Leading with Value

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Getting to know someone on a deeper level gives a better understanding of how to help them in the most challenging times. When coaches lead with value, they become more compassionate towards the needs of others and the people around them. In this episode of the Truest Fan podcast, I share an inspiring chat with my friend and client John Thompson about the importance of leading with value.

John is a Private Wealth Advisor and owner of Congruent Wealth. For over 20 years, John has been an advisor to high-net-worth individuals and families for over 20 years, working with entrepreneurs and families on estate planning & asset protection, selling a business, investing liquidity, tax efficiency strategies, retirement income solutions and other objectives.

Coaches and advisors are not always measured by their credentials, they are evaluated by the kind of human being that they are. If you truly want to make an impact, it’s important to understand that living and leading with integrity and value is critical.

However, in today’s world, it’s a challenge to look for someone who’s willing to understand what people value most, who’s willing to listen, and someone who really cares about being part of the solution to problems. 

When people recognize that someone genuinely cares about them, it becomes easier to guide them toward the right path. Taking the time to ask questions and dig deeper encourages a nurturing relationship filled with value and support even through the most trying and difficult moments in life. 

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

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Podcast Transcript

Rob Brown (00:05):

You know, we live in a world where we talk a lot about values and integrity, and why they’re so important. But values and integrity aren’t worth anything, unless you put them into action, unless you put your values into action, unless you act with integrity, and allow people to see that. When that happens, people understand that you really, and truly care about them. And then you do make a huge difference in their lives. Whether you’re a coach or parents, or a financial advisor. My guest in today’s episode of the truest fan podcast is John Thompson. And we dig deep into the importance of putting your values and your integrity into action.

You’re listening to the truest fan podcast. And now here’s your host, Rob Brown.

Rob Brown (01:15):

Welcome back to the truest fan podcast. I am super excited today to have with me as my guest, John Thompson, a friend and client who is the owner of congruent wealth. John is a private wealth adviser. And we have great conversations when we’re working together. So I know that we’re going to all learn a lot through this conversation with John John, welcome to the podcast.

John Thompson (01:43):

Thank you, Rob. I’m looking forward to learning a lot. Hopefully you can teach me

Rob Brown (01:49):

Well, maybe together we’ll we’ll have an egg it and we’ll turn this conversation actually met, maybe we will turn this conversation into something spectacular. So so let’s get started. John, I love to ask the question to begin. The podcast who my guests favorite baseball team is is because as many of the listeners of this podcast know, the truce fan idea came in part from my love of Cleveland baseball, the Cleveland Indians now the Guardian, so but I know you don’t have a favorite baseball team, you’re more of a football guy. So who’s your favorite team? 

John Thompson (02:25):

Well, right up there at the top or the Florida Gators, and grew up as a gator. And my parents met at the University of Florida. And so I’ve been a lifelong fan through the ups and downs. And it’s been tougher lately than it had been a number of years ago. So I’m I’m a gator through and through orange and blue. 

Rob Brown (02:43):

So when you think about being a gator fan, or a sports fan, in general, is there something that you kind of take away from that loyalty that you have, for the team that you follow that kind of carries over into other aspects of your life, because you talked about, you know, through and through and through ups and downs? 

John Thompson (03:01):

You know, I do and and it’s interesting, because I’m in a chat group with some fellow alumni from the University of Florida. And they are way more knowledgeable than me about the recruits coming in, and the recruiting battles and how the program is being run and all of that. And, you know, what really struck me was some of the challenges we had with head coaches, and head coaches who’ve been in the news, unfortunately, and led other teams, including in my home city of Jacksonville, and done some things that weren’t so great or may not have been very ethical.

John Thompson (03:34):

And what really stuck with me was focused on bringing in a coach that really is focused on values is focused on relationships is focused on building an environment and a program that people can be proud of first and foremost, and he really focuses on the individual relationships he has with all the players and has hired many more coaches and other staff members, so that players have more personal relationships with leaders in the program that are there for them. And for me, that’s been a driving factor in my life, you know, having a coach that was there for me. And so I really think about that, and how those relationships are really the backbone of great organizations and a great life. 

Rob Brown (04:15):

Yep. Because sometimes when we watch our teams, we get kind of embarrassed, because we know they’ve done something stupid, you know, maybe it’s maybe it’s hiring the wrong coach, or getting involved in some sort of a scandal and you’re like, This is my team, I still love them. But then the opposite happens. You watch them, bring some fresh faces on board that add some character, some value, some positive things, you know, like, you can get fully behind that and you can kind of see how that builds and you can picture that there’s going to be success in the future as the program gets back on track.

John Thompson (04:55):

That’s right. And for me, it’s it’s every bit of being proud of the program and theresults will follow. And it feels a little tarnished, that we had some championships with some characters that weren’t the best. And of course, we had some great characters also. Right. But I think in the beginning, it’s really about leading with values. And those values have to do with strong moral standards and, you know, high regard for doing things the right way. 

Rob Brown (05:19):

Yeah. And also, just to kind of wrap up our sports conversation, because sometimes I feel like I could turn the tourists fan podcast into like, a sports podcast, and I love talking about this. And you, I have a million questions I love to ask you about the new coach at Florida. But one of the things that I think that comes out in what you said that I want to bring to the front is that when you’re a truest fan, whether it’s of your favorite team, or of your team, in your workplace, or your team at home, you know that you have to root for that team. When things are good, and when things are bad. And I think sometimes in this world, we feel like we should only be rooting, when things are good, and maybe ignoring the fact that we have these connections or the relationships when they’re bad. And so I think that’s really an important element of being a true as fan. But let’s switch gears. I love to learn from my guests experiences that they’ve been through advice that they’ve gotten or circumstances they’ve been through that have helped formulate the way they go about life. Maybe it’s a lesson they learned from a coach or a quote, they read in a book, you know, whatever it might be, is there something like that, that really sticks out for you a story or an idea? 

John Thompson (06:43):

Absolutely. You know, as a kid, I grew up in a broken home. And I think the word today is dysfunctional family, and ended up going to boarding school, and had a wonderful experience there. And a coach who I knew really cared about me took the time to talk to me to, to ask how things were going to check in, he ended up being my position coach, I was a linebacker on the football team, and he was the linebacker coach and defensive coordinator. And we got to be pretty close. And I can remember when I screwed up as a lot of kids do. And he called me down to his office and slammed the door, he was so upset. And all the pictures fell off the wall because he was you know, really not happy with something I had done. And I remember thinking how much he cared about me and I was embarrassed, and I didn’t want to let him down. 

And so coach guth has been a real influence for me. And so when I went back to Darlington, which is where I went to boarding school, and spoke on at Career Day, and had a breakout class, and I had all these stock charts and things I was going to teach the kids about what we do in the market and all of that, and I got there and I ran into some of my old coaches, and I ran into some of the old teachers and administrators. And I thought, you know, the most valuable thing I can talk about with this group is about relationships and developing those mentor mentee relationships and, and how much to look for those in your life to look for that support group and be that support group for others, and grow into that, you know, as a father and a husband and as a business leader. 

But that really taught me what that was about. And I hadn’t had anything like that up until that in my life. 

Rob Brown (08:18):

Yeah, well, that’s a great story, I can almost picture because you see that you see coaches offices in movies, and on TV all the time, you can picture the door slamming and the pictures flying off the wall. And there’s John, the linebacker coming in, and the coach is just out for him. And instead of reacting negatively, you’re like, Hmm, this guy actually cares about me cares enough to notice what I did wrong and want to bring it to my attention in a way that obviously stuck with you for a long time. 

John Thompson (08:55):

That’s right. That’s right. And I didn’t get into very much trouble after that.

Rob Brown (08:59):

Very much I got I got the qualifier there. But that also that led you to thinking about the relationships that you have with other people and, and thinking about being a mentor and a mentee, what can you think of some circumstances maybe that you’ve gone through where you’ve stopped what you were doing and say, you know, I’m not called necessarily to be a mentor to this person at this time. But because of what I see them doing, and I want to help them do more of a good thing or less of a bad thing that you’ve said, you know, I’m just gonna, I’m gonna step out here and be like the linebacker coach.

John Thompson (09:42):

Well, you know, certainly with my own kids, that’s really something that I’ve focused on. And in the workplace working with younger folks. I mean, that’s a conversation that I remember having with a trainee advisor, that the success and quality of the advisor isn’t necessarily about all of the designations and credentials, which are kind of a minimum that you’ve got to have, I think, today, but it really, it’s about the quality of the human being you are. 

And I spent a lot of time, you know, with a trainee, and in fact, a younger partner, having those conversations about how important it is to lead with integrity and lead with values and strong moral standards. And you obviously have a great life when you do that. But I think that people and clients in particular, they can tell, and that’s, you know, that’s something that they really are looking for. And in today’s world, I think people are absolutely starving. For people that have strong values and morals and are leading with high standards. 

Rob Brown (10:37):

Does that carry over into the relationships that you have with clients? 

John Thompson (10:42);

Well, you know, thinking back to coach guth, the one thing I learned, and I didn’t know, the phrase till I got older is people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. And so from the time that I started in business, I was always interested in people’s stories, and, you know, from how they met their spouse to how they, you know, became successful and where they were from, and how they’ve lived their lives. And that’s really evolved over the years to really understanding what people value most and understanding their most important relationships. 

And, you know, some of their personal goals might be spiritual goals, and a philanthropic goals, family goals, and really understanding those values. Because I think when you really get to know a client and a family, obviously, you get into a position where you really care, and you can really be there to support them in the times that inevitably come the times of challenge. 

Rob Brown (11:37):

Right. And it’s in, it’s so much easier to be with them and nurture them in times of challenge when you know more about them. And because you’ve taken the time to ask them those questions, to dig deeper that that they know that you’re not just trying to pat them on the back and make them go away or make the problem go away that you really care about being part of the solution, or part of the direction that they go, because that’s that relationship is so important to you, that you’re you’re willing to take that time.

John Thompson (12:06):

Well, that’s right. In fact, I was talking about that with someone this morning is when I was younger, and people would share things with me that were going on in their family life or their emotional life and you know, just life events. And I, you know, be as supportive as I could at the time, but it didn’t have a place to land until I had a lot more experience and maturity and recognition of what it feels like to endure a tragic loss or, you know, to have a significant challenge or a family member that’s challenged. And, you know, that’s really the meaningful part of what I think we do is that when people have those challenges, we can be there, we can commiserate, and we can empathize because we’ve been there. 

And then we can be there for them and help them design a way out. If it’s a circumstance that’s getting in their way, or a big life change that’s happened. We’re we’re working with the next generation and someone is aging and running into cognitive issues. And so we’re involved with the next generation around what’s really, what is this person really want and need, we, I just got off a call before this with a client that, you know, wants to encourage his mother to spend more money, which I’ve been encouraging her to do for years, but that’s just not what she wants to do in her mid 80s. 

And so I suggested, you know, identifying there are folks that will, you know, essentially be a friend and go to visit and take her shopping and spend time with her looking into services like that, because the kids are very busy running their own company and working as executives, you know, look for ways to improve her quality of life. And, you know, we also talked about the fact that she, when given a lot of cash, gets hit up for money and gives it away freely, including to a gentleman and in England, that reached out via email and developed a friendship, which seemed very strange to the family. And they found out after she had sent him some money. 

And so, you know, initially the conversation was about giving her more money. And then I said, Well, what about what happened here? And, look, this had nothing to do with investments or taxes, you know, or estate planning and everything to do with her quality of life and how to give her the best, you know, support and understanding that she really needs. 

Rob Brown (14:08):

Yeah, and that and to me, that is a perfect example. You know, a lot of times when we in business talks about wanting our, you know, our clients to love us and, and to listen to everything that we do that we can’t earn that until we are willing to listen and learn and be you know, truest fans really care about them and go beyond the numbers and the plans and be able to remind them of things that maybe they forgot about that happened in their lives as a related some other situation that you guided them through in the past that is similar to what they may be questioning you about today. And it’s the depth of that relationship that becomes so important. 

John Thompson (14:52):

Well, that’s right. In fact on that call today. The business owner, son had his financial person at his company on the call and we were told Talking about things. And he’s like How long have as your mon known John, and he’s like 20 years, and you develop these close relationships over long periods of time. And that’s, again, that’s what’s so rewarding, I think about what we do is people become, you know, friends and like family. 

Rob Brown (15:15):

Right? Yeah. And I think that’s a great point. Because this is a busy business, there’s, you know, the financial advice, business is a business that on the surface, everybody can say, I love this business, because I like helping other people. But then, where’s that stop? For some advisors, it stops, you know, once the account is open, and the fees start getting charged, I hate to say it that way, because there’s so many great financial advisors out there. But then there are other advisors who say, you know, I’m in this business, because I love giving advice, and they really mean it. And they spend a lot of extra time with their clients in a way that that is, can be surprising to remember the money sent to England, when you’re talking about spending money, it’s, it’s a special place to be.

Rob Brown (16:11):

Are you ready to discover your true purpose, live with impact and build an ever greater legacy, than you need to make time for what truly matters most go to truest fan.com/challenge To begin the free, truest fan seven, day Quickstart?

John Thompson (16:37):

Well, it is and so much of it is identifying the right clients as they come along in your life, who are the best people that you can really add the most value and connect with. And that’s a critical part of what we do now, you know, 20 years ago, and when I started in business, I was just happy that someone would take me into their home and share information and invest with me. But now, I want to be really thoughtful about who are they and you know, what drives them and what’s important to them. And that’s why we spend a lot of time asking about their values, you know, our first meeting, we start with 60 questions, really getting to know their relationships, and you know, all of the different aspects of their lives that are important to them. 

And that helps us recognize if we can add value. And if we feel strongly that this is somebody that we can really support, you know, and so of course, we’re looking for people that are that are giving back to others that are leading organizations that are leading their families that are looking for some freedom, and someone that they can delegate a lot of this responsibility to, so they can live their most meaningful life. 

Rob Brown (17:37):

Right? That’s, that’s those are some really great points, because I just I think about the potential to drift in those relationships. But when I talk with really successful advisors, and they talk about what they love, about what they do is the fact that they’re able to really love their clients and give their clients their best and learn that way. And that doesn’t happen by accident. I mean, some try to avoid it say no, if I get to know people too much, I’ll take too much of my time. So they take too much of my time, I won’t make enough money. But it all balances out when you do it the right way, when you’re working with the right people that you really enjoy and can impact and they impact your life because you learn lessons from them. I bet over the 20 years that you work with a mother in this case, you’ve probably learned a few things from her because she had a bunch of life experiences, too.

John Thompson (18:29):

Absolutely. I mean, I just think about her and they were world travelers, her husband was an officer in the military and his first career and they lived in Africa and you know, all kinds of places, and, you know, talking to her about those experiences and, and what it was like that, because the world was different. And you know, that is has really been great. But again, you know, we are at our best and there for our clients when we also have a support system around us. 

You know, and that is why we focus so much on you know, our personal relationships and key friendships and our own marriages and, and then having coaches and consultants like we have here at congruent wealth. You know, a truest fan really here supporting us is what helps us be our best for our clients. 

And I think that’s a, there’s a concept I learned in the last few years where there’s three really key relationships in your life. And in this regard, and that are, you know, people that you may mentor, people that may mentor you. And lastly, you know, peers where you’re going through a growth and learning experience of life together. And so having those three key relationships really adds a lot of texture. And I think you grow more and learn more and do more as a result. So thank you for playing that role for us and for 

Rob Brown (19:42):

Well, I appreciate your saying that and so much for the that’s the final commercial message on the truest

John Thompson (19:50):

I have to ask for a play. Yeah, that’s right. That’s great. I’m glad you said that though. 

Rob Brown (20:01):

But, but I think it’s really important because I think if you’re serious about being a truest

fan and to remind folks to be a true fan, you have to be a true fan of yourself, you have to look for people to be true as fans of you, whether it’s in your business life or your personal life, and then you have to be a truest fan of other people, you have to be aware of that you have to be willing to be open to those conversations to think about who can mentor me, whether it’s a formal, you know, coaching relationship like we have, or we’re just somebody else in your life that you can pull wisdom from. So you can keep growing, because you recognize that they’ve gone through some things that you could learn from, and then be willing to share it with other people. That’s, that’s really important in life, and especially in a world where too many people today are just thinking about me, you know, it’s all about me, what can I get out of this?

John Thompson (20:48):

You know, I just had that conversation at lunch with someone. And it reminds me of a few things. One is, ever since my experience with coach guth in high school, I have often, you know, pursued relationships with folks that were mentors and could teach and coach and that has been significantly rewarding. There’s many of them. And the friend that I just had lunch with was actually president of his Mormon church in his area for five years, it’s a five year commitment. And so the entire congregation would come to him for advice and leadership and all of that. 

And so we were having lunch today. And, you know, we were sort of chatting about someone that’s important to him, that’s just not happy, no matter how successful they’ve been, no matter how much money they’ve made, you know, $300,000, sports cars, you name it, they’re just not happy. And, you know, what we talked about is, as you mentioned, you know, real happiness isn’t derived from what we earn, or what we accomplish, or, or the material successes that we have. It’s when you do things like giving to others. 

And, you know, that’s what I talked with him about, among other things, was putting this friend in a position to go give and do things for others. I got a phone call from a friend last night that runs a nonprofit here in town, and, and we just had a great conversation, it was good to catch up with him. And he had some challenges that he was running into and wanted to chat about that. And we did. And at the end of it, I thought, you know, hey, I want to give you some money, how do I do it? And, you know, we ended the phone call. And it wasn’t why he called, but it felt great just to be able to go support him and to support that cause that helps so many children. And that was just a little example. 

And I think quite often that’s what we see with our clients is when given the opportunity to give back to their own family, and to the community. And to the people that may work for them. That is where their real joy comes from. 

Rob Brown (22:35):

Yeah. Oh, I believe that. 100%? Yeah, I firmly believe that the more we give, the more we get. And the stuff we get. The wish is not necessarily the reason that we give is stuff that’s that we didn’t expect. It’s like Coach goose Messina, right, goose? That’s right, he gave in a way that was totally unexpected to you. And it had a lifelong impact, that I’m sure maybe even shaped some of the things that you’re thinking, as you were describing, describing giving, but too often in life, successful people and I work with a lot of, I talk to a lot of successful people, and most of my clients or all my clients are very successful. And I often find that, that sometimes when the chips are down, and they’re feeling kind of beaten up, reminding them about the good things they have, and how sharing those good things with other people might be the remedy to their problems, to this, that whole idea of just being the end giver.

John Thompson (23:37):

Absolutely. And in fact, that’s one of the things that we look for when we interview and have a discovery meeting meeting with somebody is, you know, what kind of life are they living? And what are their values around that because we can add a lot of value to a family that is growing a business and growing a family and, you know, giving back to their community and their people. 

And that ultimately is where we you know, where I derive a lot of joy and happiness, because I know the bigger picture impact that can be made that way. 

Rob Brown (24:07):

Yeah. And sometimes you are able by knowing how someone is going in it, even if they aren’t together may even be predisposed to not give saying, you know, I’ve created this wealth, I’ve built this net worth and I’ve worked hard, why should I give it away and then they you stop and help them realize why giving it away was probably a big part of the reason they accumulated it in the first place. And then it makes it more real, more, more whole more meaningful, more impactful. 

John Thompson (24:37)

Absolutely. Yeah. In fact, you reminded me of a new movie Christmas movie that I just watched with my kids called spirited. And it’s another version of A Christmas Carol, and you know, Will Ferrell is in it, as is Ryan Reynolds. And what they have in common is they were labeled by the Christmas carol department as being irredeemable and you got to watch movie to understand what that means. Spoiler alert. That’s right. 

But what we learned through the movie and what we learned in life is nobody’s irredeemable. Yeah. And that’s really the great thing about what we do. And, you know, people fall and get back up again and redeem themselves. And, you know, sometimes broken relationships are healed. And, you know, sometimes broken companies turn around, and even football programs like the Florida Gators come back and win the national championship. 

Rob Brown (25:29):

Yeah, no, I’m really glad you said that. Because you know that I spent a little bit of time with the prison ministry. And when you go into maximum security prison, where people have decades, if not life sentences, and you tell people you’re doing it, many will say, Well, why would you go in there, those are the worst people in the world, they’re irredeemable, they have no redeeming values, and you go in there. And you see how, with God’s help, not not because of Rob Brown, but because of God, that they can turn their lives around and still have hope and offer something to other people, whether it’s fellow inmates or to people on the outside, you realize that there is nobody who is irredeemable. And that’s why stopping and taking the time just to is to give and love people is just so so important.

John Thompson (26:15):

Absolutely, and those are the most rewarding experiences. In fact, I had a very close personal relationship that was a family member who ended up going to prison for five years and had made a number of bad life decisions and didn’t appear to be happy, and didn’t really talk for a while, initially. But after a couple of years reached out, and we ended up talking weekly, and I looked forward to those Sunday phone calls with him and to know what was going on. You know, we ultimately were talking about life afterward. 

And, and you know, how to deal with challenges. And I was sharing a lot of books that I’ve read that have helped me and, and to see him come out, even when he even some of his own family members weren’t sure how he was going to do, start his own company, find success, find happiness, find a wife get life back on track. 

Again, someone who might have been labeled irredeemable. But to be in that experience with someone going through that kind of growth is really a wonderful experience for everybody involved. 

Rob Brown (27:11):

And your Sunday conversations were a little bit like Coach goose, slamming the door and knocking all the pictures off the wall. It was just it didn’t happen in an instant. But it was that relationship because you talked about the importance of relationships and being willing to mentor or counsel people, and you just never know where it’s going to happen. And that’s, that’s so important. I think life is so much more rewarding when we take the time to do those things. 

So, John, we’re winding down close to the end of our time. So I wanted to stop and give you a chance to tell us a little bit about what you’re doing at congruent wealth. And you know, what an ideal client looks like for you? Who is it that you serve the best as you’re building your Ria?

John Thompson (27:58):

Well, we serve high net worth entrepreneurs and families, executives and retirees. And again, you know, like we discussed, certainly helping clients making smart decisions about their money, you know, tax planning, estate planning, high level, custom investing is all important. 

Helping them take care of their loved ones, helping them to make a greater impact in the world is a key part of what we do. And again, really digging into what helps them become who they want to be, and to live their life of significance is what we focus on. And so, you know, we certainly are working with high net worth clients and managing money for them. 

But we look to do so much more, and to help them organize their overall financial lives and coordinate their other professional advisors in the ways that they need. And so we’re certainly meeting with new potential clients, they’re the right fit for us, and we’re the right fit for them where we can add a great deal of value. And so what’s the best way for someone to learn a little bit more about you go into your website, certainly our website congruent wealth.com can give you a high level understanding of who we are and what we do and, and you know, an email would be the way to reach out either at info at congruent wealth.com Or if they know you, Rob, send an email to John at congruent wealth.com.

Rob Brown (29:21):

Perfect, perfect, but I know there’s some folks listening to this podcast and I said, Gosh, I’d like to learn a little bit more about what John is doing. And maybe he’s the right person for me as we’re looking for a solution for managing our wealth and developing our plans. And I think something that you said is really important. And I think top notch advisors do this and I know you do this. You are really trying to help your clients have live with purpose and have impact by helping them map out their plans and that can sound big and bold because you think well maybe purpose and impact are only thing that you No the Kardashians can do or the you know, the YouTube, celebrities, whatever you want to call, are these really your best ideas for purpose and impact in the world? 

No, no, I’m saying sometimes we think about purpose and impact as being these glamorous things because the world is full of. But purpose and impact is so much closer to home than that. It’s the purpose of living in a way that is very intentional, living with gratitude, sharing with others, being great grandparents, contributing to charity, just having that what might seem smaller impact is really impactful, because it’s not. It’s not about flash and sizzle, it’s about really making a difference. And I think that’s what you do with your clients, you’re thinking about how can I help them think more purposefully, and more impactfully as they go about their lives?

John Thompson (30:53):

That’s right. And you know, what I often tell folks, before we get together in that first meeting, is I may ask you some questions you haven’t been asked, but I’m sure you’ve thought about the answers. And we document that and we map it, and it becomes part of their overall planning so that we and they are focused on what’s most important to them, and living their life of meaning and purpose and impact. 

Rob Brown (31:15):

Right, right. And I just wanted to emphasize that, because it’s not a little point, because it’s so essential to any coaching or mentoring or financial advice. Business is what’s really behind this. It’s because it’s not as it’s not as simple as what’s your number, you know, what’s your, you know, how much money do I need to be able to retire, that’s, that might be an important thing to understand. But it’s not the goal? 

John Thompson (31:42):

Well, that’s precisely it. And again, bearing in mind that it’s an evolution, it’s a growth path, where people may not have started out on a path of considering these things. But when, when moving in that direction, it’s very meaningful and, and back to the concept of being irredeemable, you’re talking to a kid that was not the best kid didn’t come from the best home, you know, was able to go to boarding school and have a coach who really helped him and redeem himself and build a life and a career that, you know, has has been very good for me and my family. And so I certainly take the view that everybody is redeemable and anybody can do a little bit better in their lives and the lives of the people they care about.

Rob Brown (32:19):

Right? Yeah. And spreading that message is a big part of your purpose and the impact that you’re having. So that’s, that’s cool. So we’re at the end of time, is I guess this was going to be a little bit longer podcast than most because John and I get talking, we love to talk with John, you’ve shared a bunch of great ideas with the audience. They appreciate so much for being on board. Any last bit of advice you’d like to give before we sign off?

John Thompson (32:41)

Oh, gosh, really put me on the spot. I feel like I gave you all my best stuff already. Yeah, you know, other than helping other people looking for the things that you’re really grateful for. And Thanksgiving helps us to do that. That is a great source of joy. And you know, building upon those things, no matter how tough a time you’re going through, thinking about times that you’ve been through that were tough and how you got through it and where you are today, and spreading that message to others because everybody goes through tough times. But we’re already in trouble. 

Rob Brown (33:13):

Yeah, that’s awesome. That’s a great way to end the podcast. So John, thank you so much for being on the podcast. I will be sure to put your contact info in the show notes so that people know how to get a hold of you. But thanks for being a guest today. Really appreciate it. 

John Thompson (33:25):

Thanks so much, Rob. This was wonderful. I appreciate you very much.

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