Ironman Heart, Purpose-Driven Life: The Story of Mitchell Vanderhagen

Hey everyone and welcome back to the spotlight on good people, where we shine a light on people making the world more compassionate, connected, and kind. Today, I'm beyond honored to welcome someone who embodies these values in every part of his life. Mitchell is a man whose journey weaves together deep faith, fierce dedication, and a heart for both people and purpose.

Whether he is building bridges through community projects, uplifting his lives with his vision for Nash to Naples, or sharing his passion for family and resilience. Mitchell's story is one of integrity, perseverance, and generosity. He's not just a professional making an impact in the SaaS world. He's a husband, a father, a man of unwavering faith, and a friend who lifts others with his energy.

An example from enduring Iron Man races to championing causes that heal and restore from receiving life, shaping letters from his dad to writing his own story of faith and family. Mitchell is a living testament of what it means to live with purpose, sit back and prepare to be inspired as we dive deep into the journey of a man who's not just changing the world around him, but shaping the hearts of those.

Lucky enough to know him, met somebody a while back that lived here and we, I played tennis up up there. Another, oh on the, Is that, is there a tennis place area on the parking deck over, yeah, yeah. On the parking deck? Yeah. And then I know a guy by the name of Tom Seber who runs like a turf soil. I think his company's name could be Turf Soil Solutions.

He, I could potentially own that building, that office building here at the end. Okay. Yeah. And he's got a level and it's kind of like a man, like man cave type deal that he's got like other business owners that have a officer two. And I've went up there a couple times, so Oh yeah. In the building right at the end here?

Yeah. Oh really? Yeah. Really awesome guy. He's been in Naples for a while, I think originally from Michigan. And he's kind of like a mentor to, to me in a way. How'd you meet him? Yeah, you'll start to find out that I meet a lot of people just like randomly in coffee shops and stuff. You like badass coffee with Carter, right?

Yeah, and my wife, I met her randomly there too, so Yeah. It's the same coffee shop bad, is that right? Just kind of drumming up a conversation and then, with the good people that are here in town, people wanna stay in touch and, yeah. Kind of start to understand their gifts a little bit more and tap into 'em.

So, yeah. Yeah. So, where did you come from to get to this, to the Bayfront? Because I always like to see, I always like to gauge what traffic is like. each time a year. Very easy, man. Eight minute drive from, from Bay Shore. Oh, okay. Yeah. Okay. I put a complex called Arboretum and, yeah. The proximity to everything is really nice.

Yeah. You got it right there. Yeah. What is something that, this morning made you smile? Have we started? Yeah, it's, it's rolling. Oh, okay. Shoot. We sort of, it's sort of like a soft entry into it, so it doesn't, it's not like a hard, like, yeah, no. We're, I kind of like that. I just didn't know if we were airing yet.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. He's, he's rolling. So, and then kind of just makes like an intro segment. Yeah. Sometimes I'll do do that after if we just are rolling. So we don't even do a hard, like, hey, we're going now. Yeah. But I'll do that at the end. So it makes it less stressful. Yeah. Just more, a chat. I just, I love this format more because it's less, I don't know, you just get to have a real, like a coffee shop conversation.

Yeah. It's really what it is. There you go. That's my told you. I'm a coffee shop guy. I'm at home. I love it even more knowing that's where you met your wife too. Yeah. That's awesome. So, what made you smile this morning? Well, I got home from my workout and, the routine usually is, my wife then will go work out, so I'll get to hang out with the kids and my daughter was just waking up and she was in our bed.

So I got to just like really lean over and look at her and she was all smiley. And so I'm trying to soak in all those moments as much as I can., you get busy with work and, to be able to have that hour in the morning where it's just them and to be able to look at them and spend intentional time away from the devices, that was something that stuck out to me this morning.

Yeah, it was special. Yeah. Away from the devices. I hear you. Yeah. Yeah, just the being present with especially, what is she, three months? Four. Four months? Yeah, no, three months. Three months. What's she doing? And just starting to get, the smiling. We just heard her laugh, so all that's like really new.

It's cool to see how fast the development is at that, at that age. Yeah. It goes so fast too. And they just. Every day is a new thing. Every day is something new. Every day. Every day new. Yeah. And then you've got my son who's two and every day is a new word at this point. And that's really cool. Like, what's he gonna say next?

Yeah. So we're soaking it all in, man. I'm smiling. I it's such a reminder every minute when you, when you see that how they're able to be so present, they're, they're not thinking about yesterday or what happened yesterday or what you said to them two hours ago. They're not worried about tomorrow. They're not worried about what's in their future.

They're right here, right now looking, taking everything in, in a moment. They're just Yeah. Right. Where their feet are. That's how we're supposed to live. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. What made you smile this morning? actually, wa hearing you and David have a chat when I opened the door and, just hearing the conversation between the two, the flow of the conversation between the two of you, I could tell there was just a, a mutual admiration, going on.

Yeah. And it was just neat to hear the. The vibe that you two of you were having this morning. I was like, well, this is gonna be fun this morning. This is gonna be cool. So I, yeah, I knew that, well, I knew coming in that I was gonna get to rap with somebody who, who's, who was going to make a difference for me by just meeting you and having conversation with you.

'cause I know who David is and I know he's attracted to good soul. Like he's, that's just who he is. He's just a giant teddy bear. Yeah. He's a big soul. He's got a huge heart. And he, he, he attracts good people. And he was like, you gotta have this guy. You gotta, you gotta meet this guy. You gotta have this guy.

So I knew, so that was something I was looking forward to, like, and then, and then I saw something too that, a couple things I saw, And I wanted to ask you about it too. You had, you posted it some, a note that your dad had written to a, a, a letter that your dad had written to you. Yeah. And I wanted to ask you about it.

What was it like when you saw that back then versus now? And what was it for people who don't know? 'cause, so yeah, my dad and I don't remember how many points there were, but it was like his own creed or points to success that he had written to me in, I believe high school. It's one of the few pieces that ties back that late that I've kept.

And I think I found it in my Bible four or five years ago when I posted it. And I got, I smiled real big, so I'll give you a little backstory to that. My dad, I've been very blessed to have a dad that's been super involved with my life. He's included me in everything. And the one thing that he did from a really early age is, is.

Like write on note cards, different things that he was reading, whether it was like from a, a, a talk that he went to, or a book that he was reading, but he was kind of like a sponge and just listening and reading and then, and then also sharing. But obviously in your teenage years, you're, you're reluctant to listen to a certain extent.

You know, it all, you're kind of in that, that stage. And so he would slip notes here or there in hopes that I would digest or soak 'em in. And I think there were times that it did soak in, but I probably wouldn't admit to him that it did. 'cause I was, I was a pretty stubborn, stubborn kid, so when he wrote that, I probably didn't pay much attention.

I may have, read it once, possibly twice and tucked it away. He wrote it for you? For me, yeah. And then when I revisited it, I was like, this is pure gold. I love this., like I'm. I don't, I'm not sure if I was married or had kids at the time I had posted, but it was just a perfect time of my life where I'm just kind of starting to figure it out again.

I'm still trying to figure it out. Yeah. I by no means have it, but it was like, this is some really, really rich stuff. Yeah. and he was, he was over the top with, with just some of the stuff, at least for the age. And he would admit to you like, yeah, I probably overdid it a little bit, but at the end of the day I came full circle and I appreciate him for it.

And we laugh about it, especially, there was just a few in there that, that cracked me up. What was something on there that, well, I think one of the points was like, don't eat canned tuna or something like that. And I think it was just in relation to having good, like good health to just like almost pay attention.

Like I think at that stage I was eating like, just like canned ravioli and tuna just to complete a meal. Really? Yeah. And, I think if there was another one. Of like having respect for other people. which I think at, at, at that point in my life, I was probably toying the line between being disrespectful.

Hmm. With people and just how I maybe approached 'em in some of my manners because I was just so stubborn and wanting to test people. that like, there was just some things that needed to be called out and that was, that's funny that you found that, so good. Yeah. So good. Yeah. No, I can relate and I love it.

'cause I, every day I appreciate more My father's in heaven now, but every day I more and more appreciate some of the things he used to drive me crazy about. I mean, I just, I just, the, the time I just was so frustrated with the way he was like, why can't, why are you up? Why are you driving me cra why are you that way with me?

Why are you so hard on me? Yeah. Why, why other dads aren't that way. Like why do you, why do you,? And I, and I, and now I go, oh, oh, oh, I get it., like you were. He saw what I didn't see. Yeah. And he knew someday I would see it. And no matter what the pain of the moment was, where he knew he wasn't liked in the moment, he wasn't doing it for that, he was doing it for my own good.

And now I go, wow. I, and I appreciate the fact that he and I were able to, I wouldn't say reconcile, but sort of be on really great terms when he passed. Like we spent a lot of time in his later years while he was. Yeah. Not well, but we enjoyed each other in a way we never had. Where I was able to appreciate some of those moments where I thought he was just being this hardass Italian that was just like relentless and never gonna stop.

Yeah. And never gonna give me an inch. Like he just always, always, it was never enough. Never good enough. He's always so much in you, man. That's, that's what it was like. And just cared so much that he couldn't hold back. Yep, yep, yep. And he was unwilling to, to step over anything. Yeah. Because he, if he saw it and it didn't fit, and he was like, no, you can't, I know other kids are doing that, but you can't.

And that's just, and I, so I had a, an appreciation for you honoring your, your dad in that way too. Yeah. When you see like, wow, he's, I see this a whole different way now. Yeah. You gotta have people in your life that, that, that call you out,? And he was one that did. Yes. And I hope to do that.

Otherwise there's really no growth, right? Yes. There's, there's accountability in that. And I'm, I'm trying to instill that in, in our kids. I mean, I know they're, they're still really young, but, with banks if he's, misbehaving or, or yeah. Just not doing what he's supposed to do, just kind of lightly sharing with them Yeah.

You know, where he can improve and stuff. Yeah. So it's good. I've had a good example for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's, I mean, you're just, you want the best for them and, you see them sticking a, a, a hanger into an electrical socket. You want them to not shock themselves, so Yeah. Point of being in it.

So, tell us, for somebody who's never met you, they see you in a coffee shop. What would somebody know? What, what should somebody know about you? Who are you? Yeah, I mean, at, at the core, I think what I want people to know about me is that I just, I want what's best for them. I really deeply care about people.

I love relationships. I'm old school like that, and I think that's why I love Naples. I absolutely love it here. I'm a man of faith. Faith is a very integral part of, of who I am and, I, and in that, there's a joy in that, and I wanna spread that to everybody I meet. Whether it's talking about, talking about it or not, that's really at the heart of who I am.

Mm. Yeah. we talked about it before we got on here, but you're from near South Bend or what, what, what's the, how far between? Yeah. Actually pretty close. My, my dad grew up in that area. South bend's about an hour and 20 minutes from where I am. We're Fort Wayne is more east of that, and it's about. 45 minutes from the Michigan border, so North northern Indiana.

Okay. And, yeah, I had a great upbringing in Fort Wayne. I stayed there until I was 18 and then went to, to Butler University in Indianapolis, which is two hours south. Oh, is it? Okay. Yeah. But always a Notre Dame fan. Yeah, Notre Dame has been in my DNA. Yeah., because my grandparents lived in South Bend and it's historically one of like really the only notable football program.

I mean, Purdue and Indiana lately have had some years. Yeah. But the tradition, I'm Catholic, grew up Catholic, like the Golden Dome, the grotto, like just the prestige of the university walking that campus as a kid, it just didn't get any better than that. Yeah. And so I still followed the program.

I had a couple good buddies that played when they went to a na, national championship and went and got to experience a lot through them. So, yeah, it, they obviously had a good year this last year. And yeah, it's like one of the few things that my buddies and I. Growing up still, like converse and rally around.

Yeah. Like, going to a game or talking about it is pretty special. So, yeah. Notre Dame. What's it like there at, at a game? what's that? What's that stadium like with, oh man, I mean, band, the tailgates are always like real, real blown out with, all types of food. It starts in the morning, goes till the end of the game.

There's a walk that they do that players do through campus, so you can kind of like, give the players handshakes and high fives. There's a touchdown. Jesus. Just, I nowadays like, I'd rather watch less of the game. For me, it's just more of like the landscape. Yeah. And the cathedral and yeah. I, there's not many campuses that have that, that history.

Like Notre Dame. Yeah. And obviously I've been around it since I'm a childhood, so there's just nostalgia every time that you go back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Have you been to a game? Not there. No. I went to my first. Michigan game. I'm not a Michigan fan. I'm a, I'm from Philadelphia originally, but I married into a family who's Michigan?

Yeah., or Michigan State and Michigan and half the family's Michigan, a portion of the family's Michigan. So I got to go to a Michigan game, which is, 110,000 people tradition. Just, it was awesome., just the atmosphere was incredible. Very similar in a sense that the program goes way back.

Yeah. They've got beautiful camp Ann Arbor's a great college town. Yeah. They get the big house. Yeah. Yeah. I've been there and seen a, a few games and really liked their campus. Yeah. It was, it was something, it was the first being for Philadelphia and going to any games or events in Philly. It's a lot different than going in the Midwest because it was the first game I, or event I'd been to with 110,000 people and there was.

People were so nice to each other. There was no fights. Everybody was great. And they were serving alcohol this year too. And I'd never been to an event where you did, fights are a part of it in Philadelphia. You gotta see people duking it out in the middle of the game. It's just the way it goes. Yeah. If they're not yelling at the players.

Some volatility, some heated moments. Yeah. And it was just, it just, people were just so kind and so nice. I thought, this is really, that reminds, it reminds me of, when my father first, when we first moved down here and. My father would talk about, 'cause a lot more were coming from the Midwest to this area, and I've told this story before, but he would get clients who were from the Midwest or clients from the Northeast and the clients in the Midwest were a little tougher for him, only because they were so nice.

They would say, yeah, I love my hair, it's so nice. Thank you so much. And then they would never come back. They once from the Northeast would say, I don't like it. It's too short. You screwed it up again. Yeah. Fix this side. He knew where he stood with them, but got some valuable feedback. Yeah, right. They yelled at him in the right way anyway, because the kindness from the Midwest.

So, so your, your parents are still up there now? They have a place here. Yeah, they're still heavily involved in Fort Wayne and then have a place here. So they're, back and forth, down here about once a month. And, they love, they love Naples. And your mom's name is? Denise. Denise. So how would Denise describe you?

Oh, her and I are a lot alike. Yeah. I think just somebody that, Is like her in a sense that we love to stay active. It almost sometimes to a fault where we don't sit still. Hmm. We, we both do our best to work on, work on that because, there's some value to, to, to stillness. And we both just love people and love getting involved with charitable things.

Like we both got a heart to serve. And so it's like we get overwhelmed sometimes on helping people and just how much we've been given and we share, we share in that together. So I think that's what she'd say about me And your wife's name is, and that I'm a piece of work. Oh, you're a piece of work.

And my wife's name's Olivia. Olivia, yeah. So how about Olivia? How would she describe you?

I think pretty similarly. Yeah. Just, that I tick a little bit differently. Olivia's, I. She's a, she's quiet, laid back and an observer. I'm, I'm more of like an immediate participator. and so we're different in that way, but I think a lot of the times she just likes to kind of see me, see me do my thing.

And, I think she find, she finds my humor, attractive and interesting and, how I form connection with people and how I love to help. I know her to, to value that in me. Yeah. Yeah. So how you compliment each other in that way since we really do. Yeah. I'm very interactive with the kids.

She is too. She's more of a, a, like arts and crafts. That's her background. She's an educator, teacher background, and, and an artist. and so would probably prefer more so of that engagement. But, but does get out there with the kids too. And then I'm more of like an wild adventurer toe in the line., how crazy can we get type?

And so yeah, it definitely compliments each other. Yeah. Okay. Okay. And that, that adventure spirit of you sort of, in some ways got you to Naples, 'cause you just were like, all right, I'm just gonna go try Naples. Like, you, you didn't have any, well, you could work remotely. So you were able to do that, to make that transition to Naples.

'cause I, I'm always curious to see how people, because Naples doesn't have a, a, a massive industry of one kind except for tourism. So it's not like we have a lot of, tech companies or, career path opportunities here. So you were able to get yourself here via Yeah. I feel like I've always tried to live my life like.

A little bit of like listening to my heart and where it, where it's gonna lead me, and I'm not afraid to like, take chances and take big shots. That's like, probably been my whole life. Yeah. Like, whether it's writing a note to somebody well known, making a cold call. I just live very like, unashamed and open and confident, really.

So that, that's kind of what led me a little bit to Naples. I got to know some people here through working remotely at my parents' place. They weren't here a lot at the time, so I thought, hey, this is a cool spot to do a lot of outdoor activities and meet interesting people. And it grew on me enough to where I would thought to myself, should I leave Carmel or Indianapolis area where I was living and give this a shot for a year and just get my own place.

And, I decided to make that decision. and then shortly after I ended up meeting my wife. So it paid out. And, Yeah, I've made other moves in my life. Like I moved right outta school. I went from Indianapolis down to Orlando and worked for an investment company. And then I moved at one point from Indianapolis to Chicago.

Not too far of a move, but definitely a much bigger city and scenario. I was more in like a kind of a suburb with some space in Indianapolis and then move like basically in, in Chicago where I didn't have a car. So I've always been, God, like where are you? Where, what are you, what are you trying to say in this?

Where are you trying to move me? Paying attention to that. And then, yeah, just taking chances, that's where a lot of the growth is. Yeah. and so I did hear, I mean if you want to call it like a chance or getting outta your comfort zone, I mean, this is a pretty comfortable place. Yeah, true. But just this was, this has been an amazing spot.

Mm. For, for my wife and I to obviously meet here and then have kids and just the upbringing that they're having and the experiences that they have. Yeah. Like we've tried to soak everything that we possibly can in Florida. We've made a couple recent trips to The Keys. We, we rented a, a Sprinter van and had that.

We've popped over and done like Miami because I think culture's important. Yeah. we do all types of things here and we move, we move around quite a bit and have really enjoyed this place. And, you do that with a 2-year-old and a two month old, you're making those trips. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, so it'd be, a lot of people look at us like you're crazy, but it's just kind of like creating our own story.

I always like to look at my life a little bit like a movie and have kind of different twists and turns and make it interesting. And sometimes it drives my wife crazy, but she always at the end of it looks back and say that was fun. Yeah. And we can look back at the pictures and. Yeah. You grow through it, getting them involved in that type of stuff early.

Yeah. You learn a lot about yourself. You learn a lot about them. So yeah, we, that, that's a focus for us. It's just not letting certain things hold us back. And I'm, I'm reading this book called The Hunter Gather Parent that a mentor of mine gave me. And it's like talking about like including your, your kids in, in everything that you're doing chore.

Like whether you're washing the car or you're cooking, like, hold this dish for me. Mm. It's like important, their involvement, wanting to be a team. And you'll find parents these days, like my age, one of like, kind of segregate like kind of, Hey, I'm, I'm gonna do this chore alone, or I'm gonna go out and run this errand and then like, keep the kids kind of activated with this activity.

And I, I would prefer to just kind of keep them in our natural flow of things. And it's worked out for us so far. Yeah. Your son's name is? Banks. Banks, okay. Yeah. So you got him running or doing burpees or anything yet is So is he following? Oh man. He likes his fair share of running.

He takes off. Yeah. Yeah. We had him hanging up on like a pull up bar, like, I don't know, within a couple weeks of So Awesome. Out of the womb. Love that. He's, he's a joy to be around in a pretty physical kid. Like he likes to push and drag things and maybe it's from watching me. Yeah. And yeah, Kaya's got good grip strength already and I'll try to kind of pull her up when she has her hands on my fingers.

So it's fun getting them Yeah. Just being interactive with them. Yeah. When you were growing up, going back, rewinding in your life around high school or around those years, what, who were you in throughout high school? What group? What crowd did you hang with? What was your, what was your, reputation? what was your.

Kept you going during those years? Yeah, I, my, my brother-in-law, we just went on a, a, a little trip and he, he, he was talking about how he admires this close group of friends I've had from high school. Like, there's five of us and we've been like this since high school. Mm. And it's very rare for now, I'm 35 to still have that and keep in touch.

And I think it's because we've all, we were lucky enough to find each other. A majority of us played sports together. and I think it's just like, what I found to be the commonality with all of us is I think we're all really just strive to be better versions of ourselves in our own way. And I think we're all at this point, pretty vulnerable in whatever we're going through.

So there's that openness. There's that humor. I just, I think that, yeah, that drive the hu the humor in it all. Having the same hobbies. And I think we've done a good job of like kind of keeping each other a focus, touch, touching base and then having some trips here or there, to kind of keep the momentum going.

So a good group of guys, one of them's a, a doctor, he lives in the US and Australia. Another one of my buddies, played in the NFL for close to 10 years with the Bengals and Jaguars, and he runs a couple businesses in West Palm. Oh, wow. And then, Alex, this has been a best friend of mine since we were like, knee high.

He's in wealth management, actually works in the same office, with my dad. Wow. And then, yeah, Alex, is in, kinda sells, sells big machinery in the Chicagoland, northwest Indiana. And then you've got John who played football at Notre Dame with Tyler, and he lives in Indianapolis. So, Yeah, just an awesome group of friends that continue to pour into each other.

I'm blessed to have 'em. How do you stay in touch? What, what do you, what's your, do you get together? We've got like a little, a little thread. you know that We'll, if it's, there's like a Notre Dame or like a butler or just sports in general, we'll throw and then they know. Updating with kids stuff is pretty common now that we're all in a similar life stage and starting to have some kids.

So, yeah. And then just old jokes and people we kinda laugh about. So you, I think you owe badass coffee something 'cause you got a couple good golden nuggets out of badass coffee. Yeah. So badass coffee. Oh, tell me about it. Yeah, I definitely do, man. That's, that place has a, a special place in my heart.

Was it a place that you were, were going to on a regular basis anyway? Like, you, it's kind of a, when so many people are Starbucks junkies to pick badass coffee and to get what you got outta there. How, how did you end up at bad, what, what's badass coffee to you? Aside from what you got from it?

You were going there and hanging out. Yeah. Having coffee. What was your, I mean, I'm not like a coffee snob by any means. I, to me, at first it was just a location. Yeah. They had done a revamp and I was like, this is a cool spot. And I worked remotely, so I get to see some people and work, a block or two off the beach.

And then I started to get to like the cone of coffee. It didn't upset my stomach as much. So that was another part of it. And I was just really meeting a lot of interesting people in there. And that's kind of how it all started. And then, so you met, you met Carter before your wife or after, after you met your wife?

I think I met Carter a little bit before I met my wife. Okay. Yeah. And how that, so tell about who Carter is because you're in line and, yeah. So Carter, I mean, outside my wife, there's very few people that had an impact on my life as much as Carter. And th this all kind of, is a part of the story here.

So I was actually one, one morning on the front porch of badass coffee. I actually got a phone call from a, a, a group of guys in, in, San Francisco that were praying one guy that had b be become a real close friend of mine in Carmel, Indiana. And they, they said, Hey, listen, it's on our heart to call you and pray over you right now.

And I'm not like one that play prays a ton in public, but I said, Hey man, I'm, I'm cool. Let,. Let's, let's do it. So we did like a FaceTime and I went over to the corner of the porch and just bowed my head. They prayed and we talked a little bit and I was done. And after that, and part of the prayer was that God would put me in a place where I could have more purpose and impact, and that my heart was really yearning for that.

At the time Carter approached me, I. And I think had had noticed it, and he was of the same age. And, there, there weren't a lot of young people kind of coming in and out of badass at that time because they had their old setup. And then the way that they're structured now, you have kind of all ages coming in.

He had noticed me, his in-laws had just moved right around the corner and he said, Hey, see what you're doing here. My name's Carter, like my in-laws just bought a spot. We're gonna be coming down here more. Got a feel for who I was. And I think a couple people had said hello to me while we were talking.

So I, 25, 30 minutes after he leaves, we exchange information and he either shot me a text or a call and I was like, wow, he's, he's following up here. And he said, Hey, like, would you ever be interested in throwing like a country concert, like a singer songwriter festival in old Naples? And I was like, first of all, this is random, but that's kind of how he is.

He's a creative and, I said, Hey, like if it's about charity, country, music and community, like those are a couple pillars. I wanna lean into more right now. I'm, I'm interested, like, and again, I didn't know him that much, so I'm trying to see if this is just an idea guy, like, is he down to actually get something done?

So we started to explore it like on like once a week we would hop on a call and I would like call the city, like, can we do this? And he had, I, he, he's got an eye for things and he's a dot connector. So he was like, I think this cam beer park would be really cool, just the way that the trees are set up, the stage's a set, it's the heart of the city.

And I mean shortly after we got the nod from, a lot of things were starting to come together and we said, well, let's do this. Like, I think we had met each other maybe in March or April and we set the concert date for, for January and just really got, got some flyers and put him at badass coffee. In a few other spots and thought, Hey, like, let's just make it a free concert and see if people come and let's raise money for, at the time he was very, he's, he's, he's involved and his in-laws were more involved than he is at this point, to, to Hacienda of Hope, which is an orphanage down in Ecuador.

And God called us to support them and we still do. And it just, we didn't even know going into that first show who was even gonna show up. I don't think we even had like an Eventbrite to understand, is there gonna be 15 people or is there gonna be 800, a thousand? We don't really know, but we're set up with some pretty cool songwriters and we will, we'll give it a shot.

But part of how I operate, I really like the unknown. Like, different from my wife who really likes to know kind of what she's getting herself into. I like having the faith of just. Whatever plays out will play out. And it was, it was, it was a, it turned out to be a great show and obviously things have expanded from there, so sorry to be a little, little long-winded on No, it's great.

The coffee shop. But yeah, it's great. Just kind of a evolved, a cool interaction. Yeah. has a, now we've raised like probably over 150, 200,000 just because of a prayer my buddy prayed over me. Wow. And a connection Wow. with Carter and he's been a blessing on, on my life. I love that. I love that.

Have you ever had something similar where it just kind of a, a random what they call like a god wink or a coincidence that like, kind of just still is involved with your life that's kind of drummed from something like that? Yeah. Yeah. I know there have been, I think in those moments where

Where I great things usually. It's great things that happen in those moments where I'm not even trying to make it happen. Yeah. But I'm just, I'm just op, I'm just, present and open and vulnerable, like in that moment, here we go. Yeah., just being, just being open, like whatever happens. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. And, specifically, I can't think of anything, but I, what you're reminding me of is, and just your way of being and who you are. My father-in-law recently passed unexpectedly. And, I love that man so deeply and incredibly, he just changed my life. He gave me so much. He, he was so spiritually fit as a human being.

Yeah. And that's what I loved about him. He was just so right with everyone, so Right. With God. And he was like an apprentice of Jesus to me. He was just so, a demonstration of what it must be like to be Jesus on earth. Yeah., like, to me and, to, To meet somebody who is proud of their faith, who's okay with sharing it, who openly will pray, and allow prayer, and then op, have something like that, fall out of that or come through with that is really awesome to me.

Yeah. So I love the, that, that part of you, which is reminds me of that, of that love, the love that I have for my father-in-law and the love that I have for humanity. Yeah., seeing that in, in you and that piece of you that, just is open to allow that to happen. And then what? Look at the great things that come of it.

I mean, just, yeah. At the end of the day, it's not even me. I'm just an instrument to it all. And it sounds like that's what he was, right? Yeah. It's just I'm open. Yeah.,. And things just kind of go from there. Yeah. Yeah. A hundred percent. Yeah. So then that place not only opened that up for the world because there's a lot of beneficiaries of Nash to Naples and what that gets out of it.

But then also you met your beautiful bride, at the same place. Yeah. That was another, just wild moment there on the front porch. I had rode my bike, and rolled up and had noticed, her and her, her sister, two, beautiful women around my age. And I thought, wow, this is what an opportunity here to, to approach and see what, see what the story is.

But they were talking to an older couple that I knew, so it was a pretty natural segue for me to kind of go up to them, be like, how do, each other? So that's what I did. I was like, I'm, I'm a cap. I'm gonna, I'm captivated here and I'm gonna take advantage of the moment. And, I took a shot and I said, how do, Nathan and Bernice?

And I had set this old woman's like Facebook up the week before, so we got to kinda laughing a little bit. She told me that she had just moved from Chicago with her family or was going to move, but like help them out with their move. And, I said, Hey, like I've, I've know the area a little bit. I'm, if you need help, like if there's a restaurant, like you're looking to get your haircut, like, I'm happy to provide like any type of guidance that I can to make this move easy for you and your family,?

And so she, we, I, that was my way of getting her number, but I al I ulti, I genuinely cared. that's a big move for, for people. So, later that day she said, actually, my dad's looking to get a haircut. Would you mind sharing? So, and then I wrote her back. I said, do you mean to tell me you like my haircut?

So we had a little funny back and forth, and then we just kind of started going on like little, day dates where we paddleboard or go for coffee and just got to really know each other over some time. And then it, it all worked out. Yeah. That's awesome. And two kids later here we are two, two children later.

And your daughter's name is? Kaa. Kaa, yeah. Okay. KAIA. Yeah. We're super blessed to have the two kiddos and love this area. It's so fun, man. We just meet, still continue to meet awesome people and soak in all the city. He has to offer Nash to Naples. five years now. It's been going on. Yeah, it's going into, its, this will be, its sixth.

This will be the fifth year anniversary, but it started, the conversation started before we had our first one. So yeah, been going at it for about five years and we'll have the five, five-year anniversary show. In January, January 24th. And you, so we talked a little bit about it off before we started, and we also got the evolution of it here.

So this, what year was it that the, that the storm happened or that the rain, oh, the hurricane. Well, the, so you had a rain out or you still had the event? Oh yeah. The rain out was not this last year, but the year before. Okay. So two years ago. Okay. Yeah. So a January rain rainstorm, which is rare 'cause, rarely rains in, in January.

It's like the best time of year usually. It darn near washed us out, man. I mean, here we were, we had no backup planned., we're new to this still at three years. It's something we do on the side and, we conquered that one man. It, we had gotten, I shared with you double book. So we were at the baseball diamond.

The whole diamond was full of mud and we pulled it off and we tried some new things out there that really worked. And have been able to kind of leverage, we leveraged that this last year and it really worked like a, like a VIP area, and like a kind of a VIP lounge with food and stuff. We saw that there was like a, an interest there.

It's Naples, so there's gonna be that, those people that want that experience kind of upfront and center and been able to mimic that and continue to do it. And yeah, I mean we've had our fair share of challenges., we, with the city and not always is that like a smooth process, but we've been able to develop strong relationship through that.

And the events grown each year with spot like local sponsors has been a huge part in just making this happen. And just some like local leaders that see what we're doing and kind of see the goodness of our hearts and have wanted to like plug in and really get involved. And that's just been, it's been awesome.

You know, I work software as my day job. And, I make the best of it, but I really get filled up by this Nash and Naples stuff, and I kind of weave it in my day. So I feel like I've got purpose and impact. Mm. And I'm lucky to ha to, to do this with Carter, who lives in Nashville, who's knows a lot of songwriters, who has a very different skill, skillset than me, but it works.

He understands people. We mesh well. And I mean, last year we sold out of VIP like a month or two before, and we had to cut tickets off leading up to the event. Wow. So, I mean, we never dreamed of that. Yeah. And that's, that's where we are. And it's just because people enjoy, I mean, they enjoy the, the community aspect.

We have local food vendors that, that come in., it's at the heart of the city. They love the stories behind the songs because I think everybody can relate to story. Regardless of where your upbringing or where you're from, like, a lot of these stories are just like, like, when you're trying to make it Nashville, they call it a 10 year town.

Like, it takes a while, just like a lot of the entrepreneurs that live here. And so they wanna relate to that grind, experience and the ebbs and flows of life. And it hits the heart strings. That's what Carter always likes to see. Like, we gotta create these moments and heartstring moments and it weave in, in, throughout the, the songs, but even the show and, that like pulls people in to the experience.

It's different than just like a concert and you're like jamming out to songs. Yeah. It's like more of a sit down in your chair and like a feel type experience. And then there's some like clapping and standing up and we make it interactive too. But yeah, it's just, and the people we bring down from Nashville are just awesome people that are, we want, we wanna make sure they're about the causes too.

We've brought them to Ecuador for Hacienda of Hope and everybody. Just kind of wraps her arms around it. Yeah, I get what you mean about that. the storytelling around. My wife and I picked a random weekend to go to Key West one time, and it happened to be a singer songwriter festival. Yeah. Was it the Key West Music Festival?

Yeah, that's a big one. It was, randomly, we just, the first place we walked by after we got out of our hotel just going in to get some lunch and a drink, and there was this guy up front that. It absolutely took our lives over captivated us. Just sitting up there with his guitar, telling stories, singing songs, just, it was one of the most moving experiences of my life.

Just hearing him, share stories and story tell around his music, it was really fascinating to me. Nothing like, nothing I ever experienced before. Yeah. So you had never been open, like opened your eye. You probably thought leading up to that, that artist kind of wrote their own songs. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I, I didn't know what it was. I knew nothing about it at all until that day and that moment and that three hours we sat with him and just let him do his thing. And it was fascinating to me. It was really, it's beautiful. Yeah. And I think some people are still getting educated on like the songwriting experience and what it's like, but I mean, some songwriters get put on a tour bus with an artist, or they go to a certain, location with a few of the artists and just the stories.

Of like, I said this and then they said that and we were on a boat and it was 2:00 AM and you're like, and then, then when you listen to it on the radio after the show, you're like, dude, I then you can share with your friends a little bit about where it all came from. Yeah. And it's got like meaning, meaning behind it.

I mean, e each year I just get just as much excited than the, than the previous year because I get to hear more of these, more of these stories. Yeah. So are, were you always a music guy into music or what, what was your, what's your, your, go-to around music? Yeah, so I, I played, I did piano lessons, for a couple years.

You know, I think everybody tries an instrument out. My dad comes from a very musically inclined family, or him and all his siblings and my grandparents play. So I was exposed to that. I've always really liked country music because I could relate to it. Living in Indiana and my parents, I. in invested in a farm at one point, so we would go out there.

So I was like kind of living those songs. And actually, it's another thing that my friends and I really, converse over and so the, the country music just has kind of been in my DNA and, Carter's more musically inclined than I, than I am. He plays the ukulele and goes and performs and stuff like that.

So that's kind of where that music interest came from. Yeah. Not necessarily something that I play But just something that I really like, soak in and enjoy. What's your, go-to music when you're running or. But you have a late night cramp session or Yeah. You're in the car. I'll, I'll listen to, I mean, country's always my first choice.

Like I, like, Cody Johnson's been on the top of my list right now. I love Cody, Cody Johnson. I love Riley Green. Kenny Chesney. I mean, if you're living in Naples like Kenny, I mean, it's seeing the palm trees, the water, and listening to the Kenny Listen to Jimmy Buffett. Jimmy Buffett's great.

And then I also, we listen to some, some faith worship music, like a Chris Tomlin need to breathe around the house. Just good vibes. Another country artist that I listen to, that's great. Naples listening is, is Old Dominion. They've got like poppy, happy go lucky type music. So, yeah, that's, that's what I prefer to listen to being here in, in, in Naples.

Who do you like to listen to? I'm all over the place. I have, I. I have a pretty wide array of, of music, and it depends on the, I was trying to put a, a playlist together yesterday for the, for Mur doing Murph, and it was so random, just all over the place., there, there are people who have put together playlists for Murph already on Spotify, and I'll try out some of those and see, and it goes anywhere from Eminem to, it's got Eminem, Tupac to New Order, to the specials to, the latest to Drake.

It's, it's all over the place. Yeah. Just whatever is, is, and then we were in the pool in the afternoon and, where I was just numb and just, put on, some, what was it? the Delano poolside track, which is like, you're at a Miami Beach, a South Beach hotel. There we go. Yeah. Get the energy high a little bit.

Yeah. So, I'm all over the place, but I like to hear where, what people are listening to because I have a. A newer appreciation for country music where years ago I didn't. And I really have grown to love it. And there's certain, like to hearing about what, what to put on, like some Kenny ch Yeah.

It's become more mainstream. Yeah. I mean, you see like, jelly Roll has gotten into the country scene,? Yeah. Taylor Swift. So it's getting, it's getting out there. and, but I listen to all genres though. I mean, there's nothing that I'd really dislike. Yeah. but yeah, no, the country's definitely my number one.

Now, how about, 'cause you've done an Ironman or two, or what's your Ironman background? Yeah. I've done one full, and then I've done maybe three or four, se 70.3, so half. Okay. So tell people what is an Iron Man for anybody who doesn't know. Yeah. So a full, I think is like maybe close to a three mile swim.

And then it's like one 12 bike and then it's a full marathon to end it, end it. So like 26.2, running the end, it's a full, and then a half is half of all of that. So like over a mile, swim over, a 13.1 run. and then like, what was it, like a 60 some bike. Yeah. What, brings you to the place of saying, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna sign up and do this thing.

Well, at the time, I, I was not married or I didn't have any kids, so I had time, to do something like this. I, athletically I've been, I've been gifted, I've worked hard at it, but I've, I've been given the gift to, to do things that are physically hard and mentally I've worked on my game enough to, to do things that are mentally challenging too.

And it's a combination of both. It's every bit of a mental battle than it is physical. And I think when I, I'd done a sprint and I thought, hey, like what's the possibility? Like, can I do a full, and you know that sometimes asking myself those questions will be like, I wanna see how far I can go., that's sometimes like, you'd, we had talked a little bit about like, you just tick differently.

Like, I want to see the full possibility. I want to like be the full bitch that I can be. And so that was part of it, of like, I've got the time at this point. and I did have a certain requirement that after three hours of training, I wasn't gonna train anymore. There's some times in your, your cycles where it requires a five to six hour training block, and I just thought, hey, that's, that's like completely outta moderation and unhealthy.

But my bo my mind could always take me further, even though I would come in somewhat undertrained. But it was a significant amount of training time. And I started with a 70.3 actually, when I lived in Indiana. I came down to Hane City right outside of Orlando. Did that Fell on my face quite a bit.

Not actually, but just like, barely made it out of the water. I was like one of the last people. And, but I looked fit and I'm like, dude, I gotta just like work on my form and stuff. And I got like real worked up during it. So then I kind of just learned to like, breathe, work on my composure a little bit, not get too worked up.

'cause that's a pretty normal thing in the water. There was just a lot of like, I love learning, experiencing things and learning and tweaking. And then I went into like my full in Indiana, that was like the final stamp on Indiana before I moved here. And I trained with some people and that's a big thing of like, I don't wanna go on this journey alone.

Like I wanna do hard things with people my wife and I like are subscribed to that. We do hard things together because it just forms a really deep bond and connection and we, I knocked out the fo and then when there's somebody that plants a seed about a half, I'll kind of pray whether I'm being called to, to move into that.

And there was a group locally last year where we did Muskoka together, some people that have places in Canada, Canadian, and like I formed, we formed this group we train in the morning. It's just like good comradery and team that like I grew up doing. And it's hard to create that when you've got like families and you're in the work world.

But it's important to me. And, we had talked about a gym and that gives me that and this, this too of like striving and catching up with people on life, but in activity too. Yeah. So I've been blessed with the physical ability to not get injured and do some of these, I. I haven't done one in a year, but I did a High Rocks competition with, oh, I love High Rocks.

I love rocks. Yeah. Have you done one? Yeah. not of official. At our gym, we do them. Yeah. But, but not the training blocks that lead to it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. Yeah. And I just, I'm really enjoying those workouts a lot. I, they, our CrossFit gym is mixed up some of the workouts with High Rocks, and then on Saturday mornings we'll do strictly high rocks, and I just, I love it.

I, something about that one, I, it's a new challenge that I enjoy. So you're, you're gonna, you think you're gonna sign up for one? I it, this may prompt it. Yeah, maybe. Yeah. Yeah. I'm thinking about, because everybody just came back from the one that was in Miami recently. Yeah, that's the one I went to. Oh, okay.

Yeah. And it just, it just looked awesome. The atmosphere looked awesome. The people there looked awesome. The people that I talked to just loved it the way it was put together. It was just a really well run event and just, it is, it looked nice. Well run high energy. well attended and it's just not, you can get it done between like an hour and an hour and a half.

So it's not, and then you can have a day wherever the location is and enjoy it. And I want to see how far I can go in. That is probably be my next thing. 'cause it doesn't take as much training. Yeah. And I like the cardio and the weight aspect of it. Yes, yes. Because that's just, that's really what we're all supposed to be doing.

Right? Yeah. Get your heart rate up to a certain point and then have a level of strength. Yeah. And they're fun. They, they've done a great job with that. And the community builds. Are you training for that here or do you do work High Rock's workouts here that you I work out at Studio Fit Training and I think they, their curriculum is, is pretty similar to probably what you would do in a training.

So I didn't actually do anything outside of just work out there. And that's, that's a great gym. I've loved that. And then I've done, I, because there is a lot of running, I did some running on my own outside of that, But I learned a lot. I mean, there was just some things that I wouldn't have done this past time, but that's, that's the fir when you do the first of anything, right?

That's kind of the way it goes. So, yeah, it's fun to, what, what was the movement in within High Rocks that you really excelled in? It was like your, your wheelhouse that you Well, it surprised me. It was actually, like weighted lunges. I've got really long legs, so I think it was just my stride length that I think I finished, like in the top two or 3% and I would've never, I would've never guessed that.

And my running's pretty strong, just 'cause I do a decent amount of that. the wall balls at the end. Have you seen footage of like the wall balls at the end? Yeah. Yeah. I got so excited because I was like, on pace to kind of hit the time I had in mind that I went and did like 40 right away. And I had paced myself really well through it the whole time.

Yeah. And I went at that way too hard and then had to break, break it down in small, I. Small, digestible parts after that. But I like gas myself. Pretty, pretty good there. I know that feeling. Yeah. What, what's your, what's your, weak link in the, in the high rocks? What would you say is your area that you didn't like?

Hmm.

The burpees. Yeah. Were, were tough. the sled pole. Yeah. Because you got a long way to go, being so tall,? Yeah. You got a long way to get to the ground and a little bit more weight,? Yeah. The people that probably finish towards the front of the pack are probably, maybe a buck 50 to a buck 80 in that range.

I'm almost two 10. Yeah. So it's a little bit more weight to throw around. And then like

The, rope with the weights. I think more so of just like the form and leverage. Yeah. And there's, there, there's more. More strategy behind the, the behind it than you think. And even the same with the Ironman. Like you have to kind of like be able to break it down and do the right form so you don't gas yourself.

I would've, I would've done that probably a little bit differently. Okay. Which, which one do you think you would naturally be, be, be best at? Have you looked at some of the movements? Well in doing it, at, at our, I just like the fact that it, we're just moving on to different movements throughout.

So we, the run, I'm, I wouldn't say I'm great at anything there, but the ones that I like, the, I don't like any of it. I honestly, I don't like any, but I like it. But you feel good after doing it because you're I love it. Yeah. I just love how I feel after, I mean, I, it's something I could get through.

I felt good about myself getting through it. Yeah. I felt like I accomplished something. I did a lot of, a lot of different things, and I always feel great, just like after Murph, I, there's nothing I love about Murph except that I'm honoring who I'm honoring. I mean, that's the greatest part of it, the honoring part of it, but, but also just how you, at the end of it, there's nothing like it is the, I working out to me as much as I complain about it or don't like it, but it literally is the high or the, the level of pain is better than the noise that's in my head anyway.

And it just erases all that. Yeah. It just takes away all the noise. That's the unnecessary noise that's in my head that just drives me crazy. So it just makes all that go away and I could just breathe again and just be in the world when I get all that outta my system. So that's what I. in love with about the process and especially like you mentioned, being at the gym and the comradery and the people that I'm with, there's just not, I mean, just everything about everyone there as a human, it just is left at the door and it's just us.

No matter what you did or what your day was like or who you are in the world, or who you are in the world, you're just, this, this 25 people, 20 people, whatever it is, just together, suffering together. Yeah. The camaraderie's awesome. I just love it. Encourage, motivate High five. Yes. The whole thing.

Yeah. Yes. Yes. And that's, how life needs. Yeah. It should be, man. Yeah. There's nothing like that. 'cause I just, I can't do that on my own. We have a great CrossFit, my wife at COVID set up this full CrossFit gym in our garage, which is incredible. But I, on my own, I'm, no, I'm just, yeah., it just, we're better as a team.

Yeah. Yeah. It's much better. It works a lot better. Yeah. Yeah. tell me about the SaaS world. 'cause that's what your world is now, right? That's for your businesses. Yeah. Yeah. So what is it and what do you do in it? Yeah, so I've been in software for probably coming up maybe on 13 years, so a good, good part of my life.

And, I've started out with a, a startup, and have worked my way to, to, to bigger companies that the company that I work for right now is called Calero. And we're a global company. We're actually headquartered in Rochester, New York. So outside of, outside of the city. And, what I, what the solution that I got brought on to sell is, is in this a SaaS expense management space.

So, during COVID and just over the years as SaaS has grown, all these companies have bought up a lot of different SaaS. What, what is SaaS for people who don't know? Soft software as a service. Okay. a Salesforce, a Zoom, like a HubSpot. Okay., something subscription based. Okay. that you're paying for and.

It. So during COVID and people started working more remotely, so then they're getting Zoom license, they might get Microsoft team licenses, Hey, we need to figure out how we, work more effectively remotely, and maybe we get a new CRM customer relationship management system. And so right now the average company has 125 different SaaS applications.

Okay. So for us, for example, we have, Gusto or, the payroll Yeah. Program. Like an ad P or just, yeah. Yeah. we have, on the clock OTC for, for punching in, punching out for hours. Yep. We have, so all these type of programs. Yeah. If you have like a marketing system that sends an email. Yeah. Slack is a, is a soft, our point of sale software is a SaaS.

Like you just named five and you probably, you have several locations here. We're talking to big companies, but like you probably have 10 even here, right? Yeah. Yeah. So imagine having 125, and we've talked to companies that have 250, and what, what's happened is it's become hard to really manage and get transparency into all of it.

Like people leave the comp, leave these companies every day, they onboard. And so who's using what. And how often are they using it? Mm. And so a, a company will contract with us and leverage our platform to basically spit back to them license usage, and at the high, at a, at a very high level, who's using what, how often, and then provide recommendations on what they should be doing.

So maybe you need to drop these 50 Salesforce licenses and that will equate to $25,000 back in your pocket. And they can, there's actionable decisions on the backend dashboard on how they can manage their SaaS landscape. Hmm. So it's a cost savings play. And, right now the, I don't pay a ton of the news, but, with e Economic sometimes uncertainty, this is something that, people can go to and know that they can save money.

We, the company I work for, like we stand behind it by about 20% cost savings with people who partner with us. And so it's fun to help people in that space because a lot of times people don't have a solution. So it's presenting to them something new and a new way of like yeah, further kind of exposing a problem that they can get ahead of, before it's too late.

And they're like, what are we doing here? I think it just came up recently that, Musk brought out the fact that the federal government was using, had all these Microsoft licenses that nobody was using. Is that right? Yeah. Like thousands and an incredible amount of money that they, they were paying for these licenses.

Yeah. Like you said for, and who knows for what else, but that was just one of the examples that he gave. Like a Yeah. People had left or they stopped using them, or they had desktops that nobody was ever at or had ever worked at, and they were paying for all these licenses, numbers. Yeah. I would imagine saved a tremendous amount.

I mean, even look at, like, I did this exercise a while back of like subscriptions on your phone of like what you sign, like Spotify., there's, there's a, they add up Yeah. And you lose track of 'em. Yeah. The television. So it's fun. Yeah. GI given, given companies full visibility control and cost savings into their SaaS.

Ben is kind of like our, our talk track. and it's been, I've been with Callero for a year and two or three months. Yeah. I'm actually going to Copenhagen where we're, we've got a conference, over there in a couple weeks, and so I'm excited to go check out a new area and just talk to clients about, about our solutions.

So technology or the tech world is something that you, enjoy, it's a part of your Yeah, well, so it's kind of funny how I, how I got into tech. So I studied finance and that was mainly because my dad had shared with me it's like a good JA good, degree to, to get a job. And it's somewhat challenging and you always need to know numbers.

So I was, I pushed through that and it was, it was hard worked for a finance company and just kind of like, was like, I don't know if this is me. And at the time there was, Salesforce bought this company called ExactTarget in the Indianapolis area. And so then some startups were starting to form and it was, and it was, this was like in 2012 or 13, it just.

Was like a known, like software was like people were just buying it and it was a known thing and a lot of companies were starting to form of it. And I was like, Hey, this is like a little bit more of a low key atmosphere where I can be who I am and be a little bit more colorful than like the finance world where you have to be like super buttoned up and stuff and I can be myself and still sell and, and make a good living.

And that's really kind of what transitioned me to there. Was like, this finance, I don't necessarily fit this stereotype, nor am I really passionate about it, but like. I like, I like sales and software, if you have the right solution, can be, can be exciting. Mm. so that's kind of what led led me to it.

I mean, I'm not like in the know with a lot of like what's happening in the space. It's kind of had a little bit of a, a tougher time lately just with, I think companies over hiring, when it was good and then having to pull back. so it's kind of experiencing a little bit of that. so yeah, I try to, whenever I, work for a software company, I try to, pin it to something that I can get excited about, which, I'm, I'm with a product now that I am, and, yeah, it's been good, good to me so far.

Now, I don't know if I could say that's my, this is the route that I want to go, forever. I'm passionate about community involvement and helping others, and I want to get more ingrained locally than even outside of National Naples. And so I've been. Looking to buy a, a, a local business, where I can, further go down that route.

And so that's kind of at the heart of, where I'm at right now. And so that takes time, obviously. But yeah, that's what I ultimately would like to do. I grew up with a dad that ran a local business and got to tie into the community and be a part of something greater than himself. And that's where I'm getting kind of pulled to now.

What was that business? My dad's in the wealth management and that was Oh, okay. That was his business for you growing up? Yeah. That's his business that, that he still runs and, yeah. Yeah. Yeah., they help with charity work and he leverages his gift of financial planning to, help churches and organizations and things.

So it just even goes outside of meeting with clients. Like he's kind of in the trenches with all types of people advising financially. And I think any advisor would say that it goes even outside of financial planning. Hmm. Yeah. Is there a, A book or a movie that significantly impacted you or changed the course of your life?

I want to know yours. I mean, of course the, the Bible's had a major impact on my life. There's so many just jam packed stories in that, that are applicable daily. but I think outside of that, I read a book called Love Does by a guy, by the name of Bob Goff. And he wrote another book called Everybody Always.

And it really fits my personality in a sense of like living fully yourself. And, he, it is just so colorful in a sense of how he helps. And people like, I think some people and even myself think that like, you kind of have to stay in this lane, but you can create moments and experiences and live, on fire for God.

And that book and him was just a major influence on my life. Hmm. Tell me, is title all again? he's written two and they're both kind of the same, but they have like these stories of how he's just like really lived. Oh. Similar to what we were talking about, like an instrument to, to God. And how these colorful things have come about and like through people he's maybe led through cancer, but it's, it's everybody.

Always and Love does by Bob Goff. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. It's hard to even put the book into words to be honest. Yeah. But I always like. If somebody's kind of searching for something or, or asks for something to read, I'll always steer him to that book because it's very actionable. Like it, like they look at the title.

Love does like, yeah, love is just action, man. It's not just like talking or telling you I love you. Like it's through Yeah. Through action. Yeah. Like in like one part of the book, like his neighbor had cancer and like he like formed this parade, like got neighbors to like be involved with this parade and had like streamers like just crazy cool stuff that like

You can do that. Like, there's possibility of doing something more for people that are going through stuff. Yeah. Well you've been through that. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's why I probably shared that story is like, I know that, there's tough times and people that, there's people that make a big influence, on those moments and we can be those people.

So you got a cancer, I. Diagnosis, you'd, you'd cancer yourself? Yeah. Yeah, I did. and I tell people to this day, it's the biggest gift that God's ever given me. but at 26 I was really starting to, just not feel well. Like my stool was changing and I felt, just not myself. My mind wasn't clear and I kind of brushed it off.

I was working really hard at the time, long hours in Chicago. And, I went to a couple specialists and they kept telling me it was stress related. Like, Hey, you just need to like, not work as much and just kind of relax and had offered some medication and I was just like, Hey, I'm, I'm okay. And then finally there was a few markers off at one of the, I think it was a gastroenterologist, was like, I think you need to go to a general doctor and have them steer you, it seems like.

'cause I wasn't not real familiar. I had never had any health issues up to that point. So I was unfamiliar really how to navigate and steer, and I was living alone. And, I went to a, a, a, a primary care doctor and we got like the full panel scan scans and he was like, I remember him looking at me and was like, which one of your parents is, more emotional?

I was like, my mom's a little bit more emotional than my dad. He goes, I would just, we're gonna set up a meeting for next week, but just, just a heads up, like, you let 'em know that there's something going on. They, they hadn't said the C word, but I knew based on how he said that, that like, there's gonna be some news here.

He has a very good indication, but I think needs to wait for some, some more results. And so I remember going down in the lobby of the hospital and I called my dad and they had known, like I had gone home previously and had like the sweats and literally just shook up in a bed for like a day. So my dad was like kind of aware that something more serious was happening and I just started crying.

He just was like. I'm here for you, son, and w we will, we'll do this man. So like your mom and I'll come down with you. Whatever the news is, we will accept it and we'll, we'll push forward. Mm. At that point, I had like dropped a lot of weight and was just eager to figure it all out. And so then they diagnosed me with stage three lymphoma.

I went through the treatment six months. I mean, I was not even an image of who I was. Like I went from probably two 10 to like a bucks 70, maybe a little over, had no hair eyelashes, like, you could tell if you came across me that I was sick,? And so I got broken down physically and mentally, as you would imagine.

And I coming out of it, I thought, I said to myself, I want to be. The best version of myself, I want to restart and just start from ground zero and what do I wanna pour into? And it was my faith, it was my fitness, it was my friendships and relationships. And so I have a, a different perspective on life through an experience at an early age that like, there's, there's more to success, like more to life than success of chasing after a corporate job, which I probably was kind of overextended in a little bit at the time.

And I just value each day, man, like, I get excited about being here in Naples and like at one point, like they said, Hey, like there's a chance that you may not be able to have kids. Like, we're gonna need to like, go through that process of like freezing. And I just said, Hey, listen, like I was so young at the time and couldn't comprehend all this stuff going on.

I was like, I'm gonna put this in the Lord's hand. Like, I'm not interested in that. And like, whatever happens. So I didn't even know if I would have, have kids. So like, there you are in your twenties thinking like, you're gonna have,. Multiple. I mean, who knows? I wasn't, in a serious relationship or anything at the time.

And here, the Lord's blessed me with two kids and a beautiful wife and I just cherish each day because I remember how, how bad I felt, the chemotherapy just, and I have a sensitive stomach, just awful. I mean, for a year or even a longer, I just felt awful that I don't really drink and, and I really, pay attention to what I'm putting in my body.

And my wife does too, because of that experience. And if I did not have that, I'm not quite sure if I would be as diligent about what I'm putting into my body as I am now. Yeah. Yeah. What's your, what's your diet like? Oh, it's, it's clean., we eat from the ground all, all organic, vegetables, fruit, we meat.

I'm not like a, a, a vegetarian, but, we eat just a well-rounded diet. Most of the stuff from the ground. We don't complicate it too much. I'm, I do. I'm dairy free. just given kind of a lactose intolerant. Yeah. it's not that I'm like against dairy. Yeah. But like, I don't, I don't eat much dessert, drink alcohol, just keep it clean and I feel good and I cherish feeling good.

Yeah, I hear you. And, and God's brought people into my life that I've been able to help with that same thing, and that further expands my mission of just, being there for people. And that's been a huge benefit to it all too. Do you have a, do you have a, a restaurant in Naples that, is your go-to?

Oh, we like, we like food and thought Mm, yeah. Food and thought because it's, it's very, it price conscious., they've got great breakfast and lunch and as a family of four, we, the fine dining just doesn't necessarily work when you've got stuff flying around. Lake Park Diner.

Yeah. Has a great, like, healthy cuisine. We like to eat there. my wife and I, we like to go to Malto, the Italian. She's Italian, so she's, she loves, she loves Malto, so we'll, we'll go there. So those are our few of our, our favorite spots. Oh, she's Italian, huh? Yeah. Where do you like to go here? lately, we are going to, we go to seeded table.

Yeah., that's, that's our kind of, because I like to cook a lot. I don't eat, I like to eat out, but I prefer to cook my own. I like to cook at home. Yeah. but seat the table's kind of fast. It's, it's, you don't have to get too dressed up for it. You a lot of different options. Yeah. A lot of options.

A lot. A lot to do there. Yeah. The Pearl used to be our favorite, which isn't there anymore, which is a good fish place. A lot of good seafood. I love seafood. Yeah. So, where we just, we just picked up this past weekend, there's a, it's called, the Catch. It's a, I've heard of that. It's a in, in coconut point.

It's a, they, they sell fresh seafood there. Yeah. And I was able to get some triple tail, which I, it's one of my favorite fish. And, cook that over the weekend, which was awesome.,. Yeah. Fresh fish, living here. And, so I don't know. I don't have a, a, like a, every now and then we'll go to Fifth Avenue, go out to Del Mar, like go downtown to, to just the atmosphere of Fifth Avenues.

Oh yeah., the rest of that. And I don't like to eat a giant meal, but they have a seafood, like a seafood stew that we share, and it's just got a lot of great seafood in it that's fun to eat. And I don't drink, Not because I don't want to, I just can't anymore. It just, that doesn't do anything for me anymore.

Alcohol, I, I feel like I'm missing out sometimes, when people are celebrating and drinking, but I, it doesn't, yeah. I feel better that I don't drink.,? What works for you, man? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is. And so I, and I'm trying to do 20, I successful so far, 2025 with no sugar or no, desserts or anything like that.

Not that I, was overdoing it with them, but I just wanted for the, for the, just to see if I could do it, like, yeah. Just, just to sort of test myself and, say, all right, I'm not gonna have this for the year and I'm gonna say no. Every time dessert is offered and I'll watch other people enjoy it, but I will, have no sugar as much as I can if things that I know don't have sugar in them, that.

I stand by that too, because, the sugar feeds., feeds the cancer. Yeah., flat out. Yes. So it's a healthy habit to, to obviously do without sugar. And it's cool that the different products that have come out that taste very similar. I mean, like you look at like Ali Pop and Poppy, those sodas don't, not that I'm, don't drink a ton of them, but they're good.

Yeah. They're just like, there's healthier products and it's cool to see that, they're, that, that's starting to come about and you can really enjoy stuff without sugar. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because I really could see how it is incredibly addictive and, yeah., I see the effects of, of people, I mean, there are more obese people in the world right now than there are people who are living famine.

You know, obesity's become a bigger issue than people not eating., it's like, it's overeating now is what it's become. Wow. They put sugar in everything. Everything. And it's, it's just not necessary. So I just, feel better, there were times, of course where I wanna, the, we were at a, I was at a graduation party on Saturday, and this company makes, I think it's called Sassy Cakes.

They make these incredible cakes, and of course, they had one of those sassy cakes there, and I was watching people's faces light up as they were putting that sugar in their mouth. And just the, sometimes it looks like a, you could see the drug reaction to people like it Yeah. Literally the euphoria that comes over them.

But then you see them in an hour, again, an hour, and the, that's all worn off and they're coming down off the, it's, it's different in that regard. so I, you talked about, I mean, you've been through some life changing challenges. You've, you've. You've lived through some things that most people will, never do and never, get to experience, and you've got taken yourself through those things.

You recently, or maybe, I don't know how recently, but you wrote a family creed. Yeah, yeah. I did like a, a motto for, or a way for your family to live. How, how did you do? Tell me about that. Yeah. Because I think it's a really cool exercise for people to do. Well, I had a, I've always thought about that.

I've always been one to like, love quotes and creeds, and I'm a big John Wooden guy and, he obviously has the pyramid of success and creeds and, I've wanted to do that for my family and I wanted to be diligent about it. I didn't want it to just be me. I wanted my wife to own it too, because it's, she we're we're one man.

Her and I are one. Yes. And it, I had had some things already written down and then I wanted her. To just kind of edit it or, and add things. And so we worked on it together. I, I initially started it and then with her input, we'd probably worked through the final version after several months. And then I think she gave it to me, she's an artist, so she had kind of seen how it was all gonna be displayed and gave it to me as a gift.

Hmm. So as you enter our house, it's up there and it's what we try to live by. And it's kind of funny, like, we had talked a little bit about my dad, like having these like verses and book things, and I've got like, some of it in me. And so like, if we're struggling with a decision or something in life or something's been brought to us, like I'll, I'll take her to the picture.

Oh yeah. And just, or, or mention them. But they kind of just have become, some, like one-liners that, you don't wanna make it too long, but it's enough to where it's digestible and we hope to bring our kids. To the creed soon when they can kind of comprehend it. Yeah. And hopefully it, like lives on, is something they're proud of and that we all live by.

Yeah. Do you, do you have a picture of it? Because it's in your house. It's displayed in your house, so you see it when you walk in. Yeah. Yeah. And that's important too, right? Yeah. It's like you're passing it every day. Yeah. Yeah. So there's a reminder of it. Yeah. I only ask you that. 'cause I would love, if you wouldn't mind if we could share that so that it's, Zach puts it in the overlay, if you're okay with that.

Yeah, no, absolutely. So that people could see it. Yeah., just, I think people get inspired. I'll send it over to you so you guys have it. Yeah, that'd be really cool. Yeah, I'd like to see that. Yeah. And, the fact that you have it in your house exposed, so you're seeing it every day, all day.

Yeah. It's there for you,? Do you have something similar? I mean, it sounds like you came from a, an Italian family with, a great father and Sure., other family members you have mentioned, like, have you, do you have one? Have you thought about one? It seems like, yeah, no, I, I guess it sort of spills over into the way we.

You haven't put it into words, maybe you probably haven't put it into words. And I think maybe for the business we have in certain regards. 'cause I think the way my parents had had always, had always felt like we lived, was always serving. I never understood that we were serving, but I just always knew that there was a level of service in, in the Italian family, if somebody comes to visit, they're a guest in your home and you are there for, to serve them whatever way.

And usually it was around food in the Italian family. So whoever comes over is gonna get very well fed. And there's certain foods that are only for our guests that when the guest comes here, this food is for our guest. Whoever that guest is, it doesn't matter who they are. 'cause we always had random people around holidays that were at our house.

People I never knew that were there. And I always wondered, why do we have these random people? But it was always these people that they would always open their house up to say, do you have somebody to be with over the holidays? And they was always invite whoever didn't have anybody to be with. You would be a part of our family.

And we grew up that way. They always having these extras in our lives and, being a host to them. And I think that's how, when they first opened the business many years ago, it was like, this is our home. Welcome to our home. This is, you're a guest in our home. We're here to serve you in whatever way possible.

And just living by that sort of, service to others way without ever putting it in words. But yeah, we're here to just serve. And I really know when I'm in my own head and sort of, suffering over some problem or issue, that's my issue when I'm in service to others and when I put the focus on others, that my problems disappear when I literally, am just being there for another, in whatever way possible, whatever way I can.

Isn't that crazy how that works? Just go away. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's how I get out of a hole too. It's like, who can I serve? Yeah. And then you just work your way out and kind of get outta your own way a little bit. Yeah. But it sounds like you grew up with like a philosophy of like giving with like nothing to get.

That's like really what true love is all about. Yeah, it really is. Yeah. I don't want anything from you just come on in and let me serve and love you. Yeah. That's amazing that you had a, an Italian family that was like the center of what you all, you know who you are, what you guys do. Yeah, and I saw it in ev in real play when I, met my wife and her, her family just to see what they had a level of unconditional love that I had never experienced before.

A level of, I grew up in a, an Italian Catholic family around the Catholic faith where there was a lot of, I knew I wasn't the best Catholic the way I should be living to the standards of what I thought Catholicism was and to see, to be accepted into their family. Without judgment in all ways and understanding God in a new way.

Like for me, I always, and it was my own interpretation of it, but just saw that I was never gonna live up to what God wanted me to live up be. Yeah, yeah. Or live up to that way. And when I saw their family and their representing, 'cause I remember my wife always said to me, now before you meet my mom, I want you to know she's very religious.

And when I heard that, I thought, oh, I'm in trouble. 'cause I'm failing in that area. I'm no good. And I was so nervous to meet her. And when I finally met her, I had this, all this anticipation and fear and worry. 'cause I loved her daughter so much and I really wanted her to love me. And when I met her and the way she was so loving and so kind and so.

Okay. With exactly the way I was, the way I am not any other way for with her daughter. It was a level of love that I had never felt or seen. The way, the way God loves you, man. Yeah. That's what it was. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And, that's beautiful. Yeah. Just they, they just opened my, they gave me life at a level that I never knew it could be in a, in a whole new way, which is, and I already, already thought life was pretty good.

Yeah. And it just got, to this whole other level of love and unconditional love and freedom and just be, just to see how their family lived and, and the way they lived and the way they represented, like you said, God through them is what it, what it always was. Yeah. And so it really, that was beautiful.

Gave me a beautiful life. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm, I'm grateful every single day for, for her, her family., I not only had a great woman, but then I met her family and. It was like, I get all these bonuses in addition to, having this great variety. Everybody was very welcoming of you. Oh gosh.

And just, just incredible. Just, just made me be me at a level. I never knew I could be me. 'cause I was okay just being me without having to try to be somebody else,? Yeah. Could just be myself and be loved for the way I am. And, that was, that was a, that gift that they have that keeps giving to me every day.

So I feel really blessed to have that.,? So, so I guess, without writing it down, but you've inspired me to wanna put some of those things into writing for a family constitution. Yeah. Just a cool exercise,? Yeah. Just to think and look back and, yeah. Put sometimes it's, it's fun just to put things in words a little bit.

Yeah. And chew on it. Yeah. So we always had my father-in-law to sort of just center us. 'cause he would always go, well, you gotta put God first, is what he would say. Are you putting God first? And he'd just center us and, come to church with me on Sunday. He'd say, and. Let's, let's start there before we go anywhere else.

If you do that as a platform and, not having him the last few months, having those words or having a constitution to go back to, which includes that Yeah. Will be a reminder of him. So I think in homage to him, Michelle, and I'll do that to kind of write that and keep it displayed in our home like that way too.

Yeah. So what, what's Michelle like? she is a brilliant, she, so first of all, she's incredibly gorgeous. She's beautiful, but she's highly intelligent. On top of that, she's super, super smart. She's a doctor and, she is a give, she's got the heart of, a teacher. Her mother was a teacher. She at the heart of a teacher, but the heart of a, just an endless giver for people.

She's just a giver in all ways. And I actually, we met under the pull up bar at the gym. I said, we met at a bar under, literally under a pull up bar. We met at our gym and, she would talk to me after the workouts and I just thought. She's talking to me like she's spending this. I never thought there was any chance of a relationship.

I thought There's she's way outta my league. There's no opportunity. There's no chance. It's nice. I love talking to her 'cause I love looking at her beautiful eyes and it was a, great, anytime I got to spend with her was great, but I never thought there was any chance of us being in a relationship because I just thought she was way at a way different level than I'll ever be.

Yeah. And, it sort of evolved in, in a, in a way that I was a fairytale., we just ended up, together at the same time my father was sick and our very first time, very first evening together, we, where we were supposed to spend time outside of the gym. And I just thought it was like a friend hangout thing.

I'm in the friend zone here and, I was supposed to meet her at this party and my father slipped and fell and broke his hip. And, we had to take him to the, to the emergency room. Yeah. for x-rays. And I didn't have her number to contact her to say, I'm not coming. So. I, I'm with my father.

I'm really upset about this, hoping that, he's gonna be okay. And at the same time, I got her on my mind. Like she's gonna think I totally stood her up. Like the one chance I get to just, to hang out with her, I'm not there. And I'm freaking out in all regards. 'cause I'm upset about everything that's going on.

And, somehow while I'm in the emergency room, 'cause we were there forever. It took forever to get x-rays. It was like, eight o'clock, nine o'clock, 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock. I texted a friend, who colleague who she worked with, and I said, Hey, can you please try to get ahold of her and let her know I'm not there for a reason.

A good reason. Yeah. Really. I'm in the emergency room. And, he did that for me and saved me. And, I thought you were gonna say she walked in and was like the one opera she had. She would, she would have. Yeah. I literally had she known she would have, that's just who she is. I mean, she, she would've been there in a minute and all she was concerned, she was more concerned about like, how's your fa,?

Yeah. Like everything, she could be there for my father and she was just there in a way that., she continues to be every single day, and I just, I can't imagine a moment of life without her. She's just, like you said, we're one and it's, that's incredible. It's a beautiful thing,? Yeah. I'm blessed.

Yeah. It's, I'm blessed. It's like you already, by the way, she handled that situation before you really even spent meaningful time with her, you could tell where her heart was, man. A hundred percent. Yeah. So pure and good had nothing to do with her. She was like, let's take care of your, what do, what does your dad do?

What do you need? What does your dad need? What can I do for you?, just a beautiful soul. So, yeah, when you, when you have that, when you find that there's nothing like it on earth, there's just nothing. Nothing. Yeah. I've got it. That's what stood out to me, and I'll, I'll just, I'll make this brief, but we had started dating and it had been a.

A month or two. And I didn't have a, a, an past experience of dating a lot of, like, serious, like I would never, I just rarely had people around my parents 'cause I wanted to be the right person. But my parents had come down and my grandma had come down. I said, Hey, would you like to, to have a meal with us?

It was at, meta Toronto. And I had not shared with her at that point that I had, I had ever had cancer or anything like that. Mm. And so, my par I think my grandmother said something like, how are you feeling? Like, I was like, I'm fine., I'm, she's like, they kind of started to talk about that experience and she, Olivia kind of looked over and then it opened itself up to me to share that.

And she put her, her, her hand on my, on my, leg when I started telling the story. And you could tell that like, it was meaningful for me to share that. And her, I felt like in her present that she was gonna take care of me no matter what. It was such a strong feeling that. Similar to how you had, it's like, I'm gonna be taken care of this.

This woman just loves in a whole deep, another deep way. Yeah. Like,. Yeah, yeah. I get it. Yeah. Yeah. Magic moment that you'll never forget. Yeah. Yeah. I totally get it. Yeah. And she's Italian too, so I know she's special. Yes. Yeah. Chicago Italian at that, right? She's from, is she born and raised in Chicago?

Yeah. Michigan. Oh. But, yeah, moved there and her grandparents actually are from Italy. They, they, they live here part-time grand. Really? Oh wow. Yeah. Run a restaurant. Her uncle runs a, a restaurant too, up in, up in that area. So they're like all in the food and we get the full Italian experience. Oh, love it.

Oh gosh. Yeah. I gotta meet her. Yeah, she's special. So we're gonna do some just for fun questions. well, the coffee shop, so your go-to coffee order. Just black, large black coffee Co. Kona is your coffee movie. Yeah. Kona. Yeah. Yeah. The city. That's the one there City. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I gotta try that. books or podcasts that you're into Right now, I'm reading the Hunter Gatherer Parent

For a book. Super into that. And then from a podcast standpoint, I like the Ed Millet podcast. Oh yeah. I like John. a guy by the name of John O'Leary. I like John Gordon. he's got the Positive U University, podcast. And then I like a guy by the name of Mark Batterson. He's got one on community church podcast, but I love the way he speaks and tells stories.

So I plug into that one too. I met Ed Millet when he came to Fort Myers not too long ago. I went to that too. Did you go to that? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, they had, I didn't make it to Tim Tebow 'cause I had something in that afternoon, but great lineup of speakers. Yeah. John Maxwell. Yes. I mean, come on dude.

He's like a legend just wrapping up there. I know. Yeah. That was so cool. And, the guy I went with who's a, one of my mentors and person I love dearly, had got me the ticket and he had this VIP ticket and we got to meet Ed for literally just to take a picture with him. And it was for 10 seconds, shake his hand, 10 seconds, they take a picture.

But that 10 seconds, that man was so present, like he was, it was like we had spent three hours together in 10 seconds., like I could, I don't know how he did it, but it was just, it was, I don't even remember what he said to me. He, he said something like, oh, you look like you work out a little bit, or something like that in there.

He, he just like, he just. The way he looked into my eyes and the way, because he had hundreds people in line. Yeah. He's gotta take a picture with all these people. Like, come on, go, go, go, go, go, go, go. But his ability to be present with me in those 10 seconds was something that fascinated me. I was like, wow.

He's got a gift to interview, to speak. Yeah. I mean, and then like the, the presence. Yeah. There. That's, that's incredible. Yeah. I love to, I love to hear that. I didn't get a chance to meet him, but, I love the energy that he brings. Totally. And the people he brings on are all about the right things, positive people, and Yeah.

Yeah. I love it. Yeah. It was a great day. It was a great event. I really enjoyed it. And, Stefan is my friend who, actually he turned me on to Ed,. Yeah. He, he, he was always sending me clips or something that Ed said, or, whatever it was,. Yeah. The attendance was great for that.

Yeah. Was, it was cool. Know I tried to invite some people, like, Hey, there's some great speakers, like, let's come and learn some. And yeah, we enjoyed that. That's cool that this area is open, bringing people like that. Nice. Yeah. do you have a hidden talent?

I don't think I do. Okay. I can't think of anything. Sorry, I'm, it's all right. how about something that most people don't know about you, but should I Maybe people that are listening could tell that I'm somewhat emotional, but like, I, I get overwhelmed by certain things and get emotional, like, a little bit behind the scenes, like if it's a feel good story or with certain things.

So, yeah. Probably something that, like, maybe somebody who meets me or spent time with me hasn't necessarily seen, but like, if I were to watch, like remember the Titans are Rudy, like, I would, I would choke up and cry. Yeah. Like, it's just that, like, I feel very, very deeply and I'm, I'm an emotional guy.

Not on the surface, but below the surface. Yeah. Yeah. Get it. Yeah. Yeah.

Alright. All right. This is

I, and you've, you've probably covered a lot of this throughout, but it's kind of something I always love to close with because it's, it's not what a lot of people spend time on. It's not what, what, what gets more clicks is what's negative and what's not working, and what's the failures are in life and just the catastrophes of life online.

What do you love about your life? I mean, I firmly, I love most about my life that I'm a believer and that I know the end of the story. Like it's so fulfilling to know that, I'm gonna be up in heaven someday with my family, my extended family, and everybody that I love that. I just love that it gives me a hope.

And there's nothing better than having hope, man. Hmm. It's a, it's a great feeling to have. And we try to live our, Olivia and I talk about living life that's Christ-centered to bring our kids up in that. And that's all that really matters,? So. Hmm. No, I appreciate that. I think there's no accident in you being here today because I, that gives me so much peace, as my wife and I struggle with losing our father-in-law, her, her, her dad, but knowing that.

Man, he was so re he Whenever, whenever God was ready for him, he was ready.,? Yeah. And I know he's celebrating and living it in a way that he always dreamed he would be living it. And for us to know to hear that, 'cause I gotta constantly hear that for myself to know that man, I'll be with him again.

Yeah. Man, that's gotta be hard. And, you can tell how big of an impact he's had on you, but you think about it like, we're just here for a little spec of time as it relates to eternity. Yeah. And that's really cool that this is just a little spec of time that we're here. Yeah. And to have an impact and an influence to love each other.

And then we'll all be up there and, yeah. Yeah. You two will be putting your arms around each other. Yeah. Celebrating forever. Yeah. At some point. God bless you, man. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I really, I needed that. Yeah. It's just perfect. So, yeah, it's hard when you're missing somebody, and you're used to hearing from him and they're, there's such a positive life.

Yeah, yeah. But he's, but he's but's, he's here right now, like, yeah. He's living through you. Coming, just came through you, like, it's just that message. So no accidents at all. So thank you, man. I really, really appreciate it. Such an honor to get to spend time with you, to meet you, to talk to you, to get to know our community.

So blessed to have somebody like you, like we're really, likewise, I feel honored to be. To be here to just learn more about your business and what you're doing here, the values that you all live by, and the people that have come on this podcast, like I mentioned, like just Yeah. Special people that you're interviewing.

Yeah. And I'm lucky to be a part of it. yeah. Thanks for bringing me. Yeah, absolutely. Our pleasure. And if there's, anything we can ever do. But by the way, we're gonna have your wife here for some pampering too, so she's Oh, wow. She's, that's on us. So she'll get to come in and get whatever services she wants to have done.

And so we'll give her some loving and aha. She's, she's, she's a mom and mom's go through you guys something. No touch on that. She's dealing with a lot. We having two under two. She's bless. Pushing through it. Oh my gosh. So thankful that we don't have to go through any of that, but I, God bless them for doing it.

And, I know she needs some, some loving and some time away. You could watch the kids and bring her in here. And there we go. Get some good TLC to you. Well, thanks for the cut too, man. I love it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, geez, you're a great model for our work, so thank you, man. Appreciate it. Thanks a million brother Appreci.

Appreciate Yeah, man, you. I appreciate it. Mitchell, thank you for sharing not just your incredible story with Nash to Naples, but also your heart, your values, and the moments that have shaped you. To everyone listening, thank you for tuning in. On behalf of the spotlight of good people and everyone listening, we honor Mitchell not just for what he's done, but for who he is as a man who shines his light and invites others to do the same.