Season #25 Episode#:38 Shaun Boyce & Bobby Schindler
In today's episode, you'll discover more about why you should attend the 2025 RSPA Southern Convention, the power of networking, the reason long lasting friends have commonalities (like racket sports), and that you can (and should) come see us (Shaun, Geovanna, Geovanni, and maybe even Bobby) at the convention since we will be there representing the American Racket Sports Association.
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Learn more about Ken Andriano: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-andriano-19760192
More about the RSPA: https://www.uspta.com/
Shaun Boyce USPTA: shaun@tennisforchildren.com
https://tennisforchildren.com/
Bobby Schindler USPTA: schindlerb@comcast.net
https://letsgotennis.com/windermere
Geovanna Boyce: geovy@regeovinate.com
https://regeovinate.com/
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Speaker:Hey, this is Shaun with the GoTennis Podcast,
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Speaker:Today we have a special guest,
Speaker:RSPA Southern President Ken Andriano.
Speaker:We ask Ken why RSPA members should attend
Speaker:the upcoming conference.
Speaker:We talk about the power of networking,
Speaker:the long-lasting friendships that can be created,
Speaker:and that you can come see us,
Speaker:each morning at the breakfast networking sessions,
Speaker:since we will be there representing
Speaker:the American Racket Sports Association.
Speaker:Have a listen and let us know what you think.
Speaker:(upbeat music)
Speaker:- Ken Andriano, you were our very first podcast guest.
Speaker:- Yes.
Speaker:- Episode 001.
Speaker:(laughing)
Speaker:- Yeah, great, I was.
Speaker:- And you started low and built off.
Speaker:It was really good.
Speaker:- All of it.
Speaker:- Up to you again.
Speaker:So that, it comes full soon.
Speaker:But today I went about the RSPA formerly USPTA.
Speaker:I can't wait to stop saying that.
Speaker:Like, formerly Twitter, I like that to go with.
Speaker:- Oh gosh.
Speaker:- We've RSPA Southern Convention,
Speaker:which you directly involved in.
Speaker:We have confirmed recently
Speaker:that the American Racket Sports Association
Speaker:will be there and will be handing out coffee and donuts.
Speaker:The mornings of Friday and Saturday morning at eight o'clock.
Speaker:So everybody comes to see us of course.
Speaker:And I'm sure I'll over-mentioned that
Speaker:'cause that's what you got to come to these things.
Speaker:But I wanna ask you, tell us about the conference.
Speaker:Tell us to all the coach types and the industry types.
Speaker:I wanna convince everybody as to why they should be there.
Speaker:- Absolutely.
Speaker:Well, we're super excited about it this year.
Speaker:We have a great location in Greenville, South Carolina.
Speaker:So there's a lot to do there.
Speaker:We're gonna be at the, let me just make sure, right,
Speaker:the Embassy Suites Resort.
Speaker:So we again, change.
Speaker:A lot of years what we've done has been at clubs
Speaker:and they're great venues.
Speaker:But what we love about the world conference
Speaker:is a lot of times it's right there on site.
Speaker:We could do everything.
Speaker:So at the Embassy, great.
Speaker:It's, we got everything we need there.
Speaker:And including a golf course.
Speaker:So, one thing, we were talking about,
Speaker:before we started this, we're always excited about the Southern.
Speaker:Everyone we get to see.
Speaker:But we really found out a couple things.
Speaker:Location is something that's key.
Speaker:And we wanted to change with the times.
Speaker:I think education is always gonna be the point
Speaker:of what we do for a conference, right?
Speaker:People go there for education.
Speaker:But honestly, is it just for education?
Speaker:'Cause you can go online and get educated.
Speaker:So for me, the biggest part for me isn't the education,
Speaker:which I love the education to get me wrong.
Speaker:But it's a social aspect.
Speaker:It's a networking.
Speaker:And I said, I don't think we did a good enough job
Speaker:letting people know, why do we do this?
Speaker:Why am I going to take a day off of work to come
Speaker:and just see some drills and see some other things like that?
Speaker:It's not that.
Speaker:It's a lot about you and I sitting here
Speaker:in between sessions talking about something.
Speaker:Hey, what do you do in this situation?
Speaker:Right?
Speaker:And yeah, I'm in Georgia.
Speaker:You might be in Tennessee, right?
Speaker:And then how do you do it in your club?
Speaker:Well, I can bring that to my club.
Speaker:I can do this.
Speaker:Oh, hey, let's hang out.
Speaker:Let's go to this next one.
Speaker:Yeah, so we're doing a lot of different things.
Speaker:Like you said, with the breakfast,
Speaker:we're doing a breakfast every day.
Speaker:And it's kind of like a round table discussion.
Speaker:So get up and do it.
Speaker:It's a lot of networking.
Speaker:Marcus Fretchi, the new director of Racket Sports
Speaker:in Atlanta, I thought a club, I signed them on
Speaker:for our social chair.
Speaker:I said, so we have Alan Jensen who's done a fantastic job
Speaker:getting the lineup.
Speaker:We have some really top-notch speakers.
Speaker:But I also wanted, we needed a form kind of a committee.
Speaker:So Marcus is heading up all of our social aspects.
Speaker:So on Thursday, golf with the legends.
Speaker:So what we're doing is any of our hall,
Speaker:a famous or past presidents, I'm taking care of them
Speaker:going to golf.
Speaker:If anybody wants to golf, they get paired with them
Speaker:in a forcing.
Speaker:And you got a great opportunity for aching holes
Speaker:to golf to talk to people who have the most knowledge
Speaker:in this country about our industry, right?
Speaker:So we're doing that.
Speaker:And then we have my board meeting.
Speaker:So you guys get the fun.
Speaker:I'll be running that.
Speaker:But when we're done, usually we take the board out to dinner.
Speaker:So I said, hey, let's change things up.
Speaker:So Thursday night, instead of the board,
Speaker:we're having a happy hour with the Southern board.
Speaker:So anyone who comes in earlier, instead of asking
Speaker:on to dinner, we'll buy you a couple drinks.
Speaker:We'll hang out.
Speaker:Maybe we'll go to dinner afterwards.
Speaker:And we get to interact with those people that are coming.
Speaker:So those are just a few of the changes
Speaker:that we're doing.
Speaker:And again, I think networking, social aspects
Speaker:cannot be understated when you go to a convention.
Speaker:Because just meeting a new friend, most
Speaker:of my best friends now are in this organization, right?
Speaker:So those are just a small little peek
Speaker:of what we're doing in the schedule.
Speaker:We've also added-- we have a rocket sports.
Speaker:What does it-- I want to make sure it is a--
Speaker:we got it set up-- a master rocket technician, Jeff Browns,
Speaker:going to be running a certification on Saturday.
Speaker:That's something totally new.
Speaker:And then on Sunday, we're doing our pickleball certification
Speaker:for people who want to get involved in pickleball.
Speaker:And as you mentioned, formerly USPTA--
Speaker:they were not.
Speaker:I went to the next time meeting, and there
Speaker:were people that said USPTA a few times.
Speaker:So that'd be corrected.
Speaker:So RSPA-- but I'm super excited about it
Speaker:because we are involved in these.
Speaker:Why don't we change some things, right?
Speaker:I'm excited.
Speaker:We're going to have presentations on tennis,
Speaker:on pickleball, and pedale.
Speaker:So it's not just for one thing.
Speaker:So, hey, I don't know anything about pickleball.
Speaker:Why would I do pickleball?
Speaker:Well, here's how you can generate lesson revenue.
Speaker:Here's how you can add it into a program, right?
Speaker:And people have asked me, well, how do you build a program?
Speaker:How do you have a program?
Speaker:And no.
Speaker:As if for me, it's three simple steps.
Speaker:You need three components to have a program.
Speaker:You need to have a social aspect.
Speaker:You need to have a competition or leagues,
Speaker:and you have to have lessons.
Speaker:If you have those three things, you have a program.
Speaker:You have lessons to get better, leagues to compete,
Speaker:and then a social aspect to get people introduced.
Speaker:So those are some things that I think the RSPA now
Speaker:is really doing an excellent job of.
Speaker:I like it now.
Speaker:You've got somebody like me there,
Speaker:because I've got invested interest
Speaker:because of the American Ragnaracti Sports Association.
Speaker:How do you get Bobby to show up?
Speaker:So that's-- when you go, OK, we're going to poll our members
Speaker:and say, OK, everybody's busy.
Speaker:We're going to do it in mid-May, which is right in the middle
Speaker:of everything.
Speaker:And everybody's got a kid graduating from high school
Speaker:or college, and all these things happening, right?
Speaker:So Bobby, I'm going to switch this stuff on you, Ken.
Speaker:So how does Ken get you to go to a conference that's in--
Speaker:in this example, it's not this coming weekend or next.
Speaker:It's two weekends from now.
Speaker:As we record this, it's first couple of days in May.
Speaker:It's $150 for a member.
Speaker:Plus you've got to get a hotel room,
Speaker:and you've got to drive up there.
Speaker:We drive people from Atlanta.
Speaker:It's a couple hours.
Speaker:Bobby, what gets you to something like that?
Speaker:Ken fails to realize is if he wants me to go those things,
Speaker:he's got to not come to have lunch with me at Johnny's
Speaker:and he's calm, because I have access to Ken unfairly
Speaker:than most people do.
Speaker:So that's probably number one.
Speaker:Is that-- oh, Ken and I have-- we have these conversations.
Speaker:We just do it at a different venue.
Speaker:I love what he said.
Speaker:I think Greenville-- you got me.
Speaker:I mean, that's an interest.
Speaker:I love Greenville.
Speaker:I mean, that's a great little city.
Speaker:They have a Jack in the Box.
Speaker:And it's always Taco Tuesday at Jack in the Box.
Speaker:You get four of the worst tacos that tastes great.
Speaker:So that's intriguing right away.
Speaker:So you know, that is right or inconvenient factor, absolutely.
Speaker:And I think this is the energy level, too.
Speaker:Obviously, I know Ken, I'm a big fan.
Speaker:And I know that the energy he's going to put into it
Speaker:to make sure it's successful is also something that's
Speaker:going to get me to listen longer than most times.
Speaker:And the fact he's doing it early may and not affecting
Speaker:my Disney trip, which Ken also can relate to.
Speaker:He's smart scheduling, too, because enough
Speaker:for me got begun.
Speaker:So there's a chance I can get to this one.
Speaker:It's all about you, Bobby.
Speaker:You know I'm a big fan of Disney as well.
Speaker:I bet you're taking it.
Speaker:I know kids.
Speaker:I took my adult kids last year.
Speaker:We're into that.
Speaker:But I appreciate that.
Speaker:No, we appreciate that.
Speaker:True.
Speaker:No, our next Johnny's is canceled if you don't go.
Speaker:Oh, no.
Speaker:There you go.
Speaker:All right.
Speaker:I can't even know what to do it.
Speaker:So Ken, I bring up Bobby specifically,
Speaker:because there are just so many different--
Speaker:eight or three types, right?
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Club types.
Speaker:Marcus has probably got his--
Speaker:he's got it paid for because his club can--
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:--if we use him as an example.
Speaker:Plenty of people work for clubs.
Speaker:And they might actually have a budget for these things
Speaker:and send their coaches.
Speaker:The national one is tough because, OK, we tried to budget for that.
Speaker:We're going to Hawaii.
Speaker:Well, you know, that's a bigger ticket item.
Speaker:I think it sounds fantastic.
Speaker:But not everybody can afford it.
Speaker:So what's the draw as well?
Speaker:I love the fact that we've got racket technician certification.
Speaker:I can learn more about that.
Speaker:Love people.
Speaker:I think we've got quite a few people in Atlanta
Speaker:that have already done the pickle ball.
Speaker:If they're already going to do it.
Speaker:And Pedal doesn't have quite the draw here yet,
Speaker:because we just don't have enough courts
Speaker:really to say everybody needs to go get Pedal certified
Speaker:in the car area.
Speaker:So how do we hit all the different types of people,
Speaker:all the different types of industry coaches and directors
Speaker:to be able to get everybody there?
Speaker:That's a great question.
Speaker:For the years I've been part of the board,
Speaker:they were one of my biggest focuses has been--
Speaker:there are so many different pathways.
Speaker:You can go in the RSPA, formerly USPTA.
Speaker:It doesn't matter.
Speaker:And here in Bobby will tell you, you
Speaker:have an independent pro.
Speaker:And they can make a living here,
Speaker:because everyone wants to know tennis.
Speaker:You can have a Country Club Pro.
Speaker:You can have someone's at a public facility or a corporate.
Speaker:And then you have management companies who do bids
Speaker:and work there and can do things like that.
Speaker:There are people that are here, and we're working on all of them.
Speaker:I've been very careful not to go, OK,
Speaker:we're going to focus on the Country Club Pro.
Speaker:But that's not all.
Speaker:That's path I chose.
Speaker:And it took me a little bit to go,
Speaker:because I went from Academy route to that.
Speaker:But my skill sets fit best there.
Speaker:So what I like to do when I'm doing a conference
Speaker:is really try to find out what is your pathway, what's your skill
Speaker:set.
Speaker:So if anyone asks me, hey, where should I go?
Speaker:What should I do?
Speaker:Because usually people who want to be an Academy pro
Speaker:are going to struggle in a Country Club setting.
Speaker:People who are in a Country Club setting
Speaker:are going to struggle maybe being an independent contractor
Speaker:or run a management company.
Speaker:There's certain things that you get to do.
Speaker:And so you have to figure out, what does your skill set fit?
Speaker:I always say to my tennis players,
Speaker:I go, your skill set and your mindset
Speaker:need to match in order for you to reach your full potential.
Speaker:If your skill set is a serve and volunteer,
Speaker:but yet your mindset is a counter-puncture,
Speaker:you're not going to succeed.
Speaker:So if my skill set is an Academy pro,
Speaker:and that's what I want to work on, but yet,
Speaker:my mindset says I want to be in a Country Club Pro.
Speaker:I will not succeed in that.
Speaker:And I think we can help with that.
Speaker:We have enough people on our board.
Speaker:We have enough people around.
Speaker:So if I don't know the person, I know someone who does.
Speaker:And we can help you succeed and reach your potential.
Speaker:And that sounds more like networking
Speaker:and maybe some career advice, which I think is good.
Speaker:Because when I was a young pro, and I will probably
Speaker:see Darryl Lewis at this thing, to have him--
Speaker:That's true.
Speaker:--all of the stories.
Speaker:When I was a young pro, I didn't get it.
Speaker:I didn't understand.
Speaker:Now, maybe I was like many.
Speaker:I know a couple right now.
Speaker:They're like, yeah, I'm teaching tennis right now,
Speaker:but I don't think I'm going to stay long.
Speaker:I don't think this is going to be my career.
Speaker:I think that happens more than we want to admit.
Speaker:I certainly was planning on getting out.
Speaker:So I was like, well, why am I going to go have somebody else
Speaker:tell me where I should do with my career.
Speaker:And this is a little reason I'm excited to have
Speaker:the American Racket Sports Association involved
Speaker:is because that is what we do.
Speaker:That is the working side that says, OK, let's figure out
Speaker:who here knows about skill sets combined with mindset.
Speaker:I like how you go to two things together,
Speaker:because Bobby talks a lot.
Speaker:His phrase is, a head pro does not a good director make.
Speaker:I think it may not be-- that's probably terrible
Speaker:with saying if Bobby-- I'm sorry.
Speaker:Bobby uses more articles and pronouns than that.
Speaker:Just use a color now.
Speaker:Use a color that you want.
Speaker:You're your best sales guy to manage your all of a sudden.
Speaker:It may not work.
Speaker:So in this case, I'm trying to get to the point
Speaker:where we can convince the younger coaches and the independence.
Speaker:I think those might be the ones that are making people say,
Speaker:how do we get the guys in our-- in the Go Tennis Orbit?
Speaker:Let's take the association out of it.
Speaker:In the Go Tennis Orbit, it says, you guys are independent.
Speaker:You're on your own.
Speaker:You're looking for support.
Speaker:You're not necessarily climbing any corporate ladder,
Speaker:but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get some career
Speaker:advice and some education.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:No, I absolutely agree with you.
Speaker:I just hired a young pro, who's 28 years old, Luke Blackman.
Speaker:And I'm super excited to have him here.
Speaker:He was doing some independent work.
Speaker:He has a lot of entrepreneurial side
Speaker:where he's really go getter and doing things.
Speaker:Now he's learning how to fit into a team.
Speaker:So there's three of us that I teach.
Speaker:And the great thing about him is he's open.
Speaker:I want to know, what do I need to do?
Speaker:Oh, yeah, I see what you're saying there.
Speaker:I see what you're saying here.
Speaker:And I think a lot with the younger generation
Speaker:is, what am I getting now?
Speaker:What can I have right the second?
Speaker:And not thinking as much in long-term.
Speaker:Now, again, that's a generalization that is not for everybody.
Speaker:I know some other pros that are really
Speaker:wanting to build their pathway.
Speaker:But I think we got to figure out,
Speaker:can you make this a profession?
Speaker:Because I'm a tennis professional.
Speaker:I'm not just a coach.
Speaker:There's a big difference to me.
Speaker:I take pride in that.
Speaker:I've done a lot of education.
Speaker:I learn.
Speaker:And the one thing I learn is I don't know it all.
Speaker:I got to learn from other people.
Speaker:I can always learn more from anyone.
Speaker:I can learn from the pro I just hired.
Speaker:And I already have.
Speaker:And if I'm not open to say that, if I'm not open to learn that,
Speaker:then I'm never going to reach anything.
Speaker:So I think the other thing-- we talked about it.
Speaker:We had our annual meeting with the USTA Southern Board.
Speaker:And Brian Dumman was able to come as well.
Speaker:And we were kind of talking about that.
Speaker:What do you do for numbers?
Speaker:What are you doing this?
Speaker:It said, you know what?
Speaker:We need to get into colleges.
Speaker:And not only college, we need to get into high schools.
Speaker:We need to let high schoolers know, hey, you know what?
Speaker:You can have fun.
Speaker:You can be outside.
Speaker:And you can make a living.
Speaker:You can make money.
Speaker:But I think a lot of people, like you said, get out of college.
Speaker:You go, hey, you know, I can wear a short story.
Speaker:Don't get me wrong.
Speaker:Love that.
Speaker:Love that.
Speaker:I can wear a short story.
Speaker:I can make a quick buck.
Speaker:But this is just something to type me
Speaker:over until I find a real job.
Speaker:And my thing is, this is a real job.
Speaker:If you make it a career, you can make it a career.
Speaker:But you have to find your pathway.
Speaker:We said mindset, skill set.
Speaker:You can be very successful.
Speaker:I had a conversation on a men's night, pick up all.
Speaker:And I had a member who brought a friend to his who
Speaker:just happens to be someone who does part time with Yola.
Speaker:You know, it does a few things, maybe a little bit of sales.
Speaker:Coaches just a little bit, doubles, and that.
Speaker:And that has a real job.
Speaker:And my member just kind of joking.
Speaker:It's like, yeah, like most of you.
Speaker:And I said, please don't come to life that when I'm here 55 hours
Speaker:a week, since he's a week.
Speaker:I say, he goes, oh, because most people on our profession,
Speaker:and I know Bobby will say the same thing,
Speaker:is there's two responses.
Speaker:What else do you do?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Or do you ever see your family?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:There's really not a thing between it.
Speaker:It's hard to find that work-life balance.
Speaker:And I think that is something over the last five years.
Speaker:And Bobby, correct me if I'm wrong, that's changing.
Speaker:I worked six days a week my whole life.
Speaker:And I still do.
Speaker:My pros do not.
Speaker:I don't want them to have to work six days.
Speaker:I want to give them two days off in a row.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:It's a hey, if you want to come in and make a little extra money
Speaker:to do that, do it.
Speaker:But there's got to be a work-life balance.
Speaker:I've missed a lot of things in my life with my children.
Speaker:Part of that was because I had to work
Speaker:and had to pay my bills.
Speaker:Other parts of what I thought I had to do.
Speaker:So we need to do a better job.
Speaker:I think our regime of changing a little bit the way we're
Speaker:thinking, but also bringing the new wave up
Speaker:and saying it's OK to do this.
Speaker:And I agree.
Speaker:I mean, I think that to me, that's one of the big differences
Speaker:from when we started.
Speaker:And even though we're older than Sean,
Speaker:I know when Sean started because we were in the same certification
Speaker:class is that you weren't supposed to run in to get
Speaker:certified.
Speaker:It was spend five years being independent.
Speaker:You go work for somebody to side whether or not
Speaker:you saw yourself as this being a career.
Speaker:Explore more options.
Speaker:See the whole picture.
Speaker:See where you fit.
Speaker:Again, and I think that's huge.
Speaker:And then you would go on today.
Speaker:And I will say this.
Speaker:I come from a different background.
Speaker:I say this about tennis where my trepidation is across the board.
Speaker:I was a poor kid.
Speaker:So I never felt like I was overly welcomed playing tennis.
Speaker:I was poor.
Speaker:I didn't look like everybody else.
Speaker:I didn't have Editas.
Speaker:I get excited about the three strides.
Speaker:Because as a kid, I couldn't afford the three strides.
Speaker:I played other sports.
Speaker:So I came from-- and I was athletic.
Speaker:So I look at tennis players and say, Jesus, any other sport,
Speaker:I beat these guys in my hands tied and kick in my butt,
Speaker:because I just don't have the reps.
Speaker:So I come from it as an outsider position, never feeling
Speaker:like tennis.
Speaker:I love, absolutely, love the game.
Speaker:I think it's an amazing game that can be sold because it
Speaker:encompasses-- and then you get into this organization,
Speaker:as you said, when you're getting into it,
Speaker:and you don't know where you're fit to begin with,
Speaker:those conferences are intimidating
Speaker:because you're getting the elite of the elite.
Speaker:Where I think what you just said should be standard viewing
Speaker:for new people who come in.
Speaker:I said, Tom Douglas a couple of years ago,
Speaker:did an amazing presentation at a GPTA.
Speaker:Just a meeting.
Speaker:It was at Fieldstone.
Speaker:I'll never forget it.
Speaker:And I walked up to Tom after I said, Tom,
Speaker:I know you're involved.
Speaker:Why don't you go to the USPTA and say, this has to be--
Speaker:whatever we do, when we welcome new members,
Speaker:they have to sit here and listen to this 45 minute presentation
Speaker:you just made to get a feel for, like you said,
Speaker:this is not something that you're always
Speaker:looking for a door.
Speaker:I mean, my mentor, who I loved at that,
Speaker:was always the same way.
Speaker:He was like, if you don't get out by 35, you're not getting out.
Speaker:So there was a time clock.
Speaker:And you know, Big Greg, you know, Casha.
Speaker:He had Greg convinced.
Speaker:And Greg got out for 15 years.
Speaker:He sees back now.
Speaker:And we laughed.
Speaker:But at 35, he was absolutely convinced.
Speaker:I got to get out of tennis because if I don't,
Speaker:nobody's going to take me seriously.
Speaker:So I-- you know, that's kind of what we're trying to do here.
Speaker:And as we're listening, I think,
Speaker:showing that something that we really can do
Speaker:as far as organization is really push
Speaker:to get the people to go.
Speaker:Because I, like I said, I felt like an outsider.
Speaker:One of the best things I did, I went to a Southern conference
Speaker:years ago that was held in Atlanta.
Speaker:For whatever reason, I sat next to Howard Her.
Speaker:Now Howard Her was one of the best players in Atlanta, South
Speaker:African.
Speaker:Here I am thinking, OK, I'm going to have nothing in common with him.
Speaker:But I just-- and I made some wise-ass comment
Speaker:at Howard, under my breath at Howard Her, Herd, and started laughing.
Speaker:And he just became my best friend.
Speaker:He was like, I like this wise-ass.
Speaker:You know, who's this guy?
Speaker:And I felt like, through an impromptu meeting,
Speaker:here I am, I had a contact that I would have never had,
Speaker:because I would have never approached him otherwise.
Speaker:So how do we make it where it doesn't feel so formal
Speaker:that I can get access to Ken and go to Johnny's as well?
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:Ken, if I can take that one, because I
Speaker:think of the thing-- one of the things I'm
Speaker:trying to do now and why I send messages to people,
Speaker:sometimes I use the phrase skipping the line.
Speaker:Now we're all of an age that we've been networking for 20,
Speaker:30 years.
Speaker:And maybe we can just go ahead and make that phone call and say,
Speaker:oh, I know the guy we need to talk to, right?
Speaker:But the young guys in the organization don't necessarily
Speaker:have that.
Speaker:So this is a way you can potentially skip the line,
Speaker:because you're the young person in the industry.
Speaker:And you start going to these things.
Speaker:If it costs you $150, so you can get your boss to pay for it
Speaker:even better.
Speaker:But you can go and start meeting these people
Speaker:that are really well connected, one that
Speaker:mean a lot for your next job.
Speaker:But also, even from the independent types,
Speaker:it's networking of somebody else to help you
Speaker:when you want to go big on an event.
Speaker:But you could just skip the line a little bit,
Speaker:rather than doing what I did, which is wait in the years,
Speaker:and then start going to these things.
Speaker:I mean, you've hit the nail in the head.
Speaker:I mean, that's the thing.
Speaker:I mean, two of my best friends are--
Speaker:I met through this.
Speaker:One person that I was going to--
Speaker:do you remember this?
Speaker:When the World Conference in Diplomat Hotel
Speaker:in Hollywood, Florida, it was when liquid metal was popping out
Speaker:with the head, because head was our main sponsor.
Speaker:And liquid metal man was there.
Speaker:And one of my best brands from high school,
Speaker:Chris Stevens, who's in Maine, he's
Speaker:in New Hampshire there.
Speaker:He had the rental car.
Speaker:Where I'm going, he goes, you know,
Speaker:I'm going to be late.
Speaker:I can't make it.
Speaker:You're going to have to meet with Frank.
Speaker:I'm like, well, who's Frank?
Speaker:Frank Morris it, right?
Speaker:I'm like, OK, who's Frank?
Speaker:He goes, well, you meet him at the airport.
Speaker:You'll see me.
Speaker:He's got a done-luck bag, a little pronounce chin.
Speaker:I'm like, OK, I'm not going to--
Speaker:I'm going to airport in Florida.
Speaker:I'm never going to find this guy.
Speaker:I walked around.
Speaker:I picked him out of like 50 people.
Speaker:I walked up, I go, Frank.
Speaker:He's like, can?
Speaker:I'm like, yeah.
Speaker:We had to wait for about an hour and a half
Speaker:before Chris got there.
Speaker:Well, Chris got there, finally.
Speaker:Frank and I, I felt like we had known each other for 15 years.
Speaker:Literally, I was supposed to room with Chris.
Speaker:I ended up rooming with Frank.
Speaker:Because he had another-- because Chris had someone else
Speaker:that would come in it.
Speaker:And we've been friends ever since.
Speaker:And Frank was supposed to go to a conference
Speaker:he couldn't make it and his buddy Tom went.
Speaker:Well, Tom Parks is the past Southern president.
Speaker:And again, one of my dearest friends.
Speaker:The thing about this is we're all heading
Speaker:in a similar direction.
Speaker:Not the same exact club or independent pro or management
Speaker:company.
Speaker:But we all have a similar view.
Speaker:We all love the game of tennis.
Speaker:Now, whether you love the game of pickleball,
Speaker:whether you love the game of pedel, whether it's the best thing
Speaker:for you, I don't judge that.
Speaker:I said, it's just part of what our society is now.
Speaker:But who do you tend to have as good friends?
Speaker:People who have mutual interest in.
Speaker:What better place to find your best friends in here?
Speaker:I said, I'm going to date myself.
Speaker:I love through this.
Speaker:I have a great Rolex.
Speaker:And then I want to head back on an oil.
Speaker:I can pick up my phone.
Speaker:And if I need something, I can scroll down
Speaker:to figure out who I need to call.
Speaker:I know I got.
Speaker:Bobby, I know I can give you a call.
Speaker:Say, I'm struggling with something.
Speaker:Would you help me?
Speaker:And I know you'd help me in heartbeat.
Speaker:Would me question you?
Speaker:You'd still call me.
Speaker:And I would do the same thing.
Speaker:It's just the more those people you have,
Speaker:the better off you're going to be in life in general.
Speaker:And so much of that is lucky.
Speaker:But so much of it is just who you are, too, Ken.
Speaker:And I mean, and I think there's a degree of,
Speaker:especially when you're young and coming up, don't fight it.
Speaker:Be humble.
Speaker:Take it like I was very lucky to meet Howard.
Speaker:I was very lucky to be Dennis Horde,
Speaker:who was just brought down here by two Davis Cup captains.
Speaker:I was very lucky to be John Hanna and, you know, have Tom.
Speaker:Anyway.
Speaker:So, you know, you sit there and go.
Speaker:So through all this, you know, very lucky to go to graduate school
Speaker:with Billy Payt, who introduces me to the Atlanta Thunder,
Speaker:who just happens to have Jeff Benton sitting there working
Speaker:at Wendy Hill Athletic Club, because he doesn't want to follow
Speaker:in his dad's co-tales until the next year when he decides
Speaker:to follow through it.
Speaker:But now I know Jeff.
Speaker:So now I'm involved with the senior tour.
Speaker:So I, you know, extraordinarily lucky in so many ways
Speaker:to have the cat, you know, South East and Cadillac rep
Speaker:as a member of Windom Year.
Speaker:So we go, you know, we sponsor tournaments unbelievably lucky.
Speaker:So, you know, and I'll never get, so that's why, you know,
Speaker:I feel the need to give back somewhat,
Speaker:but so much of it is just the ability to sit down
Speaker:and have an iced tea with us, have a piece of pizza with us
Speaker:and see us, like you said, without the same hat on.
Speaker:You know, we have a country club hat,
Speaker:but we also have a hat that we're going to see.
Speaker:And it's fun to talk about the business side of it
Speaker:when we're alone because we have shared experiences.
Speaker:A lot of things don't need to be said, you know.
Speaker:- Oh man.
Speaker:- And we just have to, we get a pick-a-ball event
Speaker:at Windom Year this past weekend
Speaker:and there was a young pick-a-ball pro
Speaker:and the kid was just infectious.
Speaker:And I'm like, wow, this kid is good.
Speaker:Now he's a puppy.
Speaker:So you're going to go through some,
Speaker:he's going to wet the car for the couple of times.
Speaker:- Yeah.
Speaker:- And in your heart and heart, you sit there looking at this kid
Speaker:and say, there's not a mean bone in this body.
Speaker:So if he screws up, it's not malicious, it's too excitement.
Speaker:But you know, that's, you got to get excited about that
Speaker:'cause we had that passion.
Speaker:We had that passion.
Speaker:- I want that energy.
Speaker:- You want the energy.
Speaker:I want it around me.
Speaker:Hey, I'm getting older.
Speaker:That kid can bring me some energy.
Speaker:I'm all about it.
Speaker:And you know, that's why, again, come back to the events,
Speaker:making a more friendly user-friendly in an environment
Speaker:that you don't feel like, oh, I'm a, you know, I'm norming nobody.
Speaker:Thank you Patricia Chenson for that line.
Speaker:You know, and why am I here?
Speaker:You don't have to be somebody.
Speaker:Just listen, listen and get some,
Speaker:and if something strikes and nerve-rhythm,
Speaker:you have something to say, stay in.
Speaker:Because if you hit home, you'll probably say it well.
Speaker:So don't be afraid.
Speaker:So, you know, again, I think the Greenville location,
Speaker:and great obviously leadership in creating that environment
Speaker:is so important.
Speaker:And good time of year.
Speaker:Good time of year to do it.
Speaker:- Absolutely.
Speaker:And we normally do have it a few weeks later,
Speaker:but that was the one thing.
Speaker:We really love the location.
Speaker:We did scout it out a few times.
Speaker:And you know, Marcus was big on that.
Speaker:Did a lot of legwork and then Pat drove out there to check it out.
Speaker:But, you know, it's like the reason we didn't have it on the week
Speaker:was really just because, you know,
Speaker:we couldn't have certain venues.
Speaker:So we were in an off to look at some other areas.
Speaker:And we were looking at another club that was local,
Speaker:but we just couldn't use a lot of the amenities.
Speaker:And it's like, well, we're gonna go here and there.
Speaker:And my this is a one-stop shop.
Speaker:I mean, literally, if you're flying in,
Speaker:there's shuttle service to the embassy suite.
Speaker:I don't know if people know that.
Speaker:It's also, it's walking distance to downtown, right?
Speaker:It's not a short, it's a nice little weapon, not that much.
Speaker:There's also shuttle service there.
Speaker:We're gonna do that, you know, from the happy hour.
Speaker:Like if we go downtown, we're gonna take care of that.
Speaker:You know, so I think there's just a lot of different things
Speaker:that we're trying to do, but the mentorship, I think,
Speaker:is good.
Speaker:And Sean, great point, skip the line, right?
Speaker:I want our younger pros to be able to skip the line
Speaker:and some of the things.
Speaker:I tell people all the time, I know what I know
Speaker:'cause I messed up a lot and I learned from it.
Speaker:I don't know what I want.
Speaker:I don't know what I know 'cause I'm perfect.
Speaker:I had a lot of people that I was willing to learn from
Speaker:that were willing to teach me.
Speaker:And I was willing to fail forward.
Speaker:And then I think that's a hard thing.
Speaker:You gotta be, I spent some part of my career
Speaker:not getting much done because I was so scared to fail.
Speaker:And I had one of my bosses, I'll never forget it.
Speaker:He goes, you're so worried about doing something wrong
Speaker:that you're not doing anything.
Speaker:I'd rather you do something to fail and get something done
Speaker:and we could fix it than just being worried
Speaker:about making it perfect.
Speaker:Some of the best advice I ever got.
Speaker:- Take some chances, I don't like it, Bob.
Speaker:- You got anything else for Ken?
Speaker:- No, I'll see him next Thursday.
Speaker:(laughing)
Speaker:- All right, brother, you will, I want to see you.
Speaker:I want to see you.
Speaker:- He's not even getting in line, he's just,
Speaker:no, he's driving the dang bus.
Speaker:I said, Bob, he's there, it's like, whoa, whoa.
Speaker:- Exactly, I'm a big Hamilton fan.
Speaker:I just want to be in the room where it happened.
Speaker:I don't have to be George Washington.
Speaker:I just want to be where in the room where it happened.
Speaker:That's it.
Speaker:- I'm gonna try to make you agree, Bob.
Speaker:- I don't know.
Speaker:- Ken, I appreciate your time, thank you so much
Speaker:and we will get this out as quickly as possible
Speaker:and I will at least my wife and I and our son
Speaker:will be in South Carolina in a couple of weeks
Speaker:and I'll try to talk Bobby into it,
Speaker:but like you said, you got everything he needs.
Speaker:- You know, we got happy hours,
Speaker:you get a couple drinks each day.
Speaker:I know you get your Coca-Cola's there, Bob.
Speaker:- That guy's your Michael.
Speaker:- You got my co-op.
Speaker:- You getcha, you can getcha, yeah,
Speaker:but here's the thing, that's what I love about this place
Speaker:that has a few little different things that we can do
Speaker:that are helping people get together
Speaker:and want to be together.
Speaker:- Well, there you have it.
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