Declining Work Ethic: Generational Thing or COVID Thing? Discussing it over Coffee with Danielle Jenkins | Ep. 199 | Business Podcast

Summary

There seems to be a declining work ethic sweeping across North America. Is it a generational thing, a product of COVID, something else?

Listen in to Danielle and I talk about it over coffee.

About the EDGE’s Friday Show
Every Friday Danielle Jenkins, founder of Domestic Divas, and I talk show over coffee.

Danielle and I each run businesses doing millions in revenue each year. We grab a coffee and pull back the curtain on our businesses.

We talk about what’s working, what’s not, what software and systems we use, sales and marketing, our own wellness and other challenges and solutions we’ve discovered running a business.

Links from the episode:

• Domestic Divas Cleaning Co.
• EDGE

Hello Friends.

Brandon:

Welcome to friday’s edition of the Edge. Where Danielle Jenkins, the founder of Domestic Divas and I sit down and talk shop about running our businesses and today we are exploring what appears to be a recent trend in work ethic. This isn’t just in the United States or Canada. It seems to be something that’s happening all around the world. Danielle and I discussed what we’re seeing in our business, what we’re hearing from fellow business owners and what we’re observing just from looking at the news and hearing reports of what’s happening, declining work ethic. Is it a generational thing or a covid thing or something else that we talk about.

Brandon:

Listen in and see what you think.

Brandon:

Welcome to the Edge podcast, your weekly playbook about the inner game of building a successful business making you a happier, healthier and richer business owner and here’s your host Brandon White.

Brandon:

What’s going on today?

Brandon:

Oh, you know it’s snowing up here in Canada today, so it’s snowing.

Danielle:

Yeah, we got a lot of snow uh three days ago I or Monday or Tuesday.

Brandon:

I can’t even remember. And so it’s just been blistering cold since it’s been, it’s like -4 to blow we and snowy.

Danielle:

That sounds awful.

Brandon:

It sucks remember I was telling you last week that I put up my christmas tree because we had that beautiful sunday and all of the pretty snow was falling.

Danielle:

That was my, that was my day of snow for the year now. I hate it.

Danielle:

Oh my God. Yeah. I thought you were telling me, I gotta go get my, I got something for today. All right I’m back.

Brandon:

It’s so windy here today.

Danielle:

It’s crazy.

Brandon:

Yeah I saved this for um from the other day when you sent me that note the other day about what we’re going to talk about.

Brandon:

But I do have a thing is notice from my sleep tracker Says your average bedtime is 946 When you go to bed before 11 p.m. your average 20 minutes more rem sleep than you do when you go to bed after 11.

Brandon:

How about that?

Brandon:

Mm Well that’s good because I usually don’t go to bed after 11.

Brandon:

Usually tired by 10:00.

Danielle:

My average heart rate last night it was 59 probably high because of all the thanksgiving Turkey we had.

Danielle:

Oh yes yes.

Brandon:

Happy thanksgiving.

Brandon:

I forgot it was there. Thanksgiving yesterday.

Danielle:

Yeah it’s a holiday here. I don’t know Most people take off today I think black friday, black friday is what they call it the United States.

Brandon:

We have black friday here as well on today.

Brandon:

Today is black friday for us to know our thanksgiving.

Danielle:

It was like a month ago.

Danielle:

Yeah a month ago but everybody I probably because it’s corporate right?

Brandon:

So like all the stores across America are also here so they all do the black friday as well. Like we’re even doing a black friday thing today so I’m doing cyber monday and that’s this coming monday.

Danielle:

Right that’s this monday if we can get it done I gotta we’ll see if I can get it done.

Brandon:

I got to get the page built but we’re going to put our we’re going to release the newsletter on a one time offer that we will never do again.

Danielle:

Can you tell me so I can get excited and share it.

Brandon:

I think I’m going I don’t know the exact I think we’re gonna I think we’re gonna Offer something like 53% off.

Brandon:

I’m never going to do it again.

Brandon:

Good for you.

Brandon:

That’s exciting.

Brandon:

Yeah so we’ll see.

Danielle:

But um hopefully that’ll be ready for cyber monday.

Brandon:

We gotta I gotta build this page.

Brandon:

I built the sales page.

Brandon:

I built the copy for the sales page but I have not built the page yet and hooked it up to stripe and then hook stripe up to convert kit for the email confirmation.

Brandon:

And then there is a sequence in there in the email confirmation.

Brandon:

But there’s a lot to do when you build those sales pages.

Brandon:

Yeah what are you running?

Brandon:

What are you running?

Brandon:

Um So we I think you know we have our own product lines.

Brandon:

Did I ever told you that you did I I found it somewhere and then you told me it’s what’s the name of it?

Brandon:

It’s just it’s our same brand.

Danielle:

So just domestic divas cleaning co um and it’s just a product line like cleaning.

Brandon:

I don’t want to say it’s just a product line.

Brandon:

I mean it’s it’s a freaking amazing product line.

Brandon:

Um So it’s just a cleaning product line. You know just your regular all purpose cleaner, window cleaner de Greaser. There are all amazing but we are pushing that so during Covid, so we started the product line and then use it um like all of our staff use it for cleaning.

Danielle:

Um But then we also opened it up for our clients to purchase.

Danielle:

But then during Covid there were some raw material supply shortages that we couldn’t get. So we were kind of limited on what we could produce.

Danielle:

And so we had to kind of just keep everything to our staff and couldn’t really promote and push it as much. Like we would still have our orders but not to the extent that we wanted to. So we couldn’t promote advertised marketed to the public as much because I kind of wanted to keep the ordering on the down low because of the product shortages or the raw material shortages.

Danielle:

So now that we are good to go, we are doing um like we’re trying to push the product line again because people love it but I don’t think they really knew that they could order it and I purposely kept it that way. But now we’re pushing it.

Danielle:

So now we’re doing um purchase gift certificates this time of year on our residential side of the company. People always purchase gift certificates or they will purchase like a full year or a full six months worth of product service for like their wife or a family member or something like that.

Danielle:

So uh we’re doing that where if they purchase that they get free products today so they can but it’s only one day 24 hours that’s it.

Danielle:

Which we never do that either.

Danielle:

Who packages all that the lovely gals in the office.

Brandon:

So we have because we have a storage room right?

Brandon:

So we have all of our products are in our office and once a month the lab brings us all the new stuff.

Danielle:

So if we need bulk orders they stay at the lab and we just take them directly from the lab to the wherever they’re going.

Danielle:

You know one of our commercial places or um like if we were shipping on amazon for example we would just go directly from the lab to amazon. Um But for us we just keep all of our stuff at our office and so whenever they get orders they just package it up and then our lovely lady Tish takes them out on Tuesdays and that’s what we do.

Danielle:

Well that’s a good process, processes are important as you know we’ve talked about this before.

Danielle:

Yeah I gotta actually a I what would I talked to someone this past week.

Brandon:

Oh what is he?

Brandon:

How did it?

Brandon:

It was an interesting conversation with a guy.

Danielle:

I think the episode will come out in february or March, but he goes into the companies.

Brandon:

Oh yeah, this really interesting guy, forget how I found him, but he has an outsourcing company flat rate.

Brandon:

So any anything anybody you need, he has thousands of people I guess that he hires from overseas and he screens them And there’s a flat rate of $10 an hour.

Brandon:

So if you need a virtual assistant, if you need a uh salesperson if you need customer service.

Brandon:

But the first thing they do which makes sense is they go in and they document your process which I think you know you’re really good at, but not all business owners are good at that because it takes it’s not that they’re not good as because it takes a minute to actually do it when you’re trying to keep everything else together.

Brandon:

Hence No Sleep for almost five years.

Brandon:

Yeah, it’s funny you say this or say that because um we’ve actually, we hired three people today or this week, sorry, ready to start their training next week on the residential side of the company.

Brandon:

So that’s very exciting.

Brandon:

So obviously I go and sign off on all of the recruitment and things like that and I like to be very much involved in that.

Brandon:

I mean it’s my company, I’ve started it from the ground up and I’ve created this great company and so I like to be involved in the recruitment and you know discussed with them, you know previous employment and what they liked about the previous company in because a lot of places don’t do on board, like good onboarding or off boarding, so I like to be involved in that.

Brandon:

And a lot of the three girls that I hired, they all are cleaners by trade.

Brandon:

They all came from other cleaning companies and talking to them and the companies they were working with.

Brandon:

Have you ever heard of molly Maid?

Brandon:

Is that a thing there?

Brandon:

Do you guys know molly maid?

Brandon:

I’ve heard of it, but I can’t remember if I heard of it here or somewhere, The lady that we have clean our house, we just found through a network because it’s so hard to find someone who you trust in your home.

Brandon:

Honestly, at least at least I’m not saying that this is a problem around here, but yeah, but molly’s made, I think it’s a franchise.

Brandon:

Yeah, it is a franchise.

Brandon:

So I’ve obviously been approached to franchise the company.

Brandon:

I mean it’s something that I’ve thought about, but me being a perfectionist, I’ve always thought, you know, we’re not right, we’re not quite ready yet, you know, we’re not, we got to be able to put it all in a nice little package with a bow and go here, this is how you’re going to run the franchise and go And we’re just not quite there yet and I just don’t feel 1,000% ready and um, so then I talked to these people that have come from places like mali made uh you know companies that are franchise and this is very blunt but it is a ship process.

Brandon:

I have talked to so many people who have come from them and they say that their schedules are ran through text message or they have to clock in and out via text message or like just like really shitty systems.

Danielle:

And I’m thinking these companies are also like multi million dollar companies and their Franchising, making a quick, you know whatever their franchise fee is.

Danielle:

Um But their reputation is awful.

Danielle:

Like I’ve talked to so many people and they say oh you know yeah we hired molly made for 22 weeks to clean our house.

Danielle:

It was awful or yeah I worked for molly made for two weeks and it was you know not the greatest employment.

Danielle:

I don’t mean to bash molly maid by any means, I’m just using it as a well they’ll definitely probably write us but you know that’s what you get, you have to suffer the consequences and what of what the product you produce.

Danielle:

Yeah and I mean I get it, you know you have growing pains as you’re growing a company for sure you’re learning it, you’re figuring it out, it’s all experience and what you do right and wrong and you know things like that, how you handle it.

Danielle:

But it just seems like for such a large company they don’t dedicate the time to resolve these problems um where I lay up at night, you know thinking about these things that I want to make sure that don’t happen.

Brandon:

So um yeah processes are super important because that was a big thing of why people leave those companies.

Brandon:

It’s it’s a good job.

Brandon:

They get paid well but it’s just crap management or crap ran right.

Brandon:

So I’m glad that we have those processes that makes me feel good.

Brandon:

Yeah we’re for one job we’re doing it and it’s taken weeks to be honest.

Danielle:

I mean we call S.

Danielle:

O.

Danielle:

P.

Danielle:

Standard operating procedures and they just they take a really long time the document.

Danielle:

But if you don’t document them eventually you can’t replicate the service.

Danielle:

I will say that you know one thing people think you said well molly maids making all this money on their franchise fees.

Danielle:

I think I think one of the things that I encourage people to do is to actually look under the covers because a lot of times these companies that appear to be making money aren’t making money and it’s some of it as a result of not having processes.

Danielle:

But I think sometimes we think these companies make money and then when you start digging down what if they’re a private company can be harder to get the numbers but you can definitely go to public companies and look at their all their sec filings and you can get pretty much everything you want and I think mostly what you’ll find is that you’ll be surprised at what you find as it as it relates to how much money they’re actually making and some of them aren’t making money, they’re just turning money and or they’re trying to grow or um I just mentioned that because I think I was for many years looking at companies that I wanted to be like possibly as it relates to their brand.

Danielle:

And then when I looked under the covers, I’m like, oh man, they didn’t really make any money at all or they’re losing money or they’ve lost money for, you know, this many years and I just encourage people to good look at that because what it looks like doesn’t always mean what’s happened and you have a franchise probably smartly, so I don’t know, franchises can be profitable, but if you don’t have processes and whatnot, like you said, and they ruin your brand net you lose.

Brandon:

Mhm.

Danielle:

Yeah, so that’s that’s what I’m I’m trying to avoid obviously, and when I, like when I was talking about the Franchising fee, it’s almost like a quickbooks, right?

Danielle:

Like we were talking about this with the stocks and the investment, um It’s like, you know, whatever, I think it’s like 150,000 for a franchise fee for molly maid.

Brandon:

I think that’s what it is, you know, that’s what it’s like expensive, I think that’s what it was, maybe it was a different one I was looking at, but yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s around there and but even if it’s not, I mean, you know, a quick franchise fee, but then reputation is sh it, I don’t want that.

Brandon:

So um yeah, we’ve been, we’ve been discussing Franchising with a few different consultants and things and you know, I just feel 100 like I’m not 1000% or maybe I’m like 98% there, so we’ll see, I’m looking up molly maid bees, it might be less, it could be more only made Malik has been around since 1979 they started in Canada, do you know that?

Brandon:

Yes, there’s molly maid is huge here, so people always tease me, right, so they’ll call the company and they’re like, oh you know, I’m a long lost friend of Danielle’s and you know, she has this company and I want you guys to come in and clean my house or whatever, so sam or Daniel, the other Daniel will answer the phone and I’ll go, oh you know, we’re just like totally slammed right now, we can’t fit you in this week or this weekend and they’re like fine, we’re going to molly made, okay, uh it’s a total cost, this is, this includes what they need for cash flow, okay, is 110,000 and 25,000 of that is for cash flow.

Brandon:

Most of these other fees and even some of these are for leasing the stuff the initial Startup package is $5,000.

Brandon:

The initial franchise fee is $14,000.

Brandon:

And then where they seem to um Make the real franchise fee they’re real it looks like it’s about $75,000 that they charge 45,000 To 65,000 for a territory.

Brandon:

Uh huh.

Brandon:

So cool.

Brandon:

But 110,000 When 25,000 of that is free cash flow or cash for cash flow and not free cash flow.

Brandon:

It sounds like they’re negative cash flow but um and then they have auto lease and they basically lay out your business plan for you.

Brandon:

I mean that’s really the advantage of getting and a franchise and software is in here, things like that.

Brandon:

Yeah but I I do know that even though that’s all there I think discretion of everything comes down to the owner of the franchise because I’ve heard about different molly maid businesses being ran different so I think that just comes down to the the person I think franchises can be good.

Brandon:

I mean especially in fast food, I don’t know about the other things I want.

Brandon:

I wonder about the other things but my maid’s been around I guess we could figure out I don’t think they’re public.

Brandon:

I have actually never looked into made public then we’ll really know.

Brandon:

No I don’t think they are public mm private.

Brandon:

Mhm.

Brandon:

Well let’s see here real quick.

Brandon:

Are you guys public?

Brandon:

No no no.

Brandon:

Uh huh.

Brandon:

You know I think being public can be good and bad but I’ve talked to a bunch of Ceos lately that are listed on the over the counter so they have some liquidity but I don’t know that just hasn’t been, it seems to be more popular these days and they do these facts and basically reverse mergers to get public.

Brandon:

But no then if your public you got to disclose everything.

Brandon:

Yeah I mean you can make a lot of money being public if you have if you’re if if you have a company that is making money growing and the market makers are going to come in and help your stock price.

Brandon:

But um people always think that you can do that.

Brandon:

But if you have a lock up period or something like that you could maybe you never get liquid.

Brandon:

Yeah I know some people who have those companies and on paper they look rich.

Brandon:

But you know if you sell your stock how is the market?

Brandon:

You don’t believe in yada yada yada.

Brandon:

But if you can get to be facebook or Tesla or something like that.

Brandon:

I think you make a lot of money a great and great.

Danielle:

So should we start our conversation for today?

Danielle:

Well I was thinking since you hired 233 people this week that would be that would sort of be a segue into it.

Danielle:

So what is our topic?

Danielle:

So I wanted to cause a little nut cause or if I wanted to have a discussion.

Brandon:

Um, and maybe get some insight from listeners, maybe they can like comment or chime in or you know like right in or something like that about work ethic in today’s world.

Danielle:

Um, and I wanted to, I thought about this after you when I spoke and I wanted to make the topic either is it a generational thing or is it a covid thing that has made work ethic so crap.

Danielle:

And I’m talking about like today this week, this month, this year.

Brandon:

Um, but then I started thinking is that is that even one of those answers?

Danielle:

You know, is it down to government assistance?

Danielle:

Is it down to having kind of resources?

Brandon:

Is it down to lower standards?

Brandon:

Like there’s so many variables and so many possible answers and so many answers that it could be instead of just one answer, if that makes sense?

Danielle:

Like there’s just so many things that we could put it down to you.

Brandon:

So I just kind of wanted to talk about like stories, experiences, what we think, why we think and maybe just get some insight from listeners, I think, um, to see, you know, in their businesses or their, maybe their colleagues or something.

Brandon:

Who knows?

Brandon:

And I just, I thought it would be a good topic because it just seems to be something that so many people are struggling with um these days and it seems like very few and far between are actually ambitious or motivated and I just, maybe it just seems amplified because of social media, I’m not sure what it is.

Danielle:

I just, it was something I just wanted to talk about today.

Brandon:

So I think it would be a good thing to start to discuss and see why maybe and maybe come to a resolution.

Danielle:

I think it’s a combination of things, but I’m worried he’s going to get me started on some ramp.

Danielle:

But the yeah, I think that the the irony is that people used to say that, I don’t know, are you considered a millennial?

Brandon:

You’re actually a little bit younger to be a millennial, aren’t you?

Danielle:

It’s him actually, that’s something I’ve never looked up.

Danielle:

I’m gonna look it up right now because there’s gen y there’s gen z.

Brandon:

Millennial, what’s that?

Brandon:

I’m X.

Brandon:

Generation X.

Brandon:

Yeah, we’re probably the most resilient generation right now.

Brandon:

I don’t, I didn’t, oh, I should have found, I didn’t think about that.

Brandon:

But there was this whole, there was then going around a while ago about generation X and Covid mainly because we grew up being lodge lodge ki kids, so to speak and really have had built up resilience and we grew up in a world where we didn’t have computers, but then we did have computers and, you know, we had computers, we had computer games when I was young for sure we had uh I mean it sounds funny but things like pong and Atari, I mean I grew up through that hole Atari Midway, you know going to the arcade at the mall and hanging out and so in our childhood years we really had to entertain ourselves.

Brandon:

I mean I grew up riding bikes and out being outside a lot of the time and the new general these other generations since have really been influenced by computers and phones and this you know Generation X people and obviously people who are older like the baby boomers who I think are the generation after that or before us.

Brandon:

But down the line here you know they didn’t have computers until they were much older but one of the things is that we actually talk to each other in person you know you know we went to skate land on friday nights.

Brandon:

We when we didn’t when we wanted to talk after school we talked on the telephone or we hung out, we didn’t uh I am get on chat and I would argue that the kids in school today aren’t interacting as much as they could because part of the time they’re in on their phone if you go to any school in America in general.

Brandon:

I bet I wonder what my, I went to a private school in high school in Baltimore.

Brandon:

I wonder if they allow the boys to have their phone but some of these schools I see the kids are you know the phone is hanging out of their back pocket.

Brandon:

You wonder just having it in your back pocket.

Brandon:

I mean try it once.

Brandon:

Don’t sit down in front of the tv, don’t sit down at the dinner table, don’t go to bed, put your phone in another room and see how it feels and it changes your behavior.

Brandon:

I agree.

Brandon:

100%.

Brandon:

I actually um at nighttime so my phone was on silent from 10 30 until 5 30 so it’s like do not disturb.

Brandon:

My notifications are silenced and I actually put my phone in my office.

Brandon:

I don’t sleep with it beside my bed.

Brandon:

So my home office is just beside my bedroom.

Danielle:

So I put it in here.

Brandon:

So in the morning when my alarm goes off unless the time I’m awake before my alarm.

Brandon:

But if my alarm goes off I have to come in here get it and then I’m up.

Brandon:

So I don’t sleep with it beside my bed.

Danielle:

That’s smart.

Brandon:

The only reason that I don’t do that is probably could be an excuse but is because we don’t have any other phone.

Brandon:

So if an emergency happens, do you have another phone?

Brandon:

No, see I’m just not sleep so deep.

Brandon:

If somebody calls me and it’s beside my I mean it’s on silent anyways, what if you had a fire or your mom had an emergency?

Brandon:

My brother lives with my mom.

Brandon:

All right, well what if your mom and brother had emerged?

Brandon:

I mean I’m just so for for me I grew up with a with a wired phone in our house.

Brandon:

Not every broom had a phone for sure.

Danielle:

I remember specifically we had a phone in the kitchen and there was a phone in my mom’s bedroom and that was it.

Brandon:

But um yeah I just think when I go to if I eat dinner and I put my phone out of sight out of like out of even reach the conversation goes differently.

Brandon:

But I think what we’re talking about here are the things that have have contributed to this lack of you know I I can’t say that lack of of socializing has at least in my opinion has got into this I don’t want to work.

Brandon:

But I have seen and heard from younger people.

Brandon:

The the irony is is that I know some millennials and other generation who may be younger who are extremely driven right?

Brandon:

I mean they worked their butt off, they’re diligent.

Brandon:

They they can communicate they can right they can think critically.

Brandon:

Um But I think some of the problems of today and this lack of work has been perpetuated by these narratives of socialism quite candidly and in some cases Marxism and and I think that there’s oh here’s a story I had um I thought about it because when you and I were talking about having this conversation I was talking to a parent and they were telling me about their son and he worked for this D.

Brandon:

C.

Brandon:

Firm and yada yada and she’s so excited because he’s home now and lives at home.

Brandon:

I said well how old is this young man?

Brandon:

And she said like 28 or 29 and I’m thinking to myself well one is if you’re excited that’s your issue right because you had an empty nest syndrome or whatever.

Brandon:

Um And all these helicopter parents and two is shouldn’t he be living on his own?

Brandon:

Like shouldn’t he be figuring this sh it out on his own?

Brandon:

I don’t understand I just can’t look everybody goes through tough times.

Brandon:

Yeah that’s that’s true and sometimes you need help and that’s a that’s a great it’s always great to be able to have some sort of support system although some people don’t have it but if you do that’s great but that’s not a long term solution.

Brandon:

I think all it does it doesn’t teach you how to manage your money because you’re not paying rent.

Brandon:

You’re not paying the electric, you’re not paying the water bill.

Brandon:

You’re not paying insurance if you own the house one or renters insurance.

Brandon:

I mean there’s so many things that you don’t get exposed to and then you think your cash that you have.

Brandon:

You think you’re rich right?

Brandon:

When you’re making you know okay money.

Danielle:

Um But I think all these things have perpetuated people not having to work as much and then, you know, it’s very hard to be driven.

Brandon:

I think you get driven when you have to be driven.

Brandon:

I mean, if you have no safety net and you’re broke, yeah.

Danielle:

You know, otherwise it just seems easier.

Danielle:

And then on top of it, this narrative that socialism is our answer, I think is I mean, candidly as a capitalist, he’s absolutely insane.

Danielle:

I think all of those points are very valid um in regards to everything.

Danielle:

And I think, I mean, we could probably talk about this for days and never stop and never come to an answer.

Danielle:

I think you’re right about it being a combination of things, but I think You’re right.

Danielle:

I mean, it comes down to almost like a vicious circle, you know, we have.

Danielle:

So for so from my perspective, I mean, I wouldn’t consider myself a typical 25 year old, honestly, I mean, I talked to so many and I just don’t consider this is going to sound and I hope that nobody could get offended when I say this, but I feel like I’m not in the same mentality or mindset of that, right?

Danielle:

And when you said about, you know, living at home, If it starts with survival instinct, you know, I had to have survival instinct tie or the age of 18, I was not allowed to live at home for free.

Danielle:

I had to pay rent even though I struggled, my mom was very much like pay rent or get out, you know, and that’s what set me up and I mean I feel like I was almost like a real life experiment when I can talk about this because I look at myself and I look at my brother.

Danielle:

So growing up um and this has nothing to do with like even ambition.

Brandon:

My brother is very ambitious, but it’s just down to expectations and realistic life.

Brandon:

So I’m 25 my brother’s 21 I grew up with, you know, my parents had divorced, my dad didn’t support, my mom was working three part time jobs just to pay the mortgage.

Brandon:

Um struggling.

Danielle:

We didn’t have a whole lot.

Brandon:

We were always taken care of, but we didn’t have the newest playstation, We didn’t have the newest phones, you know, things like that.

Danielle:

My brother was far too young to know all of this was going on.

Brandon:

So I kind of saw my mom struggle and I’m sure you did too.

Danielle:

I mean I think you said that your mom was a single mom as well and you know, she busted her asked to take care of you guys.

Danielle:

And So then I got into that situation at 17 and I had to like fight or flight right?

Brandon:

And I had to work hard, I had to take care of myself, my my partner at the time, a child at the time.

Brandon:

I had no other answer.

Brandon:

I knew my mom couldn’t take care of everything plus another person and a baby, so I had to do all that.

Brandon:

Then I look at my brother, he was far too young to see my mom struggle by the time my mom had become successful herself and was financially independent and you know had a good chunk of extra money.

Brandon:

She was doing well.

Brandon:

My brother was at that age where you know he was in high school and he was getting new clothes every summer and I wasn’t you know I was getting hand me downs or second hand clothes and he was getting brand name clothes and I had to work my ass off to save up my first car payment and he just got help and you know, so not that I’m envious of that, but I look at the two different and so I’m very independent, I’m very responsible.

Brandon:

My brother is a great worker because he likes having money but he’s not responsible at all.

Brandon:

And I love my baby brother, he’s a great kid, he works hard but he is not responsible whatsoever and he knows that bless his heart that if anything goes wrong you can call mummy right?

Brandon:

And I just haven’t grown up that way.

Brandon:

So you know he’s had some issues with some lawsuits um just with you know accidental stuff and and mummies there to bail him out with you know legal fees and things like that where I wouldn’t even think to ask her.

Brandon:

So it’s just two different people raised different ways.

Brandon:

Um And you know, he’s always had that back and wearing me if something goes wrong, I’m thinking how am I going to handle this?

Brandon:

And he just goes I’ll call them right or or me because he calls me too, but you know like that’s just two different people and you know, I have two sides when it comes to people handling things like you said, everybody needs help everybody, You know, it doesn’t always have a support system.

Brandon:

Um I’ve been there, you know, I I needed help from the toy drive when I was 17 raising a kid, that’s why I do a mass toy drive now because we’ve all been there.

Brandon:

But I see people who have been there and have stepped up and work their assess off and risen from the ashes and I’ve seen people who go like it’s like one tiny little speed bump and and they are like, oh life’s over, I’m fucked.

Brandon:

You know, I can’t get out of it, I’m a victim, the world’s against me, I can’t get ahead blah blah blah blah blah.

Brandon:

So I just honestly, I think at the end of the day it comes down to um your own mentality, your own drive and at the end of the day, do you want it bad enough?

Brandon:

I think people are easily stopped these days um by the smallest things maybe because they don’t care enough or they know because they, because they don’t have resilience, that’s what you just described.

Brandon:

They don’t have resilience and you know, oh what my, my newest insight on being happy is want what you have and for a long time I didn’t want to have dyslexia, but I do um I didn’t know Something like 40% of various of successful entrepreneurs have successful, maybe unsuccessful, but successful entrepreneurs have dyslexia.

Brandon:

Um I’ve written about it, but the for a long time, so I struggled to read, You know, up really until 6th grade.

Brandon:

Um and right and Maybe even 7/8 grade, but I started to figure it out and figure out how my mind worked and how it’s going to compensate and compensate in elementary school.

Brandon:

But those sorts of challenges build resilience, what you just described.

Brandon:

The difference between your growing up with your mom and your brother is resilience and that’s why people, that’s why they quit.

Brandon:

And this is also a society thing, like we give trophies for participation.

Brandon:

I don’t know about you daniel, but I didn’t get trophies for participation.

Brandon:

Got trophies for winning.

Brandon:

What’s that?

Brandon:

I have a story about that.

Brandon:

Okay, well yeah, I mean it, yeah, what’s the story?

Brandon:

So a long story short, you can tell the story before I go on a rant is probably better than you.

Brandon:

Well it’s going to be a writ also, you know, you should meet my mom because she’s also very much like me when it comes to resilience and hard work.

Brandon:

She had no choice Rachel gets to raise whatever.

Brandon:

So long story short in regard to the participation award.

Brandon:

I worked my ass off in school.

Brandon:

I was like, if I’m not getting 98 I’m devastated.

Brandon:

I’m sitting in my bedroom bawling my eyes out because I’m a failure and I took all the hard courses, you know, because that was important.

Brandon:

That was how I was raised, you work your ass off, you get good grades, you, you know, get a good job in blah blah, blah blah.

Brandon:

Even if you’re not going to go to university, you still have to do your grades right?

Brandon:

So here I am in high school, I think it was grade nine or 10, I got the honor roll every flipping year and I struggled in math.

Brandon:

I was, I am still not good at math.

Brandon:

You know, english arts are my, my thing.

Danielle:

Math is not, But I still took math.

Danielle:

I took calculus.

Brandon:

I took all the extra stuff.

Danielle:

And so I was in Grade nine or 10 getting the owner award, getting my best grade in the class award, all the awards.

Brandon:

Like it was always a big thing for me.

Brandon:

I always had an award.

Brandon:

So my mom came to my grandma, grade nine or 10 awards ceremony to get all of these awards.

Brandon:

And so you know, she’s super proud.

Danielle:

I’m walking away with accepting awards and then they call up the most improved hold on.

Brandon:

I think it was most improved credit recovery or most improved, what’s it called?

Danielle:

I don’t think it’s credit recovery.

Brandon:

It was okay.

Brandon:

It’s basically a class for people who don’t want to go to school because they’re, you know, skipping class or they’re going out and getting drunk or stoned on there.

Brandon:

They’re where they’re supposed to be doing their classes or their anxiety is too high to be in a classroom.

Brandon:

So then they have to do a book on their own time and, and, and do this book together credit.

Brandon:

So that’s, you know, that’s how that goes.

Brandon:

Um, so that the award was something like most improved credit recovery, basically a participation award because if you’re not going to work your gas off to be a part of the regular class and do the grades that everybody else has to do.

Brandon:

But you get it dumbed down.

Brandon:

And I don’t mean to be insensitive, but it’s true and now you’re giving an award to that person that decided to skip class and get stoned.

Brandon:

Um, and now they’re doing their classwork at home, you know, during the, through the guidance counselor because they can’t be bothered to go to real school.

Danielle:

So my mom actually wrote a letter to the school saying that here I am encouraging my kid to work, harass off in the school system and get good grades and you know, be a part of everyday class and not miss class because you’re giving out attendance awards and now you’re giving awards to people who skip class and are still getting grades, you know, so it’s the same thing, It’s the same participation award.

Brandon:

I don’t agree with it at all.

Brandon:

Yeah.

Brandon:

So, and, and, and participation rewards or socialism, it’s basically a form of socialism.

Brandon:

So I want to read this story that I found, I, you know, fact check me, I’m not, I’m not even claiming that this is real because it looks like a newspaper article that someone cut out and I found it on social media somewhere and it is a picture.

Brandon:

I’m looking at it.

Brandon:

I sent an emailed it to myself while you were talking so I could read it because um, the thing was that the print was so small, but the title is entire class fails.

Brandon:

There’s an editor’s note here, it says, I found this in my news feed on one of the social media sites and thought how practical a lesson this would be.

Brandon:

Even I would have learned from it as a as dense as I am.

Brandon:

So here we go.

Brandon:

And this is um, this is a, the news articles, so to speak, teacher fails entire class.

Brandon:

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that she had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class.

Brandon:

That class had insisted that socialism works and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich.

Brandon:

A great equalizer.

Brandon:

The professor then said, okay we will have an experiment in this class on this plan.

Brandon:

All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A.

Brandon:

Substituting grades for dollars something closer to home and more readily understood by all.

Brandon:

After the after the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got to be.

Brandon:

The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.

Brandon:

As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride to.

Brandon:

So they studied little.

Brandon:

The second test average was a D.

Brandon:

No one was happy.

Brandon:

Mhm.

Brandon:

No one was happy.

Brandon:

When the third test rolled around, the average was N.

Brandon:

F.

Brandon:

As these tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering blame and name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

Brandon:

To their great surprise all failed and the professor told them that socialism will would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great.

Brandon:

But when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

Brandon:

These are possibly the five best sentences you will ever read and all applicable to this experiment.

Brandon:

You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity What one person receives without working for it.

Brandon:

Another person must work for without receiving the government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not take from someone else.

Brandon:

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it when half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because everybody else is going to get what they work for.

Brandon:

That is the beginning of the end of any nation.

Brandon:

So I do not know if that is a real story or not, but that is exactly yeah, whether it’s real or not, it’s fucking true and I’m 25 and in it just, I see this all the time and I know people, you know, I’m far from, you know, a millionaire or wealthy by any means, I am just, you know, I work hard and I love my job and I have assets and I just, you know, it’s normal, but then I have conversations with people like, you know, we need to tax the rich more funk.

Brandon:

You don’t, you know, I’m sorry, this is a sensitive topic for me because I’ve been at the bottom and I’ve worked hard for what I get or what I have and then I see people who are capable of working do not too and just pop out Children and receive benefit from the government who are my age and just think that, you know, I mean I get it for a couple of years, maybe you want to start a family but that’s not a life plan, you know, or they get knocked up by six or seven other dudes to receive child support And government assistance um and they claim welfare and they’re okay with living on that 3000, not even $2,000 a month.

Brandon:

That’s cool.

Brandon:

Like I’m I’m the one paying for that really.

Brandon:

You know you are, I am we’re paying a ship ton of taxes every month or for Remittance taxes or um you know our HST and all of those things or whatever it is there and and they’re getting this and they’re waking up at 10 o’clock in the morning and cracking a beer and going outside and having a fire and smoking a joint And like living the high life because they they for them that’s life right?

Brandon:

Like they don’t see the trips or whatever like we strive for or you know the nicer cars but they’re comfortable like that and at the end of the day we’re paying for it.

Brandon:

I 100%, I don’t care what anybody says call in, I don’t care.

Brandon:

But it’s a sensitive topic because I’ve been surrounded by people like that for my whole life.

Brandon:

And then they say sh it like, oh well don’t you have enough?

Brandon:

Why do you keep working?

Brandon:

Don’t you think you should?

Brandon:

You know, give some people um some more.

Brandon:

I fucking donate, like between 50 to $75,000 a year in charities and initiatives and things like that.

Brandon:

I don’t need to give any more.

Brandon:

I do it because I like to, but then there’s people that still take advantage of it and I could go on a rampage for days about this and it just irks the sh it out of me.

Brandon:

It drives me insane.

Brandon:

And yeah, I’m just not going to continue yelling.

Brandon:

It’s, I mean, what it comes down to is society.

Brandon:

I was talking to someone else.

Brandon:

Um, this not this week because it’s holiday week the last week.

Brandon:

And I talking about some people that they have working for them and I said, hey look, you can’t tolerate this.

Brandon:

You’ve got to write, you’ve got to get in this person’s business, you’ve got to document things before you can fire people, which is a whole other topic.

Danielle:

People make mistakes.

Danielle:

But when it goes to like this crazy end where people are quote unquote entitled to jobs that they don’t work for, then there’s no incentive to actually do a good job because they’re protected.

Danielle:

So it’s it becomes a problem, but the and I’m not saying that workers should be protected by the way that’s that’s not the issue.

Danielle:

This I think what we’re talking about is where people are taking advantage of these systems and taking it to the extreme.

Danielle:

And and I said you’ve got to write these people up because basically, you know, you this is this is a race to the bottom of performance.

Danielle:

And he said, brian, I’m not going to write him up.

Danielle:

He said right now, I’m just lucky to have a warm body showing up.

Danielle:

He said, most people don’t want to work there sitting home and they’re still collecting unemployment or whatever they’re like, I don’t even know how they’re living.

Danielle:

But some of this is perpetuated by governments.

Danielle:

And, you know, it’s one thing to help people.

Danielle:

It’s another thing to not have a plan to help them get out of where they are.

Danielle:

They’re not and governments really aren’t good at this at all.

Danielle:

I mean, if they were they’re not governments, just all governments, they’re generally not good.

Danielle:

I’m not saying that there isn’t a government.

Danielle:

I know, you know, they the problem is when they do good some one place they totally fallen another like Australia has a a government program where they actually take the entrepreneurs and they pay the entrepreneurs or people who have business ideas for a stipend for X amount of dollars they have to go through a very regimented program.

Danielle:

I know this because I spoke to a group of them in one of the cities and and then they ideally get their business going and and that’s a plan, but you don’t get the money forever.

Danielle:

Now.

Danielle:

You know, I don’t I don’t know what’s new, what’s real not real anymore in the news, but you know if Australia is locking down their citizens and acting like crazy people, then you know that they’re failing in that way.

Danielle:

So but government just generally aren’t good at this.

Danielle:

And when you have people and then you have these movements out there that say every and these participation rewards and you know, not working, it’s all a movement around the idea that we’re all equal.

Danielle:

We’re not all equal, we’re not all equal.

Danielle:

Some of us work, some of us work harder than other people and in order.

Danielle:

And I’m not saying that we should have no taxes, but but there’s not this, everybody should be equal.

Danielle:

I mean I think it’s really easy when you’re super rich to say, oh I think everybody should have at least fair wages.

Danielle:

Well, you know of course because you could lose half your money is still a matter.

Danielle:

I’m not saying they’re insensitive.

Danielle:

I’m just saying your perspective changes and the world you live in changes and it changes because of of what money buys you and it buys you control of your own time and not having to answer to people necessarily.

Danielle:

But I don’t think that you that no taxes is the answer, but it’s all about incentive.

Brandon:

If you and I are not incentivized to work harder, right then why would we even even I thought about this, I was like, well if the government, I met a A guy came over to buy my car, he brought his father with him, his father from Sweden told me that in Sweden they get taxed 70% and he left.

Brandon:

Well, of course you left.

Brandon:

Because why is he going to work harder to get 70% taxes for to make people equal?

Brandon:

That doesn’t seem I mean, and I thought about that on a bike ride Danielle and I said, well, if that was the case as driven as I am, what I would I not, you know, I’m like, I wouldn’t do that.

Brandon:

I would not try harder.

Danielle:

I mean it would be painful and I would fight.

Brandon:

But but you know what, that article right here that we just heard that or maybe it’s a parable, not true, but is what happens even to the strongest people because eventually there’s no incentive the harder you work.

Danielle:

And then you see somebody who it’s very hard to work that hard and then see someone kicking back and relaxing and and still benefiting and for you to work harder.

Brandon:

Like it just you’re the human brain will, we’ll break down.

Brandon:

But I think it’s when we say, why aren’t people, why don’t they have incentive or why is there this movement?

Brandon:

Why don’t people want to work Well at the end of the day, I found daniel, but most behavior all comes, all comes like we can talk about ideologies and we can talk about this movement and that movement, but it all comes down to incentives agreed.

Brandon:

And you know what Brennan like to back your point about would we work harder in business?

Brandon:

Obviously there’s days where we’re so effing stressed, you know, there’s fires all over the place and, and we have to pay a lot of money, the government and you know, there’s so many things like we honestly could talk about this for days, but, but you’re right.

Brandon:

I mean even just down to incentive.

Brandon:

So for me, okay, I work hard, I don’t live a billionaire lifestyle.

Brandon:

I live well, I have assets.

Brandon:

That’s what I’m working towards.

Brandon:

You know, building that wealth.

Brandon:

I can take a friday afternoon and have a podcast with you.

Danielle:

I can buy Starbucks, you know, hiring coffee, I can, you know, go on a trip here and there, whatever.

Brandon:

Okay.

Danielle:

But there’s some days, honestly when I’m in the office and four of my staff call in because they’re just not feeling like working today or, you know, they just don’t feel like calling their mom to babysit their kids.

Brandon:

Um, or you know, they just don’t feel all that great and you know, their heads not in it And you know, I’m stressed because now we have four people that have called, in we don’t have that many people to begin with because of this whole craziness going on and I’m still having to pay, you know, $25,000 to the government every month and Remittance tax.

Brandon:

I’m still having to report all my stuff and God forbid I fire someone because they’ve called in 13 times in the last 30 days because the government’s going to protect them and some days I sit there and go, is this fucking worth it?

Danielle:

Honestly I do.

Danielle:

And I love my life and I know that’s just a five minute thought, but I get it because what’s really what’s my incentive because I have to deal with all of that to be able to have a podcast on a friday afternoon and not stressed about my phone ringing because I have people in the office like really dumbing it down, you know what I mean?

Danielle:

I know that’s being dramatic, but it’s true.

Danielle:

You know, like the government’s not going here daniel.

Danielle:

You know what?

Danielle:

You’re providing 40 people jobs, We’re going to give you a break on your taxes this month.

Danielle:

You know, we’re gonna charge you more because you make more.

Danielle:

Um oh, and you can’t fire that person because they have a right to have a job.

Danielle:

Um and you should probably pay them a little bit more even though they’re not worth it because, you know, that’s just human rights.

Danielle:

Um, so yeah, it’s hard and the reason I think we have to love what we do, is to get through those thoughts, you know what I mean?

Danielle:

Like you love your company.

Danielle:

I love mine what we’ve created.

Brandon:

But those thoughts do pop into my head sometimes because I could just go and get a regular job from 9 to 550 K.

Danielle:

A year and not have to worry about all that stuff, right?

Danielle:

And then get benefits from the government.

Danielle:

Um you know, like your extra fun bonuses that you get from the government and you know, your things on taxes, like, you know what I mean?

Danielle:

Like it just it totally blows my mind and it’s and it’s all down to incentive.

Danielle:

You’re right about it.

Brandon:

Um That’s all it’s all incentive.

Brandon:

It’s all it’s all based on on how you’re going to incentivize people.

Brandon:

And I just think it’s it’s it’s wild.

Brandon:

And here in the United States, we’re seeing it when you decide that you’re going to print money to give.

Brandon:

I’m not saying that everybody didn’t need it, right?

Brandon:

I’m not like I said, people, we all have hard times and we all need somebody to help us.

Brandon:

And that’s totally fine.

Brandon:

But there’s a line when that when that changes and when the incentive when the government starts printing money to give to these people and continues to do it.

Brandon:

There’s this thing called inflation.

Brandon:

Yeah.

Brandon:

And, and and I think it’s, you know, I don’t know about listeners out there, I don’t know if it’s happening in Canada, but down here, I feel I paid $7 for a Thing of raspberries the other day.

Brandon:

I mean gas in California is $5.

Brandon:

Now.

Brandon:

I don’t go to the gas station because I got electric car now, thank God.

Brandon:

But um, one of our cars is gas and thank God we don’t drive a lot.

Brandon:

I mean, you know, there’s when you pump dollars into a system, this isn’t this isn’t some magical equation here, you pump more dollars in, you have inflation.

Brandon:

I mean, that’s just and and then what’s the and people aren’t being incentivized necessarily to um to work.

Brandon:

The other thing that I was trying to think of, what, when you were talking, here’s what’s happening is there is this narrative out there that shame people who make a lot of money as if it is a bad thing.

Brandon:

No, that’s you’re you’re sitting here, you’re apologizing as strong willed as you are, you’re literally apologizing, you’re like, I make all this money, but I give money away as if you have to do that, you know, steve jobs basically, and people criticized him for it, but he didn’t give money away you, right, and why shouldn’t he just worked his ass off to make it, Well, that’s my point is I’m not saying that that if you want to help people, you don’t have to, I do the same thing.

Brandon:

I know how it feels to need help.

Brandon:

So I’ll help people and give money away and donate money to the things that really have enriched my life over the years, or good causes, like a dog shelter that doesn’t put dogs animals down and tries to find them homes and you know, it doesn’t euthanize them if they don’t have to be.

Brandon:

I mean that, but here’s, here’s the deal.

Brandon:

That’s my choice And no one else gets to shame me or make me feel bad because I worked hard and made a lot of money and that’s what’s going and that’s what’s going on.

Brandon:

Yeah.

Brandon:

And the people who, who are, who aren’t working is hard of which some of it isn’t completely their fault, meaning the people who taught them right.

Brandon:

Like your mom really isn’t doing your brother any good service.

Brandon:

He’s learning no skills.

Brandon:

He’s incentivized to continue his behavior.

Brandon:

I mean, I hate to break it down, but humans are predictable animals.

Brandon:

I mean, there’s, there’s there rare case there are some rare cases where you’ll find somebody who inherit a lot of money.

Brandon:

He was actually, you know, really decided that they’re going to to do something, but it is very hard to do that.

Brandon:

I would, you know, because you’re not incentivized to do that.

Brandon:

You’re like, why would I do, there has to be something in you that, that you have that.

Brandon:

But when you have everybody around you ST so that’s two separate topics, But going on this topic is that is that there’s this idea out there in the world.

Brandon:

This isn’t I don’t think this is a candidate thing.

Brandon:

It’s not a United States saying its a world thing.

Brandon:

However, this is happening uh huh that everybody that if you make a lot of money, that that’s a bad thing.

Brandon:

And I just think that stuff, it’s just bs it’s just Yeah, like you made it to your to your point, you have enough who decides that?

Brandon:

And I’m not saying that, like I look at some people’s lives and I’m like yeah, that seems a little extravagant for me, but I don’t get to judge them because they they worked for like Oprah did an interview with the Dell I guess a week or two ago and you know, I’m looking at her house and like, jesus man, like that thing is that thing is big.

Brandon:

Could I If even if I could afford that, if you know $20 million, which I can’t yet, but maybe someday would I get it right?

Brandon:

Probably not.

Brandon:

But then again when you get that much money you say that and you still may have it, but I don’t get to judge her for that.

Brandon:

Like she she I remember her Doing the nightly news in Baltimore Maryland on Channel 11, I think it was with uh forget that meteorologists.

Brandon:

But you know, she she gets to do that now, she decided to give a lot of money away.

Brandon:

That’s that’s on her steve jobs said, I’m not giving any money away.

Danielle:

Well, you can certainly have an opinion, I guess about that, but you don’t get to judge them and they don’t have to do that.

Brandon:

And I think all of these narratives out there are creating a culture for some portion of the population.

Danielle:

Do not bother.

Danielle:

Yeah, and here’s the irony of all this.

Danielle:

Right?

Danielle:

So, so the people who are incentivized to work hard, at least in the United States are a lot of people who come from other countries and some of them come illegally.

Danielle:

But the dirty secret in the politics of America is that you’ll hear this you all this rhetoric about people coming over the border.

Danielle:

And we shouldn’t let people and I don’t disagree.

Danielle:

Like it’s not an open border.

Danielle:

We don’t have open borders.

Danielle:

It’s yeah, this is a country that was founded on giving people chances.

Danielle:

And, you know, we, you know, if it wasn’t for the founders of of the United States of America, if they if they failed, you know, they were all getting hung.

Danielle:

It was all treason with England.

Danielle:

So if when you start to understand all this, but it becomes more interesting in that the people who are coming over a border, we actually have were this country is incentivized even for the republicans who are staunchly against it.

Danielle:

They have become incentivized to have to let these people over because who the hell else is going to work and mow your yard and do and and and work at fast food, change feeding people poison.

Brandon:

I mean it, you start to look at this and, and but it all comes back to where the incentive is, it doesn’t, it’s no more complicated than that.

Brandon:

People want to have opinions about which they are entitled to or explanations for why this is happening and and this, that and the other.

Brandon:

But you know, people don’t get a participation trophy for being born.

Brandon:

I mean, you earn it, but that’s what’s happening down in my opinion, that’s why people aren’t working, we’re subsidizing these people.

Brandon:

And it’s not just the government, I want to be a government because government can do some good things.

Brandon:

And in many cases we need some form of government for, you know, you’re not going to have a road because who would be incentivized, I just built my own road that I needed.

Brandon:

I mean, all of that Brennan even down at that point, this is honestly, and maybe I’m kind of jaded, I don’t know what what my thought is on that.

Brandon:

If you, if we didn’t have a government and you worked your pass off and created your your financial well being and you wanted a house and there was no government to build a road, you were the type of person as an eye that we would pay the money work hard, pay the money to get the road built.

Brandon:

But then there’s other people and whether it’s incentive or not, like maybe that’s our incentive because we want to have a house where there is no road, then there’s other people that would go, oh you know what the world’s against me, there’s no road not gonna have a place to live now, There’s no road and it’s a victim mentality.

Brandon:

And and unfortunately those are two people, there’s two different types of people, right?

Brandon:

And and that’s the it’s like that analogy of the alcoholic dad who the one kid becomes an alcoholic, he has two sons, right?

Brandon:

The one becomes an alcoholic.

Brandon:

The one goes out and becomes a successful entrepreneur, business owner or whatever.

Brandon:

And it’s just two different types of people, right?

Brandon:

Like we’re doers and movers and shakers, people that don’t let ship stand in the way and I don’t want to be a victim.

Brandon:

But then there’s people that go, oh the government hasn’t given me a road.

Brandon:

So I’m shocked now, you know what I mean?

Brandon:

Or they just use our road and say that they are entitled to use our road because we could afford to build because we can afford to build the road so they should use the road to, I’m not saying I wouldn’t let them use the road.

Brandon:

I’m just saying you don’t get if you have that attitude.

Brandon:

Yeah.

Brandon:

And I think Covid, you know back to original point that you or the question that you asked.

Brandon:

I think Covid perpetuated some of this and the, and the, the, um, well, I’m going to finish the thought, going back to saying it’s not all the government, its parents to like your mom.

Brandon:

I’m sure she’s a lovely lady, but she is doing your brother.

Brandon:

Absolutely.

Brandon:

And she’s actually doing society no good service, bye bailing him out all the time because he’s incentivized to continue his behavior.

Brandon:

And so everybody needs to be accountable for their action for, well, their actions and for the results that they are creating.

Brandon:

And it’s not just the government that’s and it’s, you know, that’s the obvious but blinding flash of the obvious, but it starts at home.

Brandon:

And if you don’t, you know, you can, you can grow up being rich and still be taught responsibly.

Brandon:

I mean, that that can happen.

Brandon:

The problem is, or the challenges is that the parents who grow up that way, they want their kids to have a better life.

Brandon:

And they interpret the better life as being able to have things Yeah.

Brandon:

That the money buys, but they don’t realize that they’re basically starving their kids and society in many ways, they’re actually hurting their kids because they want these kids won’t know what to do when they’re gone.

Brandon:

Well, it’s like that analogy of you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a night teach a man to fish.

Brandon:

He’ll eat forever, right?

Brandon:

And and it’s very true, you know?

Brandon:

Yeah.

Brandon:

Yeah.

Brandon:

My brain spins on the topic and that’s why I was so excited to talk about it.

Brandon:

Because yeah, there’s so many things that the way you’re brought up, it’s your morale.

Brandon:

It’s It’s you as a person.

Brandon:

I mean, I’m gonna be honest, Brendan before all my life went crazy at 17, 18 years old.

Brandon:

I wasn’t, I mean, I watched my mom, you know, survive and and hustle, but I don’t think that I would have actually went like been this way if I didn’t go through that because I had to like, I had no funding choice, right?

Brandon:

So I had to go through that.

Brandon:

And then I saw what hard work could actually do.

Brandon:

I mean, granted I was raised by my mom and dad who my dad, my mom was staying home.

Brandon:

Um My dad worked a mediocre job, paid the bills, didn’t have extra spending money, but they paid the bills, they had a house, they had one car, they had food, right?

Brandon:

And I mean, that’s incentive for enough people for a majority of people.

Brandon:

That’s how they think life is supposed to be.

Brandon:

I was lucky enough that I was fighting to get just that and was able to get more.

Brandon:

And that’s when I saw, okay, we’ll talk, I don’t want to live just, you know, paying my bills and and just kind of getting by, I want more and maybe I’m greedy, I don’t know, people do say that I am, I don’t need it.

Brandon:

I know, but so yeah, is is greed?

Brandon:

Why is greed?

Brandon:

This is the whole thing is I’m asking is greed bad and if it is, tell me why, okay, so to answer your question, we have this comment I have like, you know, we have a good group of friends that we have discussions like this over drinks and you know, we really do like come down to some good points and this is going to sound very harsh.

Brandon:

Maybe people are gonna not listen to the show anymore.

Brandon:

I don’t know, Probably not.

Brandon:

Our listeners are not like this, but I think it comes down to, it’s easier to put a negative connotation or narrative to something you can’t achieve because you’re just too fucking lazy to get it.

Brandon:

And this goes for a lot of things And again, I don’t want to sound insensitive and I don’t want to sound harsh or entitled or whatever.

Brandon:

Some people may put it as, but somebody who is fat and somebody who’s thin because they go to the gym, they work out, they eat well and they spend the time to meal prep and actually allocate time to work out and have healthy habits is easier for the fat person to say uh oh there, you know an addicted gym rat, they don’t have anything better to do in their life.

Brandon:

They don’t have kids to raise blah blah blah blah blah.

Brandon:

So it’s easier for them to blame that person on a negative connotation than to actually figure the funk out and find the time and the food to lose the weight.

Brandon:

It’s easier for, you know, a person who doesn’t work to say that I’m a bad person because I’m work obsessed and I don’t have anybody in my life to care about other than work.

Brandon:

But they have kids and a family so they don’t have the time to make money, right?

Brandon:

So it’s easier to put that negative connotation on things that people can’t have than actually just work for it and get it.

Brandon:

Yeah.

Brandon:

And and the truth is what you just said is not that they can’t have it, anybody can have it.

Brandon:

Now here, here, here, here’s the other side, they’ll say Danielle, I can’t plan for for the person who’s overweight and the screen now, now I will acknowledge that some people have a medical chemical thing.

Brandon:

So for all the listeners out there who are like you guys are a bunch of bitches and dicks or whatever the word is, I’m acknowledging fully so is daniel that that is possible.

Brandon:

However outside of that, you know, I hear this argument, Well people can’t afford the good food so they have to go to fast food.

Brandon:

Well chicken is the cheapest per pound of a protein source.

Brandon:

I think you can get in general, I don’t know, you get it on sale for 3 99.

Brandon:

I think we got a bunch of chicken recently.

Danielle:

Chicken breasts.

Danielle:

Um maybe 4 99 maybe it’s 599.

Danielle:

Okay, so buy yourself a chicken breast and a head of lettuce and a and use a little bit of addressing and that will cost you a 5 99 happy meal or whatever the hell you’re getting.

Danielle:

I mean, are you going to be hungry?

Danielle:

You will probably be hungry for a while because your body is used to eating junk food.

Danielle:

So all of your microbiome microbe, whatever bacteria in your gut is craving that, so you’ll be hungry for a while, but eventually you’ll lose weight and guess what?

Danielle:

You won’t need as many calories.

Danielle:

I’m not beating up on people.

Danielle:

People have, you know, all sorts of things and they use food as a, as a crutch and we all can do that.

Danielle:

But to your point like it’s call, it goes back to a there’s a few Radiating themes in this conversation, one in santa to resilience.

Danielle:

Like yeah, it’s it it’s hard man, there’s a lot of pain in in trying to be better, but I think that all of this has contributed to people just not wanting to work hard.

Danielle:

That’s all it comes down to whether it’s professional, career health wealth, whatever, it’s easier to blame and bitch and complain then work hard if people put the same amount of energy in actually doing the work as they did, victimizing themselves and complaining about the people who do have it.

Danielle:

They’d also have it, but at the end of the day and you’re so right, I am not putting people down because people do have health problems.

Danielle:

People do have things that they go through.

Danielle:

I mean, people who have millions go through divorces and you know, lose their jobs and it happens.

Danielle:

I mean tomorrow I could not have a company and I’d be, you know, I wouldn’t be very well financially or you know what I mean?

Brandon:

Like things happen, but it’s how you, like you said, it’s resilience, how you come out from that and people just don’t want it.

Brandon:

I think maybe not bad enough or it does come down to incentive because, Or standard they don’t want, you know, they’re okay with the $2,000 that the government gives them a month and they’re, you know, mediocre life and they just don’t want it.

Brandon:

And you know, it’s like when people say, if it was easy, everybody would do it right?

Brandon:

And unfortunately that’s why not many people do have what they actually want and like I said, it’s easier to say, oh well, you know, he got lucky or um, you know, life’s hard on me or whatever, right?

Brandon:

But if you actually genuinely listen to a lot of stories of very successful entrepreneurs, they’ve all started from rock bottom even more rock bottom than majority of people that are bitching and complaining today.

Brandon:

They just have the resilience, the dedication, the want and the drive to get there.

Brandon:

You know what I mean?

Brandon:

Like then everybody and then, and then today’s society shames them.

Brandon:

It does, it seems, yeah, I have all the time.

Brandon:

Brandon, I do the Toy drive every year, right?

Brandon:

I donate a lot of money, not just in the tour drive but to other things, not because I have to, because I want to, there are things that are near and dear to my heart, not last year because of Covid, but the year before we’re doing a poor drive.

Brandon:

And so I shared it on my facebook page and you know, because I have so many people right into the company, like, you know, we love the story, can you guys share it?

Brandon:

So I put on my personal facebook, the reason why operation sparkle was created and I had more negative comments on that than positive and all the negative comments were um, you shouldn’t, not once that I shame people who needed the toy drive.

Brandon:

Not once, I just put in there.

Brandon:

People who are struggling or Children who are not able to have, you know, a great christmas, this is what it’s here for.

Brandon:

And I had people going well, like we all lived like you, we wouldn’t have to have the toy drive.

Brandon:

Um, if there’s nothing wrong with having, with being a parent that struggles um like just and I literally was just like, I can’t even fucking believe this because I didn’t want to say anything bad about it.

Brandon:

I’m literally giving you help.

Brandon:

You know what I mean?

Brandon:

They and this is why you can’t find people who will work it hard because they’re getting all this chatter.

Brandon:

You know, it’s it’s like if you if you’re trying to and here’s the other part.

Brandon:

That’s really hard.

Brandon:

Is that what’s the saying?

Brandon:

If you, if you want to make more money, don’t ask your broke friends for advice.

Brandon:

I mean, I mean, you know because and there was another there’s another saying that the people who are telling you that you shouldn’t do it or can’t do it are the people who are going to ask you how you did it after you did it.

Brandon:

And it’s just but look, I’m I’m in there.

Brandon:

There’s a lot of pressure.

Brandon:

I mean it’s hard to I I found myself, I just sort of I don’t want to say I’m at my breaking point, but I am tired of hearing, you know, you you if you make more money and I’m certainly like you, I mean, yes, I’m grateful for what I make, but I I earned it.

Brandon:

I mean, I’ve worked my butt off to get it.

Danielle:

I don’t want to be made to feel and I’m not certainly in the highest highest people, but I don’t want to be made to feel guilty because I did that and now some of the ownership I think is on people like us, we have to own that too.

Brandon:

You know, someone can’t make you feel that way.

Brandon:

But it can become hard to resist when there’s all this chatter out there.

Brandon:

And there was an article I read, it’s actually really dangerous problems.

Brandon:

Is that I actually don’t believe that all this noise out there is the majority of people at all.

Brandon:

I think, I think that most people want to work hard and I think no, there’s nothing wrong with being a struggling parent, but but I don’t, I think they want to work harder to get there.

Brandon:

They just haven’t found that right groove yet.

Brandon:

Or you know, they haven’t, you know, it’s lucky, isn’t it?

Brandon:

You gotta just stay in the game and and do some things and hopefully you get there sometimes you you might not, but but I think most of the people want to earn their success.

Brandon:

I think most of the people, I want to do that, but but there’s an article, I’ll dig it up for the future that a lady didn’t analysis.

Brandon:

And basically you can have the minority minority.

Brandon:

I mean like 345% of the population spouting off a narrative that can actually take over.

Brandon:

Um because of the other thing is that some people who just don’t want to hear it, don’t hear it.

Brandon:

So they don’t even understand what’s happening and then they creep up.

Brandon:

It’s like not watching, should you watch the news?

Brandon:

I don’t know, but you know, I don’t watch it anymore.

Brandon:

So when I hear something, it’s like something could be happening.

Brandon:

And basically the danger of this is that a small majority of people can create a narrative across an entire population of people, whether that’s a state, a country, a world that becomes the perpetuating thing, and next thing you do is you look around, you look behind you, look around and you’re like, how did that, how did that get here, daniel?

Brandon:

We didn’t do that, we didn’t believe that.

Brandon:

But I think people now have sort of had enough of this.

Brandon:

And look, Covid back to your original question, Did Covid contribute to this?

Brandon:

It absolutely did.

Brandon:

It absolutely pushed us two the limit.

Brandon:

Right?

Brandon:

I mean, people, people, humans aren’t designed to be stuck in places.

Brandon:

It’s, it creates a lot of anxiety to wear a mask.

Brandon:

I’m not an anti masker do.

Brandon:

I think it helps.

Brandon:

It probably does anything covering something that covers germs.

Brandon:

Is it full proof?

Brandon:

Probably absolutely not.

Brandon:

Um, you know, there’s a million things out there showing how it doesn’t work and there’s studies on countries that, you know, both ways.

Brandon:

But um it you know that having a mask it causes me anxiety because I’m like, oh, I can’t You don’t realize that 80% of understanding what someone is saying is from their behavior, not the sound or reading their lips, you don’t even realize that you’re reading lips, but you are reading lips and you know, that has thrown anxiety up through the entire roof.

Brandon:

So this small, this, this thing out there has been perpetuated bye by anxiety and the unknown.

Brandon:

A lot of people don’t do well with unknowns and that’s created anxiety in people.

Brandon:

So, you know, Covid has perpetuated it and then some people, it’s just said, hey look, I give up, I’m going to let the world figure it out, but you gotta bring me along and uh I just don’t agree with that.

Brandon:

That’s just, you know, it doesn’t mean that we won’t help, but um and then it turns into, you know, some sort of crazy, you know, the extreme here is Marxism and the danger with Marxism is that it takes it to a whole new level with the oppressed versus the people oppressing and the oppressed and it’s all about labor, but never did Stalin or the Marxist who perpetuated and came up with this idea discuss incentives because no one’s gonna work if there’s no incentive to work harder.

Brandon:

So why would I work any harder if I was going to get the same pay as you.

Brandon:

I mean that’s absolutely absurd.

Brandon:

I agree.

Brandon:

Um in our company, we have rewards programs, okay, so we do like gold stars.

Brandon:

Um and I’m not saying anything negative at all, but we give rewards and and and gold stars for showing up to work on time.

Brandon:

Not calling in.

Brandon:

Like not taking a day off like having attendance.

Brandon:

Um And completing your checklist.

Brandon:

That is the bare minimum.

Brandon:

That is what you should be doing without any incentive.

Brandon:

Like that should just be having your job right?

Brandon:

And well what do you mean by not taking a day off?

Brandon:

I’m just like I mean okay obviously people get sick but the reason we’ve had to imply this or in some um sorry integrate this into the rewards program was because with Covid You have a stuffy nose, you have to stay home.

Brandon:

You have to go get a covid test your now off for 48 hours minimum.

Brandon:

You get paid for it.

Brandon:

So what do you mean?

Brandon:

You get, you decided to pay people or you’re required by law to pay the government at one point I think it was about a three month period was you still had to pay people for that outside of their like paid sick days or whatever it is.

Brandon:

So people are taking advantage of it right and you give people an inch, they take a mile.

Brandon:

So if you’re genuinely sick you’re sick.

Brandon:

It is what it is.

Danielle:

But we were getting it where people were calling and oh I have a headache.

Brandon:

It must be Covid.

Brandon:

I’m gonna go get a Covid test we’ll see you next week on monday and I as an owner or R.

Brandon:

C.

Brandon:

00.

Brandon:

Or H.

Brandon:

R.

Brandon:

Cannot question it.

Brandon:

We can’t because of the employment laws right We can’t question it.

Brandon:

We can’t fire someone for that.

Brandon:

So yes Covid has made it difficult.

Brandon:

But you have to pay out of your company money Or did the government pay them?

Brandon:

No we paid.

Brandon:

Well.

Brandon:

How does that work?

Brandon:

So it’s like I said it was only like a short amount.

Brandon:

That was a rhetorical question.

Brandon:

But but yeah no honestly it doesn’t work.

Brandon:

It means that you’re basically breaking even because the people who were throwing off the profit for you are paying for the people who aren’t there.

Brandon:

Which is now going to create the people who are there to basically call in sick again.

Brandon:

And I think that’s what happened to you 100%.

Danielle:

And that is why we had to improvise and put this rewards program to have this in place because okay your car breaks down most of the time.

Brandon:

You’re going to try and go and get a rental right?

Brandon:

You’re not just gonna sit there and go okay car broke down.

Brandon:

Can’t go to work today.

Danielle:

Don’t know where my car is gonna get fixed.

Danielle:

So whatever.

Danielle:

Um have a stuffy nose.

Danielle:

This is another thing.

Danielle:

Brandon that was a problem.

Danielle:

We’re all wearing masks throwing gloves right We’re all social distancing.

Danielle:

And this is like a Covid debate so we won’t get into it.

Danielle:

But you have a stuffy nose.

Danielle:

Pre Covid you worked with a stuffy nose because the government didn’t pay you for it.

Danielle:

But now you have a stuffy nose, you’re wearing a mask to cover that.

Brandon:

And now you’re going to call in sick for three days.

Brandon:

You know what I mean?

Brandon:

And so there’s extremes, right?

Brandon:

There’s like, if you’re sick, I am all for it, I will back you.

Brandon:

100% ship happens.

Brandon:

I’ve been sick before, you know, I’m still working because that’s my job.

Brandon:

But even before when I had an actual normal job, you know, and I wasn’t an entrepreneur, I still worked or, or, you know, I had to take a couple of days off.

Brandon:

It is what it is.

Brandon:

You have the flu, you protect yourself, you protect other people.

Brandon:

But then there’s the extreme of, you know, I have a stuffy nose.

Brandon:

I’m not coming in today.

Brandon:

I might have Covid and I can’t say anything.

Brandon:

Um, yeah, it’s so frustrating.

Brandon:

It really is.

Brandon:

And I just think it just comes down to maybe maybe it’s incentive and I don’t really know what it comes down to, but it’s just sucking frustrating.

Brandon:

That’s at the end of the day, that’s all.

Brandon:

So, here’s, here’s, here’s what people, somebody listening to this most, most of our listeners are almost all murder.

Danielle:

Either business owners or aspiring business owners.

Danielle:

There’s probably no other, I mean, there’s other reasons you could, you can get management tips and things from our podcast, right?

Danielle:

But in general, but it was for someone who was listening who does work for somebody else could easily say, well there are two people who own businesses and they’re just pitching because they want people to work for them so they can make money, Right?

Danielle:

Right.

Danielle:

Um and I don’t I don’t think, I don’t think this is, I don’t think we’re bitching about it.

Danielle:

I think we’re trying to understand what has while the original the topic was trying to discussion topic is trying to figure out where this all came from.

Danielle:

Um But here’s what I’ll say to anyone who said, well, you know, just to business owners out there bitching to one another about having people why people won’t work for them to make more money for them, then don’t work for us, right?

Danielle:

Go start your own company.

Danielle:

I’ll help you, yeah, you daniel will help you write like that’s that’s I I don’t I’m not I’m not mad about that.

Danielle:

I encourage you to do that.

Danielle:

But if you are going to work for someone else, which is sometimes that’s a good choice actually.

Brandon:

There’s that that’s a good thing.

Brandon:

It’s not necessarily always a bad thing.

Brandon:

Certainly being a owning a business is, you know, I give you 100 reasons why you don’t want to do it.

Brandon:

It’s just I just don’t have a I just don’t have a choice in my life for the most part Because of how I’m built right?

Brandon:

Like, and you candidly, you didn’t really have much of a choice.

Brandon:

You were either gone.

Brandon:

I mean, you could have worked for someone else, but you weren’t going to get a $60,000 in debt anytime faster.

Danielle:

And you know, you sort of took, you took a risk and did it.

Danielle:

So I’m just addressing the, I don’t want to I don’t like leaving conversations open to this person coming in the back door saying, I acknowledge that, you know that, but what we are talking about is a society that’s perpetuating mediocrity at best and likely even, you know, this is, You know, if we’re talking grades here, we’re talking, you know, you’re getting a 60 on this test and it’s The the the environment is pushing everybody to get a 60 on a test, barely, barely and probably more likely failing is that it’s because of this.

Danielle:

It’s the narrative, it’s this entitlement and then it’s been exacerbated by covid and this pressure that is put on mankind, humankind that is basically pressing everyone to the limits on things that they don’t know how to control and in many ways when parents take their kids in and or people, you know, I think what it comes down to is if we look at it just hit me, but really what it comes down to is is that your mom takes care of your brother and your brother wants to be taken care of right?

Danielle:

And if we go outside of that and we go into the people just in general, they, they want someone to take care of them.

Danielle:

And in fact I can remember Danielle well one of our companies really didn’t do well.

Danielle:

Um not really didn’t and I can remember talking uh to a close friend and saying you know God it just be nice if just someone would just take care of me and I knew that I had this, this this net that would just catch me right?

Danielle:

And and and and that would be better.

Danielle:

Now I will tell you that it sure would have felt better at the time.

Danielle:

But I don’t know that I would have gotten the result of being here to talk to you today of picking myself back up and getting my ship together and figuring something out and I didn’t have the answer right away.

Danielle:

What?

Brandon:

But what the answer was was going to get up every morning and I’m just going to keep going forward and eventually something good will happen.

Brandon:

And I think people have lost that idea that if you do get up in the morning and you keep going forward that something eventually will something eventually good will happen.

Brandon:

I mean you just got to keep getting up and and that even comes down to our society Brandon like that’s the that’s the culture of now Like that convenience and and we live in that culture now.

Brandon:

It’s like I expected now we were literally talking about this with the stocks they want to put 100 bucks in and they want to make $1 million dollars tomorrow.

Brandon:

It’s not gonna happen.

Brandon:

Real estate stocks work whatever, you know like even down to, you know, I three years ago I was still out cleaning houses and and running a company at the same time on my ipad because I was still up everyday working for it right?

Brandon:

And like my boyfriend, he’s a mortgage broker.

Brandon:

People will go and do the mortgage course that also requires I think is 70% to pass and you’re dealing with people’s biggest investments of their lives.

Brandon:

So they go in, they get their business cards, they open up their website and they tell two friends and then two months goes by and they go, oh I haven’t got a deal yet, I’m falling out of the industry and I’m done right?

Brandon:

And that’s the that mentality of like you just said, they’re not willing to go every single day.

Brandon:

Like it took me forever to get to this 0.5 years and I’m still not done right.

Brandon:

But I know that you try to keep doing it and even on the days where I’m like waking up and six people have called in sick and and clients are piste off and contracts are falling through and buildings are being sucked up and blah blah blah blah blah blah If I just laid in bed and cried all day, I’d probably still be in that spot now, right, because then even more clients are going to be piste off and whatever.

Brandon:

And I mean that’s on a larger scale of course, but you just have to get up and deal with it.

Brandon:

You just have to do it and just get through it.

Brandon:

And I know it’s easier said than done, but I’ve done it, you’ve done it.

Brandon:

I know lots of people who went through even worse shape than I have and done it and I just, you know, I maybe, I’m just, maybe we’re just more resilient.

Brandon:

Maybe we just have more dedication or, or more, I don’t want to say stronger, but maybe stronger.

Brandon:

I’m not sure.

Brandon:

But people, I just seen that they just get knocked down so easily.

Brandon:

That’s because they’ve gotten participation rewards and because then they get knocked down and like, oh man, this is the end, It’s not the end.

Brandon:

If you only get, if you only reward for winning eventually, you realize that, you know, you only reward for winning.

Brandon:

I mean, you know, it doesn’t build resilience and I think that’s what’s happened here and it’s dangerous.

Brandon:

Um, you know, it’s uh watching something the other day and uh, I forget what it was trying to remember, but it said there was a, it was a tv show or movie or something said, oh, we’ll get used okay.

Brandon:

You know, if you’re gonna do that then make friends with them and get ready to get ready to see him on the race to the bottom or a race to the middle like and it’s just so I think it’s uh I really, I don’t know, you know, it’s one thing to bitch about, it’s another thing to understand how to fix it and I think well what’s the same?

Brandon:

Um if you don’t like something change it, if you’re not willing to change it, change your attitude about it or shut your mouth.

Brandon:

Um you know, I think the way that little part that people like us can do is just to talk about it like this and say, hey look it’s not okay, you’re not gonna and not accept that you’re going to make me feel bad because I I’ve made some money or I’m making money or I started a business or and you and I think the good news for the people who are putting that out there is you have a choice to Now.

Danielle:

You can tell me five reasons why you maybe 10, maybe 20 why you can’t do it.

Danielle:

Uh you know, I only have one leg, I don’t know or I only have one arm last, I checked Bethany, whatever her name is, surf with one arm.

Danielle:

I mean I keep showing you these these these young people who oh well I have a learning disability.

Danielle:

Me too.

Danielle:

I mean there’s there’s plenty of examples, but I think it also if we want to change it and we don’t want to just talk about it and we do have to do our part and you know, you’re creating incentive systems where these people can, can see that if they do better, they’ll win and not tolerate the narrative out there that exists and just not accepted.

Danielle:

I’m not saying it’s not easy.

Danielle:

Um and I’m not saying that we don’t need to understand it and be sensitive to people because we certainly do.

Danielle:

However, you know, I’m not going to support participation, participation um, awards.

Danielle:

I mean, you know, we all get rewarded every single morning when you wake up and you’re not dead, consider that your reward today.

Brandon:

I agree 100%.

Brandon:

And I think, I think just, you know, this is might be like my little my mind set piece for the day, but I just think like gratitude and just good positive thoughts and energy really do contribute to a good life and and that might, you know, somebody might call in and be like, oh, you know, you’re crazy or whatever, but it’s true.

Brandon:

I mean when I was going for all of my stuff, I was telling you this the first podcast that the day that I met you on on zoom, I thought my life was over, you know, I was constantly unhappy, I was constantly, you know, negative thoughts and it’s like that saying when they say if you’re constantly looking for yellow cars, all you’re going to see a yellow cars, if you’re constantly bitching, constantly complaining and being a victim and stuff like that, you know, it’s all you’re going to have it.

Danielle:

It’s not whether it’s the negative energy going out and the negative energy coming back in or whether it’s just, that’s all you’re seeing, that’s why you’re going to get, you know, that’s all you’re going to focus on.

Danielle:

But if you start like back then, you know, I was just counting my blessings for one client that was going to pay me $18 an hour cash.

Danielle:

I was like suck yes, like this is the best thing ever.

Danielle:

You know, I can actually pay my insurance this week now.

Danielle:

You know, I count my blessings every day for the house, the company, the people who work for me, like I really do spend time to focus on the positives and when I’m grad like are grateful for um you know when I go over to my mom’s and we have wine and we really do counter blessings, like we could go to home sense and drop $600 on decorations for christmas and you know what I mean?

Danielle:

Like it sounds cliche and you know, cheesy, but it’s true if you focus on the good things and good things are going to be kind of present, right and I feel like that little bit of energy and good focus and hope can really get you through some of the city times, right?

Danielle:

When you really do focus on the good things, I agree.

Danielle:

I think wrapping it up is that clearly the current state of yes, I don’t know what to call it, lack of motivation or victimhood or whatever it is is a combination of things that certainly Covid did not help.

Brandon:

It has perpetuated because it’s brought it to the forefront because when people are at their breaking point and anxiety levels are high and you know, it really hasn’t gotten too much better.

Brandon:

I think there’s going to have to be a break in the Covid thing for people to get back to their normal life.

Brandon:

But um now I think there’s more uncertainty out there because you don’t know what to believe, right?

Brandon:

There’s not enough data on all of this stuff to really understand it.

Brandon:

And um what you’re seeing is some groups that are the minority voice.

Brandon:

I’m not saying minorities, I’m just saying the minority voice which is made up of all people of all colors of all nationalities across the world is jumping on the opportunity to take advantage of it and try to make it the thing.

Brandon:

But I think it’s upon people like ourselves who feel strongly about it with some compassion basically talk about it and say, hey look, we’re just not going to accept it and we’re not going to go down that path because it’s not a path that winds, I mean, it’s a race to the bottom that story.

Brandon:

Whether like I said, it’s real or not about the class and failing everybody in class.

Brandon:

That’s what happens.

Brandon:

I mean, you know, why am I going to stay up late at night and study for some jackass who’s not studying so that they can get the same.

Brandon:

Great.

Brandon:

I’m not gonna do that.

Brandon:

I’m sorry.

Brandon:

And you know, they can tell me that I’m smarter and I have more ability and this, that and the other okay.

Brandon:

But I’m still not going to do that.

Brandon:

You know her in general.

Brandon:

It just doesn’t, it doesn’t work.

Brandon:

And the bottom line is, it doesn’t work.

Brandon:

It’s a, it’s a, it’s a, this is an opportunity that people are taking advantage of to get a free ride and I don’t see it.

Brandon:

Yeah, I don’t either.

Brandon:

I mean Brennan, it could come down to like I said before the standards, like, you know, if I was, uh, say for example, like I’m just using this as like a total example.

Brandon:

But if I say didn’t, I had the company and then I didn’t have the company and my company was totally finished when Covid happened, Benny saying, hi Benny gets a free ride.

Brandon:

I mean reincarnate yourself as an animal in a good home.

Brandon:

He is 100% a victim of being hand fed on a silver spoon by the government.

Brandon:

He’s a, he’s a victim, he’s been victimized because he he, I didn’t want to be a dog.

Brandon:

Anyway.

Brandon:

Go ahead, finish what I was saying was, um, what was I saying?

Brandon:

Oh yeah.

Brandon:

And you know, Benny, come on.

Brandon:

If I was, you know, lived this life and then my company went to ship with Covid and then I was Had the option to get the $2,000 a month from the government.

Brandon:

I mean, okay, it’s $2,000 a month.

Brandon:

But what the is going to do for me, You know what I mean?

Brandon:

Like how can I be content with that?

Brandon:

I don’t even understand how you can live on it.

Brandon:

But you know, like I said, if people need help, that’s fine, but it is getting taken to the next level and if it doesn’t stop, we’re all of us, the entire world is going to be in some trouble.

Brandon:

Yeah, agree because we don’t have, like when people do get that, they don’t have that, um, that drive to do better because they’re already getting mediocre or you know, they’re content with what they’re getting from the government.

Brandon:

So, and you know, I’ve heard conspiracy theorists and I’ve heard theories from a whole bunch of other people on social media who have said stuff like, you know, this is the government’s way of stringing us along to give us just enough to survive, but not enough to want to not be under their belt and you know, things like that.

Brandon:

And whether it’s true or not.

Brandon:

I mean, at the end of the day, I’m gonna work hard, I’m going to live the life I want to live, you’re gonna do the same thing and I’m just sick and tired of people being the victim when they can do it.

Brandon:

And I just wish people would just work harder.

Brandon:

And whether, like we said, like, Covid obviously amplified it.

Brandon:

I just I mean, there’s no there’s no concrete answer, but I think it just comes down to people and whether they want it or not, whether they have the resilience, the dedication, the commitment.

Brandon:

I think that’s what it comes down to.

Brandon:

Well, I think it’s for fighting for all the things that create incentives, you know, that we didn’t talk about it.

Brandon:

Um I know we got to wrap up the, you know, this also is happening in schools, you know, it’s being perpetuated in schools and from K through 12 to universities and what they’re teaching people and that comes out on the other side uh with people in many ways indoctrinated in these systems.

Brandon:

And, you know, I don’t know what the clear answer is, they clear or the the fixed, so to speak.

Brandon:

Um And I’m not saying that our view is the view, and I’m not saying the other view, but somewhere in between is probably the answer and probably more towards us as it relates.

Brandon:

It’s hard to argue with incentives and creating incentives that make people do better.

Brandon:

And I think that’s a good thing, you know, I mean are you living your best life?

Brandon:

Ask yourself that are you are you living your best life?

Brandon:

Because if you don’t feel like you’re living your best life now than you internally are going to have conflict and your subconscious knows what you’re capable of and then you get angry and then you blame other people and then that turns into this thing that we see.

Brandon:

So um you know, I think it’s for everybody, it needs to ask themselves this question if you could do better, should you?

Brandon:

Yeah, and um you know, everybody has to put their head on the pillow at night with the answer to that themselves.

Brandon:

Uh you or me are going to judge them.

Brandon:

So I think I I don’t know my my takeaway today is it’s a combination of a lot of things and if we those of us who don’t necessarily agree with and don’t want, it’s not it’s not about having people to work for us and just make money.

Brandon:

It’s I I actually think it’s it’s a real shame when I see someone like that.

Brandon:

I mean I feel not that I feel bad for him in the sense it’s that I feel bad because they have so much more potential that someone hasn’t told them about to recognize that they could be better and I think that’s it, But um you know, no clear answer coming out of this conversation other than really having discussions like this and putting it out there for people to listen to and hear what they have to say.

Brandon:

Yeah, and I like you said, I do wish and hope and and that’s a big thing part of our company culture is, you know, I really do bring out people strength and and give them the opportunities.

Brandon:

I mean I’ve had many people that have lasted, went and started their own companies and businesses and I guided them, you know, I’ve given them my advice and my mentor ship in regards to business because that’s what they want to do.

Brandon:

I want them to live their best life and I know for a fact that I on top of the stress of owning a company, but I, I love my life, I am happy every single day, the people in it, my dog, what I’m so lucky, you know, I’m blessed, I’m grateful, I’m thankful for everything.

Brandon:

Um but yeah, I agree with everything and I know we didn’t come to a conclusion and I knew we weren’t going to, I just kind of wanted to just, well, I think the conclusion is it’s a problem and, and, and, and it’s it’s not just a problem for business owners, it’s a problem for these people not living their best lives and that we just have to have conversations like this that puts it out there into the into the world to say hey think about it and I just ask everybody if you could do better should you?

Brandon:

I agree.

Brandon:

Alright well that was a good conversation, we’re on 145 minutes today.

Brandon:

That was good.

Brandon:

Yeah clearly we’re fired up.

Brandon:

Um Well I’m going to hope that the wind dies down here And that I can uh ride, I’m on day 56 of my 100 push ups a day.

Brandon:

How’s the peloton still doing well for you?

Brandon:

Oh yeah.

Brandon:

Oh yeah.

Brandon:

Oh I saw you got you have like a whole thing rigged up with your tv in front of the peloton.

Brandon:

So the basement here.

Brandon:

Okay.

Brandon:

Benny Benny clearly loves you today because he’s like trying to get right in your face.

Brandon:

Um So the basement is actually getting complete within the next few weeks so that my laundry room is getting completely redone with cabinetry, the floors are being redone and stuff so um for right now we have to move the the tv on the wall so the peloton is behind the couch and I’m not a big tv person.

Brandon:

I don’t watch a lot of T.

Brandon:

V.

Brandon:

But um I like watching a little bit of like reality so be stupid stuff when I need to like distress my brain.

Brandon:

So I was on the palate on the other day and and I just threw on the tv.

Danielle:

It was pretty cool.

Danielle:

So I was doing my ride.

Danielle:

I had the tv on it was, it was good.

Danielle:

So yeah, I love it.

Danielle:

That Palestine is amazing.

Danielle:

Yeah, I think I liked a lot for for days.

Danielle:

I don’t want to ride, I don’t want to ride it today.

Danielle:

I tend to ride for probably longer than normal.

Brandon:

But um yeah, I’m looking forward to getting outside.

Danielle:

Just been too nice here and um but I’ll see you on the palate on.

Danielle:

I might ride tomorrow.

Danielle:

Sounds good, we’ll do it right, cool.

Danielle:

Alright, well enjoy the weekend and we’ll talk next week.

Brandon:

Sounds good.

Danielle:

Bye everyone.

Danielle:

Thanks for being generous with your time and joining us for this episode of the Edge before you go.

Danielle:

A quick question, Are you the type of person who wants to get 100% out of your time?

Danielle:

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Danielle:

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