find some commonalities and all of that so I can go back to Jay and say, Hey, here's what I found. Like, let's let's have a conversation about this, right?

And so that was really the birth of it was some young men in tuxedos dreaming about the future, asking about what it takes, and me not having the answer that wanted to provide them an authentic answer that really jumpstarted this whole journey. So if you have when did you go back and start giving them that information? And I don't think it was a point that I went back and like sat down was like chapter one. Right now it's I. Have a relationship with these guys.

And so D.J. is actually live with me on and off throughout the years. And his younger brother Darius, but he he live with me a senior year. He went to Douglas, was valedictorian, all that he lived with me his his senior year. And so he was actually hearing these interviews as I was doing them. Right. So I'm on the I'm taking phone calls in the car and. He's well, he's with me. I'm I'm at home doing Zoom calls. And he, you know, gets home gets home from school.

And I'm like on a call and he'll just sit there. Right. And so he's listening to these stories. And so and then Jeremiah and Zamora and and Cruz, like, I have relationships with them. So I would say it's kind of an evolution, Like it's been a process of unpacking this together. So they they have kind of seen and kind of been able to to be able to make these connections in their mind as we're going.

And so as I'm crafting this, this story and then and being able to do this TED talk, that was kind of version one. You only have 15 minutes, 6 minutes to do a TED talk, right? So I had a cut, a lot of stuff to get down to. Like the core of what I'm trying to say. And I took the angle of like, how do people get the good jobs right? There's there's a lot of different and then moments that happened in our lives.

It might not be someone who gives us a job or unlocks a door to a job, but it might be a mentor or someone who came into our life was like, Hey, man, I see this and you in and you don't even see it in yourself. And that unlocks something, right? And so those are those are also and then moments I just didn't get to talk about that in detail. In the TED Talk, I took one angle. And so they have kind of seen the evolution of the of the content of the things that I'm finding out.

And then they're watching me as I'm figuring out how to tell this to the public. Right? There are certain words that I don't say that I don't want to say that I think are are triggering or kind of flash bang that people just shut down when you start talking about certain topics. And so I've tried to be very intentional in my storytelling as I kind of walk people through how I think opportunity is unlocked as well as what I think we as individuals can do for others.

So they were kind of the, I want to say Guinea things, they were kind of the prototype clients for what you do now within them. And that's how people and businesses convert their Indian moments into success, right? Yeah, I would say that I would.

I would say that my target audience, I'm multiple audience I've gotten multiple versions of and then running, but one that I'm really passionate about is, is people who hold the keys, like people who are up, who hold the opportunity, who decide kind of who gets to come in, who's who's out there are the opportunity holders.

And so I'm really interested in speaking with those people to try to introduce a new framework to say, Hey, I want you to reflect on your story, because I think when we reflect on our and then moments, there's a level of humility that comes from that, right? Because it says, Oh, I actually didn't do this all on my own. Yes. I worked hard. Yes, I faced challenges. Yes, I had things happen to me. But if it wasn't for Joe, Mary, these people, like, I wouldn't be where I'm at today.

And in my hope and what I've seen as I've kind of shared this is there's a level of humility that comes when you do that work to reflect on your story, that then says, Hey, because I've been given or people have unlocked doors for me, I want to unlock doors for other people who historically haven't been have those have those doors unlocked. And so talking about that, that first group of people, what are some of the benefits you think that they walk away with after worked with you?

And I think some of the things would be like like I said, humility, gratitude. I mean, people get I've been able to I've been fortunate to be able to do some breakout sessions and speak in in different places in a few different cities and stuff. And the response I'm getting has been humbling for me, even. I like people getting emotional about their stories, right? Like people come up and say, Man, I reflected on names that I haven't thought about in decades, right?

It makes me want to write a thank you card or like call or send a text or like, really? Like, just say thank you to these people. And so that's been one one outcome that has has happened of sharing and then moments with different audiences is kind of that level of humility and gratitude that that comes from that. I think the second outcome. Is this. This idea of action like, Hey, I want to unlock opportunities for others. I want to be a little bit more strategic on how I do that for more people.

And so it's kind of turned into a strategy session where it's like, okay, well, how do we do this in your context? Because it looks different, right? You are on an advertising agency, okay, Or you run a you run a services company or you run a concrete company or whatever it might be like your context for unlocking opportunity for people looks different. And so that's that's been another outcome from, from it from being able to share in the moments of impulse. Absolutely great.

So you traverse these, you know, multiple cultures as you go through this mentoring and and then in your corporate and your back East side or with Kit, do you ever struggle with your identity when you're doing this? Do you ever feel safe as you're moving through these different cultures? Man I I've tried to be authentic everywhere I go, and I've actually seen the fruit from that. I think so. I mean, this is a great question. Thank you for asking that.

I think one of the things that I've seen on the east side is people come in who are from the east side who try to be something that they're not and people can sniff out pretty quickly. Right. And so I think from day one, I'm just always trying to be like, here's who I am. And I try be a person who's kind and compassionate and I love to have fun. So that's. Also another thing where it's like. We're doing these schoolwide assemblies in front of hundreds of kids each week. They're excited.

And I and we're playing music and we're high fiving kids as they're coming in. We're doing Student of the Month. We have a positive word that we're talking about. We have the hot seat crew was our sixth grade leadership development where we're like putting mikes in their hands so they can practice public speaking and leading the school. And so I think as I was engaging with people's like and this is just genuinely like. Who I am.

And so I think that has also translated into into corporate and into my personal life and even with my neighbors of who I live around, I mean, I'm being goofy at the schools, like on a mic and then literally not even the next week, I'm wearing like a snowflake suit and emceeing the Christmas party for our corporate, you know, energy company, right? And so it's like, this is just who I am.

I'm not goofy like that all the time, but that's part of who I am is like, I want to create environments where people have fun, also feel safe, are able to be their full selves. And so that has been something that hopefully I've been consistent on from even my time in high school.

Maybe as I became more self-aware in college of that and then even post-college of kind of navigating these different cultures, an environment of like, man, I, I think what I've learned from my parents and my grandparents is how to be a listener. And so I've always been in a place where I'd like ask more questions and I've done talking and then I just. Watch it. And try to learn.

And so, yeah, I didn't grow up in black culture, grew up in a predominately white community and graduated with mailman of it. And my wife told me he might not get. It, but if he didn't. He's also reporting. Baby or herbalist work. I mean, I do worry about. The and so I I've enjoyed navigating different cultures and so socioeconomic status is and all of those things I've been so fortunate to find myself in those those rooms and I think when you're authentic, good things happen. I agree.

But the confidence to do that is not it doesn't come so easy to everyone. Do you think that that the comfort that you have was kind of built into you early by you've talked a lot about your parents or grandparents. Do you think that that is the key there? Yeah, for sure. I there's another concept that I didn't get to talk about in the in the TED talk was this idea of practice reps. So I had him on my list. I was going get. Really? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. I think the reason yeah.

You're in this and I love it so not that the I can skip, it's kind of just flows right here around that is. Is this idea that what I've noticed is people who grow up with with safety nets kind of kind of have this, this, this chance to have what I call low stakes practice ramps. It's the ability to practice and become good or become comfortable with something without the fear of completely crashing and burning. And so, for example, I grew up in in a neighborhood with with semi fluent people.

Like, I mean, there's doctors, lawyers, people who worked in corporate America who kind of lived in our neighborhood. So I grew up like being around people who naturally had like influence and power in the community. And so people like that didn't really intimidate me because I was just like, Oh, that's that's Thomas's dad, you know? And so I had these practice reps of being around people in authority of those positions.

And so when I would get around them in other environments, I wasn't as nervous. When you're not as nervous, you can you can be your full self and, and you're not performing in a way that is hindered in a in any way. So, for example, like back to, to my story of getting that getting the job at the energy company, I got introduced to this named Greg who is head of community outreach. Now, I've never met Greg before, but I've met a thousand. Greg's right, right.

I had practice reps with guys like that, like we were almost wearing the same thing when I came in and kind of know the humor and knew where to sit and all this because I had these, these practice reps.

And so I think it kind of correlates to what your kind of initial question was, was kind of this idea of authenticity is I've had these practice reps along the way to like kind of really feel out like, what's my fake self and what happens when I put my fake self out there versus here's a practice rep where I get to be authentic and here's what happens.

And so I've kind of had these things over and over again that just reinforce, Hey, when you're your authentic self, like good things happen have happened along the way and, and as well as seeing my parents be authentic to my grandparents, all of that, like you said, there has been been that ethos in my house, too, in the household that I grew up to be that. So, you know, you talked about you sat down with a thousand grains. You were wearing one. Great.

So what about somebody who doesn't wear what a grade it wears does different Like feels very different than a. Greg, how do you think they authentically navigate that situation and still get the still get the get, you know. 1,000%. And what I would say is I actually want to talk with Greg and not the dude coming in. So I think my who I'm interested in kind of circling back is the people like Greg who have in hold the opportunity.

And so I want to introduce a narrative to him, a story to him to say, hey, the people who might come through these doors, who don't look like you or I are dressed the same way, have extreme value, and will provide extreme value to your organization, to your company, to your initiative. It's just not the mold in which you're used to or maybe most comfortable with. Right.

And so, yeah, there's there's probably some conversation that I can have with the guy who's sitting on the other side who doesn't dress the same, who might not talk the same, all of that, that there might be some of that. But I want people to be their authentic selves and so I actually want to talk with the person who holds the key to say, Hey, I want to shift your mindset and your your lens on how you view these things. And so that is a question where it's like, you know what?

Well, what would you tell these young boys to do that to be successful? I'm like, Man, I tell them to work hard. I would tell them what I was told, work hard, have fun, explore, be curious, ask good questions, all these things. And then I would go to these adults and say, Hey, we are the you are the gatekeepers to these different opportunities.

I need you to understand that there are people who have immense value, who are getting looked out, looked over and left out because they don't fit the certain mold. And so, yes, I want to talk to the person in the seat who doesn't, you know, fit the mold per se, whatever that means. But I also want to talk to the person who's the key holder. That's and I think that kind of goes to answer another question I have, and that was using some of your own terminology to what it's like.

How does social mobility know? How does that mesh with authenticity? And you kind of just said that it's much less about the meshing and much more about just changing the format that that is applied there, Right? Yeah, I think there's some meshing. I think I think I think it's so nuanced.

I'm so. Fascinated. With nuance. I think that's what I want to talk about in in, in as I move forward in this work is there's so much nuance to people stories, there's so much nuance to company culture, there's so much nuance to organizational structure in how people get to where they're at. And that's what I want to have the conversation about.

And so as I'm listening to these kind of national narratives that are that are playing out in both the political and both kind of the entrepreneur grind, you know, mentality is there's so much nuance to every single conversation that's happening, right? And I want to be the person who has time and takes time to slow people down and ask those nuanced, nuanced questions that allow them to share kind of the more truthful story.

And so that's that's kind of where I would say I'm sitting and kind of moving towards is, yes, there's there's a meshing yes, there's kind of a complete change that needs to happen in certain environments. But I'm more fascinated with the nuance and how that gets played out.

I've often said not so much on the show, but just in my life that whenever it comes to conversations of equity and opportunity and justice and whatever that mean, like yourself, white men of any sort of affluence are the silver bullet. So you taking on this yoke of trying to change the system? I think it's so important because I can be angry, irritated, frustrated all day at the system. And people don't want to hear it from me because they because they don't understand.

You can't understand what I've been through. You, on the other hand, you're looking at the system and you can just see the floor and explain that to somebody who does look like you, who does. It's like, Well, you live my same experience and use it. Maybe I'm not looking at it Right. And it's completely changes the perspective of the conversation. It's not about anger anymore.

It's about efficiency, about functionality, and that I think it's such an important way to to have that conversation, to actually make a change. And I think I think one of my prayers have been one of my prayers and I think one of my prayers for many, many years has been to I want to be relevant in the streets and on the golf course. And so I want to be able to translate. It and communicate. In both of those environments. Right.

And so I've been I've been fortunate to be in both of those environments and kind of translate between the two. And I think they're excited as this amazingly well. Is he he's a cultural translator and I want to be like that. And it's something that I strive for. We have a lot of conversation around that of sometimes two cultures, multiple cultures missing each other on different things because that translator isn't there on, on kind of both sides.

But I want to be relevant when I'm talking with with my guys on the east side as well as I want to be relevant when I'm on whole seven with a business owner in, you know, a multimillionaire who wants to do good, doesn't doesn't understand or doesn't understand why people aren't working hard and and doing these things that I can that I can empathetically story tell that unlocks some new knowledge for that person.

And so that's been a kind of a guiding thing for me as a navigated multiple cultures and classes is I want to be that voice in the room that people ask what does Tito. Think about this? You know. And and I've been very fortunate to find myself in the last few years being able to do that. And I think that's amazing. I think that you're I think that you're doing it like, you know, to have an opportunity like a TED talk and to, you know, to put this out there on the level.

And I think that you did a pretty good job of condensing what could have been a two hour long presentation into 15 minutes. And I've definitely felt the power of what was there like. I enjoy watching you. It was interesting, but it was also persuasive. You know, unfortunately, I'm not the one who holds the key, the only card holders to my front door coming to the studio, which hopefully this will be a platform of change and it will, you know, provide the healing and growth for people right now.

You know, it's just the thing that I'm doing. But let me let me push back on you a little bit because I do think you hold more keys than what you think. And I think that's something that I have found, is that some people underestimate how many keys they have. And maybe I maybe I just do a not a great job of explaining what that might be. But I think you have more connections. I think that keys and and then moments are the way that we speak with people, right?

The way that you are investing in the lives of young people, maybe, maybe even, you know, the people in the neighborhood or your family or even your friends or your friends, kids or whatever that might be. I think you can be keys for people outside of unlocking like economic opportunity. There's other forms of and then in doing that and that's speaking encouragement over people, that's this podcast can be an end then moment for someone, right?

I mean, I listened to episode 32 and it literally changed the way that I thought about the world. Like I thought I wanted to be. I thought I wanted to be an engineer. And now I'm doing this because I listen to the podcast and that's a key. That. Absolutely like you are putting keys out into the world for people to pick up. And so I think you have a lot more keys than than what you might initially say.

And the relationships that you are going to be building through this podcast are going to be even more. And so what I say is that I think opportunity is compounding in America that as you move through different doors, you kind of gain these more, more, you gain more kids, you don't lose them. But we live in a society that feels like you can lose them.

So people start hoarding their keys and kind of, you know, like covering them up, not sharing them, keeping them to themselves or kind of their small group, when in actuality, when when your kid joins a competitive softball league or team and you're sitting in the stands with other parents, those are keys, right? You're building relationships with with new people and new networks that can unlock opportunity for other people.

So I think it's the way that we kind of view our world as we move around is we are gaining new keys in. The hope is that as we give out more keys, we continue to gain them. I think that's how I want to live my life. I don't want to live my life in a way that I'm I'm hoarding things and I'm hoarding keys and relationship tips and ideas and all of that. I want to be someone who's known as being generous in offering these keys to the people that I meet.

And I definitely think you are being generous. It sounds like for maybe ten years you were you were hoarding a little bit, but you were just gaining legitimacy. And I think that that was a really special thing to do, especially you know, going into the east side and now speaking on behalf of a people that, you know, that isn't necessarily your own. Yeah, but you're doing an amazing thing and doing it.

And if you had just come and done that, like after spending 30 days, then you wouldn't have actually understood like he's talked about the nuance for sure. And I think you understand East culture better than I do. You know, I'm black, but I don't live in the East. I've never lived on the East Side. I worked on there some you know, I've been over there. I've been over there, but I'm not entrenched in it. So you have a really good understanding of that.

And I think that is really the fact that you did your research is going to serve you so, so well as you move through this next phase of your presentation was really good. You talked some about your dad being a natural presenter and you saying because of the way he was, I want to make it my head at some point. What else happened between then and now to make that skill really flourish? I can take you back to fifth grade. Okay, So let's go to the I think it. It started in multiple ways.

I remember and I think there's a picture of me we had this like it's actually before fifth grade this this story actually just you drama memory. So both of my grandpa, grandma, grandfather, four pastors and and so naturally I just think like that has kind of been in our family of of communicators in that in that regard. But I remember we got this little toy that was a microphone and it was like a tape player and so you could like kind of a karaoke machine that way.

It wasn't that, but it was kind of like that. And I remember setting up we had these cardboard break things and I set them up as chairs and I put stuffed animals in there. And then I was on the mike, right as a young kid, like preaching or speaking to my audience. And so I can remember kind of that being the first thing like, man, hearing your voice through like a speaker is really interesting, right?

And so just kind of being, being drawn to that a little bit and then having the opportunity to do school announcements in elementary school, something as small as like all I did was say what was in the cafeteria for lunch, right? We have corn dog. We got corn dogs, we got ketchup, we got brownies, and we have green stuff bar the salad. Right. And milk. And even with that was like, man, this is a practice ready for me, like speaking into something and for other people to hear it.

And so what the story I was originally going to tell was there's this there's this initiative probably international at this point called See you at the poll. And essentially it's a group of people or students who meet at the flagpole once, once a year maybe, and they do like a little program and a prayer and all that. Well, my fifth grade year, the last year, the elementary school I led that initiative, or my dad helped me craft the script for morning.

He's the one who who came and helped set up the little we had this little like guitar amp thing with over the microphone. And so we set that up and we had the script inside of the intro and then turn it over to my friend Kate, who then turn it over to Jeff. And then I came back on the mike, like even wearing it at that young age of a practice rep of like, how do you do an assembly essentially, Right? And so fast forward to high school was on in student council.

So I was able to kind of lead in that regard. And then college started that, that campus organization where I got to lead in that that way. And then kind of last thing, I got that job through relationship at that energy company, and they paid me to be in schools on the east side. And guess what? We're doing school assemblies. So I had the I knew how to create a script, a run of show for for the morning. Hey, we have 28 minutes to do an assembly with a two minute clothes and all this.

Like, how are we going to that script this out? And I didn't really think about it until you reflect was like, I did this when I was in fifth grade writing for a see you at the whole thing. And so then that makes me think how many of these practice reps and environments can we put young people in to get those practice reps? And so that's why we created the hot seat crew.

The hot seat was the assemblies that we do of the hot seat crew, and that was our sixth graders was like, Here's a mic, here's how we do the scripts, Here's a responsibility, here's how we have five kids like and we've seen a few of those students go on in like become public speakers and lead in certain ways. And there's others who are like. I hate doing that, right? There's some of this where you like exploring, right? Is like, Man, I actually don't enjoy doing this.

And so then that's time for another opportunity for you, another practice for you to explore something different. So that that's kind of the long winded version of how I kind of found my passion to be able to, to storytel in a more public way. Even though I do it a lot privately, there is a desire to like, enjoy crafting stories from from a stage, not not for the limelight, but I just love the ability to spread an idea to multiple people at once. So I'm one.

I'm somebody who enjoys the same thing. But occasionally, you know, imposter syndrome creeps out and I'm like, Why am I up here talking to Why should they listen to me? Everybody knows that I'm just a person who has no idea what's going on either. Does the fact that you've been doing it from such an early age so often, does that mitigate that some or is it still there for you? I would say it mitigates it a lot. And yeah, of course, I think imposter syndrome shows up in a lot of different ways.

I think it affects people differently, but I've always been naturally an optimistic person and so I think that has that has helped in, in kind of my self-confidence, a little bit of saying, okay, like the self-talk I do is pretty positive. That's happening in my head writing that I try to push back that imposter syndrome, right? Hey, this is a unique idea.

You know, this is something that you can look back and I can think of positive conversations I've had that I try to channel before I get up that help me kind of mitigate imposter syndrome. And so those are some of my strategies. I'm not a. Professional on knowing how to how to. Mitigate or become, you know, kind of overcoming imposter syndrome.

I'm sure you could have someone on the podcast who does that, but that's just kind of my little hack of over the years of kind of positive self-talk that says, Hey, you've got some wins along the way, that you, you can do this, you know, all of that. Those are some of the things that I was telling myself before the TED talk was, Hey, this is a unique idea. You've already practiced it with friends and family. They love it. You're going out here to a crowd that is kind of home field advantage.

I'm in Oklahoma City. You have lot of friends here, so go do your thing right. And then stepped out there and hopefully delivered a powerful talk. So definitely do do you have any other tips just for like just for presenting for people who either don't think they're great at it or don't like it. So that some of my I was actually just thinking about this the other day was mitigate the unknowns. So I think the what can provide some anxiety as a speaker is the unknowns.

And so I do things that I prep in private so that when I'm in public I am ready to go right? And so last week I just got a new speaker bag. I've got a bag that I carry, right? So I've been carrying this backpack and I'm finding myself and myself in like more corporate environments and setting. So I bought this pretty nice briefcase, right? And I have a checklist of things that I pack for every single one of my speaking engagements.

One are like extra adapters for my iPad because I take an HDMI cable, I have a backup like pocket projector in case the projector goes out. I have you know, it's like I know how many keys I am taking because I give out these kind of brass keys, all of these things. I have a list. There's probably 20 things that I take in that mitigates the unknown for me and provides me a level of peace that if something goes wrong, I have a back up and I know what's going to happen.

And the other thing is I ask good questions going in, right? Like I ask who's going to be in the room. There's kind of some pre call, you know, discovery call that you do with a client. Before I go speak to ask all those questions, age range, who's going to be in the room you know status of like are we talking to managers, Are we talking to like executive leadership or are we talking about entry level employees or, you know, that's going to dictate what I say.

So trying to mitigate the unknown will bring you a lot of peace before you go into the space. Last thing I'll mention is I got to travel this past summer with a with a company. They do these sales summits around the country. And so I was doing a breakout for them. Well, each city was a different environment that I was speaking, different room. And so I got there the night before and I would actually go to the room where I was speaking the ballroom or whatever.

And I would I would look at the room. Right. And and see, okay, these are circular tables. This time they're they're eight tops. So there's eight, eight seats around. So when I count up my cards that I'm going to put on each table, I do that the night before, so I'm not doing it the morning of right before. So I like I said, I do a lot of prep in private that any anxiety in the morning that would come from that? Absolutely.

So that that would be one of my my tips and or hacks is over overprepare especially in the early days as you're getting these early opportunities to speak and kind of practice your craft is to overprepare in private. In coaching, authentic authenticity at work. That is something that I recover is that preparing, knowing the information, like being comfortable with it, not just, you know, like I'm pretty sure I got to know it, like absolutely know it.

So there's that's not a doubt that you have whenever you start on. Stage for sure there's so many other factors that are happening in the room. I want to be so comfortable with my content that I can be in tune with the audience. Absolutely right. So there's that hack where it's like, I never give a talk for the first time when I'm standing in front of people like, you don't know how many times I've gone through my slides. I'm a very slight heavy speaker. A I'm a visual storyteller.

Like when I tell the story of fast food, like you're seeing fast food, valentines, you're seeing pictures of us doing that right as I'm talking. And so I have given this talk in my head and I've spoken it out loud. I've done it before I get on stage. And that's another thing that I feel more comfortable with my content, which allows me to then connect with the room so I can see where people are like or like shaking their head in certain spots.

I'm making mental notes as I'm speaking to say, okay, this resonated, or I need to sit here longer than what I did because people are connecting with that. Or I can tell people are checking out during this spot, so I need to change something. Absolutely. You're not able to do that as a speaker if you don't know your content.

You're so worried about the next slide and what you're going to say and the story that you're going to tell that you're not you're you don't have the capacity in your mind to be in tune with the room. Absolutely. And that came up during these break ups I did for that company was like people are getting emotional in different parts of the room, like at different tables.

And if I wasn't in tune, like if I didn't know my content enough and I was just trying to go through this, I wouldn't have spotted that out enough to be able to slow down as I needed to slow down to create a little bit more space for those people in the room. And like I said, if I if I didn't know my content like I do, I would probably could have missed that and not had that level of connection with the audience. I mean, you could have missed a conversion for sure.

Now, whatever the conversion you're looking to make is that high right? There is the potential for it. You know, speaking of getting emotional, when you made your TED talk, there was there was a moment, maybe maybe two moments when two. Thousand moments. In which it was obvious that you were starting to Yeah, it was starting to get to you as you were talking about the content that's so close to your heart. You tell us a little bit about that for sure. I think I tear up every single time.

I speak still. So in probably almost every podcast, but it's still it is something that I'm still so passionate about and I and it hasn't gotten a hold to me anymore on any of that. And so I think it's something that as people tell their authentic stories, there's a level of emotion and emotional connection that happens that just an emotional person. General Galtier of all credit commercials, right? You catch me. You catch me with the right commercial, I'm like, I'm done right inside.

I'm not I don't try to hide or anything. And so as people share their stories, like I'm I get emotional as they get emotional. But for the TED talk, dude, I was on the cusp like, I mean, you'll hear my voice crack, I think two or three times. And that in a way that's like I'm that's me, like choking back tears. One this is me There's a lot of emotion behind that that that TED talk because that was my first time publicly sharing in that big of a way, right?

So there's there was a lot of emotion around that. The other thing that was true like triggering that emotion was the the arms or the amens in the room. And and so people validating their agreement with what was being said. Like you're kind of take me back to that for that moment right now. Validating some of these ideas and especially from people that I want to honor the most in the room. And so those were those are things, you know, like one of my good friends, Lee

could hear him in the back. All righty. You know. All righty, though, you know, and sorry. And so having those people in the room meant so much to me that that Ted Talk would not have been if those people weren't in the room that day. Like there was a shift in the room that I felt in it. 1,000% was based on. AUDIENCE Oh, 1,000%. So besides the people, you know, those people that you knew, who else was in the room, who came to the stand? And I mean, one of my my family's there.

So having them I told don't sit in my my. My sight like, I cannot. See you. In the sides. Or. Yes, exactly. And so the night before, we actually got to get up on stage and kind of see what the room like, we had the mic, you know, once again, practice rep, Hey, this is what your voice is going to sound like. This is where the confidence monitor is, all this stuff. So I knew what I was going to be able to see and what I couldn't. So I was like my mom asked me, Hey, where do you want us?

And I was like, I need you all over. Here, you know? And so the Marianne was there, who I talk about. I had a mother that I'm very close with her family. She actually works at a kind of a a cell phone shop on the east side and knew that she wasn't going to be able to get off like her employer wouldn't let her get off or something like that. So she said that she was going to a doctor's appointment.

And so half of that breaks my heart of like, man, you work at a job that's just like, so there's no flexibility at all that you can't even take a lunch break to come to this and that you this was so important for you that you were going to make a way to be there. So having her there was super big there was another multiple families kind of support me and then other people that have just been doing the work with for a long time so that I can know my heart. Right.

And so having those people who kind of genuinely know me was so impactful to have there. So I would say I had an unfair advantage. It felt like home court. Being able to do that, that. TED talk so that energy was there and you kind of see that through the through the video little bit. So I was so thankful, such amazing day. I got off the off the stage. I started like weeping, like that's when that all the emotion hit like that. I was holding back.

And so guy who I didn't know was taking my mike off, he's like, Okay, man. I'm just lying. You know? I'm crying and getting off the stage. And kind of taking the side hallway. But it was it was amazing. So were those tears just the accumulation of being able to have that engagement and share this important thing that's so important to you with so many people that just hitting you, You know. Those hitting me, it was my grandfather had passed away and I was still wrestling with that.

And I got to tell part of his story. There are people in the room who, you know, I'm trying to honor. And if in and I was getting real time from that. And so that was hitting me. Just the emotional release of being done after doing a TED. Talk where I was like, there's some. Of that where like your shoulders just drop and you're like, Man, I've been thinking about this for months and and crafting this talk for months, and now it's done. And so some of that definitely played into it.

So that's kind of the behind the scenes of, of the TED experience. I don't really get to talk about that much, but yeah, that's, that's really, really what it was. I'm really fascinated with the whole TED Talk experience. Yeah. You know, I spent some time as a public educator for the fire department, really enjoyed I enjoyed that part of the job. It was it was really enriching to me. So the idea of doing it on that level is really interesting to me.

And so hearing your take of all of it is, you know, I think is really interesting. I won't go too deep. And terrorism is kind of what. I love here, that that might be for another another episode. But I would I would love to if you'd be willing I'd love to hear a few of your then moments. Sure. Maybe some some people that you can kind of think back on.

Well. In my I didn't realize this, but as I've been doing this podcast, I've been kind of digging through some of those and the moments because there are people that I'm calling that come on the show. One of my most recent ones was was Derek having the conversation scenes with him. You know, we, I met him for the fire department, you know, thinking that we were going to work in and this thing didn't work out.

But I really wanted to have him in my circle because he just just his attitude and everything. And he was totally good with that. And whenever we sat down, we we'd he's like, what can I what can I do for you? How can I help you? And just having somebody asked me that for one was that was an that moment is like I've never had somebody asked me that and just you know, it was no. No and genuine. About that. Totally genuine. He was like, I just want to I want to learn from your failures.

I want to I want to You were doing something that I want to do. You started your own business. You support your family. Yes. You're doing what I want to do, but I want to get there faster. Can you tell me what went wrong and how to avoid that? And he was like, Yeah, we can talk about that. So we sat down for 2 hours on two separate occasions and just talked about failures moment and he was, you know, Super Bowl broke me and that was that was a big moment for getting to this place. Right now.

I'm still working on this phase, obviously. But before that, Peter Evans was another in the moment and he's Peter is going to be on tomorrow. Okay. So I'm recording with him tomorrow and he was, as I had started my fundraising journey for the nonprofit, I was managing for the fire department early on. I met with him and he put faith in me and said, I believe in you. And I was like, I don't even know I'm doing yet.

And he's like, You're going to do you're going to do great at this, and I believe in you, and I'm going to put whatever I can into it to help you. And that was a huge moment, even though the I thought I would end up doing that for so long. It didn't work out that way. It helped me grow so much in believing that I am somebody, you know, even if I don't know exactly what that is yet.

I am I am going to be somebody and I'm going to I'm good enough, as is when I was working in a world where everybody told me that I wasn't. So it was a huge moment. Yes. And even that man is like, so powerful. I mean, just even hearing the way you say that, like Peter being an and then moment just by the words he chose to use in. That in that moment and. Kept showing up. Right. And and said, hey, I'll leverage my relationships any of the knowledge I have. That's definitely in the moment.

He didn't get you a job that that's right. Like that's not that's not key that we kind of talk about. He gave you another key in the sense of encouragement, empowerment, all of. That. He did actually try to he got the Southern Chamber to offer me a board seat, and that was my first opportunity to do that.

And I had to turn it down because the fire department told me I was ready for it, even though once again he saw to me I was doing everything in my mind to be able to do that because I was not a good fit with the team. Yet I needed to focus on working with my team, those who did not want to work with me. So, you know, once again, it wasn't it wasn't the right season for that. But the fact that he set up that opportunity made me have a massive growth and belief in myself.

You know, another hand in the moment was my neighbor who lived across the street, Regan Shorter. She was on. I recorded with her earlier this week, and that episode will be out there probably the week before this one. So she she never said anything explicitly.

She was a creative who, as I was going to school, doing photography, learning, graphic design, I'd ask her questions and she would volunteer her time, you know, had to do a photography like a photo shoot with somebody I didn't know that well. And I chose her. And she was totally she offered her time up was really free and just so supportive. And then from then on, I went to every thank you to her with everything I could think of.

And she always up and was always, you know, so giving and she, you know, she's a content creator and she gave me she gave me this light stay and she gave me a couple other things that were for, you know, concentrate. And I at the time, I had no idea I was in a bunch of just tiny little things that whenever I was writing the script for the show, I was like, Holy crap, she is, she is. And then moment and she is.

I did not realize that outside of my own family, she has invested the most time out of anybody that I know in me being more successful as one. And I try to totally gloss over this person as a as a monumental moment in my story. I was it just I mean, this show, I hope it's, you know, is valuable for other people. But for me, it has been so valuable already.

And in really highlighting important moments in my story and giving myself not just myself but the others a chance to hear that, how I appreciate them In the intro, I try to let them know like, Hey, this is how you affected me. This, you know, this is what you did to change my life. And, you know, I want people to hear that because a lot of times those and the moments are they go on praise. And I don't want that for the people who've been who've changed the momentum of my life.

And that's the fascinating thing. As of as I've got to share, this idea is I, I never have enough time. I was like, Oh, you have a 50 minute keynote have, you know, 75 minute breakout, 90 minute, whatever it might be is like as you start unpacking these things and you just said it like I hadn't even you, so I hadn't even thought about the weight in, you know, like how much influence you start unpacking those things and it just starts to unravel, right? Like you have your yarn on.

The arm of the thing right here. Yeah, it's literally like that rising unpacked. Well, how did I meet her? Right while I was at school. Well, how did I get there? Oh, well, I got. I got a car and my parents might have helped me or I worked, but I worked for this guy. You know, it's like you start unraveling your story, and it's hard to do that in a setting where it's like a keynote or like a short break. Ali People can identify one or two people pretty quickly.

But what I really inviting people to do is say, hey, take some time and actually start unraveling this and you'll see how many people have shown up, you know, across the board in in different ways that you might have not seen before. We had this conversation. I'm I'm so well say in encouragement to you, bro. Like the average podcast produces like two episodes. How long have you seen this research now? Yeah, the average podcast globally makes like two episodes. Why?

Yeah, you have to look it up and and so you are just you're like killing the game you're in like the top. I don't know what percentage I'm not going to quote on here. You'll be able to find it. But yeah, you already done it. I've never would have guessed. Yes. And I'm sorry. So it guys had a Regina. Enjoy it. Yeah. You know as well if I had her on and she she had not started doing her podcast yet, she, you know, she it's out now. Yes.

But I was, I was concerned that she was going to be a person who, despite being so capable of everything, she was, to let the doing it get in the way. It's a podcast. You just do it. Yeah. You know, it's it you put it out there and hopefully people are going to enjoy it. But if you don't do it, then it's going to be out there. And so for me, it was my me and my wife had a conversation. We were trying to figure out how to like, take my business up to the next level.

And she had she kind of mentioned podcasting. And then once we decided on it three days later, I was recording my first episode. Yeah. And it's just because it felt like a natural fit. Everybody I've talked to says that that it's it's a good fit for me. Yeah, I really enjoy it. Mike I really enjoyed conversations. I really enjoy helping people. It's combining so many of the like, I like tech, I like being a producer, I like all this stuff, you know?

So I feel like I, you know, God has kind of put everything in order for me and prepared me for this situation, you know? And I feel like I'm finally reconciled. Derek I feel like I'm finally living the moment. I'm like, I'm actually and I'm seeing like, I feel like I'm actually I'm doing the things the things that I want to talk about in ten years that I did. I realize it's happening. If I've never been, I've never been that before, you know?

So I mean, end to. End. And what I would say is in encourage in more out of a nerdy way is to document these And then moments along the way, I think it's easier to document them as you're going than try to reflect one. I just have a terrible memory. So all the all these speaking things that I'm doing, I have this kind of spreadsheet database thing that I'm keeping out of all these different kind of data points that I'm tracking in there, right?

The name of the organization and the event, how many people that I give out keys that are not that we do a worksheet. Now, all these things, I have a column in there on how I met them, like how, how the deal came, right? So able to look back when someone comes to me and says, Man, how did you how did you do this? How did you make this money? How did you grow this speaking business? How do you do all this? I'm will go back and say, Here is the blueprint.

I knew Sasha because I went to college with her. We had a few classes and then she worked at this big company in the training and development department, heard my TEDx talk and was like, Hey, you need to come speak for us. And I was my first big pay gig was through a college friend. Wow. Right. Like, I will not be the person who's like, Man, I did all of my own. I'm out here grinding in which which I'm working hard, Right? Right. But I am doing this on my own.

I'm not I'm not even on this podcast on my own. Derek Saya was like, Hey, you should. Have had Dido go on the podcast. And. You decided, you know, I was like, Okay, that's a cool idea. Shot me the message, and that's why we're here. So that's in my I Listen podcast as well too. That's in my podcast. Notes. How many podcasts have you done so far? And I mean, I don't know, I'm small in four, maybe ten of that many.

So I'm still new this game to I mean, I've co-hosted I've co-host a podcast, probably 20 episodes of one and it was my podcast was co-hosted and then I'll probably be interviewed on 15 to 20 total podcast on the. That's I mean that's May sounds like a lot I haven't been on any of the podcast. So yeah, I mean you're a good guest. Thank you. I hopefully if you enjoy doing you can do lots more and you know lots of people will hear what you have to share.

I'm going to be respectful of your time and we'll start to wrap up here as it's we're we're almost at the end. So is there anything else that I didn't ask you that you want to share? And one would be, I love what you're doing. I think authentic on air have an authentic authenticity in the title, like speaks a lot about you and what you're kind of going for. And so when when Derek kind of told me about it, I was like, Oh, yeah, like, I can already tell I'm going to be in love.

With this dude because he's about. Authentic storytelling. So I think the thing for for listeners, I leave is like, process your story, Intel, Tell the details. Yeah, and I don't want my I don't have any children yet, but I don't, I don't want my kids thinking that I did it all alone. And so my challenge would be, Hey, as you're even telling your family story of how you got to where you're at, let your kids know the names of people who've helped you along the way. Like like that's important.

And if you watch if you happen to watch the TED talk, I do talk about one of my grandpa's and then moments and he never said the name of the person like I did this research out. He wasn't intentionally leaving that out. Right. It was just the way that we've been kind of, you know, Yeah. To tell our stories.

And so this is me inviting your listeners to say, Hey, as you're telling your story to your kids of success or what you've done like make sure you're telling them the details and that they know the names of the people who have helped you along the way. That's amazing. So if people want to learn more about Taylor no, where can they find you? And on our on social media trying to post a little bit more, that's kind of the next phase of storytelling for me.

It would be on on the Internet that I'll watch in person and the relationships over the years of figuring out that on social media that just Tito on Instagram and then have a website and then moments dot com is another way to if you want to have a continued conversation or I love just hearing people's and then moment so if you've heard this episode and want to share about a person who has impacted your life, you can, you can hit me through the website and shoot me a message.

I love hearing those stories. So awesome. Taylor It has been an absolute pleasure. I mean, this conversation is exactly what I built that to be. It was absolutely insightful and I appreciate you coming on to my audience. If You enjoyed today's episode. Please give it a like and share it with someone else you think can benefit from it. Also, check out earlier episodes, especially our episode with Derek Saya.

We mentioned earlier because it is a amazing conversation and that will help support the future creation of great content. Subscribing would be a great idea because we've got huge things coming next week. I've got the Emmy Award winning rapper and activist Jp morgan and Co Cage Fox 23 King News anchor Don't forget to like us on social and authentic identity management. Instagram, Facebook, Trends and LinkedIn.

You can also head over to the authentic Bruce YouTube for a podcast video with bonus content and impactful clips from our conversations with these great guests. Finally, if you were struggling to show up as yourself and your content, your work, your family or your life, I would love to help you authentic. I do. The management does identity coaching to help you align yourself for the identity you share with the world.

It is exhausting to live someone else's life, live authentically, and access a potential that belongs only to you. Contact me on social or email at Bruce and authentic Identity management dot com for a three. For a free 30 minute consultation. That is it for today's episode. Until next time. Be yourself and love yourself. By Julia. That was great. Man. Killed it. It is 1001. So I'm afraid I'm not sure if you know what you're scared. Of, but that's mainly fear for. You. Man.

That was fantastic. Well, thank you. As far as podcasts go, where do you how does that rank there? Do we do do we do a real. Conversation on small things that I think about because I'm a designer as well. I love graphic design instead of my thought would be, I know you don't want to edit much video and what I've seen in different spaces, what I try to do is, is keep camera like eye level. Mm hmm.

And so with that I would probably lower the camera a little bit in that regard, I don't know, space wise. And then also I think a lot about lighting. So I'm just kind of thinking about shadows and all of that as you're kind of. Getting your studio. More set up and acquiring new equipment. Like, I know it's a it's a process. Yeah, absolutely. I Bought a new new light kit this year just cause I'm on Zoom calls all the time and all that. So I think through a lot of that visual stuff.

So I did get to watch. I listen to the Derek episode, but then also jumped on the YouTube just to see and see visuals there. And so that would be probably probably my only thing and. I had. Derek was there. It's my second guess right now. He my third ghost. Yeah, apparently was like yeah, I can't remember if I had the like this lion, which is not a whole lot before or after him, but it made a big difference from that first episode. I was this like come off my car. Yeah.

I was off it. Yes. But you know, I obviously would love to put more production value into it. Yeah, but I'm, I'm trying to like there's one tiny 7 million or so we get sucked into it and like, you know, I need to look like, you know, the flagrant or, you know, I mean, the whole studio and, you know, I mean, you know. I mean this, I mean that that's, that's I think what keeps people from actually doing the thing right there. They want to be at that level out the gate.

And so that's why I preach about you is like I mean you have a great setup. This is. Phenomenal. And my wife my wife only because I have been working that, you know, in my bedroom, that's my office was set up and this was her space. And she was like, we just kind of talked about it was like, well, we can move this sideways. And if people in there because she really wanted to support the podcast. And so she is like, sacrifice your space, not all the time.

Like she's still totally welcome here, but whenever it's recording, she, she's all about it. It's yeah, you know, it's huge. I don't know what I was going to do. I was like, I really want to have people walk through my house and go back to the bedroom and record it in my bed sitting there and it's like even if like it's one had some a bed for it to be like a natural conversation like this, this weird. Yeah, it's turned out perfect. Now this is. Great. Yeah, great, great.

So do I love what you're doing? I would love down the road. I would. I would love to practice if you'd be willing on kind of the podcast over idea. Yeah. So I think it even be funny for me to, like, record the intro. Oh, really? So it's like, Hey, you're hearing a. New voice, Somebody better go, you know, on the, on the podcast that I take over podcast, you're on authentic on air. This is your written into today I have your great guest on I got Bruce.

Alexander here you know and so I think it's kind of. A would be a fun funny change where you like you press play and you're like, I'm not even hearing it. It's like there's a different voice and all this. And then I would love to kind of get into your story if you want to share there. Yeah, absolutely. And so tell me where you it's more of like a biological interview where it's like, man, I want to hear where you grew up. I want to hear about your things. I want to hear about what?

What was your first car? I want to hear about? What was your first job? How did you get that, you know, kind of track story up until the podcast. And that allows you to to say some things like like we kind of mentioned earlier, I was like, and share your story in a way that might be a little not awkward, but just different is. It's I think the talk and rising idea. And so that that also gives you the chance to say, hey, will you ask me about these things? Right.

Like, these are some of the things I want to talk about that it feels a little bit better when someone asks you about it rather than you just talking about it. So I was like, okay, give me give me the three things you want, want to highlight will kind of start weaving that in. You know, as we as you tell your story, you know, tell me about the fire department. I kind of her through Derrick's like things work out the way you thought it would like Let's talk a little bit about that.

You know, it was like what led you to start your business? Okay, well, how how did you guys get this this mindset of, like, what about my dude who wants to start a podcast on the east side but doesn't know where to start? Like, tell your authentic story there. And then we have this money that, you know, we had on the side that allowed us to buy these mikes. Or maybe you know, my neighbor gave me the light from across or the stand or whatever it might be.

And I was like, I think people need to hear those stories. I'm sort of like men. I have young kids who want to start a podcast And what does it look like to actually start when you've done it and produced multiple podcasts that have been great? And thank you so much for saying that. Like, that's, that's awesome.

You know, it would be easy to not do, you know, listen to 10 minutes of one and be like, all right, I kind of get what this is about because you've obviously taken the time to listen to it. So I really appreciate that. And I feel like it helped our helped our episode be better. Yeah. Because you understood what I was going for you for sure.

And that's you know, it's important to me to remember what I'm going for here because I can get sucked into just being interested in people, you know, and then just go completely, you know, off them and not be talking about authenticity at all. I've nothing in the realm of it. Yeah. So you. We stay on the topic. I love the part. I think it was great about even giving tips like practical tips for speakers, right? It's like you're giving people nuggets that might change the way they do stuff.

And I really do. I want to add value to the market so people want to listen. Yeah, I mean, of course I want to get some clients out of this eventually. Totally. But really, I want to I want to have a good podcast, like, I really do want to have a podcast, and it will be better. Do so because because we both heard podcasts that is just like a sales pitch, right? And you need to pitch.

You need to continue to do, you know, like the closing all that's great, but I'm talking about something different. You know what I'm talking about. So as soon as you open. As soon as you as soon as you do it, the questions are all circled back to their thing. All of that. And you can tell like, man, this this dude is just here to try to, you know, sell something. And you definitely do not have that vibe at all. So I was like in the air, especially with somebody who's been on so many podcasts.

You've done it multiple times. And for sure, if it were if it were looking like that, you would definitely feel, Yeah, yeah, you probably tell me to was Oh, it was kind of pitchy, bro. Yeah. Yeah. No, it. Wasn't the I think the last thing I would say and I get this from my brother who I the company with is sound buffering. And so you kind of have a little echo in here that you can hear and they make the sound dampening material that you can put up.

And that will really help with kind of that echo that you have in here. And the echo is not bad, but I think you also hear the hear it clear up in the mic if you kind of get some of those that sound dampening material I like. I've looked at a couple of different things that I once I was trying not to make it too cost prohibitive. Yeah, for sure.

I'm a I'm definitely in the initial phase of 1,000% and we're not like my wife is doing virtual assistant business, so she is bringing in some, some money, but I have not brought in any money as I'm trying to spend as little as possible. So I get that. Oh yes, you're like, yeah, you're like, got what I got. Like, we've got the intervening thing though. So yeah, I'll definitely keep all that information moving forward and trying to, you know, add smart things to, to improve the quality over time.

And I hadn't like I listened to the audio and you know, I didn't post and try and make sure it sounds pretty good the give the so now I don't edit the YouTube video as much. I try to just like I said, I try to just get that out on the most recent one that's posted that we posted next week. I just use the podcast audio in place of the ad so it should sound better on the video.

I mean, you might have heard a difference of, you know, if you watch both, but I'm trying to do smart things and like use like be efficient. So it's if I edit the audio, just sync it up to the video and. Sure. And the ads are going. To do the clap and. Save me some time on the edit. Yes, for sure. So what is it? What exactly does your tech company do? We have built a very simple software for pastor and their teams to manage pastoral care.

So as they're making visitations to the hospital and they're making house visits, phone calls, checking in on their people, they log those interactions in our tool room. And so it kind of notes about the conversation, things that they want to remember. They can assign follow up tasks to themselves or other people in the team. And then kind of big life milestones they can track. So it's kind of like slack for pastors or no assignment.

Yes, you know, maybe maybe wear a sauna and kind of a kind of a relationship tracker. So maybe more of like a CRM customer relationship management, which you probably are more of that system, but very, very simple. I mean, most pastors are not going to want to get into too much of overseer tech stuff. So how did that idea come up? When I was working at the energy company, half of my time I was doing community outreach. The other I was doing employee care.

So I was responsible for sending flowers and baby baskets to employees who had a baby or we did food and handwritten cards for employees who lost loved ones. I was having conversations just with term employees and needed a way to stay organized and kind of track those details. So I was like using the spreadsheet that didn't work. I used a CRM that was too cumbersome trying to manage it. My email that was never, you know, was like, so it was just like trying to piece these things together.

And then I reached out to some clergy friends and, and they were like, Man, we just used the spreadsheet. We had a dry erase board on the wall and we write names and we're racing it, so there's no care history. So that's when I went to my brother, one of my brothers who's, just a wizard on the computer. I was like, Hey, I have this idea for one, my work that I'm doing as well as I think kind of a broader religious community, institutions who are kind of tasked to care for their people.

So is it pretty successful in That's what market's on. The market is definitely there and they have the money for this type of thing. I mean, I feel like their churches often have too much money that they don't have anything to do. Yeah. So we we we have churches of all sizes. So you get churches who are the opposite of that, right, in smaller churches. Hey, you know, like what we'll do No bird.

But, you know, we are strapped for cash a little bit and then you have other churches that don't bat an eye. But yeah, we I mean, that's what we do full time. Pay the bills that way. And then my speaking stuff and training stuff on that is just on the side and kind of extra, which is great. But I do want to kind of grow that side of my business. The speaking is a separate business, right? And so I have a separate LLC for that. And so we're going to try to grow that over the next few years.

What is your ultimate goal to go sell the company? Yeah, we will sell the tech company probably in the next like two or three years. That's kind of our goal. Do you have a valuation nerd now? We don't have a ballpark of of the kind of user count that we want to get to, which we think could warrant, you know, the dollar amount that we'd want. I mean, because it definitely has viability in other areas as well. So reserved for talking you know you said as customer outreach. Yeah, very similar.

You know, then maybe social work and do something similar is there's a lot of thought I heard it's very thank you. I try not to get too too nerdy whenever I like I'm on the podcast. It was like I was like, I want to know more about this tech. So I'll just ask my. Yeah, yeah. That's really No, that's really cool. Yeah I don't in, in first. So for my public reputation or image, I don't talk about the tech company much. It's not something I want to be known for per se.

Like it's going to be something I like sell in three years and it's not going to be like I don't find my identity in that. I'm really passionate about opportunity in America. And so that's what I love talking about. So I was like, I can nerd out over relationship building and kind of this tool that we've built and all that. I'm happy to do it, but it's not something that like I even really talk about since we're since we're a tech company, we sell, we can sell to anyone.

So I don't have to feel like I have to sell my network here in Oklahoma City. They don't really know what I do. You know, we have customers all around the country and internationally, so is like that doesn't need to be a part of my image, Right? So I don't really talk about that much, but. I still have a lot. Of fun with it. Like I said, my sister in law joined our team a month and a half ago and so that's been really great to have another team member.

We were trying to stay small, kind of lean startup principles. This kind of lean startup is a kind of a movement, and so we're trying to stay as small as possible and kind of systematize our process. So whenever you have a the IP is your brother and he's a wizard, you can kilo over over here designing a system for that. Yeah, you know, make it smarter for sure. If they can do it, then you can keep scaling up and not have to bring them or people skills.

And so I wouldn't have been able to do this if I didn't have him right. Like it's expensive to develop technology, especially when we've kind of started. And so having co-founder and he's part owner of the business and someone that I 100% trust was a game changer. So I mean that's that's it. And so back up his and then moment I mean we lived in a house where my parents, you know, invested in us and ways to try new things.

My parents bought him a laptop when he in middle school and he started just pecking away at that like we grew up with a computer in the house. So I was like, but we were playing like games. On his, like rival Mac and but Chris just so fascinated with it. And then my parents got him a laptop and he started to learn how to code. And so in middle school he's like building websites for nonprofits and the dude's always like, so he went to O.U. For a year and a half.

It was like, and the stuff they're teaching here is like basic. I'm like, So. So he didn't graduate and, and has had a great career before starting starting the business. And so we enjoy doing that. And I look at this book. That's what's your what is this. Dude, Amelia Bedelia Can I. Take a picture? Absolutely. That whole letter is I remember this from elementary school. My me, my daughter and my youngest are reading in the video yesterday and she has. Obviously interesting you cheesman.

Classic dude. Unbelievable. You have not heard. I'm going to mess with my.