Transcripts
Hey, everyone.
Grant Alexander:I'm Grant Alexander.
Grant Alexander:Welcome back to Haus of Style.
Grant Alexander:It's just me today, and I wanted to take this opportunity to have a heart to heart with all of you because this last week was heavy.
Grant Alexander:I think most people can agree with that.
Grant Alexander:And it got me thinking about the last question I started asking all of my guests.
Grant Alexander:How do you describe your style in three words?
Grant Alexander:And how important that answer is when things get heavy.
Grant Alexander:And this week, I figured out my three words.
Grant Alexander:I'll share those at the end of the episode.
Grant Alexander:The point of House of Style is to show you that style isn't confined to fabric, form, and fashion.
Grant Alexander:It's a way of thinking and being.
Grant Alexander:Life has a funny way of throwing a mix of highs and lows at us, sometimes all within the same week.
Grant Alexander:So the way you go about handling all of that is your style, and it shapes what type of person you are and what type of success you'll have, no matter what you're trying to accomplish.
Grant Alexander:Again, I know this past week was tough for a lot of people.
Grant Alexander:That's why I want to talk about this now.
Grant Alexander:This past week has been exactly that for me.
Grant Alexander:A roller coaster of emotions, challenges, and unexpected, fantastic things and blessings.
Grant Alexander:It was a really rough five, six, seven days.
Grant Alexander:It started off with learning that one of my oldest friends, they had to make an impossible decision about a baby that was going to be born with significant developmental disabilities and probably wouldn't survive birth.
Grant Alexander:And the weight of that and being there and understanding and knowing what they're going through was a lot.
Grant Alexander:So that's how we started off the week.
Grant Alexander:Monday we filmed a podcast episode with a beloved Food Network chef that was so much fun.
Grant Alexander:It's somebody I see on TV all the time.
Grant Alexander:I love watching.
Grant Alexander:I think they have incredible energy, and I'm really excited for everybody to get to see that episode coming soon.
Grant Alexander:And Tuesday was tough.
Grant Alexander:I won't lie.
Grant Alexander:Tuesday was tough for so many reasons.
Grant Alexander:And I know right away I.
Grant Alexander:I try not to date episodes, but this was election Day, and so some people are thinking, oh, it's.
Grant Alexander:He thinks it's tough because of the results, but it's.
Grant Alexander:It's so much more than that.
Grant Alexander:I learned that a dear friend, a good friend of the show, one of their parents passed away.
Grant Alexander:And.
Grant Alexander:And again, not while I tried to date the episodes for longevity purposes, but the US Election was that same day.
Grant Alexander:So after finding out about that friend, just hearing and watching, but listening to the rhetoric around the election, that current rhetoric, it's so demoralizing.
Grant Alexander:And I think so many people feel it.
Grant Alexander:It sounds like America is falling apart and it's depressing no matter what side you're on.
Grant Alexander:So the general sentiment in America portrayed by most media and now even podcasts with clear leanings, there was that general cloud of uncertainty on Tuesday hanging over many people.
Grant Alexander:Then on Tuesday night I found out about a good client's teenage son who tragically lost his life.
Grant Alexander:And that hurt, hurt and hit me even more.
Grant Alexander:It's never easy knowing someone you care about going through such pain.
Grant Alexander:So there was a lot of pain in three days in a row.
Grant Alexander:So as you can imagine, these events have weighed heavily on my heart.
Grant Alexander:And I was up all Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, not because of the election, but because that's when I got the final version of the podcast episode we released that day.
Grant Alexander:And you know, we are a small, small team putting on this incredible show for you every week and it's something we're really proud of, but it's meant a lot of late nights and early mornings.
Grant Alexander:So I had to finish writing all of the show notes and descriptions, creating the episode artwork for the various distribution channels, and creating the clips we shared on socials.
Grant Alexander:Minutes before they went live, we released the episode.
Grant Alexander:I took a quick nap and when I woke up 20 minutes later, nap shouldn't be more than 20 minutes.
Grant Alexander:I received an email from a podcast agency saying they had seen House of Style on Apple Podcasts Society and Culture chart and asked if we were interested in representation and help with monetizing the podcast.
Grant Alexander:I was like what?
Grant Alexander:And a couple hours later we got another similar email.
Grant Alexander:So amidst all the sadness, exhaustion and work, there were some incredible highs and I thought two emails mentioned the top shows chart I had to check for myself.
Grant Alexander:Now I've been keeping our stats pretty close to my chest for a few reasons.
Grant Alexander:One, creating this podcast was never about making money and it never will be.
Grant Alexander:It was to start building the Haas of Style brand and legitimizing us and the overarching business to investors.
Grant Alexander:Second, I didn't really believe it was anything to write home about because it hasn't led to the 42 million dollar investment I'm trying to secure.
Grant Alexander:And that is the goal.
Grant Alexander:Lastly, I don't do a great job of celebrating wins, which is something I talked about in the two part episode with Yasen and Shawn Terrio.
Grant Alexander:So listen to those if you haven't yet.
Grant Alexander:In thinking we've done anything big at this point would to me be irrational and lead to complacency.
Grant Alexander:But on Wednesday I learned that our podcast cracked the top 150 in Apple podcast, Society and Culture category.
Grant Alexander:Can you believe that?
Grant Alexander:Only 11 episodes in I guess now 12 today's and we are already making mini waves.
Grant Alexander:It's humbling and exhilarating all at once.
Grant Alexander:Thank you for those that have been listening since the beginning and providing feedback because that feedback has been so helpful.
Grant Alexander:I always believed the idea would resonate with people, and it makes me happy that at least early on that seems to be the case.
Grant Alexander:And if that wasn't enough Wednesday night multiple potential sponsors said yes to meetings and the idea that we'll soon have sponsors supporting the show is just wow.
Grant Alexander:It's amazing.
Grant Alexander:It feels like everything I've been working towards is starting to materialize.
Grant Alexander:And I'm not just talking about the months we've been working on getting this podcast out in the world.
Grant Alexander:I'm talking about the years of work I've put into building something bigger and the years I've been working on all of this in the last year that I've put everything in me and made so many sacrifices for the overarching House of Style concept while essentially cutting off all revenue streams I had coming in to pursue this full time because that's how much I believe in this.
Grant Alexander:And I know I haven't shared all of the details of the business.
Grant Alexander:We'll get an episode or two that I start to share more and more, but if you're curious right now, you can Visit revolution in retail.com I'll add the link in the show notes and the description as well.
Grant Alexander:Now, getting back to it and reflecting on this whirlwind of a week, I've been thinking a lot about the last question I started to ask all my guests.
Grant Alexander:How do you describe your style in three words?
Grant Alexander:It's a question that often brings out insightful answers, and it's one that I've pondered myself many times, especially as of late.
Grant Alexander:In the past, I probably would have chosen words like creative, innovative, bold, or contrarian to describe my style.
Grant Alexander:They're words that speak to aesthetics or creativity or a certain flair.
Grant Alexander:But this week has really shifted something in me.
Grant Alexander:It's reminded me of the fundamental truth that no matter what's happening around us, good or bad, we have to keep moving forward.
Grant Alexander:Because there's always something good or bad happening to us or those around us and those close to us.
Grant Alexander:You have to keep moving to attain your goals.
Grant Alexander:You see, life doesn't pause for us to catch our breath, and when we're faced with loss, adversity or even success.
Grant Alexander:We have a choice in how we respond.
Grant Alexander:And every choice you make, big or small, paints the canvas of your style.
Grant Alexander:Every time and constantly, you have to keep making that choice.
Grant Alexander:It's easy to feel overwhelmed, to let the weight of circumstances slow us down.
Grant Alexander:But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that action is the antidote to stagnation.
Grant Alexander:If there's something in your life that you're unhappy with, you have to put in the effort to change it.
Grant Alexander:Wishing and waiting won't make it better.
Grant Alexander:Complaining won't make it better.
Grant Alexander:Complaining about the election isn't going to make it better.
Grant Alexander:Doesn't matter if it's personal growth, a career goal, or a relationship.
Grant Alexander:Progress requires us to take that first step, even when it's hard.
Grant Alexander:And the harder it is, the more important taking that first step is.
Grant Alexander:I know starting is often.
Grant Alexander:It's often the most daunting part.
Grant Alexander:That gap between thinking about doing something and actually doing it can feel enormous.
Grant Alexander:I feel this all the time.
Grant Alexander:But once you take that initial leap, momentum builds, and each small action makes the next one a little easier.
Grant Alexander:I pitch this and I tell people about this all the time.
Grant Alexander:But one of my favorite books, James Clear, talks about this concept, that the small action makes the next one that much easier.
Grant Alexander:And one small change adds.
Grant Alexander:Those small changes really add up to a huge change.
Grant Alexander:And he talks about that in one of the best books I've ever read, Atomic Habits.
Grant Alexander:And this week, despite the heaviness, I pushed myself to stay engaged, to keep working on the podcast and getting the investment, to reach out to those who need support and to embrace the positive developments with gratitude.
Grant Alexander:And it wasn't easy, but it was necessary.
Grant Alexander:I started this podcast to show you how style isn't just about fashion or how we present ourselves outwardly.
Grant Alexander:It's about our approach to life.
Grant Alexander:It's in the way we tackle challenges, the attitude we bring to our endeavors, and the consistency with which we pursue our goals.
Grant Alexander:I know a lot of people are frustrated or hurting right now.
Grant Alexander:It might be in your job, in a relationship.
Grant Alexander:It might be with the election, with family events or losses, with whatever it might be.
Grant Alexander:What you choose to do next shows your style.
Grant Alexander:Style is a blend of choices that reflects your values, those passions in the personality.
Grant Alexander:It's okay to let yourself feel for a minute or for a little.
Grant Alexander:But what are you going to do next?
Grant Alexander:How are you going to make it better?
Grant Alexander:Stop focusing on what happened or even why it happened.
Grant Alexander:The why can be important, so you don't make that mistake again in the future.
Grant Alexander:Have the courage to reframe your thoughts.
Grant Alexander:If you start focusing on the what and the how of the future, you're going to see changes that you want to see.
Grant Alexander:If you're upset about politics in the direction something's going, do something about it.
Grant Alexander:Step up, make a change, whether it's something little or something that's big.
Grant Alexander:But most importantly, stop seeing everybody else as enemies.
Grant Alexander:We're not enemies, America.
Grant Alexander:And we are much greater than one person, one administration.
Grant Alexander:It doesn't matter which side you're on or for right now.
Grant Alexander:I agree that, you know, a lot of people saw it kind of as issues or character, and there's plenty to say on both sides, but everyone gets that choice.
Grant Alexander:That's the wonderful thing about America.
Grant Alexander:And we can't be upset at other people for how they're living their lives and how they see who might impact it a certain way.
Grant Alexander:That's not up to us.
Grant Alexander:But what is up to us and what's up, what can be up to you is what you do about it, what you do next.
Grant Alexander:Instead of making the next four years about how awful one side has been, let's figure out what we can actually do together or what will make it less bad.
Grant Alexander:That's a great starting point.
Grant Alexander:There's always something to do.
Grant Alexander:And if we reframe it, instead of thinking about, you know, if you're a Democrat, stop blaming, stop thinking about what went wrong.
Grant Alexander:Start thinking about the future and what you can do better, how you can re attract those people you lost touch with.
Grant Alexander:Whatever it is, the politics of it don't matter right now.
Grant Alexander:It's about the people, and it's about you and your style and how you're going to deal with things moving forward.
Grant Alexander:So circling back to that pivotal question, I ask all my guests, how do you describe your style in three words?
Grant Alexander:I found that my answer has evolved.
Grant Alexander:So what are my three words?
Grant Alexander:Get to work.
Grant Alexander:Because at the end of the day, it's about rolling up our sleeves and taking action.
Grant Alexander:It's about not letting the highs make us complacent or the lows deter us.
Grant Alexander:It's about understanding that progress is built on perseverance and wanting to improve.
Grant Alexander:To be or do better.
Grant Alexander:Get to work embodies a mindset.
Grant Alexander:It's a commitment to moving forward regardless of the obstacles.
Grant Alexander:It's a reminder that dreams are achieved not just through vision, but through consistent effort.
Grant Alexander:So I want to leave you with this.
Grant Alexander:Whatever you're facing right now, whatever dreams you're nurturing whatever challenges you're grappling with.
Grant Alexander:Take that first step.
Grant Alexander:Don't wait for the perfect moment or for things to feel right.
Grant Alexander:Take that first step, no matter how small.
Grant Alexander:Just start.
Grant Alexander:Get to work.
Grant Alexander:It's your style.
Grant Alexander:And style has the power to inspire others and transform the ordinary into extraordinary.
Grant Alexander:So what are you going to do to take whatever your small complaint is whatever you want to see change.
Grant Alexander:What are you going to do to see change and make an extraordinary?
Grant Alexander:So just start.
Grant Alexander:Get to work.
Grant Alexander:Thank you for joining me in this solo episode.
Grant Alexander:Moving forward, we're going to have some fun team episodes where I bring in team members from House of Style and who's helped with the podcast the business and help them dive further into our awesome guest episodes and just topics we want to spend a little more time on and that we think will be fun and bring some more value.
Grant Alexander:I appreciate each and every one of you for being a part of this journey.
Grant Alexander:Your support means the world to me and I can't wait to see where we go from here.
Grant Alexander:Top 50, top 25.
Grant Alexander:We'll see.
Grant Alexander:It will be up to all of us, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Grant Alexander:Please share this with at least one person you think will get a kick out of it and enjoy this and find value.
Grant Alexander:And until next time, this is House of Style.
Grant Alexander:Now get to work.
