Go All 1N Podcast
Go All 1N Podcast: All 1N. Every Day. No Excuses.
Hosted by a driven blue-collar entrepreneur, Jake Fine and a Notre Dame football alumnus and NFL veteran turned business leader, Braxston Cave, this podcast is for those who know the value of hard work, resilience, and going all in on what matters most. From the RV factory floor to the football field and beyond, we uncover the stories, strategies, and mindsets of those who hustle to turn challenges into opportunities and dreams into reality.
Powered by the Be Better Brand, each episode delivers authentic conversations, actionable insights, and inspiring guests who prove that greatness is built, not given.
Subscribe now and join us as we GO ALL 1N—because better is always possible.
Go All 1N Podcast
Built to Lead: Lessons in Leadership, Hard Work, & Building the Brand Q&A
EP. 71 Built to Lead: Lessons in Leadership, Hard Work, & Building the Brand
Jake and Braxston dive into a personal Q&A session, revealing their entrepreneurial journeys, defining life moments, and core values that have shaped their approaches to business and family.
• Jake's shift from pursuing material success to focusing on making impact and leaving a legacy
• The challenges of building a brand while balancing a full-time job, including sourcing quality products
• How childhood moments shape adult mindsets, including Braxston’s story of overcoming fear through baseball
• The reality that entrepreneurship isn't about having a silver spoon or perfect plan—just work ethic and belief
• The importance of communication and priorities in marriage and parenting
• The value of setting examples for children through intentional actions and relationships
• How fear often prevents people from starting, while failure actually teaches valuable lessons
• Balancing domestic versus overseas manufacturing decisions when building a product-based business
Send us your questions for future Q&A episodes by messaging us on social media!
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Just watching these individuals, how much weight they lost, how much, you know, their lives got impacted by this, and he was giving away his Lamborghini and you know, at that time I was like hell, yes, I want a Lamborghini, you know. But as you get older, it's like, you know, I'm not. Yeah, I still want that materialistic stuff, but my focus is more on the people and making the impact, not the money, not the material stuff. You know that might be a ban for other people, but it's just not what I'm into now. But yeah, money's not, you know, important to me right now, it's just sharing this brand, getting it out and making an impact and leaving a legacy. That's, that's my number. One thing is leaving a legacy and helping other people leaving their own legacies. What's up guys? Welcome back to the Go All In podcast. I'm Jake Fine.
Speaker 2:And I'm Braxton Cave, and in today's episode we're going to jump into a little Q&A between Jake and I on some questions that we developed just to give the listeners a better understanding of who we are, the journeys we've been on and then what motivates us and drives us into some, maybe some areas that we haven't talked about so far through our podcast journey. So we're going to jump right in Number one.
Speaker 1:First one.
Speaker 2:First question.
Speaker 1:Who's the first for me? I got you. Oh man, here we go.
Speaker 2:So if money wasn't an object, what job would you work in? Why?
Speaker 1:I really thought about this a lot. I mean, honestly, I'd still be doing what I'm doing now building the brand. What I'm doing now is building the brand. Um cause, before I'll do a little short story before I, you know, came up with the brand that I have. Now a lot of people don't know that I did you know protein donuts. I mean you and Natalie know um, but that was like the first business venture that I ever did. And um, basically I mean I, and um, basically I mean I. There's just you get these thoughts in your head. You know oh, here's a business idea, here's a business idea. Well, that was like the first one. This was on the back burner and um, but basically I'll go into more of the donuts here later, but that was the first thing I went into. But building this brand is like the I'd still do it.
Speaker 1:Money isn't, you know, the factor in this. It's about making. It's about making the impact, sharing the mission with the, growing the community. I just feel like, because I was telling Jackie earlier, I just feel like money is the bonus part. Because I was telling Jackie earlier, I just feel like money is the bonus part, Because I feel like the more impact you make on people, the more people you grow. A community with the money is just going to come behind it. So if you focus, I feel like if you focus more on the people and the mission, I just feel like that's the bonus right there. And you know, I just have that entrepreneurial mindset. I want it. That's what I want. Yeah, I want that and because I've heard I had a conversation about it and that's just I've. I've grew up reading like a little entrepreneur magazines and stuff like that when I was in high school, so that's what got my lit the fire underneath Um Bill Phillips. I don't know if you've heard this name. He was actually. I don't know if you've heard EAS supplements.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, he is the reason. When I watched videos of him, he had his little, you know, he had like a competition for bodybuilders. You know, real people changing their lives, basically like first form. Those are transformation stuff. He was the first and the main thing that, like, I watched the entire vhs too on videotape. Um, I watched the entire thing and just watching these individuals, how much weight they lost, how much, you know, their lives got impacted by this, and he was giving away his Lamborghini and you know, at that time I was like hell, yes, I want a Lamborghini, you know.
Speaker 1:But as you get older, it's like, you know, I'm not. Yes, so I still want that materialistic stuff, but my focus is more on the people and making the impact, not the money, not the material stuff. You know that might be advantage for other people, but it's just not what I'm into now. But yeah, money's not, you know, important to me right now it's just sharing this brand, getting it out and making an impact and leaving a legacy. Right now, it's just sharing this brand, getting it out and making an impact and leaving a legacy. That's my number one thing is leaving a legacy and helping other people leave in their own legacies.
Speaker 2:Two things I remember about EAS was one their colors were purple and white. Yep Two was I think that was the first deal that Brady Quinn did.
Speaker 1:Yes, well, they were the main sponsor for Denver Broncos, Conor Allo His commercial that Quinn did.
Speaker 2:Yes, well, they were the main sponsor for Denver Broncos, so I remember his commercial that he did with them. The one thing I wanted to add to your answer there I think it's rare that you'll find someone who will say that what they're currently doing is what they would continue doing if money wasn't a factor, and so I think it's really cool that you found that. Now, obviously, you have another job you're working to, you know pay bills while you're building the brand.
Speaker 2:But the fact that you already have your hands in what you're passionate about, I think, is pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know the RV, you know, pays the bills. It pays it. Obviously it's keeping the brand going and obviously the support's keeping it going. But yeah, that's what you do when you start. You know you find that your business or whatever you want to do is your side hustle for temporary until you get that thing going and you know it's all gas, you know full send and then you can leave that corporate America job and, and you know, work your passion.
Speaker 1:You want to wake up every morning enjoying what you do. You know, and um, I was just cause I was telling Jackie earlier about um, we're all brought up and raised to. You know, go to school, go to college, get that career, get married, have kids, white picket fence and yeah, and that that's it. Yeah, so it's like my path is not that path. You know I'm 43, not married, zero kids. And it's like you know I have a different path that I'm taking.
Speaker 1:I want to get financially right, I want to get my goals done before I have that focus on a person. A person still have the focus on them, but I want to give them all 100 percent of focus. So, and that's the thing you know that I'm doing right now, it's one day at a time, brick by brick, and and I've said it before is not freaking easy. You know this. You you've heard andy frisella say, you've heard at my list that you have to have that certain mindset to be an entrepreneur, because it is not for everybody. And I've thought to myself like this isn't for me many times and it's like no hell, no, I ain't going out like that. So I'm very committed, and once I, when I want something, I'm going to bust ass to get it. So, but that's where I was at you, ready for yours. Yep, here we go. What's one principle or value you live by in business that you refuse to compromise on?
Speaker 2:So I talk about this a lot with my leadership team, especially as we're evaluating talent and looking at the pipeline of people that we're looking to continue to bring up in the company. And I stand by this of. I firmly believe that you can't lead others well until you can first lead yourself, and it's very easy to see that in the way you know. People show up every day and you know, I think we've made mistakes in the past as a company and I can only associate this to the current company I'm with because I've been with them since I left my NFL career but so often I think people get promoted into leadership roles because they were so good at that skill that they had.
Speaker 2:Let's use manufacturing for an example. You take your best welder and you promote him to the leader of the weld department and he or she doesn't know how to lead people, so they end up failing. And I think one that's a horrible job by a leadership team of putting somebody in that position when they weren't ready for it. Like you can ID that person as hey, they got potential and then you pour into them, get them prepared and then you know, take that next step. But I think there's often, um, there's a big switch that happens when you go from an operator to a leader and no longer are you. Is your expectation, or you know what's expected of you, to be the best at that position? Right, things change, and so I think that people often struggle with that aspect, and I firmly believe that, as a leader, when you step in from operator to leadership, your new skill set that you have to obtain or have is that you're now building a team of people around you who are better at that skill than you were.
Speaker 2:Right and you can pour into them and help lead and guide them. But if you're doing it right, they're going to be better than you. Now they may not have the leadership skills which hopefully you have, and that's where you can help develop them, teach them, help them on their journey, help them accomplish the goals that they want to accomplish, but it's no longer about being the best at that thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It's. You got to remove yourself from that and start building upon it, and to me, it starts with how well do you lead yourself? Yeah, Because when people walk in to their work environment every day, they're looking to their leader as the person that they aspire to be a lot of times not every time, but people who are continuing to want to grow in a company. You're setting the example of what, how I need to act and how I need to show up to get to that position.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I think there's a lot of people who take that for granted and they think that you know, you could. You know some people you know they feel like they've made it and they kind of lay off of the things that got them to where they were, that that got them to that position to get there, and so that's a I would say, that's the biggest you know. Principle to me is you have to set the standard and you have to be able to lead yourself before you can lead others.
Speaker 1:In a great way, I think you can half-ass it, but at the end of the day, people see right through that I've worked with a lot of companies in my past where the leaders haven't done the work and don't know the process. So they can be, you know, thrown into the leadership and be good at the leadership part, but they don't know the process of the. So I've had a lot of you know group leaders that didn't know hey, what do we do with this? You know this certain situation or stuff like that. So I mean, with what you're saying, it's yeah, I think as a leader.
Speaker 2:I think because I can put myself in that position right coming from no manufacturing background to being in it. Like I couldn't tell you how to lay a great bead on a weld line.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, that's not easy man, that's not easy at all.
Speaker 2:You don't know how, but I think when you, when you come into it with a seek to understand mindset and you take the feedback from the people who do it every day and then apply it. That's got. There's some meaning and value to that. When you come in and try to act like you know it. When you don't, that's where people get yeah, they see right through you too.
Speaker 1:right but Right. But you didn't get thrown in. You started at the bottom. I mean I did, you learned the process.
Speaker 2:I learned the process, but there's people who've been doing that for 20 years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, every day.
Speaker 2:Yep Every single day, and so for me to come in and do it for a shorter period of time. Did I gain the understanding? Yes, a shorter period of time. Did I gain the understanding?
Speaker 2:yes, because that was my mentality going into it, but I think if you don't take the time to try and understand people's perspective like that, that will set you up for failure. So I think coaching is a great another great example of that like I, I use charlie weiss as an example. Right, charlie never played football, but he was a damn good coach and part of that was because he had a great football mind. He studied it like crazy and then he surrounded himself with great coaches.
Speaker 1:See, I didn't know that about him.
Speaker 2:I mean, I think you look at anyone right? Nick Saban didn't play in the NFL I don't know what.
Speaker 2:Saban's backstory. But he didn't play in the NFL. Look at majority. You're starting to see it more now. Guys who played are getting into coaching at a high level. But a lot of these coaches who we talk about, they didn't play in the NFL. They're not wearing gold jackets. They can't sit there and tell you how to block one technique, right. They can't sit there and tell you how to block one technique, right, mm-hmm. But because of their football mind and the understanding of their team and their players like, they gain trust and set a standard that guys will follow.
Speaker 1:That's unbelievable to think about. You know, saban not even playing, and you know, and Charlie too, I mean, charlie is unbelievable football mind even as a kid. Yeah, you know. So yeah, it's just unreal. I mean, those are top tier coaches too. You know, I don't even know where Charlie Weiss Jr is at now.
Speaker 2:He's an offensive coordinator at Ole Miss. There you go, so he's been with Lane Kiffin. So let's jump to number two here. Let's go. What's been the biggest challenge in growing your brand and how are you working to overcome it?
Speaker 1:Let me tell you. Well, like I said before in the last question, back to the donuts. That was my first business venture and that was pre-COVID. So that was 2019 when I started that and obviously we didn't know anything was going to happen.
Speaker 1:What happened, you know, with COVID and that, basically, once I started that it took off and I was on WSBT and let me tell you, once that happened I had to shut the phone off, remember, and it was just so much. I was like I don't know how I'm gonna do that, because what I used when I did with that, I mean this was all strictly social media. With that, I took orders during the week because I worked a full-time job and basically did everything on the weekends. And then I just set up, know, meet up points at gyms in Elkhart, mishawaka on certain days and did that. It's just, it got overwhelming and, um, going to bed smelling donuts, you know, and my nostrils still smelling it when you wake up in the morning. It's just, it was a lot.
Speaker 1:I was like man, what did I get myself into? And I mean I enjoyed it, cause, you know, I think, when I was like man, what did I get myself into? And I mean I enjoyed it because you know, I think when I was on WSVT there was one line that stood out that got a lot of people's attention, and it's when she asked me if donuts were healthy. I said there's no such thing as a healthy donut. I said this is a better option for people to.
Speaker 1:You know, take in instead of taking in. You know, dunkin' Donuts or Krispy Kreme you know diabetics can have these, you know. So, and I think that really hit the spot because I had a lot of people message me and, you know, applauded me for saying that, because it's the truth. You know there's no such a healthy donut. I'm a donut connoisseur. I grew up, you know, my mom taking me to small donut shops locally and it just eventually, as I got older, wherever we went out of town or anything like that, I looked for a donut spot. You know what's the best donut spot and still do it. You know, today I haven't done it in a while, but need to do that sometime, but but yeah, I've always enjoyed it. And that that used to be my, my Instagram handle. You know donuts and lift. That's where the and she's the one that says why don't you just use your donut, your Instagram handle? So that's what I ran with it and it stuck and yeah, I mean, we did great, it was. It was a good run, you know. And then COVID hit. I was like, you know, I need to uh, need to hit the brakes on this because I want to be, I want to be careful. I mean back then we didn't know what the heck was going on. So I mean now we do, but it's like I wanted to put a pause on it and I want to be careful with everybody and everybody else to be safe. So I that's why I put a put the brakes on it, but hey, you never know, I might bring them back. I always think about it and I always talk to it with her and you know I enjoyed doing it. It's just like I said it was a lot and like Be Better brand.
Speaker 1:When I launched that, that was on the back burner and I was like you know what I want to do this and it was like the perfect time because this country needed it. And we still do. And it's like we all need to be better in the mindset and being kind to people. Um, cause we're all on the same team. We're, all you know, red, white and blue here, so I just thought it was the perfect time to do that and, uh, launch that November. Man, how am I forgetting 2022 on my birthday? So we're going on year three.
Speaker 1:But I mean, I'm trying to think what I can put as my biggest challenge to doing this because there has been many and it's trial and error a lot of it, and figuring out what works, learning from the fails that I've done, you know, with cause I'm very OCD picky. I want people to have good quality, cause that's what you're. You're spending your hard earned money on my stuff, you know, on the mission, on the apparel. So I think keeping you know it's just finding the right company to trust with sourcing apparel. So sourcing the right product.
Speaker 1:Um, cause there's, there's just a lot of fake crap out there. You know there's a lot of you're buying products that don't last People are complaining about. You see, you see it all the time and it's like that's my focus. It's like it is the experience that customers are getting when they receive the package. I love that and making sure they have good quality products and that's like my main focus and I'm very picky about that too. I want people to have the best experience buying from me. But, like I said, it's finding and doing a lot of networking. Networking is huge. I'm like, hey, who do you source from? Like, when I went to the Arnold, I talked to Rock from Gym Reapers. I was like, hey, and he's like do you need any information. He's like do you need any information? He's like, just reach out. He's like I'll follow you.
Speaker 2:And um, I mean, he's grown that brand huge in your conversations and networking with people who are also, you know, building brands and in the apparel, like what would you say? The split is of people sourcing from the us versus overseas nothing is from here, Everything's from over there.
Speaker 1:And that's also been in my mind too, because I know, obviously you know, you got the Terrace going on now too.
Speaker 1:I don't know how it works with apparel, but yeah, everything you know these big brands, they're getting stuff overseas. You know Alpha Elite, christian Guzman's brand. They're getting stuff overseas. You know Alpha Elite Christian Guzman's brand overseas Because I actually worked with the company that did all their designing and their sourcing and this is the jacket I showed you. But yeah, I'm going to say probably 90% of my guests, so don't take me. You know, don't quote'm going to say probably 90% of my guests. Don't take me, you know, don't quote me on that. But it's, it's very high. Um, I don't just, there is manufacturing here in the U S, but if you look at pricing difference you'd be like how do you, how do you make money?
Speaker 2:How do you?
Speaker 1:keep a business going, and it sucks for us. You know, if we had more manufacturing here and the costs would be different, it'd be a lot different. We'd have more jobs for people too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just had a conversation with someone the other day over this and you know I was telling them, you know, in diving into, you know, some products like you, can, you know, take these tariffs. You can, you know, take these tariffs. You know we've ran many, many studies and reports and financials on. You know you can take a product that's made overseas and you add in tariffs. You can add in like we've even inflated freight back to what it was during COVID, right, like 20 grand a container, right yeah.
Speaker 2:And your finished good price is still cheaper than what it is to build in the US, or maybe it's the same, but yet then you're setting up a new vendor.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You're going to vet through quality. You're going to have to go through that whole process. So people often ask that question. I'm like it's not as easy as what a lot of people think. It's just like, hey, shut it off, bring it to us. I think any of us who are americans would love all of our products to be made in the us it needs to bei.
Speaker 2:I mean and I think, like you know, we're we're working as a country to get more of that, but people who have to run a business that makes money, there's a lot of different factors that play into that, and so, unless you're privy to that information or understand the way business runs, it's never as easy as what people think it is.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I mean China relies on us. I mean there's a lot, so, um, but yeah, it's insane. I've always thought about that. I'm like I slowly I'm finding manufacturers that are in locally. You know la has quite a bit, um, I know there's a couple in texas, I'm sure, and I think one in new york I've. I'm pretty sure that I have written down but, like I said, the pricing difference it's insane. So I'll just give you an example. So if I have one of my hoodies let's just say one of them that I have is like $62. That would probably be $10 cheaper, maybe $20 cheaper wholesale if you buy it in the US compared to buying overseas.
Speaker 1:But I mean, luckily, I found somebody. You know the Be Better brand hoodies that I recently have. I've found, you know, someone out of LA and there's one in North Carolina and they're in the US. So I was lucky to run across them cause I saw it on. Um, I forget who I saw it from, but I was like man, I will give these people a run and check samples. I was like Holy cow, this is like Lulu and, um, I do washing tests and drying tests, see how they look, and you know it's the whole process. It's, it's a lot and I want these things to last. And then, um, yeah, it's, that's the main focus, you know.
Speaker 1:Um, another challenge I was going to add in with you know, the sourcing is is balancing everything. You know, with the full-time job and you know the podcast, and then, um, running the brand, it's just balancing everything out, that's you know the podcast, and then um, running the brand. It's just balancing everything out, that's you know. Another one that I have because I couldn't decide between the two, but that's another one I have is balancing everything and um, you know, because I make all the content, I do a lot of the photography.
Speaker 1:I mean, I have a couple people locally that does photography for me and you know, I like to use local people because they're doing their. That's what their passion is like. Hey, I'm gonna use you, um, but yeah, it's, it's just balancing everything. And, uh, eventually, you know, scaling out the business and um, what the next five years are going to look like, next 10 years are going to look like. And you know, there's other business ventures that we've talked about, you and I've talked about. So it's like there's it's not just this, I want branches, you know. So there's just a lot, you know, but those are the challenges I have is the sourcing and, you know, balancing everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So it's a lot, man, but I'm loving it, I enjoy doing it, and what's the next day going to bring me, you know? So, number two what's a defining moment in your life that shaped who you are today?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I'm going to give you a, I'm going to give you a story and some people are going to find this like really silly.
Speaker 2:Um can't wait to hear this but um have I heard this, yet I don't think so I don't know that I've told very many people this story, um, and it'll seem pretty insignificant to most, um, but I, it's a vivid memory that I have. And I was probably. I was probably seven or eight years old and growing up, baseball was my sport. I really didn't care about football, I mean, I liked football, but baseball was where it was at for me. And so I remember, seven or eight years old, being in the backyard playing catch with my dad and you know we're just playing casual catch and he starts throwing it harder and harder, and harder.
Speaker 2:And I remember, like crying out of fear, right, it was like catch the ball or it's going to break your face, right, like, and my dad probably would never even remember this and my dad probably would never even remember this, this, this incident. But you know he's whipping it at me and I'm catching it and throwing it. He's telling me, throw it back. And he's whipping it at me harder and throw it back. And I remember crying and being like so fearful at the time and and after doing that for I don't even know how long it, like it just broke the fear in me, and not just the fear of getting hit with a baseball. It was like fear of anything. And you know, I I guess to me like that's the first time I can like remember that of just not, of just losing, of just losing, being afraid of fear.
Speaker 2:And then I talk about just the role dads play, and I love the quote of moms raise babies to boys. And then it's dad's duty to raise boys to men. And, you know, first of all, god bless the single moms out there that have to do it alone and, you know, is to equip his sons with, you know, discipline and the ability to thrive in an unkind world. It's not rainbows and sunshine and all those things like the world, the real world's hard.
Speaker 2:And and I think, as as a father, it's, it's, that's my duty to prepare my boys Um, my daughter too, but it's different. And, um, you know, I don't. I know, I know that my boys will be great men, and I don't know if they'll be athletes or doctors or businessmen, and I don't, I don't care about any of that. The only thing that matters to me is that that they will grow up to be great men and I don't care about any of that. The only thing that matters to me is that that they will grow up to be great men.
Speaker 2:And you know and I think it sounds people can say it sounds cocky or whatever but, like, I am a hundred percent confident that my, my boys are going to grow up, as you know, standout individuals, because they're going to grow up and they're going to be, they're going to be disciplined, they're going to be hardworking, they're going to be respectful and they're going to grow up with a mindset that they're not entitled to shit but you are entitled to nothing. Like, we have that conversation now with our daughter and cope because he can understand it, but Asa obviously doesn't yet. But, like, mom and dad have money you don't have with our daughter and cope, because he can understand it, but asa obviously doesn't yet. But like, mom and dad have money, you don't have anything, you have nothing.
Speaker 2:And I want them to grow up with that mentality that they have to work to earn everything and like, just because dad went to notre dame and dad played in the nfl and dad's got a great job, that doesn't mean anything to you and you're gonna have to go out and earn it every day. And I think that this you know it sounds sad to say, but I think it's going to be very easy for my kids to be great because this generation that's up and coming is not any of those things Undisciplined, weak, like, stuck in front of screens, like that's important stuff to us that we don't like.
Speaker 2:Those are non-negotiables in our house with our kids, and so you know, I think the last thing I'll leave you with is that I truly believe that fear kills more dreams than failure ever will, because at least with failure, you're going to learn, you're going to grow and you can start over I agree but if you're too fearful to start, you're never going to learn anything. So that's what I would say. It all kind of trickles back to playing catch in the backyard with dad, um, and just not being afraid to get hit with a baseball.
Speaker 1:But I'm gonna add into that you had no other choice right to you catch that ball, right, you know? Or if your nose is gone, right, you know. So I played catch with my mom all the time my mom was the baller man and she'd get pissed because I'd break a nail, you know. Hey, you want play, you know. But those are those moments we don't forget, you know, and obviously, that one yeah, that one's like that was a good one. I like it.
Speaker 2:Number three. So when people look at your journey from you know blue collar life working in the RV industry to entrepreneur, um you know, in the success story that's going to come of that someday, when your brand pops Like, what do you hope people take away from your story?
Speaker 1:That they know it's possible. You know you don't need a silver spoon, an investment, a perfect plan. You just need work, ethic, discipline and the belief in yourself that you can do it. Um, you know, you just talked about discipline is a huge and I feel like, obviously, success doesn't come overnight. I'm not successful. Um, hopefully one day I will be. I can't even really define what success is. Um, I mean, if you're willing to sacrifice, put in the work and the time and the hours and bet on yourself, I feel like you can build anything you want.
Speaker 1:And you know God has given us talents and abilities. You know, obviously, we've seen what your talents and abilities are. You know in football and all that and much more. You know, I feel like you have to really dig deep and you've got to find what your passion is. You've got to find what abilities and talents that you have and find that passion, that burn you have and run with it. That's the big thing. I just want people to know it's possible. You can do whatever the hell you want. That's what's nice about being in the usa, you know. And uh, anything's possible.
Speaker 1:I think that's the big takeaway from this and, um, yeah, that was a deep one, because I feel like a lot of people don't know what they have and, um, it's just like you know, and people will just go through life complacent, you know, following through the movements, and one of these days you're just going to be gone. But you're going to be going to the grave with all those abilities and all those talents and not use them. And I forget where I heard it from. I don't know if it was a motivational speech or video. The guy was talking about people going to their graves. You have these ghosts that are in your ears chirping, and these ghosts is like your talents, your abilities, your visions, your dreams. Do you want them going to the grave with you, talking to you, or do you want to go in life and do all that stuff so they don't go to the grave and you leave a legacy?
Speaker 1:yeah and I thought that hit really hard and I was like man, it's, you know, it's the truth. But, like I said, god has given us everything. You just need to dig deep and find it. And I've wanted to do this, you know, since I was in high school. You know, and uh, but we'll see what happens. Right, I, everybody has the ability to do it, man, they just, you know, we got to take the action, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, I think Ben Newman says it really well- yeah, he says everything you need is already in you Yep.
Speaker 1:I already knew where you were going with that Yep, and uh, it's so true.
Speaker 2:I mean. So many people doubt themselves and their abilities. That's what kills everything. Sure, your abilities may not be to the level you want them to be yet but you still have them. You have these things in you that maybe you just haven't woken up yet. And again it goes back to you. Just got to start.
Speaker 1:Yep, and it doesn't matter how old you are. I mean, like I said, I'm 43. I always tell myself I'm like, damn, I'm too old. I'm this is it's too late for me, but as long as I'm breathing, it's never too late, you know. So I'm going to keep going until I'm not breathing anymore. You know that's what I'm doing, but we're on three, all right. What's the most important lesson you've learned about being a husband and a father?
Speaker 2:That marriage and parenting is hard. It's really hard. I think it's. It's two, two things. I think communication and your priorities are most important.
Speaker 2:You know, anytime Natalie and I get in like a little bit of a funk or you can tell things are off, it's typically because we're not communicating well with what's going on. There's times where I can get feeling a certain type of way because there's stuff going on with work or this or that, and you know she can do the same with dealing with the kids all day long. Or you know there's drama with the situation. You just never know. And if we're not sitting down and spending intentional time communicating with each other, I think that that leads to to issues, and I think we do a really good job of that.
Speaker 2:We're not perfect by any means, but I think that that's a lesson that I had to learn, just as an immature. I mean. Natalie and I have been together for a long time and so I was extremely immature when we started dating at 16 years old and just growing up through life together and maturing and learning, and so communication is a big one. And then priorities, like I think that I can't think of like an exact moment, but when I started to prioritize, make her and our, our marriage, a real priority, like that was a game changer. And you know, to me it's.
Speaker 2:It leads into parenting. You know we we make it very clear to the kids that mom and dad and our relationship is number one. They're number two, um, but we are very intentional on how we, you know, set the standard around them and how we live. And then also the expectation of, like what they should expect out of a relationship or a partner. And you know we, you know, like we not I think a part of it's just cause I come from an Italian background we're very touchy, feely, but like that's important to us with our kid.
Speaker 2:Like we kiss in front of our kids, we hug very touchy-feely, but that's important to us.
Speaker 2:We kiss in front of our kids, we hug in front of the kids, we hold hands when we're out in public, we flirt all the time in front of the kids Going out on date nights when we go out on a date night every week because the kids don't want us to leave, but we're very intentional in setting them down and tell them how important it is for mom and dad to to continue dating each other and spending quality time together.
Speaker 2:And you know it's and I think the other piece of that is like we don't we don't argue that, like we don't really argue anyways, but like we definitely don't argue or have any type of serious conversation in front of the kids. And so much to the point that like if her and I are just having a conversation about like what we're going to eat that night, we're just kind of bickering at each other. The kids be like stop fighting. We're, like we're not fighting, like you guys don't know what fighting is, um, but I think it's just setting the example for them of you know all the things of marriage and career, just working hard and you know the kids absorb everything we talk about that all the time.
Speaker 2:They they see it um, we see it come out of them in in the moments that you least expect it and you're like they really are watching. You're taking everything that we do. And so, yeah, I think at the, at the end of the day, it's those two things, it's communicating and then making marriage and family a priority would be the the biggest lessons I've I've learned. I like it. I'm going to throw a bonus question at you oh man All right, go ahead.
Speaker 2:So you've talked a lot about building the brand, both the donut company and then Be Better. Can you think of a moment that made you say I feel like I'm called to something bigger, like I'm going to start my own brand, I'm gonna start my own thing? Is there a moment you can think back to and then, if you can like, then what was your first action step that you took?
Speaker 1:Well, it was actually not just one moment, a series of moments. Well, it was actually not just one moment, a series of moments. You know it's where I saw the impact of you know, mindset and my work ethic and my own life. Dude, I had no work ethic I had.
Speaker 1:I was lazy, you know and the people I surrounded myself with. I basically followed suit and that's not who I wanted to end up being, you know. And it's just, I've always wanted to push myself to be the best human I can be. And that's when, you know, I wrote this, you know, know, brand name down. It's like you hear the 1% better every day, all the time, and, um, I mean, it's true in all aspects, you use that mindset every day. And um, there's no stopping you if you keep that, that going and that mindset going. But to go back, yeah, when I was younger, I was immature, I didn't care about my future, I just went through life, you know, one day at a time, and um, just really had an awakening and it's like this is not who I am wanting to be, this is not who Jake fine is. And um, yeah, I just that's when, you know, the fitness got locked in and then my health got locked in because I was I mean, I was always intrigued and in love with bodybuilding and the you know the aspect of it. And just incorporating that, the discipline and the mindset, it's when I realized, man, mindset is like number one out of everything. You know, the health, I mean that is number one. And once I started developing discipline and building it, I just it started to get an addiction to it, which is awesome. And if you just keep that addiction going and doing it every single day, like I said, there's no stopping you. And I feel like that's.
Speaker 1:I don't even know how old I was at the time when I you got to help me on this. I don't even think I can. I can't remember, but it was like I said I'm 43. So I started late because I had that little burn when I was, you know, 16, 17 in high school because I used to go to Barnes and Nobles all the time and look at entrepreneur magazines, you know.
Speaker 1:And that's how I found a buddy of mine mentioned Bill Phillips and he was in love with Bill Phillips and their brand and introduced me to that. And that's basically how I was like, okay, I'm liking this, you know, but, like I said, seeing that material stuff that he had, I'm like that's the life I want to have. And then it just simply faded after school and, you know, you get to that age where you start drinking and going to the club and cause everybody else did Cause. Here I'll go back before this, like when I grew up, my dad was in a band and my dad dj'd, so I was surrounded by it and him. You know working gigs on the weekends, coming home at three to four in the morning. I started doing that.
Speaker 2:I worked at you thought that was normal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's normal so it's like you, I'm going to start doing it. I started DJing in high school. I DJed graduation parties when I was in high school and that's when it first started. And you know, I found out about Club Fever, which was called Heartland, back in the day when I first started going there and started working there and I just fell in love with the club scene scene, you know, and edm music and seeing all the djs from chicago come through and I liked being surrounded by it, just that crowd and the booze, and you know it's like you get caught up in it.
Speaker 1:But I feel like you just go through these phases as you're growing up and then you get to that certain age you're like, okay, I need to stop doing that and start focusing on my life and my career and my future, because that life is not going to get me anywhere. You know so. But yeah, that's I want to say. I can't remember how old I was, but it was pretty late in my how old I was, because I mean, I told you I'm 43, so I've started late when I had that little awakening. But, like I said, it doesn't matter how old you are, you can be 50-some years old and finally like okay, I need to get my head out of my ass, yeah, so For sure.
Speaker 1:You ready for your bonus? I'm ready. Did I even tell you what the bonus one was? Throw it at me. I know what it is. I did. I sent it to you. What's your most memorable? I even want to know this personally. This is why I put it what's the most memorable moment playing football at Notre Dame or even in the NFL? Because, I've heard your Johnny Manziel story. I've heard your Brady stories.
Speaker 2:Is there any more? I mean there, other than the, the group of guys I got to meet, obviously a lot of great, great players, great guys in the NFL, that there wasn't a whole lot. That was very memorable of my NFL career.
Speaker 2:um, I would say, the two things that stand out to me, at least, from Notre Dame were when I had earned my starting position. I remember being in class on a Friday before our first game and the professor had the new like morning america on and on the ticker below it, for whatever reason had our starting roster going across the bottom ticker and to see my name interesting was like a a crazy moment for me um that's how you found out I mean, no, I had, I had known already, but like it wasn't really like it, none of those were really posted anywhere yet.
Speaker 2:Going into week one, and so, um, that was, that was cool.
Speaker 2:I mean just felt like all the hard work for all those years had finally come to fruition to be named a starter at you know, your dream school and all the things you've been working for.
Speaker 2:And then I would say the second one would be in 2012, when we beat USC out in the Coliseum you know that's. We went 12 and all in the regular season that kind of that stamped our way into the national championship game. And I remember, you know championship game. And I remember, you know, going over to the sideline as time expired and finding my parents up in the stands and just kind of locking eyes with them and being able to share that moment with them of like all the things that we had been through throughout my Notre Dame career the horrible seasons and the coaching changes and all the different O-line coaches and to finally get to where we had expected to be all along and my parents to be on that journey with me and then for them to actually be out in California for that game. It was a really cool moment. It was actually. Angelo DiCarlo captured it on camera and played it on the news that night. That's dope.
Speaker 2:I hope he gave you that, yeah, ang still talks about it every time I see him.
Speaker 1:Good.
Speaker 2:He's like I can't believe I caught that moment on camera.
Speaker 1:That's one thing I do have on my list. I do want to go to the Coliseum for a game. I've always had that on my list. Um, my mom has been and she told me she's like it's nothing like over here no and yeah that I remember that game clear as day. That don't ask me how I was. I was dude. I was like come on. But yeah.
Speaker 2:So I would say those are the two, but I think we've got some exciting stuff coming up. I think we're going to obviously continue to provide you guys with some great content and we're going to dive in a little deeper on our journeys and kind of give you guys more of a behind-the-scenes of. I think we'll open up a little bit more than what you guys have seen so far the good, the bad and the ugly of what that looks like. And then we also I know we've been teasing this one for a while, but we've got a guest lined up that we're really excited about, who's got an unbelievable story, and we'll be able to bring him on and introduce you guys to somebody else.
Speaker 1:I'm excited about that one because, I mean, even though he's local I don't know the story, you know, I've just seen his career, what he's done and what he's done on the tv. I mean on tv, I saw it yeah and uh, he's, uh, he's in hell nap, he's in hell of an athlete.
Speaker 2:I'll tell you that yeah so, yeah, I mean I guess I'll. I'll leave you guys with this little teaser of him, and I have gotten pretty close over the last handful of months and he has inspired me in ways that you know.
Speaker 2:He's opened my eyes to things that I just didn't think about before, and what he's gone through in the life that he's built for himself is incredible and it's inspiring and the the thing that I love about him the most is that every time I'm with him, he just makes me think about things that I didn't think about before, and so it's going to be a.
Speaker 1:That's good to have.
Speaker 2:It'll be a great episode and I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:Why should that thing be a two-hour episode? It might pull a.
Speaker 2:Rogan on you guys. You never know It'll be worth.
Speaker 1:Rogan on you guys Dude, you never know.
Speaker 2:It'll be worth it.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, for sure I'm excited. Well, that's the episode, that's it. That's it. Let us know what you guys think. If you have any questions, send us some DMs, send us questions, we'll even answer them. I enjoy the Q&, yeah, I think so. To have some viewers ask some questions and answer them on here, it'd be dope too.
Speaker 2:So tag us share it out. We'll see you guys next time. See ya, bye.
