Justin Adams & Maeson Green

Count money, man.

Money back riches.

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

What's up, gang?

Welcome back to another episode of The Grindcast.

Get ready.

It's a new day.

And we brought Youngstown to you today.

I have Justin Adams in the house.

It's going on.

And Mason Green in the house.

Both just so happen to be from Youngstown, have a lot of similarities.

And both are in the business and tearing up the business.

So today what we wanted to start out with is, you know, I think what sticks out about

the similarities of you two is both of you left something that you were pretty passionate

about to start in this business.

Both of you were successful doing something before you started it in this business.

And so Justin, just to tell you all a little bit about how...

Justin, I knew since high school.

We met before actually eighth grade year in the summer going into high school.

Justin's last name is Adams, mine is Arias.

We just always ended up being next to each other, played high school football together,

college football together.

He come out of college and started out with Morgan Stanley, right?

Morgan Stanley.

Morgan Stanley.

Morgan Stanley.

And was successful there making six figures as a financial advisor and stockbroker over

there.

And then Mason graduated from Youngstown State.

Because at Youngstown State I actually got introduced to Mason through Coach Tressel, Jim

Tressel, President Tressel from Youngstown State.

And I always remember hearing about you before I met you.

He's like, man, there's this kid, such an entrepreneurial spirit, went to Fitch.

And he's doing something with shoes, selling shoes and building up this shoe company and

all this stuff.

And he's always telling me about you.

He's like, man, just...

At some point you guys got to connect because I think you guys remind me a lot of each other.

I met Mason and didn't really expect for him to end up starting in the business.

And he ended up hitting me up one day and flirting with the idea of coming into the business.

And so I can't wait to hear a little bit more about your journey.

But why don't you start me out Justin and tell me, it took me two years.

So from when I wanted to recruit Justin into the business, from when he actually came in

was over two years in the business.

So what was it that finally got you to leave your successful career coming out of college,

making six figures already, all that?

Oh yeah, did anyone know the truth or they want to know, you know?

Whatever you want, Justin.

So always knew Simon would be very successful and he got off the gates running at American

income.

And I always flirted with the idea of maybe I could be successful here.

I mean, he would tell me I would be successful.

I would come home just to visit him and have some fun.

I mean, we were fresh out of school and I would be in the field, you know, at people's

homes, you know, with the binder.

And I was making really good money at that time, 150,000, which I thought was really good

money.

And you know, it always isn't the back of my mind.

I say, you know what, maybe I should, you know, try this because anything that he has done,

you know, I'm like, I can do this.

But I didn't want to really take that risk.

You know, I really didn't want to leave where I was comfortable.

My dad really didn't want me to either.

And he was a big influence in my life because I lost my mother when I was 12.

So he really didn't want me to do it either.

And one morning, I just had to, you know, I told him that I would come if he started his

own.

Didn't think it would happen, you know, so soon.

So I thought I had some time, right?

And so then he started his own organization, our area's organization.

And I just came down to check it out and look at it.

And I had no instance of leaving, you know, Morgan Stanley.

I wasn't going to leave.

I was sad.

I was when I was born.

And you and your dad are close.

Yeah.

He has such a great influence over you.

But shocking that he would tell you don't do it and you still do it.

Exactly.

I never went against him.

You know, I just bought a house as well, you know, my first home.

And that was like maybe $100,000 at first home.

I was excited.

And I came down and I saw what was going on.

And I started looking at people and I said, there's no way I know that person's better

than me.

That person, I'm very competitive at a young age.

And then Simon, you know, dropped the bombshell on me.

He said, look, if you don't come right now, this gentleman who, you know, we went to

school with not going to say any names.

He said, if you don't come, he's going to be your boss.

And I cannot see him as being my boss.

So I, being competitive, I prayed about it.

And I told my dad, hey, look, I'm moving back home.

And if it doesn't work out, I told my dad.

I said, then guess what?

I'll go back to being a sock broker.

But I told him you're going to get a trip to California.

You know, Beverly Hills.

I said, in this, I said, that's going to be my ticket to you.

Just let me work and watch what happens.

And I took in the Beverly Hills, California and the rest of history.

Wow, love it.

How about you, Mason?

Wow.

How did you get started?

So what did it for you?

That's a good question.

So I first met you at President Trusses House.

And what got me was the Bentley outside.

When I seen the Bentley outside, I'm like, oh, man, so I'm meeting with some people.

I remember that day like it was yesterday.

I woke up, got dressed, hit the gym, put on my YSU gear.

And I was on time, put up in my 03 saturday.

And I went to President Trusses House.

The Saturn.

Oh, yeah, the Saturn.

Oh, yeah, the Saturn.

James, the Saturn.

You got so much in common.

Wow.

I'm out of order.

It's still in the garage right now.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And when I met Simon, what stuck out about him, the moment he found out I was doing shoes,

he texted Katie right away and said, I need Mason Green to get shoe dark.

He got my address and sent it straight to me.

And I was like, wow, I've never met somebody that just wanted to send me a book and help

me grow without even knowing me.

So then we added each other on Facebook.

And this is through my college career of me doing the shoe business.

And then my mom was still here at that point.

But we're like flirting around on Facebook.

This is when you're developing Tristan.

And I told Tristan about this.

I said, man, like you're really the reason why I got into business because I seen somebody

who was young, who was kind of getting started out to then become an SGA in the company

and then see how many people he was able to help.

And I said, I can mimic a lot of those leadership qualities and those grind qualities.

So when my mom passed away and I was graduating from YSU, President Tristan, I know you got

the shoe store at this point.

But just looking to Simon a little closer, see what he's doing and see if there's something

you guys could do to maybe fit in.

So I came to an agency meeting and I was sitting there and Justin came in whispered in my

ear.

He said that number of ALP cut that in half.

That's what they made.

And I'm looking at the people and I'm not better than anybody.

And I'm just a child of God.

But I was like, I could probably outwork a lot of these people just because I mean, I opened

my shoe store.

I was 19 years old at landlord trusted and me didn't have to.

And I was like, yeah, I could do it too.

So I want to come out here and do it in two years in.

I'm doing it.

Yes.

Love it.

Love it.

What things do you think, Justin, you've seen in Mason that stands out to you as to why

he's being successful?

I know he's going to be more successful.

Right where you're at right now isn't the pinnacle of where you're getting ready to be,

where you're going to be.

But he's there.

Oh yeah.

What things have you seen from him that stand out?

I see all the intangibles.

He's dependable.

I know if I tell him something, he does it and he's there bright, bright and early.

It don't matter if it's late at night, he will put the time in the effort to get the

job done.

He's very competitive as well.

He doesn't like to lose at all but likes to win but hates to lose.

And then I see he's able to bounce back from adversity.

Very positive and whatever happens and it doesn't matter what happens to him, he's

always positive and he tries to find the best thing out of it.

So I think those qualities alone are some of the best qualities you can have.

You know, working with him.

Speaking of handling adversity, another thing that y'all too have in common is both of

you lost your mother.

Yes.

You lost your mother in grade school.

Were you seventh grade?

Yes, seventh grade.

Right through my first football game.

Yeah.

And Mason, you lost your mom at 19 years old.

So getting over that adversity is not easy for anybody at any age.

You know, at 60 years old, at any age, 50 years old, but to do it young and still find a

way to pick yourself up, how did you specifically, you Mason, at 19 years old, then you get into

this business, you know, and all that stuff.

How are you able to get through that?

I don't know if you ever get over that, but just get through it.

How?

I mean, it takes a village, so for sure I want to just shout out my family and, you know,

some of my closest friends because my mom was my rock.

I think you even knew that just being on Facebook, you know, closed me in her word.

But I think I got through it and I'm getting through it just by staying busy.

I'm somebody who likes to be hands on.

And then when the pandemic happened, that's actually when my mom passed away.

And I was doing a couple different things, but it allowed me to go all in with shoes.

And I said, I'm going to go all in to the point where I'm going to open up a shoe store.

I'm going to work in the shoe store.

I'm going to manage the shoe store to where, at the end of the day, my mind's just on

shoes.

And it worked out for me.

Now there's those times where, you know, obviously, you know, I got to stop what I'm

doing and, you know, I may cry or I may miss her and whatnot.

But at the end of the day, doing stuff like the grind cast is showing her that, you know,

her name's living on forever.

You know, I mean, same as I'm just thankful to be in a position to be able to do stuff

like this and continue to elevate, you know, Bridget's name for sure.

What have you seen from Justin, you know, as a leader that stands out to you, that you

think has helped you in the process?

Um, man, Justin, I look at him like just a big brother or a dad that I never had.

And the reason why I say that is because he knows how everybody needs to be coached.

So he doesn't coach everybody the same.

He gives me exactly what I need when I need it.

But ultimately, you know, he's there for me as, you know, a person as well.

We grow together in our faith.

And that's important.

I've never been working somewhere where I can grow to somebody with my faith.

But also just leading by example, being an African-American in a business, doing good in

a business, being a good dad, being a good husband, but also just trying to make people successful.

And I think that Justin, man, me and him are like a like and a lot of ways, you know, and

we can sit here all day and try to figure it out.

But I know as long as I'm under his leadership and your leadership, I mean, Sky's the limit.

Five years, 10 years, whatever it is going to happen.

No doubt.

Definitely.

I think God puts people in your life, you know, to get your life better.

You know, I'm also sometimes to get it worse, Satan tries to get in there.

And you know, at the time, you know, with losing my mother and all these different things,

I didn't know why it was happening, you know, just like I got three daughters.

I didn't know why was I having three daughters, you know, but over time, you look back and

you realize, okay, that's why I have the three daughters.

That's why maybe I had to go through, you know, my mother passed in a way because our college

roommate, his mother also passed away.

It happens more so than not.

So, you know, I think now that I'm going through different things, I'm like, it's to get

other people out of it, you know, and I feel like that's, you know, my mission on this

world to try to make that those people feel comfortable and make them feel at ease and

know that it doesn't matter how much money you have, no matter if you're black, you're

white.

You know, these things can happen to anybody, you know, but life will go on.

Let's look forward and be positive.

Any mental toughness secrets or tricks, Justin, you got because I could tell you out of

all the good traits of yours that you have, you know, work ethic being one of them, you

know, that sky high on the list, one of them is your mental toughness.

I've watched you get through a bunch of stuff, bro.

Oh, yeah.

And maintain a positive attitude, at least on the outside, you know, to the team, to people

that you're leading.

And I've watched you go through things and just keep on trucking and keep on plugging.

Like it'd be like watching a run-in-back come through the hole and just, you watch them

and just get lit up and he just keeps getting back up and keep running the ball.

He running the ball.

How do you, what tips and tricks do you have for stuff like that?

Like how do you get through adversity?

Yeah, yeah.

I think my biggest trick is just my vision and where I see myself and my family, you know,

in the future, because if I spend so much time working, you know, I love spreadsheets.

I love, you know, all these things, but I, but I, but I vision cast a lot to myself and

I see the picture of what I want.

So if adversity happens and things happen, I'm always thinking long-term and I know this

to show past, you know, no thunderstorm blast forever, right?

Right.

And at the end of that thunderstorm, there's a rainbow.

So you're going to go through stuff, you know, and I think me diving more into my faith.

I think that also helps me because, you know, in the Bible, it says you have trouble, right?

So if he says you're going to have trouble, understand is going to come.

So I think proactively, if I know that these things are going to happen and I know that bad things

are going to happen at some point, they let me get through a little bit, a little bit quicker,

you know, and also I'm thinking long-term.

You grew up on the north side of Youngstown, right across from Crandall Park.

Oh, yeah.

Thank you, Dad.

So does house recently moved to Austin Town.

Yeah.

Right?

I missed the house.

I love that house.

I got a lot of memories over there.

Oh, yeah.

That drive way out of my car and that drive.

That drive.

What did he sell to house for 50 grand here?

50 grand recently.

Yeah.

Oh, wow.

Right?

Did you ever see yourself in a house, you know, Justin could probably sell his house right

now for a couple million dollars?

Yeah.

Plus.

You know, that's 50 grand to $2 million.

Okay.

Did you ever see anything like that, man?

Did you, you know, can you honestly look back and like, man, my vision was in my 30s.

I'm going to end up building a house and having something like that.

Did you ever think something like that would be possible?

Honestly, I did not.

I wake up every morning and blink and I'm like, this is unbelievable.

You know, what God has been able to bless me with, you know, me and my wife and my kids.

And I never, ever imagined it, you know, but I feel like you gave us the opportunity to

think big.

Jim Saraje said as well, Marcus Smith, they showed us what was possible, you know, and then

also me being African American.

I wanted to show everybody else was possible.

So I always tried to play like I was the underdog, you know, me like with that chip on my

shoulder, no one's going to give you anything.

So you got to fight for it all, you know, and what would it be for me to get it out of

the way?

You know, I would give up or quit.

You know, how's that look for Mason?

And I wanted to be able to show them just that whatever you put your mind to, but you got

a work heart, but have the faith, you know, and I mean, in person, you can get that done.

You know, and that's my message to everybody and proactively thinking about what are some

of the obstacles that you're willing to go through.

You know, and I was willing to fight through anything.

Mason, what do you see, you know, for people that transition into the business and, you

know, what traits make somebody?

Do you think be good in our business versus somebody that doesn't end up making it into

business?

What would you say or some of those traits?

Number one, I feel like you just got to be a dog.

Like, this is in business.

If you run any business, there's going to be highs, lows, and then the middle.

Everybody sees the highs.

You know, we all look at the grant cardones and all these guys,

but we don't look at their lows.

And I think number one, you got to be able to go through those highs and lows

and even kill through the midst of it all.

But number two, you just got to be consistent.

Because a lot of times our businesses repetitive.

You know, we're making phone calls, we're running interviews, we're on presentations.

And sometimes, you know, we do get tired.

But having that vision in line that's stronger than where you're at right now

will keep you going every single time.

And the most times I see people not work out in this business

is because they don't have a vision.

And if they do have a vision, it's not big enough.

Right.

If I look at, like, when I came into the deal, a lot of people that I came in with

aren't here anymore.

And if they are here, they're not performing at a high level.

So they're probably not here anymore.

You know what I mean?

But having that vision and being a dog, I would say being able to take the pressure.

Love it.

Yeah.

I think the add on to that also is, you got to be patient.

You know, a lot of people want to rush the process.

And they don't want to fall in love with the process.

They hate the downs, but they love the upflapation with saying.

And a lot of people aren't patient enough.

You know, I gave myself really one year first, right?

Because I didn't want to lose my Series 7.

That was a hard test.

250 questions.

Do you think the insurance sets are?

I think the insurance sets are.

Man, I mean, I'm talking about the past rate is like 40%.

Wow.

Maybe 30%.

So I didn't want to lose that.

So I gave myself one year first.

But then after that one year, I'm like, I'm going to do 10 years.

I don't care if I lose everyone on my team.

I don't care if everything goes away.

I have to do 10 years.

And I put my feet in the sand and said, that's what's going to happen.

So I think a lot of people got to be patient with the process.

You know, and a lot of people aren't.

They want it right now, right now.

Right.

What's cool is I'm watching.

I'm looking at your suit right now.

You got a pen on there.

Is that the real real men wear pink?

Got it.

You got it.

Oh, yeah.

Not worth a pink for a reason.

So why are you in the pink?

Why real men?

What does that tell me what that's all about?

So real men wear pink is a campaign that my buddy, Jason Staley, got me on.

He lost his mother also through breast cancer.

And every October, we raised money for the awareness of breast cancer.

Trying to find a cure for it.

Because so many people lose, you know, in my life for breast cancer.

Men and women.

Of course, it's more prevalent and women than men.

But, you know, I hate to see those children lose that mom.

You know what I mean?

And what they're going through.

So when I heard about it, I said, I don't care.

I don't need to suit.

I don't need anything.

I just want to be able to raise awareness, you know, for breast cancer and let it.

People know how it affects, you know, so many people.

They have a walk every year as well that I try to get, you know, involved into it.

They stopped it to COVID, I think a couple of years ago.

But every October, a real man wear pink, we're trying to raise money for the actual breast cancer awareness.

But also just to make sure that people know that it's out there.

And it's October.

Proud of you, man.

You know, you could depend on us to support you.

Appreciate it.

Yes.

Every year through that, Justin is a giver of his time, of his money, of his heart, of anybody that knows Justin knows that he's a giver.

Another thing is you sit on the board of Steel City Impact, you know, with us for the youth program here in Pittsburgh and put the work in, you know, with that.

We had Youngstown Inspire Minds, you were the first founder, you know, with us, a start in Youngstowns, Inspire Minds, and put in all the work with that.

So, you know, one of the things that I'm proud of to say that we've been able to keep that I've watched the culture be able to maintain and keep as what got passed on to me and us through Jim Sirace.

And Sirace Smith, agency and organization is giving, you know, being givers.

So, I love that and I watch you and I watch a team get involved in the process of giving and stuff.

What advice would you say you have for somebody starting out in the business that's listening, maybe they're in their first year?

What advice would you give to somebody that wants to get to where you're at?

I think you have to find somebody who you want to mimic.

Our business is a copycat business. You literally can find somebody, copy everything that they do, and you'll be successful.

But you gotta do it continuously and not get tired. They say success is going from failure to failure to failure without losing the enthusiasm.

So, you gotta know long term what you want right down those goals, writing them down is so important because the books that you read someone wrote it down first, right?

So, I think find that person that you want to mimic, that you want to copy and listen to every single thing that they say, not just 90% of it, not just 25% of it.

But understand that your time will come because if they can do it, you can do it as well.

And that's what I did with yourself, that's what I did with Marcus Smith. I just listened to everything that they had to say because I wanted to go back, I always tell them, tell people this, right?

I wanted to go back and say hey, it didn't work. And that was my whole entire time.

I'll tell you this, man, Justin has a partner in the agency and your role is just going to continue to increase in the agency, in the organization.

Justin is, people may look at you and think, oh, because Simon knew him, he must have had the easy route.

Man, I'm here to tell you, Justin might have had the harder route, the hardest route because he was my friend.

I've been hard on you, I've probably been harder on you than anybody else. I mean, you name it, I've done it with Jay on the come up from demotions to stripping his team off him, stripping leaders off him, hard conversations, all these things.

And I could tell you that it's never changed your vision, it's never changed your ability to stay loyal to the business or affect your attitude at all.

Always took everything in stride and was okay with that. And so I would just tell anybody listening that it ain't about being somebody's friend, you know, at least here, it's not because that really didn't really only thing to help Justin with that is knowing about the opportunity.

And from there, it really wasn't a ton, it was mostly on Justin to be coachable because I watch a lot of people and it has the opposite effect is they ask me how on God's earth are you able to lead your friend?

Because my friends don't respect me or they don't listen to me because they knew me from back then and they don't want to respect the position and you know what I mean and all of that stuff.

And so I think we together collectively have been able to find that rhythm that is that is rare. Mason, what advice would you give, you know, to somebody what I respect about you is you were successful already.

You had that vision of owning that shoe store, you had a shoe store all that and out of the blue, you're like, look, I'm going to give those things up.

And I know you probably had to put a lot of work into that. Probably had a lot of people tell you that you were crazy.

You know why you doing that? It don't sound as sexy. You know, it sounds more sexy to sell shoes than it does to sell family protection for your life, you know what I mean?

And so what would you tell somebody on the sideline sitting in and they're like, man, I'm here, I'm waiting. I might kind of, I want to be on Mason's team.

I'm thinking, I love to be, but I don't know if I'm ready to make that leap. I'm scared.

Right. Yeah, I'd say just just take Josh as the mic close enough.

Yeah, I'd say take the rest, but most importantly, go all in and get yourself be realistic with yourself and give yourself a timeline of when you could go all in.

When I closed my shoe store down, it was October 14 last year.

I remember, yeah. It'll be coming up on the one year anniversary and thank God where my life is right now.

Come on, but it took me six months to actually get it completely closed. I was still in contracts just because I decided to close it down.

Doesn't mean I get out of contracts. No doubt in stuff like that. And then I end up getting apartment out here because I went all in and that's the big.

You got to get yourself in a position to go all in. I had a conference room in my store, 1200 square feet of space.

But it just wasn't it. It was it wasn't it because yeah, I made good money doing shoes. But when I would go in my car at eight o'clock at night and I'm going home and I look at my text and I don't have any friend or anybody I could call that would understand what I just went through today.

Yes. That's what stressed me out. And when I came here, it was more so for the people. You could sell anything and make money. If you sell a lot of it, you could sell a lot of potatoes.

It might be 70 years old selling those potatoes, but you'll make good money. But you know, it was the people here. And when I was sitting at breakfast or lunch yesterday with Mario and Silva and and Darnell, I'm like, this is why I came here because you guys get it. And I get what you guys are saying.

You know, I mean, so my when you say get it, what do you mean by get it? I know what you mean by get it. You understand what it takes to win.

A lot of people want to win Simon, but they don't understand what it actually takes to win. They see the Cuban links. They see the bus downs, but they don't see the pressure that the person had to put into the diamonds to make them shine.

What's the best sounds? What's that? So those are the ice out washes.

Yeah, yeah, but we see this stuff that sparkles, but we don't see what it took to get it to sparkle like that. So my three tips would be coming into the business.

Number one, go or four tips. Number one, go all in. Go all in. And when you look at going on in, that's just simply outworking people. It's outlasting people. And number three is not quitting when things get hard because they're going to get hearts.

Yes. And knowing that prepare for that. And then proactively just just be ready for going all in. Outworking people outworking.

Outlasting people and not giving up with things. Yeah, get hard. It sounds like Justin. Yeah. And I want more and mastering your craft. Be a master. You know, me be a master. Yeah, like want to put those what they what how many hours they said?

10,000 hours in. Yeah. Put your 10,000 hours in. Don't don't think you're going to get it after 100 hours. Yeah. You know, I mean, that that's lottery thinking. Yeah, that's poverty minds.

The the residuals that you're getting released now, they're not I mean, they seem big, but what they're about to be is going to be ridiculous. Okay. But right now, what are you getting about quarter million a year?

Yeah, 22,000 month, you know, 22,000 a month quarter, quarter million. I'm not that good. You know, it's just. So that means without going to work. Help explain what that means.

What what the residual means is without doing anything, you know, not going to work, not running any meetings or coaching calls. The company will A.C.H. 22,000 dollars into my bank account every single month. Wow. The only reason that it'll go down is if people die or people stop paying to the contracts.

You're able to to create your own retirement. And and you and once you're here for 10 years, you're 100% invested. I've been blessed to give 15 years here now. Probably going to give another 15 30 years. They got me got me for. But I love what I do. You know, I love seeing young people like Mason come into business and then they mature and then there are adults having children. They're having marriages and and that's really my mission now just to see them, you know, from when they start to what they become.

And I feel like that's what it's about. That's what we're on this world. What are you excited about, you know, being that you've been here 15 years already. How do you still stay motivated and inspired and excited? What do you see in the next five years? You know, that that got you excited right now.

Just the amount of leaders that we have, you know, in our organization, moving to the next level and and providing now a way that people can get to, you know, my position they can get there now. But I feel like going to that next level being that agency director. I feel like that's going to spark.

You know, so many people with Maddie D doing it this year me doing it. Hopefully God God won't need the next year after that. That gets me really excited because now I can show people how to create wealth. I can show people how to save their wealth. How to how to tie. You know, you know, with the church to 10% just because that's something that, you know, me and my wife started to do four years ago.

Come on, Jay, you know, everything, you know, we were we were flirting around that million dollar mark in every single year after we start tiling. We were over a million dollars. You know, blessed to be there. And come on, Jay, just shows me from the north side of Youngstown. Yeah, I believe will thank you African American boss.

Oh, yes, go. Seven figures in his 30s. Come on. Seeing these young kids, man, how excited they are. The virtual world has changed the game and just being able to create now millionaires with this organization and want to create a now a couple more partners. And skies are limit. And I see us doing a hundred million dollars of production.

And I think about how many lives we could change with a million. Amen. And in Mason, you know, from the jump, you know, I remember telling you, I see you like a Justin. Yeah, oh, yeah, from the jump. I remember I told you that and you got some of the same traits, some of the same qualities, you know, a lot of a lot of the things. And so I'm excited, you know, for you, I think you're going to accomplish. If you stick with those four things you went over, you're going to accomplish way more than then.

Even Justin accomplished quicker. You know, that's the goal of this. Yes, that we're supposed to help you make it quicker and better and bigger. That's the whole, that's the whole game. And so I commend you for making the sacrifice and having the vision to go all in. Yeah.

You know, and to move, you know, up here and all of that stuff. Yeah. What, what things would you say are things that you've learned in this business outside of money, you know, like take money out of it. What things have you learned here that you think would apply to any business that have made you better that would make other people better. Right.

And it's taking care of yourself. This business focuses on your NBS, your mind, your body, your spirit. And it sounds like cliche to us because we do it all the time. All the time.

But outside of this podcast, we were like, my body spirit, what are you talking about? And it's pouring into your mind and make sure at the end of the day, you're right, because if you're not right, you can't help anybody else be right.

Your body, you know, you are what you eat. So chances are, if you're not healthy, your room is probably dirty, your car is probably dirty and you're not where you want me to be in life. Yes.

But most importantly, your spirit, because you know, regardless of if it's God is God for me, but if it's all for you or whoever it is, we have to connect with a higher power to understand that we're not in this thing alone.

Amen.

And I think that that's actually got me through the grief, some of the grieving processes with my mom because I wasn't doing those things before.

And I was doing the wrong things. I was gaining weight. I was eating the wrong food, smoking, drinking, you know, all that stuff. And we still have fun now.

but it's controlled funds, you know, there's a difference and I think this business outside of money helped me control myself

Because you get it right there. You have it right here. You close two thousand L.P. A thousand dollars is in your bank account

And in youngstown a thousand dollars

Rich

If I love it, you know, I mean, yeah, so so it really made me control myself and you know getting out here

Man, it's probably the best there I could have did I got two more things for you

One I got a question for you and I want to put you on a spot

But if there's any questions you got for me. Yeah, I've done a couple of these

Nobody's asked me any questions. I want to give you an opportunity. Is there anything you want to ask me directly?

I'm gonna keep it 100 what you own here

But before I do Mr. Mason green. I missed it me and Justin been super busy

Travel and I just got back from Chicago. What do you think I'm gonna ask him Justin any any idea?

Did you catch the score? I missed it. Did you catch the score the Hurston and Fitch game?

Did you catch that? Oh, you look good this year. I think there's a state championship coming

For us

So so those y'all that don't know Mason went to went to Fitch a loving coach Parker, but man

We went 14 and won my senior year 50. Yeah, they was our only so always got that little bruise of my heart

And then they beat us last year, but but I had I had to throw that out there any any any questions you want to close us off

Question question for you is man 16 years in the game

What keeps you excited like you're the most on fire person in them the building at all times and that's how I want to be

You know because where there's the areas organization and there's the Adams

Organization is gonna be a great organization and I want to bring the fire. Yes

No, every time. No, no, and I know you go through stuff

But how do you bring that fire every single time? Yeah, so first I want to apologize

For those y'all watching this if you're watching this I

Just want to be clear the reason why I got the sunglasses on right now

I got I got a I got a black eye in the light the lights messes with my eyes. I got to keep the shades on inside

But I stay on fire

first thing is

our

Founder in this company Bernard Rappaport, you know said you must first set fire to yourself

Before set fire to others and then he also and I had a pleasure of spending time with them and being around this man

And he's like if you set yourself on fire people would drive from miles away to watch you burn

And so I I know that to set myself on fire

I don't know if each individual first you got to know that self

Yes, yes, so to set my cell phone fire what sets me on fire is

is first

Having a vision a big vision and my vision is to win and so we're not we're not number one in all of globe life

We're number two and all of globe life, you know right now and the person and the team that does more than us

You know, I'm actually celebrating 18 years

They sin in growth in in in December with the company

But going on 16 years since we founded the organization with my moms and just a couple of people less than a handful of people

and

The organization that's ahead of us they got

Almost four and a half decades in the game

And so just chasing that having that competitive nature, you know keeps me on fire

I think part of the reason why even look at that to keep myself on fire because it ain't the money because if it was the money

I wouldn't be as motivated we already made a money

You know Justin's dad sold his crib for 50 gram my grandmother gave us our house me on my mom sold our house for 11,000

Then we went to Camel, Ohio. We sold that house for like we bought that house for 32,000

So combine both of the cribs I grew up in was 43,000 and you know

God willing we should make that you know easily over the next couple days

Right and so I think the I think the thing that's kept me

Zoned in that way as I know myself as a competitor if I could just make the game fun and say okay

Here's a team we want to we want to get together and compete if I focus on

Trying to beat them. It's gonna make me better for our people was gonna make me a better leader because the other thing that keeps me on fire

Is the promise you know

I've made a promise to the people around me and I said the minute that I can't give you everything I got to grow

I'm out if anybody wants to know when I'm out like that's it. I can't quit. I can't cheat the game

Right, I would have to

Provide other people and give them an opportunity to put in what it requires and what everybody deserves

Because when somebody walks in the doors of this I don't want to give them less than what I was able to have and I got people going all

Indiment to me and so anytime somebody chooses to come here

I know what type of guts that takes I know a lot of people are probably saying don't do this

I know there's some butterflies in their stomach and although I can't connect with each and every person in every single office

I know from the top I can give my absolute best and and things typically

Grow if by the law of the lid right? So if if if the leader at the top eight growing then it'll stagnate the whole

And and we got superstar leaders, you know young people like yourself

To where y'all keep me on my toes of like if I don't keep growing

You know these people ain't going to have to wear because they're gonna keep growing

You know and I don't want to be the thing that's holding that's holding us up and then you know

Last of a bunch of things. I think the more things you could write on your wall that keep you on fire to better the better

But I'll just share with you a couple because I could be here all day

What what keeps me on fire but the third one man is haters, bro?

Is is is and Jay knows that you know, I've always responded well

Yes to haters. I needed it. I needed it

You know, I was small growing up small now, you know

Playing high school football wasn't supposed to play at Ursula and everybody told me I wasn't gonna play

Ended up starting we went to state title

Went to college I I believe only reason why they gave me a scholarship in college is because I talked Justin in the going

Justin Justin should have went D1. They like we're gonna give you a two for one because if Justin comes, you know

To maybe go hook you up. So so they give me a scholarship

I know I wouldn't even supposed to play started four years, you know a safety

It was always that chip on my shoulder with with haters, you know people telling me what I can't do

And the more that you grow the more success that you have the more people that'll hate on you

You know and you got people that are gonna constantly throw shade, you know your way and and those things

You know to me always fuel my fire when when I feel like somebody's against me

Or I feel like I'm an underdog or I feel like somebody's waiting for me to fail or all the things that people said

We're gonna happen, you know all those things I still keep in my belly right now

And I could remember people in my first two years here in Pittsburgh that left and did something or said something

I said we wasn't gonna make it

Lend the bridge is falling down and you know all these things, bro

I'm I'm a I'm 40 years old these are things that happened at 23 24 years old 25 years old

I'm still remembering all these things and I never let them go because those things are the things that wake me up

When I don't feel like waking up keep me going when I you know when I when I don't feel like doing so

I just I just want to tell you

Those of y'all listening out there just no matter what you do, you know

We got people from all different journeys and all different walks of life. Whatever you do, you know

This is the grind cast. This is this get on your grind, you know, you're either growing or you're dying

You know, I watch more people die when they slow down

Then then speed up, you know what I mean?

So if if you're gonna die, you know die swinging if you gonna go out you're gonna get struck out strike out swinging

You know go out go out swinging and keep on keep on putting in the work and keep on grinding

I think most people don't know what their capable of because they allow the world to make them think average

And not allow themselves to think big enough if I could tell you coming from you know

Being in a situation where I'm surrounded by more people in in poverty or

Below the median income range to being around people that are above the median income range

It's the thinking it's the quality of your thoughts. Yeah, right?

So we we appreciate your time Justin and Mason and everything that you're doing, you know for the organization and

I'm so excited, you know to continue this journey with both y'all I do Justin, you know

I look at it you've accomplished so much, you know

You know the house the the cars the the real estate

What are some of your goals that maybe you have not crossed off yet?

I let you could tell everybody yeah, I just want to be a good dad man, you know

My goals when I when I ask questions and I look up to people

I'm always looking at at other dads and people that have accomplished things that I haven't accomplished yet

Which is you know why watch the product of some people's kids and whenever I watch a parent kid relationship

And I see the product. I'm always asking them like man. What did you do?

What was your strategy with your son?

What was your strategy with your daughter because you know

I just I just want to be want to be a good dad, you know

I want to want to be a good husband. I want to know that

You know begin with the end of mine, you know when the Lord takes me home that people could say a whole lot more about me

Then I put up a bunch of annualized life premium, you know in a bunch of productions

So I think those are really the you know the goals the I've had the cars, you know

We got the roles. I got you know, we got the house. We've had houses in Florida

We've done private jets, you know, we've done all that stuff that don't matter

I mean it's fun. I don't want to say it don't matter like we're mad at it

I mean it's fun. We have a good time. Don't get me wrong

But it don't don't make us better than anybody don't make me feel you know super accomplished or not like that

So only thing only thing I got on the docket man is is what you all are allowing to happen right now

I think that my heart was always pooled in wanting to help people

I wanted to be a coach almost I came this close from being a football coach and then I always was tied pooled to the inner city

Youth, you know mission because I wanted to give back you know to people after I made it out of that environment

Like man, here's how you do it. I wanted to tell somebody and so I think God put me in this environment where I can be a coach to people

Right

And I can still give back and teach people, you know the ropes and how to do it

But what's keeping me on fire is being able to to watch other people get those things and be a part of the people's lives

That can get those things and you know we're chasing a hundred mill and all all a hundred mill means and that's just first stop

That ain't that ain't the end goal that ain't a hundred mill is the next stop in the vision hundred million dollars and

In business annually

We're at about 30, you know right now

So that triple up is is is gonna happen all that is is opportunity

All the people in this business, you know that that are gonna have all that opportunity flow, you know flow their way

We're not perfect the people here ain't gonna be perfect people are gonna make mistakes when you're leading a thousand people

You bound to have one, you know person fly off the radar

But I promise you you know more people are gonna be impacted in a positive way here than a negative way more people are gonna

Be impacted positively here. They're probably anywhere in the state of Pennsylvania

You know is is my belief in us the mission so helping people mentally physically spiritually and financially

And then duplicate that in in other people with is is was gonna continue to happen

What else is going to continue to happen is we gonna keep grinding on a grind cast

Thank you for joining us on another episode of the grind cast get ready as a new day