Special Guest James Cunningham

Count money man, money that grits is fine.

I told trying to told him I'm a beast.

But what's up gang?

Welcome to another episode of the grind cast get ready.

It's a new day.

We got big permanent house, of course, and we got my man James

cunning him.

Y'all, I can't wait to expose you to James cunning him.

If you're not with American income, which most people I think are not that

listening, but many are.

I just can't wait for you to get some wisdom and advice from a great

businessman, a great father, a great husband, a great friend, just a great

person that's getting it not only in business successfully, but just in

life, man.

So James, welcome to the grind cast.

And maybe give a little brief intro on your story yourself.

I know you played it saying edge, you went to Mount Union, just maybe like a

condensed version of who you are.

All right, so first of all, thank you guys for having me.

I've been waiting to get on this because I love the grind cast.

We definitely one of the best podcasts out there.

So shout out to everybody and all the listeners.

So let me tell you a little bit about my background.

I've been Cleveland, Ohio.

And if you know anything about Northeast Ohio, there's a saying that nothing is

given and everything is earned.

So I had to grow up that way.

And I grew up in the single parent household, me and my two sisters, and my mom, single

handedly raised me.

And from there, I had to figure out a way to go where I wanted to go in life.

I didn't have that many good examples in my household or even in the neighborhood I grew

up in.

So I had to rely heavily on sports.

If I was going to get out of my environment living in the projects, growing up on welfare,

that's the only thing I knew.

Sports.

So I started to play basketball and I ran a track.

So funny story.

When I ended up going to say Ed Simon, which is about saying that he wanted to best

schools in the state of Ohio, my arrived there fresh of a year I could cut.

Well, I didn't make a team, split it that way.

So I had to look in the mirror.

Wow, I didn't know that James.

Oh, yeah.

Okay, love it.

So when it came to playing some street basketball, you were running with the best of it.

But I never really truly played organized basketball to compete like that.

I did play basketball in grade school.

So I go there.

You know, this is that next step for me to get out of here and then go to college and

so on and so forth.

So I go there.

I get cut.

Don't make the basketball team fresh from the year.

So I got to look in the mirror and ask myself, what are you going to do now?

So I told myself, you know what I'm going to do?

I'm just get ready and I'm going to come back next year.

I'll make it.

I came to the play football for the first time my freshman year in high school.

And what ended up happening is number one, when you're a basketball player, you never

play a football and you don't really like the context.

And I think you're going to shy away from it and probably stick to what you know.

So for me, I literally said, I'm not playing football.

I'm a concentrate on basketball.

You two come around.

I make it all the way to the final cut and be cut again.

So then I'm forced at the figure out planning of the sport.

So that's when I started playing football.

So I didn't really start playing football to myself when you were in high school.

And I ran track all through grade school and college in high school.

So I go, I finish, graduate 2002, go to Mount Union and end up playing football there,

ran track.

And from there, what place football you ran track?

My freshman year, senior year, we were national champions in football.

And I qualified for track and field for times for NCAAs and my senior year finally, we

were able to play a national championship.

But the whole purpose of that was because.

Just wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Amazing, man.

And those, some of those things, I've known you so long, bro.

Some of those things you never even told me before.

I don't know.

That's why I love this because I don't know when we ever would have got into that conversation.

But that's so dope.

That makes you, that makes you even cooler.

That makes your story even better.

I'll take me a dude that went through that and got cut twice in basketball and decided

to play football of a sudden he's a national champ in football and in track.

Amazing story.

And I love Mount Union.

I almost went to Mount Union coming out of college.

I remember visiting there and almost going there after winning a state championship in

Youngstown.

And so I, man, I just, it's so similar to me because St.

Ed's is like Ursula.

You know, so you make, they ought to do what to St. Ed's.

He just must have had it easy coming up.

Never would have thought single mom.

Never would have thought welfare because you went to St. Ed's like me going to Ursula.

But it's powerhouse sports and it's still, I mean, it's on the north side of Youngstown.

You go down a couple blocks.

People get smoked over there all the time.

It ain't a perfect environment.

You know, I went to school with dudes that got killed and killed other people.

You know, it wasn't a normal, you know, that type of a situation you would think.

But it was definitely better than what I was going to be going to school to, you know,

probably where I was going to be going.

And so like just like you, man, very similar.

I could relate to what you're saying in your story.

So I love it, man.

And keep going, man.

There's more to you only got us to the college part.

Now what?

All right.

So I go to Mount Union and I'm not going there because I want to do it.

I just get this degree and I want to start my career.

This was supposed to be a stepping stone for me to go from high school, which by the

way, it was interesting how I even got at St. Ed's.

You know, I was going to this after school program, very similar to the inspiring minds in Cleveland.

And you know, if it wasn't for the outreach program directly to see me while I was playing

basketball during our little basketball break after doing our schoolwork, I would have never

been exposed to St. Ed's.

So what ended up happening is this lady noticed my athletic abilities and said, hey, you

ever thought about going to St. Ed's or St. Ignatius?

And I'm like, I have no clue what you're talking about.

You know, and she was like, well, I would like to talk to your mom if we can set up a visit

to go there.

So when I ended up going there, it was so interesting how it all happened, man.

It was God's will people in my life, they got me from here to there.

So by the time I got to Mount Union, I only went there because I'm thinking I'll go there,

I'll stand out, then I can go pro, and then I can come back, get my family out of this

environment, and do the things I've always wanted to do since a little boy at the age of

nine.

So I go there, I graduated four years, I study sports management and business administration,

and I graduated 2006.

And at that point, I didn't have the type of athletic career where you had scouts knocking

on your door, wanting to come in basically, have you played for them, but I never lost hope.

You know, so I told myself, I'm just going to work four years, I'll save up enough money,

and then what I'll go and do is I'll go do some trials.

And listen, you line me up.

Well, again, all the receipts.

James, you got to pay for trials?

You didn't save some money to get some trials.

So you know, when you're doing these trials, for example, let's think you don't get invited

to the NFL combine, it's televised.

There's a bunch of other ones that go on throughout the year, they're always looking for talent.

You know, so I didn't have an agent that would represent me, so you got to have money to

go from here to there.

You know, so my first combine was that a regional combine, it was that Kent State, and I performed

well enough to basically come to Indianapolis, which was the regional combine for everyone

that wasn't invited to the NFL combine.

Now, I drove in my vehicle, I had my Chevy Impala, I think it was on the lease, I was way

over my mouth, I didn't care, I was trying to figure it out.

So I, you know, I do this right out, and that didn't go as planned.

Go down the Florida, and I'm trying to play in this knee-lead, that was a poster startup

called the All-American Football League.

That quoted, drove down to New Orleans for the AFL combine, did very well there.

So if you know anything about 2007, you had NFL Europe shut down, AFL went on lockout,

and listen, if you're not coming out in the first two rounds, the likelihood of you actually

making the roster and being on the team is slim to none.

So you know, in the interim of, I'm doing these tryouts, I'm done with the tryouts, I'm

acting Cleveland on Ohio, I just completed my first position out of college, I was there

four year, well-starved of financial, great experience for me, it really helped me transfer

into this business, and you know, I'm waiting for a team to call me, don't work out that

way.

So my bills are starting to pile up, and I'm like, I got to do something about this.

So I immediately got in contact with Rebecca Doku, the head of our career circle, she was

at the time at Mountain Union, drove down the Mountain Union, I had a meeting with her

and I said, I need some help, I got to find a job, and I don't know what the do from here,

so she asked me some questions, what are you looking for?

And I tried to do something very similar to what I had did when I was at Wells Fargo, you

know, so if you know about Wells Fargo, you know, one of the biggest banks out west, and

I was in the...

He wanted to steal a little money, wasn't he?

That financial.

From Wells Fargo, you wanted to steal a little money from Wells Fargo, in the back trying

to take some cash.

You know, but it's interesting, Wells Fargo has had a lot of things over the years that

they've had to deal with, even if that, but anyway.

So I thought you was taking money, go ahead.

I go down, I go down, I meet with her, and she recommends three positions I apply for,

and here's an interesting part about it, all through going through Mountain Union, they

would always try and tell us, don't ever look for a job that's just commission, only look

for something with a salary, with benefits, with so on and so forth.

Same thing they told me.

I think.

100%.

And I get it because they can't relate.

Like the way they're set up, they're paying on the salary.

So I get it, you know, now, but then, now had that job description had anything to do

with commission, I don't know what my life will be right now.

So she recommended a job posting that in the same party, who Simon knows very well, post

it, and I applied to it.

I think Nick called my resume within seven days.

I tried my hardest to do the research on the company, and I'm looking at the website,

I'm like, this is so generic, but I'm still going in anyway, because I had nothing to

lose.

I'd go in and man, I come into the best office I've ever been in my life, and I knew something

was different.

I see the way people are walking down the hallway.

My best who was walking past me, I've never seen somebody walk so fast in office building.

I'm like, he's gone.

Something's going on here, you know?

And I see a lot of young individuals who I know are doing well.

I wasn't that big in the vehicles, but I saw nice vehicles in the parking lot.

And, you know, I just had a good vibe about everything.

So go for just an initial interview, and then I come back for the second interview, which

was a completely different structured interview.

And that was my first time being in a group setting, but I'm like, all right, cool, let's

get it.

I got to put my best before it.

I got to stand out.

So I didn't sit in the front, but I sat in the back because I knew, if we were going

to go around a room, that I could possibly be one of the last individuals.

So you know, Simon, you have to be in the overview.

I remember Candidate Tension Tea.

Yeah, I was, I was, for whatever reason, I'm looking at everybody.

I'm not really paying attention to the people in there.

I'm looking at the people who are at work there.

And I see this dude head just not in the old time.

Like, I'm like, I've never seen somebody not there head that much.

And that was you.

Who's him?

And.

So that's how you got him.

No one is doing this.

That's what I remember.

I remember that I remember the suit he was wearing.

What color was it?

I didn't really.

It was 10.

It was a 10 to oversized, you know, but.

Bigger than back in, brother.

Stuff we coach people not to do.

Correct, correct, right?

So I see this body language.

Just it's just hard to not notice it.

Marcus, you know, he talked about what he talked about.

And you know, just all and all.

I'm like, there's no way I can't do this.

I just need somebody to show me how to do it.

But it's too easy.

And you know, when it was time for me to explain why should I be considered, you know, in my mind,

I'm like, listen, I can show you better and I can tell you.

And for whatever reason, I know I came off as arrogant.

I almost didn't get you.

Oh, you did for sure.

Oh, he came up with so cocky.

Yeah, James.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, his first couple months.

Yeah.

But I liked him.

Yeah, but I liked him.

But the thing is, it's only because I know I'm not the smartest person, but I'm willing

to let work people willing to follow.

That's all it takes.

And I'm not afraid of hard work.

And then you know, so shut up, be coachable and go to work.

That's it.

At the end of the day, man, it's really that simple.

So that's the journey, man, of what ended up happening from not union to the I.O.

Now what, you know, now we're, where he's at right now, he's a business owner in Indian

apolis for, for our business kills it.

And what you've been on the council before, right, James, been on the executive council

before with me two times.

How many offices you got right now?

Only one.

One office killing it, doing well.

So to go from where you were to where you currently are, what, what do you think it took?

So you know, listen, any life, you know, if you want to go somewhere, you can try and

go there by yourself, but the likelihood of you getting there is, I think from the

nut.

So you're going to need some help.

And you know, coming into the business knowing that I didn't know anything.

I didn't know anybody like it wasn't like I'd use them one personally.

They had my best interest.

I had to develop some relationships and come in and be the best student I could be.

One thing that I know is that I came to this company at the right time and the right

place with the right people.

It didn't take me long to realize that, okay, I'm in this organization and there's hundreds

of individuals.

But who do I relate to the most?

I listened to people.

And honestly Simon, you were my number one target.

I'm like, I got this or whatever I got to do, I'm going to figure this out.

So I remember we were in a hallway, we were talking and I'm coming up this step, this is

the perfect time.

And this was after strike one.

So strike one, I'm not going to go there.

Hey man, can I get some time with you?

And you're like, hey, come back and talk to me when you're doing something.

You're like, you're going to get your education done.

You said wait a minute, though.

You got to be hidden.

I wasn't the only one that was a little cocky at that time.

You know, I'd never say that now, Marcus would.

I'd say it, but I'd be at better delivery.

So sorry, James.

No, I didn't think you were cocky.

No, I just that makes you play football.

You're an athlete, you an athlete.

Correct.

But you had a lot of responsibility, man.

You know, I didn't understand the level of it, but you did have a lot of responsibility.

And I respected that you had a lot of responsibility.

You told me, you know, when you get this down, come back and talk to me.

So we're in a hallway walking up and you're talking to me.

It was me and I'm like, perfect time.

You know, hey, what can I do to get some time with you?

And you gave me the key.

You said, once you start dropping $4,000 a week, then come and talk to me.

And I was like, really?

In my mind, like, that's all I did.

I'll be back.

Right?

So one of the first things we worked on, once I did that was the phones.

And you wrote really big on my script.

I am busy.

I am important.

I am in control.

Come on.

Now, no disrespect to my field trainer or the person who hired me or anyone else, but

you were my number one partner to somebody who I knew I could relate to.

You know, so I appreciate you, you know, one out of your way, you know, open yourself

up because I don't know if I would have really had the orstight to understand what was

truly possible in a business.

You inspired me so much, man, from just what you had accomplished being the same age.

And I'm like, man, I've never been around people like this.

And whatever this do tell me, I'm going to do.

You know, so I remember there was a time when I literally drive 45 minutes to go and get

food to try and force you to eat with me.

Do you remember that?

Yeah, I remember.

I remember eating with you.

You didn't get some Puerto Rican food before and stuff.

That's how you would bribe me at first.

And you have, he was like, man, I got it.

I think it was on the west side.

I'm like, I believe it because there's a lot of Puerto Rican's over there on the west side.

I bet you they know what they're doing.

But dude, I took a liking to you because in this, we didn't, you weren't coded to me.

Unfortunately.

You know, I wish I could have got a rip and had James on my squad, but I was working with

you just because I believed in you.

You know what I mean?

After, you know, I knew where you were.

I knew where you were going to go.

And I'm like, man, if this dude actually got the work ethic and the coach ability to back

up his talent and his confidence, then he's going somewhere.

You know what I mean?

And I just want to be a part of it.

You know what I mean?

Trying to help you out.

So that was awesome, man.

Good to see you.

You know, go from there to where you're at right now.

But so what would you listen to?

Before we guys started, man, I'm sorry.

I'm going to catch you up, but you was before you get yourself prepared to get like on

this right here, the grind cast, what type of music was you banging, man?

I just, I don't know why I just got to hear that.

What type of music was it, man?

Like how do you start your day?

Just, I mean, the kind of music that I listen to is not the kind of music that you want your

kids to listen to.

That's what I grew up listening to.

You know, so I was listening to a little bit of being a, Benny Segal, some Bertman, Lil Wayne,

old school, just stuff that get my juices flowing versus it, but it's a different time

in a different place.

Like I might be in the middle of working and I got some jazz on it.

It's the mood.

I'm not listening to that type of stuff, but it's game time.

It's game time.

I want to, like, I woke up this morning knowing that I was going to be on here and I

told myself I just want to impact one person.

Whoever, if I can impact one person and they help them get after it and grind more,

then what do you, what do you think?

Well, you're going to help more than one person.

What do you think?

If you could put it two or three things that stands out to you that helped you get to where

you are right now that we could give to somebody else, what do you think those couple

things would be?

I know one of them is not quitting because you've been through obstacles.

You've been through adversity, personal life problems, personal life adversity, keep on

pushing.

It looks sweet.

You know, when people see what you get or how you do or a new house or a picture of your

family, it looks sweet.

But there's always, there's always work and there's always obstacles overcome in order

to have greatness.

You know what I mean?

So, I know you've been through some obstacles.

A few of them I know.

I'm sure some I don't know, but maybe some obstacles or a couple tips on how people

listening could get to where you're at.

So you know, it all starts with this.

No one is going to design your life for you.

You have to like really think about the life that you want to live and the things you want

to do.

When I was a nine year old little boy, you know, I remember watching people walk down the

street and thinking to myself, like, man, this is where I live.

Like, I'm going to be stuck here.

If I don't do something about it.

And I knew that I had to do something about it.

So you've got to have a vision.

You literally got to have a vision for your life.

You know, and sometimes a vision that we have isn't the vision that God has for our life.

But you have to have a vision.

You know, and once you want you to establish that vision and you write this thing down,

then you plan out some goals to make it become a reality.

And we have an action plan that revolves around making those goals become a reality.

This is a really good chance it's going to happen.

Now in the midst of all of that, you also have to have some things that will keep you going.

So one of the things I've always told myself is that, listen, if you start something, finish

it.

I'm the type of person that I won't stop.

I just won't stop.

It don't matter how long it's going to take for me.

I'm not going to stop.

So the same goals that I wrote out on a piece of paper when I was 23 and I started into

business, they never changed.

The goals never changed.

The game plan will change.

You know, and I don't have to be the smartest person.

I'm not the smartest person.

I've never been the smartest person.

But in the process of going through what you're going to go through, it's very important

for you to learn the thing that you need to learn about how to be a better version of yourself.

So within the word, I would say, along with the vision you've got to have, the goals

and action plan is, you have to have a plan to grow yourself.

Because if you're not growing, you're dying.

There's a lot of people that will literally live to the life expectancy.

For men, we're in the early 80s, but they really, truly died at 18.

Before I came to this company, I never read a book.

I never read a book.

And if you don't pour into yourself, who else is going to pour into you?

You just walk around empty.

You have nothing to give.

Life is about really making a difference in the lives of others.

Not necessarily what you can do for yourself because it's not going to give you fulfillment.

So outside of the vision, the goals, and action plan, you've got a really personal growth

plan as well.

And be willing to pay the price at the end of the day, whatever you're trying to accomplish

in your life, you have to be willing to pay the price.

There is no negotiation for it.

So pay it.

I've got to do it.

And as soon as you pay it, the less inflation comes to the compasses.

Just paying the price, man, getting after a day in and day out, no matter what.

You don't feel like it's definitely going to be days.

And that's the key.

Talk about that right there when you don't feel like it, man.

You know, many times people kids, even man, I don't feel like it should be neither, bro.

Neither.

I mean, every week there's something I don't feel like doing what I'm doing anyways because

my feelings are well-knocked with my goals become a reality.

You know, so I can't, I can't listen to my feelings.

I got to do it no matter what.

Even if I'm not where I want to be, I still going to do it.

What's your daily routine?

You know, what's what's your routine now?

Even if you just talk about the mornings.

So my daily routine is like this Monday through Wednesday, sorry, Monday through Thursday,

I'm up at four.

You know, so when I wake up, I did myself at least two hours to literally dive into growing

myself spiritually.

And that's it.

Then I'm going to the gym and I'll work out for about an hour.

So by the time 7, 38 A.M. hit, I'm done with spirit mind and body all within three, four

hours.

And you're married with children, correct?

Correct.

And that's why I have to do it at that time because if I try doing it later in the day,

it ain't happening.

And I'm no good to my family or anyone I'm trying to lead if I don't take care of myself.

So, you know, it sucks.

You know, but that's the price I got to pay for what I've been entrusted with.

It is what it is.

Why wouldn't you just do it at two o'clock in the afternoon or four o'clock in the afternoon

or whatever?

Well, I'm not doing it at that time because, you know, there's other things that are

more important.

You know, so I've already taken care of what I did take care of on my end for me.

Then I can just give myself to others.

You know, so it's just, I think a lot of times people just struggle.

And I struggle with this earlier on when I first started the business.

It was hard for me to do it.

That's what you got to tell people.

It wasn't always this way for you.

You know what I mean?

It wasn't like you walked in the door like that.

It was a process and then you got on it and you seen what happens when you do get on it.

Yeah, let me tell you that part.

So, you know, I came into this company and, you know, it was hard for me to go from working

out in the tea into the morning because you're used to your own routine.

So, I got through that struggle and, you know, I would see guys who were definitely in

positions that I would trade places with that were arriving very early into an office

building and staying very late.

One of the first to arrive last to leave and, you know, we all know that, you know, usually

individuals like that are going to be the ones who go the furthest.

And I was so immature, I wasn't willing to do those things.

No one would have convinced me to get up at four o'clock in the morning.

It's not going to school, right?

It's not going to school, right?

A hundred percent.

Yeah.

Who might want to go to school early?

You kind of forced to go to school.

Yeah.

You know, if you want to play, you got to go to school.

Right.

And then you're like, okay, well, what are you going to do now?

So I was getting up at like 6.30 then and I wasn't doing anything to take care of my spirit

or my mind.

I was taking care of my body.

But now I'll never forget something that Jim Surrey said to me.

He said, James, do you know that you can have the biggest muscles in the world but still

be weak?

And you know, that I'll never forget that and maybe realize that you got to be, you got

to be.

You got to be.

You got to be weak.

Yep.

Yep.

Not just physically but mentally and spiritually and, you know, it takes time.

So you know, wherever you're at, it's okay.

You can continue to grow in those areas.

You just have to understand that there is no negotiation.

You got to grow because if you're not growing, you're done.

In all those areas.

So my routine is between 4 and 7.30 no later than 8.

I'm done with that.

What time do you go to bed?

What time do you go to bed?

10 p.m.

10.

That's the deadline.

There are times when my wife wants to stay up a little bit later or whatever you want

to complete.

I'll sacrifice an hour of sleep and only get five hours of sleep because I know my sleep

pad, I know where my body needs.

I need six hours of sleep to function properly.

I can make it on five, but if I do that more than three days in a row, it's going to

catch up to me and for whatever reason my joints started.

So I got to make up for it.

But I know that over the course of a week, I need 42 hours of sleep.

So we started just now.

I heard you.

Simon said, what's up, Mr. Cheeks?

Now what's that all about?

Like is that?

I mean, I want to make sure I say it the right way because if I say it the wrong, you

know what I'm saying?

What is Mr. Cheeks?

What does that mean?

Like what up, Mr. Cheeks?

Like does that mean?

Oh, face.

Okay, you got big cheeks on your face.

I thought it was something else, bro.

You know what I'm saying?

I wanted to make sure you clarify that up.

You know what?

Up here, Mr. Cheeks.

Up on your face.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's what it's about.

But, you know, just like any normal 23 year old, any normal 23 year old starting.

I had cheeks too.

I'm on my own.

But in 20 days, you're chasing certain things.

So, you know, when I started in the business, listen, I was focused.

You're talking about your own things.

You know, that's what I'm saying.

So, I got caught slipping, chasing something and I earned that nickname after that.

So, okay.

Yeah.

All right.

So, let me ask you something, man.

What now that you're coaching others and you know, been developing and working with people

for a long time.

Last year, you actually had the number one agent in the entire company on our company's

convention on stage number one, Ashley was from his agency.

Oh, yeah.

So, you know, shut out the action.

How do you describe the ideal person to coach, you know, like in a perfect world, what

type of people would you like to coach in one minute or less?

Great attitude.

It gives good effort and very coachable meaning if I say do this, they do it.

They don't really give lip service.

They might ask questions with that questions.

Very competitive, confident, committed, loved challenges, high character individual, competent.

You know, these are just characteristics.

And you know, what I've noticed is that the people who have been through some adversity

in their life, like they literally have their degree from the University of adversity, like

not in diploma, not in associate's degree, like a...

degree from the University of Eversity. They got what it takes to do on this business and the business works is just

They just need to be learning. They man. We'll do what it takes up. All right, so I look forward to working with people like that and usually their athletes

So I heard you're part of this cash money group

Family how does that work? Yeah cash money. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so cat. What is that money?

It's a group of individuals who are

Taken over the industry by storm. Okay

Headed up by two of the grids in the goats industry and honestly, I think in just in general in business, you know, I would literally

I would set these two individuals up against any two other individuals in the business sector and I think they're in laps around them

You know and just a group of individuals who are literally all focused on trying to accomplish the same thing and you know a big family

That's being led and by the goats in our industry man. So

It's it's a pleasure, you know to be able to be a amongst that that group of individuals

But you know, I think that if you want to go far in life, you need to have an accountability partner and you need to have a coach

You know, so regardless of what I know

What whatever I think I know there's so much more I don't know and you're never gonna like

Fail if you're willing to just do exactly what someone has already done that you're trying to do

And I got to keep coach. I got to keep individuals like that around me all my life. So you know speaking and keeping people around you all your life, you know

You know how important do you think it is to have the right support?

You know what I mean?

The you and your girl because you you you you have support from her

From from what I understand from what it looks like to me. I've seen you guys move. I've seen you

Grind in this business. I've seen her jump in and help you

You know, I know and she's a mom and you know, so I feel like she has had

Pretty good support levels for you

How important do you think that is to your success or another person's success?

And what what what suggestion when you give to someone on how to get support

If they're not getting support

That's huge number one. Yeah, it is very important

Yeah, like if you want to be successful

You're gonna meet somebody right there with you, you know, so you know my wife. She's my rib man, you know

And you know since the day one she's been ride with me man since the beginning. So it's been teamwork, you know going all the way back to

You know when I was starting to build a team and she was helping me stuff

I'm a loaps on a Sunday, you know, and she's still she's so helpful now

But I understand that you know, she sacrificed so much to help me build this

She deserves everything she got right and I'm gonna help her with her goals her vision

And but it all starts with this like if you're gonna be in a relationship with somebody

Let's make sure we understand what vision we have for ourselves. Yeah, so it's having a collective vision together

You know understanding that is gonna say you doing this me doing that and working towards it and being committed while also

Understanding the things that you're gonna encounter and and being prepared to

Responds of those things when things come up and I think the better, you know people can like legitimately think about what they're gonna encounter and already make

The decision are they're gonna respond to it. They'll be better off because they've already talked about it

Like if we talked about if we encounter this this is what we're gonna do

We've already talked about it versus what it happens

Now you see how someone's gonna respond, you know

So it's so important to have a spouse who supports you who has your back not only your back two different things

They can be on your back and they think that that's helping you

But it's really hurting you you can only carry so much if they got your back all a man really truly needs this

I believe in you. I love you. I support you and you're you're you're good in my eyes, so

She makes it so easy for me. I don't have to worry about much at home. I come home and man

It's

All I gotta just worry about is serving people and you know, I know that without without having

Someone like that in my corner. It would be very hard. It would be very hard

What would you know, you were a bodybuilder for a while

I don't you know, I know you're still yoked up

I know you're still in good in good shape, you know

I remember seeing you early in the morning at the meetings and stuff and working out and stuff but

You did bodybuilding shows and and won some awards

So tell us about you know, what similarities

Do you think it bodybuilding has to this business or just success in general? Could you make any comparisons there?

Absolutely, so you know the thing about bodybuilding, you know, it's more than just looking at people with muscles and

oil

Actually, it's one of the most

Embarrassing

Uncomfortable things to do what bodybuilder somebody would have told me yeah, oh, yeah, oh because the oil oh because you gotta put that oil all over your body

You big right not on to it flex not only that you should see the draws

You had the thong thong thong thong thong thong thong

You had the thong sounds on okay

Different divisions okay, it takes a lot what color was yours bro

I think my first circle they were red. Oh red. Okay. He was in it to win it red

I know you're like red. I think it was red. It's good. So I don't know about that

You got to overcome the fear of like just put yourself in that position where you got yeah

Hundreds if not sometimes thousands of people that's right that's all on you. I can't use uncomfortable. I bet it is

Yeah, so so it teaches you to be able to overcome

Uncomfortable abilities as well as mental toughness like for example when you're prepping for bodybuilding show once you're getting towards the

The finish line man

Your way cut back on carbs and if you don't think about carbs carbohydrates

It gives you your energy source. So when you cut back on the carbs you can be the most

Moody as you ever find somebody you know in your life

So you know you got to be mentally tough during that process and then just to be able to show up

Day in and day out to execute something that is going to take in order to achieve a certain goal

You got to work hard, you know

There's going to be some sacrifices. You got to be okay with being critique

You know, you're always you know giving updates and progress picks on what your body is looking like and how it's transforming and being okay

What's somebody saying that well you still got to work on this this area?

So we got to get after it and just being okay with that along with the preparation that goes into it all of those things

Are very applicable to business you got to prepare and business you got to be okay with being critiqued

You got to work hard you got to have mental toughness you got to overcome the fears and all those things are gonna happen in business

So when you have an experience like that

I think it's easier to adjust in the business setting and

In apply those things that you're able to overcome or do there in this in there in one minute or less

I got a couple quick ones

Last year's top producer we mentioned Ashley Rust tell tell us about her why you think it makes her what what's special about her?

Why number one in the country

Changed her thought process and she elevated her game and number one believing that she can do it. That's where started a servant here and she

There was a plan put together in plan now

Among all of that happening behind the scenes I had to elevate my thinking too because I never talked about

Some of the things I knew she could do because I started to look at her game and I'm like man

You got those mean holes and if we fill these holes, I know you can do this so let's get it

She starts to the plan and she's the one with the work. I didn't do the work

I was just in the in the background saying I believe in you. I'm here

I'm supporting you

Doing everything I need to do as a what do you think it was you think it was work ethic or you know one thing

I she mentioned to me was reinvesting she invested into appointment center pet, you know paid a bunch

So it's so it's reinvesting into the business any other thing stick out about Ashley you think that separated her

I mean being number one that you know something special had to stand out that you know

This is it you know the difference between the number one producer and the least

It's it had everything to do direct correlation with how many people you serve she has a big heart

You know and she just basically had a target that she wanted to do and and it's gonna happen

You know when when you really truly want to serve people that don't is not about selling people

You know you can do very well in this business and you know

I think it comes down to that. I just have a big heart and being you know someone who truly genuinely tries to help people

You know but she just basically changed those goals

Love it. I love it. I did her thinking you know it wasn't anything

Other than you know the the track that goes into it as well

But it's just working her heart more than anything. I think what what's your favorite thing about our our our business man?

Two things my favorite thing about our business is literally being able to change somebody's life

It's nothing like you know you meet somebody. They don't really know you the next thing you know

years later down the world their life has forever changed you ask something do it that

Can't nobody ever take that away from you and when you can also help people live out their purpose in life

Man, I think that's that's the best thing that you can do

I mean people could make all the money in the world

But when we die when you take in any of it with us you can build the biggest home drive the best cars

But when you help people live out their purpose and you help change lives. I'm talking generations to come

I don't know if there's anything more rewarding

I mean you know those are top two things that I really love about what we do for sure if man true

So you know speaking about what you love what do you think are some common misconceptions about what we do that people may not

You know understand, you know, it's like oh, you know

I thought it was this way. I thought oh like what do you think is is is something that may be a common misconception about

What we do I know one of them I want to hear you talk on is that you don't need to only you know like people

I used to have the misconception that you could only make that type of money if you were an SGA

And I mean what these people make in or able to earn in their first year or second year or or producers like Ashley or you know to

May MGA's or you know our GAs is crazy, but anything that you could think of that are misconceptions in two minutes or less

The first the first misconception is being people think that it's all about selling it is really truly about serving

People think that you really have to be good at sales. No, you know, you have to be good at serving people

You know, so the law of compensation states this that your income is determined by how many people you serve

How will you serve them and if we want to make more money?

We can always find more people to serve

It's that simple. So let's say I want to make it million dollars

Well, you've got to serve two thousand consumers in our business on a yearly basis by yourself

Is it easier to do that versus you show others how to do it and they do it as well?

I don't know, you know, but I can always show others how to do it and we can serve two thousand plus people

Collectively together. So you know, it's about serving at the end of the day

I think people got to understand that it don't matter if you're in this business or any business

The more people you start the more value you bring to them the more compensation you're gonna get at the end of the day

That's literally the law compensation and you can have a producer courage and make four in a fifty thousand like Ashley did last year

And in her fourth year in the business. You don't have to be titles don't win titles

Right, you know, it's not gonna guarantee a certain level of compensation. You know, there's essays that might make more than

Estia cares the only thing that matters is how many people have you served how many people are you serving and if you don't like

The number that you're getting caught go serve more people. Amen. I didn't know that man

What what tips would you have

Maybe step by step for a young person coming into this business

At the age that you did which is what when did you come in James 23?

So here's how you all swallowed up a little gray on your beard brother. I see you

When I trim it down you can't really see it

Yeah, but you know what you know, they got died though, you know

Gray hair wisdom

So so check this out if you're starting in this business

You literally you gotta gotta understand that okay if you haven't had success

Allow others who've had success to just show you don't make this thing complicated

Just let them show you how to do it which means that you're gonna need to be coachable

We got to keep a good attitude

And you gotta work, you know, so don't underestimate the work that's gonna come into

What you're trying to do be willing to pay the price as you're doing all that you got it

You got if you're building something you gotta have a foundation first right?

So your foundation our foundation has everything to do with what we're going for ourselves

When it comes to the growth that you have with yourself

You got to be a good student in this business and anything you gotta be a student

You know because you don't know it all so I would tell you to be a good student, you know, you gotta ask good questions

I mean you might not be the best question

You know, I might not ask the best questions, but you can get better, you know, and you need to read you need to study

You got a sacrifice

You got a sacrifice for the life that you want and understand that the more you sacrifice

The higher the chances and the likelihood of you actually achieving and having a life that you want

You know, I can talk forever on this you only gave me a wish I know right? I know dog

You know, I could tell you about you know sacrifice man for everything you gain you got to give up something

So if you want to go to another level you just got to figure out what it is that you're willing to give up

What are you willing to sacrifice and you know

I started out and as we wrap this up

You know as I started out today and I only said just so people could

Try to feel the grind or just note like you don't get to see what's really going on before the movie

You know, it's it's a hole behind the scene staying like perm waking up and getting on the road of four o'clock in the morning

Some days to get us to where we need to where we need to go this morning

I woke up last night. I was up, you know late grinding woke up this morning five o'clock

My daughter was at her hand her arm wrapped around my my neck alarm clock went off and I'm like man

Should I should I snooze it a few more times and just hang on to this moment because I know it goes so fast

And and I'm feeling so much love not to mention the voice

like I'm just tired. Let's just stay here. I said, no, I'm gonna get up and I got up and

I left the pillow there and I went down and I'm like, man, we gotta kill it today. If I'm leaving

this at home, I ain't leave here for some bullshit. I came here to win titles. If I'm leaving this

right now, somebody got to fill it. So we're going my body spirit hardcore in the morning,

hardcore. Come out swinging. I pull up in my office. It's 8 o'clock in the morning. It's me and only

my staff person there in one other car 15 years in the game. Those are the things that people don't see

when they look at what they want. You know, just like Maxwell always says, he says, man, people tell

me all the time. I want to do. I want to do what you do. Tick, I want to be like you. I want to do what

you do. Yeah, but do you want to be? Do you want to do what I did? Do you want to do what I did?

Or you just want to do what I do? Everybody want to do what we do. But are you willing to do?

What they did. And that's the question that we got to close this thing out with on the

grind cast is when we're exposed to James in greatness. And I'm so proud of you, dog. So proud of

your story. I'm proud of what you've overcome to get to where you are. The amount of people that

you're inspiring, the giver that you are, you know, the first one always to help support the kids

that are in multiple states over from you that don't have nothing to do with you. You don't have

anything to gain from it. You're up mentoring people highlighting the word of God early in the

morning working on yourself. I know it ain't easy being a dad, being a husband working like that

mentoring. Believe just know I know and I appreciate it. And I'm so proud of you, dog. Thanks for joining us

on the grind cast and thanks for everybody else. Thanks for joining us on another episode of

the grind cast. Get ready. It's a new day. Count money, man. Money, bridges. I'm trying to talk,

I'm trying to talk to my beast, but