Empowering Veteran Wellness: Sam Westfall's Journey Through Archery, PTSD Management, and Entrepreneurial Success

WEBVTT

00:00:02.786 --> 00:00:11.510
<v Speaker 1>Welcome to your Thoughts, your Reality with Michael Cole, the podcast that shines a compassionate light on the journey of veterans battling through life's challenges.

00:00:11.510 --> 00:00:23.346
<v Speaker 1>Michael is a dual elite certified neuro encoding specialist in coaching and keynote training presentations dedicated to guiding military veterans as they navigate the intricate pathways of post deployment life.

00:00:23.346 --> 00:00:34.613
<v Speaker 1>Join him as we delve into the profound realm of neuroencoding science, empowering these brave individuals to conquer universal battles procrastination, self-doubt, fear and more.

00:00:34.613 --> 00:00:42.444
<v Speaker 1>Together, let's uncover the strength within you to re-engage with families and society, forging a new path forward.

00:00:46.966 --> 00:00:57.710
<v Speaker 2>Hello, hello, hello, everybody Forging a new path forward.

00:00:57.710 --> 00:01:09.936
<v Speaker 2>A former Army M1 Abrams tank systems mechanic, 22-year career in IT, founder of Archery in Motion, which we're going to talk a lot about that today.

00:01:09.936 --> 00:01:10.498
<v Speaker 2>I'm excited.

00:01:10.498 --> 00:01:11.677
<v Speaker 2>We're going to get a video.

00:01:11.677 --> 00:01:20.245
<v Speaker 2>Even we pulled that one off, or I think we have.

00:01:20.245 --> 00:01:23.055
<v Speaker 2>And then he, of course, advocates for archery as a therapeutic tool to help veterans overcome post-traumatic stress.

00:01:23.055 --> 00:01:27.686
<v Speaker 2>He's committed to supporting veterans in their entrepreneurial journeys, providing guidance and inspiration.

00:01:27.686 --> 00:01:32.466
<v Speaker 2>So, if we can, real quick, sam, why don't you just tell us a little bit more about yourself?

00:01:33.600 --> 00:01:37.007
<v Speaker 3>Thanks, michael, appreciate you having me on so you hit all the high points for me.

00:01:37.007 --> 00:01:50.365
<v Speaker 3>So seven-year IT career or seven-year Army career as a tank mechanic playing with the M1, abrams, m1a2s and everything underneath that had the opportunity to shoot everything that the Army had to offer.

00:01:50.365 --> 00:02:02.569
<v Speaker 3>Injured, stepped out of the Army, medically separated, went into an IT career working across various industries across the country, from banking to construction.

00:02:02.569 --> 00:02:10.151
<v Speaker 3>Pretty much the gambit Worked typically in the back end in the infrastructure data center side of the house.

00:02:10.151 --> 00:02:14.431
<v Speaker 3>From there last year I decided I needed something different.

00:02:14.431 --> 00:02:32.491
<v Speaker 3>So I stepped away out of the IT space and started Archery in Motion and got familiar with all the different programs that support veteran entrepreneurs, and you know past that it's taking my lifelong passion of archery and hunting and bringing that into my day-to-day life.

00:02:32.731 --> 00:02:42.227
<v Speaker 2>So here we are Absolutely love it, and we were so close to seeing each other in person when I was in Colorado a couple of weeks ago or last week, whenever it was.

00:02:42.227 --> 00:02:45.092
<v Speaker 2>It's all a blur at this point, so close.

00:02:45.092 --> 00:02:48.284
<v Speaker 2>So just before we get started, I just want to remind people.

00:02:48.284 --> 00:02:51.651
<v Speaker 2>On the top right-hand corner of your screen there's a blue QR code.

00:02:51.651 --> 00:02:52.873
<v Speaker 2>Please scan that.

00:02:52.873 --> 00:02:55.961
<v Speaker 2>It takes you to empowerperformancestrategiescom Again.

00:02:55.961 --> 00:03:01.633
<v Speaker 2>Empowerperformancestrategiescom for those who are just listening on the podcast forums later.

00:03:01.633 --> 00:03:03.645
<v Speaker 2>Lots of resources.

00:03:03.645 --> 00:03:05.929
<v Speaker 2>I've written a couple of free e-books.

00:03:05.929 --> 00:03:12.371
<v Speaker 2>There's some Facebook groups and communities to get involved in those kinds of things as well, so please take advantage of that.

00:03:12.371 --> 00:03:18.747
<v Speaker 2>So, with that said, tell us a little bit more about how you got decided.

00:03:18.747 --> 00:03:22.225
<v Speaker 2>Hey, archery in motion, that's a thing I'm going to make it.

00:03:22.225 --> 00:03:23.330
<v Speaker 2>What drew you to it?

00:03:25.040 --> 00:03:40.627
<v Speaker 3>So I've been a long-time hunter and competitive shooter even before I went into the military, so really stepped into shooting long range, short range, idpa, uspsa, got out of the army and really went deep dark into the shooting space.

00:03:40.627 --> 00:04:04.685
<v Speaker 3>But what I found is that in that time there's really not that there's the constant recurrence of PTSD in the shooting space because you're always remembering what you were doing in the military and the other side of that coin is that you're not really getting the community or the collaboration, even the camaraderie, out of the shooting space because you're always wearing earmuffs and you're not really having those deep conversations.

00:04:04.685 --> 00:04:15.782
<v Speaker 3>My last year of rifle hunting I took a shot at almost 700 yards and dropped an elk and I kind of said to myself this really isn't hunting anymore and that was ridge line to ridge line.

00:04:15.782 --> 00:04:17.444
<v Speaker 3>The elk dropped, great.

00:04:17.444 --> 00:04:23.483
<v Speaker 3>But the reality was I didn't feel like it was competitive hunting, as it were.

00:04:23.483 --> 00:04:29.213
<v Speaker 3>So I stepped over to the archery side of the house and that changed my perspective on a lot of things.

00:04:29.213 --> 00:04:32.329
<v Speaker 3>Archery really became that PTSD relief.

00:04:32.329 --> 00:04:48.584
<v Speaker 3>Archery really became that level of reconnecting with people and camaraderie and it got me into a very deeper level of hunting than what I've ever been in 35 years level of hunting than what I've ever been in 35 years.

00:04:48.605 --> 00:05:05.709
<v Speaker 3>So taking all of that jumping deep into the archery space now I've gone to 13 years worth of archery competitions, whether that's 3D archery or dot archery, you know three spot or five spot, and 3D archery really became that fun space for me where I can go out and I can interact and I can have fun, I can talk to everybody.

00:05:05.709 --> 00:05:15.110
<v Speaker 3>But what I found was that I'm still shooting a stationary target and I'm a pretty decent shot regardless of what you put in my hands.

00:05:15.110 --> 00:05:25.665
<v Speaker 3>So after hitting years of consistent 8, 10, and 12 rings in 3D archery, I said, okay, let's make it a bit more challenging and let's take those same 3D archery targets.

00:05:25.665 --> 00:05:28.391
<v Speaker 3>But let's make it a bit more challenging and let's take those same 3d archery targets, but let's make a move.

00:05:28.391 --> 00:05:32.242
<v Speaker 3>So after an event about three years ago, my buddy and I we went to the bar.

00:05:32.242 --> 00:05:33.649
<v Speaker 3>We're celebrating the day.

00:05:34.071 --> 00:05:36.300
<v Speaker 3>I go, reach over, grab a bar napkin and I start drawing.

00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:37.004
<v Speaker 3>He says what are you doing?

00:05:37.004 --> 00:05:38.471
<v Speaker 3>I said I'm figuring out how to make this work.

00:05:38.471 --> 00:05:40.180
<v Speaker 3>He went you're kidding us?

00:05:40.180 --> 00:05:41.041
<v Speaker 3>Not even a little bit.

00:05:41.041 --> 00:05:53.353
<v Speaker 3>So three years I've gone through a dozen different prototypes and designs and I figured out how to make it work, what's going to work, what's not going to work, what meets the requirements.

00:05:53.353 --> 00:05:58.240
<v Speaker 3>So I had five major requirements it has to be set up and tore down in under 20 minutes.

00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:00.427
<v Speaker 3>It has to go in the back of my Toyota Tacoma.

00:06:00.427 --> 00:06:08.908
<v Speaker 3>I have to be able to set it up by myself, I need it to be wirelessly controlled out to 100 yards and I want to make sure that it can support virtually any target.

00:06:08.908 --> 00:06:12.043
<v Speaker 3>And it met all five of those after three years of design.

00:06:12.043 --> 00:06:21.329
<v Speaker 3>So now that we've got all those pieces in play, now we can take 3D archery targets, throw them out there at 100 yards and really start to practice in a real-life scenario.

00:06:21.990 --> 00:06:23.733
<v Speaker 2>Very cool man, very cool and.

00:06:23.733 --> 00:06:29.627
<v Speaker 2>And so what made you and I'm totally going off the, you know again, organic conversation, man.

00:06:29.627 --> 00:06:31.112
<v Speaker 2>This is just my mind going now.

00:06:31.112 --> 00:06:32.040
<v Speaker 2>So what?

00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:33.463
<v Speaker 2>What was the?

00:06:33.463 --> 00:06:36.389
<v Speaker 2>Do you remember what the trigger was of going?

00:06:36.389 --> 00:06:38.014
<v Speaker 2>I need to make this now.

00:06:39.281 --> 00:06:40.644
<v Speaker 3>So that's a great question.

00:06:40.644 --> 00:06:53.255
<v Speaker 3>So when we first started looking at it, talking about it and designing it with a buddy of mine, we had just got a tack total archery challenge event up in glenwood springs and that's really the extreme shooters in the archery space.

00:06:53.255 --> 00:06:59.151
<v Speaker 3>You know, they're launching arrows out to 116, 120 yards through really narrowed windows of trees.

00:06:59.151 --> 00:07:14.990
<v Speaker 3>And while it's fun and while it's fun I was just up, um, while it's fun, there's still it's fun I was just up While it's fun there's still that level of stationary target stuck in the trees, and it's when you start looking at that as a extreme shoot, cool.

00:07:15.391 --> 00:07:22.697
<v Speaker 3>But when you look at it from a hunter's perspective, very, very rarely do those animals sit still long enough for you to take those long shots Awesome.

00:07:22.697 --> 00:07:34.795
<v Speaker 3>The only way that you really can practice on that is if you have a realistic scenario to practice with, and you know I've taken antelope at 94 yards while they're taking a step.

00:07:34.795 --> 00:07:40.750
<v Speaker 3>Granted, their steps are only, you know, 18 to 20 inches, but it's still a step, elk, when they take a step it's almost three feet.

00:07:40.750 --> 00:07:48.130
<v Speaker 3>The only way you can practice in those scenarios is having that moving target, and so that was that moment where I said we can do better.

00:07:48.130 --> 00:07:51.824
<v Speaker 3>I can make this realistic, and let's make it fun.

00:07:52.103 --> 00:08:04.146
<v Speaker 2>I absolutely love it and we'll get into this more, but I believe there are some and forgive me because this was a while ago we talked but law enforcement or military applications that are actually looking at it now.

00:08:04.166 --> 00:08:04.608
<v Speaker 3>So right.

00:08:04.608 --> 00:08:18.447
<v Speaker 3>So as I, as I first started talking about bringing this to to archery and motion of life, you know I went through a dozen different programs, whether that was SBDC, vboc, warrior, rising, bunker Labs, ivmf.

00:08:18.447 --> 00:08:23.764
<v Speaker 3>But the SBDC folks, they asked me point blank so Sam, why archery?

00:08:23.764 --> 00:08:27.968
<v Speaker 3>I said, well, that's kind of my passion, that's where I've been in that hunting space for the last 13 years.

00:08:27.968 --> 00:08:29.923
<v Speaker 3>And they said, great, but why not firearms?

00:08:29.923 --> 00:08:30.966
<v Speaker 3>And I said, cause I'm an idiot.

00:08:30.966 --> 00:08:35.861
<v Speaker 3>And we all laughed and so realistically I said, okay, you're absolutely right.

00:08:35.861 --> 00:08:42.591
<v Speaker 3>I from an IDPA, USPSA, ipsc, two gun, three gun, indoor combat league, name the scenario.

00:08:42.591 --> 00:08:50.830
<v Speaker 3>So now it's all the holes for all those different types of target scenarios, even steel plate, are all pre-drilled, pre-drilled into the product.

00:08:50.830 --> 00:09:00.471
<v Speaker 3>Um had a couple conversation with tactical training groups where they're doing room clearing scenarios and now they've got a moving target in that room clearing scenario.

00:09:00.471 --> 00:09:08.727
<v Speaker 3>So it really does have growth and expansion across the board and just offers something totally different, unique than what most shooters will ever see.

00:09:09.208 --> 00:09:10.251
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's fantastic.

00:09:10.251 --> 00:09:20.734
<v Speaker 2>I love the concept and I just love again that real-world application, not just for hunting but to help our military and or you know obviously first responders, etc.

00:09:20.734 --> 00:09:22.160
<v Speaker 2>So I think it's just fantastic.

00:09:22.160 --> 00:09:24.885
<v Speaker 2>So, without further ado, can we look?

00:09:24.885 --> 00:09:25.746
<v Speaker 2>Can we watch the video?

00:09:25.746 --> 00:09:26.447
<v Speaker 2>Can we watch the video?

00:09:26.447 --> 00:09:26.648
<v Speaker 2>Can we?

00:09:26.668 --> 00:09:27.249
<v Speaker 3>watch the video.

00:09:27.249 --> 00:09:31.014
<v Speaker 3>If we can figure out how to make this happen, yeah, let's see if we can get this thing back up.

00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:33.501
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to add it to the stage.

00:09:33.522 --> 00:09:38.206
<v Speaker 3>Oh, there we go All right, so wanted to talk about what is that.

00:09:38.206 --> 00:09:40.467
<v Speaker 3>I've heard a lot of people say, well, it's too slow.

00:09:40.467 --> 00:09:44.349
<v Speaker 3>What you just saw was a deer moving through the woods without knowing we were there.

00:09:44.349 --> 00:09:47.850
<v Speaker 3>Then we put the target next to it to say, hey, it's really about the same speed.

00:09:47.850 --> 00:09:53.474
<v Speaker 3>This shows the individual shooters operating it themselves, so it doesn't require multiple people.

00:09:53.474 --> 00:09:57.355
<v Speaker 3>It really is Single shooter can take it out there and throw it out there.

00:09:57.355 --> 00:09:59.576
<v Speaker 3>That's a turkey targeted 41 yards.

00:09:59.576 --> 00:10:02.177
<v Speaker 3>That was a really hard shot for a lot of folks.

00:10:02.177 --> 00:10:07.639
<v Speaker 3>This is a group of shooters and this is you know a bunch of different scenarios.

00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:08.780
<v Speaker 3>What's that hill look like?

00:10:08.780 --> 00:10:09.921
<v Speaker 3>What's the angle look like?

00:10:09.921 --> 00:10:12.302
<v Speaker 3>Put it in some realistic scenarios for folks.

00:10:13.062 --> 00:10:16.246
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, absolutely, absolutely fantastic.

00:10:16.246 --> 00:10:21.678
<v Speaker 2>So just so you know, susan has a lot of family in Colorado that's going to be calling you, that's all right.

00:10:21.678 --> 00:10:31.460
<v Speaker 2>My wife was probably more disappointed we didn't go see it than anybody, so thank you for sharing the video.

00:10:31.621 --> 00:10:32.065
<v Speaker 1>Absolutely.

00:10:32.865 --> 00:10:46.197
<v Speaker 2>So, as far as if we can jump back to post-traumatic stress and how this really helped, you can jump back to, you know, post-traumatic stress and how this really helped you.

00:10:46.197 --> 00:10:47.500
<v Speaker 2>So I understand my wife here.

00:10:47.500 --> 00:10:48.221
<v Speaker 2>She goes right here.

00:10:48.221 --> 00:10:48.903
<v Speaker 2>I've already sent info.

00:10:48.903 --> 00:10:50.326
<v Speaker 2>I love her.

00:10:50.326 --> 00:10:51.048
<v Speaker 2>I love her.

00:10:51.048 --> 00:11:00.671
<v Speaker 2>So, as far as post-traumatic stress, so I understand the camaraderie which is super important, especially right after transition.

00:11:00.671 --> 00:11:06.791
<v Speaker 2>That is a super important or during transition, super important aspect to have, and I coach people on all the time.

00:11:06.791 --> 00:11:08.527
<v Speaker 2>So what are some?

00:11:08.527 --> 00:11:15.038
<v Speaker 2>As far as the shooting and I know the answer but I want to get your feedback and your words because we've already talked about it.

00:11:15.038 --> 00:11:22.586
<v Speaker 2>But what really helps that when you're feeling that anxiousness, feeling that anxiety, et cetera?

00:11:23.267 --> 00:11:39.599
<v Speaker 3>So if you think about the firearm side of the house again, you're earmuffed up, you're not having those interactive conversations and when you sit down on a line and you've got somebody else shooting next to you, it's a little bit of chaos because you've got that gunfire making all kinds of noise In the archery space.

00:11:39.599 --> 00:11:41.447
<v Speaker 3>It's a lot different of chaos because you've got that gunfire making all kinds of noise In the archery space.

00:11:41.447 --> 00:11:42.250
<v Speaker 3>It's a lot different.

00:11:42.250 --> 00:11:49.249
<v Speaker 3>There's no earmuffs, you're having the conversations, there's a little bit of BS and there's probably a little bit of trash talk going on, which brings that level of camaraderie.

00:11:49.730 --> 00:12:05.140
<v Speaker 3>But the key piece is that when you attach that release to the string and you draw that arrow back and that string back, everything else falls to the wayside, cause all you can focus on is string placement, release placement, pin on target and how to get that arrow out there.

00:12:05.140 --> 00:12:20.985
<v Speaker 3>And so as soon as that arrow releases, now you also have that little bit of stress, that little bit of PTSD or that little bit of anxiety leaves with that arrow, and every time you launch an arrow, for me it became one little bit less, one little bit less over time.

00:12:20.985 --> 00:12:39.696
<v Speaker 3>Now I'm 14 years into this and well more than 15,000 arrows a year between competitions and practice and hunting season, and my stress levels and my anxiety levels, even as an entrepreneur, are still way down the board because of that constant release.

00:12:40.725 --> 00:12:41.989
<v Speaker 2>Love it, absolutely love that.

00:12:41.989 --> 00:12:44.674
<v Speaker 2>So I like to add to something on there.

00:12:44.674 --> 00:12:45.476
<v Speaker 2>This is me just.

00:12:45.476 --> 00:12:48.912
<v Speaker 2>You know, being a neuroencoder, you know that specialty.

00:12:48.912 --> 00:12:57.095
<v Speaker 2>So when you release the arrow, good or bad, celebrate it, and I mean literally.

00:12:57.755 --> 00:12:58.157
<v Speaker 3>Absolutely.

00:12:58.325 --> 00:13:00.465
<v Speaker 2>Hang your elbow over, pat yourself on the back.

00:13:00.465 --> 00:13:02.131
<v Speaker 2>We call it astitude.

00:13:02.131 --> 00:13:03.336
<v Speaker 2>Literally shake your ass.

00:13:03.336 --> 00:13:05.085
<v Speaker 2>I might not want to do that around a bunch of guys.

00:13:05.085 --> 00:13:06.668
<v Speaker 2>You don't know how that'll play out, or?

00:13:06.889 --> 00:13:08.232
<v Speaker 3>a little bit more trash talk.

00:13:08.232 --> 00:13:09.517
<v Speaker 3>It's all good, yeah, right I?

00:13:10.106 --> 00:13:15.625
<v Speaker 2>mean, and literally the hormones that are released from that make your mind go hey, what happened?

00:13:15.625 --> 00:13:18.131
<v Speaker 2>That was good, that was good and it will help with that.

00:13:18.211 --> 00:13:23.854
<v Speaker 3>Those things so, and when you, when you shoot a 10 ring or a 12 ring, it's absolutely that right you.

00:13:23.854 --> 00:13:39.995
<v Speaker 3>When, when you're trash talking with your buddies and you hit that 10 ring or that 12 ring, and they all go bastard, when you, there's a it's a phrase called robin hood and that means it's just like the old school book of you know, robin hood split his own arrow with with another arrow.

00:13:39.995 --> 00:13:43.393
<v Speaker 3>When you can, robin Hood your arrow or somebody else's arrow.

00:13:43.393 --> 00:13:47.192
<v Speaker 3>There's a lot of trash talk, but there's a lot of absolutely.

00:13:47.192 --> 00:13:48.154
<v Speaker 3>Let's make that happen again.

00:13:48.154 --> 00:13:51.095
<v Speaker 3>And what did I do that worked so well, that made that happen?

00:13:51.095 --> 00:13:56.615
<v Speaker 3>And it makes your brain refocus on what that shot process even looked like to get there.

00:13:57.517 --> 00:13:58.558
<v Speaker 2>Absolutely Fantastic.

00:13:58.558 --> 00:14:04.596
<v Speaker 2>And obviously you start creating muscle memory the more your body is looking for that, and the hormones, et cetera.

00:14:04.596 --> 00:14:05.648
<v Speaker 2>So awesome man.

00:14:05.648 --> 00:14:09.282
<v Speaker 2>So how do you see archery and entrepreneurship?

00:14:09.282 --> 00:14:15.158
<v Speaker 2>Let's talk about archery specifically right now working together and empowering veterans in their post-service life.

00:14:18.830 --> 00:14:37.284
<v Speaker 3>So, even since you and I spoke last, I've also spun up a secondary company called Valor Archery Challenge, which is going to be a 3D archery event, specialized and focused towards the military, the veteran and the family community, really trying to go back down to kind of that point of that transition.

00:14:37.706 --> 00:14:51.355
<v Speaker 3>When folks transition out there, at some point they're at a loss of well, I just lost everybody that I knew and if I transition from X base and go back to my, my home, home state, you have no connection.

00:14:51.355 --> 00:14:57.532
<v Speaker 3>What I found with archery is that it is a very open and inviting community, regardless of where you are and who you're dealing with.

00:14:57.532 --> 00:15:07.214
<v Speaker 3>It's if you've never you've never grabbed a bow before somebody is going to grab a hold of you and say, can I help you, can I coach you, can I work with you, whether that has a price tag or even for free.

00:15:07.214 --> 00:15:27.006
<v Speaker 3>Whereas you don't normally get that in the firearm space because, again, everybody's focused on their own shot group and really it's their own thing In the entrepreneurial space, archery helps to keep that mind truly focused towards what is that mission, what is that goal, what does that arrow need to hit in order to make that happen?

00:15:27.006 --> 00:15:28.711
<v Speaker 3>And kind of that's where.

00:15:28.711 --> 00:15:30.096
<v Speaker 3>To me, that's where they all fit together.

00:15:31.325 --> 00:15:32.447
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I love that.

00:15:32.447 --> 00:15:36.100
<v Speaker 2>So you know, really just reaching out.

00:15:36.100 --> 00:15:46.097
<v Speaker 2>I mean I'm assuming, and again I'm not part of it myself, but I'm assuming there are archery groups and potentially veteran archery groups.

00:15:46.097 --> 00:15:47.788
<v Speaker 2>If not, let's start some.

00:15:49.234 --> 00:15:49.995
<v Speaker 3>That's why I started one.

00:15:51.866 --> 00:15:53.994
<v Speaker 2>But now we need to go across the United States.

00:15:54.826 --> 00:16:05.977
<v Speaker 3>So that's the goal is to start in Colorado Springs with Valor Archery Challenge and, as it becomes successful, to start taking it across the country to every military base across the country.

00:16:05.977 --> 00:16:11.715
<v Speaker 3>And then I got a buddy of mine that's over here in the back of the corner going across the world because I want to travel.

00:16:12.355 --> 00:16:13.739
<v Speaker 2>Excellent.

00:16:14.705 --> 00:16:16.586
<v Speaker 3>Right, it really is.

00:16:16.586 --> 00:16:43.494
<v Speaker 3>An end goal is to be able to take that 3D archery world across the country and bring that military active National Guard Reserve, whatever the case may be, bring the veterans back into that camaraderie space and bring the families into it as well, Because that's the one thing that I think we all miss when we get out is that you lose a lot of those connections unless you are really work hard to keep that focus in there.

00:16:44.135 --> 00:16:47.445
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it is, and that's from my experience.

00:16:47.445 --> 00:16:49.590
<v Speaker 2>That is one of the main things.

00:16:49.590 --> 00:16:52.998
<v Speaker 2>There are multiple other, you know, during that transition period.

00:16:52.998 --> 00:16:56.833
<v Speaker 2>But that camaraderie and losing, I mean your family.

00:16:56.833 --> 00:16:58.236
<v Speaker 2>Let's call it what it is.

00:16:58.236 --> 00:17:00.091
<v Speaker 2>It's not necessarily camaraderie.

00:17:00.184 --> 00:17:03.394
<v Speaker 3>It literally, is your family that is relying on you, brothers and sisters.

00:17:04.517 --> 00:17:05.645
<v Speaker 2>Absolutely so.

00:17:05.645 --> 00:17:09.057
<v Speaker 2>If we can, let's move into some entrepreneurship.

00:17:09.057 --> 00:17:15.772
<v Speaker 2>So you know for you how has that helped with your transition and you know, of course, after being out.

00:17:16.665 --> 00:17:25.405
<v Speaker 3>So my transition was 20 years ago and I will say, you know, it was very much difficult because at the time there weren't all the groups that support the veterans like there are today.

00:17:25.405 --> 00:17:29.945
<v Speaker 3>So when I, when I got out, it was you're on your own, congratulations, have fun, good luck.

00:17:29.945 --> 00:17:35.175
<v Speaker 3>And that's just what it was and that's just what it was.

00:17:35.175 --> 00:17:50.214
<v Speaker 3>Looking at what there is available, the groups that train veterans how to become entrepreneurs, or the groups that take veterans out for hunting and fishing adventures, or even outdoor activity adventures right, there's a lot of community involved in that.

00:17:50.214 --> 00:18:23.972
<v Speaker 3>Now, in the entrepreneurial space, what I found is that especially certain groups are really focused in bringing that entrepreneur, veteran entrepreneur group together so that you are expanding your network, you're getting a level of you know, battle buddy, as it were, so that you've got somebody there to reach out to If you've got a bad day because in entrepreneurship there are really good days and there are really bad days and you know, let's avoid the 20 to a day number by having somebody to reach out and talk to and say, hey, look, today's crap, how do I get better?

00:18:24.173 --> 00:18:24.875
<v Speaker 3>What did I miss?

00:18:24.875 --> 00:18:26.038
<v Speaker 3>What can I improve on?

00:18:26.038 --> 00:18:31.688
<v Speaker 3>And you can have those conversations with these groups, versus if you just go out and try to do it on your own.

00:18:31.688 --> 00:18:32.996
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, you can probably do it.

00:18:32.996 --> 00:18:36.008
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, you can become successful because people have done it for centuries.

00:18:36.008 --> 00:18:38.252
<v Speaker 3>But it's easier when you got a tribe.

00:18:39.035 --> 00:19:00.597
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, absolutely, and you know, that's something I found in my life as well when, when you have a coach yes, I'm a coach, I have coaches when you have those people, they're going to get you so much further faster than you going and and beating your head against the wall, if you will, by making those mistakes.

00:19:00.597 --> 00:19:12.277
<v Speaker 2>Where they can, absolutely a coach can lead you through, or these groups as well can really help get you further faster, especially in that entrepreneurial lane, if you're not used to it, because it is tough.

00:19:12.277 --> 00:19:13.868
<v Speaker 2>Building a business is tough.

00:19:13.868 --> 00:19:17.825
<v Speaker 2>It's not just I'm making all the money, that's not what it's about.

00:19:17.825 --> 00:19:26.848
<v Speaker 2>It's really about making that mission, that passion, come to life and making sure, as a leader, your people around you are motivated as well.

00:19:26.848 --> 00:19:29.660
<v Speaker 2>So finding those groups, like you said, sam, was fantastic.

00:19:29.660 --> 00:19:31.967
<v Speaker 2>I just saw another family member popped up.

00:19:31.967 --> 00:19:33.771
<v Speaker 2>They're from Colorado.

00:19:33.771 --> 00:19:35.336
<v Speaker 2>They're all over the place, man.

00:19:35.336 --> 00:19:40.108
<v Speaker 2>So let's see.

00:19:40.108 --> 00:19:45.493
<v Speaker 2>As far as building a business, what key advice would you give to veterans who are considering starting their own business?

00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:53.645
<v Speaker 3>Know that there's resources out there to help you Know that you're not in it alone and really, really, really strongly develop your network.

00:19:53.645 --> 00:19:57.953
<v Speaker 3>Go to whatever networking events you canote yourself.

00:19:57.953 --> 00:20:04.211
<v Speaker 3>And this is the one thing that was really hard for me, Even one of the last mentors that I had.

00:20:04.211 --> 00:20:06.017
<v Speaker 3>He said you're not an owner, Sam, You're a CEO.

00:20:06.017 --> 00:20:08.492
<v Speaker 3>And I went that's an ego thing.

00:20:08.492 --> 00:20:13.346
<v Speaker 3>He goes no, CEOs want to deal with CEOs, CEOs don't want to deal with owners.

00:20:13.346 --> 00:20:22.406
<v Speaker 3>So, regardless of what that interaction is, what we learned in the military is go do it, get it done and move on to the next thing.

00:20:22.406 --> 00:20:28.529
<v Speaker 3>In the entrepreneurial world, it is you have to promote yourself, because that's the only way you're truly going to be successful.

00:20:29.913 --> 00:20:31.376
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I love, I like that.

00:20:31.376 --> 00:20:40.096
<v Speaker 2>So when you're promoting yourself, so you know what, what tips could you give as far as far as?

00:20:40.096 --> 00:20:41.459
<v Speaker 2>First of all, let's go back two steps.

00:20:41.459 --> 00:20:50.759
<v Speaker 2>When you figure out or you're thinking about a business, what's the first thing I always tell people to do is figure out what you really want.

00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:58.098
<v Speaker 2>Don't just jump into something because you think you're going to make money, because money will fulfill you for a certain amount of time, but not long term.

00:20:58.098 --> 00:21:10.792
<v Speaker 2>You need to find that fulfillment, that purpose, especially with military driven you get out of the military during transition you really need to find that purpose for fulfillment, and what does that mean to you?

00:21:10.792 --> 00:21:15.336
<v Speaker 2>You'll find a business in just about anything in the world today based on that.

00:21:15.336 --> 00:21:20.587
<v Speaker 2>So find that first as far as, then the networking and so on.

00:21:20.587 --> 00:21:24.196
<v Speaker 2>What next steps would you suggest from there?

00:21:25.009 --> 00:21:31.500
<v Speaker 3>So once you've got an idea, even if it's just an idea, it doesn't even have to be real, or it doesn't even have to be an MVP.

00:21:32.490 --> 00:21:33.655
<v Speaker 2>On a map in a bar.

00:21:35.130 --> 00:21:37.817
<v Speaker 3>Exactly, start to chase down.

00:21:37.817 --> 00:21:38.661
<v Speaker 3>What does that look like?

00:21:38.661 --> 00:21:41.517
<v Speaker 3>And are there people willing to pay for that?

00:21:41.517 --> 00:21:52.436
<v Speaker 3>So you know, go through programs like score, where they you can sit with a mentor and they'll sit down with you and say, okay, what does this look like, how does it work, how does it even transition out?

00:21:52.436 --> 00:21:54.877
<v Speaker 3>They're not trying to steal your ideas.

00:21:54.877 --> 00:21:59.362
<v Speaker 3>They really are there to help you, mentor you and try to steer you in the right direction to make you successful.

00:21:59.910 --> 00:22:06.217
<v Speaker 3>So whether it's Veterati, score, sbdc, vboc, pick one, doesn't matter, they're all there to help you.

00:22:06.217 --> 00:22:13.885
<v Speaker 3>Once you've got past that and you say, okay, I've got, I've moved past an idea, maybe got a prototype.

00:22:13.885 --> 00:22:24.200
<v Speaker 3>Now jump into the different veteran entrepreneur groups, whether it's Warrior Rising or Bunker Labs, ivmf, rosie Network, and start to chase through those to even learn how to manage a business.

00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:31.898
<v Speaker 3>Because while in the military we all signed for a lot of money worth of hardware, it doesn't mean we actually knew how to run a business.

00:22:31.898 --> 00:22:35.997
<v Speaker 3>So go through the programs that actually train you on how to be successful in that space.

00:22:37.050 --> 00:22:39.038
<v Speaker 2>That's honestly, one of the best tips ever.

00:22:39.038 --> 00:22:47.582
<v Speaker 2>So you know, we own a construction company, we own multiple companies, but you know, I learned from all the people that I worked for.

00:22:47.582 --> 00:22:56.230
<v Speaker 2>I've always been asked questions from the people that you respect and that you trust that are going to lead you in the right direction, right?

00:22:56.230 --> 00:22:58.759
<v Speaker 2>So that that's literally how I've lived my life.

00:22:58.759 --> 00:23:12.701
<v Speaker 2>And so when you get to that point of you know I don't want anybody else, that's above, when you own your own business for 15 years, you start to unless you're networking, like Sam says, which, do it, please do it.

00:23:12.701 --> 00:23:18.038
<v Speaker 2>You get to a point of who else am I going to ask?

00:23:18.038 --> 00:23:27.701
<v Speaker 2>Because I'm and this isn't to gloat I'm above the people around me in that sense, right, and you don't have that upstream to pull from.

00:23:27.701 --> 00:23:33.038
<v Speaker 2>So the SBDC fantastic organization, score thank you for bringing these up.

00:23:33.038 --> 00:23:35.570
<v Speaker 2>They literally they don't care.

00:23:35.570 --> 00:23:37.615
<v Speaker 2>They will help you.

00:23:37.615 --> 00:23:42.315
<v Speaker 2>They're going to walk you through business plans, all kinds of great stuff, and the reason I bring that up-.

00:23:42.797 --> 00:23:43.178
<v Speaker 3>For free.

00:23:43.769 --> 00:23:44.352
<v Speaker 2>For free.

00:23:44.352 --> 00:23:45.996
<v Speaker 2>Yes, amen For free.

00:23:45.996 --> 00:23:51.557
<v Speaker 2>Susan and I just learned about these companies a couple of years ago and it was like man if I would have known.

00:23:51.557 --> 00:23:55.576
<v Speaker 2>So, sam, that's some of the best information dropped on here.

00:23:55.576 --> 00:23:58.642
<v Speaker 2>You know today for sure, and maybe in a while.

00:23:58.642 --> 00:23:59.983
<v Speaker 2>So, thank you Good.

00:23:59.983 --> 00:24:03.576
<v Speaker 2>You're so vital man, so vision for the future.

00:24:04.990 --> 00:24:11.375
<v Speaker 3>So the key piece, so what you saw in the video was my straight line movers 8-foot, 10-foot current models.

00:24:11.375 --> 00:24:19.580
<v Speaker 3>I've also got the one in prototype right now that I'm hoping to have out by the end of August is a 62-foot oval track.

00:24:19.580 --> 00:24:27.926
<v Speaker 3>So it gives you quartering to quartering away, broadside frontal and 12-foot distance changes on the same shot scenario for 3d archery.

00:24:27.926 --> 00:24:33.071
<v Speaker 3>So that's, that's a huge.

00:24:33.071 --> 00:24:34.496
<v Speaker 3>We call it the monster because that's what it is.

00:24:34.516 --> 00:24:36.520
<v Speaker 3>Um, but it's, it really is a game changer in the archery space.

00:24:36.520 --> 00:24:52.160
<v Speaker 3>Um, when you mix that with my straight line movers and now the valor archery challenge, now we've got a whole different ballgame for the folks that are either new to archery or the military and veterans that are already bow hunters.

00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:58.653
<v Speaker 3>Now we've got a whole different ballgame for all those folks, because where they might go to a 3D archery event, total Archery Challenge.

00:24:58.653 --> 00:25:03.512
<v Speaker 3>Yep, you're shooting long shots, yeah, you're shooting narrow through the trees, but you're not shooting moving targets.

00:25:03.512 --> 00:25:08.561
<v Speaker 3>So we're going to kind of grab ahold of that market and I'm going to run with that for as long as I can.

00:25:09.263 --> 00:25:10.085
<v Speaker 2>That's fantastic.

00:25:10.085 --> 00:25:11.827
<v Speaker 2>Excited to see that, my friend.

00:25:11.827 --> 00:25:21.075
<v Speaker 2>So we've got about three minutes or so left here, so what I like to do first of all is, if people are interested in your product, your coaching, any of that stuff, how do they reach you?

00:25:21.655 --> 00:25:24.098
<v Speaker 3>So across all social media handles.

00:25:24.098 --> 00:25:25.801
<v Speaker 3>Even the website is Archery.

00:25:25.801 --> 00:25:33.559
<v Speaker 3>The letter N is in Nancy Motion, so it's archeryinmotioncom, and again I'll cross yep, but Susan's already got it up there.

00:25:33.559 --> 00:25:36.660
<v Speaker 3>So that covers every bit of social media across the board.

00:25:36.660 --> 00:25:42.722
<v Speaker 3>Plenty of videos to check us out and then reach out if you've got an event that you would like to have a moving target at.

00:25:42.722 --> 00:25:52.076
<v Speaker 3>That's kind of where we're going with it, so would prefer to sell them but happy to rent out as well as if needed.

00:25:52.096 --> 00:25:58.818
<v Speaker 2>So question for you then veterans organizations, that kind of thing, do you do any of that at this point?

00:25:59.381 --> 00:26:22.653
<v Speaker 3>So with Valor Archery, I'm absolutely going to be partnering with a lot of different organizations, whether it's anything from Salute Colorado to VFW to American Legion, trying to get all of the VSOs, as part of that Valor Archery event, to have a vendor booth space for free so that they can come in talk about what they do and those that are in the military or those that are veterans that have never seen or interacted with those groups have it in a neutral space.

00:26:22.653 --> 00:26:27.950
<v Speaker 3>I'm also trying to bring in all the different hunting fishing space.

00:26:27.950 --> 00:26:32.806
<v Speaker 3>I'm going to also try and bring in all the different hunting, fishing and outdoor activity vendors into that same space as well for a lower free booth price tag.

00:26:32.806 --> 00:26:35.753
<v Speaker 3>Again, just get everybody exposure across the board.

00:26:35.753 --> 00:26:44.462
<v Speaker 3>Then I'm probably going to be bringing in a bunch of different retail sales vendors that really are out there to help and support the military community.

00:26:45.369 --> 00:26:45.911
<v Speaker 2>I love it, man.

00:26:45.911 --> 00:26:49.476
<v Speaker 2>So hey, military community people advocates.

00:26:49.476 --> 00:26:51.278
<v Speaker 2>You know, check it out.

00:26:51.798 --> 00:26:54.202
<v Speaker 3>Brainstorm us man, the more we can get Connect up with me.

00:26:54.202 --> 00:26:55.263
<v Speaker 3>Happy to have a conversation.

00:26:56.065 --> 00:26:58.174
<v Speaker 2>Love it, the more we can get these resources out.

00:26:58.174 --> 00:27:00.521
<v Speaker 2>You know the resources are better than they were.

00:27:00.521 --> 00:27:02.155
<v Speaker 2>We have a long way to go.

00:27:02.589 --> 00:27:05.071
<v Speaker 2>That's why I do what I'm doing, you know, that's why I do what I'm doing.

00:27:05.071 --> 00:27:05.893
<v Speaker 2>That's why we're doing this show.

00:27:05.893 --> 00:27:07.213
<v Speaker 2>That's why Sam's doing this.

00:27:07.213 --> 00:27:08.453
<v Speaker 2>We've got a long way to go.

00:27:08.453 --> 00:27:13.498
<v Speaker 2>Va can do so much and we need to help our heroes.

00:27:13.498 --> 00:27:14.719
<v Speaker 2>We need to help these veterans.

00:27:14.719 --> 00:27:16.700
<v Speaker 2>We need to do it.

00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:20.563
<v Speaker 2>So join in and please just reach out to Sam and brainstorm something.

00:27:20.563 --> 00:27:24.125
<v Speaker 2>Who knows If he can come up with this on a napkin?

00:27:24.125 --> 00:27:26.166
<v Speaker 2>Who knows what's next?

00:27:26.166 --> 00:27:27.811
<v Speaker 2>I love it, man.

00:27:27.811 --> 00:27:29.336
<v Speaker 2>So we're at the end, my friend.

00:27:29.336 --> 00:27:30.009
<v Speaker 2>So if you, can?

00:27:30.030 --> 00:27:31.354
<v Speaker 3>Michael, thank you very much for having me.

00:27:31.776 --> 00:27:33.661
<v Speaker 2>Oh, absolutely, I'm not done with you yet.

00:27:33.661 --> 00:27:39.178
<v Speaker 2>Three tips to get veterans further, faster my friend.

00:27:39.558 --> 00:27:50.000
<v Speaker 3>So, first and foremost, roll out of bed and do a five-minute workout before you do anything else, even before you go to the bathroom, take a shower, whatever the case may be, whether it's pushups, sit ups and do something just for five minutes.

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:54.884
<v Speaker 3>That way you you still engage the body before you get out and start working your day.

00:27:54.884 --> 00:28:02.932
<v Speaker 3>Um, I would love to encourage everybody to go take up archery.

00:28:02.932 --> 00:28:04.856
<v Speaker 3>I know it's not for everybody, but you know it really is a great stress reliever.

00:28:04.856 --> 00:28:05.838
<v Speaker 3>It focuses the mind.

00:28:05.838 --> 00:28:12.880
<v Speaker 3>Most 3D archery courses are outdoors, and so it forces you to go do some hiking, walk around, think golf, but for men.

00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:14.063
<v Speaker 3>That was my outside voice.

00:28:14.063 --> 00:28:23.698
<v Speaker 3>So, and then the third one is if you want to go into the entrepreneurial space again, know that you're not alone.

00:28:23.698 --> 00:28:25.105
<v Speaker 3>Know that there are resources and ask for help.

00:28:25.105 --> 00:28:25.769
<v Speaker 3>Again, know that you're not alone.

00:28:28.353 --> 00:28:30.055
<v Speaker 2>Know that there are resources and ask for help.

00:28:30.055 --> 00:28:31.656
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, excellent and truly everybody.

00:28:31.656 --> 00:28:32.739
<v Speaker 2>Reach out, just reach out.

00:28:32.739 --> 00:28:33.819
<v Speaker 2>Start a conversation.

00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:43.807
<v Speaker 2>It is amazing, when you take one action, you stay on a ship an eighth of a turn, eighth of a turn different where your destination goes compared to where you thought it was going to go.

00:28:43.807 --> 00:28:47.070
<v Speaker 2>So absolutely love it, Sam.

00:28:47.070 --> 00:28:50.500
<v Speaker 2>Love to have you back on again at some point, Absolutely for sure.

00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:51.823
<v Speaker 3>Be a pleasure, excellent.

00:28:52.230 --> 00:28:53.576
<v Speaker 2>So I just want to thank you.

00:28:53.576 --> 00:28:56.857
<v Speaker 2>Most important resource we have as human beings is time.

00:28:56.857 --> 00:28:57.721
<v Speaker 2>We don't get it back.

00:28:57.721 --> 00:28:59.656
<v Speaker 2>Thank you for spending the time with us today.

00:28:59.656 --> 00:29:02.679
<v Speaker 2>Super, super great to have you on, man.

00:29:03.029 --> 00:29:04.354
<v Speaker 3>It's great to be a part of the conversation.

00:29:04.775 --> 00:29:05.257
<v Speaker 2>All right on man.

00:29:05.257 --> 00:29:07.222
<v Speaker 2>It's great to be a part of the conversation.

00:29:07.222 --> 00:29:07.502
<v Speaker 2>All right.

00:29:08.184 --> 00:29:13.772
<v Speaker 1>Thank you and everybody we are out of here, See y'all.

00:29:13.772 --> 00:29:16.945
<v Speaker 1>Thank you for joining us on another insightful journey of your Thoughts your Reality podcast, with your host, Michael Cole.

00:29:16.945 --> 00:29:20.195
<v Speaker 1>We hope the conversation sparked some thoughts that resonate with you.

00:29:20.195 --> 00:29:27.141
<v Speaker 1>To dive deeper into empowering your thoughts and enhancing your reality, visit empowerperformancestrategiescom.

00:29:27.141 --> 00:29:31.757
<v Speaker 1>Remember your thoughts shape your reality, so make them count.

00:29:31.757 --> 00:29:36.816
<v Speaker 1>Until next time, stay inspired and keep creating the reality you desire.

00:29:36.816 --> 00:29:38.520
<v Speaker 1>Catch you on the next episode.