Episodes

  • Episode 067 - Part II with Texas A&M-Commerce Director of Athletics Tim McMurray

    Episode 067 - Part II with Texas A&M-Commerce Director of Athletics Tim McMurray
    Dec 14 2017
    src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/6044716/height/90/theme/custom/autoplay/no/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="450"]   In Part II of our conversation, Tim dives into strategic planning, goals and caring for others.   How do you go about implementing mission, vision, and core values so that the people within your department know, understand and execute on them? When he first arrived he met with each coach. Told them they would get a questionnaire asking each of them about the state of the program. Strengths? Opportunities? What can be done in the next 90 days to improve your program. And then what are five or six common traits that define the A&M-Commerce athletic program. Over 18 people, there were 60/70 different terms. But there were 10 or 12 that emerged. The entire group picked out five: innovate, determination, respect, passion and excellence. PRIDE is the acronym. Important to add specific targets/goals that are measurable. Look out over three years (five is too long). Put a coach and an administrator as the co-chairs of each of six major goals. Prepares a quarterly report on progress toward the goals and provides it to the president. (Putting together measurable goals that can help you know how you’re doing) He’s very fortunate to be working on the NCAA Division II Women and Minorities Mentoring Institute. His mentee is working on her university’s strategic plan team and leaned on Tim for help. As the leader of the department, how do you balance the goal of winning against the sometimes competing goals of doing things the right way, emphasizing academics, etc.? When they came up with their core values, and narrowed it down to those four to five ( by the way four to five core values are your sweet spot for people to remember, think about and implement), there were several other terms that were left behind. Integrity was one of those, but it was left out because it is so fundamental to a healthy organization, like oxygen, that without it the core values wouldn’t even matter. It is beyond/above the core values. You need to just do/have integrity. The other term that almost became a core value was initiative. He demonstrates this to younger staff by showing how he prepares for meetings with his president. Never want the president to be surprised, and want the president’s job re: athletics to be as easy as possible. Maya Angelou quote: “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Know and take care of the custodian who cleans your building. Surprised the men’s basketball coaches during the interview process: asked the name of who cleaned their office. Mack Rhoades (Baylor AD) always asks this. Rapid Fire Questions (one word/phrase answers) Name one trait or characteristic you want to see in a colleague. The Golden Rule What habit has been key to your success? loyalty Most important app or productivity tool? Evernote Resource recommendation (book, podcast, etc.) All-Star Leader Podcast Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy One bit of parting advice for our audience? Be intentional and sincere Thank Yous/Acknowledgements: Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music More here. Jonathan Davis – production Clint Musslewhite – voice over
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    35 mins
  • Episode 066 - Texas A&M-Commerce Director of Athletics Tim McMurray

    Episode 066 - Texas A&M-Commerce Director of Athletics Tim McMurray
    Dec 7 2017
      Tim talks coaching searches, finding your why, and vision.   Introduction: Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today we are joined by the athletic director at Texas A&M-Commerce, Tim McMurray. Tim is in his third year with the Lions, after nearly three decades of service in senior level roles at Maryland, SMU, Northern Illinois, Texas State and Lamar. He has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to share with us, and it is my privilege to host him on the show today. This is Tim McMurray; Tim thanks for coming on the show! Interview Questions: Tim you’ve had the chance to experience the college athletics world several different institutions. Could you walk us through some of the key leadership lessons you picked up at a couple of those stops? Got hired at Lamar right after undergrad, and stayed there eight years mostly in athletic communications/PR Lots of great experience that he couldn’t have had at larger schools Built relationships and learned from great mentors like Mike O’Brien Not curing cancer, but might be educating the kid who’s going to Fortunate to work for Coach Jim Wacker at Texas State Then able to really grow with Jim Phillips at Northern Illinois (sport administrator); involved in football and men’s basketball searches The fact he had been at Lamar and Texas State prepared him well for the Texas A&M Commerce; how to work with smaller staff and budget A&M Commerce is one of 10 or 15 Division II schools who can be the next Grand Valley (follow up on how to connect to your purpose) men of faith and important to know/remember your why. Student-athletes and staff members are his why. And it won’t be the same for everyone. Keep reminders around you (pictures, prayer, etc.). (Daniel with a law school mock interview example of how someone may not realize their why even though they have it. And how to pull it out). Let’s talk about Division II for a moment. Those who are regular listeners to the show know that I was a Division II AD at Western Oregon, but share if you would what drew you to the division and what you see as its positive/defining characteristics. While working in development at different schools, hardly got to spend any time with student-athletes (as opposed to when he started in communications), wanted to get back in touch with the student-athletes. As a candidate for the AD job, went over to Commerce from Dallas for the football home opener to “secret shop.” Wanted to show the committee that he wanted the Commerce job; not just an AD job. Recently hired a basketball coach. Had several great finalists with head coaching experience. But one finalist who hadn’t been a HC really showed him how much he wanted this job. VPs at Commerce want them to win and be successful. Treat VPs/Deans like they are a major donor and part of the family. (UCF’s Danny White recently said something similar at the Collegiate Athletics Leadership Symposium). (What did the basketball coach do to show he wanted the Commerce job?) Asked if his head coach could call Tim. Didn’t overdo it. Prepared, but not with a cookie cutter book where you just cut and paste the team logo. Had a recruiting board for who he would want to go after at Commerce (high school kids, juco kids and four year transfers). The sincerity of being interested in this job is what put him over the top. (This comes up a lot because while it sounds like common sense and everyone should do it, people don’t). You mentioned in an interview when you got the Commerce job that the biggest thing that attracted you to it was the vision of the president. Can you elaborate on that and tell us specifically what that vision was, and how the president was able to sell you on his vision? When you’re interviewing for an AD job, you may only get a little time with your boss/the president. There are so many people to meet with. So it’s important to make the most of that time, and to make sure you get to hear from the president rather than just you talking the whole time. Asked direct questions. What happens when we don’t have success? What is your philosophy on getting started? President let Tim do what he needed to do so long as it was within rules and budget. Only able to work with the president who hired him for a few months before he tragically passed away. New president had worked with the prior president at another school, so he could understand and relate to those who worked for the prior president. Helped in the transition. When you have the right president, who thinks athletics is important and that it matters, you can accomplish great things. Wants to provide a best in class experience. Who is your model? Who do you want to catch? Set a goal and go get them! Constantly measure and test.
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    41 mins
  • Episode 065 - Baylor Leadership Guru and Former Navy Footballer Drexel King

    Episode 065 - Baylor Leadership Guru and Former Navy Footballer Drexel King
    Nov 30 2017
    Drexel shares leadership lessons from Navy Football and the Marine Corps.   Introduction: Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today I didn’t have to go far to bring a great guest to you. Drexel King works just across campus from me in Baylor University’s Leadership and Learning department. Drexel is a graduate of the prestigious United States Naval Academy, where he also played defensive back for the Midshipmen and led them to bowl games in each of his four seasons. His career prior to joining Baylor in 2016 includes stints in the Navy athletic department as well as platoon commander and officer in the United States Marine Corps, where he led troops in Afghanistan. This is Drexel King. Drexel thanks so much for coming on the show! Interview Questions: We’re going to get into your story, but first off tell us about Baylor’s Leadership and Learning department and what you are up to over there. January start after the Marine Corps Staff development / leadership development / team building Creating/delivering content; staff retreats Tell us how you found your way to the Naval Academy, and what your college experience was like. Dad was in the Army; handed him a brochure for West Point as he was nearing high school graduation Knew he needed a different / more structured college experience Naval Academy was a perfect fit; chance to play football; chance to test yourself and also serve the country How were you self-aware enough to make that choice? Was from North Carolina and lots of friends were going to the state schools; he was open to leaving the state Knowing himself; high school was very regimented and he fit in well; school/homework/sports/bed…fit well with his personality to go to the Naval Academy What was the college experience like? Wanted a challenge/test himself; chose English as a major even though math/science was his strength Went to prep school first in Rhode Island Four year grind; marathon not a sprint Not going home in the summer; you’re training – either for the military or for football Assumed some leadership responsibilities there; set himself up for success Navy tends to play a demanding schedule against teams who, on paper, are bigger and faster. Over your career you played schools like Stanford and Notre Dame, in addition to bowl games against Utah and Boston College. Yet you won many of those games. How does that happen and what are some keys to prevailing against long odds? Navy recruited athletes who were good but too short/slow for larger schools; this helped develop a chip on the shoulder Most teams felt like they should beat Navy We’re going to outwork/outhustle/fight with everything we have; the bonds the team had made them closer than other teams Know what sacrifice feels like and looks like; how to sacrifice for your team What about tactics and strategy Execute what we do better than you do You can do whatever you want, but it is man to man; weapon to weapon; line up and see who is better You spent some time as a coach after your playing days concluded. What are a couple of things that maybe surprised you or that you saw for the first time as a coach that you were unaware of as a player? Night and day being on the coaching side versus as a player Learned he never wanted to coach; seven days/week for most (though Navy now doesn’t allow coaches in the building on Sunday) Your livelihood is dependent on 18-22 year olds Tenured staff at Navy so very special place; Showtime feature “The Season” Describe the pathway from the Naval Academy to the Marine Corps (many might think you automatically go from the Academy to the Navy. Three primary service academies commissioning schools: Air Force, West Point, Naval Academy. The Marine Corps is a department within the Navy. From the Naval Academy you can go a lot of directions (Navy Officer, Marines, Submarines, Naval Aviator, SEALS) In the Marine Corps you had the opportunity to both serve under leaders and lead teams of people yourself. What are some of the traits or characteristics that you saw in the best leaders you served under? Marines all about professionalism; always faithful is the motto; always pride; getting the job done; discipline; tough Easy transition from Navy football to the Marines Leaders were extremely selfless; post-911 Marines who signed up are the best of America; they lay it on the line and make the ultimate sacrifice Talk about the difference in leadership styles between the drill sergeant and the officer. What officers are doing is training the trainer You are leading the leaders who are leading the group Officers are rare; and the infantry doesn’t see you much of the time; so you have to perform well when they do What are some that were present in leaders who weren’t as successful? New leaders struggle ...
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    1 hr
  • Episode 064 - Three-Time National Champion Baseball Coach Jeremiah Robbins

    Episode 064 - Three-Time National Champion Baseball Coach Jeremiah Robbins
    Nov 16 2017
    Coach Robbins talks about mindset, authenticity and a blue-collar work ethic that can overcome nearly all obstacles.   Introduction: Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today for the first time on the show we get to hear from a college head coach, and I can’t think of anyone more fitting to be the first than Jeremiah Robbins. Jeremiah and I first met in 2010 at Western Oregon where he was the head baseball coach. While at WOU he led the Wolves to a 252-109 record, seven straight conference titles and five NCAA tournament appearances. He left Western Oregon in 2012 to take over a Lewis-Clark State College, where all he has done is take the Warriors to five NAIA national championship games, winning the 2015 2016 and 2017 crowns. More important than his on-field accomplishments, however, Coach Robbins is a tremendous leader, a man of integrity, and someone I am proud, humbled and honored to call my friend. This is Jeremiah Robbins. Coach Robbins thanks so much for coming on the show!   Interview Questions: Most important question first: does the tropical fruit enterprise continue at Lewis-Clark State? Share with the audience what your team did every year with tropical fruit sales, how they did it and what the results were? What was the purpose in having your team do that? Instead they split/deliver firewood for a fundraiser The fruit sales was a great teambuilding exercise as well as getting the athletes out in the community 150 cords of wood; deliver and stack it. (Daniel – At D2/NAIA, finances are challenging and this is important to the program. How did you come up with these unique fundraisers, and why? They wanted to have a blue-collar approach Get creative Build bonds with the community and increases attendance (Daniel – encourage teams to match their off-field activities like fundraising to their program’s identity) Let’s now rewind and start at the beginning. Tell us about where you’re from, your upbringing, and when/how baseball was instilled in you. Grew up outside of Roseberg, OR Blue-collar town and family was in logging industry. Dad cut trees for 30 years Work hard, pay dues, put time in Led to disciplined, hard-nosed baseball at a young age Had some success in high school Opportunity to play in college and bounced around a few places due to grades. But got those in order and was able to finish up at Western Oregon Then jumped right into the fire as an American Legion coach immediately after finishing school/playing Struggled early on, but grew as a coach and got a JC job before moving back to WOU and then LC State. Early age is where all his qualities/characteristics were formed (Daniel – Can you speak to those who try and adopt others’ approach to coaching, etc. rather than being themselves? How important is authenticity?) Kids want real; they will see right through you in a heartbeat Very transparent; players know who he is and what he is about This breaks down walls between players and coaches and makes them feel loved Baseball is pretty simple, but the personal relationships, discipline, etc. are what separates Getting a player to trust you is harder and harder, so as a coach you have to be on your toes to connect with them Never faked anything and is always up front with his guys (Daniel – talking about Bob Stoops and getting close to your players) In many ways your college career looked similar to many of the players you have recruited and coached over the years, taking advantage of opportunities at both junior colleges and four year schools before arriving your final stop. Talk a bit about your journey through those college years and how that helps you connect with your current players. Would like to change his journey since he had to bounce around because he didn’t go to class But it has given him appreciation for the kid who has struggled some early on and just needs someone to give him a second chance. They often times just need someone to put their arm around them, believe in them, help them get a degree, etc. Learned from past mistakes and has made him a better coach Flunked out of school freshman year after not going to class all fall semester; lost his baseball scholarship and had to go get a job. Worked as a logger for a year and a half before getting back into baseball. Only one in his family to have a college degree. Wound up graduating with a 3.0 GPA after starting with a .2! Degree the most important thing for players; graduation rate improving at LC State. (Daniel - How do you evaluate whether someone deserves a second chance?) There can be sticky situations, and the relationship with the player Have you done your homework as a recruiter and a head coach before bringing them to campus? Must do this work at a higher level. Can’t just make it about athletic ability and...
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    55 mins
  • Episode 063 - Daniel's Presentation To Baylor Leadership Lunch And Learn

    Episode 063 - Daniel's Presentation To Baylor Leadership Lunch And Learn
    Nov 9 2017
      Daniel uses Seinfeld, The West Wing, and past interviews to talk about leadership as influence.   Outline: Seinfeld clip demonstrating influence (link): eating dessert with a knife/fork. Daniel bio Main theme from John Maxwell: defines leadership as influence Can always influence regardless of positional authority The Wave at sporting events is an example of this - influencing those in your orbit to then influence others outside your orbit and so on. Houston/Harvey citizen rescuers West Wing clip also demonstrating the power of influencing those close to us (link). Daniel shares a leadership failure from his WOU AD days. Team captains are good examples because they don't become leaders after being named captain; they were leaders and therefore named captains Specifics on how to influence effectively (based 21 Great Leaders: Learn Their Lessons, Improve Your Influence by the Orlando Magic's Pat Williams) Vision (Walt Disney, Nelson Mandela) Tim Selgo from Anchor Up Communication (Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, MLK) Joe Castiglione clip on instilling values/culture into his team, and the importance of doing this daily. People Skills (Sam Walton, FDR) Gary Vaynerchuk's Crush It has a chapter that is entirely one word: Care Character Jamy Bechler's The Leadership Playbook: story about Bobby Jones taking a penalty stroke when he could have gotten away with not. "They might as well praise me for not robbing a bank." David Chadwick's Dean Smith book Honor God before all else Not afraid to fail Extreme humility Competence (Bill Gates, Dwight Eisenhower) Back to the West Wing clip. Ainslee displayed competence Boldness (Rosa Parks, Harry Truman) Serving Heart (Mother Theresa, Ghandi) Sports agent Kelli Masters on taking her players on mission trips Luke 22:24-27 - 24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. Thank Yous/Acknowledgements: Antioch Live/Clear Day Media Group – music More here. Jonathan Davis – production Clint Musslewhite – voice over
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    42 mins
  • Episode 062 - The Power of Positive Leadership Author Jon Gordon

    Episode 062 - The Power of Positive Leadership Author Jon Gordon
    Nov 2 2017
    Jon packs a lot into a short episode, from optimism and vision to grit and a growth mindset.   Introduction: Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today we welcome to the show leadership expert Jon Gordon. Jon is a speaker, trainer, and best-selling author who has worked with professional sports coaches and teams all over the country. His latest book is titled The Power of Positive Leadership: How and why positive leaders transform teams and Organizations around the world. This is Jon Gordon. Jon thanks so much for being with us! Interview Questions: First off tell us a bit about your background and how you became the leadership expert you are today. Wrote a book called The Energy Bus 10 years ago; about using positivity and removing negativity Led to speaking engagements and opportunities to hear from teams and organizations what they were going through This led to other books and a focus on leadership Considers himself a teacher second and a student first Define positive leadership for us, and maybe distinguish from other types of leadership. Shouldn’t have to use a qualifier You need to be positive and optimistic to effectively lead; need to have a vision for the road ahead This is not Pollyanna leadership; this type of leadership builds great teams; bring out the best in people encouraging and challenging them This is the best way to lead and the way to get results. You’re demanding but not demeaning; provide love and accountability You don’t have to choose positive without caring for results; positivity will drive results I'm sure some of us listening might be thinking, “sure it's easy to be positive when things are going well, but what about when times are hard? Isn't direct/honest criticism or tough love sometimes warranted?” Like the lawn company which charged him for a bunch of trees that they never installed; Jon challenged them and they tried to settle for half the amount instead of the full refund, and then accused Jon of not being positive when he wouldn’t settle When you challenge someone they might not think you’re being positive, but that’s not the standard Love others first; once they feel that love, people will follow Dabo Swinney is a great example of this; he challenges his players but his players believe he loves them; they have a relationship; this allows him to push them and have hard conversations with them Allen Mulally said same thing: love them up, but hold them accountable to the culture and principles In chapter five of your book you talk about the importance of optimism. Can you share a bit about that, and how, if at all, we balance that with a realistic picture of our circumstances? Confront the challenges knowing the adversity you’re facing Loss – learning opportunity stay strong See events in your live as learning opportunities Pessimists do not change the world; naysayers talk about problems but don’t solve them; critics write words but don’t write the future. It’s the optimists/dreamers/doers that create the future And later in the same chapter you make what I think is a very key observation: when there is a lack of communication, negativity fills the void. Expand on that for us. When not communicating with your team, negativity fills the he void with gossip, complaining Instead fill the void with positive communication (honest, transparent) Uncertainty and fear is what really impacts people As a leader, you need to drive faith, certainty, comfort, love Example – superintendent talked budget cuts at a meeting that was going to involve staff reductions, and the crowd of people who could lose their jobs gave him a standing ovation. They trusted him and knew he was being transparent with them. Helped prevent negativity from seeping in. Having a purpose is something that all leaders need in order to inspire others. You suggest a technique called One Word to assist with this. Tell us about that. One word will change your life. Pick a word for the year that drives you, gives you purpose, inspires you Amazing how the word shapes you and helps you live with more purpose Studies are now saying that grit is the best predictor of success. How have you seen that play out work the teams you've worked with? Not talent, not title, not wealth, not looks. Grit is the number one factor. Angela Duckworth wrote a book and gave a Ted Talk about this. Positive leaders have grit; they will move forward through adversity and obstacles and will not let things stop them. Essential for leadership/success Dabo, Allen Mulally, Sara Blakely from Spanx…all display grit Can’t allow nos to hold you back; you have to move forward The Energy Bus (Jon’s first book) was rejected over 30 times; finally the book got made/carried; five years’ later it was a best seller How, if at all, can we ...
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    27 mins
  • Episode 061 - All-American Football Player and Retire Inspired Author Chris Hogan

    Episode 061 - All-American Football Player and Retire Inspired Author Chris Hogan
    Oct 26 2017
    Chris shares the keys to winning a football national championship, why it's so important as a leader to have your financial house in order, and how to buy your houses and cars.    Introduction: Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and I am more than excited to bring you today’s guest. Chris Hogan is a financial coach, best-selling author, motivational speaker, a leader within Dave Ramsey’s organization Ramsey Solutions, and a former college football national champion. He released his first book in January of 2016 titled Retire Inspired: It’s Not an Age It’s a Financial Number. I looked just before this conversation and 19 months after the release the book it continues to rank #6 in its category on Amazon. This is Chris Hogan. Chris thanks so much for being with us! Interview Questions: First of all, Chris tell us a bit of your story. What was growing up like for you, and how did you find your way to playing football at Georgetown College? Grew up in big family; close-knit; competitive; lots of love/care/concern Pastor helped him find his college, which was close to home Loved the coaches and campus, and appreciated the smaller school You all won a national title during your time there, which is a remarkable accomplishment. What are two or three keys that made that team special and propelled you to that level of success? Starts with the leaders; phenomenal coaches (head coach to grad assistants) Everyone was on the same page Incredible culture of winning; looked for certain individuals with certain skills/mindsets/coachability Talent! Players who could have played at larger schools Appreciation from seniors to freshman of what they were trying to accomplish; everyone knew their value and role And now you’re writing bestsellers, headlining events alongside Dave Ramsey and others, and coaching everyone from young/struggling families to celebrities in their financial journeys…share with us how you got where you are today. Worked in banking and wealth management and became connected to a number of influential individuals Got to know Dave, which then led to the opportunity to join the team Trying to empower people that better is available, and give them a plan to achieve it Before we go any deeper into your financial teachings, I don’t want to lose my leadership purists. Can you speak to why it is so important for leaders to get their financial house in order? Also how the principles you teach apply to other areas of a leader’s life? Money permeates all areas; impacts your business, relationship with team members and how you do business You don’t want to be needy in business, where you begin to look at customers as transactions instead of relationships If you’re focused on relationships, you’re looking to serve customers. But if purely transactional, you’re just trying to push products. So if you’re healthy financially, you can stay focused on building people You’re not just running an organization or team, your job is to help build people and help them perform better in what they do. How would you describe your philosophy on money and finances? What are the key principles? Live on less than you make Have a plan for every dollar that comes in Your confidence will grow and you understand the path you’re on Be intentional; boss your money around and don’t let it control you Many people say they will wait until they make more money before they get serious; but they won’t. Your lifestyle will grow along with your income, and you’ll continue to spend more than you make. What does it mean when you say retirement is not an age but rather a financial number? As he was working as a financial coach with Dave, he kept hearing people talk about an age for retirement (65, 60, etc.) But he had met a 41-year-old who had worked and saved for 24 years and was set to retire; this was an epiphany that no, retirement isn’t an age, but instead the financial number needed to allow you to do exactly what you want to do. As Dave Ramsey outlines in his foreword to your book, the foundation for building toward retirement are the Baby Steps he has taught for years (disclaimer: going through Financial Peace University was required by my wife and I’s pre-marriage counselors!). Let’s highlight those real quick for those who aren’t familiar, and along the way please share why these steps are so important. Money fights are the number one cause of divorce; so we need this The baby steps are a clear road map for you to gain control of your money $1,000 emergency fund Pay off all debt with the debt snowball Save 3-6 months of expenses 10%-15% into retirement Save/pay for kids’ college Attack house Build wealth/give (Daniel – cannot out-Give God, and encourage others to give) As a Christian, resources aren’t mine and...
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    39 mins
  • Episode 060 - Business Coach And Author Aaron Walker

    Episode 060 - Business Coach And Author Aaron Walker
    Oct 19 2017
    Business and life coach Aaron Walker returns to the show to talk about living a life of significance, and his new book View From Top.  Introduction: Hey everyone and welcome to the All-Star Leader Podcast, where together we learn about leadership from the best and brightest, and keep it fun by connecting it to our passion for sports! I’m your host Daniel Hare, and today we are once again joined by a returning guest who has recently authored a book! You’ll remember Aaron Walker from episode 11 of the podcast, and I encourage if you didn’t catch that episode to pause this one, go back and listen to episode 11, and then come back to this conversation. We’re going to skip through much of the typical intro/bio since we all know Aaron and get right into his new book, View From The Top: Living a life of significance. This is Aaron Walker. Aaron welcome back to the show! Interview Questions: Tell us how you’ve been what’s new in your world. Grueling exercise and a lot of time; 38 years of entrepreneurship to build the stories that are in the book 10% writing and 90% marketing is a truism! Lots of interviews and marketing/promotions; purpose is to help people learn how to live a life of significance. Let’s get right into this. On page 10 you say something I think is critical: “I knew that in order to be good at any one thing, it takes total commitment and a sense of devotion, and I was willing to do that.” Can you speak to the importance of that statement in relation to how some of us might get distracted by different/new things, or just try to do too many different things at one time? Important (Greg McKowen “Essentialism” – inch deep/mile wide…should be an inch wide and mile deep) not to have so many things going on that we can’t be good at any one thing. “The One Thing” another great book on this. Following up on that, you recently ended one of your coaching programs, The Community, much for the reasons we’re discussing here. Could you take our audience into how focusing on certain things necessarily means excluding (perhaps even profitable/good) others? Two years ago began “The Community” as a lower price point for people to interact with him and his coaching programs But realized he was devoting a huge amount of time in the community, while figuring out his strength was in facilitating mastermind groups After months of prayer and evaluation, he decided to stop the community and devote entirely to the masterminds. Though it was profitable and enjoyable, the Community had to go. (Daniel – encouragement for people to taking that hard step of eliminating things): money won’t keep you in the game; passion might get you started but won’t last either; you need purpose. Two buildings side by side with a board across; for $10 you wouldn’t do it; to save your child, you would. That’s the purpose we need. So evaluate where you’re spending your time and determine if it’s your purpose. If you’re not doing anything that fulfills your purpose, try something else! You talk in chapter two of the book about delayed gratification; can you share some thoughts on that subject? Aaron and his wife Robin both came from poor/humble beginnings As he got started, he gave up 2/3rds of the business in order to get it going since they didn’t have any money – was willing to give up that much to get it started They committed to live on a very modest salary while building the company up, and putting all the profits back into the business. That resulted in him paying off a ten year loan in 36 months, and buying out his financial partners, leaving him with a paid-for business. Did the same thing again with another store…kept adding stores and doing the same things. This led to a Fortune 500 company wanting to buy his company The problem today is we want it now and aren’t willing to be patient. We shouldn’t compare our beginning to our parents’ middle, or our middle to our parents’ end. Live like no one else today, so tomorrow you can live like no one else – Dave Ramsey You retired from your first business at the age of 27. For the leaders in our audience, who are scattered among a number of industries from business to education, the ministry and more, what are one or two keys you can share about how you created that type of success in such a relatively short amount of time. Started business at 18 (no college) But even graduated high school early by going to summer school and night school You’ve got to have the grit, the perseverance and the determination to get whatever it is you wanted Delayed gratification in other areas (e.g. sports) – wanted to work more than he wanted to be an athlete. What is it for you that you want bad enough to give up other things? Got rid of all naysayers from his circle Recent study that the most common trait of multi-millionaires is grit You have to develop a mindset of I can do this – “can’t couldn’t do it and can did it all.”...
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    53 mins