How do you deal with adversity?

In this episode of Business Blindspots, James welcomes former Dallas Cowboy, Jameill Showers.

Jameill shares his stories of how he had to deal with major adversity several times in his life. The first time was when he lost his starting role at A&M to Johnny Manziel and had to transfer schools. 

Jameill also opens up about their time playing for the Cowboys and how it was a dream come true for them as their family hails from Texas. However, the transition to civilian life proved to be tougher than expected, with a hamstring injury and the onset of COVID-19 exacerbating the challenges. Jameill talked about why he considered various career paths, including strength conditioning and obtaining a real estate license, but eventually found themselves in a managerial position in medical device sales. However, he ended up finding his true passion in real estate, and talks about his journey making another big career move.

Notable moments:

• Discussing the Johnny Manziel situation at Texas A&M and why he ended up having to move schools
• Overcoming challenges, finding guidance, and betting on himself
• A&M game, senior year success, and getting NFL attention.
• Playing for the Cowboys and struggling as a quarterback
• Why moving to defense in the pros proved to be challenging
• Why the combination of an Injured hamstring and COVID changed everything
• Transitioning to a new role, adapting football skills
• How the University of YouTube helped to set him up for business success
• Struggling with long hours and limited family time in a new career
• Missed real estate opportunity, and the gratitude for savings and football
• Adversity is a stepping stone to success
• Moving to real estate professional without experience
• Why now he embraces his faith

And I remember, one of my teammates, Bryce Butler, was like, you mind when I'm gonna stop doing good at safety? What do you mean? They might they might move you, and I'm like, they're I'm supposed to be a safety. I'm a 230 pound quarterback. I'm I'm the last time I played defense. You know? And that's what ended up happening. Once we went to the star, I remember I I brought my, breakfast up to the QB room. And, coach Linehan at the time, he's off the coordinator at the time was like, hey. Coach Garrett wants to see you. I'm like, I don't even eat breakfast.

I'm about to get cut. You know? So it was one of those things. I'm like, alright. Cool. I'll go see coach Garrett, and he's like, hey. You know, you've been doing really well at safety. You know, I think we're gonna move you to safety, and I laughed at him. And and, you know, it's one of those things where you're, like, laughing.

You're like,

and he's,

like, straight face. And I'm like, oh, you're serious.

Welcome to Business Blind Spots, a podcast Where we learn from founders, entrepreneurs, and business experts about the challenges, obstacles, and barriers that they've overcome and successfully navigated So you can take that away and apply that to your business. Today's guest is Jamelle Showers. How are you doing? Doing well, man. Awesome. I'm very excited for this podcast. Thank you for coming on. Can you kinda give our viewers and listeners A little bit of an overview. I know right now you're a luxury real estate agent.

Can you tell us about your background and kinda how you got to this position?

Yep. Yeah. Born and raised in Texas 2, teachers and coaches. My dad is a football coach. My mom, she coached volleyball and basketball. So entrenched in sports. I was born out in West Texas, moved what I call my hometown is Killeen, Texas. Pretty much found my way in football, got recruited, and ended up going to Texas A&M, got into a quarterback battle and lost that to Johnny Manziel, obviously.

So I was a little bit older than him and figured that was my time to go. So I transferred to UTEP, way out in West Texas, got picked up as a free agent with the cowboys, played 5 years there, played quarterback and safety. And then, once I got out, ended up going into medical device sales, and that led me pretty much to luxury real estate.

So you, you played football at one of the biggest stadiums in college football. Right?

Mhmm.

What's that fee like? 90,000?

Yeah. 90,000. It feels like 200,000. It sounds like 200,000 is what I should say. I can only imagine.

Yeah. That's the home of the 12th man. Right? Yep. Yep. I always tell people there's 2 Colts in Texas. 1 is the marine corps, and 1 is a crimson colt, you know, otherwise known as A and N Aggies.

100%. Awesome. I'm I'm, I've accepted that now. I'm part of the cult. Yeah. And, like, I used to, I try to fight that, but now I'm like, well, they're kinda yeah. I'm just in and out.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if if I had gone to A&M, everyone would know about it. I'd probably have an A&M tattoo on my forearm that accidentally flashed people or something. Yeah. Exactly. But, okay. So there's a lot to unpack there.

You just kinda you you, touched it on it briefly a little. Let's let's let's, jump into it. So, if you talk to an an A&M fan

Mhmm.

Or a person that was in school At the time, like, you were you were the next superstar. Right?

Yes. I mean, you know, you much I was in line. Yeah.

You were in line. So what happened with all that? What happened with Johnny Manziel, because no one knew who that guy was. Right? Until

Yeah. It was what happened with it? It it it's kind of a it's a loaded question because nobody really knew because he was from a small town on Kerrville. I ended up watching his highlight tape whenever, you know, you just just wanna see who the competition is coming in, and, he was making kids look silly, to be honest with you. So, I got recruited by Mike Sherman. I was sitting behind Brian Tannehill, Gerard Johnson, and then, Johnny comes in, and we have this pro style offense. Well, we end up having a pretty tough season. Mike Sherman's last season, they fire him, in comes, Kevin Sumblin. So he had been recruiting, Johnny to U of H.

He was at U of H before. Once he came in, it pretty much was Johnny's actually, really both of our skill sets fit that offense really, really well. We go into that battle, and it's pretty much neck and neck. And then I felt like I through scrimmages, I kinda started to take the upper hand. Now I wanna preface this by saying that Johnny Manziel was not being Johnny Manziel about in, you know, our fall camp. So I don't know. It's kind of a it came as a surprise to me. It was a tough it was a tough thing for me because I pretty much like, if you'd asked me when I was 12 years old, I was gonna go start for 4 years at a college, which that didn't happen.

And then I was gonna go to the pros. And right now, I should be working on my gold jacket to be in the hall to be all quarterback. So, obviously, life took a turn there. But, once he got into the game, we played play Florida. And it was one of those performances where it's like you could you could see flashes, but it's still, to me, wasn't something that was like, I I shouldn't have or I didn't get a shot. Should have gotten a shot, in my opinion, obviously. You mean? But we ended up having the game be canceled versus LaTex, and then I believe the next game was Arkansas. And he ended up throwing for, like, 5 touchdowns, like 520 something yards.

And I was like, well, you know? You know? I mean, if you're if you're realistic, I was I was that was a great game. So, you know, next week comes out, does the same thing, and then he just ends up, you know, like we see on the documentaries and all, you know, highlight tapes is pretty much just a highlight tape every single game. And, the writing was on the wall. You know, I was, like, very aware of the situation, and that was tough for me that I needed to go ahead and transfer.

So what is that like? What is that thought process like for you whenever you kind of have to pivot very quickly? Mhmm. How did you decide on where to transfer? Mhmm. And did you have to battle for the starting spot there also?

Yeah. So that was a tough it was tough for me. So whenever they made the decision, it was it was the Friday before the 1st week of the season. So when we would have been preparing for Florida. Yeah. Pretty much everybody comes down, you take a knee, and everybody's like, hey. We decided our our starting quarterback is gonna be Johnny Manziel. And I was pissed, at the time because he's it's it's in a documentary, so I'm not outing anything.

But he had gotten in some trouble. I was leading, in 707, like the summer workouts, going every workout, not missing anything. I was the leader of the team did really well in some of the scrimmages. Actually, really, all of the scrimmages I did really well. So, like, the team was pretty split. Now keep in mind, I didn't know what Johnny was was capable of, obviously, during the season. So, I went up and talked to coach Kingsbury, and he pretty much was like, man, this you know, it wasn't my decision. It's the head coach's decision.

And, you know, you just keep on, you know, pressing forward. Is it your great great kid, great quarterback? And I was wearing my emotions on my sleeve. I was real honestly, really, really pissed. So that was a big, identity checked for me. That's kinda whenever my face started to to step in. You know, looking back on it, that's whenever the Lord really got my attention. You know, born and raised in sports and football. I mean, as a football coach, I mean, that's all I really, that's all I knew.

I didn't handle it initially very well, but then there was just you know, through going through, going to, like, church, kinda getting some some counseling, just discipleship, things like that. I basically was like, I I need to bet on myself. And that's that's kinda where I took a turn. Now at the time, there wasn't the NIO, you know, the transfer report, all that. So I had to go take 21, take I took 2 extra classes and then graduated early so I didn't have to miss out a year, sit out a year. And then, during the recruiting process, it was U of H, UTEP, and the way we chose UTEP was the the the director of operations, for players, he was my dad's position coach whenever he was in college. So it's just of a familiar face. Mhmm.

Because, hey. You'll come out here. You'll start right away. Now I did have to battle it out, whenever I got there, but that was just I mean, that was something I was expecting. Anywhere you go, there's gonna be some so I wasn't too afraid of that.

That must be, I can only imagine how hard that that was to To manage, but there had to be a, like, a thought process. Right? So the thought process, it sounds like you you just kinda leaned into your faith and then just leaned into the next best option. Mhmm. Was your dad a big a big part of that decision making process for you?

Yeah. He was. I mean, he pretty much handled all my recruiting out of high school as well. Mean, being a coach, you put all the highlights and stuff together. So he may start making calls, with just connections that he had had. And you really the thought process during that whole time was, I know what I'm capable of as a quarterback, and I know I should be starting somewhere. And if it's not here, it's gonna be somewhere else. So that pretty much was just, you know, talking to him.

You know, really the option was, Johnny's a year younger than me. Maybe chance chance it that he enters the draft early, which would give me 1 year to start at and start for 2 years and and, you know, really just take matters in my own hands. And that's that's what I decided to do. Now, obviously, that connection with UTEP was was through my dad, and, Sean Coogler was a coach at the time, new coach. So he was bringing in a whole new system, a whole new mindset to UTEP. And, I don't know. I took one visit, and that's pretty much it. Awesome.

Yep. So what was

the process like from going there to pro?

So whenever I went there, honestly, it's kinda depressing because you get, like, a hint to him as, you know, the one of the best fan bases in the world, really the best, obviously, if you're in the cult. And, so

It's not TCU, but we'll let it slide.

You know? TCU is coming up. I'm I'm becoming a fan now that I live closer to Fort Worth. So

Yeah. Yeah.

Send

you a purple polo.

Don't worry. Yeah. I won't it won't be posted anywhere, but I'll I'll accept it. At least once

a year, you're gonna wear it.

Yeah. There you go. I got you. I got you. So went to UTEP, and it's like the trees and grass started to die down in the dirt. And I guess I just I was I was born in West Texas, but it was just like, wow. Like, literally everything is dying as I'm going out here. So it's kinda depressing.

Mhmm. It's it's not a football school. It's more of a basketball school. But while we were there, we started to build it up. 1st year was awful. I ended up, spraining my AC joint, missing half the season. Actually, it was the week right before 4, we played A&M. So that was kinda like on my list.

We're gonna go play A&M, then I go back and I'm in my swing and you know? So that's what it was. But my senior year there is whenever we really start to take off. We wanna or went to the 1st bowl game, and I think it was, like, 5 or 6 years. Had a winning record for the 1st time in a long time. So, I mean, that was awesome. Sean Coogler was a coach with the Steelers. So he, he put I mean, he had a bunch of connections with the NFL, and that's whenever they came out, started getting some attention and, did really well during my pro day. So that's you know, you play, you go to the bowl game, and then once you're done, you pretty much go into senior bulls? So I got invited to the NFL PA bowl game, ended up winning the starting job there, did pretty well there, and then, did really well at my pro day, but I think the key was there were 32 scouts at the A&M pro day.

So I had I'd still had good relationships with people at A&M, or good enough that they let me go in and throw the guys, and and I think that's kinda what kinda blew it out the water. I think whenever I went in, I was the 48th ranked quarterback. And then by the time that whole process was over, I was the 13th ranked quarterback. That whole process is it it it's really like a span of 4, 3, 4 months, but it feels like a whole year just like you're nonstop training.

So do you think, do you think the way that you responded to losing the starting spot to Johnny, and so you kinda turned it around into a positive ultimately. Mhmm. Do you think that's why you were able to go through it at a and m?

Yes. I think it's that plus how I treated people when I was there. Now in the way I left too. I mean, it was pretty much like, coach, I appreciate your time. I appreciate y'all, but, I mean, I I need to go better myself. And then the coaches were all like you know, they were pretty much, hey. We we agree. You need to be starting somewhere.

And they helped me out the whole way, really from from the coaching staff on up to the, athletic director who I had just met, but I had developed a pretty decent relationship with him. And then even the the staff, I mean, they they went in and or staff, they kinda do some research, basically, of, like, you know, should we let this guy transfer or not? And there were no bad reports there. So I think the way I treated people, they eventually, you know, pay dividends, like, you know, over in the future.

And, and based on my experience, It's, of of knowing you and knowing people around you, you have continued to treat people that way.

Yeah. Tried to.

I I think that's Crucial. I mean, people are real real quick to get, in their own head or or let their ego take control. Like, hey, man. I've I've, Like you said, like, this was your plan since you were 12 years old, 4 years, and then and then pro. Yep. And I think people could learn a lot by hearing about that.

Great. Yeah. Definitely. I mean, I think it's, like, at a foundational level, probably more scared it'll get back to my mom if I'm history. So it might be one of those but, I mean, it did I mean, it helps. Yeah. But, yeah, I mean, it's I mean, if you treat people well, people will treat you well, and and I think that's really a good example of it where I don't like asking for favors, but whenever I do go back and ask for favors, it it doesn't feel weird because I know there's no, like, past, you know, blow up. I didn't blow up on anybody.

There's you know, I did everything I was supposed to do. And I think that's also why it was so hard to leave is because it's like, man, this I did step for step everything that you're supposed to do. Work hard, show up, you know, do well, perform well whenever your number's called, all that stuff, and it didn't work out. But doing all that stuff also paid, you know, 2 years down the road. So

Well, you can get, you know, and I bet you have a ton of stories. I know I have a ton of stories about people. They get caught in that sense of entitlement. Oh, yeah. They're like, hey. I I did my time. I I did a, b, and c just like I was supposed to do a, b, and c. Where's my prize?

Mhmm.

Right? And people you see it in business and in sales and entrepreneurship all the dang time. When people We'll get so mad that they didn't get what they feel like they deserve. They will burn that bridge. They'll say something rude to a prospect or a client. Mhmm. Then they'll lose a gig, and they'll burn their reputation in that space permanently.

Yeah.

So I I think that speaks volumes for you. Okay. So college a pro. Mhmm. How'd that go? Because I I don't I'm I'm a UFC guy, and I like watching college football, and that's it. I don't know anything about give me this.

Man, so so the 1st day I walked in, this is like one of my core memories. It's like, I remember, it was at Valley Ranch, which, honestly, I was shocked that the locker room wasn't it was basically, like, an IKEA stand of, like it was, like, in the middle of this room, Okay. And they have, like, curtains connecting each each section of lockers, and you just walk into the curtain. That's like the locker room. And I was like, hey. It was kind of I had a better one at UTEP. But when you walk in and you see, like, hey. Your locker's over there.

You're, like, looking for your number. I don't know. It feels like, I felt like the freshman year again where you're just like, you have, like, all your stuff that's all too big, and you're, like, walking, and you're like, oh, man. That's just Brian. That's, like, oh, man. That's that's Jason Whiting. There goes, oh, Romo. You know the guys you play with on Madden? Mhmm.

And it

was kinda cool, but then had it quickly, like, snap. Like, no. You're here too. Like, that's why you have a locker right next to Dez, or you have a locker right next to Tony, you know what I mean? So it was like a like, impostor syndrome, but then I had to snap into it of, like, no. I earned this. Now I was undrafted free agents, so there was still some earning left to do, to do, but it was, it was cool. It was cool. But then once you step out, you go into a rookie mini camp, and pretty much everybody's as lost as I mean, we're all, like, collectively lost together.

You know? And it's like, you see all those clips of, Jon Gruden where he's, like, you know, saying this long, drawn out play, and then the the quarterback has no clue what he said. He's like, oh, great.

That, Chris Simms?

Yeah. It was Chris Simms. And I I posted it the other day where it was like, man, I got PTSD from that because you have grown men looking, they're, like, trying to worry about their position. Like, wait. Am I the the x or am I the z? And you're, like, doing all these motions.

And they're looking at you.

Yeah. Looking at you. Everybody's looking at you, grown man, and then you have, like, coach yelling at you. Like, the play is, like, 382. It's like 372. You're saying the wrong thing, and it's just like okay. And they're like, take a take a breath. Take a breath.

You know? So, once you get the playbook down, it gets a little bit easier, but the the speed of the game where it's like I mean, the windows are, like, milliseconds. So if you're not throwing the ball in that back foot, like, you do 1 hitch, that's a pick six. You know? Whereas you can get away with it in college if you have a strong-arm or you know what I mean? Mhmm. It's just like those little yeah. It's there's there's levels to the little things pretty much. But, yeah, it was a culture shock. It was humbling, exciting. It was, like, all everything pretty much.

Mhmm. It was it was it was a fun time, though.

Man, I'm sure so I'm trying to process, being in a locker room with, I mean, everyone in the country knows those people. And if you don't, you've been living under a rock for the last 15 years. But, You know, I just watched, Tony Romo clips just the other day, just some of the amazing stuff that you eat on the field.

Mhmm.

You know?

He's underrated, by the way.

100% I'm gonna rate it.

You have some people who are like, dude, he's like, I'm like

Yeah. Okay.

Dude, I don't even know if you can grip a football. Yeah. Yeah.

Do 1 pull up, sir, and then come talk to me about about, overrated, because your beer belly is the size of a beach well, but, I'm sorry. That's not appropriate. This is a business podcast. Just be professional here. What am I talking about?

We're people.

Okay. So how long did it take you to, earn earn your spot on the cowboys?

Well, that's it would probably in terms of I I never assumed. I made the squad, but I was I was a bubble guy. So I was practice squad, and then I'd be brought up and then cut, brought up, cut, cut from the practice squad, brought back on the team. I mean, I was probably cut at least, I'd say, 3 times a year. Oh

my god.

Yeah. So you I was never comfort I was never in a comfortable position. So I I played quarterback my whole 1st year. Honestly, it was I struggled the whole time. I struggled a lot with protections, you know, whenever, like and when to make changes at the lines, things like that. And then, my 2nd year is whenever I felt like I had a really good camp as a quarterback. Now on the practice squad, whenever you're you're a practice squad player, you're pretty much if they need a spot filled, like, whether you play running back, whatever it is. If they need a linebacker field, you play linebacker.

So you're just look at the cards, run what's on the card. So I would go play safety. And I, you know, I'm, like, having fun with it. I'm like, this is fun. I'm in the NFL, and I'm, like, faking like I'm a Sean Taylor or something. You know what I mean? Mhmm. So I was, like, back there, and I end up catching a couple picks in practice one day. And I remember, one of my teammates, Bryce Butler, was like, you mind when stop doing good at safety.

What do you mean? They might they might move you. And I'm like, then I'm supposed to be at safety. I'm a 230 pound quarterback. I'm I'm the last time I played defense, you know. And that's what ended up happening. Once we went to the star, I remember I I brought my, breakfast up to the QB room. And, coach Linehan at the time, he was offensive coordinator at the time, was like, hey. Coach Garrett wants to see you.

I'm like, I don't need breakfast. I'm about to get cut. You know? So it was one of those things. I'm like, alright. Cool. I go coach Garrett. He was like, hey. You know, you've been doing really well at safety.

You know, I think we're gonna move you to safety, and I laughed at him. And and, you know, it's one of those things where you're, like, laughing. You're like, and he's like straight faced. And I'm like, oh, you're serious. He's like, yeah. He's like, coach Linehan already knows you're not anymore. Just go ahead and go to the defensive meetings from here on out. And I was like, okay.

Cool. So I go there. Everybody's like, what are you doing here? Like, this special teams is over. And I was going to special teams meetings, and I was like, no. I'm I'm a safety. You know? And everybody's laughing at me, and I'm like, no. I'm a safety for real. Because Jackson's in the back.

He said, no. He is. Come sit by me, and I'll, you know, I'll try to run you through everything. And I'm like, the hell is going on? You know? So did that, got a blue jersey, took my white jersey off, and went to, special oh, not special teams, but it was individual drills. And I probably almost got robbed, though, in my 7 minute individual drills. Because quarterback shuffle through the bags, you know, just kinda throw the ball to, you know, one of the equipment guys.

Yeah.

But safe I mean, when I was playing safety DBs, I mean, you're, like, backpedaling, sprinting, running across the field, high, high pointing the ball, things like that. And I'm like, it won't even a full 7 minutes, honestly. It was, like, 5 minutes, and I was done.

For someone who, I know what that is because I did cross fit for a while. But Yeah. So what is what is rhabdo?

Rhabdo is basically whenever your your kidneys almost shut down, essentially. Right? So you get, like, a lot of, like, lactic acid buildup and So from extreme overexertion Yes.

And just punishing your body.

Exactly. Yeah. So I was, like, getting they they were like, hey. Alright. Now we got special teams. You gotta go full speed, and I'm going, like, all the reps on special teams. And I was like, I can't even stand up. So I remember at the end of practice one day, I I was, like, bent over in, like, in the middle of the field.

I'm the free safety, and I'm, like, looking at the ground about to throw up. And they snap the ball, and I just get up. And I'm, like, running backwards, tag off, and I'm like, I'm done. About I went in the locker room and laid down for, like, an hour and a half until the meetings? It

was it

was tough. It was that was a tough transition for me.

Well, that's, one of the next questions I was gonna ask you is what was that transition like? But you kind of covered it, but it sounds like, Much more physical, obviously.

Oh my gosh. Yeah.

So what was the difference mentally, in that transition?

Mentally, during the transition, it was just I gotta stay in shape and prove enough, like, that I'm that I'm improving enough to stay on the team. You know, that this wasn't a a a bad decision. I get cut, you know, next week or whatever. But it was from a cerebral standpoint, quarterback is it's a lot harder. Physically, safety is a lot harder, obviously. But for me, the things that stumped me were, like, the instincts. I just I I didn't develop the instincts that some of the DBs had. You know, the guys that get drafted.

Mhmm. So whenever you know, for example, I'm I'm gonna blitz the d gap. So I'm blitzing on the outside of the tight end, but if he goes in motion, I need to go now I'm filling the gap in, like, in the a gap. Mhmm. So now I'm like now I'm basically taking the place of a linebacker everybody shifts over in responsibility. So things like that that happened when the ball was snapped, it was so hard for me to see because in on offense, you know what you're doing. On the defense, you're reacting to what the offense is doing. So you might have a play going into it, but your responsibility changes just based off of 1 person motioning on snap the ball.

So it's

And and your peers on the field, on the d squad have been doing that since they were 12.

Right? Right. You know, those guys, I mean They recognize it. Yeah. Because typically, if you're a DB, you can't catch. So you've probably played DB your whole life. And every time that you were I mean, you know, unless you were just a freak athlete, but

Mhmm. Most DBs Unless you're DeJuan Sanders. Right.

Yes. So freak athletes. Yeah. Guys that are, like, generational talents. But yeah. Yeah. Those guys just develop a different type of, instinct, you know, to react into the ball. And that's you know, teammates kinda played a part in, like, me even be able to catch on and and sticking as long as I did.

Got a lot of help.

Oh, yeah. You know? I mean, so you had some teammates who were like, I'm not man, you're on your own, and this is the pros. You know, get with it or get lost. But I had a teammate, Kavon Frazier and then, Brandon Carr. So he Brandon Carr we on the iron horse? I wanna say 14 years in the league and never missed a game due to injury No problem. Is unheard of.

That's unheard of.

Was on a practice squad, and I sprained my ankle a couple times. You know what I mean? So it's like I

think I sprained my ankle just walking

I'm just studio. Exactly. But Hit that little step. Yeah. But they helped a bunch. They were like, hey. Come do this. Come to my DBI, you know, on the weekends or in the summer and work with us.

You know? So, I mean, that stuff definitely helped because I don't know what I was doing. I back double. Last time I back was, like, 8th grade before then. So

So you how how many years were you doing that?

Playing safety. So I did 2 years as a quarterback or 2 seasons, and then, safety was 3. So 5 years, you you were I mean,

you were you were gracious and and talked about getting cut and being on the bubble. I'm gonna pretend that I know what being on the bubble means. So 5 years all in.

Yeah. 5 years all in with the cowboys, which is you know, that that was a blessing because whole family's from Texas.

So I mean, that's amazing. That's that's amazing. Okay. So what was that transition like from the cowboys into what we'll just call civilian life?

That was tough. So it was I had gone to make a tackle versus the Bucks in preseason, strained my hamstring. So I basically had 6 weeks where I was, like, trying to get back. And then right after 6 week mark, I had 2 or 3 teams, I can't remember which ones they were, were interested in bringing me for a workout. And then I just did 1 I was basically to to get clearance, I had to do 1 final just sprint for, I don't know, it was, like, 25 seconds or something like that on the treadmill, and, strained it. So that was kinda the the tough part where I was like, man, that's, you know, that's another at least 4 weeks. You know, we're already 6 weeks into the season. So those teams didn't call back, and then that was right on, like, leading into, leading into COVID.

So, basically, everything was shutting down. There were there were no bites. I talked to my agent. He was like, hey. Your only route is probably gonna be going CFL. But with this new virus that's coming, we don't even know if anybody's gonna be able to travel or anything like that. So it was kind of a it was a weird time, and we were pregnant with our first or my first daughter, our 1st daughter. And, I was like, man, I don't I I really don't know what I'm gonna do.

And it was right into a shutdown. So she was born on February. I wanna say 3 weeks later, the whole world shuts down. Mhmm. I'm calling old coaches that are in the NFL. I was like, hey. I'm gonna get into strength conditioning, try to do it that way.

You were looking for anything or just that's what you

I I was gonna stick with what I knew because that was gonna be the easiest route. You know, I had, obviously, with new daughter. I was like, I I gotta provide. So, I I was like, I I don't play well in the cold, so I was like, Canada is absolutely not an option. I just had a daughter. I'm not traveling that far. And

It's Canada.

It's yeah. It's Canada. Yeah. So it's not the NFL. So I was like, maybe a little bit of pride there too. I don't know. But, it was one of those things where I don't know. I'll go back to it just saying, like, the lord just shuts a bunch of doors, and, you know, you look back, and it's like, I'm glad he did all that.

But they're like, hey. We don't know what this variance or this virus is gonna do. So nobody's hiring. Nobody's bringing in people for workouts. You gotta, you know, get tested 3 times before you have a workout. So I pretty much was like, let me just go get my real estate license because that's the only other thing besides football that I think I'd be interested in. Mhmm. And I'm getting my real estate license, online.

And, on the back end of all that, my roommate from college actually, but, A&M Clay Honeycutt hits me. He's like, hey. I'm I do medical device sales. I love it. We have an opening on the, it's a managerial position. So you'd be a manager. You'd be on on my team. So me and you would be working together, if you wanna do that.

And his sister, who were you know, were all really good friends. I mean, they're basically I mean, they're family. She also worked there. She had been working there for, I think, 6 years at the time and was like, you know, this is familiar. I have familiar faces, so let me just go try that. That's kinda how I got into the medical device world. But I don't wanna say it was depressing. I don't wanna use that term lightly, but it definitely was a challenge for me because it was the first time my whole identity was stripped away, didn't know what I was gonna do.

1st time I didn't have a plan, then I'm stepping into something that I'm not known for and I'm not good at.

That was what something that I was very curious about. Like so, essentially, like Like okay. So I'll just I'll just tell you what a civilian would would would think like. Like, oh my god. This guy played for the cowboys.

That's Yeah.

Amazing. Like, I've been watching this team every Sunday for as long as I can remember. In in in their eyes, you would be elite. Right? It's it's a prestigious role. And to go from there to a regular civilian job slinging medical devices

mhmm.

Like, that had to be really hard to cope with and deal with. So could you talk about challenges you faced and maybe how you overcame that?

Yeah. Yeah. If you did,

I don't wanna assume anything. Right? Godly.

Well, I think I did. I'm working on it at least. So getting into that role, your whole life as an athlete is on the schedule. So you're told, hey. Meetings are at 7:30. Breakfast starts at 6:30. You need to have eaten, been dressed, and worked out by then. You know? And then after that, it's, like, scheduled out all the way up until the time you leave.

And you know what the schedule is. They give you a schedule. They email you a schedule. So my whole life was scheduled. And I'm I'm always, like, thought of myself as a kinda, like, go with the flow guy. But Mhmm. Getting into the real world, I was like, I'm definitely not. I absolutely need structure.

So stepping into that role, now I'm like they're they're taking the qualities of what it takes to be a good quarterback or a good football player, and they're like, alright. Just apply it to this. And I'm like, don't even know what this is. You know? So it's like, I don't know how to track analytics. I don't know how to lead people in in the real world. I think, honestly, the one thing that came to mind or that I realized at first is is not a locker room, and people are very sensitive in in the yeah. In in the real world because it's like, I remember I made a joke with somebody. He's on the same level as me in terms of, like, we're we're both managers.

I was supposed to do something. I guess I did it the wrong way or it was, like, a different format or something. And I was just like, okay. I don't know we're sensitive like that, you know, and did it. To me, that was just sarcasm like a joke. And, you know, come to find out it was like, hey. You can't talk to people like that. Never mind.

It was a joke. You know? So that way, I was like, okay. So maybe I need tone it down some, you know, in terms of being sarcastic and making jokes and just, you know, kinda just do my work, I guess. But I didn't know anything about business. Luckily, my boss yeah, I just wanna call him that, but my boss is a absolute machine. He's a CEO of another company now, but he really challenged me to create my own structure because, essentially, we kinda ran different territories. So he was like, I want you to build your business or your territory, like, how you would run your business. And I'm like, I don't know how to run a business.

So with the help of him and my my buddy Clay, I mean, they pretty much were like, hey. I do this. I do this. This works for me. So it was it was really more of, I'd probably say, a full year, almost a year and a half, honestly, just trial and error. What works for me? What doesn't work for me? And and kinda just time blocking. I would say for my 1st 3 months, I was sitting there. They're doing work, and I'm, like, refreshing my email every 5 minutes.

I'm like

What what do I do?

Hey. I have no clue what to do.

Time blocking is amazing, man.

Yeah. Yeah.

So that's a secret.

Yeah. Those those are the struggles where it's just like it it sounds so simple to people who who are in it and have been in it their whole lives, but it's like the basic, like, how do I do a job in the professional world? Mhmm. And it was, like, not being good at that and then also having talks of, like, hey. This we see you're struggling. Like, you know, how how can we help you? I'm like, I don't know. So that part is frustrating. Mhmm. I remember I was getting pissed, you know, just in conversations because I'm like, and I I don't even know what I don't know.

So that it was it was like just a slap in the face for me. It's like, I've been, like, really good at football my whole life, and I'm doing this thing. And then people are like, you know, what the heck is going on with this dude? You know, we thought it was gonna turn out to this, and it didn't. And it's like so the expectations of people, expectations of myself didn't reach any of those, and that was tough for me.

So you said something I think is very wise. You'd you you recognize that you didn't know what you Didn't know. So what was your process outside of your mentorship and

Mhmm.

People who helped you to to go on about finding success within that space?

YouTube University. I'll go just find, like, business you know, guys who who are really successful in business and just see what works for them. I mean, I was trying stuff like the time blocking is the one that that stuck, but there was like a it's like a Japanese technique where you, like, set an alarm for 25 minutes. So you're efficient for 25 minutes, and then for 5 minutes, you're, like, taking a break. Because I don't know if I'd short attention span or what. I don't know. I'm gonna blame it on phones and social media, but it's like I can do something, not just is it, like, the attention span just, like, fizzles off, and I started I'm like, I can be typing something and thinking of something completely different in my head that has nothing to do with work. So it was, like, really make sure I'm concentrating on on things, but then also to making sure that what I'm doing actually means something.

So Mhmm. I'm working on things that that move the dial versus just busy work. Because I can respond to emails all day, you know, shoot out text messages, hey. Do you need anything? And and from now as I'm looking in, I'm busy and I'm doing stuff, but none of it actually moves a dial. So

Busy for the sake of being busy.

Exactly.

Is like, Income producing activity, like Yes. Things that you do that's gonna put money in your bank account.

Yeah. Which translate really well to real estate. So 100%. Yeah.

So you mentioned 25 minutes of focus. I think I've read a bunch of studies

Mhmm.

That 20 to 25 minutes is if people are being honest, that's For the maximum that people can have intense focus, people can watch a movie, but they're also checking their phone Mhmm. And Sit through lunch. But if if people are gonna be honest with themselves I use the same trick.

Mhmm.

20 minutes, and I'll set, like, a timer for 5 5 or 10 minutes to go check my emails or go read the article real quick, but 20 minutes is my my rule too. Yeah. So, So you're doing the medical device, management stuff. So how did you transition from that into real estate?

There were a few things that for me, the industry wasn't for me. I'll just put it that way to sum it all up. But the reason it wasn't is I'm really big on, like, family time. My girls are 2 3 years old now. So I just Mhmm. With that job, you're so you're so busy. It's pretty much because there were 3 of us trying to run a whole territory. We were were from San Angelo all the way to East Texas down in Tyler.

And it's just a really big territory, a lot to manage, for our category. We were on the road quite a bit. So it's pretty much, I would say, from September of my last year doing it all the way up until April, it was almost every day we were out of the house by 7, 6:37 before my girls get up, and then I would get home. You know, some days don't last as long, but during this time, we were pretty much getting home at, like, 4 or 5 o'clock. So that's, like, an hour and a half of of bath time that I could see my girls? And, it just wasn't it wasn't I was like, no. I'm not doing this. Not for a long time.

At that age, I mean, they were tiny, and that's Yeah. Very 400 years.

Exactly. Yeah. So, I mean, that's those are crucial years in their development. But then also too, I mean, that's whenever they're like they want me around. You know? I mean, as they get older, they're gonna be more about friends and going and doing and stuff. So

By the time they're I I read a study by the time a kid's 18 years old, 93% yep. Of of your time is is done. Exactly. Right?

Yeah.

And so can I can I give you my perspective? Go ahead. So it seems like you're still trying to struggle to find your spot. Right? Like, you're okay. It's a good professional athlete In structured athletics since I was 12, tried medical device sales, supervision. Mhmm. Where do I fit in this space? Right. So and then you realize that that doesn't the medical device stuff didn't work because you need to be at home, And you're obviously very religious. You're a family man.

Mhmm.

So walk me through the steps. How did you how did you land on real estate?

Oh, so real estate has always been in the back of my mind.

Because you did get your license for

real estate. Yeah. And then it expired. But I found myself looking I was just, like, looking at homes, looking into people's, like, investment properties to learn, listening to a bunch of real estate podcasts. And I was like that's kinda what I used to do when I was little with football. I would just go watch the highlight tapes of Steve McNair and, you know, all these guys. And, I was like, okay. Well, it kind of it's it's mirroring the way I used to, you know, think about football.

Mhmm. We had tried a couple of, like, kinda just kinda like side hustles. I don't wanna say side, but side hustles pretty much. And I was like, this this isn't it. I'm just kinda like burning the candle at both ends at this point. And real estate was just always in the back of my mind. So I told we had gone to Europe, and I told my wife it was just a good break because it was right on the back end of a really busy season. And I was like, well, let's just pray about it, but I think I wanna get into real estate.

So I prayed about it. There were no reserves from her, no reserves from me. And then I had a conversation with my boss who's just like, hey. I think I wanna get into real estate. And they were like, man, go do what you need to do. Like Mhmm. This is this industry isn't for everybody. They know it.

You know, they're like, but if if that's what you feel like you need to do for you and your family, by all means, go. Like, because they care it it's medical is a distributor of arthritis, and they care way more about the person than they do about the industry, which is a good thing.

It's rare too.

Very rare. And it's on a culture is one the best cultures I've ever been around. But if it was a if it was a real estate, brokerage, I would absolutely have stayed there probably for a life. You know what I mean? But this is one of those things. They they were fully understanding, and it was just through prayer and talking through things with my wife. And, luckily, football played a part in that where we had enough savings to whereas, you know, the 6 month gap didn't scare me. So just wanna admit that jump. And then and it kinda goes back to, like, the UTEP.

Why I went to UTEP is just betting on myself pretty much. So.

That's awesome. Okay. So what's going on now? Are you are you you're the number 1 person in Texas in real estate? And

if you look at Instagram probably, but no. I'm actually in the in the middle of, closing my first deal. So 90 days in, I set myself, like, 90 days in. I wanna just try to do open houses, connect with people, just network best I can and and see if that works. And then after 90 days, I'll reevaluate if I don't have anything and try a different tactic, and it's work so far. So You got

your 1st deal in under 90 days of real estate. Mhmm.

Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah. Under 90 deals. Yeah. That's amazing.

That's very rare.

That's good. It makes me feel better about it. I was like

and you don't have to answer this if you don't want to. We can edit it out if you don't want to. But did you source the client and deal yourself?

No. A referral. So we got a, we got a, duplex in my hometown. The the agent that helped us find that is with Compass. So she got hit up through a lady in Miami saying that they have she has now with Compass, so I'm gonna refer you to him. So it was just a referral. And Nice. Yeah.

That's what Laura's doing for sure.

Yeah. That oh, 100%. I I couldn't agree more. So there seems to be a recurring thing with you that I find impressive, and and your attitude and resilience. So so I wrote down Attitude, resilience, imposter syndrome, adapting. And then it seems like from the time That Johnny Manziel came into the picture. Maybe even before that, you've been fighting for your space Mhmm. As a professional in whatever

Yeah.

You landed. And so that's gotta be stressful. So how do you have that mindset said every day to, like, I'm gonna go earn my place, whether it's real estate, football, whatever. Is it intentional? Mhmm. Do do you have to think about it in the mornings? Do you have to set your space? How do you go about that? Oh. That's a heavy question. It is. Yeah.

I would say it's evolved over time. But I will say too, one of one of the best quotes I cannot remember who told me. But it was whenever I was transferring, somebody called me in to their office, and he was like a team counselor. And he was there for, like, 3 months, and then when I got another job. But he told me this quote, and then it's came here where he got it from.

This was at A&M before before you tech. Yeah. University of Texas, El Paso.

There you go. It's the quote is adversity is a stone upon which I sharpen my blade. Mhmm. And it has always stuck with me because it's you're not going to get to a place of success until you go through adversity. I mean, I I don't know 1 person that has is in a in a place of success that didn't have a business fail, a deal fall through, something happened with family during, you know, a critical time in their business or whatever it is, everybody has gone through adversity. And typically, the way you succeed is how you respond to that. You know? So it's I mean, it's really learning the lessons and the failures that that are the stepping stones to success. And and, I mean, that's an everyday thing.

I mean, there I there's adversity every day. I mean, there's there's gonna be traffic. Oh, I'm running late to this thing. Oh, my client canceled. I mean, there there's adversity all over. But just looking back at my hometown in Killeen, a lot of the people who stayed there and whenever I get on Facebook, they have, like, a victim's mentality are typically the ones who went through adversity, and they use that as an excuse to not press on, essentially.

Dude, I could not agree with you more. I so I have this these marines that I served with that we were in ambush together, and everything bad that has happened to them since then

Mhmm.

Is because of that, where some of the people have channeled that adversity and that extreme hardship Into achieving great things in life. I know people who, own multi multimillion dollar companies, people who who make half $1,000,000 a year, who'd become pillars in their community. And then I also know know people who, you know, haven't made more than $15 an hour since they got out of the Marine Corps. Mhmm. And you have you have 2 interrupt me if I get on my soapbox, but I strongly believe in this. You have 2 Pathways in life. And 1 is to respond to adversity positively or to let it keep you down. Mhmm.

And one of the one of the things that I I I admire about you is every time that that adversity has kind of really pushed you out of the picture, you found a way back in the picture. And, I'm excited to see kinda where you take the real estate thing. And when you apply the professional athletic work ethic Mhmm. And discipline into that space, you're you're you're gonna do amazing things. And I firmly believe that. Right? And, You know, a lot of real estate agents, and I do have experience in the space, but a lot of real estate agents think that being a good realtor is posting a funny reel

Mhmm.

We're hosting an open house, but in reality, it's developing mutual trust between you and your clients. And someone, I think, with your background, your ethics, and your morals, I think you're always gonna put your client's money before your money.

Mhmm.

And and I I'm I'm just excited to see where you're gonna go.

No. I appreciate it. It was the actually, the meeting with you, oh, we sat down for lunch. It was kinda what gave me direction because, I mean, you know, like, during that lunch, I was like, man, I don't everybody's trying to build a brand. I don't really know what that means. And and you pretty much you gotta set your own standard, and pretty much hold yourself to it. So, I mean, that's I mean, I appreciate you telling me that too. Because, I mean, that's you know, that was right on the back end of I mean, if you get on if you get on Instagram at all, I mean, it's a bunch of 23 year olds posting massive luxury homes.

And I'm like, I I think everybody's killing it like that in real estate. Mhmm. Especially being in and out. You know what I mean? So it's almost like, what stuck with me during that meeting was the industry is starving for a professional. So that's kinda what I wanna bring to to it. Right? And then, obviously, we went to Europe, and and I love the Italian style, so that kinda fits kinda fits the brand. I'm trying to build it anyways because I was like, no. I like those slacks.

I'm I'm dumb over the skinny jeans and all that stuff, so I need the I need some structured you know?

I don't wear skinny jeans, man.

I you know? My legs are too big.

I mean, mine too. Just kidding. I'm I'm just, my my marine friends and my Texas friends would absolutely roast me. If If I wore skinny jeans, I'd probably never recover from it Yeah. Mentally. But, I I love the fact that your brand is professional, professionalism. And I think the fact that you've lived as much life as you have in such a short time frame, and because we can all die by comparison. You know? I I have peers who they've already exited 4 companies, and they're on a a yacht.

Yeah. Right? It's a weird need, location. But I think if you bring your professionalism into the brand or into the I think if you bring your professionalism into the space of real estate Mhmm. Without making it about you and it's it's about the client and and about their money, I it's it's just the industry is starving for that.

Yeah.

And I used to tell people someone can not if there's anything wrong with being a waiter, but someone can be a waiter on Tuesday, pass an exam and tell people they're a real estate professional on Wednesday, and they've never bought a house. They've never made a very weighted financial decision. They don't know how to Weigh the pros and cons of a heavy financial decision like that where as you actually have that experience in life. Yeah. Right? So, Okay. Here's a question. Alright. So if someone's listening to this and you want them to take away one lesson from the adversity That you've overcome and, all the barriers and mistakes and and things that you've had to deal with in life thus far.

Mhmm.

What would you want that to be?

I would say to make sure that your identity is in the right place. Now, obviously, you had made a comment earlier that was very religious. That's all ongoing and very new for me. But that is the one thing that has gotten me out of being stuck in those places is my identity is not wrapped up in what I do or what I've done, it's in Jesus Christ alone. Mhmm. And that is never I mean, it's it's it doesn't ever waiver. So when I get fired, whether my business falls through, you know, whatever happens in life, I'm I remain the same. Mhmm.

So if you start with that as a foundation and build from there, everything else becomes a little bit easier because your identity this is solely tied to what you've done or what you do, how much you earn, what you provide, whatever it is. Mhmm. So I would say that, but then also too, having the confidence in yourself to just go out and try it. A lot of people are scared to take that leap. And and every single time that I have, it's paid off. Mhmm. It's worked on my favor whether it's whether it's the way I drew it up or not, but it's absolutely worked out in my favor. So identity is key, and then just go do it.

I absolutely love that. So, you know, I'm very new on my journey, in faith also, and I've I've found myself a couple of really solid spiritual mentors, And, I participate in a a men's bible study every Thursday at 6 AM, rain or shine, travel. You know, I had to do it, when I was in LA Mhmm. Four 4 AM? Yeah. Or was it 5 AM? It was I think we're 2 hours behind in a 4 AM.

Yeah.

It was early, and, I was unpleasant, but I I did. And if you you would've told me 2 years ago that I'd be going to church on Sunday, reading my bible every day, and really leaning into that aspect, I would've asked you take a drug test. Yeah. Right? I think it's crucial. Whatever that version of that is for for new people, I think they really need to, young people, entrepreneurs, anyone in general, they really need to establish that.

100%.

It takes me back to to, marines. And, like, that's their identity. Like, man, that was 20, 15 years ago. Like, go do something else. Yeah. Right? Go go establish something. But Yes. Yeah.

Yeah, man. I really appreciate you coming on today. I have a complex about my body now. I need to go do some squats and maybe diet for 20 years or something. I appreciate it, and I I hope that people listen to this and find value.

Yeah. No. I appreciate it, man. Appreciate you inviting me.

Absolutely. This has been the Business Blind Spots podcast. We will include all of his socials in the in the show notes. So if you wanna buy or sell real estate, You wanna talk to him, get a hold of him, ask him questions? His contact information will be in there. Thanks, man.

Yeah. I appreciate