On today's episode of Gathering the Kings. What is winning or not being a loser look like? 20 years from now for a guy like you. Like, I'm not talking about materially, like, although maybe that you maybe your mind goes there, but does that change? Does it grow, like, anything like that? You are listening to Gathering the Kings with Chaz Wolfe featuring fellow 78 and even 9 figure business owners who have real battle scars.
From business and life, but have prevailed as the king that they are designed to be. We welcome high performing entrepreneurs to the stage in order to reveal the real of the real on what it takes to build a successful business today. They've made along the way, they give a true and accurate picture of the journey of success and how you too can get the Through this dialogue, you will learn the value of growing your network and surrounding yourself with power players and kings like today's guest.
Grab your pen and notebook because we're about to dive in. What's up, everybody? I'm Chaz Wolfe, gathering the king's podcast. I've got Michael Ackerman here on the king stage. My brother. How are we doing? Being good. Yourself? You know, I'm much better now Chaz I said your your last name right. You know? I just I I asked you ahead of time. I always do. Here we are. We're we're humans. We're making it happen. I'm so thankful that you're here with us.
We were just talking off air about some cool stuff that, even that you're doing right now with your team, you're sitting in kind of a special room. We'll get to that here in a second. Just glad that you're here. What kind of business do you have, brother? So I own a outdoor lighting company here in Houston.
We do mostly residential projects Wolfe working on homes, kind of gotten into the commercial side of it around the country, renovating apartment complexes, and just, you know, loving every day. Love it, man. Love it. The natural progression of a bigger projects and more important things as kinda what I was picking up from Chaz. So I appreciate the trajectory there. Maybe we'll get some more detail there. Wanna know your story. I wanna know how you got rolling.
You know, the notes that my team took were that you are a sharp sharp guy, and I'm super interested in hearing your story, but I wanna know first. I'm big on burning desire, definiteness of purpose. Why? Right? So why are you doing this? Why are you why are you living life this way? Why are you why are you after it? Why are you competing so hard? Give me the burning desire for Michael.
So the burning, I mean, so I was talking to my mom about this beforehand, like, 5 minutes before this be a podcast. And and she she asked me, like, why do you do what do you do? Why do you get up every day? Why do you run it? And it might sound like silly or simple, but I don't wanna be a loose. I wanna be a wet Yeah. I mean, it it all comes down to Chaz. In my erin, in my book, in my family, in my circle of friends, There's few things that determine your success in life.
The family, the people that you keep around you, and frankly, financially. Right? So Yeah. If it's one of three things, I wanna I wanna be the best and I wanna be a winner. Yeah. I resonate with that as a competitor, previous athlete. I think a lot of entrepreneurs can you know, hear that and then it and it lands, what does that look like 20 years from now? Projected out. We're both young guys. What is winning or not being a loser look like? 20 years from now for a guy like you.
Like, I'm not talking about materially, like, although maybe that you maybe your mind goes there, but does that change? Does it grow, like, anything like that? So I okay. So a big reason of what I love what I get to do is the people that get to work for our customers. We deal with, you know, the point 0001 percent of the well, it was of the city of Houston. You know, so we're dealing with the rich and the rich. Right? And I like to kinda nitpick and, like, ask questions and kinda understand.
And a lot of them are really pulling sit down, have a drink with me after the job, and just I can kinda pick no brain. And my idea of true success is not having a cell phone or only having, like, ten people know your number. And everybody else that calls you goes to your your personal assistant, your secretary, whatever. That's right. That's right. Because that to me, winning is being able to do whatever I wanna do, whatever I wanna do. Yeah. I love that.
I love that that can transcend time over know, the next decade, 2 or 3 or 4 or 5, you know, I I wanna encourage not only you, but the listener. I have a a master of my member and he's a pretty big outfit, couple 100,000,000, and we were talking about this exact same thing. And I told him to just go get a second phone.
Give his assistant, his phone that he has currently, only plug in those, you know, whatever number 10 or 50, whatever the number is of people into his phone now and literally give that filter to his assistant. And such a small thing, which you I mean, this is just, like, this is not rocket science. You're a smart guy. I'm a smart guy. It changed everything for him. And so I wanna encourage you just to we'll get that second phone. You know what?
The the the funny thing is my brother told me to do the exact same thing, like, a week ago. Yep. The phone is just going off and blowing it up and Yes, sir. Yeah. Why don't you just get a whole another phone and leave this one at your office? Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, but that also goes back to maybe I'm saying Chaz, like the fact that I don't like being busy or, you know, and subconsciously, I do like it. And I don't I don't wanna get rid of it.
So you know, what I think is winning in my mind might not actually be what I want in my heart. Yeah. Well, winning for competitors is doing. It's achievement. It's accomplishment. And so, yeah, I think that there's probably fear in in giving things away. I think all entrepreneurs feel that because then, well, what where would my value be and what would I be be doing? Because sitting on the porch watching the sun rise and the sunset.
And I just drink a couple of glasses of in be of tea in between. Doesn't sound like winning Yeah. So I hear you on that. I think that's Chaz as business owners continue to level up, I'm my myself included in this is that we have to keep searching for that next lever to pull. That brings even more value. And maybe I only make one decision a day or one decision a week or, like, Warren Buffett says if he makes 2, 3, 4 big decisions a year. That's all he's looking for.
And so when you're pulling levers like that, I don't need a phone ringing every day. I just need information. I need data. I need reports, and I can make a decision every day or a decision every week. You know?
So know, the funny thing is it kinda makes sense because we, like, you know, true billionaires, like, people that are worth billions that I know I was flying home with one of them on their jet from Florida to back to Houston, and I was just sitting talking to him and I said, I asked him, like, have you yet to stop to smell the roses? I was like, Chaz that had you done and his wife started laughing? And he he kinda looked at me and he's like, shook his head.
He was like, I don't even know what that means, Mike. And I was like, have you stopped, like, to to just like he's like, wow. I can't believe I've gotten this far. And he's like, no. He's like, you don't you don't do that. Like and so I think that's something that, like, talking about it right now. It's kinda I'm kinda like I'm kinda getting it where I liked the fact. And, you know, my dad says the same thing.
He's like, you know, you know, I asked him, like, when did you know you were whatever, you know, like, this sort of wealthy. And he was like, he was like, it's just like one day, you're looking at something and you're like, oh, yeah. This much here and this much here, you know, and then you just and then and you go back to work.
Yeah. Like, it's, you know, maybe again, like I said, it's something that I think I want, but realistically, what I want is just to always somewhat be, like, hustling in a way. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's really, really good fact, if I appreciate you sharing, I think for the listeners, probably most of them feel the same way. The reality of it is is that we want we say we want freedom. Right?
I was just talking about this with somebody else, I don't know, maybe a week or so ago, and we say we want freedom, which is I wanna be able to do what I want when I want, you know, like, what you just said. But what you mean to say is that you want control, which is why you like the phone ringing. Subconsciously, because you like to control everything. And so the soon as you can get and freedom and control are are opposite. Like, you can't have freedom if you have control.
So, anyway, we're working through some of that stuff even even in my own, you know, like, because we are control freaks, and that's okay. Like, we've been successful because of that. And so maybe Freedom isn't what I actually want, or maybe I just need to own that I want control, or maybe I do want Freedom and I need to give away, but, that's for another conversation.
I gotta know the story, man, lights working with the top of the top of the top of the top of the rich of the rich and Houston, like, you don't just stumble into that. Tell us a story. How'd you get started? So alright. Well, it's kind of a long story, but I guess we got okay. So I'm the middle of 5 kids. Wow. My parents are from are from what was the Sobe in in different parts My mom was from Saint Petersburg. My dad was from Odessa. They met at a boarding school in Israel.
Passport, you know, they got here to America at different times and end up marrying. And my mom, you know, my dad, He used to sell cars. He used to be a day trader. I remember in the nineties when, like, everyone started day trading a little bit. And my mom at that point opened up her first dental office. I was probably 10. And I remember, you know, stories coming out of losing, like, all the family savings and then, like, you know, killing the families and, like, committing suicide.
So my mom was like, you're not gonna do that anymore. Go back to work. So started looking at, like, a few different options, and he opened a lighting company in 95. My older sister She is a rheumatologist. She owns research facility where she does testing on new drugs for pharmaceutical companies. My my older brother runs my mom's dental practices, which she has 9 of them now. My 2 little sisters, one's a one's a partner in terms of young. 1, one is Chaz Oxy, Oxid Annaler. An engineer.
You know, so and I always kinda knew at a young age Chaz Wolfe kinda go in into this. I I don't know why maybe just because I thought just, you know, I really don't know why. I just kinda figured I would. So numbers, I would go and help help dig the ditches, you know, and end up college. I would come home and run some of the crews, and Chaz it was 2013. I was full on into this You know?
And, actually, I I remember when I graduated college, all my buddies were all my buddies were getting signing bonuses for you know, for different oil companies and engineering firms they were going to work for. And I was like, yeah, I was like, if I get a signing bonus, you know, and you Chaz say, If he if, you know, like, he kinda giggled and laughed. And Yeah. The next day, he headed me a shell, and he goes, this is your signing book. So Uh-huh.
Then we start off at the bottom and kinda worked my way up and say 2013, he sold it. And in the back of my mind, I always thought that he would just kinda, like, hand it over, frankly, like, you know, like, Billy Madison just gonna, like, manning it over. Yeah. And I was like, man, alright. That sucks. I didn't wanna see that happening. Yeah. I was engaged at the time. I remember he was still paying me, so I didn't so I didn't look like a phone you know, not having a job.
And and I was about to start working. Eric, I was kinda talking to my future father-in-law about possibly name. Working for him. And my dad came to me and said to you guys, do you like doing what you do. Did you like outdoor learning? I was like, yeah. I I do. I was like, I I think I'm really good at it. Like, I I get along with people, like, spawned now, like, being outside, like yeah. And he goes, I didn't get really good at it too. And he goes, he goes, let me give you a little bit of a loan.
And he he did give me 2 vehicles to advance to start off. He said he said, why don't you give this a try on your because he was, I'll tell you 2 things. 1 is you never want your father-in-law to know exactly how much money you make. 1, and 2, you you will appreciate this much more if you're doing yourself. Yeah. And so at the time, I was still pissed. I was like, you know, So he gave me a $10,000 loan. I remember 2 vehicles, and I I remember thinking of myself.
Alright. Like, This is me being pushed up against the law. You know, like, how how can I handle this? I can either Yeah. Get out there and do the things that nobody else needs to do and try to succeed and do it on my own, or I can just kinda hold and, you know, be a little baby, a little loser, and just so In 2 weeks, I remember I started on Monday, following Friday, I paid him back for $10 and just kinda took off from there. I love it. I mean, good good for him. Good for you. Right?
I I'm I gotta ask though because, you know, we've already talked about family briefly before we hit the record button, and then now just we've kinda touched on it. Just a smidge, but How does that change, or are you in alignment with what you would do with your own children? So I I struggle with that because That's that's we have a five or a two year old. And I really you know, we all have the memories of, like, or childhood and, like, how great it was. I'm how old are you?
36. Okay. So I'm 36 as well. I mean, when we grew up, it was best best time to grow. Like, kinda grew up. Like, we were able to be kids before the internet, you know, everyone was at the Bible. So I have these memories of being a kid, and I try to emulate that to, like, my kid. I try to do that for mine. Yeah. Even though I'll never be the parent that my parents were to me, like, I have the best parents in the world. Whatever they did, they did a right. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be me.
You know? And so Wolfe I try to do? No. I mean, frankly, I spoiled the hell out of my kids. I mean, it's but at least I at least I know it. But That's funny. I don't know. I mean, I I'm big on letting my kids try to figure things out on their own. I'm not I'm not one of those. Do you have kids? Oh, yeah. We got 4 of those little guys, Chaz. Powell. 9, 7, 4, 11 months. Okay. Alright. So to see you get it. So, like, especially probably, like, a four year old. Right?
Like, when you're at places, you see parents just like light behind them, like walking, like Oh, yeah. God forbid if they fall and god forbid if, like, they start. So I try to step back and and and let my kids be kids to where I'm not I'm not, like, behind them the whole time. So Yeah. I guess in that aspect, I I do try to be like my parents in that way. But Yeah. Yeah. I love the perspective.
I think that attention saying you being, you know, 2nd generation, not necessarily 2nd generation of that specific business, but 2nd generation business owner mentality. I mean, Yeah. I mean, you you just you got to see a lot of great stuff, and then your kids are gonna be able to get to see a lot of great stuff with you being successful, even with them being so young. I think that if done right, you can pass that along.
I think that there's a lot of cool things that you said that your parents did for you. I always say this to that, like, because my my parents were really poor when we were younger, and I grew up. Like, just watching them, like, hustle, like, work, you know, like, grind it out and, like, you know, what they are now. And I think that's why I think working hard and normal.
And, yeah, hopefully, my kids see that from me because, you know, if if you look at certain friends that I have, whatever that like, they don't think working hard because they it's they saw growing up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I like into that for sure. I've told my story on some other podcasts and stuff, but I grew up single mom family. So And my mom always had 3 jobs. And so for for hustle and grit, figure it out, never quit. Like, all those things are, like, in my DNA.
I don't know how to not do those things. You know? Alright. Well, let's let's get into some practicality in your business. I wanna know of a good decision that you made along the way. That's led to maybe some other dominoes falling for you. What was that one thing that that you would repeat over and over again if you could? Let me see. That's the system that I made.
So I always and I kinda lost my dad doing this and my mom, right, which my mom is way more successful than my dad was, but is, but, you know, they're simple. They have, like, a very simple way of, like, doing business, and that is, like, just making more money than you spent.
And I you see some other, you know, you see and read about, like, other businesses where it's more complicated than they they have to find the right place to, you know, like, like, the right office for their business, the perfect desk, and this and Chaz. And it's like, just get out there and make money and everything else will just kinda fall into place. And I I love that, and that does play into some things.
And so talk to me about simplicity is what you're saying, and and and on top of that, making sales or the collection process probably more than just the sales. Really, really important. So do you have a sales kind of a mindset? Do you have a sales culture? Is this just from your mom and dad? Is do you have, like, a sales perspective from your history, like, give us a little bit of that because that's that's that's a growth mindset.
That's like a well, it's also a simplicity, like, just don't do dumb things, but Yeah. Yeah. Give me a little bit more there. But selling? Okay. Well, I mean, I I'm assuming every every industry is different, right, with, like, closing the deal, right, with my industry, I think. I mean, this is, you know, I don't really I try not to think about things that are out of my control, like, competition and stuff like that. I've fully worry about what I can do.
But Yeah. Have a big believer that if you don't close the deal, like, when you're in front of the customer the first time, the likelihood of getting a callback is, like, 0. Right? Like, I consider it, like, a lost job if I don't get a yes when I'm there. So with that being said, there is a fine line between, like, looking pushy and just Yeah.
Your job and I can't really put a finger on, like, exactly what I do when I'm doing it, but I I'm able to do that to where, like, you know, because you probably have people come in trying to sell you stuff at your house when you get estimates and, you know, you know, you get the people that, like, especially now, right, that, like, you happen to come over and to give you an estimate and they never even give you the quote And then you
have the other type of people that come over in, like, a used car salesman type thing. Right? So I've I've somehow switched on I guess this is I'm kind of patting myself in the backboard, but I've I've figured a way to do it to where it just doesn't seem like I'm, like, pressuring or pushing them in a way. Yeah. I'm hearing you say there's a there's a genuine connection point.
Because it's real, you actually believe that doing the service for them can better them or increase the value of their home or, you know, whatever the result is that they're looking for. Safety, potentially. Like, there's a lot of reasons or results that they might be looking for in a outdoor lighting plan, but the ability that you're talking about to not be the pushy car salesman, which is what we all know of as, like, that you don't really care about me. You just wanna get the deal.
Yeah. And then the other is you don't care enough about me or you to even be professional enough to give me the estimate and follow-up and, you know, exactly. How are you even in business? Right? And so somewhere in between there, there's a professionalism. One of our core values that gather in the Kings is we're professionals. It's like, not only do you a grit and hard work, but it's like, do what you say you're gonna do.
I'm here to give you the information that you need in order to make a quality decision, and I've done my job properly at the end of this meeting if you have all the things that you need in order to make a decision. And guess what? All you gotta do is then give them enough information and some options and some reasons to move forward, and they usually will if you've done your job. Exactly. Yep. Hey, Kings and Queens. Jazz Wolf. I wanna talk to you about something that's super important to me.
We put a lot of time and effort. We, meaning myself and my team, into this podcast into the content that goes out every single day. And if you have been getting any sort of value or insight from this, we want it to be able to reach other business owners too. So we would love if you would like, comment, share, leave a review, post, share again, all of the things. On social media, on all the different platforms, or even on the podcast mediums of Apple and Spotify.
We would love to be able to get our content into more hands more entrepreneurs so they can grow their business as quick as possible. Together, we are building a community of like minded entrepreneurs who are committed to growing their businesses to new heights. So Let's do this. Let's help each other. Let's help each other grow. Love it, man. Okay. Let's flip the coin. Let's talk about a bad decision. Something that you did. It was maybe not your greatest hour.
The thing that I've done in the past that I regret is not letting go of employees when I should have because it's hard not to get, you know, like, the whole hiring and training I hate that part. Like, I just I don't know if it's me being lazy with Chaz, or it's just like, I would much rather redoing something else for the business, but, like, Yeah. I really don't like doing Chaz. So there's a few employees that I've had in the past that I wish I would have fired for it got to a certain point.
Yeah. Yeah. And and so the the negative effect of that was just like a toxic environment. Yeah. Yeah. And you don't realize till later that the toxic environment wasn't worth the retraining that you would have had to do. Actually. Yes. Actually. Yes. Do you think I was just kinda contemplating what you were saying there? I feel like you and I are pretty similar in, like, our urgency and just like, hey. I just wanna hurry up quick and and and win.
And so as you were talking about the training and the lack of desire for that, first off, first thing in my mind was put somebody there to do Chaz, but you know, there's a patience that comes with training. There's, you know, a poise or, like, a a real desire to, hang in the balance and make sure someone understands and gets it. And, typically, high achievers get it easier, whether it's higher IQ or EQ potentially, And so there's just not as much patience there.
Would you agree that that we're liking this way? Cause I'm talking about me here. Yeah. I mean, Yeah. I expect people to get it, but also my dad kinda threw me up, you know, out to the wolves and So I just maybe I expect everybody to do what I meant. But, in mind, you, I didn't, like, looking back now, I remember when I started working full time, it was, like, really embarrassed. I mean, I was embarrassed, but, like, I did not sell a thing for, like, a little late with 6 months.
And I remember my dad was, like, lying with all all the sick leaves. And saying, oh, yeah. It's doing good. You know, like and I remember I I thought I I thought I knew so I think it's a piece for it. So Yeah. During the day, I was at Foreman where we would go out and I would go with my crew and we would install jobs to service also like Chaz. And then In the evening, I would go and sell it.
At night, we, like, we used to go and bring, like, demo lives to people homes and set them up and show them what it would look like and stuff. Yeah. I remember my dad. It made him make me, like, some some button down shirts, you know, so I can then, you know, I would pull my hair Chaz look all you know, you know, try to look what I thought looked hard Yeah. And I just couldn't close it.
You know, people would invite me over, like, to, like, hang out even though they Wolfe buy for me, you know, like, And I was like, what am I doing? Like, what am I missing? And that was, like, oh, it might be then I just can't figure out. And I remember very specifically. My first sale, they actually came to my wedding. They were super nice. It was a very long day. I didn't have time to go on and change. I was tired. And it kinda made me just be myself, like, not just be as genuine as natural.
Because Chaz life, I like to be very honest. I like to be blunt. I am very blunt. I like to just be me because I figured it You don't like me. There's enough people in this world that will let me go and hang out with them. So that's how I was during that Chaz first job that I sold that I sold it, and I, like, as I was driving home, I was like, that's it. You just truly have to be your seller. And Yeah. And then after that, it just kinda exploded. But That's cool. That's super encouraging.
I want the listener to just take a little note here because what you're saying is the juice. I mean, I can I can teach and have taught 100, if not thousands of sales professionals and teams? I I can teach technique and tonality. The steps of the sales process, what to say, what not to say. You know, I can I can go really, really deep into the weeds and all that?
But the juice is everything that Michael just said, which is You gotta be you because I can give you all the all the x's and the o's, but Michael doing those same x's and o's, even if we do the exact XNO the same exact order to the same exact everything. It's gonna look and sound different because Michael's not Chaz and Chaz is not Michael.
And there's a layer in there of genuineness or authenticity that the salesperson or really just a business owner in general, even as we're building our network, Chaz, right now, Michael and I are gonna know each other. We're building our network. Maybe there's something cool that we do in the future. Maybe there's not. But how are we gonna ever know that if we're not, like, just genuinely us? And unapologetically so, as Michael said, like, it kinda is what it is. I am who I am.
Obviously, as leaders, we're always looking to grow, but You gotta be genuine. And so I just want to listen or take note of that. It doesn't matter how old you are or how young you are or how much you've sold or how much you haven't sold. Everything that Michael just gave to you is the, like, crux of sales, and that's why you have this negative mindset towards sales because of the pushy used car salesman because that person doesn't have what Michael just described.
And the person that doesn't know how to close the deal is too nice. And they don't know how to actually make it a duty to to close the deal. The duty of, like, doing the right thing for them. Nice. Yeah. That's that's a very good way to play it. Yeah. There's a balance here. So I just I think you've given us, just a really, really great perspective. I just wanted to make sure that that hit home for the listener. What do you think about decisions now? You said you're a blunt guy.
I can roll with that. How does a blunt, successful, you know, dad and business owner make decisions today? We've talked about a good and bad. How do you make decisions in today's world? Well, it seems like every decision I'm making now is a new decision. So I'm really lucky because my wife is very smart. She's the beauty and the brains and, like, Love that.
So I have her to leave on now, and she is I mean, I Chaz I've always had her to leave, but, like, She helps me out along with stuff with ID and I bounce off a lot of things with her. And, again, like, my family I mean, I'm I'm the least success photo and involve my thing. You know what I mean? So that should say something about all of them that, like, I am so right.
You know, because because we're, like, 1st generation, basically, we're, like, extremely tight, and we're always We're always like, so I I'm surrounded by just successful people. And I guess now that I'm at this level, like, I can find it, use what they've done as well in helping. And I've been able to slightly, like, go with the rings a little bit, which Yeah. My dad always said that's, like, the the thing I'm most stubborn with.
I used to feel like if I wasn't touching it and wasn't being done. Right? Yeah. And maybe that's just maybe that's just because, like, I have other obligations. You know, I have 3 little kids. So I have yeah. Forest, external circumstances. Yeah. Maybe that just maybe that just came from that, but, you know, you know, let people do their jobs. Yeah. Yeah. It you said a second ago that it if you didn't touch it, it probably wasn't being done right.
If you weren't touching it, it wasn't being done. Probably like you would have done it. And then and then you guys like you and I, we have this fog of if it's not done like me, then it's not being done right. And so everything that you just said as far as letting other people do their job, it's like, okay. Well, if the result just maybe Chaz long as the result Chaz the the deliverable is being done, it might look a little different. They might get there a little different.
That's the letting go piece that you're talking about. Right? Yep. Barriage. Yeah. Yeah. It's a big deal, man. Okay. Speed round. I got a couple of questions. Kinda hard hitting. Hopefully, they don't put you in a in a too much of a pickle here, but Top KPI. If you can only pick one thing to track, what would it be? Collections. K. Dollars in. Yep. Why? Because that's really that's why your business is to make money.
Yeah. Yeah. Do you feel that if you know that number, then you know the rest of it without asking, or is that just the most important? Yes. Well, David, that is by far the most important. That's the only reason you should be in a business is to make money. Unless you're like a you know, but, you know, that's the end. 2 is you should somewhat know your margins to where, like, you know, by looking at how much money you've taken in, you should be able to figure out everything else. Yeah. Exactly.
K. And what about a business resource book, podcast, event, anything you've been a part of that you can share? We could glean some knowledge from. What people you surround yourself with? That's my part. We're like to see people do it in life. And you've got a great family to do so. If someone doesn't have, Chaz, what would you recommend to that person? Finding a mentor. Someone that has actually done it. I don't wanna I don't wanna be too cliche here, but what's the value in that for them?
It's every there. Someone that's actually done it has, like, mixed through it so it has the actual experience, but also it's subconsciously, it's like you're sitting there, you're looking to, like, it dual because this person that is that is, like, talking to me has done it, has literally been in my shoes. So, like, I think, you know, you kinda, like, fit yourself into, like, alright. Well, it's it's been done. Like, I can, you know, so that means I can do what it's doing. Yeah. Yeah?
Yeah. It's belief. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Even if you're tricking yourself for half second, I love I love that phrase. I used to say that all the time.
To other business owners or even salespeople early in my career, but I would trick myself into believing I could do it, which then put me into action, take a small step, maybe a a second small step, you get a small little result, which then is like, oh, I can do it, which then builds more belief, which then helps me take another big step and another big step and gives me more result, which then gives me more confidence, which is now my now my now I'm like, rocketing and belief. Right? Exactly.
Yeah. It's a it's a it's a wonderful spiral to be in, but sometimes you gotta, like, work yourself into it. Like, trick yourself in your words. Right? Yeah. You know, and also now that I think about, I think, like, working out and eating rights. Because if you feel good about yourself, then you kinda kinda like emulates and people feel that, I think so.
Yeah. Yeah. There's obviously something about confidence that people can relate to and if working out or, like you said, dressing the part, you were you were using it in totally different example of what you felt like needed to be and it wasn't genuine, but looking sharp or feeling good about yourself is what you're talking about nutrition and and eating good. That can help with confidence and belief for sure. What about family? I got a question for you about family.
What here's my belief is that there is no such thing as balance, and you've been successful in your business because you've been obsessed with it. And I believe that you're gonna be successful in your family and as a dad because you're gonna be obsessed with it. So my question is, how have you been able to obsess in those areas at the same time as obsessing with your business. That's a great question. I don't know. I really have 2 ideas. It's just like less sleep. You know what I mean?
It's and that kinda goes back to letting people do their jobs because, like, right, like, honestly, what is more important? You know, taking your kids to the doctor to be sick in the middle of the day or work. It's your kid. Like, family family trumps, everything else by far.
And if you have good people in place, then it doesn't, you know, then it kinda it's kinda like beneficial in a lot of ways because it lets people again, like, you then give them confidence and the fact that, like, you could do it, like, and you're you're telling me that maybe not because you believe it, but at the time, but because, like, who else is gonna do it because, again, you have to do something more important. And I'm sure everybody Yeah. Everybody will agree that.
And if they don't, I think that's terrible Chaz family and your children are the most important thing in your life. Yeah. What about for the guy? Cause I used to be this guy. Thankfully, I'm not anymore. For the guy that says family is important, but when you look at his calendar, you don't see family on there, or you look at his decisions. You're missing out, but it's just I think it's just well, frankly, I feel bad for the kids, but Yeah. It's just I mean, you're being a loser.
I don't even know what to say. You're not understanding the most important thing in life. Like, the biggest the biggest joy I think I've ever gotten was watching my five year old play literally baseball. I mean, it was like, I couldn't get enough of it. I would stop whatever I was doing to make sure I was at every practice. Every you know, it's just like, that is true at site. Yeah. Know, but then again, when I was younger, every sale I got, I would call my parents.
I'd call my wife, you know, like, you know, so Chaz you grow, I think you mature in certain ways. Yeah. I think that those answers are super authentic, and I think that somebody listening is needing exactly that because you're right. It's joy. And it's also, like, a little bit of a mindset shift because sometimes we give up what we say is important to us because we we don't quite believe it yet. Right? And, and so my belief back then was that, well, if I'll build my business, it's for my family.
Like, I actually felt like I was doing something for my family by not being there. Right? Yeah. Now it's just my belief. And it doesn't mean that you give up every single moment, but it can't be either or. It's gotta be gotta be both. And that's why I really genuinely believe about being obsessed with both. So I I just appreciate that perspective. It's it's also interesting too because you were given that from your parents.
Successful business owners, and then they created this environment with you and your siblings where you guys still today are super tight. That doesn't happen accidentally. Right? Oh, yeah. No. Yeah. That's very good. You know what? And the funny thing is, like, you know, my dad, he worked his ass off.
Like, he was think my wife asked me if my wife's mom was a stay at home mom and, you know, it was very, like, intimate for her sisters Chaz they were growing up, like, very big in the PCA, you know, just like all that kind of stuff. Yeah, both of my parents were just, like, grinding and hustling and, like, we talk about it, and I'm like, I don't remember them ever missing it. Maybe they did. You know, that's what I'm saying.
Like, you remember, like, parts of your life that, like, you know, we probably trick ourselves into, like, thinking everything was all hunky dory, but, like, I truly I don't remember ever feeling neglected or or them missing anything that was important. And I I also hate to say, like, it it helps you for the real world if your parents aren't very responsive because, like, you have to fig you have to start figuring things out on your own.
And, like, you you start kind of building that that character where you're able to, like, talk your way into things and talk your way out of things at a young age. Yeah. No. You're a 100% right. There's gotta be space even though you're obsessed with them. I I really liked what you said. My my mom did the same thing. I felt like where, you know, she's working 2 and 3 jobs the whole time, single parent, but she didn't miss a game.
Now she could she couldn't come to my practices and stuff like that. That wasn't realistic, but I never missed a game, or she never missed a game. She was always there, and I always knew she was there because she was loud and getting getting the refs all fired up. Yes. And and and that fired me up all the more. Like, when I really think about it, I can remember Christmases that were pretty small.
Like, We just kinda just got together and sang a Christmas Carol and others where the room was full of presents. And I don't think really either of those things really matter because the feeling that I got was she did everything that she possibly could. Right? I used to have, I well, with edible arrangements, our our initial business, we still own a couple of those, but we have a lot of single moms that have come through that team or those teams in those different locations.
And I had one specifically. This was years ago, and she was just bawling a couple weeks before Christmas. And worried about how am I gonna do Christmas? And I thought first off, it was really sad that our environment or that our society has made this single mom feel inadequate as a mother because she couldn't provide material presence. I just thought that was ridiculous.
And then I encouraged her that, like, I came from a single mom family, and I don't I'm sure that there were more Christmases where there was less than there was more. Right? In fact, I know that to be true now, but That's not how you remembered as a kid to your point. And so I wanna encourage a listener. Everything that you just said is you can be obsessed, and we should. We should go all in on our kids.
At the same time too, they're gonna remember the cool things that we did for them and whether we were at, you know, the cool games, the practices, or we take the cool trip, or whatever it is, It's our job to create those memories, and and we do those in whatever the obsession looks like for our situation, for our financial situation, for our time, commitment, whatever it might be, I just think that you come from a really great example, and I look
forward to be able to do that for my kids like your parents have done for you. And then, of course, you're gonna have the same opportunity with your kids. I just think it's pretty unique. Yeah. I got one last question here for you, brother. You ready? Yes. I wanna know if you had a chance to whisper in the younger Michael's ear, What would you say? Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Yeah. Like, basically, don't be afraid to fail. That's that's it. That's what I would say.
You know, so you can get off your ass. Well, actually, okay. Hold it up here. Right. Like, how young are we talking about? Good question. You name it. So I've been thinking about this recently. So when I was younger, that was a total screw up. Like, I my parents didn't even think I was gonna graduate high school. Like, I I used to weigh, like, £450. Like, I was Wow. Just a total drain on my family, I think. And, like, I I did I did nothing that was used.
So back then Wow. I would have told myself to get off your ass and, like, start being productive, like, just get a, like, stuff, you know, stop being a loser, get up, and do something productive. And Chaz, like, when my late twenties I would tell myself, don't be afraid to fail. Yeah. Most powerful moment that you just delivered. I hope the listener stayed until the end. Maybe we'll move that to the beginning of the I don't know, but thank you for sharing that, brother.
That was that was from from the depths of who you are for sure. I wanna do another podcast with you just on that. We don't have time for that today. But, man, that set me up for I need to know more, and I hope that the listener does as well. How can the listener find you? Number 1, obviously, you provide incredible outdoor lighting services in the Houston area. How can they find you if they're in the area, they family in the area. They need your lights. How can they find you?
And then or if they're a business owner and they're intrigued like I am to get to know you better, how can they find you? So, you know, our our business called Houston Lidescapes, you can Google us, our website, houstonlidescapes.com, Our office number 713-461-3600. Reach out and obviously love the business and love the opportunity to to meet whoever and anybody I can help, frankly, and then that's how you find this. Awesome. Sounds good, man. We appreciate you being here sharing.
You've given I don't know if you if you intended to to share like you did today, but, man, it's really, really good and helpful. And so we wish you nothing but success and blessing on your family and your business, your team, everything that you have your hand to, Michael. Thank you for being here, brother. Yeah. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you for listening to gathering the Kings today. I hope that you were able to pull out a few nuggets to go apply into your business right away.
More importantly, though, I hope that you're realizing that it takes more to be successful than just being by yourself doing it all on your own, carrying the weight all by yourself. What I have realized, not only in my own journey from multiple businesses in multiple different industries and now interviewing literally over 2 or 300 other very successful 7, 8, and 9 figure business owners is Chaz It's tough to do it alone.
And so gathering the Kings literally exists to bring together successful entrepreneurs. In fact, we are putting together 1 1000 kings, specifically who are grateful, but not done. We're intentionally assembling kings who fight tooth and nail for their business, family, and communities, and here's what we believe Chaz in the pursuit of excellence in those areas, that it ignites within us the responsibility to govern power and forge a lasting legacy.
So if that relates and and resonates with you, and you know that you need people around you, sharp, qualified other very successful business owners. I want you to go to gathering the king's dot com. I want you to take a look at what we're doing and see if it makes sense for you to be part of our pursuit to 1000 kings. Talk soon.