WEBVTT 1 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:13.439 Hello, everybody, Welcome to Summer House with Sam. I'm your host, Sam, 2 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:16.320 I y Ella, and today I'm very blessed to be 3 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:18.719 at one of my favorite places in the entire world, 4 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:22.440 Mousetrap Fitness, the home of CrossFit Mousetrap. And not only 5 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:26.760 am I here at this location recording the very first 6 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:30.440 episode of Summerhouse with Sam, but I am joined by 7 00:00:30.440 --> 00:00:33.640 one of the owners of Mousetrap Fitness, the home a 8 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:38.280 CrossFit Mousetrap, mister Allen Thompson. Hello, sir, doing very well, 9 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:40.359 Thank you so much, and thank you for joining me 10 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:40.840 here today. 11 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:43.560 My pleasure, and this is legit setup. 12 00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:47.280 You literally owned the studio that we're currently and now, 13 00:00:47.399 --> 00:00:49.799 oh I do want to make sure I mentioned you 14 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:53.280 are co owner, yes, of Mousetrap Fitness, the home across 15 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.320 at Mousetrap, along with your amazing wife. Again, I want 16 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:58.920 to thank you for joining me here today because Mousetrap, 17 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.000 as you well know, means so much to me personally, 18 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.400 as it does to so many other people as well. Yes, 19 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:08.359 I have been a member and a coach here since 20 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:11.760 the early early days of twenty sixteen. Okay, so now 21 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:14.719 it's been well over a decade It's absolutely changed my life, 22 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.400 and I want to just personally, we've got an opportunity 23 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:19.079 to thank both you and Katie for that. 24 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:20.840 Well, thank you for being a great coach. 25 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:23.040 I'm happy to do it, happy to do it now. 26 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:24.879 One of the things that I do want to touch 27 00:01:24.920 --> 00:01:27.560 on before we get into the serious, serious questions guys, 28 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:32.560 is that you and I, I feel are similar in 29 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:33.840 many ways. 30 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:35.640 A lot of ways. Yeah, I agree, And. 31 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:37.400 I don't know if you know this or not, but 32 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:40.519 you seem to be a quiet person. 33 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:42.760 Would you describe yourself as such? 34 00:01:43.959 --> 00:01:46.359 Depends Yes, I can understand why you're saying that, but 35 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.920 I think it depends on the topic the moment. I 36 00:01:48.920 --> 00:01:51.239 can go on my rants from time to time. I 37 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:54.599 think I have a lot of opinions and thoughts that 38 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:58.480 are you know, I say, unpopular or not in alignment 39 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:03.280 with you know, typical societal norms, and I'm just trying 40 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:06.000 to be you know, cognizant of that and respect people's 41 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:07.680 time and effort and energy and all that kind of stuff. 42 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:11.800 Absolutely. Now, when you say typical of societal norms, are 43 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:13.520 there any specific things you're referring to. 44 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.759 I mean, one example that comes to mind when my 45 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:20.159 wife and I first met and we started talking about 46 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:23.560 gift giving. I just went on this whole sort of 47 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:27.599 tirade about I don't you know holidays and how they 48 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:32.800 become corporate sponsored events and you know, Christmas now, Christmas 49 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:36.599 shopping is now authorised between August and December and all 50 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:39.599 the things. And so we ended up setting a gift 51 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:42.639 giving budget. Was this early on, like early on in 52 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:45.680 our relationship, because the premise is basically, you don't have 53 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:48.199 to wait for the holiday to forget the thing. True, 54 00:02:48.199 --> 00:02:51.080 They're just going to charge you more on February fourteenth, right, 55 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:52.759 we can go get it on February. 56 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:54.479 Twelves, on February fifteenth. 57 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.199 The best time to buy Halloween candy is the day 58 00:02:58.199 --> 00:03:02.520 out November first, rant and raving about that. You know, 59 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:05.120 I've kind of keeping myself or Katie, here's it, but 60 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:07.159 that's like, that's probably typical. 61 00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:09.840 Well, you know that makes me smile. And the reason 62 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:12.800 why is because that is a very, if I may, 63 00:03:13.080 --> 00:03:17.560 a very gen x thing. It's thinking about how corporate 64 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:20.879 American corporate greed have taken over holidays, things that were 65 00:03:20.919 --> 00:03:24.759 supposed to just be so fundamental, not necessarily basic, but 66 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.039 just based on other things. 67 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:28.479 Do you do you I don't know if you had 68 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:30.479 a similar experience. When I was a kid, my first 69 00:03:30.599 --> 00:03:34.879 job was at movie theater and I remember that they 70 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:37.439 were looking for people to work on like half a 71 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:42.479 day on Christmas, and my mom was like apocalyptic. She 72 00:03:42.599 --> 00:03:45.479 was like, you are not working on Christmas. It's it's 73 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:48.039 a special day. They can go get somebody else. And 74 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:52.479 I was like, I'm I was like okay. But because 75 00:03:52.599 --> 00:03:56.240 then back then most things were closed of course Christmas Day. 76 00:03:56.280 --> 00:03:59.280 Of course you look today, nothing's closed, Like everything's open. 77 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:02.960 And just this transition from like Christmas used to be 78 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:06.520 this thing where we recognized the holiday and it was 79 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:08.080 almost the exception to be open. 80 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:11.159 Now, yeah, people were shocked if something was open on Christmas. 81 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:14.120 I get the maybe first half of Thanksgiving because everybody 82 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:15.520 needs to run to the store for that one or 83 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.199 two things they forgot they thought they had. And to 84 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:21.319 that point, there were many, many years, especially being here 85 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:24.560 in Orlando, being part of the hospitality industry, the parking 86 00:04:24.519 --> 00:04:28.879 industry specifically, where it's like, okay, you're working Christmas, And 87 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:32.920 for the longest time actually as an adult working in 88 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:35.519 that industry, my wife and I just accepted it as 89 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:38.279 part of you know, it is the way it is 90 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:42.319 living here Orlando. Of course, living here, working where we do. 91 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:44.199 I could have gone and got a different job somewhere 92 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:48.040 that wasn't open on Christmas, but I didn't. Now it 93 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:51.920 wasn't until much later, not very long ago. Actually that 94 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:55.920 post CrossFit. To be honest with you, that I said, 95 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:59.439 I'm not working Christmas Day any longer. And it wasn't 96 00:04:59.480 --> 00:05:03.279 so much because of or for me, or even for 97 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:06.839 my wife, but it was more for other people that 98 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:09.879 it who found it very important for us to be 99 00:05:09.959 --> 00:05:12.319 present on that day. Yeah, that makes sense, you know 100 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:15.920 again going back to where gifts don't necessarily need to 101 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:19.720 happen on major holidays, same thing. We can visit any time, 102 00:05:19.959 --> 00:05:23.319 but it's a little more special to people, sure, on 103 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:25.720 those days. And if it means giving a little more 104 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:28.600 of myself, then so be it. I'm a very selfish person, 105 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:31.399 like a very very selfish person. But again, I do 106 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:33.639 like making other people happiest me, so I want to 107 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:34.800 make sure we do that now. 108 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:36.279 Gen X, yes or no? 109 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:40.079 You are to me a younger on the young side 110 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:43.439 of Generation X, would you agree? Or I definitely fall 111 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:45.720 into Gen X just based it's like a horoscope thing. 112 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:47.800 You read your horoscope and you're like, well, that could 113 00:05:47.879 --> 00:05:52.360 you know, be for anyone, But it's entertaining gen X. 114 00:05:52.680 --> 00:05:55.439 I think many people have a lot of characteristics. You know, 115 00:05:55.480 --> 00:05:57.920 we don't trust the government or big business. You know, 116 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:02.040 we're very focused on making sure that we're big impaths. 117 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:04.240 You know, we're making sure that other people have what 118 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:07.240 they need, that sort of thing. But again, that could 119 00:06:07.240 --> 00:06:10.399 be anyone of any age. Technically, it just seems to 120 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:12.360 land a little bit more for us. Now there's a 121 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:15.240 specific reason I brought that up. That's why I have 122 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:19.439 written note gen X and again similarities between us. People 123 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:22.079 find you to be a quiet person. I did as well. 124 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:28.040 How long have you and Katie owned Mousetrap Fitness twenty 125 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:31.480 twenty shout out to Lex Olsen coach Lex, thank you again. 126 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:35.480 Without an introduction between you guys, this may not be 127 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:38.839 happening right now. So we're grateful there and maybe we'll 128 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:42.639 save that story for a little bit later. But in addition, 129 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:45.720 like so that's twenty twenty two, we're halfway through twenty 130 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:49.800 twenty six now, so over four years now. Initially in 131 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:52.480 meeting you, it was more of kind of a passing thing. 132 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:53.600 Though I wasn't coaching. 133 00:06:53.639 --> 00:06:55.319 I was I was still a member and hit or 134 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:56.600 miss attending classes that. 135 00:06:56.680 --> 00:06:58.560 I think you would fill in from time to time. 136 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:02.720 So in meeting you, you seem like a very quiet person. Now, 137 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:07.279 I like to challenge myself in being able to have 138 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:10.160 a conversation with people, and I wish I would remember 139 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:13.079 our very first conversation because it had to be something 140 00:07:13.879 --> 00:07:14.839 very surface level. 141 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:19.079 I imagine it was probably our wives that made us 142 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:22.319 talk to each other or something. You know, like you 143 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:25.839 get to a certain age and you're married, and like 144 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:30.279 the wives start dictating like relationship building, and like well, 145 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:33.079 I'm just like, like my wife will say, Hi, this 146 00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:35.519 is so and so they're they're the appropriate age and 147 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:38.800 appropriate minds. She's vetted them right, right, right. She thinks 148 00:07:38.839 --> 00:07:44.279 this person might be yeah, you have their sealing approval, 149 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:47.279 you may continue, right, And then so I'll be like, oh, okay, 150 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:49.360 Katie said this is okay for this person to talk to. 151 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:52.360 So my guess is that's probably how it may because 152 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:55.319 I'm not. I'm not an outgoing person by nature. So 153 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:58.800 I'm sure she's like Alan, this is Sam, and this 154 00:07:58.839 --> 00:08:01.680 is Cindy, and there about our age. 155 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:03.920 For the rect of you guys, are I would say 156 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:05.839 significantly younger, but thank you for that. 157 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:08.360 Anything more than a year to me is significantly younger. 158 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:10.839 No, And you know what, that's a good vetting process 159 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:13.600 because I base a lot of things off vibe. But 160 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:17.079 it seems cool, you know. Again, that is the extent 161 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:21.680 of my analysis, you know. But in having conversations with you, 162 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:24.160 I don't know at what point, And because even though 163 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:29.000 I approach people, even though I talk a lot to 164 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:34.200 the detriment of others, sometimes yeah, I am still guarded. Sure, 165 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:38.120 and whatever information I you know, convey or share again 166 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:41.679 gen x, you know, But like at some point it 167 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:44.840 must have been and I really think it was some 168 00:08:44.919 --> 00:08:49.240 sort of pop culture conversation probably, you know. And one 169 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:52.559 thing I absolutely remember talking to you about was the 170 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:56.039 A Team. I'm talking about the original show from the eighties, 171 00:08:56.120 --> 00:08:58.600 the A Team, And then at some point we talked 172 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:01.720 about Voltron. Now, if you're listening to this and you're like, 173 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:04.159 how did I end up either with this as a 174 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:09.919 YouTube recommendation or a recommendation for this podcast? Congratulations, you 175 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:12.919 are of a certain age, okay, you know the A 176 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:16.399 Team was early eighties Voltron was definitely early eighties. It 177 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:18.320 was an animated show. There were two versions, and I'm 178 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:20.759 going to ask him this question. Now, there were two versions. 179 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:23.840 There was the lions and then there were the vehicles. Right, 180 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:27.919 do you have a preference lions? Same? Same? Nice? Nice 181 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:29.240 that makes you feel better? Man? 182 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:31.480 Did you see the remake they put on Netflix? 183 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:33.279 I saw that, I know of it. 184 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:33.879 I didn't watch. 185 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:34.360 You should watch? 186 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:38.559 Do you recommend highly? Folks? You hear that Netflix Voltron 187 00:09:38.919 --> 00:09:39.320 and it's. 188 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:40.799 A couple of years old now, but it was it 189 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:41.639 was pretty good. 190 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:43.039 I love to hear it because that way I don't 191 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:43.840 have to wait a week. 192 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:48.080 Remember, yeah, I could crank them all out in a 193 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:50.440 weekend if I try hard enough. No. So at that 194 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:53.399 point that actually, you know, for anybody to listen, that 195 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:57.039 us getting to know each other, you know, and then 196 00:09:57.080 --> 00:10:01.120 from there we've had some pretty good conversation deep And 197 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:04.399 I do want you to know I appreciate everyone because 198 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:09.440 I would think that, you know, as large a community 199 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:15.360 as Mousetrap Fitness has, you know, I know, sometimes we 200 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:18.120 tend to click up a little bit, you know, Oh 201 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:20.360 that's so and so spot or that's who so and 202 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.879 so hangs out with you know, or oh, aren't they 203 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:23.919 friends or aren't they dating? 204 00:10:23.960 --> 00:10:24.879 Or whatever the case may be. 205 00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:29.960 So, I know not everyone has had the privilege of 206 00:10:30.279 --> 00:10:33.480 the conversations that we have. Far beyond the A team 207 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:38.039 and Voltron. You know, there have been some really like 208 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:43.000 impactful conversations. You know, people may be wondering, like, who 209 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:46.360 is this allan guy? Okay, he co owns mousetrap with 210 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:49.399 his wife Katie, which is wonderful. It makes a big 211 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:53.000 impact on me. You're not originally from Orlando. 212 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:56.080 Right, No? No, I grew up in Saint Louis. 213 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:58.639 Oh really, I don't think I realized that in Missouri. 214 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:00.000 Huh, grew up in St. Louis. 215 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:01.120 So you've seen the arch. 216 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:03.240 I've seen the Arch. I've been up in the I 217 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:04.679 was gonna ask, have you been to the top? Yeah. 218 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:07.440 They put in a little egg and they it's like 219 00:11:07.480 --> 00:11:09.320 an egg shaped thing and they at least it was 220 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:12.120 I don't even know, forty years ago, Lewis. So my 221 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:15.679 parents were in the military, met in the military. We 222 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.320 spent some a couple of my really early years in 223 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:23.399 Germany and then settled in Saint Louis. My parents got 224 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:26.279 a divorce pretty early on in our time at Saint Louis. 225 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:29.159 So single mom, three kids did the thing until I 226 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:30.879 was called to do something else. 227 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:33.759 Okay, and how old were you when you were called 228 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:34.440 to do something else? 229 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:37.159 Seventeen years old. I got on a plane to West Point, 230 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:39.840 New York, having been back except to visit. 231 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:43.559 That's interesting, that's really interesting because I grew up not 232 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:45.799 in Saint Louis. I grew up in It's called LaBelle 233 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:49.360 Florida Guys La b e ll E Bell Home of 234 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:50.039 the Fighting. 235 00:11:49.799 --> 00:11:51.279 Cowboys co Cowboys. 236 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:54.480 Yeah, it is two stop lights. And I always have 237 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:57.679 to preface it by saying, you know, I am grateful 238 00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:00.840 and appreciative having been raised there. Yep, I do not. 239 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:03.840 I don't go back to visit. I still have family 240 00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:05.480 and if they absolutely needed me, and I know you're 241 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:08.200 listening and watching right now, just text me and send 242 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:10.840 me a signal that says, hey, come visit, and I will. Okay, 243 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:15.120 But it's just in my opinion. You know, that was 244 00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:17.279 a part of a chapter in my life, yep. And 245 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:20.200 I have moved on from that chapter. So again, I 246 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:22.240 don't know if you feel the same way about Saint. 247 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:26.519 So there's no real reason to go back for me. 248 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:30.759 The family kind of went our separate ways. Uh huh. 249 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:35.120 My mom ended up, you know, passing away, and my 250 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:39.960 brother he was in the Marine Corps, so he went 251 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:42.200 out and did that thing. My sister was in the Navy. 252 00:12:42.360 --> 00:12:44.200 She went off and did that thing. The cousin that 253 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:46.720 grew up with us, and she ended up going to 254 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:48.879 West Point, going off into the Army. So everyone kind 255 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:50.600 of just dispersed. 256 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:55.320 And you mentioned west Point, New York. Yes, now, let 257 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:57.480 me ask you this, what is in west Point, New. 258 00:12:57.399 --> 00:13:00.600 York that drew you there? Don't think you're gonna be slick? 259 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:05.519 Got the United States Military Academy at west Point is 260 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:06.440 at west Point. 261 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:07.240 So that's where you went to school. 262 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:09.480 That's where Yeah, that's where I went to school. 263 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:13.960 That's amazing and that is beyond a flex. Okay, is 264 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:16.960 it absolutely for someone who has only heard of west 265 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:21.240 Point in pop culture or you know, is that like, oh, absolutely, 266 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:24.600 this guy right here, you know how amazing a flex 267 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:26.039 that is to be like, yeah, I went to west Point. 268 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:28.559 But the fact that you don't use it as such 269 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.480 is even more impressive to be because I would be 270 00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:33.679 wearing a shirt that said I went to west Point 271 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:35.679 twenty four to seven I'd work out in it. 272 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:36.679 I'd wear it to church. 273 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.879 I don't even go to church, but I would wear 274 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:41.279 it there just so people be like, well, he served 275 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:45.120 at like the most amazing frigging military academy that there is. 276 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:49.320 Sorry Navy, and sorry, I'm just saying it's pretty impressive. 277 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:49.639 You know. 278 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:52.159 I never and that's again, very big of you, man, 279 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:52.840 if you don't. 280 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:55.240 I just think it was like the expectation for us 281 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:58.720 as kids, like you're gonna go and you're gonna do 282 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:00.799 well in school and be you're gonna likely you're going 283 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:02.440 to go to the military. And that's why we had 284 00:14:02.440 --> 00:14:04.440 so many of us go to the military. So my 285 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:07.600 brother ended up going to the Naval Academy. 286 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:08.919 He was like a year in Annapolis. 287 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:13.080 Yeah, yeah, and he got so many you know, kudos 288 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:14.360 and this, that and the other. Thing about it was like, well, 289 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:16.320 I can do that. 290 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:17.879 If he did it, you can do it, right. 291 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:20.000 That was sort of the thing that was going on. So, 292 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:22.080 but I don't know, it was always an expectation for 293 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:23.879 us to do well, do well in school, and go 294 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:27.159 if not go to one of the academies, go to 295 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:28.720 RTC or something to do well. 296 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:30.399 So well, let me ask you this. Do you know 297 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:32.480 the acceptance rate for West Point? 298 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:33.320 I couldn't even tell you. 299 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:37.080 It's got to be it's got to be like very limited, 300 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:40.759 very small, you know. No, So again that's amazing and 301 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:43.159 again and a flex you know, whether you think so 302 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:45.360 or not. Yeah, I'm telling you I'd wear I'd be 303 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:47.840 gifting people. Hey, a guy who gave you this shirt 304 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:50.000 went to West Point, you know, like the whole deal. 305 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:52.879 Like absolutely, so kudos again. 306 00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:53.120 Thank you. 307 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:56.799 And not only are you an entrepreneur, right, not only 308 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:59.720 are you co owner here at Mousetrap Fitness Home a 309 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:03.919 crust mouse Rap, but you're all you also have another 310 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:07.799 job I do you're Let me make sure I hit 311 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:12.360 Google correctly. It has you as the chief operating officer. 312 00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:16.879 Right, that's correct. Yep. For rip it Sports, Yep, that's correct. 313 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:18.279 Can you tell me a little bit of about rip 314 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:21.279 it So, by the way, is not sponsoring this podcast, 315 00:15:21.320 --> 00:15:23.320 but I'm just throwing it out there. 316 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:28.559 Rip it is a sporting goods company that sells products 317 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:32.440 for specifically female athletes and female athletes only. So we 318 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:36.440 are in softball, volleyball, tested some things in soccer, but 319 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:39.799 primarily softball volleyball, and we own a couple of brands. 320 00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:42.919 We own the tax A car volleyball brand, the Ringer 321 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:46.120 softball cleat brand, and then you have the RiPP It brand. 322 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.519 And yeah, where you can find us at Dick Sporting Goods. 323 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:52.120 And don't be afraid to throw commercial out there. It 324 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:54.440 didn't bother me one bit. Yeah, he if you sell 325 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:56.039 one set of cleats, I'm taking that as a win. 326 00:15:58.159 --> 00:15:58.960 No, that's amazing. 327 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:03.679 And again from Sting, ended up ended up at West 328 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:06.240 Point right. You went to school there. 329 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:10.200 Spent some time in the army, so I did five 330 00:16:10.279 --> 00:16:13.919 minutes five years active duty, did a couple of years 331 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:17.279 in the reserves. So I ended up being activated from 332 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:21.120 the reserves and deploying two Iraq for a year. Technically, 333 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:22.720 diployment was a little bit longer than the year because 334 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:24.120 they got to train you up and do all that 335 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:28.120 kind of stuff. So overall eight years service and yeah, 336 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:28.799 in the military. 337 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:32.080 Now I'm just smiling because I okay, so veteran, let's 338 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:33.879 throw that on there too. I didn't even think about it. 339 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:36.440 You went to the military academy, obviously served, you were deployed, 340 00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:37.759 so you're a veteran again. 341 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:40.559 Thank you for your service, absolutely. 342 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:44.639 And you did all of these things, then you end 343 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:45.360 up in Orlando. 344 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:46.360 Yeah, this is. 345 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:48.240 Again, this is one of those things. 346 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:49.120 This is one of those things. 347 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.360 So this is when you're you're hearing a story and 348 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.600 then there was a jump and then here we are. Oh. 349 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:56.519 After I got out of the military, I kind of 350 00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:57.159 bounced around. 351 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:00.679 I didn't quite know work wise, job kind of thing. 352 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:04.799 Yeah, I didn't quite know what to do with myself. 353 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:08.000 So I just made some random goal about making as 354 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:09.799 much money as I could. It felt like the right 355 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:12.720 thing to do at the time. I said, well, I'll 356 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:15.880 just try and make six figures as quickly as I can. 357 00:17:16.359 --> 00:17:20.640 So that meant get a special skill and then change 358 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:23.400 companies every eighteen months or two years. 359 00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:27.960 So you needed your thought process was developed one specific 360 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:31.599 special skill and then utilize that to allow you to 361 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:34.559 jump around to different business or like to work for 362 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:35.359 a different companies. Right. 363 00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:38.720 I think that was a prevailing sort of career strategy 364 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:40.759 at the time, like get really good at one thing 365 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:43.519 and then levers at one thing from company to company. 366 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:46.000 And so people have a general idea about what year, 367 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:47.039 what timeframe. 368 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:49.319 Oh, this is two thousand and five. 369 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:51.359 Okay, all right, so early in the two thousands yeah, 370 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:52.119 I consider that, earl. 371 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:56.480 Yeah. So yeah, so I ended up had I had 372 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:58.480 a sort of a mindset. I think the military helped 373 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:01.839 me do this for operation that led me to a 374 00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:05.039 manager job. They were offering training on the six sigma 375 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:10.279 process improvement stuff, and I took a couple of because 376 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:12.240 I worked a couple of projects I did pretty well, 377 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.920 they said, hey, you should do this full time. I 378 00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:15.480 was like, how much does it pay? They said eighty 379 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:17.759 eighty thousand or ninety thousand. I was like, that's closer 380 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:18.480 to six figures. 381 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:18.839 So I. 382 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:23.960 Remember, I ended up buying a six Sigma for Dummies 383 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:26.480 book and my two little projects that I've worked, and 384 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:30.599 flew up to corporate office in Seattle for an interview 385 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:32.799 and nailed it. And it happened to be interviewing with 386 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:33.799 a naval academy. 387 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:34.519 No way. 388 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:37.319 Yeah, yeah, that's all you need, so you need. 389 00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:39.559 To do so they said, yeah, you're good. So now 390 00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:42.599 I just spent the bulk of my career was centered 391 00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:48.519 around improving processes, finding waste, eliminating or sorry, driving efficiency, 392 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:49.480 that type of thing. 393 00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:52.599 So that so and again you'll have to forgive me. 394 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:56.079 Okay, so six sigma, can you tell us what is 395 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:57.160 six sigma. 396 00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:58.599 So what is six sigma? 397 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:02.119 Yeah, so basically it's a level of quality that is 398 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:05.039 very difficult to get to, but you're trying to achieve, right, 399 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:09.480 So the technical definitions three point one four approximately three 400 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:12.880 point one four defects per million opportunity. So if there's 401 00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:17.440