From 7 Kids to Gym Owner: How He Scaled His Basketball Training Business

I'm curious like with your situation when you start even with what you're doing it now like you're not living in this massive city where there's you know millions of people um what what advice would you give to someone who is a coach in like a smaller area like I mean how did how did you go from you know seven kids to almost 100 kids now 100 members? >> Yeah. you know, I I I think for me, um, you you understand the area that you're in and you understand, um, what you're dealing with as far as the the type of athletes in your area and and what when what the need is cuz because when I started, there wasn't any basketball training options here uh on a on a year- round basis. it was more of, hey, you just message a, you know, college coach or college athlete and they would see you when they could see you and that was pretty much it. Um, so I would say for me the biggest thing was uh word of mouth starting off. >> I did I did free camps, free clinics, and I was able to get my name into the community because I would go into these small areas. um and you know to say that I did have a little bit of of help with coaching the high schools uh sports program in the area. So parents kind of knew who I was already. Um but when I went into those areas um you know I was I just wanted to help I just really wanted to help athletes and those free camps and clinics really helped me get my name out there um with with small communities and then being in a small community word of mouth spreads very very fast. Yeah. >> Um I'm I'm all about, you know, you treat people with with respect, you do things the right way. Um you you know, you you you're able to be approachable with parents, >> and you you create those relationships with them as well. Um and they will spread the business for you, you know, and um that is, you know, when I get on parent calls and I talk with parents on with with new members that want to come into my program, I tell them the biggest there's there's two biggest things that I how my business grows and that's results and referrals. Results and referrals. That is the two big, right? So, um the the the word of mouth was huge. the basketball camps and clinics are are huge as well too. Um, but then, you know, offering something that hasn't been in the area, something that will set you apart, I guess. You know, that's that's probably different for for some other coaches, but I know for me being from originally from California, I saw the benefits of year round basketball training. I I saw the benefits of it. And I understand my landscape here because being in the Washington Idaho area, the weather during the winter season, I mean, it snows, you know, and it's it's crazy. Like in California, we don't we don't have that unless you're near Reno or Tahoe, right? So, I mean, it's it's >> it's different. So, you you know, um offering something like that where, hey, yeah, we train year round, right? So, you know, this this gives your kids an advantage uh recruiting wise if they want to play at the next level compared to a kid from Texas or California or New York or right those those bigger cities because we do have talent here in these small areas but they just needed that extra uh resource to uh get into and to and to work on their game. So, I think understanding your, you know, the area, the landscape, um, offering something that's that hasn't been offered in your area. Word of mouth is huge. Um, how you treat people as well, um, your reputation and and how you and how you go about your business, and you can be become successful, um, working in small areas. For sure. So, >> yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Cool, man. And it's funny, I have I have like multiple things in my office that no, no one knows this. I mean, people know this when they listen this now, but I have multiple like journals and spreadsheets on my computer and just different things that have documented >> all of the coaches that I've ever worked with. >> Like people that have joined my program that have just like you just you just were hungry to learn. you were on so many calls that first year. Even like the second, third year, you were still showing up tons of calls. Um, and the thing like I looked at it this morning before I I came to to this office I'm at right now. But, uh, I looked at the notes that I had on you and like the one word that I said probably 15 different times next to your name, it was professional. >> Yes. like the way the way you do everything since I've met you is like you're really detailed, really professional. And I think that for me when I look at coaches like that that becomes one of the biggest separators of people who who do this kind of like as a career and and someone who does this like full throttle the way that you're doing it, right? And I can't tell you the amount of people that I've talked to over the last just six months, like the first six months of this year, who they have these dreams of having a facility like how you have u having a business like yeah, but it's like they don't approach it mentally the way that you've approached it. And I'm curious because I never asked you this, but it's like where did that come from? Like how how did you have that mindset? like was that something you had before we worked together or did you develop that after we worked together? Like where did where did that start? >> Yeah. Well, I I I credit that to my grandparents that that raised me. They were very detail- oriented. Um and if you weren't doing things the right way, I mean, they were they were from the south and um >> Louisiana. So, uh things were very very strict around the house. Um, so I was telling a parent the other day on a call, um, I have this I have this personality, especially when it comes to people that come into my facility or if they came to a gym. I make it a point to go say hello and just to chat and see how things are going. I do that with all my parents because when I was younger, if I came home from school and we had company over and I did not say hello, that wasn't that wasn't acceptable, right? So, I learned respect at at a at a young age. Um, and then for uh you know, the professionalism and you know, making sure I'm doing things the right way. I would say I learned that as well from my high school coach. Um, my high school basketball coach, uh, he was very meticulous in doing the the little things because they add up to the big things, right? I just had a basketball camp last week, Ben, and I think we had about 63 kids um came to our basketball camp and I was so meticulous with doing things the right way. I mean, I love I love my wife and and and she helps me a lot with my camps. I was very I was a big stickler with how the name tags are supposed to look, right? She Well, maybe we should try this. No, no, it has it has to be this way, right? Cuz it's it's you know, that's that's my process, right? or when kids coming in to grab their name tags, I make sure they're in alphabetical order, right? So, um, >> little things like that, it goes it goes an extremely it goes a long way. And I I had a coach this this past week, um, he forgot his shirt and I said, "No, dude, you got to go home. >> Go get it." >> Yeah, you got to go get your shirt, man, because um, it's important that you look professional with with with our program, right? So um and then you know I I I think when I started with you as well Ben I had to view myself as a CEO of a big company right and if I am not professional with with my methods how can I expect my staff to do that how can I expect my to do that right it has to start with me so a lot of coaches I think that are in your program now or some of them like the old school when we started we had these u we had these uh weekly planners or I think you I think we did I think we did daily I think I think we the daily planner right >> and you know managing your time was was very important as well too but then also making sure that you have time for your family and getting exercise and things like that so you're not waking up and kind of figuring out oh I'm going to do this today or do this right so I I believe you know your program as well Ben has definitely helped me in that aspect as well um you know it it did it did take that to another level because dealing with parents and players and and and staff, you know, you know, it's you have to be very professional with how you how you go about things and you have to be like a flawless a nice smooth machine. You know, everything's working right. So, um yeah, I credit that to a lot of people in my life. Um you as well, Ben, in your program. And um and I'm not perfect. I'm still learning. Uh there's there's days uh you know I just want to just hang out and and not not do a lot of things with our with my business, but >> I I have um I have this thing in my office where um I'm able to see how I performed last year and the year before and I keep telling myself I gota I got to beat last year's Mario, right? I got to beat the previous year, right? I got to be hungrier, right? If we want to continue to grow, right? So I'm always trying to get better. Um I'm always trying to learn. I'm very humble. I don't think I've arrived uh at all. Um and I think that's important as well, too. So, you just want to keep working and get better. >> Yeah, that's amazing, man. Yeah. And I think the thing that has really stuck with me over the last cuz like a lot of people don't know this, but I started working with coaches in 2016. Um that's like when initially when I started helping people and like when I just look at the last nine slash 10 years it's like the ones who go the furthest if they all sat in this room with me it's like everybody's mind would be the same like everyone thinks the same way they're really competitive they're selfarter type of people they take full responsibility like no matter what. Yeah. And and I've always looked at it, it's like someone really needs to to have that or learn that to be able to do this as like a legit career cuz like as you know there's a difference between doing this as like a side thing and you know you're like a facility owner now. Like that's a completely different ball game business than just going to train kids. Um, and I'm curious when when you go back and just look at the at the beginning of your business for you, like even though you're in my program, you're really committed, consistent, like what was the what was the hardest part for you about growing your business at the beginning, like what what if you had to think about like your number one biggest challenge back in the day? >> My number one biggest challenge? Um, I think that's a good question, Ben, because when I started I, you know, you had the blueprint already in in the accelerator program, and for me, I think it, I think the biggest challenge was trying to get away from the mindset of the 9-to-f5 type of type of grind of going to work every single day and >> really fully understanding like, hey, I can do this. because I think I had I had a little bit of doubt. And I say that because I was starting my wife and I we you know this she was pregnant with our first child at the time and um I was I was a bit scared because here was here I'm leaving this um this this job which would give me a certain amount of money a month to an unknown where hey I'm stepping out on a leap of faith to do this here with a growing family. Can I make this work? So the biggest challenge for me I think was was was mental like I think it was it was it was a mental side of it. Um just having 100% belief in myself and having the belief that this could work right. Um >> that that first year was was just trying to transition from I don't know I think I can or into oh yeah I got this right. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Makes sense. >> Yeah. And we all wanted those guarantees in life as, oh yeah, I want to I want to make this much and I want to have a big program and and this this and this, right? I think another another side of it was um I was going to jump straight in, Ben. And I knew like, hey, I can't fail at this. I just can't. >> I just I I have so many people counting on me. I have my family counting on me, right? I I I I can't fail at this. And >> I think the biggest I it was it was one one uh one situation I think really told me I was in the right space. And I remember I went to bed that night after filling out my my my daily form. And I was trying to go to sleep and I was just having all of these thoughts and ideas of growing my program. And I was so excited and I couldn't sleep then. And I said, "Gosh, I'm really excited, but I don't know why, but I just have a good feeling about this." Right? Because a lot of the things in my life have led me up to this point. As I mentioned, I worked with my high school coach at a summer camp when I was in high school. So, I have some experience doing that. I have some experience coaching kids with a high school program. I have experience with that, right? Um, uh, my grandparents taught me how to be detailed oriented, right? I can go through Ben's program and I can make sure I do this, this, and this correctly. I can follow instructions, right? I can be professional. a lot of the things in my life kind of led me up to doing this and it it was I don't want to say it was easy but it just made it just made the fit so just a really good transition with the fit you know so >> but as always you know there are we all have doubts you know we all have self-doubts and and um and and I think at one point I did have the imposttor syndrome a little bit because >> I was looking at Instagram and seeing all what these other coaches are doing and I'm like gosh man I don't know if I can do all that stuff, you know. So, >> yeah, >> just, you know, in in the beginning, you know, you're learning a little a lot about yourself, but I would say that um you know, following your program, following the steps, asking questions, using the coaches there in the community really helped me become more comfortable. And I I give that to to uh Nick Aado who's who's who has helped me a lot. You know, there's times I go through a situation, I can text him and he'll call me like, "Hey, dude, let's talk." you know, uh, or with you. I know we had a situation a couple months ago and I wanted to hop on a call with you to figure it out. Right. So, that support system as well, um, really helped me feel comfortable mentally getting started. So, yeah. >> Yeah. I'm curious to see how you thought through this at the beginning when you joined because I've never asked anyone this, but like I was looking in the in the school group like five minutes before we got on this call and I saw some of the stuff they'll post over the last couple days of like how much money they made the first six months of the year. I saw that. >> And like for you when you joined my program, like I can't remember exactly the date that you joined, but I can remember some of the people that were in it before you. >> Mhm. >> Uh and how they were doing with their business, but how was that like when you would see someone else post results of like where they were at? Like what I'm curious h how did that how did that affect you when you would see stuff like that? I I um so I started in September of 2021 and I have it here in my office and I have I have my first my first uh gross revenue that I made that month with when I started your program. And I remember um you know when I would see results from other coaches, I would say, "Oh, I can I can get that. I can I can beat that." You know, I was I I was I was really competitive, you know, and and I was like, "Yeah, you know, I can do that. That's that's for sure. So, if I do this, this, and this, I can get there, right? Um, I thought it was so cool. I thought it was awesome. I I didn't think it was what, you know, when I was getting to the program, um, you know, seeing how much coaches were making, I'm like, "Oh my goodness, this is this is awesome, right? This is way more than, you know, what I was doing at my nineto-five job, right?" >> And then even with my basketball coaching position, like, this is I if I really dedicate myself to this, I can I can really make a good living for myself and my family, right? So, um, I was excited, man. I was very competitive, you know, and and and, uh, so I started tracking myself and started seeing some results and I was writing down things that were working and things I need to improve on and and um, you know, and then it started to be become really really fun because the methods that I was I was implementing, it was gaining more clients and, you know, continuing to do things the right way and and uh, helping kids get results. more clients were were coming through the door. And what I really love about my program right now is that we still have relationships with those kids that have gone on to do great things. You know, some play college basketball, some some go on to do other things with their career choices, and we still have great relationships with with those kids and their parents. And um and so I I'm big about tradition with with my program. Um, since having a facility, I told my wife, I said, you know, I I want to honor these kids. I want to put their names up on our walls so when parents walk in, >> they can see their tradition or when they come back and they have families, they can say, "That was dad at the summer camp in 2023 or 2024." I think creating that tradition was was u a big part of it and seeing how other coaches were going about their program. And um and uh I think um that also was a competitive fire in me that said, "Well, if they if they can do that in a big city, I can do this in a small city. I I can I can I can get there." So >> yeah, that's cool, man. >> Yeah. >> Something something you don't know that I have to tell you. So, I'd have to go dig through when you posted this, but yeah, >> you were talking about putting together like a a night of celebration for your clients or like just like getting everyone together for like a dinner like you had this like thing. I can't tell you how many people that have done stuff like that since you posted that that have that they've messaged me privately and they're like, "Man, like I saw that post like there there's a dude that I work with that lives in in uh Long Beach, California, and he took all of his clients to this like Italian restaurant and they did like a night of like going through the kids that were there and celebrating each kid and like giving out awards and all this stuff." And a lot of people did that just literally because you posted that. And like so I want to say thank you. >> Yeah. >> For posting that cuz like that's the sort of stuff that people people that really want to go over and beyond for their customers and build those tighter relationships will do that. And that's the I think stuff like that is very impressive like when when coaches will take the time to like really make their business about their customers and their clients like versus just everything being about them. And yeah, so I I've I've gotten probably 50 people that have messaged me that are like, "Dude, like I did this thing over Christmas because I saw Mario post about that." So like, thank you for doing that, man. I mean, it's it's really cool. Well, I got that from you and I don't know if you remember we we talked about uh >> I do remember. >> Yeah. Yeah. Like I it was it was uh previously we talked about, you know, keeping kids into the program because there were some times where during during the year or during the months where kids would, you know, take a pause or come back or leave or whatnot. And I remember messaging you. I'm like, man, I don't know how can I keep, you know, some, you know, kids in into my program to be longer committed clients. And so you and I came up with an idea of of hey um you know you can do a social event, right? You you know take the kids bowling or work on a um you know um >> do something where they're giving back to the community, right? And so doing something fun. So we've taken kids to a water park that's that's located here in our area. We've taken kids to bowling. We've taken kids to do an outdoor threeon-ree basketball tournament. they have a barbecue and parents come and and you know hang out and they meet other parents right so >> when it comes to that contract kids are like no I don't want to leave I'm having fun you know I I I don't want to leave so and so right so you create that that culture right where kids kids want to stay and so when I came up with that award uh idea I was thinking gosh that that would be very awesome so for kids to know hey we value you we love you we thank you for your hard work and we want to honor you, you know, for sticking with our program. So, um, yeah, just just like the the camp idea I I just shared with you. You know, when kids feel like they're part of something bigger, um, you know, they're more likely to stay within your program and then also spread the word about what you're doing. So, >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's cool, man. Yeah. It's funny because I think it was maybe like a month or two ago, there's a there's a guy in the program, I I don't think you've ever spoken with him, but his name is Marcus Wagner. He's a a basketball skill development coach and uh on the West Coast and he did something similar and they like filmed everything and it was just amazing. Like I was sitting there watching like these parents talk about his program and the kids were talking about his program. It's like some of the kids they were talking about like I think like the scholarships that they got and it was like directly due to how he held them accountable and just like the the whole night it was for his his clients but like it ended up turning things back around towards the spotlight was on him. >> Yeah. >> So it's such a it's such a cool thing though to see a lot of people who've implemented that. Um yeah, man. It's it's just been real fun to to see you grow something really from from the ground up. So like if we fast forward to now because you know in 2021 we're in 2025 right now like what is your dayto day like what does your average day look like like when you wake up in the morning? >> Average day for me when I wake up in the morning is to check my emails. Um um I I have a client management system with called Notion. Uh I think one of our coaches has helped me with that and so it gives me a list of tasks that I have to get done. So um you know I take care of those emails. I take care of responding back to parents and and uh and and players within the school community. Um so that's that's the first thing that I work on. And then, you know, later part in the day, um, you know, I do like to, uh, think about the future as far as, uh, social media post and, um, you know, promoting what we're doing so we can get more eyes onto our program. That's something I'm still trying to learn on on how to be more effective at. Um, so that's something that, you know, I'm still continuously working on with with my program, but spreading that awareness. Um, getting those newsletters done so parents can read those newsletters on our social media page and Mailchimp and things like that. Um, that's that's a big part as well. Um, getting some content videos with our training program so parents can kind of look from the outside and see what we're doing, right? That's huge as well, too. And then the last part of of the day, you know, I'm looking at how's our memberships with our facility. So, the facility task, right? Um how does the one-on- ones, how's that looking, right? How can we get AEU basketball to continue to be thriving within our program? So, um you know, every single day, you know, I I have something I need to get done. Um, and it's it's it's a continuous quest to become, you know, the dominant basketball academy in the area and and I'm not going to stop until I until I get that. So, um, and then also making sure I have time for myself. Um that's something I had to learn you know because early when I first started I was just work work work work you know >> uh taking time to yourself is very important um to to refresh relax you know turn your brain off um my wife has been really big on me with making sure when I come home after I train my phone's off right we're not looking at any more emails we're having family time right things like that um I do have a vacation scheduled at the end of this month so my my annual vacation. I'm looking forward to that. So, >> where are you going? Where you going? >> We're going to Sadia Resort. That's in Clem, Washington. Um it's Yeah, I didn't get to go last year because I was working to get this facility, but I'm really excited this year. So, um >> yeah, man. So, uh you know, but making sure you have that downtime as well too for yourself uh mentally is very very important as well too because you can't fill others cup unless your cup is full, right? So, um that's pretty much how my dayto-day looks like. Uh, and then, you know, just, you know, preparing for the next month, making sure my training plans are ready to go, making sure our coaches know what they need to be doing. Um, and trying to trying to drum up new new business, right? Uh, getting those referrals and things like that. So, there's always something there's always something you can be doing, right? And if you're not >> actively working on your business and yourself and your personal development as a person and as a coach to get better, you know, um you start to get complacent. You start to get relaxed and then you know uh your your standards start to lack a little bit, right? You say, "Oh, well, this is not such a big deal." But then it is a big deal because then it starts to create a bad habit, right? So, and and those are really difficult, especially if you don't have good habits starting off uh with this business. Um you're going to get exposed really really fast. Um so, >> you know, it's very important to have those those those those habits. And I remember you spoke in one of the Zoom calls we had with our coaches. Um do boring all the time, right? That you got to do the boring work. You know what I mean? So, uh, so you don't want to be having all these surprises with your business. The boring stuff. Yeah, it sucks at times, but that's going to keep your business going, right? So, you got to make sure you're doing all those little things and staying disciplined with with with your processes. So, um, so yeah, that's that's that's pretty much what it looks like. I would say I have more more uh tasks now that I have a facility than I did originally. Um I have looked into having uh you know hiring coaches for specific directory tasks so this coach will handle this this part of the business. So um I can I can have a little bit more time to to to do other things and not feel burden if I can't get to certain things in my in my business. So I have looked into that. I've had conversations with with my staff on that. So I've had I've got some good candidates that are willing to take on those tasks for me which is great. So, um, and then also, you know, making sure, as I mentioned before, that you don't burn yourself out, right? >> Um, I have a staff of coaches now where I am at the point where I can start to remove myself a little bit. Even though I do like to be hands-on, I'm starting to kind of remove myself because they know what I expect. They know how I go about with my training program. >> And then it also continues to give me more time with my family, right? So, um, so yeah, that's that's pretty much what a day a day like for me. >> Yeah, there's always there's always something that can be improved and there's normally a problem that has to be solved. >> Yes, that's what I've learned since 2010. Like there's there's always going to be something. And it's very different because I know probably 80% of the people that are watching this right now, they're thinking, "Oh, I just want to run more lessons. Like, I want to just get more clients." like they're not thinking in terms of how complex this business actually should be. They're just thinking, "All right, well, I just want to get more clients." Um, but like the level of organization and detail to get to to get to the point that you're at or get to the point past where you're at, it it always comes down to just really being organized. And I know that's typically for most coaches in this industry, typically one of the biggest struggles is, you know, they're good at coaching, but when it comes down to like organizing their day or knowing what to do during the day or how to keep their business organized where it can actually be profitable, they can do it as a career that that tends to be a lot of coaches problems uh or problems for coaches. Cool, man. So, you now you have your facility uh how many kids do you have? So we have about 93 94 kids in our program right now. >> Yeah. >> Amazing. So you're about to hit 100 100 kids in your program. Yep. >> Have a facility started this basically from from scratch. Um what's the biggest lesson you've learned just about yourself? Like since you've had your business, what what's the what's the number one thing that you really have just distilled down to like man like this is a huge key lesson I've learned about myself over the last four or five years? I would say it's a quote that my coach told me when I was in high school and I didn't really understand it at the time, but he told me something and it it really stuck with me since day one and that is the success of any venture will be determined by the spirit in which it's entered. You want to go in positive, positive outlook. You want to go in believing in yourself. Um, you want to go in understanding like, hey, this is a goal that I have. I got to be willing to do this, this, and this to reach that goal. I believe in myself. I believe in what I teach. I believe in my processes. I believe in the hard work, right? And I and I believe that it's going to work. That is something every single day I go in with every uh email, every training session, I'm having that positive belief in myself. There will be hard times, right? Um as as as life, but the mental part is is extremely key, right? especially running a business, you want to go in with a positive outlook the best way you can and work through those adverse situations. Um, and and stay the course if this is something you really want to do as as I did. Um, you know, having having that self-belief is very very important. And I had that a little bit in the beginning and as I started to get more clients, I started believing in myself a little bit more. Okay, I can do this. I can reach another level, right? But in the beginning, if I didn't think I could do this stuff, man, even if it's less than 50%, you know, um that's going to affect everything, right? So, >> um having that self-belief, man, is is is very very important. And that's a lesson that I've that I I still take with myself to to this day with anything I do with my business. Um going into it with a positive outlook is very very important. And I would also say for coaches that are on this call, um, you know, we we are all extensions of someone that has inspired us at one point, right? So I know Ben, you you talked about someone, you know, with with the with soccer, right? That or a coach that you saw that inspired you, right? >> We all were inspired by somebody to do this business, right? Or to coach and to help kids, right? Someone inspired us, right? So, >> um, but also know as a coach, you have to be willing to humble yourself and willing to learn from from everyone else as well too. You know, you you can't go in thinking my way works. You have to be willing to learn. You have to be willing to ask questions. You have to be willing to research and and to uh improve yourself. And if you're not getting the results, maybe you need to, you know, grab some books or PDFs and and, you know, improve your knowledge of the sport that you're trying to teach, right? Right? So you become you can become a better uh trainer, right? So you you know opening yourself so that you can learn being humble in the process and uh sticking with it with having that self-belief is very very important because a lot of coaches nowadays >> um they they're looking for that quick that quick >> easy money >> easy money right um but they're willing to to to put in that hard work right and um willing to learn and to improve right so um I I truly believe if you get to the point you know everything that's that's when you stop growing, right? There's always something you can learn. The biggest room in the world is a room for improvement, right? So, um yeah, stay hungry, stay willing to listen, stay humble, and have that and have that positive self-belief in yourself and and you know, you you can make a great career with with uh running your coaching business. Mhm. Yeah. I think there's such a a huge ripple effect of having a positive mindset cuz like when you think about it for you, it starts with yourself and then that that extends into your wife, your kids, and then like when you think about your business, it extends into your assistant coaches, how they coach, the kids that are in your facility. just the whole the the the the bar that you set starts with your brain and and just where how you're actually perceiving life and how you're thinking and it is it is insane to think about like to to this depth but like I know if I flew out to your area and I just popped in into a session it's like I would probably see a bunch of kids that are thinking positive that are have high high character. They're driven. They're they're different than most kids out there. And it's because they're led by someone like you. And and I think at the end of the day, one of the biggest missing links I think that coaches have is it's like they don't really realize the impact they actually have on the kids that they train. and they're they're caught up too much in the business side and they're not really considering that like this one hour for this kid today might it could be the best part of their day because like everything going on at school or their family situation it's like I think a lot of coaches overlook that and that is I would honestly I would be telling I've said this to a lot of people but it's like I always approached the kids that I train in my career like every hour they're with me I was like it doesn't matter how I'm feeling. I have to make this a really positive time for them. And if that's the case, they're going to go back into their car when they leave. And they're going to feel better than they did when they got out of the car showing up to the session. And and I know if I did that, I did my job. And and that to me was something that like I never took lightly. But that's I think that's a a big thing coaches should should take away from what you're saying is like it's it's gonna start with you because you can't just fake that. can't make it up. Um, >> absolutely. >> And that's that's that's how people lead really successful businesses like yours. >> And last last question I have, man, is like, and this is kind of a tough one to ask because like you're in such a small percent of of coaches that have this, and this is more for coaches in basketball, and there's a lot of coaches that I've worked with in soccer over the years. I mean, that's been kind of my bread and butter, soccer, basketball over the last nine years. It's like a lot of guys that get to me in basketball, their their end goal is to have a facility. So, you've done that. >> You have a facility. You have a lot of kids that you work with. Um, like when you think about the amount of time it took and the amount of work that it took to get to where you're at now, it's like you're you've literally have done exactly what you told me you wanted to do from our first call. Like, you turned this into a full-time business. You got your own place. So, like where do you want things to be? Let's just say sounds so weird to say it, but by 2030. >> Yeah. >> Uh where do you where do you want things to go like in the next 5 years for for you your business? Like how do you how do you vision that? >> Yeah. I would love to Well, there's two things. I think the first is to have an online training program where we can reach more kids in different states. Um, I think that would be really cool to kind of start, you know, sewing the seeds for that. But I would say the biggest thing for me is to expand. Um, I I I the small area that I'm in right now, um, we also have a city that's maybe about 30 miles away and we have kids. I mean, Ben, we have kids commuting, I would say probably an hour and 20 minutes to our training facility just to train. >> Wow. >> Which >> that means it's a good program. >> Yeah. Absolutely. And so I would love to, you know, expand, you know, get another building in a in a bigger city and and reach more kids. And um I think I think the expansion part probably be the next the next step for us for sure. >> Um yeah, but you know, and kind of going back to the the previous question, you know, you talked about positive self-t talk and and having great energy and and helping kids. And I would say that my last summer camp, I had a parent who sent me an email and she mentioned to me that, you know, her son was really struggling with his confidence. And her and her husband didn't really know what steps they should take with basketball, if they should just continue him doing it. And gosh, Ben, she sent me a very heartfelt email and said, and she said, "Thank you." Because I've ne I have not seen a spark in him like that in years. >> That's amazing, man. Lifeanging. >> Yeah. And I and I shared that with my coaching staff at our coaches meeting. And I told them, I said, "Hey, before camp starts, this is really important. Like the energy we bring to these kids is very important. You got to bring this energy every single day, right? Every training session, right? Um because like you said, that that one hour, I mean, that can change their life for, you know, and their and their outlook with sports, you know. Um so anyways, man. Yeah. you know, it's it's it's been a a big blessing for sure to be part of your program, Ben. I know I haven't been super uh, you know, invested into it as much as I used to. I just been so busy and it's no excuse. I need to get back into it. I was telling my wife the other day, >> I like to go back to the step one of the accelerator and just watch the videos and just start just pretend like I'm I'm new >> and go through all the steps again and maybe there's something I could do better, right? or something or something I I used to do I'm not doing anymore. Right. So, I do that. I do that once a year, Ben. I like to go through all all the videos and just sure that, you know, hey, I'm still I'm still on top of this stuff, man. Um >> I I I would also say reaching out to uh the coaches that are in our school community. They've been fantastic. I've had uh I flew out one flew out a coach Bri um who who runs the shooter shoot program. >> Oh, yeah, that's right. forgot about that. >> Blew her out to do a basketball uh clinic, which was fantastic. I'm I'm I am talking with another coach to get her out here to do another basketball clinic as well, like a special guest type of thing, too. So, um yeah, being willing to be humble, being willing to have uh you know, to learn and being positive and helping kids, it's fun. At the end of the day, this is it's fun for me. I'd rather be doing this than anything else, man. Um, and I love I I was I um I was driving home the other day from our my training session and it kind of hit me like gosh, this is my life, you know. I really love this. I'm so thankful for, you know, that I took that risk. Um, and it worked out so well for me and my family. So, um, but yeah, thank you too, Ben. Thank you for hosting me with this, man, this podcast. And when I saw the email came through, I said, "Oh, dude, I gotta I gotta get on this." Yeah. Thank you so much. >> Yeah. No, I want to say thank you as well. I I I have this written all over my office at the house and it's something I think about constantly, but like I wouldn't be able to do what I do unless I I work with great clients and like there's so many amazing people like yourself that I've had the pleasure to work with and and uh yeah, man, I'm I'm excited to to see where you keep pushing this thing over the next, you know, 5, 10, 20 years. Uh, and it's cool to see how how you really taken this and you ran with it. And um, and a lot of people, it's it's funny when I get on enrollment calls with coaches, >> you don't know this, but when I get on enrollment calls with coaches, I share my my school group and I go and I share the top 10 people who are on my leaderboards. Yeah. And I go I always say, if you want to have the best results in our program, you need to be the most annoying person in our program. >> Yeah. And and I always show you because you're number one on our in our leaderboard. I'm like, look, this guy this guy literally started at ground zero. He has his own facility now. And I do know this because like I can go in and track this. Like I can see how many times someone has posted, how many calls someone has come through. It's like you're number one on that leaderboard for a reason. And it's cuz like you were so proactive and wanting to win. And that is a for me with the job I have like cuz I love serving people. It's like I love serving people that they know what they want. Yeah. >> Like they're clear. Uh they're they're focused, they're driven, and it's like you're that guy, man. So, thank you. >> Appreciate it, man. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, man. If if I can give a big shout out to the kids that are in our program, um you know, coach loves you. Keep keep doing what you're doing. Anybody that's interested in joining our program, you can visit our website at adamsportsacademy.com. Um, we have one-on-one basketball training, semi-private basketball training, AEU basketball camps and clinics. So, um, and gym memberships as well. So, take a take a look at us, you know, get in contact with us. We love to help your athlete improve. And thank you again, Ben, for hosting me. I really appreciate it, man. I appreciate all your knowledge and and your advice throughout the years. And, um, you know, I'm going to keep doing what we're doing over here. in Pullman, Washington. And and uh hopefully, you know, we'll we'll continue to keep thriving and and get bigger and become the dominant program here in the area. So, uh thank you so much, man. I appreciate it. >> Yeah, you got it, man. Have a blessed day. Thanks so much. >> You bet. All right. is